How to remove grating from bathroom sink How can I remove this grating from my bathroom sink so that I can unclog that drain?

The grating is likely part of a threaded barrel that sleeves through the porcelain of the sink and comes out the bottom. This barrel has threads on it under the sink, and a wide and thin nut is threaded onto them squishing the barrel and grating against the sink and securing it.

To remove it, disconnect the P-trap beneath the sink first (have a bucket handy) and set it aside. Then find this wide thin nut up against the bottom of the sink and unscrew it. You'll probably need a big adjustable wrench or a pair of "channel locks" AKA "water pump pliers" to remove this nut. Also look for any drain closing mechanism that may be present here and connected to the tube and grating you're trying to remove. There are different styles of this mechanism so just take it slow and assess for yourself how best to disconnect it - it's usually just a matter of a finger turned nut or a small metal clip to be removed to free the connection.

When you do finally remove the grating and barrel you'll find a soft waxy substance beneath the rim of the grating between it and the porcelain of the sink. This is plumber's putty and seals this joint. You'll want some fresh stuff on hand when you go to put everything back together (it's cheap and widely available). You simply make a small rope of the putty and lay it in there using more than you'll need (after getting the old stuff out of there and cleaning the joint well!), and tighten the nut down squishing out the extra putty which is easily wiped away.

And maybe you'll get lucky and the clog is just in the P-trap, or you can clear the clog without taking the grating and tube apart from the sink if it is in there once the P-trap is out of the way. And hopefully the clog is present somewhere close to the sink here and not further down the line!


How do I mitigate moisture problems when putting up drywall over stucco with torn tar paper? I'd like to finish my 56-year old garage with drywall but I have concerns about moisture.

The wall construction looks like stucco over tar paper with metal wire support, then the frame.

My main concern is that when it has rained in the past, the inside of the stucco and the tar paper gets moist. On some parts of the wall, the paper is torn and I can see the stucco from the inside. If I drywall the interior, will the moisture still be able to escape and not cause moisture damage or mold?

Are there certain kinds of insulation and/or vapor barrier that would allow moisture to escape?

I have read that using an impermeable membrane could cause condensation and cause water to pool at the bottom of the wall.

Absolutely not.  Drywall in a moist area is a sure fire way to get mold growth - you have to address the water issue first.

Since the walls have no wood sheeting, you could use a closed cell spray foam insulation inside the walls applied directly to the back of the stucco.  That will block water from getting in and act as a vapor barrier as well - then you can drywall over that.

If you had wood sheeting on the walls with tar paper and stucco over top then I'd be concerned about moisture getting trapped between the tar paper and the foam.


Do I need a fan in my furnace room? My furnace room is small and has a new gas furnace and water heater. I usually leave the door open to the laundry room. My garage is adjacent to a wall in the furnace room. I'm thinking of putting a 4 inch fan on the wall adjacent to the garage.  Would this work or not?

Why do you want to add a fan would be my question. Most new systems are sealed fire boxes with intake and exhaust being piped directly outside. If the old system that was possibly an open combustion chamber worked why do you think it needs to be changed? Look for 2 large pipes usually plastic 2-3" connecting to the furnace, if you have these they are your intake and exhaust. In my area these are required to be vented outside the home. + isserwood comment I agree.


How can I install a light fixture when the junction box is partially blocked by a mirror? I wanted to replace light fixture in my bathroom. When I removed the light fixture I noticed that electrical box was being slightly blocked by the wall mirror which is 10ft x 5ft. (see picture)

Now here's my dilemma. I cannot install a new light fixture as part of light fixture will sit over the mirror. If I try to screw it in then there will be space between the wall and light fixture. What can I do?

Cutting the mirror, moving the mirror down or moving the electrical box is not an option.

This one is a huge bummer. You don't have many options here.

Either cut out the box and replace it higher up, or re-mount it higher on the stud, or lower the mirror. Whether you can re-use the box depends on what kind of box it is and how it is mounted. I think moving the box is by far the easier option.


Where do I connect a C wire in a Rheem Furnace REAB 1415J? I'm upgrading the thermostat with a Honeywell wifi one. I found all cables at the thermostat end, but can't figure out where to connect the C wire to the furnace (Rheem REAB 1415J).

In thermostat wiring, C stands for Common. Look for a terminal labeled Com, which is another abbreviation for common.

I did not look up your thermostat, however it is likely that it needs the common wire to work properly. Many thermostats don't really need a common wire but it is almost always recommended to have one especially with these "smarter" thermostats. More information about the common terminal can be found here and here. Some thermostats have a couple of batteries that they can run off of instead of using the common but that would likely not include a wifi enabled one because it uses more power than a simple programmable model.

I hope this helps.


How to untangle spring for kitchen faucet hose? I'm trying to install a Grohe Concetto kitchen faucet with a spray hose.  There is a long spring that is put over the hose in order to create the tension needed to help the hose return after it has been extended.  The instructions are mediocre at best and I found a better illustration in an older set of instructions on-line.  As I pulled the spring off of the hose, it got away from me and managed to tangle in one spot and I cannot figure out how to untangle this.  The ends of the spring are attached to plastic rings so the ends aren't open.  Essentially a long closed-end slinky.

Help...I feel like I've created the new Rubik's Cube.

Here's a link to the part listing with a picture of the spring part compressed.

You can't untangle it easily while the hose is in place.

If you can remove the hose, this becomes straightforward; rotate the sections of spring 90 degrees to each other, and it should become obvious that pushing one through the other will either disengage them or make the problem worse. If it looks like it will make the problem worse, rotate one side 180 degrees and look again. If that still doesn't look like it will help, rotate back the other way.

Websearching "untangling a spring" or "untangling a slinky" will find illustrations/videos that will help you with this. From what you've shown us, it looks like there's just a single crossing that needs to be backed out.

Then reinstall the hose and you should be good to go.


Is it possible to make space for a double-pole breaker in this panel? I need to add a 90A double-pole breaker to the service panel on my house to feed a subpanel in a detached garage. It is a GE that uses Q-line breakers. Looking at the current layout, I'm not sure it can be done. I've had a few electricians say it is possible to make room, whereas others have indicated a subpanel is needed next to this one.

It looks like there is a half-space available under the heat pump breakers. I was considering replacing the dishwasher and microwave breakers with a 15A tandem breaker, but this would only free up 1.5 slots total. The full size breakers in the upper left portion are AFCI. I don't think I can replace these with tandem breakers and still remain in code even if I replace the receptacles with the AFCI type.

Is there any way to accomplish this without needing to add a subpanel?

Ah, the tricky GE Qline.

Convert the dishwasher to a 1-pole double-stuff breaker set low in the space.
Pop off the cover above it.  Now you have 1 space but it's a half space off-beat.
Get a unique Qline double-stuff 2-pole 30A breaker, that is 1" wide and made to go in off -beat spaces.  (And they require the off-beat, they can only work there).
Move the water heater to that breaker.
Voila, 2 full spaces freed. Use that for your 90.


What component do I need to add my own "Private" electric meter I am adding a workshop, and upgrading my service from 200A to 400A.  The Shop will get a 200A panel and the existing House panel will be backfed from the main.  I want to bring the new House feeder into the existing meter base and install my own private GE electric meter.  Can I use any serviceable 200A single phase 240V meter such as I might find refurbished on EBAY?  like the dial ones, versus the digital ones?  Does NEC have any rules on installing my own meter?

I was looking at something like this:

Yes, you can do that and as you have noted, there are many used KWH meters for sale on EBAY and other places.  A properly installed meter base along with a listed meter will do what you want and be compliant.  It's not uncommon for such meters to be used with solar energy systems and such.
I recommend the old-fashioned mechanical kind vs. the new digital models.  They are simpler and more reliable in my opinion plus they look cool.  I like the spinning disk vs. a tiny LCD "spinning" one way or the other.


Loud Radon System Noise Our radon system is right under/outside our 6 month old's bedroom. Over the fall and winter I never heard it but now it is running a lot and it is very loud and it is affecting our daughter's sleeping. We never used the room she is in last spring so I do not know if it ran a lot last year.

Is there a way to either:
A. Reduce the system noise? or
B. Schedule when the system goes off (i.e. have it run during the day rather at night)?

Thanks for your help.

UPDATE:
The guy came out said the fan was good but the unit was touching the house so any vibrations were transferring into the house. He also thought the system could be a bit louder than usual due to high ground water levels from excessive rain of late. He repiped it to move the fan off the house and put foam between the pipe and the house. It was under warranty so that was a plus.

If you can hear it, then it's broken. You probably have a broken fin on the blower blade/impeller or a failed bearing. Get someone to check it out before it completely fails.


Using a window as a dry-erase surface I'd like to put some kind of easily removed clear (or semi-translucent) material on my large windows so I can use them as a dry-erase surface without blocking out the light. Any suggestions on what to look for? Cheaper is better : )

You can write on glass with a dry-erase marker and it will come off with a paper towel. (Try it yourself if you don't believe me!)  I've never left it on glass long enough for it to need any sort of solvent to remove, but I'd think that normal ammonia-based window cleaner would work OK; if not, you could always use dry-erase cleaner as a last resort.

The reason this works is that dry-erase boards (the rigid kind at least) have a thin ceramic coating to prevent the ink from penetrating pores in the white plastic substrate, and glass is a ceramic.

If there are any stubborn dry erase marker smudges left over, a sharp #9 razor blade will easily remove them.


Why don't I have ground wiring on any of my outlets? My house in California was built in 1989 (I believe) And in the last 5 years I've replaced at least 20 outlets myself (successfully), and noticed there were never any ground wires to connect to the new outlet (Decora style). The old outlet are exactly the same as the new outlets, the majority of the time.

I've read plenty of tutorials that point out that this is possible with older style homes and you simply just screw in the green screw firmly into the receptacle and wire everything back up like it was before.

Edit: I forgot to mention that all the outlets are housed in a metal box. But I don't know if the ground wire is connected to metal box because I physically can't see if it is.

