Refrigerator compressor for pond aeration? I'm contemplating salvaging a used refrigerator compressor to use to aerate my pond.  A new compressor actually intended for pond aeration is 600 to 900 bucks.
There are several good youtube videos on repurposing old compressors for DIY air compressors for low demand usage, and I know someone who used a reefer comp and a water tank to power the air stapler he used to build 300 bee hives. In that usage it was running 8 hours a day for several months.
More info:  Checking a few replacement compressors at random they have a displacement of 7 to 12 cubic centimeters.  If run at 1800 rpm, and using 10 cm^3 for the sake of round numbers, we get 18 liters a minute, or not quite 5 gpm.  If perfectly efficient, this works out to  about 17 watts.
Oil lubed air compressors typically put in about 1 mg/m^3, or about a mg/hour. 24 mg/day, about 0.6 g/month.  Bacteria will eat oil.  This may well be within the munch capacity.  However oil separation filters are cheap, and will handle any aerosols.  Not sure if oil vapour is a concern.
I have found that temperature is a concern.  If I need to use an oil/water separator, I have to keep it from freezing.  Given winter temperatures of potentially -40, this probably means keeping the compressor inside the house, or at keeping the trap inside the house.
Questions I don't know:
Will the compressor survive a 100% duty cycle?
How do I check the oil level -- it's no longer a closed system.
Fridge compressors typically have an output at about 120 psi.  My pond is 14 feet deep so will take ~7 psi.  Will operating so far under design be harmful?
Should I be asking this on Engineering.SE instead?

I used a old refrigerator compressor as a small shop compressor decades back with an used R12 tank. it works and is fine for shop air however I probably not do this with your fish. (Today refrigerant tanks have check valves to prevent this use and it’s not the safest method to use old propane tanks because of the thin metal used and no internal coatings in most cases).
Why not? The compressor will be lubricated with mineral oil or Poe/pag oil on newer compressors and the compressor is designed to pass oil, if using any type of compressor I would suggest oil-less or at a minimum have a trap to catch the oil.
It will only take a few drops to coat the water and could be fatal to your fish, I have a small solar water pump on my pond. It has frozen solid 3 or 4 times but has continued to work when thawed I got it from harbor freight for under 30$ and it has worked well.


Cracks in Garage Floor Causes Cracks in Polyaspartic Garage Floor Coating I recently applied a Polyaspartic coating on our garage floor. There are small but prevalent cracks in this coating, that appears to be caused by the small cracks in the concrete of the garage floor.
We did not seal our garage floor before applying the coating, as it was a new house (only 1-month-old). Each crack is about 1/16 of an inch.
I know I could use another lay, but since the multi-color chips have been put down, I am wondering if this second layer will peel.
Any solution will be appreciated.
Product Link
Below are some images:

The type of coating like this should need extra work for preparing it.
The cracks :

Mainly the cause of cracks comes from moisture (Water) and oil spilled on your floor. This moisture if you just spray the coating on it it will make your coating have microbubbles and leaving you with cracks.
Or the concrete/floor is not porous as stated in the product application manual.

In the product application manual :

SURFACE PREPARATION
Proper surface preparation is critical to achieving the best results. Scrub heavily soiled areas with RockSolid Heavy Duty Degreaser or Rust-Oleum Cleaner & Degreaser (sold separately). Scrub thoroughly, then rinse. Repeat as needed. Use the supplied RockSolid concrete etch per the instructions to provide the proper surface condition to ensure proper adhesion. Rinse the floor thoroughly and allow it to dry completely.

You should let it clean first hand before you apply any coating.
This user manual for your product from Amazon link you provide
If you didn't want to see a long PDF content, the summary of the solution:

Scrap back all coating first. (paint or coating dust is dangerous, use proper equipment for your health)
Clean your floor from oil.
Let it completely dry.
Check the porous or just sanding the floor would help the adhesion.
Apply the coating (Refer to the PDF how to apply the coating, the instruction is too long in the summary answer)

I hope this will help you


Can improved window insulation prevent condensation on the interior of a window We have a whole house humidifier which is great but one of our windows condenses much more than the others and doesn't dry out because it doesn't get much sun during the day like our other windows.  I talked to a window contractor about getting a new, well-insulated window installed.  I thought if the window is well-insulated, then the interior of the window will be warmer and so less condensation will form.  The contractor said that this wouldn't help, and that the primary problem is the air getting trapped between the blinds and the windows, and that we should instead try to leave the blinds open and of course turn down our humidifier a bit.

My question:

Will better window insulation (either by getting glass with a high R-value, or by some sort of window insulation kit) reduce condensation on our window interior?

If this is a single pane window growing to a double or triple pane window will help. To prove thus to yourself put a flash of ice water in the room and a glass of warm water, some may say Duh but a single pane window is the same as the ice water double or triple pane is similar to warm water. A dehumidifier in that room would also reduce the moisture, or things like a vent fan in the bathroom if it doesent have one it will really help. Not sure why the contractor would not think better windows would help unless you already have double pane.


How should I clean stone surfaces prior to applying sealer? I apply impregnating sealer to all my tile and stone surfaces annually.

I had been cleaning it with just soap and water, then letting the surface dry for a few minutes before applying the sealer. It occurred to me that perhaps introducing water to the stone prior to sealing was a bad idea and that perhaps I should use a more volatile liquid to clean it?

How should I clean my natural stone surfaces before applying an impregnating sealer?

How do I clean my Natural Stone tiles and slabs?

  Clean stone surfaces with a few drops of neutral PH stone cleaner
  available at retail stores or at your local tile and stone dealer, or
  a mild liquid dishwashing detergent and warm water. Use a clean rag
  mop on floors and a soft cloth for other surfaces for best results.
  Too much cleaner or soap may leave a film and cause streaks. Do not
  use products that contain lemon, vinegar or other acids on marble or
  limestone. Rinse the surface thoroughly after washing with the soap
  solution and dry with a soft cloth. Change the rinse water frequently.
  Do not use scouring powders or creams; these products contain
  abrasives that may scratch the surface.


How do I repair a flaking finish on my wood windows? I have a few windows around the house which all have a funny flaky appearance.  It looks pretty superficial; the wood under the flaking looks okay.  It's on windows that were here when I bought the house (at least 7 years old) and windows from a renovation 4 years ago.

How I do I about cleaning up the windows?  Thinking I'll need to sand them and paint something on.  My DIY level is definitely "novice that can follow instructions".

Click on photos for full size:

I can't quite tell from the pictures, but I suspect that you're describing the varnish (urethane) that's used to protect the windows. It does degrade over time from UV exposure, and will need to be re-applied (after sanding). This also applies to wooden outdoor furniture, which is where I've seen similar "flaking."

HOWEVER, the wood in your bottom picture shows a suspicious discoloration that looks like water damage, and this may mean a far bigger problem (it might also be what's broken the bond between wood and varnish). It could be as simple as water that is pooling on the window sill and finding a way into the wood (weather-related expansion can open cracks in the joints). Or it could indicate that water is being wicked into the wood from the foundation, or even via the sill.

If there is water damage and you can't easily determine the cause, I'd suggest calling a local contractor to take a closer look.


How do I improve the insulation in a vaulted ceiling? I live in a twenty year old Florida condo quadplex. The upstairs ceilings are two by four trusses of a mansard roof.

I have replaced the ac, wall insulation, ducts. An IR thermometer shows huge heat gain from roof itself. I want to fir down the trusses to double the insulation to the new high r rated 2x6 insulation. Can I simply bolt 2x6s to each truss or do I need to build out the edges with strapping? Do you have an alternate idea?

You're really better off with external solutions: some form of cool roof.  Presumably your three neighbors face the same unwanted heat gain, and perhaps could be roped into a common project.  Solid foil faced rigid foam is used in cases like this.


Installing ductless units in my apartment. What am I supposed to do with all these coolant and drain lines? I'm installing 3 ductless AC units in my apartment. I know the lines are supposed to go outside and connect to the condenser but there are three coolant lines wrapped in insulation and three drain lines. I don't want to have a ton of lines on the outside of my building. Is there some logical way to do this that I'm missing? Is there a casing that would fit all 6 of these lines on the way down to the condenser? Currently my plan is to bring the lines down to the joists and have them meet up somewhere on the way to one exit hole and then I guess they would all go straight down to the condenser, but it seems like a lot and i'm just not sure...
Would it maybe make sense to bring the drain lines down to the basement and hook them into a drain line or something? So instead of 6 lines down on the outside it could be 3. In line with that thinking would it make sense to bring all the lines down to the basement and then they won't be coming down the side of the building? I'd love some input, just looking for ideas I guess.

The condenser lines are most likely loops.  Each air handler (inside device) has a refrigerant loop to circulate fluid out to the exterior condenser/chiller.  If you are thinking of combining them into a common conduit of some kind, or simply covering them (like surface-mount electrical work) as they run on the walls, I think that's fine as long as the conduit/covering doesn't hold water in.
The drain lines are another matter.  It's easy to connect them together into a common line.  You can also direct that water into a plumbing drain.  It doesn't necessarily have to go outside.
Take care to plan the drain path so they have enough slope to avoid collecting water inside them long-term.  1/4" slope per foot of drain line is a good amount.  If there are low spots in the line, those can clog up with organic growth such as mold or fungus, and then the AC unit ends up dripping water instead of draining correctly.
Condensate pumps are very small pumps commonly used if you need your AC drain line to go up, for example, if it's easier to route the line through an attic than under a floor; or if you need a way to get the water back up from a basement.
Hope this helps.


Fixing painted drywall So I was in the process of hanging drywall in a room in our house, as part of a renovation project (we had to fix a large 4 ft by 2 ft patch). I was in the middle of laminating coats of compound over the joints when I had to leave the house for a couple weeks. To help keep things moving, we asked someone to paint the room our new eggshell color, but avoid the large wall patch area. Well we got back and they painted over my partially finished taping job, despite my specific request they not do so. It's pretty unsightly. Ugh. What should I do? Should I try to sand off the eggshell paint and finish taping? Or should I scuff up the wall with a sanding block and compound over the paint, seal it, and then paint again?

