How do I drill a 2⅛ inch door knob hole over an existing 1½ inch hole? I need to replace the door knob for this interior door:

The door knobs I've found at the stores require a 2⅛ inch hole.  Mine is only 1½:

Did door knobs used to be smaller?  Is there some place I can find a replacement door knob that will fit my door?

If I need to modify the door to fit a modern door knob, will the new hole completely overlap the old? and can I reuse the latch hole?

Two other options. If you need to expand the hole with the exact same center, you can get a hole saw kit that uses an arbor with multiple attachable hole saws. Place the larger size hole saw with the smaller size inside of it, and tighten the arbor on both. The smaller hole saw acts as a guide in your existing hole.

For this to work the smaller hole saw must be the same or longer height, as depicted in the picture above. If they are the same length, the thickness of the base of the larger hole saw will cause it to protrude slightly. You can also use a washer to give it more depth as long as you can still secure the bit to the arbor.

The second option is similar to Chris's suggestion. Clamp a thin piece of plywood over the hole on the door, and drill through that. Pay special attention to keeping the drill level. The plywood keeps you from sliding all over the door. Just make sure you clamp it on well.


How to remove cables from the Philips ballast for fluorescent lamps? I have a few HF-Performer III TL5 ballasts to to which I connected cables in past. Now I can't take them out

http://www.lighting.philips.com/main/prof/lighting-electronics/fluorescent/fluorescent-fixed-output-gear/hf-performer-iii-for-pl-l-lamps/913713028366_EU/product

The instruction on the housing says that:

  - just rotate and pull, but it does not work when I keep them with my fingers and do so, maybe there is a tool for this?

  - this is an ADS / Manual connection, but in Google I can't find anything about this connection

On the pictures you can see a ballast with plugged cables and without cables

I ask for you advice

The solution is to use pin. Put it above cable end and remove both pin and cable at the same time

(On last picture it is below, not above)


double vapor barrier I am constructing a mortar/cement board shower and i need to waterproof it.  Is their anything wrong with using a plastic vapor barrier  / pvc shower pan liner
for the bottom layer
and then also liquid membrane for the top layer
are would this be a double vapor barrier and create problems?

It looks by what you're saying that it would creeate a double vapor barrier (or vapor pocket), however with the materials shown, it may not create "problems" per se.

That said, I don't know why you would do it using those materials. You could easily grout a tile a shower fairly cheaply and get a more rugged finished product. Personally that's what I would do because it is the standard, easy and correct thing for a shower...

Having said that, you could also just use your liquid sealant layer and heavily coat your motor board and get an equally water-proof later.


How to remove soft close drawer slide (no levers)? This heavy duty drawer slide is from a kitchen cabinet and I can't figure out how to release it from the cupboard. I tried taking off the bottom screws, but it still won't come off. There must be a release mechanism, but I can't seem to find it.

Turns out all you need to do is lift the drawer up when it's at full extension. It takes a bit of force. To put it back in, you just slide it in. Here's a video I found:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-B0Nym9vp0s


What type of fuse should I use for my GFCI kitchen receptacle? I have a countertop 15 amp GFCI receptacle in my kitchen and I would like to replace the fuse for it.

It's currently on a time-delay 30 amp fuse (it's a cartridge/capsule style fuse), which is too much, since the wire going to the receptacle is 12 gauge aluminum (which as far as I know is rated for max 15 amps).

My question is, should I use a time-delay fuse or a fast acting fuse for this receptacle?

I've read that time-delay fuses are for appliances which may have large electric motors, but I'm not sure what's considered large in this context. The outlet will connect things like a toaster, kettle, blender, slow cooker, microwave, etc. This receptacle is the only one on this circuit.

Yes, use 15A time delay, the short inrush of motors will not damage the wire. In the US even circuit breakers operate on a time delay, they call it "inverse-time", which really means the same thing.

Not sure what type of fuse is used in your country, in the US a FRN15 fuse would have a similar 500%/10 second delay that a typical thermal magnetic breaker would trip.


Auto Refill Pot with Water as Liquid Evaporates I have a Instant Pot operating 24/7 without the lid. The water in the pot slowly evaporates from the heat and if I do not refill the water every couple of hours it will completely evaporate and burn the pot. I am not able to babysit the pot and refill it manually when the water level drops too low.

Attaching one end of a metal hose to a faucet and placing the other end in the pot will obviously not work, since it would cause the water in the pot to overflow as there is no way to control the flow of water from faucet to pot with any level of precision.

I have toyed around with several ideas such as using a Auto-Fill Water Bowl however the way this product is designed there's no way for it to detect low water level in a pot and automatically refill it - it is designed to work only for animals (the end is also plastic so I can't put it in a pot of boiling water).

I've also toyed with a Mechanical and Smart Water Timer but the product can only turn the water on/off at preset intervals. Since I cannot precisely control the amount of water that flows through the timer, there's no way to control delivery of water to pot with precision.

It might be possible to design a system by borrowing some of the principles behind the Self-Dispensing Gravity Waterer however the way the product is currently designed, it is not a viable solution.

Any other advice or ideas on how to modify aforementioned products so that it solves my problem?

Thanks!

We often get cases where a person becomes fixated on one method, and loses sight of the big picture/overall purpose of the exercise. (This often manifests as the "XY Problem").  Your goal is not to abuse an Instant Pot; it's to humidify your home.  Step back.

You're ready to spend money. Just buy the right thing.

You've plainly stated that you're ready to spend $30+++ on various apparatus to try to solve this.  The money you're willing to spend is much more than a proper humidifier actually costs.  So just buy one of those. If you can't bear to spend $30, then go to the Salvation Army store and spend $5.

If you don't like misting humidifiers, there are lots of other kinds.  Misting has the advantage of a very sensible power draw, because it's not heating the water, it's letting your house's normal furnace do that more efficiently.

This is a firestarter at so many levels

NEC 110.3(B) says you must obey equipment's labeling and instructions.  An Instant Pot is a kitchen appliance, specifically a pressure cooker with computer controls.  It does many things, but humidifying is not one of them. It is not labeled for that, which means UL didn't test for that, which means it's not a safe appliance for that purpose.

What happens when it runs dry is a case in point. Instant Pots aren't designed to run dry where they would go into thermal runaway. There is no conceivable listed use of an Instant Pot where it would ever run dry, since operations are supposed to be on a timer or monitor. You are defeating those features to make it possible to misuse.

Further, using it "way off-label" like this, will greatly shorten the unit's life.  Smoke the unit, and suddenly the "big savings" from avoiding a proper humidifier go up in smoke.

There are many other issues when it's used outside of a kitchen, but you say not.

The Instant Pot already has a shutoff feature

Because the latent heat of vaporization is not a surprise.

And the Instant Pot has a timer and a known rate of heating.

You already know (or reasonably should know) the electric power consumption of your Instant Pot.  Yours will say, but my guess is 1500 watts, because that is the maximum allowed for a plug-in kitchen appliance under UL listing rules.
The latent heat of vaporization of water is 2264.705 joules per gram.
A joule is 1 watt for 1 second. (wow, that's easy)
That means that the Instant Pot makes 1500* joules per second

* Your value actually goes here.

Now you can compute: in my example it takes 2264 / 1500* = 1.51 seconds for the Instant Pot to boil 1 gram of water.

1000 grams makes 1 kilogram.
1 litre of water weighs 1 kilogram (not a coincidence)
A litre is basically a quart (good enough for this).

So 1 litre = 1 quart = 1kg = 1000 grams = 1000 times as long as a gram, so that makes (in my example) 1510 sec. = 25 minutes.  Per litre.

So if you have a 10 litre pot, that's 250 minutes or 4:10.

Now you know how to set the timer on the Instant Pot.

This will finish with some water left over, because we're ignoring inefficiency and the specific heat required to raise the water from tap temperature (15C?) to boiling temperature. That is small potatoes compared to latent heat of vaporization, and you need a little safety margin anyway.

Also, you should be dumping out the last 20% of the water, because it has 5 times the mineral concentration of normal water, and if you boil it dry, it will leave mineral deposits on your Instant Pot.  That mineral action can actually etch stainless.  That's one problem that misting dehumidifiers solve (they throw the minerals into the air).

Honestly, since the Instant Pot is so computerized, I'm amazed they allow any mode where enough joules could be added to evaporate all the water. It makes me wonder if you're tricking the computer to do this.

What a bad idea.

Metering water like you want is a rather hard problem

The crux of the problem being to stop overflows/runaways with a high level of reliability.  That is why you're not finding easy, off-the-shelf solutions to it.  Finding one that works at boiling-water temperatures is even harder.


Can you break an oven with wrong wiring? What would most likely happen if you wired in an oven the wrong way, ie double positive, or double negative, or positive to negative and negative to positive?

In the US, regular lights and outlets use 120VAC, and large appliances run on 240VAC.  Some large appliances need both 120VAC and 240VAC, and they will use 3 or 2 wires respectively.

For a 240VAC only appliance, you will have two colored wires which are typically red and black.  There will be two screws on the appliance, and it doesn't matter which wire goes to which screw (there will also be a bare ground wire and associated screw, but I'm leaving that out of the discussion).  The two wires are both "hot" (not positive or negative) and have a voltage of 240VAC between them and you really can't hook it up wrong.

Other appliances need 120VAC and 240VAC.  For instance, newer ovens might use 120v for their electronic displays, lights, and controls, but the main heating elements will run on 240v.  These appliances need three wires which are typically colored red, white and black.  The white is referred to as "common" and it must be connected to the correct screw.  The voltage between red and white and black and white is 120v, but the voltage between red and black is 240v.  Red and black are interchangeable.

