Does plywood over rigid foam meet the fire barrier requirements? I've seen a lot of discussion about using plywood instead of drywall over rigid foam insulation when finishing basement walls (here and here). As I look to insulate my basement, I have several reasons why I'd prefer plywood to drywall as a covering.

However, none of the discussions about plywood over rigid foam mention fire code concerns. There are separate discussions (here and here), but so far no direct answer to this question:

Does plywood over rigid foam meet the fire barrier requirements? Any specific type, thickness, or installation method?

I am in Wisconsin, USA, where our fire code is NFPA 1, Fire Code — 2012. I've searched the modifications and didn't see anything about fire block or barrier, so assume standard NFPA applies.

I am considering 2" foam glued to the cement, furring strips over that, and 1/2" plywood over that. Basement will not be finished, I'm just insulating for warmth. I want to cover the foam since it is used as a workshop.

There are 3 considerations: 1) Fire Walls, 2) Flame Spread Index, and 3) Smoke Development Index.

1) Fire walls prohibit (or slow) the passage of fire from one room to another. Fire walls are used to contain the fire to allow a.) occupants to escape, and b.) contain the fire to protect the structure. In residential construction the only fire walls are between a garage and living spaces. That is not your issue.

2) Flame spread is based on a materials ability to burn and spread through a building. All building materials have a Flame Spread Rating and all buildings are rated for the type of Flame Spread allowed within the building.

Residential buildings allow a “Class C” Flame Spread Rating. (See ICC Code Section 803 and Table 803.5.) A “Class C” Flame Spread Rating is between 76-200. (Just to give you an idea of ratings, oak has a rating of 100.)

So, if your rigid insulation has a rating of more than 200, it needs to be “protected”. Protected means covered. Drywall, plywood, etc. qualifies as an allowed protection.

3) Smoke Development Index is similar to Flame Spread Rating and requires a “Class C” Smoke Development Index too, which is between 0-450.

Again, if your rigid insulation is rated above 450, then it needs to be protected AND drywall and plywood qualifies as protection.

Summary:

Yes, plywood is allowed to protect the rigid insulation. Any thickness is allowed, but plywood is rated for various spans “for best performance.” Look on the plywood sheets and they have a grade stamp, like 24/16. The 24 means a maximum span of 24” on the roof and the 16 represents a maximum span of 16” on the floor. (They don’t rate plywood for wall coverings.) I’d use 3/8” on walls up to 24” on center spans in your case, because appearance is not important.

Btw, span is based on the exterior layer installed perpendicular to supports.


How many studs do I need for ~60 lbs TV + soundbar With the TV mount bracket I have, I can get it in 3 studs. If I need 4 studs I will need a bigger TV mount. My TV is 56 pounds and my sound bar (attached to TV) is 5 pounds. So I'm wondering if 3 studs is enough or if I need 4.

With proper anchors 3 studs are fine. One #10 wood screw penetrated 1" into cedar (the least quality of commercial lumber) will resist pull out of about 90 lbs, into most typical framing studs (with a specific gravity greater than 0.45) will hold 150 lbs.


Rerouting bathroom vent My vent is interfering with the installation of a recessed medicine cabinet.  Can I make two turns so I just move over less than a foot?

From my understanding of IPC chapter 9, you can add turns as long as the horizontal part of the run slopes towards the drain at least 2% (1/4" per foot).  That's so if water gets into the vent it will flow down the drain by gravity and not pool up in your vent system.  Another stipulation would be you need to have at least 6" vertical rise above the flood level rim of the highest trap or trapped fixture being vented before going horizontal.  (horizontal being considered anything less than 45 degree slope)


How do I mount a ceiling box in 4" thick ceiling? I'm trying to install a ceiling light in two rooms that didn't previously have hard-wired lighting. After cutting a 4" hole for a circular ceiling box (using a hole saw attached to my drill) I'm finding that the ceiling box I've got might not fit:

The problem is that the ceiling is too thick. There is the original plaster & lath ceiling, and below that another layer of strapping and a fiberboard ceiling. All together, the thickness is 3 or 4". If I set the ceiling box in the hole from the attic, it sits very far from the ceiling surface you'd see from the room below. Because of the distance, I don't think it would be possible to mount a light fixture there.

So, how do I mount a ceiling box in this deep/thick ceiling? Is there a special box (or extension?) for situations like this? Do I need to somehow remove some of the upper layer of old ceiling in order to reduce the depth? Any special concerns for supporting the box?

I agree with answer #1 with the following exception:  Do not use longer screws to attach the fixture.  Find a suitable box with extensions as needed to make the box opening flush with the ceiling surface.  You do not want a gap between the box and fixture the could allow heat and spark from a fault in the box to escape. Here are products that I would use in your situation.  These may not be available at home improvement store but are available at electrical suppliers who service contractors.

For support between studs -- Erico/Caddy TSGB24 or simply use a 2x4
Box attached to support --4" octogon box
Two extension boxes as need to bring opening flush -- 4" octogon extension box 2 1/8" deep

This combination gives you a box 5 3/4" deep.  Adjust the support on the attic studs to make this flush with ceiling.

Remember that it is important to not leave a gap that could cause a smoldering fire in the voids of the ceiling structure.  This is the reason that most electrical codes require that box faces be flush with the finished surface.


My electric water switch using 240v broke again is there something wrong with the switch? The electrical voltage I'm using is 240v similar to Britain's kind and the electric switch connected to it has been broken before probably a year ago. Previously, the light indicator(switch) was a half dimmer than usual and the heater wouldn't work until i smack on the switch a couple of time then the light brightens up before i could use. I changed the whole switch and it worked until recently, same thing happened to the light indicator of the switch dims again and no matter how i smack it, turn on and off, it wouldn't work.

I'm wondering if there's something wrong with the whole system inclusive of the water heater itself or could it be the electric wires behind the socket etc? Should I just get another switch and try again and what if it doesn't work?

Additionally, I wish to know if I could use a test pen on certain parts to test if electric is passing through? I worry I might get electrocuted.

Thanks in advance!

Too much current for switch (probably - so check it)

  Previously, the light indicator(switch) was a half dimmer

The neon indicators don't last forever, they are not essential to the working of the switch.

  same thing happened ... no matter how i smack it, turn on and off, it wouldn't work

I think that switch is not rated for the current it is passing. It may be only rated for 20A. Passing a higher current can cause the contacts to burn out over time due to arcing.

An electric shower is usually on a 32A circuit in older houses or on a 40A circuit in newer houses.

A 9 kW shower at 240V uses 9000/240 amps = 37.5A.

You need to install a dual-pole 45A switch designed for use with an electric shower. These kinds of switches are sometimes physically larger than the "20ax" switch you show. 20ax suggests 20A only. It isn't capable of handling the current and is just waiting to set fire to your home.

  I wish to know if I could use a test pen on certain parts to test if electric is passing through?

Most non-contact testers test for voltage only, not current.

However, testing for voltage is probably sufficient.

If there is a voltage drop across the switch, when on, it would indicate that the contacts are burned or pitted, or that you didn't tighten the wire connections enough. The switch would also get warm or hot.

To measure current you would need a clamp-meter around one of the individual wires connected to the switch (not round the whole cable)

Take extreme care when testing this, it is lethal.

See When doing electrical work, what do I use to check wires are safe?

Bottom Line

Replace that switch with a 45A dual-pole switch. If possible, make sure it isolates both live AND neutral.


Enamel Canned Spray Paint on interior trim? Is it going to be a good idea to spray paint (while off) interior trim? (such as quarter round ) someone mentioned it might create a smoother looking finish and be a little faster, but will it last? I mean canned spray paint is WAYY cheaper then a gallon of paint and a new brush also. From my perspective it seems like a no brainer, but why haven't I ever heard of this then?

I have already primed the sureface I thought I could do 2 finish coats, then nail on the trim and patch paint the nails? Figuring I could spray the paint onto mu finger and just dab it on over the nails?

AM I just an idiot or is this a viable way to do this?

Spray painting is fine and generally gives a smoother finish than brush or roller. But you need to fill nail holes, not just paint over the nailheads. Nails should be recessed. Either wood filler or painters caulk should be used in the nail holes. Once the filler is dry, you can spray a q-tip or a piece of paper towel and dab the surface.


Minimum unfinished basement door height I have a 1927 house that is built on a hill such that the basement walks out level with side yard and the sub-basement originally had a door that walked out the back yard with two steps down to ground level
floor above the sub-basement has been lowered such that the ceiling height is only 6'2". The original door and windows were removed and filled with cinder blocks.
I would like to open the door opening back up and put in a short steel door, but it would be substantially less than 6'since there is a substantial threshold and a ledger board at the ceiling.
The other less desirable possibility would be to put a window in the old door opening.  Is there code requirements or  any other reasons I could not put a very short door in the old opening?
If the door were out-swing, could I just let the top of the door overlap with the ledger board?
Thank you in advance for any advice you have.

The Code requires a minimum ceiling height of 7’-0” for habitable spaces, unless 1) it’s a slopped ceiling, 2) basement remodel, 3) bathroom or shower. (See ICC R304.1)

Slopped ceilings shall have at least 50% with at least 7’ and slope down to no more than 5’.

Basements can have 6’-8” ceilings in non-habitable spaces.

Not more than 75% of a sloped ceiling in a bathroom can be less than 7’ if a space in front of toilet, sink, shower is 6’-4” high.

Summary:
Your 6’-2” ceiling height is not acceptable for habitable space. Therefore, the space is considered a crawl space and the “access” needs to be a minimum of 18” x 24”. ((See ICC 1209.1)


My new garage opener trips GFI I purchased a new Genie 1hp garage door opener Model Excelerator II and installed it but when I plugged it in (to GFI circuit) it sparked as soon as the connection was made but didn't trip the GFI. I could turn the openers light on and off but as soon as I tried to open the garage door it immediately tripped the GFI. I reset the GFI tried several times with the same result. So I ran a HD extension cord into the laundry room and plugged it into a non GFI washer circuit. It sparked again at initial connection but now I could activate the garage door up and down. I called the Manufacture and told them the problem I was having. They said the sparking when it is plugged in is normal because this model does not have physical limit switches and is always hot causing the spark. After long discussion they sent me a new circuit board to install (without any instructions to check the wiring). I have tested my Garage door circuit with heavy duty tools, grinders, heat gun and no sparks or tripping. What can be causing it to trip The GFI? Could they have the neutral and hot crossed in the circuitry of The Garage door opener?

