Bad ground??? Service panel updated!! Dim lights I'm having a issue,when I open tmy fridge it's dim,when I open my oven the clock goes dim,had this issue before but it was the ground bar and wire, new service panel but it's still happening,I've checked all my grounds everything is tight,I'm at a standstill

Possible Neutral Out
Get a multimeter. Check voltage at several different receptacles - all should read about the same ~ 120V. If you have a 240V receptacle - e.g., electric dryer - check from each hot to neutral and between hots - you should get ~ 120V for each hot to neutral and ~ 240V between hots.
If you get find that some receptacles are way above 120V and some receptacles below 120V, and particularly if you find that a 240V receptacle has something other than 1/2 the voltage on each individual hot-to-neutral (e.g., 240V hot-to-hot but 130V on one hot-to-neutral and 110V on the other hot-to-neutral), and also if the voltage changes significantly when you turn various appliances on and off, then you very likely have a LOST NEUTRAL. That is a dangerous situation and is normally a CALL THE POWER COMPANY IMMEDIATELY situation because most of the time it is on their side of the meter.
Another possibility is a one leg of your service is out. Less likely based on your description as typically then certain things would start/stop working when a 240V appliance (e.g., dryer, oven, air conditioner, water heater) is turned on/off. But that is also a CALL THE POWER COMPANY situation.
That being said, anything can happen and these same problems (as well as many others) can be the result of circuit breaker panel problems. But I'd get a multimeter and if you find high/low then definitely call the electric company.


Geotextile Filter for French drain woven or non-woven? I'm getting to the point of buying the material for my French drain, which is suppose to go at the foundation of my house's crawlspace.
Now the question, I couldn't find a definite answer to...the fabric that is used to wrap the PVC pipe.... I'm assuming it is the woven one because I want water to get to the pipe? I also plan on putting a sock on the pipe so that small particles don't clog it.

It depends on what your soil consists of. Actually, a nonwoven fabric is recommended for soils on the sandy side. However if your soil is a good part (>20%) clay, thats where things get tricky. The opening has to be smaller, about 70 US Sieve (.212mm), but there's a catch. The smaller opening will now be subject to clogging the fabric instead of the pipe and then the entire trench ends up rejecting the water. I'm currently reading about woven monofilament fabrics but the only viable option appears to be a Carthage Mills 20% Fabric. It's got a 70 US Sieve opening, 20% Open Area, 48 g/pm flow rate (may be an issue as it's half of what is common for nonwoven), and a permittivity of .68 sec which should be closer to 1.0 or greater.


Why when I turn the one knob kitchen Facet from running cold water to hot water does the water stop? We just got home from a weekend away.  We actually dropped the house temperature while we were away from 70 C to 58 C (outside it was actually the coldest its been all season (-30 C)
When we got home our Kitchen Facet - which is a single knob facet - wasn't working properly.
When I ran it on cold water it runs normally - when I turn the facet to hot water the water shuts off completely.  Could it be that our hot water line froze?  Every other facet in the house works properly - so it isn't the hot water tank.  Any suggestions before I call a professional?

Sounds like a frozen pipe to me. If you can, you should turn the water off to that section of plumbing. At least until you can verify the plumbing has not been damaged.


What type of saw should I use to raise the legs of my hearth woodwork? I need to cut down about 4cm th legs of a wooden mantel since I have now fitted an elevated hearth. It is an odd cut and I am wondering if it would best doing it with an electric saw rather than a manual saw.

If the answer is yes, what sort of electric saw?

You'll either use a flexible, fine-toothed handsaw or what's called a "jamb saw"--a circular saw set up to cut very close to the floor. Which you choose is your prerogative.

If you use a hand saw, which may be adequate for just two cuts, lay a piece of sheet metal on the floor (and height spacer, if needed) to protect it, and use your hand, protected by heavy gloves, to keep the saw tight to the floor.

With either saw the biggest risk is damage to your woodwork through splintering. Always direct the cut into the workpiece to prevent blowout.


Using wet saw for cutting tile How long does the tile have to dry before I can put it on the wall ?
Should I dry it with a heat gun or is drying it with a towel good .

If you are using thin-set, then damp is fine (as in, dry with a towel).  It is usually a good idea to damp the tile and substrate with a sponge anyway, (especially if tiling to wood/gypsum(drywall) etc.) so that the substrate doesn't soak up all the moisture from the thin-set.

If using mastic, you want the tiles to be dry.


Hooking up switches only with white wires. Will it work? I'm working on a small cabin. All black wires are run directly to lights. The white wires are run to the switches then lights... so each switch has only white wires.

Would the circuit still work? Why or why not?

It's the exact opposite of the black white being routed to the switch.

ALL lights and switches are wired this way in the cabin.  ALL walls are covered so getting to wiring will require ripped out walls.

If it's unsafe, couldn't we just hook up to power in the reverse order (so white is hot)?  Would that work? Why or why not?

If the black wire in this situation is the ungrounded (hot) conductor, then it's a possible code violation and unsafe.  If the black wire is the grounded (neutral) conductor, then it's a possible code violation but safe.

If the black wire is the ungrounded (hot) conductor, then you're switching the grounded (neutral) conductor.  This is a code violation, and is not safe.  In this situation, the fixture will always be energized. Touching the wrong part could deliver a fatal shock, despite the position of the switch.

If the white wire is the ungrounded (hot) conductor, then the circuit is wired in a "safe" manner. However, it's a possible code violation, depending on what code you follow. And could be confusing for anybody working on the wiring, which could lead to a potentially dangerous situation.

To determine what's going on, you'll have to take some measurements with a multimeter or voltmeter with the power on.  Always use caution when working with wiring, especially live wiring.

Set the meter to measure voltage.
Touch one probe to the ground wire or terminal, and the other to an exposed portion of the black wire or a terminal where the black wire terminates.
Note the reading.
Touch one probe to the ground wire or terminal, and the other to an exposed portion of the white wire or a terminal where the white wire terminates.
Note the reading.

If you measured 120 volts (or whatever line voltage is) between the black and ground wires, then the black wire is the ungrounded (hot) conductor.  If you measured 120 volts (or whatever line voltage is) between the white wire and ground, then the white wire is the ungrounded (hot) conductor.


What are some tips for fixing gaps between door and jamb in an exterior door? I have an exterior door that was apparently installed by unskilled monkeys. The gap between the jamb and door when it is closed goes from close to normal (1/4") at the top to large enough to see daylight in the middle (1/2") to close to normal (1/4") at the bottom. The hinge side of the door is plumb top to bottom as is the door. The only thing off is the right side jamb.

Based on some pics I saw on this site, it is a right hand in-swing (not sure if that makes a difference or not).

My idea to fix it is to remove the interior trim on the right side, prying up or unscrewing any nails or screws holding the right side of the door frame to the wall and then shimming the center section out (with flat stock so as not to cause a tilt in the jamb) so the jamb is plumb and evenly spaced from the door from top to bottom. Then, of course, reattaching it, foaming any gaps behind the jamb, reinstalling the trim and voila.

Does this sound like the right course of action? I am pretty handy, I have tools, I have never installed installed a door, but I have seen it several times on TV and once in person. Do I need to remove the outside trim on that side too?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Your plan to fix the gap in the center of the door sounds fine. I might suggest using some shingle shims instead of flat stock however.  If you want to just remove the interior trim only, that is fine also. Using the shingle shims, place the thickest end in first and by trial and error, adjust the opposing shim to a size that will snug in nicely and then by gently tapping it in next to the first shim, remove the excess gap. Put a small finish nail through the jamb and shims to prevent them from moving. Drilling a pilot hole will assure not splitting the shims with the nail in inserted. Now just trim off the excess and reinstall your trim.  Job done!    Good Luck


Leaking threaded connection to shower valve I have a threaded joint to a shower valve that has a small leak. I used teflon tape, however the joint isn't fully sealed. Ive read on the proper technique and such so I'm not looking for how to do it better. Any suggestions/advice on the fix. Ide rather not remove the valve as its not the easiest to get to but I will if there are no suitable alternatives.

Thanks

If you can cut out the copper elbow and fitting, on the next one you can try this method:

1) Use a small amount of pipe dope on the male threads prior to applying no less than 3 full wraps with Teflon tape.

2) For Teflon tape, they make some varieties that are 'extra thick', which help compress to fill the gaps.

3) Before assembly, another thin application of pipe dope (Rectorseal 5 or similar) on top of the Teflon can help seal up the threads of particularly pernicious leaks.

It may also be worth confirming that the taper of the threads on your valve and your fitting match.

If you cannot or do not wish to remove the fittings or valve, the scorched-earth approach is to use a two-part epoxy putty.  Mix the stuff and apply it firmly around the entire threaded area and fitting.  The fitting should be bone dry.  For extra strength on 'field-expedient' fixes using 2-part epoxies, I've included a small strip of fiberglass tape to embed between two small layers of the putty.  It's not necessary, but it might help enhance the strength/longevity of the repair.


How to level concrete floor that is chipped and has left over thinset I removed some tile from a 10' by 15' section of my basement floor.  As I was removing the tile, much of the concrete chipped away leaving low areas.  Other areas have thin set remaining in the shape of the trowel grooves.  And yet some areas are at the original level of the concrete floor.  I want to eventually lay down some type of laminate hardwood.

How do I fill the low spots and knock down the high spots so it's level?

A silicon carbide grinding block (gray block with grooves, red handle, is the form I usually see - about 5x9x2 inches to start with, thinner as you use it and it wears down) is how you knock down the high spots.

After you do that you can use some type of levelling compound for the low areas - normal cement won't be happy in such a thin layer.


How to attach outlet box in soffit? I'm now planning to install out outlet flush, or as flush/above as possible, to the soffit.

I've read other threads, and believe I'm good on how to protect it, etc.

