electrical wiring concern Want to replace outdoor ceiling light fixture.
When I removed the old fixture I pulled down all the wires from the junction box . I did not pay attention as to how the wires were connected.

Came to find out, there were 2 feeds from the box. I now am looking at 2 sets of white, black, and ground wires.

My new fixture has 1 white, 1 black and 1 ground.

One wall switch controls this light.

Unsure of how to reconnect the wires. Please help

This answer is for North America, with U. S. wiring colors.

Do not attempt this unless you are confident you can learn the path and purpose of every wire. You should use both a continuity tester and a voltage detector, such as a small light bulb, that draws some actual power from the circuit under test.

You are looking at a ceiling junction box with three cables, each with a ground (bare, green, or green/yellow), white, and black wire. Most likely BUT TEST TO MAKE SURE one cable is the power source, one goes to the switch, and one continues on to deliver to another junction box.

You need to figure out which cable is which.

First -- with the power on, carefully test each black & white pair for the presence of line voltage. One of these pairs will light your lamp; the other two will not. If you get any other result, stop and call an electrician. Remember which pair has power. Turn off the circuit breaker again.

Next -- use your continuity tester to find which cable goes to the switch. You don't need to disconnect the switch for this, but it's easier if you turn it off.

The remaining cable continues to the next junction box and provides power to another part of your house. You should have noticed by now that some of your outlets and lights stopped working when you ripped these wires apart. If you do not see this condition, stop and call an electrician. Use your continuity checker to prove that this cable is connected to the dead outlets and lights.

When you are very confident that you know what loads are powered by this cable, connect it to the power cable, white to white and black to black, and flip on the circuit breaker. Check that the dead outlets and lights are now working. If you get any other result, stop and call an electrician.

Turn off the circuit breaker.

Now connect all the grounds together. I like to include a connection to the junction box, if it is metal.

Connect the white wire from the switch to the black wire from the fixture. Mark both ends of this white wire with colored paint or tape.

Connect all the remaining white wires together.

Connect all the remaining black wires together.

You should end up wired like this:


Sand and finish old wood floors, just aesthetic? Consider a very old wood floor.  What are the reasons beyond purely aesthetic to sand and finish it?  In particular, does finish fills the small gaps between the wood pieces, thus isolating better the room?

Although finish treatment of old wood flooring might (to some small degree) fill small gaps between planks, this is not the primary purpose (nor will it do that very well).

As you suspect, the primary benefits are aesthetics and protection. As an added benefit, a finished wood floor is also easier to keep clean.


Drilling, hit metal running vertical floor to ceiling Background
Condo/Apt building (28? floors)
Built 1993
Seattle, WA
Wall facing neighbor's wall

Need to drill into stud to mount Murphy bed.

I drilled into same area that were used for the old Murphy bed (3" screws minus 3/4" from thickness of bed frame), but hit METAL

Metal runs vertical floor to ceiling
Runs ~16" apart horizontally
Tried about 5 spots - all hit metal

Originally, I use the old school finger tap method that always worked in the past, but then hit metal 2x

Bought magnet stud finder and confirmed using that it runs vertical

Also bought Zircon e50 (http://smile.amazon.com/Zircon-StudSensor-e50-Electronic-Finder/dp/B002R5AVVY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1454125433&sr=8-2&keywords=Zircon+StudSensor+e50+Electronic+Stud+Finder) that supposedly detects electrical outlet.  Tested it around plug and it did detect from there.  No electrical warning where I drilled, so I used a small bit and drilled through, hoping it was a plate over wood.  Nope, drilled through to emptiness.

Zircon stud finder suggests stud is about 4" wide, with the magnetic stud finder sticking right in the middle.  Interestingly, magnetic stud finder is not sticking to where I drilled into metal.

So, any ideas?

Metal studs?
Pipes (nothing leaking AFAIK - liquid or gas)?

Sorry if this is a repeated question.  I did search but didn't find an exact match to this question.

Thank you for your time and advice! (I REALLY don't want the murphy bed slamming shut on me, esp if "with a guest"!)

Cheers

Quick version: You have metal studs.  Install tips below.

Long version: This is a good question with a lot of detailed information; kudos.  Perhaps I am missing something, but the information provided leads to a clear conclusion IMHO.  A building that tall built in the 90s in the US will have metal studs (99%+ chance?), so what you're finding matches expectations.

To be safe, go ahead and use that stud finder or your knuckle to confirm you have 16" OC (on-center) studs all the way across the wall that line up with the original 3.  If so, then it's pretty clear... metal studs, you have!

If you want to be really safe, or just cover your butt, ask the building super or maintenance person to stop by sometime.  A building that big almost certainly has someone who stops by daily or is maybe full-time; just find a time to say "hey, I'll be home 3-6pm today... could you stop by when you have a sec?"  They're usually happy to help.  Ask if they know the building has metal studs, and it wouldn't hurt to ask their advice for install.  If something goes horribly wrong later, at least you asked the pros.

Next, yes, use toggle bolts.  5/8" drywall and metal studs aren't designed to hold much weight, so use one toggle for every 50-100 pounds of weight to be safe.  There are lots of posts on this site about doing that, but here's a good one: If my wall has metal studs, is it better to anchor heavy objects through just drywall or also through the studs?

Depending on how your bed is designed, a plywood backer board might be wise, e.g. Can metal studs support a 64" plasma TV on a swiveling mount?  Most likely, I think, this will be unnecessary because your bed will already be designed to spread the load evenly across the wall.  Post pictures (perhaps in another question) if you aren't sure.

Finally, keep in mind that the load you're attaching will be moving a lot, unlike a TV or even a bookcase, so make sure the bolts are snug and don't allow the back of the bed to jiggle at all; err on the side of caution and put a few more toggles in than the 200-360# limit suggests in those links above.  1/2" holes are easy to patch and paint later.


Can a washer and dryer be next to a water heater? I have a GE gas dryer (DSXH47GGWW) that is currently next to an exterior basement wall.  I'd like to move it to the opposite wall (shared with the crawl space) right next to the water heater next to which is the hot water furnace both of which are also on gas.

However the installation guide says:

  2.No other fuel burning appliance shall be installed in the same closet
  as the GAS DRYER.

I don't have them in a closet; I'm planning to create a room in the basement but my appliances would be outside of that so ventilation should be plenty.

Is this reasonable to do?  What are the reasons for not placing fuel burning appliances next to each other (I already got two)?

There should be no problem locating two gas burning appliances close together as long as you have proper ventilation. The reason your manual says not to put two items is a closet is that they may create excessive heat when used together. As long as you have good spacing, good venting and a source of combustion air, you will be fine.


How can I fix a ceiling fan that is trying to spin both ways? Just installed a ceiling fan. Light works fine and I have power to the fan. The problem is that the fan will try to turn clockwise for a second and then counter clockwise and then back again. I can spin the fan by hand in either direction, then it will operate normally. It is wired to a single switch and operates by remote control. I have also tried the direction button on the remote while it is turning but to no avail. Is there a switch inside the fan that could be wired wrong? Please advise.

I am sure there are a few reasons for this but this happened to me years ago and simply the switch (usually black horizontal on/off style) was in the middle.  Turn it to the left or right.  I know that you have a remote that should change this but I wonder if it would work while in the middle position.


Load bearing walls in 1860s house We own a third floor condo in a house from the 1860s. I am trying to identify the load bearing walls in our apartment.

Wall A is load bearing because it supports the roof joists. But what about wall B? My assessment is that it is not load bearing because the roof and ceiling joists run parallel to it. However, I am having problems finding all the ceiling joists. Most are hidden under insulation but they seem to run parallel to Wall B and are supported by Wall C or A. But again, I can only see them in a few places. In addition, I poked some holes above the wood framing of the opening in wall B, and it's pretty much hollow (there is a stud right next to it).

You'll need an onsite review by a structural engineer to determine the answer.

Old houses can and are framed in many different ways and there are no rules (unless this house has been updated with pre-manufactured trusses). Often ceiling joists bear on walls when the roof rafters do not. Also, there are often intermediate framing members for bracing of the roof rafters that bear on walls, and there is no pattern and at times can be almost random. Further, the roof members will not 'calc out' meaning that they surely will be considered undersized when using current material strengths, properties and codes, and you do not want to do anything that increase the load or decreases the strength.

A structural engineer will review all the available information and give you the answer. I suggest hiring a smaller firm for better fee rates.


What does "instant wire" on LED tubes mean? I'm replacing florescent tubes with Westgate T8 LED tubes (T8-EZ4-18W-40K-F), which work both with or without an existing ballast (I remove the ballast when I install them). When bypassing the ballast, you have the option of wiring just one end, or both ends (I wire just one end).

One end of each tube has this warning:

  This end is short-circuit. Don't instant wire in AC.

What does "instant wire" mean? My best guess is that it's alluding to instant-start ballasts, which usually use shunted lampholders, so is it just saying to be sure to use a non-shunted tombstone at that end when bypassing the ballast?

The diagram seems to suggest that I shouldn't use that end of the tube if I have only wired one end of the luminaire, but I don't see how that relates to the text "Don't instant wire in AC".

The package insert and the manufacturer's website don't mention anything about this.

It means "don't wire that end of the tube to both live and neutral -- you can have it be the live-end of the tube or the neutral-end of the tube, but not both".  Whoever wrote it was clearly not a native English speaker; also, the illustration is a much better explanation of what the deal is.


Can I use the original drain line after I move my washing machine twenty feet away? I currently have a washing machine and dryer in the basement and wish to move them both upstairs. I can tap into the same drain line, but it will be about 20' from the old p-trap. Should I install a new p-trap upstairs and take the old one out, or can I have 2 in the same line, or is the one in the basement sufficient?

Also there is no vent in the basement for this drain line just a p-trap and about 3' of pipe sticking up; will I need a vent now that I am moving it upstairs?

Ideally, you should move the P-trap upstairs, and vent through the roof.
Under no circumstances should you have two p-traps in one line.  You get an air-lock between the two, and funny stuff happens.