The answer to this is a wee bit complicated.

The Genie Excelerator II uses a DC motor and an electronic adjustable speed drive (ASD) to open a garage door quickly.   If you look at the “Operation and Maintenance” manual, you will see a slightly ominous note in “General Troubleshooting – Opener does not run”  that reads, “[Check for] a non-compatible GFCI.  NOTE:  A licensed electrician must replace non-compatible GFCI’s.”  They do not say why the note is there.

It turns out that GFCI’s are frequency sensitive and an ASD produces high frequency harmonics that are electronically generated.  If the ASD happens to generate harmonics in the GCFI’s sensitive area, then bingo, the ASD and the GFCI are not compatible.

Here’s a link to a helpful technical paper on the topic:

http://www.jonathankimball.com/pdf/gfci_ecce.pdf

In commercial and industrial environments, appropriately sized inductors called “line reactors” are installed upstream and/or downstream of an ASD to filter harmonics that would otherwise cause electrical problems.   In a residential setting I imagine such a measure is not worth it.  The implication of the language in the Genie manual is there are GFCIs for homeowners on the market that contain internal filtering to mitigate the ASD compatibility problem.

EDIT:  The specifications for GFCIs tolerant of ASD loads should indicate they are a "high harmonics" type.


How to position pocket hole jig based on wood thickness I have a very basic pocket hole jig without clamp or guide:

How far from the end of the piece of wood being drilled should this be positioned, and how can I calculate the required screw length?

The end of the guide is offset from the edge by the distance of the board the holes are being drilled into.  For 1/2", then set the guide back from the edge 1/2".  3/4" = 3/4" setback.  .  Use the Kreg Screw Guide
for the length and type of screw to use based on thickness and wood type.

Do some test drill on scrap wood before trying on your finished product.  The difficult part is setting the drill bit depth if your kit did not include the bit and collar.  Also clamp the two pieces together before screwing the screw in to make sure the two pieces are aligned.
The depth of drill is set by doing this.


Tightening wood posts in simpson ez bases? I bought several of these Simpzon ez bases for our roof. Due to the climate here, I need to check and maintain the bases and the wood periodically.

For this reason, I shaved of some of the wood so that the wood posts can be easily removed from the base. Some I removed too much wood and move around a bit, but not too much.

Since I'll be using wood screws to secure the post to the base, what screws can I use to secure the base and stop the wood post from moving inside the base?

When in Doubt, Consult the Manufacturer

Simpson Strongtie makes it simple, the only fasteners officially approved for use with the product happen to be the ones they make and sell.

From the Strongtie Site:

  Attach post to E-Z Spike or E-Z Base with (8) 1/4" Strong-Drive SDS Heavy-Duty Connector screws or 1/4" HDG lag screws and attach post to E-Z Mender using (6) HDG nails or screws per part

Could you use a generic equivalent fastener?

It's pointed out in the comments that Simpson only specifies THEIR screws, but a generic galvanized lag screw ought to work fine.  I wouldn't lose a minute's sleep over it.  I'd bet there's really nothing unusual about Simpson's screws shaft diameter, material, thread depth, corrosion resistance, etc.

(Goes without saying you have to know what you're doing to substitute;  lots of people had decks fall down, sometimes with catastrophic results, because they thought roofing nails were close enough to joist hanger nails.  They are not!)

Depending on the locale, code may require that specialty hardware like this be installed according to the manufacturer's instructions.  Some products, like joist hanger nails, Simpson's literature specifies generic equivalents;  but I didn't see any for these screws.  Another hardware manufacturer, they might not make fasteners and might only specify generic hardware for a similar product.

So if you really want to go by the letter of the code, you have to use Simpson's screws.  It's not a lot of money and it keeps things simple.  I just consider the specialty fasteners part of the cost of the specialty hardware.


Do I need to cut into my drywall to install a switch? I'm looking to put a light in outside my house.  The light is going to be positioned directly behind the outlet I have pictured below where the wires are sticking out.  I want the switch to control power to this light:

I suspect it to be using this kind of gang box:

I think I need to:

Hit one of the knockouts in the gang box out either in the top or bottom of the box.
Drill  a hole in the 2x4 to get the switch where I need it.

I want to do this with cutting out as little drywall as possible.  Can I do this without cutting out all of the dry wall between the switch and the outlet?  If so, how do I removed the gang box to remove one of the knock outs?

You're going to have to do drywall repair if you move this switch.

So since you HAVE to do drywall repair regardless, why shy away from doing it the right way?

Cut away a big enough piece of drywall so that you have full access to the existing box, the space where the new box will be, and keep cutting right and left until you hit the bordering studs on either side.

Do your electrical work.

Cut 1 piece of drywall to fit the huge gaping hole you made.  Cut out space for your new box.

Cut pieces of 1x2 to fit vertically on the insides of the left and right studs, and to fit across the tops and bottoms of the opening.  (6 pieces total)

Install the vertical pieces parallel to the studs with 1" side facing you, so you have a screw edge.  Install the horizontal pieces so that the 2" side is facing you and half of it is behind the existing drywall.  Screw it in place in the existing drywall.

Take your cut piece of drywall and mount it on the 6 1x2"s you just installed.

Tape and mud - 3 coats - fill coat, feather, final.


Filling in these gaps in door frame One of my doors has these gaps on the bottom and side panels.  Is there a way I can fix/fill them somehow?

Adding more photos below:

It appears that the trim wasn't properly toed into the door frame. However, it's also possible that there is drywall or a 2x that's proud of the doorframe.
You can fix the gap with painters caulk. However, I would pull the trim off and determine what is causing the gap. If it's drywall it should be easy enough to cut out to fit the trim properly. If it's framing causing it you can plane it down. From there the trim shouldn't be an issue.
Second Edit
Some really good points being made by contributors on possible structural issues. Some questions:

Is the trim separation a recent development since you moved in?
Are there any other signs of potential structural shifting in the house?
Cracks in the walls, ceiling, basement, foundation?
Doorways that are obviously out of plumb - including this one?
Did you have a professional do a home inspection when you bought?

These are all indicators of possible structural shifts that should be assessed by a professional through an on-site inspection and are probably beyond the scope of what we can tell you here.


Surface-mounted Electric Circuit (conduit) - do I need a junction box I'm planning to add outlets to my garage for a workshop area - my intention is to remove a GFCI outlet in the wall (only outlet in the garage) and replace it with a surface-mounted (conduit) circuit with:
1) three unswitched outlets (all GFCI or downstream from a GFCI)
2) two switched GFCI outlets (one for an overhead light; another battery chargers)
My idea for the circuit is:

The box marked "junction box" is the location of the existing GFCI outlet.

My question is for the 3-gang box I currently have marked as containing two switches and a GFCI outlet. That outlet and the outlet above it would be the switched outlets.

Should I have a separate junction box that sends current to the lower outlets and then to the 3-gang box and downstream outlets, or can the 3-gang box also distribute current to those outlets? If I wire the 3-gang box as planned, it would be wired as:

That box would require pigtails with four wires.

The alternative I see is to put a junction box in place of the 3-gang box, then have a 3-gang box with the same planned switches and outlets, but the pigtails would only be three wires.

My instinct is to use a separate junction box to split the circuit, then have the 3-gang box with 3-wire pigtails. Can anybody provide any advice on this?

All you need is a box with enough space. Using a box that you actually need anyway and sizing it to have adequate room for the wires and devices is both simpler and less expensive, generally.

I also don't see a point to removing the existing GFCI - just run everything new off its load terminals, you'll not regret having an outlet there at some point in the future. Put a box extension ring on it to bring it out for ease of conduit connection, if you like. There's no need to add any more GFCIs to the circuit - if you have another circuit, sure, but if a GFCI is the first thing on a circuit, and everything else is on its load terminals, everything is GFCI protected, at no extra expense.

The three gang has (countable) 3 hots, 3 neutrals, 1 ground (or 0 ground, depending on your conduit), 3 yokes (that count for 6 wires) If you are actually using conduit, yay, no clamps to count.

12 or 13 wires to count (wires that don't leave the box are free - not counted) presuming 20A circuit and 12 Ga wire, 2.25 cubic inches per "count", minimum volume 27 or 29.25 cubic inches depending if you have ground wires (all of which count as one, none of which are needed with metallic conduit such as EMT.) You can always go bigger if you want more space to work in, but it costs more, usually.

Scanning a few 3-gang boxes, even 2-1/2 inch depth ones have more than plenty of space for this use. 3-1/2 inch depth ones are even more generous.


3-way switches don't have power My house is 100 years old. Two bulbs (one on the first and one on the second floor) are controlled by two switches (one on the first floor and one on the second).  I checked the both switches. They are good, but don't have power. Surprisingly, the lights can be on once or twice a year. The wiring is original. Thank you for your help.

Electrical problems such as this, you're more than likely going to need an electrician..I will NEVER advise people to dig into wiring.

A bad sign:

You mentioned this circuit only works a couple times a year ? Oh boy, that is NOT good.

What it could be, and what a homeowner can do without digging into the wiring:

Post a person AT EACH SWITCH for ease of troubleshooting.
(person 1, person 2)
Person 1: Flip the switch, (only once) & observe the light
What happens ?
Does the light come on ?
If yes or no
Person 2: Flip the switch ( only once) & observe the light
What happens ?
Does the light come on or turn off ?

Now that both switches are in the opposite positions of where you had them:

Person 1: Flip the switch... What happens ?
If the light comes on or doesn't come on:
Flip it again. Once again, if the light comes or doesn't come on...
Person 2: Flip the switch... What happens
Wether the lights come on or not, Flip the switch again.

All the above is doing is checking to see if one or more of the switches are bad or if they were possibly MISWIRED.

