Can I use concrete screws to mount storage racks through drywall into wall studs? I mistakenly brought concrete screws to hang my storage racks in the garage. Well, turns out my walls are drywall on wood, and not concrete. I don't supposed the concrete screws will work in drywall or in the wooden studs behind them would they?

Firstly, I wouldn't use drywall screws (black oxide) to hang any load heavier than the small portion of drywall they're designed for. Drywall screws are very brittle and don't tolerate bending well at all. Gold construction screws, sure. Good quality deck screws, sure. Not actual drywall screws.

Then, concrete screws are often heavier in diameter and thread depth, so they'll grab the wood in your studs just fine. Even if they're lighter-duty 3/16" screws they'll be ok if you use enough for the load. You may want to pilot for them since they can be quite chunky. The only concern is length. You'd want to be into the wood at least 1-1/4" for anything of substantial weight.


Do modern refrigerators and freezers benefit from point-of-use surge protection? If so, what type of protection is recommended?  And is it still needed if you have a whole-home surge protector installed at the load center? (I do, FWIW).

There are some common misconceptions, even with experienced electricians, with respect to surge protective equipment.
Most common surge suppressors are shunt type and function as parallel devices.  When you use a power strip, it doesn't block surge current from reaching the receptacles, it bleeds off surge energy before it gets to those receptacles.
The electronic component that achieves this function in most commonly available surge protection is a metal oxide varistor, or MOV.  MOV's come in different sizes and different qualities with respect to how they react to voltage changes.  Some MOVs are more sensitive than others.
Shunt type surge protectors like MOVs work better when they are closer (in wire distance) to the protected equipment due to the effect of the inductance in the wires.  Longer leads to the MOVs and longer wires to the protected equipment have more inductance and allow more surge energy through to the protected equipment.
The whole house protector on your panel is good,  but it's better still to have point of use surge protection as well.  The point of use protection will usually react faster (more sensitive) and will allow less voltage through to the protected equipment.  The panel protector protects everything in the house and helps dissipate some of the energy so the point of use don't have to do it all on their own.
The major components of appliances are generally pretty robust so traditionally people use more basic point of use surge protection for them.  The receptacles with built-in surge protection were consider pretty basic but adequate.
However everything has a microcontroller any more, and nothing's repairable any more - appliances are made to be disposable - and they are certainly more expensive than ever.  So it makes more sense to use better point of use surge protection for appliances today.
MOVs are sacrificial.  Sometimes they get hit with a big surge and explode.  Sometimes over time they erode blocking smaller surges over time.  Usually the MOVs in appliances are on the small side and don't have a real long lifespan.  I have never seen an appliance that lets you monitor how much life is left in the MOVs.  So although it's good that there's surge protection in appliances, it still makes sense to use point of use surge protection.


Caulk around bottom of toilet? We just got a lovely new vinyl bathroom floor put in.  The edges (wall, tub) are nicely caulked but not the base of the toilet.

I did read What kind of caulk to use in order to caulk the toilet to the floor? where everybody said "don't caulk," but I'm concerned because the toilet sits three feet away from a washing machine.  The floor isn't perfectly horizontal.  It slopes slightly down toward the toilet.  The washing machine might leak, or someone might pull something wet out of the washer and drip water on the floor.  Also, another three feet in a perpendicular direction and we are looking at a bathtub with shower curtain.  More opportunities for spills.  I don't want spilled water to get under the toilet.  This was a problem previously with the washing machine I used to have (was just replaced a week ago).

At that linked question, I read that if you caulk, then you should leave a gap in the caulk around the base of the toilet.  I guess I could pick a segment that is at a maximum distance from both the washer and the tub.  Is a one inch gap enough?

Underneath the vinyl flooring (that was cut from a long roll at Home Depot) is plywood subflooring.  Under that is a primitive cellar.

This is an argument that seems to never end. I work for several hotels and in every single room the toilet is caulked. It just plain looks nicer and it helps to stabilize the toilet. Some say that it will hide a leak but that makes limited sense. If a toilet leaks at the base, it's usually related to the flange leaking. Now, if the toilet gets cracked for some reason you might get a leak there but that's rare. Also, what if someone or an animal urinates and it gets underneath the base of the toilet? How would you clean that? Consider just water sitting under there and stagnating. I'm a big fan of caulking around a toilet. Although, you have to do it right. Use tape if you are inexperienced and don't buy anything cheap.

If you do choose to caulk, use a 100% silicone mold-resistant caulk like GE.


Fruit fly type bugs always appear in the kitchen when the weather heats up I have lived in my house for two springs/summers now and each time when the weather heats up it seems like the fruit fly type bugs just start spreading around the house like crazy, mostly from the kitchen. I have a regular pest control guy and he suggested pouring bleach down the drains. That, combined with a trap using apple cider vinegar seems to contain them sort of well, I have to pour the bleach down the drains on a regular basis and redo the trap as it fills up quickly. Also, I make sure to put away all food so it's not like I have a bunch of stuff out on the counters.

They obviously hang out/breed in the drains and my kitchen has a sink with two drains (really both meet up and go down the same pipe) and I don't have a garbage disposal.

Would a disposal help at all? Is there anything I can do to keep this from being a problem again? The weather is heating up again and I really don't want to deal with this another year.

These small flies are very hard to keep out because they are so small, so I think looking for what is attracting them is a better long term solution.  This is a guess, but I think that using bleach in the drain is probably masking the scent of what is truly attracting them.  A small flying insect making it's way through a water-filled P-Trap under the sink is unlikely, and unless you also have a sewer smell coming from the sink, the P-trap is probably working correctly.

Look for dead portions of houseplants, fruit or veggies that have fallen behind a cabinet or the fridge or in the cracks next to the stove, etc.  Clean, clean, clean.  Pull out the stove and the fridge and clean.  Empty out the cabinet under the sink and clean that very well.  Pull out everything from the pantry and get rid of the expired stuff, and clean.

I'm in Texas as well and anytime we have had tiny little flies at our house or my mother in law's, its been from potatoes that were forgotten or something else that was leaking or rotting out of site that we didn't know about.


Should I use longer screws or cardboard shims for fixing skewed doors? I have several interior doors on all three floors of a house that are skewed to the point that the latch no longer slides into the strike plate. If the door has a lock, this means I cannot use the lock. The gap gets wider towards the bottom and wider towards the right (when on the "inside" of the door). I have no idea how the doors have become skewed.

I'm told a good resolution to this problem is to put cardboard shims on the middle and bottom hinges on the jamb as well as the door side. I've also been told to use longer screws to pull the door in. Which do you think is smarter? My initial thought is to do the shims, because you are not hurting any wood. But I'm not sure if the shims are less of a "solution" and more of a "hack".

Cardboard shims have been a long time fix for door hinges to adjust the gap. Make sure first the screws are still holding. If they have gotten loose then it may only need tightening or perhaps filling the old hole with carved dowels and resetting the original screws to get the door to draw back in place. You may use longer screws to accomplish the same thing.

Another issue with houses over time is the floor framing shrinks or sags over the span and the door will not line up at the strike because of the jamb has lowered on one side more than the other. To fix this will take more than resetting screws or adding shims behind the hinge.

I can write more on this type of fix if you find that may be the case.


Wet Saw Blade Replacement Guidance I am borrowing a friends wet saw.  I tried a few cuts last night and it was leaving small chips in the tile so I am assuming that it needs a new blade.  This is my first rodeo with wet saws.  In researching this I noticed there are a few styles of blades on the market, what are the pros/cons of each of the following types: continuous, turbo, and segmented?  I am cutting 12 ceramic glazed tile if that matters.

I find it helps to go very slowly if you want to reduce chipping.  Even with a brand new blade there will be some small chips when cutting the ceramic tiles, but when you lay them the cut edge will not be exposed because you'll lay your cuts against the inside edge/wall of whatever you are tiling, and your grout will hide it anyway.


Room Light Switch Malfunction I have a standard, on/off light switch for the fan/light in a room.  The past 2 days the light does not want to turn on when the switch is flipped "up" it wants to turn on when the switch is almost in a half-way position between "up" and "down"

The light will remain off when the switch is "down" and the light will remain off when the switch is completely flipped "up".  There has been no electrical work done, no storms nothing altered or changed in that room or the home.

Is this switch just wearing out (it's only about 8 months old) or what could be causing this issue?

Your assessment would be correct as it sounds like a bad switch to me. Age is really no factor. I cannot begin to tell you the number of new products I've bought and/or installed over the years that we're bad straight out of the box.

$2.00 and 5 minutes and you should be switching right again!!!


Articulating Mount 65" led TV - 1 stud I would like to mount a 65" led TV on a wall where I can only hit a single stud - the studs are 24" apart and the TV weights approx 75lbs.

This particular mount can extend 2FT out from the wall, and will be used in that way. We'll tilt the TV so that it actually sits kitty-corner in the room corner. I've looked for corner mounts but cannot find one which accommodates the 24" stud spacing.

The layout of the wall goes like this from left to right

window -> stud1 -> stud2 -> corner of the room

stud2 is 24" from the corner and stud1 is 24" from stud2, leaving 9" between stud1 and the window.

Plans:

Lag the TV mount into stud2 with 2 lag screws and use toggle bolts for the remaining holes. I fear this plan would end in my tv being smashed and my wall ripped apart.
I have a sheet of 3/4 oak plywood - I could cut a 12-14" wide strip and mount that from the window to the corner, and then mount the TV to that plywood. Using this plan I could hit stud1, stud2, and probably a stud near the window itself.

Will plan 2 support the weight of the TV at full extension? If so I have a couple more questions

Should I lag the mount through the plywood into the stud where that is possible?
How should the TV mount be secured to the plywood? large wood screws? Or would it be preferable to use toggle bolts through the plywood?

Plan 2 (solid plywood) for the win. That kind of weight (with extra leverage) would be terrible in just drywall with a single stud. Speaking of leverage, if you can consider making the strip of ply a little taller (like, 2'), it should be a little more solid. (Admittedly, this might be overkill.)

