Drill bit stuck in Hilti TE52 Drill bit was left in the chuck and has gone rusty so unable to remove. Have tried WD40 with grip and hammer but no luck. Any suggestions? Cheers

I'm assuming you've removed it before, so you know how? I've used Hilti hammer drills that either need a quick 1/8th counterclockwise turn to unlock it, and others like Bosch that are just pure quick release. Do first just make sure you understand how to remove the bit because it's sometimes not obvious and may be slightly different than how you insert it.

Typically an SDS bit can move front and back about 3/4" while being retained in the chuck. Or is it completely seized up?

Can you fill the chuck/drill bit interface with as much WD-40 as you can, then drill into steel at about 10% pushing strength and under 25% speed while retracting the chuck release while it's turning? You might need to use something slippery like a piece of plastic covered in mineral oil to hold it in while it's turning. The vibration should rattle the retaining mechanism free. Let the SDS drill bit bounce the hammer drill up and down as you do it.

I'm talking about quick release SDS chucks, but Hilti also makes some that work with normal round drill bits like a normal drill chuck. Those tips won't do anything for a regular drill chuck that's not an SDS style quick release. You could take a picture of it and post it here if you're unsure.

Basically find a way to make the tool vibrate itself enough to loosen it. I'm pretty sure you need the drill bit removed to completely remove and disassemble the chuck for cleaning/servicing, but not 100% positive on that model.

If it is a quick release SDS chuck, in the future be sure to apply a dab of lithium grease to the end of your drill bit every time you change it. Wipe off old grease and reapply every so often. Hilti makes a special pump applicator that's perfect to keep in your tool box, but just as long as you're using something it probably doesn't much matter. Just that basic pale yellow lithium grease is all that's in there as far as I can tell.


Shower temperature not regulating I have a single handle Koehler shower faucet. Recently the temperature regulation has started to malfunction. The shower is ice cold until you turn the knob to the very hottest setting. Once there the water turns to extreme hot. If you turn down the knob it remains the same hot temperature until it gets to the lowest level before turning off the flow of water. At that point the water goes back to ice cold and to get any heat in it you need to turn it all the way back to the top. I can get extreme cold and extreme hot but nothing in between.

The rest of the faucets in the condo behave normally so I think something has failed in this faucet directly. I am not sure if this is something I can fix myself or if I need a plumber to look into.

You will need to change out the cartridge in your unit. They can be purchased form the manufacturer, online or some times at one of the big box stores.


Knee brace support hold down bracket for treehouse I cannot seem to find the right bracket to use as a hold down on the tree side for a treehouse knee brace beam.  I need to find one that can bolted to the tree and hold two 2x8's. It looks just like this but I can't find it anywhere.

Also, how do you attach the knee braces to the corners of the platform? There seems to be various ways of doing that. Thanks!

Not too hard -- the page I suspect you got that photo calls it a "hold-down bracket,"  and that exact part appears to be available here, fastenersplus.com

I'll take my finder's fee in chocolate :-)


Best way to cool down the house in the summer Should I close all windows during the day and then open again at night so I get cooler air going through the house?

The answer is yes if your area cools down significantly at night. The other factor to study is if your inside temperature stays lower than the outside temp, when all closed up, during the hottest part of the day.

If cooler then closing up is the right strategy. If the inside approaches the outside temp then opening up and using fans to create air movement may be a reasonable strategy to pursue.

Of course these comments apply when you have no auxiliary cooling going on during the hot days.


Is it OK to have ground wire connected to breaker box wall instead of neutral bus? After having issues with lights flickering, I noticed the main 100A breaker was warm and arcing slightly. Instead of just replacing the breaker, I decided to call in a electrician to install a larger panel with spaces for more breakers, as I was planning to install an air conditioner in the future.

He said the existing ground wire wasn't long enough, so he connected it to the metal wall of the panel with something that looks like a miniature bus with one screw. (sorry, I forgot exactly what it was called)

Is it really safe to do this? Is there any advantage/disadvantage to connecting the grounding wire to the metal casing of the panel instead of directly to the neutral bus?

The panelboard will be bonded to ground, and according to the National Electrical Code (NEC) it must be done so using specific methods.

  250.8 Connection of Grounding and Bonding Equipment.
  (A) Permitted Methods. Grounding conductors and bonding jumpers shall be connected by one of the following means:

  (1) Listed pressure connectors
  (2) Terminal bars
  (3) Pressure
  connectors listed as grounding and bonding equipment
  (4) Exothermic
  welding process
  (5) Machine screw-type fasteners that engage not
  less than two threads or are secured with a nut
  (6) Thread-forming
  machine screws that engage not less than two threads in the enclosure
  (7) Connections that are part of a listed assembly
  (8) Other listed
  means

  (B) Methods Not Permitted. Connection devices or fittings that depend solely on solder shall not be used.

If the specific method used in your situation fits one of the methods listed above, then the panelboard is likely grounded properly. The ground and neutral bus bars inside the panel are surely bonded to the panel itself using one of these methods. Which means as long as the panel is connected to the system grounding conductor using an approved method, the system should be properly grounded.

If you have doubts as to whether or not the installation is correct. Contact your local government and check on any permits that were obtained for the work, and/or request the installation be inspected by the local electrical inspector.


Running the coaxial cable through the wall from an ANTENNA NOT A CABLE BOX The coaxial cable will be connected to an outside tv antenna, then run through the wall to the TV.  Do I need a cable box for the coaxial cable or the cable box just for cable tv?
This is a single story house and I want to run the coax through the wall closest to where I have  the TV.

You can poke a hole in the wall and push the cable through the hole , no box is required (this is how a cable company will do it), I usually use a low voltage ring like a wbf-1 this provides a way to mount a cover plate.
Make sure to seal the entry cable and hole with a quality silicone sealer.
Your needs for a TV cable box depends on what you have available in your area. At my last home on the side of a mountain I had great digital reception. One of my tv’s had the decoder built in and I purchased a box for ~$10.00 for another. So it depends on your area so we won’t know the answer to that one.


How to measure the width of a door with an extra ring? I would like to order a new cylinder for my door and need to provide measurements. I do not know which of the measurements on the right (20 or 30 mm) I should choose:

Specifically I do not know whether the silver ring is something which is fixed to the door (more precisely - to the white metal box in the last picture below), or is it something I will be able to remove when removing the current cylinder?

This looks like a Euro Cylinder Lock. You can find resources on the Internet explaining how to measure and replace them.

The silver ring is an escutcheon. It is a trim piece that covers the rough hole in the door where the cylinder goes through. It is likely to be fixed to the white part of the door. You might be able to remove it when the cylinder is out, but it is probably best left in place.

Therefore the measurement for the right side is 30 mm. I can't see what is happening on the left side so I won't comment on that. You can check the measurements more easily by temporarily removing the cylinder.

Try to get a cylinder size that protrudes as little as possible and also includes anti snap features.


How to disconnect air conditioner lines from outdoor unit? I need to temporarily move the outdoor unit to one side to access the wall behind it. Is it possible to do this with basic tools? I just need to disconnect the copper pipes as there's enough slack in the power supply so I can keep the wires connected.

Absolutely not. These lines contain a refrigerant/lubricant mix under pressure. The lines also must have no dirt, water or air in them, i.e. they have to be bled, evacuated to fairly high vacuum and refilled that way. You'd need to invest in a lot of tools specific to refrigeration to do this, e.g. a pump.


Tooth Count for 6 1/2 inch Circular Saw Blades Why are 60T and 80T finishing blades not available for smaller circular saws?

Diablo makes 60T blades starting at 8-1/2 and DeWalt has 60T blades starting at 10in.  Is this because the smaller blade's circumferential rotation speed is not fast enough to make the fine-tooth blade effective?  Or are table saws the best tool for the finer-tooth blades?  Was hoping to get a cordless circular saw that could be used for precision cuts.

Teeth-per-inch based on @Ecnerwal's answer:

http://codepen.io/anon/pen/BpqqPE?editors=0010

Geometry. It ain't the number of teeth, it's how close together the teeth are.

an 8.5" blade is 26.7 inches long at the edge.

a 6.5" blade is only 20.4 inches long at the edge.


How can I figure out why my electric bill is so high? I have two homes (read flat or apartment) in two different buildings a few blocks apart. The homes are both the same size but, home 1 gets a huge electricity bill while home 2 gets 1/5 the electricity bill.

I've spoken to a few electricians and they have told me that this could be because of a few reasons;

Home One has a wiring issue where one of my neighbors homes is linked to mine. Have switched off all my appliances and the meter slows down to a near stop - I'm not quite sure if its supposed to stop completely or spin slowly when everything is off? Even if the ring is spinning when everything is off I assume, its slow spinning is adding a few units to my bill at the end of the month?
There is an earthing issue. I've apparently got some circuit installed that
The meter is busted (refer point number 1).

Any other guesses?

By FAR the best bet for billing questions and complaints is to call your POCO (power company).
In my area they take high bill complaints very seriously and will send a representative out quickly.

Also, things like this are absolutely NOT grounding/earthing issues. It is possible that it is a neutral problem and the grounding has become part of the issue that way, but grounding has nothing to do with the day to day operation of the electrical system.


Very hot water in the toilets A nine-floor brick building. Since around Feb. 2020 the entire stack get very hot water in the toilets (when flushing). Additionally - when someone takes a shower, he/she gets extremely hot water for 5-6 minutes and only then the water cools down and it is possible to take a shower normally.
Note that once the water in the shower cools down (during the shower), flushing the toilets yields cold water as normally. Once the shower is over, if you flush the toilets then again - very hot water comes into it.
Could it be that someone at the stack installed some device? Like a water heater or a small laundry machine? Not all unit owners cooperate to allow a plumber to check that. What do you think could it be? Any ideas to know if someone installed a certain device that causing that?

Good news - the plumber found the issue: a problematic cartridge installed in one of the upper floors. It was replaced and everything is back to normal for all residents. It was extremely difficult to identify the source and required all residents in the stack to be available when the plumber visited. Thanks.