Joint compound will stick to paint with an eggshell sheen just fine.

I am guessing they didn't paint the fresh patch with a PVA primer so the mud on the wall hasn't even been sealed yet.  Unless they put a lot coats of topcoat pain over the patch in which case they could of sealed it up with the more expensive paint.  But, regardless you can move forward just fine.

To get the new patch though to blend in and not show up later, make sure you use a PVA or similar primer, they even sell some special paint for fresh drywall sealing (which is just a PVA primer anyway with a fancier name).  If you don't seal it with a primer, the patch and existing painted surfaces will each take the paint differently and still show.  PVA primer is sandable so you can take the primer out onto the wall a bit and sand your patch edges thinner without it peeling up.  The PVA will kind glue the thin compound together and bond it to the wall, especially so if you are using a "lite" topping compound.


Why is my water heater leaking? Last night after I took a shower, I heard water still running and I saw that it was leaking from the bottom of the heater. I shut off the hot water and it still wouldn't stop, so I turned the water off for the whole house.

What should I do now?

It could be a loose fitting or the overpressure valve kicking in, but not likely.

The tanks in most water heaters eventually corrode, how fast depends on a number of factors, one of which is the amount and type of minerals in the water, as well as its acidity.

Once they do leak, repair is generally impractical and a new water heater is needed.

In any event, you need a plumber to check it out and solve the problem.


Old thermostat to Hive thermostat My wife decided we needed a smart thermostat... which means I need to install said thermostat...

Currently a Bryant Evolution series is mounted. She purchased the Hive with Hub when it was on sale.

The Bryant is wired using A, B, C, and D at the thermostat. Those wires run to my Bryant Plus80v furnace. They plug into the corresponding spots on the 4 circuit communication connector. There are also at least 3 wires that are not connected on either end.

My question is this... Can I disconnect the wires from both ends and move them over to the bigger board (W2, Y1, DHUM, G, COM 24V, W/W1, Y/Y2, R)? Obviously using only the necessary ones that correspond with the Hive.

You can do this, but you'll lose some fancy features

The rewiring you describe (from using the ABCD commlink to using the standard 24VAC inputs) should be supported by your control board.  However, there are downsides to this, namely that your system will act as a good two-stage forced-air system, without full command modulating functionality or the ability to display feedback (such as fault codes) on the thermostat.  So, go ahead, as long as you are cool trading these communicating functions for the Hive's "smarts".


Screw Sizes for Electrical Connection box lids Am having to install covers to several different types of electrical connections boxes in my house. Some are round, blue ones and some are a grayish tan with corners rounded. None of them have cover screws in them, so I am having to go buy screws to attach  the covers. What type and size of screws are need for each type of connection box?

Most hardware stores I have been to had a specific electrical screw section in their fastener area. They should basically be labelled as electrical box cover screws, and you can find them in all kinds of versions: long/short, metal/plastic, and different finish colors.


How to effectively patch/recaulk small crevices between bathtub and bathroom tile? There was some mold growing inside the caulk at one corner of my tub so I cut it out. In doing this I discovered I have a few small gaps in the old caulk I'd like to fill.

I want to practice removing/applying new caulk (I am a complete beginner here), so I'd like to do just the front part of the tub. Is this ok? Will there be an issue where the new caulk meets the old caulk at the front-right corner of the tub? (1st photo shows the small gap where I cut out the old caulk where mold was growing).
In the 2nd photo, where the outside of the tub meets tile, it looks like it is caulk but it seems different than the caulk used inside the tub. What type of caulk/sealant should be used here?
For the 3rd photo, what can I use to fill in the small gap where the tub, floor and tile all meet? Is there some kind of very simple pre-made grout I can just use to fill up that hole? Or should I use caulk instead?

Thank you in advance for whoever may take the time to read and respond to my questions.

That is not a bathroom crevice that is a canyon.

You can not stop water from flowing in a canyon unless you build a big ass dam.
But before that WTF is going on in that tub?  HOLY SH!T was my reaction.   Nice tile, good quality tub (I can tell its cast iron) and egregious small mistakes.   WOW!!
Let me give you the John Madden teleprompter rundown.
#1 - ILLEGAL USE OF CAULK, 15 yards, HOME DEPOT CARD TAKEN AWAY

#2 - What?   What?   What?   You have a gigantic crack, a canyon and that canyon is on rails that contains a large river and it is just wide open?   This is like Jerry Rice vs SD in the Super Bowl.   Touchdown water.

#3 - I see what you did here.  You went Deacon Jones on the water.   I will put so much caulk above this crack that it will get a headslap on the way down.   Caulking above the crack only works in Australia.   That is a DIY fact.

#4 - The Mike Martz.   Your tile and tub is Kurt Warner.   Please please coach give me some protection.   Wait they are blitzing 6.   Well we will run 5 deep patterns and see what happens.    Well you don't have time for that you have mold.

Summary:  What must happen, must happen.  This is not me speaking to you, it is your tub, your walls, your sanity.

Tub door shall be removed.   I would bury it.  It wasn't installed right.   Get a rod and curtain that will keep the water out of 90% of the places you are having issues with.  This door is funneling water EVERYWHERE.   It is the Colorado river on steroids.

Grout all of the large cracks between tile and tub once door is removed.

Caulk all of the small gaps (last picture) between tile and tub.

Realize it will take 1 hour to take that door out and 45 mins to grout and 20 minutes to caulk and you probably have a tub running at 95%.   It isn't that bad you just have that door sabotaging right now.


What type/thickness of drywall should be used in water heater closet? I have a rental house built in the 70's that had severe water damage in the small room (4x5 feet) that houses the hot water heater. The room is off of the garage. I've had the water heater replaced and removed the dry wall. I'm getting ready to replace the drywall, but I'm concerned about what is the proper product to put back on my walls. Is 1/2 inch drywall adequate or should I put heavier dry wall back up?

Modern codes generally require 5/8" fire-rated drywall (Type X) between a garage and the living areas of a house.  Double check with your local city/county/state as they may have more stringent requirements.


My 5th (top) floor apartment is shaking; what might cause this? I live in a developing country (so don't have much faith in building codes), and have been experiencing increasingly noticeable and frequent "shaking" in my top fifth floor apartment. I'm seriously concerned.

My home has been shaking. I have felt small tremors from an earthquake before, and this is the best way to describe it, however, I do not currently live in an earthquake zone, so this is quite worrying.

The "shaking" bouts seem to last for about 5-10 seconds, by my estimate; I should also note that this country is not an earthquake zone. My home is the top floor of a five story building, that is rather "skinny" (in my judgement, something like a 2.5 - 3.5 : 1 X:Y ratio. When I first began experiencing this shaking a couple of months ago, I thought that it might have been the bed, or even just my imagination, and paid it little attention. However, over the past few weeks, the shaking has become markedly more noticeable, and I confirmed that my girlfriend also felt it. I made a query with the landlord, but I was told that there was no problem, or that it was "the wind". After some research on the internet, I found that buildings do indeed sway slightly with wind, and so felt at least somewhat placated in my perhaps overblown fears of building collapse.

However, today, I felt the most violent instance of shaking to date in the late evening, and confirmed that my girlfriend also felt it. This had me very concerned, so I took the step of also asking the tenants on the floor below, and they also confirmed that they had felt the shaking. Based on our positions at the time of the shaking, it was apparent that the shaking was felt at least on the 4th and 5th floors of the building, and at all locations, as I was in the middle, my girlfriend was on the "left", and the other tenants were on the "right" at the time of the occurrence of the shaking. There was absolutely no wind, and as it was late night, there was no construction going on that may have caused vibrations or such.

I should also note that since I moved into the apartment, there has been ongoing construction on the lower level floors; I obviously have no idea, but my fear is that they may have weakened a key supporting wall or some such.

I decided to leave the building immediately, and I'm currently in a hotel, and plan to cancel my lease and find a new place to live.

So, my question to you, in your opinion, am I overreacting, or is something reasonable likely to be seriously wrong with this building? What sort of tests would a structural engineer perform to determine the cause of the shaking / if a building like this is safe? I ask because it may be that the landlord says she will hire an engineer or some such to look into the problem, and in this case, I want to be sure that my fears are sufficiently placated, as right now I have absolutely no desire to move back into my apartment.

Hope you can help shed some light on this rather scary situation of mine!

Normal Vibrations in Buildings Have Identifiable Sources
I've encountered a vast range of vibrations in multi-dwelling buildings I have lived. Hear are the ones I can remember:

washing machine spin cycle (this happens often and, if it matches the resonance of the building can travel throughout multiple floors)
dishwasher valves and drain pump (not very strong, but once the sound filtered through floors and walls, the sound and feel was disconcerting)
nearby trains
nearby garbage trucks and other heavy vehicles
dancing at house parties
active construction work
elevators
earthquakes
explosion nearby

Note that all these sources are not the building structure itself, and are fairly easy to track down.  I can't remember encountering a source of vibration or shaking whose source I could not pinpoint with a small amount if work.
Find the Source or Move Out
The most likely explanation for the vibrations/shaking is that it is being caused by something in or near the building and not the building structure itself.  With a reasonable amount of effort by you, your neighbors and landlord, you should easily be able to pinpoint the source of the vibrations/shaking.
If you still cannot pinpoint the source after putting some earnest effort into finding the source, it may actually be the building structure itself.  This is not that far fetched if the building was not engineered (building inspectors usually defer to a professional engineer for structural issues).
If your only conclusion is that the vibration/shaking is originating from the building structure itself, then you should move out - it is a bad sign.  Even if the building doesn't collapse, you will have made the correct decision with the information you had at hand at the time.


