Storm-chasing contractors and insurance claims This is the year we planned to replace our roof. When we bought the house five years ago, the home inspector told us that it was coming up on being due, so it was the next big thing on our list after taking care of a few other important elements over the last few years. We had a couple of big windstorms a few months ago, and lost a couple of shingles which I replaced, but I didn't think any more about it (that just happens, right?).

A roofing company representative knocked on the door the other day and volunteered to check the roof for us. They found a bunch of damage from the windstorms that had escaped my amateur eye. With our authorisation, they filed an insurance claim on our behalf. The insurance adjuster was here today, and he indicated that the claim would be paid. I now have a figure from the insurance company, and am wondering how to proceed.

We have signed documents agreeing that the roofing company that filed the claim on our behalf gets to do the job. I have no qualms with that --- we were going to pay for the whole job ourselves, so we're very happy to only pay a deductible, and we wouldn't be in this situation without them. But, now that I have a figure, is the roofing company going to play games with me? Are they going to charge more than what insurance is going to pay out, leaving me more out of pocket than might otherwise be? How do I proceed in negotiating with the roofing company?

(Sorry if this is not relevant to this StackExchange: it's related to home improvement, but not DIY. Happy to take it somewhere else if mods suggest.)

The universal rule is that if the vendor solicits you instead of the other way 'round, he has stacked the deck in his favor at your expense. Either in cost or quality. This is what you pay for the convenience.

If you signed papers then it sounds like the negotiation phase ended.

Your next step is to read the papers you did sign, and see what you are allowed to do, and what you are obliged to do.

We can't guess because we didn't read them either :)

In the future, never, ever, ever, ever, ever hire a company you learn about because they solicited you.  You are welcome to say "Get off my property" then use it as a tickler to remind you to do your own self-initiated search for respectable roofing vendors.  Also beware of social media which is easily faked like Facebook, or in the business of referrals like Angie's List.  Yelp tends to be full of salty gripers, but it's actually not half bad for this, because they really work to keep corruption/fake reviews off.

Also in the future, read before you sign (recommended: never sign the same day). Most people believe "keeping your word" is a cornerstone social value, essential to honesty.  Well, think about it, how can you keep your word if you don't know what your word is?


Is this wall load bearing? i recently bought a very old house and wanted to start renovating asap.

I want to take out this wall but i am unsure if its load bearing.

The only thing bearing on that wall are shampoo bottles.
Knock away.  The wall is empty.  Note that the end of the porcelain tub is open,
so something will have to go back to cover it up.  When it's open you can inspect under the tub for horrors.

But you'll also want to remove the wall sheathing all around that tub, and read up about flashing and backer board.


My light wiring has 2 white wires & one black wire Basement finished few years ago, and electrician did all the wiring and gone. All lights have been working fine for several years. I recently had the need to change a light fixture, and noticed that the existing light fixture box, when opened, the fixture uses white cables on both the sides of the fixture (instead of one white and the other black). My new fixture has black and white wires. I am confused as to where should I connect the white and the black, the fact that there is no black wire used by the existing light fixture.

Apologies for the correction. My light fixture actually has one black wire and 2 separate white wires connected to two screws on the existing light fixture. My question is, how do I connect the 2 white wires to the new fixture's white wire (can I connect all three with a cap)?

Just wirenut the two white wires that were connected to the old fixture to the white wire from the new fixture

Since we have a black wire (our switched hot) coming from the switch, and its matching white (always-hot in the switch loop) nutted to two black wires in back, we know that the black wire landing on the fixture is a switched-hot, and the two white wires landing on the current fixture must then be neutrals.  So, simply nut both of the white neutrals together and to the new fixture's neutral, and you'll be good.


Installing a dimmer switch for a ceiling fan I have a ceiling fan with a lights that have to separate switches- one to control the fan on/off, and another to control the lights on/off.  I want to put a dimmer on the light switch only but I most of what I have looked at warns against certain setups- I just want to make sure adding a dimmer switch for the light only won’t put the house at any risk. Can anyone provide some clarification? TIA.

Dimming the lights only is fine here

The problem that you're being warned about is that a dimmer switch designed for lights will not have a good time of things if you hook a fan up to it.  Since you have separate switches controlling your lights and fan, using a dimmer with sufficient rating for the lights installed into your fan+light combination to control the lights will be fine.


How to insulate the inside of a door I am building a sliding door with a frame made of 2x2s covered with plywood panels on each side. I would like to make it reasonably soundproof and was planning on filling the void with some insulation material.

What would be a good material to use in between the panels of plywood?

Here's a peek at what the door will look like: https://s3-production.bobvila.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/DIYSlidingDoor_Step07.jpg

I would consider some of that "solid" expanded foam insulation with or without aluminum facing...

Should be available in a 2" thickness, cut to fit and possibly glued should work well.


How many "layers" of surge protection is considered useful? I want to make my whole house surge protected, there are several solutions available

You can install MOV based surge protection on the entire house in line entry point - first line of defense
You can use socket surge protection, MOV based as well - third defense line, protecting individual appliance
Junction box SPD if such a thing exists - second line of defense.

How much of such defensive layers of surge protection makes sense to install from economical and technical point of view?

Before you even start on surge protection, look at your service entrance ground and consider adding to it if it's inadequate by current standards (it may well have been adequate by code when it was built, and still be underbuilt by current standards.)

For instance, if there's a single ground rod, you might consider adding 1, 2 or even 3 more spaced 8-10 feet apart. An effective ground is the backbone on which anything else you do to deal with surges rests - if it's not good, nothing else will work very well.

The answer I linked in the comment explains pretty much what I do, which is a somewhat layered approach. I guess I can link it again here. What does a surge protector do that a breaker doesn't?

The version of "whole house" protection I use is not a "plugs into the panel like a set of breakers" thing, so you could run a second set in a (preferably steel) junction box closer to the end-use point if you wanted to. I think they fit inside a 6x6x4 box.


What are the downsides of using plasterboard for a (short) HVAC duct? I need to run a 2 foot extension from a metal HVAC duct. The extension will go through a wall.  What are the downsides of framing this extension with plasterboard rather than sheet metal?

It would be easier to put a piece of ductwork in than the drywall.  You can always use flexible duct work.


How to repair this shower/bathroom wall for bathroom remodel. I have a nasty bathroom downstairs. It looks like the previous owners built it over a floor drain, not entirely sure if this is a good thing or not (not even sure if that's what they did but see attached photos for the washer height knobs).

Obvious water damage behind the shower area. Needs to be gutted and rebuilt.

I just don't exactly know where to start or what are the obvious noob mistake that will cost me later.

I'm comfortable with soldering, drywall, tiling,etc. I've never built a  wall or frame before so I probably need the most guidance there.

Any help is appreciated. Good books or other references would be awesome.

Specific question: Are there any specific issues that might cause bigger problems later on (from first answer full stud replacement vs patch) when I repair/replace this wall?

Photos:

Click for larger view

A floor drain is no problem in a bathroom, in fact that's a bonus! Just don't let it dry up.

As for where to start, here is a general guideline:

Tear out all the drywall and to expose any rotten areas.
Replace rotten studs, one at a time (full-length, don't patch). You don't won't to remove a whole wall at once, it may be load-bearing. Put in temporary studs for any iffy areas.
Fix the plumbing.
Choose your shower-surround (tile, fibreglass, etc...) and finish accordingly.

Also, whichever product you choose for waterproofing your shower will usually have their own specifications on how to waterproof on their websites. For example: Kerdi and Nobleseal. These two companies also have very helpful technical support departments and local sales reps.

An example of an "iffy area": If there are multiple studs all really rotten next to eachother and you are taking out one to replace it, the remaining load of the floor/roof over your head is now on all those rotten studs... That is an iffy situation, in my opinion.


110v Gas Range to existing 220v NEMA 10-50 outlet What's the EASIEST way to plug my 110v gas range into existing 220v NEMA 10-50 outlet.
Much appreciated,
Jeff

There is no way to do this with adapters.

I take it there's no ground wire in your receptacle junction box.

Neutrals are white or gray.  Grounds are green or bare.  Any other color is a "hot" and there's no standard.  Your two  "hots" might both be black, might both be red, might be red and black, who knows.

In every case you'll tear out the NEMA 10-50 receptacle and throw it in the trash.  That is a dangerous and obsolete outlet, you'll never use it again.

In every case you'll need to change the 40A or 50A breaker in the service panel to a 15A or 20A breaker.   If you know what you're doing, you can make it a single-pole breaker and cap off the unused "hot" and install a cover or spare breaker in the now-empty hole.

You may run into wires that won't fit on outlet terminals.  In that case, get a short length of the smaller wire, wire-nut the fat wire to one end, and put the other end into the screw terminal of the outlet.  Done.

Option 1: Replace with GFCI

Get a GFCI outlet.   Make all your connections to the "LINE" side.

Hot (brass terminal) goes to one of the "hot" wires. Neutral (silver terminal) goes to neutral obviously.  Button it up; done.   Put the "No Equipment Ground" sticker on the GFCI outlet.

This provides no grounding whatsoever to the stove, but gives protection by sensing current leakage.  If you get shocked, it'll turn the power off very quickly.

Option 2: Normal outlet, steal a ground.

Illegal until your town adopts NEC 2014.

Hot (brass terminal) goes to one of the "hot" wires. Neutral (silver terminal) goes to neutral obviously.   Bring a ground wire over from wherever you can using any route that works and is legal.  The ground wire can go to any other grounded circuit whose breaker is in the same panel.  It doesn't need to follow the same route as the original wires, but it'll help the next guy understand if you do.

This answer also applies if, by luck, there's already a ground wire or solid metal conduit back to the panel.  You get the ground right there.

Option 3: Re-task wires (illegal)

Illegal because it's illegal to re-mark a "hot" wire to be a neutral or a neutral to be a ground.  It's not dangerous to users (if wired right) but it could create a problem if another person later works on the wiring and makes a misconnection because he didn't understand what was done.  NFPA's logic is "thinner wires are cheap, just use the right colors, darn it."

