Best Way to Heat a Ductless Multi-Level Home I just bought a home and it desperately needs an update to its heating. It currently has baseboard electric resistance heaters in every room. There is no duct-work in the house. We're in cold humid climate with expensive electricity (Ottawa, ON, Canada). The house is 2 levels + basement:

Central heating isn't out of the question, but I'm under the impression that retro-fitting duct-work would be prohibitively expensive/big job, and I like the idea of zoned heating to minimize wasted energy (and$$) as much of the house will be un[der]used. Eg, the office only needs heat during the weekdays.

These are the options I'm aware of:

Install duct-work and central gas furnace,
Install cool-climate multi-head ductless heat-pump to heat and cool the most used rooms (up to 4 heads I think?),
Install gas fireplace heating (possible locations shown on floor plan),

The question is: a) what other options exist, and b) what combination of these (or other suggested) options can be installed to provide the best heating solution.  "Best" will be defined as the solution that minimizes costs over 10 year period while maintaining a comfortable 20degC on the main floor and master bedroom.

As a starting point: my thoughts were to install a gas fireplace in the lounge and create a vent in the adjacent wall to blow cold air at the fireplace from the kitchen-dining room. That should add some needed circulation. Then install a heat-pump to handle the guest/master bedrooms and office. The rest would keep the baseboard heaters.

I'd look at heated floors. The idea is you lay a special wire mesh on the floor, then a compatible surface is installed over it. The wires maintain temp at the set point and natural convection works in your favor to circulate the air.


Why doesn't my shower work when it's below below 0? We had an addition put on in 2012. There are two bathrooms - one upper and one lower. Last winter the hot water in the upstairs bathroom quit working when it dipped below zero. This year, it worked all winter until a week ago when the weather dipped to -10 degrees. Then I had no water at all. We had one warmer day (20) during the week and it worked fine. Then it got to 17 below and it stopped again. My contractor checked and the insulation in the attic area was fine with no gaps.

Since it's unlikely that the plumbing is in the attic, checking the insulation there is rather like checking the tire pressure when the oil light goes on in your car - unrelated, but you don't have to open the hood. Appears from afar to be a hack response by a contractor who doesn't care to get into the expense of actually correcting a problem that was almost certainly caused by poor construction practices (possibly exacerbated by poor design), especially for a 2012 build.

The problem will be where the pipes serving the area that stops working are. It will probably be something simple that was done wrong, such as running them on the outside of an insulated cavity (though arguably, in the experience of people from cold regions, running any plumbing in the outside walls is poor design, no matter where in the wall it is.) Fixing it properly will involve tearing walls open and putting them back together again, unless you are OK with plumbing that does not work when it's cold.


Is there any easy way to open/close bay window blinds at the same time? We have a bay window with normal wooden venetian blinds. The bay window has 5 individual blinds like this (http://www.mainfineintl.com/documents/FauxWood1.jpg) which use a twisting rod to open and close them.

Is there any simple way to link the rods together so only one has to be turned to rotate all of them? I'd like to be able to control all with one synchronously - we normally have them all open or closed at the same time so independent controls isn't needed.

Thanks.

We have the exact same situation (bay window with 5 panes and 5 independent blinds) and I have toyed with the idea of mechanically ganging them all together.

The point where the twisting rod enters turns a cam which is coupled to a pulley system to tilt the slats.   I posit that an appropriate line wrapped around each "twister" could do all of them at once.

I have not attempted it though—not even had a look inside.  The set of blinds cost over $800 and my wife is quite reluctant for me to perform experiments which could affect the appearance or function.  And she doesn't mind one bit if it takes me 30+ extra seconds per day twisting each individually.


Can I drill a 5/8" (16mm) hole in concrete with a cordless hammer drill? I need to drill a 16mm (5/8") hole in a concrete wall. All I have is a 20V DeWALT DCD795 drill (which has a drill driver and hammer feature) and the appropriate drill bit.

Someone suggested to me this won't be sufficient and I risk breaking my drill if I try. Renting gear isn't an option where I am (Thailand), and I'd rather not buy more gear.

Any comments, thoughts or suggestions are welcome!

I am not sure why they would tell you that it may ruin your drill. It might not be the most powerful hammer drill but it should be up for the job if you take the time to do it in stages.

If you cannot rent and you do not want to buy a more robust hammer drill you’re only left with one option.

I would start with a 3/16 inch masonry bit and see how that goes. Then move up to 1/4 inch or 3/8 then to 1/2 inch and finally 5/8.

It will be easier for the drill to start with a small drill bit, once you have that hole cleared then successfully moving up in size will be less stress on the drill. If it struggles with any of those stages then you may have to do smaller incremental stages.


I drilled holes in my brick too big for my anchors. How can I fix this? I am mounting some bike racks to a brick wall (basically, a special hook that you hang your bike on).  The holes in the metal bike racks are big enough for #8 screws.  I purchased some lead plugs which were supposed to accommodate #8 screws, drilled holes for the anchors in the brick and installed the bike racks.  It turns out that the anchors were actually mis-labeled at the store, and are for screw sizes #10 - #14, so the anchors don't expand enough in the brick, and the bike racks don't stay on the wall.

My problem is how I can use the existing holes to re-mount the bike racks.

If I take out the existing anchors and buy smaller ones to fit the #8 screws, is there some way I can fill the hole so the anchor holds?
Is there another kind of anchor that will expand to fill the oversize hole?
Is it just easier to buy larger screws and drill a larger hole in the bike racks?
Other options?

Thanks.

Use larger anchors/screws. IMO this is the best option.
There are dozens of different types of anchors, so it is possible to find one that will be larger but fit the smaller screw. Myself, I'd drill the rack and use the proper screw for the anchors you have.

Another possibility, since brick is pretty deep, is to use a longer Tap-Con style screw, like 3" say. You can drill past the old anchor point, but still have plenty of meat for the longer screw to bite.

Sure, you can plug the holes with wood but I would not trust a bike rack or similar item hung off such a makeshitft anchor.


How can I locate the pump in a wet open-vented central heating system? Lost: One Central Heating Pump. Reward offered (in reputation points ;)

I have a wet open-vented central heating system, and I've turned it on after six months to find the radiators aren't getting hot. We suspect the pump is clogged with sediment. The problem is, we can't find the pump. I've had a plumber round and we've searched around, even pulling up some floorboards near the hearth, but we can't find it.

Where should I look? Any tips for locating the pump?

The central heating boiler is upstairs, the control panel is downstairs, there are three radiators downstairs, and four upstairs.

There must be a cable going to the pump from the controller, so you may be able to find it using a cable tracer.


Tile Around bathtub. Over drywall vs. vapor shield & backerboard I am remodeling my bathroom, and the last step is the tub. The Place for the tub was about 3 inches longer than the tub, so we built the wall out by putting drywall over the studs.

I keep reading about cement backer board and a vapor shield. What are my options as i already have drywall behind the tub (stopping at the tub) but behind it.  Can I put roofing tarpaper over the drywall and then secure cement backing, or what?

I'm not sure what to do, this bathroom seems to be build a bit oddly.

See pictures below:

Will it be used as a shower as well? If so, sheetrock is the wrong material for the surround. It's going to act as a sponge if water ever finds its way to it.

What you could do is put backer board on top of the sheetrock, then coat the backer board with a waterproof membrane (I like the Redgard product for that) then tile. Be sure that the backer overlaps the lip of the tub to the inside.

Personally, I'd pull out the sheetrock completely, then shim out the studs and apply the backerboard to that.


How should I cut non standard angles, shapes and miters? I want to make a doll house for my daughter.

I want to copy a "lighthouse" dollhouse I saw in a glass case.

It is half a decagon (5 sides) in shape.  Open at the back for play.  It is about 3 feet tall.

It is slightly smaller at the top (10" wide) then at the base (11" wide).

I am a junior woodworker.  I have a table saw.

Questions:

1. How can I measure and layout a half decagon on plywood?
2. How can I determine what angle to cut the vertical sides so they are nice mitered corners?
3. As the sides rise from bottom to top they will have to be cut so that they somehow fold in towards the top since the top is smaller than the base.  How can I determine that angle?

What you are looking to do is create a "compound miter" cut down the sides of each board.  When someone mentions compound miters, they are typically trying to install crown moulding.  The moulding sits at an angle between the wall and the ceiling and also meets itself at an angle on in corners.  You want the same thing, but with vastly different angles.

If you search, you can find several "compound miter calculators" online, such as this one:

http://www.pdxtex.com/canoe/compound.htm

You need to put in two known angles, and it will tell you a miter and bevel to set the saw at to give the desired result.

The two angles you need is the angle the pieces will meet at, and the angle the pieces naturally sit.  For moulding, the angle it sits against the wall is called the "spring angle", and is typically around 30-45 degrees.

Your pieces have a much shallower slope.  They will rise 36" and have a run of 1" (or 1/2" depending on how I interpret your description, lets assume 1").  The page I linked to also has a handy slope calculator that tells us the pieces will set at 88.4 degrees.

Your pieces will meet at a 144 degree angle, but the calculator I found is nice enough to allow you to enter 10 sides and it figures that out for you.  This comes from 360 degrees (circle) divided by 10 sides = 36 angles per side.  The sides "meet" at the complementary angle which is 180 - 36 = 144.

So, taking all of that and hitting calculate, we see that you need to set your blade at a 17.99 degree angle, and set a jig to "miter" the board at a 0.52 degrees.  Of course on the jig it's going to be easier to just measure the 1" difference from top to bottom than to measure half of a degree.


Replacement for Jacuzzi tub faucet with both handles on one side Our Jacuzzi tub faucet has both hot & cold controls on the same side. I am looking to replace it, but cannot seem to find anything like it on the net. Everything I see has the controls on either sides of the faucet & the plumber says that would not work. Does this type of faucet assembly have a special name? Where should I look?

Pipes underneath the spout & hot/cold knobs:

Interesting... the original plumber piped that up him/herself (looks like good work BTW). Generally speaking, faucets for your application are typically plumbed in with flexible connections. The components are separate (hot valve, cold valve, spout) just like yours was prior to being hard plumbed. The faucet does not care either way!

