Furnace not turning on, and can anyone identify these sensors? My home has a gas furnace with electronic ignition (intermittent pilot).  Sometimes it doesn't want to start up, even with the thermostat turned up, and it indicating heat should be on.  The fan-only mode works fine, as does the A/C.

Yesterday I shut off power to they system and opened the side panel where the gas valve, burner and ignition system live.  I noticed these three sensors all wired in series (see photo below).  The "upward" facing sensor had a lot of dust on it, so I brushed it off.  I then turned on power to the system and it started right up.  I thought that was the culprit until this morning when again the furnace would not come on.  So I repeated the sensor cleaning, but this time I used a bit of isopropyl alcohol to gently clean the face of each sensor, and again the furnace kicked on as soon as I restored power.  But I'm still not convinced that the sensor cleaning was the trick; maybe it was just having it powered off for 5-10 minutes did some sort of system reset, and this problem may come back.

So, can anyone identify these sensors, and what is their purpose?  Maybe one of them is faulty?  And better yet, can anyone give me any other troubleshooting ideas if the problem does indeed come back.

Update:
Thanks to all who have contributed.  As Ed Beal, JPhi1618 and others mentioned, the sensors are snap sensors, designed to "snap" when the temperature reaches a certain point, which opens up a safety circuit and likely shuts off the system.  I was able to push one in, then use the little red tab to push it back out (reset).  Must be some sort of bi-metallic thing.

And as I suspected (and others have eluded to), these sensors are not the problem.  The non-start-up problem has happened again, but I wasn't home so I instructed my wife to cycle power so she could get the house warm.  Next time it happens though I will hopefully be home so I can look for a blinking LED on the control board (which I found last night in an adjacent box).  I will also try to clean off the flame sensors too since they are reasonably accessible.  If/when I solve this I will report back so others can learn, and accept an answer if applicable.

Update 2:
Woke up this morning to the heater not starting up again.  The access panel has a small plastic window which allowed me to see the control board, and the flashing LED.  A troubleshooting sticker on the panel told me the pattern of the flashing LED indicated "pressure switch closed" (it must be opened in order to startup, therefore likely got stuck in the closed pos after the previous cycle).  Googling shows this to be a common issue, and solved by either cleaning out the pneumatic lines that attach to the sensor, cleaning out the sensor itself (gently!), or else replacing the sensor since it is likely bad.  I'm just happy it is not the control board or something like that.  Thanks again to all who replied, and I hope this update helps others (also, here's a good video of diagnosing this problem)

I don't have enough rep to comment so I have to post as an answer.

With that said, I ran into this issue myself a few years ago, I cleaned off all of my sensors just like you did. This did not fix my issue so I went over my flame sensor with some fine grit sandpaper. (pic of flame sensor)

It has worked since I did this.

Question, when your tstat sends the heat signal, does your heater go through the motions like it will start up but shuts itself down after a few seconds? If so that's very indicative of a sensor issue. For future troubleshooting, basically all residential heaters (that I've seen) will have an LED indicator that will flash in a pattern representing the trouble code. Look up your make/model online and you can find what the trouble code means. Hope this helps. For full disclosure I'm a licensed electrician and not HVAC. Hope this helps.


If I do not go into a party wall dispute, can I still appoint a surveyor to ensure I am protected against any damages? I live in the UK.  My neighbour has presented me with a party wall notice; saying they intend to build a wall close to the boundary, with foundations encroaching onto my land.

While I do not in principle oppose what what they are doing, I am concerned that there will be damage to my property.

I do not understand whether I should go into a party wall dispute with them.

So my question is:

If I do not go into a dispute, can I still appoint a surveyor to ensure I am protected against any damages?

This is definitely best answered by a local professional, but the UK government has an easy-to-read guide to "Party Wall" law:
https://www.gov.uk/party-wall-etc-act-1996-guidance

That document includes many FAQs (including the ones you've asked here), sample letters, requirements about giving consent, etc.

It's not clear from your question what you're concerned about, but if you have a building near the boundary I think it would be wise to avail yourself of your rights, particularly regarding proper preparation and security for damages.


Can you screw something that will not loosen? I'm working on a wall hook project that is meant to be permanent (so once you install it you don't have to take it off the wall because of loose hooks or knobs - used for hanging keys or coats).

One thing is, the backing of the wall hook should be flat (so screwing would be inset).

I'm a laymen about this stuff. So would you use a bolt to lock the screw in or are there other options?

I think you're asking "How can permanently anchor a screw so it doesn't back out on it's own?"

If that's the case, adding glue to threads before screwing is likely the best bet. Epoxy would be the strongest, but for holding keys, likely overkill. Wood glue would probably be sufficient.


How do I mount a flat object on a rounded roof tile? My objective is to mount the plastic (Home Depot) owl in the 1st image below (flat underneath) at the end of the roof in the 2nd image. Although you can't see the roof in the image where it will mount it has a rounded tile.

What would be the best/easiest way to do this? Or asked more generically, how does a flat bottomed object get mounted securely onto a rounded surface?

My pidgeon friends assure me your tawdry trick will fool noone. They laugh at your owl.

That said, you can attach the owl by creating using wax to make a dam, attach some wax to the decoy to temporarily hold it inside the dam, then pour a strong epoxy into the dam around it. If done correctly, a big block of epoxy will harden onto the roof, permanently attaching the owl.

Mortar can be used as an alternative to epoxy.


Resurface Fireplace - Apply mortar? I've taking an extra layer of bricks from the front of my fireplace. I want to replace the fronting with marble. The original surface is really rough. My question is should I apply a mortar to smooth out existing front and then put the marble on that, or should I just apply concrete board then put the marble on that?

This is a working fireplace that's approximately 80 years old.

As long as the fireplace draws well you won't have impossible & ugly staining of the marble, so go for it. A rough base is great & will provide the best holding power, an uneven base is bad & needs to be leveled for a uniformly even coat of Polymer Modified White Thin-Set or Mortar...white so the marble doesn't get stained from the backside by your choice of adhesive. This area shouldn't get anything more than warm with a raging fire going.

If you have room for 1/4" or more cement board then great, but be conscious of screw (Tapcon) depth not entering the fire chamber & don't just mortar the cement board on. Screws should only go into the bricks mortar joints & not into the bricks themselves.


How should I connect the wiring for a Rheem A/C motor? enter image description hereI had my AC motor stolen from inside my outside Rheem unit. I installed a new motor today. I connected the white to orange and the black to black wire. I have a red, a brown, and white wire that I have no clue where they go. Please let me know where the 3 wires go.

Left as an answer because the basic info is here that can be figured out without the actual motor wiring print and two long for a comment.
Can you get a clear photo of the motor wiring diagrams I can not read them on my phone.
I am in a remote site today and only have my phone connection. I can read the schematic (it’s upside down).
From what I see the original fan is single speed.
One wire goes to line side of the motor this wire connects to a temp switch and a relay.
the other 2 wires go to the start capacitor one goes to the C connection on the cap or common.
the last wire Goes to the F connection on the cap.
The new motor being multi tapped may also have a rotation with a clear photo of that we may be able to figure out the colors but it won’t be hard.
as 2 wires go directly to the cap one goes to the sensor /contactor then the line side I really need a clear photo of the motor schematic as they are all different.
Edit this may be enough info to finish the connections.
Another quick look at the wires in the photo purple and purple white are probably the cap and cap common look at the wires where they attach to the cap, the c terminal I would guess is the purple with the white stripe and the F terminal just purple , then the red would go to the line connection on the motor but I can not tell without a clear photo. I am guessing the motor connections you made were for rotation.


Leaning cinder block fence caused by tree, what's the best way to fix this? There's a cinder block fence with my neighbor that is leaning into their property. A tree stump and its roots are the probably causes. The tree roots are probably making the wall lean. The tree stump is about 2 ft in diameter. There is also a crack in the wall.

What's the best way to remedy the situation? If I got rid of the stump and the roots, is there a way to force the wall back to center again?

UPDATE

I've removed the stump and ground it up as much as I can. Now I see that the roots are really close to the wall and go underneath. It's been many months since I ground down the stump.
What is the best way to get rid of the rest?

I've used an ax...takes forever.
I've drilled holes and filled it with epsom salt and water...didn't do that much.
The latest technique is using an electric chain saw. Hard to maneuver around the masonry and the dirt ground.

Honestly, this looks like the entire wall is affected by general differential settling and it looks pretty serious judging by the adjacent fencing.  If there is ANY chance of the wall falling onto your neighbors - like a child going to get that soccer ball, you will need to demo the wall, grind the stump completely, and compact the soil.  A new masonry wall would need to be engineered by a licensed professional, and installed with the engineer's specs for foundation and compaction.  In a more remote location, you might grind the stump, and then repoint the masonry joints.  This would be a cosmetic fix, but, now that the stump is removed, the roots under the wall should no longer grow, but may even decompose to their original condition bringing the wall more plumb.  But if we squash the neighbor's soccer toddler, the higher price of a new engineered wall will seem small.  Your neighbor should share in the cost of the fix, too.  If not, he shouldn't complain when you put back a simple wood privacy fence.  There may be other factors, such as warranty issues from the original builder and homeowners association requirements.


Amana Furnace 90% eff. need help Furnace will run for half a day to a day producing heat, then it will stop producing heat but the furnace will try to run still blowing air. Also, if I flip the switch off and then back on 10 seconds later it will kick back on, heat and all.

Scott,

I am not a furnace repair guy or an HVAC guy.  Personally, I'd have to recommend calling an HVAC guy if you don't already have this level of knowledge.  In your area, it may be illegal to work on your furnace, it will likely void any remaining warranty (and the heat exchangers typically have long (5/10 year warranties), the manufacturer won't help you diagnosis it or sell you parts (I know this specifically about Amana).