What could cause a loud clunking sound when I turn on the hot water in my shower? When I turn on the hot water in my shower there is a loud clunking sound. I'm afraid the vibration may cause a joint to loosen and leak. Any idea as to why this is happening and what I can do to correct it?  The house is 57 years old and I think the plumbing is original.  Thanks.

Sounds like a classic case of a "water hammer".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_hammer

If you have access to the feed line anywhere (even in the basement) you should be able to confirm the hammering by placing a hand on the line when someone else turns on/off the faucet.  You will feel the line kick at the moment you hear the sound.

One fix is to install a cushion (foam, rubber, etc) around the pipe where it makes contact with the joist or nearby wood, or add additional hangers onto the pipe to prevent the line from moving freely.  It's also possible to install a "hammer arrester" which contains a small diaphragm which prevents the water flow from stopping suddenly.


How to prevent mold in stored joint compound Joint compound comes in larger containers than I need. I have had this problem for years where storing opened but unused joint compound leads to mold growth, usually starting within a week or two. I'd like this to not happen, or at least extend it to months or years, so I don't need to keep throwing away 95% full containers and buying new ones.

The only thing I've really tried is storing it in the fridge after opening. This has inconsistent and limited effect.

On rare occasions I have been able to store it for extended periods of time with no mold growth but I was never able to determine how I did that, and upon opening and reclosing those particular containers mold started to grow anyways.

So, my question is, how can I make unused joint compound last longer?

Are there precautions I can take during use to reduce contamination?
Are there ways I can store it to reduce growth?
Are there mold killing additives that won't affect its usefulness?
Are there certain brands or types I can look for that are less prone to mold growth?

Often any molds that grow seem to be mostly in the surface, the joint compound underneath usually seems clean, but I never really want to deal with that mess.

Mold grows on any surface that provides food for growth. Joint compound contains organic compounds and lots of moisture. The compound will only last a finite length of time even under "ideal" conditions (if mold spores don't ruin it drying-out will).    To slow down its' expiration time: when storing the compound for any length of time, place the plastic that was included with the compound so it completely covers the top layer. Next, soak a rag in a mixture of 1 gallon water to 1 tablespoon of bleach. Wring it out and place it on top of the plastic. If the lid for the bucket doesn't have a rubber seal place a plastic trash bag on the rim of the bucket and seal tightly with a mallet.


How to add a light to an existing 3-way circuit Trying to add a light to an existing 3 way circuit. I have access from one light switch to my first junction box. The rest is Asbestos walls so I can't touch. Drawing below. Much obliged.

When you have two switches in this configuration, you have to look at one important detail.  Power is supplied to one switch, and the switched power comes off of the other switch and goes to the lights.  In your diagram, "from source" wire leads to the switch on the left.  The switch on the right has a black wire coming from it that supplies power to the lights.

Because of this, the only way to add another light is to get power from one of the existing lights.  You can't pull power from the switch on the left because it doesn't have a wire for switched power.  You can't get power from the switch on the right because it doesn't have a neutral.  The only two boxes that have switched power and neutral are the two light fixture boxes.


Should one insulate rim joists prior to adding drywall if batt insulation already exists? Unfinished basement room with 2 exterior walls.

Previous owner did the framing and batt insulation.

I will finish the room by adding drywall.

Should I still insulate the rim joists (adding pieces of 2 in. polystyrene foamboard) prior to adding drywall if batt insulation already exists?

Short answer: Yes.

What you're missing from the rim joist insulation is vapor barrier.  So you should pull back the the insulation in the ceiling, then either insulate the rim joist with foam (ideally with sprayfoam around board foam so that there is zero air movement against the rim joist) or insulate with batt + vapor barrier.

It's really important that the rim joist has insulation and a vapor barrier, or condensation will form on the rim joist and drip into the ceiling, or cause mold to form.  Over time it could cause joist hangers against the rim joist to rust or the ends of the joists to rot - then it becomes a very complex and expensive to fix.

It is not sufficient to just put vapor barrier on the bottom of the joists, as this allows too much air movement, and that joist space is not vapor tight.


What type of radiator/baseboard is this? Hi,

My home was built in 1950 and has the following radiators throughout the 1st and 2nd floor.  The basement has water baseboard heating with a single copper fin line.  Lately I have been hearing a lot of banging noise in the walls/pipes and I’m trying to research and understand what kind of heating radiators are these (name of this type) and how do I maintain them.  I was unable to find anything online on these type.  I know with cast iron, there are options to drain the radiators when loud banging occurs but I’m not sure what I can do here.  My gas boiler service company technician has suggested replacing the air vents on top of each radiator.  The air vents do make a low to medium hissing sound.

Also, I should note my gas boiler had an issue a few months ago where the low water cut off did not stop the boiler from overfilling and that caused water to rise up and leak from the radiator air vents.  The low water cut off has been replaced and is working fine now, but I’m not sure if the banging in the walls has resulted from this incident.  Thank you for assistance.

OK I got it.  I had one of those in my kitchen, under a counter.  Not sure of the official name for it, but I've heard it called a "heatilator".  It's basically part of your baseboard hot water heating system.  I think the purpose of the metal cover is to provide a sort of chimney effect, where the rising air gains a bit of velocity and helps pull cooler air from the floor through the fins.

Here's picture of mine from when I was tiling the floor.

Sounds like you might have some air in the lines.  There should be provisions to bleed them - a little valve of some sort near the highest point in the run.  Could also be multiple bleed valves.

Bleed valves vary in shape and size.  Sometimes they look like a garden hose spigot, and other times they're more like an automobile tire Shrader valve.


Running Wire to an Outside Load Center I have a manufactured building that is built like a mobile home. It is already wired with an A/C, outlets, lights, etc. through a 125 amp panel. The panel is very small and has no room for additional breakers. I need to run a few additional circuits for GFI's in the kitchen and bath, a 50 amp range plug and a 30 amp hot water heater.

So I have two options (may be more, two that I can come up with). The first option is to upgrade the existing internal panel box to 200 amp and run the additional circuits to the new inside panel. The second option is to treat the 125 amp panel box as a subpanel and then run the circuits to the outside load center (it's 200 amp with capacity for 20 breakers).

My thoughts, it would be more expensive to run to the load center (it's about 30' but only 10' to the interior panel). However, if I modify the existing panel box, I'm concerned it will expose me to a requirement to upgrade all existing wiring to current code (the building was built in 2000).

Between the two options, is one better than the other? Additionally, if the second option is employed, what is the best way to get all of the individual circuits to the load center? In essence, will they need to be in individual conduit? The building is block and tied about 30" off of the ground.

I checked 550 of the NEC and it doesn't seem to speak to running ancillary circuits (only the main feed).

Any help would be appreciated.

Yes, you can change the panel and the circuits will remain grandfathered.  Since you are not working on the circuits themselves.

It would need to be that way, otherwise replacing a dangerous FPE or Zinsco panel would leap from a $300 job to a $1500 job.  But just to be sure on that, I would check with your AHJ.

Regardless of that, don't plan on using double-stuff breakers. Size the panel so every now and future circuit has a whole space, or 2 spaces for 240V.  Also give yourself some spaces for unanticipated future expansion. Plus 4 more for a gen interlock and a whole house surge suppressor.


Is insulation around a dryer vent hose safe? I live in an old apartment which does not have laundry, or even laundry hookups. Since I despise laundromats, I took it upon myself to get a portable washer which connects to a sink, and a portable dryer. Now that summer is here, the dryer really needs to be vented outdoors. I found a bracket that lets me vent it through a window opening, which seems to work well.

This is the vent I'm using: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LUCRS9I/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1462392707&sr=1&keywords=dryer+window+vent

The only issue is that there is some more cold air coming though the gap because there is only a single pane of glass insulating me from the elements now. I decided to get some R-30 fiberglass insulation and stuff it in the gap where the bracket is, between the two window panes. It seems to be doing a decent job. My only question is, is this a safety hazard? I know venting a dryer through a window is not to code, but that is besides the point. I understand that fiberglass insulation is not flammable, correct? Do I have anything to worry about?

Do I have anything to worry about?

No. The air coming out of the dryer vent is not hot enough to ignite anything.

Otherwise they would require a double walled vent pipe.

Try putting your hand on the pipe while it is running. You will see it doesn't really get very hot.

Good luck!


What kind of paint and texture is this? what kind of paint do i need in order to give this wall a fresh look? And also maybe fix that cut.

You can fix the cut by sanding an area about 4 to 6 inches to either side smooth out the area then skim over with a bit of drywall patch 'mud'. You can buy it already mixed in a small tub. Use a 4 inch wide putty knife and press a small amount with some force into the scratch. You can go over it a few times and scrape it away again to get some practice. It is important to know that the better you apply the mud the less sanding you will have to do after.

When the mud is dry, you will need a fine sanding block. The easiest way to make one instead of buying one is to fold a paper towel and lay it on a 8 to 10 inch piece of 2x4 and wrap sandpaper over the paper towel. The paper towel will act as a bit of cushion to push the paper out in the middle so you are not sanding with only the edges. You want to use fine to very fine sanding paper I think 220 grit is good.

Sand softly to blend the repair into the wall, look at it from the side to see if you left a lump of mud over the scratch, you can use a straight edge on the wall to check, but don't be too concerned because often the mud over the drywall seams isn't flat either.

As for the texture, it looks like the paint is more than one layer and was applied with a roller. Your patch will only have one layer and will be smoother than the rest of the wall. if you paint the patch first, let it dry then go over it 2 more times it should blend in well. You could use a thicker paint that will show the roller marks better.

Drew K


What would be the best configuration for casters for a workbench? I'm planning to build a movable workbench and I was curious what the best setup for casters would be. I was thinking 1 locking at each corner, but that looks a bit overkill. Are two locking casters enough to keep the table in place? What about using chocks instead? The pricing of locking vs. non-locking casters is fairly high so I'm looking for a more economical solution. Also, is there configuration of 1 at each corner appropriate or should I consider adding a fifth caster in the center?

The best set-up for maneuverability plus stability to to allow the workbench to sit on fixed legs.  When you want to move the bench you can implement a jacking system with the casters similar to

I have seen this implemented with a rope where you can pull the casters down underneath to lift the bench or with a foot operated jack similar to some table saws such as

Hope this helps you out.  I've tried the casters with 2 locking casters and I've never been happy with the stability of the bench.


