Install Tankless water heater in the cold line During cold season almost all the time we need to wait for hot water coming from the water heater to our faucets, showers etc. I want to install tankless water heater in the cold line as a supplemental element. In other words it is going to warm up the cold water in the cold line to reduce the wait time for getting hot water from the conventional water heater. Of course during hot season we can turn off the tankless water heater. In other words this tankless water heater will only be used on demand with lesser capacity because conventional water heater's hot water will also be mixed in the end points such as shower, faucets etc.
Will this work?

I really don't understand your proposal but if you're adamant about it then just supplement your hot line with a tankless closer to your fixtures. If you set your tank to 125F and your tankless to 120F then your tankless should only operate for a very short period instead of always warming the incoming cold line. If your tank ever runs out then your tankless will pick up the slack.

Better yet, relocate your water heater closer to your fixtures; this would save you thousands as average cost for tankless install is $4,000.

I see your proposal has a third line going from the tankless to your fixtures but fixtures don't accept a third line. You would have to junction it into one of the lines (presumably the hot) right before the fixture. Even if you junction into a hot line it will be a mix of hot (tankless) plus cold (tank) at the hot tap until both lines are full of hot water so this would actually increase the total wait time for hot water at the tap.
One thing you cannot overlook is that tankless units are typically 200,000 BTU/HR and typical residential natural gas can supply about 225,000 BTU/HR so a gas upgrade will probably be required.


How can I improve the drainage rate from a new walk-in shower? I've fitted a standalone shower in my bathroom. I had a bath with a shower over it previously, and we wanted a walk in.

The waste outlet to the sewer is in the same place, and I've connected it up to the shower waste trap. The problem is, there is very little (if any) slope from the shower to the sewer.

The outlet from the shower trap is almost the same height off the floor as the sewer inlet, giving me no chance of sloping it. I did think about raising the shower bed up, but we already put it on struts to accommodate the shower waste. Any higher and the trim wouldn't fit.

Anyway, I was wondering if there is anything I can do. Are there any products out there that would suck the water from the shower and spit it out the other end? Almost like the shower pump I have, gravity fed.

It does eventually drain, just slowly.

Changing the pitch would do little. It sounds like it may not be vented correctly.


Will galvanized metal conduit balusters resist rust? I'd like to use galvanized metal conduit as deck balusters with pressure-treated lumber. Will the bare metal resist rust? If not, is there an inexpensive way to improve its rust resistance?

Rigid conduit (which is pretty much the same thing as galvanized steel pipe) is galvanized with a considerably thicker layer than EMT - it's also stronger (emt is a bit flimsy for a railing) and more expensive (such is life.)  Since you didn't specify what type of galvanized metal conduit you were considering using, what happens will vary with the type you choose.

EMT is very flimsy and prone to rust - inexpensive and easy to work
with, but not a great railing material, IMHO.
Rigid would work nicely, and probably not rust for a good long time if the galvanizing was not deeply scratched.
I know there is a third product (IMC) but I don't have any direct
experience with it. I believe it's "Intermediate" Metallic Conduit
and heavier than EMT, lighter than rigid - and I don't know how its
galvanizing compares.


How to remove this door knob and plate with no obvious screws So I've been trying to take out a sticky door knob to give it some grease and tigthen up the loose jiggles, but I can't figure out how to remove the full knob.  I removed the end bit and don't know how to remove the plate and the shaft.  I wedged a screwdriver underneath the plate, but that didn't pop it off and I'm hesitant to apply more force.

Is there a spot I'm supposed to pull on?  Do I need to somehow remove some of those inner ring clips around the door knob shaft?

There's a tool provided with the lockset that engages the heavy ring just inside the finished escutcheon. You can see the two opposing slots on the outer edge. The tool looks like a skinny metal shot glass with two tabs protruding straight out from the cup lip. You'd fit it over the shaft, engage the slots, and turn.

You can try poking the points of a needle-nose plier in there and spinning it out counter-clockwise.


Removing hose tap/faucet from old hose pipe (outside) when half the metal thread is stuck Today, I tried to replace the tap unit to my mom's hose because the 40-year old tap was leaking water everytime I turned the water partially on. So I used a vise grip to try to unscrew the tap. The nice news is the tap is removed, but the bad news is it was not removed completely. In fact, part of the threading is still stuck in the barrel. Now remember, no plumbing work was done on this in like 40 years at least.

I tried various methods to remove the threading inside. First I tried scraping a kitchen knife around in hopes it eats at the metal. it only removed tiny pieces.

I then tried an interior wrench tool which looks like a stick that you put inside and turn with a wrench. That was also unsuccessful.

I even tried 60 grit sandpaper. That also does not work.

Now, my mom suspects the metal on the old hose tap is brass, but I think it is copper. I measured a new tap with a conductivity meter and surely enough it conducts electricity. Makes me think maybe it is copper but then again could brass conduct electricity?

Anyways, the only other thing I would consider trying is some sort of chemical to eat the metal. The only thing I have on hand is ferric chloride liquid that removes copper, but isn't there a better chemical or method I can use to get the stuck metal piece out?

I also suggested to her that a torch might be in order to help remove the part because I'm guessing some sort of chemical adhesive was used to keep the tap from leaking in the wrong places. but is there another way to do it without having to resort to using a torch?

This is the front view of the hole. I added red arrows to give you an idea of how far in I need to go to remove the stuck part.

This is the side view of the whole unit.

With the new photos added we can see you're working with a regular 1/2 inch coupler on the end of a piece of pipe. Both are probably "black" iron pipe (as opposed to being galvanized pipe).

I suggest removing and replacing the coupler. That'll probably be easier than cleaning out the internal threads. You'll need a pair of pipe wrenches, and heating the coupler with a torch could help too.

For reassembly, apply a pipe thread sealant on the outer/male threads. The white teflon tape is a common choice but my personal preference is usually a paste compound (often generically called "pipe dope"). Being wet it's a bit messier than the teflon tape but in my opinion it lubricates better for assembly and it seals better too.


What is the 'orangey' colour on this pine and how do I remove it? I've recently bought some pine furniture which is well built and solid but needs a bit of TLC.

It is also finished with something that gives it a kind of 'orangey' colour. It has some scratches and I much prefer the more natural, paler colour underneath. So I want to remove the finish.

My question is thus three-fold I guess:

What do you think the varnish/lacquer/coating is?
Can I remove it and if so, how?
What would you recommend as a natural coating to protect it but keep the 'natural' colour of the wood?

Actually, 'Pumpkin pine' IS (or can be) a natural, aged color of pine.

Painting is the easiest recourse.

Formby's or similar 'refinisher' will strip wood (of varnishes) and leave some patina, after which, a wood bleach (an oxalic acid based, like Savogran wood bleach) would be called for.

Then, sand and coat with a u/v blocking clear finish.

Repeat in 20 years.

OR

Tell every one its an antique and mustn't be tampered with.  Its the best TLC this beauty deserves.

Essay on Pumpkin Pine by Richard Mcintosh


HPS lamp goes on and off all night long We have a lamp post in front of our house, that uses a 50-watts HPS (high-pressure sodium) lamp, and opens by itself at night using a photo-cell.

For a while now, it's been acting out: when it opens at night, it brightens gradually for about 50 seconds, then goes out, "sleeps" for about 80 seconds, and that cycle repeats all night.

Here's a video of this in action: https://video.nest.com/clip/a3cf509f134546acad14117a4fcb58dd.mp4

And a 4x time-lapse that shows the change in brightness during that same period:
https://video.nest.com/clip/436e5f3e215748268b8d9582ebef8c46.mp4

Last time we had an electrician look at it, he thought it might have been the photo-cell that was acting out, and he replaced it. It was OK for a while (many months) but now it started doing exactly the same thing as before!

What could be the problem?
Can I swap that HPS lamp with something else, maybe a LED lamp..? Not sure what the connector is...

This looks suspiciously like the documented cycling behavior of a HPS lamp that is near its end of life.  The HPS lamp is similar to a fluorescent, but instead of using a surface-coated phosphor to convert the UV to visible light, it uses sodium mixed in with the mercury.  As a result, the lamp has an internal discharge that is struck upon starting and gives it a negative resistance characteristic, controlled by a ballast (typically an inductor).

When it nears end of life, as in the case of your lamp, reactions with the lamp's alumina (synthetic sapphire, really) shell have depleted much of the sodium from the lamp, raising the voltage required to maintain the discharge to a point where when the lamp is fully hot, the ballast can no longer provide that voltage, causing the lamp to extinguish and re-strike when it cools down.  Newer HPS ballasts have a counter in them that keeps them from sitting there and wearing out the lamp trying to strike it repeatedly -- instead, they will "lock out" the lamp until power is removed/reapplied.

Replacing the lamp should get you another 20,000 hours of light -- unlike with incandescent or compact fluorescent lamps, LED retrofits for HPS aren't nearly as advantageous lifespan-wise, although they exist if you wish to go that route for color rendering or disposal considerations, as HPS lamps have mercury in them and should be disposed of along with their fluorescent counterparts.


Should feather-edge lap siding be installed directly on sheathing or on furring strips? I'm building a shed this summer. The plan is to use a stud frame construction. Cover it in 12mm OSB3 and a breather membrane to keep the interior dry and use feather edge as the cladding. The thing I am wondering is should I put the feather edge on rails or directly to the OSB3 through the breather membrane? I've seen it done it both ways online
It's pressure treated pine. I've planned a 20cm roof overhang so I am not planning for it to get soaked on a daily basis but I want to be on the careful side.
Using rails should mean there is a 40mm air gap between the backside of the feather edge and the breather membrane so if moisture accumulates on the backside of the feather edge there is some air movement to let it dry. This has the added advantage of meaning less holes through the breather membrane.
Without using rails mean less material will be required and I can use fence posts for the edge similar to this video on Youtube by Colin Furze. Seems like he knows what he's doing and lives in the same climate as me (UK - so moisture is gonna be a bit of an issue).
https://youtu.be/LP67MAoihZk?t=110
If anyone has got any experience doing it one way or another then advice would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers.

