Cable amplifier repeater setup for best signal I have a long run from the pole to my house, so the cable company installed a repeater.  After doing some research I'm starting to see that I'm still not getting the full signal strength to my Main TV and My Cable Modem.

Here is what I have now:

the two things I'd like to accomplish are

1 - get the best signal possible to my Main TV and to my Cable Modem

2 - Add one more TV

So here is what I was thinking should work:

Please let me know your thoughts on this approach or if there is a better way to do it.

TIA

M

UPDATE 5/19/2015 12:47 am EST

Here are the current results from my modem:

Downstream Bonded Channels

Channel Lock Status Modulation Channel ID Frequency Power SNR Corrected
Uncorrectables
1 Locked QAM256 1 651000000 Hz 3.6 dBmV 38.8 dB 6238 3004
2 Locked QAM256 2 657000000 Hz 3.3 dBmV 38.6 dB 5254 2258
3 Locked QAM256 3 663000000 Hz 3.2 dBmV 38.5 dB 4282 1875
4 Locked QAM256 4 669000000 Hz 3.3 dBmV 38.5 dB 3444 1327
5 Locked QAM256 5 675000000 Hz 2.9 dBmV 38.1 dB 4326 1508
6 Locked QAM256 6 681000000 Hz 2.9 dBmV 38.4 dB 4995 2056
7 Locked QAM256 7 687000000 Hz 2.8 dBmV 38.4 dB 5716 2352
8 Locked QAM256 8 693000000 Hz 2.6 dBmV 38.3 dB 7679 4029

Upstream Bonded Channels

Channel Lock Status US Channel Type Channel ID Symbol Rate Frequency Power
1 Locked ATDMA 10 5120 Ksym/sec 36500000 Hz 45.5 dBmV
2 Locked ATDMA 11 5120 Ksym/sec 30100000 Hz 45.0 dBmV
3 Locked ATDMA 12 5120 Ksym/sec 23700000 Hz 44.5 dBmV

Before going crazy adding amplifiers you might want to spend a little time investigating the current wiring/splitting situation in your house, if you haven't already.

Every splitter and every foot of cable contribute to signal loss:

Verify that you have only the bare minimum number of splitters in your system (in this case it seems like you can get away with 1).
Make sure you don't have any unnecessary long bundles of cable, or cable splices. Sometimes people will buy a long amount of cable and then just coil it all up in the basement instead of trimming it.
Make sure all your existing cables are in good condition: no nicks in the jacket, hard kinks (a bend is fine but a hard kink can break the interior insulation). Make sure all connections are secure. If any cable or connector seems questionable, replace it.
Make sure the splitter only has as many outputs as you need. A 4-way splitter will drop the signal on each leg more than a 3-way, no matter how many devices are plugged in.

If you're trying to troubleshoot signal strength, you may be able to use the config page on your DOCSIS modem, which should display the signal strength ("power level" in dBmV and "signal-to-noise ratio" in dB).

I think it's unlikely you'll really need 3 amplifiers in your house, especially if the cable company has verified that their own amplifier is providing a sufficient signal to your property. Typically the utility company is responsible for getting a usable signal as far as the exterior wall. If the above suggestions don't yield anything, you might want to call them back and ask them.

Edit based on additional cable modem signal info

The signal numbers you've posted all look perfectly within spec according to several websites, e.g. What cable modem signal levels are considered good?. I am not a cable tech and there may be other signal issues in play but as a rough cut you seem to be getting a decent signal. I don't think an amp will help.

I assume you're using a site like Speedtest.net to measure your internet speed and you're not getting what you think you should?

There are a couple reasons this might happen:

Poor signal to cable modem (I think we can probably rule this out, but who knows)
Poor wifi signal, if you're using wifi. Make sure you do these test with a hardwired ethernet cable if possible, to remove that variable.
Competition between other internet users in your area. Peak internet usage is between 7-9pm. Try running a test late at night or early in the morning to see if you get a different result.
Unsupported cable modem: is your cable modem provided by your utility or did you buy it yourself? Is it an approved model? You mention "DOCSIS 3" in your post so I assume you've thought about this, but make sure you have an approved modem that supports your utility's network.
Some other issue with your cable provider

To test whether your house's wiring / splitters are the problem, try moving the cable modem to be directly connected to the utility-installed amplifier (i.e. remove all the household wiring and splitters), and see if you get different speed or signal numbers.


Safe to use 220V electric clothes dryer when building has been bridged down to 110V? We live in a building with 220V service with primarily 110V outlets but a few specialty ones at 220V.

Earlier this week electrical service in half the building across all three apartments went out.  The utility company came out on an emergency basis and restored power by bridging one of the 110V wires onto the faulty one.

Now the lights are back on but the 220V outlets are presumably only offering 110V.  It is safe to run a 220V electric dryer on an outlet that now offers 110V of power?

I called the manufacturer of the dryer (Samsung) and all they knew how to do was look up stuff in the manual, which was not helpful.  The emergency service technician (not a electrician) was not certain either.  I called an electrician and he didn't seem certain either, but recommended against it to be on the safe side.

From the research I have done it seems like the concern might be that the motor might burn out possibly and that definitely the heating element would not get as hot so it might take a lot longer for a load to dry.  I can live with the latter but not the former.  Additionally are there any safety issues to consider?

I tried the dryer for a moment and the panel lit up and the drum spun as expected.  Did not test to see if it got hot.

Repair service is a scheduled for a week away and the laundry is piling up!  Even when they attempt repair they are counting on running a new wire through the underground conduit which I already suspect is not sound so they may have to dig which will surely take longer.

It won't work.  Your 220V (really probably 240) outlets will actually have 0V, not 110V.

The reason for this is that normally the 220V outlets make their 220 by taking both 110 lines that are out of phase with each other, such that while 1 is at +110, the other is at -110 for a difference of 220.  Since the power company bridged one of the 110 lines to make up for the dead one, that won't work -- they'll both be at +110 or -110 at the same time, for a difference of 0.


Is it necessary to power-stretch when installing carpet? Is it absolutely necessary to use power-stretch when installing carpet? In my case it is a room 284 x 550cm, I thought power stretcher is mainly for large spaces and in my case a knee-kicker would be just fine?

Thanks.

According to CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute, a non-profit industry supported professional standards and certification organization)

  The use of a Power Stretcher is MANDATORY.  Devices used as a substitute for, or an attachment to such devices that penetrate through the carpet backing may cause injury, damage carpet or substrates, or result in inadequate stretch.  Such devices are not acceptable.

They also publish installation standards (CRI-105 for residential carpet installation).

Now, the reality is that I have installed carpets using just a kicker, but I always had a helper with a makeshift "T" shaped stretcher/holder and this was in small rooms only.


How to remove floor adhesive from concrete? The problem is aggravated by the presence of underlayment. When engineered hadrwood flooring was removed, some underlayment was removed with it, and some stayed glued to the floor.

What is the best way to remove all this mess? And should I use any solvent or adhesive remover?

I have had to go through this a few times recently.  You can try hot water or some kind of remover but you may be making a liquid mess where you adhesive just spreads out.

I have found the fastest way of dealing with it is chiseling for a small area or power scraping - rent one or I personally own one that hooks up to compressor - scraper was like $15 at big box.  Yes the work is more laborous but it gets done quicker and cleanup is with a broom.


Allow downspout discharge to cross a sidewalk in a freezing climate? I have two downspouts whose discharge I need to get past a sidewalk.  Currently for each gutter, corrugated tubing is run underground, under the sidewalk, for approximately 20 feet where it discharges out the side of the hill approximately 18 inches lower than where it began (it's not a steep hill).

One of the corrugated tubes has a dip in the middle of the run which isn't ideal, but otherwise during the summer this configuration works decently for the time being.  In the winter is a different story--the tubing quickly freezes up and remains frozen until the ground thaws, which creates big problems for roof melt-water and early-Spring rainfall.

In the winter I've tried disconnecting the tubing and installing downspout extensions that run to the near edge of the sidewalk (so the water runs across the top of the sidewalk and then down the hill).  This allows the gutters to drain properly but creates some icing problems on the sidewalk.  I don't leave it like this in the summer due to concerns that the quantity of water will erode the concrete in those areas.

What is the ideal configuration so it can drain properly?

I've attached a crude sketch and a photograph.

Sketch:

Photo:

The preferred solution that I've seen is to discharge the gutter through a couple inch air gap into a catch basin that outputs into the underground drain. The air gap allows for water to drain into the yard when the catch basin freezes solid.

And while it's a bit late to change your underground drains, I prefer the solid pipe installed with a slight slope over the corrugated tubing. It's less likely to collapse over time and water doesn't have anywhere to be trapped in the tube.


Hanging a shelf using 3 wall-mounting brackets: How to align the drill holes? Each bracket has 3 holes (two at the top, one at the bottom) and I'd like to align them to give me a proper horizontal (w.r.t. gravity) alignment. What's a reliable way to tell me where to drill? I only have a rather short level. The shelf (just a wood board) I'm trying to mount is approximately 4' long, the level I have is at most a foot long. In the past I've tried "extending" a level line by moving the level along but results have been... mixed.