If you are worried about getting forced into replacing the furnace, try a small repair guy out of the classifieds instead of a big operation with fancy trucks and 'estimators'.  However,

These are things I can think of to check:

Flame sensor: most forced air natural gas furnaces have a sensor to detect that the gas being released is being burnt.
Door sensor: not a very likely culprit, but many furnaces have a service panel open detection switch and won't turn on with the cover/door off.
Time delay screw in fuse (not the circuit breaker): Not very likely because your blower is working but it is a easy thing to check and replace (again, more relevant if your blower isn't working)
Gas valve regulator: I'd have to say use a licensed plumber to replace this item.  Most furnaces have a gas valve or regulator outside the furnace.  I wouldn't expect this to work and then not work however.
Blower capacitor: Many furnaces have a capacitor attached to the blower fan.  Of course, if this was out, the blower wouldn't work.  Be careful replacing capacitors or working near them!  They can kill you (electrical shock hazard)!
Condensate pump: Only relevant to high efficiency furnaces which yours may be at 90%.  I haven't seen a furnace with a built-in condensate pumps (including my Amana) and I haven't seen a remote cut-off switch (including my Amana) in the event of condensate pump failure.  But if condensate actually backed up to the furnace, perhaps the furnace would detect the water in the condensate outflow or in some other way stop working.  New condensate pumps are available at high end hardware stores (not typically Home Depot) and are not too expensive (

I hope that helps educate you.  I'd call a licensed HVAC guy to do this troubleshooting.


Is it OK that my AC is making squeaking and rattling noises? Just want to get some initial thoughts before the repairman comes. I have a 3 year old 2.5 ton Goodman AC unit. I set the temperature to 74°F last night (AC) and woke up to a nice and chilly house. An odd noise was coming from the outside unit — almost a high pitched squeak followed by a rattle and then the unit kicks off. Several seconds later, the unit kicks on and the pattern of squeak, rattle, shut off continues. The fan is not obstructed, and spins cleanly.

It's still blowing cold air in the house and the coils appear fine and not frozen. Any thoughts?

All mechanical parts wear down in time.  The bearings on your fan might be going, or it could just need some lubrication.  Before you call the repair guy, try to remove the unit's outer housing and add some type of Teflon based lubricant to any friction areas of moving parts.


What advantage is there to a larger hot water tank with a lower FHR? This Rheem spec sheet shows that their 40 gallon tanks have a higher first-hour rating than the 50 gallon: 86 compared to 78. If this is true, why do the 50-gallon ones exist? By what metric are they better?

Interesting question. I had an initial guess as to why this might be, and in the process of convincing myself, ie testing whether the guess holds up under inspection, I discovered a curious thing.

The Water Heating Basics page at hot-water-heaters-reviews.com explains that First Hour Delivery equals (tank capacity) * 0.7 + (recovery rate). When I tested the numbers on the Rheem data sheet I ran into a problem.

For the 50 gallon natural gas fuel heater they claim recovery of 42.4. The formula yields 50*0.7 + 42.4 = 77.4 and approximately matches the table's First Hour Delivery of 78.

But look at the line for the 40 gallon: they claim recovery at 40.4 and the formula yields 40*0.7 + 40.4 = 68.4. That's nowhere near the table's FHD of 86 -- but if somebody fat-fingers the data and transposes the digits, 68 becomes 86.

Could it be that the data sheet is mistaken?


How to calculate steel beam and posts size to replace existing wood beam in terrace I have a covered terrace that extends 10' out (West) from the house towards the yard/pool and has a width/span of 32'.

The current beam is made up of (2) 2x6 in wood placed side-by-side functioning as the beam. It is currently supported by (4) 4x4 wood posts which are rotting away. The beam supports (17) 2x6 joists. The joist spacing is 24" O.C. for all except the last two on the North side of the terrace which are 20.5" O.C. and the last joist which is 15" O.C. The joists are holding the usual 4x8 plywood sheets for the shingle roof.

I would like to replace the existing wood beam and posts with steel. However I would like to use only two posts on each far end (probably a foot or so in from the end of the beam on each side). This way there would be no posts blocking the view.

My concerns are due to the span and weight. I want to avoid any sagging of the beam in the middle. I also want to make sure the structure supports the weight and wind uplift (in a hurricane zone).

How do I calculate the correct steel beam and posts sizes and footings needed for my purpose?

[Photo 1] Standing on North end facing South:

[Photo 2] Standing on South end facing North:

I can provide you with the answer that comes is the result of college statics and dynamics classes.

What I can not do is provide you with an answer that carries the weight that would be provided by the stamp of a public engineer licensed to practice in the state of Florida, or your state of residence.

In all sincerity, I would ask that you not accept the word anyone who has not already approved residential construction issues in the City or County of your residence. And even then, do not take their word as accurate until you have the data in writing.

Hurricanes, slow or no insurance payments, and political inaction seem to happen at the same time.

My in-laws lived between I-95 and the Ocean, in Palm Beach County. I think the biggest difference between their house and yours, is the pool edging not being flush with the deck, and the house next door was a different color.

Realize I am guessing about everything from ASTM rating of the steel that would be used, to the hurricane wind design rating required in your zip code.

I would not blink if you were told that it needs a heavy 4 or a standard 5 inch beam. The 5 inch beam is less than 1/4” larger on each side. So we will go with that one.

I know nothing about the most recent building code and large pieces of steel around residential pools. But I will bet that 32’ bits of it weighing about 325 pounds and raised in the air, on steel, are not allowed within 6 feet of the water.

I am sure that there is now something about needing enough space to walk all the way around the perimeter of a pool.

There is likely also something about footings, saturated soil, flying debris, and the term ‘grounding’ will be used at least twice. If we add 6 feet to each side, we are well inside the bounds of reasonable.

We have now hit a 44’ clear span.

It gets a little tough to tell distance, but I am (again) guessing that this will put 1 post over your pool pump water works, and the other in front of the bathroom window. You are not going to be able to move the post closer to the pool, but
I am open your thoughts.

The question is now, what are you going to do about the beam that will now overlap with your eaves. The easiest answer it likely to wrap a hollow fiberglass post around the steel one. Then paint it blue and hope it is not noticed.

Since you are changing the patio roof so much, from the materials used, the distance between the supports, the additional length, and joists now being attached to steel instead of wood. I would expect the patio roof to be seen as new construction and not repair. This will require the patio roof to be self supported. This is much better for you than the alternative of having the patio roof seen as a part of your house.

It appears from your pictures that the house side of the patio roof requires the outside wall of your house, and is even attached to it with hurricane straps. The 2x on the wall, but connected to nothing else seems to be there as an attachment point should you want to put in a flat ceiling.

To recap up to this point, removing the 2 center posts and replace it with a single steel beam spanning the entire distance, you will need to build a 4 post, self standing, cabana type roof.

It can be against your house, and the roof can be integrated into your house, but it must be able to stand on its own.

In reality the posts closest to your house will need to be far enough away from your house that they will not disturbing you house’s slab. (But you might be able to offset the footing enough that the post can be right against the house. Way too much math for right now.)

Ok, at this point, it makes no sense to build anything but a rectangle of steel, and put it up on steel legs. You will need ’notches’ to allow for both ends of the new roof, to make room for where your house becomes wider.

You will need to decide what you want the roof to look like, the notched portions will be the hardest. Thanks to this now being all steel, you can add gussets, strengthening web where needed, this will help to keep the beam size down.

We still need to deal with the new joists, roof and shingles, there are some other decisions to be made first

The costs at this point are likely in excess of the quality of life you gain in having the 2 wooden posts removed.

It would be informative to call planing and zoning, and ask if they can think of any issues with you installing about 32’ of steel, where the posts are within 6 feet of a pool. The answer would allow a few facts to get involved here.

And this is how we truly figure out what size beam you need.


Sound of water running after bath taps turned off When running a bath, for the duration of my bath I hear water running/heavy trickling coming from the drain away holes at the top of the bath drain.
This has got louder and stronger over the last few weeks.
The plug is not leaking so don't know what is causing this sound.
Is it a leak or big problem?

If the tub doesn't have a P-trap, or the P-trap is being emptied (by a nearby toilet flush or washing machine drain pump) due to a venting issue, you might be hearing water running elsewhere in the drain system, possibly even the main sewer line.


Dehumidifier problem I live in a apartment. It is not insulated. The outside is block because it was converted into a apartment from the end of a garage. I heat with a ventless gas heater. In the winter I have so much moisture that my indoor window seals drip with water. The closet had ice on the inside. My clothes smell musty. I’ve got a dehumidifier and what do I need to set the RH% on in order to keep the moisture removed.

You have a ventless gas heater problem. I would strongly suggest using a vented (preferably
"sealed combustion" with an outside air intake as well as an exhaust) rather than a ventless heater which dumps combustion byproducts, including a great deal of water vapor into your living space.

You can set a dehumidifer at 50%, and it will probably help, if it keeps up with the problem (i.e has adequate capacity), but it's treating the effect, rather than the cause.

Or use a cold-climate air-air mini-split heat pump, which may be cost competitive with gas heat depending on your local gas and electric rates, and which also will not dump water into your air.


How do I get the shine back on the bottom of my acrylic shower stall? How do I get the shine back on the bottom of my acrylic shower stall?

It's probably mineral deposits from your water.
Clean it with vinegar, or CLR.  Then, get a squeegee and wipe down the shower after you use it to keep it clean for longer.


Do I need to add a vent when moving a toilet drain across the bathroom? In working on finishing our basement, I've come to the bathroom.  It was originally plumbed with the plan of having the fixtures share a common wall (vanity, toilet, then tub).  so there is already a pipe going up the wall where the vanity would be, with a stub for the vanity drain.  And there is already a toilet stub in the floor, and a square full of gravel which I'm presuming is to give us freedom for whatever tub we ever installed.

If it matters, this is a concrete basement floor, and I believe the main sewer/drain line for the house runs directly under this room, likely under these fittings, in the order listed.  It's 2 year old construction, so everything is PVC.  I'm familiar with the ideas involved in moving a drain in concrete.