It's really a matter of prerogative (which is why you get varied suggestions), but it sounds like you have your answer. You want to be "careful", which I interpret to mean you're willing to put in the extra expense and effort to get additional longevity. It might last 40 years instead of 30 if you let it breath.
In my experience, lap siding is installed directly over sheathing/house wrap. Wall shingles tend to be installed over strips, but that's because they tend to let more water through all the extra joints. Your mileage may vary.


heat is not responding to thermostat set temp but comes on when turned off and back on with the thermostat switch At times during the day my gas burner doesn't try to come back up to the set temperature on the upstairs or downstairs main thermostat.
I'll hit the up button a couple of degrees but no change. Then when I flip the thermostat switch to off and back on again, the unit fires up for heat maybe 10 minutes or so. Sometimes I have to do that twice for it to stay on but it still doesn't get to the set temp. But at 2am its working again correctly.
I've replaced the batteries on them and swapped the thermostats as well. Sometimes it works for days.

Three possibilities...

It's a programmable thermostat and it's programmed incorrectly.
The internal clock is set to the wrong time so the programs change at the wrong times.
It's been zapped with static electricity and needs to be replaced.


Help! Left lid off of latex paint I forgot to put the lid on my can of paint and left it open overnight. Looks like there is a little bit of skin on the top but it hasn't completely dried out. Can this paint be saved??

The paint can be saved. Carefully remove all the skin because it will show up on the painted surfaces if you don't. Stir the paint and you're good to go.


Can I fix damaged AC line insulation with tape? The foam insulation around the suction line on my ac has deteriorated, so I covered it completely with tape. Was this an OK thing to do. Am I harming anything? I have not run my AC since I did this.

You should not tape this pipe.  The foam insulates the cold pipe so it doesn't leak its coldness into the warm air outside, wasting energy.  It also prevents the cold pipe from condensing water from the air around it.  The foam insulation is cheap and is very easy to install.  Just buy some on line and snap it onto your pipe.  You can use a little tape over the foam just to hold it on but not instead of the foam.
Can you run your AC without the foam?  You can, just look at the part of the pipe inside the house.  Without the foam insulation it may be condensing and dripping water so just make sure it isn't dripping somewhere you don't want.


Oven shuts down the power in the whole appartment when it heats up I own an appartment in the residential, 2-storey building in Edmonton, AB, Canada. There is an older oven that always worked well with no issues. I recently cleaned it thoroughly.

In the process, I unscrewed 2 crews that hold the top heating element and after cleaning, screwed them back in. Now, when I turn the oven back it works fine for about 10-12 minutes, but then the power in the whole appartment goes off. After about 15-20 minutes the power comes back on. No breakers are tripped. I have 2 questions:

Obviously, my removing the heating element caused some issues with the oven. What could they be? Should resetting the element help? Should I replace the heating element? Should I replace the stove?
Why would this issue cause the power in the whole appartment to go off. When the power goes off, no breakers are tripped and the power loss is confined to my appartment only.

Thank you for your help.

Had an electrician over who confirmed that the oven and all the wiring in the apartment was in perfect condition. He was puzzled himself, then told to me to hang on and dialed some phone number and after 20 minutes on the phone he found the solution.

Turns out that the power company placed a limiter on my apartment's line because the new renter picked up the power service a bit later than the rules allowed. Basically if one renter stops his/her power service and there is no one who picks up the power service within few weeks, the power company (Epcor in Edmonton) places a limiter on the line. You still get the power at the apartment but if you exceed a certain power flow - the limiter shuts down the power in your unit. Here is more about this:
https://www.epcor.com/learn/meters/Pages/power-meter-limiters.aspx

Thank you all for your suggestions. Lesson learned.


How to properly double on ceiling joists I'd like to double my ceiling joists to make my attic space easier to work in (for electrical/plumbing) and for lightweight storage.

Status Quo: 2x4's (actual size) spaced 16" on-center running the width of the building uninterrupted, with the ends resting on top of the wall top plate. Each joist is strong enough to support my weight (~175lbs ) concentrated in a ~1' segment of the joist, and there isn't much deflection either.

Goal: Reinforce the joists and lay down a wood subfloor (OSB, ply, etc.) so I'm not tiptoeing on joists whenever I'm up there.

Plan: "Sister" or double the ceiling joists with 2x6's or 2x8's with the ends resting on the wall top plates then lay the subfloor on the new joists.

Question: I understand that there are requirements for doubling joists, including how frequently they need to be fastened, but does this plan make sense overall?

If you have no sag in the ceiling just screw 3/4 inch plywood on on top of the ceiling joist. This will add strength  to them and keep your headroom. Be sure to run the length of the plywood across the joist.


What's gentler on screw heads: a regular screwdriver/drill, or an impact? I'm going to be doing some screwing/unscrewing of screws that provide both a utilitarian and aesthetic function, so I'd like to protect the painted coating on the heads as best I can when I remove and re-insert them.

These are Torx (T45) rather than Philips head, so fortunately the heads are less likely to strip or be damaged than they otherwise would be. But having never used an impact driver before, while also having stripped plenty of Philips screw-heads with regular screwdrivers in the past, I am wondering what the best option for this job would be.

In short: in general, which is gentler on the coatings of screw-heads: regular screwdrivers, or impact drivers? (Impact drivers sometimes shearing off screw heads in the case of overtorqueing notwithstanding)

Addendum (added from comments):

  I'm doing some automotive work on a new vehicle. The bumper has a bunch of T45 bolts on it that are removable to add / remove accessories, and I'd like to keep them in the best shape possible, both for aesthetics and to prevent rust. While I'm specifically asking this question for this project, knowing whether or not impact drivers make screw head stripping less likely will help me decide whether or not buying an impact driver is worth it for the few projects I do.

  The screws in question are actually just going through the sheet metal of the bumper and aren't structural - but yes, in fact the "regular screwdriver" I was originally planning on using actually will be a socket wrench with a T45 socket.

That’s funny , sorry but force is needed to break the screw loose , an impact if at the wrong angle will cause problems as a hand held driver will. If there is paint both will damage the paint. But a t45 is large and if the bit is fully inserted and perpendicular there is really no difference as an impact only hits hard enough to get the screw moving. Once the breaking force to remove the screw is achieved there is no real difference except the impact will be faster.


Vacuum sucked in some of the grout between tiles, how to fill the gap? I was vacuuming these tile floors and the grout came off. Should I fill it with cement? Is it damaging to leave it like this, should I not mop it?

Don't use cement or thin set. Use maybe a premixed grout (can sometimes be bought in quarts). Use a grout saw to remove some of the other loose grout
While the water can seep under easily, there's no danger in mopping. The grout let's water come back up


Why does our shower make a screaming noise? Our shower has a problem...It's very loud!  When water hits the correct temperature and flow the shower immediately starts shrieking like a banshee.

It seems to be related to the flow because we can turn down the flow rate but keep the same temperature. This causes the shrieking to stop but it also gives us a wimpy little shower.  If we turn on the shower but make it fast and cold then there is no shrieking either.

Another piece of data is that the shower has two separate physical heads on opposite sides of the shower and 1. only one of the heads makes this sound, and 2. the shrieking doesn't depend on whether both heads are running or only one head is running.  The heads seem to be fed by separate pipes.

Has anyone had a problem with an old shower making noise like this?  We're not sure whether the problem is the pipes or the shower head.

Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated...

Part of the cause of this may be turbulent vs. laminar flow. A high temperature will have a lower viscosity, leading to a higher Reynolds number, which contributes to turbulent flow. Add in surface defects from mineral build up, and you've got enough turbulence to vibrate your pipes to 'banshee levels.'


Crumbling basement walls and asbestos I want to refinish my basement walls, as they look really bad.  I tore down some wood paneling that was starting to warp, and behind that was some styrofoam insulation.  Behind styrofoam is 3 mil plastic.  Behind that is the concrete which is crumbling to the touch, about 1/8" to 1/4" into the concrete around the frost line.  It looks like someone at some point in time put a waterproofing coat on it and this caused the moisture to deteriorate the concrete.

My question is, should I be worried about releasing asbestos in the air from any of the concrete/waterproofing that was done?  I've tested linoleum tile, old adhesives, and everything so far has been negative.  I'm wondering if all of this crumbling is going to be hazardous.

The house was built in the 1920's.  I can provide pictures if necessary.

Based on your description, your basement walls likely have no asbestos in them. But that's the least of your worries; a crumbling foundation is a major problem! This is not a DIY job unless you are have professional experience with structural engineering, foundation repair, and concrete pouring. Call in a pro. And make sure this doesn't happen again by improving the drainage outside of the basement. There are many ways to do this, from improving the grading to installing drain tile to building a subterranean roof. It all depends on the conditions at the site.


Hanging chandelier with wire support We're trying to install a chandelier and the instructions are generic (not for this specific light). I have hung chandeliers before but they always utilize the center threaded piece that holds the weight of the fixture.  This one came with a wire cable. How do I attach this? Should I loop it through the mounting bracket? I installed it without using the cable and then couldn't sleep as I imagined the chandelier crashing to the ground.  It was only being held up by the decorative screws on the canopy.  Is that enough?

Beautiful tin ceiling!

It's hard to tell from the pic, but I'd imagine that the rods hanging down from the gold-colored mounting plate are threaded and that they go through the holes on the canopy. If that's the case, then the acorn nuts being tightened against the canopy should be sufficient to hold this up.

Even if the center threaded rod was long enough to thread through the center of the mounting plate, all the weight of the chandelier would be on that gold plate.
With the canopy mounting screws taking the weight, the weight is still borne by that plate, but it is taken in two places instead of one, and the two spots are closer to the edge of the plate instead of in the center. This gives the weight a much shorter lever arm to attempt to bend things, thus making it more difficult.

About the only change I'd make would be to rotate the mounting plate clockwise a bit so that the support bolts are as close as reasonably possible to the screws that hold the plate to the box (i.e. you still have to get a screwdriver on there to tighten the plate to the box).


