Hardwood floors cupping even after replacement Let me start off by saying that I am NOT a flooring expert or installer, I am a homeowner looking for answers.

About 3 years ago, my home was built in southern Louisiana with reclaimed/antique pine hardwood flooring (7" planks) glued to the concrete slab. The house has total encapsulation foam insulation and a combination AC/dehumidifier. The house stays around 45% humidity.

Within a few weeks of moving in, we started having cupping problems. It got so severe that some of the planks came unglued from the slab due to the pressure. Because the contractor did not use a moisture barrier over the concrete (even though the glue he used had a moisture barrier in it), he assumed that the problem was due to moisture coming up through the slab into the wood. So after ripping out the old floor, he laid Bostik's MVP as a moisture barrier and then glued the new planks on top of that.

Fast forward 5-6 months later, and we are having more cupping problems. They are not as severe, but still very bad. The contractor had no idea what was happening, so he had a technical rep from Bostik inspect the floors. The report from Bostik said:

  With the use of a Mini-Ligno DX/C Moisture Pin Meter, adjusted for
  species, readings were taken of the wood flooring. The results ranged
  from 5.00-5.40 %.

  With the use of a Mini-Ligno DX/C Moisture Pin Meter, adjusted for
  species, a reading was taken with long probes of the wood flooring.
  Moisture Content measured at a depth of approximately 5/8” were within
  the expected range. This floor shows signs of “dry cupping” as the
  face was significantly dryer than readings taken at depth.

  Cupping of solid wood flooring is a moisture differential within
  individual pieces of wood flooring. The moisture content was very low,
  dry on the surface. Readings taken within the flooring are consistent
  with what you would expect in your part of the country.

Can someone explain what this means? The contractor has no idea and will not install wood flooring in my home because of the liability. At this point, I would like to install engineered wood , but I am concerned we will continue to have this problem. What should I do?

edit: photos here: http://imgur.com/a/jWqwm

Solid wood flooring in a wet area is inherently risky due to the moisture everywhere.
Pine flooring (a moisture-absorbent softwood) is inherently risky to install.
Solid boards are inherently more prone to cupping than engineered boards.
Gluing a wood floor to concrete is inherently risky because concrete is a big sponge that absorbs and releases moisture in an unpredictable and uncontrollable manner.
Gluing a wood floor to anything is inherently risky because this install method allows air movement over the top of the wood, but not the bottom, encouraging moisture to congregate there.
Laying anything moisture-sensitive on top of concrete after it's been newly-cast is inherently risky because of how it gives off moisture for a while.
Very wide boards (6" and above) are inherently more risky to install as a floor, as they are inherently more prone to cupping if they were plain or flat sawn. This is especially true of solid wood, but it can affect engineered wood with a thick veneer layer. I recently examined a sample of a 7" wide engineered board with a 4mm oak veneer layer of Chinese origin and noticed it was already ever so slightly cupping. Stay away from the really wide stuff unless you know it's of extremely high quality.
Finally, old "reclaimed" wood is usually marked by imperfections and "character." That's the whole point! It is likely that this wood was not of especially high quality to begin with when it was first installed however many tens or hundreds of years ago. "Rustic" or "Antique" wood is usually not noted for its level of precision or moisture resistance compared to modern materials. Back then, the solution to moisture problems was to make everything as leaky and air-permeable as possible to permit rapid drying. When you seal up an old building with vapor barriers and insulation without solving the underlying moisture problem, it often begins to rot. The same kind of thing seems to be happening here where one face of your boards are totally sealed up but the opposite face is exposed to moisture.

In isolation, a couple of these factors are probably no big deal, but when you combine all of them together, you have a recipe for a high chance of failure. If there is any way to install your floor properly, it would probably be as a nail-down install over a poorly-laid, air-permeable wood subfloor with an open space below it (e.g. solid boards with gaps between them and a basement underneath, not OSB sheeting over concrete), and with appropriate expectations of its quality and dimensional stability.

I would guess that in your slab on grade house, an engineered wood floor made of boards 5" wide or less with an oak veneer top layer installed as a floating floor above a waterproof underlayment would experience no problems whatsoever.


Supporting a fan in second (fake) ceiling I purchased a ceiling fan (this model) to install in my house's top-floor bedroom. I assumed that all I would need is a fan-rated retrofit brace and ceiling box (example) to replace the inevitable builder-grade box.

Once I got around to removing the existing ceiling box and peeking inside, things got a bit more interesting. Instead of attic joists and insulation, I found myself looking into an empty space, about 8 inches tall, with a second ceiling above it. My house underwent a full remodel under previous owners in 2005; I think they decided to install a second drop ceiling rather than deal with asbestos remediation in the existing popcorn ceiling. So my actual ceiling structure looks like this:

Through my limited vantage point (sticking a cell phone into the box hole and peeking around), I can see thin metal beams running across the ceiling. The visible ceiling drywall is screwed to these beams. The beams are about 2 inches tall, and are not structural - I can push on them with my hand and feel a bit of flex. The old ceiling box was hung from these beams using a metal brace, and that was OK for a 10 lb cheap light fixture that was previously in place, but I don't think this is appropriate for a ceiling fan.

I am now wondering how to best go about installing appropriate support for the fan, without tearing up the visible ceiling or extensively messing with (presumably asbestos-laden) old popcorn ceiling. I found one product that is designed for a tiled drop ceiling that may also work here (link) - the idea being to go into the attic, nail a brace across two ceiling joists, and hang the box from that brace, while also expanding the side struts to make contact with the drywall support beams for lateral stability.

My questions are:

Is this an appropriate product for my fan installation? Are there others I should look at?
Any tips for actually installing something like this, and aligning the ceiling box, the hole I will need to make in the old ceiling, and the brace, and getting the box to be at the right height? I am concerned that the product I referenced assumes that for it to be adjusted to the installation site, a whole ceiling tile can be removed, creating lots of working space. I don't have that luxury - all I have is a drywall hole that is large enough for an octagonal box.

Many thanks!

I'm not sure how acceptable this is, but it should work.

Install a brace in the attic between two joists (metal or wood should work).
Do your best to drill a straight hole, right where you need it, up through the upper ceiling and the brace you put in place.
Install the ceiling box brace between the metal drywall supports.
Drill a hole through the brace and the junction box.
Install threaded rod, nuts and washers as specified in the image.
Attach the junction box to the to the threaded rod.

Getting this all lined up is going to be a bit of a challenge. You could drill a bit larger hole through the upper ceiling, to provide a bit of wiggle room. Just do your best to contain the dust, and make sure you wear a respirator. It's only going to be a little bit of asbestos, but it's still best to avoid breathing it.

The threaded rod should provide adequate support for the fan, and the brace should prevent any side to side movement introduced by the fan. You'll want to use a metal junction box, or any box that is designed to support a ceiling fan from a brace.

You might want to use some jam nuts and/or loctite, as well as bend over the top and bottom of the all thread or install cotter pins. Just so the vibrations don't loosen anything up, or cause the all thread to unthread.

WARNING: This is a hairbrained idea that was conceived before my morning coffee. Proceed at your own risk.

Another option might be to install the junction box in the upper ceiling, then hang the fan down through the lower ceiling with a downrod. However, you'll have to find a way to mitigate any side to side motion caused by the fan. A rubber grommet in the hole in the lower ceiling might work.


Big crack in door , how can I fix this? I have a big crack in door and I need to fix it, it's about 10cm long and a little deep but not to the point where it's to the other side of door.

Also need a picture. I fix a lot of busted doors under various financial circumstances I often use bondo especially for exterior doors or even joint compound or wood putty on interior doors depending on the wood grain pattern of the door whether it be smooth or textured makes a great deal a difference when it comes to making a nice unnoticeable finished product. Priming the finished patch is a must in order to not have a dry spot look in the paint you can use a multi tool with a sanding pad for best results in fine sanding any contours that might be in the area of the patch. Of course if its too far out of shape your best option would be to replace the door if it is within your budget.


How important is Tyvek/house wrap for a house with metal siding? I'm building a tiny house and it will have metal siding. My dad has worked a lot of construction and says he's never installed a house wrap for a metal building in his life. Most info I can find online says if it's climate controlled it needs wrapped. Just wondering how important it is when it comes to metal siding?

Also, I may cut it close when I get to the tops of the walls, I'm planning to use the rest of the #15 asphalt felt I used on the roof to finish the job if I run out so I don't have to buy another roll. Is this a good idea?

While I don't doubt that your father 'never installed a house wrap for a metal building in his life' I have to wonder how many of them were residences? Buildings with walls that trap moisture or where higher efficiency insulation is often needed? Bare and exposed insulation on the inside doesn't count.

Wrap is about what is INSIDE the wrap, not what is OUTSIDE the wrap. Tyvek lets moisture out while not letting air in or moisture in. Tar paper was the old school solution but it blocks air and moisture in both directions. Tyvek or other similar modern building is needed for insulated walls with poor circulation, metal or no metal.


Window Tempering Rules and Interior Doors Are interior doors included in the discussion of the 24/60 rule?  In other words, if I have a pane of glass that is within 24 inches of an interior door, does that mean it must be tempered?

The rule is basically to use tempered glass if someone can fall through it. I don't see any distinction made between exterior and interior doors, nor would I expect to, because exterior vs interior doors do not change this risk.

"Glazing in an individual fixed or operable panel adjacent to a door where the nearest vertical edge of the glazing is within a 24-inch (610 mm) arc of either vertical edge of the door in a closed position and where the bottom exposed edge of the glazing is less than 60 inches (1524 mm) above the walking surface shall be considered a hazardous location." (California code, but I don't think it matters here.)
https://up.codes/viewer/california/ca-building-code-2016-v2/chapter/24/glass-and-glazing#2406.4.2


Is caulk referred to as silicone caulk? I know there is a difference between silicone and caulk?

Sometimes I see caulk referred to as silicone caulk which makes me think it is silicone or a type of silicone.  Is it correct to use the term silicone caulk and why is it called so if its different from silicone?