Any regular Roman Tub faucet set should work for you. I would recommend flexible stainless connectors if your city inspector allows it (due to vibration from tub pump/blower). Sometimes flex is disallowed due to limited access, but this is an interpretation by the inspector and your's looks accessible to me.

This will involve "unplumbing" your faucet (I just made that word up and I officially claim it).


Floating tiled shower wall and a Schluter type edge To make our walls perfectly flush, our shower wall needs to be floated but the tile we want to use doesn't have a bullnosed version.
As such, we were looking at Schluter type edges. If my tile is 1/4" and my set also 1/4", can I just pick up a 1/2" Schluter type edge and have it envelope the tile and the set so it is flush against the wall?

Your mortar probably won't be 1/4" once you press in the tile. If you're careful it'll be not much thicker than the flange on the edge molding, so you generally purchase an edge with a depth matching your tile's thickness.


Filling holes in floor where heating ducts used to be? I just bought a house which has been converted from forced air to hot water baseboard heating.  Someone removed all of the ducts, but left the register covers in all of the floors on the first floor.  I want to remove these, but they all leave gaping holes into the basement.

My personal thought is to somehow fill the holes with wood and then put flooring on top of the patches.  I'm handy, but I don't have the technical training to know what kind of wood to use, what size pieces to buy, screws/nails, etc.  I'm confident I can do the work if I know what materials to get.

Has anybody done this sort of work before?

Filling the holes is the easy part. You put a scrap of 2x4 under the floor across the hole on each side and run screws through the existing subfloor to fix the scrap in place. Then just fit a piece of sub floor in the opening and screw it onto the 2x4's.

The hard part is replacing the flooring itself. If it's hardwood, you have to try to match the grain and probably remove a few pieces so there isn't an odd rectangle in the grain. If it's carpet, you need to get a scrap of carpet (hopefully one was left from the last install), align the grain of the patch with the existing carpet, and fix the scrap of carpet in place with glue strips that are heated with a special iron to melt the glue. A professional carpet installer can make this spot disappear in a way most DIYers can't.

Since you have a temporary solution in place with the vents that are there, I'd suggest holding off on removing them until you decide to replace the flooring if that's at all convenient.


Paint-stripping purgatory - stuck in the middle - what should we do? My wife was prepping our kitchen to be painted this weekend in our 1920's era condominium. Presumably lead paint is present but we do wear masks when working.

There's an old door and door frame, and an old wooden window frame in one corner of the kitchen. Both of them had paint that was thick, bubbling and cracking in places and looked like it had many layers of paint. We were concerned that it wasn't a good enough surface for painting. My wife decided to apply chemical stripper to strip the surfaces before we move ahead with painting.

It appears at this point to have been a huge mistake. So far we've done one round on the door and two rounds on the window frame. The first layer of paint is coming up (sort of) but there appear to be at least 3-5 more layers of paint underneath that and they're all super stubborn and seem resistant to the chemical stripper. Each round has been followed by hours and hours of elbow grease with little benefit. At this point it seems as though the chemical stripping approach will never work and the surface seems further away then ever from being ready for new paint.

I'd love to just paint over this but now the surface is completely wrecked and I have no idea how we'll ever get a surface smooth enough for painting. What should we do next? Should we keep going with rounds and rounds of chemical stripping which might never work? Is there some way to cut our losses and make this surface paintable? We are also considering giving up and calling in the pros but would really prefer not to as I don't want to let a stranger into our home during the pandemic and we've taken a few pandemic-related financial blows lately as well. I'm not even sure a pro would consider this job in its current state anyway.

Edit / Update:

Ok I'm back! I'm happy to report that this was fairly well resolved. Here are the final, painted photos: https://imgur.com/SlkIEvQ https://imgur.com/H16z2OT What we ended up doing was:
1.one more round of chemical based stripping with a ton of elbow grease, wiping down the surface with water to clean it up
2. using a primer specifically for containing lead based paint (Eco Bond)
3. filling with "MH Ready Patch" (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BQURN8/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_G5ASEbZG89JFM ) in order to smooth out some of the imperfections, followed by hand sanding. We had to do two rounds of this.
4. primed again with Eco Bond
5. primed with a normal paint primer
6. painted with our chosen paint for the door and window.

It looks pretty good, if you look closely you can still see some of the scars but it looks better than before where there were so many layers of thick paint that were cracking and the features of the door were starting to get soft. It looks much sharper than when we started now. Thanks to this community for so many helpful thoughts!

Given the high likelihood of lead based paint, I would not under your current circumstances attack this with a grinder or a sander. You'll create lead-contaminated dust which will haunt you for a long time. Doubly so if any children come into contact with your house. EPA pamphlet here: EPA RRP

So, it would seem that you can either remove and replace the painted wood with new, or continue stripping safely.

New casing and baseboard is pretty easy. Windowsills less so. Door jambs way less so, though that would also get rid of the pesky issue of stripping the door.

Stripping-wise, you might need to let the stripper work longer, or change to a more noxious product. (I'd still go for the noxious stripper over the lead dust any day of the week.)

(edit: forgot to mention heat guns... If you can find a heat gun with a regulated output and know for a fact that it isn't over 1100 degrees F, a heat gun might help.)

Good luck! And by the way, there's no shame in starting a project and discovering surprising obstacles.


Should snakes be used on toilets? An answerer on this question stated "remember to never use snakes on toilets."  The internet, however, contains numerous tutorials on how to snake a toilet.

Can and should toilets be snaked?

There are snakes designed for clearing clogs in a toilet. They typically have a 3-foot tube with a rubber piece on the end, and the spring part goes through the tube and the rubber piece. The rubber protects the toilet from being chipped or scratched by the snake.

The type of snake talked about in your linked question are designed for use in cleanouts where the is no p-trap. Using one of these snakes in a toilet or a p-trap could scratch, crack, chip or break the toilet or p-trap. I have seen a plumber pulling on a fat snake that was down a toilet actually shatter the bottom of the toilet.


Possible to screw machine screw in wall? Background

I would like to build picture frames, where there on the back is a hole with 18mm in diameter and 7mm in depth. In the hole will I glue a 2mm metal plate.

On the wall would I like to screw in a magnet, like the one below, which is 16mm in diameter and 5mm in depth.

The picture frame will rest on the top of the magnet, and the magnetism will prevent the frame from tipping.

Question

Is it possible to screw an M4 machine screw like the one below into a brick wall?

If so, what is required?

Two ideas come to mind.
First You could check your local hardware store for a concrete type anchor that has an internal threaded, You may get lucky and find it has the thread size you need.

Secondly you could drill a hole ~ twice the diameter (or so) of the thread with a masonry drill bit into the brick. Fill the hole with epoxy and place the magnet thread in the hole. A piece of "Duct" tape could hold the magnet in place until the epoxy cures. If you ever need to remove the magnet, it should be able to unscrew from the epoxy "nut".


Selecting water pipe for bypass A 30 year old building has a history of slab leaks and has been repiped.  The final line in the slab has begun leaking.
Repiping involved piping in the attic: I want to minimize the probability of a leak for obvious reasons.
What is the thought process to decide whether to use PEX, PVC or CPVC?
I talked to a plumber's wife, who indicated he prefers PVC over PEX for repiping.

First off, I'd be discussing this with the plumber, not his wife.
Since the final line being replaced is the cold supply, any one of the three could be used. Since it's being installed in the attic and probably running down walls, I think the PEX is your best bet. You can run it from point to point without any joints. We've all seen PVC leak from time to time and running it in an attic could expose it to cracking if anyone's up there moving around; they'd be less likely to damage the PEX. This might be considered to be an opinion based question so it could get bounced.


How do I seal a gap between concrete step and wood at outside of house? I would like have recommendation on what kind of material I should use to seal a gap between concrete stair and wood siding (in front of front door of my house). My primary concern is that using a wrong material that will rotten the wood. It seems that they previously used cement as far as I can tell. You can see some pieces the previous material on the picture.

Thank you.

The best solution here may be to clean up that area of all debris, let it be fully dry and then apply a bead of qood quality exterior grade caulking material. Since some of the siding looks like it will need re-priming and painting make sure that you use a paintable type of caulk.

Note that there are various types of caulk. I suggest that you use one of the types that will stay flexible and pliable so that environmental condition with thermal expansion and contraction do not cause the area to open up again. Some of the older types of caulking or sealers that came in a can can dry out and get hard in a year or so and are thus not recommended.


Should I use wood or metal for an 8" gate post? I am replacing the wooden gate post of my farm's entrance. I have a solar-powered electric opener and am using a 16 foot tubular gate. I want two 8" posts, 12' tall, either metal or wood. Which would be the best route to take?

Depending on where you live may change the answer slightly.  For instance, I live in the Seattle area, and an 8" cedar post is used frequently.  It's usually quite wet up here, so metal posts often rust, especially if they're not cared for.  The other plus for a wood post is that it looks better (in my opinion).  Downside of a wood post is potential warping.  I've seen some 6x6 pressure treated posts returned at Home Depot that were literally twisted almost 60 degrees.

If you live somewhere a little dryer I would think a galvanized steel post would work well and last longer.


switched socket and unswitched light fixture to switched light fixture and unswitched outlet In several rooms I have a wall switch near the door that switches an outlet, and a light/fan fixture operated by a pull chain. I would like to be able to switch the light fixture from the door switch, and have the outlet be always on.
What I want to do is the following:
Wire from the fixture to the existing switch (external to the wall, under a wire tunnel to minimize the work).
At the switch, directly connect the wires from the socket to each other so the circuit is always closed.
Is this safe? Is there any reason not to do it this way?

First you will need to find out if the switched outlet circuit is powered at the switch or at the outlet. Then you will know whether to run your surface conduit from the light to the switch or from the light to the outlet.

You should also find where the light power cable originates. In an older home the light may be powered from the same place as the switched outlet. In that case you may not need the surface conduit.

Be aware that most electricians nowadays think it is a good idea to put the outlets in a house on 20A branches and the lights on 15A branches. If your house is wired this way, moving so many lights onto the outlet branches will obliterate the original electrician's load calculations.


