Should I turn off heat in my home when I am finishing my basement? I live in Virginia and it’s pretty cold here. We are finishing our basement and I turned off the heat. The reason for that is that last time when we finished our basement, we did not turnoff the heat and as a result everybody in the house got sick because of the construction dust coming into living areas. This time to be extra careful, we turned off heat and I closed all the ducts in the house. This might be an overkill to turn off the heat when ducts are closed but I would like to seek an advice to see if this is the best course of action. It’s freezing in home but at same time I don’t want the dust to come into living area and make everyone sick.

My cousin is an HVAC contractor and always recommends that people NOT have their HVAC running while drywall is going up in order to prevent all the sanding dust from clogging up the furnace/duct work. He even offers to temporarily install an old system that he's got if it's necessary to provide heat to the structure.
It will take heat for interior coats (drywall mud, paint, caulk, etc) to dry/cure properly, so you'll need to provide some sort of heat. Also, if you're living in the house, you will need some sort of heat. This can be temporary electric or propane heat if necessary. Be exceedingly cautious if using any sort of temporary gas heat to ensure adequate ventilation so you don't kill yourself (some consider this worse than getting sick), and that you don't burn down the house (remember, the propane is burning to provide heat).
You may consider temporarily blocking off all return air ducts coming from the areas being refinished in order to help keep the dust from being sucked into your heating system. You may also want to invest in higher quality HEPA rated filters for your furnace, at least while you're doing the renovation work, and change them more frequently knowing that no matter how well you seal off the work area, some dust will leak through into the rest of the house.


Is it acceptable to retrofit a new-work plastic electrical box by screwing through it into a stud? It is mechanically possible to install a standard new-work box in an existing wall by:

Cutting hole in drywall adjacent to a stud

Placing plastic box in the hole up against the stud

Screwing through the plastic into the stud. The screws would need to be somewhat angled and as much as possible positioned to penetrate the meat of the stud.

However, is this acceptable practice? To be clear, I'm asking about using a box that was not specifically designed to be mounted in this way.
Once concern I have is just that the screw heads could be slightly in the way, maybe a small risk of nicking wire insulation. But this is probably avoidable and there are plenty of other similar circumstances where that has to be taken into consideration.
Second concern would be if this violates electrical code for some reason? (USA)

Note - there are a few reasons you might prefer to use a new-work box instead of an old-work box (which would not require this procedure):

Positioning
You don't have one on hand
Much more secure to attach to stud than to drywall, like for a large 240V plug

Yes, as redlude97 mentions, they make boxes designed to mount this way.  They're often sold as old/new work boxes since they can be used just as easily either way.
Here's a picture of a typical example.  This one is made by Arlington and sold by Platt, (though this is not an endorsement of either of those companies; it just happened to be the first google result):

Edit in response to your question edit:
Since you're asking specifically about using a new work box not designed for this purpose, that would most likely not be allowable unless the manufacturer specifically allows it in their instructions.  One of the primary jobs of electrical boxes is keeping contained any fires that may try to start inside of them, and UL (or other testing labs) make sure they do -- provided they're unmodified.  Once you start adding holes in them that the manufacturer didn't put there, then they can no longer guarantee their fire performance, and their UL listing is technically no longer valid.  Now, an inspector might not notice, and just assumed you used one of the ones designed to be mounted this way, but it would still be a code violation.  This falls under Sec. 110.3(B) of the electrical code -- you must follow manufacturers instructions when installing listed equiptment.


Why is water heater making the water smell like sulfur? I have an electric water heater that gives the water a sulfur smell.  It is only from the hot water.

I have heard that changing the anode in the unit can help.  If this is the case, what material should the anode be made of? Is there another solution to this problem?

A sulfur smell is usually a sign of sediment in the tank. This is common if the tank is left on during long absences or low volume use. A spent anode can contribute to this smell, since other parts will start to corrode once the sacrificial anode is spent.

You should purge the tank by draining it from the bottom valve with the water supply and power turned off. You may be shocked by the gunk that may come out. Once the tank is empty, turn on the water (no power) and partially fill the tank allowing it to continuously drain. Repeat this flushing until the waste water is clean and fresh smelling again. the anode is often inserted in the top of the tank and can be removed with a wrench. A new one can be inserted, seal with some plumbers putty or teflon tape.  Once you are satisfied you have purged and flushed the tank, turn on the water, fill the tank and run the hot water faucets to clear any remaining bad water out of the feed pipes.  After all this is said and done, turn the power back on and heat the water.


Why is this transformer in my garage? I am moving into a house, and the previous owner doesn't know the answer.

Up high in the corner of the garage, the drywall was cut out to install a small transformer. The input comes from a garage outlet, and the output goes down inside the garage wall.

I unplugged it and then tested it to determine that it does not power:

Anything visible in the garage
The lights on the front of the house
The halogens (or anything else visible) in the adjacent room
Anything visible on the side of the basement near the garage
Broadband connection, sump, etc. (on the other side of the house)
Any light or appliance we use in an ordinary day

What is it for? How might I figure it out (without cutting open the wall)?

Since the transformer says "Gaslight Conversions", that's a pretty strong clue that it's part of a lighting system from Gaslight Conversions, located in St Paul MN, which also matches what's written on the transformer.

If you've ruled out all of your exterior lighting, it may be leftover from a low voltage lighting system that was replaced but never fully removed.

It's also possible that the transformer has been repurposed for something else by a former homeowner, but most likely it is (or at least was) used for lighting. -- especially since that company sells their transformer for $40, but you can pick up a generic 24VAC transformer from Home Depot for $10 - $15, so why buy the name brand if not for use with their lighting products?

If it plugs in (as opposed to being hardwired), that makes it less likely that it powers any permanently installed equipment like a doorbell or furnace.


How can I install an electrical panel when the stud cavity is too narrow? I am installing a sub panel in my garage and ran into a problem.

I have the usual 14" of space in the stud cavity but the problem is that the subpanel I bought is 14 1/4" wide. I'm wondering what the best option is to get it to fit.

My first thought was to notch one of the studs 1/4" (or both of them 1/8") since its so close to fitting. This is an interior wall of the garage so I dont believe it is load bearing. Is notching one or more studs a bad idea? The panel is about 30" tall, so it would be a long notch...

What other options do I have? Should I just return the panel and try to find a narrower one?

The common solution is to attach a piece of plywood larger than the panel to the studs, and then attach the panel to the plywood. This also provides a good place for attaching cables, so you can get a nice organized installation.

Additionally, this technique provides the benefit of being able to insulate behind the panel.


How do I handle an extra black wire when replacing dimmer switches? I am replacing 2 light switches that are in the same box each controlling a separate light, one was a dimmer switch and the other was a regular so now I want to replace both with new dimmer switches.   But when I opened up the box there was a secondary black wire that connected the switches together.  Do I still need to leave this 2nd black wire in place or can I remove it and put a nut on the end?

The wire that connected to both switches is likely the line (power source). One circuit and cable comes into the electrical box with a hot and neutral. The hot is connected to both switches, and then each switch has its own cable to the circuits they control.  If you remove it, you likely won't have any power to your fixtures.  The configuration will be the same regardless of if its a switch or dimmer.


Replacing water shut off valve I'm looking to replace a stop and waste valve in my basement. I watched a video on this old house (my bible, at this point) and I found a quick shut off valve to replace it, with compression seals (to avoid soldering).

My question is this. When I calculate the diameter of the pipe by measuring the circumference, it comes out to .8" diameter. The valve is .75". Could this difference be because I'm measuring the exterior of the pipe?

Also, the pipe is engraved with "anaconda 85 red brass". Is there anything I need to know about brass versus copper?

Thanks!

What you are noticing is the difference between pipe and tube sizes.

Nominal tube size refers to an exact measurement of the finished outside diameter.   Nominal pipe historically referred to an exact measurement of the inside diameter of a particular type of iron pipe;  however, it is the outside diameter that is important regarding fittings and, as pipe construction materials changed, the wall thickness and I.D. changed causing the I.D.to be different than the nominal pipe size of modern pipe.   Roughly speaking, the actual O.D. of small pipes is around 3/8 inch larger than the nominal I.D. size.

Recent plumbing materials such as PEX are sold using tube sizes, so 3/4 inch PEX has an actual outside diameter of 3/4 inch, and a 3/4 inch quick connect valve for PEX has an actual I.D. of 3/4 inch.  On the other hand, a nominal 1/2 inch brass pipe has an actual O.D. of 0.84 inches.  A 3/4 inch tube valve will not fit on a brass 1/2 inch pipe.

The “85 red” label means the brass alloy used to make the pipe is 85% copper, which is de-zincification resistant.  Early PEX fittings were made using brass that contained less copper and more than 15% zinc, and the zinc leached out of the brass causing the metal to corrode and fail prematurely, especially when used on hot water lines.

(BTW, common 3/4 inch copper water "pipe" is actually 7/8 copper tube.)


What would cause a musty smell from my portable A/C unit? Even when the compressor is not running in cooling mode and just the fan is spinning it is producing a musty smell. Where could the smell be coming from and how can I clean it? This unit does not have a tank, it re-distributes the water in cooling mode.

What I have found is the drain has gotten plugged in tha back outside section, dust builds up and plugs the hole , the other thing I have found that causes portables to smell musty is when they are installed level. There is supposed to be a tilt to the back so the condensate will run to the back and drain outside. There are special cleaners for AC systems make sure to use non acid based cleaners and flush with clear water. Acid based cleaners are very hard on the cooling fins and can start corrosion that will shorten the units life. I would want to flush my unit if musty and make sure it is draining completely or the smell will come back after cleaning .


Weslock Double Locking Deadbolt Impossible to Remove from Door: I have an old Weslock double-locking deadbolt which is dying a slow death.

After removing the outer mechanism, I attempted to remove the inner mechanism simply by tugging.

But I've pulled on it so hard that I'm afraid it's going to damage the door before it comes out.  What can I do to remove it?

Also: I cannot remove the plate on the side of the door either; I could just break it off but I am afraid I won't be able to remove the inner mechanism afterwards and will have destroyed the lock in the process, leaving the house unprotected.