If you ever remember these working fine at one time, I can say with a good degree of certainty that it's a faulty switch or switches. And if it's only one that's bad, I'd still replace both due to age alone.

It's always best to get a electrician involved when you see all your breakers are on and you've got a intermittent problem.


Can rock salt be used for sewer maintenance? I have read that flushing a glass full of rock salt down your toilet every month is good practice if you have a cast iron sewer line. Reason being is that the salt will kill off any tree roots in the pipe and also prevent more roots from coming in and causing blockage. Is anyone currently doing this and if so how has it worked for you?

I was able to find a reference to this in chapter 22 of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Household Solutions.

Though honestly, I've never heard of this approach until now. I'm no expert on the corrosiveness of salt, but I would imagine the levels of salt in the sewer would not be high enough to rust the pipe. I'm also skeptical that the salt levels would be high enough to completely kill and prevent the roots. While I wouldn't recommend pouring a bag for rock salt down the drain, a handful once or twice a month will probably not hurt the pipe.
There are other tried and true methods to remove roots from sewer lines.
Mechanincal
Augers
Augers can be used to effectively remove roots from a sewer line, by cutting the roots out. This is not likely a solution for a DIYer, since it involves expensive specialty tools.  This method will not prevent roots from growing back into the sewer.
Hydrojetters
A hydrojetter is essentially a power washer with a rotating mechanical "sweeper", that is designed to be fed into the sewer line and blast and sweep roots away. Again, this is not likely a DIY option and does not prevent the roots from regrowing.
Digging
In some cases roots may have caused too much damage to the sewer line, and the only option available is to dig the line up and replace it. This can be very expensive, and will almost certainly not be a DIY project.
Chemical
Contact Herbicides
Contact herbicides are chemicals that will kill the roots, and in some cases prevent them from regrowing.  These are typically a more DIY friendly option, and can be found as simple "pour down" solutions.
Contact herbicides can include:

Bensulide
Copper Sulfide
Dichlobanil
Dinoseb
Metham sodium
Paraquat
Potasium Hydroxide
Sulfamic Acid
Trifluralin

A common product recommended by plumbers is RootX. This is a herbicide in a foaming carrying agent, that allows the herbicide to reach roots at the top of the pipe.  RootX uses Dichlobenil, and is non-caustic, non-fumigating, and non-systemic. Unfortunately, it's not readily available to homeowners, so you'll likely have to contact a plumber for this treatment.
Searching around, I stumbled upon a product similar to RootX that is available to homeowners. Roebic® Foaming Root Killer is available at Lowes for about $20.00. It foams up, and uses dichlobenil as the herbicide just like RootX.
Make sure you check with your local municipality and environmental agencies, before pouring chemicals down your drain
Planning
One of the best ways to prevent roots from entering your sewer line, is to carefully plan where you plant trees and other deep rooting plants.


How do I fix a Bostitch nail gun that is jammed? I have a Bostitch nail gun (pneumatic) and it has been working fine all day until about 30 minutes ago.

I went to nail in a piece of molding, and when I pulled the trigger I heard air feed into nozzle, but not the normal noise I hear when a nail is actually driven into the wood.

I first checked to make sure I wasn't out of nails and I had a full stack of them.

I then disconnected the gun from the air supply line and took the nozzle off. This is what I found:

Every now and again I get a misfire when it tries to fire two nails at the same time. In these situations, I disassemble the nozzle like I did here and get the nails out. When I took the nozzle apart this time, I noticed that the "hammer" (the thing metal piece that drives the nails in) was not in its correct position.

Usually, the hammer is fully extended, taking up the entire length of the nozzle that you see above. However, in the photo, you see that the hammer is stuck in the "ready to fire" position and will not come out.

I'm not sure if that's the problem (that the hammer is stuck inside the gun), or if something else is going on, but I've spent almost an hour looking at this and am at wit's end.

Any gear gurus out there see what the problem is? Is there a set of things I should be looking for to render a diagnosis?

Oiling your gun on regular intervals is important. In your case, if the pin is stuck, try the following.

Put several drops of oil directly on the pin and slide channel. Remove all nails, reassemble the nose and see if the gun will dry fire against a scrap piece of wood. the gun should fire and leave a dent from the push rod in your wood if it is working.

If the gun still does not fire, then the pin may be damaged or bent. At this point the upper air chamber will have to be removed and the pin assembly removed/replaced.  Rebuilding air guns is not real difficult and parts for a Bostich are readily available. You problem may be a worn or damaged O-ring in the compressor section. Rebuild kits for the upper end have got to be replaced often, especially if they have not been oiled regularly of after long periods of storage.  Parts are cheap.

Some folks at the tool dept of Lowes or HD could be helpful guiding you. If you have a good lumber yard that sells Bostich tools, they often stock the parts and will be helpful in helping you fix your tool.

In my area, Bostich often have promotion displays at the vendors where they will do maintenance and install rehab kits at no charge with the purchase of a case of nails.  Both of my framers, Bostich 88W's, have been rebuild at least 4 times for free during these promotions.


Cleanng a brush used for water-based paint, with soap or not? After painting with water-based paint I usually clean my brushes (or rollers) by simply rinsing them under running hot water (as hot as my hands can take) straight from the faucet.
After thorough rinsing I shake of the water as much as possible and hang them somewhere, with the hairs down, to further leak out and dry.
This has served me well for years.

Now a friend of mine is telling me I should rinse the brushes with soap and warm (but not HOT) water.

After some Googling around I find that both variants seem about equally popular.
The pros and cons given for either method range from "sounds sensible" (soap may leave a residue in the brush affecting the next paint-job) to rather bizarre (hot water dissolves the hairs of the brush).

So I like to hear your opinions. Preferably with arguments for one method or the other.

I get observably better result with dish detergent - less partially dried paint bits left stuck in the brush.

Detriment, if any, of very hot water might depend on brush construction. I doubt it would "dissolve the hairs" but it might damage some of the plastic bristles typically used for latex paint brushes. I prefer lots of water to particularly hot. I start rinsing cold (usually at the outside tap) and move to warm water and soap inside after getting the bulk off outside.

Extremely thorough rinsing is required whether or not you use soap. I normally do a crude rinse, work some soap into the bristles (with dilute paint still in the brush), and then proceed to the serious rinsing. If any color comes out of the brush, it needs more rinsing. If your rinse procedure is thorough enough to get all the paint out, it will get all the soap out. If it's not, you might as well use disposable brushes and not bother washing them at all.


Fixing faucet leak -- any advice? I installed a faucet that has a sprayer.  However I have no use for the sprayer and no hole for sprayer installation. The line that would have attached to the sprayer is leaking. Is it better to get a new faucet with no sprayer or can I clamp this one reliably?  If I can clamp this one, should I attach the sprayer line and clamp or clamp the part attached to the installed faucet?  This is a delta Collins 440-ss-day.

I expect that the sprayer hose is attached to the body of the valve with a fitting that would allow replacement of the hose. If so, you may be able to get a plug that would replace the hose in its entirety.


120V outlet from 240V load center? I want to install a 120V outlet for my deck, and I'm not sure if I can run this from the same load center that my hot tub uses. It's a 240V load center that is fed from a double pole breaker in the main panel inside. If I can, I would much rather run the outlet from this panel instead of running it from the one in my garage and digging a trench to the deck from there.

Get that bond screw pulled, and get a PK7GTA in there, then you can add a circuit here

The first step is to sort out this morass of a spa panel box.  The good news is that it's a QO612L100RB, which means that you can get just about any sort of breaker you'd ever want to put in there.  The bad news is that the original installer butchered the neutral/ground handling, leaving the bond screw in and spamming all the ground and neutral wires onto one bar, so we have to fix that before we can start adding circuits.

You'll need a PK7GTA ground bar and a screwdriver to fix this, in addition to the breaker for the deck outlet.  First, turn off power at the feeder breaker for this panel.  Second, you'll need to remove the green screw next to the neutral lug; this removes the bonding screw from the panel, and separates ground from neutral here.  Third, you'll need to install the PK7GTA in the panel, screwing it to the raised holes bottom left or bottom right.  Finally, you'll need to take the two bare ground wires out of the neutral bar and connect them to the new ground bar instead.

Once this is done, you can add your branch circuit as normal. The decision as to whether to use a GFCI receptacle with a regular breaker or a GFCI breaker with regular receptacles is yours; the NEMA 3R enclosure of the panel might provide marginally better protection for a GFCI than a receptacle box would, but GFCI breakers are much more expensive than even a weather-resistant GFCI receptacle, so there is that as well.  Don't forget to size the breaker appropriately for the wiring you are running for the new circuit (15A for 14AWG, 20A for 12AWG), use properly outdoor-rated wire (UF instead of NM, or THWN in conduit if you are going the conduit route) and boxes (with while-in-use covers), and torque all breaker and loadcenter screws/lugs to specification with an inch-pound torque screwdriver (as per 2017 NEC 110.14(D))!


Replace Furnace or Stick with Dual Zone Setup? I recently moved in to a new home that is setup with a single stage Goodman furnace that is divided in to two zones (upper/main). When we first moved in to the home, the upstairs was always cold. I have since had the furnace serviced, and installed new thermostats and upstairs now gets to temperature. I am currently working out of an unfinished basement and I have been noticing the furnace is running a lot (and the NESTs are now telling me the furnace is running ~16 hours a day).
After some digging, I am seeing that the furnace is regularly erroring with a "primary limit circuit open" LED error code. I switched out to a low resistance (almost no resistance) air filter to confirm the filter was not restricting air flow too much. I recently had the wiring reviewed as well since I needed to add a common wire for the NEST thermostats. After talking with the technician again, they have indicated that single stage furnaces do not work well with multi-zone and I should disable the zone control and second thermostat and run everything as a "regular setup". The internet seems to confirm that single stage furnace + multiple zones is indeed "bad design".
I am the type of person who likes to fix problems rather than work around them. I plan on adding AC to the setup in the spring and I was planning on getting a two stage AC. Would I be crazy to replace the furnace in order to have a two stage furnace and keep the zone control? or should I really just disable the zone control as suggested?

