Why am I seeing voltage on the neutral wire from my 3 phase power supply? I am not an electric engineer so I can only explain\understand in layman language. I am facing a persisting problem in my house. I have 3 phase and one neutral till my main electric board through which each phase is distributed to different part of my house, if I divide my house in three parts, distinct phase is going to each part. Sometimes my neutral wire shows full voltage as of the phase, due to which I lost a number of electric appliances. I have an earth(ground) connection as well. Called a number of electric guys, no one was able to rectify it. I need help. Appreciate any help or suggestion.

Three Phase Power

In three phase systems, there are three "hot" lines (L1, L2, L3). Often there will also be a neutral (N) and a ground (G). The neutral and ground should be bonded together at your service entry). The three lines are all 120 degrees apart from each other. Loads can be attached in either a wye or a delta configuration. In residential applications, often only two of the three phases are supplied (and different houses will get different pairs of phases as to balance them).

Delta

In a delta configuration, loads are attached between phases (and a neutral is not needed). This configuration is common for large motors and in industrial settings. In some delta configurations, a terminal on the transformer's secondary is grounded and provides a neutral. The ground terminal would be either one of the three lines or a center tap on the   coil between two lines (creating a high-leg delta configuration since one of the lines is at a much higher potential (with respect to ground) than the other two).

Wye

In a wye configuration, loads are connected between a line and the neutral. Based on the question, I believe that this is the configuration being used. The power company supplies the three phases and a neutral, and the customer supplies the ground. Normally, the neutral is connected to the ground (which is bonded to metal rods in the earth, water pipes, etc...). If the load is properly balanced (meaning that there are equal currents flowing on each phase), the neutral currents will cancel out to be zero and the neutral would be unused.

However, it is rare that the three lines will be exactly balanced, so there would be a neutral current flowing based on differences of currents in the three phases.

The Root Cause

My hypothesis is that the neutral in the building is not properly connected to the power company's transformer. Without a good neutral connection, the neutral voltage is not held to earth potential (the ground connection usually has 1-20 ohms resistance to the earth). The neutral voltage will drift towards whichever line is the most loaded (as it forms a voltage divider). For example, if L1 has a large load and L2/L3 are lightly loaded, the neutral voltage will be pulled towards L1, causing the L2-N and L3-N voltages to became much larger than their nominal voltage.

So, the fix would be to repair the neutral connection between the building's breaker panel and the power company's transformer. This may be a bad connection of the neutral in the breaker panel, or a failing transformer. Repairing this could be dangerous because the problem might be in a section of cable that cannot be easily turned off (if the break is before the building's main breaker). Working with the power company to turn off your service or check their transformer will likely be needed.

Split-phase Systems

This problem has an analogue in the split-phase system which is common in the United States, and there are related questions on this site:

Why do my bulbs glow brighter when the microwave is running?
How can I determine why my lights are flickering?
Can my apartment's electricity harm my computer? Is there an easy way to test the electricity?


What DIY should I do on the ceiling to prevent noise from neighbor upstairs? I live in a apartment. My neighbor who live upstairs, like to drag their chair and stomp their feet when ever their relative children come to visit them.

So, what should I do to my ceiling to block the noise?

Really really difficult. I had a house that I tried to insulate the noise from upstairs. I put on the upstairs floor two layers of 1/2 inch drywall covered with 3/4 inch ply (with no fasteners) and then carpet on top. It made perhaps 25 percent difference.
If you were to hang extra layers of drywall on the ceiling, you would have to fasten it with screws and the trouble is if you drive any fasteners through your sound deadening material the sound just transmits through that "hard" point. Also if you have a recessed light or any light fixture creating a hole through your sound protection the sound projects through the hole and negates a large percentage of your protection.
Bottom line, if you can't live with it....move.


How can I mate a stair skirt flush with the drywall below? Any ideas on making this flush?