I buy a rate outside box correct? Then I cut a hole that's (guessing) the same size as box? If so how does the box get mounted/attached? Or do I get a regular box and use the regular nails, and then get a waterproof in use cover?

It's going to depend on what material is covering the soffit.
Soffit Covers
If it's aluminium/plastic soffit covers, you'll have to remove the section where you're installing the receptacle.  Install proper bracing (a simple 2x4 between the rafters should be fine), and attach the electrical box to it. Then mark, and cut a hole for the electrical box in the soffit cover. Finish by putting the soffit cover back in place.
Make sure to measure and align the box properly, so the box will be flush with (or just protruding from) the soffit cover.
Wood
If it's wood, you can either surface, or flush mount the electrical box. Simply select the appropriate box for your installation.
Weatherproofing and Ground-fault protection
Because the receptacle is outside, you'll want to provide ground-fault protection.  You'll also want to make sure the box, and cover are both weatherproof and approved for damp/wet locations. See this answer, to the question How do I install a receptacle in the soffit? for more information.


How can I get my three-way switches working as they should? I have two sets of three way switches. Two of the three way switches run to the same box. It appears that the power source is coming into the box to power both three way switches, but I can't seem to get the power to power both switches without having the lights always stay on or somehow not being able to power both. I have wired one switch in and I had it wired around to power both sets of lights. I have thought that I might need a four way switch, but I'm not sure.

There are really only two possible scenarios (with minor variations):

Power to a switch box:

Power to light box:

If you have one of these and still can't make it work, update your question with some useful detail.


Need Electrical Help I’m trying to wire a 110 receptacle to my electrical panel outside and I see no neutral terminal bar. I know the black goes to the breaker for power and the ground goes to the ground terminal but this box has a terminal on each side and both of them have grounds hooked into them. Where do I put my white neutral??

Edit: Here’s a picture of the inside:

This is your main panel, so neutral can be landed on either of the N/G busbars

Since you are working in your main panel, where your service disconnect lives (in fact, I can tell offhand from the construction shown in your photo that this is a meter main device we are looking at, so it can't be anything else besides your main panel), you can land the white neutral wire on either the left-hand or the right-hand neutral bar.  This is because the neutral and ground are bonded together here (and only here!), so the busbars down the sides do "double duty" as neutral and grounding bars as a result.

Send that alien back whence it came!

However, that's not the only thing you need to do.  That Square-D HOM115 you put in for the new circuit has no business whatsoever being in a Siemens meter-main, so you'll need to remove it and return it, then install a Siemens Q115 in its place.  Once that's done, you can wire up the circuit as described already, with white and bare to separate holes on the neutral (grounded) bars, and black to the breaker lug.

TORQUE ALL LUGS TO SPEC

Last but not least, you will want to use an inch-pound torque screwdriver to tighten the busbar and breaker connection setscrews to their labeled tightening torques.  This is required by 2017 NEC 110.14(D), and is a good idea anyway, since the performance of set-screw type connections depends rather critically on proper torquing.  You don't want your new outlet to give you the loose lugnut now, do you?


Can I combine 2x4 lumber to build posts for barn? Designing a barn/out-building for my off-grid place. Essentially this is an open structure (think of sticks with a roof), but part of which is a shed. The problem is, the longer poles will need to be about 22 feet, which longer than the lumber generally sold (16 ft). So I thought that I might make built-up poles from 2x4s. Here is a basic picture of what I am thinking.

Now of course I will have bracing along one entire wall, and all around near the tops. But bracing is not the issue. I want to focus on making sure these posts are a halfway decent idea.

If it's better and safer I can probably go with the fancy purpose-built posts, but I would really rather save the money by doing things on my own if I can.

To partially reiterate my comment, that's a common strategy even for commercial buildings, but for that length you should be using 2x6. So the answer is "yes".

However, the specifics are important. Adequate lap, joint scatter, and fastener type and schedule are all critical factors in your success.


Why do I need an 8 gauge cable for 40 amps at 220v? I need to install a 220v circuit for 40 amps(on my 110v power), 8-3 copper wire is rated for 40 amps. However, isn't 40 amps at 220v actually 110v, 20 amps on each hot wire? (on the US split-phase power, that is) I may be misunderstanding something fundamentally, and please note I won't take a big risk, I'm just curious if I understand this correctly. Also sorry if I posted this in the wrong place, or asked the same question I couldn't find a question similar to mine.

UPDATE:
Thank you so much! I figured I probably misunderstood, I understand DC power pretty good, I must not quite understand AC completely then.

No, it’s 40 amps on each wire. The current flows from one hot, through the loads, and out to the other hot and is the same current all of the way. You may be thinking of voltage. Each hot terminal is only 120. volts to neutral or ground. In theory, you could use insulation on the wires that is only rated for 120 volts but insulation is cheap.


'Flatten' satin sheen on wood stain Last night I applied a Natural Oak wood stain to a large oak beam in my kitchen (mainly just to even out the tone and mask a lot of the awful filler previous owners had shoved in there).

On the one hand, this worked like a charm and the colour is perfect. Unfortunately, I didn't notice that it was a Satin finish, and as a result my lovely oak beam has a reflective shine to it, which I definitely, definitely do not want.

I have only applied one layer of the stain thus far, cut with about 25% water. I've read elsewhere that wet-sanding it with a 1000 or 1200-grit paper will help remove the gloss; is this my only option? I was intending to add at least one more layer, and was wondering if simply applying a matte-finish wood stain over the existing satin one would flatten it back down again.

If all else fails (and bearing in mind I am willing to re-apply more wood stain), would a more abrasive sanding technique help, or simply make things more difficult?

In general, it's the final layer that determines the amount of gloss in the finish. Adding another layer of matte should do it.
However, another layer of stain will deepen the color. I presume from your wording that you are actually using an all in one stain and poly finish (minwax?)... That's the hazard with using those - everything needs the same number of coats.
Alternatively, you could. Apply a layer of clear matte over the top. If sanding bothers you, you can also try steel wool, as it can be a little more forgiving.

Ultimately, the best advice for finishing is always to test on scrap. You will likely not be able to match the gloss level of the current finish perfectly, and the aforementioned steel wool (0000 type) may help there.


Electric outlet not working Hi everyone I'm new here. About a month ago I noticed when I plugged  in my toaster to  the electric outlet, the outlet on the other side of the counter made a crackling noise for a few seconds. Both outlets worked fine. It only would make noise every now and again. Anyway, yesterday when I plugged in my toaster oven the outlet on the other side of the counter made a louder crackling noise. Today my toaster oven stopped working so I plugged in a lamp and that didn't work either. Now the outlet doesn't work at all but the one that made the noise is working fine. It doesn't make noise when I plug things in it, it only made noise when I plug into the outlet on the other side of the counter that is not working now. What would cause this and is it safe to use the outlet that still works? It only made noise when i pulled something into the other outlet that is not working now.
Thank you.

This sounds like a bad "backstab"

It sounds like the receptacle that's crackling was wired using "backstab" terminations, which are rather failure-prone, as you're finding out the hard way.  Re-doing the crackler using a new receptacle, proper pigtailing, and the screw terminals will make all your problems go away -- just remember to turn the power to the circuit off at the breaker first!


How much base is needed for small retaining wall? Using crestone blocks 3.5 inches tall by 11.5 w and 7.5 deep. I will be doing two levels plus caps. What base depth should base material be? I know base brick should sit 1 inch deep for every 8 inches of wall, but how deep should base be?

The depth of your 'foundation' should be 4" compacted crushed gravel plus one row of your CMU (concrete modular units).  Behind that wall and sitting below the gravel is a perforated 4" pipe wrapped in landscape fabric and back filled with drain rock.  Daylight down slope and there should be a down slope so you control the surface water.  Do not drain onto your neighbor's property.  I've always had to install a simple drywell; a pit with landscape fabric, drainrock (rounded cobble) another layer of landscape fabric then covered with a thin layer of drainrock.  The size of the pit is determined by the surcharge behind you wall and the length of your wall and your area or zone.

Make sure each of  your walls are no more than 3' or you shall be eligible for permit fines if they find out.  One wall no more than 4'.  Check your codes.  Behind the two walls make sure you slope the soil away from the wall about a foot or so down into a little 'swale' to collect surface water and drain towards that drywell pit as well...so bigger pit: Say 4'X6'X3'?  Or more?

Do you have enough depth to your property you could make at least 4 maybe 6' bed between the walls with a mini swale such as the one I described behind the top wall?  If you want to plant that first wall you should put as much space as you are able.  Install perf drain pipe behind both walls.  How much surcharge is behind those walls or slope?  Send a picture.  Drainage will make or break your all your work.  I am not kidding.  I am glad you are doing a cap.  I don't know if you've already selected your cmu but I would suggest as a profession to use ONLY grey with a light grey or concrete cap.  The wall should be 30 % dark grey to make it look more natural.  That cap should be a very light concrete color.  Any color will LOOK DIY.  Reds, browns will look like your wall is dirty or  has a very nasty infection.  Just some tried and true tips from a licensed landscape architect and construction install project manager...blah blah blah.  Dove grey is the only color I ever use for architectural structures in the landscape.  Comes from my background in Japanese garden design principles.  Gravel, concrete, decks, pergolas, arbors and garden walls are always dove grey to allow your plants to be the focus, not say, the fire engine red fence?  Grins.

UPDATE:  Glad you gave more information.  Wish I could just draw you a section, I'm sure I could but dissed learning CAD, I learned to design by paper.

It has always been a no no to use your home's foundation drain as well as storm sewers to direct excess water.  Perhaps your codes are different but the reason for that is you do not want to encourage MORE water to travel to any foundation or concrete.  Water is pretty destructive.  I've had a hard time with the rules for not being able to use the storm drains.  That is why I love dry wells.  Check your codes but it isn't a good idea to ever encourage water to drain towards your home's foundation even if it is into a pipe.