In addition to getting the plywood into at least 2 studs, you'll probably hit something in the corner as well, which is good.

Where you have a stud behind, you might as well use a longer lag to catch both the ply and the stud. Where it's just drywall, I'd be comfortable using a stubby (like, 1-1/2") lag, but a sturdy toggle wouldn't be bad either. (Or you could put t-nuts on the back of the ply and use threaded bolts.)


Tiling over 1/2in subfloor with 1/2in Hardiebacker I just pulled up the hardwood floor in the house I just bought, and found that there is 1/2in plywood subfloor. House was built in 1982. Joists are 2x10 16"OC.

The room is 16x13.

The person who built the house used 1/2 subfloor throughout the house.

In my kitchen, is it OK to put thinset on top of the 1/2in subfloor, then 1/2in hardiebacker on top of that, then porcelain tile? I spent most of the day reinforcing the floor from the basement with small pieces of 2x4's between the joists and along the floor seams. Then went over the entire floor to secure it tightly to the joists with 3in nails from the nail gun.

The only issue is if we put down 5/8 on top of the 1/2 subfloor, then thinset, then 1/4 hardiebacker, then tile, the floor is almost an inch higher than the dining room floor coming off the kitchen. Not sure what else to do since the entire house is using 1/2in subfloor.

Sounds like you got it under control, but what you might consider instead of 5/8 inch plywood is 1/2 inch plywood (so now the floor is 1/2 inch higher). This is plenty thick for a finish tile floor. It would be wise however to install the new plywood sub-floor perpendicular to the plywood floor it will cover. Also consider fastening it with screws and or ring shank or spiral nails. Bridging between floor joists was the way to go for added support under the floor. Give a final check by walking the floor listening for squeaks and looking for any deflection (bounce). To accommodate the 1/2 inch difference in floor heights, purchase or cut a transition strip of hard wood.


Can I install two GFCI receptacles on a multiwire branch circuit? I am wondering if I'm using a 10/3 teck cable to power two 20 amp GFCI receptacles for a temporary power situation, can I use two separate single pole 20 amp breakers at the panel for each receptacle.
Meaning i took Black wire to one receptacle, Red to other receptacle and pigtailed neutral and shared it between receptacles.

Will it work? Why or why not?

Is it to code?

I'm not sure what the codes are like in Canada, but here in the US the only problem you'll have is that you're using two separate breakers. Thought the problem can be overcome by installing a handle tie, to link the breakers together.

As for wiring the GFCIs, a diagram can be found in this answer.


How to repair anchor holes and re-mount bathroom tissue dispenser I need to repair the holes where tissue bracket was installed, then re-mount it. About 3 inches behind the drywall are bricks. I thought about re-mounting it with 1 inch toggle bolts after repairing the holes with drywall tape.

If you  are repairing the wall and re-installing the tissue dispenser it would be wise to "multi-task" the repair.

Cut the damaged area to an opening smaller than the length of the dispensers screw holes. Cut a piece of 1/2 or 3/4 inch plywood 2 inches longer and slightly narrower than the cut you just made. Secure the plywood into the wall incision so that it will be held in place by a screw at each end of the wall opening (the plywood should extend an equal distance behind the drywall).

The newly installed plywood can now be used to attach a drywall plug and then the dispenser.


Why is the street “weeping”? There is a section of street outside my home that is always wet, even when hot and dry outside. The neighborhood is under construction (all new homes).  I have not experienced any plumbing issues. Why might it be doing this?

The wet spot in your street could be from 1) broken waterline, 2) broken storm sewer line, or 3) natural well.

Obviously it’s a rising watertable and appears wet in that location because of the type of “fill” in that location.


What to do about a tile floor that with globs of thinset 8 months after my general contractors had laid out the new tile on the bathroom floor, I noticed one of my large format tiles starting to wobble.  It got progressively worse so I removed it and discovered that the thinset had not been laid out with an even trowel field.  It was literally 5 globs on each corner and the middle.

It looks like the the same treatment applies to the rest of the floor.  Handyman came in and helped re-set the one tile, but I constantly hear bending and bumping on the floor.  Nightmare?  Not sure if I should ask them to come back or sue if they don't?  Does it ever make sense to apply globs of thinset or were they just inexperienced and or lazy?

I've never seen tile installed this way. I've seen installers glob it down, but then trowel it out. Tile needs to be installed on a flat, sound surface or  it will "bend" and will break or loosen over time. what type of guarantees did you get from them? I'd put them on notice and get them out there when the next tile pops off.


How to add a fuse/breaker to an extension cable I have a Bayco 800 cord reel  that (insanely!) has a non-replaceable 10A fuse in the outlet that I blew.
I was going to replace the end with something like This: , but then I'll have a 16awg wire (in the reel) on a 15A breaker.
Is there any way to add a 10A breaker-like-device to a 3-prong outlet so just this reel will be protected from > 10A?
If not a breaker, is there at least a way to add a replaceable fuse to a 3-prong cable?

Fatal flaw: You can't use extension cords coiled up!
This entire product's very design is faulty.   Obviously the design intent is that you furl out just as much cord as you need, and then leave the rest neatly on the spool.  But you run smack into NEC 310.15(B)(3)(a):

A spool counts as a raceway.  That spool could potentially hold 11-20 wraps of wire.  Hot and neutral count but ground does not, so that's 22-40 wires.  The table calls for a 40% derate - very extreme.  Normally, wire ampacity is limited by several other derates, fortunately this does not stack with them, it derates off the "theoretical perfectly cooled" ampacity.  At 90 degrees C, that is 18 amps for #16. 40% of 18A is 7.2 amps.
(and we're being generous here; if we hold #16 to 60C temp, your limit is more like 4A).
And when you violate that, you get this.

As you can see, this product is a total loser from the day it was drawn on the back of a napkin in a bar.
And that's where the CE rating came from.  These epsilon-minuses had lined up the factory and faked their CE rating before they even realized you need a UL listing (or other third-party Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory) to sell in the United States.
UL told them to take a hike.
CSA told them to take a hike.
ETL (by golly, when there's a marginal product in need of approval it always seems to be ETL), approved the product on condition of adding a fuse.  So they had two choices: be yet another Chinese seller shoveling junk onto wish.com, DealExtreme, Amazon and eBay... OR, be in Home Depot.  So they bit their lip and said "alright, fuse it is".
Hey, the NRTLs certify safety, not product quality or fitness of purpose.
Then you decide you want to modify it.
Statutorially, this is modifying equipment contrary to instructions, and is a violation of NEC 110.2 and 110.3(B).
You could do it (illegally) by terminating the cable with a junction box* this is illegal, and fit a furnace-style fuse (a fuse and switch or socket in the form-factor of a common receptacle).  You see this all the time around construction sites, usually made of a 4x4 steel junction box and a domed cover. I don't like it because those knockouts are actually pretty fragile, as will be the fuse and cover in your case.
Bottom line is that a "reel up extension cord" of this type is a very concept which is technically infeasible.
The only way to make that work would be to use 90C-rated #10 wire.  At that point you're coming off a 40A derate at 40% giving 16A.  Or, make the drum large enough that the wire only wraps around it 4 times - that would require a 2'4" drum in your case.
#10 wire is a fair bit more expensive and would more than double the cost of the reel.  But if I wanted that, that's exactly what I'd do. Get somebody else's cord reel that lets you use your own cord... and use #10 cordage.

* By the way, now watching this video, the builder made a very poor choice of cable clamp. They make proper strain-relief cable clamps made for cordage (that one is made for Romex). And you have to ground to the metal box, which then takes care of the outlet grounding. And the person recommends a "screw-and-clamp" spec-grade recep but doesn't explain that adequately. Amateurs!!!


Can I knock down this wall without the whole place collapsing? I have a partial kitchen wall I'm trying to tear down. I took out the ceiling drywall and there are long joists running perpendicular to the wall which made me think the wall might be weight-bearing.

The partial wall does not have a double top plate, but the weirdest thing is that the joists are made up of two by threes on the top and bottom with a long thin sheet of plywood between the two, sort of like a long wooden I beam.

The first picture shows what the interspace of the joist looks like. The second picture shows how the rest of the room requires no supporting beams. The third picture is a close-up of the plywood between the 2x3s seeming to act like some kind of wooden I-beam.

These plywood joists don't end above the kitchen wall like a normal joist would on a weight bearing wall, and the rest of the room is completely open with no supporting walls.

Do you think I can knock this wall down? And not have the place collapse?

You need to get it evaluated by a qualified engineer.  Do not proceed until you have.  The stakes are too high to risk it.


How can I block this venting from rodents? As a follow up to this question, I have two 54' x 3 " gaps running the length of an overhang in my roof supposedly for venting.  I believe these to be the point of entry for some squirrels and who knows what else.  I bought the house as a foreclosure, and when I asked the housing inspector about it, he indicated they were by design for "venting."  At the time I thought, great no rodent on my roof will have a hard time getting in there.  Turns out that was true.  Would covering these with a screen be the best course of action for preventing entry?  I feel like that would barely slow them down.

What is the best way to seal this?  I would try running the length with sub-flooring, but that seems like it would exclude the "venting" idea if that is in fact needed.

If screen is the best choice, is there a material, grade, mesh, and/or thickness that would be recommended?

Is this on the money when it recommends:

  The use of ½-inch x ½-inch screen is a reasonable compromise between
  ventilation requirements and rodent control.

The soffit vents are an important part of keeping airflow under your roof, lowering your cooling costs in the summer, and preventing ice dams in the winter.

You can screen over the gap, but I would look for a soffit vent strip that you can fit into the gap to give it a nice look and prevent any animals, or even insects, from getting in. My newest ridge vent included a plastic mesh underneath that wouldn't rot but would keep out any leaves and most insects. If you can find something like this for your soffit vent, that would be the best of both worlds: decent appearance without any bugs.


How do I design the circuit for baseboard heaters? I am designing the circuit(s) for my basement apartment (cca. 800 sq ft) baseboard heating solution.  I am planning to buy Berko HBB Series heaters and distribute them as shown in the below table.  All have a voltage of 240/208.