Some caulk is based on silicone rubber. Many non-caulk products are also based on silicone.

Lots of caulk is based on other things.

Latex, polyurethane, moss, oakum...


How can I fully winterize my plumbing? I'd like to leave a vacant house in Northern Minnesota for the winter with no utilities at all (so it will get to -20F at times).  I shut off the curb stop valve and confirmed that water is completely stopped.  I used a compressor to blow all piping (and everything connected to the piping, like the water heater) empty.  There probably are "specks" of water left but that should not cause a problem.

But, I could not blow the piping between the curb stop and the first Y-branch inside the house, so I imagine that there is retained water there.  Is there a way to blow this section empty?

I also flushed all toilets.  Am I taking any structural risk if I don't fill the toilets with antifreeze?  Please assume that I don't care about sewage odor (I will just air the house out afterwards).  I wonder if people are adding antifreeze because water condenses on the toilet bowl over time and refills the p-trap.

Finally, if I blow that section to the curb stop and use antifreeze in the toilets, am I taking a big risk?  The biggest risk I see is that the curb stop valve could freeze and damage, but it seems I can just tell the water company of my plans and they would take responsibility to keep an eye on the curb stop.  Am I missing some other big risk?

The curb stop and the portion of pipe between the valve and your house should have been buried below the frost line for your location.

There may be some freezing in the portion that is inside your house, but if you only have a short run and you leave the valves in your house open, the ice can push along inside the pipe.


Constant bumping noise We have a radon pump, a sump pump and a weeping system.  There is a constant bumping like someone is hammering on the outside wall.  We tracked it down to the inside corner of the house near the weeping system.  we cannot figure out what it is.

This might very well be water hammer, where liquid alternates gas it will 'hammer' into any curves and can make noise. Have you tried turning of all powered devices by just flipping the main switch? Does it still make noise then? Try to eliminate all possible sources one by one. It might just be a faulty bearing in one of the pumps. Are there any other constructions near the building where the noise could come from?

This is not really an answer, but you didn't really ask a question either. If I was able to comment on this SE, this would have been a comment.


Can I paint over RedGard waterproof membrane? I am redoing the bathroom.  I just finished hanging the Durock around the 3-wall alcove tub.  My plan is to waterproof it with RedGard before setting tile.

At the outside edges of the tub front (the two vertical parts of the tub on the "left" and "right" side that go from the tub deck down to the floor) I don't have enough room to place tile, but I am a bit worried about water splashing there.  Can I put a thin strip of Durock and put the RedGard on it, but then paint it with the normal latex wall paint?  Or should I cover the RedGuard in joint compound in this area (obviously I can paint over joint compound)?

I would hate to spend all this effort remodeling the bathroom just to get water damage along this thin strip by the tub if I just use drywall and paint it.

Ideally, you'd take the time to put tile there. You can cut tile fairly easily to fit.

If not, I imagine you can. I think I overlapped into the sheetrock area of my bath with redgard when I did it and the paint is fine, but I don't completely recall how far I took the RedGard. As long as you use a good primer, you should be OK, though.


Is it worth DIY remove old tiles or just put new tiles on old tiles in Kitchen? In video removing old tiles does not seem to be that hard. However, can things go wrong when doing so? What type of damage can occur if the tiles does not come off and we apply too much pressure?

Is it really better to just stick new old on top of old ones?

It depends.

If the current tiles are intact but unfashionable, and if you have enough room above the floor and under the door for new tile, it's easier (read: cheaper) to lay on top. This is usually feasible for most types of actual tile, old and new. Linoleum (not tile), high-gloss tiles (ex subway), and non-ceramic tiles (ex parkay) often don't make suitable underlayment, so they can't be used regardless of the condition they are in.

If the current tiles are broken, missing, crooked, etc, then they need removed for two main reasons: 1. they won't provide a flat stable surface for new tiles. 2. They are probably hiding a sub-floor problem like leaks, joist sagging/warping, rot, insects, mold, etc that should be addressed before doing a new floor anyway.


Running conduit near knob and tube wiring I have some new AC ducts in our new house that will soon be concealed behind new drywall, but before the drywall goes up, I wanted to run some conduit from the upper floor down to the basement for cable and network. Unfortunately, in the space between the two ducts (where I pretty much would have to put the cables, there is, attached to the floor joists a run of knob and tube wiring. I tested it with a voltage tester and it doesn't appear to be hot, so I'm assuming it's the neutral line (I can see where it's partner live line is, however). It looks to be in pretty good condition with the insulation in tact, but I'm leery about trying to run flexible aluminium condition right next to it. I have limited space to work in and limit options on securing it, but obviously I don't want the potential for the conduit to end up live!

How worried should I be about this? If I secure the conduit away from the k&t, would I be okay? Or should I just forget the conduit altogether and just drop (insulated) cables down the hole and hope I don't need to change them or add more at a later date?

You could use "smurf tube" (Electrical Nonmetallic Tubing) or rigid PVC to have a non-conductive conduit. Be sure to bond any metallic conduit that is separated by such non-metallic conduit, or just use nonmetallic the whole way with ground wires. I suspect you are not supposed to contact the K&T in any case and should be securing the wires or conduit to prevent such contact.


Finding out what light switches turn on or off I just bought my first house everything is going well except for there are 2 light switches on the side of the mantel that don't seem to turn anything on or off. There is a switch on the left side of the fireplace that turns the fireplace on and off. On the right there is a double switch, neither seems to do anything. How do I figure out what they turn off or on?

Without being able to trace the wiring, you'd need current-detecting equipment, and that would only work if the circuit is in use.

They may be thermostat-controlled fan switches. Have you tried them after a fire has been burning for a while?

Otherwise, they may be for switched outlets, possibly on just one half of the receptacle.


Why do I have blue water coming out of the faucets? We have an upstairs bathroom that we've gutted and are having some contractors remodel. The toilet is the only thing that hasn't been touched. We had a plumber come and redo all of the source and drain lines for the new sinks and the shower. The other day, he turned off the water for the entire day to do his work and turned it on when he was done.

That evening, we turned on one of the downstairs baths, and blue water came out for about 2-3 seconds, then it became clear. We tried other sinks and saw the same thing. My immediate fear was that this was somehow the water from the blue bleach tablet we had in the upstairs toilet and that somehow the sewage drain line water from the toilet was making its way into the source line. I'm no plumber, but this seemed improbable to me since they are separate lines and direction the water pressure would probably not allow it to go throughout the entire house the way it did.

The plumber is a trustworthy guy who has done a lot of work for us before. He was pretty astonished when I showed him the blue water coming out of the downstairs bathroom faucet. He rechecked the lines and felt that it was unlikely that the sewage water was getting into the source line, but had no solid explanation for the blue water. He said it could be that the source valve for the toilet tank was somehow letting water back into the source line, but he seemed skeptical. He also said that it could be a coincidence of timing and that maybe the city's copper line has some corrosion which could possibly cause blue water. He suggested getting the city to come check the water quality.

We caught some of the water in a glass to see how blue it is. I apparently can't seem to smell anything, but my wife assures me that it smells like the bleach tablets. We we're going to try to put some food coloring of a different color in the toilet and see if that color comes through. We're also going to experiment with whether it happens only after we flush the toilet.

Any other suggestions? Has anybody seen something like this before?

By the way, it is not at all easy for this to be sewage getting into your water lines, but it might be a problem of siphoning back into your house lines from the toilet tank itself. If so, it is still a bad thing that really must be repaired. I like the idea of a couple of drops of food coloring as a test of this. It might happen only when the toilet is flushed, and the faucet for the sink is also open.

If that test shows nothing, then redo the test, but this time, turn off the water pressure into your home at the main supply. (There will be a shutoff valve in your basement.) Now, open the valves in your downstairs faucets. This will create a siphoning effect, trying to suck water back from the toilet supply tank.

Since this has happened only once, my guess is it happened when the water pressure for your home was turned off. This allowed water to siphon back into the water supply lines from the toilet tank. An old valve in the tank might explain that.

Regardless, if you confirm this is what happens, then I would add an anti-siphon valve (also known as a back-flow prevention valve) into the water line to the tank. This is a spring loaded one-way valve, that allows water to flow into the tank, but not the other way.

Could this be a copper corrosion issue as the plumber claimed? This seems unlikely for that to have happened since you have not seen it before, but anything is possible. If you have that much copper in your water that is leaching out of the supply lines, this would be something to worry about. So if you do the food coloring test, and there is no sign of backflow from the tank, then I would get a water test done for copper. In fact, a quick check on Amazon finds a home water test kit that includes a test for copper in your water.


Remove cured Danish oil from tiles My worktops are treated with Danish oil, and I appear to have got some on the tiled splashbacks and not noticed until it's cured (it's not very obvious except in daylight, I oiled by artifical light).

Is there any way to get it off?  I don't want to use a blade until I've got an idea of how to get the residue off where the blade won't attack it.

It's not going sticky, so not a duplicate of How to solve the problem of sticky Danish oil?.

Mineral spirits won't work. You need something stronger like acetone. If you have ceramic tiles they won't be harmed.


Why is cold water coming out of my HW OUT-TAKE pipe? I'm replacing our water heater.

I disconnected the cold intake and hot out-take. I'm replacing the valve on the cold intake.

I got to the point where I had both the cold in and hot out disconnected, and a new valve on the cold intake (so I can turn it off and restore at least cold water to the house).

Here's my huge problem:

If I leave the cold water intake valve open and turn on the water to the house again, cold water comes pouring out of the cold intake pipe as you'd expect.

If I then close the cold water intake, water then starts coming out of my hot water out take!?

Normal?

If not, what could be going on here?

UPDATE:

I'm trying to run this through in my head and I can't think of any situation where the hot water lines would be connected to the cold water lines...except possibly at a mixing valve somewhere? One of the showers, perhaps?

If that's the case, is there any harm in letting it be? Or am I looking at some major plumbing tear-outs to figure out why this is happening?

If this happens when all of the faucets in the house are closed, it would have to be a mixing valve of some sort.