If you happened to connect the red to the "red" terminal (terminal meant for the red wire - it probably won't be red...) and black to the "common" terminal, you would be supplying 240v to a part of the appliance that needed 120v, and something would break.  You would hope that a fuse or something easily replaceable would break, but there's no guarantees.  The oven could be cooked.


How can I find replacement parts for an unknown faucet? In the house I bought one of the faucets is missing a hot water indicator. I have no idea on how to go about getting a replacement indicator. Anyone know where I should start?

Here's the missing piece:

And here is what it looks like on another:

My local big box store (Lowes) has a catalog of pictures in the plumbing aisle. It contains a variety of parts for the brands they carry. You don't have to know what the part is just what it looks like. You may have to bring the other cap to match it for size. If you can't find a match replacement handles will be cheaper than a new faucet.


Can I flush patch a speaker box on a wall with spackle for wallpaper Our family room came wired for surround sound that we won't use (see pic).  I know I can buy metal plates that screw into the boxes after removing the existing covers.  As there's only speaker wires and no electrical, I'm comfortable doing this.
My question is that since we intend to put wallpaper on this particular section of the wall where those boxes are, I need to spackle over the wall plates I install.  That is, I want to completely hide the speaker boxes such that when wallpaper is applied it will completely cover where the boxes were.  Is there a way to do this to ensure the spackle won't crack and the wallpaper won't wrinkle over time?

In order to recess the blank cover plates into your drywall, you could try finding the smallest blank cover you can get. They do make them in smaller and larger sizes, though you may need to shop around a bit.
Once you found one that's smaller than what's on there now, install it on the box, and mark the outline on the wall. Remove the plate, trim the drywall around your markings, and re-install the blank cover. It will now be recessed behind the drywall, unless the box itself is exactly flush or protrudes out.
Now you could use tape and drywall mud to make the area flush and apply whatever covering you would like.

Alternatively, you could also remove the boxes completely, for example, by using a saw to cut through the nails that hold them to the joist and then pulling them through the hole. You would then place a thin, short board through the opening (like a piece of 1x4 ripped to fit easily, or plywood), and use that to fix some cut-out drywall into the hole, and then patch as you normally would.
It would look something like this before you place the patch piece over the wood:


Circular saw blade won't tighten I have a Milwalkee 7 1/4" circular saw. When I tighten the nut to secure the blade it continues to turn never completely stopping. Then when I run the saw it comes loose again every time. I've taken nut and washer out, cleaned and shop vac'ed it and it still won't tighten.  Can hear it turn mototr inside.  Suggestions? Thanks Jim

Either you're not using the arbor lock feature (look for a button or lever nearby which engages a hole or slot in the arbor as you turn), or your bolt is stripped.

Use the arbor lock or replace the bolt.


Low voltage on homerun I have a homerun that goes directly to GFCI that is only getting 88 volts. From hot to ground is 122v, from neutral to ground is 23v. In the panel I am getting 122v also. I have 3 outlets past the GFCI and they are all reading the same.

It sounds like the 23V is “phantom voltage” from capacitive coupling (read: picking it up like radio waves) from the adjacent hot wire.   Sort of the way a crystal AM radio can make an earphone sound solely off power picked up from the airwaves, except instead of an earphone it’s a highly sensitive meter (most cheap DVMs are highly sensitive).  That only happens if the neutral is disconnected at both ends.
It’s disconnected at the load end because all loads are turned off.
Go look for the reason it is disconnected at the service panel end.  Either the connection at the breaker isn’t very good, or at the first receptacle, or (rather unlikely) the wire is broken enroute.


What to do with a spare 220 line? I took out an old oven and replaced it with a new gas one so now I have a spare 220 line that I don’t need anymore. It backs up to the garage and I’m Wondering if there is anything useful I could use it for other than just capping it off and putting it in an access panel for the future.

It depends.  If it's a 4-wire connection (hot-hot-neutral-ground) you are good to go.

If is a 3-wire connection (hot-hot-neutral and no equipment safety ground), you have two choices (or not):

If the neutral wire is a bare wire, you can permanently recharacterize it as a ground wire, and use the two "hots" to drive a 240V-only load (but not a 120/240 load like a dryer).  You move the ground wire from the neutral bar to the ground bar. (in a main panel they may be the same bar).  This option is not available if the neutral is white or gray.
You can convert it to a 4-wire connection by retrofitting a ground wire.  Fortunately the ground wire need only be #10 and can follow any viable route back to the panel, any other #10 ground or conduit, or the grounding electrode system.

With that matter taken care of, you can redirect/retask it to another purpose so long as all splices are made in junction boxes which are accessible.

If it is already a 4-wire connection, or if you are making it a 4-wire connection, leave things in a state where you can convert it back to service for an electric range.  Some jurisdictions require you provision this service, and easy convertibility meets the requirement.


Tubular heater placement in garage I've purchased a 4ft tubular thermostatic heater for my garage to hopefully keep the frost/moisture at bay.

I have two options to install it either at the top or the wall near the roof, or near the floor.

Where would be the best place to install it to get the best use out of it?

(My garage roof is insulated but the walls are not, if that makes any difference)

If it is a radiant (quartz tube) heater, a high mount will keep it out of the way, but be sure to install an air-spaced reflector to keep it from starting a fire in the wall.

If it is a convection heater, it must be mounted low. Again, be sure that the installation meets fire and electrical codes.


Does my crawl space need venting I have a crawl space under my main entrance of the house. It's about 3' tall. I added a heat duct because the floor at the entrance was always cold. So my question is do I need to vent the crawl space because I added the heat vent. Even if I just cut a hole in the door leading to the crawl space and put a vent cover there. Thanks

Best practice varies with the climate.

If you open up venting between the basement and the dirt crawl, cover the dirt crawl with a moisture barrier.
Consider instead sealing the crawl entrance from the finished basement air, and opening a vent to the outdoors.
In SOME areas you may be allowed to put a fan to the outdoors. Mechanically controlled by humidity, it would offer the best of both cold and warm weather performance.

For research on this topic see,

Moisture Solution Becomes Efficiency Bonanza in Southeastern United States, PDF by Bruce Davis and Cyrus Dastur, AdvancedEnergy.org -Crawl Spaces


Why does water come from toilet supply when water to house is shut off? I turned off the water to the house to change the valve on a toilet supply line.  All of the faucets and the tub were cut off but water kept coming out of the toilet line when I removed the valve.  It just kept coming but not at high pressure.  The water was warm and the water heater is nearby. Its a slab foundation but I don't think the house has been replumbed thru the attic, and wouldn't such a gravity drain off go to the tub and faucets also?  It's a mystery (to me at least)!  Any ideas.

Have Wrench, Not Plumber

Unless you have some phantom water supply, the water you are seeing is standing water from pipes higher than the ballcock valve you are trying to change. Is there a hot water mixing valve connected to the cold supply for the toilet? This is common to supply warm water to a toilet to control sweating. If so, is the water heater at a higher level than the toilet valve? If this is the case, try shutting the supply to the mix valve.  With all that said, you may have to simply put a collection vessel under the offending tubing and let the water drain out.  It will stop eventually after all the standing water above it has drained off. If you open the faucets on other fixtures located higher than the toilet, the draining will happen faster.  Of course, an obvious check would be to  assure the main shutoff is completely closed, and not leaking by.


What water:cement:sand ratio gives the strongest mortar? A typical mortar mix ratio is 1 cement : 3 sand. But what is the water ratio? Is it 0.5:1:3?

Would a 0.5:1:2 ratio be a stronger mortar?

Our next door neighbor has a dog that digs like a pro. The dog somehow manages to dig underneath some parts of our wire fence netting and get through. So I have thought of filling the holes with mortar.

I previously tried to fill the holes with concrete made with 0.5 water : 1 cement : 2 sand : 3 gravel, but the mix I made easily crumbled apart. Could that be because I bought gravel made of 0.5inch stones?

The less water the better, to a point. Excess water will weaken the mix. At some point in the other direction, there is not enough water for the hydration process(around 0.25:1 water:cement). In general though, to have a workable mix, there will be enough water for hydration. Use as little water as possible to make a workable mix, around 0.45:1 is fine. Don't use mortar for bulk fill, it's a waste of cement. The gravel in concrete is just filler, saving cement.

The concrete you mixed is sort of the standard DIY ratio, I don't know why it didn't work. While 0.5" gravel is a bit small, it can't be the reason for crumbling. Perhaps the cement was old? It may have absorbed enough humidity to partially hydrate, but not so much that it bound together.


What does it mean to drain into a "laundry tub?" In the USA my American-made tankless water heater's install manual says that the condensate line can empty into either a drain or a "laundry tub" and then continues to explain that leaving laundry soap in the tub can help neutralize the solution.

Should I interpret this to mean that I can drain into basically a fancy bucket of i want to?

Just like a Washing Machine
A washing machine drain hose can go directly into a drain, but it can also drain into a laundry tub. I am having trouble finding a free picture, so here is a link to a typical one: Laundry tub on Amazon.
The main advantage of draining into a laundry tub for a washing machine is that you can install a filter (typically made out of metal mesh and thrown away when it fills up) on the output hose to keep lint out of the main drain. But another advantage, particularly if you already have a laundry tub installed, is that you don't have to do any real plumbing work when you install the washing machine - just hook up the hot & cold input and the drain output goes into the laundry tub, taking advantage of the trap that is already there.
Similarly, for a condensate drain you can simply put the output hose or pipe over the edge of the laundry tub and let it drip into the tub without worrying about any other plumbing work. My A/C condensate drain used to be set up that way, but I changed it to go into a floor drain instead because the slope was too low for the long pipe run needed around the laundry room.
Draining into a laundry tub also functions as an air gap. Because the hose is not going directly into the drain pipe, it becomes nearly impossible for water to back up from the main drain into the device (washing machine drain or A/C or water heater condensate line).
What you can't do is simply drain into a bucket, except in an emergency situation. Any bucket - whether 1 gallon or 5 gallon or any other size - will fill up and overflow if left unattended with a condensate line, it is just a matter of time.