You must tear out the 2-pole breaker and replace it with a 1-pole breaker.   Mark one of the "hot" wires with white tape - this is now neutral.  Tear all the insulation off the neutral wire - this is now ground.  Move the new-ground wire to the ground bus (may be the same) and the new-neutral wire to the neutral bus.

Now, up at the receptacle, figure out which "hot" is still hot and which was re-tasked to neutral.  There should be 0 ohms between neutral and ground, and infinity between hot and the neutral/ground if the breaker is off.  Mark the wires up there the same way.

Now install a 120V receptacle in the conventional way.

This solution is illegal since you're not allowed to re-mark colored wires as neutral, nor white wires as ground.

Option 4: do something lame with ground - illegal, dangerous and stupid.

I'm not even going to discuss this.


How do I install this motion-sensing light switch? My existing conventional light switch was connected only to the red (top, painted over somewhat) and black (bottom) wires shown here. I just bought a Lutron motion-sensing switch and its instructions say it requires grounding.

The new switch has a bare wire and a green wire coming out of it for grounding, but I'm not sure what to do with those. I tried leaving the ground wires dangling in the back and merely connecting the red and black wires from the wall to the switch, as was done with the existing switch, but it did not work.

From what I can understand, the wiring coming from the wall is already grounded because it is attached to the electrical box itself in two places (see photo) using a screw. Do I need to unscrew that and attach the new switch's ground wires to that connection point?

You're required by law to follow the labeling and instructions.   This is not optional.

Fortunately, your box contains both real neutral and real ground, so you can provide whatever any smart switch will require.   The switched hot is a red wire, which makes it even more straightforward.  Unfortunately your drywaller or painter painted all your wires, very sloppy, so you'll need to scrape a bit to identify colors.

You can't put two wires on the same screw.   You would need to pull the solitary ground wire off the screw to the left, put a 6-8” pigtail ground wire n that same screw, then splice the pigtail, freed ground and smart switch grounds together.


how long to wait for re-painting one side of fence after pressure washing the otherside which is unpainted It hasn't rained much this summer, and not any in a week. Today, I've prepped (sanded, brushed off, wiped down with a damp sponge) the painted side of a 1x6 cedar privacy fence, which was last painted a couple years ago. Then I used a homeowner-class pressure washer to clean the other side, which is untreated/unpainted roughsawn ceder. Can the painted side be repainted now with latex paint (not stain)? I say yes. Wife says no.

Edit: I think I answered my own question. It is a matter of new paint bonding to old paint. The old paint would be sealing off this bond from any moisture from the pressure washing of the otherside that would over the next week/month raise the moisture content of the wood just under the old paint.  She agrees.  She treats tonight !

It's my understanding that latex paint bonds well to damp wood. I think you should have no problem with painting now


Is this ground attached to the wrong water pipe? I recently noticed that I have ground wires attached to metal water pipes in my home, as shown in the following image.

The area marked A is where the water service enters the home with that blue handled valve being the main shut off.

The area marked B shows two exposed wires (assumed grounds) that are secured to the pipe which is the water heater's outgoing pipe.

Am I incorrect in thinking that the grounds should be secured to the other pipe, the one that brings water service into the home?

Grounding, bonding, water pipes, and your situation

The old-school way of grounding a house to the cold water pipe performed two functions, not just one:

It grounded the house electrical system to protect it against induced lightning and static charges
And it bonded the house plumbing to the electrical system to allow fuses to blow or breakers to trip if a wire faulted to the plumbing

Nowadays, Code requires us put in a dedicated electrode (ground rods or an Ufer for most folks) to deal with problem 1, and that's what you can do here -- running 6AWG copper from the main panel (optionally through a conduit) to a pair of ground rods spaced 8' apart and driven 8' into the ground will get you a serviceable grounding electrode in most areas.

You will still need to move the existing grounding/bonding wire from the hot pipe to the cold pipe and add a 6AWG jumper from the cold pipe to the hot pipe, though -- this will ensure that your piping is properly bonded to the electrical system so that you don't wind up with a shocking tub spout because the dishwasher shorted out.


Plumber wants to replace PRV valve into house at same time he is replacing hot water heater We are replacing our 16 year old hot water heater that has not be running the last day or so.  The plumber tested the water pressure of the tank at 90 PSI.  He said that is too high.  We had a PRV valve installed a couple of years ago where the water comes into the house.  The plumber is saying that it must be bad and it will need to be replaced with the water heater or it voids the warranty.
Is this true?

Normal household water pressure is about 40 to 50 PSI. A water heater pressure relief valve is normally set to to open at 150 PSI so 90 PSI voiding a warranty seems like a stretch. If in fact your pressure is at 90 PSI I'd be concerned about your faucets and appliances valves, ice makers, etc.. because 90 is too high.  I'd ask him to check it again and watch him do it (so you'll know how to do it in the future, LOL) if it's high, you might want him to do it. If you have him do it, think about also having him replace your main shut off as those almost always go bad and they're usually right next to the PRV. Good luck and stay safe out there.


How can I remove this stuck screw in my bathroom? I'm trying to remove this tower holder, but the screw is stuck. The hole seems to be a 2mm hexagonal socket, but the allen key turns and cracks without moving the screw.

I've tried other fixtures and some will unscrew just fine while others are more or less stuck. I suspect that all the rust caused tue socket to crumble when I tried to unscrew so now it's pretty much ruined.

Normally I would use a screw extractor for this job, but the piece is just too close to the wall and a drill won't fit. Maybe some kind of manual, small screw extractor could be used, if it even exists.

I've considered several options to deal with this:

superglue the allen key in the socket and turn it with a hammer. Most likely the glue won't handle it
use a left-hand tapper to grip in the screw and unscrew it. I would need to buy such a tapper just for this job and most likely would break it
grind the s**t out of that thing with an angle grinder, it would take much time and I would prefer not to

Any ideas on a technique/device I could use?

I like the approach of going in from the front offered by dandavis. But, you have some others. First, it bears mentioning that you should duct tape a piece of thin sheet metal you have handy out from the set screw to protect the surface.

Before we begin, did you try some Kroil and a larger key first? It could be it's reluctant because the threads are slightly corroded. I think trying to use a binary epoxy to spin it out is likely to fail.

Some other options depending  are:

Use a flexible shaft to hold your bit.
Use an extended drill bit.
Instead of a grinder, use a cut-off wheel on a
grinder or cut-off tool. This way you're slicing through what you
need to. It's tough to determine what the dimensions are, but if you have a 3" wheel, you should be able to get rid of that set screw without many issues.

Good luck!


How do I replace and insert what kind of missing pin - bolt in a home fused disconnect box? Power from Hydro (the electric company) runs into this disconnect box then continues to the meter. I'm looking for help as to what I should use to replace the missing bolt or pin that connects the on/off lever clip? Am I correct that current doesn't run through the clip area?

An electrician wants 150 bucks for what looks like a 2 minute job. Hydro is putting the squeeze on me to get this done as they are sticking me with a smart meter.

Contact the manufacturer.  These things are not listed for unit repair using random hardware store parts.  Expect Hydro to disapprove any funny looking repairs.

That is not simply a lever.  There's a mechanism in there, that is important to the ability to "break" high current flows.

Do not attempt any repair without consulting with the manufacturer. If this is a common thing with an easy and proper fix, they will have it.

Regardless, this job is a big problem because this equipment is hot at all times.  If it's before the meter, even pulling the meter will not de-energize it; which makes working on it a dicey affair even for an electrician.  This is an unfused load that could pull as much as 25,000 amps straight off the transformer.  At this scale, arc-flash gets serious.

It is excessively rare for me to say "this should not be DIYed", but if pulling the meter won't de-energize it, I so say.  In that case, to de-energize it, they would need to get in a bucket and go unhook it from the pole line.  Once thus de-energized, have a field day, but again don't do any repairs the manufacturer doesn't endorse. I would sooner just replace the box with one that will be reliable.


Do 240 volt dryers need to be AFCI protected Under 2014 NEC do 240 volt dryer sockets need to be AFCI protected?

I see paragraphs specifying that single phase 125 volt circuits must be protected, but I have not found specifications for two phase 240 volt circuits.

No -- the 2014 NEC only calls out AFCIs for 120V, 15 and 20A outlets -- the dryer is 240V, so it doesn't need an AFCI.

  210.12 Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection. Arc-
  fault circuit-interrupter protection shall be provided as required in 210.12(A) (B), and (C). The arc-fault circuit interrupter shall be installed in a readily accessible location.

  (A) Dwelling Units. All 120-volt, single-phase, 15- and
  20-ampere branch circuits supplying outlets or devices installed in dwelling unit kitchens, family rooms, dining
  rooms, living rooms, parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms,
  sunrooms, recreation rooms, closets, hallways, laundry areas, or similar rooms or areas shall be protected by any of
  the means described in 210.12(A)(l) through (6):


Adding insulation to exterior wall; remove stucco cladding, or add on top of it? I have an exterior stucco wall that's not in super great condition. The outermost-layer was applied very badly and is flaking off, so doing a patch job or yet another layer seems like a bad idea because the layer it would be adhering to is itself not adhering well. As part of this project, I will be adding rigid foam insulation to the exterior side of the wall. My question is this: can I reasonably screw-and-glue the rigid panels right over the existing stucco cladding, or should I really remove all the prior layers of stucco first and attach the foam directly to the wall sheathing? Advantages and disadvantages to each?

I thought I remembered that you had asked questions about other portions of work related to your house. I checked back to it and seen you are prepared to do anything that is going to give the best result, with good reason. Shortcuts can work, and may even give the same look, but if you are going to go through a major renovation, a shortcut can cost in the long run if you plan to keep your home for years. Because of what you propose to do, if done incorrectly can cause your home to degrade before its time. My answer will tie in a bit to the question you asked about sequence of work. It may repeat some things, it may elaborate on some. I hope it will wrap it all up for a supreme product, and with the help of others comments, even pick up on some extra good advice.