Then I need to know the distance between your wall (the radius is it based on your CMU's for a curvature)? Is there a scale I could use or did I miss that?  I am disturbed there is a slope between you and your home.  That means water is not only draining through the soil towards your wall but towards your home's foundation.  Do you know there is a decent foundation perimeter drain?  Do you have a basement?  Do you know if your foundation has asphalt emulsion between soil and concrete?  Is there a drain in your basement if so where does that go?  And this sump pump.  Now that really worries me.  Tell me more about this pump; where is it, what is its purpose, how often do you have to use it?  Sump pump just tells me a band aid is in place to cover up a problem that you might be exacerbating?  Also, that perf pipe should be on the same level as the bottom of your gravel foundation, not an inch or two above.  It might not be a big deal if I knew more but if you've not installed this pipe try to do so.  Back fill is NOT soil, it should be drainrock.  You want to encourage water to go towards the pipe that allows excess water to flow en mass to a proper spot.  What will the elevation of the patio at the foot of your wall be?  Why 2 walls that close to your home.  Shoot.  I need more information.  How about a picture of the area, excavation in relation to your home's foundation?  Get back to me, okay?  This could be a beautiful addition to your home and if done correctly will add big value to your home.  What planting do you imagine above that wall.  Is it really going to take two walls to accommodate that slope?  Pictures.  I'd rather do this on site but am learning to try being 'virtual'...


Can I increase the size of my breakers without modifying the wiring? I have 10 amp breakers.  When turning on several lights or running several things the breaker trips.

Can I change them to 15amp?  Is that higher or going wrong way?

Read about wire sizes, how is gauge identified?

The initial answer is NO - do not "just replace it with a 15 Amp breaker"

UNTIL you learn more about the setup.

Your best source will be whomever installed it in the first place.

Alternatively, you will want to have a qualified electrician take a look and give you an answer that applies directly to you.


Do I need to close the windows and doors in the entire house when doing a radon test? I'm trying to perform a home radon test, the first step in the instructions for the Pro-Lab Radon Gas Detector Kit read that I need to close all the windows and doors for 12 hours before hand.

Do I need to close the windows and doors in the entire house when doing a radon test, or just the ones in the basement and the door to the basement?

Also the door to the garage that leads to the basement doesn't close (no steps everything is on the same level).  But I can keep the garage door closed, will this effect the result?

Fresh air from outdoors is presumed to be lower in radon concentration than air that is trapped in the house. Any introduction of outside air will thus lower the radon concentration inside the house.

The answer to your exact question depends on your goal:

Are you trying to see the maximum possible concentration in your house? Then you should keep all windows and doors strictly sealed.

Are you trying to see the concentration you experience during normal life in your house? Then open windows and doors as you normally would.

Are you trying to get out of doing mitigation? Then open everything and let the fresh air circulate.

Note that radon concentration changes with, probably among other things, the height of the water table underneath the building. In my house, this results in a seasonal variation that a short-term test wouldn't catch. I determined this with a yearlong test using an electronic radon meter.


Installing pendant lights - no junction box available/feasible In laws are coming into town and are seeing our house for the first time. As you can imagine my honey-do list is a mile long! We just finished up painting our entire upstairs (about 1000 sq ft) and now are on to the final details. One of which is replacing an old florescent light above our sink to pendant lights. Here is my issue. (see attached kindergarten picture from MS paint)

Above our sink there is a piece of 1/4" plywood that matches our cabinets and underneath that there is about a 3/4" gap before reaching the soffit (which is closed in on the bottom). So I it seems I am unable to install a junction box into the soffit nor get reinforcement above the plywood. I have no idea what the best course of action is. Please help!

When I remodeled, and moved my kitchen from one side of the house to the other, I installed an electrical outlet above the stove for a microwave. The inspector said that was fine, however I had to use an extender to get the box into the cabinet. He didn't want to see a cut out in the cabinet and the cord going through to the outlet. So I installed an extender to get the box into the cabinet. He said it was perfect and signed me off. So I say install an old work box in the upper older soffit and install an extender on that to get it out to the plywood. Another option, if you have a junction box now, you could install external pendant lights that swag and hook to the underside. Just would need to wire both into the central box you have now and swag the cords to where you want.


Electrical wires identical I’m trying to replace a plug on a washer cord. I’m having a hard time identifying neutral and positive even using the 6 items in the electric code 400.22 that is suppose to distinguish the two.

In answer to the questions asked:

The wires are separated in the cord, however the only one with insulated covering is the ground wire in the middle, on the pic I left a little of the green there so you could see it.

There is know distinguishing differences in the two wires.

I will take an post a better picture ASAP.

This is for a Kenmore Elite Automatic Washer, Top Loading.  The model is 110.24942301.

Thanks everyone.  Hopefully this posts this time

Wow they think those cords are made of gold at 46/47 bucks , here is a utube link on replacing the cord. I hope it works because I am having trouble with high speed today it started but I lost my connection.
https://youtu.be/Qn678UVUd5Q
Got it to run, pull the plastic end caps on the control panel, unscrew the screw at the bottom each end and flip up the control panel you can see the green ground white neutral and black wires on the Molex plug trace them back on the cord black to gold or black screw on the new plug, white to the silver and green to ground. That should do it.


how to repair bi-fold door with fallen slats? A piece of this bi-fold closet door has warped, and as a result many of the slats have pulled out of one or both of their end-points. It seems like it should be possible to repair this with clamps, wood glue, and/or a reinforcing bracket. However, there's more than a dozen loose slats, and they all have to work their way precisely back into their grooves while the edge is being clamped back into it's original shape. They all just keep wiggling around.

How can I line the pieces back up and restore the door shape all at once?

Apply glue and clamping pressure from the center and work slowly upwards. As you gradually tighten the clamps, fit the slots back in place working upwards as the space between the stiles closes. It should slide back together. You might add a mechanical fastener to the top to strengthen it.

I've fixed similar doors this way. Be patient and don't rush it.


No dial tone on phone jacks The phone box is located inside my house. It had listed on it there were 3 phone lines in the box .

Since I moved in never had a home phone . Just went to get Internet service needing a phone line . Checked out my phone jacks in the house there is no dial tone . I looked inside the box . There are 6 jacks inside the box . Wires on several of them . Line 1 has several  RED and Green wires on the terminal . Others have BLACK and Yellow.

I will attach pictures of the mess in the box .

Shouldn't I have dial tone on one of those lines. If I only have a single line how do I rewire the box .

The box on your house marks the end of where the phone company services. That wire in the box will run to a nearby box or pole, where the phone company has their equipment. If you do not have service with them, I would not expect you to have any dial tone, as it was likely disconnected there.

If there is a problem with this existing wire it will be fixed during service Install.


Can "bending" screwdrivers really apply enough torque? I was uncomfortably driving a screw to affix a ceiling lighting fixture - either with my knuckles grazing at the ceiling or angling the screwdriver and having it occasionally slip. So, somehow I got the idea to look for a slightly bending screwdriver. I'm not much of an expert so I just, well, web searched. I found a few items similar to this one:

But I wonder - if you can just bend it so far with your hand - will this even carry enough torque to screw anything in?

The best answer would be from someone who's had experience with these kinds of screwdrivers; otherwise - people feeling capable enough to speculate.

I have had one for 45 years and have used it a lot. It was part of a screwdriver/socket set I got from my little sister for Christmas. The screwdriver bits are not as effective because you can't put your weight behind it and the bits have a tendency to turn out of the screw in some cramped places. It works very good with the sockets because the torque is just about as good as a standard nut driver. This is one of those crazy tools you have that you won't use a lot, but when you need it, you'll be glad you have it, like an offset screwdriver or the little stubby screwdriver.


Replacing receptacle with GFCI outlet which will be tapped for outdoor pole lantern I am installing an electric outdoor pole lantern which will be fed by an underground  UF cable in conduit buried 24"

I would like to tap into a new GFCI outlet which will will be replacing a regular receptacle  on an inside garage wall 15' from the lantern pole.

I have done electrical wiring on my homes over the years, but I want to make sure I plan out this project to make sure I'm not overlooking anything.

When replacing the current receptacle with the GFCI will the load and line wires
be connected as they were on the old receptacle-the two black loads on the gold screws and the the two whites on the silver screws?

When I connect the line and load stripped wires from the uf cables can I just push them on the appropriate small hot and load holes on the back of the GFCI?

Any advice and suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Ok first we gotta fix that box.  It has a missing knockout and does not have enough space.  Fortunately you're in an unfinished part of the home so there's no drywall mudding to do.

Get

a nice, large 4" square steel box.  It has a ground screw hole pre-tapped 10-32.  Try to get one with a little bump for the ground screw so it won't be drilling into the wood.
a lid for a steel box intended for one GFCI (meaning it has the rectangular Decora style opening).
A #10-32 ground screw with or without pigtail.
a foot of Romex of approprite size for pigtails (#12 if 20A breaker, otherwise #12 or #14)
some wire nuts, always good to have.

Tear the old wires off the old box (it really won't matter) and pry the old box off the wall.  On the new box, fit the ground screw in the hole tapped 10-32.   This is mainly so when you're attaching it, you don't accidentally put a nail/screw in the ground hole.

I strongly recommend screws. Mount the new box.  Now the ground screw must be able to bottom out, so do what you have to so it can.  Put a ground pigtail on that ground screw.  That is the key to the grounding system, you will not use the ground screw on the GFCI (so one less wire to wrangle, yay!)

Now knock out three of the knockouts on your 4" box for your existing two and one new cable.  Use proper cable clamps like those on your old box.  I would recommend doing one cable at a time.

On the GFCI/receptacle, leave the tape on the LOAD terminals.

Since you do not know which of your existing cables is supply, guess... and connect its hot and neutral to the LINE inputs of the GFCI/receptacle.  Cap/wrap/position the other wires safely.  Power up and see if the GFCI works.  If not, try the other cable.  So you have found supply.  Leave it attached.

