Can I put a PVC coupling in my vent stack? I think my vent stack is plugged; I think this because the toilets sound different while flushing than I think they should, and I hear a knocking in the wall when a sink or toilet is flushed.  Normally I would go up on the roof and look in the vent stack, but my roof has a steep angle and is not walkable.  I realize I could use roof jacks, but I'm hoping I can avoid it.
What I would like to do is go into the attic where there is plenty of room to work and cut the vent stack into two halves so I can look in it that way (The vent stack is PVC).  After checking for blocks and fixing if necessary, I would re-attach the stack with a rubber coupling meant for PVC pipe, or if that's discouraged, weld a PVC coupling to re-attach the two halves.
Would my idea be acceptable?  I can't see any functional problem with it, but I'm wondering what an inspector might think years down the line, or if it's against code.

I'd opt for the PVC coupling and certainly that's going to be less expensive than one of those rubber couplers.  In most places they are acceptable but many require the kind with the metal sheath:


Can you cover or hide a outside meter box My wife and I are working on our backyard and the patio, and we need to find out if is legal to hide or cover a outside breaker/meter box in Texas?, it's only for aesthetic purposes. Thanks.

In Texas the meter must be visible for inspection by the utility company. The other part of this is clearances. You can put up a screen for visual effect but it has to meet all clearances required by both the Utility Company and the Municipality AHJ.

Remember you have to make two different authorities happy and possibly a HOA. Contact each one and they will give you the local statutes. Good luck.


How can I fix electrical outlets that don't "hold" plugs that are plugged in to them? In short, most of the outlets in my house have one working receptacle and one that any cord plugged in will immediately slip out of. Some of my outlets don't have any working receptacles (I hope I'm using the right terminology here).

Is there any way I can repair these, or am I going to have to go through and replace every outlet in my house?

You will need to replace them (or get an electrician to replace them).

Replacing sockets is a straightforward job:

Turn off the power to the receptacle.
Verify that power is off at the receptacle.
Unscrew the old socket from the box.
Make a note of which wires go where.
Remove the wires from the old socket.
Wire up the new socket - double checking that live -> live, neutral -> neutral and earth -> earth.
Screw the new socket onto the box.
Turn the power back on.

This is still a job a householder can do in the UK. However, if you are uncertain about any of the above steps or you think there might be something more serious wrong with the electrics then get an electrician in.

If the plugs aren't holding in the sockets then the sockets are potentially dangerous.


Electrical advice concerning a 220v dryer outlet and circuit I have a 220v line that feeds my electric stove, the line is accessible via a junction box in the basement. The line is fed from the service panel and is protected via 4 30 amp "cartridge" fuses.

My question is this:  Can I run a line from the existing junction box to a new 220v outlet for my electric dryer? (new outlet would be less than 15ft from junction)
I know that technically the line can handle the load, and it "can" be done, I want to know is

Is it legal in the state of Massachusetts to do such?
will the (4)  30 amp cartridge fuses be adequate for the load?
Original Cloth type wiring from service panel to the junction box exists, I would, of course, install appropriate wire for the dryer outlet.

All wires have been inspected by a licensed electrician and are in great condition.
All I want to do is add a second 220v outlet to the circuit already in place for the stove.

You have more problems than just connecting up a dryer. Buy the way in answer to your question. NO you can't tap a range feeder and supply a dryer with it.

First you say your range feeder is protected by cartridge fuses. That would mean that you have and old Edison Base Fuse Panel or worse. In this state the AHJ recommend that when we as electrical contractors go into a dwelling it is our job to recommend the owner replace them.

Second NEC Article 220.55 requires a separate circuit for household ranges. The size is determined by the nameplate rating of the range. Since we don't know what size range the homeowner is going to install, we usually run a 50A circuit which covers all ranges up to 12KW. The minimum circuit it requires is a #8 wire and an over current protection of 40A. So you need to replace the 30A circuit you currently have.

Third NEC Article 220.54 requires a separate circuit to be run for the dryer. and It needs to be able to handle 5KW or the nameplate rating whichever is larger. So a minimum circuit would be a 30A circuit.

So if you have the capability in you panel to install a 50A circuit for your range. I suppose you could run a new range circuit and use the old range circuit for the dryer and relabel your panel to reflect the change.

Hope this helps and good luck.


What preparation is needed to apply knockdown ceiling A 25 year old ceiling had popcorn and was scraped 5 years ago.  It is an eyesore, so the decision has been made to apply knockdown.  What (if any) preparation is required to apply knowckdown?  Any lessons learned area appreciated.  Thank you

I assume that you have a fairly rough surface at this point. When I refurbish texture over a large area I do a full skim finish first. If you want your texture to look new and professional you can't go over a mess. Standard or topping joint compound work well.
So, skim, scrape any ridges, and skim again. Repeat until it's like new, then sand lightly.


Measuring amps phase to phase vs neutral and getting odd readings Details: 240/120V split phase

Using my clamp on amp meter the readings on leg A was 3.2. on leg B 2.6 ( a .6 difference ). The neutral read 1.9 ( a 1.3 difference ).

Is the 1.3 Amps something to be alarmed about?  If not, what would be considered reasonably alarming?

With Measurements made on loads that have nonlinear characteristics the totals don't always add up the way you would expect. Variable speed motor drives, dimmer circuits, modern flouresent ballast are all devices that can cause interesting voltages and diferent amp draws on each leg. I thought I would also add on a 20 amp electronic furnace I recently worked on when running at low speed had over 9 amp imbalance but at full speed the the imbalance was less than 1 amp. For this reason the NEC considers the neutral to be a current carying conductor with nonlinear loads.


Help with a Nest E install on a old HVAC system Hello I am trying to replace this thermostat with a Nest E but this has proven more complicated than I thought:

I plugged all the cables to the nest adapter and figured that the blue wire which wasn't used on the old setup is the common wire so I plugged that in the C position for the plate and on the furnace side I added it to a pigtail that had the R wire on it. After charging it, it turns out that it cannot detect any power from the R wire but 24V is detected on the C wire. Since I wasn't making any headway I rewired the old thermostat and that works fine so I do not think I've burnt out anything. I am not sure where to go from there so any help is appreciated. Here are the pictures from the furnace side:

Somebody misplaced the blue wire from the system to the thermostat

It appears that the previous installer, for some bizarre reason, connected the blue wire and the red wire in the cable from the indoor unit to the thermostat to the fat red R wire coming from the indoor unit.  Luckily, between the wiring diagram on your unit showing the fat brown wire as the indoor unit's C wire, and the fact we can trace the air conditioner control from the Y wire from the thermostat, to the red wire in a cable, with only a white wire returning to join up with that brown C wire, means that we can simply swing the blue wire from the thermostat over to join with the other wires connected to the fat brown C wire and put a replacement wirenut on the junction of the red R wires in order to get everything in order for your Nest to work.


What is this device on my wall? I just moved into a new (to me) home. There are these two devices, one on the wall about a foot off the floor and another on the ceiling in the kitchen eating area. A small red light comes on behind the plate when there is a noise. What are they?
Thanks. enter image description here

This is a Flush‑mount Glassbreak Detector. Here is a picture of another one that looks very similar made by Bosch.

EDIT: Just realized @BMitch deserves credit for this as he posted the correct answer in a comment before I posted this answer.


Identifying wires in an Intermatic pool pump timer I’m trying to positively identify what is on each of the four terminals in a pool pump’s timer box (before replacing it with a z-wave smart switch):

The trick is that both line- and load-side wires are black, and I’m not sure if this is 240V (if it is, it would be my first foray with AC beyond regular 120V’s hot/neutral/ground).

This pre-existing setup’s wiring has worked perfectly for the decade we’ve been in the house. Over the weekend, the timer’s switching mechanism failed mechanically.

In addition to identification, what is the surest, most expedient method to verify each wire’s identified function using a multimeter? (I hope that’s not too much to think possible, given the rest of what I described!)

Also, though the focus of the question isn’t on the z-wave timer/switch I’d be replacing this Intermatic with, here are the wiring instructions, assuming everything checks out OK as 240V:

From the instructions, I’m able to note that one wire I can’t identify in the pre-existing installation is a ground. And for what it’s worth, the instructions call for adding a jumper (not included) across 3 and 5 when configured for 240V. I’ll be checking the NEC myself or posting a separate question for what color to make that.

the terminals are thus:

Phase one line
Phase one switched
Phase two line
Phase two switched

The little white wires run the timer motor


Why is there a current in my house panel grounding strip When I measure current in the grounding strip coming from my house electric panel to the water pipe using clamp meter I am getting slowly fluctuating value from 1.5 A all the way to 4 A. In my understanding (I have PhD in physics and I work as an electronics engineer, so it is a reasonably good understanding) this strip is normally not supposed to carry any significant current.

Now, this current is not a result of any problem inside the house. The ground and neutral wires are bonded together inside the panel (I've checked), so even if something in the house leaks current to the ground wire this current returns to the neutral in the panel, it does not go into the grounding strip.

I am reasonably sure that utility neutral is bonded to earth at street transformer as well, so ground strip and water pipe and earth is just another way for current to return to the transformer, parallel to the neutral utility wire. But utility wire is 1 inch thick metal conductor and creates a very easy path for current to return, there should not be any reason for 4A of current to go through the grounding strip unless there is something wrong with utility neutral.

Is there any other explanation? I started measuring things because my power consumption is abnormal and I am looking for a reason.

Best regards,
Alex.

Looking at your question and reading your background I am betting you may have a lot of electronics in your house and you actually have two problems. First you are picking current in a ground and second you seem to have an unusual power consumption. When you put them together as single problem it generally boils down to Harmonic Distortion, K-factor. Electronics, as an example a UPS, have a habit of recreating the wave and causing a distortion due to the time lap in the return current in the neutral. Also Electronics have a habit of using the ground as a handshake between components causing a current flow in a ground.

