The front of my stove top gets very hot when the oven is on. This is an electric range with smooth glass top The front of my stove top gets very hot when the oven is on. This is an electric range with smooth glass top.
I saw a similar question about a range with coil burners
Is there a quick solution to my problem?

Bad oven door seal.
The seal around the inside of the oven door keeps hot air in the oven.  Seals can wear out. If the seal is bad, hot hair leaks out of the oven and heats up the front of the range.  Dials can get too hot to touch.
Working on an oven yourself can be a little sketchy but replacing the seal on the interior of the oven door is not such a big deal.  If you do a bad job, the worst thing that can happen is hot air leaks out of the door and you are used to that.
Before you try to replace it, maybe you can just clean it.  I got burned thru my oven mitt yesterday and I felt betrayed.  Mitt!  After all this time??  All this time not washing the mitt, and it was pretty solid with dry stuff in some places.  I washed it and it is fluffy again.  We will see if I get burned.  The same principle applies.  You can clean your oven door seal.  Here is a video though my oven does not look like this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjzDaAl5YOI
I should clean my oven door strip.
If you replace the strip - do I need to say you need to replace the seal with a purpose built oven seal strip?  Because other stuff might melt or cause a fire?   Like that stuff you have in the garage you were thinking about using because you have it, and you are cheap?    There, I said it.   I too am cheap and I think that way.  But replace the door seal strip with a seal made for your oven.


How can I insulate pex pipes that have supports at every joist? I set out to insulate the hot water pipes in my basement today and discovered that the plumber had installed these brackets every foot or so, making it difficult and impractical to wrap the pipes. Is this normal?

In this picture you can see a run of 4 PEX pipes (two hot, two cold) using a 4-pipe bracket on every joist. This is in New England and it takes forever to get hot water at any tap in the winter.

Insulation won't make hot water come faster

When you open the valve initially, the hot water pipe is full of cool water, because it cooled off.

Pipe insulation won't stop the cool-off, just slow it down a little, not enough to matter unless you are following someone else into the shower.  After even 20 minutes of disuse, the water in the pipe will cool significantly and you'll have to start over.  Start what over?

Out, darned pipe!

The pipe is now (at best) a very tall piston full of cool water, and the hot water entering from the heater must plunger the cold water out, via the faucet.   The time this takes is determined by VolumeOfPipe / FlowRate.  For instance if the pipe holds a gallon of water and flow rate is 4 gallons-per-minute, it'll take 1/4 minute or 15 seconds.

How much volume does a pipe hold?   That is Length * 3.1416 * Radius * Radius.  The important part is radius is squared, which makes it an extremely potent factor.  Double pipe diameter, volume quadruples, and so does delay.

So what happens when a deluxe-minded homeowner decides to increase pipe diameter "to be fancy"?  Exactly.

Options

One is to downsize your hot water pipe volume as much as possible. Will 3/8" pipe give a workable flow?  You have 2 redundant runs, but that might be better - each one has its own dedicated "plunger" of cool water to purge, but the lines would be able to be smaller, so less delay.

Do you have a ton of extra electrical capacity in the house?  The single best way to move hot water across a house is fat AA-8000 electrical cable supplying a tankless heater right next to the point-of-use.  In a New England home, this takes careful design because you need a lot of temperature rise.

Do you have enough electrical or gas/venting capacity to add a second tanked heater at that end of the house?

Or given your usage, should the main heater really be there instead?


How do I remove a fence post from a Wedge Grip support? I'm in the process of replacing my back fence.  One of the existing posts was damaged (crushed) during a tree fall.  After finally digging this out, I discovered one of these in it.

What I can't seem to do is get the rest of the wood that's in there out.  I realise that they aren't expensive, but for curiosity's sake as much as anything, I'd like to know if there's a tried and trusted method for this kind of thing.

Cut the timber so it's flush with the top or just proud of the metal support.
From the top, drill a few ½inch (12.5mm) holes as deep as you can into the remaining timber.
Then with a "old" wood chisel cut away and remove the remaining timber.

It's nearly impossible just to pull the timber post from the metal support as there are metal "wings" inside that grip (clamp) the timber in place.


Mount amplified cable splitter in wall Is mounting the PCT-MA2-P2 behind an interior wall a code violation?

The power (15VDC 250mA) to the PCT-MA2-P2 is input via RG6 coax cable with F type connector.  The media room on the second floor has coax from the master bedroom closet on the first floor.  I want to feed the antenna from the attic directly to the input of the PCT-MA2-P2 in the wall of the media room below, and then connect the coax cable from the master bedroom closet to an output port of the PCT-MA2-P2 to carry the antenna signal to the master bedroom closet.  There it will connect to the input of a similar device with eight output ports connected to RG6 cables distributing the antenna signal to the other rooms of the house.

The PCT-MA2-P2 will be accessible through the hole where the wall plate is mounted.  The wall plate will have two F type ports: one to feed power to the PCT-MA2-P2 and one connected to the other output of the PCT-MA2-P2 to bring the antenna signal to the media room TV.

For aesthetics I'd prefer only adding another cable to the view as opposed to three cables and the PCT-MA2-P2.  The second picture does not show the PCT-MA2-P2 device in the wall nor the second output cable connected to it which is going to the central distribution point.  I will probably adhere a piece of furring strip to the inside of the back wall with Liquid Nails® and screw the device to it so it can be seen through the hole.  This is Texas, USA.

I would not bury it inside a wall regardless of whether it violates code or not. These things will, sooner or later, need repaired/replaced. I would put in a small access panel in front of it to facilitate easier repair/replacement when the time comes. If the home is sold and this is hidden in the wall, imagine how hard it will be for the new owner to troubleshoot/find the issue.

For example: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Elmdor-10-in-x-10-in-Steel-Hinged-Metal-Wall-or-Ceiling-Access-Panel-DW10X10PC-SDL


Are there any caveats or benefits to TPI hacksaw blades? Is there any benefit to variable TPI hacksaw blades where there the TPI varies from one end to the other?
I only see potential caveats:

it might cause problems or how inconvenient it is to have only a few inches of the same TPI on a
blade
the quality and ease of cut with full strokes
how severe issues are when cutting thin stock and you run into the coarse TPI section of the blade

One vendor's website claims:

... Tri-Cut Hacksaw Blades ... have a unique design with 3 teeth sizes on 1 blade. They feature 32 teeth/inch up front for quick starts, 24 teeth/inch in the middle and 18 teeth/inch on the end for fast and smooth conventional cutting. These hacksaw blades are ideal for general-purpose cutting.

It's a gimmick.
Since proper tooth size on a hacksaw is directly related to the thickness of the metal you are cutting, you are guaranteed to have 2/3 of the blade be the wrong toothing for whatever you are cutting.
Save your money to buy a better quality hacksaw frame that you can easily and quickly switch blades on, or get additional hacksaw frames and keep different toothed blades mounted in each one.
There is a different product of the same name that has some benefits in some situations - a "Variable Tooth" which is more of a slight variation (like 17-18-19-18-17-18 instead of 18) to reduce problems of harmonic vibrations from an interaction of tooth size and sawing speed. This is not the product you asked about, and it's of limited benefit for hand hack sawing where the user will simply adjust speed to avoid the vibrations.


How many staples to fasten 6/3 cable to studs? I installed a 14-50 outlet in my garage with NM-B 6/3 cable and now I'm ready to patch up the holes in the drywall and I was wondering if I should fasten the cable to the studs. I looked at NEC 300.19 and table 300.19(A). The cable goes from the breaker panel (2nd story) to the garage (1st floor) like this: 6 ft from the breaker panel to the floor, 1 foot between the floor joist to the top plate garage wall, then 8 ft (thru a fire block) to the outlet below. If I read the NEC right, I only need one staple below the top plate and another between the breaker panel and the floor. Am'I right?

Thanks

You'll need to staple it down every 4.5', and within 12" of the boxes

This support requirement comes from NEC 334.30:

  334.30 Securing and Supporting. Nonmetallic-sheathed cable
  shall be supported and secured by staples; cable ties listed and
  identified for securement and support; or straps, hangers, or
  similar fittings designed and installed so as not to damage the
  cable, at intervals not exceeding 1.4 m (4½ ft) and within
  300 mm (12 in.) of every cable entry into enclosures such as
  outlet boxes, junction boxes, cabinets, or fittings. Flat cables
  shall not be stapled on edge.


How to prepare & paint a porch that has existing lead paint? I'd like to repaint my 100-year-old wooden front porch. It almost certainly had lead paint at some point. I would very much like to avoid stripping it, or any other procedure that might mobilize the lead paint, as I have young kids (and, if any dust were created, it would be very hard to keep it out of the front yard).

However, the porch also has lots of dirt ground in to it, and in some places the paint is totally worn away. Is there a way to properly clean the wood without mobilizing the lead paint?

You need to remove flaking and loose paint or else it will eventually chip off and be a hazard in itself.

One approach is to avoid sanding and do a moderate scraping with a carbide paint scraper.  This will generate some flakes which can be much more easily contained than dust from sanding.   Vacuum with a shop vac and wear a mask.

Then prime and paint with a good outdoor deck paint.  The surface will not be perfect, but is should be good enough and the risk of freed lead paint is minimized. Besides, 100 year old houses should not have glass smooth wood surfaces! (my 144 year old one doesn't).


How can I change the bulbs in this light fixture? I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how to open this light fixture up to change the bulbs.  Help, please!

Often times the lower round spindle piece of the lamp will screw off. Then the lower metal parts can be lowered down along with the glass pieces to permit access to the bulbs.


Scotsman Ice Machine DCE33 will not eject ice The Scotsman Automatic Ice Machine DCE33 continues to run water and the ice cubes don't eject? Help!!!!

Your model has a harvest timer.  After a set freeze time, the timer should operate a hot gas reversing valve that will slightly warm the freeze surface and cause the cubes to eject by gravity.  The timer or coil on the hot gas valve can fail.  The harvest cycle will also drain water that wasn't used in the last cycle and refill.  It seems like waste but this is how Scotsman makes clear and not cloudy cubes, the water ejected will contain the minerals that didn't make it into the ice.

