Is there a filter-reminder thermostat that uses run-time instead of total time? My HVAC filter is in my crawlspace and is a hassle to change. I don't want to change it more than needed. "Change it every month" is bogus advice because in some months (like May) we don't have to run the HVAC at all.

I'd like a thermostat with a filter-change reminder that is based on how long the filter has been in use, not how long it has been installed. That is, I'd like only the time when the blower is on to count against the filter's lifetime. Is there a product like this?

For instance, does this unit count time in this way?

Some programmable thermostats do base their filter reminder on run time.  However, the problem is looking at a filter, their change out period is not mentioned in runtime, it just says 'every 6 months' or something like that, so it's a little tricky to convert sometimes.
The Radiothermostat 3M-50 (in your link) says:

FILTER - AIR FILTER ALERT - The  3M-50 can be programmed to remind you
when the HVAC  sytem’s air filter needs changing. Touch FILTER. The
display will show the usage to Touch FILTER for over 3 seconds and the
display will change to LIMIT. Touch arrows to set desired usage limit
before filter alert comes on home screen.  When this limit is reached,
FILTER will be on home screen and the CHECK FILTER indicator lights.
Limit may be set from 0 to 999 days/99 weeks; default is 90 days/12
weeks. Touch to reset. To reset the usage back to 0, touch usage
number

However, I recently installed a Trane Z-Wave thermostat  and its filter reminder is based on hours.  As a bonus, you can implement Z-wave in your house!

The Filter Service screen will show the accumulated Filter Runtime hours as well as the Service Interval that will be used to trigger a filter message.  Any type of HVAC operation that causes the HVAC system fan to run will cause the Filter Runtime value to increase.


Replacing a piece of nailed tongue and grooved engineered hardwood located in the middle of a large room I have a large room covered with engineered hardwood -- (specifically - Johnson hardwood forevertuff in canadian maple 1/2" thickness) It can't be refinished or sanded.

A very visible piece in the center of the room was damaged and dented by a dropped heavy object.

I was going to proceed in the following manner:

First, use my circular saw to cut along the nailed edge and tongued edges of the damaged piece and carefully remove it.

Second, get a new board the same size (The packages all contained boards in 5 distinct sizes and I have a box leftover). On the replacement board, I would cut the lower tongue portions off, then lay it on top of the opening, using floor adhesive to keep it fixed down.

Is this a bad plan?

My concerns are

Even though the pieces are the same length, there's enough discrepancy for the replacement to either be too big or too small despite appearing the same visually.

Will cutting the lower tongue off weaken the board structurally.

Should the adhesive be only in the tongues/grooves or should i remove the green underlayer of padding and expose subfloor where I should apply the floor adhesive.

The alternative is to take out a ton of boards to get to it and I don't envy that. At that point, I'll get a rug.

You are heading the right way with your first thought, although I rip out the middle 3/4" and chisel out the  ends where the saw will not get to. Pulling out the center will allow the saw to stay away from the nails or staples holding the piece down and will let the groove side slip out. Use the chisel at an angle to get the remaining stapled in part by splitting the flooring at the same angle the fasteners go in.

Yes do remove the bottom half of the groove side and glue it in place. Apply wood glue to the tongue and set construction adhesive at the tongue of the board in place so when the new piece goes in the part where the cut off groove is will grab the glue and keep it there.

You new piece should go right on in there. The original one did. and as long as the new one has acclimated to the new area it will go in, that should fit too.


Better, not Perfect way to Insulate Uninsulated Attic Space in older Home I have an older 2-story home (almost 100yrs) in Ohio, Zone 5. Rafters, walls everything built from 2x4's and 1x6 planks for deck of roof.  Just had roof done so not planning on doing a tear off at this point.  Prior to roof job I had experienced ice dams and some leaking down on the 2nd floor where there was some sloped ceilings in the front of the house.
I've replaced 75-85% of the windows, rest are coming - DIY.  I'm about to have furnace (40yrs old) replaced before winter with an 80%.  Where there have been some room updates in the house, the walls have been insulated and the first floor walls are ~90% insulated and on 2nd floor ~60% of exposed walls are insulated.  At some point I'll probably hire someone to blow in insulation in the remaining cavities.
I want to get into the attic to insulate. Here's where I need help. Would like to do it myself if it's not too difficult or time consuming.

Some key observations/notes:

There are sloped ceilings and knee walls in
Wiring is knob and tube - I know how to replace it with cable - all on same circuit.
There is a dormer in front and back of house (see photo for rear view).  The sloped portion of the roof is maybe 2 feet max and is for the rear view.
There are vents on ends gables plus the roofers put vents on the roof deck on the back side of house only.  There are no traditional soffits or soffit vents.  There is what appears to be a 2x4 laid on edge that appears to be the only restriction that keeps air out of the attic from the overhang.  When I stare down the 'chute" over the dormers I see daylight shining through the cracks.

Questions:
I want to reduce the loss of energy through the attic by say at least 30%. I'm not looking to eliminate it.  I say that because I am not looking for a perfect solution because I'm looking to do it myself.
I'm also convinced that better (than doing nothing) may take a little longer for me to recoup my investment, but perfect will take even longer (than the better/good option).

If I only insulate the flat part of the attic floor with either (a) or (b) options below, would there be a noticeable difference from where I am now wrt energy loss?

a) Batt Insulation in the pockets (would i need faced or unfaced?) (if I have knob and tube replaced)
b) or Rigid foam laid on top of the joists covered by Batt insulation (replace or leave knob and tube)

If I try to insulate the sloped portion of the dormers (2ft length of slope on back room, 1ft length on front room), how would you propose I insulate that section? This is all plastered walls.  Have torn down plaster and willing but reluctant to do messy tear out here. Again, it's only 2x4's.  I've considered:

(a) Rigid foam (2" or 1.5") in the sloped cavity, leaving a 1.5" to 1" vent chute.
(b) Thought about calling for estimate for blowing in foam but have read pros and cons of not venting such a space.  Read that would tend to create a "hot roof" section which would be problematic for an asphalt roof.

How would I treat the longer sloped regions of the ceilings?  There's much more plaster to remove and replace but if it's worth the headache?  Can I make it "better" without encroaching into the living space with 4+ inches of foam.  These 4 sloped walls are 4-5 feet in length and are over a sleeping area, 2 closets, a stairwell.  The stairwell has tight head clearances when bringing items up as it is and the closets are tiny, so again, encroaching into the living space is not desirable.

I think I've shared the key points.  Feel free to let me have it now :).  I really appreciate the advice of those who've wrestled with these headaches before.

Going from no insulation at all to some insulation is indeed going to pay back, and will pay back faster than more insulation - going from R1 to R10 saves you ~90% - going from R1 to R50 saves you ~98%, so the difference between R10 and R50 is only saving an additional 8% over the R1 case, even though it's saving ~80% over the R10 case.
...so some IS (much) better than none.
Get rid of the K&T.
What you insulate with after that is up to you. Batts are conceptually easy, but my looking into choices has shown a fair amount of issues with air leakage around the edges of batts, and things like the lap joint shown in the third picture cause issues, as will any other non-standard spacing. You can fuss with cutting batts to try and address those, or you can go with some form of loose insulation, such as cellulose blown in that easily accommodates irregularities in spacing and framing offsets. Foam (board or spray) tends to be relatively high priced, though it can fit more insulation (value) in a fixed space. Save it for where that matters to you. In the attic you can usually just pile more on unless you are trying to have a floor up there.
Opinions vary and are stridently held, but cellulose may also remove the need for a vapor barrier, according to some sources. If your climate is primarily heating, vapor barrier (if used) goes next to the ceiling. If primarily cooling, on top. "The warm side" on average.
For what you want to achieve (30% savings) you can probably ignore the small sections of dormer and avoid ripping plaster for now. Do the easy parts first. Come back to the rest later. And yes, do consider hiring the job out, it may not cost too much more.


Best way to add low voltage outlet to wall that has blown in insulation on the other side? I want to add a wireless AP and plop it on top of the cabinets in my kitchen; thing is the wall I want to add the low voltage outlet to had blown in insulation on the other side. (The ceiling is vaulted in the kitchen, and the ajoining room it is not, so this is still a vertical wall in the kitchen side) Problem is, low voltage "boxes" are just plastic rectangles to hold the wall-plate, I basically am knocking a 2"x3" hole in a quasi-external wall.

I want to minimize heat loss, and I'd also, if possible, like to make it so I don't spill insulation into the house every time I have to take off the plate.

What is the ideal solution for this problem?

A wireless AP that is power via PoE.  Connect a power injector on the source end of the RJ45 or get a PoE supporting router.

Then you only need a hole large enough to poke a network cable through.

PoE+. PoE+, or 802.3at, provides up to 30W of power to powered devices.

The upcoming IEEE 802.3bt aka 4PPoE (4 Pair Power over Ethernet) standard will introduce two new levels of power: 55 W (Level 3) and 90-100 W (Level 4).”

Depending on your access point this may or may not be viable option.

You maybe able to use this 48v to 12v @ 2A to power your AP.

https://www.amazon.com/ANVISION-Splitter-Ethernet-Security-AV-PS12-G/dp/B07W87KSFQ/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=gigabit+poe+to+12v+adapter&qid=1575563331&sr=8-5

https://www.amazon.com/ANVISION-Splitter-Multi-Size-1000Mbps-Compliant/dp/B01JCKHIGM/ref=sr_1_13?crid=2ANY0RN4U0G7M&keywords=12v+poe+splitter+gigabit&qid=1575563721&sprefix=gigabit+poe+to+12v%2Caps%2C148&sr=8-13


What kind of rivet is this on an Andersen storm door? I need to move a hinge on an Andersen storm door and noticed that they had rivets - what kind of rivet is this?  They say the size is 3/16 X 9/32.  Is it a pop rivet or a blind rivet?  I don't know anything about rivets.

Here's a video https://youtu.be/rJP34RkoHe0?t=108
I'd like to just buy some rivets to move it rather than buying an entire hinge assembly.  If they are hard to get - is there a simpler replacement I can use?