There are 3 options to fill the gap:

Assuming you want to fill the gap with new drywall of even width you first want to make the cut even. So find the widest section and then open a compass to that measurement. Attach a pencil and run one edge against the top edge/wood and the bottom pencil will mark a parallel line on the drywall. Use a utility knife to score and cut the drywall along the line (oscillating saw can also work, easier but dustier).
Cut a piece of drywall the width of the compass and place in the gap and screw into the currently exposed wood and fill small gaps with plaster/putty.
Or if you don't want to take more away and you are fine with using more putty measure the minimum width and cut some drywall. Position in place and cover leftover gaps with putty.
To get an exact match, but requiring extra work and lots of time/precision/frustration, you can lay painters tap on the top piece flush to the edge. Then open a compass to the widest of the gap and trace the edge on the tape (the other following the drywall edge). Once done, comes the tricky part, transfer the tape to the drywall. This can by done by measuring the bottom gap width, measuring from the edge of the drywall, over the tap to the bottom marking and taping the portion down. Then using a t-square press the rest of the tape down (or measure from the edge of the drywall to the tape and make sure that it doesn't change).
Cut along the line and attach. It will be a really tight fit and may need additional trimming. Putty any gaps, of which there shouldn't be many.

THEN:

Sand and paint.


How to fit a new door in a narrower frame? I would like to replace a door which has non standard dimensions. The door itself is old, 8 cm wider and 5 cm taller than current doors. It is also very expensive to order a new door for these dimensions, and I don't want to do that.

The door is mostly rotten and damaged by dogs. I don't have the skills nor the tools to repair it.

So my plan is to keep the old frame and buy a new door, which is sold with its own frame. Now I have to prepare the old frame so that the new frame will fit inside it.

How should I proceed ? I don't know what to use between the old frame and the new frame (the one I will build so that the opening is at standard dimensions).  Should I use some kind of sealant between them ?

In this picture, 1 is the width I need to get to fit new new frame, and 2 is the interior width of the old frame, which I don't plan to modify too much.

What kind of material should be used between 1 and 2 ?

The actual dimensions are:

exterior width of the frame sold with the new door: 79 cm
interior width of the current frame: 84.5 cm

You did not supply actual dimensions for the new door size, new frame rough opening size, or the old frame internal dimensions. As such it is difficult to give specific advice. That said here are some basic suggestions.

1) Before fitting the new frame within the old frame do remove the doorstop molding from the old frame.

2) Remove any and all casing from around the old door frame. You will be adding new casing from the new frame all the way out to the existing wall. By nesting the frames the way you want to do this casing will end up wider than your existing casing. You may be faced with using some pine boards to make up the casing boards.

3) Check the width dimensions of the outside of the new frame to the inside dimensions of the old frame. If this overall difference is larger that thickness of one or more standard pine boards (in US this is 0.75 inches thick) you should add a board(s) to the inside of the old frame to fill up part of the space. You will want to leave a free space in between each side of the frame of ~0.8 to 1.2 cm to allow for adjusting the new frame to plumb.

4) Check the height dimension of the outside of the new frame to the inside height of the old frame. If the overall difference is more than the thickness of a standard pine board you should add board(s) to fill up part of the space. You will want to leave a free space in between at the top of the frame of ~0.8 to 1.2 cm to allow for adjusting the new frame to square and level across the top.

5) Use tapered wedge pieces of wood in pairs in between the frame sides and at the top to bridge the gap between the frames at the points where you will nail the new frame into place. These tapered wedges can be adjusted by pulling them apart or together (end to end) to adjust the gap as you plumb, level and check the new frame for square. Once the fit is correct nail through the new frame and wedges and into the old frame to secure the new frame in place.  (If you had added gap filler pine boards in between these nails will be going into those boards first before poking through to the original frame). These wedges can be purchased ready made or you can make your own.

6) Once the door is hung and has a good fit it is time to install new casing over the edge of the new frame all the way over to the wall edge that was previously covered by the old casing. In all likelihood this new casing will end up being a custom casing that you will make from trim boards. However there is a possibility that you may be able to locate a suitable material that you can re-purpose as a casing such as some styles of wide baseboard.