Place a screw driver through the center hole in the dead bolt and pull with even pressure on both sides of the door, it should pop out.  Some gentle taps with a hammer might help.  You could also try prying it out.


Laying tile over small section I have a small section in my house that acts as "utility closet" that does not have tile like the rest of the adjacent environment (sorry for the junk laying around):

My plan is to use some leftover tiles I have found in the shed and finish that part. I am unsure what I need to do, in order to affix the tile to the substrate that is some old vinyl and direct plywood where that is torn. This is a detail picture of how the rest of the floor:

To me it looks like they used thinset directly over the vinyl.
I plan to renovate for real this house in a few years, and the current floor is in a pretty good shape anyway, so I don't want to go overboard.
Can I just:

Fix the holes in the plywood with similar material
???
Apply thinset, tiles, and grout

It does not seem they used backerboard or uncoupling membrane for the rest of the floor...

Yes, in this case you should lay tile over vinyl floor. (consider using peel and stick vinyl for step one to save time.) It should last you until your remodel in a couple of years.
This is not an ideal way to install tile. however the rest of your floor was done this way. and this will not be the point of failure.


How can I determine what size main water meter is required? The main water pipe into our house is only a 1" ID pipe, but the city decided to install a 2" water meter for us, which has a significantly higher monthly service charge than a 1" meter (over $1000 more per year).

I found a couple of websites (like this one) that calculate the required water-meter-size  based on the number of showers, toilets, sinks, and such in the house. They all place us solidly into the 1" size range. But we live on a hill and the incoming water pressure into our house is only 35psi. So I'm trying to understand the following things:

Do I need to correct the required water meter size for the lower pressure? If so, by how much?
If the main pipe to the house is only 1" ID, would a water meter bigger than 1" even help at all?
Is a 1" water meter equivalent in "size" (as far as flow impedance goes) to a 1" water pipe?

One of our neighbors with an identical floorplan said he got the city to swap his meter out for a 1.5" at no charge and is not noticing any difference other than the $600 annual savings. I'm trying to figure out if it makes sense to be even more "aggressive" and have them down-size us to a 1" meter.

Note: This question is purely about things to consider when determining the right size of our water meter. I'm not looking for any off-topic policy advice on how to deal with the city.

I (literally) dug up the information on our water meter: Currently we have a 2" Neptune T-10 installed. On their website they offer specifications for their different meters, including charts of pressure drop vs. flow-rate. I used some free software to quickly digitize the plots and stick them together onto one chart showing the pressure drop vs. flow rate for 4 different meter sizes:

So, if I assume (please correct me on these assumptions if they make no sense) that a 10% pressure drop would be noticeable (for us: 3.5psi), then I would hit this drop at 18gpm for a 3/4" meter and at 33gpm for a 1" meter. Given that the shower valve we installed provides 8gpm at 75psi (so probably less at 35psi), that means 2-3 people can take a shower at the same time with a 3/4" meter and more than 4 for a 1" meter.

So, I guess going with a 3/4" meter feels a little tight to me (unless we get a booster pump, of course), but a 1" meter should probably be just fine. I don't think we'd frequently be using more than 15gpm anyway, which would only imply a pressure drop of 1psi over the 2" meter.

Note: I'll leave @virtualxtc's answer as the selected one, since he pointed me in the right direction and summarizes things nicely.


What is causing a ticking noise in my electrical outlets? Several electrical outlets in two rooms started making a ticking sound last fall. I checked the receptacles and tightened the wires on two of them and replaced two of the receptacles. The circuit breakers to the rooms don't trip and the outlets still work without affecting the devices plugged into them. Also, the ticking increases when the furnace turns off and it repeats only a few times after that until the furnace, again, turns off. I did have a master electrician check the outlets, but he found nothing. My neighbor, who is a journeyman, told me it could be a sign of a breaker going bad -  he also told me to get a different electrician. Any suggestions?

Here are some possible scenarios:

True story: I was called out to troubleshoot a chirping outlet.  My first thought was just a bad GFCI outlet.  To my surprise the outlet was indeed chirping and not a GFCI.  The source was 5 computers, monitors, and other electronic devices all daisy chained off one outlet that had become loose or was never tighten good.

Electronic devices will "chop" up the electricity, some worse than others.  And apparently can become audible with the right conditions.

Easy fix: just tighten the screws on the outlet or replace the outlet all together as it may be defective.

Also keep on mind some GFCI outlets will make a buzzing noise, and sometimes but rarely will chirp very loudly due to the internal parts failing.


120v outdoor lighting, dual poser source 150w light So i was trying to think if there was a way to make a 120v  XOR or OR "device" to turn on a lamp. Perhaps with some relays or something to accomplish this general idea.

I want to accomplish this using maximum of 4 wires (not inc. ground).
and yes i mentioned TTL XOR / TTL OR gate like functionality  but in this case I'm talking 120V AC

see comment #2 for more details...

thoughts anyone?

Thanks for the update.  First, you have raw smarts but you are scattered, not able to describe what you want succinctly - and you seem to have no knowledge of code electrical, this stuff can kill you and burn your house down (with the lemons). You need to learn its pecularities (there are many) before you attempt to homebrew anything like this.  Like I say, for smart people, knowledge is cheap. Learn more, work less, rather than the other way 'round.

The home automation field is rapidly evolving, and I'd search it to see if someone has already solved your problem.  I bet they have. Then you can install a listed, code legal solution without a lot of work.

If you have to homebrew it, it's straightforward with 2 relays, though, that'll be a lot of wire.  It can be done properly with one relay but you really need to know what you're doing with neutrals and grounds, in the Code paradigm.


Is it wise to cut a long trench in concrete slab foundation? I've got a two-car garage (4-inch concrete slab on grade) that I'm turning into living space. I want to put a bathroom out there but I need to get plumbing through the floor. I didn't think it was possible. I had a contractor come over and take a look. He said no problem. We could just cut a 6-inch trench in the concrete halfway-across the garage. This did not sound like a good idea to me. Is this generally a safe thing to do while keeping the integrity of the slab intact?

The garage is on a slab, but the rest of the home is on a crawlspace. So we'd just need to cut the trench from the middle of the garage to the wall of the crawlspace to tie it in with the plumbing.

This is done all the time in slab-on-grade houses. The slab is there to give you a nice surface to park on, but is not required for the structural integrity of the garage.

So, sure, go right ahead.


Two GFCI's on the same circuit in my RV. One works. One doesn't My RV is running 120v off an inverter, if that matters.

One circuit is for everything in the rear of the RV and goes from the breaker panel to a GFCI in the bedroom and then branches out to all 4 receptacles in the bedroom - it also feeds the receptacle in the bathroom too.

Replaced the old GFCI in the bedroom and made sure to get the live wires from the panel into the LINE side and the other two sets of wires on the LOAD side. It lights up green. So far so good.

Then tried replacing the GFCI in the bathroom. It will not reset. Pressing the RESET button just gets me a red LED on the receptacle.

Took that same GFCI into my house and tried it on a regular circuit and it does reset properly and gives a green LED, so it is not defective.

So why doesn't it work in the bathroom in the RV?

A) There could be a short between the first GFCI and the bathroom box, but then wouldn't the first GFCI trip?

B) Do I actually need a GFCI in the bathroom if its already protected by one in the circuit? I'm guessing it's code because every bathroom seems to have one.

C) How do I find out what's making it fail to reset?

I've recently started working on a similar issue with an inverter from one of our work trucks. The built in GFCI failed, so I replaced it, but no luck.
It turns out that Modified sine wave devices often cause problems for GFCIs because, apparently, of the harmonics that exist when it is not a proper sine wave.
I found, after much deep googling, a couple older articles from Xantrex, the manufacterer of my particular inverter.
This article is from 1997. It states that you should not test a GFCI when it is active and not under load as it will definitely trigger the GFCI. However, all GFCIs since 2015 are required to be selftest.
This article is from 2005 and talks about how even with non-self-testing GFCIs, some will work with some inverters and not others because of the peculiarities of the individual circuits. It contains a chart where they have done some testing with their array of products against a variety of GFCIs. Unfortunately, that was 13 years ago and of course, none of those part numbers are available any longer. Again, all manufacterers were required to make all GFCIs self testing by UL 943 effective June 29th, 2015.
I have been attempting to make contact with an RV technician to find out the scoop on what they are doing currently, but so far have had no luck.
For your situation, I feel that this explains why the one GFCI works when you feed line power or when you installed it in the house. I'm not sure why you're not having a problem with the other one. Are they the same model? Perhaps it's just luck of the draw manufacturing variances.


Air Conditioning Drain Pump I am going to purchase Multi-Split air conditioning unit for my apartment that I am fully renovating at the moment. So it is the right time to make wholes in the walls etc.

The supplier is giving an outdoor unit that can sustain 5 indoor units, and I have 3 wall type indoor units and 2 concealed ceiling units (concealed under fake cardboard ceiling with linear diffuser to breath out the air).

One supplier included a separate drain pump for the ceiling units, the other supplier claims to have them built-in to the ceiling units. The wall units don't seem the have drain pumps according to specs.

Now my confusion:
What is this drain pump? Is this required so that water doesn't drip from the outdoor unit or is required so that indoor units don't drip water? Am I suppose to get all the drain hoses attached to my plumbing? Is this where the pump is required? How far can I pump the water to reach the plumbing?

So far I have only used a single indoor and single outdoor unit scenario, and some hose seems to hang out from the outer wall dripping water to the street. Is this hose used by the outer unit or indoor unit?

As you can see I am conceptually confused as I don't understand the innerworkings. Sorry for chain of questions. I think the answer to all will be explained once you explain the drainage situation.

Thanks in advance

Cold surfaces accumulate water from the air.  For an air conditioner, the indoor unit is the cold one that needs a drain line running somewhere to get rid of accumulated condensate (otherwise the indoor unit will drip water).  In the case of a heat pump in heating mode, the outdoor unit will accumulate water, but there is no need to pipe that water anywhere else.