A helper would really help with a 4’ board

Screw one bracket into the wall (bottom hole only) 6” in from one edge where you would like the shelf
Place the other bracket 6” in from the other end
Place the shelf on the brackets and keep the brackets flat against the shelf
With the level on the shelf, raise or lower the bracket to find level
Screw in the second bracket in the bottom hole
Screw in the other holes and attach to shelf (ensure the shelf is centered first).
Maybe add a middle bracket, 3’ is a bit of a span depending on what you are putting in it


What kind of paint and texture is this? And how do you patch this area? What kind of paint and texture is this? And how do you patch this area?

it looks like an older product called rockote.  its basically a polymer modified brick mortar thats used as a non EIFS stucco finish.  i think they still sell it in australia, but you can ask at your local old school lumberyard.  the old guys there will know what it was and suggest a replacement.  if you can't find one, you can use dyna ceraflex 610, but not the 620


Gap between foundations is a bug entry point? Main Problem
Camel crickets are getting inside house and the entry point appears to be a gap between foundations.
Background
Occasionally, we see camel (spider) crickets in the bathroom of our addition. An exterminator identified a potential entry point as a ground level hole where the foundation of the house and the foundation of the addition meet. This appears promising because this is only 3 feet from the bathroom where we normally see the crickets.
We have found camel crickets in other places of the house but finding and patching small holes in crawl space vents appears to be limiting their access. Now we are seeing them in only the addition.
The Foundations
The addition was added about 25 years ago and the house is 50 years old. The house foundation goes at least a few feet down. We do not have a basement but the floor of the lowest level is a little below ground level. The addition's foundation is higher than the main house.
We live on a hill with the ground rising behind the house.
The Hole
The hole is at ground level where the original foundation and the addition's foundation meet. It is about 3" wide and 3" tall and very deep (maybe length of the addition). If I send a endoscope in the hole, I can see the flat vertical face of the original foundation (on the left), dirt and large rocks below, and a rough concert surface that looks like the bottom of the additions foundation above. To the right, the top and bottom of the hole taper off together.
Possible Solution: Patch the Hole
I would like to patch/fill/seal this hole. But it is at ground level where the foundations meet, the surfaces are all very rough, and I am not what is safe for the foundation.
I have scheduled some contractors to come out and look at this but I know nothing about foundations so they could tell me just about anything and are likely not to explain things nearly as well as SE.
Questions
Is it typical for there to be a gap underneath the edge where one foundation meets another?  Is it a problem?
How can I fill/seal this void to keep critters out? Is it safe for the foundation?
Suggestions for troubleshooting this would be welcomed too.
Update
Spoke with contractor who does foundation repair and he will be looking at it on 8/29/2016. Over the phone, he said that the open space under the addition's foundation could have been caused by the settling of dirt. He also proposed packing additional dirt in to make up for the settling.
Diagram of Layout

Exterior wall with hole at bottom

Close up of hole in exterior wall

You can get two pack pouring foam which is the same but on a larger scale and that stuff will fill any gaps regardless of their size, i would be be more concerned about it expanding into your bathroom, Also you may want to extend that down pipe away from your house looks like a lot of water has been running under your foundation, Which may cause you bigger problems in the future than insects in the house.


Can I use a switch loop to power a ceiling fan? Need your help, please. I have a single pole switch that controls the wall’s receptacles. It has one 14/2 cable, white/black/ground, where the white is hot.  I would like to install a ceiling fan. I expanded the box for the second switch and ran a wire for the fan. My question is, can I use a  power source from an existing wire?

No.  You do not have the required conductors at the box. It sounds like you simply have a switch loop, where one conductor is ungrounded (hot), and the other is an ungrounded switched conductor.  To power a ceiling fan, you'll also need a grounded (neutral) conductor.

If you could pull an additional conductor (or cable) from the power source of the receptacles, you would be able to do what you want.  However, as it currently stands, you're short a conductor.


What is the name of the pump that goes in the drain between a washing machine and the sewer? My washing machine drains to a pump that then goes to the sewer.

What is the name of that type of pump?

Ejector pump. If your washer is in the basement and the sewer is overhead, gravity drain won't work.


Best way to level a room and lay temporary flooring I need to lay some temporary(about a year) flooring in a room. The house has a crawl space under it and the floor droops slightly, about 1/2 an inch in the center.

It was suggested to me to that I should put some shims where it is low, lay the thinnest piece of plywood I could find across the entire room, and then install which ever flooring is decided upon(will either be carpet or laminate wood). The room is roughly 9x10 feet.

Is there a better way to level the floor? Would shims be suitable or should the center of the room be built up with something else? Is this just a horrible idea all around?

Thin plywood will only flex and make noise. Anything on top of shims must be able to carry the load of furniture and foot traffic just as a standard subfloor must.

If your floor slopes gently just half an inch, there's probably no reason to do all that work. Most flooring will accommodate that. Lay your temporary flooring on what you have. If you do need a better substrate for the particular type of flooring, lay some inexpensive 1/4" OSB or mahogany plywood to provide a smoother surface.


Is the toilet bowl's coating the secret to a clean flush? Note: I am in Australia, which has very different toilet systems to the USA, which is why this similar question was no help to me.

I have two bathrooms, which are both being renovated, and I will be replacing the toilet suites.

One of the toilets has problems with... for want of a more delicate way to put it... skid marks. The other is absolutely fine. I want to avoid this problem with the new toilets.

I spoke to a salesman today who said it was all due to the coating on the bowl and recommended an expensive brand that he said was the best.

I am dubious. I suspect the cause is something to do with the geometric design - the relative location of the water to the back of the seat, or similar, so the waste never hits the sides. The toilet that has no problems is a reasonably cheap brand, but a discontinued model so I can't just get two more of those.

Is it all about the coating? If it is about the physical shape, is there something I can look out for in the showroom?

It is true that the smoothness of the porcelain is a factor; a newer bowl or a higher quality one will have less of a problem.

Many brands of washlet will spray water on the inside of the bowl before you start, which does wonders for this problem.


Philadelphia Code for Distance of Switch from sink for garbage disposal? How far from the garbage disposal should the switch be to meet code?

You can have the switch adjacent to the sink. As far as code the national electric code has no specific limitations on the switch location, it has a specific length for the power cord of 18”-36” per NEC 422.16. But there is not a defined location for the switch. You probably would want it within 2’ similar to the current requirement for outlet spacing.


Why does my thermostat require 240volts? Purchased smart thermostat from China still in transit, my old thermostat has two wires only from ducted gas heating unit was powered by 2-1.5 volt batteries.
The new thermostat requires a hard wire power source ,no batteries.
The connection at back of thermostat states 95-240 ac volts L and N , I gather line and neutral . See image.
My question is why do you need so many volts to power the display ?
Is it simply the fact that most households already have 110 or 240 volts (I live in Australia) supply so that's how they design them.
I just want to make sure that I don't damaged the unit by hooking up 240 volt power.

You kind of answered your own question: "hard wire power source, no batteries".  If the thermostat requires its own power source and doesn't use batteries, then normal line and neutral household power is needed, that would be 120/204 volts. The line and neutral more than likely feed a transformer inside the unit that steps down the voltage to what the display requires.


How do I caulk where a caulk tube won't fit? I've got some door moldings that are about 1 inch from the adjacent wall. A caulk gun won't begin to get in there, and pivoting the caulk tube up so it's nearly parallel to both walls still doesn't get the tip close enough to the gap.
How should I apply a caulk bead in this situation? Any good tricks, clever tools, or "this worked well enough for me"?
Rough illustration of the situation:

(source: CoSketch.com)

In addition to DA01's suggestion, there are also smaller tubes of caulk that may be thin/small enough to angle into the casing corner. More costly, but you only need a little (if it fits).


What could have caused my GFCI to trip, and what can I do about it? About a week ago, a GFCI tripped.  I noticed that because appliances in my kitchen stopped working. The short story is that something was put into an outlet that shouldn't have been.  That's not the issue.  My son went to put some stuff in the deep freezer in our garage today and discovered that the freezer was out and that we had some rotting food.  My question is, why did a GFCI in my kitchen and in my garage trip?  When one trips, do they all trip?  Did the added strain of a foreign object in an outlet cause them all to trip?  Was it just a coincidence?

Second question.  What's the best remedy for this?  Should I swap out the GFI or try to do some sort of alarm?

I have seen surges or dips in voltage trip GFIs. Can't explain why, but I have seen it.
Also, older GFIs were slightly more prone to nuisance tripping. If they are more than a few years old replacing them would not hurt one bit.

These two are not on the same circuit by any chance are they? I sincerely hope not, but it would explain things.


How can I repaint a bad paint job? I just got a wooden sweet cart made for myself.  I asked someone to paint it for me but he did a really bad job. He didn't let paint dry completely so it has smudged all over an looks uneven. How can I go about repainting it myself? The cart is made out of pine. What process and products should I use?

The basic process I would use is

Find out what type of paint was used (both primer and top-coat) so that I can obtain and apply a compatible paint. If I couldn't find out, I'd try overpainting a small area in an inconspicuous position and see what happens.
Sand it flat using increasingly fine grades of sandpaper, then clean it.
Buy new paint and carefully follow the instructions on the tin. Make sure to use primer first if there are any areas of bare wood.

Worst case is probably buy paint stripper and clean it back to bare wood.


How do I slow further cracking in wood outdoors? Ideally my wood steps and picnic table would have been treated properly in past years but they weren't.  The answers to this question recommended oil-based approaches to protecting outdoor wood.  But given that I have cracking ranging from mild to severe, is there anything I can fill the cracks with which will do more to slow continued than the simple oil based treatments?  I'm in Chicago, so winter is real.

You don't need to fill in the cracks to prevent further cracking. You need to seal the wood to prevent further cracking/checking. Moisture is wood's undoing, and you want to keep the level of moisture in the wood consistent year-round.

Almost all wood sealants are aimed at doing this--paint, stain, poly, etc. For outdoor furniture, poly-based stains are REALLY good, if you don't mind the slightly rubbery feeling they can leave. For stairs, look into decking products, some of which are poly-based, but are formulated to allow you to walk safely on them.

Now, if you have big cracks, you might get snow and ice in there, and the ice could wedge the wood further apart. Depending on how big the cracks are, you can fill them with epoxy resin, and then seal the whole thing with paint/stain/etc. The stain won't sink into the epoxy and color it, so you'll need to mix some colorant into the resin as you apply it.

If the cracks are even larger, you might consider using something like a Dutchman (bowtie-shaped piece of wood) to hold the two pieces from splitting further apart. This takes some skill and either a router or chisel and a good eye.