How to check if joists are on plane? I'm considering using 1x3 strapping before applying my new drywall ceiling (after doing some more work on them the other night and realizing it may be the best option). The ceiling joists are exposed and the walls at the top have a gap from about 1/2-3/4" from using a utility knife during tear down. I'm not overly concerned with gap in excess of 1/2" because taping and mudding will hide it, plus I'm adding crown with backing at the end.
What I want to do before installing the strapping is to ensure the joists are in the same plane with one another. I don't have a laser level, but I do have a 4' bubble level and some string. My thinking was I could run some string at various intervals across the joists, having it flat against the first and last joists and checking that it's tight against all the other joists. I could then confirm by measuring from the joists that cause the gaps (meaning they are the lowest) to the floor.
Any suggests on another way (without laser level) to achieve these?

Your plan for using builder's string is good, but don't set the string tight. That opens you up to cumulative contact error. You'll end up with a soup bowl for a ceiling.
Instead, put a spacer of a convenient thickness under the string at the outside. I've often used a scrap of 1x or 2x lumber (3/4" and 1-1/2", respectively). Then you'd measure the gap at intervals, either by setting a series of lines across the room, or by swinging a single line from a corner across to various points along the opposing wall.
If you find high or low spots, here are a couple remedies...

For low spots, sister blocks or strips to the joist as needed, or use shims under your strapping. You can still screw your strapping to the joist, so these don't need to be thick enough for screws. They just act as a spacer.

For high spots, chalk a line from end to end on one side of the joist, anchoring at the bottom corner. Use a circular saw or power planer to remove the hump (sag).

Note that level isn't really what's important here. No one can see a mild slope in a ceiling. Flat is your priority.


What is duct tape's actual purpose? It seems like duct tape is really temporary fix for everything.

Obviously (or not) is is not meant for ducts.

Main questions:

What is duct tape's actual purpose?
When should I use it for a permanent fix?
Is it really a product with no intended purpose other than for people to be creative in DIY and repair?

It was meant for ducts.  It's just been obsoleted by better products.

I mean for ducts.

However it was never the best at the "all purpose tape thing" people currently do with it.  That honor goes to gaffer tape.

Gaffers are lighting electricians in theater, film, TV and electronic news gathering.  Gaffer tape is to affix cables and lights temporarily to finished surfaces, without marring or gumming the finished surface.  When you see a TV shoot in some CEO's beautiful office, and there's enough light in that office to shoot, it's because gaffer tape is holding some mini lights to the walls in the right places, and their electrical cables are taped down to the carpet.  Can you imagine taping cable down to carpet with duct tape?  And when the shoot's over, all that tape comes up with no mess.

When you reach for duct tape, what you really want is gaffer tape.  Gaffer tape is not cheap, maybe $15/roll for the lesser and $25/roll for the better stuff.


Need help mounting a TV to the wall I'm struggling to mount my 31kg Panasonic TH-P60ST60A 60 inch TV to the wall in my apartment and was hoping someone here might be able to give me some advice.

The walls in my apartment seem to be a layer of drywall, about 20mm thick, followed by a 10mm gap, and then some type of brick. As far as I know, there are no studs in this wall (it's in Australia, and the walls here seem to be constructed quite differently from the walls I'm used to in Canada):

I used a hammer drill to put 8 holes in the wall, when I drilled through the drywall, it was pretty easy, but I had to switch to the hammer when I reached the brick (or whatever it is) behind the drywall, so it seemed somewhat solid, although definitely not as solid as the type of brick you'd find outside:

I then used the following 8mm x 80mm plastic plugs

and tried to push them as far back as possible, to try to get them seated into the brick:

Then I put the TV mount on the wall and tried fastening some large screws into the plastic plugs to secure it to the wall, although unfortunately what ended up happening is that the screw just twisted the plastic plug, and it eventually just broke off:

Here's a picture of the wall with the mounting bracket waiting to be screwed in:

You can see that there's a large gap in the wall, which the owners thought was a great idea, but I beg to differ. I was still able to drill 4 holes with 100mm spacing, which I figured should provide enough support (if I was able to get a solid bolt in the wall, that is)

So now I'm stuck. I have 8 ugly holes in my wall (actually, 9 because I drilled one too close to the corner and hit the metal bracket) and I haven't been able to attach a single screw.

I think there's two main issues so far:

I used an 8mm drill bit for an 8mm plug, but the "brick/stone/whatever" behind the wall might have been too soft, in which case I may have made the hole too large, so the plugs are just rotating around not gripping
Perhaps I didn't actually push the plug far enough into the wall so that it reached the brick, in which case when I twist the screw, it just shears off the top of the plug because it has nothing to grip on, however, I've pushed the plug pretty far into the wall, and it feels like it's seated in the brick, but I can't really tell for sure.

In any case I'm at a loss of what to do next.  I'd like to avoid calling a professional, since they charge about $400 to mount a TV and was hoping I could do it myself, but now I'm stuck.  If anyone has any suggestions of what to try next, please let me know!  Thanks!

Edit: here are some additional pictures of the gap behind the wall:

And a close up of the screw inside the plastic plug:

And a google sketchup diagram of possibly using a wooden frame to support the TV:

Update May 25th 2017

Thanks to all those who answered, you gave me some great suggestions, and I'm happy to report that I've finally managed to mount the TV on the wall!

I took AndyT's advice and bought some larger 10mm plugs for my 8mm screws.  While I was drilling the larger holes, it felt like I hit brick behind the wall, and the screws feel pretty sturdy, as does the bracket, so I think the TV should be secure.

Here's some pics of the bracket and TV now attached to the wall:

If the top of the plug is shearing off when you put the bolt in, then this means the bottom of the plug isn't turning (so not a problem of the hole being too large), but the top of the plug is turning (which means the bolt is gripping it rather than turning within it).

Looking at the picture of your bolt in the partially failed plug, and given the above, I believe your plug diameter is too small for your bolt. Your options would therefore be to either get smaller bolts, or to get larger plugs (and drill a larger hole for them).

An alternative would be to get a different sort of plug. There is a product called "grip-it" designed to attach to plasterboard (=drywall) which has been installed dot-and-dab over masonry as per your situation. I've found it to work well, but the diameter of the fixing is very large, so is only suitable when the bolt won't be near to a visible edge. The business started in the UK, I have no idea whether it's available in Australia.


Teflon (plumbers tape) to seal hot water pipe leak from the outside? Hi there,

This is some piping to my Saxon hot water system. Just above where the white/green corrosion is is where the leak is.

My question is, can I use plumbers tape on the outside of this to seal the leak?

I do not want to pull it apart as I don't know what I am doing. I am basically after a quick fix and thought plumbers tape (teflon tape) would suffice. If not are there any other options? (other than the obvious in getting a plumber out (again!).

No.  "Teflon tape" is used on the threads of joints, not to seal leaks outside of joints.  It's not adhesive like tape, so it wouldn't stick to the outside of the pipe at all.

If you don't know what you're doing, I'd bring in someone who does.  Based on the amount of corrosion, it looks like it's been leaking for some time. It could be as simple as tightening the nut, or it might require disassembly and reassembly (possibly with new parts).


How do you disconnect a tv satellite from the roof? We recently had the roof replaced. The roofers discarded the old satellite dish portion left from the previous owners but the cable to the dish was left dangling from the roof with some kind of heavy attachment piece at the end (it looks like a trailer hitch), banging the side of the house.  How do we remove it safely?  Is it still energized?

If the piece dangling from the wire looks like this,

then you should be able to unscrew the cable from it ( connector on the left end of picture). Or,if the cable is not connected to a receiver in the house, it should have no power to it and you can cut it off with a pair of pliers.


How to Winterize an Outdoor Shower with no Valves I recently bought a house and am now trying to winterize it.  I found out that the outdoor shower has no on or off cutoff water valves, so what do I do before it starts to freeze?  The previous owners just completely shut down the house, all water etc., for the winter, but we want to enjoy the house.  Is it a big expensive job to add valves?  i.e. cutting through the basement roof etc. co can I just cover the pipes outside with a protective cover?  Thanks

If plumbing supplies an exterior shower that is subject  to freezing weather then any standing water must be drained or it may break the pipes as it freezes. Just shutting the valve off will not remove the water beyond the valve.  Depending on the pipe material, your plumbing skills, and how the piping is configured it would be wise to install valves on the lines that will be subject to freezing weather, but they should be inside if possible. It might be a good idea to also install a "T" connector (also inside) at a low point to the line in order to drain any standing water that would otherwise damage the pipe if frozen. You could attach a hose bib (spigot) to the "T" to make winterizing a simple job. "Ball valves" are best for the shut off valves.


Cell Foam vs. Traditional Fiberglass Insulation for Party Wall In an end-unit townhouse, cell foam is being used to insulate the three exterior walls.  Would the gains from also using cell foam on the party wall be noticeable?  Or would the cheaper alternative of using traditional fiberglass insulation be sufficient?  The neighboring house's wall will also be insulated separately on their side, most likely using fiberglass, so the R-value gains from using cell foam would likely be negligible.  Our primary concern is reducing noise.

On a party wall between two adjacent, standalone houses, where each side is insulated, but between which there is not necessarily an air gap, would using cell foam insulation on the party wall provide noticeable soundproofing over fiberglass?

While closed cell foam will perform a bit better than fiberglass in noise reduction, there are much better ways to tackle this for the same or lower cost. What you really need for sound isolation is to add mass between the living units and to mechanically separate them.

