Replace A/C Unit or add refrigerant? I have a 20 year old A/C unit in my house here in Texas. Two weeks ago, the unit stopped cooling. A/C company couldn't come out until the next day and the house got pretty miserable. When the tech arrived early the next day he measured temps in the return plenum at 78, and supply plenum at 76. Obviously air was not being cooled. His diagnosis was that the evaporator coil was broken and needed to be replaced and that we should probably replace the whole system as well given the age.
Then we went outside to the condenser and he measured the R-22 levels. The readings were 58/196 (those numbers mean nothing to me, but he said it was pretty low) and the temperature in the system was 33 degrees, instead of 40 like it should be. He hooked everything back up and gave us quotes for $7200-$8600 to get a whole new system.
However, after hooking everything back up, the A/C began cooling just like it had before. My suspicion is that the line was either frozen (given the very close to freezing temperatures) or something else was preventing freon from moving through the system, and his measuring the levels caused it to start working again.
We obviously have an R-22 system, and the cost of adding R-22 is very expensive now, but it seems the rest of the system is still working fine (I just replaced a blower motor myself 2-3 months ago). I'd hate to dump $7k in a system that might have a year or more left in it before something really goes wrong. Would adding additional R-22 cause the temperature in the freon line to increase, and potentially prevent this from happening again for the short term? Would it be better to bite the bullet and just replace everything now?
Edit: After listening to the advice here, I added 2lbs of R-22 to the system. Unfortunately, everything stopped working again 8 days later and we couldn't get it to start cooling again after 36hours of turning it off and back on. We had to go ahead and replace the whole system. My assumption is that we had two problems: the R-22 was low, and the evaporator coil had gone bad and the initial problem was that the coil just hadn't completely died when the first service call happened.

The 58/196 pressures mentioned is the low (suction) side pressure and the high side pressure.  Those aren't horrible values since I believe 68/250 would be typical.  If the system was 33F outside, then that is cooling better than 40F, so you should be fine there.
Is there any chance that your evaporator inside the house froze?  That can happen if humidity is high and the air flow is too low.  The solution is to turn off the A/C and leave the fan running until the ice melts.
If it working again, check your airflow.  You mentioned that you replaced the blower motor -- did you happen to change the fan speed to a lower setting at the same time?


Acceptable to add knockout to PVC conduit body? I have a 1" PVC LB Conduit Body passing through a wall into the electrical panel (the conduit body ultimately leads to a SPA pack). I'd like to add a 20amp receptacle on the opposite site of wall the panel is in but due to other equipment on the back of that wall, none of the other knockouts on the panel are accessible.
Is it acceptable to drill a 1/2" knockout in the conduit body to mount a weatherproof box right next to it (and feed 12ga THWN into that box for the receptacle)?
It's one of these kind of fittings: https://www.lowes.com/pd/CARLON-1-in-Pull-Connector-Schedule-40-PVC-Compatible-Schedule-80-PVC-Compatible-Conduit-Fitting/1000999146

I believe it would violate code even if it had a stamped volume. The modification would weaken the structure. A stamped conduit body can be used for splices, but conduit bodies are separate from J boxes that are allowed to be modified.
I would probably change over to a “anybody” conduit body. These are configurable straight, left, right, T , and an extra port can provide what you want. I used to carry a couple of these in 1/2, 3/4 & 1”. You don’t have to have all of them if you want to save space.
There are also threaded covers available through Hubble. I think I have picked them up at Home Depot as well, similar to the anybody conduit body.


Are there any ductless mini split systems that offer standard HVAC wiring controls? Have been looking for in the US a ductless mini split heat pump system something like the Mitsubishi Electric Mr. Slim that uses a non proprietary wiring scheme for its wall mounted thermostats. Ideally it would be the standard 24VAC wiring scheme something like  (R,G,W,Y,C) that would allow the system to be controlled by a internet connected thermostat such as the Nest, EcoBee, etc...

Most of the ductless mini split systems I have observed come with either fairly complex non internet connected programmable wall thermostat or come with a dumb to complex remote control to mange its operation.

Does anyone know of any ductless systems that offer standardized HVAC controls, remote internet management or other smart home automation capabilities?

Found some Mini Split units that can use standard 24VAC thermostat controls and it is made by EMI - Enviromaster International LLC - USA. After much searching the only standard 24VAC controllable units found were a handful of EMI's fixed capacity commercial  mini split units.

R-410A - WLCG/WLHG Wall Air Handler ,   Model: R-410A - WLCG/WLHG. The  working proof for wiring a standard 24VAC wall thermostat starts on page 11 in the Installation & Operation Manual.
Additionally they provide two other form factors both offering standard 24VAC control options.

R-410A - CACG/CAHG & CACH/CAHH Cassette Air Handlers ,   Model: R-410A CACG/CAHG & CACH/CAHH

R-410A - UNCG/UNHG Universal Ceiling/Floor Mount Air Handlers ,   Model: R-410A - UNCG/UNHG

Again pay attention to the model of EMI unit, some don't support 24VAC controls such as their entire E-verter series. Additionally not sure what kind of prices these units carry, as well as what sacrifices in efficiency are lost due to non smart inverter control, still should be better than central forced air systems, right?


Need help leveling part of a floor We had an 8 foot square hottub in our bedroom for 10+ years. Because of the weight, the floor has sagged in that section. The tub is gone now and we had carpeted around it, but now there is a big square spot that has a dip in it. I'd say the dip is at least 1/2 inch. (Our bed is over the spot now)  How can we level it out?

The easy way would be to use floor leveling cement. You can built up first with some 1/4 plywood first to get in the ball park.

Without knowing the full extent of damage cause by the hottub I can not suggest a patch job.


Is there an easy way to remove silicone sealant? Is there an easy way to remove silicone sealant?

Having had mouldy sealant have replaced with MicroBan to stop the mould coming back but is there any tips on getting the stuff off for next time?

My best tool seemed to be a sharp chisel.

I've used a craft knife to cut out most of it (being careful not to damage the surface), then a small (2") putty knife to scrape out the rest.  Nylon scrubbing pads (the ones made for cleaning non-stick cookware) are great for getting rid of any last traces of the old caulk.

A chisel would work, but chisels are supposed to be very sharp, so I'd be very careful not to scratch whatever surface the caulk is applied to.  A putty knife isn't as sharp so it would take more work on your part to do any damage.


Nest thermostat to Kelvinator furnace My old thermostat had 4 wires. I replaced with a Nest thermostat. At times the AC condenser is running but the furnace blower is not running. Found other with this and they said need to add common wire. I do have an extra wire just not sure where to connect it. there is a C terminal on the furnace, just not sure if its to be used for the thermostat or not, it has 1 wire connected already. attached is a picture.  Furnace is a Kelvinator g6rc-080c:

Simply land your blue wire on the C terminal

Most HVAC control board low voltage terminal blocks are designed to terminate 2 wires under each terminal, as was done with the Y terminal on your control board.  So, turn off the furnace, loosen the screw on the C terminal, land the blue wire there (after stripping the end back if need be), tighten the screw back down, turn the furnace back on, and you'll be good to go.


Approaches to level a concrete floor with shallow pipes I have a situation very similar to How to level a section of raised concrete floor?. Except, in my case the obvious solution of grinding the high point is not possible.

In my hallway I have a raised area my wife asked me to investigate. I have removed flooring to uncover what looks like a retrofit of copper water pipes into the concrete slab, crossing the hallway. The pipes are set very shallow and the area matches cracks in the slab, representing a raised area (which, for illustration, we scale up and down when walking the length of the hall).

I have included a drawing which exaggerates the slope for the purpose of illustration. The slope from the high point is about 3mm in height at a meter's distance. The hallway overall has a remaining slope of about 1mm per meter, but it is consistent and not noticeable.

My first thought was "self leveling" until I measured how much elevation would be added to the various transition thresholds, and it would be adding up to 3cm of material to get the whole hall exactly level with the high point. What I am thinking now, is to add material with the goal of making the transition more gentle, so that the change is less psychologically noticeable. But I don't know what this technique would be called. I have indicated my idea in green. Whereas the self-leveling result in pink.

The flooring to be replaced is laminate flooring, running left-to-right in the diagram. The laminate flooring didn't have any trouble covering the bend; it is our feet that disagree with the wobbles.

Is your idea to level off the center only?  I don't see that working out.  The slope at the outsides would be even worse.  I think you're assuming you normally walk right down the center of the hallway, but I don't think that's true;  if two people pass in the hallway, or you're carrying a bag or something in one hand, you will go down one side or the other.

Is it possible there's an error in the question?  If the slope is only 3mm per meter wouldn't it have to be a REALLY wide hallway to come to 3cm of rise from the outside to the center?


Refilling extra space between rail and posts for inserting screws? I'm working on a wooden fence, similar to the picture below. It has a 2"x4" wood rail that will be the length of all four 4"x4" pressure-treated wood posts. This rail will be attached to the posts with screws.

Since the concrete where the posts are attached to is uneven, there will be "empty" space between rail and some posts in-between.

What can I use to fill that unwanted space that's strong enough to insert screws? I don't have the tools to cut the 4"x4" posts to the correct height, so that's out of the question.

The right solution is to trim the higher posts, which can be done with a simple hand saw. You could clamp some blocks on the posts below the cut to act as guides, keeping the cut square and preventing accidental damage due to slips.

The only acceptable alternative (to my mind) is a shim cut of a suitable material, such as wood with the grain oriented across the post. This is actually a more complex task. You haven't said what the dimensions of the gaps are or what finish you need to match, so I can't offer a more specific suggestion.


Do there exist smoke detectors with detached silencers? I'm looking to replace a smoke detector for my kitchen, and I was wondering whether anyone had designed a smoke detector with a remote silence feature. The traditional method of keeping a stool or a broomstick around to silence the smoke detector whenever you're cooking bacon seems pretty terrible to me, and ideal would be to have some sort of wired switch that could be mounted at shoulder height that would allow a temporary silencing of the alarm.