First thing to check tho, is whether ice is forming.  The cubes are made by spraying water into a form that's closed on top, open on the bottom.  (Like an upside down ice tray.) Water that doesn't freeze falls back down into a sump, where it is pumped and sprayed again continuously.  Shut the unit off and stick ur fingers upward behind the plastic curtain where the ice comes out, do you feel ice in the forms? Or empty ice forms?

Those Scotsmen models operate more efficiently when the bin has ice it, than completely empty.  The storage box is not refrigerated, just insulated.  Residual cold from ice already made helps.  Also a bad seal on the door gasket can significantly reduce ice production by letting heat in/cold out.

Have you cleaned the condenser coil?  A dirty coil can keep it from producing ice.


Why won't my oven heat up? I've replaced two faulty parts in my oven after a small explosion stopped it heating up, but I still have a problem.

I replaced the fan element at the back.
I replaced the thermal cut-out attached to the upper element.

Both were obviously dead. The element had a huge hole in it and the cut-out had no conductivity.

Here's the current situation:

The oven still won't heat up.
The grill does work (always did).
The temperature light comes ON, and never goes off.
The cooling fan runs constantly, even when the oven is OFF.
All heating elements show conductivity (26Ω-55Ω)

Worth mentioning that the thermostat seems to work, because the temperature light does turn off when using the grill to reach temperature.

Why does the cooling fan stay on and the elements stay cold?

What other parts can I check for faults?

Additional notes:

I'm confident new parts are wired correctly and securely
Mains input gives 233Ω between live/neutral when off. 111Ω when oven switched on.
New new cut-out is marked 16A, whereas the old part was 10A. Supplier assures me it's compatible with my oven.

Update:

I may have bought the wrong fan element by matching it to the product number on the part itself. I've opened a separate question about this.

Update 2:

The selector switch is fried. Copper melted between two connectors. Will fix or replace and post back if still not heating.

I appreciate everyone's help with this, but I'm posting an answer myself a I'm the only person who can in this case.

The final cause of the oven not heating was a broken selector switch. See image.

With a new fan element, thermolimiter AND switch - the oven is heating up fully on all settings. Spare parts cost about £90.

I think I may have a further issue with the ventilator, but I'll post a new question about that if need be.


Toilet is refilling every few hours Our toilet is refilling every few hours. The bowl is dry, so its not leaking there. Plumber has been but the problem is still there.

If its every few hours, you probably won't see it on the bowl. Without actually seeing it, it is hard to give an accurate answer, but I would say the flapper needs replaced. If that's fine, then the rubber gasket under the flapper needs replaced. That's the normal issues and if it's the gasket, you won't really see it. It can be very very subtle.


Spacing between service panel and RV sub panel (both on same outdoor freestanding plywood/post) What is the distance requirements or recommendations for spacing between the 100 amp service panel with meter to the 100 amp Rv sub panel? These will be mounted on marine plywood supported by 4x4 or 6x6 posts and the plywood will be 2ft x 4ft wide, at about 68" high
There will be 2" conduit between them, just curious how far about to space them. Min/Max?
Thanks
Dean

The panel can be mounted directly below there is not a minimum height or spacing for the service panel. There are maximums  6’7”  for the max height of the disconnect. You could have the panel touching the ground (not a good idea).
The only exception to this is if close to a body of water that floods then the panel has to be 24” above the normal high water.
Note I have worked in local areas that have had 18/24” minimum heights for the bottom of service panels outside but this is not in the NEC.
It is best to check but the standard code a minimum is not listed
The 2 boxes could be connected with feed thru bushings or nipples to whatever you want no money max on the separation either.


What is the best way to mount a flag on shake (shingle) siding? I have a house built in 1955 with shake siding that has been painted. I had a flag bracket mounted on the front wall with flanged anchors, and it held up for a little over a year (I'd take the flag down during storms), but we recently had an unexpected storm that came through while I was at work, and it ripped the bracket out, anchors and all.

What is the best way to mount a flag bracket on a shake siding wall? Everything I've tried searching tries to redirect me to hanging Christmas lights or mounting things on the roof (because "big G" thinks "shake" is synonymous with "shingle", and of course shingles are more commonly thought of as a roofing material than a siding material; "siding" loves to give me useless information about mounting on vinyl siding, which I suspect is largely not applicable here).

While I plan to replace the siding in another 5-10 years, that's not an option right now.

You need to find framing members to screw the bracket to (studs) most homes built in this era have a sub siding and then the exterior siding.
For the best strength close to a corner or window frame may provide multiple studs the width of your bracket, if not a single stud on one side with the other side screwed into the siding. The side that you connect to a stud we would normally use lag bolts 1/4” is a common size but the length varies depending on the load being applied , for a 6’ pole and flag like we had on my upper deck I did use 1/4” x3” lag screws I only had a stud on 1 side of the bracket so the other side I used 1-1/2 ‘ screws, this area gets strong wind so I put the bracket over the stud on the leading side.

To explain looking at the house the wind almost always blows from the left to right.
I put the bracket as far to the right to allow the left holes to line up with the stud.
This way most of the force from the wind is pulling on the strongest point of attachment.

If you have strong winds in both directions closer to a corner or window where there are normally multiple studs closer together may provide the support.


Simplify the shop, reduce storage space... use hand powered tools Sometime ago, I read something online, magazine, somewhere.

It was the story of somebody who ran a chair making shop at Williamsburg (or similar venue).  The shop owner went to use a hand held frame saw to cut out the shape of the chair bottom.  A visitor to the shop suggested that the owner purchase a band saw, that would be easier. The shop owner replied that, as that cut was done so infrequently, and his shop was so small, he was way better off without a motorized band saw taking up space in the shop. The hand saw took virtually no storage space. It was well worth the extra few minutes it took to cut out the chair bottom by hand.

That story is in the top of my head as I try to consolidate my small workshop.  Less is more. Sometimes using the basics can have awesome results in a complex world.

I'm working on a business presentation to a public audience, celebrating the benefits of back to the basics and simplicity.  I'd like to reference this story, but I can't for the life of me find the original.  Anybody know a source for this? Woodworking magazine article somewhere?  Online forum?  Anybody remember this?

Many thanks!

It's a practical reality, in any case. But if you have a business case out of getting converts, good luck with that. I've mentioned them a few times here and folks get very defensive that the "only" way to do something is with power tools.

If you can track down the old tools mailing list (e-mail) (many web-links seem to have rotted, but it runs off a server at Cornell, last I recall - try here, it moved when I wasn't looking (quite a while, actually) http://swingleydev.com/archive/faq.html) you can find a bunch of folks that have the religion, and most current Windsor chair makers do.

In many cases I can do things faster (total time) with the hand tools if I'm making one of something. Additional benefits are that the entire shop fits in a smaller space than if you need room to push sticks through machines, and some things come out with a better quality of finish due to not having rotating cutter bits. But you have to be able to make your tools sharp...

Listening to music while working and having to work harder to cut body parts off are additional advantages.

I don't really see it as "back to basics and simplicity" but as "choosing the right tool for the job." One aspect that scares many folks away is that you may need to actually practice some before you can (say) make a pretty much 90 degree cut freehand (or whatever particular thing you're doing.) SO if you are only EVER making one of something, they probably are not faster (or you need to stick to a mitre-box, for that example.) There are certain things that cannot really be done the same way with power tools, though many have been adapted to methods that are more power-tool friendly. But some adapt poorly (thus the Windsor chair folks.)


Can I cut carpet tiles with a table saw? I don't find any specific blades, however no explicit recommendation not to cut short pile carpet tiles with a table saw. That's however no base to assume that I should try it.
For starters, I'm not so much concerned with the result of the cut, but with my safety, as I'm willing to try it and don't mind loosing a part of a tile or two. However, if it's impossible to do proper cuts due to a material damage, I'm grateful for an explanation as well.
I prefer a table saw if possible because I need much less force than with a knife. And I can reach precision trivially on the table whereas cutting with a knife with one plank for a straight line and another for protection of the floor seems unnecessarily complicated and improvised if I have a high precision power tool nearby.
I'm not seeking advise how to optimize cutting carpet with a knife. The post is to collect input on the specific question.

As already noted in a comment, this is likely to end in quite a mess. And could be a bit dangerous too.
A quick search confirms my hunch about the right way: score the back and cut with a utility knife. A new knife and a pack of blades cost very little.
Reminds me of a cute anecdote in a DIY magazine I saw once about someone ending up with dust everywhere from cutting drywall with a circular saw. Who then found out that everyone else just scores and cuts with a utility knife. Carpet tile may be a little tougher, but it is not the type of hard material that a saw cuts well (and that a knife doesn't cut at all).
In response to the latest question edit:

I'm not seeking advise how to optimize cutting carpet with a knife. The post is to collect input on the specific question.

The simple answer is: Yes you could, but please don't!


Need help replacing this super old shower handle! Not really sure what kind of handle this is or how to replace it. It doesn't work anymore so no water comes out of the showerhead. There's some little pin in the base of the handle that broke and none of the hardware stores around here have any replacement parts for it. I'd really like to remove and replace it with something more modern.

If you can't find matching parts, you will need to open up the wall and get a new shower diverter. You might be able to do it without damaging the tile if you approach it from the other side of the wall. You can do the work with push fittings and it will be relatively simple that way.


Finished, Beat Up Cherry Coffee Table My wife and I bought a beautiful 3 x 5 ft cherry coffee table some time ago. I should have paid closer attention and realized that it was not finished with any sort of lacquer or urethane - the wood is stained a simple red-brown, but otherwise bare. As a result, it's pretty beat up but only on the top surface of the table. Is it possible to simply seal the top surface with a strong oil urethane if the wood is cleaned properly and the scratches and dings are filled? I've used different fillers for scratches in other projects and never been happy with them (especially the color), so any advice there would be appreciated.

I think the best finish will come from sanding down, re-staining the top, and finishing it, but I'm a bit concerned about the stain. I've stained and finished plenty of new wood in the past, but have very little experience matching stains. I'm not convinced the stain I find would match and I'd rather not sand the entire table to stain the whole thing.