Are USB sockets on wall outlets live all the time, even when the switch is off? I got a USB wall socket fitted. When it was installed, I tested the USB port with a tester with the switches off, but the USB outlet was live. Is this normal?

In the US, no the USB ports will not have power when the outlet is not powered. Most outlets in the US don't have power switches on them, so if you switch them off there is no way for power to be provided.

In the UK, outlets often have power switches. In that case, your USB ports are usually powered while the outlet switches are off. This is because the outlet assembly itself is always powered, but the switches only control the outlet and not the USB power transformer.

You said cheers in your original post, so I'm assuming you're probably British and have the UK type of USB outlet. Yes, this is normal.

Other answers are assuming that you are in the US, where that wouldn't be normal.


How do I fill in this hole in my ceiling around pull light? I recently had my bathroom done and a new light fitting was added. I have a hole left around it where the new light fitting is smaller than the previous one. How do I fill this in please?

You call the person who did it, and say "fix it". It would have been an easier job if they moved the switch four inches inwards, and then patched in a section of crown molding.

If it has to stay there - just get a load of mud (that's the American term), and smear it into the gap. It'll look ugly, but better than the big holes you have.


Help identifying a plastic pipe at the base of the house Last year I removed a patio because all of its deck was rotten, underneath I found a pipe - pictured.
Now I want to lay a concrete base for brick steps because the drop from the door was way to high. I wanted to make the steps wide enough to cover the unsightly pipe, but I don’t know whether I should and if it safe to do.
After taking off the bend it looks like the pipe leads straight under the house and there is nothing visible there.
I’m located in UK if that helps and the house is a mid-terraced one, built in 2006.

I don't know what is the pipe is, but the safe way is to extend the pipe to the outside of the concrete steps. You might want to wrap the embedded pipe in felt paper so it wouldn't adhere to the concrete in case you need to re-expose it.


Best way to suspend beam end from cable I'm about to buy hardware for a treehouse project, and am wondering about the best way to attach 3/8' galvanized cables to a 4x10 PT beam.  The cables need to be attached near the ends of the beam to keep them level, since it is anchored to the tree only in the middle.  Basically it's an inverted tri-beam. See the image below.

Initially I was thinking just 5/8" galvanized lag eyes would work, but now I'm wondering if just slinging the whole beam with the cable as a loop would be cheaper and stronger. If I chose the latter, I would probably fasten 2x4s to sides to keep the loop from creeping toward the fulcrum.  Here's a crude diagram of that idea:

The other ideas I've been kicking around are 1)drilling through the entire beam at an angle and using a standard eye bolt, since this could eliminate the need for turnbuckles all together, or 2) Using a heavy duty D-Ring surface mounted to the top of the beam.  But these seem like they would be weak, or worse weaken the whole beam.

My favorite so far is the loop idea, but I have a feeling I'm missing something.

I'd do a hybrid of your other ideas: Drill through the beam as you would for an eye bolt, but simply feed the cable through and terminate it with a stop of some sort. You could loop back on itself and use a clamp. Back it with a washer to prevent pull-through of any sort.

I did almost exactly this with a circular (ring-shaped) suspended treehouse in a huge white pine at my old place. It held solid for years.


Tools for installing splitfaced stone sheets (mosaic-like) on a wall We're installing a split face stone that has interlocking edges like this

What type of trowel?  Manf. website indicates 1/4 to 1/8.  Since they are going on a wall I assume v-notch?

Will nippers cut these?

There's a couple of areas where the tile will start in the middle of the wall (ie waiting for a backsplash to come in.  From your experience, what can I get that's typically nice and straight/true to temporarily screw to the wall to hold these up?  I thought of some cheap composite molding but even that stuff I find warped from time to time.

Anything else I should have ready?

Trowel - This depends on your substrate.  If I am going on perfect straight backer board I might go 1/8", for drywall or not perfect go with 1/4".

You should notch horizontally.  Actually it doesn't matter if you do it right but horizontal will help them from falling initially.

Nippers... No way.  You will need a wet saw or angle grinder with diamond blade.  You will need to take the sheets apart and cut each piece individually unless you have a really good wet saw with a good feeding track.

If you are waiting for a backsplash to come in, I suggest you install that first.  You should start this tile right next to the backsplash and work your way out.  Always start at the focal point and know that you can hide bad cuts in corners.

To hold tile up during install... we usually use 2x4s.  But really if your mix is right and you trowel right these tiles will hold up just fine.  You would do the bottom row first and just make sure you give the second row 20-30 minutes before you start stacking.  But if you want to put something under that is fine, but you shouldn't need to.


Does US electric code permit running an aerial electrical service wire from a 2-story house to a one-storey outbuilding? I am adding a small office shed (10x12') to my property, and need electrical power to run a mini-split HVAC system, plus a few LED light fixtures, and plugs for my laptop, a printer, and maybe a small speaker (Sonos-type).
Shed will be roughly 65 feet from the nearest corner of the (2-story) house.
Will the NEC (and its adopted clauses for Arlington, VA) allow me to run my own aerial drop from the top corner of my house over to the shed?
I would install a mast on the shed to terminate the aerial drop, which would be about 65' from house to shed.
I loathe the thought of trenching & placing conduit due either to the likely destruction of a large tree (at least 25% of the roots would be cut) or the need to cut a 2'-wide swath through a slate-on-gravel patio.
My property is small (75' wide), my house is smaller (25' wide), and with the tree and the hardscaping, there are no good options for trenching. (Unless I could get one of those industrial conduit placers that the telecoms use which essentially tunnel underground for 30-50' at a time).

Virginia is on the 2014 code according to the NEC adoption map.
NEC 225.18.1 thru 5 provide clearance requirements.
10’ is acceptable for foot traffic only area.
12’ if there is a driveway.
18’ if there will be truck traffic.
65’ is not excessively long for a single span of an aluminum feeder but I would not try copper. The weight causes more sag thus more tension is required to maintain your minimum height.  Aluminum feeder will cost less also.
We don’t know your total load but a messenger wire probably be enough for 65’ with aluminum. If you go to 1/4” aluminum messenger cable (not a single wire) you now have a ground that can be used with your 3 insulated conductors sunlight resistant type or a multi conductor cable.
Edit: I double checked and these references will be helpful.
6awg aluminum can span that distance NEC 225.6 I do much larger runs so I am used to messenger wires.
If you connect below the roof you need to be 3’ away from any window openings 230.9.A.
Above the roof check out 230.4 for those clearances.
And remember make your run at least 6” taller at the lowest sag point because a hot day the cable may sag that much it really can.


Is this base idea sufficient for a ground level, not attached to the house wooden patio? I have a rough plan for a ground level deck.  The deck will not be attached to anything though it will sit under and extend a bit from a free standing pergola.

My plan is to bury most of a cinder block underground as a base.  The hole will be filled with a little gravel to level, the block placed on top and then filled with dirt.

On top of the blocks I plan to run AC2 2x4's.  The outer most (the picture is off) 2x4's will be two screwed together and then a single 2x4 for the inner joists.

So the joists would look like this:

|||-----||-----||-----||-----||-----|||

Is this a sufficient base for decking?
How far should the joists be spaced?

A plain old cinder block will deteriorate within a matter of years. Use blocks designed for the purpose, or pour footings like you're supposed to, following code to the letter.

Concrete Deck Block:

Other than as being part of the railings, 2x4s don't belong anywhere in the construction of a deck.

I've never used these, but a key rule to follow would be placing them on undisturbed soil (don't add dirt back into the hole to make it level). Remove the sod and dig your hole as perfectly as possible.


workaround for ground anchor settling in clay We have a sun room built by a contractor for which building plans had to be approved by the city and a professional engineer.  The room is about 12' x 12' and attached to the house.  It sits on a wooden box frame on top of 4 ground anchors that sit in heavy, heavy clay.

Five years after construction one of the windows has lost it's seal and there is a point of movement between two drywall sheets.  I patched the area between the two drywall sheets but a week later the crack is back!

I believe that the ground anchors are moving just a little bit due to the clay and the temperature range of -40 deg F to + 90 deg F range that we get in a year.

It's too late to do anything with the anchors as they are boxed in. There is siding covering the exterior of the box and wire mesh from there to the ground to keep animals out.

Is there anything that can be done for the drywall or a new window that would tolerate slight movements?

From the pictures it looks like they put in two ground screws and then attached the box to the concrete foundation of the house.

Put in a warranty with whomever you can & ride it out until warmer weather for a full reveal & adjustment, the anchors look somewhat adjustable & may permanently fix any initial settlement. This could be freeze thaw settlement & you may find movement stops in warm weather. Indicating the anchors were not installed correctly by not going below the frost line.

Masking tape outlined with a pencil over the drywall crack is a better movement monitor. The masking tape is just to make it pretty, you actually keep marking the wall every time it moves. To get an idea of how much it's moving, why it's moving, how it's moving & therefore when it stops moving & even goes back up.

Drywall patching & window sash resealing will only succeed when the box frame finally rests on the ground, if the movement doesn't stop on its own. If there's no warranty anywhere & especially not on any paperwork, then your best & really only course of action is to put in a real foundation with really big feet fat stinky feet. Anchors only work when they contact ledge rock & only companies that do it right do that.


Why am I getting condensation on the first floor joists of my new build? We're building a new house in New Hampshire. We insulated the 1st floor joists with batting last winter so the minimal amount of heat we had in the basement to prevent the foundation from cracking wouldn't create condensation on the exposed (cold) 1st floor above. We had terrible condensation anyway and had to remove all batting because of beginning signs of mildew and mold.

We're faced with the same situation this winter. Will foam board insulation be a better solution?

(We know the best solution is to sell the old house and finish this new house and just move in, but THAT is out of our hands!)

It sounds like you're saying your basement is heated, but nothing else is (possibly the floor above is exposed to the outside).

What you've done is put in insulation below the subfloor to try and keep the heat in the basement. This is a good idea, however, any time you have warm meeting cold, you're going to get condensation, and so you need a vapour barrier on the warm side only. This prevents the moisture in the warm air from getting into the cold zone.