So far I've seen that mounting it at least 10 feet away from appliances and using a photoelectric sensor instead of an ionization sensor helps, but it would still be very nice to have some way of dealing with false alarms that doesn't involve trying to press a button twelve feet above the ground.

This is really close to a shopping question which is off topic. But, the term you need to look for is smart smoke detector. These are internet capable devices and some of them can be managed as an IoT device.


Help with modified LP grill - how to take apart I inherited this Williams Sonoma SGIR27lp grill, came with a house we moved in. It is modified, instead of the grille and burners on the top, there is just a large stone/granite (?) plate. I managed to find a manual online, but it only has basic installation procedures. I am fairly handy, but have no experience with repairing grills.
The large plate is glued with some super-strong cement/epoxy, I've been trying to cut underneath for an hour, but cannot separate it from the body. The body itself is all riveted, not a single screw that could help disassemble it from underneath. Ok, now to the specific questions:
(a) any idea how to separate the top, in order to see what's left of the burner mechanism? or to disassemble from the bottom?
(b) there is a metal pipe in the back, seemingly cut... (see the pic). what is it for?

After 2 hours of struggling I managed to remove the top. It took a machete and a long back saw and some mineral spirits  :)
Underneath is a semi-functional grill, missing a few parts and the grilles. I think I have a pretty good idea how to fix it from here on  ;)


Elevate water heater next to ceiling in garage to gain floor space My electric water heater is in a corner of my home's garage in Dallas, TX.  Code requires it to be raised 18" off the floor, so it creates this odd shaped nook in the corner.  It currently sits on a framed out box that is built into the walls of the garage.

I'd like to buy a lowboy water heater (35" tall) and build a ~5' tall platform for it to set on to give the garage more unobstructed storage on the floor.

Is there a problem with this?  I know the platform would have to support at least 600lbs, but would it violate any code?  The T/P valve drains to the outside via a pipe and it still could.  The supply and electrical come from the top, so they would essentially not have to move at all.

How close can the top of the heater be to the ceiling?  I know I'll need room for the water connections but is there some "minimum ventilation" type distance?

This all seems like a good solution but I've never seen anything like it so I feel like I'm missing something.

The Uniform Plumbing Code has some language regarding placement, the spirit of which seems to require access for "cleaning... lubrication... adjustment" and other types of service.

It doesn't say easy access (in fact you are allowed to place water heaters in attics, but if you do "the passageway... and area adjacent to the appliance must be floored"). I am thinking that if you built a fixed ladder (maybe against the wall to save the space you are elevating it to gain) up to the platform you would be OK. Final word would rest with your AHJ. Always ensure clearances and other installation requirements in the manufacturer's instructions are adhered to, that is all over the code.

UPC 504.3.1- The clearances shall not be such as to interfere with... accessibility for servicing.

UPC 505.1- Each such appliance shall be installed in a location approved by the Authority Having Jurisdiction...

UPC 507.26 Accessibility For Service- Appliance shall be located... so as to permit access to the appliance.


Calculating Tray ceiling dimensions I am building a tray ceiling for my living room to install recessed lighting in. Is there any general ratio's for tray size to room size? I have looked everywhere and it seems most tray ceilings don't follow any guidelines.

So, the room is 12 ft x 16 ft and 9 ft ceilings. So how do I calculate the size tray to build?

If no size to room ratios are there any general height to depth ratios, like 1x2 (9 tall x 18 deep for example)

It's pretty much up to you. Look at some pictures, find ones you like, make guesstimates.

When in doubt and looking for a ratio, there's always Phi (0.618) and 1/Phi (1.618) aka "the golden ratio" but you're still free to do with it what you will.

When you think you have an idea, grab some masking tape and mock up the outline on the ceiling (I'm assuming the ceiling is there, and flat, at the moment.)

While it would be difficult to mock up the whole edge, you probably can suspend a sheet of cardboard at various heights (I assume you are lowering the edge, not raising the center, as that's more structurally simple) to get a feel for how various levels for the lowered edge feel to you, standing under them. If you find that a 7'6" ceiling height (18" down from 9 feet) feels too low, better it's a piece of cardboard you can easily relocate than the whole framing system and drywall.


Overflow Pipe Popped off Drywell After a severe rainstorm I noticed the back overflow pipe of our drywell popped out of the ground. I went back and set it back into place but after inspecting the area, I noticed a lot of erosion around both pipes and feel like it’s only a matter of time before this happens again.

I am wondering what the best path forward is? Should I remove the pipes, clean them out, reset them and surround them with dirt and gravel? Or does this call for a professional? If so, who would I call?

Without knowing the construction it's tough to give you an exact answer. However, I would first try to determine what is emptying into it. Rain gutters, ground water, grey water, etc.? It's purpose may be to keep water away from your foundation. Are you having moisture problems in the house? Second, have you seen it overflow? In other words, is water coming up or is it simply not taking in the groundwater around that drain in your picture. You call it an overflow pipe. It may be that, or it could be there to drain ground water. In that case you might want to reset it below ground level allowing ground water to drain into it. In other words - a french drain.
If the drywell is, in fact, overflowing and causing problems the only way to resolve it is to excavate to see what's going on.
In that case, a septic company may be able to help you.


Does anyone know what this metal thing in the corner of my basement is? I don't know what it is. It's sticking out of my wall. Does anyone have any ideas? It looks like a piece of metal. And lately, I've seen some dampness and water pooling on it a bit. And the area where it is around the floor looks like there is some dampness.

It looks like you have a basement laundry room with cinder block walls.  The vertical structure doesn't look like metal to me, more like fiberboard put up to hide a soil stack and other plumbing.  With the shampoo and wash cloth hanging on the utility sink... Do you have a shower down there too?

Either the plumbing hidden behind the fiberboard wall may be leaking or the humidity from laundry or a shower may be condensing on the wall or whatever's behind the fiberboard, then soaking through from behind and puddling on the floor.

To figure out what's really happening you'll probably have to unscrew the fiberboard and look behind it.  If it's a leak, fix it.  If it's condensation, there are several ways to address it depending on how much effort and expense you're willing to go to.


Cleaning a very dusty garage My garage is mainly used for storage and, over many years, has become full of dust, cob webs, etc. I would like to use an area for exercise, but am concerned about the amount of dust in the garage (being breathed in).

I don't think using a vacuum cleaner is wise, since the garage is full of loose nuts and bolts and the floor is unsmoothed concrete. I began to use a brush to clean the walls and roof structs, but figured it would take too long as a lot of the dust falls on other items in the garage (and it's difficult to get to the top of the roof).

So my question is, what is the best way to remove as much dust as possible, given that I cannot use a vacuum cleaner and cannot remove anything currently stored.

Buy/rent a shop vac. Start from the ceiling and work your way to the floor. Repeat the process as may times as you need until you are satisfied with the results (allow time between repeats so that disturbed dust is allowed to settle).

Once done, sift through the contents of the shop vac's collection canister and remove any thing you want to keep.

If you're concerned about breathing in the dust while cleaning, get a good respirator/dust mask and use it while vacuuming.


Shellac, Texture, and Smoke Damage We have a 4-plex that started on fire. The sheetrock in a couple of units was saved. To lock in the smoke odor, we were told we need to use a shellac primer. However, we would like to texture the walls. Should I apply the shellac first, then texture, prime, and paint or can I texture the walls first, shellac, then paint? Any suggestions are appreciated.

Typically, as with new drywall, the drywall is primed before applying texture.  Priming allows for even, proper drying of the texture.  Shellac would do the same thing.  So I would shellac, texture, prime, paint.


Crack in concrete block garage wall I have a 2 story garage with the rear being cinder/concrete block walls.
I just noticed this crack.  Havnt lived here that long so not sure how long its been there
Is this something to be concerned about?

Yes, you should be concerned. Cracking like this is caused by movement (the structure has moved, such as settled) and this type of cracking is unusual. This needs to be reviewed in person by a structural engineer who can look at the particulars of your situation. This is not something that you can get a good answer for here on this or other sites.
FWIW, I'm a structural engineer. I'd be interested in what they have to say about it


Wiring question for replacement of two switches in one box I have two switches in one junction box which share one incoming line wire but each control separate lights.

I hooked up the new replacement switches using the same wiring setup which was in place for the original switches. The problem is the new switches require a neutral connection while the original switches did not. The new switches are GE z wave smart home switches and apparently this type requires neutral to be connected.

Currently the white neutral wires for the one incoming line and two loads are all bundled together with a wire nut. It would seem I need to use the jumper wire which came with each switch and merge both with the existing white wire bundle then attach the other ends of each jumper to the neutral terminal on each switch. The manual does not cover this scenario so I wanted to throw it out to this community to hopefully get confirmation I’m doing this right.

Another thing to mention is that the line wire is connected to the line terminals of the two switches in an interesting way. A small section of the wire about 6 inches from the end is stripped so the copper is exposed and that exposed section is wrapped around the screw of the line terminal on one switch then the end of the same wire is connected to the line terminal of the other switch. I want to be sure that this is an acceptable setup. Also, can I still use the approach I proposed above for connecting the neutral wires along with this odd line wire hookup?

And the last question is whether I can use any copper wire to run from the white wire bundle to my switch? I seem to have misplaced the jumper wires which came with the switches

Looking forward to comments. Thanks!

Currently the white neutral wires for the one incoming line and two loads are all bundled together with a wire nut. It would seem I need to use the jumper wire which came with each switch and merge both with the existing white wire bundle then attach the other ends of each jumper to the neutral terminal on each switch.  ... And the last question is whether I can use any copper wire to run from the white wire bundle to my switch? I seem to have misplaced the jumper wires which came with the switches

I think you have the right idea.  You'll want to attach a short piece of wire, a pigtail, to the neutral terminal on each switch, and splice those with the three neutral wires already in the box.  You should use the same white wire and the same wire gauge for the pigtails.  There is a good chance the existing wire nut won't make a good connection for you with five wires.  I'd suggest a push in wire connector that will accept all five wires.

