Why is my house humidity at 80%? I live in Northern CA.

For over 2 weeks, outside humidity is 90% (night) to 60% (4pm).
I use fans when cooking and bathing.
I keep the house temperature at 60-66 deg (night-day) and probably may drop to 57 when not at home during the day.
I try to open windows and ventilate, but that is hard since when I am home, I want to heat on and it tends to be night time so outside humidity is higher anyway
I have no basement
house is old, so I don't think it is "too air tight"
windows (about half) are old, single pan (not drafty though) and they get TONS of condensation every morning

Why is it that other houses I went to seem dry and maintain humidity at 40-50% while I have such a big problem lowering it?

Am I doing something wrong, like, should I heat the house to a higher temperature, will that help?
Is getting a dehumidifier a (only) solution?

If you have a crawlspace with an earth bottom, it's possible the humidity is coming up through that--check whether you have a vapor barrier below your house. You probably don't, given the age of the house.

Getting a dehumidifier is definitely a possibility. Or a 'swamp cooler' arrangement, where cold water is used to make condensate that you then pipe out of the house, but that really only works in higher temperature air.

(edit) You may find some of this writeup really helpful.


Can Double Glazed units be repaired? If a double glazed unit has one of its glass panes shattered can the unit be repaired?

Or does the whole thing need to go in the trash?

I know that a double glazed unit is sealed with inert gas inside etc., so my question is whether the single glass that is still in good condition can be reused to make another unit.

Unfortunately, you cannot salvage the pane that is not broken.  You will need to order a replacement of exact measurements or bring the sash to a glass supplier so a new sealed and gas filled unit can be made. A double pane that is not sealed will collect condensation and fog up quickly. Not an option.


What underlayment should I use to reduce traffic noise under a hardwood or bamboo floor? I'm in the process of renovating the 2nd story of my New England 1.5 story cape-style home.  New OSB subfloors are down with Liquid Nails and deck screws over 5 weeks ago.  I'm on to flooring now. I don't have much experience with wood flooring, so I'm not sure what my best option is for reducing traffic noise from upstairs into the rooms below. I'm not too concerned about moisture, except moisture content of OSB.  The house has forced hot air heating.  Can I use a felt cushion underlayment designed for floating floors in a nail down application of solid hardwood? Does rosin paper act in any way as a noise barrier?

You probably missed "the best option for reducing noise to below" if you put down new subfloors and didn't put insulation under them (assuming you actually removed the old subfloor and had open joists.) Your next-best option would be to blow in insulation from below.

If you are already committed to nail-down flooring, I don't think the underlayment will make much difference, as the nails will transmit sound into the structure. An actual floating floor on the thin, dense foam underlayment sold for that purpose would be the best option on top of the subfloor for traffic sound reduction - or a "no shoes on the second floor" house rule.


Is my dishwasher air gap manufactured incorrectly? I bought new Kohler dishwasher air gap. An air gap is required in California. It is used in conjunction with brand new dishwasher and garbage disposal. The problem is water keeps on spewing out of the air gap and never drains to the garbage disposal. I disassembled the air gap to inspect the innards. Something strange is the 5/8" small tube coming from the dishwasher shoots all the way up to the top of the air gap. It's ending right where the water was spewing out. I see no way for the water to discharge into the larger  7/8" side, which goes to the garbage disposal. Basically, there's no route from the 5/8" side to the 7/8" side. Is this air gap defective? Was the 5/8" tube pushed way to far up?

(click to enlarge images)

I'm going out on a limb here, but it is probably more indicative of the solution.

You have a question outstanding that no-one answered yet, and then you posted this one, which ironically is going to draw questions that feed right into your other question. So for sake of completeness, you may want to merge them since both of these questions DEFINITELY feed each other, and mark the other dupe or link it to this one.

Question.... in question:
Can dishwasher tubes do 360 loops?

There is no "pressure" from your air gap from your dishwasher, so the air gap is almost certainly filling up until the loop you have created BELOW the disposal is filled and there is (if ever) enough water weight to move water into the disposals drain.

Also, make sure the disposal & its drain is clean & clear.

The dishwasher & disposal install kits instructions should talk about this. Here is an example from a google search:
http://structuretech1.com/dishwasher-drain/

From the two posts, I would shorten the disposal line and run it directly.


Leviton usb charger into an old handy work box The dimensions what is stated for the receptacle is 3"x2"x2-1/2" (they state standard single gang electrical wall box). However i have an old handy end run work box that is 3-1/2" x 1 3/4" to the metal screws which is the end of the depth.  When I measure the depth of the usb it truly measures 1-3/4" totally. However from their metal screw holders on both end of the usb it is 1 1/4" to the end of their receptacle and to their front from the metal holders it is 1/2".  After screwing it in the handy box it protrude only 3/16 from the wall plate not 1/2". Is 3/16 acceptable to NEC standards though they never defined 'flush or thereof'. I know it is suppose to be flush or an 1/8 example gfci to protrude? And how could leviton say it is 2 1/2" depth which it isnt? And finally is there a way that if i decide to keep my old handy metal box to reduce that protrusion by a 1/16 or so? Will do whatever to be in conformity?

. Im sorry for making this a big deal but if your playing with electricity it should be clearly spelled out.

To start, all devices should be mounted flush into the wall unless they are designed otherwise. This is to prevent fire and shock hazard. Leviton and other devices are giving you a box size not only to fit the device but provide air space for heat disbursement.

NEC Article 314 has instructions on how many devices by cubic inch, wire splices, and number and size of conductors you can put into one box. I would follow that rather than instructions in a box or someone who would say it it fits it's ok.

Is there any way you could remove the box and install a cut-in or remodel box that is a required size? If I could that's how I would go.


Why is my new pine fence turning black? Can I stain right over it without creating a bigger future headache? We put in a new pine fence about 2-3 months ago.
(Southern Yellow Pine, from Lowes. They called it “Severe Weather Pressure Treated Pine”)
I have been trying to stain/seal it for the past month and a half but we have had one of the wettest summers on record. And when it’s not raining, it’s 100 degrees and 30000% humidity.
Over the past 2 weeks the panels have rapidly started turning grey/black. I don’t think the sun ever directly hits this side of the fence so I assumed it is mold..?

Based on the picture and info, is my assumption correct?

If so, do I now have to remediate the mold by doing the whole bleach scrub and dry process?

If I don’t do the bleach scrub and just stain right over it, will I be creating a recipe for disaster or just end up with a sub-par looking stain job?

That is natural aging , the most rot resistant wood redwood turns gray within 5 years , cedar within 3 and that’s in Oregon.
If you stain it a color or paint it it will hide the aging but this is normal with most any wool product, pressure treating keeps it from rotting not aging.


Can I install a modern light fixture on this box? My 1950s house has several old fixtures, but only one like this. There is a metal plate flush with the ceiling. It has holes that look similar to a regular light fixture mounting plate. Can I use those holes and the existing wires to install a new fixture, or do I need to replace everything with a new box?

I got the cover off and there is a box up there. It looks like the awesome textured ceiling was put over the old plaster, and then the light fixture was cut in to sit flush. I'm thinking to do this properly, I'd need to put in a new, deeper box and then patch up the ceiling.

I would install a new led flat panel fixture. No new box or patching needed.

Remove the threaded stud so the panel can sit flush to the ceiling.

These lights do not weigh very much and you can attach them to the ceiling instead of the box if you use an appropriate anchor or if you are lucky enough to have some wood structure in the ceiling line up with the mounting holes of the fixture.

I have installed these by myself but having an extra set of hands is very helpful.
On the ones that i have installed the cover comes off, you then hold the main body of the fixture up to the ceiling and use a pencil to mark the location of the mounting holes. If there is structure in ceiling that falls within the parameters of the fixture but is not where the mounting holes are you can drill new holes in the fixture if there is nothing restricting access and the new location does not interfere with the cover seating properly.

Your ceiling seams to have had second layer of drywall added so finding structure may be a challenge but that means that an anchor will possibly have more holding power. Depending of the size of the fixture you may want to secure it with anchors at all four corners but two may be sufficient.


How to remove glue from ceiling I removed a ceiling of plaster panels and found that on the original concrete ceiling there is a glue residue of some glued-on styrofoam tiles. (See picture)

Before I get the plastering redone, I have to remove this residue. Are there like special glue removers for this type of work?

I would recommend that you reuse the furring.  Here is my reasoning

It's already there.
It will cost more to remove it than reuse it
It will provide space to run electrical, network, phone, coax, etc wiring
Unless you head height is really low, the 1.5" will not be missed too much.

Essentially, you have a 'service cavity'.  You can place low profile can lights, electrical wiring, etc in this space.  I'd keep it if it is secure.


Meaning of small patches of shallow water on the basement floor They have been happening now for a couple of months, which may or may not be related to the humid summers in the Northeastern United States. They appear without rhyme or reason, taking up a maximum of 5 - 10 sq feet. They are very shallow, but enough to wet the carpet tiles. They dry up, and can go 4 or 5 days without reappearing.

These extremely shallow puddles are away from walls, plumbing system or appliances. Further, we live in a high part of town (near the top of a gentle hill), where the water table should not be an issue. It is true that we have a front yard with soil, because the house is in the suburbs, although the basement is not deep - less than 6 ft. below ground, and we have never had any flooding issues, or remotely similar problems in the more than ten years we have lived there. It may be important to point out that there is no sump pump. The ceiling is completely dry.

We have removable carpet tiles flooring on the basement, which is easy to dry up one piece at a time, so we keep on taking pieces out when wet, and putting them back down, only to find a wet spot in a different place a few days later.

We have had plumbers and HVAC contractors come and check, and the closer they have come to explaining what could possibly be happening is condensation; otherwise they express their consternation. One of the contractors, who actually sells and installs sump pumps and knows the area, was even honest enough to advise us against installing a sump pump for this.