  K-factor is a weighting of the harmonic load currents according to their effects on transformer heating, as derived from ANSI/IEEE C57.110. A K-factor of 1.0 indicates a linear load (no harmonics). The higher the K-factor, the greater the harmonic heating effects.

I am not sure but by reading your question I think the water pipe your are clamping to is not bonded back to the single point of reference at your ground. If that's correct you really need to do that. Also instead of trying to troubleshoot the panel try and turn off any electronics in you residence and see if that helps correct your problem.

As far as knowing whether or not this is the real problem with your power consumption. You would really have to run a power analysis to know for sure. FYI this type of equipment runs in the neighborhood of about $5,000.00. So I would suggest you find someone who does this for a living and try and work out some sort of quote if you feel it is necessary.

Hope this helps.


Our vinyl floor install will need to be redone -- will new vinyl need to be used, or can the existing vinyl be reused? I had a company (whose name will not be mentioned unless they refuse to fix the job) install a new vinyl floor. I'll spare all the ugly details except the one that's relevant to this question which is the fact that a few parts of the vinyl don't appear to have been glued to the floor. In one spot, there is an area measuring at about two feet in diameter where the floor is lifted up like a bubble and can be pressed down. It doesn't do this across the entire floor which tells me that the adhesive application was effective beneath most of the floor.

It's obvious that the vinyl is going to have to be torn up so that adhesive can be properly applied to areas where the application was faulty. First off, won't tearing the vinyl from the adhesive damage or misshape the vinyl? Won't applying additional adhesive potentially cause the floor to be lumpy and uneven in spots?

I am asking in the event that this company tells me they will just pull up the existing vinyl to apply new adhesive instead of redoing the entire floor (underlayment, adhesive, and vinyl). I just want to be prepared with a few counter-arguments should they try to get cheap with with me.

The bubble doesn't necessarily mean it wasn't glued, but rather that air became trapped under the vinyl while it was being put down - which means that the people putting it down didn't do it properly.

When installing vinyl, it should be unrolled slowly, with even pressure being applied along the length of the floor as it's being unrolled (slow, tedious work) and then when it's down a floor roller should be used over the entire floor, working from the center to the edges, to push air out.

Big bubbles means this wasn't done - it was put down in a hurry.  If the adhesive has set up already, it is almost impossible that they'll be able to pull it up again w/o destroying the vinyl.

The underlayment won't need removal, but the existing vinyl will need to be removed and the underlayment cleaned and scraped smooth before the replacement is applied.


Indiana code for bathroom door size I tried looking for Indiana building code regarding bathroom door sizes. I seem to be getting contradictory measurements from my searches. Some say 28” width is fine, others say 32” required, 34 recommended. Can anyone shed some light on this and maybe point me to a reputable code document? I live in Lafayette, IN (zip 47904) if that helps. Edit: current door is 28”.

Your bathroom door can be any width you want.

The Code only refers to one door in a “dwelling” and it’s regarding an “egress” door...and it must be a minimum of 32” wide. (See 2017 edition of IRC Section R311.2)

References to IBC or ICC is not appropriate as they refer to commercial, institutional, etc. buildings, not dwellings.


Water heater requiring 30A breaker running on 20A I called a plumber to upgrade my water heater. The current breaker is a 20A. The new water heater requires a 30A.
But my wiring is #12.

The plumber said, without much conviction, that it's fine for now, and installed the new water heater.

My current setup is:

20A breaker 240V, #12 wire, new water heater.

As soon as possible, I'll upgrade to:

30A breaker 240V, #10 wire.

What's the worst that can happen in the mean time ?

The standard 240V water heater only has one speed (choice of amp draw): 23A.  That is how all such hot water heaters are sized.  The reason is they want it as fast as possible while falling within a statutory 24A limit.

Edit: ThreePhaseEel brings up an interesting point.  A 30A hot water heater implies that it is 240V, because it's cheaper to bump volts to 240 before amps to 30. However, you didn't tell us the old service was 240V (meaning a 2-pole "double" breaker in the panel).  If this is in fact a 120V heater, that changes things.  I'll describe this difference inside this box.
First, make sure this is a "plain old resistive heater" and not a hybrid or heat-pump heater. The trick I'm about to describe won't work with a hybrid.
Now I said "resistive" - the heating element is a resistor, which is the simplest electronic device on earth, and it follows simple rules, starting with Ohm's Law: Voltage = Current x Resistance.  Resistance is defined by how the heater is built.   So what happens if we run it on 120V?
Well, since Resistance is fixed -- if Voltage drops by 50%, so must Current.  That means on 120V, this same water heater will draw 11.5 amps, and will be within safety limits of a 15A/120V circuit, and will not trip breakers.  However since useful power = voltage x current, and both those are halved, useful power is 1/4.
What does that mean for heater performance?  Assuming it's Energy Star, the insulation is tip top.  It will reach target temperature ........... eventually. And it will take 4 times longer to get there.   You'll want to follow the conservation tips in my last paragraph.
This use on 120V is safe, and it's safe indefinitely.

Now back to the 240V scenario.
All of the advice to follow violates Code. The only Code-correct solution is correct cable and breaker, but you knew that.
So expect a lot of breaker trips.
Wait 1 hour before resetting it.  That is because of this particular situation - we know exactly why it is tripping, so the consequences of resetting it too soon are also known.
If you upgrade the cable to #10 copper (10/2 will suffice), then you can reset it as often as you please.  I am assuming perhaps it is hard to obtain the right breaker due to obsolescence (PushMatic) or complexity (quadplex).
If you have a Federal Pacific, Zinsco or Challenger panel, those panels are dangerous and you are already playing with fire, so don't push your luck with those panels.
You will have fewer trips if you take great pains to use hot water VERY sparingly - follow California drought or boondocking-in-RV rules. Get wet, shut the water off, lather up, then do a quick rinse... Select cold water in dishwasher and washing machine... Let the soap do the cleaning not the heat... Etc.


How to remove glass doorknob I need to paint my doors, and wanted to clean up by hardware. I can't figure out how to remove the old glass door knobs. I've removed every screw (including the set screws on both sides). I've tried pulling it out. I've tried rotating the outdoor knob, and unscrewing the interior. I can't figure out how to get it apart. Thanks for any help.

This is an old style knob that screws onto it's turning bar, and then is locked into place.

Simply apply some extra force and turn the knob counter clockwise to loosen until it comes off.


Hanging something from an indoor window frame (drywall) I have a pic that I want to hang up in an indented window frame (on the ceiling) so that the hook is at the bottom and I can hang the item from the hook.

I keep on running into drywall all over the top window area which just creates holes.  I can't seem to find any studs for the one screw, so what do I put there to hold the item firmly (it is not too heavy).

I've seen pics of the drywall hooks but by looking at them can't figure out how I would get it in there.  I could hang it from the side walls, but it seems much to complicated to do that as it's made to hang from one chain in the middle!

Are those other things easy to install?

What you need is a toggle bolt. It should easily support your hook.


Twisting 6 feet of solid 14 gauge wire? I need to twist nicely a 6-foot pair of insulated solid electrical wire. It can be 14 gauge or slightly thinner. The insulation can be nylon or PVC. Two wires must be at 90 degrees to each other while being twisted. I’ve tried this by hand, but the result is inconsistent. Is there a tool or technique I could use?

Try an electric drill.  Put the two ends of the wire into the drill chuck; fasten the other ends of the wires to something; step back until the wires are taut, then turn on the drill.  As the wires twist and the cable shortens, you'll have to walk forward to where the wires are anchored.

But I'm not sure if this would work with your "90 degrees to each other" requirement.


I rewired my two bulb ceiling light one of the bulbs was not working.  I took the wiring apart and rewired them in series Now neither one works.

The sockets should be wired in parallel, not series.

The bulbs will be designed for whatever Mains voltage is used in your location.  If you put two in series, then each bulb gets half the voltage.  If you have "old-fashioned" filament bulbs, the may each light dimly.  If you have modern (CFL, LED) bulbs, they might not light at all because the circuitry isn't getting enough power.

Also, in series, if one fails with an open circuit, then no power gets to the other bulb and they both go out.

I suggest wiring them back in parallel, and then testing with new bulbs.  If one bulb doesn't light up, then swap their locations.  See if the problem follows the bulb or the socket...

Good luck!


Attic Moisture frost forming WE have frost forming on the underside of the roof decking and on the nails there seems to have adequate insulation R-30 proper vents and ridge vent

Are you sure that the insulation is not blocking the soffit vents?

If the insulation is pushed too tightly into the soffit area, the vent won't work properly causing the moisture to build up, causing the frost on the underside of the roof.


Is there a special name for a 3 foot long drill bit, and where can I buy them? I'm looking at the websites for our local hardware stores (Rona, Totem, Home Hardware, Home Depot) for a 3 foot long drill bit, but all I'm coming up with is standard bits.

The problem is that it's probably a specialized tool and might even have a special name.

I need a drill bit long enough to punch a hole from my upstairs home theatre room into my basement server room.

Is there a special name for this bit and where might I find such a tool?


How can I strengthen the floor above a crawl space in pier and beam construction? what are the steps  to strengthen pier and beam (sometimes called post and beam) foundation?

i will be installing a 3-5 ton Rocket heated cob bench mass heater in a rambler home in the living room over 8' length of floor space  that has no beams beneath it.

i was told "If you have a suspended floor, the extra weight will probably need additional structural support so your floor doesn’t sag."

my research suggests that to reinforce beneath this heater, we would add 1 or 2   6' 4x4 beams going N to S beneath the joists (which go E to W.  these would be nailed into posts nailed into pier blocks which would support the beam which would support joists.

how do i know where the spot i need to reinforce is when i'm in the crawl space?

how much weight can floor w/crawl space beneath, support ?  the rocket heated cob bench mass heater shouldn't be more than 135 lbs/sf.  i asked the local code officials what weight the floor itself is rated for but they didn't give me a clear answer .