If any single spout faucets are open (perhaps you had them open to bleed air out of the lines), they will allow water to move between the hot and cold sides if both valves are open (normally, this doesn't happen, because both sides are pressurized equally, so all the water comes out the spout).

A smaller possibility would be a recirculating pump that is meant to make sure there's ready hot water at a distant fixture -- these usually work by pumping water from the hot pipe near the fixture back into the cold near the tank.   It's possible that water could move backward through that in your situation.

I would check that all valves are closed (including making sure the clothes washer is off, since it could be trying to mix hot and cold) and then test again.


How do I install a Leviton light switch timer? I bought a Leviton light switch timer. It has 5 wires coming out of it - Black, White, Yellow, Red, and Green.

The switch I'm trying to replace is in a box with 2 other light switches. The switch I want to replace only has 3 black wires running to it. How do I connect connect this?

First off, if there's not a grounded (neutral) conductor in the box, you cannot connect this device.
Based on your description of the wiring, it's difficult to tell exactly how your current switch is wired. If you're not sure yourself how the current switch is wired, it might be best for you to contact a local licensed Electrician to install the switch for you. If you have a basic understanding of your wiring; and/or electrical wiring in general, the following information (which can be found in the instruction sheet that came with the device) should be helpful.
Single pole installation
If this is a single pole installation (only one switch controls the lights), then you'll only need to connect 4 of the 5 wires.

Black connects to the ungrounded (hot) conductor feeding the box.
White connects to the grounded (neutral) conductor feeding the box.
Green connects to the grounding conductors.
Red connects to the load (lights).
Yellow/Red is capped off and not used.

Leviton Instruction Sheet

3-Way wiring
This device is not compatible with standard 3- or 4-way switches. If you're going to use it in a 3- or 4-way setup, you'll have to purchase compatible vizia +™ on/off remotes.
3-way wiring with coordinating remote switch (VP0SR-10)
If you're pairing the timer with a coordinating remote switch, you'll wire it as follows.

Black connects to the ungrounded (hot) conductor feeding the box.
White connects to the grounded (neutral) conductor feeding the box.
Green connects to the grounding conductors.
Red connects to the load (lights).
Yellow/Red connects to the wire that will be connected to the yellow/red terminal of the remote switch.

Leviton Instruction Sheet

3-way wiring with matching remote switch (VP0SR-1L)
If you're pairing the timer with a matching remote switch, you'll wire it as follows.

Black connects to the ungrounded (hot) conductor feeding the box.
White connects to the grounded (neutral) conductor feeding the box.
Green connects to the grounding conductors.
Red connects to the load (lights).
Yellow/Red connects to the wire that will be connected to the yellow/red terminal of the remote switch.

Leviton Instruction Sheet


Is it bad/unusual for an oil burner to turn off then immediately back on? We have an oil-fired hydronic heating system. The boiler is approximately 30-40 years old, and the system was checked and cleaned at the start of this winter. When the burner is running, you can hear it from the first floor. We've noticed that sometimes, after running for a few minutes, the burner will shut off for one or two seconds, and then immediately start up again.

This behavior doesn't really make sense to me, but I'm not sure if it's just a quirk or an indication of a problem. What could be causing the shutoff and then immediate re-ignition? Should we check it out or just stop worrying?

Get it checked.  Sudden stopping and reigniting can cause blowback.  Not real dangerous, but if it stops and loads up with enough fuel and lights, it can blow back smoke and soot.  What you are hearing is not normal, at least talk to your licensed tech about it.


Sump Discharge Carry I'm trying to figure out the best way (and materials) to carry the sump pump discharge water away so it no longer creates a cesspool beside my garage.

When we moved in 6+ years ago there were old broken down downspouts being used to carry the discharge water up the side of my garage and onto the driveway where it runs off.  The connected downspouts leaked at the seams and were too clogged so nothing came out.

When I tore them out I wanted to originally tie in the sump pump discharge, the garage downspout and install a drain in the yard to catch water at the low point and use an underground pipe to carry the water to the front yard where it grades down.  I'm not sure there is a good place to discharge with an underground pipe(and it would have to run very close to the neighbor's property where they have a mature tree) so that plan has been shelved for the time being but would have been the optimal solution from the effectiveness standpoint.

Back to the original question, what materials should I use? 2.5 in PVC with glued couplings?  I found 2" flexible PVC, would that be a better option?  Is there any way to fasten the pipe so it grades slowly from the back of the house to the front?  Is there a way to fasten the pipe without drilling into my foundation?  I was looking at various hangers and wasn't sure if they could be used upside down in the dirt to hold the pipe at a grade without having to drill into the foundation.

I have a few pictures attached.

I had a similar  project at my son's home so we dug a 100 foot trench about 2 feet deep, the deeper the better, added 12" of gravel (rocks), laid in 4" schedule 35 perforated drain pipe, a little more gravel, and then a layer of top soil. Planted grass seed and all the water drains into the ground. You can not bury a flexible hose but can lay it on top of the ground, YUK.


How can I stop my Geberit flushing system from hissing? Our toilet will often go into a mood and start hissing. This will go on until I manually operate the filling mechanism to fill the tank higher.

I suspect that it is somehow not filling enough and then slowly leaking until a point where it just triggers the filling mechanism to create the hiss. However, there is no leak into the bowl, and I do not know why the top of the post (as seen in the video) is spurting water.

Video: Hiss is about 4-seconds in.

Any ideas?

The flapper might move a little to the side when flushing, so you fix it it manually. Have the same thing with my TOTO 1.4 gpf. Changed the flapper several months ago, the hissing stopped for a while, now started again. I washed the flapper with lemon juice and soap to remove any calcium carbonate that might accumulate - it reduced the frequency of the hissing but didn't solve it completely. I guess it is the flapper/flush opening contact that got lousy. Maybe a thin gasket would do the trick. Tell you when I check.

Good luck!


Turning a mobile home with a basement into a recording studio I recently moved into a mobile home that has a basement. The basement was an apartment, but had multiple issues with mold and frozen/broken water pipes. The owner was prepared to demolish the entire building, but I convinced her to let me live in the top of the building and turn the bottom into a recording studio. So I have eliminated most of the broken plumbing and am now ready to start building here are my questions:
1) This is a single wide trailer, I assume the metal beams holding up the floor are enough support and that the interior walls are not supporting any weight (and therefore can be moved/removed). Is this correct?
2) There is foam insulation exposed on the ceiling of the basement. There is then a large, very cold cavity and an insulated "bag" where the plumbing pipes are held. Would it be possible to remove the foam insulation from the ceiling, in half of the basement? As removing this foam would give me an additional 3-4 inches of head space, which would greatly increase the acoustics of the room. I realize It would then probably be necessary to insulate the skirting around the trailer.
Thank you for your answers!

Not knowing what you have for head space under this mobile home and what the moisture/humidity levels are, makes a difference.  Let us assume, for the purpose of answering the construction questions that the space is tall enough and dry enough to use as a functional  space. Notice that I did not say living space. Most codes would require minimum ceiling heights, egress etc to be considered living space.

Most single wide MH's are designed to sit on a slab or jacks/blocks on a slab. Not knowing exactly where these walls are located under the MH may be a clue as to whether or not they are supporting the floor above. If there are beams that span the 12 foot width and rest or are welded to the parameter frame then the load may well be supported by the outside beams. If there is a center main beam  at apx 6 foot, that well may need to be supported at some point along it's length. You may need to do some research into the manufacture's spec for placement.  Without actually seeing the construction of the existing walls, their placement and attachment to the upper floor, it is unsure what their purpose is. A few strategically placed jack posts may be required to replace the existing walls if the center line of the MH needs support.

The other requirement is that the plumbing is protected from freezing. If you remove insulation from areas of plumbing, then it may be necessary to heat the area to avoid freeze ups. Also, the temps inside the MH could be effected by removing insulation from the underside of the floor.


How to reduce heating of cold water pipes in the ceiling space? On a hot day our kitchen cold tap, if it hasn't been run for a while, will produce water at a temperature up to around 50-55 degrees C shortly after it is turned on. We haven't measured the exact temperature, but it's too hot to keep our hands in it.

Our house is only a few months old, so we had the plumber check the cause (in case the hot water pipes were too close, or similar) but the heat just appears to be from the ambient heat in the ceiling space, which the water pipes go through. I believe the plumber has since put some lagging around the pipe, but it hasn't prevented the problem.

Adding extra insulation around the pipe will obviously reduce the severity of the problem. What is the best type of insulation to use, and are there any techniques I can apply to get the best result? Is there anything else (within a sensible budget) that we can do?

If you dont want to run a new pipe you will need specific insulation

Notice that this insulation has a shiny outside layer. This acts as a reflection for heat, and usually has a black/dark side on the inside.

The foam/glass wool used to wrap the pipe needs not be anything special, but I am sure there are special ones that locks out heat better.. instead of the conventional one that keeps heat in.. is there a difference? I am not sure.

Look at this insulation- They wrap silver around the pipe and then insulate it. You DONT want to do this.. because this keeps the heat INSIDE the pipe, and the insualtion slows down absorption of coldness form the earth

As commented- it has no difference--inside or outside- it will deflect the heat in both cases... This is open to debate though.

So you are looking for Glass Wool Pipe Insulation with reflective outer shield


How do I fix a loose brick on the corner of a tree well? I have a loose brick on a recently made tree well. I have Quikrete Type S mortar and I'm planning on getting a trowel. What are the steps to remove the existing mortar on the brick (which is completely loose at this point) and fix it back on? Did it come loose for any particular reason?

I'm thinking of adding water to the mortar to start after removing existing mortar using a trowel or hammer to loosen the mortar debris. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

You could get rid of the mortar debris using a chisel or a good flat-bed screwdriver and a hammer. Just put the point of your chisel on the debris and hit on top of the chisel with your hammer (be careful of your chisel holding hand).

Note: you should put your brick on a hard surface or else you'd break your brick as well!

After being all done with the cleaning, mix your mortar with some water so that your mortar looks jellyish and apply mortar using your trowel following the same pattern like other bricks.

