How to install 3-speed switch for ceiling fan I have a bedroom with a ceiling fan.

Right now, the wall switch only controls the light (on/off, no dimmer). The only way to change the speed of the fan is by the pull chain. So if you want to change the fan speed in the middle of the night, you either have to get lucky and find the chain in the dark, or turn on the light.

I bought a Legrand brand wall switch that has a 3-speed fan control built in. I wired it up according to the directions. But the switch still only controls the light and the 3-speed slider (very poorly) tries to act as a dimmer for the light.

How do I get the 3-speed switch to control the speed of the fan? I'm worried that there isn't the correct wiring going to the fan.

It's even worse than the above answers.  There is no general standard for fan designs.  Different fans do speed regulation different ways, and you must choose a remote speed control method which is compatible.  This is a "consult with the factory" sort of situation; often cheaper fans are simply not made for that.


What is the proper and safe wiring to two lights with 2 separate switches and 2 outlets on 1 circuit? I am adding 2 lights with 2 separate switches on one circuit. There are also 2 outlets that need to be hot at all times on the same circuit. What would be the best order to wire these and can someone diagram this for me? This is for a workshop where these are in 2 separate rooms beside each other. I have included a diagram showing the placement.

I can't make a diagram, but I will try to describe it the best I can..  I'm assuming a 15A circuit using 14ga wire, but if it's a 20A, use all 12ga wire.  All wire has a ground, but I'm not mentioning that. Just tie all the grounds together in each box and connect it to the switch or receptacle as the case may be.

From the power source, run 14/2 to the first light.  From the first light, run 14/3 to the first switch and 14/2 to the second switch.  Run 14/2 from the first switch to the first outlet.  At the first switch, tie the whites and blacks together and run a black pigtail to one screw on the switch.  Connect the red wire from the 14/3 to the other screw.

At the first light, tie all the whites (including the fixture) together, and tie the two blacks (NOT the fixture) together.  Connect the red wire from the 14/3 to the black wire of the light fixture.  Switch 1 will now control the hot leading to that light.

From the second switch, run 14/2 to the second light and the second outlet.  Connect the incoming black to the black that goes to the outlet and run a pigtail to one screw on the switch.  Connect the black going to the light to the other screw switch.  Tie all the whites together at switch 2.  Connect the second light fixture, white to white, black to black.

Of course, both outlets are black to brass screw, and white to silver screw.

Use a nice deep box for light 1 since it will have 3 cables going to it since electric code does specify how many wires can be inside of a box based on size.  Celing boxes can have more room to work inside of which is why I would use light 1 as the "junction" rather than having the main power go to switch 1 first.


Paint/plaster texture question My walls and ceiling are skip trowl lath and plaster and (many layers) painted, I’m doing some cutting and patching and using DAP Patching Plaster.  It goes on great but after I sand and paint it the texture looks too smooth compared to the old plaster/paint, how can I get it to look the same?  It looks like it’s a paint texture issue, I’m painting with small rollers and acrylic paint.

Lower center is desired texture, left and upper left around the square hole is too smooth

There are a ton of ways to texture wall surfaces (too many to list here), all require some expertise acquired through trial and error and a perfect match is nearly impossible.

Originally, when a craftsman plastered your wall, he likely used a wet float technique that allows the sandy aggregate in the plaster to rise to the surface. That is not a process you can easily duplicate when patching.

Your best bet would be to experiment (on a separate practice surface) with various combinations of soupy plaster or texture paint using thick nap rollers, stippling rollers, stucco floats, etc. Or hire a reputable plasterer or decorator to redo the whole wall when your repairs are complete. Yours is a common problem with no easy solution.


How can I repair cracks at corners of tiled walls? I recently had a bathroom renovated these cracks are appearing in the corner of shower cubicle where two walls meet . Obviously workmanship not been good but is this easily fixed with a reliable long lasting result.

Thank you

The area on top looks like it was sealed with white caulk.  You can re-seal this with white silicon caulk.  The other cracks look like it's grout.  Do you have any of the grout the contractor used?  IMHO, clean the old grout out and regrout. I've never had much luck getting new grout to stick to old.  You can also run caulk over it as well but this will show up.


Grout, before base boards? We just had our floors tiled.
The installer laid the tile, installed the baseboards and will grout tomorrow.
Shouldn't the grout be applied before you put the baseboards back on?

Yes you do not lay baseboards down before grouting tile.  He has presented an issue where now he has to push grout under your baseboards so there isn't a grout "void" right at the baseboards.
And it could look good the first few months but shrink a little.   It isn't the end of the world but he basically made his job much harder and made a chance of a sloppy install.   You will for sure notice visually if there are voids right at the baseboard.   Now he has to tape the baseboards to keep them from getting grout on them, it is hard now for him to clean up, and you still have the problem of getting the grout far enough back at the right level.
Side note:   The only logical reason someone does this is that the person/tools needed to install the baseboards was only available then.  Just doing this before grouting could take more time based on my comments above - to work around it - than to actually put them back up.
Because this person is lacking some common sense I would keep an eye on them.   For sure do not allow them to caulk the bottom of the baseboard.  Caulk will fail here quickly.   Yes looks good for a month or two but will fail miserably after that.


Connecting Lights to a 12/2 20 Amp Circuit I am adding some new led can lights and I want to tap into a 12/2 20 amp circuit that is readily available. Would this be frowned upon because the can lights are daisy chained together via 14/2? Is there a workaround for this or something else I can do? There are not really any readily available 14/2 circuits. I am having a hard time justifying why this is a problem because you can certainly plug cords into outlets that aren't 12/2 or better.

The wiring for the circuit (cable or individual wires in conduit, through walls, etc.) needs to all be protected by the circuit breaker. Any/all of that wire could at some unpredictable time in the future be used to the full capacity of the circuit - i.e., 20 A - and so it needs to all be big enough to handle the load. You are only putting in very low-current LED lights, but someone in the future might say "Oh, a 20 Amp circuit! I don't need the lights so I'll bypass the lights (take out lights and splice properly in the junction boxes) and use the cable at the far end to power by 20A device." And then proceeds to wire up a 20A-rated device that pulls 16A continuously and overheats the 14 AWG wire.

The external wiring is different. The thin cord plugged in to power a device (lamp, tool, charger, whatever) is rated to handle the current needed by the device. Unless someone starts messing around with the device - e.g., taking the cord off to use it power something else - the cord should never have any current beyond the rated current for the device. If it has a short-circuit situation (== device failure) then the breaker should trip before any of the wiring burns up.

In addition, the external cord has air circulating around it. That is a bit different from a cable stuck in the wall. Related: Never use an extension cord while it is coiled up


Can I split ceiling light wire to create a receptacle on ceiling? I'm trying to install LED string lights (2 Watt x 15 bulbs) around the porch covered by permanent roof. But, it looks ugly if I run an extension cord on the wall from the outlet to the ceiling.
There are two light fixtures on the ceiling. Will it be permissible to split the wires from one of the light fixtures to make a receptacle on the ceiling?

Split, no. Splice, yes, assuming the box has adequate space for the box fill with additional wires, or that you upgrade the box if needed.
Since you are adding a receptacle, you'll need to put a GFCI on the circuit or as the receptacle if the circuit is not already GFCI protected.


osb - Do I start the first sheet 5/8" out from edge? I am putting on a flat roof on a building that is 24 x 44 block. The roof consists of : top and bottom sill plate, face plate, 9 - 4x4 treated posts for support, 2x10x12 joist every 16" on center with a 2x4x12 wedged to allow for slope of 1 3/4" per 12 foot side, 5/8" osb, roof felt, tar, and rolled roofing. My question is when I start the osb should I leave a 5/8" gap on the edge between the osb and the face plate? I know there is a 1/8" gap between the osb but what about the first piece so it will line up to the 16" on center joists for nailing?

I'm not entirely sure I'm grasping all the details here but in general I would say its better to go flush to the edge. Here's how you could lay it out mathematically speaking, but I'm not sure this is the most efficient way to go about it. Also I've never heard of doing an 1/8" space on sheathing, that just seems like an invitation for leaks, not to mention that if your osb is 96" and you add an 1/8 between every sheet your layout will creep systemically and you'll be off your 16" centers in short order. Full disclosure: I'm not a roofer so you might want to find someone with firmer answers than I've got. Hope this helps, cheers.


Chalkboard-alike wall for children I was thinking about converting a wall in one of the rooms into an improvised chalkboard similar to these. The idea is to cover it with a charcoal-close interior paint.

It has to meet a few key criteria:

Safe for kids. Obviously. They are the primary users of the thing.
Durable [mechanical wear], i.e. be thick and hard after it dried out; at least harder than chalk so that the active contact does not destroy the color/paint.
"chalk friendly" texture so that it's actually usable within the bounds of desired application.

The other criteria are more of nice to have, but way less important.

Durable [water impact], i.e. splash-resistant at least to some degree. Kids and myself are known to be not super-precise in movements, water on the wall is expected once a season. It would be nice if such situation does not ruin the chalkboard instantly.
Easy to find, replenish, and re-paint -- I am not expecting even the most durable paint to last forever.

How do I find and "assess" such a paint [if it at all exists]? So far I found the one on the picture below, but I don't know about it much, nor about any other paints available on the US market.

P.S. I'm very open to criticism targeting my idea itself as well. You may add it to the answer, or post a comment under my question.

Having met a few attempts to use chalkboard paint (couldn't tell you the brand) I'd strongly suggest looking for a (used/surplus, assuming cost is a factor) chalkboard, it will work much better. Somewhere within 50 miles of you there is almost always a school being either remodeled or abandoned; or you can leave that part to an architectural salvage firm and buy from them (it will cost more.)

If using the paint, I would suggest applying it to a sheet of tempered hardboard (e.g. Masonite®) rather than directly to the wall surface.


