How do cement boards and Kerdi boards for wall tile compare? I came across an interesting product the other day, and thought it might be perfect for an upcoming project.  I'm redoing the tile back splash in my kitchen and was planning on using cement board behind the tile, but now I'm not so sure.

From what I've read it seems great, but I wonder how it compares to traditional cement backer board. So has anybody used KIRDI-BOARD?  What advantages/disadvantages does it have?

I haven't used KIRDI-BOARD itself, but I have used similar products.  Mostly, the biggest advantages are found in weight and longevity of the material.  The synthetic foam will last longer than traditional concrete and produce significantly less dust when cutting and installing.

The biggest disadvantage will be the cost.  Synthetics (KIRDI-BOARD and similar products) tend to run on the expensive side.  Some quick Google-ing turned up about $10/sheet for 5'x3'x1/2" cement boards.  KIRDI-BOARDs in a similar dimension (4'x5'x1/2") would run about $77.

So ... if you're working on a DIY project, stick with the less expensive, traditional building materials.  If you can afford to buy massive quantities in bulk (or know a contractor willing to do it for you), look into the more advanced stuff.


How can I tell whether a fluorescent ballast is T8 or T12? Is there a way to tell from a ballast's specifications (voltage, wattage, how many lamps it handles, etc.) whether it is a T8 or T12 ballast? Or do I need to look for the manufacturer's part number to figure it out?

The stock sizes of 4' bulb are F40T12 and F32T8.  T8s are relatively new.

Both make about the same light, the T8 is more efficient.

So when they talk about F40, without any further commentary, and particulary when the unit is older, they mean F40T12.


Ran out of levelling compound when fitting underfloor heating, what are my options? Hoping for some advice on the underfloor heating project I was doing.  Basically when covering the heating mat in a levelling compound, I completely underestimated the amount of compound needed, and only managed to cover about 80-90%% of the floor.  To make things worse I poured from the middle out, which has caused the edges to have either no or very little compound.  The bulk of the mat is covered and fixed in place by compound, however I'm worried about the edges, and exposed heater elements.

I guess at this stage I'm wondering what my options are, and any advice would be greatly appreciated.  I'm guessing they're somewhere in the region of:

Fill the spaces with an extra levelling compound
Tile as normal but using more tile adhesive over exposed area's
Start a new

I've uploaded some photos for amusement/reference:
https://imgur.com/a/z0ndm

Judging by this language in the instruction sheet...

Allow to set (approx. 4 hours).

Finish by levelling off with a further layer of SBR
modified Bostik Cempolatex One Pack.

I'd conclude that you may apply a second layer of the product without priming. Whether it's appropriate to modify the compound with Bostik Cementone SBR is unclear, but that seems to apply to thicker applications.


Carrier infinity 25vna heat pump utility curtailment I have a newly installed infinity greenspeed hp system and the utility is trying to figure out how to control the outdoor unit in heating mode.

It's my understanding that the utility sends a signal to the UTIL input on the outdoor unit which then gets relayed to the infinity stat for instructions on how to respond to the curtailment demand from the utility.

Under advanced service menu, set up, and utility curtailment, there is a option to set up a response in cooling situations... "Disable, turn off, or low stage". There's no option for what to do in heating mode.

My infinity touch stat shows it as possible to curtail in heating mode in the install manual (page 61). But... It isn't there when I go to implement that option.

I've seen elsewhere on boards that the infinity can not curtail in heat mode, but that would mean the install manual is incorrect. Plus, when I first enter the curtailment menu the option is there for a split second and then disappears. It is almost as if some other selection or setting is preventing it from being displayed.

Any ideas? I would really appreciate help as it is preventing me from receiving a large rebate from the utility

Only your utility knows what their requirements are specifically.  You may be best getting a different person there to look at your situation.  We have had rebates offered here in Connecticut for ductless heat pumps and as I recall homes that had baseboard heat were disqualified.  But that was without utility regulation.  I suspect you have a case if you can control the built-in strip heaters as long as the Infinity heats a major portion of the house.  For example all but a three season room or mud room.  Be patient and ask questions.


How can I remove an electrical junction box that is attached to a stud, without damaging the surrounding wall? I'm trying to pull the phone wire in my new house, and replace it with Cat6 cable for Ethernet. Upon removing the faceplate for the dual cable (coax) and phone jack, I found what I believe is this gang box:

Obviously I can't see the bracket for the drywall atop it, so I can't be completely sure this is what I've got, but the blue box looks almost exactly like mine...

I've already unscrewed the screw until it (apparently) came out of the bracket, in an effort to remove the box so I could see into the wall at how the phone line is run. Unfortunately, I can't pull it out -- seems that it can't slide off the bracket? Double-unfortunately, the screw seems to have come out of the bracket, and I can't put the box back in the wall, either.

Can I remove this box without putting a big hole in my wall to get at the bracket? I was hoping to avoid that (literal) mess for this little project, and just pull the phone wire and run the Ethernet cable in its place. Is my only option cutting into the drywall anyway?

Have you tried going to Home Depot and playing with the boxes there? If you find one that matches, you can hold the box in your hands and try to wiggle it out of the bracket. That might help you figure out the right way to extract the box in your wall from its bracket. Even bring a screwdriver to take out the screw.

I always figure that it would be entirely within store policy to buy the box, take it outside and examine it like this without damaging it and then return it so why not just avoid the extra paperwork and do it inside.


What is the deltaT test for a PTAC AC? I have a PTAC AC that blows cold air, but barely cools the room. The landlord is claiming its because the room is the livingroom and its an open to the kitchen and hallway.
I know that the rule of thumb for a functional central AC is a 20 degree F delta between the intake and outtake of the AC unit itself. But the PTAC itself has the intake on the bottom and the outtake in the top of the unit.
Question is, what is the HVAC standard for measuring the deltaT? How far should it be taken from the outtake? Or should it be done right at the intake below the unit?
This is an old unit that had the compressor replaced about a year or two ago. I have noticed that the outtake of air is not uniform, and there are significant gaps with weak air coming out.
AC's outtake is about 26" long and 6" wide. The first 2" to 4" from the left dont output much air, the 6" to 8" after it does, then another weak air outflow for another 7"-9", then again, about 6" (or so) of good air flow out, then the last 2" to 4"  dont output much. What could be the issue with that?

Refrigerant (R22 oz): 28.2
Voltage: 230
Cont Mtr AMPS: 0.79
Cooling BTU/hr: 16,900
Total cooling Amps: 7.30
Total Cooling Watts: 1,743
Compressor LRA: 38.00
Compressor FLA: 6.20
Evap. Motor Amps: 0.29
Heating BTU/hr: 0
Heating Amps: 0.00
Heater Mtr Amps: 0.29

Test pressure

High side: 300 psi
Low side: 150 psi

Max  fuse size: 20 Amp time delay on HACR type circuit breaker

10k btu should cool a fairly large room but 2 rooms maybe not, I found that the problem with these units is the filters get plugged up and removed then the coils get plugged up with dust and they don’t work as well.
A 20 degree delta +-2 is a good rule of thumb for a clean unit and if your unit has a txv or thermal expansion valve sometimes a slight adjustment will allow for a larger delta. It could have gotten bumped when it was serviced or cleaned by others the bulb in solid contact turns off the flow of refrigerant two far away two much flow the coil will ice up (this happens when really dirty also).
Can you shine a flashlight behind the coils and see the light if you open the filter housing? Or looking through if no light passes it could use a cleaning.
A can of aerosol coil cleaner is less than 10$ at most big box stores a can may be enough for your unit. (The can may show a window ac that’s ok your unit is really a very high end window unit put in the wall) .
Don’t be tempted to use vinegar acids etch the fins and eat the galvanized coating then they start rust.
I think foaming cleaners are the best they push the dirt and dust out. If there is or was a smoker in the house get 2 cans smokers really plug the evaporator coils but they clean up really well.
Since the unit was recently serviced I would expect it to be in good shape but a clean unit will cool much better than a dirty unit. As we hit temp extremes the delta may drop a bit but should be 20 for most systems and can be much higher but this brings other issues like freezing up excessive condensation on the discharge side.


Placing tiles on concrete wall The bathroom tiles in my shower began to let loose, we decided to rip them off (I'll admit it wasn't a good idea), but with the tiles, the cement also came off. I would just cover it in cement again and place some new tiles but the cement at the top and bottom also came lose so the tiles are now 'movable'.

I've included a video of the problem so you can click here to view it. I was wonder what's the best way to go about fixing this? I thought about just cementing over the concrete and placing new tiles but I'm afraid the top ones will let lose too, but the other hand if I take those off to I think I'll just end up taking the whole wall out :(

There is almost no chance that is concrete.   That looks like some kind of concrete board material (if that) with mastic slapped on and tiles.

Everything has to come down.

If it is concrete (don't think it is) then you need to assess the shower.   If the concrete is in good shape, remove any damaged concrete the put a skim coat of thinset, let dry.   Then tile with a generous amount of thinset (different question).

If it is not concrete - after you assess when tile is removed... ask a new question and more than happy to help.   A concrete shower is awesome... unless you want it to be a different size!


what connection to use for drain I have a 3" drain running horizontal. I will have a new 2" drain running horizontal to just above the 3" drain at an angle and need to connect them together.

I assume I shouldn't use a regular T here, but should i be using a wye, sanitary tee, long sweep, something else? I'm a little confused on what connector is proper. If I have any options, something that leaves the up spout part as low as possible would be best, as I'm going to be pushing the drain slope requirements as it is.

If trying to join the lines from above the 3" line will cause issues with slope of the 2" line then the thing to do is to do the coupling more from the side of the 3" line. You could cut the 3" line and install a wye fitting with the branch positioned horizontal instead of pointing up. It may be that the branch can even be rotated up a bit from the horizontal side to gain the best fit.

You could then use a size adapter to 2" right off the 3" branch. Then a series of 2" street elbows (22.5 degree elbow) can be used to adapt the direction of the branch to the incoming 2" line.

Using this technique you should be able to get up to about four more inches of slope on the 2" line.