How to fix holes in linoleum so that I can lay down sticky tiles over it My kitchen floor has old linoleum. I want to put down sticky tiles over the old linoleum. The linoleum has a few holes. Is there something that I can use to caulk the holes before putting down the sticky tiles?

For small holes I just use spackle. Mix it up and use a putty knife working any air bubbles out. You may need a second application if the holes are deep.

If the holes are larger, after I have a nice even fill and when dry I will use a paint primer so the tiles will stick better, this is a good idea with self leveling compounds also so the tiles will stick and not have the edges roll up.


Multiwire branch circuit means of disconnect I am planning on running a multiwire branch circuit to my detached garage as described here. I have one question though on the means of disconnect for a multiwire branch circuit. Do I need a special type of disconnect because it is a multiwire branch circuit? Would something like this Eaton 60A Outdoor Air Conditioner Disconnect be adequate?

The "means of disconnect" requirement for multi-wire branch circuits (NEC 210.4b) simply requires that there be a means of disconnect, and it disconnect all legs at once.  Usually, that is simply the 2-pole (240v) circuit breaker in the panel, and that is fine; that completes the requirement.

Unrelated to the MWBC is a separate requirement that power entering an outbuilding.  It must have a disconnecting means of some kind (NEC 225.31) near where the power enters, inside or out (225.32). That's where you use a disconnect switch like the above.  There is no need to disconnect the neutral.

I would point out that if you're doing a sub-panel, simply use a panel that has a "main" breaker and that's your shut-off switch. It's legit to have a 30A run to a sub-panel and have a 200A main breaker in the sub-panel.  The big breaker just serves as an obvious shutoff switch (and GFCI if it does that).


How to remove tap valve within shroud (Franke ascona mixer tap) I'm trying to replace the cold tap valve on a Franke Ascona mixer tap.

The valve is slightly recessed in a non removable shroud. The new replacement valve fits a standard 14mm socket set which I can use. However the existing valve I am trying to remove has rounded sides which prevents the socket set from attaching.

I have tried an adjustable spanner but because of the shroud I can't get enough leverage to undo the valve. How can I remove this valve?

Have you tried an open-end wrench?

Such as this:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrench#/media/File%3A2008-04-14_Chrome-Vanadium_Wrenches.jpg

It won't fit flat onto the nut but it looks like you could get a good grip on it at a shallow angle. The end of a spanner (adjustable wrench) is quite a bit thicker and harder to maneuver in tight spaces.

Otherwise, you would need a specialty tool to remove it.

Good luck!


How should I insulate the ceiling between floors in a ski cabin? I have a small ski cabin in upstate New York (cold climate) that we only visit on weekends. It is heated by a wood stove. During winter we had many problems with bursting water pipes so they are now all replaced with rubber except in the bathroom upstairs where I also have my water tank. The bathroom walls and the ceiling are well insulated but not the floor underneath which is only double 3/4 inch sheathing.

During the week the temperature in the bathroom is kept above the freezing point by a small electric heater controlled by a thermostat. I was planning to staple or nail solid foam insulation between the floor joists underneath the bathroom only to save on electricity when I stumbled on this site and the subject of vapor barriers.

Do I need one and if so, on what side of the 1" styrofoam insulation (pink stuff)?  There is no ceiling drywall underneath, only suspended ceiling panels. So you now see that my cold side of the insulation will be toward the living room below during the week and to a lesser degree toward the floor above during the winter weekends.

My intuition tells me that I should not be using any barrier at all. Am I correct?

You are correct. The field of building science is gradually moving away from friendliness toward vapor barriers in exterior walls, and you certainly should not put one in an interior wall or floor. Not a great idea.

In addition, it would make more sense to use batt or spray foam insulation between the floor joists as opposed to cutting rigid foam to fit in those irregular spaces, which would be a nightmare. Finally, most foam insulations are themselves vapor barriers, so if you use foam, you will be creating much of a vapor barrier anyway. For this reason, ideally you would use mineral wool batts (sold under the name "Roxul" in the USA) in the floor joist bays, as they are highly-insulating and vapor-permeable. As an added bonus, they block sound very well too--useful for insulation between floors of a house. I am re-insulating my house with this stuff and just love it. Unlike fiberglass, mineral wool batts are not moisture sensitive, easy to work with, and highly effective.


How do I identify drywall that does not have fiberglass to add strength? I know from long experience that drywall often (always?) has glass fibers (fiberglass) mixed in with the Gypsum to add strength.  Because of the number of drywall related products that have fiberglass in them, I am having trouble finding good references.

I did find Possible Environmental Concerns with Recycling Gypsum Drywall which says Type X drywall has fiberglass in it. The article also says older drywall may have Asbestos and/or Mercury.

Looking for reliable references that indicate how I can tell that a drywall product only has Gypsum between the paper, or at the very least how to reliably identify drywall that has fiberglass or other hazardous additives.

Your best source for information about drywall, is going to be the manufacturers.

USG
National Gypsum
Georgia Pacific
CertainTeed


Should I use oil primer underneath oil paint? Is it necessary to use oil primer underneath oil paint (for trim) or can I use latex primer?
Do all primers work interchangeably with oil and latex paints?

The rule of thumb is you can use latex paints over oil primers and latex primers. Do not use oil based paints over any surface currently coated with a latex primer or paint.  The oil based paint or primer will usually lift the latex product and leave you with a wrinkled surface that looks like alligator skin.


Is it better to use two nuts, rather than a single long nut on the bolt? Working on the roof, several J-bolts appeared to have been fastened with more than a single nut. Without exception each such bolt was almost flush to the cement sheet.

I saw this done on a car wheel aeons ago; the original nuts holding the wheel were almost thrice as long as the four nuts.

Is a bolt fastened to more than a single nut less likely to pop open?
Is it better to use two nuts, rather than a single long nut on the bolt?

Two nuts can be tightened against each other so that they won't come loose. A single nut can be tightened against whatever it's holding, and if that's wood, the nut can loosen as the wood changes size with changes in humidity.


Optimizing a heating system I am seeking software I can use to better understand the thermal properties of my house. The main two consumptions of the house are water and heating. I'm interested in optimizing the heating.

Eventual goal would be each room has a motion detector, thermometer, and heat source, and good user interface. Walls are well insulated, doors seal tight, etc. But first I need to measure it, so I know where to begin.

Given some subset of internal and external temperatures, times when heat is on or off, location of furnace and vents, square feet of window, wall, and roof, insulation type, etc. there ought to be a good picture of what is going on. What tools exist to work with this?

I'd like to analyze a range of questions such as:

What will be the quantitative benefit of foam-filling my walls?
which doors to leave open/closed to minimize heat to unused rooms?

It sounds like what you want is a set of heat loss calculations. These are the calculations a heating contractor would do in order to determine how much power (BTU output) a furnace/boiler would need in order to keep your house warm. A heating system is then sized such that it can overcome the heat loss your home would experience on the coldest day of the year.

These calculations are based on the area of each room, exterior walls, number of windows and doors, type of insulation, etc. I saw an episode of Ask This Old House that included a heat-loss analysis using software that calculated this using a house model / floor plan entered by the contractor. According to this show page (http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/tv/ask-toh/products-and-services/episode/0,,20321333_20311273,00.html), that software was made by WrightSoft.

Unfortunately, this software seems to be aimed at contractors rather than homeowners, and has a price tag of $200-$500. It is also probably rather technical. There are some other options, including some free online heat loss calculators. But why bother, when you can probably have a heating or insulation contractor come to your house and do these calculations for you?

In Massachusetts, where I live, the utility companies offer an energy audit service where, among other things, they inspect and measure your house and offer you various options for adding insulation. For each option, e.g. blowing cellulose insulation into the exterior walls, they also list the estimated savings per year, based on local energy prices. Using that, you can calculate how many years it'll be before the insulation work pays for itself. In my case, about $2000 of insulation work would pay off in between 2 and 3 years.

If utility companies in your state don't offer this service, you may still be able to find an insulation contractor who can. And for figuring out which doors to close to reduce heat to unused rooms, why not do some experiments? You can buy a thermometer with multiple remote sensors, and watch how the temperature fluctuates in your unused rooms.


Intl Mechanic Code 309.1 "Space-heating systems" clarification I am looking at the ICC Intl Mechanical Code, in section 309.1

  309.1 Space-heating systems. Interior spaces intended for human occupancy shall be provided with active or passive space-heating systems capable of maintaining an indoor temperature of not less than 68°F (20°C) at a point 3 feet (914 mm) above floor on the design heating day. The installation of portable space heaters shall not be used to achieve compliance with this section.

I am wondering what this means. e.g., capable if you set the thermostat on 80 and it gets up to 68 in that room?

Let's say you have some cold rooms in a house. Most of the house - you set the thermostat at 70, those rooms are about 70 - but in some rooms is struggles to get over 65. Is that a code problem or it is okay because you could turn the heat up to 80 and then that room would be able to get over 68?

Also what exactly does it mean to "maintain" the temperature? e.g., you get it to 68 but it cools off very quickly by a few degrees within an hour?

How is this part of code actually applied?

Just because it isn't tweaked right doesn't mean the system is not "capable of maintaining..."

afaik, it's applied when someone complains. Which they have the right to if the system cannot maintain a temp above 68, measured 3' off the floor.

If it runs 24/7 and drops below 68 "on the design heating day" (w/e that means) then it does not meet code. If it has to be set at 90 to get 68, and it runs less than 24/7, never dropping below 68, then it meets code.

-"maintain", literally. If 90 is as high as the thermostat will go, and that can't keep it above 68, then it can't maintain. The system is either undersized, needs to be balanced, or can't deal with the heat loss.


How to fix a stripped hole in a plaster wall? I hired a "professional" painting crew to paint the stairs area, where the crew installed new brackets for the handrail.  Unfortunately I did not supervise the work myself.  I recently noticed that I have two problems:

The screws for one bracket are not going into a stud!  I think the bracket was attached to the plaster.
The top two holes are stripped where the screw will spin freely.  I believe that those two screws do not touch the lath board that is behind the plaster.