If the wood is dented rather than cut/gouged, you can steam dents out with a clothes iron (preferably a steam iron, but not required if you keep the washcloth damp), a damp washcloth, and some patience.

If it's actually cherry, and not just "whatever, with stain, called cherry since we used a reddish brown stain" it is best to remove and not replace the stain. It will start rather light, but age beautifully with time. But that is a matter of opinion. Your best bet with re-staining it is to take the whole thing back to wood, and re-stain the whole thing if you are going to do that - then it will all match. However, some slight mismatch between the top and the rest of the piece will not be as glaring as a mismatch between two halves of the same part. Try to find some similar scrap and test your finish process and colors on that.


Can I add a 50 amp breaker for an arc welder? If my service disconnect breaker is a 150 and my fuse box isn't maxed out, 3 slots still available would I be pushing the limits to add a 50 amp breaker for a arc welder?  I haven't pulled the cover to see what gauge wire is coming into the house or how it's split.  I have a newer home (2007) and nothing out of the ordinary requiring power.   The typical dryer, stove, water heater and a/c circuit breakers.  I don't want to push the capabilities of the fuse box but would really like to add the 50 amp breaker for a 240 lead in the garage.

Depends on how much load the rest of the house is putting on the service at the same time... but if the total demand stays under what your service is rated for, and you use wiring that can handle the 50A demand, you theoretically should be OK.

Run the numbers.

(My electric drier plugs into a 220V outlet fed by a pair of 30A breakers, and I have only 100A total service; that's roughly proportional to what you want to do. When I switch to a gas drier, I'm planning to re-route those 30A legs to my workshop.)


Is Fiberboard sheathing under cedar siding ok with no vapor barrier? I am patching horizontal lapped cedar siding on a 1950s house in Minnesota with fiberboard sheathing. I think it’s Nu-Wood. There’s no vapor barrier. I will have to put a vapor barrier per code where I patch (thinking roofing paper). Will I need to take off all siding and install a vapor barrier?

To me, moisture barrier goes on the exterior side of exterior walls and vapor barrier goes on the interior side.
We install moisture barriers because we know siding leaks...especially your type of horizontal lapped siding.
If you are patching a hole (or small area) in the siding, there’s no reason to remove all the siding to install a uniform moisture barrier throughout the wall. I’d just make sure the patched area has an adequate moisture barrier and it’s lapped properly onto the existing moisture barrier before installing the new patched-in siding.


Using Both Sonoff Wi-Fi Switch and Existing Wall Switch to Control Light EDIT: Oops, I meant to say hot/neutral for (+)/(-). I'm not completely educated in this as you can tell. ^_^;;

I live in the U.S. I'm attempting to figure out if it's possible to hook up a Sonoff Wi-Fi switch to my house's light fixture, let alone if it's possible to do it with the existing wall switch. I know there's Wi-Fi switches you can buy that only require you replace the existing light switch, but they're super expensive, and the Sonoff is only $4. So I want to get this to work so I can use my phone to turn the light on or off no matter where I am in the world. I also want to still use the existing wall switch to control the light. But I'm not sure it's possible since Sonoff outputs two wires whereas a regular light switch just cuts off the (+) wire to control the light.

Here is the current wiring setup of one of my ceiling lights and its wall switch:

The AC's (-) connects directly to the light's (-). Then the AC's (+) goes down to the wall switch (a switch leg wire, I'm told it's called), then back up again to the ceiling and into the light's (+). This way the switch turns on or off the (+) to activate the light.

My plan, if it will work, is to mount the Sonoff box above the light's junction box in the attic. Power the Sonoff with the AC's (+)/(-) from the light box, then feed Sonoff's outputted (+)/(-) back to the light. Simultaneously, have the AC's (-) connected to the light like now, then still have it's (+) going to the wall switch and back to the light to turn the light on or off like now.

This is my wiring plan:

Would this wiring setup work to control the light with both Sonoff and the wall switch? If my diagram is correct, do I need the extra neutral wire going into the light, or is the one going through Sonoff enough?

Thank you!

First, everything about the Sonoff stinks like cheap Cheese, so good bet it is not UL listed.  RoHS and CE is nothing, and UL/CSA listings are often forged by those offshore manufacturers.

Mains electrical is serious business, and the stuff is already very cheap - $20 for a proper smart switch for instance.  The only reason that price seems high is you have found this thing that is cheaper in several ways, most bad.  Who cares? There will always be a cheaper piece-o-junk out there. Your time is valuable too.

In NEC jurisdictions you cannot install things not approved by your local inspector, who does not run his own testing lab, but simply gets a list of approved appliances from UL or similar entity. NEC 110.

You cannot mount outside a junction box

An electrical device cannot be mounted outside a junction box as you plan, unless the labeling or instructions tell you to install it that way - the labeling and instructions are part of the UL listing, the listing is contingent on it being installed properly, and it is illegal to install it contrary to those instructions (NEC 110.3).

Parallel switches in your plan are semi-OK

The fact that the Sonoff has netural coming in is simply due to the fact that it is a powered device and needs neutral for its own power.  Whether it is switching neutral, I cannot guess:  It may be possible to bypass its neutral output and serve the neutral from the other side - that depends (again) on the UL approved labeling and instructions on the device.

If that's the case, then having both the smart switch and the plain switch feed the light should be fine.   The key rule is that in any cable, currents must be equal - cancel each other out.  That is to avoid eddy-current heating.

Low voltage remote switches are even better

If Deepesh Golani's method of accessing the internal switch works, and (again) is supported by UL approved labeling or instructions, that is an even better way since it does not involve significant currents.   If that power is low voltage, you would escape the requirement to use Class 1 wiring techniques, and could run remote switches with thermostat wire for instance.


What the heck is going on in this electrical box? (Photo below). Is this safe?

Just a homeowner who has changed his fair share of fixtures and outlets... but have never come across this.

Two whites leading to the fixture white.

A red wire leading to the fixture black

And two black wires in the back that I don’t know where they’re going?

And bare wire (assuming neutral) just coiled up in there.

And there is burning/charring around the electrical box and inside the old fixture.

Is this configuration safe?

I don't think that's really burnt...

The closeup of the red wire linked in the comment does not appear particularly burnt to me (it'd be a quite strange spot to have a burnt spot, anyway).

The setup is good

What this setup appears to be is a new-style switch loop that provides neutral at the switch box, which is now required by the NEC (so that fancy dimmers/smart-switches/timers/... don't have to pull dumb stunts to power themselves).  The black wires that are nutted in the back of the box are the always-hots (incoming from the power source and outgoing to the switch), the red wire is the switched-hot coming back from the wall switch), and the white wires are all neutrals (incoming neutral from the power source and neutral off to the wall switch location).

One potential issue though

One thing I would check while you have this box open though is to make sure the grounds are made-up properly; the installer may have simply twisted the wires together without using a nut, which doesn't guarantee a proper connection.  I would take all those bare ground wires, untwist them, add a ground pigtail to a 10-32 self-tapper (Garvin GSST or equivalent) driven into exposed metal on the fixture (this takes care of grounding the fixture), insert them into the correct size wirenut, and twist the wirenut on, so that you have them properly connected from here on out.


Hue (led) bulb does't turn on when put in certain lamps? Just acquired my first set of Hue lights (E27 type) and to my disappointment when I put them in my bedroom ceiling lamp they do not turn on. However If I try by putting them in a ceiling lamp in the kitchen they turn on just fine.

How can I debug this? Is my ceiling lamp to old and reject LED bulb? Can there be any electrical problem with my bedroom ceiling light wiring ?

Note that all my lights are E14 type and I'm using E14 -> E27 Adapters. I thought at first the adapter was broken but it's not the issue because it works fine on my kitchen lamps.

(I also have a desk lamp E27 type in my bedroom and the bulb works fine in there as well)

This is a picture of the socket

It was a faulty chandelier (very old) ceiling lamp. Not enough power was ending up in the bulbs. Working fine for ordinary bulb but not for led


What is this mysterious pipe in my backyard? I'm replacing a fence in my backyard. Some of the new posts will not be in the old holes. While digging a new hole, I came upon a pipe which is in the way. I don't know what it is for and I'm unsure if it's safe to put a post next to it.
I can see some hairline cracks in it, which may have been caused by the temporary post I put in next to it.

This is in the Netherlands. The pipe seems grey pvc, at a depth of about 40 cm. Its diameter seems about 40 mm. (which is a standard diameter).
It comes from under my (paved) backyard and disappears under the street. The picture above is right next to the gutter of the road behind my backyard, so it's at the edge of my property. There is no manhole or drain in the road where it could be leading to.

Pipes should be at a depth of at least 60 cm, so that's the first mystery. Gas lines should be yellow, power lines should be red, so it should be neither of those. The rain pipe coming from the roof is wider, so while that is connected to the sewers somewhere, it's unlikely to be connected to this pipe.
It could be drainage, but then I don't know where it's heading.

I'd like to know what this pipe could be, and if it's safe to put a post next to it, possibly putting some stress on the pipe, or what measures I should take to protect the pipe.

In the end, I just put the post right next to it. It's now covered with soil again and paved over.

This does look like large electrical conduit for a transformer that would supply multiple meters (say 4 to 12 dwelling units). Contact the electrical supply authority and describe the location and send a picture. The cracks may be repairable from the outside without interruption of service, but if water infiltrates then it might necessitate a more involved repair.


What does 13A on my computer monitor power plug means? I have a BENQ GW2470HL computer monitor.
The monitor power plug says 13A. What does that mean exactly?

The monitor specs say it needs 30W. In my country(India), the voltage is 230 V.
If I divide 30w/230V I get 0.130 ampere/s. Can I plug this into a 5 amp socket? From where does 13A comes from?

That's the maximum rating for the plug. It doesn't change anything about the current in your attached device. If you exceed that current for some reason, the plug will open the circuit for protection.