We want to convert the tub into a corner shower, and move the toilet to occupy where the end of the tub was.  (I'm also sliding a wall out.  Great thing about unfinished basements...)  I expect when I get under the concrete, this will involve about a 4'-5' branch from the main sewer drain out to the new toilet, rather than extra pipe and bends to connect where the original toilet drain was.

My question is what (if anything) do I need to do for a vent?  Can I just run over to the wall behind the new toilet, come up into the wall, then run around to the existing vent?  Would it be okay to leave a vent out?

Here's a terrible drawing, so you can see what I'm trying to describe...

I expect there to be further details needed, like I -think- that vent pipe is 2", but I'm not sure.  I've had this question rattling around in my head, trying to figure out how to get all the detail in, and finally just decided to ask with some and fill in if something's needed.

Thanks!

You must have a vent. The toilet will not flush properly without one, and there will rarely be enough water left in the bowl. You need a 2" vent to take off from the branch line within 6 feet of the toilet. It can run up any convenient wall until it is above the toilet's flood level. Then it can run near horizontally (1/4" per foot) anywhere to tie into an equal or larger vent.

There's any number of ways to properly vent a toilet, and several common ways that are technically wrong, and even more that are just plain wrong. It's impossible to suggest a good method without a lot more information.


Coax directly to box vs. through face plate? I am running new coax to reroute it so it doesn't run across my family room. I am curious what is the purpose of using a coax jack face plate instead of using a face plate with a flexible opening to just run the original cable directly to the box from the antenna? Something like this...

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-Flexible-Opening-Cable-Wall-Plate-White-5028-WH/206456258

I would think the less connections in the line the stronger signal? Thanks for clarifying this!

Every join in the cable reduces the signal strength.

At 1200 Mhz satellite cable frequencies it's about 1dB for a F connector pass-thru at UHF and VHF frequencies the loss is less.

That's probably not going to harm your TV reception noticeably.
a wall plate or skirting socket is going to look better than just a wire coming out of the floor/wall, but yeah, usually you're looking at the front side of the telly, not the back.


What kind of bolt is this? (securing the garage door opener rail to the wall face) It was used to secure the wall mounting bracket of the garage door opener's tee rail to the concrete wall of the house above the center of the garage door opening. The bolt was inside an expanding sleeve. The tapered head was inside the wall with the threaded side sticking out, for the bracket to go over and be secured by the nut.

Probably in place for half a century, over the years it got increasingly loose, wiggling around a lot but still difficult to remove due to the expanded sleeve. Lately, I noticed problems with the garage door opener and chain vibrating a lot and managed to pull out the loose bolt this time. Now I'd like to know:

What is this bolt called? (in case I should get a replacement)
How is it to be secured? (to prevent the garage door opener from damaging itself or the from chain popping out of place, the latter of which has happened a few times recently.)

Is a hole drilled in concrete, and the bolt and sleeve inserted, which then expands as it is tightened? Or should they be stuck in concrete when wet and allowed to cure?

The latter seems like it might not allow the expanding functionality of the sleeve to work. Since there isn't concrete residue on the bolt and sleeve, I'm guessing the former approach was used?

Also, I'm thinking there should be more than one bolt, but that's for another question...

Click images to expand.

Some close-ups, showing the main over-enlarged hole and three other unused shallow holes. Note also that due to the loose bolt, the mounting plate rocked vertically and created a wedge shaped indentation in the concrete, allowing/causing even more rocking.

It is a concrete sleeve anchor, many brands with similar names. You drill a hole, then pound it in, then twist the nut a few times to set it. If it has wiggles out then the hole is probably damaged and now oversized.

You might find it best to now set a replacement deeper wedge anchor, or maybe set with a bit of epoxy.

I don't remember what brand I was using, but somewhere instructions said to space at least 5x the diameter apart.


Will this ductwork for my range hood work? I installed a new exterior wall vent and ran 6" round galvanized steel duct work through my ceiling joists to the spot where our new range hood will be.
There was a significant amount of PEX plumbing that I couldn't move anymore, so I put a 90 degree bend and brought down the duct through the cavity.
Question: Will there be any issue having the wall behind that vent pipe un-drywalled and exposed like it is?
The range hood will cover that spot, but the duct pipe is closely hugging the wall and wasn't sure if that would pose any major problems.

One way to resolve this is to transition from 6” to 5” duct in ceiling space. Dropping below ceiling with 5” duct will give you another 1/2” clearance from the wall.
The reduced size duct on a short run from blower to ceiling probably has a minor impact on airflow. 6” duct is rated for  up to 600 cfm. If your blower is pushing 400-500  there is no significant impact to airflow.  If it is pushing 600 or more there will be a bit  of extra noise.  If it is well over 600cfm your duct is too small .


Replace soil pipe or continue cleaning it annually? Tree roots grow into the house sewage drainage pipe some 6+ feet out of the house.  Each year I have a company clean out the roots with a large drill.  Replacing the pipe will be expensive.  What conditions or symptoms should I take as indications that I need to replace the pipe?

If you have roots in your pipe it needs replacing. The cleaning company is just using you as a yearly revenue source. If there is a leak in your waste pipe you are leaking untreated waste into the ground. Not particularly good from an environmental standpoint.

Have a look into pipe burst. These guys actually pull a new pipe through the old one breaking up the old one as it goes.


Beam where joists meet in center of room First. I am getting a contractor. I like to have a good idea what I am dealing with so I can understand what 1,2,3 contractors with estimates propose to me.

Ranch house with Cape Cod roof sitting on a slab with brick exterior walls.

There are 2 rooms I want to make into 1 by removing the load bearing center wall. The joists above rest on this wall like the picture below. The load is transfered to the slab.

Joists in ceiling

There is no living space above this load bearing wall. Any tips on how I can recess a beam into the attic and transfer the load on this wall to

A. The brick exterior wall and B. To a center post on the slab.

This load bearing wall is basically just supporting the weight of the ceiling which is drywall. The joists in the ceiling as pictured above obviously also help with keeping the exterior walls from spreading.

Any tips on how to recess a beam in the ceiling (attic)? Will the post on the slab be ok for support or will footers need to be dug? I feel like there is not a lot of weight being transfered down the post to the slab.

Thanks!

You should enlist the assistance of a framing vendor with design software or an engineering firm Along with your contractor.

They can design an LVL or steel beam to carry the load. Running the full length of the house is probably not possible but creating an archway with a beam and support columns is certainly possible.

This modification should be designed by a professional though.

Good luck!


How do I paint stripes on a wall correctly? Background information
I tried to paint two different colored stripes on a wall. I used tape for masking the stripes and then I first painted the tape with the background color to "seal" it off. Then I painted the stripes in orange / blue and the plan was a perfect edge. However as you can see in the picture, the edge is far away from perfect and I'm not sure why.

Questions

Do you have an assumption on why this happened, even though I prepared the wall with tape and the background color?
Do you have an idea on how I could repair the wall? My best idea was that I use a really small brush and a calm hand and then try to paint over the bad edges...

Thank you in advance!

EDIT
I repaired every mistake with an really small brush! Worked out perfectly!

I hate to tell you this, but you will have to either start over or make the stripes wider when you redo them. Unless you are some "gifted" artist, you aren't going to be able to free-hand those lines.

The hardest part about your dilemma is the fact that the wall has a rough surface. It's going to be pretty hard to achieve a "perfectly" straight line. However, the smudges can be prevented.

First of all, you can't use just any painter's tape. I used 3M Safe-Release tape for years until I found a few better tapes. Frog Tape works very well and they have different types depending on your surface. I recommend using Frog Tape Multi-Surface for your project.

Taping is not the only thing to keep in mind. When you paint your stripe you need to do what is called "feathering". Dip your brush and then wipe it nearly dry on the edge of the paint can. Apply the paint "away" from the edge of the tape. If you paint toward the tape edge you increase the chances of pushing the paint underneath the tape. Fill in the stripe by feathering it as well. The stripe will not cover the paint underneath yet. It should appear streaky and light. This is intentional, as you are creating a "tack coat" for the finish coat to better adhere to.

After you feather the stripe, wait about 30 minutes for the paint to dry about halfway (for latex paint). Afterwards, go back and feather the edges once more and fill in the stripe again. The stripe will be much richer and will cover better. Sometimes you might need to do a third coat. If you know that the color of your stripe isn't going to cover well (e.g., Pink over Yellow), you might need to use a stain blocker on the first coat. However, you will need to apply it very lightly and allow to completely dry before applying any finish paint.

I like to remove the tape while the paint is still wet. It prevents issues with the paint possibly sticking to the tape.


how many screws are needed for 300 lbs I'm considering use of GRK R4 #10 3.125" structural screws in a applications where it appears that the primary load on the screw is shear.  The package states 1016 lbs ave ultimate load in wood w/0.67 density - but needs a safety margin.

I have two specific application in mind:

1) A ledger board that supports a small platform where upto 300 lbs steps down onto.
2) 2x4 x 11" cleats for a stair treads - also supporting 300 lbs.

How many screws are needed?

Let's make a few assumptions to be clear about the situation.

A 300 lb. person stepping down at a conservative maximum of 2 g's (600 lbs. of force)
Load split between at least two supporting members
No more than 80% load on any one member
No additional load from other persons

This means that any one member should be able to handle a load of 480 lbs. plus a safety factor.

In my experience* with SPF lumber, screws of fair quality pull out before they break, except when experiencing repeated bending stress due to displacement of the joined members. This means that in the case of a well-fastened framing member, no significant movement should occur.

In my estimation, a member fastened into SPF lumber using four 3" screws (where penetration into the supporting member is at least 1-1/2"), and which is supported against rotation through being fastened to an overlaying member, will carry around 500 lbs. without undue risk of failure.

This is too close for comfort with your requirements. I'd go to six screws, recognizing that this may be challenging with your stair cleats. I'd also look for a heavier screw, say in a #12--pullout strength increases exponentially with screw diameter/thread area. Piloting to prevent cracks is key, and vertical staggering is also important.