Note that before you start on this endeavor you want to check the width of the new jamb sides as compared to the old frame. If the old one is wider you will have to fur out the new frame with jamb extensions so the width is very slightly wider than the existing jamb. This is so that when you install new casing boards that the trim does not rock on the edge of the old frame.


Could this wall material contain asbestos? I'm new here and I guess it's not the greatest thing to be asking, but any thoughts if this wall material could have asbestos in it? I'm really not sure what this wall material is. Thank you to everyone in advance!

Shared Album of wall material

Nope. It's fiberboard. And, it's too late anyway as your lungs are now already permanently damaged if it were...a warning to all that you should always wear a dust mask (preferably N95 grade) for any demolition work. And Yes, dust-off, brush-off, blow-off or shake-out your hair and clothes only upon reaching the outdoors.


How should I re-fit a coat hook onto a door? We had a coat hook screwed onto the solid part of a bedroom door and it served well for about 10 years, but it has now fallen off and the screws won't re-secure.  I have considered filling the holes and trying again, but have concerns whether screws into filler would hold the weight.  I have also considered using rawl plugs (anchors), but don't know if I can get any small enough - those we have seem too long.

Do I have to abandon the existing holes and have the hook placed a little off-centre with new holes?

You might consider a hollow door screw. They are similar to the drywall anchors that look like giant screws but are designed for the flimsy type of wood that hollow doors are made of.


Entire living room circuit suddenly controlled by hallway lightswitch Came home today and turned on the hallway light while unloading some shopping. Now suddenly when I turn it off, it turns off every outlet in the living room along with the ceiling fan and overhead light.

I'm at a loss for what the hell is going on. This seems like a serious issue, could I be at risk of a house fire?

Do you have any split-switched-outlets, where one outlet is switched and the other is not, but they are both in the same receptacle?

What you are describing SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HAPPEN if the wiring hasn't changed. If you have connected things against their product labeling, or used high current equipment (usually for prolonged periods of time), or if the wiring was done poorly, weird things can/will happen. One of those things could be risk of fire so it is best you just turn the breaker off in question until it is checked.

I would at least unplug everything, and use a basic incandescent lamp and check all outlets (each one individually), and write down which ones work, and which ones don't with the switch ON and OFF, and breaker ON and OFF.

If you aren't handy with a meter or are concerned to work with the wiring just call an electrician. They will appreciate your troubleshooting you've done and will almost certainly recheck it themselves. When all is said and done, you'll have peace of mind.


How to cut round hole in aluminum soffit after installation Related question

After having our roof re-configured and larger overhangs added, I noticed that the contractor placed the bathroom exhaust vent that used to go out the side wall just under the eaves just inside the overhang of the roof. I think they meant for it to vent out through the vent holes in the aluminum soffit material, but I am concerned that instead, moisture will accumulate on the underside of the roof sheathing.

I know I should have the contractor come and fix it, but they have been slow to respond and I would just like to take care of this.

I would like to address this, and I am aware the most proper way would be to go out the roof. But I am not comfortable cutting the hole there and trying to manipulate the shingles to fit a new vent pass-through piece, so instead I would like to set it up like shown in the related question. The vent pipe already terminates underneath the soffit I believe, so I would just need to make a round hole in the soffit material, pull the flexible ducting through, attach the vent piece, and mount it with screws.

I am just not sure what the best way to cut a round hole into the soffit material that is already installed, without taking it down. I am thinking I would mark a template, then drill a small-ish hole in the middle and use tin snips to try to make a round cutout. Alternatively, maybe I could use a Dremel with a cutting wheel. Is there a better way? I am not opposed to buying tools if that's necessary.

This old house has an excellent video on why the soffit location is bad, and how to vent through a common shingle roof.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqrZWd_CQIE

How to Vent a Bath Fan Through the Roof, August 2014.  The homeowner installed the same way your contractor did, and in just one season there was mold under the roof.

Your contractor should pay for this: the soffit installation was incorrect and hazardous to your health.  You certainly don't want the vent inside the soffit, nor do you want it under the soffit.