Because mini-splits are often installed away from any convenient drains, pumps are frequently used to send the condensate where needed.  Depending on the pump used, the condensate can be moved long distances.

With proper installation the condensate can be disposed of into the sewer or often directly outside.  Where condensate is disposed and how the piping must be installed is determined by manufacturer specifications and local building codes.  Your suppliers should be familiar with the requirements.


What are these walls? I was planning to add an outlet here but came across an unexpected wall setup. Wood walls, with drywall, with stone over it?

Anyone know what this is called? It’s above a fireplace if that gives any additional clues.

This is almost certainly an attempt to shield the wall from woodstove heat. It is most definitely not to code. It could be made much safer by adding a metal shield 1-2" spaced from the wall anywhere the wall is less than 36" from the stove. If the outlet has to be exactly there, then good luck cutting thru what might be a stud. If it is not a stud, then mark your hole, cut it, then install a metal shield before lighting your stove again. The outlet itself can't stand the heat from a woodstove, either, so it must be behind the shield also. Spacing the shield farther from the wall is not a problem, tho it may not look like you want it to look. Sometimes moving the outlet a few inches one way or the other makes a big difference on how difficult the project is.


How can I vent a portable A/C unit through bars on a window? I need a way to fit the vent from my portable a/c unit through the bars on my window.  The window bars are installed for security purposes and the average hose is way too wide.  Any suggestions?

A picture might be helpful here, but generally speaking, any HVAC installer should be able to create an "adapter" out of sheet metal to fit between the bars and connect to your hose. It's not critical that it maintain the same shape, so you can convert from a round hose to a square vent as long as it supports the same or larger volume of airflow.

Just as an example, my stoves exhaust fan has a round duct, but I have a rectangular vent on the outside of my house.


How do I get better looking results with Sandstone texture paint? I am painting a small bathroom with Sandstone paint that I bought in Lowe's (for non-US users, this is big chain of home improvement/remodeling stores).

The result is just terrible. First, it requires multiple passes just to hide the white base ($50/can, and I am finishing a second can. $100 just to paint a small bathroom is rather excessive). Second, I can't get the paint to lay uniformly on the wall: sand (the aggregate in the paint) ends up as big, visible build-ups on the wall.

What am I doing wrong and how do I do it right?

All kinds of designers paint require the experience and skill of a professional artist or painter to achieve a faux finish. One unfamiliar with such finishes could waste gallons of paint, tons of nerves and never even get close to the way it's supposed to look.

Adding color to the primer would be helpful, but learning real faux painting techniques; even more so.


What are some quantifiable metrics for comparing digital antennae? I currently have an RCA Indoor digital flat amplified antenna (ANT1450BR), which doesn't work well.

It seems as though the flap of a butterfly's wings in Brazil, causes my television signal in New York to scramble.

Needless to say, I'm ready for a new antenna.  I've been looking at outdoor antennas, but I have no qualms about getting another indoor unit (as long as it works).  I'm not looking for product recommendations, rather I'm interested in quantifiable metrics that can be used to compare various antennas.

When shopping for a digital television antenna, what should I be looking at, and how should I compare various makes and models?

First things first, there is no such thing as a digital antenna, RF does not care whether the underlying modulation is digital pulse, FM, AM, SSB, Chirp or Spread Spectrum.

Second, if you live any distance away from the transmission antenna, the more aluminum overcast you have, the more signal strength you receive. Whether it's inside or outside, size does matter. VHF/UHF Yagi-Uda or Log-periodic antennas increase gain and narrow the beamwidth as you add elements. UHF Half-wave arrays increase gain and narrow the beamwidth as you add bays to the array.

Third, antenna configuration is dependent on the frequency, so VHF, UHF or both?

Fourth, length of the downlead is important as the longer the run, the more it absorbs the signal, requiring mast amplifiers to strengthen the signal before the SNR destroys it.

Now for some links to help figure things out. These are long term resources that can't be replicated here, so it will have to do.

From the people who gave us that fine Digital TV that allows you to enjoy Satellite Dish reception. Key in your Address, City, Zipcode and it will tell you High/Low VHF, UHF and best guess at signal strength. "No Signal" sometimes can be taken cum grano salis.

FCC DTV Reception Maps

This site is provided among a consortium that includes CEA and NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) to help figure out signal strength and antenna headings. It gives you a color code that's explained over on their Antenna Info page to help determine what type of antenna will best receive the signal (directional, high gain, general coverage, etc.)

AntennaWeb Antenna Selector

Directional antennas help cut down on multipath (The old ghosting now is signal jitter, annoying with analog, no signal with digital) but if the beamwidth is too narrow, require a rotator for off-beam signals.

High Gain antennas help improve the received signal strength so it doesn't cut out. Extreme range requires a mast mounted amplifier for yet more signal strength so DTV doesn't drive you insane.

While gain and directional capabilities are directly related (high gain, narrow beam), flat-landers often can get by with less gain and broader beamwidth, tailoring the gain to what's necessary to get a good picture while not having to rotate the antenna if most of the stations are clustered in a certain direction.


I over-fertilized my lawn. Now what do I do? So, I screwed up, and put too much turf fertilizer on my lawn. It's not completely brown/dead, but there are some pretty significant patches. Is there any way to recover from this? Or is my only option to till the soil and put down new seed?

If it's not totally dead you can try to water it back to health. You should at the very least try this first. Grass is normally pretty hardy and it might survive if you clear the soil of fertilizer.

If it's dead and gone soak the area a few times to try and wash out most of the fertilizer and put some patch seed down. This is the stuff that has the fibers with it to make sure it's not just barren seed on the ground. You could also just put seed down.

If it's the entire yard, you might look into getting it hydro seeded.

In any event nothing is going to continue to grow if it's overly saturated with fertilizer. Fix this first, and then the grass. Water run-off is bad for the rivers and nearby ponds but nothing much can be done about it at this point.


Is there a way to fix a small water leak in a PVC pipe from inside the pipe? The PVC evacuation pipe from my toilet is leaking a little bit. The part of the pipe that is leaking is buried inside concrete. I am trying to find a way to fix the leak from inside the pipe, that is without having to break the concrete to access the pipe. I have acces to the open end of the pipe about 1 meter away from where the leak is.

I ended up pouring  some very liquid mix of waterproof cement down the pipe and catching it again at the exit, it seems that is filled the little cracks inside the pipe. It's been a few weeks of testing by pouring water down and I don't see any leaks anymore. I have to specify that the pipe was horizontal and the cracks on the bottom part of it, that allowed the cement to fill the cracks.


How do I install a neon indicator for a light? The switch for the bathroom light is outside the room.

I want to put in a switch with a neon indicator that tells me that the light is on in the room so that users will switch it off.

There are only one blue, one brown and one earth wire at the switch.

Your switch wiring seems to be a switch loop with no neutral at the switch location. In such situation it is possible to use a neon indicator switch that has a lighted indicator when the switch is OFF provided the light itself is an incandescent bulb. Other types of bulbs may not work correctly with this type of setup.

Your desired setup however is just the opposite. You want the neon indicator to be lighted when the switch is in the ON position. It will not be possible to safely wire up a neon indicator when there is just a switch loop pair at the switch location. In order to get it to work the way you want it will be necessary to run a replacement power cable from the light location to the switch that contains a neutral wire in addition to the two wires for the switch loop. When that replacement cable is in place the neon indicator is wired between the neutral wire and the switched wire that goes to the light fixture.

You would also want to double check that the other wire at the switch is the hot line. If it is not then the light fixture itself is wired up wrong and should be corrected. Proper switch loop wiring feeds the hot wire to the switch and the return back to the light and then the opposite side of the light to the neutral at the light location. This assures that when the light is off there are no live connections inside the light bulb socket.


Underlayment for using porcelain tile outdoors? Rebuilding an outdoor deck in upstate NY with 6" X 24" porcelain tile. The foundation will be a 6" concrete bed with rebar. Confused about the need for and the order in which the following should be used:
Uncoupling Membrane (e.g.: Schluter Ditra)
Redgard
Cement Backer Board
Thin set mortar
Have no issue with the expense of using all of the above in order to maximize the life and stability of the deck.
Thanks in advance for any advice you might offer.

I have tiled a few concrete slabs and have never used anything but thinset, a membrane for a shower stall is great but for outside I believe it could have more problems than straight thinset, if you want to make it stronger add add mix or purchase thinset that is already enriched. Absolutely no need for a backer board on a concrete pad.


Need to add common "C" for thermostat; can anyone indicate where to connect it? We just got a new WiFi capable thermostat that, unfortunately, seems to use a form of power stealing in order to charge itself. The problem here is that our house is actually quite well insulated; the unit doesn't run for very long, so the thermostat keeps turning off the WiFi as the battery falls too low.

When I first installed the new thermostat, I found the blue wire that was listed as likely being the common wire; however, when I connected it, the thermostat indicated that there wasn't any power and prompted me to remove the wire. So I went up to the furnace, hit the breaker, and popped open the panel. I can see the blue wire appears to just be wrapped around the outside of another wire rather being connected to the furnace.

So... we have this confirmed: Yellow wire for cooling, white wire for heat, green wire for the fan, and the red wire for power. I can only confirm because the thermostat, for all the WiFi woes it seems to have, is working to control the temperature just fine right now.

Here is a picture of the wiring at the furnace; is this enough for anyone to tell me where I should be connecting that blue wire, or should I go ahead and call an HVAC technician out?

First of all, don't make any assumptions about wire colors. There is no standard, everyone does it differently.

Secondly, there is a very clear C terminal in your picture, at the bottom right of the control board. It also looks like you have an air conditioner connected.

This "blue" wire you're talking about looks like it's not connected at the board. If my assumptions on the wires are correct, then all you need to do is connect the blue wire to the "C" terminal, and you'll have a C wire at the thermostat.

If I'm wrong about anything, or just for more background, you can refer to our go-to thermostat-c-wire question: How can I add a "C" wire to my thermostat? (or read any of the other questions with the thermostat-c-wire tag).


