What tools to cut square post hole in composite decking board? I need to cut 9 holes in potentially 9 pieces of decking board (composite). I am thinking about using this method:

Drill a big hole ~1.5" using hole saw bit (for the door knob) in the middle
Drill 4 holes at 4 corners of the square
Then either (a) use a short blade reciprocating saw (so it won't shake) OR (b) use "Gyros 82-20715 Saw Blade w/Mandrel Set, Coarse-Teeth 3/4" Diameter" but hook to my drill gun (wired and wireless).

The problem with 3(b) is that the blade is not big enough to cut through 1" deck at once but this method has more control. I hate my reciprocating saw because it's big, heavy and shaking too much.

What are the common methods for this type of job?

What are the common methods for this type of job?

The one you described, plus:


How can I build garage shelving out of 2x6s, 4x4s and 1/2" OSB? building garage shelving, already ordered lumber:

4x4 8' post

2x6 10' horizontals

1/2 OSB ply, ripped to 2'x8' lengths

Should i notch the 4x4 vertical posts, then fit the 2x6's in the notches? I'm concerned the corner posts will have too much notched out and compromise the vertical strength. The notch would be 1.5" by 5.5" to accommodate the 2x6's.

Sketch attached.

Thanks!

Edit:

Here is a model of the non-notched version. All horizontals are 2x6, verticals are 4x4, shelving is 1/2" OSB. There are 2 "units" that are sitting next to each other, each shelving unit is 10' long. I will put 2 more vertical posts midway down each 10' span.

The whole reason I thought about the notches like shown above was to take the strain off the 2x6 fasteners. Over a 10' span, you can really pile a lot of stuff on these shelves each is 24" deep.

Edit:
updated sketch

Edit:
another top/bottom sketch of 4x4 1/2" notch, with inside-set 2x6's

Depends on overall design and load, and, in terms of screw/nails, it depends on what will be anchored to what.  A floor plan annotated with fastener locations would help.

If you are notching in order to transfer load to the 4x4, a 1/2" deep notch is all that is necessary.  Notching will take shear stresses off the associated screws/nails/bolts.

EDIT:
Great new drawing.

The main design considerations are the unit racking and collapsing (side to side), or the units tilting forward and falling over.  Attaching the units to the back-wall in a couple places will stabilize the units, particularly their back portions.  If the 1/2" OSB is screwed/nailed to the front and to the back 10' 2x6's, then the back-wall attachment will also stabilize the front portions of the units as well.  If units can be attached to an end-wall, then attaching to both back and end walls will fully stabilize the units without needing to screw/nail the 1/2" OSB to the 2x6s.  If back and/or end wall attachments are not feasible, I'd place 2x4 cleats on the ceiling and secure the 4x4 posts to those cleats.

On both the front and back, I'd put the 10' 2x6s on the inside of the posts, notching the posts 1/2" deep.  This will give more support to the 1/2" OSB over the 24" dimension.  Another benefit of internal attachment is that the 2x6s will be recessed 3" from the outside edge of the 1/2" OSB and 4x4s.  Given that, you'll be able to hang all kinds of small things on the outside face of the front 2x6s without the items sticking out.  You could also screw 4.5" wide lengths of 1/2 OSB (or anything similar, such as 1x6) to the underside edge of the 2x6s to create 3" deep shelves for light weight items.

If one end of the unit is open (such as facing the garage door, I'd consider moving the two 4x4 end-posts inward 16-30", which would cantilever the ends of the 10' 2x6s, creating 2-sided open access to the cantilevered portion of shelving.

The 5.5" of space immediately underneath the shelves will be kind-of wasted space.  If one end of the unit is open, then I'd attach 24" wide OSB underneath the 2x6s to create deep pockets (cubby holes) open on that one end, for storing long stuff.  The 24" long 2x6 end-caps can be under-mounted or top-mounted.


Type of sweep for front door I need to replace sweep on my front door. The problem is that I don't currently have one on there so I have nothing to take to the hardware store to say, "I need this" so I'm hoping to get some help here. My house was built in the mid-1950s and from perusing the store it seems like what I need isn't very common anymore.

Here are some pictures of the bottom of the door and the threshold.

What type of sweep do I need for this threshold? And where can I get it or should I replace the threshold and sweep altogether?

I was unable to find any parts for this so I ended up replacing the threshold entirely with something like this.


Extending a pebble path for an old home My house has an old pebble path that runs around about half of it.  I am looking for the best way to extend the path in the same style.

The existing pebble path is made from packed dirt (which has a lot of clay where I live), that slopes gently away from the house.  This seems to be effective for carrying heavy rain from around the house without ever becoming muddy/waterlogged, even after a week of rain.  Weeds occasionally grow through, but are easily dealt with using glyphosate.  The path is edged with bricks.  The house is in a temperate climate (Sydney, so no freezing) and dates from about 1890.  The house exhibits a lot of cracking due to movement in the clay soil so I want to ensure the path drains quickly.

Some of the less public areas used to have an asphalt covering, but most of this was recently destroyed when I had some sewer pipes replaced.  The asphalt is not attractive and so I want to extend the pebble path to match.

I have had a look on the interweb for suggestions, but none suggest packed dirt as a base. Some suggest coarse aggregate (blue metal) as a base, but I think this will just hold water that runs off the house and is trapped behind the edge of the adjoining lawn.  I also like that when pebbles are pushed away from the existing path that the dirt underneath is neither uncomfortable, no looks like a building site.

So I am planning to lay the path like this:

Break up the exiting lumpy surface.  (Rotary hoe looks a bit too big for
this, any other suggestions?)
Lay string to ensure the new path will fall away from the house and be flat.
Flatten and compact the dirt using a motorised compactor.
Install bricks as edging.
Lay pebbles about 10mm thick.

Will it work?  Why?  Why not?

It will work as well as the previous path has.  Building the slope into the path means you don't have to worry so much about the base - one of the main reasons for a good crushed rock base is to aid in draining.  Also, this is not a large slab area - it's just a narrow path, so going with a packed dirt/clay base is fine.

In the worst case, you'll shovel it back into a mesh to separate the pebbles from the dirt, and re-lay it out later, but I expect if you follow the design of the existing path you'll be just fine.  It'll match better as well.


How to remove asphalt used to repair concrete When the previous homeowners replaced the asphalt driveway, they had them fill in the missing concrete from the front edge of the garage (ranges from 1/2 inch to 3 inches into the garage.  I want to resurface the garage (fix the pitting) and paint it.  I doubt the asphalt will take the paint, so I'd like to remove it and repair the concrete with a concrete repair.  Then, when I paint it, it will look nice.

I highly doubt the asphalt repair is the same thickness, so if I use a "circular saw" type device, I would probably cut into the concrete too much and end up with more of a repair.  I was wondering if I could use an oscillating tool to cut into the asphalt--at least to make a straight line. I'm thinking it would allow me to "feel" where the asphalt ends and the concrete starts (depth wise).  Then, maybe I can use a cold chisel to work the asphalt out.  Will this work?  Is there a better way?  Or should I live with the asphalt?

Here's some pictures showing what I mean (the inside of the garage is at the bottom):

Thanks,

Jim

This would be easier to answer with some pictures of what you're dealing with.  But I doubt asphalt would have been used to fix chips and gouges.  It's more likely that the concrete broke all the way through, or was damaged during the driveway work, leaving holes or a full-depth ragged edge.

A concrete repair won't bond well to asphalt.  Trying to surgically cut it out, or soften it with heat and scoop it out, will leave a mess on the concrete surface you want to bond to.  And with heat, you're likely to get stains from hot asphalt on other concrete spots as well.  It will also be a long, messy job.

Even if the asphalt patching is thin and you are planning a concrete surface patch, you can run into separation and wear problems.  Concrete products are cheap, and it will be faster, easier, and longer-lasting to just cut out the problem area and replace it.  I would use a concrete saw to make a clean cut and remove the asphalt-tainted material.  Then repair the hole.

But if the current asphalt repair is solid and clean, I'd think twice about removing and patching it just because you think paint won't stick.  If you scuff up the surface and use a good primer, it may work well enough, and the difference in material may not be noticeable under the paint.

If there is a lot of texture in the asphalt, grinding the surface and then filling any indentations with the right material, like an epoxy, could give it a smooth surface for paint.  Even if the paint wears off, slapping on another coat in a small area every few years would be a trivial job, and way less work than redoing a repair that isn't broken (if that's the case).


How should I connect this old fluorescent lamp? How do I connect a fluorescent lamp with capacitors (or capacitor+starter?) and a ballast?

I made a diagram to make it clearer. lamppu = lamp and katto=ceiling.

I need to know where to connect these three cables that are loose from the capacitors and ballast.

There are many ways of arranging a fluorescent tube circuit, one of the oldest ones is like this:
Pre-Heat

A: Fluorescent Tube B: Power (+220 Volts) C: Starter D: Switch (Bi-metallic thermostat) E: Capacitor F: Filaments G: Ballast
Another is like this
Semi-Resonant

There are other arrangements - see Wikipedia


What are these things on my window frames? My flat has a pair of these attached to every window frame, opposite each other. They have no visible branding on them.

Does anyone have any idea what they are for?

I removed one of these devices, and behind it I found two voids in the frame leading to some more foam. I believe that these are "trickle vents", which are required in UK building regulations. In a modern, well insulated house, there is little exchange of air with the outside, which can cause moisture to build up in the air leading to condensation and damp. Trickle vents are intended to prevent this from happening. The protruding thing in the middle of the vent pictured allows the vent to be sealed shut.


Disconnecting Long, Clipped Pipe Runs When the installer fitted my floor standing boiler, he neatly, clipped the main 22mm feed to the wall.  The pipe in question enter the room at floor level and has several components (pressure reducer, pressure relief valve, manual fill valve) inserted (compression fittings) into its run.  At the top of the run, the feed pipe is bent through 90-degrees, with another non-return valve, before coupling to the boiler.  The overall run is probably close to 2.5 metres and is clipped in 6-places.
I now need to replace one of the inline components, and it looks like I will need to disassemble from the boiler backwards to get enough play in the pipework to remove the component.
Is this just a 'fact of life/suck it up' situation, or is there any coupling or technique that I can use when I re-assemble to make life easier in the future - something like a sliding coupling along the lines of a trombone slide maybe?
Thanks.