Receptacle island in freestanding wall I have a freestanding half-wall in our garage. It's constructed of 2x4s and finished with drywall and is in a big L shape. It's technically mobile but heavy and doesn't move easily. I want to  get more outlets  in this wall for different chargers, a compressor, etc... I could get a large surge protector bar and mount it on the wall and connect it to a regular outlet but I was thinking that actual receptacles would give me more flexibility to design the space as I see fit.
So my question is the following: Can I install several receptacles along this wall, connected to each other through Romex but not connected to the house's electric panel? They would be powered by plugging an extension chord into one of the outlets (or using a hardwire conversion kit like they sell for garbage disposals. Is this against code or otherwise a terrible idea?

If it's not part of the house then electrical codes for buildings don't apply to it.
That said you should meet or exceed the safety that electrical codes aim to provide.
It sounds like you are going to use a suicide cord to power it? DON'T! There is a reason they are called that.
Instead use an (singular) inlet or wire an power cord with plug into the structure, and make sure it's not a tripping hazard.


Can I install a sink sprayer with a bathroom faucet? I purchased a vessel type sink faucet made for bathrooms and installed it in my kitchen. How can I add a sink sprayer? If it has to be all cold water thats ok, but I think its possible to have a mixer added? Also I know it needs to have something on it so that there is not always water pressure on it or it will leak. I don't want to get a regular kitchen faucet as this one is quite unique (It's a dragon!!! ) but would love to add a working sprayer if possible. Thanks!

The simplest approach to this is likely a second faucet - one of the "modern" faucet-is-the-sprayer that pulls out types would be least intrusive.
Might look a little weird, but to get a mixer and a sprayer (without risking major surgery on your dragon faucet) you're pretty much looking at that or installing a shower valve for the mixer, and that's going to look more weird, I expect.


Remove Foundation Concrete Block We are having HVAC ductwork installed in our crawlspace and one of the companies mentioned they do not remove foundation concrete blocks due to liability. Unfortunately, for us to have registers in our living room at least one concrete block needs to be removed from an interior wall. I have looked online and it appears to be a straight forward job in removing the block.

My questions: Do I need to worry about the structure of my home when removing one or more concrete blocks from an interior wall? If so, how many blocks need to be removed before I need to install a lintel or some other support? Does where the block is removed on the wall matter? Thank you and any advice is appreciated!

Yep, you need to worry about the structure. You may be fine with a pressure treated box-frame inside the void, if the section isn't directly load-bearing.

But typically, a proper steel angle lintel is required and that must run at least over half of the neighbor block width. A call to a Mason might surprise you with how cheap it'll be for them to knock it out.


GFCI's on BLACK/RED dual 15-amp circuits I am in the process of updating the wiring for my dock.  It was originally wired with a single 15-amp GFCI outlet into which the two motors for the boat lift were plugged into.  The problem I’ve had is that I can only operate one motor at a time.  If I try to run both motors at the same time the 15-amp circuit breaker back in the sub-panel, located at the beginning of the dock, trips.

I have two 15-amp circuits coming out to the subpanel, from a double-pole (tandem) 15-amp breaker in the house.  This is a standard 3-wire with ground format (black, red, white, ground).  I’m in the process of putting in a 2nd GFCI outlet, in a larger box along with the original outlet.  One outlet will be powered by the black circuit, and the other will be powered by the red circuit.  The motors will then plug into the separate outlets.  So far so good, I think.

Question(s) are:

How to handle the white (neutral) line. Can this be shared between the 2 GFCIs?
When both motors are running, the current in the white return line will be close to zero, since the current through the 2 motors will be 180 degrees out of phase.  Won’t this cause the GFCIs to trip?

Final Results 3/18/2020

Here's what I ended up with:

Two GFCI outlets (WR/TR), one on each 120V phase.
The load (protected) side of each GFCI feeds one of the lift motors via a switch for controlling lift direction
Everything works OK, no GFCI or ckt breaker tripping.

Waiting to get the boat back from winter storage.

To start with, this is a shared neutral aka multi-wire branch circuit. One rule of MWBCs is that neutrals must be pigtailed when the other hot is near; you can't daisy-chain neutral through a device like a receptacle, because that would sever neutral for the other side if you removed it.

Keep in mind on a plain recep, all screws are LINE.  There is no LOAD on a plain recep, because it doesn't do anything special like provide GFCI protection, dim, etc.

If you leave the warning tape on the LOAD terminals and don't use it, then you don't have any worries about GFCIs tripping from miswiring.  The only time you'd get in trouble is if you did that thing with daisy chaining neutrals, that thing you're not allowed to do anyway, and tapped a recep's LOAD terminal for that purpose - in that case, you are correct, the GFCI would have a problem with that.

 However, there's a safer way to wire your dock

Delivering GFCI protection at the socket is better than nothing, but there are all sorts of wire failures before the receps  that could leak current into the ground around the lake.  And many miswirings could cause the same effect.

Further, outdoors is a terrible place to put a GFCI device; they fail all the time there.

So you are actually better off fitting a 2-pole GFCI circuit breaker back at the service panel... And then you don't need any additional protection dockside.  The's no need to put a GFCI on a GFCI.  This will protect the entire cabling run, as well as all wiring dockside.


new plumbing, new HE washer, now wash over flows After noticing a leak in my sewer drain pipe in my basement, I've decided to replace all plumbing, since a plumber pointed out to me last year when I bought my house (1950) that the drains were all clogged very badly.

I figured this was the time since I now have a leak. Problem is I have a drain pipe that runs approx 4 feet off of floor in my basement.

I purchased a new HE washer when I bought my home and the installers  used the old set up which was attached directly to a 2" drain pipe with a coupling.

After research, I came to find that there should be a stand pipe with this machine ( whirlpool cambrio). I ran 2" pipe all around that leads to a 10" stand pipe that then leads to a  4" sewer drain pipe that leads out of the house. I ran a small load of wash to test pipes and all was good. I then ran a larger load and it all over flowed out of the stand pipe and flooded my basement.

The pipe after the stand pipe is about 10 " as well and I later noticed that the pipe has a slight increase in it's slope leading to the 4" pipe.

I plan on re-doing stand pipe and pipe that follows, but

do I need to raise the washer to accommodate a longer stand pipe since the main drain runs 4' off the floor?
Will the increase in that 10 " pipe cause the overflow?
Should I even use a stand pipe or connect the washer drain hose directly to the 2" drain pipe.

Now toilet gurgles.

I don't quite follow your description, the standpipe configuration might be part of the problem. The gurgling toilet indicates a venting problem, I don't think it would contribute to overflowing, but it is a problem. As mentioned, a photo or diagram is needed for better assessment. My intent is to describe a proper washer installation and address how the height plays into it.

There are all sorts of variations for pipe configurations, this one is very typical. The washer drain ties into the 4" horizontal pipe with a vertical 4x4x2 LTTY (long turn tee-wye). It can be installed flat to gain some vertical, at the cost of an extra ell that introduces a potential clog point.

From the LTTY is a vertical 2" pipe as short as possible before connecting to a 2" sanitary tee. A 2" vertical pipe continues up to tie into the venting system. The vent could be reduced to 1.5" if need be. The side inlet of the santee takes a 2" horizontal (2% slope actually) trap arm. There is a length limit, but it's rather long, it's best to keep it rather short. The trap arm connects to a 2" trap assembly. The trap inlet accepts a 2" vertical stand pipe.

The stand pipe must be a minimum 18" high, straight up, no bends. You cannot connect a washer discharge directly to a closed drain system. There must be an overflow provision such as an open stand pipe. I prefer to see about a 24" stand pipe, but 18" is a code requirement.

This gives you about a 24-30 inch tall stand pipe/trap assembly on top of the 48" height of the main drain, so a total 6-6.5 feet off the floor. Washers have a limit of how high they can pump discharge water. The installation instructions should tell you this somewhere. If not, you may need to contact the manufacturer. If your washer can pump up to the top of the stand pipe while sitting on the floor, you're all set. If not, you will need a platform that raises the washer to within the allowable discharge height.

If you still get overflowing with a proper standpipe-trap configuration, then the main line remains obstructed somewhere.


How to keep shower caulk clean We have a tile surround shower that has a fascia covering that is attached between the bottom edge of the tile and the bathtub using tub/shower/tile caulk.
The caulk is marked for use in wet locations,  so i expected it would resist mold and mildew growth.   But as you can see from the picture it is nasty.
I would like to to this fascia and caulk off one last time (3rd time around by now,  over the course of 10 years) and replace it with something that won't be so tough to maintain.
What should i use instead?

I have used three things in the past:

Toilet cleaning bleach gel every other month or so.
Spray bleach cleaner occasionally.
Bleach/baking soda paste, with diluted bleach spray every few hours to keep moist.  Paint on with a cheap paintbrush as the bleach will destroy the bristles.

Once you have given up hope, use the third option and cover the paste with saran wrap to keep it from drying out.  Overnight should save it.


Calculate savings from/cost-effectiveness of installing a tankless hot water heater? Following up on "Which water heater types do you recommend?" and "Are tankless water heaters worth it in cold climates", is there a way to calculate the point at which installing a tankless water heater makes economic sense? Given the cost of purchase and installation, it should be possible to determine the break-even point, factoring in the amount of hot water used and the temperature change required.

Is there a way to estimate hot water usage separately from cold water? If I have a gas furnace and gas hot water heater currently, can the gas usage by each be separated?

You get the bast cost saving when you have to replace your tank or boiler anyway for another reason.   Remember that for some of the year, the lost heat from the tank may be of value to you depending on how the tank is sited and how cold and long your winters are.

Also are you having to use more air con due to the tank, if so the air con savings may be well worth while.


Removing rusted screws from a gate-post attached to a wall I am changing my old rusted garden gate with a new one. However, because of a couple of rusted screws, I could not remove the gate-post attached to the walls on either end of the old gate.

I tried applying WD-40 lubricant to loosen the screw so I could unscrew them using a screwdriver, but I hadn’t had very much luck with that. Later I tried lightly striking the gate-post with a hammer, hoping to loosen it from the wall, but that didn’t work either.

Is there another approach I can take to remove a rusted screw from the wall?