I call them "drive rivets", as you simply slip them into the hole and drive the pin in. They're readily available at well-stocked hardware stores. Andersen uses 1/8" and 3/16" sizes, if I recall correctly.
For your application you could also simply use corrosion-resistant sheet metal screws, or, as Jimmy Fix-it suggests, pop rivets.


How to treat joist that has wet rot before sistering a new joist to it I'm currently in the beginning stage of a bathroom remodel. All the flooring and subfloor has been removed, and I'm at the point where I am getting ready to replace some joists and sister one.

The first question I have is about the joist that I'm sistering to (video 0:50 to 2:00). I don't want to replace that joist because it is under a load bearing wall, and it is already up against several other 2x8s.  It doesn't have much damage or deterioration, but there has definitely been water on it, and the top of it may be slightly rotted in a few places.  Since I'm planning on leaving it in and just sistering a new joist on to it, is there something I should do to treat the existing joist to keep any mold/mildew/rot from spreading?
Second (related) question: For all the joists I'm replacing, and the one I'm sistering, I plan to use pressure treated 2x8s, since this is going in a bathroom.  I just want to make sure that I never have to worry about water damage again, and one way to do that is to use pressure treated lumber for the joists as well as the sheathing/subfloor.  Is there any reason I shouldn't use pressure treated lumber?
Any other tips or ideas for how I should go about this are appreciated.

In terms of sistering you don't need to treat the joist there if it has dried just sister the joists and attach the new subfloor to the new joists.
Pressure treated wood for joists and subfloor is going about this wrong. If those get wet from above things have already gone awry. If you end up with another leak in the future you'll still need to pull up everything to determine the extent of the damage.
If you are planning tile above the subfloor invest in a waterproofing system like schluter ditra as well as a good waterproofing system in the tub/shower area. Other systems are available as well.


Ice box room upstairs 1 room in the house upstairs remains 11 degrees cooler than the remaining rooms.  I don't even know where to start with this issue.  The thermostat is on the opposite side of the house.  But there is a room even further away than the problem room that doesn't get quite this cold.  The problem is the worst at night.  How can I even out the temperatures?

Ductwork usually has a vent damper below where it rises up from the basement. If it is a manual damper, it probably looks like a wing nut see this picture

It's possible most of the dampers are closed or partially closed, and the really cold room is fully open.

If you have dampers like this, you can loosen the wing nut and adjust the damper with a flat screwdriver. Usually the blade orientation matches the orientation of the damper. So if the blade is parallel to the duct, it is fully open.


Water Leak Detector Recommendations - Adjustable Volume and Easy to Silence To make a long story short I have an HVAC unit in a small rental property that leaks condensate and in order to apply a fix, we first must catch the leak in the act to better understand root cause.
My objective is to alert our tenants when water is detected in a drip overflow pan so they can turn off the AC and contact us.
To most effectively do this, we're trying to find a leak detector that can easily be disabled and for which the alarm volume is adjustable or has a reasonably quiet but audible setting (e.g. no louder than a microwave beeping). It is highly undesirable to have an alarm that wakes up everyone in the building.
I have done quite a bit of research into what's out there and have seen few if any with an alarm less than 110dB except for units requiring a WiFi or network connection for which it would be difficult to configure or maintain since the network is maintained by tenants.
Was wondering if anyone has any experience finding or using a leak detector that fits this challenge (namely quiet, with a seperate probe lead and easily disabled)?

You might be over-engineering this. Modern code demands a cutoff switch in the pan and this doesn't rely on your tenants being there (or paying attention). You just suddenly discover that the HVAC unit is off and the thermostat is dead. The names vary between "HVAC float switch" and "air conditioner moisture overflow switch", but the idea is you put them in the pan and they kill the AC to prevent water damage. If you have a condensate pump, the modern ones have this switch built-in.


How can I reconnect a compression joint without replacing the olive? We had a leak from our water storage tank and in order to replace the platform that the tank was on, I disconnected all the pipes from the tank. There are three 22mm pipes that connect at low levels, and one 15mm pipe that feeds the tank near the top.

Now that I've removed the pipes, I am worried that the compression joints on these will not seal properly when I connect them again. What can I do to help improve the chances of making them watertight?

It's important to make sure that the olive fits exactly square on to the fitting and is completely clean. Any trace of dirt and you're likely to prevent a proper seal.

I'd not advise using PTFE thread-sealing tape over the olive itself, rather over the thread to which the nut is connecting.


How to properly use a transformer which bundles its high & low voltage wires together? Here's an example of an HVAC transformer that will go from 120 or 240 to 24 VAC.
Obviously, all wires exit the device through the same pipe nipple; the device is intended to be installed by screwing it onto a junction box using that nipple:

Since installing like that pretty much requires that the high & low voltage wires & respective splices are made together, how can this be used in a code-compliant (not to mention generally safe) way?
It seems clear from other questions here (and other reading) that high & low voltage wires are meant to be kept apart for good reason. (ex1, ex2)
I've seen other types which segregate the high & low voltage wires, but if this transformer was what you had available, what are the options?

I'd simply take this transformer back and get a different one
The transformer you have was designed for use as a replacement transformer inside HVAC equipment, hence the design with primary and secondary wires in the same nipple.  However, this also means it's RU (UL Component Recognized, or Rather Useless to us) instead of being UL listed, which isn't helpful in our situation.  I'd take this back and get a different transformer with a full UL listing and a different wiring arrangement; in the Johnson Controls lineup, the Y65T21-0 or Y65T31-0 would be suitable substitutes, depending on the mounting arrangement you're working with.  (They also provide an extra "blind" terminal on their secondary side that can be used as a general wire-connection point.)


Why are there nails only half way in, in my garage? I'm going to be painting my garage walls this weekend as part of a project to turn it into a home gym.
As I'm working on the walls, I noticed a lot of nails that are halfway in.
Is this on purpose? Should I pull them out? Or hammer them in? Or leave as is?
Home was built in the 70's. We moved in two years ago.

People were using them to secure things or hang things on.  They serve no purpose.  I would just pull them out since hammering them in probably will not be that easy.  You might want to get a small board to press against so you do no damage drywall.
Also FYI I do not think the drywall that is currently on there is going to take pain - even primer - that well.


Why might there be concrete inside my wall? I was attempting to run speaker wire to the opposite side of my office via the basement. I was hoping to accomplish this by feeding wires into a wall plate near the floor, down the interior of the wall, through the flooring, then across the basement and back up in reverse. I identified the edge of the floor by drilling a small hole under the moulding and poking a wire through. Found this wire in the crawlspace, proceeded about 2" over in the direction of the wall to get to the wall interior, and drilled up using a spade bit. I was surprised, after a bit of wood, to run into concrete of some kind. I didn't run into any while drilling that "pilot" hole for the wire. I stopped, not sure what to do.

Any idea why I might have concrete or cinderblock on the bottom of my wall interior? The house was built originally in 1912. The wall interior is fairly thin, around 4". I'm not sure the thickness of this concrete as I'm hesitating to drill all the way through it.

Do you think it's safe to drill up through this concrete (a hole of 1/2" diameter will suffice) and run the wires through there? Do I risk weakening the structure in any way? Should I try another spot in the floor, if you think it might not run the length of the wall?

Thanks for your input!

Update 1. Tried scraping it a bit more from underneath in the crawlspace to see if it was just caked up plaster. Gray dust comes off but it's far deeper. I'm pretty sure it's concrete.

Update 2. The concrete seems to extend up the wall interior at least 8" above the floorboards up to where I planned on affixing a wall plate. Any idea what I'm looking at? Hint: the house does have a chimney that has been walled over and used to exhaust the furnace/water heater, but this is not where that chimney is. There's nothing below this wall in the crawlspace to give me any hints.

Update 3. I think what I'm dealing with here is rock lath. The plaster appears to extend horizontally to the stud (if not an actual structural stud then some sort of vertical wood beam) and then forms a neat edge against it. I've poked around a bit more with a small inspection mirror and I believe the bead board wall is covering this wall constructed of rock lath boards coated in plaster. The bead board hovers about 1/2" in front of the plaster and indeed in front of the wood beam- in other words, it's not in direct contact.

The early 1900's was the age of horsehair plaster. The plaster was installed in several coats over wooden laths. What you might be hitting is the plaster that as squeezed between the lath and landed on the soleplate. You should be able to tell if it is plaster by its' somewhat crumbly texture. Insert a long screwdriver in the hole and tap it with a hammer. If it is plaster it should easily break-up and leave you with clean hole.


Ledger larger than house rim joist I want to attach a 2x12 ledger to my house, but looking at the rim joist of the house it seems to be a 2x10 sitting on two 2x sill plates.

Is it a problem attaching the 2x12 ledger to the 2x10 house rim joist?

No problem doing this. Make sure that you attach it in an appropriate manner. The preferred approach is to use a special deck tie (Simpson makes them) that uses a thick rod to connect a deck joist to a house joist. If that's not practical, using lag bolts in an alternating pattern. Most permitting authorities have specific guidance on what they want to see here.


Why isn't my table built from lumber taking stain well? The stain is so horribly bad that I'm concluding the wood must be treated with something preventing staining. It's Douglass Fir, so I know it's hard to stain, but it literally looks like a zebra after one coat and doesn't change after subsequent coat.

Is my wood just bad wood?

Some woods, especially softwoods such as pine/fir/spruce, are notorious for taking stain oddly. The usual solution is to "condition" the wood before staining, to reduce absorbancy overall and make them behave more like we would expect. There are products sold specifically for the purpose, or dewaxed shellac can be used.

Many discussions of this exist on the web. Let me see if I can find a good link to one of the magazines.


How should I stop condensation on my roof that's leaking into my home? Condensation in my attic causes frost which melts on warm days and leaks through my ceilings. I plan to add more insulation this spring. I have installed a bathroom ceiling fan to help with moisture. My research tells me that other factors are #1 I have a dirt crawl space #2 propane heat #3 we have replaced doors, windows, siding etc. making it harder for the house to breath. Should I consider an exhaust fan for the attic? What other options do I have?

