How to replace bathroom supply line? I am replacing my bathroom sink faucet.  The supply line is 1/2" and the instructions for the new faucet states that a 1/4" supply line is needed.  The current supply line is a grey solid tube and seems to be in good condition. Can I use the same supply line for the new faucet?  If so, how do I make this work?

I've used channel-locks and crescent wrenches, but a basin wrench will save you some busted knuckles.  I think that your 1/2" supply is probably coming out of the wall and is grey Polybutylene pipe?  If so, you need a 1/2" PB x 1/4" PB shutoff valve, or an adapter to convert to PEX and then the angle shutoff valve.

If you do indeed have a 1/2" supply to your old faucet (very odd indeed -- are you sure that it isn't just the connecting nut that is 1/2"?), then you can probably replace those with braided supplies of the proper size on each end fairly easily.  If you post pics of what is going on we can give you more specific advice.


Hooking aftermarket drain hose to Frigidaire dishwasher I would like to replace the 8' factory drain hose that came with my Frigidaire dishwasher (model FMB330RGC0) with a 6' hose to save space under the sink. I ordered a replacement hose, which needs to have a right angle fitting on the dishwasher side. However, once I unplugged the old hose, I noticed that, even though the diameter of the hose fitting is the same, the factory one has some ribbing:

to match the stub on the dishwasher:

The aftermarket 6' hose has a plain fitting with no ribbing:

I thought Frigidaire purposely did this to proprietarize and prevent the aftermarket products from being used on their appliances so I called to see if I can order theirs in 6' but they didn't have it and the lady I talked to didn't know any more technical details.

Based on the pictures, can you tell if I can somehow adapt the new plain hose to go over the stub that has ribbing?

You should be able to fit the hose over the fitting to the washer. Then get a hose clamp and install it over the hose and tighten it.


How to frame around Strong Tie Brackets I'm about to start framing my carport to convert it into a garage. I'm unsure of the best way to deal with framing around these strong tie brackets.
What I imagine I'll need to do is cut a notch out of the top plate so it can go around the bracket without and be flush with the horizontal beam.
What is the best way to frame around my existing structural brackets?
or
Suggestions for alternatives?

You should get a permit to do this and the permitting authority will tell you what you can and cannot do. Even if the structure is sound and up to code as a carport, if you fill in walls this would change the wind loading. Contact building inspection.


How can I take apart this kind of tap to replace the washer? I need to replace the washer on this tap as it keeps leaking.

The tap design seems quite similar to the one described here, but it seems the middle section cannot be turned (it's completely round, doesn't have any nut ridges).

Can this model be taken appart?

The top cap seems to have some notches to be able to turn it, but I think it's actually fused to the handle. Maybe it needs lot of WD40?

Update:

With lots of fiddling around, the top came off by turning (didn't pry up), so those notches actually helped.

Now, I think the cover should come out by spinning, but there is no way to grab hold to spin it. The tiny notch seems to be more likely a defect, or maybe made by some previous guy attempting to fix it. It's not deep enough to insert a screwdriver to help spin it.

Any ideas on how to proceed next?

The top cap should simply pry up from the knob.  Then under the cap you should find a screw you can remove to release the handle and access the valve stem.

Shut off the water first, of course. :D


Having trouble with a half hot switch I am currently going through the process of replacing all the outdated cream colored outlets in my home with white ones. Recently I was doing the ones in the master bedroom, where there is no overhead light, and instead there are wall hung lamps attached to a half hot outlet controlled by the light switch. As I was replacing these I didn't think to make sure that the new one was wired any special way, and did it the way I believe the old one was set up. However, now the new outlet is not working off of the switch, it is acting just as any other outlet with both receptacles being hot, but not controlled by the switch. At first I did remember that I hadn't broken the gold tab on the outlet so I figured there's my problem. I went back and did that and still no dice, the light switch doesn't control the outlet, and I am at a loss of what to do. Here are some pictures of what I am working with:

Inside of switch box:

Right side of outlet:

Left side:

I've had the red wire on both top and bottom of the right side and it didn't seem to make a difference. Thank you so much for all of your help!

I am just about positive that the switch and outlet are wired properly, but it's not working. The outlet has two white, two black, a red, and a ground, which also confused me a bit since most others didn't have as many wires coming through to it. I apologize if this is a dumb question and the solution is something blatantly obvious, but I appreciate all the info and help you can provide!!

I don't think your problem is the switch, but another outlet in your room. Check all of the outlets.

Any of the outlets that you DON'T want to be switched or half-switched MUST NOT have the red wires to attached to the outlet.
Only switched outlets should be connected to the red wire and their tab should be broken.


How can I neatly take washer waste around the downpipe? I'm in the process of improving the looks of the back of our house, and want to now sort out the mess of pipes going into the drain.  One of the pipes is a 40mm waste from the washing machine, and is on the "wrong" side of the main house downpipe.

Assuming cutting the downpipe and fitting it directly into it isn't an option (it's too big/risky of a job right now), what are my options for neatly taking it past?

As seen in the photos, right now it's just using two 90° bends to take it out far enough past the downpipe.  There's just enough space to force a 32mm pipe behind it against the wall, but it would have to be bent (ie put under stress) to allow for any fixings.  Ideally I'd like to take the pipe back around to join up with at least one of the other two wastepipes before they drop into the drain.

Is there such a thing as a pipe designed to fit around the outside of a downpipe for this sort of situation, or is my best option to stick with 90° bends to do the job, using solvent rather than screw ones to make it look nicer/less bulky?

It probably should have been done using 45 degree elbows, in the first place, but honestly I think that it looks better the way it is than it would if you had a bent piece of pipe there. That would really look like a part-time fix. If it's not clogging, I'm really curious as to why you're wanting to make a change until you can directly run to sewer line.


Are dark stains that show up when wet embedded mold? Recently I fixed a leak which was causing moisture related issues (obviously). Upon doing some clean up of the area before reinstalling drywall, i noticed some dark spots, likely mold, on the wood.

I have applied several rounds of treatment to the wood including, soap and water, bleach with water, baking soda and vinegar, and some light sanding. Each time wiping down and thoroughly dried the affected areas.

The wood when dry shows no obvious signs of mold, but when spraying down the wood one last time with a bleach and water solution for peace of mind, darker spots were revealed which were not visible when dry.

Could this be embedded mold and is additional sanding/treatment necessary? Or considering now that the leak/source of moisture is now no longer present am I safe to install new drywall?

All wood products are loaded with mold spores.
I work in a lumber mill all the lumber is sprayed with a fungicide to stunt the growth for a month or two. When the wood is dry and not exposed to moisture there will be no growth. There hundreds of different types of mold and only a few are hazardous, so yes there is mold and fungi in your wood. Do you need to do anything? No . You have fixed the moisture problem now close things up and don’t worry about it. Untreated wood at the mill is black in a short time. When I worked n ply wood actual mushrooms would grow in the edges of the veneer stacks.
Not trying to scare you but the only way to get rig of the mold and fungus is to replace the wood with metal.


Garbage cans color coding in the USA After moving from apartments to a new house, my wife and I found only two garbage cans: a blue one and a green one.

We use the blue one for recyclable things like clean bottles, cartons, and so on.

The green one is filled with non-recyclable garbage.

Are we using the two cans the right way?
Do I use a gray can (if I have one) for compostable food waste, grass, etc?
Who is responsible for providing us with a can for compost?

P.S. Sorry, it's actually three questions. If needed, I can post them separately.

Your city waste department handles color coding of garbage, recyclable materials and other such items.Typically you are correct - Blue for recycle and Green for Garbage.

Who provides a can for compost - if they provide one at all.
What can is used for what purpose.

All Cities in the USA have their own requirements.
You will need to look in your City Web Site page and they should have a contact number for the Waste Collection Division - they can and will provide you with the details you request.


Drywall fix doesn't match ceiling Repairing a textured ceiling. However the new drywall mud stayed gray rather than turning white.  I've never had this happen before, why is it gray? it isn't old or moldy.  it was mixed just for this job. It basically looks like it didn't dry at all though it is. What do I do to make it match the rest of the ceiling?

Mudding is only one step in the repair process.

Patch repair, tape, Mud, Texture, Primer, Paint.

Buy a can Homax spray texture and practice on piece of cardboard before doing the patched area. It is an acquired skill, make adjustments to the nozzle to get the matching texture size you need.

I usually start with a fine/small first, let that dry and then a medium on top of that.


List of home automation systems? As @keshlam explained me in
Comparison of various home-automation systems?, it is not possible to get up-to-date NPOV comparison of various home automation systems.

What about a list of home-automation systems/protocols (maybe with basic parameters, such as wired/wireless, etc.)?

The following protocols are listed in Wikipedia:

C-Bus: @wikipedia
EnOcean: @wikipedia
Insteon: @wikipedia
KNX: @wikipedia
UPB: @wikipedia
X10: @wikipedia
Zigbee: @wikipedia
Z-Wave: @wikipedia

In addition to these, I know there are the following systems:

FS20
HomeEasy
HomeMatic
iComfort
Kopp FreeControl
Belkin WEMO: @wikipedia
Intertechno
ELRO

Actually, I do not know whether some of these systems do not use some protocols above.

There are already some question concerning this topic:

Which communication bus systems for home automation?
What are some scalable, affordable home automation options?
What are the pros and cons of different types of smart switches (that are on the US market) ?