You want something like this:


Replace chrome toilet shut-off valve My house was built in 1971.  All the toilets have these supposedly chrome supply pipes coming out from the wall and then a bendable probably aluminum pipe going up to the toilet.  No problem unless you have to turn off one of the valves, like when replacing the toilet fill mechanism.  When you turn the water back on they always leak.  Sometimes tightening the nut might work but they are all as tight as you can get them now.

I think the valves came permanently attached to the chrome-like pipe. No threads are visible anywhere.  I'd like to replace them all.  The one in the pictures is the worst.  I thought a compression fitting valve with a flexible line up to the toilet would be easiest.  I could just cut the chrome pipe behind the old valve (there is plenty of room) and then install the new valve with a compression fitting - BUT - I pulled the cover flange away from the wall and, as I suspected, this chrome pipe is soldered onto a copper pipe.  Way too close to the wall and in a tight space for any torch work if I wanted to get rid of the chrome pipe!  So, my dilemma is:  since this chrome pipe slid over the copper pipe, the chrome pipe is slightly larger and a standard compression fitting for a copper pipe would not work.  Correct?

Do they make compression fit valves that would work with this slightly larger chrome pipe?  I really don't want to do any torch work in this confined space.

You can see in the pictures there are no threads visible and you can see where the chrome pipe is slid over the copper line and soldered.

The chrome pipe and valve are a unit. The chrome pipe is sized to fit over 1/2" copper and then soldered at its end. The copper likely extends a fair bit within the chrome pipe, and it's not easy to find compression fittings for the chrome pipe, so your best bets would be to repair this valve or remove and replace it.

To repair it, you would shut off your house water, remove the valve handle, remove the packing nut, replace the packing material or any other worn parts, and then reassemble.

To replace it, you'd shut off your house water, remove your toilet line, drain the water from this area (because you can't melt solder well when there's water inside), and heat the joint with a torch. Once hot, use pliers to wiggle the whole pipe/valve assembly loose. Make sure you grip at the valve end - if you grip the chrome pipe portion, you might accidentally crush it around the copper pipe within, making the whole thing much harder to remove (guess how I know!). You can then replace it with another similar kit, or use a new solder or compression valve. I'd recommend a ball valve, aka quarter-turn.


Can I tile my shower in stages on different days? I am trying to decide if I want to tile my shower myself. Can I tile in sections on different days? Say if I can only get a few walls done and have to stop, is that ok? I have built an L shaped shower with a bench seat in the short leg. I am pretty confident I can do a good job but it may take me longer than it would a more experienced tile setter. I don't want to compromise the integrity of the shower. Thanks in advance.

Setting the tile at different times is fine but when you grout the spaces you want to try and do these at the same time or you may see some shade differences.


How can I remove a stuck tub spigot? While trying to remove the child safety cover from my tub spigot I managed to shear off the plug mechanism that activates the shower.

The guy at the hardware store sold me a new spigot and now I need to remove the old one. I've tried twisting it, but it is stuck quite solidly and I can't seem to get it off. I don't care about the condition of the spigot when it is removed, just that is comes off without damaging the pipe underneath so that the new one can be screwed on.

This is what worked for me (it's rather brute force, but functional):

Take a small C-clamp (I had a 3" one laying around) and place it in the mouth of the spigot on the right hand side with the body of the clamp facing down.
Tighten the clamp
Twist the clamp counter clockwise using the body of the clamp as a gripping surface and leverage
If it doesn't work try tapping the spigot with a hammer or mallet to jar it loose a bit then try the clamp again.

Note: this may damage the spigot a bit, it was useful to me as the spigot was already broken and all I had available was a hammer and a clamp.


Will water tank pressure vary by tank platform height? We have a water tank (1000 liters) in our slab with extra 5 feet height and want to connect another tank of same quantity in slab(no extra height), like this:

Water pump input > tank1 > tank2 > output

Will the pressure change in output or will it be the same as the original tank?

If tank2 was open to the atmosphere and there was an open line connecting tank1 to tank2, then the contents of tank1 would flow without limit into the tank2 leading to overflow.

If tank2 were sealed off from the atmosphere, then tank2 would be pressurized at the level of tank1.

If tank2 was sealed from the atmosphere, to allow tank2 to fill you would need a valve on top to bleed air until full and then you would close the valve.

EDIT
You could have tank2 open to the atmosphere if you would have a "riser" tube that goes up above the top of tank1. In that case the pressure in tank1 would be the same as tank1.


Downspout Joint Male-Female Position In a downspout joint, should the female pipe always be down and the male up?

I have recently installed my first downspout and I think I did it wrong by inserting the bottom pipe into the top one, i.e. put the male on the bottom, because now it leaks through the crack in the joint and the wall of the house get really wet.  I was thinking to put sealant in but, since it's not too hard to do, I will just replace the whole downspout and put the bottom in the joint over the pipe above it (male on top, female on bottom).  That way, all the water will be channelled down the downspout and there should be no leaks.

The part where water is flowing from, should always go into the part where the water is flowing to.

So with a downspout, the the upper tube should go into the lower tube.


Re-insulating/finishing a basement? options? I have a basement room that had some water issue due to a leaky bleeder valve. The leaky pipe did not damage the drywall ceiling, but it did get into space between drywall and concrete, as well as the carpet on the floor, so I pretty much yanked out all the old carpet, drywall that were concert facing, and all the old bat fiber glass insulation.

Now I have a room with a ceiling and bunch of wall framing that are all in pretty good shape. I understand that now days rigid foam board glued to the concrete wall is the new and better way of doing things.

So now I have couple of options:

Do it the old school way. fiberglass batt insulation between the studs (which will be touching the concrete), vapor barrier to seal the stud and insulation, then drywall.
Tear down the ceiling and old wall studs, put in the rigid foam board, re-do the studs, put in fiberglass insulation, vapor barriers, then drywall.
Hire someone to put in spray foam insulation between the studs, vapor barrier, then dry wall.

Obviously, option 1 is significantly less work and cheaper.

Now, here is my dilemma, if it was a fresh unfinished basement, I would definitely go with option 2 or 3, however, I'm only re-doing one room in the basement, the bathroom and rec room in the basement were all done in the old way.

I live in Eastern Ontario, so long cold winters and pretty mild and short summers. the basement is almost completely below grade.

Just wondering what are folks recommendations on this.

Thanks.

I think your best bet is spraying foam, then install studs and drywall over that, leaving the spacing of the studs free and able to breathe. Fully insulated walls or vapor barrier and similar practices is known to cause molding since the moisture will have no way to evaporate. So do not use any vapor barrier. Normally it should go underneath the foundation or on the outside wall.

Look what insulation and vapor barriers do.


What needs to be done before covering a shared garage wall with plywood from the inside? One of the exterior walls of my garage is directly next to a neighbor's structure.  Thus, I don't have access to this external side.   I want to cover the inside of my garage walls with 3/4" plywood.   Is there anything I need to do with the stud cavity before slapping plywood on?

It is currently not insulated and I don't have plans to insulate the garage.

The wall has a paper backing which is missing in some places (see photo).  Is it possible this is the exterior house siding attached directly to studs?  Home was built in 1955.

Yes, with the diagonal bracing and the uniform horizontal boards of which some were replaced, along with the "paper" that has some missing spots that just happens to be were damaged boards/siding used to be, I would say it is a safe bet that was the exterior of the garage at one time before the neighbors house was built.

If it were my garage and I wanted to put plywood on the inside, I would do so. If an inspector sees it, and cites you for it, then add the firecode sheetrock. Even so, adding a layer of plywood adds another layer of protection between properties.


Why is my wall-ceiling corner damp when it rains? Picture below is of an exterior wall where it connects to the ceiling (ceiling is acoustical texture; wall is flat). Water strip about 2.5 inches wide runs the whole length of the ceiling after it rains, right under the roof line and gutters.

Called the gutter guys; they said the overhang of the roof is directly over the gutter so the water should be flowing into the gutter (see drawing below). Checked the attic and didn't see any water. But somehow the water is getting out. Their next step is to put a piece of flat metal under the roof over the gutter to be sure the water can't get closer to the house.

I think it's got to be something with the gutter but can't figure it out. Am I missing something?

Do you have drip edge under the shingles, and flashing under that on your facia boards? This need to be in place before gutter is installed, otherwise water can be leaking from the gutter side closest to the house.


How high should the siding be above ground level? To word the question another way, how much of the foundation wall needs to be exposed below the siding? My neighbor isn't the best at home projects and decided to install a brick pad so that the soil is above my siding. Obviously aluminum siding on top of fire rated drywall (don't get my started) is not an appropriate foundation material, causing a lot of water damage. So I'm having him dig it out so the foundation is exposed, but I need to know how far to tell him he needs to dig.

Location is in Virginia, we usually get a good 6" snow storm every year, sometimes a lot more. Other parts of the neighborhood seem to have at least 6" or so.

Four to six inches is what my home inspector told me. Besides the risk of water intrusion, any area where dirt extends above the sill plate is a huge invitation to wood destroying insects like termites or carpenter ants.


A gentler way to chase electrical sockets I'm in the process of first-fixing a British 1930's house, and although the vast majority of the electrical chasing is done I'm still having trouble finding a safe method to cut out the brickwork for flush fit sockets. Chasing out runs for the cables is reasonably okay (Using an Angle Grinder and then removing the middle), but on a number of occasions I've had to replace whole bricks because they've either broken catastrophically or the mortar has simply failed.

This isn't such an issue when the wall is easily accessible from the other side, but I have a number to do in the kitchen and they're close together (I.e., increased risk!) and the other side of the wall is covered.

So, frankly, I'm concerned and surely there has to be a better way. The biggest issue is that no matter how I approach it, I always end up chipping away HUGE chunks of brick, sometimes up to whole quarters. And, combined with the old mortar - once that integrity is gone the whole thing just falls to pieces!

I'm pretty new to this, so please assume no knowledge on my part whatsoever - perhaps I'm doing something fundamentally wrong.