How do mouse traps DETER mice? My roommate is convinced that getting rid of crumbs on the counter will make the mice go away, and they won't be a problem anymore.

We did a thorough cleaning of the house and make sure every time we leave no crumbs. But obviously we can't get EVERY crumb, so I have been telling my roommate that cleaning up after ourselves is not an effective deterrent.

Even after cleaning I found mouse droppings on the countertops a week later.

I want to possibly use traps, but I'm confused how traps would make the mice GO AWAY.

Clearly there is more than one mouse, so even if we trapped mice with food as bait, wouldn't we get MORE mice coming for the bait and getting stuck in the traps?

I want the mice GONE so they know not to come into the house.

Would anyone agree that getting rid of crumbs on the counters is not enough of a deterrent?

Mouse traps do not deter mice. On the contrary, traps use bait to attract mice as part of catching and/or killing them.

You should figure out where the mice are getting into your home and correct it so they can no longer get in (mice can fit through openings as small as 1/4"). Then, focus on getting rid of the mice that are trapped inside your home.

If you have many mice within your home and want the problem resolved quickly, it may be best to call in a professional to help address the problem.


Should I smooth out or apply knockdown texture after popcorn ceiling removal? I am removing non-asbestos popcorn ceilings on a 2200 sqft house. All walls in the house are knockdown texture.

After the popcorn comes off, I can either smooth out the drywall or apply knockdown texture to match the walls. Either way I don't really have a preference.

My question is how do these two compare in terms of cost, labor, and skill required? Assume that all specialty tools would need to be purchased/rented and the entire interior will be repainted after.

Also, if I smooth out the ceilings, will it look unusual with the knockdown walls?

If you're approaching this from a diy perspective, smooth ceilings require more skill and are more time consuming, as the mud job has to be better. (Think 2/3 coats with sanding between.) The mud job under texture can be a little more rough and still produce decent results. (Chances are you could do one touch up coat after scraping and be done.) Texture requires 1/2 day rental of a compressor, hopper, and mixing drill. The rest of the necessary tools are similar. Texture isn't hard to shoot, but you will need to plastic off all walls/floor. (Do this before you start the rental clock ticking.) One of the joys of texture is that if you do a really crappy job, you take it off before it dries and do over.

So, long story short, texture easier and faster but slightly more expensive in terms of pure outlay. (But not if time is money -- then it's much cheaper.)

If you opted for smooth ceilings with textured walls, that'd look fine.


How can I tighten a bolt in a circular hole? I've assembled a set of swings, and am trying to tighten the nuts at the top. The trouble is that they are embedded deep inside a circular hole and I can't get to them with a regular spanner.

What kind of tool should I be using? I had a good look in my local hardware store and couldn't see anything useful.

Here's a (dreadful) diagram of what I mean.

You should get yourself a socket wrench (also known as a ratchet):


Can a round-over router bit do 50% of the thickness while resting on the cut profile? I think I now understand just enough of how router bits work, but I'd like to confirm I got it right.

I will use a router to round the edges of shelves. The thickness of the plywood is 3/4". Initially I was hoping to get a perfect half-circle and use 3/8" round-over carbide bits. But now I gathered that when doing the first side I'll be able to rest the router bit on the edge just fine, but after turning each piece over to work on the other side, there will no longer be anything to rest on. I'd then need something a lot more elaborate for my spartan beginner set, to be able to finish the second side, and so the top part of the illustration is not doable.

Instead, I'm gathering I can only aim for the less attractive 1/4" round-over on each side. as illustrated in the bottom part of the illustration.

Did I get it right? Does it sound to you like I understand what I'll be doing?

The profile I'll be working on looks partly as shown below.

Adding a full round-over edge (bullnose) to plywood of the type that you have pictured is questionable in my mind. Typically such edging is applied to solid wood pieces. The plywood may very well have tearout along the edges where the grain is at odd angles. This can be somewhat mitigated by using the very best router bits that are extremely sharp.

You will want to fix up parts of the edge, such as shown here, before you attempt to cut the radiused edge. You will want the transitions to be very smooth and once cut would be much more difficult to correct.

Rounded edging on plywood is usually confined to the type of plywood that has many more layers such as this baltic birch plywood with void free core.

And finally the rounded edge that would most often be found on such material will use a different profile than a full round bullnose.


Hide electrical for future TV outlet We are in the wiring phase of our house and there is a wall that there is a high probability that at some point in the future we'd like to wall mount a TV on. With not knowing what TV that will be or when, we aren't sure where to locate the plug.

The wall is an interior wall on the first floor with living space above and concrete below. I will have conduit to that stud bay in the wall, so I could pull my own cable when the time comes, but ideally the electrical would already be there.

As I see it, I have three options:

No electrical, pull cable through conduit and locate outlet at correct height when the time comes.
Guess at the TV height and position the outlet there (5'?)
Install a regular outlet near floor and use that as a junction to a new TV outlet above when mounting the TV.

I was hoping the electrician could just leave wire in the wall to get sheetrocked over with no box and leave it unconnected at the panel, but I'm not sure that's allowed. The wire would have to be stapled to the stud which would make it hard to use as well.

I'm leaning towards option 3 as the house construction and room location would make pulling a new wire a pain, even with the conduit.

Are there any better options for hiding future use electrical?

Leaving unconnected wire in the wall will not happen.

I think option 3 is the best: install an outlet in an appropriate stud bay at standard floor height. Then when you know where the TV will hang, you can just add another outlet above at the appropriate height, and wire it in to the outlet below.

Left-right placement doesn't matter too much, if that is a difficult decision now. Even if you get it wrong and you end up needing the outlet in a different stud bay, it's only a small drywall patch or two to work around that error.


Heat shield for pantry cabinet? The wonderful designers of my kitchen installed a tall (oak) pantry cabinet next to the range.  I am concerned that this is a fire hazard.  Is there anything I can do to mitigate the heat from the stove top?

Range hood vented to outdoors.
Overlay heat resistant materials over cabinet, CBU/porcelain tile or CBU/stainless steel sheeting

CBU = Cement Backer Unit AKA Cement Backer Board


Understanding why my shower hob is so high I’m in the midst of a shower reno and whilst I’m not doing it as a DIY job, I’m hoping you folks can help me understand why my shower hob needs to be so high.

Here is an image of what we say today:

We were expecting something more like this:

I messaged my plumber (who is managing the job) to ask about this and his response was that it needed to be high to hold any moisture that may get under the tiles and that had we done a full reno then we could have had what we were expecting.

I don’t quite understand how the hob will hold water that gets under the tiles, if water is going to do this then isn’t it going to get under the floor of the shower as opposed the the edges of the shower?

The shower that was in there previously was a raised acrylic base shower that had cracked after the previous homeowners had done a dodgy job of having it installed. They also had not waterproofed the walls or shower floor, which we’ve had done as part of our reno.

My plumber is not great at explaining things or replying to things, hence why I am asking here :).

The hob, or curb, lined with that rubber membrane you see there, exists to contain water. Imagine your drain gets a little clogged with hair like shower drains will do, and it starts draining slowly and water stands in your shower. It’s just there to provide a buffer of safety.

The membrane is in place to catch water that gets under the tiles and bring it to the drain, which it will, because grout and mortar are porous materials. Your plumber was probably referring to this.

The second photo, what you were hoping for - that bathroom likely has a rubber membrane under the entire bathroom floor, and the entire bathroom floor is likely pitched towards the drain.


Sill plate pushing siding off, causing gap for mice and moisture? Younger home owner here. I've had water get into my basement a few times last spring in the corner and in this area (directly under my little front deck). The corner was due to no downspout (water was all coming down at the corner from the gutters) and this area I believed was due to gutters clogging and doing similar.

I finally killed all the mice and started pulling insulation bats out of the joists to vacuum and bleach and discovered the section of rim joist shown in the video below. I could pull out the bottom wood with my hand. The joist to the left of it has a hole in the sill plate directly to the outside by the deck (shown gap in pictures).

Upon going outside I found a pretty sizable gap along the bottom of the siding which appears to be caused by the sill plate protruding. I'm sure I need to caulk and flash better around where it meets the house anyways but how would I even begin to fix this? Part of me says pull off the deck boards, flash with a z channel if it's not there (including that front door sill plate) and caulk it all up/sawsall the bit of sill plate sticking out and foam/caulk everything together/brace the interior joist but I'm by no means a experienced handyman. Any advice would be appreciated.

Video: It's the bottom half of the wood-the joist to the left is dry/one to the right is braced (may have been previously repaired) but dry.

Pictures: Gap is shown in with board protruding is third to last.

I'd be suspicious of the deck letting water in. If it was me I'd try to pull the deck off the wall, waterproof it and put it back. It looks like the siding is in bad shape and its really the only thing keeping your house dry on a sided house keeping the mice out is a whole different challenge. Those buggers can fit anywhere you can fit a quarter.


How do I eliminate and prevent future stink bug infestations? Throughout the winter we tended to have 1-2 stink bugs buzzing around the house on any given day. We'd either vacuum them up or put them in the disposal. The humidity picked up for a bit and yesterday we had more like 12 or so buzzing around.

Is there anything we can do to control the critters? How could we figure out how they get in the house? Is there anything that can be done to make our house less attractive to them? Anything we can do to thin out their numbers or exterminate them completely?

Take a look at this article How to Control the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

Presently, there are no viable
strategies for control of the Brown
Marmorated Stink Bug. The use of
insecticides has very short-lived
effect and there is evidence of
resistance development. Even where
insecticide is effective, repopulation
occurs through migration from
non-treated areas. In addition,
on-farm insecticide use is not ideal
due to disruption of integrated pest
management programs.
Homeowners
Do your best to prevent
them from entering your home.
Placement of screens over windows,
doors and vents, removal of window air
conditioners and caulking cracks in
windows and doorframes will deter the
adults from entering. Removal of
window air conditioners is important,
as numerous BMSB will enter this way.
If small numbers occur indoors, they
can be removed either by hand or by
using a shop-vacuum.
If large numbers are observed or have
been observed in previous years, you
may wish to contact your local pest
control company who can do a perimeter
pesticide spray. This must be done at
the appropriate time (when the insects
first appear) and control may be
difficult to achieve. It is important
to consider the effects of pesticides
in your home before any pesticide
applications occur.