  Another thing to mention is that the line wire is connected to the line terminals of the two switches in an interesting way. A small section of the wire about 6 inches from the end is stripped so the copper is exposed and that exposed section is wrapped around the screw of the line terminal on one switch then the end of the same wire is connected to the line terminal of the other switch. I want to be sure that this is an acceptable setup.

That's an acceptable way to make the connection, just make sure the wire is in good condition where the bare spot was stripped off - no nicks in the copper etc.  If the new switches are bulkier than the old switches, and that jumper is short, it may not be long enough to make it from terminal to terminal.  If that's the case, you can just pigtail the line side hots (blacks) the same way you did the neutrals.


Using sodium polyacrylate to clean flooded homes In the aftermath of Kerala, India, floods, videos are circulating advising people to buy cheap Sodium Polyacrylate and apply it to the layer of mud or standing water deposited. How good/bad is this advice?

The videos say

  sprinkle a small amount of the dry on mud and water and you will get a easily movable solid paste. You can use 1 kilogram to remove 1000 kilogram of mud and water. It is perfectly safe as its used in common, even skin-contact products like diapers and sanitary napkins.

Floors here are usually tile and walls are plastered and painted brick.

From my searches, I saw it could leave floors and outdoors a slippery mess and clog drains and ditches further. And letting loose large amounts on the environment seems bad.

https://www.socochem.com/is-sodium-polyacrylate-safe.html

  If the powder is inhaled, it can irritate the lungs–but that’s not generally a concern. When it comes in contact with a large amount of spilled water in an area, it can cause the area to become very slippery. If it enters sewer or drainage systems in large quantities, it can cause serious clogging and should be dealt with immediately.

A video in English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fR_7jH5fys

It is safe enough to use in baby diapers, so from a people perspective, it's safe to be in contact with it.

It is added as an amendment to soil to get the soil to hold more water for plants.  So if you use it inside a house and dump it outside, you could mix it into the soil.

One of the videos mentions adding iodine to the sludge to turn it back into a liquid.  It isn't clear how much iodine you need, or what iodine would do to the soil, but it is used as a disinfectant.  So in a flood situation, iodine in small amounts would probably be helpful.

The issues you raised:

Slippery floors: You need some way to get the water out.  If you have a pump or vet vac (or buckets), you can get the water out as water.  Otherwise, getting it into more solid form probably makes the job easier.  Once it's down to just a slippery film, you would need to clean that up.  You might be able to mop it, or sprinkle on the kind of powder used to absorb and sweep up spills commercially (various materials; a common one is a mixture of sawdust and ground corn cobs).  That's a standard janitorial supply item, and may even be available at hardware stores.  You could also try just wiping it up with rags.

As long as you're aware that the floors will be slippery and take care not to slip and break your face, slippery floors would seem like a minor problem compared to the water,
Ditches: Mud will flow into ditches in a flood.  I would think the powder would reduce the amount of mud flowing into ditches.  Regardless, the powder shouldn't significantly change that problem or the remediation.
Sewers: Mud will flow into sewers in a flood.  It's possible that a lot of the powder mixed with mud could change its flow characteristics inside the sewer and perhaps be more likely to cause blockages.  However, remediation would be the same as for mud, alone.  It would take a freaking lot of the powder to significantly change the mud washing into sewers in a flood.

I think the concern with ditches and sewers is from using massive amounts of the powder outside to stabilize mud flows.  Using it inside the house and then disposing of it responsibly (e.g., mixing it into the soil or hauling it somewhere), shouldn't adversely affect ditches and sewers.


Considering recessed lights in walk in shower In the process of converting tub/shower area to a walk-in shower and want to consider recessed lighting in that area, Somewhat familiar with code,,, would it simplify situation if low voltage lighting was used?

No it would not. You just need to make sure your recessed luminaires are rated for wet location.  As a side note if you have a combo luminaire with a exhaust fan then that would need to be GFCI protected, but just a luminaire with no exhaust fan then that does not need to be GFCI protected.


Can I use a wood top plate on top of a steel track to build a roof-bearing steel frame? I am building a room within my garage using double studs, double track, steel framing.  The outer dimensions for this room are 23' l x 16' 6" w x 10' h, and will share no common walls or ceiling with the garage space.  The garage floor is 6" thick concrete.
Most steel construction calls for attaching the tracks to existing floor / ceiling joists, and then place the studs in between the two tracks.  This will not work for my application, as I have no ceiling joists to attach to (so the top track will be flimsy).
To solve this problem, I would like to use a wood top plate on top of a steel track, and build a flat roof on top of the wooden top plate.  (Similar to Detail No. W1 (p60) from the HUD: Hybrid Wood and Steel Details-Builder's Guide document.)  The "Data" on page 61 of the guide lead me to believe this approach is possible.
My concern is that I have not found any examples of this kind of construction from searching the internet.
Questions:

Does adding a wood top plate on top of the steel top track provide enough weight to stabilize the wall?

Are there any resources showing a build detail of this kind of construction?

We design from the top down and build from the bottom up. I’ve learned that staying with “standard building techniques” in both the design and construction phases will save time and money.
We design custom homes and when we use a product that’s never been shipped west of the Mississippi, then we’ll pay extra for that particular product and pay extra for the labor to prep and install, because the local contractors are not familiar with that product.
Likewise, if we design a 12’ diameter curved wall in the house, we’d better have a good reason, because that wall will cost extra.
Likewise, if you design a composite wall construction detail, you’d better have a good reason because you’re going to pay extra.
Standard building practices tend to use either steel or wood, but not combined because they are not familiar to 1) codes review technicians, 2) building inspectors, 3) sub-contractors who will need to adjust their products to fit the new technique, and 4) General Contractors who will need to coordinate scheduling, miscellaneous materials to finish installations, etc.
There are some issues with your assumptions. Steel construction does NOT make rooms more or less soundproof. (Staggered stud construction, double wall construction, types of materials used on and in the wall, etc. all help with sound control.) Steel construction (non-combustible construction) is for better fire resistance, not better soundproofing.
Summary:
There’s a reason that you’re not finding “typical” construction “details” (as you call it) because it’s not done often or frequently. Mixing construction systems will increase costs and may eliminate some contractors from participating.


How to deal with a corroded copper water pipe? We have a corroded copper pipe. I'm not interested in what caused the corrosion.  I just want to know how to treat it. What can I do to stop the corrosion? Paint it?  What would I paint it with?

UPDATE:
Please see this post for the condition of the pipe.
What can cause copper pipe to corrode?
Note: the corroded part is the main water line and the valve forward is to our structure.

Can we just replace the corroded section?

Replacing it is the only viable option. You can buy a piece of pex and two push-on connectors for about $30 at your local home improvement store. The only tools you'll need are too cut the copper out and the pex to length - no tools needed for the connectors.


How to build deck posts into clay soil I am a novice diyer and I am attempting building a ground level deck in my back garden. I have seen so many different ways to dig and fill the hole it's left me more confused than when I started.
What is a great way to ensure longevity with regards the posts going into the ground? Many thanks

Post longevity:

Concrete, below frostline (varies with where you are), with a footing, reinforced with steel rebar kept 2" from the face of the concrete. Use brackets or pads to keep wood from touching concrete aboveground.

Hole: Cheap, or Lazy?

Cheap - post hole digger (clamshell type) or mattock and shovel (depends how hard the clay is when you try to dig the hole - will vary somewhat with water content through the year.)

Lazy - equipment - excavator/backhoe, power auger, etc. - note - power auger needs to be on a tractor or similar to really be lazy - the ones you hand-hold seem to be quite a workout to use. And always be sure you know what is below before digging - call digsafe for official marking before you start, and attempt to determine what private services you may have in the area such as plumbing lines, sprinklers, exterior lighting wires, etc.

Cheap and Lazy - You said a "ground level deck" so patio blocks right on the ground, no holes at all. If not quite that lazy a sand bed will help future performance of the surface some, but it may need to be taken up and regraded from time to time anyway.


Connecting a broken nichrome wire heating element back together I have a broken nichrome wire on my Holmes Accutemp portable heater people say regular solder won't work to reconnect it because the nichrome wire (heating element) may just melt the solder when the heater is in operation.
Does anyone have any other suggestions to connect it back together?  I've included an image with an arrow showing the break.

The only thing that works (properly) is replacement. You would replace the whole element.
Heater element wire is brittle once it's been through a heating cycle (i.e. you turn it on once.) As such, "repairing" it tends to just lead to more breakage.


Will moisture become trapped between a double air barrier in the ceiling beneath the attic? In the ceiling of my house, the air barrier is torn and its joints are not taped.  It is aluminized paper with tar.

In the attic, under the glass wool insulation, I am thinking of adding a polyethylene sheet between the joist, sealing it with caulking.  This approach would avoid redoing all the ceilings, but I fear that moisture may become trapped between the two air barriers.

This would be the arrangement of the resulting layers:

attic insulation
attic insulation + joist
polyethylene sheeting sealed between joists (no tar)
old air barrier (puncture, torn, not sealed)
wood furring
gypsum board

What do you think? Is this possible?

The best solution for your climate is to have the poly sheet between drywall and joists but since you already have the drywall up what you propose seems like a good option.  For your region the Building Science reports suggest the vapor barrier inside of the insulation.

I have actually seen this done two ways.  Up and over every joists, back flat on drywall and back over next joist and taped everywhere.  And then I have also seen the vapor barrier laid flat on the joists and taped.

There are pros and cons to each method.  First going up and over every joist is a pain to install.  It literally takes forever.  You might spend a whole day doing this right.