Location        Model       Length(in.) Watts       Amps
-----------------------------------------------------------
Living Room     HBB1504     70          1500/1125   6.3/5.8
Bath            HBB504      28          500/375     2.1/1.8
Bedroom         HBB1254     58          1250/938    5.2/4.5
Hallway         HBB754      34          750/563     3.1/2.7

My questions are:

Should I split them into two circuits (living room and bathroom in one, bedroom and hallway in the other) or is it OK to keep them all on one circuit?
Is the voltage a factor in determining the wire gauge?  I know that the amperage is.  E.g. if I split them in two circuits so that each circuit bears less than 10A each, can I go with AWG 14/3 even though the voltage is double than usual?  Or simply put, which AWG should I use for either scenario from question 1.?

I have an extensive experience as a DIY electrician, I have pretty much rewired most of my house and have set up one 240/120 circuit for my dryer (used AWG 10/3).  But this is considerably lower amperage so I am not sure what AWG to use.

Sizing conductors and breakers
Almost all wire you can buy will be rated at 600 volts, so you won't have to worry about voltage when sizing wires.  What really matters is current.  Your wires will be sized to carry enough current for the load, and your breaker will be sized based on the wire used.
When installing electrical devices, it's always a good idea to check the manufacturers installation instructions (PDF).  In this case, it has this to say...

As the table shows, you can connect up to 24 amperes worth of heaters to a single circuit.  However, if you do this, you'll have to use 10 AWG conductors and a 30 amp breaker. If you only want to use 14 AWg, you can only put 12 amperes worth of heaters on a circuit.
Number of conductors
Since these are 240 volt heaters, you'll only need two conductors (plus a grounding conductor). If you're going to use nonmetallic sheathed cable (Type NM), you'll need AWG/2 with ground, not AWG/3 with ground cable.


Two white and two black wires in ceiling box Im trying to install a replacement light and the box has 2 black, 2 white and 2 ground wires, but my fixture only has one of each.  I didn't really pay attention when i was pulling everything apart...  Anyway, the light is now on and won't turn off so I'm guessing just wiring all black to black, all white to white and all ground to ground was a bad idea.

How should this be done?

EDIT:   We used a voltage sensor and discovered that one line is always hot.  Wired it to one of the white lines and hooked up the others to the light.  We now see intermittent flickers, but it won't light up.  Wondering now if I did caused damage to the dimmer switch earlier.   Will put a regular switch in and see in the AM.

EDIT 2: Dimmer switch was bad.  Janessa's answer explained what was going on, and the two comments below are correct in saying I shouldn't be working on it.

Alright there are two options.

1.Either your light was fed power from the panel (or a plug etc...) first.

OR

The light switch box was fed power first and your light has two cables in it because it goes to another light after that one.

You need to first figure out where your strait hot power is coming in from. I understand that you believe you have found it. Just make sure to double check. Like you say use just a basic light switch (not that dimmer) and test for hot again. Is that wire you believed was hot , still hot when you have the switch in an up and down position? I will give you both options for wiring below. If there is power in both the up and down position of your light switch, than that is the hot power.

If the light was fed power first than here is how you connect the wires. Take your black (hot all the time wire) and marrett it onto the white of the opposite cable (that brings hot power down to your switch). On the same cable (the white you just used that goes to your switch) put the black wire onto the light (under the copper looking screw). Now you have one white wire left (it goes back to your panel somehow or another) so attach that to your silver coloured screw on your light. Done. You have a path, the hot going thru your switch, coming back to the light as switched power, going through your bulb and back to your panel.
If your hot wire feeds your light switch first. Heres how you wire it. Your switch box will be opened from testing and finding constant hot power in it so lets start there. Take your always hot black and put it on your light switch, than take the other black in that box and put it on the light switch. Take your white that is in the same cable as your always hot black and wire nut it with your other white. Now go up to your light box. Take the two blacks and wire nut them together with a pigtail. The pigtail will go to the copper coloured screw on your light. And take the whites and wire nut them together with a pigtail that you put on the silver looking screw on your light. Done. Power goes thru your switch, out of the switch to the light, thru the light and back on the white/neutral to the panel.

If you are using a light that you do not attach to screws you attach to wires, than the copper coloured screw is the equivalent of a black wire. And the silver coloured screw is the equivalent of a white wire. Your dimmer might be ruined but just try first with your basic switch and than add the dimmer in after to see if its ruined...

Have fun!


How to determine if a Water Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) is working properly I've been trying to track down water pressure/flow issues throughout the plumbing in my entire house, but haven't found anything which made any significant difference. For example, I discovered that the main valve and a few others were not fully open. I am able to access all other valves and they are fully open. All lines are copper. My house is a single level with a basement (where the main is located). My neighbors do not have any problems.

Here's my configuration:

City Water -> 3/4" lines -> main -> gauge (reading is maxed out over 100 psi) -> PRV -> gauge reading static 60 psi -> valve -> continue 3/4" lines feeding 1/2" lines for all fixtures.

I have a thermal expansion tank with the hot water heater which is also set to 60 psi.

As soon as any water fixture is turned on (sink, shower, toilet flush, washing machine, etc.), the pressure on gauge immediately following my PRV drops significantly (falls to 20psi or less). As a result, trying to use a second fixture is difficult and a third is near impossible. Additionally, I attempted to turn all water fixtures through the house on. During this test, the water fixtures on the main level did not put out any water.

I'm inclined to believe there is an issue with the PRV. Is that the right place to be looking? Should a PRV have such a large drop in pressure when one fixture is open?

I replaced the PRV with an exact match and it fixed the issue. It was a fairly straight forward replacement since the PRV had one union and my backflow preventer (about 10" down the line) had another.


Shower makes loud squealing noise at lower settings I have an older three knob shower that make a ridiculously loud squealing noise along its pipes all the way down to the basement. It outputs water at a quite a high pressure and whenever I try to lower the hot/cold settings it starts squealing. Its more apparent on the hot knob so I have to leave it at high-max which ends up quickly depleting the hot water heater tank. Any suggestions on how to mitigate this?

You should start by opening up the unit and replacing the bibb washers. When worn they can vibrate and cause unholy squeals.


furnace high limit switch measure 74-96 ohm, is it bad? continue last question, I am struggling with the Carrier furnace, repairing almost 1 month by myself.Now I find the high-limit switch has problem. I measure the high-limit switch is jumping between 23-96 ohm. May I judge it bad ?? I watch the video class that  high-limit switch is 0 ohm that is good.

The limit switch should show a resistance of very near zero ohms when it is in the closed state. Sometimes your meter may show one or two ohms of resistance due to the meter leads if it has not been calibrated to null out the wire resistance. This would be more noticeable with a digital meter.

Make sure that you test the limit switch with the wiring removed from the switch. Sometimes if you try to measure a switch that is still connected into the circuit you may see an ohms reading that is above zero when the switch contacts are actually open. This reading coming from the attached circuitry. Under such condition you could incorrectly conclude that the switch was faulty by not noting the other state of the switch.


Are there any cons to use a T-fitting into two ball valves instead of one combinated (Y-valve or similar) valve? I was just wondering, because I could not find a cheap combinated valve (not from the US) for my sink and washing machine hoses and all of those I found, even tho they were overpriced, were not even ball valves.

So this route is much cheaper, but what matters to me the most is if there is any negatives to this approach (or if its possible at all for my case)?

I assume you are asking to be able to independently turn the water off for the sink or the washer. The only issue you could have with a T is running water past the right angle connecting pipe. If you do this run water line in into the singular and let it split out to the other two ends that are in line with each other. (See the picture below)

The reason for this set up is what is the siphoning effect , as fluid passes the singular it will have a tendency to create a suction - siphoning water from that line , also no resistance one way could allow more water to flow in one direction (unrestricted) and not flow in the other - so if you follow this rule as per the picture - you should not have any issue.


Is a PTHP an HVAC option for a super or well insulated structure? Is a Packaged Terminal Heat Pump a good  HVAC system for a structure that is super insulated or passively insulated assuming the unit is sized and fitted to meet the needs of the structure.

There is not really much mentioned about PTHP and very well insulated buildings. Every publication out there dealing with well insulated structures seems to be all mini split ductless or small duct high velocity hvac systems. Are PTHPs worth considering in place of the other just mentioned options? Below is a potential list of advantages and disadvantages that I came up with for considering a PTHP system, it seems to have some pretty good advantages. Why are we not seeing more of these in well insulated building projects, am I missing something, sans the larger whole in the wall I would think these units would work well where a mini split wall unit would go?

Advantages

more reasonable pricing than ductless split systems
Usually offer inlet fresh air vent, that could be worked into a low cost fresh air vent with a exhaust vent wired into the fan thermostat circuit.
Ususally offer standard 24VAC thermostat control, perfect for smart home integration.
Reasonably efficient depending on which models selected with a range of 10-13 EER.
Usually has back up electrical resistance heat as a 2nd stage heat option for colder climates
Available in under 1 TON sizes as small as 7000 BTUs

Disadvantages

Potential an issue since it will require a large about 43" x 16" hole to be placed in the wall, not sure if this would be a massive air / thermal transfer leak surface area even if a air tight seal is accomplished around the unit
Usually do not have a dedicated de-humidification / dry  mode like many mini ductless systems do
Is not a efficient as mini ductless systems

The point of a super insulated home or a Passive house is that they rely on the body heat of the occupants plus the heat from the various gadgets in the home to keep them warm, with the insulation slowing the heat loss.
A home built to Passive house standard will usually be fitted with hydronic heating (probably as the new owners are not sure that it will do what it says on the tin.) And the heating may never be used.
Of the 37, 000 Passive houses in the world, 20, 000 or so are in Germany where 92% of the owners are satisfied with their economy.
A true Passive house is almost air tight, with a heat recovery ventilation system, fitted with a in duct heating coil to warm the incoming cold winter air, should it be 3.5C or more lower than the room temperature.
You can see from the above that having a large hole in a wall, albeit sealed with a steel sheet, where a vast amount of heat can escape will defeat the whole point of carefully installed insulation.