I have a dehumidifier in the basement, and it's running constantly, except when the bucket fills up, and it has to be emptied - and we are usually diligent with that. I have tried changing the physical placement of the dehumidifier, thinking of convection currents: next door the air is cold and wet as it connects with crawling spaces, but the door is typically closed, so it's even hard to think of a connection. Unfortunately, I haven't come up with any patterns.

I don't know who to call, or what measures to take.

Here is a small patch (less than 25 sq in.) this morning (after a rainy night, which could be coincidental):

And here is a more extensive example from a couple of weeks ago:

in both cases with the carpet tiles already removed.

EDIT:

After the first answer...

It's clustered in one-half of the room, although in different spots. They are no lower than any other areas. I thought about the possibility of dense, cold air seeping in underneath the door that separates the livable area of the basement from the laundry room, which gets really cold b/c of the AC, and it's humid because of the crawling spaces. My idea was that the hot, and dry rising air of the dehumidifier in the living area of the basement would push down, or compress against the floor the cold, moist air, and lead to condensation. But moving the dehumidifier around doesn't prevent it.

Here is the drawing of the basement with the problem spots in blue, and the location of the dehumidifier, as well as the door to the laundry room:

Concrete is pretty hygroscopic, meaning it attracts water - to a degree in my experience.  Capillary action is the classic way concrete attracts water, but if it is cooler than the air it can and will condense moisture from the air. And concrete holds water in and under pretty well: if you were to dig under it, probably not dry.

If accumulation only happens in some spots, are they depressions, or lower than other adjacent areas? That would be why it accumulates there.  Another thing to check is whether those specific spots are cooler than other areas so you have local action going on (sounds crazy, but you've exhausted a lot of other ideas, now it's time for outta the box thinking.) Use a pretty sensitive digital thermometer (measuring portions of a degree) to check.

Which brings up another point: is the air in your basement somehow a bit moist? Have you checked the humidity level, esp. in various places (dry here, moister there).  Is there any possible air-current that could move air over specific spots, or around them so they don't dry?


Does 9'-11" mean any length less than 9 feet and 11 inches? This post gives a deck joist span table

Does 9'-11" mean any length less than 9 feet and 11 inches?

I think that table should say "Maximum allowable span" , so yes anything up-to  9'11" is allowable.


Electrical Ditch Cover Inspection Unincorporated Pierce County, Washington State, USA.

We're covered under Washington State L&I for electrical inspections and I've been digging around their site but have failed to come up with an answer.  This is honestly probably a stupid question but I'm going to ask it anyway.

We're building a detached shop/ADU and laying 2 inch conduit from our main structure out to the new building and bedding it in about 5" of sand.  We need to have a ditch inspection before we backfill.  However what I cant seem to find is, do we actually need to have wire in the conduit, or can it be empty for the inspection.

Reason being, we're not ready to make the full run yet, but need to backfill our trench as its blocking access to the worksite. Essentially I want to leave the conduit stubbed out above ground level next to the main house and complete that section later.  Plus pulling 2/0 2/0 2/0 AL and #6 ground that entire distance sounds like a major PITA.  It would be nice to pull from the new structure to where it comes out of the ground, and then finish the pull from that point.

Since I'm on the topic of conduit and this feeder, maybe someone can tag a separate answer on.  From where the new feeder comes out of the ground, we're going to run it up the side of the house and into our attic using a conduit body to make the 90* turn in.  Coming out of our main panel the previous builder put 2 inch conduit up into our attic for us for future use.  From where the old conduit ends, to where the new conduit enters the house, I was planning on leaving the wires exposed in the attic, would this be acceptable, and if so, what method of stapling would you use?  None of the staples I've seen allow for wire up to 2/0 in size.

Conduit in place should be fine for the inspection.

The forces involved in pulling make doing so without the conduit buried (so it stays put) rather difficult, and in any case it's quite common (and it you have not, I suggest you go get some) to put empty conduits in a trench for future use (i.e. a small conduit for network/phone/communications.)

I have to assume that something makes it worth the extra run up to and down from the attic rather than simply entering the building on the level of the main panel.

I would NOT leave the wires exposed in the attic. I'm dubious that it's acceptable, as they are not cable, designed for exposed use, but in any case I would not do it. I've seen way too many chewed cables in attic spaces. Completing the run in conduit should not be terribly difficult, and gives the wires protection.


Ice maker loud knocking noise The lower drawer freezer icemaker in my Frigidaire side by side refridgerator unit makes a very loud knocking sound every time ice cubes are dispensed.
The unit produces a good volume of ice cubes, but even when a handful of cubes are removed, the knocking sound is so loud, can be heard throughout the house

This happens to me often. Same brand and design. When this happens, I open the cover on the ice  bucket and knock out any ice cubes that are still stuck in the ice maker tray with a wooden spoon and then the noise stops...at least until the next time it dispenses more ice.


Will filling gaps with epoxy in a new hardwood floor look ok? I installed a floor made from locally produced, 3 1/4" hard maple. There are a few gaps under 1/16th of an inch that I don't like. I normally buy the best product for the application, but the stores will be closed tomorrow. What I do have access to is epoxy. Most wood fillers are a two part epoxy anyways. One video shows epoxy mixed with sawdust to fill knots and cracks. Gaps seem a little different, though. Will mixing up a thick sawdust-epoxy paste be a definite, long term, aesthetic improvement? The floor isn't sanded or finished yet.

The epoxy glue products are not made for this situation. It will stick out like a sore thumb.  It will not accept stain.  There are any number of good quality wood filler products that are made specifically for this application. The manufacturers of these products state that they will accept stain however, I have found that to be only partially true.  They are still the best choice for this job. Wood that is properly seasoned and good tight installation is the best defense against having to fill the cracks.


Can a roof A/C be installed on a concrete slab on the floor without being on a mounting? An A/C company came out and replaced my A/C with a new unit a few years ago. I've had A LOT of problems with it freezing since then. I noticed a lot of mold on the bottom of the unit itself and it seems as if it is not draining properly, there is constantly a huge puddle of water- so much so that it has actually made a hole in the driveway. (The ducks come and hang out by it because of the water!)

I called the company and they're telling me it's all fine, that the mold is because the duct work is leaking cold air- but the duct work is behind the are where the mold is. Some pictures:

A roof unit usually has more air flow around them so they dry out easier. The moisture is Norman and part of how air conditioners work, outdoor units are almost always drained on the ground. It is possible your unit needs to be washed down, dust builds up in the coils and turns into mud in the drip pan and can cause more issues but other than a good wash down your company is correct this is normal. If you decide to wash the coil and pan make sure to use low pressure water flow , I have replaced several outside units that home owners have destroyed using a pressure washer. No harsh chemicals if it needs chemical cleaning use a non acid cleaner, simple green is a good home owner option, I use a product made by my-Calvin called nu-bright, it is a non acid foaming coil cleaner that pushes the dirt out of the coils, after a treatment or 2 a clear water rinse has the system running better, also make sure to clean the drip pan it could be full of dirt, again clear water will work, I clean type unit every spring prior to the cooling season for best performance, as for water be happy you are making some, this says your coils are getting cold and taking the moisture out of the air. If your system was not making water it would not be cooling.


Can I replace my furnace's high limit switch with a comparable third-party part? I have an older Lennox furnace.  The high limit switch (#60T15,130F) has gone bad.  I haven't been able to find on-line this part number with the exact temp limit specs, and Lennox no longer carries this part either.  Do I have to use this particular limit switch, or can I replace it with something similar?

I have replaced over temp switches in the past because the one that failed was no longer made.
I used a slightly low temp rating as the exact temp was not available. Most over temp switches are manual reset.
This is a safety so if there is something wrong you have to reset it by pressing a small button on the switch.
Don’t replace with an automatic reset because this can damage the fire box and possibly start a fire.


Why does my spa pump hum but not rotate? I have a Jacuzzi spa pump model s55cxnfe-7055. When the pump turns on it hums for a few seconds then turns off.  I turned the shaft using a flat head screw driver to spin the shaft right and left with no resistance.  When I turned the breaker on, the motor hums but this time I tried to spin the shaft right when it turned on to help it self start. however when I did this I noticed the shaft would not spin at all. It was locked up.  Any ideas?

Frozen motor could be seized bearings, jammed pump impeller or even burned/shorted motor windings.

Any of those probably mean motor and / or pump replacement.


2 sinks on one drain line I have my bathroom sink rough plumbing coming from the 3" stack vent, running about 2 feet. My question is: can I use that same drain line for another sink?

Reasoning: about 2 feet from that sink drain I have a wet bar sink I want to put in. Using the same drain line sounds easier, only because of where the stack is, not because of putting in the second trap.

Consider all the dual-basin kitchen sinks... "If it happens, it must be possible."


Which is better for deck flooring: 2x6 or 1x6 deck boards? My current deck flooring is done with 2x6x10' boards, however they have degraded to the point now where they need to be replaced.

I'm wondering if there are any specific pros or cons for using the same 2x6x10' boards, vs. 1x6 deck boards?  Of course I realize that the 1x6 boards wont support the same amount of weight as the original boards, but I think the 2x6's might have been a bit overkill anyway.  Besides price, is there anything else I should be basing my decision on?

1X stock is fine if you have 16 inch on center joists, and the joists are themselves sized properly. Using 2X stock over undersized joists does help make the deck feel more solid. If you have 24 OC joists, I'd definitely stay with the 2X decking. An other option if you have wider joist spacing is to add a joist between each one if possible,  then you can use 1X wood or even better, composite decking that will last a very long time, low maintenance and you can have your choice of colors and not have to worry about staining etc.


Cooling radiators in summer? How efficient would it be to use radiators circulating with cold water, to cool house in summer?

Wondering if anyone has tried this, and how well it works?

I was thinking about H/AC in general, and wondering if it is possible to to leverage my actual system to get cooling in particular...

Anyways, all I could find was this, but it's advertising a service so not really credible in and of itself.