By going flat on top of the joists it is easier.  You also benefit from a "neutral zone" that brings basically free r-value.  The flip side is if you do have a leak it will probably find itself into a tape seem (opposed to just sitting on the poly on the drywall).  Also and the reason I don't install like this - makes it very hard to move electrical or run new electrical in the attic (why I also would never spray foam an attic).

So I am on board with your plan but probably minus the sheeting.  If the sheeting is already there then I would attach the poly sheets right on top of the sheeting and make sure it is taped well.  I mean you can put up as many vapor barriers as you want on top of each other.  As long as the top one is installed right all should be fine.


52 volts on my cable demarc (House Side) to ground The cable company demarc coax was burned and melted. New cable installed. Said the problem was bad house wiring. I checked all the plugs and all the lighting in the house. Found no real problem. Then disconnected the house coax cable and tested voltage to ground and found 52 volts. Then I turned off each breaker in the dist box one at a time to see if the voltage went away. Found that the back bedroom breaker did remove the voltage, from 52 to 3. SO i then disconnected every single load on any outlet. Voltage with nothing plugged in was 3 volts. (Cable shield to ground) Knowing that the problem was in the back bedroom I focused on that. I first plugged in the cable company modem, voltage went to 29 volts. I plugged in the cable company router and voltage immediately went to 52 volts.

QUESTION: Has anyone else experienced this problem and what did they do to fix it? The power supplies only have two prongs connected to AC, no ground, so where is the ground potential coming from if not the internal solid state circuits?

The voltage measured on the coax doesn't tell the whole story, especially if it's measured with a high-impedance digital multimeter. The two cable boxes will have isolated power supplies inside, meaning their low voltage circuitry is isolated from the high voltage mains. But there can be capacitive effects that would cause a voltage to appear between the mains and the low voltage circuits (ie the coax connector) even though there's no path for a meaningful amount of current to flow.

To check whether that voltage really means anything you'd need some kind of load. I'd grab a resistor in the range of a few hundred to a couple kilo ohms from my parts box, put it between the cable shield and ground, and measure the voltage again. It should drop to near zero.

I'm trying to think of an alternative that a "normal" person who lacks an electronics parts box might try instead.. If the meter supports current measurement, one could measure how much current will flow between the cable shield and ground. Use an ordinary incandescent or halogen light bulb (not LED or compact fluorescent) in series to limit the current in case there actually is a fault in the cable boxes. A regular household bulb, a large C7 or C9 bulb from old-style Christmas lights or a night light, etc will do. Using your third and fourth hands (or an assistant) put the meter into its highest-range AC current mode, hold the coax cable shield to the shell of the bulb, and touch the meter leads to the button terminal of the bulb and the electrical ground. Repeat with the meter in DC current mode. (Don't forget that meters usually require the red lead be moved to a different socket for measuring current, and definitely remember to move the red lead back to the voltage socket immediately when finished!)

If the voltage didn't drop to near zero in the load resistor test, or if the meter measures more than just a few mA in the current test, that could be a problem and replacement of the cable boxes could be advisable. If these tests check out ok it would seem that the energy that melted and burned the demarc probably didn't come from those two cable boxes.


Is basement smell caused by oil boiler? Although dry and not moldy, my 130-year-old basement has a distinct basement smell that bothers my wife.  I am trying to determine its source.  We have steam heat.  In the summer, the boiler is only used for hot water, of couse.  Do oil boilers usually smell?

The boiler is seven years old.  It was inspected by the oil company and given a clean bill of health when we moved in a few months age.

Hard to say without smelling it, but it's likely moisture (even if it's dry) or just poor air circulation.  First thing I would try would be putting a dehumidifier down there to see if that helps.


Main Lug Load Center Can I install a 225 amp main lug load center "downstream" from my 100 amp external cutoff?  I run all gas appliances, I'm looking into gas air conditioning as well...  I only want the big panel for the sake of not having a crowded box, and more available circuits than currently allowed in my old 20 space panel.

Elroy

Yes.  That is exactly what we recommend.

You can go as large as 42 space for just a few dollars more.  Beyond 42 space, the cost gets prohibitive.

There is no problem having the subpanel be of a larger ampacity than the breaker protecting it.


3-way switch short circuit I have a three-way switch where I would see a spark behind the switch every time I tapped it, so I wanted to replace the switch. Upon replacing the switch and wiring it all up as before, I now get a short (circuit breaker trips) whenever the switch is in the "on" position. If I take the switch out and connect the "hot" wire to one of the two travelers (or leave the 3-way in question off), the other 3-way switch in the circuit, and the light that they control works fine, but if I connect the "hot" to the other traveler, the breaker trips instantly.

Here's a diagram of the wiring in the box. I've only investigated this box; not the one housing the other 3-way switch, so that's not included. S1 is the switch in question; I don't believe S2 is related, but it's also in the box and shares some wires so I've included it. Circles represent where wires are coming into the box; squares are switches; and triangles are pigtails. Finally, both switches are grounded through the box; there are no ground wires in this diagram. Forgive my bad diagram, and if I've misused any words here; I'm new at this stuff!

Questions:

Does this wiring make sense?
How can I find the source of the short? I've inspected all the wires and everything appears to be sheathed correctly and not contacting any other wires or the box.
I haven't opened the other switch which shares control over the light. Is it possible the problem lies there?
Any other ideas, or anything else I should check?

I apparently wasn't paying attention when I took the old switch out, and had reversed the positions of the power wire with one of the travelers. I was sure that the power wire attached to the black screw on the switch, but when someone else looked at the switch, he suggested the power wire should go to one of the brass screws. After wiring everything back up the switch is now working.


Electric Wire Size for Grain Bin Motors I am having a grain bin erected and need to power it.

I have a 100 amp service at the pole.  The grain bin in 250' away from the pole.

I will have a second grain in built next year right next to it. So, I'd like to size the wire to run it once or run a pair of feeder wires so I don't have to come back next year.

Each grain bin consists of the following:
1) Fan with a 10HP, 230v single phase
2) Unload auger with two identical motors - 7.5hp single phase 230v

Grand total, I'll be powering two 10hp and four 7.5hp.

What wire do I need to run from the pole to the bin(s)?

Your worst case scenario on the SERVICE is the 2 x 7-1/2HP 230V single phase motors on one bin while being unloaded, with the 10HP on the other one running the blower. 7-1/2HP 230V single phase motors are 40A each, the 10HP is 50A. You have 130A of load here. You cannot run that on a 100A service, continuous or not. So the wire size is moot.

But IF you get your service upgraded to let's say, 200A when you get the 2nd bin installed next year, then ASSuming you have a separate run from the service panel to each bin, the max worst case load would be 80A on each run, conductors must be 125%, so you size for 100A. You would need #3 Copper cable (if you can even find it), or #1 Aluminum, before de-rating for voltage drop (which I'm not going to do for you) so I would go one size larger.

If you try to do one cable run out to the first bin, then sub-feed off to the 2nd one later, you will need 2/0 (Cu or Al because of a sizing anomaly), 3/0 if there is voltage drop at that distance. That will be a LOT more difficult to run, I'd do it with separate smaller runs.


Temporary pinning of sensors to ceiling Goal: optimize placement of PIR (passive infrared) sensors in 80 foot hallway.

I would like to experiment with the placement of sensors by temporarily affixing them to the ceiling and test to ensure proper \ maximum coverage.

Question: Is there a clever method to temporarily affix sensors to the ceiling?  The plan is to screw them into the ceiling once optimal placement has been identified.

Double-sided carpet tape, or blue tape protecting both surfaces with superglue between. (If the ceiling is popcorn, neither of these will work.)

If you have a popcorn ceiling, I'd experiment with thumbtacks superglued to tape on the sensor. My suspicion is that 3 tacks would hold and not make too much of a mess of the ceiling, but you'll have to do a bit of trial/error.


How to fit a damper in duct? I've seen some videos on how to fit a damper in a duct but his damper had only one spindle, requiring a single hole. The dampers in my local store, however, have two spindles, at 180 degrees, meaning diametrically opposite. That means I need to know exactly where the point on the duct is 180 degrees from the other hole, which is hard.
Is there a trick to drilling two holes in a duct that are diametrically opposed to one another, so that they are aligned with the spindle shaft of the damper?

Say you have an 8 inch diameter duct.
Then the circumference is 25.13 inches (you can find the formula online).
Get a thin strip of paper 30 inches long.
Make two dots 12.56 inches apart on it (half the circumference).
Wrap the paper around the duct and tape it.
The dots are where you drill.
Sort of like this:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XsBwEmFO_w


Capsule versus metallic sprinklers Most sprinkler systems I see have the red capsule, a glass ampule filled with red-dyed alcohol. When it heats, the capsule bursts and the plunger, pressurized by the water, slides forward, opening the sprinkler. My concern about these systems is that many of them have automatic overpressure pumps that if one capsule breaks, then it triggers an overpressure, breaking all the capsules. So, for example, if a sprinkler goes off in one hotel room, usually all the sprinklers on the entire floor will activate.

I was talking to a building owner about this and he said that it is not the case for his building. In his building the sprinklers do not have capsules, but have two arched metal strips. When they are heated they expand, opening the valve. According to him this only happens for the affected sprinkler; the others do not open automatically.

Is this true, that the metal-strip sprinklers are single activation only?

Your reasoning is completely off-base.  I've been in a building during a sprinkler activation (due to mechanical violence to a capsule-type head) and only that head went off.  (Deluge systems used to protect extreme hazards use open heads that have no capsule or metal strip at all.)

The "automatic overpressure pump" you mention is likely actually a fire pump used in tall buildings to make sure that the standpipes and sprinkler systems have enough pressure, as the city water pressure isn't high enough to get large volumes of water to the tops of skyscrapers.  Even then though, the pressure generated by these pumps is limited by reducing valves in order to protect not only sprinkler heads, but firefighters who are using lines off the standpipe system -- this was demonstrated dramatically when some of these valves were found failed (see document p.10, PDF p.20) by firefighters battling the legendary First Interstate Bank high-rise fire in LA.

