Small trickle into toilet bowl, flap and valve seem fine I have a small trickle into a toilet bowl that I'm trying to stop as it's causing rust lines and wasting water.  The flapper is relatively new and I ran my finger along the edge of the valve rim to see if there was anything abnormal and it seemed smooth to me.  Any other suggestions on where to look for the source of the problem?

Update:  I've replaced the fill valve and the trickle is still there.  Going to replace the flapper and scrub the flush valve rim with fine steel wool before assuming the flush valve needs to be replaced.

Update:  That seems to have fixed it.

A leaking valve can also cause this kind of leakage  rust, scale & small gravel can also cause the valve to leak. Some valves can be easily disassembled with the water off. A cup or glass put over the top and the valve turned on to flush the debris out. Reassemble with the water off and see if this helps. The float adjustment would be a quicker check as @jack suggested+. a video on how to flush a kohler fill valve. this is really quick and just 1 of several ways to clear the debris out. Some also have 4 screws on the top those you need to take apart and flush with the cup. some have tabs that when pressed in release the cap. Not all valves can be cleaned and some like fluid master can be pulled off the stem and a new valve installed in seconds. I hope this additional information helps.


Emergency Heat Coils vs Space Heaters I have two heat pumps, in an all electric house. Unfortunately they both seemed to have stopped working at nearly exactly the same time. I have called for qualified repairman, but they won't be out to my house for 3 days.

In the interim, the emergency heat mode works just fine. I have not however, been able to find the wattage of the heat coils in the air handlers for the emergency mode.

Is there a general answer as to whether or not the emergency heat or electric space heaters will be more efficient for short-term heating of my house while I'm waiting for the heat pumps to be fixed? If it makes any difference, I'm setting the temperature at the thermostat to 16 C.

Is there a place on the air handlers, where the wattage for the heat coils can normally be found?

Q:  "emergency heat or electric space heaters...more efficient for short-term heating?"

A:  The efficiency is identical because they both supply heat from resistive electric heating elements.  The operating cost of the emergency heat is likely to be more expensive because they are large heaters that heat the whole house, whereas the space heaters can be used to heat only the occupied rooms.

Q:  "Is there a place on the air handlers, where the wattage for the heat coils can normally be found?"

A:  The information is not always easy to find since most fan-coil units accept a wide range of heating elements.  It is most likely on the electric heat coil unit itself, inside the fan-coil box, downstream of the refrigeration coils and the blower.  Very roughly, the emergency heat is likely about 1/2 to 2/3 the rated capacity of the heat pump.  To estimate this number in KW, divide the BTU/hr of the unit by 3412.  For example, a 48000 BTU/hr heat pump would be 48000 / 3412 = 14 KW.  An electric heater about 2/3 that size would be 10 KW.


Why does my dryer get too hot? I've just moved houses and set up our dryer in the new house. It seems to get much hotter than it used to: hot to touch on the top surface, and my wife said it smelled like charcoal. The two things I can think of that are different are the plug and the vent hose.

The old house had a 3-prong outlet and the new one has a 4-prong one, so we changed out the power plug. The dryer runs, but is it possible we did something wrong that would cause overheating?

The vent hose is clear of lint and so is the vent to the outside of the house, but the hose is in this shape:

   +
   +-+
     +

It seems like air would still flow OK, though. The hose is made of foil and is about 1 foot long. The vent through the wall is maybe another foot.

What could be wrong?

The vent duct being clear is a good sign but it's possible it's still causing restriction and that's contributing to the heat / smell. You should be able to look up the maximum duct length for your dryer (you'll probably need the exact model number, not just the product line).

Barring more stringent requirements from your manufacturer, you should shoot for a maximum 25 foot vent, minus 5 feet for every 90˚ elbow (2006 IRC). So for your double bend, the total length of the ducting should be less than 15 feet. (If the duct is less than 4" across or is made of that flexible foil material that will add additional restriction. But if you have a foil duct you should really consider replacing to reduce the risk of fire.)


How do I go about making 1" and 2" thick "boards" for concrete furniture? I have designed a cement feeder for hogs, for my hobby sized farm. It is generally based around a professional one we already had.

I have planned on different parts of it being 2 inch, 1.5 inch, and 1 inch, depending on how accessible the part is to the animals. Most of these parts will be board shaped and about 4 feet long, but there's also a box part with open top and bottom.

But I am out of my depth for choosing the materials.

There are different types of cement, and (I assume) different sizes of reinforcing rod.
Also, there is the question of adding filler gravel or not. I think in general that adding gravel would be bad for the thin 1 inch stuff, but would work alright in the 2 inch at least.

Questions:

Are there specific types of cement you want to stay away from, or use specifically for delicate cement "furniture"?
What size of rod do you use for thin cement boards?
Is gravel filler something you do not want in thin cement?

Note: I am planning on pouring this cement myself in custom built frames.

I did go ahead and pour a board, and have the results.
I was told sand filler instead of gravel for <= 2".
I went with just the default sand filler blend and thin steel rebar mesh (wire basically) at my local hardware store.

A 1.5" board that was about 4.5" wide and supported at 2' intervals supported 110 pounds. I had decided prior that 80 lbs would be acceptable.
I think this means that I guesstimated perfectly. A 2" board should be acceptable for high-wear areas (I am hoping it would take about 200 lbs), 1.5" for medium, and 1" for light.

So it is heavier and does support less than a wooden board. But it has some benefits (in my case it is not chewable), and only costs a couple bucks for materials.

Even better was its fail state, 110 pounds produced a hardly perceivable hairline crack on one side only, held together by the rebar mesh.


Best tool and blade to cut 8" pvc This is my first post.
I  need to cut 1' pieces of pvc sewer pipe for a few projects. The pipe will range from 4" to 15" diameter high density sewage (and perhaps fire-rated industrial pipe). I've researched at length all options from grinders, jigsaws, circulars, and reciprocating. I have a table saw for precision finishing at home, but I need a BATTERY POWERED option to simply chop 20-foot pipes into 1 foot cylinders to transport them from the factory yard to my house (I don't have a truck). So clean lines aren't crucial, but a tool with good battery economy and ease of use is preferable. Any input would be greatly appreciated, as I am relatively new to tools, but will be using them for this project a great deal. I would ideally like a tool that could also be used for lengthwise cuts of these 1-foot pvc cylinders, as I will need to cut all pieces into half-pipes, lengthwise. Tonight I bought this black & decker 20v lithium combo kit for $229.00 at Rona (circular saw, and reciprocating saw, with drill, two batteries, charger, work light, one circle blade, and one recip blade).
Am I on the right track? I've heard mounting the circular blade backwards is better for pvc. Oh, and don't say use a hacksaw; I would be there for hours, and I only have 20 minutes in the pipe manufacturing yard, as they are kind enough to give me industrial scraps for free.
THANK YOU!!!

If you have limited time onsite I would not spend a lot of time making 20 cuts, regardless of the method. Just cut them into 5 foot lengths or whatever you need to get them in your car and finish up at home. I think you will be pushing the battery life of even a high-end lithium set making so many cuts through large pipes.


3 valve shower allowing flow to tub and shower I have a price pfister 3 handle shower (circa mid 70s) that when set to shower also lets water out of the tub spout. . When set to tub only, flow is completely blocked to shower head. I have replaced the seat washer and the valve seat with no improvement.  There are no other replacement parts on this valve. I applied air pressure from the shower nozzle down to the diverter to test if the diverter was sealing and i could hear no bypassing air through the valve. When pulling the valve back out i can physically see where the washer has compressed against the seat.

Any idea why i cant get the divertor to block flow to the tub?

You (almost certainly) need to replace the "diverter washer". In the picture below you can see it on the middle valve assembly (the diverter valve), it's a white plastic disc that sits between the backside of the valve stem bib area and the valve body:


What brand shelving is this? I have some office shelving included in my new home, all of the labels were removed (looks nice, doesn't help me now)

Looks like KV shelving. Try KV #182. They come in various lengths and colors.


Is all 220 appliance cable the same? I have someone with a tanning bed that was hardwired in the previous home.  To make things simpler for them, I'd like to just take a dryer pigtail and wire it up for them instead.  I don't know much about 220, but the current cabling is 10/2 nm-b with ground, 600v.

Are those appliance pigtails like what you'd see on a dryer the same?  Or, are there important variances in cable type?

Is there any sort of max length recommendations or standards on 220 appliances?

Thanks

Edit: added pictures

No, not all US 240v receptacles are the same, and none may be right for that tanning bed.

The color of the wires on the terminal block indicates that this is probably is designed to operate on a European power system that operates one hot leg at ~230v to ground, and the other at 0v to ground. US style power systems operate with two hot opposing ~120v legs, totaling 240v to ground.

When an 240v appliance (tool, device, or fixture) is designed for European markets the design and safety engineers build their safety considerations into believing only one leg will be hot, and often disconnect switches will only disconnect the single hot leg. Appliances designed for the US market recognize that both legs have voltage potential, and switches will be used that disconnect both legs. So when using an appliance designed for 230v to ground on a US style power system the switch only shuts off half the power.

Why is this important? Let's say one of the bulbs burn out. Somebody turns off the power switch, the lights go out, and they proceed to change a tube. In the process they struggle a little, and a finger, piece of metal trim, or a reflector comes in contact with the lamp socket. If powered by a European 230v system no problem, the switch has turned off all power, but if powered by a US system those terminals at the socket could still be energized, and now the person changing the bulb has been energized. Or let's say heat has damaged a socket, it breaks, now you've got live wires hanging out even though the switch is off.

This is why we look for a Listing mark that is recognized for use in the US. Not all Listing marks are the same. For isntance simple UL with a circle around it and a file number is usually good for the US. Other added marks, letters or symbols (like whatever that symbol is below the "U" on the ballast) indicates tested for some other location or use, like maybe as a replacement component in a product that the finished product has been tested and listed as safe. There are other labs beside UL that are acceptable in the US, the CE mark is not one of them.

