Help Determine the cause of Cupping Floors The wood floors in my 1926 Craftsman style bungalow started cupping this year. In some places it is subtle, in some places it is really extreme. Ideas on what is causing it and what could fix it?

Notes:

I had the floors refinished last year, by two
separate people, and both areas are now  cupping.
I am in Austin, and it has been a very humid and rainy year, compared to the normally dry climate
I have had a high humidity problem in my house. Had an AC installed a year agonizing my attic and it has never cooled or dehumidified properly.

Suggestions I have received:

change out all of your ceiling vents (I did It)
change them all back
get a radiant barrier and insulate the attic
insulate the floor  - there is no insulation down there.:

I have bought a stand alone dehumidifier which I empty twice a day. I think it's helping

Cupping to me means the wood board is curling up on the edges..usually on the long edge of each board. (Concave.) Cupping is caused by moisture, sometimes humidity , but could be by moisture "introduced" into the flooring.

High-humidity or low-humidity usually does not cause rapid cupping, like you're experiencing, because it's introduced slowly and uniformly into the wood. However, if you've experienced an unusually high humidity this year it could add "moisture" to the boards which would expand the boards, thus causing each board to grow and could push against the walls. Usually, this causes the entire wood floor to bow up. If this is not what's happening, and I suspect not, because you described cupping, then it's moisture being added to the floor.

I don't think installing a new HVAC unit will cause cupping. Here, we prefer a system that moves air rather than a "radiant" type heating system because it dries out the air (we have a relative humidity of 80% or more year round...), and we don't have a cupping issue.

A humidifier will dry out the top of a board causing it to shrink, thus shrinking the top more than the bottom...causing cupping.

If the wood floor has been fine for many years and has started cupping recently, then I suspect moisture from leaking plumbing, leaking roof/drain, moisture from crawl space, or even a water event...like a large spilled water container. I know, sounds crazy, but water will drain down between boards and lay on the subfloor, then soak into the back of the wood flooring. It could take months for that to dry out...and the bottom of each board will "grow" while the top of each board will dry out rather quickly. (Do you have kids?)

You must find the cause quickly or face a big expense of replacement or major repair (sanding entire floor.)  We discovered a leaking drinking fountain near a high school gym and it caused such a problem that we had them chainsaw the entire floor out and replace it. If you can find it quickly, the boards will not "set" and you can run fans (not humidifier) and allow the boards to lay flat again. Is the entire house's wood floor cupping or is it just occurring in one or two rooms?


How to safely pull Internet cable out of soil? My internet company installed a heavy 70 ft long cable across my lawn 6 months ago. They dug up a trench about a foot deep using a trench digger.
I would like to move the middle section of the cable over by 1-2 ft, as a big hole needs to be dug there.

I can see where it comes out of the ground and attaches to the house, they gave me about 4 extra feet of cable there. Can I safely pull the cable there, uprooting it? How would you suggest I dig it out, without risk of cutting or breaking it? I just need to move the middle 10 ft about 2 ft over.

Couple things here.

There is a good chance you don't have enough cable to do this.  Before even thinking about it you will need to check the slack on both sides.   If there are hooked up outside and then wired inside, there is hardly ever slack to pull an extra couple feet.   It is annoying because I have had to have providers rerun our yard different times.

You have to dig up all the way in one direction, can't just dig up 10 feet and scootch it over.   It will be too tight.

ISP could just come out and run another line...  They might charge you.   If they don't for sure just have them do it.   If they don't maybe you go to another provider and "cut this cord" so new provider has to run cable where you want it.

So this cable if you are in the US and it is not electric, water (you may own this) or gas is your property.   ISP or cable company or dish, they are basically giving you this cable as part of your contract with them.   You own it - you paid for it.   If it goes to a box/dish/whatever to your house, it is yours.   If it is buried going from box to box that is a gray area (you are not liable for cutting it but may have angry neighbors!).
Also note: most ISPs and cable internet companies are not part of 811 dig in an overall way.   They will coordinate with 811 if they think there is a high risk area - they plow a main line right through a group of backyards - but other than that they are only usually coming out and marking if someone dug up something before.


Do the junction boxes for the oven and cooktop whips need to be easily accessible or can they be hidden behind the oven? Do the junction boxes for the oven and cooktop whips need to
be easily accessible or can they be hidden behind the oven?

As long as the oven can be pulled out, and you can access the junction boxes that way, you're fine.


What can I use as a bowl for a DIY fire bowl/pit? I'm looking at creating my own fire bowl, as I would find it more fun and satisfying instead of just buying one and plonking it down. I haven't decided if I want it standing or sunk, but that doesn't really matter just yet.

Does anyone have any ideas on what I could use for the actual bowl? I don't have the facilities to shape or weld metal, so something already "bowl shaped" is preferable.

Is there anything metal I could pick up as scrap that would work as a fire bowl? I don't mind the looks as I could possibly alter that

I have played with various fire pit options in my backyard for 15 years.  I have tons and tons of trees and yard waste and try to burn most or turn it into compost.  I have grabbed the saucers from trash piles and used those - can't put much on there and wind blows stuff off easy.  I have had an enclosed mini-chimney pit I built from stones.  This worked great but was harder to clean and I had to break down the wood into pretty small pieces.

So I have happily moved on to an in ground pit.  I dug my pit down about three feet into the ground about four feet long by two feet wide.   There is one row of stones below ground level and two rows above ground.  It was made from neighbors throw away stones - and the neighbors throw their wood in the pit.  It is safe, looks good, and I just shovel it out every 3 months.

The example above is pretty close to what I have done except:

Mine is longer going left to right
I have one brick removed on the right so that I can get in and out or prop something up without knocking over bricks.  So it is more of a horse shoe.
My pit goes about a foot above ground.  This is so that ashes don't hit grass directly and so that someone can't just walk into it (we are picky about which limbs we burn).


How can I handle this splice joint between two shorter pieces of lumber? I want to build a mostly ground level deck. I have created plans and I want it to be 16' x 20' one long side will have a notch for a circle of rocks and a firepit. my issue is along straight the 20' side. I don't have 20' lumber available. How can I handle where two 10 foot boards meet? I've kept everything well below max span. I'll be using ground contact pressure treated lumber, and I checked it's southern pine.

Another idea, I'd shorten that middle joist by 1.5" and double up the (looks like) 30.5" section of the rim joist between the adjacent joists with a piece 2x8 x 30.5".


Are transitions strips necessary from room to room if installing luxury vinyl planks throughout house? I would like to replace our carpet and tile with the locking/floating luxury vinyl planks throughout most of the house. Our house runs long and think it would look so much nicer without transition strips from room to room where there will be lvp only, such as between the living room and kitchen/family room as shown in this photo taken from the entry way. Is this possible or do you recommend transition strips to avoid buckling, etc.?

Transitions strips are generally to provide a transition from one flooring surface to another; oftentimes because of a height difference. Sometimes they provide a threshold from one room to another where the flooring is the same but a limit barrier is desired, like from the living room to the kitchen/dining room.

Transitions give visual cues and can change the design dynamics visually to a space—make it look bigger or more cozy, etc.

If you’re using a single kind of flooring throughout and there are no height differences or underlayment/stability issues, you don’t have to install transitions.

You do need to install base of some kind where the flooring meets the walls. Doorways, around corners and curved spaces require base and sometimes transitions, depending on the flooring and installation layout.

Be sure to do a “dry” layout and determine where you need to make cuts, keeping in mind, the cuts should be made at the least visible part of the floor. For example, in a small bathroom, you generally want to use a full tile coming out from the wall or tub and make cuts at the threshold of the door.


How should I run stripped cable through conduits? I have a 6/3 NM-B cable that is to be run through a Southwire Ultratite conduit to an external outlet for a generator.  I plan to strip the cable prior to threading through the conduit: 1. for ease of passage; 2. for thermal issues. Just wondering what is the protocol for where the stripped section should start - just outside the conduit, or just inside? Also, the Ultratite fitting at the back of the outlet box has no provisions for clamping the wires in place.  Can I presume then, that in this instance, clamping is not necessary as long as the wire is firmly anchored before entering the conduit run?

There are (at least) two problems with this, and the solution to both is to change to THWN (or another wet-rated labeled conductor) when you change to conduit.

Problem one is that stripped NM is not labeled and not acceptable per code for that reason, as @Speedy Petey said.

The second is that you are running to an external location, which means that the conduit is by code defined to be a wet environment, and even with the sheath on, NM is not rated for wet locations, but you need a wire that is rated for wet locations.


Tips for building a soundproof room with ventilation I'm looking into constructing a 6ft(W) x 6ft(D) x 7ft(H) soundproof room pretty soon. This is to mainly keep noise from going out of the room rather than coming in from the outside (But eliminating noise coming in will be a great benefit).

The noise is really just meant to keep my voice in so people can't hear me unless I am practically screaming (It's a room for recording YouTube videos)

I will also be planning on having a move able wall instead of a door to make things easier on the whole construction process (unless that is a moronic idea?)

As of this moment I have decided to construct it like this:

Drywall (Outer) -> Insulation -> Drywall -> Green Glue -> Drywall -> Mass Loaded Vinyl (Maybe) -> Acoustic Foam (Just for decoration)

This room will be constructed in a garage so there is a possible issue with the concrete so would it be better to add a floor to the room or anchor the sides into the concrete and just have a thick carpet to buffer sound a bit more?

Is there anything else I should put into the construction to make the sound proofing more effective?

And I will also need ventilation so what would be the most effective way to do this? As of this moment I am just considering a soundproof ventilation duct hooked up to a portable air conditioner for air (Yes, this final part is a bit ghetto but I'm working on a budget)

Any help is greatly appreciated

Mike

"Insulation" (in the ordinary construction sense) is essentially worthless for blocking sound. But if you need it for the conventional thermal reasons, then certainly go for it.