HDMI Connection flickers when ceiling Fan is switched on/speed increased I have my desktop computer connected to the TV using a 1mtr HDMI cable. I wanted to reposition the desktop and hence bought a cheap 3mtr HDMI cable. With the new cable I noticed that whenever I switch the fan on or increase the fan speed the HDMI connection flickers, similar to unplugging and re-plugging the cable. Apart from that the new HDMI cable works as it is expected to. (It has 4K written on it)
I re-attached the old cable and I could not reproduce the behavior. The new 3m cable is thicker than the old 1m cable hence I assumed it was of a decent quality if not a good one.
I plugged the new HDMI cable to the laptop (connected to the power source) and I was unable to reproduce the problem. My Desktop has GTX 1660TI graphics card with 500W ps.
I would understand about electrical noise if the TV flickers or the desktop restarts/turns off due to power shortage when the fan is switched on. But I cannot seem to understand why is this behavior seen only with this new HDMI cable. The TV doesn't flicker otherwise when connected to the Firestick or never flickered when the 1m HDMI cable was connected.
The TV and the desktop are connected to the same socket (cannot avoid this as there is only one).
The fan is in the same hall, perhaps the same circuit, but not connected to the same switchboard.
Another fan in a different room does not cause this problem.
Can someone please shed some light on it?
How can i prevent this on the cable I bought?
What are the implications of this behavior (if any) on the devices connected? In this case the TV and the graphics card.
Well, one might say "Go for a more expensive cable", surely but, I would like to understand the dynamics behind this happening and therefore ensure that the expensive cable wouldn't have the same problem. If this is not the right forum for this topic can someone please point me the right direction?

Although some may suggest a better cable it may be the amount of electronic noise from your speed controller, electronic speed controls create electronic noise in the form of harmonics, an external torid on the outside of the longer cable may dampen the noise picked up on the longer cable a ferrite washer shaped disk with the cable running thru it possibly with a extra pass through may do the trick on your existing cable. The next option might be placing a faraday cage over the controller this cage dampens the em noise signal much like a toride or ferrite core. If you have multiple phases or a split phase system moving the TV & computer to a different leg of the system may also resolve the problem. I have experienced many kinds of electrical noise in my career some times even a better (longer and multiple ) grounding rods have helped but more often EMI filters prior to the power supplies have done the most good (emi filters are usually simple capacitive / inductive filters that dump non 50/60hz signals to ground).


How do I repair a marble floor corroded by acid? I recently got some contractors over to repair a section of my house and they unknowingly spilt a small amount of acid on my marble floor.

They did not attend to it immediately and the acid corroded the surface of the marble floor.

How do I repair it?

You would normally clean marble with etch spots with hydrogen peroxide or bleach and then repolish.  From the sound of it yours may be more severely damaged.  I would try both on a small spot and see how it goes.

If your marble is actually corroded then you will have to polish until you hit uncorroded marble.


Can I fix a possible gas leak on a valve for a hot water system myself with Thread Seal Tape? Is a leaking gas fitting something a non-professional should even attempt to fix?

Symptoms:
There is a slight off odor around the hot water system, after some experimentation of turning the gas off at the valve and waiting 30 minutes the smell disappears. Later opening up the valve again the smell returns.

It's a copper pipe with a tap valve.

Can I just use some Thread Seal Tape (plumbers tape)? After turning off the gas at the main.

I don't think it's as dire as all the comments are making it out to be. Some people are just afraid of gas, just like some people are afraid of anything involving electricity.  If you think it's just a loose coupling, you can turn the gas off, unscrew the coupling, apply pipe dope (not tape) and re-attach the coupling and turn the gas back on. If it still smells you aren't any worse off than before minus a few bucks for the can of pipe dope.


How to remove/cut off a steel post in concrete As part of some renovation work, I am taking apart a small enclosure on my driveway. Having removed the "walls", I'm left with seven (what look like) galvanised steel posts, embedded in the concrete surface of the driveway.

The posts are hollow, square in cross-section, with a width of about 4cm. They are embedded in concrete which stops about 1cm below the surface of the driveway.

Four of the posts are at the edges of the driveway, where they have a low wooden wall to one side, while the remaining three are in the middle.

In the right-hand photo the concrete around the base of the post is wet, as I used a power washer to clean away the dirt that had become embedded in the gap between the post and the concrete hole.

Can anyone suggest the best way for me to remove or cut them off (below the surface of the driveway)?

Very interested in any answers that include explanatory/illustrative diagrams!

In the end I hired someone to do the work, and was glad that I did.
In order to remove the posts they used:

A reciprocating saw to cut the posts off
An angle grinder to cut more of the posts off
A powered chisel thing to get rid of some of the concrete that was inside the posts
A hammer and lots of effort to fold the remaining parts of the posts down

Here's an image of the aftermath, for one of the posts. (the secondary circle cut in the concrete was there already, and not part of the removal works)


Laying ceramic or porcelain tile over concrete covered with very thin black mastic With a 4" razor scrapper I have removed all but a very thin transparent layer of the black mastic. It is very smooth and there is no rough or poroused concrete exposed. Will thinset stick to the floor without first using some type of primer to help the thinset stick? If so what's it called and is there a better type of thinset to use?

Yes there are. Read the back of the bags of thinset, you will find their list of accepted substrate to go over.

Yours will be "asphalt cutback"

It sounds as if you have it scraped down far enough

Here is the online pdf of the floor prep you need. It is on the second page


can i use a sheet of 26ga aluminium instead of a 1/16" steel plate? I'm in the process of finishing my basement (it has taken 1.5 years so far, and is still progressing). I'm working on roughing-in the electrical at the moment.

Against the 2x4 studs, I installed deep j-boxes (this product) instead of the smaller ones, primarily to give me more space when messing around with 12ga wires.

The city electrical inspector wanted me to protect the wires going into these boxes (and possibly, the boxes themselves) from stray nails, etc. The problem is that I can't seem to find 1/16" steel plates that are wide enough to span the gap between two studs. I could possibly use the 3" or so wide nail plates, with a line of these installed onto a furring strip or similar, but that would still leave small spaces for an errant nail or screw to slip into.

I bought a sheet of aluminum (this product), and am planning on cutting this into long strips, possibly doubling it over, and screwing it into the studs to protect the entire length of wire and back of each box.

Is this feasible? OK per NEC? Am I giving the inspector another reason to deny approval of my electrical rough-in?

The Code specifically indicates clearance from the edge of a framing member. It makes no mention of clearance between studs.

From the NEC:

  300.4 (A)(1) Bored Holes. In both exposed and concealed locations, where a cable or raceway-type wiring method is installed through bored holes in joists, rafters, or wood members, holes shall be bored so that the edge of the hole is not less than 32 mm (11⁄4 in.) from the nearest edge of the wood member. Where this distance cannot be maintained, the cable or raceway shall be protected from penetration by screws or nails by a steel plate(s) or bushing(s), at least 1.6 mm (1⁄16 in.) thick, and of appropriate length and width installed to cover the area of the wiring.

Ask the inspector to cite the specific section of the Code that he is using to require you to do this.

If they are going to require it they need to cite it.

Good luck!


Adding a ground wire to old 2 wire wiring before extending to grounded wiring. I am remodeling a house and the partially unfinished attic has old ungrounded, 2 wire wiring.  There are 2 circuits.  There is a finished bedroom with one circuit on 3 walls, and a second on the 4th wall. The 2nd circuit extends out into a hallway area and then stops.  I want to extend that wiring into the other side of the attic to make another bedroom and I want it grounded.  I already fished a ground wire from the fuse box up to the end of the line on the 2nd circuit. (I cannot get it to the beginning of the line as there is a chimney and shed roof and a whole bunch of ugly over there).

My question is multipart.  Can I start the ground there, or do I have to go back and ground the previous outlets on the circuit ?  (it is wood paneling, not drywall in the room, so I could take it off, albeit a big pain in the arse)  And can I try to use the same ground on the outlets of the first circuit? Do they have to be in a specific order?  Can I extend multiple grounds from one junction box?  I know I can use a GFCI at the beginning of the first circuit. But as I understand it, I cannot use them before the ground wire on the second.

Sorry, this question sounds about as confused as I am right now.  Believe it or not, I rewired 2 houses.  But I gutted them to the studs, so it was easy.  And I passed inspections.

You are asking about the rules for ground retrofit, which were greatly eased in 2014.  We discuss that here and there on the site.

To answer your questions,

You can start the ground any old place.  There's no requirement that the ground parallel the supply conductors.

Grounds for one circuit can be extended to protect another circuit, provided both circuits come out of the same service panel.  That's only an issue if your house has subpanels.  The only restriction is that the ground wire must be large enough for the circuit all the way home.   So for instance if you are retrofitting a 12 AWG circuit, you can bring it to the water heater and its 10AWG ground wire.  Then you can retrofit a #14 circuit and bring it to the #12.  The reverse is not allowed, a #14 ground wire can't be part of the grounding path for a #12 circuit.

Order does not matter, do it any which way you can.  Several circuits can share ground:  Remember, grounds never flow current except during a ground fault.

GFCI protection has absolutely nothing to do with the grounds.  GFCI's don't use ground at all, and have no access to ground.  (Well, GFCI receptacles do, but only to supply the ground pin on the sockets; the GFCI device doesn't even connect to ground.) There shouldn't be any neutral-ground connections on the downline wiring; that would be the very definition of a ground fault.

That means that GFCI protection and ground retrofits are orthogonal; they have nothing to do with each other and can be done independently of each other.


24" OC Interior Wall Framing for UDC I am framing my basement tomorrow and I'm thinking of using 24" OC for my interior non-load bearing walls.  I plan on using 2 sheets of 5/8" sheet rock with a noise dampening compound.

Is 24 OC legal or within the bounds of the UDC (universal dwelling code)?

It may be difficult to get 2x4's to look good at 24" centers but if you hand-pick the studs you may get an acceptable result.

I don't think there are any codes for non-load-bearing walls. You get to do whatever you want.

Good luck!


What would happen if I used a 3 speed fan control with a 4 speed fan? I have a 4-speed Hampton Bay ceiling fan. I want to use a wireless remote control.  I can only find wireless remote control kits that offer 3-speed settings.  If I use a 3-speed wireless remote control kit, will I lose one of the speed settings? Which setting would I lose?  Can I make any adjustments?