Cannot undo tap/Faucet to replace washer my mixer tap started to drip and has got worse to the point I have to turn off the water at the mains. I got the knobs off but despite using lots of penetrating oil (WD40) and leaving it for 24 then 48 hours, I cannot remove the brass valve part to get at the washer. I used a vise grips (yes, I know, did not have spanner) but it just has rounded the nut. I also tried it on the round flange part.

I assume I should be turning anti clockwise to undo? Any ideas how to get to the washer?

If I need to replace the complete tap, can this be done with the sink in place, access seems very limited. The pipe is 9/16 inch OD - is this then a 1/2 inch pipe (do you go by inside D?) - so is there a standard size for the nut for the pipe?

Clean off mineral deposits with a brass or steel brush and a lime dissolver such as CLR or Limewaway. Towel dry as much as possible.  Dry further with hair dryer in an attempt to evaporate as much moisture as possible; this, to leave room for penetrating oil to penetrate.

Aply penetrating oil such as PB Blaster or Liquid Wrench.  Tap, tap, tap the the valve to set up vibrations to encourage the penetrant. A vibrator can be useful to assist, such as an electric tooth brush or electric engraving tool. Allow penetrant to sit for hours and tap some more after that.

Use a tight fitting wrench or possibly a pipe wrench to turn it anti-clockwise.


Voltage difference between sink, oven and dishwasher In my apartment we just got a new kitchen, and five minutes after the electrician left, i got a shock by touching the sink and the dishwasher et the same time. I got my multimeter and measuered the voltage difference between the two. I Measured it at 150 V AC.

The dishwasher and the oven is standing right next to each other, so i also measuered the voltage between the sink and the oven: 7 V AC. So pretty much no voltage across. Now, my lacking logic tells me that there must be a large voltage difference between my oven and my dishwasher. Atleast 143 V is my guess.

The thing is that there is not a large voltage differnce between the oven and dishwasher, but only a difference of 3 V.

How can this be? Should there not be a large difference if the oven and the sink have a close potential, and the sink and dishwasher have a a large voltage difference?

Needless to say, i have no ground in my appartment.

Can anyone enlighten me?

My guess is there used to be a ground strap to the previous plumbing that was not replaced when the new, no doubt plastic, pipe was installed with the new sink.

Having said that, there must be a ground fault in one or the other.

Turn OFF the breaker to the stove and dishwasher and call an electrician ASAP.


Need LED lighting suggestions for a hobby spray booth I am writing the plans to build a small indoor hobby spray booth largely used for aerosol acrylics and acrylic airbrush but possibly some aerosol enamels at times.  I am using a range hood which includes weak (2x 25w) incandescent bulbs.  I want to install LEDs inside of the spray booth; fluorescents can be an explosion hazard for some aerosol paints.  I would like to get roughly the same lighting as 2x 100w Reveal light bulbs, or brighter if possible.  I have been looking at various cabinet LED solutions but I am not sure if they will be bright enough.

I will be installing flexible arm LED lights on the outside of the booth for looking in so the LEDs just need to illuminate from the top and back of the target.

Here's a good document that briefly explains how LEDs are rated vs other lights like flourescent and incandescent. And here's a website which has high powered LED strips.  You'll have to be the judge as to whether they provide the amount of light you're looking for since LEDs concentrate the light on an area, whereas incandescent shoots it out in a sphere.


Fixing a broken pipe underground without breaking the floor Is there any way to fix a broken pipe that's located underground?
I was thinking of something like a camera and a liquid like the ones used with broken wheels...
And I'll try soon.

Has anyone successfully fixed one without destroying the floor?

(it's the drain pipe from the sink).

The answer to your question is "yes" - but it's a specialist job.  For example http://insitudrain.co.uk/commercial-industrial-services/cure-lining/ can remotely apply a liner and then cure it. (I found them by searching for "in-situ drain repair".

If you are contemplating a DIY approach, it's probably easier to dig down, repair, and make good.


Sprinkler system in indoor arena I have an indoor arena equipped with 14 water lines & stations for watering the indoor arena floor to keep dust down.
The water lines are 1 inch black pipe.  There are 6 sprinklers per truss.  Each water line runs off separate stations that are programmed to run at various intervals.  The span is 72 feet and each line has drain valves for blowing them out when winter comes.
The sprinklers are 1/2 male threaded impulse sprinklers that are hanging down 1 ft from lines.  I know these things are not really designed to run upside down but they do a really decent job of covering the arena floor evenly.
The problem is as each station shuts off the 72 feet of line drains out each sprinkler head until the line is empty.  This leaves puddles of water that can be problematic with footing for the horses.
Does anyone know of a valve that I could install on each drop that would shut off without electricity to prevent this draining action from occurring?

Are the sprinkler heads attached to the underside of the supply line? The proper way to design this system would be to have the sprinkler attach to the top of the supply line instead of the bottom.

With the sprinkler heads attached above the supply line, the most excess water that would be drained is the water in the short pipe above the sprinkler head.


Is it necessary to put a special egress window in a basement bedroom if there's already a window above ground I'm putting a bedroom in a basement. There's already a window above ground level. Do I need to dig down and install a special egress window or can I just put in a bigger window that meets requirements and codes?

An egress window has nothing to do with a window being below above/below grade. Egress means "go out". An egress window is a window that someone can safely exit in the event of a fire where there could be blocked paths through the rest of the house. Egress windows are typically required for all bedrooms in a modern dwelling regardless of where they are located and are typically sized to fit a firefighter fully suited up in firefighting gear.

If there is sufficient clearance to add a basement window that meets the qualifications for egress without digging according to local building code (distance from the floor is probably the biggest determining factor in your case if your basement has tall ceilings), then this would qualify as an egress window and you would not need to dig or add an associated egress window well.


Can I step down a NEMA L15-30R 90A 250v outlet to 110v? I just moved into a high-rise condo and on my patio I have an outlet labeled NEMA L15-30-R 90A 250V 30 and I'm trying to figure out what I can do with it.

I think the intended to be used for the window washers who come twice a year.

On my patio, I want to put a lot of electronics (kegerator, fridge, lights, electric heater, electric grill, etc), so is there a way I can get a 110v receptacle out of it?

I am not allowed to remove/replace the outlet, only plug into it.

Also, if you have any other important thoughts, please do tell.

It looks like this:

No. You can't use this for 120V power. The NEMA L15-30 receptacle is intended for 3-phase power applications. Most likely, it is a 208V three phase power outlet lacking neutral. Because there is no neutral, there is no easy or reliably safe way to get 120V power from it. Even if there were a neutral, it would be questionable whether it would be a good idea to apply a load to only 1 phase. There could be circuitry upstream designed to trip on unbalanced loading.

If you want to confirm that it really is a three-phase outlet, simply measure the voltages from phase to phase. This involves sticking voltmeter probes into the receptacle. There is a shock hazard doing this kind of thing, especially if you are using a cheap multi-meter. If you don't feel comfortable doing it, then don't do it. Please don't blame me if you get shocked.


Electric Meter Runs Backwards The service for the site was recently upgraded from 200 amps to 400 amps service.  The sub-panels were re-run from the new panel.  There are now a 200 amp panel, and two 100 amp panels.

I decided that I would like to know how much electricity is used on one of the 100 amp panels, so I put the old meter base in line ahead of that panel and purchased a used electric meter.

However, when I plugged it in, it runs backwards.  I cannot tell why and could use some help.

Here is a picture of the meter base inside and out.

Put the meter in upside down. If that works, then you can reverse the wiring or live with an upside down meter.

Also, since the meter is just for your own use, running backwards is fine. The math is just a bit different.


How to choose laminate flooring What should I be looking for when I choose laminate flooring? I am building a smallish house, I plan to put in laminate flooring in it. But I heard some horror stories about how some laminate flooring started peeling after a couple of months use.

I am looking for something durable for it's a rental property and the people living in it might not look after it, and hopefully moisture resistant because I definitely do not want peeling floors.

So what should I be looking for in choosing laminate flooring or if there are some kind of tests I should be using to test the quality of the floors panels?

I wouldn't attempt any testing yourself. That's likely to be costly and time-consuming and you may not learn much about real-world wear characteristics.

There are plenty of objective assessments of laminate flooring to be found, and product reviews by actual homeowners are almost more important. Visit a reputable website and do some reading.

The horror stories apply to cheap, off-brand flooring and improper installation. Pergo and other high-grade floors last for decades when not abused. Lay rugs in extreme traffic areas and keep the sand cleaned up and you'll be very happy.


Remove and Cap Light Switch Wires I'm trying to remove a light switch that was part of what I believe was a 4-way (possibly just 3-way) ceiling fan setup in the past. The switch is no longer serving any purpose (it didn't appear to control anything), so I've removed it and I'm now left with the below wiring. I've checked with a 2 prong voltage tester that only 1 of the wires has voltage running through it (with 1 prong touching the wire being tested and the other prong touching the GROUND wire). The remaining switch visible in the picture will be left as is for now.

The bare wire is the GROUND wire. The black wire with the exposed copper loop in it is the LIVE/HOT wire that lit up a light on the voltage tester. The other black (NO VOLTAGE 1) and red (NO VOLTAGE 2) wires didn't have any current running through them. There is also a neutral white wire visible in the back of the box, but that was already capped off when I removed the switch cover so I'm not concerned with it.

I now want to cap and seal off the exposed wiring with electrical nuts.

Do I need to do something special with the GROUND wire, or can I leave it as is?
Do I need to put a nut on the LIVE/HOT wire?
Should I cap the (NO VOLTAGE) wires with a single nut, or does each need its own nut? Out of curiosity, if they need to be separate, what would happen if they were to touch; or were to touch the LIVE/HOT wire?

It looks to me like the switch on the right is a former 3-way.  The black and red labeled "no voltage" were the messengers, and the black labeled "voltage" was (is) the supply.

But we're not sure about the messengers or what they connect to.  If you can find the other end of the messengers, and establish that they are messengers, I would wrap yellow tape around all 4 wires (2 wires x 2 ends) to mark them as messengers.  They sell 5-packs of colored electrical tape for a few bucks. Don't mark them unless you can mark both ends, or you'll just make yourself confused later.