Oh, and the reason for it coming loose, maybe a shock, or temperature variations, rain/snow -> freezing -> unfreezing

Hope this helps :)


Why does my toilet still leak after replacing the wax ring? I just replaced the wax ring under my toilet. Now when you flush, it leaks worse than it did before! I am so confused! Is there something else that needs to be replaced?

As alluded to by 'The Evil Greebo', there is an oversize (thicker) wax ring readily available. Make sure there are no obstructions on the toilet flange and bottom of the toilet.


What is the allowable span of 2 stacked 6x6's? We made a swing set out of 6x6 posts.  The horizontal is two 6x6s, bolted together one on top of the other spanning 12'.

Is this strong enough for 3 large kids to swing at same time?

I'm sure that will be fine.

The American Wood Council has a free load table table on their website.

If you assume a conservative 1400psi allowable bending stress, a single 6x6 with 12' span can support about 2000 lbs. So your double 6x6 can support at least 4000 lbs (possibly more if you do a good job bonding the two members together so that there's no slip between the faces).

If you have 3 swings, you should assume that each one is packed. Let's say each individual swing has 3 kids at 150 lbs each, for a total of 1350 lbs. [You want to design for the absolute worst case. I bet 3 kids can pile onto one swing.] So you're not that close to the swing limit. You could hang your car from those posts and still have a safe structure.

If you take a look at a swing set or jungle gym at a local park, I'm sure you'll find much skimpier designs.

While I'm quite confidant that your double 6x6s will properly support the bending caused by the kids, you should make sure the rest of the structure is adequate. You didn't ask about this in your question so maybe that means you have it all figured out, but you should be careful not to overlook:

The vertical supports. As Michael Karas says, there will be considerable lateral momentum from 3 kids swinging.
The connection between the horizontal piece and its supports. Especially since you seem to be designing this for use by active kids and not just toddlers, you want to make sure that the beam doesn't fall off the supports with a lot of synchronized swinging. Consider metal brackets (e.g. "hurricane ties") to strengthen that joint.
With 3 swings there will be a lot of momentum and I think you're going to want the whole swing set anchored to the ground. You definitely don't want the whole thing tipping over. Consider that a single 6x6x12' post weighs about 100 lbs. You don't want that falling on a kid.

EDIT: As The Evil Greebo points out in the comments below, the swinging motion will create additional force on the beam—as much as 3x the weight, if the kids can get up to 90˚. I'm still more than comfortable with the structure; while it's conceivable that three chubby kids could pile on a single swing, I seriously doubt they could all swing that high in unison.


Joining 2x4 to 4x4 base: angles or regular wood screws? I'm building a wall-mounted pergola. It will look something like below.
As you can see, the two horizontal 2x4s will be attached to the 4x4 bases. I was considering using these types of angles (one on each side of the 4x4 - they don't have the Simpson) to hold the 2x4. But I can also use regular wood screws.
What would you recommend?
The weight of the four 2x4s will be divided between the concrete structure (the gray) and the two horizontal 2x4s attached to the 4x4.

I would use stainless deck screws.
Drill clearance holes all the way through the 2 X 4 , and put pilot holes in the 4 X 4. The SS deck screws can't take a lot of torque and heads will twist off without the holes. Or just galvanized lag screws ( around 1/4 by 4" ). I had SS deck screws on my mind as I have been using them to replace rusted deck screws in my deck.


How wire for main run to a sub panel I have 100 amp breaker with a 4 wire 8-3 running from main breaker box little over 100ft to a 125amp sub panel will this work or is 8-3 to small also I'm going to have 1 30 amp double pole breaker for 220 AC/heat window unit and three 20amp breaker for plugs and lights coming out of the sub panel it's self

A 125A subpanel being fed by a smaller breaker is absolutely fine.  If anything, make sure the panel is big enough in terms of the number of spaces.  More spaces are dirt cheap when buying the panel, running out of spaces is expensive.  I generally go straight for 200A panels even if I mean to feed it off 60A - I'm a bit of a zealot about spaces.

Your 100A breaker is a wild mismatch for your #8 cable.   Not even close.

You have several options depending on your circumstances, all radical.

Change the breaker to 40A

A subpanel is not a service.  Wiring to a subpanel gets its ampacity off the same table as branch circuits, the common NEC 310.15(B)(16).    Since you must pull out of the 60C table, that puts you at 40A.

Revisit the air conditioner/heater load.  I find it astonishing that a window air conditioner could possibly be 6kw and draw the same as a massive whole-house unit, unless it uses resistive heating instead of heat-pump heating.  Maybe it can work on a 20A circuit.  There is a narrow exception for certain motors, hence ThreePhaseEel's question about your motor nameplate on the A/C unit.  You should shoot him a pic of the nameplate.

Change cable

If you really want the circuit to be 100A, then upsize your cable to 1/0 aluminum.  (Running large copper such a distance is just a waste of money, and invites dissimilar-metal corrosion since the lugs you connect to will be aluminum.)

While this is the minimum size for 100A, it will also satisfy voltage-drop concerns as its drop will only be about 2%.

Beast of both worlds: 100A on the #8

This is beast mode, and not for the amateur who likes living.   Great care must be taken in installation to keep the super-zappy stuff away from loved ones.

If the cost of replacing the cable is prohibitive, and you need most of 100A, then your only remaining option is to "step it up" for transmission with transformers.

The power involved is 24,000 watts.  This happens at 240V@100A, 480V@50A, or 600V@40A.  40A is within the current limit of your wire.

So you get two 25,000 VA transformers that have 600V on the primary (@41 amps) and 120/240 on the secondary (@104 amps).  These things are not cheap, but can sometimes be had used.  Canada's 575V is close enough IMO.   Transformers are bidirectional, so the house's 100A breaker goes to the 240V secondary of one transformer.  This steps up to 600V on the primary, which is attached to the long cable.  The other end of the cable goes to the other transformer's 600V primary.  Its secondary gives 120/240V.

The transformer isolates, so it must be treated as its own separate service, and the neutral must be bonded to a local grounding rod and the grounding system, since the subpanel now counts as a main panel.  Now you can use the service feeder table for sizing your wires (#2 aluminum) between transformer and now-main panel.

Of the works, only a tiny bit is 600V, and that is isolated, so a person has a chance to survive casual touch.  Still, the installation should be designed to minimize exposure, e.g. Have the wire go straight to the transformer, no splices or reroutes, and put the transformer in an enclosure or outside.


How should I drain fuel from my mower? I have a Honda lawn mower (HRX217K2VKA) and I want to drain the fuel for winter. How should I do this? Three options spring to mind:

Run the engine until the fuel is gone.
Tip the mower to pour the fuel out.
Siphon the fuel.

The manufacturer's manual (see page 13) recommends option 1, but I was wondering if anyone could recommend an alternative that didn't waste the gas.

I have always just had a "last mow of the year", where when I run the mower dry, and I've never had a problem.  Then you're not really "wasting" the gas.

Depending on your model (and it looks like the one you specified ought to manage this), you may be able to do option 2 if you have a really full gas tank.  Then, after emptying, you still ought to run it dry for what little remains.

I personally would not recommend siphoning it.  Unless you wanted to go to the trouble of buying extra equipment to do it (and think about that - how often are you going to be siphoning gasoline?  Enough to justify a special purchase?), that means a distinct risk of drinking a little bit of gasoline... not exactly a pleasant experience, nor good for you.

from this site:

  Many adverse health effects of gasoline are due to individual chemicals in gasoline, mainly BTEX, that are present in small amounts. Breathing small amounts of gasoline vapors can lead to nose and throat irritation, headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, confusion and breathing difficulties. Symptoms from swallowing small amounts of gasoline include mouth, throat and stomach irritation, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and headaches. Some effects of skin contact with gasoline include rashes, redness and swelling. Being exposed to large amounts of gasoline can lead to coma or death.

So, siphoning probably won't kill you, but I certainly wouldn't endorse it.


How to get threshold screws out? Trying to replace an external door threshold. I have tried removing the screws with a screw gun with no luck. I have tried using an impact driver and hammer with no luck. The heads of the screws are rusty. I can't tell if they are rusted in place or really tight. I thought for sure the impact driver would work but they don't budge. Any ideas? I have added a couple of pictures of the screws causing the grief. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Judging by the picture and your description I'd say those are indeed the adjustment screws that raise and lower the rail of threshold (the part that makes the seal with the bottom of the door). If the door is installed normally removing these will not help you remove the threshold. It will be attached to the jamb via screws that run through the jamb into the threshold and it will be silicon-ed down to the rough opening. Here's a link that shows the basic anatomy of removing and installing a threshold in place. The guy clearly doesn't know what he's doing but the pictures are pretty good. It is certainly debatable whether or not its more efficient to remove/replace the threshold in place or just pull the whole jamb and replace the threshold with the jamb out.


Why is my switch controlled receptacle always on? I replaced the outlets and switches in a room.  One outlet now has constant power, the switch no longer turns the power on and off (to control a lamp for example) as it originally did.

For troubleshooting thus far I have reattached all connections just as they were on the previous outlet and switch.

The red and black wires are hot (left side of switch and outlet), on the right side of the outlet there is a white neutral? wire and a ground, on the right side of the switch there is simply a ground (FYI: the previous switch did not have a ground but the replacement switch had one, I don't think this would be the issue though).

Any ideas on what could be the issue for now having constant power to the outlet with no ability to control with the switch?

Here are images to assist:
1 and 2 (right and left of the switch, respectively)
3 and 4 (right and left of the outlet, respectively)

See this little tab here?

Turn the power to this box off at the circuit breaker, and verify it's off. Then grab the little tab with a pair of needle nose pliers, and bend it back and forth until it breaks off.  Once you restore power, half of the receptacle will be controlled by the switch, while the other will be always on.

A couple other notes about your wiring
When wrapping wires around screw terminals, you always want to wrap them clockwise.  To tighten the screw you'll turn it clockwise, if the wire is wrapped clockwise it will be "pulled in" by the tightening action. If the wire is wrapped anticlockwise, the wire could be "pushed out" by the tightening action.