In short -- no normal building situtation will expose a sprinkler head to pressures above the typical 175 psi rating.  The city doesn't supply water at that high of a pressure for obvious reasons (faucets don't like 175 psi any more than sprinkler heads do!), and fire pump systems in high-rises have reducing valves going out from the main riser to each floor's sprinkler trunk to keep the fire pump from damaging the system inadvertently.


Any ideas for repairing water damage on outside corner with a rusty corner bead? How would you approach repairing this kind of water damage, pictured, without reinstalling the stone tile?  I think I've fixed the source of the water damage above.

I was thinking that I would scrape/chisel out the old drywall compound, remove a section of the rusty outside corner bead, apply regular joint compound, add a new section of corner bead, then rebuild the corner with regular joint compound, sand, more joint compound, sand, prime, and paint.  When I'm done, I'm sure it will look terrible.  Any tips to make this go easier and better?

I see no need to get into the tile here. I would just do a light scrape, then sand it down. Seal it with a stain-blocking primer, then do any drywall repair. Prime it again and paint.

Replacing part of the bead with plastic could help prevent further rust if you're unable to rectify the water issue. Surgically remove a section of the metal bead using a rotary tool and cutoff wheel. Cut and fit a section of plastic bead. I wouldn't rely on joint compound alone. It'll be too fragile.


There is a brown burn mark on my dryer's vent . Is this normal or do we need to unplug the dryer and run?

No. burn marks are not normally seen on dryer vents. If the scorched mark was caused by excessive heat from the dryer (and not by an unrelated incident) then there is a potential hazard and danger from your appliance. Without more details and photos it will be difficult to offer a specific reason, but these are some suggestions that you can check. After unplugging the dryer cord remove the exhaust duct attached to the rear of the back wall. Using a flashlight peer inside looking for critical build up of lint. Use a vacuum, regardless of what amount of lint is noted, to clean the dryer vent. Continue vacuuming the duct projecting from the back wall of the dryer. Re-install the vent and check for normal operation. If you still have any doubts to the normal and safe operation of your appliance it would be wise to have a professional inspect it and give you his opinion before using it again.


Easy way to temporarily insulate gap between hardwood floor and baseboard? Odors are entering my apartment from a neighboring unit, and it appears to be getting in via a draft between the baseboard and hardwood floor in my apartment. The draft appears to be localized to a small area in my living room. I'd like to put something in between the baseboard and the floor to insulate the gap. Is there anything I can use that will provide good insulation but be easy to remove without damaging the baseboard or floor? The gap is about 1/8".

Also, if I did talk to my landlord about permanently filling the gap, what is the recommended way to do this with hardwood floors?

You could use "seal and peel" type removable weatherstripping caulk.

Some type of caulk would probably be the permanent solution as well.


Can I enclose my new boiler in a closet? As part of a new residential boiler installation, two 6-inch ducts venting to the outside will be installed, one near the ceiling and one near the floor. They won't be attached to the boiler itself, as it's not the type of unit that takes direct venting. Just vents open to the room, but very close to the boiler and hot water heater.

The gas boiler and adjacent gas hot water heater are against one wall of a large space that is to be inside the thermal envelope of the house, but I think that lots of cold air will be entering through the new vents.

I want to build a closet around the furnace and water heater, and my question is: Should I seal it off and insulate it as much as possible, since it has it own source of outside air, or do I need a louvered door for some reason?

I'm pretty sure that with this amount of outside venting the right thing to do is to seal off the furnace. (There will be doors to allow access for maintenance.)

Given that setup, I can't think of any reason you'd need to draw inside air. On the other hand, I'm not sure you want it entirely at outside temperature, from the point of view of freezing risk when not circulating. (Then again, I'm in a northerly climate; you may not be.)

Did the folks who installed it have any opinion on this approach?

Make sure there's enough space around the unit to (a) meet its specifications for fire safety and (b) allow servicing it and its support plumbing/pumps/whatever without having to rip down and rebuild that closet.


Should the gas be turned off before leaving on vacation? I have not seen this recommended in most lists of things to do before going on vacation. Wouldn't turning off the gas main prevent issues if there is a gas leak or a fire?

Is there a certain set of conditions or situations when you should turn off the gas?

Yes, turning off your gas will prevent issues if there is a gas leak. I never have but I do turn off my water in case of a leak and oil burner to prevent wasting fuel. Turning off gas will be a personal preference, just as turning off the water is.  You will need to consider what you have for appliances and how much hassle they will be to relight or if you need them to run (like a furnace during cold months to prevent pipe freezing) and whether turning it off will help you relax more while on vacation or not. Some people turn off everything, some don't do anything.  Like I said, it's a personal preference.


Do I need an air admittance valve for my basement shower? I've been trying to figure out why my water in my shower drain doesn't flow through the elbow. When I turn the elbow sideways the water flows correctly but sewer gasses emits out the empty elbow sideways.

Do I need to install a Air Admittance valve for this drainage problem? I have nowhere to run vent pipes in this location. If so, do I need 3 separate AAV's for toilet, shower and sink?

Yes it sounds like you do need to install the air admittance valve, and yes you may need to add more, depending on the distances the other drains are from the one you plan to install. I know for toilets the max is 5 ft. Sinks may be 3 ft., but that is almost a guess, I have moved more toilets than sinks.


Can a well pump be moved from inside to outside? Due to the noise and unsightliness of the pump, wife is wondering if we can move it outside...

The primary factor in the relocation of your well pump will be the climate you live in.  If you are in southern Florida and it never freezes, then things may likely work out well for you (no pun intended).

If you are in an area that gets freezing temperatures from time to time, things may not work and you could actually do damage to the pump, tank and other components if they were to freeze.

Sometimes there is a little "pump house" which is insulated, and also heated, which helps deal with climate issues, but heating a small pump house can be an additional cost, which one may find unacceptable.

One lower cost thing you could consider, is making an enclosure to cover the indoor components.  Should you decide to do so, you may wish to make that enclosure readily knock down, so that you can gain access to the components without a structure around them limiting accessibility.  You will also want to consider a double wall, or staggered stud construction to isolate noise from the pump.  You will still have some noise.  Better rubber isolation feet may help.

If your well setup is getting near the end of it's life, you might plan transitioning to a submersible pump.


renovating a bathroom to add wet room for tub & shower Thinking of  remodeling existing  11x 7 foot bathroom with bathtub & shower in one wet area. Not sure if the size of this area  5 ft x 4.5 ft is adequate,  without resulting in having to clean the bathtub every time a shower is taken? What is a "recommended space " so that the bathub will not be splashed when only a shower is taken?
      Also  concerned about if the shower drain will be adequate enough, without water overflowing into the rest of the bathroom ?

Your advice with these 2 questions will greatly be appreciated!

Thank You,
 George

The size sounds large enough for a shower. Have you thought about a ceiling mounted shower? The shower coming straight down there may be less splashing compared to a wall mounted shower. I usually install 2" shower drains but have installed 1-1/2". I find the size of the drain opening like a larger 4" square grate compared to a standard 2" round makes the biggest difference with a shallow pan or slope, more area less water back up.


Can I mix latex paint into concrete would like to color concrete mix can I use outdoor latex paint to mix in with the concrete?

While you probably could, this wouldn't be a good way to try and match a color.  It would likely effect the setting performance of the concrete and you'd never match the color of the paint.  On top of everything else, it would be much more expensive than the alternatives - all you really need is the pigment and everything else that makes up the paint is essentially wasted.

For coloring concrete it is much better to use products that are specifically designed for this - either a concrete dye mixed into the concrete itself, or a concrete stain applied afterwards.


Properly Venting a Dryer BACKGROUND INFO:
We have an upstairs laundry room with the dryer vented directly into the attic space! House was built in '84, maybe had three previous owners before us. Not sure what the code was back then, but what you see in the picture was probably NEVER up to code to begin with!

QUESTIONS:

Is there anything I should keep in mind when running my new solid metal vent pipe to the outside exterior wall through this attic space?
Since I'm dealing with insulation, does it have to be protected?
Is there a certain clearance from the insulation required?

PLAN:
Our current dryer actually vents very close to the floor, so I would like the piping to run as low as possible to avoid lots/any flex tube for a straight shot outside. As you can probably tell from the picture, right now in the laundry room there is about 4' of flex hose connecting the bottom of the dryer to this higher up "vent" hole in the wall right into the attic.

Just that a long vertical can result in more cold air injection--the weight of a column creates more downforce. The same is true in reverse for hot-attic days. Also, as you can plainly see, dryers emit lint. You might consider a soffit vent to keep the lint off your roof.
Nope. Pack it snug to the vent pipe.
Nope. Fire is not a concern here.


Transition from KERDI membrane backed, to not backed I intend to use KERDI membrane behind some new bathroom wall tiling backed by drywall.

How feasible is it to transition from using the membrane to not using the membrane on a neighboring section of the same wall (i.e. only one section of the wall needs waterproofing, but the transition shouldn't be noticeable once tiled).

The specs say the membrane is 8mm thick, but I'm not sure if that'll be too large a transition for a good tile finish.

I like to use Denshield for tiling bathroom surrounds. It is the same thickness as the drywall and it comes with a waterproof membrane already installed on it.  This means that there is no transition disparity between the drywall and the DenShield.

You can run the final row of tile over the joint between the Denshield  and of the drywall.  You need to use a fiber mesh tape and a liquid waterproof membrane over the seams and  corners any of the screwheads but the rest of the field is already waterproof and textured to except tile.

You would remove the existing sheet rock where you are going to tile and replace it with the denshield.