Edit
The zone control is handled by an Aprilaire temperature zone controller connected to 4 electronic dampers. Image below showing one side of the setup.

It's not clear to me how the second zone turns on and off.
Normally I would expect it to work by controlling the air flow.  So one zone (the one that gets chronically cold) is heated whenever the furnace comes on.  The other is heated when a damper to that zone is opened.
The problem with this:
Forced air furnaces are designed to output a certain volume of air.  Restricting the air flow results in a higher output air temp and a loss of efficiency.  In addition metal vent grates can be painful to touch. (But do a nice job of drying wet mittens.)
So a better way would be to keep the air flow constant, but split the flow between the two zones.  Visualize a 1x2 foot duct that splits into two adjacent parallel 1x1 ducts, and has a 1 foot square plate that can slide to any position from covering all of duct 1 to all of duct 2.  I've seen devices like this in commercial HVAC, but not in residential systems.
If you are doing a major refit to add AC anyway, you may want to take advantage of future differential prices of electricity:

Use the AC hardware at night when power is cheaper to chill a large tank of water to near freezing.
Circulate that chilled water though a fan coil to provide cold air for the house.

In winter the AC is turned off, and a small high efficiency gas water heater is used to heat the tank of water.  Since the tank has no circuity or fittings, it has very long life and is fairly cheap.  Insulate it well.
Potentially this also allows you to add warmer zones to the house. E.g. hot water under the bathroom floors. Hot water towel warmers. (Note that the requirements for embedded hot water, and radiant hot water take much different temperatures.) This however makes the system more complex.


Best cheap plastic for DIY whiteboard I am planning to make my own DIY whiteboard, so I was thinking about the type of plastic I will use. I found out that PMMA and PC is way too expensive for my first DIY whiteboard, so I am considering trying ou it with PP, PVC, PS or PETG first. Which of these would you choose? Will it be dry erasable?
Thanks very much.

I have gone through many different versions of whiteboards; purchased and DIY.  Quickly, they all become terrible and the ink is difficult to erase.  I tried car wax to condition the plastic as well with little results.  I ended up stumbling upon a fantastic solution: I cam across some pieces of glass with rounded edges that were used for a shelving project.  There were about 2'x3' each.  Mounting these on the walls in our office was easy using some stylish brushed nickel mirror hangers.  They work amazing and I highly recommend seeking out glass as an alternative.


Will this frame support hanging planters? I'm in the process of putting together a frame to hold a series of hanging gardens (assorted vegetables and fruits and need to come up with something that will handle the weight load without too much difficulty. We currently have these hanging from an eave of a utility shed, but are not getting good sunlight in that area and I don't think the wood used for the shed is enough to hold the total number of plants anyway.

I've come up with a simple plan that I think will be sufficient for our needs and will be located in an open area of our backyard on cement slab.  I'll be building it out of pressure treated 2x4s and decking screws and the unit measures 96 inches high (4 vertical 2x4s) and roughly 48inches square.

Each of the planters weighs between 20-30 lbs depending on dirt load and plant, and hangs from a heavy-duty eye-hook screwed into the frame.

I'm concerned it may be top-heavy, but am assuming that the 2x4s are sufficient to hold the load.

My biggest question is should I be looking at something more like an A-Frame approach or is this 'box' frame sufficient?

Do I need to worry about mounting this in some fashion to the ground?

Here's a mockup:

To add stability you could use 2x6 members for the cross pieces along the bottom. Then cover the bottom with a half of a sheet of plywood. Pour concrete into the box thus formed at the base by the 2x6's and plywood.

You could get by without having to go all the way to full angle braces across the sides (which would get in the way of your hanging plants anyway) by installing some gussets made of thin plywood as shown below:

At a suitable size these would probably come right up to where the first hanging pot wires go.

I see that you have each corner made of just one 2x4. I would encourage you to make the corners out of two 2x4's attached in an L shape in each corner. This will go a long ways toward making the unit a good bit sturdier and will also make the cross bars on two of the sides have a whole lot more wood to bolt into.

I would echo that the proper fasteners for this structure are going to be 1/4" or 5/16" diameter carriage bolts as opposed to screws or nails.


How do I properly support the header when expanding a door opening? I'm opening up a closet in our 1958 home.

I believe (I plan to get confirmation from a licensed contractor or engineer) that this is not a load bearing wall considering that the opening runs parallel to the joists in the attic above, the wall is an interior wall for a bedroom behind, and considering the way this was installed (both sides of header not resting on a support).

I'd like to remove the left side of the closet opening to get as close to the exterior wall (masonry) as possible.  I plan to keep the 2x4 headers in place just because it will be a whole lot less work for me.  I am wondering if I should install a framing bracket of some sort to provide support to the 2x4 headers that will no longer have the 2x4 vertical support.

2:

From what I can see here, and assuming not a load-bearing situation, I'd do this:

Remove the existing header. You may need to use a recipro saw to cut fasteners behind the plaster on the room side.
Since you have access from the back side, run a new, full-width double 2x6 header. If you don't have trimmer studs or other support available, fasten the header into the king studs with lag bolts. I'd probably use 3/8" x 4", properly pre-drilled and countersunk.
Toenail into the pin studs to anchor them to the header.

Optionally use construction adhesive where needed for additional support.


HVAC Duct options in floor joists I will explain what I would "Ideally" want. I would like the HVAC in the basement ceiling to Not require a soffit. Plumbing seems possible because the holes for the most part will be small enough to not affect the structural integrity. So the question is what is possible?

There is also a similar post here. They talk about the limits on what can be done to floor joists. From my understanding, it would not be possible to install any ducts through the floor joists. If I am wrong, please let me know.

Last would be what is the alternative? Is it possible to run the ducts through the roof attic? (I assume that opens a whole different set of issues) Plus that doesn't fix the cold air return which should be on the bottom if I am not mistaken. I would really like to avoid soffits if possible but everything I am researching is pointing that direction.

EDIT: The house is an existing home. The basement floor to ceiling is already at the 8' mark. The joists are typical dimensional lumber (not engineered)

Radiant/Hydronic Heating - The idea is awesome. If I was doing a new construction, this would probably be one of the best options.

"low-volume, high-velocity" ducted system - First time I have seen something like this. Its very interesting. I did read there are some disadvantages like noise and it can be costly to add.

To Clarify a bit more, I would like to keep the costs low so redoing the entire heating/cooling system is probably not going to be an option. (of course it depends on what costs would be). I intended to keep with the conventional heating/cooling and was more or less looking for a way to still it but avoid soffits. The image below is an example of what I had original wanted but it doesn't seem like that is up to standard?

EDIT-Image below is a not my current hvac. Its also a BAD way to do it. Was using it as a reference.

One option would be "low-volume, high-velocity" ducted system (manufacturers include SpacePak and Unico) that uses a series of small 2" diameter ducts to distribute air. Depending on the size of your joists, 2" holes may be acceptable. As @Ecnerwal mentioned, mini-splits can be a good option too.


Is it possible to move a front door? My family just moved into a new house and it's awkwardly laid out. We are planning on moving in another year or two and we want to fix up the house enough to profit from it, but to also make it as comfortable as needed. Therefore price is a real concern.

One of the plans we came up with involves moving the front door to the other side of the front room, a move of about 17 feet. We would be covering up where it is at the moment, and cutting into the house on the other side to create enough space for the door + a small porch step. Our house is older, made probably in the 60's or 70's, therefore we know there might be some structural difficulties.

Is it possible to move the front door without it eating up too much money? Or is it really just based on the structure of the house?

A front door is just a controlled hole in the wall.  But it is very controlled. You are right to think that there are structural issues.  The wall where the door is located has several of its upright structural members (studs) removed. There has to be a horizontal support (header) added to make up for that, and extra vertical supports under that.  The exact size depends on span and what is over the new door area. You may need an architect or engineer to confirm the ability to bear the load above.

There is also the issue of sealing against weather, both air and water. Flashing, insulation and a variety of seals are needed to keep the outside outside.

Finally, the entry landing has to be appropriate. If above grade, adequate steps or decking is needed.

Since you are asking, it sounds like this is not a do-it-yourself project that would be within your comfort zone. You may want to get a contractor in to give you an estimate.


My basement ceiling\ground floor has a "truss" system. How to hang things? It looks like this from what I can see: http://andersontrussnc.com/floor-trusses/

So - obviously I can't be drilling an eye bolt into anything I see here. I've heard people talk about sistering together trusses by laying a doubled up board or 4x4 between them and screwing the eye bolt to that.  But ... that wouldn't be safe to do from the BOTTOM of the truss in the open triangle, right? Wouldn't it have to be attached to the top?

Kind of frustrating - for a home gym looking at a pull up bar, punching bag etc...and I just don't see how it's possible without tearing down a lot of sheetrock?

Truss systems like that have "strongbacks" at intervals--vertically oriented 2x6 lumber that ties the trusses together and shares load among them. For anything under about 500 lbs. I have no concerns except one:

If you suspend a heavy object at a point along the bottom chord that falls in the center of the gap between web connections, the bottom chord could sag over time. This could result in a bulge in the ceiling, but certainly won't damage the truss system. To avoid this, either be sure to hang from at or near the webbing connection, or spread the load to limit weight at each point to around 100 lbs.


Water coming into garage from outside when it rains, no basement When it rains hard, water comes into the garage floor, from the outside garden. The floor in the garage gets totally wet. I do not know what to do. Does anyone have experience on this matter?

Change the grading so that the garden area is lower than the garage floor and slopes away from the building by at least 1/8 inch per foot (or "1 %", as 1/8 inch [1/96th of a foot] is very nearly 1/100 of a foot.)
Or make it 1 centimeter per meter if that suits your local practices better. Try to maintain that slope away from the building for at least 12 feet or 4 meters.

I should perhaps say "fix" rather than "change" as I consider what you have to be evidently incorrect, if all-too-common.


How safe is it to plug in an extension cord that has a missing ground pin in to a GFCI outlet? I know it will still provide power and such but what are the potential safety hazards?