They make various repair couplings that slide over the pipe. Some are made to solder, some have pressure-rated rubber gaskets. There are probably additional types out there too. All require a gap in the pipe.
To replace an inline component, you would cut the pipe directly upstream or downstream of the component in question, replace your component, then refit using a repair coupling:
solder type (repair, or no-stop, coupling):

rubber gasket type (moody coupling):


What products are available to make coved ceilings? Due to massive cracks and drooping ceilings we need to tear off our existing plaster/lath walls and replace with sheetrock.  The 1948 house currently has coved ceilings that we want to duplicate when we do the remodel.  Are there products available to help create the coved look that would make the job easier for a novice?

Although I have never used them, and don't know the brand names, there are light weight cove sections made from composites that you can nail or screw to the wall/ceiling, then finish in with mud. I'm quite sure I saw a tutorial on using these products on the TOH website. If I can find it, I'll post the link.


How to keep dirt away from wood on shed? I have a small (1 car garage) shed:

There is dirt along the side of it, and it seems to have rotted some of the boards in the bottom left corner of the above picture.

Front view: (the dirt had run-off onto the sidewalk, hence the front board is rotted as well. I recently uncovered the sidewalk and that is when I noticed the rotted part.)

Corner view:

So questions:

1) Do I need to do anything about this? Presumably rot is bad... but what actually happens if I just leave it alone?

2) How would I go about replacing the impacted boards? Do I have to replace the whole thing? Or try to cut it and only replace the bottom piece?

3) Do I/how do I prevent the dirt from sitting right against the wood so that this doesn't happen again?

You want to fix this, it will only get worse. You only have to replace the wood that's rotten but make sure you get it all. Cut out the rotten wood and square off the remaining strips. Frame some concrete backer board, wonder board, where the rotten wood was. Finish off the job with some stucco over the backer board and texture it similar to the wood grain. Paint it and you're good to go. That's one repair you won't have to do again. Good luck.


What are we doing wrong? Just trying to hang a picture ☹ My husband and I have some serious issues with the walls in our house. It was built in 1996; we live in CT. This is the 2nd time we’ve tried to hang something on a wall, and it has turned disastrous. We bought the self drilling drywall anchors recommended to us at Home Depot (TOGGLER SnapSkru). We used a philips screwdriver and once it gets to the threaded section of the anchor, it just chews up the Sheetrock. We are now left with a hole that we need to patch and try again but I’m afraid.
We made sure there was no stud behind the Sheetrock. This is the second spot in this house that this has happened. Ace Hardware and Home Depot were no help. They recommended the same anchors again. I don’t know what to do and we’re having a screaming match over this. This should be easy, shouldn’t it?!

The Toggler SnapScru product you used is decent, with two cautions: 1, you need to maintain solid pressure while driving it in. Doing this with a screwdriver is somewhere between tough and really hard -- you want to use a drill or an impact. 2. If you hit something solid, you'll just chew up the drywall.

If you did hit something solid, (and you know it's not electrical cable or plumbing), just use a regular screw. Probe with more than a finish nail to be sure that you aren't just getting minor pushback from insulation.

If you have air behind your existing hole, go back to your favorite big box store and get the "Toggler Snaptoggle". It goes into a 1/2" hole and you pull it back on itself for a solid mount. (As solid as drywall, that is. Don't do chinups off this.)


Can I convert a LH inswing door into a RH inswing? I have a prehung exterior door that is a LH inswing (brand new not installed yet). Can I somehow switch it to make it a RH inswing? Would it work if I installed it as an outswing?

It is impractical, if not impossible to make a pre-hung/pre-drilled door (for knobs and locksets) change swings. The exterior is different than the interior in most models and the hinge mortises are on the wrong edge of the door. If you install it backwards, or swing to the outdoors, you may have a problem with the threshold. Many thresholds slope to the outside to shed water. If you reverse it, then water could flow indoors. Another consideration is that you cannot install a storm door if the door swings out.


Switch working intermittently My master bath has 2 switches.

The switch on the left (1) goes to the light.  The one on the right (2) goes to the fan.

The light works fine.  The fan only works intermittently.  It takes 2-3 flips of the switch for the fan to come on.  I've replaced the switch and the fan (it was old).  I've sketched the circuit the best I can.

As you can see from the picture, A, B, and  C  are all in the switch box.  There is one cable coming into the box and 2 going out.  I've traced the cable to the fan through the attic and verified there are no other junctions.

I've got a multimeter and I've done voltage tests across every combination of the switches with ABC and everything on switch 2 seems to match switch 1 (when working and when not working).

Edit - tonight I swapped the black wires between the 2 switches (still using the quick connects for now).  Same results.  Fan still intermittently works but the light works fine.
One thing I noticed during this process is that if I turn the fan switch from on to off and back on again very quickly, the fan works everytime.  Is this at all significant?

Edit-  I then disconnected and reconnected all the wiring within the box and connected the switch ground posts.  I also used the screw posts instead of the quick connects.  Same results.  I was about to climb back into the attic to pull out the fan and return it when I decided to read the troubleshooting table in the manual.  I've bolder the above from the previous edit for a reason.  see answer below.

Is the only option at this point replacing the cable?  Or am I missing something?

This is symptomatic of a poor connection somewhere, or a bad-on-arrival fan.  I'd rewire the switches using the screw terminals as a first step (don't forget to hook the grounds up when you do), and if that does not cure it, I'd try Craig's troubleshooting suggestion of switching the fan and the light.  If the fan still acts up, then return the fan to wherever you bought it.  If the light acts up when switched with the fan, then I'd say it's a problem with a connection.


Does double brick chimney need liner for vented gas logs? We have a 100-year-old house with a double brick chimney, meaning there's an inner and an outer brick wall.  The inner wall is reportedly in not-great, somewhat deteriorated shape.  There is no clay or other lining, just a brick and mortar inner layer.

I'm wondering, could it ever be safe to use a chimney like this?  It's my understanding that most of the flammable deposits that burning wood creates won't be present when using vented gas logs.

I have received three conflicting opinions by professionals, each possibly with a profit motive to be less than honest.  One of the companies insisted that it would be unsafe to use the chimney without adding a modern liner, but based on evidence, they seemed to be the least trustworthy.

If you have a fire in that fireplace, you really need the chimney relined. Its not that it will be any deposits, that is true, but there will still be a possibility of carbon monoxide leaking into the home, if not other fumes.

There are companies that will clean the interior, place a long balloon inside, inflate it and pour a product around it to seal the brick.

Another way to do it is to have a semi-rigid stainless steel pipe set in place. I have only seen this done with furnaces, not fireplaces, but there may be a way nowadays to tie it into the smoke chamber, after it has been restored.


Does my three season porch ceiling outlet require a GFCI? An electrician put an electrical outlet box in our covered porch ceiling. We want to hang a light fixture (one with a cord and plug over a dining table). I will be installing the outlet myself. Do I need a GFCI outlet or just a 15 amp regular outlet? The wiring is in the attic above the ceiling. The porch has sliding glass windows, the ceiling cannot get wet from rain, but there is normal humidity when the windows are open.

It sounds like you described a damp area, like a bathroom.  Bathroom lighting does not require GFCI. But...

First, you are never required to use a GFCI receptacle. You can use a plain receptacle, and if GFCI protection is even required, that can be provided from another GFCI device upstream. Also, having a GFCI device past a light switch is a bad idea, so if this is sourced from a wall switch, no GFCI here.  That's a hardware limitation, not Code.

You also can't put a GFCI where shorter members of your family need a ladder to reset it.  How will they see to work?

Also practical,  you don't want to put any GFCI device where it'l be exposed to rain, spray or condensate, so an upstream/more indoor location is more appropriate.   You wouldn't charge your iPhone out here!

The next question to ponder is whether you'll be touching or contacting this light. Bathroom lights are generally grounded and garage or hi-bay lighting is usually unreachable.  If frequent contact or no ground, there’s a practical argument to be made toward GFCI protection, just because it "takes off the table" any risk of electrocution.

Now ceiling receptacles are perfectly normal for lighting.  Wiring luminaires via cord and plug connection is perfectly allowed due to NEC 400.6.


Gap in conduit running to electric meter There's a gap in the conduit running from underground to my electric meter.  I'm sure that's a problem, since weather could get in.  It appears to be PVC.

The question is: Can I service this myself, or do I need to get an electrician?  I would rather not electrocute myself, especially when dealing with wires that might be carrying a lot of voltage.  It seems like such a simple fix -- but I don't want to take any chances.

Is it safe if I try to get the PVC to line up, and fasten it in place, without touching the wires inside?  Do I need to contact the utility and have the electricity turned off before attempting something like this?

Or is it worth the $ to get a professional to deal with this?

Don't sweat it.

Wires that are used underground are pretty tough, and are well waterproofed, if water gets in there no harm will be done.

the cable run to the meter is usually maintained by the electricity supplier, so you could contact them for assistance but they will probably not do much.

I see a wide bit and a narrow bit pf conduit, if you line them up the wide bit might slide down to cover the gap.

there's a chance that the conduit might crack when you try to bend it. it depends how old it is. if that hapens call the power company.

if you want an easy  DIY fix slit a piece of PVC tube or conduit so you can clip it over the gap and fasten it with hose clamps.  this won't be waterproof but it will keep fingers out.


Can adjacent windows share a king stud to bring them closer together? I am a pretty novice DIY framer, and I have a project where I am closing in my back patio.  I'd like to put three windows in the center of a wall.  I'm not looking to mull them.  I was wondering if the two windows can share a king stud, as shown below.  I've looked all over the internet, but haven't found a good answer for this.