If both living areas are sharing a wall, building with double studs that are staggered will prevent sound from traveling through the studs from one dwelling to the next. Another great option for soundproofing is to use double layers of 1/2 inch drywall or a single layer of 5/8 inch drywall on each side (or at least on your side) instead of a single layer of 1/2 inch (typical).

I've used 5/8 inch drywall everywhere in my home that I've remodeled and even without insulation in the interior walls, it's helped tremendously. I'd skip the cost of cell foam for interior walls and only use it where needed for air sealing and insulation from heat and cold.


Toilet clogged with paper cat litter Here's a very related question but seems to be about clay litter: Flushed cat litter, maybe clogged?

I flushed paper cat litter down my toilet. I have been doing this for 5 years without any problems, but I wasn't paying attention and flushed way too much at once, so it clogged.

Plunger did nothing. Also tried Green Gobbler with boiling water, 2 overnight attempts, did nothing. I got a 6 ft auger, and it met resistance about 5 ft down. I was able to break through it, but the toilet still won't flush, so the 6 ft auger is just a little too short.

I was able to pull some of the litter out with the auger. But I'm a little unclear on how the auger is supposed to work. It seems that for a larger item, it's supposed to catch on so you can pull it back up and out of the toilet. But for paper litter, would I just have to pull a small amount out each time, or can it just break it apart?

I was thinking of trying a 50 ft auger next, but my main concern is that it will just push the clog deeper and it will get even more difficult to clear. Or does the pipe get larger when it gets pushed deeper, so that isn't a concern? I'm on a house with a septic. The shower and sink in the same bathroom are not clogged.

Picture of the litter. It is small pieces of compacted paper

There are no clear cut rules on how an auger should work. They're designed to "screw" into the clog and either break it up so it flows down the drain or catch the clog so you can pull it out with the auger. Keep trying to remove bits of the litter like you said you have done. Chemical stuff probably won't work since the litter is compressed paper and has expanded. They have 25' augers at home stores that would be easier to work with than the 50'.

Without building information it would be hard to determine if the pipes will get larger as they go down. My experience is that the toilet drains are the largest installed, in residential.

Keep trying with the augers and flushing to clear this yourself. If that doesn't work you might try a 50' auger going down from the vent on your roof close to where the toilet is located. You might be able to rent one from your home store.  If all else fails, call a plumber. Good luck.


Concrete retaining wall with lean and crack, looking for input We bought our 100 year old house “as-is” a year ago with various small cracks and a firm, but somewhat eroded foundation.  This all needs to be addressed eventually, however, a large crack with leaning segment of the retaining wall is my current and primary concern.  My intention is primarily to prevent failure from an earthquake or some other novel cause of pressure or compromise.
Currently I see myself laying somewhat of a raised footing without excavating below the existing wall (no existing footing for retaining wall), placing concrete blocks and filling them with concrete and rebar.  I would also place concrete between the blocks and the existing wall to attempt to fill in the void that will be caused by building a level vertical wall in front of a leaning wall.
Since this will be only my second time working with concrete and the most substantial and permanent home improvement project that I have ever undertaken, I am here looking for any and all comments, advice, concerns, creative thought, first hand experience, and any and all reference to resources directly related to the task at hand.
The following may be extraneous, but is relevant if you have the time to read.
I could be wrong, but for the following reasons, I believe the factors that caused the issue are no longer at work: (1) I dug a ditch to install a drain and divert water from the foundation, but observed for a week before filling the ditch.  Some of the heaviest rainfall of the year came down during that week and I saw very little filling that ditch. (2) the house had no gutters for atleast 2 years before we bought it and likely no proper drainage before that time leading to the removal of the gutter. (3) The sewer line comes out just above the leaning wall and in ‘96 it was transferred from septic to sewer with all plumbing exterior of the wall replaced.  A wide shallow depression can be seen above ground where the pipeline is.
I’ve had three different quotes with three entirely different types of solutions suggested (all costs from memory).  The first was to install I beams to support the wall in addition to some other work that I can’t remember but would help reset the wall to vertical ($30,000) along with the suggestion that I first install a French drain.  The second was to seal the crack with an epoxy or similar and apply a sort of structural bandage perpendicular and over the crack ($5000).  The third was to shotcrete the entire basement foundation ($50,000).  The third contractor suggested that if he was me (with little experience, limited funds, and no access to the same types of professional tools), he’d put a new wall in in front of and spanning the compromised segment of foundation and atleast a few feet around the corner.
All of that being said, I intend to construct a wall as suggested and for several reasons. (1) All tools and supplies required don’t cost all that much.  (2)  It is a permanent and reliable fix suggested even by a professional.  (3) The fix doesn’t have to be immediate so I can gather supplies and tools over time and I have the means to transport said supplies. (4) I have the ability and the will to go through with the extensive labor that it requires.
Thank you for your time and please take the time to comment if you have it.

Panorama

This site prefers not to provide 'call a professional' answers and I might receive some less positive reception for this answer, but this is a case where I think that it is appropriate.

My suggestion is to hire a local structural engineer to do a site visit and provide you with their opinion of the situation and additionally, if you prefer, a DIY fix solution. I say this because 1) I am a struc engineer and I have done plenty of these types of site visits and often (usually) the result that the issue or fix is NOT what the homeowner or contractor thought that it was (and changes how it is addressed) 2) the quotes you provided are large in comparison to the cost of the review by a struc and it is very likely that you would both get a solution that is less expensive to construct and you are sure that the problem is addressed permanently, you don't have to worry any more about it.

One likely outcome is that less work is required. You have noted that you addressed the water issue. Hydrostatic forces are higher than the soil forces, so more than doubles the load. These things would be considered by the engineer, and they would be on site to consider the individual situation that you have. I would expect the cost to be in a range in the middle to upper middle three digit range for the site visit and even a small change in the cost of the bids you received would more than make up for the initial cost. If nothing else, call one and ask their fee and what they would do for you. A small firm is a better choice over a large one for cost and personal service at this project level. I have no doubt that it would be some of the best money that you ever spent.


Pond Construction Calculator - have I left out any variables? I am interested in building a pond near my home in Maine.  Unfortunately, water supply is limited, so I was curious to see if it would be possible to maintain a pond without having to manually refill it using well water.  I found some resources suggesting the possibility of using rooftop collected rainwater for topping off a pond, but I wasn't sure if this would be sufficient, so I created a spreadsheet to determine feasibility.

The spreadsheet can be found here.

The results of this spreadsheet appear too optimistic for me to believe.  Using average rainfall/evaporation data for my area, an assumption of 1 gallon leak per hour, and inputs for the dimensions of the roof and prospective pond, the water level seems to stay completely full without any intervention all year round.

Is this possible?  Have I missed anything in my calculations?  I'm thinking of using a rubber liner, but mostly I'm investigating if this is possible in any way first before looking at specifics.

How did you determine a leak rate ? Will it be concrete or rubber , or ? Will there be high edges to keep out roots and prevent capillary action of soil. My small pond in TX ( 800 gal) , rubber liner , leaks over a gallon an hour which I can't find. But one data point ; swimming pool in northern IL essentially stayed full from precipitation Oct to May ( no swimming/splashing ) ; being frozen significantly reduces evaporation which I think will work even better in Maine. Depending on the location and size , wildlife like deer may be a factor. Deer drink out of mine but it leaks so much I have no idea.


Single pole breaker in Transfer Switch trips on transfer to GEN position every time but only on Master Bedroom circuit, 5 others OK How can I use a single pole breaker in Transfer Switch to replace a Double Pole GFI breaker in box for bedroom lights and GFI Master Bathroom outlets? It trips every time I turn it on through transfer switch on gen power, both are 15 Amp Breakers (std breaker in transfer switch, GFI breaker in Panel). I only need to power the bedroom lights but looks like they are not isolated since it keeps tripping the breaker?

You can't put GFCI, AFCI or MWBC circuits on transfer switches.

I'm referring to the flimsy 6, 8 or 10 circuit switches that let you flip each circuit to utility or gen individually.

And you have both GFCI and MWBC.

So, yeah, not gonna happen.

That panel should have never been recommended to you. Unfortunately generator salesmen recommend that type because 50 years ago the things are designed to be an easy bolt-up to "any panel" precisely so that salesmen don't need to know anything about your panel.  However, technology has passed it up.  The concept is obsolete (and a bit dangerous) by modern standards.  The breakers aren't even very good.

You need an interlocked subpanel, where you switch the whole subpanel from utility to gen, and the branch circuit breakers live in that subpanel. Those will work all day with AFCI, GFCI and MWBC.

MWBC = Multi-Wire Branch Circuit, shared neutral. Requires common throw.
GFCI = Ground Fault Circuit Interruptor, looking for current differences between hot and neutral, which could shock people.
AFCI = Arc Fault Circuit Interruptor, looking for the "sound" of arcing, which starts fires.


Sash window meeting rails not even I'm in the process of refurbing our sash windows. The top and bottom sashes of most of the windows in the house are out of alignment. Photo attached.

There's a 1 inch overlap of the meeting rails. This makes locking the windows and fitting draught proofing difficult.

Were the windows built like this for a reason or is there some movement in the windows causing this?

Should I leave this as is when refurbing the windows or remove some of the frame from the top and bottom sashes to they are flush?

First it looks like the windows are put in reversed. The glazing putty, the angled places around the windows, have always faced out on old windows. What is now the outside should have a profile something like this

Although while looking for this image, I did find profiles that match what you have there too.

If they are reversed, the angled bottom will keep the window higher in the opening so the middle does not line up. If there is weatherstripping, the groove will not line up. If they are not reversed, and there is weatherstripping around the perimeter, there may be numerous coats of paint on the top and bottom, so the edge does not fit into its corresponding groove anymore, or the metal is bent so it doesn't fit either. More pictures of the frame conditions would help confirm this.