Why are some outlets in my bedroom working and some do not/ I have 5 outlets in bedroom 3 stopped working. tripped circuit breaker nothing. Why would this happen?

Hard saying without more info.  However, assuming all 5 outlets are on the same circuit I would say what happened is all of your outlets are daisy chained together.  The two that are working are earlier on in the chain.  The next outlet in the chain something went wrong with it, thus affecting all the outlets after it.


Cutting stud in load bearing wall to create vent opening for cooktop hood We are installing a wall mounted cooktop hood over a gas cooktop as part of our renos.

We have centered the cooktop along the kitchen wall but unfortunately that places the center line right in front of a stud (labeled #2 in the pictures) that is holding up an exterior wall. Shifting the cooktop position by 4-5 inches is problematic as it throws the cabinet configurations out of whack. We checked with the manufacturer of the hood and they advised that the vent should be 6" and of rigid material by code for gas cooktops. There is wiring running through the lower portion of these studs which also limits what we can do.

Please refer to the first picture below which shows the stud locations and the wiring.

We are considering an option where we cut the top part of the middle stud to allow us to create the vent opening for the hood. We then want to add framing members to provide support. This option is sketched in the second picture and shows the following:

cut top portion of the middle stud #2 above the wiring
insert 2x4s of same length as remainder of stud #2 but turned on their side behind and in front of wires on either side of stud #2. These are #7 and #8.
NOTE: there will be a bit of space between the front and back studs so the studs should not press against the wiring. We can also create a small notch in the stud around the wiring if the space in between the studs is limited
install a new 2x4 stud #4 horizontally to sit on top of the turned studs #7, 8 and stud #2 and nailed to stud #1 and stud #3
install new 2x4 studs #5, 6 that sit on stud #4 and support the top plate where the top part of stud #2 was cut
ideally studs #5, 6 are positioned such that the hood can hang directly off these two studs.

We would like feedback from the forum experts. We are located in Toronto, Canada. Is this an adequate way of providing support once the top portion of the middle stud is cut? If not is there an alternate approach you can suggest?

The correct way is to frame the opening with a header, jack studs(aka trimmers) and king studs in the same manner that window and door openings are framed. See image below for reference.

The header is typically made of two pieces of 2x lumber face nailed together, sometimes with a piece of 1/2” plywood between the two to make the depth of the header match the depth of the studs. You can probably use 2x6’s for such a short span.

You can locate the trimmers and king studs to hang the vent hood on, while the cripples below the sill of the opening should be located 16” on center (or whatever the existing stud spacing currently is) in relation to all other studs in the wall.

Of course, all of that wiring makes doing it the correct way difficult... What you are suggesting will work, but it is technically incorrect.


Bought a 20 year old house last spring and it appears to be settling - when to call in experts This house is about 20 years old and we purchased it last April without seeing any of this stuff. The inspection came back OK but we found a decent sized foundation crack on the walkthrough under some insulation (good times...) Over the year we've noticed regular popping noises and now we're seeing cracks in the drywall in the finished basement and screw pops on the main floor. After purchase we also discovered that the underground drainage system was blocked up by tree roots so we had that replaced and a company came in and mortared some minor (less than 1/8 inch) cracks in the foundation. There are two walls of the finished basement that we haven't opened up yet so we're not 100% sure what's going on with those walls.

Lots of drywall blemishes like this on the first floor, with the worst ones all along the same wall.

In the finished basement we've got cracks at all the seams where walls meet ceiling.

More basement fun.

So the question becomes this - have we reached the point of being alarmed? Should I just treat is as cosmetic for now and fix the drywall as I see fit or go for broke and throw in with some contractors? None of the cracks we can actually see in the basement foundation walls appear to have moved at all over the winter. The companies I've called regarding this sort of thing gave me the gamut of answers and estimates, and I honestly don't trust anyone with any financial incentive to give a true answer.

None of the pictures in your question necessarily point at a foundation issue.  You have cracks in your drywall.

What could cause these?

The first picture is a screw or nail that wasn't set in the drywall properly.  This means nothing.
The other pictures could be poor drywall techniques.  You just bought the house so you never lived through a winter.  This house could have had these issues for 20 years and they just did a quick cover up before selling.
Another thing is the humidity levels in your house.  Maybe the previous owners managed these things better.  Sharp increases and decreases in humidity levels will give drywall fits - especially improperly installed.
And what I would most likely be concerned about before a foundation issue is the amount insulation in your basement.   Your cracks in the basement are right where most air comes into basements without proper insulation and air blockage.
It could be that you had an unusually wet/dry/hot/cold season.  These things will happen because houses are made out of wood framing.  They are less likely to happen if you are in Europe and your house is made of insulated cinders.

What would I do?

Investigate the foundation.  Take some pictures of any issues that you see.  Look in and out of the house.
Make sure the buildup of dirt around your house is proper for drainage.  If there is a foundation issue after this many years it is probably it is caused by improper drainage next to the house.  Investigate any depressions in the ground that could be caused by animals, poor draining gutters or poor maintenance.
Investigate the wall of the basement.  You might have to take out some bits of drywall in a couple of places.  It is a bit messy but cost is very low.  Look to see how it was insulated and if there are any water issues.
In the end I would screw the screw in all the way and hit it with some mud and repaint.  The cracks I would caulk, then mud/tape/repaint.  I would be done in an hour and it would cost $20.

If you want to hire a foundation specialist in my opinion it is overboard.  Probably a better and cheaper solution would be to hire a different home inspector that you used when you bought the home - in my opinion this is overboard too but offering a better solution than having an engineer come out.  If you need an engineer the home inspector can point you to the right person.

Note to OP:  If this is your main concern after a year of being in a new house, then you probably got a pretty good house.  Chill on the engineer.  Know that things like this happen because wood expands and contracts.  If it freaks you out drink more or read up on how to keep your house at a more constant temperature and humidity level.


Why am I reading low AC voltage on my garage opener light? The light on my BuildMark opener won't come on. The door works well, and both the light button and the safety sensors trip the relay for the light.  A check with the AC voltmeter shows 15 VAC when the relay trips and 0 VAC when it resets.  I've tried twisting the bulb back and forth several times  to see if oxidation is the problem, but that doesn't change anything.

I know the bulb is good (tested in other fixtures).  Something is causing a low voltage at the bulb fixture.
Suggestions?

There are two possibilities that I can think of that may be causing the problem with the light on your garage door opener.

There may be an internal relay within the opener that turns on and off to control the light. The electrical contacts in the relay may have become burned and producing such a high resistance connection that even a tiny load drops the voltage way down. In this case it may be possible for someone reasonably handy with a soldering iron to remove and replace the relay.
In the second case the light bulb socket on the opener may be controlled via an AC switch component called a triac. These switch on and off via the presence of a electrical signal from the opener control circuit board. Triac switches can fail and cause the symptom you see where just a fraction of the applied voltage makes it to the light bulb socket. Failure of these is most commonly caused by power line spikes from storms and lightning. They can also fail due to current surges caused when a light bulb burns out and the fractured filament swings around and momentarily shorts out the internal light bulb electrodes. Triac replacement is possible to do for someone experienced in working with printed circuit boards. The tricky part can be identifying the proper replacement component.


Gas line sizing for a manifold system So I thought I understood the charts for natural gas pipe sizing but now that I have added everything up I am confused. The gas line coming from the road to the meter is only 1” line. So it doesn't make sense to me to go bigger than 1” but if you add up my appliances they add up to 305000 and the farthest run would be about 50’ from the meter. (I should probably clarify I plan on running one line from the meter 30’ to a manifold then branching off the manifold for each appliance) That means I would need 1 1/4 for my first section of line to the manifold. But that's bigger than the line coming from the road. My plan was to use CSST for everything but it's sounding like I may be better of running 1 1/4” iron pipe to the manifold. Could someone help me understand this better?  Thanks.

The line coming from the street is a much higher pressure. Once it hits your meter there is a regulator reducing pressure to about 7” from about 15# or so. The piping charts you are looking at should be for house pressure not line pressure.


If garage door circuit board is fried by power surge, wouldn't outlet also be fried? The control/circuit board is dead in Wayne Dalton opener. Is covered by our American Home Shield warranty. However, because tech suggested to AHS work "approval dept" that it could have been fried by a power surge, they are denying the claim. Tech said to me that he doesn't know for a fact that this happened because of a power surge but was merely hypothesizing because he was pressed for a reason the board went bad. At any rate, I am wondering if a power surge DID cause this, wouldn't the receptacle show signs of damage? Wouldn't the other thing (a shop light) also be damaged?  Would it have tripped a breaker? Just looking for ammo to AHS to cover my claim. They tend find a way to deny everything. Thanks for any advice.

Anything with sensitive electronics is more susceptible to damage due to power surges. Receptacles don't have any electronics (unless they're GFCI or AFCI receptacles), and it's doubtful that a shop light has any either.  If a surge is not large enough to trip the magnetic protection, or long enough to trip the thermal protection, then the breaker will not trip.

It sounds to me like they have no idea what caused the failure, and are simply guessing.


Connect 110mm pvc to clay oblique junction I want to install a toilet and replace the existing 60mm cast iron pipe with 110mm pvc

It looks as if the cast iron has been cemented into the clay pipe junction

I’m trying to avoid replacing the clay junction as it is shared with four other properties

I’m thinking of drilling holes into the cement around the cast iron to remove a plug of cement leaving a hole large enough for the 110pvc

Does this sound sensible?

I would probably either keep a stub of cast iron and connect the pvc to that or cut out the wye and put a pvc wye there instead


How long does paint have to dry before I can tape over it? I have painted the trim with semi-gloss latex paint. How long does it need to dry before I can mask it with blue painter's tape?

We try wait at least 12 hours and use Orange core tape (delicate, low tact) and often we still get a little pull off. Don't leave the tape on any longer than you have to and pull it at an extreme angle to the wall or trim.  Obviously, the longer you can wait to tape over fresh paint the better, but we don't have a lot of time on a job to wait for the paint to cure. Trim paints tend to pull off more than wall paints, so we break the common rules and do walls first, trim second.  Also, small touch ups on egg shell or flat wall paint is easier than touch-ups on semi-gloss trim.