They certainly can. In fact, you can get them closer together still, if you like, by eliminating the king stud, using one or two trimmer studs (as desired for spacing), and running a continuous header. It only needs to be as tall as it would for individual headers.


What's the best way to keep my garage from freezing? I live in Colorado. My 1950s house has a one-car attached garage that was built in the 2000s. The walls that are not shared with the house are not insulated: the studs and sheathing are visible from the inside. There is no ceiling, so above the joists the rafters and roof sheathing are also visible. There is a single steel overhead door, also uninsulated.

I'd like to keep the garage from freezing because a) I store things like paint and food in it and b) occasionally I want to work out there wearing only moderate cold-weather clothing. It's sufficient to keep the garage at 50ºF/10ºC.

With these goals and conditions in mind, that's the best way to install insulation in this garage? Will I have to install drywall over it? Can I use that shredded-denim insulation to avoid fiberglass countermeasures? What's the best type of heater to use?

Turning a cold space into a warm space is absolutely doable, but the trick is doing it the right way to avoid creating longer term health or structural problems later.

The proper way to create a warm space is to create two different kinds of protections against the elements - a thermal break to hold in heat, and a moisture barrier to hold in water.

The thermal break is the obvious part - you want it to be warm, so you need to create a layer that doesn't conduct heat well and put it between your warm and cold spaces.

The moisture barrier is the less obvious and yet more important part.  Wherever warm air touches a cold surface you get condensation.  Condensation in an enclosed space - such as inside of a wall or insulated cavity - is a bad thing, because now you're getting organic materials such as wood and gypsum wet, which turns them from construction materials into mold food.  Mold being bad (read - toxic) its important to create a complete barrier that keeps moist warm air from getting into cold, closed spaces.  (Once the moisture gets into the wall it wont come out again anywhere near as fast as it got in, so it'll just keep building up).

The 2nd part here is you've got walls and a roof to deal with.  Since you don't have a ceiling, and since it sounds like you don't really want to install one, you can treat the two the same.  Thus I'll explain how to properly insulate your walls, and you can do the same for your roof over the garage.  But bear in mind if you install a ceiling, then the roof has to be handled differently from the walls.

So - how do you insulate your walls safely?

First - yes you can use shredded denim insulation, or fiberglass, or cellulose, or spray foam.   If cost is your primary concern, then you're going to trade off money for time.

The fastest but definitely not cheapest way to handle your problem is spray foam.  With spray foam (closed cell foam being preferred over open cell foam) you spray (or have someone spray) a liquid compound into the wall cavities and the liquid foams up and then solidifies.  What you get is a dense, seamless, tightly packed rigid material that has excellent insulation qualities and acts as a vapor barrier all on its own.  In your case you could spray the walls and roof in one day and almost instantly have a workable warm space.

For any other kinds of insulation, its a bit more involved.  The installation of the insulation is pretty straight forward - its the vapor barrier that's the issue.  You can use fiberglass with paper backing, but personally I don't think that seals up as well, and I consider it a good idea to tape all the seams after they're stapled down, for extra measure... (taping seams will be covered more in a moment)

This is NOT how you install it:

Note how its all compressed and tucked in?  That kills the insulation value (R-value).  I've heard/seen it argued that you should tuck the backing in so that drywallers can glue the drywall to the framing - they use screws.  I've never heard of drywallers doing this - and I don't think its worth surrendering the R-Value for drywall glue... Plus if they really do want to glue, well you install furring strips (as they did in the above pic) and glue to those...

IMO THIS is how you install paper backed fiberglass:

Flaps folded over the studs, and stapled down.  (Then tape the seams for extra measure as well as taping any tears).  I still also don't trust paper as a vapor barrier, though often times its paper/plastic laminate in which case it'll probably be fine.

Alternatively you can install an unbacked style (no paper, just insulation) - and then you add the vapor barrier by adding a layer of plastic, like so:

Here the plastic is hung up over top of the insulation, taped at its seams and so forth.

Here's the critical bit - YOU MUST NOT FAIL TO TAPE ANY SEAMS/GAPS IN THE VAPOR BARRIER.

A tiny pinhole in your vapor barrier can let in a whole cup of water in a season as warm moist air pushes into the cold space.  So you have to create a completely solid barrier against moisture all the way around the edges, on all the seams, and in any tears you inadvertently create.

Because this vapor barrier is so important, you should drywall or protect it in some other fashion.  (You want to create storage - consider sheets of plywood instead of drywall to create extra strong mounting surfaces for shelves ) If you leave the barrier exposed, it's gonna get damaged, and then its gonna lead to mold and rot.

If you spray foam, however, since its rigid and 4" thick, you can leave it exposed.


Does a new manufactured home on permanent foundation need a shutoff within 30ft? I am installing a new 2020 manufactured home on my land about 40' from a permanent underground 200A service meter-center/meter-main panel (Eaton MBE2040B200BTS). This panel currently only has 2 circuits in it: a 110V 20A utility outdoor GFCI circuit and a 30A 220V RV hookup.  Both receptacles are installed on the same post as the panel and two ground rods are installed.  The manufactured home comes equipped with a Siemens MB2040B1200G 200A indoor main panel with the neutral and ground busses disconnected. The manufactured home will be installed on a "permanent foundation" consisting of a concrete perimeter wall with a crawlspace.

Here's what I'm thinking: Add an Eaton BRS225 main lug kit to the outdoor meter-main panel and connect 4/0-4/0-2/0-4 Aluminum Mobile Home Feeder Cable(RHH/RHW-2) to the Siemens panel in the manufactured home. I'll use Schedule 80 conduit where the cable is inside the crawlspace and also where it drops from the Eaton Meter-Main panel. The rest of the run will be direct burial without conduit. I'll leave a 6in section of rebar sticking out of the top of the foundation wall and connected to the main horizontal rebar in the footer as a Ufer. I'll use a rebar rated connector to connect to bare #4Cu and run that to the ground bus bar in the Siemens panel.

Questions: Do I need an additional disconnect outside? Will my Ufer be all the grounding I need? Am I on the right track? Thanks!!

EDIT: Here are photos of the breakers in the manufactured home panel.

EDIT2: Here is the main HUD label from under the kitchen sink. (This is the same model house but mine is not built yet) and an electrical info plate outside on the wall.

EDIT3: Here's 2 new photos of the 200A outdoor panel with the 20A and 30A circuits in it.

NEC 550.32(A) Mobile Home Service Equipment. ...in sight from and not more than 9.0m (30ft) from the exterior wall...

Note the NEC in 550.2 says "For the purpose of this Code...the term mobile home includes manufactured homes and excludes park trailers..."

I would expect the ufer ground to be  good, but you probably should check with the local inspecting authority to make sure they don't have some odd interpretation or specific legacy additional requirement for mobiles. Other bonding requirements are usually factory performed, but you should check.

It could be interpreted that the 30A RV receptacle renders the available power at the pedestal for the mobile to be less than the minimum requirement on the HUD label. You could probably do a load calc if a "modular" home, but not a "mobile".


How many outlets for a small recording studio/media room? I'm getting ready to close the deal on a house that has a 20' x 20' detached garage that I will be converting into a recording studio/media room.

I'm going to be running two main power amplifiers (A Peavey Deca 724 rated at 350 watts per channel and a Carver Power amp rated at 200 watts per channel), along with the usual preamps and a mixing board, an HD Home theater projector,
2- 18" 500 watt RMS Powered Subwoofers, and a Pioneer Elite series Home theater receiver.

I'm wondering how many outlets that I might require to safely run all of this equipment as to not throw breakers every time I crank up the volume. The new detached garage has no power as of yet with the exception of one light bulb hanging from the ceiling and a switch beside the door, so it looks like I'm going to have to hire a guy to come out and install a sub-panel for me. I just want to know what kind of power requirements I'm going to have with this setup.

I'd say you've got the first big issue figured out, which is that you need to install an electrical subpanel and it sounds like you'll have a pro install that, so it will be properly installed (ground and neutral isolated, adequate conductors, etc). You could probably get away with a 70A service in the sub panel, but why not go for 100A, just for future capacity (appliances, tools, washing machine, charging your electric car, whatever) I wouldn't run any branch circuits inside the garage smaller than 20A, personally.

Just a tiny bit of science: a 20A circuit times 120V means that you can push a maximum of 2,400 Watts on a 20A circuit. Electrical code says you have to design not to exceed 80% of capacity with a continuous load, so that's 1,920 Watts per circuit (higher momentary draw is okay, but the breaker trips at 2,400).

My inclination is to say overindulge a little and err on the side of too many circuits instead of too few. A standard 20A circuit breaker costs $7. Cheap. However, the wet blanket is that recent electrical code changes require AFCI and/or GFCI breakers almost everywhere, and those are north of $30 each.

If you're required to use AFCI breakers, then 10 20A circuits will cost you $350 in circuit breakers alone. But you might also have some problems with AFCI breakers and some of your equipment. They aren't perfect. I think that's something you probably want to research.

You don't want things like refrigerators, A/C or fans on the same branch circuits with your recording equipment. They'll put noise on the line that your equipment will pick up.

I'd say you want at least two 20A circuits (with multiple receptacles on each) for your various amplifiers and things you might occasionally bring in like keyboards.

Ideally I'd run a 20A circuit for the projector (or future 70" 4K LED) and the high-end audio receiver and other odds and ends you'll plug in there (DVR, BluRay player, Media Computer, charging cords for phones, etc.)

I'd run a circuit for the recording console and computer(s). If you aren't playing around with a DAW now, you probably will be eventually. :-)

And you'll probably end up with a server (maybe a NAS with a bunch of hard drives) for storage and some networking equipment. Chances are that you'll also use that NAS for media streaming to the TV. So maybe two 20A circuits for the console and computer and networking equipment.

Again, all else being equal I'd say indulge a little and err on the side of more circuits than less. But those expensive AFCI circuit breakers are really kind of a wet blanket.


How to confirm screw is attached to stud through wood plank and dry wall? Vaulted drywalled angled half ceiling (15'X13') and would like to attach barn wood planks.