If the cracks are enormous, you may just be better off replacing the wood where it has split. Make it match as best you can, and then make sure to put a good coat of sealant on both old and new wood.


Can this valve be used for water? A water valve cracked today at my house and had to call a plumber. He replaced it with a gas valve (yellow handle). He said he uses gas valves because they are better quality.

What he installed looks like this:

I did a search based on what's written on it and it's tested up to 30 bars and seems it can be used for water also... but I'm still not 100% sure.

Where I live, the water pressure is 3-6 atm in the pipes, depending on how tall the buildings are.

Can this be used for water? Are there any disadvantages for using it for water?

It is common/normal for valves to be rated for multiple service types.

As such, so long as it is rated/certified/locally acceptable for the type of service it is in, and rated at or above the operating service pressure of the service it's in, it's fine.

Locally, I'd be looking for a "NSF-PW" (National Sanitation Foundation - Potable Water) or one of a number of other more obscure codes indicating suitability for potable water service.

If it can also handle gas, I don't care, in water service. In gas service, I care that it can handle gas, and is suitably rated for that service, and I don't care what the water ratings (if any) are. The only place I might care about both would be my spare parts collection, where one valve could fix either type of service, if suitably rated for both.

If it makes you happier, paint the handle blue, or red, or whatever color you expect it to be.


What is the most reliable way to install transitions and molding for laminate flooring on concrete flooring? Can you please tell me what is the most reliable way to install transition strips and molding for laminate flooring on concrete flooring?

Kind regards.

Most of them come with steel channels that you'd fasten with plastic anchors or other concrete fasteners. The moldings press into the channels.

A technique for moldings without channels is to drill 1/2" holes in the concrete, plug them with treated wood dowels, and simply nail down the molding.


How to properly install irrigation system/garden faucet I want to install an above ground irrigation system for our flowers (large flower farm).  The part I am having trouble with is how to properly connect to the main water supply without having backflow.  I would like to have a setup like below (I will add a blowout to prevent pipe freezing).

The pipe that goes underground will tee off, one end going to a garden faucet, and the other end to the irrigation lines.  The pipe will travel 100-150 feet underground and eventually end up 5 feet higher than its starting point.  This means it will be above the faucet at its end point.  I am unsure what type of backflow prevention I would need, and where I should put it.  I figure I need something in the mainline before the tee in the picture, but am not sure what.  I read that RPZ is "the best" but am worried about potential flooding.
Also, I live in Maryland and am on Well Water.

Generally you want the backflow as close to the supply as possible.  So right here might be a good choice:


Could my grinder cut a 3mm steel plate I am thinking in building a circular washbasin mounted into a 3mm steel plate. To do it, I need to cut a circle on the plate. I don't have much, just a cheap 1250w grinder and the discs that came with it.

I would like to ask you:

Do you think my grinder will be enough for this? Should I buy new specific discs?
Do you think my circle will have many imperfections? how could I refine it?

Thank you so much!

Do you think my grinder will be enough for this? Should I buy new specific discs?

3mm? A number of abrasive wheels can cut that easily.

  Do you think my circle will have many imperfections? how could I refine it?

Depends on the diameter of the circle and how much control you have. Angle grinders have a high rotational inertia and wouldn't be my first pick for trying to cut a perfect circle. Maybe a smaller tool like a Dremel, or maybe a cutting torch might be better. I would practice on a piece first if you can.


Can I legally drill a hole of 4" diameter in concrete load bearing beam through core cutting method? Can I legally drill a hole of 4" diameter in concrete load bearing beam above window through core cutting method?

No. You shouldn't drill any hole in a structural member without a structural engineer's or manufacturer's (who probably has an engineer on staff) approval, and they will tell you where you can locate it.


How to hang a shelf in an invisible manner? I recently decided to start building my own furniture whenever I could.

To start small, I decided to go with a design’ish shelf that right now looks like that:

I’d obviously like to hang it on the wall but also to do it without visible shelf brackets. I have no idea what technique to use there. The shelf will ultimately carry books and while it is probably sturdy enough to do so, I understand that the wall fixation system is at least as important.

The shelf has an overall width x height of 30’’ x 30’’ and I do have metallic studs in the wall I want to hang it to.

What fixation system can I use in that situation?

You should look for Floating or Blind shelf brackets.

You may actually need thicker supports on the tops or bottoms of your shelves to get the right support from these brackets, but this will give the appearance of "floating" that you're looking for


How can window condensation in a leased condo be dried, if I'll be away for 3 weeks, without towels? I will be leaving my leased condominium in Toronto, Canada for three weeks  on 1 Feb. 2019. In cold weather, my window  and balcony door sills have pools of water on the floor that sometimes pour into my hardwood floor, much more wringing than the pictures beneath. When I'm here, I sop them up myself.  I don't have anyone who can come into my unit daily to soak up.

Towels don't feel that efficacious to me. Won't they stay water-logged?

Turn on a fan to circulate the air which will remove some of the excess moisture by evaporation.
Change the HVAC filter. A dirty filter will impede air flow.
Turn on the HVAC. This not only cools/heats the room, but also removes humidity.
Get yourself a dehumidifier.


Lock can be opened with credit card even when deadlatch is fully depressed I just installed a standard deadlatch, very much like this:

The problem is, it can be opened from the outside with a credit card.

Of course, a properly installed deadlatch should make this impossible. When the deadlatch is depressed, the latch should not be able to retract.

But when I hold the deadlatch down with my thumb and wiggle the latch, the latch eventually retracts.

It has nothing to do with how the strike plate is installed or positioned on the door. I can do it without ever involving the door or strike plate. I can just use my hands. It's very repeatable. Just hold the deadlatch down, press and wiggle the latch, and it retracts, every time.

Does this mean I have a faulty deadlatch? How could a deadlatch malfunction in this way?

UPDATE: I have to use a latching lock for this door. That's part of the users' requirements. So a deadbolt is not an option.
Covering the gap between the door and frame might be a good idea for preventing the credit card move. However, what I'd really like to know is how a deadlatch could malfunction in this way to begin with.

If the strike bolt can be depressed by direct pressure when the small strike is not fully extended, then the lock is poorly made or broken. Replace it.

You should consider using a lock of higher quality. If this lock has failed, then perhaps all other instances of the same make and model are on the verge of failing. In any case, test the lock before installation.

If you really want to know the mechanical failure mode, you'll have to take the broken lock apart, and guess how it should have worked.


Bypass the Timer FM-DS3(e) on Hyundai heater I have the oil heater Hyundai with mechanical Timer FM-DS3(e).
I want to baypass the timer. Let the energy go on the heater.
Looks like energy (red)cabel comes to 4 and one part of (white) cabel comes to 1.
Any help will be appreciated.

Here's the datasheet for the switch:
http://www.maxtronictech.com/MT-010x02.pdf

The easiest thing to do would be to get a slightly different FM DS(3) that has an on/off/timer switch, and set it to on. Problem solved, no wiring changes.

The second easiest thing would be to turn all the timer switches to the 'on' position.

The third easiest thing to do would be to bridge 3 and 4 with a jumper.  However, then there would be no way to turn this off -- not what you'd usually use for a heater!


Floor joist attachment improvements in presence of existing ledger? TL;DR: AFAIK there are no joist hangers that can be retrofit in a location where there's an existing ledger board without removing said ledger, right?  Is there anything I should think about aside from adding blocking between joists, given the existing structure?

Full deal:

I have a house built in 1910ish.  I think there were some fairly significant modifications to the structure early on.  In any case, most of the 1st floor joists are riding on ledger boards.

Some of the joists have twisted or shifted (or both) over time.  I suspect this is because of an external, shifted retaining wall (it's slated to be replaced too) and because of a significant area of water/insect damage that was repaired in the past.  Some of the joists have, of course, split horizontally where the notches were made, and there are four or five in one corner that have pulled away from their attachment at the sill beam.  (I haven't figured out quite what to do about that.  It doesn't look like it's moving now, so I suspect this is a consequence of the insect and water damage in the past.)

Some searching online does not suggest to me that there are joist hangers designed to work around existing ledger boards (but I solicit pointers).  I don't know it would even be possible to remove the ledger board without affecting the structure pretty badly, so I don't think that's the way to go.  (This is just some stabilising work I'm trying to do, not a gut job, so I don't want to rebuild everything.)

I'm now thinking that putting blocking between the joists, to reduce the tendency to twisting, is all I can do.  Am I failing to think of something obvious?

Simpson makes brackets that can be attached with joist hanger nails that are NOT joist hangers; I have them on the ends of my stair stringers. Most likley the:

L/LS/GA Reinforcing and Skewable Angles

I suppose other companies make similar things, though to some extent SST is such a behemoth I don't know of any others in my local market. Anyway, if the ledger is carrying the bottom load, these will provide reenforcing for the attachment.

They also make flat reenforcing plates that could be attach across the splits to stabilize them, at least temporarily (which can be a few decades in house work, often enough...)


How to properly allow for drainage for a backyard retaining wall? I'm building a retaining wall for a circular fire pit area in my backyard, which has some slope to it. I've stacked the stones along the front part of the fire pit to make a kind of retaining wall, but I haven't put mortar in-between the stones just yet. The plan is to eventually build up the backside of the fire pit area where we've dug into the hill. We'll set flagstone down eventually as the base of the circle. And just so you have a sense of scale, the diameter of the circle is roughly 14.5 feet and the maximum height of both the "uphill" and "downhill" retaining walls are roughly 1.5 feet (see photo below).
I'm a little unsure what to do about drainage for this thing. Should the circle be slightly angled downhill to allow for runoff? Or do I need to bury some piping behind either retaining wall to allow for drainage? And if I'm going to mortar the stones together (on both the "uphill" retaining wall and the "downhill" retaining wall), should I plan to leave holes in the mortar so water is allowed to seep through the retaining wall?
Thanks so much for the help, I'm a bit out over my skis on this one.

