Should I attach the fence post(s) where my fence meets my house? How do I do it? I'm going to be building a 6 foot tall cedar privacy fence in the spring (with pressure-treated posts) and need to determine what to do with the two posts that meet the side of my house.

In order to ensure that my 15 lb dog can't get through any cracks, I want to get the posts as close to the house as I can. If I make an 8 or 12 inch diameter hole for the post, that leaves a 2-4+ inch gap by the house, the latter of which I'm sure she could get through.

Quick specs that might help:
- My siding is vinyl.
- The fence posts are 4x4 pressure-treated wood.
- The posts will extend 3 feet into the ground, with 6-8 inches of gravel beneath (the Rhode Island frost line is 40 inches).
- The fence is 6 feet tall.

Is the best thing to do still to dig the standard hole and set the fence post in there, or should end posts at the house actually be attached via lag bolt or something along those lines?

If they are attached to the siding, should I still dig a hole or should the entire post be attached to the house?

Don't attach the fence to the house. Aside from putting holes in your siding (not a good thing), your fence and your house will most likely move differentially. The attachment could result in a tear of the siding, which would be a bad thing.

Place the fence post close to the house, then run the fencing top and bottom supports up to within an inch or so of the siding (do leave a little gap, for that differential movement). Place the slats on the supports, allowing the slats to get just a bit closer to the siding.

You could even install a flexible membrane, similar to a product used to seal the bottom of a garage door at the floor, between the fencing and siding.


How to align electrical boxes/plugs? A wall of a second-floor full bath (in TX) has the following outlets.

The middle box is for a phone wire! I plan to remove this box. This box is nailed to a 2 by 4 above it that is running between the studs.
There is also a slightly slanted 2 by 4 below the now-removed mini wall vanity/shelf. The shelf is to be placed back.
The double plug on the left is nailed to a stud to its left.
The triple switch is nailed to a stud to its right.
All incoming or outgoing wires are through the bottom of the boxes.
The studs are about 14 inches apart.
The plug and switch are not level with each other. They are off by about 1/2 inch.
Their boxes also are not flush with the drywall, they are inset too much and there is a gap between the face plate of the triple switch and the switches.
I am planning to replace the plug and switches but I want
(a) for them to be flush with the drywall
(b) for the plug and the triple switch to be level
What is the best way to achieve this?

Turn off the power at the breaker
Rip the wall open
Pull out the devices from the boxes and label the wires of the devices
Remove the devices
Unclamp the cables and pull them back
Pry off the boxes
Place new boxes
Insert and clamp the cables
Repair the wall
Replace the devices following the labels applied earlier
Turn breaker on and verify correct operation
Install cover plates

Note that a small drywall repair is typically at least as much work, if not more work, than a large drywall repair - A sheet is 4x8 feet, so feel free to go (up to) that large if it simplifies your re-wiring at all.


Do I need another relay? I have an existing boiler with 4 zones and 4 separate pumps.  I also have an electronic damper that opens when the heat is called.   I am adding another zone for pex hydronic underfloor heating and I want to tie it in to my existing boiler.  I will be having another thermostat for a total of 5 zones.  Will I need another relay from the pictures below? Also where do I grab power off the existing relay's for the new pumps and thermostats?
My apologizes my pictures will not upload.

If you are using the same thermostat for the new zone and your existing relay has the current carrying capacity you can run 2 pumps off of 1 relay.
I would look at the size of the pumps add them together then multiply by 125% this will provide the minimum size relay I would use, if your relay has this amount or more current carrying capacity you can run 2 pumps from one.


How can I attach a light to a tiled wall without having a socket (also avoid drilling) In the bathroom the sink has as usual above a mirror. The wall behind the mirror and the sink has tiles.
The light is only in the ceiling.
How could I add some light (source) above the mirror if there is no electric socket to put a bulb?
Is there some kind of lights that can be "glued" on tiles? Same as IKEA sells for e.g. soap or shampoo etc.
I would prefer to avoid some light stand that is in the bathroom. Is there any good solution?

The simplest solution in this case may be to just get a light weight LED light that operates on batteries. Then stick it up on the wall using some of that double stick foam tape.

You may be able to find some LED light that can be hung from a hook. Then there are strong stick-on hooks that you can attach to the tile wall.


How do I connect a chandelier to this ceiling wiring? I just moved in to a 16 year old house and replacing a ceiling fan with chandelier. Chandelier has conventional white, black and ground. The fan was connected to red and ground only, which I guess was incorrect. How do I connect the new chandelier. Picture of the outlet attached.

You would need to test to verify, but it looks like the black is a constant hot  with the red being the switch leg.

So to connect a chandelier you'd use the red (hot), white (neutral) and ground.


Why are some of the boards in my hardwood floors disintegrating? Some of the boards in my hardwood floors (1949) are disintegrating.

Can anyone tell me what gives? And how I might go about stopping it?

Its either rot or termites.

The discoloring suggests a water leak that persisted long enough to rot.  Do you have access under that spot?  Is the subfloor similarly discolored? If so, it may need to be repaired at the same time as the board.

Board replacement is possible by any flooring contractor by sawing out the center of the board and chiseling/prying out the side pieces.  The replacement piece will be dropped in by cutting off the lower half of its groove (of the tounge/groove pair) and glueing it in.  Small finish nails can also be used to tack it down (and set and filled with colored wood putty).

The new piece may be a bit proud if the floor has been refinished more than once, and can be presanded to blend.

Here's a video found by Shirlock Hoimes on the TOH site


How do I repair this laminate bubble? I set a boiling hot pot on top of the laminate countertop & this happened:

Is there a way to repair that, or do I have to replace the countertop?

Yes, there are ways to repair this, but they aren't going to do you any aesthetic favors. In short, they'll be ugly, but functional repairs.

You don't have to replace the countertop if you're OK with the modified aesthetics.


What are the best materials for non-toxic wooden blocks? I want to make wooden blocks for my baby girl. If successful, I would like to sell wooden block sets online too.

Requirements: (by order of importance)

Non-toxic
Cheap & readily available
Durable (doesnt chip, can withstand baby's watery mouth)
Easy to work with

What are your suggestions for the best:

Wood type
Wood paint
Finish

for the job?

I'd recommend something like maple. I've seen wooden toy making demonstrations at craft fairs and they almost all used maple.

As for coloring I'd do a test with some food grade dyes or colorants. You can buy gel and paste colorants from a cake decorating store and they're very vibrant and (obviously) safe to eat.


When using using 3/4 PEX for cold water in a bathroom that has shower, sink and toilet, do I need to reduce to 1/2 when I am branching to the fixture? I was advised to use 1/2 PEX for the hot water and 3/4 Pex for the cold water
The bathroom has shower, sink and toilet
Do I need to reduce to 1/2 when I am branching to the fixture ?
I can't find ball quarter turn shutoff angle valves that go from 3/4in PEX to 5/8s

"Need" is defined by the connection you want to make. As you've discovered, shutoff valves (supply stop valves for use with a fixture) with 3/4" inlet practically don't exist. Therefore yes you'll need to adapt the plumbing to the inlet of whatever shutoff valves you can find. Shutoff valves are widely available with inlets of either 1/2" female iron pipe thread or 1/2" nominal compression (the latter is called 5/8" tube size by some). With those two sizes as your destination, it's time for another visit to the "which fittings are readily available" department.
A copper stub-out is a common choice. It crimps to the in-wall PEX tubing and stubs a section of copper pipe/tubing through the drywall. After the room finish is completed the capped end of the pipe is cut off and a compression inlet shutoff valve is installed. You'll have a hard time finding a 1/2" stub-out that fits 3/4" PEX, though, so that indicates you'll next have to hunt for something like a 3/4"x1/2" PEX reducing tee, elbow, or coupler.
Another possibility is to arrange to emerge from the wall with PEX tubing directly. In this case you might get a 3/4" PEX x 1/2" male pipe thread adapter and pair it with a 1/2" FIP inlet shutoff valve.
There are few rigid requirements in the practice of plumbing -- mostly it consists of following a few principles and getting the job done with whatever parts are readily available.


Why doesn't the extra C wire work when hooking up WiFi thermostat? My existing thermostat has an extra 5th wire. It's blue. We used that as the C wire.  We have forced hot air so we checked the furnace and it has all the wires hooked into a clip that plugs in. It has switches designated for each wire. We turned the blue wire switch to the "on" position (it was off and all the others were on)and hooked up the blue wire to the C connector on the thermostat. Turned everything back on and no power to the thermostat.  Any ideas?

Check the voltage between the R wire and C wire at the thermostat.  I bet it's 0.

It happens all the time... installers hook the wires backwards on the transformer.  Historically, it didn't matter because transformers make AC power. Polarity doesn't matter on AC.** As long as one side of the transformer went to "thermostat" and the other side went to "furnace", it was good.  The early transformers didn't even have R and C labels, that was added later as a "convention" for future expansion.  And the convention is "R" to thermostat, and "C" to furnace.

Well, these smart thermostats need power for themselves.  Since they're supposed to be getting "R", the instructions say connect "C".  Of course if your transformer is wired backwards, the terminal labeled "C" on the transformer already goes to the thermostat, so connecting another wire does nothing.

So on "C", what the smart thermostat is looking for is the side of the transformer which goes to the furnace (and not to the thermostat).  Whichever that may be.

** When I say polarity doesn't matter on AC, I mean for this little low-voltage stuff.  Different deal on 120/240VAC household power because they do certain tricks to improve safety.


How will a hybrid water heater perform in less than optimal conditions? I'm thinking of getting a heat pump hybrid water heater (this one maybe); The operating conditions will be technically within the prescribed range but less than optimal.
I'm wondering how I should expect the heater to perform (power consumption and heating performance) under these conditions. I would be interested in the "with ducting" and "without ducting" answers.
This water heater would be in a small room that can get down to around 40 deg F in the winter. The room is probably about 300 cubic feet but with an open doorway leading out into a hallway and into a larger room from there. The ceiling is probably about 7 feet.
Also, in a worst-case scenario, would it eventually be able to heat my tank just using the electric backup?