Actually, it's not that dangerous at all.  If you're going to use an ungrounded extension cord (which is not recommended), plugging it into a GFCI receptacle mitigates much of the risk.

Having a grounding conductor in place, may prevent a fault condition from energizing grounded portions of a device (technically it won't prevent it, but it should trip the breaker). A GFCI should prevent you from being electrocuted, if you happen to come into contact with an energized portion of the circuit or device.

The proper thing to do, is to replace the extension cord.  However, if you're going to use the cord, plugging it into a GFCI makes it a bit safer (assuming the GFCI is in good working order).

WARNING: A GFCI may not prevent you from being shocked, but it should prevent you from being electrocuted.


What can I do about a toilet flange that is 1/4" below the finished floor? I used two wax seals to set my toilet since the flange is 1/4" below the new tile. At first it seemed to be water tight but after a few flushes I noticed water seeping and pulled it out. As can be seen in the photo, the wax ring slid off center. I couldn't use just one ring since it protrudes about 1/4" below the toilet so that would just barely touch the flange. I found the flange extender in another post and will try that. One of these

So to my question. Is this the correct approach? Should the flange be level with the floor prior to installation?

Edit: The correct height of the flange is sitting on top of the finished floor. Of course with a remodel this is almost never going to be the case after tiling. There seem to be various methods to raise the flange. Many say the double wax ring is problematic since it can collapse into the drain over time. This link discusses a number of products to solve the problem. In summary, the set-rite (~18 + shipping) is the most expensive and apparently the only code approved product. The cheapest option is flange extenders ~$3-5. The funny thing is neither the tiler or the plumber that worked on my bathroom mentioned anything about the height problem, which leads me to believe the common solution is the double wax ring.

The flange should sit on top of the finished floor, if it doesn't you'll have to modify the plumbing or find another way to achieve this.

Notice in this image how the toilet waste pipe sits just inside the flange opening, this is the proper way for a toilet to sit on a flange. Even without a wax ring, this union is not likely to leak under normal circumstances (I'm not recommending a wax ring not be used).
Wax as a waste pipe?
Some folks recommend using a thicker wax ring, or even doubling up wax rings.  The problem with this, is that you end up with a waste pipe made from wax. Now this might hold up, but more than likely it's eventually going to fail, and leak.
Modify the plumbing
If you have access to the flange from below, you might be able to modify the plumbing to make the flange sit atop the floor. In most cases, however, this is not an option.
Adapters
There are adapters available, that solve this exact problem.  The Set-Rite Toilet Flange Extender Kit; described in the answers to this question, Comes with different size spacers, which allows it to compensate for various sized offsets.


Gluing Hardwood Floors? We recently had our house built, and included the "hardwood floors" upgrade. When we moved it we were pleased with the way the floors looked. Some time later, water started coming up from beneath the floors - there was a leak in our wall. When the builder came in to replace some of the damaged/warped boards in the floor, we learned that the floor was glued down to the concrete beneath. Is this normal?

When the boards were pulled up, they were demolished in the process. They had to force them off of the glue beneath.

Yes, hardwood is often glued directly to concrete slab. It's a fairly common installation.

That said, gluing down solid hardwood planks is more problematic and trouble-prone because the solid planks do not tolerate uneven floor very well.

Engineered hardwood often works better for a glue-down application.  Engineered hardwood is manufactured from layers of material laminated together, topped with a veneer of actual hardwood.  The layers are chosen to allow the flooring to better tolerate environmental conditions, such as moisture, better than solid planks.  Manufacturers also often cut slots on the back of the hardwood which allow it to flex and absorb the unevenness in a concrete slab.


Please help establishing a C wire for new tstat I bought a new WiFi tstat as a replacement. The tstat controls my second floor hot water baseboard heat and my central air conditioning.  I've located all the wires....the ones coming up from the boiler, and the ones coming down from the ac unit in the attic (which also has wiring from the outside compressor).  I have attached pictures.  When I pulled the current tstat off the wall, I noticed in addition to the 3 other wires in use coming out of the cable,  there is a blue wire coming out that is unused and wrapped around the sheathing.

The red, green, and yellow wires that come out of this air conditioning cable go to the respective Rc, G, and Y terminals on the current tstat. I followed the cable up to the air cond unit and saw that the blue wire is wrapped around the cable at the unit too.  So how do I get this blue wire connected so I can use this new WiFi tstat?

There are other cables up at the air cond unit shown in the marked up pic attached.:
- the gray cable is coming in from a flood detector in the air cond unit's tray.
- the other white cable is coming in from the compressor outside.

The other red and white wires seen at the tstat (W and R) are obviously the wires for the gas boiler/heat.

Connect the blue wire from the thermostat cable as shown above, then connect the other end to the C terminal of the thermostat.


What license/certifications are appropriate for mold remediation firms? I am looking for someone to clean up mold in my attic, and I have been advised to find someone who is licensed in the area of mold.  I’ve checked HomeAdvisor and BBB, but it’s not clear to me who actually has a mold license for my state (Illinois) or if such a license even exists.

How do I go about finding out who, in Illinois, licenses such professionals or even what credentials to ask for?  Are they licensed by City? State? County?  Is there a registry?

As an aside,  How do I find someone to do this work?

The Illinois DPH site related to mold, which does not specifically license remediation firms..  They also don't do inspections.  They DO list several internet sites for contractors:

The Institute for Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification

and

Association of Specialists in Cleaning and Restoration

neither of which are specific to Illinois, but do allow zip code searches (I found IICRC friendlier)

A helpful site at the EPA for mold:  In their Mold Cleanup section, they recommend that the remediation contractor follow their Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings outline (even though its your house, not a school).

It might be a pertinent question to ask: "Do you follow the EPA guidelines for remediation?".

A basic tool for your own use, a moisture gauge, will tell you if the area is ready for treatment:  Wooden interior framing should be < 15% moisture content.  One reasonably accurate meter (non-contact) is the Ryobi E49MM01.


How can I install a sink/dishwasher in basement? I am looking to finish my basement and as part of the renovation, I'd like to install a bar complete with a sink and dishwasher (and beer taps of course).   Attached (once I get enough rep) is a diagram of what I am working with.  From what I know, there are 3 options for installing the sink

Regular ol' gravity, 1/4" drop per foot of run
Trenching out a line to the drain
Pumping the waste up

I'm pretty much going to say that I don't want to do number 2.  #3 is the option of last resort as I don't want to listen to the thing running every time I turn on a faucet for the sink or run the dishwasher.  That leaves me with option one.

As you can see from the diagram, there's a 3" PVC drain pipe that currently runs in the ceiling and out down the far wall.  There are water lines that run parallel to this drain line. The two circles on the diagram are current PVC pipes sticking out of the ground along the foundation wall (put in the room for clarity).  The one on the top is labeled 2" and the one on the bottom of the diagram is 3".  The drain line in the ceiling connects to the one on the bottom.  [There's also a sump pump in the ground behind the door on the bottom that's not on the diagram if that matters any]

Racking my brain, the 3 options that I see are

Get rid of the bottom door and run along the walls to the drain. Depending on where the sink and d/w are, that's a run of about 36.5'~ 43.75' which would require a drop of about 9~11".  That doesn't seem like very much
Run it up along the stairs and over to the 2" pipe.  That's a shorter run, but it'd require me to build a wall across and chop up the storage area.
Bite the bullet and do option 3.  I could pump it up into the 3" pipe that's already in the ceiling.
Other??

I guess my questions are

What is all needed to install the sink and/or dishwasher?  Do I only need to bring in water and dump waste?  What about venting?
I've read that the 1/4" rule is based on the P-trap to where you tie in.  What part of the P-trap do you measure from?  How low can you tie into an existing pipe?
Can I tie into those existing pipes or is there some gotcha that I don't know about?
If I have to go with option #3, is it a device that is above ground (no foundation digging) and can I place it away from the back of the sink wall to make it quieter?

As DMoore suggested, running below slab is a viable option. Are you sure there are no lines running under the slab that may be closer?

The sink does need to be vented. Ideally, it should run up to an existing vent pipe that continues up through the roof. Some jurisdictions allow a mechanical vent which can be simply hidden in the wall, though the mechanical portion should be accessible for service and repair.

The drain slope is measured from the trap's outlet "invert", the lowest inside portion of the outlet pipe. Since pipe walls are parallel, you can actually measure the slope at any convenient surface, but for calculating if you have enough drop, use the invert. To tie into existing pipe, cut out a section and install a Wye or long turn Tee fitting. If none of the pipes can be moved to enable slipping into the hubs, the pipe can be cut farther up to enable gluing the fitting, then the butt ends are connected with a no-hub coupler.

As long as the pipes are waste pipes and not vents or something else, yes you can tie into them.

You should avoid pumps. But FYI, they are typically sort of a trash can with a pump inside. It could be placed on the floor in the storage room and the sink can easily drain into it. Such devices do get more complicated with floor level drains such as showers and toilets, but in your case, it's simple.


How hard is it to replace a broken-off toilet seat? This toilet seat and lid attach to the base with a couple of big plastic screws. The plastic of the seat assembly has torn away from one of the attaching screws.

It looks very easy to replace, but is it? Can I just go to the hardware store and ask for a standard seat and lid? Do I need to determine which of several standard kinds I have? Or is every toilet different, so that I'd have to replace the whole toilet?

Can I buy a replacement for this broken seat and lid?

Note: I'm in the southeastern United States.

Yes, it's trivial. The seat is held on by bolts that go through the toilet and are secured underneath with large nuts. These days the nuts are usually plastic and designed to be tightened/loosened by hand.

The spacing between the nuts is standardized, at least in the US, so the only measurement you need is front-to-back. There are a few different sizes, but basically the break down to "circular" or "oval" and a generic seat of the right type will almost always work fine.

It will usually come with fresh mounting nuts. Insert the bolts through the holes, reach underneath and install the nuts firmly in place (you may want to try wiggling the seat a bit to make sure the nuts have properly centered themselves and seated", and you're done
.