Water will drain through mortar.  Is the area inside the circle still going to be dirt (instead of an impervious material)?  If so, I don't see any need to do anything special.


In-Cabinet (sink base) electrical box - Metal or Plastic? I'm planning on putting an electrical box in my sink base with a split outlet, one for the dishwasher, the other for the garbage disposal.  I was thinking of running 12/3 MC from the wall gangbox (metal box + metal cover with knockout) to another metal box in the sink base.  Is this a legitimate / normal practice?

I've seen some solid plastic outdoor gangboxes that look like they'd be more appropriate under a sink but then I would have to run non-metallic cable.

Thanks

I am assuming you are trying to install a switch leg for the disposal and a continuous hot for the dishwasher and the disposal and, dishwasher are on the same circuit, and you are trying to use a split duplex for both devices. I am also assuming that you are trying to surface mount the box inside the cabinet rather than use a cut-in box.

If you are installing a surface mounted box the conductors or cabling would have to protected no mater what kind of box you are using. If you came out of the side you would have to protect the conductors until you could pass into the interior of the wall or some other protected area.

One other problem exists the dishwasher circuit requires GFCI protection and the disposal doesn't. So if you do not have GFCI protection for this circuit you cannot put a split receptacle in under the cabinet. You would have to install two separate receptacles (at least one GFCI protected) or add a GFCI breaker to that circuit.

Taking this one step further. Since the NEC requires at least the dishwasher to be GFCI protected, it would be safe to assume that the area below the sink is considered by AHJ to be a wet location which would mean an "outdoor gang box" would be required in a surface mounted box.

FYI - The new 2020 NEC has modified 210.18 (A) which will require every 120V outlet to be GFCI protected including disposals, as well as any other wet location inside and outside a dwelling.

Hope this helps


No hot water and low pressure I have a Moen Banbury faucet in my bathroom. Over the last month or so I have noticed both reduced water pressure and no hot water. When I turn the hot handle, the water flow doesn't change all that much.

All supply lines in the basement are in good order and valves are open (the hot supply run also supplies our kitchen faucet with no issue).

What could be causing the issue?

If I turn on just the hot it is low pressure and cool.

If you live in a hard water area or have galvanized pipes try this:

Turn off the water supply at sink stops
Remove the handle and the nut that holds the cartridge
Pull the cartridge and make sure to not lose the parts
Clean the cartridge
With hand over the valve top, slowly crack open water to flush
Put it all back together
Repeat on the other side

I have found everything from rust, pebbles, pipe thread tape, and sand in valve stems since the orifices are so small they clog easily. I hope that is it. Good luck. ☺


Which drywall screws to choose 1 1/4", 1 5/8", 2 1/2", bugle head, trim head, drill point, sharp point, coarse thread, fine thread...

With so many different kinds of drywall screws available, how is anybody to know which type and size to use?

What are the uses for the various types/sizes of drywall screws?

Go for 3/4" plus the thickness of the drywall.  So for standard half inch, the 1 1/4" should be fine.  When we double up the drywall on a fireproof ceiling, we switch to the 2"+ screws for the second layer.

You can go for longer if you have some difficult joists to hit.  There's no real downside to longer screws other than more work on the drill and more costs.


Centering new construction windows in CMU rough opening by notching rough opening and inserting nail fins in notch.... Doable? My Block man obviously could not read blueprints and I am left with upstairs cmu rough openings that barely meet egress codes.  Want window centered in block ( not attached to interior framing.  Can I "notch" around the r.o. with a grinder and then insert the nail fins in the notch and then trim using same method I used to install downstairs wood bucks?  R.O. is 48" wide X 40" high...... Window is 47.75 "wide X 36" high slider.... Will pour 4" bottom sill after install.  Comments.... Especially if idea is dangerous, please

Your idea is workable although you may need to cut off all of the flange on one side, if not both sides. A window that wide that you mention is wider than that when it is placed in the opening at an angle to insert one side into the groove you refer to. The top flange, the really important one should fit between the lintels over the opening.

When you specify a window going into a masonry opening to the window supplier, they will be able to direct you to the proper procedure for that type of install. It requires a clips, 3 on each side to the to the window for the holding of the window securely in place. These clips screw to the window jamb, and extend to the inside of the rough opening so the extended end can be attached to the block. You can use concrete screws for this. Drill the pilot holes no closer than 1 1/2" from the corners so they don't break out.


Should outdoor lamp post be on GFCI I have an outdoor lamppost at the end of my driveway. Its not currently on a GFCI circuit. Shouldn't it be? It does not have an outlet by it. If it did, then it would need GFCI for sure, right?

If a lamppost circuit is installed at least 18" below grade then the lamppost and the circuit does not need to be GFCI protected. If you install a new receptacle to the existing lamppost the the receptacle must be GFCI protected. In fact reference NEC Table 300.5 column 4.


Breaker for pool trips but not GFI We have GFI outlet in a "weather proof" box with cover. There is a pump and pool light plugged into it. Every time there is a semi heavy rain, the breaker in the box kicks but the GFI never trips. If the box is letting water in some way, shouldn't it trip the GFI also or just the breaker in the box?

Thanks for any help

If the fault is on the line side of the GFCI, then it will not detect it.  A GFCI device only monitors the load side wiring.

They also only protect against ground-faults. If there's a hot to neutral short, a GFCI will not detect it.


How to get rid of water stain on concrete? Hi there was a leaked pipe and the leaked water formed a trail on my concrete floor. Now the leak is fixed and I thought the water trail will just disappear when it dries up, but instead, it has moved and keeps on shifting to unaffected areas. Tried scrubbing it but its not on the surface. How do you get it out to restore the clean look of the concrete floor?

I had a similar problem recently and I successfully used a solution of muriatic acid. I wouldn't use full strength because of its potency. You can purchase a mild muriatic solution in most hardware stores.
Make sure you wear protective gloves and eyewear. Pour it on according to directions, lightly scrub the area with a brush being careful not to splatter the solution. After the time indicated on the bottle rinse the area thoroughly.


Make a hole deeper than the drill bit is long The longest drill bit I have is 23.62 inches and apparently the thickness of the concrete I need to penetrate is 27.5 inches. I don't wish to buy another drill bit, is there a smart solution?

The hole is for a gas pipe to go through, so the diameter of the bit is ~1.5 inches. I am drilling into the foundation, other side ends with a thin layer of plaster.

A 1.5" hole (38mm) in concrete is beyond any conventional drill.  You might get away drilling empty block, but not a foundation.

I'd suggest renting a big rotary hammer drill driver for this job.  Most rental places are happy to rent you a suitable bit for the task as well, on the basis if you didn't have the tool you're unlikely to have the proper sized cutter.

It might also be a coring hole saw instead of a masonry twist drill, potentially with a water feed for keeping the dust down.    The bigger ones come with a base that you bolt to the wall or floor to maintain tracking and not risk bending your tool's shaft.

Either way this is going to be a heavy tool to hold that is enormously loud, and will have high vibrations to the user and the structure into which you're drilling.

More info at https://www.instructables.com/community/How-to-drill-a-4-inch-hole-in-concrete/

Also, consider that you risk running into reinforcing rod (rebar) in a foundation, so your cutter will have to deal with steel as well as concrete.

Once the hole is done, you will absolutely have to clear it of dust and then seal the fresh surface - cut steel will need rust protection and the concrete will need silicon of some sort.

Consider also what other concrete holes you might want to prepare while you have the drill in your hands.

There's no shame at all in getting a contractor to drill your hole too - they will have the gear and probably cost not a lot more than a rental.


Tips for replacing a wire inside a wall? Last night we were experiencing some power glitches then around 1am it went out completely, but only part of the house.   Thinking there could be a potential fire hazard somewhere, I stayed home today to trace the problem.
I have 3 outlets along an exterior wall that went out. My voltage tester indicates they have power, but barely register 5v. I found the first socket in front of these in the series that tests 120v and show 120 leading out of it towards the others.  My thought is that somewhere in the wall between these two outlets there is a bad wire.
The old wire is pretty stiff and my past experience with pulling wire through  old metal boxes was a huge pain.
In this current home I'm not trying to replace any drywall so wondering if there are any tricks to getting a new wire fed through without having direct access in the wall.  If this is the only bad wire, I only have to run about 7ft.

It's significantly more likely that the first "working" outlet or the first "dead" outlet is bad, rather than the wire being bad. Outlets are inexpensive. Try replacing one or both of them first.


How robust is ceramic tile paint? A friend wants to paint the ceramic tile around her fireplace including some of the tiles on the floor in front of it. If those floor tiles get just a little foot traffic, is ceramic tile paint strong enough to weather the wear and tear? She said that "the tiles in front of
the fireplace really do not get walked on that much, occasionally when people put their shoes there when they come in the house but no high traffic." Ceramic tile paint is an epoxy and epoxy paints are used in shower and tub refinishing and those can (theoretically) withstand a beating, if not harsh chemicals. What do the experts think?

We have a bathroom in our house where the previous owners thought it would be a good idea to paint over the tile and grout with some kind of ceramic tile paint on the walls.  The house was a rental for some time before we bought it, and while we don't know how long the paint was in use, it seems to be very durable.

Since we have owned the house, we have not had any issues with the paint standing up to normal use and cleaning.  We have not hit it with abrasives, but I expect it would scratch in the same ways that tile would.  I haven't tested this, though.  There is one spot on the wall where someone was able to cause some grief on the wall with either abrasives or some other kind of failed cleanup.

Because the paint isn't on the floor tile, it's hard to say how well it would stand up to foot traffic, but it does seem durable.  On the walls in the shower, it has cracked a bit when some remodeling was done in the adjacent room (gutted kitchen to studs) and I believe there was a bit of flex in the wall during that work.

If given the choice, I'd use this kind of solution as a last resort.  It doesn't look quite right and while it's durable for most instances on walls, it might not be good for floors.


How to repair cement/flowable-fill slab cracks I have a 5o yr old condo. The second floor is a cement or flowable-fill slab. There are cracks in areas and a pit in one area.