Replace Halogen spot light I have been trying to replace this spotlight without success. I could not figure out a way to remove it . Any ideas?

if a GU16 bulb, then you have to push -in- and turn. This is due to the little 'nubs' on the end of the connectors


Turning off and on well pump I bought a shallow well pump (WAYNE SWS100 1 HP) and I have my sprinkler system installed in ground and hooked to valves inside valvebox.

Since this is my first time doing this I wanna make sure I get it right. I am unclear on how this well pump will actually work.

Am I supposed to have it hooked to the power all the time? And then when valves are opened(by my controler) the pump is going to turn itself on?

OR I need to hook the pump to my controller as well?

There are two different methods to choose between.

Method 1: pressure switch turns the pump on an off.  This method is most often used when the pump supplies water to more than just your irrigation system, or if you want to have a standard water faucet that always has water on demand.

With this method you need a small storage tank (20-30 gallon, perhaps more depending on the flow rate (how fast the irrigation system can use water) to stabilize pressure and give the system water to use while the pump starts up.  When water use starts, the drop in pressure triggers a pressure switch which starts the pump at min pressure, and the same pressure switch shuts the pump off when pressure reaches a max.  Googling your pump it has a pressure switch attached to the side of the pump.

Method 2: Pump start relay controls the pump.  In this case case your pump will be controlled by the irrigation controller.  Bypass the built on pressure switch on the pump, and use a pump start relay compatible with your irrigation controller instead.  The low voltage side of the relay connects to the master valve/pump start relay terminals on your irrigation controller.  The irrigation controller starts and stops the pump when it runs.  Typically no storage tank is used in this setup.

Method 2 is simpler to install but doesn't allow for on-demand use of water (turning on a faucet).

Hint: Your pump is a dual voltage pump, 120/240.  Wire it up at 240V, it will run cooler, last longer and cost half as much to operate.


Can you extend rake edge on existing gable? I have a barn on my property with a decent roof - (shingles look good and may have another 5-8 years on them).  The rake edge on the gable, however, is perfectly flush with the sides of the barn, NO OVERHANG.  Thus when it rains the siding gets no protection from the elements.  Granted overhangs will not totally protect the side of the barn, but an overhang will keep a fair amount of moisture off of the side.  Can I extend my rake edge such that there is an overhang on the two sides of my barn, or can this really only be done when I re-do the roof?

Structurally it will not be an issue at all, as long as the overhang isn't huge. Up to a foot is good for adding on as long as you can get 2' back into the existing rafter (3' total). If the proposed overhang is shorter, that will not allow you to use a much shorter piece to tie in. At least for me it would not, the reason being, too short of a piece, with stress applied in one fashion or another, will readily split. With care on assembly, (predrill, screws and glue)you may be able to reduce the tie in to 18" with a 6" overhang (24" total)

Of course, the larger the tie in the better, but you don't need to go overboard. All things considered it will be easier to do this when the roof is to be replaced, that way when you do the tie in, you can remove a little of the sheathing an do the fastening with ease. Then the sheathing can be replaced all the way out to the new drip edge.

The last reason you may wish to wait until the reroof, is based on my experience and math. Roofing lasts a minimum of 20 years, at least hopefully. You figure that there is 8 years of life to it at the most. When the roof is over 10 years old, in your case 12, at least, the careful pulling of the fasteners holding the existing shingles to add the new ones under them, will be taking a big chance. This also depends on the adhesive that is particular to the manufacturer of the shingles that hold one shingle to the next. On my old roof, before I replaced it, and many I worked on, the sealant will separate readily in the cooler seasons, but would rip up in the summer, crack in the winter. On my new roof, I had to make a repair a few months after I installed it. Thinking cooler weather was needed, I tried it then, but this sealant was different than before. I found that summer heat was needed, and with great care to remove the course of shingles to make the repair. A heat gun with a light touch helped too. As a reminder I bring this up because you will need to separate the courses of shingles to remove the starter course to add more over the newly extended overhang.


My dishwasher is too short for the counter We just remodeled our kitchen and the cabinet opening is 35 inches high but newly bought dishwasher is only 31.5 inches. How can I properly install it with the height difference?

Looks like you got about 3.5" to make up.  I'd put a couple of 2x4s front to back stacked flat and screwed down where the DW feet go.  My wife and I are both tall and when we built our house we decided on a 39" counter height, meaning we had to build up for the range and dishwashers. Worked fine. It also means not having to bend over the dishwasher as far to load and unload it, nice.
So IMHO shim/build up as needed under the DW, I think it would look odd to make up that much space above it.


Is this 240V outlet undersized? Garage has 100A service sub-panel from main home. The panel contains a 40A 240V breaker. This connects through a heavy-gauge wire (looks to be same wire as feeding the 100A panel itself) to what I think is only a 15A outlet. That is, based on the physical dimensions and prong arrangement compared to info I found online, I believe this is a NEMA #6-15R receptacle. Am I right?

If the rest of the circuit is 40A but the outlet 15A, then I think this would be undersized and dangerous? Would it be appropriate to replace this #6-15R with a #6-30R? Do I also need to put in a 30A breaker?

The reason this came up is that I would like to use a 20A 240V heater in the garage. The heater uses a #6-30P plug, which can be seen dangling in one of the photos below. Basically, I am looking for a safe way to clean up the electricals, in a way that will make the end result compatible with this NEMA #6-30P heater.

Change the 2-pole breaker to a Square D Homeline 30A breaker ($9).   Make sure that cable is at least 10 AWG (8 or 6 will do).

Then fit a NEMA 6-30 as you intend.

Then replace those two 15A 1-pole breakers with Square D Homeline 15A breakers.  If they power one cable with a shared neutral, use a 2-pole breaker.

Those Siemens QP breakers have no business in your panel.  Donate those to someone with a Siemens/Murray panel.  This isn't brand loyalty, the breakers do not fit properly and will arc.


What's the correct laundry drain stack order? I am installing a new washer box. (see picture for reference) My plan was to switch out the Wye from the sink so the top was 2" and put the p-trap and Wye from the washer just above that in the stack. Then reattach the vent to that. My buddy was making a comment that a washer Wye has to go below the sink Wye in the stack.
As you can tell doing so would be a bit of a pain given the position of both appliances. I will say I'm not up to par on the plumbing codes (pretty sure he isn't either).
Is there any reason that I cant just fit in the washer above the sink Wye?
Location is Virginia.

You'll need to change the tee on the vertical pipe to a 2" tee for the laundry drain.  You're not allowed to reduce to a 1-1/2" for a few inches of horizontal branch and then increase to 2" again for the washer trap & standpipe.  However, the washer trap & standpipe does need to be minimum 2".
PEX crimp connectors certainly can be behind drywall.  Check with your AHJ if you have any doubts about your local rules, but these are reliable connections.
You are probably going to need to reroute the copper supply pipes to fit the laundry trap in that wall cavity.  Keep in mind there are several height restrictions on laundry standpipes.  It must be >= 18" above the trap weir and 30" to 48" above the floor.  The trap itself should be >= 12" above the floor.


Plastic electrical box tabs - ok if broken? I've come across this using "old-work" boxes, but all plastic boxes for switches and outlets are basically the same:

These boxes have 4 knock outs per gang and they open at an angle.  They seem to be made to allow the wire to enter one way and prevent it from slipping out like a basic clamp.

From time to time, one of the plastic tabs will break off leaving an open hole.  I've also found installed boxes that have the tab missing.

So, is it OK to use the box with a broken tab?  If not, to what level is it "not ok"?  Is it a best practice, or is it to the level that an inspector would make you replace it?

If the clamp breaks off, strictly speaking, the box is trash and should be replaced. In practice, there's usually a little latitude.

(I prefer metal boxes.)


Can I connect 12 AWG wire to 10 AWG in a junction box? This may sound like a dumb question, but I'm adding some electrical outlets to my garage using 10 AWG wiring in conjunction with 30 amp circuits. I am running 10 AWG THHN through conduit to multiple junction boxes. I terminated the connections at the junction boxes using romex and I'm running the romex behind the wall to the outlets that are above the junction boxes. I have been using 10 AWG romex from the junction box to the receptacles but it's caused a few of my outlets to sit crooked in the box due to the wire being so stiff. I was curious if I could use 12 AWG romex from the outlet box to the junction box and terminate it with the 10 AWG THHN. I know that 12 AWG is only rated for 20 amps but I won't be using any power tools that require more than 15 amps on one receptacle at a time, also the receptacles are only rated for 20 amps.

You can't do that

You cannot come off a 30A breaker with #10 wire (so far so good) and then terminate it at 15-20A receptacles. (nope, nope, nope!)

Unfortunately people sometimes become aware of the rule that allows 15 or 20A receptacles on 20A circuits, and they falsely generalize that to "Any receptacle <= circuit capacity".  Nope.  The receptacle ampacity must be an exact match to the breaker:  15 to 15.  30 to 30.  50 to 50.

Now there are two exceptions, but they are... exceptional.

40A receptacles do not exist. NEMA, distributors/stockers, and electricians didn't want the burden of yet another socket type (there are like 40 varieties already when you consider every iteration of 3-phase, 208, 480, etc.) and oven manufacturers didn't want consumers stymied by a 40A range's plug not fitting an installed 50A socket.  So the (only) correct receptacle for a 40A circuit is 50A.
UL requires all 15A receptacles to be internally rated for 20A.  As such, 15A receptacles are allowed on 20A circuits.

And that's all, folks!

Only a 30A receptacle is acceptable on a 30A breaker.

"But I want to plug in common devices!"  Then you have 3 options.

Change the breaker to 20A.

Now it becomes a 20A circuit (overbuilt with #10 wire - overbuilding is allowed).  You can fit 20A receptacles.  You can also fit 15A receptacles due to the exception mentioned above.

How do you handle the pinchy wires?  I work in metal boxes which are annoyingly small and constantly run out of statutory cubic inches.  Obviously your first defense is go with a bigger box.  Or go with a box extensions or lids which give extra space.   Another option is to place 2 boxes next to each other joined with a nipple -- and in one box, splice from #10 solid to #10 stranded, and in the other box fit the receptacle.  Once you work with stranded wire, you won't want to go back!