Trying to replace a garage light switch with old wiring Trying to replace a light switch in the garage with a new one but the wiring doesn’t match.

Old switch has white (currently matched to red/black) and black (currently matched to black) coming out of it. Out of the wall there is currently 2 white wires wrapped together but not connected with the current switch. The current switch was also not grounded.

New switch has white, black, red and green. I already tried matching the new switch as white to white, green to ground, black to black and red to black/red and it didn’t work.

Well, you're halfway there, and kudos on you for not blindly experimenting as many will tend to.  (this can lead to configurations which "work" but will kill you).

I can tell you what is definitely correct:

Green to your ground wires.
White to your actual neutral wires, and your all-white bundle appears to be both neutral and also neutral for these hot wires.  (it matters in boxes with multiple circuits).

So those are done.

Now, you need to double-check the smart-switch documentation to identify the supply-hot for the switch; this is usually black, but that's a convention, not a law.  We'll assume it's black; adjust if that's wrong.  We are going to cap off the switch's switched hot, and not use it for awhile.  Right now the objective is to get the switch itself to power up.

Since you tried black to solo-black, we can cross that one off the list.  That leaves the red-black combo, and again, kudos for not breaking up that pair. I would try that pair for supply-hot.  Cap off the remaining black wire for now.

If you have two wires on the switched-hot side of the switch, that can only be because you have 2 or more lamps, both fed from the switch.  Whereas, if you have two wires on the always-hot side of the switch, that's because you have onward power going to serve other outlets.  The second one is much, much more common.

I suspect at this point, the switch will power up.  Once you have confirmed some sort of functioning (LED lights, controls work, switch is pairable in its app, etc.), then you can with confidence hook up the switched-hot lead (presumably red) to the remaining unused wire(s).

The only thing that's odd about this - not wrong, but OCD-inducing - is that apparently the cable to the lamp is a /3 cable, with black used as switched-hot and red used as always-hot.  Most people prefer it the other way 'round, because then, colors mean something.  Code allows it either way.


Trying to identify this box on the outside of my house This was under a small panel. Don't know what it is, or what it's used for.

If this is somewhat new construction, these might be anti-pest defense tubes. The exterior box resembles "Tubes in the Wall" pest defense system. Liquid pesticide is shot via CO2 at the exterior junction box and the liquid will travel throughout the house by means of the tubes.

http://www.pestdefense.com/taexx is an example of this sort of system.

Further Readings:

Tubes in the Wall


How to unscrew this spigot? (From my earlier posts, you may have learned that I had several different bibs cause several different floods in different parts of my house. Each instance posed its own unique challenges. This is a post about spigot number three.)
The following picture shows the spigot from the inside though an access hole:

It looks to me like I should be able to screw the spigot out but I wasn't able to do it due to resistance and I gave up for fear of causing greater damage. Am I correct that I should be able to screw the spigot out and, if so, are there some safe tricks for loosening the connection?

A pipe wrench on the inside on this side of the threads to hold the indoor plumbing in position and a pipe wrench on the outside to unscrew the spigot should do it.
It doesn't look like there's any thread tape in there, though, so it might be rough going.
Additionally, it looks like they sleeved the copper pipe in something else to get it through the wall, which is good, but if that's steel, there could be galvanic corrosion holding the copper to the steel.


help with replacing outside hose spigot I am replacing my outside hose spigot. is it necessary to shut off the valve at the street side? or can i just closed the inside main valve in my home

Closing the inside main valve to your house should do the trick. If you haven't operated the main valve regularly do so with caution because gate valves are noted for failing when you close them. After doing so, check any faucet to verify the water has been shut off. If you live in a freezing climate you probably have an inside shutoff valve close to the outside spigot that you cold use instead of the main one. After closing the main valve, if it' a gate valve, you might find that it won't open back up and that the handle just spins. That's due to corrosion and the valve has to be replaced. If you have access to the street cutoff and the water authority has no problem with you turning it off there, that would be a good option. They could possibly turn it off for free while you change your spigot.


Missing Refrigerator water line valve Moved into a 1960s home recently, and had a fridge deliverd. The Lowe's delivery guys were perplexed, but spent about 15 minutes looking for a valve to turn the water on for the fridge, but were ultimately unsuccessful. Obviously there is no vale box where the fridge cutout is.

The fridge is on the opposite side of the kitchen as the sink, with no bathroom nearby. I poked a small hole in the wall where the water line pokes out, and poked my cell phone around and took pictures. All I can tell is the water line goes upstairs, but I could not see exactly where.

I checked both bathrooms upstairs and there is no 1/4 inch flexible piping connected under either, so ultimately I am unable to easily see where the existing water line goes.

Any ideas where else it could be connected to, or where a valve may be?

(FYI, the home was built in the mid 1960s, and was an investor flip, so we have zero contact with the last people who actually lived in the home).

Search inside the kitchen cupboards, especially under the sink.  If that doesn't turn up anything, some idiot probably drywalled over it when they did some "improvements" before flipping the house.

In that case, you may have to drill some small holes in the walls to find it.  You can get pretty cheap (like under $30) USB inspection cameras you can hook up to a laptop, so you only have to make small holes to look around.

Once you find it, you can cut the drywall away and make it accessible.  Google "access panel" for ready made doors to mount over it.  If you want to be really nice to future you, put a label behind the fridge describing where the valve is.


What steps should I take after kitty litter has been washed down the drain? A relative tried to do me a "favor" and clean out the bathtub where a kitty box had been temporarily stored.  I guess 2-3 pounds of clumping litter were washed down the drain.  It doesn't appear to be clogged (lucky!), but I was wondering if there are any steps I can take to prevent any settled litter from causing future blockages.

I have municipal water if that makes a difference.

If it rinsed down the drain and hasn't clogged yet then you're in fairly good shape.  Clumping litter definitely can be saturated and breaks down.  I'm assuming this is some sort of clay based litter (I use a pine based product myself) with fairly small granules and not a lot of stone.

Also I'm presuming that you haven't been flushing the line out with water continuously, and so if any clumping was going to occur, it would have.

If you have access to any of the traps I would go ahead and put a bucket underneath and open them up just to be certain.

If you don't have access then you either continue to flush the line or you could use a plumber's snake (a home version is a great investment) to disturb any settled litter possibly while flushing.

Not a magic bullet, but probably a measured response.


How to test Honeywell aquastat L6006C? my circulator pump isn't working properly with my boiler system, trying to narrow down problem. I've read you can test the aquastat with a multimeter (which I have but have never used). The reason I am making this post is because all the things I have read refer to a TT or a #1 and #2 to test, but I don't see any of those labels on mine. On the aquastat itself I have labels R,B,W (and W is unused), where the wires lead to I have Y,G,C,R. Can anyone help walk me through this? Thanks

B is the normally closed contact, W is a normally open contact, and R is common.  So in the initial state, you'll measure continuity (or a low resistance) between R and B, and no continuity (or infinite resistance) between R and W.

When the temperature rises above the set temperature (+ the threshold), the contacts will switch. So you'll measure open (or infinite resistance) between R and B, and closed (or low resistance) between R and W.

To test it with a multimeter, you'll want to use the continuity, or a low resistance setting on the meter.


Does a door have to be hung on the edge of the jamb My door jamb is around 140mm, does the door have to be hung on the edge of the jamb like all the other doors in the house, or can i hang it toward the center of the jamb by 70mm so it can clear a wash basin when opened.

You can do so.  It will complicate the strike plate mounting, perhaps necessitating a relief arc in the latch jamb. The centered door will only open (at most) 90 degrees before being stopped by the jamb.

Other options may be to reverse hinge side and latch or making the door out swinging.


radiator starts banging seconds after turning on the valve I even made a video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiCzXr59p6E
Do you guys have any idea what could be the reason?

That's thermal expansion of the pipes as the hot water starts to move through them.  This is reinforced by the fact that it starts to slow down once they approach a temperature equilibrium.  It's the same effect as when you turn off your car after driving somewhere and you can hear the "pinging" from the engine bay and exhaust system; that's the same thing only in reverse (as the metal starts to cool, it contracts, causing that noise).


Loud gushing noise when neighbour runs their faucet I live on the 2nd floor of an 11 floor condo.  Lately I have heard a loud gushing water sound under my kitchen sink when a neighbour runs their water. This occurs every time the neighbour turns on their tap. When I touch the hot and cold pipes under my sink, I can feel the water running through them. I do not feel any vibration in my kitchen faucet stem or handle. I do feel vibration along the wall beside the sink which is where the water stack is located (all the way up/down the wall). The building Superintendent and a Plumber could not recreate the issue when they visited the upstairs suite to investigate. Has anyone encountered this type of issue and, if so, any advice? Is it possible that this could be caused by the suite downstairs?  Thanks!

Assuming you're just hearing it & not noticing any other effects from it. An other effect would be your sink trap's water or your toilet's water being sucked right out, which doesn't appear to be happening.

Then, I'm inclined to think the wall or pipe changed. What could have changed in the wall is that thermal &/or sound insulation may have shifted or completely fallen away. A pipe change would be the pipe shifting or settling down onto a structural member of the wall which could be just a millimeter of change. Now, having an avenue to transfer its normal operations.

Neither of these are catastrophic nor indicative of the pipe rotting away to a much thinner pipe. But, there may have also been work done elsewhere that brought the onset. It's more likely that it's just natural settlement issues from heavy trucks driving by, earthquakes, freeze-thaw, or normal pipe vibration.

Of course, it should be investigated fully & abated for your continued enjoyment. A building of that size should have access within the wall from the basement. I'm sure no-one will be happy about the journey, but 2nd floor is about as good as it gets.


Cord plug amperage rating for 3-phase machine If i have 3 phase running to  a machine with 35 amp breakers how many amps should my cord ends be rated for ?