Well pump won't shut off or get above 32 psi Turned off power & valve to house. Tank and gauge read 32 psi. Drained the tank (very little water in it) Tank psi remained at 32psi but gauge dropped to zero very quickly. Took the tank pressure down to 28 psi (I have a 30/50 switch) powered back up with valve to house still closed, gauge still not going past 32 psi, opened valve to house and no change? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, can't afford a plumber right now and don't want to burn out my submerged pump.

Found the following info on the QD control box at well: model# 2801084915 1HP 230 volts SF max amp 9.8

You are probably having a pump problem that may require you to pull the pump and have a well guy clean the impellers, repair the pump or replace the pump and/or motor. Usuall, if the pump has a reduced supply or pressure the impellers are at fault.


What kinds of dimmers do I need? I'd like to make myself a lighting control that would schematically look like this:

I don't know a lot about dimmers, but I heard they have some parameters which might prevent them from working. I'd like to have three dimmers, two of which would control their own branch of lamps (incandescent only, I hate all other lamps atm), and the one that would control both. I assume all dimmers have an option that completely cuts power, because I need that at least on the main dimmer (leftmost on the picture).

What kinds of dimmers (exact parameters are welcome) do I need to use with a maximum of five (on each branch) 75w incandescent lamps?

I wouldn't like this question closed, so I'm adding that this should not only work with exactly (5 + 5) × 75w incandescent lamps, but a maximum of that quantity to include all variants with less lamps, as I believe it should work with equipment required for maximum load (but I am prepared to be corrected on that).

You could get pretty close to this with three Insteon switches set up:

Switch "A" (the master) connected to line and neutral, load lead capped.
Switches "B" and "C" connected to line and neutral, with the load (light bulbs) connected to the load lead and neutral.
Create a scene where switch "A" acts as the controller, and "B" and "C" are responders.

Switches B and C will operate independently, but any action at A (on, off, bright, dim) will affect both of them.

Edit: @Matthew PK reminds me to point out that this could be any scene-capable smart switch.


Can I glue D rings to the back of a frameless mirror Can I glue D rings to the back of a frameless mirror? I don't want to use mounting clips nor glue it to the wall. I'd like to hang it from a stone wall using brick clips. I'm trying to do as little damage to the wall as possible.
Thank-you, Lucie

Can you? You could... but I would advise against it.

A better option (depending where your skill set lies) is to make a frame for it, or glue the mirror to a piece of wood that you can then attach fasteners to. You could use a piece of plywood for instance, which is cut smaller than the mirror (2 inches on each side is probably plenty) so you don't see the edges unless you're right against the wall. Attach the D-rings to the plywood with brackets (like these)


Rusty marks on bathroom sink top I have several stains on my bathroom vanity tops that look like rust. I think they have been caused by things being left on sink tops for too long and water leaving marks around these objects. They seem permanent. I have tried several stain removers and none worked. Any suggestions?

If the stains are due to rust, any of the commercial cleaners might work if left in place long enough. @dandavis usggested CLR, and IronOut or Barkeepers Friend should also help, if left as a poultice (e.g. covered with a paper towel wet with the cleaner) so that it doesn't evaporate before penetrating. Even "sour salt", citric acid, may work.

If the stain has penetrated deeply, though, it may take multiple applications to make it much lighter.


What is this plastic basin on the back of my fridge, and does it require any special care? While cleaning my kitchen and behind my fridge, I found this part on its back. It was filled with a moldy liquid that looked like water. I threw the liquid away and cleaned the part. I’ve added a bit of water back (not as much as it had) and put the part back in its place.

I found the manual for a similar fridge model but I see no reference to the part.

My question is what is this part for, and how should I take care of it?

That is almost certainly the drip pan, and it is intended to catch condensation flowing from the condensation/defrost drains in the fridge/freezer.
This water should just evaporate into the surrounding air over time.
Cleaning it occasionally is not a bad idea, but it is not necessary to 'replace' any of the water you may find in it.


How to attach closet flange to sub floor I recently removed my toilet and saw that a couple tiles underneath it were cracked, and on removing those tiles found the plywood beneath the tiles had rotted out.  So I removed any tiles under the bad plywood and removed the plywood down to the sub floor plywood, which is in good shape.

My plan is to cut a piece of cement board to accommodate the new tiles, but I am not certain of how to secure the closet flange.  Right now only one of the four screws is still intact, presumably due to the rotting of the plywood.

Do I use cement board screws and secure the flange down on the backer board? Or do I leave a gap and try to screw the flange down into the plywood?

I would not leave a gap, and use screws long enough to reach through the plywood through the backer board. Make sure the flange is well supported or you'll have problems with it down the road if not immediately.

Maybe an even better solution would be to have plywood of the right thickness span the gap between the subfloor and the flange, and still use longer screws that will reach the subfloor. Cement backer board tends to be weak at its edges and may not provide the support the flange needs. Plywood on the other hand is very strong at its edges and should hold up marvelously. This small piece of plywood can be kept inside the area that the toilet bowl covers so you won't have to put tiles over it or anything. You might want some plastic shims on hand for the job too, in case the plywood and flange don't meet nicely. Good luck.


Finding one power wire to two lite switches. ugh! I bought this house one year ago, have had some problems with its electrical. My bathroom switch controls bathroom clothing closet light and the bathroom light. I notice it really sounded funny at times like a short buzz when I would flip them on.
I asked around and was told probably switch needs changing out sounded like it was arking.
so I bought a couple of switches to change it out. When I got the switch off, I noticed one wire with insulation cut to bare and hook to one switch and then the end of same wire connected to the other switch.
So I had one wire connecting both in a rough fashion. I disconnected it from the closet switch as I can manage without that for a while and then wrapped the bare spot with electrical tape then attached it back to the one switch for the bathroom light.
Now of course the closet light doesn't work but the bathroom light does and you don't get that buzz when you flip it.
So Im thinking this wasn't a good wiring but I do not see another power wire available although there are a lot of wires in that box.
Can someone tell me a safe way of connecting that one wire to both switches so my lights work but I don't have that arc?
I am a female diyer...Ive installed ceiling fans and stuff cuz its color coded...but every wire in this box is either white or black and there is one copper looking wade in there too.
thanks

I think I know what's going on here, the solution is simple if the situation is as I understand it. I'll go over it again as confirmation.

The butchered wire should be the unswitched power from source that continues through the two switches, one for each light in turn, then on to the lights, then return via neutral. If you're in North America and the usual color codes were followed, this wire should be black. (Neutrals are white)  The original configuration had a short length of insulation stripped from the end and attached to a switch (closet?). A few inches away, the same wire had a length of insulation stripped, but with insulation left in between the stripped portions. The copper wire itself remained continuous, the non-end bare portion looped partly around the binding screw of the other switch (bathroom?). See sketch below "Original". Only the pertinent wiring is shown, all other wiring omitted for clarity.

You then taped up the inner stripped portion and reinstalled the wire end to one switch, leaving the other without power. Correct?

If so, this is a somewhat common bad practice, mainly because the unbroken partial loop cannot be properly bound to the terminal. The fix is easy. You need a wire nut sized for 3 conductors of whatever wire gauge is used (usually #12 or #14 AWG) and two short lengths of the same gauge black insulated solid copper wire.

Remove your taped patch and cut the wire so that the entire wire is completely insulated except for the final 5/8"-3/4" which remains bare. (See sketch "Cut") Attach this and the two short pieces (ends stripped in similar fashion) with the wire nut.

The other ends of the short pieces are attached, one per switch, to where the original wire was attached. (See sketch "New") There is a particular way to make binding screw connections which you may not see in the existing work. Do NOT make a simple U bend and hook it around the binding screw, you do not get adequate surface contact this way. (Sketch "NO!")

Instead, pre-bend the wire end into a nearly complete circle, so it is configured much like an eye bolt eye. (Sketch "Yes") Re-open the end gap just enough to slip the binding screw through. The loop must go clockwise around the screw so tightening the screw closes the end gap. Before tightening the screw, pre-close the gap as best you can with needle nose pliers. Firmly tighten the binding screw and it will draw the gap the rest of the way closed.

You can see electrically you have the exact same situation, but now you have used good quality methods to achieve the connections.


Overloaded circuit on ungrounded outlets So I've stumped/annoyed most of the internet with this one.  I hope there might be someone who can point me in a different direction..

I have a house built in 55 with ungrounded outlets. A space heater overloaded one and now I have no power coming from the circuit that supplies them. It's a mwbc. I have two.. one supplies the lights and the other, the outlets.  I was told that the neutrals from the two separate mwbc's shouldn't be connected (but they are).  I know this because when I switch the "lights" breaker on, I get a little bit of electricity going thru all the outlets (enough to power an led bulb but nothing else). Or maybe whatever happened caused them to come into contact.

I should also mention that one leg of the "lights" circuit seems to be working fine (utility room and kitchen) but the other leg can only power led bulbs as well. Most have said this is an open neutral but I don't have erratic voltage like most cases I've read about.  It's as if there's just nothing going to the outlets at all (I tested 120 coming from all the breakers,btw)

The poco came out and checked their stuff and I checked all the wiring at the switches,fixtures,and receptacles, and the neutrals look fine at the panel. The space heater wasn't on the first outlet in the circuit either.

I'm the type of person that if I see it I can fix it but for all I know there could be a hidden junction box (nothing in the attic though).

The only other thing that sticks out is that when it first happened, there still seemed to be enough electricity running through the outlets to cycle everything that was plugged in at the time. Of course, the first thing I did was unplug everything (breaker wasn't tripped but I reset and eventually replaced it).  After that the outlets could only make a small fan groan a little.

Not a lost neutral

A lost neutral in an MWBC is easy to test for.   Just remove all loads and plug in two 240V-tolerant loads, one into each half of the MWBC.  (watch it - the appliances may see voltages as high as 240V!) If one leg has higher voltage than 120, and the other has lower voltage than 120, and they total to 240, then you have a lost neutral.