The new support structure with a beam that you are proposing sounds fine.

If you are concerned, then overdo it by doubling the materials for the beam, or placing a steel L-rod 3/8" thick around the beam. Using an L-rod will reduce the number of bolts that you need to put through it into the beam, and will add structural support due to the angle.

The more important thing to remember here is what the pier block sits on. If you have bedrock or a similar rocky aggregate under the house, then you may be able to safely rely on it not shifting or changing over time.

If it is just soil, you can expect that you will get some compacting due to the weight of the heater. Even if you are able to bring in a tamper and pack the soil, you can still expect that over time it will change through natural cycles in the ground.  Instead, place the broad flagstones under the peers to distribute the weight.

Make sure that the flagstones are thick enough that the weight will not crack them – since the breadth of the flagstone is being used to distribute that weight across the soft soil. Do not use metal, as it will rust and deteriorate.


Will a door rubbing on the carpet cause excessive wear? We recently had carpet installed in our master bedroom.

We love it!  My husband trimmed the door,  it opens & closes well for me.

The door is touching or rubbing the carpet when opening & closing.

My question is; will this cause excessive wear because the door is touching the carpet as it opens and closes?

This also keeps out a draft,  if cut more it may cause a draft.

Depending on how much of the pile is being rubbed it could wear off some of the pile. It will also cause more wear if it's a berber type of carpet or some other type of looped pile where the door could wear off the top fibers.
What it will cause, especially on pile carpets is a 90 or 180 degree arc in the carpet where it rubs. However if it's not a deep rub it should look better after vacuuming or shampoing.
Bottom line is try to minimize the amount of contact between the door and carpet by trimming the door so it just contacts the top of the pile and you should be fine.


Is there a proper way to fill an electrical panel? I'm installing a subpanel and will submite a panel schedule with my permit application.  I have never installed a panel before, so I wonder if there is a proper way to install the breakers.  Should larger breakers (more amps/double pole) go farthest away from the main breaker (does it matter)?  Also, should I fill in one side of the panel first, or try to fill it from top down keeping each side balanced?
My understanding is that either way the load should be evenly distributed across the two legs (panel will have 240V).

The main thing is to watch your stab limits.   Breakers clip on to panel parts called "bus stabs".  They have a practical current limit, often stated on the panel label.
Some people get it in their head "put the biggest breakers up top" (as if to reduce the few inches current must flow down the bus, as if that matters).  Then they fit a 100A breaker opposite a 50A breaker, and voilà, they have put 150A on the bus stabs in the first two rows.
Also beware of "double-stuffing" panels - lots of people get the 'bright' idea to save themselves the cost of a pizza by getting the smallest panel they can.  Then they either choose from the outset, or are forced into later, going with "double-stuff" breakers that put 2 breakers effectively in 1 space (or 2 240V breakers in 2 spaces).  I recently saw a setup that had a 40/40 quadplex across from a 30 2-pole.   The person wanted to double-stuff the 30 to a 30/50 to feed a subpanel.  Notice a problem? You now have an 80A (40/40) breaker across from an 80A (30/50) breaker.  Stab limits again!
Go big. Go really big. Spaces are cheap.  Regrets are expensive.


Should I close the gable vent on my garage in the winter? My garage has a vent grill similar to this one. The vent is near the roof on the outside wall where I have my garage doors. I do have 1/2 of the walls insulated and I was planning to start finishing the insulation on the garage.

Do I need to do anything on the winter to prevent cold air to the garage? Or is it ok to leave as is?

In most cases, vents are there precisely to be open in the winter (and all other seasons) and plugging them up may result in various problems depending on which of various roles they serve, including but not limited to combustion air supply for fuel-burning appliances, keeping the roof from forming ice dams, preventing mold and mildew, etc.

As such, even without further details about what this particular one is doing, I would tend to think that it was put there precisely because there is supposed to be a vent there, usually to meet building code, and it should not be plugged.


How can I jack a steel post out of the ground? Following on from this and this question I've got to the point where I am trying to "jack" a pole out of the ground.

I had a spare 3/4" bolt that I thought would be strong enough but unfortunately it bent (see image).

My question: What commonly available (i.e. I can buy it from one of Home Depot or Lowes) 10" x 3/4" rod can I get that will work here? Or what else would you suggest to achieve this goal?

I would use a chain and make sure it is bolted to the post so that the link  is touching the post, (both sides ) I.E. threaded bolt through the link with a nut and washer holding it tight to the post. Do this on both sides of the post so you create a loop for the jack to pull up on. You may want to rent a hydraulic  post puller.


GE dishwasher doesn't completely drain My dishwasher fills with fresh water, and everything seems to work as expected except there always is leftover water. I can tell fresh water is being pumped in because the color and odor improves with each wash.

There is a small amount of food debris that I mostly removed from the screen basket. While I read in the manual that it is normal for "[a small amount of] water standing in the bottom of the tub", this is more than is normal from memory and from the fact that the water is dirty after a completed wash.

As the manual suggests, I cleaned the air gap, but like I said that seems unnecessary because the water never goes beyond the air gap. I have gotten it to drain three times after several more attempts to clean it out. We have never heard a motor hum while standing near it on completion of the cycle.

Do I need to clean the pump like this other thread suggests? Do I rather need to purchase a replacement part? How can I diagnose the problem?

Model: GLD5654V00CS manual

The problem was that a blockage got in the way of drainage. Now I know an eye dropper rubber nipple is about the same size as a GE dishwasher drain inlet.


how to install thermostat Im trying to install a new thermostat but the wires dont really line up (not sure what to do about the blue). Which wires should be connected to which?

existing thermostat and the new wires next to it

instructions diagram

Update 1

dug a little deeper and found a white cable but still not sure what todo
not to mention there are 3 blacks as well coming from the wall

Here is what im guessing at?

Red (from thermostat) goes to black that is currently going to red cable on old thermostat

Black(from thermostat) goes to the 2black wires currently going to black on old thermostat

Blue(from thermostat) goes to all three whites?

did i get the wrong thermostat?  1 pole vs 2.

This configuration worked for me:

Red (from thermostat) goes to the black wire that was going to the red wire on the old thermostat
Black (from thermostat) goes to the 2 black wires that were going to the black wire on old thermostat
Blue (from thermostat) goes to all three white wires


Can I connect a Lutron Caseta switch to a half hot outlet? I recently installed a Lutron Caseta (PD-6ans) switch that connects to a half-hot outlet. I noticed there is still a trickle of electricity coming out of the switch even when it's off. Enough to make a non-dimmable LED bulb flash in the lamp plugged into it. I switched to a dimmable LED bulb and that fixed the flash problem, but there's still a trickle going to the half hot side of the outlet when the switch is off. Is that a big no-no? How can I fix it? Or am I worrying about nothing?

Thanks for the help!!

Edit: Here's the entire wiring of everything in question. There were two three-way mechanical switches that controlled two half hot outlets (used for lamps). I replaced one of the mechanical switches with a PD 6ans and wired the other mechanical switch according to how Lutron says to do it. Everything works how I want it to, but still have some current flowing when it should be off.

@MattEvansKC - did you follow the instructions on page 7 of this document?

http://www.lutron.com/TechnicalDocumentLibrary/369831_ENG.pdf

You do need to identify whether the three way you are replacing is on the line side or the load side.


Electric Power comes back when I open up warm tap water and then goes when I close the tap I've run into a electric power problem today that I can't seem to explain it.

The problem began when I opened up the warm tap water and I heared a sudden loud noise coming from the instantaneous water heater; I realised afterwards that power went out.

I noticed then that the kitchen (fridge + electric plates) still have power but everything else can't have it anymore even when I reset the breaker.

Surprisingly, I noticed that when I turn on the warm tap water, power comes back again as long as the warm water is running (when I close the warm tap, power goes out).

Is there a reason that could explain how power only functions normally when I switch on warm water?

Sorry I was on a rush. I'm in Germany and the device is called "Vaillant Durchlauferhitzer electronic VED E 27/7 Elektro-Durchlauferhitzer 27 kW" heizungsdiscount24.de/durchlauferhitzer/…

Your heater is a three-phase load, most likely with the heating elements connected between the phases.

I'm not an expert on german wiring practices, but my guess would be that your heater has developed a short circuit in one of the elements, said fault blew out the fuse supplying one of the phases and is now back-feeding said phase. Whether said fuse is your responsibility or your electricity suppliers responsibility I could not say.

I would advise against operating the heater until it has been inspected by a competent service technician and the supply fault has been rectified.


Long outside wire run - can I JUST ground at both ends? I'm planning to run 300 ft of direct burial, 12 gauge, 3-conductors, no ground cable. Buried underground. The cable will carry 240v split phase.

The main panel at the start of the run is already grounded.

Do I absolutely need to have a grounding wire INSIDE the cable?

Or can I just properly ground the sub-panel at the end of the run?? (grounding rod, grounding wire to the ground post of the sub-panel)

EDIT: the loads will be a few lights, a 12v battery charger and 2 electric space heaters, so all resistive loads...believe it or not there's already a "ghetto" 200 ft run of 14/2 indoor romex wire going there (from previous owners) but the lights and battery charger work fine even with the massive voltage drop..

EDIT2: yes this is mostly a cost consideration, however after a bit more research I will use a cable with a grounding wire inside (didnt buy the cable yet)

Thanks everyone

The National Electrical Code, that is the controlling document is most locations of the US, requires a 4 wire connection between a main and sub panel now.

That is; the two hot legs, the neutral, and a grounding wire. The ground wire can be a separate wire from the other wires but should be run in the same trench with them.

You still have to establish a ground at the separate building using one of the Code approved methods for a grounding electrode. Such as the one you cite in your question.

There are many questions here on SE that address this issue.