Deck footing 2" above the ground -does that apply to a patio? What is the reason behind the 2" restriction? I am doing the design of a deck footing and in many places where I read it says that the footing (sonotube) should be set with the top end terminated 2" above the ground level

In my case I am building on top of a patio and I need to understand why 2" and if those 2" must be above soil level (which is way below the three layers -gravel, crushed stone and bricks-that build my patio) or just above the patio level

Please have a look at the diagram below and tell me which case is recommended and why

Update:The recommendation regarding the 2" comes from this book   step 5 on that page

"C" is the way to go - it has cleanest look.  The point of raising the concrete is to prevent the end grain from wicking moisture and rotting - the concrete is NOT going to deteriorate (unless its mixed poorly and not allowed to cure correctly).  Generally, you don't want wood engaging the ground, nor do you want it sitting directly on concrete.  We separate sill plates all around building foundation walls with foam because the sills will wick from the concrete and rot. Raising the concrete is not the only way to solve the problem... take preventative steps to limit/reduce/stop water from wicking.  Raise the bottom of the wood so it doesn't sit directly on the concrete.  https://www.strongtie.com/capsandbases_woodconnectors/category

We put fences in the ground all the time.  They don't rot (because preventative measures are taken), or do so over an extended period of time.  We don't want the column rotting, but we aren't sticking it in the ground either.  Your detail shows it sitting flush with crushed gravel.  I would dip the end in post preservative or better yet coat it with tar. I'd use a simpson product to keep it off of the concrete (I like the stand off post bases), but keep it below the paver.


Why would a GFCI receptacle causes my electric tools to run slow? I recently had an outdoor GFCI receptacle installed, but it  causes my electric tools to run slow (hedge clippers, etc.).

Do I need to increase the amps rating, if so to what?

It sounds as though the voltage at the appliance is reduced when the motor is running. This happens when the wire length exceeds the maximum limit for the expected current. Said another way, the voltage drop on the line between the breaker and the GFCI is too great for that amount of current. This suggests the wire size is too small (e.g., 12 ga vs 10 ga). If a light load (100W bulb, radio, etc.) is plugged in, does it work as expected?


Brand New Nail Gun Makes a Dent but No Nails Come Out I just got a Blue Hawk air compressor and nail gun combo. I have added oil, I'm using 18 ga 5/8" nails and when I press the trigger a dent shoots into the wood but no nails.  I called support and they were unable to help me.  Any ideas?  Is it just defective?

Check the pressure
Check the recommended pressure range listed on the gun, and make sure the compressor is putting out a pressure within that range. I've seen similar symptoms when the pressure was too low.  Presumably the hammer didn't have enough energy to move the nail, so it skipped over it instead.
Properly load the nails
If the nails are not properly loaded, they may not be fed into the line of the hammer. You'll end up just firing the hammer into the wood, instead of a nail.
Engage the feeder
Make sure the nail feeding mechanism is in place. If it's not, the nails will not be fed into the line of the hammer. This again will lead to you firing the hammer, instead of a nail.
Nail compatibility
Insure that the nails are compatible with the gun. If they're not, the gun may not fire, misfire, or self destruct.


Granite countertop installation on top of 4x4 outdoor I am planning to have a piece of granite countertop 2' x 8' outdoor like the below photo.

I could run two (2) 2x4 on the side of the 4x4 posts to make the bottom materials 7" wide. Then lay the outdoor plywood (black color ones) on top. The granite will be on top of the plywood.

(photo doesn't show the plywood)

My questions:

Is this "setup" strong enough to support? The 4x4 are mounted on top of deck beam and joists. So those are OK. I am wondering if I need to do three rows of two 2x4 each (total of six 4x4) instead of using three 4x4.
Is there regulation / best practice on the two 4x4 on the side in term of how far from the granite edge? I am thinking about 3" from the edge. That leaves me 1.5" plywood overhang. And then another ~1.5" for the countertop bevel edges. So basically, I should try to get the 4x4 as close to the side edges as possible, right?

Thanks.

1). The answer is really time. Nothing lasts forever. The more activity it sees the shorter the lifespan will be. Obviously, supporting the edges would make it more robust.

Your design may last many years, but I would be tempted to use angle brackets or cross members on the ends to prevent wobble, or perhaps use four legs (one in each corner) but that may be a matter of function vs. style. Otherwise, there are a vast array of angle brackets which would be suitable for this. Some factors to consider are whether or not you want the brackets to be ornate or hidden; material considerations (wood, wrought iron or even cable possibly); and of course, budget.

2). There may be regulations (safety tests) for commercial chairs (depending on what the retailer wants)... or if you build this for someone else, as part of a contract, you might need to stipulate repairs and liability in the contract.

As for three-leg-placement options, I think that the golden ratio is generally good. As such, I would center the outer posts at 2.472 feet (approximately 2', 5-11/16") on either side of the center post. Of course other arrangements will also work.


Adding a garage subpanel Currently I have a 200-amp main panel located in the basement. I would like to install a subpanel in the garage. I will use to power my electrical tools, heater, and PC. The garage is part of the house.
Most likely I will need a 100-amp 2-2-2-4 wire to run from the main panel to the new sub-panel. Couple double pole breaker of 100-amp.
I would like to have at least 4 breakers for the tools, one breaker for the heater, one breaker for the PC to start.
Does the 100-AMP sub-panel will be enough?
Do I need to install an additional ground rod?
Any suggestion and advice will be appreciated.
Respectfully,
Bernard

Go big, Big, BIG on the subpanel

Especially if your main panel is getting full, and having double-stuff breakers in it definitely counts as "getting full".

We have so many questions on here of "My panel is full. What can I do?" And our answers are expensive and regretful.   But that we could go back in time, to when that panel was being bought, and say "Spend a couple lattes on a bigger panel".  So, we say it now.  Go big.  Really big.

You're at 7 breakers so far (2 for the heater) + a foreseeable dust collector and EVSE, so 10. I like to finish with all full-size breakers and >50% of spaces unused, so a 20-24 space panel. Disregard "x circuits" as that calls for double-stuff breakers which are no longer viable due to Code changes. (they don't mention that in the marketing materials :b)

Don't let panel bus rating hold you back: An "R" rated tire is only rated for 85 mph, would you put that on your car? Not willingly!  So it's not a win to get a panel with 100A busing. So don't think twice about a main-lug breaker that's 225A/24 space if you can find a happy price on it.

The main breaker doesn't buy you anything (sometimes main-breaker panels come bundled with some bonus breakers, so that can be a savings), but the main breaker per se is irrelevant. You can't make the more convenient breaker trip first, because of main vs branch trip curves and Murphy's Law.  Even if you needed a main disconnect switch, the trip value is irrelevant; feel free to feed a 225A subpanel from a 30A feed breaker.  Totally legit.

Your feeder wire

2/2/2/4 is an unnecessary size, but I understand why it seems correct.

First, if it's convenient to run conduit from the main to subpanel, and  you want to do that, use THHN/THWN-2 individual wires inside the conduit.

Don't bother with copper unless it's like a 10 foot run or something.  The lugs the subpanel will be aluminum anyway because aluminum lugs play nicely with both.  So why create a dissimilar metal "problem"?  (isn't actually much of a problem on these fat feeders).  But if you do go copper, #3 will suffice and #8 Cu ground is all you need.

If you go aluminum (most of us would), you need #1 AWG.

Loads

You're in very good shape.  Your PC and tools will chomp only 15A of your 100A. Electric garage heaters range from 15A to 50A, but you're definitely covered, even with a 60A sub. But stay at 100A.

Here's why I don't think 100A in a garage is overkill.  The automotive world is changing so very fast. "Range anxiety" which used to stop the electric car industry dead in its tracks, is being alleviated from both ends: First, consumers are becoming much more aware of their actual driving patterns. And second, Tesla and others are making is making enroute recharging look stupid-easy. I do lots of transcon trips, and Tesla is at the point where I could recharge in the time I already stop for gas, bathroom, and meals. So EVs are happening, so having 50-80A of headroom in a garage panel is great, and can only help resale value.


Can I run a ground wire of a single circuit to the panel outside the house? This is a follow-up to this question.

I am adding (outlets) on to a 2-wire 12AWG (no ground) circuit and I want the new outlets grounded.  Can I run a ground wire to the panel along the outside of the house?  Obviously it is at greater risk of corrosion and damage than a wire run internally, but this is my only choice (other than leaving the outlets ungrounded).  It seems like most ground wires I have seen from the panel to the ground rod are usually un-shielded and un-armored, but are heavy gauge and short runs.

I am thinking maybe a 10- or 8-AWG bare wire run under the eaves would be the easiest/best (however ugly) solution.  Total run would be about 30 feet.  All suggestions, warnings, or scoldings are welcome.

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 3 Wiring Methods
Article 300 Wiring Methods and Materials
I. General
300.3 Conductors
(B) Conductors of the Same Circuit. All conductors of the same circuit and, where used, the grounded
conductor and all equipment-grounding conductors and bonding
conductors shall be contained within the same raceway, auxiliary
gutter, cable tray, cablebus assembly, trench, cable, or cord, unless
otherwise permitted in accordance with 300.3(B)(1) through (B)(4).

The hot and neutral wires should be in the same raceway to reduce Inductive Coupling. You'll see using the Right-hand rule, that the magnetic fields created by the hot and neutral wires tend to cancel each other out. Thereby reducing the affects of inductive coupling.

I = current flow direction. B = direction of the magnetic field.

The ground wire was required to run in the same raceway, to provide a safe path for electricity to travel in the event of a short. If one of the wires sheathing becomes damaged, it's likely the exposed wire would have come in contact with the ground. The same way an equipment ground provides protection at a consumer, running the ground in the same raceway provides similar protection the entire length of the circuit.


Building code in Canada Are there any online resources for determining building code requirements in Canada?

For example right now I need to know what the proper diameter for a dryer vent to the outside should be. Last week I needed to know how high a flight of stairs can be before hand railings are required . I called the local municipal building inspectors' office to get the answer (24", 60cm). It was successful, but it took 3 attempts to get a hold of someone in the office who could answer. Surely there's an easier more direct way?

This is Canada's National Building Code, but unfortunately they seem only to sell copies of it on CD or printed form.


Is the open grate in the ceiling between my garage and attic necessary? I have a plastic grate in the ceiling of my garage that simply provides airflow between the garage and the attic.  Due to the layout of my garage, my workbench is almost directly beneath this grate.  During the majority of the year, the heat here in Florida makes my attic very warm and this warm air continually flows down through the grate, making even the most simple workbench work a sweaty affair.  Over the summer, it literally feels like you're working under a giant hair dryer!

