Why will my fluorescent light not come on when it is warm in the room? My fluorescent light will not come on when the temperature in room is above 70 °F.  When it is below 70 °F it works fine and comes on every time.  When it is above 70 °F, it will not come on at first, but it will come on if I rotate one of the bulbs in its socket a little. What is wrong?

Is this a cfl or tube fluorescent bulb? And to be honest i have never heard of this. I do know some older t12 bulbs with magnetic ballasts fail to operate at low temperatures roughly 32 degrees F. They should work better at warmer temperatures. I know with newer t12 bulbs that have electronic ballasts operate at lower temperatures than magnetic ballasts as well as t8 and t5 bulbs due to their electronic ballast. Cfls operate roughly the same was as electronic ballasts. You shouldnt have to turn ur bulb to have it light up. It could possibly be a bad bulb. Have you tried a different bulb in the same fixture to see if it is just the bulb?


How do I protect the front side of a wood retaining wall? I have a wood retaining wall made of 3x12 pressure-treated boards similar to the one pictured here.

The backside has MiraDrain and 3/4" drainage rock.   I have an excess of earth to manage and one option I'm thinking of is to move it to the front side of the wall, approx. 12-18" high.  There is also a consideration of putting fence boards on the front to make it more visually appealing.

What should I do to the front side of the wall regarding protection from rot (whether we add fence boards or not) to make sure it has a long life.

Weed blocking fabric?
Landscape fabric?
Build 4-sided garden boxes, and put the fill dirt in there?
Do nothing?
Other ideas?

In California, no snow to worry about.

If the boards (& posts) are properly pressure-treated for ground contact, then there should be no need to worry about them rotting due to contact with ground/dirt on either side. For what it's worth I think it looks fine as is, but if you choose to add fence boards, they would either need to avoid ground/soil contact for be rated for ground/soil contact in their treatment.

The garden boxes appeal to me, but that's because I'd grow stuff in them - if that's not you, then they might be a waste of materials. Depending exactly how/where they are built, I guess they might also reenforce the wall.


How to remove an old bosch drill chuck? I've got an old Bosch corded hammer drill, model PSB 500. It's not the "RE" (reversible) model. The chuck is a traditional one with the jaws and the key to loosen and tighten the bits.

Since this model is not a reversible one, the chuck has not the central screw to remove. There is only a sort of flat head, it seems like a pin, and a really small hole on a side of this flat head. I can't understand if the hole has something to do with the removal process.

I followed the procedure I found here and on YouTube to unscrew the chuck:
- lock a big Allen key in the chuck
- hit it with a hammer in counterclockwise
but:
1) the drill model doesn't have a lock button to avoid the rotation of the entire engine group;
2) the chuck shaft doesn't have a wrench friendly grip (the notches you see in the picture are at 120 degrees so useless for a normal wrench);
3) I tried to lock the shaft with a pliers but the chuck doesn't loosen the same.

Is there a way to remove this kind of chuck?

EDIT

The last time I removed a chuck like that, I had to open the jaws and remove the screw that was down inside the chuck...

And, sadly, they are usually "munched" due to the drill bits that have turned in the past....


Waving hardwood floor I have pulled up carpet in a home I recently purchased, finding white oak 2" wide hardwood.  In the dining room, the sub floor and subsequently the hardwood waves over the floor joists.  Between the joists, the subfloor sinks 0.25 in. In my opinion the 0.25 in is noticeable.  The subfloor is not 4x8 tongue and groove ply, it is plank sub-floor. How would I go about making this level? I have used self leveling cement in the past on a slab, but considering this is plank sub-floor, I cannot use this method.

The floor joists are 2x10 16" on center.

Thanks.

I would address whatever caused the subfloor to sag that much in the first place.  OSB decking in a humid area will have all sorts of problems, especially crawlspaces with backed fiberglass pinned up against them.  All wood, even engineered woods like OSB and plywood, lose a lot of strength when they've swelled up due to moisture issues.

I had a similar situation this last year and was able to address it by using well-placed screws from below.  That was 5" wide T&G, though.  obviously you're flying blind from below, so you have to guess where the center of the boards are.  With hardwoods (and especially narrow 2" seasoned white oak) I would fear splitting the board if you were either too close to the edge or end.  Oh yeah - and this job is awful to do while in a crawlspace.  I mean awful awful.  Like "I am never doing this again IF I survive this ordeal" type of awful.

I didn't finish one room, so it still squeaks when you walk over it.  However, that squeak doesn't seem to bother me nearly as much as it did before I decided it was a good idea to take 5 years off of my life by doing that type of work in that inhospitable location.


I have a question about GFCI circuits I have a GFCI circuit in my kitchen.  I believe it is wired correctly but each time I test with a volt tester it trips.  Then nothing in the kitchen works.  can someone help me answer this question?

Measuring with a volt meter may create enough of an imbalance to trip the GFCI depending on how you are making the measurement. From hot to ground may cause a trip but measuring hot to neutral it should not trip. Most modern GFCI'S are looking for the imbalance. The rest of the outlets being on the same circuit is the reason they are all de-energized.


Power Circuit for outdoor mounted shutters Is a GFCI required for an electric shutter installed outside under the soffit?
If the answer is yes can an AFCI be used in stead of the GFCI?

You need to use the GFCI breaker for the outside locations (Wet).

AFCI is a different animal altogether.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter is specifically designed for ground faults to protect in damp locations where there is a current path such as a person between ground and hot.

Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter - is specifically designed to protect against arcing - where perhaps the outlet is so old and worn the current actually arcs across the power outlet to the plug. You might notice these will trip if you plug a vacuum into an outlet whereby the ON switch of the vacuum is in the ON position prior to plugging the device in to the wall receptacle - you will see that arc .. an AFCI will trip in this instance.


Can exterior exhaust vents be stacked on top of one another? A bathroom toilet room already has an exterior exhaust vent as seen in the pic. Is it within code and ok to install another, and identical, exhaust vent directly below the current one.

The Master Bath needs another exhaust fan and this is the only place feasible to exhaust this soon to be installed fan.

Question

Yes, it's acceptable by code. Make sure both have a backdraft damper (flap).


How should I connect a fixture to this outlet? I'm replacing a light fixture in my house and am a bit confused about how the old fixture was wired.

There are two pairs of wires, 2 black, 2 white and 2 ground.  The two black wires were capped off together and not hooked up to the old fixture at all.

The white and beige wire were connected two the old light I removed.  I guessing one set of wires is power coming from the box and the other set is from the switch.  The switch is a dimmer.

The light I bought has black and white wires.  Any ideas on how to tell which ones to hook them up too?

Warning: You'll be working with live electrical wires during this procedure. If you don't feel comfortable doing so, please contact a local licensed Electrician.

Set up your multimeter (or voltmeter) to measure volts AC.
Very carefully remove the caps from the white wires, making sure the wires do not come into contact with anything.
Turn the switch to the ON position.
Touch one probe from the meter to the bare grounding conductors.
Touch the other probe to the exposed end of one of the "white" wires.
Touch the probe to the other "white" wire.

You should have measured 0 volts to one "white" wire, and line voltage (~120 volts) to the other.  Using a bit of black tape, or a black marker. Mark the "white" wire that measured line voltage to ground.

Turn the breaker off, and verify power to the circuit is off.
Connect the white fixture wire to the unmarked "white" wire from the ceiling.
Connect the black fixture wire to the marked "white" wire from the ceiling.

  Warning: You'll be working with live electrical wires during this procedure. If you don't feel comfortable doing so, please contact a local licensed Electrician.


Minimum length of mini-split AC line I was considering buying a cheap mini-split AC unit to cool a small room (10ftx10ft) over the summer now that we spend more time working from home. There are several units on the market. However I'd like to mount the two parts of the system pretty much back to back, one on the outside wall, the other on the corresponding inside wall, about 8-10 inch apart (I just have to check how thick is the stucco etc). However I read there is a 10ft minimum distance between the two units, and this would complicate the job a whole lot. What is the reason for a minimum distance? Too much final pressure of the pre-charged gas comes to mind perhaps?

The manual for the Pioneer mini split system I'm installing this weekend says the unit is pre-charged for 16 foot lines. For distances less than 25 feet the manual  says no change to the refrigerant charge is needed. Nowhere that I can find does it say the pipes have a minimum length.

Maybe see if the installation manuals are available on the Internet for the unit you intend to purchase. They should have similar guidelines.


8 AWG solid EGC in raceway for 100 amp subpanel I'm adding a 100 amp subpanel to my detached garage and have a question about the EGC I've already pulled through the underground LFNC-B raceway.
Taking the advice from a similar post on this forum, I decided to use a 8 AWG bare solid copper conductor for my EGC in the underground raceway back to the main house. The other 3 conductors are 3 AWG THWN-2 stranded copper. I did double check the NEC tables to ensure these were appropriately sized for the underground feed portion of my run and ensured the conduit fill was less than 40%. What I failed to realize though (until after I won the good battle of pulling this set though the raceway) was that there is a section in the NEC that prohibits the use of solid conductors 8 AWG or larger in raceways:
"310.3 Stranded Conductors. Where installed in raceways, conductors of size 8 AWG and larger shall be stranded."
Dangit! Now I'm questioning why I didn't just use insulated green THWN-2 - it would have made my pull much easier! Rookie mistake.
So how bad have I goofed up here? Let's say the inspector fails to call this out. Is this a safety issue? What's the rationale for the rule anyways? To prevent numskulls like myself from trying to pull larger gauge solid wire through a raceway and possibly damaging the other conductors? Or is there more to it? Interestingly, there seem to be several exceptions in the NEC that do allow for using 8 AWG solid EGC in raceways (690.46 for Array Equipment Grounding Conductors for example).
I'm just trying to get a feel for the severity of this goof-up and if it's worth fixing if not required by the inspector. Any feedback from the experts would be much appreciated!

