Is my HVAC system unbalanced? I bought a home  back in August and the previous owner had a new 3-ton HVAC system installed. Basically right now the HVAC is located in the upstairs hallway, and the way the duct is set up is there is a central return vent right underneath it (12x24) that pulls air directly into it and another return duct in the master bedroom (16x24). I have noticed that the main return vent under the unit makes a loud whistling sound when the unit is running. If I open the vent I can see that the air filter is bowing inward because the unit is sucking air in so hard it causes a lot of pressure. This does not seem normal. I am wondering if there is not sufficient return. It could just be that there is a lot more air being pulled in at the main vent because that is the closest opening (path of least resistance). The upstairs bedrooms often get very hot during the summertime and especially when the doors are closed, since the gap under the door is not very big and the inspector said that creates positive pressure that prevents air from coming out the supply vent in there. I am wondering if it would be wise to have a new vent installed in one of the upstairs bedrooms in order to alleviate these problems. I reckon I will have to have a certified A/C guy come out and give me some advice. I was hoping that I could find someone on here.

A whistling sound at the return often indicates the grill is too small relative to the duct attached to it.

Does consistently leaving the doors open allow the system to sufficiently heat and cool the home?

For most bedrooms with more than 100 cfm of supply aor a 1 inch door cut is not sufficient opening for return air. If you have carpet installed it is likely you have less than 1 inch. Transfer or jumper ducts may help alleviate the pressure the home inspector noted. This can be easily checked with a manometer. The pressure difference between the room and the central area where the return is located should be 3 pa. or less.

Experiment by leaving all the doors open (as much a possible) for several days first. If leaving the doors open and/or providing better return circulation does not resolve the issue, then other help is needed.

Based on your other it sounds like you need a competent HVAC tech to troubleshoot and balance your delivery system. It is also possible that you are undersized or there are some other issues (like excessive duct leakage, or set up issues) if you are having trouble maintaining the desired thermostat set point.


Faced or unfaced insulation So my house was built in 1957, I have shiplap siding and behind black boards that are fireproof.
On the photo you can see the exterior wall where these boards are. Should I use unfaced insulation or faced ?

If it were my home, I would use paper faced batts, with the stapling flange set to the side of the studs, so the edge of the flange is flush or near flush with the face of the stud. Insulation that needs to be cut, cut it 1" longer than the space so it fills the cavity completely and give a stapling edge for one side. At the top and bottom, it will certainly fill the cavity there, giving that little extra in length.
If the stud cavity is 3 5/8" deep, you could fins R-13 insulation to go in there. Compressing R-19 will waste money thinking it will give better R value. If the cavities are 5 1/2" deep, then by all means, use R-19.


Toilet tank over flowing My toilet tank will over flow after hours of unuse, and leaks from the handle. The fill valve has been replaced and the large flow of water will stop, you can hear and see it has stopped when the black floater rises after the toilet has been flushed. All seems well. However, hours later, if the toilet has not been used there will be water running down the front from the small hole at the handle. It is not the hole at the handle either, because the water turns off way before the level rises up that high. I do not understand why it is still slowly and silently filling, although the fill valve seems to be working properly.

Please help!!
Thanks

The fill mechanism is worn out and needs to be replaced. If the reservoir fills up to where the water leaks out from the handle then the overflow pipe is too long and needs to be cut down. The newer type fill valves are adjustable for the height of the water in the reservoir. I prefer the fluidmaster but you can choose you own brand.


What size air conditioner for a ~230 square foot room with 10 foot ceilings? This will be my first time purchasing a window unit, and I'm a little confused.  Most charts indicate that a 7,000 BTU unit is appropriate for a ~250 square foot room, however from what I can tell, these do not exist (only 6,000 and 8,000 BTUs are available).  Also, none of the guides I see mention ceiling height, which I figured would be important (i.e. cubic footage seems more appropriate than square footage).  Finally, many say that getting a unit that is too powerful actually won't cool as effectively, but don't really explain what this means exactly - if I put a 20,000 BTU unit in a 100 square foot room, would the room really be warmer than it would be with a 5,000 BTU unit?  Or do they just mean that it would be overkill?

Finally, some 6000 BTU units, like the GE AEL06LS say that they are only appropriate for 150 square foot rooms, and I don't understand why.

Anyway, my room that is 233 square feet, with ~9.5 foot ceilings.  Would it be best to get a 6000 BTU unit or a 8000 BTU unit?

The EPA has room size to BTU chart with some caveats for certain situations:

https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=roomac.pr_properly_sized

  Room size            A/C size
  ---------------     ------------
  100 up to   150 ->  5,000 BTU/hr
  150 up to   250 ->  6,000 BTU/hr
  250 up to   300 ->  7,000 BTU/hr
  300 up to   350 ->  8,000 BTU/hr
  350 up to   400 ->  9,000 BTU/hr
  400 up to   450 -> 10,000 BTU/hr
  450 up to   550 -> 12,000 BTU/hr
  550 up to   700 -> 14,000 BTU/hr
  700 up to 1,000 -> 18,000 BTU/hr
1,000 up to 1,200 -> 21,000 BTU/hr
1,200 up to 1,400 -> 23,000 BTU/hr
1,400 up to 1,500 -> 24,000 BTU/hr
1,500 up to 2,000 -> 30,000 BTU/hr
2,000 up to 2,500 -> 34,000 BTU/hr

  Make any adjustments for the following circumstances:

  If the room is heavily shaded, reduce capacity by 10 percent.
  If the room is very sunny, increase capacity by 10 percent.
  If more than two people regularly occupy the room, add 600 BTUs for each additional person.
  If the unit is used in a kitchen, increase capacity by 4,000    BTUs.
  Consider where you install the unit. If you are mounting an air    conditioner near the corner of a room, look for a unit that can send
  the airflow in the right direction.

If you fall into any of those special situations, that may help you with sizing. Otherwise, since you're between sizes of available units, unless your climate is particularly mild, I'd go up a size to allow a bit extra cooling capacity for hot days.


How do I connect both my dishwasher and washing machine waste pipe to the same sink? My current sink plumbing looks like this with a single waste inlet.

When I remove the current single waste inlet, the connector looks like this:

I bought one of these (the connector is 40mm):

Is it wierd this has a hole in it?

But my problem is both the dual waste inlet and the sink trap have a female connector so I can't connect them.

What part should I buy?

Thank you

Trap from different angle.

The part you have is for connecting to the top of a standpipe trap. Not for adapting a existing single-spigot P trap. The hole at the top is for air admittance I think.

  What part should I buy?

I would buy a "Washing Machine Trap with Double Spigot"

Example: McAlpine WM11 £10 ish.

Since your waste connection is quite high this might mean adjusting the other plumbing.


How can I fix one stone step? I have a stone step--the top is loose and I wish to mortar it down. First, is weather a factor? 50s today and tomorrow, 50s are the highs.  cold front Sunday.
Next, can I just slap some mortar on for a temporary fix or should I build a kind of wooden mold?  Is it essential that it be level and how does a novice plan for that?  I imagine you'd have to spread the mortar as evenly as the eye can tell--anything else?

You'll need to remove the old mortar - you can't just slap on some new mortar and expect it to hold if the old stuff hasn't been removed. Chisel and brush with a stiff wire brush.

No form should be needed - if you appear to need a form, you need to add more dry mortar mix to your bucket - preferably, don't add too much water in the first place. Consider a brick wall - there's no form on that. The stuff should look a bit too dry when you mix it, but wet up when smacked around with a trowel. If it looks wet when mixed, it's usually too wet.

If you have actual mortar rather than "sand mix" there's a degree of self-levelling from the small stones in the mix - they are trapped between the base and the step, and set a minimum thickness for the joint. Normally you want exterior steps just a hair off level so water drains off them, but not so much as to make them hazardous to step on. A level and a mallet (or a hammer on a block of wood) will get you there. If you run out of adjustment, pull the step up and add more mortar where needed, then smack it back down.

Weather matters - if the mortar freezes before it cures, it will fail. A quick-fix now may need to be redone next spring in order to hold for the long-term - or, you buy a bale of straw and bury the step before the cold front comes through - or make a plastic bubble and run a heater in it.


What is the most cost-efficient design of a 16' temporary wooden ramp? I need to build a 2'x16' ramp to load a shipping container on a semi trailer. What is the cheapest design of 2x boards and plywood to do this with?

EDIT:
I have now built this ramp and used it twice (to load a shipping container on a trailer and then unload it). Your needs may be different from mine, and I can't give a good prescription, because I started with something obviously too weak and then built it up until adequate--an inefficient way to go about it. But if I were to do it again, I would try 1/2" ply, two full-length (16') high-quality 2x4s, and a vertical brace built from a single 8' 2x6. It should have some way to physically connect it to the upper loading surface (container floor etc.).

This would result in a very light-duty ramp without much extra capacity built in, so it's important to build it thoughtfully. I used heavy-duty, long deck screws (torx and square heads; don't bother with phillips or pozidriv).

The vertical brace at the middle of the ramp is critical--it creates two 8' spans instead of a single 16' span. The brace needs to be constructed to handle some side loads (cross bracing) for stability.

I also used commercially bought ramp ends from Amazon, designed for loading an ATV into a pickup bed on two 2x8s. I hoped to screw these into the wooden floor of the container, but the trailer chassis interfered. So for loading the ramp, I used climbing-spec nylon cord and rigged it (trucker's hitch and carabiners) to give me 3:1 mechanical advantage in tying the vertical brace to the truck chassis (the wider the angle the more stable). For unloading, U.S. Customs had cleverly buried the cord & 'biners under all my junk when they reloaded the container post-inspection, so I just used the ramp more gingerly, without tying it off.

Having said all that, 95% of my stuff didn't really require a ramp--it could be lifted by hand onto the container floor while standing on the ground. The ramp only marginally sped things up. And if you REALLY needed the ramp--for very heavy items, loaded by a pair of very heavy moving guys--you WOULD need a beefier ramp than described here.