I need a 'female' 120V AC Plug / socket for a wall plate? I cannot find what I am looking for anywhere, I don't even know what to search.

Something that would be the child of these two, if they had one.

I realize you can buy a kit that includes this piece, but I don't need the whole kit. I don't want to spend $50 on it when I only need may be $1.50 in parts.

I need to run power up to a socket at the top of the wall.

What is the name of what I am looking for, does one exist already? Thank you!

What you want there is an inlet and I recommend you stay within Nema 5-15. It is perfectly legitimate to connect a Nema outlet to a Nema inlet with inside-the-wall wiring. Since there is an inlet involved, do not under any circumstance connect this section of cabling to Mains power in any other way.

You want to do your inside-the-wall wiring with perfectly standard and common Nema 5 - 15 outlets and inlets.

Now, if you need to connect to IEC c-13 / c14 ends on your equipment, you can get the adapter cables necessary to go from IEC to Nema without any trouble.


Why can't you set your backboards plumb and square using shimming or something else instead of floating walls when installing tiles? I am about to do a shower and I have the bathroom gutted out to studs
I am watching youtube vidoes by The TileCoach who shows how to float walls in order to have plumb and swquare surfaces for your tiles.
Why can't you set your backboards plumb and square using shimming or something else instead of floating walls when installing tiles?

You can shim backer board.
Depending on the tile size and how it meets with a seam I will mesh tape and float my seams to reduce cracking.
If a tile seam ends up close to a backer seam. This is where I float a wall not to try and square things up.
A vertical surface being filled with mortar to square it up just sounds nuts to me.


How to make a vanity top structurely sound for a vessel sink Hello everyone and thank you in advance to all that answer my question. So here is my dilemma..I recently took the sink out of my vanity in my powder room. It left a open area that I can see inside of the vanity but it also has small pieces of wood in each corner, I guess to keep the thing from falling apart. I want to build a shallow shadow box structure and then put a 12.5lb vessel sink and about a 3 pound faucet on top. My question is how can I make this structurely sound? I have thought about putting 2x4 across the top of the vanity and then placing a piece of plywood on top of that. I only have 1 1/2 inches of height available to me. The whole area is 21X30 inches. And if I use the 2x4 can I just screw it in the vanity or should I get metal brackets? If you have any additional questions just let me and I will try to explain it...thanks again!!!!

While a picture would be nice, I'm confident that 3/4" or even 5/8" ply, alone, will carry the load of the sink on that small of an area.


What electrical work can I do legally in New Brunswick, Canada? I've just moved in my first house a few weeks ago, a new construction, and there is a couple  outlets that I want to add and some that I want to move. I'm located in New Brunswick, Canada. There doesn't seem to be any electrical by-laws in my municipality/city, so I assume that I can follow the provincial laws. The provincial act can be found here: http://laws.gnb.ca/en/showpdf/cr/84-165.pdf

First question, there's a couple of data outlets that are not exactly where I need them, that I assume that I don't need any permit/license. They're Cat3/Cat5/Coax combo. I also want to add in an HDMI outlet at the back of the TV mount in the living room that goes down where my amp/HDMI switch is. Since these are all data outlets, I assume I don't need a permit or a license to do that work?

I also have two places where I'd like to add electrical outlets. For example, there's an electrical outlet behind the TV mount, but none down where I'd like my amp, can I just cut out a hole in the drywall, add a box, and fish a wire down from the existing outlet? Is this considered changing/modifying the circuits?

The the provincial act, near the bottom of the document, there's a section for "qualified persons". So it sounds like if you kinda know what you're doing, you can maintain your circuits. However, adding outlets sounds more like modifying the circuits.

According to the wiring permit laws, it seems like you only need a permit if you're going to change more than 10 outlets and/or you're dealing with more than 5kw of load.

I'm more worried about my insurances than anything else. I know what I'm doing, but if I do make a mistake, and there's an electrical fire, I don't want to void my insurance claim.

Can anyone enlight me?

Here is the answer I got:

1)  First we have three types of installation as define by the definition in the Regulation 84-165.

  “type I installation” means the installation and repair of branch circuits, devices, motors and appliances on existing type II installations, including domestic ranges, water heaters and clothes dryers, but no alteration or addition, except for the installation of a domestic range, water heater or clothes dryer, shall exceed ten outlets or a total of five kilowatts;(installation de type I)

  “type II installation” means any electrical installation not exceeding two hundred amperes having a single phase supply of power less than three hundred volts between any two wires but possessing no features attributable to a type III installation;(installation de type II)

  “type III installation” means any electrical installation having one or more of the following features:(installation de type III)
      (a) requiring a three phase supply of power;
      (b) requiring a supply voltage exceeding three hundred volts between any two wires;
      (c) having a service entrance installation exceeding two hundred amperes in current capacity

2) Then the regulation 84-165 10(1) says that you must be an electrical contractor with a group 3 or 2 licence to do any electrical work on these type of installation.

  10(1)No person shall undertake to carry out
      (a) a type III installation unless he is the holder of a valid Electrical Contractors Licence Group 3 issued or renewed under this Regulation, or
      (b) a type II installation or a type I installation unless he is the holder of a valid Electrical Contractors Licence Group 3 issued or renewed under this Regulation or a valid Electrical Contractors Licence Group 2 renewed under this Regulation.

3) Also the regulation 84-165 11(1) says that you must have a valid N.B. electricians licence to work on an electrical installation.

  11(1)No person shall make, repair or maintain an electrical installation unless he is authorized by
      (a) a valid Electricians Licence Class 3 issued or renewed under this Regulation,
      (b) a valid Electricians Licence Class 2 renewed under this Regulation, or
      (c) a valid Industrial Electricians Licence issued or renewed under this Regulation.

4) So to summarize all this you must be a licence electrician working for an electrical contractor to performed any electrical installation or repair in the province of N.B. even replacing rec.,light switches, light fixtures etc.

As for the data/communication, it doesn't fall under DPS jurisdiction, so we can legally do anything data, phone or coax, which I wouldn't see why not.


How should I finish a shower stall at an outside corner? I'm replacing a shower stall in an alcove with a plastic modular unit. The old unit ended a few inches inside the stall, while the new unit extends right to the edge of the alcove.  On one corner, the shower surround flange is nearly touching (the back of) the drywall on the other wall.
The surround flange itself is about 1 3/8". There's also about 2" high of exposed stud at the bottom where the shower pan is.

How should I fill in the space on the surround at this corner?  I was considering either trying to fit in a small strip of drywall, or filling it in with setting-type compound. I'd then put plastic corner bead on top. I might need to pre-drill some holes in the surround flange in order to attach the bead.

Simple solution - overlap the shower flange where you can, and fill the gaps with Durabond.

Complex solution - rip that little strip of drywall off, overlap with a larger piece, that wraps around the top of the shower.

In both cases, you'll want to put "corner bead", on the corner pictured, that goes from floor to ceiling.


Pressure guage full of water and leaking I have some DIY knowledge, but it falls somewhat flat when it comes to plumbing.
I noticed there was a leak in the airing cupboard and tracked it down to this innocuous pressure guage. I have no idea what the surrounding valves do (but there's a water heater in close proximity so I assume that some of them have a bearing on this). The house mains are also very close by.
I am collecting the water that is dripping beneath the guage, but I am concerned. If this is due to high water pressure is there risk of anything worse happening? What actions should I take? (calling a plumber on Friday night, during lockdown, is clearly not an option)

Due to request the area immediately above this photo is visible in the following photo.

Where the teal/turquoise pipe is immediately above the leak, the red pipe I think is the mains, and the yellow one connects to the top of the water tank.
I can't really see below the area with the leak as the water tank itself is in the way (and it is really big).
This area is a confusing mash of pipes but on closer inspection I am fairly certain that the pipe featuring the pressure valve is directly connected to the water heater in such a way as to suggest it brings cold water from the attic to the water heater (via that white and grey braided... hose?... with the grey taps at either end).
I do not know if the pipe above the leak connects to the red pipe... it disappears behind wood panelling... but I can feel it... it runs top to bottom parallel to the red pipe, it has a branch witch features our pressure valve. The pipe itself is slightly wet, both above and below this branch.

First you should determine whether the gauge itself is the source of the leak. It is common for a leak to develop at the threaded fitting or elsewhere and to run down and drip from a different low point.
That type of gauge has an internal part called a Bourdon tube made of relatively thin (usually metal) material. The tube contains the process fluid (water) at system pressure and deforms according to the pressure. That deformation creates movement that is represented on the gauge dial. It is not uncommon for the tube to fail and leak which does not (necessarily...) indicate a system problem or dangerously high pressure.

If this is due to high water pressure is there risk of anything worse happening?

YES- of course, overly high pressure can damage fixtures, valves pipes, appurtenances, etc.

What actions should I take?

Remove and replace the gauge and start monitoring the system for problems. Take pressure readings at various times, etc. If you know your normal system pressure then you should be capable of recognizing abnormal pressures. In the end, if you have a pressure issue that you can't properly diagnose, you will need to get a plumber in there.


How To Remove Stone Slab From A Kitchen How can I remove this type of blue onyx slab from an old kitchen without damaging corners? I want to reuse it on another house as Onyx is a bit expensive.

Natural stone slabs are typically glued down if they are small enough to be moved when bumped against. Larger slabs, sometimes are staying put under its own weight, yet sometimes they get glued too. The glue used can be anything from silicone to construction adhesive. In either case, the best way to release the glue, if there is a chance of salvaging it is to remove the drawers from the cabinet and do it from the inside of the cabinet. If there is a small gap present where the top meets the cabinet, start with wood shims there, or carefully with a small metal prybar.

DO NOT try to pry up all from one side. use wedges driven in a little at a time to ease the stone up. It can be done from one side, and you may need to check all sides to see if one side moves easier than the other. If you notice that one side does, continue on until hopefully it releases.