If you have the vapour barrier on the cold side, you'll get condensation on the vapour barrier itself, between the insulation and vapour barrier, and this will lead to mold (and it's possibly a worse thing to do than have no vapour barrier).

If you have vapour barrier on both sides, you'll also run into trouble as if any moisture DOES make its way in between, there is no drying and no way for it to get out.

If you're using batt insulation, the best thing to do is put a 6mil vapour barrier on the bottom side of the joists, and seal it as best you can around the edges. Ideally you want a continuous barrier with no gaps. The vapour barrier on the ceiling should be connected to the vapour barriers on the walls, and then is typically sealed to the floor using acoustic sealant.

Foam insulation works as a vapour barrier as well, but you need to ensure all gaps between each piece and around the edges are sealed using air-tight tape (eg, Tuck tape).

Realize though that having this vapour barrier in place once you're finished construction will actually be detremental. You don't want to vapour seal between heated rooms, as it inhibits natural drying and air/moisture movement. If you end up having the basement unheated (or minimally heated), then it becomes the cold zone compared to your first floor and so your vapour barrier will be installed on the wrong side.


Easiest/Cheapest way to improve insulation of a room I have a home office, which has 2.5 walls that border the outside of the house, and a floor that is over the garage. It's a nasty combination. It gets quite hot during the part of the day where the sun shines on one of the outside walls. The room is easily 5 degrees warmer or more than the rest of the house.

I can feel it, too. The floor itself is warmer than the floor inside the rest of the second story. The walls that border the outside are noticeably warmer to the touch than the other walls.

This house was built in 2006, so it's relatively new construction. And yet I question whether it was insulated correctly. Once we added a ceiling fan and had to open up the wall above the light switch -- there was no insulation there. That part of the wall does not border the outside, but that same wall DOES on the other side of the room.

I found this which is helpful for determining if there is insulation:
Determining if there is insulation behind a wall

So my question is really two things:

If the wall behind my switch is not insulated, does that mean they probably didn't insulate the entire wall? Is it common to only insulate the part of a wall that borders outside and not the rest?
Are there any DIY techniques to insulate the walls further that are relatively cheap and easy? If it does have to involve tearing open the walls, how big of a deal is it? What kind of cost would you think for a room that's about the size of a typical modern house's extra bedroom?

For Q#1, no. It is typical, indeed expected, that they will only insulate the parts of a wall that border the outside of the home.  Insulation isn't that cheap.

For Q#2, get an IR/no contact thermometer, frequently selling for $20 online for the lower end models.  Check all the walls in the room and compare to other walls on the same side of the house.  This will give you an idea of whether the problem is real or imagined.

The reason I suggest the issue could be imagined is that people, lights, and electronic equipment put off a lot of heat, possibly more than you are seeing transmitted through the walls.  Just by working in the room, you will likely see a large spike in temperature.

The easy fixes for this problem are more weather stripping around leaking windows, outlets, etc and adding insulation to places you can reach, such as the attic.  And finally, make sure your air vents are properly adjusted to send more air to the rooms you use.  You may consider placing a fan on the floor at the door blowing cool air into the room (effectively pushing hot air out the top of the doorway).


Leveling wood floor for laminate wood floor I am laying down some laminate wood floor this week in my house over some older wood plank flooring. I was just going to put roofing paper down and then some foam style underlayment Home Depot recommended. The issue is the floor, being old planks, is not very level spanning the room. The corners are pretty low, maybe 1/4" dip. Should I lay down some liquid floor leveler on this floor or just build up the underlayment to make it more level?

Thanks.

Those planks look really cupped and separated. Floor leveler probably isn't a good choice; too many ways for it to go through the floor. It needs a overlay with plywood to make for a solid smooth base. Just ensure that the plywood is laminated and properly fastened to the subfloor. The thinner the plywood the flatter the subfloor needs to be, that means sanding and filling the cups in the wood before laminating to it. From there you can level it off easily.


Why is my emergency generator hard to pull for starting? My portable generator ran fine for 5 hours, then ran out of gas.  I refilled the tank but now the pull is excessively hard and the unit will not start.  I removed the spark plug and the pull was normal.

What next?

Mine is doing the same. I fully disassembled after checking the easy stuff. The decompression lobe on the cam is no longer functioning. Mine needs a cam.


Appropriate breaker types for kitchen circuits We are updating our kitchen and I was just wondering if someone could tell me the code appropriate type of circuit breakers to use for circuits in the kitchen.

First the breaker must match your panel (Square D in a Square D panel; Eaton BR in a Challenger panel; sometimes it's tricky).
Then, the breaker must be the correct ampacity for the wire.  So if the wire is #14 use a 15A breaker.  Do not use a 20A breaker unless all wire in the circuit is known to be #12 copper or #10 aluminum.
If it is feasible for you to add new circuits to the kitchen, then there are a minimum number of circuits which must exist, and a few more we recommend for usability's sake. The Code requirements are slumlord minimums; exceeding the minimum makes a happier kitchen.

You must install at least two 20A receptacle circuits, which serve receptacles only, in kitchen countertops, rest of kitchen, pantry, dining area, breakfast nook etc.   These circuits can also serve small loads on a gas range (i.e. spark ignitors) and also a wall clock. The exhaust fan CANNOT be on this circuit.

Electric ranges and ovens can share a dedicated circuit (or not), and are subject to special/unusual math as to circuit ampacity.  Generally a 50A circuit/breaker is a safe choice, but the best choice is conduit between range area and service panel.  Connections MUST be 4-wire: using /2+ground Romex to power ovens has always been illegal.

Hardwired large appliances cannot be on the above circuits, and need their own circuit(s) as needed based on their ampacity (x 1.25 if the load might conceivably run 3 hours or more, so not microwaves nor disposals).  They can share circuits, but that "paints you into a corner" in the future, e.g. not allowing you to use a more powerful disposal because then disposal+dishwasher would exceed 20A.  Generally best to have a dedicated circuit for each.

Only recommended: Dedicated circuit for refrigerator, set up with a single socket (not the normal dual socket) and labeled "Refrigerator only".  No GFCI on this circuit!

Recommended: More than two Kitchen countertop receptacle circuits.  One per countertop receptacle is ideal. That is because 2 cooking appliances (typically 1500W each) are typically too much for 1 circuit (2400W).  This makes it easy for the chef to arrange appliances so they don't trip breakers.


Two hots, one shared neutral, can it work with plug on neutral GFCI/AFCI breakers? Situation: A 1950s house with some equally old wiring, and some remaining EMT wiring that is being put onto a new QO main svc panel (QO142M200PCAFVP).  This is a plug-on-neutral panel.
I believe per NEC2017, one is supposed to upgrade all 20AMP or smaller breakers to either GFCI or AFCI (I’m replacing with a combo GFCI/AFCI) when upgrading to a new panel.
One AC/BX cable in-particular (purple circle) which has two 14ga hots and one 14ga (shared) neutral is giving me pause.  Back in the day someone went and wired separate circuits onto the separate hots.  Each hot serves 3 non-grounded regular 15amp outlets, 2 switched 15amp outlets that were used for lamps, and one has an actual hallway light switch.
I originally put each hot to a separate 15amp GFCI/AFCI breaker (blue oval) and tried to throw the one neutral onto the neutral bar (white circle).  This doesn’t seem to work (circuits on those two hots are dead).
I believe this is because there is no continuity between the hots and the neutral, as with the new GFCI/AFCI plug-on-neutral breakers, the neutral is supposed to go on the breaker.  Does that sound right?
I can’t exactly put the one neutral onto one of the GFCI/AFCI breakers, that just doesn’t seem right.
Should I use non-GFCI/AFCI breakers (which was the case before and the two circuits worked)? If so, I would hope that the inspector would allow for this exception to requiring the GFCI/AFCI breakers, as I’m not changing anything on the circuits, just connecting them to a new panel.

Three separate, but related, issues here:
MWBC
An MWBC must have at a minimum a handle tie for common maintenance shutoff. But the usual thing is to just use a double-breaker. Either one accomplishes two things:

Makes sure that if you turn off one half of the circuit for maintenance, the other half is off too. Otherwise you could end up with some dangerous situations on the shared neutral.
Makes sure that the two circuits are on different poles (i.e., 240V between them). Otherwise you could easily end up with an overloaded neutral.

GFCI
GFCI can be provided effectively at either the breaker panel or at the first device in each chain that needs to be protected. Two combination GFCI/receptacle devices often costs less than a GFCI/double-breaker and has the advantage of putting the GFCI reset button closer to point of use. On the other hand, a GFCI/double-breaker has the big advantage of simplicity. Once you get the breaker installed correctly, everything else is "normal" - no concern about LINE vs. LOAD.
AFCI
Unlike GFCI, AFCI is most useful either as a breaker (in this case, a double-breaker) or as a deadfront installed close to the panel. That is because AFCI protects against problems with receptacles, fixtures and other devices and also protects against wiring problems, so putting AFCI close to the start of the wiring run makes the most sense.
Note that code does not require GFCI or AFCI "everywhere". But assuming that you are required (or want to do so for any reason), the typical installation would be a GFCI/AFCI double-breaker. However, as far as I can tell, but one of the people who actually really knows this stuff can tell us for sure, Square D does not make QO double-pole AFCI + GFCI breakers. Which means that either you have to give up one of the functions, or get the AFCI protection in a double-breaker and push the GFCI protection to either a deadfront or replace the first receptacle in each of the two halves of the MWBC with a GFCI/receptacle device.


How can I supply 240v power to my home with 120v generators? I want to hook up two 3kw inverter generators together to power my house in case of power loss. They only have 120V not 240V.  How can I make this work while supplying power to all circuits 120V & 240V?

Two identical 12V car batteries could deliver 24V, and two identical  120V~ transformers at the same net could deliver 240V~.
But two 120V~  generators can not simply be connected in series to get 240V~.
They must have a special interface/circuit to offer that option, because both generators must be locked to exactly the same frequency and must be locked to a constant phase difference of exactly Pi, e.g. by a phase locked loop circuit.
In case of the car batteries and the 2 transformers, this condition is automatically ensured without special circuits. Both car batteries deliver exactly the same frequency (0.000000 Hertz) and can simply be connected with exactly Pi difference ( + pole connected to -).
Both transformers are fed by exactly the same frequency (from the grid) and can also be simply connected with Pi difference.