I guess my question is why don't I have any ground wires?
Is this a bad thing? How does not having ground wires affect me as opposed to a newly built home that does have ground wires?
Is my house actually grounded, just without the ground wire? For example I know that if you have a string of outlets and they all connect to a GFCI, then they are considered grounded. Correct?

The reason I bring this up, is because i'm gearing up to do some electrical work and this keeps nagging at me that I should address this issue before moving forward.

Some Hi-Res Images of my breaker and outlet HERE.

Your house is wired using the EMT conduit wiring method.  Individual wires are carried inside metal conduit.  The conduit is the ground path.  Most commercial and industrial buildings look exactly like this.

Since they are individual wires, they are able to use any of 11 wire colors to disambiguate circuits, instead of the usual black white red.   If you wish to add wires, you'd buy THWN-2 wires, stranded is more flexible but more tricky to put on screws.

Switches do not need any further attention to grounding.

Lamps and receptacles may need further attention.  Look closely at how the yoke (metal frame, notably the top and bottom ears) make contact with the steel box.   If all this is true:

There is hard face-contact between the yoke and the metal box directly; the yoke is not floating out proud of the metal box connected only by screw threads, and
The yoke and metal box are not contaminated by paint, rust or other detritus, and
There is not any little little paper/plastic square that would capture the yoke screws,

then this clean hard-flush contact is an acceptable ground path.

If any of this is insufficient, you must ground the receptacle to the box.  Somewhere in the back of the box will be a hole slightly different than the others.  It is tapped #10-32 for a ground machine screw (bolt).  You can use any 10-32 bolt (machine screw).  They sell cute green 10-32 bolts in the hardware store, with or without pigtails pre-attached.  Those are perfect.

Metal conduit is an excellent wiring method, and I use it whenever I can. You can use existing conduit routes to add circuits (up to 4 per conduit), so it makes it easy to customize your wiring. For instance if you keep tripping breakers in the kitchen, just throw another circuit in alongside the existing one. Even if you're extending, you can use existing conduit for the homerun - there's no need to bust up any more drywall than you absolutely have to.

AFCIs were originally invented for problem appliances (one in particular: electric blankets). But they were found to protect all sorts of "NM cable, plastic box, lazy installation" type problems coughbackstabscough, so AFCIs are now required on almost every circuit.  EMT doesn't have those problems, so I don't install AFCI on circuits in metal conduit. (except bedrooms, obviously).


How can I add a relay to the manual control for my HVAC unit? I have a self standing HVAC unit that has a control panel with manual buttons. There is no thermostat.  Eventually my goal is to create a relay that can be controlled via IR/RF so I can install a Nest and control my HVAC units remotely.  But this question is simply about trying to debug the manual interface and figure out how to add the relay to the system so I can turn on the heat.

For simplicity, assume I have one button on this control panel:

And here is the backside of the control panel:

And here is the wiring diagram on the unit:

How can I install a relay to control one of those buttons?

The wiring diagram is a bit strange, for example, I see that High Heat = 1->1A 3->3A 4->4A 7->7A and 8->8A closed, but there are no leads on some of those terminals (1A, 4A, and 8A have no leads?)

The wiring for the empty terminals is likely behind the board you can see, connecting the terminals to a common source, probably power, but not necessarily.

You will want a normally open relay for all but the 1A function, so that no power is required for the stop condition. For any given function, you'll need separate poles for each of the states that are different than stop. For high heat, you need a normally open 4 pole relay, or a couple double pole relays. When powered, close 3,4,7, & 8. That takes care of the HVAC switches. How to power the relays from an IR/RF signal, I've no idea, except that it's done all the time, so should be just a matter of finding the right hardware.


Does varnishing floors create a fire hazard? I am considering buying a house with new wooden floors. I am not sure yet what type of varnish/sealent is in use. I am concerned that the fire escape route is wooden, and I do not want to increase the long-term flammability of the flooring by varnishing it.
What should I use or avoid?

Depends a lot on the specifics of the finish, but the most common finish, water-based polyurethane, does not create a fire hazard. Neither do other finishes, but some of them are mixed with solvents that make them easier to apply, which can be highly flammable. These solvents evaporate out, and won't be a fire hazard for long, but will be while applying. So when applying such finishes, you need to be careful with heat sources in the area, and especially make sure you dispose of the rags you use to wipe off things like shellac or tung oil quickly and safely.


Adding the c wire to a two wire system I purchased a RTH9585WF smart color thermostat to replace my mercury controlled thermostat. How do I add the blue common wire at the boiler relay where the two wire system is connected?
://i.stack.imgur.com/H6eN9.jpg

You'll either need to use a separate 24VAC transformer, or replace the boiler relay with something that provides a C terminal
Sadly, your Argo AR821, like many older boiler relays, does not provide a C terminal at all.  As a result, you'll need to either wire an external 24VAC transformer to Rc and C on the thermostat to provide it with power while connecting Rh and W to the relay terminals, or replace your boiler relay with a newer model that provides a C terminal.


Why does my new replacement pull-out kitchen faucet sprayer leak? I've had the same old sprayer attachment to my kitchen sink for a long time and last week I finally decided to get rid of it.  The current sink hose (with sprayer detached) is shown here:

And if you look closely, the hose from the faucet actually has a rubber tube inside it that is the water source:

I went to Home Depot with the older sprayer in hand and found another sprayer of the same size that seems like it should fit.  This is the new sprayer head.

To attach the sprayer head, I bought some teflon tape and wrapped it around the threads on the new sprayer head and then simply screwed the sprayer head onto the existing hose.  I hand-tightened it since the instructions said not to use a wrench.  With everything connected, it seems like it should be fine:

But when I turn on the faucet, I get water leaking out from somewhere in the vicinity of the bottom of the sprayer head.  My understanding was that this should be dead simple.  The old sprayer head didn't leak and I don't understand why a new one of the same size would leak.  Am I missing a washer or something?  Does the hose possibly need to be replaced?  It's difficult to tell whether or not the leak is from the coupling between the sprayer & end of the hose or whether the hose endpoint itself is leaking.

I've been known to follow hand tightening instructions in spirit but ignore them in practice.  After getting it fairly tight by hand, I give it another quarter turn or so with a wrench.  Use your best judgment, the goal is to get it water tight and secure without breaking the fragile parts.

Disclaimer: I've also been known to go toilet shopping after realizing my best judgment was a bit too aggressive. :)


How should I go about replacing a cracked sanitary tee in a sink drain? so I found a leak from my drain pipe inside the wall and the source of the leak is from a broken sanitary tee that connects the 2" vent from up top, horizontal 1.5" drain pipe from sink, and 2" drain going underground. How would I go about fixing this? Make 3 cuts to remove tee and cut small sections of pipe and use couplers to join with new tee ?
Thank you guys for all the tips and suggestions. I was able to get most of the fittings/pipe dry fitted. I bored out that hole in the stud just a smidge so there's some play between the T and the horizontal pipe. Just need to make a connection to the vent. Might have to use a flexible coupling. Few questions I have does the pipe have to be pushed all the way into the coupling until it reaches the little stop? I can get it in maybe 5/8 of the way and I measured it's about 7/8 to get to the stop. Also do I need to get this inspected once I'm done?

You've got it! Make sure that you

use matching black ABS pipe, not white PVC
get glue appropriate for ABS, not PVC
make sure you clean off the drain pipe so the glue will adhere properly
since you've got a fair bit of room to work, cut your straight pipes far enough back that you can easily work with them

do not try cut right at the edge of the T, your life will be miserable.
I'd suggest cutting the drain just enough up from the sole plate that you can slip the coupler on with a bit of room to spare.
Cut the horizontal about mid-way between the studs
Cut the vent high enough that you've got room to work, but not too close to the extra stud - it might interfere with getting the coupling on.

You might need to use a flexible coupling to get the T reinstalled since you've got to get all 3 in at the same time. OTOH, there may be enough flexibility in the vent stack that you can wiggle it together without one - you may have to play with it as you're dry fitting everything to find out.


Should I insulate above a suspended ceiling or in the attic? In our old house the drywall on the kitchen ceiling has to be replaced due to water damage. Original walls are 10' tall. Previous owners dropped the ceiling two feet to hide wires, plumbing, etc. At this time there is no insulation in the attic. Plans are to have some blown in soon. My question is should I insulate between the ceiling joists which is 2 feet below the attic floor or will the insulation blown into the attic suffice ?

It's not common to see insulation below a hard ceiling (immediately above a suspended ceiling--even if it's drywall). That space is considered "conditioned".

However, if your dropped ceiling is in effect a hard ceiling, it may make sense to insulate at that level. To do so reduces the conditioned space volume and would be more efficient.

It's going to depend on access and the structure around that room, as well as wall insulation and HVAC configuration.

In response to your comment, it wouldn't be a problem to insulate the lower ceiling as long as you have a continuous blanket through to the ceiling in adjacent rooms.


At what height should a stair handrail be? I am almost dne replacing the steps to my front porch.  It is 5 steps so I definitly need a handrail, but I don't know exactly how high to make it.  I have some posts that should be plenty tall but I can attach the handrail at any point along the post.  I assume there is some standard height from the stair tread that is usualy used in the US.

The standard is usually 34" to 38". Check your local building codes - apparently some cities specify exactly 36".

The International Residential Code covers just about everything you could want to know about stair standards.


How many of these items does the electrician put in? Planning for a new construction. For the interior walls does the electrician:
a. put in the orange tube for running future technology wires?
b. wire for cat 6 Ethernet cabling for hard wire computer connections?
c. wire for coaxial for internet and cable?
d. wire for security camera?
e. wire for security system (creating your own, not using a security company).
f.  wire the electrical portion of the furnace?
g. wire for 2 zones  for the heating?
h. install the venting for the bath fans?
i.  install over stove microwave/vented fan and do the venting?

Or, which ones are only handled by HVAC or another sub?   THX YOU

I know this is primarily opinion based but IMO it's appropriate for the site.