In hot humid weather and rush jobs, we use fans and dehumidifiers to speed the curing process. This helps a lot. Under optimal conditions, we can tape after maybe 4 hours and do second coats in the same day.

Side note:  Use only good grade paints with proper prep. Cheap paint will peel off with your tape even after days of drying.


how to flush sediment out of my water pipes I have no water pressure in any of my water sources. when i first turned them on rust and thick nasty stuff came out. how do i flush them out without replacing the faucet themselves? I already tried letting them run for 20 min as high as they will go and it didn't work. please help.

There isn't an easy solution for this.  Normally if you think there is a huge sediment problem then you need to contact local water company.  They will probably unhook your meter and then cut your pipe somewhere near where it enters your house.  They will then used compressed air to blow all of the sediment out.

My local water company had to do this a few years ago.  I noticed a huge decrease in pressure after they did some "construction".  It took them about an hour and there was a noticeable difference.  Now if there is sediment (less common) in the pipes in your house this is the same process except much harder.

Basically you have to isolate each branch and clear the branch of water.  Then you need to make sure there are no filters anywhere that would catch the sediment.  Means taking out shower head, disconnecting all sinks (hoping you have shut-off valves), taking filters out of shower valves... It would be an all day project for a plumber and there might not be that much gain.


Swedish Crown Molding KS. Would this be useful? Are there better tools? https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/onecut/onecut-crown-molding-tool-patented-technology/description

This tools that gives a template for half the measured angle looks simple and reasonable, but does it already exist?

I've seen a video advocating a 90 degree join and coping the outline of one piece into the other. That looks really hard, but I have seen a lot of bad 45 degree joins

Opinions?

Coping is superior for inside corners because it's more tolerant of the trim shrinking or swelling with seasonal changes. Tools similar to that are more of a help on outside corners, which have to be mitered and are never square.

Digital protractors certainly exist, but obviously require you to divide the angle in half. The big draw of that gizmo is it does the division for you and can be put directly on the saw. The less you have to measure the better. (It also prevents you from being a bonehead and forgetting that the miter saw is marked off for roofing angles.)

It's also possible to transfer the miter angle directly with overlapping scrap blocks, eliminating the tool entirely. That rapidly gets to be less and less efficient the more outside corners you've got to deal with though. Shaving five minutes off a corner isn't a big deal when you remodel your kitchen, but it's definitely a big deal by the time you get to thirty corners.


Who should repair this water damage? My garage has some water damage, which needs addressing (see photos below). I have a good attitude but no experience with this sort of repair. Does it make sense to try to do this myself? And if not, who do I call? A mason? A GC?

Update
Here are photos of the wall material.

The source of the problem is that's an uninsulated duct running in unconditioned space (the garage). Every time your AC kicks in, the cold air cools the metal which then condenses the humidity in the garage. That humidity runs down the duct as water and soaks into the drywall causing the damage you're seeing.

The fix will involve:

removing the duct
repairing the drywall
reinstalling the duct with insulation to prevent this from happening again

Whether you should do it or hire it out would depend on:

how comfortable are you with some mechanical skills and learning new things?

you indicate that you don't have experience. These aren't difficult things, but doing a nice job on the drywall will take time and patience.
you'll need good spacial relations to be able to visualize the repair necessary, draw it out, estimate your materials (hello 3rd trip to Lowes this week today! don't ask me how I know), cut, fit, fiddle, install.

how accessible are the other ends of the duct?

where it disappears into the walls - you'll need access to the top at least
the bottom looks like you can unscrew the vertical just above the elbow

how comfortable are you with drywall repair?

It's a garage, it probably doesn't have to look too pretty, though someone may balk at an absolute bodge job when it comes time to sell the place

how comfortable are you with replacing bits of the duct?

you may need to extend the elbow out to get some insulation wrapped around the vertical piece. A pro probably would, if you DIY, you might get away with "adjusting" the existing piece a bit.
you'll probably want to insulate the elbow, too, or it will condense and drip
you'll need to get insulation into the section that goes into the ceiling

If you hire it out:

A GC isn't a bad option, but would probably be the most expensive

If he doesn't have the skills, he'll handle getting an HVAC guy and a drywall guy and getting them coordinated.

A general "handyman" type repair service would probably be good, too.

be sure to ask for some references and check 'em - you don't want to spend good money on more bad work.

You could be your own "GC"

hire an HVAC guy to take the duct work apart (he can handle getting into the walls as necessary)
rip out cut out the damaged drywall back to the nearest stud where you've got dry, undamaged material. (This will save some time for the drywaller and probably some expense. He'll adjust your cuts as he sees necessary.)
hire a drywall guy to repair
call the HVAC guy back to reinstall the insulated duct

The more I look at your pictures, the more convinced I become that this is concrete/block, not drywall (hence your mention of "mason", I suppose). In that case, replace all mentions above of "drywall guy" with "mason".

Personally, I've done a lot of projects on my house, but I'm not certain I'd want to take on this level of masonry repair, especially as a "first house project". Others may indicate that it's a fairly straightforward masonry fix. If so, I might feel confident enough to take on, you may too...

Based on the last two images added, that's definitely plaster over drywall. They drywall repairs are simple enough. Doing the plaster on top is a bit more work and skill, but you've got the fact that it's a "rough" and "random" pattern working for you - it doesn't have to be perfect to blend in well enough, and if you really don't like it, you can sand the plaster back off (making a huge mess) and try again (just don't sand through the paper of the drywall).

The most important part is finding the source of the leak and getting that fixed. Until you do that, the rest is just putting a bandaid on a sinking ship. If left unresolved for too long, you'll end up damaging framing, not just the drywall. If that happens, you're in for a fairly large repair bill. Much cheaper to track it down now, even if that means hiring someone.


Can I safely mount a wall-mount networking rack on one stud? So I never really thought of it but I put a wall mount hinged Networking Rack in my home, it never came across my head "how much can this stud hold?"

Image of the wall and rack:

Ignore the mess inside the rack, I'm gonna clean that up and make it look really nice later just needed to wrap it up for couple days.

But my question is, is there a certain rule of thumb that a construction worker has to follow when mounting studs to a cinderblock wall?
I'm little worried of this thing falling off the wall in the middle of night. I was able to hang on it with the rack and I'm 200lb and it didn't budge but I'm still worried that it may weaken. Any thought will be helpful!

PS the studs don't extend to the ground.

I'd say it all hinges on whether 2x4s are mounted to the wall securely, and you have no simple way to verify that. In any case, since they do not extend all the way to the floor, they are not structural, and were not designed to handle any kind of a serious load.

I'd say the most simple way to to address this would be this:

Go to a home improvement center (home depot, etc.), get 4 sleeve anchors, 1/2" x 3" at least, which are rated for cinder blocks. If your 2x4 boards are attached to the wall with their narrow edge, you'll need way longer bolts, you need at least several inches in the cinder blocks.
Drill 4 holes, 2 into each of these 2x4 members, staggering the holes and keeping well away from the edges, into the upper half of these boards, using wood drill bit.
Drill into the cinder blocks using concrete drill bit, for the length and diameter appropriate for the fasteners that you bought.
Install the anchors, do not over-tighten.

There are many ways to attach a board to a cinder block wall (tapcons, concrete anchors, etc.), they all will work well. Basically what I'm saying is that if you can't be sure these boards are attached securely enough, just add more fasteners that will definitely support the load.

Here, I presume that your rack is securely mounted to the wood (real lag bolts, not some drywall screws), you'll want to inspect that as well.


Foundation inside and outside of house cracking I have a problem with my 60 year old back-split home that the concrete is cracking everywhere.  We have cracks in the ceiling above the stairs leading the bedroom level, a vertical crack in the basement wall, cracks all over the lower basement floor, the concrete outside the front door is cracked, the concrete front step is cracked and crumbling, the pool has two very big cracks on the surface of the sidewalk poured around it (not the walls of the pool and it is not a concrete pool), the new floor poured in our pool house sank 2 inches and lastly the concrete wall that surrounds the stairs leading to the first level basement walkout is cracking.  Is our house falling down or is this fixable?? Please help!

This isn't what you want to hear, but you may already know the answer: it's time to call a pro. Issues with concrete foundations aren't for even the most hardcore DIY-ers.


How to disable led light inside my rocker light switch Ive been looking for an answer to my question and this is the first discussion that I was allowed to even join.

I have a recessed lighting that operates with 3 switches. 2 of them turn the lights on and off and when the third one is off then the other 2 can't do anything. All of this is fine with me.

However one of the switches is illuminated in the off position which makes perfect sense. But when the lights are off my flourescent lights flicker. I understand why all of this happens.

My only question is can I disable the little light in the switch itself, and if so, how do I do it?

Thanks in advance.

Just change the switch to a plain switch. They cost $2.

The faulty idea of powering switches

The issue here is an obsolete way of powering "switches which require power themselves to do their thing".  That includes lighted switches, motion sensors, day-night sensors, dimmers, smart switches, you name it.  In your case the switch contains a snall neon light.

The scheme depends on the electrical behavior of an incandescent (or halogen) bulb: it behaves like a low-value resistor when it is off.  The switch only needs a small amount of current, so it leaks it through the bulb. The current isn't enough to heat up the incandescent to its luminous temperature.

But this won't work on an electronic ballast or driver. It will just make the ballast go insane.  Even an old magnetic ballast for fluorescents, it's likely to use that current to light the tube pre-heaters, making the ends glow orange.  If the fluorescent has a starter, the starter will constantly cycle.

So the "leak current" strategy is obsolete and all those should be boxed up and shipped back to the 1970s.

The modern way is to bring neutral to the switch, so it can use hot+neutral to power itself, like every other electric appliance in the world.  Now the switch has a solid power supply, and can work like a plain switch - either connecting the switched-hot to hot, or not.  And that allows any load to work.

