Is it OK to borrow a ground wire from a different circuit? I've got a circuit in the basement carrying a handful of outlets.  This circuit has no ground wire.  I want to add a couple of outlets and want them to be grounded.  I may even want gfci outlets on them in the future.  I have no reasonable way of getting a ground wire to the panel but I do have easy access to another circuit that does have a ground wire.  Is it acceptable to borrow or share a ground wire between circuits?  If not, why not?

Both circuits are 20A with 12 AWG wire.

Yes, in most jurisdictions.

NEC 2014

The 2014 version of NEC has made a change to 250.130(C), which now allows you to connect to the equipment grounding conductor of another branch circuit, as long as it originates from the same enclosure. The new text reads as follows:

  National Electrical Code 2014

  Article 250 - Grounding and Bonding

  VII. Methods of Equipment Grounding

  250.130 Equipment Grounding Conductor Connections. Equipment grounding conductor connections at the source of separately derived
  systems shall be made in accordance with 250.30(A)(1). Equipment
  grounding conductor connections at service equipment shall be made as
  indicated in 250.130(A) or (B). For replacement of non–grounding-type
  receptacles with grounding-type receptacles and for branch-circuit
  extensions only in existing installations that do not have an
  equipment grounding conductor in the branch circuit, connections shall
  be permitted as indicated in 250.130(C).

  (C) Nongrounding Receptacle Replacement or Branch Circuit Extensions. The equipment grounding conductor of a grounding-type
  receptacle or a branch-circuit extension shall be permitted to be
  connected to any of the following:
  (1) Any accessible point on the grounding electrode system as described in 250.50
  (2) Any accessible point on the grounding electrode conductor
  (3) The equipment grounding terminal bar within the enclosure where the branch circuit for the receptacle or branch circuit originates
  (4) To an equipment grounding conductor that is part of another branch circuit that originates from the enclosure where the branch circuit for the receptacle or branch circuit originates
  (5) For grounded systems, the grounded service conductor within the service equipment enclosure.
  (6) For ungrounded systems, the grounding terminal bar within the service equipment enclosure

So if your area has adopted NEC 2014, you can connect a grounding conductor to the grounding conductor from another branch circuit, as long as both circuits originate from the same panel.

NEC 2011

Depending on what code has been adopted in your area, you may not be able to borrow the grounding conductor from another circuit.

Here is what NEC 2011 has to say about replacing receptacles with no equipment ground.

  National Electrical Code 2011

  Article 250 - Grounding and Bonding

  VII. Methods of Equipment Grounding

  250.130 Equipment Grounding Conductor Connections. Equipment grounding conductor connections at the source of separately derived
  systems shall be made in accordance with 250.30(A)(1). Equipment
  grounding conductor connections at service equipment shall be made as
  indicated in 250.130(A) or (B). For replacement of non–grounding-type
  receptacles with grounding-type receptacles and for branch-circuit
  extensions only in existing installations that do not have an
  equipment grounding conductor in the branch circuit, connections shall
  be permitted as indicated in 250.130(C).

  (C) Nongrounding Receptacle Replacement or Branch Circuit Extensions. The equipment grounding conductor of a grounding-type
  receptacle or a branch-circuit extension shall be permitted to be
  connected to any of the following:
  (1) Any accessible point on the grounding electrode system as described in 250.50
  (2) Any accessible point on the grounding electrode conductor
  (3) The equipment grounding terminal bar within the enclosure where the branch circuit for the receptacle or branch circuit originates
  (4) For grounded systems, the grounded service conductor within the service equipment enclosure.
  (5) For ungrounded systems, the grounding terminal bar within the service equipment enclosure

Which means you can add a grounding conductor, but only at or before the service panel.

NOTE:
The grounding electrode system (of which the grounding electrode is a part), dose NOT include branch circuit equipment grounding conductors. The grounding electrode system is a collection of conductors used to connect the service equipment to earth, and is typically located at or near the service entrance only.

More from the NEC

  National Electrical Code 2011

  Article 406 - Receptacles, Cord Connectors, and Attachment Plugs (Caps)

  406.4 General Installation Requirements. Receptacle outlets shall be located in branch circuits in accordance with Part III of Article
  210. General installation requirements shall be in accordance with 406.4(A) through (F).

  (C) Methods of Grounding. The equipment grounding conductor contacts of receptacles and cord connectors shall be grounded by
  connection to the equipment grounding conductor of the circuit
  supplying the receptacle or cord connector.

  (D) Replacements. Replacement of receptacles shall comply with 406.4(D)(1) through (D)(6) as applicable. Arc-fault circuit-interrupter and ground-fault circuit-interrupter type receptacles shall be installed in a readily accessible location.

  (1) Grounding-Type Receptacles. Where a grounding means exists in the receptacle enclosure or an equipment grounding conductor is
  installed in accordance with 250.130(C), grounding-type receptacles
  shall be used and shall be connected to the equipment grounding
  conductor in accordance with 406.4(C) or 250.130(C).  \

  (2) Non–Grounding-Type Receptacles. Where attachment to an equipment grounding conductor does not exist in the receptacle
  enclosure, the installation shall comply with (D)(2)(a), (D)(2)(b), or
  (D)(2)(c).

  (a) A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be replaced with another non–grounding-type receptacle( s).

  (b) A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be replaced with a ground-fault circuit interrupter type of receptacle(s).
  These receptacles shall be marked “No Equipment Ground.” An equipment
  grounding conductor shall not be connected from the ground-fault
  circuit interrupter type receptacle to any outlet supplied from the
  ground-fault circuit-interrupter receptacle.

  (c) A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be replaced with a grounding-type receptacle(s) where supplied through a
  ground-fault circuit interrupter. Grounding-type receptacles supplied
  through the groundfault circuit interrupter shall be marked “GFCI
  Protected” and “No Equipment Ground.” An equipment grounding conductor
  shall not be connected between the grounding type receptacles.

  (3) Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters. Ground-fault circuit-interrupter protected receptacles shall be provided where
  replacements are made at receptacle outlets that are required to be so
  protected elsewhere in this Code.

  (4) Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection. Where a receptacle outlet is supplied by a branch circuit that requires arc-fault circuit interrupter protection as specified elsewhere in this Code, a replacement receptacle at this outlet shall be one of the following:
  (1) A listed outlet branch circuit type arc-fault circuit interrupter
  receptacle.
  (2) A receptacle protected by a listed outlet branch circuit
  type arc-fault circuit interrupter type receptacle.
  (3) A receptacle protected by a listed combination type
  arc-fault circuit interrupter type circuit breaker

  (5) Tamper-Resistant Receptacles. Listed tamper resistant receptacles shall be provided where replacements are made at receptacle outlets that are required to be tamper-resistant elsewhere in this Code.

  (6) Weather-Resistant Receptacles. Weather-resistant receptacles shall be provided where replacements are made at receptacle outlets that are required to be so protected elsewhere in this Code.

There's a good YouTube video, where Mike Holt explains the options for Replacing two-wire receptacles

Consult your local government and/or a licensed electrician, to determine which version of code is used in your area. Codes do change, and you'll always have to follow the code adopted in your area.


Fitting an ornate ceiling rose I've got to fit a ceiling rose. I'd assumed that the centre would be clear so that I could fit a ceiling rose hook for the chandelier. However, it's decorative all the way to the centre like this :

Any advice on how to attach the chandelier chain?

I think the usual idea is you cut out the size hole you require. There are multiple circular features you can follow when cutting at various sizes.


Difficulty in driving a nail through with a nail setter I've been pulling the carpet up and getting the nails out from where the carpet tack strips were nailed to original wood flooring, but about a half dozen are now headless. I watched several tutorials on how to get them out, but one of the nails broke and is now flush with the floor. The internet says to use a nail setter to punch the hole in and then fill it up. I bought a set and tried that, but the nail would not budge at ALL. I hit the nail setter as hard as I could. Any thoughts?

Drill out the nail with a drill bit and fill. Use a bit that is larger than the actual nail size to make it easier.


Door seal to stop spreading cooking odour Have reasonably good ventilation and smoke extractor in the kitchen. But still, food/cooking odour are spreading in adjacent rooms; possibly through a small gap between door and frame.

Can anyone suggest me any possible solutions to fix this issue?

Thanks in advance.

You'd essentially use the type of weather stripping commonly seen on exterior doors. Foam tape, rubber bead gaskets, brass compression strips, bottom sweeps, etc. Which you use is up to you.

I think you'll end up disappointed, though. If odor is escaping even with your exhaust fan running and creating negative pressure, something is moving it around. Sealing that door probably won't yield satisfactory results.


What would cause a circuit to become hot when a breaker is turned off? First thing, I"m not an electrician but have some electrical knowledge. I'm renting in a house and am trying to help the owner with some issues. This is an older house that has a combination of old knob and tube wiring and new wiring. There is a circuit that contains old wiring with only two lines. Sockets and lights on this circuit don't have power. When one of the breakers is tripped the outlets and lights start working and other lights and outlets on this breaker turn off. What could be causing this?

The circuits are “crossed” at one, or possibly more, points. Be very careful when sorting this out.

This is how people get killed by electricity as they think they have isolated something but it is still live.

The method to find it is to disconnect at each junction until the relevant part goes dead and label wires to work out what goes where.

Had a similar problem where a site had been wired with additions over 30 years and most was not labelled... the law changed and it all had to be identified. Relatively easy as it was between buildings, switch of a breaker and 15 seconds later the phone went : “we have no power.. oh, where are you?” That was that breaker labelled... Good fun, but we did not mention those power cuts were deliberate... :)


Distributed expansion gaps in solid hardwood flooring I am planning to install prefinished solid 3 1/4" wide by 3/4" thick ash hardwood in my home using 2" cleats. I live in Canada, so the average indoor humidity difference between winter and summer is quite high, maybe 50%. I don't use air-con in the summer. It is early December now, so I expect each board to expand in width by approximately .01" between now and summer.

Is there any reason why I should not put small gaps of .01" between each board (using a removable shim) as I nail them down? I still plan to leave a 1/2" gap around the entire room, just in case.