The two main reasons I know of for condensation in an attic are a lack of air circulation from soffit to ridge vent and air leakage from the house typically due to an improperly vented exhaust fan or insufficient vapor barrier between the insulation and top of the ceiling.

I'd focus on the first cause by making sure your soffits are vented and there's a clear path from the soffit up to the ridge vent. Too often dirt and debris block the vents and homeowners force insulation all the way to the roof blocking the air flow. After that is checked, follow the ducts from any bathroom exhaust fans to make sure they vent outside the home. In a best case, they go out the side of the house, well away from the soffit vents, or at least out the roof. But at a minimum they should go out near the soffit (where much of it will get sucked back into the attic) and not left venting into the attic directly. Lastly, check under the insulation to be sure there's either the paper facing of the insulation or a plastic vapor barrier between the insulation and the ceiling below.


Flooring Options for Basement with Uneven Concrete Slab Working on a basement remodel and getting to the point of needing to figure out flooring. Unfortunately, the concrete slab is generally uneven. I had a company come in and grind the floors a few months ago. While they did a great job of making the floors WAAYYYY better than they were, the floor is still not flat enough for any type of floating floor installation like LVP. I bought a box of LVP from a local Floor and Decor to test out install on the uneven floor. The LVP does a decent job of conforming to the unevenness, but there are still some areas where you can notice the dips in the floor and the LVP will bow in these dips. This is less than ideal, so looking for some options or insight into what can be done for flooring. I put a bunch of ideas that I've had below, but wondering if the DIY forum has any additional brainstorm ideas.
LVP or any vinyl generally seems to be the preferred material due to its water resistance for a below grade application. Open to suggestion on this as well.
Options to Work Around Uneven Concrete Subfloor

Glue Down Vinyl - Find some glue down vinyl planks from companies like Flooret. Pros: Planks will conform to slab the best, most solid install method. Cons: Finish options are more limited.
LVP [Option 1] - Use regular LVP and glue this down to subfloor. Companies like Titebond make an moisture barrier adhesive for flooring, so seems like it could work. Pros: Lots of flooring choices. Cons: Will it actually work?

LVP [Option 2] - Use regular LVP and shim low spots as needed using floor patcher, shingles, etc. Pros: Lots of flooring choices. Cons: Giant PITA to shim everything. Cost for floor patcher, shims, etc.

Concrete Screeding - Use concrete to screed out the current slab and get rid of the remaining height variations. Pros: Get a nice flat subfloor. Cons: Very expensive $$$$, better for professionals.

Plywood Subfloor - Put down vapor barrier on slab, and place 3/4" plywood over . Seen a few other suggestions of using 2 - 1/2" plywood sheets and orient them 45 degrees off each other for stiffness, then screw together. Would probably still have some unevenness, but the plywood would ride over some of the imperfections better. Could secure the plywood to slab with Ramsets/Tapcons. Pros: Flatter subfloor than current, though not perfect. Cons: Some additional cost but DIY-able. Takes away from ceiling height, but 3/4" loss seems like a fair tradeoff.

Sleepers/Plywood Subfloor - Scribe some sleepers on the floor. Pros: Can get flat subfloor. Cons: Cost (plywood + PT lumber), time, takes away from ceiling height

Concrete Stain - Embrace the floor that's there and stain it. Use area rugs to cover up main areas. Problem is the current concrete isn't visually great. Would still require some patching (there is an old 1 inch wide trench from BX cable that used to run to an oil tank)

Epoxy Coat - Embrace the floor that's there and epoxy coat. Would require some concrete work to patch some holes/cracks. Pros: Embrace the floor that's there. Cons: Cold floor, epoxy isn't my favorite look, requires some additional work but not super hard/expensive. If you want a better looking floor, may need pro install.

Additional notes:

There is a general slope to the floor where it drops about 3 inches
over a length of 30ft. (house is 100+ years old). I could use
self-leveling compounds to make this up and get the floor level &
flat, but that would just be a huge cost to do this.
Ceiling height is limited. Current ceiling height is 7ft, just
meeting code reqs. Any solutions that add height to floor I am less
inclined to look at.
Basement is very dry. Its mainly above grade except for the back wall
(house is built into hillside). Also had a french drain installed so
any water that happens to get through is drained out through front of
house.

Another option:
Self levelling low-spots only, and optionally adding plywood to smoothen the rest.
"self levelling" cement is not liquid as you think and you can apply it in patches without worrying that it will run like water. You have some troweling time to work low areas as large as say 5x5 ft.


My AC is set to 77F and the thermostat reaches that temperature but the AC keeps running. Why? My AC is set to 77F and the thermostat reaches that temperature but the AC keeps running. What could be the causes for this?
This is in connection with this post How long should it take to a 1.5 tons AC to cool down a 2000sqf house from 80F to 77F? where you can read a lot of details regarding my AC

Edit: If I set the AC to 80F then it goes on and off every 10 minutes. It can possible be air leaking to this degree.

It seems that the compressor lost the refrigerator and that is why it could not go below the temperature that would force the thermostat to say enough! It makes sense if you think about it...
When I posted the question the AC was still working but at lower capacity due to the lost refrigerator.
I did notice a strange smell (like cigarette ashes, but very light) coming out of the registries...


Need help replacing light fixture I purchased a new LED flushmount ceiling light.  I removed the old flushmount fixture that used two standard light bulbs.  The old light fixture required two black and two white wires at the fixture, but the new LED light only requires one of each.  This seemed like an easy fix, but then I took a closer look at the wiring.

This is a 1950s house and the wires are not quite the black/white/green I am used to.  There are white wires, purplish wire (maybe a faded brown) and blue wires (ground? maybe a faded green).

Further, the fixture had a strange wiring setup.  I attached a photo and a sketch I made to explain.  In my sketch I used black to represent the purplish/brown wires, yellow to represent white wires, and green to represent the bluish wire.

1) There are three black wires that terminate in a wire nut.
2) 2 white wires in a wire nut with another white wire pig tailed to another wire nut.
3) This is other wire nut has the white pig tail with another white wire from the ceiling.  Then there are two white wires that went to the old fixture.
4) Lastly, there is a ground wire (assuming the blue wire is ground) in a wire nut with two black wires that went to the old fixture.

My question - is this as simple as replacing the two white wires that went to the old fixture with a single white wire from the new fixture (and the same for the black wires)?

The thing that really confuses me is the blue "ground" wire with the two black wires to the old fixture.

I apologize if this post is a bit of a ramble - I am not an expert and not familiar with older wiring.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Hook it up exactly like the old lamp was

Do not disturb any of the uninvolved wires: this is the mistake that gets a lot of people into trouble, they take them all apart and then get confused. Every wire has a job.  They are not color coded; the color codes are to distinguish the wires in a cable and are not reliable for indicating a meaning or purpose.

The old fixture had 2 blacks and 2 whites simply because it had 2 bulbs.  It's no big deal.  Put the new lamp's white wire where the old lamp's white wires went.   Ditto black.   That is all.

The blue wire is obviously not ground, since it has a black wire going to it.  One of the few reliable color codes is that green, yellow-green stripe, and bare wires are always and only ground.  I doubt that is a ground wire, I believe it's a blue wire and your house is wired in metal conduit.  Conduit allows arbitrary wire colors to be used (which can make colors more meaningful) and metal conduit provides a ground path so fewer ground wires are needed.


Does everything need to come to code Okay so I have some issues left from the former owner.

I need some additional items in home and a heating system repaired. The aluminum 60 & 70 amp circuits serve current unit. But I am being told they are not allowed to use aluminum. The circuits run to a disconnect box. So can I switch to copper from there for new heater? There is no ground so do I add direct ground connection to unit through a grounding rod? Or should I just do a subpanel and ground that?

Is the double wire coming out of one breaker unsafe? And what is the green lite ground fault doing connected to the neutral bus? What is this?

If I change this, does this mean a rewire of whole house?

Fat aluminum can stay put

Aluminum was only a problem when thin, solid aluminum wires made from the wrong alloy were rushed into branch-circuit service hastily in response to copper shortages.  Fat aluminum wire such as that used for stove and electric-furnace circuits and feeders to subpanels never had such problems, and is quite safe due to the aluminum-alloy screw-lug terminations used with it (vs steel screws and sprung wirenuts).  Furthermore, aluminum wire made since the 70s uses a different alloy that doesn't have the same problems the old, bad stuff did -- this new alloy (AA-8000 series, as it's called) is Code-legal for brand-new work, even.  If some insurance or lending type tries to tell you to rip those fat aluminum wires out "or else", tell them to go read 310.106(B), or ask them what service wires are made from for that matter.

Your panel is 99% fine...until you consider the location

Your panel, while slightly odd (it's a "split bus" or "rule of six" panel as per 230.71(A)'s "two to six disconnecting means" rule), isn't a Code issue by itself save for the double tapped lug, which can be fixed with a pigtail and wirenut as Harper describes (if anyone says you can't do that, tell them to go re-read 312.8).

I can't tell what the weird thing with the LEDs in it is (it might be a whole-house surge suppressor) as I'd need a much clearer photo to see the labeling on it.  Don't worry about it for now, though, as you have much bigger fish to fry: either the idiot who installed your panel put it in a clothes closet, or some other idiot came by and put a clothes closet around the panel later.  Not only does it look like the location violates the 110.26(A) clear working space requirement of 30" side-to-side even if that space is offset, annoying your electrician to no end, this panel was placed in a spot that's a blatant fire hazard.  Overcurrent devices or even panelboards themselves can fail quite spectacularly when pushed beyond their limits, and Code takes this into account in 240.24(D):

  (D) Not in Vicinity of Easily Ignitible Material. Overcurrent devices shall not be located in the vicinity of easily
  ignitible material, such as in clothes closets.

So, either the clothes (and the closet fixtures such as the hanger rod) have to go and stay gone, or the panel has to move, otherwise this installation will get a nice, fat write-up from the electrical inspector no matter what else you do.