So for our 450 lb. load, 12 screws or more would be adequate to support each plane. Again, it's not the strength of the screw that's our weak link, but pullout in fairly soft lumber. With that in mind, consider going with three or four 5/16" or 3/8" lag screws per member instead. You'll need fewer and have more peace of mind.

* As a guy who's built a whole lot of stuff over the last four decades but done little engineering calculation


Will I lose much by buying a spray gun not suitable for water-based materials? Looking around for a spray gun for my woodworking projects, I've found this one. This spray gun perfectly fits a couple of my requirements, so I'm seriously considering buying it.

However, I'm in doubt because of one thing that is mentioned in the description:

NOT SUITABLE FOR WATERBASED MATERIALS

And since I'm a total newbie in painting, I've decided to ask a couple of questions here:

What are pros and cons of water-based vs solvent-based paints?
Will I lose much by having a spray gun not suitable for water-based materials?

You never got an answer so I will give you a simple one. I'm not a painter and just have a small amount of general knowledge...

  And since I'm a total newbie in painting, I've decided to ask a couple
  of questions here:

  What are pros and cons of water-based vs solvent-based paints?
  Will I lose much by having a spray gun not suitable for water-based materials?

Pros and cons of water-based vs solvent-based? Well a simple answer would be that water-based is easier to work with, easier to clean up, better for the environment, and healthier. Solvent-based is tougher to work with and clean up, not so good for the environment, but generally considered better and more durable. Often most professional or factory finishes are solvent-based.


Check valve versus trap; sewer backups We have a problem with the condensate drain line on the air conditioner and water softener.  It is the only basement drain in the lowest building in the whole town.  It occasionally backs up.

The solution was to install a check valve before the trap.  That should work fine because condensate and softener purge are very clear/clean liquids, and unlikely to clog it with soapy water or hair.  However, the design of the available check valves has the flapper flap downward, so it hangs open at all times. The flapper is not particularly lighter than water (it's not a "float").... So if backflow comes slowly enough, it won't lift the flapper upward to close the valve, and slips right by it.

I was thinking, "OK, make the trap taller, and mount the check valve in the upward-flow side of the trap". That will make the flapper shut by default unless pushed upward by condensate/flush flow.  However, it will be immersed 24x7.  Alternately, I could turn the pipe flat horizontal and mount the flapper so gravity pulls it shut naturally.

Is any of these a good plan?  Or would another idea work better?

Use a "float ball check valve" (assuming here that your pipe is vertical).


What is this black cylinder on the side of my electrical junction box? This junction box houses electrical wiring to a light fixture in a closet. The light no longer works and i'm wondering if this black thing is a possible cause.

That is an obsolete thermal detector and shut off if the can light gets overheated. It is probably why your can light is not coming on because it has ceased to operate. You can no longer get a replacement since they stopped manufacturing it sometime ago. If you find someone that still has one in stock you can replace it, but I ran out of them years ago so good luck. The only thing that can be done is to install a new can with a new built-in thermal detector. This could be a little complicated and may not be something a DIY could handle since you have to purchase the right part which is not a stock item and rewire the box to make it work properly. Sorry I can't be of much more help.

Good luck and stay safe


Garage door needs light switch on to operate I just bought a house.  To use my garage door I just flip the light switch on(in photos)  but this also turns on the lights as well.  So to have my garage door always enabled I would have to leave the lights on all the time.  My question is, would it be okay to just remove the light bulbs and leave the switch on? The main light (orange cord) goes all the way to the circuit breaker, which is in my neighbor's backyard (stupid, HOA design).  The other light looks like it just plugs right into the outlet.  I can't reach any of these.  Just want to know if it's safe to just leave these bulbs out.

There's no problem leaving the socket empty, if it cannot be reached and there's no chance of critters getting into it. However, it would be more convenient to have light when you need it. There are motion-sensing LED lamps for less than US$5/each that screw into standard Edison-base sockets, which seem to be what your photo show. The lamps turn on when you go past, and turn off a short time after motion ceases. Look in local stores; I've purchased some for less than $US3.


Fixing leaky Delta faucet - what am I doing wrong? I've got a leaky bathroom sink with a Delta 2-handle faucet that I'm unable to permanently fix. Every time I replace the seats and springs, the problem goes away for a day or two, but then returns. Every time I pull out the cartridges to replace the seats, I find the old seats are nicked at the top (see photo).

I've gone through this routine five times in the past few weeks, so I'm presumably doing something that's causing the seat to be damaged after some use. Anyone have any idea why?

Looks, and sounds like, the actual metal part of the valve seat is probably messed up from over tightening. It could possibly be fixed with a grinding stone that is fine grit and the same diameter, to reface the metal. But be careful to not take too much off or the seals won't seat properly. You might also look at the warranty that came with the faucet. It could have a lifetime warranty and be as easy as getting a replacement.


Controlling multiple indoor wifi smart switches with a separate outside photocell I have three groups of outdoor house lights and one group of landscape lights.  They're on four separate light switches.  The house light switches are located indoors in separate locations far apart, and the landscape light switch is located outside far from the other three.

A year ago I replaced all four switches with timers to increase their usefulness and convenience.  But it's turning out to be a hassle to adjust all of those timers every few weeks to stay in synch with seasonal daylight changes.

If I replace the three indoor timers/switches with wifi smart switches, can I then replace the outside timer/switch with a photocell device (or install such a device elsewhere) to control all four groups of lights with the single photocell?

As @Tyson mentioned in his comment, you can do this with most smart switches as long as you have a hub to set everything up. Most smart switches nowadays operate on several protocols (Z-wave, Zigbee, etc) and many hubs handle multiple protocols as well, but just make sure your switch and hub both use the same protocol.

In the setup of the switches, just program them to come on at sunset and off at sunrise, which will be calculated based on your location.

Alternatively, if you don't want to use smart switches, you can get semi-smart timer switches that will automatically adjust, based on your latitude, for sunrise and sunset. I've used this one in the past and it's worked great, although there are others on the market as well.


If i use one ground wire for two outlets, will my equipment get damaged? If i use one ground wire for two outlets, will my equipment get damaged?

Here is what I want to do:

If my air conditioner sends voltage through the ground wire shared with the outlet powering my computer, would my computer short out and or get damaged?

Generally, adding a ground wire is always better for electronic equipment.  It helps surge suppressors do their job by providing a ground reference.   It provides real chassis grounding which among other things gives a solid route for  static electricity to go to ground instead of getting inside equipment.  It also provides a fault path if any hot wires short to ground, which assures you get a breaker trip.  And it makes sure equipment chassis is not energized so it electrocutes someone. I'm glad you're doing it - it will help.

That said, grounds will not cause cheap electronics with poor components  to suddenly become quality.  Grounds will not themselves "clean up" dirty, noisy AC power, although they will help surge suppressors do that.  Dirty power is often caused by your own equipment - for instance the air conditioner in your drawing.  You may want to protect the PC from the air conditioner.

Grounds also don't fix potential overloads, and you might have one here.  Fancy PC's aren't necessarily power hogs (the Mac Pro is only 2.5 amps) but "850 watt" PC power supplies are popular and they can draw 10 amps full bore (the difference being inefficiency).  A typical window air conditioner is 5-8 amps.  Loads which are continuous should only run at 80% of circuit capacity, that's 12A on a 15A breaker and 16A on a 20A breaker.  I would encourage you to investigate further to make sure those loads (and the other loads on that circuit) aren't too much.   To measure a device's actual current draw, gadgets like the Kill-A-Watt do nicely.


Based on the picture, what do you recommend using to patch this hole? This is a 90 year old lath and plaster wall that was cut into to install a thermostat. The hole is 1.5" by 14".

Should we use:

drywall patch
mesh tape and joint compound
just plaster
something else?

If plaster, which type (Plaster of Paris or Lime Plaster) or brand do you recommend?

Also, do I need to put anything in front of the black cord before patching?

Thanks.

I have done a lot of repairs like this, I usually use some kind of grinder or belt sander to bevel the edges of the area , then use hot mud to fill 3/4 of the depth once the hot mud is dry then I use mesh and mud to fill the remaining area and the mesh to bridge the gap (reduces cracking) after that I will sand and use topping mud for a quick final layer to match the existing surface, prime and cover paint is the last step. The res on the photo I can’t quite tell the pattern but matching is a bit easier if the base is solid, if you don’t use mesh or tape below the surface it WILL crack on those edges. Multiple layers something to bridge the edge below the surface and matching the texture on the top will make it look like a pro repair.


Do I bond an Air Admittance Valve to the pipe? I have a drain pipe in my laundry room. It runs into a sewage drain that I imagine is in the slab. I had the local building inspector come check it out. I haven't investigated enough; but we both believe that this line does not include venting outside of the house.

The inspector told me I needed to add an Air Admittance Valve (AAV) before the two traps (sink + washer) on this drain.

I've never worked with this plastic. It may be PVC (it's white'ish -- could double-check).

Do I need to add some sort of a glue or bond when I attach the AAV (it's threaded)? If so, is there anything special I should use? Or just something compatible with the plastic?

Note: Since this valve depends on the air pressure, I assume it has to be air tight. That's what lead me to asking this question. The guy at Home Depot wasn't very helpful.

If the AAV is threaded, then you need to get a coupler that is threaded on one side and smooth on the other. You need to prime and glue the push-fit connector. The threaded connection does not get primed/glued.


Kitchen drawer railing track socket replacement Any advice on how to go about fixing this bracket?  How do I finding out the replacement model/part details for this thing?

Take a pencil and trace around the outside of it so you know where to install the new one. Use a small flat screwdriver to pry  it off, take the old one to the home center so you can match it. These are available to purchase. You can then attach the new one with small screws and some adhesive.


Could a "missing phase" result in damage to electrical household equipment= This question is related to a previous question of mine about what seemed to be a voltage drop after a night of heavy snowfall.