First I would remove all the stucco, leaving the windows intact, since the stucco only meets the window trim and will be easy to salvage the windows integrity for now. This will give you an opportunity to inspect all the sheathing, and with that the framing too. I will hazard a guess that the sheathing is a diagonally laid 1X6 or something similar. If the sheathing has major issues, it is easy to repair at this point and when you remove the sheathing to repair it, it will then be obvious if the framing is affected as well.. then of course a call will need to be made how to approach those repairs too. As in cut sheathing, sister studs or ?? then replace the removed sheathing with plywood, just in the repair area.

Next is to decide what type of weatherproofing you will choose to place over the now bare wood subsiding and foundation prior to adding the insulation a few steps down the line. If you go with a layer of exterior insulation over the foundation as mentioned in a prior question, I would use a liquid applied waterproofing membrane (LAWM) on the foundation walls and brought up onto the wood to seal the foundation to the wood above. Backer rod and other compatible sealants may be needed in conjunction with the LAWM, with the rest of the package I will detail, wood boring insects will have a hard time getting to the wood. A word of economics, this stuff (LAWM) cost about 3 times the amount of house wraps. If you simply place the foam on the foundation wall, termites and such will have a protected haven to travel to your framing. The Tremco (no, I do not work for them nor am I a paid endorser) line of products is what the company I worked for applied to accomplish this. The thinset used to bond the foam to the wall for the EIFS system should stick to it and grab. A test spot would confirm.

Once the foam is on the foundation and the waterproofing under it, the waterproofing should extend 4" or so above the foam to tie in the first piece of through-wall flashing. Copper is best, ZT alloy is better, do not use galvanized metal, and I would question if even a PVC coated heavy aluminum would not corrode with the layer of modified cement that is used in the EIFS system. Whatever metal is used the upper leg that mounts to the wall should be no taller than 3" so it can be tied into the lower level of waterproofing and insuring crawling bugs can go no further. Above this flashing, but lapping over the 3" leg applied to the building, you can use a house wrap of your choice. Although I would still use a liquid applied membrane approved for use above grade. This material is different than what is used on the foundation wall. Both products seal around nails that go through the membrane, but do not pull the nails out if one is driven badly. The material seals around the nail shank, but will not seal the hole after the nail is pulled. This will have your walls dried in after this phase.

Next will be the window replacement. Pull your old windows after the ROs if needed, repair the last bit of framing that the windows concealed. Add 2X2s at the sides and head of each opening if you plan to have nail fins or brick molding around the windows. If the windows will have a nail fin at the bottom, add a 2X2 there also. Omit if there is no brick mold there. Finish detailing the house wrap into the window openings before the 2X2s are applied. Add 2X2s before you touch up the LAWM, and coat the RO and 2X2s  with the LAWM. If you use house wrap, install a plastic pan made for window ROs and tie it in with roofing nails with the heads overlapping the plastic flanges on the side and tie in with approved tape. What will be the drip edge of the plastic pan will be over the house wrap, so when the windows do leak, which they will in time, the framing is protected. If you use LAWM you will not need a pan, but I would set an angled sill  (7 degrees+/-) so what water gets in, readily goes out. Set your new windows, do not use replacements, if you do there will be a break in your weather envelope, since these type of windows install in existing jambs.

Next flash your windows and doors with the same material used at the watertable (top of foundation). As a mention, this foundation flashing is bent so it is out far enough to allow the finish to go under its drip edge, about 3/8" past the foam will do here. This will not need to be done at the windows, just the foundation. If using house wrap, flash the sides of the windows to protect the 2X2s from moisture. This can be done before the windows are set also. Then set the top flashing last. I usually run the head flashing 1/4" past the sides of the window to protect the caulk joint at the top. When I caulk the sides, I start under that small extension of the flashing:  that way rain water will not get behind the siding from the top. The flashing is not set flat either, I do not bend my flashing at a 90 degree bend, more like 80 and press it in so the flashing flexes down tightly at the outside corner of the window trim and angles up to meet the subsiding. This creates a positive fall so weather will not run back to the framing, and I do not caulk the top, caulk will hold in water as well as keep it out.
I got a little ahead of myself in some places, but after the flashing is set, install the upper run of foam, nailed in place if you like and add the stucco finish.

Depending what type of trim you use around the windows, for example, if you use a 5/4 material or brick mold, you can add 2" of foam, get real good R value, and still have a nice trim detail exposed beyond the stucco. Maybe even trim the windows with EIFS.

Just my 2 cents worth.


OK to disconnect ice maker/water dispenser in new refrigerator? We have to replace our current refrigerator because there's mold in the insulation in the door where the water dispenser is. When we shopped for a new refrigerator, we tried to find one without a water dispenser/ice maker, but they're hard to come by. I'm wondering if it would be OK to never connect the dispenser/ice maker in the new refrigerator to a water supply. We would just never use them. Would that do any damage or affect the way the refrigerator/freezer works? Thank you.

Ones without water dispensers are readily available.  It may be hard to find one without an ice maker.

You don't need to connect the ice maker (and water dispenser) water line, and lack of water won't hurt anything.

Ice makers can be shut off by just positioning the ice sensor bar in the up position.  But there may also be a simple way to disconnect it (like an electrical plug), so that it doesn't make noise if the bar accidentally gets lowered (it would make occasional clicking noises when it turns the water valve on and off, and motor whirring when it's time to dump the "ice").  It might even be possible to remove it and free up space, but that would probably require a technician.


TouchNGo opener failure to open When opening my garage door from my car, I note that, only recently, the door opens and then closes a few inches, and then opens a few inches, and so on. How do I fix this?

Probably by unhooking the opener, operating the door manually, noting were the problems are, and adjusting or lubricating or replacing bad rollers to restore smooth operation by hand, leading to smooth operation by opener.
If there are no problems, sticky spots, difficult areas of movement when operating by hand, the opener itself becomes suspect. Aside from checking it for needs in the lubrication and adjustment realm, that quickly bifurcates into

"replace the whole opener" (advantage - guaranteed item)
or

"start replacing parts" advantage - CAN be cheaper if the parts fix
the problem. Disadvantage - parts are often not returnable and may
not fix the problem, depending what the problem is, so there's a
potential for it to cost more if you end up needing to replace the
whole thing anyway.


How to remove handle from faucet without screw There is no brand name or any other mark on the faucet. I didn't find any set screws. When the plug on the top is removed, I can see the top of the stem. The handle is not attached to the bell part.
Can anybody suggest how to remove the handle so I have access to the leaking stem.

I suspect your faucet is similar in design to this Glacier Bay faucet. The replacement parts diagram shows a little "cap" (they call it an "Index") on top of the vertical section which covers a screw. Remove the cap and the screw and everything else should be accessible.


What kind of wiring/service are these wires for and how do I test them to find out? This group of wires is on the side of the house (no cover on the patch box).
I tried tracing some of them (the orange arrow) and that seems to terminate at a phone connector box.
The three wires that you see (green arrow) goes to the pole in the back alley.
I know that's not the main electrical service because I can see the line that goes to the weatherhead (no pictures showing this)
I'm trying to clean up unused wiring that running around the house.
How do test and figure out the wires? I guess as a precaution I should also test to make sure that there isn't high voltage.

** Update **
I finally cleaned up the cables. It turns out that many have already been disconnected/cut from old connections in the house. I was able to pull the cables that were under the crawlspace and they all terminated at the box. I also. called the phone company and they removed them from my property.

They're almost certainly phone cables. Whether they're live or not is unclear from my chair. You can disconnect them one at a time and verify that you still have service.

Phone and cable TV companies don't come back and remove wiring when service is cancelled. I've resorted to coiling up cables and hanging them on the pole in the alley, and when they weren't removed after several months I cut it off at head height and threw it away.


Why is double plate necessary in this case? I'm creating a 10'8" opening to my kitchen.
The architect proposed a double top plate with king stud, jack stud and (3) 2x12 header but would not explain why. The existing framing does not have the plate, it's just a 2x6 that sits inside a notch on the column.
What's purposed of having double plate and king stud when you can just have an LVL beam header with post that carries the load to the foundation wall?

The original framing here is balloon framing.  It doesn't work the same way that platform framing works.  (Platform framing variants are almost universal for well over 50 years in the US.)  The studs are continuous from the plate under the rafters to the sill on the foundation.
It replaced post and beam construction because it didn't rely on massive straight timbers for posts, beams, and girts.  It went out of style when it got to be hard to get lumber long enough for those long studs.

The board you're calling a header isn't really a header, it's a ribband or ledger.  The joists rest on the ribband, but are also face nailed to the studs, so the ribband doesn't do all of the transfer of the floor load to the studs.  The ribband doesn't span across openings the way a header or joist or beam does.
I don't have any technical understanding how window openings in balloon framing worked.  If you're used to platform framing headers, some of what you see in balloon framing looks like it wouldn't work.  But it has held up very well in homes built from the late 1800s to maybe 1930.  The walls are surprisingly strong.  They usually just have a single horizontal 2x4 spanning the small openings, maybe a doubled 2x4.  (Of course in those days, a 2x4 was really 2" x 4", and the quality of lumber in general was far better.)  I have seen pictures of much more elaborate methods, but haven't actually seen them in the wild.  I suspect they were used in the load bearing walls on bigger openings in high end homes.

I suspect it has something to do with balloon framing walls working as a structural assembly.  With the sheathing and the ribband, the headers don't support the entire weight above the window.  Since the studs are continuous, there are no cripples above the header, the studs above the header continue all the way up.  In a sense the headers they used, if you can even call them headers, hang from the studs above.
I am just guessing, but I don't think architects and engineers have a super detailed understanding of how balloon framing works like they do with platform framing.  Maybe your architect figured it was better to just overbuild it rather than try to figure out what's the minimum you can get by with.  They probably did you a favor - they'd have charged you more for the detailed analysis than you'd ever recover in the cost of lumber you save.