What has worked for me in the past is grinding the heads off with a Dremel tool and cutoff wheel or any other type of portable grinder.A hack saw might do the trick too. Then pry the posts away from the wall and then grasp the remaining portion of the screw with a pair of vise grips and turning it counterclockwise. Good luck.


Wiring a double light switch Hoping for some help
I am fitting a new double light switch were one of the switches is a 2 way light.

The back of the light switch looks like this

  C          C

L1 L2      L1 L2

Now the problem I have is that I only have four wires and six connections. All of the wires are red but two of them have a extre grey sleeve ( I assumed these were the common wires).

I have tried wiring in the two commons then wiring switch one L1 connection and switch 2s L2 connection then bridging the L2 on switch one and L1 on switch two, I can get the two switches to work this way but only if the partner switch to the 2 way light is left on.

Where have I went wrong???

This is the schematic for wiring a pair of 2 way light switches:  That means that two switches control one light and either switch can turn the light on or off.

Typically the L1/L2 wires are both red, or one is black and the other red.  In no case should either of those be white.


What is the name of the fastener that looks sort of like a screw and sort of like a nail? I am starting in on a cargo trailer conversion and the first "screw" I attempted to remove (that fastens the plywood would the metal supports) would not thread out and I stripped it.  I managed to extract it.  It had a Phillips head, but it's more like a nail.
I have seen other videos where owners have encountered these fasteners and said they are a pain to remove. But I haven't found one that identifies it by name.  Which would help in my search to identify the best way to extract these things.

It's called spiral shank nail or screw nail.


What would cause a gas fired, forced water boiler to shut down? I have a fairly old Peerless, natural gas fired, forced water boiler. It has an electric ignition system (White Rodgers 50E47-843 Universal HSI Ignition Module).

A few weeks ago it shut down (safety lockdown, blinking red light). After I cut and restored electricity to the system it restarted without trouble. But then, a few days later, it locked out. Any time I cycled the power to the system it restarted fine, and would be fine for a few days. I replaced the HSI igniter (glow plug) but that didn't fix it. I am unable to find an exact replacement for the flame sensor.

This morning, it locked out again. When I tried the power-toggle trick the glow plug lit up, as before, but the gas didn't kick in right away; it started after the glow plug stopped glowing.

I have two questions:

Any ideas as to what might be the problem?
If I want to replace the flame sensor, the specified flame sensor is a WR-760-403 which does not seem to exist anymore. The closest thing is the WR-760-401, which differs from the 403 in that it's a straight wire, as opposed to a bent wire in the 403. Can I used the 401? Should I bend it (in a vise, or something) to match the shape of the 403?

Update:

A few additional points:

I've noticed this tends to happen more often overnight when the thermostat is set lower. However, it does happen at other times and higher thermostat settings, too.
Cleaning the flame sensor did not help. I did that this AM, this afternoon when I got home it was in lockdown.
This is a new issue; We've been in the house for 3 years without a problem. Nothing changed since last season, or since the beginning of this season.
I've only seen the weird timing issue once out of tens of times the power-cycling worked.

I gave in and had a plumber come this AM. He said it was the control module which was broken, and he replaced it.


Old light fixture has 3 sets of black, white and copper. It keeps tripping breaker when installed. Not sure what to do I’m installing a new light fixture to replace an old ceiling fan light fixture. When I removed the old fixture there are 3 sets of black, white, and copper wires in white casings. My new fixture does not have a fan and only has the standard black, white and copper wires. When I wire them, they immediately trip the breaker. How do I fix this or find out which wire goes to what?

one of those white wires goes to the switch
one of those black wires comes from the switch
You need to figure out which is which and connect the white wire goes to to the switch to the black wires (this white wire should have black paint or tape on it)
connect the black wire that comes from the switch to the lamp, and (using a short piece of wire) connect the other white wires to the other lamp terminal.


3-way GE Smart Switch installation Above, brightened

I have a ceiling fan/light that I am trying to convert to a smart switch. The light and fan are on separate switches in a 2 gang box with, what appears to be, 4 drops coming into the back. The primary picture is not the most recent, as the two red wires were, originally, wire-nutted together and this appears to be necessary for the rest of the lights on the circuit to work. I have also corrected the neutral connection. Line was identified by voltmeter (123v), and the light in this configuration does work. However, turning off the non-smart switch on the other side turns off the light, but then the smartswitch is no longer able to turn it back on. I am trying to replace the non-smart flip switch with the GE add-on switch, but I am not having any luck figuring out the right configuration. Secondary switch does not have a line, but is seeing 20v on, I believe, the black wire.
I've seen the video that discusses wrapping the line and travelers together to identify which is which, but that seems kinda dangerous to me, so I figured I would ask for help rather than keeping throwing darts at the board, first.
EDIT: Red and black from the far right drop do tone out to the remote switch. However, I wasn't able to confirm the white wire from either direction. I did run the probe around the light fixture, but wasn't able to hear anything that would indicate that's where it's wired to.
So, it sounds like I should re-wire the remote box using red & white as traveler/common, but where does white go and why is red attached to the rest of the circuit? White should still be neutral
My tone probe is really old, but red & black were pretty solid signal, so I am reasonably certain that remote side white is not directly connected to the 2-gang box. Is it coming back from the light? Is there a way to confirm the white is a neutral?
Primary switch: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RRBT6W5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Add-on switch: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WWHJQPW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
EDIT: Just in case it helps anyone else...
Based on Harper's advice, I disassembled both boxes again and confirmed that the far right (R) /3 was to the remote switch, the far left (L) /3 was to the light (carrying both fan and light switched hots) and tagged the wires with small nylon ties.
Main box:

Move the L red to the load on the smart switch
Cap the black wire from R /3
Move the red R /3 to the traveler on the smart switch

Remote box:

White to neutral
ground (obviously)
Cap black
red to traveler

Viola, everything works as expected now. My primary take away is your advice to, in the future, identify the wires by how they're wired to the switches BEFORE disconnecting anything. Thanks for the assist.

OK, so here's what we know about 3 cables
(and can guess about the 4th).  Note that "color coding" is not happening here and the color codes will be a chaotic rainbow, with no consistency whatsoever. This situation is why I own 10 colors of tape.
The only consistent color rule is if neutral is present, it must be on white.  And that's the end of the color rules (aside from stuff about grounds and 3-phase industrial power).
SUPPLY cable and ONWARD cables
Both are usually /2 cables but onward might be /3. The supply cable comes from the power source.  The onward cable chains power onward to the next outlet.  Both of them have the same function and color codes (by necessity, unless they're /3, then all bets are off).

Neutral on White
Always-Hot on black in /2, and ??? in /3.

Spur to the other 3-way switch
This will be a /3 cable by necessity.  Black White Red.   There is no standard whatsoever for colors. Neutral is not present in this cable.  Now, travelers can be identified by the fact that they go to the brass screws on each switch. Both travelers are interchangeable (one is hot and one is not; throwing the switch swaps them).  These are the wire functions:

Traveler 1: color ???
Traveler 2: color ???
Common (could be always-hot; could be switched-hot): color ???

Note how in 3-way switches, colors are completely NOT standardized. At all.  This is why I'm all about the colored tape: but don't bother, we're about to re-define all 3 wires.
Spur to the fan and light
Since both fan and light are controlled by switches here,  we know that there must be 2 switched hots.  By the nature of things there must also be neutral.  So it must be a /3 cable, and must have these wire functions:

Neutral: White
Switched Hot for Light: ???
Switched Hot for Fan: ???

Conventions
Code does not require color choices (except for white and of course grounds).  However, better installers tend to favor certain colors when feasible, and as said I'll "force this along" by remarking with colored tape.  The preferential colors are:

Always-hot: Black
Switched-hot:  Red
Switched-hot (alternate): Blue
3-way travelers: both yellow (that's a Harperism not a wide practice, sadly).

You can't count on that applying here, but you can favor it going forward.
These GE smart switches
The "master" GE smart switch requires 4 wires aside from ground:

Supply hot
Neutral
Switched-hot to the load
Comm/power line to the the "remote" smart switch

The "remote" smart switch NEEDS 2 wires:

Neutral
Comm/power line to the "master" smart switch

So you'll have to put the smart-switch master in the busy box.  As for the smart-switch remote, you'll completely redefine all 3 wires in the 3-way spur cable to be a) Neutral, b) Comm/power line and c) spare (hold black out as a spare so you can use it for always-hot in the future).
That's as much as I can tell you without knowing more about the box wiring.


One GFCI outlet to protect them all My house was built in 1981, we have a small U shaped kitchen with 5 outlets, along with a switch for the garbage disposal.

I do not see any GFCI outlets or any indication any of them are.  With a 4 month old now in the house, I am thinking it is a good idea to look at the electrical.

My question is if the outlets are all on the same line (they all go off with one switch in the breaker), can I install one GFCI outlet and it would protect al of them, or do I need to replace all 5?

I am fine either way, just do not want to spend the time and money if it doesn't serve a purpose.   Is there a way to identify if they are in series or parallel?  And if so would that impact if I need to replace them all or one?

I have read some basics on GFCI but get some conflicting reports on if one will protect them all.

If you can locate the outlet at the head of the chain, then you only need to replace that outlet. Just make sure the the incoming power is connected the the LINE terminals and the downstream outlets are connected to the LOAD terminals. The instructions included with the outlet should explain this.

Alternatively, if the only thing on that circuit are your kitchen outlets, you could replace the breaker with a GFCI breaker.


New concrete up to blacktop's soft edge I want to make a concrete walkway next to a blacktop driveway.

This is on private property, and the total length of the walkway will be about 20 feet. I don’t want a curb, and I want the concrete to be at the same level as the blacktop for ease of snow-plowing.
Trouble is, the edge of the blacktop is not square; it’s a soft curve that fades into the ground (see above). If I dig out the soil next to the blacktop, put down a bed of gravel and pour concrete right up to the blacktop, the concrete will have a feather edge onto the blacktop which will soon flake off, leaving an ugly furrow. How should I deal with this?
My first thought is to take my worm-drive circular saw with a 7-1/4” abrasive blade for masonry and cut a square edge on the blacktop as deep as the blade will go. (I don’t have a pavement cutter.) I’ll finish the joint between the blacktop and concrete with a concrete edging tool.
Is there a better / easier way to make the transition from the soft edge of the blacktop to the concrete without renting a pavement cutter?