For your “with ducting”, it should not be an issue at all, since you have met the full requirements with ducting.
For your “Without ducting”, in general you have met the condition, as the 300 cf room has an opening to a larger space, which meets the requirement.
In your “worst-case” scenario, it would perform just like a normal electric hot water heater with the same performance characteristics.
I have a hybrid which I installed several months ago in a true “worst-case” scenario.  It is installed in a small utility closet, 4x3, which is in the laundry room, 8x10.  I just leave the door open.  I leave the WH locked in the heat pump mode, as I see no reason to rush to heat the water in the tank back to full capacity.   If I have guests or for some other high demand days, I could manually switch it to hybrid or high demand for those occasions.


Where do you cut drywall if you need to remove it but still want to easily put it back up? I want to pull a section of drywall down, but then put it back up again later. I'm having a hard time deciding where to cut.
I think ideally, I could cut exactly down the center of a stud so that I could screw it back in. But there will already be screws down the center of the stud and it may be hard to find the exact center. Also a lot harder to make the actual cut since the stud is behind it.
It might be easier to cut along the edge of the stud, but then when putting it back in, there's nothing to screw into, unless I add some additional backing.
Last idea was to cut significantly in from the studs and just put it back in place kind of like a hole, hoping the mud will hold it in place.

I'll deviate from the other suggestions. I prefer to cut in open space and float new backing.

It's more difficult to cut down a stud. The knife or saw can't penetrate cleanly through, and you tend to hit fasteners.
If you're too far off the stud center you'll have a hard time putting screws back into the skinny overlap.
New, floated backing can be wider than a stud. This makes re-fastening both the patch and the edge of the existing drywall easier. 2-3" wide strips of 1/2" plywood are great. So is scrap 1x4 or whatever you have on hand thick enough to hold a screw.
The new backing doesn't need to be mounted to framing. Fastening blocks to framing and keeping them flush is often a challenge, especially with small openings. Floated backing is automatically flush with the framing.
New backing can be floated beyond the patch and screwed into the existing drywall. This can provide needed support in some situations.
It provides flexibility of location. I don't always want to cut on a stud because of where the taping patch needs to be.
The cutout can be whatever size or shape I like. If I'm reusing the piece, it's easy to float random backing behind the edges of an oddly-shaped cutout. If I'm installing a new patch, I cut that first, trace it on the wall, and cut the trace. Perfect fit every time.
New backing can be installed over insulation, often making the job easier.
Patch size doesn't matter. If it's large enough you'll have some studs to use as well, but this method is great for the edges of the repair.

Of course, one solution doesn't apply to every case. Use what make sense.


Wiring combo outlet & switch but box w/ 3 wires So I have a light outlet I want to turn into a combo outlet and switch.  I purchased the combo outlet / switch.  However I open and pulled the wires out of the wall box and it has 3 white wires tied together (not going to old switch).  And 3 black wires, 2 tied together and pigtailed to one pole on the switch the the 3rd going to the other pole on the old switch.  and of course a ground.  Not sure how to wire new switch / outlet combo.  I have it wired currently like the old switch (just using black wires) and the switch works but of course the outlet does not.  Not sure which or what white wires & black wires to put on what poles for the outlet portion of this to work.  I did break off the tab on the new combo switch as I was trying to wire it but was unable to get the correct white / black wire / pole combo correct.  Using a typical combo switch like this: https://www.acehardware.com/departments/lighting-and-electrical/switches-outlets-and-plugs/outlets/3809704?store=16805&gclid=Cj0KCQiA9P__BRC0ARIsAEZ6irgtfuos8sJNLklaPK4keXu70xnKPSZSjT9nxrENGfd3ZL1LGgCns48aAvdUEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Since you broke the tab, you have (electrically) two separate devices, so you will need one extra wire instead of two. But no big deal.
You will need one extra piece of black wire and one extra piece of white wire, and two wire nuts to replace the existing wire nuts.
Screw colors are based on the picture & instructions from the linked switch. Others may vary somewhat.

Existing black switch hot wire (the one that is combined with two others) goes to black screw on switch (top right if switch on top)
New black wire connected to the other three black wires in a wire nut and to the black screw on receptacle (lower right)
Existing black switched hot wire (the one that is by itself) goes to brass screw on switch (top left)
New white wire connected to all the other white wires in a wire nut and to the silver screw on receptacle (lower left)


How can i run my counter top convection oven and counter top microwave at the same time without tripping the breaker? Looking to be able to run my counter top toaster oven and my counter top microwave off the same breaker without tripping.  I need to save my counter space by stacking the units and sharing the outlet.

The problem is, you have both appliances on the same circuit.

Most kitchens are wired with two kitchen receptacle circuits for this very reason.

Running two high-power (heat making) kitchen appliances at the same time on the same circuit is simply a non-starter.  Almost every heat appliance is 1500 watts, because that is the maximum UL will certify on a standard socket.  The largest possible circuit for these appliances is 2400 watts, so 3000 watts is simply too much.  Not gonna happen.

Honestly, you should know this (at least by now), and you should not be even trying.  Intentionally creating an overload is asking for a house fire.   Certainly when you do trip a breaker for a reason that you know to be overload, you should wait 15 minutes for the wires in the walls to cool down.

If you really, really need to have those appliances there, you can try a heavy extension cord (remember these are HEAVY appliances), but draping extension cords across potentially wet kitchen counters is a disaster of another kind - though much is forgiven if the outlets are GFCI protected (they either have obvious GFCI receptacles, or "GFCI Protected" stickers on them).

The better plan is to contact an electrician about bringing the other kitchen receptacle circuit to a new outlet here, or splitting the existing outlet.


Battle of the British Standard BS3621 I am replacing the locks on a property and want to change the deadlock.  Firstly there are two depths to the locks: 64 mm (2.5") and 76mm (3") under the same BS3621.
After returning the first lock I bought and buying the correct depth (with the same BS3621) the new lock has other subtly different dimensions:

the body of the lock is taller by a few millimeters (89mm vs 76mm) so it doesn't fit in the hole already there.
the position of the key hole is a different distance from the door edge by 4mm and is lower by 10mm.
the deadbolt is taller (36mm vs 30mm) so doesn't fit into the strike plate's smaller recess.

I'm sure there are other things that are different but this is clearly not a standard, or it is a standard that has changed or been narrowed over time.

I tried to look up the old installer / suppler but they've both closed down.

My question is: before I buy the third lock, how do I tell it's going to fit?  Clearly BS3621 defines some thing but exact dimensions is not one of them.  What can I do?  (You can imagine what I think bs stands for right about now)

The classical way you handle this situation is to pull the old part out and take it to the store, precisely so you can compare dimensions and show it to a clerk to tap his experience.

You prefer mail order.  That works much better if sizes are standardized to one size, because then, you would not have to learn things about lock fitment. As a direct result, you have formed the expectation in your mind - because that is what will work the best for you.

It's like "surely the speed limit must be 120kph, because I'm late".

That is why you are concerned with BS 3621 - you desire size standardization to exist, you hope there is a standards document that calls it out, and so you latched onto (heh) the first standards document that seemed to relate.   It says nothing about lock dimensions.

I recommend you make yourself a sceptic of thought processes like these so you can stop being snared by them.

Also I suggest you run, do not walk -- I mean walk, do not type to the nearest appropriate hardware store, old lock in hand, and have the clerk help you, then cheerfully pay his retail price for the needed part.  While this will be more expensive than 1 mail order lock, it will certainly be cheaper than "education via buying the wrong parts".

P.S. I just spent a half day fiddling around with a fuel pump which arrived with the wrong fittings necessitating a fuel line  reroute, and the bar was  bent wrong so it wasn't even touching the eccentric (hence not pumping). A quick search of the Web reveals all modern fuel pumps are similar.   So I feel your pain.  I would have much rather just walked into the Stihl dealer, however this is not a Stihl.


How do I get my garage door open without prying it with a hanger? I have a lift master and I programmed the remote and left it in my vehicle. I forgot to program the key pad and defaulted to factory settings. How do I get my garage door open with out prying it with a hanger? Is there master password? Or can I hotwire the outside control panel?

If you do not have an entrance door to your garage (either to the interior of your house, or the exterior), there should be a key-based garage door release on the outside of your garage. You would obviously need the key for this, but it would release the garage door without resorting to prying it with a hanger or another similar hack.

It is also very typical to have a hardwired button available inside your house or next to an entrance door of the garage.

If not I doubt you can easily hotwire the control panel and instead would need to figure out how to pull the release cable.  Lucky for you there are a ton of YouTube videos on how to do this. Here's one.


How to prevent water coming off the edge of a roof with no gutter? On the side of our house that is perpendicular to the main roof ridge the roof (the ladders?) extends further by the ridge than it does down by the eaves. As a result, rain that hits close to the end of the ridge, as it flows down the roof, eventually falls off the edge of the roof instead of going all the way to the gutter. The image below is my attempt at a diagram:

My instinct was to use an drip edge upside down, but that turns out to be quite the eyesore. My guess is that there is a professional solution to this but I can't seem to find anything in the usual forums. Thoughts?

That edge of your roof is called the “rake” edge.

Water is probably running off it because 1) it’s slightly lower than the main roof, or 2) heavy rain and wind pushes it off that edge.

To keep the water from coming off the rake edge, is recommend a “standing seam” edge. The height will depend on how much rain you get and the length of the rake edge.

Here, we get a lot of rain all at once and we use a 3/4” to 1” high standing ridge at the edge, depending on the length of run.


Viessmann Vitodens 200w, LCD screen stuck on We have a Viessmann Vitodens 200w boiler and the screen on the weather compensating control unit (Vitotronic 200 Weather Comp Kit HO1) is stuck with everything lit up.