I think you'd end up running into a whole boat load of issues before you could even begin talking about efficiency. The first and most pressing being the rapid condensation that would occur within seconds of circulating the cold liquid (leaving you with a whole host of other DIY problems you'd need to work out). Which, I imagine would need to be somewhere between 20-60F below the ambient temperature of the air to get any significant cooling effect.

As for efficiency directly, if what I learned in PHYS160 about thermodynamics holds up, it should be exactly as efficient (heat transfer wise that is) as the radiators are at heating the air. But I HIGHLY suggest getting a second opinion from someone more versed in HVAC work, as the closest I've come to directly researching this is looking at data center cooling technology.

**More on datacenter cooling: http://searchdatacenter.techtarget.com/feature/Modern-data-center-cooling-systems-No-muss-no-fuss-no-waste


Safety Cover for Decommissioned (Empty) Swimming Pool I’m decommissioning my in-ground pool and wanted to cover it with a safety cover like Loop Loc. I called Loop Loc to help select the right type of cover — solid or mesh — but was told that their covers require the pool to be filled because otherwise it can collapse.

The question is if there is another safety cover that can be used for an empty pool? Decking it over would be expensive and am looking for less expensive approach.

If you are really decommissioning it, a truckload of stone (or multiple truckloads of stone) will do nicely and comparatively inexpensively. Ain't nobody going to fall into it or drown in it.

If you have doubts about ever using it again (or some future homeowner doing so) then leaving water and freeze damage prevention (if a freezing climate) pillows in it with a cover over is a lot more easily reversible.


How should I finish and protect outdoor wooden steps? My house has a wooden staircase leading up to the front door.  It gets a lot of traffic and is uncovered, so its exposed to New England winters.  This means snow, ice, ice-melt, sand, shoveling, etc..  Not to mention sun in the summer time.  The previous owners had stained them, but thats pretty much worn away (was that way when I bought the place).

What is the best way to finish and protect them?

In high traffic areas I have always had the best life out of Siekens oil based stains. We have used this product on wooded docks as well and it holds up for 2 to 3 years. I would wait until warm weather, clean the steps up well and put at least two coats on, giving each coat 24 hours to soak in good. Boiled linseed oil is good stuff, but you won't be able to match the existing color very well.  Siekens is avail at Sherwin Williams stores, not cheap, but real good stuff. BTW, I don't work for a paint store, I'm a contractor.


replacing flooring under walls (2nd story) I am wanting to tile my master bath.

When I pulled up the old linoleum flooring, it was particle-board.  I've read nightmares about tiling over particle board so I'm planning on replacing it with plywood + cement backer.

This is the 2nd story of my house and the walls are sitting on top of the particle-board.  On the exterior wall, I was planning on just cutting along the length of the wall as close as I can get to it and reinforcing the new plywood from underneath between the joists (which run perpendicular to the exterior wall).

However, on the interior wall near the toilet, there has obviously been a previous leak causing damage to the flooring under the wall and causing a gap (just over a 1/4in).  The level of the floor here has definitely sunk (revealed by using a level) to this point.

The other side of this wall is another toilet in another bathroom which I do not plan on renovating (yet) since it is the only other bathroom in the house.

How do I fix this?

I think I would jack the wall up a tiny bit (1/16 inch), enough to slide out the particle board and slide in plywood.

Given the difficulties of jacks being in the way of the work, cut the plywood so it is only 12-16 inches wide (and 8 feet long or whatever) so the jacking support can be away from the wall.


How can I fix my window frame so that the window doesn't drop down? I'm working on a fixer-upper, and I needed to repair the screens. In order to remove the screens, I of course needed to lift the window all the way up. However, there was a bracket blocking the window's travel:

"No problem" I thought. But when I unscrewed that phillips screw, the rod just shot out of the frame. It sounded like a gunshot and took a chunk out of my hand. Same was true for the other side of the frame (though I was smart enough to wear gloves).
After the brackets came off, the rods moved freely back and forth. The window still opened and closed just fine, but it wouldn't stay up. It seems that the rods are under a lot of tension and hold the window in place when it's opened.
It seems that the rods can be screwed in. If I turn them counter-clockwise, the resistance builds up, and if I let go, they quickly spin back to their starting point. But after mucking around with them for a bit, it's not clear how to properly restore their function.
Here's what the right side of the top of the bottom window looks like where it meets the rod:

I'm definitely willing to read a manual if I can be pointed to it; I just haven't had any luck finding information about this type of window.

These are called spring balances, and have enough tension in the spring to hold the window open (sorry about your hand).  It's kind of hard to tell from the pictures you posted what type they are (other than older ones), but you should be able to find some instructions for a model similar to yours now that you know what to search for.

In general, you'll want to attach them at the bottoms first and then lift up the sash to allow re-attaching the tops.  This is a lot easier with 3 hands, so you might want to have someone hold the sash up or prop it if you can find something the right height.


dead thermostat with RH RC jumper have dead White Rodgers select comfort II 1F90-51, 4 wire gas heat, elect AC, RC RH jumper (red wire to RH).  Using only heat mode now (though was just 75 yesterday but 33 last night!)

Needs replacement - Sunday only have a Honeywell CT2700 available 4 wire no RH or RC.

Can I use the CT2700 w/o issues, or is there something on heat or air end needing RC RH?

thanks!

Since there is only one R wire going into your thermostat, you should be able to use the CT2700 without an issue.  Take the red wire and connect it to the R terminal, and connect the rest of the wires to the same-named terminals on the CT2700 that they were connected to on the 1F90-51.


Adding a layer of concrete and tiles in the garage I just wanted to get opinions on my plans to fix the somewhat sunken slab in our garage.

We bought the house two years and (it's about 50 years old) and I have been monitoring the slab since day 1. It has not sunk any further so it's likely that the settling happened a long time ago.

Anyway, the slab is about 2" to 1" lower than where it should be and I am considering the following two options:

Add a thin layer on concrete and then install basic by 4/5 PEI rating porcelain tile.
Add the concrete layer but top it with 1/2" interlocking vinyl or PVC tile.

The reason go with the porcelain or plastic tiles is basically to avoid the thin concrete layer from peeling or cracking. Btw, I do intend to drill holes every few feet and use some bonding additive to help the two layers of concrete bond.

The question is, will either of my options work?

I would acid etch the old cement with a strong muriatic acid solution to clean and make the surface rough. Then add a adhesive promoter like Moos milk painted on the slab that will help the cement bond and reduce cracking. I have done this on floors as thin as 3/4" and as thick as 2" with good results. With a thin slab a fine aggregate like 1/4" will also help.


Tankless water heater venting Most of the images show 90 degree angles for the venting.  Can I run mine at a 45 degree angle like the image below?

There is no real difference from 2ea 45 degree bends, and 1ea 90 degree bend so there should be no problems in doing this. I would check the installation instructions as they may specify the total angle allowed. (I am guessing since you show 2 pipes it is a high efficiency unit with a closed fire box 1 for the fresh air and 1 for exhaust. On the large units I have installed the vents were powered by a fan and it allowed for a total of 360 degrees (4 90's)  and the pipe could run horizontal with a slight slope for condensate to drain back. on the smaller units that use natural convection they were limited to 180 with no horizontal runs. More info on the type we could provide better answers.


None of the outlets in the kitchen are working The other day I switched on the garbage disposal and now none of the outlets in the kitchen work. This circuit is GFCI protected from the panel but the GFCI breaker in the panel is not tripping. When I test the outlets with the breaker on they show hot on the hot and neutral sides. I have replaced the outlet feeding the garbage disposal but this did not work. I have also replaced the switch controlling the disposal but still nothing works. I tested the wires at the breaker and they appear normal. This condition exists from the first line on the circuit to the last. Does anybody know what could be going on here?

If you are showing hot on neutral this is an indication of an open neutral on the circuit with a load attached. You are reading the voltage on the neutral through the load.
Find the open neutral and you'll find your solution. It could be anywhere in the circuit, from the panel through any box or outlet.


Is it a good idea to add oxidizer to my septic tank? I recently had my 1500 gallon septic tank fill up/back up.

When the contractor removed the lid, it was obvious that the tank was completely full and needed to be pumped.  The contractor then said that the distribution box was also full and that I should add "Oxidizer Plus" in order to clean out my distribution box and drain field.

He stated that without this chemical, the drain field would be in jeopardy.

We caught the problem before it backed up into the house and caused damage, so it was truly just a tank pumping..etc.

Is the contractor's advice consistent with current practices re: septic systems?

I was in a bind, and feel that the entire service was rather expensive.

If your tank and box are completely filled, your drain field is plugged up and no longer draining properly. It is not in jeopardy, it is done. While it could have been worse, it is still bad. Unless this was caused by a temporary overloading condition, or the main line was simply blocked at one point, you probably will need to build a replacement field soon, if not now. It's conceivable, that giving the field a good long rest with little or no waste load, that some sort of product that accelerates waste breakdown could help temporarily get the field partly working.

But if the field isn't draining, the product will not get to where it's needed. Some of these products are snake oil and do nothing. Others will help accelerate breakdown, but given enough time, breakdown will occur naturally, special products are not needed, but may be helpful. Every guy with a pumper truck sells something like this because it's easy money.

If your field is partly draining, and this Oxidizer Plus (many similar products around, btw, shop around) stuff really is actually beneficial, it may be worth a try, as the real solution is very expensive. It will be important to drastically reduce waste loading once a product is distributed to let it breakdown the obstructions with out adding on more work.

The same results can be achieved with no product at all, but it may take longer. If you do get the field draining, it will still be in a very fragile state. It could be easily overloaded again with even modest inflows. You should also determine why the field became obstructed in the first place. A properly sized, constructed, and maintained system should last indefinitely.


Water Hammer in kitchen faucet I just installed a new sink and faucet and get really bad water hammer when I run the faucet. I never had this trouble before. I made sure the water supplies from the copper to the faucet is as short as possible. How can I fix it?

With the water running, and presumably making the noise, put your hands on the copper pipe - can you feel the vibrations?  Does it go away if you hold the pipe?  (Be careful of the hot water pipe - it can get, well, hot)

It could be that the pipe is simply loose.