It seems the best method of control is prevention, here is what the Stink Bug Guide has to say about controlling stink bugs...

The easiest way to get rid of stink
bugs is to never have them in the
first place. Prevention is key to
controlling stink bug infestations.
Typically, they are attracted to light
and heat reflected off of the house.
Turning off the light at night during
summer and fall nights can help reduce
the number of stink bugs attracted to
houses. Other methods of prevention
include: sealing all windows and doors
tightly, caulking any cracks and holes
around the house, removing window air
conditioning units, and treating the
exterior of your house with chemical
repellents.

Keep in mind that they lay their eggs on the underside of leaves. If you have any plants that you leave outside in the summer and bring inside in the winter, make sure you check the plants for eggs before bringing them into the house.
You can try contacting a professional exterminator, but from what I've read infestations typically reoccur.
As you may already know Don't Squash them! If you do you will quickly find out why they are called stink bugs!


Add outlet to existing outdoor UF cable I'm looking to add an outdoor outlet to the back of my house.  There's an existing UF cable line that runs from the exterior basement wall to the exterior first floor wall, entering directly behind a large switch panel that controls the first floor lights.  I assume this is an unswitched line carrying power to that panel.

Can I add an outlet to this line?  Is it safe/can it be waterproofed to cut the line, then connect the two ends inside a junction box?

Obviously, I'm tempted to add an outlet directly to the line (that is, have an outlet sitting in the junction box where I splice).  I've read this is against code, and I'll need to run more cable to a separate outlet.  Is this correct?

This should be fine. A couple caveats:

You'll need at least a foot of slack. One trick is to use two junction boxes--the first to extend the cable, adding slack, and the second for the outlet. Think it through before you cut so you don't end up short anyway. All junction boxes need to remain accessible (not buried behind drywall).
Use pigtails rather than receptacle passthrough (or, worse, the backstab ports). You don't want to run a potentially heavy current between the same-side screws on an outlet if you can help it. Doing so adds extra points of failure for the downstream portion of the circuit. Bring the source wire, the downstream wire, and a jumper for the outlet together in a suitable connector, such as a yellow or red nut.
Use a large enough box for the outlet and those pigtail connections. A full-depth (17 c.i.?) single-gang box would be fine.


Cleanest way to remove and patch holes from this unused satellite dish on side of house? We have a satellite dish attached to the side of the house from the previous owner, and it's unused. As it's sort of an eyesore, we'd like to remove it. What is the best way to do this? It seems straight-forward to get it off the wall (it's at head-level), but what should we do with the holes left behind? I'm not sure what the composition of the siding is, or the composition of what is beyond the siding. What's the appropriate product for filling that hole? Also, the cable goes up under the gutter into the attic above the garage. It's possible I might be able to pull it up but I'll have to look at the access I have. I suppose I might be able to just cut it at the gutter level as well.  Looks like a simple job, but just want to make sure I've got the right idea before going out and buying supplies.

Once you remove the dish you can simply fill the holes with silicone caulk. The key is to keep moisture and insects from getting under the siding. There are various colors to choose from. You're not going to get a perfect match but those holes aren't large so probably not a big deal.
The cable can be clipped off at the soffit or pulled out completely.


Why does my ceiling fan turn itself on at night? We have a ceiling fan with three lights that came with the house, and that is operated by an electronic switch driven by a 9V battery and with 5 buttons: Hi, Med, Lo, Off (for the fan) and Light (a toggle for the lights). At around 11ish pm every night, the fan turns itself on. This great in summer, but is quite annoying in winter. I suspect this is a remote controlled fan of sorts, but I have no remote control for it that I can find.

Does anyone know why this happens and how I can stop it?

If you live in an apartment, then the chance of your neighbor having the same fan is pretty high. Try setting the dip switches on the fan receiver and remote to a new setting. Just make sure they're the same.


i want to install a ceiling fanlight without connecting it to the wall switch i want to install a ceiling fanlight without connecting it to wall switch, but now that it is installed the ceiling fan light come on every time i turn on the light switch and I don't want that,please tell me how to fix this issue

Generally, installers assume that if you have a fan and light combo, you will want to control them separately.   That's what is happening when you see a cable coming from the light switch with red, black, white and bare.  Ground and neutral are shared, and the red and black give you 2 hots so you can control fan and light separately.

You can buy double switches which put 2 complete switches in the space normally taken by one.


troubleshooting why tempstar PHF042 LV control fuse would intermittent every 7 days I'm a commercial Electrician
I'm at a job and they have trouble with their heat pump.
Seemed simple enough, they had swapped out stats hot and presumably shorted the LV leads - I found an open 24vac 5a fuse at Tempstar PHF042.
Job complete so I thought.

Got a callback a week later, no AC

Ok, well, I thought maybe its something different since nobody messed with the stat.

5amp fuse is open again.
I don't see any other trouble.
Wires look Ok, I didn't megger them but its been a week.
Secondary TX doesn't look like over voltage.
Primary seems steady.
Amp draw is 0.9a

another 5a fuse in and it worked, got to go.

Wondering if I will hear back
don't know how to check if the control board is damaged

3rd week, 3rd call.  On my way over there now
here's some photos of the unit
In the photos you can see there is a 1.5 kohm resistor looks like it gets warm, but it was not warm to the touch when I was there.  I'm going to check resistance and voltage drop across that.  And IR the whole board

I need help troubleshooting why would the LV control fuse open given that  the line voltage components all seem to be ok.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/JbbCmQYeLJM4xXUT7

Visual inspection;
Test using sequence of operation;
Use system voltage and ammeter to locate problems when possible; and
Double check your diagnosis visually and with an ohmmeter when possible.


How to disable this timer? Is there a way to completely turn off this timer?

Remove the 6 tabs (at 6am, 9am, etc.) and it should stop any automated on/off actions.

It's hard to be sure from this vantage, but it appears that 3 of the tabs are light colored, and 3 are darker. The light ones are used to set "on" times, and the dark ones for "off" times.


Can I hang a 60 lbs TV on 1 inch drywall? Can I use drywall screws with plastic contraption 3/8" diameter to put a TV on the drywall?

What is the load limit for 1 inch drywall and how many screws and how close apart they can be put to carry 60..65 lbs TV ?

Never mount a TV to drywall. Find some studs and mount it there.


Replacing a fan fixture with a light fixture My fan had a dual pole light switch... one for the fan, and one for the light.
So the ceiling has 4 wires coming from it.  One is a white ground, one a white wire, another red, and another black.

My light fixture has only 2 wires plus a ground.
What do we do with the red, black and white wires?

Ground (bare, green or green/yellow) can only be a ground.

You need one neutral/return, and it must be a white or gray wire, so that's your white.

You need one "switched-hot" wire.  Electrical code says you can use any color not already mentioned.** An often-used convention is that a switched-hot is the color other than black, i.e. red.

The remaining wire gets capped off at both ends. Put a smallish wire-nut (e.g. orange if you have it) and hold it on with a few loops of tape; as wire-nuts are prone to falling off single wires.

** outside of certain industrial installations.  The general idea is that electricians should measure instead of assume.


Do I need a wooden frame for my plexiglas shelf door? I'm making a plexiglass shelf door (2 actually). Dimensions are 3500x7500x3. And I don't know if I need a frame for that. I wanted to attach it with 2 [that thing that lets you open doors] and one magnet on the other side.

Plexiglas can be fairly flexible, unless you get thicker (more expensive)  sheets. If you're happy with how it looks/feels, then you could mount it directly... but glass is more commonly used "bare" this way due to its greater rigidity.


Window handle mechanism feels tight I feel like the window mechanism is a bit tight and is starting to rust slowly, is there any lubricant/maintenance that is needed to take care of this?

Thanks!

You have to be careful with window lubricants. If they are greasy/sticky, they will attract dust and dirt (and also get on your clothes).

They make graphite lubricants (generally for locks) that will not leave a greasy residue.   They also make "graphite paint" which is basically paint resin loaded with graphite instead of pigment and filler.

However in a window, the resistance is less likely to be from pivoting points and more likely to be from sliding points. Graphite paint is a good choice for those. The paint will powderize as the surfaces spall, and that dust can still stain clothes, but at least it isn't sticky.


Help wiring replacement Honeywell to Nest 3rd gen Need help with identifying wires on Honeywell TH9320WF5003, using Nest compatibility checker to replace with Nest gen 3

One of wires look like "W- O/B, not sure which wire it really is nest doesn't have this wire option?

On Honeywell I have wires going into C, RC, R, W- O/B, Y, G

Home has 5 zones baseboard heating and 2 zones a/c, replacing one of thermostats that controls both a/c and heat

picture of thermostat connectors, top right connector has me confused, looks like "W- O/B"

As per https://www.doityourself.com/forum/thermostatic-controls/596703-honeywell-nest-thermostat-wiring-help.html

I used following wire mapping from honeywell to nest and I have been up and running for a few days without issue

C = C

Rc = Rc

Y = Y1

G = G

R = Rh

W = W1


Heat pump always turns on with fan! If I turn my fan on on my thermostats the heat pump turns on with heat or cool setting

There is a jumper wired from green to w1(the heat pump)

If I move the jumper to r (24v) and g and turn on the dip swith 8 (on - fan comes on with call for heat off - fan comes on with cool call) will it fix my problem?

I’m assuming I would have to adjust the dip switch for summer or winter?

We recently got a wood stove in step down den and it has a blower so we want to run the fan to circulate the heat from it

Remove the jumper to G, turn dip switch 8 on, and enjoy.

The jumper between W1/Y1 and G on your board is what is causing the fan problem here.  So, I would remove the jumper to the G wire (from W1/Y1) from the zone board with the indoor unit OFF at the service switch, flip dip switch 8 on the zone board to ON to make it so that the zone board calls for fan when a heat call comes in, turn the service switch on the indoor unit back ON, and enjoy your newfound comfort!