My question is, do I even need this grate or can I just replace it with drywall?

Please note that my garage is NOT air conditioned and we don't park our cars in there.  I appreciate any feedback!

-Steve M
Orlando, FL

Your attic definitely does need ventilation.  However, it seems really odd to me that it is vented down into your garage.  Is there any kind of gas powered appliances nearby?  If not, I would:

Install some roof vents and maybe an attic fan.
Install soffit vents or some way for air to get in.  (you want to create a FLOW all the way through your attic)
Drywall over the vent in your garage.


Understanding water and sewer In my water bill (in U.S.), there
are two charges, one for water
consumption and the other for sewer
consumption. I was wondering what
the difference between water and
sewer is?
This month, our water and sewer
have the same amount of consumption.
I was wondering if their
consumptions are supposed to be the same generally?
Is the water from bathroom sink or
bathtub supposed to be drinkable? If further after being boiled,
is the water from
bathroom sink or bathtub safe for drinking?

Water is the amount of water coming into your house.  Sewer is (usually) the portion of it that you use inside the house and that goes out through your drains, toilets, etc.  See #2 below.  Sewer charges may also include a portion for storm water if your downspouts feed into a municipal sewer system.
During the summer, it's expected that some of the water will be used for watering your yard, so your sewer usage will be less than your water usage.  During winter, the two should be very similar.
In general, water in bathroom fixtures should be safe to drink, boiled or not; there's only one water main coming to your house, after all.  You may have additional filters on the water lines going to the kitchen faucets, which would make that water taste better (by removing chlorine, say).


Required to put roof or door overhang on a sliding door? I have no experience in architecture or house building. I am currently brainstorming a house design and I am thinking of putting a sliding door as one of the entrance to the house aside from the main door. Is it required or advisable to out a roof that will cover the sliding door considering it gets quite rainy in my country? The house is 2 story and the roof on the 2nd floor should be able to cover the space but not sure if it will be enough.

I know that in the USA sliding glass doors can leak if directly exposed to rain, which can be windblown.


Is it safe to shave off 1/8" from a load-bearing stud? I am trying to install a small metal media cabinet in a load-bearing wall in my basement, but unfortunately the cabinet is about 1/8" too wide to fit between the studs.  Is it safe to shave off a small amount from one of the studs so that the cabinet fits?

If trimming a small amount 1/8" - 1/4" off a stud in a load bearing wall is the ONLY option, then I would do that PLUS install another stud directly beside the cut one, and fasten them together -- this is called "sistering".

Good luck! :)


What type of breakers is this and how should they be switched back on? My friend is taking care of my 25 year old home in British Columbia (Canada) and all breakers were switched off when I went away, except for the Main at the bottom and the garage one for him to be able to activate the garage door to access the garden tools. Now he needs to turn some heaters on in the house to keep the temperature inside above 10C as the weather is cooling down, but most breakers seem to be set up by set of four, with a top-bottom tandem (linked by a metal plate) and a middle tandem (linked by a small bar).
The pic shows the panel configuration after he switched some breakers ON, but I wonder if there are any rules when selectively switching some of these linked breakers ON and OFF? Anything to be careful about? I am concerned with fire hazard as there is nobody in there to detect a problem (short circuit, etc.).
Thanks

These are tandem/cheater breakers. They are double circuit but on the same leg/phase of the panel. When two are next to each other as shown in your picture and with the handle ties, they are protecting a 240 Volt circuit. As such, they have to be operated at the same time. To turn on or off, put your fingers on the two tabs/ handles that are connected and push in the direction to turn on or off. That would be the two in the middle with the round handle ties and the two outside with the rectangular handle ties. The only concern is that the two controlling a 240 Volt circuit are both on or off and the handle ties ensure that.


Why is the sand in my cement mixes so thirsty? In making up cement-based mixtures, I always start with a water:cement ratio of 0.42:1, which is the optimal ratio. But whenever I make a mix that has a substantial quantity of sand in it (e.g. for mortar, or a self-consolidating pourable thing) the sand seems to gobble up all the water and turn the mixture into a gritty, unworkable paste. I always need to add a substantial amount more water to make it workable, which I know weakens the mix.

I've tried commercially-packaged masonry sand, sieved sand from my backyard, and the texturing sand I had in an old package of paint texture. Same diff, though it was worst with the paint texture stuff, which was very fine and dry.

I tried adding a commercial PCE superplasticizer (0.5% by weight) but it didn't seem to make any difference at all.

I don't have an electric mixer, so I have to do the mixing by hand. Could my technique be the problem?

Also I live in the desert so everything here is just naturally dry all the time; could it be that most people's sand has more moisture in it?

The cement/sand ratio for mixing mortar or mixed aggregate varies depending on what you are rendering or making. In the building industry different qualities of mortar/concrete are required. The usual standard is that water and cement are measured by volume and are the same amount.
However in real life, proportions are not so exact.
If for example you are laying aggregate on a dry base, for example earth, sand the water will be sucked out of the mix, and the mix will be weakened.
Laying on dry earth or sand must be avoided, and the area must be soaked before laying, or the area should be covered in plastic to keep the water in the mix.
As mentioned elsewhere, sand can be bone dry, or in any state up to totally water logged - you need to adjust the amount of water added to the mix to allow for this.


How do I know if I will drill into a hole in a wall that was already made? I drilled 2 large holes for mounting a flat screen in the bedroom.  One hole is in a wood stud and the other is a metal stud.  I will be renting out our apartment and will be taking the TV down and filling the holes and repainting walls.  If I ever plan to move back into this apartment and mount a TV again in the same spot, how do I avoid not drilling in the same exact spot?  Basically, I don't want to hit a portion of the same hole and create an even larger hole, making it very unsafe to mount a TV.  Is there a way to mark the spot so that I know to avoid it in the future?

Chip away the drywall over the hole and install a Stud Plate.  These are designed to stop anyone from drilling into a wire that runs through a stud.

Patch the drywall.  Next time, if you can't find the location, and accidentally drill in the same spot, you'll hit the stud plate.


Does a subpanel ground need to be insulated wire I am installing a 60amp subpanel and want to ground the panel to a grounding rod. I have 8awg non insulated copper and want to know if it can be used for this or does it need to be insulated. It will travel through wood framing to the exterior for ground.

No insulation is required.  However grounding to a rod is not enough, you must also run a ground wire back to the supply.

Dirt is a poor conductor and you can't expect it to return the 100 amps + that it must to assure a breaker trip during a ground fault.  When it can't, it will not trip and leave a condition where all your grounds are energized at line voltage.


Requirements for adding outdoor outlets I would like to run a line of outlets on the front side of my house. Ideally there will be:

1 circuit of outlets that are always on for general use
2 circuits of outlets that are on timers, one for Christmas lights, and the other for some hard wired light by our steps.

Questions:

Can I run 3 circuits through the same conduit and boxes?
What kind of conduit is required for outdoor use?
What is required to run the conduit  underground out to my front steps?

You can use most types of conduit outdoors, though some will require liquidtight fittings. Cost wise, and due to the ease of use, I'd recommend schedule 80 PVC conduit.

schedule 80 PVC conduit http://static.hardwarestore.com/media/product/636554_front500.jpg

As long as you use the proper size conduit and boxes, you can indeed run all the circuits through the same conduit.

If you used 14 AWG THWN conductors (15 ampere circuit), you could jam them into 1/2" schedule 80 PVC conduit. If you want a bit easier pull, you could use 3/4" schedule 80 PVC conduit.  If you're using 12 AWG THWN conductors (20 ampere circuit), you'll have to use 3/4" schedule 80 PVC conduit. I figured for 3 conductors per circuit (hot, neutral, ground), so that's 9 total.

If the circuit is GFCI protected, you can install the conduit 12" underground. If it's not, you'll have to go 18" deep. Since you're installing outdoor outlets, you'll have to GFCI protect them anyway. If you use a GFCI breaker, you can provide that protection, and save yourself some digging.

Wherever you go in or out of the ground, you'll want to install an expansion fitting.


Is there a thermostat-controlled corn heater sized for a shop/garage? I'm looking for a way to heat my 4-car garage. Two bays are for cars, one is for the mower and other items, one is my workshop.

I live in Minnesota, with very cold winters, so a heater is necessary to keep the shop usable in the winter and to keep the cars warm. I would like to have a heater/furnace that is on a thermostat, so that I can keep the garage ~ 35-40 degrees (F), but then crank it up to 50 or 60 when I want to work out there.

I've been doing some research, and it looks like a good option (efficiency and cost-wise) would be a corn heater, however, it looks like most of these are stoves intended to go in houses.  The "shop" heaters I have seen online are huge commercial units designed to heat 3000+ square feet, whereas my garage is only ~1100 square feet.  Any thoughts on where to start looking for a good shop-type corn heater that is thermostat controlled?  Any ideas for other heating options that wouldn't involve running a new gas line out to the garage?

I'd seriously reconsider heating the section of the garage where the vehicles are stored. Storing vehicles in a heated garage in the winter rapidly accelerates rust formation.

http://www.cars.com/go/advice/Story.jsp?section=top&story=car-talk-tips&subject=more&aff=cartalk


Tripping 20 amp single pole breaker. I purchased a 30amp duel breaker. To put it in the panel I had to move one of the 20amp single pole breaker up in the panel. No wiring was changed. After changing the position the breaker trips. I put it back in same spot and it still trips? What could be the problem

You may have already tried this but I am assuming you haven't. First disconnect the circuit from the circuit breaker. Make sure the breaker is reset and see if you can turn it on. Use a voltmeter or a non contact indicator to see if there is voltage at the termination. Now you know It's either the breaker or the circuit.

If the breaker resets and stays on, then examine the circuit conductor that was attached to it for it shorting in the box. Do a visual inspection will and look for a nicked wire, discoloration or a burned spot inside the panel.