It's an aesthetic ceiling - meaning it does not actually follow the roof. Rather, it is an angled "box" inside the attic, over that room, with a 2 foot gap between the top of the box and the inside of the actual roof.

The "ceiling box" does have seven 1.5" joists running down it, however, they are not very straight, they slightly curve all over the place.

The plan is to attach 3/4" thick by 6" wide reclaimed barn wood planks to the inside ceiling (as shown here) with wood screws (and construction adhesive), perpendicular to the joists of course. The wood all together is very heavy.

As a quick test, I held the plank up to the ceiling and checked for a known joist with the Zircon 740 - and NO reading, it is too dense I suppose ?

So, started marking the drywall with the center stud finder looks like this so far (not too good):

Next, when I place the 6 inch wood plank on the ceiling to attach it, it will obviously cover the line made for those 6 inches, so I will have to "project" where the line is for each plank as it goes up.

Between these two issues, I have less confidence that I will be drilling into the ceiling joist.

Given the situation and plank install - is there a way to confirm I have actually screwed the wood plank into the joist?

Thank You.

I suggest you keep marking the centers like you've done and as each plank goes up, copy that mark to the face of the plank.

You can use painter's tape if you don't want to make marks on the planks. At minimum mark the entry and exit points of the projection of the joist across the face of the plank and make a line between them (a first order approximation). You'll hit a joist most of the time. If you want to be able to better detect a joist hit, then pre-drill holes in the planks or use partially threaded wood screws with a shank longer than your plank depth.

You may not hit a joist every time, but I really doubt that you actually need to. The screws are primarily going to hold the planks in place while the glue sets.

Concerning the weight: You're adding 1.5 lbs. per square foot.

You're adding about 12.2 cubic feet of wood to the ceiling (15'×13'×0.75"). You say it's barnwood, so I would assume something like western cedar. That's 23 lbs/ft³ (plug in a different value from here if it's not right). So you're adding a total about 280 lbs of wood plus screws/glue. Say 300 lbs. It sounds like a lot, but it's spread over the entire ceiling which is 195 square feet. That's about 1.5 lbs. per square foot, which is approximately the same weight as the drywall itself. I'd be surprised if doubling the drywall was enough to make the ceiling collapse, but I'm an electrical engineer, not an architect; so I could easily be wrong about that. Do check with a local contractor/inspector if you're concerned about it.


How can I fix a broken shower elbow? The shower elbow in the shower broke off at the copper pipe in the wall, leaving some of the plastic inside the copper pipe's threading. There seems to be some sort of sealant. How might you go about removing the remaining plastic from the pipe? Is replacing and resealing the shower elbow something a homeowner could do, or is a plumber required? How might you go about doing that?

By shower elbow, you mean this part, right?

If so, then to remove any remaining part left in the copper, get yourself some LONG needle nose pliars

Use those to remove any remaining plastic from the copper.

You can buy a replacement at pretty much any Home Depot or Lowe's - so buy one AND some teflon tape

IMPORTANT DO not buy the yellow package - that is for GAS, not water.  Blue and white or red and white packaging only!!!

Wrap 2 or 3 layers of tape around the wall end of the elbow.  Wrap it so that the tape follows the threading - so hold the pipe with the threads near you, start near you and wrap CLOCKWISE around the pipe.  That way as you screw in the pipe it won't peel off the tape.  Not too much tape or you won't get the pipe to fit!

Insert the elbow and turn it COUNTER CLOCKWISE slowly at first, until you feel the threads kind of click into place (avoid cross threading) and then turn it clockwise.  Hand tighten only but make sure it's nice and snug and vertical.

Then reinstall your shower head per mfg instructions.


Installing bathroom exhaust fan (light, fan, and heater) with three seprate switches on wall Need help on wiring light unit. Have three plug-ins inside unit. One for light , one for fan , and one for heater. Have three cables coming into unit. All three cables are 2 wire with ground wire. Black wire , white wire, and ground in each cable. One cable goes to a junction box and other two cables come from wall switches. Light plug has one blue and one white wire. Fan plug has one black and one white wire. Heater plug has one red and one white wire. How are the three cables wired to the plugs and ground.Furnace quit working after first attempt.

Not being there, it is hard to say for sure.  But a fair guess is the the J-box wiring takes care of the heat. This wiring includes the wall stat/timer. (Hopefully this is the 12-gauge wire.)  The other two cables take care of light and exhaust fan. So: j-box cable to red and white in fan.  The other two, take your pick, color to color.


Projector mount with 2 or 3 screws so I just brought a new projector mount but the screw spacing on it is too wide for our studs. I’m just wondering What the best way to mount this is. The mount will hold a 8kg projector btw. Thanks heaps!

There are a few ways to play this

Mount a 2x4 on the other side of the ceiling (attaching the 2x4 to the joists with screws) and mount the projector to that. Unsightly, but it will definitely hold without any questions. Painting the 2x4 would help make it less noticeable.
Screw another 2x4 or 2x6 (can't tell from your pics) into place for the second side of the mount. Drill some small pilot holes in the ceiling to tell where it needs to go.
Mount only 2 screws into a stud. Use toggle bolts for the drywall side. It should hold well enough.
Use 4 toggle bolts. 8kg is about 20lbs, and that's well within the tolerances of toggle bolts. This carries the most questions, since the drywall has to hold all the weight. It should, but it may not since it's clustered so tight around the mount. If they used 3/4" drywall it should be fine.


What is the cheapest way to build a temporary pool? I'm looking to build a container to hold mud and water for a very specific exercise training.
 - It doesn't need to look good
 - It doesn't need to last more than a few weeks
 - It should be able to hold most of the water for at least a couple weeks
 - Can be above ground or in ground
 - I should be able to build it at least two feet deep and 6 feet long

What are some of the cheapest materials I could use to hold water? I could just dig a big hole in the ground but I feel like that would lose water very quickly. Also I'd prefer something that's not difficult to dispose of, so concrete wouldn't be good. Maybe some kind of cheap plastic shipping container? Cover a bunch of wood 2x4's with foam seal?

This is perfect, but way above my price range:

How about you did a 4'x6'x2' hole and then get a 12'x16' waterproof tarp and lay it in the hole. Make sure the neighbors know you're not burying someone. See picture of waterproof tarp below.


Do these materials typically contain asbestos? Update

I tested samples at a local asbestos certified lab and all came back 100% clear of asbestos. Thank you all for your advice.

I’m new here and a new home owner. Just purchased a condo in a two family unit. The condo was converted in 2005 and the home was build in 1923.

As I’ve been cleaning up and doing odds and ends and I've noticed some things that need to be cared for. Two of these places however I am questioning whether to leave it alone and get it tested for asbestos.

The first is my chimney portion that is inside my attic. It looks like the mortar is starting to decay and fall on the floor. I will need a chimney company in here at some point but until then I was about to sweep it up but figured I would leave it alone. Could the chimney mortar contain asbestos?

The second questionable place in my home is the basement. The ceiling has plaster. In one part of the basement the ceiling is soft and needs some repair. However, before I call someone in and they rip it down I was wondering about asbestos in this material.

I included photos of the chimney and the ceiling. I did not include the sagging part but did include where there are current holes for better viewing.

Any advice would be appreciated. With two little kids just don’t want to be careless.

Thanks in advance,

Jamerica

Thank you so much to those who responded. Much appreciated.

As for the asbestos report,I don’t think my state had one. They do however have a lead report.

I will definitely just send to a lab to be on the safe side.

Thanks again.

————————-

Thanks all. I think I’ll test both areas. So long as
I spray, anyone see a reason why I should call a company to test? And if not, does  anyone see a reason to go to the extremes of this person?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KaCjB3VaV6g

Thanks!

I've bricked a few steel heat treating furnaces with asbestos bricks but never heard of asbestos mortar so I'd guess your safe there. It's crumbling a bit because it wasn't finished off correctly because it was in the attic. As far as the plaster, doesn't hurt to have it checked.


Can I replace just the knob of this outside spigot to fix this leak? This spigot leaks from the place where the handle attaches. Would I be lucky enough to be able to just need to replace the handle? Or would I need to also replace that brass piece it's connected to? All I can tell you about the faucet itself is that it's an anti-siphon one.

If you're lucky, with a frost proof fixture like this, you may be able to slightly tighten the nut that's holding in the packing or gasket behind the handle. You'll need to have two wrenches for this, one to hold the faucet in place, and a second to tighten the nut.

If this nut doesn't want to turn (don't force it, else you may damage it and then need to replace the entire faucet), then you'll need to replace the packing or gasket around the valve stem. It's a cheap repair, but requires the water is off to the fixture and that you are gentle to avoid damaging the soft metal.

shutoff the water
open the faucet to be sure it's turned off
remove the handle (usually held in with a screw)
remove the nut with two wrenches, one holding the faucet in place and a second to turn the nut
remove the valve stem by unscrewing it and pulling it out
get a replacement packing (looks like some black string you wrap around the stem a couple times) or gasket to match what's currently there
reverse the above steps to reassemble the faucet


Can I use this hose with my air compressor? I have the below compressor, and would like to use it for pumping my bike.

Does the below hose and gun work with it?

And what is the metal button at the end of the gun for?

If the metal button that you refer to is this one:

Best guess is that you press this when engaging the end of the gun onto and when disengaging the gun from the valve stem. When the gun is fully pressed onto the valve stem letting go of this button helps clamp the tip of the gun onto the threaded end of the valve stem.

Again this is an educated guess because I've not seen your gun first hand. You could probably look at the tip of the gun assembly and toggle the metal tab back and forth and see right away what it does.

Edit

In looking more closely at your picture it appears that the tip of the gun can have various ends slid into it and this lever is designed to hold the tip in place. Pressing the tab (button) releases the catch and allows removal of the tip.

When I refer to the tips I mean one of these from the kit:


Do I glue luxury vinyl flooring ON or UNDER angled, metal threshold that transitions exterior to interior kitchen floor? I’m installing LVF, gluing to wood floor (tongue & groove flooring). There is an angled piece of metal the width of the threshold, transitioning the exterior threshold into the kitchen.

