How can I remotely control electrical devices? how can i turn on remotely or turn off the lights or TV with remote controller or via internet

which tools i need to prepare or buy to make the circuit or device that do this work?

is there any way to turn off all forget lights in 1 am.?

There are a large number of ways to do this - lots of people DIY it, but there are very simple commercial solutions out there too.

X10 is probably the best known standard.

Have a look at the UK home automation site for lots of info.

A bit more fun if you are a gadget freak or a tinkerer is Electric Imp - started by a guy from google and the guy who designed most of the iPhone hardware (as well as designing the best car stereo ever - even now 15 years later) - this device lets you make any device in your house Internet controllable :-)


Suggestions for dealing with the sharp corner of a storm drain The (city-owned) storm drain outside my house has a corner that protrudes about half an inch from the line of the sidewalk. It's sharp enough to puncture a tire; I've lost a few to it over the years, as have my neighbors. Complaining to the city has had no effect.

So I'm thinking of doing something about it myself. My thought is to fill the space out with some concrete. Any suggestions on the exact steps to take so that it'll bond properly and not flake off if a tire hits it while parking?

(The alternative, I suppose, would be to grind down the corner, but that sounds hazardous.)

Sledgehammer.

Pound that corner down.

When nobody is looking. :)


Idea to fill the tile gap after removing the wall I removed the wall in my basement which has a tile floor. I want to fill this gap where the wall was and looking for ways on what i can do which is going to look good. Shared picture is part of the wall and other half of the wall (with door in middle) where the tile lines dont match up. So putting existing tiles is not a good option has the size would vary.

UPDATE:
Other side of the wall

Complete picture:

SOLUTION:
This is I how ended up solving this problem.

I think I have another solution, but it's not great.

Remove the entire row of tiles that affects most of the right hand void.
Retile the area on the left, continuing the pattern from above.  You will need to seriously think this through, and maybe intentionally mis-align the tiles a little bit so that the black line on the photo is eyeball straight (Although the void from the removed row will probably be different widths at either end.
Retile the removed row with a small, somewhat random shaped mosaic, making a transition strip between the two rooms.

Like I said before, this depends on finding matching tiles, and also finding an acceptable mosaic.
Get a chalk line, and draw it out on the existing tile before you do anything!


What could be causing the main breaker to continually trip? I live in a apartment, it has a 100 amp main breaker.  It trips usually everyday at 6 pm and sometimes a couple of times after the first.

The individual breakers don't.

The main breaker gets hot to touch.

The maintenance man has an amp meter.  Checks to see it it getting overloaded.  But the amps never go over 70.  We turn everything on as when it tripped. Now they to the point they say they going to change the breaker box.

This is getting to be a pain in you know where.  I thought there could be a short somewhere, but seems it would trip the individual breaker first.  Those breakers are not even hot.  Mind boggle.

This is a classic problem. The breaker connection to the buss is compromised/arcing/burned/etc. The fact that the breaker is getting hot and tripping under a load well below it's rating is clear evidence. This fact also says it is past the time when it should have been replaced.

Tell your "maintenance man" to get a real electrician in there NOW! This job is well beyond the scope of a maintenance man.
It is almost a certainty that the enclosure/guts will need to be replaced along with the breaker itself.

I have photos of this exact situation from some of the ones I have done.


Do cold air return vents also supply combustion air? I’m wondering if the cold air return vents located inside certain rooms of the house are also the intakes for furnace combustion air.

In other words, are those the vents that feed fresh air into the furnace to the filter to the be warmed up and blown back into the house, or is there also another intake somewhere that combines together?

Depending on the age and type of your furnace, it either draws air from a dedicated intake duct running alongside the exhaust pipe (in the case of modern, direct-vent high-efficiency models) or from the room in which it's installed.

In the latter case, there's sometimes a "makeup air" duct leading into the utility room from outside. It's often simply a length of insulated flexible duct with an unterminated (open) end near the furnace.


Bedroom Install of a Takagi T-H3-DV-P - 199,000 BTU Propane Indoor Condensing Ultra-Low NOx I'm in the process of a remodel, though I need to do it in phases. third or 4th phase down the road is to use part of the Master bedroom and make a Laundry room with some of the space.  Though I cannot build the laundry room yet, though I need to move the water heater to its new home in the Master bedroom so I don't have to have to roof patched at the old location.

The Laundry room won't be built till the beginning of the year.   Its a Direct vent unit and I will have two 3" ABS Pipes (sealed/glued) to a Concentric vent through the roof above the install.

Is there any reason to not have the unit in the bedroom where we sleep? We would have a CO2 detector of course.

Thanks!

You'll want more than your average CO alarm for this

While everyone should have a UL-listed CO detector to sound the alarm if "imminent hazard" CO concentrations are present, your situation (a combustion appliance mounted in close proximity to inhabited space) merits extra precautions.  First, I would get a low level CO monitor in addition to your normal CO alarm if I were in your shoes.  This extra unit will tell you if there are issues with your appliance emitting CO before it reaches the imminent hazard point, which is important because chronic low level CO exposure can be a significant threat to vulnerable populations, or simply make you miserable all the time with no idea what's going on.

ABS does not a gas vent make

Furthermore, using DWV materials such as PVC or ABS for venting is wrong, and potentially fatally so.  The issue is that while the manufacturers can provide an appliance that keeps flue gas temperatures low enough to avoid deterioration of the flue when it is in new condition, scaling and other efficiency-hampering factors cause the flue gas temperature to rise over the appliance's lifetime, leading to plastic flues deterioriating from overtemperature and eventually failing outright.

Avoiding this is simple, though.  All one needs to do is follow the Codes and use a UL 1738 listed Type IV special gas vent system; uniformly, these systems are made of stainless steel instead of plastic, allowing them to withstand the exhaust temperatures of just about any gas appliance made without taking any damage whatsoever.  Furthermore, the use of highly corrosion-resistant stainless steel alloys such as AL29-4C allows a properly installed stainless steel vent system to last a long time (lifetime warranties are common), no matter how nasty the condensate gets.


More wires than Nest needs I had an old thermostat with wiring as below image:

I wired Air Handler Trane (Model# TWE037E13FB2) in the attic just like it was before:

Here is a wiring diagram of Air Handler:

However, my Nest has few wires that I am not sure where to connect:

Does anyone know:

Whether I connected White wire properly, since it was a jumper wire before
What should I do with Blue, Brown and Orange wires?

The blue wire goes to C, not B

Some Trane systems, yours included, use a non-standard labeling where the 24V common wire is labeled B, not C.  We can tell this from your wiring diagram as well as the wiring on your old thermostat.  As a result, since the blue wire went to your old thermostat's B terminal, it needs to go to C instead on the Nest.  This frees up the O/B terminal on the Nest to get connected to the orange wire from the thermostat, which connected to the O terminal on your old control.

As to the brown wire? While it might be possible to figure that out with more information, your system should work fine without it connected, since it was not hooked up to your old control.  The white wire being unhooked, though, is a sign that the emergency/auxiliary electric heat was not used on the old system.  Perhaps it was disabled intentionally due to an issue with it, so I would pay attention for signs that the emergency heat is running when it shouldn't.


My furnace cycles once, then won't ignite again. What could be wrong? My furnace is not working properly. I shut down the whole electricity and also the switch on my furnice and waiting a few minutes to turn all back on. It will heat up the house and turns off automatically when it reaches my desired temperature setting. But when it needs to start back again it will lite up the fire and turn off about 3 times but never turn on. I have to keep resetting to get the heater to turn in. Changed the filter already and I did see a small light turn off and blink 7 times consecutively.

A red light flashing 7 times typically means the furnace is in lockout mode, which based on your description seems to be your situation.

There are many things that could cause the furnace to fail to light, each of which requires its own diagnostics to determine if it is the problem.

Since it sounds like you don't know much about furnaces, your best bet would be to contact a local licensed HVAC company.

Things that could cause a furnace to fail to ignite include, but are not limited to...

Gas off.
Electricity off.
Clogged burner orifice.
Bad flame sensor.
Bad pilot assembly.
Bad igniter.
Bad control board.
Bad gas valve.
Restricted combustion air supply.


Does wire brought into the house have to immediately enter a box? I need to bring in a new 220v circuit to my basement. Once the conduit enters the basement does it need to immediately enter a box like this diagram or can I just continue the wire to outlet box 20’ away.

The box is only required if you're making a connection just inside the wall. For example, you're pulling THHN/THWN wires through the conduit, but you want to run NM-B cable through the walls. In that case the junction between the cables must be in a junction box. If you're continuing with THHN in conduit (through your walls or surface mounted), and you have a continuous run there's no requirement for the box at all. Note that if you've hit the end of your spool of wire and need to join to a new spool, you'll need to make that connection in a JB, no matter what.
If you're simply changing direction, a box, another LB or even a sweep (if there's room in the wall) could be used. As a matter of fact, the short stub of EMT coming out of the LB in the picture could be replaced with a sweep elbow that immediately turns the wire in the direction you need to go. It may not be the easiest pull, but with the LB right there, it shouldn't be difficult.
Disclaimer: I'm not an electrician. This is based off of knowledge gleaned from reading and applying common sense, not an in-depth knowledge of the NEC.


Does this wiring for the addition of a switch to bypass the PIR look correct? Is that correct?]2]2[]2I have wired a 120v water valve with a motion sensor and it works fine (see top photo). I want to add a switch (see bottom photo) that will bypass the PIR(motion sensor)for cases where I do not want the motion sensor to operate. Sometimes I want the valve to just run off a timer. Does the wiring look correct? I already fried one motion sensor with a different wiring attempt.

So your proposed wiring scheme looks great when it's in PIR mode.

However, throw the switch to "other thing" mode, and what do you see?

The PIR's supply wire is disconnected.
The PIR's lamp-side wire is being back-fed with hot.  Is that good for it?  Does its instructions say that's alright?

The other problem with PIRs is you really want to power them 24x7.  They also have light sensors, and they need 24 hours to see the maximum and minimum absolute lux in the location, so they can distinguish night from day in adverse conditions.