Outlet drain hose of my washing machine must go all the way to the top of the machine? I have just purchased a Samsung front load washing machine (7kg capacity).

So when I was studying its emplacement, I have decided that its drain hose would be over the floor to a avoid an obstacle (the cupboard wood wall). And then it would come up to be plugged to my kitchen siphon.

The problem is that apparently Samsung obliges that the drain hose goes all the way to the top of the machine by means of a security screw.

I have successfully removed it, but I am not sure if it could cause problems with my washing machine. Could it?

I believe you want this in place, so before removing it, I'd check with the manufacturer to see if they permit it. I can think of at least three reasons you'd want the drain line secured at this height:

Drain hoses for appliances like dishwashers and washing machines that run into a sink drain are installed above, or as close to the top of the sink drain to ensure any clog in the sink backs into the sink itself, and not siphoned into the nearby dishwasher or washing machine. You don't want to find waste from the sink in the bottom of your washing machine.
You also need this line above the high water level of the washing machine so it doesn't siphon out while washing.
Keeping the high point of the line immediately adjacent to the machine with these security clips reduces the effort of the pump and how much water may drain back into the machine after it completes its wash cycle. The manufacturer will have a better understanding of their pump's requirements.


What are framing dimensions like in the metric world? I was always curious about this.  In the states we have:

Lumber - Comes most commonly in 2 inch (2x4,6,8,10,12,16) and 4 inch (4x4,4x6) varieties.
Plywood - Almost always 4x8 feet
Drywall/Plasterboard - Various 4 foot varieties (4x8,10,12) and sometimes 5 foot.

Walls are typically framed with studs 16 inches on center, rafters and joists usually the same, but sometimes 24 inches on center.  Ceilings are usually 8 feet high, or 10 feet in lots of newer construction.

How does this work in the metric world?

The following information is from Norway, but I would expect that the same dimensions are used elsewhere in Europe.  The system used there parallels what we have here in the U.S., but the actual dimensions are different.  Colloquially, terms like “two-by-four” are used, but the actual millimeter sizes are used in price lists, etc.

The dimensions referred to by the colloquial terms are quite a bit bigger than in the U.S.  For instance, a U.S. milled four-by-four is actually 3.5 inches (89 mm).  In contrast, a Norwegian milled “four-by-four” is actually 3.86 in (98 mm).

Here is a table I compiled with some common dimensions:

Milled structural lumber dimensions
Actual size (Europe)     Actual size (U.S.)     Nominal size (U.S.)
 30 mm  1.18 in
 36 mm  1.42 in
 48 mm  1.89 in           38 mm  1.50 in             2 in
 61 mm  2.40 in
 73 mm  2.87 in           64 mm  2.50 in             3 in
 98 mm  3.86 in           89 mm  3.50 in             4 in
123 mm  4.84 in          114 mm  4.50 in             5 in
148 mm  5.83 in          140 mm  5.50 in             6 in
173 mm  6.81 in          159 mm  6.25 in             7 in
198 mm  7.80 in          184 mm  7.25 in             8 in
223 mm  8.78 in

Unmilled lumber is sold in slightly larger dimensions: 100 mm, 125 mm, 150 mm, and so on.

Studs, joists, and rafters are always spaced 60 cm (23.62 in) on center.  The dimensions of OBS and other sheets are multiples of 60 cm in both dimensions so they can be placed in either direction, e.g., 60 x 240, 60 x 300, or 120 x 300 cm.


How can I trim metal window wells after lowering the grade around them? I just had a new stamped patio poured. We lowered the grading so now the widow wells are higher than the patio. I want to install window well covers but need to cut down the window wells (below the cement) what would be the best tool for the job?

Are you taking about one of these things?

If so, you might not want to cut it down. The lip should be a bit higher than the surrounding grade so that rainwater doesn't run in to the well.

If you don't cut it, you might be able to decorate it.

However, if you really want to cut it then you can use a reciprocating saw. If the metal is too thick, you might need to use a cut-off wheel on an angle grinder.


Drywall installation vertical or horizontal? Should we install drywall sheets horizontally or vertically if we screw them on horizontal furs?
I know the question has been asked on this site in the past and I remember Iggy's answer (see below), but then I wonder if we should not install the panels horizontally on horizontal furs for reason #2 given by Iggy’s answer?

Iggy’s Answer:
Should drywall be hung horizontally or vertically?

  Vertical Only, here’s the proof & truth!

  Why and How Horizontal’s Wrong (and why Vertical’s right)...don’t ruin
  new from the start:

  1 – Defective Seam ...

  2 – Unsupported Seam – Horizontal’s tapered edge is 90% unsupported, only 10% (instead of Vertical's 100%) contacts framing,
  the seam will and does crack. Light switch and countertop
  electrical boxes within the seam equals more weakness and butt-joint
  doubled, minimum, efforts.

  3 – Structural Defect - ...

I've always been told horizontal, and it makes sense in that it makes taping easier and and reduces joints.

The main reason I've been told is that you want to avoid having a continuous seam from floor to ceiling. When the house settles, these are more likely to form a crack.

Also you don't want to place drywall seams at the corners of doors or windows. Previous owners (or whoever) put seams at the bottom of my windows and I've got nice cracks from the corner of the windows to the floor. As long as the horizontal seams are screwed very close to the edge at each student, I'm not sure how a horizontal crack could form.


Fill Count For 14/3 G NM With 'Unused' Red I have 3 hall luminaires controlled by a 4-way switching system. The electrician elected to run 14-3/G NM too all the fixtures. The most distant one is mounted on a round 4 inch x 1/2 inch pancake box. The capacity is marked 6 cu in. The red lead is in the box, but it is capped with a wire nut and not otherwise used. Does it count for 2 cu in like the black and white leads or does it count for 1 cu in like the ground because it is 'dead.'

The manufacturer suggests that the luminaire can be installed using only the central 1/8" IPT hole in the crossbar as long as the 1/8" nipple carries a lock washer and nut to fix it to the crossbar and a lock washer and nut secure the fixture to the nipple. Clearly the electrician had difficulty using the matching round head machine screws that can be installed in the threaded hole in the crossbar and the matching hole diagonally opposite it. Getting all 3 supports to line up is challenging.

Can I use only the nipple and meet code?

Are the missing knockouts a violation?

1 unit per black wire.
1 unit per red wire.
1 unit per white wire.
1 unit for grounds.
1 unit for stud or hickey (if that's what you're going to use to attach the fixture).

That's 5 total units, times 2 cu. in. per unit (since you're using 14 AWG conductors).  That's a total of 10 cu. in., which is well over the 6 cu. in. the box is rated for. Even if you attach the fixture directly to the box, the fill calculation would be 8 cu. in.

NOTE: Above count is based on a single conductor of each color. If there are more than one, you have to count one unit per wire.

It makes no difference if the wire is live or not, all conductors that enter the box are counted.

And yes, according to 314.17(A) the unused knockouts should be closed.

On a side note. Grounding conductors don't count for 1 cu. in., they count as 1 unit. That unit is then multiplied by the value from Table 314.16(B), based on the largest conductor in the box. So in your example, all the grounds require 2 cu. in., because you're using 14 AWG conductors.


How to prep a peeling wall for paint Possible Duplicate:
  Painting over wall with peeling paint

I was going to paint the bathroom wall today, but i've realised the old eggshell paint is peely and cracked in places.  I don't know what to do - what it the fastest way to get this into a painting state.  Can i sand it down a bit and use a good primer?

As we always advise, the secret to a good paint job is proper preparation. It can be a pain, but you must remove all loose and peeling paint, wash the surface and Spackle holes and cracks before priming and painting. Often a light sanding is a good idea, especially on any glossy finishes. Be aware of lead hazards on any paint applied before 1978.  The actual application of paint is the easy part, don't rush the prep, it is the most important part.


Australia: Does this show a neutral wire? New to home automation but based on initial research I’ve worked out that I need to determine whether the new flat is wired with a neutral wire to determine what options are available..
(Note this is in Australia...).

I’ve removed one of the wall panels and take the picture attached hoping someone would be able to give me an initial view!

Cheers,

Yup, the black wires in a terminal are neutral.

In general, where you have 2+ black wires, and they are in a separate terminal or the loop terminal of a switch, they are almost certainly neutral.

Make sure you're aware of what work you legally can and can't do in your area.


Z-Wave Three Way Wiring We purchased a set of Z-Wave three way light switches a while back, finally getting around to installing them.
However, our wiring does not match the instructions. Instructions call for power to the main switch, then auxiliary, and finally the light. Our wiring is power directly to the light, and then splitting in two directions to each switch.
Is there any way to wire these switches up with this setup? I really do not want to rip apart my walls and ceiling and rewire everything.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0013V58K2/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1463332768&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=GE+Z-Wave+Wireless+Lighting+Control+Three-Way+Dimmer+Kit&dpPl=1&dpID=31CP9kPMCIL&ref=plSrch

I would sell this kit and go with another one that is compatible with LED lighting and your wiring scheme.  This one is not.  If you're not into that ...

Looking at the manual for this 45607 dimming 3-way...  each smart device needs always-hot (which I show as black here), neutral and ground, which is fairly typical of smart devices.  They need power (hot+nuetral) simply to function.

In this family, only the 45607 main actually switches the light, on a "switched hot" line (red here).  The remote merely sends a data signal to the effect that "the human requested on/off/dim", and even though these are supposed to be wireless devices, they have a data-signal wire between them to communicate (yellow here).  There can be an unlimited number of 45610 remotes -- anywhere they can get hot, ground and that yellow signal wire.  I assume they are misusing ground as neutral; Code actually requires you bring a neutral anywhere you bring power, so I drew it in.

And you can see where that fits pretty well with most 3-way wiring.  The black and white can be used for always-hot and neutral, and the red wire can be re-tasked as the yellow signal wire.  Usually.

It does raise some interesting questions about the 45610 remote.  Why couldn't it run on a couple of AA batteries?  Why can't it use wireless/radio to communicate with the 45607 main?  And in fact, the ZWave system has many manufacturers, another one may make a remote which does exactly that. That is worth looking into.