This isn't an issue because you're dealing with an EGC
As it turns out, while using a stranded wire would have pulled more easily, you are in the clear with regards to your solid 8AWG copper equipment grounding conductor Code-wise.  This is because NEC 310.106(C) (i.e. where your NEC 310.3 cite moved to in newer NEC editions) yields to other parts of the Code when they say things about what kinds of conductors are allowed in raceways:

(C) Stranded Conductors. Where installed in raceways,
conductors 8 AWG and larger, not specifically permitted or
required elsewhere in this Code to be solid, shall be stranded.

and NEC 250.118 point 1 explicitly permits the use of solid or stranded wire for an equipment grounding conductor:

250.118 Types of Equipment Grounding Conductors. The
equipment grounding conductor run with or enclosing the
circuit conductors shall be one or more or a combination of
the following:
(1) A copper, aluminum, or copper-clad aluminum conductor. This conductor shall be solid or stranded; insulated, covered, or bare; and in the form of a wire or a busbar of any shape.

So, relax and enjoy a drink in the meantime, as you have absolutely nothing to worry about.


Bathtub faucet is not responsive The bathtub faucet on the cold water side is doing something strange. When I turn the handle, nothing happens until I turn it a little more than half of the way around, then the water comes rushing out all at once. It's not happening on the hot side. This started a few days ago and seems to be getting worse.

I replaced both hot and cold stems and handles several months ago. Not sure if it's related to that but they seemed to be working fine up until now. I took the handles off and don't see any leaks or other strange behavior.

Any ideas?

Update:
I took a shower today and the cold water side started out working fine. About 5 minutes into the shower, all the cold water went away, and I had to turn the handle really far again to get any cold water. And it was really hard to get just a little cold water. It was either a lot or none at all.

Here's a pic the faucet:

To me it sounds like the rubber washer is failing, these are on the base of the stem held in by a brass screw, they do change shape over time and they do fail especially if turned off with force, luckily most plumbing stores or home stores have kits that have the different sizes needed for home repairs for 5-10$ and they can have 20 or more pieces in the kit, there are 2 or 3 standard sized ones they look like little volcanos a disk with a solid cone and a hole down the center, most hose bibs use the same style but the larger diameter, there are also flat ones and yours may look flat because of being crushed but the 3 valve showers I have installed and serviced have all had the cone shaped washers.


Building a mechanical Clock this is probably off topic as it's not "home improvement", but still, it's DIY, so, here it goes:

I want to build a mechanical clock.
I've read technical things about how they work, this is not my problem.

What could be good materials and tools for me to build it?

I am an inexperienced DIY'er, but I am pretty comfortable with paper, cardboard, balsa wood.
I also don't have many specific tools aside from x-acto knives and scissors, but I think I can manage to not chop off a finger with more advanced tools.

I believe wood or some kind of soft metal would be better for this, but I am not sure what kinds to use, or what tools I need. Remember, the clock will have moving parts, gears, axis, etc.

In summary, for a beginner to build a mechanical clock:

Tools (Dremel? small hand saw?)
Materials (hardened balsa? tin? brass?)

Also, please take into account the cost, gold; although pretty cool, is probably off my budget.

I would invest in:

sheet brass (Various thicknesses, for the mainspring, gears, hands, housing, etc etc; it's generally easy to work and looks good polished)
A Dremel or similar precision rotary tool/spiral saw (for finish work and other fine detail)
A scroll saw (for basic cuts; you can also use it for most of your woodwork if you have a steady hand or a guidestop)
Myriad springs, machine and wood screws, nuts, bolts, and other fasteners.

I would invest in plans for a known working design rather than trying to reinvent too many wheels here. Patience is key, like a lot of precision work hobbies, and don't be surprised when your first assembly doesn't work quite right.

As far as kits, you can buy mechanical movements pre-made, but not pre-assembled. I would seriously consider this as a first step in your foray into clockmaking; clocks' tolerances are REALLY fiddly, and must be very exacting in every part to get anywhere close to a usable clock, to say nothing of an accurate one.


Will internal waterproofing solve my moisture problems? We've been working on our water problem for awhile now.

Here's the deal:

There is black drain tile under the home (all the way around) tied into a sump crock. Water was only coming in one side. A camera through the tile showed us it's not laid right, like a mini roller coaster, so there are spots for many feet that are full of old standing water that won't come out. About 1/3 of the system is working and taking water to the sump. Where it's not working, water comes in where the wall meets the floor.. It's hit or miss with when and how much.

Instead of redoing what's there, we are having a Sure-Dry system (affiliated with Badger Basement but cheaper) put in along the inside perimeter. They remove cement, lay this perforated piece that looks like rain gutter almost, but has a high back on it. The back will go along the basement wall to catch any water that may run down the walls as well as any water that would normally come in at the floor along the wall. It goes to their sump pump and will head far out into the backyard.

This is being done tomorrow.

My basement has no water in it right now but is very very damp. I have mold growing on the floor along the perimeter. It smells pretty bad down there as well. We run a small dehumidifier which will get us to low humidity but if it stops for a few hours, it's right back up there again quickly. The bedroom feels damp. It's almost like the blankets feel cold and heavy, but not necessarily wet.

My question is since there's no water inside right now and the dehumidifier runs, will this type of waterproofing system eventually help the cement floor dry out? The basement is supposed to be finished again in August. It was previously, but we ripped it out to do repairs. I'm thinking there's so much water under the house, that even though it's not rising right now to come it at the places it normally does, it's still wicking moisture up through the floor along the edges. Or maybe the slab itself is still holding water until things can get dried out. When they put their system in, they will be filling the old sump crock pit so that entire old system will be out of commission.

Neillsville WI is clay type dirt as you go deeper. I think we're sitting in a mud pit but am worried the system I'm putting in will only address the water coming in but won't help what's under the house dry out over time.

I will be cleaning with an antimicrobial cleaner before refinishing. I don't know if I should put anything additional down on the floor before laying carpet again (no pad).

Thank you for your time everyone! Now that I've learned they drill weep holes into the wall, i'm fairly certain this process will dry most of my water out in the ground as well as help my slab dry once we get the water moving. I think it will be longer than just a few days. It's going to take some time for the water to move in, pump out and eventually dry out. :) You've all been very helpful!

I remember Neillsville from "The Rock" radio station. ;)

So, to answer the question, we need to know where the water is coming from. You mention that it's due to a high water table.

As such, I'd not ever finish the basement. It will always be one power outage or one clogged drain away from being ruined again.

It also means that your dehumidifier will never 'win'. Basements are moist by default simply due to cooler temps, but if you have constant hydrostatic pressure, it will always be an uphill battle.

Your (what I call) interior footer drain will certainly help, but you're at the mercy of the drains always remaining unclogged and the sump pump always having power. You'll also have to make sure it can handle excessive rain during those big midwestern downpours.

If it was merely an occasional rain/snow melt issue, I'd feel OK finishing the basement, but given the high water table, I'd consider rethinking doing a full finish project down there.

If your water problems are primarily at the footer, It may be OK. As that is exactly what the drain system is designed to handle. But if you have actual cracks in the walls and water is coming in there, I'd be definitely be hesitant.

One other note...a bit further west into MN, the clay soil we were on had a lot of radon. So you may want to get a radon test before thinking of finishing the space as well.

Oh, one last comment: note that the systems being proposed are in no way 'waterproofing' systems. They are water abatement systems--in that they are designed specifically to not be waterproof and actually allow the water to come in so it can be moved out. It's a nit-pick, for sure, but actual waterproofing is an entirely different discussion.


How can I tell if this is wood or drywall? I am trying to mount speakers on the topmost part as you can see here:

Basically I am mounting it on that thin vertical area that you can see. Is this part wood or drywall? From tapping it, it sounds more solid. So does that mean it is wood?

I am also going to mount speakers on the opposite side, at the top of the wall as well. It looks like this on the opposite side:

Would this be wood as well?

This is an example of a typical framing of the wall you describe

The drywall covers the framing and the white areas in between.

In general, when mounting anything on the wall (other than the lightest of pictures), it is better if you can attach to a stud (one of the framing members, usually wood, but sometimes thin steel).

To find out where the studs are, you can use a stud finder.

Or you can poke a series of holes until you find where the hollow (drywall) ends and the solid (stud) begins. To poke the holes, you can use an awl or a very small drill bit.

In your particular case, figure out where you want your speakers. Then check to see if there are studs in the immediate vicinity or close. sometimes it's worth shifting an inch or three to get a solid mount.

If there are studs within reach, use wood screws to attach to the studs. If there are not, use drywall mounts.


Why would a light fixture be incompatible with dimmer switches? I'm considering buying the Aero Pure AP80-RVL, which is a recessed bathroom light/exhaust fan combo. It's important to me to be able to use a dimmer switch for the light, but the installation instructions for this unit specifically say not to use one.

  Use an on/off switch to operate this fan. See “Connect Wiring” for details.
  The humidity control and fan can be operated separately. Can be used with a dual “stacked” switch for fan / light control. Do not use
  a dimmer switch to operate the humidity control or light.

I checked the "Connect Wiring" section for further detail, as mentioned in the quote above, but there is no further information about dimmer switches. Doing a text search on the rest of the installation manual yields no further references to dimmer switches either.

I understand why you can't install a dimmer switch for the fan/humidity control, but for light fixtures I always assumed it was just the bulb and whether or not the dimmer switch was compatible with the bulb (in the case of an LED bulb) that determined if you could install a dimmer switch. This leads me to the following two questions:

Why would a light fixture itself not be compatible with a dimmer switch or why would a manufacturer say not to use a dimmer?
Would I run any risks such as damaging the unit, causing a fire, etc. if I went against the installation instructions and put a dimmer on the light anyway?

