How can I install 3 way switches that cut power to several 2 way switches? I'm rewiring my unfinished basement.  It has two entrances - a cellar door to the outside and the normal staircase in the house.  Even though it is unfinished, the basement is kind of divided into different rooms.  I want each "room" to have its own light and light switch.  I also want to be able to kill all of the lights at once from the top of my stairs and also re-energize the whole circuit if I happen to walk in through the cellar door.  Please tell me whether the following plan is safe and workable:

I'll start with a fairly normal 3 way switch setup.  Picture one switch on the left, next switch in the middle, and the light on the right. This light is the one over my stairs, and it will work off of the 3 way switch like you would normally expect. Power from the breaker box can go into the middle switch or the light on the right - either way is easy enough.  Once that is all set up I splice a 2 + ground cable to the hot and neutral on the light and run it to the next light, except I wire that second light to its own 2 way switch.  From there I continue the circuit until I have 6 or 7 lights with each of them controlled by its own 2 pole switch.  If the kids leave 2 or 3 of those lights on, then instead of walking through the whole basement to turn them off, I can just flip the three way switch at the top of my stairs to kill the entire basement lighting circuit.  The next time someone enters the basement from either door, they hit the 3 way switch and all of the lights that the kids left on come on again (plus the stairway light turns on because the 3 way is the only switch connected to it). Of course, none of the lights in the basement would work unless that 3 way switch circuit is closed.

Is all of this safe and up to code?

The Setup
To achieve what you want, you'll simply have to wire all the light circuits in parallel off the common of the 3-way.  Basically instead of a light on the common, you'll have light circuits.  Something like this.

Following this scheme, each single pole switch will control the lights in a single area. While the whole circuit, is controlled by the 3-way switches. This way, if the 3-ways are OFF all the lights will be off.  If the 3-ways are ON, the individual single pole switches will determine which lights are on.
The down side
While this configuration is possible, it may be confusing to any future owners of the home. This may also cause problems if the area is ever finished and actually divided into separate spaces, since a somebody could potentially be lost in the dark.
Code compliance
I'm not sure at this point whether or not this setup is code compliant, but a quick call to your local government should yield the answer.  I will continue to review the National Electrical Code (NEC), to determine if there are any sections that would not allow a setup like this. If I find any restrictions, I will update this section of the answer.
If any others happen to know any codes that might apply here, please post the code section as a comment.


Roofing insulation nightmare We bought a house built in 1972. It has cathedral ceilings and tongue and groove throughout. The house is u shaped and the tongue and groove is not only the ceilings but the north and south walls, thus the roof extends down and encompasses the exterior walls. None of it is insulated and ventilation is poor. Needless to say our power bills are atrocious! It is time to re-roof/side our home and we want to fix the problem. We want to keep the tongue and groove on the inside. We had a mold re-mediator come and inspect and fortunately we don't have much of a problem. The roof is leaking in a few spots causing some moisture. I am looking for the best way to fix all of these issues at one time. My husband thinks he is capable but I won't let him on the roof at 72 years old...HELP!

I have nearly the same situation, although we have 1" of rigid foam insulation over the T&G. We could have added insulated roof panels when the roofing was replaced, but it was very expensive. The materials aren't cheap, and further it requires replacing the fascia to accommodate the increased thickness.

It's not an easy project. Imagine replacing the roof. Now imagine something much harder. I wouldn't attempt it without help, and I'm a lot younger than 72.

It's possible you could sneak some rigid insulation and a layer of decking in when the roof is replaced, and cover it with extra wide drip edge to avoid replacing the fascia. It's not going to be great insulation, but compared to none at all it's a significant improvement. The seams between panels should be taped to provide a vapor barrier. If the warm, humid interior air can't leak through to the cold exterior and condense, you don't need ventilation.

https://buildingscience.com/documents/digests/bsd-149-unvented-roof-assemblies-for-all-climates

If you are looking to save some money on heating and cooling costs, I'm almost certain there are more cost effective things you could do. In my case, it was more cost effective to take the money that would have been spent to install insulation on the cathedral ceiling, and use it instead on a more efficient HVAC system.

Better still, a house built in the 70s is probably full of air leaks. This is something you can fix yourself, with very little money, without the hazard of climbing on a roof. It's also probably the only job where a can of Great Stuff is legitimately a good idea.


Options for Running High End Computer on Old Circuit I'm preparing to build the computer of my dreams. Unfortunately, it's going to top out at 1350 Watts when running at peak performance. I live in an 80 year old bungalow and the power situation is less than optimal. Our circuit is rated at 12 AMPs. As I'm still renting, I'm not sure I want to invest in upgrading the circuit (or at least I'm weighing the tradeoffs). Are there any other options (i.e. battery storage, UPS, solar) that might be possible.

All the best/

TLDR: Pay your landlord to add a 20A dedicated circuit for this PC.

Fuggedaboutit. 1350W is just too much.

Remember, you're talking 1350 watts at the low voltage DC side - you have conversion losses. You must provide what the AC-side requires. That will be clearly stated in the specs, or placarded on the unit.  Here's a Rosewill Photon 1350.

Let's be gracious and assume this mark is saying 15 through 8 amps, not 15.8 amps.  That is the actual power it will be drawing. 15 amps = 1800 watts, which reflects the internal inefficiency of the supply, and that's about right.   This is a continuous load, so you must provision 125% of that power, so that's 18.75 amps.  This will take the entire output of a 20A circuit.

You don't have one of those.

If your "12 amp" figure is based on a 15A circuit you are applying the same 125% derating to, then good on you for working it backward like that.  Regardless, a 15A circuit cannot power this.  Running a circuit at 100% load continuously will result in breaker trips, which results in death. Permanent death if you're playing Diablo hardcore.

Beware old service panels

If your 80 year old building has a Federal Pacific, Zinsco or Challenger panel, then maxing out a circuit is madness. Those breakers are not reliable.  This could result in fire, and perma-death of you.

A Challenger panel can have its breakers changed out to Eaton BR/C, (C for Challenger), and it'll be fine. Zinsco and FPE are beyond recovery, as not only are the Connecticut Electric breakers worse than the originals, but the buses themselves are defective.

Landlord permission + licensed electrician is mandatory

You cannot alter the wiring in your rental unit.  I live in one and the most I've ever done is change a cover plate.  All work requires landlord approval because of a legal concept called "mine / yours".  And all work in a rental unit must be done by a licensed electrician, to disallow low-quality work by cheap slumlords or sloppy tenants.  So if you want to upgrade the electrical service to the unit, you'll need to have a sit-down with the landlord and pay a 3-digit sum for the electrical work.  Or move.

Another snag is that older buildings are often laughably underpowered.  I have seen units with 30A/120V for the entire unit.  You will not be able to add a 20A circuit to such a unit.

Further, if the landlord pays for your electricity, expect a rent increase that may not be fair, because the landlord does not want you bitcoin-mining.

Don't forget air conditioning

Putting 1800 watts into a room will make a lot of heat.  5300 BTU/hr to be precise.  You will need an equivalent amount of A/C just to break even.  That will need its own circuit, since sharing the circuit with this PC is right out.


Brown Spots Above Ceiling/Ductwork Any idea what these spots might be? They're isolated to just one spots on my ceiling. My ductwork is right above this area.

Thanks!

It looks like water damage to me.  Likely either a roof leak or a condensation problem with one of the ducts (or something else entirely that you don't know is there?).  It's also possible for the leak to be elsewhere above the ducts and this is just where the water found its way down to the ceiling.

Do you have access to the area above(attic)?  If so, maybe a couple pics  of what's there might help.

Also, you can buy a moisture tester help diagnose this.  If the ceiling at the stain is the same moisture content as surrounding ceiling, then the problem isn't currently happening but that doesn't mean it won't come back.  If it gets wetter during or immediately following a storm that almost guarantees a roof problem.


Two Egress Windows, One Window Well I am intending to cut out two egress windows in the side of my house. Instead of digging 2 holes, I was hoping to dig one and cut both egress windows within the same well. The well will be built with 4x6x12 timbers (3x12 window well), with 2 48x48 windows. There will be 20" of concrete between the two windows. I am struggling to find anyone doing this, so I am wondering if there is a problem with my plan. Thanks much!

I don't see a problem with this.  Use PT wood treated for continuous underground use.  (Wood foundation treatment)  You're using heavy timbers to the ground forces trying to squeeze in won't be an issue.  You may get minor amounts of water squeezing between the boards, but with reasonable bottom drainage this isn't aproblem.

The reason the galvanized corrugated wells are used are a matter of cost.  They are cheap, and quick to put in.

Be sure that your well goes down below the window, then fill back with fast draining rock to a couple inches below the window sill.

Also try to anticipate things going wrong.  A well can act as a funnel, moving water from the yard into the the house.  Mis-set sprinklers, clogged eavestrough, snow sliding off a metal roof....

I have seen people who propped old windows over the window well.  This still allowed it to be used as an egress, but prevented most of the misshaps.  One person did a tiny shade garden in the window well.  It would get trampled in an emergency exit, but what the heck?


Should I install an inline water heater for my bathroom? It takes 3-4 minutes of the shower running before the hot water reaches my upstairs bathroom. I'd like to not have to waste all that water and time. My initial though was to install an inline water heater to supply my bathroom. Is this feasible?  Or are there other solutions?

EDIT:

I was thinking something like this:

If you lag the hot water pipes you can help reduce the time it takes for the water to heat up as the water in the pipes will stay warmer for longer. Obviously this won't help first thing in the morning when the water's cold.

Installing a heater is certainly an option as it will reduce the 3-4 minute "lead time" - especially if you site it as near to the shower as possible. However you have to consider the following:

Is the cost of installing and running the heater less than the cost of heating the water that remains in the pipes and left to go cold.
If you pay for the amount of water you use then will the reduction in your water bill pay for the heater?
Can your shower be connected to an instant hot water feed? If you have a pumped shower then you probably can't do this.


Multiple LiftMaster 882LMW Can two LiftMaster 882LMW multi-function control panels be wired in parallel?  Has anyone looked at the PCB to see what it is populated with?

The opener is a LiftMaster 8365W.