A couple of weeks ago, heavy snowfall resulted in what appeared to be a voltage drop in my house. I am no expert (so excuse my probable lack of correct use of terms), but I believe one out of three electrical phases was dead / missing (that's what my electrician tells me). Looking at my fuse box I could see that it reported ~115v and not ~230v as it should. This caused a variety of "interesting" results on our electrical equipment.

One piece of equipment which just acted in a not normal fashion was our heat pump. When I woke up the morning, the heat pump did not run (but it's lights were on indicating power).

After the power came back, and ever since, the heat pump has acted somewhat strange. It reports errors and simply just works irregularly (runs for some time, suddenly stops, goes through defrost cycle even though there are 5C - 10C degrees outside). I contacted a service company which told me that one or two of the heat pump PCB's most likely had been damaged and most likely needed to be replaced.

Is it plausible that the recent incident have caused damage to our heat pump, but only to some extent? Or is this simply a coincidence which is a result of "wear and tear"?

How can a reduced amount of power able to result in damage to a heat pump which results in irregular behavior? We are after all talking about reduced voltage, and not increased voltage.

If you do have 3 phase power loss of 1 phase cause what is called "single phasing". Sometimes a motor can run with the loss of 1 leg but it may start in the wrong direction and another time start in the correct direction. The motor will draw more than normal current on the working legs and usually overheats. With a heat pump single phasing can damage the compressor by starting in the wrong direction.


GE dimmer works with 3 LED lights, somewhat with 4 and not at all with 5 I've got a brand new single pole GE 14294 Z-Wave Plus dimmer.  Before I try to connect it to z-wave, I wanted to make sure it was working.  I have five LED lights (4W, 65mA, BR20 flood) lights in series.  They were dimming fine on my old Leviton dimmer so I know they are OK.

Using the switch itself, the dimmer will switch the lights on and off no problem, but will not dim. BUT, if I unscrew two bulbs, then the remaining three work fine - i.e., the dimmer works correctly.  If I add the 4th back in, the will dim slightly.

I've checked the current, and 3 lights are pulling about 0.2A.  With four that goes up to 0.26A, with five about 0.32A.  Switch is rated for 1500W and is compatible with LED.

I've tried a different 14294 and have exactly the same problem.  Note that at this stage I'm just using the physical switch, so nothing to do with z-wave.

Any ideas?  Bug in the firmware?  Could it be the bulbs?
I Called Jasco/GE and they didn't know.

I think this has todo with minimum load. These dimmers require 50 watt min


Should Caulk be used around vinyl windows I purchased a new home last year and all the windows installed are vinyl. My previous home built in 1999 had wooden windows. My question is are all the exterior windows needing to be caulked? I know with wooden windows that's a given. I had a lot of trouble with water damage on my old home and I don't really want to experience that again. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

You don't have to caulk something just because you normally caulk it. There is a reason why everything is done and learning this will save you time and money. Since you've had the home for a year already, I'd guess that you know if water leaks in or if you can feel drafts near them? If so, caulk it. If you have a reasonable doubt that they might not be installed correctly and could lead to water problems, go ahead and do it. Like you said, it'll save you from the experience down the road, but it might not be needed.

  VINYL WINDOWS AND VINYL SIDING

  Vinyl windows, if installed correctly
  shouldn’t need to be caulked in too many places. Caulking on the
  interior is mainly for aesthetics. You will caulk where the drywall
  meets the frame or the casing meets the frame. You can use some
  painters caulk on the inside where the window meets the casing or the
  drywall. If it was installed correctly there shouldn’t be a draft
  coming from this area.

  WOOD WINDOWS WITH WOOD SIDING

  These windows require a lot more maintenance. All gaps should be re-caulked. If caulking after painting or if you have natural wood, you use a clear caulk. If caulking before
  painting you should use paintable caulk rated for exterior use.

  REPLACEMENT WINDOWS

  Replacement windows are installed in existing wood
  frames. The windows come as a unit and should be caulked properly when
  installed. In situations with replacement windows, you have the area
  between the new window and the existing frame to keep caulk maintained
  as well as around any old trim.

  http://www.handyguyspodcast.com/839/episode-94-caulking-windows/


How to wire LED light to old wiring layout Bought a new LED strip light to replace an old fluorescent  light. After removing the old light I'm left with 3 grey cables coming from the ceiling.There are 3 copper ground wires are all sleeved into a single cable, 3 red wires ending in a connector, and 3 loose black wires (see diagram and photos below). There are 2 switches to operate the old light.

How would I go about connecting the the old wires to the new LED light which has just a brown L, green/yellow and blue N cable using a connector?

The biggest problem I'm having is identifying which is the live wire as it isn't marked and I don't own a multi-meter or voltage tester. Would it be possible to trial and error which wire is live after I figure out how it is wired, would this cause any damage to anything (LED light) or would it simply flip the breaker?

That looks like standard UK wiring using older colours.

You should really go out and buy a voltage tester but you can make up a test lamp with a pendant lamp-holder and a low-wattage bulb.

The lamp holder can be obtained from many stores. Alternatively you probably have one somewher in your home or in a garage that you can temporarily borrow.

The lamp holder has a bayonet socket (or Edison-screw socket) at one end for the light-bulb and at the other end, under a screw-off cover, has two screw-terminals for wire connections.

Your wiring works like this, note that one of the black wires is a switched live. Connecting that to the other blacks will blow your fuse or trip your breaker when you turn the light on, so don't connect the blacks together yet.

Step one is to identify which cable comes from the consumer unit. We are only concerned with the black (neutral) wires.

find a light on the same circuit that turns on correctly (this is your safety test)
Turn off power to the relevant lighting circuit
Check that power is off (try turning on/off the light that worked and is definitely on the same circuit).
Number, mark or label the black wires so you can tell them apart
Attach one terminal of the bulb-holder to all of the red wires. If necessary you can use terminal blocks and short lengths of red wire.
Attach the other terminal of the test bulb to one of the black wires and leave the other black wires separate
turn on the power and see if the light is on, if so, that black wires goes to the main panel, mark it.
if necessary turn off power and repeat with other black wires until you worked out which one goes to the main panel.

Step two is to work out which of the other black wires is a switched live.

make sure all the light switches on the same circuit are turned off. This usually means all light switches on the same floor.
turn off power to the circuit
disconnect the bulb holder
connect one terminal of the bulb holder to the black wire that comes from the main panel (consumer unit).
connect the other terminal to one of the other two black wires
leave the other black wire separate
turn on power
if the light switch turns your test bulb on and off you have identified the black wire that is switched live from the switch loop, if so, mark it with red electricians tape.
if necessary try the other black wire but remember to turn off power before touching anything.

Finally connect the spare black wire to the black wire that comes from the main panel (consumer unit)

Before starting, I recommend you read the answers to

When doing electrical work, what do I use to check wires are safe?
Electric shock - was I stupid, unlucky, or a combination of both?
Wiring up a ceiling light with earth cable
How do you properly connect 3 x solid 2.5mm wires to a 4mm stranded wire?


What is the typical kVA in a one bedroom flat? I'm planning to convert a house into flats. As part of the conversion I require increased supply of electricity.

The electrical utility supplier said they can't advise me on what I need but typically it's between 2-6kVA.
My builder says somewhere in the region of 15kW!! That's a massive difference.

Power Estimate

I understand my builders equations more but wanted to know if he's right:

Oven: 40 Amps
Lighting: 10 Amps
Other: 10 Amps

~60 Amp requirement

Watts = Amps * Voltage
Watts= 60 Amps * 240 Volts = 14400 Watts = 14.4kW

So to convert to kVA you would divide by PowerFactor.

Since power factor is between 0-1 - we can be conservative and assume it's 1.

Hence 14.4kW or 14.4kVA

Question

Is this correct? Are we overestimating things here? I'm not sure how a flat can have a consumption of 2kVA - surely this guy from the power team is missing the point here?

Can anyone help bridge the gap?

2 KVA per home (2000 watts) is what the power plant uses when they're bragging about how many homes their plant powers. They're talking average use.

What really happens is you have high extremes of power use.  The family chef has the oven, 3 burners, a George Foreman and the toaster all working at once (and a crockpot for sauces), the water heater is constantly recovering from dishwashing, and all that heat in the house has forced the AC to 100% duty cycle.  Once dinner is called, all those loads will poof disappear.

You have to size the system for peak use.

OK, so you think "fudge factor", but this is like a fudge-factor of fifty.  No, you gotta sharp-pencil engineer this out.  Or just put in really good service and not worry about it.

Maybe you're thinking about it upside down

You're asking "how little service can I provision".  How about asking "how much can I get for sane cost".

Adding electric capacity is dirt cheap.  Spend an extra $500/unit on the parts to do it right, and it'll last 40 years, and that's chump change for something that'll last 40 years.  It's a loser's game to pinch pennies on service, only be forced to upgrade later. Especially if, once permitted and occupied, the city requires a licensed electrician to do the work.  As a homeowner subdividing yourself, you can DIY that stuff for pennies on the dollar.

Ample service also saves money on appliances.  Electric on-demand water heaters are half the price of gas, and don't require a vent. My landlord put in a $1200 gas one because he had no choice.  Ditto dryers - tenant-grade electric washer-dryers are commodity.

Better service also means better tenants. Tenants who are constantly fighting tripped circuit breakers are going to believe your electric is hokey and you're a slumlord, and are not going to stay. At extremes, "Can a circuit be added for my electric car" is a wonderful question because it means a wealthy tenant who'll be staying awhile.  You want to giggle with glee going "Oh yeah! We can do that!"

If the conversation with the electric company goes something like "Well we could bring out 400A service, but it'll cost ya (more than you wanna pay rght now)", then make everything else ready for it, so they can just cut it in without additional work.

If the game is make max money as a landlord, squinting at price tags at Home Depot is barking up the wrong tree.

Commons service

Keep in mind Code will certainly require you to have a separate meter for commons-area loads.  This could be impressive, like an electric dryer or shared on-demand water heat; or it could be trivial, like five LED lights.