Now, in your setup, power feeds into the lamp itself.   This leaves you with a wire problem. Here it is.

See, you can hook up the 45607 no problem.  And it will control the light just fine.  But now you've used up all your wires between lamp and main.  So when it comes time to add the data-signal wire over to the 45610(s), you're out of wires.

Here's the thing.  The yellow wire is a data signal wire.  It's not a power wire.  Check with the manufacturer but you may be able to use intercom, doorbell or thermostat wiring for it, which has relaxed rules for installation.   You only need to get from the main to the lamp.  You can re-task the old red wire once you're there.

There's one last way to make this work, but it's crazy.  Put the 45607 main controller inside the fixture.  Use two 45610 remotes, one at each lamp position.  You'll have enough wires for that.


How can I connect switches to function the way I want? This wiring is a disaster...

There are 4 switches in total and 3 lights. Depending on which switch is on, a different combination of lights turn on/off. 0 means switch is "off" and 1 means switch is "on". Order of switches is numerical 1,2,3,4. and results shows which light goes on. i.e: 0100 1st switch off, 2nd on, 3rd and 4th switch off.

0000 No Lights On
0100 Light #1 On
0010 Light #2 On
0001 Light #3 On
0110 Light #1 On (Light #2 should be on)
0011 Light #2 and #3 On
0111 Light #1 On (Lights #2 & #3 should be on)
0101 Light #1 On (Light #3 should be on)
1010 Light #2 On
1001 Light #3 On
1011 Light #2 and #3 On
1101 None Turn On (Lights #1,3 should be on)
1110 None Turn On (Light #1 & #2 Should be on
1100 None Turn On (Light #1 Should be on)
1000 None Turn On
1111 None Turn On (Lights #1,2,3 should be on)

I think I need to create a constant current with Switch #1, but when switch 1 and 2 are both "on" no lights turn on.

There are 4 Boxes in Total.

If all worked properly - I'd like Switch 1 and Switch 2 to be 3-ways turning off light 1, Switch 3 to be single pole switching off light 2, and Switch 4 to be single pole switching off light 3.

I have pictures of each box without the Switches connected that I can send along.

Any insight is greatly appreciated.

Here is an abstract wiring diagram for the circuit you want, assuming the cable from light 1 runs to switch 1:

Note the three-wire cable running between switch 1 and switch 2.

A practical wiring diagram first requires more information about the relative positions of the boxes and lights, and the cables already running between them.


Water on construction site. Damage to bricks? I managed to sneak on the construction site of my future apartment and noticed a large puddle of water where my apartment is. The first row of bricks is already wet as you can see in the picture.

The next step in construction is to set the plaster on the walls which in my (inexperienced) opinion should be done after the bricks are fully dry.

Before I call the constructor site manager (on a Saturday) and ask him to clear up all the water, I want to know if this is a problem or not.

If you mean mortar or cement-based parging then yes this is a somewhat acceptable situation for that. If you actually mean plastering then definitely no way & no plastering should ever be done until the interior is weather-tight.

Either way you have a slightly defective slab, which is normal, ideally no water should be "puddling" anywhere. I side with you though, this should be vacuumed up or swept away for the brick to be dry before application of anything.

If you're allowed on the site, then take care of it yourself with a push or pivot broom & keep an eye on it & the rest of what the crews are doing.


Sealing things under a furniture-style vanity Back Story:

We are redoing our half-bath and are replacing a pedestal-style sink (the $75 ones you can find at Lowe's) with a much nicer furniture-style vanity (specifically this vanity). So we emptied the room, replaced electrical and plumbing (where appropriate), painted, and are now going to put the new vanity back in so we can finish the plumbing.

Our problem:

I had miscalculated the clearance needed for the "bear-claw feet" of the furniture-style vanity against the wall and the trim didn't let the vanity sit flush against the wall. So to fix this, I was able to cut away a couple pieces of quarter-round and drill some ~3/4" holes into the rest of the trim (to fit the contour of the bear-claw feet) and this now allows me to get the vanity to sit flush against the wall. However, in doing all of this, I have exposed some gaps from how the floor has been tiled. So my question is: How should I seal these gaps? Given that this is beneath the furniture-style vanity with an open bottom (please see pictures from the link above), this seems like a very important thing to do (our furnace is right below this bathroom so water leaking down would be very bad!).

Should I just slap down a bunch of caulk and call it a day? Given that I'll NEVER be able to re-caulk this in the future (while it is open, it's not open enough to access for maintenance), this seems like it would be a problem in the future.

More background on how our tile is laid:

So the bathroom's trim goes down to the baseboard on the drywall, then the bathroom was tiled with a ~0.25" gap between the edge of the tile and the trim. Next, a piece of quarter-round bridges that gap all around the room except where I had to cut the two pieces off. Again, right below this bathroom is our furnace so I really want to make sure we don't have a $10k problem if a sink overflows!

Yes, slap in a bit of caulk. If you're really concerned, get a big hunk of sheet aluminum between your floor joists and the furnace to drain any errant water away from the furnace. (But the likelihood of enough water getting down there to damage the furnace is slim to nil.)


GFCI issue with grounded protected receptacle Trying to wire GFCI and a protected receptacle into the same box for 4 outlet set up.    When I wire protected receptacle to LOAD side and connect it to the ground, the GFCI test fails.   If I disconnect ground to protected receptacle, GFCI tests OK but protected receptacle tests “open ground”.

What am I doing wrong?

The hot line side needs to have the black wire to the brass screw on the line connector side. The white wire from the same cable that the black came from goes to the silver line side.
The load side to your outlets black to brass and white to silver and the bare coppers tied together and attached to the GFCI and outlet ground screws usually green in color.
I believe you have swapped your White neutral from line to load and that will cause the problem you describe.


Freezer keeps icing all over everything! I have a bottom load freezer and no matter what setting I put it at (within reason, usually 4-7 out of 8), the whole dag'gum freezer has ice particles and stuff all over all the food, drawers, sides, etc.

What is causing this? I'm assuming it's because there is a hole somewhere where air is getting into the freezer and it's freezing all the free air to everything... is this correct?

I think you're on the right track: that ice is coming from the humidity in leaking air.  Check your gasket carefully.


grounding wire extension I have an above ground pool which was grounded for safety. I had to buy a new pump (motor) and unfortunately the ground wire was too short to reach the pump. I had to move the filter and pump to reach the electrical plug. Can I just add an extension so it will reach the motor or pump? I look forward to your reply.

Yes, typically ground wires can be extended. It's always best to replace the entire ground wire, from the connection point, instead of splicing it when possible. I'm not sure if the ground wire you are speaking of is in a flexible pipe, part of a cord or an external green wire. That information (possibly a picture) would make it much easier to answer your question thoroughly.


Yellow tub inside toilet tank is leaking A few weeks ago my toilet started running continuously. When I open up the tank, I see that a yellow tub (not sure what it is) seems to be leaking and allowing water to run continuously:

Full video recording here

Any ideas what this part is and if there's anything I can do to fix it? If not, how do I replace it for a new one?

The stack of stuff on the left is your toilet fill valve.  Under normal operation it should allow water to enter until filled to the right level, then shut off.  The tub part is probably the float.  When the water reaches the right level it should be pushed up and shut off the water.

I see water coming from the side of the unit up high.  That's not how most units should operate.  The water usually enters the tank low, and a small amount flows through the tube to the overflow pipe.  So I suspect a leak or part failure.  Different units are made differently, so there's no one failure that I can guess has happened.  While I might try to take it apart to make sure it's not something that can be easily fixed, it is probably easier to replace.

For most toilets, you can replace the fill valve assembly without too much trouble.  Hardware stores stock different types.  I expect it would go easiest if you had a couple of adjustable wrenches, a bucket, and some towels.  As long as you can shut off water to the toilet, the job should only take an hour or so for someone that hasn't done it before, but is patient and follows the directions.

Directions will be on the packaging, or you could look up "replace fill valve assembly" to find several videos on it.

The only thing that would worry me is if the tank is non-standard and the $14 Box Store kit won't fit.  I've replaced several over the last few years with no issues.  But I have one toilet in my house that I know is weird (fits into an odd space) and I would expect takes non-standard parts.  If you get into that situation, you might be more limited in finding parts.  (Try to find exact model on manufacturer web site or take pictures and go to a plumbing supply store).


What tools and techniques are available for sanding without machinery? I am planning on creating a table made out of recycled wood planks and I am wondering if it is too ambitious to hand sand the wood planks without the use of machinery.  I am on a budget and am wondering what types of tools would be best to hand sand wood?

Hand-plane before you sand. A good sharp plane and good technique produces a very nice finish. Only light sanding required after that.

Don't plane after sanding, the leftover grit will dull your blade.

Other than that, it's about elbow grease.


How to make my room sound proof I want to convert my room into sound proof room, as I watch movie on my PC. I want to have a theater like effect so that I can watch at high volume.

If you're not renting (ie, you own your room or whoever you're living with doesn't mind if you make modifications to the structure), consider the following:

Type X drywall:  While mainly designed for fire rating, it's very heavy, very dense, and helps in blocking sound.
QuietRock:  Designed for soundproofing, but very expensive.  Consists of a viscoelastic polymer sandwiched between two layers of gypsum (or gypsum and cement board).  There are different grades of QuietRock.
RSI clips:  Resilient sound insulation clips help decouple your drywall from the studs.  Genie Clips are very popular.  You will need metal furring channels (aka hat channels) for the installation.
Green Glue:  A soundproofing compound that basically lets you make your own homegrown version of QuietRock.  Hang a layer of drywall, use a 28-oz caulking gun to dispense the GG onto the back of the second layer, and then put the second layer up over the first.  Stagger the sheets.  Green Glue's website will give you instructions on application.
Acoustical putty pads:  If you're super serious about soundproofing, apply these putty pads around the back of all your switch/outlet gang boxes.  If you don't, all your soundproofing efforts will be in vain as sound will just travel through the hole in your soundproof wall and out the back of the gang box.   QuietPutty is one such product, though there are more.  See this question of mine where I show how I ended up soundproofing my outlets after the wall was installed.
Acoustical caulk:  Use this in the space between your door frame and the studs.  You may soundproof your walls, but what's the point when sound will just sneak through that gap?
I'll also add that your soundproofing endeavors will be futile if you don't actually soundproof the door itself.  Hollow core doors are useless.  Get a solid core door with a nice, dense frame.  You will also need some heavy duty hardware like cam hinges, perimeter seals, and door sweeps.  If you're crazy into soundproofing, you can even try making your own door.
Roxul SAFE'n'Sound:  Again, if you're serious and want to really soundproof your room and you plan on removing your drywall, replace all your regular insulation bats with Roxul.
Also, if you have someone below you or above you or you're over crawlspace or have an attic above you and there's someone in the next room, you would need to soundproof the ceiling and floor.  Otherwise, if you're on a slab, you won't need to soundproof the floor.  If you have no attic above you, your need to soundproof the ceiling is greatly reduced.