I'd suggest doing something like this:

Since this is a long ramp and your plywood is going to be joined in the middle, I'd suggest cutting your 2 of your 2x8' in half, then use full 8' lengths to bridge the plywood gap and using the 4' sections to extend them to each end. You'll have to brace each juncture (2x4) a bit more, but that can be done with a little scrap from your other cuts. This ramp has the double cross brace in the middle, which is where your plywood should meet. The only end of the plywood that shouldn't be fully supported is the one that meets the ground.

Don't forget the cross bracing between the 2 sides as well as the diagonal bracing on each side. The pic doesn't have diagonal bracing on the sides, but the taller end will need something to keep it from parallelograming out of shape. Besides the diagonal brace at the back of the ramp, like the pic shows, there should be at least one other diagonal brace on a ramp this long and tall going in the opposite diagonal.

The pic looks to be 2'-3' tall, based on the "human for scale" who is not really very close for scale, so this should scale to 16' long and 4'-5' fairly easily. It even looks like a decent grade, so you aren't pushing carts straight up.

Also, don't forget to put wheel guides on the sides of the ramp. You don't want a cart or dolly to fall off it at 4' high. That's a disaster waiting to happen, even without OSHA involved.

You might also want to at least consider adding some "outriggers" at the tall end, so it doesn't fall over if things get a little rough. That can be as simple as some more diagonals from the top of the ramp, perpendicular to the ramp itself, with some more 2x4 at the base to tie it in.

Even though you plan on having those ramp ends attached, you don't want to skimp too much on the safety aspects. If you're filling that whole container, you're going to be walking up and down the ramp very many times, probably with heavy things in tow, and even screws have a nasty tendency to rip out. You don't want to "pause" your packing for an emergency room trip.

FYI, OSHA regulations are mostly basic safety precautions to protect workers from complacent and cheap employers. There's not really much from OSHA that's overly cautious.

One last thing: your plywood should be at least 1/2" thick, nominally. Less than that at even 3/8" thick is not likely to hold up and 1/4" will break through almost immediately for anything of any significant weight. I was going to suggest 3/4", but that's overkill. You can also go with B grade ply, since you don't need the sanded smooth surface of A grade, and the knots of C grade might not stand up to the abuse of walking on it that much.

I know this sounds like overkill, but even a metal ramp that's unsupported in the middle can get serious wobble and bounce to it that will absolutely destroy a wooden ramp, unless it's made out of at least 4x4s or 2x6s. Even then, without 16' lumber going the full span, you're risking a lot on this ramp.


Attaching glass table top to wood legs I have 27 x 40" x 1/2" sheet of glass that i want to turn into a patio table. The glass already has a 1/2" hole drilled at each corner. Plan is to use 4x4 redwood posts as legs. Question is, how to attach the legs but allow them to be removed later for transport?

You will not want to have the legs just individually attached to the corners of the glass. Instead you will want to make a frame as a type of apron board around between the legs to hold things together and to provide lateral bracing for the legs. Without that the leg attachment would tend to be transmitting any lateral forces into the glass which would not be a good or safe thing.

You can build this frame to be fully under the glass top or have the frame surround the glass edge such that the top lays into the frame.

For a frame that you would put under the top this picture shows the construction technique that allows the corner legs to be removable from the frame (bottom view):

The parts in the above picture appear to be just loose fitted or not done carefully enough to get a great fit. When I have made a frame like this I have used a corner block with square edges and notched it into the apron boards like this:

The fastener that you use into the leg is a combination threaded bolt and lag screw like shown below. The lag portion gets screwed into the leg.

For extra strength two of the leg bolts can be used as shown in this picture:


Should I leave a treeline to mitigate flooding in my backyard? I have a 1942 colonial near Hartford, CT. It is a corner lot, and one of the streets I am on recently experienced a flash flood. Our house stayed dry, but we saw water up to three feet in the street and our yard flooded up to a foot or two. The water stopped closer to the house than I'd like. It drained within a few hours, but it was pretty crazy to see.

This was a fixer house, and one of our many projects was clearing out a treeline in our yard near the edge of the property to make more room before we put a fence in. We started this ourselves, but after the flood, we are reconsidering it and have halted the work.

I'd like to know if leaving the trees makes sense or not given that the area can flood. Some information is below:

The trees are mostly smaller and younger with the exception of one, large, red oak.
I'm not really sure of the density of the soil. It's pretty "good" soil to the best of my knowledge (in that plants grow very well in it), but I don't know what this says about it, exactly.
The treeline is maybe 50-75 yards from my nearest structure (attached sunroom) on the side that floods.
Flooding frequency is unknown. The neighbors said they hadn't seen it get to the point of flooding our yard in the two years they've lived there, but others have told us stories of cars being washed away on that street.
We plan to put a fence in behind this treeline whether we take it down or not plus a raised bed garden in front of the treeline in the yard.

There is poison ivy in the treeline, which is one reason we were clearing it, although mostly we were clearing it for aesthetic reasons and for the fence.

Please let me know any other information that would help!

Poison ivy

To get rid of the poison ivy, 1-2x/year spray all the (undesired) broadleaf ground cover in the area with 2,4-D herbicide according to instructions.  2,4-D only harms broadleaf plants, so overspray won't hurt your lawn. It won't hurt established trees (unless you use way too much).  It is a very old, trusted and well-proven herbicide that hasn't had troubles like Roundup has. Buy it pre-diluted (pink) not farm-grade (deep, opaque crimson) because the latter is strong enough acid to blind you.  keep it away from areas you plan to garden/eat becuase organic is better :)

Flood water

This question can only be answered with a deep understanding of the lay of the land.  This is engineering - not particularly hard engineering, well within the reach of a serious "jack of all trades" - but it answers the question so conclusively that it's the only science you need on the subject.

Note that "swift moving water" type floods, like you get on hillsides, are very different in nature than "water slowly rising" type floods like you see in Houston or the Mississippi River valley, and I assume you are talking about the latter.

Water will very reliably seek level.  So if you know the comparative altitudes of each part of your property, you can predict where the water will go at different flood stages. Very likely the city has that information.  The insurance company also clearly has some data, or they wouldn't have written flood insurance, and you wouldnt have gotten a mortgage.

The number you will typically see on maps is "feet above mean sea level".  And a contour map will show lines across the property, each lone is at a certain altitude.  Suppose you have a 25' contour line at the base of your property, and if you're lucky the map has them every 1'.  There'll be a 26' contour line a few feet up your yard, then a 27' line, etc. etc.

If water rises to 25', everything below the 25' contour line will be flooded.  If it rises to 26', then the area between the 25' and 26' lines get flooded.  Etc.

If you can get a contour map and look at it, then walk around your property,  it will make a lot more sense.  So talk to City Hall or your county GIS department, i.e. The guys who do the tax maps, and see if they'll print you one out for a few bucks.


Extra powerful boiler short-cycling and overfilling I have a gas powered steam radiator heating system with 8 radiators in the entire house. I replaced my old heating boiler with Crown Bsi138enpzzpsu 138K BTU which is way too powerful for my house.
My boiler short cycles for these 2 reasons.

The boiler gets too low on water if I start with water level slightly more than half on the sight glass tube. Boiler runs fine for a while until it gets low on water - I think boiler is powerful enough to push water up into the pipe. After low water cutoff is hit, it shuts down for a few seconds until water level reaches back up. Also, some time this doesn't happen fast enough and boiler gets over filled because the auto feeder kicks in before all the water gets back into the boiler. Eventually, boiler gets overfilled after a few days of operation.
I noticed that once my boiler gets overfilled with water, it kind of masks the issue with low water cut-off being hit. However, now it short cycles because of pressuretrol being hit after certain pressure is reached in system.

Here are my questions (Info on any of these would help me):

I do not like the option 2 - i.e. using overfilled boiler - but I am not sure if there is any risk associated with using overfilled boiler. Could it cause boiler to explode?
I have good air vent (Hoffman 1A, 1/8" Adjustable Angle Steam Radiator Air Valve) installed with fastest vent setting on the radiator in the room with the thermostat. I think this vent opens up after a certain pressure builds in the system. Would it help if I install similar vent in other radiators as well to reduce the pressure in system?
What is my option to solve the issue with overly powerful boiler.

I have to ask, "who sized the replacement boiler". An oversized boiler will have numerous operating problems and you are witnessing a few of those problems.
The input of the boiler or as you say "powerful" has little to do with why the boiler water line falls when the boiler fires. The "near boiler piping", the system piping , the water quality and to a lesser degree the size of the boiler are causing the problems. Was this boiler installed by a licensed boiler installer? Did he flush out the boiler to get rid of the oils and debris that is in the boiler when installed? Is it piped as per the MFG installation booklet? What is the operating pressure on this system? If you have vents on each radiator then you should have a 1 pipe steam system. What controls are installed on the boiler? Has the gas input been set and checked?
Take a few pictures of the boiler and it's piping. Show the size of the piping leaving the boiler and how it is piped. Include pictures of a couple radiators. Oh yes, do not overfill the boiler and I will be interested to see the pictures of the system.
Adding to my answer; if you search for "Arco cast iron radiators (1959)" you should come up with a pamphlet on the size of Arco rads that you can utilize for the heat requirements for your radiators. Even if your rads are not American radiator company rads (arco) you can still utilize this chart since the output will only be a little more or less for another companies rads.
To check the boilers input, it can be done if the boiler will fire long enough to read your gas meter for 1 minute.  With the boiler firing it should use 2.3 cu ft of gas per minute. Your boilers input is 138,000 BTU/hour and natural gas has about 1000 btu/cu ft. So, 1000 btu/cu ft X 2.3 cu ft X 60  minutes  = 138,000 BTU/hour. If the input is too high then you need to get a boiler guy or an HVAC person to adjust the gas input.
Take a picture or 2 of a radiator and post it. Also, the boiler may be oversized but I believe that the boiler needs to be cleaned and skimmed by a professional boiler person. By the way, in what city are you located?