My light switch has five wires? I changed a switch in my room with a Lutron dimmer. The switch was sharing the same receptacle as 2 other switches. I pulled it out of the wall and there were 5 wires coming out of it - red, white, two blacks, bare copper. The red and black are part of the switch and the second black is ganged to the other two switches to provide power. The copper is safety ground. Why is there an additional white wire (neutral) going to the switch? Note that it feeds directly into the switch housing and is not wrapped around any external screw. I ended up connecting this white wire to the pigtail with all of the other white neutrals since my dimmer didn't need it.

The other 2 switches in the same spot don't have this hole for the white wire and there isn't another switch for this light. All three switches are functioning properly.

I understand that some smart switches may need neutral to power in existing electronics but this was the original switch which has no intelligent capability.

You have correctly identified supply, and ground.

Now look closely at the legend (labeling) on the switch handle.  See where it says "off" and if you flip it, "on"? No, you don't see that? That's because

It's a 3-way switch

The dead giveaway is the black screw on the supply being unlike the brass screw also in sight.

The other two wires (the brass screws) are travelers. When you throw the switch, it alternates which one is connected. As such, they are interchangeable, and I like to mark them both with the same color of tape, e.g. Yellow.  In my world, two wires in a switch circuit, taped the same odd color, are always 3-way travelers.

There will be another 3-way switch somewhere, also with those same two wire colors going to its traveler terminals.

3-ways are complicated to add dimmers.  In some locations Code requires both locations can turn on the light for safety reasons, and that fails if the dimmer at the far location is set to "very dim".

We would need to know more about your circuit and location to give further advice.  This won't be the drop-in you were hoping for.


1960s light switch issue wiring If the top bracket in the image here came out and didn’t go back in, would it be a safety issue to turn the circuit back on? There was no wire connected to the screw/bracket — it seemed to just be holding those two bundles of wire against the back.....
We can’t get an electrician for a few days and I’m nervous. The house is from 1962 and this (I think) is original.

the screw should thread directly into the wall of the box (there is no nut that may have fell away). To check that the screw isn't stripped try turning it without the wire bracket in place. If it doeesn't want to thread in easily look at the screw threads and confirm they are intact and not stripped or damaged.
If they look damaged replace with a new "round head machine screw". I believe the thread size is a 10-32 x 1 inch (it may be 8/32?). Bring it to the hardware store and match it.
If the threads are damaged on the back of the box purchase a self-threading screw slightly bigger and drill it into the original hole.
If you'd rather not attempt the repair your self (always good to know limitations) there is a very low chance of any hazards occurring until an electrician arrives. the clamp is used to prevent the cable from being yanked out of the box and there is probably a cable staple close to the box as back-up.


Is there a way to safely have exposed electrical wires? We have a dumpster on our property for another home project and are hoping to take advantage of this by disposing of some bathroom lights and a ceiling fan. However, we do not currently have a replacement for these items.

I don't believe turning the breaker off (and leaving off) is an option.

If I were to remove these lights and then cap off with wire nuts and electrical tape would that be a safe option or is this just asking for trouble?

Yes. This is not only safe but best practice. Tuck the capped wires completely into the junction boxes to avoid accidentally snagging on passing ladders, wallboard, etc.

If the room continues in general use then install blank cover plates.


Year old asphalt driveway is still soft - chairs make holes We had a new asphalt driveway installed nearly one year ago in New England. Today in 75 degree sunny weather we sat outside in plastic Adirondack chair for about 45 minutes. When we got up we noticed the chairs made big indents in the asphalt. Is this normal for a a year-old driveway?

When I built my 1st home 40+ years ago I noticed that my neighbor had a beautiful, smooth, and very black asphalt driveway. I remarked to him that it looked great. He said it looks great but has the same problem that you are describing, being very soft on a hot day. I inquired about this problem with the asphalt driveway guy and he said that an asphalt driveway can be black,  beautiful, and soft or I can be "kind of black" with some gray stones showing and very hard. I chose the latter and found that it was almost indestructible. He had to replace his driveway in a few years and opted for one like mine.


How can I get roof rain runoff into pond with an aboveground wall? I'd like to collect rain water and have it run through a filter and then into a pond.
The problem is, I can't simply run a pipe underground.
\\
|\\ <-- house roof
| \\
|
|                                            pond
| <--house                                     |
|                                              v
|                    [_]                                                [_]
|                    | |~~~~| |~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| |
| <-- 12 ft -->      | |    | | <-- overfill drain                      | | <-- wall
|                    | |    | |                                         | |
|                    | |    | |                                         | |
|=====================\ \   | |               <o||-||-<<               / /===== <-ground
           ____________\_\__/ /                                       / /
           __________________/                                       / /
                         \ \.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o/ / <-bottom of pond
                          \__________________________________________/

Normally I would just go from the downspout, into a filter, under ground, then dump directly into the pond, but as you can see two features complicate this:

There is the 2-ft (60 cm) high wall. I'd rather not cut a hole in the pond, that risks leaks. The pond has a 2-ft high wall around it to prevent floods from dumping sediment into it.
There is also an overfill drain in the pond. That is so if the pond fills too much, it drains into the street. That helps direct the flood water away from the house. If the pond didn't have this, the water would spill over all edges of the pond, and damage the walls around the pond and perhaps flood the house.
The 12 ft (4 m) space between the house and the pond is a busy path, so it isn't a good place to run a pipe, unless it is buried, but then how does the water get into the higher pond?

How can I redirect rain water too the pond when the pond has a wall?

I would build a decorative arbor over the path. Its purpose would be to camouflage a basic gutter and downspout arrangement that dumps into the pond. Simple as can be.

Image source


Can I arrange my light fixtures in a branch configuration or must they be in a linear daisy chain? I'm tapping an old ceiling light in the center of the room to power 4 new recessed lights.  Can I arrange the new lights in a branch configuration where Light #1 connects to Light #2 and Light #1 also connects to Light #3?   Or do I need to run my wires so that the lights connect in a linear daisy chain series L1 to L2 to L3 to L4?  Thanks!

You don't have to run power in a "daisy chain," you can branch from one point to several.

With the sketch you have, switched power coming in at L1, and branching out in two directions, you'll probably have no trouble finding a box large enough to accommodate the wires.


Help adding a 3 way switch I have a 4 season room with some lights but the switch is in the kitchen. I installed a 2-gang box in the room and ran a 3-wire romex wire from the new box to the existing box (they are on the opposite sides of the same wall), and am trying to connect it in a 3 way configuration so I can turn the light on or off from either switch.

Below is a photo of the existing box in the kitchen. A1 and A2 were connected in a single pole configuration. B1, B2, and B3 are from the new wire going between the boxes. When I turn the power on and test the wires with my non-contact tester, the white wire A1 is live and the black wire A2 is not, which I was not expecting. I can't seem to get the wire configuration right so I'm hoping someone can tell me how to wire these up properly. I'm using Legrand Adorne paddle switches (instructions here). Thanks in advance.

It looks like your current switch is on a switch loop.  The wires you've labeled A1 and A2 are not neutral and hot, they are always-hot and switched-hot.

That means that to convert this to a 3-way configuration, you need to wire it like this:

As @Harper pointed out in the comments, since A1 and B2 aren't acting as neutrals, you should mark them with black electrical tape to designate them as hot.  It's also a good idea to mark the ends of B1 and B3 with yellow electrical tape to flag them as travelers to make it clear what purpose they're serving as well.

I've not drawn the grounds in my diagram, but they should be connected to all of the other grounds.


What are "Straight Corner Fixing Brackets" used for? I saw these on eBay. What is their intended use? I was able to find lots of photos of similar items on Google but not of their actual use case.

They seem to be for use against a flush surface. When would this bracket me useful compared to using screws alone?

They can be installed in various ways. You can install them to join corners straight from one surface to the other, or diagonally from one surface to the other. You can also use them in a situation where you want to allow the expansion/contraction or slight movement of a fixture. This would allow say a table top to expand or contract with temperature or humidity changes. This would then keep the table top from cracking.


Framing a small open-walled outdoor structure I'm going to be building a structure out of PT 4x4s (2x4s for the roof) to provide a base and a roof for an outdoor clay oven. I have some questions about how to fasten some of the joints, and how to determine if it'll be strong enough for the weight.
The oven will be roughly hemispherical, 200-300 lb., about 38" diameter (I don't know how to make a hemisphere in SketchUp). The "box" below it will be filled with rubble or insulation of some kind. There'll be some kind of ceramic insulation board under the oven.
The vertical 4x4s will be solid all the way up. The wood isn't meant to overlap, that's just my lazy/clueless SketchUp technique again.
So I'm wondering if the following ideas are reasonable:

I'm planning to use 3/8" lag bolts for the joints marked in green.

For the joints marked in red, I'm thinking of using tie plates on the outside and some kind of right angle plate on the inside.

The top plates are wrong in the illustration. What else is wrong?

Timber frame style mortise and tenon joints would be ideal but I've never done that kind of thing and time is limited.

Update
2x10 joists (hangers not shown):

I'd run 2x10 outer joists with 2x6 rails inside, flush on the bottom. Suspend them from the 4x4 legs using double concealed-flange hangers set flush to the inside of the posts. This will leave an attractive 1/2" reveal at the outside. You could trim off the top of the inner flange where it protrudes above the 2x6 rail.

The 2x6 rails will provide a ledge for your deck. Run 3 more 2x6 joists across the gap.

I don't think the diagonals are necessary with this method. The hangers and tall joists will provide substantial diagonal bracing themselves, and your structure isn't that tall. Wind probably isn't much of a concern.


Lightbulbs burn out 3 seconds after turning on the light I was sitting at my desk in my home office and I wanted to turn on the room light, but I couldn't reach - I was off from the switch by about 3 inches. Being too lazy to get out of my chair, I picked up my external battery pack (exactly the same one as shown below) which was on my desk, clipped a binder clip onto it and reached for the switch.