There also several configuration of plugs that supply various US 240v power, the configurations will all supply two hots, the first number will designate what additional wires the receptacles has, the second number indicates the amps of the overcurrent protection feeding the receptacle. That number needs to be large enough for the load, but not too high. Let's say you have an 24 lamp tanning bed, 100w per lamp, 2400 watts, at 240 that is 10 amps. You would need to have an outlet designed for at least 10 amps. No problem, the smallest configuration, NEMA 6-15 or NEMA 14-15 is 15 amps. So a dryer plug rated at being able to carry 30 amps should be no problem? What happens if some component becomes damaged and it starts to carry 4x the designed current. 30 amps on a 15 amp the circuit breaker should trip in less than a minute. If you have 40 amps flowing through a 30 amp breaker it could take 10 minutes to trip and still be withing the time curve a UL/NEMA circuit breaker. That could be the difference between smoke and fire.

Then there's the cord. That NM-b cable is absolutely not designed for flexible, exposed, unprotected installations. Cords are rated for size, voltage, temperature, and environmental damage concerns. I'm guessing you need to use a cord that is listed a "sunlight resistant" due to the UV concerns presented by the lamps. I don't know what other concerns may be present, I would absolutely only connect with a cord type recommended by the manufacturer of the tanning bed.


What is coming out of my pipe and how can I fix it? A water spot appeared on my basement ceiling, so I cut a hole to explore what was going on. I found the following:

Something is going on with the pipe, a growth of some sorts. I'm assuming it isn't alive so it must be rust? Was the pipe just never properly fitted together?

It looks like the tee in that spot is in need of repair. It likely wasn't sweated (soldered) properly.

If you don't fix it, it will likely continue to grow. So in a sense, it is alive...

EDIT: I was wrong in an earlier version of this answer where I said that copper oxide is blue: it's actually black. The blue/green that you see may be due to minerals in the water, like sulfates, which react with the copper. Others mentioned in the comments to your question that it may be due to the acid flux that was originally used when sweating the joint. A flux like that has HCl and have salts that can react with copper to form copper chloride, which is green.


How can I level a slab with floor drains? I just had the slab in my new basement poured about 3 days ago.  It turned out terrible. The entire floor is wavy and has up to 1/2 inch dips and bumps every 4 feet or so.

I would like to resurface the slab but can't take too much of the surface off since I pex tubing for my radiant heated floors below.

I have been researching self leveling overlays that I could use however I don't want certain areas 100% level as I have floor drains there.

What are my options for fixing this slab and keeping my floor drains.  I plan on acid staining the end product and don't intend on putting thing over the slabs surace.

When you have floor drains, the installer should have established a fairly smooth slope toward those drains into the floor as part of the process of "floating" (levelling and smoothing) the surface of the concrete. This is slightly annoying but not difficult -- I've done it for summer-camp shower houses, as a mostly-untrained volunteer -- so a pro should have been able to handle it. If it's really their error (rather than someone tromping around in the wet cement after they levelled it but before it hardened), I agree with @MichaelKaras that it's their responsibility to figure out how to fix it.


How can I protect the wall behind a closet from developing a mold problem? I'm moving soon to a new two-story house, built from concrete and AAC blocks (Autoclaved aerated concrete). The walls have an acrylic paint over them. I'm planning on installing a wall closet in the master bedroom (on the second floor) that will sit in a niche 60 cm deep and accommodate the entire closet. This will cause the closet to be flush with the walls, from floor to ceiling.

The wall behind the closet is an indoor wall, with the stairs on the other side. The ceiling is below the roof, which has a terracotta tiles covering with a crawlspace.

I'm worried about mold developing between the closet and the walls/ceiling behind it. The two solutions I've read about are:

Mildewcide paint - it seems that the mildewcide will eventually "run out", leaving the wall open for mold.
BioRid by Kefa - it looks like the only alternative, claiming to provide a permanent solution.

Does anyone have any long-term experience on either solution? Will Mildewcide paint be enough for a years long protection? Is this BioRid living up to the promises? Are there any other options available for preventing mold to grow behind the closet?

Edit: Currently there is no mold problem - this is a new house. But after tearing off a 15 years old closet in our current (30 years old) apartment and seeing the walls black with mold got me concerned. In addition, the weather here is very moist all year round, so it might be a problem in the future, and preventing a problem from occurring is better to handle it once started, no? Or am I being too paranoid?

Mold needs three (or really four) things to grow: Stagnant air, moisture/humidity, and dim or dark areas with organic 'food'. The solution you're looking for probably involves using a permanent waterproof barrier (either a paint product -- which would be an industrial coating -- or a foundation product) in order to largely remove the humidity from the equation. Those coatings would need to be installed by a professional. As a cheaper and DIY solution, you might also consider 6mil plastic vapor barrier on the back side of the wallboard.


How to make plastic shine after removing the stickers on it using cooking oil? After removing the stickers on some of the plastic materials using cooking oil, the plastic lose its shininess. How to I get that shininess back?

You can get all these crappy aerosols that say shine this, shine that..

Finding the right one is very difficult. I used to buy this creamy liquid from a chemical supplier.. It was amazing! It restored the plastic to its natural, factory looking shine. This was in South Africa and years ago..

So i found this.. (it is not my shop.. its just the only guy who has this stuff)

I found this after testing and trying ... 12 other sprays, miracle shines and what not. This is not exactly what i used in SA.. but it works well

You generously spray the area with the shine(usually you will do the whole item or the whole side for even looking shine).. leave it for 5-15 minutes.
using a kitchen towel (not toilet tissue) you will polish the area vigorously while removing excess
Leave it for some more time.. up to hours. Use a microfibre cloth to finish off the polish.
I have made many old, junk from the bin look like new again.. and nobody new the difference.
Use some elbow grease..

The key is to find a silicone based solution. Good Luck


Where to get the driver for these unusual Balthaup screws? These unusual large screws are from a Balthaup (Germany) dining table,

(My child's "CSI credit card" there for scale :) )

The table's around 12? yrs old.

Any ideas??

You need a pin wrench (or pin spanner).

They come in fixed and adjustable types.

  Images and links are illustrative only, not an endorsement of goods or sources.


What is the most durable way to paint a wood floor in a high traffic area? I have to replace the floor on the landings of our stairs and love the look of painted wooden floors. However, it is a high traffic area, and I've seen many painted wood floors floors lose their finish sooner rather than later, which is something I would like to avoid (I realize I'll have to refinish them every so often, but less would definitively be better).

What is the most durable way to paint a wood floor?

The success of the paint job very much depends on the nature of the traffic.

If it is accessed with road shoes, the sand on the shoes will quickly sand down any kind of paint. In case, I would go for clear boat paint and put a mat over the traffic area. In case you want to go without a mat, go for a satin or matte finish paint. That way, the wear doesnt show as much.

If it is mostly accessed with clean (indoor) shoes, you can go for a number of good floor paints. I´ve had success both with a water based lacquer and a wax based open pore treatment.


UK 220v 3 wire cord hookup to US 240v outlet I have some equipment that was purchased in the UK that came with the power cord missing the plug (has 3 wires exposed; Brown Live, Blue Neutral & Green/Yellow Ground).  The equipment says it is 50/60Hz so that shouldn't be a problem.  My question is how do I wire a US plug to this with only 3 wires when the US needs two Live wires and a ground?  Do we just hook 120v to Brown Live and 120v to Blue Neutral and Ground to Ground or does that end up putting live back to ground on the equipment? This line in the manual has us concerned:

Ensure that the mains supply is single phase alternating current (ac) of the stated frequency (Hz), with neutral nominally at earth potential

Not sure if that quoted text is just for in the UK or ??

You can't do it, it means exactly what it says.

The manufacturer wants "neutral" (EU blue) to be near the same voltage as ground/earth (green).  They are specifically saying DON'T do what you're trying to do, connecting line (EU brown) and neutral (EU blue) to two phases of hot (US black/red).

Transformers are your friend

A step-up/step-down transformer will do what you want.  It is an autotransformer that takes 120V hot and neutral, and gives 240V hot and neutral.  Neutrals are at the same potential.  These are packaged commercial products with the correct cords and receptacles for your market. They are heavy because they are full of copper and iron.


Do I need to cut stone countertop for kitchen sink? I am looking to replace my top mount kitchen sink with another top mount sink that is 5cm bigger on the left-hand side, this only really affects the drying area, and the sink and waste disposal fit into the current void.
My question is can I install the sink (extra 5cm) directly onto the countertop,
or is there some requirement that means I need to cut more of the countertop out?
I feel like it should be okay but wanted some advice as I cannot see people online doing it this way, everyone has perfectly cut holes...

Does the new sink fit in the existing hole in the counter top?

If so, drop it in, caulk it, adjust (if necessary) and connect the plumbing and enjoy.
If not, you'll have to enlarge the hole to make it fit.

If you do have to enlarge the hole, you may want to seriously consider hiring someone to do the cutting for you. While you can cut a stone countertop yourself, it's not easy, most folk don't have the proper tools, and a screw up here can lead to needing to replace the entire countertop, which probably isn't a top-priority budget item for you today.
There are other questions here about cutting stone countertops, I'd recommend doing some searching to see what's involved.


How can I reseal a shower drain on a pre-formed shower base? The shower drain in my first-floor bathroom leaks. Based on looking from the basement below, it seems the leak is at the point where the drain assembly should clamp to the shower base (which is pre-formed fiberglass/plastic). This is confirmed by the ability to wiggle the drain assembly a bit relative to the shower base, and by the fact that the pieces of putty that remain seem to be coming loose from on top.

So to fix this I'd like to loosen the drain from the shower base, insert new putty, and re-tighten.

Here are the views from above and below:

I think that what I need to do is loosen the large hex nut visible from the bottom. If I understand correctly, this should loosen the drain from the shower base, and possibly also loosen the compression fitting of the drain around the PVC drain pipe.

Unfortunately, I don't seem to be able to get the nut to budge! Because it is only reachable through the hole in the subfloor, I can't really get a normal wrench around it. Trying to move it with my hands or with screwdrivers inserted into the slots in the nut doesn't seem to work either. Maybe the nut was made harder to move by use of PVC cement, or the spray foam that used to fill this area.

So, how can I move this nut so I can reseal the drain?

Don't bother trying remove the drain. Don't try to renew the putty, you'll just have the same problem again.