I ask this because I don't understand how a tightly-fitted floor is supposed to expand at all. What happens to the nails  around the periphery if the whole floor moves by a good fraction of an inch? Are they simply ripped or bent out of place? By 1/2 an inch?? Or does the 45 degree angle of the nails force each board (and progressively the whole floor) to rise up by the same amount as the expansion? And when they shrink back down what pulls them back into place? People walking on the floor?

In removing my old maple floors I saw no such evidence of major movement. So I ask, quite literally, what gives?

Do NOT install expansion spaces between each board. You want a very tight fit between each board and then leave an expansion space around the perimeter of each room.

First you’ll need to acclimate the wood to your house. This may vary by location and season, but generally the manufacturers recommend about 10 days.

Second, seal the floor (again, according to the manufacturer’s recommendation).

Third, lay the “sleepers” out according to the size of your flooring and the allowable span. Sleepers are NOT fastened to the floor. They are designed to “float” or slide depending on expansion of the flooring.

Next lay out the flooring (loosely). This will give you an idea of color, etc., but will also help acclimate the finish flooring. Gaps at the perimeter is based on the size of the room. When we do gymnasiums, we leave a 2” gap and cover with an appropriate base. In homes, we generally leave a 1” gap.

See MFMA recommendations for acclimation and installation:  https://www.maplefloor.org/ForArchitects/Installation.aspx

Btw, to test your finish flooring, hold a piece vertically and insert another piece into the T&G edge. If it fits tight, it’s okay. If not, you’ll have problems with the T&G edges when you walk on them. They’ll snap and pop and drive you nuts. If it’s not tight (and supports the other piece of wood when held vertically,) then I’d send it back. (See MFMA guidelines.) https://www.maplefloor.org/Home.aspx

Btw, yes, I know it’s the Maple FlooringManufacturing Association, but is consistent with ash, etc. too.


Sourcing a spacer / rectangular washer to prevent rotation of a carriage bolt in a round hole? While installing a Curt trailer hitch, I lost one of the provided carriage bolts and what they call a spacer inside a frame tube. After lots of time spent trying to retrieve the bolt, I've decided to just try again with a replacement, but I'm having a heck of a time finding a replacement 'spacer'.

The hardware in question is pictured below:

The spacer is the black trapezoidal shaped piece. It's the thickness of a thick washer; its purpose is to prevent the bolt from rotating by bracing against the inside of the frame tube. Here is a schematic:

Finding a 7/16" carriage bolt was harder than I expected but not really a problem. But I have had a real heck of a time finding a spacer, or anything equivalent.

It seems like it may be called a 'block spacer' or just a rectangular washer, but my local hardware stores have nothing and even googling has been futile. I'm looking for either a source for hardware like this (to fit a 7/16" carriage bolt), or alternately, a different solution for preventing the rotation of a bolt whose head is inaccessible. Thanks!

I would just call Curt customer service and request a replacement part. They should be able to get an exact replacement, and they might even provide it for free or low cost. Call (877) 287-8634 or the number in the installation manual.


3-way circuit to 4-way? I have two parallel stairways with a light & 3-way switch at the top of each. How can I add switches at the bottom of each stairway to control the lights along with the 3-switches at the top of the stairways?

Do you want four switches in total, but you only have two now? I am not sure how your parallel stairways are configured exactly and how lighting in one would affect the other. It does seem unusual. N.B. Those 4-way switches aren't cheap, about $40 each. There may be a better way to solve this altogether, like two seperate 3-way switches, independant of each other, one pair for each stairway?


How can I protect ultra thin paint on new kitchen cabinets? I just got new kitchen cabinets, and the paint on the doors (which are hard wood) is ultra-ultra thin. It seems like it will scratch very easily. Is there a way to protect?

They are being installed now. Is it reasonable for me to ask for something with a thicker stain/paint/better level of protection (as opposed to this thin paint)? Or can I add a polyurethane to protect them? I think they look kind of cheap due to the ultra thin paint

...

Related question - the cabinets are plywood and also have this very thin protective coating (if you notice the edge between the front and the top, you will see just how thin the stain/paint is... I would like to beef them up somehow..

That's probably not paint/stain, it's veneer.

They build the cabinets out of medium-density fiberboard (MDF), then cover the exterior with veneer to make it look nicer.

If the doors truly are hardwood, then they should hold up well against scratches. If they show wear over time, they can always be refinished.


Do I really need to fill the tub with water to properly apply caulking? I recently did some patch work on my bathtub caulking. Just a little to give it a few more months before I redo the entire bathtub. My tub is floating and has a tub surround.

My wife usually removes the caulk during the day and she prefers that I do the actual caulking as I am better at getting a good bead size.

One of the steps she does to prepare the scene for me is full the bathtub all the way with water for what she says "so the caulk wont pull away". My personal problem comes from the tub water was not full and I did the patch work. My wife was against that and insisted that I fill the tub and start over. To make all parties happy I did just that.

What am I accomplishing by filling the tub with water? The weight from that does not reflect the weight that will be in the tub (estimation alert) 95% of the time. If filling the tub with water is beneficial why all the way?

Most of the instructions I ran into make no mention of filling the tub with water at all.

While caulk is fairly elastic, it handles better under compression than tension. By filling the tub all the way, you expand the gap quite a bit. Once the caulk is applied and the tub drained, the caulk compresses.  During normal use, the caulk will likely never be in tension. As you'd have to add more weight than a tub full of water, before the caulk had to fill a gap larger than when it was applied.

Also, there's an old saying. "Happy wife, happy life" - Unknown


Can a kitchen faucet be installed by someone with no experience? I bought a pull out kitchen faucet online. Can this be installed by someone (me) with no experience?

It depends:

on the sink
on the faucet
on the location
on the tools you have
on your skill level (in general, not experience on sinks)

The two biggest issues in installing a faucet are reaching the components that need to be tightened and properly sealing the connections and the base.

The place where a faucet is attached (mechanically) and has its supply lines connected (plumbing) tend to be difficult to reach once the sink is in place.  That is why these are often attached before a sink is mounted in a cabinet. You end up lying on your back under the sink trying to reach above you into a small tight area with little room to swing a tightening tool.

There are specialty tools that make it somewhat easier such as these

basin wrench

faucet tool

Some fixtures can have their connecting supply lines pre-attached to the faucet end, and then dropped through the sink hole. Then the mechanical connection is made. The connection to the supply pipe is usually easier to reach than the connection on the faucet end once installed.

It is important to use the right kind of connection depending on your supply line. Most are screw on connectors and need teflon tape to seal the connection.

Also the faucet needs to be seated in plumbers putty to seal around its edges and prevent water leakage to the underside of the sink.

Most faucets have reasonable instructions and it's not rocket surgery, but you need to assess your general skills and comfort level. Even reasonably skilled folks manage to cause leaks when installing fixtures that can damage a floor or a ceiling below. (I know my wife will eventually forgive me for the ripples in the new plasterboard in the room below the bathroom sink I fixed.)


Why only a few volts between the legs of a 240 V 3-wire dryer outlet? I installed a new dryer in our house.  It runs but won't heat.  It has a 240V 3 wire connection.  There is a 30 amp double pole breaker installed in the breaker box. (the box is very old)  I've read that you should get 120V from each leg to the neutral which I do.  I also read that you should get 240V across the two.  Only a few volts register on the meter, not 240.
How is this possible and what changes should I make to correct this?

Is it possible that both poles are connected to the same phase (e.g., if your house only has 120-volt service)?


how to deal with tub drain smell? There's a foul odor in our kids (teens) bathroom which I'm pretty sure is coming from the tub drain. We have some kind of domed cover over the drain most of the time to catch hair, but apparently it is sometimes removed. I already had one of them use this short, thorny plastic snake-like thing to reach down and pull out some hair and nastiness. But that's only about 18-24" and I wasn't there so don't know how far down she reached it. I also tried pouring some liquid plumber down it. But that was apparently very old, as it was kinda clumpy itself, although those clumps dissolved with hot water. Other notes:

The tub drains fine, it is not clogged.
The shower is used often
The smell is not a sewer smell.

There is a shower vent, but I noticed it is quite clogged with dust, so I need to clean that, so maybe it's not venting very well. I've read other notes here and I think some were suggesting possibly mold or something growing in the vent, but I'm still pretty sure the smell is coming from the drain.

Any suggestions? Should I just do more snaking and another pour of fresh liquid plumber?

I would start with the vent. Make sure that no wasps/hornets or birds have attempted to build a nest in it. Note I say 'attempted' because the gas being vented will either kill or drive off the pests. I found bumblebees in my vent 30' up from ground level.


My sewer pipe makes a huge noise when flushed. Can that damage the pipe? The sewer pipe on my building makes a huge noise whenever someone flushes the toilet.
Apparently there is not enough air input in the pipe and whenever someone flushes the toilet this causes vacuum and noise.
I assume that with the noise there is also vibration. Can this cause  permanaent damage on the pipe?

It's unlikely to damage your pipe, but the problem could be air in the system. You may have an old pipe underground that has a break in it.


How is a septic system different from a cesspool? Here in New England many towns do not have public sewer systems, so homeowners have either a septic system or a cesspool.  What is the difference between the two?

Septic systems leach out into the surrounding area (called a "leach field"). This helps reduce the number of times the system needs pumped out. Liquid (and some solid) waste is broken down and leaches out into the field. Some municipalities don't like this because it has the potential to contaminate local water sheds (most notably if you're near a river).

A cesspool is a sealed tank for holding waste. Since it's sealed it doesn't leak but frequently needs drained. More expensive than a septic system but more environmentally friendly.

Most places in the US that don't have city sewer services have a septic tank as far as I'm aware. I haven't heard of many cesspools.


When to use a spline vrs a biscuit joiner? I know how to do either, but want to know if one is better than the other for particular joints (if so, what cases).

Or is it just a trade off between time / labor (spline) and ease / cost (biscuit joiner)?

In my current case I'm attaching a 3/4 inch lip/edge to a glued up table top (for the top I used leftover unfinished flooring, so that was spline-like).