When it comes down to the bottom line, nothing BLOCKS sound except MASS. That means either the mass of objects (like walls and doors) or the mass of air (i.e. DISTANCE).

And any gaps in the "envelope" will be HUGE holes in your noise-blocking scheme. So movable walls seem antithetical to the goal of blocking noise.

Yes, mass-loaded vinyl is good for adding mass to block sound. But it is rather an expensive compromise in places where space is at a premium. A layer of sheet-rock dry-wall would have the same effect at a lower cost if you are on a budget.

It is not clear whether you already have a concrete floor?  If so, then that is a pretty good advantage.  Yes likely a carpet or rug to mitigate internal reflections. And that foam on the walls is not just "decorative".  Especially in a SQUARE room, it is necessary for reducing internal reflections.

Note that making a space with equal size walls (or ceiling/floor) is a pretty BAD thing for recording sound because you are starting to create an "organ pipe" which will have resonance problems. Good studios not only have un-equal size walls, but they also have non-parallel walls so that "slap-echo" is reduced between parallel surfaces.

Note also that your choice of microphone will affect the effectiveness of your scheme.  If you use a modern "headset mic" where the tiny "wand" is right next to your mouth, you don't have to produce as sound to get a good recording (so not as much to block). And it will also have the added benefit of increasing the "signal-to-noise ratio) since your voice will be MUCH louder than ambient sounds (because of proximity), you won't have as much problem with ambient noise (including HVAC).

Not clear about your requirement for "ventilation".  Do you mean getting fresh air into the space? Or do you mean heating/cooling the air inside for comfort? There are different methods of reducing noise while doing both of those things, but few of them are very conducive for low-budget and/or temporary implementation.


anchoring a beam made from dimensional lumber to concrete piers The rim joists of a shed will sit on two horizontal beams. The beams need to be secured to concrete piers with some kind of galvanized tie. Something like the one in the picture.
The beams will be created by flipping three (US nominal) 2x6 on edge and "laminating" them together, so to speak. A nominal 2x6 is approximately 1½ by 5½. So the beam is 4½ inches thick.
Are any such ties specifically designed to work with dimensional (2x) lumber, that is, such that the actual width of the tie is a multiple of ~1½ inches? If so, is there a term of art for such ties?
A tie with a 4" actual space, for example, is too small to accommodate three 2x6.

I think this is what you need. Check with the representative from Simpson for availability and what size (W) you need. You can filter the desirable size from the table below.


My 240 volt outlet seems to be delivering 219 volts I am seeking help with my confusion about where my problem lies and what to do next.

I had a home renovation and got new appliances and upgraded circuit box two plus years ago.  But not the "heavy up" with the power company for the power coming into my house. I was told it wasn't needed. I am not sure that is correct.  I have had problems with my oven and stove not heating up to proper temps.. or not holding the heat as needed.

Had the electronic works replaced twice.  The second time, the repair guy tested the outlet that powers the range.  Each "hot" delivers 120 but when both hots are tested together the voltage adds up only to 219 volts. Does that make sense? How can this be?

I was advised to call my electrician who had put in all the new wiring and new circuit box at renovation.  He charged me $$$$ to find again that 219 volts come into what should be 240 volt outlet.  He found then that 219 volts come into the main power circuit box... and the same at the outside of my house where the meter is.   A few weeks later he is now saying that no, it is 219 amps coming into the house and all is fine. I think he is double talking me. And I am still left with 219 volts coming out of the outlet that is supposed to deliver 240.

What should I do?  I called the power company and their report to me was inconclusive.. they can't tell me over the phone what they found beyond, "the power coming into your house is adequate."  what that means is not clear.  Should I have them return while I am home and they can explain what they found? Should I get another electrician in? Or something other course of action. Thanks for your thoughts on these issues.

To all responding- Thanks so much.   For clarification... when i wrote that each hot when separately test with multimeter measure at 120 but when measured together they measure not 240 (120 +120 should =240 total, yes?) but 219, all measurements where taken with multimeter sensors in the socket.... that is with oven unplugged.  We were testing  how much power is coming through the outlet. The oven repair guy said that only 219 is being delivered to what is an oven that is supposed to run on 240.  The thought is that the electronics can't keep up with the temperatures set for cooking.   also just so folk kow i think my electrician is not confused about volts vs amps. it is a language barrier... or he is trying to be cagey with me about what he thinks the problem is.   Also the prong is 4 prong.   and because the central panel box measures the same way with 219 volts, and the panel box outside with the meter reads 219 volts, I remain wondering if 100amps are being delivered to my house of the 200 amps that i think my house needs to run central air, appliances, etc.
Actually this goes back to me wondering what the heck kinda of amperage and voltage comes into my house... from the power company and why they can't tell me what that is... They won't tell me at leasat.

240V is a nominal value. Depending on how far away you are from the power station or other factors, it could be higher or lower, 219V is a perfectly reasonable value. It is also unrelated to the problems you're having with your oven. Most ovens have an internal thermostat that controls whether or not the heater operates. When you don't get enough voltage, your oven will still heat up to the given temperature, it would just take longer. (Unless the voltage is so low that it's not able to hold heat, but 219V is perfectly fine.) Also, I'll note that most oven thermostats aren't that precise; it can pay to have an oven thermometer around if you need precision.

At this point, the electrical system appears fine up to the point where it hits the oven. If both the stove and oven are the same appliance, I'd consider the possibility that something's off inside them. For example, if the plug isn't connected properly to the actual oven, and the oven only has one 120V rail, you could indeed run into problems.


Best method of repairing plastic door frame I dropped a canister going through the outside patio doorway and the corner chipped away the plastic door frame. I see that these frames are all one piece and expensive and time consuming to replace. Is there a way to repair this? I tried using bi-component glue, but that turned yellow when dried. I was thinking of cutting a piece from an inconspicuous area and gluing it inside. Would there be a way to repair this without replacing the entire door frame?

EDIT: Looking around, I found a product called BOND & FILL which is a PVC bi-component cement. seems this would work to fill it up. Reviews on Amazon are not very good, but it seems the best choice for me now.

I personally do not think a PVC cement will give satisfactory results. I would probably:

1) find a thin gauge aluminum channel that fits over the broken frame, deep enough to cover the gouge, spray paint it to match, and silicone it down over the length of the frame. Or,

2) use automotive body filler, plane and sand to blend, than spray prime and paint the entire lower frame (perhaps this is similar to the "bond and fill" product you found, if so give it a try!)


Why do I have a green light on my GFCI but the outlet will not come on? While cleaning, my niece sprayed my GFCI outlet causing it to go out. I attempted to reset it but came up with negative results. I purchased another one, hooked it together (green light came on showing that the outlet was good) but no power is coming through. The plug is also connected to an additional outlet which doesn't have any problem.

What is causing this and how do I fix it?

Use a voltage tester like a "Wiggy" or a neon tester to test the presence of voltage at the wires.  (not just in the socket of the GFI)  If there is current in the wires, double-check that you have connected the power to the line side of the GFI, not the load side.  Be sure that the neutral (white wire) and hot (black) are connected to the correct terminals and not reversed.

Remember: GFIs are designed to protect from ground faults (where current is being shunted to ground).  They are not circuit breakers and they do not protect against over load of current like a fuse would.

If there is no power at the wires then the problem it outside the scope of this question and you may wish to hire an electrician.


Central heating/cooling system heating unevenly I have just had a new 3.5 ton central air and heating unit installed. The main vent is located in the hallway right next to the middle bedroom.

When I turn the unit on to heat my home the heat in all of the rooms are distributed evenly but the heat in the middle bedroom distribution is much hotter than in the other rooms in my home. How can I makes the adjustments so that it's not so hot in that middle bedroom.

The "Registers" on the blowy holes are adjustable down to fully closed. The Grills on the sucky holes are not adjustable. You should find that the middle room's Register can be almost completely closed in order to maintain an even temperature equal to the other rooms.

Unfortunately, this adjustment or setting only applies to heating as you discovered upon switching from cooling. You'd need to either manually set the middle room's Register each heating &/or heating season or have a programmable & motorized External Register or Internal Damper installed to do it for you.


How can I wire a GFCI combo switch so that the switch controls the receptacle? I want to install a Cooper Combination Switch/Receptacle GFCI device. Everything I've seen shows the switch controlling a light or garbage disposal and the outlet always hot. I want the switch to control only the outlet, nothing else. There will be a single 12/2 w/ground wire feeding the box. The purpose is to have a protected outlet to control anything plugged into it and operated by the switch. The plan is to have it placed under the eave on the deck and be able to switch on or off something like Christmas lights or a rope light over the deck. The attached picture is as close as I've seen but I need the light to go away and keep the outlet controlled by the switch.

Diagrams belong to do-it-yourself-help.com originals found here: http://www.do-it-yourself-help.com/gfci-outlet-switch-wiring.html

Depending on the device, it should go something like this.

Wiring the device in this way, should allow the switch to control the receptacle. The switch will also control anything connected to the Load terminals, and the Load terminals will be GFCI protected.

NOTE: For outdoor installations, don't forget the in-use weatherproof cover.


Can I draw 240v out of this configuration? This is how my subpanel looks like. I am looking to install a breaker for an AC unit. 20A. The only caveat is that this has to be 240V. This is a subpanel coming from the main one. There is a breaker of 60A of capacity so I think it should be alright from the load sense, assuming that it supports drawing 240V from it. Any information or pointers are appreciated.

Thanks

The feeder wire has a black, a red, a white, and a green so this suggests there are both legs present, i.e., 240 V is present.