Now, fit your other cables into the box. Wire-nut all grounds together and push them into the back of the box, remember there is not a ground wire on the GFCI/receptacle.

Take the "know what you're doing" sticker off the LOAD terminals.  Now there's only one hot screw (brass) and one neutral screw (silver) on the LOAD side, but you need to attach 2 wires to it.  You can't stack wires, so you use a pigtail.  That is an additional piece of wire you get from shucking the jacket off Romex, 6" should suffice.  For each black and white, attach it to the appropriate LOAD terminal.  Now you have 3 black wires, the old load, the new load, and the pigtail.  Join them with a wire nut.   Ditto white.

Or if you're not ready to light up the outside run, just leave it out (still wire-nut the pigtail to the old load wire) and add the new wire later.  Protect the loose wires so they don't short against something, e.g. put a wire nut on the end and tape it down so it stays put (they like to come off single wires).

Button it all up: fit the receptacle to the lid, then the lid to the box.
Give it a test.

The receptacle  gets its ground through surface contact yoke-lid and lid-box, then to the ground screw.  External GFCI testers rely on ground as a fault path, so if you haven't buttoned it up and the tester hasn't worked, that is why.

A pigtail looks like this

 source

Wait, why did they pigtail that, when they had enough screw terminals?  Perhaps the location was awkward and they didn't want to be up there, back bent over, fitting 4 screws.  So they fit the pigtails on the bench, in comfort, and crawled in there, 2 wirenuts, done!  I do that all the time.  Nothing wrong with using pigtails when you don't have to.


How to cap this water pipe so it is flushed with the concrete? The builder left this water pipe sticking out of the ground.  How to cap it off so it is flush with the concrete?  Otherwise the top off cap will stick out and create a tripping hazard or the plumber will need to break the concrete around the pipe.

Please help with any advice!

That looks like a cleanout to me. I would cut that thing as close to the concrete as you can with a hacksaw. Then take a die grinder (Dremel Tool) and cut it down to flush from inside the pipe. Then get a Flush Cleanout Repair Plug and secure it with the tool that comes with it. You don't need any glue or any threadings and it will hold up to 50' of back pressure. They are available in several different sizes to fit your needs.


How to rip out inground pool's steel walls? Planning a major house project for next spring. My wife and I decided to fill in our inground pool. Previous owners built it, but not sure when (could be anywhere from late 1970s to early 2000s, literally).

A few concerns:

How can I tell (right now - for planning purposes) what the walls of the pool are made of? I've heard they could be steel, polymer or even some other heavy duty composites...
If they are steel, ideally I'd like to scrap them for cash, which would help pay for the whole project. Any rough ideas as to what kind of steel inground pool walls are made of, and how much steel I might be looking at (ballpark)? My pool is a 20' x 30' rectangle that's 4' at the shallow end and 8' at the deep end.
Any rough idea as to what tools/processes safely remove these walls? I imagine they look something like the pic below, and that I'd have to jackhammer away the concrete on top of them and then dig them out on the backside. And then probably either (a) use an angle grinder (gauge/size?) to buck them up into portable chunks, or (b) perhaps they can be dismantled/unscrewed so I can avoid all that cutting. BTW, this is a DIY project, no contractors!

Thanks in advance for any-and-all guidance/steering!

I'd personally be surprised if they were steel, but a magnet should be handy for verifying that they are not (or are.)

If you are in full destructo-mindset and not going to change your mind over the winter, drilling hole(s) and looking at what comes out of the drilled hole (and what you see looking in the drilled hole) can also be very diagnostic.

If, as seems far more likely to me, the pool is gunite or fiberglass, all you need to do is break up the top rim deep enough that it won't affect future uses (lawn, garden, etc) of that area, and fill it in - unless you are expanding the house into the area.

8 foot deep holes/trenches are distinctly hazardous to be in - if the dirt collapses, it can kill you. Either use digging equipment that keeps you out of the hole, or dig it very wide/sloped.

If it's actually steel, you'll want a 9" angle grinder to make short work of cutting it up, or a 4" if you find a 9" too much to handle. The 9" is faster but requires more effort to control. Investigate tool rental, and get double eye protection (facemask and goggles) and a cheap set of welding leathers so you don't set your clothes on fire. Grinder sparks hurt, and set fires if there's any fuel for them to hide in.


How should I run power wiring and Cat-5 to the perimeter of my huge yard? I have a house that sits on about 4 acres of land. There is a very large front yard and an even bigger one in the back. I want to get both power and Ethernet (for security cameras) located at various points in both the front and the back.

Does anyone know of a single cable bundle that includes both (shielded so as to not have the power interfere with the data), and that can also be buried directly in the ground?

I know it's going to take a ton of trenching, but that's ok. I am more stumped on how to find the right kind of cable.

Trenches are hard/expensive.

Conduit is inexpensive. Having dug the hard and/or expensive trench, investing a tiny bit into having conduit in the trench so you never have to dig that trench again is just sense.

Direct burial is silly. It's especially silly the second time, when conduit the first time would mean no need to dig again. It's a short-term savings that often isn't even a savings (conduit + wet-rated outdoor wire is not infrequently less expensive than direct burial outdoor wire.) You do need wet-rated outdoor wire - all conduits outside are assumed by code to be wet, and the assumption is usually correct - condensate will do it if nothing else does.

Depending on what security cameras you get, ethernet can be the power wiring (PoE cameras)


What solutions exsist to fill in the gap between the bottom of garage door and cement? What are some good options or approaches to fill in a large gap under garage door after having the driveway redone. It's a decent size gap.
I've tried resetting the garage door opener but it is at the lowest point it can go.
Do they make weather strips and such that will fill this gap correctly, or do I need to fill the gap with something else?
Added a photo, I'll have to get some measurements.

One option based on the information given is to install a heavy duty rubber stripping on the bottom of the door similar to the item shown below.

This particular photo is from Amazon but search "garage door bottom seal" and all sorts will pop up.


Roofing material for flat slope western pacific northwest 10 months after purchasing a manufactured/RVIA certified home the, landmark arch, ridge venting shingle roof began to leak, with water leaking out of the crevasses of the main beam.

A roofing contractor that our home manufacturer sent mentioned the material used isn't suitable for such a low pitch, a flat roof at 2:12. The contractor initially patched the flat ridge line so it folded to the roof, the same night after the patch the leak came back even worse. The second time the contractor came back, he completely removed the ridge line, and sealed it with tar striping. There doesn't appear to be any venting in the ridge now though.

The roofing guy seems confident that should be sufficient, however their initial conviction that the material was a mismatch makes me think the manufacturer might have convinced him to be quite so the problem could be fixed enough for the duration of our warranty period, 1 year.

We live in the western pacific northwest (wetlands) and recently removed all tree branches close to the roof to prevent damage.

Is the roof/vent approach, see image below, and asphalt material the necessary requirements for this roof?

If it's not, what is the likelihood we'll need to replace the roof in the near future?

Your shingle manufacturer (CertainTeed) specifically states that your roofing material should not be used for 2:12 pitch (which, BTW, is not flat as you state in your question). However, the instructions also seem to contradict that later.

  Limitations: Use on roofs with slopes greater than 2" per foot. Low-slope applications (2" to 4" per foot)
  require additional underlayment. In areas where icing along eaves can cause the back-up of water, apply
  CertainTeed WinterGuard™ Waterproofing Shingle Underlayment, or its equivalent, according to
  application instructions provided with the product and on the shingle package.

Bold emphasis mine.

Now, it is listed for slopes greater than 2:12 but with specific instructions for underlayment on "low-slope" applications.

I would pay a contractor (not the one that did the warranty repair) to ascertain the exact slope and for them to put it in writing; tell the contractor why.

If it is:

not greater than 2:12 you should demand a complete reroof by sending the home manufacturer a certified letter accompanied by the contractor's statement. If the builder does not respond have a lawyer send them a letter. If they still do not respond take legal action.
greater than 2:12, have the contractor ascertain whether or not the proper underlayment methods were used. If not, see above.

There is also the question/problem of ridge vent removal. The manufacturer specifies the use of ridge vent combined with soffit venting; however, if the vent configuration meets normal standards for your area and roof size maybe that's not a deal-breaker.


How can I align 2 holes 1.5m apart? I need to drill 2 holes in a concrete wall, about 1.5m apart and I need the line between them to be as horizontal as possible.

I have a level, not that big, and few other basic tools.

How can I align them properly?

Borrow a laser level
Borrow a 4 foot mason's level
Don't use a level -- use a plumb bob and HS geometry

Make a plumb bob by hanging a heavy and centered weight from a chalk line and snap it in the center of your desired holes..  Now pick a point on the wall that will be your left hole and two points on your chalked line.  Use a wire and measure the distance from the hole to the upper point on your chalk line.  Draw an arc on the opposite side of the wall.  Repeat for the lower point on your chalk line; where they intersect is the location of your other hole.


Does gold window film reflects more or less light and heat than silver? I'm going to put some mirror polarized window film both for privacy and because I get a lot of sun (and thus heat) and I was wondering if a gold or copper color film would reflect more of less light/heat than the 'classic' silver film, or if its the opposite.

Any info on this?

Each manufacturer publishes ratings for their products. You’ll want to compare:

Visible light reflected
Visible light transmitted (that’s transmitted from exterior to interior)
Total solar energy rejected (this will be a %)
Solar heat gain coefficient
U value
Solar heat rejected (this will be a %)

Comparing these ratings will tell you their performance, and thus which is “better”.

Also, you can get a rating of visible light to solar heat gain. It’s a ratio you may want to consider. One type of film may block a significant amount of solar gain, but will make your room “dark”.


Where can I find something similar to a fluorescent tube, with only one end for electrical contact I want to redo the floor light in the front patio. My idea is to create a few light rods coming out of the floor and pointing toward the ceiling. For this purpose, it would be nice if the anode and the cathode could be close instead of spread at each extremities. It can be LED or even regular light, I just can't seem to find what I'm looking for. I guess I'm not using the right words... This sketch might help you.