You'll also want to try and avoid getting insulation under the screw terminals. The insulation can prevent you from tightening the screw enough, which can lead to a poor connection.  A poor connection causes higher resistance, which increase heating, which leads to deterioration of the wiring, which leads to higher resistance, which leads to more heat, which leads to fire.


How to fix a squeaky light switch I have a light switch that makes a loud high-pitched squeak when turned on or off. I'd like to apply some sort of lubricant to it so that it's not so loud, but I'm not certain as to what risks are involved given that it's electrical wiring.

Is there a safe lubricant that can be used on a light switch, or am I better off to just replace the switch altogether?

It's a standard single-pole, single-throw switch?

Just replace it. They cost $1 or so, and it's not worth the hassle to figure out what's wrong with the current one.


Cheap solution for underside of barn overhang (soffit, siding, something else?) My wife and I bought a house and it has a barn with an overhang by the entry door on the side. The 2x6s (I think that's what they are) are exposed and the birds love it. There is also a little gap at the top where they can actually get into the barn. I need to cover it up to keep the birds out. What's a cheap solution for covering it and giving it a finished look and, most importantly, keeping the darn birds out? Should I use soffit? Or is there something cheaper that will work just as well? I'm less concerned about the look than I am about keeping the birds out. Thanks a lot for any suggestions.

edit

Here are a few pictures. It's about 12x16, I think. I had put up some netting/fencing that I had, but that was a temporary fix to try to keep some birds out. It worked better than nothing, but now I need something that works better and is a little more permanent.

At first I was thinking it was just some exposed rafter ends, but you have an entire roof there!  Short of using a netting like you have already done, I cannot think of anything inexpensive that will do the job any better. You have the option of putting some exterior sheathing such as 3/8" exterior glue plywood or maybe some T111 siding panels. They are not really cheap, but would be a permanent solution. Since you have a metal roof and don't want to trap air and moisture in there, plastic sheeting etc would not be a good choice. Seeing it, I would have recommended bird netting, but you already thought of that.


How much sturdier are through mix pavers vs face mix? I’m adding pavers to a section in the backyard ~320 sqft worth around concrete surrounding a pool.

I found face mix pavers but am hearing that I should use through mix pavers.
I’m not seeing much online on the benefits of one over the other. Any specs or knowledge would be appreciated.

A quick search reveals that face-mix pavers have a concentrated wear/color/texture layer on top. I don't see any indication that this substantially affects strength. If you install a proper base, strength probably isn't a concern anyway.

Prior to Face-mix technology, pavers were a blend of aggregate, pigment color,  and concrete pressed together.  When the thru-mix wear with age, the coloring fades and the coarse aggregates in the pavers (which are used to increase the strength of the paver) starts to show through the top of paver, which can ruin the look of the paver.
Face-mix technology adds concentrated color and fine wear-resistant aggregates on the top of the paver, in addition to the coarse aggregates at the base of the paver.  So not only is the paver structurally strong, but the color and finish of the paver lasts for generations.  The Face-mix process eliminates the risk of the coarse (and ugly) aggregate from appearing through the top of the paver.
https://unilock.com/paver-technology/thru-mix-vs-face-mix/

Of course, through-mix sellers have their own arguments:

If the concrete paver is brand new someone may not notice the difference, over time however it becomes obvious. If a face mix paver should become chipped the gray core will be exposed to the surface. The core of a through mix paver is the same color as the surface so this is not an issue. Since the color for a face mix paver is not mixed throughout the entire paver it tends to fade at a faster rate than a through mix paver. We manufacture all of our pavers using a through mix allowing for more intense longer lasting color.
https://castleliteblock.wordpress.com/2015/09/16/what-is-through-mix-and-why-we-use-it-exclusively-for-our-pavers/

It's really a matter of your priorities. If you don't expect rough treatment, face-mix might give better results over time. If you expect chips and scratches from hard objects, through-mix is probably the best choice.


Does a dwang/blocking qualify as "protection" for non-finished walls? The NEC stipulates that all wire running horizontally between studs must be protected.  My understanding is that wire that runs vertically down a stud can be stapled to the center of the stud and that is classified as "protected" (could be wrong though).  If I install a dwang or blocking between my studs (horizontally) and staple a cable to the bottom center of that blocking, does that too qualify as protected?
For clarity, this is for open, non-closed walls.

The NEC requires the cable to be 1-1/4” back from the face of the stud. If it is not a nail plate is required. Code requires the cable to be protected in the stud bay by 1/2” plywood or sheetrock. This is normally required to a height of 8’(some inspectors allow 7’ the height is not specifically listed in code but protected by elevation at 8’ is listed so most use that)
It may look funny for the 1 bay to be closed in but these are the 2 requirements.


Reason for no header spanning this load bearing wall? I'm fairly certain this is a load bearing wall as the beam in the basement is directly below this wall.

My question is, shouldn't the area pointed at with the white arrows have a header if this is a load bearing wall? There's another door opening that goes all the way to the ceiling on the right side of the TV wall as well.

My intentions here are to open up that wall as a window pass through to the kitchen, keeping the columns intact (the light blue area as an example).

I'm not sure what's inside the column or if that's what's bearing the load.

So basically 2 questions:

Why is there no header for the full height doorways?

Do I need to add a header that spans the width of that area, or would removing those 2 studs in the middle be fine regardless?

Why is there no header for the full height doorways?

I can think of two possibilities:

The wall is structurally unsound due to the missing support and if so, you should see some signs of that. (i.e. sagging, drywall cracking, etc.)
The wall is designed such that the unsupported span load is carried by the support on either side of the doorway opening.

Number 2 is most likely the case in my opinion.

  Do I need to add a header that spans the width of that area, or would removing those 2 studs in the middle be fine regardless?

That's a question for a structural engineer.  The loading from whatever this wall is supporting needs to be analyzed and an appropriate structure to transfer the load needs to be designed.  There is in no way adequate information in this question posting to provide an answer and, in fact, you will likely need engineer-stamped plans for your building permit application.


Structural impact of removing windows from formally exterior wall Our 1950s ranch on slab was added on to some time in the 1990s. A wall of rectangular windows that used to be a perimeter/outer wall, is now an interior wall. Surely it's structural, but are the windows integral to the structure? Can I remove the windows but keep the wood framing, and not risk the integrity? In photo, see 2 column grid of eight windows with blue wall of add-on space in distance. Thanks!

The windows themselves will not be structural, and in your case the wood in the middle between the 2 columns will not be either. I see in the picture the rafters over the windows appear to be the same dimension as the rafters of the rest of the ceiling. those rafters have no additional support under them so it is safe to assume that the rafters over the window section can carry the load of the roof on their own without the center post between the windows. The only exception that would be if the rafters were notched to accept the vertical post. That notch would weaken the rafter and not allow you to remove the wall unless the rafter was repaired or replaced.


Wifi Thermostat, No C wire on HVAC unit. No control board? Condo Looking to install Ecobee thermostat. Only 4 wires coming from unit.  Ecoboo has power extender kit but there's no control board on the HVAC unit, so I can't locate a c wire.  Any help would be appreciated. Pics of wires aren't great, they're all in the same spot.

One group of wires goes to the fan.  Other group goes into smaller main box, took the top off and it's just more relays.

Top right wires from thermostat, go down through connector on right. Red turns into blue and goes top left.

Wires to fan.

Thx

After looking at the schematic for the unit and your picture of the wires with the transformer,  I can help identify what "would" have been a c terminal if it was brought to a connection screw.
In the middle of the schematic,  the wire on the secondary side that is "common" to the relays is referred to as the c wire.
Now in your picture of the transformer is writing on the transformer which identify the secondary side wires.(primary is the high voltage, secondary is the low voltage)
Of those 2, the blue wire connects to the red wire of the schematic (not the c wire), don't touch. The yellow wire connects to the white wire from the schematic ( this is the c wire).
Obviously before you start , be sure to turn off the power to the unit!

And be sure to set the correct system settings in the thermostat. Thermostat electrically behaves differently set for a heat pump vs fan coil vs furnace.
Good luck!


Can you vent electric dryer into furnace return? I've got an electric dryer currently vented outside:

Behind the door to the right is our heat pump furnace:

I was thinking about, during the winter, venting the dryer (properly filtered for lint) into the furnace return (which would then be filtered again by the furnace filter) instead of outside.

My thinking is that it will act somewhat as a humidifier (the house is very dry in the winter) as well as conserving a bit (not much) of heat from the dryer output.

Can this setup work?  What dangers would I need to address?  And of course will I actually be doing any good at all?

Can you do this? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!

Aside from (likely multiple) code violations you will never filter the lint out and will create a dangerous situation inside the furnace plenum, aside from clogging the furnace filter probably weekly.


What is this crud in my shower valve, and how can I prevent it? I just replaced the pressure balancing valve and valve mixer cap in a shower that had lost its hot water. Replacing the parts fixed the problem, but when I pulled the old valve out, it was covered with a chunky white "crud" (see attached pictures of the valve and the inside of the valve body). I'm concerned that this crud will build up again and destroy the new parts, and I'll be right back where I started. Does anybody have any idea what it may be?

These are just educated guesses since I cannot feel/smell these white deposits:

My best guess is that your dip tube in your water heater disintegrated.  This is a very common problem especially if your water heater is 10-25 years old.  You simply need to replace dip tube and then go to all valves and faucets and clean them.
Calcium deposits.  I doubt this is it because I have seen it so many times that I think would be able to tell.  The pieces would look more like rocks.  They would have a little bit of greenish white tint.  There is no fix for this beyond filtering all incoming water.
Chlorine tablets.  Your water source puts chlorine tablets in the water.  If you are near the source the tablets may get into your water without fully dissolving. Your issue does not look like this but throwing it out there.
Rubber hoses.  Any kind of rubber hose that you have in your plumbing system.  Water heater, under sinks, for toilets...  These can break down over time and actually the outcome is a lot like yours, except most hoses are usually black.