I can’t find anything in the manual about why this is, no combinations of buttons have helped, and the old off and on again trick does not fix it. The manufacturers help line won’t deal with me because the boiler is out of warranty and I’m not a licensed plumber.

Update based on comments.
Pulling the fuse / circuit breaker, and indeed a local area power cut affecting 400 houses turned the boiler off, but when it came back on it was still the same. We can't be 100% sure why it wen like this, but my father in law thinks he pressed the briefcase and plus buttons at the same time and entered a test mode. But I can't find any mention of it.

Update 2
We've had various issues with the Boiler, with parts being replaced. Its had a new mainboard, new pump and new valve, but the control panel worked fine since those were installed. The Boiler is doing hot water fine, heating to radiators is underwhelming, but waiting on a pipe service, I think that is unrelated? Pressure in boiler seems fine.

How can I get it back to normal operation?

We got an engineer in to deal with issues outside of the scope of the question, and Viessmann support would talk to him, they pointed out that it wasn't a test mode or crash, it was the LCD brightness! Hold down the OK button, and press the minus button (-) (not originally pictured, below the plus (+)) and turn down the brightness, fixed!


What could cause an under-sink reverse osmosis filter to have low pressure? The previous homeowner put in a GE SmartWater reverse osmosis filter under the sink, which is attached to the cold water. It was experiencing low pressure (the sink-top valve would spurt water for less than half a second and then drip). I purchased new filters and a new pressure tank, since the existing tank seemed to have a leak in its bag (diagnosed based on weight, and unwillingness to hold pressure from a bike pump).

I thought for sure replacing the tank would resolve the pressure issue. The new tank is very light, so it does seem to be working. But if anything, the pressure for the valve is even lower.

If I disconnect the pressure tank, the flow from the hose is pretty low.

I also tried turning up the water pressure from the source, which had no effect -- except on the pressure out the sink faucet.

There are no obvious kinks in the hoses. What's the best way to diagnose this?

What you call a pressure tank is actually a storage tank. RO filters always produce a very low flow which gets stored in the storage tank to supply the user.

You probably need to depressurize your storage tank below your water supply pressure so that the storage tank will accept the water from the filter.


Nailing down hardibacker on walls I'm in the middle of a bathroom renovation, which will be tiled with large format porcelain tiles on both the floor and walls.

I put 1/4" HardiBacker on the floor, laid on top of a bed of thinset as per the installation instructions. I used the "BackerOn" coated screws that home depot sells with the HardiBacker sheets. I was not happy with how the screws tend to split or fracture the hardi, mostly around the edge even when holding back 3/4" from the sheet edge.

When I started putting 1/2" backer on the walls I switched to hot-dipped galvanized ring shank nails, 2" long, using a framing nailgun to set them. I dialed back the drive depth to leave almost all nails either flush or slightly proud of the surface, and then I tapped them flush with a hammer. I had some that broke the surface of the board though.

After completing almost the entire bathroom I then was told that I should have used roofing nails, not framing nails, due to the size of the head. What I'm concerned about is that the backer board might pull through the nail heads of the smaller diameter framing nails. They are full-round head. not clipped head, but still much smaller than a roofing nail.

Am I justified in my worry? Should I go back over and augment the nailed boards with some screws?

Depending on what is behind your backer you need long roofing nails.  I use HB 30-40 times a year and and I use the HB screws and long roofing nails.  For shower walls that are a little tough I will double predrill for my backer screws.  I will use a small bit for the hole then I will through each hole and use a larger bit.  The larger bit I just give a tap into the board - about a 1/16th of an inch.  This will allow the head to sink in well and also keep my backer from breaking on the corners.  It might seem like a lot of work to double predrill but when you need to end up with flat right angles... well you will spend more time screwing and unscrewing - and backer screws are really good at pulling your board out 1/8" to drive you nuts.

Another note on the roofing nails.  I strategically use them.  They are fine to use, they are easy, they are faster... until you need to take the board out or add a shim.  Then you are screwed.


Dehumidifying an unheated garage I have a small, 40 year old garage in the backyard of the block of apartments where I live, which I've turned into a workshop. I replaced the roof, and repaired and strengthened the back wall, filled the missing bricks in the side walls, and cast a new concrete floor. It was a makeshift repair - the best I could do under the circumstances.

Now, the problem I have with this garage is the insane amount of moisture that accumulates in it. I inspected the roof during heavy rains, and there are no leaks whatsoever. There is plenty of ventilation (gaps in the walls, steel door slits, between the back wall and the roof, etc.). Despite that, after each winter, I come to find all of my steel tools with a thick layer of rust on them (even though I clean and oil them before winter), and wooden surfaces showing signs of mildew and rot. Even woodscrews in their boxes gather rust. I had some rags laying on the table in the garage, and some of them were so damp, that I managed to squeeze out a few drops of water... I live in a cold and humid climate zone, where the ground itself is radiating moisture all the time. Every time there's rain, moist air finds it's way into my garage through the hundreds of gaps in the walls, and settles on every surface. Every morning, there's heavy layer of dew as well. I measured humidity inside my garage yesterday - it was 75%. Outside the garage it was just 30%. Almost an unbelievable difference. Again, as I said, there are no leaks from the roof - all this humidity is just from the moist air.

I need to find a way to dehumidify this garage. Heating is not an option, because plugging every gap is just impractical, and without insulation, the electricity bill would be insane. I sometimes joke that there are more gaps than walls in this garage.

I considered another option - hanging bags of calcium chloride to collect all that moisture, and dry them from time to time in the oven back in the apartment. However, since the winds are howling through the garage through every gap, these bags would saturate after a few days.

With all of this in mind, I would like to ask for advice. What would be the most practical and economical way to keep this garage dry? The essential limitation here is that it is impossible to insulate all these gaps. There's just no way to prevent all that moist air from entering the garage, but maybe there is a way to collect it without any significant impact on the electricity bill.

Really looking forward to your suggestions. Thank you in advance.

If the humidity outside the garage is so much lower than inside, you could go the other way and use a fan to increase ventilation to prevent humidity buildup inside.

We made a poly 'clean room' inside an old garage before and had to tear it all out after the outside of the poly started to mildew against the walls...


How many degrees (angle) to open the water at the curb? If I want to turn the water on at the curb to I turn it 180? Or some other angle. It seems I've heard 90 degrees.

90 degrees if it's a ball valve.  ??? (certainly more than 360 degrees) if it's a gate valve.

You'll know it; there's a "stop" when you are at limits of travel.  Turning force will greatly increase.


How to PREVENT a toilet from running? Many questions here ask about how to fix a toilet that continues to run.

How do you PREVENT a running toilet from happening? Alternately, do mechanisms exist that stop it from running for more than some maximum time or volume, as a fallback?

I'm not aware of any device on the market but I could imagine a solenoid valve with us 555 timer chip connected to a water level sensor where it would reach minimum and then start the timer for a minute or so, enough time to fill it. That would do the trick. It could be made battery operated. I wouldn't know how to describe how to build it. It's more electronics than DIY. Setting up the flapper properly is an art form, especially when retrofitting one.


How do I remove permanent marker from a solid hardwood table? A black permanent marker was used on my kitchen table.  My daughter is 3, my bad for leaving the marker out!

An image of the damage:

The top circled area shows one mark.  The bottom circle is where my wife tried to scrub another black mark, and unfortunately the table in that area looks scuffed up now.

Some information on the the table:

Handcrafted of solid hardwood known for its heft and pronounced grain
Hand planed, sanded and finished in antiqued grey to enhance its distressed look
By their nature, unsealed wood planks may be somewhat uneven, and may cup or bow slightly over time, further enhancing their rustic one-of-a-kind character; cracks may be present

A full description of the table: http://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod150011

Often permanent markers can be removed with isopropyl alcohol.  First, assuming you still have the markers, I'd try using this to remove it from a test surface.  If it works, then try on the bottom of your table to ensure it does not damage the finish.  If it is safe, then use it to try and remove the marker from your table.


C wire for Ecobee3 thermostat in 2 zone heating and A/C My previous post was deleted by the Community. I'm incorporating very helpful comments from Stack users here in this updated entry.

I have hydronic baseboard heating that uses a Weil McClain oil boiler. Two zones, one for the first floor and one for the second. I have central A/C with the air handler in the attic and the condenser outside. The A/C also has two zones, one for each floor.

I have two thermostats, one on each floor, with OFF, HEAT, COOL, FAN ON, FAN AUTO options. Each thermostat controls both heating and cooling. My first floor thermostat is currently a Honeywell T8775X (digital round, non-programmable). My second floor thermostat is a Honeywell CT87 (classic round, non-programmable).

Images of thermostat wiring, boiler, and A/C

Please see included images of A/C, boiler, and thermostat wiring in link above.

I plan on installing two Ecobee3, one for each zone. What would be the best way to connect the Ecobee3 - to the A/C or to the furnace? Is it ok to connect both thermostats to one system (i.e., both to the A/C or both to the furnace)?

Thanks!

Looks like there's an extra blue wire in each of the thermostat cables at the zone controller. Simply connect the blue wire from the thermostat cable, to the C terminal of each ZONE# T'STAT terminal block. Then connect the blue wire to the C terminal on the new thermostats. This should give you power to the thermostats.

However, since it looks like it's using the transformer from the air handler to power the zone controller. You'll likely have to also install a jumper from the C terminal on the 24VAC Transformer terminal block, to the C terminal on the System terminal block.

Depending on the transformer that's in the air handler, the additional load of the thermostats might be too much for it.  So make sure the secondary side of the transformer is fuse protected. If it is, and the fuse blows. Then you might have to upgrade the transformer, or use a second transformer to power the zone controller and dampers.

WARNING: If the transformer is NOT fuse protected, and you draw too much current. You will end up damaging the transformer.


How can I repair a particle-board dresser after sanding part of it? I have a dresser that is painted white with water stains on one end. I sanded and found particle board underneath. I can not get the damage to smooth out over the water stained end. What can I do to refinish it?