What professional installs dryer vents? I need to relocate our dryer vent. It goes behind the wall and to the roof. With our new stacking machine, we need to move a few feet. For the life if me, I can't figure out who to hire to do it. I want to make sure it's to code. Any ideas?

you can call a HVAC company, you can also call a general contractor. Going out on a limb here, there is a good chance it already isn't to code, many many many installations aren't. As a matter of fact, it is advisable and recommended the dryer piping get cleaned out once to twice a year (if you use it a lot, twice).


What's the best way to keep insects from coming in Jalousie windows? My house has an attached sunroom with old Jalousie windows. They're great for a breeze, but I'd like to find a way to keep insects from coming through.

What are my options (other than replacing them)? Is it possible to attach screening to them, for example?

I've contacted several places that make windows and screens, and no one seems to know how to make screens for these windows. It sounds like no one has ever asked them before.

Window screens usually go on the inside of jalousie windows because (most) jalousie windows open outward (at least partly).

If you want to install a screen on the outside then you would (probably) need to build a frame around the window, with enough depth so that the window will not touch the outside screen. Also, you will probably need to weather-proof an exterior frame (like with flashing), depending on the depth and overhang of the eve.

Installing a screen on the inside may be easier, but ease of screen removal and durability with respect to repetetive screen removal (like for cleaning dead bugs) should be considered in the design.


Installing ceramic tile on top of wooden bathroom floor In the middle of a bathroom re-model and at the point of replacing the floor.

Removed the existing vinyl tile from the floor and a bit confused about what is underneath. Not sure what is needed for it to support ceramic tile. Specifically, this mosaic tile.

This is what the subfloor looks like after the vinyl removal.

It's difficult to determine the type of wood. There is either a membrane/underlayment or sealant of some kind that stayed on the floor after the vinyl was removed. There's only a few spots peaking through.

I'm hesitant to pry off this "membrane" in case this material might help in installing the ceramic on the subfloor without requiring another underlayment like Ditra, Easymat or backerboard.

There is very little extra space between the exterior floor and the bathroom that raising it with any of those options will add too much of a height disparity.

My questions are:

What is the wood used and the "membrane" on top?
Can I install tile on top (with thinset) or is an additional underlayment required?
If it's required, can something like Redgard or self-levelling cement be used to keep the height increase to an absolute minimum?

This is my first time doing any flooring so I appreciate the help. Thanks!

I agree with OSB and leveling compound. I know it would be more work but I would see if the OSB is a underlayment and possibly only 3/8" thick, chip up a small hole where it would need to be patched if you use this surface. If a thin underlayment pull it up and replace with cement board. Cement board will not swell and fall apart if moisture gets under the tile like OSB will. Another advantage to cement board is it will be a better base for the tile making the tile stronger than on wood. I have dropped small tools and broken tiles in the past, but have found impacts on tile set on cement board with thinset resists breaking much better.
If you want to stay with the current base verify the "leveling compound is secure not loose and breaking up. Clean out all the loose stuff and clean up as much of the dust as possible. Once clean use some leveling compound mortar to repair the surface so it is smooth. Once the floor repair is dry it would be time to tile.


How can I calculate if switching power strip on and off is safe I am a total noob when it comes to electricity and find this questions hard to search answers for on the internet. I have the below setup:

Dell screen 1.5a * 230v = 345w
Dell screen 1.5a * 230v = 345w
Samsung screen 1a * 230v = 230w
Samsung screen 1a * 230v = 230w
BASF stereo amp 200w (8-16 ohm, does this matter ?)
WD Elements 0.6a * 230v = 138w
YANEC laptop charger output 90w, input unspecified (il assume input of 50w)

sum all = 1578w

all connected to Konig power strip with max 3680W max 13500a surge protection
(it has this small extra button which is the surge protection)

I am in Belgium hence the 230v.

I used to have a similar setup with another screen and my desktop pc also connected to the power strip. One day the power strip made a poof sound when I switched it on and stopped working for a while, all appliances where fine except for the computers PSU which was fried.

My little knowledge of electricity tells me that I just have to compare the wattage. So in this case 1578w < 3680w so I should be safe. But someone told me that the appliances will draw more at the moment my power strip is turned on. This would explain also how I fried my PSU.

So my question to you guys: can I safely switch my power strip on and off too effectively use it as an on/off switch for all appliances at the same time? Or will I fry one of them at some point?

Also, yes, I am aware that I could have avoided destroying my PSU if I had done this research earlier.

None of the items you have listed would have much of an increase in starting currents. That usually applies to motor loads. You're fine switching your power strip on and off.
Did you consider the fact that maybe the power supply failed, shorted out, and that's why the power strip went poof when it tripped?


How do I unclog underground downspout pipes? Our gutters drain into a downspout pipe that goes underground. It's very clogged with dirt, leaves, sticks, etc., and now water is backing up and leaking into the foundation of our house. I stuck my hand in there and cleared out as much as I could. The problem is that it hasn't been cleaned in a long time, and is very compact. We just bought the house, and I'm not sure when it was cleaned last.

I'm trying to figure out how to unclog it, without luck. I've tried using a regular plumber snake, and tried blasting water down there. Any suggestions for me?

I ran into the same situation on two of my own houses.  I knew where the exits were, but they were long runs, with extended, packed blockage (probably never cleared).  Initial attempts at clearing them with plumbing snakes and special hose nozzles didn't make much of a dent.

You've got nothing to lose trying to clear the pipes.  But if they have many years of build-up that has turned into a giant solid plug, and efforts to clear them don't seem to get anywhere, it may not be worth the time to clear them. That's especially true if you don't own serious pipe cleanout equipment.  You can get them professionally reamed out, but that isn't cheap.

At one house, I just dug up the buried pipe and replaced it.  If you're careful, you can put the dirt and sod back.  That took about the same amount of time that I had already spent trying to clear them, and was cheaper than getting them professionally cleared.

If you attempt to clear the pipe with a snake or hose attachment, can locate the plug and determine how long it is, it might save a little work to cut out and replace that section if it is at one end of the pipe.

At the other house, I abandoned it in place and just used downspout extenders.


Can I hook up under-sink water filter to sprayer outlet on faucet? I installed a new single-handle kitchen faucet with a sprayer. Is it possible to replace the sprayer with a water filter (I have only one hole on the side in the sink)?

Specifically, would it work to connect an under-sink water filter inlet line to the faucet's sprayer outlet? That is, as opposed to connecting the filter inlet to the main cold water inlet (via a T connector).

Reason: I want to avoid touching the connections between the inlet copper pipes and the "tubes" that go to the faucet, if possible.

The diverter valve built into your faucet is downstream from the faucet valve that is designed to hold back "line" pressure. The diverter shunts water toward the spray head when you open the spray head valve, and directs it toward the fixed spout otherwise.

The faucet sprayer head/nozzle is not designed to hold back system pressure. They would have to be more robust to the point of being unwieldy to do that. Also, the main valve is where hot and cold are mixed, giving you temperature adjusted water at the sprayer head. If you hook directly to the spray head it will leak.


What is this metal cable in wall? I'm adding a window in my kitchen and found this metal cable between two pipes in the corner.  Slab home.
Can someone please let me know what it is?

So, based on the fact that this cable is dead straight I assumed it to be structural - it's clearly under tension to be that straight. Visually, it appears to be galvanized steel, not something electrical, and electrical is not normally tight.
Tie down made sense. Noting a username implying a Florida location, tie down made a LOT of sense. Keeping your frame attached to the foundation helps immensely in hurricane and tornado survivability.
Brief web search for "structural cable tie slab" found what appears to be at least one company making such things. Obviously I'm not associated, and I don't know if there are others.


constructing mechanical chase I'm thinking about putting a mechanical chase in my home to connect the roof to the garage.  The chase would contain the flue for water heater and furnace, and possibly a dryer vent (separate from flue).  I'd also like a conduit for communication cables (satellite, internet, etc).  I don't know if there are codes I need to be aware of, and this type of thing is hard to search for on Yelp.

[EDIT] I'm defining "chase" as a type of chimney or shaft.  Honestly, I don't know that I'm using the word correctly.  My water heater and furnace are in the garage, which sits underneath the main living area.  Both appliances are gas and they share a flue which goes from the garage (think basement), up through the main living area (in a closet surrounded by drywall - no access), and out the top of the flat roof.  I would like to move this about 3' so that I can make the corridor/chimney/shaft/chase bigger, and add a dryer vent and some conduit for cables.

Would any general contractor be able to do this, or should I look for specific labor?
Is this something I could DIY?

Ok now we know the want is for the chase to be a verticle space with 2 or more vents and some electrical. Yes this can be done, enclosed vents are required to be triple walled pipe in my state and the wiring must be rated for the temp in that area. Many wire types are rated for 90deg C this is very hot and with some venting in the chase it will stay well below this threshold. The dryer vent may need a booster fan and can be single wall, I always suggest a booster when going verticle or more than ~15' horizontal.


Sagging drawer bottom The 1/4" MDF bottoms of these drawers are stapled to the drawer frames.  The bottoms are not rigid enough to support contents without sagging.  And they are so low to the cabinet frame that the sagging centers scrape and squeak against the cabinet face
My first inclination would be to glue cross-braces onto the bottom of the drawers, but there is no room for anything between the drawer bottom and the cabinet face.  I could perhaps glue and staple cross-braces inside the drawer.
Another thought was to apply a lubricant to the bottom of the drawer.  Is there something that would stick to MDF and be lubricious enough to stop the squeaking and not wear off?
Last idea was to get a very thin sheet of teflon or UHMW and glue that to the bottom of the drawer and/or the top of the cabinet frame where it is rubbing.  What material would be best, and what adhesives would hold it to MDF? –
How can this scraping, or at least the squeaking, be mitigated without rebuilding the drawers?
See the scrape marks in the following photo

You could use anti-friction tape.
The other thing you could consider is sheet metal.  You could get 20g sheet metal and use that to make cross bridging.  It might be rigid and thin enough to help support the bottom.
Another idea would be to split the interior drawer into two sections and use the drawer divider to pull up the bottom (either splitting the space side to side or back to front).
Outside of that you are better off rebuilding the drawer and using something reasonable as a drawer bottom.  Hard to imagine 1/4 MDF being used as a drawer bottom - did they run out of cardboard?