Your 4-speed fan only has four speeds simply because of the remote that it comes with. The fan by itself can work with any controller, as long as the controller is rated to work with ceiling fans.

If you're able to connect your new wireless remote to the existing fan (with no electrical snafus), your fan will happily work with the 3 speeds your remote comes with. It's harder to determine which setting you'll lose, though your highest speed will probably be the same. Individual settings are determined by a controller, and these can vary.

I don't believe you can make adjustments, unless you're willing to open the controller up and experiment with it (not the wireless remote, but the actual controller that sits in your fan's housing).

Do keep in mind, however, that you don't want to use a stepless dimmer with a ceiling fan. That can bring about a whole lot of humming (and more importantly, reduced life for your fan motor).


Best Removable Glue for Gluing Metal Towel Bar to Stone I rent an apartment where half of the walls of my bathroom are made out of a beautifully finished granite.

This looks nice, but when it comes to hanging my chrome-plated towel bar, there have been some issues.

I do not want to drill into the granite, since I will want to cleanly remove the towel bar when I move out.
I think that gluing the towel bar onto the stone is my best option.
I have tried several glues in the past, but none have worked out well so far.
Gorilla glue is strong but is difficult to remove cleanly.
Silicone adhesives seem to work for awhile but the towel bar eventually falls off.

What is the best adhesive to glue chrome-plated metal to finished granite to bear the load of two wet towels yet still allow me to remove it cleanly when I move?

You can use 3M Command Strips. You just need the strips themselves, and not the hook. Attach one side to the bracket and the other to the granite. When you move out, just pull down on the strip to remove.

Depending on the size, some of the strip may be visible. You may be able to trim it to size though.


How can I repair crumbling bathroom tile grout? The grout on my floor in the ensuite has started to crumble, Dose anyone know the best product for repairing the damaged patches. I don't want to pull it all up and re-tile.

Clean the surface that needs grout change then using a grout saw, remove the existing crumbly grout. Vacuum the debris to make sure everything is clean before adding the new grout. Prepare your grout mixture (best option for bathroom floor is SnapStone Urethane Flexible Grout) Using a margin float, apply grout on the floor. You want to make sure the gaps are being covered by pushing the grout mix in using a rubber grout float. Let the joints settle and dry before wiping it with a damp sponge. If you see any haze on your floor, just buff it off with a wet towel/cloth.


Should a stove flue be grounded for lightning protection? I have a freestanding wood burning stove that has a metal flue straight up through to the roof.  The existing stone chimney with aerials is taller than the new flue (see pic).

Should there be an earthing system in place for the flue - more specifically to mitigate potential effects of a lightning strike?

A lightning protection system is a building wide system.

You don't just protect things individually.

The ridgeline of your house would get air terminals and then if the antenna and chimney are within the "zone of influence" (lightning protection term) they would be bonded to the system.

If your house is less than 50' tall and you are not in an extremely high strike area (central Florida), I wouldn't bother. Usually very tall barns are the only residential buildings that get lightning protection.

Good luck!


Can I install sheet vinyl over ceramic tile without adhesive? I live in a rented flat, so can't make substantial changes but have very ugly ceramic floor tiles which I would like to cover with some funky vinyl flooring. Is it possible to do this without glue so it can be removed when I move? Please advise.

I have seen vinyl floors where the glue was put down unevenly (sparingly in some areas), and by comparison the areas without enough glue were visibly damaged on top from wear. So, I think that (for whatever reason) vinyl floors which are not (well) attached have a shorter lifespan.

However, you might want to look into floating vinyl floors (here's a random link for a floating vinyl floor vendor). Perhaps it would help to lay some carpet padding on the underside, so that it doesn't slide and protects the original floor.

Now, I have often seen vinyl floors that are made to look like tile, stone, or wood, but they are always reaching for a conservative aesthetic. If you already have a sheet of vinyl that you like, then you are sort of forced to install it properly or be willing to sacrifice it to a learning experience.

But I have always wondered if you could create vinyl panels from say, 3/4" plywood. Basically the idea would be to cover the top with the vinyl and the bottom with say, foam rubber or carpet padding, and then just lay the panels down and cover the seams with trim. Unfortunately, I've never had enough money to warrant an experimental floor, so I can't really recommend it; but if you try it, let us know how well it works, any tips or hiccups, and after a while- how long it lasts.


HVAC leaking cold air at unit: seal with tape? I was in my crawlspace today and noticed that there was cold air leaking from a grouping of three round openings in my unit (pictured in the middle of the photo below). The outer two holes had rubber gaskets that I was able to adjust in order to stem the flow of air but the large black pipe in the middle had no gasket. While our home is cooling well at the moment, I am wondering if this is a problem I should have an HVAC repair person come look at, or if I can/should just seal these with HVAC tape myself.

Any advice here would be much appreciated; thanks!

A little bit of duct seal, will plug that hole right up.

(source: idealind.com)

Grab a bit off the brick, and roll it into a snake (like you used to do with play-doh). Wrap it around the pipe, while pushing it into the hole.


How do I transition from sheet vinyl to bare concrete? I'm laying sheet vinyl directly over concrete in a basement bathroom. The rest of the basement is bare concrete. Do I just glue down the edge really well where the vinyl ends? I found an "Armstrong 1/8" VCT to Nothing Reducer VT525" online. it looks like this would just be glued down to the concrete right next to the end of the vinyl. Is that the right transition for this application? Lowes has a similar looking "FLEXCO Reducer 1-in x 36-in Cappuccino Vinyl Reducers Floor Transition Strip" Thanks.

Floor transition trims (or strips) are usually glued. I would avoid an anchor, because in this case it's not really a transition (it's just vinyl on concrete, so it's less than 1mm) and the anchor head (no matter how flat) will not be flush; it'll look bad, and could lead to tripping.

The thing is that the smallets trims expect some height difference. Perhaps you can use a carpet trim, that's fastened with nails (and is flatter).


Can stainless steel or galvinized screws be used indoors on non-pressure treated wood? I assume yes and there is no harm or downside, besides these screws being more expensive than non-coated screws.

Stainless steel is more brittle than the steel commonly used for screws. In some cases I have twisted off long ss screws. This may be a critical deficiency in some applications.

I use stainless steel exclusively for installing grab bars in showers. These are ss screws which come with the bars. In dry situations I use whatever I have except never drywall screws.

I once tried to use long ss screws to secure an owl box to the trunk of an oak tree and I twisted off the screws. I then used deck screws with no problem.

BoltDepot

  Stainless steel is an alloy of low carbon steel and chromium for
  enhanced corrosion characteristics. Stainless steel is highly
  corrosion resistant for the price. Because the anti-corrosive
  properties are inherent to the metal, it will not lose this resistance
  if scratched during installation or use.

  It is a common misconception that stainless steel is stronger than
  regular steel. In fact, due to their low carbon content, many
  stainless steel alloys cannot be hardened through heat treatment.
  Therefore, when compared to regular steel, the stainless alloys used
  in bolts are slightly stronger than an un-hardened (grade 2) steel but
  significantly weaker than hardened steel fasteners. Unless great care
  is taken, stainless fasteners are susceptible to seizing up during
  installation, a phenomenon known as galling.

  Most stainless steel fasteners are much less magnetic than regular
  steel fasteners though some grades will be slightly magnetic.


How can I bypass this switch? I know this might be a really stupid question, but how would I connect these wires if I wanted to bypass the switch?

The black wires are already connected together.   Connect in the red wire to this also, and the switch will be bypassed.

Remember you must put a junction box cover over the hole, you cannot bury it in plaster or otherwise make the cover inaccessible.


Change direction between trap and vent By code, I have 8 feet distance from a 2 inches trap to vent. These 8 feet must be straight?

Can I change direction sideways or horizontal (sloped) to vertical and then horizontal again?

Depends on the jurisdiction.  In most places 8 feet is too far from trap to vent.  Better would be to route vent and waste lines from the trap separately.  You can use turns and what not as needed in those lines as long as slope is maintained.


Is my hot water circulation pump plumbed correctly? Read some related questions here but none of them seemed to address my exact problem:

Bought a house this year that has the water heater in a closet near all the bathrooms.  The only long run goes to the kitchen sink/dishwasher, where it will take 2+ minutes to get hot water, much to the wife's annoyance.

Investigated and found a circulation pump (Grundfos up 15-42f) in the crawlspace with a setup very similar to the picture below.

I'll skip the stories of the pump being clogged, burning out, dealing with home warranty, etc but go right to my questions:

What improvements can we make to the system?  Right now the pump is either continuously on or off, only controlled by a switch annoyingly located in the crawlspace.  My hopeful improvements would be:

Move the switch into the closet with the water heater (luckily the pump and switch are located right under where the heater is).
Add a timer so that it turns off at night (wife works from home so uses hot water throughout the day)
Add isolation valves before and after the pump so that I can isolate it for repairs, etc.
Get a pump that has either a demand sensor or a temp sensor, or both.

When the pump is off (such as at night or right now when it's broken), will the cold water supply feed back through the pump (ignoring the shown arrows)?  I expect it does because when I went to drain the water heater and closed the cold valve right on the heater, water would still go into it - feeding from the cold street supply all the way backwards through the hot line (I think).  I had to shut off water to the whole house at the street to get it drained.

Would this partly explain why it takes so long for the kitchen to get hot water?  It's pulling water both from the water heater and from the cold supply?
Would this cause problems for the pump?
Should we install another check valve between the pump and the cold supply line?

Thanks for the help.

To awnser your first question I would advise checking your local plumbing and electrical code before relocating the switch as it may be required to be within sight of the pump (this is so a service tech can easily see that the powers is off and no one has turned it on when they weren't looking) Instead you could add another switch in series and locate that beside the heater.

Isolation valves are always a good idea (as you said for future service work)

Instead of getting a pump with a thermostat built into it you could buy a clip-on aquastat and mount that on the copper piping in the kitchen and run a cable back to the pump as it may be cheaper. And then there will be no need for a timer.

For your second question there should (hopefully) already be a check valve after the pump but before the tee fitting

This is to prevent the cold water going back through the pump (one this will make your hot water cold as you said and two it can spin the impeller backwards and damage the motor). If there is one it might be worn down and have failed in which case you will need to replace it. If there isn't one then you might want to add one.