I would use LED replacement bulbs for Fluorescent tubes. With LED tubes there are some that are designed to work without removing the ballast and some that need to have the ballast removed.

The ones that need the ballast removed and also require changing the sockets are the ones you want. Standard fluorescent tube fixtures come with shunted sockets where both pins are connected. Non-shunted means each pin can be wired separately. The LED tubes I've used that required ballast removal and changing the socket have come with non-shunted sockets but you can also purchase them separately.

You can build a base and mount the sockets in it and have some sort of friction device to hold the tubes. There are obvious concerns about safety with having electric wires outdoors in a diy fixture but I'll leave that to other more qualified members to address.

I have some diagrams and pictures on how to rewire a shoplight for LED tubes which you may find useful.

The only issue is that all the LED tubes I've seen only have light coming out on one side. Not sure if that fits in to your plans but I think it's safer than having fragile glass in such a vulnerable location.


Storage space under stairs I am looking to finish the area under the stairs. There are two diagonal beams under the landing step. Can these be removed or do they contribute to the integrety of the staircase?

they are contributing to strength .but can probably be replaced by a plywood bracing panel where the stairs overlap


Technique to level a patio for concrete and tiling I currently have a large patio which has brick paving. unfortunately the paving has started to sink in spots and gathers rain water.

I will be removing the brick and laying a slab of concrete, in preparation to place floor tiles on the patio.

Please advise how I could prepare the site so that i know that the cement slab has the correct slope (to drain water).. The only thing I can think of is to use string and a spirit level.

Is this the common practice, or are there better ways to define your slope and angles of the slab?

I use a hose level.  To make one obtain at least six feet (2 m) of 5/8 inch clear flexible tubing which has an outside diameter of 3/4 inch which is exactly the inner diameter of a standard garden hose.  Cut into two lengths of 2–3 feet and slide the tubing inside each end of the hose 4–6 inches.  It should form a good enough seal without any additional fuss.  (If it doesn't, a wrap or two of Teflon, duct, or electrical tape should be enough.)

Lay out the hose assembly on the patio with each end held vertically with a stake into the ground (or chair, etc.) so it will hold water.  (I find it convenient to use one inch brads through the tubing into the stake, but tape or string would work too.)  Fill it full so the water level is about half way into the clear ends.  Now you can easily determine the same level with extreme precision—perhaps 1/32 inch/0.8 mm at distances apart of 50+ ft depending on the length of the hose.  Such accuracy is challenging (at best) with string and a carpenter's level.

To use it, place one end at a reference level and the other at a point in question.  Raise or lower either end to cause the water height to increase or decrease, respectively, as doing so decreases or increases—respectively—the volume of the hose level.  Once the reference end water level exactly matches the target height, mark the other end where the water is.  Be sure to be consistent about using the top edge of the water or the bottom of the meniscus.  It is entirely possible the hose has weeped a little water or it has relaxed or tightened due to temperature, sunlight, external moisture evaporation, etc. so recheck the reference end and re-level both ends if necessary and re-mark.

Arrange reference markers (such as more stakes) firmly into the ground at the corners and maybe some points along the sides of the patio and chose a reference height.  It doesn't need to be at patio level.  In fact, it is better to have it 12–24 inches above the patio level.  Mark all the stakes at the reference level using the hose level.

From the reference marks all around, you can measure down to the actual height of the concrete pad or the cement forms.  Do whatever slope calculation you desire, like 2.5 inches per 120 inches (a standard recommendation corresponding to 1/4 inch per foot) by measuring the distance from the house to the stake and applying the slope.

For example, if the marker stakes along one side are at 5', 10', and 15' from the house, the slope for each would be

  5': (60 inches) is  2.5 / 120 * 60 = 1.25 inch drop
  10': (120 inches) is  2.5 / 120 * 120 = 2.5 inch drop
  15': (180 inches) is  2.5 / 120 * 180 = 3.75 inch drop

If the reference mark is 17.5 inches above the ground, then the final target marks should be at

  5': 1.25" lower than 17.5" or 18.75 inches below the reference mark
  10': 2.5" should be 2.5+17.5" or 20 inches below ref mark
  15': 3.75" should be 2.5+17.5" or 21.25 inches below ref mark


Can this asphalt driveway be repaired? We had an asphalt driveway put down around 5-6 months ago. The second half of the driveway the mix went dry and left a bad finish. We pointed out the worst parts, the contractors came back and put two big patches over the top!! They literally stick out like you know what... We did not ask the contractors to come back but now we are wondering how to fix it. Can asphalt patches be cut out and repaired to a smooth finish that will blend back with the original asphalt? Remember this a driveway not a road!!

A good rental yard will have a "walk behind" surface grinder with which you could grind the surface level. Then you could resurface the whole thing with a liquid slurry asphalt resurfacing material, it will look uniform and new when you are done. Or... you could hire a reputable contractor to do it for you.

Pictures stolen shamelessly from the internet.


What kind of wire is this? It's black, with white in the middle, and copper around the white.  Any ideas?

I have a picture but not sure how to add it...

Sounds an awful lot like coaxial cable.

This is used in cable TV and rather old computer network cables.  While not directly hazardous, homes with it have been statistically linked to high cable TV bills and an obsession with something called "Game of Thrones".


How to tell if Nema outlets have been successfully brought up to code? I moved into a new rental house ~3 weeks ago. The house was built in 1950, and the house's dryer hook-up has a Nema 10-30P outlet (3 prong, see picture). Also, The kitchen electric range (supplied by property company, not mine) has a Nema 10-50 plug and receptacle, but no separate ground (not pictured due to bad lighting, sorry). My 4-ish year old dryer has a Nema 14-30 plug, so does not fit the 10-30 outlet. There is a separate ground wire hanging off the un-insulated ground wire coming from the circuit breaker next to w/d hook-ups. It looks shady, with zip ties holding wires in place. Everything I've read online says that Nema 10 outlets are no longer considered up to code (NEC 250.140), and the exceptions where you can hook them up safely with a separate ground wire come with very specific stipulations. My question is, are these two outlets, the 10-30P dryer outlet and the 10-50 range outlet, up to code and safe as they are, or should the property company be responsible for updating them to bring them up to code?

I mostly just want to be able to hook my dryer up safely. I know there are separate 10-30 plugs/cords for dryers you can buy at Home Depot, but I don't want to go that route if the true issue is an electrical code violation causing a safety hazard. The Property company has drug their feet for over 2 weeks about getting a maintenance person out to check the connections (which in my mind indicates that they know it's not up to code they were just hoping I wouldn't know/notice). If they are up to code and my research was wrong, I'll happy just pick up the cheap Nema 10 plug for my dryer and be on my merry way, but if this is truly a code violation and a fire hazard, then I want to stand my ground and insist the property company update the outlets.

Any advice or guidance is appreciated!

Edit: I'm sorry for the orientation of the pictures, they were taken on my phone.

I'm going to focus on the dryer, both because it's your equipment, and because it's so very easy to fix. The panel is right there.

The problem with NEMA 10's "grandfathered" connection, while Code legal, is if anything goes wrong with the neutral wire, the equipment chassis energizes at 120V - touch it and you're dead. The NFPA's logic is "That hardly ever happens because these connectors are rarely disturbed". Yeah, right.  It does happen, does kill people, and is often misreported as a miswired connection when it just had an ordinary failure.  The rest of the electrical universe is designed so a simple wire break fails safe. Not NEMA 10!  The appliance lobby won't let NFPA just put their foot down and mandate retrofits.

First, I am a renter. Heck will freeze over before I downgrade a NEMA 14 cord to a NEMA 10.  (In dire straits, I might keep the NEMA 10 cord, remove the ground-neutral strap on the dryer (as if it were NEMA 14), and ground the dryer externally - my hunch is, in your case, that's what the last guy did. That green wire stinks like tenant work.)

Code legality

Most likely, the NEMA 10-30 receptacle proper is grandfathered, and as such, inherits being Code legal.  Any modification of that circuit would void the grandfathering and require a modern 14-30 and /3 cable be installed.

The 3-wire cable from service panel to dryer receptacle lacks any proper tie-downs.  It needs tie-downs.  If it were me, I'd want it 6" longer and run it along the tan cable, but still, hose clamps are not proper tiedowns.

Other cables leaving that panel also seem to be improperly anchored to the wall.

Another code violation is lack of proper working space in front of the panel. There must be a 30"x30"x78" box in front of the panel for the electrician or homeowner to stand.  It looks like water pipes intrude.

Of course these won't fix your dryer circuit.

Now look at the bare ground wire coming from the panel and going through the hole to parts unknown. That is most likely the Grounding Electrode System of the panel.  We'll be gracious and presume this is fit and in good working order.

The green ground wire is an attempt at retrofitting ground.  That is legal to do, in fact NEC 2014 greatly liberalized the rules for retrofitting grounds.  Retrofit grounds can attach any of several places, and the Grounding  Electrode system is one of them.  That said, the green ground wire has 3 defects.

You can't twist it around and use a ty-wrap. The right thing there is a proper clamp, i.e. a small split-bolt.
The wire is not properly anchored to the wall. Leaving cables to go floppy-doppy is not legal.  Retrofit grounds need to follow the same normal clampdown rules as any cable.  Cinder block is a pain to work with, but I also see a lot of abandoned holes just waiting to be reused.
The green wire is much too long for any use I can imagine. It just seems to be wadded up, I suspect it used to ground the old dryer.

Ask the landlord to fix this and most likely they'll just remove the green wire. That would bring it to Code.

Now let's talk about how to get to Safe.  Obviously being a tenant you need to ask the landlord to do this.  I don't see where you can hold a gun to their head, so you may have to pay him.  Keep in mind landlords can't do their own electrical, it's not allowed.  But given the location of dryer receptacle and panel, this isn't even 30 minutes' work for an electrician.