Why isn't the spark gap lighting the pilot on my furnace? I've got a Carrier 58GS natural draft furnace, which has a spark gap for igniting the pilot. Unfortunately, the spark gap has not been successfully doing its job. The spark clicks away as the gas rushes past, but the fuel never ignites.
Normal Ignition Sequence:

Thermostat calls for heat.
Pilot valve opens.
Spark gap produces spark.
Pilot ignites.
Bi-metal switch heated by pilot.
Pilot proves.
Main valve opens.
Main burners light.
Blower starts after time delay.

Current Ignition Sequence:

Thermostat calls for heat.
Pilot valve opens.
Spark gap produces spark for 90 seconds.
Pilot does not prove.
Pilot valve closes, and furnace shuts down.

I've lit the pilot manually using a grill lighter, and once it's lit everything else works fine.  If the pilot is lit manually, the furnace cycles properly. It has even cycled on/off for a whole day after being lit manually, but will not ignite when cold (not used for extended time).
This morning I noticed the thermostat was calling for heat, but the furnace was again in the shut down state.  I reset the thermostat, and removed the access panel from the furnace.  I let the spark gap spark for a bit, to see if it would ignite the gas on its own. After about 45 seconds of failure I gently blew on the spark, and what do you know, a flame danced into existence.  The flame started off very orange as I blew, but settled to a stable blue flame quickly.
Here is a YouTube video of a similar model furnace exhibiting similar behavior. Note: My spark gap does not sound erratic, and has a steady tic-tic-tic.
Here's what the pilot assembly looks like:

Click for larger view
Here's the schematic for my setup:

Click for larger view
I'm assuming the furnace is original to the house, which would put the installation around 1990.  Other than this issue the furnace is in good repair, so I'm not looking to replace the entire unit. I'm just baffled by what could be causing the pilot to not ignite?

I finally found some time yesterday to take a closer look at the furnace.
Gas Pressure
I started by measuring the incoming gas pressure using a gas pressure gauge. I found it to be 6 WC (inch water column), which is well within the acceptable range specified on the furnace.

Dirty Gap
Next I took a closer look at the spark gap itself, and watched closely as the spark was generated.  I even recorded the spark with my video camera, which allowed me to zoom in fairly close.  This is when I noticed a bit of carbon buildup on the electrodes, and wondered if it could be that simple...

Cleaning the Gap
I grabbed a bit of 220 grit sandpaper, and cleaned the electrodes up a bit. steel wool is probably the tool of choice for this job, but I didn't happen to have any on hand at the moment (not yet unpacked).
Success!
After testing the pilot ignition a few times, the problem seems to be fixed. We had a cold night last night, and the furnace fired up fine all night. As I write this, the furnace has just cycled successfully yet again.

Update
I found this YouTube video from Grayfurnaceman that describes the problem exactly, and says that the only solution is to replace the assembly. I'll be replacing the pilot assembly once the weather warms up, so we'll see if that solves the problem.


Why is the amperage lower for higher wattage devices? Can anyone explain how electrical amperage associates to device wattage? From what I understand amperage is the amount of electrical current running through the circuit (if I imaging the AC current as a sine wave, then the amplitude is the distance from the base line to the peak of the sine wave. Though this gets a bit more complex with RMS amplitude).

As far as I understand wattage, that's the power consumption of a device in a given time unit. So for example my oven is a 12 kiloWatt oven. Which means it'll consume 12 kiloWatts every hour? Is that right?

So my question is, why is my oven on a 30 amp circuit when it's 12 kW, and my 8kW shower is on a 45 amp circuit?

Oh yes, I'm in the UK by the way so 240 Volts into the house.

You likely answere your own question -- wattage is Voltage times Amperage.  What you might not know is that in higher wattage situations, they'll typically run a higher voltage (eg. 220V) circuit, so it's possible that the 30Amp circuit is actually getting more total power than the 45Amp circuit.

But those aren't your only considerations when sizing the breakers -- motors tend to draw about 50% over whatever their rating is when they first kick on.  You can either place them on a high-rated circuit, or you can put them on a 'slow trip' fuse (or circuit breaker) that won't trip the instant it sees a surge; naturally, this is not something you want to install in a wet area where you'll need a GFI breaker.  Because of this, particularly if they're going to be installed in wet area (where you don't want to use a slow-trip), you'll see higher than expected breakers for anything with a compressor, pump, or other motor.


Supplying Solar Shower I want to use a sump pump to deliver water to a 50 gallon plastic drum that's 15' high. The 1 HP pump has a 1 1/4" outlet and I want to reduce it to 3/4" hose for convenience and storage. The drum is 150' from the lake. Will this work?

All pumps will pump to a specified head or height that is listed in feet.  If you exceed the allowed head then the pump will not pump. The head is the combined height in feet from the pumps discharge + the resistance of the supply piping.If the total resistance is above the pumps capacity then this will not work and you will have to utilize either a different pump or a series of pumps.You could use a "sump pump" and an inline pump or some other combination to give you the required Head.


What could cause my showers hot water to not work well after water main work? We had some work done on the mains cold water feed into the house. At first everything worked just fine but after about a day when the top floor shower is now switched on there's a rapid banging noise (I believe the term is 'hammering') and reduced hot water flow. Switching the cold water on, just a bit, in the basin next to the shower stops the banging but the hot water flow doesn't increase. The hot water flow from the tap in the basin (and every other tap in the house) is excellent.

What would cause this? Is it trapped air? Is the pressure too high for the shower?

Update: It turns out that a little piece of plastic had worked it's way up to the shower and got trapped in the hot/cold water mixer. Took a plumber about 1 minute to pop the cap off, clear out the mixer and put it all back together. Sorted!

Sounds like there's gunk stuck in the shower line somewhere between the branch for the shower and the shower's hot water valve.  HOPEFULLY it's stuck right there at the valve.

One thing you can do is shut off the hot water in the house, then remove the knob and valve stem for the hot water in the shower, then turn the water back on.  Water will flow out of the valve (I'm assuming the valve is in a water proof area like the shower itself) - and hopefully this will flush the gunk out of the line, restoring the water flow.


How to keep an occupancy sensor triggered without motion? I had to make changes in my office and now the main light switch (which is slave to an occupancy sensor, very likely passive infrared) is blocked from seeing me.

The result is that every 5 min or so my lights go out and I have to wave my arm to get it to turn on the light again.

Is there any kind of device I could buy (or build) that would emulate infrared changes that I could leave on while I'm at the office so as to keep the sensor triggered?

Many occupancy sensors allow you to adjust the amount of time that they can't see you before they shut the lights off. I'm not sure what model you have, so I can't instruct you exactly how to adjust, but setting the timeout time to something longer would probably save you the trouble of building something to circumvent it.

For example, a panel on this Leviton switch pops off to reveal some adjustment controls.

PDF instructions

If your office is managed by your company or a building manager, it may be worth asking the maintenance guy.


Is 20 feet too long to run bathroom fan duct for 100cfm fan? I need to run about 20 feet of duct to reach the gable, I don't want to go through the roof unless I absolutely need to, I live in Vermont and we can get a lot of snow build up on the roof, I also would prefer not to go through the eaves. Is this too long a run?

This will completely depend on the number of elbows, the size of the room being ventilated, and the power of the fan.
In general for a bathroom, you'll be looking to have an Air Change per Hour (ACH) of 8. To accomplish this, you'll have to select a fan based on the size of the bathroom, and the equivalent duct length.
Bath room size
The first thing you'll have to figure, is the size of the bathroom.  For this, simply multiply Length (ft.) * Width (ft.)* Height (ft.). This will give you the size of the room in cubic feet.
Example:
Given a room that is 10 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 8 feet tall.
Volume = Length * Width * Height
Volume = 10 ft. * 8 ft. * 8ft.
Volume = 10 * 64
Volume = 640 cu. ft.
Equivalent Duct Length
To calculate the equivalent duct length, you'll have to consider not only the length of the duct. You'll also have to know the duct construction, and number of elbows. The basic rules that apply to both 3" and 4" duct, are as follows.

Measure the length of straight duct.
If the duct is flexible aluminium, multiply the length by 1.25.
OR If the duct is flexible insulated, multiply by 1.5.
For each elbow, add 15 feet.
For each terminal (wall cap, roof jack), add 30 feet.

Example:
Given this duct:

There is 10' of straight smooth walled duct. Plus 2 elbows, and one terminal at the end.
EDL = 10' + (2 * 15') + (1 * 30')
EDL = 10' + 30' + 30'
EDL = 10' + 60'
EDL = 70'
Determine the proper sized fan
Once you've got all the information, it's time to select an appropriately sized fan.  To do this, you can use a chart like this

Using this chart, you'll find that for a 640 cu. ft. bathroom and 70 ft. of duct (equivalent length), you'll need a 110 cfm fan to achive the recommended 8 air changes per hour.


Adding separate wire to convert 6-2 Cable to 6-3 Wiring I have an installed but not hooked up 6/2 cable (black, white and ground, like this) in my garage for potential future use with an EV charger. I am finishing the garage and will be covering up the cable but am worried that I might actually need a 6/3 cable instead to support a 14-50 receptacle. I prefer the 14-50 as they seem to be more versatile and common for EV charging than say a 6-50.

Similar questions have asked whether existing 6/2 cabling can be used to hook up to a 14-50 as is, or how to run a new wire in parallel. In my case I have the following additional questions:

Is it safe (I know it is possible) to wire up a 14-50R with a 6/2 cable, leaving the neutral terminal empty?
Since I still have the walls open, can I run a separate wire like this through the studs alongside the existing 6/2 cable? I.e. am I missing something by not having that wire be part of the sheathing with the 6/2 cable and not armored (as recommended in the linked question above)?