Here is my take: (mine in bold)

a. put in the orange tube for running future technology wires? Not standard procedure, but certainly a job for the electrician at added cost.

b. wire for cat 6 Ethernet cabling for hard wire computer connections? Not standard procedure for many, but certainly a job for the electrician at added cost. This is standard for me.

c. wire for coaxial for internet and cable? For me this is standard procedure.

d. wire for security camera? Not standard procedure, but certainly a job for the electrician at added cost.

e. wire for security system (creating your own, not using a security company). Not standard procedure, but certainly a job for the electrician at added cost.

f. wire the electrical portion of the furnace? Typically the electrician's job.

g. wire for 2 zones for the heating? If you mean the control wiring for me it's a toss up. Both HVAC contractors and electrician will do this.

h. install the venting for the bath fans? Typically the electrician, but some will leave it for the GC Or HVAC.

i. install over stove microwave/vented fan and do the venting? Typically the circuit and receptacle are the electrician. Installation and venting are GC.


What is involved with a perk test? We're looking at buying some land soon so we can build our little get away. I will have a perk test done at some point but was wondering what it involves? Is this something I could do on my own? I know it wouldn't be official but it would give me some indication as to whether or not it would pass. We are allowed to have a lagoon on the property so either way we will be purchasing before any test is done.

A percolation test is used to determine the absorption rate of the soil. Basically you'll dig a hole (or bunch of holes), put water in it (them), and time how long it takes for the water to go away.

It's probably not something you could do on a property you don't own, as it involves digging holes in somebody else's land. You could ask the seller if you can run the test, maybe they'll let you.

If you do run the test yourself. You'll have to check with the local government, to determine what they consider passing.


Ground wire in 14/2 NM-B cable is at 60+ Volts when not connected to anything I bought two 25' lengths of 14/2 wire for installing a light.

When the black wire is connected to live (say, of an outlet), with ground and neutral wires not connected to anything, the ground wire reads 60V with respect to the outlet ground.

The black wire reads 122V to outlet ground as expected.

I imagined that there is a short between the black and ground wire in the romex, but the multimeter says it is an open loop. (If there was a short I expect it would read a full 122V though).

Any idea what is causing this?

Cheers
Ray

It's not connected to anything. There is non-zero capacitance between the lines in the cable, and your meter has a high input impedance. Capacitive coupling gives you a phantom voltage that will disappear as soon as anything is connected.

Connect the ground and neutral correctly and the non-problem will go away. Then there's the question of WHY you were connecting the hot wire without connecting the ground and neutral...


Replaced an outlet and a switch. Switch works but outlet doesn’t. No voltage measured I replaced an outlet and a light switch that are on the same breaker. Before replacing them I tested the voltage and got around 120 as expected and everything seemed to work. I replaced the outlet then I replaced the light/fan switch. The black wires, white wires and the ground are connected correctly. The light switch had 2 hot black wires and ground and everything is working with the light switch. I have tried redoing the wiring for the outlet, with a new outlet with no success. I have also tried testing for some voltage at the outlet and light switch. The switch shows 90-110V over the two black wires. The outlet shows nothing along any path where previously it did. I have a Leviton T5325-W at the outlet and can find no GFCI inside or outside my house connected to it.
Edit: Here are some photos of the wiring. It seems that I have 2 more lights connected to that breaker and another outlet. The lights and outlet work.

You appear to have connected a black wire to the grounding screw on the switch. I would guess that is the black wire that connects to the outlet that now has no voltage.
Presumably this is, in fact, NOT the way things were wired before. You likely need to connect that black wire to either the "always hot" or "switched hot" on the switch (dependng on whether the outlet should be switched) and either connect a bare grounding wire to the grounding screw and a ground screw on the box, or let the contact between the metal box and the metal yoke be the grounding connection for the switch.


Attaching shower head arm escutcheon to wall My contractor left all three shower heads in our house in this condition (see photo). I can slide the escutcheon (trim plate) up to the wall but it doesn't stay put.
What's the correct way to finish it?
Plumber's putty inside the plate with silicone caulk around the edge?

Those are intended to be friction-fit--the wavy tabs you see from the back grab the shower nipple. You might be able to remove the shower head, slide the trim plate off the nipple, flex the tabs a bit with a pliers, and reinstall.
However, a dab of clear silicone caulk could help keep it in place. Put the caulk far enough back on the nipple that it won't ooze out the front of the joint.
One other thought... if the trim rings move because there's a lot of movement in the shower head pipe (in the wall), that's a problem. It should've been secured near the nipple connection. If that's the case, some low-expansion spray foam would really help.


URD 1/0 wire for 100amp subpanel 60' away from main box Can I use URD aluminum 1/0, 1/0, 1/0, 4 wire to run a 100 amp subpanel approx. 60' away from my main box?  I plan I running it through my attic which in Arizona can get very hot in summer time if there are temperature concerns with this type of wire.
Thanks!

Here's the wire:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0748B57B3/?coliid=I1882CE450GCTE&colid=1CFF7GENXIV3T&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Here is the UL standard summary for that type of cable:

https://standardscatalog.ul.com/standards/en/standard_854_12

It says:

  1.2 These cables have insulation of solid, extruded dielectric material(s) that are for use in wet locations at 75°C (167°F) and
  lower temperatures. Cables that are marked with a conductor type that
  includes the letters "HH" have insulation that is for use in dry
  locations at temperatures as high as 90°C (194°F) as well as in wet
  locations at 75°C (167°F) and lower temperatures. Cables that are
  marked with a conductor type that includes "-2" have insulation that
  is for use in wet or dry locations at temperatures as high as 90°C
  (194°F).

So unless you attic is getting above 90C (which is REALLY hot!) you should be good.

Are you sure you need 1/0 here?  That's a huge gauge for 100A.  But yes, that will work.


Vertical loft supports doing nothing? Sorry I couldn't find an answer for this anywhere so thought I'd try the great minds here instead (am hoping shameless compliments will get me somewhere here!)

Basically our loft has these 4 beams that go from the apex of the roof down to the floor of the loft, on top of what is a supporting wall (can't see how its connected as there is insulation/boarding in the way now).

The thing I'm wondering is, do I need these as they are only about 1x3" in size and are fairly flimsy, they certainly cant be load bearing and I reckon I could kick them in half if I were of a mind.  But I can't work out what they are for...

Has anyone had any experience of them or whether they are just leftovers from lazy builders (they look like they were there when the house was built as its the same colour of wood as the other bits).

My obvious plan will be to get a structural engineer in to confirm but its driving me batty and google give me nothing but false hope, anyone got any clues?

I found this picture after more digging, my loft looks like the one on the left, but the picture seems to suggest that vertical strut doesnt need to be there...?

Your picture suggests that they are different truss types. The fact that one doesn't have the vertical member in the middle doesn't mean that it isn't needed. I could design a roof without any bracing members - that doesn't mean that you can go and take out bracing members from a different roof. My design would need chunkier members and connections to take the different loads, whereas the roof with bracing members would have smaller members, as it will have been designed assuming those bracing members were there.

More than likely the reason it is there is because it is needed. But there's no problem with employing a structural engineer to confirm this.


Is it safe to use two single-pole breakers for a 240 V circuit? I recently had an electrician come out and replace my electric panel.

He seemed very knowledgeable and overall appears to have done a good job, even went through and labelled most of the panel... Except for three breakers at the bottom of the panel.

One of these breakers is for the pool lights and an outlet near the pool, so he put a GFCI on it and it works fine, but it wasn't labelled...

The other two breakers above it, I found out, are actually two single pole breakers that I believe are both used for a pool pump that uses 240 V, and it should have a double pole breaker installed.

I think one of these single pole breakers is providing one leg of the circuit and the other breaker is providing the other leg...

This seems unsafe to me. If someone were to mistakenly leave one of these two breakers off, but the other on, the pool pump definitely doesn't run, but it seems there could be some kind of danger here.

Could it cause an electric shock somewhere (in general), or is it just dangerous in the sense that someone might think the circuit is off and go play with wires that might actually be live?

You are correct.  The issues at hand are common maintenance shutoff (to solve the problem of which you speak) and common trip (to entirely remove power from a device with a problem).

If the circuit serves a device that uses only 240V and does not supply neutral, then common maintenance shutoff will suffice.  Go to an electrical supply house that deals in your panel/breaker type, and obtain a proper, listed handle-tie.

Proper, listed handle ties can be hard to find, especially on a Sunday.  An adequate substitute for a handle-tie is a 2-pole breaker.

If the circuit serves a 120/240V device (which takes 2 hots and neutral), then common trip is mandatory.  Go to any hardware store and obtain a 2-pole breaker appropriate for your panel.

While you're at it, make sure they didn't slip you an alien breaker: a breaker not UL-listed or UL-classified for that panel.  For instance if they slipped Homeline breakers into your Siemens panel, a Siemens handle-tie won't fit those breakers, now is the time to fix that.
Also, while you're labeling, put "GFCI protected" on any outlet fed off that GFCI. That's a code requirement most people overlook, causing home inspectors to "write them up".
Why doesn't a handle-tie work for common trip? Shouldn't the tie transfer the trip motion to the other breaker(s)?  No.  Breakers are required to "trip free", meaning trip even if the handle is held in the "on" position.  (E.g. by a breaker lock meant to prevent tampering).  Common trip is provided by a special internal mechanism.


Matching pegged hardwood flooring or another way? Our 1979 ranch home has some 3/4" pegged hardwood flooring in the den area. We are getting ready to renovate this room and we think our first step will be to take out the dated built-in "hutch" and bookcases along one wall in this room.  Unfortunately, when they were built they were built directly on the underlayment (particleboard!) and the hardwood flooring was installed around them - ugh!

I have installed several hundred square feet of 3/4" oak flooring in the rest of the house and the instructions from Mohawk explicitly said not to install on particleboard, so I ripped it all out and put down 3/4 plywood (it was carpet throughout rest of house).  My wife insists we keep the flooring in this room so I can't get away with the same process here.