Can I repair the pit and cracks or do I need to tear it all out?

[![enter image description here][1]][1]

[1]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/9kHIF.jpg

I mis-interpreted your picture.  So what we are seeing is a level concrete floor with carpet tack strips in the foreground area.  But I'm not fully understanding the foreground of the picture you provided.
It appears that we can see the edge of the concrete pad in the middle of the floor.

If you had no issue with the floor with carpet in the past, I would just leave it as it is if you are planning to recarpet.
The thickness would indicate it is cement. Repairing the bad spot like under your foot will not stop all the other fine cracks from continuing to crack further. It took 50 years to reach this point. If you took it out, you would almost have to do another concrete pour to bring it up to the level of the other rooms, i.e., bath rooms to the same level. Otherwise you would have to tear it out for all of the second floor to bring them all to the same level.
Unless you have some serious concerns, I would leave it as is.
Will you still be there in 10-15 years?

If repairs/sealing of the cracks is to be done, I would go with two types of products, liquid/self leveling for the thinner-fine cracks and a heavier product for the larger cracks.  For the liquid, look at products similar to Dap 37584 product and for the larger cracks, Dap Ready-Mixed Patch.


What causes popping in new wood floor when furnace turns on? I just had new solid wood floors installed and i hear popping where the floor meets my kitchen wall each time the furnace turns on (lasts for about 3 minutes). what causes the popping and how do I stop it?

One of two things is probably happening:

The shift in air pressure is causing expansion or other movement in the wall, the floor, or both. I'd expect this to be an instantaneous effect, but it's possible it could last a while while things stabilize.
The heat from the duct below or otherwise adjacent to the flooring is heating it, causing expansion. The wood shifts where it fits under the base trim until it reaches the new temperature equilibrium. I'd expect the same to occur in reverse when the furnace stops, but maybe the movement doesn't catch and pop in the same way during contraction.

You'll want to try and narrow down the exact source of the sound. You may be able to loosen or dry-lubricate the offending point of contact to lessen or eliminate the noise.


How should I deal with tacky alkyd paint on metal stairs? We hired someone to spray paint metal stairs with Rust-Coat interior/exterior alkyd paint.  He diluted it with Natura Safe solution, a water-based paint thinner for oil-based and urethane paints.  It has been over 48 hrs, and the paint is still tacky.  It was only one coat.  Does anyone know the approximate drying time for this?  Any input would be very appreciated.

Curing time for alkyd base paint can vary but I would recommend waiting at least 1 week. Temperature will also affect curing time. If you notice the coating hardening after a week then more time all you need for it to fully cure. If it's still tacky then you might want to research the thinning material a a bit more. Compatibility or mix ratios might be reasons the coating won't cure properly.

Also, be mindful of dust if you decide to blow air onto the stairs. Dust will stick to the coating and once it's on and sticks, it's on for good.


How can I reduce drying time for alkyd paint? Watching paint dry is a metaphor, but it is really true. It seems to take a long time for it to dry, especially in a humid climate.

I am trying to paint a piece of wood and I have literally been working on this for 3 days and I have just finished the primer, now I am facing at least two more days for the paint. Is there any way to hasten this process?

What happens is I apply the first layer of primer, it takes about day for it to dry. I then sand it, which causes bare spots, then I paint another layer of primer. I wait another day for it to dry. Then sand again, some more smaller bare spots. Paint another layer of primer. Wait another day. Sand again. Block is ok and ready for painting.

I tried putting the block in a microwave oven for 30 seconds. The block got hot, but it did not really dry. The paint was still tacky.

Is there any way to speed up the process?

BTW I am talking about alkyd paints, not latex.

For oil-based paint, what you are looking for can be called a hardener, accelerator, catalyst, drier, and I'm sure other things.

Paint (coatings) chemistry is complicated. With oil based paint, I find a more helpful mental model of the "drying" process is less the liquid drying/evaporating away, and more of a chemical reaction happening to make a polymer (plastic if you would).

Japan drier is an old-timey product, readily available in your regular hardware store that is supposed to be used for this.  Getting back to the "paint chemistry is complicated part," it is strictly best to use a product recommended by the paint manufacturer as compatible.

Valspar and Majic both sell hardeners that speed drying time, intended to work with tractor/implement paint, which are pretty basic oil-based paints.  EX: Valspar 4625 Enamel Hardener

You mentioned you are working with wood.  For primer I would suggest you check out something like BIN from Zinsser, I think Kilz has a similar product.  I think they are generally shellac based (in which case solvent evaporation is the main process), are intended to be fast drying, and to work with a variety of top coats including oil-based.  Usually used for cover up jobs in things like rentals.

Anecdotally, I've thinned run-of-the-mill oil paint (Rustoleum) with acetone, and it did get to the hard state much faster.  Rustoleum recommends a very low amount of acetone be mixed in.  I used more than the recommended amount, because I just needed some temporary surface rust protection, but wouldn't want to make claims about the long term durability.


Does one wall socket share power between both ac plugs? In a standard wall outlet (two three-prong sockets) do both sockets share power? Say I plugged a surge protector into one and a surge protector into the other and have 5 devices connected to each surge protector. Would that be the same as if I plugged both surge protectors in to one socket using a splitter?

I'm asking because I'm thinking of getting something like this
but it only plugs into one socket, where I currently have a surge protector plugged into each socket.

Would this be ok or will it overload the outlet?

It depends. Outlets are manufactured so that both sockets are powered from a single source - one hot wire and one neutral wire and a ground wire for safety.

On almost all outlets, those sockets are connected by small tabs of brass that feeds the connections from one socket to the other. If you attach the hot and neutral wires to the screws for one socket, these brass tabs carry that connection to the other socket. It works the same way if you use the press in connections which are holes on the back of some outlets (but many pros and DIYers do not favor using press in connections). The brass tabs on the side carry the power from one socket to the other.

You can change this.  If you break off the brass tab on the hot side, the hot wire you attach to one socket does NOT carry over to the other socket within the outlet. This technique is often used to have an outlet with an always live socket (for clocks, etc,) and a switched outlet (for bedside lamps). The outlet is wired with two separate hot leads, one that is always hot and one that goes through a switch.  They could be on the same or different breakers depending on several factors. The neutral side may or may not be connected depending on several factors that are not critical here.

You can also separate the sockets if you wanted a dedicated socket for a high draw device, such as a heater, and run a separate line from the panel. (This generally would require a separate neutral).

In your example, if the sockets are set up conventionally, that is powered from a single line, there is no difference, except plugging into a socket is a marginally safer approach than multiple splitters.  Be sure that the overall load that is likely to be used at one time does not exceed the capacity of the surge protectors or the circuit breaker on the line.


Miniature tension rod? I need to hang a (light) decoration temporarily between two irregularly shaped stone outcroppings. I'm looking for something like a tension rod that I could place between the two stones (and would hang the decoration from the tension rod). The space between the stones is only about one inch.

Is there anything like that on the market? When I search for tension rods, I only find those used to hang curtains, and they are way too big.

This is supposed to be a temporary hanging, I can't modify the stones, and since the stone is irregular, those temporary glue hooks won't work.

Thanks

If the gap is such that one could insert a mechanism into the space, a rock climbing cam may be an answer. The item is sold in sizes based on the width of the crack in the rock to be bridged/wedged. They are astonishingly expensive, but considering that one's life is hanging from this device, perhaps not so much.

A quick search shows some priced as low as US$20 and a few in the US$40 range, but most are outtasight for the aforementioned reasons.

You'd be able to insert the cam into the gap, tug it into place, spreading the load bearing segments and attach substantial weight to the fixture. When done, remove the decoration and push or tap upward to release the cams.

If you live near rock climbing regions, an outfitter shop would have stock. You could ask if anyone has a worn or otherwise useless device, as you would not be putting your life on that line.


Is there such thing as automatic hot cold water mixing valve? We have a shower that is being used multiple times throughout the day. For each use the target temperature is always ~30C. Unfortunately, the water in hot water pipe tends to cool down if someone was not using shower for longer time. If this happens, then the next person using the shower have to either:

start at 100% hot water and 0% cold water. And drain the cooled down water from pipes. Only then ramp up intake of cold water. OR
leave the shower to previous setting and drain/waste even more water because cold intake would be delivering water while the hot water temperature is still ramping up.

I was wondering if there is a valve, that I could preset to specific target temperature and it would automatically intake only hot water until the egress water temperature reaches the target temperature. Once target temperature reached, then it would start to mix the cold water so that the egress water temperature would not go over the preset temperature. How is such valve called in English?

Also, it may be a big problem for us if the temperature ever gets too hot. If such valve exists is it fool proof not to go over the target temperature?

The main goal here is to save water and reduce time that person has to wait in the shower for target temperature to be reached. While not mandatory, perhaps a digital screen with two buttons plus and minus to fine tune temperature would be a great plus too.

These are also known as “thermostatic” valves and are used on showers, but also for hot taps in schools, hospitals etc to limit the hot water to a defined safe limit. This is usually around 46 degrees C.


Vinyl siding over old siding I want to install vinyl siding over my old siding which is soft in some places,  probably rotten (I dont know how to determine, you can see attached photo). But I've heard that it's not a good idea to install a new over existed rotten. But what if I cover old siding with waterproofed home wrap before I install new vinyl? I think there will be no moisture anymore and I shouldn't have any problems. Is it a good idea?

Is it soft enough that your  nails will pull out? If your nails won't hold, you need to replace soft sections with OSB or plywood. Since you're covering the wall, it won't need to be pretty.

Follow manufacturer instructions regarding vapor barriers.