Accidentally removed part of rubber strip between bathtub and glass while replacing silicone caulk I've had moldy, leaky silicone in my shower for a while, and decided it's time to replace it. But I got over-eager in pulling it out and got a chunk of an also-moldy rubber seal/spacer/gasket that's between the tub and the metal frame. There's a picture below. Right now, I'm trying to figure out three things:

What's it called, anyway?
Should I worry about the fact that I took out a chunk of it, or just reapply silicone over the space (and maybe try to fill the space with silicone)?
It's pretty moldy — can it be removed or replaced without taking the glass side off?

Any thoughts that help me avoid setting myself up for future leaks would be super helpful.

It is moldy and your best bet would be to remove the glass and re-install it as if it were new. Remove all the caulk, rubber seal and clean the bottom and sides of the glass frame. Scrape all surfaces with a single edge blade to remove any film and then clean with vinegar to kill off any remaining mold. Let the surfaces totally dry. Put a bead of quality silicone caulk on the tub and wall surfaces where the glass frame will sit. Mount the glass/doors and then caulk the entire inside of the tub, tub to glass, tub to wall and wall to glass Also caulk the miter joints on the frame. Wait a day and then caulk the entire outside of the tub.

If you can't remove the glass, do everything else and try to clean under the frame as good as possible. Scrape, clean, dry and caulk like above. Good luck.


30 amp dryer plug is hooked to a 40 amp double breaker, is this ok? I just bought a home and needed to buy a new washer and dryer. The new dryers need a 30 amp plug, currently has 50 amp plug. I replaced the plug but noticed it was ran to a double pull 40 breaker, is this ok or do I need to replace breaker?

The breaker is primarily in place to protect the wiring. So first thing you should evaluate is the size (gauge) of wiring on this circuit. For a summary of normal copper wire usage:

Breaker 50A Wire Size 6 AWG
Breaker 40A Wire Size 8 AWG
Breaker 30A Wire Size 10 AWG
Breaker 20A Wire Size 12 AWG

It is also recommended practice on dedicated circuits like this (circuit breaker via single branch wire run to single outlet) that the outlet be also sized to the wire and breaker.

Now with that said there is no real problem with changing your outlet to a 30A style and changing the breaker to a 30A two pole breaker as long as the wire is 10AWG or larger size. There would be a strong recommendation that you make sure to use a 4-prong type 30A outlet, as opposed to the 3-prong type, so that you get the safety ground connection all the way to the appliance.


How to attach eye hooks to glass fish tank to support a lightweight light fixture? I have a 30" fishtank that, due to the filter setup, requires a light bar that doesn't stretch the entire tank. I have a wooden dowel that fits well inside two eye hooks; the dowel will serve as the support for one side of the light while the other will rest on the tank edge. How can I connect the eye hook to the tank? I'm thinking there must be a type of clamp that allows an eye hook to screw in, but have not found one.

Take a piece of wood and cut a notch in it the width of the tank edge. Then screw the eye hook into it and you can then sit this on the edge.


Insufficient airflow to front bedroom I have a Bryant CNPV3017ALAAAAA furnace. There is a 28' duct run to a front bedroom that does not provide sufficient airflow in either heat or much more noticeably in cooling mode.
On the furnace board the blue wire is on heat and the grey wire is on cool.
Could I switch the blue wire to the orange wire to provide more heated airflow during the heating season and switch the grey wire to the black wire on the cool terminal during the cooling season?
Or could anyone recommend an inline duct boost fan.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Raising fan speeds during heating season can be counter productive.  Shutting vents off does not mean more air will flow as we desire.  In most instance power consumption increases.  The best option is to increase duct size for a significate portion of the run if the duct was properly sized to begin with. Duct runs should never run over 25 feet remaining the same size.  Duct runs generally should be limited to no more than 20 linear feet. A 100 square foot room generally will need a 6" duct.


Is there a temporary solution to alleviate wet carpet stench in the basement? Yesterday I discovered that part of the carpet in the basement is soggy and there's a sewage-like stench. I've contacted both the water damage restoration company and the insurance company to evaluate the situation. The restoration company said it's likely a backed up drain underneath the carpet and that they will come Monday to remove, dry, and replace the carpet; They did suggest I contact a plumber first to check on the clog.

I'm not asking about what needs to be done to deal with the wet carpet/smell, since that will be handled by the restoration company. I'm asking if there's something I can do before Monday as a temporary measure before the smell and bacteria/mold gets worse?

Edit: I'm considering of throwing some drying agent like kitty litter or something and then run vacuum and carpet cleaner over the area as a stop-gap measure. Would this be advisable?

For the curious, it doesn't appear to be a foundation leak or sump pump overflow because all areas around the wall and sump pump are dry. The wet spots appear towards the middle of the basement away from the walls.

Most critical to removing the smell is to dry the carpet quickly.  I dealt with a flooded basement last fall and had good luck with the following.

Close off any a/c intake vents in the basement to keep from sucking mold & mildew into the rest of the house.
Use a wet/ dry shop vac or carpet cleaner to vacuum out as much water as possible. If you go slow you can suck it almost completely dry.
Place several fans to circulate air around the room and directly over the wet spot.
If you can, arrange fans to circulate fresh outside air in and wet stale air out of the basement.
The faster you can dry everything, the less smell you'll have.
The restoration company may need to run fans and dehumidifiers for a few days, then spray a fungicide to prevent future growth.


Some tile grout residue has ended up in my kitchen sink and dishwasher. How can I safely remove it? Some tile grout residue has ended up in my kitchen sink and dishwasher. How can I safely remove it? It is making all the wire baskets almost impossible to move along their runners. I am also wondering if the grout will be effecting the inside workings of the dishwasher. My sink plug hole is now grainy and it's difficult to get the plug to go in smoothly. Both are only two years old.

Wipe them off.  Grout will not stick to anything any better than cream of wheat.  You may need some cleaners (appropriate for the material you are cleaning), and brushes (maybe wire brushes or SOS pads) but it generally will become brittle once dried out and pop off.


1 Hot Wire. 2 Breakers. 2 Circuits I have a duplex outlet that appears to wired in series. The outlet appears to have 12/2 in and 12/2 out. My hot wire from the breaker box remains hot unless I have 2 different breakers off. I am getting 124V at the outlet. My voltage remains the same with both breakers, just breaker 1, or breaker 2. I have AF / GF breakers and I am not getting a fault code on either breaker.

I am using AF/GR breakers because there is no ground wire (I have an old home) and because the wires are <5.5 I am installing TR outlets. The plates are marked appropriately.

When I disconnect the opposite set of wires, I loose power to my outlets. This is regardless of what combination of breaker is on.

There is only one hot wire (when the outlet is disconnected) in the box. The other black wire does not have power. My neutrals also do not have power.

Do you know why this is occurring? What would you do if you were in my shoes?

After going through 20+ outlets, switches, and lights I finally found the issue. Big thank you to everyone for their words of advice. 2 black wires and "common" were incorrectly wired from a switch to a light. Basically they ran a black and white wire to the switch making the common hot (of course the white wire wasn't marked with tape) Then they tied 2 black wires together with that common at the light. I completely removed that entire rats nest of confusion and ran new wires for that portion of the circuit. My entire circuit is now GF/AF protected, free of hot neutrals, TR outlets, and most importantly only works off of 1 breaker.


How can I fill and flatten unneeded hinge mortices for painting? I have removed a bathroom door and installed a sliding barn door on the other side of the wall.  The door frame in the bathroom now has the open sores of where the three hinges came off.  The house was built in 2004 and all the door frames are mdf/cardboard.  The door frame is painted with high-gloss paint.  What's the best way to fill this in to protect it from moisture and smooth it over?

If your doorframes are MDF any patching is going to be visible to some degree. I would try filling it (with slight overfill) with wood putty and sanding it as smooth as you can using finer grit (220) for the finish. It all depends how particular you are - it's very difficult to get a perfect mend on this.
The only other option is replacing that side of the frame which would take considerable time and effort since it's structural to the door. In case you or a future homeowner wants to put a door back in you need to make sure it's attached properly and shimmed.


What is common practice when doing electrical rough-in for recessed lights in a drop ceiling and walls are not yet finished? I am installing a drop ceiling with pot lights as part of remodeling a portion of my basement. Since I am refinishing the entire room (newly framed walls), it seems like I have a catch 22:

I need to get the electrical rough-in done before I put up drywall (including the wiring to the pot lighting fixtures in the drop-ceiling)
However, I have always seen drop ceilings installed after the drywall is up, which means I cannot mount the pot lights in the ceiling/wire for them unless I mount the grid (or some portion of it) for the drop ceiling first.

Can I wire up a portion of the grid for the suspended ceiling before drywalling and leave gaps around the edges slightly bigger (~1/8" - e.g. 3/4" gap for 5/8" cement board) than required to insert drywall, or is this a ludicrous suggestion?

Or, is the wiring for pot lights in this situation typically addressed as part of the final inspection? I was not planning on having any additional junction boxes between the panel and the pot lights (all splices to supply multiple lights are supposed to just be inside of the boxes on the pot lights per my submitted plans). Since a portion of the wire run from the breaker panel to the pot lights will be concealed by dry wall for another room (I am finishing the other room at the same time under the same permit) which means the cable would be run from the panel and dangling near where the pot light will eventually be mounted for the rough-in inspection in this case.

I plan on calling my inspector to see what is acceptable, but what is typical practice in this situation?

Just leave a tail hanging at the location of the first light can. Tape the cleanly-cut end (in case someone does something stupid at the panel) and let the inspector know what's up. Everything after that can be addressed at final inspection.

The same situation (and solution) applies for bathroom vanities and other fixture-only (no box) lighting.


LED vs. CFL Bulbs on Modified Sine Wave Inverter I have been installing solar electric lighting systems in schools in Haiti for several years now using CFLs.

I have been thinking about installing LED bulbs instead.  I am using a DC to AC modified sine wave inverter at 60 Hz, 120 volt, 1750 watts.  Will the LEDs work as well as the CFLs do now?