I have used a segmented blade to cut asphalt with a worm drive skill saw. this was a long time back I don’t remember if it was carbide , diamond or possibly flame sprayed (I don’t know what that coating is).
when the blade got hot it smoked and I did not realize until later was filling the guard with hot tar, the blade had no problem making a similar length cut maybe a few feet longer but when my saw cooled down it was basically ruined, the tar became solid and froze my guard in place I did try for a few hours to heat and clean it but no matter how good it looked when it cooled the guard froze up. I ended up pulling the motor and tossing the guard. I have wiped out a few saws over my years and this one I did not even think would be so nasty. Just an FYI I might be inclined to purchase a garage sale special for a job like this it can do the job but I would not risk a good worm drive again.


How to remove bathtub drain flange with nubs? I have a non-standard bathtub drain flange that I'd like to replace (and also clean up the rust) that has a pair of interior nubs.  The drain is 1.75 inches in diameter, and the nubs sit about 0.5 inches down from the top of the flange.

I saw two previous questions (one and two) that describe removing a flange with no crossbars/spokes, but can I take advantage of these nubs and use common tools to remove the flange?  I'm concerned that the nubs will even disallow the use of an expanding plug.

EDIT:  Also, it would be very difficult to remove the drain with channel locks due to how it's seated in the tub.

You CAN use Channellock type pliers, just not the way in the linked picture/answer shows. You use the handles of the pliers, adjusted to the width of the throat of the tub drain, as spanners. Insert the handles into the drain so they are against the nubs, then turn those pliers by putting a pipe wrench, large adjustable wrench, or another set of pliers on the jaws of those pliers (which are pointing up) and turn counter-clockwise.

I have removed numerous tub drains using this method.


Extending a narrow high kitchen table with lateral side-wings We have a narrow raised kitchen table (with bar stools):

I would like to build a simple extension for it so that more people fit around the table. Something like this (or this) would be ideal, but since I have limited skills (and time), I just tried to improvise something simple.

What I had in mind was to buy two appropriately-sized pieces of wood (about half the current length of the table) and affix them as "side-wings", one on each lateral side towards the leg-end, using hinges. These extensions would then hang vertically in the regular configuration when the base table suffices; and be raised horizontally when the table needs to be extended. Since the addition would be symmetric, I reckoned that the central support foot (pictured) would still be enough, as long as each of the wings has its own support from underneath.

The plan is simple enough, but aside from doing the measurements and buying the two pieces of wood (easy), I have no idea how to start:
- how do I choose the type of hinge, and how do I mount it on each piece of wood, as well as on the existing table!
- what kind of support would each wing need to stay upright, that is itself foldable when the wing is folded downwards?

I am also open to other suggestions for how to extend this table side-ways, in case the hinged&supported lateral wings solution does not seem optimal. I am grateful in advance for any suggestions!

I'd build your wings and attach slide-in bars, along the lines of what's shown here. You could use hoop brackets instead of the horizontal bar running between the legs in this example, or go ahead and mount a 1x3 maple or birch board permanently under your table on each side. You could wrap it around three sides so it appears more like a conventional skirt.

image source

This gives you good support, plus you can remove and stow the wings where they won't impeded table use when not deployed.

Regarding stability, table symmetry is just part of the equation. Table contents and the upper body weight of those resting elbows on the table are probably more significant. However, as long as your table is well attached to the wall at the far end it should remain stable.


How can I remove a temperature and pressure relief valve that seems to be stuck? I have a hot water heater relief valve that is leaking heavily.  The water heater manual states I should replace the valve (which is OK by me).

Unfortunately, I am not able to remove the valve as it is in too tight.  Are there some easy tricks to loosen it?

Lefty Loosey
The first thing you'll want to do, is to insure you're rotating the proper direction.  Make sure you're rotating the valve in an anticlockwise direction.
Lube
Apply a liberal amount of penetrating oil; allowing it to soak in for a bit, then give it another try.  This will help clean the threads, as well as providing a bit of lubrication.  Giving the threads a good second blast of penetrating oil can often remove more dirt and corrosion, which can be just what's needed to get the valve turning.

Size can matter
Using a wrench with a longer handle; or a breaker bar, can often help loosen stuck valves.  Just be careful, you may be able to exert enough force to actually snap the valve.
Tap and twist
Tapping the end of the wrench with a non-marring mallet, can also help loosen a stuck threaded joint.  Again, too much force can cause collateral damage, so be careful.  Place the wrench on the valve, and gently rap the end in the direction of rotation.

Note:
Make sure you have the water heater inspected for proper operation, before and after replacing the temperature and pressure relief valve. Once installed, test the new valve to insure proper operation.


Are there any issues with this Trap Door Garage "Attic" Design? We have a two story house that has a garage that has half of the 2nd story covering it and the other half doesn't. I want to build an "attic" opening to be able to access to run cables and other things.
So if you can imagine a garage with the back half of it that's holding the weight of the 2nd story and front half of the garage that's empty with at least a 4-5 foot gap from the ceiling to the garage roof to move around. This is where I want to place my access hole opening.
The issue is, I'm not sure if it's safe or to code etc.
This is what the stud/wood layout is now. There are two 2x10 inch boards that are attached to each other with 9 inch gaps between the double studs that run from the back toward the front. Since the 2x10 inch boards are running side by side, this equals another 3 inches.

This is what I'm planning on doing. When I cut one of these double 2x10 beams, I will place adjacent pieces to hold the recently cut pieces on both sides. As you can see in the next image. With a 30 inch gap to be able to fit in and out of the hole.

I've never see a single video of anyone attempting to do this. And since these 2x10 beams are holding up part of the 2nd story, I wasn't sure if this was possible or a good idea. I honestly figured with so many double beams stretching across the garage, Cutting a single one couldn't possibly have any effect on the overall structure, but I wanted to ask about it anyway.
Birdeye View. I don't know how the beams are laid out on the left side of the garage. I'm assuming they run along a different path than the beams I've seen on the right side of the garage. I'm pretty positive the run on the path i've shown. But at the end of the day, it's irrelevant to the question.

You would do far better to put your access horizontally from the second floor of the house into the space above the garage.

I honestly figured with so many double beams stretching across the garage, Cutting a single one couldn't possibly have any effect on the overall structure

If they were not needed for the design, they would not be there.


DeWalt nail gun leaks air when trigger is pulled DeWalt D51257 has been lightly used for home projects but it stopped working. When trigger is pulled, only air is coming out (through the trigger area) but no nail is fired. Should I replace the trigger valve? Cylinder and o-rings looks ok. Thanks for any advice.

I had this issue on a Makita siding nailer. 1 week old, was working perfectly the day before. Checked that the piston wasn’t stuck, opened it to see if residue was affecting the o-ring; everything was fine. In frustration, I held the trigger down while pressing the nozzle against the material. After about 5 seconds the gun finally engaged. Working perfectly again.


Why does water from outside spigots seem to "stutter" (starts and stops)? I live in a 1950s-built home in a warm climate.

When I run water from an outside spigot, such as to water plants, it's not uncommon for the output to "stutter" near the start and then again occasionally during operation. In other words, the water coming out stops for a half-second and there's a noise and then it's coming out again.

This behavior is not seen on any of the interior faucets.

What causes this "stuttering"? Is it a sign of a serious problem? And is there an easy way to fix this and get a smooth and continuous water flow from the outside spigots?

Sounds to me like you have some air in the line.  It could just be because you have a length of pipe/hose after the valve, which partly empties out when you shut the valve, trapping air.  Or I supposed you could have a small leak somewhere in the system.  But I probably wouldn't worry about it.


How do I install this lamp on my ceiling? I'm a big time novice but determined not to hire an electrician for what is probably a simple job. This is embarrassing, I think. Here is an exposed light fixture that I have in my attic

I want to install this simple Ikea lamp, but I'm dumbfounded by what is expected from me.

I guess I need to remove the black thing in which the light bulb currently is screwed and plug insert those wires into this contraption. Am I at risk for being electrocuted? Also: Am I correct that it doesn't matter in which hole I put the blue or black wire?

I want to install this simple Ikea lamp, but I'm dumbfounded by what is expected from me.

Yeah, I can see why you might be.

Honestly, I understand the original reason for picture-only instructions (they save money and paper when you're selling the same product in many countries with different languages), and I even understand that they've become a part of IKEA's brand identity.  But surely it wouldn't kill their budget (or their marketing) to occasionally splurge a bit and indulge in a couple of words on their manuals, especially when said manuals deal with electrical safety.  The Sumerians invented writing 5000 years ago for a reason, and the reason is that, sometimes, there are some things that you just can't express clearly and easily by drawing cartoons on clay (or on paper).

Still, being kind of used to deciphering these kinds of instructions, let me decode this picture puzzle for you, and provide the "missing captions" that the instructions should've included.  For clarity, I'll do this panel by panel, and highlight each panel above its explanation:

Panel 1

You can attach this light fitting either directly to wires coming from a hole in the ceiling (as in your case), or using a cord that runs along the ceiling surface (e.g. if you want to install it at a spot where there isn't a convenient access hole available).

In the former case, follow the instructions on this page; in the latter case, follow the instructions on the next page instead.  (That's what the little arrow and the page-flip icon are supposed to mean.  That's probably the most confusing part about the instructions right here.)

Panel 2 (left page = direct attachment)

(Since you're attaching the lamp directly to wires coming from the ceiling, these are the instructions you should follow.)

You will need a mounting hook in the ceiling to hang the lamp from.  Do not just hang it from the wires!  If you need to install your own hook, make sure it's solidly attached (e.g. drilled into a support beam, not just into a flimsy fiberboard sheet) and will bear the weight of the lamp.

(In your case, you might be able to attach a suitable hook to the existing mounting bracket, but it's probably better to remove it and replace it with a hook that attaches directly to the ceiling.)