200 Amp exterior meter and disconnect with interior main panel Can I have an exterior 200A meter and disconnect with the 200A main panel in the interior some 20-30 ft. away? It has to meet California residential code.

I'm trying to avoid the cost of an exterior main panel in addition to a 200A interior sub-panel.

If so, what products should I look for for the exterior? I was thinking "meter socket with disconnect" but I can only find exterior panels.

Here is an elevation plan:

I currently have a 100A exterior panel at the meter which I need to upgrade to 200A but my contractor recommends having a panel in the interior hallway for convenience.

I can't add the panel close to the meter in the interior because of house configuration. It will have to be 20-30ft away.

Thanks.

I believe the Google words you are looking for are meter main or meter main combination.

As long as the wiring in your house is downstream of a main breaker (not merely disconnect), that is fine.  Remember since all the power from your service runs through it, you get to apply the  310.15(B)(7) derate of 83%; your wire only needs to be rated for 166A, not 200A.

This Article 310.15(B)(7) derate calculation replaces a table called 310.15(B)(7), and you will see that table all over the Web. The table is completely useless, and should be disregarded.


How can I switch between three devices on one 50A circuit? i have two welders and one plasma cutter all 220 volt @ 50 amps. I would like to run a cable to a welding table and have a way to switch power to three different outlets  on the table. Only one unit powered at any time. Can some tell what switch use?

If you are trying to connect switches to three different outlets the easiest method I can think of is mount a sub panel closest to the receptacles and connect each receptacle to a different 50A breaker. I think trying to find and purchase a heavy duty 240V/50A 3 position switch would probably be a little out of a DIY price range, as it is an industrial piece of equipment.

Hope this helps

FYI - From a commercial standpoint you can connect 50A receptacles together on a single circuit. I have done but the AHJ made us label each receptacle that only one receptacle could be used at one time.


How should I handle a deck beam member that's slightly shorter than the others? So, I had a load of wood delivered a few days ago for a deck build.  With the beams, I have one board that is about 1/4" smaller in width than the others.  What is the right way to deal with this?
A) Center it with the other 2x10 that I'm doubling it up with, leaving 1/8" top and bottom (guessing that it is newer wood, and will shrink equally)
B) Level the top of the double beam, leaving a 1/4" gap against the post.   Fill in that gap with a 1/4 shim.
C) Same as B, but level the base - but no shimming on top.  The joists will simply be "sitting" on one 2x10 instead of on both of them.

I don't like any of the A-C options presented here, the beam is a very important structural component and incorrect beam installations can compromise the entire deck. Shims, shortcuts and hoping for shrinkage are inappropriate. I would either:
D) Return/exchange the bad board for one that is proper size.
E) Trim the larger beam member to the same width (height, as installed) and adjust the post-beam notch or bracket to compensate for the slight decrease.
Of these two options, I favor option D but with sky-high lumber prices and low availability now (Summer 2021) that might be difficult.


Drain is starting to back up in basement I have an old house from the 60's. I have lived here for almost two years now. No flooding issues, previous owner had no flooding issues and my inspector said there were no signs of previous flooding. My condensate pump for my humidifier next to the drain starting running very loudly and I am going to replace it. I noticed on inspection that the drain nearby had visible water. I am surprised to see any water in the drain as my dehumidifier has not been running since October, maybe a couple times in November. The hose is connected to the dehumidifier. Should I consider this an emergency and call a plumber right away? I am honestly not sure how this drain works and there is no pump on it. I think it drains to somewhere outside the house, but it is a black box to me.

Like the commenters said, I think you're looking at the result of normal trap function. Water is retained to the level of the "weir", or the high point along the bottom of the drain pipe. This acts as a plug and prevents sewer gas from escaping into the home.

It probably looked about like this before time and nature had their way:


Can 12 gauge wire be inserted into 14 gauge switch connector sockets? Is it safe for a 12 gauge wire to be inserted into the 14 gauge slot on a light switch? I moved recently and was changing some light switches and noticed that several of the lights are wired this way.
Am I going to have to swap out all of these switches? These are single pole lights that have connections via both the screws and the slot being used.

That is a side clamp switch, and it's your friend. Unfortunately, whoever wired it didn't do a friendly thing.
This image is a snippet from yours:

Where that red arrow points is called a "backstab". It's quick and easy to install wires there, but, over time, the little piece of brass used as a spring clamp can wear out, leaving you with a loose connection. Loose connections lead to sparks and sparks lead to fires. Avoid backstabs at all cost.
Those green arrows point to the side clamps. You loosen the screw, strip your wire(s) bare, slip them into one or both of those little slots, then tighten down the screw. (Best bet is to use a torque screwdriver to be sure they're done properly.) Since these screws aren't under any stress, they are highly unlikely to ever back out without another application of a screwdriver and are, therefore, much more secure.
Just below where that wire enters the backstab, there should be a little rectangular slot. You can insert a small flat-blade screwdriver into that slot and wiggle the wire out. Screw it down under the clamp.
For the other wires on the other terminal, follow manassehkatz's suggestion to remove them both, pig-tail them with a 3rd piece of wire, then clamp the free end of that 3rd wire under the other screw. You can simply insert both wires into the two individual slots under the other screw and tighten them both down at the same time, but it's preferred to make a pig-tail and only have 1 connection to the switch. Either is code compliant.


Concrete cure time before laying hot asphalt beside? Let's say I pour concrete sidewalks (6" thick, 4' x 8'), how many days should I wait to have hot asphalt laid right beside it (it would butt to the short side - 4') ?

Was thinking of pouring the concrete on Tuesday, removing the forms on Wednesday, and have the asphalt laid on Thursday. Would this work ?

I am in Montreal, Canada. Forecasted temps are max 20C during daytime, 8C at night for the period in question (next week ;).

Thanks in advance for all advice you could bring me.

Concrete institute recommends not removing forms 2-3 days after a pour.

Concrete will reach 50% to 60% of it’s final strength in 7 days.

I’d wait 7 days so there’s no (minimal) deforming of the concrete edge.


My wall is over 25mm (1 inch) thick, what kind of screw/fastener do I use? So initially I thought I had a regular plasterboard. But I have a small measuring thing for wall depth, and after drilling a hole it seems it's deeper than 25mm. The plastboard thickness I see is 10 or 13mm online. So I am wondering if I even have plasterboard?

I am very new to this stuff so just sort of guessing. The apartment house is pretty old, I think it was built in 40s/50s. I am drilling the hole to fasten a standing shelf to it so that it doesn't fall over.

Do I just need a longer fastener? How can I determine how long do I need?

You almost certainly have plaster over "rock lath" which is a sort of early drywall board with holes in it for plaster to key into. Rock lathed plaster was common during that time--used as a time saving alternative to wood lath, but before taped and mudded drywall became popular. The board was 1/2", and the plaster another 1/2" or so. It's a very robust finish system for a wood-framed wall. Just find a stud and use longer screws.


Is there a difference between the two conductors in 120VAC wiring? With DC wiring, there is an obvious, positive 'hot' wire and negative/ground wire. In AC wiring is there still such a concept as a single 'hot' wire?

If yes, why is this since either wire will be at +/- 120VAC?

If there is only one 'hot' wire, then why is there an additional ground wire, if the neutral wire already is tied to ground?

Yes, there is a difference.  The hot wire (black in the US) carries 120VAC to an electrical load such as your TV or a lightbulb.  Most of that voltage is dissipated across the load, so that the voltage on the neutral line (white in the US) is very close to zero, but still AC.  The key point is that the neutral serves as the return path for the electrical current to the service panel: current into the load has to match the current out.  For example, a 60W light bulb will draw about 500mA of current, and that 500mA will be carried in on the hot wire and out on the neutral.

The ground lead, on the other hand, normally never carries current.  It is there to provide additional safety.  For example, if the hot wire comes loose in a device and touches a metal part, anything connected to that metal is now energized at 120VAC.  If you touch any exposed metal, you could get a shock.  On the other hand, if the device is grounded, when the hot wire touches the metal, the circuit breaker will trip, removing the hazard.


Supports for air handler block intake My air handler is supported by 2x4's which partially cover the filtered intake. I'd say there's 5-6" of blockage over the 21.5" filter size opening. Old air handler replaced after 12 years (due to outside coils leaking) was installed like this. I asked my contractor to fix this (twice) before installing a new unit, but they did not.

Is this going to negatively affect the performance or longevity of my split-system unit? Which parts will be affected? What is the proper method of supporting an air handler in a closet like this?

The short answer is Yes it will negatively affect the performance of the unit - lower air flow. The supports block the air from going through the opening - like closing off a portion of it.

So what does this do - it reduces the air flow (like a clogged filter) and what are the effects of dirty or clogged filters ?
That is your answer to how you will be impacted and what components will be impacted - BOTH the inside unit and outside unit - they need to work harder run longer.

How bad will the impact be ? Your air filter effectively becomes a 16 inch air filter and loses @ 5 inches times the width of the filter (the square inches of Area). You can ask the Manufacturer - email or call their tech support line and ask for details on your model air handler.

Aside from that answer - it does not really matter and here is why .. You asked the sales company / installer to fix that air handler mounting and they did not.

1: How did you pay them - credit card or on credit , cash , check ?

2: Call them back and have them fix it as you had requested, now is the time to do it - you simply wanted it done right and they did not follow your instructions - case in point would you accept it if they put a different unit in than the one you asked for (that was your instructions too) ?

If you paid with a credit card - if the company ho hums, drags feet or refuses to fix it .. dispute the charges and they will not get paid unless it is fixed.


Can I put a "U" turn in my range hood exhaust duct? In the photo below The red arrow represents the direction of the exhaust, as you can see there is a load bearing joist in the middle which I can't cut. I'm planning to build a recessed ceiling on that spot, so I can bend the exhaust in a 'U', going down and then up again, using 4 elbows.
I have had somebody say it wasn't a good idea because the grease will accumulate there, and be a fire hazard. What are your opinions on this? I'm kind of running out of ideas here and this feels better that cutting any kind of hole in that joist.