Up to know I've been chasing with a combination of the following:

Hammer and Chisel
SDS+ Drill with Chisel
Stich Drilling
SDS+ Drill with Scutch Comb

I'd appreciate any hints, tips or guides on how to do this in a safer and more gentle manner!

Been in this position many times. The problem, as you have discovered is the fragile nature of the mortar brickwork. The only way to stop it falling apart is to use tools that do not generate such a large percussive shock to the wall. One such device is a masonry saw such as a stihl. On the other hands if your brickwork is that fragile it is hardly something you should be leaving that way. Perhaps do the damage and re mortar it.


Can I raise an A/C Unit and platform up maybe 5 inches without disconnecting anything? I know there is refrigerant in the a/c unit.  I know there is a copper wire connecting the unit to the house.  From what I am reading and from the videos I have watched, I can put a 4 by 4 under the concrete pad the ac unit currently sits on.   I can then work gravel under the concrete pad too.  I have a bunch of  gravel to go into this part of the side of the house to level it out so that it is as high as the concrete near it.
Sounds good?  Anybody recommend I NEED to have an AC expert out for this?

This is such a bad idea. One of the worse sounds I have experienced is refrigerant hissing out through a pipe in a condensing unit. I tried to move a condensing unit just a inch or two so I could open up the disconnect switch to the unit to replace a contactor. The motion was enough to break the brazed connection and out came the Freon.
In addition to the refrigerant, you also have your electric supply line and a possible ground to worry about.
If you are dead set on doing this and can't wait until you replace the condensing unit as Jim Steward suggests, get an AC guy out there to remove and save your refrigerant. Then do your lifting and when done, have your refrigerant pumped back into your system.


Where to put whole house sediment filters I have a 1 horsepower water pump and 42 gallon pressure tank connected to the water company and house. Where am I supposed to insert the 3 pcs of 20" slim filters shown below. Should it before the pump, between the pump and pressure tank, or after the  pressure tank? Here is the problem of each.
If I insert it before the pump. What if the filters clog from rusts (there are many rusts and sediments in my metal pipe at house). Then the pump can suffer cavitations causing destruction of the impeller.
If I insert it between pump and tank, it can produce high discharge cavitation too if filter clogs and this can destroy the pump impeller.
If i put it after the tank. This can produce pressure loss defeating the purpose of the pressure tank.
Where is whole house sediment filters usually placed?

You ask some good questions, I would ask if the filter is rated to be on the output side of the pump. I normally install filters after the pump to reduce cavitation at the pump.
I install a string filter first after the pump to dampen the pump fluctuations some filters can be damaged so a string filter or porous ceramic that can be cleaned are my first.
then to the more sensitive charcoal and other filters. Keep in mind even on a city water system that is chlorinated that string filters can still start growing things if not changed out regularly a well water system with no treatment will need more frequent changes.
The other filters are usually based on the water quality and volume. 1 home we added a mechanical water meter inline that counted gallons as the owner requested this to get maximum usage of the filters without going beyond the MFG recommendations. Depending on water quality, well vs city the filter life varies.
the last thing I have installed is a UV treatment. I would caution don’t go with the cheapest system without verifying the lamp replacement cost. Some of the less expensive systems to purchase have 2-3x the cost of replacement so in some cases a more expensive UV purchase up front can be much cheaper by year 3.


Need help designing a garage loft I'm going to be moving into a new house that has a finished garage with a high ceiling.  I want to build a loft in the garage for storage.  There are plenty of online span calculators that should help me figure out the joist dimensions and spacing, but I'm not sure how to support the whole thing.
I'd like to avoid opening the walls, unless there's a big benefit to doing that.  The loft will be in the center of the garage, touching two walls on opposite sides (17.5 feet apart).  I'm thinking of using 4x4 posts along the walls to support ledger boards, with no posts in the middle of the garage.
I don't know how many posts to use, what size ledger boards to use, or the size and type of fasteners to use.  Is there an easy way to calculate all that?
What resources can you suggest that would help me learn how to design the loft correctly?  Are there any free or inexpensive design tools I could use to draw up plans for getting a permit?

It kinda depends on what you’re going to store up there. If it’s Christmas decorations and your empty suitcases, then that’s pretty minor load (maybe 10 lbs. per square foot). However, if you’re a machine shop salesman and you’re storing large steel samples, then that’s significant (maybe 100 lbs. per square foot).
Let’s assume something in the middle like 50 psf. (You can spread your stuff out to double check my guess. Residential construction requires 40 psf, but if you look around you’ll see empty spaces...your loft probably will be piled sky high.)
Therefore, at 50 psf there is about 5 psf for Dead Load (the weight of the lumber, etc.), which leaves about 45 psf.
Depending on the species and grade of your joists, 2x10’s can span 17’-6” and support 50 psf when installed at 24” on center or about 66 psf at 16” on center spanning 17’-6”.
1/2” plywood can span 16” or 24”, but will sag if heavy things are installed on joists 24” on center...it won’t fail, but will look unsightly after awhile if that’s important. (You can always increase the plywood to 5/8” if you’re concerned.)
I like the ledger idea because it keeps all the posts out of the garage. The load on the ledger is 50 psf x 17.5’ / 2 = 425 lbs. per foot.
I’d use 2 - 1/2” wood lags at 32” on center into a 2x10 ledger, which equals 660 plf. (I’m assuming your studs are 16” on center.)
The load is now transferred down to the footing. Adding 425 plf to your footing is not much. However, if you live where it’s swampy, or you have other loads on those footings, you may want to consult a structural engineer or architect.


Preventing Rodents (rats) from Returning to existing burrows When dealing with rodent (specifically Rats) infestation and or prevention. What is the best way to deal with new rats finding the existing burrows (even after the entrances have been sealed).

IOW - After evicting several rats and about a week past since any activity - an existing hole was re-opened. Assuming these arent the same rats, but new ones (hence the time gap) -- how/why do they find the areas of interest, and what can be done to mitigate this?

Original Question - not a direct Home Improvement Question

  CITY/ALLEYS/RATS -- I get it, they exist

  We have an area in the back yard, that had an impressive rat burrow
  under a concrete slab. After 2 months of smoke and traps, we got 8
  rats evicted. We've closed the holes, and for over week there has been
  no movement around the known entrances.

  Just this AM, there was digging at one of the most frequented
  entrances.

  Im trying to understand how rats work. Do they migrate to other
  feeding areas/burrows through the week, and are now coming back to
  this one? Or is this a new potential potential occupant for that
  burrow - but how do they know it's there?

Rats leave behind a scent as they enter and exit burrows. When you "evicted" those rats, that scent was still there and at some point, another rat came across it and thought "Hey, someone else was digging here, there must be something good there!" and started digging again. That's how you always end up with rats re-digging tunnels or chewing through a blockage in a hole, they appear to be pre-programmed to investigate anything that another rat has done and given that they tend to be prey for so many types of predators, its a good survival strategy for the species.

The thing that I found has worked is to get fox / coyote urine crystals and sprinkle them around the area after you evict them. That overrides their curiosity factor with a danger factor. You can order it on-line from numerous sources. Just be forewarned; your dogs will be VERY VERY interested in that smell too. This by the way also works to keep skunks away from going under porches and decks.

I am currently experimenting with pouring liquid ammonia around their excavations to see if that has a similar effect, based on the fact that urine eventually breaks down into that at some point. So far so good actually, but right now is the peak of their invasion season as they begin looking for places to raise their babies, so it remains to be seen if it really stops the onslaught.


Do I have a fieldstone foundation and if so, do I need to use Type O mortar? I own a house that was built in 1890. The area of my foundation that I need to work on is an exterior section that is above ground. It is the part between my driveway and where the siding starts. I believe it is fieldstone, but am unsure. I have contacted Sakrete to as what type of mortar they would recommend and they said Amerimix Tuck pointing mortar, which is only available a few hours from my house and is Type O mortar I believe. Is Type N a bad idea to use? The reason I ask is because it seems to be more readily available in my area, but I've read posts where people warn against cracking their stones as Type N has a higher psi than Type O.
We have had problems recently with mice and I would like to dig out the old mortar and fill in with the new to decrease the amount of mice getting in and to help maintain the exterior foundation. Any guidance on if this is actually fieldstone and the type of mortar that is acceptable would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Type “O” mortar is often used because it is not very strong and it’s somewhat flexible. We generally use it for “sandstone” not fieldstone and interior use only. See below:
https://www.builddirect.com/learning-center/flooring/different-types-of-mortar-and-their-uses/
I’d use Type N for exterior use.


Are there transit bolts on this dryer? We just moved into our new place and our new dryer is making strange rattling noises that sounds as if a small screw or other metal part is stuck somewhere in the machine. We checked all the accessible spaces and found no loose items.

It was suggested to me that this could be caused by transit bolts that were not removed. So before calling an engineer to come and check the dryer, I wanted to ensure this was not the case. Based on internet-research I found that these bolts are normally clearly indicated, and I can't seem to find any.

I included a picture of the back of the dryer and was wondering if anyone can confirm there are no transit bolts left?

Nope.

The manual makes no mention of having to remove transfer bolts, if the techs want to make a stink about there being bolts and you didn't remove them: no way! Not even if they do exist.

It's probably a penny. I'm unsure, but if the problem is user created this service call might cost you money even if it's under warranty. They might claim you, "put things other than laundry", in it but I'd expect better from Bosch and would hope their warranty extends past manufacturer defects.

I've never come across TBs on a non-combo unit. It shouldn't need them; there's no spring mountings, it's all bearing surfaces.


How can I install a switch to power a bathroom TV off safely and discreetly? Firstly, I'll start by saying that I have no electrical skills apart from basic changing a socket skills...

I have a small bathroom that I've decided to put a waterproof TV in. The TV is going to go in the centre of a stud frame attached to a brick wall. The wall has been boarded and will eventually be tiled. This is at the end of the bathroom, opposite the bath and sink with the wires already having been embedded behind the boarded stud frame.