So I would flip it around.  I would make sure that PIR supply (brown) always sees hot, and PIR neutral (blue) always sees neutral.  I would run PIR switched-hot to one side of the switch, and always-hot to the other side of the switch.  The pump goes to the common.

Now the PIR is always up, but it either has a load, or does not.


How can I repair the agitator on my hotpoint washer? Could anyone please advise me how to remove the agitator on a hotpoint washer model HTWP1200DOWW? The agitator is not spinning.

I found this doing a web search and think it will be helpful:

“5-5 AGITATOR
Most GE-designed washing machine agitators are not fastened to the shaft by any screws or bolts. To remove, simply tug upwards on the bottom of the agitator. There are exceptions; see "handwash" agitators below.

If you find that you cannot remove the agitator by pulling on it, try tapping the top of the agitator gently with a rubber or wooden mallet. If you still cannot remove the agitator, pry off the plastic cap in the center. Then cut out the little piece of plastic in the center of the hub with a knife; this will expose the top of the agitator shaft. (Figure GE-6)Hit it with a little WD-40 to loosen it.

GE-designed agitators have a removable rubber spline insert that connects the agitator to the transmission shaft splines (Figure GE-6.) If the splines are stripped, you can replace the whole agitator, or just the rubber spline insert.

Figure GE-6: Agitator Hub

To remove the insert, remove the plastic cap and cut out the center plastic piece as described above. Push out the old spline insert (it can be difficult.) To replace, put the new insert onto the top of the transmission shaft and push the agitator down onto it.

Hotpoint and JC Penney have a "handwash" agitator on some designs. The "handwash" agitator is actually a small agitator that fits inside the larger, main agitator.
The "handwash" agitator has a small screw underneath the metal disc on top of the agitator; make sure you remove it before trying to pull up on the "handwash" agitator. There are locking tabs that you must twist to remove the larger agitator from the smaller one.

Once the screw is removed, the "handwash" agitator should lift out easily. If not, tap with a rubber mallet a described above, or shoot some WD-40 into the screw hole.”

Source: http://www.appliancerepair.net/washing-machine-repair-5.html


Does a router smooth edges significantly more than a jigsaw? My first experiment with a jigsaw produced a nicely rounded shelf, but it's terribly rough. I am considering reducing the labor needed to properly sand it by getting another toy: a router. A nice side effect of using a router is that the top and bottom edges would not be so square and would be forgiving when someone bumps into them.

Would using a router (once for the top side, and another for the bottom) leave the edge sufficiently smooth so that a bit of hand buffing with 200-grit paper would suffice? Or would I be left with something that is even harder to work with because I would need to sand a round, rather than a semi-flat, edge?

Tried to make this a comment but must have been to long. So here goes.
I think a router would be what you are looking for. There are bits that will cut a 45 and a curved edge. Both will help with the sharp edge. Some bits control the depth with a shaft (cheaper ones) some control with a small bearing. The trick is to figure out the direction of cut to make the cleanest cut, cut two deep and the cut is rough and the router gets away from you. I usually plan on a rough cut to get most of the material off and then a second cut to get a smooth edge. I like carbide bits with a bearing the best but have had good luck with High speed steel on softer wood. A router is great for trimming laminate counter tops so that could be a future project.


Swapping to Hive thermostat. 4 wire communicator has 2 wires per post I'd previously asked if I could swap my wires from the 4 wire communicator to the larger board and was told I could. I finally found time to do it. However, as I was preparing to move the wires, I found there are 2 wires per post. A post has 2 green wires, B has 2 yellow, C has 2 white, and D has 2 red. I followed the wires and they go under my floor and I assume over to my pump that is outside. The other set of wires runs to the thermostat. If I'm swapping these wires to the main board do I move both wires or do I leave the ones that go to the pump and just move the thermostat wires? Hopefully all that makes sense.

Leave the wires to the heatpump where they are at

Your system, instead of running Y, O/B, and C wires to the outdoor unit to control it, simply puts the compressor controller on the same ABCD bus that is used to connect the indoor unit to the matching (communicating) thermostat.  As a result, when you remove the thermostat wires from the ABCD bus, you need to leave the wires to the heatpump in place, so that the indoor and outdoor units can talk to each other.


how do I repair broken pipe under foundation For a home built in 1965, with broken pipe under foundation, what is status of inserting a stent, perhaps under visualization?

Broken/damaged drain pipes can be internally lined with a resin impregnated sleeve. There are limitations on size, size and type of damage, type of pipe, access, and pipe configuration. Check out this video:
trenchless liner


Tree stump in crawlspace surrounded by boards and covered in concrete? I had a home inspection done today and the inspector told me this was a first:

In the crawlspace there was a large box filled with concrete. It looks like this:

Image source

The builder was there at the end and he said they were not able to grind it down or remove it, so this is what they did.

The inspector says we should speak to an arborist to understand if this strategy is effective.

I've read around that the wood could rot and cause damage underneath. Now, this isn't holding up the structure obviously, but it still seems like a strange solution and I wondered if anyone has ever seen anything like this.

WOW! I would be upset. It's a huge loss of space. I have never seen such a thing. Unless it's petrified, there is no reason for it. Any tree can be removed even if petrified. That is weird. Looks like cost savings to me. Hard to get a grinder in a basement. I'd talk to an engineer or architect if you don't care about the space. I


How can I replace a ceiling fan light pull chain? I have removed the light assembly from beneath the fan. In doing so, the lights (three with pull chain ) fell and I failed to catch it before it pulled out some wires.

The wires coming from the ceiling to the fan are still intact. The fan still works from my wall switch, but I am having problems connecting the new pull chain for the light.

Out of the fan there are two wires: white and blue. I know that I have three white wires from the lights and the one white wire from the ceiling fan that need to be connected so I did it. I then connected the three black wires from the lights and the blue wire coming down from the ceiling fan.

The lights work on and off with the fan.

My problem is I am not sure how to connect the new pull chain. Both wires out of the pull chain are black. I am smart enough to know that if the connect them to the white and blue respectively, it will blow the circuit breaker when I pull the chain.

I do not have a wire diagram and cannot find the correct connection on the internet.

What wires do I need to connect the pull switch to at this time?

Since you didn't provide a picture, or a very helpful description of what you're looking at. I'll try answering your question by explaining how the switch itself works, which will hopefully help you understand the problem better.

Single Pole Single Throw (SPST) Pull Chain Switch

The pull chain switch that controls the light(s), is a single pole single throw (SPST) switch. It has two positions ON (Closed), and OFF (Open). Drawn simply, it would look something like this.

Switch shown in ON (Closed) position.

When the switch is in the ON (Closed) position, current is allowed to flow through the switch, through the light(s), and back to the the source (via neutral).

When the chain is pulled and released, the internal contact rotates 90° (1/4 turn) into the OFF (Open) position.

When the switch is in this position, current is not allowed to flow through the switch, and the light is not lit.

This is why the pull chain switch that controls the light(s) only has two leads.

Single Pole Multiple Throw (SPnT) Pull Chain Switch

The pull chain switch that controls the fan, is a single pole multiple throw switch. It has multiple positions, which allows it to control the speed of the fan. Draw simply, it would look something like this.

Switch shown in OFF (Open) position.

When the chain is pulled and released on this switch, the internal contact rotates 45° (1/8 turn) to the next position.

Another pull, another turn.

Pull again, turn some more.

One final pull brings the switch 180° around, and again to the OFF (Open) position.

By manipulating the output of this switch, the fan is able to whirl around at various speeds depending on the switches position. The number of output leads, will depend on the switch. How those leads are connected to the fan motor, will depend on the fan manufacturer.  This simply illustrates the basic principle of how the switch works.

As always electrical work can be dangerous, never be afraid to contact a qualified Electrician


Light switch with two wires, but with voltage between them I have an older light switch, with just 2 wires. One is energized, the other is not. So, I assume the later just brings energy to the light when switch is on.
However, using a multimeter, if I test them, I get 120 v. I was not expecting it, because if the second wire goes to the hot side of the light, they should not form a circuit and give 120 v.
Am I correct? It's not possible that one is hot and one is neutral, otherwise it would be a short circuit when switching to on, correct?
Thank you for any help!

What you describe is normal.

When you close the switch you complete the circuit and the voltage across the switch will drop to zero.

With the switch open, there is no current flowing but the wire to the light is connected through the light to neutral. You are measuring the difference between neutral and hot (live)


Will a Bosch hammerdrill bit drill concrete faster than a cheap Makita bit? I had to drill several 3/8" holes into very hard concrete. I purchased a Bosch LBH008 drill bit, but since I hadn't received it, I bought a cheaper $3.60 Makita drill bit that drills incredibly slow. Not only that, but the whole building can hear it since it's the very hard concrete used for the actual building (it's for a fence).

So today I received the new bit. Is it worth switching to this new bit or will it be as slow as the $3 bit I bought three days ago?

I'm using a Craftsman hammer drill.

Neither bit will do well in a standard drill. You need hammer action to chop through concrete with any sort of speed. A hammer drill (conventional drill with hammer action) will work for a few holes with some patience. If you need to bore many holes or to work quickly, a rotary hammer is a must, and they only accept SDS bits with the larger, slotted shaft base.

That said, the bit itself isn't terribly important with respect to shape. Even worn hammer bits do well if the carbide cutting blades are still attached. They fail when the blades break free of the bit shaft at the weld. At that point the metal in the shaft mushrooms over and you're done.

In short, either bit will do poorly or well depending on the tool that's driving it, and it's just a matter of durability. To get maximum life, spin fast and push slow. Allow cooldown after every few inches of cut.

Since you're using a relatively light-duty hammerdrill, I suggest purchasing a 3/16" bit and start each hole with that. 3/8" is rather large without a rotary hammer and you'll be at it for quite a while.


elegant attic hatch design for several purposes My attic hatch measures roughly 2' square.  Presently, it has insulation on top of the hatch door (in the attic).  Because some of the hatch sticks up above the insulation on the floor of the attic, I'd like to re-do the door so that the hatch insulation is inside the hatch.