Open ground on all outlets, voltage meter beeping on metal boxes and MC cable I'm installing a new switch and outlet in a previously renovated garage, and I noticed the following:

My Klein non-contact voltage tester beeps continuously on all of the metal boxes and surface-mounted MC cable.
The voltage tester beeps continuously when I touch it to parts of the wood framing (rafters) and even the door hinges.
All of the outlets are showing open ground using a three-light plug-in tester
When I use a pin-type voltage tester to check the wiring, HOT to GROUND shows nothing, HOT to BOX/MC CABLE shows nothing.  HOT to NEUTRAL shows 120V. Finally, BOX/MC CABLE to NEUTRAL shows nothing.

I've checked all of the boxes, outlets and switches in the garage, and the wiring is fine.

Any ideas for next steps?

Well, don't trust the no-contact tester to tell you anything but the presence of voltage somewhere close to the end of it. Beyond that they aren't much use.

From what you said in #4 you have an open ground. Also, if you used a 3 light tester and it told you you have an open ground, I would believe that.

Check your equipment ground connections for a bad splice and terminations for a loose connection. Also, if this is a garage with a sub-panel it is possible they miswired it and your ground back to the main is open somewhere.

Good luck and stay safe by working with the circuits off!


How to use an MR16 bulb in a 5"/6" can housing I want to hang a nice metallic photograph print over my fireplace. I currently have a 5" recessed can with a fish eye for a PAR30 bulb, but I don't like the evenness of color or the width of the spot from the PAR30. So I'd like to try to convert the can to use a MR16 bulb.

Is there a trim kit that allows you to install a MR16 bulb in a conventional 5" or 6" can, without having to replace the housing? I've looked at the major online retailers as well as some manufacturer's websites (i.e. Halo) but have come up empty. The ones I have been able to find all require a low voltage housing.

These are pretty common for 6" lights. I don't think I've ever seen a 5" retro kit for art lighting.

They're called retro kits.

6" Retro Slotted Trim

Retro Transformer


Why is the second condensation drain on my central air unit active all of a sudden? The largest of my three central air units in the attic has two drip condensation pipes coming out of the evaporator coil box (not one that had an overflow opening that drips into the overflow pan). It has two drip lines coming out of the unit. One goes to the standard pvc drain that goes to a bathroom drain. The second drip pipe goes directly to the overflow drip pan and drains out to the eave of my house.

This year (after 10 years of use), the 2nd drip pipe (the one that goes directly to the overflow pan) is getting used and there is a constant drip out the front of the house from that emergency overflow pan.

Why is that 2nd drip line from the A/C getting used this year? Thanks.

My FIL is an HVAC guy and he explained it to me when we installed a unit in a house I built.

The first drip line is the main one. Mine had a float switch that would turn off the unit in case it was clogged.
The 2nd one is a backup. In the case that the float switch fails, a clog in the drain line won't flood your attic (where the unit was installed). On mine we ran it so that it would drip in front of a window, increasing the likelihood I would notice it.
Sounds like you have a clog in the drain line and yours either doesn't have a switch, or it does and it failed, sending the condensation through the 2nd line.


Ordering electrical supply I'm opening a kiosk in a mall. I need 100 amps (I will have a few fridges, grills, register, lightboxes).

Does that require a 220 line?

What does it depend on? Structure of the electricity in the mall?

I'm telling the electrician that I need 100 amps and he keeps asking me "what that is". Is that not enough information in order to update or get me a main connection?

Just stating the amperage required is not enough information for the electrician to supply what you need.

If you are asking the electrician just to run a 100 amp metered main panel with no additional circuits or outlets for appliances, the amperage, voltage (e.g. 120V vs. 240V vs. 480V, etc.), and phase (1-phase vs. 3-phase) of the electricity should be enough information for the electrician to run the wiring for the panel.

If you are asking the electrician to run individual circuits to your appliances, then the electrician will need more detailed information about each appliance which can typically be found on the face-plate or a label on the equipment.

If you give the electrician some more information about each major appliance (or at least the type of appliances you will need if you have not picked them out yet) and the type of work spaces in your kiosk (e.g. kitchen), that should be enough to help get the conversation going further. If that doesn't get the conversation going any further, then you may want to look for another electrician who is willing to work with you on the specific details of your needs.


Subfloor or partition walls first in a cottage attic? Its time for me to think about the internals of an attic in a traditional British one and a half storey cottage.
Picture of 1st floor inside cottage

Note this is just spare bits of timber sarking as a temporary floor. The floor will be 22mm T&G chipboard.
Looking at various videos online I am not sure what is the best / correct way to go about it.
So, do I put my chipboard flooring on first, then the studwork frames?
Is it ok for the studwork partitions to be screwed onto the chipboard flooring, or do they need to be directly fixed to the joists?
Here is a diagram of my thinking, two ways

Any other suggestions or advice welcome!

You'll want to put in your floor joists, lay down the sub floor, then build partition walls on top of that.
It's unlikely that all your partition walls will fall exactly on a joist, so without subflooring you'll be going through all sorts of gymnastics to support the wall.  Since none of your partition walls will be load bearing, you won't have to worry about walls bearing on joists - just use standard dimensional lumber with stud spacing to match your national standards.
Also, I believe that "chipboard" means different things in different parts of the world. So long as the stuff you're using is rated for flooring use, you should be fine. (Here in the States, what I think of when I hear "chipboard" would not be suitable for flooring.)


What is this vacuum tool in cleaning chairs of car? The tool is here in action in one user's Instagram video. It is some sort of vacuum machine. However, my normal vacuum cleaner is not so powerful. I am not sure if there is any chemicals used in such a cleaning procedure because I have never managed to clean such a way.

I believe that this is the exact machine used in the video
Daimer Carpet Cleaning

This is obviously a professional tool which would be out of range of most consumers except for professional service companies. Here is an Amazon alternative. BISSELL Portable

But to answer your original question, the first link is the one used in the video (pretty darn sure)


Side mounting (base attachment only) of glass railing panels to wooden house frame. Requirements? Background
I'm trying to design/install a custom glass railing in my home. Here is my design concept:

It consists of a 13' span covered by 12' (4 pieces 3' wide) of railing with an aluminum channel at the top to serve as a handrail (it also contains lighting).
The plan is to side mount the glass panels into the lower surface as indicated in the model. Here is a detail view:

The framing underneath looks like this:

The Ask
My understanding is that the building code requires the railing to withstand 200 lbs of lateral force at 42" from the floor. Those numbers make sense to me as it predicts that if an adult accidentally fell against it, it wouldn't fail.
Does anyone know the relevant code(s) for this sort of thing?
Can I simply screw into the beam? If so, with what hardware?
We're trying to avoid having any vertical posts, but is there an alternative mounting strategy that might make more sense -- or be more cost effective?
Thank you for you time and consideration. Cheers.

It looks neat.

I think I'd be looking for a glass railing engineer (as in an engineer employed by a firm in the business of glass railings or engineered/architectural  glass structures in general) to ensure that the glass, mounting and attachments were all adequate. And I like doing stuff myself. I'd just be uncomfortable with the possibilities for building something that looks (as this does) like the sort of thing you'd see in a mall, airport, etc but that then fails to perform as required when it matters - and that could be from something as minor as the way the holes for the supports are put in, or tiny defects on the clamping surface of the mounts (either of which might result in cracks, and cracks lead to glass structures falling apart.) These folks (and the correct hardware, glass, etc.) exist - as witnessed by the malls, airports, etc...

One thing might be to beef up the top rail into a more structural component.


How can I use a 16A appliance in a UK 13A socket? I have recently moved from India to the UK and carried a Philips air fryer with me. The plug on this appliance is marked 16A 250V. Wattage is 1425. The UK house I have moved into has standard 13A sockets. Is there any way to use this appliance?

Addition after reading your answers - thanks for the replies. seems like this appliance can be used after all. I'm not too comfortable cutting into the power cord and replacing the fused plug. Do you think this product will work? http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/13a-16a-fly-lead-converter-13a-plug-to-16a-socket.html it says it's used for hooking up caravans to household mains but it seems the end purpose is the same i.e. plugging 16A into a 13A source?

According to my calculator 1425 watts at 240V is 6 amps, well within the 13-amp limit.

Are the round-pin 16 amp plugs standard in kitchens in India? If yes, that's probably why it has that particular connector. You should be able to get a 13-amp fused plug at any hardware store.


Rig a 10W DC solar panel to feed back into house power? I have one of these: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/retired/9759

Is it possible to rig it up so it is providing general power for my house albeit in very low capacity?

How would I do so?

As the commentators have suggested, you probably could, but it would not be worth it. The big issue is that the solar panel generates DC electricity whereas your home outlets (and the power grid at large) are AC electricity. 10 watts is not a lot of power. Most home circuits provide 15 or 20 amps at around 120 volts, that equates to 1800 to 2400 watts. Keep in mind that in converting the 8V at 1.25A output of the solar panel into 120v AC you're going to lose a significant amount of that energy.

Can it be done? Yes.

How would you do it? Generally speaking you wouldn't. If you HAD to, you might consider something like a Tesla Powerwall scenario where you charge a large battery (over a long period of time) and then use some complicated circuitry to discharge AC power. As others have said, this would take an extremely long time to break even cost wise.


Is it better to install temp service or permanent outdoor service with future home as subpanel? This is for a 10 acre new residential lot in NW Washington. The transformer is 200ft away and this will be a new underground service to the home site. I'll be working on building the house myself over the next few years. The power company wanted to install temporary service but they say it can only be "temporary" for 1 year and they charge another $175 to hook up the permanent service. Additionally some parts of the temp service panel wouldn't be able to be reused for the permanent installation so there's a few hundred dollars in other wasted costs.  At the location where I would put the temp service there will be a 30A RV hookup and a 20A circuit for some plugs. This is about 25 feet from the location of the eventual house. I would like to keep the RV hookup and plugs there after the house is done, so I thought why not make that the permanent location of the meter and main panel and run the house as a subpanel? My load calculations for the house alone using NEC 220 Part IV show that a 100A subpanel is more than adequate so I could use 2 AWG, XHHW-2 Al feeder wire from the main outdoor panel to a 100A subpanel in the house. The cost of 4 wires (2/2/2/6) are only $1.19/ft. The main outdoor panel would be 200A to accommodate the additional outside RV and plugs. The outdoor panel would also be able to handle future expansions like a  shop or hot tub.  I was planning on the Eaton MBE2040B200BTS 200A Meter Center for the permanent outdoor panel mounted on a 6x6 PT post or the side of a tiny shed with a roof overhang to protect it from rain. Are there any problems with this approach?