My questions:

1) I guess if it has been here 41 years the hardwood floor is ok on top of the particleboard after all?

2) How do I match this flooring for the small area that will be exposed once the hutch & bookcases are removed?  I'm thinking the existing flooring will have to be sanded down to bare wood (Ugggghhh, really do not want to do this), install similar as possible unfinished flooring, stain everything and polyurethane it all.  Is there a better way? I am not even sure if this is red or white oak but I am guessing the pegs are walnut?

Cheers

It appears that this type of flooring is not as easy find as I thought it would be. I do believe you can at least find a random width oak..... somewhere.... You can determine whether it is white or red oak by beginning to tooth out one of the pieces that needs it anyway, and look at the end grain. It if looks like it has a lot of tiny pinholes in the annular rings it is red oak. If it looks like it had holes but are filled with something, it is white oak. Perhaps when the toothing is done, a stamp may be found on the back of a piece that states the specie. When this material was sold originally bundles were stamped, but not all the pieces are marked.

If you do find the right flooring in the widths you need, the pegging or plugs as I have know it to be, can be drilled in as needed. Just match what you have. When you remove the first piece with plugs it will become obvious. Usually there are screws under the plugs, so dig them out and check for screws first off.

To remove the flooring for toothing out, set a circular saw to the thickness of the flooring. If you can get it dead on great, if it is shallow a teeny bit, it will still work and if it a teeny bit too deep not a problem either, but you are prone to hitting nails. And what I mean by"teeny bit" is a 1/16" either way.

To start the toothing process, start a cut with the saw on one of the floor boards that was abutting the cabinet. It is usually a cut end with no tongue or groove. Start the cut near the middle of the piece and cut towards the end that meets the next piece in line, but do not cut into the next piece. Start a second cut in the same piece 1" away from the first piece and cut parallel with the first cut stopping the same way, Now you can grip the cabinet end of the piece and lift it out. The part that did not get cut by the saw because of the round of the blade is so weak it will crack out with a tug or two or three. To get the other pieces out, set a sharp cornered block of wood in the beveled edge and drive the waste away from the parts you want to keep. The groove side will be easy, the tongue side will not be for the nails or staple holding it. This side I will typically use a dull chisel to drive in near the joint and drive into the surface, one, to drive it away, second to split it to start getting to the fasteners. The dull chisel aids in driving it away and when the fastener is a little away from the piece you want to keep driving the chisel in to start splitting it all the way to the subfloor. With a little real time practice you will get down to the fasteners to pull them out, along with the rest of the scrap. CAREFUL how you pull the fasteners out, the upper part of the groove of the neighboring piece is real easy to break.

You may want to post another question, on how to fill it back in with pictures of your area in question.

If you do not have any luck in finding ready made floor, 20 sq. ft.is really not a lot of floor and can be made in a number of ways. Table saw, or router with bits that are available to make T&G cuts. This would be the simplest to use especially if you need to make custom lengths to complete an existing run between 2 factory ends, Using a table saw means a lot of fence moving, so planning the process will simplify it some. I would add the bevel too with a pass of a router with a 45 degree bit. The original may get sanded out, some may stay, but the new floor will match it in that way too.

Yes you will need to resand the floor to properly finish it. As a mention, the new floor whether you make it, or it comes ready made, the old floor will take stain a little more readily than the newer wood. If you find this totally objectionable, the new pieces can be "toned in" with addition coats of stain or tint the first finish coat over that area cutting it in carefully. A good floor finisher should know all this already. You need to know what to expect so he can price finishing the floor accordingly.

Yes the plugs are most likely walnut, also a minor detail, but the plugs could be cut from end grain or side grain. This will be evident when you remove the first few. The end grain ones will break up readily into small pieces, the side grain ones will more or less split out in pieces the diameter of the plug, for the most part. In either ase they should be glued in.

Good luck. One last thing, if you do have particle board under the flooring and the floor itself has had no issues keep it, but do try to use the same fastening system they did.


Connecting two joists with a wooden piece to hang a projector screen I have a projector screen (45lbs) that I have to hang on the ceiling on it's two ends. However the joists on the two ends are not correctly positioned so I can't hang the projector screen where I want to hang it. So I went to the attic and found that there are two joists spaced 3 feet apart. The point where I want to hang the projector screen falls between the two joists. So I bought a 2x4 stud wood and now I want to connect that wood between two joists. However I don't have access to the side of the joists. I want to see if there are any flat metal connectors or something like that I can use to connect the joists using the stud wood. What's your recommendation?

Search for ceiling fan joist hangers - sound like that would be perfect for what you need.


What is the junction that connects conduit to a structure called? Drawing plans and writing a BOM and looking for what that part is called. I brought pictures!

I don't know the proper term for that part.

It's officially called a conduit body, but is sometimes called an LB by tradesmen.

It's known as an "LB", because the outlet (or inlet I guess) is on the back (ell back). There are also "LR" (ell right), "LL" (ell left), "T" (tee), "C" (cee), and "SLB" (service ell back) type conduit bodies available.

SLB not pictured.


Replacing SPST light switch with Occupancy sensor I have a standard single pole single throw switch and I am installing an occupancy sensor. The existing switch only uses  black wires on the switch, one on top one on bottom and the ground. The occupancy switch has one green for ground, one Red for Load and one black for line. Do I just put one black on RED one black on Black and green to ground?

You will need to determine which of the black wires on the original switch is the always hot feed. A voltage meter would be very helpful in determining this. Once you establish this, hook that black wire to the black,line, wire on your new switch. Hook the other black wire to the red, load, wire from your new switch and then hook up the ground wire to the metal box or to the bare copper wire.


Tiling over rolled roof I have a walk deck made of rolled roofing material. When it rains it ponds in certain areas. Couple roofing companies looked at this, some suggested sealing the low areas with roof coating material with no warranty.

I feel like tiling could be an inexpensive solution compared to the quotes Im getting. Can i install tile over this material, do i need hardy board? Would that be an ok solution to my ponding issue? Is additional weight a problem in the future?

"Can I install tile over this material..."

No, not without further treatment. Composition/asphalt/rolled roofing materials are not an appropriate substrate for tile

"do i need hardy board. Would that be an ok solution to my ponding issue?"

No, Hardiboard alone will not work and will not solve your ponding issue, the water will continue to pond under the cement board

"Is additional weight a problem in the future?"

Weight might be a problem now and in the future, but weight as it relates to deflection is likely to be your biggest concern

I am afraid that you may be in for a bigger project than you envision if this is to be done properly. Rolled roofing materials are not an appropriate surface for walking on regularly, and ponding should not occur on an exterior deck surface designed for walking as they should always be sloped to drain or to a drain. It leads me to be suspicious of the original design and install.

To do it right would mean ensuring the deck is sloped to drain and meets minimum deflection specs (in other words, when a live load -person(s)- is/are on it, it does not flex too much). Then you will need to completely waterproof it (not just water resistant which is what rolled roofing is, water proof).

Down and dirty: install appropriate perimeter flashing, float concrete or "dry pack" over the existing surface to provide a slope and eliminate ponding, asphalt hot-mop (or apply some alternative high-tech waterproofer), float more concrete on that, then tile.

If it was me I would cut the deck off flush to the house and let it drop into the street, it's just a ledge for water to collect and cause damage (sorry to be pessimistic, but that's how I feel about balconies).


Can I run my furnace in fan-only mode without a G wire? The house I bought has a programmable Honeywell furnace.  It only has a 2 wires connected to it - a black wire and a white wire.  The heating system is working fine, except that when the heater is not engaged and I turn the fan switch to ON the fan does not come on. It will only come on when the furnace is on. This must because a G wire is not hooked up.  Would I have to run a wire from the furnace to the thermostat to do this?

I would make the assumption that the furnace and fan wires are "bonded" together somewhere between your thermostat and your control board, therefore sending 24vAC to both relays and turning both on.

I'm assuming you don't have AC since you don't mention it, so in this circumstance you're probably looking at needing four wires -- ground (C), fan on, furnace on, and a positive feeder (R) (to power the thermostat and to send back to the relays).

To make the house more future-proof, I'd run more wires than needed in the event AC is ever added or the system changes configuration.

I have casual knowledge of HVAC, but in my experience of designing microcontroller-based thermostats, this is generally a good idea.


Does a swing-slide frameless glass door mechanism exist? I would like to have glass around my square-ish shower (90cm × 100cm) in bathroom corner. It should only consist of two pieces:

the fixed wall (100cm wide)
door (90cm)

But instead of swinging doors opening inwards/outwards I'd like doors to swing-slide open inwards.

Looking from top down doors would open this way:

Benefits of such door mechanism:

easy shower access - door never in the way
water dripping off the doors goes inside shower
full width door without any wall side fixed glass

I would like to know if anyone has seen this kind of mechanism. I know how such mechanism should work but I don't know whether it's possible to buy it anywhere. I expect doors to be top hung (6mm toughened glass would weight somewhere around 30kg) with a slide running at the top side on the wall for the doors to open correctly. The main problem there may be is the weight of glass but I suppose it could be done without additional bottom support.

Would I have to contract someone to create such mech for me or is it possible to buy it anywhere? Or maybe somebody has already seen such product somewhere?

Expanding on my comment: I think that the main problem with the proposed setup is lacking a slide or rail on the bottom. Without a slide on the bottom the glass door can swing perpendicular to the sliding direction. See the below explanation for what I mean.

I have a sliding shower door with a sliding mechanism on the top (a stainless steel rail with 2 wheels per door on top of the rail) and a tiny U channel on the bottom to keep the door from swinging. I know, I need to clean the shower a little...

The door is sliding in the direction of the blue arrows. The U channel on the bottom is keeping the door from swinging in the direction of the red arrows. This U channel is about 2 CM long and seems to be made from aluminium.