Install a Power Distribution Unit

PDUs are typically used with server racks.  They allow the rack to have a single power cord for the entire rack.  It has a NEMA 14-30 or 14-50 plug, and splits that out to a number of 120V receptacles.  Mind you, the PDU is a commercial unit that has been through the rigors of UL listing.  You cannot build one out of parts except this way:

Install a Subpanel

This is conventional stuff, you bring L1, L2, N and G into a small service panel then hang any number of 120V/15A or 20A breakers off that panel, and those power your 15/20A 120V circuits.  In any subpanel, neutral and ground are kept separate.  No "main breaker" is needed if the subpanel is in the same building.


What is this copper-looking wire on my light fixture? I had an electrician install two hanging pendants over a kitchen island. The install went well and the pendants work fine.

However, after the install I've had an opportunity to look at the fixtures up close, I can't understand what this wire is. The light fixture hangs with a chain and has a typical-sized black cord which I assume is the main power for the pendant. However, there's a copper-colored wire which hangs along down with the chain and the black cord, which doesn't seem normal to me.

Any idea on what this is? I'd like to remove it, but I want to be sure what it is and if it's important first.

Here is a closeup of the copper-colored wire:

And here is a view of the full pendant:

I'm almost certain it is the ground wire. Do not remove it.

If you were to open the light fixture, there should be a screw where one end of the ground wire is attached. Then, mounted in the ceiling is a metal box through which is fed all the electrical wiring. There's a screw on the ceiling box that the other end of the ground wire is attached.

  Thank you. A natural follow-up question to this, since the original intent was to remove the distracting copper wire for aesthetic reasons, is: will the ground wire be less effective if it is painted or somehow covered to match the rest of the fixture?

Adding paint is essentially adding a layer of insulation to the wire. Since insulated wire still conducts electricity, a painted ground wire will be just as effective (i.e., conductive) as one that lacks an exterior coat of paint. You simply want to ensure that you do not paint over the location where it is attached to the screw on both ends (it needs metal-on-metal contact).


How do I disconnect and reconnect this? How do I safely undo and re-attach this connector? it connects an armoured cable to the power outlet in the shed. I'll turn off the mains obviously. And then do I just undo it with a spanner and pull it out?
I need to re-route the cable and need to disconnect it to do that.

That is a gland connector which seals the outer cover of the cable and grips the protective outer wires then the conductors continue into the box / device to the connections.
So you have to undo the internal conductors and then release that cinnector.
Make sure the supply is off.
We always used to undo the internal fixing nut and the connecting wires and leave the gland assembled to the cable - much easier.


How do I prepare walls for wallpaper after removing wallpaper? Do I have to take the old glue side of wall paper off before I wall paper again? How do I prep the walls?

It depends on the wallpaper. Some "splits" to leave a lining paper behind when the face comes off. If this is sound, you could decorate over it.

If the remaining is uneven, yes, take it off.

To prep the walls, make sure that they are smooth, no loose plaster, etc. Sometimes you'll see walls washed down with sugar soap to remove left over glue or other mess. Fill or caulk any uneven bits, then paper over.


How can I mount a TV with widely-spaced studs and weak wallboard? I’m renovating an old house and I plan on mounting the 42 inch lcd television over the fireplace. The house studs are mostly on 2 foot centers and are rough cut 2x6. However around the fireplace there is a cripple stud in the center and a stud on each side of the mantle. These studs are around 32 inches apart. The wallboard is old and flimsy so hollow-wall anchors are not an option. At this point I have 2 ideas:

Run 1x4s or 2x4s across all 3 studs and mount the television on that.
Get a single stud mount and hang the tv on the cripple stud in the center. I just feel wary about a single stud mount.

Anyone have experience with this problem? Suggestions? If it matters the fireplace is not usable.

That's not a single stud mount any more than the one you have is--it's just a different design for a different purpose. Use your mount with two or three good lag screws into the center stud and call it a day. 3/8" x 2-1/2" should do, piloted to 1/4" full depth plus half an inch.

If your mount flexes a lot it's crap and you should buy one built to a higher level of quality. The mount I bought 12 years ago weighed twice what most modern ones do, but one bolt would've done the job even with the early, heavy TV we had.


Best way to seal gaps in sliding window? Summer is coming and I live in an apartment where the window can slide up to insert an AC.
Unfortunately, after some time I get bugs and mosquitos coming through the gaps around the AC and at the top of the sliding window (since it is only sealed when it's completely closed).
I tried to use caulk tape, but it wasn't very effective. There'd still be tiny gaps here and there that things found a way through.
I'm now thinking that there must be some kind of foam spray that can do a better job of sealing off gaps. Is there anything like this that is non-toxic and easily removable? TIA

Spray foam would be excellent. Until it's time to take the AC out of the window and you're left with a disastrous mess of sticky foam that you can't scrape off to get the window to seal again.
Get some pieces of foam rubber and cut them to fill in the gaps between the sashes where they don't seal because the window's open. You could use pipe insulation, pool noodles, or packing foam that came with some product you ordered in the past.
You may not have a perfect seal and may have to deal with a few insects that get through, but that's better than a hot, humid room. To be fair, though, I used to do this when we put a window AC unit in an upstairs window, but were able to seal it up well enough (with old, rickety, leaky wooden single-pane windows) that insects weren't a problem. Considering that we live in the Midwestern US where summer bugs can be a considerable issue, it worked pretty darn well for us.


How should I clean remnants of a melted dish from the heating element of a dishwasher? The lid from a coffee cup spent a cycle melding with the circular heating element at the bottom of my dishwasher.  While it wasn't too hard to pull it off, there is still some plastic and rubber gasket adhered to the metal.  Googling this suggests scraping in some form or another with various kitchen tools, but as the element feels just like a non-stick frying pan I'm hesitant to go that route without further input.

It's probably fine to just leave it as-is, but I'd start with a non-metallic scrub sponge, and if that doesn't work I'd move to a utility blade at a very shallow angle. It's unlikely that you'll damage the finish if you're gentle. Get the bulk of what's left off and be happy.


Incoming water lines: Just a like to know what this is I have a strange water line arrangement coming into the house and I would like to know what line is for what - I understand that I have cold 3/4 pipe coming in to the house and cold 3/4 pipe going to other parts of the house and the hot water heater. The hot water heater has 3/4 line going to the rest of the house.

Now here is my question where on earth do the 1/2 inch lines go (or where should I expect them to go?)

The Red rectangle in the picture is the concrete floor. The lines are all copper pipe.

Usually, the 1/2" lines go to a single outlet such as a sink, tub or laundry and the 3/4" line or lines run to multiple devices. For example, the 3/4" line can feed many devices with 3/4"X1/2" tees supplying each faucet with a 1/2" supply line. This way you will usually get maximum flow at your faucet even if someone else in the home is using water at the same time.


Installing reverse board and batten plywood siding When you install plywood board and batten (or in my case, reverse board and batten) siding, how do you seal the vertically-running seam of two sheets?

For example, I know the horizontally-running seam you use z flashing, so that any water running down the upper sheet will fall onto the flashing and in front of (not behind) the lower sheet.

To me, board and batt means the larger board goes on first and the smaller board (batt) goes on second and laps the edges of each board. Likewise, reverse board and batt means the small board (batt) goes on first and the larger board goes on second and covers the spaces between the batts.

Over the years, we've learned that using plywood for the "board" and just installing batts at regular spacing on the plywood will give the same affect as "board and batt" siding...for less cost and fewer problems because the "boards" are wide and tend to split (check).

I'm not sure I've ever seen (or understand) how reverse board and batt works with plywood. Seems like installing large boards on the plywood with small spaces between them would defeat the purpose (and cost effectiveness) of the plywood.

In any event, both systems are installed on a moisture barrier, like building paper, etc.  This is essentially your moisture covering over the walls and the wood board and batt (or reverse board and batt) is just to keep the moisture barrier protected. Protected from wind blowing off the paper, UV protection, etc...

So, just as @isherwood says, you don't need to "seal" the vertical joint. It will be covered by the batten, or in your case, covered by a board.

By the way, we've learned to extend the moisture barrier about 1" past the bottom plate so water doesn't run out the bottom and blow back up under the bottom plate. If you live in a high wind area you'll want to put a felt pad between the plate and the top of the concrete stem wall to make a better seal against wind blown rain.

Also, we've learned NOT to caulk the bottom of the board and batt to the horizontal Z metal. Rather, we want that moisture to run out. After all, we know the board and batt (or whatever is above the metal) will leak. That's why we install a moisture barrier under the siding. If you caulk...you'll get dryrot on the bottom of the siding that sits on the Z metal. (We use a peel and stick membrane to seal the metal Z flashing to the upper moisture barrier.)


Are licensed electricians required to perform code-compliant repairs? A California licensed electrician replaced a circuit breaker for a friend. He removed the living room AFCI breaker and replaced it with a used non-AFCI breaker.

When I heard this I was upset enough that he installed a used breaker, but the CA Electric code requires an AFCI here (unless I am mistaken, I re-read the section).

Is it permitted to replace the breaker with a used one? Is it permitted to replace a compliant breaker with a non compliant breaker?

If the AFCI was required in the first place, ie: the code in place when the circuit was originally installed (regardless if they are required now), then yes, removing it and replacing it with a standard breaker created a violation.

The rest is a legal issue and not appropriate for this forum. Have your friend call the building dept for the ONLY accurate answer.


Looking for alternatives to AutoCad to make floorplans and interior elevations for my kitchen I am looking to remodel my kitchen. I want to start with floorplans and inside elevations of the 4 walls, cabinets, and major appliances. I've been using LibreCAD because it supports Autocad 2000 format (dxf) and is free and open source.

I've been struggling with LibreCAD, so I want to know what is the best Open source or web based app out there for a non-architect to make 2D floorplans and elevations, and save them in dfx format.

I personally use Google SketchUp to model both the interior and exterior of our house.  It may not have the depth of features you're looking for but if you're going for open source freeware that's pretty usable out of the gate you can't go wrong.