The best explanation I can think of is that many compact fluorescent(CFL) and LED bulbs are not compatible with dimmers. The reason why is

non-dimmable CFLs cannot and should not ever be used with dimmer switches.

and

To put it in layman's terms, most modern dimmer switches essentially function the same way as if you were to turn a light on and off really, really fast (about 100 times per second). (snip)
basically the problem is this: CFLs have less resistance than incandescent bulbs, which means that the floodgates are opened when they are exposed to the electrical fluctuations that a dimmer sends, and they actually can consume up to 5x the current as when they're not connected to a dimmer (and that's when the dimmer is set to max). This overheats the bulb and can actually cause it to light on fire. Bad news.

The fixture has a GU24 base (non-standard) which is going to further limit your selection of bulbs (as in your local store may only carry non-dimmable bulbs). So rather than accept liability for a potential fire hazard, they're just going to tell you not to use a dimmer at all for the light.
In theory you should be able to hook a CFL/LED friendly dimmer to the light only and install a dimmable GU24 bulb, but beware that any liability for doing so lies solely with you.


How to safely route a wide groove in 2x2? I would like to create a groove 3/4" wide and 1" deep in a piece of red oak 2x2, approximately 5" long (it is being sized to slip over a 1x2). I have a 1/2" router bit, and have successfully created a 1/2" wide, 1" deep groove in the piece; when I attempted to widen the groove with a second pass, the piece shot off of the router table.

What is the best way to enlarge the groove to the desired width?

I have tagged this question with "circular-saw" because it is the other possibly-relevant tool I have available.

I highly recommend using a pusher and gloves for this project. There are lots of "brands" you can choose from, or you can use another board to do it. You only have one set of fingers though, and keeping them safe is more important than any project.

If you will note in the above picture, the board is being pushed forward and into the fence. This is an excellent way to get an even cut and retain control of the board.
If you don't have a fence, you can clamp another board to the table and that will work almost as well
Once you have lined up and completed your first cut, move your fence back from the cutter 1/8th of an inch, and cut again. Then rotate your board 180° and cut again.

Hope this helps!


Double Outlet, Half Hot, 3-way Switch I have a project where I need to install two boxes into the ceiling of a basement. Each box will have two outlets, one on a switch and the other always hot. Both boxes will be connected to 3-way switches, one at the top of the stairs and the other at the door leading into the basement, in a single continuous line. I can not figure out how to wire this with both switched and hot outlets on the same circuit.

This isn't a hard situation. My preferred approach would be to run power into the first switch 3-way box and 12/3 or 14/3 with ground from that one to the other 3-way switch. Then run the switched cable to both ceiling boxes. That takes care of the switched outlets. Then run a 12/2 or 14/2 with grnd to the ceiling outlet boxes from the first 3-way switch box from the hot, before the switch, to both ceiling boxes. That takes care of the always hot outlets.
I like running power into the first of the 3 way switch, /3 to the next 3 way and from there to the fixture boxes.   That way there is no "code taping involved" and pretty straight forward.
Essentially you are going to have to treat this as 2 circuits.  One for the 3-way switched outlets and the other typical outlet connections in parallel from one to the other.


How to fix eaten/rotten rafter I need to repair some rotten 5"x3.5" (actual size) rafters (the one in the pic is the worst). I'm thinking about using a pair of unequal length 2x6s to create a sort of half-lap joint with the cut-back timber, and adding a trim board. Is there a better way? How do I make clean, square cuts to the rafter?

I think your staggered-joint idea is a good one. From the look of it you'll have a solid enough base to get another decade or two from that tail.

I'd cut back just enough to get solid wood at the center, then notch the sides back to wherever you can comfortably fit the saw. Something like so:

|        |
|__    __|
|  |  |  |
|  |  |  |
|  |  |  |
|  |  |  |
|  |--|  |
|  |  |  |
|__|__|__|

Fasten the cedar or pressure-treated repair pieces with good exterior-grade adhesive and trim screws. (You can even fasten the most conspicuous side from the inside to keep the surface smooth.) Caulk against the wall, and stain or paint to seal the new wood.


How do I repair or replace a fascia gutter end caps? I have a fascia gutter with no endcap at all over a window. When it rains, water pours down over the Window which seems bad...

What I'm struggling with is locating an end cap to fit the gutter. Neither Home Depot nor Lowes sell one large enough. Are they normally handmade out of sheet metal, or am I just looking in the wrong places?

That doesn't look like a "standard" gutter shape anyways. I doubt you'd be able to buy something to fit natively anyways.

What you can try is buying some sheet metal and cutting it to size with tin snips, making fold points on the sides so you can secure it with stainless steel screws. Then you caulk it up good. It should buy you some more time until you replace the entire gutter system.


Dimmer switch not turning on light until at 50%? I recently had a professional electrician install a ceiling fan with a light fixture.  The fan and light are controlled from a combo switch with two knobs - one is a dimmer switch for the light, and one is a three-speed fan control.

What I have observed is that if the dimmer switch is completely off, when I go to turn it on, the light does not turn on until the dimmer switch reaches about 50%.  Once the light comes on, I can turn the dimmer switch down below 50%, and the light will dim as expected.

In a previous house I lived in, I had a ceiling fan light fixture controlled by a dimmer switch that did not have this problem.  So I'm curious what might be different in the new setup that is causing this behavior?

I'm using the bulbs that came with the fan, and they are incandescent, so there shouldn't be any problem with the bulbs, as far as I know...

Many dimmers have an adjustment for the minimum level. You don't mention what type of dimmer you have but you can consult the instructions on how to adjust this. As @dslake mentions in his answer, adjustments might be via a knob or screw, but if it's digital, it could also be a button sequence.

Needing to perform this is more common with electronic dimmer switches since they need to work for many different types of bulbs (incandescent, CFL, LED).


Sink tailpiece doesn't line up with trap After installing a new bathroom sink, the drain tailpiece doesn't line up with the trap coming out of the wall.  I've seen flexible accordion hoses for this, but I think that violates code (P3002.3.1).  I live in California.  My tailpiece is 1.25" (OD) without threads.  The trap is 1.5" (ID) with male threads.  What's the best way to do this?

By the way, I have a flexible accordion piece from the old sink, which fits on the trap, but it has male threads on top, so it connect to the tailpiece.  So I don't understand how those flexible pieces are supposed to work anyway.

The photos posted above were really helpful, since many people may not know what connectors and adapters are available -- as I didn't before replacing two vanities. Therefore, I thought I'd post photos of what I did and the components I used.

The first thing to do is come out of the wall with a wall tube (otherwise known as a quarter-bend wall tube). Cut the long side if necessary, so it slides into the drain tube in the wall (make sure you have at least several inches in the wall drain).

The flange typically connects to the short leg of the J-trap.

There are two types of J-traps: one with a threaded slip-joint fitting on each end and a "repair" J-trap, with a slip-joint on the longer leg and a compression flange on the other. Use whichever one is suitable for your existing piping.

The connectors you use depend on two factors: how far is the tailpiece horizontally from the drain connection, and how far above or below it?

In the above situation, the drain connection is several inches to the side of the tailpiece and slightly below it. To close up horizontal distance, you can use another wall tube cut to the appropriate length, connected to the J-trap. The other end connects to a 90-degree elbow to make the turn and cover the vertical distance. Use a reducing washer to adapt a 1 1/4" tailpiece to 1 1/2" drain piping. (All the components pictured here are from Home Depot; other stores have similar items).

My other vanity has greater horizontal distance and less vertical. Therefore, I connected the longer leg of the J-trap to the wall tube, to get more displacement down, so the connectors would have room to cover the horizontal distance on the way back up. In this case, the 90-degree elbow didn't quite make it to the bottom of the tailpiece, so I had to add a coupling, attached to the elbow with a scrap piece of the wall tube I had cut off.

If, for some reason, you need even more vertical distance, you can use an extension tube, which has a threaded slip-joint fitting on one end, and connect it between the wall tube and the J-trap. (I tried this first, then realized I didn't need all that vertical distance and could eliminate the extension tube.)

If you find that it leaks after you tighten everything up, and you have water on top of the reducing washer on the tailpiece, it means your drain assembly isn't watertight against the sink. You may need to tighten it (carefully, so as not to crack the sink) or remove it and apply more silicone or plumber's putty, along with Teflon tape on the threads.


What are electrical rings? I was mulling buying a powerline adapter, when I read this, from Which magazine.

  There's one major caveat, however - powerline adapters won't work if your home electrical circuit is split over more than one ring. If your upstairs wiring is on a different electrical ring to your downstairs wiring, where your router lives, then you won't be able to extend the wi-fi upstairs using powerline adapters.

I'm not sure what this means, but I have a vague idea. The gateway is downstairs, the router I want to connect to is upstairs. They're on separate RCDs, which I assume means that they're on different rings... or does it?

I live in the UK.

Rings
Your quotation has a UK source. In the UK a "ring" refers to a ring-main also known as a ring-final circuit. This is the typical way UK houses have provided power to wall-sockets (outlets) since the 1950's.
They are called rings because they are connected in the topological equivalent of a large circle. There are two routes back to the consumer unit (main electrical distribution panel) from each socket.

Source: Wikimedia. CCASA 2.5 Ali@gwc.org.uk. This example ring has two spurs.
Usually the ground floor has one ring-main and the upstairs has a separate ring-main. Anything larger than the average 4-bed detached might have more ring-mains.
Note that UK lighting circuits are separate and are not ring-mains, they are radial circuits. There will also be separate dedicated radial circuits for ovens/cookers, boilers and electric-showers.
Newer UK consumer units (main panels) have effectively a split power bus with an RCD for each half. So it is likely that there are RCDs between your downstairs gateway and your upstairs router.

Source: Chase Electrical.  Headings above MCBs are: (downstairs) lights, sockets, cooker ... (upstairs) lights, sockets, shower. This example has a separate RCBO (combined RCD and MCB) for smoke alarms?