It looks like they did the trick of baring a part of the wire 6" before the end of the wire, connecting it to a screw on switch 1 (right) and then continuing it to switch 2 (left).  That will be a little hard to put on a wire-nut unless you cut it in the middle of the stripped area.  Which would be fine.

The other non-ground wires need to be capped, period.  You have no idea what they go to, and when you crunch everything back into the box, you don't want them touching a hot and "lighting something up" in the bad way.

Are you sure a switch out there somewhere hasn't lost power?  There must surely be a partner 3-way to this one.  If you now find a switch in your house doesn't work, take it apart and see if it is the partner 3-way to this one.  If so, mark the messengers (disregard position, messengers are the brass screws), then at this end, connect one messenger to supply and leave the other messenger capped.  At that point the other switch will operate in one position or the other.  If it lights in the "down" position and you find that annoying, come back here and switch messengers.

Lastly I see the screws are all the way out on your remaining switch.  That, and the hack-scratches on the loose wires, makes it look  like the installer used the "back-stab" wiring method.  That is a cheap builder trick to make wiring faster, but experience shows it is unreliable in the long term.  I recommend converting to either side-screws or go out and get the nicer Leviton "screw-and-clamp" type receptacles.


Can porcelain tiles be installed over ceramic tiles? We have a large portion of our house with ceramic flooring which is now looking very old fashioned.  It has large grout lines (3/8 inch) which are white and almost impossible to keep clean.  We do not want to have the entire floor taken up and replaced and were wondering if new modern porcelain with very minimal grout lines can be installed right over top of the existing ceramic floor successfully.

Although I would never do this myself, eHow has a step-by-step for this.
Keep in mind that doing this will add thickness to the floor, so transitions into other rooms might be tricky. According to This paper "an abrupt increase in
height" of 1/4" (6mm) "is considered to be a threshold level for consideration of trip hazard for a pedestrian".
If this is done in a bathroom, the toilet flange (and/or other fixtures) will likely have to be raised to compensate for the new floor height.

Tile Over Tile Floors
1 Inspect the tile floor and make sure there are no
loose tiles; the existing tile must be
in good shape for re-tiling.
2 Clean the tile thoroughly to remove
any wax or build-ups on the tile
floor. Scuff or sand the tile to make
the surface a little rough; this helps
the new tile bond to the old tile.
Rinse the floor after it has been
sanded to remove any dusty particles.
3 Apply a floor leveler to the whole
surface of the floor. If you have a
raised area, begin there and work your
way outwards in a circular motion. The
floor leveler will fill in previous
grout lines and make the floor level
for the tile over tile application.
Floor leveler is usually latex-based
cement.
4 Use a screed to level the floor; a
screed is usually a long and very
straight board or level that will move
the excess floor leveler to lower
levels and will help you level the
floor. Allow the floor leveler to cure
according to directions, usually 24
hours.
5 Buy thin-set mortar that has a latex
additive in it or replace the amount
of water with a latex additive. Latex
or epoxy type mortars are best for
installing tile over tile. Mix and
apply according to manufacturer's
directions.
6 Set the new tile in small enough
sections as the thin-set mortar
directions call for. After the whole
floor has been tiled, install the
grout according to instructions. Seal
the grout if directions call for it.
Tile Over Tile Walls
1 Clean the
existing tile thoroughly to remove any
wax or soap build-ups. Sand the
cleaned tiles to rough up the surface
for better adhesion. Rinse the sanded
tiles to remove excess dust from
sanding.
2 Use a latex or epoxy based thin-set
mortar to set tiles into. Apply to the
surface of the existing tiles
according to manufacturer directions,
setting the mortar base at a medium
depth.
3 Install the tile a small section at
a time, according to the thin-set
directions. Apply grout and sealer
according to directions.


How can I reduce static electricity in my office? Our company has moved in a new office recently.

The office is quite big space and our zone is separated with glass walls with metal frames:

Employees are sitting at tables that have cheap (ikea-like) wooden top and metal legs. My setup is iMac (metal body), external monitor (plastic), iMac connected to external monitor and also I have a metal dock station for iPhone (also metal).

So main problem is that we are constantly being zapped by static electricity by:

door knob (metal)
metal components of electric devices
whiteboard with metal frame (hanging on the wall)

Recently we tried to solve this with humidifier. It was a small relief. Not a huge progress.

Few cases:

Before humidifier even handshake literally every single time zapped
us with static electricity
Yesterday, I was alone in the office lately, I noticed lightning,
during attaching iPhone to the dock. Lightning appeared before actual
connection and had a length of 1cm estimately. After this, my
external monitor went black for about 3 seconds.

I checked the voltage in plugs. It's exactly 220 (standard in Russia).

Also I am not sure about grounding in the office building. Seems like it's absent.

So the question is what we can do, to avoid zapping everywhere and avoid spoilage of electrical appliance?

You can buy an outlet tester to check whether ground is properly wired (in that outlet).

If you're being zapped by a whiteboard hanging on a wall, then most likely it is static electricity generated when you walk across the floor. You didn't specify but I'm guessing the floor is a plastic laminate?

You could put down anti-static floor mats. For example under each desk. This would keep you from building up charge as you move around. Running mats across the entire floor may prove cost prohibitive.


Foundation drainage: try interior first and then exterior? My wife and I are closing on a home.

During the initial walkthroughs of the basement, it was clear that there was a moisture problem there, but I don't think it was clear to either of us how severe it was until the inspection.

Now it's not like water is pouring or puddling in the basement, but upon closer inspection outside of the house, there were very clear grading issues which were likely caused by the house settling over time.

The basement has a musty smell and I'm primarily worried about air quality issues first and foremost, usability of the space down the line as a secondary concern.

So I've been researching methods of dealing with this now and I'm at an impasse as I need to figure out how to negotiate this added cost of remediation with the seller.

The house already has an interior perimeter drain going to a sump, but there really isn't a "flow" of water per se, but rather the walls are presenting a moist condition and being further exacerbated by the use of fiberglass insulation in direct contact with the cement block wall.

For now, my plan on the interior is to demo the existing walls to get a better idea of the efficacy of any remediation and to make sure that the issue is fixed, but the question is what is the most pragmatic and cost effective manner to go about this?

From my research, it seems that addressing the issue from the outside with:

Trench and drainage around the footing
Elastomeric coating
Dimple mat
Backfill with crushed stone
Fix exterior grading and drainage

Will be the most effective solution, but also the most expensive.

The house has a perimeter of approximately 130 linear feet with one side under an attached garage, but otherwise, the three other sides are easily accessible.  The front has a set of steps, the right has an AC unit, and the rear has a set of steps.

I wonder in that case, if exterior water proofing would be less effective if one of the walls is left untreated?  My estimate is that this approach will probably cost $12k-15k based on my research.

My thinking is that a more pragmatic approach might be to first go with a less costly approach of:

Install new, larger interior drainage around the perimeter
Install underground "roof"
Fix exterior grading and drainage

And then observe the conditions over period of a year before continuing with more costly remediation such a trenching the exterior.  My guess is that this would cost about $3k-5k.  But is this just money down the drain?  Would it be better to just bite the bullet and invest that money into an exterior excavation?

I do plan to contact local professionals to get a better idea, but I'm currently in the education phase to better understand solutions and of course, I don't currently own the property yet :)

Any input and experience would be much appreciated!

Without knowing what the interior drainage is now, it's not obvious that upgrading that will be of much benefit. If it's there, and water is coming through the walls, making more of it will probably not impact what's coming through the walls. If it's not actually defective/failed, replacing it seems like a probable waste of time & money.

The exterior solution you suggest is the way to be sure it's done and done, once.

If you want to take a staged approach, you could plan for an eventual (and possibly lower cost) curtain drain spaced away from the house by the width of your "roof", and do your "roof" and regrading, while leaving yourself clear markers for where the edge of the "roof" is so that you could trench and drain just beyond it if needed. Regrading and handling roof runoff correctly are major factors (your pictures do not imply a heavily sloped/hillside site, so odds seem good that most of the water is roof water.)

With a properly functioning drain, full of crushed stone and lined with filter fabric, the elasotmeric coating, et al are pretty much things that you do because you have the foundation exposed, rather than truly essential elements - if the drain is working, there should be no water pressure on the exterior side of the wall. That is the point of the drain. Placing the drain away form the house eliminates exposing the foundation, so you'd not do those things. If you are going to end up trenching by the foundation, you will be redoing all the work put into regrading and "roof."

As for the garage side, drain around the outside of the garage, below basement floor level, too. Assuming the garage is a slab, that one will definitely want to be spaced away from the garage so as not to undermine the soil loading of the slab.


If an outdoor outlet is mounted flush and the cabling direct through the wall, can I use indoor cabling? If I drill a hole from indoors to outdoors and mount an exterior outlet directly over the hole, do I need to use outdoor cabling even though it's not exposed to the elements?

Although it's done that way all the time, it's my opinion that if the box is in a wet location, the cable inside the box must be rated for wet locations.  Sometimes an easy way to comply is set a box just inside the building, and transition from NM to UF in the indoor box, send the UF out to the outdoor box.


Add-on electronic ignition for gas stove? Is it possible to retrofit electronic ignition into a natural gas stove? Does such a kit exist commercially?

We looked at this for a commercial unit in our church, and the consensus was to just buy two residential-class stoves with electronic ignition rather than pay for the retrofit. It was that costly. I would imagine that residential stoves, which aren't designed to be messed around with much, would have a similar problem; you're basically replacing everything from the burners back to the pilot lights. I imagine replacing your pilot-light stove with an electronic-start model would be less expensive, especially if you were able to get some sort of trade-in.


Can ultrasonic humidifiers be used in a bypass setup for a whole house humidifier? My home is about 3000sqft, with lots of high ceilings.