I have to say, in the latter case, I would consider going off-grid solar for a few LED premises lights.  It's far cheaper than the cost of a monthly meter fee.


What kind of floor is this? I got different answers from different contractors and I am so confused now.
Some said this is hardwood, and some said this is bamboo.
If is it wood, is it possible to tell what kind of wood is this? Can you really tell by eye what kind of floor is this?

Looking at different images may help you determine the species. Keep in mind I'm not a wood expert, and wood being a natural material will vary widely.
Oak
Oak tends to have a bold tight grain

Ash
Ash tends to have a bold semi-tight grain.

Hickory
Hickory tends to have a more subtle longer grain.

Maple
Maple tends to have a subtle semi-tight grain.

Bamboo
Bamboo tends to have a long straight tight grain.

The next question is to determine if it's solid, engineered, or locking. The best way to figure this out, is to look at the ends of a plank.
Solid
If it's solid, it will look like a solid block of wood.

Engineered
If it's engineered, it will look like the edge of a plywood sheet (a bunch of thin layers of wood).

Locking
Locking will tend to be thinner, look more like Medium-density fibreboard (MDF) or plywood from the side, and will have a funny looking tongue that locks with the adjacent plank.


Can I use the 6x6 beam in our crawlspace as a "running board" for electric cable? A portion of our house sits on unfinished 36" crawl space. I need to run some electrical cable (NM/Romex, 14/2) through the middle of the crawl space, perpendicular to the joists. I could drill holes through all 14 joists, or... can I just staple the cable to the 6x6 beam that runs down the center of the crawl space, perpendicular to the joists, right where I want the cable to go? This seems like the 1) easiest and 2) most secure way of doing things. I know the code allows me to use a running board instead of holes in the joists, but it would be great if I can just use the center beam as a pre-installed (and very, very secure) running board.

You may secure wiring to framing in an exposed manner when it's not subject to damage. If this isn't a high-traffic location, it'll be just fine to do as you describe. Just do yourself and others the service of keeping it nice and neat. Plan ahead for parallel, flat rows of cable.


How should I ground a heat pump capacitor? Where do I attach ground wire on capacitor that has no designated ground connector?

The metal strap that holds the cap in place is the ground. You have 3 connections so that is a dual element cap it has 2 capacitors internally normal values are like 5uf & 45uf  370-400v .
1 terminal will be common “C” and normally one will have a “S” start and the other “R” run , with a metal can the case is grounded by the strap on every system I have worked on.
Note the strap for your cap is just to the left in the photo.
I did remember some caps are labeled “c”  common and “H” for the compressor “f” fan this is where a dual element cap is used for starting 2 different motors but they can be used interchangeably if the ratings are the same the 45uf element is for starting the compressor and the 5uf element is for the fan or in some cases the run of the compressor.


Are there alternatives to Shutter-lok fasteners? I have this kind of fastener on my shutters and it seems that every 3-5 years I am buying a new shutter because they break off and the shutter gets torn up in a storm or I am trying to liquid nail them back in the brick facade of my house.

I hate the idea of putting them back up knowing that in 3 years I will be drilling yet another hole in my brick.

Is there an alternative that will last longer and still keep this look?

Shutter-loks are basically vinyl nails with annular rings to grip. They are meant to be removable by snipping them, confirming that they have low strength.

Why not simply use screws of a similar length? You need a weatherproof type, such as these which are recommended for shutters.

You could also use coated deck screws which come in several colors and weather well.


Replumb sillcocks to increase outdoor pressure? I'm trying to increase pressure to my outside hoses for lawn watering and noticed that the sillcocks are all after my whole house water filter and they are all 1/2". Because of this, when I run the sprinklers, the whole house filter gets dirty and clogged very quickly. The plumbing from my well pressure tank is 3/4" and the pressure switch is set to 40/60.
Would I see a worthwhile pressure and flow increase to my outside impact sprinklers if I:

Plumb in a 3/4" tee before the whole house filter and run 1" PEX lines to sillcock valves
Replace existing 1/2" sillcocks with 3/4" sillcocks
Run 3/4" hose from sillcock to impact sprinklers

Thanks in advance!

I think your best improvement would come from adding the tee before the filter and running the new PEX to the sillcocks.  I would hold off on replacing the sillcocks at the same time as adding the tee because you might not need to depending on the results from the tee. Plus, the 3/4" sillcocks might not fit through your brick walls. Do this in stages.


What are wire rope thimbles for? What are wire rope thimbles for? Will the wire rope strength be compromised if I don't use them?

They will be used on a fence.

Thanks.

Those are to help protect the cable. By keeping a loop and not a tight wrap around the anchor point it strengthens the cable compared to not using them. If the cable will be on something that moves not just static force they prevent wear on the cable. If a static load I may not use them but on a mobile load I do use them.


Light fitting with power but no 3-way switch function I have a 3-way setup with one switch at the top of the stairs and one at the bottom for a light at the top of the stairs. It all appears to be wired fine and I have power and light but the switches are not working to turn the light off. Please can someone give me an idea where to check as I have triple checked all the wires now?!

The top switch has been wired with a black marked live wire which I have then wired into the light fitting with the other live wires.

I am not sure if this is to do with the switches, fitting or something more advanced?

First, just to prevent any confusion, it's a "3-way" switch setup, not 2-way. 3-way switches take power in (or let it out) through a singular wire, which then is switched between two 'traveler' wires. It's referred to as a 3-way switch for the same reason as a 3-way intersection - there are 3 paths in/out of the switch.

Next, you need to ensure that the wires leading to and from your switches actually go to the light. This probably goes without saying, but if you've changed the light's wiring as well then that could be the issue.

However, the final solution will always come down to the wiring or the devices. The light itself does not control switching, so it is not bad. You might have a wrong switch, bad switch, or again just have some wiring incorrect. Follow this diagram below and it'll work:

The diagram might not be the exact layout for your situation as the power could be coming in at the light or the light could be between the switches. Regardless, that would simply call for wire nut connections and it would still come out to this exact setup.


Is a transition from 1/2" tubing to 1/4" and back causing low pressure? I installed my RO system this weekend and I'm pretty excited.  The water pressure seems low though.  Not unbearably slow but much slower than before the system was put in.  The system is 6 stage and has a dedicated faucet, a 3 gallon tank, and is all 1/4 plex tubing.
I have a conditioned crawlspace that stays within 5-10 degrees of my house.  I put the unit in the crawlspace so i would still have room under my sink.  (It's about 1.5-2 feet below the floor)
I installed in by cutting into a 1/2 pex (or cvpc?) pipe and using an adapter to change to the 1/4 inch pex.  At the far end of the RO system I used a 2nd adapter to change back to the 1/2 inch to travel to the sink (it's about 4.5 feet).  After it goes through the floor i used a 3rd adapter to change it one more time to 1/4 pex to match the faucet pipe.
The reason I kept the bigger pipe was in hopes that it could be considered as an additional "storage tank" in that that long run would hold more water than using a 1/4 pipe.
The question I have is do you think this transition back and forth is causing a lower water pressure?

I would time how long it takes to fill a 1 gallon jug and see if the system is operating within specifications. With a 1/4” line I would not expect a large flow. But no the changing sizes won’t affect the flow as the 1/4” would be the limiter. The size change won’t really help or hurt in this limited length.


anatomy of Kohler handheld showerhead - flow restrictor I have a Kohler Flipside handheld showerhead (K-17493), rated at 2.5 gallons per minute. But the actual flow from the showerhead is under 2 gallons per minute. The problem seems to lie with the showerhead itself: when I remove the showerhead and hose from the shower wall and turn on the water, the flow is much stronger.

I've checked for debris, and it doesn't seem to be a problem. (The showerhead is new.)

I would like to remove or adjust the flow restrictor in the showerhead to permit a stronger flow. But the instructions that I've seen online that apply to other showerheads don't seem to apply to this one -- or, at the least, I can't see how those instructions apply to this showerhead.

Here is a picture of the inside of the showerhead:

Many online instructions suggest that an O-ring be removed. In this case, is the O-ring the yellow disc? It is protected by the metal ring above it; is there any danger to breaking that metal ring so that I can remove the yellow disc?

I have a Kohler shower head.  Different model but the flow restrictor assembly is likely the same.  There's actually a series of parts behind the steel retention ring in your photo.  The yellow that you see is the top of a cartridge that contains a spring-loaded nylon stopper (white part in the photo) as well as an orange plastic flow restriction disc.  Remove the retention ring, remove the yellow cartridge.  In mine, there was also a purple part behind the yellow cartridge which is also removable.  Once you've taken all the bits out, you should be able to re-connect the hose and try the pressure again.

In my mixing valve, I also discovered two 'service valves' which control water flow into the mixing valve.  I found that in my case, the plumber who installed them had them turned to 1/2 and not full.  So my shower head and my rain shower both had very low flow.  I turned the service valves to full open which gave me the flow I expected from my rain shower head.  I then had to put all the flow restriction parts (yellow cartridge) back into my hand shower because the pressure was uncomfortably high.

Hope this helps!


If DC adapters are so prevalent, why is AC used in construction by default? I'm not sure if there's a better place to ask this or not.

Why, at least here in America, is the standard electrical system set up for alternating current (AC) rather than direct current (DC)? I'm just completing a long-distance move and realizing how many DC adapters I have and how many of my devices require DC power:

All of my guitar pedals.
My alarm clock.
My external hard disks.
My USB car HDD dock.

... and the list goes on. If we're almost constantly having to use DC adapters to convert AC into DC, why isn't the standard DC, other than because people resist change?

Transmission/Functional reasons:

AC is cheaper -- There is less power loss from generator to end user.
High voltage is cheaper to transport --  Power loss is I^2 * R.  R is a constant over any line. For the same amount of power (watts) P = IV.  So we can decrease the power loss by increasing the voltage. - This leads us to transform-ability.  I can easily run AC through a transformer to jump the voltage up or down (with a corresponding change in current).  Doing so with DC requires several more steps.
[addendum] If we were just lighting and heating with electricity, we wouldn't care AC/DC from a functional point of view.  However, lots of things in our houses use motors, and AC motors are cheaper and last a lot longer than DC motors. However, when we were first wiring neighbourhoods, this wasn't a factor.