If you've got a biscuit joiner, then I'd just use that. They're 10x easier than splines, and I'm not convinced that there's any advantage to splines.

There may well be exceptions, depending on your exact circumstances, but since you didn't list any specific circumstances, we don't have anything else to go on.

Something I built with splines: http://www.instructables.com/id/Expandable-formal-dining-table-that-seats-ten-and-/ (see step 12)

Something I built with biscuits: http://www.instructables.com/id/Pantry-Cabinet/

Frankly, I haven't done a spline since I got my biscuit joiner.


Bike cable type drain stuck down My bath has a drain that seems to be cable-operated (like bike brakes) and is currently stuck down.

Like usually you turn the 'too much water' knob to release, but now it just does nothing.

The mechanism is completely closed so we can't really figure it out. Any solutions that could make it pop back up or are we stuck calling a plumber?

So the solution that worked for us is this: We superglued a coat hook to the drain stopper, let it cure for a good 24 hour, and then pulled. I guess something got stuck and was keeping it down because it seems to work just fine now.


Should I fix whole house filter just after the pump? I have a 1 HP Monobloc pump lifting water from an underground reservoir to two overhead tanks (2x 1000 ltr) which are at a height of 25-28 feet. The supply from the tank splits in 2 parts for the first and the second floor. For the first floor I need a pressure pump for the toilet line.

The water being very dirty and muddy I am planning to use three stage big blue filter (10" x 4.5" each) with 1" ports and a pre-filter (sediment strainer) on the pump inlet.

I want to ask if I can fix the 3 stage filter on the outlet of the pump as otherwise there is no way to clean the water for both lines. The line- 2 provides no option or position to fix such filters. If needed I can change the pump with a higher capacity. Please advise me the right position.

I would put the filter on the pump outlet. If you put the filter on the inlet it may cause pump cavitation but on the output side the pressure will push the water through with no problem.

Remember that filters on drinking water systems need to be replaced regularly to prevent things from growing. Many times UV systems are added to reduce risk of growth in filter systems. Pre-filters on a pump can be good and bad. If the filter gets plugged it will limit the flow to the pump and shorten the life. I like screen filters to prevent small grit from wearing the pump, but  these may need to be cleaned quite often depending on the size of the filter and amount of water pumped.


Plastic debris stuck in shower valve? Seeing plastic debris stuck in our shower faucet valve second time in a week. Caused it to not close completely and leak. First picture shows the white plastic crumpled and stuck in the valve (like a foot thru a door that prevents it from closing completely).

The second picture shows the stiff plastic debris unfolded with a quarter for scale.

What is the likely source of this? What's a good way to isolate this if possible?

Additional data points:

We had a new Rheem water heater installed last year after our 1993 water heater leaked last year. I see some talks about '93 - '96 dip tubes being made of plastic that tend to disintegrate; but even after a year??
This is in the San Diego, Carmel Del Mar area and happened on the first shower from the house water mains, so I'll check with the city too.
The plastic is medium hard - kinda like a hard plastic bag (but not like hard molded plastic)

I can assure you that is most definitely dip tube debris. If your water is excessively hot it could fail prematurely. If it was installed with heat directly on the water heater nipple the heat could have damaged it, causing it to fall into the tank and now it is falling apart from flopping around the tank and laying up against the heat exchanger if gas, or against the elements if electric. Easy way to tell is to remove the nipple on the cold side of the water heater. If the dip tube isn't there, you know it fell in from installation damage or has fallen apart.


Do I need a permit to ground an outlet? At the moment, I have a receptacle that has no ground but is using three prongs. I plan on fixing this by installing a ground screw in the electrical box and routing a copper wire from that to the receptacle. This would probably only be a few inches long. The box itself is grounded already as it's metal.

Do I need some kind of permit to legally do this? I know about a code that says something along the lines of needing a permit to create or extend a wire. Local code also says permit is needed to install/replace/repair electrical wiring with certain exceptions (such as replacing receptacles/switches)

Is the box grounded?

Just because it's metal doesn't mean there's a valid grounding path back to the service panel. They often used metal boxes simply because they're more durable and better able to contain thermal energy from a short.

If the box isn't grounded, don't install a 3-prong plug, unless it's a GFCI with "No equipment ground" label.

You don't need a permit to swap a receptacle

And attaching the ground wire is part of replacing a receptacle.  No big.

If that box is grounded, it may have a single hole tapped for #10-32. They make special ground screws for that (with or without pigtails), or any 10-32 screw will do. You can tap your own hole but it must be #6 or larger and -32 or finer thread pitch, in order to engage enough threads.  Using a sheet metal screw is right out.

There's a chance the receptacle is already grounded through the yoke.

The yoke is the metal outer frame, that the mounting screws go through.  If the box is grounded, AND the yoke is run down hard against the steel box (with no plastic bits in there), that's a legal ground path.

It's not a legal ground if the ears are holding the receptacle above the box e.g. against drywall, and there's some length of screw thread still unbottomed.

It's also not legal if paper, plastic or paint is trapped between the box and yoke.  This often happens from the square of paper/plastic they put the screws through to "capture" them.


120v receptacle measuring 220v I have a 120v 20a receptacle that is measuring 220V at the outlet:

In the panel this circuit is controlled by a double pole 30amp breaker:

I was using a 120V window AC unit in this outlet and it was working fine for years.  How is this possible?  The unit recently started having problems and I was looking to replace it with a 220V unit.  Can I do that with the current configuration?  What else do I need to consider (wire gauge and amperage needs of the new unit come to mind)?

Here is the wiring of the receptacle:

Edit:
Here is  the cord on the unit I'm replacing it with showing it as 25amp.

And this is a link to the replacement unit in question

As you've noticed, someone has wired this 20A 120V receptacle for 240V at 30A.  That is very dangerous, and it's quite lucky your house never burned down.  Most likely your old AC was designed to accept either 120 or 240V, and so it didn't notice the difference.

Based on your pictures of the current wiring, I believe you have 10 gauge wires (wire looks like orange sheathed NM) which can handle the 30A it's breakered for.  It would be wise to double-check this with a wire gauge before upgrading to a larger air conditioner though.

To replace the current unit with one that requires 30A of 240V, assuming you already have 10 gauge wire in the wall, you'll only need to change the receptacle to the correct one, such as a NEMA 6-30.  Or, if your new AC wants 20A of 240V, use a NEMA 6-20, and also change the breaker to a 20A one.


Changing bulb on hanging fixutre? Light fixture is out is identical to the above photo, a hanging halogen light fixture.  The previous owner told us to rotate the fixture by about 20 degrees and it should lower.  I rotated the fixture but it didn't work - I'm worried that I damaged the fixture as it's now sitting slightly lower than before.

I doubt that you damaged the fixture. You probably loosened it from the electrical box it's attached to. Usually the bulbs can be changed without removing the fixture from the wall. Turn the light off (because it gets very hot) and try to push up the fixture and rotate it in the opposite direction to correct what you did before. Get a ladder, not a chair, and get up there close so you can see what's going on up there and where the bulbs are.


Need help designing an oversized pergola Looking to build a pergola for my back patio. I’d love to cover the whole area (30’ wide x 24’ deep) without any posts in the center. I’ve attached a picture of the space, sorry it’s dark and a mess. Just bought the place and looking to lessen some of the sun without fully roofing it. I also attached a couple pictures of what I’m thinking. I’d love the arched roof, but I’m assuming that would be even tougher.

Hire an engineer.

This is a non-trivial structure that could kill people if it collapsed. It may require trusses rather than simple beams to cover that span. Arched (bowstring) trusses are a possible "stock" solution depending what you want to do for an "arch", but in any case this is not something where off-the-cuff design seems at all advisable....


How to add a drain pipe to a concrete block wall covered in insulation? I want to run a 1.5" drain pipe along the wall about 2 feet from the floor to a microbrewery setup in the corner of my basement.  I have sheets of fiberglass insulation against the walls though, and I don't want to remove them.  What kind of hanger/ mount can I use to run it along the wall, but about 4-6 inches off the wall?

They make shelf brackets that have a U shaped hook on the end away from the wall.  I've seen them in a variety of sizes, down to about 6" (don't know about 4").  That would be pretty easy, just space some of those out at the height you want, then lay the pipe in the "trough" created by the hooks.

I guess they're called shelf and rod brackets.  Here's a link, though it's probably too big for what you want.

This one looks perfect for what you want, but I don't see how to buy it..

Do a google search and a google image search for "rod bracket" "shelf and rod bracket" you'll see ones made for closets, but also others for curtain rods, which tend to project less from the wall.  I did a search for '6" rod bracket' and saw many potentials, at a range of price points.


How can I remove this ceiling light glass? I cannot manage to get this light off. I've tried twisting, pushing, pulling, and a combination of those and nothing has worked. It moves about a centimeter in each direction but won't loosen any further.

Any suggestions?

Hey all thanks for the help. Ended up using a hammer. This thing must have warped over time as it was just a twist off. It was very secure in there and wasn't budging. The movement I felt before was the actual mount. I put a nice new light on there and we are good to go!


Is there a required spacing between where high and low voltage lines attach to a house? If both the high and low voltage lines are strung from the pole to the house, is there a minimum spacing required between where they anchor to the structure?

The AC lines enter through the weatherhead, and the CATV lines are attached to the house. Does the CATV (or phone) lines have to be a minimum distance away from the weatherhead?

Since there are slight differences depending on what type of communications systems we're talking about, we'll have to look at a few different sections.
NEC 2008
Article 800 Communications Circuits

800.44 Overhead Communications Wires and Cables.
(A) On Poles and In-Span.
(4) Clearance. Supply service drops of 0–750 volts running above and parallel to communications service drops shall have a minimum
separation of 300 mm (12 in.) at any point in the span, including the
point of and at their attachment to the building, provided the
non-grounded conductors are insulated and that a clearance of not less
than 1.0 m (40 in.) is maintained between the two services at the
pole.