The moment I hit the switch on, the lightbulb flashed on and burnt out.

I thought "ok that was weird, I guess it was going to burn out anyway"

I got a new lightbulb, put it in and flipped on the lightswitch normally. The light went on but burned out after three seconds.

I thought it could be a coincidence (i.e. defective bulb) so I tried it again.

Same thing happened. Now I'm convinced that me turning on the light with my battery/binder clip contraption really screwed up the light.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what may have happened and how I might be able to fix it?

Note: All lightbulbs in this story are incandescent 60 watt, 120 volts.

One likely reason is that the light bulbs came from a defective batch. You could try moving a known working bulb from a different location to the suspicious location to verify.

Another reason is that there could be an over-voltage. If possible, use a volt meter to measure the voltage. The voltage should be somewhere between 105 and 125 V (in the united states). If it's out of this range, then there is an equipment fault somewhere. Some reasons would include bad wiring (open neutral) or faulty transformers. It's likely that an electrician would need to be hired (or perhaps power company involvement) to repair the electrical system in this case.


Can I remove prehung door from frame when installing? I got nice solid core prehung interior door. It seems to have pretty weak frame, though and I see that hinge screws are protruding through it and the door is attached to the frame with nails on opposite side to prevent swinging. When I removed those nails, door weight immediately skewed the frame. So I put those nails back for time being but I will have to take them out before install and likely unscrew hinges at least partially.
In addition I have 1+" wider opening than this frame and I would like hinge side to go as close as possible to stud. This leaves me with 1" gap on the lock side and I plan to put 1x4 there.
All in all, it seems that a lot of things that need to happen to install it right, so I am wondering if it's advisable to just remove door from the frame and then install frame level, plumb and square where I need it and then reattach the door with 3" hinge screws. That would make my life lot easier but I've read in some places that it's difficult to install the frame right without a door. Not sure why.

In response to your question about a door being difficult to install the frame right without a door, getting the door frame square, following the walls, besides plumb on the sides and level at the head, which should result in a square frame, can be difficult. The small gap that is typical of doors will reveal a lot if there is any minor discrepancy in the jamb when it does not have a door to follow. The door itself acts as a big square to gauge the jamb by. Also, some doors are not perfectly flat. Having the door in place at the time of setting the jamb allows the jamb to be tweaked a little here and there to get the door to set properly to the door stop. Using my method below is how I get past issues of weight, easier centering of a door when I have a specific spot I want the jamb in the opening, and aligning it within a wall width with allowances for tweaking.
In cases when a door is very heavy or even a lighter door that is a 36" leaf or 8' tall, I will remove it and install the jamb only to a point. After the top corners of the jamb are shimmed tight enough to keep from shifting around in the opening, and set with one finish nail so it doesn't fall out by the top and set bottom hinge plumb from the top corner and set with one finish nail also. This way if the door is light enough or at least not too heavy, the door could be set back in its place. After it is set back in place I will remove the middle screw of all three hinges and that's where the shims will go. I will rip my shims unless they're already about an inch and a half wide. I will typically rip a wider shim to no wider than 2 inches so it fits between the two remaining screws that holds the hinges in place. I failed to mention this first... the floor is checked for level at the opening so if one leg of the door has to be longer than the other that is done before the door jamb is even set in the opening so there's no gap at the bottom of the jamb, where they meet the floor.
Now back at securing the hinges. With the middle screw still out and gauging the shims so the gap is adjusted evenly, set a screw that matches the color of your hinges, but is 2 1/2" long so it will tie the hinge through the jamb and into the rough framing. The sequence are used for this is to shim the top hinge as close as can be figured and set the screw in the top hinge, all while reading the gap from the top hinge to the corner and get it even with the rest of the gap along the hinge side. You will need to confirm that there will be the same size gap on the latch side as well. With the bottom hinge presumably plumb to the top corner that could be set also with its screw in place. This leaves the middle hinge to be done, this I typically remove the hinge pin, tap the shim in or out as needed to get both knuckles to line up perfectly and so the pin drops in after I set the screw. This should get the jamb perfectly straight according to the door.
After the hinge side is squared away and presumably the gap is even across the top of the door since the jamb has been corrected to hit the floor, if necessary is no more than setting the final shims in 3 if not 4 different places on the strike side after you apply your 1X4 and finish off the set of your door making sure that the door stop is hitting the door evenly in all places along it's length.


Restore small section of OSB behind inner wall Repairing Oriented strand board (OSB)
finishing joinery wood-repair
I cut out a small 4" x 5" piece of Oriented strand board out of a wall. I saved this cut out piece so I can re-attach it.
When I put the piece back in the hole I cut, what do I use to re-attach it so it stays stable? (so it won't fall back or forward out of the hole.)
If this can be done, what do I use to fill in the crack of air that will be around this piece that was cut out, after, it is re-attached?

When I have a small hole in a wall I will use a strip of wood (1x1/2x~8”). Slip the piece into the hole and using screws. Put at least 1 screw in each end of the board. I put one on each side of the hole then put the piece in and screw the square to the strips I just installed. I have even used paint stir sticks when making this kind of repair in drywall, but for plywood or OSB like something a bit stronger. I have used silicone on the wood to seal the patch at the seams. This would be the best advice I can offer with the information provided.


Switch(es?) blowing AFCI breaker So I need some help (again) with an electrical issue.

I wired the basement and due to some new building code all the breakers are AFCI (which I am suspecting is a part of the problem). In the bathroom there 3 light switches, labeled 1,2 & 3 on image, switch 1 directs to a pot light and an led light, switch 2 goes to a vanity light and 3 is a fan.

For months we haven’t been able to use switch 1 because it will trip the breaker, not always immediately, but usually within 30 seconds. I spent all week trying to solve it, I went into the device box and cleaned up the wires for the switches as best I could making sure nothing was exposed, I replaced the switch (from another one in the basement so I knew it worked). This all improved the issue slightly, in that it took a while longer to trip.

We kept thinking we had solved it and then short time later it would trip again, here is where it gets weird… we discovered an almost surefire way to make it trip was to have both light switches on (1 & 2) and then turn off switch 2 (ie the one that hasn’t been a problem); switch 2 being turned off would kill the breaker as long as switch 1 was on. I pulled out all the lights tested different combination of wiring, such as one light being bypassed or cut off and this more or less holds true. Except now I find it takes the light a few minutes to heat up or whatever before turning off 2, while 1 is on, will trip the breaker.

Anyways there is not a lot of load on the circuit, a tv and SMALL deepfreeze and two lights that are rarely on (pantry).

Also I could just swap out the afci break for a regular since the inspector has come and gone

LED Used
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/illume-4-inch-led-recessed-led-panel-light-with-integrated-3000k-4000k-or-5000k-options-in-satin-nickel-finish-energy-star-/1001063503

AFCI is a safety device that is designed to protect circuits from setting your house on fire.  You are talking about defeating a safety system because a) it's annoying and b) you have no earthly idea what to do about it.  Let's fix b).

It is called an Arc Fault Circuit Interruptor

"Circuit interruptor" is the technical term for "be annoying".  "Arc Fault" is the safety hazard it detects.   This means arcing and sparking at a poor electrical connection.  This causes high heat at that connection, and that can create a race condition where you have thousands of BTUs in a very small area, typically inside the walls where a fire can become fully engaged before you even know it's there (and it's impossible for you to access it to extinguish it while it's small).

We're talking about hour house burning down.  No kidding.

If you've ever heard the "crinkle crunch" of speakers being connecting or of a headphone going into a jack, that's the sound arcing makes.  That is what the AFCI is listening for.

Connection problems almost never happen in the wires inline in the walls (unless someone ran a nail or screw through them).  They are almost always at wire ends, or inside devices such as switches, sockets, or lamps.

Backstabs

The #1 source of arc faults is "backstab connections", which are a lazy way to jab a wire into a hole, and it just grabs.  This gives it a single point of contact, and that can be loosened just by the forces on the wire when you cram the receptacle/switch back into the box.   That's why most of us remove backstabs on sight, and use the screw terminals only, or "screw-to-clamp" type back connections where you tighten the screw to clamp it.

Going through all your devices on the part of the circuit downline from switches 1 and 2, removing backstabs and going with screw or screw-and-clamp, will help a lot.

Arcing can also come from failing to tighten down a screw enough, but this is far less common than backstabs.   That is why Code now requires torque screwdrivers, and you set the torque to whatever the socket specifies.

Cheap switches and receptacles

Let's talk about two tiers of switch and receptacle.

"Builder Grade" costs about 60 cents a device.  They are cheeeeep.  "Spec Grade" costs about $2.50 a device.  They are much better built - this is rather obvious from the construction - and most of them support a "Screw-to-clamp" style connection.

"Screw-to-clamp" has a bonus feature: It allows 2 wires to be back-wired to the same screw.  That solves occasional problems where 2 wires need to go to one screw; on builder-grade, they put one on the backstab and one on the screw.  With these, you can put both under the screw.

Devices

Occasionally, you get a device such as a lamp or fan that has an internal arc fault. If you've tried everything else, it is probably down to that.  For proof of the pudding, move the device onto a different circuit (ie. Part of the house that is on a different AFCI breaker) and see if the problem follows the device.


Why would turning on/off hot water when the toilet is flushing cause the tankless pressure relief valve to release water? I noticed the other day that my tankless hot water tank was occasionally spraying water all over the place from the Pressure Relief Valve. The only way I've found that seems to reliably trigger this is flushing the toilet, and turning the hot water in the bathroom sink off while it's still flushing. Sometimes it's only a drip, other times it's a violent spray of water that gets everywhere.