Powerline
Across Different Rings
In my house I have an older arrangement that lacks RCDs in the consumer-unit. I use powerline networking between my upstairs router and my downstairs TV (it provides much better throughput and greater reliability than using WiFi in my specific circumstances) - So powerline networking can span rings.
Across RCDs
I don't know how much trouble (if any) your RCDs will cause. Anecdotal evidence suggests you might experience any of

it works but you lose around 20Mbps of 85Mbps bandwidth. or
it doesn't work. or
it trips the RCD.

What to do
I would go to a shop, clearly explain that I want to use the powerline units on separate rings each on a separate RCD. If they sell me some units for that scenario and they don't work, I would promptly return them as not "fit for purpose" under UK law (consumer rights act 2015).

(1)Subsection (3) applies to a contract to supply goods if before the contract is made the consumer makes known to the trader (expressly or by implication) any particular purpose for which the consumer is contracting for the goods.

...

(3) The contract is to be treated as including a term that the goods are reasonably fit for that purpose, whether or not that is a purpose for which goods of that kind are usually supplied.

Footnotes
(for Harper)

Ring final circuit test


Help replacing fluorescent light fixture - 2 sets of black and 2 sets of white I am replacing fluorescent light fixture. The previous owner had 2  fluorescent light fixtures connected with a single switch. Those lights stopped working. I checked its not the tubes that were just bad.  So Home Depot Associate said that probably the ballast were bad and suggested to replace the fixture with LED style fluorescent fixture.
So I took one of the fixtures off. It had 2 sets of black, 2 sets of white and 2 ground wires coming into it. In my wisdom I put caps on 1 set and connected the other set to the light. This did not work . So I was going to try the other set. But decided to search as why I have the 2nd set.
Q1: Based on the google search it seems like that the 2nd set is to connect the 2nd fluorescent light fixture. So I am thinking to connect both sets of wires to the 1st fixture. Thoughts?
Q2: I am also having some thoughts as what is the possibility that 2 sets of fixtures have gone bad at same time. May be I should do something else.
The house is build in early 1990s

If you originally have (2) black wires and (2) white wires coming into the existing light fixture ,that had been working before, than these are connected to the new fixture.
The black wire from the new fixture connects to the (2) incoming black wires and the white connects to the (2) white wires.
It might be wise to replace both fluorescent fixtures rather than keep one and replace the other with an LED.


Shower is too cold, despite cartridge setting I have a single handle shower in my basement that is too cold in the winter. I only need a small adjustment, but I don't know if it's even possible.

The "hot water stop" appears to be already set to max. The following image is from the manual:

My current setting is all the way counter-clockwise. I tried turning it clockwise for science, and it makes it colder.

What is the most proper solution, given standard plumbing technique and so on?

1) I see that there are screw-valve things to either side of the handle base. They both appear to be turned fully counter-clockwise (There is strong resistance in that direction). Someone implied that it's okay to try tightening that. Tightening the cold water screw three half turns appears to have warmed the shower some (hard to say because it varies with weather and such). Regardless, shouldn't this be unnecessary? I wonder if something else is not working properly?

2) Turn up the water heater, which is at factory default. Note that I don't feel this should be necessary, as water coming from the upstairs shower is warm enough, and the sinks can get way too hot. Plus I worry about the dishwasher etching my dishes.

3) Something else?

There are no valves outside the shower that could restrict the water in, (hot or cold) besides the main cold and water heater input valve. The water goes from the basement utility room, to behind the shower, then split off to the bathroom sink and end there.

Both pipes to the bathroom, when unused for houses, feel about room temp. They don't rest against any surfaces that would cool them down.

I have city water. The plumbing is of unknown age. The house is from the early 60's. The pipes are all copper. There is about 25ft of pipe from where it enters the house to the water heater tank. Then another 20ft to the back of the shower, the last 10 feet or so are 1/2".

UPDATE:
The shower handle, going from "Off" position to "Hot" appears to ramp-up in a non-uniform matter. So as I start turning it, it goes to something like 20% warm, 40%, 60%, but then goes back down to 40%, then 60%, 80%, 100%.  It does this regardless of the screw-valve's being fully opened or not.
Is this a faulty cartridge, or something else? ...And would that be the cause of the shower not getting warm enough without restricting the cold valve?

My solution has nothing to do with plumbing, but since you mention the problem is in your basement and only in the winter, I'll throw this out there and it may help others...

I live in an apartment on the top floor of a renovated historic building.  I like hot showers, and never was happy with the temperature of the water in the shower.  It was passable in the summer, but taking a shower became miserable when cold winter weather set in.

For a long time I assumed the problem was that the water cooled down while traveling through pipes up to the top floor from a water heater that is presumably in the basement, and that lower ambient temperature in the winter made that worse.  I doubted the landlord would change the water heater settings just for me, so I was all set to buy one of these and this and this to fix it for myself.

But then I realized that the cold air in the bathroom was at least partly responsible for my discomfort, since I was shivering as soon as I turned the shower off.  So I made two simple changes.  Before every shower, I closed the bathroom door, and blocked off the vent fan with a plastic bag, which stays stuck to the vent cover from the suction of the operating fan.  (In this bathroom, the fan and light are controlled by the same switch.  If the light is on, the fan is on.)

It made a huge difference.  Since I don't turn up the heat that much in the apartment, showering with the door open and the fan on was pulling a basically unlimited supply of cold, dry air into the bathroom, and it was the evaporative effect on my skin making me feel extra chilled.  But it's not just that the air temperature felt warmer.  The shower water that had felt barely lukewarm before now subjectively felt hot.

I later added a space heater set to 65°F and that made the showers hot enough to turn my skin pink (the way I like showers).  Someday I might swap that out for one of those electric towel-warmer-radiant-space-heaters.

So, to summarize, if you feel the water temperature in your shower is too low, you may be able to adjust your subjective experience of the water temperature by raising the air temperature and/or humidity in the bathroom.


Will a 3rd Generation Nest thermostat correctly adjust the humidity base on outdoor conditions? If I plug my whole house humidifier into a 3rd generation Nest, is it smart enough to track outdoor temperature and adjust indoor as needed to keep condensation off the inside of the windows?

In my experience Nest's customer support is excellent, they have technicians which seem to be capable of talking homeowners and pros through some fair technical installs.

It appears that this is a common question, and that Nest doesn't support this feature yet, but I would call Nest's support line and see if they have any tips.


Why is it so difficult to cut through cast iron? Recently, I was observing someone cut through a cast iron pipe and a cast iron radiator and even using a very powerful reciprocating saw, the cut was very slow. I have also previously had discussions with contractors who have also said that cutting through cast iron is about 5 times slower than cutting through steel.

Does anyone know why this is the case and exactly how much more difficult it is to cut through cast iron than steel? I had assumed that the lubricating effect of the carbon in the iron might be the cause but it would be really useful to know the actual reason.

A quick read gives the necessary information. Interestingly, cast iron is not truly pure iron. In fact, a simple steel may be closer to pure iron than than is cast iron. The difference is that steel has a carbon content of less than 2.1% by weight. More carbon makes the mix harder, more brittle, so less ductile. Cast iron contains MORE carbon than that rough upper limit of 2.1% for steel.

What happens? That carbon prevents dislocations from forming when you try to deform (bend) the cast iron. The cast iron simply won't bend. Instead, it breaks, it shatters under stress. This is why when one is removing cast iron, the best solution is often to shatter it into smaller pieces.

Ok, so what does this mean in terms of true cutting with a sharp blade, instead of abrasive cutting with a grinding wheel? If you attempt to cut steel with a tough, sharp edge that is harder than the steel, the edge actually peels a thin slice of steel away. The steel deforms as it is being cut. Thus a saw blade or a drill bit truly cuts off chips of steel. But if you look at each chip, you will see they are curved pieces of metal.

A grinding wheel is composed of an aggregate of pieces of a very hard material, typically very hard materials like Aluminum Oxide, Silicon Carbide, Diamond, and Cubic Boron Nitride. Each tiny piece of this hard material will also cut into the softer cast iron. But it cuts only a very tiny swath, resulting in much heat production and very fine particles flying off.

You should logically conclude that cutting the comparatively ductile steel is far faster, and far more efficient in terms of the work involved, since each cut produces a relatively large chip.


Garage Door Opener Doesn't Work with Remote When Light Is On I have a Lift-Master 1000SD garage door opener that has worked well for 20 years. Just recently we have been unable to close the door with any of the remotes after leaving in the morning. Even holding the remote right next to the antenna had no effect.

After doing some troubleshooting, I discovered the issue has to do with power being sent to the light sockets. It is independent of the light bulbs themselves. I unscrewed the light bulbs and the issue persisted. As soon as I turn off the light from the wall controller, the remotes work flawlessly 100% of the time.  Any ideas what the issue could be or the fix?

The RF communication is degraded.  Energizing the wire to the light merely increases the noise, masking a weak signal.

The problem could be a defect in the remote(s) or a degradation of the receiver circuit or both.

Here's what to do:

First make sure that the remote batteries are fresh.  Use a battery tester (not just a voltmeter), or just replace the battery.
Double check that the receiver antenna wire (if any) is not mangled and has a good connection internally.
If the problem persists, it is most likely the receiver/control module.  On a unit that old, a variety of failures are probable, especially electrolytic capacitors.  Dirt or smoke residue can accelerate failure of IC's and transistors as well.
Given that the unit is 20 years old, and uses belts and plastic moving parts, it's about due for mechanical failures anyway.  Replace the garage door opener.
Make sure that the wiring did not contribute to premature failure.  Check all AC power to the opener for proper hot/neutral/ground configuration.  If you suspect spikes or brownouts, have that checked out too.


How to fix a floating wall shelf on an uneven wall I just installed some floating wall shelves from ikea but my wall is uneven horizontally and one of the shelves is sticking out, not tight to the wall. Is there any way to fix this?

These are the mounting systems:

Long Shelf | Small Shelf

Solar Mike provides one excellent option of cutting off the back edge of the shelf that sticks out.

If you don't have a saw (or the ability to cut a reasonably straight line) you could shim out the "short" shelf so it sticks out as far as the other one.