Use wood filler to fill and smooth the damaged area.  Then buy a veneer material in the finish you'd like (I think you can find it in the counter department at Lowe's or Home Depot - I saw some there the other day) and apply that to the entire dresser with the manufacturer recommended adhesive.


Can I put an electrical conduit through this space above the wall to simplify future fishing? Ok, I'll try to explain as best as I can.

Basically I have a space above my electrical box that leads into the unfinished section of the basement, with a bunch of electrical wire running through.

As it happens I periodically want to run a new cable through this space, and it's a pain in the butt every time to get the glow rod through.

Question: Can I put some flexible conduit up there to provide an easy raceway for future Romex runs? It wouldn't terminate in a box, it would just be there to be an easy pathway for rods or tape in the future and fully insulated Romex would go through it.

Yes, this is a good idea, but a few details.

No more than four cables per conduit, unless you're willing to upsize ALL the cables to the next larger size. That is 310.15(B)(3)(a).
The conduit needs to be fairly large, because the cables are oval. Each oval cable is treated like a single wire of the wide dimension (because they twist). They can't fill the conduit more than 30% (for two) or 40% (for three or more).  1-1/4" conduit is probably a safe choice, though 1-1/2" will be easier to pull.  (pulling stiff Romex is a bugbear).  *This is not a Code requirement per se, but it'll surely be a practical limit given NM-B tends to have kinks, and kinks snag like crazy in conduit.
Flex is a bad idea.  I know it seems easy to install, but the flex will fight you every inch of the way. The energy you are using to push or pull the cable will instead bend the conduit sideways. Believe me, this is very frustrating, especially when pushing, and pushing is (otherwise) easier since you only have to watch one end.  With a non-flexible conduit secured at both ends, that's an non-issue.
Assemble the conduit first, then fish the wires through it.


How do I drill through steel? I was trying to drill through my stucco wall and hit a very hard surface that the drill would not go through.  I then purchased a titanium drill bit that I was told would drill through steel, which I think is what is behind the stucco.  However, I can't get the drill to make a hole.  How long does it take to drill through steel and am I using the correct drill bit?

Ecnerwal raises a good point - I would want to know for sure what it is before drilling through it.  Metal plates are often put in around wires and pipes specifically to stop you from accidentally drilling into them - you could break electrical wires or plumbing, potentially causing a fire or a flood.

The plates work like this image shows:

The best thing to do here probably isnt applying more force - either drill somewhere else, or open up a small hole in the wall around it so you can see what you are breaking, then decide if its still a good idea.

As for what will drill through it - it depends on exactly what it is and how thick it is.  Drilling through strong thick steel requires lubricating oil so you dont overheat and damage the drill bits.  They will dull very fast without it.


Wiring a PigTail off a GFI outlet for 60Watt light bulb I would like to install a 60W light for my coat closet. I can gain access to a GFI outlet on the outside wall of the closet. When I went to open up the outlet I noticed quite a mess of wires. I don't have a picture so I will explain in full detail. There are 3 cables (three blacks, three whites and three grounds) connected into the GFI.

One set of wires is going in to the "LINE" the second set goes into the "LOAD". The last set is pigtailed into the "LOAD" as well.

I am not sure if I can pigtail another line into the LOAD or should I take it from the LINE side? I dont want to overload the gfi and there is no other power source I can grab from that's close.

Your lighting circuit should be pigtailed off the LINE side of things (essentially upstream of the outlet). This keeps the wiring a bit simpler and lights aren't typically GFCI protected anyway.

Basically the black coming into the LINE terminals should be connected to the black leading to your new switch box, and they should also connect to a pigtail leading to the outlet. Same with the whites, and the grounds all bundle together (green in the diagram below).

Source


What tool should I use for an octagonal nut on a plumbing trap? I have a PVC P-trap under a sink and the trap nut is a very low profile, flush plastic nut that appears to be octagonal. The nut is only about 1/8" thick or less and 1" across so there is very little area for a wrench to grip onto. To make it even worse, the corners of the nut are not sharp, but are rounded off.

Is there some kind of special tool that is used for this kind of nut?

A channel-lock plier is the best tool for about any PVC nut. It's much quicker and more reliable than an adjustable wrench due to the clamping force you're able to apply and the gripping teeth.


Grounded outlet with load for ungrounded outlet Moved into a place, nearly every outlet is ungrounded with the exception of a couple GFCI in the kitchen and bath. Needed three prong for the fridge (and really didn't want the new appliance completely unprotected) so grabbed a GFCI and went to install it in the appropriate place.

There's a ground wire attached to the box, it's part of the two-wire line back to the panel. I am able to identify this line into the panel. Looks like about half a dozen or so grounds run into the panel in total.

This outlet also has a load. The two-wire cable for the load does not have a ground wire.

The house is a bit older (80s) and I expected no grounds at all given the outlets. I've only ever seen all grounded or all not (I'm not exactly an electrician but I'm fairly handy) and I'm wondering, before I throw a grounded outlet in here, is one grounded outlet with load connected ungrounded outlets okay?

There's no chance I'm going to be running grounds to the subsequent outlets if they're not already run.

If you install a GFCI the load side of the GFCI can power 3 prong Ungrounded outlets just use one of the stickers in the box the GFCI comes with that says “GFCI protected no equipment ground” this is a legal way to update to 3 prong ungrounded outlets.

The home having 2 wire no ground points to pre 60’s era fwiw.
It is possible that it had some level of requiring or to just prior to 3 wire requirements.

The current code allows you to run a ground wire (not a new cable as past code required) to any convenient location as long as the circuit comes from the same panel. So if you only have 1 main panel you can tie into another circuit’s ground to provide a true grounded outlet instead of GFCI only protection. Note a plug in outlet tester that has a GFCI test function won’t work on a no ground socket but the test button on the outlet will work.


Load-Bearing Wall? Parallel to Joists, single story, but has attic supports I've had multiple professionals look at this wall, and no one has been able to give me a clear answer (2 home inspectors, and 1 structural engineer). So I've come to the source of all truth, the Internet.

The diagram of what's happening appears to be simple, but as a not-structural-engineer, I can't tell where the load from the roof downward is being applied. Obviously, my long-term game plan here is to remove the wall.

See below - assume that the joists/rafters/collar ties continue regularly: (please let me know if there's more I can diagram)

The question(s):

Is the wall in question load-bearing?
If it is load-bearing, how do I go about calculating the lineal per foot load (e.g. "what size beam do I need for a 13' span")? I have precise measurements available & dead/live psf loads, but because the structural load seems difficult in this case I'm having a lot of trouble determining what size beam would be required for the expected load & span.

Please let me know what additional info I can provide - I have measurements & photos I can reference.

Since your front section at one time was a garage the there was a need to provide a fire break wall between the garage and the living portion of the house. Since the garage undoubtedly had an open ceiling all the way up into the rafter area the fire break wall had to extend way  up to the roof line. To support the heavy drywall used as sheathing on the fire break wall studding was added from the top plate of the lower wall up to the rafters.

The drywall used on such walls is often 5/8" thick or two layers of 1/2" thick material.

If going by your picture is accurate it is doubtful if this is a load bearing wall in the conventional sense. However depending on the construction of the top plate it may not be providing the necessary strong tie behavior to prevent rafter sagging in that area if the lower wall was to be removed.


Do separate pieces of EMT conduit qualify as "pull points"? Question: Do two separate pieces of EMT conduit joined by a connector qualify as a "pull point"?

Background:
I need to make six 90 degree turns in 2" EMT conduit to route wire for a new sub-panel which means my run is subject to NEC 2011 clause 358.26:

358.26 Bends — Number in One Run. There shall not be
more than the equivalent of four quarter bends (360 degrees
total) between pull points, for example, conduit bodies and
boxes.

However, I cannot find anywhere that the NEC specifically defines a "pull point" other than the examples of "conduit bodies and boxes". It makes sense to me that "conduit bodies" means having two separate pieces of conduit joined with a connector (as per the connectors to the 90 degree bend in the above picture) because the conduit bodies can be separated to allow for pulling without over-stressing the wire, but I want to confirm if this is the correct interpretation.

Or, do I need a special elbow pull fitting like shown below (the picture shows smaller conduit), or are these fittings just for convenience if you later decide to pull more wire through the conduit?

Picture credit of http://www.diyadvice.com/diy/electrical/cable/metal-conduit/

EDIT: Thanks to all for your answers. I somehow overlooked the definition of conduit body in the standard:

Conduit Body. A separate portion of a conduit or tubing
system that provides access through a removable cover(s)
to the interior of the system at a junction of two or more
sections of the system or at a terminal point of the system.
Boxes such as FS and FD or larger cast or sheet metal
boxes are not classified as conduit bodies.

NO! Regular couplings, those in the first image, are NOT pull points. Pull points are conduit bodies or boxes, or even those silly little elbows in the second image.

My suggestion would be to install a conduit body at strategic locations. For your installation you really only need one.

Conduit bodies:


Repairing broken roof struts I discovered two broken roof struts in my attic, adjacent to each other on the same strut. See the pictures. For perspective, you can see a yellow-gloved hand in the first picture. It's resting on the broken strut shown in the second picture.

All of the other struts and trusses look just fine to me. Clearly one of these has been hastily patched at some point, so at least one of these is not a recent break. I have owned the home for a little more than three years.

My plan is to slap a 24" 2x4 on both sides and screw in every 6 inches (I'll just do this on one side for the one that was already patched). Similar to the advice in this thread (OP there was not me).

Does this seem like a reasonable plan? I'm not too concerned by this, but should I be?

I finally got a licensed engineer out to take a look at this.
The working theory is that the truss was damaged when the home was built, some 30+ years and 2+ owners ago. The rest of the truss system looks like it's in good shape. Sounds like I'm either the first person to notice this or the first person to care.
The solution they drew up was to put a 30" 2x4 on either side of each damaged truss member and secure it with six 3" structural screws on each side of the break (so 24 screws total per damaged truss member). Took about an hour to do this myself, and aside from some sore legs and a serious amount of sweat it wasn't too difficult.
The lesson here is to call around. The first person I talked to was a builder who suggested taking off part of the roof and replacing the truss. Later it was suggested to me to consult with a licensed structural engineer who came up with this solution.