Remove all the old putty you can. Roughen the surfaces that contacted the putty with coarse sandpaper. Clean the shower base and drain surfaces where the putty was a well as you can. Fill the resulting gap with self-leveling polyurethane sealant. Do so in a way to not trap air and to fully fill the void. Once that stuff cures, it'll never leak again!

If you do have to remove the drain in the future, simply cut thru the sealant with a sharp knife.


3 way switch with outlet always live First box has 14/2 from panel, 14/2 to outlet, 14/3 to the other switch

Second box has 14/3 from the first switch and 14/2 to the light.. how can I wire these up for 3 way switch.

Here's the headache.  Cables are color-coded to distinguish wires from each other.  They're not color-coded by function, which makes 3-ways super confusing. We're gonna fix that. Get a common 5-pack of colored electrical tape.
There is only one /3 cable.   On both ends of that cable, tape both the red and black wires yellow.  Yes, really; both wires get marked yellow.  They are travelers, and they are interchangeable.
Over in the second box, with the cable to the lamp, tape its black wire red.
Now your wiring looks a lot like this

Buy about couple feet of /3 cable that same size (or #12 if you don't know the size).  From this we will make pigtails.   You can also just buy 8" lengths of black, red and green #12 solid THHN if you'd rather.
On one 3-way switch, identify the black screw and  put a black pigtail on it.   On the other 3-way, also on the black screw, put a red pigtail on that.   You could use another color and mark it with red tape.
Oh, almost forgot the grounds (safety earthing).  I tend to ignore them, even though it is vital to hook them up, and do them first.  So -- also, put bare or green pigtails on the ground screw of each switch. Either color is fine, they are equivalent but the green is less likely to short against stuff because it's insulated.
The 3-way switch with the black pigtail goes in the first box (with supply). This will be obvious in a moment.
In both boxes, the yellow wires go onto the brass screws on the 3-way switches.  Join all the bare and green wires with one wire-nut and shove em into the back of the box.  Join all the white wires to each other with one wire-nut, and shove em into the back of the box.  Then do all the black wires similarly, then all the reds.   And you're done.


Washing machined bounced from original position and stopped to work. What could be broken? Frigidaire stackable washer stopped to work one day in the middle of cycle. It had also bounced off from it's original position making loud noise - this has never happened before. It does not even turn on anymore. Dryer on the top still works as expected. Both share the same power source.

Since washer does not even turn on anymore, then I suspect that fuses (or some other safety mechanism) have blown off. However, since washer had bounced off from its original position then I also suspect that there must be a mechanic issue that must be troubleshooted together with fuses. The first question I have is - Is this reasoning most likely correct that this can't be a simple fuse situation alone since the washer had bounced off from original position?

However, I removed the front cover and tried to spin the belt with hand and I was able to move it in one direction with ease. The other direction not so much, but still seemed to spin. The second question I have is - Is this expected behavior that belt spins with ease only in one direction because there are gears and/or clutch in the highlighted part or is the highlighted part most likely the one that is broken and needs to be replaced?

Update#1: Picture of control panel (Frigidaire/Electrolux fex831fs2)

The unbalanced load caused drum to bounce against that sharp edge. This snapped one of the wires that go to the door latch switch. With that wire snapped washing machine's controller thought that doors were open all the time and refused to start the cycle.

After, cutting the wire and splicing it, washing machine now works as expected.


Bosch dishwasher not starting I have a Bosch SMV53M integrated dishwasher that has stopped running.  When I press start I here drain start for a couple of seconds like normal but then tap symbol and sunshine symbols flash up and nothing happens.  I have cleaned filter at tap end and filled up rinse aid but still the same.  A y ideas please?

According to the manual you did almost everything right. The one thing you didn't do or mention, was unplugging or killing the power to the washer. This needs to be done in order for the faults to clear or reset. Unplug or kill the power for a minute & everything should work beautifully again...so implies the manual.


rigid foam board in basement with exterior guard overkill? I'm finishing a basement and have 8 foot and half concrete walls that I will be placing a stud wall in front of. I've scoured the net only to find a large number of opinions. My basement wall has an exterior guard done by superseal which provides this dimpled plastics that goes around the entire basement foundation and slab. My basement has been ultra dry, the saran wrap test yielded no moisture. Books stored down there look new.

So my question is, which method should I use for my foundation walls?

A) based on the Mike Holmes approach I should be using 2" XPS rigid foam board with tuck tape and then spray sealed for the vapor barrier followed by stud wall with no plastic vapor barrier. Bottom plate is treated.

B) gap between concrete wall and stud wall, stud wall with treated bottom plate, insulated with Roxul mineral rock insulation and then plastic vapor barrier.

Going the XPS rigid way is quite a lot more and I'm not sure it would provide more value.

The 'Mike Holmes' way is also the Building Science Corporation's recommendation--though they don't recommend any formal vapor barrier--just XPS and tape. The idea is that XPS is a vapor retarder, but can ultimately dry one way or the other if it ever has to.

That said, if you are absolutely 100% sure your basement will be forever dry, it probably doesn't matter what method you go for. You do have a strong advantage by having exterior waterproofing.

Regardless, I wouldn't use wood in the basement (treated or otherwise) and instead go with metal studs. They're just so much easier to work with. I outline my other reasons for that here: https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/8644/1209


Can these posts be removed to open up this staircase railing?will I have to reinforce this beam? If so how would I do that? I noticed the showhome of our model had a basement renovated with an open staircase and I'm wondering how simple it would be to do this in our home. I've attached a photo of what it looks like in the showhome as well as what we have in our basement. Can someone please tell me if it's safe to remove a part of these posts as highlighted in my picture. Or if I would need to reinforce the beam?
Thank you!

We don’t know the span of the beam or the size of the beam or the actual load on the beam, but it appears that it was designed to have the opening in the wall because:

Single top plate.

Sole plate is not pressure treated indicating the entire wall was added later by a person not familiar with construction or knew it should be removed later. (The other sole plate in the picture is pressure treated, indicating that wall is to remain long term. )

The three posts on each end of the post do not sit on the sole plate, but rather extend through the floor (presumably to a support below). It appears there is just the top of a post base visible on the left post.

Neither triple stud posts have a post cap. I’d add one on each.
I’d also leave the double stud at the bottom of the stairs so you can turn the partial height wall horizontal and install a handrail.
If you give more info, like size of beam, span, etc. it could be determined that the beam is adequate or needs reinforcement.
Edit: Just to be clear, your question asks about removing “posts”. Those are “studs” you’ll be removing not posts. The triple studs at each end of the beam are posts, and they are to remain.


Ladder is warped; how much is too much? I recently bought a 28' fiberglass extension ladder (big-name brand from the blue box store), but I found that it's a bit warped.  When I lean it against the house, with both feet firmly planted and squared up, the top right of the ladder stands off the house by a couple inches.  When I step on, the ladder doesn't feel overly stable and shifts a bit because of this warping.  That said, I did actually use it fully extended for a couple hours, and I didn't fall off.

The ladder hasn't been damaged since I got it, at least.  And I don't see any evidence of cracks or other failure.  I'd like to return it, but I permanent-markered my name on the sides as soon as I bought it, and it seems to have soaked into the fibers so it doesn't come off with ethanol, acetone, or mineral spirits.  (If anyone has a suggestion for how to get this off, I'm all ears.)

When it's on the ground, I can stand it on edge, and look down the side.  Lining up the two sides at the end nearest me, I can see the warp as the two sides at the far end are skewed by an inch or two.  And in fact, the fly and base sections warp in opposite directions, which makes me wonder if this is just a standard thing that I hadn't noticed before.

All ladders must warp some amount.  How much is too much?  How much warp do other people see in their extension ladders?

Edit:

Since acetone, ethanol, etc., didn't work, I sanded my name off.  I had to go a bit deeper than I expected.  It wasn't bad structurally, but it tore up the finish, so there were obvious problematic places.  Again, since I  wanted to be sure they'd take it back, I just slapped on some polyurethane, and you couldn't tell.

Anyway, I took it back and told them it was warped.  They exchanged it without hassle.  I checked the new one for warp before I left the store, and it looked perfect.  Testing it out again, it feels so much better.  Nice and stable.  Glad I got rid of the warped one.

If the ladder sections (base and extension) are not square and plum to each other there is a chance that it will not preform safely. Depending on how much deviation there is between the two sections you should be very cautious when using the ladder fully extended.  The top extension is secured and guided by an inter-locking rail built into the bottom ladder. If the guide is not straight and true there is a possibility for failure (accident). Again this is dependent on how great the warp is.  Fiberglass ladder's can be cleaned similarly when cleaning any fiberglass material (hot tubs, boat hulls, etc.). Using a 220-300 grit Wet/Dry sandpaper and backing block wet the section to be cleaned and gently, at first, work the paper rinsing occasionally. If needed change to the next highest grit.


Difference between through the wall AC and wall sleeve replacement AC I'm trying to figure out what the difference is between "through the wall ACs" and "Wall sleeve replacement ACs." They seem to be differently priced but I don't know what else the difference is. My building told me to buy a wall sleeve replacement AC (the sleeve is already there in the apartment) but I'm wondering if I can buy the cheaper "through the wall AC." Any insight?

A through the wall AC unit is more or less a window unit with slightly different mounting.  The heat vents out through both the sides and back of the unit.  A wall sleeve unit slides into the sleeve and vents entirely out the back.  Generally wall sleeve units are used on walls greater than 8" and through the wall units are installed in walls less than 8" thick.  If the sleeve is already there you'll need to buy a sleeve replacement unit.

See: https://www.ajmadison.com/guides/air_conditioner/wall/


How dangerous is it to leave a 35KVA diesel generator ungrounded? How dangerous is it to leave 35KVA diesel generator ungrounded?

This generator is connected to temporary metal buildings for workers,  AC and other electrical devices.

Temporary structures and (cheap) workers - permanent graves...

The generator should be properly earthed or grounded as per the manufacturer's instructions and / or relevant codes in the area.

And so should all the structures and any other electrical devices.