The person that told you grease will collect there was correct.
The other issue is each bend creates flow restrictions reducing the flow from the blower. Everything may work fine with 1 or 2 elbows but 4 is beyond the norm and your hood may not work well plus the built in grease trap.
I would try and lower the hood 4” and box that in it may look “different “ but a straight run until you can go up would be a better plan.


C wire problem for WiFi thermostat I’m trying to add c wire to furnace to run a WiFi thermostat but don’t know where to hook up c wire to get power to turn on thermostati have 2 extra wires just don’t know where to put one them to get power

A wiring diagram would be helpful. In leu of that , the transformer has 4 terminals. Two on the high voltage side and two on the low voltage side. It looks like the black and yellow wires on the transformer are the high voltage wires. The other side has a red with an inline fuse and a brown and green in the same terminal. The green goes to ground. The brown should be the common. There is likely a convenient place somewhere along this wire to hook to. The pictures aren’t too clear however so this should be verified with a wiring diagram.


laying stepping stones in gravel path I am planning to build a stepping stone walkway with little gravels filling the rest of the path. I read several instructions but still have some questions unanswered.

a) I understand that about 4" of gravel base is first poured and compacted and then about 1" of the leveling sand is used before the stepping stones are put. Should the leveling sand be also compacted?

b) What is the role of the leveling sand exactly? My guess is that it plays a role of a kind of buffer such that the top of the stepping stones are aligned. I also read that it prevents stepping stones from moving laterally. I just want to understand its intended role..

c) After the stepping stones are put, should I do something between the stepping stones before pouring the gravel fillers? Some articles say that additional leveling sand or polymeric sand should be poured between the stepping stones. Then, should I first fill the gaps between the stepping stones with sand and then the little gravels? Or, would it be ok to fill the gaps only with the gravels?

Sand is a material that is easily moved to get each stone at the proper level to the adjacent surfaces or stones. To set them directly on the gravel, would be difficult at best. When setting the stones on sand the stone is tapped in with a rubber mallet to essentially compact the sand. But am really getting the cart before the horse.

Starting with the gravel, with things needing to be done as quickly as possible to follow the old adage "time is money", if you are a builder/contractor, machinery is brought in to cut the sub grade low enough to accept the gravel base. A lot of time is not needed for this since the gravel will help flatten out high and low places to get it within a reasonable working plane. A big advantage of the gravel is good drainage, and in colder climates some protection against the forces of freeze-thaw, worth doing it on those merits alone.

With the gravel in place, graded pretty flat and compacted, one thing needs to be added that was not mentioned in your post, a layer of filter cloth. This separates the sand from the gravel, other wise it will settle between the gravel and more or less become of no value to the support of the stones since water from rain, melting snow, cleaning will eventually wash the sand down through the gravel.

Next the sand, this material is fine enough to move around with your hands, or trowels to "fine tune" the level of the stones. An inch is good to work in. I have set stones directly on the dirt before, and to have sand would have made the work much easier and faster, but for me sand costs. Working directly in dirt to get a good set, takes lots of time.

Depending on how tight you set the stones depends on what you can put between them, if they are set tight, you can do nothing or add sand between them. If they are set a few inches apart, you could use a small pea gravel to fill the gaps, a border would be good here to contain the easily moved pea gravel. You might could use grass in larger gaps, but the fast drainage under the stones would make it difficult to keep the grass watered well enough.


Water well electric source The electric source of my water well is a circuit box on a house that is to be demolished.  I want to keep the electricity to the water well.  What are my options?

Assuming you're in the US, what you'll need to do is the following (an electrician might be a good idea for some of this)

Mount a pole near to where the pump is. A pressure treated 4x4 would work for this
Mount a meter box. If you're doing this yourself, you can sometimes find these with the mast pre-attached and utility ready
Attach a breaker box to the meter. There's a lot of these with only a few breaker slots (think a 100 amp panel)
A GFCI breaker for however many amps the pump draws. My bet is a 20 amp would do
Thick enough UF wire and conduit to reach to the pump. 12-2 would be sufficient if 20 amps was for the previous step

Once this is all set, have the utility come out and connect to the box and install a meter. And that's it.


Mounting heavy shelves to brick wall I've an aluminium shelf that's 150cm wide, it came with 8 of these 10x50 plastic plugs and 6x60 universal screws.

I've drilled into my masonry wall with a 60mm deep with a masonry bit and installed the shelves. Once there's enough load on them (I'm guessing around 70kg, plus the 20kg for the shelf itself) they couldn't bear the load and started slanting downwards.

Someone suggested drilling with a 8mm bit and using the same 10x50mm plugs to have a tighter fit but I'm really looking forward to hearing other suggestions.

Thanks!

Drilling smaller holes will not work, you won't be able to get the plugs in. And if you can, then your wall must be light weight blockwork and you'll need a plug suitable for lightweight blocks (or a resin type fastener).

Did you tap the plug a little ways into the wall (15mm or so)? If not, then it's likely that the hold point wasn't deep enough into the actual masonry blocks of the wall but rather holding in the weak plasterwork.

These fasteners are absolutely top notch and should hold up huge loads. If not, then the substrate must be too soft or the plasterwork too thick (dot and dab drywall maybe).


What kind of water filter do I need? I have city water and here is St Louis it's pretty good (from what I hear). I do have some white calcium on faucets, etc.

Now I'm in a process of renovating bathrooms and installing new piping and valves/etc. Contractor recommended to isntall whole house filter to prevent potential damage to thermostatic valves and faucets/cartridges.

What kind of water filter do I need for this? Will something like this GE® Household Pre-Filtration System work for whole house water?

What kind of maintenance will it take? How often to replace and how do I know what I need?

No, a sediment filter will not remove calcium -- the only thing that will is a water softener. These use a media that only needs to be replaced every 10 years, and a brine tank with salt, which you have to refill periodically depending on water usage and hardness levels: anywhere from a couple weeks to a couple months. There's really no other regular maintenance that normally needs to be done on a softener.

Softeners substitute hardness (calcium carbonate) as well as some heavy metals, lead, manganese and low levels of iron with sodium ions (salt). The drawback to this is that increases the sodium levels in the water, which can be a concern for people on low-sodium diets. The amount of sodium added is entirely dependent on the amount of hardness removed.

For this reason, people often run a bypass to the kitchen cold water tap so it gets hard water, as well as outside taps used for watering the lawn and garden.

Before you purchase, you should test your water for hardness. The easiest and cheapest way is to buy a hardness test strip kit: you dip it in the water, match the colors and it tells you the hardness level. This will help you sizing the softener to buy. It's also good to periodically check so you can ensure the softener is set correctly. You're on city water, but depending on where they get the water from the hardness could change seasonally.


How do I install track for sliding closet door on laminate How do I install track for sliding closet mirror doors on laminate floor

Laminate flooring is made to move when needed, so screwing through to the subfloor under the laminate may not do the floor well. Since sliding doors do not exert a lot of pressure at the guides on the bottom, you could size the screw to only secure itself into the laminate itself, say no more than 1/2" long screws, considering the laminate should be about 3/8" thick, the mounting plate is about 1/16" thick and the pad under the flooring adds a little too. If the laminate flooring is 1/2" thick, like some are, then a 5/8" screw could be used. Using screws this small should be run in manually, not with a power tool.

To be sure everything moves as it should, you could set the guide completely then remove the screws, file just the sharp point of the screw off, about 1/16", then reset the screws.

Although the floor does move a bit, it should not affect the operation of the guide. If the floor does move enough to do so, more than a 1/2", then you have other issues to worry about.


Why aren't there more PVC gutters in the U.S.? I am originally from Europe and you do see a lot of PVC gutters in my country, especially in construction that is done on a tight budget.  It seems to me PVC would be a legit material to make cheap and durable gutters.  How come you don't get to see (m)any here in the States?

If you use PVC gutter stock, it needs to be solvent welded at all the joints. Don't bother with any of the clip-together DIY grade junk that's out there. Having tried two different manufacturers, here's the basic results on the clip-together stuff:

Vinyl's high expansion rate means that it grows mightily when hot and then contracts in cold weather, straining all the joints. No matter now much movement the brackets are made to allow, they allow ratcheting during summer heat, causing the gutter system to pull itself apart when cold weather hits. if you are using the common DIY clip-together stuff. Nothing makes you so angry as being on top a slippery 15ft. ladder in a typical winter Oregon downpour with the full gutter flow shooting out the gap, through your collar and down inside your raincoat. Various neighbors around here have tried it, cursed and thrown it away. If you're going to install it, the first hint of fall should be followed by a full inspection which means pulling the gutter stock back through the brackets so they fully seat in the connection and downspout joints.

Solvent welded vinyl gutter still has the same expansion rates, hopefully the support systems take that into account, I didn't bother wasting any more money on vinyl, but went with continuous construction aluminum gutters.

With continuous aluminum, you have no joints, it's one single run from gable to gable, the finish is baked on and it's held up over the 5 years it has been in operation much better than vinyl and hasn't got the rust problems that galvanized sheet iron has. It has been worth the money spent on it.


New GFI receptacle will not reset after connecting load wires I am replacing an old receptacle with a new GFI unit. There are a total of three outlets and a light fixture on this circuit. Everything was working beforehand, but I am putting a small refridgerator in the garage and since this outlet is pretty old, I thought I would replace it; with a GFI outlet.

When I connect the line wires to the outlet it has power. I reset the outlet from the package and it works fine. I pressed the test button and it shuts off the power. I then pressed the reset and it restored power. Everything ok.

I then connected the load wires to the outlet to feed the rest of the circuit.  Everything gets power. Ok

To test again, I pressed the test button and power was cut off. Ok.