How does my geothermal heat pump heat my hot water tank/UV filter and softner I had my heat pump replaced recently and had it hooked it up to the hot water tank so that as the pump was on, whether cooling or heating the home would also partially heat the water in the tank.  My question is about how it heats this water - I've followed the piping and noticed its split before going to the softener and uv filter coming from the well to get to the heat exchanger - is it dumping the heated water into the tank or heating the existing water in the tank? I hope the latter,  otherwise my hot water will be harder than it needs to be, and if the water is contaminated,  not UV filtered.

It's heating the existing water in the tank. And the tubes between the pump and the tank don't carry water; they carry refrigerant. The pump heats the refrigerant using the latent heat of the well water. The refrigerant goes through a large coil in the tank, heating the coil. The coil is immersed in your soft/clean water.


Can I run electrical wiring through basement ceiling joists? My main electrical circuit breaker panel is on one end of our unfinished basement. I need to run 2 circuits to the far end of the basement. Normally I would mount these wires on the center beam that supports the home and runs down the center of the house. Since there is no more space left on that center beam, I would like to route #12 type NM wire through my basement ceiling by drilling suitable holes in the floor joists.

Is this legal and can I put 2 wires in one set of holes?

The general guidelines:

Don't notch a joist.  (it's legal under the correct circumstances, but don't consider it until you have no other choice.)
Don't drill a joist near the ends.  (how near is near?  Stick to the middle third and be safe. )
Only drill on the center-line of the joist. (This is the area under least stress).
keep your holes less than 1/3 the height of the joist.  A 3/4 inch hole for romex is fine under almost any circumstances.

These aren't the rules, these are a set of guidelines more restrictive than the rules, that you can quickly and easily work with in the field.  If you want to work outside these guidelines, then consult the local building code.


Can I replace a single light switch with a 3-way switch that can individually control 2 lights in a fixture? I have a ceiling light fixture with 2 bulb sockets. Right now it's controlled by a single 2-way switch (on/off).

My idea was to install a 3-way (or possible 4 but not necessary) switch that can control each bulb independently. The point to that would be in being able to individually control two contrasting bulbs, ie: 1 5000k and 1 2700k to set different 'scenes' if you will.

States:

position 1, bulb 1 on, bulb 2 off
position 2, bulb 1 off, bulb 2 on
position 3, bulb 1 off, bulb 2 off

Ideally I'd like to be able to do this without pulling the wiring or adding an additional wire and to instead mod either either access point (light switch or light fixture).

Logically speaking, one can get 4 states with 2 wires (00,01,10,11) so it stands to reason that it is possible but would be a matter of what components to use and if there are off-the-shelf solutions.

Your Plan

Your analysis about two wires makes an assumption that is forbidden in residential electrical work. One of the wires in a standard fixture is the neutral whose state cannot change. It must always be connected to the other neutrals in the system, connected to the main electrical panel and ultimately to ground. If 1 reresents connected, the white wire is always in the 1 state.

The black, or hot wire can be connected or not. Similarly, in a three wire system, the red wire, as well as the balck, can also be used as a hot wire and can be connected or not, depending on the state of switches. In a three wire system, the white still stays connected all the time.

How to do it

If you want separate controls, you need a separate wire to power (carry the hot current) to each bulb. A single neutral (white) can be used.

Hot wire originating at switch

If the power is presently comming into the switch box from the electrical panel, and then being routed to the fixture, the standard way to wire this would be to run a three wire cable (white/black/red) from the switch to the fixture and to use a double switch, such as this type.

The white wire coming from the panel is connected to the white wire going to the fixture.  The black wire coming from the panel is connected to the incomming sides of both sections of the switch.  The black wire to the fixture is connected to one of the outgoing terminals and the red wire from the fixture is connected to the other outgoing terminal (outgoing because the power is coming through the switch and going out to the fixture).

Hot wire originating at fixture

If the power comes directly to the fixture, and there is just a two wire cable going to the switch, you need to run a three wire cable to the switch.  The white wire will actually be used as a black/hot wire to carry power to the switch. It needs to be marked with black tape a both ends to show this. At the fixture this pseudo black wire is connected to the black hot from the main panel. The real black is connected to one bulb and the red to another bulb.

At the switch, the white (now marked black) is the incoming line to both switches and the red and black are attached separately to the outgoing terminal on each switch.

In either setup, the switches are independent. You can turn on either, both or neither.

There are double throw switches that would allow you to have one or the other or neither, but not both.  You still need the three wire cable at the switch site.


Mounted tv too high, OK to use same studs to remount? I mounted a tv (60") on my living room wall too high. The heavy-duty mounting bracket uses large screws that required that I drill a 7/32" hole into the studs and used a socket wrench to tighten them in. (Total of 4 screws, two in each stud placed vertically maybe about 8" apart from one another)

I'd like to remount the bracket about 4" or 5" lower than what it is right now on the SAME STUDS. Is this a problem? I am worried that if I do this again (re-drilling/bolting into the studs) it isn't going to be as durable since I've already done this higher on the same studs.

I don't know that this matters, but this is a two story house and this is on the first floor. Thanks,

Absolutely no problem.

The screws (actually called "lag bolts") bite into the wood immediately around them, and the wood fibers around that hold the bolt in place.

Yes the holes you made already weaken the fibers immediately around them but the amount is insignificant.  And, for a flat screen TV like you're describing, the weight you'll be putting on each bolt is hardly enough for the bolt to notice.


How do you properly clean hardwood floors? I've been cleaning my hardwood floors with all sorts of cleaners for the past 2 years and this has created a thin whitish film covering the floor that I can't wash away. I've tried scrubbing with a dry cloth as well as with plain water, but it won't go away. I've read that lots of people have used white vinegar, but I am a little suspicious about it.

I would like to know how can I get rid of this film as well as how can I prevent it from happening in the future. What is the proper way to clean the floors to preserve the shine they came with?

I've also read about Murphy's Oil Soap. Should I try this as well?

If you use cleaners like Mop & Glo or Orange Glo on your floors than
  yes you will get a cloudy white film build up. The reason being is
  that these products have oils in them, that when used over and over
  again will build up and take away the shine.  Answer

  Yes it can be too much of a build-up or simply the type of product you
  are using. Go a hardwood dealership and ask them what you can do about
  this as there are special products for cleaning hardwood floors.

Source


Ceiling light not working In my living room there are two light switches, the cables of both come out of the same hole in the ceiling. I would like to use both switches, one for dim, ambient lighting, the other for game nights etc. Hence I installed an additional lamp.

Sadly the second lamp doesn't turn on. While my mains tester indicates that blue, brown and both black cables are live (see image), only the combination of blue and any black cable works. When attaching brown and black to a lamp, the lamp doesn't turn on.

Any ideas?

Where are your neutral wires? For a ceiling light my best guess is you've mixed up your wires going into the switch and the ones from supply.  You have 2 neutral white and 2 black hot inside the ceiling?  I'm not seeing any neutral wires being connected in that pic.


110v outlet on 220v circuit with 220 GFCI to boat dock I am rearranging some wiring on a boat dock, where there were two jet ski lifts that were powered with 220v originating in a sub-panel (at the house) which has a 20a GFCI two pole breaker.

I was a bit surprised to find a 110v outlet was powered by one leg of that circuit (which further downstream powers the two jet ski lifts).  The outlet is not GFCI itself.  A neutral and ground are provided (separately) and the wire looks appropriate (though I have yet to open up all the conduit involved).

My question is that outlet and the 2 pole GFCI.  I am somewhat familiar with the Multiwire Branch Circuits rule, but not 2 pole GFCI breakers. Can such a breaker legitimately protect a single leg outlet?  Logically I would think so (since logically a leak of one leg is the safety issue it should be protecting against anyway), but code is ... well, different at times.

Also: an outlet tester inserted in that outlet reads correctly, but hitting the GFCI test button fails to trip the breaker in the panel.  That might indicate faulty panel breaker of course.  But it made me wonder if this was really legit overall.

My original plan was to take the 4 wire run, use only three, swap the 2 pole GFCI for a single pole GFCI and turn those two jet ski locations into general purpose 110v outlets. If this setup is legit, I could use all four wires, and have twice the current capacity and not even need a new breaker (well, except that it might be defective -- should a outlet tester trip it?).

So I think this boils down to: where a GFCI is required, can a two pole breaker provide the protection for an outlet only on one leg?

Thanks for any insight,

Linwood

Don't think of it as a 120V receptacle on a 240V circuit.  Think of it as a 240V load on a multi-wire branch circuit.

That is a legitimate wiring method.  MWBCs can also supply 240V-only loads.

There's one gotcha.  You can't have any receptacles on a circuit where the hardwired loads account for more than 50% of the total circuit ampacity.  That doesn't apply to cord-and-plug connected loads, so the workaround is to make the hardwired loads not hardwired anymore.  Fit sockets, cords and plugs.

So you have an MWBC.  If you employ a GFCI on an MWBC, you must do it with a 2-pole 120/240V GFCI breaker (or deadfront that is inline). You cannot use a European 2-wire RCBO, because all 3 wires, neutral included, must go through the GFCI's internal sensor together.

In any case, in a water related installation, you want the GFCI protection well before you get anywhere near the water. Because you want the wires protected also - if the wires get wet, they are protected, rather than electrifying the water and causing drownings.


Why portable split air conditioners not common? What's the catch? Allegedly, you could put the outdoor unit on your balcony, the indoor unit on the floor inside and -- without any problematic install you have a much better (or one would think so at least!) than your usual portable AC unit. I added a picture, why are these units so rare, especially in North America? I have much better success finding them in the UK.

Not so much of a catch but houses in UK are so rarely specified with AC (only needed 3 days a year .. :) ) that there is a (small) market for the portable ones.

Houses in US have AC included in the build so often that it is almost standard - older housing stock may get upgrades.

Remember the refrigeration cycle used is only relatively recent compared to the time we have been building houses.