Thank you.

The short answer to the question is yes, two LiftMaster 882LMW door openers can be wired in parallel and work.

Please note that you cannot simply place a doorbell switch or any dry contact in parallel and expect this to work.

The long answer is that the 12Vdc coming from the garage opener itself is not just a DC voltage; there is a variable frequency PWM signal riding on top of this which communicates to an embedded STM8S103F2 microcontroller in the 882LMW.

I did not take my scope to the PWM signal, but my multimeter picked up a frequency range of ~6-14kHz.  The MCU likely uses input capture mode on a timer, and then returns the message with another PWM signal superimposed on the 12Vdc, or something like that.

Here is a picture of the back of the PCB.

My requirement is to make use of a computer controlled relay (dry contact) to open my garage.  I simple soldered two leads across the micro pushbutton and wired them to the relay.  My wires from the garage are now screwed to the terminals labelled red and white.

This works in parallel to the other 882LMW that's located in the entryway of my house.

I am not tinkering with this any further as I won't be able to reverse engineer the embedded firmware in the MCU, and it works the way I left it.


filling holes in bathroom tile When you walk in our bathroom on the tiles with high heels, it puts a hole in the tile. It seems likely the tiles were not meant to be for floor. Regardless, we'd like to find some way to fill in the holes with either plaster or something otherwise. What would be best to use?

Leaving this as an answer with trepidation and the hope that a real tile expert will chime in.

My guess is that they're limestone or travertine. If you have spares, grind/smash/pulverize them to dust, mix that with a 2 part epoxy and fill 'er up. (Same for the broken chips at the door -- glue them solidly down with granite-safe adhesive and fill the cracks after the glue cures.) I don't have personal experience with this product, so not a recommendation (hopefully, someone else will chime in), but I'd be willing to try "Tenax Travertine Filler" (available on amazon).

Hope this helps.


Besides insulation and air conditioning unit, what else is there to check if my A/C isn't keeping me cool? I live in an apartment home where the indoor temperature has risen to above 80 degrees Fahrenheit daily for the past two months.  The outdoor temperature regularly reaches 100 degrees and the weather has been very dry.

I am sweating as I type this post.

I have been bugging my apartment manager for months now to fix the situation.

A while back, a technician came to my unit and pointed an infrared temperature sensor at my vents and it read out 60 degrees.  However, the air coming out doesn't feel that cool to me.
Two weeks ago, they installed a new A/C unit outside my unit.  This morning, a crew came to install new insulation.

I would think that it would cover everything, but the temperature is still 82 degrees at 21:50h.  I arrived home at about 18:00h and the temperature was 84 degrees.

I paid an almost $200 electric bill for my one bedroom apartment last month and I still sweat at home every day.  This is crazy!

Since the A/C unit and the insulation have been replaced, what is the next thing to be looking at to get the situation fixed?

First, I feel your pain. I'm in Houston at my girlfriend's place; we live in a single family house, and the A/C is running all day even with the thermostat at 84 degrees. I work from home, so I can't let it go up higher than that. Our outside thermometer recorded 106 degrees today.

The things that we've added to the house to help keep cool, besides new insulation and having the A/C unit checked, include a bunch of things. First, a little theory. Your apartment heats up because of the sun heating the building primarily, and secondarily because of infiltration from the outside of warm air.

I'm going to just assume that your landlord isn't willing to replace your windows and doors with low-E dual-paned units. I've done this to my house in Bryan, TX and it literally cut my utility bill in half.

The first thing we did with her place, where the landlord is also not willing to rip out a ton of windows and replace them, was to get blinds with reflective shades in all of the windows, and external solar shades or screens where possible. Remember: Black stuff is OK on the outside of the structure, because black absorbs heat (and you don't care about the heat if it's on the outside) -- and white things on the inside of the structure, because you want the heat to not be absorbed and to just be reflected back out.

The second thing we did was to get a better thermostat for the house. The old one was a manual one with mercury in it; the new one has a digital timer and a bunch of other features that include breaks for things like the compressor coils to defrost.

The third thing we did was start replacing the A/C filter frequently... at least once a month.

It might help to suggest more if we knew what kind of A/C unit you have (is it one of those high-rise below-window units, or a 'real' one with a compressor and air exchanger in a closet or attic?), and what kind of structure (concrete or wood frame) you're in.


undo a master-slave wall switch I have two wall switches that control the same light. One is a master in that when it is off the 2nd one does not do anything.

Is there anyway to undo it so both operate independently of each other without running new wires?

I have not unscrewed anything yet as I want to first make sure what I want to do is possible without having to run new wires.

update

Adding some pictures.

The upstairs/master switch:

The downstairs/slave switch:

It looks like they are both the same type of switches with the master having more wires coming into it.

It's hard to be certain exactly how your existing wiring is working.  It looks like the upstairs switch is just switching the hot feed to the downstairs switch.  (But looking at the white wires, it appears to be switching something else too.  Very odd.  Does the upstairs switch turn off more than one thing?)

However, I think I can answer the question, "Can I make the switches operate independently without running new wires?" :  Probably not. What you want is a 3-way switch setup between the two switches, and it appears you only have a single conductor connecting the two switches.  You'd need additional conductors between the switches in order to install a three way configuration.  Sorry.


What went wrong with my Washer and how do I fix it? For about a month or more my to-loaded washer was getting more and more off balance.  Then it started ticking and not spinning, then recently it stopped spinning altogether.
Everything else still works...it just doesn't spin (which basically means it's useless).

I'm pretty sure that means a belt went out or something but I am a home improvement newb (and this site may be the best thing to ever happen to me....excluding my wife of course)

Does it sound like a motor is still running in there when you turn it on?  My first guess would be that the belt that connects the motor to the drum either broke or is slipping.  If that's the case, it should be a pretty easy fix (replace the belt).  If not, then it's probably a bad motor.


Best way to hang a server rack in the attic I am building a little home network, and bought a 6U server rack.
Right now, it's sitting in the attic, and I am trying to think how to best hang it up.
I am pretty new to this, and I am bit concerned about drilling anything in attic, as not to compromise the integrity of the structure.
The weight of the rack is about 20KG, currently. I am thinking it will be around 50-70 KG a few years down the line, as I add more stuff.
Any recommendations how to best hang it in, based on the picture below?
I can provide more pictures if below doesn't make sense.
Thanks!

Last place I'd put one, as a network/wiring pro. Basements (off the floor/above flood levels) are good, attics not so much, and anywhere you plan to inhabit is usually a poor choice (the noise gets very tedious very quickly.) Thus, an attic that you think will be cool enough because you'll convert it to a room that you will use is still not a good choice.
Apart from the background temperature of the space on whatever a hot day is in your mild climate, have you considered how you will deal with the heat this will be pumping out continuously when you've loaded it up with 70 KG of stuff that uses power?
As for mounting it, either drill into the masonry wall and use appropriate masonry anchors and bolts, or put planks across the framing it's sitting next to and use lag bolts. If planks on the front of the framing would upset your finishing plans, mount a plank (roughly 37mm or 1.5 inch thick) between framing members to be behind the finish layer you plan, and get that finish layer (or a piece of plywood the same thickness as your planned finish layer) in place behind the rack, before mounting it.


Why are ground wires required to be so large if a short results in an immediate breaker trip? The purpose of ground wire is just to carry current in milliseconds enough to trip the circuit breaker, it won't even get hot. So what is wrong with using very small ground wire? For example. You are using #4 AWG in the Hot and Neutral wires (70 ampere capacity) and you use #14 AWG as ground (15 ampere capacity). If the ground is connected to an enclosure and the Hot wire touches it. It would take very fast for the breaker to trip, not enough to heat the #14 AWG. What is the reasons this is not allowed?

Total heat notwithstanding, wires also have resistance.  As in "ohm" resistance.

What you may not be understanding is breaker trip curves.  Breakers have a thermal trip mode from 1.0x up to about 10.0x breaker rating, where the action is delayed as a bimetal strip warms up.  This is to be permissive of motor starts, inrush current, or "toaster and microwave at the same time" short term overloads.  The thermal trip is sized to warm at about the same speed as the wire in the walls, so it trips somewhat before the wire warms enough to be dangerous. That requires matching between breaker and wire size.

Breakers also have a magnetic trip mode that instantly trips at around 10x breaker rating.

With too-small a ground wire, the breaker cannot magnetic-trip because it cannot flow enough current to hit 10x, because of the too-high resistance of the wire.  And as you can guess, that's trouble.

Now we're in thermal trip mode.  We have a 70A breaker's bimetal strip, in a race with a #14 wire to see if the breaker trips before the #14 wire hits Fahrenheit 451.  Obviously, the breaker is going to lose.

Now as a stupidly practical thing, one way you can solve this is do the big stuff in EMT or other fixed metal conduit.  In those cases, the steel conduit and boxes are the ground path.  And steel conduit has such good conductance (1/resistance) that it can ground pretty much any wire that will fit in it.


Main burner for gas fireplace won't stay lit (pilot light is fine) Yesterday I got our gas fireplace insert started up for the first time this season. Everything worked fine all day, but then this morning about 30 seconds after flipping the switch to turn on the main burner, it turned itself off. The pilot light was still lit, but the main burner was off. I flipped the switch back to off for a second, and then back on, and the same thing happened. Burner came on for 20 to 30 seconds, then turned off.

After some Internet research, I tried using a multimeter to test the voltage from the thermopile. The voltage without the burner lit was about 520mV. After turning the burner on, it immediately dropped to probably 420mV, and then very slowly continued dropping to under 200mV. Around that time, the burner turned off.

I opened up the fireplace, and used a wire brush to clean the thermopile as best I could. I also noticed that most of the holes in the front half of the burner were partially blocked, or completely clogged with dust or debris, so I used a toothpick to make sure every hole was clear.

After putting everything back together and re-lighting the pilot, the thermopile voltage was about 610mV, but when I turned the main burner back on, the same thing happened. The voltage dropped to mid-400s, then slowly crawled down to mid-100s, and then the burner turned off. Ever since then, the voltage with the burner off is 550mV.

I also tried shorting the thermostat connections, and the burner turned on fine.