I'm having trouble keeping the relative humidity up in the winter. When it gets down to 10F outside, the RH drops down as low as 25%. This is WITH a bypass humidifier installed. (filter new, water flow seems good).

Have read that many people have similar experiences with evaporative bypass humidifiers. They just can't add enough humidity to keep up.

The only solution so far is either 1) Honeywell TrueSTEAM, 2) Aprilaire 800 steam humidifier.

I understand that these steam humidifiers use quite a bit of energy in generating the steam. They also seem expensive and some of them unreliable.

My proposed setup is this: 1) Reverse Osmosis water filtration system ($150-200), 2) High output ultrasonic fogger/humidifier ($50-100), 3) Small fan ($10). The output of this would be piped into the current bypass humidifier housing.

Why hasn't something like this been done yet? It seems like the biggest hurdle for ultrasonic humidifiers is the white dust / vaporized minerals in the water. Any HVAC professionals that could comment on this sort of setup? I surely don't want to ruin my furnace.

I've thought the same but think you want a fairly big fan.
You are fighting to keep the ultrasonic droplets from condensing on surfaces. You need to supply enough air flow for them to evaporate and not condense. Position the output somewhere where a dribble caused by condensation won't wreck a motor or electronics


Persistent sewage smell coming from basement drain I've recently purchased a house and am now learning all the ins and outs of home maintenance.  This summer, I've noticed that I have a very smelly basement drain.  Particularly, it smells like sewage.

I figured that this wasn't a problem, in that the majority of things I've read state that it simply needs to have water poured in (with or without Mr. Clean) to replace the dried out water in the trap.

This worked fine last year, however this year the smell is back, and far worse.  Now, I am essentially pouring water down the pipe every other day to flush the smell.  The problem, however, is that it is also ridiculously hot where I am, so we have to run the A/C quite often.  As the drain stinks up the basement, that lovely smell gets pulled into the A/C ducts in the basement and then vented throughout the house.

My question is....is this common for this sort of drain?  I can't really get my hand into the pipe itself (probably about 3in in diameter), so I can't really see if there is a plug that needs to be checked.  I hesitate to call a plumber if it is trivial, but the persistent poo smell is starting to drive us nuts.

Edit

My wife and I went through the house, flushing toilets and watching the water in the drains.  Not a ripple for any flushes.

Second edit

Flushed down some Mr. Clean / water mixture and, while it kept the smell at bay for a few days, it is starting to come back.  I believe that a plumber is definitely in our future, as I've exhausted the helpful advice provided.

You are correct that floor drains do need to be monitored and occasionally the trap refilled with water.

So the first thing to check is that your floor drain actually has a trap. The way to do that is to slowly pour water in to the drain. You should notice the water level rise and stay there. If the water disappears quickly then it's likely you don't have a trap.

Provided that the drain does have a trap, the next thing to figure out is why the trap is emptying so quickly. A common cause is something wrong with your vent stack. Problems can range from a blockage, to an improperly vented drain elsewhere, to no venting at all.

A good way to test your vent stack is to flush each toilet one at a time. Enlist a helper and keep an eye on the water in the trap. If one toilet causes the water in the trap to move significantly or drain completely, you have found your problem fixture or vent stack. Fixing this could be as simple as running a garden hose up to your roof and down that vent stack to clear the blockage.

If climbing on the roof is not for you, then a standard house-call charge from a plumber will likely fix it, and that's not usually too expensive.

But if a fixture is incorrectly plumbed or inadequately vented, that can get pricey.


How to determine gas leak on a water heater? My gas water heater is certainly leaking gas. I can smell it.

Using the image below, it seems like it might be coming from the red circle where the dial connects to the thermostat or the blue circle where the manifold tube connects to the thermostat. I don't smell anything around the green circle, the pilot tube.

Is it even possible to leak where the red circle is? If not then I assume it is the blue circle, the manifold tube. Is there a trick to tightening the manifold tube, like there is for water pipes? I have it as tight as I can get it right now. If it is leaking from the red circle area do I have to replace the whole thermostat?

Time to call a professional; either a plumber or the local fire department. They can use more sophisticated leak detectors to pinpoint the leak, and know how to do so safely. Leaking gas is not something to trifle with.

Liquid leak detectors (the type that bubble up when gasses are leaking) are great for simple threaded connections, but you've got a whole host of potential leak sources, some of which appear to be not conducive to slathering soapy water on. I think an electronic combustible gas detector is in order.


What size dip in the floor needs to be filled before carpet is installed? We are planning to put carpet over an oldish hardwood floor. I noticed that the floor has a dip of about 3/8" in a few areas. I intend to measure around with a long straightedge and see if I can find any worse spots.
The dips are about 6" across by 3-4 feet in length (coincide with a once-removed wall). There's no structural issue underneath (basement) so I'm only concerned about the effect on the carpet - how it looks, wears, and avoiding a trip hazard.
Is this size dip bad enough to do something about? If not, what is generally considered to be the maximum allowed variation in the floor?
(If it is enough of a problem, I intend to fill with strips of 1/8 or 1/4 hardboard or plywood or similar.)

Levelling compound is your pal. Use it to get the whole floor level. whatever else you do will come back to haunt you. Whether the carpet is free standing or stretched wall-to-wall, it needs to be on a flat, level surface, with no dips deeper than 1/8" over a square foot - and that's pushing it. Underlay may give a little leeway, and indeed, is worth putting down first, but won't solve your problem.


How do I repair/prevent woodpecker holes in cedar siding? What is the best way to patch woodpecker holes and deter the woodpeckers from returning?

I was thinking of filling the holes with Great Stuff, having the house sprayed inside/outside for insects and buying some fake owls. Thoughts?

Spraying inside the hole with spray foam such as great stuff then after letting it dry using some wood putty seems to be the best solution I've found.

As for woodpeckers, there are typically two possible reasons they've decided to decimate your house. First is insects. This was our main problem, we had a bad carpenter bee problem in our fascia and the woodpeckers were burrowing to get the bees. Take care of the insects and eventually the woodpeckers will go away. Secondly, woodpeckers might have decided to call your house their home, if this is the case usually using deterrents can make them decide to call somewhere else home. The best thing I've found is aluminum foil. As they start to peck on a spot on your house, tape some aluminum foil over top the spot they were pecking. You'll probably only have to do this once or twice and they'll move on if there aren't insects. I have a cedar home and battled the little guys the first 3 years of owning it.

You could shoot them with a pellet gun but they're protected under the migratory bird act making that illegal....


Do I need to plan my framing depending on the position of the wall to glass clamps for a frameless shower? My design includes a frameless shower glass enclosure
This is for a corner and it will have two fixed glass panels
I am now building the framing and I am trying to understand if I should provide support in the framing for the clamps that will support panels
These will not be floor to ceiling pannels and no support rods are planned as they will be ~40" and ~30" wide
I would have two clamps on the wall and one on the shower base for each panel
My plan is to run 2 horizontals made of a 2x4 segment that will be screwed to the studs as seen in the below picture.
My problem is that I do not know yet what shower panels I am going to get and what would be the best position for the clamps

This blocking to support the glass panels should be 2x6 or 2x8 and should be placed with the wide side facing the room, but in the plane of the studs (interior side).
You should also place 2x8 blocking inside the walls of the shower for later placement of grab bars in the shower. This should definitely be on the long wall and the back wall. There should be grab bars on the control wall, but you have to be carefull placing blocking inside the control wall to insure it does not interfere with the water supply pipes.


Why are all the toilets in my house running intermittently? All of my toilets in the house have started to run intermittently. Is there something wrong with the plumbing or could it be that the flapper has gone bad on all the toilets at the same time?

You have to diagnose why the toilets are running, but given that multiple toilets have started running simultaneously, I'm guessing your water pressure is too high. This can be due to a falling PRV or a missing or failing expansion tank. See this answer for the steps to check an expansion tank. This answer may also be helpful. If you find your water pressure is well over 60psi (I believe) all the time, then you need a PRV (or to replace your existing one).

If checking your water pressure shows that it's never high, then it's time to diagnose the toilets. If the float valve is adjusted too high and allows the water to reach the overflow, then you may be losing water through the overflow and the toilet will cycle to makeup the lost water. I've also seen cases where the tube to refill the toilet was installed in such a way that it was below the water level and it eventually siphoned water through the fill valve into the overflow drain. The water would siphon down until the toilet ran to makeup for lost water. The most common reason is a bad seal on the flapper valve. Depending on the flapper design, this may be replaceable without disassembling the toilet tank. One last possibility is a failing valve on the toilet. Typically, the reason these fail is from high water pressure. But the symptom will be a high water level, well above where the float should shut it off. You may find the float submerged if this happens.


Enclosing an attached carport w/ concrete slab. The slab is not completely level. Pour concrete over existing floor or install wooden subfloor? I am assuming my location may matter on this topic. We live in north Texas north of Dallas approximately an hour.
We are enclosing an attached carport w/ concrete slab foundation. The slab is not completely level. I have lived here for 3.5 years. I have never seen any moisture or condensation on the slab no matter what the weather conditions.
The enclosure will be 22'x24' the far corner is approximately 1.5" lower than the opposite corner.
I need to level the floor as this is going to be the new living area.
Do I pour concrete over existing floor or install wooden sub-floor?

Comfort is generally better with a wooden subfloor, if you have the room for a wooden subfloor. That also allows adding insulation to reduce the heating/air conditioning load (which may be minimal from the floor, given your location.)
Plenty of old houses have floors that slope a lot worse than 1.5" in 20 ft (0.67% if I got the math right) and they work as living space, so not "fixing" it at all as Alaska Man comments is certainly an option, particularly if it's an "even" slope.
i.e. any properly built porch has 1% to 2% slope and most people are unaware of that.


What can I do if 811 shows up late? I called 811 to ask them to mark my utility lines on a Monday and told them I'd be doing work that Friday. They didn't show up until the Monday after I planned to work.