Does anyone have any elegant design suggestion to allow the door to come down, rather than need to be pushed up into the attic?  With 6-8" of insulation, a door that swings down seems infeasible.

I wouldn't mind simply pushing it up into the attic, but the small problem with that approach is that the hatch seems to have been build imperfectly: its bottom dimensions are slightly larger at the bottom than at the top (~1/2"), which could make pushing the door up less-than-ideal.  Particularly if the door is snug enough at the bottom, which I would like it to be for air sealing purposes.

The standard solution for an insulated hatch cover has it resting on trim flush with the ceiling.  You should pound or pack out the framing for the hatch so that it is tightest at the bottom (where it meets your ceiling).  Add weatherstripping to the top of the trim on which the cover sits to prevent airflow when it is in place, and the insulation on top of the cover will prevent radiant/conductive heat loss.


Mounting a TV on non-load bearing wall The TV is 55 inches, and weighs about 40 pounds. The wall mount I plan on using will be able to reach 2 studs. Will this be enough to support the TV? Does it make a difference if the wall is a load bearing wall or not?

So long as the lags make it into a stud or multiple studs (presuming it is a wood frame house) if the mount is that large, any wall  should be fine. Load bearing walls are not needed for mounting a tv They ARE needed for supporting a higher floor(s) and/or roof; that is the load they are bearing.

The keys to successful wall mounting are following directions and ensuring the mount is rated strong enough for your tv.


Elecrical panel box. Does it need a cover? I have a 200 amp electrical panel. It's all sealed, but the breaker switches are visible. My question is, do I need a cover or a door to hide the breakers from view? Reason I'm asking, the insurance company came and said I need to cover it. If that's the case, when I bought it and got it installed, why wouldn't have come with a door with a hinge to close?

National Electrical code does not require a door to cover breaker handles.  It does require a cover that prevents access to electrified parts, which must have all openings closed.  A panel without a door is not a violation, but a panel without a cover is.

However, this might be a requirement of the bank, or some other local amendment or code.


Preventing outside heat from hitting cabinets The front of my house faces west, so when the sun passes over the house, it heats up the front of the house quickly. I have kitchen cabinets and cupboards that are on that west wall. There are dishes in some and food and medicines in the others. How do I insulate the inside of the cabinets to prevent the heat of the day from getting to these cabinets?

You could add a layer of rigid insulation to the back of your cabinets, but you'd lose a couple of inches of space and you'd want to add a covering over the insulation. Plus, I doubt it'd do much (for all the effort), because the heat is already in the cabinet.

Likewise, removing the cabinets and installing insulation in the wall seems expensive...and maybe the wall is already full of insulation.

The best way to keep heat out is to prevent it from entering the wall...how about building some latticework outside and planting some vines to cover it. The trellis should be a few inches away from the wall to be most effective. (I suppose you could be really creative and build an insulated wall with latticework on it to really "protect" your wall.)


Is a sump pump stand necessary? Is it necessary to have a sump pump stand installed between the bottom of the sump-pit and the sump pump to keep sediment and debris out of the pump intake?

Alternatively, can I just put a brick or some other material under the sump pump to raise the pump intake a couple of inches away from the bottom of the pit to serve the same purpose?

The idea of a stand makes sense, but is it an add on that companies sell, or do many pumps fail every year because of sediment and debris in their intakes?

Examples of sump pump stands from the googles:
http://www.google.com/search?q=sump+pump+stand

A common search result on the googles are branded sites in different geographic locations selling their very expensive branded "Triple Safe" systems:
http://www.basementsystems.com/sump-pump/cleanpump-sump-pump-pedestal.html

I stopped at several home improvement stores today to ask about sump pump stands to several different opinions from those who sell sump pumps directly:

Gary at Home Depot:
More interested in his phone than talking to me.  His recommendation was not to worry about it.  "Why is there sediment in your sump basin?  It should just be water in your sump basin."

Dave at Menards:
He pointed out that the sump pumps with intakes on the bottom are designed to "pass any solids that will fit into the intake".  He pointed to two separate models with different size holes near the intake and explained that it acts as a filter to keep any larger sediment out of the pump.

Lesley at Lowes:
She suggested not to buy one of the stands, but instead to just place the pump on a brick.  The brick will serve the same purpose by raising the pump up a couple of inches.

None of the stores sold a stand of any kind.  The three people that I talked to had neither heard of nor seen a sump pump stand like the one that is linked to above.


How to frame ceiling in unfinished basement My basement is partially finished. One room which is not finished, that I'd like to finish, sits below the garage.  The room is surrounded by 4 walls of concrete blocks, has a concrete slab floor, and has steel beams running the length of the ceiling.

I plan on framing out the walls with 2x4 studs and anchoring them directly into the concrete. No problems there. The problem I'm trying to understand is how to frame the ceiling.

There 6" steel joists that I assume are holding up the floor above.  How can I frame a ceiling with these beams up there? I don't want to install a drop ceiling because this room will be used as a home movie theater and I want to have as much vertical space as possible.

Furring around the beams with wood framing and then attaching Gypsum Ceiling Board or another finish material to the furring, is a common way of dealing with this sort of condition.

In other words, furr out  the sides and bottom of the beams with wood and attach the finish to the furring so that the ceiling varies in height because it is lower at the beams.

Acoustic tile runners can also be cut to form soffits around beams. And if acoustics are a priority, acoustical tile is likely to reduce comb filter effects.


Looking for a chimney enclosure solution before insulating attic Project: I need to add insulation to my attic. I live a few miles outside Rochester, NY. Most of the attic has only 4 inches of cellulose insulation, and some parts have less than one!

Obstacle:
The metal flue and hot water pipes for our baseboard heat go through the attic in an area that has essentially no insulation at all. In the attic I can see bare ceiling drywall over most of the laundry room/utility closet. Before I insulate this area, I have two issues that need addressing:

I need something to keep the insulation away from the metal flue - and simultaneously prevent cellulose from falling into the utility closet.
I need a way to completely air seal the utility closet from the attic space.

My question: Can I build a plywood box around the flue, all the way up to the roof deck, and then seal the edges with foam? The box would be slightly wider than the hole in the drywall. Would this be a safe and acceptable solution for my two issues?

From the photos, the stack is class B venting.  You local big box store should be able to supply you with a part called "attic insulation shield".  It's just another pipe 2" larger in diameter than your stack & the top gets sealed with a storm collar to fit.  Seal with hi-temp silicone and insulation to your hearts content.  Stacks that service a zero clearance appliances are not zero clearance as well - only the appliance is.


How to fix a leaking cold/hot water faucet Our hot water faucet has been leaking (on its own, and also when the cold water faucet is turned on). Our building technician diagnosed a problem with the valves and recommended that we replace both the hot and cold water faucet assembly with Kohler GP77005-RP CW and GP77006-RP Kohler CCW valve kits:

I have been trying to figure out some installation instructions for them.

Step one: purchase the appropriate valve for your sink.

Step two: read the instructions that come with the valve. :)

Sorry, I couldn't resist.  Turn the water off to the sink first.  The faucet may have a cap that can be removed, either via a small screw in a difficult to see place (behind or when you lift the handle all open) or the cap is friction fit you can pop it off with a putty knife.  My best guess looking at this valve and because it's for separate hot/cold handles is that the cap is on the very top of the handle.  From there, you can remove the handle, usually with a screw or two.  Unscrewed, it should come right off.

And then the cartridge/valve is removed by unscrewing it.  However, this is the tricky part, and the one that took me the longest time to figure out.  At least until I got the replacement valve that included an adapter to unscrew the old and install the new valve (buying the valve first would have saved me an hour).

Before you install the new one, check if the instructions tell you to lubricate the o-rings.  If they don't specify what kind of lubricant, I think Vaseline is safe, though I've been known to use some chapstick in a pinch.  You should also clean out the hole in the sink as best you can, using an old toothbrush or whatever else you can get in there and not lose.  After that, you just reverse the steps you took to get everything apart.


Tiling Sequence: Ceiling, Walls, Floor - Where to Start? So, I'm ready to tile ceiling, wall, and floor of same bathroom. What's the optimal sequence?
Ceiling first, walls first, floor first, or it depends?

I agree with Ahmad G Badr & I hope this is a shower alcove. Sorry, I hate tile most anywhere. You want to minimize the view of corner seams or grout lines since they crack first & are usually where cut tiles (sharp instead of pillowed or rounded edges) are placed.

Side walls should butt over the back wall & floor & ceiling should butt over all walls. This is also hugely beneficial if the shower pan ever needs to be replaced. The floor should always be done last to eliminate the possibility of damage.


Do no flange low profile shower bases present an increased chance of leaking? I'm thinking about buying this shower base or similar. Specs here.

It has no flanges so I am wondering if adding my own flanges for tiling is a thing that I want to do. I am handy but I am afraid that if I make a mistake I might get a leak that will cost me later
How reliable is it to install your own flanges? I'm not sure if backer/sealant solutions like the one in this video would alleviate the risks.

If you look at the installation instruction for the base you linked (instructions linked right from the link you provided: instruction pdf), you will see on page 6:

Attach tile flange # 790112 (not included).

Follow instructions included with the tile flange.

So a simple web search for Duravit 790112 will lead you to a variety of vendors where you can purchase the flange that is required to be installed with this particular base for tiling.
It would seem that it would be best to follow the manufacturer's recommendation. If you are not comfortable with attaching the flange yourself, hire someone to do the install and get a warranty from them, or choose a shower base with pre-installed flange.
The reason the base does not have a pre-installed flange is so it can be installed in a variety of scenarios with either 2 or 3 tiled walls, glass or shower curtain, etc.


Is it possible to split off a neighbor's Comcast cable to provide service to my condo? Comcast tech told my tenants that the coaxial cable within my condo was outdated & not adequate to provide good signal so it appears he installed a splitter from my neighbor's downstairs cable and ran new cable up the exterior wall to the M/B for internet service.  Is it possible for a single cable to provide service to my neighbor and my tenants?