Advice on grouting wall tiles with gaps between wall and tile I have a bathroom wall that I'm wanting to re-grout. I've removed the old grout, and have found there's a space between the back of the tiles and the wall. The tiles seem pretty solid though (after pushing on them, they don't seem to be going anywhere).
The problem is when grouting the vertical gaps in the tiles, the grout just falls through and into the space between the tile and walls. I'm not sure how the original tiler/builder managed to grout this.
I was thinking of packing the gaps with material (foam I guess?) so the grout has something to sit on. Does that seem right? Or are there an other ideas out there?

I've had great results by packing string/twine into the cracks. It stays in place and gives the grout something to stick to.


Small retaining walls I recently had contractor build several retaining walls ranging from 12" to 20" high.

They dug a shallow one inch trench then filled it with mortar, upon which they laid and leveled first row of blocks.

No drainage behind the walls, just soil.

Blocks were all glued, so the walls are basically one solid piece.

Is this ok? Will the walls hold up over time?

I have built walls just like that small ones with no weep holes larger over 24” I start adding weep holes , the mortar base is a plus some only use gravel if anything at all.  Some of the terrace walls at my cousins house we did 25 years ago 8 each 2’ walls all 100’ long almost identical with chicken wire in the bottom with the mortar , she mows it every week with a lawn tractor it has held up quite well.


How can I remove a dado strip of wallpaper without damaging the wall? I'm redoing my bedroom under a tight budget. I have a narrow strip of wallpaper circumscribing the room with a vomitous pattern that sucks the life out of the area. The drywall is painted underneath it, so I don't want to destroy the drywall with moisture or scratch away too much paint. The wallpaper is not dry-stripping but doesn't seem to be laminated either.

Is there any way I can remove it?

We used to carefully use water and it would come off pretty easily with some gentle scraping.  Just do not crazy soak the wall.  If you keep the wallpaper damp you should be able to carefully remove it with a scraper.  It should not hurt the drywall especially if there is paint on it.  Try this on a small area first.

Home Depot has a good description on other ways to do it.


Installing windows - screws laterally into studs vs nailing flange? I've been installing replacement windows in my house and see the instructions to drill through the outer inside face of the trim to put screws laterally into the studs and sill and top header.  The windows come with caps to cover the holes after the screws are put in.  These windows come with nailing flange with holes every 4 or so inches and that's what I've used to secure the window.  Before installing the windows I've added 2" of EPS foam-board insulation and on top of that 5/8 sheet of OSB.  The nailing flange is screwed (4" screws) into the OSB (and finding the studs and sill).  Is there a problem with not using lateral screws from inside the window trim to the studs?  Seems cleaner not doing this, the window isin't going anywhere with all the nailing-flange screws.  The lateral screws likely wouldn't hit wood - instead they'd likely hit the EPS insulation.

You are probably correct that the nailing flange will hold the windows in place.
However, if there is ever a warranty claim, there's a very high likelihood that they'd deny it if you don't put the screws through face trim as they instruct. Heck, it's possible they'd try to deny the warranty because you've used screws (as I likely would) instead of nails through the nailing flange.
i.e. Failure to follow installation directions to the letter = failure to honor warranty.
Whether you choose to follow the instructions or take your chances on the warranty is your decision.


How high I should install a 52 inch TV on the wall? I'm going to hang my TV to the wall and I want to know how much from ground is standard for 52 inch TV?

First, sit on your couch in the ideal viewing position (ie: where your butt imprint is).  The bottom 1/3 of the TV should be at eye level when mounted.  Everyone has an opinion about exact positioning, but this is more or less the general rule of thumb I've found from various sources, and it has always worked well for me.

I find most people mount them too high. No one likes sitting in the front-row at the movie theater, so why do it at home?


What should be cleaned or examined after an air conditioner drain pipe leak? The other day, we found some water on the floor in our utility room. After some research and investigation, we discovered that the drain pipe from the central air unit was blocked. We were able to use a vacuum to unplug the drain line, and since then it has drained normally.

However in the meantime, we had some water on the floor, some in the blower compartment of the AC unit, and a lot of standing water in the condensation pan in the unit. We have had some bad experiences with water damage and mold in the past so I wanted to ask:

Do we need to be concerned about the water that leaked from the catch pan into the blower compartment?
Should we try to wash out/bleach the pan or anything? (It is very hard to get to!)
Should we have an HVAC tech come look at the unit/blower to check for damage?
Should we do anything special to prevent mold growth?
Is it worth it to have our ducts cleaned?

Wet/dry vac to clean up the standing water and a few fans blowing over the wet area until it is fully dry.


Are service loops allowed by US electrical code in residential wiring? I'm about to rough-in my electrical wiring for a remodel of our bedroom and have seen several videos where people leave an extra 6-8 inches of wire looped outside of an outlet box which will allow for a margin of error when stripping wires or if something happens to the wires when the drywall is put up.

My question is, Is this allowed within US Electrical code for residential wiring?

I think this is a good idea and would like to implement it, but also don't want to be doing something that's dangerous.

If the box has clamps 12" to the staple is allowed if the box doesn't have clamps only 8" is allowed to the staple. I usually try to provide a bit of slack because after years of service, outlet changes because of being worn out, color change or style change the wires become two short if there is a an extra inch or two this saves $ over the life of the home and cost almost nothing.


How Do I Program this Timer Switch There is a timer switch in my garage which I can't figure out how to properly use.  What I know about it:

It controls my driveway lights
There are time tick marks around the circumference of the dial, and it rotates.
The dial is also a button (you can push it)
When it is switched to the ON position, the only way I can turn the lights on/off is to push in the dial.  Once I do that, the lights seem to stay on 24 hrs/day.  Pushing the dial button again is the only way I can turn the lights off.
There is an LED behind the small window above the OFF/ON switch.  It starts flashing when I switch from OFF to ON, and eventually becomes solid (non-flashing).

My objective is to program the driveway lights to turn on/off at specific times, but can't figure it out.  Does anyone know the logo in the center of the dial?  Maybe I can try finding instructions on the internet.

SOLVED ON MY OWN

In case this can help anyone else, the logo is Intermatic and I found the instructions for this model here:

http://www.intermatic.com/-/media/inriver/6842-8228.ashx/EJ351-Instructions-EN


Acceptable to use grounding screw on metal box? I just got a freezer and have it setup in my basement. I replaced a two-prong outlet with an ungrounded GFCI. I’d rather not leave it like this for concerns of it nuisance tripping and spoiling food.
I am wondering if it might be possible to install a grounding screw/pigtail and use a standard 3 prong outlet instead. The box is metal but from what I’ve read, that scenario is only acceptable if there’s a true path to ground via the metal. I’ve taken some pictures of what the wiring looks like.
https://imgur.com/a/0WQzbuR?

Starts out with EMT conduit that goes to a junction box. Out of the box is BX/AC cable (I think…) and into another box/light fixture. Out of that is NM cable. From there, it’s hard to tell what path it follows back to the panel.
I’ve got a multimeter, non-contact tester, and receptacle tester. And it’s probably worth noting that the plumbing was replaced with PEX.
Also, related question, is it safe to ground to an exposed metal box? If I happened to touch that box during a short, wouldn’t I become the ground?

Check your grounds
You need to follow it all the way back to the panel.

The NM cable looks modern, like it might have a ground wire; if so we've reached the lamp octagon box (which is wildly overstuffed by the way; either put a box extension on it, or replace it with a 4-11/16" square box with a 4" round mud ring).

The BX/AC cable, search it for markings, and check if it contains a wired ground conductor.  If you see a ground conductor, fullstop it's grounded.  Otherwise share with us the markings and we'll tell you if it's a valid ground path. If so, we're at the top junction box.

The EMT conduit down from the top box is a valid ground path, fullstop.  Proper installation calls for a colored hot wire, and a white or gray neutral wire, and nothing else in the pipe.  I have 4 buildings, all tip-top and modern, that are wired just that way.

Retrofit your grounds
Nitpick: This was made legal in NEC 2014.
If any of the grounds are missing, this appears to be an unfinished basement.  Simply retrofit the grounds.   Run a bare #12 ground wire using the wiring methods you see used on the NM cable, and entering the box through normal NM style cable clamps (they can share with the NM).  Inside each box, you terminate on the box's ground screw, a hole tapped 10-32.  If the ground screw already has a wire on it, then either pigtail it so all grounds can share, or drill and tap another 10-32 hole (e.g. with self-tapping screws).  Thread pitch must be -32 or finer.
You can throw a ground wire inside the EMT if you really want to, but I don't bother unless there's a probability of it taking physical damage (takes a lot to damage EMT).  Then, same deal; box ground screw to box ground screw.
The grounding links the steel boxes.  Then the steel boxes carry ground to outlets.
On metal boxes, most receps self-ground
Once you have done that, you have a receptacle whose metal "yoke" (the ears the screws go through) making hard clean metal contact with the metal box; no paint, rust or little screw-holder squares in the way.  That is a proper and legal grounding path, and you don't need to do anything else to ground the recep.
If you had "self-grounding" receps, you don't even need the clean hard metal contact; the screw threads do the job.
Also, on switches only, the screw threads suffice even if not self-grounding.
So in all those cases, no need for a ground wire from a grounded box to a device.
Get rid of that GFCI
Once a refrigerator or freezer is well-grounded, it ceases to have any use for GFCI.  GFCI is there to solve specific problems relating to ungrounded small appliances and water exposure.  You're not likely to drop a refrigerator in the sink :)  Even if it gets wet, proper grounding solves the problem better than GFCI does.  Further, a refrigerator is a large motor appliance.  Due to the very nature of motors, they tend to have a large inductive "kick" (voltage rising to infinity because current was interrupted through an inductor) that must ultimately leap to ground at some point.  On DC motors, this can be shorted back into the motor with overrunning diodes; with AC that's not possible because AC.  The upshot is that refrigerators and GFCIs don't play well together for most.
I mean if you think replacing a fridge the moment it trips a GFCI is a good use of your appliance budget, have a field day.  But most of us recommend no GFCIs on fridges.
If you are in a basement area that otherwise requires GFCI, just slap a simplex (1-socket) 3-prong outlet in that Handy-Box and label it "Freezer only" or whatever.  If you want to plug other things in there as well, you're dealing with EMT, which is basically Lego... you can rearrange anything any way you like.