Thise portable units can work very nicely but making sure that the air volume is controlled is important otherwise you can end up trying to cool the atmosphere... ie windows shut etc


Can I use EPS concrete for a fire bowl? I found this recipe for EPS concrete, and am thinking of using it to make a fire bowl (a decorative concrete bowl like the one described here, which holds a chafing dish gel fuel pack.) I would like to avoid generating toxic fumes, however, so I would like to know whether burning a gel fuel pack in a bowl made of EPS concrete would be safe. The main reason I want to use EPS concrete instead of the regular heavy stuff is weight.

EPS concrete is basically concrete with EPS beads and a few other things in it like latex paint.

The fact is, polystyrene melts at about 200 degrees F. The flash point of DIETHYLENE GLYCOL (which is at least a component of many such cans contain, along with other components) is 255 degrees. So it seems likely that a Sterno flame can easily melt, if not burn the EPS in your bowl. This is surely not a good idea! If it melts, it will surely be giving off some fumes at that point too.

I won't bother to look at when latex paint burns, but do you want it exposed to a flame source?

I'd suggest this is a poor idea.

If you really want to make a matrix that will be lighter in weight than pure concrete, there are surely some better things you can add to a concrete mix that will lighten it, while still not being a fire risk. A quick internet search just found hollow glass beads for sale at a low price in various places. And skip the latex paint in the mix too.

Edit:

I originally looked on ebay, under "hollow glass beads". What I found does look too expensive, usually hand made. Depending on how many you need, maybe buy some cheap costume jewelry necklaces, but you would need a few to make a big bowl. I would also check craft stores like Michaels, and I was told just the other day that there are stores that specialize in beaded crafts. So then I looked for hollow steel or aluminum balls. Wagner sells a package (25 count) of 1/2 inch steel balls, though I did not see a price.

Then I started thinking more out of the box (ok, out of the bowl.) As a woodturner, I could make a bowl completely out of foam (or balsa wood, which is also pretty cheap and light), by glueing up a block, then turning it into a bowl on a lathe. One could create this as a form, then covering the bowl form inside and out with a thin shell of pure concrete. That shell would absolutely be adequate insulation to prevent any problems. If you are not a wood turner, then I'd find a wood turning group. There are MANY of them around the country, probably one in any significant metropolitan area. Go to one of their meetings, then ask around for some help. I'd bet that at least a few people would happily turn a balsa wood bowl for you if you provided the wood. At worst, some pizza might work to grease the wheels.


Adding 3 way dimmer when two circuits exist I have 3 switches controlling ceiling cans.  I wish to replace one switch with a 3 way dimmer.  The box has 4 wires.  2 black. 2 red.  One black completes a circuit with one of the red wires.  The other black completes a circuit with the other red wire.
How do I connect a dimmer with one black and 2 red wires?
Thanks

(I am by no means any sort of expert, but I hope this points you in the right direction at least. I'm not an electrician but randomly looked up stuff about switches before because I was curious why they were called "3-way".)
You mentioned that there are three switches controlling the lights. That means there are two 3-way switches and one 4-way switch. The Wikipedia article on this does a much better job explaining than I can. Essentially you need 3-way switches to have two switches control one light, but you need 4-way switches to allow for more than two.
You said the switch you replaced has 4 wires. Sounds to me like you're looking at the 4-way switch from the middle of the circuit. I would guess you bought three 3-way dimmers and replaced the other two without issue but are confused with this one. I think you simply need a 4-way dimmer.


What is this black material in my attic? It looks slightly metallic. It glints slightly in my headlamp. Like black snow crystals.

I found it under the insulation. See attached pic.

Thanks.

That material is most likely grit that came off the shingles of the roof. It could have gotten there during a roof replacement when old shingles were removed and roof sheathing was also replaced.

If the material is localized in just one area it is possible it got there even from the original construction if shingles were piled and opened on the roof before all the sheathing was installed.


Does a hose spigot with lower water pressure than my others indicate a leak? One of the three hose spigots that are attached to the exterior of my house has a much lower rate of water flowing out of it, roughly a third to half of what the other two put out.  Does this lower water pressure indicate a leak somewhere in the piping leading to it?

There's no water leaking from the spigot on the outside, so I fear there's a leak somewhere inside the wall where I can't see it and didn't know if I should contact a professional plumber immediately.

There's one notable difference between the problematic spigot and the others, though I don't think it's the reason for the lower water flow, since they're simply designed to prevent water from the hose from going back into the pipe.  My other two spigots have a vacuum breaker attached to them, similar to this one.

Here's one of the two good spigots that has a vacuum breaker at the end that connects to a hose:

And here's the questionable spigot:

Edit: I've lived in this house for almost a year now but don't know the history behind the spout differences.  This isn't quite a new problem, as I noticed it during this past summer, but I don't know if it was like this when I first moved in.

It's difficult to answer this question, without actually seeing the plumbing leading to each fixture.  Reductions in pipe size, differences in pipe material, pipe length, number of elbows/tees, etc.  These could all contribute to a reduced flow.

If you had a leak large enough to reduce the flow by half, you'd likely either notice it as water damage, or on your water bill. Reduced flow being the only symptom, a leak would be low on my list of things to check.

I'd likely start with the sillcock itself, to make sure it's operating properly.  If the valve isn't opening all the way, or it's gummed up with junk, you'd definitely see a reduction in flow. Turn off the water to the fixture, and remove the sillcock.

NOTE: That's a frost-proof anti-siphon sillcock, so it actually connects to the supply plumbing somewhere inside the house. So you'll want to have a bucket under that joint, to catch any drippings when you remove the sillcock.

If everything checks out there, start working your way back along the supply. Look for pipe size reductions, material changes, stuck valves, or any other potential restrictions.


Switch Arcing Mobile Home Hi I live in a mobile home also late 80s/early 90s I have a few light switches that makes a sizzling sound at times they are the self contained type switch!

What is occurring during arcing in a switch? is this any different then an arc fault such as nipped/cut cable in the wall do I need arc fault breakers?

Any time you hear that sound, proceed with the utmost caution, there's an excellent chance there's an issue that's a fire hazard.  It might be better to get an electrician to look at this ASAP rather than chipping away at it DIY.

I'd be more concerned about the arcing generating heat at the arc and damaging your wiring and possibly starting a fire than the arcs damaging your breakers.

Most of the self-contained switches I've seen are pretty sketchy quality.  If the sound is really coming from the switches, just replace them, but look for any evidence of damage to the wiring from the heat generated by the arcing.

Arc fault protection certainly wouldn't hurt, you may be able to add it without too much disruption, or it might be a big project.  But you don't want to rely too much on arc fault detection, it may be helpful but it's certainly not perfect - you want to address any issues with the wiring ASAP.


Height of uprights for "twin slot" wall mounted shelving I'm looking to use the "twin slot" uprights and brackets for wall mounting a shelf to use as a work surface for laptop, printer, working on admin etc.

For strength is there any advantage in using longer uprights (down to floor level) when the lowest shelf will be about 4' from the floor? To distribute the weight - or does it not matter?

It would be on a "party" wall, brick with plaster.

The concern is mostly pullout strength, and not shear. The bulk of the leverage of the shelf pulling away from the wall is above the shelf. Therefore, screws above the shelf carry most of the pullout load. It's unlikely that you will have insufficient shear strength if you use 3-4 screws per standard.

My point is that you probably won't need the standards to extend downward from the shelf, but some length upward is a good idea.


How can I add a single pole switch next to a 3-way switch? I currently have a 3-way circuit in the family room. I would like to install a 2 gang box @ one of the switch locations and add a single pole switch to control an exterior light. Can I wire the single pole off the 3-way switch, or do I need a separate power source?

It entirely depends on how the existing switch is wired. You need a constant hot and a neutral wire. It would be helpful if you can check what wires are in each location - what colors, and how many actual cables are coming in. You'll need to turn off the power at the breaker panel and physically remove the switches (don't disconnect them, just pull them out), as well as the light fixture. Compare to the diagrams below (or at the original source), or ask here again and we'll try and help you out (labelled pictures == very helpful).

There are several ways to wire 3-way switches, but what you'd be concerned with is the type where power comes to the switch first:

In the above diagram ,you can add another switch to the one on the left - you'd connect to the white and black wires coming from the "power source" line.

On the switch on the right, you have a neutral, but you don't have constant hot -- hot is switched, on either the red or black, depending on how the first switch is flipped.

Another common way the switches are wired is the power goes to the fixture first.

In this case, there is no neutral at the switches. (Also note, the black tape on the white wires indicates this. White is, by code, always neutral, and has to be marked if it's used for a switched circuit. That said -- keep in mind that not everyone follows code.)

If you're missing the hot/neutral, the only option you have is to run a totally new wire, or possibly (depending on how it's wired), you can convert the 3-way to a single switch, and then re-purpose the wires to supply constant hot and neutral to the new outside switch (effectively, one of your 3 way switches would get converted to control the outside light instead). This still may not be possible, and definitely isn't a beginner task - you need to understand electrical fairly well, and map out everything involved with this circuit.


Is installing an outlet inside a cabinet with LPG tank a good idea? I am installing a new gas stove on my counter top, it is a gas stove that uses LPG but has an electric igniter that must be connected to the wall. The cabinet housing the LPG tank is directly below the gas stove. All I need now is to run an outlet inside the cabinet to connect to the stove, but the idea of an exposed outlet going to an enclosed spaced with a highly flammable source does not sit well with me.
How is this properly done? Because given how short the wire on the stove is and the included hose for the LPG tank it really does look like they want it to be in the same location, and I don't think a known brand (Whirlpool) would be that incompetent if that is a no no.

Not a clue in the Phillipines, but the wire can be lengthened to whatever you want, using a same sized wire - that only needs to have electricity for ignition.
The hole for the tubing - through what? Metal will need a grommet, wood needs just a hole, and the space for the bottle needs a bottom vent at least. I guess the regulator is on the bottle, so that could go outside, with a longer pipe through the wall (again, protected) if it's not going to be potentially stolen.