What should I do? What recourse do I have?

Boilerplate disclaimer: I Am Not A Lawyer.

I don't think you have any recourse here besides calling to file a complaint (if they even field complaints).  "811", which marks utilities for digging projects, is a free service.  A week is a longer lead time than you would usually expect, but you're in the height of outdoor project/construction season, so they're probably busier than usual.  They can't cater to everyone's schedule - it's just not feasible.

All that being said, they try to make it convenient for people to avoid utilities since it costs less to send someone to mark them than it does to fix a damaged line.  So the expectation is that you call and then wait to dig until the lines are marked.  In fact, in some states the lines are valid for as long as they're visible, so you can have them marked a decent bit in advance before you actually need to dig and still be fine.

You called, but then didn't wait, so you've more or less broken the unwritten rule of how the service is supposed to work.  I don't think you can sue someone you aren't actually paying for providing a service later than you would have liked.  It would be like trying to sue the USPS for delivering standard mail later than you wanted to receive it.


Is hydraulic cement a vapor barrier? I know hydraulic cement is designed to block the transmission of water, but does it also block water vapor to any appreciable degree that it is considered a vapor barrier at a certain depth/thickness (anywhere from "skim coat a foundation slab with it" to "cost not being a consideration, pour the full depth of the foundation slab with it")?

If not, is there another type of masonry formulation that can achieve a vapor barrier classification?

No, hydraulic cement is not considered a vapor barrier but it can reduce moisture.
 I have had really good experiances with epoxy coating cement flooring.  The first time I used epoxy I did not expect it to work As a moisture barrier as well as it did. The basement dehumidifier in the winter would remove 1/2 to 1 gallon a day in winter. The next year after coating the floor it was less than 1 quart per week.
One important thing is to use a coating that can handle moisture if your floor has problems. Tape some plastic to the floor at least a square foot or 3 square foot for a larger test area. After 24 hours if there is water on the plastic or the cement looks wet you will need to use a brand that can handle the moisture or try again in the summer when it may be dry.


How can I remove this screw? Any one know how to open this screw?

Tried pliers but no avail and standard box of security  screwdrivers couldnt open it.

Here are some more photos

Those are external line head screws, and are used as anti-tamper screws in some Japanese electronics.  You can probably find a driver for them from a game console hack supplier (they're used on Gamecube, Wii, and some other game consoles).  The driver looks like this (sorry for the horrible pic):

They also come in 5 and 7 point varieties (hard to tell how many points from the picture you posted).  I've also seen them called torx inverted.

If you don't want to get a specific driver for them, you can probably get them out by clamping on the head really hard with a pair of vise-grips or use a screw extractor.  You might be able to find a socket that will mesh with them well enough, but that's a long shot.


existing circuit box without ground wire I have a outlet box with 12/2 wiring ungrounded.  Can I legally just run a separate grounding wire to the nearest circuit box that is grounded?

You can if both are supplied from the same panel. This was not legal in the past but current code allows it.


How do I improve hot water pressure from a gas combination boiler? I have a gas combination boiler (no hot water tank). The hot water pressure isn't very good though - the showers and hot taps come out with maybe half the pressure when compared to the cold straight from the mains.

Given that the mains pressure is good what is the best way to get more of that pressure through to the hot water?

My boiler is a 6 year old Ferroli F24 - would a new boiler make a significant improvement? Given the expense I'd rather only do that if it both the only way and guaranteed to make an improvement.

I'm in the UK, we got a new recently due to the rebate recently offered on really old boilers.

If you get a decent boiler it provides savings because it is more efficient. They are called "condensing" combination boilers - the condensing action reclaims lost heat, I think.

We got a Vaillant, who also make the glow-worms.  Never heard of Ferroli.  And yes we get decent hot water pressure. I would check with a few plumbers/gas engineers, just get a few quotes, and also check the boiler specification for max flow rate.

Couple of tips if you do get a new boiler be sure to specify exactly where the pipes go (if you change location), get one of the remote controls (very handy, and allows you to put boiler in loft), and also specify exactly how you want the magnaclean device fitted (collects sludge from central heating). Ours is unfortunately very prominent - we need to move it.

Also, we went for a really big powerful boiler, so more than enough water but tbh probably a bit too big for our house: bigger may not necessarily always be better.

I'd only get vaillant, glowworm, or worcester-bosch, btw.


Is it possible to access an internet enabled cctv camera only over wifi I want to buy some CCTV cameras and I'm wondering if I can get an internet enabled one and access it from my own computer/iPad/phone only over wifi? Is this possible? Or does it have to be connected to the internet?

You should be able to access it over WiFi, and most require you to set them up via a local network. To disable internet viewing, you simply block the IP from outside access (use a static IP for the CCTV). Your system you purchase should have instructions for that. – Jeff Cates 2 days ago


Shopvac a Toilet that is clogged? Can a shop vac be used to unclog toilet by putting hose from vac in toilet  (with most of water removed and filter removed from shop vac) to suction  and remove a clog?

I have used a Shop-Vac to empty a clogged  garbage disposal,
It was messy and smelly.
I seriously considered throwing it away.
It is nearly impossible to clean the corrugations in the hose. If the clog is human waste I would try a closet snake first even if you have to buy one. If its a toy or a rag or similar item you still don't know what else you will suck up.
On top of the mess in the vacuum you have to realize with out a filter you will potentially be spraying bacteria out the exhaust port hole.


How do I un-stick the release button on my Yale door knob? I'm rekeying my door locks (Yale door knob/locks). To remove the knob, you press in the release button & slide the knob off. The release button is stuck and I can't depress it enough to slide the knob off. Any ideas?

You have to put in the key and turn it while pressing the release button (or anyone could remove the knob and break in).


How to prevent static electricity build up? I have an office desk with a computer on it. After sitting in front of my computer for some period, if I get up and touch metal, I always get a spark.

In order to avoid surprises, I habitually touch metal whenever I get up now.

How can I prevent this build up of static electricity?

Hopefully this is just a combination of the dry winter air with various materials in your environment.  You can get anti-static mats that are used for electronics work, perhaps they would make a decent mouse pad.  They also have wrist straps, but those would be a pain to take on and off whenever you want to get up.

A more universal solution is to get a humidifier for the home.  The humidity helps remove any build up.  But don't turn it up too high since you don't want mildew or mold problems, and you don't want to create condensation issues in the windows.

Beyond that, review what materials you have separating you from a ground.  I'm currently on carpeting, with a plastic chair mat, on a chair with plastic wheels and a fabric seat.  In the winter time here, I'm a shock hazard.  I may just try one of those anti-static mats.


Any recommendations on joists for weight bearing? I am building a room (14 x 25) in my barn. I intend to stack hay on the top of the ceiling of this room. The estimated weight of the hay is 24,000 pounds. The joists will run the 14' length. What thickness of lumber (example 2 x 6) should I use and what should the spacing be?

68.57 Pounds per square foot if evenly distributed - call it 70 (or 75) and pull up a calculator (or drop by your lumberyard and have them run it on their I-joist software, which might well be the most affordable solution.) Or hire an engineer.

Underbuilt haylofts do have a tendency to demonstrate that they are underbuilt; so don't underbuild it.


Can anyone ID this bathroom fan motor? I need to replace this fan motor, I believe it's Broan, but could also be NuTone. I have tried looking up the number stamped on the side, but nothing comes up for either of those manufacturers. Does anyone recognize this or have any luck finding an actual replacement?

Thank you for your help.

For the most part there are only a few manufacturers of those fan motors, regardless of what brand the fan is. Most of them are interchangeable, but the critical dimension that you often must deal with is the length of the shaft that the fan itself is attached to (and how it attaches). You will need to remove it to determine what you need.

What I have found on the last 3 of these is that the replacement motor costs as much as the entire fan, but the entire fan unit was not going to match the sheet metal work, so swapping it out was more than I wanted to do. So I cleaned the motors and fans really well, put them back in and they worked fine. So far, 3 more years of life on the oldest one. It's worth a try.


What fastener to use to attach 4" circular pan to steel stud? I need to attach a 4" circular pan circuit box to a steel stud in order to hang a bathroom vanity light fixture. The fixture weights less than 10 lbs, but assume some future homeowner will want to install a bigger fixture -- but maximum of 20 lbs.

If the steel stud is of sufficient thickness/strength you could fasten it with self-drilling Tek screws. I would personally be more concerned with the weight bearing capability of the steel stud (assuming it is the lightweight steel studs commonly used in commercial build-outs in my area).

Most ceiling fixtures (you use the term stud rather than joist so I am assuming wall mount) that are expected to hold any weight should be attached to a cross-brace which is attached to two joists.

Consider using a long pilot drill and drill through both the front and back sides of the steel stud, then use a long self-tapping screw to penetrate both sides of the stud.


Identify this bathroom light switch? I'd like help identifying the light timer switch on the right hand side of this panel. It is being used in an apartment on the west coast of the USA.

It's unclear if it is a motion sensor or just a timer. One must physically turn the lights on by hitting the button on the top. There does not appear to be a PIR window (the grill and lower portion both appear to be hard opaque plastic).

We'd like a maker/model number so we can figure out how to properly use it (without pulling the facade off).

The switch on the left is of course a combined light/fan switch.

It turns out it was a Wattstopper PW-301-LA Motion Sensor, Passive Infrared Wall Switch.

You reprogram it for auto-on by flipping dipswitches underneath the power button. The PIR window is hidden in the lower third panel. The default is manual-on (PIR off) per CA electrical efficiency requirements so I don't think I'll change it.

The manual is on the manufacturer website.


What kind of wood should be used to replace a sub floor? I live in a British late 1900s semi detached house that I assume would have had floorboards originally. However it seems that these have been replaced by Chipboard. This doesnt seem very sturdy and I was going to replace. What would be the best type of wood to use to replace the old chipboard?