If you can use duplex breakers, is there ever a reason not to? In general, when circuits need AFCI protection (or GFCI protection if you don't feed everything through GFCI receptacles), you can't use duplex breakers, since there's not enough room for the protection circuitry. However, when they don't, is there any reason not to use as many duplex breakers (or quadplex breakers if MWBC's are involved) as your panel will let you? In other words, is there ever a reason to use a normal single-pole breaker when your panel can still take more duplexes? I ask because I read here a lot that panel space is precious, but I also see a lot of normal single-pole breakers that could be duplexes.

Double-stuffing has its limits

In addition to any limits that your loadcenter places on the use of double-stuff breakers, there are also limitations on the breakers themselves due to the smaller effective frame sizes involved.  As you have noticed, one of those limits is that double-stuff is incompatible with AF or GF functionality, or with other special functions/ratings such as the HID rating used in some commercial work for breakers that are used to switch heavy lighting loads on a frequent basis, or the Switching Neutral function used for fuel pumps and some generator transfer situations for that matter.

There are other restrictions in play here, though, and chief among them is that the smaller frame size sets an ampacity limit on double-stuff breakers.  While a 1" or 3/4" frame can normally handle 125A/pole, double-stuff frames are limited to 50A/pole for 1" breakers (HOM, QP, BR, THQL) and 30A/pole for 3/4" breakers (CH, QO).  Furthermore, double-stuff breakers are also limited in terms of their ability to interrupt large amounts of short-circuit current.  This isn't an issue in most light-duty situations, but their 10kA fault current limit becomes a consideration in multi-family and commercial work where larger services are found.

Finally, double-stuff breakers are limited in their ability to accept breaker accessories; for instance, they can't be used with generator interlock kits and require special lockoff devices.  This also extends to electrical accessories, as these breakers are not available with features such as shunt trips that can kill the power remotely or auxiliary/alarm switches for indicating the status of the breaker to some automation system, either.


Does this look like asbestos? I found some material (pictures below) that I'm concerned might be asbestos, while demolishing the ceiling of a house in the UK which was built in the 1920's.

The material looks like concrete, but it has some brown hair-like material mixed in.

No, it is plaster with animal hairs in it, probably pig or cow hair.

To determine if there are asbestos fibers inside the plaster, break it apart and examine with magnifying glass. Asbestos is a fine white fiber. It looks like this:

The fibers on the right are asbestos, those on the left are animal hairs. Asbestos fibers will be colorless, very fine and clumped together, like in the photograph. Animal hairs tend to be by themselves and have color. Notice that an animal fiber will be rounded, but asbestos tends to be stiff like a corn stalk with crinkles or breaks in it.


What's the key to sawing straight by hand? Whenever I saw by hand I end up with edges that aren't straight. This includes both the long edge and short edge, or horizontally and vertically.

What is the key to sawing straight by hand?

Update 1

I've had the same wonky results with a crosscut saw, coping saw, and backsaw.

I can think of two possibilities:  1) you're beginning your cut with the saw out of alignment, or 2) the saw teeth are not set correctly. ("Set" is the distance of the tip of each saw tooth from the center.  If you look, you'll notice that the saw teeth are bent slightly away from the saw plate in alternating directions).

Let's assume you have already worked out your body geometry and you're holding the saw straight to begin with.  It's possible that the saw teeth are set more on one side than the other. This can cause a saw to drift off the intended cut line.


How to connect Dryer outlet to a power distribution unit? I have a 240V (4-prong) dryer outlet. I want to buy PDU (power distribution unit) so that I connect the dryer outlet to PDU, then connect PDU to (non-server) power supplies. The power supplies are connected to computers that are used for Cryptocurrency mining.
edit: I don't have a dryer. The outlet will be dedicated to mining.

The cost of a properly protected temporary power distribution unit would significantly exceed that of installing a proper circuit.
Can it be done by code? Yes it can. (I have not looked into 2020 code as it is not yet adopted but believe the same requirements apply + the 240gfci).
I have built one for a young man that wanted the same thing in a rental house.
The 120v laundry circuit is dedicated.
I did not think this would be code compliant so I checked with one of my inspectors.
He reminded me that my portable power outlets used for building houses are basically the same thing.
They have breakers on the unit and each receptacle is GFCI protected. Everything connected to it is cord connected and not built in. So I built one based on 30 amps he was able to run 4 of his servers / OR the dryer. I believe we were on the 2014 code today that would require a GFCI on the dryer also even if the dryer is an older install without GFCI because this as a temporary install it could only be used for 90 days.  He stressed the 90 days and said who doesn't rearrange things every quarter anyway.
As a temporary installation for equipment that is cord connected it could be done but the cost was well over 3x that of an installed set of branch circuits.
I used a Hoffman box to house the 50a DPDT switch I used for the transfer and 5 receptacles inside the box was a small breaker panel fed on 1 side of the switch to the GFCI protected receptacles, the other side went to the dryer receptacle.
The only change I know of would be the requirement for the 240v receptacle to have GFCI protection but as a temporary setup I don’t see why it could not be done.  Note temporary is defined as 90 days and that would be the only way it would be legal.


How do I wire a new light fixture with a red wire? When replacing an old chandelier with a new ceiling, there was one red wire, two white wires tied together and two black wires tied together.

I had capped the red wire and tied in the remaining wires to their respective colors. When I had turned on the power, the light had turned on even though the dimmer switch had been turned off.

How do I correct this?

Most often the red wire in a lighting circuit is a switch leg.  Very likely there is a black/white pair coming in from the panel, black/white/red going to the switch box, and then black/white continuing from the switch box to some other outlet.

If this is the case, the black is the hot wire from the panel and will be attached to one side of the switch, the red will be attached to the other side of the switch, and returns power to the light box when the switch is on.

Personally I would take things back apart and test it out with a meter to confirm, but you can also take off the switch cover and check which color wires are hooked up to it.  If it follows the pattern I described, then moving the black wire of your new fixture over to the red wire in the box should solve the problem.


Dry wall in shower a little moldy I've been using my shower with just dry wall up for months now (don't ask :) Anyway, there's a little bit of mold, I'm guessing, on a small section of the wall. I'm finally ready to put up some tile.

Do I need to replace the dry wall since I've been abusing it with the shower before I put up new tile. Can't I just let it dry or spray something on it?

Drywall shouldn't be in the shower.  Take it down and replace with cement board.  This will cost you $50 and will ensure the money and time you put into the tile last more than a year.

If for some odd reason you are using a Kerdi membrane or something like that (which your question leads me to think you are not) than you could keep the drywall.  You would have to scrape off the mold and hit the drywall with a anti-mold spray.  If the mold doesn't scrape off then you need to replace that section of drywall.


Wiring problem overhead light fixture Trying to install an overhead LED light fixture in a bedroom that previously didn’t have one. Right now the light switch controls a socket into which you can plug a lamp.

Total beginner here.

Inside the overhead light are two white wires, two black wires, and a red wire. I can get the light to turn on, but won’t switch off when I attach the white wire from the fixture to the white wires in the box and the black wire from the fixture to the red and black wires in the box.

The wall switch is set up with two black to the top screw and the red on the bottom. Any ideas? Unfortunately my pictures seem to be too big to attach.

Thanks for any advice!

I don't know why red and black would be tied together in the ceiling box.  It should not be.   The two blacks in the ceiling box should connect to each other only, and the red should be capped off.

Connect the lamp's white wire(s) as you had them, and connect the lamp's black wires to the red with an additional wire-nut.  That should do it.


My toilet sounds like an angry goose My toilet is making strange sounds when it's flushed. I suspect something in the fill valve is vibrating. Here is a video of it. It's pretty intermittent and sometimes it's longer and louder than that.

Do I just need to replace the fill valve?

Update

It's definitely something in/on/around the fill valve. While inspecting the flapper today I drained the toilet and upon refilling it I discovered that I can reliably recreate the sound by filling the tank up when empty. Here is a video of it.

I tried it several times and the sound is definitely coming from the left where the fill valve is.

Turned out to be the fill valve. Once I replaced it, everything quieted down.


Can I add a light fixture to an existing circuit but with its own switch? I have a ceiling fixture in middle of kitchen. Would like to install light over sink. Can I use the wiring in the existing light to wire the light over the sink and have a separate switch for each light? I don't want both lights to come on when I flip the switch for the ceiling light.

Assuming the Fixtures are all on a 15AMP Circuit and using 14/2 wire.

The Complexity would depend on how the Switch was wired.   Power to the Switch, Switch Leg to the Fixture, or Power to the Fixture and Switch leg down and back.   If you have the Power at the Fixture then you won't have a Neutral at the Switch.  If its a newer house you should have a White wire in the Switch box that is just passing though and only connected to other white wires.

If you have a Neutral in the Switch box, and If you have Access to Drop a second 14/2 from the new Fixture to the existing switch then sure.   You just Connect up all the Neutrals, then get a Switch like this

Connect the Existing Hot Switch leg to one switch and your new Fixture's hot switch leg to the other switch.

If there is no Neutral then  you have two options:

Option #1 Branch the Incoming Power from the Existing Fixture down using a 14/2 to the Existing Switch. Then You will have a new HOT and Neutral in the Box. Then add a second 14/2 up to the new Fixture. Use the same Switch as above though remove the interlock between them so you can feed separate HOT feeds.

Option #2 is to do as they did and branch from existing Fixture to new Fixture.   Take the incoming hot at the old fixture, Tap off it to the new fixture.   You will need a 14/2 down to the switch in this case too. You connect the HOT from the existing Fixture to the HOT of the line you ran to the switch box. Then use the same switch though you are going to remove the interlock between them so you have an incoming hot for each fixture. Then use the white wire after its labeled to provide power back up to the Fixture.


Need to add a GFCI outlet to an existing furnace circuit I need to install a GFCI receptacle in my unfinished basement for the new power-vented hot water heater that I had installed. The plumber said I could use the existing furnace circuit. I mapped out the circuit but am unsure as to how I should wire this up. Can someone take a look at the attached drawing and tell me how the new receptacle should be wired? Ideally, the switch would in the middle of one of the two 12/2 runs at the top of the diagram, because this is what I have easiest access to. (It would be much more difficult for me to mess around with the junction box because it is in a cramped location. Thanks.