Steel H Beam Needed For Outdoor Deck Question:
What size H Beams are needed?
Background:
I’m building a deck over our walkout basement.  The basement is only 7’ tall, so the deck beams need to be as short as possible with the fewest amount of support posts (hence the steel beams).  Additionally, I’d like the steel H beams (2 total) to span 20’ between 2 support posts, with an overall beam length of 24’ (extending 2’ past each post).  The 2 support beams will be parallel and spaced 10’ apart.  On top of the beams will be 2x10x14 joists spaced 16” on center (with a 2’ cantilever on each side of the steel beams), so overall the deck is 14’ x 24’.  I’m looking for the deck to hold a minimum of 50 pounds per sqft.

Hmmm...let me see if I have this correct. You’re using 14’ long joists with a 2’ overhang. So, that means your deck is 12’ wide and half that distance (6’) will be transferred back to the house and the other 6’ plus the overhang (2’) will bear on the steel beam.
So the total load is 6’ + 2’ = 8’ x 50 psf = 400 plf on the steel beam.
The smallest steel beam I have in my steel manual is a 10” x 4 3/8” I-Beam which will carry 19,500 lbs. per foot on a 20’ span.
As an option, you could use a 4x16, or a 6x14 SPF Select Structural grade wood beam spanning 20’.
Another option would be LVL beam that is 2 plies of 1 3/4” x 11 7/8” high will support 400 plf for a 20’ span.
The steel beam will weigh about 25.4 plf , a 4x16 cut timber will weigh about 14.8 plf , 6x14 will weigh about 19.6 plf and the LVL will weigh about 11.0 plf.
As you can see, the wood beam options will be lighter and easier to manipulate. Plus, there are ready made connectors for posts, etc.


Can I add foam board insulation to my tiny house to increase energy efficiency? I have a new tiny home shell in east Texas. It's 16x40 shell with wood siding 4x8 sheets on the out side. The kind with a groove every 4 inches. The house has a weather wrap on it already.
Metal roof. 2x4 walls and ceiling. 2x6 floor joists. 5/8 Plywood flooring. Thinking of adding 1/2" on top of that just for extra measure. Walls an floor 16" center. Ceiling 24" enter Siding is 4x8 sheets rough siding with grooves every 4"
What's the best way to insulate?
#1....Can I use 1/2" EPS foam on exterior or so I need to use a foiled foam sheet?
#2.... can I put more foam between the studs on the inside for better protection with my fiberglass insulation (Or would I need a thicker foam sheet on the inside)? I would peel the thickness of the foam off the fiberglass faced insulation.
Thanks

Although it can' t answer the question for the best solution,
a fast and easy method for simulation is offered on the site
www.ubakus.com.
The very important parameters dew points,  moisture and drying time can be seen in seconds, thus disclosing any critical layer combination that could effect the health and damage the walls.
R value, phase shifting and more are also calculated and displayed.
Best way is to open an example and change/add layers. Each layer can be easily switched on/off to instantly see any change. Toggling  between R- value/U- value is done by clicking on the tool icon next to the result.
It is free for private use.


Shower curb tile: OK to caulk rather than grout? I'm trying to finish up our shower. We ended up using a Tile Redi (which was an ordeal, but that's another story...) which means that the pan, itself, is completely waterproof, and that the tiles are epoxied to it.
For the shower floor, we used hexagonal tiles and grouted them.
For the curb, we decided to go with large format slate tiles. As such, we have only a few gaps to fill (2 vertical, one horizontal) along the entire 5' curb. As the gaps aren't large, I can't use sanded grout and it occured to me that this might actually be a lot easier to just caulk. They are (nearly) black tiles and I'd use black caulk.
Is there any reason NOT to do this? As the curb won't be getting much direct water, I'm thinking caulk will last just fine on it.

I would not use caulk on this. Grout provides strength to the tile, especially the corners and sides. Using a unsanded epoxy grout would be your best bet since it's waterproof and doesn't need to be sealed. It can also be used on plane changes, vertical to horizontal surfaces. Caulk never goes on as smooth as you'd like it to whereas grout does. It will probably be faster to grout than caulk and unlike caulk, the grout will probably last as long as the tile.


What type of cable is this? What type of cable is this? I found it in the wall without any junction box just taped off at the end with electrical tape.

Thanks!

It's a data cable.

Probably CAT5 or CAT5E grade. (it will be written on the blue jacket every metre.)

These cables are used for ethernet (between computers and routers) and for connecting telephones, and home automation equipment, intercoms, thermostats etc. I'm guessing there used to be a phone jack there.


How do I install an air conditioner on a horizontal sliding window? There isn't a great amount of literature on this subject it seems. I have an air conditioner, the manual assumes that you have a vertical sliding window, but I have one that slides horizontal, so how do I install the unit?

Most of the ones I've seen are install like this with a timber frame made to sit into the window frame then put the air-conditioner inside of the frame and box it out with plywood, but this looks like a much neater installation where the frame is made from c channel with a perspex panel above the airconditioner.

It would probably depended on how long you intend to have the air-conditioner install in the window, as to which option you would go with.


Halogen light stops working when cover is installed I have an under-counter halogen light (jc / g4, 12 watts) that doesn't work.

If I remove the glass safety cover (might be called the lens) from the light socket then the light works fine, and will illuminate when I flip the switch.  As soon as I replace the safety cover, the light stops working again.

The cover is made of glass, with a metal circle at its outer edge.  The cover attaches to the socket by three L-shaped metal arms.

If I power on the light with the safety cover attached, it produces no light, but it makes a quiet clicking noise, about 1 click per second.

Does anyone know what's going wrong here, or how to fix it?

Sounds like you have a connection problem. Ever try pushing on the light without installing cover to see if it will flicker or anything like that?  This would indicate a loose wire connection.


How to drill a hole near a wire in a wall? I am mounting a mirror in my hallway. I have plaster/lath walls and am planning on drilling a hole to insert a toggle bolt to hang the mirror on.

I marked the location and was ready to drill when I decided to use a non-contact voltage meter to see if any wires were in the area. It turns out there is wire going from a switch to an overhead light right though the area I'd like to drill my hole.

Obviously the first step is to flip the breaker, but I am not sure how I will know if I am damaging the wiring when I drill my hole. How do I drill the hole while knowing I'm maintaining the integrity of my electrical system?

Use the depth of the plaster/lath; say it's 5/8".

Put a piece of tape around the drill bit at 5/8" to ensure you don't drill deeper.
Drill the surface hole 5/8" deep.
Once the surface hole is made, you can turn on the electricity and insert a non-contact inductive wire sniffer (like this one from Fluke: https://www.amazon.com/Meterk-Non-Contact-12V-1000V-Flashlight-Multi-sensor/dp/B0711KGPYD).

Note this will only detect the "hot" line (not ground).


Are junction boxes needed for LED strip light wiring splices? Are junction boxes required for 24v splicing in the United States?  Are small plastic enclosures sufficient or would you use standard junction boxes for 110v?

The application is a 24v lighting system operating on a trunked design.  Each trunk would power ~85w of LED strips.

Transformer: 24v 500w 3 circuit output -
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IU8QBCO
LED strips: 24v @ 4.4w
per foot - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014600JN2

No that voltage is below the safe contact limit threshold the wiring could even be exposed but not recommended.


Replacing Receptacle With GFCI Outlet I am replacing a receptacle with a GFCI receptacle.  I know very little about this process other than to just mirror the current process.  However, this receptacle in question only has 3 wires (ground, white black).

Is my basic understanding of the set-up accurate in a sense that when both the top and bottom screw have copper wiring wrapped around it, typically 1 is coming from the "switch" (whether it be circuit breaker or elsewhere) and the other set of wires is going to a second outlet/lightswitch?

So since this outlet only has 1 set of wires then I just need to pick either the top or bottom outlet, wire in the wires and both top and bottom outlet will work?

Harper’s rule: Anytime you install a GFCI receptacle, the very first thing you do is find the terminals marked LOAD and lay a piece of tape across those terminals. The reason is to protect yourself from using them by mistake.

You do not ever use the LOAD terminals on a GFCI unless you know exactly what they are and how to use them. In fact I recently installed an older GFCI unit and the manufacturer had indeed installed a label across those terminals saying exactly that.

In your case, that makes installation pretty easy.


Painting gas stove top I have a gallery series fridgedaire gas stove with several scratches on the stovetop. What kind of paint should I use?

I'll suggest "don't bother" - no paint, including "Appliance Touch Up Paint" has the durability of baked on enamel, and yet that got scratched up.
It can be scratched, scratched but (obviously) painted, or scratched but painted but the paint is getting scratched off again.
It will never "look like new" again, and at least scratched doesn't look any worse when the next scratch goes in...


How to loosen a nut when bolt and nut move together? I have a sofabed whose back is fixed to the bed by bolt and nut. When I try to loosen the nut by wrench, the bolt and nut move together. There are no rust. How shall I loosen the nut?

Update: the head of bolt has a shallow hex hole. I have got help from another who used hex wrench to stick into the hole of the bolt head and fix/rotate the bolt, together with a regular wrench to rotate the nut.

Best way: put a wrench on the nut and the proper driver or socket into or over the head of the bolt, and turn one while keeping the other stationary.

Second best way: put a wrench on the nut, and a pair of locking pliers on the shank of the bolt. You WILL damage the threads of the bolt; just try not to cause so much damage the nut won't come off. This is the only way besides cutting to remove a carriage bolt, which has a flat or a smooth dome head that can't be "locked on" with a socket or driver, or to otherwise remove a nut from a bolt when you can't get to the head.


Can a laptop cause an AFCI to trip? just stumbled onto this site and crossing my fingers that someone will be able to help.

My problem is the tripping of an AFCI every 3/5 weeks when a 2nd TV is turned on. Sometimes soon afterwards, other times 10/30 minutes later. Besides the two flat screen TVs (one in family room & one in master bedroom) my laptop seems to be another common dominator as problem doesn’t seem to happen if laptop is either unplugged or not in use.
On first trip after measuring load and ruling that out, the electrician rewired all switches and outlets from backstabs to screw connections. Problem continued and we had the one circuit split into two.