If you want boxes with a comfortable fit for GFCI, use a 4" square box in 1-gang mode with a 1-gang mud ring... or, use a 4-11/16" box with a 2-gang domed cover.
If you need a Decora simplex outlet, try Leviton 16251-W.


what kind of electrical boxes and fashioning methods are best for metal framing? What kind of electrical boxes and fastening methods are best for metal studs?  Are there special boxes that are best to use?

As far as I recall, the main differences are using appropriate metal screws to attach (standard) boxes, and using bushings (should be either provided with framing or easily available from the framing supplier or an electrical supplier) to protect wires passing through the framing.

This guide from "steelframing.org" might be a helpful read.


What's the best way to fix carbon to titanium? I'm building (experimenting if you wish) something out of the old bike parts and I need to fix two parts together one titanium and one carbon.

Basically the parts are two tubes one made of carbon of a lower diameter and one made of titanium. So the carbon tube goes inside the titanium tube and I need to find a way to fix it inside for good. I guess it should be some kind of a hardcore gluing.

If anyone have any experience or suggestions please share. Thank you!

I found this answer for you on this forum:

  Henkel/Loctite's Hysol series and 3M's Scotch-Weld epoxies are good choices.  Surface preparation is critical.  Review standards on this subject for best practices: ASTM D 2651 Standard Guide for Preparation of Metal Surfaces for Adhesive Bonding and ISO 17212 Structural adhesives -- Guidelines for the surface preparation of metals and plastics prior to adhesive bonding.

These two links were also included:

Standard Guide for Preparation of Metal Surfaces for Adhesive Bonding
Structural adhesives -- Guidelines for the surface preparation of metals and plastics prior to adhesive bonding


What is the most effective exterior insecticide? I am planning on doing a perimeter spray around my house.  There are a lot of different options for insecticide but I have not been able to find any comparison or description of the different products.

From what I have read a synthetic pyrethroid is the way to go.  Pyrethroids are the most effective and least toxic of the general purpose insecticides while the synthetic variants are longer lasting.

Some of the synthetic pyrethroids I have found: Deltamethrin, Cypermethrin, and Lambda-Cyhalothrin.

What are the differences between these products?
Is one more or less effective or should I be aware of any special considerations between these?
Or are they all effectively the same and I should just go with the cheapest one?

I have tried many different compounds, and found one to be particularly effective with low human toxicity:

Bifenthrin
    - A pyrethrin, only slightly toxic to mammals, nontoxic to plants

Talstar Pro -- Liquid concentrate, mix your own and spray

Ortho Home Defence Max Granules -- Granules, apply by shaking along perimeter

I use the liquid concentrate because it is much more cost effective, but the granules are much easier to apply.  I have kids and I chose this compound due to it's relatively low mammal toxicity.  I'm unsure what else is in the granules besides the active ingredient, and that also deters me from using it.

You can get the granules at your local home improvement store, and they also sell it in liquid form in a self-contained spray bottle but unless you fancy pulling a spray bottle trigger 1000 times to apply it, I would skip that option altogether.


WRF736SDAM Whirlpool Refrigerator I received my refrigerator and after having it in the house by taking doors off and leaning it on side, 30 minutes late I plugged it in not knowing until after 24 hours that I was supposed to wait before plug it in.  The manuel was missing.  Do I unplug it and wait another 24 hours and plug it back in.

If it is cooling it is fine.  If it is not cooling unplug it for 24-hrs.  Good Luck.


how can i fix my bath tub When I turn the water on to take a bath the water don't run it just drips and takes hours to fill the tub or I have to add pots of water is there a way for this to be fixed or do I have to call a plumber.

There are quite a few factors that could be effecting the water flow to your tub. Some of these include pinched plastic type water line, low water pressure, shredded seals inside a single handle mixer valve, excessive mineral deposit in the faucet, debris  deposit inside your water line such as fine sand or other particulate, possibly even a totally clogged water filtration system or a non functioning water softener.

If you are unsure about trying to isolate what, if any of these possible causes, could be the problem with your system then you would be best advised to call in a professional plumber.


Loose electrical box for ceiling light I have a ceiling light which is held up by am electrical box. The box is hanging down at an angle.

I opened the box and found that one side of it is secured to what I hope is a cross brace. The other side is not secured.

Also, the ceiling flexes upwards in this area when I push on it.

Is there a way to level the box so the light hangs flush with the ceiling?

Turn off the power to the circuit at the breaker, and verify power is off. Then pull the nails, and remove the box. Then install an old work braced ceiling box.

They are available at any hardware or big box home improvement store, from many different manufactures.
Those nails should not be inside the box, and replacing them will screws does not solve that problem.

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 2 Wiring Methods
Artical 314 Outlet, Device, Pull, and Junction Boxes; Conduit Bodies; Fittings; and Handhole Enclosures.
III. Construction Specifications
314.43 Nonmetallic Boxes. Provisions for supports or other mounting means for nonmetallic boxes shall be outside of the box, or the box shall be constructed so as to prevent contact between the conductors in the box and the supporting screws.


Remove faucet valve stem How do I remove this faucet valve stem. The white part doesn't have enough hight to unscrew. The metal part right under it doesn't unscrew when using a socket wrench. How do I remove this valve stem?

I put WD-40 on the base the night before and again before trying to unscrew. It doesn't work. Socket only strips the metal. How do I remove this valve stem? Size is 15/16 inches.

You're going to need a thin wall socket to fit over the white portion of the valve to remove it. You might be able to grab it with a pair of pliers straight down and twist counterclockwise. Measure the white nut flat side to flat side and check at your home store for a socket in the plumbing section, unless you have your own sockets.


Do newer GFCI receptacles still trip due to inductive load from motors? I am rewiring a kitchen and faced with a dilemma of having the garbage disposal on a GFCI circuit.

Will it trip when turned off like the older GFCI's?

Quick answer:
Unless your disposal leaks current via ground or via the water/sewer line, you won't have any problems.

More details:
GFCI is really great for appliances that interface with water during the cource of their normal duties. Sumps, washers, disposals, sprinkler systems.  As they degrade, they are especially able to cause dangerous leakage current that can hurt people nearby.

I hate answers that make decisions for the asker.  But this is one of the cases where its really pretty clear.  Even if it was a nuisance, it would be worth it.

If you want an EASY way to gain confidence that it won't be a nuisance, wire the outlet to an old computer power cord for a few days and run the disposal a few times to see if it ever trips.  If it does you should check resistance between hot and ground, neutral and ground, hot and your sink, and neutral and your sink.  They ought to all be infinite resistance.  If not, then you have a significant safety problem with your disposal.


Do I need to do anything to protect my pool during a rare freeze? I have an small inground pool in the backyard. I live in central Florida, so it doesn't get too cold around here very often. However, tonight there is supposed to be a hard freeze (24°F for 4-7 hours) and I'm a little worried about the pool.

If I do nothing in particular, might that be bad for the pool? If so, what can I do to protect it?

Edit: The pool still has all its water in it and isn't covered.  We don't tend to empty pools around here, and I don't own a cover.

I honestly doubt that it will freeze over in that time, as the water will take some time to get anywhere near freezing temps.

If you are worried anyway, a good idea is to leave the filter pump running. Water that is still will more easily freeze over.

Of course, if you were truly worried, you could make it into a salt water pool, dropping the freezing temperature by a few degrees more.


Is it meaningful and possible to install two thermostat on one heating boiler and separate the heat I asked this because the area of first floor is huge so that the front part is not warm enough. Three relevant question to be asked here.
1)Is it meaningful and possible to install two thermostat on one heating boiler and separate the heating zone into two on the first floor using the same boiler simultaneously?(By saying separated into two heating zone, I meant to say to separate the heating cycle of first floor into two on the same boiler)
2)when I do this, do I need to installed another pressure gauge?
3)What is the advantage and disadvantage when comparing with other plan?
It is a 20 feet times 68 feet house that had water heating system and a type of baseboard that using finned tube as shown as below, basement and second floor use separate boiler or water heat. Much appreciated if you enlighten me. If it is possible, please also cite website link.

This is what zone valves are for

What you want isn't a standard thermostat that turns the boiler on and off -- what you actually want is to run the circulator and boiler on demand (i.e. they run if any zone is demanding heat) and then to use thermostatically controlled zone valves to turn on and off waterflow to each zone, whether it be a length of fin-tube, a radiator or three, a radiant floor in some room, or an air handler.  With this, you can run all three floors off of the same boiler even -- large buildings routinely are heated using independently zoned hydronic air handlers in each room all run off a single large boiler plant.

(As a sidenote, there are multi-circulator zoning techniques, but a circulator is bigger, heavier, more power-hungry, and more likely to break than a zone valve :)


Replacing receptacles I have a 40A 240V circuit which currently is wired to a 240V 50A receptacle. I would like to run 2 240V, 20A appliances on this circuit.. Is there anything that prevents me from Wiring up 2 20A 240V receptacles to this circuit?

Yes, the Code prevents you from doing this. On the surface you'd think you can pigtail the #8 wire to #12 (because #8 won't fit in 20 Amp outlets) and connect the #12 to 20 Amp outlets. But the 40 Amp breaker has to be changed out to a 20 AMP breaker because the breaker can't exceed the rating of the wire/outlets attached to it so you'd be limited to using one appliance at a time.The wire might have to be pigtailed into the breaker if it doesn't fit. If these are kitchen appliances on counter tops then the outlets would need to be GFCI protected. If the existing wiring is in conduit, you might think about running two 20 Amp circuits.


Is gap between the tub and the drywall necessary? I have an issue with water leaking from the side of the tub..I removed the tile to see the issue and I found that the old construction left a gap (around half inche) between the first mold defense board and the drywall(really image and one I drew to explain)

1.Is there a reason for this gap?
2.If I closed this gap would it make an issue (I closed it by adding a mold defense board piece to extend the dry wall to the end of the tub)

Please help.