Now I pressed the reset button to restore the circuit but the reset button will not reset.  If I disconnect the load wires, the outlet works fine.

I pulled the other two outlets and they seemn to be wired correctly. All was working before I pulled this receptacle. The new GFI seems to be functioning correctly.

What else could be causing this GFI to refuse to reset when connected inline with the other outlets?

There must be a fault in the down stream load wires someplace. This fault is causing an imbalance detection by the GFI between the current in the LINE and NEUTRAL load wires.

Things you can try:

Disconnect the wires that feed the down stream outlets at those outlets and the wires to the lamp circuit. This should include unplugging anything that may be attached to those outlets. If this allows the GFI to reset then you know that the fault is in one of those down stream wires or circuits. You could then proceed to reconnect one load at a time in attempt to locate the wire or outlet that causes the GFI to freeze in the fault position.

If, in the initial test above, the GFI still persists in staying reset then you know that there is a fault someplace between the load wire connection of the GFI and the end of that wire (which should not be connected to any loads if you had properly disconnected every load).

The fault on the circuits could be a bad outlet, bad lamp connection, bad lamp fixture or bad device plugged into one of the downstream outlets. It is also possible that the fault could be caused by a nail or screw someplace that has penetrated one of the wiring cables or the wire insulation someplace has been cut or punctured by the sharp edge of a metal electrical box.

Yes...it is possible that the fault that is causing this problem may have existed in the prior situation before you brought the new GFI into the picture.

There is also the remote possibility that the new GFI outlet itself is bad although this seems unlikely due to the tests that you have already performed.


What would cause my door to not close even though it fits in the frame? I installed a new door on an old frame.  However, when I attached the hinges the door doesn't want to close even though I still have plenty of room on the door handle side for it to close.  How do I know if I need to adjust the hinges on the frame or plane the frame down?  The door will shut if I force it and that puts pressure on the hinges.

I have approximately 1/4" clearance around the door knob side, top, and bottom but not on the hinge side. Should there be some spacing there?

If the door resists being closed just as it is almost closed, then you certainly have a hinge problem. I've seen a lot of this particular problem in old houses I've lived in, where it is usually caused by excessive paint thickness on the frame and door edges at the hinge side. These faces meet before the hinges are closed, so when you force the door shut you are actually levering the hinge screws out of the wood. (Don't do that!)

You can see whether this is the problem by looking at the side of the door where the hinges are — if the door and the frame touch before the door is shut, then you have this problem. (Since you mention that there is no clearance on the hinge side, I assume this is the case.) In extreme cases, you will see the hinges lift away from the wood as you force the door shut.

You will need to fix things so that the meeting faces of the hinge plates are flush with (or above) the surface of the door and frame, rather than set below the surface (as depicted in the drawing on the right).

Planing the frame (or door) is certainly one way to do that, but I'm not a real DIYer (I just pay attention to the spaces I live in) so I don't have any experience with which to say which is the right solution. I hope I have helped illustrate the problem.


Penetrating a drywall ceiling; NM in conduit or NM not in conduit? I have an outlet box (a simple receptacle box, not a cabinet, cutout box, or meter socket box, so I don't see 312.5 applying to this) surface mounted on the block wall of my garage.  Then I have NM cable in EMT (for physical protection) leaving the box going up the block wall.  I have a drywall ceiling in the garage.  I want to go through the dry wall ceiling and go on my merry way with just the NM cable.  My question is:  How do I go through the drywall ceiling?  Do I have to stop the EMT short of the ceiling and go through the ceiling with the just the cable?  (Of course, I'll seal around the cable)  Or, do I go through the drywall ceiling with the EMT and then exit the EMT in the attic?  (The attic is unfinished, no floor or anything.)

Go ahead and have the EMT penetrate the ceiling, then use an EMT-to-NM transition fitting in the attic where the EMT ends:


36 year old no frost refrigerator has stopped heating. Is it worth tracking problem and fixing or is replacement the most economical option? 36 year old no frost refrigerator has stopped heating.  Is it worth tracking problem and fixing or is replacement the most economical option?

Replace it. Modern refrigerators are so much more energy-efficient that you'll probably recoup the purchase price in a few years.


Should I staple new wires to studs in an existing wall? I have some wires that were originally pulled through a wall from a junction box to an outlet.  The drywall is off the wall right now and I'm doing some work on the wiring.  Would best practice be to staple the wires inside the wall or is that going to make it harder for someone in the future to replace the wire in the wall?

Wiring is stapled or otherwise fastened to protect it from damage, such as from fasteners used to hang decorations on the wall. You should staple per NEC guidelines. In your case, it's probably a matter of fastening to studs within a foot of each box.

If you anticipate needing to reconfigure the wiring later, run conduit accordingly.


My stopcock won't budge I'm buying a house which has a stopcock which will not turn off. I physically can't turn the handle. I want to install a dishwasher there so it would be good to be able to turn the waters off.

Will it be safe to use some kind of lever to try and force it shut?

You should probably avoid trying to shut off the stuck stopcock by applying large amounts of force either from some type of lever or large adjustable pliers. The danger is that you may break the stopcock in the process and end up with water spraying everywhere.

The best way to look at this is to turn off the water supply at the main cutoff valve at the street or entrance to the building. Then replace the stuck valve with a new one that works and adapts to your new functionality. It is a fact that valves like this are rarely used and builders use the cheapest units available.

If it not convenient to replace the whole valve sometimes you can just use the main water shutoff so you can adapt the plumbing down stream from the stuck valve to get the dishwasher installed. But then make sure to put a note in your to-do file to get that stuck valve replaced as soon as feasible.


3 prong LED light to 2 wire I bought some LED lights that have a 3 prong plug.
I want to wire them into my roof directly to the positive/negative wires in the light socket.
Bunch of questions -
Is that a bad idea?
Can I connect neutral to ground?
I assume that's likely against code?
What are the dangers?

NEVER connect neutral to ground!!

Yes, I know you know there's an equipotential bond in the panel which ties them together.  But I bet you didn't even know it was called that, or what it does.  And you often see slack installations where electricians just spam all neutrals and grounds onto the same bar. That's technically legal in a main panel, but bad form - when neutrals and grounds are rigidly separate, you can clamp a meter around the N-G equipotential bond, and that helps you troubleshoot all sorts of stuff.

The point is, neutral is not ground anywhere else. And ground should never be tied to neutral.  Not least, a neutral wire break means the chassis of the thing is energized.  This is the problem with 3-prong dryer and range connections, and why they are so needlessly dangerous.  If you have any 3-prong dryers or ranges, then do some research on "retrofitting grounds".  Or at least convert it to a 4-prong connection with ground disconnected and and fit a GFCI breaker (and label the socket "GFCI Protected / No Equipment Ground").

You are better off with ground disconnected than ground tied to neutral.  That's how I install lights in ungrounded locations.

The metal junction box might be grounded.  I tie lamp ground to the metal junction box.  If it's plastic, obviously, forget that :)

You are allowed to snip the plug off and direct connect

Flexible cords are specifically allowed for luminaires (lights) as long as the entire length of cord is visible/inspectable from the ground (or inside the junction box).  NEC 300.6 or 7 or 8, not sure.

However, you need a proper strain relief to enter the junction box with a cord. Big-box and hardware stores tend to do really badly with those; outdoors you need rubber ones that seal around the cord. So I go straight to my friendly neighborhood electrical supply house, with cord in hand, and they fit me up. Electrical supply is found in industrial neighborhoods, not consumer retail areas.

Cheap Cheese junk is no longer permitted in lighting

Everything attached to mains must be UL-listed, or CSA or ETL listed (those are equivalents).  CE is not one of those.  Code used to not have this requirement for lighting, so it was open season on cheap Chinese... but I believe in 2017 they required light fixtures to also be listed.

If there's any question of interpreting Code, you ask your local town inspector / permit issuer.  They are the final word.


fluorescent Tube F15 T8 Not working I have a desk lamp that takes 2 fluorescent tubes F15 T8.  The current tubes work but I wanted new ones. I just purchased new tubes and they don't work at all.  Any idea what is the difference between the old and the new?

This is the old Tube:

This is the new tube

On closer examination I notice that the pins on the old tube have been 'Tinned' with solder so I have done the same on the new ones.  This results in the pins being a little thicker.

This appears to have solved the problem and the tubes now light!!  I'm not sure if it is the lamp manufacturer that did this or if the pins used to be a little thicker.

The 2 lamps I have are fairly old 60's?  Made by Luxo.

I 'Tinned' the contact pins with solder, this seems to have solved the problem.


Drainage area for a French drain I have a muddy backyard that has minimal slope toward the back property line, and I'm considering installing a French drain to improve the situation. Is there a general rule as to how much area a French drain can drain, or is that type of thing totally dependent on soil quality or other factors? The property is between 100 and 200 feet wide, and I'm wondering if a single drain running down the middle of the property would be sufficient to improve the drainage in the whole yard (50-100 feet on either side), or if I'd have to install multiple parallel French drains to serve an area that large.

Is there any rule of thumb, or simple test I can perform to roughly estimate how much area might be drained on either side of a backyard French drain?

This would depend greatly on the slope of the yard on either side of the drain. A (properly sloped) french drain should divert water about 5 times the pipe diameter on either side(assuming slotted corrugated black pipe in sandy soil) which doesn't come anywhere close to the 50-100 feet you need, so you would need a way to feed the drain area. The easiest way would be to slope the surface toward the drain. Plastic sheet buried under the surface, gravel and sand can also help direct water.

But, as already pointed out - french drains need somewhere to let the water out, and also have to be sloped (at least 1/4" per foot) to be at all effective; there are places they don't work and another solution is required.

This is probably a situation where we can provide better suggestions with pictures or diagrams, and a stormwater expert in your area may have even better advice since they're familiar with the soil and conditions in your area.