The picture shows the correct hole to use to hang the lamp from the hook.  Do not use the other holes; they may not properly bear the weight of the lamp!

Panel 3 (left page = direct attachment)

You will then need to attach the wires to the connector block.  While the instructions don't actually mention it (at least not on this page), you should obviously turn off power to the fixture first, preferably at the main circuit panel, and verify this with a voltage tester.  Also make sure that nobody can accidentally turn the power back on while you're working on the light.

Another thing the instructions don't explicitly mention is that, in your case, you'll first need to remove the existing "sugar cube" screw connector along with the currently installed lamp, leaving just the wires (black and brown in your photo) coming out of the ceiling.

To attach the wires to the connector, press the rocker switch on the connector, insert the bare end of the wire into the hole, and release the switch.  You may want to give the wire a gentle tug to check that it stays in.  Then repeat this for the other wire.  (That's what the "2x" presumably means.)

The actual electrical work should be done at that point.  You are then instructed to flip to page 13, but since you haven't shown us a scan of that page, I can't tell what it's supposed to say.  (If it's anything like these assembly instructions I found for another version of the same lamp, it's probably about assembling the lampshade.)

Note: In the IKEA instructions, the black wire (shown going into the upper hole in the connector) is the live one, and the white wire (going into the lower hole) is the neutral, as shown e.g. on page 4 of the PDF manual I linked above.  You can consult e.g. the Wikipedia page linked by RedGrittyBrick to find out which color means live and which means neutral in your part of the world.  The lamp will work even if the wires are swapped, but doing so can make it slightly easier to get shocked if you accidentally touch the inside of the bulb socket while changing the light bulb, so getting them the right way around is recommended.

Incidentally, looking at your photo, and the various color combinations listed on Wikipedia, I suspect that 1) you're living in Australia or New Zealand, 2) the brown wire is the live one, and 3) your current bare bulb socket is wired the wrong way around.  That's just a guess, though.

For completeness, let me also briefly annotate the alternative installation steps shown on the right-hand page:

Panel 2 (right page = indirect attachment)

If you want to attach the lamp to a surface-mounted power cord, you'll first need to cut a notch for the cord in the plastic cone thingy.  (I have no idea what the proper name for that thing is.)  Otherwise it won't sit flush with the ceiling, and will look ugly.

Panel 3 (right page = indirect attachment)

As before, you will need to hang the lamp from a hook in the ceiling.  Make sure to use the correct hole for the hook.

Panel 4 (right page = indirect attachment)

To make sure that the power cord doesn't get accidentally torn off from the connector block, thread it through the two holes on the connector assembly as shown in the picture.  (That's what they're for; you're not supposed to hang the lamp from the hook using them.)  Then insert the bare ends of the live and neutral wires into the connector, as shown on the previous page.


How can I repair a toilet that is leaking at the base? Flushing the toilet causes a small amount of water to leak out from under the base of the toilet on one side. Stops after 2-3 seconds. Also noticed there is a higher pitch dripping of water which sounds like it is coming from the top part of the toilet. Lastly, the base of the toilet is slightly loose due to one of the bolts attaching it to the floor coming loose. How bad does this sound? I'm concerned this could cause some rotting to the floor (upstairs) - obviously needs to be fixed but do I really need a plumber or can I unscrew the toilet and fix this myself? I know zilch about plumbing.

This is a tough job and it may be worth it for you to call a plumber as there are numerous complications you might encounter. However, you will have to learn somehow:

1) Forget about the "higher pitch dripping sound" for now. The leak at the toilet base is big trouble and your efforts should be focused there.

2) shut off the water supply, flush the toilet, use a plunger to force remaining water out of the bowl and down the drain, use sponges and towels to sop up all remaining water in the bowl and tank.

3) Pull the toilet: your toilet is held down to the floor with two special bolts (closet bolts) that are either hooked under a ring set in the floor (closet ring) or screwed into the floor itself (less common). You need to remove the nuts by unscrewing them or cutting them off. Pulling the toilet off is a two person job (I have done it alone but I hurt my back doing it). Make sure you have an open area with a tarp or something to set it down on.

4) there is a donut shaped ring, usually made of wax but sometimes foam or sometimes wax with a foam core, which seals between the toilet and the closet ring. Scrape all remnants of the old wax seal off the bottom of the toilet and the closet ring. Inspect the closet ring so you see how the new bolts hook under the slots in the ring or screw to the floor. If the ring is broken, if the floor is damaged badly, if the piping is compromised: stop and repair any of that stuff prior to reinstalling the toilet.

5) reinstall: attach new closet bolts to the ring (or floor if that is the case) using threaded clips or nuts to secure the bolts to the ring. Place new wax ring in the sun for a bit to let it soften some (or warm it up with a hair dryer), than press it onto the bottom of the toilet at the waste outlet OR place it on top of the closet ring. Carefully lift the toilet and lower it down over the bolts (2 man job perhaps). let it gently squish down onto the wax, crawl up on the toilet some to bed it firmly. Hand tighten the nuts on the closet bolts, moving back and forth from one to the other, ensuring even tightening on both sides. Snug them up with a wrench, do not over tighten or you may be buying a new toilet.

There are a lot of issues and complications you could encounter. Buy a couple wax rings when you are at the hardware store in case you wreck one.


How could I flatten these warped sleepers layed on uneven concrete to an acceptable level? The concrete in my basement is, as most concrete is, very uneven. I was building up my subfloor to match an existing floor, so I got about 200 board feet of PT 4x4 and ripped 1/2" off using a table saw followed by a planer. Then they kinda sat for a month while I trecked across the trans-Canada railway. Anywho, the combined effect of the planing and the sitting was warpage. I put anchors in the concrete and tightened them down real good to flatten them, but some pieces are really far gone, where some of them snugged right up.

Here's a photo of how it is right now:

It has a lot of high corners because of the warpage, and I sanded a good bit down with my angle grinder and some 36 grit.

Every time I move the level though it seems like something else is too high or too low. It's been hours of back and forth and it's starting to seem impossible to make this flat. The floor isn't actually level, it's 2-3 degrees tilted outwards, but flat is what matters to me. I'm starting to think if I put the plywood down that things just might go well, although at some points the plywood seems like it would be resting on the edge of the 4x3's because of the warpage.

Is there a reasonable tolerance that I should abide by in making these flat? Is there a better way? Is it ok if not the whole sleeper is in contact with the floor board? (bonus points: my framing down there looks structurally sound enough, right?!)

(and because I know somebody will call me out on it, there's no plastic under there but the epoxy coat I have down there is one of the moisture barrier variety, and I also put PT on to just to be safe - I know already! I know!)

Perhaps you're thinking about this in the wrong order.

What if you applied the plywood to the almost level sleepers and then leveled a surface over the ply?

I think you''re going to have a very difficult time leveling sleepers as you have in that photo.

EDIT: Per your comment that you intend to install tile atop ditra.... you have a very forgiving tolerance with the subfloor, then!
Glue and screw the ply into the sleepers. Then apply the Ditra.
You can level out imperfections in the leveling with thinset below the tile depending on just how bad things are.


Mice entering condo through a large hole in drywall behind gas range I have an enormous hole in the drywall where the gas pipe comes in to my stove. Should I use steel wool sheets to cover the hole?

I know this may sound silly but it actually works. Take some cotton balls and saturate them with peppermint oil and stuff them in that hole. Then do as you stated and stuff some steel wool into the hole. I would follow that with some 45 minute dry time sheetrock mud (you might have to use some foam filler first if the hole is really big).

The peppermint oil will keep the rodents away in the short term. Rodents that are familiar with that entry may return to find the steel wool, which they will ingest and eventually die. The sheetrock mud will be a (hopefully) final deterrant for any other rodents to enter at this location.


venting a range hood outside on our cedar cabin i need to vent our range hood outside on our cedar cabin and it is on the front of the house we would like it to be as inconspicuous as possible I can not find a vent that would work well with a cedar cabin

As long as the outside part focuses the air down like this one instead of straight out like this one, you can build a wood enclosure around it. It will still be an "add on" but if you stain it to match the surrounding area it shouldn't be so obvious and won't look so out of place.


Broken plastic gadget on blind The plastic gadget that contols the string for opening/closing and lifting/lowering of the blinds broke. In not sure,  but it may need new string too. Is that something I can easily fix myself?  I have minimal skills. If so, what is it I need and how do I fix it? If not, other recommendations? Thank you so much!

Super gluing it back together may work, but probably won't work for long if you open/close the blinds somewhat regularly. You'll probably need to replace the part sooner rather than later.

It's possible that you may be able to purchase a replacement part, but I don't think it's likely. Unfortunately, especially for the lower priced items, I think they're designed for replacement, not repair, but you may be pleasantly surprised!

Try going to your local big-box store and head to the window treatment counter. Bring the blind with you (or at least know the brand) and see if they can order parts. If that doesn't work, try a window treatment specialty store. They may have some replacement parts in stock that would work with your blinds, even if they brand doesn't match.

Barring that, I think you'd have to replace the whole blind unit. These seems to be more of a low-end unit, so, unless the window is huge a replacement should be reasonably priced (under $50 where I live, probably under $30 if the window isn't too big). Even huge windows (I've got a couple in my 100+-year-old house) will be under $100 to replace the whole thing, unless you go with a "fancy" version or have to custom order to fit the window size (wider or taller than they stock).

If you have to replace the whole thing and if this is a pretty common "standard" type of blind, it's possible that all you'll have to do is unclip the blind from the 2 or 3 metal or plastic mounts that hold it into the window frame and snap the new one into it. Compare the clips that come with the new one to the ones you already have up. They may be close enough for the existing clips to hold the new blind. If they look pretty close, give it a try. Don't force it too hard - you know about how much effort it took to get the old one out, that's approximately how much effort it should take to get the new one in. If you think you're exceeding the removal force to try to get it in, it's time to stop before you break something.