Although there is no need for TV modems in the other rooms as tenants are only subscribing to internet service, but if they decide they want to also subscribe to cable TV in the future, would the signal loss with additional splits to the other rooms be an issue? I'm assuming that I would need to run cable from the new outlet in M/B through the wall to other bedroom & then through wall from 2nd bedroom to the living room.

The cable company will run ONE or more cable lines to a structure. Numerous things drive this decision, and I do believe there is a code they also must follow. This is just an FYI.

That said:

The only thing that would actually prevent the provider from splitting off to "other rooms on the same structure" is signal loss and signal quality measurements.

So is it possible to run multiple units from "one service line" via a number of splitters/taps? ABSOLUTELY and this is standard practice.

When the signal degrades beyond a serviceable quality and equipment cannot operate properly, or customers are complaining of outages, they may rerun cables (in near total futility) OR a wise technician will reduce the taps, use boosters, run another drop, etc.

So you know, every time you split a signal there is an inherent loss in dB. Drop below an acceptable level, and equipment will not perform optimally.


Cold Water Tap has High Pressure Thanks for reading, I appreciate it.  In my main floor bathroom, my cold water sink tap has incredibly high pressure.  All other water sources in the house seem to have a normal operating pressure.  Even the tub in the same bathroom from the same line only feet away has normal pressure.
I swapped the hot and cold cartridges in the taps to see if the CW cartridge was the culprit. The CW cartridge worked fine in the HW tap.  With the HW cartridge in the CW tap, water was still blasting out.  Not a cartridge problem.
I do not have a pressure regulating valve on my main water line.....not sure I need one, pressure everywhere else seems fine.
I`m stumped.  thanks for your insight.

The first thing you should do is test your water pressure. Gauges are available at home supply stores or online for as little as $10. The gauge attaches to any hose bib in your home.
An ideal pressure range for a domestic water supply is about 60 to 70 psi. If it's much over 100 you should consider adding a pressure reducing valve (PRV) on your incoming water supply line. Excessively high pressure can result in leaks in your water lines or fixtures.
Different faucets in a home will often exhibit different water pressure based on a number of factors. In order to comply with state and federal guidelines newer ones have water restrictors in them. The faucet in question may be older (no restrictor) or it may have been removed at some point.
One solution is to simply replace the faucet.


stair riser variation between stairs and landings I'm designing a stairs in a very tight space that has an upper landing and a lower landing, each segment requires a 90 deg turn.  If the landing riser heights are different from the main run - does this present a hazard?  If so - why?

Presently the upper landing is 10.5" drop, followed by steps of ~9.5", and back to 10.5" on the lower.  The stair runs are 11.5"

Code says risers can’t be more than 8” high and can’t vary from the largest to smallest by more than 3/8”.  (See IRC R311.7.5.)

Treads can’t be less than 9” and can’t vary by more than 3/8”.


What hinge is this and where can I buy them in the UK? I need to replace 4 hinges on the doors on our summerhouse.

I have checked in a local hardware store and also I checked in B&Q on the weekend but I couldn't see them in either.

Does anyone know where I can buy these hinges from in the UK?

Hard to say exactly who made them because lets face it theres probably millions out there but a company called DCIRON makes very similar one
http://www.dciron.co.uk/hi3/


How to handle joint between uneven ceiling drywall? After removing my cabinets for a kitchen remodel I realized that the previous owners installed a new drywall ceiling below the existing ceiling after installing the previous cabinets.

Now I have a 10ft wide 13 inch length gap that I am filling with drywall to "even"/"finish" the ceiling for the new cabinets.

I noticed that at the center about 5 feet point of the ceiling where the new drywall meets the old, the old drywall is sitting about half an inch lower than the rest of the ceiling for about 6-8 inches.  Will joint compound, mud and tape allow me to "hide" this dip?

85/ right above where the sink will be so no cabinets will cover it.! Dip starts towards the right side of the picture.  [drywall ceiling]
(https://i.stack.imgur.com/l0HMn.jpg)

1/2" of dip in a relatively small space can be sort of hidden with more mud, but I'd say it's always going to be noticeable.

2 alternatives. First, get some serious leverage underneath (something wide at the ceiling and an angled 2x4 from the floor) and see if you can push the offending drywall up. It may have just been poorly nailed in the past and is sagging.

If that doesn't do the trick, I'd even consider cutting back the offending piece and re-doing it. I get that almost nobody likes drywall work, but since you're doing some anyway, the incremental agony of a bit more will be modest.


Thermostat set at 65 - Furnace went to 90 - possible causes? Oil furnace. Honeywell programmable thermostat (not WiFi-battery operated). Heat set as always at 65 degrees F with auto fan.  No changes to settings whatsoever.  Had been working fine all winter.

Yesterday, Cold day <20 degrees F and extremely windy. Not home all day (12 hours) - when returned, house was 90 degrees and furnace was blasting. Thermostat was still set at 65 - but temp on thermostat read 90. Turned thermostat off - furnace stayed on.  Turned breaker to get furnace to shut down. Off all night.

This morning - house temp 63F - turned furnace off at switch, then turned breaker back on, then turned furnace switch to on.   Turned thermostat back on - still set the same at 65F with auto fan.

Has worked fine so far all day (??).  Even when turning thermostat off and back on or changing temps - seems to be communicating fine.  Furnace goes off with thermostat and back on and stays at whatever temp is set. What could have happened?

Afraid to leave house again unless I shut the heat completely off.  Used up almost 1/2 tank of heating oil with what happened yesterday. Could whatever the cause have been start a fire?  I know that my chimney needs a repair at the top and is also missing a cap. I also have been finding mice in the kitchen that I've been dealing with - but no sign of them in the area of the furnace that I know of or in the wall where the thermostat is. What are the different options that could have caused this so that I can hopefully prevent it from happening again?

there should be several other layers of protection from a fire, the issue is more economic. It might be a one-off event, like the thing's smarts freezing up. Maybe check the batteries.

If in any doubt, you can put the old thermostat, set at a max cut-off temp like 80, in series with the new one to prevent a "crashed" smart thermostat from running the heat all day. The heat would only come on if BOTH thermostats agreed it should. Since the older one will be on for anything under 80, it normally does nothing and stays "on".

If you have the opposite problem, it doesn't come on sometimes, then you put the backup thermostat in parallel with the smart one, so that either one will trigger. Then you set the analog thermostat for a fail-safe like 50 to prevent frozen pipes.

You can put your backup thermostat out of the way, or next to the furnace; it need not be in the comfort zone to be effective.


AC Compressor was not turning off With a split unit aircon unit the compressor and fan would keep running even when the unit inside was turned off.

I figured out it was probably the relay sticking, so I replaced it on the control board inside the unit inside and it seems to work fine now. The other relays on the board were for different fan speeds.

However I'm having some second thoughts, is it probable that the outside compressor/fan unit has it's own relay that could be sticking? from what I could look from this units design I think the 220v AC power going to the outside unit is routed through the inside unit and the 220v flows to the relay at all times so the relay I changed would have caused the compressor to be on all the time if it stuck in the closed position.

If a repair fixes a problem, then in general one does not look for more things to do. Wait before you do anything more.

In my experience the 240 V power line goes directly to the condensing unit outside. In the US there is usually no 240 V line to the air handler inside. In the US most residential air handlers use 120 V on an entirely different circuit from the 240 V line to the condensing unit outside.

There is a "relay" (called the contactor unit) inside the condensing unit which switches off and on the 240 V high current power to the compressor and fan. Failure of the contactor unit is common, but at present you have not given any reason to suspect yours should be replaced.

EDIT

But in Europe there is only one voltage 230 V to 240 V so the air handler would be at 240 V. I assume that the air handler and the condensing unit would still be on different circuits, but I really don't know.


What size is this wallplug, and then what drill size (and type) would I use for brick? I'm trying to hang a hose "butler" from Home Depot (Model CHH200HB). It comes with three wallplugs and screws, so should be simple, but there is no sign of what size the plugs or screws are, nor which drill size to use. Can anyone help? Here are the plugs and screws, with one of the plugs in a gauge:

So it looks like the outer diameter of the plug is 5/16" -- that's at the widest part (and these plugs have no flange). Does that immediately tell me the drill bit too should be 5/16"? Seems obvious I suppose, but the general wisdom seems to be that if you've drilled the proper hole, the plug should be very tight, even needing a hammer to insert. That might then imply I should use the next size down, but what exactly is the "next" down from 5/16? I have one that is 1/16 down; i.e. 4/16, or a quarter inch. But how do I know that's the right one versus, say, one that is 1/32 down; i.e. taking 5/16 = 10/32, then a 9/32" bit (if there even is such a thing)?† And of course that could get even finer grained. Instead of 1/4", or 9/32", how about 19/64"?

Second, if I'm drilling into brick, what type of drill do I need -- i.e. do I need a special brick-and-other-fairly-hard-stuff bit? I have one of those yellow boxes of Dewalt bits you find in Home Depot, but I don't know what type they are. I think I'd have bought a general-purpose-ish set, meaning not just for wood, but do these look like they'll handle brick?

If I do need something like a hammerhead, then all I have are these UK/European bits:

and I have no idea how to relate those numbers to any other screw/drill/etc numbering system on the planet.

Finally, would anyone else agree with me that while there are plenty of bad things in the world, including possible imminent nuclear war, antibiotic-resistant bugs, and too many TV shows with the words "The Real Housewives of..." in the title or with Simon Cowell as a panel member, the biggest source of misery is the lack of standardization on screw/drill/etc diensions?††

thanks!

† FWIW, I tried to gauge the screw diameter too (not that it matters, I guess, since if I get the plug's hole right, I implicitly accommodate the screw), but it's hard because the threads are quite deep. On the gauge, it sits around 7/32", or maybe 13/64".

†† Although if it were a competition, then screw dimensions would get a good run for its money by the corresponding issue in cooking and baking (I mean, in what universe is a "cup" an appropriate unit for measuring mass  -- really?)

Use the Black & Decker drill bit for masonry. 8 mm is compatible with the 5/16" size you gauged. If you choose, for a guaranteed tight fit, use the 7 mm drill first and if the insert is too tight, go up to the 8 mm. Even if the insert slips into the hole, the little "wings" should keep it from spinning in the hole until the screw goes in far enough to swell the plastic to a tight fit.