Power to panel in mobile home I have 60 amps coming from main shut off on pole to my mobile home which has a 125 amp rated panel with a 100 amp main breaker in it. My question is, can I have the 60 amps increased to 100 or 125 amps to match my home main panel?
Problem I currently have is that lights dim when fridge or electric dryer pull demand.

First let's look at your situation where you have a 60A Service Disconnect and a 100A main breaker in your panel. You should never have a larger amperage breaker after a smaller trip breaker because if you have a fault downstream, the service disconnect will trip prior to your main breaker. So your main breaker is ineffective and is only being used as an equipment disconnect.

Second: Yes you can increase your service disconnect size but only if your feeder conductors to your panel are the correct size to handle the updated overcurrent protection.

Third: Your dimming may be caused by your service feeder being undersized and is causing a voltage drop to unacceptable levels or it may be caused by a broken neutral or ground. I would have that checked first before going to the expense of replacing a service.

Hope this helps and good luck.


Extending Length of Air Conditioning Drain Pipe I live in a multi apartment building. All the neighbors has AC.

Many AC's has condensation drainage pipes which descent into the common garden and are cut at about two meters above ground. Others are cut at much higher heights.

I want to extend those low hanging pipes to funnel the water to the trees we have in the garden.

There are two types of pipes. I have attached pictures of both. The pipes are cut in a rough way, no connectors at their ends.

My questions are,

How can I extend those pipes? What kind of connectors should I be looking in the store?
Can I extend it into a drip irrigation system? Is it possible without adding pressure?

the first picture appears to be dish or clothes washer drain hoses. But to answer your questions: if the hoses are pliable or soft enough any short length of (PVC?) pipe similar to the inside diameter of the hose should suffice as a coupler to join two sections. Secure with hose clamps. Regarding splicing into an irrigation system; if it is not under pressure it might work correctly (or with a check valve installed). Most irrigation systems do function using water from a pressurized line although it is usually reduced by a valve.


Help with hiring pressure washing service I need to get my 2400 sq.ft., 2-story house pressure washed, and had a few services visit the house to provide quotes. The quotes are widely different so I need some advice to decide. Service A said he will use a 3000psi jet, put up a tall scaffold to stand on while washing, and charge $600 total. Service B said he will do a soft wash using a low-pressure jet (< 200psi pretty much same as the house water supply pressure), use a pole to reach the second story, and charge $300 total. Is Service A's method overkill and/or potentially damaging to the house? Does Service B's method sound sufficient given the amount of mold/mildew on the house is moderate? Both services use the same chemical (bleach).

Ideally you would use the lowest pressure that will be effective, to minimize the chance of damage. A soft wash generally focuses on letting the detergent dwell and do the work, while a harder wash can make do with fewer (or no) chemicals. Some jobs clearly require one or the other, but siding is somewhere in the middle.

Assuming that both operators are skilled the high pressure guy has the potential advantage of using fewer chemicals, which is nice for plants and animals. The greater height from the scaffolding should also make it easier to aim the spray down, which tends to work better with siding than up. On the other hand, the high pressure stream is more likely to force water into places you'd rather not have it. Got any poorly flashed windows?

The low pressure guy is potentially less dangerous to your house, potentially more so to your garden if he's loading up on the chemicals. Using a pole puts him further from the work. That being said, you really care how the house looks from the ground. It doesn't sound like there are any features that couldn't be cleaned with the pole. Are there gargoyles or corbels that need the close up touch?

In the end you'll have to decide who is more trustworthy, whether that's by asking questions or seeing their previous work. Neither sounds too outlandish, though neither sounds extremely compelling. Two hundred psi sounds very low to remove mildew that's grown into the siding while three thousand sounds fairly high for a house.


Are these fibers in my drywall asbestos? While removing/cleaning the bathroom fan hood, I noticed that the edges of the hole in the drywall ceiling have a very fibrous-looking layer/sheet on each side of the gypsum.

This house is very old (going on over 100 years) and I'm not sure when this bathroom's ceiling was last renovated.

I will take a sample to the lab tomorrow, but wondering if anyone has seen the sheeting look so fibrous like this?

If that drywall job is more than 30 years old, it could have asbestos in it, but you wouldn't be able to see it - the fibers are too small.

Those fibers are probably fiberglass - added for strength.

Testing either way, causes no harm.


Restoring an old fridge; should I add a ground wire? I'm rewiring an old monitor-top fridge. The original wiring was only 2-wire and it has completely disintegrated.

I was thinking about replacing the power cord with a grounded plug and wiring the ground to the fridge body/chassis, which is how a 1960's fridge (which I also recently rewired) was originally wired.

Is there any reason I should keep the fridge 2-wire?

I don't see the harm in adding the ground wire.  All neutral wires end up going to the neutral bar in the main panel that is mounted directly on the metal box just like ground wires are mounted directly a ground bar that is mounted to the box. Sub-panels are different having an isolated neutral bar but everything goes back to the main. House panels here in California have the neutrals and grounds going to the same bar.  In all actuality if you go from hot to neutral with a volt meter you will get 120v and when you go from hot to ground you will get 120v. Adding the ground to the frame of the refrigerator will just be a more direct route for the ground to take at the fridge.  You might want to ohm it out between the hot and ground before testing on a life circuit, making sure there is no continuity.


Is a gas water heater safe in a bedroom? My existing water heater is electric and is likely to need replacing soon. The heater is in a converted garage that I use as a guest room.

As the house is piped for gas, I'm considering the purchase of a gas water heater to replace the electric one. Is there any hazard with a modern gas water heater being used near where people are sleeping? (I'm more concerned here with fumes than the possibility of explosion.)

The amount of oxygen consumed by a hot water heater is negligible. The risk of the gas heater sucking all the oxygen out of the room is zero. Now that does not mean that it's code to have it in a bedroom, but there is no safety issue from consumption of oxygen.

The safety issue is on venting of the carbon monoxide (CO) from the hot water heater. In order to make the install safe, ensure that the new gas water heater is properly vented through the ceiling. There are lots of resources online about properly venting gas appliances. Here's a reasonable one to start with.

Obviously since a gas hot water heater requires adding a vent, it's more expensive to install. You may find that an electric water heater still makes financial sense once you consider installation costs.

As noted in the comments, be sure and get a CO detector for the room. These are relatively inexpensive and you can get them at your local hardware store or order through Amazon.


How can I change the final position of a threaded-in faucet? I installed a wall faucet and it got into the wrong direction because I had to tighten it well.

How I can make it point in the right direction?

Unscrew it and apply a bit more (or less) thread tape. Or use thread compound, which is a bit more forgiving of tightness.


Contractor cut wire in wall - all still works fine - is this dangerous? A contractor who is not an electrician tried to be "helpful" and opened an outlet box (and other nearby boxes that were drawing the same power) that wasn't working to try and fix it. He changed some connections, added a wire, and also cut a wire. He ended up getting power to the broken outlet, however his "fix" ended up blowing a different circuit and we lost power in an adjoining room. I had a real electrician come in - he said the contractor had added an unnecessary wire which he removed, and he also said the contractor had connected a ground and Hotwire. (He said they were the same color so it may have been confusing). So now all of the outlets, at least in the two rooms that were seemingly effected, are working and the fuses are fine. He can't figure out what the cut wire goes to so he just capped it off. he said there was no danger from having this cut wire in the wall - he said since my walls are concrete I won't have an electrical Fire even if that wire did overheat. He said if it was resting a short somewhere then a fuse would blow. He said since it appears everything is working now it is hard to figure out what that wire was for. Does this all sound right and I should just not worry about it? Or do I need to start tearing down walls to figure out where the cut wire came from?

Does this all sound right and I should just not worry about it?

If it is causing you concern, you could pay another electrician for a second opinion. I wouldn't bother but you may feel it worthwhile.

  do I need to start tearing down walls to figure out where the cut wire came from?

If you must know where the wire leads to, that might eventually be necessary.

There are other tools that can be used for tracing wires without requiring opening up the walls - for example, tone-generators are often used on telecom wiring, I imagine you could isolate the power supply to the house and use that kind of tool.

This might be a lot of work for little reward.

A disconnected wire is unlikely to pose a hazard unless it is a ground/earth wire which might mean that some light-fitting or power outlet which shoudl be earthed is not. An electrician can test lights etc to test the earthing arrangements meet code. You can buy relatively inexpensive tools to test outlets - these might give you some reassurance.

If the electrician has pronounced it safe and has capped off the wire, I would leave it at that unless you have good reason to mistrust the electrician.


Dishwasher not draining I have a Bosch dishwasher (modelnr: SMU69T42SK). It is no longer draing properly at the end of a cycle.
There is a similar question here, which mentions a failing solenoid valve as a possible fault.
I don't think this is my issue, though, because when I put it on the quick (15m) rinse cycle, the first thing it does is pump out the water in the bottom without a problem (identified from sound of water in drain, verified by opening the door immediately after and seeing water has emptied).
I have read here (sorry, Danish article) that there may be a dirty or faulty "niveaukontrol" (level sensor, I think). From the symptoms the article describes, this sounds likely.
I have found the parts drawings (washing system subassembly, page 6), but I can't identify a level sensor. Also, I don't see a float-like device in the bottom as in this video
Is it possible that my machine does not have a level sensor? How would it know it drained the water if not?
Any suggestions are of course very welcome.

I determined the cause of the problem. It was a failing solenoid valve (part number 0404) controlling the outflow from the plastic container on the left side (supposedly a heat exchanger).
The symptom of water in the bottom occurred after draining was complete (which, as it turns out, it successfully were) where the machine takes in some new water to the container. Presumably, this is not supposed to be full at this point, and so water entered into the main compartment by way of an overflow outlet (part no. 0402 in the parts drawing).
After ordering a new valve for 200 dkk and replacing the old one, my washer now works again.
Also, if doing this, be sure to unplug the washer. After changing the valve, I discovered it runs on mains voltage.