How should I fix the stripped hole in the plasterboard?  Every time I am removing the screws all three holes get slightly larger as a bit of the plaster comes out too.

Should I start using plastic anchors?  I'd like to re-use the three #10 1 1/2" screws that came with the brackets if possible.

By the way my house was built in the 1950s.

Screws in wallboard do not support anything. Unless your screws hit a stud or an anchor of some sort, the bracket is decorative, not functional.

If there is not a stud in the immediate vicinity, you need to use a serious anchor. I would recommend using a strap toggle type anchor behind the bottom screw and one of the top screws.

The bolt can be replaced with a flat head version if you need that for your bracket.

I would use a plastic anchor for the third hole.


How do I remove the head from this Giacomini TRV? I'm unsure of how to remove the head of this old TRV. It looks like part of it has been removed already. I haven't tried removing or unscrewing anything yet.

It appears to me that the power head is held on to the valve body by the union nut just beneath the head. Water pump pliers should be able to loosen that nut.  Be sure to use back pressure.  To loosen turn CCW. Good Luck.


Remove the wall which am not sure is load bearing wall I have removed a stair wall but not sure if it was a load bearing wall or not.

That’s a stair wall and the house is townhouse and on top floor the wall is not attached to the loft.

Added a picture and highlighted the joist which makes me concern with red.

Please advise to see if it’s load bearing wall and put a column under the block.

Also i have added 2*(2*4) timber under the joist above the wall.

Thanks

I have removed a stair wall but not sure if it was a load bearing wall or not.

This may sound like a trivial answer, but - you should just check.

With the authorities

In many (most?) states in the world, house construction plans must be submitted to a local/regional planning body where they are kept in an archive. go get a copy. The plans should somehow (fingers crossed) indicate which walls bear load.

It's probably a good idea to have a copy of those plans anyway.

Consult a professional

Find a home constructor - or a company which does home construction - and ask them to determine that for you. They will probably take a bit of money, but not that much.

Show them the plans if you have them!

Newbie sentiment: Better to feel sorry for wasting a bit of money than to feel sorry for cracks or a collapse of part of your house.


Is my nearby neighbor's foundation excavation a concern for my home? Hope someone can answer my Question. I live in Milwaukee WI.My neighbor just informed me she will have to have her basement excavated. The side of her house is 14 feet away from the side of my house. I have a bi-level home. On the side of my home is a finished family room and bedroom. Should I be worried about heavy machinery doing damage to the foundation to my home that could cause problems in the future. Thank You in advance of your answers.

This is a common situation and is extremely unlikely to cause significant damage to your house. The biggest risks are (a) that someone is exceptionally sloppy and damages your  services (water/sewer/gas/electric) while digging to install the new services, and (B) vibration might provoke a bit of minor settling and a crack or two in your  plaster.

Disasters aren't impossible, but also aren't worth worrying about until they occur, unless there is something very, very odd about your situation. And if a disaster should occur, the builder's insurance should cover it, if they are at all legitimate.


Tile shower is leaking I've noticed some wet spots on the basement carpet underneath our tiled shower on the ground floor. I had hoped it was from water getting out of the shower, but I did a flood test today by putting about an inch of water in the bottom, and it was raining in the basement through a weak point in the subfloor.

The house is about 20 years old, and the shower is likely of a similar age. There are some cracks in the sanded grout where the tiled floor meets the tiled wall, but I would have thought the vinyl shower pan should catch any water getting out through there.

At this point I'm contemplating ripping everything out and building the shower over myself. I figure any attempt to find the source of the leak would inevitably result in me cracking tiles, which would necessitate redoing all the tiling, and at that point I may as well strip everything out and build it the way I want, and do it well. Am I crazy to think this way? Is there an alternative way to repair the leak that I haven't considered and would be cheaper and/or faster?

Well, I didn't attract any other answer besides CoAstroGeek's comment, but we went ahead and started tearing out our shower anyway. We found multiple punctures in the pan liner (including some from mounting cement board to the inside of the curb), and general shoddy construction (big thanks to the Floor Elf for his helpful pages on building a shower).  I think I'm well justified in pulling everything out and rebuilding.  I guess I could try to patch the pan liner, but I'm never going to match that tile, and so I may as well rebuild everything from scratch, properly.


pottery shed / Converted Farm shed, we have converted a farm shed into a pottery shed. We've added joists, flooring ,windows, heat ( wood burning stove, )small air conditioner.
I'm getting ready to add the insulation in the walls ( R13)Kraft faced. The wall on one side of the shed is galvanized metal . The sun BAKES this wall.I was wanting to wrap the inside of pottery studio ( shed) with plastic sheeting after I install the insulation. From outside in .. metal wall, insulation , kraft facing inside,  plastic sheeting. Should I do the plastic sheeting or no ?

Adding poly will be adding a second vapor barrier. The kraft paper is the first and the only one you need.

This is not part of your question but I  would be concerned about possible condensation on the metal siding, and controlling that, if you are in a climate where that occurs. In Maryland I never seen that as a problem with my shop that had a metal roof, but now I am in WA state and the condensation is so heavy, it is like it is raining inside our metal barn. The metal siding has it as bad, but it just runs down to the gravel floor, the framing is galvanized metal so that will not trouble me. The dripping sure does though. Learned something there.


How can you tell when a vacuum breaker needs to be replaced? The one in the master bath just started "leaking" recently and now my daughter reports the same problem in her bath.  Is this just a part of their normal function or do they need to be replaced or possibly just adjusted?

In order to answer the question with any assurance I would have to know what you mean by "leaking."  However I am willing to hazard the guess that the vacuum breaker is indeed operating as designed - that is to say it introduces air into the pipe/hose when a vacuum is induced.  This would cause the water to flow, and water flows in whichever direction is easiest.


Is it a problem to leave a sprinkler line through concrete shed footing? I'm in the process of getting an attached shed built in my house (due to HOA restrictions). They seem to be very competent. The contractor is subcontracting the concrete foundation pouring.

They have just dug the footing, pre-pour. I have noticed that a water line for the sprinkler system is going to go right through two sides of it and skim the front wall. I have asked about it and they said it should be fine running through the foundation.

I'm not terribly worried about the foundation itself from this. But it seems like it might be a concern from a servicing perspective, not moving the line. They will be redirecting the sump line though.

Does this sound right to you guys? Just want to double check.

Here is what it currently looks like:

People put flexible pipes inside concrete all the time (this is how heated floors are made)

you should space it away from the floor and trench mesh so that it does not become a conduit for moisture (from the soil) and oxygen to attack the reinforcing steel

If you have more of that line and some elbows now would be a good time to move it. But if you're feeling lazy it doesn't look particularly hard to replace the under-slab section with an external loop at a later date. if needed.


What sort of ceiling fan support do I need where I can't find framing? As I have already worked on 4 out of 5 ceiling fans I have put up so far (previous question). Now I am going to put the last one up. I need your help on this one.

However, one of them I had a light fixuture hanging on the ceiling wall that looks like this:

So when I took this light fixture out and look at the ceiling wall to see what  is inside and here is what I found:

The one I have look much like this which has slides:

But the problem is it is  very wide and when I put my hand in the hold to find the nearest wood and there is no wood there.

My question here is do I need to replace with the different ceiling fan support box with brace kit I bought from Home Depot a few weeks ago ? This one is different than the one above and it is heavy.

Should I replace the old brace with the slides with the new one or should I just leave it and put it up?

Wanted everyone to know that we hired somebody and told us that it is not possible to put up the ceiling fan. We decided to return the light fixture back .


Can I use the existing rigid copper plumbing when replacing a water heater? We have a 40 gal RUDD water heater installed in 1997. We are thinking of replacing it before it starts leaking. The existing plumbing is with rigid copper, with an expansion tank connected on the vertical run of the pipe.

If I buy a replacement with the same distance between hot and cold water pipes, can I reuse the existing rigid connections (I might have to cut it short on the vertical run due to height difference between the old and new (new heaters are taller by few inches), instead of using flexible pipes as recommended on many sites.

The reason to go for rigid pipes is to give extra support to the expansion tank.

The expansion tank shouldn't be supported by the water heater to begin with. Install the flexible piping and support the expansion tank with some 2x4 bracing and a pipe strap.


Can I add outlet outside by just running cable through the wall and installing a plug on it? I want to add a outlet outside but can I put a plug in adapter instead of tapping in into an existing outlet.

In general, Yes.  There are a few things to be aware of.

Note also that I am speaking of the rules in Canada - USA is similar but there are some differences.

1) The Romex must be protected from physical damage.

2) It is illegal to run extension-cord wire through a wall.  It is legal (and normal) to run Romex within or through a wall.

3) Be sure that you get the wire colors correct.  Black is Hot and goes to the Brass-colored terminal on both the plug and receptacle.  White is Neutral and goes to the Silver-colored terminal at both ends.  The bare wire is Ground and goes to the terminals colored Green.

4) Because the receptacle is outside, be sure that there is a GFCI in the circuit somewhere.  That can be either inside the building or installed in the outdoor receptacle box.


How to change inline water filter on whole home humidifier system? We have a whole home humidifier as part of the furnace system, but have never really used it since we bought the house.  I'd like to get it up and running and am trying to figure out some update maintenance before using it.

There is a copper water line that goes through an inline water filter, which then goes to the humidifier evaporator pad filter, also through copper piping.  I figured I needed to change the water filter since it was there when we originally got the house.  The problem I'm running into is if I can just "unscrew" the inline filter and replace it, or if I'm going to have to cut the copper line or something. It appears that there is a coupling that goes into the filter, and it has that piping tape applied or something.  I tried twisting it a little to see if I could force it to unscrew and it felt like the copper tubing was going to start shearing so I backed off.

Below are some pics of the filter.

The filter

Bottom coupling of filter

Top coupling of filter

I guess what I'm looking for is what do I need to do to replace this filter? Should it be able to just unscrew and screw a new one in?  Is it just a matter of a couple wrenches and getting the filter to move?