The water was going from the corner because of a bad tile,  through this gab behind the tile to the other corner of the tub and leaking to the floor.

What is a mold defense board? I have done hundreds of tub surrounds / showers and have never heard of this it looks like someone may have used water resistant Sheetrock and attached the tile to that. A gap at the bottom is normal and should be filled with calking.  If there is no gap any moisture that sits on the ledge is sucked up buy the Sheetrock So no you should not extend the tile backing. You should seal your grout sealers don’t normally last more than a few years, make sure the gap from the tub to the tile is well sealed this should stop water from getting behind the tile unless there is a plumbing leak. Yes even copper may develop small pin holes and leak I have seen this a few times over the years with well water that had a heavy mineral count. Where galvanized and copper were mixed without a dielectric union, and where metal was in contact with the copper. Plumbers strapping that was galvanized being a big issue plumbers tape or strapping for copper pipe needs to be copper coated.
So seal the grout, and the tub /tile gap and if you still have a leak it is probably in the plumbing.


"dead end" electrical box I have a small closet under my stairs that doesn't have a light switch. I've been wanting to tie into a circuit from somewhere to wire up a light. While crawling around under there I found a (junction?) box with a single 14 ga cable running into it. The box is not protruding on the other side of the wall so it's not an outlet or a switch. when I wiggled the wire does not feel like it is connected to anything inside. Appears to be 14/2 Romex.
 Before I open it up and waste any time, is this something I could tie a light switch to? I I wouldn't imagine that someone would just leave an open-ended circuit in a box under a staircase, the house was built in 1992.
Having an issue posting a picture right now, will try again shortly.  Any insight would be great.

Ok got it all set. It was in fact a dead end wire. It belongs to the circuit powering the bedroom on the other side of the wall. It was just a box with it's open end facing the back side of the sheetrock. I wired it up to my light and it works. Does anyone find it odd that this was just sitting in there like this?


Water pressure loss every 30 seconds My water pressure almost stops every 30 seconds (I timed it while showering). This happens throughout the house. I have a well. We just bought the house, and we're new to wells. This morning it started doing this about every 5 seconds. Please help!
Thank you!

Something is not right with your pressure tank/pressure switch.

The most likely (there are several less likely options) is that you may have a failed bladder, assuming the usual modern case of having a bladder type tank (where a membrane or bladder is supposed to prevent contact between the air in the pressure tank and the water in the pressure tank.)

Typically the most cost effective way to solve that is a new pressure tank.

But.

There are small odds that things are just horribly mal-adjusted. A properly installed well-pump system will have a pressure gauge you can see somewhere near the pressure tank - you should abserve that while water is running, and pay attention to where the pressure is when it switches the pump on and off.

You can check by turning off the pump and draining the water; then check the air pressure on the tank (there should be a tire valve, usually on/near the top, sometimes under a cover - use a tire gauge to read that pressure.) If it's zero ( with the water side drained & at zero), you almost certainly have a failed bladder, but try pumping it up (with a tire pump - there should be air in there) if it does not hold pressure, you definitely have a failed bladder. If it will hold pressure, it should be adjusted to about 2-3 PSI below where the pump turns on (so if the pump starts at 40 PSI, 37-38 PSI)

Depending what type of pump you have, restarting the pump may be more or less difficult - if it's in the well (submersible) it's generally no work at all - if it's a pump in the house you may need to prime it, and thus you might not even want to start the "turn things off and drain the system" checks until you have an understanding of how to prime and restart the pump, or you won't have ANY water until you do.

To help you understand the (most likely) problem, the pressure tank acts to store water under pressure by compressing an air bubble. The tank and resulting air bubble are typically supposed to be sized to allow for 1 or 2 minutes of pump operation (which results in a certain volume of water) each time the system cycles. If the air bubble is not the right size, much less water is stored, and the pump cycles more frequently. In the "properly adjusted" state, the 2-3 PSI below the pump turn-on (also known as cut-in) pressure prevents any noticeable loss of pressure (the tank is still supplying water as the pump starts to replenish it), and the pressure simply varies between 40 & 60 PSI, or 30 & 50, or 20 & 40, or possibly other values.

A "much rarer these days" case would be a non-bladder type pressure tank - those have contact between the air and water, and the air gradually dissolves into the water, so it needs to be replenished. Those systems typically have valves that are supposed to suck in air as the water is pumped, but they may malfunction, and the typical solution until they are fixed (or the whole thing is replaced with a bladder tank) is to pump air into the tank manually if a valve is provided for that, or to drain all the water out of the tank, which provides a tank-full of air when you restart the pump.


Fix garage door sitting on asphalt driveway My garage doors sit on the asphalt driveway when closed and I'm not sure why this is. In the photo I attached you can see the line/indentation in the asphalt where the door sits. I'm not sure if the house was built this way or a driveway job was done wrong.
I am thinking of using a diamond blade on a circular saw to cut back a few inches of asphalt and then fill the gap in with some kind of concrete. How should I tackle this?
I am aware of the drop from right to left as this area of the garage has sunk and I hope to repair it with a self-leveler in the future. Thanks!

You can cut it back and pour concrete.
A bag of asphalt cold patch would fix it cheaper, quicker and simpler, in keeping with the way it is presently done, by just building up the low corner.
The fact that the corner is now open implies that movement is continuing on the cracked slab from whenever the asphalt job was done this way (evidently to compensate for the cracked slab's movement up to that time.) As such, your proposed concrete repair may not last if the cracked slab is not done moving yet.


What to cover underside of shed subfloor I'm building a garden office (shed) and will build a floor similar to that shown below (minus the flat beams between the joists and the concrete supports). I will insulate the floor using PIR (e.g. celotex or kingspan). On the top will be two layers of plywood and above that insulation, electric underfloor heating and then tiles.

My question is whether the lower surface (which will be between 5cm and 15cm off the ground) should be covered with ply, some sort of building wrap (tyvek?) or even polythene? Or can I just leave the lower surface of the insulation foam open to the elements? The PIR boards have an aluminium foil covering which is what would be facing the ground.

Source: http://blog.rockwelltools.com/how-to-build-a-better-backyard-storage-shed/

Normally a shed does not have an insulated floor but since yours is going to be insulated i would not leave it open for critters to nest in or chew up and take away for a nests.

I would cover the bottom of your joists with treated plywood or Metal lath.

The plywood keeps out bugs and squirrels etc, the lath keep out only things larger than the opening of the lath you choose.

Building wrap (tyvek?) or polythene is no match for squirrels. Unless you put some lath around the structure as skirting, i would bury the bottom of it in a trench several inches deep to keep critters from burrowing under it.

Mice a voles are different, they can chew through plywood, so you may need both PW & lath with very small openings.


How can I raise my bed frame cheaply? If the bed were a few inches higher, I would be able to store my suitcase beneath it. Is there anyway to raise it and still be able to support a person lying down?

I may be looking for something like this though $20 seems a bit much for something that gives a few more inches and I'm in Canada. I've heard of using milk crates but wouldn't they break? If not, where would I get them from?

The bed has wheels and is for a single person.

Go get yourself an 8' untreated 4x4 (~$10.00).

Determine how much higher you'd like the bed to be, then cut the 4x4 in appropriate lengths adding an inch to each length.
For example:
If you want the bed to be 4" higher, cut the 4x4 in 5" lengths.

using a spade or Forstner bit of appropriate size (just slightly larger than the bed frames feet, so the feet will fit into the hole), bore a hole to the depth of one inch.

place the frame on the 4x4 pieces, such that the feet of the frame sit in the holes you bored.

NOTES:
Make sure you use untreated wood.  Pressure treated wood may damage, and/or stain your bed frame and flooring.
I'm assuming you have a drill press and the appropriate bits, so the cost of the project only includes the lumber.
Making the leg extensions too high could cause the bed to be unstable, leading to property damage, injury, and or death.


Exactly measure lumber for cabinetry I am working on a bookshelf which, due to the way I am building it, requires some of the pieces to be exactly measured to within 1/64th over 4-5 foot lengths. Obviously no yardstick is so accurate.

What techniques can be recommended for making such an accurate measurement?

I have access to machinist's tools, such as a complete set of gage blocks and machinist's squares and rules, however the rules I have are at most 16 inches long.

The material is white oak.

Get yourself a good quality folding measuring stick like that pictured below. These have a slide out bar that allows for exact inside measurement transfers to be made.

One useful technique for marking in a precise manner is to use a sharp blade to make a cut mark instead of using a pencil. The cut is much finer than a pencil line.

Another useful technique if making multiple pieces the same length is to cut one length from some scrap wood and use it as a template length. Again use the blade to make a short cut mark for the length. Use of scrap piece helps to ensure you always use the same piece for measuring as opposed to picking up the 2nd or 3rd piece for the next measurement.


Why is the interior wall cold to touch during the winter? When it gets cold out, about - 10°C, the interior walls are cold to the touch. Especially ones in the corners of the house.

What causes this? How can it be fixed?

It could be just air leaks and simply caulking the exterior may remedy the cold areas completely. In addition to caulking, cold spots are typically due to the lack of insulation or a poor installation of insulation.

If caulking can't be put anywhere apparent or does little to nothing, then you'll have to rip the walls and corners open to air seal and insulate with the proper materials and methods.

There can't be any openings, gaps or loose fitting of insulation nor its seams and everything heading to the outside must be caulked.


Brass Barb Fitting Threaded Fitting To PVC End Cap What would be the correct way to thread a brass bar fitting into a plastic end cap? I'm working on building a home aquaponics system with the water coming in and exiting through a similar end cap. Is there a proper sealent that should be used. The end cap is 3" PVC, and the hose barb is a 3/8" brass NPT fitting.

I'm assuming US standards based on PA being listed in your profile.

Plumbing threads are commonly NPT - National Pipe Thread. It's also called IPS, or Iron Pipe Standard/Size. You will also see FIP and MIP for female iron pipe and male iron pipe.