Leaving warm climate home vacant for a few months I'll be leaving a home vacant in the Houston, TX area when the average high is in the mid 90s and humidity is high.  I have a few questions regarding "summerizing" my home to prepare:

All heating appliances (furnace, stove, water heater) are gas.  Do I need to shut off the gas to the entire house?
Should I drain and shut off the water heater completely or just turn the temperature way down?
What temperature should I leave the air conditioner set to?  Or should I change it periodically (I have a 7-day programmable thermostat)?
Should I shut off the water in general?  If so, any additional prep for faucets/showers/toilets/fridge?
I plan to leave the fridge on, should I just leave it as is or let it run at a higher temperature?

No need to shut off the gas just turn down all thermostats.
No need to drain tank, set stat to vacation.
Leave this at 80*
Yes, close main supply valve
Reduce this setting a bit. Add several jugs of water to fill space.  Will reduce cycling.


Are standard UK wall sockets a 16A power supply Hi I have bought a IPL hair remover from a British company and in the manual that the unit is configured for a 16A power supply. So it should be plugged into a 16A wall socket or a 20A kitchen appliance socket. Are these the sockets that we use as standard in the uk.
It’s telling me that it can be reset to 10A sockets if necessary but I don’t know what amp the uk standard power socks are.
Asking in fear of blowing the machine up by just plugging it into the wall. Thanks

BS1363 is 13A max

The UK BS1363 plug system is 13A, maximum, per receptacle.  Since your appliance does not support that setting, only 10A and 16A, the 10A setting is correct; furthermore, they were smart enough to fuse the plug properly (at 10A) -- this means that if you tried to set it to 16A, you'd eventually blow the fuse in the plug.


Ceiling Fan Wiring Confusion Was expecting to find just 3 simple wires (b, w, g) and be able to hook up this ceiling fan quite easily but found this when taking out the old fan...3 sets of wires, #1 with 2 black and 1 white, #2 with 2 white, and #3 with 1 black. How would I go about wiring this to the new ceiling fan? Thanks!

The 2 black + 1 white is your always-hot bundle.  You won't use it (unless you want to power the fan 24x7 and use a remote on it).

The 2 white is the neutral bundle.  Your fan will need that.

The loose black is the switched-hot from the switch. (it is the partner wire to the oddball white from above).  This is the switched-hot for the fan.

The switch is a switch loop, meaning power comes to the fan (and also goes onward to serve other things)... and the switch merely gets always-hot and switched-hot.  It was legal to wire switches that way as recently as 2011.  The white could be a real source of confusion, since it's not a neutral, so two special rules apply: #1 the always-hot wire must be white (to make it more obvious that it's not a neutral to people probing it with voltage testers), and #2 the white wire must be marked with black tape or paint to indicate it's a hot.

Without that marking, which was overlooked in your box, it is impossible to distinguish a switch loop from other wires.  So it is most important you don't allow the 2 black + 1 white to become separated/confused. It is common for important information like this to only exist in wire position. This is why I own 10 colors of tape.


Preventing further water damage to hardboard siding Area is US Pacific NW (Portland, OR)

My recently purchased home (built 1972) has clapboard siding made of (I've been told) Masonite, probably 10-15 years old. When it was installed the painters painted under the butt edges only where it was easy to get to, i.e. knee high and above, and did not paint under the bottom two courses. This has resulted in some water damage over the years.

See below for pictures.

I'm not in a position to replace the siding or do major repairs, but would like to prevent or at least slow down further damage by sealing the unprotected butt edges.

I am considering applying a clear paintable silicone caulk to the underside of the butt edges on the lower two courses, and any other butt edges that are incompletely painted.  Would this work, or should I be doing something different?

Wide shot of the siding

Butt edge about 6' up.  It is mostly painted but even this one could use some sealing

Bottom course, this is the worst of it.

Bottom course with less swelling/damage.