It doesn't feel that easy, but I don't know if that's because it's pretty old or if it was installed in a more "permanent" fashion that what it should have been in the first place.  Once I get the filter replaced getting the rest up and running should be pretty straightforward.

This filter appears to be a single unit, so the way to replace it would be to disconnect this one and install a new one. First make sure the water supply to your humidifier is off.

The attachments look like 1/4" copper compression fittings. If you look at the fittings in top-down order on your second pic, you have first the copper tubing, then a nut which is clamping the compression fitting onto the copper, then a male adapter that threads into the filter inlet. To disconnect the filter use one wrench on the plastic "nut" at the end of the filter to hold it steady, and another wrench on the adapter (the brass part closest to the filter). Should be a normal counterclockwise unscrew operation.

Then you can reuse those fittings with a new filter. Alternatively, you can cut the copper tubing and install new fittings with your new filter.

You're probably looking for an "ice maker filter" like this: https://www.amazon.com/LASCO-37-1821-Compression-Connection-10-Inch/dp/B00HYXR24S/ref=sr_1_3?s=appliances&ie=UTF8&qid=1514872086&sr=1-3&keywords=water+filter+1%2F4%22


What is the best way to cut receptacle holes when hanging drywall? I will be installing drywall in a 10x10 room this weekend, walls only. I'm planning to use the longer sheets so there is only a single horizontal seam on each wall and install the top sheet first, flush against the existing ceiling.

My question is, what is the best/easiest (not usually the same thing) way to cut holes for the receptacles as I'm hanging the bottom panels of drywall? I'm considering a few options, but what is the best for someone new to this for a good result? One option is to just hang the drywall and use old-work boxes for the receptacles. I don't like to use old work for new work as it doesn't seem as secure. Personal preference. In the past, I've nailed up the boxes and then tried to cut the holes by measuring from the sides several times and then cutting out the holes before putting up the board over the boxes. That never seems to come out in the exact right spot that I don't have a gap around the box. Lastly, I've installed the boxes and then used a saw or rotary tool to cut it out with the drywall loosely fastened into place. This always seems to damage the wiring and still leaves a gap around the box where I cut.

So, which of these methods are mostly likely to work with practice or is there a super slick method that I haven't even thought to try?

My experience says to use the rotary tool, but I have always used metal boxes with plaster rings.  I have no experience cutting drywall over plastic boxes.  I do have three pointers for cutting with a rotary tool:

Put as little pressure on the box from the drywall as possible.  The more pressure against the drywall, the more likely that you'll get tearout near the edge of the box.
Leave any NM cable sheathed and set the depth of the cut to the minimum possible to reach the box plus a half an inch (keeping in mind that the drywall will be at an angle to the box).
Always take a few seconds to visualize your cut.  Have a good idea of where your corners are so you can anticipate direction changes.  Do a sanity check and make right sure you know which way counterclockwise is.  Start out going clockwise, and you'll spend a lot of time repairing drywall.

If you still don't want to use the rotary tool, there is another option.  There are tools that attach to plastic electric boxes.  You put them on and then position the drywall where it will be installed.  Press the drywall against the tool, and it will place small perforations at the outside corners of the box.  Connect the dots and cut.  The image below is of one of mine, but I haven't had the chance to use it yet.


Drywall thickness requirements In a two storey house, is 5/8" drywall required on the ceiling of both the first floor ceiling and the upstairs ceiling? Or is it only required between the second floor ceiling and attic space as a fire separation?

Thickness of gypsum board has nothing to do with upstairs or downstairs. It has to do with spacing of supports: ceilings = 1/2" on 16" on center and 5/8" on 24" on center. (A 1/2" board will sag over time from support to support if it spans too far.)

Likewise thickness of gypsum board has nothing to do with "party walls". The Building Code requires fire wall SYSTEMS. There are many systems that use 1/2" Type X and some that use 5/8" Type X. It has to do with spacing of supports, nailing pattern, and use of insulation.

By the way, the Building Code also requires a minimum sound rating rating in "party walls" too. Often we'll use the sound wall SYSTEM criteria as the governing criteria, and just specify that the board be fire rated (Type X) and kill two bird with one stone.

Now, if the space is in a moist environment, (porch, steam bath area, etc.) we'll bump up the thickness for ceiling gypsum board, (I.e.: 1/2" to 5/8" thick on supports at 16" on center.)


Can I replace this receptacle that has four wires connected to it? I'm in the process of replacing all of the electrical outlets in our kitchen to match the color of a new backsplash. Three of them were straightforward. The fourth and fifth, however, were wired differently. Everything I've read talks about two wires plus a ground per outlet. The two remaining outlets, however, have two white, two black and a ground. They look like this.

My question is whether I should have any special concerns about patching them into, respectively, a) a basic outlet similar to the one picture above or b) a new outlet that also contains two USB charging ports. The latter uses wire nuts rather than the normal screw in type (see below).

I can easily wire the new basic outlet as the one it's replacing, pictured above. But I'm not sure if I should. Nor am I sure that I should wire three wires per wirenut for the second outlet pictured.

Anybody have any thoughts?

There should be no problem doing what you want.
One set of conductors brings power from an upstream device or outlet, while the other takes power to a downstream device or outlet. The two black conductors are electrically bonded through the receptacle, as are the two white conductors.  You'll notice that the bonding tab on the side of the receptacle is still in place, which means that the two receptacles are connected together.

Replacing with a similar receptacle
If you're simply replacing the existing receptacle, with an identical (or similar) receptacle of a different color.  Simply connect the new receptacle exactly as the original is connected.

Disconnect the power by switching off the breaker, or removing the fuse.
Connect the bare grounding conductor to the green grounding screw terminal.
Connect the two white conductors to the silver colored screw terminals (one per terminal).
Connect the two black conductors to the brass colored screw terminals (one per terminal).

NOTE: When terminating conductors at a screw terminal, always wrap the conductor in a clockwise direction.  This will cause the conductor to be pulled in tight, when the screw is tightened down.

Installing a new fancy device without screw terminals
I'm not sure what conductor combinations the supplied twist-on wire connectors are rated for, so I'm going to assume they're only rated for 2 #14 conductors (check the documentation). So before you start, you'll want to pick up a couple Ideal yellow twist-on wire connectors.

Disconnect the power by switching off the breaker, or removing the fuse.
Connect the bare grounding conductor from the circuit, to the green grounding conductor from the device using one of the supplied twist-on wire connectors.
Connect all the white conductors using a yellow twist-on wire connector.
Connect all the black conductors using a yellow twist-on wire connector.

Additional Information:

If this was a ground-fault circuit interruption (GFCI) receptacle (which it is not), the procedure would be different.
If this was a split receptacle (half switched, or both halves supplied by different circuits) (which it is not), the procedure would also be different.


Amount of drop before vent stack Redoing an old bathroom with cast pipe. As is fairly common in old houses the floor joist was cut when the toilet was installed. If the soil pipe had dropped another 6" to clear the joist would it create venting problems? Is there a standard for the total amount of drop before the vent? I intend to replace it with 4" ABS.

This is making some assumptions, I am a existing structures inspector for a US city and I am going to assume you are in the US or North America.

There is not a restriction on drainage line drop from the toilet flange for the ICC IRC 2012, with some caveats.

Most siphon toilets in the US have traps of 2 to 2.5 inches.  The maximum distance from the toilet's weir to the vent permitted is 8 to 10 feet running length respectively. IRC Table P3105.1

In the diagram below, the length of i plus j cannot exceed 10 feet if the toilet has a 2.5 inch trap.

Example:

  If the distance of i is 8 feet and you decide to drop
  j to 3 feet, to the letter of the code, this is not allowed.  That would exceed the 10 maximum between the weir and the vent stack.

The maximum drop in the drain fixture (the length of pipe between the trap to the next junction) cannot exceed the diameter of the pipe.  However, the vent can be below the weir of the toilet, other fixtures cannot. IRC P3105.2

Source

The drainage line for the toilet still have to obey the first clause of P3105.2, so this will affect your maximum horizontal distance, this is dependant on the slope you give the line, if give the minimum required (1/8 inch) then this is beyond the 10 feet and probably will not affect you.

Incorrect Example:

  If you slope your line to 1/2 inch per foot.  Then the horizontal pipe (i) would have to be less than 6 feet.

All of this is to prevent water and waste from 'plugging' the entire width of the pipe, moving down the pipe creating a vacuum that siphons water out of traps.


Found hardwood floors underneath carpet, but also maybe some MDF mixed in? Can I replace it? Picture inside So I found out my entire upstairs has hardwood floors. I pulled up the vents in each room. One room has what appears to be MDF board that is level with a section of the hardwood floor. See

It's very possible as I pull up more of the carpet I will find other areas with sections of MDF. It's likely some of the boards were damaged and they pulled em out to level out the surface before installing carpet over it right? Is it reasonable to think I could cut this MDF out and install new hardwood over it? I will then sand and finish it. It's 100% ok if the new hardwood "patches" don't end up looking the same as the old ones when all said and done.

Edit: New picture attached to show board thickness

enter image description here

Yes you could repair the hard wood. Check out some more information on line so you understand how hardwood T&G is put down, I helped a friend that messed up quite a few boards to do a repair under a window that had leaked because he did not understand how the toe nailing worked. If the missing area is on the ends of the planks it is much tougher to repair compared to several length wise boards.


Connecting a water heater, what kind of fittings, valves, and adapters? I'm buying a new water heater, and quite frankly the series of connections and valves are mind boggling. What I'd like to do rather than soldier the pipes together is to go from compression to thread. I have 3/4 ID (inner diameter), 7/8 OD (outer diameter) feeding the water heater. From that point there are a series of elbows and a valve I don't trust taking the copper pipe to the water heater.

I'd like to cut them off, and put on a compression fitting and flex tube to the water heater. Is there anything wrong with this idea? Moreover, what kind of valves and adapters do I use?

Ideally, there would be a combo-valve that would go from 3/4 compression to thread, and then from a mail thread I could use a flex pipe to go right to the heater.. This valve doesn't exist, but such a setup would result in one compression rings per water line.