Good luck!


How do I run ethernet and speaker cabling in 2 story home? My home is 1988 built and I put my modem and router upstairs. I want to have a music system around house and also want to run Ethernet cable to my tv downstairs.

How can I do that?

I do not want to open walls for this if possible :-(

I am running tv on wireless but it sucks.

Any help is appreciated.

Edit0: I do not have a crawlspace, its a concrete base. And not sure if attic would also be of any help based on what I need.

The comcast cable that I have enters my home from a hole upstairs. Right in the room where I have my cable modem. Can I run an ethernet cable in reverse direction and then wrap it around my home and reach my tv? I have a previous dish networks cable hole on a wall near my tv. Question is, is it a good idea to run Ethernet cable aournd the house? Would whether do anything nasty to it?

Having done a LOT of this over the years, your options are basically - find something else to follow, go plenum-rated and use ductwork if you have it as @Comintern suggests in a comment, run wires on the surface or go though a lot of agony trying not to open up walls. In many cases, opening up walls would be a lot less agony. There are often inconvenient things like firestops in the middle of walls, and you can get into all sorts of excitement you'd just as soon not when trying to drill blind or around corners or any sort of fancy work like that. Yes, long flexible drills are made - without a long flexible camera to be sure what the heck one is drilling into, you can get into a world of misery trying to use one...

My prime suggestion - open the walls, run conduit, never have to do this again (if you run the conduit right so that you can pull these wires out when you need to install whatever everything is using in 10 years.) In large part you may be able to minimize opening first floor walls if you can distribute across the basement and have short runs up to the first floor. The run from basement to attic will probably require it - you can distribute much of the second floor through the attic to minimize opening walls up there.

If you can't use plenum rated cables in air ducts (and DON'T use non-plenum rated cables in air ducts, since you and your family are the ones that will be subject to smoke inhalation for the savings of a few pennies) look around the plumbing for possible routes you might get a network wire in. However, most non-owner-built homes have miserable access to the plumbing, so that may not save you much if any wall opening. Builders who are not going to live there seem to love just sealing it all up in drywall to make more work when service is required...

Look around for things like stacked closets to try and locate space where you can open the walls with minimum area to repair/repaint to run your conduit or wires.


What's this thing (air gap?) in my hotel's bathroom? I found this thing in my hotel bathroom, above the sink; looks like an air gap of some sort, but for what purpose?

Also, if I were to make an air gap with "discrete" components at least I'd make the top pipe go a bit lower into the "cone", to avoid risking throwing too much water around. Why is it made like this?

At least they used chrome, if the tube went into the drain there could be reverse migration if the drain was slow the separation is a requirement for food processing chillers to prevent back flow. This is probably a safety for a boiler or the piping.


How to make a toilet seat hinge more stiff? The upstairs toilet in our house has a gender-specific problem:  the seat won't stay up without being held up.  This is because the lid of the cistern sticks out a bit too much, so that the seat's centre of gravity is slightly on the wrong side of the hinge.  I already replaced the seat when we moved in, it didn't make any difference:  basically, the holes in the toilet where you attach the seat are a bit too far back.

I'm not going to try to fix this (very annoying, only for me) problem by replacing the toilet, or just the cistern.  But, what would work, if it's possible, is to make the seat a bit more stiff, ie resistant to movement.  It's only just on the wrong side of the vertical, so that if the hinge was a bit stiffer, i believe it would stay up by itself, without being resistant to movement in general (obviously it still needs to be lowerable so gluing it in a fixed position isn't an option).

There's no way to adjust the hinge, ie no screws to tighten, and it can't be taken apart without breaking it.  So what i'm after is some sort of "anti lubricant" that i can put into the hinge.  The hinge (on each side) consists of metal (or perhaps chrome-plated plastic) cylinders, which butt up against each other, similar to in this photo:

If i do put an "anti-lubricant" in there, it's going to have to be something that will be able to get into the tiny space between the rotating parts of the hinge.

Does anyone know of such a substance?  Or have any other solutions?  thanks, Max

EDIT: I have a 1 year old running around, so any solutions need to be child-friendly:  that means that if the solution uses magnets, for example, the magnets need to be very hard to swallow.

EDIT2: i wanted to put a photo up of my solution, which was suggested by @handyman in the correct answer below:

Before on the right, and after on the left.  Basically i unscrewed the seat and lid, loosened the discs that hold the hinges and rotated each one 180 degrees.  Fortunately i was able to rotate the vertical posts that hold the actual hinges as well, to keep the hinges pointing in the same direction as they were originally, but just an inch or so further forward, which made the crucial difference.

If you're open to buying a new toilet seat you can find seats with stiff hinges such as this:

EZ Close seat

Random example, never used above product...

With little kids in the house, I've picked up a few of these type of seat from a local home store.  They are marketed as "Slam free", "slow close", "quiet close" and similar.  The hinge provides enough resistance so the seat will eventually slide to the close position, but it will not slam or start to fall by itself.

This might not be the cheapest answer, but my seats were due for replacement anyway, so it was a good option for me.


Will I have to install new cables when converting from a SD CCTV system to HD? After a breakin soon after moving into our house, we used our cash reserve to improve security.  One of these updates was an 8-channel DVR with four external CCTV cameras.

The DVR exposes the cameras over TCP/IP, but I'm going to assume it will require replacement as well.

The cameras are "good" for outdoor standard definition closed circuit cameras, but with the use of some HD IP cameras for other purposes (bird monitoring, etc.) we've decided to improve the resolution of the security cameras both for identification purposes as well as being able to tolerate some loss of image detail with the use of wider-angle lenses.

These are currently cabled with twinned power and video cables that are broken out at the outdoor cameras, with power and coax (single-cable BNC) video broken out indoors.

When replacing the cameras, will I need to replace the cabling (assuming I don't go cat5/5e) or should "decent" HD cameras be able to reuse the same video feed?

I'll also be rewiring the power injectors because the installer ganged a bunch of cheap wall-warts onto a power strip, so I can increase power within reason.

Or, should I use the existing cable as fishtape and run new cabling?

Coaxial cables are good for pretty much any resolution. So a full HD security camera will probably be fine over your existing coax. After all, your HD television signal probably arrives via coax to your TV or STB.

What you will need at the other end of the cable is a receiver that can record full-hd images at a reasonable FPS over the number of channels you have active. If you have HD cameras and a recorder that can record your HD images, then you should be good to go.


solar tubes to heat room What if I actually WANTED to use a solar (skylight) tube to help heat a room? (WANTED because some folks have reported unwanted heat coming down the shaft to be a problem in the summer.) It struck me that a Fresnel lens on the roof --- that could be manually adjusted from the kitchen two stories below --- could be used to aim light and heat down the shaft.  If the shaft were a mirroring tube (as someone suggested already, of stainless steel) inside an unused chimney, the heat and light coming down would hit the hearth below and possibly warm those stones which would then radiate --- if they were the right kind of stones. The stainless steel tube and the chimney itself would be a safeguard against fire.

You can want whatever you want to want, but that won't make it practical or efficient or cost-efficent (which comes back to practical.)

There are at least 2 things that might be called a "solar tube" that come immediately to mind, and they are quite dissimilar. One is an "evacuated tube solar collector" and other other is a tubular skylight. I rather suspect you are referring to a tublar skylight, which is not remotely practical for heating. Evacuated tube solar collectors are quite practical for heating, when the sun shines - they heat water or antifreeze which is pumped around a heating system and which can be used for heat or hot water in the usual manner.

Fresnel lenses have cost and performance tradeoffs relative to simply using more collector area, making them an unusual component of solar heating apparatus. They also suffer from needing to be aimed at the sun; when a system that is going to require a tracking system to point it at the sun is built, it's usually a better tradeoff to use parabolic mirrors rather than fresnel lenses, but some (generally unsuccessful, at least commercially) systems using fresnel lenses have been built.

If you really wanted to use solar skylight type tubes for solar heating, pretty much the only way I can think that might work would be to use a heliostat system to concentrate multiple suns worth of radiation onto a mirror that would reflect down the tube, (which has some inherent engineering problems, and is unlikely to be cost effective in any case.) It would have a "way to turn it off" in that you could direct the concentrator mirrors away from the target. If you happen to have enough money and ambition to pursue this path, I'd suggest using stainless-steel insulated chimney for the pipe, rather than the more usual material, as the walls of the pipe might well heat up. Or do something a bit more practical with the same money...

Heliostats do offer an interesting option in a more practical vein, that of potentially being able to direct sun into windows on all sides of the house at all times of the day (so long as the mirrors can be placed in unshaded positions, and the sun shines) and heliostats have become theoretically simpler to achieve with the advent of low-cost computing rather than having to depend on complex clockworks. But they are still somewhat specialized, low production volume and thus relatively costly (or entirely home-made) items.


How much gap is allowed between the door and striker plate I just installed a solid wood door (first time doing it) and I got a gap of 3-4 mm on the hinge side and 6 mm on the striker plate side.

Just looking at it I think the gap is a bit too much, but I might be overthinking it. I even surface mounted the striker plate (instead of inset in a mortise) just to reduce the gap a bit.

The hinges are properly inset but I think that I can shim between the hinges and the door jamb with some cardboard shims.

The two primary factors are latch operation and weather sealing (where applicable). 1/4" (6mm) is getting fairly large, but still within what I'd consider acceptable. It's hard to say without seeing it all in action.

Much more than that and I'd take your approach of shimming the hinges, but use some nylon or other non-biodegradable material in the case of an exterior door.

You could also surface-mount the strike plate, but this does look a bit less professional.

A less significant factor is the appearance of a large gap. Generally, as long as the gaps are individually uniform (parallel), they can be what they are. Varying gaps are what look sloppy.