Before this afternoon, I had never heard of a thermopile, so I'm really not sure what to try next.

UPDATE 1: See comments for discussion with @ThreePhaseEel and @Tyson that got me this far...

Well, it's working at the moment. I tested the voltage on the switch (TH and TH/TP terminals). Switched off was 500mV. Switched on was 2mV. Used an infrared thermometer to check the temp of the terminals, and they were 72°F on or off.

The only thing I changed was that I pulled the unit out a few inches to see better, vacuumed out a bunch of dust/hair/webs, and moved wires around to see around them. While it was pulled out, I started it and it ran fine until I turned it off to put everything back together. Then I turned it on and it had the original problem.

Re-tested everything and ended up with same numbers. Then I tried starting it up again, and it's been fine ever since (hour or so). The thermopile voltage hovers around 140mV while everything is running, the switch is still at 2mV, and the terminals are still 72°F.

I'll update again if anything changes. I'm hoping that cleaning everything out somehow helped fix the problem.

After dealing with the pilot working for periods of time, and then having trouble again sporadically, I finally ended up calling a repair tech to come out and look at it. His solution was to build a sort of "hood" or "shelter" out of thin sheet metal around the top, back and sides of the pilot light.

It's been almost a year, and I have had no problems lighting the pilot, or keeping it lit since then. The working theory is that the pilot was essentially being blown out by the oxygen that was being pulled into the unit by the flames.


How should I choose between a pegwall or slatwall as a tool storage solution? I'm interested in putting up a tool wall in my garage/workshop.

Taking into consideration the price, strength, ease of use and versatility. Which of the two boards will be best for the job and what material (wood, metal, plastic...) would suite the enviroment?

Links: Pegwall, Slatwall

This is just my preference/opinion on the subject.

Both types have their uses.  If you have space for more than a single board, I would advise a mixture with more peg boards then slat boards. If you only have space for a single board then I'd recommend a pegboard because I find them to be more versitile overall.

The slats are good for hanging bins while the pegboard can be used to hang just about anything on it, depending on the type of pegs you buy.

I have these metal boards.  They are rock solid feeling and I never have to worry about breaking them.  Relatively cheap too.  (I am not affiliated with this site, but have bought from them before).

I also have some old wood boards in my basement from the previous owner of the house but a lot of the holes are broken.  I doubt I will ever need to replace the metal boards.


Rust repair and coverage on High temperature fixture I'm looking for recommendations for going about making my bathroom electric baseboard heater more presentable (and, of course, maintaining its safety). I'm including pictures of the fixture, showing the rust spots. As you know the bathroom location leaves it susceptible to a lot of moisture. In fact, I installed the current heater years ago as a replacement of the former baseboard heater which had also rusted. I want to pretty this one up and need instructions for dealing with the rust first and then the right kind of paint to use in this high temperature location that will also better protect the surfaces from further rusting.

First, that looks like a common Cadet heater that costs about $50, so don't sink $200 worth of labor-of-love treating it.

Second, it's high-temp, but not that high-temp - it's designed to have a relatively huge heating element with low heat per inch, so you won't burn yourself on it if you touch it. These things are in homes with children after all.

So ordinary rattle-can spray paint should work fine, you don't need to use grill or stove or brake caliper paint.  (in case you want a bright red heater lol).  An alternate option if you have a Maker Space available to you with a big powdercoat curing oven is, powder coat.  That is how it was painted from the factory.  Since part of powdercoating is curing it in a 475F oven, obviously the coating doesn't have a problem with heat.

If you really, really want to brush and roller it, you can't use a "latex" paint because the heat will damage it.  You need to use an alkyd paint.  The messy ones involving thinner and NOT being able to clean brushes in the sink. (This is exactly what is in "rattle can" spray paint, but obviously that doesn't bother you there because you don't thin it or use brushes).  They now make waterborne alkyds which are supposedly best of both worlds, but I doubt their durability.  We shall see.


How effectively a pedestal fan blowing inward can bring the outside air if kept 2 feet away from a fully open window? other Facts:

Window(s) size 3.5 feet* 5 feet (width)

Fan (2 nos.) Specifications Product page - specifications

Sweep size: 400 MM

RPM: 1280

Air Delivery: 75 CMM (What is the formula to convert CMM to CFM?)

Volume of the premise : 7200 Cubic Feet

High and Low Temperature day cycle (extreme during the year):

Month Wise Temperature Chart for the Location is available here

Summer: 45 Celcius - 29 Celcius (Comfort Target 22 Celcius)

Winter: 26 Celcius - 8 Celcius   (Comfort Target 26 Celcius)

Purpose: To take the advantage of Temperature gradient between external temperature and internal temperature. Use fans during the time period when beneficial and put on Air Conditioner (Cooling and Heating) when compulsorily required to achieve last lag of the temperature target.

Note: Premise is a concrete building with no insulation, so its temperature follows the external temperature. (Heats up after external temperature goes higher and cools down after external temperature goes down)

(1) How effectively a single pedestal fan (blowing inward) can bring the outside air in the room if blades are 2 feet away from a fully open window (with the distant window of same size at the other end of the house is kept open)?

(2) How effectively a pedestal fan (blowing outward) can throw the air from the room out of window if blades are 1 foot away from a fully open window (with the distant window of same size at the other end of the house is kept open)?

or

(3) How effective will be two pedestal fans (one inward and one outward placed at distant fully open windows of the house) for displacing the indoor air with outside air?

While this doesn't directly answer your question, maybe you should consider a true window fan such as this one

It delivers 740 CFM, has a thermostat, is not too expensive (less than $50) and will be much more effective in ensuring the flow of outside air into the room. It's also reversible, so it can be used as an exhaust fan as well.

If you need more airflow, some models go up to nearly 3000 CFM (over 90 CMM) like this one.


I soldered 2 AAA batteries together in series but am not getting double voltage I'm sure this is rudimentary, but I'm very inexperienced in anything practical with electronics. Would like to try to get a 3volt battery go run some LEDs. I thought I could just take two AAA batteries (1.5v each) and wire them in series to get approximately 3v.

So using some tape and solder I ran a (green) wire from the butt terminal of one battery to the head of the other:

However, when I try to test the voltage, I do not get what I expected

I thought hooking batteries together in series should double the voltage? What am I missing?

Measure each battery individually, you can still do that with the wires you have added attached to the battery. I suspect your batteries don't have a full charge. Your logic is correct.


Disable the LG washer/dryer melody at end of the cycle? Title is the question, the loud melody is obnoxious. This is a last ditch effort, the manual doesn't provide any information, surprisingly this fairly comprehensive machine doesn't seem to be designed to disable a sound? Is there a cord to cut or sequence of steps to silence the sound?

Model: LG WM3997HWA Ventless 4.3 Cu. Ft. Capacity Steam Washer/Dryer Combination with TurboWash, TrueBalance Anti-Vibration System, NeveRust Stainless Steel Drum, Allergiene Cycle in White

I've used the following method to make obnoxious sounds coming from home appliances and toys much quieter:

Find where the sound comes from. Usually there's a little grill or perforated plastic that covers the loudspeaker or piezo inducer.
Tape over it with a transparent office tape. I sometimes do two layers in cross-hatch pattern if sounds are very loud.

Usually, it makes the sound quiet enough not to be bothersome anymore. You could, of course, disassemble the whole thing and cut the wires to the speaker (if it's not PCB-mounted, which many of them are), but in my experience just covering the hole where sounds come from is good enough.


What are the pros and cons of engineered hardwood? Are there any downsides to engineered hardwood? I'm looking to install hardwood in dining room and kitchen areas.

Generally speaking, the only downside is that you can typically only refinish (sand down and re-stain) engineered hardwood two or three times, because there is usually between 1/32" to 3/16" (0.6 to 4.5mm) of the actual hardwood layer, and the rest is plywood, fiberboard, or another hardwood.

You'll typically pay more for a thicker top layer, which means you're more likely to be able to refinish it more times, and more importantly, it will last longer.

Like most things though, you get what you pay for. With cheap engineered hardwood there are likely to be other problems (just like with cheap laminate or even real hardwood) including not using a good quality base, which will warp or absorb moisture, poor manufacturing quality causing the top layer to come off at the ends, or the tongue-and-groove not to fit together nicely.


showerhead for showers with little water? My shower delivers a very-low 1.4GPM. I checked by removing the current shower-head, and filling 1-gallon bottles for a minute.

What shower-head will help me with such low water pressure?

Thanks.

There is a flow restrictor in all shower heads. The usual design is a plastic disc with two or three holes in it.

The maximum flow allowed by law in a new head as offered for sale is 2.5 gal/min. Most people find this adequate, generous but welcome, or even too much. Lower flow shower heads have a more restrictive restrictor (smaller or fewer holes in the restrictor disc) to give a lower flow. Since most people limit their shower by time rather than amount of water, this saves hot water. So the 1.4 gal/min that you have is probably by design of the restrictor and is not a sign of low water pressure.

It is not illegal for a consumer to remove the restrictor and get greater flow. You can probably find a youtube video on how to do this.

EDIT

I got new low flow shower heads (1.5 gal/min, hand holdable with hose) for our house and our old tankless water heater began working erratically. For a long time I didn't realize it was due to changing to the low flow heads. The water heater would shut off in the middle of a shower because the flow rate was insufficient to keep it on. (Tankless heaters have a minimum flow for the unit to turn on and to stay on.)

Once I realized what the problem was I tried to drill out the holes in the restrictors, but this still didn't solve the problem. Once I removed the restrictors entirely the heater would stay on. (A tank water heater does not have this problem. It will deliver a trickle of hot water if that's what you want, or if there is a small leak).

Before I tried drilling out the flow restrictor I emailed a local expert plumbing supply asking about calibrated 2.0 gal/min restrictors -- they replied they had just exactly that. But when I got there it turned out that the ones they had were too large to fit in the cheap ($15) heads I had. I then tried drilling out the existing restrictors, but when my first attempt didn't work I just removed them entirely. I wash our dog in one of these showers and the extra flow is welcome for that use. A flow of 1.5 gal/min is too low to efficiently wash a dog with a thick or long coat.