The plan is to put the power adaptor for the TV in the loft above, running from a power outlet that I had wired up there, as I wanted to have the ability to switch the power to the TV on and off, so that the TV isn't left constantly receiving power fed into it (to avoid the possibly of heating it up and being damaged after a few years). I'm planning to put some kind of switch to the right of the TV, that would allow me to do this. My brother reckons this would be ok and so under his instruction, I've placed 2 2.5 T&E cables running behind the stud frame, that reach between where we intend to put the switch and the power socket in the loft. The plan is to insert the extra link of a switched fused spur (3A) between the loft power outlet to the TV power adaptor and place this switched fused spur in the bathroom, inserted flush in the tile wall.

As far as I can see by the diagrams I've looked at, the TV is going to be in the Outside Zone (not zones, 0, 1 or 2) so I could probably use a normal (non IP rated) switch but I would ideally like to use a waterproof switch, to prevent any chance of anyone with wet hands getting more than they bargained for when all they want to watch is Corrie!

I've considered using a PIR but didn't want to go this route as my Mrs will use the bath and possibly not move much whilst watching TV, so I don't want her to splash about to get the thing to come back on again. I've looked around on the net and the only waterproof switches I've see are for external use and look quite tough... I'd be happy with a small switch if possible. I've seen options like these:

A sensor switch that sits behind a wall and you just hold your hand near the tile to switch on or off - looked a bit pricey but I don't know what I'd need to incorporate this: http://www.sensor.co.uk/switches/bathroom_switch/

The Aquadesign and System Design IP 44 switches by Merten that are waterproof light switches - I can't see them anywhere to actually buy

The Clipsal switch - again, can't see this to buy anywhere apart from in Australia

The questions I have are:
Is the use of a switched fused spur safe to do like this?
Do I need (is it best) to use a switched fuse spur or is there some other way to go about this?
Would a simple cover to go over a normal switch suffice, such as this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bathroom-Switch-Protector-Plastic-Waterproof/dp/B007VCTMS6?

To give a clearer idea of the environment, I've attached a photo so you can see where this is currently up to...

The tile wall will be finished in the same red tiles that are at the bottom and as there is white in the room, I'd like the switch to be discreet if possible to fit the room as it stands i.e. no industrial grey external switches.

Any suggestions, answers, etc will be gratefully received. Please feel free to ask me anything else if what I've written isn't clear.

Thanks in advance.

Del

You could go the route of having no switches in the bathroom, and only a plug and switch upstairs Loft.

Step 1: Get a standby plug adapter, which will shut off power to the TV when its in standby mode. this will reduce electrical risk, fire and save power. - the unit has an infra-red reset switch, so when it senses your remote IR beam, it will energise the TV up again.

That way, all you need to do, is turn the TV off when you are done. and don't think about it anymore.

Step 2:
You can actually look at the new Samsung Smart TV's with motion sensor on/off switches.  all you need to do is wave your hand near the Samsung logo and the TV Will switch on/off...


Support Beam Splitting I bought an older house (1917) that had renovations done in 2009. I was in the basement earlier today with the oil delivery man and I noticed some of the support beams splitting. The inspector never said anything about the support beams so it may be nothing or maybe he just didn't do a good job. I've included pictures.

I guess I'm just curious if this is problematic or how long do you think these will last before needing to be replaced?

This is not meant to be an authoritative answer, but I have worked in many homes and buildings of similar age and you almost always see some cracks in the beams, they are usually there for decades, in fact they probably occur when wood is new and drying out for the first time.

Still it can't hurt to have someone take a look at it.  You could take some measurements and recheck it periodically, see if it is sagging or the crack is getting bigger.  If it isn't, it may be of no concern.  If necessary, they may be able to fill the crack with epoxy and / or sister on some lumber to stiffen it.


Repairing cracks in plasterboard ceiling - ok to tape over paint? I have cracks all around the edges of the plasterboard sheets in the ceilings throughout the house.  The cracks are pretty wide - about 1mm.  The ceilings are plasterboard with a skim coat and emulsion over the top, and the scrim tape is hessian (1950s house).  I'm about to redecorate and want to sort the cracks out first.
It seems I need to tape (e.g. FibaTape) and use jointing compound.  My question is whether it is ok to tape and fill over the paintwork or whether I will need to sand the paint off first?

Use fibafuse tape not mesh or paper.
Option1... the best way but more work:
If the cracks are bad the proper way to do this is to take an oscillating tool preferably with a grout removal blade and cut out the crack all the way down to the lath (this will make a bit of a mesS). Make sure all loose material is removed. Then fill the crack with Durabond 90 making sure the mud mixture is thick not soupy. Push that mud into the old lath board. After it’s dried you might need to apply a second coat. Make sure surrounding  area is clean. Apply fibafuse tape with all purpose mud. Now do finishing coats.
Option 2...
Scrape off any loose paint. Clean surrounding area. Embed fibafusefuse tape NOT MESH TAPE in all purpose mud. Now do finish coats.
Your probably going to get some bubbles In your mud since this is a painted surface. It’s just going to require sanding and skim coating to fix. All purpose mud is important when embedding the tape as it has glue in it.


Is Shimming Old Framing Okay? I shimmed the framing around a window in a 50 yr old house. Would an inspector find fault with that? Should I remove the shims and leave it in its previous state? I would simply replace the studs, but reaching the sole plate is difficult because the floor is raised a few inches. The sole plate is in effect in a little "pocket". It's hard to get my hands into the bottom of the stud bay and nail even with a palm nailer.

Don't sweat it, you improved the situation. The inspector can see it is old original framing and the header shrunk. It is what happens. It could have been left as it was, but what you did will be fine.


What is the name and function of this thingy seen attached to many boiler pipes? I see this a lot but not sure what it's called or what it does?

It might be some sort of woo/voodoo device sold to separate the gullible from their hard earned cash.

Possible example

I've no idea if this sort of device has any basis in real science but I am sceptical. As are others. Your mileage may vary.


What level of electrical service should I order, for new construction? Starting from scratch here. A transformer on the street, no buildings on the land yet.

I want to order temporary electrical service now, for use during construction. So we don't have to dig the street up twice, I want to have the wiring installed for the permanent service, too.

What should I ask for?

This is strictly residential.

EDIT I intend to use gas for domestic hot water, dryer, and range. Our summers are mild, so no air conditioning. I don't have any plans for any big loads, although I'd like to keep my options open.

Most houses have either 100 or 200 amp service. 200A service costs about 30% more, and I'd assume that cost is higher if you want to upgrade later.

What you need really depends on a few things, but the simple ones are: if you have electric heat or hot water, then go 200A. The other big loads are things like electric dryers, ovens, air conditioning, and hot tubs. Most of those are constant, but air conditioning power depends on the size of the house, and of course in general a bigger house will use more power (more lights and other electrical devices).

Here's a site to help determine the electrical service you need.

I would definitely install 200A service in a house >2000sqft, or if there was electric heat/hot water. If money was tight and none of those conditions are true, I might try to get by with 100A.

Right now I have gas hot water/heat, in a ~1500sqft house with A/C, and don't have any problems. I upgraded my panel from fuses to breakers, but still stuck with 100A because I just don't need more.


Remove head from a quarter turn tap with no screw I'm trying to install a tap (see photograph), but the tap head is getting in the way due to restricted space. I'd like to try and remove the head so that I can install the body and then reinstall the head later.
However I am unable to figure out how to remove the head. There are no grub screws at all.
Any thoughts?

Product page

Possibly the "newarc" logo disc is in fact a separate part which can be prised off, revealing a center-bore screw head beneath.  See if that's possible.
A more remote possibility is that the entire handle can be prised vertically, i.e. it's a strong press-fit onto the internal valve tubing.


Washer gets stuck in mid cycle Whirlpool Calpso washer that is about 15 years old.  It stays at 24 minutes (starts at 44) until I open the lid, let it sit for awhile and about and hour later I will close the lid and it will finish.  At the 24 minute mark it will not shut off but just make this noise like it wants to go into a cycle spin but is stuck.  Can you tell me what part I may need?

The infamous Calypso was discontinued because of design problems. The pump assembly is also part of the water input assembly. The pump gets full of lint and stops the tub balancing function. After five service calls we got rid of it. GOOGLE it and look for the complaints.


Grounding Rod Requirements I live in Mason County, in Washington State. I am installing a 100amp RV pedestal (ground mounted). I am running 4/0,4/0,20 triplex direct bury cable (not sure if going in conduit or not yet)about 160ft from the power companies transformer box that is on my property. I understand I will need a 8ft long grounding rod, but do I need to have 2 grounding rods for 100amp service? I am not sure if that only applies to 200amp service. And do I need 5/8" or 3/4" dia.
Thanks in advances
Dean

The NEC and your state codes do not reference size of service.
Washington Administrative Code 296-46B-250-053 (A)(2) Resistance of rod, pipe, and plate electrodes.
(3) For rod, pipe, and plate electrodes other than those installed in accordance with the exception in subsection (2) of this section, if a ground resistance test is not performed to ensure a resistance to ground of 25 ohms or less, two or more electrodes as specified in NEC 250.52 must be installed a minimum of 6 feet apart. A temporary construction service is not required to have more than one made electrode.
NEC 250.52 says "at least 15.87 mm (5/8 in.) in diameter, unless listed."


Drain pipe valve under garbage disposal for compost I have this idea but I don't know if such thing exists. Basically I want to build a switching / valve mechanism that connects to garbage disposal output so that I can flip it to and point the grinded waste to either a bucket down below the sink or directly to the drain pipe.
My pipe is just PVC. Is there such a switch/value product other to do the split?

Absolutley there is such a thing. you want a "greywater diverter" valve.
Many styles are available. but I recommend you pick a different location for the bucket as forgetting the valve could get messy and expensive.


I am removing some Knob and Tube wiring. Can I leave the NEUTRAL wires hanging in the walls? I am renovating my bathroom.  I am bringing in new circuits for all the electrical, and replacing the boxes.

I will have no problem capping off/removing the live (black) knob and tube wires in boxes.

However, I won't be able to cut the neutral/white wires back to boxes easily (they drop down from distribution boxes that are inaccessible in the 4" "crawlspace" between the ceiling joists and the roof rafters.  Thank you, 1938).