If you have to replace the clips, it's not difficult to unscrew the existing ones and screw in the new clips. You'd want to drill pilot holes for the mounting screws for the new clips to ensure you don't split the wood in the window trim. Note that it's possible that the existing holes may line up pretty well with the holes for the new mounting clips, even if the new clips are a different shape than the old ones, often they use slots instead of holes to allow for adjustment - use that to your advantage if you can. The hardest part is making sure that the clips line up square to the front of the window frame and are the same depth from the front of the frame (assuming the blinds mount inside the window frame). Take your time, measure and mark, then measure and double check your marks, then measure and triple check your marks. It's easier to change a pencil mark on the window frame by an eighth to a quarter inch than it is to make a new hole and eighth to a quarter inch away - you'll end up having to move the whole clip. (Not the end of the world, but you'll have more holes that you don't want to look at.)

Once you've got the pilot holes, it's simple to drive the screws and the new blinds simply snap into the clips.

The new blinds will come with exact instructions on how to install them, be sure to follow those for exact details.


1200 foot fiberoptic and power pull I may have to run 1200 feet of fiberotptic cable and AC power cable. I would run PVC conduit in a trench with the fiber inside. I can buy pre-terminated non-conductive outdoor fiberoptic cables in this length range. But has anyone ever done such a long pull? I don't think it is advisable to break the fiber into shorter segments due to return loss, etc. I only need two strands of fiber, but I will probably buy cable with more strands just in case there is some need in the future. Six strands seems to be common.

Ideally I would like to run the fiber in the same conduit as the power, but this seems perplexing.

In order to manage pulling the copper wire, I think I will need to break it up into 300 foot runs with intermediate pull boxes. It seems like it would be extra work to pull the fiber through the segments 300 feet at a time. Also, some segments would experience extra friction. Basically, whatever is going into a conduit segment should be pulled all at once in one go, it seems to me. But this will be hard if the copper is in 300 foot segments and the fiber is one continuous run.

I could run the fiber through its own conduit, but if I don't need to do that, I don't want to. I mean, I am paying for the conduit. Also, seems like it would be a difficult pull. (Please comment if you have experience).

Anyway, if you have done something like this, please let me know what the best way to do it is.

I am adding this information because I think people will ask. The copper wire will be 240V (two hots no neutral). I will run AWG14 THHN wire. There is not much of a load up there, and the load can tolerate a very wide voltage range (down to 100V). Ampacity is fine and I can live with the voltage drop. Will also run a 14AWG ground wire. Will install ground electrodes at far end.

I think in this case, I'd go with a direct burial armored fiber optic cable in the same trench, rather than running it in the conduit with the power.  Here is my reasoning.

The all dielectric cable you can run in the same conduit with the power is not rodent resistant.  I would be concerned about rodent damage in your pulling points.  I think an armored fiber buried in the same trench will be safer.

It will be much, much easier to install - almost foolproof.  No pulling the delicate preterminated ends through the conduit.  Put the spool on a pipe and have two people walk it down the trench and it will be laid about as fast as you can walk 1200 feet.

The only problem is if the direct burial fiber ever gets damaged, it will be very expensive to locate and repair the fault;  but realistically, in that event, you can just install an all dielectric fiber in the power conduit and abandon the damaged cable in the ground.

That is one reason to oversize the conduit a bit.  Don't try to go real close to the conduit fill limit.  That's a terrible way to save a few bucks.  Other reasons to oversize the conduit - easier pulling and leaves you with the option to install bigger wire later, just in case.

Consider using the big sweeps for your 90° bends.  Large diameter pre-made PVC 90's are readily available.

I'd try to keep the 90°'s to a minimum - go for straight pulls from handhole to handhole.  The telecom standards want you to avoid making bends in boxes, they recommend a straight through pull.  I think that guideline (it's not a code requirement) makes sense for workstation runs in EMT in buildings, I don't think it makes sense with a long underground run like this.

For the power - its probably not worth worrying about in this case, but don't rule out aluminum.  Aluminum is lighter, so it creates less friction in the pipe and pulls easier.  It might save money.  Since you'll probably be terminating in disconnects at both ends, terminating is not an issue.  Your splices in the handholes will be easier with copper, since wet location wire nuts are readily available.

In the comments, @Harper recommends limiting the distance between pulling points to 240' or 490' to stay closer to what's on a spool of wire.  I'd go a little closer if possible - say 220' - because the longest fish tape I have is 240'.  At least it was 240' when it was new, it has lost a few feet.  This may or may not ever matter,  just another thing to weigh in your planning.

I always include a pull string when I pull wire.  With PVC, I do not use inexpensive polypropylene string for pull strings, it is too likely to burn through a 90.  I use mule tape, which is flat nylon, or scrap wire or cable.  It's mainly there as a last resort - I'd rather use a fish tape - but it's easy enough to pull one in and better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

The three most important things when pulling wire:  LUBE, LUBE, LUBE.  Maybe you like the yellow waxy stuff (it freezes in the winter) maybe you like the blue goo like I do, maybe you prefer the new less-mess clear stuff, but whatever you do, lube.  Lube more than you think you need.  Way more.


How do you repair weep hole flashing in a brick veneer? I have a 1950's home with a brick veneer and a crawlspace.  The flashing that routes water from behind the veneer to the weep holes has broken in spots over time due to the weight of the trash mortar that cured on top of it.  The breaks allow moisture to enter the crawlspace around the foundation.  It also allows rodents to access the wall cavity and gain access to the attic.  The flashing appears to be made of a black felt-like band. How can I repair this? I was considering expanding foam but I'm afraid that may defeat the weep hole system.

Video demonstration of original construction

As far as I know there is no "easy" method that works. You have to strip the bricks down to that level and replace the flashing. Of course, this makes it an excellent time to consider how much you are or are not in love with brick veneer, since that's removing most of it. If you use a more durable flashing (lead is nice) you might get more than 60 years out of it; of course, if you can get 60 years out of anything it's probably more than you personally need.

You might find considerable cost-benefit in a rigid-foam / stucco replacement for the brick veneer - your walls are likley poorly insulated circa 1950s, and that would add a great deal of insulation to them.


Remove kitchen sink drain pipes I am trying to remove the kitchen sink to replace it. Its drain pipes are showed in the following photo:

Anyone know how to remove these pipes from the sink? It doesn't look like I can turn the part that connects the pipes and the sink.

I asked the company that sold the sink, and they said that the pipe is attached to bottom of the sink with a screw. So the pipe could be removed as in this photo:


How to manage water pooling at a particular spot in my lawn? Per the picture, I have an interesting draining issue where some rain water will drain along my roof's edge to a spot on my lawn. Problem is that the water is pooling in heavier rains (see picture below)

Are there recommended ways to handle water pooling due to draining water?

Cut the down spout off about a foot and one half.  Then fix a 45° bend to the bottom of the downspout.  Now install a 3-4' section onto that elbow and extend it out onto the lawn.  The rain water should now dissipate into the lawn before it can find its way back to that low spot. When mowing, set the extension to the side.


Home Building: Do the first and second floor exterior walls have to line up? we are planning on building a house, and i had a question about the exterior walls. does the second floor exterior wall have to run on top of the first floor exterior wall? we are trying to make the second floor a few feet shorter on 2 sides of the house to save unnecessary sqftage.. is this possible? if so is it cost effective?

thanks

I’m not sure what you are saving: 1) Roofing and roof structure? 2) Walls? 3) Second floor structure? 4) Foundation?
5) Heating?

1) You will have the same amount of roof structure, except it will be divided with some on the top of the first floor and some on top of the second floor. In addition, it’s more complicated (and expensive) to tie the lower level into the second floor wall and flash it properly.

2) You’ll have a few longer walls. This wall area will require a finish on the interior and exterior.

3) The second floor framing will need to be larger in order to support the second floor walls and roof structure.

4) The foundation will need to be the same size and support the same amount of roof load and nearly the same second floor - floor load. No savings.

5) You’ll save a small amount of space heating, but insulation will be more difficult to install and not as efficient.


How to detect whether there is a signal on TV cable I'm not receiving TV in my room and the cable guy has determined that there is no signal on my coax outlet in the wall. There is a signal in other rooms, so there must be a broken or disconnected cable somewhere in the house.

Now the owner and I are going to go around the house and try to find it, but how can we measure whether there is a signal / potential on a cable without connecting a TV to it?

I've read that you need a spectrum analyzer to measure signal strength, but I don't need that, I just need to know if there's any signal at all.
I've also read that you can check cables with a multimeter, but you need both ends for that, and they are impossible to bring close together in our case (the cables are in walls etc.)

(This is in the Netherlands, in case they have different standards there than e.g. the US)

You do not need to know if there is a 'signal' you just need to know if there is a connection.

A basic tool that can tell you evetrything and costs a few bucks/quid at local hardware store. Multimeter

Never in my life did i have to use a tone generator, a oscilloscope to test if my CCTV, Satellite or TV connection is giving me good enough signal.. LOL

You use that type of equipment for digital/analogue testing where you control several if not hundred outcomes, synchronization and high speed data transfer.

You just need to use a few simple free (brainpower) tricks.

Point A being nearest to your TV and Point B being the other end of the cable.

Disconnect all TVs
Short point B (so connect the signal and shield with a wire)
Test point A with a multimeter set at Ohm

Results

~0Ohm or very close to - Woohoo you have a nice connection from a to b!

  0Ohm More than dead short - You have a bad connection somewhere

No reading - Cable form Point A to Point B has no connection

There is no need to analyse the signal or test for a signal because you know you have a signal in the other TVs (assuming the coax is connected to the same place)

Alternatives

If you know the coax for all the TVs is the same cable you, you can leave Point B terminated - which is most likely closest to the antenna or after the junction. Test Point C,D...Z respectively to make sure there is a good connection.

Take your TV and connect it to a working plug to make sure the TV is not broke - or as pointed out use TV that works and plug it into your outlet - same difference I think? (but does not eliminate double jeopardy - your TV might still be knackered as well as the signal be broke :) )

Alternative 2

Also requires for all plugs to be disconnected from all TVs. Connect a 9 volt battery to one end and test all the ends for a voltage. If you get ~9 volts then the route is good. If you get a <9V then you have an issue on the route (micro short?) if you have 0V then there's no connection

Good Luck

Multimeter F.A.Q

And a photo to make it look pretty.