These are handheld heads with hose to them and I have since installed the same model in two other houses where they are apparently working fine with the original 1.5 gal/min flow restrictors in place. One of these houses has a tank (40 or 50 gal) and the lower flow will reduce the number of incidences where one showering uses all the hot water. The other house has the same model of tankless heater we have, but that heater seems to be accepting the a 1.5 gal/min head.


GFCI Trips Single Pole Switch I'm trying to replace an old standard receptacle with a new GFCI receptacle as well as a switch to a set of lights next to it. The switch should not control the receptacle (outlets should have power regardless of switch).

Currently, the GFCI receptacle works when the switch is off. However, once I flip the switch, the receptacle trips and the lights do not power on. There are two cords coming into the electrical box.

Each cord has three wires that are black, white, and green (Cord A's green is mostly non-insulated). I'll refer to Cord A as the one of the left and Cord B as the one on the right.

Note that Cord A's black wire is stripped in the center and then continues to the GFCI receptacle. This is how it always has been.

I have been connecting the center-stripped black wire from Cord A and the end-stripped black wire from Cord B to the single pole light switch. I have tried grounding Cord A's green both with the switch and the receptacle. Same result either way.

For the receptacle, the end of Cord A's center-stripped black wire and Cord A's white wire are connected as line. Cord B's white wire is connected as load. Note that there is no other black wire to connect with load. I have tried swapping the white wires, but then the receptacle doesn't work at all.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Why are you using the LOAD terminals?  You have no idea what they do, but what you do know is the GFCI is a different type of thing and the screws are even differently labeled.  I am just mentioning this because mains power can get people hurt or burn your house down.  "Not knowing" should make you more reluctant to experiment.

Pull the GFCI out of there, cover both the LOAD terminals with tape, and don't use them.   Now your project has a chance of success.

That will create another problem to solve, and the answer is "pigtail".


Replacing 2 old light switches - what kind of switches do I need? I'm desperately looking for a bit of advice.
I want to replace 2 old switches, and I don't know what kind of modern switches I have to use and how to properly wire them? Could you please help?
There are 6 wires in the box, 2 red, 2 black, 2 white. The black wires are joined together, red wires are connected to two opposite sides of the switches (please see the pics)

You have 2 each single pole switches the black wire that connects to both switches is the hot wire (turn the breaker off before replacing) any standard single pole switch will work, you can get simple toggles like you have or the fancier decora but a new cover plate will be needed with the decora (a double gang 2 device cover plate)

Each switch has 2 screws for the conductors change them out so they match the existing red on one side black on the other. If your new switches have both terminals on one side it’s ok put the blacks on the top and reds on the bottom you may need a longer jumper for the black but that’s all,

Newer switches will have a green ground screw on the yoke or metal strap, you don’t have a ground wire so that won’t be used, the metal screws to the box will ground the switch if the box is grounded through conduit or if no ground it will be the same as most homes pre ~1960. After installing the new switches turn the breaker on and see that you did it.

I would use wire nuts on the splices that’s are there but if you find them wrapped and soldered tape may be easier.

On metal boxes I like to cover the terminals with a wrap or 2 of tape around the body of the switch, this keeps the heads from touching if something loosens up. Tape is not required and not all electricians do this but on metal boxes with minimal clearance I think it is a good idea.


Do these 2 x 4’s provide structural support? These 2 x 4 is run the width of my two car garage above the ceiling joists. They are nailed into each ceiling joist. Do they provide some structural support or stability, or can I remove them put down plywood for storage? I suspect they were there temporarily for initial house framing, but I’m not sure.

I'd leave them in place and add a few more 50mm x 50mm (2" x 2") at 600mm (24") centers from the originals, thicken out the insulation to come up to the top of them and then plywood out (assuming the headroom isn't disastrous...).

That way everything is happy and you save some heat loss...

Plus, if they are nailed in two directions, (into the ceiling joists and into the vertical bearer) they will be very difficult to remove and you could easily damage the ceiling below...


General question: Adding Wifi switches to late 90s home I'm looking to swap some legacy 1-gang light-switches on our second floor seem to tasmota-friendly gosund switches. Unfortunately, the wiring seems consistent with the other room of no neutral/ground on the switch itself. As such, can we generalize the guidance from the other thread linked below:

Swap Yellow Wire Nut on Neutral to Red Nut for Neutral
Swap Yellow Wire Nut on Ground to Red Nut for Ground

If all the rooms follow this pattern - anything I should keep an eye out for ?
Thank you in advance.
P.S.  Thank you to everyone who provided insight regarding the 2-gang switch. Physical dimension of the cut in the tile have prevented this from actually going ahead although hopefully the holidays will remediate that... Original question here.

The yellow wire nuts are fine. The wire looks like 3 #14 AWG so yellow is OK. You make a comment in your question " no neutral/ground on the switch itself", for clarification, the neutral and ground are not the same and you wouldn't normally have a neutral on a switch unless it was a fancy timer, dimmer or smart switch.


How to replace a manual timer by a simple on/off switch on a home appliance Case

On a simple 220 V home appliance equipped with a manual timer switch ( a knob that you can turn clockwise up to the desired position -time- and will then automatically turn counterclockwise for the chosen time period ), I would like to either bridge the switch with an additional on/off switch, or replace the timer by an on/off switch.

Goal

The goal is to bypass the 1 hour limitation imposed by the manual timer itself by adding an "always-on / always-off" capability.

Q
Can I do it "just like that" and if not, how could I easily do it at home with basic electronic tools ?
Alternative :

What if I intend to replace the manual timer by a digital timer ? I guess it might itself have to be powered somehow.

Thank you for your help.

Get a slightly different timer

You are correct; a programmed electronic timer is a bad plan because it will need to power itself, and that will require additional wires (e.g. Neutral) that may not be present.

What I recommend, instead, is a different mechanical timer with a stay-on zone.  This looks exactly like the timer you have, but for an additional zone past the maximum duration, which says "Hold" or "Remain on".  Wound to this position, it will not unwind.

I generally don't use that type, my users are idiots, so I use the type that makes it impossible to stick the thing on continuously.  That is why they market both types.

For instance, in the States, the standard brand is Intermatic and is available in both types in a variety of durations.  If you're unhappy with the choice of duration range, this is also a good time to solve it.

Abuse the one you've got

One thing about those mechanical timers: you can't put "just a tiny amount" of time on them.  If you have a 1 hour timer, it's clearly labeled that you need to wind it past 12 minutes (and then you can wind it back to 3 minutes).  If you only wind it to 3 minutes,  haven't put enough preload force into it for the snap-off  mechanism to work, and it will stick there and never shut off.

Feature :)


Minimum fence height next to ravine My homes backyard goes into a ravine, right now there is a 4 foot fence surrounding the backyard (see picture).

I would like to replace the fence with a 3 foot fence or shorter (to better see the ravine, and kinda make a cool open yard that flows into the ravine). I couldn't find anything in my cities regulations about a MIN fence height, only a max.

Questions:
(1) Do most cities have a min fence height?
(2) Any down side to making such a short fence? Animals coming in? etc?

Check for any "attractive nuisance" laws as well. Even if not specifically present, you could face legal liability if a kid came into your yard, climbed the fence into the ravine, and got hurt. If that happened, having the opposing side able to state that you replaced the existing fence with a shorter one isn't going to look good.

Not a lawyer, but for fencing surrounding something potentially deadly like a ravine, I'd suggest fencing that's tall and not very climbable. Wrought iron or similar could work to create a impassible barrier while not disrupting sight lines.

EDIT: looks like this law probably won't apply, because attractive nuisances have to be artificial in nature. That being said, reducing the chance for a neighbor's kid to die horribly in your yard could be motivation enough.


Do I need a downrod or special bracket for a ceiling fan mount on a slanted ceiling? Other than aesthetics, is there any reason not to mount a ceiling fan tight against a gently sloped ceiling? (i.e. my fan does not have a ball+socket joint).

Would this significantly impact air circulation, make it wobble, stress the mount, etc.?

Some fans are designed to be installed without a down rod, where the fan housing mounts rigidly to the base plate (which in turn mounts to the electrical box). These are more rare lately since the stubby downrod approach tends to be simpler to install (and probably cheaper to manufacture).

Whether those fans' housings are robust enough to handle their weight at an angle will depend on the particular fan. I would expect that the fan's instructions would specify whether this is an option for low-profile mounting. It's not going to be a matter of special brackets, but housing design.


Post and Beam sizing for 10x10 shed workshop? This is probably a common question, but trying to sort it out has my head spinning....

I'm trying to work out the size of a post and beam foundation for a 10x10 shed I plan to use as a workshop. Shed will have 2x6 floor joists, 2x4 wall construction.

What I think I know:

I need 3 beams, as a 2x6 has a max span of +/-8ft. Three beams will also deal with any flexing issues in the 2x6 floor joists. Posts will be set 48" deep (yay, Canadian frost line!).

What I'd like to do:

Sink 2 rows of 3 posts each to support a double 2x8 beam, with posts set 8ft apart, creating a 1 ft cantilever on each end of each beam. Outside beams will be set 1ft inside the 10x10 shed perimeter to facilitate skirting foundation.

Here's a crappy pic of the foundation plan.

Questions:

Is a double 2x8 beam sufficient or should I upsize to triple 2x8 or double 2x10s?
4x4 posts or 6x6 posts?
The roof ridge runs parallel to the beams. Should the outside beams
be directly under the bearing walls or is the small offset ok?

Thanks in advance.

I would consider beefing up the beams a little and going to just four posts.

Using table 14-40 in this document:

http://www.southernpine.com/app/uploads/SS_13-14L.pdf

you can use doubled No. 1 2x10's for a 10' beam supporting 10' long floor joists.  Depending what's available where you shop, if it's easier to get No. 2 grade, you might want to bump up to doubled No. 2 2x12's.

For the joists - using this table

http://www.southernpine.com/app/uploads/SPtable7_060113.pdf

you see you can use No. 2 2x8's spaced 12 inches, or No. 1 2x8's spaced 16", or No. 2 2x10's spaced 16" (or even up to 19.2"), or No. 1 2x10's spaced 24".