Since they aren't carrying any power/voltage, is it OK to just cut them and leave them in place?  Possibly adding a note so that the next guy knows what's happening?  It's not ideal, but I have no other idea how to cut them back to a box without ripping out a lot of original plaster.

I think it's very common to leave disconnected knob-and-tube wiring in the walls.  Leaving a note sounds like generally a greate idea, but I didn't understand where you intended to put the note.

I think the most important thing is to label the circuits going out from your distribution panel so it's clear which circuits still have knob-and-tube wiring.  If you know where the active knob-and-tube wiring is (physically), that would be great to document, too.  It will come in handy if you ever consider blown-in insulation.


Will a concrete roof hold the weight of a roof garden? We are planning to build a roof garden on a flat roof. The area of the roof is 25' x 25'. The concrete slab thickness is 6", and our structural engineer has provided sufficient reinforcements, as we had planned for this right from the beginning.
Before proceeding, we want to be doubly sure the roof will hold the weight, considering we will be adding a glass roof of approx. 7720 lbs (3500 kg)(including MS structure and glass weight). Add to this the weight of concrete planters, moist soil and plants (we have not calculated these), we are wondering whether a roof garden is a good idea at all...
Additional info - If we are going for a roof garden, a glass-roof for the garden is non-negotiable as we want to harvest rainwater and have invested in a large RWH sump underground.
Given the specifications, how much lbs /sqft can our roof hold?

A structural engineer is required to go over your plan and to get the permit for the glass roof addition. Your roof was not designed to support the additional dead weight and wind load on the glass roof.


Is this Radiator handle/valve a replaceable part? Do I need to drain the system first? Perhaps a stupid question...

The ON / OFF valve on one of my 1900s radiators does not turn. Pictures below. The radiator is in a permanent "hot" state.

Is the "valve" (handle and "small nut") indicated below a replaceable part? Or must I replace the entire pipe elbow + valve to replace the valve?

The small nut turns easily with a pipe wrench. I have not tried unscrewing it fully so as to not create a (possible?) geyser...

The boiler/radiators are off. If the valve is replaceable, will I be able to simply unscrew it and replace it (without all the water spraying out, without draining, etc.)? If not, can this individual radiator be drained sufficiently by itself? Or must the entire building's radiator system be drained?

I will explore finding a way to turn the handle, and re-use this valve. But assuming that's not possible, what are my options?

All images: http://imgur.com/a/Ar8iU

I have lived with hot-water heating for 70+ years.  I have never seen this valve used.  I have been strongly advised to never touch them, since the packing washer will have hardened decades ago, and turning the handle (if possible) could produce a permanent leak out of the system around the stem. All my systems have been one boiler-one circulating pump, feeding all the radiators, and one thermostat to switch the boiler on/off...

If you chose to remove the valve, you will need to shut off any make-up water supply, and drain all the water from that part of the system at or above the level of the radiator valve.

It is quite likely that you will need to loosen the large square fitting to access the washer that shuts off the flow of water through the radiator.


How to safely clean/remove recent mouse urine stain in carpet I recently dealt with a singular mouse that got into an open door (when roommate/landlord was bringing in groceries) and, in the midst of hunting down the mouse, it urinated on the carpet, leaving a singular ~1" dia. stain (that I currently have isolated from other objects in the room).

While I have since cleaned all other hard and soft surfaces in the same room (with proper disinfectants, gloves, face mask, etc.) I have not been able to get around to dealing with the carpet yet.

Given that mouse urine, both wet and dry, does pose health and safety risks, should I consider contacting a professional carpet cleaner to deal with the stain or would I be able to clean the stain myself properly (with PPE)? If by myself, would I focus on sterilizing the stained area or just on stain removal alone?

Unless you are in an area that has some known level of serious infectious agent in the mouse population, such as Hantavirus, you should clean it immediately by hand with whatever detergent you have on hand. I would clean it 2x with hot water with detergent and then rinse the detergent out. Then dry it with a hair dryer.

EDIT

See Yosemite Hantavirus incidents

You could follow the rinsing with some sort of sterilizing agent like vinegar or alcohol, which would then have to be rinsed out. Note that these might leave an odor which would persist for some time.

EDIT

You could spray some (white) vinegar on the spot, let it stand for 20 min and then clean it. I think hand cleaning would be fine for one small spot. Honestly some parts of the country are infested with mice and disease transmission is rare.


Power to dead circuit I have someone replacing my breaker panel in a couple weeks. Its old and the breakers are failing and hard to find. I have one dead circuit that I need to power up. I disconnected the circuit from the breaker, can I power that circuit by an extension cord from a live receptacle to one in the dead circuit?

In the panel just pull the wire off the dead breaker and put it on a breaker of the same ampacity that is working.

If there is already a wire on that breaker, check if the breaker is listed to accept 2 wires (a few are, e.g. pushmatic).  If not, then pull both wires off the breaker, wire-nut them to a 6" pigtail, and attach the loose end of the pigtail to the breaker.

The other option, not quite legal, is to get a power cord of same gauge as the circuit. A power cord can be obtained by chopping the socket end off an extension cord.  Have the bare-wire end of the cord enter the panel via a properly sized strain relief.  Pull the hot off the defective breaker and its partner neutral (must do both). Nut them to the hot and neutral of the power cord.  Then plug the power cord into any working receptacle.

Now, why use a flexible cord and not Romex? It's illegal to use Romex for line cord.  And it is illegal to put a plug on Solid wire cable.
Why make the Romex-cord splice inside the service panel?  Because it has to be inside some sort of junction box, gutter or panel, any would do, just the circuit already goes to the panel.
Why neutral too? Imbalance of currents / eddy current heating / other badness.  Always have the return current (neutral) in the same cable or conduit as the hot(s).


Grounding Light Switch I've been changing out the light switches in my house. None of them have been grounded even though there is a ground wire present. What would be the proper way to ground the new switches to the existing bare wires? Also how would I be able to tell if those ground wires are grounded correctly?

Here is a picture of how the switches are currently.

Clean all the crud out of the box.  Remove the current switches.  Cut the 'strip length' to just at a half inch.  Pull the ground package out to be workable.  Get two lengths of #14 bare solid about 8" long.  Wire nut them into the existing ground package. Connect new ground wires to new switches on ground screws.  Plug in circuit wires.  Using care to dress wires to separate bare wires from live surfaces, install switches and plate.


What is causing my laminate flooring to become warped? Recently I've noticed the following in my laminate flooring:

Apologies if the image is huge or unclear (I'm writing this from the Stack Exchange mobile app.
In short, there is ripples/bubbles in the laminate. I THINK the bubbling/warping began after we had someone help clean our house.  My first thought was that someone spilt water or some wax solution for hardwood floors  but it's difficult to say because the bubbling seems to be growing on a weekly basis and some of it goes under a rug where folks couldn't reach.
I'm planning to crawl under the house (yay!) to see if there is any water pipe leaks but if not, any other thoughts on what could be causing this?

I doubt it qas from rhe cleaning unless standing water or harsh chemicals were involved.  Find out what chemicals were used to clean the flooring.  Some (all?) laminate flooring is very susceptible to chemicals and recommend either only water or special cleaner.

IMO, This is most likely a moisture problem.  Check any and all sources of water near the flooring.  Perhaps a leaking dishwasher or sink is allowing moisture under the flooring.

For perspective, my wife spilled some bubble solution on our laminate and it was cleaned up less than 1 min later but it managed to soak into the seams a bit.  That seam raised up about an 8th of an inch and took nearly 2 weeks before it was completely dry.  As it dried, it slowly retreated back to level with the surrounding flooring.


Why is my Delta kitchen faucet dripping? How can I fix it? I installed a Delta Ashton single pull faucet in my kitchen about a year ago. Recently, it has started leaking both at the pivot and at the spray selector on the wand (red areas circled in the image below). If it matters, the faucet seems to only leak after the water has been running for a few minutes and we have moderately hard water.

Does anyone know what the source of the dripping is? How can I fix it? Some of the other "facuet leak" questions mention a cartridge. I don't even know if this faucet has one.

I would remove the internal hose, and inspect it for damage. Also inspect the connection between the hose and the wand head.


Is it advisable to mount an outdoor air-conditioner on a wall with brackets? I heard somewhere that mounting an outdoor air-conditioner unit in townhouses is not recommended, since vibration may propagate through the wall on adjacent units and thus disturb other tenants and even impact the integrity of shared walls.

Is this true? Are there exceptions to this?

To be more specific, I mean this type of AC units:

An air conditioner can be installed on pretty much any brick, concrete or block wall. As long as it is installed properly, there is no issues to it falling or structural integrity of the building. Air conditioners are mounted on brackets all over the world, especially where space is a premium. You can always place rubber pads between the brackets and the unit to help dampen any vibration. I suggest gently having the technician place 1 screw on either side of the brackets and condenser to keep it from being knocked off easily.

A properly leveled and mounted condenser will transfer the same amount of vibration into the building as one on a patio stone, as long as there are no issues with the unit. I find Majority of condenser/compressor vibration and noise is transferred into the home from the line set and not the brackets.


What's the safest way to do electrical when forced to stand in water? I'm working under a house and it isn't an option for a few reasons (time, equipment, etc) to drain the small 'pool' under it. Are rubber boots and gloves enough or is there other things I can do for safety?

Turn off the breaker supplying the circuit you're working on. If there are many circuits, turn off the main breaker for the entire house. You may wish to lockout/tagout the breaker (box) for additional safety.


Thin walls means lots of noise My bedroom is directly under my neighbors living room, he has crazy hours and I find myself waking up constantly. I tried talking to him and he's trying his best but it's just not good enough. What can I do (other than buying a white-noise machine which I did and is helpful but not helpful enough) to reduce noise coming from the top floor neighbor who admittedly walks around as if he weighed 5000 lbs.?