Two switch box with 12/2 and 12/3 circuits with cojoined hot wires, is this safe? I was investigating a non working switch and found 2 circuits coming into the box.  A 12/2 and 12/3.  The first switch is serviced by the red and the black crossed wires.  THe second switch is serviced by the crossed black wire and a black wire going to 2 lights in series.  The neutrals and grounds are pigtailed and travel to the lights also.
The first  switch controls the light the second switch does not appear to control anything.
Is this safe?  What would be the purpose of this crossing of hot wires?
How do i remedy this unusual configuration?
My intent is to be able to control the lights on the separate switches.

Terminology: "crossed wires" is simply a "pigtail" so that the single hot feed can be used by both switches.
This is utterly normal and safe, done normally. Normally is with a wirenut or similar insulated mechanical splice device - I had at first thought that you'd removed a wirenut for the picture - but my second thought is that they are soldered and the joint is uninsulated, which is not normal or safe, but is easily corrected. Likewise, the neutrals and grounds do not appear to have wirenuts, and this makes me think you may need to buy a large container of wireneuts and to check every electrical box you have for wiring done by whoever installed these switches.
So, the hot feed comes in on the black wire of the 12/3 cable, and the switched hots go out on the red wire of the 12/3 cable and the black wire of the 12/2 cable. Where the 12/2 cable goes we don't know, and evidently you don't either as it "does nothing". That part is utterly normal and safe. When you find out where the 12/2 cable goes, you should be able to switch something with it.
The substandard splices are a concern, and the possibility that many places in your home may have similar substandard splices (you had an amateur in this box, we don't know how far they went in your house) is a concern.


Can I repair the floor in the water heater closet with an old street sign? Can I use an old aluminum road sign as a replacement floor for my hot water heater closet? The old floor is rotten and has some give to it right where a portion of my hot water heater sits, and my dad told me to "cut a peice of plywood about the same size and shape of the existing closet floor and just lay it on top of the old floor. That should probably last a good 5 or 10 more years. That's all I've ever done." But I want to know if an old aluminum or galvinized thin sheet metal road sign would be hazardous, dangerous, and/or illegal in any way whatsoever? I already have a rough cut of the old sign/new floor and plan on finishing the whole project within a day or two so thought I might do a little research to make sure I'm not doing something stupid that I don't already know.

Can I use an old aluminum road sign as a replacement floor for my hot
  water heater closet?

I'm sorry, but that made me laugh.

First thing you should do, is find what is causing the floor to rot and fix the leak.  What is "spongy"?  The floor or the joist?  If the joists are rotten, you need to replace them, then put a new floor down.

After you fix the leak problem and install a new floor, you could install a Water Heater Drain Pan under your water heater, which will catch any leaking water and drain it away (with the proper plumbing hookups)


What is the lifespan of plywood as roof decking? We have a 30 year old roof in New England, which we have begun to interview roofers for this spring/summer.

The topic of plywood has come up and 2 have said we definitely need to replace the plywood even if it looks good.  As plywood lasts about 30 to 40 years and we run the risk of delamination and required replacement in a few years.

The other two have stated that as long as the plywood is good and stays dry, it can last forever.

At quoted on 55 dollars per 4X8 sheet, its a sizable cost and so I am wondering if the plywood needs to be replaced regardless of current state.

I would give your business to one of the "is good and stays dry" roofers who are not blatantly trying to fleece you.

Now, the other two may be working from the assumption that if you bothered to call a roofer, you have leaks. But they strike me a lying scammers if they are selling you new plywood with no idea if the roof deck is rotten or solid.

Plywood does not have an expiration date.


How should I modify this drain pipe I just removed a fiberglass tub/shower alcove and with to create a walk in shower.
I need to relocate the drain, to the center of the alcove. I also need to get rid of the "periscope" part of the pipe. Should i cut it really close to the bend and try to cap it ? I have no idea. This is a condo unit - 2nd floor. What you see is what you get. It's a 2 inch copper pipe.

What is the best way to modify this pipe and relocate it to the center ? I think i'll use a plastic extension to get to the center of the space, but what should i do with the periscope ? I don't think i can remove the entire structure / assembly because i don't have access anywhere lower into the floor (i don't think i do). Is there an easy way to take the pipes apart ? "break" all the connections ?

Any and all suggestions are very much appreciated. Also, anyone user Schluter KERDI products to create their walk in shower ? I'd like to use that (over hot mopping)

Thank you for your time.

You can custom make a shower bed to utilize your drain location Or possibly find one Off the shelf, you can a standard drain or a trough drain. i have seen drains in many locations of all types and have never heard of a code specific to its location.

There is a code concerning the distance of the drain from the vent, so if you do move the drain you will need to know that code distance and where your vent is.

  ( I AM NOT AN EXPERT, I JUST PLAY ONE ON STACK EXCHANGE )

If you don't have access to underneath the floor you will not be able to move it unless you plan on putting in step up shower bed. It appears you can cut the flooring within the wood framing to access the connection of the brass to he main drain. You will need to see how the brass is attached to the trap in order to know how to go about disconnecting it. i can not tell what the rest of your flour is made of nor do i know the regulations of your condo.

Let us know once you have done some exploratory surgery on your floor.


Could R-11 Sound Batt have a large impact on reducing sound QUESTION: will Owens Corning R-11 EcoTouch PINK Unfaced Fiberglass Sound Attenuation Insulation Batt help significantly with the sound transmission?

I live in town homes, so they are 2 story units side by side. Upstairs are the bedrooms while downstairs are the living room, dining room, kitchen and a 1/2 bath. My neighbor has decided to place his bed in his living room and sleeps in complete silence throughout the day and night. That means my living room is next to his living room/bedroom. I have an exercise machine (Bowflex M5). I workout 30 - 45 minutes a day on it. When I work out there is a faint sound that makes it through to his unit. The sound is half as loud as if you where to lightly touching your hands together and rubbing them lightly.

The walls between units have a 1/2 dead space in between. They consist of studs, plywood, R25 insulation and 2 layers of drywall.

The 1st floor is raised 27 inches on pillions.

So far I have placed 2 sets of 4 Camco Olympian Aluminum Stack Jacks. Which completely canceled out any of the impact sound that used to accompany the swooshing sound and they reduced the over all sound that was transmitted by 70%.

Someone said that the Owens Corning R-11 Sound Batt would really help with the sound transmission, but I always like to get advice from more than one source. This is especially true because I don't want to throw away $600 if it isn't going to work. On a raised 1st floor will this product help significantly reduce sound to the neighbor 1st floor area if I place it between the floor joists?

Thank you for your time and I look forward to your answers!

Fiberglass insulation helps more to reduce high frequencies than low. Since the sound made by exercise machines is primarily low frequency (i.e., dull thuds), such as the impact of feet, he insulation would not be very effective.

Some ways to decrease low frequency noise include:

Increase mass of surfaces: Add a layer of board to the floor.
Increase damping: Add a rubbery, elastic, layer, such as a rug or carpet padding.
Seal the edges and openings with elastic padding.


Metallic vs Nonmetallic in-use covers Does the National Electrical Code weigh in on the subject of metallic versus nonmetallic in-use covers for outdoor outlets attached to a single family home? I've got an up-to-date copy of "Wiring Simplified" (based on the 2017 NEC) and can't find this topic addressed.

I have no electrical outlets on the exterior of my 1942 Cape Cod. I'm planning to hire an electrician to install three outlets. The plastic in-use covers are easy to find online and in stores but the metal ones are not so common. I can buy them on Amazon (made in USA by Greenfield) but before I pull the trigger I'd like to know whether there's some code-related or other practical reason to go for the plastic ones? Yes, the plastic ones are transparent, so you can see into them. But why do I care? If I'm using them I know what's in there -- a plug. And if I'm not using them I also know what's in there -- nothing. What am I missing here?

I've seen many of the plastic ones on buildings that are broken or seem discolored or just weathered. The plain white metal of the Greenfield covers appeals to me aesthetically and I'll never have to replace them. But if an electrician refuses to install them because they're not code compliant then there's no sense in buying them. I live in Wisconsin, by the way, in case that matters.

The national electrical code only specifies extra duty or in use covers. Both plastic and diecast meet this requirement. I will not use the plastic ones as they are worse than no cover in most cases as they are always broken when I see them. Just my opinion but the few extra dollars for a diecast metal cover will last for years where the plastic ones are junk in my opinion.


when my sump pump in the basement runs, the kitchen drain gurgles I don't understand why the gurgling. This year we've had a lot more precipitation than usual, so the sump has been running more frequently. Last year I had my main line rodded, repaired and a cleanout installed. Of course there were major plumbing issues at the time. There were no tree roots, it's just that the house is 60 years old. The sump pump is right under the upstairs bathroom plumbing and the mainline exits right under there through the basement wall and down to the public sewer line. The kitchen plumbing branches off upstairs, as does the washing machine and laundry tub just below in the basement. I've had no plumbing issues since the rodding. All drains run smooth. I do have two bathrooms upstairs and a bathroom in the basement. I recently added a kitchen in the basement, which comes off the plumbing by the washing machine. Could this be a venting issue?

It sounds like a venting issue to me. Did you vent specifically the fitting into which the sump pump dumps? Without a vent for itself the pump dump water is going to suck air from somewhere.  Also, now in our area all basement type pumps have to be dumped into a vertical line.  And I believe that vertical line has to be at least one pipe size larger then previously required.  P.


How to compute breaker size for electric Stove + Oven? I currently have electric appliance, and I want to replace them with newer units.

These are the ratings of newer units I am considering:

Induction Stove VICU53616BST - Maximum Amp Usage
  240V - 48.3 amps (11.6 kW)
  208V - 41.9 amps (8.7 kW)
Oven KODC304ESS - Maximum Amp Usage
  240V - Rated Current 40A (9.6 kW)

Adding both together (assuming 240V): 21.2kW

How do I find out what breaker size is required?  This will help me know what wire size to install as well

I'm not sure about the Viking cooktop. The installation instructions repeat the specs but don't specify a breaker size. It sounds like a 50A should do it, though 48A continuous would actually need a 60A breaker. You may want to check with Viking on that.