I'd probably buy all No. 1 2x10s because I'd prefer to just use all one size and better lumber is easier to work with.

I'd use 6x6 posts without even thinking about 4x4s, even if you don't need it for the weight, it's worth it for the additional bearing surface, just makes life easier.


Could a circuit breaker ever be faulty in a way that prevents it from tripping? I know that sometimes a circuit breaker will be faulty and will not pass power, but I have a situation where I identified a wiring problem where I expected the breaker to trip but it didn't.  Is this possible? How can I test that my breakers will trip when a fault is detected?

To explain the situation a bit better: I had a circuit where three outlets worked, while one was faulty and a switched set of lights didn't operate from the switch. When I investigated the faulty outlet I found a stray wire that had pulled out from the back. I removed the outlet completely and rewired the broken electrical chain together. To my surprise, the lights started to operate correctly.

If there was a fault in that outlet, why didn't the breaker trip? What conditions must be met to trip the breaker? I'm pretty sure a live-to-neutral short would trip it, but what about live-to-ground or neutral-to-ground?

Maybe the fault was something other than a short?  I can't really fathom what the actual wiring could've been to have caused the symptoms that I observed. If memory serves correctly I believe it was a white neutral wire that was loose. My non-contact voltage sensor indicated that both slots of the outlet were hot.

Neutral to ground will not blow a breaker.  Live to neutral or live to ground should.

It is possible for a circuit breaker to fail to trip.  This is a huge concern with old Federal Pacific breakers - some were recalled due to not tripping in a fault, and could cause a fire.  Testing for it isn't really a safe thing to do - because if your breaker has failed, intentionally shorting it could cause a fire.

My guess would be that your breaker is fine and there was no short - one wire for the outlet had come disconnected.  You said you wired the chain together after removing the outlet - that chain was broken with the wire missing, so any outlets downstream of that didn't get any power.


How do I replace a broken thermostat on a metal radiator? The thermostat swivels round and has no effect on the temperature.  The radiator is always very hot. How can I replace the thermostat?

Thermostats usually unscrew by hand with a small plastic thumbwheel at their base. Yours may be broken or have come unscrewed.  Replacement thermostats are quite cheap, about £10 - £20 GBP and should screw directly onto the metal valve.


Adding AC to forced air system We have an old house that happens to have forced air. Unfortunately, according to an HVAC tech it looks like there aren't sufficient return vents to add a compressor to our furnace.

I guess I'm confused why the heating system itself doesn't need as many return vents -- seems like it wouldn't work without one? The tech identified just one return vent in the whole house -- on the ground floor.

What options are there for adding return vents to a smaller home (around 1500 sq ft over 3 floors)? Where can I put them without having to build out my walls and sacrifice space.

You want a second return in the ceiling of the top floor for cooling.  Otherwise, all the hot air will collect upstairs and you'll have a very difficult time cooling the space.  Any air return I've ever seen, that goes between floors, involved a wall being built out.  Usually it's hard to tell because it's the back side of a bathtub that looks like it's built out for the bathtub to fit, or a closet that's a bit narrower.  You may get lucky and already have space for it behind one of your walls, but that would require looking over a detailed floor plan to see.


Combination AFCI/GFCI breaker with GFCI receptacle Is there any issue with having a GFCI receptacle connected (terminally) on a circuit  with a AFCI/GCFI combination breaker?  If not, is there any advantage to having a GFCI outlet on this circuit (wet area)?

There is no advantage and it adds an annoyance factor. Both breaker and GFCI outlet will both trip on ground fault. But the user has to remember the breaker must be reset first.


Surface mount or Flush Mount SubPanel My studs are much closer together than I would like (maybe 9 inches) so would it be better to Surface Mount or get a small panel that can fit in the wall.  Below is the only panel I can find that would fit.  unfortunately I do not have another spot in the house to put a sub.

I guess i'm asking if it ok to mount the flush panel in this area?  (seems like it only need 8.88 inches which I should have.)

Im only going to need 2 30-amp 240 connections so I figured 6 slots was plenty.  I could also go with the QO series if needed.

Item # 536993 Model # HOM612L100FCP

Square D 12-Circuit 100-Amp Main Lug Convertible Load Center

How to violate the NEC...with a bedroom door

Putting the panel "behind the door", as you describe, is actually no good as it causes the door, when opened, to infringe on the NEC 110.26 clear working space for the panel:

  110.26 Spaces About Electrical Equipment. Access and working space shall be provided and maintained about all electrical
  equipment to permit ready and safe operation and maintenance of such equipment.

If you need an example to tickle your imagination, just think of an electrician trying to take voltage readings in the subpanel (thus requiring the situation to be worked "hot" to at least some degree) when someone, unaware of our poor electrician's presence, opens the door to the bedroom right into the electrician, clobbering them into the subpanel box in a most shocking fashion!

So, in any case, I would put your subpanel in the full-width, and fully exposed, adjacent bay instead of trying to "hide" it behind a door.

GO BIG OR GO HOME

There is no sense in using a tiny, six-slot subpanel here; either you're proposing a cutoff for a single appliance (where a "spa box" sized panel is just fine), or you are setting up for an honest-to-goodness feeder-and-subpanel, where six spaces will leave you going back to the hardware store for another subpanel far too soon.  Instead, I would go for a 125A, 24- or 30-space, main lug subpanel, given that this is being fed from within the same structure; these often come with factory fitted ground bars, as well as time-saving features such as plug-on neutrals, and will provide ample space for expansion in the future.

Furthermore, if you're really concerned about aesthetics here, there are options:

Some loadcenter vendors (GE & Siemens, as well as Eaton in their BR line) offer loadcenters with their covers finished in white as a special-order option (talk with a local distributor/supplyhouse for this, you won't find it at the bigbox stores)
Eaton, for their CH loadcenters, used to offer a decorator cover accessory (CH8KDNx) that could be freely painted or wallpapered to match the room; they don't seem to make it any more for their new CH PoN panels as a catalog item, but there still seem to be some NOS covers floating around...
Also, if you're willing to do some serious custom ordering (likely with supply house help), Eaton, through their Lincoln, IL Flex Center, offers custom factory paint jobs on any loadcenter in the Eaton lineup.

Of course, if your inspector is OK with having a false cabinet frame around the loadcenter, the "false cabinet door" trick for disguising service access, such as breaker panels, still works, too.  (It's pretty much mandatory for the small-circuit Square D loadcenters in this sort of situation, even, since their cabinets don't have a door to begin with.)

Flushmount is the way to go here, BTW

As an aside, you want to use a flush mounted panel here.  Surface mounted panels aren't used in finished spaces due to the issues involved with getting cables into and out of them and mounting them securely to the building framing in such circumstances.


How to Break Apart an Unbreakable Humidifier to Clean It My humidifier of less than 1 year of use no longer works and Google says to clean mineral deposits.
How do I break it apart to clean it and get it working again?
When I google this, it doesn't show my type of humidifier. It shows videos where people break apart humidifier with ease and clean, https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=clean+visible+mist+ultrasonic+humidifier
Every week I always cleaned per Hunter's instructions, but they don't say how to clean mineral deposits.
I contact Hunter and no one is able to help :-(
Below is Hunter Humidifier

Inside of Bottom Lid

Hole on Top Lid I am Unable to Clean <- I think if I clean this my humidifier will work!

Other side of hole with mineral deposits. Steam comes out of here

Put the humidifier in your garage or outside. Put a 50/50 vinegar/water solution into the tank and turn it on. Let it run until the solution is gone. This will help dissolve the deposits. If that doesn't do a sufficient job, try using something stronger like 100% vinegar or CLR.
If running it with both cleaner solutions doesn't do the job, take that top lid off, place it in an aluminum pie pan (or similar), then pour either of the cleaning solutions into it until it's covered. Let it soak for several hours.
Once you've got it sufficiently clean (with either method), run a couple of tanks of plain water through it while it's still outside to get rid of the chemical smells, then return it to regular service.


Raised plywood false floor for heavy equipment usages I don't know if this is the correct stack, since it isn't in a home, but I think it still fits.

I have a electronics assembly company, and we run two assembly lines. They consist of several machines, with the heaviest being around 4000lbs, on 6 metal casters. We currently have the line on a concrete slab, inside a large converted warehouse.

The concrete slab is badly spalled, and apparently didn't have a vapor barrier when originally poured. If we leave anything heavy on the floor (cardboard box), it will be dripping with water the next day. We maintain a humidity level of 45%, which probably brings more water up also. We are located in Florida, so have a high water table.

The landlord is willing to work with us to fix this issue, and a contractor recommended we do a vapor barrier on the slab, then a grid of 2x4's, then tongue and groove plywood. On the plywood we would install ESD safe vinyl tiles. They said this is common in gyms and dance studio's. They use rubber strips under the 2x4's to help dampen noise and vibration.

It's hard to find information on this method, is this suitable for this amount of weight, in an industrial environment? I really don't see of many other options if this isn't acceptable to do. I would assume we would do the 2x4's either 6" or 12" on center.

My first guess was, with at least 667 pounds on a caster, there's no way 1/2" plywood is going to hold up.  I'd want this plan stamped by a PE and a certificate of insurance for their E&O policy.

There's information available for uniform loads on plywood for general construction but not for concentrated loads.  I would not put much faith in something used for dance studios holding up to industrial use with heavy machinery on casters.

I stumbled across this thread:

https://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=229324

There's a linked PDF in that thread with a photocopied page from a report on concentrated loading of plywood.  It shows you might be OK with 5/8" plywood supported 16" OC or 3/4" plywood supported 24" OC.  The APA (American Plywood Association) might have better info available.  Note the difference in the dry and wet values in that PDF.  Obviously you're going to have to use plywood that's strong and will stay strong exposed to a lot of moisture.

If your layout is not going to change, you might get better support if you space the joists closer in the aisles and under the casters.    I have seen this done in very old industrial buildings built before structural steel with wood columns, beams, and floors.

Is there a plan for ventilation / dehumidification under the floor?  I would think that's going to be very important.