Can I connect a 100 amp sub-panel to a 200 amp main through a standard breaker? I'm running a 100 amp sub panel from my 200 amp main. I have my disconnect breaker for the main 200 amp panel outside in a combination electric meter socket and breaker panel. There is the A/C being fed from here and the 200 amp disconnect breaker for the the main panel.

My question is there are about 12 extra slots in this panel can I put my 100 amp disconnect breaker in this panel. It would be so much easier and and closer to the shed Im running the 100 amp line to.

Any help on this matter will be greatly appreciated..

Can you add a 100 amp breaker to your main panel?
  Yes you have 12 slots the double pole breaker will only take 2 slots.

Will you have enough ampacity to run everything with the new sub panel?

There is not enough information to answer fully but probably.

What are your other loads for the home?

Do you have gas or electric appliances / heat?
If your major appliances are gas (water heater, oven & furnace) I would expect there to be more than enough to run a 100 amp sub, if your appliances are all electric you may have enough but the size of the home would also be needed to calculate your current demand.


Solving poor upstairs airflow with a fan-powered vent In my 100+ year old 2-story house, it's quite warm upstairs.  One bedroom has a duct blowing in up from the air handler in the basement, and a return on the opposite side of the room.  The second bedroom has a duct blowing in, but no return.  The upstairs bathroom across the hall has a return, but no duct blowing in.  There is a third room some 15 ft. down the hall from the bedrooms, 10 ft. down the hall from the bathroom, which is open on one side as a loft above a downstairs room.

Neither bedroom upstairs has sufficient airflow.  We've tried closing all the vents downstairs, but this didn't help much.  I don't believe it's reasonably possible to run additional duct work.  The second bedroom I'm assuming is a lost cause.  Fortunately, it's the guest room and isn't regularly occupied.  The first bedroom however, we need to fix.

As sort of a bandaid on the situation, I'm considering building some small wooden boxes with fans which will slide into the duct work, replacing the existing vents. I plan to suck more air upstairs this way.  If this isn't sufficient, I plan to build some into the return vents as well, blowing back down into the duct.

Other than that, "this may not work", do you see any issues with trying?  I'm also open to other crafty ideas that don't involve ripping out walls at this time.  :-)  Thanks.

The fan idea would increase airflow, but the fans would have to be small to fit inside the duct.  Small fans trying to move a lot of air means lots of noise, so be prepared to deal with that.  There are commercial products available that do what you're describing.  I tried one (http://a.co/8beWhs0) and it helped, but it wasn't worth the noise to me.  It was especially annoying when the temperature was very close to the set point of the fan's thermostat because the fan would turn on and off every few seconds.

I suggest that you replace your HVAC system's thermostat with one that lets you schedule the fan to run periodically throughout the day.  (The Nest thermostat has this feature.)  It helps to even out the temperature around the house even when AC and heat aren't being used.

An attic fan and/or additional attic insulation could also help.


dryer vent near water pipe I'm running a dryer vent through the floor close to a water pipe and am wondering if in very cold weather the dryer vent would get cold enough from outside air (with only the plastic cover on the outside keeping out cold air) that there might be a chance of the space under the floor getting so cold that the water pipe could freeze.

The water pipes are only about 8 inches from the outside wall.

If there's a damper on the outside end of the dryer vent, and the water pipes are in at least occasional use, and the space gets some heat from the rest of the house, then you should be fine.

A more detailed answer would require more information, e.g. how cold is "very cold weather", a diagram of the situation, etc.


Radio interference , lighting I recently purchased a new place to me. We have a large horse barn that we pipe FM music to the horses. Last weekend I was in the shop attached to the arena and stalls after dark turned the shop lights on and heard total static on the speakers (they were turned up for the 4th fireworks) all 3 circuits in the shop have 3-4 2 tube 4' T 8 fixtures. I did turn them all off and then each one on. All 3 circuits created the problem. I checked the ground to neutral voltage and it is .129v  there is a local ground rod as this is a sub from the house, the ground buss is isolated from the neutral and I tightened everything in hopes it was a bad connection no change. Mid week I added a RFI Filter to the panel. The noise is still there on all 3 circuits, no problems with the 2 HID arena light circuits. Tried a high end Kenwood receiver and amp and still have the noise, not 60hz more like static. Has any one run into this problem and have a fix? There are step up transformers going to the speakers and then step down that kills our neighbors ham radio. But have never run into a problem quite like this. Today I checked both TAC rooms and the isle lights all fluorescent also but no noise on those all fed from the same panel. Update, last night I checked several of the  fixtures to verify the ballast they were residential class b not commercial. Maybe tonight I will move the breakers all to L1 then L2 to see if this makes a difference unless any one has a better idea. I did change the circuits to L1 still have the problem. Moved all 3 to L2 noise still there. Tonight I checked the middle and 3rd level lights to double check grounds and voltage from ground to neutral, I did change 2 of the lamps on 1 fixture as the ends were getting a bit dark, still no change all 3 of the circuits still cause the noise, All 6 of the ballast are class B. Only 3 more fixtures to check but will have to wait until tomorrow as I have to put a ladder in our tractor and have the Wife lift me up... I hate doing this and am open to other options. Any Ideas?

Thanks for the suggestions, I finally figured it out. This is a new one for me. Several lamps on the top fixtures were loose (still working fine but loose). When I opened the fixtures to check the grounds the noise reduced by the time I got to the last one the noise was gone. My wife thinks when we loaded the hay loft in June we must have shaken them loose. The loft is on the other side of the wall. I have never run into this in the past so it can be something to look for once all the lamps were reseated in the fixtures the "static noise" is totally gone. No other problems found. I did check the ground rod with a clamp and the ground was a solid 2.4 ohms.


What type of supports do I need for a 12'x20' deck? My deck has 12' joists and is 20' wide. It's attached to the house by ledger board. This is in Connecticut and house was built in 2013 to put into perspective the building code at the time. The builder specified four 4x4 posts to support the deck. The beam underneath the deck comprises four 2x10s sitting on top of 4 6x6 posts. We upgraded the 4x4s to 6x6s for added strength and for the look.
We are now looking to pour a concrete pad underneath and to do this we are going to be temporarily supporting the deck and removing the 6x6s.
I'm hoping you all feel if I remove the two center 6x6s the two outer 6x6s will be enough to handle the load of the deck, a gas grill (maybe 300 pounds) and of course family members.
The two outer most 6x6s that I'm hoping to leave are about 1 foot in from the edges of the quad beam
Is this enough? Can it be supported by those two 6x6s if I say upgrade the quad beam? Can I upgrade the 6x6s to leave the existing quad beam instead?
Thank you!!! Need to do this by Friday so I'm hoping some of you guys can respond today please!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/WdHUouE7qCbXhTM8A
Just added photos at the above link they were to large to add directly. The outside posts are only about 10" in.
Thank you!

Temporary post removal
If the beam members don't all join over one post, you can probably temporarily remove the two interior posts while you do your concrete work. Assuming adequate lap (with no more than one butt joint over each post) and adequate cross-fastening (say three screws every 18"), it'll hold the empty deck for a span of 18'. If you see substantial pressure or movement when you remove the first post, consider temporary posts to the ground outside the concrete pour area.
You'll want to block off the entrance to the deck to make sure no one enters it during this time.
Permanent post removal
Generally speaking, the footings that would've been built in 2013 should be able to carry half the deck and its contents. Should. Without knowing what they are, we're speculating. 6x6 posts are also probably adequate, depending on specific local code. That leaves the question of the beam.
You'll need steel (or an outdoor-rated engineered wood beam), and you'll need an engineer to sign off on a size. Other than the challenge of moving such a beastly beam, it's more or less a drop-in situation. Ask your inspection office what type of fastening to the posts and joists they'd expect.
On the subject of beam connectors
I've never heard of a deck falling due to post or beam displacement, though I can imagine it happening in a severe wind situation or if someone hits one with a tractor. Having built dozens of decks through the 80s and 90s and beyond, we never used structural steel for that. Just toenailed screws. If you want to add something, go ahead, but I wouldn't worry about it.


How to reduce chair squeak I have an office chair with five wheels.  When you lean forward or back, it creaks.  What can be done to eliminate the creak?

To find the exact spot where the squeak originates, use a meter-long piece of 3/4" heater hose or vinyl tubing. While you squeak the chair, your assistant uses the tubing like a stethoscope to find the loudest point under the chair.
Once you have found the point, mark it with a pen or chalk. It could be metal-to-metal, metal-to-plastic, or plastic-to-plastic. It could be in the center support, in an adjustment plate, or in the seat bottom or back.
You could spray something, rub a wax crayon, or sprinkle powder, depending on the exact location. Good luck, and keep trying.


How do I attach natural stone to backerboard in a shower I am making a custom shower, planning to cut my own stone slabs from stones found in my area. They will be granite, quartz, some others, that I cut with my own saw. I'm wondering how to attach the stones to backerboard so that the assembly is waterproof. The pan will be thin concrete over backerboard as well. Considering attaching expanded metal to backerboard with a 1-2mm gap and then using standard thinset buttered to back of stone then setting to wall. But then how to waterproof the assembly?

Normally the stone is applied directly to the backer board once the pieces are set a grout is used between the stones (today I would recommend epoxy grout). After grout a sealer can be used , I have done a couple jobs like this and do not recommend for a shower area. Even if well sealed natural stone picks up the soap scum and can be a pita to clean. I did a job for a guy that cut his stones , I thought it looked good and was remodeling a bath at my own home so I used my tile saw and did that shower it looked great, about a month later my wife was complaining about it, by 2 months I had to remove it and tile it. Several months later the customer called and asked how much to demo and replace he had the same issue but he had some fungus growing.

I have done other stone work and it was fine but in the shower it was hard to clean.