There appears to be a double space on the right open for a 2-pole breaker. A 60 A feeder breaker should support the addition of a 2-pole 20 A load depending on the actual loads on the other circuits in this sub-panel.


A GFCI controls all the lights in the bathroom Brand new house, when I test the GFCI in the bathroom, all the lights and fan go off. When I reset the GFCI they all come back on. Is that normal?

A GFCI receptacle has line and load connections. This is different from an ordinary receptacle that has two sets of screws that are functionally identical (as long as the magic tabs are not removed).
This may have been deliberately installed this way. But it is quite possible it was a retrofit GFCI (which is a good idea - they are important safety devices for bathrooms) and the installer didn't understand that GFCI line/load is not the same as a regular receptacle's two sets of screws.
The one catch is that if ant of the lights or the fan are above the tub/shower then they must also be GFCI protected. Assuming that is not the case:

Turn off the breaker and make sure power is out (receptacles dead and lights/fan won't turn on)
Open up the box and pull out the GFCI/breaker. Take pictures, in case anything goes wrong.
Disconnect the wires from the line and load sides.
Connect all the hot wires (these are wires that were on brass or black screws, should be black wires but not always) together with a wire nut and add a short 12 AWG black wire as a pigtail and connect that to the hot line screw.
Connect all the neutral wires (these are wires that were on silver screws, should be white wires but not always) together with a wire nut and add a short 12 AWG white wire as a pigtail and connect that to the neutral line screw.
Put everything back together and turn on the breaker.
Verify that the GFCI TEST/RESET buttons work.
Verify that the receptacles work.
Verify that lights/fan work and that GFCI TEST does not shut off the lights/fan.


Faulty wire on ring main tripping fuse identified, but what could cause it? (UK) Background

For the last 2 weeks the downstairs socket ring's breaker has been tripping (sometimes just the RCD would be down but most of the time it would be the ring's breaker and the RCD).
First it was every couple of days then once a day. I had ruled out all the electrical items plugged in one by one and took the sockets of a wall that was a bit damp just in case it was that.
This morning it wouldnt turn back on so I took out the multimeter split the ring and tested around the ring, disconnecting the lives until I found the 2 sockets where there is a live leg where the multimeter says its in contact with earth.
I have now reconnected everything else and the ring is working again (although its not a ring anymore as I have broken the circle)
On the bad wire Neutral to live is fine and so is neutral to earth.

The wire in question is newish when we renovated our house 5 years ago, the wires goes via the ceiling.

What can cause this to happen?

Water/leak from the bathroom?

If that was the case I would expect our spotlights to have issues (as we have lots in that area) and why would there be a break in the wire? Surely burying a junction box in the ceiling is a bad idea...?

Rodent / animal damage?
The renovation was extensive and we put new wooden floors and skirting everywhere so I can see how rodents would get in (we have never seen any signs of them)

Any other ideas?

EDIT
Update:
I have reconfigured the ring so its a ring again but 1 socket now has 2 sockets spurred off of it (where the wire between the spurs is the disconnected faulty wire).
So although I know its not ideal to have 2 spurs on 1 socket the sockets in question will never take much load (and have been labelled inside for suture owners )

You have taken the right steps to trace and identify the area of the problem, and the nature of the fault, but you still cannot know the source of the fault without further inspection.

Many things, including those you have identified, can cause faults like this. Yes, burying a junction box in the ceiling is inconvenient and inappropriate if it is not accessible for servicing, but it is still very common. If there is a junction box between the two sockets you have disconnected, the fault could be with or within it. If not, the fault is certainly in the cable.

Examples of what could cause continuity between live and earth wires in a multi-core cable are mechanical damage, insulation breakdown, insertion of a conductive item into the cable such as a nail or screw, loose, poor or incorrect connections at a junction or other accessory, presence of conductive liquid, etc.

The simplest off the cuff remark would be replace the run between the two sockets, but if this means removing tiles, chasing brick or plaster work, redecorating, lifting floorboards - it can become anything but simple.

If you can observe the cable within the ceiling, such as by removing a spotlight and looking in the hole (with a mobile phone camera, for example), or lifting floor boards above, you will be able to see whether there is any other damage or signs of damage (such as scorching, water marks) to the cable in question or the area nearby. If the fault is in that area, you have a chance of fixing it.

If however it's a nail through the cable on a wall, and it's installed in capping and clipped beneath the plaster, the only solution will be to remove it destructively, for which I recommend you contract a suitable electrician.


Installing a PIR Motion Detector - Not working because it requires a neutral wire This is going to make me sound daft but I am new to DIYing and by no means an electrician! But I am trying to install a motion sensor light switch on the ceiling where a pull cord switch used to be.

I have connected the two red live wires and the earth wire but there is no neutral.

As it's not working, my idea of "maybe it won't need it" was obviously wrong. What are my options here as there is no neutral wire? Is there a way round it?

Thank you for any help given!

There are several passive infrared switches available that operate without a neutral wire. Yours does not seem to be one of those types. Replacing the switch will be much easier than running a neutral wire to the location.

Search PIR switch no neutral.


What are the pros and cons of rolled-on wall/ceiling texture paint? I just recently learned that some wall/ceiling textures can be applied with a paint-roller and special texture "paint".

Here are a couple examples from Home Depot:

I was hoping to get more information on this technique.  I'd specifically like to know:

What types of texture patterns are available using this method? Some types look like they could be done by either rolled-on or spray (e.g. Perlite).
How do the finished results compare to other texturing methods? Is there a noticeable difference in quality?
Is there a cost benefit for rolled-on textures?
Is a rolled-on texture easier for beginners to apply?

-M

Rolled on texture is easy for anyone who can paint. However, do not get that pre-mixed stuff. It's nearly impossible to get it to a good consistency. Go with the texture additive that you mix in yourself. Just wear some old clothes because tiny bits of the texture are going to shoot off the roller and get on you (more so for a ceiling job).

All you need to do is pay attention to the texture coverage. Rolling vertical and coming back over on a horizontal to get uniform coverage. I'll do the texture in the first coat then do another coat without the texture to cover up any unpainted texture bits that are barely stuck to the wall.


Adding an electrical outlet We are adding a soundproof wall over an existing wall.  We have an electrical outlet that we want to extend.  This will be about four inches or more as we are also adding residual channeling then half inch drywall.  How do we extend the outlet to be secure and safe?

Extension boxes stack

You can use multiple extension boxes in this situation -- I'd go back to the hardware store and get an extra extension box as well as a couple of mud rings of different depths if I were in your shoes.  You may need to move the box to get enough wire length sticking out, though -- you need a minimum of 6" of slack with 3" of that sticking out the face of the box.


Replacing water valves for bathroom sink I'm putting in a new bathroom sink in a 37-year-old house in Texas. It seems that the technology has changed, and I can't fit the new sink to the old water valves, but have to replace those.

The gentleman at the hardware store sold me two kinds, so I would have the right kind and return the ones I don't need, but I'm stumped. I'm attaching photos of the current situation, as well as both kinds of replacements. I'm not sure if what's there now will just unscrew, or if I need to get behind the drywall to see more of the plumbing in order to make the switch.

Can anyone familiar with this kind of work give me any pointers? Thanks in advance.

First, I don't think you'd have to change the valves. The photos don't show it well (and everything is very dirty), but the outlet connections are probably threaded and will accept appropriate hoses or compression fitting parts. Anyway, it won't hurt to replace them.

You seem to have half-inch copper supplies and sweated (soldered) valve connections. The first valve you show should be correct. It has a compression fitting that mates to the copper supply once you cut the old valve off and clean up the pipe. A good alternative recommended in the comments is the new crop of push-on fittings, such as those from Sharkbite. When installed on properly prepared pipe they're considered reliable.

You'll remove the nut and the tapered brass washer from the valve and slip those over the pipe. Slide the valve onto the pipe until it bottoms out, then bring the brass washer up to it. Thread the nut on and tighten it fairly snugly, but not crazy tight, keeping the valve all the way on the pipe. Be sure to support the valve so as to not apply force to the pipe. Use a wrench on the valve body and one on the nut.

No tape or dope is required. The brass and copper deform to create the seal. This procedure is undoubtedly covered a thousand times on the web, so give it a search if you'd like more detail or a video.

Now you'll simply install either smooth lines using the compression fitting or a washered supply hose to the valve output.


Can I use an adapter to connect a welder to a dryer outlet? Hi I recently purchased a chicago electric 170A MIG welder. It runs on 240V and it draws 20A (single phase) but it has a 50a plug on it (nema 6-50). My dryer outlet is a four prong 240v 30a outlet (nema 14-30). So, my question is can I use this adapter?

It states in the Amazon product description:

14-30P Ground connects 6-50R Ground 14-30P Hots connect 6-50R Hots
14-30P Neutral is empty(Open)

Here are the plugs I have.
Thanks!

Yes that looks like an appropriate adapter for the job.
It is a metal working convention to put the 6-50 plug on welders, plasma cutters, and the like even when they require nowhere near 50 amps to operate. I guess it's analogous to every kind of small appliance (table lamps, alarm clocks, etc) using a 5-15 plug even though they'll draw nowhere near 15 amps. As the 5-15 socket is just the standard around the house; so also the 6-50 socket is the standard around the metal shop.


Well pump pressure loss We have owned the house for 5 years and not had any water pressure issues.

The pressure gauge on the pipe to the pressure tank has been rusted since we bought the house. The pressure tank is blue and roughly 4 ft tall.
The pressure gauge reads 24 psi. The label on the pressure tank states that it has been pre-charged for 30 psi.
The pressure gauge reading does not change at all when we turn on faucets, flush toilets or run the washing machine.
Am I correct in guessing that the pressure gauge is stuck or broken and needs to be replaced?