However, from the sound of it, that's not what you have. It sounds like you have a lost hot wire.

Phantom voltage is confusing everything

Also, you are running into a phenomenon called "phantom voltage".   If several wires are run parallel for a distance (like any wires in cables, or cables next to each other), the wires will have capacitive coupling.  If one wire is disconnected/floating, and a voltage will appear on it, induced from the other wires.   This voltage has no strength.  It can move the "needle" of a digital voltmeter; those are so sensitive they will read the phantom voltage.  It cannot move the needle of an old analog meter in most cases.  Apparently, it can dimly light certain cheap LEDs.

Phantom voltage is never full voltage.  It is somewhat less. For instance if your mains voltage is 121 volts, and you measure 109 volts with your DVM, that's not "meauring 120V".  That's phantom voltage.

Phantom voltage means the wire is disconnected between here and the source, and it runs alongside or in the cable of live wires.

It appears your lighting MWBC is inducing phantom voltage onto your outlet MWBC.  That's interesting, because the two hot wires in a MWBC are supposed to be opposed, and you would expect capacitive coupling from them to be equal and opposite.  In other words, to cancel each other out. **I suspect this is because one wire of your lighting MWBC has a wire break.

Tied neutrals

So far, you may be thinking "well, all the evidence I saw of a tied neutral, may just be phantom voltage.” That may well be.  But a tied neutral is a very serious defect.  It can result in that neutral overloading.  And what just happened here?  You plugged in a heavy load, and the circuit quit.

So as you search this wiring, you must separate any neutrals between the 15A circuit and 20A circuit.  If you have any smart switches in the 15A circuit stealing neutral from the 20A circuit, get rid of those.  You can't have that; it's illegal and it will painfully complicate troubleshooting.  Normally I would say distinguish them with tape markings, but they are different sizes so that should be obvious.  It is OK to tie safety grounds, but you say you don't have any.

Follow the dead hot/phantom-voltaged hot back to the panel

Let the phantom voltage be your guide. The wire break is either at the first failed outlet in the chain, or last working outlet.  I'm using the royal meaning of "outlet" to include any point of use, including switches.

One more thing.  The single likeliest cause of problems like this is backstab connections.  Those are uninspectable.  The only way to inspect them is destructive.  Push the release tab if you can, and then twist and pull the wire out. (Never cut. Wire length is precious, but our entire point here is to inspect the side of the wire for spatter and spallation marks from arcing).

If you found tiny arcing marks, you probably found your problem.  Welcome to backstabs.

Like we say, don't use backstabs at all; but if you're tempted to just jab it back in, don't.  The backstab's tiny spring is now weakened, and if used again, will only cause problems like this.  The backstab has 4 springs and cost 50 cents, what do you expect from it? :) Use the side screws.

Priorities

I would focus on fixing the lighting circuit, patrolling for tied neutrals, and then, once lighting is back, focus on the outlet circuit.


Is my circuit breaker tripping because the supply line for my disposal is wet? My fuse box is popping and when I inspected it I noticed that the electrical connection is coming from the electrical box under the sink  that connects the garbage disposal. I also noted the there is a leak under the sink and the connecting wire is wet.  Is this causing my breaker to pop?

You can find out if the garbage disposal itself is causing the circuit breaker to trip by opening the electrical box under the sink that connects the garbage disposal and disconnecting the wires to the disposal (after making sure the power to this box is OFF). Cap the ends of the wires with wire nuts, then turn the breaker on. If it stays on, then its the garage disposal. If it still trips, then the problem is elsewhere.


Secondary C Terminal on Furnace Circuit Board? I was trying to install an Ecobee thermostat, and there was no C wire installed. When I went to install the power extender kit, I saw the standard C wire terminal was broken out of the black plastic casing, and I couldn't attach the C wire. There appears to be a secondary C terminal that is a different style with a plastic plug plugged into it, and then the wire is spliced and connected to the wire heading to the AC unit. Can I add a second wire to this plastic plug, is this a secondary C terminal that should work fine? I attached a pic.

Thank you!

That looks good to me, the second "C" terminal connects to the chassis in the background of the photo so it most likely is equivalent to the screw-down terminal.

fitting a crimp-on fork lug to the wire would be another alternative if you really want to connect to the screw-down terminal.


Articulated arm wall-mount (13lb. LCD monitor), 25 gauge metal stud, 3/4" drywall Looking for a sanity check

Could one mount an articulating arm to 25 gauge metal stud behind 3/4" drywall using a toggle bolt instead of lag bolts into wood/concrete?

Load is 13lbs., arm itself is about 6lbs., max extension is about 25" (would use to about 12").

Details

This articulated arm wall mount is intended to be screwed into a wood or concrete stud using two 3.1 inch / 80mm lag bolts (thread length 2 inch).

After drilling the first hole I discovered it's a metal stud, not concrete / wood beneath 3/4" drywall.

I was resigned to give up right there, but wanted a second (or third) opinion.

Would a 1/4" snap toggle anchor (PDF performance data) secured to the metal stud under 3/4" drywall provide roughly the same performance?  Toggler claims 464 lbs. pull-out load on 1/4" thread fastener.

The American Wood Council notes a 2" thread lag screw into Spruce-Fir-Pine (softest wood) resists pull-out load of about 319 lbs.  I see roughly similar numbers elsewhere.

Am I thinking about this the right way or overlooking something that will end up in disasterland?

Thanks.

Point focused loads going into metal studs are not a good idea. You would be much better advised to install a piece of good quality 3/4" plywood to the wall that is big enough to span across two or three studs and have a height of about one stud spacing. Use multiple sheet metal stud screws to secure this plywood to the wall. Then you can install the bracket to this plywood with short large sized screws. If you drill proper sized pilot holes for the screws into the plywood they will have remarkable holding power. (You would not use those lag bolts that came with that bracket).

Note that the surface of the plywood will be a far better bearing surface for the bracket as well. If you installed the bracket directly against drywall there is a good chance that over time the stresses on the bracket back and forth will dig into the drywall and cause degradation of the wall surface and let the bracket get loose.

If good quality plywood is used it can be nicely sanded and painted to match the wall. It will be hardly noticeable behind the monitor.

If you have concern with the bracket screws just into 3/4" plywood you can always use the toggler bolts to hold the bracket to the plywood.


how do I turn a glass door into a removable mirror? A glass door allows outside people to see into a private area. How can the glass door be temporarily converted into a mirror? I am imagining some kind of roll on mylar. But it would need to be removable so that the door could later be converted back into transparent glass without any lingering residue. Can someone please explain how to do this in a way that is explicit enough for a reader to be able to find _and order materials with the right key words?

Specifically (without getting into product recommendations), look for "static cling film" as opposed to an adhesive product. You can get both mirrored and "stained glass" versions - they apply with water and a squeegee, and peel off again without a fight or residue.

"Privacy film" is another search term; or "window privacy film."

The stained glass or prismatic styles will permit more light to pass while still blocking the view.

Mirrored film can have the effect of putting the "private space" on display at night when the inside is lit and the outside is dark.


Is there any way to remove hydraulic cement from a concrete slab without ruining the concrete? So the previous owners of my house put hydraulic cement along the edges of the wall in the garage and it looks pretty ugly.  Is there any way to remove it?  I've seen these Portland Cement dissolving sprays online, would that work?  Or would it damage the concrete slab?  Thanks

If the area sweats DO NOT remove the hydraulic cement the hydraulic cement is holding some water back removing it may create a spring in your garage, if you don’t like they it looks get some 2 part epoxy paint and seal the area prior to it sweating. This has worked for me on several homes that had damp/wet floors.


How to disassemble a simple door knob? I'm trying to fix this wobbly knob. I removed the set screws you see in the video on both sides of the door, but I'm still not able to pull the knob off. It doesn't give even 1/32". Is there another mechanism by which this knob is held together?

Here's a picture of an antique doorknob assembly. As @PhilippNagel commented, these should screw off once you remove the setscrew. If it's not unscrewing, double-check the other doorknob and remove a setscrew from that one, then hold both knobs and unscrew. One of them should come off.


What's this copper bit on my thermostatic shower cartridge for, and can I cut part of it off? I ordered almost the right replacement cartridge. Right diameter, right number of teeth in the spline. Seals line up perfectly. The only issue is this copper bit sticking out the back:

That keeps the cartridge from going in all the way. Can I just… trim it? What does it do, anyway?

If you wouldn't take the time to return it and locate the "correct" cartridge go for it. It looks like it (the pin) keeps the cartridge centered to evenly distribute the load across the o-rings. Make sure there are no seals in the back wall of the housing that could get damaged by cutting it off and give it a try. The worst thing that can happen is that you throw it out if it doesn't work.


Have bath tubs ever been considered "self-venting" in plumbing code? Years ago, someone told me that a bath tub with an overflow pipe was considered "self-venting".  In other words, you didn't need an additional vent pipe because the overflow pipe served the same purpose.  I've looked around online, and this certainly isn't acceptable practice now.

There is a question here about converting from a bath tub to a shower.  I mentioned (in a comment) that there might be venting issues, but I don't know if it's actually true.

Is this a valid concern? Or have plumbing codes (in the USA) always required venting of bath tub drain lines?

I don't believe that the overflow was ever considered a vent for a bathtub.

The main purpose of the vent is to prevent the water in the trap from being sucked out when water runs through the trap. Therefore the vent must be located downstream of the trap. The exact location of the vent connection is determined by code and has changed over the years. However, the connection was never accepted upstream of the trap.

There was a time when every fixture was not required to be vented (there was also a time when there was no formal plumbing code) so I can’t say never, however, I can say that since traps were required to be vented, the requirement was downstream of the trap.