Why does my gas furnace heat up and then blow cold air? My 8 yr. old Comfortmaker will turn on, burner will light, then will occasionally shut down 10 minutes later, even tho the temp is not up to the correct temp. Burner goes out, fan stays on, blows cold air. I can turn off the unit at power switch, then when I turn on the burner will light, sometimes staying on and other times going off after 15 minutes. Why?

Sound like this may be the same problem as described on Why does my furnace need frequent power resets?

You didn't mention if the furnace comes back on on its own or not. If it doesn't (or doesn't as often as it should), it sounds like the exact same problem I posted about in the above link: a dirty flame sensor. If this is the case, cleaning it will probably make the problem go away.

If the furnace is coming back on on its own, then:

dirty air filter
Chimney is clogged causing exhaust to come back down the chimney (backflow)
Backflow sensor is clogged/broken
Flame sensor is dirty/broken
Control board is faulty

Checking the sensors is probably easiest.


Is there a minimum required distance between window and kitchen countertops? I'm planning on a kitchen remodel which will reduce the existing space between a window and the countertop. There is a required electrical outlet in this space.
I was wondering if there is any building code or at least a best practice for this.
My concerns are:

Is a space of about 3 3/4" between bottom of window and countertop ok?
Will I be able to fit the electrical outlet in there and if yes, it is ok code wise?

This outlet cannot be moved since one is required within 2 ft from the edge and I'm trying to avoid the pop-out one.
This is what it looks like now:

And this is what the new configuration would be:

There should be no issue with the arrangement you plan to do. The only issue would be if moving the box required cutting the wall framing to allow the relocation. If the box is already protected by a GFCI outlet, that should cover any other concern that there may be.


Can you run a junction inside an outlet or recessed light I have been working on finishing my basement and am starting my rough in electrical. I am learning as I go and have gotten most of the basics down.. calc load, box size, stapling, supports etc.

One thing I cant figure out is if you can have a junction within a live outlet or recessed light. Ideally I would like to run a Y from my last recessed light can with one line going right, to a receptecle and one going left, to the end switch. I am guessing this is against NEC code but have been unable to find out for sure, partly because I am unsure of the correct terminology for it.

Can someone point me in the right direction? Is this even called a junction? or is it called something else like a branch?

I am getting a pro to do some of the finish connections but I am doing all of the rough in.

According to the National Electrical Code (NEC), there are only two factors that limit you.
Conductor box fill
If you're working with standard sized boxes, you can use Table 314.16(A) to determine the number of conductors allowed in a box.

If you're using non-standard boxes, you'll have to make the calculations yourself. Basically, it works like this.
Conductor Fill

For each current carrying conductor (ungrounded (hot), or grounded (neutral)) that terminates or is spliced within the box, add 1.
For each conductor that passes through the box without splice or termination, add 1.

Clamp Fill

If there are any internal cable clamps, add 1 (not 1 per, just 1).

Support Fittings Fill

If there are any luminaire studs or hickeys, add 1 (not 1 per, just 1).

Device or Equipment Fill

For each yoke or strap containing one or more devices, add 2.

Equipment Grounding Conductor Fill

If equipment grounding conductors enter the box, add 1 (not 1 per, just 1).

Volume Allowance Calculation
Use this Table 314.16(B) to calculate the total box fill.

Sum up the count from the Conductor Fill section, and multiply by the value from the table.  For example:  If you had 4, 14 AWG conductors, you'd multiply 4 by 2.00.
Sum up the counts from the Clamp Fill, Support Fittings Fill, Device or Equipment Fill, and Equipment Grounding Conductor Fill sections, and multiply by the value from the table of the largest conductor in the box. For example:  If this value was 4, and the largest conductor in the box was 12 AWG. You'd multiply 4 by 2.25.
Add the 2 totals together. For example: Using our values above (4 x 2.00 + 4 x 2.25 = 17), you'd need a box with a volume of 17 in. cubed.

Wire Connector Capacity
If you're using twist-on wire connectors, each connector can connect a specific number and size of conductors (Check manufacture documentation).  This will limit the number of wires connected together.  If you're using push-in wire connectors or terminal blocks, you'll be limited by the number of terminals.

tl;dr
If you want to supply multiple devices downstream; but the devices are in opposite directions, there should be no problem splicing multiple cables together to feed the devices.


Centering my bed on a 12" post protruding from a wall I want to place my bed where the column is protruding from the wall in the center of the room. The post was installed by the previous owner during expansion. I hired a structural engineer to have this post removed but I also wanted a second opinion. How would you go about disguising this post to have a bed in front of it? Attached below is a render of my bedroom.

My approach was to install a very large drywall backdrop the width of my bed and decorate it with lamps or accent coloring. I feel that this would lower my home value because not everyone has the same size bed as me.

Update:
Here's how it would look! I removed the closet and shrunk down the second living room size. Let me know what you think, I'm interested.

So that works well.
A couple of possibilities:

alcoves for storing bits with or without lamps

cupboards behind well access each side - again storage

But if you want the uncluttered look...


Heating above ground pool by re-circuplating pool water through tankless, on-demand water heater Due to covid-19 all indoor pools in my area are closed for the foreseeable future. Kids being swimmers, I purchased an Intex 15' round above ground pool and installed in it in the garage. It worked well over the summer, but I would like to turn this into a year around solution, at least through this winter. Since I hope this is only for one season, I am not looking into a full blown pool heating system and am trying to keep this on a budget.
I am considering using a tankless, on-demand water heaters running on LP to heat the pool and am looking for pointers why this won't work or is a bad idea. Taking one manufacturer, it seems that specialized pool heaters are double the price of a water heater. I am trying to keep my initial outlay to
~ $1,000, but also wonder how much it will cost to heat.
Water Heater:
https://www.rheem.com/group/rheem-tankless-mid-efficiency-tankless-mid-efficiency-64-direct-vent-indoor
VS Pool heater:
https://www.rheem.com/group/rheem-residential-pool-spa-heaters-above-ground-pool-spa-heaters-106
Some info:
Pool Size: 5,000 gallons.
Garage is cinderblock construction with roof, but no insulation anywhere.
We are in the Washington, DC area so avg winters are hovering in low 30s overnight.
Pool currently has a 320 GPH pump.
Also, how to ballpark estimate the cost of heating:
Assuming an initially cold pool at 50 degrees, at 6GPM and 35 degree rise, I can circulate all water in the pool in 11 hours, and get the pool to 85 degrees. (78 is enough for swim practice). Now all the heat loss starts and I need to keep water circulating, to keep it as 78 degrees. How much LP would I be burning through on a daily basis?
Updates based on questions asked:

Pool is a single layer vinyl and comes with a cover.
With valid points raised about 1) heat loss and 2) condensation, sounds like insulating the garage is a must.
Currently considering R10 rigid foam for all walls, both Owens Corning FOAMULAR and Thermasheath Rmax seem water resistant, so this feels OK.
Not sure what is best for the roof. Should can cut the same boards and add in between rafters. Or will batt insulation work if protected from condensation, perhaps with a layer of Reflectix bubble insulation on top of batt, facing the inside.

Per the NWS, the [base 65 heating degree days][1] for Washingtion (or BWI, anyway) are 205 for October, 465 for November, 786 for December, 899 for January, 728 for February, 568 for March and 270 for April.
What is a "base 65 heating degree day?" a day with an average temperature of 50 degrees adds 15 to the HDD count. A day with an average temperature of 30 degrees adds 35 to the count, and a day with an average temperature of 65 (or above) adds 0 to the count.
I'll assume a basic 20x20 two car garage since you haven't specified and it fits a 15 foot pool. Your basic 8" thick cinderblock is R1.11 and a typical uninsulated roof is about R1. ignoring roof slope, 400 square feet of R1 and 640 square feet of R1.11 (that is optimistic if the garage doors are uninsulated metal, as is typical for uninsulated garages, but let's ballpark it for now.) That calculates out to 976, or to be simple since it is a ballpark, 1000 BTUs per hour per degree F, so 24,000 per 24 hour degree-day.
So, October, 205 degree days, 4,920,000 BTUs - for 65 F. For 78 F rather than 65 F, add 31*(78-65)=403 and you now need 14,592,000 BTUs for October. There's 91,502 BTUs per gallon of LPG, reduced by your heater being less than 100% efficient. If it were 100% efficient you'd need 159.5 gallons, just for October; you'll actually need 10-20% more for typical gas heater efficiencies.
In January, you'll need 31,248,000 BTUs or 341 gallons of propane in the mythical 100% efficient heater, or 414 with your chosen heater at (apparently without spending too long delving the documentation) 82% efficency.
Right - your question was "gallons per day" so it looks like an average of 13.35 in January and 6.27 in October. You can work out the other months if you like, or compute the whole heating season.
[1]: https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=lwx


how to safely terminate phone cable I took a phone jack off the wall and snipped the cable.  I'm not getting any voltage between green and red, either AC or DC.  I don't want to just leave a wire in the wall that could become live.  How do I safely terminate this wire, preferably without tracing it all the way through the muddy crawlspace to its source?

They make tiny gray and blue wire nuts that ought to work, you could strip and twist all four wires together, trim, and twist on a wire nut.  You could cap each wire individually, but I'd splice / short them all together.

I have heard two different schools of thought about "safing off" unused wires, especially wires you want taken out of use.  With line voltage, some say it's better to short / splice them and / or bond them to the EGC, others say cap them separately.

I'll leave that discussion for another question, for a phone cable, it doesn't matter much.  One wire nut on four conductors will hold more securely and less to look at.

If you can identify it, you should disconnect and cap it at the other end as well - probably in your house's telephone NID (network interface device).