After the hole is drilled a little extra deep, do what you can to blow the dust out, so the anchor grips the actual hole, not the dust in it.


Modern half-bath copper DWV configuration First off: I KNOW PVC is fine. I KNOW PVC is cheap. I KNOW PVC is fast. I KNOW PVC is more flexible. I KNOW PVC would still be working [sarcasm] 300 years after I'm dead.

Now that I've sufficiently acknowledged PVC and hereby also acknowledge the other plastics I discount any solution that includes switching a significant amount of this project to plastics.

1) Copper is already bought and cut so it can't be returned.

2) Copper is still perfectly fine for DWV usage.

3) I'll pretend to be allergic to general contact with plastic so as to minimize it's use as the "solution".

All that anti-plastic info aside, plastic is OK if it's a fitting that addresses the issue and is reasonably contained.

Now onto the project.

I am moving a half bath on the first floor to another location on the first floor. All original copper plumbing was removed. New copper was bought to maintain the quality and valuation of the property.

The half bath is a standard configuration: 1 toilet and 1 vanity.

The toilet is the first (closest to waste stack) fixture on the drain line and the vanity is the last fixture (furthest from waste stack) fixture on the drain line.

GOAL: Properly design the DWV for use with DWV copper on site. Leverage the vent from the toilet as the branch vent for the vanity using 45-degree verticals to maintain optimum pressure conditions.

PROBLEM: Sanitary tee's cannot lay "on their back" such that the branch is facing upwards regardless of whether that is intended for use to enable a directly-vertical vent for the toilet.

Attached are 5 images that (HOPEFULLY) demonstrate the general site conditions and intent.

Image 1) ms paint drawing of the layout

Image 2) work site picture with subfloor removed for view of available joist space

Image 3) diagonal view of the work site in question

Image 4) front view of the work site in question

Image 5) front view of the work site with annotations, drawings, and sample parts to exemplify the intent/thought process.

General Question: How was this EVER possible in the past with copper-only solutions? There are insufficient fittings to make this work today when the goal is to have a directly-vertical vent system off the toilets waste line.

Specific Question: How do I fix this?

Some thoughts of how to solve this that I have come up with include:

Use a couple TEEs along the main waste line. 1 to go up the toilet and 1 to go up (and reduce) to the 1-1/2" vent line. This would offset the drain from the vent though and therefore potentially (albeit probably a small probability) of backflow towards the vanity.

Use a WYE 3" x 3" x 3" (if that exists). This would be akin to a combo [wye + 45 elbow]. AFAIK there isn't such a thing in copper based on the handful of manufacturers sites I've visited.

Use a twin elbow (if that exists in copper). However, it is a code violation to use one to connect two fixtures to a vertical drain. In my case, though, what I'd do is connect the toilet outlet to one side and use the other side to directly access the ventilation pipe.

I'm open to other creative solutions [that are code-compliant and reasonable]!

Thanks,
-Nick

As I understand it, you are mainly just irked by not having combo-wye fittings.  Well, a combo-wye (short for combination wye and 8th bend) is nothing more than a normal wye with a street 45 bend (male AKA spigot on one side, female AKA hub on the other).  What you would do is solder the 45 into the hub of the wye, and, there you have it: a combo-wye.

The toilet vent can be downstream of the drain.  In fact, the IPC will say that it can be as much as 12 feet away if your pipe slope is 1/8" per foot.  That may be your easiest option:  Tie the toilet vent and toilet drain in separately.


How should I build the concrete footings for my deck? I plan on making a small deck and I live in Howard County Maryland.  The deck code here says that the concrete footing must be 30 in below ground level and have a thickness of at least 8 inches (i.e. to 22 inches below ground level).  This which means the wood post is in the ground. This is also how all the contractors I have talked to would do it. (Deck guide for my county (PDF))

The books on deck building I have only suggest having the concrete footing extend above ground level by a little bit (I think this is called a tube footing).  This method has the post not touching the dirt.

Is the second method better?  Do I need to worry about the post rotting with the first method?  I am assuming that I should be able to do it the second way because that exceeds the minimum requirement here.  Is there anything better about the first method?  Should I consider a different type of footing than these two? My deck with have about 3 posts and footings and will also attach to a ledger on the house.

Burying the wood post will cause it to rot prematurely. Even ground-contact rated Pressure Treated lumber won't last forever.

The only benefit of burying the post (besides it being easier to do) is lateral stability. i.e. you can sometimes neglect lateral bracing this way.

Best practice for wood-post decks is to have the concrete extend above grade and use a stand-off post anchor to hold the wood post to concrete.

Here is an example of this with some knee-braces for lateral bracing.
The braces don't match so I find this somewhat ugly, but the image is clear and easy to understand.

Footings here don't need to be deep so I often form my own square ones but sometimes I use bigfoot forms and I really like those. Although Shirlock's "mushroom" method is more than adequate if you are only required 8" wide.


ELV to 5amp circuit? I have a load of extra low voltage IKEA lamps, each with its own chunky plug-transformer.

I recently moved to a house with a 5amp lighting circuit with the small round-pin plug sockets, controlled by a light switch.

I don't really want to replace every 5a plug socket with 15a square pin variants (not least because I don't want to accidentally plug anything into them other than lamps).

Is there any way to adapt the ELV lamps to use the 5amp sockets?

Honestly.  Your best approach is to consult with IKEA about powering the lights from one single common low-voltage transformer/supply.

Nobody, not even Ikea, thinks a bunch of chunky transformers is the way to go. They did it that way because that is the lowest-cost way to sell the lamps in a single unit and still get the items listed by your regulatory agencies.   They may even have an Ikea-approved way to use a common transformer.

Generally, low voltage power is much more lightly regulated, so the low-voltage cable run from wall-wart to lamp proper is thus less regulated.   That's still a good idea, but with one common transformer if possible.  If that transformer has a cord, feel free to put a 5A receptacle and <=5A fuse.


60 Hz home appliances on 50 Hz electricity (both 220 volt) I am not an electrical engineer, and I want a simple language answer to a question that I think covered elsewhere, but I didn't understand.

If I get a washing machine designed to work on 220 V 60 Hz, can it run safely on a 220 V 50 Hz electricity source?

The item is relatively new (the specific product I am asking about).

The general answer is no because the washing machine may have an AC induction motor which gets overexcited and overheats when connected to a lower mains frequency but the same voltage. You had to lower the voltage accordingly. Torque stays the same but the speed reduces to 50/60.

BUT there should be only very few 220V appliances which aren't built for 50Hz originally, and simply labelled 50/60Hz. Because higher frequency is seldom a problem.

So, check the device and/or motor plate if it says 50/60Hz.


How do I reduce noise from the bolt hitting the strike plate on a door with an automatic closer? In our office, the door at the entrance has a k2 door closer. Our problem is that when the door closes, it makes a very loud clicking noise. I believe this is the result of the latch bolt hitting the strike plate, which is what causes the noise. It has nothing to do with latch or swing speed, since the screws in the door closer body are turned fully clockwise. The sound seems to be caused by the metal.

Is there anything we can do to mitigate this noise?

One of the adjustment screws is for the swing speed, and one is for the latch speed. It sounds like the latch speed is too high.

Adjust the latch speed until the door is just moving fast enough that it closes. You'll also want to be sure to test it by opening the door the minimum amount someone would open it.

If it doesn't shut if you slow it down at all, it may be the door arm is installed incorrectly.

If it doesn't really slow down when you adjust it, then it could be the closer is broken (lost fluid or broken valve seal) and easiest thing to do is replace the entire closer.


No grounding wire in an old house? My new house was built in 1966 and I've been told by the inspector and the electrician that put in the GFCI outlets that the meter and box are grounded but that no third wire was run through the house. I was told that I could either replace all outlets with GFCI outlets or that I could run a grounding wire from the green screw on the outlet to the metal box. Which is better?

They are both attempts to solve the same problem, life safety.  A side effect is equipment protection.

I would say GFCIs are better for life safety, because there are lots of ways to get shocked even with a ground, like dropping a 2-prong hair dryer in the tub... but GFCI puts the kibbosh on most of them.

Grounding is better for equipment durability, as it helps it deal with static electricity better, and helps power strips dispose of voltage surges.


Can I run electric to a shed through my garage? Total newbie here as far as home improvement goes, I'd love some advice from the community!

I'm considering building a little office-shed (for remote work) in my backyard. From what I can tell, in order for electric run to the shed to be up to code, it needs to be buried underground.

There are two problems in my case:

There's a slab for a concrete patio right below my electric panel. I don't think I could add a conduit without jackhammering the concrete.
The place I want to put the shed is on another (lower) "tier" of the yard. I can't run a conduit from the panel to the shed without digging a super deep trench.

Here's a outline of the property: https://cl.ly/fdd96711937f. What I'm wondering is if I can piggyback the shed electric off of the garage. There's a subpanel in the garage with a conduit already buried through the concrete patio pad. The shed would be placed behind the garage so I'm thinking I could run another conduit off of the back of the garage.

Is this possible? Or does the conduit need to be run off of the main panel to be up to code?

Any other ideas on how to get electric to the shed?

Thanks!

There is no problem with running the feeder from the garage's subpanel to the shed.

The only thing you have to watch out for is the remaining capacity of the garage's panel.

The heaviest load in the shed is going to be climate control if you choose to install one. All the rest you'd need for remote work can be powered of a single 15A circuit.


Using 10 1/4 inch fiberglass insulation in a 6 inch space? I need to insulate under a floor that has hydronic radiant heat.  I am going to use fiberglass batts between the joists of the floor, with the kraft vapor barrier upward (toward the warmer area). The area under the joists is an unvented crawl space.

I have a good bit of R-30 batts, 10 1/4 x 16, left over from another project. I would like to use it in the spaces, which are a true 6 inches deep (combination of old full-sized lumber and engineered beams). I could simply strip off about 4 inches of the fiberglass, but I hate handling  that stuff any more than necessary.  If I compress the batts into the 6 inch space, am I significantly compromising the R value? I realize it won't be R-30, but will it be less than R-19, which is the common value for 6 inch insulation?