The Code requirement, for good reason, is all conductors must be in the same cable or conduit. I'm not sure whether conduiting this route and stuffing old cable and new wire in the conduit would suffice, that would be up to the local inspector. The conduit would have to be quite large because it would be a nightmare to pull, and because the flat 6-2 cable gets treated same as a round wire of its largest dimension.  With 2 "wires" in the conduit, "wires" can only take up 31% of conduit cross section. One thing conduit would be very good for is allowing easy adds and change-ups, extra helpful if you're mudding up the walls! Metal conduit is allowed to serve as the ground wire.

However I would re-cable with 6-3 rather than risk having the inspector redflag it and have to bust out drywall to fix it.

There's no reason to tear the 6-2 out of the wall, unless you have another place to use it (not outdoors, mind). Just bring it into a 120mm (4-11/16") junction box ($2.50 at electrical supply, $5 at big-box) and cap it off at both ends.  It can be used later for welders, or EV chargers whose labeling/instructions allow use of a 6-20, 6-30 or 6-50 connection.

You have this.  You needed this.  Note how many lattés there are in the price difference.  I like to use frappucino's (or pizzas) as units of cost savings in cases like this.  This case is a glitch, on my screen it shows a $0.02 difference and I suspect normal pricing would put it at 30%.

I find inexperience + savings seeking = this kind of error. A lot.  Before you seal up the walls (why do that at all?? It's a garage) I suggest searching for where else this might have been done.

In both the examples you linked, you have lifted out of context.

The "retrofitting a wire" case, two things wrong there: first it applies only to ground wires, which are a different case because they are not conductors; grounds only carry current during emergencies.  And second it applies to old work that was grandfathered because it was legal at the time it was installed. Some people think grandfathering is amnesty for code violations. It's not.
In the neutralless 14-50, that case talked about the plug, not the socket.  That makes all the difference in the world. The plug is free to take only the conductors it needs, but the socket must proffer all the conductors that its design implies. A neutralless 14-x socket could actually cause a deadly problem if you plug in an appliance that had formerly been wired for NEMA 10.


How to drill a groove to the side of a plywood board? I want to drive a cable up a cupboard. The shelves are too long to simply put the cable behind them, so I want to create an indentation in the removable shelves.

I do not own a drill press, and I do not want to buy one just for this. I do not even have the space for it. How can I do this with only a manual drill? Is milling a good idea, or should I press the shelf between two parts of wood, and just drill it?

As this is on the non-visible side of the shelf, a V shaped cut with a saw is also an option.

Just clamp a scrap of plywood to the top of the board and use a hole saw to cut through both boards.


How can I make a diffuser for a 22 X 30 skylight shaft? I need to make a diffuser to an existing 22 x 30 skylight shaft. A flush mount of some kind would be my first choice. My goal is to keep heated air from going into the shaft instead of the bathroom.

A standard recessed ceiling diffuser (for a 48" light) would work if you installed a divider to support the middle section for two.


Can I replace my range cord with one having larger conductors? I want to move my 40A range. The cable is 2-8 + 2-10 on a 40A circuit with a 40A breaker. Problem is the 4ft cord is too short. Can I replace the cord with a 50A one (2-6/2-8 10ft)?

You can use a 50A rated cord for a 40A appliance with a 50A receptacle on a 40A circuit.

Pay special attention to NEC 210.50(C) Appliance Receptacle Outlets. Appliance Receptacle Outlets...shall be installed within 1.8m (6 ft) of the intended location of the appliance.

You will probably need to install a permanent breaker lock out device in your electrical panel to comply with NEC 422.30/422.33 that allows a receptacle accessible through the drawer to satisfy the required disconnecting means.

Also check with the Installation Instructions of the range to see if it specifies receptacle location or cord length. Lab Listing (UL,CSA) is only valid when installed or used as instructed in the Installation Instructions.

You may need to and it would be cleaner to change the existing receptacle to a junction box and extend the circuit to the oven location.


Grounding rod for detached garage? I have a new 24'-24' wood structure detached garage on a concrete slab. I installed a 30 amp sub panel with 4 - #10 gauge THHN wire through conduit. Two hots, a neutral and ground going back to the Main panel. The neutral and ground are separated at the sub panel, do I need a grounding rod even though  I am grounding back at the Main panel?  If so am I supposed to attach the ground copper wire to the very small ground buss bar inside that sub-panel, and what size wire?

...And you didn't put a concrete-encased conductor (UFER ground) in the slab? Sigh. That's the easy way out and the most effective ground you can make in most places.

Yes, you need a grounding electrode (ground rod) local to the detached building. Connecting to reinforcing steel in the slab would have provided a very good grounding electrode, but if it's already poured, that ship has sailed.

6 AWG solid is the default minimum size for a connector to a grounding electrode. 8 AWG might be acceptable given that the feed size is 10 AWG, but I'm having trouble tracking down the exact language where that is mentioned. It's one of the messier (or more confusing) sections of the code (IMHO.)


How to squirrel-proof trash cans? How do I find ways to prevent my trash cans from being tipped over by squirrels that try to chew over through the trash can lids? The bleach dries up.

I'd ideally like trash cans with auto-latching/auto-locking mechanisms that also act as rollers.

https://goo.gl/photos/FnWjB5UhHSoZ1KKo8

Usual solution for racoons, who are stronger and more massive, is to bungee-cord the lids closed, and bungee the cans themselves to something stable (or sometimes to each other) so they can't be knocked over.

Picking a different design of trash can may help too.


Do I have my steps right for painting over stained trim? I bought a 30 year old home that was a bit of a project and I'm currently updating the kitchen. All the rooms in the house have white trim except the kitchen. It has stained wood and it looks horrible, it barely had any glossy look to it.

I already cleaned it with TSP, sanded it lightly with 180 grit, and I also used a liquid sandpaper.

Here's where I need some help. I have a pregnant wife and kids at home so I'm trying to avoid using any oil based paints or primers. Can I apply a latex primer and a latex paint at this point? I'm not concerned about seeing brush strokes, I mostly want to make sure this will last.

Because "it barely had any glossy look to it" and you sanded it and cleaned it well means that it has been properly prepared! Good work.

Feel free to prime and paint it now, but do yourself a couple favors and buy good quality paint and professional grade brushes. I cannot stress how much a difference using quality applicators will make. Just build time into your schedule for thoroughly cleaning them and they will serve you well for years.


Toilet fill value hissing and dripping after it reaches the stopping level. The toilet fills and the float works but after the water level reaches 1” below overflow tube the float is all the way up but the water still drips very slowly into the tank.. In  about 30 minutes water covers covers the top of the overflow tube and drips down the tube continually. This toilet has a donut shaped float around the fill valve that rises and stops incoming water except for the drip.
Flapper works well with no leaking around it.
I’ve adjusted the adjustment screw so the main flow of water is stopped about 1 inch below top of overflow tube. No mater how much I turn the screw  water still drips until it is dripping over the tube.
 How do I stop the water from dripping and then eventually going over the top of the overflow tube?

The toilet fill valve inside the unit is failing.  Now, what to do?

If by chance I had the packaging or documentation from the last time I replaced it, or there's a make/model visible on the valve assembly, I'd see if I could find a replacement washer set.  Some fill valves are easily repairable (if you can find the correct replacements).  Many aren't, so I wouldn't spend time worrying if this isn't true.
If I didn't have that and it seemed to be a "standard" toilet, I'd check at the home improvement store for a replacement fill valve assembly.  In most toilets, replacement isn't very difficult.  Drain the tank, unscrew the line from the tank, unscrew the nut holding the valve in place, and replace.  The only tricky part is that there's no completely standard assembly.  While most standard toilets will be easy to replace, there are some odd bits out there.  But this tends to be a pretty inexpensive part for a DIY repair (probably around $20).  Just keep all the old parts around in case you get to the end of the assembly and find the new part doesn't fit for some reason.
If you have a custom toilet (very low profile, odd tank shape, etc.), I'd take several good photos of the assembly and go to a plumbing supply house.  Ask them if they can identify the unit and suggest a replacement.


Nest thermostat e heat link replacing the old danfoss I really need help with replacing this current danfoss thermostat with a new nest thermostat e heat hub. I'm in the UK.

Below is the new heatlink just need to know what wires I need to wire and what ones I need to isolate.

If this is the Nest E UK thermostat (the same designation is used for completely different products in the USA. Nest's own documentation is not always clear which product is being referred to.)

On the Nest, there are terminals for Common, NO (normally open) and NC (normally closed).  In addition to these terminals you can also see the OT1 and OT2 terminals, which are used for OpenTherm.

Ignore OT1 and OT2.

Connect Danfoss L Brown to Nest Common

Danfoss 3 ON (black?) Sleeved Brown to Nest NO.

Make sure that Neutral (Grey sleeved blue) and Earth (green/yellow sleeve) are tidied out of the way and cannot connect to anything.


What is this 2" Diameter Hole in Basement Foundation Floor? I am wondering what this hole in my basement foundation floor is for, and if I can cover it up or just put a plug in it. I am aware of one other similar hole (carpet is covering it though) on the other side of the basement.

It appears to have a depth of about 1 foot and then turns. The house was built in 2000, if that matters.

maybe i am missing something here, but isn't that a floor drain, just with no cover on it?


Rubberized wood coatings for decks: Can they be pressure-washed to clean them? Does anyone know whether rubberized wood coating products (for outdoor decks) can be pressure washed?  I mean, can they be pressure-washed to clean them, not to remove the coating?

Thanks -- I will look forward to any answers you might have. I am considering building a new deck and using one of these new rubberized products as my coating because outdoor wood simply does not last long here in Florida. My goal is to get maximum protection from rain/sun/rot and to have a deck which lasts thirty years without being refinished.  By the way, I am just DYI, not a professional contractor.

Sure but understand two things: this product has had failures, meaning instances where it cracks and peels off. That has more to do with the contractor who put it on than the product, per se. Second, keep the tip head of the pressure washer "back" from the surface and begin in a section you can "test." Use a soap adapter with your pressure washer. The aggressiveness of the pressure washer is the psi but more so the distance to the surface. I have used pressure washing to both clean a deck and to strip off old coating by controlling the head distance to the surface.