What are some routine home maintenance tips? We just built a new home, and I'm wondering what routine things need to be done to keep everything working, well maintained, and happy.  I can think of a lot of things, but the problem with any question like this is you never know what you don't know.  So...  I'm thinking a community wiki would be a helpful resource for everyone, and a good way to find things I may have missed.

To that end, I'm not going to explain features that went into our home.  Our home may not have features which other people would need to ask about, and I may forget a feature which needs maintenance anyway.  Please try to keep answers in roughly the form of "Home Feature, Maintenance Required, Frequency."  Then a brief description of what might be helpful to know about performing that maintenance.  I'd like to encourage links to other questions, and if a particular piece of maintenance needs deep discussion, creating a new question and linking to it.

Change your furnace air filter regularly (frequency depends on filter type).
Check for water leaks regularly. This means checking the attic for roof leaks, the basement/first floor for flooding from outside, the water heater, sinks, etc. Not all water damage happens with a major failure. A lot of damage can happen from a small leak that goes unnoticed for a long period of time.


Replacing 3-way switch with new ones Trying to replace this old 3-way switch with a new Leviton z-wave switches DZS15-1BZ + VP0SR-10Z.
Both the old switches have the same type of wiring 1 BL, 1 WH and 1 RD.

But the new one expects BL, WH, RD and YL/RD (traveller) for primary switch and WH (neutral) + YL/RD (traveller) for the secondary switch as per the manual (see 4b).

I am confused with this one, how can I check which wire belongs to the right slot in the new switch?

Upstairs:

Downstairs:

To move a 3+ way switch to a Zwave system, you will have to replace all the switches that control the light.  From the picture, it looks like what you have is the 3 way switch at the end of the switch run, meaning the red and white are the travelers and the black is the common here.  So that means the other switch (lets call it the main switch) will likely have the line /2 wire, the load /2 wire and the 3 way /3 wire that comes to the box in your picture.  If thats not the case, please notate that.

I did a similar setup last week with Jasco/GE switches.  I checked the installation sheet for this one and it is very similar.  So, the new z wave switch (at the main switch)will have 4 wires going into it.  The black wire from the line, the black wire from the load, a white wire (which will connect to all other white wires) and the red wire from the /3 connecting to the traveler connection.  Go ahead and put a wire nut on the black wire from the /3 wire, it wont be used any more.  Also connect up all of the grounds, and connect that to the switch.

At the other switch (the one where the picture is), connect the white wire to the common and the red to the traveler.  Put a wire nut on the black wire, its no longer being used.  Connect the ground wire to the switch.

With that, you should be good to go.


using a light switch for electric baseboard heater Can i use a light switch to turn on and off a cadet 36” 120 volt baseboard heater. So it would either be full on or full off. It is wired now for a line voltage thermostat but in this time of the virus i’d rather use what i have on hand, which is light switches.

As long as the amperage of the heater is 15A or less, then a normal light switch should be fine.  If the amperage is higher, you can get 20A switches that are "heavy duty".


light bulb burns out immediately or within 3-4 seconds I have 4 can lights operated by one switch.
The light bulb went out.
When I replaced it the new one, it went out immediately.
This happened three times.
I changed the can fixture and the same thing happened??
The other three lights still are good.

If the replacement lamps are the correct voltage, but burning out immediately, this is likely due to a bad neutral connection. This can be caused by a break in the neutral wire anywhere between the outside power transformer and the electric entrance panel in the house. Occasionally, a tree branch will fall on the entrance cable, pulling loose the neutral wire.

This condition causes voltage to be split unequally across circuits, so that some devices may get just a fraction of the normal voltage (e.g. 120 VAC in most of North America), and the opposite circuit get the rest 9up to 240 VAC).

If you know how to check the voltage safely on the bulb's circuit you can confirm this. In any event, if it is a bad neutral, get it fixed quickly, because the incorrect voltage (low as well as high) can destroy appliances or start a fire. This repair is not for the amateur, and may require inspection afterwards.


How do I cut down a bathroom wall drain? I am doing a minor renovation on our second bathroom, and I have run into a problem.

I was able to remove the old vanity,mirror, etc., and repair the drywall. The water valves both leaked, so I removed and replaced both of those. The new vanity (Godmorgon from Ikea) is installed, but now I've run into a slight problem.

The drawer for the vanity hits the wall drain, with about an inch needed for clearance, plus whatever is needed for installing the drain piping from the sink. Also, the drain piping that came with the sink (Also from Ikea) is much smaller than the wall piping.

I've attached 3 photos of what it looks like, where do I go from here?

Wall piping with Ikea tubing

Wall piping:

Drawer needing clearance:

You'd need to reduce the entrance (easy, fittings are made) and RAISE the pipe in the wall (possible but a relatively huge amount of work/expense.) So I'm not quite sure what you mean with "cut down" the drain pipe.

As shown in the pictures, I'm inclined to say cut a notch in the back of the drawer for pipe clearance, and get the reducer you need to go from the drain you have to the tailpiece (the Ikea plumbing you have.)

Alternatively, cut as much as you need off the base of the vanity unit, but if you've already mounted it, that will be a pain, and if you like the height of the countertop now, it would change.

Responding to comment - if it's glued ABS pipe (as I would appear to be) you'd cut it off at the back of the fitting that's on there and glue on an elbow - there appears to be enough pipe behind the fitting to do that. If threaded, you'd unscrew the fitting and screw on an elbow. Reduced or not reduced it will run into the drawer if going straight out. I'm unclear where you are going to fit plumbing and traps with two drawers evidently in the space they'll need, unless there's some sort of room off to one side.

Additional note: - you really should fill in around those water pipes. That type of convenient opening into the back of cabinets is loved by The Uninvited Guests That Travel and/or Live In The Walls.


Proof butt connectors are up to code I'm about to add butt connectors to the plan for wiring my power circuit. How can I prove, with documentation, that these are safe and up to code? My location is Ontario, Canada. My application is small renewable energy (wind).

I searched all through the Canadian Electrical Code and there is not one instance where 'Butt connectors' are mentioned.

Thanks for your help

I believe your laws are similar to the US. As long as the product is listed for the purpose you want to use them they would be legal. I have both Thomas&Betts and 3M brands and both labels show them to be UL listed 105 deg C , 600v building wire, or 1000v sign lighting luminary. This is all the proof I need. I don't use the "imported" super cheap products because they don't come with listing information if I can't prove there listed I can't use them. But since they are a splice they require a box or control panel to enclose them that is accessible.


What should I place at the bottom of my couch to prevent miscellaneous items from going under it? I know this is a silly question, but I was wondering if there was a simple solution to preventing items from sliding under our couch.  We have a hardwood floor with a slightly raised couch on it.  Should I just line the edges with towels?  Or is there a more common solution to this?

I think the most common solution is to just let stuff slip under your couch and move couch every once in a while and pick up the stuff.

If you want to get fancy you can get some metal "L"s from the big box around you and screw them to the bottom of the couch to create a "crap barrier".  This would take a couple of cuts and 4-5 screws per "L".  $10-15 and 20 minutes.  If you want to get really fancy you go to the nearest fabric store and find a fabric and possibly padding (so padding first then fabric) and then staple these over the L brackets.

In the end though I feel like this advice may give you a false sense of under couch security.  Stuff is still going to find its way under there no matter what you do.


Why is there a septic/methane smell only in our kitchen? I have a new log house and the plumbers didn't want to put a hole in the roof, so they vented my drains with a stutgard(?) for air exchange and flow. Now there is a septic/mehane smell in our kitchen. I have not had any problems until now, just in the kitchen on 2nd floor. We have a septic tank and I am just puzzled.

A stutgard? I assume this is a brand of air admittance valve (AAV)? This is basically a one way air valve that allows air into the vent to break any siphon action on the trap seals, but supposedly prevents sewer gases from coming out of the vent into the house.

All the AAVs I've seen involve a lightly sprung wafer valve mechanism. They can sometimes become wedged slightly open due to debris or poor fit. Usually manually operating the wafer will free it so that it works normally again. You should be able to access the AAV itself, they are supposed to be installed in an accessible location for this reason. You may need to improvise a tool to manipulate the actual valve mechanism.

These devices have never struck me as completely gas tight when closed, it's not hard to imagine some small amount of gas could filter through enough that someone sensitive to such odors might detect it even when the AAV is operating normally. This last bit is strictly my opinion and disagreement from others is entirely possible.


Why are my dimmer switches malfunctioning? I have two dimmer switches that have started malfunctioning.  They are in the same box with two other standard switches.  Each controls a set of three small flood lights.   There is no other way to control these floods except with the dimmer switch.   They were working fine last week.   Now, when I slide the dimmer, it sometimes works and sometimes doesn't.   I know it isn't a circuit breaker problem since the other switches are on it as well and they work.   These were installed about 6 years ago.   I will need to call an electrician to fix this but would like to have an idea, if possible, of what the problem could be.

Sounds like a simple case of a bad switch.

Note: a squirt of WD-40 into the right place in the sliding mechanism can help, or even fix the problem at least temporarily by lubricating the internal sliding electrical contacts.  But getting the location right requires experience, and if you have to bring out an electrician anyway, they'll prefer to replace.

Do this with the power off by the way.  And it's far better to take it apart and lubricate, compared to the squirt and hope method.

Consider upgrading to a dimmer model with a remote control, CFL compatibility, or other features.


Mounting a projector underneath a soffit containing ductwork I’m looking to install a projector in my basement and the most ideal configuration would be to mount it to the ceiling with a ceiling mount. However, the “sweet spot” location for hanging (in considering distance to the projector screen) falls underneath a bulkhead that houses AC and heating ductwork, and I don’t detect any beams with my stud finder.
I obviously don’t want to mount directly into the ductwork for many reasons (vibration, projector misalignment due to changing temperatures expanding/contracting, air leaks, etc.).
What are some other options? The projector is only 8 lbs., so can I use construction adhesive (like liquid nails) to adhere a piece of wood onto the drywall, and then mount the projector into the wood? The projector mount includes 2.5” lag bolts for mounting...
I’ve also considered a projector shelf on the back wall but given the distance to the screen, the projector lens should be 28.24” from the back wall - so that would be a very deep (and perhaps custom built) shelf.
Here’s a picture of the area. Thanks!