However that didn't fix the problem either and I believe laptop is the trigger (even though since this started I have replaced both, the power cord and laptop itself). Family room AFCI still  tripped upon occasion when family room TV was on and laptop was plugged in but bedroom TV was off. After that happened I ran a cord to plug laptop into bedroom circuit and now the bedroom’s AFCI trips every now and then.

Questions:
1) does code (I live in Orange county FL) require the family room to be on a  AFCI?
2) Is there a “filter” that would block any possible electrical surge or whatever the laptop could be creating?
3) Any other thoughts?

1)
According to NEMA Florida has adopted the 2008 version of the National Electrical Code. The 2008 version requires AFCI protection on all 120 volt 15 and 20 ampere circuits supplying

Family rooms
Dining rooms
Living rooms
Parlors
Libraries
Dens
Bedrooms
Sunrooms
Recreation rooms
Closets
Hallways
Or similar rooms and areas

National Electrical Code 2008
Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection
Article 210 Branch Circuits
I. General Provisions
210.12 Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection.
(B) Dwelling Units. All 120-volt, single phase, 15- and
20-ampere branch circuits supplying outlets installed in
dwelling unit family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms,
parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms, sunrooms, recreation
rooms, closets, hallways, or similar rooms or areas shall be
protected by a listed arc-fault circuit interrupter,
combination-type, installed to provide protection of the
branch circuit.

2)
I'd assume the laptop is not powered directly by line voltage, and that there's some form of electronics between the wall and the laptop. This circuitry should be enough to stop any noise from reaching the breaker. Though it could be something in the circuitry that is causing the problem, if it's not functioning properly.

3)
You didn't mention whether you're unplugging the laptop from the charger, or the charger from the wall. Unplugging the laptop from the charger, should not cause any problems with an AFCI. Unplugging the charger from the wall, could generate a spark (arc) which the AFCI could interpret as dangerous.


Help, 120 vs 220/240 Want to install a ductless a/c in my concrete condo. It is 220 volt only draws max 1300 Watts I have a 15 amp 120 v outdoor outlet available. I know it’s not optimal, but is it doable to convert to 15 amp with a 220 breaker
and change outlet and run it off of that as I can’t run a 12 wire through concrete walls
Many thx

Your ductless system will require 220-volts to operate.  Anything else will damage the unit.  The conventional receptacle near by is of no help.  Besides, even is it was a dedicated circuit and could be converted, you still need a 110-volt receptacle near by for service.   You will need to bring a new 12-Gauge 2-wire circuit to the location.  Good luck. You are gonna love the ductless system.


How can I subtly mark a height difference to prevent tripping? Between two of my rooms I have a height difference of about 4cm. What is an obvious but subtle way to mark the marble floor so the step is obvious, and help to prevent tripping?

I'm thinking of using mini battery-operated LED lights.

By the way in case anyone is curious that step leads to the kitchen and there are necessary pipes underneath it. Hence the raised floor.

That is one tricky step you have!

I suggest you install a contrastive colored riser/toe kick and nosing.  Something to alert the peripheral vision of a change in height.

The other option I would consider would be a minimalist, one-step handrail.

Really curious to see how you solve this.

Good luck!


Can I install an air gap faucet instead of a basic air gap with my dishwasher? We are installing a new dishwasher and trying to figure out the air gap situation.  I know we need one, but I'd love to find a more functional alternative to a basic air gap.

I don't think we would really use a soap dispenser air gap and I've seen mixed reviews on them. I came across air gap faucets yesterday and am wondering if that would be compatible with a dishwasher instead of a reverse osmosis water system.

something like:
www.homedepot.com/p/Watts-Single-Handle-Water-Dispenser-Faucet-with-Air-Gap-and-Monitor-in-Chrome-for-Reverse-Osmosis-System-0958244/203208990

I think this should work in theory, but my only concern is the diameter of the hoses.  Apparently they are usually only 1/4" or 3/8" in diameter.  Is that too narrow for dishwasher waste water?

The air gap in that faucet is specifically for a RO system and is not meant to replace an air gap for a dish washer.  It does the same job, but it's for the drain on the RO system, and certainly would not be able to handle anything close to a dishwasher drain.


What wire is needed for a double 3-way switch on fan/light My house is 60+ years old, with original cloth wrapped 2-wire 12 ga wires throughout the house, and an updated 200A breaker box.  I wish to replace a 3-way switch setup on a ceiling fan/light  with a double 3-way switch setup - a 3-way on the light and a 3-way on the fan.  I am looking at using two Leviton 5640 in the existing single-gang spots, while replacing the old boxes with old work.

I planned on wiring it up based on some homeowner's how-to books, like this diagram shows.  My question is what wire should I use to replace the existing 3-way setup, while adding for the double switches?  I've wired a fan/light on a double switch before, using 12/3 with a ground, but I didn't know what wire I should need for the double 3-way setup.

From best I can tell, I need a hot and ground going to the first switch, 4 feeder wires going to second switch, and a 2 hots and a ground coming from second switch to fan/light.

If you're going to use wiring similar to the first diagram from that thread, and you're planning to use 12 AWG wiring. You're going to need five conductors (plus ground) between the switch boxes, so I'd probably use two separate cables.

In the case that the power originates at the fan/light, I'd make use of some 12/2/2. Using a length between the fan/light, and first group of switches. Then another length between the two groups of switches.

NOTES:

Grounding conductors have been excluded from the diagram, to make it a bit clearer. Make sure all grounding conductors are properly installed.
Notice that the white wire that's being used as a traveller between the switches, has been reidentified at both ends using a bit of black tape/marker/paint.
As @Wolf Harper points out, make sure the two cables between the boxes stay in close proximity with each other. Or use conduit with single conductors pulled through it.


Can I rehang a door in a metal-clad frame? I have a metal door frame with wood door, it's actually thin layer of metal over wood on the door frame. I need to rehang the door from opening inward (right to left) to opening outward right to left. So, originally there are metal plates with holes for hinges and lock strike plate on the inside of the door frame (to hang the door to open inwards). But there is nothing like that on the outside of the door frame (just metal sheet over wood as far as I can see). So how do I chisel out this metal frame for hinges and how do I drill holes and carve a space for lock strike?

I have never seen a metal frame like this. I don't think I will be able to pry out any of this metal without destroying the door frame.

The foremost question has to be why you want to reorganize this door in the first place. After you read what I have to say about that process you may very well re-evaluate whether this change is worthwhile or necessary.

Metal clad doors and metal frames are made with pre-determined hinge locations and latch locations. You cannot make the decision to freely swap around how the door is hinged to the frame unless what you do is a total hack job that is almost guaranteed to give operational problems.

To change the swing of the metal clad door like this generally consists of removing the old door and the door frame down to the rough opening. And then replace the door and frame with a different one that gives the swing and opening direction that you require. Usually that would be a new door but may be possible for you to find something used if you looked around hard enough.


Can a dry p-trap in my laundry room cause a sewer smell in my bedroom on the other side of the house? My wife insists that when our bedroom/bathroom starts to have a sewer smell it can sometimes be alleviated by turning on the sink in the laundry room (on the other side of the house) to fill the p-trap with water. Could this possibly be true?

No other rooms in the house seem to get this smell (including the laundry room where the supposed dry p-trap is located).

All of the drains in our bathroom where the smell occurs are used regularly, so they can't be drying out.

I rather suspect that you have a venting problem that is periodically forcing air back through the p-trap in your master bath. A venting problem can also result in the water of a given trap being sucked into the drain line.  When this happens you will get odors through that trap.  The likelihood of the restoring of water in another trap in the house affecting the traps effectiveness in your bath is almost nonexistent.


How much of this load bearing wall can I remove? How far can I spawn a gap between posts on a load bearing wall?

I have an entry way from the living room to the dining room / kitchen area that I would like to expand. How far can I span across and meet up with double or triple studs on the other side? Also, there is a diagonal board going across the studs (1x6), which I don't understand and would also remove.

  Picture from attic, the angled boards shown converge on the wall in question (it is perpendicular to the joints), but they only do that 5 times across the whole length of the house.

  Here is a picture of the wall from the kitchen / dining area. Obviously they felt it could span the entry way (which I want to expand). Also that wall is not continuous, when it gets to the stairway it goes 80 inches without any support before another wall shows up.

  There is also a diagonal board going across the studs (it is a 1x6). I am not sure what its purpose is, and whether I can remove it.

Substantial changes to a load-bearing wall really an engineer's review. The consequences of getting it wrong are unacceptable.

When it came time to take out a loadbearing wall in my place, I hired a contractor, who brought in an engineer to calculate exactly what size parallam beam would be needed to span the gap and how to provide the necessary support below the remaining stubs of wall  which were now taking the additional load.


Are the electrician's holes in my framing a structural concern? The electrician for my basement finish went a little overboard on the framing in this particular spot. Both to gain access to the wall where the new subpanel was put in and to route the wiring. I'm wondering if this is going to be okay or do I need to seek out somebody to repair it? If it does need repair, what is the correct way to go about fixing this?

At least he put in a drill plate...

That's all fairly typical, and I don't see anything concerning. The electrician could've kept things a bit cleaner by either going easier with the auger bit or notching the stud cleanly instead. They're in a hurry, like everyone else, though.
The holes in the wall plates only remove a minor portion of the width of the plate (which appears to be 2x6). It does carry one floor joist, but that could as well be carried by a 2x4 wall, so it's fine. I would pilot and install a screw to secure that split plate shard just to prevent a bulge in the drywall. Be sure to not pinch the cables. They must remain free to move.
If a repair was deemed necessary for some reason not evident here, a short double-2x6 header behind the wires with trimmer studs to the bottom plate would do.
The large hole in the flatwise stud doesn't really matter because that stud isn't critical to begin with.
I would consider replacing the nails in the protective steel plate with flathead screws, countersunk to be flush. That'll help with what might otherwise be a visible bulge in your drywall. Even nails with smaller heads would help. You could use trim nails and drive them flush. They just need to keep the plate from sliding around before the drywall goes up.