What should the ohm, resistance, reading of a dishwasher thermostat be? The schematic doesn't say that I can see.  What should a "normal" resistance reading be for a dishwasher thermostat?  I do have continuity.  I read 1.3 or thereabouts.
It is a Kenmore, but Whirlpool part, WPW10195091.  High-Limit thermostat.  It was a room temperature when I took the reading.
The actual dishwasher is 665.14529N610.
I believe this is original manufacturer, but I can't see where it tells me a "normal" reading,
http://www.wako-clinac.co.jp/product_en/cs-7_en/index.html
CS-7SA

These devices are like switches:  when they are on, the resistance is close to zero.  When they are off, the resistance is close to infinite. They are actually a metal piece that bends as it heats, with contacts welded on it.


How to get water to hop from patio over brick wall? I have a concrete patio elevated a few feet above the lawn.  The patio is bordered by a brick wall (on 3 sides, with the house on the 4th) that extends higher than the top of the concrete of the patio by about an inch.

Currently, the original owner's caulk has deteriorated, so rainwater flows down between the concrete and the brick, seeping through the bricks to weaken the wall and cause mildew.

In addition, the water pools and flows between the patio and the house, leading to moisture in my crawl space.

If I repair the caulk, I will have a 1-inch deep swimming pool, and the water has to go somewhere eventually.

How can I get this patio to drain to the lawn?

Ideas are appreciated!

I would take a 4-1/2" angle grinder with a diamond wheel and cut out the mortar between the bricks down level with the patio surface, at like 5-10 brick intervals, creating a path for the water to flow out. Then re-caulk the joint tapering the caulk at each "drain".


Using acoustic foam between two windows to block out noise I'm sleeping next to a busy road with a lot of traffic noise (both low and high frequencies, although the low are the most annoying). The noise seems to be coming through the windows rather than the walls.

It's a rented apartment so I cannot make any major modifications like blocking off the window and it is also nice to be able to get the light in during the day. I've installed some somewhat heavy 6ft/2m high curtains that help a bit, but I'd like to do more.

The window consists of a 1/4" outer piece of glass, then 3" of air before another an inner 1/2" piece of glass. I'm thinking if it would help with the noise at night if I put between the glass pieces 3" of acoustic foam (e.g. this), where there's currently air?

As a side-question, would it help if the outer piece was replaced with a 1/2" thickness piece of glass?

"I'm sleeping next to a busy road with a lot of traffic noise"

You and me both. My situation/window is almost identical but I do not care about light because i live in Alaska and i want to block the light from coming in at 4:00 o'clock in the morning.

I did as you suggest, i put 2" open cell foam insulation  ( white with silver foil on one side ) in between the inner and outer panes of glass. It does work for the higher frequencies but lower ones travel through walls ( solid objects ) more readily.  I would like to replace it with closed cell foam to see if it is better with sound and light.

I used to sleep with a fan running for the white noise but now i use a sound generator app on my iPhone. It helps to mask the road noise.


How can I remove the cap from my chlorine feeder? Chlorine feeder cap broke while attempting to remove it. Pool had been shut off for 2 weeks. It feels like there is a vacuum inside the feeder. I used a 2x4 across the cap fins for leverage, but one fin broke off. I also broke the PVC fittings connected to the feeder. Cap didn't come off yet. How do I get rid of the suction? I tried everything I read on this post so far.

I found one answer to my own question today. Although I still don't know why the cap was so tight I managed to remove it. At first I used a 2x4 across the cap top and a rubber strap wrench to hold the feeder from turning. But I broke all 4 cap fins plus the pvc fittings which were connected to the feeder.  Then I removed the feeder and placed it in a vise on my work bench. That made me nervous as I was trying not to crack the feeder body. But the cap came off with a strap wrench, finally.  I am still curious to know why the cap was so tight. It felt like a vacuum even after I loosed a bleeder on top of my cartridge filter, I loosened the basket lid on my pool pump, and I removed the broken pvc fittings and any plug I could find on the feeder. The cap was always tight for 12 years but never like this time. Go figure.


Replacing Cam Nuts and Locks on Store Bought Furniture Although I have no legitimate crafting or woodworking experience, I have put many a store bought shelf or piece of furniture together with little effort, as most of the directions are easy. I purchased a really nice looking desk from Home Depot for about $400, hoping to have a desk made with real wood and not particle board or the like. I was surprised when the very heavy desk assembly required cams toward the end of putting it together (to secure the heaviest pieces.)

As I was afraid of, some of the cams tightened with no real effort but most will not tighten fully. I DID follow the instructions and screwed the pins in to the shoulder and tried to readjust them to make the perfect fit to no avail. After spending literally 8 hours completely putting this desk together (no electric drill for me) I was exasperated and exhausted and left it together as is although it may literally fall apart if I ever tried to move it. I do not want to lose the time and effort I already spent on it and I rather like the design and quality of the wood. Is there a way I can replace the cams with other hardware? Is there a way I can just use nails to further secure the desk or screws? Any advice would be helpful. Thank you

Check the "Cam Connectors" (that's what the stores call them). They can rip or split & not provide a solid connection. If there are gaps & the panels aren't sucking together tightly, then you'll need to back out your screws/pins.

The screws/pins do hold everything together yes. But, the other thing they do is splay-out the screw receiver in the drilled hole to firmly anchor the screw/pin. If screwing isn't getting them flat, then you can hammer the balls at the bottom with the head end of a nail or a nail-set or a bolt or rod.

This will let your screw/pin sit at the right height & everything will snug-up beautifully. I wouldn't install through-screws unless they aren't visible. One final suggestion is to take it all or mostly apart & apply wood glue to all seaming panels. This will stiffen the entire piece incredibly, but you won't be able to take it apart in the future.


Junction box partially behind drywall and partially exposed Let's say I have a 200 amp breaker panel that is flush mount.  I want to wire in an EVSE across the garage using conduit.  Somehow I need to make that transition for the conduit from behind the drywall to conduit on the surface of the drywall.  I believe a junction box is the right way to do this.  The obvious solution is a surface mount junction box and have conduit enter it from the back, turn in the box, and come out the side to continue on the rest of the way.
I'm wondering, can I get a deep (> 6") junction box and have it partially in the wall and partially exposed so that the conduit from the panel could come in through the top of the box on the back half and exit out the side on the front half?  I would probably mount the box to the wall stud on the side of the box.
   ----
   |  |
   |  | breaker panel
   |  |
   ----
    |
    |  conduit behind drywall
    |
    ---
    | |  junction box
    | |-------------------  <- conduit on surface of drywall to EVSE
    ---

Can a conduit body be used in this way instead of a junction box (assuming a sweep elbow fits in the stud space to change from down to out)?
It's a 2"x6" exterior wall.  Will be using PVC schedule 80 conduit on the exposed run.

You can certainly do it with a junction box (in the wall) an an extension ring (out of the wall.) I don't know if there's anything against using a deep box halfway out of the wall as you suggest or not.
If a sweep fits, an LB will do - or if you don't actually need a pull point there, an offset through the surface of the wall will also do. Just make sure it adds up to less than 360° in bends between pull points. i.e. you are in conduit on both side of the drywall surface, there's no transition. You need a box if it's cable on one part and conduit on the other - if it's all conduit, bring it through the wall, mud and paint the wall around the conduit penetration (or use fireblock foam/caulk if the wall requires, or a fancy fire collar if the LAHJ insists) and keep going.


Why is a gas furnace vented but a gas dryer is not? I live in a house in Ohio and I have four appliances powered by natural gas: furnace, water heater, dryer, and kitchen range.

Of these, only the furnace and water heater are vented to the outside of the house (chimney stack). In this context, venting refers to a flue that directs combustion byproducts outside the house as opposed to a vent for waste water or the vent that directs hot air and lint away from the dryer.

While I am no building contractor, I have been in quite a few houses in my life and I have always seen this same configuration when it comes to appliances powered by natural gas here in the U.S.

Aside from "because code says so" is there a reason why furnaces and water heaters require venting while dryers and ranges do not? Are there cases where building code may allow not venting furnaces or water heaters, or require venting for dryers or ranges?

Your gas dryer vents its combustion products outside along with the moisture from your clothes, so it is vented to the outside.

Your oven doesn't vent out mostly for sake of having limited combustion. There are ventless heaters available. However you run it, though, any natural gas burning device will create water vapor and carbon dioxide. If it malfunctions, you also risk it producing carbon monoxide. Stoves and ovens get by because they have relatively low BTU output and in a residential setting relatively low use. In a commercial setting, you'd achieve exterior venting with a ventilation hood.

When you get to devices with higher output such as a clothes dryer or furnace, you really want that out of the house. The impracticality of venting your stove, though, outweighs the relatively small amount of downside.


Where to start with raised deck I currently have a flat roof over my patio which looks really solid as it is an extension of a flat room from my living room. I want to have someone come out and verify the integrity of it along with providing guidance on how to transform it into a deck.

Would I use a contractor? Would roofers be able to weigh in on it?

What are the joists made out of? How far apart are they?

"Looks really solid" isn't a very scientific assessment.  ;-)

If the joists are wood, what kind are they? Are they suitable for wet outdoor conditions? Or is the deck going to be sealed so that the joists never get wet?

You want to start by determining what kind of wood the joists are made out of to determine if they're even suitable for the deck you have in mind.

Then you should look at some span tables to see if they're going to be strong enough to support the load you want to put on the deck.

Here are a couple of examples.

http://www.southernpine.com/span-tables/joists-rafters/

http://www.awc.org/calculators/span/calc/timbercalcstyle.asp?species=Alaska+Cedar&size=2x6&grade=Select+Structural&member=Floor+Joists&deflectionlimit=L%2F360&spacing=16&wet=No&incised=No&liveload=40&snowload=-1&deadload=10&submit=Calculate+Maximum+Horizontal+Span#answer

EDIT after a few comments: I'd probably still talk to an engineer, just to be on the safe side both with the 15 foot (?) span and the 28" centers (was that centers? Or distance between the beams?), and to make sure the 4x4 columns are adequate. Let's say 15 people weigh 3,000 pounds, plus whatever furniture you put on the deck, plus the weight of whatever additional treatment you use to create the floor of the deck.