Install meter box on existing steel siding I need to install 2 electrical boxes on existing steel siding.  One box is a 13" meter box (ringless lever), and while I'm at it I want to leave room to install a solar panel disconnect switch box for a project next spring.

I'm afraid if I surface mount the boxes over the siding, it will look like crap.  But to remove the siding from the top down seems like a lot of work; the contractors who installed it did a good job (even rivets along the top).  There doesn't seem to be any siding seams along this wall.  Difficult to see in the picture, but there is concrete block wall below the siding for about 6 inches.

I could also install to the left edge of this wall, it won't look any easier.  If I install on the back wall of the garage, there are at least some seams, but some are pretty long.

Power Company meter guidelines

The main panel needs to go pretty much behind this pictured wall due to obstacles inside the garage, but I can be flexible exactly where the meter is to some extent (external conduit runs within reason).

I've given some thought to putting them to the right of the door as that dimension is almost exactly the width of the meter box (even with the downspout in place).  If needed, I do have some extra siding panels and J channels / trim the contractor left from the siding job a few years ago.

Can anyone think of other options?

These questions got way off the intended topic.   My question was about the physical mounting of the meter box,  mounting blocks,  how to remove needed siding,  etc.

Over the weekend I carefully removed from and believe I can remove the siding panels I need without destroying my siding.


New water heater and expansion tank - low pressure Replaced a 20+ year old natural gas 75 gallon water heater recently with an equivalent model.  The plumber said an expansion tank was required per code.  Two things I’m noticing now with the new set up:

1) Low hot water pressure:  I used to turn hot and cold on full to fill a bathtub.  Now, if I turn them both on full only cold water comes out.  I have to turn the cold to half and hot to full to get a decent flow.

2) Two people took baths at the same time (one a whirlpool) and we ran out of hot water for the first time ever.

Is this because newer equipment (same specs on paper) isn’t as good as old equipment?  Does the expansion tank explain any of this?

The new tank may have been piped wrong, and restriction may have been introduced. Did the plumber reduce the pipe sizes in and out of the tank. The new tank will supply the same amount of hot water as the tank you re[laced. The expansion tank is not the problem. Something has changed, you have to find out what.


Removing paint from wood: lattice I have this gate wood door that was painted. Apparently, they didn't use primer.
The paint started pealing, so I thought I will strip the paint easily and stain the door (that way I don't need to ever deal with paint again).

So I got this paint scraper
and started going at it.
but realized quickly, that it is indeed relatively easy and works well for flat, large surface.... but a huge problem when it comes to the lattice area, where there are plenty of corners (where one lattice crosses over the other).

HELP! anyone can recommend a better tool or method? for example, I saw some brushes, are they effective? and if so, which ones (I see 2 different metal color and stiffness).

Lattice is really cheap stuff. It's probably easier to just get new lattice and rebuild the gate. Or, for a simple fix, get a wire stripper wheel for a power drill and take at it. Get as much off that comes off easily and then cover it all with quality primer.

FYI, if a lot of the wood has been weathered for a while, it's going to be a chore to get primer to stick to it without a lot of sanding. Again, might be easier to replace the lattice al together. You can also usually find synthetic lattice that doesn't require any painting.


Can I mount an over the range microwave in a cabinet? I have a kitchen configuration with an existing countertop microwave built into a cabinet above an in wall oven. The microwave I'd like to replace it with (Whirlpool Gold) happens to be an over the range model. Is it OK if I use an over the range model in a cabinet? Reading the installation instructions it's hard to tell since they talk about ventilation, but I'm guessing that ventilation is for the stove below (which won't exist here).

Microwaves do require ventilation - there are typically cooling fans and airflow is required for them. Many "countertop" models include specifications for required ventilation when mounted in a cabinet.

If the "over the range" model you are considering also has a "range hood" function that might call for more ventilation, but even if not using that function some ventilation is required. I would suggest calling the manufacturer's technical support line and asking questions - I'd also suggest at least considering another model more suited to your actual use scheme, if it is one that includes a "range hood" function that would be of no use in your desired location.


Where can I buy Perspex sheets? I've been working on a lighting project that requires some light diffusers and after searching around I keep seeing people recommend something called Perspex.  My only problem is that I can't seem to find this material anywhere.  I'm in the US, does it go by another name here? Is it easy to obtain and where?

Perspex is a brand name, but I've most often heard the name used by British English speakers. A similar product is Plexiglas which is also a brand name. In the US, people use the word "Plexiglas" generically and I believe that's true of the word "Perspex" in Great Britain. If you go into Home Depot in the US and ask for Perspex you're likely to get a quizzical look. If you ask for Plexiglas, you may not get that brand, but they'll know what you're talking about.


How to remove a screw inserted from the wrong side in an IKEA ALEX drawer unit? We just bought an IKEA Alex 9 drawer unit. I assembled most of it without difficulty, except for step step 25 from the assembly instructions. I wasn't paying enough attention, and screwed the screw in from the outside of the drawer through the drawer castors/slides, instead of from the inside out as the instructions show. This means the drawer won't close. I've managed to get the drawer out from between the castors, but I can't get the screws out from the castors.

How can I get the screws out of the castors? If I try just unscrewing them, they just go round and round. (I guess either the thread doesn't go all the way to the head of the screw, or I've damaged the thread of the screw next to the head). I've tried applying pressure from the end of the screw while unscrewing, but that doesn't help. Any suggestions?

Some photos:

And this is a view of the thread on the castors/slides (from the outside) from one of the ones where I haven't put the screw in yet. You can see that there is a little bit sticking out with some thread on the inside:

As you turn the screw to unscrew it, press on the "point" of the screw to counter the force on the screwdriver trying to push the screw back into the drawer runner. That should allow it to unscrew.


Why do my lightbulbs keep breaking in the fixtures? I moved into an apartment maybe a year ago, and noticed many lightbulbs were out. When I went to unscrew them, they simply broke off (not shattered) in my hand. It was like someone had scored the glass right where it connects to the metal. In addition, there was a significant buildup of corrosion along the inside of the metal part (I don't have any pictures of how they look, but I'll try to add one the next time this happens).

I thought that was pretty weird, but I finished replacing them anyway (the metal parts remained stuck in the fixture so I had to use a pair of pliers to unscrew them). Ever since, another bulb breaks in the same way every month or so. This happens in multiple rooms, so I don't think it's one incorrectly wired fixture. I've also tried 60W and 75W lightbulbs (just your everyday incandescent bulbs), but that doesn't seem to matter.

Why might my lightbulbs be breaking in this way? Is there anything I can to stop it?

I have a theory that my lightbulbs aren't the proper wattage for my fixtures, and the excess current is causing the corrosion, which in turn destroys the connection between the metal and the glass, but I don't know much about lightbulbs. If my theory is right, is there a way to determine which watt bulb to use?

Depending on the fixture you may have a lamp with too much wattage. Most fixtures can handle 60 w lamps but recently I have run across some 40 w fixtures. There should be a stamp inside the fixture listing the max wattage. Too much heat will cause the problem you describe. Added I normally do not use lube below 400w lamps but do use dielectric grease on 400 & 1000 w lamps if having problems removing lamps an electrical grade of grease used sparingly cannot hurt.


Running 6/2 cable to garage for NEMA 6-50 outlet I plan to install a NEMA 6-50 outlet in my garage, from a 50A breaker in the main panel. I plan to use 6/2 cable, unless there is a better recommendation. The run is about 50 feet, planned as follows:

a.  about 20' along joist in basement

b.  drill through block basement wall, exiting just above the floor of the garage

c.  up wall of garage, through drywall ceiling into garage attic

d.  across ceiling joists in attic

e. straight down through ceiling to outlet.

My questions pertain to steps b, d, and c/e.

b:  When passing the wire through the block wall, is conduit required? I don't believe so, but please advise.

d:  I under stand that the NEC permits the wire to run across the ceiling joists unsecured, provided that the attic is inaccessible (no permanent stairs, which is the case here--I have to use a ladder and climb up) and the wire is run at least 6' from the opening, which will also be the case here.

c and e: I assume conduit IS required for runs up and down the garage wall, otherwise the cable would be exposed to damage. So, I'm planning to use 3/4 PVC conduit, based on these factors:

NEC requires that cable take up no more than 53% of the space inside the conduit;
Outside diameter 6/2 cable = .3664; Inside diameter 3/4 PVC conduit = .824 (Link to home depot 3/4 Conduit for specs); Thus, cable will occupy only 44% of the conduit.

Please let me know your thoughts on these plans.

In turn here:

For your case b), conduit is not required -- NM is routinely run through bored holes in structural members without conduit.
For d), again, conduit is not required -- you can get away without guards if you run the cable along the side of the joist and at least 1.25" away from its edges. (320.23(B) and 300.4(D))
As to your protective runs in c) and e) -- 3/4" Schedule 80 PVC conduit has 138mm^2 of usable room in it for a single cable or conductor, and a 6/2 W/G NM-B cable, according to your specs, takes up only 70mm^2, so you have ample space.  This might be a tight pull, though, so you may wish to go with 1" instead.
There are two other things you need to address with your conduit runs:

The conduit you linked is Schedule 40, which isn't sturdy enough to protect wires from physical damage -- the code requires the thicker, sturdier Schedule 80 instead.
Make sure to put expansion fittings in your PVC runs lest they do the snake on you mid-summer, or pull apart mid-winter!  Easy rule of thumb for conduit that is operating within oh, 24degC of room temp -- put them in every 4m/12'.  (You might be able to get away without it for isolated runs like yours provided the supports are set up so they don't provide excessive longitudinal restraint to the conduit.)


how to test water pressure coming out of pipes w/o spilling water I am remodeling my shower room and have removed tiles and walls exposing the pipe.  I would like to add a body massage system w/ 4 heads?  How can I test the water pressure to ensure there is enough to support the 4 heads.

There are several factors that should be considered.