Now check the circuit with an ohmmeter or a continuity tester to ground and see if you get a "ring". If you do it's the circuit and if you can't see where it is shorted in the panel then it is down line in the circuit and the moving of the breaker was just a coincidence. If you don't get a ring then connect up the wire and you are good to go.

Also check the circuit and locate all of the devices that may be connected or plugged into a receptacle or if it is a light turn all switches to off while checking.

At this point your has been isolated and identified, now all that is left is repairing the damage.

Hope this helps and good luck


Track Lighting LED bulbs flickering I recently bought a 5-bulb track lighting & installed GU10 base MR16 shape, dimmable LED lights bought off of eBay. The lights started flickering after turning them on after a few seconds.

I thought it was due to the cheap bulbs & bought a 3-pack from HomeDepot. I swapped 1 bulb from the track & it looks like the flickering issue is gone.

Can someone explain whats going on here?

edit: Gu10 base, MR16 shape. Plain regular plug in socket.

Also, I would like to install a dimmer switch to this & I hear there are different kinds of them. Which one should I be buying?

Please let me know if you need any further details or if you want me to try something.

That's very common.  Dimming LEDs is a rather complicated business, due to the need to interoperate with old style dimmers.

Older dimmers were designed to be retrofit into old-style "switch loops" where there is not a neutral.  The dimmer itself needs a small amount of energy to power itself.  The way that happened was by "leaking" a tiny amount of power through the circuit, which worked just fine with old style incandescent bulbs. But this sometimes confuses the electronic power supplies found in LEDs.

Quality problems with LEDs occur in three areas:
-  Electronic power supply (driver) operating life, particularly, capacitors
-  subtle and complex functions like dimming
-  physical build quality (the plastics falling apart or breaking)

eBay products generally fell off the back of a truck in Shenzhen, China, are unvetted for quality, and the manufacturer saved about 25 cents a unit making them as cheap as possible.  On 4 million units that's a million bucks.  Because of the capacitor issue, you can expect disturbingly short service life from these LEDs.  When that happens, don't blame all LEDs generally, blame that brand.  Quality ones will last 10-30 years.  I like General Electric, Philips or Ikea.  I avoid Lights of America, Feit Electric, Utilitech, or any big-box store house brand.


There appears to be no ground - what do I do? Hi!

Trying to change a light switch in my house. I am Chicago within city limits.

House is pretty old...it was “gut rehabbed” in the 80s but that doesn’t really mean anything. Actual building been here since 50s/60s.

Anyway, there doesn’t appear to be any ground wire. So what do I do with the ground wire I have on the switch I’ve bought. And is this lack of ground a huge issue that I need to get resolved? I’ve lived here over a year and get occasional shock in basement (but only during winter so put this down to static given it’s the dryest part of house). I attached some pictures to show what I’m dealing with.

This work is of an age when it should've been built grounded.

This appears to use the conduit wiring method.  And this is metal conduit, probably EMT, so the metal conduit provides the grounding path.  This connection is in fact grounded.

That, by itself, does not bring ground to the device.  However, since this is a switch, it is automatically grounded via the metal mounting screws.

That is not allowed for receptacles (sockets). For that, you need to run a wire from the metal box.  The best way is to find a hole in the back of the box which is tapped #10-32, and is made for a ground wire.  They make special green #10-32 ground screws with optional pigtails, though any 10-32 screw will do.  Don't use a sheetmetal screw unless it's tapped 10-32.


Construction heater in garage I would like to run an underground wire from my driveshed to my garage to run a 4800 watt construction heater. I think they draw 20-25 amps.  I don't have 220 in the garage. The distance is 200 ft. Is 10/2 UF wire heavy enough for that distance?

4800w @ 220V 21.81A. 10AWG is two small.  8 awg is right on the edge using 3% max voltage drop (uglys page 50) if you want to run any lights you should be using 6AWG for that long of a run.


Should I choose MDF or plywood for my false stair treads? I'm looking to install false stair treads and risers on my basement stairs.  Generally, we're talking about a kit like this:

Which is installed with adhesive and finishing nails like this:

The project itself looks fairly straightforward, but I have an issue with product choice.

One product is MDF (IKEA Board) with 3/16 oak laminate on the tread surface, and the usual paper thin layer on the risers.

The other is plywood, with a similar laminate layer.

The price difference is pretty much a wash, so there's no clear advantage either way on that front.

Is there any reason I should choose the MDF over plywood or vice versa?

If it is MDF or HDF (as opposed to particleboard) then I would choose the fiberboard over ply.

Any surface wear will impact the finish laminate, regardless of the underlying material.
By contrast, MDF/HDF should be more impact resistance, water/mold resistant and uniform in density and composition.

MDF above: more uniform and dense. Particle below, less uniform and dense.


How to Connect to Ground Wire Passing Through Electrical Box I am changing light fixtures and noticed that the end of the ground wire is not accessible from inside the electrical box.  The ground wire simply passes through the box.  I've gently tugged on the ground and it seems secured to something.  There is only one 14-2 cable coming into the box and only the ground wire leaving it.
What is the best way to access the ground wire to properly ground my light?

It looks like that electrical box has a mud ring installed on it. The box itself is clearly of a molded type construction such as a phenolic or bakelite or plastic material. If the mud ring is made of metal it is possible that the original installer wrapped that ground wire around the mud plate mounting screw in order to ground the ring. This could be the reason that you cannot pull the end of the wire free.
It is unlikely that the ground wire exits the box completely and travels off to some other destination. If that is the case you may be able to reach inside the box and cut the wire in a manner to maximize its length and then simply attach the light fixture ground to the end of that wire.
An alternative, while not optimum would be to bend the ground wire back on itself so that it comes to a double width point. Then use a green wire nut to attach a bare solid copper wire pigtail. Then the pigtail becomes available for connecting to the light fixture ground.


My hot water boiler failed **On** - what would cause that? I arrived back from holiday to find the house like a sauna, everything in the kitchen too hot to touch, cutlery scalding hot etc. My central heating was on full, and must have been for some days.

Quick check of the thermostat showed it was working fine, but turning the central heating timer on or off had no effect. I have had to remove the fuse to the boiler power. Two days later with all windows open 24 hours a day it is still unbearably hot.

I had a look at this question, but the symptoms don't seem to match. If I pop the fuse back I have scalding hot water and radiators no matter what the settings on my central heating.

Despite scouring the Internet, I didn't find the solution - the gas man came today and after describing the symptoms to him he identified it immediately:

Faulty zone valve contact switch

Basically, the sequence is as follows:

Timer turns on - sends current to thermostat
Temperature is too low - thermostat relay sends current to zone valve
Zone valve turns fully on - contact switch triggers to instruct boiler to fire up
Timer turns off or temperature reaches threshold - current no longer passed to zone valve
Zone valve turns off - But faulty return spring kept switch on instructing boiler to remain on

It turns out that these zone valves have a plastic casing, rather than a metal one, so the return spring hooks around a small plastic spur... which just snapped off.

The fix: popping in a small screw to hook the spring round

Callout charge: £90


can i use a 15 amp GFCI outlet in a 20 amp circuit? I am installing two GFCI outlets in an outdoor Gazebo, can I use a 15 amp GFCI receptacle if the circuit is 20 amps?

Yes, you can use 15A sockets on 20A circuits, as long as there are 2 or more sockets on the circuit.  That is due to a Code exception, that is made just for your application.
There are 2 other ways you can do the GFCIs, if you are willing to slow up and do some learning about how downline protection works.   (And if you are not willing to learn that, then it’s real simple: Never use the LOAD terminals, not ever, not for anything. LOAD should only be used for downline protection; and the LINE terminals are able to take 2 wires).

You can use one GFCI outlet and one plain outlet out there, if you wire them properly.

You can keep the GFCI device indoors where it is nice and dry and will last 30 years instead of 5.  Then you can feed the entire run to the gazebo from that GFCI, and simply use plain outlets out there.  This also allows 12” direct burial instead of the 24” you normally must do.


What "gravel" is composed of 50% clay, 25% sand and 25% small stones? As a supplement to this question. I ordered gravel to gravel my driveway. My wife accepted the delivery.  When I got home what they had dropped was over 50% clay and equal parts sand and small stones.  I left a message saying that this isn't what I had ordered and am awaiting their response.

What product did I likely get?  What is this material used for?

Sounds like you got "Crusher Run", when you wanted "Washed Stone". This site has a good description of some different types.

Crusher Run

Washed stone

It's used as a base for driveways and roads, but is typically compacted and covered by another material (asphalt for example).

You may have been thinking of something more like pea gravel, or similar. Something that consists of smallish roundish stones, that you could use as a top layer for a driveway. While the quarry was thinking you meant more of a base type gravel, that you would later add a finish layer on top of.

This is sometimes the problem with ordering stone without being familiar with the source, since "Gravel" is a subjective term. Making matters worse, places often try to guess what you need based on the description of the job you provide.


Copper tubing on refrigerator is leaking Copper tubing is leaking at both connections (refrigerator and wall).

Do I use new couplings or will old ones work?

If it was a new install new ones should've been used. Make sure the fittings are tight. I really wouldn't use the old fittings which are most likely compression fittings


How much of a window should be replaced? My kids threw something in the house and broke a window. Only the inner pane of the double-pane window is broken.

My questions are:
What needs to be replaced?
Can I replace just the glass that's broken?
Should I replace both sides of the double-panned glass?
Or do I have to replace the entire window.

It's double-hung window.

I think you would be best off calling the window manufacturer's service department.  Double paned windows are usually made as a unit: two pieces of glass with a spacer between to separate them and seal the opening.  The space is often a vacuum, or filled with an inert gas like Argon.  It might be possible to replace the broken pane, but you would be losing all the other benefits of a double-paned window: insulation, soundproofing and blocking heat and UV from sunlight.