During construction of multi-unit dwellings, we install homasote on top of the subfloor (in the unit above yours).  In the ceiling, we will add a layer of insulation.  And then before installing the drywall on the ceiling, we would install resilient channel that keeps the drywall from directly contacting the joists.

Your options post construction are very limited unless you want to replace the ceiling.  Ear plugs, fans, white noise, etc, may be the best you can do until one of you moves.

Edit: If you have option to rearrange your floor plan, I'd move your bedroom to be under another bedroom instead of a living room.


How to safely make space for attic ladder installation I want to install an attic ladder in the ceiling of our 1930s house. There is no ideal location in which the attic ladder would fit between the ceiling joists, so a joist or two will definitely need to be cut. There are also wires in the way. Questions I have:

I've read that when joists are cut, trimmers need to be installed along the uncut joists that run along two of the sides of the attic door opening. Do the trimmers need to run the entire length of the joists to which they are fastened? Essentially, the entire width of the ceiling/attic?
How can I safely relocate the yellow wires that are in the way?
What are the white spindle-like objects with dark cord running through them, and can I remove them?

JBR, the white things are knobs and the tubes going through the wood are just that tubes for knob& tube wiring, since you don’t know much about electrical you may want to identify another location.  It is quite possible the old wiring is still in use.

I have a 1930 farm house that almost all the K&T was still in use 5 years ago. Just a few new circuits that were NMB cables or Romex (a brand , the white and yellow cables)

Added reference:
The NEC requires the protection of the wires per 320-23 , and NM cable refers to this section also 334.23

Be very cautious around the old K&T wiring that insulation is extremely old and I have been zapped more times than I can count crawling around in old homes with K&T.

If you add a permanent ladder you will also need to protect all the wiring, the Romex can have some boxes added and extended to get it out of the way but I would suggest a pro to do any work on the K&T if it is still in use , it can be done but not many sparkys will do patch work on K&T and some jurisdictions do not allow it.


Large sinkhole getting larger I live in central Florida.  I had a sinkhole 10' long by 2' wide by 6' deep. 3 years later it is now 25'L x 8'W x 2'D. Growing at this rate, from previous postings, it seems to be an underground stream. I'm very reluctant to try to fill it because who knows when it will stop, and it seems to be a lost cause. Can a professional stop something like this?

I think the quick lime can react with water and then will prevent the sinkhole from extending


Converting 4 wire supply to 3 wire outlet I have a 4 wire supply wire. It has a black, white, red and ground wire. I want to supply a 3 wire outlet.

Do I combine the white and ground wire?

No, you absolutely should NOT connect the grounded (neutral) conductor to the grounding (earth) conductor.

If you have two ungrounded ( hot ) conductors, and you only want to use one. You can simply cap the unused conductor using a twist-on wire connector, or similar device.

However, when two ungrounded conductors are run, there's almost always a reason. It could be a simple multi-wire branch circuit, where one of the conductors is meant to feed other devices. Or it could be a multi-wire branch circuit, where one of the ungrounded conductors is switched. The latter is common where receptacles are split to allow half to always be hot, while the the other half is switched.


How can I protect a hardwood floor from a rolling office chair? My wife's office has solid hickory hardwood floors, and I'd like to protect the floor from her rolling office chair.  What can be done to protect the floor?

Should I even be concerned about the chair damaging the floor?

In two old homes now I've shredded the wood floor under my chair, monster splinters eventually emerging.  I work at home in semi-rural New Hampshire.  I think they're very old pine floors, so softwood.  I plan to try Shepherd Brand Urethane Casters after putty and repainting.

From the manufacturer's site, "Nylon tread for carpeting, and urethane tread for hard floors."  Much buzz on Amazon about these.

Edit: After months with the new casters there are no new paint flakes or splinters. I haven't repainted the floor yet, but it appears these casters will do the trick.


How to check whether demolition brick is safe to use? I would like to reuse demolition brick from building that was part of chemical factory. Factory was closed about 10 years ago, I know that sulphides and acids were heavily used there. I wonder if it's safe to use such brick or is there any way to verify? I plan to use it as root cellar elevation.

You would need to send samples to a chemical analysis laboratory to get a more definitive answer, but the brick was likely never in direct contact with the chemicals and after 10 years I would expect they off gassed anything they might have picked up. If you don’t  notice an unusual smell from them, they are probably fine.


Should the hammer function "feel" different from normal drilling function on a hammer drill? Just bought this hammer drill to drill in very hard concrete, which it was unable to do. What surprises me is that I feel absolutely no difference (vibration while holding it, sound it makes, drilling efficiency) between when I set the hammer function or the drilling function.

The switch to select between hammer and normal drilling is clumsy though.

Question: is it the case that hammer and drilling function should always feel obviously different when using it?

Combination Drill Motors
In most combination drill motors, the hammer mechanism works similarly to this.

In this case, the lower jagged bit is fixed, and the upper portion rotates with the shaft. As the shaft rotates, the two plates slide against each other. The jagged edges cause the upper portion to tension a spring, storing potential energy.  As they slide further, the energy in the spring is released, and the weighted shaft is driven forward (down in this illustration).  This allows the tool to deliver many beats per minute, but reduces the force delivered in each beat.
This system allows the hammer mechanism to take up less space, but the limited hammer travel and weight, reduce the force delivered to the shaft.  Which is why a combination drill motor will likely never fully replace hammer drills.
Hammer Drills
In a hammer drill, the hammer mechanism is almost always separate from the rotation mechanism. This allows the weight; or hammer, to be driven independently of the rotating shaft.  As the shaft rotates, the weight will be driven into the end of the shaft, producing a linear force along the shaft.
This system will produce less beats per minute than a combination device, but will exert much more force per beat.
Feel the Beat
Because the hammer mechanism in a combination drill motor may have a very high frequency (beats per minute), and lower force per beat, the hammering action may be less noticeable.  You'll also find that while the drill is spinning freely (not pressed against a surface), the hammer action is not engaged at all.
So to answer your question directly. Yes, it is possible to not really notice a difference between the hammer and non-hammer settings when using a combination drill motor.  However, if you can't feel the hammering, the surface you're drilling probably won't either. Not all hammer mechanisms are created equal. Higher quality tools will almost always, have higher quality hammering mechanisms.


Replacing rot in wooden porch column I have a porch column which has some rot at the bottom.  These are smaller porch columns similar to http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded-6-in-x-6-in-x-8-ft-Pine-Porch-Column-709721/202087424.

I've seen some videos (e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYLNaoU5z2M) that show how you can replace just the rotted portion.  This is what I am leaning towards as I can't find a match to my existing style at my local home improvement stores.  Plus I won't have to deal with the vinyl near the top ("flashing" I think it is called, right?).

Is this legit?  My porch roof is very small, it is just over the front door and the porch itself is probably no more than 12 sq. ft.

I've watched a few videos about how to support the roof while you replace the rot.  So I feel confident enough to pull it off.

Thanks.

In a word: Yes. It is perfectly acceptable to replace a portion of a paint grade column so long as you do it correctly. The technique depicted in your video-link, however, is not up to snuff. I scoured youtube for a video to no avail but here's a image of what it should look like:

Basically you need to support the load with prop studs or elephant jacks, remove the post, then cut out any and all rotted areas (if the rot extends into the turned area you're in trouble, this requires a different fix). Using a skill saw or exceptionally sharp hand saw, form the joint on the post end then lay it on top of a piece of identically dimensioned square stock and transfer the lines with a sharp pencil or better yet a scribing knife. Cut the mating joint on the extension, check the fit, then cut the extension to length. Join the two members with construction adhesive and lags as shown and then bondo any defects and sand smooth. Re-install the post and enjoy. Oh and make sure to butter the fresh end with either paint or oil or some sort of sealant first.


Range hood - not powerful enough to clear smoke? Whenever I sear steak (or cook anything on high heat), despite having our range hood on the highest setting, the smoke alarms always go off and the entire house smells pretty bad for several hours. Aside from changing my cooking habits, I was wondering if there's anything else I can do to improve this situation. I am totally willing to replace our hood if need be, but I don't want to make an investment only to find out it doesn't actually change anything.
Our hood is currently a 36" under-cabinet rated at 400 CFM. We have a standard gas stove with 4 burners. Our kitchen is an "open space" concept though meaning it's kinda merged with the living room in the same space.
The exhaust is supposed to go outside.

Would a higher CFM hood "fix" the issue? Any other recommendations to what I could check?

As many have mentioned the exhaust duct needs to be sized properly, I have seen folks spend a lot on higher cfm fans that did no better because the root problem was the home was sealed so no air could get in to efficiently allow the hood to do its job. Try opening a window and see if the hood works better. If no change the duct may be two small, if the hood works with the window open you have a cheap fix. More expensive methods involve pressure switches and make up air from outside.


What is this pipe called, and how does it work? (Round II) OK, thanks for people's help on my last question, now I've confused myself again.

I came across this picture, similar to the last question, but I don't think it's a cleanout.  It looks like a vent to me.  I'm referring to the part in the red border but I've included the rest of the picture for reference.

Am I correct in saying this is a wet/dry vent to equalize the P-trap from the closet?  If so, I haven't seen many installations like this, why is it done this way?  (more specifically, I thought vents were usually downstream of the flow...?)

EDIT Well, I've answered the easy part of it - if it is indeed a vent, then anything after the P-trap in the closet is technically "downstream of the flow".

Yes, it's a vent for a toilet. If it were an in-floor shower, you might see a P-trap and vent, but the toilet has the trap included in the fixture.

The reason you see the vent here and not other locations is that a sink will be vented starting in the wall rather than inside the floor, and the toilet is often after the sink, making the line from the sink to the toilet a wet vent for the toilet. In the pictured situation, the toilet is at the end of the line, and without a wet vent it needs a dedicated dry vent.


removing ceiling fan and installing a light fixture The ceiling fan I took down has a black wire, a white wire, a ground wire and a red wire.  On the light fixture I will install, I've got a black wire, a white wire and a ground wire.  Do I simply wire-nut the red?

So, it's not the fan that has that wiring config, that's the romex feeding the box; right?