Ceiling light junction box multiple wire detection I have tried to change a ceiling light and am confused as to why there are so many cables jammed into the box and some of them are burnt. I need some advise as to what to do. I have attached the best image i can. Thanks in advance.

It appears, at one time, that the circuit took way too much heat.  I would not be comfortable leaving it like this, but I have done wiring for years.  When the breaker to the light is off, determine what else is on that circuit.  Then look at what these normally pull.  I am assuming this is a house 30+ years old.  I see 6 ground wires going into the electrical cap, but only 5 white neutrals going into that cap.  A question I have for you is why are you changing the light?  Was it a "honey, I don't like this light" or the light was not working correctly?  Do you have access to the wiring from above, like in the attic?  You can always just switch the light out and what you did by changing the light will not increase your chance of fire, but I would still check out what else is on that circuit.


How can I stop a stainless steel drinking water tank from leaking? I have stainless steel drinking water tank that is leaking from the weldings (few pin holes).

What is the best way to stop these leaks, without draining the tank?
Welding could be option but I have no access to it.

Does some kind of adhesive exist that could be applied to wet surface?

I would suggest using a product called "Sealsall". You can get it at any hardware store.  This stuff is easy to use, Dry the seam as best as you can, then just apply some to the leaking seam before it gets too wet again. Try not to get it on your fingers as it will take a week to get it off!!  Sealsall dries clear and should be good for years.  I have used it on everything from a canoe bottom, car gas tank, to hot tubs with success.  Good Luck


Bad Apartment Wiring? I believe the wiring in my apartment is bad. I plugged an appliance into an outlet near my kitchen and heard a click. I think the click was a GFCI outlet. I checked the breakers in my breaker box, and none of them were toggled. All of my breakers were in their on/enabled state.

There is a GFCI outlet in my kitchen that doesn't appear to be operating correctly. If I press the "test" or "reset" buttons, nothing happens. There is no power to this GFCI or any of the outlets in the vicinity of it. I cannot find a way to restore power to any of these outlets.

Does my apartment have bad wiring? What should I do about this?

Multiple GFI's incorrectly wired in series on the same circuit must be reset in the order they appear on the circuit.  In other words, your appliance may have tripped more than on GFCI-- its not supposed to be done that way, but it happens quite frequently.  While annoying it's not unsafe to have multiple GFCI's miswired in that manner.

Look for other tripped GFCI's (perhaps even the bathroom) that need to be reset, then try to reset the one in the kitchen you're having a problem reseting.

Your appliance likely has a ground fault and the GFCI is protecting you from shock.

It is possible for a GFCI to reach end of life, it's far more common tho to have multiple GFCIs miswired.


How do I increase the capacity of a small humidifier? I'm trying to increase the humidity in our house, as it gets extremely dry in the winter. I have a small second hand humidifier that I have modified to suit my interests, however there is one thing that still bothers me about it. The capacity is quite small and as such I have to refill it at least twice a day. It would be very nice not to have to do this, so I've been thinking about how I could attach an external water tank to it.

The current water holder has a clear plastic top, so I could easily make a hole in it. I thought I could use one of the huge spring water jugs that you see in office water dispensers for the external tank. I would place the external tank above the built-in one, so there would be a constant flow as the humidifier used water. So all I would need, after making holes in each tank, would be to have a specific part that I can imagine, but that I've never seen or heard of.

This part basically attaches itself to any hole securely and without leaks. It's a bit hard to explain, but I'll try to show you what I'm thinking of with ASCII art. This is a side view of it.

  |       |     <- pipe continues to the external tank
  |       |
__|_______|___  <- rubber and metal ring with hole in the middle
  |       |
  |       |     <- pipe that fits the hole in the plastic (threaded)
  |       |        this piece goes into the hole in the humidifier

______________  <- a rubber and metal piece that you screw on from the other side
                   to secure the connection

And then, when installed, it sandwiches the plastic of the humidifier's top between the two rubber pieces and lets water flow from the pipe into it.

This strikes me as an extremely useful item for DIY, being able to securely connect any hole to a hose or pipe, so I would be surprised if it didn't exist. If it does, what is it called? And would they have one at a hardware store? A specialty plumbing store?

If this doesn't exist, how else can I connect an external tank to my humidifier?

Thanks!

If I understand your question and ascii art, what you're looking for is called a bulkhead fitting.

There are a ton of different types: made from different materials, inside thread, outside thread, barbed, one-sided, two-sided, and all different sizes. I'm sure you can find one that is suitable for your application. The big box stores should at least have a few to select from, your local plumbing supplier will have more, and of course you can find anything online.


HF compresser pops gfci on different circuit Guys I have an almost new HF oil fairly large 15 amp compressor.  I have it on a 20 amp circuit in garage with no gfci that I added myself.

From almost day after warranty expired on startup it started pop a gfci on another garage circuit. This circuit has a freezer plus outlets in living room with home entertainment center.

I'm sure there's an issue with the compressor but it works great so currently I only turn it on when needed and then reset the gfci on the other circuit..

Any ideas on how to stop this for happening if he then replacing the compressor or removing the gfci?  The gfci has been replaced a couple of times so that not the issue.

Yes it is a Harbor Freight compressor item 61489 r120v/60Hz/15 Amp. It only has 5 hours so not due for first oil change. So no haven't changed it yet. Believe its due after first 10.

The GFCI pops on startup. I can even reset while compressor is running and it stays on fine. Remember the freezer is on the GFCI circuit and compressor is on a non GFCI circuit.

The circuit I ran actually has 3 outlets and a switch. Sorry I forgot. I looked at the circuit and all wired correctly. When I installed it I added a new 20 amp breaker. Black to breaker white and ground to different places on bus bar but both on same side of bus bar. (There is another one on other side left that only has white. Right side has grounds and white.)

So if both circuits white and ground are on same bus in panel could that cause the over lap?  Do I need to switch them to the left side bus?

And thanks for all your input! I did have an electrician come look at it and charged me $300 with no resolution. Lol. But they didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with my installed circuit.

I've also wired 2 different 220 volt circuits for a welder and a table saw.

Neutral or ground for the compressor circuit is somehow tangled up with neutral or ground from the freezer circuit.  Go through both circuits and make sure of several things:

the neutrals from both circuits are totally separated.  No contact whatsoever.
on both circuits, Neutral is not contacting ground anywhere.
the ground wires for each circuit goes all the way back to the panel.
there are no "islanded grounds", i.e. Where some devices are grounded only to each other but there is no grounding path back to the panel.  Sometimes when people add wiring to old pre-ground circuits, there's a ground wire in the cable so they hook it up.  Never do that unless there is a ground path back to the panel.  This ground can be retrofit if need be.

Keep in mind ground paths can be things other than wires, e.g. If the compressor is physically touching the freezer.


Empire Heating System model FAW55IP When the fan motor shuts off at the end of the cycle, in about 30 seconds the fan motor turns back on for 30 seconds and it does this 3 times before shutting off completely.  Went thru troubleshooting manual & Replaced the fan control switch but still doing that.  Any suggestions

Interesting model.  Empire furnaces are tremendous because they run without any electricity at all.  I really dislike that this one needs electricity to ignite (thus: useless in an outage), but maybe it can be made to work on a solar/battery system, in which case, good riddance pilot.  For that matter, the ignition current is tiny, and could itself be supplied by a local battery topped up from the thermocouple.  Who knows.

On any Empire furnace (pilot or electronic), the furnace is fundamentally a convection unit. The fan is a "bolt-on" and is merely to distribute heat more effectively.  On one of my Empires, if the power fails, simply, the fan doesn't run, the heater still heats the house.  Also, the fan "trails" firing and quitting of the gas burner, only removing heat when the heat exchanger is hot enough to require it.

In your case, the fan sputters on/off due to an effect called "heat soak".  It efficiently cools the outside of the heat exchanger, but the inside is hotter.  When the fan shuts off, heat is still coming out of the heat exchanger.  That heat raises the temperature of the heat exchanger skin, which causes the fan to start up again.  Rinse wash repeat until temperatures equalize.

But I would expect fan or its thermo-switch design to account for that.  You may have a defect in the thermo-switch, or it may be misinstalled. The fan may have a delay circuit which is defective.


How to deal with paint fumes from 2-pack paint? I recently had the bilges of my narrowboat painted. They used a paint with two components that needed to be mixed, and warned me that it contained 'isocyanates', and to avoid sleeping on the boat until the fumes had cleared.

They said it was aircraft paint they had left over from another job, and that it would be very hard and so good for preventing rust in a place which is unventilated, damp, and uninspectable.

Initially the smell was overpowering, but they told me that the fumes would go away in a week or so.

A month later, although the smell has gone down a lot, there's still a smell of paint fumes in my bedroom.

Does anyone know what these fumes are likely to be? The smell itself isn't too troubling, but I wonder if they're poisonous.

I tried sleeping there last night, and woke up with a slight sore throat and have had a mild headache today (might be coincidence, of course...)

Any good ideas for getting rid of the fumes, apart from the horror option of ripping up the whole of the boat and grinding off all the paint and re-doing it? Will they eventually just go away on their own? Is there any way to speed the process?

The fumes are not isocyanates.  Once the paint cures fully, there will be no isocyanates in the paint.  Let me explain where the isocyanates are (or were) and how the paint is toxic.

To oversimplify, paint contains three parts:

Pigment - the stable material that gives paint its color.
Resin - the glue-like binder that sticks the paint to the surface and holds the pigments together.  This stuff cures like epoxy.
Thinner aka reducer - which makes it thin enough to paint, then evaporates fully (dries), and is gone. This is the "paint stink".