Sub Floor
Sub floor material can depend on what type of floor is going to be installed on top of it, and the joist spacing.
Typically if the joists are 16" on center (OC) or less, you can use 5/8" tongue and groove plywood glued and screwed to the joists. larger joist spacing calls for 3/4" tongue and groove plywood, again glued and screwed to the joists.

If the flooring material of choice is a heavy tile, you'll want to use 3/4" tongue and groove plywood even with 16" OC joists.
Underlayment
Depending on what type of floor covering you've chosen, an underlayment may also be necessary.
If you are planning on installing carpet, no extra materials are required.
If you plan to install hardwood flooring, you can use felt or rosin paper as an underlayment (though not all installers use it).

If you are installing laminate flooring, you should use a foam underlayment.

If you are going to install tile, you'll want to use a concrete board or similar material on top of the sub floor.

If you want to install vinyl or fiberglass sheeting, you should use 1/4" Lauan as an underlayment.


How to install an Insteon switch on a multi-way circuit I am attempting to install either an Insteon ToggleLinc Switch (#2466SW) or a Insteon Micro On/Off (2443-222) to control two ceiling fans with lights. The builder/previous owner created a multi-way circuit with 6 wall switches to control the fans. Both fans are controlled at the same time by the switches. I hired an electrician and he was not able to figure out how to get one of the Insteon devices wired in to replace one of the wall switches.

From what I have read using the ToggleLinc switch in a multi-way circuit requires that all of the existing switches be replaced with Insteon ToggleLinc switches. Can anyone verify that?

If that’s correct, is it possible to replace one of the 6 switches with the Insteon Micro On/Off switch?

Attached are 3 photos of the wiring to the existing switch that I want to replace. If I can use the Micro On/Off switch, does it matter which of the six switches I attach it to? A friend told me that it might make a difference I were to connecting to the first or last switch in the circuit.

Thanks in advance.
switch1

Insteon is very simple to install.

The concept of 3-way, 4-way, or multi switch circuits doesn’t exist in the traditional “wired” sense.

Use the 2466 in the last switch position before the load.  The red wire from the switch goes to the load.

Now you can use additional 2466’s (or many other insteon devices) at the other locations.  Basically the 2466 needs hot, neutral and ground.   In these other locations you cap the red wire on the switch because the switch isn’t actually switching a load.  Don’t have a hot and neutral at the switch location?  You re-wire the circuit to make it happen for your case.  You had 2 travelers before, you re-wire the circuit to make those old travelers hots and neutrals.

Now to get your multiway switching to work you utilize the insteon linking process.  This is best done thru your hub, but there is also a painstaking manual linking process described in insteon manuals.  Hint: if done thru a hub: for straight multi-way switching add each device individually to the hub, then create a scene and add all the devices as a “controller”.  (A controller is also a responder, and in a standard multi-way switching scene every device should be a “controller” and no device should be classified as “responder”)

(Disclaimer: the only two non-insteon switches in my house are both garbage disposal switches.  I've encountered every wiring possibility at some point. If you need more info ask away and I'll edit)


Attach 2x4 to a warping 2x4 wood rail? I have a 2x4 wood rail between two 4x4 wood columns. It looks something like the drawing below:

The 2x4 rail is warping a little bit, so I want to attach a 2x4 under it so that it can straighten the rail. But I don't want to use screws that will be seen from the top of the rail.

What can I do to securely attach a 2x4 under the 2x4 rail without having to drill at the top of the rail? Or is there a better way to straighten the 2x4 rail?

You could screw up through the lower 2x4 into the top 2x4, such that the screw heads would be on the bottom of the lower board and not seen from the top.

But I think there's a different question here: Why reinforce the existing board?

When working on problems like this, I first try to determine the root cause of the problem. Did that 2x4 warp because a 2x4 is not sufficient for that purpose? Or did it warp because the original board was poorly selected (it had a big knot, or gnarly grain).

If a 2x4 is indeed sufficient, then why not just replace the original board, instead of trying to "correct" it with a reinforcement?

If a 2x4 is not sufficient, then how about replacing with a correctly-sized piece of lumber instead of reinforcing the existing board?

In other words, reinforcing the existing board would be low on my list of choices.


Will 3.5" polyiso keep my electrical cables from melting? I am converting a room into a sauna that will frequently be very hot (100+C).  It has some wiring -- a few outlets and a light, from its previous use.  The insulation for electrical cables is rated up to 95C, and it isn't wise to approach this temperature.

I will put 3.5" polyiso on all the walls, but if I leave the outlets I they will obviously poke through the polyiso to the exterior.  Will this be sufficient to keep the cables' insulation from melting, keeping in mind that at least a small part of the cable will be nearly outside the insulation?

Edit:  Looking at the boxes, it appears that if they face into the hot room the wiring is at the back of the box, putting it behind all the insulation.  If I face them away from the hot room into the adjoining room, the back of the box will be closer to the heat.  Thoughts?

A low humidity sauna might be as high as 100°C measured above the upper bench.  It's really no consolation that much of the wire will be behind insulation and won't get to the full temperature inside the sauna;  if the insulation is compromised in the boxes, that's hazardous.  The connections in the boxes may be rated for lower temperatures than the 90°C insulation.

Keep in mind that the wiring generates some heat of it's own.  The ceiling light in particular would concern me.  Heat rises, so it will be hotter than the average temperature in the room.  The light will generate some heat too, on top of the ambient temperature of the sauna.

I don't think receptacles in the sauna is a good idea, receptacles are generally rated for 60°C operating ambient temperature.  You might find some industrial specialty receptacle made to withstand high temperatures but I bet it would cost a fortune.

I think you could safely blank off the and insulate over them, leaving an insulated access panel cover to get to them.  (You can't bury a junction box, it has to be accessible.)


Mold spots on Porch ceiling I have what appears to be black mold growing on my porch ceiling. What is your recommended method for correcting that problem? The ceiling is white.

I had black mold in my sunroom, and my solution was to hit it with bleach (mixed with water), then to scrap it off and remove it from the areas. I then hit the area with "Mold Control" from Home Depot (as it helps also prevent the spread of mold. I did this to the effected area plus 1m on either side. Then I painted over it with a mold-proof paint (talk to people in your area who can best advise stuff for your region and colour).

I hope this helps. But importantly, use proper PPE use a mask that blocks that stuff and googles! Be safe man!


Solution for covering carpet glued to concrete on a balcony Florida. Early morning sun. Large lanai (2 open sides) has carpet glued to concrete and it is 30 years old and impossible to clean from dust, small grass cutoffs from landscaping  etc.. What can I install over it so I would be able to clean it regularly? It gets wet during storms. I could also cover it partially, only the area near the door and W/D that are on the balcony. I have  a full box of Peel and Stick Vinyl Tile from Home Depot left over. Can I use it? I don't want mold growing underneath the whatever I instal.

It's a pain in the neck but you need to remove and dispose of the carpet. Anything you put on top of it will only cover a nasty mess that will get worse over time.

Once the carpet is removed you will need to clean the cement of carpet glue. There are many videos and guides for how to remove carpet glue.

Once the cement is prepped you have options. The vinyl tile you mention needs to be rated for outdoor use. Sunshine is hard on plastics. You don't want to install something that will be as big a mess as the carpet later on.

Options:
Not a complete list...

Leave the cement plain. This is the lowest effort/cost solution.
Stain the cement. There is a trend toward stained cement. You'll need something that is outdoor appropriate. Lots of videos and guides on how to stain cement.
Outdoor tile - this isn't cheap but it is durable, easy to clean and looks nice.

I like to get an estimate for what it will take to hire work done. This tells me how much money I'm saving if I do it myself - makes me feel good. On the other hand, if the estimate is reasonable I might let them do the work!


What are the typical height differences between carpet and hard floor? I'm raising an 80's style dropdown livingroom to be even with the rest of the floor. The dropdown area I'm raising will be carpet and the adjoining floors will be laminate (hard floor).

The goal is that the carpet and laminate look the same height, with a simple transition strip between them to hide the ends. To do this right, I need to know what height difference I should make between the dropdown area and the adjoining floors. What are the typical transition heights between hard floor and carpet? Is this completely dependent on the carpeting and padding I select?

Picture the following diagram:

  Laminate    Carpet
A --------------------- 1
B __________            2
C ==========|__________ 3
D           |__________ 4
E           |========== 5

Level A and level 1 are the carpet and laminate tops, evenly installed (assume there's a low profile transition strip between them).
On the laminate side, level B is the bottom of the laminate. Level C is the top of the floorboards. Levels D and E are under the floorboards. On the carpet side, level 2 is carpet bulk. Level 3 is the bottom of the carpet. Level 4 is the bottom of the pad. Level 5 is the top of the floorboards.

What is the typical difference in height between levels C and 5?

What is the typical difference in height between levels C and 5?

NONE- the top of the floorboards should be at the same height. Any slight difference between the height of the laminate and carpet is dealt with by using a transition bar.

Your floor coverings are temporary and will be removed and replaced eventually (perhaps when the next owner restores that sweet 80's sunken living room...); you should not build to different subfloor heights to accommodate the temporary floor coverings.


Help running romex and conduit for new outlet through cold air return I have two circuits right now that both terminate in the outlet box for the range hood/microwave. The one that goes into the box from above up in the second floor joists is a currently unused circuit (no devices on it). So, I'd like to run that unused circuit over to install a new outlet over what will be a narrow countertop to the left of our range (two studs to the left from the microwave outlet box where it currently terminates). I have two problems I'm trying to navigate: 1) The location of the new outlet box will be inside a cold air return and 2) all the studs on the wall already have wires running down them, so I'm not sure if I can just bore through the 2 studs in my way.

My inspector said the only way he can approve an outlet inside a cold air return is if the outlet box is metal and the portion of the wiring inside the cold air return is housed in flexible metal conduit.

Below is a photo of my situation. I'm not sure what will be the best path to run the romex and the conduit. Any suggestions?

Your inspector is on the right track -- burning NM in an air return is no fun!