Push to run motorized appliance switch I want a motorized appliance switch that turns on only when I am depressing a button then turns off when I let go.
I know about air switches I do not want those as they do not go in an electrical box.
Are there any switches that fit in an existing electrical box next to a light switch that do this?
Are there any parts that I can put together to make something like this?

There are certainly switches available, like this Leviton:

or if you don't like Decora style, here is another one suggested by @Alaska Man also from Leviton:

The key phrase is momentary contact. Make sure you get something properly designed for 120V use. There are tons of switches from Digikey and similar places for use in building electronic stuff. But for a disposal you need something UL-listed (or equivalent).
Make sure the switch can handle the disposal. Lights are easy on a switch (especially with today's low-power LEDs). Motors like disposals are not. These two examples are rated for up 1/2 HP @ 120V, which is enough for a standard (in my area) Badger 5 but not for some bigger models.


Remove over tighten copper pipe fitting The older plumber left a over tighten copper pipe (threaded) to the shower valve. I tried but couldnt remove it with wrench. I dont want to use too much force as it may break the valve. I wonder if there is anything I can apply to it to help loosing it? Like WD40? I can see the teflon tap wraping around the thread and so it shouldnt be this hard.

First, check the basics:

Are you turning the right direction?  It is easy to get backwards when you are in an unusual approach.  Inspect the thread closely for the correct loosen direction.
How long is the wrench?  An 8 inch wrench is probably insufficient for loosening 1/2 inch copper fittings, though it probably is sufficient for tightening them.  Try a 12 or 16 inch wrench.  The greater leverage of a longer wrench provides greater torque, but more importantly provides more control at that torque so you won't be as tempted to "pulse" the torque.

To protect the valve and safeguard other plumbing, be sure to provide counter-force at the other side of the joint with a similar wrench or vicegrips, etc.

In my experience, WD-40 is no help with plumbing.


Light Switch two hot wires (one from wire another one from anothr switch) I have a light switch that is installed in a electrical box together with 2 other switches. I'm surprised that the switch has 2 hot wires. One wire is coming from the switch next to it, the other wire is the actual wire coming from the wall. All white wires of the three switches are joined inside the box.
Is there a reason why the electrian would install two hot wires for the switch?

The wire from the other switch is almost certainly the line hot. If so, it will be always hot no matter what position either of the switches is in. This is electrically the same as having a separate wire going to each switch from a common line hot. I have a set of three switches in a 3-gang box wired that way.

The other wire also black should be the switched hot going to a light or a switched receptacle. It would be hot when the switch is on and not hot when the switch is off.


Lighting went out in half of house? I was in my room today with my laptop and phone plugged in and the ceiling fan and light on when I heard a loud pop near the light and fan. All the power in my room went out, as well as the second bedroom and the master, but the rest of the house is just fine. I reset the tripped breaker, which was just for the second and third bedroom. The master should have been fine if it was just a breaker problem, but none of them are still working.

After flipping all the breakers off and on, nothing changed. What's weird is that my phone and laptop have both been plugged in like that before with no problems. The house is about 12 years old, but we seem to be having problems with the electricity, as in the past few months, the fire alarm has randomly gone off a few times and the garage door opened without anyone pressing a button. Anyone have any ideas as to what this could be?

Often the electrician will have multiple taps in a ceiling light or fan.

The popping sound is probably where the problem is, and resetting the breaker did nothing because the popping ( fault to ground ) broke the circuit.

I would not recommend this for a DIY project because damaged wires and connections need expert eyes.

But the good news is you've probably saved the electrician some leg work hunting down the source of the problem, and you some money paying their time.

Smoke alarms need to be replaced every 10 years so that may need to be done since you mentioned the house is over 10 years old.

Garage doors opening on their own shouldn't have anything to do with power quality, but more of a circuit board defect, faulty keypad button or similar.


Mounting a window air conditioner on top of a sliding horizontal window I need to install a window air conditioner in my master bedroom. However, the only suitable window there is a horizontal sliding window. To complicate things more, I need to place it on top, since my king size bed obstructs the lower part, as you can see here:

This is how that window looks from the outside:

I'm thinking in building a support structure like this one, using 2 by 4 planks:

And after some thinking I think I can attach the transversal planks to the vertical ones, instead of attaching them to the outer wall, like this:

And now, I'm thinking I can get rid of the exterior support structure altogether (in red in my last two pictures). The AC unit weights 48 lbs.

What do you think? Is there a simpler/better way to do it? Also, I'm renting, so I'd lean towards a solution that does the minimum damage to the window structure.

I did this, almost exactly as you have drawn (in my mothers home when I was a teenager). You will need to support the back end if you cannot support the bottom "lip" of the AC from sliding forward. In other words, the AC will have torquing-force.

The reason I used a shelf for my AC was because I couldn't support the top. But since you are putting the AC at the top of the window, then you need to support the bottom from pushing both down and inward (or set it on a shelf). You will need to build/cut a groove (not just a front lip).
A front lip is bad for two reasons: 1. A front-lip-only would mean that you would be able to lift the back of the AC up (when lift it, the bottom lip will slide out of the back of the window). 2. If you plan to unscrew the lip to remove the AC, it may slip forward suddenly (when the last screw comes out).

You need to consider taking the AC out of the window (and putting it in). So leave a little slop/space/room in the groove to lean the AC forward and lift it out. Normally it's not a problem, because you can lift most windows... but you will be at the top of the window. If the bottom lip is 1 inch wide, you will probably need to cut the groove 1 1/4" wide.

Also, I would add one or two more studs under the "ledge", so that it can't fall.


Material lighter than concrete for planters? I'm trying to build several 24"x 24" square planters with each wall 1.5" thick, similar to the following picture.

The issue is that each one of these planters will weigh at least 200 pounds (without soil), and they will be used in a rooftop. This means that five planters will be 1,000 pounds at least, and our rooftop isn't designed for so much weight.

I used concrete because it's cheap (at around $4/60-lb bag) and it's easily manageable.

Two questions:

1) Is there any building material, similar to concrete, that doesn't weigh that much?

2) Is there an easy way to build 24"x 24" pots? I'm sort of a DYIer, but I'm a  beginner with all of this.

Concrete is a mix of four things:

Water
Portland cement
Sand
Gravel

The magic happens between the first two.  When the portland cement gets wet, it has a chemical reaction (which makes heat) that turns it from a powder into stone.

The last two are just filler materials. It improves strength, reduces cost, and greatly reduces the heat of curing, since sand and gravel don't get hot. Without this, the heat would be unmanageable.

Nowhere is it written you must use sand and gravel.  They make a variety of alternate filler materials where weight matters. First on my mind: crushed polystyrene.

Obviously if you are replacing sand and gravel with something else, that means you can't use pre-mix concrete.  Pre-mix concrete is a bag with the portland cement, sand and gravel pre-mixed.  Since you don't want the sand and gravel, this won't do.

For that matter, nowhere is it written you must use Portland cement.  For instance you can also use epoxy or a variety of other plastics (see TAP Plastics' website for quite the variety) -- either thick with a variety of fillers.

Or you can work "thin", with fiberglass as a very thin but structural material. You can also do "thick" fiberglass, where you do a skin of fiberglass over a polystyrene block "core" - the styrene provides form and compressive strength, and the fiberglass provides tensile strength and a strong skin.  Fiberglass boats are built this way.

No matter what you do, you'll need a form and a release agent to get the form to let go of the finished work.


How do I install a new exterior GFI outlet? I have an interior outlet.  I would like to place an exterior (GFI) outlet in approximately the same position on the outside wall.  How should I do that?

approx. loc. of desired outlet-|
                               |
-------------------------------------------------------- [Exterior of wall]

------------------------------[ ]----------------------- [Interior of wall]

                               ^
                               |
                        current outlet

Specifically,

What's the best way to locate and cut the exterior hole?
What's the best way to cut into the existing wiring?
Any considerations for exterior mounting?

You have a fairly simple project.  Assuming you intend to tap the interior outlet for power, here are the steps and materials:

First, check that you have enough room in the interior outlet box to introduce one new piece of 14/2 or 12/2 NM, whichever is the same size as in the box now. I will assume you know how to make a parallel electrical junction in the interior box.
Next, run that short piece of wire
through a clamp in that box,
across/through the wall cavity and
out of a 1/2 to 3/4 inch hole in the
exterior wall close by. I don't know
what kind of siding you have, so I
can't tell you exactly how to make
the hole, but a spade type wood bit
works well on many types of
material.   Minor fishing of the
cable will be required, but not
difficult, especially if the
interior box can be removed
partially to improve
visibility.
Once you have fished the wire from inside the interior box to the exterior, made your interior electrical connections and secured the cable inside, caulk the  exterior hole around the wire with silicon.
Feed the wire into an exterior surface mounted box using the proper grommeted fitting. Caulk around the back edges of the exterior box with silicone (to make the back water tight) and fasten it to the wall.
Now you can connect your new GFIC outlet and install your weatherproof cover.

Of course, use proper safety procedures: turn off power at breaker panel before working in the interior box and doing any wire connections.  BTW, if you have vinyl siding, there are special exterior boxes that will fit nicely. These are available anywhere.  I know this is a long answer and maybe a bit confusing, but it is really a simple task.  Good Luck


Pavement Stencils - 1/16" (63 mil) or 1/8" (128 mil)? We plan to ask a painter to paint parking space numbers in the parking lot (12" x 9").
There is on Amazon a kit for pavement stencils that has good reviews - is there a reason to prefer the 1/4" size (which is more expensive)?
Thank you.