There should be some sort of framing around the ductwork although I would bet it's just a 1x2 board and not suitable for lag bolts.
I would suggest to do the shelf idea or mount it from the ceiling.


How can I protect this exterior outlet from water and prevent smoke leakage to the interior? I have an exterior outlet in a carport that I want to protect from water and smoke.

Water: Rain cannot reach this outlet. I am only concerned about accidental water sprays from either the hose nozzle or from a bad tap/hose connection spraying water backwards.

This is my first idea:

Smoke: This is in a carport so exhaust fumes are present. People also smoke in this area. Behind this wall is the basement and sometimes a strong smoke smell is present. I'm guessing the gaps around the outlet are contributing to this.

What would you recommend to address these two issues?

Let's start with the harder one here
Smoke
It looks like there's a gap in the stone to the left of the outlet. I would at least try to fill it with something (maybe caulk if you want the simplest route). Once that is done, examine the box under the cover. Make sure you don't see any other intrusion points for air. The good news is any exterior rated cover should have closed-cell foam to seal the cover itself to the outlet and box.
Water
The outlet is within 3 feet of a water source, so you're required to have a wet location cover here. The in-use cover you linked would work just fine.


What tools and techniques do I need to recreate this piece of furniture? (pic in description) I don't plan on making a chest of drawers but am interested in the techniques involved so I could apply them to other furniture.

EDIT: close up picture

It appears that those are thin pieces of tin nailed to a wooden cabinet with brass tacks. I think it is quite cool actually, sort of steampunk.

To do it large scale you would be best served with a sheet metal shear (think of a heavy duty paper shear), a pinch roller (adjustable twin steel rollers mounted vertically which you spin with a handle whilst passing sheet metal between, to set a curved bend), and maybe a sheet metal "brake" (a sheet metal bender for straight bends as opposed to curves). Also various metal working tools: vise grips, awl, tin snips (straight, right-hand, left-hand), various files, ball-pene hammers, small anvil, etc.

You can buy some "DIY" sheet metal work contraptions that combine a roller, shear, and brake for fairly cheap. Check on e-bay.


Door knob installation direction I bought this new set of door knob and strangely the screws are positioned vertically like below photo.

Also the lock in vertical is unlock. Is that right?

UPDATE 1

It is this model that I bought

Kwikset Signature Hancock Polished Brass Keyed Entry Door Knob

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kwikset-Signature-Hancock-Polished-Brass-Keyed-Entry-Door-Knob/1000208209

What you ask, all depends on who made the latchset. Some make it where the screws are horizontal, others make it so they are vertical as you have.

I think Schlage and Kwikset are an example of this.

The same may be true for the lock. In some cases on some locksets, the part where the tang of the lock has two options to place it, on horizontal lock, the other, vertical lock. This may or may not be your case. This is more often seen with deadbolts with thumb turns.


Metal roof for porch I have a Concret patio with a wood frame structure over it. It is 20'by 20' with a 4" hang over. I would like to put a metal cover on it also remove the post in the middle of the room. Can it be done with metal beams and side's I thought it would be less weight if done this way. It wood be a span of 20ft. Can I get beams that long if so where can the materials be purchased.with the post in the middle it is useless and too hot with a cover. Big problem

Local building codes in your area will dictate what kind of beam (material/size) you will need to span that distance.  Same goes for where to source the beam.

Also depending on where you live you may need to factor in snow-load if you are adding a roof to a structure that currently doesn't have one (e.g. pergola).


should I stain the bottom of exterior steps? When staining exterior steps should I also stain the bottom of the steps? I ask because I think it might better to leave the bottom unstained to let any moisture in the wood evaporate. There would be no stagnant water on the bottom surface of the steps to guard against, in any case.

You should always seal (when you say stain I'm guessing you mean seal) all 4 sides and both ends of a board (if possible) so it takes in moisture/humidity evenly. Otherwise it can lead to cupping, warping, and twisting. This isn't always a problem but it can be.


Plane board sides evenly before joining I'm joining 4 rough-cut boards together to make a work table. There's about an inch of variation in width on each side of the board, so I have to plane the sides before gluing them together.

How can I get a base "straight" line to plane against when both sides of the board are crooked? Ideally the 4 boards would plane down to straight sides, so the resulting joined surface also has straight sides.

What you are wanting to do would be better on a tablesaw because of the amount of material to remove.  A Jointer or Planer is good for making very strait edges and tight joints, but with 1/2" of variation, you're not to that point yet.

What you want to do is a form of a "tapering cut" on a table saw, but instead of tapering, you just want to make the edge straight.  Tapering is when you have a board that is 6' long, and the top needs to be 3" wide and the bottom needs to be 4" to make up for a crooked wall or similar.

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/2014/09/25/how-to-cut-a-tapered-board-on-a-tablesaw

There are many videos and how to's if you search for making a tapered cut, and they usually involve attaching your board to a straight board at an angle.  You'll do the same thing, but without the angle.

I've done this with boards as long as 8' and a taper of 1/2" or so relatively easily.


Very strange: tub & shower blocked, but toilet and sink fine, and snake won't fix it Here's a doozy that so confused my plumber he left without fixing the problem: the tub and shower are both backed up but are somehow connected, since water in one will cause bubbles and eventually, a little bit of water, to show up in the other. I put a snake down both (15 feet), but the clog wasn't fixed (there's more than 15 feet between the shower and tub -- it's two adjacent bathrooms). The sink and toilets drain instantly, and I can hear the water going down the pipe in the crawl space.

I'm guessing there is a T junction connecting the shower/tub to the main stack, and when I put the snake in, it just goes straight past the clog and towards the other shower/tub. (However, when the plumber put his 25 foot snake in, it didn't come out the other shower, which it theoretically should have).

Is there a snake that can turn corners that I can force down the T junction? How can I fix this?

I read elsewhere that you can try putting a garden hose down the vent and the water might clear it.  But if it's a sub vent, then the water will just run right past it.


What type of mortar should I use? I'm going to replace these cracked bricks on the front of my home(see pic). What type of mortar should I use? Type S, N, or M? Is there a way to determine the type of mortar that was used when the home was built?

The mortar should be matched to the brick hardness (or stone hardness).

A soft, reclaimd brick might be matched to a Type N (750 PSI)

The type S, at 1800PSI would be my guess for these bricks.

The M, at 2500 PSI would probably be too hard.

A great tutorial from the Nation Park service:

Repointing Mortar Joints in
Historic Masonry Buildings


Trying to replace my old kitchen gas stove, how to find a replacement? I've got an old kitchen gas stove which is built-in the ceramics on my kitchen. It's shape used to be popular in the 90s (rounded corners), however it seems as though these days all stoves come in a rectangular shape. How can I find a gas stove in the same shape to replace my old one? Attached is a photo of my current gas stove.

Thanks.

MAybe you can try with a marine one like one. Or maybe some vintage/antique seller like this one could have one, try asking.

However, I believe that if you want to modernize your kitchen, you'll need a new shape. All that you will find in this shape will likely be vintage.

Alternatively, what would happen if you just put a square/rectangle one on top of the hole?

Hole:

New square fitting:

Added on top:

Finally add some (fake) marble to hide the space below the corners:


How can I calculate the yield strength of steel tube? There's a lot of information -- and even some debates -- on which has a stronger yield strength between square and round steel tube.  The majority points to square when the dimensions are equal at the same gage (1"x1" square vs. 1" diameter round).

However, what about square vs. rectangle?  Assuming same gage, is the yield strength of a 1" x 1 1/2" that much stronger than 1" x 1"?  What about 1/2" x 1 1/2" vs. 1" x 1"?  Do you have to be a physicist to be able to make this calculation on your own or is there a layman's method of determining this?

Some physics.  Assuming the same material, length and loading, the bending strength is limited by the Second Moment of Inertia (I) of the cross sectional area.  The math is complex, and even given a calculator, it's a bit confusing.

Assuming a vertical loading, You can estimate the relative change in the I value by cubing the scale change. (This estimate is accurate only for solid rectangular beams)  This suggests that multiplying the vertical dimension by 1.5 would give a resulting increase in strength of 3.375 times.

If you're increasing the horizontal thickness, then you simply multiply by the scale.  So increasing thickness by 1.5 would result in a strength increase of 1.5

I ran some numbers in an I calculator, and assuming a 3mm thickness, I got a value 3 times higher for 1.5" than for 1" if loaded against the longer axis, which shows that the estimator is reasonable.

For a 3mm tube of one inch, I got values of .8 and 2.75 for 1.5".

All things being equal, a hollow square is better than a hollow circle, and a hollow rectangle is better than both -- if you load it in the right direction.


Rats - dealing with what appears to be a colony of them Appears that we have a a large amount of rats that have taken to forming a complex tunnel system in a small patch of ground between the alley and our garage. There is an old stump, whose submerged root structure probably has formed a great little cavern for them.

We have had both the city and a private pest control service come and try to resolve, but so far smoke and poison has not been effective, and closing their access has only created really pissed off rodents that blast bigger holes.

We have not gotten to the point of removing any of the dirt for further investigation, so its unclear how much of a system they have created under the garage.

Assuming we can get rid of this set of rats, any recommendations for making that area less permeable for the next wave would be appreciated.

In addition, we have gone about to ensure the shared alley is as clean as possible, and for the most part there doesnt appear to be blatant rat/rodent attractions (debry, animal waste, etc) -- but there is only so much you can change in a city alley.

Thank you for helping fight the good fight!

If you're not squeamish, a trash can with a diving board and a pool of water in the bottom will kill hundreds of rats with low effort.

Actual trap: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-Dunk-The-Rat-Trap-Rat-Squirrel-Trap-Auto-Reset-USA-MADE/132422341963?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

Review/setup: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfaDQJVplYI


Basement Renovation - Column Move? I'm finishing a basement and I'd like to see if it's possible to move the ceiling jack post that holds the beam where the floor joists sit on. I currently have a 12 foot span between the cinder block wall and the ceiling jack that holds the triple up-ed 2x10 beam, and I'd to move the span to 15 feet. I have a cinder block foundation and most of the weight from the house is on that.