Yes, and no. This table shows you some idea, although it doesn't appear to show an actual number for 10 1/4 compressed to 5 1/2. Extrapolating, I'd guess you'll end up somewhere around R-22, which is still higher than R-21 for typical 5 1/2" batts.


Kitchen rewire gone wrong We're renovating a hundred-year-old house that's been through several owners and has hodge-podge wiring. I've redone all the wiring from scratch in the rooms we've re-walled. Everything has gone well until I messed with some old wiring in the kitchen..

Quick version: I replaced an outlet on the outside of the house that was part of the kitchen circuit because it killed part of the circuit and I have no idea why. Now I've killed the whole circuit by pressing reset on one of the GFCI's and now I'm really lost.

Long version: I have already replaced all the counter outlets with GFCI, and everything's been working fine for months (plug-in tester lit up correctly on all of them), so I know they're wired correctly. Yesterday I went to replace an exterior outlet (outside the kitchen wall) with a GFCI, but when I turned the circuit back on, half of it didn't work. It's an old house so each circuit has A LOT on it. This one has 13 outlets and 4 ceiling lights. From what I've been able to work out from looking under the house is that the circuit appears to start in the middle of the kitchen, go along one wall then up to the ceiling for the lights, then (I believe) it comes back down into the wall on the other side, splits in two somewhere, forms two legs, and dead-ends in two places. What's strange is that the outlets I killed are all upstream of the one I was working on, or they're on the other "leg" of the circuit.
I worked my way backwards to the first outlet that was working, replacing all with brand new outlets, wiring exactly as I found them. No change. Tonight, trying to think of everything I could have possibly not tried yet, I pressed the reset button of one of the dead kitchen GCFI outlets and the rest of the circuit blew. Tried to reset the breaker and it made a sparking sound and stayed off. Now the whole kitchen circuit is dead, and I don't know where the problem is.

What is happening?? I was meticulous with matching the old wiring once things went awry but I was on autopilot replacing the first exterior outlet. It's possible that I didn't notice some funky wiring and messed it up by installing it "correctly." I have come across some non-switched wires that had the white and black reversed in other parts of the house. Could a hot and neutral be reversed here, would that cause this kind of problem?

I'm pretty sure I need to replace the breaker now, but if I don't fix what's wrong I'll just blow the new one too..

Yeah, the problem is your work methods. When you hit a problem, you're not stopping to iterate on the problem until it's fixed, as you should.  You are ignoring it and dashing off to do yet other work.   So now you have a set of compound problems that are all interacting with each other.

You seem to think that one thing breaking breaks another thing, for instance you are now keen to replace the breaker.  The breaker is just doing its job, you have a short in the wiring.  If you don't know what to do, don't do random other things; focus on learning what you need.

Given the depths of this mess, it may be beyond our help.

Fortunately, it doesn't matter: it's all coming out.

When you have the walls exposed, you must modernize to Code

It's not enough to swap the old wires for new wires.  You need to rearrange circuits and outlets to conform to modern Code.

In the kitchen, that is a big job. It involves quite a number of new circuits.  Some of them must be dedicated to the kitchen, so for instance it will no longer be possible to have a circuit that serves kitchen receptacles and also other locations.

How that's done is beyond the scope of this question, but you have a lot to do.  It will entirely moot the problems you're having now. The upside is you get to do it all as new work, so you can start from scratch.  This also means you'll only need at most one GFCI per circuit, so that'll save you some money.

Oh, but I can only do half the job

Then you have to do the half that you can do; that is to say, use the access you have today to prepare for when you are able to do the rest of the work.

What you cannot do is use the excuse "well, we don't have ALL the access we need" to simply do nothing at all, and leave the old work wholly non-compliant.

Also, the claim that "we can't get wires through that other part we're not remodeling" isn't really true at all. A competent old-work experienced electrician can get wires through all sorts of places you might not think.  Or you could simply expand the scope of the drywall work you'll be having done anyway, to gain a few key access points.


Cable TV, Antenna, Coaxial - what is this thing? I'm looking to add an OTA antenna to my home. Over the years, many different cable and dish installers have left thier mark on the home, prior to my ownership. In fact, a dish and all its cables are still on the house. I'm thinking of replacing the dish with an antenna in the same location and using the existing coax, since I like the way it was run.

My question is, what is this thing. (There's cables and splitters all over the side of the house that I plan to clean up.) No cables are currently connected to it that arent cut somewhere else. Do I need it? Can I use it for anything? It is properly grounded, so that's something.

Final note, I'm in a major metro area, only about 10 miles from broadcasting centers, so I don't have to be precise with my antenna placement.

It's an antenna / satellite combiner. Appears to be an aftermarket add-on.

It takes both LNB feeds from the dish, along with the antenna signal, and combines them onto one wire. In this case, it looks like it fed four boxes. Apparently this unit could combine them without a splitter on TV end.

Either way, I wouldn't use it without a satellite dish. A regular signal splitter would suffice.


Is baseboard important? (and 3 choices for trim on wall-to-floor transition) I'm pulling out wall-to-wall carpet and installing solid hardwood floor. I am also removing the old baseboard and repairing the bottom of the wall with drywall compound to take out any weird ridges the old baseboard may have left. The way I see it I have 3 choices for edging the floor:

Install the hardwood floor first, then install the baseboard over that.
Install the baseboard first, all the way down to the subfloor. Then install the hardwood floor. Then install shoe molding.
Install the hardwood first, then install just shoe molding over that - no baseboard.

3 seems the easiest. Any drawbacks?

Baseboards provide a useful function in a house.  They are not purely aesthetic.  They protect the bottom of the drywall from being damaged, they build a stopping point for dirt, they keep drywall/paint from being damaged by feet (shoes).  Anyone buying a house with drywall walls would expect some sort of minimal baseboard.

Shoe molding has three issues.  It isn't big enough to protect anything, since you need a gap between drywall and flooring it would be very hard to install, and then since you have this gap the shoe molding will surely get pushed into it, since it is usually flimsy.

Install your floors and sit you baseboards on top of flooring.  If you cut out bottom of drywall so that the drywall depth acts as expansion gap for wood, you don't need shoe molding.

Note:  Think about what type of house you have when you put up molding and what you have in each room.  If this is every single room and you have a nice house I would at the very least put up 4"+ baseboards.  There is usually very little difference in price and installation and staining/painting isn't really any harder.  If you want cheap and fast go with the primed pine from the big boxes.  These usually take one quick coat of paint and good to go.


Can an air conditioner rated for 50Hz be used on a grid at 60Hz? My air conditioning unit from Qatar is for 50hertz and I want to move in the Philippines. Can 60hertz power be used?

Don't ship an air conditioning unit overseas, for Pete's sake.

Your cash stake in that unit is "what it will cost to buy a comparable one on Craigslist at your destination" minus "what you can sell this one for here".  That number may even be zero or less than zero.

The only way the shipping costs won't absolutely blow away your cash stake by a factor of ten, is if you ship your goods by seagoing container.

Even more, the Philippines have a weird dialect of 240V power where neutral basically does not exist.  Taking an older A/C unit, you may find the unit has suffered some insulation failure between neutral and ground; harmless enough in Qatar/Europe but in the Philippines' strange power it spins your electric meter or shocks people who touch it.

To say nothing of the 50/60Hz incompatibility, which is a deal killer all by itself.


How would I wire this UV-C lamp? I am trying to make a DIY disinfection box, and have acquired most of the parts for it. However, my knowledge of wiring is very rudimentary and the lamp specs are not very descriptive. Thus, I wanted to double-check how the wiring should be because I'm worried I'll blow out the lamp.
Here are the components that I'm using:
Sylvania 21062 - GCF9DS/G23/SE/OF Lamp
Leviton 26719-200 G23, G23-2 Base, 5W 7W 9W 2-Pin
ROBERTSON 3P10068 Fluorescent mBallast for 1 F8T5 Linear Lamp, Preheat Start, 120Vac, 60Hz
BCQLI Lamp Cord has Button Switch,Plug,Stripped Ends
According to my research, a 2-pin can only use a magnetic ballast, but I am confused about the "starter" part. The spec sheet linked for the lamp states that a starter is required, but I am unsure if the starter is built into the lamp or if I'm somehow supposed to wire a starter like the ones used in a tube light fixture into such a circuit.

I am concerned regarding the existence of a starter integrated within the lamp due to another post on the electrical engineering StackExchange. Someone was attempting to wire 9W bi-pin UV-C tubes and the comment at the end of the thread stated those particular tubes did not have a starter. The post can be found here, although the link to the tubes being referenced is unfortunately broken.
Therefore, is figure 101 fine for wiring? Or would I have to buy a starter? If so what kind? Also, in the case a starter is needed, any advice on how to wire a starter for a 2-pin plug-in would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

When you see multiple wiring diagrams in a ballast's instructions, it means there will be a table of supported lamps, which will indicate which diagram applies to that particular lamp.

This lamp is NOT on the ballast's list of supported lamps

Well then, that’s that.
You either need to use a lamp that is on the ballast’s list of supported lamps, or use a ballast which lists your lamp. I suspect you’ll want to do the latter since your goal is a UV light.
We’ve been getting a lot of these questions since early March, one guess why... and the fact is that while the UV lights share the same sockets as fluorescent illumination lights, they have very different electrical characteristics and require diffferent ballasts.  (This isn’t anything new; T8 and T12 lights share the same base, and require different ballasts).
You can’t just hork together mismatched sets, or at least, you’ll get failing or compromised performance if you do.  And unless you’re an elf or halfling, you probably can’t see UV-C, so how would you even know it was working?  Using reputable matched parts and observing on-spec current draw is your best bet.
Speaking of “reputable”, you’ve done an amazing job dodging the sea of dangerous, cheap Cheese junk that Amazon is awash with thanks to the dubious Amazon “Marketplace”.  However, they nailed you on that line cord.  For a line cord, simply buy any UL Listed extension or line cord at any local shop or from your cord drawer (my favorite is that surplus of PC cords we all have)... and lop the socket end off.
Given that this is a homebrew rig, you should put serious thought to grounding; your future ballast’s spec may even require it.