EDIT: I forgot to mention that an EUSERC approved panel is not required by my utility.

EDIT2: According to the comments below an EUSERC approved panel IS actually required by my utility.

You have a few options here

Personally, I find many of the larger meter-loadcenter combinations to be wastes of space, especially in a remote-metered application like yours. You'll probably never use anywhere close to all the spaces in the MBE2040B200BTS with it mounted on the shed; furthermore, using that meter-main forecloses you from upgrading the feed to the house to 200A in the future, as a 200A breaker simply won't fit in the half-width loadcenter it provides.

With the considerations of a 3" incoming utility conduit, EUSERC approval, and provision for 200A to the house in the future in mind as we look for meter mains, this leaves us with roughly the following options:

If you can get decent pricing on it from your local supply house, the Milbank X5169-XTL-200 provides quite a bit of flexibility in this application.  It has a 12-circuit interior with a backfed 200A main breaker, leaving 8 circuits and a set of feed-through lugs available for use, while providing a single-point-of-shutoff.  In addition, it has an over/under layout, which is advantageous in that it can readily fit a separate 200A breaker for the main house, unlike single-column designs, while providing a 2-pole space for future expansion once the RV breakers are taken into account.
The B-Line U2M2RP provides a minimalist alternative here, with provisions for a 50A maximum "side" feed to the RV outlets alongside a 200A main breaker for the house.  However, this does sacrifice the convenience of having a single main shutoff available to you, and also requires getting a good price from your supply house to be practical.
A more spacious option in the "no single main shutoff" vein is the Siemens MC1212L1200SED (also known as the Murray JA1212L1200SED).  This also uses an "over/under" construction, allowing the use of a 200A breaker for the house feeder, and provides up to 3 2-pole spaces for expansion purposes as well as room for the RV breakers.  Again, though, this requires getting good pricing through a supply house.
If none of the above work, and you are willing to sacrifice having a single main shutoff, then you can go with a Siemens MC0816B1200ESN.  This provides an 8 space interior with a main breaker and feed-through lugs, as well as a parallel "side" feed maxing out at 50A for the shed and RV outlets, in a narrow form factor, and is available inexpensively from the usual suspects.  The downside is that the remaining spaces will likely go mostly to waste in this case, but if nothing else is available, this will do.

With this, I would use a prebuilt RV outlet box such as a Midwest U041010 or equivalent. This provides a TT-30 receptacle and a 20A GFCI receptacle in a sturdy, weatherproof enclosure; you can also get a version (the U041CTL010) with a built-in panel and extra lugs to provide a feeder onward to the shed.  You'll need to use a 30A and a 20A single pole breaker to provide power to the U041010 (there is also a U041, but that has a regular 20A receptacle and requires a 20A GFCI in the panel instead); if you go with the U041CTL010 instead, you can provide it with the biggest feeder your main panel will let you, up to 100A, and then use the loop-through lugs to feed the shed's panel from it, or just stick a one-pole THQL breaker in the spare slot provided and power the shed that way.

Fat conduit and fat aluminum are your friends here

You have the right idea by going with aluminum over copper for the feeder to the house; however, I would use conduit for this run instead of direct burial wire to save you the trouble of having to re-trench wires if you want to upgrade the house to 200A service.  In your case, 2" Schedule 80 PVC makes good sense here, considering that you can get the run done with two wide sweeps (and a LB if the house's panel will be indoors), and that a set of 3 4/0 XHHW-2 aluminum current-carrying conductors with a 6AWG bare or insulated copper ground will fit comfortably inside it.  Even if you only run a 100A feeder (2AWG hots+neutral with an 8AWG minimum ground, or a 2-2-4-6 mobile home feeder cable for that matter), you still will benefit from the oversized conduit making your pull far easier than it would in a minimum Code sized conduit.  Beats having to call an electrician in with their truck of tools to rescue your over-optimistic pull job!

Go big or go home!

One other problem lurks in your plan so far: the size of panel you've chosen so far for the house.  16 spaces is a terribly small panel for anything beyond an outbuilding, considering that you can't use "double stuff" (tandem/quadplex/half-width) breakers for most residential circuits as nobody makes AFCIs in that form factor.

Instead, I would go with a 40-space or 42-space, 200A, main breaker panel for the house's main panel, as it's far cheaper to get the spaces now than to go through the labor of replacing the panel later.  The main breaker is necessary because the meter-main is mounted on a separate structure (the shed), and the fact it is bigger than the feeder you want to run is of no concern to us, as all we want here is a way to turn the power on and off.  This panel also will happily accommodate a future service upgrade to 200A, should you (or the next homeowner!) ever want that in the future.

If a 200A panel is absolutely out of the question for some reason, I would at least go with a 24-space or 30-space, 100A or 125A, main breaker panel instead of the rather cramped 16-space panel you are planning to use.  The cost differential is peanuts here compared to the cost of adding those extra spaces down the road, still.

TORQUE ALL LUGS TO SPEC

There is one more point to raise here, and that is that you need to use an inch-pound torque wrench or torque screwdriver to torque all loadcenter and breaker lugs to the labeled torque values.  This is a new Code requirement in 2017 NEC 110.14(D), and is a good idea even if your AHJ has not adopted it, as you really don't want your electrical system to develop a case of the loose lugnuts!


Window film affixed to the wall around a window? Useful related questions: here, here.
I live in an apartment with a window that I want to insulate during the winter. I am currently using one of those shrink film kits and it seems to be working. However, I think there's a chance that there are drafts coming in around the window framing. If so, I may be able to seal the offending gaps myself and/or get my landlord to do it. However, I am wondering whether the following would be a reasonable alternative:
Would it be effective for me to stick the window film to the wall surrounding the window, effectively sealing off a larger area than just the window itself?
I can anticipate three major potential weaknesses of this approach, but I could obviously be totally wrong:

The tape could have trouble sticking to the wall (maybe I could use stronger tape) or making a good seal (maybe I could use some additional insulation around the borders).
The large insulated cavity might allow for more convection to go on inside of it.
My wall might be better than my window frame at losing (conducting? is that the right term?) heat. As a result, now heat can leave my apartment through the route wall outside cavity -> wall inside cavity -> air, instead of wall outside cavity -> window frame -> air. (Maybe I could fix this by using multiple layers of film, one applied to the window frame and one to the wall?)

You'll be just fine sticking the tape to the wall outside the frame then sticking the plastic to that. There's a reasonable chance that there is cold air moving through gaps in the exterior trim, along the outside of the window casing, then through gaps in the interior trim. Applying plastic as you've suggested will help reduce this cold air movement.
WARNING science content: It's actually the warm air that's moving out, not the cold air moving in. There's more energy in warm air, so it's moving faster and wants to escape to where the temperature is colder in order to equalize temperatures. Also, your HVAC system is forcing warm air into the house, slightly increasing the interior air pressure. That increase in pressure wants to escape to where the pressure is lower to balance things out, no matter what the temperature is. Except, of course, when the wind is blowing outside and forcing the cold air in because now the outside pressure is higher.
Unless there is zero insulation in the wall (and even if that is the case), it's highly likely you're losing more heat through the glass than through the wall.
Warning: Do be aware that the double-stick tape used to hold the window insulation film in place can remove paint or wallpaper from whatever it's attached to (window frame or wall). Be prepared to repair damage or sacrifice some of your damage deposit if this happens.

Just a thought for you: With all the issues you seem to be having with insulating your windows (and exterior walls), if your landlord doesn't show any interest in improving the situation, you may want to consider moving as soon as your lease is up! I realize that economic realities may make that difficult, so don't feel you need to address this point in a comment, it's just something for you to think about.


Pivot rod in bathroom sink too tight Ok, changed out the pivot rod, old one was broken. Put new one in, But. By the time I have the retaining nut tight enough to stop leaks. The pivot rod won't move? Loosen it to help movement, but starts leaking again. I bought the full kit, the bigger ball doesn't fit into hole, has to be the little one.. what am I doing wrong??

If it’s corroded, you need to replace the tailpiece.  If it was me, I’d find a plain tailpiece and a popup drain.  Those rods are often problematic.


Old Ceiling Junction Box Removal Hey I just bought an older co-op from the 50’s. I want to put a ceiling fan in but ran into trouble.  I was trying to take down the existing box and it has a nipple in the middle with a flat head screw slot in the bottom.  I bought the usual box and anchor mechanism to put in but I have no idea how to get this box out.  Obviously I can't go in through the top due to the co-op situation.  Please help.  Maybe a YouTube video or something how to remove it. Thanks.

Jim Stewart's comment is pretty much right on.

That is not a nipple it is what is called a "hickey" by the National Electrical Code. It serves to attach the box to a hanger bar or other spanning device.

It looks like you may have a pretty stout box already and may not need the fan box.

I usually look for a ceiling hugger style fan and toggle bolt it directly to the drywall/plaster. This eliminates the need for fan box.

Good luck!


Should neutral and ground wires tied together in junction box? Lights in garage and garage door stopped working. Breaker didn't blow. Other items on the breaker are working. Opened up ceiling light socket and in the junction box saw this:

So on this circuit are two ceiling garage lights, a plug in the ceiling for garage door opener, a porch light, and inside the house, wall plugs in an "office". The garage ceiling lights are on three-way switch set-up. The breaker did not blow.  The plugs in the office work. Home was built in 1982 (and in US).

In this junction box the neutrals and grounds are tied together. (Is that supposed to be like that?) There is a black wire tied off to nothing. There is 90 volts between the white/black/black group and the white/ground group.