Photo is included here for visual reference.

Ben

Three feet doesn't sound like much, but for a high-stress beam it is. You'll probably need to convert from solid wood to LVL or steel at a prescribed size.  As you say, most of the weight of the home is on the block foundation. That still leaves a few tons on the beam, and you don't guess with that kind of load.

The larger problem, though, is that you may not have a footing where you'd like the post to go. It's typical to see a 36" square footing poured under the slab at point locations such as this, and you'd need to cut open the floor to add a new footing (10-12" thick on undisturbed soil). Not doing so would probably result in settling and cracking of the slab, and therefore sagging of your house in undesirable ways.

Get a professional to take a look with you. This is no question for a bunch of yahoos on the internet.


Unlinking outlet from light switch There is a light switch that controls an overhead light, along with an outlet. So when the light switch is on, the overhead light and outlet are powered (both plugs), when the switch is off everything is unpowered. How can I make the outlet have power always, while still having the switch control the overhead light?

The light switch just has a black and white wire going in. The outlet has 2 black wires on one side (one on top screw one on bottom), and the other side has 2 white wires on the top screw and one on the bottom. This is Canadian wiring.

This sounds like you have a power outlet on the lighting circuit - I will only suggest that you remove the power outlet from that supply and connect it to a power circuit which should be correctly fused.


Window Trim Removal Stucco Plaster I'm considering updating the window trim on my house but can't tell if the trim will come off easily or not. The windows were replaced about 20+ years ago but I'm not sure if the trim is the orignal trim or not.
Based on the photo, shows the window and also a close up of the trim, can anyone tell if the trim is embedded in the stucco/plaster? I don't want to remove it if it would require me doing a bunch of stucco patching.
Late 1940s Bay Area house with stucco/plaster exterior siding.
Thanks

If the stucco is the real 1940s stucco, which there is no reason to think it is the modern day equivalent of what is considered stucco, the trim will be imbedded, or so it should be.
The only issue with what I see in the picture, and a closeup would be needed to confirm, is how the side trim meets the sill. The side trim should not be overhanging the sill. It suggests the side trim was added later, but it was done a lonnnnng time ago from what the paint layers look like. Even if it was added after the stucco was done you will be contending with the line left over from the edge where the trim used to be, unless you replace the trim with the same width piece or wider.
The problem will be if you are replacing all the window trim around the house. There will be flashing at the top of the window that will quite compromised if the trim is taken out from under it. If it is just the window or windows on the porch where the rain will never hit the top, the flashing or lack of it will be no concern.


Sliding glass windows in an open space: plain or treated glass? The plan is to place sliding glass windows on one side of a bridge connecting two buildings near the Arabian Sea in Mumbai.

I attach three photos of the bridge area. One shows both sides of the bridge, one is east facing, and one is west facing towards the Arabian Sea.

The windows are going to go into the west facing area, which currently has plastic sheets covering it.

As you can see, the east facing side is open. Also, we plan for a couple of the west facing sliding windows to contain wire mesh for ventilation. So I am wondering if it makes sense to use something like Solar Control glass (or similar) on the west side, or not. Or should just plain glass be used?

My feeling is that something like Solar Control glass, which controls the sun heating up the interior, or some other kind of glass to trap UV rays (like low-E glass)
only makes sense in an enclosed space, and does not make sense in a passage which is open to the outside. But input is welcome.

Having an opening in your walkway to the exterior (we call that a “breezeway” where I live in the U.S.) only affects the solar heat build up if there is a breeze. Without a breeze to purge the air, the room will heat up and become uncomfortable.

Where you live, I’d definitely use tinted solar glass (like Solar Bronze double pane thermal glass.) If you use any type tinted solar glass, it should be double pane, because the glass is “coated” with the special treatment and could be scratched off if left exposed on one side.

Also, remember to have the glass made of “safety glass” (tempered or laminated) if it’s close to the floor or close to a door. (Here in U.S. it has to be safety glass if it’s within 18” of floor, 12” of a doorway, plus other special conditions.) I’d check with your local building department for current requirements.


Would diagonally bracing studs on either side of a load bearing stud be safe to remove the load bearing stud? I presume not since I can't find much on it, but I'm curious on why if not.
Basically let's say we have three studs A,B, and C and we wish to remove the middle stud B. Could we run 45 degree braces from each side of Stud B to A and C? I presume one would need to brace the outer sides of A and C in the same way to equalize lateral forces; along with extra sistering studs on A and C.
Hopefully ascii art below helps.
________
\|/|\|/
 A B C

This of course would be augmented with a proper header but is meant to carry things while removing the stud avoiding the need for side support or jacks.

No. Or yes. It depends on your risk tolerance.
Because the load applies vertically (gravity goes down) there would be both bending and sliding forces at play. Unless you accommodate that with appropriately stiff boards and adequate anchoring it's asking for trouble.
Instead, a conventional header is needed. Trimmer/jack studs along the remaining studs and a properly sized header between is the only good answer. It's also possible that you could use a "flush beam", which is basically a header integrated with the floor system so that it doesn't interfere with a full-height opening in the wall.
Maybe describe your project as a whole instead of asking such a specific question.


How can I repair a Whirpool washing machine that spins but doesn't agitate? I have a Whirlpool NAV2330AWW washing machine that won't agitate. During agitation cycle the washer is extremely noisy. The first thing I fixed was a broken idler pulley (the plastic portion had broken away from the metal inner bushing). The motor runs during the agitate portion, but I don't see any movement on the upper portion of the transmission.

Could somebody help me diagnose what may be wrong? If there is some small component inside the transmission that needs to be replaced, I'm all for it. If I need a whole transmission, I doubt that it is economical to repair.

Parts Diagram

All of the belt pulleys move. The shaft above the transmission going to the agitator doesn't move though. It all works on a spin cycle though.

I'm not sure if you can buy parts for the transmission or if you'd even be able to repair it to working order anyway. Being that it's a $300 assembly, isn't it new washer time? If you can't find individual parts for the transmission, the point is moot. I had one with a bad main bearing; it would agitate but couldn't spin under load. I'll be the first to admit that I'm just a parts swapper; entirely disassembling a washing machine would not make me any money and would probably optionally cost you the same, in lost time (and more parts when it breaks again next year; you'd still have an old washer).


Does this main service panel require blocks opposite main breaker? This Murray Model 18 is the main 100A service panel to a residence in the U.S.  It uses Cutler-Hammer BR-style breakers.

I'm confused because the panel cover blocks the two bus slots on the top right, next to the main breaker, and the cover there doesn't even have knock-outs like the other slot covers.  Is there a rule or reason why breakers should not be put in either of those slots?

This appears to be a GE Panel with convertible mains. This means you can  use it as an MCB of various amperages or a Main Lug Only panel if you purchase a Main Lug Kit. They are quite common among some contractors since you only need to buy a conversion kit and stock only one panel type (much less expensive on inventory).

Alright that's enough history. The conversion kits take up 4 spaces in the panel that's why the right side cover does not have removable blanks. The reason is this is where the stab in lugs have the most power running through them and the manufacturer wants to protect this area from overheating and arcing eventually destroying the connection.

So in answer to your question no you cannot use this area to add an extra breaker in this space as it goes against the manufacturers installation instructions and might create a fire or shock hazard. It would also void the panel warranty and liability.

Hope this helps.


Where should I connect the C wire in my furnace, trying to upgrade my thremostat? I am upgrading my thermostat to a Honeywell Wifi one, and would like to add a common wire. My current furnace controller has 3 blue wires at the 24 v end of the transformer. Which of these (blue) should I use to connect my blue C wire?

Circuit diagram  below:

You can connect the C wire to any of the blue wires highlighted below, as they are all connected.


Adding 10KW capacity to existing house I apologize in advanced for my poor technical lingo.

I have a spare house which is strictly using electricity to power some servers. I'm slowly building out a cluster, but before I move it to a warehouse I want to have everything up and running and profitable.

Right now I use about 2 KW, I have them on various circuits through out the house so it doesn't trip the breaker.

I live in the USA, I think I saw 100 Amp, 50 Amp, and 20 Amp breakers, so theoretically I could run at least 12 KW. If I had an electrician modify the circuit breaker so all the servers ran in the garage, which is 20 feet away from the breaker.

I'm looking at cost efficiency, I don't want anything permanent done, no rewiring the house or anything, just a temporary setup while I build up capacity. The wiring could be laid on the floor instead of the walls & attic. All it needs is standard wall outlets to plug in the servers.

I'm concerned about two things, obviously safety, and cost. I kinda want to do it myself, I'm interested in learning/doing these things, and I have a background in Mech and Software engineering. Preferably I'd watch and learn from an electrician, how much would you estimated it cost for it to be done? Anything I should know about my plan?

I live in a very low cost standard of living state so I imagine it won't be too much.

Thanks!

Additional information:

Each server uses about 1200W continuously. They're running as a generic desktop configurations. they're not standard generic servers for a server farm, so they use a standard 120V supply.

I have taken into consideration HVAC, and plan to use a large fan to push the hot air out the garage door, as a temporary setup. So accounting for the 20% max load rule, I figure I can run 8 rigs.

Also, the electric box on the outside of the house said 100 AMP, the circuit breaker doesn't have any labels, it's a 40 year old house. Nothing else will be running, Dryer, AC, Electric Stove, etc. Also wouldn't the 20 AMP breakers in the garage/kitchen run on the 240V circuit? Wouldn't it be costly to convert it to 120V?

Spacing it in my house to run off each circuit probably is the best cost efficient idea, but I'm not too keen on running 8 Ethernet cables throughout the house as a potential hazard, and moving a monitor through the house for
any maintenance is a pain.

If an electrician did come out and rework a temporary garage setup so I can run 10 KW from the garage, how much is a rough guesstimate for the cost? I'm trying to factor it into my plan before I make any hard decisions.

Thanks guys, you've been very helpful!

Your house already has all those circuits. Look at your breaker panel at all the single-space (1 pole) breakers. Almost all of them are 15 or 20 amps.  A 20A breaker can drive 1920 watts on a continuous load.  A 15A breaker can carry 1440W on a continuous load.  Worst case, at 1200W per circuit, you'll need eight 120V circuits, and your house will have that.