What does exist is compression-compression-valves, but in this configuration I'm adding two more compression rings per side of the water heater which is far from ideal. I assume this is a bad idea? I've ruled this out.

So, it seems I could go from 3/4 to NPT right away. Then I could use Female NPT-NPT valve. But, I can't find the 3/4-3/4 male NPT coupling fitting to tie the female flex pipe into the female valve.

3/4 pipe → 3/4 compression female to NPT male → NPT female to NPT female valve → NPT female valve to NPT male-male coupling → NPT male-male coupling to NPT female flex pipe.

And none of these parts are carried by anyone retail store... So what's the right and easy way to do this? I've had very good luck with compression fittings.

Assuming that your HWT connections are 3/4 MIP and starting from the tank working back the the pipe at the wall:

Cold Side

3/4 FIP x 3/4 MIP Flex Hose

3/4 Threaded Ball Valve

7/8 x 3/4 Brass Compression x MPT Adapter

Hot Side

3/4 FIP x 3/4 FIP Flex Hose

7/8 x 3/4 Brass Compression x MPT Adapter

(No need for valve as the valve on the cold will isolate the hot)

No need to use these particular brands, they are just the first ones I found. All items should be available on Amazon or a local hardware store.


Should wood be treated or sealed before tiling? Building two service shelves next to a BBQ shack, that's exposed to Oregon weather. I intend to use HB over the wood. Should the wood be sealed first before using the HB, then apply the tile?

The wood should be pressure-treated or naturally rot-resistant.

Sealing the surface may reduce warpage, but will have limited effect on long-term rot issues.


Why do you double the bottom row of asphalt shingles I've been taught that when you lay shingles, the first (bottom) row on the eave should have a double row, and that the bottom one is placed upside down.

Why?

Because asphalt shingles are slottet and have gsaps at their ends. Those openings are covered by the solid top of the (offset)  next row down. At the bottom, tho cover those spaces, you need the coverage provided by the next row down.

Rather than sdpent time cutting up shingles or getting a separate product for that space, we just use an additional nrow of shingles, offset but not moved fsarther down the roof.

Mounting them upside down is a matter of "as long as they're hidden anyway, let's use the unslitted half for that purpose and get slightly better coverage."

If you were using traditional separate shingles, you would still need to fill the gaps between shingles but presumably reversing them would have little effect on that. It might affect the angle or appearance of the bottom edge... But I honestly don't know offhand what standard practice is in that regard.


How to fill a gap between wall and ceiling? I'm planning to convert an office to a bedroom but need to fill a gap above the door.

Any ideas how I might do this in a way which minimizes sound transfer from living room to inside room, and vice versa?

Looking into office (Click images for larger views):

Looking out of office:

Before you do that, check out how air is getting into and out of that office. That big gap at the top may be there because there is no heating and/or air conditioning register in that room, so its air is just allowed to mix with the rest of that living area via that gap. Closing it up without thinking it through will result in a "dead zone" in terms of air comfort.


How do i unscrew this screw to take apart the bed frame I have a broken bed that I need to take apart to haul it to junk. How do i unscrew the screw in the picture? THere are several screws like that in the bed frame.

This looks like a cam lock which holds onto the head of a bolt in the plane of the wooden piece. Ikea furniture is fastened this way. Turn it counter clockwise to a stop and it will release the bolt.


How should I configure my plumbing with PEX? I have a house built in 1940, which has a mix of copper, PVC and galvanized pipe for its plumbing at present.  I am going to be gutting the upstairs bathroom in the near future, and have access to most of the rest of the pipes, giving me an opportunity to replace all of the corroded galvanized and to reconfigure my plumbing pretty completely.

I'd like to install a PEX manifold system in the basement, but what I don't have is any way to feed 3 cold and 2 hot lines up to the 2nd floor without opening walls I don't want to open, so I am thinking that I could install a small manifold on the 2nd floor just for that bath, and feed the rest of the house (kitchen sink, fridge, dishwasher, another full bath (2 hot 3 cold) and a half bath (2 cold 1 hot) from the basement manifold.

I have 3/4 copper coming into the house, if it matters.

What should my piping configuration be?  Am I right in thinking 3/4 runs to the upstairs manifold and 1/2" runs from it to each fixture?

I was thinking about using using 2 3-port MINIBLOC manifolds (1 cold 1 hot 3 ports each) in the upstairs bath and 1 14-port MANABLOC manifold (6 hot, 8 cold) for the basement.

Total fixtures to be fed:
- Upstairs Bath (separate manifold?) - 2 hot, 3 cold (sink, tub, toilet)

Line to upstairs bath (main manifold) - 3/4" - 1 hot, 1 cold
Downstairs bath (main manifold) - 2 hot, 3 cold (sink, tub, toilet)
Kitchen (main manifold) - 2 hot, 2 cold (sink, d/w, fridge)
Half Bath (main manifold) - 1 hot, 2 cold (sink, toilet)
Garden hose bib - 1 cold

So for the main manifold that's 5 hot, 8 cold.  Is that enough or should I step up to the 24 port manifold (9 hot, 15 cold) even though that would have 4 unused hot and 7 unused cold?

Or - should I consider a completely different configuration altogether?

First of all the information I'm providing is based on my local codes, your local codes my very.
Quick Answer
You will need to feed the lower floor manifolds with 3/4" PEX inlets and 1/2" outlets. No manifold would be required for the upper bathroom as only 1/2" PEX is needed for both the hot and cold, just tee off the 1/2" lines to feed the sink, tub and water closet. All individual fixture runs would be 1/2" as well.
Detailed Answer
Using manifolds and running to each fixture individually is called a homerun system. This can be less labour but may have a higher material cost. It all depends on how far the groups of fixtures are from the manifold. This method is typically used when the pipes are run through the slab.
Depending on the location of the fixtures, you may want to look at a truck and branch system. This is were you would run two mains and branch off to the fixtures as it passes them. The mains would get smaller as the fixtures are taken off.
Water lines are sized so that the velocity within the pipe is kept below a set point. This is to limit the wear and tear on the pipe material. Different materials can handle different velocities at different temperatures. The max velocity for copper and PVC is 5ft/sec for cold and 4ft/sec for hot. PEX pipe can handle a maximum velocity of 8ft/sec for both hot and cold.
Fixture units (FU) are given to typical fixtures. A FU is a design factor that is used to represent the typical requirement of a particular fixture (it is not a flow rate but).
Fixture Units for Private Use Fixtures (no flush valves):

|--------------------------------------------------------|
| Fixture           |    Hot FU  |  Cold FU  |  Combined |
|--------------------------------------------------------|
| Bathroom Group    |      4.50  |     4.50  |      6.00 |
| Bathtub/Shower    |      1.50  |     1.50  |      2.00 |
| Clothes Washer    |      2.25  |     2.25  |      3.00 |
| Dishwasher        |      3.00  |        -  |      3.00 |
| Hose Bib          |         -  |     7.00  |      7.00 |
| Kitchen Sink      |      2.00  |     1.50  |      1.50 |
| Water Closet      |         -  |     3.00  |      3.00 |
| Lavatory          |      0.75  |     0.75  |      1.00 |
|--------------------------------------------------------|

The above table lists the common residential fixtures and their FU. You can see that a bathroom can be considered one group and has a lower FU then the sum of it's parts. This is because they are typically used by one person at a time so it is unlikely that all fixtures will be running at the same time.
Once we have the FUs, we can look up a sizing chart that will tell us the maximum FUs that a pipe of a set size and material can handle while staying below the maximum velocity. You can view these tables in the Domestic Water Sizing Tables (For Small Buildings) section below.
Based on this information, we can size your distribution system as follows for PEX:

|----------------------------------------------------|
| Fixture Group        |      Hot      |    Cold     |
|                      |    FU  Size   |    FU  Size |
|----------------------------------------------------|
| Upstairs Bathroom    |  4.50   1/2   |  4.50   1/2 |
| Downstairs Bathroom  |  4.50   1/2   |  4.50   1/2 |
| Kitchen              |  4.50   1/2   |  1.50   1/2 |
| Half Bathroom        |  0.75   1/2   |  3.75   1/2 |
|----------------------------------------------------|

So you can see that the pipes feeding each group of your fixtures will only need to be 1/2". Each individual fixture would also be 1/2". However, depending on how the groups of fixtures are located relative to each other, you may require 3/4" pipes to feed more then one group. The total FU of your house is 14.25 Hot FU (3/4"), 21.25 Cold FU (1") and 28.00 Combined FU (1"). The Combined FU is used to size the section of pipping from the cold line into the house to the hot water tank. Don't be alarmed that the cold and combined are sized at 1". This is due to the allowance of the hose bib, which our code now calls for 7 FU. This is too high and has been causing issues in large buildings with hose bibs on small decks, in that the lines are oversized and do not properly flow, allowing for growth in the water. Without the hose bib, your cold is only 3/4".

Domestic Water Sizing Tables (For Small Buildings)

Minimum pressure available - 60 PSI at property line. (Greater
acceptable).
Pressure reducing valve set at 60 PSI minimum.
Pressure loss for meter (3 PSI), maximum building height 25 ft. (10.82 PSI)
Minimum 0.115 PSI for friction loss. If less than 0.115 PSI, system
must bp fully engineered by detailed method or there will not be
sufficient water to supply the fixture.