My question is do I glue the LVF under the metal transition or over (or glue to floor and glue a strip on top of metal? Or best to paint metal)? Again, the metal transitions the exterior threshold into interior kitchen, the metal angled so as to alleviate a slight drop down into kitchen. Thoughts and / or suggestions appreciated.

I would remove the transition strip and place the new flooring down and put the transition piece back on. If you glue something on top of the transition piece, it will be a trip hazard and will, in a short time, come loose.


Recessed lighting in existing concrete light fixture I have some light fixtures that are currently used and covered with blind plates in the corners of a concrete ceiling room. I was wonder if there was anyway to convert those existing light boxes to recessed lighting. The wiring is already done but i imagine id need to get a deep hole.

If the boxes in the concrete are round boxes, there are LEDs that give the look of recessed lights. Here is a link to a source for them. They can only go in a box with a few wires in them, they fill it up pretty well.


How can I repair a chip in partical board table top? I got this table from IKEA, and it was delivered with damage in it, unfortunately I did not recognize it as I had to check 10 packages but this is another story.

As you can see in the picture there is a part that was chopped away.

How can I fix this?

Is there a way I can do it WITHOUT cutting (since I do not have the tools for it)?

NOTE: The Swatch is there for a size reference.

UPDATE
I've managed to get a similar product and filled the crack with it. I'll post the results tomorrow :)

UPDATE 2:
IKEA replaced the table after 9 months because of my rigorous phone calls and complaints.

Go to Home Depot or Lowes, in the counter department, pick up some white SeamFil, a putty knife and both some coarse (80 grit) and some fine (220 grit) sand paper.

Sand out the gouge, apply the SeamFil and use the putty knife to smooth it.

After its dried, sand with the fine grit sand paper.

SeamFil


Repairing siding, old nails While cleaning and scraping cedar siding prior to painting, I'm noticing that the siding was installed with nails, but as the siding approaches the eves, where it was more difficult to hammer the nails due to low clearance, the carpenters got lazy and a lot of the nail heads are proud of the cedar by 1/16 inch or more. Would a palm nailer be an efficient way to hammer hundreds of these nails in just a little deeper?

I would certainly think a palm nailer should work. A hammer should also work.

Is it possible that the nails were originally nailed flush but they have released and moved outward? If that is the case, then probably there would be no resistance when tapped lightly with a hammer or even pushed.

If there is resistance, then that would indicate the nails were never driven flush. Probably they were driven with a power nailer set a little too soft.


Gas oven never reheats I have a seven-year-old GE double oven, and the top oven started malfunctioning a few months ago. When I turn it on, it initially heats to the correct temperature, then stops heating, and never heats again. So if I set it to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, it will reach that temperature (actually it will go to around 450), then stop heating, and the temperature just drops from there.

The strange thing is that the temperature sensor is working: if I shut the oven off and turn it back on, it will tell me the current temperature. (Yes, I am using a portable oven thermometer to confirm its reading.)

FYI: I have already read these similar questions.

The problem was that the igniter was getting old and (presumably) failed to work under high temperature. So it ignited the gas when the oven was cold, but failed to re-ignite the gas to maintain the temperature once the oven had preheated.

The repair man said that a failed igniter often causes my problem. He was unable to explain why the igniter works by heating up and yet fails to work when hot. In addition, the the igniter is made of carborundum, so its electrical resistance decreases as the temperature increases (the opposite of metal). But replacing the igniter did fix the oven.


How can I reattach a ceramic towel bar end bracket to a ceramic tile wall? the hanging frame on the wall of bath room was broken. If I want to fix myself, what are the tools/materials I should buy and what are the procedures?

As shown in the first figure, looks I need to use some materials that can attach the support to the wall. As shown in the second figure, the support on the left was good while the right one was broken, which need to be fixed. Any suggestions are highly appreciated.

It appears to me that the towel bar may have been originally attached using tile grout. It should have been installed with tile mortar, and could have been grouted after the mortar was set. Mortar creates a much stronger bond.

Considering that you probably don't have mortar on hand, I'd swing by your local tile store and ask what they have in a small squeeze tube that would work. Otherwise, construction adhesive, pure silicone, or other household adhesives rated for moist areas would do as well.

You'll then want to caulk or grout around the base to help keep water out and create a finished appearance.


What qualifying questions should you ask a paving company before hiring them? I need to hire a paving company to redo my driveway, and I want to make sure I qualify the scope of work they'll be performing.

I live in New England, so subject to freeze/thaw cycles. The driveway is single wide about 150' long, with approximately an 8-10 degree rise as it approaches the house, but flat with no natural grading for the majority of its length.

The original paving company that was used when the house was constructed did an insufficient job - thin asphalt (about 1.5") on top of soft sand, as such, it had already deteriorated by the time I purchased the house, and it was damaged heavily by fuel delivery trucks in the Spring.

What are qualifying questions to ask about the scope of work?

Asphalt paving follows a series of steps and procedures that ensure an enduring and quality job. To put yourself at ease that the contractor will produce the results you want it is best to communicate to them what your concerns are and how he proposes to deal with them. Write down your quarries beforehand.

During the screening process(and before the final contractor is chosen) it is customary to inquire in a congenial manner several pertinent questions that a respectable contractor will have no hesitation with answering. Here are the basic quires, but not all:

How long have been in the asphalt business?
What other similar type jobs have you completed locally? Would you mind if I called the people you have completed work for?
Are you licensed, bonded, and insured? What is your contractor license number?

To ask to give more detail regarding the scope and specifics of the job I would think the most critical questions pertain to:

Once broken up will the old asphalt be re-used or hauled away.
How thick will the base be? and what will it consist of?
What is your procedure if a tree root is encountered while excavating?
What is the final thickness of the new asphalt?
Will frost heave have a detrimental effect on the asphalt? And if so how can it be prevented?


Disassemble spring-assisted sash window I know how to remove the sashes from an old-style counterweighted window. But some of the windows in my house appear to have spring cylinders to assist them instead, and they travel in a plastic track rather than just the frame, stops, and parting bead. If anyone's familiar with these and knows how to dismount/remount these sashes, they really could use reglazing before winter...

View at top of sash showing cylinder housing lift assist spring. Note no obvious release points.
!

View with inner dash lifted, showing track acting as parting stop.

Best guess I've got is unscrew inner stops, remove screws holding track, remove screws holding springs, and take track/spring/sashes out together (at least on one side). Feels like there should be an easier answer. But I may be spoiled by modern tilt-outs

The sash were set in place with the guides. To remove them you will need to remove the inside window stops to expose the edge of the track. You will also need to remove the fasteners that are in the track, one of which is visible in your picture at the bottom. There may only be that one fastener, but there should be another at the top, and depending on the whim of the fabricator, there may be more. Two are only ever needed on each side, top and bottom.


Covering insulation in the garage In my garage, the owners put insulation between the studs to insulate, but didn't cover one of the walls with sheet rock.  It's just a wall of insulation that is starting to fall out.  Can I put plywood or something simple over the area to 1. keep the insulation from falling out 2. allow me to hang small items on the walls?  This is a similar question to one from Jan. 13, and you mentioned Tyvek on the walls.  Is that better?  Thanks!

If it is a shared wall between the garage and house it requires something that is fire rated and something that will not allow the passing of fumes from garage.  Easiest and usually cheapest thing to do is to drywall it.  It doesn't have to look good but your seems do have to be mudded - again doesn't have to look good.

For other exterior walls there is no code for the inside of them.  Tyvek is cheap for this and plastic rolls are even cheaper.  But they will probably tear and have issues over time.  If you want something cool and to hang tools I would just put up peg board (if you don't want to drywall.  I will be peg boarding one of my garage walls this summer.


Changing pull light switch I have a faulty pull light switch from a house built in the 1970s.  When removing the casing i find 3 pairs of wires - please see picture.
This switch controls a light and also an extractor fan.  The replacement switch i purchased only has L1, L2 and Common terminals.  Can anybody please help me with how I can replace this switch?  Did I buy the wrong replacement switch or do I need to introduce some other connections before the new switch?

Your old pull-switch appears to switch both hot/live and neutral wires to your light and extractor fan.
Unless specifically required in your location (judging by the wire colors probably UK/Europe?) it isn't really necessary to switch neutral, so your new switch can be used here.
You'll need to connect all the neutral (black) wires together using whatever method is standard in your location (screw-terminal blocks, push-in connectors, wire-nuts, etc).
Then on to the hot/live (red) wires. The pair which are together in one hole on your old switch must stay together on your new switch.
You'll be using the Common terminal and either the L1 or L2 terminal. The paired red wires together on Common and the lone red wire on L1 or L2.


Can I use a 60A circuit for both a cooktop and oven? I removed an  electric slide-in range. The box was wired with 8-3 stranded copper on a 60a circuit breaker.  I am installing a cooktop with a built-in oven. All I have is the one 8-3 wire in the wall. What are my chances of  using that wire for both the cooktop and oven? Cooktop is a 40 amp unit.  Not sure of the oven. Edit.. oven is a 30amp appliance.  Neither will be used even close to their full potential.

That 8/3's overbreakered no matter what
The 8AWG copper you have in your walls is rated for 40A at 60°C or 50A at 75°C as per Table 310.16, so you'll have to swap that 60A breaker out for a 40A (NM cable) or 50A (armored cable, SE cable, wires in conduit) no matter what else you do.
40A is adequate for most ranges though
However, due to the Table 220.55 range load demand factors, which also apply to a separate cooktop and oven on a single circuit, 40A is adequate for the vast majority of range setups, and even those that don't fit on 40A have no trouble with a 50A circuit, unless you have a very large cooktop.  In particular, a 12kW nameplate range load only is treated as 8kW of actual load for circuit sizing purposes, and every additional kW or major fraction thereof adds 5% to that 8kW.  So, knowing that a 40A circuit gives us 9.6kW and that ranges are not treated as continuous loads by the NEC, we get 10% over 12kW, or a 13.2kW maximum range load on a 40A circuit.  Going up to 50A gives us 12kW, which translates into a 14.4kW maximum range load.