If you want to be really thorough, tag it in the NID with a label where the other end is, just in case someone needs it in the future.


Waterproofing nail holes in a hardwood bathroom floor? I’m face nailing my new hardwood flooring (Tasmanian Blackwood 19mm x 130mm) then puttying the knot holes and nail holes. This will be done through the whole house. The subfloor is Particle Board (Brand name: Yellow Tongue) that has been glued and screwed down.

My question:

In the bathrooms I want to do a boat deck look. To accomplish this I’m going to waterproof the subfloor (there is also a floor drain in the event of flooding) then use strips of Dupont Flexwrap under the hardwood, between it and the waterproofing in the nail areas only so when nailing it will seal the nail holes. Finally I will use black Sycaflex or a comparable product to seal the spacing lines (I will be leaving equal spacing between each board) after I have applied a water resistant finish. SO, is the Dupont Flexwrap needed to seal the nail holes or is this just overkill?

Without the ability to dry on both sides, your hardwood flooring will eventually warp and crack unless you completely seal the surface.

You can use woods like Ipe and Teak in wet situations (and indeed, those are the woods traditionally used for ship decks) but I don't think Tasmanian Blackwood has the same resistance. There's at least one amazing bathroom designer here in Houston that built an Ipe shower floor...

... but that's got the drain below a 'tray' made out of ipe that can be removed so that it can be cleaned, refinished and/or repaired easily. It's strips of Ipe with gaps between them that are then nailed to cross-pieces that sit in the sloped pan of the shower. I'm not totally clear from your posting, but from what I think you're looking for something like that for your entire bathroom?

The only other alternative that I can think of for you is face-nailing the wood, and then sealing it completely with an epoxy polyurethane. However, this floor will be extremely slippery when wet.

But, in general, wood floors in bathrooms are a bad idea and are something that you should rethink.


How to attach replacement beams to column when repairing pergola I'm planning to replace some rotten beams on a free-standing pergola.  What is the best way to attach them to the top of the existing columns? The columns are hollow squares made of 3/4" boards with a flat cap (made of a 1/2" board with flashing). The beams are 1 1/2" thick.  I can't tell how they're currently attached - maybe just toed in, which doesn't seem very sturdy to me.  I'm thinking of using Simpson Z-Max hurricane ties, but is there a better way that will look nicer?

Try Simpson's Outdoor Accents Product Line. Catalog here


How can I make use of bricks, rock and miscellaneous fill left in my yard? I bought a house last fall and now that spring is here i am cleaning up the yard.  I have been finding alot of bricks, brick sized rocks and brick sized miscellaneous fill (peices asphalt, rock embedded concrete, etc).  Additionally i have typical white garden rocks. i was hoping someone had a way to repurpose them.  I thought about cleaning then up and maybe even painting them, at least the bigger pieces.  Or maybe just breaking them all down with a sledge hammer.  What else could I use possibly use them for?

You could create some really cool mosaics.

Here’s my favorite. It’s of Greek women on the island of Sicily (before it was Italian) doing their athletic competitions in bikinis.

They say the bikini was invented in 1950, but this is proof they were around a long time before that.


How to fit waste water pipe into back inlet gully? I'm replacing some waste pipes and drainage and need to know what is the best way to fit the waste pipes (from washing machine and sink) into the hopper / gully. The hopper I am using looks like this:

It seems there are two ways I can get the waste pipes into the hopper:

1) Through the black plastic top. The solid part (over the shallow end of the hopper) has two circles marked on it. I assume I can drill these out and stick pipes in. The pipework would be visible this way.

2) The side and back inlets (two of which are visible in the picture). Again, I assume I can drill these out and stick pipes in. The pipework would be hidden underground this way, which I would prefer.

Is there any disadvantage with either of these approaches? If I use the underground approach how should I seal the pipes into the hopper? Or am I not supposed to use the underground inlets for this purpose?

I'm assuming this is for storm/rain water runoff and now sewage waste. For a location that freezes in the winter I've seen the recommendation to run the above ground gutters to an air gap and then to the top of a catch basin (hopper) like yours. This allows the melting ice to run off if the ground below is still frozen. If drain is already below ground, or you don't experience significant freezing in your climate, then using the below ground ports should be fine. These side ports tend to be designed to easily knock out, either with a gentle push, or at most with a hammer and screwdriver.


Is this mold growing on my shower ceiling? Is this dark stuff above my shower mold?  If so, how should I go about removing it?  I live in an apartment, so I doubt I could go on with scraping it off and the like without upsetting maintenance, not to mention upsetting the people living above me with the noise of scraping the ceiling.

I doubt that scraping paint of the celling would upset anyone, unless someone has hearing devices on your celling :) I suggest that you scrap it off, clean the surface with bleach or something like that and then repaint it. But the real question is what is causing this mold? My first guess is that you are not ventilating, or not ventilating bathroom enough and this is causing humidity, leading to mold. If paint on the wall is washable, maybe you can go without scraping, just with bleaching and venting.


Is a new hand plane supposed to have a concave sole? Just got a block plane from Lowes (the only one on the display).  It has a cup on its sole. Is it supposed to be like that?

Take it back. The bottom of the plane should be totally flat within the reasonable ability to measure flatness.


How can I remove a deadbolt from an interior door and close the bore? We have an interior door in our new (to us) home with a Schlage deadbolt that we want to remove. Is there a commercially available metal set-up with no keying?  Both door sides & strike plate... don't want to replace door.

You can get a blank hole cover such as this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Prime-Line-2-5-8-in-Satin-Nickel-Hole-Cover-Plate-U-10446/202258423

You can also get "blank strike plates" and "blank latch plates"


setting toilet flange in concrete i am trying to rough out a waste line for the toilet in concrete.. what I am not sure about is how do I get he pvc flange to sit straight and flush if I pitch the pipe 1/2 inch to the stack

There is a little flex in the PVC joints that will allow a little give to get it to set flush. If it is still a little off, the toilet does not set directly on the flange and the wax ring makes the seal. If the flange is up a little on one side in spite of all efforts you can "shim" it with grout or thinset, or perhaps a small wood shim.


well water pressure coming and going What could the cause of our well water coming and going.  We can use the water and it will work fine then the pressure will start to go until we have no water at all.  We wait a couple hours or so and it starts working again.  Then ocassionly the problem will continue this cycle other times it works fine after that.

Usually the symptoms you describe here:

  the pressure will start to go until we have no water at all. We wait a couple hours or so and it starts working again.

Mean that the recharge rate (inflow of water from the ground to your well) are insufficient to keep up with your use. This can be compounded if the overall water level in the well varies since the water in the well above the pump serves as a store of water that can be pumped out, without needing to be immediately replenished. If the overall water level drops that will reduce your storage above the pump, and often also reduce your recharge rate.

There are a variety of techniques and technologies that can be applied, many expensive, a few less so, and they depend on the specifics of your well and pump installation. If you happen to have a well that is much deeper than your pump placement, you can sometimes lower the pump - but that's a fairly rare situation. Hydrofracture uses high-pressure water to attempt to increase the recharge rate by cracking the rock at the bottom of the well. Drilling the well deeper is a fairly simple approach, but pretty expensive since it requires a drill rig and assembling the entire drill rod to get down to the bottom of the existing well, and then drilling it deeper. Depending on your local strata, that approach can backfire.

One relatively easy place to start is to deal with any leaks or excessive water use by changing fixtures, so as to reduce your water use and thus the demand on the well. If you have an old-fashioned toilet that uses 3 or more gallons per flush, replacing it with a modern 1.25 gallon per flush (unless they have gotten even lower) unit might save a lot of water, so long as it's a quality unit that does not take 3 flushes to clear. If you already have 1.6 GPF toilets that's not such a big difference. Water softeners also vary quite a bit in how much water they use for recharging.


correct tightening torque for a noname single lever mixer tap Some days ago, i have checked the ceramic cartridge of my sink mixer tap.

I opened and cleaned it and I now have a leak from under the lever. I think I'm not tightening enough the nut, so the water is leaking (only when the lever is actionned).

I don't want to over tighten it. What is the correct tightening torque for that kind of single lever mixer tap? (For information, the tightening nut is 32 mm large.)

I'm not sure torque values are the right way to go about this since many things can affect a torque reading here. Most plumbers don't use torque wrenches.

Instead, make sure all the seats and seals are clean and in good condition. It shouldn't take much torque to get a seal. It's not usually screw pressure that creates the seal, but o-rings that fit between the walls of parts, creating their own pressure, as well as internal springs.


How do I better secure a loose lag shield in concrete? I have a concrete hole that was drilled a little bit bigger and the lag shield anchor is a bit loose. How do you tighten it? Insert paper or wood?

Shaving some slivers of wood to take up the slack will work OK today, you probably won't achieve the rated holding power, and before long the wood will deteriorate and the plug will come loose.  So don't do that, especially if it's something critical where a failure could do damage or injure someone.

You could use an epoxy that is rated for metal and concrete, if the hole is cleaned out well, that should hold pretty well, but you can never be sure, so again that's no good for a critical application.

The easiest thing to do, if it will work, is fill the hole and move over a few inches.

If it's block or another hollow material, you could use a toggle bolt.

If it will work for you, can drill the hole larger and use the next size up lag shield and lag screw.

If you're already using the largest size lag shield available, you may be able to switch to an epoxy anchor, but that will be expensive and you have to do things exactly right for those to hold.


What tools would I need to make a wood accent wall? Just moved into my first house (yikes!) and the wife and I would like to turn a wall in our living room into a wood accent wall. The plan is to use Tongue and groove Carsiding, stained to our liking, affixed to the wall. What I need to know is:

Is this the best material for the job?
What tools will I need?

I current own: A dremel, a jig saw, a power drill, a 150psi compressor, and an orbital sander. I did a little research and I think that for attaching the siding to the studs in the wall, I will use a compressor driven brad nailer. For making cuts I will use a mitre saw. Is this a good idea?