How do I prepare patched drywall to be painted over? I am in the process of painting my room. I have some big patches on the drywall. I am yet to begin painting that wall. Before i start i wanted to take advice. Is there anything i need to do with those patches so that after paint they are not visible?

Do i need to take special care of it?

Patching:

When patching smaller holes, a 6" taping knife should suffice.

Apply the compound in a few light coats rather than a single heavy coat, and sand between each coat.

You can either sand the patch using a sanding block like the 3M® Fine/Medium Large Drywall Sanding Sponge,

or wet sand using a slightly damp rag. If you choose to wet sand, let the area dry before applying the next coat.

For larger holes, you'll have to fill the hole with something solid before you apply compound (don't try to fill the hole with mud). Once the hole is filled, start with a 6" taping knife for the first coat. Next, apply a few thin coats using a 10" taping knife

feathering the compound out to blend into the wall.

When working with drywall compound it's a good idea to use a Hawk, or a mud pan instead of working directly from the bucket. This will insure that you don't end up with little bits of junk in the compound, and that the compound in the bucket won't dry out too much while you're working. They are also good for catching falling mud.

Preparing the wall:

Wipe the wall down with a dry rag, to remove any dust and dirt. Prime the whole wall with a proper primer, like Glidden Gripper.

Any time you patch, it's a good idea to prime the entire wall. If you simply prime the patches, you may be able to see the patches when you're done.

Painting:

Apply 2 coats of the desired paint, and you're done.

If the patches were done properly (smooth and blended appropriately), after primer and two coats of paint you'll never know there was a patch there.

NOTE: Products mentioned in this answer are for example only, I do not specifically endorse or recommend the use of any products mentioned.


How can I prevent echo from footsteps on a hollow, temporary stage? I am working with a dance group who use a temporary stage that can be easily set up and broken down for shows. It stands between 2 and 3 feet off the ground. The only problem with this stage is that it is hollow underneath, so heavy footsteps and jumps, which are somewhat common in these dances, create a lot of noise. Are there any cheap solutions for baffling the underside of this stage to prevent this noise?

Are you sure echo is the main problem?  It shouldn't echo much unless it's on a hard floor.  Setting it up on top of something soft like carpet remnants should pretty much eliminate echo under the stage.  But even if there is some echo under the stage, it's unlikely to be the loudest sound you're hearing.

Maybe you're hearing the clattering noise that happens when the stage's joints are compressed and different parts clap together.  This type of sound is going to be a lot louder than echos under the stage.  You may need to identify which joints are to blame and stuff bits of felt in them.

One more suggestion is to check your dancers' shoes.  Hard soles landing on a hard stage are going to make noise.  Padding the stage and/or the shoes could help.  Just make sure they'll still have the traction they need to dance safely.


Paint and mold prevention Which application produces the best results, with respect to mold prevention:

An all-in-one paint with primer
Apply plain primer, then regular paint

Is using either process better for mold and mildew prevention? I haven't tried it yet, and will be waiting until spring.

This is a bit of a broad question. Better at what? On what surfaces?

Paint/primer combos are just high build paints with good hiding abilities.

If you're painting over a new drywall one coat of paint and primer doesn't seem to give good results. You can use the first coat of paint/primer as the primer coat but why use a $30 per gallon paint/primer as the primer coat when a $10/gal PVA primer (or more savings in 5 gallon buckets) has been doing that job reliably for years.

Painting over bare wood? Most good latex primers won't seal the wood to prevent tannins from knots bleeding through so I wouldn't count on a latex based paint/primer to do much better. There are specific primers that work well in these situations.

If you're concerned about inhibiting mold you should first look to correct that conditions that are favorable to mold growth. Up until recently paints could only inhibit the growth of mold on their surface but now there's a mold killing primer made by Zinsser who I believe was the first company that was addressing mold/mildew concerns in their paints and additive products. Personally I would use traditional means of killing mold first and possibly use that primer for some extra piece of mind.

Going over oil based paint with latex or a high gloss sheen with flat? These are applications where you should get better performance with a primer that works well for those applications.

Paint/primer products work well for going over already painted surfaces where you just want to change the color of an interior surface. The high build will make covering the old color more effective and you could possibly get away with just one coat. I personally always like to do two coats though.

Primer is not a single product. There are many different types of primers suited for different situations. If you want the best results choose the right primer for your specific application. In some cases the primer will be cheaper than an extra coat of paint/primer, in others the primer may be the same cost or more expensive but will give you better results for that specific application.


Adding a light switch inside another circuit I have three recessed lights connected in series inside of a new bathroom but would like to add a 4th above the shower stall for some extra lighting. Is it ok to run from the currently last light on this circuit into a switch that would then control the new light or is that illegal by code? I understand that the light will only work if the 1st switch is on, which won't be an issue since it will be turned on whenever the room is in use.

The switching should be OK, as far as I know, because you are adding a light that isn't absolutely required.
However, there is a big difference between the existing lights and the new lights. Ordinary bathroom lights (and fans) do not require GFCI protection. The exception is lighting above a tub or shower. There are, I believe, some special fixtures available that would not require GFCI, but normal fixtures do. Since you can't have the GFCI itself in the ceiling (and you wouldn't want to anyway - it would get hit by steam from the shower!), you need to protect the entire lighting circuit, either at the original switch or at the breaker. The problem is that means if there is a GFCI trip then you are in the dark. But not just in the dark, in the dark while in the shower. Not a good thing.


How do we repair vapour barrier after a flood? We recently had a flood in our basement which was completely finished.  We have two bedrooms down there which is why I want to make sure it is fixed properly.  When the restoration company came in to dry everything, they cut 2 feet up the drywall, taking along with it the insulation and plastic sheet (vapour barrier).  The plastic is cut the same height as the drywall, leaving no room for us to Tuck Tape it or fold it together and staple it.  I am just wondering if anybody knows the best way to replace the plastic so that we can reseal the vapour barrier.

Use a Rotozip (or, like I did, a drywall cut bit in a regular rotary tool) with the depth gauge set for 1/2", so that it cuts the drywall but not vapour barrier. Cut about 2" of drywall off so you have access to enough of the vapour barrier to be able to put seam tape on it.

You may have to (carefully) cut or rip off the backing paper, but that's not a big deal.

There is a major downside to this method, if they cut exactly 2' up: you'd have to use either full sheets (wasting nearly half) or cut the sheets into 4'x2'2" pieces, still wasting 4'x18" from each sheet. Depending on the dimensions of the walls in the room, the wastage may be a deal-breaker for this method.


How do I get rid of a critter in my attic? The last two nights I have been woken up to scratching in my bedroom ceiling. It only seems to happen between 2 and 4am. But it drives me nuts and I can't sleep.

Are squirrels nesting in my attic? How do I get rid of them?

We have a Mama rat! How do we get rid of her?

The usual procedure is

Find out where it got in and block the entrance. Wire mesh (wire cloth) works if you get a size suited to the size of animal. Small mice can squeeze through tiny gaps.
Put down several baited traps.

Check daily and keep resetting and rebaiting until all the visitors have been removed

There are several types of trap and of course you can always hire someone experienced or a reputable firm to do the work for you.

Rats are quite smart so you may have to try several types of trap and keep moving them around. Placement is important, you typically put them against the edges of spaces.


What's the best ratio for sand-only concrete? I'm making concrete countertops, so sand-only is the way to go to reduce voids in the forms. (I've done a half dozen samples). I've looked everywhere for mix ratios, but it's a weird request, and I can only find either concrete with aggregate ratios, mortar ratios, or someone wants me to give them a bunch of money to tell me 3 numbers. My best guess is 0.5 water/1 cement/2 sand/ 0.0035 superplasticizer. The sample looks fine, and doesn't break when I hit it with a hammer... but I'm just worried that I'm doing it wrong, and it's going to crumble in 3 months or something.

First I want to point out that the hardness has a lot to do with cure time and temperature. Longer cures (6-8 weeks) at cool temperature (say 50 °F) are harder. Short, hot cures are harder initially, and crumble later.

Generally, the 1pt cement : 2pt sand ratio is best and will have a 3500 psi compression stress. A 1:3 ratio will have less than 3000 psi. Gravel can actually strengthen the mix... up to 3 parts. The mix of choice (concrete) is 1pt cement :2pt sand : 3pt gravel, because it's the best/hardest (for the money).


Height of cabinet for induction cooktop I just bought a new apartment, and purchased a new Bosch induction cooktop for the kitchen.
The cut in the counter top stone is the right size, but when I placed it inside I see that the bottom of the cooktop is very close to the drawer beneath it.
This doesn't cause a problem to open or close the drawer, but i was wondering if the bottom of the cooktop heats up, or can be bad/dangerous in any way because of being too close to the drawer.

Try it & see if you don't like it. ALL cooktops are zero clearance to counters & drawers, gas or electric...always have been. Bosch is no different whether it's induction or not. They just want you about 2" from the countertop front & back for pot & pan clearances.

Other than that, if you don't need the drawer for it's current use. You can turn it into a plate warmer by lining it with tin foil. This will put any fire worries to rest & you'll even be able to keep food warm, not hot, just warm.


Possible to refinish hardwood floor without messing with quarter-round baseboard? I am evaluating a quote to refinish my hardwood floors and stairs.

The contractor mentioned that they would not be removing the quarter-round below the base board and it would require touch up after the job is done. The alternative is to remove the quarter-round, and reinstall with caulk after finishing the floors. Based on the additional labor the cost of the work would be higher.

What are the relative advantages and disadvantages in regard to appearance, durability, and cost of removing/not removing quarter round?

The answer depends on what you are willing to accept for a finished result.  Removing the quarter-round allows the edger to reach underneath what is visible when the quarter-round is re-installed. Even the most fastidious edging is going to be visible to close inspection if the trim isn't removed.  The extent to which it is obvious depends largely on the skill of the person doing the work, but it is impossible to hide completely unless the trim covers it.