A smoldering cable in an air return will cause the HVAC system to blithely send all that smoke throughout the house.  Hence, the NEC restricts the wiring methods usable in ductwork and plenum spaces in 300.22; since your panned-stud air return is a kind of plenum space, 300.22(C) is the specific Code citation that applies:

  (C) Other Spaces Used for Environmental Air (Plenums).
  This section shall apply to spaces not specifically fabricated for
  environmental air-handling purposes but used for air-handling
  purposes as a plenum. This section shall not apply to habitable
  rooms or areas of buildings, the prime purpose of which is not
  air handling.

  Informational Note No. 1: The space over a hung ceiling used
  for environmental air-handling purposes is an example of the
  type of other space to which this section applies.

  Informational Note No. 2: The phrase “Other Spaces Used for
  Environmental Air (Plenum)” as used in this section correlates
  with the use of the term “plenum” in NFPA 90A-2015, Standard
  for the Installation of Air-Conditioning and Ventilating Systems, and
  other mechanical codes where the plenum is used for return air
  purposes, as well as some other air-handling spaces.

  Exception: This section shall not apply to the joist or stud spaces of
  dwelling units where the wiring passes through such spaces perpendicular to the long dimension of such spaces.

  (1) Wiring Methods. The wiring methods for such other space
  shall be limited to totally enclosed, nonventilated, insulated
  busway having no provisions for plug-in connections, Type MI
  cable without an overall nonmetallic covering, Type MC cable
  without an overall nonmetallic covering, Type AC cable, or
  other factory-assembled multiconductor control or power cable
  that is specifically listed for use within an air-handling space, or
  listed prefabricated cable assemblies of metallic manufactured
  wiring systems without nonmetallic sheath. Other types of
  cables, conductors, and raceways shall be permitted to be
  installed in electrical metallic tubing, flexible metallic tubing,
  intermediate metal conduit, rigid metal conduit without an
  overall nonmetallic covering, flexible metal conduit, or, where
  accessible, surface metal raceway or metal wireway with metal
  covers.

  Nonmetallic cable ties and other nonmetallic cable accessories used to secure and support cables shall be listed as having
  low smoke and heat release properties.

  Informational Note: One method to determine low smoke and
  heat release properties is that the nonmetallic cable ties and
  other nonmetallic cable accessories exhibit a maximum peak
  optical density of 0.50 or less, an average optical density of 0.15
  or less, and a peak heat release rate of 100 kW or less when
  tested in accordance with ANSI/UL 2043-2008, Fire Test for Heat
  and Visible Smoke Release for Discrete Products and Their Accessories
  Installed in Air-Handling Spaces.

  (2) Cable Tray Systems. The provisions in (a) or (b) shall
  apply to the use of metallic cable tray systems in other spaces
  used for environmental air (plenums), where accessible, as
  follows:

  (a) Metal Cable Tray Systems. Metal cable tray systems shall
  be permitted to support the wiring methods in 300.22(C)(1).

  (b) Solid Side and Bottom Metal Cable Tray Systems. Solid
  side and bottom metal cable tray systems with solid metal
  covers shall be permitted to enclose wiring methods and cables,
  not already covered in 300.22(C)(1), in accordance with
  392.10(A) and (B).

  (3) Equipment. Electrical equipment with a metal enclosure,
  or electrical equipment with a nonmetallic enclosure listed for
  use within an air-handling space and having low smoke and
  heat release properties, and associated wiring material suitable
  for the ambient temperature shall be permitted to be installed
  in such other space unless prohibited elsewhere in this Code.

  Informational Note: One method to determine low smoke and
  heat release properties is that the equipment exhibits a maxi‐
  mum peak optical density of 0.50 or less, an average optical
  density of 0.15 or less, and a peak heat release rate of 100kW or
  less when tested in accordance with ANSI/UL 2043-2013, Fire
  Test for Heat and Visible Smoke Release for Discrete Products and Their
  Accessories Installed in Air-Handling Spaces.

  Exception: Integral fan systems shall be permitted where specifically
  identified for use within an air-handling space.

As a result, you will need to use an unjacketed, metal-clad wiring method (type AC or MC cable is probably the easiest thing to use for this) with a metal box and faceplate if you want to mount a receptacle in this air-handling stud space.


Venting a direct vent fireplace into an existing wood burning stove flue Currently have a floor to ceiling brick wall with a wood burning stove that connects to a round flue tile about 32" from the floor and then has a standard cinder block with tile liner up to the roof. Want to get rid of the stove and install a direct vent freestanding or wall mounted gas fireplace. Can I use the existing flue and install the coaxial type vent pipes required by the direct vent fireplace? Don't want to use a gas stove and can't use an insert.
I want the finished product to look like a real fireplace.

Spoke with a fireplace pro over the weekend who told me for direct vent units the flue opening should be about 36 inches high to allow about 22" of vertical rise before entering the first right angle into the flue. Will use flexible coaxial pipe for venting all the way to the roof. Prefer this method rather than breaking through the outside brick chimney.

Hard to say without seeing it, but typically you can use the existing flue provided you add the proper direct vent chimney insert for your particular gas fireplace. Alternatively, you can possibly knock a hole in the back of your chimney and just go out the side if you'd prefer (more labor, but less flue inserts you'd need to purchase).

UPDATE:

We actually did this recently. We ended up taking a direct vent unit and have the exhaust going through the existing flue (about 20'). For intake air, we're letting it take it from inside the house (since this isn't a primary heating unit, the loss in efficiency isn't a big concern for us). We've ran it a few times and seems to be working just fine.


What Alternatives are there to Toilet Wax Rings? I've got a toilet to set, on a flush but rough and older metal flange.

What alternatives are there to toilet wax rings?  I've tried two over time, each subsequently became destroyed when the toilet needed to be snaked.

First off, can you replace the old rough flange or add a 1/4" extension plate to smooth it out? If not, can you file it down a bit and smooth out the rough spots? I've used a number of the seals pictured below and have much more luck with them than with the wax rings. Good luck


How can I shave about 1/8" from a 8'x3/4"x1 1/2" strip of oak? I attached a 8'x3/4"x1 1/2" strip of red oak to the edge of multiple layers of plywood in order to make the plywood more rigid.  Altogether, the three layers of plywood are 1 3/8" thick.  This means that the wood strip is 1/8" too thick, so I need to shave that off.

I came up with the idea to use my oscilating tool with wood blade, but this oak is tough to cut through.  I've only been able to shave off about 5" before I gave up.  In addition to being hard to cut, it burns the holy heck out of the wood to the point that I am wondering if it's actually going to catch fire or combust (although I do love the smell of burning wood).

I tried a chisel and it's a lot easier, but it doesn't do a very clean and even job.  I would like to shave off the edge of this so that it's flush to the surface of the plywood.  The oscilating tool seems to do the best job, but at the risk of burning my house down.

Feel free to edit this question's title if you think it's too localized.  I also couldn't find any other good tags, so feel free to add those, too.

The tool of choice for this type of shaving operation is a router with a ball bearing edge cutting bit. Since the edge that you attached is 3/4 inch thick you would an edge cutting bit that has at least a 7/8 inch cutting edge.

The picture below shows this type of trimming operation in process.

Note that when you set out to do this for your project you will need a more powerful router than the small single hand sized unit shown in the picture. Shown is a small router known as a laminate and veneer trimming router. Also it can be tricky balancing a larger sized router along the 1 3/8 inch edge of your plywood pieces so use care to be safe. I also suggest that before using a router to spend some time researching online and become familiar with the proper cutting direction for router use and to learn about some jigging possibilities that you can use to help stabilize the router base by clamping on another parallel edge of wood or plywood that is spaced away from the cut piece by more than the width of the router bit. The picture below shows one type of jig clamped in place to provide more support for the router during an edge trimming operation.


How best to remove fumes after applying polyurethane in a hardwood refinishing project? I understand that oil based polyurethane used to refinish hardwood floors has a strong fumes and can stay for days. I also understand that opening the doors and letting air flow can help remove the odor faster. I also have been told that moisture is not good for the oil based polyurethane curing process.

Question: What is the tried and proven method to speedily remove the odor with out affecting the oil based polyurethane curing process?

Assumed weather conditions in a 5 day period

Temperature: Low of 25F (Approx) and High of 45F (Approx)
Conditions: Partly cloudy, Sunny and Mostly Sunny
Humidity: Low of 44% and High of 70%

I have been told to keeping the temperature at 71F for few days will help cure the oil based polyurethane best.

References:

When is it safe to live in our home?
How long does it take polyurethane to dry?

Turn up the heat while opening windows across the house.  Put in fans in windows/doors blowing in the house on one or two sides.  Just don't put fans blowing in all windows so air has an easier chance of escaping.  It would be better to open all windows partially than two windows fully.

Definitely make sure you have at least one fan though to create a pressure differential to push out the inside air.  As an example, we have used 6 box fans with filtered air on the intake fans sealed to an opening while lacquering cabinets (extremely high fumes) and it kept the fumes down to a minimum throughout the rest of the house DURING spraying.  You have less fumes so even a couple fans could do a world of difference.

Consider the heat a cost of doing the project.  Might cost $100-$200 in heat over 5 days if you really opened things up but should be less.  Just depends on how long, heating method, fuel cost, and how much you change out the air.

You could also purge the house at intervals by doing this for 1-2+ hours or so at a time 1+ time a day until you are satisfied with the fume level.

You might need to re-purge even weeks later if your house is really sealed up and you are concerned about the fumes.


Can I run two sets of 10/3 30amp wire to feed one panel? I have a shed that I want to supply power too.  Can I run 2 sets of 10/3 30amp cable to one panel? Or does each cable have to have its own panel?
Approximate wire length will be 45 foot.  I already have the 10/3 wire on hand.  I hope to get a small welder and want to make sure I have enough power to operate it.