1. Retrofit the ground

This only works if a) the existing cable has an insulated (white) neutral; or the existing cable is type SE.

You can change out the receptacle for 14-30, use the existing hot-hot-neutral, and then bring over that green ground wire to provide proper ground.  This is allowed under the ground retrofit rules.  The flaws in the green wire would need to be fixed obviously.   Parts cost: $12.

Given that drilling into cinder block is a PITA, it'll help to get a receptacle that uses the same mounting hole pattern as the current receptacle.  That type of receptacle is a matched set of cover+base, like this.

2. Run a new 10/3 cable back to the panel

Tear out the existing receptacle and cable back to the panel. Replace it with an entirely new 10/3 cable run.  Put ground on the ground bar, neutral on the neutral bar, and hots on the existing breaker. Fit the NEMA 14-30 in any location you please (in cinder block, best to reuse existing holes).  Parts cost: $20.

3. GFCI breaker

This answer is not Code but it is safe. This will arrest (not prevent) electrical shocks from touching the dryer.  Then use a NEMA 10 cord, but don't attach the neutral-ground jumper. In this setup, the dryer is not grounded at all: as long as there aren't any ground faults in the dryer, the dryer frame is isolated. If there are ground faults and you touch the dryer and get zapped, then the GFCI will trip.  Parts cost: $80 + the NEMA 10 dryer cord, just the thought of buying one of those makes me spit in my mouth.

4. Hail Mary: external ground.

This answer is also not Code because Code proscribes the NEMA 14-30 connector as the correct way to do this "but that would be modifying the house".  In this case you fit the NEMA 10-30 cord, but again omit the neutral-ground jumper, leaving the dryer's chassis to float/be isolated. Then you reuse that green wire to ground the chassis. Fix the problems: the bad clamp, bad anchoring and excess length.  Parts cost: $0 (not counting the NEMA 10 cord) and you could probably DIY this.

The oven/range

throws up hands I don't know what to do about that one.  It's their socket and their equipment.  You could leave it alone; pay them to retrofit a 6/3 cable ($$) and NEMA 14 socket and plug; or have the electrician install a GFCI breaker on the circuit.  I'd probably do the latter as it's a 5 minute job.


Irregular/Atypical Deck Joist Spacing I'm planning a replacement for my deck and ran into a question that I cannot find an answer to anywhere.  Why does everyone place deck joists at either 16" or 24" OC (or sometimes 12"), but not 18" or 20" or 16.75" centers?

In my case, I have a setup where 24" centers would be within code, but I don't like the feeling of decking with joists that far apart.  16" centers are what I'm after, more or less, but that would leave me with a final space of about 4".  Why not just space out the rest of the joists to 16 1/2" spacing and save a joist?  I could leave a 20" space at the end, but again, why not space all of the boards evenly?

I can see why you wouldn't want to do this in an enclosed floor or wall inside a house, but for something like a deck where the framing is actually visible between the decking boards, why does it matter?  Or does it matter?

To state the question(s) clearly: Are atypical, but regular, joist spacings within code?  If so, why are they not used?  If not, why not?

Because that works out with other common deck and building components and aligns with decades-old convention. For example:

Decking lengths are usually in 2' increments
Decking is built for specific spans with respect to strength and stiffness
Floor sheathing is 8' long (which sets the standard)
Joist bridging is sized for 16" centers
Insulation is sized for 16" centers (when you convert your deck to a three-season porch)

Etc., etc. Incidentally, 19.2" is also a common joist interval because it works out to 8'.

In your case there's probably no immediate reason you couldn't do something non-standard, if your decking is rated for the span you go with. Code probably doesn't address joist interval as long as it meets the requirements of the other system components.


Looking for a way to secure round rods in a T configuration Looking for a good way to tightly connect two round rods in a T configuration.
I figured something like a T-clamp would be the obvious solution and easy to buy, but I have searched rather extensively and the closest thing I've found online is This, and from the measurements quoted it appears way too big.
In my application the vertical part is a 3/8" diameter steel rod, and the horizontal crossbar is a 7/8" diameter wood handle (to twist the rod). The rod is already inserted into a hole in the handle, but after many years the handle is now slipping, hence the need for a fix.
Can anyone suggest a reasonably simple means to secure the handle so it won't slip? I know I've seen T-clamps in pictures somewhere, but if they aren't as commonly available as I thought, I may need something different.
The local Home Depot has told me on the phone that they don't have anything like this.
Thanks.

You might be able to find an appropriate clamp, but this appears to just be an irrigation shut-off key.
They are not expensive brand new and I'd bet that the whole new key doesn't cost more than whatever speciality clamp you might ultimately find


Is it standard/acceptable to leave drywall bare behind kitchen cabinetry? We have contractors working on our kitchen and it's been a bit of a mess. Right now, about 3/4s of the room is drywalled/taped/floated/primed/painted (single coat)... and a small section of wall behind some cabinets and where our stove will be is just bare drywall.

One of the cabinets is a set of drawers but the other is an open-backed cabinet designed to hold a built-in microwave and also has the gas line and connection for the stove.

The area inside the cabinet looks like this:

click to expand

Will the drywall be harmed by not being treated at all? Is taping, floating, and painting necessary?

My main concern is it soaking up grease/water from the stove.

If it's visible it should be finished. If you ever plan to clean it then it should be finished. If it will come in contact with water or grease will land on it then it should be finished. If it's behind a cabinet where you'll never see it then that's pretty common to leave it unfinished.


How hard is it to run forced hot air and baseboard zones off one Trane furnace? I have a trane forced hot air HVAC that heats my house. I have a small extension that is cold.  How much work is involved to connect a baseboard zone to the existing forces hot air furnace?  Is it relatively easy or just not possible, or in between?
(Trane model 4TXCD061BC3HCAA)

You could have an HVAC company install a zone system to control the heating and A/C in both areas. Or you could add a separate system just for that room.


Running 40ft of wire to garage, buriable I'm running the wire to my garage. Wanting to run a 220 air compressor
And couple 110 outlets and lights.  Is it possible to run 10/3 or do I need
Like 10/4. For that extra hot. I'm running from breaker box to junction them off to 12/2 for my 110s.  Imma framer not an electrician. Thanks

Put a sub-panel in the garage, not a junction box. If you join 12/2 wires to the circuit, you CANNOT have more than a 20 amp breaker feeding them. If you put in a sub-panel with breakers, the 20 amp limit comes into play after the sub--panel breakers, and the feed from the main is sized for the wires feeding the sub-panel. Go bigger than you think you'll need, you won't regret it later, as most people that put in a tiny one eventually do. The sub-panel can be a "main" type panel (and could be 100 Amps, even if only fed with 30, 40, or 50 Amps), you just need to remove the ground to neutral bond. 10/3 (which has 4 wires, including the ground) would be adequate IF you are only looking for 30 amps capacity. But you actually should get individual wires and...

Put conduit in the ground, not direct burial cable. Trenches are expensive (in money or labor) conduit is cheap (in less wire damage, and the ability to replace wires later without digging again.) You need 4 wires (hot, hot, neutral and ground) and you should really consider all future uses when choosing the size of wire, rather than picking the smallest possible size. Doing it once is cheaper than doing it over.

You need to define your loads - compressors come in many sizes. The plate on the motor should give amps as well as volts; though starting them is often a bit more demanding than the running rating those provide (sometimes there is additional data on the plate which may help with starting load or required breaker size, sometimes not.) If we go minimal and assume your lighting circuit is 15 Amps at 120VAC and your tool circuit is 20 Amps at 120VAC, you're riding the hairy edge if your compressor needs more than a 10 Amp at 240VAC breaker with a 30 Amp feed, and it kicks on while your 120 tools are going. Might want to go to #8 copper or #6 aluminum for your conductors and kick up to 40Amps - default recommendation around here is actually 50A for a typical garage shop. At least choose conduit big enough to allow for that later...


Internal Only Home PBX Intercom Using Vintage Wired Phones I would like to set up a home PBX that is INTERNAL only.  All of the other tutorials I see include an element of hooking to an outside line.  I assume this is to draw the power needed.

I would like to be able to pick up the phone in a room, dial a number (a one or two digit number) and have it ring a specific phone in another part of the house.  I understand this would need to be some sort of PBX, but again, I want it to be internal only.  I don't want to be able to dial to an outside line and I don't have or want landline service.

Any ideas on equipment needed?

I assume this is to draw the power needed.

Incorrect. A PBX is usually independently powered. Most people who install a PBX want to be able to call outside numbers.

RCA makes a PBX-style set of phones that operate over shared wiring common in a household. See https://www.rca4business.com/4linephones


How to fix cracks in lath and plaster? I have an old house with lath and plaster walls.  When I moved in a year ago I fixed dozens of cracks in the plaster with spackling, but many of them have opened back up again.  What is the best way to solve this with a more permanent solution?

Spackling's best use is to fill holes made by pictures, curtain holders, etc.  To fix cracks in plaster, use Plaster of Paris or Durabond, not spackling compound.

Cracks are caused by moving or shifting, so one needs to make sure the existing plaster and corresponding substrate (in this case the lath) are solid.

A simple test is on both sides of the crack in several locations gently push the plaster.  If there is movement, additional repairs may be required beyond a simple crack fix.  For example, one may need to replace the lath or substrate.  A simple crack may also turn into a large area where the plaster needs to be re-attached to the substrate.  This is the case where the crack is hiding a larger issue of crumbling or decaying plaster and will need a larger scale fix.

I would advise doing these tests on all your cracks to determine the whether the plaster is just cracked or is suffering from bigger and more labor intensive issues.

If the plaster and substrate is solid, then to fix the crack do the following.