3 Phase NEMA cord caps jump from 30 amps to 50 amps so you would need a 50.
 What is the voltage? this will define the style of outlet and cord cap.
480 V would use a NEMA L16-50 this is a true 3 phase with ground (4 wire). If you are using a system that also requires a neutral you will need the 5 wire.


Stabilizing a gravel driveway with massive holes and steep inclination I have inherited a 270 feet long driveway along a steep hill. It is part gravel/stone, and part concrete.

It is in very bad condition. Every winter, rain threatens to wash away parts of it. Driving up and down is very bad for the car, and deepens the damage depending on the skill of the driver.

The previous owner has applied some concrete, but only in a few select spots.

I guess the final fix for it is to have a professional pour concrete on it. That is not in the cards at the moment, though.

Is there a DIY way to make the road more driveable, at least temporarily? I have some gravel about an inch in size, but I fear that the car wheels will simply dig it out again due to the inclination if I put it in with nothing to glue it to the ground. Might mixing concrete with gravel work?

You don't need to concrete the whole thing.

You do need to shape it correctly. Even in arid areas (seems likely from the picture), water is the major thing that destroys poorly built roads - when it does rain, the water flows down the road and moves material - unless the road is shaped to divert water off to the side in a short distance, so that there is never so much water collectively running on the road that it moves the gravel. In a first step this might consist of adding water bars every once in a while to divert water to the side, but a complete solution consists of putting crown on the road, so that rather than having two wheel ruts (which become water channels, and then become deeper ruts) you have a slightly mounded profile and all water runs off to the sides (and, if need be, you have adequate ditches to handle the water once it is off the side of the road.)

Depending on finances and inclination, you can do this piecemeal over time for little cash with shovels and rakes and implements of destruction, or you can hire a contractor with a road grader. If the contractor also has a rubber-tired vibratory roller and knows how to use it, so much the better. You may want to remove (or break into smaller chunks) the random chunks of concrete, unless you are adding sufficient material to bury them. You will occasionally need to re-rake as your tires move material, but it should not be frequent or major if you drive calmly and are not spinning your tires. If you allow tire ruts to remain, and it rains, you'll have worse ruts after it rains. An old bedspring or section of chainlink fence can also be used as a maintenance drag (vehicle-pulled rake-equivalent) to help keep things where they should be.

If your gravel is 1" down to fines, it should work. If it's 1" stones with no fines, it won't pack well - good for drainage, not so good as a road surface. A gravel/stone supplier should be able to get you a few loads of "road base" which will have enough fines to pack.

If you work on it piecemeal, work from the top down, so each section you complete will stay put.


How can I disable a wall switch and leave the circuit always on? I'm replacing a ceiling fan that is operated by a wall switch.
The new fan is operated by a wireless remote. So I need to remove the wall switch and close the circuit so that the fan always has power. At least I think so.
I removed the wall switch. Inside the box are a single black wire and a single white wire. I believe that all I need to do is connect these two wires. But I'm really afraid to connect wires of a different color. Is this going to be safe?

That is correct. If those are the only wires in the box you have a typical switch loop:

You'd simply nut the two wires together, reinstall the switch and plate (or a blank plate) and be happy.
However, that switch might come in handy as it is. You could also use one of the small retainers that go under the lower plate screw to lock switch position. That's reversible with less effort and they're available at hardware stores or online.


Check valve for high pressure water flow For irrigation, we have about more than 50000 L of large tank and the outlet of 2 inches (thick red - high pressure) goes through the ground for drip irrigation. Now I need another small tank of 200 L with some liquid(nutrient for soil) to be added along with water. Though the outlet of tank B will be 1/2 inch, the water pressure(in drops) will be control using a gate value. Since the existing water flow is very high pressure, just directly connecting the outlet from tank B to the existing water pipe may result in water being pumped into tank B.
Though in picture, the position of the outlets are in middle, actually it will be in bottom.
Will check valve be the solution here? Since the outlet flow from tank B will be drops and the from tank A it will be very high pressure, could the valve open so that those drops will get mixed with existing water flow?
If check valve is not the right one what should use here?

Please Google "venturi fertilizer injector" to learn about this technology. It is a device that works with no electric power. The flow of a large amount of liquid through the device creates a vacuum that will suck a smaller quantity of a second liquid into the main flow.
In this case you would use a check valve on the small tank to prevent backflow in case the main flow stops. No flow = no vacuum, which could cause backflow if there is no check valve.


how to fix gap in stone front steps these are the steps on the front porch :$   what's the best way to fill the hole and put a stone in front so it doesn't show such a big gap?  thanks for your help.

It looks like time and weather have washed out the soil under the original steps. It is hard to tell if those stones were laid on a substantial foundation, or if the whole thing was just laid down on soil.

The cheap/dirty/quick way would be to shovel and pack dirt up into the hollow space under the step, then level the area in front and lay down one or more stones. Finish by "pointing" mortar at the seam between the riser stones and the new flat step stone(s) you just placed. This method will likely result in similar failure in a couple seasons.

Another option would be to pull out all that debris under the step and pack concrete up under there, then finish as directed above. This should last a bit longer, because the concrete will add strength and resist "wash out" by rain and snow.

The best long-term fix would be to tear out the old step entirely, form and pour a proper concrete step and landing, than bond new stones to the concrete with mortar and finish by grouting properly.


What could be causing my electric hob to leak voltage? When cleaning my ceramic hob yesterday (wet, but not excessively), I noticed some voltage going through my wet finger when touching the shaft of one of the knobs (I had removed the knobs before). I immediately stopped the work and used the circuit breaker. (And that is what you should do, too, if feeling even the most gently voltage. Really)

The knobs are mounted right above on the hob, where it does get wet sometimes
The hob was installed by a professional electrician, but it is an old one.
The casing is connected to protective earth, but the knob shaft isn't (measured when the circuit breaker was open)

I cannot measure any voltage on the knob shaft, presumably because it has had enough time to dry. But I am wondering: Isn't it supposed to be connected to protective earth, just like the casing?

Because the plastic knob will not always provide good isolation: it's easily detachable, and even when attached, the 1/2 " it provides as a distance from the shaft sometimes gets really wet when cooking.

Should I replace the whole hob?

You say the hob is old so I would get an estimate to replace all 4 or 5 controls (the others may not be too far behind the one in question in wear and tear) along with an assessment of the hob's overall condition and compare that against buying a new one.

My Mom has a ceramic cooktop and I'm going to take a meter with me when I see her later today. Now I'm curious.


3 wire to 4 wire for new stove I just bought a new dual fuel stove.  My 1993 house only has the two hot wires and the ground behind the stove, no common.  Question:  because the common is only for the 110v functions of the stove, can I run a 12 or 14 gauge common wire?  This would be much easier as I can tap into the microwave outlet above the stove and fish romex down easily.   The house is mainly wired with 14 gauge.
Thank you!

When I hear  neutral called "common" I think someone is likening the Neutral to the concept in electronics of "Common" or "GND" or "Vss".  That is wrong. There is indeed a thing like that, but it is Equipment Safety Ground, and it does not handle current except during fault conditions.

Other than that, mains electrical is wired effectively as an "isolated system", which each Neutral current return wired very much like it is another hot.  Neutrals are not spiderwebbed.  You cannot return current on any arbitrary neutral.  Mains wiring is very particular which neutral is used to return current for a particular hot.  Why, you ask?  Several reasons to start.

Not least, Neutrals don't have breakers.  Most siliconheads forget that.  If that stove is returning 10 amps while your microwave is returning 15 amps, it is returning 25A of current on a 15A wire which again, has no breaker.  Whoops!
Currents must be equal in each cable or conduit. Because this is AC power, and EMFs are a thing.  When currents are unequal, the EMF thrown by the various wires do not cancel each other out, and cause all sorts of mischief, including vibration of the wires, leading to fatigue failire, arcing at the failure point, and heat/fire.
No Looping. If current went in a loop around something, aside from the above problem, what's inside the loop would become the core of a transformer. Among other things, this causes eddy current heating in anything metallic.  Special considerations must be made even when several wires are put in adjacent conduits due to space limitation reasons.

The upshot of all this is that mains wiring must be a strict tree topology, no looping or crossovers.

Grounds are allowed to loop or spiderweb because current does not travel on them except during fault conditions.

Oh yeah.  You can retrofit ground.

And here is where you are in luck.  The three wires to your old stove connection are not are not hot, hot, ground.   They are hot, hot, neutral. No ground.

It is completely legal for you to continue in service the H H N conductors,and retrofit a ground.

However, the ground path needs to be the full thickness required for a ground of a 30/40/50A circuit, which is 10 AWG.   It must be that width all the way back to the same service panel the conductors come out of, you cannot poach the smaller #12 or #14 ground off the nearby plug.

It will suffice to reach anywhere that has a #10 or larger ground path back to the panel, including grounded 30+ amp appliances such as water heater, A/C, dryer if 4-prong, etc. it will also suffice to reach the grounding electrode system, the bare copper wire from the panel to the grounding rods.


What is that beeping noise? When my GF & I lay in bed late at night, we can hear continuous beeping somewhere nearby. The tone & rhythm of the beeping is exactly like an alarm clock, but we don't own one, nor do the neighbors. Is there anything in electrical wiring or plumbing that could possibly make this noise? Has anyone else had this happen? It's driving us insane.

I’d turn off all the electricity by turning off all the circuit breakers, including refrigerator, oven, etc. This will determine if it’s electrically powered or battery powered.
If that works, you can slowly restarting each circuit. If not, start checking battery powered items...room by room.


How deep do I need to make the post footings for a residential deck in Northern Michigan? How deep do I need to make the post footings for a residential deck in Northern Michigan? The 12" X 20" deck will be less than 2 feet off the ground.