Potentially relevant information I can think of

Here's pictures of the offending tankless and valve
The tankless was put in a few months ago, and I've never noticed water leaking before a couple of days ago. It's in the laundry room though, which I do not visit on a regular basis, so perhaps this has been happening longer?
Tankless is set to 120F ever since it was installed, and water temperature seems to be about that.
I'm in NY, where the weather has recently started getting cold
The plumbing in this house is really old, and in some cases looks like the previous owners did DIY plumbing
The toilet looks equally old. I've had issues with it flushing, flushing slowly, and clogging on a regular basis. I was considering replacing it because a plumber told me they thought it may just be the calcium(?) deposits built up in the piping over the years, causing it to have a really narrow hole.
The pipes go from the tankless in the laundry room, through the wall to the garage to where the old hot water tank sat (PEX pipes in garage), then metal pipes go from where the old hot water tank to the floor to run through the crawlspace to the water meter on the other side of the house. The majority of the water (kitchen and bathroom) are on the other side of the 1000sqft house.
The crawlspace is encapsulated (as of this summer), with the furnace venting down there. It should not get unreasonably cold, although a couple months ago a section of the metal pipe in the crawlspace did spring a leak and have to be replaced.
I have occasionally heard the toilet making weird noises, as if water is being forced into it. This is what makes me think it's an issue with the pressure and not related to a faulty valve.
I just read this post about a tankless turning on while flushing. Mine does that too, so I am guessing there is a mixing valve somewhere down in the crawlspace or in the walls? I've never noticed any condensation on the toilet bowl, but only lived here since summer

I'm trying to figure out why this is happening, and what I can do to fix it. Get an expansion tank? Get a new toilet? Any thoughts or knowledge would be helpful.

Whenever a valve opens and closes, it causes a pressure spike.  This is because water is incompressible, so it tends to telegraph pressure spikes a long distance.

Water has mass.  When you open a valve, the water has to start to move.  That causes a local low pressure area which of course is what makes the water move.

When you close a valve, a significant mass of water (in the pipe) is moving toward the open valve. The water at the valve must stop, but the water behind it is still moving toward it.  So it is compressed. All the water's kinetic energy is converted to pressure, in a millisecond. The water moving toward the open valve seeks any possible outlet for the kinetic energy.

It finds the pressure relief valve in the water heater.

If it hadn't found that, it could break a pipe.

A related problem is when it finds an expansion tank on the other side of the water heater, or some comparable "place for the pressure to go". Thus the pressure is relieved by water moving through the water heater.   The tankless sees this water movement, and turns on.

In a city water system, the obvious place this pressure can go is back out to the street - where it can be absorbed by the massive city water piping.  This is rendered impossible if a check valve (aka backflow preventer) is added to the system.

An expansion tank is designed to create an outlet for such energy.


Can an expansion tank described as for a water heater be used for a boiler system? There is only one expansion tank we can find which states it is also a thermal expansion tank but it says it protects hot water heaters

Can a expansion tank be used to protect a hot water heater? YES.
Dose it need to be thermally listed? Not really if on the cold water feed and a check valve in the input of the pressure tank.
The thermal cycling water really won’t heat the expansion tank, as the water is not being used when the water heater continues to heat some hot water pushes back into the expansion tank the hot water in most cases only makes it back a few feet. The water heater tank is now hot and full. Slowly cooling, but the supply line rapidly cools. The water moved from the tans back to the water heater once the water heater tank cools the cycle starts over. I have installed several dozen small expansion tanks and have never used anything special. The closest my expansion tank has been is on the floor next to the water heater that did not have any problems many were 20’ away. So I just use a small bladder tank nothing fancy.


My outside a/c unit will not kick on Earlier today the a/c unit tripped the breaker.  I reset the breaker but the outside unit will not kick on. Please advise.

Some component has failed in the a/c unit. This act of failing caused the breaker to trip. Now the failed component is preventing the a/c unit form starting.

The unit needs checking to find out which component has failed so it can be replaced. Disconnect the supply and use a multimeter to trace the control path.


Does airflow work this way between rooms? In my 1950s rambler house, all the heating is via water-based baseboard units.  These units are all tied by a single piping loop to a boiler in the “center” of the house.  The main room has the majority of the units by simple length.

One unit in particular is on a shared wall between the main room and a bedroom.  This bedroom is often colder than the rest of the house.  I am wondering if strategic holes in this shared wall can improve the temperature in this bedroom.

Specifically, I have heard of the “popcan solar heater” concept, and to my way of thinking, the same idea should work for this baseboard unit, right?  So if I drill holes at the base of the wall below the unit that is in the main room, the unit should pull cold air from the bedroom through the unit and warm it.  If I also drill holes at the ceiling in the same wall to match, then there should be an air exchange so to speak.

Does this idea make sense?  Will this air exchange make any appreciable difference in the temperature in the bedroom, or would I be damaging a wall with no noticeable benefit?

I could not recommend your strategy.  This is not how we comfortable warm a room. You may need to break your single loop into two loops or even three loops. Almost never would we connect an entire house on a single loop.  The first radiator would be too hot and the last would be too cold.
The heaters that are in each room should heat that room or the heater is not sized properly or the piping connecting it to the boiler is not sized and or designed properly.  P.


How do I take apart a wooden pallet without cracking the wood? I'm trying to save the wood from some wooden pallets and have been unsuccessful.  I have been hammering close to where the nails are and then pry the nails out; however, before the wood comes out far enough to remove the nails it usually snaps in half.  Any suggestions would be most helpful.

They make several styles of tools that are made specifically for getting nails out. One tool called a "cats paw" looks like the picture below. (You may find similar tool under other localized names). A hammer is used to pound the hooked end in under the nail head so that it can then be levered out.

Another type of nail puller is also very effective in that the tool is used by itself without a need for a separate hammer. The handle on this type of nail puller is used to slide up and pound dowwards to embed the jaws around the nail head. Pulling sideways in the direction of the "foot" forces the jaws to clamp tightly on the nail and pull it out.


Stripping paint from old fireplace last step - any advice to achieve clean finish? As you can tell from the photos below, there is still yet some paint residue, like a foggy layer on top of the brick. We're not sure what the best way to get this off  or if this is about as good as we can get it. Looking for adivce like maybe some other chemical or a way to polish the extra mile. Any advice or recommendations?
PS: We used "Multi-Strip" from Home Depot to remove the other layers. Have used steel brush, scraper, and water and sponges.

Subject to various caveats, either a heat gun (electric) or a torch (fuel/air) might help.
...If you have not already tested if the paint on there was lead-based, do that, and if it was, don't do this.
...Ventilate really, really well. Even without lead, likely to be a bunch of stuff you don't want to breathe coming off. A charcoal filter (organic fumes) respirator might be a very good idea as well.
...Don't burn the house down. The brick won't burn but working along the edges can be risky.
Painting brick is one of those things that is easy to do, and VERY hard to undo.
While I doubt it, being paint, you could experiment with an acid on a small patch - probably vinegar (acetic, 5 or 10%) as being relatively low hazard and probably already in your house. Muriatic (hydrochloric) is more common in masonry uses and stronger, but also more hazardous. In either case follow label instructions and neutralize with a baking soda and water solution or other base when done. But that's more for cleaning any "mortar haze" off the face of bricks from the mortar in the joints, and I doubt it would help much with paint residue.


Replacing switches and outlets We painted our first floor and the outlets are all brown so I wanted to replace them and the switches with white ones. In doing so I was taking a ground wire off the old outlet and it snapped off of the main ground wire. It looks like the main ground wire is coiled up and a small piece of ground was used to connect to the outlet.
What are my options here?
Should I try to uncoil the ground?
I thought there was some kind of electrical nut that I could use to attach more ground as well?

The copper cable here is the ground which had a thin wire coming off of it that snapped off to attach to the outlet.
Thanks in advance!

The copper cap holding the bare copper wires together is a crimp connector. You can cut this off and you will be left with the two twisted wires behind it.

Add a pigtail (a short piece of bare wire), carefully twisting one end of it around the remaining bare wires. Then put a wirenut over the bundle. Carefully bend the other end of the pigtail forward to wrap around the screw terminal of the switch.


3 way dimmer in 4 way circuit I have a Legrand (Pass & Seymour H703P) dimmer that I installed in a 4 way circuit.  This dimmer has its common connected to the line so it's 1st in the circuit line and not in the middle or end.  This dimmer also has a green indicator light that goes ON when the lights are off and goes OFF when the lights are on.

Why does the indicator light on the switch only go dim when the lights are on as opposed to going completely off?  The other 2 toggle switches work perfectly as does the dimmer itself in the grand scheme of things but just the green indicator on the dimmer has me concerned with only going dim when on and not completely off.

I have this same dimmer on another circuit but it's a 3 way circuit and it works like it should with the indicator light off when the lights are on.  Is this because it's on a 4 way circuit and that it is expected to be dim when on?

Thanks in advance.

3/4 way switch systems have a 3-way on each end and 4-ways in the middle.  As long as the smart switch is on a end (a 3-way position), it cannot possibly know there are 4-ways involved. So a simple mechanical 4-way inline is not a factor and can be disregarded.

When using dimmers, motion sensors, lighted switch, or any sort of powered switch, those absolutely do not support LEDs ... unless they do.  And when they do, there are conditions and rules.   So when chasing this kind of problem, it's best to divide and conquer: go  back to incandescents until the problem is sorted out, then handle the "making LEDs work here" problem.


Adding split AC to a Dayton oil fired forced hot air furnace I'm trying to add split central air to my Dayton oil fired forced hot air furnace, mod # 3E268A. The manual clearly says it can accept this but the terminal block in the unit only has (4) lugs. TT and FF. I cant figure out

Thank You, There isn't a circuit board nor another terminal block for connections. I'm attaching this note from my manual. I also have electric schematic that I can post.

Don't touch the tt and ff terminals. Those are specific to oil burners. ff is a flame proving circuit where a cadmium sulfide photo receptor connects. tt brings on the burner with a heat only thermostat. For cooling there should be a board or a different terminal block somewhere. If it's an older or entry-level oil furnace, a fan centre needs to be added. It's basically just a relay with a built in transformer that switches the fan to the cooling speed on a call for cooling. Whenever installing an A-coil on an oil furnace, make sure to leave at least 6" clearance to the top of the furnace. I always leave as much as possible.

With more information and perhaps photos I could answer with more detail.