As an added bonus, it appears that there is some trim below the shelf that would hide the thickness of the shims so they wouldn't be obvious from below!

Based on the update to the OP that includes pictures of the mounting systems, I'd suggest that the best method would be to attach a wood shim to the wall behind the short shelf, then mount the shelf to that.

I'd guess that the gap is about 1/2" so adjust based on actual measurements.

Get/cut a strip of material 1/2" thick.

Many big-box hardware stores will cut lumber for you if you purchase it there.)

Attach this to the studs in the wall using screws of the same approximate size (bigger will never hurt!) as those that came with the shelf kit.

Note that these screws are an additional purchase, get them at the same time as the shims themselves.

Attach the mounting screws to this strip of wood
Attach the shelf to the mounting screws.

You might be able to get away with replacing the screws that came with the shelf with longer screws that are the same diameter. (For example, if those are 2" #8 wood screws, get 3" #8 wood screws. Take the screws to your local hardware store and compare them to what they have in stock to find out what size they are.) I say might because you're going to have the shelf hanging farther from the wall than it's intended to. This makes it a longer lever and amplifies the stress that the weight of items on the shelf will apply to the screws in the wall. For a couple of stuffed animals/figurines, you'll probably be fine - books, not so much.

Once you've got the longer screws in the wall, leave them sticking out far enough to accommodate the shims and the extra needed for mounting. This may take some fiddling to get them to just the right depth to accommodate the shims/mounting, but still be snug enough for a firm mount.

You could still scribe the back of the longer shelf to match the wall, but that's likely going to shorten the space for the long support rods for that shelf, so you'd need to trim a little bit off the length of those to match. If you don't have the proper wood cutting tools, you probably also don't have the proper metal cutting tools.

Note: I'm assuming you don't have the proper tools, please forgive me if that's an incorrect assumption.


Why does my LG Microwave range hood hum loudly when the fan turns on? Lately once the microwave has been running for more than 5-10 seconds, a very loud humming noise starts happening.  When I remove the top vent panel, the humming stops, but I cannot for the life of me determine where the noise is coming from and what is causing it.

Model number LMV-1680ST

In my range hood there was a loud hum when the fan was on, and it turned to be a metal screen that was slipping and brushing against the running fan. The fan blades scraped along the metal grill, causing the noise.

I would look inside the hood if you can, look to see where the fan is, and make sure that nothing is loose or disturbing the fan's motion. Also check that all the screws and plates are tight - loose plates can hum when they vibrate.


Why are cabinets / shelves not built into more walls? I'm planning to build in-wall shelving and cabinetry into some of my walls. I understand how to do that from videos I've seen.
After seeing how much more space they add and how useful they are, I am left wondering: why do more walls not have built-in cabinetry and shelving?
Is there some kind of structural reason for not doing this?

This is mostly speculation, but I would say there are 3 major reasons:

Cost. Adding any sort of custom feature is usually quite costly, and the way homes are sold/built, most people just don't care enough. I'm currently building a house, and I would guess that adding a built-in shelf like that from a builder would run somewhere in the $1000-$5000 range, depending on size and how elaborate you'd want it. A book shelf at Ikea costs <$100.
Most people don't really have much of a vision of how exactly they're going to use a space until they start moving their stuff into it. If you have built-in shelves all over the place, it really limits where you can place other furniture.
More minor, but there's all kinds of things running through walls, like insulation, plumbing, and electrical. This can of course be routed differently, but that adds complexity/cost.

Unless you're dealing with a load bearing wall, there are no structural reasons to have the wall in the first place, so you can pretty much do with it what you wish. This could even be done in a load-bearing wall. Most outside walls are load-bearing, and they have windows and doors in them, which is essentially the same concept as the built-in shelf. It just adds more complexity again, but it's entire possible.
I think today, you would see this kind of thing much more in custom / higher-end houses, versus cookie-cutter suburban ones - mostly for the reasons I mentioned above. It's interesting that this seems to be more common in older homes. The phone shelf was ubiquitous, and other built-ins are really common in old houses as well compared to today. Maybe this is due to these houses being "higher end" in their day, and therefore they are the ones more likely to survive into today? More of a question for an architecture historian I guess.


What gauge fence post should I use for a 36" wide wooden gate? I want to attach a gate to a fence where the fence will be attached to a 2 3/8 in. metal post.  What gauge should the post be for proper support?

The fence will be a six foot wooden fence, as will the gate.  The gate will be no more than 36 in. wide.

Assuming that they are round metal poles that are generally used for chainlink, the 'corner' poles are what you generally use for a gate. You pretty much use corner poles anytime you terminate a run of any kind, and a gate opening is a termination. The actual gauge isn't going to matter so much as the diameter of the pole, you need to make sure your gate hardware will fit the pole. Since your are going with wood, the extra few bucks for the thicker gauge is probably worth it, the actual diameter should be about the same either way.

Also, make sure you measure the opening correctly before concreting the poles in.  Depending on the hardware you use you may need to leave extra space.  For pre-fabricated chainlink gates, you need something like 39 inches for a 36 inch gate.  Since you are using wood, I assume you are fabricating it yourself, but you'll still want to make sure you leave plenty of room.


Vapor and moisture barrier for "above ground" basement I'm finishing the basement of my home in New Jersey, and I'm a bit confused about the general guidance for basement moisture and vapor barriers.

My "basement" is built from concrete block. However, two walls are completely above grade, one wall is 1/2 buried, and one wall is 1/4 buried. Most of the stuff I've found online talks about preventing ground moisture from diffusing into the wall. However, ground moisture won't be a problem at all on at least two walls.

I'm planning on insulating either with Roxul rockwool insulation or with polyiso foam. (I haven't decided yet.) The polyiso foam comes with a foil backer that behaves as a moisture and vapor barrier. If I use the foam, I would put a thin layer behind the studs and then thicker in between.

I also am planning on spraying on a concrete sealant such as RadonSeal prior to building the walls and floor. We've never had any water problems in basement (probably due to the limited below grade sections) but I figure that it can't hurt.

Where do I put a moisture barrier (if anywhere) and where do I put a vapor barrier? If I use foam, which side faces which direction?

You can put a vapor/moisture barrier up over rigid foam.  A lot of new construction in the far north has this as a default.  The idea is that you frame right outside of that.  In that framing you are allotting a cavity to which moisture can move and evaporate.

Now if you are putting rockwool or other types of insulation in your framing then no you do not use a moisture barrier.  This would in essence trap water which will condensate on the plastic and promote mold growth on drywall.  I am not that smart this is just doing a lot of basements and reading the Building Science reports that are out there for the past 5-6 years.


What could be causing cold water to enter my hot water tank? I have cold water leaking into the hot water side of my hot water tank. In order to get hot water shower, I have to flush a toilet or turn cold water on at a different location.

With the cold water inlet side of tank closed, you can hear water coming in on the hot water side.

If water is flowing back through the hot line with the shut off valve closed on the cold (inlet)line would indicate a leak in the tank or a faulty shut-off valve not completely closing. If the supply valve is off (closed) water flow stops. Check for air in the tank by opening the pressure+ relief valve with the cold valve shut. Water should sputter from it (hot! be careful) or air, initially and than water.    Also, if possible, check for a H+C pipe reversal along the out going tank line. Primary locations to check would be the fixtures you are opening to increase the hot water temperature.


Is it the socket or the bulb? Simple question
I have a light fixture in the bathroom that have 3 bulbs in 3 sockets
Today I noticed that one bulb went off
I Squeezed it a little in the socket and it went on again
Same issue happened again few hours later, and the socket seemed a bit tricky,if I squeeze the bulb too much it goes off again
So my question, is it the bulb or socket that is at fault
And if it is the socket, is this urgent, do I need to repair the socket soon
the light bulb is LED if that makes any difference (led bulbs should last 10 years, this one is around 2 or 3 years old)
**
the comment from K H, was the answer
**

Bulbs don't really fail intermittently. 99.9% it's your socket that wants replacing.
And, yes, I would do it soon, because intermittent contacts like this can in rare circumstances cause fires due to arcing. This is extremely unlikely on a low-current device like an LED bulb, but it wants addressing sooner rather than later.
As pointed out in the comments, though, it's a simple matter to swap with another bulb and see if the fault follows the bulb or stays with the socket.


Utility Sink and Washing Machine Drain Pipe I am installing a utility sink in my basement and need to rework the drain pipe and standpipe for my washing machine in the process.

Above is the original drain pipe and stand pipe that the washing machine used to drain into. I had to move the washing machine several feet to the right so I removed the copper drain and standpipe to be replaced with pvc.

This is the new PVC drain pipe. The original copper pipe was 1 1/4" and the new PVC is 1 1/2". I will be putting the utility sink in the empty space between the dryer and the white wall in the picture (the washing machine is immediately to the right of the dryer).

Should I try to implement something pictured below (but from left to right instead of right to left like in the picture) with the much shorter PVC drain pipe I have to work with (20" tall)? Is there a simpler alternative (washing machine to spigot trap under utility sink)?

Yes, the picture you included shows a good plumbing layout for a washer and laundry sink. In particular, it provides good ventilation for both the washer standpipe and laundry sink, and accommodates a P-trap in both locations (only the washer trap is shown because the sink trap will be installed outside the wall). Another advantage of this layout is that it uses a 2" PVC line for the washer drain, which is code for washers because a more powerful washer drain can overwhelm a 1 1/2" pipe.

You are working under some tighter constraints but it looks like you should be able to implement a similar layout. You might want to draw it out and see if you can achieve workable slopes (min 1/4" per foot) and get the vent pipe to the right height (above the overflow height of the sink). It may be helpful to swap the washer and dryer locations -- you should also switch the flexible dryer vent out in favor of some rigid ductwork.