Article 810 Radio and Television Equipment

810.13 Avoidance of Contacts with Conductors of Other Systems. Outdoor antennas and lead-in conductors from an antenna to a building
shall not cross over open conductors of electric light or power
circuits and shall be kept well away from all such circuits so as to
avoid the possibility of accidental contact. Where proximity to open
electric light or power service conductors of less than 250 volts
between conductors cannot be avoided, the installation shall be such
as to provide a clearance of at least 600 mm (2 ft). Where
practicable, antenna conductors shall be installed so as not to cross
under open electric light or power conductors.

Article 820 Community Antenna Television and Radio Distribution

820.44 Overhead Coaxial Cables.
(B) Lead-in Clearance. Lead-in or aerial-drop coaxial cables from a pole or other support, including the point of initial attachment to
a building or structure, shall be kept away from electric light,
power, Class 1, or non–power limited fire alarm circuit conductors so
as to avoid the possibility of accidental contact.
Exception: Where proximity to electric light, power, Class 1, or non–power-limited fire alarm circuit service conductors cannot be
avoided, the installation shall be such as to provide clearances of
not less than 300 mm (12 in.) from light, power, Class 1, or
non–power-limited fire alarm circuit service drops. The clearance
requirement shall apply at all points along the drop, and it shall
increase to 1.02 m (40 in.) at the pole.

Article 830 Network-Powered Broadband Communications Systems

830.44 Aerial Cables.
(C) Lead-in Clearance. Lead-in or aerial-drop network-powered broadband communications cables from a pole or other support,
including the point of initial attachment to a building or structure,
shall be kept away from electric light, power, Class 1, or
non–power-limited fire alarm circuit conductors so as to avoid the
possibility of accidental contact.
Exception: Where proximity to electric light, power, Class 1, or non–power-limited fire alarm circuit service conductors cannot be
avoided, the installation shall be such as to provide clearances of
not less than 300 mm (12 in.) from light, power, Class 1, or
non–power-limited fire alarm circuit service drops. The clearance
requirement shall apply to all points along the drop, and it shall
increase to 1.02 m (40 in.) at the pole.

tl;dr.
Telephone (Communication Systems)

12" (300 mm) at any point of the span.
12" (300 mm) at the point of attachment.
40" (1 m) at the service pole.

Antenna (Radio and Television Equipment)

Kept away if possible.
Should not cross over or under.
2' (600 mm) if proximity can't be avoided.

Cable (Community Antenna Television and Radio Distribution)

Kept away if possible.
12" (300 mm) if proximity can't be avoided.
40" (1.02 m) at the service pole.

Broadband (Network-Powered Broadband Communications Systems)

Kept away if possible.
12" (300 mm) if proximity can't be avoided.
40" (1.02 m) at the service pole.


Power issues with old fluorescent lamp I decided to repair an old fluorescent lamp cabinet I have but i am no electrician and have no idea how the actual system works. I bought a new lamp (T5) and a new starter so I just have to figure out (this might be dumb) where the power goes? There is a ballast and the cables seem to be connected, but the cables that I think lead to the "power in" just actually lead to a power socket.

Or am I horribly misunderstanding something?

The starter goes at the end of the cable on the left and below it goes the bulb/lamp.

How do I get my light?

UPDATE:

Better picture of ballast.

Those are the modern European colors of brown=hot, blue=neutral and as always green=ground... Europe puts a yellow stripe on it.

All of these converge onto a 3-row terminal block, which is the usual method of interconnect in Europe.  Note that all the wires to that terminal block enter the same side.   That tells me the other side is intended for the external power connection.  That's where you hook it up. There are screws to clamp the wire, looks like the screws are on the other side.

I assume the unit is meant to be permanently installed and hardwired.  If you put a flexible cord-and-plug on it, make sure to have proper strain relief on the cord - preferably into a metal hole.   The mounting area there is plastic and you could damage it with a hard yank on a cord.

The receptacle on the white part has nothing to do with supplying power to the unit.  Once it is hooked up, this is a convenience outlet for small appliances, and appears to be the CEE 7/5 type common in Czech Republic, Austria and France.  The ground may not work with other styles of Euro plugs, and you may be able to change the receptacle to a type more convenient to you.


Installing a water filter on a sink with copper supply lines I recently moved and I have a water filter that I'm trying to install under my sink. I'm used to flex lines, but this place has a piece of copper pipe running straight down from the cold water knob to the shutoff valve.  There's a compression fitting on the shutoff valve, but I can't remove the pipe as it's screwed into the faucet above and I don't have a basin wrench. Additionally, I'm not sure if there's any soldering that goes on there so even if I buy one I don't know if that is another roadblock. Trying to figure out what I need to acquire to do this, and if I end up having to cut the tube or the like, what sort of connectors help me attach a flex line to the existing copper tubing.

Also is there a way to know the sizing of things from the diameter of the nuts (e.g. if I do get the copper pipe removed and can just slap a flex line in there, I need to know what size the threads are. It would be nice to not have to make a bunch of separate trips to the hardware store)?

I'd use a tubing cutter or hacksaw (gently!) to open a section in the supply pipe wide enough to comfortably work. Use emery cloth or other tool to debur the cut end. Now use slip-on connectors (like SharkBite) to attach your flex lines.


Pests infestation in bathroom - identification and termination Roughly every night, these strange pests are crawling all over our master bathroom, mainly close to the ceiling. By morning time they're usually gone or I find some of their bodies scattered on the floor.
I've already hired an exterminator which has sprayed the exterior of the house and inside our bathroom, but they're still here. Also tried spraying along the walls with ortho home defense insect killer. I have only seen them in the master bathroom.
Can anyone identify these? Our home is very clean. What are they looking for, and how do I stop them from coming in?
We live in Irvine, CA

I have found cases where flying insects are getting in at the bathroom vent when it was just pumping into the attic space on several occasions 2 cases were lady bugs and 1 was small beatles.
I have also seen them coming in at fireplace's where the stone work to wall was not fully sealed but since yours are in the bath I would check the vent fan and make sure it is vented to the outside and has a back draft damper. After that seal any cracks at the corners of your walls , and where your plumbing enters and exits even under the tub drain expanding foam is great to fill openings where water and drain pipes enter.


How can house corner be supported when there's a deep cellar next to it? There's this layout (view from above).

There's a log house supported by very weak foundation raised from ground level and there's a cellar right next to the house. The cellar is about 1,8 meters deep (blow the ground level) and lined up with steel sheets held by metal rods and pipes.

The problem is some foundation needs to be crafted to support the house. All other places are easy - slowly lift the house with hydraulic jacks, put it onto temporary supports, then dig a pit about 0.8 meters deep and construct a concrete or brick column. This is mostly done by now.

This corner is special - if the foundation column rests on the ground just 0.8 meters below surface it means there'a a pit next to it which is extra one meter deep and lined with weak steel sheets and the column will likely slide into the cellar when loaded by the house weight. Even if the column is built from the level of the cellar floor the ground from the cellar side will be pushing it to the side and bend it which may become a problem.

How can this corner be permanently supported? Maybe two pieces of I-bar, one (shorter) outside the cellar and the other (long enough to be mounted on the cellar floor) inside the cellar and a third piece put horizontally on those two?

Would this work? Any better options?

Option 1: Post

Shore up the corner temporarily by any means
Remove metal sheets and rods at corner
Dig out corner enough to be able to dig out a footing at the celler floor level
Pour footing in corner at cellar level
Install post
Reinstall metal sheets and rods and backfill

Option 2: Wall

Remove metal sheets and rods on side at house
Shore up the side temporarily using multiple post
Dig back entire side of cellar in about 8" down to cellar floor.
Shotcrete a 8" thick foundation wall under entire side.
Reconcile corners where shotcrete meets cellar.


Regrouting, what to do with screw holes We are going to regrout our shower tiles due to some cracks since the technical inspection said it was leaking into the wall which could cause water damage. We removed one soap holder and it seems that there has been leaking water behind it, it was a bit rusty and maybe even molded. Now there are two deep screw holes (see photo).
Can we just fill them with grout as well or should it be a different filler? The wall behind is concrete. Do you recommend using a professional for this job or can we just do it ourselves? Worrying a bit for insurance if there is water damage later.

I'd be inclined to either: fit another soap holder; remove the offending tiles and replace; fill the holes with grout, making sure it does more than plug the surface.

With idea 1, put silicone in the holes first, then the screw plug (deeper than the tile, please!) and screw holder on, with a touch of silicone to finish.

With idea 2, there's always a chance you can't get tiles to match, but if yiu can, it's the best option.

With idea 3, putting enough grout to seal the hole won't be difficult, but there will always be two blemishes on the tiles that won't go away.


Electrical box caught on fire A sub panel caught on fire just in the garage area.

Do I need to rewire the whole house or can I just get a big junction box and splice all branch circuits and run it to my new electrical panel ?

Allow enough space.

A cable is 2-5 wires inside a plastic sheath.

A #14 wire needs 2.0 cubic inches.
A #12 wire needs 2.25 cubic inches.
A #10 wire needs 2.5 cubic inches.
A #8 wire needs 3.0 cubic inches.
A #6 wire needs 5.0 cubic inches.
Beyond that, it gets complicated.

All grounds together count as 1 wire of the largest size.  So if you have a bunch of #14-#10 grounds, you get them all for 2.5 cubic inches total.

Suppose you're extending a 12/2 cable. That's two #12 wires from one cable, two #12 wires from the other cable (four so far).  That makes 2.25 x 4 = 9 cubic inches.

Now you know how big a box (or boxes) you need.

Get a taller panel

It's always a blessing to have more spaces anyway, so go for it. You are allowed to splice with wire-nuts inside a panel.

I prefer to have multiple junction boxes, connected with EMT metal conduit.

If your panel is surface mount, this can work great.  You run a 3/4" EMT conduit pipe some distance from the panel.  You fit either a 4" square deep box (31 cubic inches with a domed cover (10 cubic inches), or a 4-11/16" square box (42 cubic inches).   EMT metal conduit, properly fitted, is the ground path.  So you simply attach a pigtaled ground screw to the screw hole in the box, and tack up your grounds and push em back into the box.

Then, down the conduit, you extend the wires using THHN individual wires.  You can use all #12 wire, that'll be fine for extending #14 circuits, but mark the #12 with a flag saying "#14" or 15A, so somebody doesn't think it's good for 20A.