What should a typical pressure gauge reading be? And how much should it go up and down upon water usage. What factors affect pressure gauge reading?
The pump goes on and off as expected when faucets are turned on and off.

The water pressure is pretty good except when we flush 2 toilets at the same time and turn on a faucet when the toilet reservoirs are refilling, the faucet pressure is very low. This drop in water pressure has just recently presented itself.
How do I determine how much water draw is supported by the well & pump?

I don't seem to have any documentation on the well & pump. Is this something that is filed with the town? Where could I get a record of this?

Thanks, V.

The Pressure gauge reading cycles between the pump cut-in and cut-out pressures. Sounds like the gauge is dead and permanently stuck at 24psi.

Often, the cut-in and cut-out pressures will be listed on the pressure switch and commonly are 20psi cut-in and 40psi cut-out. So your water pressure on the gauge will cycle between 20 and 40psi during water usage.

The tank has a built-in bladder that is pre-charged to 30psi when your gauge reading is 0psi (pump breaker turned off, water tank drained). There should be a faucet somewhere on the pump manifold system that allows you to drain the pressure tank of water so you can check the bladder air pressure.

To repair the gauge, I would switch the power to the pump off, drain the tank and simultaneously, replace the gauge and check the bladder pressure and top it off if needed. Then power the pump back up.

If there is a lever on the side of the pressure switch (image below), it is a low pressure cutout to prevent the pump from operating if the well runs dry. Pull it up till the pump turns on and hold till the pump stays on (about 10-15psi). With no low pressure cutout, just power the pump on and it will automatically do the rest.

Once you have a working gauge, you can start to determine whether it is a pump pressure supply issue, or if you have something more serious like a restriction in the house supply line or a leak.

Do you have any sort of sedimentation filter in your water system? Sounds like it may have clogged and if a screen, needs flushed or replaced if it's one of those string filters.


How to select a water pump for water feature Let me preface this with I know nothing about plumbing so what I'm trying to do may not be practical or even possible. So here's to hoping.

I am trying to design an indoor water feature that will function similar to a trickling waterfall and I'm hoping we can figure out what type and size pump I should use and the size of the reservoir required to prevent stressing the pump. Right now everything is just modeled in sketchup so its very easy to change the dimensions if necessary.

I'm looking to pump the water up approximately 3ft and the width of the top of the fall is ~1.5ft. I only want it to trickle so the depth of the water coming out at the top will be negligible (I assume) if a number is required lets just say 1/8th in.

Another concern I have is the noise. Since it will be indoors and the point of the feature is to provide ambient water noise, having a loud pump isn't ideal. Another assumption I'm making is that a submersible pump would be quieter than an inline pump but I freely admin I have no basis for that opinion.

Lastly, regarding the reservoir. I don't have a ton of room to hide a huge tank so I'm hoping I can get away with something like a gallon. The current model has about 5in of height clearance but that can be increased by another 2-3 inches if necessary.

Hopefully all of this information is clear. Please let me know if you have any questions and thanks in advance for any advice.

I have a few indoor water features and not only does this pump work well, but I like the fact it has a flow valve.

  Another concern I have is the noise. Since it will be indoors and the point of the feature is to provide ambient water noise, having a loud pump isn't ideal

Believe it or not but the water rate in which it flows is as important if not more so, because in silence, the wrong flow can make way too much noise.

It measures 2"x1.5"x1.5" with a 6' cord and is $13, with free 2 day shipping if you have Amazon Prime.

It can be seen and bought here. https://www.amazon.com/Aquascape-91023-Fountains-Waterfalls-Filters/dp/B002H5EU0W


To which side should a bi-fold door open? I will install a bi-fold door in my house, but the jambs here in Brazil already have rabbets for the door stops made in the jamb.

I'm trying to figure out where should the fold goes when the door is opened.

1) It could fold to the inside of the jamb (resting on the jamb when open).

2) Or it could fold to the outside of the jamb (with the two leaves outwards).

Which is the proper way of doing that? The second ways seems like the door corners should be rounded over so as to not hit the door stop, like the drawing below:

BTW: This hinges for bifold doors in Brazil have a handle in the center hinge.

The answer is, it depends which side of the door is the "public" side so to speak.

The door should be pull from the side that you open it from most often so you can use the handles.

It is hard to tell from your images, but I'm thinking the door leads to some sort of storage area so option 1 would be the best choice since you will open/close it from that side.

Remember also... Bi-Fold doors are really hard to close from the back-side without doing something weird to them to give you something to grip in the middle (as you have shown).... They are really not meant to be used as bi-directionally closable doors.

UPDATE

Clearing the rabbit hole.

In order to clear the rabbit and jamb, you need to move the pivot point a little further in. Moving the pivot points further in will allow the door to centre outside the jam when open as shown below. You may have to "Maguiver" the bottom bracket a bit if it does not let you go out that far. Remember when calculating the distance to the hole in the door to include space to allow the door to pivot.

The pin at the top on the other side of the door should be the same distance from the central door hinge as the pivot point hole.

With the swing the way you want it you would need to move the door out of the rabbit and add a piece of trim to the rabbit to create a new facia like below.

Personally. I's save myself a lot of fuss and bother and not use bifold-doors. I'd switch to the more modern French-door style.


High pitched whine from either the furnace blower fan or motor There is a loud whine or scraping sound especially when the 11 year old Furnace Blower Motor/fan starts up.
With power off, when I turn the blower motor fan blades by hand they make a scraping high pitched sound in one direction, but not the other direction. The problem started suddenly during a cold spell.
Can I tell if this is a motor bearing, fan alignment or other problem without taking the fan assembly out of the furnace?

Turn off the electrical power to the furnace and then take the blower door off the furnace. Reach into the blower in the end opposite the motor and try to wiggle, lift or other wise move the blower fan up and down. if it moves up/down you could have worn motor bearings. If it doesn't move then try as @George Anderson wrote. If this is an older unit the bearings could be in need of lubrication. Note, that some motors can not be lubricate which would indicate a need for the motor to be replaced.  Hope this helps.


Automatically catching mechanism for drop leaf table I need to build a changing station. We have a great location for it
between two walls in our bathroom (they are only about 4 feet
apart). The table will span from the one wall to the other.

We need to be able to remove the table when not in use. It would be
much better if the table top could go down rather than up for
stowing. But the parent carrying a baby, the table must go from the
stowed downward position to the locked horizontal position by a
one-arm movement. So the challenge is how to receive and automatically
support the table top on the right-hand side wall.

Getting the table back to stowing position may require two hands, but
that is fine. We just need to be able to go and change that diaper
without putting the child down first.

Essentially, this is like a door lock. You can close the door by a push. But you need to turn the handle to open it.

I am very open to suggestions for how to obtain this mechanism. The mechanism needs to be fairly strong so it can easily carry a 2-year old troublemaker. Also, it would be great if it can be released from one handle/lever/whatever.

Consider the wonderful world of the gusset. In its usual guise, it supports and strengthens a corner formed by a pair of otherwise weak members. Gussets are used in truss construction, building framing and many other locations.

In the simplest form, it's a right-triangle shape. For your application, one square side of the triangle would be hinged to the wall, with the other square side aligned with the shelf in the deployed position.

In the image above the green wall supports a yellow backing plate containing the hinge for the red/brown shelf (missing a hinge circle). The blue gusset is on a hinge visible in the top view. It's more practical in normal use to have the hinge at the top of the yellow in the drawing, but easier to draw at the bottom.

When the gusset is flush against the wall, the shelf will fall. The gusset should be either lightly spring loaded or the hinge tilted in such a way as to bias it to the open position. When the shelf is lifted, the gusset will reach the position shown in the side view, allowing the shelf to be supported.

Lifting the shelf slightly and pushing the gusset toward the stowed position begins the reversal. Once the gusset has a bit of angle to it, pressure of the shelf will assist the retraction. Wear surfaces could be protected by a plastic strip or panel on which the gusset would slide. Inexpensive poly cutting boards are handy for applications of this sort.

Piano hinges would provide reasonable strength as well as ease of alignment. The gusset need not be full depth in either direction, depending on the materials used.


Is it possible to anchor a cabinet to a wall without damaging it? I have purchased an approx 2m high by 35cm deep dispay cabinet seated on a carpet floor. This is not fully stable (the cabinet rocks a bit when you exert force on the doors to open them), and it was suggested to me that we anchor the cabinet to the wall using some L-shaped brackets.

I'd like to stabilize the cabinet but would ideally not like to drill holes in the wall or cabinet. If this isn't possible, I'd like to minimize the damage to the wall to avoid having to re-paint the entire wall when we eventually move to another house.

We aren't in an earthquake-prone area so I'm not trying to attempt a rock solid load-bearing fastening... Just something to keep the cabinet in place when the doors are opened and closed. I had an idea of using something like 3m command strips or some kind of glue-based solution but really have idea if this would be possible.

This is a tall unit and if it were fully loaded, it could really hurt someone (especially a child) should it fall.  Products like the 3M command strips are designed for hooks where the force on them is acting downwards.  Your cabinet on the other hand, should it tip, would be pulling away from the wall and I really don't think those strips would hold.  If it were my house and my kids, I would not trust them and would opt for a bracket.

As for glueing it, in all liklihood, it would just pull the paper layer of your drywall off with it. Even if it held, it would likely damage your walls more than a couple of holes for a bracket when it comes time to remove it.

For a solution to this, what I often see come with tall bookcases is a short strap (webbbing) with a screw and washer on both sides.  One side screws into the back of the bookcase, and the other should be screwed into a drywall anchor - ideally a toggle bolt since they don't easily pull out.  The washer is important to prevent the screw from pulling through the webbing.  This particular one below uses velcro, but I'd personally screw it into the back of the bookcase.