You are saying 1200W but that is just a common nameplate rating on a PC power supply. You can buy a "Kill-a-Watt" power meter and measure the actual load when the server is at max performance.  Read the VA number and use that in place of watts.  For instance if the server reports 900 VA actual, you can put two on a 20A circuit.

Your kitchen has two of the 20A jobs. Your garage probably has another 20A.  They're all over the house.

If you don't know what breakers serve what receptacles, get some night lights at the dollar store and plug em in all over the place. Then turn on one breaker at a time and walk around and see what lights up.   You can turn on several breakers at a time or even half the panel, and then you can make a logic game of it.** Things which DO light up are on that circuit.  Things which DO NOT light up are on a different circuit.  Feel free to cover your receptacles with Post-its.

Crowding all that equipment into the garage, and paying a guy to run a bunch of cable, is silly.  Not least, the garage location will require GFCI breakers since this will be new work.

Also by putting it in the house proper, your A/C units will come to bear.

** if you have <32 breakers,  you should be able to match up every outlet in five loops through the house.  Print out a bunch of sheets of paper with the numbers 1-32 on them.  First you set odd breakers on, and loop through the house. Strike out (exclude) even numbers if it's on, or odd numbers if it's off. Next turn on every other pair: 1-2, 5-6, 9-10 etc. and cross out the circuits the outlet can't be.  Then every other group of four: 1-4, 9-12, etc. Two more rounds, and each sheet of paper will have only one number remaining.


Why don't swamp coolers push air instead of pulling air? Why don't swamp coolers push air instead of pulling air?  If they pushed air, the fan/motor wouldn't get wet!

I'm designing my own DC, battery-powered, off-grid, swamp cooler for an RV.  I'd like to design it so the fan motor is on the outside, followed by the evaporative pad, then connected to the RV window.  Essentially the opposite of normal swamp coolers which have the evaporative pad on the outside.

This seems like a no-brainer because your fan/motor won't be operating in the wet/humid air, extending the life of the fan/motor.  This is important to me because the DC fan/motor that I'm purchasing is expensive and I'd like to extend it's life as much as possible.

Am I missing some basic physics for why my idea won't work?  Or won't work as well as a conventional swamp cooler?

The main reason swamp coolers are typically arranged that way is to minimize their footprint. That arrangement allows the motor to be inside the air-handler box, instead of poking out the end.

Additionally, moisture is not as much a problem for electric motors as heat. The overwhelming majority of the moisture passing by the electric motor is vapor, or "humidity" rather than mist. If there's enough mist to make the motor wet, then the cooler isn't working properly because evaporation is the key ingredient. Most electric motors fail because the insulation around the wires that make up the magnetic coils melts or deteriorates. This shorts out the coil, which no longer generates a sufficient magnetic field to drive the motor. Keeping the motor cool would actually be a more important consideration than keeping it dry. But even the moisture available to the motor shouldn't be getting it wet.

I can't think of any reason that reversing the fan arrangement couldn't work.


wire greenhouse subpanel 250ft from main panel in house to greenhouse out back. Greenhouse will have propane heater and one 120v outlet.

Today I dug 100 ft trench to the house 1ft deep. I put 1" and 3/4" conduit in the trench along with a 12AWG THWN solid copper wire (tracer). The 1" conduit will have a MDPE gas line, the 3/4" conduit will have THWN wire. I know MDPE can be direct burial but I like the idea of having it in 1" conduit just in-case.

I'm running 4 THWN conductors 10AWG. At the house, 10-3 NM-B will splice to the THWN in the LB as it exits the house. In the greenhouse I have a small outdoor rated 70A subpanel; 2 circuits.

Questions:

1) Do I need a grounding rod at the sub panel? I know it should NOT get tied to neutral.

2) I will install 30A GFCI breaker in main panel, 1 pole or 2?

3) Can I install two 15A breakers in sub panel, each would be 120V?

4) The breakers in sub panel can be non-GFCI, correct?

thanks.

Edit - Update

Trench is 18" now, my back is out also!
I will make sure the LB I use is labeled with volume calc.
I changed to a 30A 2 pole non-GFCI in main panel; then put the GFCI's in the sub panel. I'm hoping this would cut down on nuisance GFCI trips.
HomeDep0t won't take back my 10AWG custom cut THHN wire, I really want to switch to 8AWG for voltage drop. But the subpanel circuits will have very light loads so if I can't find a buyer for the 10AWG, then that's what I'll use.
Can someone review the connections in pic? This is Square D 70A Homeline Outdoor Load Center. I added the wiring diagram to the pic.

First off -- I would redo the trenching job as it's not deep enough.  18" is the Code specified minimum for electrical and locations vary from 18" minimum cover to 24" minimum cover for gas -- going deeper yet is an option though.  Also: running the gas line inside a conduit sleeve could confuse the next bloke who has to work on this.

As to the co-location of gas and electrical -- it does not appear there are any Code mandated separation requirements for this.  If separation is desired, though, I would use a minimum of 36" horizontal separation (i.e. backhoe bucket width) -- any less, and I might as well have put them in the same trench anyway!

I would put a grounding rod at the subpanel -- Code requires this for outbuildings.  I would then use a 2 pole 30A regular breaker for the feeder breaker and then 15A GFCI breakers in the external subpanel -- using a 2 pole 30A GFCI to protect the feeder sounds OK, until you realize that a long run of wet wire is going to add significant leakage current and could trip the GFCI on its own even with the wire intact due to excess capacitive coupling to the ground wire.

Oh, and I would double check my LB to make sure it's volume marked i.e legal to make the splice in -- it should be, but it's best to be safe than sorry.


Should this roof be fixed now (shingles)? My wife and I just bought a house, and it looks like the previous owners did a partial repair job on the roof. Shingles on the front of the house look OK, but the back not so much. I see some granules in my gutters, some damaged and curling shingles. It is especially bad on the flatter parts of the roof over the windows (back of the house).

I'm just looking for opinions on proper procedure here. Do you think this is something that needs an immediate intervention, or am I OK to wait for a few years? Can I just do a partial job to fix the worst parts, or would it not be worth it?

Photo gallery: https://carousel.dropbox.com/photos/cc/lU58DzGUtxUIS7B

Get the curling ones fixed. As you're getting quotes for that, ask for a quote for an entire re-roof and decide for yourself. (If it was me and I had the money, I'd re-roof entirely to save the bother of having segments out-of-sync, but I understand the way new home ownership goes.)


How long can I shower with tub chips? My tub has recently developed some 1" to 1 1/2" tub chips. I've already purchased the porcelain repair touch-up solution, but haven't gotten around to applying it yet. See the following photo.

How long can we go on using the tub, and what are the side effects?

That looks to be a porcelain tub painted over with an epoxy paint that was not done correctly.  An epoxy paint over porcelain requires proper preparation of the surface.  This does not appear to have sanding done prior to application.  So best recommendation on a low budget is to buff with a tiger disc all the existing epoxy.  Then clean extensively to remove soap scum and contaminants on the porcelain surface.  Then call a qualified porcelain re-finisher to do a professional job.  If this is a fiberglass tub,  do the same as above and call a fiberglass re-finisher to do it correctly.  Or replace the tub.  Mold and rust are not something you want in your home or in your body...


hammer drill not making any progress Aiming to put some bike hooks into a plaster on brick wall - We've acquired a hammer drill and have been practicing on a spare brick and a backyard cement wall but the drill is just barely / not really progressing.

Not at all working as quickly as it shows in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjE6nsfdjpo

Some details:

 It's a corded drill
 We are using masonry bits - they've got the little hammer heads on the edge
 We've tried a larger and a smaller size bit
 The drill is in fact set in the forward position :)

Are we missing something?

Assuming the drill you have is working properly, you may have dull or worn bits. A masonry bit does not last long, especially in concrete or brick. Cheap bits are no bargain. Start with a new bit, when the speed of boring slows to about half or less, time for a new bit.


Finishing Concrete basement floors Alright! This is a 4 part question! I live in a new build in Ottawa Ontario and would like to finish my basement. Basement is below grade, and the house has been up for 6 months.
1 )I'm planning on using DMX under my subfloor. Should I still etch and seal my concrete floors?

If I do seal the floors, what type of sealant should I use? Any advice?

Do I turn off my furnace while I complete the work? Should I tape around it? Something about acid being near my furnace......

How much will this stink and for how long? I have an 8 month old and don't want him breathing in the stuff!

Thank you !

I know nothing about that product so i do  not know if it is necessary to have the concrete sealed when using the product. Have you read the installation instruction regarding installation on concrete ?

Concrete sealer. (there are many)

Depends on the type of sealer you are using, read the instruction concerning flammability.

Depends on the type of sealer you are using, read the instruction concerning safety precautions and ventilation.

If you have a more specific question then please update.


Can I Install a Sub-Panel from an Existing NEMA 5-50 Plug? I have a NEMA 5-50 outlet wired from my main panel all the way down to where I am installing a garage. It was put in by the previous owner for a welder I believe. NEMA 5-50 is quite unique and hard to find but is 125V 50amp outlet.
If I buy a NEMA 5-50 plug, could I simply wire that into a sub panel to split out multiple 120V outlets into the garage? Is there a better/easier way than installing a subpanel?
I would like to avoid having to run another 100 feet of line down to the area.
Thanks for the help!

If you really, really wanted to do it from the plug, then you need something called a Power Distribution Unit (PDU).  The difference between that and something you could make is the UL Listing.
However, since I supremely doubt you have anything that uses a NEMA 5-50, my advice is to tear the socket off the wall, fit a large 4-11/16” junction box there, and extend via conduit to a place where a subpanel is legal.

Where is that? Not a bathroom, and not over steps. Also, it’s illegal to block the 30” wide x 36” deep working space in front of the panel, so place the panel somewhere that won’t happen, e.g. a pathway, threshold or hallway.