If you are on a public water supply or a well.
The size of the supply lines to the bathroom. (typically 1/2" or 3/4")
Length and height of run from main water source.

The pressure can be measured with a gauge that attaches to the water pipe or a faucet at the area you want to use. Typically a pressure of 50 to 70 psi is needed for your application.

The second measurement is capacity of the feed line at the user point. Test this by running the water into a calibrated vessel at full open for a set period of time.

Example: Full flow for one minute, then measure the amount of water. The result will be the gallons per minute. Compare this result to the amount of water the new fixtures need to operate properly.  If your supply gives you 5 gallons a minute and each shower head needs 1 gallon a minute, then you have ample supply. However, it you only have 3 gallons a minute flow and you need 4, then obviously the flow from the four shower heads is going to be too low.

I certainly would do some testing and calculations before doing an expensive renovation as you describe. You also want to look at the hot water capacity of your system to be sure it can keep up with a larger draw of hot water.


240v 3 prong - no voltage with neutral My 3 prong 240v outlet shows 240v when measuring across red and black wires. However, when testing either hot to the third wire I get 0 volts. My understanding is it should be 120v.

What does this signify?

At the breaker box each wire going into the double breaker show 120v when testing from it to the neutral bar.

The third wire is not connected, either broken somewhere along its path or there's a missing connection in one of the junction box leading to the outlet.

If there's multiple connection boxes from the panel to the outlet, you can test at each to figure where the problem is. Either a nut came loose somewhere or a wire was cut/torn.

The question doesn't make it clear whether you are in a location with 240 and ground, or 240 with neutral and ground, but the answer remains the same, the third wire is disconnected somewhere.


Recessed beam where joists meet in center of room First. I am getting a contractor. I like to have a good idea what I am dealing with so I can understand what 1,2,3 contractors with estimates propose to me.

Ranch house with Cape Cod roof sitting on a slab with brick exterior walls.

There are 2 rooms I want to make into 1 by removing the load bearing center wall. The joists above rest on this wall like the picture below. The load is transfered to the slab.

There is no living space above this load bearing wall. Any tips on how I can recess a beam into the attic and transfer the load on this wall to

A. The brick exterior wall and
B. To a center post on the slab.

This load bearing wall is basically just supporting the weight of the ceiling which is drywall. The joists in the ceiling as pictured above obviously also help with keeping the exterior walls from spreading.

Any tips on how to recess a beam in the ceiling (attic)? Will the post on the slab be ok for support or will footers need to be dug? I feel like there is not a lot of weight being transfered down the post to the slab.

Thanks!

Short answer:

Get an engineer to size the beam and end supports and footings.
Lay the beam on top, attach it to the vertical support.
Use long U-shaped joist hangers to hang the joists off the beam.
Demolish the existing wall.
Spend the rest of your life cleaning up.

Long Answer -  2 part Blog post that I wrote after I did a similar reno in my house.


Replacing Light Fixture with Extra White Wire So I took off a broken chandelier and wanted to replace with a simple flush ceiling light. When doing so, I found two black and two white connected properly, but found a lone white wire that was covered by a twist-on. What would this be for? The chandelier never worked after I moved in so I'm not sure. Also, note that the fixture was connected to a rotary knob (dimmer).

Anyway, I wasn't sure what it was for so I attached the lone white to the other two. Now when I turn on the breaker it trips. What would it be for? Thanks!

First never attach unidentified conductors until you identify what it is (standard service electrician training). The lone white conductor that was isolated could very well be a switch leg or a non neutral conductor. It should be identified by a phase tape (black, red or blue tape or some other method), but this isn't always done.

So take the lone white wire off of the neutral, cap it off and leave it alone. Then see if they lighting circuit is working properly and make sure no damage was done by connecting it up. If not knowing what that conductor is for is really bothering you, then trace it out or hire a professional to inspect and identify your circuits and make any corrections as needed.

Good luck and stay safe.


Ceiling light controlled by switch stays on permanently once something is plugged into an outlet Hoping for some help here. My parents recently moved into a new place (older house though) and there is one quirk about it I can't seem to figure out. In one room, the ceiling light is controlled by a switch and works fine until something is plugged into an outlet on one of the walls.  Once something is plugged in the outlet, the ceiling light stays on permanently and the light switch now controls the power going to the outlet. This happens for two outlets, both on the same wall. I looked in the ceiling light and there are two 14/2 wires entering the box. One white wire is marked with black tape and crossed with a black wire. I had a quick inspection of the outlets and nothing obvious (didn't see anything loose, etc). Any thoughts on what is going on here.

Sounds like poster is not coming back... Short answer is

Look in the receptacles

Usually, receptacles that control lamps are split.  This is done by breaking off a tab of metal that resides between the two brass screws on the hot side of the receptacle.

It happens all the time where a novice decides "I'm going to replace all my receptacles for some reason" (color change, weak old receptacles that don't hold, GFCI, you name it.)  Because they are a novice, they have no idea how the "tabs" work, and don't even realize "tabs" are a thing.  They end up defeating the switched light, have no idea why that happened, don't even know where to start, so they shrug, decide "fix it later" or  live with it, and switch the lamps on and off at the lamp.

Or, they do something weirder like break off the neutral tab by mistake.

Regardless, something like that has gone wrong.   Look for abnormal wiring in each of the receptacle boxes.  Shoot us a photo, and edit your question to add them.


Is there a way to determine the order of items on a circuit? Just purchased a new house and have been doing some electrical work, and I've been surprised at how many things have been crammed into single circuits.
For example, one circuit seems to serve four light fixtures and five outlets across three rooms. That feels super overcrowded! I'm considering my options with re-wiring some of them as well as strategic use of GFCI/AFCI/DFCI breakers/outlets. But I'd like to really understand what is happening before I do all that.
Is there a way to determine the order of items on a circuit? And if a circuit branches into multiple branches, is there a way to determine that?

To figure out the order of items on a circuit:
(warning, tedious and laborious, but accurate)
First, sort out which items are on the circuit - i.e. what turns off/on with the breaker.
Turn the breaker off.
Pick any device on the circuit, open it up. If there's only one cable coming into the box, close it up again, noting that it's an end.
If there are two or more cables coming into the box, note exactly what is connected to exactly where, and disconnect one cable. Turn the breaker on and see what no longer works.  Note that those things are "downstream" of the item in question. Turn breaker off and repeat if there are more than two cables. Reassemble everything as it was, move to the next device location, repeat.
If you find any "backwired" connections, remove them and move that wire to the associated "side screw" when reconnecting.


What is the correct way to install an air admittance valve on a 1 1/2" line? I am installing a new bathroom sink in our basement. The drain line is 1 1/4" into the wall and I plan on using a 1 1/4" trap. I am installing an air admittance valve (code in my area). The vent will be on the horizontal waste line under the sink. Do I need to use a wye or can I use a tee? I am not seeing many options for a wye in this smaller size. I would assume using a 1 1/2" trap reducing into a smaller drain line wouldn't be the best move?

Do I need to use a wye or can I use a tee?

A tee would be the correct option as AAVs are typically required to be mounted in a vertical orientation (with an allowable variance of a few degrees from plumb). You should purchase your AAV prior to configuring your waste piping and consult the AAV manufacturer's instructions. There are also requirements for the required height of the AAV above the horizontal piping (typical minimum is 4").

...using a 1 1/2" trap reducing into a smaller drain line...

is usually not a problem
You should consult with your AHJ on the use of an AAV as not all jurisdictions allow it.


Painting old plaster walls I have old plaster walls in my house that had been walpapered.  I have removed the wallpaper and cleaned the walls.  I am ready to prime and patch, but am not sure what kind of primer to use.  The plaster does not appear to have ever been painted.  Can I use a water based primer or should I use oil based?  If I use an oil based primer, can I use latex paint over it or do I have to use oil based paint too?

I have done some of this same work.  I have heard that glue residue can mess up the paint finish over time, so I wanted to make sure that was taken into account when selecting a primer.

I called the Killz company (Killz.com) because that's the brand that's easiest to find in my area and I have used their products in the past with good results.

Their tech support told me that Killz Klear (or Killz Klear Max) is the best product for covering up adhesive residue.  The rep also said that Klear is good for chalky surfaces in general, so it sounds like it's a good choice on unpainted plaster even if you do manage to remove all the adhesive.

The Killz Klear is water based and should only be used with latex paints.


Basement concrete leveling issue for click lock hardwood flooring installation I am prepping my basement concrete flooring to install click lock hardwood. The problem I saw is that there is a spot in the corner with this:

I am not sure what it is as it looks like a cap to cover something. BUT the problem is that area is a bit higher (like 0.5" difference with the cap).

What should I do to prep the surface for click lock floating floor installation?

Do I need to put down any underlayment?

Or should I just ignore this and it will be OK?

Thanks.

Assuming that the issue is a bulge in the concrete, I'd be fixing that first. You cannot lay wood flooring over that severe of a bend. Either break up the hump and remove it, or cut out the entire area and refill with concrete.

You'll want to shorten the pipe and install a cleanout plug (threaded fitting). This should be slightly below the surface of the concrete. You can then install a stainless steel cover after the flooring is installed.


Can I replace my bath fan with one of similar size? I have a very small bathroom with an electrically powered air vent (extractor fan). When I turned on the light, it seemed to break down, and has not been working since then.

I want to try and fix the issue, but I have no experience in the matter.

Specifically:

Can I just measure the current extractor fan, and replace it by one with the same size that I would have bought on line? I assume I have to be careful to choose one for a bathroom. Any other element I should pay attention to?
In terms of installing the new extractor fan, is it simply a question of connecting the wires? Is it easy?