Either the 42 ci box or the 31+10 box+cover give enough room for 4 circuits to be extended.  And that's fine because 4 circuits is the thermal maximum for EMT conduit that is longer than 2 feet.

Hot-neutral grouping matters.  Wiring is NOT just "every neutral goes to the bar" - it matters which hot(s) it's with, for diagnostic and GFCI/AFCI reasons. Bundle the THHN hot-neutral groups. Wrap the pair with tape somewhere it won't be too intrusive.  I recommend multi-color tape. You can even have pairs of colors, out of 6 colors of tape you can get 21 combinations.  (blue-red and red-blue can't both be used, too confusing).

Don't catch your panel on fire again.

Do not use Zinsco or Federal Pacific panels, or continue them in use.

Do not use Brand X panel and put Brand Y breakers in them.  That's not mindless consumerism, the bus stabs actually are different shapes and won't mesh properly cross-brand, and that starts arcing fires.  If you just can't follow this rule, use Eaton CH or Square D QO. That will put you straight :)

Do not exceed stab limits. So putting the 50A/30A range-water heater quadplex across from the 100A subpanel breaker, is nope.

If a bus stab is roached, stop using it. Paint a breaker red and stick it there and use it for nothing.

Cover all unused knockouts to prevent animal entry.


where the fresh air comes from in garage with gas furnace and heater? I know burning gas need oxygen -- means fresh air. However, I checked my furnace and heater I didn't see any fresh air supply around....  They seems just get fresh air from the garage.

I am asking the question because I am going to seal my garage door...

My home was built at 2003. It shouldn't be too old....

A "make-up air intake" or "combustion air intake" can provide a path for combustion air when a furnace wasn't designed for a direct external conduit:


How do I attach a motion activated flood light to stucco? I have some simple motion activated battery powered lights that I bought at Costco a while ago. I want to install them outside the house in the front and back. The device comes with a small plastic mount that should go with screws into the wall.

Is there a way to "glue" the device's plastic back to the wall, if the wall is stucco or wood panels? I don't need it to last there forever. If it will hold one year, I don't mind if it falls and I need to clean the surface and glue it again.

I would not recommend gluing it.  If it comes off (wind, animal), it is going to likely pull the stucco off with it in which case you have a big problem and possibly costly repair.

I would just use the screws since it is easier to fill two small holes then fix a large patch of stucco.  Make sure to use screws long enough to penetrate the solid material behind it; at least 1 1/2" wood screws.


Starting Point for Laying the First 3/4" Solid Oak Hardwood Board I need help determining the best starting point for my first board.  Most videos on the internet have you starting at the far left wall (and have no stairs and rectangular).  This might still be my best option (or answer).

However, I am laying down 3/4" hardwood flooring north/south.  My floor joists are east/west.  I am thinking about starting with a full board either at the top transition (kitchen) or the bottom transition (front door) or at the end of that protruding wall on the left.  I guess if I measure (and do math) correctly I could start at the far left wall and plan to end with a full width board at a transition.  Or maybe straight down dead center of the room? (chalk line of course).

Ultimately I would like to keep any boards that need cutting/rip to the far left.  What do you guys think or recommend?  Thanks.

I'd set a course of planks parallel to the wall on the right, tongue pointing left. Screw scrap on the left side of that course to keep it from moving. Rip a spline (tongue substitute) and start a course on the right with the tongue facing right. Nail your way toward to transitions on the right, understanding that you'll face nail the ones near the wall. Now remove the scrap on the left of your starter course. Face nail and shim (to prevent movement) between the wall and your starter course. Nail normally where your nailer will fit. Now, just motor to the left. Rip as necessary at the left wall. Once done, congratulate yourself, have a cold one, and sink into a bathtub with epsom salts.


Ground wire light switch to outlet I am trying to install a Leviton IPS02-1LW  (Amazon link) motion sensing light switch. However, my current light switch does not have a ground. Can I run a ground wire from a nearby outlet, or could that cause issues?

The NEC allows connecting to a ground from another circuit if that circuit originates in the same panel.
If they do originate in different panels or a subpanel the Code also allows connecting to any point on the grounding electrode system, the grounding electrode conductor, the ground bar in the panel where the circuit originates, or the grounded conductor in the service enclosure. (NEC 250.130, free clunky access the NEC at https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/all-codes-and-standards/list-of-codes-and-standards/detail?code=70 )


Assessment of air-tightness of windows I am in the US. I need an independent assessment of  air-tightness of windows. Whom should I hire to do that?

I'd look for a "home energy auditor" or an "energy efficiency auditor" in your area.

For air-tightness, they'll typcically do a blower door test, which basically uses a huge fan to slightly pressurize the interior of the house v. the outside air pressure.  Then they go around and check for pressure leaks.  Locally, our electrical utility will help you arrange energy audits (and will sometimes offer rebates, etc.).  That may be another avenue to check if you have trouble locating a professional in your area.


Sound dampening dome over sump pump My sump pump is loud.  It is right below my bedroom and when it rains at night, it's hard to relax to the sound of the rain when all I hear is the loud grumble of the pump.  To make matters worse, I don't have a basement so the pump is only a few feet below my bedroom floor (in the crawl space obviously).

A thought occurred to me but I wanted to get other people's opinions on it.  I thought about building a dome out of sound-dampening material that I could place over my sump pump.  It would be a rigged solution but I think it might just help.  My basic thought is curve sound dampening material into a dome shape, large enough to cover the general area of the pump.  Then, mount the dome onto some metal legs that I can then stick into the ground around the pumps location.

Can anybody foresee any caveats to this?  Or perhaps suggest a better method or design?

Your idea is sound, pardon the pun. If you are thinking of having a dome shape, consider to construct a geodesic partial sphere/geodesic dome. This design is based on an icosahedron, a 20 face regular polyhedron in which all vertices are coincidental to a sphere. For geodesic structures, each edge is split into two, three, four and rarely five equally divided portions. The vertices which result from these splits are also coincidental to the sphere. The math could be considered daunting in earlier days (last century) but with the internet, the answers abound.

A two frequency geodesic dome/sphere (split each edge in the middle) will have a blocky appearance but fewer unique triangles.

A three-frequency dome will be more spherical, but require more triangles, of course.

An easy way to determine the frequency of a geodesic sphere or dome is to locate the points from which five struts/edges radiate, which is the center of a pentagon. Count the number of struts between one center and the next.

When constructing geodesic structures from flat panels, it is considered simpler to assemble these pentagons first, although different sites have different suggestions based on the assembly of each panel, especially if one is building from dimensional lumber and plywood or similar material.

In the case of rigid foam board, you would have to pay close attention to the edge angles and create a miter to accept the adjacent panel, or join only the inner edges and use a foam filler to secure the resulting gap.

The lower number frequency reference means larger triangles, while the higher number means smaller area triangles. This can be a factor when dealing with sheet material.

On higher frequency designs, it is common to have 1/2 dome or 5/8 domes, which provide for greater internal vertical clearance without sacrificing ground area.

You should be able to construct a lightweight rigid foam sheet geodesic dome with suitable sound damping (dampening = making wet) properties. Obviously, thicker foam panels will result in greater sound reduction.


Could smoke odor be originating from the HVAC system of an adjacent townhome? I live in a townhouse and I hired a company to remove the smoke odor in the house. Now, the odor is almost gone when the heat is off.

However, every time I turn on the heat, the smoke odor will come back. The company I hired says the odor comes from my neighbor. They tell me that, because there is smoke smell in my neighbor's house (which is true) and our ventilation systems are connected (which I am not sure), the odor will be sucked into the vents and then get into my house when I turn on the heat.

But my furnace is a closet in my living room, and my neighbor's heat is NOT on when I turn on my heat. That's why I'm not sure if the ventilation systems are connected.

So I wonder if there is a way to tell if my ventilation system is connected to my neighbor's.

Also, if it's connected, how to fix it? If it's not connected, what could be the cause of the odor when the heat is on?

Thank you very much!

I'm not sure about the codes in your local, but to my knowledge it's not legal in my area for townhouses to share anything. With that in mind, your smell is most likely residual in your ducting. Even if your cleaner did a very good job cleaning it, there's probably still some soot hiding somewhere.

If you have an actual furnace (gas, oil or electric) you could also have something hiding in the furnace that's being burnt. Inspect there when you have it manually shut off and see what's happening. If you're system uses a heat pump the. Noting should be getting hot enough to cause that. If it is has the gas pressures checked cause that could become dangerous.


How long have Decora switches and receptacles been manufactured? I found some problematic wiring in the house we just bought, and I want to establish the earliest date at which the receptacles must have been installed.  How long have Decora receptacles been widely available?  Is there a date code typically placed on receptacles?

According to Leviton Decora became popular in the 1970s.

The New York Times from February 8, 1976 (page 118) has a picture of a Decora light switch.


How do I quiet noisy drain pipes? I recently replaced cast iron drain pipes from my second story bathroom with pvc, and I've noticed the new pipes are much much louder when the bathroom is used. The pipes run down through a wall right next to my kitchen. How can I get rid of this noise?

Little bit of sound-proofing knowledge:

People tend to think noise travels in a  straight line from it's source to the reciever.  It does, but a lot of it travels through indirect pathways.

Drive down the road with your window all the way open and listen to the noise levels.  Now drive down the road with your window only open 1/2" and listen.  Now drive down the road with your window fully closed.  Notice how big of a difference there is from just a 1/2" gap!  People put sound deadening on the back of doors all the time and it doesn't work because there is still a 1/2" gap at the bottom.  Use acoustical caulk to seal any openings around the pipes entering your kitchen.

Another source of noise travel is through the rigid studs, floor joists, and ceiling joists because sound travels excellently through these lightweight solids.  They are basically conduits for noise from room to room.  Solid surfaces and objects transfer sound to each other.  You need to isolate your materials.  Go to the dollar store and grab some of those thicker rubber mesh hot pads.  Wrap them around the pipes where they come in contact with anything.