I'd suggest asking your painter. They might have a preference, and you might save money overall by following their preference, if they have one. Cheap materials that waste paid professionals time can be VERY expensive...or they might already own a set of number stencils, or know where to borrow/rent a set inexpensively.
Depending on materials, the thicker ones might stay put better and save you money overall if the painter does not have to spend lots of time fussing with a thin stencil that does not want to stay put, blows in the wind, etc.
This is more likely if it's a flexible/rubbery/plastic material.
Then again, it might just be a durability issue (how many uses you'd expect to get from them) and make no difference for limited use.
This is more likely for a stiff/rigid stencil material.


Why would the input gas pressure fall when the central heating boiler calls for heat? Since the annual service of my traditional gas boiler the house takes considerably longer to heat up.  The boiler flame no longer seems as "fierce" as previously.  I'm told the burner pressure and temperature flow rates on the boiler are correct and that the input gas pressure is just about within the expected range.  However it was observed (in passing) that the input gas pressure does fall "significantly" when the boiler calls for heat compared with the gas pressure being delivered to the boiler when it's off.

Could this be causing the problem?  Is this something that can be fixed?  Does it mean an adjustment, a new part or a complete new boiler?

When the boiler is not heating, no gas is flowing, and you will measure the static input pressure of the gas supply line. The input pressure at the boiler drops when the boiler calls for heat because the gas is flowing during heating, and pressure drops occur in the gas piping upstream from your boiler due to the gas flow.

Without knowing the flowing gas input pressure before the annual service, it's not possible to say whether the present situation is abnormal or the service is the cause of less fierce flame. But an increased input pressure drop compared to before could be caused by increased obstruction in the upstream piping (flexible gas pipe being partially crushed, corrosion or debris and narrowing of rigid pipe, etc.) or decreased gas flow resistance in the boiler after servicing (removal of build-up from gas orifices and plenum in the boiler?). Another cause of could be a new gas leak in the boiler after the gas valve, however I would think you would smell gas if this were the case.


What wire do I need for a 60-amp sub-panel in a greenhouse ran 140' direct burial from the power pole? I will be installing a 60amp sub panel in my hoop house greenhouse that I just built and am not sure what exactly I need to buy to run 140 ft direct burial from the main service panel(the power pole itself) to the sub-panel in my greenhouse.  I'm not sure what cable(s) I need to get exactly, I believe I need 6AWG but I don't know what I need to ask for exactly at Home Depot.  Do I get something with 2 hot, 1 neutral, and 1 ground cable and run all of that underground to my sub-panel do I need copper or aluminum? I'm a little overwhelmed with all of the different types of cables.

Also, it sounds like I need to install a grounding rod at the greenhouse as well, so I just run a copper wire from the grounding rod straight to the sub panel as well as the cable from the main service panel.  I guess they would both just be installed inside the sub-panel on the same grounding bar?

Thanks for your help

Fat conduit and fat panels are your friends here

Given that you've already gone through all that work to dig a 140' trench, why would you want to have to do that again if you ever need more than 60A at your greenhouse, as you would if you had to replace a direct buried cable? PVC conduit is not much more expensive, allows you to use a slightly shallower trench depth (21-22" instead of 25-26"), and provides you with the ability to have much more expansion room in the future, as a 1.5" PVC conduit can easily accommodate a 125A feeder.

Inside that conduit, 3 6AWG stranded copper THHNs (hot, hot, neutral) with an 8AWG or 6AWG bare copper grounding wire (to return wayward utility electricity to the utility) are the simplest way to ship 60A out to your greenhouse.  You'll of course need the correct 60A two pole breaker for your pole's panel, as well as two  8' grounding rods driven 8' or more apart at the greenhouse and connected to the subpanel at the greenhouse with 6AWG bare copper to form a grounding electrode system so that wayward natural electricity has a path back to nature.

Furthermore, when you're going subpanel shopping, there's absolutely no reason to skimp on the subpanel, as again, saving a few bucks now is not worth the hassle a full panel causes down the road.  You'll want to get a 24-space or 30-space, 100A or 125A, main breaker panel for the greenhouse and fit a matching accessory ground bar or two to it as well as removing the neutral-to-ground bonding screw or strap from the panel.  This way, neutral and ground are separated at the subpanel, as they should be, so that normally flowing power doesn't try to return on the grounding system and cause problems in the process.


protect carpeted stairs? How to protect carpeted stairs? The carpet on stairs is off-white, and I feel it's already showing signs of dirt/wear/tear even though it's been only about 10 days since we moved in.

If it was flat floor, rug was an option. If it was hardwood stairs, stair runner/treads was an option. However, it is carpeted stairs, and people think it's very dangerous to put stair treads/runner over carpeted stairs.

Is vinyl runner safer? We have a bunch of kids who like to run down the stairs on everyday basis, so I'm really concerned about skidding and slipping.

Scotch guard will greatly increase the stiffness and how it holds up to dirt and abuse.  I suggest a heavy heavy layer of scotch guard once a year right after it has been shampooed (let it dry of course).

Long-term carpet might not be ideal.  You need to try to figure out what is under the carpet.  Almost all of the time you can take out the carpet tacking, sand, and the stain/paint the stairs.  This is not hard to do, doesn't cost much, and it is a true DIY project.


Should I remove nailed-down plywood before laying tile? In my bathroom there is vinyl on top of plywood, which is nailed to the sub floor. Should I pry up the plywood before putting down cement backer board for tile, or can I go over the plywood?

The plywood is there to make the vinyl the same height as the rest of the flooring in the house. If you add backerboard + tile on top of it, you are going to add somewhere in the range of 5/8" to 3/4" of height. That is enough to be a tripping hazard, and it also wouldn't look very nice.

Pulling up the plywood and the putting down the backer board is the right thing to do.


Separate circuit, but why is the disposal causing lights to flicker? My garbage disposal was on the same overloaded circuit with many other items in my 1949 home. Lights would flicker when the disposal would come on. These were all on the same circuit.

I recently ran a new circuit for my disposal (had electrician do the panel work). Strange thing is that the lights on the old circuit, that the disposal was on, will still flicker when the disposal comes on.

The age old question, any guesses on what could be causing this flicker when the disposal is on its own circuit? Could it be that a wire is loose on the light's circuit in the panel?

Clarification: They do not flicker but instead dim briefly when the disposal first starts up. Sorry, I used the wrong words.

If the light does flicker also if a hairdryer or vacuum cleaner
is connected to the same outlet/box as the garbage disposal, it is
likely a problem upstream the location where both circuits (light,
garbage disposal) are connected.
      A loose connection acts as voltage divider in combination with the garbage disposal or any other big load.  F.e. backstab
connections are known for problems.
If the light does not flicker if the garbage disposal is
replaced by a hair dryer or vacuum, it could mean that the garbage
disposal motor emits some energy, e.g. HF or inductive surges, that
disturb other electronic devices nearby. Maybe the motor capacitor
has gone bad or the graphite elements/sliding contacts are worn out.

In both cases the motor should have less power compared to an installation without any problem.


A/C Fan won't turn on outside after replacing capacitor I know this is a DIY stack exchange, and to be forthright, I did not DIY this initial repair because I was intimidated by replacing a capacitor, so I called a recommended technician who did the job and got the A/C running immediately. I am posting to this forum because we have a new problem and I'm trying to understand how it might be related to the initial one.

So, the initial problem was that I noticed the air blowing was not cold, and the fan was not running outside although the compressor was on. I guessed it was the capacitor based on research but didn't want to mess with that because I don't do a lot of electrical work and my dad was visiting  in town, so I needed the A/C fixed quickly. The tech came out, tested our dual capacitor and found that the fan side was not responding, and replaced it with a new capacitor. The a/c was up and running again. It cooled just fine that evening, and I raised the thermostat a bit to 76 so it would shut off and went to bed.

Then early the next morning, I heard the a/c making an intermittent buzzing noise (it's outside our bedroom window) and could hear the air blowing in our house. It sounded like the unit was trying to turn on the fan but couldn't. My husband went out there and tried to spin the blade but couldn't get it to start and noticed it was hot. So I turned off everything and put in a call to the tech - I'm waiting for him to call back right now.

My question is: what could the problem be? Is it related to the new capacitor? My hunch is the fan motor, but I don't know why it would be working just fine up until last night and then suddenly fail. Thanks for any help or insight you can provide.

Having a bad capacitor can put an extra strain on the motor.  An AC is actually a pretty simple device when it comes down to it, so the only replaceable parts (in this situation) are the fan and the capacitor.  Some units have a control board that handles some timing and sensors.  That can go bad but it's not as common (in my limited experience anyway).  If you hear the compressor coming on and the fan trying to start, then any control board is probably OK.

So possibilities:

The fan is in bad shape and somehow blew the new capacitor
The fan was damaged by the previous bad capacitor, ran for a bit, but now won't even start with a good capacitor
The new capacitor was just a dud and failed almost immediately

If you had a multimeter, you could check the capacitor and also check the resistance of the fan motor windings as additional troubleshooting steps.


How do I move a carpet tack strip about an inch inward (ie, remove about an inch's worth of carpet)? When I had carpet installed in my room, I had removed the baseboard from one of the walls.  When the guys installed new carpet, they put it flush against all baseboards and then flush to the wall where the baseboard was missing.  Now I want to put the baseboard back, but it won't look right.  What I need to do is move that entire set of tack strips inward about an inch and then remove the excess carpet.  Am I going to have to restretch the carpet?  It will still be on the tack strips along the other three walls, so will that be enough to keep the current stretch stable or will it need to be stretched outward in the middle?

Also, yes, I know that most people remove old baseboards, install new carpet, and then put new baseboards on top, but I didn't do that.

To get a consistent appearance you should:

Lift the carpet from the edge without baseboard (skirting board for those of us in the UK).
Remove the old tack strip - you will probably break this.
Fit the new baseboard.
Fix the new tack strip adjacent to the baseboard.
Relay the carpet - cutting it to the new length at this point.

As Shirlock points out you may well need the knee kicker to get a good result and having something to tuck the carpet down is essential.