How can I verify the integrity of smoke detector interconnect wires? I inherited an existing installation of four smoke/CO detectors. They are all First Alert 3-wire AC-powered units. The test button on each detector produces some weird behaviors:

Some detectors only sound locally, without producing alarms elsewhere.
One detector sounds locally and also produces alarms all over the rest of the house (very loud; I can't tell for sure if every detector is sounding).
One detector doesn't sound locally, but produces alarms elsewhere in the house.

Something is obviously amiss here, and I intend to figure it out. Before I accuse the detectors themselves of being faulty and replace some/all of them (they are only two years old), I want to verify the integrity of the interconnect wire that they all share. Problem is, I can't do a simple continuity check because I don't have multimeter probes (or arms) nearly long enough to stretch across the house.

I'm thinking, after cutting the breaker, of temporarily tying the interconnect wire at one of the detectors to either hot, neutral, or ground and verifying that same continuity exists within all the other detector boxes, but I don't know if that's the best way to go about it.

Anybody have any better ideas for determining if my problem is the detector(s) or the wiring?

First I would check the wiring to the smoke detectors. You should have three wires, one white (neutral), black (hot) and another color usually red (the interconnect between the smoke detectors). Then I would verify that they are all pigtailed and are going to each individual smoke detectors. While I had them down I would also check the batteries and make sure they are charged. May just replace them to be sure. If everything checks out you should be able to get all of them to go of by pushing the test buttons. First the one you pushed the test button on then after a slight delay the others should start alarming.

If you test them and each one is sounding locally, then the interconnect is not connected between the detectors.

After you test them and one is not alarming, I would say it's probably bad and needs replacing.


How do you store a magnetic base and a dial indicator to prolong their life and retain accuracy? I'm getting into turning with a lathe, starting small with some decent-used tools from the local ebay(trademe) and some janky chinese-grade tools.  But I want to learn Best Practices.  Right now I have one mag base/noga-style arm, and one dial indicator, and one test indicator.

How should I store a magnetic base and a dial indicator to prolong their life and retain accuracy?

  A magnetic base.

These have a circular core which can rotate 90 degrees.  In the on position there's a solid magnetic field from the underside, to hold the base on a ferrous surface like a lathe, drill, mill, or similar Big Tool.   When off, there is minimal magnetic attraction so the unit can fall over, but it won't attract metal chips and filings.

do I store the mag base in the ON position, clamped to a metal surface?  Or do I store it OFF?
should the unit be vertical or horizontal or doesn't matter?
should I leave the dial indicator in the mag base permanently or return it to a shelf?

(mine are all sub $20 items, so the boxes aren't good for long-term storage.)

Storing the mag base "off" is equivalent to storing it "on" attached to a thick ferrous item - "off" is "magnetically attached to itself internally." Either is fine. This serves the same function as a "keeper" bar for a plain permanent magnet. A thin surface (sheet metal) is not as good, and "on" but not attached to anything risks weakening the magnet over time.

Orientation during storage does not matter.

Leaving the dial indicator out is going to vary with local hazards - are you likely to knock into it if it's just sitting there? - Then put it away. Putting it away is standard in a multiperson shop, but your home shop practices can vary with your level of care.


Brand New French Doors Installed By Contractor.. Leaks same day. Is this normal? I am a new home owner and we had sliding doors for our patio doors that came with the home. Never had issues with water coming in until we just had a French door installed on our kitchen heading out to pool deck and living room area that leads out to pool deck as well. 1 is outswing /left handed (living room) and kitchen is outswing right handed.

We had a salesman talk to us about French doors and purchased everything from him which I guess he hired a contractor to do the install for us. Installation took about 2 days to complete and told us he had to cut the slab which would void our warranty from where they got the french doors.

On the same day that the French doors were finally finished/installed with door knobs everything looked fine with us until it started raining 5 hours after they completed.

Saw at the bottom of the glass little water was dripping down so we had to place a towel so that water won't damage our laminate floors.

We called the installer back and told them water was getting inside, he said it must be that the rain washed out the caulk and he will come the next to fix.

I got a little worried and checked forums about leaks from French doors to see if it maybe installer's fault or door defect. I took photos from our 2 french doors bottom & top.

I also noticed at the bottom and top of french door I can see small light coming in which small air can get out. Are these doors suppose to be air tight?  Is that little light showing normal?

[U][B]Could someone tell me if this is indeed a bad install job, or pretty normal on new installations or just door defect?[/B][/U]

Note. I don't believe this is a pre-hung French door cause the day before it got installed a truck came to deliver these big frames & door slab with door hinges already installed on them.

Here's the photos after day 1 when doors were completely installed/finished with doors closed.

I have been installing doors and windows since 1988. Ii sounds to me like you have a bad installation. It also sounds like the doors were pre-hung but standard size since the had to cut into the slab. Sliding patio doors are 79-1/2" and 81-1/2" net height standard sizes. A standard size French door is 81-3/4" net height. Normally when replacing a sliding door with French door the doors would have to be cut down so the overall unit would fit the existing opening.

Often installers will not flash above the door, just caulk. It should always be flashed above the door. If the doors are properly installed you will not see any light coming in. Another clue that the door was not sold correctly is the time it took to install it. About 4 hours would be realistic.

You have some options, but don't wait too long. Most states, I think, require a contractors bond. A complaint to your state's labor department can help you with filing a complaint against this contractor. This can tie up there contractors bond until the issue is resolved. Also it has been my experience that people who could pay with cash or check will use a credit card because if they feel the product or performance was not what they were sold a complaint to the credit card company will remove the purchase amount from the offending companies bank account and will not release it until the issue is resolved.

Hope this helps.


Afci's and Gfci's and motor loads Has anyone been reporting a problem with motor loads on Afci's or Gfci's in residential or commercial locations?

Yes, this can be a common problem.

Unfortunately, equipment manufacturers fail to include simple devices to prevent nuisance tripping.  Hopefully either government regulations will require manufacturers to take action, or the AFCI/GFCI devices will get smart enough to recognize poorly built equipment.


draining sauna into crawlspace I'm thinking of setting up a drain from my sauna through the floor of my house into my crawlspace.  Practically speaking, would this damage the house?

Yes, it could lead to wood rot and a severe mold problem.  Don't do it.


Measuring clearance height for dishwasher I am purchasing an 18" dishwasher but not installing it. I have to make sure it is the right size so that there are no issues when the installer comes. I have no idea how to install appliances. My existing cabinets have a base a few inches high under them. Where should I measure the clearance height from in order to get an appropriately sized dishwasher? The dishwasher will be replacing the cabinet and drawer here:

Should I go all the way to the floor, or to the top of the base? Also, should I go all the way up to the underside of the white counter top, or just up to the bottom of the horizontal wood panel right underneath it?

I don't have a picture of the inside, and not sure if this matters, but the inner floor of the cabinet is at the top of the base (i.e. it's more of a "platform" that the cabinet sits on, sorry I don't know the right terminology).

Also (again, not sure if this matters), much to my pleasant surprise I am getting new counter tops at the same time, if that affects the available options.

The clearance is the space you have to insert the dishwasher...so that would be from your floor, to the underside of the counter's front lip. Nothing bigger can fit through that space.

New counter tops can help if you have to make the clearance taller than what's currently there, but that will introduce other issues (like having to raise the rest of the cabinets to match).

Finally, do the installers know they are pulling out existing cabinets? Typically an installer just inserts it into an existing opening. You may have to bring in a carpenter or cabinetmaker as well.


Is it possible to make a heliostat with no moving parts? I want to place a couple of mirrors outside the house to direct some sunlight to the windows, which will make it easier to cope with the soul-crushing overcast winters here in Melbourne, Australia.

In order to remain focused on a window, the position of the mirror would have to change to compensate for the change in the sun's position in the sky. One of the options is building a heliostat - a tracking system that employs a 2-axis control mechanism to rotate/shift the mirror. There are in fact commercial systems available to do exactly what I need - for example Sunflower Heliostat, that is $299.

I would like, however, to produce a more economic solution with no moving parts. One of the options is to build a long, concave mirror with a profile that takes into account the sun's position. Something like this:

On the surface it looks like a doable task, although I just wanted to check if I am missing something very obvious and my plan is doomed.

The short answer is no.

You might be able to produce a curve that will reflect an arc (spanning the days extent from east to west) all day on a given day without moving it, but only a small portion of such a mirror will be going into your window at a given time, wasting the rest of its arc.  Further, (as the season changes) your north-south alignment has to change, although this change is much slower.

A concave (focusing) mirror will have to be aimed to achieve concentration. Its focal length is a function of its curvature.   You can simplify your control to 1 axis by using a polar mount.

Have a look at some of the Heliostat sites


Delay in light turning on when switch flipped What causes a delay in a light when I flip the switch? It is a led bulb and it is the second one in a circuit of four. I changed the light and it still does it. I also checked all the wiring to see if it was tight and had a good ground. Whats next?

Sometimes LED lights are controlled by transformers or relays. It may be that when the switch is flipped on the current will have to flow to a transformer that changes the household voltage to DC voltage.


2 single switches; want to create three way switch I'm trying to improve the quality of lighting in my house. I used to do electrical work, but only got so far into the field. So...

I have a 2 single switches; one controlling a light and another controlling a receptacle. Both have a power source coming in which I believe is on the same circuit. I want turn those switches into a three way switch controlling the lights in the living room.

I know the typical set up would be a feed into the first switch, 14-3 to second switch then the switch leg to the light. My confusion is how do I do this if both switches already have a feed in and feed out?

The problem isn't that you "already have feed in and feed out". The problem is that, unless you have conduit, replacing one cable (14/2) with another (14/3) in a finished space (easy in an unfinished basement or garage) is a royal pain. A few years ago that would have been the only practical option. But now we have...
Smart Switches
With smart switches, you can put the "main" smart switch in place of the existing single switch controlling the light. You then put a "remote" in the other location. Make sure to get smart switches that communicate wirelessly (not necessarily WiFi - there are plenty of other wireless systems, and a switch might have WiFi for internet control but use something else for local communications with other switches). Then you have two options for the remote, depending on the particular switches:

Battery Power - Just cap the old wires and stick in the switch. Change the battery every few years.
AC Power - Install the switch using "feed in" to power it. But it will actually talk to the main switch wirelessly, so it won't matter that they are on different circuits.