Note that the switch at the top right is the "Emergency furnace shut off" switch in the kitchen, and the switch on the bottom is the one that is attached to the side of the furnace.

You cannot connect there. Those wires are connected to the black and red wires of the feed from the breakers. This is probably a MWBC and these two wires have 240v across them!

You need to connect to the white wire from the breaker panel, as well as either the black or red. This only goes into the junction box and then out to the furnace. Suggest that you add another run from the junction box.


Why is my power flickering across multiple circuits? I woke up this morning and went downstairs to find that none of the lights would come on (lights were working fine upstairs). My first instinct was thinking that a breaker had tripped, so I went to the breaker box and checked everything. Nothing out of order. I started investigating a little bit more and discovered that the power was not actually out... just flickering. If I turned on lights, they would occasionally flick and try to come on and then go back out. The dishwasher kept clicking like a relay was opening and shutting continuously. I went downstairs to discover that the fan for the heat kept trying to spin up and then dying.

My second hypothesis was a simple loose wire at a switch or outlet... but that can't be the problem either. The problem is affecting about 50% of the circuits in the house, seemingly at random. Fridge works, range is out. Basement lights are fine, basement sockets are dead. Etc. A loose wire would only affect one circuit.

I killed power to everything but the fridge to prevent damage and went to work. I plan to take a look again when I get home. Any ideas what may be going on?

Things that might be related or might be a complete coincidence:

We recently (work finished a week ago) had a deck put on. This required an electrician to move an indoor outlet, add an outdoor outlet and light, and install a switch for the outdoor light.
It also just got cold enough for us to turn the heat on. Last night was the second night it was on this year. When I got up, it was 63 degrees in the house because the heat could not actually turn on.

Sounds like a classic compromised leg of your main service. This problem could be anywhere from the connections at the utility transformer on the pole, to the connection taps on the side of the house, to the meter pan, to the main breaker.

IMO this is NOT something for a DIY to troubleshoot since you would need to be testing live unfused wires in places that are inaccessible to a homeowner, such as inside the meter pan.

I would start with calling your utility and explaining to them the issue. If they find no problem call an electrician to check the equipment in your house.


Constant amps maximum I did some wiring and want to make sure i calculated it all safely.
I have a 30 amp breaker, single phase 240volts wired to a dryer outlet, don't know the awg of that as it's in the walls and has been built a while ago. I then attached a extension cord to the dryer outlet that is 50 feet long made out of 10/2 solid wire inside a armored conduit. I am drawing a constant 23 amps and the wire feels pretty warm. I can hold it it's not like super hot but it feels pretty warm. Now considering the legenth of wire and the amps being drawn I should be good and the calculations online say I should use 12 awg but I had 10 lying around. Also is solid core better in this case than stranded/braided (whatever its called)? I also will be drawing a constant 23 amps for 10-13 hours but then nothing for about 12 hours after that. So am I safe here or do I need to make my extension cord with #8? Or with stranded wire? I just figured that solid core will safely transmit power better and safer than the other stuff that's why houses use solid wire in the walls. Thanks for the help.

Your wire sizing was perfect

First let me say you did an impeccable job sizing the wire.

You have a 23-amp load.  It might commonly run more than 3 hours at a time, so Code designates it as a continuous load.   On most circuits, continuous loads must be derated by 125% -- that means when you provision power to them, you must provide electrical service as if they are a 28.75A load (23A x 125%).  Good for 30A with room to spare!

Boy, it's almost like they planned it.

In fact, they did.  23A is a very popular appliance size, and applies to almost every dryer and most water heaters.

So yes, you sized the wire just right.

Whatever calculators online said you shoulda used 12AWG are wrong.  It's easy to misinterpret things, such as what's allowed in electronic inside-chassis wiring, or the 90C column of the ampacity charts.  (12AWG is 25A@75C, but then, the wire would be 75C all the time.)

A few details, though...

Solid wire and stranded wire have exactly the same ampacity.

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "extension cord" but I'll take it at face value.  Cord must be cordage, such as SJOOW - which has tough insulation and highly stranded wires designed to be flexed, draped, move a lot, be stepped on, and all the routine insults that cordage must endure.  Using in-wall wire such as NM, UF, AC or MC as a "substitute for cordage" is not particularly safe.  Repeated flexing damages solid wire, leading to overheating and series arcing.

But then, I don't know what your use is. You're not supposed to use flexible cords as a substitute for the permanent wiring of a building, but the wire you have is made to be permanent wiring in a building.

That socket is also a huge problem.  It's a very old NEMA 10-30 design which predates grounding in houses.  It brings hot-hot-neutral (because some apparatus inside dryers is 120V).  For ground, it was never intended to be grounded.  NFPA wanted to require grounded dryer sockets (NEMA 14-30) about the same time they started requiring grounding generally.  However, the appliance lobby had a conniption: they didn't want to lose sales over socket confusion, so they begged NFPA to allow NEMA 10 "since dryer plugs are rarely ever disturbed, the chance of a wire failire is low" and therefore "just attach the dryer chassis to neutral"  Say what???

This is exactly the load of malarkey it sounds like: bootlegging ground off neutral. Illegal and stupid everywhere else.  And in your case, that old socket is getting a workout, so neutral could fail.  Those large sockets are not made for frequent change.

Usually people are stuck at NEMA 10 because the cable from the panel is 3-wire and hard to replace.  However in your case you have the 4-wire cable from the panel, so most likely someone downgraded the socket from NEMA 14 to NEMA 10 because they did not realize how easy it is to change the dryer's cord to NEMA 14.   The NEMA 14 socket has the same formfactor as the one in your photo, and a change would not even be noticeable.

Anyway since you require ground (and not neutral) you might as well change it over to the universal donor, NEMA 14.  You could make do with a NEMA 6 (hot-hot-ground) but dryers can't use that.


Settlement crack - is this one? Presently disagreeing with a letting agent responsible for a property I recently moved out of over a large wall crack. This crack was there (albeit smaller) when we took residence, and it has become worse over the tenancy period.

So far as we know we've done nothing to exacerbate the issue, but the agent and their contractor is adamant this is our fault: "... the crack is not settlement related. Basically the area of wall is made up of two sheets of plaster board and at the join the plaster board has been broken through ..."

I'd be grateful of any experienced opinions you might have - I appreciate it's not so easy to tell from a picture, but any guidance or background you might have would be useful both for myself in this situation and I suspect to others who experience similar.

Well, one thing that doesn't make any sense based on the picture is this part:

  Basically the area of wall is made up of two sheets of plaster board and at the join the plaster board has been broken through

I'm not even sure it looks like this, but in any event, how exactly would you have cracked this without causing any other damage to the wall?  Like if you had banged the wall so hard as to crack a seam, you'd expect to see other damage to the wall.

Assuming these cracks do line up to the seam, two things come to mind. (1) The boards were not staggered properly and (2) The installer likely did not use paper or fiberglass tape on the seams - I think it looks more like a crummy installation.

At the end of the day though, this isn't really a serious issue, more of just wear and tear; all walls get banged up to some degree. The owner should just sand, patch and paint it and move on.


Connecting 2 light fixtures with 1 switch between Redoing an old house. All wiring 12-2. Presently have 1 old light operating to the switch. Have power there. Now, trying to run additional fixture off same existing light switch. Have tried multiple combination but have gotten no results to 2nd light fixture. Power originates in original fixture, and travels to switch.
 Can somebody clear this for me and possibly provide a clear picture? Do I need to pull a single strand from switch to 2nd light, and if so,

To move forward, you should really take some time and do some learning about "switch loops".  Do not be experimenting blindly, understand the wiring!

You will not be doing this without either replacing one cable with /3, feeding the second lamp from the first lamp's position, or using smart switches and controllers.

You cannot fake a 12/3 by pulling a single individual wire.  All related wires must travel in the same cable.

Your best bet is probably to convert all wires so they are always-hot and neutral, and then use a smart switch, which talks to two smart controllers associated with the lamp.   There are also smart LED "bulbs" like the Philips HUE which provide a similar functionality; their purpose is to control colors, but they'll also work just fine for on/off.


What size drill motor should I buy? Looking to buy a non-professional (occasional home DIY use) multi-purpose power-drill like the 'Skil' range by Bosche (although I am open to other brand / makes that fit my budget). I have an option of buying 300W, 450W and 650W. I rarely (if ever) need to drill metal -- but do need to drill wood and masonry (including concrete). I am almost convinced that the 300W would perhaps be too underpowered, though I am not sure by any measure. The model 450W and 650W models seem to have only 2 differences, i.e.:

650W model claims to be able to drill 13mm in steel, while 450W claims 10mm
650W model has an extra side handle, I guess to get a better grip while using 2 hands

The price difference between 450W and 650W is significant enough to consider saving the money for other necessary tools for my tool box, unless the additional power is justified.

I am more into features than power.

Most important feature is multi speed function where the trigger is a speed control.
Next is chuck size. Not just max size but also min bit size
Reversible is cool but I don't really use it.
Lastly make is a factor and generally you get what you pay for. On the DIY side drills last years. Just pay the few extra bucks, you will never regret it. But also remember you don't need pro grade that's overkill. 450 sounds ok. I have 3 - 550 watt drills and they are great.


What's the deal with this (fake?) chimney on my house? I have a 1950's cape cod, which I moved into earlier this year.

The home was not advertised as having a fireplace and I certainly do not see any indication that there was or could've ever been one here.

Having said that, there's a chimney on one side of the house. My dad said that if there's a chimney that can only be because there was a fireplace, so it must've just been built over.

The indoor parts of the house that the chimney aligns with are just

my small dining room
the attic (now converted into extra bedrooms)
the unfinished part of my basement, behind the washer and dryer, along the ugly brick walls

I don't see any possible way there could've ever been a fireplace in any of these places. I also have no idea what the point of a fake chimney would be. I'd love to have a fireplace and I'm just curious, so if you can shed any light I would appreciate it.