If you're looking to replace your fan here's what you need to consider

Sound - Measured in sones, a lot of older square fans are fairly loud. Those are 4-5 sones. A lot of newer fans are a lot quieter. I was able to install a 1 sone and it's so quiet you can't hear it outside the bathroom. The boxes typically display this prominently
CFMs - Cubic Feet per Minute. This measures how much air the fan can move. The small, noisy fan probably moved 50 CFMs, if that. My new fan is larger, but moves 90 CFM. With the new fan, I can take a full-on hot shower and have the small bathroom (maybe 50 square feet) de-humidified in about 5 minutes.
Ducting - If you can go into your attic, you should. Try to figure out where fan sits. Sadly, it's very possible that the fan does NOT duct outside. This was what I found in my bathroom (the insulation was filthy from years of dust dumping). This is a problem if it doesn't (can cause mold to grow), and there's a good chance that, if they did duct it, it's not insulated. Especially if you live further north, you want this line insulated (warm, moist air into a cold zone will cause condensation). Most ducts and vents are 4", but if you go above 100 CFM, the duct size tends to go up to 6" line. You can buy insulated flex ducting (check the ducting area of your hardware store, as fans are sometimes sold near light fixtures).
Venting - Sadly, the only roof vent I could find was in a kit that came with uninsulated flex line. It's a compact 4" duct, and can be cut with either a large hole saw, reciprocating saw, or jigsaw. Be sure to buy some appropriate roofing or outdoor caulk. DO NOT USE BASIC SILICONE ON YOUR ROOF. If you're scared of cutting a roof hole, you can also buy a soffit vent, but be aware that the warm, moist air will go out the vent and some might come back up through the vents of the soffit back into your attic, where it can cause mold. If possible, vent out of the roof.
Wiring - Honestly, if you've already got a fan wired in, you can keep the same wires. Just be aware that it's important to ground these fans. Your previous fan may not have one (or they may not have attached it). Don't skip that step. Make sure it's grounded. Also, consider putting in a timer switch. That way your family and guests can set the fan to run after they're done with the bathroom

Nutone actually makes some fans that are designed for easier DIY replacement. Some of their models can be replaced entirely from the bottom, instead of trying to get to it from the attic. This may involve some drywall cutting to accommodate a larger form factor, but they keep the height of the smaller, traditional 6" x 6" (typically 3"). You keep the same wiring and venting.


What is this conservatory door part called? There is draft of cold air coming into the house from my conservatory door.
I have noticed that there is a small plastic part that is broken and has left a hole at the bottom of the door.
I don't know what this part is called.
Could someone tell me what it is called so that I can locate a replacement?

Another long shot to show where this fits.

This is one of those questions without an answer--the part is a proprietary component of the door's astragal, the dividing bar between slabs that provides a latching face and weather seals. You can contact the manufacturer or supplier, or you can attempt a repair.
I'd look at using pop rivets or sheet metal screws along with caulk and some plastic or aluminum sheet to overlay a plate that matches the original size and shape of that part. Add weather stripping if needed to help seal any remaining gap.
Show more photos from different angles for more specific suggestions.


Is There a DIY Way of Fitting This Attachment to My Bathroom Tap? I want to attach this shower hose attachment to my bathroom tap. It's a two-way system that lets you use the water through the tap or the shower head. Unfortunately the sizes don't match. The hose has M22 and M24 attachments, and the tap thread has a 2cm diameter.

I've checked all the plumber and bathroom suppliers, and none have any adapters for this.
I also cannot replace the tap since I'm renting.
I have also looked into getting a different hose that would fit, and that does not exist either!

So the only option that's coming to my mind is to patch this to make it work somehow. Obviously permanent glue/epoxy is not an option either. So any suggestions or tips would be tremendously appreciated.

This is a similar problem I previously had in another apartment, but now the size and the whole tap is different. Please see the photos there if it helps resolving any ambiguities.

You have obviously tried to no avail at hardware stores and the like. Somewhere adapters are available but sometimes it's exhausting to locate them. There are rubberized couplings for small diameter pipe similar to rubber drain couplings.

Here's an example of a 3/4 inch one.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/3-4-in-x-3-4-in-PVC-Flexible-Coupling-P1056-075/100187989


How many coats of exterior house paint? How many coats of quality paint are needed over old exterior house paint in good condition and of the same color?

None. Why would you paint over good paint?

Otherwise, one. Recent experience with the likes of Behr Premium Plus and other modern products has left me very impressed with coverage and durability.

Of course, this requires good technique. You can't ever "stretch" the paint by pushing it out further than you should. A loaded roller covers something like 10 square feet at most on a smooth surface.


How can I use a 15A momentary switch (switches) to replace my multi-button wall-mount garage door opener? My wall-mount garage door opener was pretty beat up when I moved in and has only gotten worse to the point the open/close button is cracked and is difficult to operate for my kids.

I would like to install a surface mount momentary switch for open/close functions as well as separate switch(es) for light control, and opener lockout (if it is necessary to have - otherwise omitted).  How can I do this?  I searched and haven't found details on how to do it yet, but suspect that it has to do with resistance value for each function.   Would I just need to measure resistance changes as each switch is operated and put the corresponding value on the switch I want to replace?

I will run everything in conduit to the opener and safety sensors since I will be wiring the garage for new lighting and power circuits (separate conduit from low-voltage).  I will also be installing a relay that will change state when the opener light circuit is turned on to power 1-2 shop lights instead of on-board lamps on the opener.   The power for these will be fed from the sub panel with the lighting circuit on the opener causing the relay to open/close.

You may be overthinking this.

For controlling the switched-with-door fluorescent/LED lights, the opener already has a sophisticated way to do that which works with the remote. Start at the opener itself.  Screw a NEMA 1 to Edison adapter into the lamp socket. From there, 2-prong plug and cord up to metal conduit, where you either have an inlet or strain relief. From there, the conduit goes to each lamp location. You also run a ground wire to a viable grounding point since the source has no ground.

If you don't like that plan, consider the GE RR7 relay, which takes a 24V momentary pulse to throw the lights on or off.  It is specifically made and listed for lighting.   However if that is not the same voltage your garage door opener runs on, you will need more relays.

For the garage door opener buttons, contact the factory.   Since garage door buttons are low voltage wiring, you are free to improvise.  Also if you count your buttons and there are one more wires than buttons, it is not using resistance etc.


Can I connect my thermostat's R and C wires directly to the transformer? One day my parent's furnace and thermostat stopped working.  The thermostat is a smart thermostat that depends on 24volts to the R and C wire.

We measured voltage between the R and C wire and was getting roughly 3-5 volts. Measured by using ACvoltage setting on multimeter and probing R and C terminals on circuit board.

We measured voltage of the transformer wires on the low voltage side and measured about 27 volts.  Probe the transformer red and blue wire from transformer at the connector to circuit board. We unplugged the connector first, then probed the two wires.

Note: we made sure that the safety switch of the furnace door is pressed in prior to taking the measurements in all cases.

What could be the issue?  Why isn't the voltage getting to my R and C terminals on the circuit board?  Could the board be faulty?  Is there anything else I should check before I go out to buy a new board?  Could there be a faulty switch telling the circuit board not to send 24voltage to R terminal?

Can I potentially connect the wires directly from the transformer directly to the R and C wire, essentially bypassing the circuit board?  What am I risking if I do this?

Just wanted to come back to report solution. It turned out one of the high limit switches was faulty. It was the one that was mounted to the top of the frame of the furnace. HH18HA166


How to enlarge grommets I've installed a telescoping curtain rod that's 1-1/2" in diameter, and bought curtains with grommets that turned out to be only 1.6" in diameter (outer diameter 2.7").

Unsurprisingly, the grommets don't slide easily at all, especially over the two joint between the telescoping portions of the rod. A curtain wand wouldn't help because if I climb on a ladder and pull exactly where the wand would, the grommets still turn at an angle against the rod and block.

Is there some hack I haven't thought of, or another solution other than getting new curtains (expensive and hard to find - I need 100" W x 95"L blackout panels) or returning and replacing the rod (the brackets were a pain to mount)?

The must be a machine that could file the grommets from the inside, but I don't know the name for it. Essentially, a cone-shaped grinding stone/bit that spins around its axis, so I could lower the grommets and shave off a few millimeters from the inner diameter to reach the recommended 1/4" difference between grommet inner diameter and rod outer diameter.

Grommets are typically thin wall tubing with the ends peened over to form the flange you see in the photo. Any tool used to grind away at the inside diameter will remove most or all of the thin wall tubing composing the grommet.

The primary option you have is to remove the existing grommets and purchase a grommet installation kit for the size you need. It's an anvil smaller than a hockey puck and a driving tool. The grommet half is placed through the hole, then set on the anvil with the other grommet half on top of the fabric. The driving tool has a recess and a point to match the inside and outside curves of the grommet. A solid strike with the hammer provides the bending and bonding force.

There are other types of grommet installation tools resembling mechanical presses with much higher prices. For the occasional or hobbyist use, the hammer method is more cost effective, with the slight penalty of inconsistent results.


Fridge water dispenser not working? We have a Fridgidaire FRS26ZRG but for some reason the water and ice is not working.  I of course pulled the refrigerator out and checked the supply line.  There didn't seem to be any pressure.  I disconnected from the fridge and got a nice flow of water coming in from the supply.  However when I connect it and try using the water, nothing happens.  It makes a sound like it's trying to pump the water through but I don't see the water coming through the line and there doesn't seem to be any pressure once I connect the line back up and turn the water back on.  Is there something obvious here?  I tried holding the water dispenser in for a good 3 minutes and all I could get was a drip.  Is there some other valve that needs opening?  Is it a clog?  Is there a more serious problem?  Thanks for any insight you can offer on this.

A quick google search turns up several common issues with that model refrigerator.
The top three most common causes, according to the website are:

Frozen water line.
Insufficient water pressure.
Clogged water filter.

Frozen water line
Sometimes, the water line in your refrigerator can freeze inside the freezer door. This is caused by a combination of poor design (It's frigidaire, what do you want?) and having the freezer temperature set too low.
You can check for this by doing the following.