Question about applying new siding where a picture window is not level We're putting new siding on a house where the front picture window is not level ~ it's 1" high on the right side.  For the best visual appearance should the siding be placed level with the earth or level with the window?  Either scenario may create an out-of-level appearance, but which one is the least noticeable?

The answer to this question really is a matter of opinion but there are some things that can be considered.

You could plan the siding installation so as to split the difference so that it is just half noticeable.
If the siding is relatively wide respect to the 1" difference in the window out of level amount you could plan the siding runs so that you keep there from being a narrow strip near the bottom of the window. Wider will be much less obvious. If you get lucky with this scheme you would end up also with a wider run above the window as well but if not then aim to optimize at the bottom as that would be more likely to be seen head on.
The most invasive would be to check if the window is also not even with the floor inside the house. If it is uneven inside similar to the outside you could then elect to remove and re-position the window make it more even.


Removing calcium carbonate deposits without damaging tiles I live in an area with hard water, leading to calcium carbonate deposits all over my tiled bathroom. I want them gone, but I don't want to risk damaging the tiles.

The red arrow points at deposits that attach to the borders of the tiles. I've tried to use various cleaning chemicals and brushes to remove them but they're stuck like concrete.

In the grout (blue arrow) there are big chunks of deposits that are equally impossible to remove.

I've read a lot of tips involving acids, but I'm concerned that it would damage the glossiness of the tiles. What can I do to attack the problem?

Try with boiling white-vinegar, I use it to clean limestone buildup aluminium and steel pans. A commercial produt I found very effective is 'Viakal'


Are the connections in the pictures below an attempt at stealing power for another apartment I need help indentifying if the connections here are stealing power from one apt. for use in another.suspect

Call an electrician immediately that panel doesn't look safe.

It looks like someone with some electrical knowledge attempted to do some work, that is definitely not to code and should be fixed properly immediately.


Change of spotlight bulbs I am trying to figure out how to change the spotlight bulbs shown in the image below. The normal push and twist approach I use with other spotlight types doesn't work. Didn't manage to find anything online.

Very common type of under cabinet spotlight, unfortunately it comes with both LED and Halogen types and in some cases its not easy to see what lies behind the colored or forested covers.

For the halogen type bulbs good auld push and twist should do the job releasing the old bulb so if this is not working for you don't try too hard its probably not a halogen light bulb.

For the LED fittings there is usually an outer rim which can be popped out with a small flat head screw driver. These fittings can easily be scratched so be gentle while trying to pop the rim, small piece of electrical tape on the tip of the screw driver would do miracles not scratching metal or plastic fittings like this!


What is my wall made of and how should I hang a 50lb mirror? I plan to hang a mirror weighing 50lb on the wall. What type of anchors should I use?

I think my wall is plaster over drywall, but I'm not sure. The house was built in the US in 1952, and the surface is very hard. When attempting to hammer in a nail to hang a small photo frame, I gave up after only chipping the surface and bending the nail. There's a small panel in the wall, and the photo below taken from inside the wall shows there's two layers, one light grey on the inside of the wall (drywall?) and one dark grey on the outside (plaster?).

Should I use masonry drill bit to insert a toggle bolt, or find a stud and drill into that, or something else? It seems the options are mutually exclusive if I hit a stud or not, so is a stud finder required for this work?

Stud, if you can
While there are plenty of fasteners that claim to be rated for "x" lbs., if you can mount using screws into studs that is generally the best thing to do. Screws into studs can typically hold hundreds of lbs., like kitchen cabinets full of dishes.
Studs are usually 16" apart in 20th century US housing. So once you find one stud you can usually find another easily. Drill a pilot hole where you think you have a stud and if you "break through" after ~ 1" then keep searching.


Washer water out from basement I have a stupid question.

Originally, I have a washer that pumps out the grey water into a laundry tub / sink. Attached to the laundry tub is a pump that pumps that grey water from tub into the drain pipe above the basement. It has been working for a few years and it has been the way before I bought the house.

Recently, my laundry tub pump died. Since I already have a big sump hole in the basement floor with the sump pump connected to it. Would it make sense to simply pipe that grey water from the washer into the sump hole and have my sump pump takes it out to the backyard away from the house?

What's the upside and downside of doing that?

OR should I spent the money and replace the dead laundry pump?

Thanks.

Spend the money to replace the old Pump.
When you are pumping the Laundry out to the yard - those chemicals in your detergent are also going to the Yard and into the water basin of your locality.

If you are outside of city provided water i.e on a well system - how do you feel about having chemicals such as phosphorous in your drinking water, shower water etc..
Of course perhaps you might glow in the dark when electrons hit you :-)


Electrical box fill calculation Take a look at picture of 2 switches , both are for single gang only (except left one is dimmer switch). As per NEC single pole switch device has fill volume of 2. My question is,  switch on the left is bigger than the one on right. Does it make difference in fill volume or both has same fill volume of 2.

They have the same box fill volume.
The box fill volume is not 2 cubic inches.
It is 2 x the box fill allowance for the largest wire attached to it.


Damp Drywall: Insects A recently detected dishwasher leak (2nd floor) has been feeding water to the drywall in the bedroom underneath.  There are water stains on the ceiling and the wall's paint show traces of water seeping through them.  The walls are not soft (soaked) where you push your finger through the drywall, but discolored and the paint in affected areas will need to be removed.

Small bugs are crawling on the affected dampened areas.  I have sprayed rubbing alcohol to kill the tiny insects.  This situation was found by the termite inspector in North Florida (Jacksonville), they are not termites. He thinks they might be weevils but they are under 1 millimeter in length and do not photograph well

The leak has been remedied today.  Is it reasonable to expect the drywall to be dry in a week and the insects to die / disappear when all has dried up?  I prefer to avoid using insectisides, but will do what is necessary to exterminate

Any lessons learned or specific experience is appreciated: thank you

Drywall wet enough to push your fingers through, will not dry enough to 'recover' its strength. The paper outer layers will have separated and the inner plaster turned to a mushy mess.

Definitely expose the affected areas. When water gets into walls it can smell for years. As an absolute minimum, you need to remove all the drywall and insulation which was wet. Then you can begin the drying out process. Vaccum up the insects and then seal the dust bag in a zip lock polythene bag for disposal.

If it still smells funny after a while, some folks like to paint everything on the inside the opening you made in the wall (similar to repairing fire damage) to 'seal' in any odd smells. Just a thought...


Soil stack venting issues For a little while now we've been hearing at random a loud sucking noise coming from out kitchen sink. This sink is a 1.5 bowl with a washing machine attached.

The noise happens at random and appears to be when the downstairs neighbors are in and is nothing to do with our appliances or the sink itself. After some looking I could see the sink trap and the surrounding pipes had no air admittance valve, so I have fitted a p-trap with a air valve on it hoping this would prevent the vacuum which appears to be coming from the soil stack from reaching the water in the p-trap. The fitted trap can be seen below

Technical drawing here http://mcalpineplumbing.com/sites/default/files/uploads/drawings/SA10V.pdf

This appears to haven failed as last night during the nightly washing up the sink started making that noise. I was draining no water at the time. I use a spoon handle to press the air valve up and a lot of stinky air came rushing out.

We are in a 20 year old top floor apartment which is using Durgo/Air Admittance Valve on the soil stacks as these cannot be seen from the roof. To me it sounds like the AAV is failing on that soil stack and the pressure from the neighbors is causing the noise. It appears to be strong enough to skip the valve on the p-trap completely and suck the air through the p-trap water.

I wonder if this sounded right to anyone.

Mr Stephens, you better be careful. It's talk like that, that will send you down the long stinky road of being a full-time plumber!

Jokes aside, I believe, from what you say, that you are correct. You may want to call the building manager and have them check the main vent(s). Each apt should have it's own smaller vent as well, but if this is a 20-year old apt building, it may be a remodel, where there wasn't enough access to vent every apt. The main vent may be failing for whatever reason, or the neighbor's you speak of could be failing, or a combination thereof.

If you smelled stink out of yours, you may be okay.


Why did water come up through my basement drain instead of out the sump? I recently moved into a home in Illinois that has a basement. I’m coming from Arizona and have never had a basement or actually knew about sump pumps until I started searching for a home.

Me and my wife were out of town a few weeks ago and there was some heavy rain and some snow melting as well and water must have backed up because there was water in my basement. No one could have been in my house to run any water or flush any toilets while we were out. I identified it coming from a floor drain in the laundry room and could see the water pattern go out. It did not seep in from the walls because they were dry and there was still dust on the walls. The plumber said my drain out pipe must be backed up and he rodded it from the outside.

My question is if the water came from the outside into the drain why didn’t it go into the basin of the sump pump and it should have pumped out to my backyard? The area around my sump pump was dry so I know water didn’t go into the basin and overflow.

If anyone could explain this to me because I feel like I’m missing something or not completely understand how this whole system is suppose to work.

In some locations you cannot connect the sewer to the sump system, I understand this is not the discharge but sewage can be in that drain and pumping it outside could Create a health hazard. I have installed back flow preventers in the past to keep back pressure from entering, these do have there own problems but stop the city system from filling your basement with other peoples waste.


Fridge keeps turning off and only back in when I flip the circuit breaker off and back on? just wondering if anyone has any ideas, we got home and opened the fridge and the light was off and the fridge was off completely, my husband went downstairs to look at the breaker box and the switches were all in regular place none had flipped, he flipped the kitchen one on and off and it came back on, a few minutes later it turned off again but back on when he did it again?

Is it possible that the breaker is tripped but hasn't completely flipped to the "off" position?  The breakers we have do this and it's hard to notice which one has flipped unless you look very carefully to see if one is ever so slightly dislodged from the "on" position.  If this is the case, switching it to the "off" position is required to be able to reset it to "on".  In my case, when I switch to "off" after it has tripped, the effort required to switch it to "off" feels different than if it was properly "on".