Removing an old refrigerator water line tap and patch the pipe An old unused/capped refrigerator water line developed a pinhole and was leaking water, so I closed its valve.  Now, the valve is slowly dripping.

It's one of those kits where it pierces a water line.  Is there any way to remove the valve from the water pipe and patch the pipe?

Try tightening the brass nut right above the handle. That should top the leak. Use an adjustable wrench, not pliers or channel locks.
If you remove the valve, you'll have to install a repair sleeve on the pipe and sweat solder it for the best results.


Wood Counter Top Damage I have a wood countertop w/ dark water stain damage, I'm looking for ways to fix.
I tried sanding and it just made the area around the stain lighter.

You'll either need to sand or scrape until you get to unstained wood, or try a bleaching product (oxalic acid is a common "wood bleach") to alter the color of the stained wood without removing it.


What is the "standard" height of a P trap? I know that the height will vary based on how high the sink is mounted and how deep it is, but I'm trying to figure out how long of a run I can make for my sink.

(P-trap is the area between the two horizontal washers)

This question doesn't make sense because you will buy the ptrap and its size depends on the width of the pipe you pick.  Look to the picture above for normal dimensions.

As for the fixture outlet, the length from your sink to the beginning of the ptrap... Well this doesn't really matter and is totally dependent on the trap outlet height.  This could be 6 inches or 2 feet.  Depends on where your trap outlet comes out of wall (or meets below floor).

The trap outlet distance is regulated based on the pipe diameter - and I am sure this has been answered many times on here.


What is this knob on this fluorescent light fitting? Recently I tried replacing a fluorescent bulb in my garage after it failed, upon fitting the new light it wouldn't turn on and there is this knob on the side (I have been told it may be something to do with start-up or a choke or something) and I tried pushing that in / turning it but nothing happened - I now realise I perhaps should not have pushed it in but I was just wondering what it actually is? Below is an image of what I am talking about (not my actual light)

While this question is about what this knob is I would also greatly appreciate it if anyone could give any tips into how to get a fluorescent light to work again.
Could I have pushed the component out when I pushed the know and that is why it is no longer working? Or could it be something different all together. I briefly managed to get it back working again the other day but I honestly have no idea what it was that I did...

It is quite inconvenient this not working so I would really like to fix it but I am not an expert or even an amateur when it comes to this light. I am however an electronic engineer student so know my way around a circuit or two so am more than confident in taking it apart and replacing anything - I just don't know what I would need to replace!

That component is called the starter. its a really inexpensive component that regulary fails on florescent lights. to remove you turn 1/4 rotations left and pull out. to check that its in turn right until it stops whilst pressing.

Any good lighting store will have replacement starters for your light.

Otherwise the things to check would be.

check that the florescent is clicked in correctly, you will see that if the pins of the tube arent touching the contacts in the fitting it will not turn on. i.e. you need to rotate the tube so that the gold pins at the end of the tube sit horizontal with the ceiling.
check if there is corrosion on the pins of the tube
remove the tube (turn off light switch), then remove the backing plate look inside for wires that have been detached. the chinese lights I know have really weak connectors and the connectors are always failing


Can a faulty GU10 bulb trip RCD? Recently during a rain shower one of the RCD's tripped which I isolated to the outside lights.  Soon after it again tripped one night.  On both occasions the RCD does not stay tripped so I have not been able to isolate further other than knowing which MCB it relates to.   It hasn't happened again for a few days.  I discovered that one of the up-lighters had a faulty GU10 LED bulb and another had no bulb even though the screw in top is meant to be waterproof.  It was like this for at least 2 years.  However could a faulty bulb be suddenly causing the RCD to trip?  The only other lights on this circuit are 2 PIR floodlights which are less than 2 years old.

It takes a lot to trip an RCD.
A GU10 socket does not deliver earth to the bulb, so I don't see what possible manipulation a bulb could do to trip an RCD even if it was purpose-designed to do that.
So I consider that "highly improbable".
Especially since the RCD trip is intermittent, and that is not how a faulty bulb would trip (even if it had access to earth).


How can I refinish a basement concrete floor? The basement concrete floor pictured has traces of red paint, a beige mesh, the concrete itself, and a top blue-gray layer of paint.

Does refinishing the floor require reapplying the red and the beige sublayers? What is the use of the mesh? Is it necessary? And if they're unnecessary, will any blue-gray latex paint do, or is some special formula needed?

Those aren't sub layers. I would say those are actually just layers of paint. The mesh could be left over from a carpet that was once there. Potentially, that's the glue mixed with the carpet mesh that didn't get removed when they removed the carpet.

Refinishing would require you to sand that baby down, and choose what you want to paint over it. Latex paint should work fine. For a stronger and more durable layer on the floor, I would go with an industrial epoxy finish. NOT THE KIT. Heard bad things about the kit and about how they don't last.

Latex paint will get you what you want if you're just looking to hide those imperfections. Choose a flat paint and don't forget to prime it all first.


How do i kill off the termite inside the wood beam indoor? How do i kill off the termite inside the wood beam indoor as a effective way?

After quite a long while to search youtube i don't find anything useful and hopefully the answer will be just to spray termidor or Demaon Max or other chemical treatment pesticide onto the wood beam.

Don't delay. Termites can do a lot of damage. I would get them professionally taken care of.


Framing around existing walk out door in basement I am getting ready to frame out my basement and I cannot figure out what to do with this existing door. If I frame around it like a traditional door, what do I use to bridge the gap between my framing and the concrete door jamb? In other words, the door would be recessed behind the framing.

Also, assuming I don't raise the floor to be level with the bottom of the door, what should I use to trim the difference in height?

Thank you in advance for any and all advice!

This is a fully trimmed recessed door frame. They are fairly common when converting a garage...

What is uncommon is that ledge at the bottom. I would be worried that trying to chip/chisel that out would damage the door or cause water to leak in from the outside. Once the framing is complete, you could trim the recess like the picture above, all the way down to the ledge. The only difference will be an extended "L" and the bottom to compensate for your 2-1/2" framing on each side.

Then run your trim around the outside all the way to the floor. This will leave the concrete ledge that will appear to be a step. I would treat it as such and buy an oak tread. Cut out the backside of the tread to fit on top of the ledge and allow about an inch of overhang inside the room. Don't fit it too tight against the door or the door won't slide easily.

Drill some 1/8" Holes (two on each side and two in the center) in the tread. Then countersink the holes with a 1/4" drill bit about 1/4" deep. Use a hammer drill with a 3/16" bit and drill down into the ledge through the tread deep enough for some 2" Tapcon screws. Clean off the ledge and put some liquid nails between the ledge and the tread and screw it down. A good bead of silicone at the bottom of the door would be smart as well.

You can fill the holes in the tread with stain-able wood filler. You can then take a piece of 1"x 4" oak and trim it to fit underneath the tread at the front. Sand and stain or paint your single stair.

All that would be left is to run some baseboard. Make sure you lay some cut off pieces of baseboard underneath the baseboard and the piece of 1" x 4" oak when you nail it in so that there is room for carpeting or tile to tuck underneath it.


Does ground bar block my knockouts? Can I use the knockouts right next to my ground bar, or does it permanently block them?  I'm wondering if I am allowed to run conductors across/over the ground bar and if I can put EMT connectors in these knockout holes.

I have used many panels just like this I usually don’t move the buss but it is easy to do the 2 screws are usually 10-32 self forming screws that hold the buss in place move it if you would like, code has no requirement on the position.
If you can’t or don’t feel comfortable with that location move the buss.
I always have a set of drill/taps for box modifications they drill and tap in one quick operation if using a tapped hole it’s a lot easier to put the screws in and code legal with a 32 pitch screw.
Never use self tappers inspectors look for those and will red tag a job if they see one. Self forming machine screws are different and have the 32 pitch most commonly 10-32 but I have found some 8-32’s used by different mfg’s.


How to install a shower curtain from wall to glass edge? My walk in shower has a glass wall. I'd like to install a shower curtain but I can't find a shower rod that can be secured from a wall to a glass edge.

Here's a picture of the problem.

Is there a special connector I can buy to secure the shower rod to the glass edge as depicted in the image?

There are rods readily available that are held up by tension, such as this one

The rod is actually made up of two rods, one inside the other. The rod expands in length as you twist the ends. You could bolt a short u-channel to one end that could hold it centered on the edge of the glass.

 Images and links are for illustration only, not an endorsement of goods or sources.


Is there an advantage to single-ended LED replacement bulbs for fluorescent fixtures? I installed 100 dual-ended LED 4-foot replacements last year and noticed that my AMZN supplier (Sunco) has replaced the product with a single-ended version.  Naturally, I do not want to rewire the 100 units a second time and would like to continue with the dual-ended LEDs to maintain consistency (KISS principle).

QUESTIONS

Is there advantage to using a single-ended bulb?
Is there cause to believe that single-ended bulbs will phase out dual-ended?

I ask these questions because if there is a significant advantage to single-ended designs, then maybe I should stock up on whatever dual-ended supplies exist if they are to become extinct.

If the winds are blowing in the direction of single-ended devices, then it may make sense to give up on consistency and replace existing fluorescent devices with single-ended LEDs.

I have purchased hundreds of led tubes. I currently use a T8 that is ballast bypass single or double ended and ballast compatible, I love these lights and just ordered 4 more cases. With my T5 lights I cannot find the same specs yet but I prefer double ended because most of my T5 lamps are 277v and I don't like my 277v 20 amp circuits having the pins that close together because I lose at least 2 fixtures a year when chunks of wood hit the fixtures. In the past, the ballast controlled the max current but with direct wire lamps that are single ended a good hit would, and has in 1 case, burn a large hole in a very expensive fixture because no matter how good the fixture is the tombstones are all cheap so when the $1.20 tall tombstone broke on a single ended retrofit it burned a huge hole in the $380 fixture.

So I go with double ended when possible.


How to remove lawyer bookcase glass door? The lawyer bookcase has glass doors that slide up over the books. I am attempting to remove the door to replace the glass on one of the shelves.