Remove the bottom skirting from the refrigerator.
Disconnect the coupling on the water line near the floor.
With both ends of the water line pointed into a pan/towel/something to catch the water, push the lever for the water dispenser.
One of two things should happen. Either you get water pouring into the pan/towel/whatever, or you don't.
If you get water pouring out of one end of the tube while you have the water dispenser engaged, then you likely have a frozen water line in the freezer door. Proceed to step 6. If you do not, skip to the next section.
Reconnect the coupling and reattach the skirting.
Using a hair dryer or heat gun, heat the outside of the freezer door, focusing below the water dispenser for 10 to 15 minutes. Check if water has been restored. Repeat as necessary.

Insufficient pressure
The inlet valves, according to Frigidaire spec sheet, have a minimum operating pressure of 20 PSI. If your house's water pressure is set, or dropped, below that threshold, then the inlet valve will not be able to operate properly.
Check the water pressure at your holding tank to make sure it's above 20 PSI. If it isn't, raise the pressure of your system.

Clogged water filter
As you use it, your water filter will become clogged with sediment and other nasties. As a result, it should be replaced approximately every six months. Generally, the procedure is as follows.

Locate the filter housing (usually near the top of the refrigerator compartment.
Push the filter body about 1" deeper into the housing, then remove.
Push the replacement filter into the housing until unable to go further.

The procedure for your refrigerator may be different. Check your owners manual.


Sewer Line Opening - Makeshift Vent or Rodents? In the crawl space beneath my house, the sewer line has a branch that runs right to the crawl space entry/vent. The end cap has a jagged hole:

Not sure if it's been that way since I bought it (recently). There are definitely signs of rodents nearby in the crawl space, and my guess is they made this opening. Am inclined to replace this rubber end cap with a hard PVC clean-out end-cap. But am wondering if there's a chance this is a makeshift vent by the prior owner? (And if it were, why not just remove the end cap instead of gutting a hole in it)?
What do you think? Thanks!

I'm pretty sure that's rodent work right there
The scalloped, somewhat irregularly-shaped nature of the hole makes me think it was made by some rodent somewhere trying to avoid a nasty dental bill.  (Rodents need to gnaw to keep their front teeth from growing off into the other jaw.)  I would replace it with a hard PVC endcap or cleanout, as vents need to vent up so that you don't have nasty sewer gasses floating around at ground level.


Can I use THHN/THWN-2 within a lamp post? Foreword: I've been using UF wire for about 10 years now, and I've really grown to hate it. It's hard to work with, hard to strip, and hard to pull through conduit. I prefer all my underground wire to go through conduit, because WHEN something happens (and it will ... I've had lightning fry underground wires thrice in 10 years), it's much easier to replace when you don't have to dig it up again.

With that said, I'm starting a new project of lining my driveway with lamp posts. Due to voltage drop (600+ feet), I need 6 AWG wire. 6 AWG UF is HUGE and would require ENORMOUS conduit. I've never used THWN before, but after much research, it looks far easier to work with that UF. I've decide to go with THWN, instead.

The wire I'm getting is rated THHN/THWN-2/MTW/AWN, so it's suitable for dry AND wet locations to 90ºC. I know, obviously, that it isn't suitable for direct burial and MUST be in conduit from the breaker box to the lamp post. However, this is where things become less clear. I've looked through the Code thoroughly, and I haven't found any guidance that clearly applies to what happens once the wire enters the lamp post. I'll run conduit through the ground and up INTO the lamp post. This gets the THWN wire above grade. However, once I get into the lamp post, what then? Can I simply run the THWN up through the lamp post and join it to the conductors for the light fixture within the lamp post body? Must the light fixture wires be joined to the THWN in a junction box? Must I run UF wire through the lamp post from a junction with the THWN to a junction with the light fixture wires?

Any guidance on this would be appreciated. I'd hate to find out after pouring the concrete and mounting the lamp post that it doesn't pass the inspection.

Yes, you can run THHN/THWN conductors inside the lamp post and up to the fixture. No need to run the conduit all the way to the top.


Unfinished basement is open to vented crawlspace, what should we do to finish? We're looking at the potential to finish our basement out, but I'm not sure what all needs to be done with our setup first. Basically, we have a basement under half of our house, the other half is a dirt crawl space that has two little vents, one on either side. Between the two zones is a solid poured wall. The floor joists span across and so in between each is a slot between the two.

The house is old and so more recently they added/updated the HVAC. This included a new heat pump outside, furnace/air handler/fan inside and ducts ran throughout the exposed basement ceiling to new registers in the floor above. So as to add registers to the back of the house, above the crawl space section, they busted out a rectangular hole into the wall between the crawl space and basement and ran a duct branch that way. I've included an ms paint floor plan and side view to get an idea of what I mean.

(Blue lines in basement section are windows, orange in crawl space are vents)

My question is, what needs to be done to finish and insulate this space? Should the crawl space be sealed off completely from the basement section? Including the hole surrounding that main duct and the gaps between the floor joists above?

Although there are downwards facing registers in the basement ceiling as well, I leave them shut off because it would seem pointless to try and heat/cool the space if it just flows out the crawlspace?

If the furnace is not one with an open flame, I would seal up / insulate the hole around the air duct that goes to the crawlspace side, then finish off the basement side as desired.

If the furnace has a flame, I'm not sure what you will need for combustible air and safety reasons.  You definitely need a carbon monoxide detector on the basement side if there is combustion.


How do I wire this motor with 240V? I have 240 plug with a switch dedicated for Air compressor. I have compressor that supposedly can be wired for 240V

2 pictures show sticker and current wiring. How do I update wiring to make it 240V? Do I just replace hot/neutral with hot/hot?

EDIT: To finish conversion I have 1 more question:
This is compressor, so there is switch (see picture below)
From what I understand I keep wiring at switch the same but white will be second hot instead of neutral?

Do I just replace hot/neutral with hot/hot?

Absolutely not! You have a vital step to complete before you can do that.

Note that the bottom picture would have been a little better if you had pulled the cord up so we could see the numbers on the white plastic block.

In this motor, you are working with two sets of wires, the electrical cord and a pair of jumper wires that go to the motor windings. These are the white and brown wire that go from the spade terminals on the white block down inside the motor (designated by arrows below).

Referring to the label, for conversion to running on 220/240V power:

The brown motor winding wire needs to be disconnected altogether. It gets removed from spade terminal #2 and pushed into what they refer to as the #6 pocket.
The white motor winding wire gets pulled off the spade connector on connection #4 and moved over to the spade terminal #2
The 240V power then needs to have each hot connected to it's respective LINE terminal in the pressure switch. The factory wiring between the pressure switch MOTOR terminals and the white motor terminal block for terminals #1 and #4 should be left alone

Basically, you are taking a pair of windings that run in parallel for lower resistance at 120V and changing them to run in series so the coil winding has higher resistance for 240V.

Note: Amended point 3, power input connects to the pressure switch, not directly to the motor...


What's the best option for cutting cement siding? I bought some of James Hardie Trim made of fiber cement and I'm wondering what the best option is for cutting it is. Home Depot refuses to cut it because it ruins their saw blades.

Scoring this stuff on the back like you do the thin cement board isn't going to give me a clean cut. I saw they make 8 tooth carbide saw blades but don't want to fork over the cash if they don't last more than a few cuts. Was also thinking of trying the disposable fiber-reinforced abrasive wheels but this cement might chew that up pretty fast.

Any real comparative experience between these methods?

There is a link to a complete installation guide for this type of fiber cement board at the supplier link in your posting.

From that guide it says:

Always cut the material outdoors.

  Never cut the material indoors.

  Never dry sweep accumulated dust - Use wet suppression or HEPA Vacuum.

  For the outdoor application:

  Position the cutting station so that the wind will blow dust away from user and others in the working area.
  Cut with one of the following methods:

  a. Best:

  Score and snap
  Shears (Pneumatic or Handheld)

  b. Better: Dust reducing circular saw equipped with a HardiBlade saw
  blade and HEPA vacuum extraction.

  c. Good: Dust reducing circular saw with a HardiBlade saw blade (only
  use for low to moderate cutting).

  NIOSH-approved respirators are recommended for workers when using the
  above recommended cutting practices to further reduce dust exposures.

This is what a cement board cutting shear looks like (click through for amazon link):

This is what a HardiBlade looks like:


Recommended method to insulate a raised (joisted) floor in the UK? We're just about to get a new wood-burning stove fitted with an external air feed and have a load of squeaky floorboards which need fixing in the same room, so we're planning on taking the floor up.

Since the floor is coming up, it seems sensible to get some insulation in while we're at it.

I've read that a reasonable approach is to nail / staple netting to the underside of the joists and then layer rock-wool on top (without compressing it). Then add a vapour barrier on top of the joists but under the floor boards.

Is that the right way to do this or are there better ways to insulate a raised / joisted floor in the UK? Bear in mind that there's only about 1.5ft of clearance under the floorboards so this will have to be done from above.

This would probably work, but "better" would be closed-cell spray foam or rigid XPS foam boards.  Both of these will also act as a vapor barrier and have a higher R value per inch of material than fiberglass or rock wool.  They are however more expensive, and spray-foam is not typically something that is DIY-installed.


How can I find PVC pipes in a wall? I would like to find a waste drain PVC pipe that has a standard diameter of 10cm. I noticed this question focuses on metal pipes Are there devices to find pipes in walls?, but I would like to find a PVC pipe.

Inspection cameras often incorporate a transmitter which allows you to pinpoint the camera's position with a separate sensor. The typical use case would be locating a defect under a slab or in the ground so you know where to excavate, but there's nothing to prevent you from running the camera down the waste pipe and locating it in the wall that way.

Of course you can often save the rental cost by measuring from known points, educated guesses based on the structure, or listening for a snake banging around in the pipe.