As a side note, I have seen some people use Blender to do modeling, though more for in-home manufacturing.


How to attach this tap cover? The cover of my bathroom's tap always goes away. I find the system quite silly because you have to remove it to access the screw inside if necessary yet it's glued on it!

Anyway what solution/product could I use so that the cover stop going away all the time?

It is also a bad design because any water that gets in there pools.  For that reason I would "glue" it on with a basic latex caulk.  When you need to service the tap you'll have to cut out the caulk.


How to level sloped concrete ceiling, and is it worth it? I want to remove popcorn ceiling in a 7' by 14' room and turn it into a smooth ceiling. I have just built this room. The walls are not yet painted, so now is a good time to do the ceiling.

I know how to remove popcorn by spraying it wet and scraping.

The question is what to do after the ceiling has been scraped. It is poured concrete, with some visible depressions, hard to say how deep, probably 1/2". The ceiling also has a tilt to it. It is most pronounced along the shorter 7' wall with about 2" drop.

Now if I were to go for a level ceiling, that would require a lot of compound to fill that slope. Just to estimate (assuming the slope does not run the entire length of 14' but only half), 7' x 7' x 1" = 49 sq ft. x 1" = 4 cubic ft = 30 gallons of mud. That is a sizable amount of mud to buy, mix, and apply.

Is it actually worth being a perfectionist here? Can I get away with simply smoothing out the ceiling, hiding most noticeable blemishes and leaving the slope as-is?

Either way, what compound should I use, and what is the recommended way of applying and smoothing it?

Edit: Thank you for your answers. Both provide great info, I just wish I could mark both as "the answer". Quick update: scraped popcorn last night. It was quite easy (not nearly as difficult as some DIY articles lead me to believe). After hearing opinions here, definitely not going to level the ceiling. I bought this type of compound for the job.

I have an assortment of drywall knives. Which knife should I use? What primer should I use? Once sanded smooth, should I paint the ceiling -- if so, what type of paint should I use?

If you want it level, cut furring strips and put up drywall.

If the precise shape of the ceiling is going to bother you, that might be worth the agony and is a heck of a lot easier than trying to get that much mud onto the ceiling, much less on the ceiling and actually level. I wouldn't bother with it, personally. The slight angle would not offend my sensibilities, and is also better acoustically than a dead-flat ceiling.

For smooth, drywall compound or actual plaster will do. I'd lean towards plaster for concrete, but I'm not sure there's anything to my bias, there, other than my bias. Grab a big ol' knife (or trowel) and go. If using mud, probably the 90-minute setting (aka "hot mix") compound, unless someone else has a better reason than my bias in support of my bias.

Then again, USG (and probably others) has a compound specifically for concrete.

  COVER COAT® Compound is a premium mixture ideally used for filling and
  smoothing above-grade, monolithic interior concrete ceilings and
  columns, embedding paper drywall tape or acting as the first fill coat
  on bead, trim and fasteners. The compound dries white for a quick,
  easy finish.

Further reading:

Gypsum Plaster over concrete  and Portland cement "plaster" (stucco) over concrete


How do I clean a kitchen sink spray hose? My kitchen sink has one of those sprayer-on-a-hose things off to the side of the main faucet. It has a clear plastic hose that pulls out to spray stuff around the sink. That hose has green stuff growing in it. It was like that when I bought this house so I don't know what conditions led to the situation. I can tell you that the hose is very rarely used now because the water coming through it stinks.

Can I clean that hose? I'm thinking maybe I could remove it and soak it in something. Maybe bleach or vinegar? Or should I just replace it? Is that an easy fix or would I need to replace the entire faucet to get the hose? Also, if anyone has any idea how this growth might have started, I'd like to know to avoid the problem in the future.

I would just replace the hose.  You would probably have to take it apart to clean it anyway.  I found replacement hoses for around $4.  The directions seem fairly straightforward.


Moving some plumbing for a kitchen remodel - loop vent for kitchen island I just want to make sure my plan for moving some plumbing around for a kitchen remodel is sound. I am moving the kitchen sink from the wall to an island. I've never done a loop vent before and all the examples I've see online have the vent going to a different area than the drain.

Like this:

 Since I am moving it from the existing sink that goes strait down from the vent, I'm not sure if that is a problem.
Here is my current setup:

I'm not sure why there are 2 drain pipes converging to one in the basement all of them are 2" including the one they end up in that goes under the floor. Any chance I could combine them to simplify things?
Here is what I am thinking for the new setup I kept the 2 drains separate for simplicity:

Does it matter how far above the vent line is above the drain line when they hit the main vertical pipe? I'm also moving my washer which requires running a horizontal vent. Any issue with moving that the way I've drawn it? Any advice is much appreciated.

I'm not a plumber, but I've have spent nearly 20 years in the industry, so I'll try to give you the best answer I can based on my experience.

Your 1st question is about why it has a 2" Wye in the basement and doesn't use a single stack throughout. Suppose all drains were draining simultaneously at full capacity. So, all faucets [sinks, tubs, washing machine, whatever ties into that single stack] are fully on (hot/cold) and the dishwasher is draining.  Not a likely scenario, but it does need to be accounted for. This would overload a single 2" line. Therefore, splitting the load across 2 pipes would be acceptable based on max potential load.

Regarding the vents. As you can probably guess, the vent's purpose is 2 fold. 1) Stop the drain lines from hitting an air lock and restricting the flow of the waste 2) Provide an escape for any methane or other unpleasant smells from bubbling back through the drains. For point number 1, to help you understand what I mean, think of what happens when you hold a jug of water upside down and drain it. It "glugs" and drains with great effort; it still drains, but not nearly as well or fast if the jug were to have a hole in the bottom (or top when upside down). The hole doesn't need to be big, but it can't be a pinhole size either.

On to moving your sink. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm not a plumber, however, I cannot see why what you're proposing would be an issue. It's better to have your vents closer to the drain source, but as long as free flowing air can be provided to your drain, there shouldn't be a problem.

Finally, about your dishwasher. The plans you've provided are no different that the existing. You are just simply moving the vent from one side of the dishwasher to the other. No problem there.


Can't reset Craftsman garage door opener I have an old Craftsman door opener that has been opening on its own and have looked at all the possible causes and no fixes seem to work.
I removed wires from the wall-mounted opener so it isn't a wiring issue. The door opened while the remote was gone in the car so it doesn't look like a remote problem, plus it's new. I thought maybe it was a radio frequency issue. But when trying to reset the codes by pushing and holding the SR code button, the LED won't go out no matter how long the button is held down so the existing codes can't be erased. So I'm looking to see if this door opener can be reset by some other method.
I removed the wires at the opener itself so that should eliminate the wiring. The SR code button is yellow and the original remotes are long gone so no numbers from those. My opener doesn't have the photo sensors and uses force or torque settings for safety reverse. I have changed the plastic worm gears so it looks like it's time for a replacement seeing as that I can't reset the codes. I noticed the front sticker doesn't have a model number at all and the only number is 41A3625 which is on a sticker by the SR button. The original manual I have is
for a Model 139.18616sr 1/2 HP.

The most common cause of the door reopening is that one of the door limit switches is dirty or misadjusted. There are different switches to detect door travel and to sense the torque applied by the motor. The example below shows the switch that closes just before that door reaches the bottom of travel.

The two limit switches are at the end of the support rail. Try cleaning switch contacts, which get greasy from the rail lubricant.  This is easy to do since contacts are exposed on many Craftsman door openers (not a hazard, since only 24 VAC at low current is used). Use automobile brake spray cleaner or other nonflammable, non-toxic (or only mildly toxic), solvent. The contacts are just below the end of the wire. If the door is open, you can clean between the leaves of the contacts with a cotton applicator -- being sure to remove any lint.

If that doesn't resolve the issue, loosen the switch from the rail and adjust forward or backward until the door closes properly and stays shut.

The purpose of the bottom switch is to sense the last few cm of door travel. The torque-sensing switch in the motor housing reverses door-travel direction if an obstacle is encountered, such as a child's foot on the door sill. However, the door must close with enough force to make a tight seal, preventing bugs and drafts from entering, so the bottom limit switch disables motor reversal as the door touches the sill. If that switch fails to close, the door reacts as if an obstacle caused it to reverse... sometimes, after a delay of a few seconds.


Removing paint from wood While painting my bathroom walls, I accidentally put some paint in the wood of the window frame:

Is there an easy way to remove it without harming the brown wood paint? Please note that the white paint is special paint for bathroom.

There generally is no "easy" way to remove paint from wood, but there are several ways that take some time and patience.

A safe way that involves not using chemicals like paint or lacquer thinner would be to get a fine to medium grit sandpaper and rub the surface clean of any paint dust.  I assume that you had recently painted this so the chances are exceedingly low that this is lead paint, but if you live in a country that still sells lead paint or you suspect that the paint you used contains lead, then I highly suggest not sanding this and instead using a thinner.  You don't want to be breathing in lead paint dust, especially if you have pregnant women, children or animals in the house.

It seems there is a round area that meets with the flat of the trim, and sandpaper is not going to get into this crack very easily.  I advise carefully using the sharp end of a paint scraper to gently remove any paint in any crevices that you cannot reach with sandpaper.

Just use this to get into areas that you cannot reach with the sandpaper since you don't want to risk gouging the wooden trim.  If you do cause some damage to the wooden trim then applying a simple wood filler and sanding to match the trim should easily hide any damage.  Make sure that you get a wood filler that can be painted and stained.

When you are finished you will want to remove any paint dust from the area with a wet cloth or sponge and let completely air dry.  At this point you will be able to re-stain the affected area.  Take a picture of the wood trim and visit your local hardware store, they can generally help you find a stain that will match with the existing color and finish of the existing wood trim.  Follow the directions on the can for applying the stain and you should look good as new.


Sink pivot rod stuck, seems to be screwed in? I'm trying to clean my sink's pop-up stopper.

I was able to remove the pivot rod nut with no problem. I removed the spring clip and clevis strap from the pivot rod.