I’ve looked at the other question, and can say with confidence that the bathtub would have been required to be vented either individually or via a wet vent thought the bathroom sink.


Driveway conversion to dog play area I have a concrete driveway in mediocre condition (square slabs that are of varying conditions--some small cracks) that is on the side of the house which is narrow enough that it is not very functional as a driveway except if you're driving a compact car and a small person. Not much use really as it's a real pain to back out of and unload from. I'm trying to figure out what to do with this unused space.

My idea is to create a potty area for my dogs so that the small lawn in the back yard is kept poop-free. They would go there first out the side driveway door and then be let into the yard to play.

Is it safe to just put a lot of pine mulch down on the concrete next to my house? I would build an extra fence there to keep them in--perhaps by building some tall wood planters that would look nice from the main road. I would rather not tear up the concrete as I could just clean it all out if we were to sell. It would be more "valuable" as a driveway. We're planning on living here another couple years but not forever.

Any ideas? Pros, cons?
Thank you!!

Have you considered artificial turf?  They have some now that looks like real grass, and is relatively affordable.

Mulch is bad because bugs can live there, and the dust will make it somewhat "muddy" when wet.  Well, maybe not muddy, but enough for the dogs to leave footprints in the house.  And there's no good way to clean pee out of the mulch, it will move or wash away with rain, etc.

The quality artificial turf will last for years and can be cleaned with a water hose.  You'd have to pick up poop, but I'm assuming you would do that with mulch anyway because... yuck.


Toilet keeps running I did the color dye test in the tank and yes, there was color dye in the toilet bowl. Very slight but need to get it fixed. You really can't hear it but when I removed the top from the tank I could hear a slight hissing.  I pulled up the float and the noise stopped. How do I adjust the Floater to a slightly higher level?

If the color from the tank ended up in the bowl, then the flapper or seal is probably bad. Turn off the shutoff valve and see if the water level in the tank drops. If it does, bad flapper/seal.

To adjust the float bend the float rod down or if it's a plastic valve, there's an adjustment screw on the side that you' want to turn it counterclockwise. Pictures would help.


Baaaad roof! Best option to fix My mother's roof has been leaking for over 3 years now. Ceilings falling in in some rooms and leaks in most. She paid someone to put the roof on and he brought the all metal, put on 10 feet of roof and never came back. So now the question is... if I put the roof on myself will it simply rot everything  underneath considering there's so much moisture? My thought was to put on the roof and knock out the ceiling in the worst rooms and put in space heaters, fans, dehumidifiers, etc and then put new ceilings in once it's dried out. Would this be an option that would work (A.K.A save the the house/make it livable till it can be fixed properly by a professional)?

First, stop the leaking. Use tarps or whatever. Next, I’d try to dry the roof structure out before installing the metal roofing. (Yes, the roof structure should be dry before installing the roofing.) I’d also check for mold, (as you say the roof has been leaking for 3 years). It may not be safe to stay in the house and continue breathing that air.


Does my sump pump evacuate water slowly due to a perforated pail? Is it possible to have a sump pump without an inlet (input) pipe? Is this normal? I am told my house has a sump without an inlet, but instead many small holes in the container that allow water to penetrate the pit (sump).  The discharge works in a regular way.  The sump motor is always running during heavy rain or snow.  I am wondering does the lack of inlet pipe (drain pipe) cause excess water into the pit?  What exactly would be the approximate area around the pit allowing water to flow in without an inlet?

A sump pump without an inlet won't have any way of getting water into it to be pumped out. It would, therefore be rather useless.
A sump pit without an inlet pipe but numerous holes (such as yours) will allow water to seep into the pit where it will make its way to the sump pump's inlet and be pumped out of your basement.
"Normal" is probably defined by when the sump was installed. Our house has a sump pit in the "root cellar" that was probably added in the 1940s. They broke a hole in the concrete floor all the way down to the dirt, dropped a brick on the dirt, and the sump pump sits on top of the brick. Once the float is high enough, it kicks the pump on and out goes the water.
My in laws added on to their house in the early 70s. They have a nice pit with a plastic liner. There's an input pipe from the "root cellar" old portion of the basement, but, I don't think there's an actual inlet from the new portion - water just seeps in from there.
I haven't a clue what modern (2000+) code calls for, but so long as the water can get to the pump inlet and the pump has power, it should be doing its job.
You're much better off having the pump running nearly constantly during a storm than you are having the water back up into your basement. You may want to look at adjusting the float so that it has to be higher before the pump kicks in, but then you risk overflowing the pit. You could also consider adding a 2nd pump (with its own exit plumbing or upgrading the pipe size going out to handle the additional flow) to handle more water coming in than your current pump can handle. It also makes for a nice emergency backup should one pump die during a heavy rain storm.


Why do my toilet valves seem to have started running at the same time? I had a bad toilet that started running last year. This was in a bathroom that is not used at all (guest bedroom). So, i just closed the valve to that toilet and decided to look into it later. I haven't had a chance to fix that yet but last night but master bath toilet started running. Does this indicate a root cause problem. The house is around 20 years old and may be these toilets are really old too and if so, it is fine. I just want to see if there might be any other reason such as water pressure or something like that causing it. I measured my water pressure on an outside faucet and it seems to be ok, around 70 psi or less. I don't exactly remember that number right now but I remember it was well within the recommended psi.

Run enough water to get the hot water heater to start its cycle, then close everything and measure the pressure until the heater gets to the end of its cycle. If you have a check valve and no expansion tank, this can cause a pressure issue that wouldn't be detected with a quick test. Instead, it will slowly rise as the water heater runs, and then drop back to normal when the first faucet is run.

It's also possible that all the toilets have the same parts and are therefore failing at the same time. But before replacing everything, it's worth it to make sure they are really faulty.


What precautions should I take installing tile on a backerboard in an area surrounded by cement? I had to have my old three-handle tub faucet replaced by a plumber, because the valves in the handles were rotted into the handle bodies.  When the tile came off, we found that the wall behind the tile was not backerboard, but the old-style cement laid on a wire mesh.  So, the plumber had to punch a hole in the cement to get to the pipes.  Coming in from behind the wall was, unfortunately, impractical because there's a double sink in another bathroom on the wall behind the shower, and moving that out of the way would have been even more trouble.  So now my new faucet is located in about a 16" by 14" (four tiles wide by about three and one half tiles high) hole surrounded by cement, which I have to suspend tile over.

The plumber did a pretty good job of making a square hole in the cement, although it's not possible to make a perfect square when chiseling cement, and he installed backerboard into the hole for me.  So now I've got backerboard cut and installed, but there are smallish (about 1/4") gaps where the cement isn't perfectly square with the backerboard.  The backerboard comes out to almost the right depth, although it looks like the new tiling is going to be sticking out a little bit compared to the original tile.

I'm pretty comfortable trying to install the tile myself, I'm mostly just worried about the gaps between the backerboard and the cement, and how to deal with tiles that will stick out a little bit from the rest of the wall.

The faucet, and the hole, is located directly on top of the tub.

So, my questions:

Will thin-set mortar suitably fill in the gaps between the cement and backerboard?

Is there anything special I need to do to prevent leakage on the transition between the new tiles and old tiles, where the new tiles are going to stick out about 1/8" from the old tiles, or can I just apply grout liberally?

I've placed a vapor barrier (3 mil plastic sheeting) between the first and second layers of backerboard.  I tucked the plastic sheeting around the rear piece and poked the sheeting into the gaps between the backerboard and cement around the sides and top of the backerboard.  At the bottom where the hole meets the tub body, I've let the plastic sheeting lay over the curved "drip edge" of the tub, so any condensation that might form between the cement board and sheeting should drip back into the tub.  Should I do something different with the sheeting before I put mortar into the gaps?

I'm really hoping that I don't have to take down the whole side of the wall where the faucet is installed just to make everything uniform.  Honestly, I'm okay with a solution that would drop tiles in 5 years time (but not a solution that would leak into the wall, obviously), I just don't have the budget, time or experience right now to undertake a "big" project.  Alternative solutions that fit in my constraints are also welcome, e.g. perhaps I could get some more wire mesh to put cement on to more closely match the original wall?

Absent any more answers, I'm going to proceed with plan "A" - use plain thin-set mortar to fill the gaps and let the new tiles be proud and just use extra grout on the raised edge.

I would probably use unmodified thin set to cover the gaps and give a good base for applying the tile.

Could you do something a little decorative and use a border tile around the repaired area, sort of like a picture frame?  Then use a different tile to fill in the area.  The border would make the change in depth harder to see.


R-value for insulating a vaulted ceiling? We're building a finished shed in Austin, TX with drywall and HVAC. It will also have several huge double-paned windows. I think we'll be going with R-13 for the walls. It's generally suggested to use R-30 here for attics, but our shed has a vaulted ceiling, so no attic. Should I still use R-30 because of sun exposure? Do the windows make the rest of it kinda moot?