Of course, you will want to rewire the receptacle so that it is always on. That is usually not hard to do - if you have problems, post pictures and specific details.


Backsplash for behind stove My wife and I just bought a house, the paint that is in the kitchen is borderline primer. I want to install a backsplash to protect the wall. Would the peel and stick backsplash be sufficient or would it be better to just put in the work to install the tile myself?

What would I need to do to prepare the wall for either?

There is no requirement for a back splash behind an oven.   Period.  I buy a lot of houses with just drywall and painted.

To add tile there is very little prep work that you have to do to the wall.   Basically you just want to scruff it up a little if tiling with mortar and if using the peel and stick, a rough sanding and cleaning up after works.

Whether you choose the peel and stick or mortar backed tile, that is just a personal preference.   I would suggest either way to get something that is durable, cleanable (without ruining the tile), and something that won't stain.

My go-tos for backsplashes are glass tiles or small natural stone pattern (with no grout requirement).   For the glass backsplashes I only use epoxy grout.   Epoxy grouts are a PITA to deal with but for backsplash areas they "pop" and they are almost impossible to stain and require zero maintenance so I deal with it.

As for how hard of a job this is I will give you working example.

Lets assume a 3'x 8' area needs to be tiled.

Using glass tile + epoxy:

Take about 15 mins to prep.
15 mins to mix a small amount of mortar.
If you have a helper, mortar is only applied to wall.   So one person can apply mortar and the other adjust tile sheets.
Given there are cabinets a wall you should only have to make cuts to one vertical line and one horizontal line.   And really on 90% of installs I do very little cuts.  Score and snap glass.
Even for a first timer putting this amount of tile up is no more than 2 hours.   If it takes longer your mortar will dry anway.   I have people on my team that would be done with this in 30-40 mins.
Come back next day and apply epoxy grout.
Now this is a two person job because the grout will set in about 30-40 mins.   You need one person applying the grout and a person going right behind cleaning up.  The good news is even though a total PITA - you are done in about 30 mins.

With smaller stones:

Same prep
Apply mortar to wall and a very thin amount to the back of the tiles (read instructions).
Will need a saw to make cuts - still should be able to work out pattern to limit needing to make cuts.   Sometimes we break apart the sheets and try to find stones of a size to meet needs.
The cuts take longer and the back buttering of the sheets takes longer and adjusting these to line up take longer than glass.  But you are going pretty slow if at 3 hours.
You are done - some stone might require a sealant to protect from staining but that is 5-10 mins of wiping the face of the stone.

Note: I specifically would never install porcelain or ceramic tiling (unless some super cool-artsy mosaic) because I never want to worry about it.   You are lifting pots and things like that.  You hit these hard against the tile, they can and do crack.   Glass will not crack.   Small stones, you just replace.   (I am old school so not even considering peel and stick as the amount of shopping and research behind a brand would negate how fast of an install this is)

Disclaimer:  This was not meant to answer how to tile or how to apply epoxy grout or the exacts.   Please ask a separate question for each of these topics to be answered.


100 gallon propane tank backup? I work at a school and the kitchen is supplied by a 100 gallon tank. I cannot run out, this would be bad. Is it possible for a company to install a secondary connection that would allow for the use of a 100 lb tank in an emergency? I am picturing a direct shutoff for both so isolation would be easy when switching feeds. Has anyone heard of this?

I'm going to guess you meant to write 1000 gallons and 100 lbs, not 100 gallons and 100 lbs.
The "standard twin-tank approach" used for 200lb and smaller tanks where two tanks are used has a special valve that uses gas from one tank until it runs out, then switches to the other tank and raises a (usually red) signal that the "first tank" is empty. When the empty tank is replaced, a lever on the valve is switched to make the tank that was second, first, the signal retracts, and the new tank becomes the reserve until the next tank switch.
For 250 gallons and up (typically 250, 500, and 1000 - after 1000, multiple tanks again) A tank gauge is used and when the level is at or below 30% you call for a "non-emergency" refill if your supplier does not already have you on a regular delivery schedule that keeps the level from getting that low. If you happen to notice that it's down below 10% you call for an "emergency" refill because it's cheaper to pay extra for that than to have the lines purged when they get to refilling you after you run the tank all the way out, and also because "you can't run out."
Unless your use is highly variable (in which case you should check frequently to know where the tank level is) or your tank is woefully undersized (in which case you should get a second full size tank, or a larger tank) it's absurdly rare to "run out" on either a scheduled refill or a "call at 30%" plan.
So, what sort of reserve could you get if you could get a 100LB tank as a backup? 42 gallons, more or less. i.e. less than 5% of the 1000 gallon tank you likely meant, because "100 gallons" is not a typical tank size for propane delivery.


Filling gaps between bricks in pool deck I am repairing the deck around my pool. Some bricks were loose, so I removed them, ground off old mortar and glued them back. Now I need to fill the gaps between the bricks with mortar, similar to how it's done in the top left corner of the photo:

How do I do it in such a way that the mortar:
1. does not fall through;
2. lays level with the brick all around;
3. does not smudge on the bricks?

I was thinking of attaching a painters tape to the bottom to support mortar and make it flat with the brick on the bottom. And then maybe using a painters tape to prevent smudges on the bricks.
Or is there a better way?

What type of mortar is appropriate for this job?

And another question.. How do I attach the corner pieces reliably? I don't want them to be only supported by mortar.

Painters tape will not be the best way to keep the mortar from falling through the bottom. if fact it has been my experience that painters take barely sticks to brick and concrete. It would be better to take a longer piece of wood from each side of the corner that you clamp to the underside of the brick coping. C clamps or similar adjustable clamps would work for this. Place the clamps away from the corner so that they do not interfere with your mortar project.

It would actually be ideal if you could arrange these pieces of wood such that they were mitered in the corner to aid in dealing with the corner pieces. The wood pieces could even have a curved molding installed that came up half way around the nose of the coping bricks. Something like this:

For placing the mortar between the bricks you may want to look into tools used by the tuck-pointing trade. There is a funnel shaped bag with a narrow spout that you can fill with wet mortar and then squeeze it out through the spout. Works very much similar to the gazing bag that a cake decorator would use. They are also called grout bags. Picture source is from a video that shows using a bag.

Picture Source

Cleaning up the mortar off the bricks is pretty easy if you use a damp cloth and wipe up any smear that gets on the bricks. I suspect that once you get a little practice with the tuckpointer's bag that there should be very little mortar to clean up.

Dealing with the corner pieces will be tricky. I might suggest bonding the two pieces to a piece of metal so that they are more of a unit and then bond that to the base with the construction adhesive. you could also consider looping some wire through a hole in the metal piece and then pulling the wire back along the bottom of the angle cut between the bricks where it would be embedded into the mortar.


Doorbell Voltage Drops at Transformer All, I replaced my doorbell transformer and got 22V (which was odd since it is supposedly a 16V transformer) with no wires connected to the transformer.  As soon as I connect the wires to the transfomer that run to the chime the voltage drops to 2V or so. What would that indicate?

Assuming you have a full mains voltage going into the transformer, then there is a short-circuit in the wiring (or, much less likely, the transformer is vastly underrated for the current drawn).

"Bell wire" has thin insulation, compared to mains wiring. A staple may be pinching the wires, or wires could have rubbed together, tearing the insulation. Sometimes mice or squirrels can cause this. Such a short could have burned out the old transformer.

Another possibility is a short in the chime, which then caused the contacts of the doorbell switch to fuse together.

Also, inspect your connections to the transformer. If there are multiple wires, e.g. from both a front and a back door switch, they could be misconnected.

If you can, check the resistance between the bell wires going to the transformer secondary. The resistance should be greater than 16 divided by the current rating of the transformer, or (16 x 16) divided by the VA rating. For example, if the transformer is rated 10 VA, then circuit resistance should be greater than 256/10, or ~26 ohms. (Not to worry if it's just a bit lower, though: you're measuring DC resistance, while AC reactance across a coil is higher.)

Don't be concerned about the 22 VAC open circuit output because the nominal voltage, 16 VAC, is at the rated load.

BTW, my compliments on checking the voltage on installation! Had you not done so, the transformer would have burned out again, or there is a small possibility of fire if a "short-circuit" is a few ohms and is by something flammable.


Electrical : can I attach metal flex to pvc conduit? I am adding a home run from the main panel to the garage.

On the outside of the house, it will be pvc.

Where I come through the exterior wall to the main panel, I'd like to use metal flex, for simplicity of installation.

The main panel is in an unfinished basement.

Is it OK to switch from pvc to metal flex inside the unfinished basement?

So long as the metal flex is bonded to ground (presumably at the panel you are going to) this is fine.

Where mixing PVC and metal gets difficult is when you have to manage to ground an otherwise isolated piece of metallic raceway - which can be done, it's just an extra hassle.


How can I find where the dryer vent is broken or clogged? I live on the second floor of a three story condo building.We had a company come in to clean our dryer venting, and they said they could not pull a vacuum.The company said that that the venting is clogged or pulled apart.How do I find were it is clogged or pulled apart without tearing down my entire ceiling or wall?

You would need to run an inspection camera through it in order to identify exactly where the break or clog is.  Though, as the comments suggest, often it's easier and cheaper to just run a cleaning tool through to unclog it versus first running an inspection camera through.

I would probably only resort to an inspection camera if it became a chronic problem, which would suggest an issue in the pipe (sharp bend, collapse, etc.).  If it has only clogged once, and you've never cleaned it before, its quite possible it just clogged from normal use over a long time.


Are curtains effective for keeping the room warm? I live in a rented apartment and I am trying to find solutions to keep the heat in. The apartment has several big windows (the 'living room' has one wall that is 80% windows) and I have to run the heat a lot to keep it warm inside.