How do I fish a wire into an existing electrical box? I have a 2-gang switch box that houses two light switches. I'm replacing one of the switches with a Honeywell Programmable Light Switch PLS751, which requires both an ungrounded (hot) and a grounded (neutral) conductor.

To add this switch, I'm thinking I should route new 14/3 or 12/3 wiring to the box. I could alternatively route a single extra wire to the box also to act as the grounded (neutral). My question is: how the heck do I get either of these wires into the existing box? I've replaced a 1-gang box with a 2-gang before and routed new wire to that, but I'm clearly going to need some trickery to get a new run into an existing box without ripping it out first and fishing for it myself.

At some point of agony, it's easier to repair drywall than to try and fish everything without opening any new holes. There may be a few situations where you can actually get the job done without opening walls, but there are a lot where that is the only option (depends on where the wires run and the construction of the walls.)


Triple switch plate size issue I have a plate of 3 light switches that's just taking up too much real-estate. See picture below:

As you can see, I've got a bookcase right next to it, and I could use a little more room there. The corner itself looks like a 4x4 inch post. The other wall has a pantry door just after the corner. Can't move the switches around the corner, and they're already as far to the right as they can. One possibility left: going small.

I've looked into triple rocker switches, but two of my three switches are actually three-ways that I would like to keep. Apparently three-way switches don't come smaller than the standard.

Are there any options for me for a smaller plate or setup?

You could use remote controllabe switches, such as UPB, Insteon, or Z-Wave. (Check out: What are the pros and cons of different types of smart switches (that are on the US market) ? )

You can install one keypad in place of all 3 of those switches. The keypads can generally control one local load (although Simply Automated makes one that controls two loads). Since the other two are already 3-way switches, you can use the keypad to control those remotely.

The other two 3-way switches (that are not located in this box) get converted to single load smart switches, and are what actually control the load. By linking up the keypad to control the other two remote switches, you effectively get all three.

Examples using Simply Automated products:

At the two remote 3-way switches, replace each with a US11-40-W:

Replace your 3 switches with two blank faceplates:

and a single US2-40 with one of the many faceplate options, such as the ZS23:

You can also go much fancier, and have scene buttons that preset all 3 lights to various levels (or turn them all off), and so you could do something like the ZS260:

Using Insteon products, you replace the remote 3-way switches with 2477D:

and then put in a keypad 2487S:

I personally have Insteon stuff in my house now (including both products here) but I'm not a huge fan. It's very easy to program (you just hold down buttons on the keypads) but it's also very limiting in some cases, such as not being able to have a scene that turns some lights on, but others off (you can have it turn different lights on to different levels, but 0% doesn't work).

I have not yet used SimplyAutomated's stuff (other than trying out the PC-based programming app) but it looks much much more powerful. They have better keypad hardware/options, WAY more control options (such as what happens on one press vs double-press vs triple-press vs hold), but it also looks a bit more complicated to set up, and requires a PC and PC<->UPB interface.


How to take off paper glued to concrete with elmer's school glue How can I take off paper that was glued to concrete wall using elmer's school glue?

Elmer's glue is water soluble. Just soak it with warm water and let it sit for 10 minutes. If that fails a power washer certainly do it.


Is a 15 foot tall pergola not feasible? Looking for some structural wisdom :)

I have a deck that sits 6 feet off the ground, and I want to build a pergola whose "roof" (beams/slats) are 9 feet above the deck. So, from ground (grass) to roof beams, would be 15 feet (6+9).

I don't want to build the pergola ON the deck, because I don't know if the deck can sustain that extra load.

My plan is to dig 4 new footers (one for each post) NEXT to the deck (two on each side).

Being that the deck is raised 6 feet up and the ceiling is 9 feet above that, these 6x6 posts would be 15 feet above ground level and 5 feet in the ground (6x6x20 posts).

Would the roof being so far above the ground cause any top-heavy weight/lean issues?

First big question....Are you planning the floor in the pergola at the level of the deck floor?

Next...

For posts 15 feet vertical height I do not believe that 5 feet depth in the ground is enough. You should vie for a depth of 6 or 7 feet deep.
For a structure like this you want the bottoms of the posts anchored well below the frost depth.
For the type of height that you are talking about it will be absolutely necessary to have some type of angle bracing that will help to keep the structure from racking and parallelogramming.
If you have a floor at deck height this can offer some alternatives where you can place some of the angle bracing below.
It the pergola is meant to provide some shade at the grass level from a top that is 15 plus feet off the ground it will be far less effective than if the shade top were more like 8 to 9 feet overhead.

To add bracing under the elevated pergola floor:


Jumped light switch wiring The house was built in 1950...

I have 2 switches in a dual gang-box.  The switch on the left is a single pole switch which controls 2 lights mounted outside on the front of the house.  The switch on the right is a 3-way switch which controls an outlet in the living room which has a light plugged into it (the other 3-way switch to this light works fine).

The single pole switch has the usual 2 wires connected to it.  The 3-way switch has its usual wires as well (1 black wire to common terminal and 2 travelers).  There is a small black wire connecting the switches.  It is screwed onto the same terminal on the single pole switch in which the constant hot wire is attached to, and "jumping" onto the black common screw of the 3-way switch with another black wire.

Here's my issue:

I'm trying to replace the single pole switch with a timer switch to control the outside lights.  I know that its not code to have 2 wires on a terminal and the way these switches are currently wired, both of them have this issue.  With only 1 constant hot wire coming into the box, I figured the wire was jumped to the 3-way switch to power it, but when I disconnect the other wire and leave the jumped hot wire on the 3-way, the 3-way does not work.

Hope I explained that well enough...any assistance would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you in advance]1

Thank you for your reply! What do I do with the second black wire going to the common terminal of the 3-way? Both switches had terminals with 2 wires on them.

Alter the wiring to your left switch only slightly so it resembles this diagram:

Currently, your left switch has both the "power in" and "power to next switch" screwed to a common terminal. Add the "pig tail" and twist them together with a wire nut.

Now you can replace that switch with your timer where your "pigtail" is essentially your new power in. Your timer will likely need to be pigtailed to neutral as well.


Overkill from my Structural Engineer, can you check his drawings? I have a cape I am moving the stairs and dormering the back. My engineer sent me these drawings. I think its overkill that he put HSS steel posts with w6x25(steel beam) across for the support. He has LVL's additionally in the I beam as you can see from one of the pages. I am not sure why I need an I beam with LVL's inside to support the joists. I am sure sistered LVL's can support the weight. The span is about 14 feet. please help me as I am trying to avoid using steel on this small cape.

The structural engineer sized that as a W6x25 steel beam because he wanted it flush in the 2x8 floor system as it is only 6.38" deep. If you changed it to a LVL, you would need a 3 ply 11-7/8" LVL, which would stick 4-5/8" below the floor system and you would have to build a soffit there.

The steel posts are there on either end because of large end reactions from these stacked beams. Your ridge beam in the roof stacks with your 2nd floor beam which stacks with your 1st floor existing beam/girder or whatever that is. If you really don't want to use steel posts, then you could ask him to size PSL or glulam columns as they might be an option too. If you're limited to 2x4 interior/exterios walls, then steel posts are sometimes your only option.

If you add additional interior bearing and decrease some of the beam spans, you can reduce the size of the beams. Wide open floor plans, the lack of interior bearing, and the homeowner not wanting soffits, are all things that the structural engineer is thinking about while sizing/designing these beams.


What is the life expectancy of an air conditioning unit with a booster? Over the weekend my wife and I lost our air conditioning.  I called a technician out to the house and he replaced both the fan motor and the capacitor.  He also had to install a booster to help get my compressor turned over.  I know this solution won't last forever but I was wondering how long my wife and I should have to be able to save up for a new unit.

Sounds like your compressor is dying.  You are probably on borrowed time.  Hard to say how long it will last, because it depends on how much the unit is running (depends on climate).

A total lifespan of 15 years is reasonable for a unit before major repairs are required.

Note that newer systems are usually far more efficient (SEER and EER ratings).  And so they can pay for themselves pretty quickly.  Especially with the tax credits that are available now.


if i turn off cold water valve at hot water heater will the pressure in hot water line be empty? I wanna work on hot water line, have gas water heater, if i turn off cold water at water heater will it be ok to work on hot water line/pipes? will the pressure be released? i already turned on hot water faucet and no pressure, just wanna make sure.

Short answer: Yes
It depends on where the water heater is, relative to the pipes you want to work on. With a typical water heater in the basement, there will be very little pressure. If the water heater is on one level and you want to work on pipes a floor below then you may have to drain the entire tank. In any case, open up a couple of hot faucets and let them run until dry and you're all set.
Keep in mind that if you have mixing valves then you might have a problem of cold crossing to the hot side. If so, you may need to turn off the main supply instead of just the hot water, even though you're only working on the hot pipes.


How can I have door latch hardware at different heights on each side? Has anybody ever figured out a way to have a door handle at a different height inside and outside of a door and work the same latch. I have a door coming down steps I would like to have the handle higher but still have the other side match the handle height in the rooms. I've been playing around with ideas of mortising the side of the door so I can attach the 2 handles with flat bar stock and then fitting a piece back in. Just curious what anyone thinks or if anyone has ever done something like this.

(Note that this door location isn't up to code. I'm assuming your house is rather old, but if it's not, it's indicative of other problems.)

Do you need the door to actually latch? If not, you could get 1 "ball catch" or "roller catch", and 2 dummy door knobs. Instead of actually turning the doorknob, you just push/pull the door open. The catch keeps the door closed until it's forced open.


Removing old paint from wood ( professional vs DIY) I am trying to determine the best way to remove layers of paint from wood attachments on my wall. The layers of paint hide the details and simply look really bad.

I've been using rock miracle stripper to remove the paint. But it takes a lot of effort and time.