You can also combine many of those options.  For example, you could go all out and soundproof a wall with Roxul insulation, RSI clips, and a double layer of type X dryall with Green Glue in between.  I did that with my room and the results have been fantastic.

Edit:  Well, I didn't realize this question was three years old.  It showed up on the first page, so I answered!


Is there a required or recommended minimum distance of an HVAC duct from an exterior wall? I am removing an interior non-load bearing wall and need to move an HVAC duct a few studs over. I am leaving a short wall near the exterior to accommodate the duct as well as to serve as an endpoint to some 24” deep kitchen cabinetry.
Ideally, Id like the duct as close to the exterior wall as possible. The upper section connects in the attic space so I don’t want to move it so far as to make the installation difficult (attic section will be insulated). Is there a minimum distance I need to preserve from the exterior wall to the ductwork or can it go pretty much anywhere on the inside, e.g right against the exterior wall in the last stud Space on the left, pictured? Thanks

There is no minimum for running hvac near an exterior wall.
In fact you can run hvac outside (my old house had hvac under slab) and you can certainly run hvac in exterior walls.   There are extra insulation precautions and some loss of energy in these cases but you have to do what you have to do.
Your case isn't as extreme.   In fact it isn't extreme at all because your hvac is inside of the insulated bubble albeit closer to the edge of the bubble.   Meaning that the vents themselves will aid in the cooling and the heating of said bubble.
Addendum:  Given the conversation about the lines in the attic I want to make two points.

If you live in a hot summer/cold winter climate I would not run flex lines in the attic - rigid all the way.

You need to WRAP your lines in the attic, not just bury them in blown in.   You must treat an attic extension as you were running the lines outside - because basically they are.

And obviously we want the vents placed on the exterior because that is the coldest/hottest part of the house and the area that needs the most temperature control.   No issue with your install.


Is there a reason not to connect the ground wire to a chandelier? So, I am replacing the insides of a chandelier, but now I dont understand why the person who installed it would leave the ground wire hanging without being connected. I can see a ground wire taped away in the ceiling and I am wondering if there is a actually a reason for it not being connected. Or was the person who did it just incompetent?

The reason I am working on the chandelier is because it has been blowing out bulbs quite a lot recently, which I believe was caused by the state of the sockets - really old and rusted.

The only reason not to connect the ground wire would be because there is nowhere to connect it.

Older houses have 14/2 without a ground, particularly to ceiling boxes.  The box itself may not be grounded.  In this case, it would be better NOT to connect it to the box, as a signal to the next person working in there, "Warning! This is not grounded!"

But, it there is a green or bare copper wire in there, then by all means hook it up.


Are expansion joints required when running wire to an outbuilding? I have a question very similar to How to attach to electrical subpanel?. I'm in Washington State, Jefferson County. PoCo is Mason PUD 1. AHJ is WA state L&I.
I want to run at least 70A, but future proof for 100A. Both panels are flush mounted, so their backs are against the exterior sheathing. I think for 100A, I want 3@2 AL XHHW-2 and 1@8 AWG bare copper. I think that fits (with spare room) in 1-1/2" Sched 40 PVC. I have (at least?) 4 90-degree elbows, as shown in the picture below. #1 is a transition from down from the main panel to run in the ground. #2 is a bend around the main building. #3 is a bend towards the outbuilding. #4 is a bend back up the wall of the outbuilding toward the panel.
First question: I've seen comments about expansion joints. Are those a must? A suggestion? We do get snow in WA, but not a lot.
Second question: I've seen comments about using Schedule 80 above grade? A must or a suggestion? There is foot traffic between the buildings (between angle 3 and 4), but that's about it. I had one inspector I talked to say 40 is fine. Might another inspector say something different?
Third question: I saw a comment in another question that XHHW-2 must be in a conduit. Does that mean I can't go straight from conduit into the panel boxes? If not, is there a wire I can use that can? I'd prefer no splices.
Fourth question: At each panel, I'll have a transition between the panel and the conduit. Is that included in the "bends"? If so, any thoughts on how I deal with the 360-degree bend limit? Moving panel placement isn't a viable option (if needed, I can go into details why).
Fifth question: What is the best transition fittings between the panels and conduit? In the question I referenced above, the suggestion was an LB (like https://www.homedepot.com/p/Carlon-1-1-2-in-Schedule-40-and-80-PVC-Type-LB-Conduit-Body-Case-of-6-E986HR/202380271). My concern with that is the building walls are thin (the outbuilding is probably 1/2" plywood - nothing else). With the panels flush-mounted inside, the back of the LB would extend maybe an inch into the box. I then saw a suggestion to add a nipple. Before I'm done, I am almost to the front of the box. And I still don't think I have a mechanical connection between this fitting and the box. Hence my question... Should I transition from PVC to metal and use something like https://www.mcmaster.com/rigid-conduit-fittings/shape~90-elbow/connectors-for-medium-wall-imc-and-thick-wall-rigid-steel-conduit/ or does that also push me over 360 degrees and again after adding a nipple, push me either far from the exterior wall or far into the box?

Conduit
Is there any way you can move that east-west pipe north two grids (I'm assuming up is north) so it hugs the house?  That would reduce you to three 90s including the stub-ups.

You need Schedule 80 PVC for the stub-ups at both ends (bottom of vertical curve to conduit body).

Expansion joints, I just don't glue my PVC conduit except where I need to, e.g. within 10' of a stub-up or corner because I don't want it coming apart or moving from pull forces.  You won't keep water out; that's a lost cause.

Speaking of pull forces, make sure that pipe is good-and-buried and tamped down well, before you start pulling. The pull force would much rather move the whole pipe than just the wire.

The conduit body does not count as a 90, because it is accessible.

The stub-ups don't have to be dead vertical. If you're parallel to the building you can use a 45 degree at the bottom of the stub-up and come up the wall at a slant. The conduit body doesn't care. Two 45s like that and an extra-broad 90 underground wouldn't be terrible to pull, given your favor for extra large conduit.  I would use Rigid for the exposed slanted part, because idiots.

If this seems like a lot of digging near the foundation, consider that Rigid conduit only requires a 6" burial depth.  It's hella expensive, but it doesn't look like far, and you can trench it with a garden trowel. The only downside to Rigid is it must be cut and threaded, so it'll take a few runs to a hardware store that cuts and threads pipe (and shoplifters).

By the way, that stuff is all much cheaper at the electrical supply.
When you're at the electrical supply, mention your "thin wall" problem.  I bet the person will disappear in the back and come back with a couple of iron or aluminum 1-1/2" 90 conduit bodies that have nice stubby ends.  That plus a metal "close nipple" and a metal nut, should get it done.
If you can't solve it any other way, I'd thicken the wall in that immediate area with some plywood so the geometry works. Probably help with the conduit entering the ground also.
Wire
I don't know where people get the idea that #2 aluminum is rated for 100A.  Table 310.15(B)(16) plainly states 90A in the 75C column, which you usually get to use. (60C if dealing with UF or NM). I suspect they are stealing the friendly derate from 310.15(B)(7), which is only for whole services not subpanel feeder.
You need #1 aluminum for 100A feeder. (or #3 copper).   That with a #8 copper will fill your Sch 80 conduit to 26% which ain't so bad.  You can use #6 aluminum for your ground, as long as it's insulated.  Only copper can be bare in a wet location.
THWN or XHHW wire can't just be loosy-goosy flopping around in your walls. But it sounds like you are running straight out the back of the panel via a conduit body into conduit runs, then back out the same way.  That is all conduit or raceway which is fine.


how to repair large, uneven crack in concrete floor I have a really long (about 20') uneven crack in my cement garage floor. Not only is it jagged, but the sides of the crack range from flat to about 1/2" high. I want to level the sides of the crack, seal it, and end up with a flat floor. I'm not sure what the best way to do this is. I'm thinking about either grinding or chiseling down the high side, then applying CrackFix, then applying some sort of topcoat to make it smooth. Anyone have any better ideas?

I'm not going to put a floor over it, I just want it to look good again. I picked CrackFix because it looks like it will seal and level at least the crack, but once I break up the high side I still need to level and smooth the whole area.

The proper way to do it would be to break it up and pour again.  You might be able to get away with a self leveling compound that you pour over the floor then let it set.

I've used these before installing tile on concrete. I can't imagine what it would look like as a finish.


What is the minimum height to a crawl space, and where did you get that information? I am working with a customer and it was a great question. I was trying to find the exact answer.

The Code requires a minimum of 18” clear from the bottom of wood floor framing to the ground. (See ICC Figure 403.1 (3).)

I remember seeing that the bottom of beams can’t be within 12” of the ground, but I can’t find that requirement...maybe that was in an older code.

Btw, don’t forget you need an 18”x24” crawl space access if you go through the floor and 16” x24” access if you go through the perimeter wall. (See ICC R408.3.)

Also, you need 1/150 area ventilation without a vapor barrier and 1/1500 area ventilation with a vapor barrier. (See ICC R408.1) There is an exception for eliminating crawl space vents on one side.