That's a violation two ways.
First, you can't parallel.  Paralleling requires special equipment rated for paralleling on the supply end - this is for a bunch of reasons.   It is also not allowed below a fairly large wire size.  It's also uneconomical below an even larger wire size, and as a result, nobody makes paralleling equipment except for really huge wire.   NEC 310.10.
Second, you can only have one supply feed to a building.  NEC 225.30.
Bonus violation: Can't use NM cable outdoors, not even in conduit.  (especially not in smallish conduit!)
Anyway, it sounds like this is about economics.
Here's a fact nobody knows: 10/3 UF and 2-2-2-4 MH feeder are about the same price, even though one is 30A and the other is 90A.
Use 2-2-2-4 MH feeder.  Save the valuable 10/3 for something that actually needs 10/3, like ... .... a dryer, or range/oven separates, or shrug TWO travel trailers?  Sell it on Craigslist?
60A breakers are 1/3 the price of 90A breakers, so go ahead and breaker it at 60A if you want to pinch pennies there.  If you ever develop the need for 90A, you can change the breaker to that, then. Use the cost savings on a nicer subpanel, because "number of breaker spaces" is one place never to scrimp!  A 24-space is not excessive, and nice thing, the combo packs come with a bunch of breakers!
You'll need a subpanel anyway, since you can't put #2 wire directly on a receptacle, and a subpanel is the cheapest possible way to get 4 lugs to adapt #2 down to smaller wires.
MH feeder is aluminum, but that's perfectly fine for large feeders like that.  (which is funny because you never expected to use a large feeder, eh? :)


How can I repair marred veneer polish? I have PU polish on veneer in my wardrobe. I accidently put a heavy weight over it, so polish seems to have left the veneer and appears as white. How can i fix it? Will using hot iron work? Kindly suggest

No, heat will usually mar it further.  I've had some success in simply buffing the white discoloration with a soft cloth.  I have a terry bathrobe that has be relegated to rag status that I use.


How are these installed and how can I remove them? New home.  Hate the tiny shelves.  Want to remove them, put a normal mantle in, and a TV above.

If you're putting a mantle in there you've got some major work ahead of you, and this is just a minor step. Taking those out is just a matter of chipping away the mortar around them with a suitable tool and cracking them loose. I doubt they have any additional fastening beyond the same mortar that holds the rest of the stone in place.


Light bulb stays on regardless of switch position after breaker flipped A light bulb in my office died suddenly. When it happened I heard a loud click. This was the circuit breaker tripping.

I turned off the light switch, went down to the box, and closed the circuit breaker. Back in the room I turned on the light. This caused the circuit breaker to trip again. I repeated with the same outcome.

Came to the conclusion that the bulb was causing a problem. Bought a new one and started to insert it with the light switch turned OFF. To my surprise the light bulb lite up as I was inserting it.

I manually flipped the circuit breaker OFF and inserted the bulb. Then turned the circuit breaker back on. The light turned on in the room with the light switch set to OFF. But this time the circuit breaker did not flip.

I also noticed that the light switch is sensitive. Normally it'd take a firm press to switch between ON and OFF. Now it seems to be hair triggered.

What could cause this?

It sounds like the element in the lamp welded and caused a dead short. With the switch off it worked the first time but the second time the switch welded. It happens. Time to replace the switch


Can a 20 amp circuit have a 14 gauge pigtail directly to one receptacle? I'm rewiring a a small part of a wall and I'm confused about a combination of the NEC and the products that I'm able to find.

I'm working on a 20 amp circuit (with 12g wire of course).  I'm connecting 4 receptacles each in their own box, 15 amp receptacles for normalcy.  But the terminals don't seem to accept 12g wire, even on the screws.  My first reaction was to make pigtails 14g pigtails, so that the 14g tap goes directly to the receptacle and is not used to feed the rest of the circuit.  12g in the box, 12g out of the box, and 14g inside the box only.

Is that type of splice allowed, or should I look harder for a 15 amp outlet that can more easily accept 12g wire?

National Electrical Code 2008
Article 210 Branch Circuits
II. Branch-Circuit Ratings
210.19 Conductors — Minimum Ampacity and Size.
(A) Branch Circuits Not More Than 600 Volts.
(2) Multioutlet Branch Circuits. Conductors of branch circuits supplying more than one receptacle for cord-and-plug connected portable loads shall have an ampacity of not less than the rating of the branch circuit.

Which means in your case, you'll have to use 12 AWG conductors for attaching the receptacle.
note: A duplex receptacle actually counts as two receptacles according to NEC
However, there are situation were 14 AWG conductors can be used on a 20 ampere circuit.

(4) Other Loads. Branch-circuit conductors that supply loads other than those specified in 210.2 and other than cooking appliances as covered in 210.19(A)(3) shall have an ampacity sufficient for the loads served and shall not be smaller than 14 AWG.
Exception No. 1: Tap conductors shall have an ampacity sufficient for the load served. In addition, they shall have an ampacity of not less than 15 for circuits rated less than 40 amperes and not less than 20 for circuits rated at 40 or 50 amperes and only where these tap conductors supply any of the following loads:
(a) Individual lampholders or luminaires with taps extending not longer than 450 mm (18 in.) beyond any portion of the lampholder or luminaire.
(b) A luminaire having tap conductors as provided in 410.117.
(c) Individual outlets, other than receptacle outlets, with taps not over 450 mm (18 in.) long.
(d) Infrared lamp industrial heating appliances.
(e) Nonheating leads of deicing and snow-melting cables and mats.

Check the Device

Click for larger view

Push in #14 CU solid wire for 15A branch circuit only.
Installation Screw Terminal > #14 - #12 AWG CU Wire Only.

Notice on the back of this 125V 15A duplex receptacle, it states that you can use 14 AWG or 12 AWG copper wire when terminating at the screw terminals, but that 14 AWG copper must be used when terminating at the push in terminals. It also says that if you're using the push in terminal, and 14 AWG copper, it can only be used on a 15 ampere circuit. If you're installing this on a 20 ampere circuit, with 12 AWG wire, you'll have to use the screw terminals.


How to protect foundation, sill, and siding from moisture (snow) I have an old house with a stone foundation and ~6x6 sill plate. The deck used to butt right up to the siding. I cut the deck away about 18" in order to get access to the area for some weatherization... removed some courses of clapboards, sheathing boards (T&G), and did some spray foaming. My question now is, should I take any measures to protect the foundation, sill, and siding from moisture - particularly snow that will fall from above and/or drift?

I was thinking several inches high metal flashing extending to an inch or two below the sill to a few inches above it. But then how would I attach the clapboards? Is there a better alternative? Or will I just have to live with replacing those clapboards sooner than the rest of them?

Here's a schematic (side view) to illustrate:

The vertical line represents proposed flashing.

better than metal flashing and its excellent ability to repel water/moisture is self-sticking rubberized flashing. Although 15 pound roof felt also is acceptable. Either product should be lapped over by the (if any) house wrap and fastened with minimal nails ,etc. I'm not sure about the problem you have in regards to re-installing the clapboards? Won't they re-install with the original fasteners? or is there concern about nailing through the metal flashing?


Can you get an "optionally cordless" or "hybrid" drill? I'm looking to buy a new drill, but all of them seem to be corded or cordless.  Are there drills that can either run cordless, or off the mains, depending on whether it's plugged in?  It seems that would give the best of both worlds.

The main reason there is not a hybrid is the motor voltage. Corded drill use motors that run on 120 volts AC, (supplied by the grid). Cordless drills use motors that run on a lower voltage, usually between 12 and 18 volts DC (supplied by the batteries). A standard motor cannot run on both high voltage and low voltage. It also cannot run on both AC and DC.

To have a convertible or hybrid unit, it would have to run using a low voltage motor. There are three basic approaches to this that come to mind:

The unit could run on its batteries all the time. When the cord was attached, it would merely be charging the battery.  The problem with this is that the discharge rate is much higher than a safe charge rate, so all this gains you is a little longer runtime until the battery runs out. You would also get no increased torque.
The unit could run on the 120 volt AC voltage when plugged in, which would have to be both reduced to the lower voltage of the motor and would have to be converted to DC. This would require a serious transformer and circuitry that would add significant weight and bulk to the unit (that is what is in most of the brick type power supplies and battery chargers). The transformer would still be there when you went cordless.
It might be possible to build the transformer into a unit that plugs in like a battery and has a cord out the back end. But this would make the drill significantly heavier and bulkier than a conventional corded drill, a step backward in the evolution of tools.

The disadvantages to these approaches make it impractical. There also may be limitations that have to do with torque, speed, etc. for low voltage motors, but that is beyond my knowledge.


How can I ground a fluorescent light that I'm attaching a wall outlet plug/cord to? How can I ground a fluorescent light that I'm attaching a wall outlet plug/cord to? The light  fixture has a ground cord already attached.

I'm not sure of the code implications, since that will depend on where you live. But if you're going to put a power cord on a fixture designed to be hardwired with ground, just use a power cord that provides ground as shown. Also, be sure to use a clamp, rather than let the power cord get abraded by the sheet steel fixture of the housing.

This image is from a sink disposal "power cord kit" sold on amazon (US).


How do I replace a section of a 4" cast iron pipe with PVC? I am working on our upstairs bathroom and plan on moving some of the fixtures around to a different side of the room.  This means I need to make changes to where the drain comes into the stack (I want to bring it in lower than it is now).

How do I go about replacing a section of 85 year old cast iron pipe?  Can I just replace the section I want to change with PVC and tie back into the original cast iron above and below it?  Or do I have to replace everything above it with PVC as well (it runs up through the attic and the roof)?

I hope I don't have to replace the entire stack with PVC (I am not sure the new PVC pipe would even fit inside some of the walls as I think the PVC flanges are larger than my cast iron pipe's).

85 years old. The biggest problem is that cast iron is heavy. By removing a section of the piping you might end up inadvertently messing up the mounts for the old pipe. If it is at all possible I would replace it with PVC, otherwise, I would leave it alone.