What do professionals use to strip paint ?
Approximately how much would a contractor charge to remove paint off 1 door and how long would it take them ?

What professionals use depends on the situation. A chemical stripper, in my opinion, is not the best choice for the situation depicted in your photos. However, you do mention a door in your question, and sometimes a chemical stripper would be a convenient solution for intricate detail work provided the door could be removed and laid flat on a workbench or sawhorses. The cost for a professional to strip a door would depend on several factors. I always charge enough so that if I had to replace the door entirely I would not lose money, so it would depend on how fancy the door is.

I honestly think that you would save a tremendous amount of time, mess, and energy if you removed that wood frame from the wall and got new moldings with the detail of your choice. You could stain and varnish it before nailing it up.


How can I get warm water from my garden hose? I'm trying to rig something up so I can get cold, warmish, or downright hot water in my garden hose, depending on need. I'm looking for some kind of fitting to mix cold and hot supply lines, and for the resulting mixed water to connect back to the spigot. I have PEX lines if that matters.

I've looked at using 2 valves, one on each supply line, and a T fitting. I could vary the opening of each valve to get to the desired temperature. But somehow I don't feel like this is the right way. I think opening valves halfway damages them? Also I feel that hot water could get back into the cold line that way?

Then I found this thing called a thermostatic valve. I think I can vary from getting 100% cold to 100% hot and everything in between? Or is there a safety setting which stops me from getting 100% cold or hot?

You might want to consider installing a utility/laundry faucet, in place of the spigot.  This will allow you to connect both hot and cold supply lines, and will have a built in mixing valve to allow you to vary the temperature of the water. They also tend to have the proper threads on the spout, to allow the attachment of a garden hose.

You'll have to find a way to support the faucet, as you don't want it just hanging by the supply lines. I've seen them with all different types of attachment methods, including holes to allow them to be screwed to the wall/washtub.  You'll also want to make sure you have a shutoff valve on each supply within the conditioned space of the house. It's also a good idea to have a way to drain the lines once they're shut off, if you live in an area with harsh winters.

The only other problem, is that garden hoses are not designed to be used with warm/hot water. So you may experience problems from additional contaminants in the water, to accelerated deterioration of the hose.


For pine shelves, do I need to stain before applying polyurethane? I built some pine shelves. They're pretty, but I don't want them to darken. I'm told I can apply polyurethane to ensure they stay nice and bright.

My question is this: do I need to apply some kind of stain, even "natural," before polyurethane? Or can I sand and then apply the polyurethane directly?

If it's okay to apply polyurethane directly, can I sand 60-grit and then do poly? Or do I still need to work up to 200-something-grit?

There's no need to stain if you like the color as it it. Staining won't do anything for you and will just take more time. Chances are that your boards might already be pretty smooth, so I'd start with fine sandpaper (200 and above), not rough like 60 grain, except on edges that have been cut. If you use 60 grain on a surface which is already smooth you'll make it rougher and have to work hard just to get it back to where it was before you started!


Should I hire a mason to repair wall damage with incorrect brick? A month or so ago I had an electrician in who accidentally put a hole through the brick wall of our house that now needs to be repaired.

From what I can gather, because I live in an older house the size of brick I need (11 1/4) along with the style is hard to track down. The job is also small so the first few masons I contacted weren't interested in making the repair.

Finally today I managed to find someone who offered to do the repair, but who also said:

  The new bricks are a couple inches shorter but will look better than this mess

So in my position, would it be the right course of action to just go ahead with the repair, or is it likely that I'll be able to make the repair with some semblance of invisibility?

Well as a Waterproofer and Restoration worker I would call a local waterproofing company and ask if they have any guys that can do this type of work.  Personally if the brick is in a noticeable location I would pull a brick off a inconspicuous area and use it for the patchwork and replace it with substandard brick.


Toilet not flushing completely Our toilet American Standard installed in 1988 is not flushing completely.If we were to change the entire guts of the tank would it run like new or should it be replaced since its  17 years old.

Toilets don't really go "bad" unless they're cracked or rusted. Changing the internals might be a solution but I'd give one thing a try. I ran into this problem a few years ago and the solution was fairly simple. Get some good cleaning solution and maybe some of that CLR stuff - the chemicals that clean calcium deposits, rust, and lime scale. Apply it generously to the underside of the bowl rim (where the water flushes into the bowl). Let it sit and then scrub it really well. Use a small screwdriver (or even better - some chopsticks) to make sure all the holes are clear and fully open too.

What might have happened is that the lime scale has built up and is partially obstructing the flow of water into the bowl. This can cause a "crappy" flush (punn intended).

Beyond this, there's a number of other things that could be issues - clogged/restricted waste or vent pipes (does your sink gurgle when you flush?) or as previously mentioned - the toilet internals.

Good luck.


What to do with this exterior insulation? We have these sheets of pink insulation with a light coat of concrete-paint-like stuff (?) wrapped all the way around the base of the house, and as can be seen, it is degrading in both appearance and effectiveness...

My question is a call for tips/suggestions, as I'm just not sure how to proceed... what would you do in this situation... Do I just begin replacing it sheet by sheet or examine different approaches altogether?

Does that insulation go into the ground? In otherwords, is that exterior insulation for the basement foundation? If so, then it's pretty much useless at this point. It wasn't sealed properly and is likely waterlogged and providing minimal insulating value. In which case, you can just get rid of it.

If, on the other hand, it's insulation on our exterior walls of the house, I'd suggest trimming off a bit of the bottom (you don't want that stuff in direct contact with surface concrete or soil). I'd then probably consider some sort of cedar skirting to match the siding and glue it onto the insulation (again, making sure the skirting is not in contact with the ground).


Is it possible to "push" a leaning concrete wall upright? We have a driveway with a poured concrete retaining wall that is backfilled up to about 5 feet high. The apex of the wall sisters up to the house foundation. There is a gutter that spans right over this backfilled area but is probably malfunctioning. The cumulative effect is that the wall has started separate from the foundation and bows and buckles, it's displaced about 1 or 2 inches.

If I dig out the soil behind the wall, will it be possible to push the wall back into place with a proper method?

My thought was to built a sort of brace by setting up two-bys on the opposing wall, then placing a piece of lumber between them cut to the ideal length, and slowly, progressively, if needed, hammering it down to apply continuous pressure, adding more as needed, until the wall arights itself. Unlike foundations, it's not supporting any weight above, and without the soil behind it, it seems like it could be "pushed into place.

The plan then would be to chisel out the crack, fill with S type mortar, and revise the gutter with a flexible pipe to drain all the way out to the sidewalk.

Absolutely, but hammering won't work very well with that much mass. You can simply flex a stout board, like a 2x10, downward, then release it. The straightening action will push the wall. Leapfrog a couple of them so that one is always holding position.

A couple caveats:

Concrete is insanely heavy. Expect it to fall the wrong way and be safe.
Have a solid plan for securing it in place once you move it.
Never work alone.


Use a 3-gang box for 2 switches and feed to outlet - to have more space to play - ok I have a box with one switch to a fan, one switch to a light, and one cable (ahead of the switches) to an outlet. In bathroom with GFCI breaker.

Is it ok to use a 3 gang box, so I have more room for shoving wires in (12 AWG) but to put a 2-gang plate on?

Yes, you can do that. So you'll replace the two gang with a three gang box and just have two switches in the box. The new three gang box must be installed correctly, flush with the outer wall surface, with the hole big enough for all three gangs.

Remember to shut off all the power when doing any of this work. Take pictures and mark the wires before you disconnect any of them which you'll have to do for the box change out.

You'll probably need a cover similar to the one below when you're finished. Good luck.


Last Follow-up to Two Previous MC 12/4 posts on 12/18/20 and 12/19/20 — Please Check My Plan? Hoping this is my last question on this topic - ref. Following-up from New Circuit Help Please - Feeding 2-gang receptacle boxes with MC 12/4
You kind souls saved me from myself. I’ll implement the “MWBC recovery plan” you recommended to overcome my screw-up — for having purchased 12/4 with a blue wire instead of a gray wire ... I thought I was going to be able to tape the blue wire with white or gray tape but learned via the aforementioned thread that you can’t tape over wire smaller than 4 GA (ref. NEC 200.6(A). Many thanks to ECnerwal, ThreePhaseEel, and Harper - Reinstate Monica for having my back! Thank you!
So, here’s the updated plan, annotated as a recovery plan so folks who find this some time in the future realize this was not the ideal solution. Don’t do it this way! Don’t be like me. Read the other threads first! This could have worked if I had bought the MC 12-4 with a gray wire. But I didn’t.
You’ll note that I clarified I’m coming from a sub-panel, and I’ll feed from a section of 12/3 romex (from behind the wall in an unfinished storage room).

Hopefully this third time is a charm.  Sharing the neutral on this MWBC works because the 2-pole breaker feeds two hots 180 degrees out of phase with eachother, so even when pulling 20A from each of the hot legs (red and black), the shared neutral is pulling 20A while pushing 20A, so the net is 0A on the neutral. The max current on the neutral happens when only one circuit is pulling 20A.  Looking for confirmation this is all good before I sign off and finish this installation so I can start making sawdust instead of smaller and smaller pieces of wire.
Adding this pic given @bigchief response below:

Assuming this means I can use one back- input for line and the second back- for continuing to the load, without using a wire nut.
Thank you all very much!
Sincerely,
Rich
 Happy Holidays

Looks good to me. The most important advice I think I can mention is to make sure the two pole breaker you buy for this circuit is listed for use in your panel. Many breakers fit or seem to fit), but the bus connector is slightly different and doesn't connect well resulting in connection problems and damage to the panel. If you are not sure, send a picture of the panel and we can tell you what breaker to get.
If you haven't purchased the outlets yet, you might see if a GFCi breaker and 4 regular outlets is cheaper than the 4 GFCI outlets. You also need to consider where you would prefer the GFCI reset switch to be, at the panel or each outlet.
You must pigtail neutrals on multi-wire circuits but you don't have to pigtail the hots at each box, make sure you don't use the load connectors anywhere in this plan, but if the line screw terminals are screw-and-clamp rated for two conductors you can attach both red and both black wires directly to the GFCIs if you desire to avoid extra pigtails.