Remove loose or excess plaster in crack using a utility knife
Enlarge the crack by creating a V notch with the bottom of the V being the line of crack
Clean or vacuum any loose debris out of the crack.  Wipe any dust with a damp rag to prepare the surface for the new Plaster of Paris or Durabond.
In your case, I would not use Plaster, but instead use Durabond.  I would go for a first coat of non sandable Durabond.  Plaster is hard to work with so using Durabond will be easier.  The nonsandable Durabond is stronger than the sandable durabound.  Follow instructions on how to mix the Durabond.
Use a joint compound knife and work the mixture into the crack, removing any excess.  Do not apply extra as it is non sandable.
One the first coat is dry (it should also shrink a bit), switch over to the sandable Durabond.  Apply 1 to 3 coats (it will shrink a little each time) and sand in between.  The final coat should be very light and then sanded, primed and painted.

Plaster is hard to work work with and requires a skilled laborer to apply.  So anything beyond a simple crack fix, I would go to a professional.


Installing grounded light fixture on box with no ground conductor I'm installing a brand new motion activated security light to an existing box on my garage. After removing the old light, I notice it only has white/black wiring while the new light fixture has of course white/black/green (ground) wires to attach. What do I do if no ground wire is available with the old box?

There's a few options.
No grounding conductor
If there's no grounding conductor at all, there's a few things you can do.
Install a grounding conductor
Obviously, you could install a grounding conductor for the circuit.
Share a grounding conductor
Code allows you to share a grounding conductor from another circuit, as long as the grounding conductor is properly sized.
GFCI protected
If you're replacing a fixture, you don't need a ground if the outlet is GFCI protected.

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 4 Equipment for General Use
Article 410 Luminaires, Lampholders, and Lamps
410.44 Methods of Grounding. Luminaires and equipment shall be mechanically connected to an equipment grounding conductor as specified in 250.118 and sized in accordance with 250.122.
Exception No. 3: Where no equipment grounding conductor exists at the outlet, replacement luminaires that are GFCI protected shall not be required to be connected to an equipment grounding conductor.

Grounding via conduit or cable covering or ground in box
At times, metallic boxes are grounded using metallic conduit, or the outer covering and/or internal bonding strip of armored cable. If this is the case, then the box may actually be grounded.
There's also a chance that there's a grounding conductor stuffed in the back of the box.
Extend the grounding conductor
If the box is grounded, you can simply connect a grounding conductor to the box. If  there's a grounding conductor stuffed in the box, you can simply connect to it.


What screws should I have used for drywall? (And can I fix this situation?) I'm installing an IKEA Bjurstra wall-mounted table.

The primary load-bearer is the vertical column, and I've successfully fastened this to a wood stud using 2x #12x2 pan head drill screws:

But the same screws applied to the braces that keep the table flush to the wall, ended up only stripping the dry wall:

So now, though the vertical column is holding up the table just fine, the screws on the braces are loose and hanging out.

What kind of screws should I have used?
Aside from starting over and installing the table at a different height, what can I do to amend this situation?

I am not a DIY-savvy person, so I would prefer ease or convenience over cost-savings. Thank you.

I expect you want some kind of wall plug. You would take the table down, install the wall plugs (which generally need a bigger hole than screws so your exiting screwholes shouldn't be an issue) and then screw the shelf to the wall plugs.

Here in the UK I would look at something like this, but i'm not sure how american drywall compares to our plasterboard (also not sure if that one is the right size, I generally judge sizes of such things by eye rather than measurements).


Can I use fiberglass shower drain for tile base? I pulled out my fiberglass shower enclosure and replace with a tile base.
I only found this drain in stock

Is it OK just to use that? This is basement shower and concrete foundation. So basically I will remove the white nut and plastic/paper gasket and tile up to the lip of the threaded pipe inside. I guess it will be hard to make adjustment up and down on the cover, right?

OR do I use this kinda of shower drain?

There is also a round version but none are available in stock and I have to wait few weeks...

UPDATE 1

This is the plumbing with 1.5" pipe with male threaded

NOTE: I know 1.5" is not up to code as 2" is required. But this is in basement concrete foundation and I am not planning to make a big mess. 1.5" works fine for me many years.

This is the piece that screw in the male pipe before when there was a fiberglass shower pan

That white piece is basically a female 1.5" to 2" male.

That piece is already raising the level like 1". So the less height, the better for me. "That" is why I was thinking about using the thinner version of another fiberglass drain assembly.

The Oatey 1-1/2" shower drain is designed specifically for this type of application. It looks similar to your first photo and you won't have to use a 2" to 1-1/2" reducer.

If you need more adjustment, you could go with a Pro-Flo adjustable shower drain.


Please suggest occasional heating for garage used as work room Floor area about 550 square feet
Ceiling about ten feet
No existing chimney or other exhaust venting system
Insulated walls with insulated two vehicle doors

I would like to be able to maintain a temperature of about 13°C (56°F) inside when temperatures outside are, say, -10°C (13°F). If it's colder than that I'll stay in the house!

Thanks for considering this question.

Additional information:

2x4 walls insulated with 'pink' bats, which I think would be R7 or so, plus the usual vapour barrier and Tyvec on the outside
I could provide 240 v cabling through an adjacent crawl space under the house. It would also be possible to hire a contractor to install a natural gas feed to the garage.

Workroom...shop...dust...occasional use...gas...electricity...seems like lots of variables.

This guy seems to know what he’s talking about:

https://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/videos/shop-heating-options/

Remember, the difference between infrared heat and forced air is that infrared heats the objects in your shop BEFORE it heats the space (air) and forced air heats the space BEFORE the objects. This could be important depending on how long you’re going to be working in your shop.


Pendant Light on Track Light System I'm trying to install a pendant light to my halo style track fixture. I purchased a pendant light from ikea and an adapter for the track light system. The name of the pendant is the nymane and I purchased a Nora lighting NT368 adapter. My question centers around the wiring of the pendant into the adapter. In the cable that attaches to the ceiling, there is only a live and neutral wire while the ground is attached to the mount. In the adapter, there is a live, neutral and ground wiring. Is there any way that I could attach the pendant without the ground and still not cause any safety issues or is it possible to just leave the wiring of the ground our altogether?

If the pendant fixture has a metal connection to that plate under normal installation, then I would recommend adding a wire somewhere inside the fixture to connect with the ground wire in the adapter.  If, however, the pendant is designed to hang purely from that 2-wire cable, then clearly the fixture doesn't need to be grounded, so just attach hot and neutral to the adapter.


What would cause a led light to turn off after one second? I have an older house for number of years. I got tired of the old kitchen light and decided to replace it with led light. I bought a kitchen led light that is oval in shape and takes two 13 inches circular bulbs. After installing I turned on the switch to on position the light comes on but it only light up for one second.  I turned off the switch and turned back on after ten minutes.  The light come back on for a second and turned back off the switch is still on postion. What is the problem can i fix it by myself?
     Thanks
         Ben.

We've seen the "one second" thing before.  The issue was an electronic switch (dimmer, motion sensor, etc.) which used a 2-wire installation - it's designed to work in a traditional "switch loop" where it has no access to neutral.  It sits in series with the light bulb.  When off, it exploits the fact that incandescent bulbs have very low impedance when unlit. When on, it's counting on a lot of current flow through the incandescent.  These devices do not play well with CFL/LED.

Perhaps it's a dimmer and you don't even realize it. Some dimmers look exactly like plain light switches, just with a range of positions.

Upshot: check out the switch, replace.  Switches (which aren't dimmers) are about a buck.


How to fix BBQ: re-insert metal cylinder that came off partially I have a Barbecook BBQ where the bottom part became partially detached.
The metal cylinder is supposed to be inside the bottom plate, but one side came out.

There is no glue or welding involved.  The cylinder is fixed by the pressure of the ridge on the bottom plate. It still feels strongly connected, and (gently) tapping it with a hammer did not push the cylinder back in. I'm afraid of hitting it too hard as it could bend the cylinder. I also tried heating the bottom plate with a hair dryer (in the hope the metal would expand a bit) but to no effect. Any suggestions on what I could to fix this? I don't know what this construction technique is called, so I find it hard to find info about it.

Update: thank you for all the replies!

I already have this bbq for some years, so the 2 year warranty is over.

This weekend I tried to combine all the answers; I cleaned the cylinder and the cap, found that my freezer is not big enough, heated both parts in the oven up to 250°C (great suggestion!), cooled the cylinder in cold water and tried to push them together. I got some movement, but I felt I lacked force.

Today I tried clamping the cylinder and the cap, increasing pressure step by step while using a flathead screwdriver as a leverage to bend the cylinder in the cap and hammering from time to time to get the cylinder to bend inwards. And to my great joy, it worked!

For future reference:

Don't fix it; get it replaced or return it:

If you can wait a couple weeks, then don't repair it (it likely will just happen again now that it's loose), rather call the manufacturer and tell them what happened and ask if you should return it to the store.  For large items that can be purchased at a home store 99 times out of 100, they'll send you a new one in less than a week.

If they tell you they can't help, then do everyone else a favor and return it. Usually, this kind of thing goes back upstream to the manufacturer to fix (and pay the associated shipping fees to the big box store). Stores that don't have this kind of agreement in place with their supplier will quickly learn to stop buying this model/brand.

As a last resort, buy the same one from a big box store and return this one.  Think of it as your civic duty so the rest of us don't end up with this same sub-par product.

Note: Try not to do this with Amazon unless the item is "sold and shipped by amazon.com" as many things on Amazon are sold by 3rd parties that don't have the buying power to negotiate with the manufacturer.

If you really want to try to fix it - CLEAN IT:

Clean it, apply WD-40 to the outside and inside, then cool it don't heat it.

Heat expands the metal in both directions effectively making your cylinder larger and cap smaller. Try the freezer, if that doesn't work, use dry ice.

Further, if you can rotate the cylinder such that the seam is inside the cap, that should help a lot as well.