(source: themanlyhousekeeper.com)

Alternatively a L bracket will work, but they tend to look ugly and depending how much clearance you have, can be really tight to install and/or remove.


How do I fix drywall damaged by peeling paint tearing off the outer paper? I wanted to paint over my bathroom. The paint was peeling and coming off in large plastic-like strips. I assumed that I could not paint over it, so I ripped off all the peeling paint. It seems some drywall came with because afterwards half the wall was brown paper. I tried putting primer over it but that made it worse and now the wall is really uneven. What do I do?

You'll need to patch the areas, where the paper tore off, and then skim coat the entire wall, so that the patched areas, don't stand out "shinier and flatter", than the rest of the wall.

At this point, Google is your friend, especially if you plan to fix it yourself. You may also be able to get a contractor, to do the whole thing, for a fairly cheap price. Prepping a bathroom for paint, is beer money for some guys.

Research, research, research!


Can I wire a secondary 240V breaker box for lab equipment from Europe? I have a dental lab in Europe and might want to move it to the USA. Some of the equipment rates as high as 4kW, and the the total maximum draw is 15kW for the whole lab. Can I wire a secondary breaker box in a building in the United States that is all 240V?

Yes. The bigger problem is going to be if any of the equipment requires 50 Hz or is not approved here (e.g., Commercial U.L. or whatever code and insurance requires for a dental lab).


How to add a secondary circuit breaker, limited to cutting a single appliance Situation:

My apartment has a main 50A circuit breaker, and several small appliances with the normal total current never exceeding 40A. There are also 3 240V appliances with higher nominal power: one is 3350W, and two are 5500W. Each is connected to its own circuit breaker.

In normal everyday use these 3 are very rarely used on their highest Wattage, and hardly ever I have more than 2 powered on at any given time. So normally the circuit operates easily under 40A.

If all three are powered on their high-ends, however, that would generate a ~59A current and activate the main circuit breaker, shutting off all power.

What I want:

The main circuit breaker is 4 floors below the apartment and it is managed by the building and the power company so I just can't replace it. But there's no damage that can occur from shutting down any of those 3 appliances, particularly the 3350W one.

I want to establish a first line of defense against total shutdown by first disconnecting only the 3350W appliance if the total current surpasses 40A. If the appliance is already off, or if the current remains over 50A after it is disconnected, then the main breaker would be activated shutting down the entire circuit.

Is it possible to design the circuit to make this happen? how or why?

Edit with answers to the comments:

This is a biphasic installation and I have both 120V and 240V.
I do have a distribution panel inside the apartment, feeding from the 50A master. This panel has 16 slots I can fill with single or double breakers.
I don't have a master breaker in the panel. I thought of adding one but didn't see much value in limiting the overall capacity below 50A until I started thinking of this. It is possible to add one, though.
The appliances are one Oven (1000W to 3350W) and two Showers (500W to 5500W each). The reason I wanted to cut the oven is actually practical: you don't want to risk your shower breaker tripping and having to finish in cold water.
These are the only appliances on 240V lines, by the way and each has their own double-breakers. 120V holds the refrigerator, freezer, light bulbs and all other outlets and they are split in shared breakers by room iirc.
I know I could just set the house rules and instruct everyone to not use everything at once - I was just wondering if there was a way I could be a little more foolproof.

You can achieve this with 'home automation'.

What you're trying to do is called 'load shedding'.  It's not a common task in a residential setting, but it can be accomplished with home automation technologies.

There are z-wave devices to measure current with an amp clamp, and to control appliances in a split-phase (biphase) set.

You would get one amp-clamp and instal it in the panel, measuring current accross your feeder wires.

Then you install one of those relays at each appliance that you want to be able to shed.

You also will need to purchase or build a controller box that talks to both the amp clamp and the relays.  MiCasaVerde is one choice I've worked with personally and I bet it could do what you want.

Then the fun part.  You get to write a program that runs on the head-end to constantly measure amperage draw and controlls the relays accordingly.

Be careful that you don't create some loop that rapidly toggles the relays though.  At high amperages, I could see that being a nuisance to adjacent units (power blinks) or worse case you could overheat and set one of the relays on fire from the arcs that switching causes.

Good Luck!  And remember to share your code and parts list here once you've got this working.


Should the neutral be bonded in my barn's sub-panel? I moved into a house with a barn. The barn has a 100 Amp panel. It feeds from a Main Entry 100A breaker in the Entry's box.  There are 3 wires to the sub.  Ground and 2 hot. The subpanel in the barn has 100 amp main breaker.  There are two grounding bars in the sub that are connected.  Am I hearing right?  That the white and grounds cannot be connected to the same bar?

We really need to know if the connection is made via metal conduit, particularly Rigid (pipe threaded) metal conduit.  The metal conduit is the ground wire, meaning the white neutral wire is not the ground wire.

Any wire which ordinarily handles return current from a hot, is a neutral.  Neutral is not ground.  Wires which only handle current during electrical failures are safety grounds.

The idea of hooking up an outbuilding without a ground was outlawed some time ago, and for good reason. For awhile, Code allowed a toxic hybrid: "just combine neutral and ground".  "After all, they go to the same place in the main panel, right?" But it's a terrible idea that actually makes things worse.  If you had no grounds at all, a broken neutral just broke your power.  With neutral bootlegged to ground, a broken neutral floats all your grounds to 120V, making things which are supposed to be safe, lethal!

Applying a ground rod is no cure either.  Dirt is a poor conductor (which is why we bother digging up copper) and the dirt between shed and house doesn't have the capacity to return large amounts of current like you have in an electrical short.  You end up just electrifying the soil as well!

Reminds me of a story about a woman whose phone ringer didn't work.  "But I know when someone calls, because the dog yelps".  Hooboy.

If you have separate neutral and ground

-- then as Someone says above, you need to have separate neutral and ground buses. Since outbuildings need a main shutoff, people usually use "main panel" type panels and use the "main breaker" as the shutoff.  These are intended to be main panels, which don't need separate neutral and ground buses, so this is often omitted.  Either they sell separate accessory ground buses, or they let you split a dual netural bus into a neutral bus and a ground bus.

Since many "electricians" mostly fling Romex into new houses or do repairs, they often don't understand the finer points of subpanels.  So it's common to see electricians wiring subpanels like main panels, glomming neutrals and grounds onto the same bus.  Either grounding wasn't taught when they went to trade school, or they got so habituated to working in 1-panel homes that they forgot.  Either way, it's the kind of error that doesn't fail right away.

If you have neutral only

Then you are bootlegging ground, with the risks therein.

You can fix that by retrofitting a ground wire and separate your neutrals and grounds.  The ground wire does not need to follow the same route as the conductors.  If the conductors are in conduit, you can add the wire.  Otherwise you can direct bury a bare copper wire of appropriate size.

Alternately, you can render that safe by putting the entire shed on a GFCI breaker (this being a 2-pole breaker if the shed has 240V). In this case you must separate neutrals from grounds or it'll defeat the purpose!  Now, if something bites you, it is returning not through the neutral wire, and the GFCI will detect this and trip.

Another option is convert the circuit to 120V-only.  The wire colors may (or may not) be the right colors for this to be legal.  In this case, one wire becomes ground, one becomes neutral and the other becomes 120V hot.  This is often good enough for people who aren't doing heavy work.


Garage shelf supports splitting and need to be supported. What is best? The shelves in my garage have some cracks in the wood on two fo the horizontal supports. They haven't grown much, but the cracks are growing slowly. I would like to fix the issue without taking all of the shelves down and actually replacing the 2x4s. Are there any suggestions on how to make this happen?

You could try "sistering" another piece of lumber to the back (inside) of the horizontal supports.  Apply glue and put a few screws in from the front, and it should lend some additional strength to the edges of the shelves.  You might even be able to jack up the shelf a bit in-place before sistering to lend additional resistance.  (Just be careful.  Jacks can tip, and then your project could literally come crashing down around you)

EDIT: Just don't put in a bajillion scews, or it could aggravate your problem.  Looking at your shelf some more, you could also consider jacking up the shelf and putting another layer of plywood on the bottom.  This would turn your shelf into more of a box, and would lend some additional rigidity.


Any possible fixes for separated mending plate in truss? Floor truss in crawlspace, holding up first floor. 14” depth. About 20 ft span is my estimate, with about half of it sitting on concrete block, acting as rim joist.
On the spanned portion, there’s a mending plate that has completely separated from the bottom chord. Are there any fixes for this?

Gently remove the old plates and jack or screw the bottom chord tight, then install steel plates with screws. Don't trust the original gussets to hold if you pound them back into place. The new plates should be at least as large and thick as the originals.

1" truss-head screws would be appropriate. Put screws in every hole with good wood behind it.


How do I reattach a shelf to the wall when it ripped out of the wall? I had attached a shelf to my wall using the hardware that came with the shelf, but then it came crashing down in the middle of the night and all of my stuff came down with it.

The hardware came from Home Depot, I don't remember the name, but there are two pieces, one is pictured below. They were rated for 30 pounds IIRC, and I only had 8 board games and 10 small books of sheet music on the shelf - I don't think I overloaded it.

I drilled holes in the wall, hammered in the plastic bits, and drove the screws into the plastic bits. There are wooden studs where they were placed.

Did I install the shelf wrong, or did I put too much weight on it?
When I put the shelf back up, should I use a different method? longer screws? do I need to get new plastic thingies?

It was installed incorrectly.

It appears what you have in the picture is a knotting anchor. Near the tip of the plastic sleeve is a threaded section. Properly installed, tightening the screw should pull the far end of the sleeve up against the wall, making a thick "knot" that prevents the anchor from pulling through the wall. Since your failed anchor looks smooth and undeformed, this evidently did not happen.