Pipe Flow Velocity Table For: Copper & PVC:

|---------------------------------------------|
| Pipe Size | 5ft/sec (cold)  | 4ft/sec (hot) |
|           |    GPM      FU  |    GPM    FU  |
|---------------------------------------------|
| 4"        | 186.65     850  | 149.32   600  |
| 3"        | 106.16     400  |  84.93   295  |
| 2-1/2"    |  74.37     245  |  59.50   170  |
| 2"        |  48.23     120  |  38.58    81  |
| 1-1/2"    |  27.72      46  |  22.18    34  |
| 1-1/4"    |  19.59      29  |  15.67    22  |
| 1"        |  12.86      18  |  10.29    14  |
| 3/4"      |   7.54       9  |   6.03   7.5  |
| 1/2"      |   3.64     3.5  |   2.91   2.5  |
|---------------------------------------------|

Pipe Flow Velocity Table For: PEX, PE, PB, CPVC & Ductile Iron:

|-----------------------------------|
| Pipe Size | 8ft/sec (cold & hot)  |
|           |    GPM            FU  |
|-----------------------------------|
| 4"        |    300          1800  |
| 3"        |    170           750  |
| 2-1/2"    |    152           500  |
| 2"        |     78           265  |
| 1-1/2"    |     44           102  |
| 1-1/4"    |     30            54  |
| 1"        |     20            30  |
| 3/4"      |     12            17  |
| 1/2"      |    5.8             7  |
|-----------------------------------|


Joining 2 halves of a wall I'm building a 24' x 8' garage wall in 2 sections of 12' x 8'.  What is the best (and up to code) way of joining the 2 halves?  Will a bunch of 4' nails suffice or should I drill holes and use bolts & washers?

Edit: I meant "code" for Alberta, Canada - though I imagine building code for this sort of thing is similar everywhere.

Edit 2:  I will be attaching a header above the wall that joins the 2 halves.  My question was intended to ask how to fasten the studs of the 2 walls together:

   1st half     2nd half
+-----------++-----------+
|   |   |   ||   |   |   |
|   |   |   ||   |   |   |
|   |   |   ||   |   |   |
+-----------++-----------+
            ^^
            ||
           here

Build the walls with a double top and double bottom plates. Span the splice between the sections with as much length of the plates as you can.

In my jurisdiction, wood in contact with cement has to be PT, so I'd use that for the bottom plate.

Get the bottom plate nailed/screwed/bolted down first, raise the wall sections onto it, brace those wall sections temporarily. Then bang your extra top plate into place and nail or screw it to the wall sections. Attach your top plate appropriately to whatever's above it.

ps, watch the height of the wall across its length... garage floors usually slope and ceilings are usually level...


What can I use to fill a 6-10mm gap between ceiling and front door structure? I live in a 1930s house with a small, open porch (as in no external door) in front of my main UPVC front door. Not long ago, the original lath and plaster ceiling in the hallway fell down quite spectacularly. We've had the ceiling replaced with a modern 9mm plasterboard (screwed to the joists this time!), skimmed with a thin layer of multifinish plaster

Unfortunately, the original hallway ceiling extended out over the timber structure that comprises the front door frame and surrounding glazing in to the open porch (the top piece you can see in the photo looks like upside-down skirting), and the thickness of the new ceiling is less than that of the old ceiling - as such we have a varying gap of between 6-9mm that spans the width of the hallway above the front door. As you can imagine, this has a resulted in a not insignificant draft.

My first thought was something as simple as caulk or silicone sealant to fill the gap, however the gap is quite awkward in the corners, so will likely look pretty shoddy if it works at all.

My second thought was expanding foam, but I don't see how I could get close to good finish, and the nozzle won't go in the gap at its narrowest.

My third (and probably best so far) thought was to cut and corner some timber beading of some kind (perhaps with expanding foam in the gap first) and caulk around that.

Is beading the right way to go or is there something else I should consider?

This may only need to be a temporary solution as we are considering replacing the front door and surrounding glazing when funds allow.

Related: Which material to use for filling those gaps?

I think your third idea will work and look the best.

First fill the void with expanding foam, allow the foam to cure, then cut it off flush with the face of the existing door trim.

Then cover the area with whatever molding/trim you find most aesthetically pleasing. You may wish to miter or cope the corners to get a more finished appearance.


Exhaust Fan Runs With No Power at All! How can my furnace exhaust fan run with the power off, the thermostat off, and the breaker off?!

Some furnaces have more than one breaker

Well, most honestly.

The Air Conditioning unit has a breaker
If present, electric heating elements (e.g. emergency heat) have one or more breakers
The blower will have its own breaker, typically shared with the electronics on a gas furnace
A built-in humidifier or dehumidifer may have its own breaker
Depending on location, the 24V thermostat transformer may be on yet another breaker

Unrelated, the radon venting system has its own breaker.


Drop in kitchen sink to replace an under mount I'm looking to replace our current stainless steel under mount kitchen sink with a drop in cast iron.

The current sink is 22 x 33 as is the new installed sink (22 x 33).
In order to remove the existing sink, the bull nose tiles on all four sides of the current sink need to be removed (there are no claps under the current sink to be removed to assist with taking it out).

I can remove the tiles easily, as that is not the issue.  However, in order to put in the new sink there will be an inch excess gap on all four sides of the sink - where they bull nose tiles are.
Do I have to retile all four sides in order to place the new sink in?
Is there an alternative way to by pass re-tiling prior to installing the new sink (plywood strips), etc.?

Any ideas and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Our kitchen countertops are in pristine condition and we would like to keep them in tact.

As well, we are in love with the new sink and replacing it with a different one is not what we are considering.

I use razorblade 27 abrasive cutting disks on a 4" grinder . razorblade is a brand that holds up well but there are others very thin metal cutting blades that will do the job in minutes, yes on sparks but I have never started a fire and have cut every kind of metal with this method. I just measured a disk and they are 0.075" thick.


LED light bulbs, RFI, and garage door opener I had to install new garage door opener (old one fried the lamp relay when the bulb burned out and arced), and noticed in the instructions not to use LED light bulbs because of possible RFI.  After some Google searches I was able to verify that, indeed, LED bulbs can create so much interference as to render the opener inoperable. There were also several articles I found that suggested using bulbs with the FCC logo imprinted on the side of the lamp base, which are generally about twice the price of the non-FCC compliant bulbs.Has anyone found an LED light bulb that will work with a garage door opener?Edit: new opener is Chamberlain LW5000EV

Chamberlain has a PDF guide listing LED bulb compatibility, which includes your unit.  More specifically, it lists:

|-----------|---------------------------------|--------------|
|           |                                 | Incandescent |
| Make      | Model                           | equivalent   |
|-----------|---------------------------------|--------------|
| Phillips  | 425256                          |      40w     |
| ECO SMART | ECS A19CW 60W E120              |      60W     |
| ECO SMART | ECS GP19 W27 40WE FR 120 DG 2PK |      40W     |
| CREE      | BA19-04527OMF-12DE26-2U100      |      40W     |
| 3M        | RRA19B4                         |      60W     |
| Sylvania  | 72554                           |      60W     |
| FEIT      | BPAG800DM-LED                   |      60W     |
| FEIT      | R20_DM_LED                      |      45W     |
|-----------|---------------------------------|--------------|

That guide is from January 2014, so more bulbs may be compatible, but it doesn't look like they've issued anything more recent.


Does lack of zone control delay hurt heat pump? I had a new HVAC single heat-pump system installed with dual zone controls:
2 thermostats and 2 dampers for separate zones.

The system works, but the zone control board does not have any time delay between one zone turning off and the other zone calling for heat/AC. Normally, a thermostat enforces a 5 minute time delay before restarting after power is removed.

Will the short off-time damage the compressor over time even though it doesn't trip the overload?

Some newer compressors have a built-in delay to protect them from damage.  You should check the number of recommended cycles per hour in the manual to find out if this is an issue for your unit.

Damage could be caused by overheating over time, or a flooded start - depending on the design of the unit.


Advice for installing click lock engineered bamboo floor over linoleum? I am currently acclimating a bunch of Home Decorators Collection click lock engineered bamboo flooring. The installation area (entryway and kitchen) currently has very even/flat linoleum and I plan to install over the top of this using the 'floating' approach.

Based on the manufacturers instructions and my research I will be doing the following:

12 days acclimating near installation area
using high quality underlayment
leaving 1/2 inch expansion gap against walls

I realize these are pretty cheap floors and I'm hoping to get at least 5 years out of them and really don't want early seam buckling.

Any advice or potential traps I may run into from those who have worked with lower end engineered bamboo floors?

Some comments elsewhere I read people run a thin bead of glue in the click lock seam for better water resistance, thoughts? I do have two drippy mouthed dogs :)

Cheers and thanks for any advice.

I'd glue it.  The glue does more than water resistance.  Even high end engineered wood flooring recommends gluing the tongue and groove.  You want the floor to expand as a unit you don't want the expansion to drive individual boards apart so ideally each board is strongly adhere to the previous.  Personal experience says the short join is the one that typically fails.

What is your underlayment install going to look like?  Loose lay, glue down?  Depending on the lino and how soft it is you might be able to skip the underlayment.  I think half the idea behind the underlayment is to reduce noise from two hard surfaces contacting or grit between the two causing noise.  The lino would probably work the same way.

It sounds like you are already set on the laminate.  I've switched to waterproof vinyl click lock.  It is more expensive but I love the seamless look, the flexibility (better able to handle dips in the floor) and the waterproof aspect especially over concrete.  The underlayment is also typically already adhered to the bottom.  I've had two major floods over the flooring (hot water tank leak and a pipe) and the floor is still going strong.  The transition strips bit the dust but the floor did well.


Can I swap the tumblers in two locks from the same manufacturer? Can I swap the tumblers between two different locks from the same manufacturer?

In this particular case, is it possible to swap the set of tumblers from one of the knobs into the wave handle?

The deadbolt on my front door is difficult to get the key into and out of and I've currently got no key to my back door at all. So I'd like to just replace both sets and get everything operating on one key that works everywhere.

The only catch is that I've got a lever on the front door instead of a knob, and I actually really like that as it's much easier to operate when you have groceries or the like. So, I'm planning to buy a full double-set of keyed alike knobs and deadbolts for the front and back door and a lever for the front foor. Then just swap out one of the sets of tumblers from the full set into the lever if possible. I'd hope it would be, but I'm uncertain.

I generally go to a locksmith for that kind of thing.  Locksmiths come in 3 flavors.

Scammers and lead-generators
Outbound locksmiths who want to drive their truck to your location, and charge you a king's ransom for the privilege
local community locksmiths with a retail shop who are happy to let you bring your lock-sets into their shop and charge you a sensible price (for a locksmith)

Use the third kind.   They're the hardest to find, natch.