Your dad is wrong. Chimneys have been used for non-fireplace heating systems since the days of the Franklin Stove.

Also, remember that the interior of the house may have been drastically rearranged over the years. My kitchen definitely isn't where it was when the place was built, and in fact the old kitchen space is now my dining room.

The only way to be sure what's going on is to get a look at the chimney itself, and see what kinds of openings may have existed and then been bricked up, or to research your house's history.


My HVAC A/C is freezing after sundown every day I recently replaced the capacitor on my external A/C unit. After replacement it started back up and was working fine for day or two but for the last 4 days it has been freezing up every single night after sundown. It's about 85 deg F. during the day and it runs fine and keeps the house at 70 degrees all day long. Air flow is normal and unrestricted all day. But almost immediately after sundown it starts to slowly freeze to the point where I have to turn it off and run just the fan overnight. I turn it back on every morning and it does the same thing. I have absolutely no clue what's causing it since the unit works perfectly during the day when the temps and humidity are at their highest, but after sundown it freezes.

A low charge can cause evaporator freezing. If your cap was bad that usually indicates an older system. Micro leaks have caught up, probably R22 and it is getting expensive. A 5 ton system will take 4-6 lbs normally to be fully charged but may give you another 5 trouble free years. In most cases the icing will get worse. It could also be a throttle valve that is sticking but it seems more likely low Refrigerant.


Smart Thermostat C-Wire wrong voltage I'm looking to upgrade the thermostats in my apartment to ones which I can control programmatically over WiFi.

I opened up one of the old thermostats and discovered I have the classic "C-wire" problem.

Digging around behind the wall I discovered two twisted pairs coming out of the same jacket as the other thermostat wires (blue and white, brown and white).

Hoping to identify the C wire I busted out the oscilloscope and measured the voltage from the R wire to each of the four unused wires.

In all cases the voltage was 36V pk/pk and 17V RMS. Neither of these values is the 24V I was expecting for the C wire.

Is my measurement methodology incorrect? Are these the expected results? Can I purchase and install smart thermostats using any of these three links as the C wire? If not C wires, what are these?

Unfortunately I do not have access to the furnace end of the wiring.

I eventually got access to the other end and discovered that Daniel was indeed correct -- these were unwired.


Do both legs in 220V have to be switched? I posted this question but for some reason I can't get back into my account:

Is it up to code to do a parallel circut with 220V? Is there a limit to number of splices?

Most things I see with 220V have both hot legs going through the switch or relay, current "returns" through the switch.  Is it against code to wire one leg directly to the equipment and the other leg is switched as opposed to having both legs switched.  It seems useless and a waste of wire to switch both legs.

Basically http://i.imgur.com/vWFyuCu.jpg vs https://i.imgur.com/p00KTlB.png (minus the GFCI as I'm not allowed to have that)

As a bonus question.  I assume I need a "motor rated switch" as standard switches can weld due to the high startup current.  Is this one legal\safe?

Switching both hots is necessary here as you have a two pole relay

Since you have the switch wired as a bypass switch, you need it to have the same number of poles as the thing you're bypassing.  Otherwise, closing the bypass switch wouldn't do anything as the circuit still wouldn't be closed when the relay was open.

If the relay was single pole, your bypass switch could be single pole...

If the relay was a single pole relay that switched one leg/side of the motor circuit, you could use an appropriately rated manual motor controller as a single pole bypass for the relay.  Motor controllers do not need to be all-pole devices as long as they aren't serving as disconnecting means, as per 430.84.

But you may need to get one of those two-pole switches no matter what

If you can't see the breaker box from the pump, then you'll need a two-pole switch, separate from your bypass switch, at the pump anyway to serve as a motor/controller disconnecting means satisfying 430.102 and 430.103. (You'd need this even if the bypass switch was not present!)


What type of material is this and do I have a leak? I just bought a 1923 home in Cleveland, OH, and had a weird problem with the flooring in the half bath on the main floor.  As you can see from the photos, there is not only a bulge in the flooring, but also a weird liquid seeping up from the floor.  My kids wash their hands in the bathroom, and probably splash water on the floor, but I'm not sure if that's what's causing it.

Questions:

1.) What is the red material underneath the green vinyl/linoleum tile floor?
2.) What could that leak be?
3.) Any idea what the bulge in the floor might be?
4.) Could we safely lay tile over the floor?
5.) Is there asbestos material or tar material from earlier time periods that may be toxic, if so who can I call to remove/repair this?

Thank you very much!

Please ignore the white spots, we were painting and always intended to remove the flooring, so mistakes were made!.

I would be more concerned about what appears to be a low spot the toilet sets in according to the first picture. It may be the floor is bulged there, and it makes it look like the toilet is sunk, but there is an issue there. It may be the root of the problem. The red stuff may be the adhesive layer of the peel and stick tile that you have now, but I don't think it's that. I would think it is the color of the next old floor down. The picture does't show it all, but it is curious how that red layer looks like it is coming up as well as the tile above it, like the joints in the tile are lined up.

Your answer to 2 and 3, is the toilet leaking swelling the floor, in my opinion.
and 4, the floor needs to come up, down to the subfloor to expose any rot, so it can be repaired.

5, Since your house is old enough to have asbestos tile and there may be many layers on the floor, yes the possibility is there. The are asbestos remediation companies out there that test and remove the asbestos if any is found. These companies are pricey in what they do, IMHO.


Gate closer for large wooden gate? I recently had a wooden privacy fence put in between my yard and the neighborhood park. It uses eight foot slats (with six foot, a lot of pedestrians in the park could still see right into my kitchen window). The gate is about five feet wide.

My preference is to have the gate self closing, so if someone (child or adult) goes out into the park, it shuts itself and latches securely, instead of leaving it up to people to be attentive enough to shut the gate behind them and make sure it latches.

I've had a hard time finding a suitable closing mechanism. I tried one option from Amazon (similar to the Kant Slam, but a different brand), which was pitifully weak. I tried using three "heavy duty" self closing hinges from Home Depot--the springs within broke within days.

It doesn't seem like gate closers should be that rare. I've found a few hydraulic gate closers--for about $500 each, which just seems ridiculous.

All I need is something like a regular door closer, but oriented differently so it could be mounted beside a gate, instead of over a door.

Any suggestions?

A well used traditional gate closer is very simply a weight on a length of rope (wire cable would be better for heavy gate) over a pulley. As the gate opens the weight is lifted. When the gate is released the weight pulls the gate shut. You can adjust the amount of weight to suit the gate. I've seen concrete blocks used or old brake discs. Anything heavy. Old sash window weights are good as they are slim.

Alternatively search for 'gate spring' on google. In the UK they are dirt cheap, you might need a few  but easy enough to fit.

hth


AC Coolant pipe has condensation and leaks inside wall I've got an old AC unit (probably 13+ years old) that came with the house that I bought. This summer I noticed some water damage on the drywall in the basement, so I cut the damaged drywall away, and found that the pipe coming from my AC unit to my furnace had a bunch of condensation on it that would collect and leak out onto the drywall.

It seems like the spot it's dripping from is the lowest point in the pipe (left and right of this point both bend up)

How safe is it to try and bend this pipe (which I'm assuming has freon in it?) so that it's more level?

Is there some other kind of insulation I can put on this to prevent the condensation. Right now its the standard foam tube that you wrap around.

Did the problem just start?  Is the condensation on the pipe frozen?  If so, this is an indication that the compressor is overworked (possibly low on coolant).  If you are seeing any frost, you should turn off the system before the compressor burns out and call an HVAC professional.

Insulation is wrapped around the coolant line to prevent condensation from forming and causing damage.  That insulation may have started to fail.  If so, replacing it is an easy enough job.

I reccomend you turn off the system for a little while so the coolant line can warm up.  Pull off as much of the old insulation as you can and wipe it down to remove any leftover condensation.  Then replace it with the tightest-fitting and highest R-value insulation you can find.

When re-insulating, be sure to seal all of of the crevices.  If the pipe insulation tubes have an open slit in the side, make sure you seal the slits with insulated tape.  If any copper is exposed, it is a point for condensation to form.  The coolant line should be completely covered from end to end.

I reccomend that you don't bend the pipe.  The coolant pressure is somewhat higher than your generic water supply, and if you damage/crack the line, it won't be pretty.


Using stop valves to adjust water flow in a sink I've got a bathroom sink that has flow that is faster than I would like when the faucet valves are full open. I know I could go get an low-flow aerator to slow the flow but right now I have just adjusted the wall stop valves to throttle the flow to what I want. This seems to work fine. Is there any problem with this as a long term solution?

That's entirely acceptable, as far as I know.


Could there be asbestos in the thick brown paper / card backing above my popcorn ceiling? I have sent away the popcorn ceiling samples for testing, but didn't tear out any of the brown paperish backing above it. Should I have?

Here is an image:

Many times paper is set behind plaster , sometimes 15 lb felt, this did not have asbestos,
 if it is thicker ground & compressed paper that was used for a while in the 30’s and 40’s that stuff was easy to burn so it probably did not contain asbestos. To know for sure it would need to be tested, panel by encapsulated and then covered would make it safe if it was asbestos. I would treat any popcorn ceiling like asbestos as most did have it.


Stuck Faucet Handles - How do I remove Can anyone tell me how to remove these faucet handles?  I have removed the allen screws and removed the faucet handles.  But then I assumed the cones under the handles woudl screw off, but I cannot get them to budge.  Is there a trick to this?

I do not know the make/model.  I have attached a picture above that shows the hot and cold faucet after I removed the handles.  How do I proceed from here?

The answer was to put the handles back on and turn them counter clockwise to unscrew the rest of the part that held the ceramic unit that needed to be replaced.  Now the problem is getting the ceramic unit unscrewed, but I hope spraying them with WD-40 a few times will loosen them up.