Depending on the condition of the floor when you start, the condition of the trim, skill of the work, this can look decent or pretty bad:

Keep in mind that this isn't the only cosmetic consideration.  The other would be what the condition of the trim is.  If you have several layers of paint, it might look worse if you remove the quarter-round.  For example, the trim below would be a major pain to re-finish and look anywhere near decent.

My personal inclination would be to remove the quarter-round myself, have a professional do the floor sanding, and then re-trim it and paint it myself. I have quite a bit of experience installing trim, so your mileage my vary.


LEDs stay on (very dim) when switch is off I have a problem similar to Why do my LED lights stay on, even when the switch is off? except that one of the lights in question is not attached to any switches that might cause the ghosting effect, but to a normal wall socket (the light kit has its own remote-control switch).

I also have a ghosting effect on another LED lightstrip attached to a switch, making me think that the reason is not in the strips or switches, but in the wiring of the house. I suspect that it has creepage currents.

How can I figure out what is going on and where the small current is coming from?

We see this a lot.  "I don't have a dimmer" -> some oddly reluctant exploration eventually reveals they have some other device with the same effect.

the light kit has its own remote-control switch -- you just answered that yourself.  That remote control switch isn't fully turning the light off.   Since you mention LED strip and remote in kit, I assume this is one of those very common LED strip controllers that lets you select 33 colors, rolling colors, all that.  The kind that costs $6 on eBay, which explains everything.

Those controllers' real purpose is dimming/color control.  They could be built to provide a hard off, but clearly this one isn't, and in any case, the DC power supply is still on.

It really needs a separate hard switch, and not be left on 24x7.  Many of these products are cheap in a way only one nation can do, and you don't want one of these running unattended, catching on fire and filling your house with toxic smoke.

Since the other light is also an LED strip, you may be up against the same problem, just in a different way.  If you start measuring various points for AC and DC voltage, bet you'll find voltage past a point where you shouldn't.


Can I spray regular foam over fire block caulk? I'm sealing up some holes and gaps in my attic and dutifully using fire block caulk where some electric cables are coming through the studs and gaps. In other locations, I'm using Great Stuff like spray foam for simple air gaps. However, a couple of hard to reach places make spraying the foam difficult. It would make the job easier if I'm allowed to foam over the fire blocking caulked holes and gaps where the electric cables are coming through.

The entire point of the fire blocking foam is prevent/slow fire from spreading from one area to another; it has less to do with the electrical/plumbing between two areas than the hole that was created to allow them through. As long as you have fire grade blocking to the prescribed thickness, there is no issue with other foam on top of it.


How do I connect PVC to this non-threaded metal sewer pipe? I need to connect PVC to this old sewer pipe:

This is the pipe that came off:

I temporarily capped it with a 3 inch fernco and a rubber mallet. Can I permanently use a 3 inch to 2 inch fernco?

You need a Fernco Donut.

It's likely that other companies manufacture these, and thet they may be known by a different name.

If you were connecting to a cut section of pipe, instead of the hub. You could use a Flexible Coupling


Sealing gas duct vents with silicone Is it okay to use silicone to seal gas furnace heater supply ducts? If so, do you know how long the silicone will need to cure before the system is useable?

Some background:
I've been trawling around my basement recently and found that a lot of my duct connections have exceeded my wildest dreams of what poor craftsmanship looks like. Lots of connections were "sealed" using literal duct tape - which has since crusted off and is not holding on to anything. The joints where circular ducts attach to box ducts are the worst offenders.

Thanks for your time.

If your question is about the air ducts, why not use the correct material for the job, rather than silicone caulk. Duct sealant is, literally, made for the job. It also costs less, on a quick look.


Bathroom faucet stem stops loosening; can't get out I am trying to remove the stem below to fix a dripping faucet.  I use a wrench to loosen around the hex with the arrow.  With some force the stem begins to loosen (the threaded-looking part below loosens as well).  At some point however, I cannot loosen any further, nor can I pull the stem out vertically.
I am not sure of the brand of the faucet, but it's also pictured.  Any ideas?  Is this stem supposed to NOT come out?  Thanks.

In the close-up in photo *1 just above the first set of threads there is a "c" shaped clip. With a small screwdriver (or nail) pry it off. Be prepared for it to shoot away.
Once removed the stem should slide (or un-thread) away from the base.


What should I use to hang a coat hook on a brick wall? I have purchased several of these iron coat hooks:

However, they do not come with any kind of screws.

I will be hanging them on a (brick + plaster) party wall of my terraced property (UK).

I believe my options are to use either of the following:

Rawl plugs
Masonry self-tapping screws

However I am only aware of the latter due to googling for a solution, and I am unsure if either come in sizes suitable for my needs (The screw holes are 4mm in diameter, I am not sure how deep I should drill)

So my question is what should I use to attach these to the wall?

You'll need a masonry bit and hammer drill to get a hole in brick.

However it may be easier to screw the hooks to a piece of wood and mount the wood to the wall. With a nice routed edge on the wood that can look really nice.

To mount the wood you can use normal masonry anchors.


Bending 1/2" emt conduit Why am i having problems bending an offset on the 2nd marker for an 1 inch marker for 10 degrees? Either I'm weak or is there a chart for using 10 degrees, 22.5 degrees, 30 degrees, etc for the appropriate inches to match the degrees to bend. i followed what was on my Klein bender. Which is 6 1/16 (including shrinkage) apart. I did make a 90 degree first on a five foot pipe. So please any advise will be appreciated. I look at youtube videos but it doesn't address this problem. And yes it was perpendicular from my body with my foot holding the bottom of the bender against my right foot. Thank you.

Based on your last comment, it sounds like you are trying to make the following bend by doing the 90-degree bend followed by the bump-out and you are unable complete the bend for the bump-out.

This basically comes down to finding a way to get more leverage.

One way to accomplish this is to plan out the order of the bends better so you are not pulling on short lengths of conduit or in ways that the conduit will want to rotate on you. In this case, I would suggest one of the following workflows:

Reverse the order of the bends: Do the bump out followed by the 90 degree bend.
Depending on the length of conduit required after the 90 degree bend on the side opposite of the bump-out, start by making the bends further toward the middle of the conduit so that you have a long piece of conduit to work with on the side with the bump-out. Then, you cut off the excess length you do not need:


How do I wire this GFCI receptacle/switch combination device? I am trying to replace a switch/receptacle combo in our bath room with a GFCI switch/receptacle combo. I am no electrician but understand wiring for the most part however this one has got me stumped.

There is a switch outside the bathroom door which, when flipped on provides power to the switch/receptacle combo. The switch on the combo in turn, provides power to a light fixture in the bathroom. I was expecting a 3-wire (black, white, ground) cable from the line in (switch outside the door) and a similar 3-wire cable connecting the combo switch to the light fixture.

Instead, when I removed the existing combo from the wall I noticed that it was connected by a single 4-wire (black, white red, ground) cable. The black, white and green were connected to the existing combo box's line in connections. Using the previous installation as an example along with the instructions I felt reconnected the black, white and ground wires connected to the LINE IN of the new GCFI combo box as expected. Following direction provided here I proceeded to connect one of the switch leads to the load terminal on the GFCI combo box and connected the other switch lead to the Red (hot) wire, assuming that the light is being provided power from the red wire.

When flipped the circuit back on to the bathroom the GFCI immediately tripped, indicating that the wiring was incorrect.

Of course I am thinking that there was no neutral (white) wire retuning to the light so I don't know if that means anything, however this was working before so I am at a bit of a loss for what to try now and hoping that someone here might be able to help me out.

Here is a link to a photo of the GFCI Combo wired up with the 3-wire line in connected and the two switch leads and the one remaining red wire disconnected.

My wife would love to turn the lights back on in the bathroom so any help would be appreciated!! :)

You are correct that the red should be power to the light, except the other side of the switch should take off from the line in side of the GFCI, there is no requirement for lighting to be protected by GFCI, so do not connect to the load side. The GFCI tripped because there was a mismatch in the currents between power wire and the neutral wire attached to the GFCI.

This is based on my best guess based on the information you provided. To be certain, you should examine the wiring in the other switch box to ensure the black is unswitched power, white is neutral, and the red is connected to another wire leading to the light. The main uncertainty is how the other switch plays into this scenario, as there were not enough wires for a 3 way setup with power to an outlet as well.

Incidentally, I would suggest avoiding the push-in terminals if binding screw connections are available. Doing so is more work, but it provides a better more reliable connection, provided the binding screw is properly used.


Switching old light switches with new ones I am trying to replace my old side by side light switches with new rocker switches. The old switches were single pole, had 2 black wires coming in from the wall and one going in between the switches. The first wire was going to the bottom gold screw on the switches and the second was attached to the top push in contact on the back of the switches. I tried changing them out but now they do not work at all. Not sure what I'm missing here. Help!

The wire going between the switches is the hot wire. Verify you still have a hot as if this is missing none of the switches will work.


What type of foam to fill this pipe hole? There is a strong smell that comes from underneath my kitchen sink. All the wood is brand new so I guess it's coming from the hole in the ground in the picture.

I have seen different types of spray foams that can be used to fill holes. Is there any specific brand or type I should use? That will get in that deep hole good to seal it up... where the pipe is coming out of the ground.

Great Stuff can be used, but I would not fill it with anything especially if I did not know what it was - its purpose.

You really should find out what the purpose of that pipe is. Is the pipe part of an old drain left after a bad remodel, a vent pipe?

If the pipe is PVC or Metal you can just cap it off - they make caps for these pipes less than $5 USA.


How do I join an existing outlet into PVC electrical boxes and conduit? I have an outlet on a wall in my garage. I want to move this outlet to the ceiling for use on a garage door opener and a retractable reel extension cord. I think a way to do this is to run PVC electrical conduit from the old outlet location, up to the ceiling.

I will eliminate the old wall outlet rather than add an outlet in addition to it, it is in an inconvenient location.

What is the correct way to go from an existing, flush mount wall outlet to a new junction box that will accept PVC electrical  conduit?