Barb fittings are pretty easy to find with male NPT thread (aka MIP) on one side, made of brass. Here is an example from Granger but you can find them elsewhere.

You always want to screw metal into metal - due to differing thermal expansion and contraction rates you can wind up with a cracked fitting if you screw metal into plastic. So if you're using PVC, you would use a PCV to metal adapter like this - glue it on like any other PCV fitting. Or with PEX, you would just crimp on something like this.

To attach your male threaded hose barb, wrap with Teflon tape or coat the threads with pipe dope, and just screw it in to your newly installed FIP fitting.


What should I use to insulate my attic? I want to insulate my attic that has my furnace ac coil and duct work in my attic and I would like to lower my heating bill because I use propane as my heating fuel so I need to know what would be best to insulate my ceiling or floors in my attic.

You wouldn't put a heating duct outside your house, so why would you put one in a vented attic?

Since your furnace and ducts are in your attic -- I see only one sane option here, and that's to insulate the roof, forming an unvented, conditioned attic.  Don't skimp on the insulation here -- I would use lots of R-value, R-50 at a minimum, to keep any snow that may get on the roof from melting and refreezing into an ice dam.

In general, this is most often done with open cell spray foam applied to the underside of the deck, but this can also be done by applying at least two layers of foamboard with the joints staggered in both directions to the roof deck and then putting an overdeck over the top of the foamboard, creating an assembly much like a commercial compact roof, as in the illustration below (from the Building Science folks).

Furthermore, I would make sure that there's air exchange between the attic and the rest of the system, so the attic doesn't turn into a hot, wet, condensing mess during the summer.

See BSI-046: Dam Ice Dam and BSI-077: Cool Hand Luke Meets Attics for more details.


7/8 hole through boxed joists I would appreciate some help with a problem I'm having.  Here's what my layout looks like:

I have 2x8 floor joists spaced 16" on center under the main floor of my 2 story home.   There's an area with a basement window that sits at the same height as the joists.  The 2 joists in this area were cut and tied into a header made up of 2 sistered 2x8s which then forms a box around the window.  The span of the header and box is less than 4ft wide.

Now here's the problem:

We had an overzealous AV installer running cable in the basement and basically he drilled a 7/8" hole through the 2 sistered 2x8 (that form the header end of the box).   The bottom of the hole is 1 1/8" from the bottom edge of the 2x8s.  Obviously less than the 2" required by code.   The hole is located about 4 1/2" from one end of the header (ie where it ties to the supporting joist).

What I'm trying to determine at this point is whether I need to rip out the drywall and try to build in some additional support.  At 7/8" it's a not a very large hole, but I worry about the 1 1/8" from the edge and the fact that the load from two joists are tying into this header.

No sagging or any other issues at this point as this just happened yesterday.

Do you guys think I'm going to have issues with this?

I've included a sketch of what that side of the house looks like from the perspective of looking up at the floor joists from the basement:

You say, “less than 4’ wide.” Therefore, only 2 joists At 16” oc could be supported by the header.

Generally, short spans are limited by shear, not bending. Your “box header” will support about 800 - 1200 lbs. per linear foot, depending on the species, grade, etc. of the wood. Can you fill in some info?

You say, “two story home.”  What rests on that bearing wall and header? (1 floor, 2 floors, 2 floors and a roof?) What is the span of the joists that rest on the header?


Cutting Ceiling Molding Wihtout Removing It? I want to put up a stud wall to make a walk in wardrobe. I want to get a flush joint against the wall but I have some molding across the top. I was wondering if there is an approach to cutting a grove/slot in it without removing it, it's quite a long piece 15+ foot so ideally I want it to stay where it is.

One approach to this problem would be to use an oscillating tool, of which there are many brands available. Different blade options are provided with the tool, including a toothsome flat blade with a square face.

Home Depot is one source of these tools and blades:

It won't necessarily be fast, but it will be a clean cut (depending on operator skill). If you need a cheap solution, Harbor Freight is likely to be a good source. They have a twenty dollar (US) tool that does not specify that it comes with the cutter, but those are seven bucks each in the same location.


Should a GFCI interrupt the entire circuit? I moved into a new house and never heard of this before, so I thought it was strange.

On 2 circuits I've had a GFCI trip, and when they do, they trip the entire circuit.  I thought they were just for the specific GFCI outlet, not the entire circuit.

Do I need to rewire these, as they are nuisance tripping.

Yes this is correct; a GFCI will protect downstream loads.  The purpose of this is that you only need a single GFCI outlet per circuit. Alternatively you could use a GFCI breaker, but these tend to be more expensive.

If this is not behavior you want and you can confirm that it is not needed for safety and code-compliance reasons (ie: it doesn't feed any downstream bathroom, kitchen or wet/damp location outlets), you can rewire the outlet with a pigtail instead of using the Load side of the outlet - the outlet will work as a standalone outlet and trips will not affect downstream loads.


Will faced insulation behind poly sheeting trap moisture? I insulated an exterior wall in my shower. I had some faced insulation to use up so put it in the wall with the paper to the outside, no staples or tape. I have 6 mil plastic for interior vapor barrier. Will the facing trap too much moisture? There’s no housewrap on the exterior with gaps in the sheeting and vinyl siding. I’m in cold weather state of Wisconsin.

We don't use plastic sheeting for vapor barrier (on warm side of wall) anymore. We've learned that moisture (vapor) will get past the plastic sheeting (I.e.: around outlets, switches, vents, etc.) and then not be able to "move" back out of the wall. Then, that creates rot.

Also, the paper vapor barrier needs to be moved to the warm side of the wall.


What type of sander could be used for both sanding spackle and doors? So I have two diy projects somewhere in my queue:

1) I did a poor spackle job on a wall that appeared to be slightly raised between two sheets of drywall.  I put the spackle on and sanded using a sanding sponge.  I thought it was "even enough", but once I painted I realize what a poor job I did.  I should have really sanded better, made it more even somehow and perhaps used a wet sponge to smooth out the edges of the spackle.

2) I have several doors in my house that are wood (pine maybe), and they show off the wood grain.  They have a high gloss.  The trim around the doors is the same way, glossy something on top of an unpainted wood.  I'm looking to update this by sanding them down eventually and hopefully repainted one day.  The doors have panels that are rectangular.

Both involve sanding, so I'm thinking to buy a sander, however there are so many types to get.  I'm not sure what sander I might get that might fulfill both of these tasks and perhaps more generally.

Can anyone advise on a type of sander that might help me with both of these tasks?

While I would be lost without a belt sander and a detail sander, for most medium to fine finishing work, I would vote for a variable speed, 6" random orbit sander, with velcro pad (as opposed to PSA (pressure sensitive adhesive).

Get one with 6 hole dust pickup for integration with a shop vac, such as..

What are the relative ad/disadvantages of random orbit sanders (some might ask)?

The 6 inch size is more powerful than the 5s and covers more area (and bridges a wider area (important for flattening walls, rather than following the the contours)).
The 6 hole sanding disks allow good dust pickup when suction is provided. I frequently don't need a dustmask for smaller jobs.
The random orbit allows for a smoother scratch pattern. Be sure to work through the grits to eliminate the sanding marks of the previous grits. For Drywall sanding I would use 80-120-150. For wood I would use one more 80-120-150-220 and maybe 50 for really rough surfaces
Also, the hook-and-loop sanding discs can be reused if desired (and not worn out).
Disadvantages are: large size for detail work. Possibly too aggressive for very light work (wood block and a sheet of fine sanding paper would be better, in that case). Heavy for overhead work.


Hunter Ceiling Fan No Longer Works I hope you can give me a few suggestions with this one. We have a hunter ceiling fan that is wall switch connected for master power.  This spring it started having a few issues.  This fan is remote controlled with no external pull strings or controls other than the remote. The problem is that the fan is intermittent. When the wall switch is placed on the light comes on, which means it has power.  That can be turned off with the remote.  Using the remote 80% of the time you can get the fan to move in low and medium settings but never in the high setting.  The reverse switch will also work on the remote, changing the fan direction.  Sometimes the fan will not work at all.  When this happens you can sometimes get it to work by selecting low or medium fan speed and reversing the direction. Any time the remote switches are used you can hear the switches in the fan actuating including when you use the high power setting, but the fan will not spin. For that reason I do not think this is a power supply or remote issue.  I think this may be a solid state issue with the fan motor.  Rather replacing the whole thing, does anyone have any suggestions?

Chances are its the starter capacitor. This is the device used to give the motor an initial boost of power to overcome the initial load required to get the fan to start.

If you can open the fan, you may see this component swelled up and melted, if so, you will need to replace with a suitable candidate (read the text of the starting capacitor)


What type of wiring should bedroom overhead lighting have? On the phone with a friend in Cali this morning.  He said that some municipalities are requiring /4 (12-3 or 14-3 romex) wiring for all new construction or rewiring for overhead lighting components.  Maybe they love the use of fans or know that in the future that the extra wire could help with energy savings when using a central lighting system.

I have personally always used /4 for this because I am always afraid that someone will change their mind and want a fan (I install a fan brace too).  I am wondering if there is any code to back up the wiring requirements in different parts of the US or world and what you would offer advice as best practice?

I think you may be referring to the addition of item C to section 404.2 in article 404 of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Which states...

National Electrical Code 2011
ARTICLE 404 Switches
404.2 Switch Connections.
(C) Switches Controlling Lighting Loads. Where switches control lighting loads supplied by a grounded general purpose branch circuit, a grounded circuit conductor shall be provided at the switch location.
Exception: The grounded circuit conductor shall be permitted to be omitted from the switch enclosure where either of the conditions in (1) or (2) apply:
(1) Conductors for switches controlling lighting loads enter the device box through a raceway.
(2) Cable assemblies for switches controlling lighting enter the box through a framing cavity that is open at the top or bottom on the same floor level, or through a wall, floor, or ceiling that is unfinished on one side.

The intention of this code change is to provide a grounded (neutral) conductor in switch boxes, so "smart" devices can make use of it.