Do curtains really make a significant difference? I read through other posts, including about insulation film, but I'd like to avoid that if possible. If it is the best solution in your eyes though I'll take it into account.

Curtains or drapes can help insulate a room. One of the main methods is to reduce the amount of air exchange between a cold window and the rest of the room.

Air in a room is always trying to equalize itself. The cold air at a window mixes with the warm air in the rest of the room.  If you trap the cold air behind a poor conductor (such as an airtight drape) the rest of the room air remains warmer.

Most cloth is a poor conductor (not good at transferring heat). This is a good thing.  The effectiveness is largely based on how airtight the cloth is and how tightly it fits to the window on all sides - the top and floor as well as the lateral sides.

Many curtains are advertised as thermal.  In general, they are fairly thick and have an air barrier to block flow through them. Fitting is as important as the material. In addition to going floor to ceiling, try to tightly fit the curtain to the walls on either side.


How to hang exhaust fan with limited amount of space? Ive added a small bathroom in my basement with a drop ceiling. I have limited amount of space to work with. Is it ok to use chain to hang my exhaust fan?

Google "remote exhaust fan" and see if that will work. The fan portion doesn't need to be in the bathroom ceiling.


What material should be used behind a sink and range in the kitchen? I am getting ready to demo my kitchen to the studs in a couple weeks.
I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for alternate materials to use other than "green" board (moisture resistant drywall) behind the sink, dishwasher, stove area behind the base cabinets.

In speaking to a local contractor a year or so ago then mentioned some other material but can't recall what it is.

I have a galley kitchen with a peninsula at one end. the sink, dishwasher, and stove are in the center in listed order.

Hardibacker makes a board that can be used instead of drywall (its the same thickness). tiles can be put right onto it. Thats in the US anyway.


Options to cover imperfection on metal door around new lock I'd like to ask for suggestions of materials.
I have a metal door, painted in white. A bigger lock (jimmy-proof lock) was replaced with a smaller lock (regular deadbolt) but ended up leaving several marks and uneven finish. I already tried to plaster and paint but doesn't look good enough.
Questions:

I assume I did not dedicate good effort to do a good plastering and painting. Would you consider that insisting with plaster would be able to achieve a good result? It seems to me I won't be able to get the plaster to be levelled with the rest of the door (there are hole from the jimmy-proof lock too), plus I don't have the exact color anymore, so even if I plaster correctly, the color will look weird unless I paint the whole door and frame again.
I'm thinking of putting a square-sized material underneath the new lock, so it covers the surroundings where the defects are. This will end up serving as a base for the new smaller lock, hiding the imperfections on the door. It might look good actually, it will create a second perfect layer for the new lock and I see some locks even come with a bigger base with this same effect. What materials, in white, opaque, do you recommend that I can cut to the square-shaped size I need including drilling a hole so the new lock can pass through? Acrylic sheet comes to my mind, but I'd like to hear suggestions!

Thank you!

metal door != plaster

Plaster (or I suspect, drywall patching compound) is for drywall. Would work somewhat on wood. Metal? Not so much.

I wouldn't use a white cover - it won't be exactly the same white, unless you paint it too. I'd recommend a metal cover in the same (or similar) finish as the lock. Something like this plate goes around the front back and side of the door:

or something like this circle to cover up just the area around the lock:


Does the quality of fill dirt matter? Does the quality of fill dirt matter?
For example, in my application, I need to fill an area where I'm planning to have a gravel patio. I picked up a yard of dirt from a local supply place and, upon coming come, I discovered that contained a few broken cinder blocks and is full of sod, and generally looks to me more like soil that dirt. I expect dirt to look more like clay than soil.
In any case, will this potentially cause problems if I use it to try to raise the level for the patio?

If you were pouring a slab over this -- and required decades of stability -- you might need to worry about your fill.  Organic matter and other debris that will break down over time is appropriate for topsoil but not for fill.
Your project is going to be less sensitive to settling.  You should compact your fill well as you place it.  It looks like you have way less than a cubic yard in your photo, so you can easily do it with a hand tool, like a tamping bar or a lawn roller (see equipment rental yards for the roller.)  Make more than one pass of fill-compact-more-fill in the deepest area.  A few inches at once should compact well with a small lawn roller and won't take all day!


How to check the heater element of an Electrolux ESI 6160 dishwasher? I have an Electrolux dishwasher, that occasionally does not heat the water. I suspect that the heating element is somewhat badly connected.

How can I check that. Especially, does someone have specific disassembly/assembly instructions for that model?

You can check the heating element using a multimeter on the Ohm settings.

Disconnect the two wires and test the heater plus and minus - It should show a value between 35 to 50 ohms.  If it shows 0ohms it is broken.

Keep on measuring it and knock it with your hand or with a hammer lightly in it is in a tube or something. If it the ohms jump around then it means it is broken has micro short circuits.

Where and how to get to it we cannot really help here. You need to check you manual. There are allot of websites that have the manual to download. I am sure the manufacturers website will also have one.

I strongly doubt there is any security feature- expect for short circuits. So if it has problems heating.. then most of the time the heating element is broken the other time it is faulty heat switch.


Does my bathroom addition require breaking the concrete? I'm planning on calling a plumber to give me an estimate on my bathroom addition. There is no basement, it is on the first floor on a concrete slab.
I already have a bathroom on the 2-nd floor right above. The cast iron vent pipe is going down  through the existing bathroom and I'd like to connect the new toilet, sink to it. I'm also hoping for a shower too but if the breaking concrete will be required I might opt out.

Is breaking the concrete inevitable? I was hoping maybe the horizontal toilet could still be able to be attached at the bottom. Not sure about the shower as the piping will require a slope.

I believe you are trying to cram to much in too little of space. The best option is to break the floor, and repair it, it will save you the "step up" you are creating with the 2X4 sleepers on the slab.

You may be able to find a plumber or perhaps DIY the cutting of the stack and tying in a line to the toilet that flushes through the wall. They are out there but it looks like your soil stack is too tight in the corner. You need to find a way to get the soil pipe out of the wall at the 15" mark. Code requires 30" for the area a toilet sets in, 15" is the center line of that space.

Actually the info I just gave will be wrong to a degree. You will need a vent for the new toilet and it will most likely be illegal to tie it into a line that directly serves another toilet with out another branch coming off of the main to serve the new toilet.


Which terminal should I connect it to for a "C" wire when none are labeled "C"? I am looking to replace my old battery operated thermostat with a new wifi model. There is no "C" common wire connected to my old thermostat. There is a blue wire that is at the thermostat but cut short with no copper exposed. I went up to the attic and took a look at the A/C unit. There was also a wiring diagram that was available. There is no "C" terminal on the unit but there is a "B" terminal which I assume is the right one I should use. I tested the voltage from "R" to "B" and it was about 26.5 Volts (The new thermostat requires 24 volts). There is a wire connected to the the "B" and "Y1" terminal it seems like its the wiring that goes to the outside Unit. Its the other Red wire and white wire. (See photo below.)

I have attached pictures of the wire terminal on the A/C unit in the attic as well as the Wiring diagrams. In the wire terminal picture you will see the extra blue wire wrapped around the main wire and is not used. I would like to use that wire as my "C" common wire. Is it safe to connect the Blue wire to the "B" terminal? Im worried because another cable is already connected to it and its reading 26.5 volts...

Click for full size

Update 1

First off, big thank you for the help and responses! I really appreciate it!

I went back up and opened the unit. This is what I saw inside. The two wires coming out of the transform have a voltage of about 26.5 volts. I could not find 24 volts anywhere. The transformer says its a 24VAC transformer. Looking at this picture, where do I connect the C wire to? Which wire coming out of the transformer?

If you follow the schematic, you'll see that two wires come off the secondary of the transformer; Black/RD and Black/BL.  Black/RD goes to CH-4 (fuse), and comes out at CH-5 as Red, then eventually terminates at R. Black/BL goes to splice CH-2, an splits to multiple BL wires.  One of these terminates at CH-7, and says to see note 3. Since I can't see note 3, I'm assuming note 3 says something about this wire being used as an auxiliary C.


Is installing an egress window in a basement a do it yourself job? For starters, we found wet carpet in a finished basement room.  It's not a full bedroom because there is no egress window, but does have a small window approx 2' x 1' about 3 feet away from where the leak is isolated.  I isolated where the leak is by peeling back the carpet and de-humidifying the room, since its behind finished drywall.  After the cement dried out, you can visibly see the moist area where water is leaking down onto.

So the plan is to tear down the wall around the leak, look for mold, and see if the entire drywall needs to come off since the carpet was wet along the entire length of the wall.  I'd like to take the opportunity to turn our 3 bedroom into a 4 bedroom by putting an egress window in, since it can't be legally considered a bedroom without one.

Is this a DIY?  What special considerations do you need to know when cutting into the concrete? We have an older house, and the basement walls have bowed and were I-beamed quite a while ago.  I have a neighbor into real estate who says its actually a pretty simple process as long as you are careful and know what you are doing.  What can go wrong?  Is this a hard DIY?

Before going through the trouble of an egress window, make sure the water problem is tackled. That, itself, can be a huge chore.

And egress window CAN be DIY, but it's going to be a lot of messy work. You need to move a large chunk of soil, cut concrete, install a well, and given the water issues, likely a dry well or drain system of some sort.

But yes, it can be DIY. I would worry about bowed walls, however. If the foundation walls are bowed inward, that can be a sign of huge water issues, as well as structurally compromised foundation walls. Before you dig around the foundation, you may want to consult with a structural engineer first.


Just bought an electric car. Do I need a bigger panel? I'm looking to add a 30amp 240v outlet about 15 feet away using 10-3 armored cable. Can I piggyback off of one of my AC compressors? (Left side 2nd breaker from the top and taking 4slots for 2 zone compressors) I lower the thermostat every night on one of them so I know only one or the other will turn on. I plan on only charging between midnight and 8am.

If you have space alongside this panel (at least a full stud bay's worth to one side)...