What is this rectangular device on my apartment wall? So on this particular wall in my apartment I have two fire detectors (one that's plugged in but seems to have some sort of internal battery and one that takes 9V batteries), a thermostat and...  this:

Any idea as to what it is? Carbon Monoxide detector? Something else?

It looks like a doorbell to me.  Can't be sure though unless you pop off the case, which should come off fairly easily if you pull it straight out from the wall.


Preventing water from entering carport How can I prevent water from entering my carport? My entire front yard and driveway slope toward my house. Negative draining issue. I have french (or trench) drains installed across the entire width of the front of my house. However, I don't have anything preventing the water running down the driveway from entering my carport. If I could just redirect it, I think the water would bypass my carport and head down my backyard if there were something to redirect it. I'm attaching a picture to show you. There is a drain on the left side of my carport (if you're facing the carport). One option might be to install another similar drain across the entire width of my driveway right before the carport entrance and then connect that drain to the existing drain. OR, is there a less invasive and less expensive option that would work? I've been considering whether a burm (sp?) or speed bump would solve the problem. Any ideas? I can't figure out how to add a picture...

Most people in your situation trench the driveway, drain it off somewhere, and put a grate on it.

The speed bump could work if it was big enough, but chances are (1) some water would come over it, and (2) you'd probably hate it enough that you trench in the future.


would a bathroom without a gfci outlet be a violation in a rented appartment Would a bathroom without a GFCI outlet in a rented appartment be a violation? I have section 8 and my apartment failed inspection because of this.

If you failed an inspection they must tell you why.

As Alt asked above, do you not have a receptacle at all, or is there one there but not GFI protected?

Under codes going back to the 70's bathroom receptacles must be GFI protected. Before that there was no GFI protection so an earlier installation could very well  have a non-GFI protected receptacle and still be 100% code legal, as long as no renovations have been done to the bathroom.

On to your question, again, if you failed there must be a reason for it. What kind of "inspection" was it? I don't know what Section 8 is, but if it's some sort of assistance program they tend to have some very strict rules and can make landlords do a lot of things a private rental would not have to do.
So in summary, you may very well have to install a GFI protected receptacle to be part of this program.


What is a shear wall and what is it for? I have a wall in the middle of my house which I have been told is a shear wall.  The image below is a diagram I put together real quick to show what it looks like.  The grey lines on the right are perpendicular exterior walls.  The orange-ish section on the right is actually exterior since the foundation jogs a bit there.

It doesn't seem like the 1x6 that crosses in the middle does much.  I intend to put French Doors in this wall but need to know what I'm getting myself into.

The wall runs parallel to all the joists and trusses in the house and sits directly under one truss.  The far left side of the wall actually has a vent running up through it directly through the truss above.  When they built the house, they cut a 12" gap in the truss, which makes me not so sure if the wall is load bearing or not.

Oh, and I live in Seattle.

The brace is providing lateral support. If you build a wall with the top and bottom plate plus some studs, it's easy to shift the wall out of square and turn it into a parallelogram. Under load, a house would take an 8' shift to one side and flatten to the ground. With the brace, the wall remains square and holds perpendicular walls plumb.

In typical construction and low risk areas, the exterior wood sheathing and interior drywall provides this lateral support and avoids the need for any lateral bracing. However, in older homes or in higher risk areas, particularly where there are hurricanes or earthquakes, extra support may be added. In my own home, this was done with a metal T that was installed into a grove that was cut in the studs, but older homes will more likely notch the studs and install a piece of lumber.

Before removing this, I'd want to consult with a structural engineer. They may require that you relocate the brace to one or both sides of the doorway, and that will require opening up your walls even more. Removing this structure will likely show little signs of danger until there is extreme weather or a seismic event, so if you were to remove it without proper adjustments to the rest of your structure, don't assume that everything will be ok.

Note that with a truss resting directly on top of this wall, you should assume there is some load passing through, especially if there's any structure above that truss in your house. The fact that it's been cut for ducting may mean that the wall is the only thing keeping that truss from collapsing. When you create a doorway, it's best to install some temporary bracing and make the header a load bearing structure that appropriate for the span.


How to hide fasteners on a horizontal wood fence? We’re about to build a horizontal wood fence, and I’d prefer not being able to see the fasteners on the face of each plank.

What’s the best way of achieving this?

Take a look at the category known as 'hidden deck fasteners'. It's typically a biscuit slot with a metal or plastic fastener that keys into the slot and then attaches to a post. (Or in the case of a deck, the joist.)

Top tip if you want to save time and wear on the biscuit joiner: have your lumber supplier groove both sides of your planks full length.


Square shower drain cover I have a new marble shower in a new home.  The marble around the drain is dark and discolored.  It appears to me that water runs in around the edges of the square drain cover into the area outside of the round drain beneath it.  I let it dry out and lighten to the original color, resealed the tile and grout, and after one shower it is back to the dark discoloration.  The work was done by experienced contractors.  I’d like to know if the problem is in the way the drain cover is installed.

that dark stuff is concrete or mortar screed under the tiles.

the light stuff is tile adhesive and grout

You can grout over those triangular bits without causing any problems.


Finishing basement - run electrical to stud wall below steel I beam I am finishing my basement and I need to run electrical for 2 outlets, 2 wall sconces lights, and a dual gang switch box, and the wall is the 2x4 wall for my stairs, that is also below a steel I beam.

I have a switch there now (on the stair case side) for the light at the bottom of the stairs, and it has conduit running over the beam until it's in between the studs. I have to build a soffit around the HVAC in the photo, but had planned on using the existing 2x4 wall already there. What is the best way (to code) to get wiring in this wall? The backside is under the stairs and will be accessible with a door.

[1]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/3mSTf.jpg

You're not going to (attempt to) drill through that I-beam to make a run for your wiring. Right? Good, don't attempt that.

It looks like the duct hanger extends about 3/4 of the I-beam, and you'll be sorely tempted to have the bottom of the soffit right under the duct. However, a bit of an air gap significantly reduces the chances of some future person (including future-you) putting a screw through the soffit and into the duct. While you're extending it, bring it down just low enough to slide a new run of NM between the frame of the soffit and the top plate of the wall.

You lose another couple of inches of headroom right there, but with a bit of work, you can dress it up nicely so it's not quite so obnoxious. Consider tapering the end upwards when you get to the door so that someone tall doesn't do a tight turn out of the stairs and smack his head into a bit of wall that only exists at head height...


Home Theater HDMI Splitting What is the best way to repeat a screen (HDMI) on two different devices without losing signal strength?

Ex Projector screen and TV, one receiver, one input, without losing picture quality.

I have a receiver that has one output, but I have two different devices that I want to use at any given time. Both are use 50ft HDMI cables that I manually unplug and plug depending on the screen I want to watch something on (movie vs news... sounds insane I know)

I see there are HDMI splitters out there but wasn't sure if that is the most optimal route or if there is a better option.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

An HDMI splitter will work, though from the ones I've looked at, they have to send the exact same signal to both. So if one device is at 720p and the other 1080p, both will be forced down to 720p (HDMI is a two-way protocol, so I assume the splitter has a chip to negotiate this sort of thing). If only one output is on, it should work normally.

A simpler option for you, if you aren't planning on using both screens simultaneously, might be an HDMI switch, which just switches which output receives the input. Make sure to get one that's bi-directional, as the common use case for these would be switching the input, not the output. There are switches that have IR remotes which would work with your Harmony Hub.


Should I build the Kitchen Island on top of tile or remove? I am rebuilding my kitchen island it has a half wall already installed which is secured to the concrete floor.  I want to extend the wall and make the island bigger.  To do that the wall will extend over existing tile.  Is it OK to drill holes through the grout and fasten the wall extension to the concrete.  The wall would be on top of the ceramic tile or would it be better to cut out the tile a space big enough to put the wood wall directly to the concrete subfloor.

I have seen it done both ways but which is the best and most correct way to build it?

Do it the same way your other cabinets are done so everything is the same height.

Also removing the tile is a little bit tougher than you think.  You can probably do it with an angle grinder but you risk the tile chipping badly or cracking.  Going this route will also require molding over base plate to cover flaws.  (and I almost forgot, when I have removed tile in past for things like this it was a PITA sometimes to actually make the area flat.)


How should I go about removing a ceiling mounted downrod light? The light fixture in question is mounted quite high up. I've removed the drum lamp shade, bulbs, and bottom plate of the lamp to show the structure depicted in the following imgur album:

https://imgur.com/a/7UxNLQP

The questions I have are:

Is it feasible for me to remove this myself without contracting an electrician?
Is it likely that I can at the very least remove the downrod or a portion of it without needing to access the ceiling?
Does it seem right that I need to cut off the wires at the bottom and disentangle them to access the nut inside the lightbulb casing and unscrew the bottom?

Appreciate any advice.

If you want to remove the entire fixture from the ceiling then you do not need to undo the wiring below that you have shown in the photo.

You only need to disconnect the wires in the ceiling box  that the fixture is attached to.

You do not need and electrician to do this, ( but you may feel more comfortable hiring one or a handyman if you are not knowledgeable about electricity ) you do need to turn off the breaker that supplies power to the light and a safe ladder to get up there and an assistant.

Inside the box the wires from the fixture should be connected to the wires supplying power to the box, they should be connected with wire nuts .  ( There may be other wires in the box as well, connected or not connected to the fixture wires )

Because the fixture is so big and heavy you will need an assistant to hold/support the fixture while you work on unscrewing the wire nuts that connect the wires from the fixture to the house wiring. Once you have disconnected the fixtures wires ( Black Hot, White neutral and Green/bare copper ground ) your assistant can take away the fixture and then  you will need to put the wire nuts back on the wires in the box. You should have a non contact voltage tester to verify that there is no power to any of the wires in the box before you proceed.

If there are more then one set of wires that were connected with the wire nuts do not undo them just twist the wire nuts back onto the wires.

This is a generalization because i can not see inside you ceiling box.
You should watch some YouTube videos on how to change a light fixture so you have a better understanding of the processes.