Your 3-way switch wiring is also faulty

Typically, "unusual" switches are one-trick ponies.  You get a switch that's 3-way, OR a lighted switch, OR a dimmer, OR a motion sensor, but a "lighted 3-way" would be two tricks, and they don't make those. So the last guy sacrificed 3-way to get lighted.

It sounds like this circuit was intended to be a 3/4 way switch complex (2/3 way for the British) and the last guy really really wanted a lighted switch, and was willing to compromise away 3-way functionality.

So, since you don't care about a lighted switch, and want to roll it back to a plain switch anyway, you could take the opportunity to restore its 3-way switch functionality, so your one trick is proper 3-way instead of lighted.

Are you sitting down?  3-way switches will set you back three dollars.


Water flow with plastic and brass pex fittings Is the smaller ID on plastic fittings (for pex) "smaller enough" than brass to have an effect on water flow through the pipes? I'm trying to do everything I can to get the most possible pressure and flow out of my system while I'm re-doing things. Plastic fittings price and lack of reactivity to elements in the well water make sense but I've read that their ID being smaller is a downside. Just wanted to hear from other people before making a decision.

Yes, of course it has an effect.  How could it not?  One benefit to using PEX is that you can make very long runs with a single piece of pipe without any joints.
But if you have a concern about a specific run, then the solution is to upsize that run to a size that will flow what you need at that location.
You have not provided any specifics in your question, so the best answer that can be given is also general.


How to make a swing swing straight? I don't know if this is "home improvement" since it is about an item in my garden but it is not about "gardening and landscaping" either so I am going to ask it here in the hope that, since it I think the skillset required to answer questions here probably overlaps so here goes...

I have bought a swing for my child and she loves it but the problem is that it does not swing straight.  It is attached to a branch on a tree and as you can see in the photo below, the branch is not straight and, therefore, the ropes connecting either side of the swing are different lengths.  Sadly I have no other tree to attach it to.

Try as I might I cannot get a good swing action on it (the seat turns during the swing even if I am very careful and apply an equal pressure push).  I have got a spirit level out and the seat is horizontal (as far as the accuracy of that is able to ascertain) but it swings all wonky.  I don't know, I have been tightening and re-tieing knots for months now and my wife is getting angry and the child starts to look at me with a concerned experssion every time I sit her on it to "give it one last go."

Is there a technique for fixing this thing?  Should I build some sort of triangular wooden structure under it so the ropes are the same length?

A triangular wooden structure as you describe should work if the ropes are the same length and the hooks the ropes are attached to are both hung vertically. Pendulum period depends on rope length, so the set up you currently have couples pendulums having two different periods. That's a recipe for unstable swinging.
Also, the angle pictured on the left attachment point will cause wobbling even if you correct the length problem. That's because it causes one rope to oscillate on a different axis* than the other.
For maximal directional stability in swinging, you want the ropes attachment points to the limb to be set a few inches wider than their attachment pints to the seat of the swing

*Actually given the hookup, a different set of axes, but that overcomplicates things. Just work to preserve symmetry between the two ropes and all will be well.


How can I make tongue and groove cuts with only a radial arm saw? I'm pretty new to woodworking and I don't have a lot of tools. I'm working to make pieces to sell and buy more tools as I go. I don't own a table saw, but I do have a radial arm saw. Has anyone ever done tongue and groove cuts with a radial arm on smaller boards? This seems like a bit of a dangerous proposition to me as the saw has not been kind to smaller wood I've tried to cut. If this is not an option, is there an alternative I can use in the meantime of a router purchase?

I've tried it in a pinch and, yes, it's rather dangerous and stupid. It's just the wrong tool for the job.

Table saws can be found fairly affordably, though. Most big boxes will sell one for around $150. It's not a GREAT saw, but should work for getting some tongues and grooves created.


How should I dispose of treated wood or manufactured boards? Are off cuts of pressure treated wood for internal use or manufactured board such as loft boarding safe to dispose of in a domestic garden fire pit (not for cooking)?

I have a large amount of off cuts after boarding my loft and doing various other jobs, so its either burn it or take it to the tip and burn something else...

Info I should have added originally, so apologies - this is the UK where restrictions on what you can do on your own property are a lot loss. I can burn this stuff in my garden fire pit or chimney for example, Im wondering if its safe to do so though.

When it burns, treated wood emits all sort of nasty chemicals that it was treated, such as trivalent chromium, copper sulfate, and arsenic. Not good stuff to breathe or pump into the air. If you can't find a way to use the leftover wood, the most responsible thing is to just take it to the dump. At least they'll have waste and runoff containment systems.


Why is my Radon level high even with passive ventilation in place? We have about 6 PVC pipes with Aqua covers on them that were installed when we built our log cabin.  We were told that they were for the Radon to escape.
   We just had a 24-hr test done and the number was 14. They said it was too high and we needed to get a "something inhibitor". I have no idea what they're talking about.   My son's bedroom is down there for five years - he seems fine?  Are these pipes that we have sporadically around the house for radon gas escape?
     We also have one about 60’ away from the house - it’s a drain pipe for gases to be released.
         What do I do and do you know where or what they're talking about?

Radon is serious business

But at least there's some cool science around it.   Ever wonder why volcanos exist? Why is the earth hot? Turns out it is radioactive decay.  When God created the earth He "aged" it 5 billion years, which destroyed all radioactive substances except uranium, which has such a long half-life that some still exists.   "Half-life" means the element spontaneously decays randomly - in 4.5 billion years, half your uranium-238 will decay into Thorium-230.  That decays much sooner into Radium-226 (which was discoved by Marie Curie in 1898, yes, a woman scientist then). That's all well and fine, these are all heavy metals that combine with other elements to make heavy molecules, and just stay in the earth.  The heat of decay becomes volcanos.

However, Radium-226 decays into Radon-222.  Problem.  Radon is also a noble gas, to enter a whole 'nother branch of science.  The noble gas you know best is helium: it's like air, but lighter than air.  Noble gases  are complete by themselves, they don't want to combine with any other elements - which is why they are gases.

The problem is radon doesn't want to stay in the earth.  It is lighter than earth, so it tries to go straight up, and heads for places like basements.   However, unlike helium it is heavier than air, so it likes to collect in low places.

Radon is highly unstable (short half-life), which means it is highly radioactive. It will soon decay into Polonium-218, famous for being used to kill Russian dissidents.  Noble gases are harmless, but if radon decays while it's in your lungs, two things happen.  First, it emits alpha radiation which lungs are vulnerable to.  Second, it turns into polonium-218 which is not a gas, it's a heavy metal, so it falls to the bottom of your lungs instead of being exhaled. So the bottom of your lungs take damage from the polonium both from the heavy metal toxins and from the radiation when it decays. Not good.

This is a natural process. Nuclear technology had nothing to do with it.

This damage is cumulative. Every decay is a "dice roll" - 99.9% of hits, the DNA damage is detected and the cell self-destructs. But that is done by the 17p and 11q chromosomes, if that takes a hit, the error may replicate endlessly.  That's what cancer is.

The upshot is, do whatever you need to get that stuff outta there.  No more sleeping in the basement - not even tonight - and get some windows open throughout the house to keep fresh air rolling through.

Given the large number of pipes, I gather this is a "passive system" - they are hoping convection or gravity would carry the radon away.  That was probably a good bet, but not every good bet wins.  This one didn't.  The next step is to use small fans to force the air to circulate.  I wouldn't wing-ding this, this is one of the extremely rare cases where I say at least consult with a professional.

If you're into DIY, ask them how much work you can do yourself, like get power wired to the right places in the right way, e.g. On the generator board but not on a circuit that might trip, e.g. The table saw circuit or AFCI/GFCI.

Dueling safety systems are a problem, like a low-water trip on a fire pump.  Save the pump, lose the hospital. You don't want a GFCI saving you from a ground fault by shutting down the radon system.


Is There Any Downside to Using An Air Impact Driver to Drive Screws? I was interested in using an air impact driver that I had for automotive work and using it to drive screws in my shop. Is there any downside to using an impact driver this way? I know that these types of impact drivers have more torque than a standard drill. The conversion kit looks like this: https://www.amazon.com/Neiko-20754A-Change-Convert-Impact/dp/B0051AE85W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495757695&sr=8-1&keywords=Impact+Wrench+Drill+Chuck

You are talking about two very different machines.

an air impact wrench used in shops on bolts typically 3/8" and larger, that would be too tough to work with a ratchet or breaker bar. The classic example is a tire shop removing lug nuts.
An electric drill.  It looks, walks and quacks like an electric drill.  Except it's jazzed up with a geardown for driving screws (a "drill-driver"), and a centrifugal impact feature to give it a bit more "kick" to help you cam out screws better ("impact drill-driver").

The tool you linked is made for electric drill-drivers.

For your air impact wrench, the tool you're looking to break is called a bit holder. It's a much simpler affair. It snaps onto a common 1/4, 3/8 or 1/2 square drive meant for sockets, and gives you a standard 1/4” hex drive that takes Philips, Torx, Robertson etc. bits that you normally use for deck and drywall screws. It has a magnet or clip to keep the bit in place.

I prefer using one with a speed wrench.


How to repair this plastered wall with brickwork in bad condition? I discovered a very wobbly patch of wall about a metre square below a window. The plaster had clearly come away from the brick, so I chipped it off with a view to re-plastering it. Towards the top of the wall there was about a 1cm gap behind the old bonding. The bottom part is in reasonable condition. The real issue is that the top layer of bricks are all completely loose and in places had rotten timber in their place.

To the right of the image you can see more gaps and expanding foam where there should be brick. The story there is that about 10-12 years ago a doorway was added. Instead of finishing off the end of the wall with new brickwork they seem to have stuffed it with foam and piled some thick plaster onto the side. Actually that thick plaster is pretty solid and the finish on the side is good, but that doesn't help the fact there's nothing to bond plaster to from the front.

So going back to my original plan of plastering the wall. How should I handle the fact there's no brick to bond to? Would you recommend plasterboard instead? Or should I repair the brick somehow and plaster as planned?