Full Structural Survey for Listed, Managed Building I'm in the process of buying a flat which is set in the grounds of an 18th century hospital which, as such, is a listed development (under British legislation). The flats are managed by a Management Company who look after the structural integrity and preservation of the development.

My question is; do I still need to arrange a full structural survey, bearing in mind that grounds are preserved and maintained by the management company?

This depends on how old the flat itself is, and what it's built of.

If it were actually in an 18th Century listed building, then you should definately have a full structural survey and also a specialist asbestos report as there could easily be asbestos remaining in the structure.

If it's a new development in the grounds, then treat as any other flat of the same age and structure. Management companies are not always well-run, they may not always be assertive enough at getting money to pay for maintenance, and the building may have been under-maintained for years.

Also check exactly what the listing encompasses and your responsibility for contributing to maintenance of the 18th Century building as listed building work can be very expensive - and a criminal offence if a listed building is altered or damaged without permission.


Are barrier terminal blocks or bus bars inside a junction or weather-proof box up to NEC code? I'm going to be adding some Particle Photon relay control to some receptacles so I can remotely turn on and off appliances and lighting. I'm going to house the Photon board and relay in a weather-proof PVC box (the gray stuff at home depot). To that, I will connect another box via two weather-proof PVC pipes. Through one pipe, I will run the hot, neutral, and ground wires to bus bars or terminal blocks. Through the other pipe, I'll then run three leads from the hot bar back to the COM connections on the relays, then three leads from the NO connections on the relays to the three receptacles. I'll have the three pairs of hot leads shrink wrapped.

Electrically, it looks sound. But is doing this up to code? This particular contraption will be in a garage, out of the weather.

Schematic of proposed plan:

Bus bars (found in electrical service panels) and Terminal/Barrier blocks:

Looks good.

Well thought out and well designed.

I can't think of anything that would be a code violation. Make sure the terminal strips are identified for use with the system voltage and identified for the current of the circuit. Is the Photon board identified for the voltage?

If it is in a garage you don't need a weatherproof enclosure. A simple screw cover junction box will do but would have to be bonded to the equipment ground conductor. If you like the plastic enclosure though then that works too.

Good luck!


Why were only some of my tools damaged when connected to a 240V receptacle? I live in the US and recently bought a home.  There are several electrical outlets in my garage.  I have recently had two tools that have burned up and gone to an early grave.  It turns out that the previous owner put in a 220 volt outlet but used a 20 amp 110 receptacle.  I figured this out after my shop vac motor burned-up and died.  Also, my belt sander emitted sparks, flames, and died.  A quick check with a multimeter determined that some goof ball put 220 into a standard outlet designed for 110v.

Of course, I will be wiring this outlet correctly.  For now, it is covered with tape.

So, here is my question.  Some tools, like my air compressor and table saw were not damaged by this outlet.  I used the outlet for these tools and they don't seem like they were harmed.  Why did some tools die and others survive ? ?  Is it a difference between brushed and brushless motors ? ?

Many devices are rated for either 110 or 220. There should be a tag on the device which says this. In some appliances its done intentionally so that one model can be sold and safely used in countries which use either voltage. In other cases its simply dumb luck that the component parts can tolerate either voltage.

I'm not sure if this fully answers your question. "The device is rated for it" doesn't really cover what aspects of the device make this possible.


How should I cover this drainage garden pit in my front yard? We just bought a newly constructed house. In front of it is a rectangular concrete pit, maybe 2–3 feet deep and roughly 8 feet long by 5 feet wide, with dirt at the bottom and several shrubs planted inside it. I'm not even sure what exactly it is. Our home inspector called it a "water retention garden". It was definitely newly built at the same time as the house, and our real estate agent seemed to think it was normal in new construction, to facilitate drainage or something (the plants perhaps helping to retain water). It has a drainage pipe leading into it and gets quite wet when it rains.

It's not well lit at night, and we're concerned that it presents a fall hazard in the dark. We'd like to cover it or fence it off or something. But we'd like to do so without foiling its purpose or killing the plants inside.

Our first idea was to hire a local metal fabricator to produce a grate to cover it. But we're concerned that this would starve the plants of light. We're also concerned that it would prevent the plants from growing naturally. The center shrub inside it is labeled as a cultivar of dogwood that can grow to six feet and needs at least partial sunlight.

Another idea would be to surround it with a railing. But this is somewhat physically awkward, as there's not a ton of space for a railing to fit comfortably, and aesthetically awkward, as it would draw a lot of visual attention to the funky pit in our front yard.

What's the best way to make this pit safe? Is one of these ideas clearly better? Is there a better possibility we haven't thought of? Is there anything else we should know?

Epilogue (five months later)

Thought I'd post an update for future searchers who are curious how this turned out. In short, we ended up installing a cable railing around the pit. We ordered the parts from one of the national online cable railing suppliers and installed it ourselves. The cost (parts plus installation kit plus shipping) was about $1,500. We used Tapcon anchors to secure the posts to the concrete. The pit is shallow enough that it doesn't need to comply with code for railings, so we spaced the cables and posts farther apart than would normally be appropriate for a cable railing installation, to make it less obtrusive. We're pretty happy with the result.

Biggest mistakes: (1) The posts ended up crooked (not perfectly vertical) due to a combination of our imperfect installation and the railing supplier's imperfect welding of the post bracket. I guess maybe we should have shimmed them, but we didn't really know how. We actually had to reorder two of the four handrails because the posts were so far off of vertical that the length between them exceeded the length we had measured. (2) We should have ordered the handrails in steel rather than aluminum. They flex more than we would like.

Many thanks for all the great answers and explanations. Lots of cool ideas. If we were to do it again, we might experiment with the bench or planter ideas.

Those typically act as temporary rain water water storage tanks. The idea being to limit the demand on the sewer system during storms. The water is allowed to back-up in those pits and drain more slowly to the sewer system. They may also be used in high water table areas to collect and drain the water table before the water enters your house during the rainy or snow melt season.

You have a few choices.

You could fill it with rocks, but that would take away a lot of volume and defeat the purpose of the pit so I do not recommend it. That may also be against code in your area.

You could cover it with a grating, perhaps made from metal fencing materials or a custom grating, but that wont look that wonderful and is a pain to clean out leaves, blown in trash, or someone's cigarette butts...grrr.

You could, put a fence around it to stop folks from falling in, but again, that's a bit of an eyesore and the cleaning issue.

Personally I'd cover it entirely, leaving an air hole in the side and access to the maintenance pipe cap shown in the image. Perhaps composite decking or some other material, then make a feature out of it with planters.

My personal, preferred solution would be to turn the "decking' into a box, that is make the entire decking one big attractive planter over the open box. Would be a fun project too :) I'd make the sides of the box match the cladding I see on the wall behind. I'd also extend the maintenance pipe up through the box so you can get at it without having to remove the planter. Maybe have it end just under planter soil level.


How should I wire a dimmer into a 12v DC SPDT On/On setup Apologies if I'm using these terms incorrectly.

I'm trying to wire 12V LED lights from a battery. I want to be able to switch on/off the switches at two different sides of the room, and I want a dimmer switch placed next to one of those switches.

I've researched and figured out that I need two SPDT On/On switches wired according to this website, but I don't know where to place a dimmer. Alternatively, is there anywhere that sells a SPDT On/On switch with a dimmer built in?

The section or graphic titled 'SPDT ON/ON SWITCHES' near the end of the linked article illustrates exactly the same circuit used for a "3 way" light in a mains-powered home.

If you want the dimming function to happen regardless of which switch is turned on, that's easy. Insert the dimmer in the connection between the battery and first switch, or between the second switch and the lamps.

While technically it would work to let the switches cut the power from the dimmer to the lamps (ie, insert the dimmer between the battery and the switches), it's probably superior to place the dimmer between the switches and the lamps. With it placed here the switches cut the input power to the dimmer. If the dimmer were left always powered as in the first arrangement then it would consume some energy even when the lamps are disconnected. That's not ideal in a battery-operated context.


problem with breaker popping not all the time, but sometimes when we turn our light off in our kitchen pantry, it triggers other lights to go out so we have to reset the breaker for those lights. This is a brand new custom homebut we can't seem to get the electrician back out to look at it. Any idea what could be causing this to happen?

As Tester 101 said. It is a nuisance tripping AFCI (arc-fault) breaker. This is unfortunately quite common. More than likely there is no problem whatsoever.

Keep contacting the electrician or GC to come back and replace the breaker.


How to cut threads on 2" PVC pipe? I have some sections of 2" PVC and some Tee fittings that I need to join.  On the Tee fittings, the main line is threaded and the outlets are smooth.  How can I cut the threads in the straight sections to join with the threaded main line?

I see no reason why you should cut threads on a PVC pipe. It seems to me that this would be unnecessarily difficult and would weaken the pipe.
You should, instead, get a slip to thread adapter and glue it onto the pipe to thread it wherever you like. Any big-box hardware store or irrigation department should be able to provide this adapter.
Edit:
Here is a link to such an adapter for $1.56at big orange hardware store. :
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Charlotte-Pipe-2-in-PVC-Sch-40-MPT-x-S-Male-Adapter-PVC-02109-1600HD/203825431


How to reattach the "head" of a ground wire? I just bought a new turntable and receiver

When I began using it, I noticed there was a loud buzzing sound coming from it.

Looking at the turntable's cables, there are the two Left and Right RCA cables as well as another cable with a missing head (not sure what the proper word is).

I realized this must be the ground cable and it just has uninsulated wire coming out of it.

Can I buy a new ground "head" and reattach it? How do I do this? Thanks

A crimp on eyelet or forked spade connector should do. There's nothing particular about a turntable ground wire like there might be for an antenna wire. I'd probably cut off the damaged end, re-strip with the appropriate size tool, and crimp to fresh wire. A locking pliers (Vice-Grip) works will in a pinch. So to speak.