A/B switch for Two 240V connections into Electrical Panel I have 125amps coming into my house from PGE and my panel is 125amps and has a few  free breaker slots. Currently I have a 240v oven, 24v clothes drier, 240v floor heating and 240v EV car charger (plus the usual 110 appliances: laundry, dishwasher, garbage disposal etc). Now I want to add an AC unit which they tell me will require 30amps. Now based on some load calculation table that the city permit folks want me to fill it seems I will go over the 125amps. They give you demand-factor reduction, take into account that you will not use AC and floor heating at same time etc - but taking all that into account and I still go over 125 amps by a little - the total is 135amps.
One solution is to use a DPDT switch that switches between  either my EV car charger or my AC. Note I am okay with using 2 breakers in my main panel - one for AC and one for EV car.  Alternatively I can use a  generator interlock to solve my problem  - I don't fully get how that works and would need some guidance.
Would either of the above two solutions pass code?
Can EV charging 24v outlet into which I plug my car  go through a DPDT switch? Or is there a rule against it like needing a dedicated circuit?
If legal could someone please draw a diagram for the DPDT switch and also for the generator interlock + subpanel. The DPDT switch seems simpler.

Assuming that your load calcs were based on actual load and not breaker sizes, the DPDT switch idea has merit. What I would look at though is the physical location of the loads. For example is your 240V dryer in the garage? If so, then I would put the DPDT switch in there to feed either the dryer or the car charger (assuming the sizes match), because you are going to manually connect the car anyway, so you throw the switch when you make the connection. It does mean not running the dryer and the car charger at the same time, but you are going to be giving up one load in any case.
What I would get is called a "Double Throw Safety Switch", like a disconnect switch except the handle is On-Off-On, as in Dryer up, Off in the center, Charger down.
This is a picture of a 3 pole version, you only need a 2 pole, but it gives you the idea.


Drill through a broomstick handle Possible Duplicate:
  How can I drill a hole in a small stick of wood?

How could I drill right the way through a lenth of wood,like a broomstick,without cutting it in sections ?

VERY carefully?

It would be almost impossible to drill all the way through a broomstick with a normal drill, even if you find one long enough, or use enough extensions. A drill that long will be quite flexible, and will tend to drift with variations in density of the wood. The grain will hurt you.

What does work is to work essentially backwards. Drill a long hole through a wide enough piece of wood that the drill will still come out somewhere near where you want it to do so. Then mount the blank on a mandrel, and turn down the wood into a barrel. You can get an amazingly thin result by this method. Note that while the mandrel will provide some stiffening, it is often helpful to have an additional support to steady the blank, preventing "whipping". This is called a center steady, or a steady rest. I've turned long poles the diameter of a broomstick up to the length of my lathe bed, so about 3 feet long, but this takes care to do well.

Note that you still need to drill through the original block of wood. So a drill press of some sort is often a good choice here to drill holes that need to be perfectly aligned with an axis. If you have a good lathe, it will sometimes have a tailstock that will allow you to drill through the tailstock. This helps to keep the drill aligned with the axis of the blank. But even there, a very deep hole is problematical.

And of course, any time you have such a deep hole, you MUST make sure the chips are allowed to clear out of the hole you are drilling. This means you need to back out the drill often to clear them out.


Can I install wood floor on adhesive left from old linoleum floor? We are installing about 100 ft.² of interlocking hardwood on the floor where the linoleum peeled off but the glue adhesive is still stuck on the floor. The floor is very level, and we tried scraping off some of the adhesive but it was taking forever. Can I simply lay the new hardwood on top of the old dried-up adhesive?

As long as it is flat this should be a non-issue.  Floating or nailing down a little left-over adhesive is "normal" and not a big deal.


Troubleshooting sprinkler system pressure Just moved into a new house and am trying to figure out the sprinkler system. The house was built in the 60's and it appears (Found the manual for the pump) the irrigation system was installed then as well. The heads don't pop up, but a small stream of water flows out and puddles up around them. If I take the heads off and run the system there isn't really any pressure coming out of the pipe. However, we took the pressure tank off and we're getting a lot of pressure from there. - Not sure how much exactly, the pressure gauge looks to be not working as well.

Here are some details about the system:

Runs on well water with a submersible pump. Don't know where the well is though.
Single zone for front and back yards (as far as I can tell)
7 heads in back yard and 5 heads in the front (that we've found so far, most were covered in the grass)
The house was unoccupied for ~3 years, I'm assuming the sprinklers haven't been ran for at least that long.

I'm thinking there is a broken pipe somewhere or an obstruction. But where? How can I track down why and where we're losing pressure? Is there anything I can do other than digging up the entire yard?

I have found broken pipes by using a dowel pressing to the ground then pressing my ear to the dowel, if there is water ruling you can hear it 5/7 heads is not that many and if there are no isolation valves it probably worked fine in the past, being built in the 60’s it is probably galvanized pipe, there are many possibility’s for low flow.
The first a broken pipe you have thought of, galvanized pipe also can corrode and build up on the inside limiting the flow of this is the case the pipes will need to be replaced and the pipes are old enough for this to have happened, the third thing I think of is the sprinklers may be plugged with sediment (or possibly a screen filter in line is plugged) so there are a few things to check, you stated you don’t know where the well is you can run water inside the home and use the dowel method to find the pipe (normally the well casing extends above the ground but I have seen a few that were buried (not good). Hope this gives you a way to figure out what the problem is.


How to correctly remove a dry verge piece I've recently had a linear dry verge fitted over my garage, its a Manthorpe Linear Dry Verge.

The guttering on one side was removed whilst this work was being undertaken as I was in the process of painting.

Now that's finished, I've come back to re-install the guttering and I've noticed the dry verge was not cut to accommodate for guttering.

I simply need to cut it back (red line) but would prefer to remove this portion (Blue square) of the system so that I can accurately cut.

I removed the screw (small blue square) hoping that this portion would slide off, but id doesn't seem to. I've tried wiggling it and giving it abit of pull but I'm cautious not to snap anything as I don't know how this piece is clipped in.

Rather than wait for the roofers to come back and do this for me which could take weeks, I'd like to know how difficult it is to take this piece off so I can just do it myself.

QUESTION: How do I correctly remove this piece of the dry verge?

https://manthorpebuildingproducts.co.uk/contentfiles/files/MBP8249-F%20-%20GLV%20SmartVerge%20Linear%20Dry%20Verge%20System%20-%20Fitting%20Instructions%20(web).pdf.
 This link will show you how the material is fixed in place. It looks like to remove the bottom piece, you will need to remove the upper piece or pieces, first.


Void Under Stamped Concrete Patio Allowing Voles in to House I have a stamped concrete patio where the step to the bumpout on my house and slab were poured in one piece.  They didn't pour concrete under the bumpout, just up against it, leaving a hollow area that tunneling animals make their home.

Voles have found their way under the patio and made a home under the bumpout (and sometimes in to my basement) through this bumpout area.  I have a small amount of access under the bumpout now that I have removed the wall and ceiling of a finished bathroom.

What's the best way to permanently keep the voles from getting in to my house through this area?  I have easy access to the outer perimeter of the patio, but I wonder if it would be better to seal off the void under the bump out.  If I seal under the bumpout, is concrete my best option?

The hollow area under the step has a gravel base and about 4-6 inches in height of air before it gets to 1/4 plywood nailed to the bottom of the joists that support the bumpout.  The total hollow area is probably 7 feet long by 1 foot wide by 4-6 inches tall.

I haven't attached pictures because it just looks like ceiling joists that end at a rim joist and plywood nailed to the bottom.

I've tried an exterminator and the voles take the poison, bring it in to my house, and die.  This has been going on for 18 months.

Yes concrete will work just fine.  First I would try to determine exactly how the voles entered your basement so I could repair and block it off before I filled in the space.  I would also make sure that filling in the space with concrete is not going to prevent water drainage.  It might be a good idea to install some sort of drainage pipe.


Mixing 12/2 and 14/2 house wiring Can I run 12/2 wiring from a load center to a junction box, then use 14/2 for branch circuits?

You can, but only if the breaker is 15 amps, and it creates possible confusion for someone who looks at the breaker box and thinks "huh, that's 12GA, I can change that to a 20A breaker." So you might want to leave that person a note in the box.


Cement vs. mortar for embedding stones in drive way I will be scraping a dirt/gravel driveway down two inches and laying flat stones of various sizes and thicknesses.  Need to have the tops at the same level, so some will need to have something underneath to raise them.
All will need some thing to keep them from moving easily.  Ground is more gravel than dirt, such that I’ll have to use a skid loader to grade it.  (Shovel couldn’t penetrate and tiller took hours to get a quarter inch off!)
Which is better, mortar or cement?

I think this is more of an opinion question because the only real difference is the size of the aggregate in the concrete.
Cement / Portland cement  is the basic component in most mortar mixes and sand gravel and cement is what concrete is made of.  In either case 2” is quite thin and won’t have much strength but if the base is solid after scraping either will hold the flat stones in place.
To make absolutely clear you would never use straight Portland cement or less known types of cement as they have no shear strength without the sand for mortar, and sand and aggregate for concrete so mortar would be the only choice based on the below comments from the OP.
I have spread cement on freshly packed rock driveways but these were fresh and had no dirt yet. With rock on the ground not fresh this method would be a waste because the dirt prevents the concrete from bonding to the rock.


Supporting a bookshelf aquarium Trying to design proper support for a long bookshelf aquarium.  The aquarium is 72x12x12 approximately 44 gallons. Which equates to about 360lbs of water weight.  Since it will also contain rock/coral/sand etc... I figured I'd calculate a load of 700lbs to have a margin of safety.  The tank fabricator messed up and ran the drain lines out the back instead of the bottom which pushed me from my original shelf depth of 13-14" up to 17" which adds quite a bit of leverage I think.