The post depth depends on the frost line. The size of the footing depends on the soil type under the footing.
You need to dig until at least under the frost line, and then, if you are not on rock or undisturbed/compacted soil, dig until you get there. You can analyze the soil as you dig. The size of the pad of your footing depends on the soil: gravel, sand, or clay. See also https://www.decks.com/how-to/articles/soil-conditions-for-deck-footings
Check with your local municipality, they have this info for you.
Here's a map of the frost line (depths), and you'll see that Michigan is around 55".

From https://www.decks.com/how-to/articles/deck-footing-frost-depth-map :

Always check with your local building inspections department to see what is required in your area. Furthermore, you must install footings at least 12” below unsettled soil. If you are building into the side of a steep hill or beside a retaining wall you will have to maintain the minimum distance to grade not only vertically but also laterally. In order to achieve a suitable lateral barrier you may need to dig your foundation much deeper than on a flat surface.


Craftsman Screw Drive Garage Door opens too far How does the opener know when to stop when it's moving to the open position?

Have two openers 1 for each door; one works fine, the other opens too far and actually bangs into the actual opener housing.

On other openers I've had there has been a visible lever the opener hits to stop but none is apparent on this one.

Thank you!

There should be a panel on the right side of your unit.  It will have 4 adjustments on it.  2 are for the force adjustment and 2 are to adjust the upper and lower limits.  They usually have a sticker to show you what each one does.


Two sided reinforced "clamp" for creating a hole in screen I have a pool with a large screened in enclosure. What I want to do, is create a small hole in one of the screens (toward or even flush with the bottom of the screen) where I can pass a hose or something through. Does there exist a product where I can attach a large surface area "clamp" of sorts (maybe one screws into the other) that will keep the tension in the screen, and then I can cut my hole in the middle of the flat clamps to pass a hose through?
I can imagine what I'm trying to accomplish, but was hoping there was some product out there already. I would expect the flat "clamps" to be about 4 square inches or more, with a hole in the middle -- and I would  cut the hole after the clamps are fastened to each other.

Yes, look up "cat door for sliding screen door". These have a 2 flat frame pieces that snap together, suspended within the screen mesh itself. They also come with a lightweight swinging screen door that hangs from the frame.
If the cat door is too large for you, you could go down to the hardware store and have them make a tiny window screen frame. You would then use the frame spline channel and rubber spline to suspend the frame into your screen wall, cutting the screen fabric from the middle to make a hole. I would actually cut the sides and bottom of the fabric and let the flap hang to keep bugs out, maybe weighting it at the bottom.


Can I install a garden chiminea in a wooden shed? I want to install my iron garden chiminea into my wooden shed.

Is this a really bad idea? If it's not, how should I go about installing a chimney flue?

I love these garden fireplaces, but think you would be wise to keep it outdoors as it was designed for.  In my humble opinion, the fact that it is an open flaming device with flames viewable 360 degrees, it would be very dangerous to have it indoors. Sparks and embers could easily escape the enclosure with a draft from a door or window. As far a a flue is concerned, any flue passing through a combustible wall needs to be installed in a collar that insulates the hot chimney pipe from the walls, or a special double or triple wall insulated pipe and collar should be used.  Looking at your pic, it appears the chimney is tapered for cosmetic appeal. This type of pipe may not match up with standard flue pipe sizes.  There are clearance regulations for wood burning stoves, both the actual stove and flue components. There are also regulations and approval codes on indoor stoves, which I would guess are not on your outdoor fireplace.
I would encourage you to read the following: http://www.nfpa.org/catalog/TOC/211-13-toc.html


Is Having Multiple Charge Controllers on a single 48V System/Battery Bank a "Bad Idea"? I have a 48-volt renewable energy power system in my house that is presently off-grid.
It has:
- a 6kVA inverter/charger that can connect to a generator or the grid (charge controller #1)
- a 2kVA wind turbine with a built-in 48 volt controller
- a 3kVA solar panel system with a 48 volt charge controller
- a 1kVA water wheel that simply adds power to the battery bank through a 3-phase rectifier.
These are all connected to a single 820Ah flooded lead-acid battery bank.

We have noticed that when the generator is running and charging the battery and the wind is blowing, we see the wind turbine switching from 'charging' to 'not charging due to high voltage' and the voltage of the system increasing.

It would seem that perhaps the charge controllers are competing with each other, each raising the voltage against the other until they hit a cut-off and then repeating the process.

As a result, should the charge controls be coordinated in some way so that only one charge controller is actually charging the battery at one time?

Obviously this is not ideal, because I'd like to be able to charge the batteries with all the available power if the sun is shining, and the wind is blowing etc.

I was headed this way until about 2009. In the most modern and expensive setups you might have all the devices communicating and coordinating. In most, each one has its charging parameters that it's trying to meet, and the only communication is the voltage on the bank.

With multiple, uncoordinated charge controllers you may exceed the optimum charging current, and you should expect to have disagreements among uncoordinated charge controllers (and a water turbine with no charge controller) as their charging set-points and algorithms are almost certainly different.

If you have the money to put into it, or you see it as saving money on the battery bank's lifetime, a set of networked, coordinated smart charge controllers would certainly work more optimally (and can all work at the same time) - but you should also realize that any system that won't leave you in the dark for large parts of the year is going to have some excess capacity when everything is going well, charging-wise.

You can't simply add more battery without making it really hard to get it fully charged and equalized, and you can't reduce power sources without finding yourself in the dark after a few dry, cloudy, windless days. So sometimes, you are going to be dumping excess power. If you can do something useful with that power, great; (laundry is a good one, often) otherwise it's just part of the cost of having power more of the time. In the case of a fuel burning generator and a wind turbine, common sense would be to shut down the fuel-burner on a windy day.


How do I hook this 18-bulb lamp together? I have an 18-bulb chandelier from Globe Electric.  I need to connect 19 wires together twice inside this lamp.

I've bundled the wires into 4 sets of 9 using washers and electrical tape.  The instructions are lacking.  See photos.  Besides "carefully", how do I get this all together?

Wow that is a lot of connections for a light. I am surprised the MFG did not send something as that is too many for wire nuts unless you do several sets and connect them together.  I would use a terminal block maybe a little bigger than this but I use this in control panels that are tight on space. I use jumper wires on 1 side then use the other for the connections. They are finger safe but I would put a layer of tape over the screws in this case. 2 tan and red 3M wire nuts connected with a jumper would be safe if that is 14awg wire but that is really pushing the limits.


Troubleshooting a 120v load off a GFCI outlet I have a 120v load im trying to troubleshoot, i replaced the GFCI located in garage as it's the first termination after the breaker and i thought it was the issue.

Before and after GFCI the issue was losing power to the garage door, and outdoor waterproof outlets (4 outside). I began by testing voltage on the outlets, and found the garage door outlet has 88v between hot and neutral, but 120v between hot and ground. I believe there is one WP outlet on the load before the low voltage outlet, and it is testing good 120v.

The other outlets after the garage door with the 88v have less than a volt on the live vs  neutral but good 120v between live and ground.

The thing i am really puzzled by is the outlets worked for about a week after the new GFCI, i plugged a string trimmer in and it didnt work so i was back to troubleshooting.

Two days later, i was going to pull the meter out and test voltage once more and a continuity test on the neutral line throughout, but voila the lights on the garage door lit up and started working.

A few hours later, door was still on so we decide to plug in a halloween inflatable to a waterproof outlet and see what happens... well what happened is it never blew up and the garage is back out and to 88v once again.

I have checked neutral continuity once before changing GFCI outlet and it was good. Since its happened again its making me lean back toward a break in the neutral; but why would it make again a few days later?! The house is only 2 years old and was built in 2015..

Since you read my long winded ordeal, whats your advice? Another GFCI? Maybe it IS neutral line.

Sorry I was a little tired last night after work.. some clarification.

The garage door outlet had 88v between live and neutral, and 120v between live and ground. I did not mean 120v between ground and neutral.

One WP (waterproof) outlet which i am GUESSING is before the garage door has tested good (120v between live/neutral and live/ground). The other waterproof outlets test less than 1v between live and neutral but 120v between live and ground.

I have had the outlets out, and i found no breaks in continuity between the neutral connections. Also don't see any issues as far as breaks in connections to the outlets.

When I hear weird voltages and intermittent, I think LOOSE NEUTRAL.

The neutral bus in the panel that feeds the circuit your garage door is on is not securely attached to the utility company's neutral.

If you're lucky, the mistake is in a sub panel and easily fixed.
If not, it could be he main panel, though that is less likely because ground and neutrals are supposed to bond there.
It could also be behind the meter, or at the utility's transformer.

Go check some 'good outlets' that come from the same panel.  If you see voltages higher than 120, or really any odd voltages, shut off the main breaker, and fix the neutral.  A loose neutral causes voltages on each Hot to vary wildly depending on load, and can easily damage devices in your home.

With the meter pulled, I'd recommend you check all three lugs in the main panel, and in every sub-panel if you have them.  I've heard stories of "licensed" electrician forgetting to tighten down the lugs.  And once a service is live, nobody in their right mind is going to poke or prod at the service conductors in a panel.  So it'd be hard to notice.

While the mater is out, a utility person will be there anyway.  So ask him to check the utility's lugs too and check for a loose neutral on their side.

I'll also go on to note a couple mistakes in your original question that I'd like you to correct, or clarify.

  The other outlets after the garage door with the 88v have less than a volt on the neutral side but good 120v between ground as well.

On the neutral side.  What were you measuring?  From Neutral to what?
120v between ground.  Again, between ground and what?

  WP outlet

What's that.  Did you mean outdoor outlet with weather resistant cover?

  it is testing good 120v between ground and neutral.

That wouldn't be good.  That would be extremely bad.  There should be negligible voltage between ground and neutral.  Ideally none.  Certainly less than 1-2 and then only in a very large house.

  The other outlets after the garage door with the 88v have less than a volt on the neutral side but good 120v between ground as well.

Again.  Incomplete picture here.  When you give us a voltage, you need to say between what two points you were measuring.