The surface of the finished wall is exactly one inch from the brick.

I should add that I am a novice plasterer to say the least!

Personally, I'd be looking for some old bricks and mix up some mortar and try to fix that wall. Get rid of the expanding foam and straighten out that right edge. Remove those old pieces of timber. These brick repairs can be time consuming but if you like puzzles, you'll like this.
Once the wall is repaired and solid, then plaster away. You could then add a layer of cement board if you felt the one inch of plaster was too thick. Good luck and stay safe out there.


Hardwood floor slat is split/sagging I recently bought an older home (1895) and have all hardwood floors. In the second floor I have a floorboard that is split and sags as you walk on it. How can this be fixed? Reinforced?

I think the most likely cause is that a part of the subfloor has split/broken. You can attack this from below (messy!) or from above (hard to cut hardwood out nicely). The solution would be to support it from below, probably with  lumber screwed between joists (though there are many ways to do it).

If on the off chance you have a joist that's bad enough to require jacking, I'd suggest you have a bigger problem, as joists don't "go bad" after 100 years.


Do I add calcite or magnesium first to my new acid neutralizer? So I am replacing a smaller acid neutralizer with a larger one.  Bought it at the local water store, had a nice chat with Wolfgang.  He loaded 3 bags of calcite and one box of Magnesium mix.  He told me which goes in first but by the time I got around to installing it I forgot.  I think he said, "gravel -> 3 bags of calcite -> box of mag mix.  Is this right?

So I called them today and the order is:

gravel -> box of mag mix -> bags of calcite.


LED bulbs in my old house are dying prematurely I installed about 20 LED bulbs in my house when I moved in two years ago. Since then at leave 5 of them have died.

None of the bulbs are on dimmer switches. However, my house is more than 100 years old. Could old wiring decrease the life of LEDs? All of my circuits are on modern breakers, and none of the wiring that I can see is knob-and-tube, but it's possible there is some of that left behind the walls.

Another theory as to why the LEDs die early is that most of the lights, and many of the outlets, in my house are on a single circuit (there are lots of other circuits, but for whatever reason they put most of the lights on just one circuit), and so that circuit can sometimes be under heavy load. I do see the lights flicker now and then when an appliance is turned on.

Could either of these issues be killing my LEDs? If so, what can I do about it?

Cheap $$ bulbs

This is a quality problem.  The market is flooded with boatloads of cheap Cheese junk, and "thrifty" buyers gobble them up.

These manifest on ebay and the dollar store, of course, but they also show up in bigger retailers.  And just as WD-40 made a brand out of missile juice, many junk importers make a brand simply by being everywhere. You see Feit Electric so often, in so many shops, that it must surely be a top tier product, right?  Nope.  Not at all. It's junk. Same for Utilitech and Lights of America.

Generally for quality lights you can't go wrong with Cree or the old Pheobus Cartel members, particularly GE, the only one who still makes their own LED bulbs. The big makers consider screw-in LEDs to be a dead-end business, since once everyone has fit them, they won't be able to sell any since they don't fail.  Obviously, the dollar vendors have figured out how to solve that problem!

Lost Neutral

This is improbable, but very serious, and I think of it because of your lights flickering.  Its symptoms are rapid, inexplicable failure of appliances.

It may be that your house's neutral wire is damaged, probably coming in off the pole, with about a 95% chance the problem is on the power company's side, and thus, fixed for free.

You detect this by measuring your voltage on a variety of outlets. It indicates the problem if some of them are below 120V, while others are above 120V by the same amount.  Your house has two 120V "legs" of power.  For instance, my house read 94 volts and 144 volts respectively, the two values added up to about 240V. Equipment on the high-voltage side is prone to damage. These values will "teeter-totter" back and forth depending on how much load is on each leg, with a new load causing quite a change in voltage, and thus, "flickering".

LEDs should ride right through small changes in voltage.

Enclosed fixtures

LEDs need to run cool, and they dislike heat. The LED itself needs to run cooler than 85 degrees C (185 F). The electronic driver circuit is also not a big fan of heat, especially if it's built cheaply.  The problem is, old fixtures are built for incandescent lights, which love heat. So fixtures aren't built to remove heat from the bulb, they're designed to bottle up the incandscent's heat to protect the building from it.  Given those design factors, enclosed fixtures make sense.  Not with LED.


Do I need special tools to run speaker wire vertically from about light switch heigh to the floor? No fireblocks. I have some speakers I hope to run wires for from not much higher than switch height for my 7.1 system. I'm thinking I might be able to just drill a hole and use a coat hanger to get it started then push it down. I haven't done this work but my stud finder doesn't seem to indicate any blockage and there is a light switch panel in that area so I was thinking it might not be too bad.

The wall is a framed drywall wall against a concrete wall in a finished basement.

Do I need an expensive wire puller or will this approach work.

There's probably no reason that it won't work. Just feed the wire in and let gravity do its thing. Use a thin wire to capture the cable at the bottom hole.

A wire puller is nothing more than a stiff wire itself, with a hook or eye at the end. I've pulled wires many times using a length of copper building wire or whatever I have on hand.


Reversing an inswing door to an outswing door? I about to tear out and rebuild a portion of an exterior wall in which I will be installing a door, is it possible since it's new construction to purchase and inswing door and convert it to an outswing door?

Thanks

Ok I think I just answered my own question, I understand that an outswing door can be purchased in the local box stores. I was under the misunderstanding that they were a costly online purchase.


Why did the bulbs in my recessed lights burn out? Last night the recessed can lights were buzzing a bit because the dimmer switch was only about half way, I assume right at the edge of allowing enough I to reach the cans.  Turned up the slider and one bulb popped and went out.  Replaced with a new bulb...nothing.  Swapped bulb from working can light into non working can, and it didn't work either.  Now here is where it gets weird....now neither bulb works in either can.  Is it possible for the one can to be bad and it is taking out the bulbs?

First you need to verify that you are getting power to the fixture. Sometimes when lamps fail they short and may trip the breaker or damage the dimmer. I have found many lamps that buzz when on a dimmer and it was because the wave shaping of the dimmer caused the filament to vibrate and created a noise. I would verify with a new lamp first and if no light then I would check the breaker  by turning it off and then back on - this will reset it if it tripped but the handle did not move enough to be obvious.

Beyond this, a meter or non-contact tester will be needed. Check for voltage before and after the switch - when turned on both should show voltage. If the switch failed, replace it. Last will be to verify the connections in the light fixtures. Make sure the wirenuts are tight and no broken wires. I left checking the fixture for last because with lighting circuits I have found a bad switch or tripped breaker to be the problem more often than a bad connection.


Install of tankless water heater I want to install a tankless water heater.  Have a 125 amp panel, with two 30 amp breakers for the current water heater.  Install manual recommends having two 40 amp breakers.  Max draw is 75 amps.  Can I just replace the two 30 amp breakers with two 40 amp breakers?

Not likely will it be possible to replace the two 30A breakers with 40A breakers.

The wire size (AWG) for a 30A circuit should be 10 gauge. Proper wire size for a 40A circuit is 8 gauge if the run from the service entrance to the tankless heater is a reasonably short distance.

So do not simply replace the breakers like you asked. The breaker's primary function is to protect the wiring from over current so as to prevent a fire in overload or short circuit conditions.


How do I replace electrical outlets that have two wires under same screw? I was trying to replace a few electrical outlets around the house with new tamper-resistant ones. When I pulled one of the outlets out of the box, I noticed that 1) there was no ground wire anywhere, 2) two white wires were under the same screw and one single black wire on the other side. This was a non-GFCI outlet in the kitchen.

I tried another outlet in the living room and in this case there were two hot wires under the same screw and two white wires under another screw on the other side of the outlet. Before I turned off the power, I had tested both outlets with a receptacle tester that showed they were correctly wired.

Is there a reason why these wires were connected to the same terminal?
Should I replicate the same arrangement when installing the new outlets? Or should I put these wires under different screws?

The NEC now prefers you use the pigtail method.Here's a quick image to help.


Convert 3 ways to 4 way Wiring I am hoping someone can help me.  I have a 3 way switch for lights on my stairs and a 3 way switch for lights in the hallway.  The way they are currently wired is there is a 2 gang box at bottom of the stairs, power into that box. There are currently 2 3 way switches in that box, one for the stairs, one for the hall.  The at each end, the box then runs to the lights.  My question; is there any way to put a 4 way switch in the 2 gang box and run all the lights on the same switch, so they all come on and off together?

Smart Switches to the Rescue
You might be able to use the existing wiring for 4-way switches. But a simpler solution, and one that does not require any new wiring (just reconfiguration of the existing wires and new switches) is smart switches.
There are many brands and many different types. You will need to do your research carefully as there are different requirements for neutral & ground and possibly other things. But basically, you should be able to:

Install a "master" switch where power comes in from the breaker panel (likely the 2-gang box, but not 100% certain without more details)
Install "remotes" at the other 2 locations. Depending on the brand/type, the remotes may use AC power themselves or they may be battery powered (with long-lasting batteries).
In addition to controlling the lights with the 3 switches, you can also have (if you want) options to control via WiFi or other means.

Make sure to get UL-listed (or similar listing, CE and FCC are not equivalent to UL) devices. Since at a minimum the master switch will be attached directly to 120V (or 240V, depending on your location) power, safety is very important.


Why do my lightbulbs keep flashing then return normal My light has 2 or 4 bulbs 2 of them flash on and off 3 times then nothing else but one does it then the other why?

When they turn on do they blink and take a second to warm up?  If so they are florescent.  These bulbs often have ballasts in the fixtures that go bad after time.  If they aren't florescent and the problem continues after replacing the bulbs you could have a wiring issue.


Replacing pressure gauge on water holding tank The water coming in from the well is supplied by thick rubber type pipe cut and angled with metal bands. There is no cut off valve to the water holding tank.

I need to replace the pressure gauge (leaking from bototm). Well is 250ft deep. I understand that I can turn off electric to the well and should cut off the water supply. There is no cut off for the water coming in from the well.