It will work better - you don't even need the inverter, run the LEDs directly from the DC, they will like it much better than AC, and you will save power.

If you do choose to use AC you will have to convert it back to DC before the LED can use it, which commercial LEDs do automatically as part of the package.

I would suggest you don't use commercial LED's with an Edison base bulb, instead get special purpose LED's that run directly on DC. They are cheaper and simpler.

Does the DC voltage vary? That might complicate things.


AFCI Compliance with Multiple First Outlets on [Multiwire] Branch Circuit I've pulled a MWBC into the crawlspace of my house, with one phase supplying outdoor GFCI receptacles and the other phase supplying nothing so far. The conductors are enclosed in a combination of all-metal conduit, MC cable, and metal junction boxes throughout.
I am thinking of using the unused phase to supply would-be new receptacles in bedrooms. This would be MC cable to metal boxes. For reasons of geometry and convenience, I'd like to split the unused phase at the junction box shown in the drawing below, with one leg running to Bedroom 1 and one leg running to Bedroom 2. This is a grossly simplified drawing; the bedrooms are not next to each other.
The question is whether installing a listed AFCI receptacle at the first outlet of each split in the branch as drawn is sufficient to meet 210.12(A)(5). Where I get tripped up is in the reading of "first outlet", as I have multiple first outlets in my plan.

210.12(A)(5) If [...] Type MC cable [...] , with metal boxes, metal conduit bodies, and metal enclosures are installed for the portion of the branch circuit between the branch-circuit overcurrent device and the first outlet, it shall be permitted to install a listed outlet branch-circuit-type AFCI at the first outlet to provide protection for the remaining portion of the branch circuit

I anticipate the community recommending the installation of an AFCI breaker, and in my panel this is possible as GE AFCI breakers can support MWBC's. However I'm nevertheless interested in an answer/solution in the context of 210.12(A)(5) specifically.
Thank you!

Ground wire isn't shown above, but it's there.
edit: misspelled a word
edit2: updated picture to show junction box inside crawlspace opposite exterior GFCI receptacle

"First Outlet" is pretty clear.
You would need to blow that out to a 2-gang junction box, and put a GFCI+AFCI+receptacle combo receptacle on the black wire, and an AFCI on the red wire.
It could be an AFCI receptacle if GFCI protection is not needed there, otherwise it would need to be another GFCI+AFCI+receptacle combo device, or an AFCI deadfront.
... and this is why MWBCs aren't worth it anymore.
MWBCs used to be a nifty way to save some pennies.  But we sure aren't saving pennies here, are we?
AFCI and GFCI requirements basically ruined MWBCs.  It's time to stop using them.
I only use MWBCs when I need 5-8 circuits in a 3/4" conduit that I can't afford to lay another pipe alongside of.


Possible causes for sound of water running through house pipes when water is off? We recently moved back into our beach house after hurricane Sandy. During the storm repair the lower level was rebuilt including moving a bathroom and moving the house valve (only a few feet).  We always now hear the sound of water running through pipes (a whooshing sound)even though no water is running. Here is the strange part.  When I shut the house walve ( this  is inside the house where the water line enters the house which is in the wall behind a panel)the pitch of the sound changes slightly but it does not go away. One would think if there was a leak after the valve the sound would stop.  In addition when we run water in the house we hear the usual sound of water running in the pipes layered on top of the first sound.  The pitch of the first sound does not change. The plumber is stumped as am I.  When could possible cause this?  It's pretty annoying.

I suspect the sound is from the drain pipes, and comes from a leaky toilet, beacause that's the most common thing that has a stored reservoir of water to keep leaking after you shut off the main valve.

You might try leaving the main water valve shut off for several hours. If the sound eventually stops, go around and look in your toilets to see if any are now empty in the top tank (without you flushing) - or speed the process up and flush all the toilets after shutting off the main water valve and see if the sound then goes away shortly after that.

If you'd like to check on @Tester101's theory, try shutting off the main electric breaker and see if the sound stops or not.


Why do fire extinguishers lose pressure over time? We have a lot of fire extinguishers we're using in our company, and I'm wondering why fire extinguishers become depressurized even they're not being used, just on standby. I want to know why it's happening and what are the common reasons? What can I do to avoid depressurization?

No man-made container will ever be 100% leak proof over time. Even a Mylar balloon (the more expensive fancy ones) will lose it's helium over time and no longer stay afloat. Most fire extinguishers are charged with nitrogen under pressure as their propellant. Nitrogen is an extremely small molecule and given enough time will slowly seep or leek out of the fire extinguisher.

Changes in temperature and barometric pressure would be the culprits making this loss faster over time. Keeping them out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources may help prolong the amount of time until they need to be recharged. However, keep in mind there may be laws or regulations governing where a fire extinguisher should be located.

This is one Example

My father and uncle worked for years installing fire and security systems. Along with a schedule for systematically checking smoke detectors, you should include checking the charge on your fire extinguishers.


How do I repaint furniture? I've purchased this cabinet recently and would like to know if there is a way to paint it white?
It is described as:

Frame Material: Hardwood
Wood Finish: Painted
Finish: Painted

(source: targetimg1.com)

Remove the doors and all hardware, if you can remove the glass that is even better; if not just mask the glass.  Take a fine grit sandpaper like 320 and sand everything that is black to scuff up the finish (you don't want to paint on a finish).  Get a few cans of white spray paint in whatever finish you want and start spaying.  In multiple light coats allowing time to dry between coats and in a well ventilated area.  Most paints nowadays spays included shouldn't need a primer.


Best method for fixing chips in laminate flooring I'm looking for recommendations or techniques to repair some chips on our "homeowner" installed laminate. We have several spots where the tapping block did some damage - we were limited on the boxes of product so we just have to live with our woopses. Any help or recommendations are welcome and appreciated.

The boards near the wall should be replaced before you install trim, if possible. No repair will completely hide the damage.
Most manufacturers provide a means of replacing interior boards. Consider that for a professional result.
Otherwise, the boards in the field could be touched up with some enamel paint. You'll have to experiment with a base color and accent/grain colors. A matte varnish (urethane) might help match sheen, which is a big part of the challenge.


Did a pressure spike cause this valve body to crack in half? So I'm down in the basement last night and hear water running. Turns out I've got water spraying out from a pipe located above the water heater. The water was jetting out from a valve I installed  4 years ago when I installed the thermal expansion tank. There was a significant amount of water and I had to turn off the main water to the house to stop the flow. The clean-up and drying-out is ongoing.

My question for you is about the cause. In the pictures you can see the shark-bite valve and that the failure is along one of the cast lines of the brass case. I'm not sure how this is possible unless the brass casting was defective.... or there are other contributing factors.

Since there is no water charging the thermal expansion tank, I measured the pre-charge pressure and it's only 5 psi. This suggests that the internal bladder has failed (I think), though there is no water coming from the air stem. If the bladder failed, then the plumbing system is logically getting an overpressure. Could this overpressure cause the valve to fail? (I think this is the likely scenario, but I also don't think the valve should have failed at all even with the overpressure. Just sayin.)

How reasonable is it for the thermal expansion tank to fail in just four years? That also seems rather short term. I don't want to be replacing the tank every three years to prevent this.

As an interesting side note, the main pressure reduction valve was replaced (by a plumber) just last year and the overall house pressure was running at about 60 psi.

Any guidance or ideas you might have are definitely appreciated.

It broke because of the weight of the expansion tank. Only 5 psi on bladder side means it was full of water and very heavy. You need to support your expansion tank. Pre charge should match static pressure. The pressure does not increase or get higher without expansion tank so "overpressure" is not the cause of the problem. Expansion tanks Don't make pressure. They slow its action. Pressure increases slower and decreases slower. A fully filled expansion tank with little pressure on bladder side can like weight 50 pounds.


What is the proper way to bring this wire up to code and add an outlet? The previous owner ran this line out of the house. It's obviously not up to code, and I disconnected both ends last fall.  I would like to retrofit a 2 gang gfci outlet below where the wire exits the wall, using the  existing cable run.

Is there an code issue having an outlet so close to the hose bib?

What would be the correct way to enclose the wire between where it exits the house and the outlet box?

The correct answer is:  look up the code in your area.  In some parts of the USA you can't get insurance on your house unless a licenced electrician does the work  -- quite possibly with a construction permit!

If there is no code, then as a minimum I would:

1) get a hammer drill and make a proper sub-ground hole in the foundation large enough for a conduit (personally I'd use 3/4 PVC or similar).

0) Dig your trench and expose the foundation where you want to route the wiring.

2) install the conduit and pull the wiring - make sure the gauge is sufficient for your end needs.

3) seal the conduit where it goes thru the foundation using hydraulic cement.

(yes, you OCD-ers, I know I wrote them in the wrong order)


Is my closet load bearing? I want to remove the closets that are in the hallway off of my garage so I can install new cabinets for a mud-room. I want to make sure the closets are not load bearing before I remove. Here are some details:

From the garage you open the door and walk in, directly in front of you is the laundry room and if you turn right you are in the hallway that leads straight to a 1/2 bathroom and turning left in that hallway gets you to the kitchen. The right side of the hallway are 2 closets, with a dividing wall between them. From the garage wall, the closets are roughly 30" deep. The basement and attic above/below the closets have the joists run north-south. The closet divider and wall next to garage entry door run east-west. However, there are no supporting beams in the basement under these closet walls, and the closet walls don’t run the entire length of the attic.

The picture below shows the opening to the closet, this opening runs parallel with the joists above it, but the wall that makes a right angle with it is perpendicular.

So is it safe to remove the entire thing? According to all my Googling, the only thing that might make this load bearing is that this 30" wall run perpendicular to the attic joists, while only hitting 2 out of 10 joists in the attic. Other than that, it doesn't have any support under them in the basement.

Thanks!

No.  The front of your closets are not load bearing.  The back of them could be - probable.

Upon updates of the red Xs...

Left one (front) - no way in the world unless it is a metal beam (it isn't).

Right one (side of closet) - 99.9% chance no.   When you open it up you can double check by looking at header.