Pigments used to be hazardous. But since they are part of the paint forever, and they become microscopic dust when you sand paint, the government made toxic pigments illegal long ago.

Thinner/reducer has toxicity like similar chemicals like gasoline, toluene, etc.  That's why you should not paint in a confined area. The stuff used in 2-pack paints tends to be nastier and more stinky.  And yes, it will give you a headache.  When it evaporates, it will be gone.

If you want to know exactly what it is, look up the brand of paint (likely Interlux or Awlgrip), figure out the reducer recommended for that paint, and check the MSDS (material safety data sheets) for that reducer.

Resin is designed to "polymerize" as it cures: join with nearby molecules to become a much longer molecule.  With 2-pack resin, they simply contain an A and B part which connects sequentially: ABABABABA. The B-part contains BPAs or isocyanates which have receptors on each end of the molecule, which will aggressively "grab" the A-part.  This makes it polymerize fast, in mere days.  At that point it is no longer isocyanate, and its atoms have become part of a much longer molecule that is too large to be liquid or vapor.  You're not smelling that, obviously.

Isocyanate is a cumulative toxin which can inflame or damage the immune system.  Painters get exposed to it thusly:

Spray guns atomize the paint resin into a fine mist.  If they don't use proper protective gear, they can breathe it into their lungs, which are very vulnerable.
Sanding dried paint which hasn't fully cured, and getting the dust in their lungs.
Brush/roller application is pretty safe since the resin is not airborne.

So how does that impact you as a boat owner?  The isocyanates aren't much of a threat to you.  It will be almost entirely cured after 3 weeks, which means the isocyanates are gone.  Like epoxy, it doesn't need fresh air to cure.

The fumes will ultimately dry and go away.  It helps to air out the boat; and/or it helps for the boat to get hot.  The fumes are heavier-than-air, and will want to go to lower parts of the boat.


Adding extra outlets to reduce breaker tripping? I have recently changed my attic to be my bedroom, the attic wasn't designed to be lived in so there are only 2 outlets. I have a 500 watt PC, portable AC, aquarium heater and heating bulb and much more distributed across the 2 outlets and I think that is what causes the breaker to trip. Will adding extra outlets to distribute the load fix this issue and if not is there anything I can do to fix this?

More outlets won't help with breaker tripping if they are still on the same circuit. You need to split some loads out onto their own circuits. These would have their own breakers. I would start with the portable AC.


Do I really need this circuit vent if the sink vertical drain segment is 4' away from the vertical dry vent? Here is the layout and I am questioning the need to have the purple segment
the green blue selected segment is already in place, the green segment between the shower vent and the sink is what I am building (still dry fitting the pieces but I did not drill the holes for the studs to the left of the vertical green segment
As mentioned the distance between the two green verticals is 4'
I am also considering an air admittance valve

Update: Here is why I need to go down and not horizontal with the drain

If the slope of the drain is 1/4"-per-foot you can do without the pink vent.  Be sure to measure your slope with a level.  Don't just measure from the floor.
You don't need an AAV to delete the pink vent.
trap arm size    trap max developed length @ 1/4"-per-foot slope
1 1/4"           5 feet
1 1/2"           6 feet
2"               8 feet

Instead of the green branch drain having a vertical drop, just run it horizontally (with a 1/4"-per-foot slope) over to the corner.  That is within the max length before siphoning could occur.


Can I paint the top of a glass top stove? Our previous stove had white speckles over the top.  This helped hide the streaks of casually done wipe ups.

Our present stove is a classic illustration that 'black attracts light coloured dirt'  I am investigating whether it's practical to paint the top of the stove outside the burner areas, either in patterns, with a stencil, a tromp d'oeil sponge.

Such a paint would have to bond to the glass and would need to dry with a smooth finish so that it too was scrub tolerant.

The only absolute permanent way to mark glass that I know of is etching with a glass etching cream.  I've used this for custom drink glasses and casserole dishes (all clear glass), but I don't know what it would look like on a black stove.  It doesn't color the glass, but it would make little frosted specs all over if you sprinkled the etching over the surface.

I can tell you that the frosted markings do sort of disappear when the surface is wet, but always show back up once it dries.

This is more of a long comment because it's not tested for your purpose, but it's something to consider and possibly test in a corner or something.  Before you do anything, realize that it permanently "damages" the glossy surface of the glass and there's no way to undo it if you don't like it.

Any paint will be raised from the surface of the glass which means it can be scraped off and could make cleaning harder.  Maybe someone has some amazing product to try, but there's not a paint I know of that I would put on a cooktop surface.  I believe the white specks and lines on a cooktop are some type of heat-fused ceramic like a glazing.


Wiring receptacles to light switch I am wanting to install 4 receptacles that are controlled by a switch.  I am running 12/2 wire lights are (4) 4 ft led lights this is all that will be plugged into the receptacles. The breaker box is at back of shop so wire will run from back of shop to front door where light switch will be. Using 12/2 wire can this be done or would I have to run aditional wire.

If you take one long 12/2 wire directly from the source to the switch and then connect from there to every receptacle, then it can all be done with 12/2. However, if you plan to take the wire from the breaker to an outlet first and then eventually the switch, you'd have to run 12/3 between everything but to the breaker and wire nut the hot together all the way until the switch.

You can do this all with 12/2.


Drum sander attachment for drill keeps coming loose Like in the picture. It's doing a great job (floorboards and skirting boards) but it keeps working itself out of the drill - I can see it creeping out gradually, and after about a minute of use it falls off. I've got the chuck as tight as I can get it.

It's actually worn away the spindle bit that goes in the drill, too, presumably it is constantly slipping inside the drill.

I'm using a very heavy duty sandpaper grade on it - 40 grit - for the first pass to take all the crap off. Could that be part of the problem?

Greatful for any advice.... cheers

Your Drill Chuck is actually the problem here.

You can try a few different things.

Buy a new chuck for that drill.
Buy a new high quality drill.
Since your spindle is damaged already, you might want to put a groove in it for your chuck to bite into it.

I have no relation or affiliation with any of the following - I am supplying the links so you can see some different ways to get new chucks.

In No particular order of quality, usefulness or reputation; Links for Replacement Chucks Follow:

Toolots

Jacobs Chucks

At Amazon

Craftsman


How do I repair hairline cracks in stucco? The exterior walls on my house which is made of stucco, are starting to get hairline cracks in them.

Can anyone suggest a simple, cheap solution for it that doesn't require painting the whole house exterior?

If it were my house I'd get painting! Paint is intended to seal hairline cracks of this kind. Depending on your locality you may find that it's feasible to spray a paint finish over stucco, which can be by far the easiest and cheapest way to do it.


What tool is a 'murphy bar'? What is a 'murphy bar'?

Googling it, I found it mainly as a drinking bar; a liquor cabinet that folds down, like a Murphy bed.

Is it just a generic (dis-used?) term for prying under something to move it? I've heard tell of crow-bar like tools with wheels on them for this purpose and I'd swear I've seen them in catalogs. Am I using the wrong name?

It's a long wooden bar, about 5' long, about 2" round at the top, tapering larger to about 6"x2" oval at the bottom, with (usually) steel wheels, and a steel "lever" at the bottom. Kind of like the design of a hand-truck.

It's used for moving or shifting heavy items.

I agree, images are impossible to find.

Edit: Found one:

Search for "Pry Bar Lever Dollies" and you'll get all the Murphy bars you can handle. lol


Bosch fridge/freezer (B22CS / Linea 300 series) began chiming and temperature flashing on the freezer side My Bosch fridge/freezer began ringing at a rapid pace randomly.
There's a display in the front, which shows a temperature to the left (freezer) and the right (fridge) directly above the built-in water dispenser on the outside of the fridge door.
The freezer temperature is flashing 0˚F and seems to not respond otherwise to temperature settings. It feels a little warm inside the fridge.
I tried resetting it by opening the right (fridge) door and pushing the power button at the top-right of the fridge door frame (power cycled over a few minutes), but the issue still persists.
I don't have the original manual and I believe this Bosch is out of warranty.
Ideas?

I found the solution after digging up the appropriate manual for the Bosch B22CS30SNS)]2 online. Something was preventing the freezer from cooling, which triggered the temperature warning.

The temperature warning signal switches on if the freezer or the refrigerator compartment is too warm and the food is at risk of thawing.

Here are the steps I took to resolve the issue:

Exited alert mode: to do this, all I had to do was hold the alarm/lock button for two seconds or so—this showed me that the actual temperature inside the fridge and stopped the blinking
Reset: turned off the unit by pushing the power button on the top right of the door frame (opened the fridge and it's in the corner, near the hinge), waited a minute, and powered back on
Pulled out the large ice tray (just in case) and emptied out most of the ice (there was a lot)—when I put it back, I made sure it was fully inserted and flush
Got rid of any items that might have been blocking the freezer door—I didn't see anything obvious, but my freezer was pretty full, and I think this may have been the culprit
Closed the freezer fully, making sure the door wasn't even slightly being pushed open by an item inside
Just in case, I set it into "Super" mode which rapidly cools down the freezer or fridge over 6 hours
To do this, I pressed freezer and then super, which activated a quiet but audible change in the cooling system

Fortunately my food had not thawed yet and now it's on its way to being frozen again.
⚠ Careful with these fridges, because it isn't clear when the door is not fully closed
([


Can I use bentonite as a lining for a normal swimming pool? First, I'm open to alternatives and creative solutions, so the simple form of the question is, "Can I use bentonite as a lining for a normal (chlorinated) swimming pool?"  But, in case there are other solutions, I'm describing the situation.

I have an old barn about 300' behind my house, in a wooded area.  I'm going to be renovating the barn.  Near it is a lagoon, about 200' long by 25-30' wide.  I'm thinking of using the end of the lagoon that's near the barn as a swimming pool.  This is in the middle of the woods.  Even though we're going to have to clear the area around the pool and barn to some extent, we want it to look as natural and pleasant as possible.  (I do not want to use vinyl liners or anything like that.  Everything I read about them indicates they have to be replaced in under 10 years.)