Fiberglass or mineral wool insulation to the sides of the pipes will do almost nothing.  If you can, get some ROXUL type insulation specific for noise reduction. Squeeze some in between the pipes and the drywall, but do not compress it.  Noise reduction insulation should not be squished so more is not necessarily always better.

... but as @Ecnerwal said cast iron pipes is probably the best option in this circumstance.


Should existing drywall and floor be cut to install a partition wall I would like to divide a room into two rooms with a dividing wall. Should I remove a portion of the ceiling drywall, and drywall on abutting walls, and should I remove the portion of the subfloor to attach the new partition framing directly to joists, studs and floor joists?

You're asking a simple question and I'll provide a simple answer but in order to meet building codes this may get a little complicated for you.
Yes- You will need to remove drywall and attach the framing of the new wall to the existing framing. There shouldn't be a need to cut through the subfloor. The baseplate or footer of the framed wall can attach directly to the subfloor.
However, beyond that it gets more complex. You will need  to get a permit and check your local codes. Constructing a separate room will need to meet codes regarding ingress and egress, electrical (light switches, outlets) and possibly other requirements such as a closet if you want it to be classified as a bedroom. You will also need to think about heating and cooling which may require adding ductwork or baseboards. In other words it's not as simple as just building a wall.


How to fix drawer runners I have a set of drawers (custom made) that have draw runners which are attached to the bottom of each drawer on both sides. Unfortunately, the small plastic wheels on part that attaches to the housing has cracked on two of the three drawers (and on the same side, bizarrely). Neither drawer is overloaded nor even very heavy--a few kilos of weight max.

I can't see a way to replace just the wheels as they the part they fit onto wouldn't allow such a thing to be replaced and the only way to remove them would be to break them anyway! I was wondering if there was any way to repair these plastic wheels without replacing the entire mechanism, as this would be time consuming.

If the only way to repair the sliders is to completely replace them, are there any you can recommend that should be able to handle weight and daily usage?

Each drawer is approximately 20cm high, 1m wide and 50cm deep.

Update:

I can only upload one photo, so here's the plastic wheel which had snapped in half. I've tried repairing it with super glue, but this is all that's left of it!

Update (solution):

I have now replaced the runners with new ones that can take a load of up to 45Kg and they feel much smoother than the old ones ever did. Although I tried to re-use the old screws, I had to use the new screws provided to ensure that they were flush. Turns out that some of the old screws were not flush with the runners and this caused some rubbing on the wheels at the back of the drawers. They were pretty weak when I replaced them, but I was able to hear where the rubbing was happening and have rectified that problem. I also had to adjust the position as I think the first set of drawers that broke ended up resting on the next one which caused that one to break. I now have an even gap between the drawers and with a bit more care, hopefully they will last a lot longer!

I'm guessing these shattered because of shock or perhaps from being fully extended more than normal since the front wheel takes a lot of the weight when drawer is fully extended. The rail is acting as a lever where 10kg in the front of the drawer could easily be the equivalent of 100kg on that wheel when the drawer is fully open. The other thoughts are if someone where to lean on the drawer or if the cabinet was being moved and dropped.

I've seen replacement wheels, but they tend to be for specific rails/sliders, and I doubt you'd get a good result without a perfect match. For replacing the entire slider, I'd look for a replacement with a high weight limit. I've seen sliders in the US that are designed for 50kg, which I'm guessing would more than handle your load.


Is it normal for the concrete covering my interior perimeter drain to be damp? I inherited an interior perimeter drain with a sump-pump as part of a basement waterproofing system when I purchased my new home two years ago.

Since then I have noticed that along the seam of the drain, where the concrete covering the drain system meets the basement slab, the concrete always appears to be darker in color than the rest of the floor and always has a damp feel to it.

The perimeter drain company says this is due to condensation. It would seem to me that if the drain is functioning properly then there should be little condensation occurring.

Does anyone have experience with these types of systems and know what I should be expecting as far as performance and dryness?

Ideally, the builder installed a vapor barrier under the whole slab including the drain but it sounds like they cut a hole in the barrier to dig the pit for the sump. Since concrete is fairly porous, it's probably wicking water from the ground. If it bothers you, try a sealer intended for concrete with your problem. Unfortunately, you can't tell how much pressure the water is under because it evaporates or runs into the sump. Although it shouldn't be much, it will still wreak havoc with surface coatings.


What screws should I use to screw Wedi boards into wood studs using Wedi washers? I'm building a waterproof bath area with shower head.
I have 12.5mm Wedi tile backer board and Wedi washers, for fixing the board onto wood studs.
I was hoping to buy "Wedi screws" but the Wedi system seems to assume that the buyer will supply their own.
What sort of screws should I buy, and why?

Taking a look at their web site, it appears that "Wedi board" is, effectively, a foam version of drywall appropriate for both wet & dry locations. (I looked it up because I had no clue what it was. I included the info here because I figure others in the US may not know either.)
Their web site shows the washers installed with a Phillips head screw through the center hole which appears to be recessed slightly from the surface.

A pan-head screw would work nicely because it's got a flat bottom to hold nicely in the flat of the washer's recess, however the domed top may stick up above the recess and create a bump in the finished surface. At a minimum, your tile mastic (making assumptions...) would have to be thick enough to cover the screw head. If you can find a pan-head with a shallow dome available with a waterproofing treatment, that may be the way to go.

A typical wood screw has a sloped shoulder that will crush into the washer's recess a little bit, but has a flat top that you should be able to get flush with the surface of the washer.

I would think that pretty much any wood screw would work in that situation.

You could use a drywall screw, as those hold drywall up very well when screwed into studs. However, they're not really designed for wet locations and you may end up with corrosion and screws failing due to humidity and leaks.
You could use a galvanized decking screw, since they're designed for holding in wood and are good for wet locations.
You could use a screw designed for cement board, as these are similar to drywall screws, but are protected for use in wet locations.
You could contact the manufacturer to ask what they recommend, then post that here as an answer to help others out.


Master bedroom light switch is controlling the bathroom too? Ok so I’m changing out the old outlets switches from the 80’s cause they are old and yellow from age... and the outlets will occasionally spark when you put a plug into them.  They are all grounded and I have had no trouble with the outlets.  The master bedroom has 2 light switches on opposite walls that control the ceiling fan and light. They are single switches so both fan and light come on at the same time.  I replaced the switch on the far end of the room with a 3 way switch and all was good. It had 4 wires... ground , main line in, and the red and black traveler wires.  Then I re did the main switch that is at the bedroom door.  When I took the old switch out I thought it was odd cause it had 5 wires... one hot line in an intermittent hot Line in.. both are black... and then the red and black traveler wires and the bare ground wire.  When I hooked everything back up to my new 3-way I discover that the hot line in also controls the master bathroom... so when I turn this switch off there is no power in the bathroom... it didn’t do this befor... do I need a different type of switch? The one I took out looked like a normal switch.. except it had 4 quick connect holes instead of two... and they had used 3 of the quick connect and one of the side screws . Help! I don’t want to have to leave the bedroom light on to have light in the bathroom.

It sounds like the wire from your bathroom ended up in the wrong place, the good thing it won’t hurt to swap them around until you get the correct combination. The back stabs or quick connects are electrically connected to the screws so the hot and the line to the bath were connected, your job now is to move your wires. There should be at least 2 cables where the whites and grounds are connected and the blacks come to the switch, for the travelers there are lots of combinations but your always hot and the black to your bathroom should be on the same contact if 2 hole lugs or pigtailed together to the common of the switch. But as long as you only swap the wires on the switch around you will get the right combination in a few try’s.


How to identify type of 3-way switch wiring Like many others here, I am looking to replace a 3-way switch with a "smart switch" that requires neutral.
As I inspect my wiring (home built in 2009) I note that I can't tell the difference between two wiring schematics by looking at the switches themselves.
In looking up diagrams of these to add to this post, neither of these arrangements seems very common. I would add pictures of my switch boxes but they're both multi-switch boxes, one of which is very full and hard to track in-person, I can only imagine it'd be more confusing from photos. The other is extremely simple, 14/3 connected straightforwardly. I narrowed down my situation to 2 possibilities based on what I see.
Can a voltmeter or non-contact voltage tester help determine which of these I have? Or is there another way to tell without opening up the lights themselves? I found diagrams with 2 lights but I actually have 4 connected somehow to these 2 3-way switches.
Possibility 1:

Possibility 2:

EDIT: Adding photos of switch wiring.
Switch 2, which I found straightforward:

And here are two of Switch 1 which looked straightforward at first, but eventually I saw the black wire from the 14/3 does NOT go directly to the switch, it's coming from the 14/2 I marked in green (mspaint). I lose track of the black from 14/3 and the white from 14/2 as they go off to the left side of the box. Short of stretching all the nutted wire bundles out of the box, I'm convinced they're connected to each other (unless that doesn't make sense). I don't know that I can get all the wire bundles crammed back in the box as neatly as they are now so I've tried not to move them so far.
Switch 1:

Actually since there are no white wires on the 3-ways, this gets simple.
The black and red wires that DO go to the 3-ways are part of cables.  Note which cables they are.  It matters.
Almost certainly, two cables are involved, and the 2 white wires in those cables are connected to each other.
As long as that's so, you can add the smart switch's white wire to those two white wires (might be more than 2).
Do keep in mind that with smart switches, often, the smart switch's design will dictate where it must go.  So don't just go "Imma puttin it there" and try to force it to work. Actually read the instructions and think about what you're doing.


Increased Water Pressure after Expansion Tank Replacement Two weeks ago, I had to replace the expansion tank on my hot water heater due to a small pinhole on the top.  Ever since then, it seems like there is increased water pressure when I flush either of the two toilets in the house. In the master, you can hear like a banging in the wall as you flush. In the other bathroom it sounds more loud with an abrupt stop once the tank is filled. I have not noticed significant water pressure or pulsating water from any of the faucets. This was not issue before the expansion tank was replaced.

Is this normal? Does this usually take care of itself?  Is there something I can do to reduce the pressure or does this mean there is something wrong with the expansion tank?