You're more or less talking about parking a car on top of that thing.

What are those slats that make up the flat roof? I think for the 2 foot span between those beams, 2x4's (on edge, not flat) would be the minimum size if you were using joists (on 16" centers). Since those existing slats are continuous rather than joists, that might make a difference. But I'd get a little local advice.

Playing around with the calculator here, for Douglas Fir, it seems like the minimum beams for the main span might need to be doubled 2x10's. You're pretty close to that, but I do not think it's overbuilt for what you want to do.

Are the 4x4 columns pressure-treated? If not, they're subject to rot especially at the base and your deck could collapse, which could be catastrophic if people are on it or under it.

EDIT 2: As @fungku mentioned in his answer, it's super important to confirm that you have a solid ledger connection to the house. I've seen decks where the ledger was just nailed to the house (presumable some of the nails hit studs) where the deck was literally pulling away and falling off the house. This really requires lag screws at the very least, preferably lag bolts running clear through with washers and nuts on the back side, and/or joist hangers designed for decks (lateral load hangers).


Slight sewage smell in basement and sump pump we started noticing an occasional sewage smell in the basement. It comes and goes. I can't figure out its cause or source. I suspect it is somehow tied to the sump pump. The sump pump was replaced by roto rooter around a year ago. When I was there investigating, I moved a small rag and discovered to my surprise a big hole in the cover where the power cord is coming from.

Is this hole suppose to be sealed somehow? If I look inside I can see water. I imagine that could be the source of the smell.

I am Guessing this a sewage pit/ sump Based on the size and that there are 2 pipes and in that case it should be sealed and there should be a gasket under the lid. I have seen pits with a float and a stick that were not a tight seal and when a toilet flush or running water there was a smell until the pump kicked in. I installed a internal sensor that measured the distance to the water level where the stick was and eliminated the smell totally by sealing but they still had a high level indicator.


What is a "solar ready" electrical panel and how does it save money in a solar installation? I see these listed as a seperate category "Meter Mains - Solar Ready" at my supply house. Eaton MBE2040PV200BTS is an example.

“Solar Ready” devices route the alternate power to the supply side of
the service disconnecting means and provide terminations to the load
side of the meter socket. This eliminates having a common bus and
therefore the need to de-rate the main breaker.
https://www.downloads.siemens.com/download-center/d/SIE_BR_SolarSolutions.pdf


Why are double glazed windows useful in summer? Why are double glazed windows useful in summer

Double glazed windows help in controlling the inside temperature keeping it warmer in winter and cooler in summer, making it a smart way to reduce heating and cooling costs. Double glazing is quite effective as it stops all heat transfer from one side to another. It also stops UV damage.


Stopping rain collecting My garden slopes from road towards house and rain collected outside front door. How can I stop this happening?  The garden is tarmac and I don't want to have to replace as it would be very expensive.

If the existing surface preparation is sloped the wrong direction and water runs to an undesirable area then you would normally work to re-install the surface preparation to get a different slope.

Since you have a desire to not replace your tarmac due to cost considerations then your only real choice is to do one of the following:

Install an additional curbing at the lower edge of the tarmac area to divert the runoff water to another area. The height of curbing required would be fully dependent on conditions at your site.
Install a French style drain at the area adjacent to the tarmac. This drain would be a pit dug into the ground that can accept the run off water and allow it to disperse into the soil. Generally such pit is filled with rocks or course material that can let water enter easily into the pit. It is often good to cover the pit with a screen and lid. The screen can be used to filter organic material from entering the drain and hopefully preventing it from plugging up.
You could install a sump pit with a water pump unit. The pit would have an opening at the low spot where water collects so that the water can enter the sump pit. A water level switch on the pump system turns on the pump when the a certain level of water has accumulated. The pump moves the water out of the sump pit through a drain pipe that is plumbed to an area where the water can be safely discharged. This could be to a lower area of your property, out to the street curb or into a storm sewer system. This solution also requires the availability of electrical service to the pump area.


What kind of lock do I need to lock this sliding door from the outside? I have a sliding door in my home that says "Fleetwood" and looks like this:

The outside plate looks like this:

What kind of a lock is supposed to be used in this door to allow it to be locked from the outside? Bonus question: can I install one of the more advanced locks on this door, such as as a fingerprint-based one?

http://www.prioritydoorwindow.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Aluminum_Products.pdf suggests that keyed locks are only an option on the Fleetwood 3000/3000-T line, not the 1000 line (which is the only one that is not named "luxury").
I don't know how to tell the model, but it looks like the 1000 series doesn't have keyed locks as a manufacturer option.  If you do have 3000/3000-T, could see if they offer it as as a replacement SKU.
I've not heard of third-party locks for this kind of equipment, but maybe someone else will have some other ideas.


Paint thinner can leaking I hope this is the right place to ask. I noticed earlier tonight I had a very old can of paint thinner that is now leaking. There isn't very much paint thinner left in it but I went ahead and put it in a bucket and left it out on the balcony - it is cold in my area. I also covered the parts that seemed to be leaking with duct tape. I won't be able to bring it to a hazardous waste drop-off site before Saturday since everything is closed on Jan. 1, so I'm wondering if there is anything else I can do to make sure it is stored safely until I dispose of it? Should I put the can in a Ziploc bag for example?

When containing petroleum-based solvents it is best to place them in a metal or glass jar that can be sealed. Empty paint cans or preserve jars work well (but be sure to re-label the new container to avoid it being misconstrued for anything other than it is).    Trying to patch an opening with tape on a solvent filled vessel will not hold very long as the solvent will dissolve the adhesive. A better solution to patch the can is to wrap it with foil and than tape. Or transfer the thinner into another container.    Another temporary option is to pour the liquid into an empty five gallon bucket no more than half full. Leave the bucket in a place that will not get it spilled. The solvent will evaporate in several days.


Will wooden fencing "age" inside a dark (but ventilated) garage? Upstate New Yorker here (in case weather/geography matter).

This summer my big project was to put a (spruce) fence around our whole back yard. I got about 75% of the way and have to call it quits for the year (it's getting too cold). So I've got a big pile of 8ft long fence panels sitting in my driveway.

I've been told by numerous people, and confirmed online, that you need to wait 6 - 12 months before staining a wooden fence. Something to do with letting it "weather"/"age" and dry out. So the 75% of the fence that is already installed is good to go, and come Spring 2016 I should be able to stain it no problem.

But what to do with the ~25% of the panels that are sitting in my drive way?

Ideally I'd like to be able to install them next Spring, and then stain the whole fence in one fell swoop. This means that the ~25% pile needs to be aging/weathering right along-side the panels that are already installed.  My only options are:

Move the pile to the back yard; or
Move the pile into the garage

All that matters is that the pile needs to be in a place where the panels can age/weather the same way as the installed panels do.

Does this mean I'll need to store them a certain way? For instance, is it ok to just leave them in a stacked pile, or do I need to prop them upright and space them out, etc.?

What's my best option/strategy here?

Since a significant portion of the fence panel aging is due to sun, rain, wind and temperature changes the best way to get your unmounted panels to age is to put them into the same environment as the mounted panels.

This really would mean propping them up so that they are exposed to the elements and the sun. If this is not practical then your next best bet is to get some help and finish the fence construction this weekend.


Can indoor cable be used under a patio roof? Are there any special requirements I should be aware of before adding lights and outlets to my covered back patio?  I know GFCI protection will be required on the outlets, but can I run regular Romex cable over soffit?  It's an open air, concrete patio and wood post construction with typical soffit ceiling.
There is an empty outlet box installed on the far right of the porch, about 15-18 inches off the ground. I would like to use that, and add a second outlet closer to the french doors via conduit and THHN.
I don't have a picture of the porch itself, but it can be seen behind the playground.  The ceiling material is the vinyl soffit, which I thought to be typical for porches and patios.

Code considers areas normally dry to be ok for nm cable 334.10.A
under your roof is one of those locations that Is not subject to dampness or wetness some jurisdictions consider a porch a damp location it usually depends on the roof type for example a normal 3 tab roof with tarpaper is considered a dry location, but a roof with corrugated plastic and even metal if not insulated is a damp location. If you use a GFCI in this location it needs to be WR weather rated the electronics are coated to protect them from moisture and they can not be located above 5’7” but they can be used to protect the load side.
I would think as long as above 8’ exposed romex or NM cable would be allowed by your description soffits & normal roofing.
Updating because of change to thhn;
Where damp or wet THHN /THWN cable (almost all thhn is dual rated but thwn is the wet rating) needs to be used. Your circuit will need to be in conduit box to box 1/2” will be fine for your setup.
All wiring methods below 8’ require protection but THHN requires conduit from start to finish.
The reason most home owners use UF and NM wiring methods is because 12&14 gauge circuits with thhn requires 3 different colors hot usually black, neutral usually white, and ground usually green.  (Hot can be any color other than gray, white, green. Neutral can be white or gray , ground can be green or bare).
Home owners usually use pvc conduit as it is easy to cut and glue. From your box there can not be more than 360 degrees in bends or 4 90’s wire pulls get tough after 3. If you need more than 360 a conduit body is Normally installed I use a conduit body at a 90 in many cases called an LB, LR or LL  the hole being back , right or left. There are also form C body’s that are inline , a box can also be used.
The one thing I see home owners do wrong in most cases is the wrong kind of box. Outside a bell box or weatherproof box is required unless recessed in the building structure.
The pvc conduit needs a strap within 3’ from the box and supports per table 352.30 1/2”-1” max space 3’
These are the additional things to think about but should get you on your way to a safe instal of your lights and receptacles.


Removing clip that's securing rubber hose in washing machine Our washing machine developed a massive leak that caused a flood. We flipped the machine, and traced it back to two holes in a black rubber hose that appears to be attached to the output of the pump. How do I remove the clip that's securing the hose though?
My initial thought was to squeeze it, since it appears that a lip on the front is what's securing it. It doesn't squeeze though, and trying to squeeze it would reduce the diameter, and that doesn't seem possible since it's securing a hard plastic tube which likely won't compress.
I'm wondering if you need to snap the lip off and put a new clip on, then bend the lip down into place?
The clip:

The existing clip has been crimped on with a crimping tool from the factory. To remove the clamp grip the end of the strap just below the notches and lift it up and back. The notches should bend up as you lift. If they don't pry them up with a slotted screwdriver.
replace with a common hose clamp of nominal size.