Another issue is that this is a remote area, 1/2 a mile off the road, with several turns and the need to go over a creek crossing.  I'm not sure a truck carrying a fiberglass pool could make it back there and successfully unload a swimming pool form and place it properly.

I've been researching to learn about pools that use chlorine or salt water (and I know the salt water pools use chlorine from the salt), as well as natural pools.  I'm still trying to decide whether to go with a chlorinated pool or a natural pool.  While reading about natural pools, I see one good solution for lining the bottom is to use 3-4" of bentonite clay.

What I find frustrating is I don't find details on this anywhere.  I don't know if the clay hardens into a firm surface when tamped down and when water is over it, or if it's still slightly porous and still allows water to leak through it.  I also have no idea if the bentonite would interact with chlorine if I use it to line a chlorinated pool.

I have several reasons why, if I make a chlorinated pool, I want to use bentonite.  Naturally, I'm aware that it'll cost less than fiberglass or concrete.  But I also want the sides to slope down, from ground level, and into the pond, to give it a beach like feel.  Bentonite is also white (or white-ish), so it can look a bit like a sandy bottom.  While I could do slopes like that with concrete (which is the most expensive option), I can't do that with fiberglass.  (And I can't make a custom shape with fiberglass, either.)

With what I have learned, bentonite seems my best choice for a liner, but I don't know yet if I'll be making a natural pool or a chlorinated one and I'm open to suggestions for alternatives for lining the pool.

So can I use bentonite for lining a chlorinated pool?  And are there other suggestions, given the situation I've described, that might work better?

Bentonite clay at the bottom of a pond does not form a hard surface that could be walked on. The clay layer will be a goo which is virtually impenetrable  to water, but absolutely unsuitable for walking on. If you were going to do this, I think you would have to have a layer of sand or gravel on top of the bentonite layer.

How common is a "natural" swimming pool where you are? Have you researched how to prevent the growth of the amoeba Naegleria fowleri? https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/naegleria-infection/symptoms-causes/syc-20375470


How do I get into this kind of faucet to fix a drip? How can I get this thing apart? Using this question I was able to take out a bolt of some sort inside the top from behind the blue/red thing, but the top still doesn't come off.

It's dripping, and I wanted to fix whatever is wrong on the inside.

Here's a short video showing what I tried:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_XXLcKhsdE

Note the manufacturer and google this repair giving the model and manufacturer; you should find information on this repair. Go to the home store and look for a repair kit for this manufacturer. Note that you must turn off the hot and cold supply to this faucet before you release the ring which holds the inner parts in place.

For example I Googled: youtube repair of single handle kitchen faucet and got this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huxSQljCrIc


Red wire is connected to ground screw in my 110 volt receptacle Why would a red wire be connected to the ground screw in my 110 volt receptacle?  It is in a room addition built in the 1960's.

Romex 12/3 wire. 3 wires total: white, black, red

That outlet was miswired, and I would be very cautious with all of the wiring in that house. There's no telling what other "shortcuts" were taken.

Provide photo(s) of the outlet/setup.

Does that Romex also include a bare wire?

Does a circuit tester (like below) show the outlet as wired correctly?

Get yourself a voltage tester.

Also get yourself a continuity tester. If possible, rent or buy a MegOhm
Meter, AKA "Megger".

Switch off and or unplug everything on that circuit.

Switch the breaker off or unplug the fuse at the circuit panel.

With a voltage tester, make sure that no AC is present in the outlet.

The megger should show very high resistance (greater than 200K ohms) between the hot (black) and neutral (white).  If it doesn't, something is still on that circuit or you have a serious problem.

The megger should show less than 2 ohms resistance between the neutral (white) and the bare wire (if present).

In this case, the megger should also show less than 2 ohms between the neutral and the red wire.

Trace the red wire through the house/junction boxes and make sure that it eventually connects to a proper ground wire or the ground buss in the main panel.

If the bare wire is present and grounded, use it instead of the red wire.

If not, and the red wire is properly connected to a ground, then wrap the ends of the wire with green electrical tape at every box/or panel where it appears.  This is the code correct (in many jurisdictions) way of indicating the non-standard wire use.

If the above conditions are not met, or you can't trace the wire, hire an electrician.


Does my LED panel require a gap between it and the ceiling for cooling? I've just bought an ultra slim LED panel that I was going to stick directly to a painted plaster ceiling with silicon or No-More-Nails. The back of the panel is made of a thin plastic sheet and well attached to the rest of the light. However I've just seen many people use a ceiling frame kit which leaves a small gap behind.

Is there a particular reason to leave a gap between the panel and the ceiling, such as overheating issues?

Link to LED Panel:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00WT2BCZO

Link to Frame:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Panel-Surface-Mounting-Ceiling-Silver/dp/B01AV0VNQI

Like all types of lighting, The LEDs in LED panels generate much more heat than light. LEDs are more efficient than traditional incandescent lights and generate less heat but still generate a lot and are much much less tolerant of overheating.

The 600x600 panels are designed for standard suspended ceilings as used in offices - there will normally be a large air gap above them, certainly tens of cm.

Therefore I would be very cautious about mounting them directly to a ceiling with no air gap above the panel. I'd expect a considerably shortened life for the LED panels and the possibility of at least minor heat damage to the ceiling.

Heat may degrade your adhesive and cause it to fail and potentially cause injuries to anyone below. I note that No-More-Nails have only one product that is advertised as "temperature resistant" and even that is only good up to 90C. I suspect their "original" product will fail at much lower temperatures.


Single connection 2+ cable devices with splitter Can I split my incoming coaxial cable that is connected to just one account into two (or more) branches with each having its end device (e.g. one TV, one modem or both modem)? I currently use it just for one end device (modem) but there is a 2 way splitter in a room where it enters the house so I was wondering if that can use the connection on its own. I have Comcast in Mid Atlantic USA.

In principal, yes you can do this.  Practically, there are some design considerations that need to taken into consideration in order to get the best performance.

There is signal loss every time you split the cable. So first and foremost, the incoming signal strength needs to support the number of devices and splitters over the distance of the cable (longer cable = more signal loss).

When both cable modems and TV are used, often the signal is split closer to the source and a direct feed is provided to the cable modem.  Some splitters have different loss levels for each connection and this is also used to provide higher signal strength for longer or runs or internet modems.

You should also contact your provider to ensure you can do this on your own.


Pocket hole screws instead of screws I've read much discussion stemming from people asking if screws can be used in place of pocket screws. However, I have the converse question: if a DIY plan calls for 2" screws, can I use 2" pocket screws instead?

I know that some might say it depends on what I am building. I am building: http://www.ana-white.com/2010/01/plans/tryde-console-table.

"Pocket screw" refers to the position and angle of the screw more than the type of screw. Screws used in pocket hole joints tend to be self-tapping, but are otherwise the same as any other screw with the same diameter, length, and thread coarseness. They can definitely be used in place of other screws.


Refrigerator not cooling: told to unplug 24 hours Our fridge hasn't been cooling for about a day. It makes no sounds at all and everything has been warming up. There is power because the internal light comes on.

Our appliance guy told us to unplug the fridge for 24 hours and then plug it back in.

How would this fix the issue?

The odds of that working are very low. The guy probably said that because he was too busy to come so he just said that to give you something to do in the hope that you would call again later when he had more scheduling availability.

The most likely possibility is that it is the internal overload breaker. Usually it is easy to reset with a screw driver. Here is a picture of a typical one:

The hole has a little slot where you insert the screw driver and give it a half turn to reset it.

Of course, it could be a range of other problems, like a broken controller or a broken temperature sensor, too, but the reset is an easy thing to try.


Why would the cold feed be backfeeding hot on a hot water heater? The cold line is "upfeeding" hot. Both of the pipes running out of the hot water heaters(dual system) are hot. When we run the hot, it gets cold again. The cold feed pipe is hot until it reaches the T where it first splits from the main feed. Have had 2 plumbing companies out and nothing. All singke handle faucets and showers are off.

It is possible that the 1 water heater is pressurizing the line and using the other water heater like an expansion tank. I have seen homes that did not have check valves or pressure regulators have this problem when the water heater heated it pushed the excess pressure back so the inlet would get warm. I believe there was also a post where this cost the home owner because the water meter doesent count back flow but with the water heater heating and cooling and no other water usage the post said it increased there water bill until a regulator or check valve was installed.


Common wire for furnace to thermostat I have a blue wire being unused on both the furnace and thermostat. If I connect that blue wire on both ends will I have power?

Page one of the wiring diagram:

Page two of the wiring diagram:

What it looks like at the thermostat:

How it looks at the furnace:

You indeed should be able to connect the blue wire to the C terminals at the thermostat and furnace control board and have it all work without a hitch.


How to achieve R-21 insulation in 3.5 inch exterior wall I'd like to insulate an exterior 2x4 wall to R-21.  It looks like I'll need to use Rigid Foam of some sort.  I'm not finding any products at my local store which are 3.5 inches thick.  At the moment, I'm finding:

Rmax Thermasheath-3 Polyisocyanurate at 2 inches which provides R-13.1
Owens-corning Foamular XPS at 1.5 inches which provides R-7.5

(that adds up to 20.6, which after considering the exterior wood and siding and the interior sheer wall, I should technically be at > R-21)
Is this my best bet?  Simply put these two foams one on top of the other?  Is there a better system or single product I can buy in 3.5 inch thickness?  Should one or the other be on the outside?
Thanks for any advice, I'm new to insulation work.

I had a similar wall that I insulated exactly (well, almost) the way you're describing.  Here's a cross section of the wall.  The left side is towards an unheated workshop.

I don't think I used 1.5 inch XPS because it would have caused the sheet rock to bulge slightly.
Another option is what they call an R13+5 construction.  With this technique, which can be used for new construction or when you're tearing down to the studs, fills the 3-1/2" wall cavity with something like Rockwool (R13), then fasten foam board insulation with an R-value of 5 to the outside of the wall, before your house wrap and siding.  The chart excerpt below is from a local building code information brochure.