But the pivot rod won't budge. When I look at videos, the pivot rod should slide out easily, and mine won't move at all. It unscrews, but after a long time of trying to unscrew it, I gave up. I can still hear it unscrewing but don't know what it's doing and nothing seems to change.

I tried grabbing pliers and yanking on it but it's in there tight.

Any ideas?

Picture of ball joint:

I wouldn't waste a lot more time with it. You can pick up an entire pop-up assembly kit for less than $30. You can have it repaired in about an hour and have all new parts.


Electrical code for Michigan, USA Watching home to repo shows, I wonder what the electrical code for Flint, Michigan out of Genesee county is. Like the one show being in California stated each kitchen outlet must have its  own dedicated circuit breaker.

Asking because I know how to wire but don't know regulations or code, and wanting to redo my 100 year old house that has deteriorated 2-wire wiring.

Michigan is too broad a geographic area. You need to contact your local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) and ask. (You'll usually find them at city hall, in the building permits department.)


Towel warmer (hardwired) - electrical code considerations We have a new towel warmer, which I believe would not technically comply with codes in the U.S.  Electrical connections need to be inside junction boxes, unless I'm mistaken, and this towel warmer does not include a junction box.  So it looks like the connection would need to be made inside the faceplate of the towel warmer mounting bracket, from what I see in these instructions.

I've seen a lot of towel warmers without junction boxes included (some have them), so it's unclear where the connection is supposed to be made.  (I've also seen nobody complaining online about failing an inspection due to a towel warmer.)  Are all these towel warmers being sold in the U.S. violating code if they are hard wired?

Or is there a water proof faceplate I can buy made for this situation?

Also, our town requires metal conduit which further complicates things.

Here is a picture of a different towel warmer with a junction box that would be code compliant I think:

Mine have always had plugs, if you want to hard wire it use flex , I us liquid tight flex all the time depending on what it is for I may use non metallic liquid tight , most of my systems take a beating and metallic holds up better especially in cold conditions. But this is an option.


Wiring new lights with 2 sets of wires I'm installing 3 light pendants above my island. They are connected to a single pole light switch.  I installed 2 of the 3 and noticed the junction boxes for both have 2 black, 2 white, and 2 ground wires.  I connected both black to the black of the fixture and same for the other wire sets. The lights don't turn on so I figured something is wrong with the connections but just not sure what I did wrong.  I stopped installation and did not do the third since the other two weren't working. This is a new build (2018) and nothing was connected before.

Update: Installed the third light,  still nothing.

Update:  Tested the switch connections and looks like their both dead. No action. Time to call the electrician.  Thanks everyone for your help!

Based on your description, the likely configuration is:

incoming power -> switch -> light 1 -> light 2 -> light 3

That would put two sets of wires on light 1 (switch & light 2) and light 2 (light 1 & light 3) but only one on light 3. If that's the case, then all blacks (switched hot), all whites (neutral) together at each of the lights would be correct, and any one light not installed (or bulb burnt out or whatever) would have no effect on the other lights. So that leaves the switch.

Based on the pictures:

Your wires are coming in via cables rather than conduit.
There is a Big Bundle o' Neutrals and a Big Bundle o' Grounds. Those are perfectly fine, and since you are using (for now anyway) ordinary "dumb" switches, leave those "as is".

Assuming all wires (except ground) are black and white, the way to wire it is:

Unless you are already 100% sure, determine which of the incoming cables is incoming power vs. switched to light:

Turn off the breaker
Disconnect all wires to the switch and make sure all ends are separated
Turn the breaker on
Use a non-contact tester to determine which of the black wires is hot.

Do not continue unless you have identified exactly one hot wire.

You now know which black is hot. The matching white is neutral (should already be in the Big Bundle o' Neutrals). The other black is switched hot. The other white is also neutral (should already be in the Big Bundle o' Neutrals).

Turn the breaker off again and then:

Connect the hot wire to one screw on the switch (if it is a simple switch then it doesn't matter which screw, if it is a smart switch then this is "hot" or "line")
Connect the switched hot wire to the other screw on the switch (if it is a simple switch then there will only be 2 screws, if it is a smart switch then this is "switched hot" or "load")
If this is a simple switch, connect the two white wires (neutral) together with a wire nut. Unless you took apart the Big Bundle o' Neutrals (which would be a bad thing to do), this is already done.
If this is a smart switch then use a pigtail (there may be one already as part of the switch, if not then make one) to connect the two white neutrals together with a pigtail from the neutral connection on the switch.
Turn on the breaker and test.

If things still don't work right, you need to (carefully) check the power. Use the non-contact tester to see if power flows to the switched hot when you flip the switch. If it does not, then you have a switch problem. If it does, then check for power at Light 1. You may need to (with the breaker off) take apart the groups of black & white wires at Light 1 (and 2 and 3, but do one at a time) to figure out where each cable goes.


How do I remove toggle bolt from under the sink? I am in the process of replacing my powder room faucet and I noticed that its not attached the normal way with a mounting nut.
I have what I assume is a toggle bolt holding the faucet in place, but I can't figure out how to remove it.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Not toggle bolts. Just nuts with bushings and a crossbars under them (one of which has fallen into the sink bore, giving it the appearance of a toggler). Remove them in that order.


Drain to a reservior when water height is higher then the drainage I have a reservior made from a 220litre plastic drum which is about 1.2 meters tall. i have a sump to irrigate my garden in the drum and it pumps out the top through a pipe to my garden tray which sits at around 300mm from the ground. it then drains out the bottom via a 19mm hole in the bottom of the tray. is there a way to return the drainage to the reserviour without using another drainage bucket and pump? If not then what would be a suitable setup here?

The only feasible way to recycle the drainage water from the tray without an additional pump is to place the tray at a level above the top of the reservior and let the water flow by force of gravity back into the tank.


Unexpected voltage with wall switch off but only when nearby light switched on just installed 2 new separate ceiling lights each with its own wall switch. The 2 wall switches sit beside each other. With analogue voltmeter I noted when both circuits are switched off there is 0 voltage across black/white wires on both circuit 1 and 2. But when circuit 1 is switched on and showing 120v, circuit 2 even though switched off, shows about 12 volts. Same occurs when circuit 2 is on and circuit 1 off.
I presume this is just phantom voltage and not too worry? or could it be something that needs repairing? House built in 1975, aluminum wires.

also, I installed new lights to replace the integrated LED units, one of which had broken down twice. The first time the LED unit lasted 4 yrs and started flashing and then went dim. Replaced with same unit from Lowes, it lasted 4 months and went dim. Still don't know why LED units failed, wondered if related to voltage issues. I replaced with standard fixtures.

This is called phantom voltage. When a cable is powering a device a field is generated, this field then induces a voltage on any wires in close proximity to the live wire. There is no problem here, this is related to how transformers work. I have seen phantom voltages close to the line voltage where there is a long run of multiple cables in parallel. The higher impedance the meter, the higher the voltage will be displayed. Their are low-Z or impedance meters that load the circuit enough to dampen the phantom voltages. But low-Z meters are not as sensitive for accurate measurements of electronic circuits so they are somewhat uncommon. I would not worry.


If you got 120 volts of current on each leg of a 50amp breaker but only 25v on each wire going into the stove outlet ,what could be the problem? If you got 120 volts of current on each leg of a 50amp breaker but only 25v on each wire going into the oven outlet what could be the problem?

You do not note where in the world you are, so this is tricky to answer well.  In the US each screw terminal on the 50amp two pole 240V breaker should measure 120V to ground or neutral, and 240V terminal to terminal.  At the range itself there should be an outlet with four openings.  The two small rectangular pins opposite each other should be about 240V as the meter is showing in the below image, and the rest of the pins should be about 120V relative to each other.  If the voltage is off by more than a few percent on any of the measurements, there is probably a break in the wire of one or more pins.  With a voltmeter it is possible to read voltage that has leaked from other sources, so low numbers should generally consider to be open circuits.

You may have to trace the wire through the house and figure out what has been done. Often you'll find that some previous owner rerouted it for a new electric dryer or hot tub (if there was a gas stove there and the range plug was unneeded at the time).  For your own safety I recommend contacting with a locally licensed electrician for repairs.


Is it ok to wait several days (after undercoating) before applying an oil-based top coat? I'm painting the woodwork in my house, and I am hoping to apply gloss undercoat one week, and then apply two coats of gloss top coat the next week. I'm aware that I have a limited period of time to apply the second layer of top coat after the first (presumably so that the paint is still tacky so that the second coat bonds), however I am unsure whether a similar time window exists after applying the gloss undercoat.

So basically, is it ok to leave gloss undercoat for about 5 or 6 days before applying the topcoat?

The paints I am using are:

Dulux Trade Undercoat (also see spec sheet PDF)
Dulux Trade High Gloss (also see spec sheet PDF)

Yes, it's okay to wait 5-6 days before applying the top coat.  The only consideration would be the settling of airborne particles on the surface during the intervening time period (ie. such that may occur because of nearby construction or cooking within the home and/or the use of fans which may stir up a significant amount of dust).

Note, per the spec sheets of the products you are using, there is a minimum amount of drying time between coats; not a maximum amount of time.


Reusing drywall sheets I need to fix drywall ceiling and replace a couple of panels. I do have a few sheets taken off from another room (also from the ceiling), which means they're coated on one side, tape has been ripped off.
Most importantly, there are rips from screws which I could not find to unscrew,  I simply pulled the panels down leaving the screws in  the joists.
Overall they're OK, but have some bulges and rips on the back.
Now having said all this; Would it be OK to re-use such drywall sheets?  I could carefully fix those rips and bulges.
On the other hand, maybe durability of the panels now has suffered?

I would not try to reuse drywall especially on a ceiling. The strength is in the paper and it is torn and the gypsum is now broken so trying to reuse is not a good idea. A small piece sure but the texture on that will make reuse more of a problem than it will save so no it is not usually a good idea even for a home job where you are doing the labor and not paying extra for that time. In truth I don’t even save new pieces less than 1/2 sheet because they are just not worth packing to a new job.