That said, the big-box stores do have a possible option for you.  One lock manufacturer (don't recall, except they actually do have a reasonably well-reputed history in the lock business) has a mid-consumer-tier product where you can re-key the tumbler yourself.   It's pretty slick.

You stick the old key in.  You stick a special slotted tool in a tiny slot. This allows you to turn the old key in a weird, awkward, backward way.  You pull that key out, put in your new key, and then do some other twist with it.  Voilà - your lock is now keyed to the new key.

We're not a shopping site so it isn't really for me to say the brand, but you shouldn't have any trouble finding it.

One more thing about buying consumer tier locks at the big-box store.  Look at the package.  That package came in a cardboard box which holds 4-12 packages.  Flip the package over. You'll see there's a "Key Code" displayed somewhere on the package. Every package in that box has the same Key Code - go look!  That's handy if you want more than one package's worth of locks keyed alike - in fact, that's why they do it.

However, it also means anyone else who buys that lock, that store, that time, has a key to your house.  Ewww.  For this reason, when I buy locksets, I buy them at a store far, far away from my usual paths.


Mowing a badly inclining lawn I've got a lawn with a rather steep drop that I'm finding difficult to mow.

My wife thinks we should get a self-propelled push mower, but I don't think anything in a consumer range is going to be mighty enough to go up that hill.

What are my options? Am I wrong to think a mower in the $300-$400 range can't handle this?

Several options come to mind:

Mow across the slope instead of directly up and down the hill, assuming it's not so steep that the lawn mower would tip over.
Use a weed eater to trim the grass on the slope.
Regrade the yard to reduce the slope.
Replace the slope with a retaining wall.
Replace the grass with a mulched bed.

I suspect if the slope is so steep that a self propelled mower would tip over, then a more expensive mower will just give you something more expensive to break.


How to toe-nail with 4 nails This seems like a silly question, but how does one toe-nail a stud to a plate with 4 8d nails according to this International Building Code fastener schedule?

You can use either 3-16d nails or 4-8d nails.  As my other question (Why are 3-1/2 (16d) nails so hard to find?) points out, 16d nails are really hard to find.  I'd be fine using 8d nails if they are up to snuff, but it seems like it'd be hard to fit 4 nails in one 2x4.  With the 3-16d's, it's two on one side, 1 in the middle on the other, but how do you do 4 nails and not have them run into each other in a 2x4?

In all the nail sizes specified in the charts, 10D (3") nails are also an option. In the building trade, that is the size pretty much used everywhere when it comes to nailing up framing in anyplace.

In answer to the 8D question, 4 nails will easily fit into the bottom of a 2X4, yes they will cross each other, but only in the plate where the split resistance will be optimal. The angle used to drive them in and the height the nails enter the stud to get a good grip into the plate, should not allow them to collide in the stud.

If the 3" nails are an issue, 3 1/4" nails are available too. I have never seen 16D nails on a shelf in any supply house either.


Installing Motion Sensor Security Light Over My Garage I want to find a power source for a sensor light over my garage. The closest options I see are a dual wall outlet that is being used for a fluorescent light and my garage door opener and a circular fixture in my garage that has a regular light bulb in it. Is there any way I can tap into either of those as a power source? My knowledge of household wiring is very limited. As a last resort I can get to the fuse panel in the garage but I'd rather not cut power to the entire house to install the wiring.

Thanks for your help!

The question was posed if I wanted a switch to the lights. Only if it's necessary. Let me ADD that I have a dual-breaker that has heavy gauge wire that is labeled "hot tub". This house no longer has a hot tub. So can I pull the dual breaker out and put in a single breaker and run 14ga wire to that for my power? I have a picture of my breaker panel.
http://s63.photobucket.com/user/Marinersfan/media/16999109_10154636253728192_659036662628526

You definitely should have a on/off switch for your security light.  I would recommend opening up the wall outlet box and tapping off the 'hot' feed to that box.  The simplest way to go is to replace that box with a box large enough to hold the existing outlet and the switch for the security light.  Wire the hot feed and the neutral lines to the switch (and of course tie green grounds everywhere), then run a line from the output of the switch to the box (you need an electrical box behind the new light) holding the security light.

If you want that on/off switch to be somewhere else in the house, then of course a lot more wiring's going to have to be pulled.


Replacing bathroom switch from single to double switch I tried to replace my bathroom switch so the light and the fan would run on a seperate switch.  One of the wires has 3 wires.  What do I do with the red one?

You'll connect one end of the red wire to a switch, and the other end to the fan.


How to ground a junction box extension when using a non-metallic box? I have a water heater that gets electricity from a dryer cord plugged into an outlet on the wall.

I need to remove the outlet and replace it with permanent wiring and some form of quick disconnect.

Based on a conversation with my local inspector the best way he thought to get this done is to use the following:

1 gang box extender (like this or this),
2 pole 30 amp switch (example) mounted on the face of the extender
Connect one end of a whip (example) to the bottom of one of the 1/2" hubs/knock out
Connect whip to the top of the hot water heater

I am only able to find a few types of handy box extensions and they are all made of metal.

My existing box is non-metallic and so doesn't have a grounding screw.

The extensions don't have spots to screw in a grounding screw as I guess they assume they are being screwed into a metal box that is grounded and so they expect to be grounded through the screws used to attach them.

How can I ground the extension so that I don't have an ungrounded metal handy box/junction box extension?

Ps, if you feel this is the wrong way to do this in the first place add a comment and I will ask a separate question more generally about the best way to go from a hot water heater hooked with with a dryer plug to something code compliant.

Your inspector is right and wrong at the same time!

First off, the existing install is a violation of NEC 422.16(A), so your inspector was correct to point that out:

  (A) General. Flexible cord shall be permitted (1) for the
  connection of appliances to facilitate their frequent interchange or to prevent the transmission of noise or vibration or
  (2) to facilitate the removal or disconnection of appliances that
  are fastened in place, where the fastening means and mechanical connections are specifically designed to permit ready removal for maintenance or repair and the appliance is intended
  or identified for flexible cord connection.

As to the proposed fix, however, your inspector is confused or working from an old Code edition, as the 2014 (and 2017 AFAIK) NEC do not require a disconnecting means for a hardwired appliance if the breaker can be locked off (an electrical supply house will be able to order in lockoff devices for any modern breaker type).  This is 422.31(B) in the Code:

  (B) Appliances Rated over 300 Volt-Amperes. For permanently connected appliances rated over 300 volt-amperes,
  the branch-circuit switch or circuit breaker shall be permitted
  to serve as the disconnecting means where the switch or circuit breaker is within sight from the appliance or is lockable in
  accordance with 110.25.

So, I'd simply take an ordinary single gang metal faceplate with a 1/2" KO in it and use that instead of faffing about with a box extension that needs grounding.  (250.148 calls out metallic boxes, but not metallic faceplates on nonmetallic boxes...although it is still wise to attach a grounding pigtail to the faceplate in this case.)


Gas Fireplace - Starter or Gas Log? I bought a foreclosure and we are trying to figure out if we have a log burning fireplace or not.
On the right hand side of the fireplace we a turn valve with the key.  If you turn key, you get gas out of the pipe as pictured.  There's no pilot light or ignition switch, so you just light by hand.
In the fireplace, there is a pull lever which you can use to open the damper.
Does anyone have any ideas if this is a wood burning fireplace with a gas starter or is this a gas fireplace and/or with gas logs?
My plumber (who is not an expert on fireplace hardware, but who I trust), thinks it's a gas starter and the fireplace can burn logs.
My couple of neighbors all have gas insert fireplaces with glass fronts, but this is the "big" builder model in the subdivision so I'm wondering if we got the deluxe fireplace option that can burn real logs.

That is a wood burning fireplace with a gas starter. The intent is to use the gas starter to get your log fire burning. You can then shut down the gas starter jet.
Since it's a foreclosure the flue may not have been maintained properly. It would be a good idea to have a professional come in to inspect the chimney liner to ensure it is in good condition and doesn't have soot buildup.
Wood burning fireplaces require chimney cleaning every year or two, depending on use, to prevent flue fires.


How can I repair a circular drywall patch seam? I hope someone would be kind enough to help me.

We recently had a bathroom cabinet fitted. As it required wiring to the light switch an electrician used a tool to cut holes into the wall so he could feed the cable through and connect it.

He then replaced the holes somehow (they seemingly went in and out in one piece, I have no idea how they were stuck back in) and said that all I would need to do is sand the edges and paint over them.

My problem is that I have tried sanding them (with a fairly fine sandpaper), but there is still a slight circular ridge that is still bound to be prominent and unlikely to be hidden by even a couple of coats of paint. .

I doubt I have the skill to skim the wall myself, and currently really can't afford to get someone in to do it, however I've seen a few options online that I think might be worth giving a go myself, including using a base coat, or a product such as "Everbuild Filler Coat".

I'm hoping that someone might have experience of a similar issue and be able to advise me please.

Best regards

That electrician was no plasterer.

First you need to get rid of the high spots where the paper part of the drywall is showing through, you might need to cut that out with a knife. after that you just need to fill it with plaster filler until it's flat then sand it smooth and paint.

If you light it at an extreme angle the high spots will be easily visible.

you probsbly want to use poweder based fiiller, not pre mixed joint compound,  the powder stuff sets hard quicker and shrinks less.


Is there any advantage to waxing vinyl siding? My 20+ year old siding can get pretty moldy and grimy in one year. I wondering if waxing it, after I clean it, would help reduce the mold and dirt accumulation and give it new life. I see car waxes that say they can be used for waxing vinyl siding.

Yes, We use a cleaner/Wax, with a polyurethane base.  /  formulated from concentrate. We venture the material from the container through our power washer, using a wax/cleaner nozzle in our wand. its usually a one step cleaning, and the poly base fills the tiny pits in the siding caused by exposure to the elements. your finish is smoothened  with a poly-glow effect.  This protection prevents mold/as the surface is sealed. houses in worse than normal condition, gets 2 applications.  After treatment, the finish is much like a newly waxed vehicle, and the water beads, and runs off, with a dry shine. usually after proper application, it only needs spraying with garden hose to refresh luster.  Every 3-5 years, you can expect to re-apply.