I am not sure if there is a way to take a bare wire into surface mount PVC electrical boxes or if there is a specialPVC electrical  box that will join to an existing box.

I am performing this work to get caught up on a "temporary" fix I ran into 4 years ago. I should not have allowed that temporary solution to sit for so long. Letting that temporary solution sit was foolish.

Get a cover plate with a knockout and a 90 degree connector to your NMT.  That should get you started.  If doing it for myself I'd use PVC conduit and an entrance ell, but that's just personal preference.


How to build a small set of steps/stairs I just had a paver patio installed and had the builder re-install the old wooden steps that he removed to do the work. We did this as a cost savings measure since stone steps would've doubled the price of the project. Now with this nice new patio, our old steps look pretty decrepit. I would like to replace the steps I have with something similar, maybe using a composite decking material if possible both for looks and for longevity. Can anyone provide some insight for a do-it-yourselfer? There are only about four steps/stairs that make up the unit.

Your local home improvement store may have prefab/precut stair case parts for decks and they about the size you mention (3-4 steps).  You can purchase the stringers, and treads and attach them in place of your old stairs.


How can I automatically open/close window blinds? I live in an apartment where I cannot change anything. I would like to have my blinds open/close via computer (any interface controllable via RPi/Arduino is fine). It's not required to also roll them up/down but would be nice.

The blinds are rolled up/down via a cord, as usual. They can be open/closed via a "stick" that's rotated. My blinds look like this:

I could image attaching a small rotating motor to the stick to open/close the blinds could do the job.

I found many solutions which require to change the blinds.
Is there a project/solution which just attaches a small machine to the wall next to the window and has an arm to open/close the blends?

A stepper motor driver (shield, I suppose, in Arduino speak) a couple of stepper motors (if you want both functions) and a modest amount of creativity should do it.

The open/close motor could be fitted with a section of rubber hose to slip onto the handle - the up/down one would need a pulley or spool (as for sewing thread) to roll the cord up.


load limit for a 6"x8", 8' span? I am putting up a second story in a small building I want to create a framework to carry the load of the addition. I'm putting in piers and posts, which I have found correct info for. I have a stock of lumber, 4x6's and 6x8's, I would like to use the 6x8's. They would be supported by the piers and posts, one exact set on each under side of structure. The total load they would carry is 4500 lbs. so two sets of, two piers and posts with 6x8 beam spanning 8'. Hope this is not too confusing! Lol Thanks for the help

I'm not sure I understand where the posts and piers are in relation to the 6x8's. However, I can give you some info and maybe you can interpret.

According to Western Woods Use Book by West Coast Lumbermen’s Association, 1973 edition, a 6x8 beam can support about 8,000 lbs., depending on species of wood, grade, etc. on an 8' span.


Which batteries are compatible with the DeWalt DW9107? I have a DeWalt battery charger model# DW9107.  Which batteries can I charge in it? It says 14.4volts

I have a DeWalt hammer drill model# DCD950B.  Will the battery for it, DC9096 work with my charger? It says 18volts.

From DeWalt support:

Unfortunately it looks like the battery charger will not charge a 18 volt battery that will work with the DCD950b. The charger charges up to a 14.4 volt battery and the DCD950 will take a 18 volt battery. The battery and charger you will need for the DCD950 is  Charger 388683-12 and battery DC9096.


How to repair the grout on the floor Should I replace the damaged floor or just the grout?
What kind of grout do you suggest and how to proceed?
Thank you.

Looks like Vinyl Composition Tile (VCT). I doubt if there is grout between the tiles.

The edges of the tiles are chipping because the subfloor is flexing too much. This may be from the subfloor spanning too far or dryrot has decayed the subfloor.

You’ll need to replace the tile and check the subfloor and underlayment. Before you remove the tile, you should check to make sure it’s not asbestos or the glue is not asbestos. (Most asbestos tiles are 9” x 9” square, but there are other types too.)


My heat tape is too long I have  about 2 extra feet of  heat tape, after I installed  it.
What do I do with  extra  length?

The directions say not to coil or double back. My question is with extra length leave it hang or what would you recommend?

Usually you can wrap the tape around the pipe as you install it. You can then add or subtract wraps to adjust the length and make it come out where you want. This works well for just a short amount of slack.

OR

For longer amounts of slack, most heat tape has a bump on the outside of the cable every 18" or so. You can cut the heat tape and install a plug or terminator just after the bump to shorten the tape. Refer to your heat tape's instructions before doing this.

Good luck!


Even heating in home with partial basement How can I evenly heat a house with a partial basement, as shown in the diagram below? The rooms over the slab are consistently several degrees cooler than the rooms over the basement, particularly when the doors are closed for a while.

The portion of the house on the slab foundation is heated from ceiling vents whereas the portion of the house that is over the basement is heated from floor vents.  The ceilings are 9 feet high, which may contribute to the inability of the heat from the ceiling vents to circulate throughout the rooms.

This is a new house with good insulation and windows. The portion of the house over the basement is mostly one open space, whereas the portion of the house on the slab is divided into two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

I have tried closing or mostly closing the vents in the portion of the house over the basement in an attempt to get more heat to the portion of the house over the slab. Leaving doors open helps the issue some, but it is not desirable to have to leave the doors open all the time.

Is the HVAC for this house set up appropriately? What measures would help heat the house evenly?

Hot air rises, so the area with overhead vents are fighting convection. You might install a reversible ceiling fan, a small vent booster fan or an in-line duct fan, at the expense of a bit of electricity and perhaps noise.


How to install a new window header that overlaps an old one I'm attempting to move some windows. I have an engineer drawing up the exact plans of how to make sure it is structurally sound, but my question here is more on actual implementation.

In one or two locations I will be installing a new header of fairly significant size (~7') which is higher and offset from an existing header. This is a grade level previously converted carport that I'm leveling the floor of and incorporating into part of the house. The existing header is where the garage entrance use to be. It looks like this (orange is new header for a window [approximate location, does not include structural components, just for visualization of what I'm trying to accomplish]).

I have a hip roof and the ceiling joists for this particular location run parallel with the exterior wall the distance of both the old and new headers.

How can I add the new header safely and how much of the existing header do I have to remove?

My only thinking is to punch some holes and build some temporary supports perpendicular under the top plate... lots of work!

Based on your description of the loading, I wouldn't be too concerned about supporting it at all unless you're going to leave the framing out for any significant period of time (days for example). If anything it might sag a fraction of an inch, but you'll true it up when the new header goes in.  You'll want to remove the old one first and re-frame that section of the wall, then cut in your new rough opening and put the new one in.  Pretty simple, and I've done this numerous times with patio doors.

If you're concerned about the weight, consider that there are quite a few houses out there dating from the time before building codes became common that don't have proper headers over windows and doors at all.  I've done several jobs where I had to install headers that were missing in the first place.  Also, I've done a couple garage demolitions where I had a hard time removing enough structure to make it collapse.


How can I extend a 1.5" galvanized plumbing vent up a 6:12 pitch roof? Relocate to make clear area for solar I'd like to extend the following plumbing penetration to a spot higher on the roof.  At this time I have access from above to the pipe embedded in the wall, and access to the roof below the 6" dimensional rafters:

I'd like to stick with galvanized and with long sweep elbows if possible, to preserve the ability to snake the fixture from the roof if needed later.

6:12 pitch is 6 inches rise per 12 inches of run, or 26.57 degrees. The pipe comes up vertically, so we're interested in 90 - 26.57 = 63.43 degrees.

Will be inspected to California Plumbing Code.

Yet, there seems to be no 63.43 degree elbows made ;-)

A pair of elbows of any angle can do the trick. For example, a 90 degree elbow can bend the vertical pipe so that it goes horizontally along the top of the wall. A second elbow connected to the first can redirect the pipe so it goes parallel to the rafter at any elevation/angle.

I gave the example with 90 degree elbows but the same principle works with a matched pair of elbows of any angle. The question is whether there's enough room to fit the two-elbow assembly. If it's done with 45 degree angle elbows then the assembly will be narrower, but also taller.

Depending on how important it is that the vent be moved, you could consider other approaches. It would be technically possible to make the vent stack go back down the wall, under the floor, and rise elsewhere as would be done for a sink in an island, or even to combine it with another existing vent. It may also be acceptable to replace the vent stack with an air admittance valve.


Is it possible to modify my new europrofile cylinder lock to work in my traditional night latch? We have a traditional night latch.

We need to change the lock to use a different key.

We accidentally bought a europrofile cylinder lock.

I know from videos like this one that a lock can be dissassembled. Since the mechanism seems similar, is it possible to modify my new europrofile cylinder lock to work in my traditional night latch?

Return (or give away) the euro lock. Take the latch to a locksmith for re-keying. Trying to mate the two is extremely unlikely to work.


Should I put caulk/silicone at base of toilet on hardwood floors? When installing a toilet in a bathroom with hardwood floors, should I put a bead of silicone or caulk around the base to finish things up? Is this necessary, or is it merely aesthetics? I have heard that I should put silicone down, but not caulk. I'm not sure if this is true or not, or how it's determined.

I think you're confusing the terms "caulk" and "silicone" for the colors "white" and "clear".  A lot of caulks are made from silicone rubber, and they can be white or clear (or other colors).

To answer your question, I would use a clear caulk around the base of the toilet as it will look better next to the wood.  I've always used caulk because it prevents any, uh, splashes, from running under the toilet where they'd be hard to clean up.  Leave a small gap at the back of the toilet so that if you do have leaks, they'll have somewhere to drain to and you'll be able to tell.


Coax and cat6 close to the main power trunk I want to run coax (for a cable modem) and cat6 (for a phone connection) from the garage (where my cable and phone boxes are located) to my basement.  The garage wall is not drywalled, so I can run both cables along the wall and then drill a hole at the bottom to run through to the basement.  The problem is that the main power trunk runs in to the basement at this same point.  I can probably keep the coax and cat 6 a maximum of 4 inches away from the power trunk at this point.  Is that too close?