How do I deciding whether to install an attic venting system? I live in Colorado, and the weather is starting to warm up. In a couple months, the temperatures will rise pretty high. Thankfully, I have a well insulated house (there is over 20 inches of fiberglass insulation covering the entire floor of my attic) that keeps me nice and warm during the winter for relatively low cost. Conversely, that excellent insulation makes maintaining a livable temperature very, very costly during the summer months, despite Colorado's rather moderate summer weather (in the grand scheme of things.) I would keep my windows open, however I am just close enough to busy roads that keeping windows open is an impractical solution during the night (which is really when I need things to be cool.)

I have noticed a variety of venting systems that can be installed in homes, involving foundation vents, intake vents, and attic venting systems. From all the information I've been able to find, it sounds like such a system can greatly reduce the energy costs required to keep a home cool during summer months. I have some concerns however, since I live in a well-seasoned state where winter temperatures can get down to around -15°F.

Given the seasonal temperature dichotomy, would it be wise to install an attic venting system? If so, what is really necessary for the whole system to function? I am not sure if intake vents are necessary, and if they are, how they might affect the insulation of my house during sub-zero winter weather.

I think an attic ventilation system will definitely help with your problems. Fortunately, you can also sort of step up with ventilation as you go, adding powered fans if the vents you put in at first dont work as well as you'd expect.

In the winter, having a properly vented attic will help prevent ice dams in gutters, and can help with heat problems in the summer too.  In your attic (above the insulation) should ideally be close to the same temperature as the outside.  It should be cold in the winter, and hot in the summer.

For the ventilation, you should have some soffit vents on the bottom and a vent on the side (near the top) or on the top (like a ridge-line vent).  That will allow the air to move freely.

If the air doesn't move as well as you'd like, you can wire in an attic fan to help push the air along.


Bathroom fan/light switch with outlet I have a switch in my bathroom that controls both the fan and the light, and also has an outlet. Can I get anything that has two switches (one for the light and fan) and also not lose the outlet without having to drill and make space for an additional box?

As Reece notes, you may have to pull another wire but in fact they do make these.

Combination Double Switch/GFCI Outlet: (Amazon)


What type of blinds are these? We are living in a rentl property and there are some blinds in the windows that I would like to replace for the time we are here. They are roman blinds that have a bar along the top and are just clipped into a metal clip attached to the top of the window frame. I can easily unclip them and in theory should be able to buy some new blinds to clip back into their place. But I don't know how to find this type of blind, what to enter into a Google search. Can anyone help?

Regardless, it's unlikely you'll be able to clip the new blinds into the clips for the roman shades you want to remove. Luckily, the clips are probably easily removed with a screwdriver, and you can just attach the new blinds with their own clips the same way. When you move out, take the new blinds off, patch the screw holes with spackle, and put the original roman shades back on.


Hot and Cold water seem to be mixing Having a problem with hot and cold water seemingly mixing in my house where some locations can't get cold water and others get a mix of warm/cold from hot settings.
The scenario
Moved into a new house. Has a brand new water heater and probably not new water circulation system. It appears the water heater (and probably the circulation system?) were re-plumbed for code reasons relocated from the corner of the garage next to the house along that same wall to a more central location along the wall.
Here is what I have observed
If the water circulation system is off then there is no hot water what so ever in the house.
If the water circulation unit is on then a whole range of bizarre things happen.
The kitchen sink closest to the water heater will have cold water mixed with hot (which equals pretty damn hot) coming from the cold and scolding hot coming from the hot water.
Showers (other side of the house) have alternating warm / cold water. Occasionally they can get fairly hot but only for brief (20-30 seconds) at a time. A luke warm shower (alternating with cold) with the boiler set to maximum is the best possible scenario at the moment with the current configuration.
A deep sink faucet in the garage that is directly tapping the hot/cold lines next to the water heater gets hot and cold water as expected.
Some sinks in the middle of the house get a perfect mix of hot/warm water from the hot and cold from the cold.
External water faucets/hoses on the far side and close side of the house (from the water circulation unit/water heater) pump out water that is very warm or sometimes hot.
What are some of the possible problems it could be?

From your comment "re-plumbed for code reasons" and the odd behavior you're experiencing, I suspect the hot water circulation system might have been patched/crossed into the cold water system and/or the pump is faulty.

For a hot water circulation to work, the hot water pipes must be in a closed system (other than the obvious exit points like a faucet, dish or clothes water connection). The pump will draw hot water from the tank and circulated it back into the tank, for as long as the pump is running. You'll always have hot water on demand.

The pump is usually a passive device, meaning if the pump is off, water can freely move in and out of the pump without obstruction. But if you're not getting hot water when the pump is off, the pump maybe faulty.

And you want to check to see if any hot water pipes got crossed/connected into cold water pipes. I suspect they are.


Should fan on heat pump be delayed turning off when system stops? I have a heat pump system with emergency heat.  I have a Honeywell RTH7600D thermostat.  When the heat is running and I turn the temperature down, the system immediately stops.  Isn't this inefficient in that it is wasting heat transfer that could otherwise be reaped?  Shouldn't the fan keep running for a few seconds to capture that heat and shouldn't the coolant keep running for a few seconds as well too?

If this is the case, do I need to correct the setup programming of my thermostat?  I think I have it correct for heat-pump with emergency heat, but this behavior seems wrong to me.

The reason furnaces (as opposed to heat pumps) keep running is to cool them back off since the burner is pretty hot. It may be a safety issue (too much undistributed heat could make the furnace hot to the touch and possibly result in a fire), but I suspect it's also done to extend the life of the furnace from large temperature swings with the side benefit of a bit of extra heat distributed through the home rather than up the flue.

From a heat pump, I suspect the temperature inside the blower is below the setting used by a high temperature switch in a furnace (which is what keeps the blower running). Also, circulating the coolant in the lines is what causes the heat to be generated, so if you were to do this, at what point would you stop?

And finally, the heat that is in the vents will naturally rise, so turning off the blower will not result in that heat being lost. If your vents are in the ceiling, the rising hot air will go back into the vent over time even if you blew it out. And if your vents are in the floor, the heat will rise as colder air displaces it, without having to run the blower.

So can you get a little more heat out of the system? Perhaps. But I believe it will be very little. And since drafts in the home make you feel cooler in the winter, the result of saving that extra heat may result in you feeling the need to turn the thermostat up a bit more.


curious affect of led lamps I have a chandelier with 12 led lamps lit by 1 way switch altogether.1 week ago I rewired it to split it into 2 circuits and also to be switched on and off from 2 sides {2 way circuit}.finally put the same led lamps. I noticed that when switch them off they remain little bit on very dim permanently.what causes this effect and how can I remove it?this effect was not shown before re wired it 2 way circuit,with the same lamps.

`

I sometimes have the same effect in some of the LEDs in my own home.
I assume you are using a dimmer? What brand and model?

I am using Lightolier electronic dimmers, with LED level indicators on the side. The tiny load the dimmer causes will create current flow through the LED lamps in the fixture. A backlit device can do the same thing.


Fill voids in a butcher block I was commissioned to create a butcher block table and cutting board from poplar, walnut, cherry and ash.  Despite best efforts, both pieces have some voids which the Titebond III didn't fill. I am thinking of filling the smaller cracks with hide glue and the larger voids with a mix of hide glue and wood dust.  Ideas or suggestions?
Thanks.
I used 1.5" roughsawn for the ash, cherry and walnut, and planed random pieces, glued up strips... all to recreate an end grain butcher block table which I didn't really expect to be used as a butcher block.  I don't know that the glue-up at this point would be deemed unsafe for food contact, but the voids certainly have to be filled.  Had I known it would be used as a cutting block, I would probably have insisted on hard maple.

If you can, I would recommend cutting down the joint with a thin bandsaw blade & then machining both pieces with a jointer to get the super tight fit that you really should have between your boards.  The reason I suggest this is that cutting boards can give up particles when sliced/chopped on that would end up on the food that is processed on the cutting board (especially meat)--which I doubt you or anyone else would want to eat, due to the toxicity of adhesives.

If, on the other hand, you can find a non-toxic bonding adhesive then the above suggestion could be avoided.

hth
best regards!


How to remove this door knob? It's stuck now. So I am trying to remove it to clean or replace.

Searched videos on youtube and didn't get any insight yet.

Any tips about how to remove this knob is appreciated!

On the inside door knob there is usually a small pin sometimes rectangular you need to press in that allows the inside knob to come off. Once the knob is off this will provide access to the screws. I would check the bolt/ latch these get bent and stick, I have just replaced the bolt/ latch on several doors for much less than an entire assembly.


What type of outlet could this be in picture? Does anyone know what type of outlet this is? I'm thinking it has to do with an old antenna but not sure. Found on a family member's house and they weren't sure.

That is an optical coupler from a utility meter to allow a meter reader to electronically read the meter with a handheld data collection device.  They are usually on the meter itself, but in this case the meter must be inconvenient to access so a remote coupler was used.


AFCI & GFCI nuisance tripping I just finished a new panel installation and the utility company just energized it. I completed the wiring for one circuit with a 20A AFCI breaker, when I plugged in an incandescent light the breaker tripped. I tried several other devices and the breaker kept tripping. The circuit has 2 receptacles, first is 4' from the panel and the second is 8' from the first one. I then wired a second 12' long circuit using a 20A GFCI with 1 receptacle on it with the same results. The utility voltage may be high. Could that be the cause?

Get a wiring tester and verify the GFCI outlet is wired correctly.
Swap out he 20A AFCI breaker for a standard 15A or 20A breaker and then see if the GFCI outlet works after that.
Use a multimeter at the GFCI outlet to see if the voltage is in the expected range.
Post photos of wiring at all locations so we can better help you.