How do I connect a new fixture to a box with two black and two white wires? I am attempting to change/update a chandelier in our dining room.  I (mistakenly) disconnected the previous fixture without noting the connection first.  When I attempted to connect the next chandelier (all the blacks to blacks, all the whites to whites, and copper to ground w/ fixture grounded) and flip the breaker switch, the light comes on BUT the switch is off and won't turn off unless I flip the breaker switch.

The new fixture only has 1 black, 1 white and a ground. How should the connection be? In the picture the yellow cap indicates the wire that when connected, provides power but won't turn off. Any help would be appreciated! Thank you!

Assuming only one fixture controlled by that switch, you seem to have a typical switch loop here. Connect per this diagram:


Is a yellow toilet seat normal? I moved into an apartment, and found the toilet seat is yellow, which I didn't notice before moving in.

The landlord said the toilet seat turned yellow because of the sunshine, and had been cleaned.

Is what she said true?

What can I do about it?

Thanks.

Yep, sunlight will definitely change the color of plastics. It's the UV light, which is invisible to you, but also causes your sunburns.

I'd imagine you'll be cleaning this on a more or less regular basis yourself with some kind of disinfectant. I'd probably disinfect everything (a mild bleach water solution would do nicely) immediately upon moving in, just because.

If you really hate it, you could always try demanding that the landlord replace it, or you can find a replacement pretty cheap, like this one for $14 at Home Depot.

If you replace it, it'll probably turn yellow again eventually, but it'll happen slowly and you'll either have moved out by then, or will have grown to accept it as yours, or you'll just replace it again with another cheap toilet seat.

I wouldn't worry about it from a sanitary standpoint, though.  :-)


Latch bolt stuck inside door jamb [latch bolt still in door jambThe latch bolt for my exterior door is stuck inside the door jamb. I have removed both door handles, but can't get the door open to get at the latch plate or strike plate. Short of taking the entire door off the hinges (it's 10 degrees in MN...), other suggestions?

I believe it's a Kwikset Titan lock.

This isn't a recent post but I thought my experience might help someone. I had a similar situation where the knobs were off but the latch wouldn't release. It seems the transmission plate came unattached from the latch somewhere inside the mechanism, so sliding it back with a screwdriver did nothing.

I tried to take the door off the hinges but it wouldn't budge even with significant force. I have an older door with a 5 inch backset so the latch was very long and perhaps helped to hold the door tight even with the hinge pins out.

Ultimately I got out my Dremel multi max with a wood/metal blade attachment, slotted it between the door and jamb at the face plate and sawed through the bolt. I really didn't think that would work, but the cheap Kwikset bolt was partially hollow and didn't provide a lot of resistance. If you go this route you'll want to dig the cut piece out of the bolt hole with a screwdriver and not your finger, as it will be quite hot from cutting through.


Adjusting Steam Radiator We recently moved in to a 1934 home with steam radiators.
Our upstairs bedrooms are cold compared to the first floor. A room adjacent to our kitchen is generally warmer than the rest of the house.
Can I adjust the radiators to try and correct this imbalance? It is possible the prior owners were ok with the bedrooms being cool because they were empty nesters. We are home all day due to covid and would like the rooms to be the same temperature.
I have attached a picture of a standard radiator in our house. Most of them had Hoffman adjustable valves. On the first floor the valves are set to 2 or 3 and upstairs they are 6/open.
I am confused if 6 translates to "hotter" than 2, if it's an inverse relationship or direct relationship.
I don't want to start fiddling if it will upset the apple Kart. Would anybody know if I should open the valves on the first floor and close them on the 2nd floor? I am assuming that opening or closing the input valve is wrong to moderate the heat and that the proper adjustment is through the air valve.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I've not lived with a steam system, though I have some understanding of them.
Air vents (and your picture) imply that you have a "one pipe" steam system, where the pipes are sloped to allow condensed water to flow back to the boiler while steam flows to the radiators above that. The air vent allows air out of the system and then closes when it heats up as steam gets to the radiator.
A search on Hoffman Adustable Valve comes up with
Adjustable port for true proportional venting v 6 port settings from slow (1) to fast (6)
Which appears to be "1 is less and 6 is more"
The supply valves (as you suspect) should be fully open (unless someplace is so overheated you don't want that radiator to heat at all.) Do check that the upstairs control valves (on the steam pipes) are fully open.
It is possible that (some of) your air valves may not be operating as they should, and need to be replaced with ones that do. You could certainly try moving some of the "too warm" rooms from 2 or 3 to 1 or 2. It might be worth trying turning the upstairs air valves down to 1 and then back up to 6 - but they might need to be replaced. You should hear air coming out of the vents when the boiler starts up.


Does a deck band board go over or replace wall sheathing? I can't find an existing question that completely addresses my question, so here goes.

My outside deck was recently rebuilt by contractors selected by my HOA. The deck is effectively on the second level, one story above grade level. When the new deck was put in, there was no sheathing or house wrap between the bandboard (I'm not entirely sure if that's the correct term, my apologies if not) and the wall stud 2x4's. Is this normal, or should there have been sheathing / wrap put back first? There are existing problems with the sheathing - a chunk is missing that's allowing water to get inside my walls when it rains, so the contractor is already coming back to fix that, but I'd like to know if I should push to have the deck taken down entirely and rebuilt against sheathing, and if so, how hard to push.

I am not really sure they attached this to your house right at all.  I would need to see a picture.

The board that is against your house is the ledger.  This runs parallel to your house you should see it bolted in.  This would be load bearing (along with your posts) and is bolted into floor joists - which are not 2x4s.

Now you can run joists that attach to your house perpendicular to 2x4s.  Meaning that You would have a couple of simple attachments that space/attach the deck to your house but this is not usually load bearing - load sits on the concrete posts.  I don't think this is what you are talking about.

Back to the ledger... There should be flashing over the ledger (and under above siding) to prevent water from entering your house.  Also your siding should be tight to deck and caulked.  See the flashing picture below.

They can pull the interior deck boards and add the flashing - make sure they do the edges too because taking down the railings on each side will be some work for them.  I am not really sure about the quality of the install if they missed this though.  I am not a "deck" expert and this is just common sense.  Also you saying the ledger is attached to 2x4s makes me wonder.   Not saying that your deck was installed wrong other than the flashing but pictures and more info would help.

Edit - There is a way to add flashing when you forgot.  See picture below for an example.

You see how this has to be notched into the joists.  Because the flashing is usually under the joists.  Personally I would call the city and make sure this doesn't pass inspection.  Usually there is flashing completely under the ledger, above the ledger, under the joists attached to the ledger... At first I was thinking about retrofitting flashing but thinking about it more makes me think this is a tear down.  You paid for this deck to be done right and no matter what - unless they pretty much take everything down minus posts - it isn't really right.


I have an indoor swimming pool - can I have a large mirror, or will it be steamed all the time? I have a dehumidifier in my indoor swimming pool room, I would like a large dance mirror on the wall - would it be constantly covered in condensation.
My room humidity is controlled to 50%.

Just don’t want to add a huge wall mirror to find it a mess all the time.

Thanks in advance

Are the walls wet? If not, then a mirror the same temperature as the wall it's mounted on will also not be wet, as the water is not condensing on the walls.

If the walls are too cold and the water is condensing on the them, then it will condense on a mirror mounted on them, since that will also be too cold.

Constant fogging is primarily a problem (in my experience) where a poorly insulated mostly-glass structure is built over an originally outdoor pool. If your pool room is inside a house that's properly insulated, that's far less likely to be a problem.


sistering a 2x6 to current 2x4 rafter I purchased a home with a car port attached to the detached garage. The current carport rafters are 2x4  spanning 12' (24" o.c.) with CORRUGATED FIBERGLASS panels for roofing material. The corrugated panels have held up well however the 2x4 rafters can't support much of a snow load so the previous owner put vertical supports at 6' to support the rafters. The carport can't be used with those verticals in the way. For budget reasons I was going to sister new 12' 2x6 to the current 12' 2x4 rafters and remove the vertical support but I'd like to know how/if that makes them as strong as 2x8?

It does not make it as strong as a 2x8, but there's a way you could make it stronger (with some additional materials...)
Beam strength goes directly as width (twice as wide is twice as strong) but as the cube of height (or depth) so twice as deep is 8 times as strong.
Assuming modern planed lumber, 3.5, 5.5 and 7.25 are your actual height for 2x4, 2x6 and 2x8 material, unless they shrunk them again while I wasn't looking.
For a comparison, we'll look at the height cubed, without trying to relate that to anything.
7.25 cubed is about 381
3.5 cubed is about 43 and 5.5 cubed is about 166, for a total when sistered of 209 - quite a bit smaller than 381.
If you put your 2x6 under, rather than beside, your 2x4s, and then plate them together with some OSB or plywood, you get roughly in the ball park of 729 for the depth cubed.
Indeed, you could come quite close to a 2x8 just by putting 2x4s under the 2x4s, if they are well-bonded with plates, and if the plates are large enough they also add to the stiffness. You can also follow that path to building a small truss in place, which I'd not advise for a house, but it's quite feasible for a carport unless you are in the sort of jurisdiction that will require permits and engineering drawings for reinforcing your carport roof, (that seems unlikely, since it was underbuilt to begin with.)


Stove igniter producing electric shock I have a canon cooking range. When I push the igniter button, its body gives an electric shock.
What can be the reasons and how can I minimize the risks of getting those shocks?

I assume that the igniter is igniting the gas.
IF the shock is caused by the igniter piezo unit and
IF the igniter works
THEN it sounds as if the igniter IS grounded (at least locally) to the stove main metal work
BUT that the stove top proper is not.
Use an ohm meter (a DMM feature) to check DC resistance from bare metal on stove top to stove main body metalwork.
This should be a few Ohms at worst and probably under 1 Ohm.
IF the top is not properly grounded make it so.