Adding a ceiling light to this circuit I currently have the following circuit in a room:
￼
I plan to add a ceiling light and was going to tie the light switches black and ground to the new ceiling wires black and ground, and then use a wire nut to cap the ceiling wires neutral and leave it in the box not connected to anything.
I know the NEC 2011 says a neutral should be in the box, but is a neutral even required in a lighting circuit?  Is leaving the capped neutral from the ceiling wire in the box a problem? Or is a neutral absolutely required here?
In the diagram, the neutral in this circuit comes from the outlet, and a neutral used as a hot wire is connecting the single pole switch.

Neutral is required at the celing light box. You can't wire up a celing light with just the hot and ground from the switch. It will work, but is dangerous and violates electrical code.
Your best bet here is to fish a new /2 cable from the box with the switched outlet up to the celing since this box has the required neutral, (switched) hot, and ground. If you don't want half of the recepticle to be switched also, you will need to replace it with one without the broken tab or pigtail the unswiched hot wire to both halves of the recepticle.
You still won't have neutral in the switch box, but this should be ok since you are not changing that part of the circuit and it can still be grandfathered.


Should oil, spirit or water based stains be used on Medium-density fibreboard (MDF)? I've made a recording desk out of 18mm MDF.
What type of stain and varnish would you recommend and would it need a sealer coat applying first.

All advice appreciated.

I really like using a sealing primer like Bin's  Bulls Eye. this is a pigmated shellac based primer that can be sanded smooth as glass. It cures very hard, blocks any stains well and is an excellent base for topcoats. For a top coat, you can use a couple of coats of good grade latex gloss or semi gloss (personal preference).  If you want a really hard protective finish, let the latex paint cure for a couple of days and overcoat it with several coats of WATER  based urethane.


Garage door won't open or close when the opener light is on Garage Door Opener Model: Lift-master 1245R (by Chamberlain)

Ok, so this has been quite the puzzle. Roughly a couple of months ago, one of my parents' garage door openers started having problems. The problem was that the garage door seemed to open, but not close when using the remote(it worked fine with the wall button). I decided to do some testing to try to narrow down what the problem was. Rather than describe in too much detail the testing I did, I think I'll just list some of the things I found that led me to my conclusion.

The garage door remote is a two-button remote. The button for the other door works just fine.
The other garage door opener(that is the exact same model) works just fine.
I tried resetting the remote and reprogramming the buttons so that each button now worked for the other garage door(i.e. B1:GD1, B2:GD2 >>> B1:GD2, B2:GD1). No change.
I tried reprogramming a different single-button remote to work with the door opener, that I know worked with the other door opener. Still no change.
I thought that it might be some kind of signal interference, and did some research online. Considering that the other door opener doesn't have any problems(and is closer to the rest of the house), I narrowed my search to nearby sources of interference. I checked to see if the florescent lights interfered by disconnecting them. No change.
Finally, I noticed that strangely the remote would work to both open and close the garage door as long as the garage door openers light was off. I tried removing the light bulb(an incandescent) just to see if it itself was interfering. No change.

So the problem seems to have something to do with the electronics within the door opener and how they may or may not relate to the opener's light being on. My current thinking is that it might have something to do with the control board, but I don't know for sure. Before trying to open it up and completely replace the control board(which would likely be expensive to order), I thought I would see if anybody here has any ideas about what exactly is wrong and what could be done to fix it.

BTW before it gets suggested, after opening or closing the door the light stays on for around 4.5 minutes, which is a bit too long to just wait around for it to go back off every time you need to go somewhere.

It sounds like a bad circuit in the opener. I have installed and repaired many openers and don't know of anything that would lengthen the time the light is on,  but check the safety sensors as if they are loose or something is part way in their line of site,  it will let the door go up,  but not down.I have found the wires on a sensor loose and it acted like this one does intermittently. Most garage door openers have a feature where you can over ride the safety switch by holding down the wall button.  Also make sure the remote lockout button on the wall unit isn't lit,  because it will stop the remotes from operating the door. I have not had any problems using LED bulbs in openers.


Do I have to add a ground wire that has been missing for 20 years? I am replacing a 20 yr old dishwasher in a 20 yr old house.  The wiring from breaker box connected to the old dishwasher had no ground wire.  Can I just attach the old white & black wires to the new dishwasher?  Will the independent connection to the breaker offer GFCI?  Or do I need to attach new ground wire?

You need to run a ground wire. NEC 250.114(C) requires dishwashers to be grounded.
You cannot use a GFCI protected circuit as a replacement for a ground. When the GFCI method is used in place of a ground for a receptacle the NEC makes a very specific requirement to label the receptacle "No Equipment Ground", then follows with an informational note to refer to 250.114 that gives a list of equipment that requires an Equipment Ground, which includes dish-washing machines. Usually the installation instructions included with the dishwasher will also instruct to connect an Equipment Ground, the code requires following the installation instructions since they are part of the Listing (UL or other).
You can connect the Equipment Ground to another ground originating at the same panel, to the ground bar in the panel, or to the grounding electrode conductor.


How should I treat a rusty corner bead in the bathroom before covering it again? The paint got scraped off the corner bead in my bathroom, and now it's rusty.  How can I treat it before spackling and repainting?

You want to take a moderate to fine grit sandpaper and try to sand as much of the visible rust off as possible around the outside corner.  Don't be concerned about plaster or drywall damage just yet.

Next get a good rust sealing primer like this product:

Spray liberally along the outside corner until the metal is fully covered.

Next, spackle then sand the damaged areas and hit the area once more with a regular latex based primer.  Apply two coats of paint to match the wall and you should no longer have problems with the outside corner.


How do I attach a gate where the swing end is 90 degrees to the wall? I have a gate which fits neatly between two walls running between my house and the next door neighbour.

For now, I have tethered the swing end with a simple loop of rope which tags onto a hook screwed into the wall.

Unfortunately, it's not too secure and easily slips off.  I'd prefer to have some kind of latch which is more secure and is able to withstand the weight of an excited fully grown dog.

Pictured here is the swing end of the gate, which is about 1.5 inches away from the wall.  Frustratingly, it's too narrow a gap for me to insert a post wide enough for a traditional latch.

Full context view:

Swing end to the left, hinge to the right - the gate swings away.  My wall is the one to the left.

I'm sure there's probably a simple solution to this one, but I can't figure it out...

Take a (outdoor rated) board of appropriate thickness and attach it to the wall.

Mount the latch to that board.

Ask permission of your neighbour before drilling holes in his wall.


Help on reducing truck noise The studio I'm renting happens to be one of the only routes to the midtown tunnel in Manhattan, and I have been driven beyond my sanity with the truck noises that plagues the studio 24/7. After doing some reading in a related thread (https://www.gearslutz.com/board/stud...f-windows.html), I decided to build my own window plugs to dampen the incoming noise. Below is the rough plan:

-------------- 1/8" Plywood
~~~~~~~~ Green Glue
-------------- 1/8" Plywood
======== 2" Fiberglass
-------------- 1/8" Plywood

There's a small (32" x 55-1/4") window and a large (48" x 55-1/4") window in this studio, and the estimated total weights of their corresponding plugs are 14 lbs and 21 lbs, respectively.

Questions:

Do you guys think this can effectively dampen the truck noise in the bass range/honking noises in high frequencies?
Should I switch the 1/8" Plywood boards with 1/4" ones instead? I'm a bit hesitant on how heavy I want these plugs to be but obviously soundproofing quality is the most important.
(Noob question) How do I secure the Fiberglass (pink insulation material sold at Home Depot) to the Plywood boards? Will they require frames?

Any other related inputs or suggestions are also highly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Simon

Keep in mind that low DB noise are the ones that are supposedly the less annoying.

Try using some kind of low noise (like a fan noise) to mask the noise that are repetitive. It really works.

But it all depends on how low your noise is. It is the honking that you probably find more annoying though. And since they come and go, they are annoying and difficult to mitigate.

You are doing well to use different type of material and blue glue, of course.

I found this website to be a great help:

The Triple Leaf Effect & Air Cavity Depth (soundproofingcompany.com)

You would want to analyze the sound frequencies (signature) of the noise FIRST.

I recommend this:   Praat Linguistic tool for studying sounds

You can see that if the noise gets really low (DB) you need to decouple.

Hard to do to walls if you are renting like you are.

As for the window and the plug, you could also decouple them by putting some kind of rubber "bead" (harden silicone) or gasket (old cut bike tube or car timing belt) that you place you plug to (which will have a frame to frame it to). It will then sit on those soft beads or rubber to absorb the vibrations.

But, that website has a lot of good info.

2) and 3) The only way I thought of doing this would be to use some kind of board with nails or some protrusions that would in effect hold the fibreglass in place. If you use the idea on the website of the STC 63 sound reduction, you would have 2 plywood with blue gun, then insulation, then space then insulation and then 2 plywood board with blue gun. I would use (in that case) screws to prevent the FB to move. Size of plywood? The ticket the better, but space and weight might be the limiting factors.

The inside of the living space can be made to absorb (limit the echoing). I found carpeting to really help VS hardwood. Heavy curtains also helps.


Curious absence of humidity in basement Our basement had always felt uncomfortable during high humidity summer days. I finally purchased a dehumidifier and ran it all the time during the dog days of summer for the past two years. It made a noticeable improvement in the basement humidity, while adding a small amount of heat to the room.
This year, I never felt the need to turn it on. Even during hot, high humidity days the room is fairly comfortable. So I'm just curious why that would be.
Possibly related, but I'm not sure how, is that we had a new roof put on earlier this year and we got a new air conditioner. There's no A/C duct going into the basement, however, and in fact I think the new one is a little less powerful than what it replaced as it can't seem to keep the second floor at target temperature on the hottest days.
I guess there could also be a biological aspect, that my tolerance to humidity changed  since last summer but I feel the humidity when I go outside and my wife agrees that the room hasn't been uncomfortable.
Any ideas?

A smaller (non-oversized, might be another way to put it) air conditioner can in fact be much better at removing humidity than an oversized unit that runs for short periods and shuts off. That is, in fact, one of the problems of "going big" on an air conditioner - it keeps up on the hottest days, but most of the time it means you're danker than with a right-sized unit.
As noted already in comments, the roof (and perhaps gutters, if?)  or the climate may also be helping to reduce the moisture immediately outside the basement.