The fan likely has a blue wire, or another of some color, which is used to independently switch the light kit. So, the short answer is yes but you'll have to figure out which wire in the box goes to which switch and cap off the one you don't want to use.

This will leave a "dead" switch somewhere if it was, and still is, wired for independent switching. If so, you can remove the switch and replace the cover with one that has a blank where the dead switch was.


Was the brick laid correctly in this wall? Could any architect/engineer/brickmason/blockmason/builder/constructor out there give me their honest opinion of this brick wall? Pretty please! Thanks in advance. In my opinion, I feel like it's constructed incorrectly, or better said, built with low standards/quality.
Please give me your honest opinions, even if they are harsh. I feel like the brick isn't working nor laid in the way it should have been, so I want to be able to express this complaint to the builder.
It seems the mortar joints are way too big near the upper portion of the wall near the right side. And in the lower part of the wall, some of the bricks don't even seem to have the bare minimum joint thickness of 10mm. Also, there is almost a lack of overlapping in the upper courses.
Anybody please give your best constructive criticism. I really need it.
Thanks in advance.

First, you need to understand that that there are masonry walls that require a Building Permit and those that do not. If the wall is incorporated into a building or if you are located in a seismically active area or where there are high winds, then a permit is required (in the U.S.) and the wall must meet certain standards. If not, then anything goes as long as it’s not considered “dangerous”. (Because there is a meter base and hose Bibb roughed into the wall, I suspect a permit is required and must comply with applicable  Building Codes.)
Second, non-reinforced or partially reinforced masonry walls are not allowed if a permit is required.  (See ICC Chapter 21) (Many people think non-reinforced walls are acceptable for interior non load bearing walls. This is not true.) Reinforced walls have very strict requirements.
Third, you’ll need the wall tested (prism test) if a permit is required. Testing is going to be difficult because it’s usually done while the wall is being constructed. That way you’re using the same mortar mix for the test as was used for construction.
Yes, there are a few issues: 1) thickness of mortar joint (random is not allowed). 2) type of mortar mix (I doubt it complies with any mix design), 3) bond (random is not allowed), 4) ratio of reinforcement to masonry (wire will not be sufficient), 5) height to width of masonry (there’s a “slenderness ratio” that appears to have been exceeded), 6) bonding between bricks, mortar and rebar is nonexistent (basically there is a section of bricks 7-10 rows high sitting on a reinforced cage, but not connected), 7) if roof is to be installed on top of wall to reduce the “slenderness ratio” they will need their connections calculated.
You’ll need an architect or structural engineer to calculate the strength of the wall and prove to the Building Official that it’s acceptable.


How to saw inground lumber My townhouse has some outdoor stairs built out of 6" x 8" lumber. A couple of the steps are rotten and I need to change the lumber. There is also a perpendicular long piece of lumber that crosses underneath the steps, more or less flush with the ground (highlighted in yellow, in the first image below). While I am replacing the lumber for the rotten step I think it would be a good occasion to replace that other rotten piece as well. I don't want to dismantle the whole staircase for that, but I am hoping to cut off the lumber at the base of the second step, so that the new piece extends below the first step (so it is not apparent that the lumber was cut) (the red line in the second picture).

I am assuming that this piece of lumber is not structurally important (it's pretty rotten right now, and the rest of the staircase is still standing), and there will be no other negative side effect to my plan. Does anyone disagree?
What is the best way to cut it off? Maybe it's so rotten that just hacking at it with a hammer / crow bar might do it... but I am not sure.
What is the best way for preventing this from rotting again? It is pressure treated, but it rotted anyway. Is there some sort rubber sheet/lining that I should use between the lumber and the soil?

I would cut off the timber in the ground using a Sawzall type tool (reciprocating saw) that has a long rough cut blade installed. You can get blades as long as 12 inches that can easily reach into tight spots and cut the wood. Soil will wear the teeth away fairly quickly and so be prepared to replace the blade.

I've used this technique to cut roots free from stumps when removing a tree. Works very well.


Do I need a rain\snow cover on this furnace vent? Just bought a house that had a new furnace installed this summer. Vent number 1 in the image is for the furnace (2 is the water heater and 3 is sump). As you can see in the image, 2 and 3 both would require water (rain/snow/whatever) to travel up before getting into the pipe, but the vent for the furnace doesn't. I am worried that a winding raint or snowy day, and moisture could blow right into this vent. From there is a straight and down path into the furnace.

Can I (or should I) install some type of flap or add another bend to the PVC to point it down?

I did notice that both neighbors seem to have the exact same setup as mine, and this is the first house I have owned so I just am not sure.

I have the same setup, and this appears to be the industry standard for high efficiency gas furnaces.

What I have done is take a piece of plastic screen, and hose clamped it over the end due to a couple of 5 year old hooligans that run around my back yard and find such outlets very attractive for the experimental dropping of pebbles and other small items.

WARNING -- There is a danger here of the screen condensing and freezing, thus blocking the exhaust.  You should remove it in winter time.  If your local five-year-old hooligans cannot be kept away in the winter, then check it often for freezing in extreme cold conditions.


Installing a dual switch from a single switch which powers two wall sconces My living room has one wall switch that feeds two different lights/  sconces . The switch has only two black wires on the side of the switch. one on the top and one to the bottom .

I would like to install a dual switch where one of the black wires, instead of feeding a wall sconce, feeds a ceiling fan, and use the other black wire to continue to feed the other wall sconce . The sconce that I want to rewire to feed the ceiling fan has only a white wire and a black wire powering that light. However, there is no white wire coming off the switch, there are only two black wires.

Must I make adjustments to other wires that are in the box behind the switch ?

It looks like a mess in that box behind the switch , with white wires joined and two black wires joined to white and black wires .

Pictures upon request . Thank you in advance .

I think you misunderstand the design of the switch in the circuit.

A single pole switch in a circuit just makes or breaks a single wire. When it is off, one of the wires is a hot feed from the main panel and the other goes to the light. When you turn it on, it connects the two together and acts as if the wire was one continuous wire. That is why there is no white wire on the switch. Switching the white wire (neutral) is prohibited.

If you want to control the ceiling fan with a separate switch you will at least need one more wire from the switch location to sconce and on to the ceiling fan, along with the white from the switch location or sconce. (Or a wireless electronic switch could be used with a receiver at the fan location.)

Either way you need more than what you have available.


Under UK Building Codes are you allowed to add an additional stopcock? I live in the UK and have recently moved into a new home. I've been told the stopcock is "under the floorboards in the dining area" (nothing more specific). I can't find any loose carpet that's easy to pull up.

To avoid any panic carpet pulling up in future, and to avoid tearing up the carpet now, is it possible to get someone to install a new stopcock somewhere more accessible? Is there some law/code dictating only one stopcock per property?

Another option could be to buy a key for our outside stopcock, but can anyone buy one?

I don't why you couldn't install a new stop cock after the current one but in a more accessible location. We've installed shut off valves at various points so we can work on each sink/bath/toilet/shower without having to turn off the whole supply. This is just an extension of that principle.

The main argument against more than one actual stop cock is (I assume) the potential confusion it could cause.

However, you would have to turn the water off to do this - which would entail finding the existing stop cock (and we're back where we started).

Theoretically you could turn the water off outside - but, as Mike says, you're not really supposed to touch those.


How can I utilize the power at the range and dryer for other appliances? I know that the range & dryer breakers:

Serve a different type of outlet,
Are 240 volts, and
have higher amperage levels.

I have standard computer power supplies that accept 240V and are 750W each. If I calculate the wattage I can pull from 40A @ 240V, I get 9.6kW. How can I utilize this 9.6kW to plug in 12 different computer power supplies @ 750W each?

Thanks for your time.

UPDATE #1:
I found these cables after some hours of research. I want to know if this might work out.

I'll plug this directly into the 50amp outlet.

I'm worried about safety, voltage, and anything else I'm not aware of.

According to the National Electrical Code, receptacles on 40 amp circuits have to be rated for the circuit meaning they have to be 40 or 50 amp receptacles. Or you will have to hard wire your equipment with #8 wire and remove the range receptacle. Not very practical.

There are many options to power your equipment but tapping off of a range or dryer circuit is probably not as cost effective as just running new circuits for your equipment or using the range circuit to feed a sub-panel for your equipment.


Do the nails stick out at all when toe-nailing studs? So I'm attempting to do the "stick framing" method of building a non-bearing wall.  I've got pnumatic nailer and I'm toe-nailing nails on each side.  The problem is, because of the angle the nail doesn't get completely sunk into the wood.  Is this a problem, or is it to be expected?

Edit: Added pictures for clarity.  Is it ok that the stud developed hair line cracks from where the nails entered?  This seems to happen every time.  If I shake the stud it seems solid, but not sure if it's really a problem

So long as one side of the heads of the nails are touching the studs, there is no problem. These nails merely keep the stud from slipping to one side or the other, and nails angled in from each side will do the job with no difficulty, even thought he heads are not fully flush.

If, for some reason, you had to drive a nail into the narrow edge of the stud (generally not a great idea because of splitting potential), the slightly protruding head might dig into the finish material. Not a problem with drywall, but paneling or wainscotting could be a problem. You could countersink the nail with a hammer or punch, but better to avoid such positioning.


Air Conditioner - water standing in condenser housing After clearing out the overflow pipe, I still had a problem because water has started dripping in places not directly over the drain pan.
I "extended" the coverage with sheet metal, but the water is still dripping from somewhere that I can not yet see.  I looked inside the condenser housing (which is directly above the pan) and saw that water is standing there.
Is there supposed to be a drain hole somewhere on the bottom of this sheet metal housing?  (Water backing up in there might be getting deep enough to flow into the much larger distribution box where the ducts connect.)

A drip pan backing up is very common.
Look for the drain, there is probably some growth of moss / mildew and dust growing in the drain. Don’t use vinegar to clean it vinegar will Dissolve the galvanized coating over multiple uses and is hard on the coils.
The drain is usually on the outside edge and I always tilt the pan so that is the low point.