Top shelf with the door in the retracted position:

Detail of the door with wooden pin into the groove on the side wall.

Detail of the groove in the side wall from inside.

How is the door removed?

Unscrew the rollers on both sides.

Lower the door so it's parallel to the back.

Push one end back into the cabinet until the pin is free of the side slot - or start with the door at the back, and pull one end forward until it's free of the side slot (and then keep pulling forward to remove from the case.)

Replacement should be the reverse of removal.


Gap showing between baseboard and shorter-pile carpet We removed shag carpet and replaced it with a shorter carpet.  Now there is a gap between the baseboard and carpet.  Should we use shoe molding?  If so how do you use it on the stairs with rounded edges?

I'm assuming that you have a similar set up that I do, I had used inside-corner shoe on my house (instead of quarter-round). In my terrible picture, I've illustrated how I had affixed my trim, running a straight length along the stair, along the riser... The corner is cut at 45 degrees... Then, I ran a piece along the wall, beveled that at 45 degrees (so it doesn't snag), and painted it to match the rest of the trim.

The red is meant to be the trim here:


How can I prevent the hose in the toilet tank from popping out of the tubing? Unfortunately, I do not know the appropriate terminology but, there is a small hose that fits into a tube within a cylindrical container in the toilet tank.  When this occurs, I can see initially hear and, after removing the toilet tank cover see water running from the hose intermittently; this also seems to have an effect on the water level in the toilet bowl.

I can temporarily solve the issue by removing the tank cover and inserting the small hose back into the tube.  This works well for a while but, then the problem seems to reoccur.  I live in a rental which most recently replaced our old-fashioned toilets with smaller “energy efficient” toilets.  I cannot help but notice how flimsy the plastic parts are in the toilet tank.

Is there something that I could do to permanently stop the hose from popping out of the tube or is it necessary to call maintenance?

That tube is supposed to be attached (often with a metal clip) to the overflow tube.

It shouldn't just be inserted down into that larger diameter plastic tube (overflow tube), since as you've found, it will pop out again.


Furnace Displays Heat Pump mode when AC is running I have a new Trane S9X2 furnace I purchased this winter. I want to make sure that everything is setup correctly now in the cooling season. I noticed that the furnace displays "HP1" when the AC is running. According to the manual, this is "Stage 1 Heat Pump" mode. As far as I know, my AC unit does not function as a heat pump. I expected it to display "CL1" for First Stage Cooling.

The AC appears to be working fine. Cold air is being blown out the vents so I'm reluctant to call the service company to take a look.

Is this even an issue? Or is there some minor wiring issue with my thermostat? I have an EcoBee thermostat if that helps.

Thanks!

The outside unit is a compressor , the difference between a heat pump in heating and cooling is the Direction of the refrigerant flow. So for a single fuel heat pump to cool it may well be running in stage 1 but a reversing valve has altered the flow. If you have a dual fuel system then in heating a choice is made based on the temp which one to run. Your thermostat probably doesn’t have all the functionality or was not fully programmed but to get cooling the outside unit needs to run and the reversing valves are set to cool.
If it’s cooling everything is fine the thermostat is commanding the compressor on and it has the reversing valve in the correct position.


Installing a ceiling fan into a socket with 3 wires jammed into the socket I recently purchased a ceiling fan thinking it would be a fun DIY project but when I went to install it, I came across many problems. I have attached a photo of my ceiling fan socket on the ceiling below.

It appears as if there are 4 wires (fan only calls for 3) and not only that, but 3 of the 4 are jammed up into the left hole. If you look, the red wire is the only one free, the yellow black and grey are jammed up into the left hole. I have tried tugging on the jammed wires and they seem to budge an inch at max. I am afraid that if I pull too much I will break the wires and then I would be in a really bad position. Is there a way for me to unscrew the whole wall plate to see what is going on with the wires? I am confidant that I can install the fan once I get all the wires unstuck and have the leads exposed. I have a multimeter handy to measure voltage if necessary. I live in the U.S. and this house was built 25 or so years ago (this socket's wiring hasn't been touched since then).

I have a couple of observations and concerns.  First, it looks like this is a shallow box with conduit or EMT connectors. The looping conductors are usually a sign of continuous run THHN.  I also suspect this could be a 3-way switched circuit or the yellow is being used as grounding/bonding conductor.  However testing must be done to confirm these suspicions.

The other concern I have is the ability of this box to support the weight and torque of a fan. Depending on how strong the mounting is, you may want to consider a weight rated fan mounting box. If the box is not securely mounted, your fan will be unbalanced and wobble, at worse, it will pull the box out of the ceiling and drop. Perhaps they don't show in your pic, but I don't see any screws mounting the box to a framing member. If it is secured in place by the conduit only or a flimsy side ear mount, it will not work well for a fan.  Check it out carefully.  Good Luck.


Under sink has cylindrical fixture instead of J-pipe, what is it and how to clear it out? Part of my problem is not knowing the names of what I'm referring to, so feel free to suggest title edits please.
A bathroom sink is draining very slowly after someone bearded shaved, despite them gathering most of the hair out of the sink. I expected some hair to be clogging the J-trap, but when I went to clean that out, I found there is no J-trap and instead the sink drains into the lower end of a cylinder, with the cylinders outflow on the top. Pictures below. It looks like a garbage disposal to me, but that doesn't make sense because this cylinder is not directly connected under the sink and also it is not powered.
I think the cylinder might have the same purpose as a J-trap, given water enters it low and has to rise up high to drain out. That would mean there is (always?) standing water in the sink's drain pipe, at the same height as the cylinder's outflow pipe, because how else would water leave this cylinder.
My question is: what is this cylinder, and how to I clean it out like a P or J trap? I thought to unscrew the base of it since it has the square bottom to grip and turn, then catch what drains out and use a stick to poke out remaining gunk. Figured I'd ask here first, and may also try plunging or poking around the sink drain itself first to see if that solves the problem. Thanks.

That is a drum trap. [Evidently also called a bottle trap in some parts of the world, per comments] They are rather old school, and out of favor in code now.
I'm more used to finding them embedded in a floor with the clean-out on top (for a tub application) but yours does seem to have the cleanout down.
Fair warning - they seem to be above average at "wicked gross" - since it's slow, not stopped, I'd run some bleach solution through (1 cup to a gallon) wait a while (if not urgent, overnight - if urgent, 15 minutes or so) then run a couple of gallons of clear water to rinse out the bleach, then put a big catch basin under it and put on gloves before opening it up.


Safely possible? Back feed generator through existing 3 wire OR convert to 50A RV service First time question asker, here. I have read several threads on this site, which is a great resource. I am still unsure if what I'd like to do is safely possible, so here I am asking about my specific situation.
I have a dead pool heater (electric heat pump) that I'm not going to replace. It is serviced with 8/2 wire (white, black, and bare ground) and already has a 50A two pole breaker on the main panel. The service on the back of the house is a great location for me to convert the circuit for either of the following uses, both of which would be better than having an unused circuit.
Option 1. Install a twist lock inlet (L14-20P) so that I can backfeed the panel via a 5,000 watt generator for occasional use. I would use an interlock kit to do this correctly. My question is, as the generator has a 4 prong outlet (L14-20R), is it possible to safely connect to the 3 wire? What to do with the ground and neutral? My generator has a floating neutral. The neutral vs ground - and where that all occurs - is what makes my head spin.
Option 2. Install a 50A RV service, which would also be for occasional, short-term use. Same question, since the NEMA 14-50R is designed for 4 wire (X,Y,neutral, and ground,) can I safely make this work with the 3 wire?
Other details that might matter. There is a manual disconnect box in line for the heat pump that I could either keep or remove. I am in FL.
Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Nope, this isn't going to work.
The lack of a seaparate neutral/ground is a deal-killer here on both applications.
Further, that 8/2 cable is not allowable to 50A.
Neutral is not ground
There's really nothing confusing about it, except that you bit fruit from the tree of knowledge when you noticed neutrals and grounds go to the same place in the main panel.  Disregard this: that isn't what you think.
Electric current flows in loops - you kinda know that.  It wants to return to source (not ground by the way; source).
Neutral is the ordinary, everyday current return path, and it has current flowing on it all the time.  Neutral "works for a living". Because of this it can be hot under certain conditions, and that's why we insulate it.  Using a bare neutral would be dangerous.
However, trouble can happen. Equipment safety ground is a protective shield.   Current NEVER flows on safety ground except during a fault condition.  Safety ground returns fault current to source:  So for natural electricity (lightning, ESD) that is the earth.  For human-generated electricity, that is back to the neutral and the supply transformer.  (and now, you know what that neutral-ground connection in the panel is for).  If it wasn't for safety ground, the equipment would sit there energized.
Your pool heat pump ran on 240V only, and did not need neutral (which is in the middle).  The original installer saved a tiny bit of money by using /2 cable instead of /3 cable, which unfortunately ruined your ability to reuse it for your generator.
Your options
Since you need to pull new cable anyway, you might as well pull both of them - a 6/3 for the RV, and at least a 10/3 for the generator.  (A 12/3 would suffice for now, but there's a lesson here and I'm assuming you've learned it :)
The existing 8/2 could be used for a 120V feed to a generator, hot-neutral-ground, of up to 40A.  However, if your house is wired in "Multi-Wire Branch Circuits", that could introduce a danger.
The 8/2 could also be used for a 120V/30A RV connection called a "TT30" found on smaller RVs.   If your larger RV has the adapters to work on a TT30 connection, that is an option.


Can a convection oven be used without exterior venting? My home is 20 years old. I have a free standing stove/oven and a microwave above installed when home was new. Neither is vented and the roof is tile and exterior is stucco so I won’t be able to vent.

I purchased an LG studio microwave/convection oven and a stove oven/convection. Will I be able to use the convection feature if not vented to the exterior?

Convection baking uses a fan to circulate air inside of the oven.  It does not require a vent to the outside.  You may want a vented range hood to collect smoke and odors from the cooktop, but you do not need one for the oven.