Here's an example from NPA:

You say there are wooden studs where the anchors were installed. Perhaps you drilled a hole large enough for the anchor then pushed it into the hole in the stud. Since the body of the anchor was then constrained by the surrounding wood rather than in the empty space behind the wall it was unable to expand. Possibly you also did not tighten the screws with sufficient force.

When mounting something where there is a wooden stud, the proper procedure is to not use an anchor at all, but just run a wood screw into the stud. The holding power of a wood screw in wood is a lot more than any hollow wall anchor.


Need help with wiring a new fan. Wire colors don't match instructions and I am a bit of a novice I purchased a new fan that I am trying to install. However, the wire colors do not match the instructions and I am a bit of a novice. The instructions say to connect
- green-->bare/green,
- white-->white, and
- black and blue -->black.

What I see when I've removed the old fan (I should've paid more attention when removing it, but it was quite difficult) is a clear red wire and a bare? off-white? wire.

There is a thick, thick black wire but it is very different than the others, so I"m not sure it is one I am to connect to. Deep tucked away I think I see a green one, but it obviously wasn't connected to the old fan, so I'm not sure that is one that I need? Could definitely use some help!

First off, I'd rework the connections on the switch. They are pulling out of the terminal screws.

The red wire appears to be the switched voltage to the fan. It should be connected to the black and blue wires from the fan.
The blue wire is for a light fixture should you want to add one later.
The white wire from the fan should be connected to the group of white wires.

Find the bare copper wire and connect it to the green wire on the fan. If there is a green wire in there, connect it to the bare copper wire too. Good luck.


Should I install a hot water recirculating pump before or after the thermostatic mixing valve? Per the attached picture, I'm going to install a Grundfos comfort pump next to the solar hot water system. Supposedly it's half price on amazon, and it gets pretty good reviews.

My question is whether the Grudfos should be connected before or after the thermostatic mixing valve (which works great).

Also, given the tight spacing, any tips on the most efficient course of action in terms of cutting, elbows, etc.?

At the bottom is screen capture of the Grundfos Manual

I believe that Grundfos comfort system is comprised of two parts:

The Pump
A special tee fitting

The pump is installed on the outlet of the hot water tank and the special tee fitting is installed on the furthest fixture in the house from the hot water tank. This special fitting bridges the hot and cold water supplies. The basic concept is that when the hot line is not in use, it will cool off. This special tee fitting allows the pump to pull the cooled off water in the hot water line back to the tank through the cold water line. This reduces the amount of wasted water that is poured down drain while waiting for hot water.

In your case, you are going to want to install the pump on the outlet (common port) of the mixing valve. This will allow for the proper loop to be created as well as to maintain the proper pressures on the valve as noted by UNECS.

As for advise on cutting the existing out, you're going to have to remove the entire portion from the wall back to the mixing valve outlet. It also looks like there is not enough room left on the pipe sicking out of the mixing valve to reconnect a new fitting to. You may have to sweat out the pipe and solder in a new piece, but be careful not to overheat the mixing valve as you will damage the internals. If you are going to be soldering the new pipework, keep in mind that the existing fittings that have been used are ProPress fittings which have a rubber seal inside of them (the bump in the hub) and that you need to be careful not to overheat them as well. In both cases you can wrap the fitting or valve with a wet cloth to help keep them cool.


Can tree shade hurt a neighbor's house? Have a decent neighbor, retired, squared away, likes things neat.  His back porch wood got rotten and he claims this is because the shade / humidity of the tree.  Can that be true?

The mildew was on the side closer to the tree, near the top, so I can see his perspective.
But it also turns out the porch was made of wood that was not pressure treated.
And the back porch is on the North, so there's maybe an hour in the morning when the sun is blocked.
He's getting the porch replaced next week, to building code.

The tree extends about 18" over his property, about three feet from his porch.

If I trim it back more it'll just be bare branches on his side. If I remove the tree (which I'm willing to do if it's right), our small yard will lose a lot of green cover.  We have other trees shading the back of our house and seem to do no damage.

If it were sunnier on his deck, he may have less rot as the dew would dry more quickly and completely. Will removing the tree eliminate the issue? Probably not completely given how crowded things look.

You're certainly not obliged to remove things that block sun from your neighbors property, however. Your house might also qualify as a sun-blocker, but I doubt you'd take that down.

Ultimately you'll have to feel out whats right and neighborly based on your comfort level and your relationship with your neighbor.


Toilet tank takes 15 minutes to fill in When I flush every once in a while it takes as long as 15 minutes to fill in the tanK.
I brought somebody to take a look at it. He suggested that I replace it with a new one for 649 $. Does that sound reasonable ?

If it's a decent toilet then just repair the defective part. A new fill valve costs anywhere between 20 for a cheapy and 75 for a commercial grade. If the problem is anywhere else a new toilet will not fix the problem. Sometimes the float rubs on the inside of the tank or on the overflow. In that case it's a zero cost repair, just adjust it to have free movement.


Adjusting Air Pressure in Well Pressure tank I need to refill my air pressure in a well pressure tank and have received conflicting reports on how to drain the tank. Some say that the tank has to drain completely (from the valve at the bottom of the tank) in order to fill the air pressure to 38PSI (40/60 pressure) and others say just to open a faucet in the house until water stops coming out.
The tank is in the basement, so a faucet on the first floor still means there is water pushing down into the tank when when stops coming out, so I wasn't sure if that was enough to add air to the tank.

With the tank in the basement you will need a few extra psi to fully push all the water out.
Many pressure tanks are on the same level as the faucets. You can do it either way but remember you have 8-10’ column of water of back pressure so where you might be 2 psi below the cut in pressure with the additional water column pressure you may need to be just over the pressure to use the total volume of the pressure tank so 42 psi may be needed to get full draw down. Open the water spigot upstairs and add air , the difference of draining below and above is about 4 psi so take the tank to 42 psi with the upstairs faucet open if it holds your bladder or diaphragm is good. If the faucet starts blowing bubbles and you loose the air pressure at the tank it needs a new bladder or replaced.
In reality it’s not a big deal unless you have a small tank.


What is this insect that seems to hatch from OSB? These insects are everywhere in the house and they seem to hatch inside. New construction, frame structure with Oriented Stand Boards. Country side located, lowland fields, temperate climate (Romania).
I'm wondering if the boards were infested and now the larva worms are going through adult stage.
Do they pose any risk to the boards?  I.E. Are they feeding on it?

Looks like a type of Lacewing. Their larvae are predatory, mostly eating smaller insects like aphids and other insect larvae. If you are seeing the adults, it's likely that the larvae were pupating over the winter in a cozy spot between some boards. Although I have never heard of the larvae pupating in large groups, it could be that something about the structure was very attractive for the purpose. Since they eat aphids, most people consider them a beneficial species when they are in the garden. Maybe not quite the same if your house is full of them. Do you have any house plants with aphids?
Lacewings should not be harmful to the structure, but they could be feeding on something else that is. There is a species in the US that reportedly feeds exclusively on termites (destructive). There are other species that reportedly feed on spider egg sacks (nondestructive). With more than a 1000 species identified around the globe, and new ones still found from time to time, there is likely a species for every food source and likely a food source for your species either in or in very close proximity to your home. They are also attracted to lights, so if you leave lights on overnight they are likely to swarm around if conditions are favorable.


How can I bend wire that is too thick to manage easily? Such a silly question but please help me! The wires leading to my pool pump are probably 10 or 12 gauge.  When i bend them in a loop i cant get them around the screw because there is no give to the wire.  Can i remove the screw, place the loop over the hole and re-screw?
What if the screw doesnt come out completely?

I want a secure connection and really want to loop around the screw.

How do the pros get this done?

I doubt that it's #10, but even #12 can seem like a pretty thick wire when you're, even casually, used to #14.

I'm surprised your pump receptacle doesn't have clamps instead of screws. Is it a 20 amp, twist lock, single receptacle?

Without using force make sure the device screws are completely backed out, but don't remove them. Strip off about 1” of insulation to get a good size hook. As you're bending it, stop short of a full hook to more of a “U” shape. Put the wire under the screw and complete the hook with needle nose or diagonal pliers, the end of wire strippers whatever works before tightening the screw. Subtle bends and angles can make all the difference getting the wire under the screw.


Understanding GFCI configuration in basement Good day-
I am putting a treadmill in the basement of our three-year old home, and the manufacturer warns not to plug the treadmill into a GFCI outlet.  Although the outlet I anticipate using is not itself GFCI, I assume it is downstream from the GFCI outlet next to the breaker panel in the basement.  Am I then correct in assuming that the same problem would be encountered, and I should not use that outlet?  And - what's the fix?  Our code officer will likely demand that any outlet in the basement is GFCI - is there another option?
Thanks

The warning from the manufacturer is pretty common on treadmills. the outlets just don't like them. Your right about the downstream outlets being connected to the GFCI by the main panel. I would try plugging your treadmill into that outlet and see if it trips. One solution that has worked for me is to replace the individual GFCI outlet with a standard outlet and replace the breaker with a GFCI breaker in the main panel. Don't ask me why, but it works and I've done it many times. Is your basement finished? Code doesn't require GFCI outlets in a finished basement/room. Good luck


Why do I get water hammer after turning water supply back on? I shut off the main water supply in the evening to replace the shower cartridge. I came back the next afternoon to finish the job. When I turned on the water main I started getting continuous water hammer. I shut things back down again.

I went and opened 2 of 3 sinks, the tub, and the outside hose all the way, but I still get this symptom.

I have valves to control the supply side (before the water meter) and after. The supply side is fully open, and I've been opening and closing the side after the meter.

What should I be doing so I don't ruin my plumbing just trying to fix a dripping tub spout?