The pressure on the tank came precharged at 40psi. It was not adjusted at the time of the install to match the incoming water pressure of the house which measured 60-65psi. Due to this, I pressume that is why I may be having the issues. Will this be resolved if the expansion tank pressure is increased? Is it an easy fix to just add the air, or is it more complicated than that?

The banging in the pipes may be water hammer.

You can test your water pressure with a simple gauge. Some are sold with a garden hose fitting for easy connection to an outdoor hose bibb or to a clothes washer supply valve. Consider choosing a gauge that has two needles: one needle shows the pressure in real time while the other needle shows the maximum pressure. That second needle tells the story when there's a water hammer or thermal expansion problem. In the USA residential water pressure is often regulated to no more than 60-70 psi. Many water pressure regulators are adjustable by turning a screw on the regulator.

Although expansion tanks exist primarily to absorb thermal expansion from a tank-style water heater, they can also help mitigate water hammer. Did you confirm the air pressure in the expansion tank was correct at the time of installation? It may have been shipped with some pressure in it, but the air pressure should be adjusted to match the setting of your water pressure regulator. If the air pressure isn't correct the expansion tank can't perform its job as well.

Also, the air can leak over time, so the tank pressure should be checked occasionally.


Tile over 2x6x1.5 T&G subfloor, spanning 48" beams Long time lurker, first time poster.

I think I might have a solution to my problem but I'd like to get some peer review on it before I start work.
I'm remodeling a master bath (50sf, 10x5) in a 1966 ranch and would like to add some nice tile.  I pulled up the 5/8 particle board underlayment to inspect the subfloor and found it has too much deflection.  The subfloor is in decent shape, however the 2x6x1 1/2 tongue and groove boards span a post and beam setup by 48".  Everywhere I looked said this is a no-go for tile and I agree.  Since the subfloor spans under walls and such, I don't want to rip it out and start from scratch so I want to add joisting from underneath.  Here's my idea:
1.  Span a double hung 2x6 between the beams on both sides of the project area, 48"ish span.
2.  Hang 2x6 joists 16"oc between the double hung 2x6 cross beams from step 1, adding construction adhesive to the top of the 2x6's. Span is about 60", perpendicular to the subfloor planks.
3.  Screw the subfloor planks into the new joists from above before the adhesive sets up.

From here, can I get away with 1/4" ply underlayment glued and screwed with 1/4" cement board mudded & screwed to it if the new joists stiffen things up well enough? A flat threshold is really on my want list. I'm open to a sloped transition, however.

Any other "gotcha's" that I might be overlooking?  I thank you in advance for reviewing my question.  Please let me know if I left out any details that leave ambiguities in my setup.

Yes add the blocking as you have in your diagram.

You should also laminate your 2x6 tng flooring with plywood.

Are you doing large format tile?

The typical requirement for tile is 1 1/4" thick plywood subfloor.  If you have less than this you can have problems with defelection.  A 2x6 is usually 1.5" nominal thickness though older material was actual dimensions so thickness wise you seem ok.

In your scenario, I'd add the blocking, laminate the floor with 3/8" plywood using construction adhesive and screws, and use a decoupling membrane if you can tolerate the increase in height in the bathroom.

If you can't tolerate that much floor height, add the blocking, see if you have any detectable deflection ( I have 5/8" plywood on 16" centers and bouncing on my floor a friend can see it move @~180 pounds ).  If you still have deflection, I'd go with the 3/8 plywood lamination and a reducer in the door.

Good luck.


Can I use a non-standard design for a stairwell ceiling cutout in an old house? I am designing the framing for a stairwell in an 1870's cottage, which is presenting a few extra constraints. What seems to be the standard approach throws up a couple of additional issues, and I'm not sure if my solution has any weaknesses or is invalid in any way.
We are adding a staircase which must penetrate the top of a wall as the rooms are less than 3m wide, and therefore it cuts into two different ceilings. One is tongue & groove the other is original lathe & plaster. Both of which are heritage and we need to preserve and not damage as much as possible.
The existing joists aren't perfectly made or laid, being roughly 50 x 140mm of very hard old timber (ironbark), and spaced roughly at 450mm standard, but there's a lot of variation. Of course they cannot be moved.
This is the existing joist layout in the area affected.

The joist along the wall is a bit crooked, and will need to be cut away to provide a clean stairwell.
The stairs we intend to install are like this. They are made and installed by a company who is expecting the penetration to be ready to go.
The staircase has a turn at the top (due to headroom constraints), so must land on a new trimmer joist, parallel to the existing joists.

Design 1
My first attempt at the cutout design, following the normal approach is something like this, with double headers and a new double trimmer joist spanning the entire house. (They might not have to be double as the spans aren't big.)

The problems with this design are that the "wall joist" needs to be cut as the stairs run along the wall. I presume this is a common problem, as it's a common design. I presume I should anchor the cut ends of the joist to the wall using bolts or a 90° joist hanger or bracket of some kind.
Is there another solution to this cut joist which still allows the stairwell wall to be clean and uninterrupted?
The addition of the long new joist will not be possible on top of the lathe & plaster ceiling, as the plaster 'nibs' or keys are curling anything up to 30mm above the ceiling laths. So the new joist would either have to be only 100mm deep to avoid them, or they would have to be removed. The former would probably not be structurally strong enough? The latter would damage and weaken the ceiling, so I don't want to do that.
The overlapping joists on the centre supporting wall, cannot be staggered as they need to form a uniform line across the stairs. The wall is 250mm thick, but I am unsure if a 125mm overlap and a butt joint is acceptable.
Design 2
My second design is to insert a single/double trimmer joist between the two headers, almost like another header.
On the right hand side, it's only supporting a tiny amount of t&g so it's almost cosmetic. In the centre it's sitting on a supporting wall, so it's very well supported. On the left, it is the landing point for the stairs turn, so I know this needs to be solid. The span from the centre wall to the header is only 1,400mm.

This design still has the same "wall joist" cut as the first design, and raises further questions.
I don't know if this design is "valid", as it's difficult to see how the load is transferred from a header to another "sub header". It all feels a bit non-standard, though it seems to be well supported.
Is it acceptable to invent a non-standard design, to cope with a unique situation? Are there drawbacks to not using the tried-and-trusted layout?
Update, 9/11/2016
We have decided to keep the "wall joist" and make it a decorative feature on the wall.  I realised there is no complication with the wall stringer as I had originally thought, as the stringer never reaches this joist before it turns to the right. It will also provide delineation between the downstairs plaster, and the bare sandstone walls upstairs.

Unfortunately, as with most questions like this, you're going to have to talk to an engineer. A bunch of amateur DIYers on the internet, is not the proper resource for this type of information.

You're making a major structural change to a building, and you don't want it to cause property damage or personal injury. The "correct" and responsible thing to do, is to seek the advice of a trained professional.


How do you access the Rainsoft water softener "advanced" settings, such as hardness? The user manual says that this setting is setup "by your Rainsoft dealer" when the softener is installed. Well, I bought mine off of Craigslist and I don't know how to verify if the settings are correct. Does anybody know how to access the hidden settings, such as harness?

Finally found a web page that alluded to the answer. On the front panel of the control unit there is a small raindrop. While touching the raindrop (it doesn't look like a button), push the program/enter button. It will cycle through the factory settings, such as capacity and hardness.


Leviton Dimmer 3 way remote switch only turning off I've been trying to get this three way setup working for a few days now.

The wiring diagrams that came with the kits are not consistent and when I wired according to the diagram I was not able to get the lights working at all.

Current behavior: WiFi Enabled Leviton DW6HD turns the lights off and on as expected.  Remote Leviton DD00R-DLZ switch on the same circuit turns the lights off as expected. However after turning the circuit off the remote switch ceases working.

Expected behavior: Remote switch works to turn on lights after turning the lights off.

This is the WiFi enabled DW6HD switch as it is currently wired.

This is the WiFi enabled DW6HD switch unwired (showing for reference).

This is the matching Remote DD00R-DLZ switch as it is currently wired.

I have also tried the following configurations:

Both Black wires on BK screw with Red on YL/RD [ Lights turn off with
remote switch but does not turn on]
Red on BK screw with both black wires on YL/RD [ Lights turn on and off with WiFi enabled switch, remote switch shows online but does not do anything]
Red on BK screw with taped black wire [ Lights do not operate on remote or WiFi enabled ]
Red on BK screw with un-taped black wire [ Lights do not operate on remote or WiFi enabled ]
Red on YL/RD screw with taped black wire [ Lights do not operate on remote or WiFi enabled ]
Red on YL/RD screw with un-taped black wire [ Lights do not operate on remote or WiFi enabled]

Edit:
As requested here are the images of the inside of the boxes.

This is the box with the DW6HD WiFi enabled switch, the lines coming in from the bottom are hot from the outlet on the other side of the wall (an electrician that was over here trying to help told me that when we were testing it).

Here is the box with the remote DD00R-DLZ switch.

As you seem to know, the "bare" wires, along with any green or yellow/green wires, are always and only Equipment Safety Ground. They get used for nothing else.

How the 3 wires must be allocated

NEC 110.3(B) requires you install the light switches according to the instructions.  This is not optional.  Since Reading the Fine Manual is mandatory, you see the "3-way configuration" diagram plainly shows 3 wires (other than ground).  Two of their uses are obvious. The third appears to be some sort of communication wire that runs only between the units.   So, in the /3 cable between switches, we must allocate the wires as follows:

White MUST be neutral.  (NEC 210.something) and it always connects to the WH (silver) terminal on both smart switches. (It also goes onward to the lamp).  That's done!
Always/line/supply hot traverses the /3 cable. The conventional color for that is black, so let's stick to that. This goes to the BK terminals on both smart switches. Done and dusted.  We will not revisit this again.
The remaining wire (shown in the instruction as a thru-wire) is Yellow/Red and is the communications wire that runs only between the switches.  The only wire we have left to allocate is the Red wire in the /3, so that is that.  It connects to the YL/RD terminal of each smart switch.   I am super fond of yellow tape for travelers, and while this isn't a traditional traveler, its code is yellow-red, so it's too perfect to resist marking with a yellow band!

We have now assigned all the wires in the /3 cable.  Pretty straightforward once you figure out which wires are needed, assign tasks to the wires in the wall, and color-code them for purpose.