EDIT: Before you do anything in the box Take a photo and/or take notes on how things are connected in the box so if things go wonky in the future or you have to come back to it at a later date you have a reference on how it is and should be wired.


Can someone explain my foundation plan I requested a copy of my building plans from the city and I received them but I want to make sure I am reading them right. It looks like the foundation says the following:

It looks to me like it says 30 inches square by 18 inches deep and the rest pertains to the rebar?

Also, in the copy of the plans below you will see that the garage foundation (in orange) is different from the living room (in pink). I have a pink square representing a 3rd car garage the way my house was built. Does that use the pink foundation plan or the orange one?

Those notations (I see 3 on the plan...you’ve circled 2 of them) are in reference to specific footings close to the notations.

Yes, it is calling out the size of the footing, depth of the footing and the reinforcing steel and it’s location in the footing. It says, 30” square by 18” deep concrete pad with 3 - #4 bars each way in the bottom of the footing.

BTW, the rebar should not actually be on the bottom, but held 3” above the ground.

Each concrete pad is shown in the plan and the corresponding size and rebar is shown. So, you’ll use the notation circled in orange for the garage and the one circled in pink for the living room...and I don’t see any square pad in the “pink rectangle”.


How is a waste drain vent pipe vertical clearance measured? In my jurisdiction, a waste drain vent pipe must terminate 6" above the roof (or another vertical surface if it's not sloped). Is this typically measured on the ridge side or the eave side? For a 4" vent (like mine), it would mean a difference of about 2.5" on my 7/12 roof.

It's measured on the high side (the nearest point or the shortest dimension).

Typical language:

  Vent pipes shall terminate not less than 6 inches above the roof, measured from the highest point where the vent intersects the roof.

Image source


Pilot light out - propane tank empty I have an unattended house which I kept the gas (propane) furnace running at 62 degrees to help keep pipes from freezing this winter.  I ran out of gas and the furnace shut down.  Can I have the tank filled a day or so before I get to the house to light the pilot?  Will the gas keep running if the pilot is not lit? filling the house with gas.
Thanks

I'll flesh out my comment into an answer.  If this is a newer furnace, no gas will flow if the pilot light is out.  I don't have much experience with furnaces, so for all I know, they were always made like this.

I do have experience with water heaters.  When you light the pilot on your furnace, do you have to hold a button down for a long time while lighting to get the pilot to stay lit?  Or do you just have to turn on the gas and light it?

If you have to hold down a button, then the appliance has the safety feature that will cut off the gas when the pilot goes out.  Holding down the button bypasses the safety valve so some gas will come out and allow you to light the pilot.  Once lit the safety is disengaged.


How can I reduce or eliminate flaking from a limestone basement? I have a 1902 house that was built on a limestone foundation. In the basement, the limestone blocks flake a bit which gets to be somewhat annoying having to sweep/vacuum it up from time to time.

Are there any good solutions to seal/secure the face of the limestone blocks to reduce the flaking?

It seems the previous owners have painted in some places, but some reading tells me that is destined to fail, and in some places I can see the flaking areas have been painted. For areas that have been painted, is there any solution available for that?

I have not noticed any leaking problems, so I am only interested in keeping the flaking under control.

Solution to painted areas - wait for them to flake off, or else wirebrush them with a sufficiently coarse wirebrush to remove the paint. Once they have all flaked off or been removed, insulate the exterior of the foundation to below your local frostline (MN, probably deep) with either spray closed-cell polyurethane or a combination of that and rigid XPS sheets, to minimize the freeze/thaw cycles the stone is subjected to (and save some money on heating, too.) As suggested in my comment, seasonal freeze/thaw cycles are probably to blame for the flaking. Salt (wicking in and drying in place) may be another culprit.

GSA on Limestone: Characteristics, Uses And Problems


How do I replace a non-standard sized AC closet door? We inherited this AC closet setup from the previous owner of the house we bought.
The HVAC unit is framed in so that it's pulling the return air from the vent below. Combustible air for the furnace is supplied from a duct coming from the attic - which means (I guess) that the slats venting this door are no longer necessary.

On the inside, they tried to seal off the door by installing a thin sheet of plywood across all these vents (didn't have room for a picture).
The closing mechanism is just a magnetic catch by the knob, like a cabinet.

The inside of the door frame measures ~30x66.5. I can't seem to find any doors this size on the websites of home improvement stores, which leads me to believe this is not a standard size and would have to be a custom job.

So - how do I replace this with a door that doesn't have these ugly, dust-collecting slats?

Has anyone done this before?

I have done this before 28 x 54. Your door width is a standard size your 'custom' issue will be the height of the door. Return air duct at the floor with no baseboard .. odd .

Anyway you purchase a prefab indoor door unit and you cut it down to size where there is no paneling design inlays.

Mine just happened to work out nicely - these doors are typically hollow and have a 4 board outer frame - the thickness of the door - foam might be in certain parts but not all parts.

So After cutting mine in the correct spot -  simply separate the base frame of the bottom of the door (it is like 1 x 1 x door width) put glue in the hollow area of the door and on the 1 x 1 x door width piece - you slide that into the space and clamp it down between some 1 x 3's  - let it sit overnight to seal.

Now you have your door and you will need to make the frame or modify the frame you bought with your new door (that is what I did) and the return vent sizing on your wall to fit everything nicely.

So I made my return air vent and the mounting and layout and then installed my door frame - I knew the door size I had and measured everything and drew it all out on paper before I did anything. There is a 2 x 4 at the base of my door frame that goes across and the frame sits on it.

Below is the finished project - I did this about a year ago so I don't have the before pictures. I purchased my interior door and frame from Surplus Warehouse it cost me about $60.00 all inclusive.


How to fix leak coming from pressure gauge on water tank? The pressure gauge that is located outside of my water tank is dripping about twice a minute. It seems like this is something I could simply replace but I wanted to get some advice as this is something I have not run into before. It is definitely not being caused by high water pressure because the pressure is at about 30 psi. Here is a picture of what is going on.

What you pointed at is the pressure relief valve. Seeing that the pressure is fairly low, it  could either need adjustment or be failing.

The pressure relief valve is basically there to release very high pressure before a pipe/filter/faucet relieves it (eg: blows up).  It's basically just a spring pushing against a piston.

You can try adjusting it first by turning the end clockwise just until the flow stops. Best to do this at the pump cut-off pressure (which is the highest pressure you'd normally see) -- basically open a tap until the pump runs, wait for the pump to shut off, and then adjust the relief valve.  A lot of the valves actually have a ridged edge you can turn, though yours looks like it probably requires a nut/screw driver or pliers.

If that doesn't work, it is probably just that the valve is failing. Could be a cheap valve or have a manufacturing defect, or could be corrosion. Replacements cost a few dollars at any home improvement or plumbing store and are very easy to install (use teflon tape on the threads).


What should I consider when cutting/making window in concrete foundation? I am thinking about putting in another window for my basement apartment.

I would like to know what do I need to consider before trying to find a contractor to do this.

I have uploaded a picture of the front and the side of my house.

Side View - Side window

Front View - Where I would like to add another window

It seems like in a lot of these windows that were cut in concrete the top left and the top right corner edges start to develop cracks. I have noticed that one of the windows on the side (See side view) has a crack going from top right corner edge to the top of cement  foundation (crack length is about 4-5 inches). I already bought the house with the crack there so I did not see it develop, but could it be created when they were cutting the window out?
Anyway, if anyone else went through something similar I would love to hear from you.

Update:

Here is the side window crack:

I realize that you don't want to proceed with the project but I thought I'd answer anyway in case someone else is curious. I am a licensed contractor and my company specializes in basement remodeling; we have done several window expansions or additions in concrete foundations. A few things:

You definitely need a permit for this project (though you don't need to hire a contractor) this is a structural modification and needs to be done correctly.
You definitely need a structural engineer to write you a letter after a site inspection stating his recommendations for keeping the structural integrity (when you get a permit, they'll require this any way.
If you are making a bedroom in the area you are adding a window to, you'll want to make sure that the new window you put in meets egress code for inspection/permit reasons.

Though you can support the new opening with pressure treated wood (according the engineers prescription, of course), most likely the engineer will recommend a steel frame in the newly cut opening. We use a 4"x4"x1/4" steel frame that the engineer signs off on. You can have one made to fit your opening at your local steel fabricator. (see pic below)

After you install the frame with bolts into the concrete and silicone sealant around the entire perimeter, the installation of the window is a piece of cake.


How can I paint furniture with a laminate finish? Is it possible to paint furniture that is made of particle board and has a laminate finish that makes it appear as if it is solid wood? Essentially cheap furniture. I have an entertainment center than is made like this but it is light colored where all of our other furniture is dark color. If possible we would like to paint it without it looking completely awful.

Are there any techniques for doing this?

Disassemble
It will be easier to work with if you can take the furniture apart, or at least break it down in to smaller pieces.  If you can't take it apart, you'll still want to remove any doors or drawers.
Sand
You'll want to sand the surfaces that will be painted, with 220 grit sand paper. Be careful not to sand too much, you don't want to sand completely through the veneer. You're just looking to remove the protective coating, and scuff up the surface a bit.
Wipe away the dust
Wipe the surfaces down with a Tack cloth to remove all the dust.

Prime
Prime the surfaces with a primer designed for laminate, or "glossy surfaces".  Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer/Sealer is one such primer, though somebody in the paint department at your local hardware store may be able recommend a better/different one.

Wait
You'll want to wait the full cure time specified in the instructions on the primer, before you start painting.
Paint
Apply 2 coats of paint (waiting the specified time between coats), with a foam brush and/or roller.  You can use any type of brush you want, but a regular brush might leave streaks while a regular roller may leave an undesired texture.
Seal
Once the paint has fully dried, you can apply a polyurethane to help protect the finish. Apply 2-3 coats with a foam or soft bristle brush, sanding between coats with 220 or 320 grit sand paper (See What grit sandpaper should I use between coats of poly?).