It's also possible that the wire never had a connector. Some grounding lugs are designed to take a bare wire. Simply wrap the wire once around the lug, under any washer that's present, and snug it down lightly.


What does this shutoff switch in a 100 year old house control? Located in plaster wall near top of basment steps This shutoff switch, near the top of the basement steps in an old home confounds us.

If it's an on/off switch that as far as you can tell controls nothing, I'd start by pulling the switch away from the wall and attempting to figure out where the wiring goes and to what if any fusebox it connects to.


Easiest way to connect to a junction box when the wires won't reach? I got a new attic fan, and the wires won't quite reach to the junction box that the old fan was wired to. What's the easiest way to complete this connection in a code-compliant manner? Everything is easily accessible as it's all mounted to the roof rafters.

Should I unmount the current junction box and see if there's enough slack in the wires to move it over a couple of inches? Mount a new junction box to connect to both the fan and the old junction box? Something else entirely?

If you can already see that there is enough slack in the wires feeding the junction box, then go ahead and move it. DO NOT just pull the wires to test for excess slack. You run the risk of dragging the wires over something sharp, or pulling the other end out of whatever it's connected to.

Depending on the design of the fan, it might be easy to remove the existing cord and connect a new, longer one.

Otherwise just install a new junction box where convenient, and connect it to the old junction box, as you suggested.


What should I do about this roof leak? We've recently noticed what looks like leaks in our roof.

In one room:

And in another room:

We have a cathedral ceiling, very little roof space, and a tin roof. We're in Melbourne, Australia, which is in the middle of winter and we've been getting a lot of cold and wet weather recently.

The thing is, I'm not at all a handyperson, and am a new homeowner, so I'm pretty new to not only knowing how to investigate and fix this, but even knowing what sort of professional to call.

It's unlikely I have the skills to fix this myself, so my question is more - what sort of tradesperson should I be calling? And if I need to investigate it first to provide more information to them, what exactly should I be looking for?

Being at the wrong end of multiple countries divided by a common language, in the USA I'd be looking for a company listed under "roofing" or "roofers" and preferably one that specifically mentioned metal roofing as something they do. The same people that install them in the first place generally know how to fix them as well.

As a self-described non-handy person, don't try to go up and have a look. If you can look at the suspect area of roof from the ground (perhaps with binoculars, or a long lens on a camera, and then you could post that image here) you might or might not be able to spot something, but in general unless there's something missing (such as a section of the peak flashing) your roofer will go have a look closer to detect the problem area.

The leak outside is often not where the leak inside is - it's usually somewhat (or quite along way) further up the slope of the roof.

AFTER the leaky roof is fixed you (if you care to tackle an easy start to "handy") or a drywall/plaster repair person would need to fix the ceilings, and then they will need to be painted. Often you can find one company that does both painting and plastering, but some specialize.

Be sure the roof leak is truly fixed, first.


Is there a reason not to nail up drywall? I have a bunch of drywall to put up. I am staring at a loaded 15-gauge framing nail gun, and a drill + a box of drywall screws, and boy oh boy does that nail gun look tempting.

When attaching to wooden studs, is there any reason not to just nail the drywall up, rather than using screws?

Nobody uses a pneumatic nailer for drywall. And in a world where shortcuts are revered, that has to tell you something.

You know this already, but screws are the gold standard. They stay put and they pull the drywall as close to framing as possible. Badly set screws can pop, but properly set ones don't.

Nails were common in the past, but they were usually ring shank (for holding power) and with a slightly bigger head than a framing nail. (They also had a propensity to pop as framing dried out, in spite of the fancy ring shank.)

If you had to use nails, the trick is to set them just slightly below the plane of the paper without cutting through the paper. The dent from a hammer made this work. A pneumatic nail is either going to be set too deep (ripping the paper, and being out of the way of the taping knife) or set too high (not ripping the paper, but being in the way of the taper). There's really no way to get the dimple you need with an air nailer.

If you are seriously only looking at a drill, get an impact driver. You'll get way more control driving screws. (And impacts are great for a lot of other stuff as well.) If you have a ton of rock to put up, consider getting an actual drywall screwgun.


Where does the E wire go on a Nest thermostat? Have Honeywell Pro 3000 TH3210D thermostat.  It has 7 wires hooked up to a 2 heat/1 cool system.  E Aux Y G O R C.  Where does the E wire go on the Nest?Does the Aux wire go on W1 or W2?

The 'E' typically goes to what is called 'emergency heat' which is often the same as and is connected with the 'AUX' (auxiliary heat) used with a heat pump system.  In our area we normally designate this our second stage of heating and it doubles as the primary if and when you need service for an extended period on the outdoor unit. These type of thermostats are connected in a lot of different ways.  I would need to see and understand your entire system and how it is designed to work.  And I need to know how you want to use energy saving measures. Additionally, I need to know your comfort level demands.


Should I insulate metal duct work in basement? I have a balloon frame house with an unfinished basement.  The air handler and furnace are in the basement too.  Last fall, we had the duct work removed because it was wrapped in asbestos tape that was deteriorating.  We DIYed the replacement just like the previous, except I used some online tools to make some airflow calculations and made one of the returns bigger.  100% of the duct work is metal box or round pipe, and every seam from the plenum to each register boot is well sealed with mastic.

We did not insulate anything, because the laundry and a couple work benches and a video game area are down there, and we decided some radiant heat from the ducts would be nice, but I have since read that we should have insulated the supply ducts to help control condensation.  Also, I learned that insulating ducts is required in an unconditioned space, and I think my unfinished basement with no HVAC registers meets this definition.

This is going to be our first cooling season with the new work, though we haven't noticed any condensation yet, so...

Does code require to insulate the supply ducts in this space?  If so, how does one insulate big square trunk duct? (All the tutorials/materials I see are for 6" round)

Could we turn this into a "conditioned space" simply by adding a register in the unfinished basement?

They make insulation that is like a foil and fiberglass blanket that you wrap square ducts with, if you are in a high humidity area you may find the duct will sweat if not insulated because your ductwork close to the air handler will be 20-30 degrees lower than the room temp causing the condensation. I might wait and see. Just google duct insulation and you will see the different types.


Using 12 ga wire to pigtail a receptacle I have a family room with 15 amp breaker feeding a few receptacles. I replaced an old receptacle but had to use 12 ga wire as pigtails on that one receptacle. Is that ok or no?

The 12ga wire is perfectly fine to use as a pigtail for a 15amp circuit.

Just note, The pigtail needs to be securely bound to the existing wiring.  So a couple of twisted wires and electric tape is not enough, wire caps or something similar needs to be used.  And if the existing wiring is aluminum, you will need to use specialized caps to bind copper wire to it.


Shed floor framing out of square 3/4 inch My first time building a shed by myself and it's been a lot of work, since it is on a slope. I got the piers and columns in, had it squared, and put cut plywood in the corners.

I cut all the joists, and I guess exhaustion and rushing, I didn't double check the squareness and I put all the joist hangers on and anchors from the rim joist to the 6x6 posts.. with 16d galvanized nails that are not coming out. Some how it shifted even with the corner braces. Guess plywood was a bad choice for holding square.

It was originally one inch off, but I got it down to 3/4.. knocking it with a 4lb sledge hammer..

What are my options? If I start framing how much will this effect the walls?

Use a ratchet strap or a come-along to pull the corners together on the diagonal that measures longer than the other, then, before removing this, secure a sheet or two of plywood down to the floor joists.

You can use some big eye bolts through the rim joists to give your ratcheting device something to hook into at either end.

You shouldn’t need to worry about damaging anything. 3/4” out of square means you’re compressing the long diagonal only 3/8”, and nails allow for some wiggle and play in the framing before it is sheathed with ply or boards.

I don’t recommend beating on the thing you’re building. It’s hard on your body, and doesn’t hold things precisely square for you while you do the other work to sustain the squareness once achieved, like laying plywood on the floor.


Inverter AC details and specifications How does an "inverter" air conditioner differ from a non-"inverter" air conditioner? What is the advantage of an inverter air conditioner over a standard one?

An Inverter AC has a compressor that contains a induction motor (commonly, 3 phase) that is driven from a VFD (variable frequency drive) rather than from the mains directly. Due to that an Inverter AC has a compressor that is capable of variable speed operation. Which results it it being able to modulate its cooling capacity. Thus you could have a 2 ton AC that when not so much cooling is needed operates at 1 ton continuously rather than switching on and off. This results in a more even temperature and better dehumidification.

Non-inverter AC have a compressor that operates at constant capacity and as such it must be properly matched with the cooling load. A state that never happens as they are only properly sized for the hottest days and oversized the rest of the year. As they turn on and off, the evaporator coil get too cool when on and too warm when off to dehumidify.

The problem that result from having an oversized AC do not happen with a Inverter AC and its a variable capacity compressor. As it dynamically matches itself to the cooling load of the building. Allowing it to slows down (before turning off) and speed up rather than turning off and on.


Three way switch with two common wires? Im currently trying to upgrade two three-way light switches in the kitchen to some new smart three-way switches. The issue I have run into though is that there appears to be two common wires on one of the switches? The other switch has just one common but this one appears to have two. See picture below.

Picture shows the old switch with the wires already disconnected.

Any idea which one is which here? I believe the two wires on top are the traveler wires but not sure about the bottom two.

Notice how the two terminals are brass?  Those are travelers.  You'll save yourself a world of confusion if you get a 5-color pack of electrical tape and mark the traveler wires yellow.  Every 3-way switch circuit is different.  Colors are totally inconsistent in 3-way switches, the next one you see might have red and white travelers.

It's not unusual to have 2 wires on the common terminal; that is simply the supply being split off to also supply something else.  That is more clear if it uses a pigtail, and feel free to convert it to a pigtail if you prefer.

You have to be especially careful with smart-switch 3-ways.  Every 3-way switch configuration is different. There are many cases where the smart switch is not going to work in that box or even that application. Move slowly, document carefully, and if you get stuck on one, ask us a question and post pictures of what's going on inside both switch boxes.