The numbers I found for your area are actually R30-R60, so more than R30 would be ideal as air conditioning is expensive and the one-time cost of better insulation can easily pay for itself.
How deep are your rafters?
R values of common materials can be found in this chart from greenbuildermedia.com:

To this chart, I'll just add that if you're wealthy there is also Aerogel to consider, with an R-value of R-20 per inch.  It's still insanely expensive so the time needed for it to pay for itself might exceed the life of a normal building.
Thanks to a correction from Lee Sam, according to (See ICC R806.1.2 in the Residential Code) you need a 1" air gap between insulation and sheathing so the following numbers are adjusted accordingly:
Say you have a 6 inch deep rafter, you divide the total R-value you need by 5 inches.  The result shows for 30 to 60 R-value you need a material with an R-Value per inch of 6-12, so you'd need Polyurethane spray foam or Foil-faced batts of Polyisocyanurate.  You would actually need aerogel if you wanted to hit a total R-value of 60.
If you have an 8 inch rafter you need an R-Value of 4.28 to 8.57 per inch depth.
For a 10 inch rafter you need an R-Value of 3.33 to 6.66 per inch depth.
For a 12 inch rafter you need an R-Value of 2.72 to 5.45 per inch depth, so anything other than blown fiberglass or Vermiculite will do the trick.  11 inches of Aerogel batting from a reputable source will give you an R-value of 220 at a cost of $1031.25 per square foot.
If cost is an issue to you, still think about the long term cost of AC since you live in Texas, but use these numbers to check which of the materials that work are available to you.  Calculate the cost per R-Value per square foot one inch depth for each material and then look at the total R value you get if you completely fill the space with each material.  It might be worth spending 10-50% more per volume on a material if it lets you increase the total R value.


How to change compact fluorescent 4 pin bulb at 22 feet I have compact fluorescent 4 pin bulbs that in the ceiling at 22 feet. I cannot find any bulb changing tools which I can use to reach the height using a pole. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

(As a side note: Running out of luck finding a rental place that has 18 foot ladder. )

What were they thinking?  I'll tell you exactly: "the last guy" installed that bulb from a boom lift or the top of the ladder and declared mission accomplished. Never thought about the feasibility of changing it from the ground in the future.

Rent a boom lift and change that fixture

Select one that has an Edison base aiming straight down, and that has a big enough hole in the shade that it can be reached.  And then, put no bulb in it and come down to the ground.

Then, from the ground using a common bulb-changer stick, install a modern LED "bulb".   Do not install the first bulb from the boom lift; that was the last guy's mistake!

If this just doesn't work out with that fixture, then take it down and put up another fixture that does, while you still have the boom lift.


How to measure toilet flush valve? I plan to replace my toilet flush tank with hydroflush. The requirement says that I need to have a 2" toilet flush valve. What does this part look like and how do I go about measuring it?

The image attached to this answer, shows what the flush valve is.

It typically includes the overflow tube, but more specifically it's the flapper (or a device that controls the flow of water into the bowl).

Measure the tank discharge (flush) tube (the hole the flush valve (flapper) covers), to determine the size flush valve you need. The hole might be slightly larger or smaller then 2", but close enough is close enough.


What kind of chlorine solution do I use in water treatment system? We recently bought a house in which the previous owner had installed a Culligan softener system with not only brine and resin tanks but also a chlorine tank with a pump. There isn't a Culligan representative remaining within a 50 mile radius of the house, the ones outside of that range aren't willing to come without a huge fee (understandable) or at all.

The salt part is easy. What I don't know is what kind of chlorine solution or pellets or powder or [???] should I be adding to the chlorine tank? Google is usually my friend, but not on this issue. I don't want to just dump a bottle of Clorox in there, since I don't know (a) if sodium hypochlorite is the correct chemical for use in water treatment without poisoning us all to death, and (b) what other odd chemicals are in Clorox that will poison us all to death.

Our water is sourced from a well that is by itself fails on lead (0.023 mg/l) and is heavily laced with iron (20.4 mg/l). What can almost not be made out in the pictures below is a 10" carbon pre-filter (you can see the bottom sticking out from under the controller on the resin tank). The pre-filter does a pretty good job of removing the iron, though we have to replace it every 2 to 3 months.

There are two tanks that are obviously labeled Culligan; the third is of a slightly different color; no brand name on the tank itself, but written in blue ink are the words "gallon chlorine" (possibly a faded numeral before).

On the top of the tank marked "chlorine" is a pump:

This looks very similar to a pool chlorine feeder - these could use cal hypo or sodium hypo, either way you would need to know the concentration to mix and the dosing for your qty of water to treat. Not sure we'll be able to answer those questions directly.

Sodium hypo - bleach - would be the cleanest option, but also will become ineffective the quickest.

Cal hypo is granular (and cheapest) and has the most shelf life, but you'd probably want to source food grade supply for long-term use.

Concentration of chlorine would be determined by the qty of water to be treated at one time, level of final level of chlorine needed for decontamination, how the chlorine solution is dispensed (continuous or on demand) and how much chlorine is dispensed at any given cycle.

Chlorine would only be used to correct organism growth not other chemical/mineral constituents of concern.

Due to the health risks, I 'm not sure how much I'd trust free advice at this point.  Spend the money and be sure this is set up properly.  Your health is worth it.


Reverse wiring basement lights Can existing basement lights wired in succession from the main electric panel, with the last light on a switch be reverse wired so that all of the lights can be controlled by the switch?

Can you elaborate on what you mean by "reverse wired?"

If you're saying you want to put the switch at the far end, near the last light,the most straightforward way to do that is to pull power into that switch box, then feed the lights from there (don't feed the lights directly from the panel).

Or, I suppose you could pull 3-rope all the way through from the first light to the last light. You'd run 2-rope from the panel to the first light.

EDIT: a commentor pointed out that code now requires a neutral in all switch boxes. So run 3-rope from the last light fixture to the switch box, use the red and black for your switch leg, and cap the neutral for future use (presence-detecting switches and so on).

Connect the black wire straight through all the light fixture boxes. Then connect the switch leg (the 3-rope running from the last light fixture to the switch) to the black and red wires. At each light fixture, pigtail and connect the red (hot) and white (neutral) to each light fixture. Or you could switch black and red (wire red straight through, wire black to each fixture)--doesn't matter.

You always want to switch the hot wire, not the neutral. Otherwise, you end up with power at the fixtures even when the switch is off and it's a shock hazard.

I'm not sure why I feel compelled to say this, but if the lights in question are all on the same circuit, they should be wired in parallel (not in series), so the hot and neutral wires need to be pigtailed in the box at each light fixture to connect to each light, but also run directly to the next light (not wired through each light to the next).


How to make outlet half-hot in this situation? Current state: Outlet is completely controlled by light switch, top and bottom switch on and off from this switch.

Desired state: Only top of outlet is controlled by light switch, bottom to remain on at all times--even when light switch is flipped on or off.

Failed attempt: Tried to make it half-hot by clipping the tab on one side, but this resulted in just disabling the bottom, so it was always off, whereas the top would still go on and off depending on the switch.

Any way to make this work without running wiring differently from the switch?

If there are just two 2-wire cables (excluding ground), it looks like this outlet and down-stream outlets are all switched, and no part of the outlets can be made always hot without new wiring.

To have a half switched outlet, you need either 3-wire cable coming from the switch (always hot/switched hot/neutral) or you need always hot line directly to the outlet box and then a switch loop controlling one half of the duplex.


Fix Kitchen cabinets damaged due to fire Please can you tell me what is the best way to fix these cabinets damaged due to fire. The right most cabinet has it's laminate peeling off and 3 other doors have some black stains. Is it best to just replace door with matching new doors or can this peeled laminate be removed and re-laminated. Attached are the pictures.

It will be best to replace any doors where the plastic laminate has been burnt, distorted or partially melted.


What type of screws should I use? I am going to build a set of shelves for my wall to hold my bead jars.  The shelves are narrow 4" nominal and very close together 3" is the farthest apart they will be.  I'm using quality pine 1"x4"x3'.  I'm extremely new at this, but am assuming I should use screws instead of nails.  Any help would be fabulous.

Depending how you make your joints, if you choose to use screws, they need to go into the joining piece at least 3/4"-1" deep, and deeper when going into the end of a piece, 1 1/2" is a good depth, For this you can use a 2" screw, countersunk a little.
The drawing below, may have a little more info than what you are looking for, but it will give you options if you choose.

I would suggest putting a 1/4" thick plywood back, thinner will work too if available. I have cut this with a razor knife if you do not have a table saw. The back can be nailed on with 1' brads after the shelves are assembled

If you are not concerned about the looks and it will be a utility type shelf these are the screws I would use. Still nail the back on with 1" brads

Any of these countersinks will do what you need, make sure you keep your drill perpendicular to the wood and in the center of the shelf for the thickness, about 3/4" from the edge from the front and back.


Can a wood cabin be laid directly on a existing concrete foundation if a DPC is added? I am figuring out the foundation for a small wood cabin for my back garden, due to height being a premium I was wondering if I could put the wood directly on an existing garage foundation. Providing I add a DPC under the log cabin?
The foundation would consist of (in reverse order)

Existing concrete slab
Damp proof course sheet larger than the cabin
The cabin base wood and insulation
The foil backing of the insulation as well as aluminium tape for a vapour barrier
OSB deck

The sides will be later covered with a house wrap which would go over the top of the DPC.
My concern is that there could be condensation but I am not sure

A damp proof course (DPC) is required “Under Floor Space” where there is evidence that the “water table rises to within 6” of the building perimeter or if surface water does not readily drain away from the building”. (See ICC 1807)
Likewise, wood joists within 18” of the ground or beams and girders within 12” at the perimeter or under a building in a crawl space shall be “naturally durable or preservative treated wood”. (See ICC 2304.11.2.1) Btw, this will help anchor the building to the foundation in seismic and high wind areas.
Likewise, under floor space shall have ventilation through the exterior walls, except where it’s a basement or cellar. (See ICC  1203.3)
Likewise, under floor insulation is required of R-25. (See ICC Table N1104.1(1)) Vapor barriers are installed on the heated side where the building is heated predominantly throughout the year.
So, to answer your question, yes you can install your cabin as you describe with the above requirements, including crawl space vents.
Your situation is a little different because you really don’t have adequate space for crawl space vents. In this case, I’d recommend you eliminate the floor insulation and increase another element in the building envelope. (See ICC Section N1103 Alternative Systems, i.e.: thicker wall insulation, thicker ceiling insulation, better insulated windows, etc.)