In my area, Masonite siding was extremely popular during the 70's and 80's. They all have met the same fate as what you are experiencing.  Your's doesn't look too bad yet, but once it starts, the bubbling and swelling will continue. The only way I know to slow the process is to remove as much loose paint and disintegrated paper material as possible, prime with a sealing primer like Bullseye pigmented shellac, or Kilz. The goal is to be sure you have sealed as much of the affected surface area as possible. Use two coats of primer if you want a better seal. Get up behind the slabs as far as possible.   Then overcoat with your color paint. Try to do this when the conditions have been dry for a few days and the siding is as dry as possible. If it is damp or saturated with water, like I have seen many times, painting is a waste of time, it will not stay and the swelling will continue.  Keep a good coat of paint on any areas of wear or where chipped or peeling. You cannot eliminate the damage without replacement, but you can slow it down.


Standing water in front of retaining wall okay for wall? I built a retaining wall this past summer, and put the proper drainage behind the wall. Due to time, I never got around to handling drainage in front of the wall and in between the pool.

The standing water in front of wall eventually goes away but may take a full day or two. Is this okay for the wall? I have the proper footing, and first row of retaining wall block buried. I tried to grade the area in front so it pitches to the ends, and I'm going to try to dig out and down a little and throw some river rock then dirt, just to relieve some water somewhat.

This past weekend we got about 5 inches of rain, the water was maybe an inch in front of the wall. Worst case, I have a water transfer pump to relocate it, but I'm planning on throwing river rock around it and just leaving it, if it's not going to hurt the wall, and it will eventually go away on its own anyway.

I don't have the energy to dig into the clay and move all that earth for the proper french drain. This summer I already, installed a 100ft french drain in my yard, dug out the pool, installed the 130ft electrical run for the pump, installed the retaining wall, and installed sod. I'm beat; and I have other pressing projects to fulfill, before winter gets here.

Pictures:

1) https://imageshack.us/i/poeZRuvfj

2) https://imageshack.us/my/images

I can live with the water and hopefully the river rock will disguise it, keep it under it until it drains away. I just don't want the footing to eventually shift and collapse the wall.

The foot is your typical footing material crushed stone with fines, and tamped 6 inches or so deep, and then the wall block. The base is 2ft wide, and then gravel on top of it in front and behind the base block. Then on the top in between the pool and wall is sand and gravel mixed, and then I plan to put down landscaping fabric and put river rock all around the pool.

I basically just went to the middle of the retaining wall and considered that the peak. I slightly graded down on the left and right side of pool to help water run down to these areas, then I put a drain on each side using 4 inch flex drainage tubing. I dug down about a foot, and at the start and end, I used a sanitary white T adapter at the beginning and end of drain pipe so I can attach the tubing, have the drain cap on top and have an opening at the bottom for clean out and added drainage, and I put about 3-4 inches of river rock below the fitting and inside a little. Around the pool I added landscaping fabric and put down an 1in - 2 inches of river rock around the pool for a nice aesthetic appeal, and to help prevent erosion.  So far so good.

Still never found any information on the effects long term of standing water in front of retaining wall, and I didn't want to wait and find out. Although the better way would have been to install a french drain around the entire pool, due to time, this cheaper, and quicker fix seems to do the job and relieve most if not all of the standing water.

Will add pictures soon.


New Cold air return at the end of duct? I've readarguments against putting a new heat branch at the end of a duct because it essentially lets all the pressure out the end, but does the same theory apply to a cold air return?

That rule doesn't apply to the return air side. Return air is often overlooked and undersized because the effects of a properly installed return system seem similar to a very poorly installed system. It's great that you want to add a return! Most customers ask me to remove the big ugly register that nothing comes out of. That being said, the standards for return air are so relaxed that the logic is, as long as the furnace gets enough, it's good enough. Adding or removing anything to the duct system will change its dynamics. A return off the end of a duct plenum will draw more relative to a top cut or side cut return. It's almost impossible to predict the flow characteristics until the system is completed and even then you need a good velometer and accurate measurement methods to get a proper reading. So in general yes, outside of very critical circumstances, you can take a return off the end of the duct.

side note

You can technically take a supply run off the end of the duct but a 2" diameter hole can equal the output of a 5" take off. So if you cut a 5" side take off in the end of supply you can loose much of your static pressure and dump many hundreds of cfm into the take off. I have used this phenomenon to supply rooms that were previously neglected and/or extremely long distances away. Whenever doing this a volume damper is recommended at the take off as well as at the boot.