It is natural to have some water hammering when you had your water turned off for a day and turn it back on.

You probably had a sink on or something so that when you turned off the water the excess pressure pushed it out somewhere - not your shower.  So your waterlines are filled up with air.  The air has to go out places and will create huge air pockets that will make noise when moved.  Turn on your water supply and turn on everything for a few minutes and it should quickly go away.


Problem with service drop I have overhead wire providing my two phase electric service.  The line from the pole appears to be relatively new and the splice connectors appear to be in good condition as well.

However, there is little to no slack to provide a drip loop and the two conductor wires appear to be rubbing against each other.  Even worse it seems, the cable jackets all seem to be cracking and splitting after the splices (but before the meter).

Who is responsible for this section of the drop? The property owner or the utility company?

Obviously this needs immediate attention and I appreciate your help on this in advance!

Regardless of who's responsible money wise, you should call your utility company's repair line now.  If it's before the meter, they need to be involved in disconnecting the service either way.

Generally they will send someone out to inspect it and let you know if it needs repairs.  They'll also tell you whether you need to pay for the repairs or not...but either way they need to look at it right away, so it makes no difference in what you need to do.

Different hydro companies have different rules, but generally the demarcation point (where it goes from being their problem to your problem) is either at the top of the service stack, or at the terminals on the house's side of the meter.  Everything before there is their job to fix.


Mounting articulating Arm for TV (43”) to wall with metal studs I’d like to mount an articulating arm for my 43” TV in my basement, however have metal studs unfortunately. The mount is made for a single stud install. Luckily I have access to the back side of the wall, and could work from there. Could I install a wood stud next to the metal stud and mount that way? Or would a large piece of plywood between the studs behind the drywall be a better approach with some toggle clamps holding it in place? I don’t really want plywood on the outside of the wall if possible. Thanks for the help!

An articulating arm swings away from the wall and this creates different forces than just attaching directly to the wall. You didn't note the distance that it can articulate nor the weight of the TV nor the vertical distance between the bolts of the bracket to the wall and all are factors that determine the 'moment' and therefore the force of the tension / compression affect at the wall (consider using your hands to hold a piece of plywood up vertically by the edges, you'd have to push out at the bottom and pull in at the top, as well as lift up the weight of the plywood to keep it in place).

For metal studs the critical element is most likely the flange or face that the dry wall and bracket are attached to, it will bend out of plane, in and out of the wall, likely before the stud as a whole would fail. What resists that is the thickness of the metal. The force required to bend the flange likely isn't high. Metal stud design is COMPLECTED and there are MANY different types (some are very flimsy) and of those the least expensive is chosen, that is, the one with just enough strength to do the purpose.

With that in consideration, and that you have access to the back of the wall then I suggest attaching directly to new full height wood studs. You can easily locate the studs by first determine where the bracket needs to be located based on where you want your TV, drill holes through the dry wall as if you were going to attach it, but don't yet of course. On the back side, use those holes to located the new studs.

Strong and easy peasy.


How to measure the radius of a fillet on a non 90deg angle I have two filleted corners that are not at 90deg on an aluminium part. I want to measure the radius of the fillet, but I don't have fancy radius measuring tools, only calipers.

Is there any way I can measure the fillet radius of those corners using only calipers or maybe other common tools ?

I use low tech things for that kind of stuff. Bottle caps, jar lids, rolls of tape, 5 gallon buckets, whatever may fit the curve I am trying to measure. Once I find one that fits the curve, I measure the diameter and divide for the radius.
There is a formula for finding diameter if you can set a straightedge or at least create a straight line between 2 points of an arc.

I will need to find it and add it later. It is very simple, and I used to use it a lot...


How do I repair deck sloping on one side of the house? I'm in Jonesboro, GA. My deck is about 3 ft off the ground. I have a crawl space.  The deck is leaning/sloping down from the house on the left side.  I looked at many youtube videos and found the issue to be the ledge board does not have lag bolts. It is screwed in.  The next thing is see is the rim joist on both side(front and ledger board)do not have a metal rim joist faster. The builder cut the bottom 1/2 in corner of the 2x8 and nailed a 2x2 trim along/underneath that cut out.  Results and ironically enough no rim joist is pulling away from the ledger or the front deck. I hope pictures clarify this explanation.

From what I've read and researched I would need to jack up the deck on the left side then put lag screws (Ledgerlok). Sounds straight forward but

Do I need to remove the nails from the ledger board .....with a saw?.
Can I use my heavy duty car hydraulic jack to raise the deck (2 or more)?

I had a deck where the rim joist bowed out, and the cross joists came unattached.
I used two car jacks to get everything back up to level to be reassembled and use proper joist hangers.

Safety tip, use the jacks to lift, but once up, set a stack of lumber or blocks to hold it up while working underneath.  If you have some 4x4 stock (or 2 2x4s edgewise), don't lift a specific joist, but use a cross piece to lift several and spread the force.


Adding a fence on top of a wall I am looking at adding a Fence to the side of the yellow wall to go up about 3 foot.  will i need to get planing permission or can i just go ahead, the yellow building is mine?

Adding a [3 foot] fence on top of a wall

That wording and picture suggest a UK location.
It isn't clear to me where exactly you intend to put this fence but if you are adding 3 foot to the height of a wall you are very likely to need planning permission.
The only exception would be if the existing wall is less than 3 foot and is not a boundary wall.
The Governments planning portal says

You will need to apply for planning permission if you wish to erect or add to a fence, wall or gate and:

it would be over 1 metre high and next to a highway used by vehicles (or the footpath of such a highway); or over 2 metres high elsewhere; or
your right to put up or alter fences, walls and gates is removed by an article 4 direction or a planning condition; or
your house is a listed building or in the curtilage of a listed building.
the fence, wall or gate, or any other boundary involved, forms a boundary with a neighbouring listed building or its curtilage.


Using a W Beam on its Side We are attempting to span 16' and replace a load bearing wall holding up the plaster ceiling and low slope roof.
I would like to use a steel W Beam mounted sideways to minimize intrusion into the room ceiling.
What is the continuous load load derating if the beam is on its side?

A “W Shape” steel beam is the wrong shape. It’s nearly as wide as tall.
I’d try a “S Shape” steel beam. They are “skinny” and can be installed in the wall correctly (vertically).
Give us an idea of the load and we can give a size. (A S8 will support about 14 kips for a 16’ span and has a flange width of 4”.)


How to shut off water coming from the hot water heater I'm trying to shut off water coming from my hot water heater.  I currently have the water shut off to the entire house due to a shower repair that went awry (hot water flows like a shower even though the faucet is turned off).  The plumber I am waiting on suggested turning the water off at the hot water heater, so that I can turn the main water back on and still have use of the cold. He made it sound like no big deal, but I am unsure of what I am doing. I am wanting to do this because it may be at least a couple days before the repair can be done.  So, I guess my question is, what is the easiest way to do this? Do I have to turn off the electric supply?  Can I just turn a valve that stops the water? My hot water heater is electric and in the basement of my ranch home.

Side question, I have lived here several years and never drained the hot water heater.  Should I do this as routine maintenance?
Thank you!

Normaly there is a valve on the supply line to the water heater, turn this valve off and it would be best to turn the water heater breaker off.


Can I remove oil-based paint from furniture with paint stripper and pressure washer? I have an old dining table with a thick layer of oil-based paint. Since it has lots of paint chips so I decided to remove the old layer and repaint again.

I started off using a palm sander for a small section but it can't get to the small cracks here and there. I wonder if I can use Citristrip stripping gel and then pressure wash it off, let dry and repaint.

A stripper gel is worth a shot. Never tried myself. I'd definitely use a heavy duty respirator with that stuff. A big no way on the pressure washer ;).

You might also try contoured sanding pads. I use these all the time. Sanding just sucks and takes devotion..

http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2005237/10568/large-contour-sanding-pads-6-piece.aspx
http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2000274/1744/standard-kit-sanding-sticks-24-piece.aspx


Using a Light Bulb Socket Switch to Control a Buzzer I am currently using a turn knob switch for light bulbs to enable and disable a buzzer. I think the buzzer runs at 12 volts and draws a few amps. Is this safe?

Unless I'm told otherwise my basic understanding is that at that voltage and current I am within the wattage range of typical bulbs. I'm open to being told I'm wrong.

Perfectly safe. Lower wattage can always be put thru a switch capable of handling higher wattage.


Need drain for water heater pressure relief and HVAC condensation I'm refinishing my basement and I don't want to place a drain in the floor. But I need a place for the HVAC condensation to drain to, and a place for the water heater pressure relief to drain to.

Option 1, there is a nearby soil stack. I'd like to Tee off of that and add a P-trap, but city says I can't because there's no vent.

Option 2, there is a sump (with a pump) nearby. I'd like to drain to that but the city says no (not an "approved" method whatever that means)

Suggestions?

In the 2015 International Plumbing Code, R504.6 explains the requirements for hot water heater discharge pipe. It looks like you could install something similar to a clothes washer standpipe as long as the hot water heater discharge terminates less than 6" and more than 2x the pipe diameter above the standpipe. By the way, #6 "not to be trapped" refers to the pipe connected to the hot water heater, not the standpipe or floor drain.


When to use whole house fan We just moved to the south and our house has a whole house fan in the ceiling of the top floor. I’m in a muggy climate in summer and a cool climate in winter.
We have a single air conditioner for both floors and the top floor obviously gets warmer than downstairs... but can the whole house fan actually do anything about this? I’ve read that you’re supposed to open the windows while using it, but then others say that this brings in pollen, humidity, pollution, etc.