One last wire to connect: the hot wire to the lamp, which is switched-hot.  That wire could be re-marked red, which is the conventional color for switched-hot.  That goes to RD wire on the master dimmer.  Piece of cake!

Wait a minute! The RD terminal is in one box, and the wire's in the other!

Because the smart switches are not in the right boxes. Switch them.


How to suspend rebar cages for piers Hello. We are converting a former metal portable building used for a school classroom in to a living space. We have got all the site plans, remodel plans, electrical and foundation ECT. We are trying to do as much work as we can ourselves. We are used to doing remodel work ECT....but this is a first for cement like this. Question is...what is the best way to suspend the rebar cages so they will pass inspection. Can we use bricks? We are at an incline so all 4 cages vary in size from 4 feet up to 8 feet. They piers will be 36 inches around. Thank you.

Most inspectors will allow 3" dobbies, but really you should use 3" chairs to keep the rebar 3" clear off the bottom and sides. (The reason your engineer specified 3" is because of moisture protection and chairs allows less moisture than dobbies.)

I'd wire the steel in place at the top using a wood frame cage set 3" in on the sides and wire the cage to keep it from falling side-to-side. Don't wrap the wire around the steel more than once. Then after the concrete is installed, you can pull it out so no moisture penetration points.

By the way, I'd use 3/4" minus aggregate because of the closeness of the ties on top.

Also, you can use the wood frame cage to guide you when you set the 10" square steel plate. Make a template and it will fit perfectly in place when the "mud" is still wet.


What type of flooring will match my existing Brazilian Cherry engineered flooring? I cannot find these engineered wood pieces for the 9'*5" gap in my living room that I need to fill. Since the ones out of the box would anyways be much lighter than what I have on the floor already, can I substitute with a different type of wooden floor planks?

If it's a floating floor, your best bet is to take it apart, then put it back together mixing in the new boards so they're not all in one spot.

That said, are you sure the new boards won't match the installed ones? I'm assuming this might be on the edge of a room, so there may not be all that much fading to begin with.

As for using something else, you certainly could, but you'd likely have to go with at least the same manufacturer to ensure the joints match. And I doubt you'd get a better match than the ones you already have in the box anyways.


Security Cameras Don't Display Video Despite Proper Hookup? My parents purchased a camera system more than a decade ago, and they called someone over to (do something with them? They don't remember...)

Anyway, the result was that almost all of the cameras went down.

They all have power, but there is no video stream from them. They light up with their infrared LED's at night, but after checking the DVR's settings, they have no video feed coming to the DVR (This was also checked by directly wiring the camera to a TV with no DVR in between them).

Additionally, I pulled one of the cameras down and brought it to my TV and gave it power (DC 12V from my power supply), and wired it directly to the TV (No DVR in between to rule out DVR issues).

It had no video feed.

Could all of the cameras have died over time (Which seems wildly implausible to me, they are exterior cameras), or am I missing something? My mom said that the person who was called over was adjusting the cameras physically and might have turned them off somehow, but upon inspection of the cameras, there is no such switch.

Here is the make/model of the camera:

Are the cameras viable, or should I get a new set of cameras?

You should get new cameras. A Google search on the item number came up with nothing. As they are over 10 years old they may just have died of old age. Good luck.


How to afix shower rail to tiles? I have an expandable (by twisting) shower rail, that was secured with some kind of glue or silicone putty between the tiles in my shower.

I brought this down by hanging a soaked towel on it. The ends seem to be rubber.

How can I firmly and perhaps more securely re-affix this to my tiles?

You shouldn't need to have any additional adhesive on the rod or wall for it to stay up properly. You can try to clean the wall and rod thoroughly to see if that helps. You can also try to tighten it (making it longer). If you find that you have to tighten it to the point where the rod itself it starting to bow, or it is pushing out the wall, then it it way too tight. If you have to excessively tighten it, then that would indicate that the rod has worn out and should be replaced.


Better cap needed for toilet bolts See the white cap in this image

I don't know what it is called but I wish it wouldn't keep coming off the bolt/nut on my toilet. Is there a way to fix this? Get a better one? I don't know what to google for. Can you help?

A simple fix might be using white poster putty / sticky tack.  If that doesn't hold, try a dab of superglue.  Each of these are available at the dollar store.  For a slightly more expensive option, perhaps some white adhesive silicone caulking.  All of these options should hold the cap in place enough to not blow off in the wind, but stilll allow you to break open the cap again if you need to ever remove or tighten the bolts.


Will KILZ® contain black mold? we had a leak awhile back inside the wall, from a shower valve leaking. That has been corrected and everything is dried out.

Today while tearing out the sheet rock on the wall that backs up to the shower, I found black mold on the paper of the sheet rock that is attached to the shower faux marble wall. My contractor is telling me kilz will contain it.

Is spraying with Kilz going to keep anything from spreading?

It has been proven in recent years that chlorine (bleach) does not kill mold, especially on porous surfaces.  It hurts it a bit, but really just bleaches it out so you don't see it.  That's why it comes back so quickly. The mold remediation industry no longer uses it and strongly advises against it. Here's one site (I just googled, do not know these people):
http://www.countyservicesinc.com/bleach-myth.php

Sheet rock is one of mold's favorite foods and is quite porous - so if there is mold in a piece, it should be replaced.  Kilz might contain it on other surfaces, but it will grow inside sheetrock and can spread to an area that isn't Kilz'ed, so I'd say "no" in this instance.

Also, in reference to James's statement ... chlorine does kill bacteria - but mold is a fungus.


Brackets for Live edge wood shelf I have a wood shelf I want to hang in my kitchen. The description states 8 x 24 however; the shelf is actually 9" on one end and 8" on the other end. I understand the brackets should be 1" shorter than the depth. Would it be ok to use (2) 7" brackets? I know the best bet is to drill into the stud and of course would do that if possible or use anchors. I anticipate putting a few dishes, spice bottles and something decorative on the shelf. Nothing too heavy. Thanks.

Curious as to the difference in size.
Yes, the 7" brackets would be OK. You need to screw into the studs for the most secure mounting. If that's not possible, use anchors similar to the ones shown below or toggle bolts. People always say "nothing too heavy" and then a few months later, they're back on this site asking how to repair a wall that shelf brackets pulled out of. Also, never hurts to put a few small screws through the bracket up into the shelf to hole it steady.


Jerry rig a common wire from another zone? It appears as if my zone 1 doesn’t have a c terminal for a common wire or it’s not very obvious. The relay is a White Rodgers 829A-845, wiring diagram here: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/539220/White-Rodgers-829a-845.html
If true, Is there some way to pigtail to my zone 2 c terminal to “complete the circuit”?

You just can't get what you want...
Unfortunately, each zone relay has its own independent 24VAC transformer, so trying to "poach" a C wire connection from another zone's relay simply won't work at all.  No sense continuing down that dead end!
However, you just might be able to get what you need
The good news is that there is a way out of your situation, since the Ecobee model you have supports two-transformer systems.  You'll need:

a faceplate mount or knockout mount 24VAC Class 2 transformer (if you're using the latter, you'll need a suitable faceplate for the box)
a few feet of 18/2 thermostat wire
a few feet of 12/2 armored cable with matching bushings ("redheads") and cable clamps
Crimp spade lugs suitable for 12AWG wire
Wirenuts
Mounting screws
A suitable tool for crimping the spade lugs on
And a 4" square metal junction box

We first start by turning the HVAC system breaker off and mounting our 4" square box somewhere convenient near the existing zone relays, then running the 12/2 armored cable over to said 4" square box from the top of the leftmost zone relay using the "redhead" anti-short bushings and cableclamps.  Once that's done, we can wirenut the transformer's 120V leads to the black and white wires on the armored cable, then mount the transformer.  At the other end of the AC run, we crimp spade lugs onto the white and black wires then land them on the appropriate terminal screws on the zone relay board.  Once those terminal screws are retightened, then we can move onto the secondary side of the transformer.  The 18/2 cable attaches to the two terminal screws on the transformer at one end, and gets wirenutted to the green and blue wires on Zone 1's thermostat cable at the other end.
Now that we're done at the zone relays, we can tackle installing the new thermostat for zone 1.  Green and blue go to Rc and C respectively, while red and white go to Rh and W/W1.  This way, the Ecobee will draw power from the 24VAC transformer you just installed, while controlling the heat by connecting Rh to W to activate the zone relay by bridging the T-T terminals on said relay.


what to mount my generator on I recently purchased a portable closed hyundai electric generator for home use, 6,3 kva, 8000se, diesel.  The generator is on wheels.  I have put it in a well ventilated storage shed more than 15 feet from my house. The shed has a concrete floor covered with tiles.  What material do you recommend that I place between the tile floor and the generator?

I would use an anti-fatigue floor mat. The wheels will make divots into the squishy floor mat material and help it from moving around from the vibrations.


Renovation for Dummies I am about to close on the purchase of a small (1000sqft) cottage which, although it is habitable, is in desperate need of some tender love & care.
I am an avid DIY nut and have have already done some significant renovations to my previous house - in many cases fixing previous sub-standard work.

This time, although I am reasonably confident that I am capable of recognizing & performing good work which is safe & does the job, I want to to things 'by the book'.

So my question comes down to: do I really need to read & familiarize myself with all of the official 'code' documentation like the NFPA 70 Electrical Code and the ICC Building codes (with local/state amendments), or is there a more user-friendly, but still comprehensive source of information.
To be clear, I'm not so much looking for 'how-to-do' info as I am looking for 'what are the required standards' info.

My location is Georgia, USA.

There are guide books out there that help familiarize yourself with the codes, in easy forms. I know that the NEC (Electrical code) sells a handbook that breaks down and pulls out the important bits with pictures and additional information. It can be useful. Then there are also the Mike Holt books on understanding the NEC.

I'll just include this picture here as an example from a Mike Holt book:

To answer your question more clearly; yes, there are ways to learn the code without reading over every little bit of it and trying to cram it in. Then, like Ben said, an inspector would check everything. It's best to know how to do it right the first time though.