Hurricane ties installed using joist hanger nails top AND bottom. Should I yank them out? I'm using double sided hurricane ties to secure my joists to my beams for a deck I am building.  The tie looks like below:

I had been using 1.5" joist hanger nails for the 6 holes at the top that connect to the joist and then some 10d nails to connect the bottom 4 holes to the beam.

A friend of mine was helping me and ended up using joist hanger nails for the 4 holes on the bottom as well.

I have a bad feeling that these are not going to cut it and that I should yank the nails in the bottom 4 holes and replace with some 10d nails.  Thoughts?

Nah - most of the strength is in shear, and joist hanger nails are nice and fat so they have good shear strength.

also, yanking them is likely to be harder than you think.

The actual nailing schedule seems to be here:

http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/H.asp

That suggests that 10d are one size larger than you should use in a model H1Z hanger (since that's the one you pictured and you did not give a model, I have to assume that's the model you have.) The specs call for 8dx1-1/2 (joist hanger) and 8d (standard 2-1/2") - if you are forcing 10d in there they might end up weaker due to surface damage.

The table appears to include a column for "uplift with 8dx1-1/2" implying that installing them with joist hanger nails everywhere is not unheard of. It changes the uplift from 585 to 455 pounds (per hanger) on the H1 size hanger (Z is a coating suffix) (those values are for "DF/SP" presuambly douglas fir and similar quality spruce - for "SPF/HF" the difference is only 400 lbs .vs. 370 lbs.


Need help choosing correct wire to a detached garage What size wire is needed from a 200 amp home box going 175 feet to a panel in detached garage. Would it be 3 wire or 4 wire?

In the current era, for a garage you had better plan a feed that can support EV charging, at least, even if you don't currently plan to do that. You've provided no load information, so picking a wire size is speculative at best.

4 wire is required, barring some exceptions that are unlikely to come into play economically at this distance (such as using transformers for longer distances, but they would not be cost-effective at this distance .vs. larger wire.)

Use conduit (trenches are expensive, conduit is cheap) and put in at least one spare conduit for communications circuits, since (trenches are expensive, conduit is cheap.)

Use a large panel with many spaces - the amp rating of the panel is mostly irrelevant (you can have a 200A main breaker panel and feed it with a 50A breaker - the 200A main is just serving as the required switch in that case.)


OK to not vertically center TV wall mounting plate? I have recently purchased this TV which I am hoping to wall mount (with an articulating arm):

https://www.lg.com/us/tvs/lg-55UK7700PUD-4k-uhd-tv

Per the specs, the TV is compatible with VESA 300x300 mounts. Take a look at the 4th and 6th images at the link above, and you may notice my problem. Any mount that extends to fit 400x400 (or more), if installed perfectly centered with the mount points, will run into the protruding part at the bottom of the TV. I haven't yet found a mount that would fit my TV that wouldn't require such an extension.

It seems that X-style mounts are out of the question. My question is if I get a rectangular-style mount with a 400x400 extension, would there be any long-term issues (stress, etc.) with mounting it above-center vertically, where I would use the "400mm" points at the bottom of the mount and "200mm" points at the top of the mount? For example, just to pick a mount, if I were to get something like https://www.amazon.com/Mounting-Dream-Bracket-Articulating-400x400mm/dp/B00QOOZ4DE, could this be (properly) installed on the TV above?

There should be no problem using the mount linked to mount that TV.  The TV is only 35 pounds and most mounts are over engineered for their weights and the mount listed will handle 60 pounds.


How to make an internal hinged door harder to open I have a one and half year old who often opens the internal hinged door which would give him access to the stairs and outside. The door is nonlockable and we wouldn't want to it be lockable. Its second latch (?)- hidden metal thing part of doors mechanism that joins the door to side that keeps a door shut- is broken.

There are premade solutions for that situation, try searching the web for "toddler proof doorknob." Here's a random one from Target.

This one is designed for your style handle. Keep in mind that it will only work if the door handles turn independently. ie, can you open the door without moving the interior handle?

In a worst-case scenario you would need to replace the lever with a conventional round knob and place a childproof cage on one side. That's a simple project you can do on your own.


How do I weatherize an MDF shed? I had some spare MDF lying around, and didn't have much to do with it. We needed somewhere to shove our grill and gardening tools, so a couple of screws later I now have a reasonably unattractive MDF shed, built as a 3:4 triangle to fit under the stairs of the apartment above us.

I just realized that this thing may not hold up the best in weather. What's the proper sealing method -- polyurethane, epoxy, ... -- to keep MDF well-formed in the elements? This thing shouldn't be getting all that wet (since it's going to be under the neighbors' stairs, which have open backs) but it will be dripped on regularly. Also, I live in LA, so humidity isn't really a concern either.

Use an oil based paint, not latex. You have to coat the entire thing, including the bottom. This will help repel water.


Bathroom window block joints getting green I am a first-time homeowner and I started seeing the color of the material between window blocks of my bathroom turn green over the 6 month time period of moving in. I am wondering:

what is the cause
what type of material is that
how to possibly fix it

P.S, I live in an upper midwest of the U.S. so it gets very cold during the winter.

The mortar /grout between the blocks needs to be cleaned and sealed, I use a 3% hydrogen peroxide and water solution to take care of mold.
Once cleaned I would recommend a sealer be applied any quality tile/grout sealer will keep this from happening or reduce it for several years.

What’s happening, the rough surface catches dust, soap and fine debris, being in a moist or damp area mold starts growing. There are many products on the market at your grocery store that will help with mold removal but cleaning and sealing is the first step.

The next step is to make sure during/ after showering the exhaust fan is running this will reduce the moisture in the bathroom. In my area a 15 minute timer for the extractor fan in the bathroom has been required for a few years. When the lights are turned on the fan starts and keep running for 15 minutes after the lights go out. With new tightly built homes this significantly reduces the possibility of mold growth in the Pacific Northwest and will help anywhere.


Why are "Attefallshus" (Attefall houses) in Sweden not allowed to be on a land without a big house already on it? Since 2014, house owners are allowed to have this kind of "mini house" built on their property. It's treated as a "real house", with its own address and somebody can live there and everything. However, you aren't allowed to skip the "big house" and only put an Attefallshus (or two of them, or three) on an empty plot of land.
This is extremely frustrating to me, since I cannot afford any of these insanely overpriced houses, but I would on the other hand be able to (just barely) afford an Attefallshus on an empty square of grass. It would be enough for me to live inside alone, albeit somewhat claustrophobic. Still, it sure beats being homeless.
Why do they force me to buy an impossibly expensive "real" house of a much larger size and to then have this as an "extra" home? Why can't I just buy a cheap plot of land and have the Attefallshus delivered/installed on it, and live like that, with no "main" house? What possible reason could there be for them disallowing this? I really don't understand their reasoning. They explicitly disallow it, but don't explain why.
I would've asked this in the "Sweden" Stack category, but there is no such thing. Maybe there's a similar law in the USA or something, or you could maybe give an educated guess.
If you are curious what they look like, this is an example of one (bunch of photos): https://www.bjurfors.se/sv/tillsalu/stockholm/stockholm/alvsjo-herrangen/noaks-vag-3d/#bilder

Property values.
The same issue is coming up everywhere. In the old days, it was about mobile home parks. And subsidized housing (which tends to be "as small as the builder can get away with"). Now it is tiny houses. But the basic problem is the same:
Existing homeowners, and their elected officials, know that if there are a lot of smaller/cheaper housing units then it will, inevitably, lower the value of the larger units. If you currently have a large mortgage and a change will make your house be worth less, you want to prevent that from happening. Ironically, allowing tiny houses as add-ons to existing property does the exact opposite - having a second unit (as a rental or for a relative) increases property values.
In certain cases - with the smallest/simplest "houses" - there are very real differences that can very seriously justify not allowing them as the only building on a residential property:

Bathroom - including toilet, sink, tub or shower
Kitchen - oven + cooktop + sink + refrigerator
Minimum living space per person - this is a little more subjective, but it is quite clear that while a full-size house might be fine for anywhere from 1 - 8 people (and depending on the size of the house, possibly more), a tiny house might be practical only for between 1 - 3 people.
HVAC - This depends a lot on climate, but building codes normally enforce certain minimums so that a house can be kept at a comfortable temperature year-round.

So a "super tiny" house that doesn't have its own bathroom and/or kitchen would be, arguably, inappropriate as the only building on a residential property. The Attefallshus appears to satisfy these basic "livability" requirements. Which, to me, indicates the restrictions are based much more on NIMBY than actual practical concerns.
Many other things are more subjective. For example, many apartment buildings are not designed with laundry machines in every unit, so requiring a washer/dryer in every tiny house would seem a bit arbitrary.
Long-term, it seems to be generally better in many ways to allow for a variety of housing options. But in the short-term it is always "how does this affect me". The people living in the big houses count. The people who would be living in the small houses don't count, because they are not there yet!


How to cut angled pipe for a segmented/lobster back bend? I'm trying to create a segmented/lobster back bend out of some straight sections of 200mm diameter acrylic pipe, like so:

As you can see the bend is made from two types of parts: Part 1, which is a section of straight pipe with one end cut at an angle, and Part 2, where both ends are cut at an angle. Some drawings of the two parts are shown below:

Part 1 drawing:

Part 2 drawing:

I'm trying to figure out how I can go about making these pipe sections. The problem boils down to two questions:

What's the best tool to cut reasonably precise angles (say, nearest 0.5-1 degree) for such a large pipe diameter (200mm)?
Cutting Part 2 might be more tricky because I need to make sure that the pipe doesn't rotate around its longitudinal axis when I come to cut the second angle. Otherwise, when I put the bend sections together, the pipe will start to form a sort of spiral. How can I go about cutting those sections?

I think the answer in both cases is a handsaw in a mitrebox. For 200mm pipe, that's probably going to be a home-made mitrebox with 250mm tall sides and 200-202 mm between the sides.

The simplest solution to the second problem for relatively short segments is to make the box long enough to cut both angles without moving the pipe, and clamp it in place - perhaps with wedges, or perhaps a strap clamp or hose clamp attached to the bottom of the box.