Away from this point I'd separate the coax and cat6 a lot more from the power.  Is there anything I could put in the new hole to shield the coax/cat6 from the power?

My alternative is an ugly run in the garage on the outside of a drywalled wall before drilling through to the basement in another spot.

I know this question has been asked before, but I thought this is a slightly different version.  I'm not trying to run low voltage in parallel with power over a long run.  I just have 1 pinch point in the run and it's a doozy with the giant main power trunk running to the service panel.

I know there isn't a black and white answer on this one, but I'm going to post the decision I made as the answer (based on everyone's feedback).

It just felt too close to run the coax/cat6 4" from the main power lines.  My handyman was able to cut out a small section of the drywall on the adjacent wall, run the coax/cat6 behind it and feed in to the basement in the next joist bay.  I feel much better about this solution.  Nagging internet issues can be tough to diagnose, so I want to get the best wiring I can up front.


Loud and HOT radon mitigation fan I just got a Radon mitigation system installed and it is very loud, much louder than the AC unit that it sits next to (fan is installed outside). The housing of the fan after only a couple of hours runtime is also very hot. Not hot enough to burn when touched but hot enough that you can't keep your hand on it for very long. Is this normal? if not, what could be causing this. The contractor that installed it doesn't seem to think this is an issue, but I'm concerned of a fire risk as well how long can the fan run as hot as that before it burns out the motor? something is obviously making it work way too hard. I would love any help or feedback.

There are 2 types of Radon mitigation systems: 1) gravity, and 2) forced air.

1) Typically a gravity system will be installed, with an option to install an exhaust fan at a later date, if the gravity system is not effective.

2) After the gravity system runs for a year or so, additional readings will be taken to determine if the system is effective and has reduced the radon level. If it hasn’t, then an exhaust fan can be installed to “assist” with the mitigation (air flow) process.

It sounds like someone has determined an exhaust fan is required. First, I’d try to determine if the fan is required.

In both systems, air “intake” is required. That is to say, in order for air to flow through the pipes, there needs to be a way for air to flow into the system. So, in order for your fan to exhaust air there needs to be air allowed into the system. This intake air is called “makeup” air. (Without an intake, it’s like putting your finger over a straw that is full of water. If air can’t get into the straw, then nothing can flow out of the straw.)

Your fan could be overheating because it is unable to get “makeup” air. Did the contractors forget the makeup air intake?


Light flickers once when fan is turned on Greetings beloved comrades,

I have several lighted ceiling fans of the same model wired with separate, non-dimming, wall switches for the fan and light.  The lights inside may be LEDs, but I haven't disassembled them yet to confirm this.

For one of the fans, switching on the fan at the wall causes the light to briefly go out, for maybe a tenth of a second, then come back on.

This strikes me as very strange.  I thought maybe the inrush current for the fan was dropping the voltage enough that an LED light might turn off and then recover, but this seems unlikely.

I thought maybe there was a loose connection in the switch that would move when the switch was operated, but tapping/manipulating the switch didn't seem to have the same effect.

Any thoughts before I de-energize the circuit and start testing everything?

This isn't really an answer, but I thought I'd close the loop.

Changing the bulb to a different brand of LED bulb causes the flicker to stop.

This doesn't explain why the flicker is there to begin with, but all of the installed fans of the same model exhibit this behavior.

Ideally, I would investigate further, but time is limited.


Dishwasher Drain Into Sink instead of Under? Is it ok to have the drain hose of the dishwasher just set into the kitchen sink and set in place, or do I have to merge it with the drain under the sink?

I am leaving this apartment soon (with my dishwasher), have a huge sink, and don't care aesthetically if there's a hose.

Thanks!

When the dishwasher goes to pump out then the pressure will move the hose possibly blowing it all over your kitchen.

Think of a hose left on full without anyone holding it.

You will need to clamp it down somehow and even then expect some splashing.

Good luck!


Is it allowed to have a small hole bored in a joist in the area where it is bearing on a beam or joist hanger I am trying to determine if my house is up to code with respect to some holes that I found bored in the ceiling joists. The holes are about 1 inch in diameter and at least 2 inches from the top and the bottom of 2x10 joists. The holes were bored to run a NM electrical cable. The specific aspect I am concerned about is that the holes are very close (< 2 inches) to the end of the joist where it is bearing on the beam.

I read various notching and boring guides and they all specify 2 inches from the top and bottom but I can't find any guides that talk about how close they can be to the end of the joist. I assume that having a hole in the area that is bearing on the beam would weaken the joist but I am having a hard time finding the rules on this.

I spoke to my structural engineer and the answer is that it depends on the depth of your joists. In my case, where I have 2x10 joists there is no problem with a small (1-inch diamater) hole on or near the area where the joist is bearing on its support beam. Basically the same notching and boring rules apply at the end of the joist: 2 inches from top or bottom, etc..


Home water pressure consistently exceeds 150 PSI Background:

When I bought my home it had a 50 gallon gas water heater in the garage without an expansion tank. On the hot water line there is a Watts adjustable pressure relief valve (this NOT the PRV on the tank - it's an additional valve). The water pressure as measured on the hose bibs was frequently around 150 PSI and the Watts PRV or the PRV on the tank would frequently release water. There is a pressure regulator valve on the cold water supply line to the house and the pressure when measured without the water heater heating is 55-60 PSI.

Problem:

The water heater survived 20 years under those conditions but it finally started leaking. I replaced the water heater with another 50 gallon unit and added a 2 gallon expansion tank vertically on the cold water line feeding the tank. I expected this to solve the high pressure problem but it hasn't. Even with the water heater turned down to around 115F, when it heats, it brings the pressure over 150 PSI and the PRV on the tank opens and stays open until I run the water somewhere to release the pressure. ~30 minutes later, the pressure is back up and the cycle continues.

I'm baffled on what the problem is. The expansion tank is the recommend size for the size of my water heater and line pressure. The only thoughts I have are to get a bigger expansion tank or potentially replace the pressure regulator valve on the cold water supply line. The latter is a bit of a hail mary IMO and will be a major project due to the location.

Anyone have thoughts on what else could be the problem or potential remedies?

From the comments, it appears the PRV failed, likely with a slow leak on the valve. A good way to test for this is to shutoff the hot water tank, close all valves in the house while monitoring pressure over time. If the pressure slowly climbs even without the hot water heater running then replacing the PRV would be my next step.


Adding wall light switch for future ceiling fan light option As part of some remodeling that I am doing, I am considering adding a switch to the wall switch box and a running 14/3 cable to the ceiling fan to control the fan and light (possible future addition) with separate switches.

I do not plan to add a light just yet (if ever).

I would terminate the hot wire inside the ceiling fan box with a wire nut.  Is this safe practice?  Or, should I only add the switch if I connect a light at the other end?

Number one thing, I'd mark the reserved wires in the switch box and the ceiling box so when you open things up in the future it's clear what's what.  I also write myself notes inside the cover plate with a sharpie.

I'd connect the grounds and neutrals at both ends and cap the hots with wire nuts.  I'd not put a switch in the switchbox, I'd leave a blank there.  (Use Decora style switches.)

If you ever put the light and separate switch in, it will be easy; if you never do, it will be safe; if you decide to do something different that you haven't even thought of now, it will be easy to see what's there and available.

If you really want the maximum flexibility you could run conduit from the switch box to the fixture, depending on the framing and the layout it might not be all that hard with ENT (the blue stuff).


Can I safely plug a 13amp washing machine into a 15amp power socket? I have a 15 Amp wall socket and recently bought a washing machine with a 13 Amp plug. Can I plug the washing machine into the 15 Amp wall socket using an 3 round-pin to 3 square pin adapter?

Assuming this plug (a BS 1363)

and this BS 546 socket

To convert a 1363 plug to a 546 socket, this fused adapter (13A) can be safely used:


Completely paint with wood filler? I have a very old house with many layers of exterior paint. I am trying to have a new paint job "done right". They removed as much paint as they could using stripper and scraping, but there was still a lot left.

The paint is embedded deeply into the wood grain.

The painters applied a layer of wood filler over the entire side of the house that's being worked on, and then sanded it smooth.  Is that appropriate?  Will there be problems from using that much filler?  I haven't found any discussions on Google that this is a valid technique for dealing with paint that won't come off.

Does this seem reasonable?

Additional info:  The house is 70 years old, the part of the house I'm talking about is the original siding as far as I know, and it's redwood lapboard.

I use a heat gun rather than chemical strippers. It's easier and usually all old paint can be scraped off. Heat guns do have their own set of special considerations and safety precautions but overall it is a better way IMO.

That being said, even if you remove all the old paint it is common to be left with a surface far from perfect. I use exterior grade spackle to skim coat outdoor trim prior to priming and painting. It dries quicker and is much easier to sand smooth than wood filler. The surface needs to be clean, and it sticks better when the wood is damp.

Wood filler is probably OK if it was applied correctly and sanded properly after application. Way too much work and $$ for me to use it, except for areas where a hard sub-surface is important like handrails, doors, window sashes; areas likely to be touched.


Is using a globe valve on a water supply line a bad idea? Our rented house has an individual plastic water tank to which the colony supplies water from their tanks regularly. The main water pipe fixed to the tank that comes from the colony had a ball valve (PP-R type) which was failed recently.

As these pipes are of PPR, it is hard to get an expert plumber to fix things. Because of that reason my plumber replaced the ball valve with a Globe Valve that lets us replace "washer set" instead of the entire valve if failed in future.

Thought it was a good suggestion, but now I heard  that using gate and globe valves to the main water supply is not a good idea. Also, while turning it off, the pipe above it shakes (not a big problem as it is PP-R).

Could anybody tell me if these issues worth worrying? Is it really not a good idea to use a Globe valve there?

A gate valve does not have a "washer set". The valve in the photo appears to be a globe valve.

I agree with your plumber that a globe valve is proper in that place. A gate valve or ball valve is intended to be seldom closed, usually to empty out pipes for winter exposure or to repair the plumbing. If you must operate a valve often, as part of your household routine, then a ball valve may not stand the wear.