The tank is going in an alcove that is 88" wide.  My plan was to run the shelf the full 88" and half the back and sides fastened to a cleat(1x4 pine).  I was also planning on edging the front with 1x4 pine to help stiffen it.  The shelf material itself was originally going to be Advantek subfloor OSB but I think I'll need to beef that up and laminate 1/2" or maybe 3/4" Plywood to it?

Next I was planning on adding 4 or 6 Everbuilt shelf brackets to support it along the wall at the studs.  The problem is I don't have much more clearance than for the 8" shelf brackets because the vertical portion for them is 12" which is pretty much all the room I have underneath the proposed shelf.  At 1200lbs a pair they can certainly handle the vertical load, but 9" of cantilever seems excessive.  The next size up bracket is 20"vertical 13" horizontal.  That would drop me down to 4" of cantilever but that is assuming I can manage to fit the longer bracket in.

Lastly I was planning on gluing a piece of oak trim on the front to cover the shelf edge, and cleat ends.  Essentially double edging the shelf.

I considered adding support to the underside of the shelf by gluing 1x4 pieces running on edge from the back to the front of the shelf(basically mini floor joists if you will).  Just not sure how to calculate there value and if it sufficient to allow me to use the shorter(12x8) brackets.

Any thoughts/suggestions on how to properly support this would be greatly appreciated.

In addition to your supports maybe place a 72" piece of 2-inch structural square steel tube, sort of like a closet pole for hanging all your lead filled jackets.
Mount the pole (tube) about 8" forward from the back wall, right up against the bottom of the OSB/plywood shelf. The end pieces could be 2"x12" quarter inch plate with a welded square nub in the middle. Multiple lagbolts go into the side walls.
If the filled tank causes shelf to curve slightly, drive shims between tube and plywood. You could also beef up the plywood and eliminate some of the wall brackets.


How much can you slice off an MDF door? I have a non-standard opening where I need to install an interior door, and want to avoid having a custom door made.  The closest off-the-shelf door that I can find at my box store would need about 1 inch shaved off the top and 1 inch off the bottom to fit the opening.  (The horizontal width wouldn't need to be changed.)  Can I take that much off an MDF door?

The answer depends on whether it is hollow or solid. If it is hollow then you need to find out how much is solid on each end. If it is solid then there is no issue. For example, taking one door somewhat randomly from Home Depot based on Interior Door + Hollow Core + not pre-hung:

This one is hardwood rather than MDF, but that really shouldn't matter much. What matters is the specifications from the manufacturer for the specific door. In this case:

  Door trimmable for custom fit up to 1/4in T, 3/4in B & 1/8in S

If it is solid then you can trim as much as you want, but you pay a lot more for the door.


Crumbling bricks behind fireplace I had the fireplace removed in my house but the back wall bricks are in bad condition. The surface is crumbly around the area behind the opening, but seem to be ok higher up. Although the quick job would be just to cover it, i want to ensure the structure is still strong it may make sense to replace these bricks as suggested by my plasterer. I’ve lost about 2cm of brick depth in some places. Behind the fireplace is the wall adjoining the next property, although I’m not sure about thicknesses. It’s a Victorian property.

Any insight or next step advice would be appreciated.

To answer the comment about brick wall thickness in a Victorian era house, it will at least be an 8 or 9" wall thickness. The style of brickwork shows that, with the ends of brick showing (header courses). 4" thick walls with header courses did not occur that I am aware of until much later.

It also appears that the firebrick that lined the firebox, may have been a later addition, since firebrick may have been a later development. This I am not sure of, but a search online could confirm the timeline of masonry material and availability. The main reason I bring this up it the charring of the brick, even low on the brick where the heat and smoke is normally not so heavy since it all rises with the air currents going up the chimney. I know it still gets really hot there but not like the rest of the back wall where the brick degradation is really bad. And since the box was getting in bad shape, and firebrick became available, it was rebuilt, covering the old brick. Otherwise the old brick would have survived much better.

So with all that said the remedy for me would be to make sure all the remaining brick are intact, no more crumbling, can be loose, but not crumbling for those can be reset with the proper mortar either type "N"  or type "K" which will be compatible with the softer old brick. After everything is made "tight", parge (skim with a heavy layer of mortar) over everything to finish off the surface to seal it all up. This may take more that one application to do, filling the deepest spots first, then coming back the next day and leveling everything up. Does not have to be pretty, although it can be made to look pretty good with lots of practice, but it really just needs to be there to do its job.


Ductless MiniSplit Install Resources I'm installing a multizone ductless minisplit in my house.

Many of the items I need have already been purchased, I have not purchased:

Line Sets
Nitrogen Testing Tank
410a Refrigerant

I'm considering building my own line sets, it seems cheaper. But I cant seem to find the proper insulation for 1/4" & 3/8" lines. This look like the type of insulation I would want, but I cant find it for the sizes I need.

http://jollyesprit.com/armaflex-ipapc05812-1-2-x-1-2-x-95-continuous-coil-pipe-insulation-rubber/

Would the 1/2" ID work for my 3/8" line? I think probably not.
Can someone please provide me a resource where I can find the proper insulation?

In regard to the Refrigerant and Nitrogen... These seem a bit more expensive then I was hoping, think I can find someone in southern NH / northern MA that would rent something like this to a non-licensed person?

There will be more problems than a nitrogen tank. You also need a vacuum pump to pump the line set down once everything is assembled and a vacuum gauge,  if the system pulls down and holds nitrogen is not needed but the non compressibles Need to be removed from the system. also depending on the length of the line set you will need additional r410 , I don't know any certified tech that would loan this equipment. Do you know there are HUGE fines for opening hvac/r equipment without a license, it has been many years but $20k rings a bell.  You would not have any warranty, better to find a tech that will do it on the side for cash if you do have it set up correctly. Also depending on your local electrical code , permits for the branch circuit. The hvac license is not a state thing it is governed by the EPA you can get the equipment on line but need a license to buy Freon.  For this reason I do not consider this a DIY job.


How can I prevent sudden increases in shower water temperature I assume, but am not sure, that this is caused by someone else in the house competing with the shower for cold water.

I'm guessing an anti-scald valve might be necessary but perhaps there is a way to keep the cold water pressure higher so that it doesn't drop as much when someone flushes a toilet or something.  The shower in question is on the 3rd floor.

Added:
I have since learned of at least three approaches.
1) pressure balanced valve
2) thermostatic mixing
3) anti-scald shower head

Here is a good site comparing the first two: http://www.hometips.com/buying-guides/shower-valve-anti-scald.html

The anti-scald showerheads I have found online are very inexpensive (under $30) but poorly reviewed.

Adjusting the whole-house water pressure is unlikely to solve this problem, simply because you set your shower temperature based on some initial balance of hot and cold. When other people draw cold water only, the pressure difference will still have the potential to affect your shower temperature.

Instead, you should get a pressure balanced valve or shower fixture. These fixtures automatically reduce hot water pressure when cold pressure falls, so instead of a temperature spike you simply get a momentary decrease in output pressure. You can find pressure-balanced fixtures (which would replace your existing shower fixtures) or an independent pressure balancing valve (which you'd want to install near the shower but would allow you to keep your existing fixture).


Is a #14 pigtail to a receptacle on a 20A circuit actually an issue? I recently had a 15A receptacle in my kitchen partially melt while my wife had our vacuum cleaner plugged into it.

We knew something was up when we smelled the telltale hot plastic smell. I felt the wall-plate and it was hot. I turned off the breaker, took everything apart, and found that the outlet was being used as a pass-through to power two of the counter-top outlets in our kitchen and our very large kitchen refrigerator/freezer.

Supposedly even a 15A outlet is rated for 20A pass-through, but something wasn't right if it melted, so I went and found a replacement duplex outlet, some #14 wire, and re-wired it using pigtails so the outlet wasn't passing through any current.

I wrongly assumed that the circuit was 15A. When I went back to turn on the breaker, I discovered that it was a 20A circuit. Uh oh. My pigtails were under-rated for the circuit.

I also used a take-out receptacle that I had lying around, and it was ivory rather than white.

I told my wife not to plug 2 heavy-duty loads into that outlet until the weekend, and today went out and bought a new white duplex receptacle, found some #12 Romex from which I could cut new pigtails, and rewired it properly, both with the correctly colored receptacle, and with the proper gauge of wire.

I got to thinking, though. Resistance is measured in ohms per foot. A 14 gauge wire carrying a 20 amp load introduces too much resistance over the length of the wire run, causing a significant voltage drop and heating up the wiring and risking a fire.

However, a pigtail is typically less than 4 inches long. I'm not advocating it, but couldn't you use 14-gauge wire for such a short piece of wire and not generate enough of a voltage drop to cause a problem, even if you were to plug 2 devices into the receptacle that drew a total of 20 amps? (Again, I understand that that would be a violation of code, and I'm not about to do it in my house. This is a theoretical question.)

The problem isn't the excess I2R drop (voltage drop) in the wire, it's that the wire is loaded beyond its ampacity, which causes it to overheat and damage its insulation as well as the insulation of other nearby wires as most insulating materials used for household wiring cannot withstand being overheated (dry steam is too hot for them, if you want to get an idea) without deteriorating significantly.

There are rules in the Code for tap conductors that can be smaller than the circuit they are tapped off of, but they apply to limited situations (such as lights, hard-wired cooking appliances, and some other types of fixed loads), never to receptacles -- the risk of an oversized-for-the-tap load being attached to the receptacle is too high.


What type of connector is this? This connector was removed from my old recessed ceiling lights.  The light socket was wired with this connector at the other end of the lead.  The connector pairs with a female 3-pin/3-hole connector mounted on the socket plate in the recessed light can.   I need to replace a couple of these leads/connectors as they are faulty.  Thanks for any guidance.

That is a molex connector, often used in low voltage DC applications. I've seen them in auto/marine lighting applications but never in residential (but that doesn't necessarily mean it's wrong).

Though I question their use in high voltage receptacles the parts are tooling for them are readily available at any electronics retailer.


How to rip unparallel on table saw? I have this small but powerful and relatively versatile Dewalt.