Projects to Pursue while Studs are Bare? I'm stripping my small 950 sq. ft. 1950's-era home to the studs -- walls and ceiling -- so that I can install a vapor barrier and insulation in the walls and ceiling. While I have the studs available (exterior and interior walls and ceiling), what other projects are worth pursuing? I've thought of the following:

Add outlets -- the home is old and doesn't have the number of outlets
needed by today's standards.
Install wired security alarm system
Install speaker wires for TV
Block and wire for a wall-mounted TV

What other projects are worth doing as long as you have access to the studs?

You'll need to install hard-wired smoke alarms to meet current residential code. This requires three-strand+ground wire run to the necessary locations -- one in the hallway leading to the bedrooms (carbon monoxide and smoke) and then one smoke alarm in each bedroom.
Seal any wire penetrations between the heated envelope of your home (such as where pipes and wires penetrate the top or bottom plate) with spray foam.
Remediate any insect or rotten wood or air sealing problems. Watch for dirty insulation as you pull any existing insulation out.
You might need to replace your fuse box with a modern circuit breaker box.


Making squeaky stairs silent My stairs are creeky and squeaky. They are probably as old as the house (100+ years) so they are probably full of lose nails, but still i‘d like to remove as much sound as possible.

I took off the drywall and found that screws have been added to the risers and treads. And some blocks have been placed under the treads. My current thinking is that i need to glue and screw a 2x4 under each tread. Would bracing betweeen the stringers also help?

Any other tips or tricks?

If there are gaps between the stair parts, pumping them full of polyurethane construction adhesive would help a lot.

If you add 2x4's under each tread, put them in with the 1.5" side horizontal and the 3.5" side vertical.


What type of tape is appropriate for pipe insulation? As a follow-up to my sweaty pipe discussion, what type of tape is appropriate for to properly seal up pipe polyethylene insulation (see photo in link)?  I would think that scotch tape or painter's tape is not a good choice.

I think duct tape is the best to hold insulation in place with but I have also had really good luck with electrical tape on the foam insulation. (Disclaimer, I am an electrician so I use a lot of electrical tape).


Am I removing too much paint from exterior when scraping? I am scraping old peeling paint from wood paneling on the exterior of the house. Should I be using a scraper only on the peeling areas while trying not to remove any paint that is not peeling?

I noticed that once I got all the peeling removed from an area, I could still easily get under the edges of the remaining paint with a putty knife and it comes off in huge chunks.

Should all this old paint be removed since it comes off so easily? Or should I only use the scraper on peeling paint and not try to get under the remaining edges with the putty knife?

This is a subjective question, but ideally any paint that's not well-bonded should be removed. Eventually it'll flake off as well.

That said, there's always a balancing act to be done. You'll have to assess the situation and proceed accordingly. It may not be economically practical to strip the paint entirely, depending on intended lifetime of the siding, etc.


Do i need to worry about leveling the floor if there are dips no more then 1/8 " I have a small bathroom ( 5' x 6' ) that i want to lay ceramic tile. I layed down the backer board and screwed down as recommended. I checked for level and i see that in some spots there are dips but they are no more then 1/8 inch. Do i need to level or when i apply the thin-set for laying the tile will it even out the dips ?

Ideally, you don’t rely on the thinset mortar to “float” tiles into level. You want to lay thinset down with the correct size notched trowel, and press each tile down firmly until the mortar stops yielding.

Whether or not the 1/8” dips matter depends largely on the size of each tile. If they are 1” x 1” tile, it won’t matter, the tile will easily handle the slight changes in the floor, but if they are 1’ x 1’ they might not.

You can correct the dips with thinset mortar and a good thin steel trowel, or self leveling cement.


Can I protect a dimmer switch circuit with a GFCI outlet? I'm installing some line-level-dimmable LED undercabinet lighting in my kitchen. I'd like to protect it with one of the existing GFCI outlets in the area. My sequence would be GFCI > dimmer switch > LED lighting.

Are there any problems with this scenario? Would I be wiser to use a different device, such as a protected switch combo or a new home run from a GFCI breaker?

Note: I'm aware that it's a violation of code to control standard receptacles with dimmer switches. Assume that I'll use dedicated dimmable receptacles such as those provided by Lutron so we can avoid side discussion.

If the GFCI receptacle you're branching from is on the small appliance branch circuit, you're not allowed to use that circuit to supply any other outlet (that is not a floor, wall, or countertop receptacle outlet serving the kitchen, pantry, breakfast room, dining room, or similar area of a dwelling unit).

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection.
Article 210 Branch Circuits.
210.52 Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets.
(B) Small Appliances.
(2) No Other Outlets. The two or more small-appliance branch circuits specified in 210.52(B)(1) shall have no other outlets.

So you won't be able to draw your power from there.
Other than that, there's no problem providing GFCI protection to lights.


Can I drill a bathroom vent through what appears to be an exterior joist? I'm trying to run a vent out from a basement bathroom shower. It's almost exactly in the middle of the lower floor. I can run relatively unobstructed through the space between the joists out to either the west or east wall, but each one appears to end in a joist (rim joist?) rather than just siding. Can I drill the vent through the rim joist, or do I need to find another route out?

Thanks!

The rim joists are over the foundation so you should be fine. That's how mine are done for bathroom vents, outside water faucets, etc.


Popping sound from specific spot on floor Six months ago my wife and I moved into a 2-story pre-owned home, custom build in 2015.  We noticed over the last few days there is a spot on our 2nd floor master bedroom that makes a popping sound when we walk over it.  The floor may have creaked before, but only in the last few days has it become an audible pop.

Here is a short link to video so you can see/hear.

It has recently started getting hot here (western pennsylvania) and we're wondering if this is seasonal (ie. just the house adjusting to changing humidity) or a more ominous sign.  The popping does occur over/near a metal duct.

Looking for advice on what the problem could likely be and the recommended course of action.  We're getting in touch with the original builder to see if floor repairs would be part of our home warranty for example.

Thanks

If your home warranty covers it, that would be the way to go - get the builder to get it right as it should have been the first time. It's even possible that trying a DIY fix may void part or all of your warranty. That's something you'll definitely want to check into for future reference, too.
If your warranty won't cover it or you want to tackle it on your own anyway, this article lists several causes for noisy floors and some suggested solutions:
Hardwood floors

If you already have hardwood flooring and your floors squeak and pop, you might try the old remedy…baby powder or powdered graphite.  Placing these powders down between the planks helps to eliminate the squeak in some cases but is typically not a long term fix.  You can also eliminate major squeaks by having a friend stand on the squeaky board while you drive a screw up from below (if you have access) through the subfloor and into the plank.  Make sure your screw is of the proper size…you don’t want it to come up through the floor (and potentially into your friends foot).  You can determine the depth of your hardwood by removing one of the floor registers.

Floor pops or oil-can noise

If your floors squeak only when you walk across them and sounds like an oil can (a metal flexing sound), you probably have an HVAC duct that is deflecting when the floor moves...
All ductwork in the basement should have a 1” gap between the sheet metal and the joists.  This allows the joists to deflect without rubbing on the metal.  If you don’t have access to the heat runs because the ceiling below is drywalled, you need to decide how bad you want the noise to go away.

Squeaking floors

This is typically either a nail rubbing or a loose subfloor panel.  If you have access from below, locate the squeaky area as someone steps on the floor from above.  Check to see if any nails missed the joist in the location of the noise.  Sometimes a nail that misses a joist will rub on the framing below as the floor deflects.
If you don’t have access and you know there are no plumbing or electric wires in the location of the squeak, you can try driving trim nails through the carpet into the joists below.  Use a trim nail with no head.  Be careful not to catch carpet fibers under the nail.  This type of repair works about half of the time from my experience.  If your flooring is something other than carpet, you are out of luck.

Squeak or tick at a wall

Sometimes a floor will deflect and the wall stays in place...
This can sometimes be repaired by removing the basemolding and driving 3” long screws through the base of the wall into the subfloor (make sure you don’t hit any mechanicals).  This secures the subfloor to the bottom of the wall preventing the nail rub and resulting floor squeak or tick when the floor deflects.


How can I control a circuit breaker remotely? We have a house in the country that largely sits abandoned. We have a large family, and we like to go visit for the weekends. When we leave the house, we turn off the circuit breakers to prevent high electrical bills. But lately, some family members have decided to "live" at the house.
    The problem: they do not take responsibility for the electrical bill. Legally we have no right to prevent the family members from staying at the house, but we want a way to limit electricity usage to those who have pay for the electricity.

What I would like is a way to have remote control of the circuit breakers. I would like to be able to have a "remote kill switch" for the electricity and the circuit breakers seem like the right place to do it. But another method to turn off the electricity, and ensure that it cannot be turned on, would work too.

Is there a way to install a "meter after the meter" or something like this?

What should we be asking our electrician to install and where?

Install a lock on the panel, or main shutoff. Then only give keys/combination, to those family members that pay their share.  Check with your local government before installing the lock, as it may not be legal in some jurisdictions.

Search for a circuit breaker lockout. A lockout is a device that easily attaches to a breaker, and prevents the breaker from being turned on. A combination or pad-lock can be installed, which will prevent unauthorized users from turning the breaker on.


Why would cinder blocks be used instead of concrete for a foundation wall? Saw this video about how to properly lay bricks and dang! It takes more skill and care than I thought. Then I saw a video about how foundations are poured into wooden casts from a big concrete truck and that looked easy. I also recently studied the building material costs around my area and concrete is a good deal cheaper per cubic meter. That raises the question though - why lay bricks if you can just pour concrete? Most buildings around here are made of bricks or cinderblock, while the only building with extensive use of concrete is the new library (and that is basically just a giant box of concrete and glass).

Those "big wooden casts" are called "forms", by the way. Very often brick is chosen over concrete for its aesthetic value. It's also relatively easy to double-wall brick for insulation purposes, but it's extremely difficult to pour two good-quality 4"-thick concrete walls immediately adjacent to each other.