The failure seemed to occur after some siding work on the house (using two-inch nails) but I cannot be 100% sure - though it was that evening we noticed it. One switch of the three-way ceiling light circuit, the porch light, and porch light switch are in the wall where siding work is taking place. They have the porch light on the outside removed at the moment for the siding work. The office wall sockets have 118v. The switches do use the push-in holes and not the screws to connect the wires.

Is it possible it is a nail hit the wire and would cause these symptoms without blowing the breaker?  Why does the office have 118v? The office is between the breaker box and garage. Is it possible bad neutral connections (which I understand can cause voltage drops?

Should neutral and ground wires tied together in junction box?

No.  Neutral and ground should never be tied together in a junction box.


What size breaker should I use in the main panel for a sub-panel with four 15A breakers? I need to set up a sub-panel with four 15 amp breakers. What size breaker would I require in the main board to feed this?

110V in Canada.

If you are running a proper sub-panel on the North American model (i.e. 240V + neutral and ground) a 30A double-pole breaker and 10Ga wire will permit 4 15A 120V circuits to run at full capacity.

If you are using existing wire, that sets the upper limit of what you can feed it with, whether or not that is adequate for your needs. Else, you will be replacing the wire to meet your needs.

If the panel might be expanded later (i.e. 4 circuits now, but with space for additional circuits) and you use larger wire, you can feed it up to the ampacity of the feed wire and/or sub-panel rating.

If you are running a single-phase (120V) feed you will probably not be happy, and you would need large wire to feed it anywhere near full capacity - which is why the normal/"proper" method is a 240V feed.


Outdoor three way switch and outlet on light pole GFI Placing a new outdoor pole light with a three way switch and outlet. Using 12/3 wire in conduit with One 3way switch in house. Question: what is the best way to have ground fault on outlet and switch?

One way to add GFCI protection for the outdoor lights and receptacle would be to use a GFCI breaker for the circuit.  This will protect everything on the circuit, if there's anything else on it.

That may be a bonus, or may be a problem if you don't want GFCI protection on some of what's on that circuit.  For example, if the sump pump in your basement is on that circuit, a nuisance GFCI trip could prevent the pump from working and you wind up with a flooded basement.

Another way would be to add GFCI protection anywhere between the panel and where the cable leaves the house.  One way to do that would be to add a GFCI receptacle anywhere between the panel and the inside three way switch, maybe somewhere in the basement where the cable feeding the inside 3-way switch is accessible.  The receptacles have LINE and LOAD side connections;  you'd connect the LINE side to the power feed coming in, and the LOAD side to the outside lights etc. downstream.  Depending on the routing of the circuits wiring, other loads, etc., other loads may be affected as with a breaker.  If you install the GFCI receptacle right where the circuit comes out of the panel, it will affect all loads as would a GFCI breaker.  If you install it where the cable to the pole exits the basement, it would only protect what's outside.

Another way would be to add a gang to the switch box and put a dead front GFCI in the switch box.  I like this method because people can see the dead front right next to the switch if it trips and not have to think too hard.


dimmensions of a decora insert I am designing a temp sensor that I want to insert in a decora panel.

I have googled this and cannot find anything from leviton and cannot tell if the size measurements on blank inserts include the mount tabs as well.

Thanks in advance

Device 6.66 x 3.30 cm

Hole in trim plate 6.68 x 3.32 cm

2 mm ( 0.20 cm) radius on the corners.


Removing asbestos pipe This question is around the rules, regulations and safety of removing an asbestos pipe in the UK.  I'm trying to get a contractor to remove, what I believe to be (and has been confirmed) an asbestos pipe from the side of the house.  The pipe is a flue pipe for an old boiler (long since disconnected).
My question is around the regulations surrounding this: what should I expect the contractor to do as a precaution, will the house need to be vacated while the job is in progress; and, given that this pipe has been there for many years, would it actually be safer to leave it as is?

In the U.S., regulations allow a residential home owner to remove a certain amount of asbestos without training or license, (i.e.: 9 square feet of asbestos floor tile per day, etc.) However, disposal is highly regulated, both in proper container and location. You’ll need to check with your local governing agency for specifics.
If you hire the abatement to be completed, be sure they are licensed and have insurance for such work. (They could contaminate your neighbors property and you could be held liable.)
Licensed contractors will seal the area off from the rest of the house AND provide a fan or two to provide a “positive air pressure” in the rest of the house so asbestos air particles will not contaminate the rest of the house.
When we hire a company, we require a statement from them that they got it all.
If the pipe is located in a remote location and it’s likely that it will not be disturbed, I’d leave it alone.


Should I have all the aluminum wiring removed from my home or just the damaged portion? My home has aluminum wiring, which was wired approximately 20 years ago. A single line of wiring  connecting bathroom geyser caught fire and got burnt. I am planning to rewire my house again.
Should I be getting my entire home rewired with copper wiring or only the part which got burnt? Apart from high cost of copper wiring what other advantage I would be getting?

This doesn't sound like a technical question.  You didn't maintain the AL wiring properly... it had a problem... should you replace it?   The real question is do you trust yourself to maintain it going forward?
Same exact thing probably would've happened with copper.
I do systems rollouts within enterprises, where you get employees to switch to a new business system. People don't like change. New systems don't fit old ways.  It was much worse in the 60s-70s when the first automation was happening and many failed, for many reasons. In most cases using Sperry vs Burroughs vs IBM made no difference - employees were uncooperative, management didn't listen, etc. If a company bought IBM, then  management presumed the computer was OK and confronted their internal problems. But if they bought Burroughs, they'd take the easy out of blaming Burroughs.  So if you were responsible for picking vendor, you picked IBM.
That's called a "Halo Effect".
Same with copper wiring.  The same exact problem happens in 2 different junction boxes.  If it's copper wire, "it was a mistorqued screw".  But if it's aluminum, "OMG it's the aluminum wire" and that's as far as people's brains go.
So that's most likely what happened there, if it was copper, it still would've failed owing to faulty workmanship, and it wouldn't even occur to you to rewire your whole house because if it lol.  And by the way, the wire didn't burn up, the wire termination (end) did.
In reality, it's copper lugs.  They do not play well with aluminum wire.  Aluminum lugs work well with both, which is why they are widely used: Tear apart an Alumiconn; it's made of aluminum. Ditto a Mac Block, ground bar, and many panel lugs.
But aluminum wire is not better than copper; you can still screw it up in all the usual ways.  We just have to add "failing to use Al-rated terminations" to the mix.
My Rx for aluminum wire
First, you fit arc-fault protection (usually at the circuit breaker). That will catch many/most of the kinds of failure we worry about with Al wire.
Then, you visit every connection point and make sure it has terminations rated for Al wire.  That means (in the US) CO-ALR receps, Alumiconns, MAC Blocks connectors etc.  (and I dislike purple wire nuts because it's not that simple; you do need to physically separate Al and Cu wires, and there are lots of pix of melted and charred purple wire nuts.) And in cases where you must attach to equipment not available with CO-ALR termination, you pigtail to copper for the last 6 inches.


How do I handle a transition from concrete to dirt underneath a flagstone patio? I had a pool installed a few years ago and the builder threw in a narrow concrete patio around it. See fuzzy picture below (sorry about that. Google earth must be a little tipsy tonight).

So now that I've paid off the pool, I'm thinking of putting down a flagstone patio, but the trick is that I want to extend it beyond the paltry concrete patio that already exists (dotted square around pool).

I assume it will be a pretty easy job to lay down the stone on top of a nice level concrete patio, but I am a little concerned about how to make the transition between the concrete part and the grass part.

(1) Is this even advisable, or should I just extend the concrete out to the entire area I want for the patio before laying stone (adding considerable cost)?

(2) Assuming I don't extend the concrete, what should I do when the stone transitions from the concrete subsurface to the dirt? I'm nervous that cracks will occur over time, and I'd like to do whatever I can to avoid that.

(1) Is this even advisable, or should I just extend the concrete out to the entire area I want for the patio before laying stone (adding considerable cost)?

Rolls-Royce job (Money no object): Extend the concrete slab out to the area you wish to pave or remove the existing slab and start allover again.

  (2) Assuming I don't extend the concrete, what should I do when the stone transitions from the concrete subsurface to the dirt? I'm nervous that cracks will occur over time, and I'd like to do whatever I can to avoid that.

Good enough job (and what most paving pro's would do, at least the ones I know back in the UK): Excavate 6 to 8 inches (150 to 200mm) from the area you want to extend into. Back fill that area with sub-base (crushed rock) material. Back fill in 2 to 3 inch (50 to 75mm) layers, each layer should be "properly" compacted. This will give you a sub-base that is "nearly" as good/stable as the existing concrete slab.

Something to consider, regardless of chosen method, how is the paving area going to drain? Do you need to put in some sort of drainage system , thus preventing the surrounding softscape from flooding due to the new hardscape?


Rebuilding a pool pump... where does this part go? I've successfully replaced the bearings on my Whisperflo pump, and now I'm ready to put the bells back on the ends. (It's actually an aftermarket replacement motor, not the original Pentair motor, but everything looks and acts pretty much identical based on YouTube repair videos I watched.)

I found out that the little wavy washer goes in the rear bell, but I have an extra rubber washer/gasket/whosiewhatsit I'm looking at and I can't for the life of me remember where it came from:

Where does this little dude go?

Side question: how do I know when the shaft seal (the two-part one in the seal plate and impeller) is bad? I have this thing pulled apart and it's about a year old, so I thought of getting a Go Kit and replacing all of the seals, but I honestly don't have a clue how often I'm supposed to replace them. If it matters, there was scale build-up on the bolts connecting the seal plate to the motor front bell, and scale in the bowl of the bell as well. It's a saltwater pool and it runs pretty much 24/7.

I finally found an answer, it's a "water sling" that goes between the front bell and the seal plate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hmplhRWKaE


Downstream from 20amp GFCI I have a 20 amp GFCI outlet in my basement bathroom finish. I will have a 2nd outlet downstream in the same junction box. Do I need to use 12/2 for this or will 14/2 work?

The breaker is 20A, it HAS to be 12 Gauge. No 14 gauge anywhere on a 20A circuit, and the bathroom circuit has to be 20A.