Top Fixing Toilet Seat Bolt won’t unscrew Any ideas for getting this guy on the left out? When I unscrew it I just hear a squeaking sound. Guessing that the nut has rusted onto the bolt and the whole plastic assembly is turning.
Thanks

Cut the head or the nut off with a small saw or drill.
I have even used a small hacksaw blade held in a bit of rag and gently cut through like that.


How can I fix the guard on my mitre saw? I've owned an Evolution Rage-3 mitre saw (http://www.evolutionpowertools.com/uk/build/rage3.php) for about fifteen months. About a week ago the guard that covers the blade started to stick, and now it won't move at all.

The mechanism for the guard seems to be straightforward (it should move out of the way as I push the blade down to make a cut), but I'm not much of a mechanic so I'm struggling to work out what's wrong. What can I try to free up the guard?

The parts list shows

M1 Blade Guard and Linkage     EV3BSM1 1
M2 Blade Guard Release Lever   EV3BSM2 1

From which I deduce that Wayfaring Stranger's comment is a good one to follow up. Your saw has a locking lever for the blade guard.

The User Guide also shows 2. Blade Guard Locking Lever

So maybe that lever is jammed/clogged or not in the position you thought it was?

If the lever moves but doesn't unlock the guard, you may be able to disassemble the guard, clean any sawdust and repair or replace any damaged or bent parts.


I need to know what is the name of this valve that is for my outdoor water line and where can I get a replacement? this piece is from the main water supply pipe

It probably does not matter what type valve it is. Looking at the part you show, I do not thing that you will be able to repair the existing valve, or be able to find parts to do a repair. I would replace the valve with a name brand, top quality, American made valve. You could use a gate, globe, or a full port ball valve. The part you show looks to be from a rising stem gate valve, but I could be wrong. I would have to see the whole valve to be sure.


3 pole 4 wire grounding 3 phase 250 volts So I’m trying to add a new circuit breaker for a plug because there are multiple outlets on this circuit and when everything is being used the breaker trips

The outlet is a 125/250v 4 wire 3 pole 3 phase grounded outlet that powers up a meat cutting saw.

My question is that do I need 3 breakers to power up this plug or would I be fine with just 2 breakers. Because from what I understand I can get 210 volts phase to phase so I don’t see why I’d need all 4 wires. I think that I’d only need 2 hots and a ground and I should be fine. That would mean that I’d only occupy 3 out of the 4 screws on the plug.

Thank you

It's generally a big problem when a three phase motor loses a phase, the remaining phases will be overloaded trying to make up the slack.  There are even monitors / relays to prevent running a motor with a phase lost.  So you definitely wouldn't want to try to run the motor with a missing phase.


cutting glass tiles with a miter saw Lowes sells 10" square mirror tiles that I need to cut down to a smaller size (about 6" across).  I am struggling with a handheld glass cutting tool (about the size of a pen) getting straight consistent edges.  I was thinking maybe my sliding compound miter saw might do the trick.  Just as a test I made a very shallow cut into one of my tiles, but it just shattered.  I even created a jig to keep things tight and square during the scoring process.  That worked better, but still not great.

If I buy a diamond blade meant for wet saws, would that work in my miter saw?  I was thinking at a minimum I could score the tile very evenly and then it would break off cleanly.

Any suggestions on how to get these tiles cut evenly?

dont try to cut glass on a mitre saw.  the blade goes too fast and other than the glass particles destroying every moving part of your saw (including the teeth), you are essentially trying to detonate a hand grenade this way

the key to cutting glass is the following:

1)  make sure you are using a sharp scoring wheel.  if you cant remember the last time you rotated or replaced the wheel, its time to do so.

2)  use light oil on your cut.  just dribble a little line of it down where your cut is going to go.

3)  use a straight edge.  just clamp (gently) or double sided tape a straight edge to the glass plate.  remember when positioning it to take into account offset for the thickness of the tool

4)  score once and once only.  slow, with even pressure is the key, from one edge all the way to the other

5)  put a thin wood or metal bar under the glass and push down on both sides to break the piece off.  dont try to hold one side over a table edge or something and snap down.  this technique is only for professional glaziers

6)  debur the edge with a diamond cloth, rock cloth or a diamond flat file.  dont try to use sandpaper or a sanding block.

7)  above all else, wear good quality work gloves or cut proof gloves and a faceshield or good safety glasses


Should I include an expansion joint between steps and a foundation? I am building this retaining wall that ends with steps. The steps will be on one side against the foundation of the house.

My question is should I use expansion joints between the step units (SRW concrete units) and the foundation or it'd be over-engineering?

The 2 options I found are:

SAKRETE Concrete Expansion Joint
QUIKRETE 4-in x 60-in Concrete Expansion Joint

If yes to the above question, which option is better?
Any other suggestion would be very much appreciated.

Both of your expansion joints are OK to use. And yes its not over engineering, Better to deal with it now then pay for it in the longrun.


When installing rigid dryer vent and connecting pieces When installing rigid dryer vent and connecting pieces together do I use foil tape or those circle things you put on outside with a screw to tighten?  Also is it a good idea to use duct connectors between each piece of pipe?  Thank you

Each piece of duct should fit into each other piece, in such a way that the piece closest to the dryer should fit into the piece further from the dryer.  This way,  there's no ridges for lint to get caught on.  You'll use a crimping tool, to crimp the end of ducts so that they fit into the next section.

You can then seal the seam with foil faced tape, that is listed for the use. This will prevent leaks, and hold the duct sections together.

It's not recommend to use screws for attaching sections of duct, as they could provide places for lint to get snagged.

You'll also want to support and secure the duct, so that it's held firmly in place. This will reduce the stresses on the joints.


Wire size for double pole breakers Just had a home inspection completed and one of the things advised to be corrected is the wiring running to an AC unit. In the breaker panel it's hooked up to a 30-amp double pole breaker with #12 wire.

Inspector notes that #10 wire should be used for 30-amp circuits so that the wire does not melt before the breaker can do its job in an over-current situation. This makes sense to me, but I'm thrown off by the double-pole configuration. Since the load is split over 2 conductors, does it really need to use such heavy gauge wire?

It is perfectly within reason to have #12 wire protected by a 30A breaker when the circuit feeds an A/C unit. Depends on the specs of the unit. I would not expect the average home inspector to know this.

A/C units, welders and electric motors have different rules than the "standard" breaker sizing rules. Things are NOT always as simple as a chart at the home center or a simple electrical book.

For an air con unit you would typically size the conductors to the minimum circuit ampacity (MCA), and size the breaker to the maximum overcurrent protection (MOP). This is not a hard and fast rule, but it is typical and works for most installations.

It's kind of complicated, but it's all in the NEC, Art.440, Section III.

Here is an excellent overview on Art440 by one of the most respected names in the electrical business, Mike Holt: http://www.dantespeakheatingcooling.com/upload/Mike_Holt_NEC.pdf
See Figure 440-5 and 440-6 in this .pdf for a clear explanation.


When drywalling a room, should I do the ceiling before the walls? Is there any value in installing drywall (plasterboard) on the ceiling before the walls or does it not matter?

If you do the walls first, you can end up with drywall that is unsupported along an entire edge.
Taking these walls for example.

Walls First
If you add drywall to the walls.

Then add drywall to the ceiling.

The ceiling drywall will be unsupported along the entire length of the one wall.

Ceiling First
Given the same walls. If you add drywall to the ceiling.

Then add drywall to the walls

The ceiling drywall will be supported by the wall drywall.

Blocking, or Extra Framing
If you add blocking; or some other framing, it shouldn't matter which you drywall first.


new laminate flooring over existing hardwood, what underlayment should be used? We're redoing the flooring in the whole house. We have existing hardwood which is in decent shape. a few scratches here or there that could probably be fixed. No buckling or anything. Maybe one or two spots where it feels like the floor should be nailed down again where a plank or two is loose. No noticeable squeaks or anything.

Pretty sure the hardwood is original to the house which means it was installed about 70 years ago. There are planks about 2 inches wide and then some that are around 4 inches. From what i can see, it looks like there's no underlayment under the existing hardwood and it was just nailed on top of the wooden subfloor. The only place that is different is the kitchen. Flooring in there had to be removed so it's down to just the bare wooden subfloor.

We're going with a laminate wood floor from republic floor. Contractor picked up 3mm underlayment. I don't really know much about underlayment, or installing floors in general. Just wanted to know if there's anything specific i should look out for while they do the install and if 3mm underlayment is ok or if i should get something different. Or anything else I should do/look out for/make sure is done etc.

Thanks

each manufacturer will have a list of acceptable underlayment for its product, they may even make there own. best way to educate your self is to call the and talk to tech support.


Bench Vise Restoration: Removing Spindle I'm in the process of restoring an old Bench Vise and first I'm disassembling it, so I can check parts for excessive wear, remove rust and repaint. I'm not sure what is the brand, but here's a picture of it:

I could remove a plate that holds the dynamic jaw to the main frame, letting it slide and not allowing it to move up. Below the dynamic jaw already without the guiding plate:

But the spindle is somehow fixed inside the dynamic jaw. I could notice two small holes, after removing some grease, on the bottom (picture above), and two small holes that I had to scrap rust off on the top in the same axis.

I suspect there are some pins inside there holding the spindle, not sure how though. Before I started hammering a small nail inside it I thought someone could answer if they've ever seem this kind of spindle fixing before, how it works and how to remove it/replace it.

Any ideas? Thanks!

To get the last jaw screw out try this: choose a short quarter-inch hex bit to match the jaw screw. Place the hex bit into a quarter-inch box-end wrench and close the vise jaws so the bit is trapped and pressing against the stuck screw. Use the box wrench as a handle to turn the bit and loosen the screw. Adjust the vise tension to prevent the bit from slipping.
The pair of holes look small enough to be roll pins or steel pins. They would have the hardness to clinch the groove in the spindle. Poke with a sharp tool, then use a pin punch to tap it out. The holes on the underside look smaller; there may be a step to prevent the pin from falling through. In that case it's probably a solid pin. Punch it through from the smaller hole.