I'm located in Miami and installed a whole house fan two years ago and love it. The best time for it is in the winter and yes, you have to open windows and/or doors. The fans are powerful, probably 5400 +- cfm. If the air is moving out, it's got to come in from somewhere. Winter is great because you get that cooler air flowing through the house, summertime, not so much. You would be able to draw some cooler air from downstairs to the top floors during the summer but be careful you don't draw up too much and cause your AC to over work. For the most part, I don't use the whole house fan during the summer unless the temp drops after a rainstorm. Then I open the windows, turn on the fan and air out the place.
Pollen hasn't been a problem but that would depend on the individual.


How to fix a cast iron bench How can I fix a cast iron wood bench from rim rack from side to side?

I have tightened all screws for each slat of wood including brackets underneath to secure the wood to the iron, but I cannot sit on it as it sways.

Thanks, C.

repair worn fittings / material
make oversize holes and use oversize bolts
install cross-bracing
...


How do I hard wire a T8 fluorescent light fixture with grounded plug to a motion sensor? I purchased a T8 fluorescent fixture with electronic ballast, which came with a wired three-prong plug.  I also, purchased a infrared motion sensor.  I want to hardwire the fixture into the motion sensor but as you can see from the diagram, the sensor instruction shows only one wire going to the light fixture.  How do I hard wire/splice the two together?  I don't mind either removing the plug on the fixture, or using a female plug extension wire connected to the male fixture plug.

Your light fixture has hot, neutral, and ground.

The diagram actually shows the switched hot and neutral connecting to the light - ground is or should be obvious, it's not shown probably to reduce clutter.

As shown on the diagram, you connect the neutral from the wires supplying the location of the sensor to the fixture wire. It does not connect to the sensor at all. As not shown, you do the same thing with the ground. As shown, you connect the switched hot to the fixture.


Best/Quickest way to drain hot water lines from tank? Due to serious lack of appropriately placed shut-off valves in my house plumbing (not my fault, it came that way), I need to shut off the cold water supply to my gas hot water heater so I can replace a bathroom faucet.

Long story short, there are no shut off valves to the faucet in question, nor are there shut off valves further back along the hot or cold water supply. So I think my best option is to shut off the whole house supply, then run both hot and cold lines until they are empty, perform the faucet change, and be on my way.

My concern is the hot water heater. I'm reading conflicting things on the Internet, and can't find a direct answer to this question: Is it OK to drain the hot water tank for a short time via the house lines (hopefully less than an hour, and not a true, full-on draining of the tank) without risking serious damage to the heater and its components? And if it is, do I fully shut the hot water heater off, or can I just put it in pilot mode? My thinking with the pilot mode approach is that I'm not truly draining the tank, just running the faucet to drain the outgoing line.

If you turn the supply of water to the water heater off you don't need to drain it , with the supply off you do want to turn the gas valve to pilot or off depending on the type of tank some have electric ignightors and don't have a standing pilot. The tank will be fine. After that I open the lowest taps in the home usually a bathtub if single level then the taps you want to change and the water in the pipes drain down to this level, a hose bib outside many times is at the lowest position for cold water. Now that you have the lines open would be a great time to add shutoffs to this fixture when installing the new faucet.


Manufactured home light fixture junction box mountings I have a Clayton manufactured home.   We replaced the light fixtures in a number of rooms and now the bathroom light fixture as well as the box it is mounted to has fallen out of the ceiling.  We have found that the box was basically held by the Sheetrock and per Clayton, that's the standard.  It's a clip style box that rests on the Sheetrock per the guy my husband spoke with.  I would think this should be mounted to something solid and not resting on something like that.  Can anyone direct me further on what to do or if that's just a bad standard?  I appreciate your help.  I am attaching pics.

You could replace the box with a braced box, something line this one.

They're designed for the bar to slip up into the hole, and then expand to bite into the nearby structural members. Once the bar is securely in place, the box can be attached to it.


Does laminate flooring need an independent vapor barrier on concrete? House is on a slab.   Installer and one flooring company says the laminate I am considering has underlayment attached and I don't need vapor barrier.   Another installer/flooring company advises it is very much necessary to prevent future problems with buckling laminate and or mold/mildew.   Who's correct.

Lots of slabs are covered in carpet without any problem. It depends on your specific slab. To know you need to test the slab. Take a trash bag tape it down to the floor. In 24 hours pull it up. If the floor looks damp or there is moisture on the bag a barrier will be needed if it is dry no barrier is needed. I have epoxy painted to seal damp floors made a huge difference in the humidity. Even though you have underlayment on your flooring it is segmented, moisture under there is not desirable. If dry with the bag test use the bag for trash and start your floor. If wet decide on the best path forward and use your bag for some trash (don’t waste the bag just because it has some tape on the outside. Added since some don’t understand:
Many slabs have a vapor barrier under them, so if your plastic test comes up dry no additional barrier may be needed. I mentioned carpet because it holds moisture but grows mold and mildew faster than laminate and if a slab can handle carpet it can handle laminate, the plastic test is how to know if it is wet / dry at any age.


How can I insulate a room without tearing down walls? The kitchen in my Philadelphia row home seems to have been a last minute idea. After last winter, I'm almost certain there is no insulation installed in the room. Is there a way for me to do something about this?

I can't break down the walls or do anything like replace them. I'm only renting, and my landlord isn't ever around or helpful so it's DIY without a lot of leeway.

But I would also love to not have to have a coat to get a glass of water, if anyone has any ideas? Cold air even comes through little holes in the wall-where it looks like they put in a mug drying rack, changed their mind, and that was that.

Foam insulation can be injected into the stud cavities. A contractor will drill one hole in each stud cavity to inject the foam through. Then you can patch the holes and paint over them.

You should also check any windows in the room. Look specifically at the caulking around the frame. If it's old and dry/cracked, remove the old caulk, use window/door expanding foam to fill large gaps, and apply fresh caulk.

You can also purchase window insulation kits that use double sided tape and secure a plastic sheet all the way around the window frame. Then a hair dryer/heat gun is used to shrink the plastic sheet in place. The trapped air provides a bit of insulation, and the plastic stops drafts.

If there are any exterior doors in the room, check the weatherstripping for wear and cracks. Consider replacing/upgrading the weatherstripping to stop drafts.


Gas dryer connection adapter brass to steel nut I recently got a dryer and the installer did not have the right adapter to connect my gas line to the dryer. The yellow gas line installed in the previous dryer is still there and has a steel nut at the dryer end(the nut that is used to make the connection). The installer said I should be able to get the adapter at a hardware store as the one he had was small. I however cannot find a galvanized steel 1/2 inch flare and 3/8 FIP adapter. I did get this which is brass. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-2-in-Flare-x-3-8-in-FIP-Brass-Adapter-Fitting-801379/207176728#product-overview . I think this should work but not sure of any issues given the adapter is brass while the nut to which the flare end connects to is steel. Should both of these be the same material? That is steel adapter to steel female nut?

Good question. Your thinking of galvanic reaction of the two dissimilar metals. I don't believe it will be a problem and no reaction will occur as no standing water is present.


Mounting pull up bar on cinder block wall So, I've read through a bunch of stuff online for mounting a pull up bar to a cinder block wall and before I go out and rent a hammer drill I want to see what would be the best anchor system for my specific scenario.

I plan to mount the bar in my garage. It is cinder blocks, but until I drill I'm not certain whether it is hollow or if the blocks are filled. In either case, it is a load bearing wall as on top is a cement slab, over top some sort of metal sheeting. I do have access to the other side of the cinder blocks both from the outside and the inside of the house, but would prefer not having something sticking out the other side if possible.

I'm not sure if I can just use 3/8 in. sleeve anchors, or if it would be better to mount some 2x8's vertically with cement screws and then bolt into those, or drill all the way through the wall and then bolt it through that way. I just want to make sure it is safe and secure for years to come.

I'm reasonably handy, but I've never really drilled and mounted into concrete and I know this is a somewhat special case due to the inconsistant force being applied.

The problem can be divided into 3 parts:

A) Determine the static pull-out force.

B) Determine the dynamic to static force ratio. My gut feel is 2X to 3X, but I have nothing to back it up.

C) Determine the appropriate fasteners and/or additional interface.

This is only an answer to part A.

The problem is much easier to solve if a few simplifications are made. I have re-positioned the diagonal, this is OK because we don't care about the compression force in the diagonal member. Each member can now be considered to be a strut of a simple truss (tension or compression only, no torque).

The geometry determines the forces. The static pull-out force at the top is the weight of the person multiplied by the ratio of the dimensions (projection/vertical).

250 lbs * 30"/24" = 312 lbs


Lights running without disconnect switch There is what looks like a disconnect before the meter for the outside lights, but it looks like it missing a switch? How are the lights running and how would we disconnect them for service?

That looks like where a main breaker goes, and the stuff in there looks like the damaged guts of a main breaker.  I supremely doubt this is for the outside lights.

This an extreme hazard being just like it is. I strongly recommend you get an electrician out to fix it before it burns someone's hand.  What's more, it appears that something that is supposed to be breaker-protected, isn't.  So the protection is gone, opening the possibility of a fire.


What is a good rule of thumb for distance between support studs in a banquette seat? I am going to build built-in seating for my dining room. Planning a 6' span and a 5' span in an "L" shape in one corner of my dining room. I have a decent plan in mind, but I am not sure how to decide how to space the supports. I plan to have the cushions removable and a small (18" to 24") hinged lid on each seat for bonus storage (board games, etc).
Frame will be 20" wide, 14" tall at seat, and (24") between spans. Back will go up from seat area ~3" from back to give it a slight lean using angled cut on 30" high back.

With 3/4" plywood you won't need crossbars for a span of up to about 24" (similar to a typical new home's subfloor arrangement). Beyond that it may start to get bouncy.

In the bizarre case where you'd have a very deep seat, you'd want crossbars at 16-24" intervals.