No C wire connection on old Goodman furnace I have read for hours, and tried figure this out myself, but I need help. I'm trying to connect the Blue C wire from the tstat, without a C terminal at the furnace.

From what I have read, it seems to me that I would connect the C wire from the thermostat, to one of the 3 BL wires coming from the 24v transformer. If that is correct, I am still not sure which of the 3 BL wires to use.

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

Yes, you'll connect to any of the blue wires coming from the transformer.

If there's an empty terminal on the transformer, connect there. If not, you might be able to use a piggyback spade connector.

Otherwise, connecting at the point of grounding would be the next easiest location.


How is this type of weather stripping replaced? This weather stripping is about 20 years old, and obviously it's no longer doing anything. It seems like it's stuck between those pieces of wood, but I can't tell if it's glued in, or if there are nails holding it in, or if it's just a compression fit. Can anyone identify how it was installed? If it's really in there, I was thinking I'd just cut it off and grab some adhesive based stripping to replace it.

Click any image for full size

I have seen this type of weather stripping many times on sliding doors.  There is a flange on the weather stripping that fits into the mill work.  It is a bit difficult to remove, and even harder to replace.  They sell the replacements at most box stores.  It is important to remove the flange from a small dido (gap) in the frame. Putting the new one in is tedious and often frustrating, but can be done. It is truly a poor design.  Take your time, use a little wood glue as lube and a way to keep it in place, or use a surface mounted replacement. I have had some  success with self adhesive  pillow type weather stripping.  I feel your pain!  lol.


How to remove nails from 6 x 8 lumber My townhouse has some outdoor stairs built out of 6" x 8" lumber (i.e., the first step is comprised of two pieces of lumber (with no "nosing")). A couple of the steps are rotten and I need to change the lumber. I have the lumber and the replacement 10" nails (spikes).  My question is, what is the best way to remove the old spikes? Someone suggested sawing off the head of the spikes, but they are driven in the lumber, so I am not sure how to do this. I have almost no tools (other than a hammer, drill, basic stuff -- though I suspect I will need to get at least a sledge hammer to drive in those spikes -- how big?), so simplest way possible please.

Use a prybar to lever up the treads about 1/8" and then use a Sawzall type reciprocating saw with a metal blade to cut the shank between the tread and the riser. Check to see if you can rent the reciprocting saw at a tool rental. The blades are readily available at any Hardware and Tool supply.

You won't be wanting to drive back into the same hole as the new spikes will have less grab in the wood anyway. Be sure to check the risers for rot.

Personally, I don't do spikes anymore, there are structural wood screws available that are a bit easier to install, can be removed and have better bite in the wood. Since you already have the spikes, Eastwing makes a nice 3-lb mason's hammer that would probably be better than trying to drive them with a 16oz framing hammer.

Structural Wood Screws will be installable by drill motor, though you might want a 1/2" corded drill with a little torque behind it. Consult the manufacturer as most are self-drilling, needing no pilot hole.

They will be either Hex drive or Torx and the manufacturer usually provides the bits for quality control so the heads don't get bunged up during installation. The items and manufacturers below are chosen because they are recommended for timber framing and available in 10" lengths:

FastenMaster TimberLok (top) and HeadLok (bottom):

GRK Fasteners RSS (top) and RSS LTF (bottom)

Simpson Strong-Tie SDWS (top) and SDWH (bottom)

All these manufacturers will provide installation information, strength tables and recommendations on use. Lots of Acrobat files to read if you're so inclined.


Why would my TV turn off/on when connected to a surge suppressor? I have a very strange problem which may or may not be the TV.

The TV is plugged in to a surge suppressor with the rest of my home theater. Satellite box is also plugged in to the suppressor, including the coaxial input/output, so my system "should" be completely isolated and protected from any spikes.

Here's the problem: I have two lamps plugged into two separate outlets in the room, which makes a total of three being used (including my home theater). When I touch one of the lamps, "sometimes" the TV will very briefly lose the picture for a second or so, then comes right back on. I cannot always recreate this, as sometimes it happens, sometimes not. I've also had it occur when getting up from my sofa. The TV is on a wooden stand, and the floor is carpeted. Is it possible I have "dirty power" running in the room? I took a look on Wikipedia, and read up a little on Power Conditioners. Should I invest in one, or is it likely something else? I'm no electrical engineer, so if anyone knows what may be the cause, I'd appreciate your input.

Every cable/satellite installer I've ever talked to says "Do Not connect the cable line to a surge suppressor." I'm not sure how exactly these devices are designed, but for some reason they tend to degrade, interrupt, and/or interfere with the signal. The first thing I would try in this situation, is to disconnect the cable from the surge suppressor and connect it using a simple coaxial cable connector.

NOTE: I am not a cable/satellite installer, I'm just some guy on the internet. I will not be held liable and/or responsible for any damage caused by my advice. Proceed at your own risk.


What lasts longer under the elements: polyester rope or galvanized wire? We live in the Caribbean, so we get tons sun, extremely hot days (at least 85F during these weeks), and lots of rain. We also live next to the ocean, so there's rust everywhere.

If I were to place a stretched piece of 1/4" galvanized wire and a stretched piece  of 3/8" polyester rope in my rooftop, which would last longer under these elements?

I understand the galvanized rope is stronger; my concern is the rust. Anything made out of iron will have signs of rust in two weeks.

Galvanized rope won't rust quickly at all the galvinization prevents rust from forming. Do you see any chain link fencing in your area it is similar but a larger wire size than the strands in 1/4 rope but this could provide an idea. Poly rope will break down from the UV light in sunlight it starts to "chalk" at first then the outer strands start breaking leaving sharp little wiskers. I hang electrical wires on galvanized rope all the time but would never use any kind of other rope as it won't last as long as the galvanized. Note if after you assemble your clamps you have scratched the wire you can use a Zink rich paint or a spray can of cold galvanizing spray paint on the hardware and it will outlast almost anything.


Is it possible to split electricity consumption of an appliance between apartments? Is it possible to split electricity consumption of a heavy-duty-home-appliance - like a washing machine, for ex. - between two distinct apartments (splitting usage costs)? Something like this...

Besides switching which outlet it's plugged into you can instead put a meter on the washing machine while it's permanently plugged into the grid of one of the floors and then have the owner of the other floor pay half the cost every so often.


How do I prepare the trim and casing around a new door for paint? I just installed a new exterior door.  I put the original, painted interior-side casing back on, but to make it line up properly I put some new, unpainted 1/4" trim strips (not sure what they're called exactly) between the door frame and the casing.

I need to repaint it all, but how do I prepare it?  There are seams between the strips that I'd like to hide, and some small (less than 1/4") gaps in places between the casing and the door frame.

Do I caulk the gaps?  Spackle them?  What about the seams where two pieces meet?

The strips you made and installed are called extension jambs.  We use them all the time to fit new windows and doors.  I usually sand and prime them before I install them, but if you have already installed the jambs and old trim, here are a couple of ways to finish them off.

Put a straight piece of blue painters tape down the wall adjacent to the door trims.
Sand the edges carefully so the jambs and trim are flush.
Clean off the dust and apply a bead of latex/acrylic painter's caulk.
Using a 1" putty knife, smooth the caulk to a nice flat layer against the jamb/trim.
Remove the tape immediately. Retouch the caulk gently if removing the tape leaves a ridge.
Let the caulk cure for 24 hours. Minor imperfections can be smoothed out with a sharp utility knife and a damp cloth. If there is some shrinkage in the larger gaps, add a little more caulk, smooth off with your putty knife, let cure.
Paint.

There are painter's caulk that will "fast dry" in an hour, that you may consider.  If you are unhappy with the final leveling of the caulk, you can also use a super thin layer of lightweight spackle (not standard vinyl spackle) applied with a putty knife over the caulk. This product dries in about 20 mins and can be lightly sanded or shaped with a damp cloth.


Ever Heard of 4/0 Lights? An electrician I recently got a bid from made a number of recommendations involving installing what he called "Four-Oh" lights.  I wasn't sure I was hearing him right, so had him spell it out.  He told me there are great fixtures which are labelled "4/0" and that, with LED bulbs in them, they would work well for some of the lighting projects we discussed.

So, while out at the home improvement centers for other things, I took a peek in the light fixture aisle to see these 4/0 lights, but I did not see anything labeled that way.  The Internet shows nothing, either.  Has anyone else heard of these, or have I been sent on a snipe hunt?

"4O light" or "4/O light" appears to be jargon for a light fixture that can be mounted in a 4/O octagonal junction box.


1/2" drywall over firewall in kitchen? I had recent water damage remediation done where a large portion of drywall was ripped out behind the fridge which has exposed a firewall, as well as an adjacent perpendicular wall and part of the ceiling above as well.

I'm not 100% sure but it seems as though it's 1/2" thick. Some parts it appears to be around 5/8". Should I stick with 1/2" drywall (moisture resistant as well?) for everything in this case? The unit above us that caused the damage has the same exact layout with the kitchen and fridge...

I have a length of leftover 1/2" drywall from another project and I was putting it up against the wall next to the portions that are cut-out, and it seems to fit the width. Of course, I don't have any 5/8" drywall to compare it to. I'm guessing the 5/8" would pop-out more.

The concern is if using 1/2" drywall over that firewall is not "up to code"

I doubt if it’s a fire wall that would require 5/8” gypsum board. The only place I can think that 5/8” Type-X (fire rated) gyp board is required is on the garage side of a common wall with an attached garage or  on the ceiling of 1-hour fire separation between units, or on a wall next to a furnace room or garbage room.

If any of the old gyp board is still around, you could look on the back and see if there are any fire ratings stamped on it. You could also look on the other side of the wall to see if a “Fire Rated” board is used on the other side of the wall.

There are “Fire Partitions “ required between units (or sleeping rooms), but that is for a building with 3 or more apartments and you could use 1/2” fire rated gyp board.

Remember, not all 1/2” or 5/8” gyp board is fire rated. If it’s a true fire wall (or fire partition) it must have a fire rated stamp on it and it needs to be applied on both sides of the wall, except between the garage and apartment.

There is a sound control rating required between units, but that does not require a fire rated board.