Put it back together
Reassemble the furniture, and touch up any spots damaged during assembly.


Extension cord for 220 outlet? I have a 220 outlet for my air-conditioner. I just got a tanning bed,also 220. The cord on tanning bed is too short to reach the outlet. Is it ok if i make an extension cord to reach the outlet?

Depends what you mean by "make".

If you mean hokey-doke something together out of random bits, then no.

But if you have the skill/experience/attention to detail, that is needed for good workpersonship... and go down to a competent electrical supplier and get some #14/3 SJOOW cordage (noting that cordage numbering does count the ground)... and get a NEMA 6-15R socket and 6-15P plug whose strain relief is compatible with the cord size... and assemble them competently according to instructions... and the strain reliefs work properly on the cable sheath... and you check it in-service for heat where none should be... then yeah. Build away.

It could also be built with 6-20 plug/socket and 12 AWG cordage.  However the plug and socket must match, and a 6-20 plug will not fit a 6-15 (Ms. Nope) socket in the wall.


Electric Fan not Working I have a water distiller which the electric fan suddenly just stopped working (thankfully I was near by to shutdown everything, otherwise ...). Prior to the failure everything was working fine, there was no warnings. And just after the failure there was a burning smell.

I've removed the electric motor to do some testing:

It is not jammed or stuck since I can spin it fine with my fingers.
There is no visual damage in it.
It doesn't work even if connected directly into the power outlet.

There is a teardown video of a similar model that might be useful for the discussion.

Question

I've tried to find some DIY repair for this kind of electric motor but could not find.
Is it possible to fix it? How?

That is a shaded pole motor there is no fixing them if they spin easily, usually the bearings dry out and the motor won't spin a few drops of light oil in each end may fix it but if not, it's time for a new one. These motors rarely burn up it is usually the bearings being dry that causes them to fail. So try and and add oil to the bearings by putting a few drops on the shaft and spinning to help the oil work into it. Do this on both sides and the motor may come back to life.


Do I sand or power wash the deck? Greetings community of fixers, I have an aging deck that will be torn down and replaced within (hopefully) 5 years.  In the meantime, I'm trying to determine the best course of action to keep it maintained and safe for Viv the Kid (2 years old).

I'd like to repaint the deck so the color is lighter.  It was suggested I sand it down with some rented equipment, replace boards that need replacing, then stain with new coat.

So far we've gone over all the deck screws to be sure all are sunk or removed.  Is sanding the way to go?

I don't mind the look of a lighter deck with darker handrails and worse case I stick with the same color.

Personally, I'd power wash it and apply a thick deck restoring product since you plan to replace in a few years.

This is an example of such a product, but I'm not endorsing any product or seller. This one is nice because it is tintable.


Correct fixture for plasterboard that has another board behind it I'm trying to put up a whiteboard on a plasterboard wall. I am screwing the holes from one end into a stud, but the other end does not line up with a stud. I therefore planned on using wallmates. However, when I tried putting a wallmate in, I hit a second board behind the plasterboard.

As best I can tell, it's some kind of wood, quite thin. I drilled through it and tried to put the wallmate in again, but it just won't go and started to pull the plasterboard outwards.

Can anyone tell me what the second board might be (I'm in Australia, if that helps)? It's a study, so wasn't really expecting anything other than gyprock. Also, what fixture would be best?

You can get other fixings that "spread" behind the panel like a "star" which will work with thicker boards...

This is a supplier in the UK, you probably have an equivalent in Oz...

One supplier


Preferred solution for leak on a 90 degree pvc corner Some context: first time home owner with no idea what I’m doing outside of google.

In January, this happened:

It turned out there is a leak occurring near the elbow.

1) the elbow itself did not show signs of leaking or cracks
2) the leak is occuring where the pipe meets the elbow

I asked my handman to cut that portion and add a new elbow, but the leak occurred again yesterday

1 area of concern:
1) the horizontal pvc pipe awkwardly touches the concrete. It may be too rigid for handling water vibrations when water passes through. Another concern is that the concrete expands in the heat (it reaches 107 F out here), potentially moving the pvc pipe.

1 question:
1) My handyman suggest flex pvc. Thoughts? This is buried under 2inches if dirt. Ive seen positive and negative, but mostly negative on the suggestion

If so, what could be a recommended solution?

Not sure what your pressure is but this looks like 1" PVC. That, and conventional Blu-glue should easily withstand domestic mains pressure.

It is unlikely to be the 90° bend causing the problem. It is likely to be the quality of the join.

Dig a decent sump under the bend, extending at least 2 ft either side.
Drain the line.
Pump the sump dry.
Cut the offending elbow out.
Inevitably some water will be lost into the sump.
Pump the sump dry again.
Cut each arm of the line back 6" to 12"
Thoroughly clean and dress both ends. There should be no rough ends and no swarf remaining. Fine emery paper is good. DO NOT reduce the OD of the pipe. Ok to roughen though.
Obtain and dry fit replacement pipe.

You will need 2 x female-female straight joins, a replacement elbow and two appropriate lengths of pipe, a pot of blu-glue and a pot of primer (usually red in colour).

Beware the primer is usually methyl-ethyl-ketone based. Do not breathe the fumes or get it on your skin. Use appropriate chemically resistant gloves, it will eat straight through many plastic gloves.

Ensure all surfaces are clean and dry. Not moist, not damp, DRY. Ideally use lint free cloth.
Pre-assemble the elbow, lengths of pipe and joiners.

Prime each surface to be joined. Apply a liberal coat of glue to each surface.
Do not apply glue to the inside ends of the joins that will mate to the existing pipe at this stage.

Don't go crazy, the glue is very forgiving but all surfaces should be wet. More is not better.

Do not take too long, the glue dries quickly.

Push fit the parts together.  Leave to dry. An hour is plenty in warm weather.

Put a piece of plastic or tarp under the ends of the existing pipe. remember we want clean and dry.
Prime the ends of the existing pipe.
Apply glue to the ends of the existing pipe and the inside of the joiners.
Push fit.
Leave at least a couple of hours.

Slowly turn the water back on. Check for leaks. I will be VERY surprised if you get any.

I hope this is not too tedious but as you said you have no experience I wanted to give you a clear step by step.

Good luck.


Neutral Wire snaps In Wall Box I was swapping out a receptacle for a USB receptacle and I was using the "stabs" in the back of the receptacle to connect the wiring (not under the screw).  In the process of straightening the neutral wire so it would fit into the "stab" I used the wire straightener, and lightly pulled the neutral wire.  In this process, about 3 inches into the box the neutral wire broke off (I didn't even touch that part of the wire!).

Needless to say the neutral wire is now to far into the box for me to be able to connect to the receptacle.  What options do I have to connect this USB receptacle, or at this point I'd settle for any receptacle, since the neutral wire is so short?

I've tried to get the wire straightener and pull the neutral wire, but no excess wiring is coming.  I see the wall above the receptacle starting to bulge which is making me nervous and making me think there's nothing to give.

sorry for my poor terminology, I can do light electrical no issue, but when something off the normal happens I always ask for assistance, and if too big I'll call in the experts.

You can join another piece of wire to the short end of the neutral using an approved joiner and use this pigtail to connect to neutral terminal of the receptacle.  be sure to use the correct type and colour.


Will wood glue hold two pieces of wood with a polyurethane finish? I have a piece of stained red oak plywood that is 1/4" thick and ~ 1 square foot in area.  I will be gluing it to a 1" x 2" red oak board.  Both the plywood and board have been stained and finished with polyurethane and there will be no weight attached to the glued on section of plywood.  I'm using Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue.  Can I expect the glue to bond tight enough to hold the plywood to the board?

Bonding anything together without sanding either down to bare wood grain, or at least scuffing the finish surface prior to bonding, will be tenious at best.
Having said that, if all you are trying to do is glue them together so one for not move, the bonded material is not weight bearing or subject to vibrations....it might work for a while.

Your choice of glue, in my opinion, is designed for glueing unfinished woods together (for the woodworking craft).    Once the grain is sealed by the finish, a different type of bonding is required.

Construction adhesive or a dab of silicone might provide a better, longer lasting bond.


How to remove thermocouple from this manifold door? It has a black object that seems to be secured down by a U shaped clasp. I cannot see how the clasp can be removed. Everything is tight and doesn't appear that a tool can fit anywhere to loosen it up.

Front

Back

I was able to get it off by using a hammer and a screwdriver. I hammered a flathead screwdriver onto the end of the clasp-list piece. The clasp is intended to be inserted underneath the black holders and thus can be removed by pulling/pushing it out the opposite direction.

Here is an image of where the screwdriver should be placed to hit off the U-shaped clasp. This is looking at the same place on the second image of the original question but turned upside down.


Will drywall mud adhere to semi-gloss paint? We want to texture several walls that have semi-gloss paint on them.  Will drywall mud adhere to the paint or do we need to use a particular primer first?

I have roughed up the surface with red scotch brite pad or by sanding (scotch brite doesn’t make as big a mess).
Then wipe with a damp rag to remove the loose particles after that the mud will stick I have done this hundreds if not thousands of times on my own home and remodels, rewires where I had to patch holes used to drill and pull wire. + Jimmie fix it method may be a better way but takes time and I have not had failures.


How long and how often should I water my concrete? I have just applied cement on some stone joints, and I was wondering for how long should I pour water on it? How frequently should I apply water? Is it twice a day, or thrice a day? I really need to avoid cracks and weak joints.

Best is to keep it damp "forever." Design strength for most concrete is based  on 28 days at 21C/70F. The early part of the cure is the most critical. Time is doubled at 50F/10C and reduced at higher temperatures - so long as it's kept damp.

Covering with damp cloths/burlap/sacking and then covering that with plastic can help to keep it damp longer (from a single application of water.) Just covering with plastic helps some. How frequently you need to apply water will vary with climate and how much you have done to keep the water in place.