If all that is the case, then you probably want to look to see what appliances or devices on that circuit are new, or if you're operating more than you normally do.  If there's a new device on the circuit, then try relocating it to another circuit or just unplug it to see if the circuit behaves the same.

If there are no new devices on the circuit, then perhaps there's something wrong with the refrigerator, but that is outside my knowledge to troubleshoot.


using 14/3 with 20amp I want to install a wall mount mini-split a/c (115v20amp).  The panel is 50+ feet away and routing a new (12/2) line will be extremely difficult.  However, when the house was built an extra 14/3 line was installed for future basement finishing.

Can I use it with a 20amp breaker if I tie line 1 (red) and 2 (black) together, and use it as 12/2?  ... or is this just wishful thinking!

That's "paralleling". You can't do it.

Using multiple wires to a single load is never permitted, except in industrial applications with VERY large wires, AND with special equipment on the supply side which resolves the safety issues therein, AND with very special and picayune installation requirements.  It is totally infeasible in a residence.

Also, you forgot all about neutral

This may be news, but neutral is also a wire.  Neutral can't carry any more current than hot. So in your scheme, your solitary #14 neutral will carry 20A, which is no-go obviously.

There's one more thing about neutral.  You notice it doesn't have a circuit breaker. The only thing that prevents neutral from overloading is monogamy - neutrals only return current from their partner hot.  Thus, the breaker on their partner hot protects the neutral.   What if a neutral is promiscuous and returns current from two hots?  It overloads, and the breakers will do nothing to prevent this!

But wait. I'm sure I've heard of a way to get more power out of /3!

That's correct.  That is where you put 240V across the two hots (red and black), so they are on opposite poles.  In that case you can attach 120V loads between a hot and neutral, and neutral only handles the difference in current - all other current flows from hot1 to hot2.  Hot1 can supply 15A of 120V loads, and Hot2 can supply 15A of 120V loads. **But no more than 15A of 120V, ** so this does not help this here situation at all.

But you can also ignore the neutral, and use red and black to supply 240V at 15A to an appliance.  It has to be a 240V appliance, obviously.  That is your solution here.  Tell your supplier you need the unit in 240V, where it will only draw 10A.  That will easily be supplied by your 14/3.


Can a handrail with a baluster channel be used with wall brackets? Can the type of handrail shown in the photo be mounted onto a wall using brackets for use in a stairwell? As you can see it has a groove cut out of the bottom.

Yes, that is a Type 1 handrail and is legal if: 1) it’s at least 1 1/4” in diameter and not more than 2”, 2) if it’s not circular, (which yours is not) it must have a perimeter of at least 4” and not more than 6 1/4” and a cross section dimension of 2 1/4”. (See ICC R311.7.7.1)

Type 2 handrails are larger (like made from 2x6 trim) but must have finger grips. (See ICC R311.7.7.3.2)

Make sure there is 1 1/2” clear between the handrail and wall.

Make sure the handrail “returns” to the wall or extends to the ground or post. That means you need to miter the handrail at a 90 degree angle so it fits tight to the wall.

Handrails are not required on stairs with 3 risers or less.

Mount the top of handrail between 34” and 38” above nosing of tread.


Remove adapter from hose Y connector I might have overtightened a 3/4" female hose to 1/2" adapter to a Hose Y connector and when trying to remove the adapter came off with the Y hose adapter tread. I have no idea how to separate this now.
More pics here

I'll bet the part on the left looks like the part on the right. One can see the bearing surface on the left which contacts the ball valve. Comparing it to the right side, it appears that the insert is threaded and was unscrewed rather than the desired hex item. Consider to apply a bit of thread locker to the external threads on the item on the left, taking care to restrict it to those threads, or apply thread locker to the internal threads on the left side, without getting any on the ball assembly.
As you should never need to open that section again, red (permanent) thread locker may be a good choice. Blue (temporary) thread lock could break free. After allowing the assembly to cure for an appropriate time (read and follow all label directions), you should be able to remove the hex item as originally desired.


What kind of cable is this? (standing desk motor to power supply) I need an extender for the cable below. It's directly attached to a motor that powers an electric standing desk. What kind of cable is it?

More images of the cable and power supply:

Cable: https://i.stack.imgur.com/s3N09.png
Power supply: https://i.stack.imgur.com/r17mW.png
https://i.stack.imgur.com/6LrJw.png
Text on cable: https://i.stack.imgur.com/Pj2G2.png

It's difficult to be certain from the image, but it very much resembles this connector:

It's a Molex 39-01-2060 connector and lists on the Molex web site as well.


Are High End Furnace Filters worth the cost? There are many levels of furnace filters.  I can get cheap ones at walmart of a few bucks.  Then there are ones that cost upwards of $30.  I realize that if you have allergies or low immune systems, these are probably worth it.  Also if you have pets they may help.  But for average folks, with no medical needs, are they worth the cost?

The problem with the really cheap filters is that you really should replace them monthly.  The slightly more expensive filters often only need to be replaced every 3 months or so, which in reality doesn't actually make them that much more expensive.

I usually go with the cheapest 3 month filters, since I know I'm not going to get down there every month to replace the super cheap ones.  Aside from that consideration and the ones you already mentioned, there's no need to spend lots of money on a top of the line filter.  They aren't going to make your furnace last any longer.


Upgrade / Retrofit old security system I purchased a building that has an old ADT hard wired alarm system.  I have a full set of cameras installed that allows me to monitor the building, so I would like to upgrade the alarm to one of the newer systems that simply makes noise and notifies your phone if triggered instead of having it monitored.  All the door sensors and motion detectors from the old system work great and I would like to utilize them.  Is it possible to purchase and install a kit that will do this allowing me to use the existing sensors and if so, where do I look/what am I looking for?

If the sensors are generic and in good working order, and you just want local alarms (sirens, strobes, etc.) you can install any basic alarm panel without monitoring.


Is this a load bearing wall to put a storage door in? I am wanting to put a dog room under the stairs but am unsure if this is a load bearing wall.

In any case, you have to cut into the wall board to open up the space.  Once you open a hole, you can inspect the inside and better determine if it is a load-bearing wall.  I suspect it is not.

If it is, you can limit your opening(s) to the space between the studs, or frame in a header from the inside to remove a stud.


How should I install a thermostat for a baseboard heater? How would I go about installing a thermostat for my bedroom's baseboard heater?  I've seen lots of articles on how to replace an old thermostat but I'm installing a thermostat for the first time here.

The heater is currently controlled by a dial on the heater, there is no thermostat.

Do I have to rip out drywall to follow the 240 wire?
Is there a different way to trace where to 240 wire flows in the wall?
Is it as easy as figuring out where the 240 wire vertically climbs the wall and install a thermostat inline?

In most thermostat installation guides, it's recommended to install the thermostat on an interior wall across from the heater.  If you trace the existing wires, it's possible the thermostat will end up above the heater. This is not ideal, and could lead to a poorly heated room.  You might get lucky, but in most cases there are a couple more appropriate options.
Use the heater as junction point
There should be an area of the heater used to make electrical connections. If this area is large enough, you can use it to extend the supply conductors out to the thermostat and back.

To do this...

Turn off the power to the circuit at the breaker/fuse box, and insure it's off using a non-contact voltage tester.
Run 2 new cables (4 wires, 6 if the circuit has grounding conductors) from the heater to the thermostat location.
Disconnect the supply conductors from the heater.
Using twist-on wire connectors (or any approved means), connect the supply conductors to one set of conductors leading to the thermostat.
Connect the other set of conductors from the thermostat to the heater.
Make the connections at the thermostat.
Turn the power back on, and enjoy.

Pull all new cable
The other option is to pull all new cable.

To do this...

Turn off the power to the circuit at the breaker/fuse box, and insure it's off using a non-contact voltage tester.
Pull a cable from the breaker/fuse panel to the thermostat location.
Pull a cable from the thermostat location to the heater.
Disconnect the existing cable from the heater, and remove the cable.
Connect the new cable to the heater.
Make the connections at the thermostat.
Connect the new cable in the breaker/fuse panel to the breaker/fuse used previously.
Turn the power back on, and enjoy.


Does the side of Hardibacker cement board really matter? I saw somewhere that the rough side should face out in case of thinset and smooth in case of mastic. I hung some boards randomly before knowing so some smooth sides are facing out and I'll be using thinset.

Does it matter to the extent that I really need to redo?

According to the James Hardie Website FAQ, either side is fine to use. However, they recommend smooth side to be up and nailed every 8" on center.


My door doesn't close without having to push it upwards first Possible Duplicate:
  How do I rehang a wooden door with worn screw holes?

I just moved into this room and the door wasn't closing properly, so I took the door off, screwed the hinges in properly and tried to screw the door on more straightly than before, so it would close nicely.

But to my horror, the door is now closing even worse. Now I have to hold the handle and push it (and the door) upwards to make it close at all.

The problem is that the door is leaning down, creating a gap at the top and no room at all at the bottom. I hope I'm explaining this properly. Also the hinges can't be screwed in very well, the screws turn on themselves after being screwed in.

Is there any way I can fix this?

The door is sagging, as is common over time. Or the house is sagging, and the frame's gone out of square.

In either case you have a number of options depending on what's wrong. Closing the door you should be able to see where the gaps are, and likewise with the door nearly ajar.

Then shim the appropriate hinges. In a perfect world you'd shim behind the stud, but that requires opening the wall and I'm guessing you don't own the house (and it's a pain even if you do). I've used a few layers of cardboard as a thin hinge before, or you can use real wood shims if you have a huge gap to make up (use them in pairs, and snap off the parts you don't need). Obviously the screws have to have enough to bite into even with the shims in place, or you might need slightly longer screws.

It's also possible the wood that the screws are going into is weak and can't hold a screw; you may be able to recover this by shoving toothpicks and superglue in the holes, then redrilling new holes once that dries.

If the house is sagging, you may be able to straighten the frame through brute force. I didn't think this would work, but it made a difference in the house I used to live in. It was a non-load-bearing wall and I literally just pushed the door frame back into square, shoving from corner to corner on the shorter diagonal.