What I would like to do is rip a piece of lumber but so that the cut side is at an angle to the other lengthwise side and not parallel to it. IOW, my one end needs to be 0 or close to it (which would make it a triangle) and the other side 3/8" across a length of about 6'.

It is easy to do angles on this saw but only if you are doing across and not lengthwise (using the little protractor guide) or the angle of the actual cut itself (using the protractor lever below the surface to the Dewalt logo). I do not see how to achieve the same effect lengthwise because the stationary guide to the right is fixed at a right angle.

There are a few ways to do this. If you don't mind holes in one face of your board, you can screw another board to it at a bias, matching the angle you wish to cut, and lapping past the side of the board you're cutting. By sliding the temporary board along the fence, your workpiece will be cut at an angle.

Another approach would be to fasten (with masking tape or whatever) spacers of tapered thickness to your workpiece, say every foot. Slide those against the fence.

Finally, purchase or build a taper jig that does basically the same thing as the other suggestions, but is more versatile and reusable.


Furnace High Pitched Squeal My furnace unit started making a squealing sound today. Does anyone know what this is? Anything I can fix myself?

Maybe related, the temp was high 90s today and the AC was actually behind. I have it set at 76 and it was at 78 early this afternoon and still hasn't shut off yet, 6 hours later. Secondary question, should it be behind or is that another issue?

It squeals for 2-3 minutes, then is silent for probably 2-3 minutes.

Video: https://youtu.be/yWVDllF5rrc

EDIT:
Is this where the oil goes, this black tube?

If the blower in the furnace is belt driven (not likely), the belt might be worn and slipping. Most likely, the blower is direct drive, which means you'll probably have to pull out the entire blower assembly to get at the motor.

WARNING:

Before removing the blower, make sure power to the unit is OFF.
If you have to remove wiring to pull out the blower assembly, make sure you label each wire so you know where it goes.

Once you have the blower out and accessible, you should be able to locate the two oil ports. These ports are typically on the "top" of the motor, and are plugged with plastic or metal caps. Remove the caps, fill it up with oil, and replace the caps. Check the manufacturer's documentation for the type, and amount of oil to use.

Here's a good YouTube video from Grayfurnaceman that shows How to oil the HVAC fan motor.

If the motor in your unit does not have oil ports, you might have to replace the bearings, motor, or the entire blower assembly (depending on which unit you have).

As always, if you don't feel comfortable doing this type of work, please contact a local licensed HVAC technician.


1m high retaining wall build I'm hoping to use 215mm concrete breeze blocks to build a 20m long retaining wall at 1m high. Do I need to build the blocks on their flat or can it be a regular single skin wall with piers every so often?

The land behind has no structures and the ground is pretty much all rocky parent material covered with about 6 inches of top soil.

I'll be installing a french drain etc.

It depends on soil conditions. I build on the flat many walls with stable soil behind the wall I build flat to flat no mortar straight up but will back fill with pea gravel or river rock to allow it to drain.

In some cases I will stager each block back a 1/4 or ~ 6mm back this works without mortar with stable ground.

With the above cases for loose soil that may shift I will mortar in place without pillars.

I have seen pillars used and rectangular blocks on edge , it was interesting and much less expensive but I did not think it would hold up as well, I cannot say if it has held up as I haven’t been in that town for years. 1 meter is not a lot but it depends on soil conditions and I like free standing blocks or rail road ties pinned together  for small walls so some opinion and some soil conditions make a difference.


electrical breakers puzzle I had one last electrical box  to install a outlet  in, on a live residential circuit, which I had "completed" earlier by wire nutting the wires together to "complete" the circuit. But instead of flipping the breaker to 'off'  I decided to try and short the circuit with a screw driver. (many people would find this a foolish practise.)  I was surprised to discover that this attempt at shorting failed. I tried again and failed again. So, I think to myself that I might have a bad breaker that doesn't trip when overloaded, but I don't know how to find out for sure. I decide to test another circuit on another breaker, to see if I can overload it. Instead of shorting it, I'll put sufficient load on it to trip it, I think to myself. What I use is two 1500 watt portable heaters and two circular saws, maybe 15 amps each on start-up, I guess. So lots of juice going through the breaker for about 20 seconds. I don't want to fry the wires with a heavy load too long. The breaker does not trip. I repeat a few times, after a cooling of wires period of time in between, but this  breaker also does not trip. My thoughts are that it is rare that breakers  are faulty and fail to trip. Does anyone have experience with breakers failing to trip due to faulty breakers? Does anyone else have thoughts and opinions on this situation?  How can I reliably/cheaply/confidently find out which breakers, if any, are faulty? I wouldn't want to unnecessarily replace all breakers if they weren't faulty. How can I test my breakers?

Here's how you test a breaker

First, you need to get some hard numbers as to the actual load you are putting on the breaker.  So get a Kill-a-watt and see what your various loads actually do draw in amps (test them individually).

Now you are looking to test the breaker, not set the wiring in your home on fire, so don't draw this through the house's wiring.  Build a little test box out of a 4x4 metal junction box, #10 cable, and 2 twin receptacles, and strip the #10 cable back about a foot.  Ground to ground bar, neutral to neutral bar, and hot directly to the breaker under test.   Plug all your loads into the receptacles.

OK, you want to test the breaker.  Go get the breaker's trip-curve chart.

Look up the amps you will be applying, say it's 40 amps. That's 200% of the breaker rating, so find 200% on the horizontal chart for your breaker (not this example)... and follow the 200% line up to the number of seconds the line enters and exits the "gray area".   In this example, it's 9 seconds and 35 seconds.

Turn on your loads and stopwatch... your breaker should trip between 9 and 35 seconds later.  (maybe a smidge longer if the load is causing voltage to sag).

That's a thermal trip mode.

The magnetic trip is an instant trip based on high excess current.  That is the horizontal blob at the bottom of the chart.  Flow 15x rated current and you should get a nice instant magnetic trip inside one AC cycle (<=20ms).


When stopping and starting a tile job, what to do with the extra thinset from previous row's cleanup? When stopping and starting a tile job, you are left with the cleanup of the thinset that extends past the tiles that have been set.  This thinset can be scraped up with a trowel, but leaves a light residue.  Upon resuming the job, does this residue need to be vacuumed up with a brush and vacuum, wiped with a sponge, sprayed down with water, or can thinset just be placed directly on top of it?

I used a 3" scraper - nice flexible blade which left the minimum possible.

When continuing the next day, just de-dust and fresh stuff straight on works a treat and did that for small tiles, big floor tiles and a wood parquet...

I would also put guide lines on the wall or floor to show the "glue" limits per section to be worked on...


How should I insulate this basement wall? I've been doing a lot of reading. I live in Maryland, not particularly cold. We have an 8 foot  ceiling in the basement which is poured concrete built in 1973. Only about a foot is above grade. I've done the tape and plastic test and let it sit for a couple years with no issues. We do have a dehumidifier in the basement. When we bought the house 5 years ago is had a slightly mildew smell. I believe they had had water issues before but they were rectified with grading and such outside. I messed up and added about 100 feet of framing before insulating. I left a bit of space between the studs and walls so i can make sure the walls are true even if the basement isn't. I did paint the areas behind the walls with Drylock. I still have the majority to do.

Questions:

Is drylock sufficient to use R-15 batt? Or should I skip it entirely?
If not then should I put in EPS/XPS? (again Drylock?)
Would I really need more than that? We aren't in the mountains but it is a little chilly in  very very cold weather (cold for us anyway, like 12F outside).

I have a feeling once I add returns and vents int he basement it would clear up any potential mildew buildup just having air exchange.

My father is very much pushing for plastic and batt but I'm concerned about the batt becoming a sponge. I've read up on the building science site. Still concerned because they always talk about Canada and New York.

Drylock is of questionable benefit, IMHO. It's definitely not a solution to a leaky basement...but it sounds like you've done some regrading already which should help with that.

The reason basements are often musty isn't so much from water from the outside but condensation. Basements are humid and cool, so the walls tend to be perpetually wet. The goal, then is to insulate the walls so help prevent that moist air from hitting the cool wall.

When using fiberglass, that's permeable to the air, so the solution is traditionally to put up a plastic vapor barrier. However, if water does leak in from outside, you've now trapped it.

As such, I strongly recommend going with the Building Sciences corporations recommendation of using XPS foam board against the wall and no additional vapor barrier. The XPS acts as a moisture retarder, yet will let moisture eventually dry through from one side to the other.

I went in to much more detail (including my recommendation to use metal framing rather than wood) with this answer here: https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/8644/1209

When finished, the other objective is to try and reduce the humidity in the basement. If you can bring the basement space into being part of the conditioned space, that's ideal. Alternatively, keep that dehumidifier running.

To answer the specific questions:

  Is drylock sufficient to use R-15 batt? Or should I skip it entirely?

In terms of creating an insulated finished space, Drylock is of no use. The purpose of a vapor barrier is to prevent moist air from getting to a surface to condense on. The concrete wall will still be cool regardless of Drylock.

  If not then should I put in EPS/XPS? (again Drylock?)

Yes to the EPX/XPS (see my linked answer above).

  Would I really need more than that?

Code should dictate what is required. Check your local authorities regarding the amount of insulation you need. EPX/XPS will get you more R-value per inch than fiberglass.

In terms of comfort, the biggest culprits in a basement will be air infiltration, the upper exposed part of the foundation, and the space between the floor joists. Focus on those as well.


How should I finish around this hole in my slab? This hole in my basement has a roughed-in drain pipe for a bathtub (can't really see it, but I've verified it's there):

As you can see, it's about 12"x16". As I prepare to finish the basement, I'm not really sure how I ought to handle this hole. Should I just run the subfloor up to the edges of the hole and then leave it as-is? or should I do something to seal it once the plumbing is finished to keep critters/moisture/cold from coming out of it?

If you use a tub with an above floor drain, you can finish the floor flush.

If you use a below floor drain, you should at a minimum put down poly, seal the edges with a sealant and cover with several inches of pea gravel.

If you want to insulate a bit, excavate a couple more inches and put down some XPS foam over the poly and then put the gravel over it.