The Kitchenaid oven is very clear in the specs:

  Models rated from 7.3 to 9.6 kW at 240 volts (5.5 to 7.2 kW at 208 volts) require a separate 40-amp circuit. Models rated at 7.2 kW and below at 240 volts (5.4 kW and below at 208 volts) require a separate 30-amp circuit.

so a 40A circuit is called for.

You definitely do not want to run those together on one circuit - turn on 3 burners and the oven at the same time and you will overload the circuit.

Both of those on a 100A subpanel is fine, with the key question being: What else is on the subpanel? If it is a few lights, no big deal. But if you have your kitchen countertop circuits (2 @ 20A and easily could pull 15A each at the same time), fan, refrigerator, etc. you might be overloading that at 100A.


Does window screen frame thickness matter? 5/16" vs 7/16" I am building some new window screens for a couple of the windows in our house.
I am debating whether to use a 5/16" thick frame or a 7/16" thick frame. By my measurements, our windows can accommodate a frame thickness of up to 9/16".
In reality, does this thickness actually affect the strength and durability of the screen? The 5/16" frame is slightly cheaper. Are there good reasons to spend the extra money on the 7/16" frame?

The larger frames (7/16"+) are sturdier when it comes to the screening of the frame (less tendency to bow inward when pulling screen material taut) and are generally sturdier due to larger/stronger corner inserts.
More important than frame dimension is the type of frame construction. You want frame material that is at least .020 aluminum, and you want mitered corners with aluminum corner inserts (as opposed to the cheesy plastic corner inserts designed to be used with straight-cut frame stock). Also, assuming fiberglass, I recommend 18 x 14 screen mesh versus lame (but commonly supplied for profit margin reasons) 18 x 16 mesh.
I feel that you should use the biggest and strongest frame material that your windows will accommodate mechanically and aesthetically.


Does pumping a septic system disrupt the tank's ecology? We are the original owners of a 4BR/2.5 Bath home that has been mainly occupied by 2 people over 14 years. (Occasionally 3 people for short periods of time, less than 1 year)

We have never had the cover dug/removed for the system / tank to be pumped.

I've gone by the "old school ecology" premise that if it is breaking down the intake effectively you should "leave it alone".  Once you start pumping regularly, you have disrupted an effective ecological working  system.

Is this a misnomer and a "plumber's tale"  or should I subscribe to the "pumpers tale" of thinking?

It is recommended that septic tanks be pumped every 3-5 years, having said that it is not always necessary depending on the usage of the tank. You could simply check the sludge level in the tank to see if it requires a pump out. Leaving the tank without checking it is not a good idea as even though it may seem to be working it may be allowing solids/suspended solids to enter the distribution field, which in turn will case it to fail prematurely.

In regard to your other question yes it does disrupt the ecology of the tank when it is pumped if the whole tank is emptied but this will right itself and if you abstain from using harsh chemicals that drain to the septic this time frame will be reduced.

Pdf on septic care


Ceiling fan stopped working all of a sudden My ceiling fan was working great till about twenty minutes ago. All of a sudden it slowed down to a halt. Now it doesn't start at all. If I push one of the wings a little, then it starts moving slowly (like 10% of actual speed).

Is there a way to figure out what might be the problem here that doesn't require me to take it out of its place?

I don't think you're skating by this one, unless it's new & not 10 or more years old. But, I could be wrong, try changing the speed setting or the spin direction & see if it will happily run slower.
If not then it's likely meant for the trash as it'll just be best to get a new one with decades of life in it. Did it make a phew, ugh or grunt sound?

I mean, you can take the name & number & try to find parts, but unless it's something special it should be cheaper to start over with a nice short warranty. Sorry, I don't rebuild them & they're usually trouble free. I'd like to say it's a capacitor or a motor regulation control unit. But, I'd suspect that it's toast.


Need to install wood framing in a pipe filled wall to be able to hang shelving I've got this wall, from which I've ripped off the drywall. The wall is 5' wide, 9' high. There's 4 flimsy metal studs and I'd like to install a few big sheets of plywood over those so I can put up 6 five foot long shelves.
I would like to join 3 cut up pieces of 2x4 to the big beam on top to block out a little past the metal studs, and then attach some pieces of 2x4 to the floor. After that, attach a long sheet of plywood to those 2 blocked out pieces.
My question is, would that be a strong enough way to hold down an 8' sheet of plywood, only securing it by 2 ends?
Here's a picture of the situation:

So, you've got lots of options, some of which no "real" contractor would ever do, but are perfectly fine.

If you use long drywall screws you can screw your wood blocking to the metal studs, just like you would if the studs were wood.  Sharp screws will penetrate the metal studs.  This is not optimal because your skill at doing this non-standard solution could result in shelf failure later, though it's probably what I would do.

You could do as one of commenters suggested and put stand-alone shelving agains the wall and attach it with brackets to the new drywall or directly into the metal studs- perfectly fine - very DIYish.  Use drywall anchors.

You could screw shelves directly into the metal studs - they are studs - they hold weight - no problem.  This is also something I would probably do.  Use drywall anchors.

You could use 1/2 or 3/4 plywood on the wall instead of drywall.  Kind of odd, but it will provide excellent holding capacity to attach shelving. (I have a plywood wall in my mudroom - shelving bolted right on.

You could attach vertical wood 2x4x on top of the drywall floor to ceiling, attached to the studs (essentially a new set of exposed studs).  Then attach your shelving to that.

Basically, your goal is to get something that isn't going to easily rip away from the wall...and a nearly infinite variety of screws, wood and brackets will satisfy this.


Thoughts on this 3-way wiring job Greetings from Australia

I'm in the process of putting Z-wave nano dimmers behind my 240v light switches and up to wiring an interesting 3-way switch config backing 3x LED drivers.

This is what I found when I popped the plates off...

Switches:

Can anyone pick out how this has actually been wired and why they would go about doing it this way?

I'm going to check this out further tomorrow but thought I'd drop it in here to get some opinions.

Looks like active is at COM of Switch #1 and those T1/T2 are definitely the travelers

I now have enough info to wire my Z-wave Nano switch. Thanks to everyone for their input!

Oz wiring looks kinda weird to folk in the top half of the planet.

This seems to be an Oz equivalent of what Brits would call 2-way switches and what Americans would call 3-way switches

The "loop" connector is presumably not wired to the switch but is a provided as a convenience to save having a floating connector-block (or wire-nut).

In your case it looks like the three blacks shown at right in the diagram above have, in your photo, been connected using a "loop" terminal rather than by using a floating connector block.

It isn't clear from your photos if the rest of the your wiring's connections are consistent with this diagram.

It might be that the triple reds and triple blacks in your first photo are where some parallel (separately switched) lights branch off.


Tub Cartridge Identification Does anyone recognize this tub cartridge?

It looks a lot like this Peerless RP70538, but your stem is a little longer/different.  Based on this, I'm pretty confident its a Peerless cartridge.  Maybe the longer stem detaches?
https://www.amazon.com/Single-Function-Pressure-Cartridge-Compatible-Peerless/dp/B08PQQ2XP1
I guess it could also be a foreign copy of a Peerless/Delta faucet as well.


How can I remove an inner wall of a gambrel house? We own a Gambrel house built in 1978. I want to remove a six foot wall section that includes a doorway. This wall runs parallel to the floor joists in the basement. The main center beam is about three feet away. Is it structurally sound to remove this short wall?

If there is a wall directly above the wall in the basement, then don't take it out.  Otherwise, cut the drywall from the top of the door.  If there is a header above the door opening, then it is most likely load bearing and the wall cannot be removed. If no wall above the wall and no header, you should be okay.  Take all the drywall or paneling off the wall and do a good inspection before you knock any studs out.  Look for diagonal bracing, heavily nailed plywood, and/or heavy anchorages in the corners which would be an indication of a shear wall, which cannot be removed. If it turns out to be load bearing for just vertical loads, you can always install a longer header to open up the space.


Removal Asbestos Siding or Cover Looking at a house that appears to have asbestos cement siding. I'm wondering if this is something I can do myself with care. I've read the following.

Disturb as little as possible.
Don't Crack tiles
Wear a suit and respirator
Use a vacuum with HEPA filter when needed
Wrap the tiles in plastic and tape.
Lay plastic on the ground

I wondering if I follow all these rules if I can do it myself. As i understand it, you can also cover the siding, but some claim that nailing through can be worse than removing.

This is not rocket science.  Some keys:

Keep area wet.
Make sure that you are wearing a proper mask and cover up.
Make sure that no one else is near the area.
Make sure to bag them properly.
Make sure you vacuum all loose particles with vac plus hepa filter.
Make sure you bring materials to proper place.  For instance 6-7 years ago I was doing a home and the only hazardous waste facility nearby was charging me an outrageous price per bag.  To the point where I might as well paid 8k to have someone do it.  Well obviously the remediation and waste companies were in cahoots.  But I have had to travel a good 75-100 miles to dump waste and I have seen laws around this sort of practice.  But you are talking about a very high revenue and highly regulated industry.  And most of the regulations are almost meaningless as they aren't actually geared to do anything to someone who doesn't follow them, they just want to make sure you paid to be "trained" to follow them.

Note:  Several remediation companies in my area will no longer do work for me.  After charging me a ton of money for removal of things like asbestos or lead paint I would go on my state's website to find that they didn't follow the very basic rules the state outlined.  So I gave them the choice between me sending them to the state or not paying and they chose me not pay.  Just saying there is a need to do this stuff right but it is an obnoxious industry.  It would be very easy for the state to say - here are the gloves, clothing, mask, plastic for the tent, whatever you need for each situation and then a person could decide to do it or not.  Most of the remediation people we get are contractors that passed a two day class or have been with the company less than 6 months.  So yes anyone can do this if you follow guidelines and rules.  Here is the website for Missouri asbestos removal.  Other states have similar sites - some better some worse.