Can a rough-in valve for a tub break? My faucet was leaking so I replaced the stem valves, but it still leaks. I was wondering if some how the rough-in (right terminology?) valve could have broken inside? I'm really hope not, because there's no way for me to reach it without cutting into my wall.

To make it clear, please see the instructions for the assembly of my faucet. The part I'm wondering about is number 2 in Step 2.

http://www.americanstandard-us.com/assets/documents/amstd/install/Install_4240.pdf

A little background: we found the faucet leaking a considerable amount after returning from a short trip. It had never leaked or dripped before this and the temperatures didn't get anywhere close to freezing over the weekend.

Also, I took one of the old stem valves, put a little purple ink on the surface the washer is supposed to sit on, and hand tightened it. After removing it, the washer was covered in purple ink, so I'm fairly certain the old and new stems were seated properly.

If you mean leaking from the tub spout I don't think that's likely. In those ceramic disc cartridge valves all the turning on and off is contained in the valve. There's no mechanical force applied to the rough-in portion to wear it out.

Are you sure all the o-rings on the cartridge are in place and intact?

I think your best bet would be to call American Standard to help diagnose the issue.


How can I repair this sagging gate door without replacing it completely? This gate is rubbing up against the wall of this house, and the locking mechanism is on the incorrect side of the post where the lock is and now the gate will not correctly open. I think the problem is just that the gate is sagging. How would you go about a cheap fix? I think I just need something on the bottom of the gate to slightly raise it. It looks like there is already something there that was supposed to serve this purpose, but it is not raising it enough. I have circled that piece in red. Perhaps I just need one that is longer, but i don't know what the name of that piece is. Can anyone help me?

I would purchase a kit that has a steel wire and turnbuckle setup attach to the hinge side top left and the bottom right, some of the kits have turnbuckle the wire rope clamps and brackets to screw into the frame work for under 20$. These kits will allow you to tension the gate and remove the sag. You will need to adjust the latch but without the sag the gate would swing normally. Link not working right but Google ace gate anti sag kit 13.99$


Can I run only hots to outdoor safety switch I'm looking to install a safety switch (SIEMENS LNF222R) to disconnect a load on my house. Can I run only the hots (black and red) to this box and run neutral and ground to the appliance and still be up to code? Or do I need to run all four wires to the safety switch, put wire nuts onto the ground/neutral wires in the switch, and connect the hots to the switch?

If I run only the red/black, do they need to be inside of a conduit to be up to code? The wires will be run along the ceiling of an unfinished basement.

You have two choices

You either can run all the wires to the switch and then run all the wires from the switch to the appliance (using wire nuts or setscrew splice lugs for the neutral and ground if the switch does not provide neutral and ground bars), or you can run the hots, neutral, and ground to the appliance and then run a 240V switch loop out to the switch where the unswitched hots go out and the switched hots come back.

Given that this is likely larger than a 20A or 30A circuit, and /4 NM isn't available in larger than 10AWG, the better choice is to run all four wires to the switch.  Using bars vs. nuts or setscrew splices is up to you -- just make sure the switch enclosure is properly grounded via a pigtail if you do the latter, though.


Can/should I install the breaker box in an annexed room? I have three choices for the breaker box, in Brazil there is no national code restricting its location, but I still want it to have a good/proper location.

In my workshop that is annex to the house, but have its own locked entrace (you have to go to out to enter it), can be placed plainly visible but it is not easily accessible from inside the house.
Inside a half bath (just toilet and sink, 1.5x1.5m) opposite wall to the toilet.
In the laundry in the same wall next to the gas water heater. It seems to be the most recommend spot, but it also is very close to water/heat sources.

Can I put it in the workshop? If not, the half-bath seems to carry less water than the laundry.

(Punting to the US NEC since the OP mentioned Brazil doesn't have an electrical code, and the 2014 NEC is what I have handy.)

First off -- putting a panel in a half-bath is a bad idea, due to the hazards it poses to any electrician working inside it.  In the US, it'd be dinged by an inspector as a 240.24(E) violation:

  (E) Not Located in Bathrooms. In dwelling units, dormitories, and guest
  rooms or guest suites, overcurrent devices, other than supplementary overcurrent
  protection, shall not be located in bathrooms.

That said, is the workshop kept locked when not in use?  If so, I suspect putting breakers there would fail 240.24(B) in the US NEC (the exceptions are for multi-tenant buildings under 24/7 professional management and don't apply to single-family dwellings as a result):

  (B) Occupancy. Each occupant shall have ready access to all overcurrent
  devices protecting the conductors supplying that occupancy, unless otherwise
  permitted in 240.24(B)(1) and (B)(2).

This leaves the laundry room -- a properly placed panel in the laundry room should not be subject to moisture on a regular basis, but a NEMA 3R enclosure for the panelboard (i.e. an outdoor-rated panelboard) is a good insurance policy against a burst washer hose nonetheless.


Gas fireplace is connected to the thermostat. Is there a way to disconnect? New home has a gas fireplace that that we believe is connected to our thermostat. The fire will turn on/off continuously. Is there a way to disconnect it so we can just have the fireplace ON continuously when we want to use it?

Thanks in advance!

I have run into this a couple of times.  If your situation is the same as mine, here is what's happening:  The fireplace operates on extremely low voltage. Because of this, it doesn't require much outside influence to induce a voltage in the stat wire to open the gas valve on the fireplace. If when the fireplace was installed, the installers ran the stat wire through the same drilled holes with line voltage circuitry wires, this is how it happens. Someone turns on a chandelier of the refrigerator starts. Those circuit wires experience a significant up tick in current flow.  That current induces an induction field all around the cable. If the stat wire falls within that field, the fireplace starts. It is like a mini transformer.


How to properly repair siding holes I noticed the AC installation by my house's previous owner left an unpatched hole in the siding, close to the ground. We have a lot of rain in the fall/winter. I don't know how long it's been like that.
Is this a concern of damage inside the exterior wall? Concern of mold? Would simply patching the hole be enough?

Well, that's a bit messy looking!
The best repair would be to remove the two damaged planks and replace them with new ones.
Next best would be to cut back the planks away from the hole and replace the pieces that cross the hole.
Next best would be to install flashings that cover the hole.
Mold is definitely a possibility. I see moss growing on the insulation.
Pull or push some of that insulation out of the way and check for mold. The mold can probably be sufficiently treated though this hole without a need to disassemble the whole wall.


How should my smart dimmer be connected? I have replaced normal outlets and wall switches before. I'm comfortable enough to know I have to turn off the breaker before doing it. I purchased my very own DH6HD-1BZ with the intentions of wiring it myself, however, there are only 2 wires that I can see in the wall and this looks to me like it could take up to 4. The blue wire out of the wall is one wire (although it looks like 2, I couldn't tell that until I disassembled it)

I found the instruction sheet here.

From that:

We can’t tell which your hot feed is:  blue or yellow.  You need to determine that, one way is a meter, another way is a non-contact voltage detector with the old switch turned off.

On the new switch:
BLK is where the hot wire goes.  (My guess is the blues)

RD is where the load goes, that will be other wire on the old switch.(my guess is yellow)

WH is neutral.  You’ll need a 6” white wire scrap for this. Attach that scrap  here and add the other end to the wire-nutted bundle of neutrals in the back of the box

You won’t use YL/RD in this instance. Leave the label covering the screw per the instructions.  (It would only be used when multiple switches control the same light.)

The difference is your old switch didn’t need neutral.  Smart switches always do, and fortunately neutral is available in the box (that is not always the case.)

What is in that tape? It shouldn’t be there. Splices require wire nuts instead.


Should I replace a stove wall outlet that became loose but we bent back the prongs? The stove suddenly quit working, with only the broiler still working. Upon investigation, the 3 prong stove outlet prongs inside of the outlet appeared to have been spread apart too far so the 3 prong stove plug-in was no longer making a good connection. He pushed the prongs inside the outlet closer together, now there is good contact again with the stove plug. But should I replace the outlet for safety? And What would cause the outlet prongs to spread apart inside of the wall? My feeling is the stove must have been unplugged by someone and then not plugged in correctly or jammed in or maybe when it was pulled out from the wall for cleaning, it was yanked.

3-prong outlets are obsolete and very dangerous.  Specifically, the appliance industry lobbied NFPA to allow bootlegging ground on dryers and ranges, on the logic that these sockets are rarely disturbed. However, This means an ordinary failure in the neutral wire electrifies the chassis of the appliance.

As such, any failure in a 3-prong appliance cord is nothing to trifle with.  It should be replaced, both socket and plug, with all possible urgency.

Now, if upon removing the socket, you discover there actually is a ground wire there*,  or if there is metal conduit which provides ground, or if it is easy to retrofit a ground wire via any viable route, or if you are willing to fit a GFCI breaker on this circuit which moots ground... In any of those cases, you should seize the moment and upgrade to a 4-prong plug and socket. Part of this is removing the neutral-ground bootleg strap in the appliance.

If you use the "not actually grounding it but fitting a GFCI breaker" approach, mark the socket "GFCI Protected/No Equipment Ground".

These sockets are not designed for (not strong enough for) frequent swapping.  If you have a reason to be frequently swapping this plug, then ask a new question about your reasons for doing so, and if there is a better way to do this (there is).

* It happens all the time where a house is built with a 4-prong socket, and the appliances arrives with a 3-prong plug, so the builder changes the socket to 3-prong since modifying buildings is his bailiwick, and modifying appliances is not. Later a new appliance is purchased, and the installer changes the 4-prong plug to a 3-prong (instead of restoring the 4-prong socket) because modifying appliances is his bailiwick, and modifying buildings is not.


TRane furnace error code 3 blinks Fan runs continuously no heat 3 blinks error code
So I've learnt it seems a draft problem .....
Blew through little hose and clear disconnected exhaust and still nothing any ideas  thanks dave

replace pressure switch it is a possibility that it is bad