I believe I need to cut off electric to well, release pressure (can open a faucet), quickly put on the new pressure gauge, turn electric back on and turn on water. I talked to someone who said the little amount of water leaking out of the 1/4 inch hole would be insignificant, the water would have to drain back to the pump before I have a problem.

I would like any comment on installing the pressure gauge. Can anyone comment on how to install a cut off valve from the pump coming from the wall to the holding tank. The metal clamps are looking old and there are about four elbowed sections from the wall (well into house) to the holding tank. If I cut off the electric and disconnect the hose to the holding tank and the water drains back to the pump, how do I know it did that and what are the steps to get the water back up the tube

At some point I want to replace the hole unit, don't know the tech terms, but the water release valve handle is gone and the "gray box" that trips the pressure gauge to work all need to be replaced. I don't want to try that until I have enough money to call a plumber in case my attempt goes wrong.

There is no need for (and good reason not to have) a valve between the well and the pressure tank. Turn off the pump power, release pressure, change the gauge. There's no need to hurry. The well is below the tank, with no power to the pump the only way water will even want to flow is back to the well, though if the check valve on the pump is in good shape it won't. There should be a drain valve near the tank...drain all the water in the tank and take as long as you like to fix it.

Edit: either shut off the valve between the tank and the house (assuming there is one, there usually is), or shut off your water heater if there is no such valve, as draining or partially draining a water heater that's turned on is a bad thing...

If you add a valve where you suggest, you could have the valve shut off while the pump power is on, and your pressure switch would see low or no pressure (valve shut) and send power to the pump, which would duly pressurize up to the the shut valve, and eventually find the weak point in the system between the pump and the shut valve, blowing it open. Bad idea.

Likewise, if your pipes are not leaking, don't mess with them. Polyethylene pipe (what you probably have, not rubber) is not all that easy to work with, especially if you have no experience and it's old. If it's not leaking, save the experience for when you have a reason to get it. "Looking old" is a rather vague description - I have plenty of "old" hose clamps in service, they have been mostly made of stainless steel for quite long time, old and dirty (or even light surface rust, as even stainless can get) is not a problem (they are on the outside of the pipe.) 40 years old and just fine. If you have an oddball that's actually rusting to the point of being compromised, sure, replace it, but don't take the pipe apart.

When you are done, simply re-apply power to the pump, and run water until all the air is out of the pipes - this will often result in "alarming looking" but perfectly benign sediment being knocked loose, so don't be alarmed if that happens, just run the water until it clears up, and perhaps remove your faucet aerator screens and clean them. Very shortly (seconds) after you restore pump power you should hear water in the pipes, and see pressure build in the gauge you replaced. Sometimes you have to fiddle with a lever on the gray pressure switch box (if it has a low-pressure cut off.)


How do I properly nail two 2x4's at a 90 degree angle? Nail the horizontal 2x4 into the vertical 2x4 about 1/4 of the way down from the top of the vertical 2x4, so they are at a 90 degree angle.

The way I've been nailing this scenario is to just nail through the vertical 2x4 at a 0 degree angle, directly into the middle of the end piece of the horizontal 2x4.

I've read though, that the pros like nail at a 45 degree angle, so that the nail doesn't go through the end piece of the horizontal 2x4, but through the top part. Is this correct? I don't like having the end part of the nail stick out.. even if I hammer the sharp point towards the wood.

So are my projects going to not last long if nailing directly into the end piece? They seem to work just fine for the time being, but am wondering what the correct approach is. Thoughts on this?

Obviously I'd have another vertical 2x4 on the other side too, so it stands up.

* Ignore the green and red brush lines, accidentally saved over what I wanted

Nails are generally put in at 90 degrees to the wood (i.e. straight in), unless you are "toe-nailing". (see picture)

It all really depends on the application. As opposed to just nailing straight in, like if you were nailing together a built-up beam (face nailing) - Toe nailing the wood is usually not bearing much or any weight on the nails, they are holding wood in place.

If the wood is going to be horizontal and bearing weight, face-nailing parallel members is good. However, for perpendicular members, I would want structural hardware in end nailed or toe-nailed pieces (joist hangers, angle brackets, etc.).

  I've read though, that the pros like nail at a 45 degree angle, so that the nail doesn't go through the end piece of the horizontal 2x4, but through the top part. Is this correct? I don't like having the end part of the nail stick out.. even if I hammer the sharp point towards the wood.

If the nail sticks out the other end, you should use shorter nails.


Why is my outlet voltage abnormal? I just moved to a house which was built in 1958 (almost 60 years ago).

One GFCI outlet has the indicator light on but no power when plug in appliance.
So I opened it and measured the voltage with a multimeter. It is very strange. See below diagram:

I guess A and B is input line whilst C and D is output line to other outlets.
When I measure it, I have removed the GFCI receptacle. Why A and D still has 5.5v?

And I didn't find ground line from the outlet.

If I connect A,B to LOAD and C,D to LINE of the GFCI receptacle my receptacle indicator light is on but recepacle itself is always off. When I press the reset/test button there is no effect.

I still cannot figure out what's wrong.

If A and B are the wires coming from the breaker, they should be connected to the LINE terminals of the GFCI.  C and D; that go off to serve other loads, should be connected to the LOAD terminals. If when connected properly, the GFCI will not reset. It means that the GFCI device is dead, and needs to be replaced.

Since C & D are "floating", the 5.5 volts could be phantom voltage induced by other electrical lines in close proximity to these lines, or any other magnetic field. A low impedance voltmeter could be used to rule out phantom (ghost) voltage.  However, since lines C & D have no reference to the electrical system (floating), don't expect a meaningful reading.


Replacing bulb in Janeiro surface mount ceiling light (not LED) We had these Janeiro flush mount light fixtures installed 7 years ago - not LED. M10122 is the model number I believe. The light went out and we tried to remove the dome but it did not come off easily with twisting, pulling, turning each way...and the whole fixture fell from the ceiling leaving a big hole. I have not been able to find the installation instructions online and the store we bought it from is no longer in business. I am looking for the electrician who installed it but cannot find him either. I am wondering if we have a faulty fixture? Or if the electrician sealed it with glue instead of using screws? It is not LED so I assume there should be a way to remove the dome to replace bulbs. Anyone have any ideas?

I see you're new to the site. Let me help you make a better post. This is unfocused and needs some work. Please review this article, and bear in mind a question like your's if not edited often end up getting closed for a number of reasons described here.
Right now, your post is more about venting frustration than soliciting specific advice for a specific action (leading to your desired outcome or end state).
As it stands, you have asked three questions, and I will give you answers to those questions to demonstrate the problem with your post. Please don't be intimidated, as we want to help you learn how to turn this into a good question because there are bound to be other people out there with the same problem who you will help by asking your question.
So as it stands, your questions will not help you replace your bulb or get your light mounted again. You have not asked the right question(s) or given us the right information to get you there. If you see where I'm coming from after reading my answers to your questions below, you will need to edit your post with a more appropriate question or questions if these answers aren't what you need to solve your problem:

Your questions:

I am wondering if we have a faulty fixture?

It is impossible to tell with the information you've provided. Given what you've described, nothing indicates fault with the fixture or the installation: It has functioned without issue for seven years and you claim it is not LED (though you don't know what type of bulb it has), which means that is great performance out of a fluorescent or incandescent bulb assuming regular use; and, it's mounting failed because you didn't know how to properly remove the globe and your actions damaged the mounting (or maybe you just don't know how it sets back onto the mounting and you don't realize it's fine, but since you haven't given us any photos we have to assume you describing it as damaged is accurate).

Or if the electrician sealed it with glue instead of using screws?

Do you see glue? We have no way of telling given the information you've provided. However, chances are strong that you just don't know how to pop it off.

Anyone have any ideas?

Sure, here's my idea (I'm going to be cheeky): Try asking a better question, one that is targeted at the solution or end state you want to get to. Ask us a question that is focused on what you want to do about your situation.
That said, the answer you're probably looking for is this: If twisting doesn't work, and there are no visible screws, and you're not married to the fixture so if you damage it (as it sounds like you might already have done), try approaching it as a pressure fit or captured component. See if you can pry it out (gently). As for remounting it, you will need give us more information as to what state the mounting hardware or substrate is in right now. Chances are you can fix it.
Good luck, and I hope you find this helpful not offensive! I mean this to be encouraging, not insulting!! Your post is almost there with getting us the right information, it just needs a little more work!
Also, here you go: the manufacturer is Illuminating Experiences, the product line is Janeiro, the type is 100W incandescent, and the globe is counterclockwise twist lock.
If this is your solution, please click the checkmark to accept this answer.


How can I drill a grommet hole in my Ikea desktop? I have a computer setup that I would like to improve. My plan is to drill a hole through pretty much the MIDDLE of the desk in order to pass wires and make my overall setup look cleaner.

What I'd like to know is if I can drill a proper hole without damaging the desk when the table top is made of: particleboard, Ash veneer, Stain, Clear acrylic lacquer, Foil, Clear acrylic lacquer, and ABS plastic. To be specific, this is the IKEA Bekant corner desk.

Of course you can, and it's very easy to do.

All you need is an appropriate hole saw.

Drill from the top down.  If you can, hold or clamp a piece of scrap wood under where you are cutting.  That will prevent the bottom from splintering.

Then to make it really look nice (and prevent any future splinters) you'll want a desk grommet that slips inside the hole.  Make sure you match the size of the hole and your grommet.


How can I prevent my computer from interfering with the TV signal? I have an antenna tv and every time I turn on my computer, it knocks out the signal to my tv. I have tried plugging the computer in to different areas in my house and buying a booster for the antenna signal.

I have 20 amp fuses in my house for the electricity and the wiring was just updated 5 years ago. What can I do to fix it? Could it be my fuses?

Your TV, sadly, has what is referred to as a susceptibility problem -- it's vulnerable to being confused by electromagnetic trash generated by other gizmos, like air pumps and desktop PCs.  From the nature of the interfering devices, it sounds like the electromagnetic trash is being carried from your PC and air pump to your TV via the power lines.