If you are fixing this to a wall with drywall on it, you will need 2 1/2" long finish nails to toenail it with, at the tongue edge. If you are staining it, DO NOT face nail it. If you are painting it, well nail it anywhere you please. The wood you are planning to use will work very well, make sure it will give you the look you want by making a sample, say 3' square and place it so it will take on the light that come from windows, lights, what have you. This is done at the wall you are planning to cover. The surrounding colors of the painted wall or stained cabinets that are nearby will play into the choice too.

The saw you linked to is a good saw, maybe more than what you need to do the job, It is made for heavier material but it will still cut small trim pieces too. I have used another brand that was made like this and it cut very small pieces too. It will serve you well for many years to come if you get it. Be mindful of its cut capacity, it looks like it has a capacity if 5 3/4" at the 90 degree setting, it will be much shorter on the 45 degree setting. If you are making all square cuts, no problem. I would consider getting an 8" slide compound saw, larger capacity, lightweight. I have an old Hitachi 8" compound slide, I have owned for the past 15 years, worked it to death, replaced the armature once, the brushes twice, did it myself, still doing a great job. Here is a link to the modern replacement of what I have been using


Snaking toilet: regular maintenance or only if issue? My partner and I live in a small (7-unit) condo building and want to make sure that we are maintaining our unit according to what are standard practices. One question we have is whether snaking our toilet is maintenance item or whether this is something that is typically only done if an issue arises.
Is it standard practice to snake your toilet regularly, or is this only done if we have concerns about our toilet/plumbing?

I'm sure there are differing opinions on this but snaking a toilet that is used "normally" should not be a periodic maintenance procedure.  In normal use nothing should be there for the snake to dislodge and it can cause scratches and other wear-and-tear on the fixtures and the plumbing.
Now by "normal" I mean that the only things that should go down the toilet are bodily wastes and normal amount of toilet paper.  Anything else runs the risk of clogging.
If you have some special considerations or there is a known issue with the plumbing, then you might want to do it without a clear clogging issue but a better approach would be to get that problem resolved.


My copper water lines burst, was that actually a good thing for the steel pipes around them? I have an external water heater in a contained closet with two copper pipes, 1", running up from under the house to the fittings, through the water heater, then back down again.  Coming back home after the Texas cold snap they were split vertically in several places.  I am not relishing going under the house in that mud and inspecting there!
I have a question from a physics standpoint:

Would the copper pipes have been the weak link in terms of bursting?  I have never yet seen any of my metal/galvanized pipes do this, only PVC and (now) this copper.

It's an old house so the pipes are an amalgam.

It is impractical to try to use pipe that is strong enough to resist the stress of freezing water.  You need to insulate it and possible add heat like thermostatic controlled heat cable to prevent freezing . In smaller diameters
Sch 120 steel will probably handle it , but very impractical


How can I find out if a vapor barrier is requried for finishing a basement to code? I'm planning out a basement finishing project, and I'd like to do it correctly. I've done a lot of research but what I can't tell is if I do, or do not, require a vapor barrier.

I was hoping from a legal (code compliance) standpoint there would be a definitive answer, but as far as I can tell the code doesn't even touch on this.

I believe this is the correct resource for my (Delaware county in Ohio) location's building standards.

From a common sense standpoint, it doesn't seem too clear to me if it's a plus or a minus... it keeps outside water out preventing mold/mildew (positive) but if something we to happen to a pipe or the sum pump in the basement and water were to get in it would be harder for it to get out (negative).

So I was really hoping there would be another reason to or to not have it. My two questions:

Does anyone know if the concept of vapor barriers ever come in to
the code compliance of finished basements?
Where would I go looking for any such information for my location? Would it be best to
contact a specific department, or look for a contractor perhaps?

And of course if anyone knows the answer to my specific area, that would be helpful too.

I'll answer the second question first:

  Where would I go looking for any such information for my location?

Your city's building and code inspector's office.

But note that because something is to code doesn't necessarily mean it has to be done that way--provided you can show why your way is better. Which leads to your first question:

  Does anyone know if the concept of vapor barriers ever come in to the code compliance of finished basements?

It does in many places, but today is highly discouraged from most modern building science perspectives.

When I finished my last house's basement, it was in a place that required plastic vapor barriers. I did a lot of research and came to the conclusion that it's a terrible idea and was able to convince my code department of that. Details of that can be found in my answer to the question here:

https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/8644/1209

Note the links provided in the comments by  Brad Mace which point to Building Science Corporation's recommendations--which were the same ones I went from.

The executive summary of why vapor barriers are bad in a basement is that a basement will often have moisture problems on EITHER side of the barrier. In both cases, you'd be trapping moisture rather than letting it escape. It's better to allow a certain amount of moisture permeability.


Can I run this sump drain underground? I am wondering if I can extend this sump drain (about 4 foot long and ends 8-10 inches over the ground) through an underground PVC run about 30 feet (about a 4 foot drop from house to valley) to exit into the valley at the back of my property.

As you can see, there is a nice 6-8 inch deep trench about 3 feet long from years of this running and the previous owner really not taking care of it. There are a few concrete tiles tossed in there I am guessing to try and slow the erosion.

Is is OK to extend the sump drain and run it under ground about 30 feet before the PVC would come out of the ground and drain?

I can't think of any reason why not - and in fact I'd recommend it.

Right now your sump is draining water out right next to the house, which means its seeping back into the ground right against your foundation, which means your sump pump is ultimately pumping at lest some of the same water multiple times.


Should switches in a kitchen area have GFCI protection? Do the switches on the wall and over the counter areas have to be on a GFCI protected circuit? As there is live power at the switch all the time, I would think this to be true, but I'm not sure.

As Paul points out, there are no requirements in the National Electrical Code (NEC) for Ground Fault Circuit Interruption (GFCI) protection on switches.  If you understand the purpose of GFCI devices, and think about the differences between switches and other electrical devices you'll see why.
What is a ground fault?
In a normally functioning 120V single phase system, current flows out to devices on an ungrounded (hot) conductor (wire).  The current does some work, and then flows to ground through the grounded (neutral) conductor.  If for any reason (short, improperly functioning device, etc.) some or all of the current finds a lower resistance path to ground, a ground fault exists.
Why is ground fault protection needed?
Electricity flows from source to ground, and will always take the path of least resistance.  In the case of your house, we always want the electricity to flow to the grounding electrode at the service entrance.
Lets say your refrigerator has developed a ground fault.  In modern electrical systems, the chassis of the refrigerator will be bonded to the equipment grounding conductor, which in turn is connected all the way back to the systems grounding electrode (or should be). This gives the wayward electricity a safe, low resistance path back to ground.  Everything seems fine and dandy. The electricity is flowing into the refrigerator , through its case, down the equipment grounding conductor, and safely to ground.
Along comes somebody who wants some food. Unaware there's anything wrong, they reach out and touch the refrigerator .  The electricity now flows into the refrigerator , and through its case. This time though, instead of flowing to the equipment grounding conductor. It takes a lower resistance path, right through the person that touched the refrigerator and into the ground. ZAP!
If there was a GFCI device properly installed, the hungry person might still be alive.
How does a GFCI device work?
Ground fault circuit interrupters work by making sure that all the current that passes through on the ungrounded (hot) conductor, returns through the grounded (neutral) conductor.  If the GFCI detects a difference as small as 0.05-0.06A, it will open the circuit and prevent the flow of electricity.  These devices are designed to work fairly quickly, usually fast enough to prevent a fatal dose of electricity (though not always fast enough to prevent minor injury).
Great, but why don't I need this protection on switches?
Cord and plug devices (refrigerators, radios, hair dryers, toasters, etc.) allow you to extend the electrical system, hold it in your hand, and may put you at risk of becoming part of it.  A receptacle is an open port to electricity, which allows anything to be connected to it.  Devices can break, wear out, and are not always properly built/designed.  Because of this, there is no way to guarantee every device will be safe.
In the case of a switch, which is designed to meet certain standards, and cannot be installed/sold if it does not meet these standards.  It's far less likely; even if the device develops a fault, that a user of the switch will be put in harms way.  Switches are designed and built; unless they are installed improperly, to mitigate the chances of users coming into contact with electrified parts.
tl;dr

Ground fault circuit interrupters prevent you from being killed in the event of a ground fault.
Receptacles offer a better chance of being exposed to ground faults.
Switches are designed to prevent you from being exposed to a ground fault, even if one exists.

Semi-related Information
Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters
An important (or maybe just interesting) thing to pay attention to here, is the wording in the NEC.

NEC 2008
210.8 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for Personnel.
(A) Dwelling Units. All 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles installed in the locations specified in (1) through (8)
shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel.
210.12 Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection.
(B) Dwelling Units. All 120-volt, single phase, 15- and 20-ampere branch circuits supplying outlets installed in dwelling unit
family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, parlors, libraries, dens,
bedrooms, sunrooms, recreation rooms, closets, hallways, or similar
rooms or areas shall be protected by a listed arc-fault circuit
interrupter, combination-type, installed to provide protection of the
branch circuit.

Notice, GFCI protection is only required for receptacles. Whereas AFCI protection, is required for all outlets in the mentioned areas.  So while the light switch doesn't have to be GFCI protected, it does have to be AFCI protected.


How do I measure a standard sliding glass door? We are going to hire somebody to replace our sliding glass patio door. Its a standard sliding glass patio door, similar looking to this:

I am going to buy the replacement door at auction, but first I need to know exactly what size door I need. I searched how to measure this online, but there appears to be contradictory advice on what the proper way to measure a patio door is.

Is there a proper way to measure the size door I need without removing the existing door first? Please include pictures if possible and define your terms if they are not terms a layman could understand.

What you need to know is the rough opening size. This is the dimensions between the vertical studs and the horizontal dimension from the floor to the bottom of the header. You may have to remove some trim to see these components. If you are going to have a contractor install the new door, have that person give you the proper measurements for the replacement door. You can always go slightly smaller, but not larger.