Some differences among the most commonly used valve types:

A gate valve stops the flow by sliding a flat plate across the flow path. The advantage of a gate valve is that when fully opened it offers almost no restriction to the liquid flow. The main disadvantage of a gate valve is that the end of the gate must slide into a pocket to complete the seal, and this pocket is not flushed by the normal flow of liquid, so that scale and debris collects there and blocks the valve from fully closing.

A ball valve controls the flow by rotating a ball with a large hole in it. The advantage of a ball valve is that when fully opened it offers less restriction to the liquid flow than most other types (except perhaps a gate valve). The main disadvantage of a ball valve is that when the ball eventually wears down, there is no adjustment to tighten the mechanism and stop the leaking. The ball type should not be used where the valve must be operated frequently.

A globe valve operates by screwing a small disk, faced with a rubber washer, directly down onto an opening in a smooth plate, called the seat. The advantage of a globe valve is that it is simple to manufacture and maintain. As the washer and seat wear down, simply turning the handle little further completely stops the flow. Most users do not even notice this. When the washer becomes too worn to seal properly, it can easily (and almost intuitively) be replaced by an amateur. Even a damaged seat can be reground without special training -- just the proper tool. The disadvantage of the globe valve is that even when fully opened it still significantly restricts the liquid flow.

In your case the flow restriction will not be a problem because you are not using the flow directly in your shower etc. Even if you notice a difference, it will just take a bit longer to fill your tank.


How do I mount a TV on a solid wood wall? I have a 51.8lb Sharp Aquos LC46D85U that I'd like to mount above my fireplace.

The problem is that there aren't any studs (at least none that I can find) behind my wood walls.  My walls are not wood paneling; they're solid tongue-in-groove wood (see picture).

The only structure I can find behind the walls is a few horizontal bars of wood at intervals.  The wood walls are nailed into these horizontal braces.  The intervals are too widely spaced for me to get all mounting bracket screws into them.  I could get either the top or bottom mounting screws into them, but not both.

Given that the walls are wood (not just paneling), do you think they would be able to bear a 52lb TV mounted to it?  If not, how should I safely mount my TV given my lack of studs?

I agree with BMitch that there's horizontal strapping over the studs. You might want to try a Bosch GMS120 Wall Scanner instead of a regular stud finder. It claims it can find wood substructures 1-1/2" deep which is going to be about how deep your studs are from the front of the panels.

The other side of the wall is probably an exterior wall which will make this difficult but try finding the studs from that side. Also electrical boxes are usually mounted on the side of studs so use them as a cue.

Another option, would be to try and figure out where the studs are through trial and error. Measure out from one corner, factor in the depth of the panels and strapping from the side wall then over your fireplace drill a small exploratory hole near where a stud should be but not directly over the strapping. Poke around with a wire bent into the shape of an L and see if you can find a stud. If you can't try measuring from the opposite wall. Once you find one you should be able to easily find the rest since they should be space 16" on center.

Just remember to get longer lag bolts.

Also, there are some replies in this forum thread that might be useful to you.

I had to mount a TV fairly high. Make sure you get a mount that has tilt control to reduce neck strain.


Is it safe to solder near Teflon tape I have a threaded cast iron flange that I'm going to use a brass nipple join a copper connector. I'll be using Teflon tape for the NPT connections, and my instinct is to solder the threaded copper adapter to the copper pipe before I "snug and grunt" the copper connection in. However it may not always be possible to solder connections before hand.
Is it safe to solder near a Teflon'ed joint?

Soldering close to Teflon tape can cause flu-like symptoms, I have worked with Teflon pipe and tubing.
When we had to heat it, to weld it or stretch it for fittings, caution was needed and had to be careful to keep it below 500f , if higher temps were needed we did the work in a fume hood and one spring there were a lot of birds outside (mud swallows) that died because of the fumes when we were welding a bunch of segments. Birds are quite susceptible to the fumes.
If outside there is normally enough air flow but a fan above the area to push or pull the vapor away is usually enough.
Especially now I would not want flu like symptoms sad some of the guys would get careless and breathe the fumes then complain the entire next day. So use caution plenty of fresh air and you should be fine.
I usually wrap a wet towel around areas I want to prevent heat transfer to.
.....


Should I downsize a circuit breaker from 40amps to 30 amps? I just fixed a hard-to-find short circuit in my home wiring. I had  heavy gauge aluminum wires running from two 40 amp circuit breakers to bring 220V to my electric cooktop. My guess is that those were the original wires from 40 years ago. Those wires were spliced to copper 10G wires in a junction box and then they ran to another junction box near the cooktop where they were spliced again. One of the aluminum /copper connectors melted in that middle box. This was very hard to diagnose.

Question: The cooktop label says  7KW for 120V/240V; 5.3KW for 120V/205V. Someone suggested that I should replace those 40A breakers with 30A breakers if the the appliance can run on the 30A as it would be safer. Can I just take 7000 divided by 240 = 29Amps? Will that be okay? Or do I have to take into account RMS voltage and current? I don’t remember whether these ratings are in peak to peak. I think my cheap meter shows peak to peak, not RMS.

Rather than replacing the breaker, you should fix the actual problem.  This document (PDF) from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, describes a few safe ways to handle aluminum wiring in a home.
Aluminum wiring itself is not dangerous. The danger with aluminum wiring is with how it's spliced/terminated.  If connections are not done properly, it can lead to overheating and potentially a fire. If terminations are done properly, aluminum wire can be, and is, used without incident.
Replacement
The most obvious recommendation, is to simply replace all the aluminum wiring with copper. However, that is not always the most practical, or cost effective way to handle the situation.
Pigtailing
If the wire cannot be replaced, the CPSC recommends a few alternative methods to terminating/splicing aluminum wire.
COPALUM Connectors
Using a special connector and tool, joining aluminum wiring to a short piece of copper wire (pigtail) can be a safe solution.  This method may require professional assistance, because special tools and knowledge are required.
AlumiConn Connectors
If COPALUM connectors are not available, AlumiConn connectors may also offer a safe connection. AlumiConn connectors are basically insulated terminal block, which allow a copper pigtail to be connected to the aluminum wire. CPSC recommends that this repair also be conducted by a licensed Electrician.


cutting sheet metal on K3 board I have about 16 school chalkboards 4 ft. by 8 ft. made of sheet metal laminated to 1/2" K3 board with a green paint for chalk. Want to use them to line my new workshop on the inside. Looking for a method to cut the chalkboards to length and width cheaply as possible. Would like to made one cut metal and K3 AT THE SAME TIME. thank you.

A carbide tooth skill saw blade will cut the combination, I use a 70 tooth if i need a really clean cut on thicker metal, but a "finish" blade will work, make sure to wear safety goggles , gloves and a long sleve shirt or coat at some of the chips get thrown.


What should I check for before turning on an OLD dish washer for the first time? We recently purchased a house with a REALLY old dishwasher.  The inspection report says that it "appears to be in working condition" but I'm paranoid of having a plumbing mess if we start using it. What should I check for before turning it on? Water line condition? Subfloor condition?

-M

Check the water line connections. I would open the bottom access panel, and watch for any leaks while you run it the first time. Often the parts used are not of the greatest quality, including the solenoid valve that controls the water.

On that note, make sure there is a manual shut-off valve, so you can turn it off quickly if there is a leak.

Beyond that, just make sure you run it through a cycle to ensure it's clean.


Adding a new switch with an independent light in an existing circuit - With photos I have two switches at the bottom of my stairs in the basement. One switch is a three way to the switch at the top of my stairs. The other switch lights a series of lights all connected to the same circuit. One of those lights is in the pantry and what I would like to do is isolate that light from the rest by adding a single pole switch to the room. The switch at the bottom of the stairs would still light up the rest of the lights.

Do I need to run a separate hot from the existing box to the new box where the new switch in the pantry will be for the pantry light.

Whether you can simply break that light off the circuit and put it on a new switch depends completely on how the power is run.

If the light is fed in the ceiling, then yes you can just add a new switch.
Existing wiring:

With the new switch:

However if the power comes through the existing switch then no you will have to run a new feed to the light. That feed can go through the new switch (shown in the bottom diagram), or straight to the light whichever is easier.
Existing wiring:

The new diagram for this scenario:

Who said MS paint couldn't be used for wiring diagrams...


Four way switch wiring I'm replacing the dimmer for my chandelier with a switch. It's a split-foyer home so I have a switch at the bottom of the stairs, the foyer, and the top of the stairs.
I know it's a four way switch circuit because of the three switches. I have wired one four way switch (top of stairs) and one three way switch (bottom of stairs, end of run I believe; only one wire coming out of the box) following various diagrams on this forum.
My question/problem revolves around the dimmer I'm replacing. The top switch has two red wires and the foyer switch has two red wires as well. This confuses me because all of the diagrams I've looked at seem to require a four way switch for two red wires but since there are only three switches, I'm assuming I only need two 3ways and one 4way.
If this the case, and I only do need one more 3way, how do I wire the 3way with the two red wires? Also, there is a single pole in the gang as well that controls the outside lights that is confusing me as well.
I'll attach images of all three gangs here. top, with the four way switch

foyer, switch in question with the single pole

bottom, end of run I believe

In a very similar situation, I turned off the power and disconnected all the switches and in a logical sequence using a volt-ohm meter (or toner and receiver) I determined which box had the hot lead, which were just travelers (usually the one with two reds) and which connected to the light. I drew an image of the results and the diagram makes it much easier to ‘picture’ your circuits. You realize that a single red is the beginning or ending traveler connected to the four-way in the middle. Be aware that when you see another black-white in the same box it is likely another circuit not related to your four-way. You can use a three-way at the ends but only a four-way in the middle where the two reds are located. Of course it can be much more complicated if you have two separate four-ways in the same box or if the light is not at the end of the circuit but in the middle or beginning (where the ‘hot’ lead is found). That may be when you need to employ a real-live electrician.