The purpose of the conduit is to protect the wires from physical damage... and let you use the smaller #8 THHN wires, as they are vastly easier to work with than balky #6 cable.  It’s worth the trouble of fitting the conduit.
Now.  Inside the panel, the neutral and ground each go to independent, isolated bars.  Remove the neutral-ground bonding screw or strap. The hot is split (a big wire-nut will do) to go to both “main lugs”.  Now you can put as many 1-pole breakers as you want in the panel.  Do not install multi-wire branch circuits (shared neutral)!!!


Should I replace amissing insulation over the heat tape on my water pipes? I recently moved into a mobile home and with the temperature dropping below freezing I wanted to make sure my water line was protected.  It has a electric heat tape wrapped around it with insulation.  A short, 3-4", section of the insulation wrap is missing.  Should I be concerned about missing a short piece or will the heat wrap still keep the water warm enough to prevent freezing.  The skirt is in place under the home.

Welcome to DIY! You should replace the missing piece of insulation. The insulation works with the heat tape to prevent freezing.


Should I use mastic or thinset for ceramic tile backsplash in kitchen? I am about to install a tile backsplash in our kitchen, using these tiles, in 2" x 4" "mosaic" sheets.

When I tiled my bathroom I used thinset (unmodified on the floor and modified on the wall/shower) and I read a lot of info that said not to use mastic in a wet area.  But this current project is around the kitchen counters and stove, not really a "wet area".

I do have a little bit of modified thinset left from the last project, but I will need to buy more (or I could buy mastic instead).

This is an old question but I simply must put the idea that using thin-set on walls is a good option. Thin set is a motar designed specifically for floor installation it's gritty doesn't stay on the wall well when applied. Now that isn't to say it won't work it will, provided you use a cement based backer board such as durarock or hardi-backer. But here is a key walls tend to move and swell more than floors do and thin-set being concrete and gritty isn't great at holding up to the stress. Even the modified/fortified variations have limits.

Mastic is designed for walls has outstanding bond and durability ease of application etc. And the only way water would be an issue is if it was soaked with it and remained so for weeks. In a kitchen that isn't a problem. I also use it for tile showers/tub splashes. Sheet rock isn't recommended for wet areas like showers and tub splashed but in a kitchen it's okay. Thin-set will not bond to sheet rock reliably. So if anyone decides to use it instead of mastic make sure you use a good cement based backer board.


Standard Grade and Curb Height for ADA Compliant Shower Floor I am managing replacement of a bathtub with a walk in shower for my mother in her condo. The HOA is demanding a shower grade of 1 inch per foot which seems far to steep for a person with disabilities. What is the standard grade and curb height for an ADA compliant shower?

https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/2010ADAStandards/2010ADAstandards.htm

  608.7 Thresholds. Thresholds in roll-in type shower compartments shall be 1/2 inch (13 mm) high maximum in accordance with 303. In transfer type shower compartments, thresholds 1/2 inch (13 mm) high maximum shall be beveled, rounded, or vertical.

Ramps(in general) are permitted to be 1:12 (though it is recommended that they be less steep), but areas that are considered wheelchair turning, transfer, parking etc. are limited to 1:48. Nothing specific to "shower floor grade" is in there, but depending on how it's intended to be used (or intended to be ABLE to be used) you could get the 1:48 limitation applied - it's still perfectly good for drainage (1/4" per foot.) 1:12 is not particularly comfortable for normal folks, and is far more than is required for plumbing drainage.


Was this a shear wall? Could anyone be able to tell me if this is a shear wall just by looking at this picture? This is a 1940s home, renovated in 2000s near San Andres fault, Northern California.

This wall is now replaced with glass and door was relocated to the other side. Should I be worry if this is in fact a shear wall? Thanks.

I'm no expert, but AFAIK, the frame of a shear wall is (by definition) clad with plywood, OSB, or somesuch, not just with sheetrock. From the looks of the chunks of sheetrock on the floor and remaining on the frame (top center), only sheetrock appears to have been removed on “this” side (exposing the framing we can see). The other side, which we can only see the back of, looks to be sheetrock as well, based on the white seam you can see just above the noggins, which looks like the front white finish paper folded over the edge onto the brown backing paper.


Replacing faucet copper pipes with stainless steel, need help I wanted to install a hot and cold water bidet on my toilet, so I need to get hot water from the pipes feeding into my faucets. The issue is that the pipes from the valves to the faucet are all copper, so I can't just install the included T joint (unless I can?). So I want to replace the copper with a  braided stainless steel one from amazon:

KES IUS2024-P2 Faucet Connector, Braided Stainless Steel - 3/8" Female Compression Thread x 1/2" I.P. Female Straight Thread, 24" Length x 2 Pcs (1 Pair)

The issue I have now is that the faucets itself uses copper pipes, so I need to somehow connect the stainless steel pipes to the copper one.

I clearly don't know anything about pipes, so any help would be great. I also thought about just replacing the faucet out right, but I kinda like my current one.

All you need to do is gets the appropriate tee for the job.

This tee allows you to connect two compression output to one input

www.homedepot.com

Turn off the water and open the taps.
Unscrew the copper and gently bend it to allow space for the tee.
Attach the tee and connect the copper to the tee at the most convenient branch.
Attach the braided stainless to the other branch.
Open the valves, check for leaks, close the taps, check for leaks and done!


basement floor crack widening in newly built home - is this a problem? Our home was new construction and the basement floor was poured around 1.5 years ago. The builder installed control joints in several locations in the basement slab. Several of these joints have widened. The widest crack is now around 1/8th inch wide with certain sections as wide as 3/16th inch wide. When i shine a flashlight down this wide section it looks as if i see gravel below although i'm not sure if that is just rough concrete since the floors are supposed to be 4 inches thick.

Is this widening normal? Should i seal these cracks to prevent moisture and soil gasses from getting into the house?

All NEW buildings move and settle. However, we design them for “uniform” settlement. That is to say, we want the entire building to move together at a specific rate. We don’t want DIFFERENTIAL settlement.

Differential settlement can occur from one portion of a building moving up, down or sideways differently than another portion.

It’s always a result of bad planning. I live where the ground is mush, but we plan for it and provide larger footings, piers or piling and thus have no problems. However, when we build over a “soft spot” that we didn’t account for, one portion of the building will settle more than another and we have problems. When this happens, slabs or footings will always “step” apart.

Your pictures show the slab “level”, so you do not appear to have any of these conditions.

However, EXCESSIVE movement caused by excessive amount of water in the concrete mix is more common and appears to be your problem.

There is an exact amount of water to be used (mixed) with Portland Cement to give it it’s ideal working consistency and strength. We call this it’s water/cement ratio.

However, it’s tempting for workmen to add additional water to the recommended mix design so that it is easier to “work” the concrete before it “sets”.

However, when this is done, then more water causes greater shrinkage when the concrete dries (cures). Your concrete must have been very “wet” because there is an extremely large “shrinkage” crack now. In fact, now the tile has cracked where the slab has shrunk and cracked.

When we get involved in fixing these types of cracks we monitor the crack to make sure it has stopped moving before we fix the problem.

I’d recommend that you tape a plastic ruler to one side of the crack, install a box over the ruler so it can’t be moved, and then create a photo journal taking pictures each month for 1 year and writing down observations: like width of crack, outside temperature, room temperature and humidity. Usually after 1 year you’ll know if it’s stopped moving. (That is to say, you’ll know if the slab has stopped shrinking.)

Then, to repair the problem, I’d add a tile “expansion joint” directly over the crack.

Because the concrete crack is irregular, the two slabs will probably not move up or down causing differential settlement. Just make sure the slab has stopped shrinking. It may take up to a year.


I have to reset switch in basement if I don't turn off space heater when I use the blow dryer My husband says I have too much plugged into my side of the bedroom- 1) lamp  2) laptop  3) cell charger  4) a blow dryer. All are plugged into a Phillips box that plugs into an outlet.  I am no Thomas Edison ( or Nikola Tesla) but I think the only thing that really pulls the power is the blow dryer, followed by the lamp.  My guess is that the laptop or cell charger don't use much power.?  If I forget to unplug a space heater across the room in winter when I use the blowdryer all bets are off and have to unplug everything, go to the basement and reset the breaker.  I want to call an electrician and get (I GUESS) another breaker switch for the bedroom so that I can run two "power pullers" (heater, vacuum cleaner, blow dryer. etc) at the same time.  Is this really expensive? * What can I expect to pay?*  The house is 6 years old- 3 bedrooms 2 baths on a basement.  In Georgia, not Manhattan. Would I just say "I need a second breaker for the bedroom" ??"... Yall?..  Thanks!

A cellphone charger is an inconsequential load.  The lamp would also be inconsequential if you'd put LED bulbs in it.  The laptop certainly uses less than 10% of the circuit's capacity, maybe even 3-5%.

A blow dryer is a huge load, and takes 80% of a circuit's capacity.

A heater is also a huge load that takes 80% of a circuit's capacity.

Those two devices take so much because their mission is to create heat.  They want to make as much heat as possible, so they use the circuit up to its limits.

Most bedrooms have 1 circuit, so it's effectively all the same side.

Now that you know, you could try living with it.

Or you could use the blow dryer in the bathroom, which usually has a separate circuit for this reason.

You could use the house's own heating system instead of using space heaters, gas is cheaper to heat with.

You could install hardwired electric heaters on their own circuit, the heaters are cheap, the power to run them is expensive.

Other than that, yeah, you'd have your electrician pull another bedroom circuit.  We cannot begin to speculate what that would cost, because it totally depends on the particular construction of your home.  It will be at least $100 and likely a whole lot more.  This varies too much to even guess at.

Details...  Household power in North America is 120 volts.  That switch downstairs (called a breaker) will have a number on it, probably 15, which the curcuit's capacity in amps.  Useful power is measured in watts, which is volts x amps.  15 amps x 120 volts  is 1800 watts.  Most devices will state their watts.  Some will state amps, and you must multiply by 120.

Watts are often abbreviated W, or sometimes you see a similar unit called VA.

Your cell phone charger is probably 7-10 watts -drop in the bucket.

Your laptop is probably somewhere between 35W and 150W.

Your lamp - anyone's guess. They made 500W halogens. LED bulbs are as little as 7W.

Your hair dryer will say, but expect to see 1500W.

Your heater, ditto.