My recommendation is to plug your TV into a high-end surge suppressor with built-in EMI filtering circuitry (such as a Tripp Lite Isobar or Isotel) -- this will reduce the amount of trash that gets into your TV, and hopefully make it so you can watch TV with the computer on.


How can I remove a fireplace insert without damaging the surrounding wall? I have a fireplace (factory-built) that requires replacement. It is in an interial wall in the house. How do I detach the flue, detach the gas line and remove the existing fireplace? Is it possible to remove the fireplace from the wall through the living room, and is it possible to put a new fireplace in through the living room, or must I remove and replace the fireplace through the attic space?

(See my comment below)

From the attic, the fireplace looks like this:

From inside the living room, the fireplace resembles this:

You are going to have to dismantle the mantle.  Seriously though, either way you remove it you are going to have to take apart the wall surrounding it. The fireplace insert should be attached to the framing around it, so you'll have to get to these attachment points to remove it.


Outdoor water faucet will not stop leaking Ive searched online for days and have not found a faucet that looks like mine.  I have tried 2 wrenches, but it still will not budge. Can you tell by looking at the photos if it is soldered? I able to get the handle off, but nothing else will come loose. Now in order to get the least amount of leakage the handle has to be turned in an exact position.  If I turn it all the way off it will leak ALOT.

![faucet2][2]
![faucet3][3]

That looks like an early version of a ball valve. To repair it, if you could, you would need to remove the faucet. At that point it would be easier to get a new one to reinstall.

It is a threaded connection on the supply line, possibly 1/2". It will take 2 large pipe wrenches to remove it.


Plumbing alteration has created vacuum in upstairs toilets Prior to my bathroom remodel, I had a toilet flange moved in my basement to a standard 12" rough-in, since the toilet was about 5" off the wall and looked silly. The problem I have now is a vacuum in the upstairs toilet lines, such that when I flush one, the other toilet (opposite wall) sucks down water and vice versa. I believe this to be related to the plumbing alteration since the toilets seemed to work fine beforehand.

When the plumber jackhammered up the floor he noticed a split in the pipe. Because of this split he couldn't move the toilet and said he had to remove the split. BTW, he said he never sees this sort of thing. The split seems to be where the vent pipe connects to the main plumbing.

Once he removed the split, he diverted the vent pipe (and bath sink) into the main wall pipe.

You can see how the vent pipe now tees into the larger pipe (upstairs plumbing) and then goes into the floor where it meets the new toilet line. He seems to have tapped off the old pipe

So, now to my question. Is it obvious from this plumbing change as to why I now have vacuum in the lines? Next question, is this plumbing alteration correct?

Its a venting problem.  Without enough volume of air to replace the volume of water moving down the pipe a suction is created.  This is due to sizing or placement problems. Get a new plumber, a licensed one if your state upholds that standard.  The license would separate those who say they are a plumber from those that are plumbers.


1/4 turn shutoff valve doesn't completely turn water off My 1/4 shut off valve still allows a very small amount of water through when turned off. This valve controls a line that I need to disconnect while long term repairs are in effect and it effectively leaks about a gallon a day. I need complete shut off. What do I do to fix this valve (replacement would be a pain since it's in a tight spot).

Get a pipe cap.

This is normal with shut-off valves that are not exercised for many years.

You only really need it to slow down flow enough to change and tighten the connecting piping.  Sometimes that's all you can hope for.  That said, we've been on a campaign to replace every one in the facility, but it's almost futile - we'll have the same problem again in 30 years.


When do galvanized pipes in NYC residential water delivery pipes need to be upgraded? It was suggested that I ask here.

Some residential properties in New York City still have galvanized pipes for the inlet water line.  Since heavy metals from the galvanization can leach into the water, this kind of pipe is no longer specified as an allow building materials according to NYC plumbing code.

§ PC 605 does not specify an allowance for galvanized parts, in
piping, fitting or joints.
$ PC 605.3 has a table that does not specify galvanization as an allowed material.  This is in context to [the containing] Section 6, which regards Water Supply and Distribution.
§ PC 702 does allow galvanization in drainage.
All other usages in this doc deal with non-water systems, or non-inflows.

But in the plumbing code I cannot find a clause section for grandfathering existing galvanized piping.

Does a grandfathing clause exist in a superseding city code or law?
Where might I find the change in law that first disallowed galvanized pipes in this usage? (Wherein may also have been specified how to handle existing installations)

Generally, law questions are off-topic, so I'll answer in a way that's broadly applicable. For the most part, building components that are no longer code-compliant are grandfathered in until work needs to be done on them. So if you have a section of galvanized pipe that's rusted or clogged, you'll have to replace that section with copper or something else that's permitted by contemporary code. Whether the inspector will allow you to get away with a spot repair using compliant materials or will consider that the repair means the whole system is no longer compliant and needs to be replaced depends heavily on the personality of the inspector, how well you treat him, and the local construction culture. In other words, the law is not really all that relevant here. Be courteous and maybe put on your politics hat, if necessary.


Should window well for basement window be attached to the house? When answering this question, code references are great (IIRC) if there are any applicable, but I am asking specific to northern midwestern climates in the United States (up near Canada) and best engineering principles since the code likely doesn't get so specific.

Background:
Clay surrounds my foundation. We have heavy spring rains that saturate the ground and well-below freezing winter temperatures. I recently had a basement egress window installed where there was previously just a small glass block window. I was expecting the installers to fasten the window well to the house and use caulking around the edges to prevent water from seeping into the well, but there is a noticeable gap between the well and the house/foundation all the way down to the bottom when viewed from the inside. The installers did not add any drains from the bottom of the well to the storm sewers because they saw that I just had a sump pump system installed on the interior of my home. My concern is that if the water table rises high enough with spring rains that water may start to pool in the well and come in through the seams around the window.

The installers said that they intentionally did not fasten the well to the wall because of the differences in expansion and contraction of the metal well with respect to the cinder block foundation--over time, it would cause the fasteners to pop out of the cinderblock. In which case, the well would potentially damage the cinderblock and still be detached from the house (leaving room for the same problems as not attaching it in the first place).

According to 2012 International Residential Code (IRC), there should be adequate drainage in the bottom of the well. So if it's installed to meet this code, then you shouldn't have any problems with the well flooding. The 2009 version of IRC didn't seem to have this bit of code (at least not that I found), so if your area hasn't adopted 2012 IRC you might have a problem.

International Residential Code 2012
Chapter 3 Building and Planning
Section 310 Emergency Escape and Rescue Openings
R310.2 Window wells.
R310.2.2 Drainage. Window wells shall be designed for proper drainage by connecting to the building’s foundation drainage system required by Section R405.1 or by an approved alternative method.

If they didn't install proper drainage, I'm not sure how it passed inspection (other than not being inspected). I might contact the company that installed the wells, and try to get them to install proper drainage, or figure out if they installed an alternative drainage method.
Aside from that, you could install drainage yourself, or keep a submersible pump on hand and at the ready.


Whole House Surge Protection at Main Panel I am planning on installing the CHSPT2ULTRA Type-2 surge protector on my outside main panel.
I am planning on:

turning off main being careful to note that the utility service lines and the terminals they connect to inside the panel remain live
using a knockout closest to neutral bar for the CHSPT2ULTRA
adding a 2-pole 50amp breaker in the open slot under existing breakers
Connecting the White wire to the neutral/ground bus bar. (pictured on right)
Connect the Green wire to the same neutral/ground bus bar.(looks like there are two open terminals)
Connect the Black and Red wire to the 2-pole 50amp circuit breaker added in step 2
go get a beer

Would this be a correct and efficient installation?
Am I missing anything that might improve performance from the surge protector?

Several ways to do that.
Fit a surge breaker
Replace the Dryer breaker with a CHSPT230 breaker, which is simply an Eaton surge suppressor built into a 30A breaker.  The 30A breaker isn't for the surge suppressor, it's for any general 30A load. The point of that is to save you 2 spaces in your panel.
That means you'd install the CHSPT230 to replace your dryer breaker, or the CHSPT250 to replace your subfeed breaker (honestly the first one feels safer; dryers will always be 30A... but subfeeds might be upgraded, especially once you realize #6 wire can be breakered for 60A lol).
Your planned CHSPT2ULTRA device
Feed it from a 50A breaker, yes... except locate it right across from the main breaker.  Move the other breakers down.
Why? Because, check your label, but most CH bus stabs are only rated for 140A.  The 125A main, plus the 50A breaker across from it, is 175A on that bus stab.  Whereas surge suppressors flow zero power, except when suppressing surges of course.  So it is a good option for that limited "across from the main" breaker space.
By the way, if you want more spaces...
Your box is a "B" sized box, as stated on the label.  As you might guess, other breaker panels also use a "B" sized box. One is the CH16L125R, which is 16-space and makes full use of the knockouts on your cover.   One could be acquired, and its bus bars bolted up inside your panel, without the need to remove all the wires and tear the box off the wall.


How to split a 200 Amp main feed betweena cabin and workshop? I currently have a meter loop on my cabin that feeds a 125a main breaker panel. I'm working with the the utility provider to move the meter to a pole ~75ft away from the cabin and run a new underground feed West to the cabin breaker panel. Additionally I need to run power to a workshop that is 55' to the South of the new pole location. The workshop will be a 70amp breaker box. (10a lights, 3@20a for tools).
My question is how do I configure the split? Is there a main disconnect panel set up for split feeds from the meter that I can use instead of the standard as shown in the diagram?
Also, I have to use 3 lengths of 2-0 in conduit for the cabin 125a feed, what gauge works for the 70a workshop?

You can actually install two main disconnects below the meter. The NEC allows up to six main disconnects at one location so long as they are all marked as SERVICE DISCONNECT. These labels usually come with the equipment.

There are several ways you can do this but I have found the simplest to install an MLO (Main Lug Only) panel and then install the breakers to each building. The only qualifier is that you cannot have any more spaces than would allow more than six mains (6-2 pole breakers would equal 12 spaces or poles). If you have a problem finding a panel to match that configuration Then just instal a 125A MCB panel install the breakers to each building below the main.