Danny Lipford Workbench Questions How to Build a Built-in Garage Workbench

By: Danny Lipford on Today's Homeowner

I would like to build a built-in workbench in the garage, attached to the beans of the structure.

This is the only online resource I could find and is very close to what I want to do.

I will use his guide below as a template to my questions.

(Questions are in bold italic embedded within)

While the garage often doubles as a home workshop, it’s hard to get much done without a sturdy workbench. This simple built-in bench runs the entire length of the garage wall and attaches directly to the exposed studs. It’s easy to build and can be completed in just a few hours. Here’s how it’s done:

Mark the height for the bench, minus ¾” for the top, and pop a chalk line along the wall. Most workbenches are about 34” high, but you can adjust yours to whatever height is most comfortable.

The chalk line will be straight but not necessarily level, right? How do I ensure it is level?

Cut pieces of 2” x 4” lumber 20” long to serve as horizontal supports for the bench. You’ll need one for each support plus an extra one at each end of the wall. Depending on the thickness of your plywood top, the spacing of the studs, and how sturdy a bench you want, plan on a support every 16? to 32.”

*Are there different types of 2x4 lumber or just a standard one? *
Wont be going to the end of each wall...

Braces for the supports are cut from ¾” plywood and shaped like a right triangle with 16” legs on each side. Cut one for each support on the wall.
Just one, shouldn't there be support on both sides of the 2x4?

Glue and screw the supports and braces together, with the plywood brace extending 3½” past the support to allow it to be attached to the stud.
Is this just that Elmer's wood glue?
What type of screws? Can it be nails?

Attach the 2” x 4” supports at each end of the wall, checking to be sure they are level.
So I am not planning on going to the end of the wall, what modifications do I need to make?

Nail or screw the support braces to the side of the wall studs, checking for level.
The 2x4 doesn't directly attach to the wall stud? This is where I thought there should be another triangle brace one on the other side...?

Nail a 2” x 4” the length of the wall along the front of the support braces.

Cut a 2’ wide top from ¾” plywood, and nail it on top of the supports.
Can I stain and gloss it? This is the same type of wood as used with the triangle brackets?

Nail a 1” x 4” board along the back of the workbench to keep items from rolling off the bench and falling behind it.

How do I scale everything if I want the workbench to be 3 feet wide, instead of the 2 feet wide int his example (i.e. the triangle supports, etc?)

Diagram:

I'll try to take your questions one-by-one.

You have two easy options for leveling the chalk line. The first would be to use a carpenter's level; you'd measure 34" from the floor at one end of the bench-to-be, then hold a long 2x4 to the studs with one end right at the mark. Lay your level on the top of the 2x4 and tip the 2x4's other (not at a mark) end slightly up or down until your level reads an accurate level. Now you can have a helper mark across all of your studs with a pencil instead of a chalk line. The second easy option doesn't concern itself with level at all, only with being parallel to the floor. Measure 34" from the floor at each end of your bench-to-be and mark that spot.
Since you're in Washington, I think you'll probably have 2x4s available in spruce or "pressure treated", and probably no other options. Spruce should be just fine.
The plywood braces (you can make them from either 3/4" CDX or ACX plywood) may be mounted only on one side of each stud or for greater strength & rigidity may be mounted on both sides. I've built a "strongarm" wood-storage rack very similarly to what is described here; I used smaller braces, but mounted both sides. For most in-garage DIY purposes, a brace on only one side would be just fine. If you plan to do heavier work, you may certainly install one on the other side of each stud, too.
Elmer's Wood Glue, which is a yellow PVA (Polyvinyl Acetate) glue, is perfectly satisfactory. Franklin or Gorilla or TiteBond would also work just fine. You'll want a yellow glue or a polyurethane glue here; white glue gives you more work time before it sets up, but it's not as strong.
You could use nails instead of screws, but they'll be much harder to drive without damaging anything. Your siding is attached to the outsides of those studs, so every time you beat on the side of a stud the nails holding the siding in place will become looser. I'd much rather that you used screws. You can use 1-5/8" drywall screws. It helps if you have a drill to drive them (much easier on your wrists).
If you're not going all the way to the end, just stop wherever you want to stop. Until you install your benchtop, your new supports will feel very flimsy, but it will suddenly stiffen up when you install the top. There's no need for any additional brackets or supports.
Nope, the 2x4 braces don't have any direct attachment to the studs - they're held only by the plywood braces.
If you like, you could certainly stain and/or varnish your benchtop. If you do, though, and if you do any heavy work on its top, the stain/varnish will soon look terrible. You can use the same plywood for the top as you used for the braces. If you use ACX plywood , you'll have a much nicer benchtop than if you use CDX plywood, but a lot of very hard-working benchtops are made from CDX - they just have shallow knotholes in some spots (CDX may have "voids" and knotholes that won't be present in ACX).
I'd like to urge you not to make a 36"-deep bench. They seem handy in theory, but your back cannot be comfortable reaching that far - you get backaches very quickly. Really. I'm 6'2", and I'm not comfortable with any bench deeper than 24". Also be aware that a 36"-deep bench is going to work as a much larger lever against the wall, and so can't be expected to carry as much loading as a 24" bench can carry. If you're really sure you really want 36", though... make the triangular braces at least 24" square. That'll take quite a lot more plywood - you can get only (16) 24" braces from a full sheet, and your 36" top will consume a full sheet leaving you with a 12"-wide strip of "waste" that can't be used for braces.


How to stop light fittings on chain stop rotating I have light fittings mounted on a single chain. I want them to stay at a certain angle but they keep rotating and I can't  get them to sit how I want.

How can I go about stopping them rotate? Thanks

No pun intended but anchor the chain. You could replace the chain with a pole.

Since welding's not an option try a few drops of clear epoxy on each link when you get the chain into position.


I'm worried my old house has asbestos My floor in my old house I'm worried is asbestos and was dusty from some remodeling. There was a part that was chipped on the floor. We moved and I'm wondering a few things:

How can I find out if the house had asbestos?
The 3 months we lived there are we all Gonna die if it was asbestos?
I was pregnant when I lived there would that exposure if it is asbestos effect my unborn child?
Will washing the clothes from that house and cleaning everything from the old house get rid of anything that could be on the clothes and stuff?

You would need an expert to examine and render an opinion.
Asbestos exposure over a short period is very unlikely to cause a health issue and if it does it would be 20+ years out. Problems arise when you breathe the fibers over a long period of months or years.
No. Asbestos is inhaled if it is friable (able to be airborne) so the unborn child is safe.
Yes, washing and cleaning is always a good idea. Old style tile is actually pretty safe unless you start grinding on it and make a lot of dust.

I would not be overly worried but you could consult with a doctor and have an exam every few years if you are concerned.

You can read more here.

Rest easy.


Activating chair's gas lift? I've ordered a chair from Argos, however, after assembly, the gas lift fails to elevate the chair -in fact, pulling the lever on the side seems to have no effect at all (it just swings back & forth). The seat support seems to have a cylinder marked x <--> 1, however that also fails to make any effect.

Is the gas lift needs to be activated separately, or am I missing something obvious here? (chair is already a replacement, previous one had the same problem, so I'm assuming it's not manufacturer problem)

Terribly sorry for the newb question, would really appreciate constructive suggestions.

Typically there is a valve opened by the lever pressing on the top center of the chair cylinder.  Maybe you need to push instead of pull, or maybe the lever needs to be pulled out before you use it.  They all have a different design.


Toe Nailing Studs to Plates Perpendicular set studs sometimes shift during toe nailing to flat plates, top and bottom. Is there a way or a tool to clamp 2x4 perpendicular?

Measure and mark your stud placement on both plates and make sure the studs are on the marks when you nail them.

Generally, I lay the plates next to each other with the ends aligned.  Then mark and strike the line across both simultaneously.  Don't forget to mark which side of the line the stud goes on.


Subfloor and Batten Construction of 1950s Hardwood Floor Recently purchased a 1950s cape cod style home with hardwood floors throughout. They squeak terribly everywhere in the home. As I got ready to tackle this problem with glue and screws through the subfloor from the basement I noticed that the floor is actually is made up of these layers:

Hardwood floor boards
3/4" Battens that appear to lay inline with the joists
Brown Paper (presumably to cut down on dust)
3/4" Plank Subfloor
Joists

Given that extra 3/4" space between the subfloor and the hardwoord finish floor, no glueing or screwing will help my squeaks, but I was more stunned by the construction. Is this a common method in the 50s or any other time? My understanding is that battens would typically be used to aid in installing hardwood floor over a concrete slab, where you have no joists to work with, rather than over joists and a subfloor.
(Another oddity is that there are few runs of conduit in the 3/4" space between the subfloor and the finish floor. Why the heck would you do this when you have a full basement below???)

Your situation is not typical unless those are intended as sleepers (used to correct out of level joists) or furring (used to raise the plane of a surface in order to flush with the plane of adjacent finishes). In the first case, you would still be missing a layer of sheathing above the sleepers as sub floor. In the second case, underlayment should have been full coverage. As you are discovering, what they've done leads to issues for a typical lumber flooring plank spanning across a typical joist layout.
Some quick points:

It would be impractical to fix this in any other way than to live with it or pull it up  and relay your floor properly.
The brown paper is probably kraft paper for a little moisture resistance from the basement humidity. Most likely, whoever installed this was cutting costs and willing to live with the consequences. Without sub floor to support the paper, it's a miracle they could lay it at all.
There is no reason to run electrical between flooring and subfloor.

Since your Plan A didn't work, maybe this could be your plan B:
You might try finding any nails that are sitting on the side of a joist, which squeak from rubbing under normal circumstances as you walk across the floor, and any nails that are sticking out from the side of the joist, which squeak under normal circumstances from the inadequate withdrawal resistance. You can try pulling them through with a pair of end cutters.
Other than that, try adding a picture to your post and maybe it will allow for a solution as the description you've given is currently explained.