If you have a full stud bay's worth of space to the left or right of this panel to mount another breaker panel, then mounting a second panel and using it as a subpanel is your best bet here.  A 24-space, 125A, main lug  Homeline subpanel (HOM2448L125PGC) is inexpensive, provides sufficient expansion space, and comes with a ground bar already fitted -- with this, a trio of 1AWG Al wires in a 2" rigid metal conduit nipple would connect a HOM2100 breaker + a LK125AN neutral lug on the neutral bar in the main panel to the main lugs in the subpanel, providing a 100A feed to the subpanel.

In this setup, the HOM2100 replaces one of the A/C breakers, and both A/C breakers move to the subpanel, with 10AWG pigtails through the conduit nipple connecting the hot wires from the A/C breakers to the existing wires out to the air conditioners.  The circuit to the car charger can then be run off a HOM220 breaker in the subpanel, and blank-out plates (HOMFP) installed in the empty spaces in the main panel.  The branch circuit neutrals would land on the neutral bar(s), while ground wires would land on the ground bar(s), and the green bonding screw would not be installed into the subpanel (or removed if it was installed at the factory).

If you don't have room for a subpanel

If there is no space available for a subpanel, an alternative option would be to use a HOMT220230 quadruplex breaker instead of one of the A/C breakers -- the A/C circuit would land on the two 30A poles, while the car charger circuit would then land on the two 20A poles.  This is less expensive than a subpanel, but does not provide any expansion room, unlike the subpanel option -- I'd favor the subpanel in your case considering how full your main panel is.


How do I wire a three way switch with two lights? My "power in"  box has its black/white and ground and also the three wire cable( black /white /red and ground)  and also the first light wires ( black/white).    how do I wire this.

It is going to two lights--  the first light is pretty simple - just black and white-- ends at fixture--- also the cable feeding light # 2
 and then moving on to the second three way box.
It seems I have an extra black wire in the initial "power in" box...

Do I hook the black power in with the black cable and let the current circulate?
  or attach the power in to the dark screw.  and then what do I do with the other two black wires? black cable to black first light?    white cable to single light screw side,( as traveler) and red to double screw light screw side?

I have seen a couple photos and nothing is crystal clear.

Based on my understanding of what you have described, I believe you are dealing with a dead-end 3-way switch setup with what is known as an extended switch leg. Translation: all junctions are made in the first 3-way switch box.

Your questions/guesses on how to wire it are not exactly clear. I recommend following this wiring diagram. Please clarify if this wiring diagram does not apply to what you have described.

Wiring Diagram

Circuit Example


How long does concrete need to cure before applying self leveling compound? How long after pouring a thin layer of concrete (sand topping between .5 - 2" depth) should I wait before leveling with self-leveling compound?
I'm mostly concerned that it should be done shrinking/altering shape more than it reaching some sort of maximum strength.  This is an interior floor where I'm adding more concrete on top of an existing slab so it's going on a solid base and not supporting weights like cars.
Background:  I have a large room with concrete floor that had a lot of low spots.  I'm pouring concrete where the dips are deep enough then will finish with SLC.  My concrete skills are too weak to just do concrete well enough for me to trust not needing to then level.  It's excess work, but saving thousands vs. doing just SLC.

You still need to follow the instructions for the SLC - most (IIRC) say 30 days minimum cure (for the underlying concrete.)
Be sure to keep it damp so it can actually cure. If it dries out, it stops curing, and that's a very likely thing with a thin pour over an existing slab that will want to suck water out of it.


In a multi-gang box, are neutral wires paired with specific hot wires? I have a four-gang box that I'm installing new dimmers in.  Currently all of the neutral (white) wires coming into the box are connected together (and not to the dimmers).  The new dimmers require connections to the neutrals.

There are three bundles of wires coming into the box, two of them having their own triads of hot, neutral, and ground.  The third bundle has two triads of hot, neutral, and ground wires.

In this third bundle, it's unclear which neutral is paired with which hot.  Does this matter when connecting my new dimmer or can the dimmer be connected to any random pair of neutral and hot wires?

This is a single circuit, and the neutral is common to all branches of this circuit. In this case, all neutral wires in this box must be connected together.

Similarly (and this is regardless of single or multiple circuits/breakers) all grounds must be connected to each other, as well as to the box itself.

In the case of your switches, they simply need a neutral to operate the electronics in the switch itself. All you need to do is wire the neutral to each switch. You'll probably have to add pigtails, and probably additional wire nuts (purely for convenience).

Just to illustrate, using your schematic, I added the neutral lines (my changes highlighted in yellow):

The number and placement of wire nuts is not important, other than you need to pay attention to the number and size of wires when choosing wire nuts (they have a rating that will say how many wires of a given gauge they support).


Proper pressure tank placement We have a deep water well with a new submersible pump. I was getting ready to install a new pressure tank and noticed that the old one is placed after several fixtures, including the hot water heater. Everything I see online indicates that the pressure tank should be the first thing in sequence after the water line comes into the house, with everything else following after. A friend says that it doesn't matter, but I can't wrap my head around that answer. Should the pressure tank be first in line or not?

TL;DR: that's really, really weird.

It makes no sense for the pressure tank to be after the hot water heater. That way, if you don't draw hot water for an hour anything hot in the pressure tank will have cooled to ambient temperature. You won't get any hot water until the tank has exhausted enough to  start the pump, and even then your incoming hot water will be diluted by the remaining cold water, which means the water from your faucet will continue to slowly heat up.

It also means that water only  moves through the heater while the pump is on, so that it will rush in and out, probably stirring the hot and cold together, instead of introducing the cold at the bottom and taking the hot from the top.

Even better, if you draw cold water, you'll actually be pulling cold water from the pressure tank into the top of the hot water heater, and then lukewarm or hot water from the bottom of the heater into the cold water line (at least until the pump turns on). More temperature confusion.

Having other fixtures between the pump and the pressure tank is less of a problem; it just means that the water flow may reverse depending on whether the pump is on.


Fixing void on face of concrete steps My front steps are crumbling on the top. I wondered what I could do to fix this? Thanks in advance all!

There are many products designed for this type of repair. Most are cement with latex or other additives to improve bond and crack resistance. You'll just need to purchase one and follow the instructions. Look for one that indicates ease of use on vertical surfaces.

You'll probably want a steel trowel of at least 10" in length to achieve a smooth finish.


How do I patch a hole in concrete sidewalk over open tunnel? There is a sidewalk running over an old tunnel.  It's near a grade school, and is used often by faculty and students.  The tunnel is completely open, but blocked at both ends so there is no access under the sidewalk.  A 6-inch hole has developed in the sidewalk and is now a trip hazard.  Any idea how I could patch this hole, so it will hold until next summer when I can collapse the tunnel?  The hole is next to a welded-shut manhole and is open into the tunnel, with a piece of steel (almost rusted through) spanning the hole.

Any ideas???

Immediately, and until you are done patching it, put an orange traffic cone over the hole.

Slip a flat stick tied to a wire in the middle through the hole. Pull the wire up to make the stick cover at least part of the bottom of the hole - you can perhaps twist the wire on the rusty rebar to hold it in place. Push the remaining ends of the wire down below sidewalk level.

Wet the sides of the hole.

Mix a VERY stiff (relatively dry) mortar or cement patch mix and place in the hole. For best results, don't try to fill it level at first - some will drip out the remaining hole at the bottom unless your stick is a very close fit. The aim of the first batch is to really plug the hole. When that has set up a bit, but before very long (a couple of hours) come back and use a slightly wetter mix to fill to sidewalk level.

Alternatively (depending on the size of this tunnel and the expense of "collapsing it next year") call up a company that "pumps grout" and have them show up with  truck, poke a nozzle in the hole, and fill the tunnel with "grout" (more or less low-grade concrete, though there's probably other technical differences.) Depending who does what in your area, "cellular concrete" might be another option (effectively "foam cement.")

If it's your tunnel (I presume if you plan to collapse it next year), I'd be just as concerned about the vehicles parked on top of it breaking through (given the obviously deteriorated condition of the sidewalk, and something parked right on top of it in your picture) as of people tripping, liability-wise.


Can I restore a bathroom sink with automotive filler and spray on enamel? I have a bathroom sink in my old house that looks authentic for the time period, but is very old and chipped.

I thought this might be a good way to give it a new lease on life: Patch up the chips with Automotive filler (aka bondo or bog) and then spray the whole thing over with spray on enamel.

I just wanted to ask peoples advice here: is this a feasible idea? Or not a good thing to do?

If the "time period" aspect is important enough, there are places where you can send your sink for a proper repair/refinish (if it's possible - hard to say for certain without knowing more about it) - they will advertise more (if at all) for the cast-iron tub trade. It will cost more than a new sink, most of the time.

A DIY filler/paint job has odds of performing over the long term so close to zero that I'm willing to say "it won't work" and be done with it.

You can probably find a new "reproduction" sink that will also look right for the time period, if you shop around enough. You may also be able to find an old one in good shape through an architectural salvage firm.


How do I wire my bathroom fan with a new switch? I'm trying to install a bathroom fan on it's own switch.
There is a hot cable with a black, white, and green from a previous light fixture in the spot that I want to install a fan. This hot cable is separate from the existing light fixture and switch combination. I understand that is somewhat concerning but that is a project for another day.
I have also ran a 12 AWG Romex cable (Black/White/Copper) to the existing single gang box for a switch for this new bathroom fan.
Two questions:

How do I marry the new bathroom fan, existing hot cable and new romex cable + switch?

What is the usage of the bare copper wire connected to the metal gang box of the existing switch? My house was built in the 1950s and none of the outlets are grounded. Is this a fake ground?

Diagram of my current situation below.

You need a 12/3 (black/red/white/ground) cable between the fan and the switch location.
You can no longer use a "switch loop" which is how that "used to be done" with a 12/2 cable, because current codes require a neutral at the switch location.
Black (hot)  to the switch, red (switched hot) from the switch to the fan.