Hope this helps and good luck.


Can I raise a sagging shed roof by winching the walls back into place? TL;DR

Can I fix the sag by slowly jacking up the ridge, simultaneously tightening some steel cables attached to the top of each wall?

Measuring between the top of the wall and the top of the ridge, I see about a 3.75" dip in the middle.

Details

I have a 16x12 shed - the Home Depot variety - that came with the house when we moved in 4 years ago. I'm guessing the shed is about 10 years old.

The roof is sagging a few inches in the middle:

Also notice the eaves are bowed upward in the middle. To me, this indicates that, as the ridge 2x4 has sagged, the bottoms of the joists have pushed outward. Thus, the wall acts as a sort of fulcrum, and the part of the rafter that goes past the wall, supporting the eaves, gets lifted.

It also looks like the walls have bowed outward just a bit:

(Please no comments about the horrible attempt at adding a soffit vent. It's getting replaced.)

And, here's a shot of what the inside looks like:

Note that the long, newish 2x4s in the picture are not attached to anything - I just set them up there temporarily to get them out of the way. I intended to use them as joists, which are sorely lacking in this structure.

So, my thought was this, which may be completely insane as it's cobbled together from a little physics and engineering background, Internet "research," and a working knowledge of what's available at the local Home Depot and Tractor Supply.

Attach braided steel cable along the short span (perpendicular to the roof ridge), between bottoms of the rafters, about every other rafter (which are on 24" centers, unlike the 16" walls. (Might be better to attach to the top of the wall?)
Support the center of the ridge with a 4x4 and a floorjack, probably tying the 4x4 to something to keep it from falling on me when it inevitably slips off of the jack.
in small increments, jack the ridge,
tighten the turnbuckles to bring the walls in and the rafters up
rinse, repeat until the sag is gone, or at least far less severe.
add more joists and rafter ties (which are also completely absent, except for one that is attached way too high to provide much structural benefit.)

Am I way off base here? If so, suggestions on alternate approaches?

Your plan is exactly right, except that you don't need such heavy-duty hardware to do the jacking/winching. Even a pair of motorcycle ratchet straps or a come-along is going to do the job, especially if you jack up the ridge board. I think it'll all move easier than you anticipate. Just make sure you have solid connections to the walls so you don't have any sudden surprises if something lets go. Maybe lag some loops to the top plates.

One or two rafter ties, well-attached, will prevent the problem from happening again. You could probably get away with keeping them a foot or so above the wall plates, too, if headroom is at a premium.

Good luck.


How should I build large concrete footings for my deck? I live in Howard County Maryland.  You may find out deck guide useful for this question, although probably not needed.  It requires 18 in diameter footings 30 inches in to the ground and must be 8 in thick.  This leaves the wood post underground and as I have asked here before this is not recommended because it may/will rot.  So I was going to bring the concrete footing to ~2 in above ground (so it will be 32 in thick).  This seems like a lot of concrete if I do 18 in diameter the whole way, plus I couldn't find a concrete tube larger than 16in diameter.

What approach should I do?  Maybe one of these bigfoot type footings (where it tapers to a large footing from a 12 in tube.  With this I worry about the required 8 in thick part.  Should I dig a 18 in hole, fill with 8 in of concrete and then in that have a 12 in tube coming to the surface?  Or should I just bury the post as most people do around here?  Or maybe something else completely?  The soil is mostly clay.

NOTE: always check the code in your area, and double check your calculations with a licensed engineer if you can.

That being said some thing are fairly well documented for footings.  Most of these revolve around how much weight you are going to support and the type of soil you have.

The load bearing ability of the soil (in general) can be looked up here .  If you want to  be absolutely certain about your soil hire a soil engineer.  They will come out and use a penetrometer to check your soil.  Usually, Clay is about 1500 to 2000 lbs per sq foot in bearing capacity.

The next portion is to figure out how much weight this footing is going to hold.  Here is a formula you can use:

H (porch weight)=  40 lbs/sqft floor live load + 25 lbs/sqft dead load + 30 lbs/sqft roof live load = 95 lbs/sqft (assuming roof over porch).

S (Soil Bearing Capacity)=2000 (clay)

N (number of piers) = (7’x8’ Grid) = 56 piers

Size Required = (Number of Piers)* (Porch Weight) /  (Soil Capacity) = N*H/S = 56*95/2000 = 2.66 sqft

Converted to inches = 2.66 sqft * 144 (sq inches in a sqft) = 383.04 sqIn which is close to 20”x20” width

Note:  The above calculation does a bit of hand waving and averaging.  For instance, piers in the center of a ballroom floor will have very little dead load on them, but may in fact have more live load than the 40 lbs/sqft.   So those piers may in fact support more live load than 40 lbs/sqft.  While the piers supporting the walls of the house have almost no live load and only dead load

This chart can also help:

Baring looking the thickness up in a table (like this), most footings are between 6 to 16 inches max. A common rule of thumb is that the thickness of the footer should be as thick as the wall/post it supports. The commonly held belief here is that the load placed on the footing spreads out at a 45 degree angle within the concrete pad. So having a pad that is the same thickness as the post on top of it will allow all the weight to be distributed to the outer edges of the footer.

The IRC R403.1.1 states that “Spread footings shall be at least 6 inches (152mm) in thickness”. So that is the minimum. However, sometimes it is a good idea to make the footing to be a little thicker. Imagine a 16 sqInch footing with a 20,000 Lbs load carried by a 4x4. It is possible the weight bearing down on the 4x4 can shear through 6” of unreinforced concrete (we are pushing the psi rating of some concrete at this point).

This means that you don't have to carry the width of the footing up to the top of the ground level (saving concrete).  An thick and wide footing to act as kind of a snowshoe will carry lot of weight.

The thickness of the post that sits on top of the footing is determined by the weight it is supposed to support and the shear strength of the concrete in the footing.  Basically if you take a 4x4 and put it on a footing and support 20,000 lbs it will shear through 5000 psi concrete.  For your purposes a 12 in concrete tube as a post, should be fine for holding up a porch.

Rebar.  The rebar is placed inside the concrete because it has a high yield strength which concrete does not.  This helps keep the concrete from fracturing if loads deform or are uneven.  While precise calculation of the amount of rebar needed is complex.  Usually, an 18x 18 footer will need 4 pieces of #4 rebar placed horizontally and vertically to form a grid.  If you are using  a 12 in wide vertical tube as a post then place 4 pieces of rebar vertically in the tube the entire length.

Finally, it helps to anchor the footer to the concrete tube placed on top of it.  You can do this by placing J bolts into the footers center during the footer pour (while the concrete is wet) then placing the 12" tube over the bolt when performing the pour for the post.  This helps to keep the post anchored to the footer.


Remove Masonry Nails from Concrete floor How do I remove these masonry nails attached to basement concrete floor?
It would be great if the nail can be removed fully since I plan to hang a door over that.
Thanks in advance.
Here is the picture of the masonry nail.

Loosen it by tapping it lightly to moderately hard, back and forth--side to side, then when it is sufficiently loose pull it out. Tap parallel to the longer dimension of the rectangular cross section.
AFIK this type of nail (cut nail) is a not a hardened steel nail for driving into concrete. It may be hardly into the concrete and you might be able to pull it out without any tapping. Try a pry bar or channel locks without hammering.


My town house was flooded from my ceiling opening up leaking water, is it the poor caulking we used more than 5 years back? I have a 1964 townhouse I reside in I love it; however, 3 years ago I felt drops in my kitchen shrugged, I'll see about that later rushing off to work.

Then 2 years ago, a bubble began to form in the corner ceiling. While using the restroom I looked down and really paid attention to the caulking coming up from around the tub and the toilet it looks moldy and torn up. I called to have someone come for a consultation to check it out.

He came scheduled me and then returned to fix the ceiling never the problem and it is leaking again this time forming a shape of a bloated person between the walls.

If there's a bathroom above the location, then you have a plumbing leak you should fix post-haste.

If you do not have a bathroom there, you might have a leaky pipe but it's vastly more likely that it's time to fix your roof.

You must stop water ingress into the home.  It will destroy your home in short order.


Is a 4x4x18' enough to support this span. 12'x13' room. Ridge beam supported each end with a 13' open span Screened in room. Ridge beam recommendation?

Depending on snow load, if any, “dead load” (composition of roof structure), species of wood, grade of beam, etc., I’d use a 4x8...minimum...for a 13’ span.


Interior Door upgrades I am looking into replacing my doors in my house. The current doors are a little unconventional. the widths are 31.5" what are my options for replacing them? is it possible to take a 1/4 inch off each side on a table saw, sand and re paint a new door or is the hollow nature of interior doors going to pose a problem?

This is less an answer than a rambling commentary, so please bear with me.

Isherwood might be on to something about your measuring... you might have plain old 32" doors without realizing it.

But if you don't, and you need to do some surgery, here's a few points:

buy from a real door place... not a big box. You'll be able to pick the price point that gets you an adequate amount of wood in the stiles. (And they're apt to know what they're selling.) Plus, you'll be able to specify unbored and unmortised.
if your existing doors fit well, you could even bring the doors to the aforementioned door place as templates and let them cut/bore/hinge them for a modest fee. On a good day, they'll dispose of them as well.
if you're doing surgery on the doors, think about a power planer. A tablesaw (even one with a beautiful outfeed table) isn't going to be good at cutting the subtle curves you find in existing doors. And I can't imagine cutting tops/bottoms on a tablesaw.
again, if you're all diy and want another excuse to buy tools, get a used midsized router (1-1/2hp; the classic in the category is the porter cable 690; $50-100 on craigslist) and a hinge butt template (P-C 59380 is the grand-daddy of them all; $100-200 on CL, though slightly rare and not terribly fast to re-sell after you're done. Just know what should be in the box, as the missing knobs and doohickeys are nearly impossible to replace.)
I swear I won't assault your wallet by suggesting a boring jig, but the Classic Engineering 10800 boring jig is really nice.

Good luck on the project.