Where to get anti slip treads for walkways? I've tried looking for the following in HomeDepot, Amazon and various online supply stores but can't seem to find this exact product. I have seen this used as pedestrian walkway dividers in streets and in airports/schools. Attached is a picture.

Try:

DW Dots
dwdots.com

uline.com

Armor-Tile Tactile Systems
armor-tile.com

I'm not sure if they are considered "slip resistant ". I think they're primarily used for ADA tactile surface for the blind.


How can I clean hard water buildup from pipes? I've basically confirmed that my overall plumbing problems are down to hard water buildup. My softener has been out of action for about a month or two (waiting on a part), so I have at least that much buildup to contend with. In case anybody cares, I have concluded this because major blockage issues began around the time the softener died, and because around that time efficiency of my water heater dropped drastically as well..

I'm told that a strong white vinegar solution is the best option, however my sources say that this needs to be followed up with heavy-duty mechanical cleaning, up to and including breaking down the plumbing system and mechanically cleaning the pipes individually. The intermediate plastic system eventually connects to an ancient metal system, so while I can conceivably do this for the plastic there's no way that I'm pulling metal pipes out of a concrete floor.

Is white vinegar really the best option? If not, what is?

Does it really require the mechanical cleaning I  described?

I'm wondering if the problem isn't mineral buildup, but rather sediment in the lines. Not sure if this would cause a failure in your softener, or if it could be caused by the softener failing.

The sediment in the pipes would go to various fixtures and get stuck in the filters and aerators. You'd have to remove each one and clean it out. On sinks, this is usually part of the aerator and may unscrew without major tools. On shower heads, this may be where it screws into the elbow pipe. And on toilets, newer ones have a cap at the top of the supply pipe that you push down and give it a quarter turn (turn the water off first, with the cap off and a cup over the top to keep water from going everywhere, run some water to clean it out, and then reassemble).

For the hot water heater, you would need to simply flush it out (which should be done periodically due to natural buildup). Attach a hose to the drain on the bottom, either run it outside or into one of your drains, turn the heater off so you aren't trying to heat water that's being discarded, and open the drain for a bit. If you're observing the outflow, keep going until it runs clear. Otherwise, I'd guess 5 minutes of draining every year should be good, but that's a guess.


How can I make outlet wall plates mount flush after removing wood paneling? I recently removed some old wood panelling in my basement that was up against drywall. I refinished the walls and painted but now the outlet covers don't mount flush against the wall anymore because they were originally installed when the walls had the extra thickness of the wood panelling. What can I do about this?

Presumably the issue is that the outlet boxes protrude from the drywall.

Before doing anything else, turn off the power to the outlet.

Generally these boxes are typically nailed into the studs.  If this is the case, simply pry the nails out, reseat the boxes deeper in, and re-nail them into place.

If you can't reseat the boxes deeper (e.g. if something impinges on the rear of the boxes), there's a few options.  Replace the boxes with shallower ones.  Use a dremel or similar to cut off the protruding parts of the box.  Or add a "frame" around the box.


How can I install an exterior porch light where there is no junction box? I live in an older house with small, exterior porch light fixtures outside 3 doors.  Those fixtures need to be replaced.  When I pulled the first one off, I found 2 wires coming thru the wall - no junction box containing the connections.  I understand I cannot replace them this way as it doesn't meet code - I need the connections to be contained.  Is there any type of box I can add to the exterior of the wall vs cutting a larger hole?  Are there any exterior fixtures that have the box as part of the fixture itself so that a junction box isn't required?  Suggestions?

At the hardware store, ask for an "old work" box, sometimes also called a "cut-in box", they are made to be added to existing walls / ceilings and have little clips on the side that allow you to anchor them into the hole. You will need to make the proper size hole as well, typically with what's called a "keyhole saw" if you are OK with a manual operation, otherwise you would use a "reciprocating saw" or now, a "roto-zip" saw. If you don't have one, you can often rent them.


What type of wood should I use for a washer/dryer platform? I would like to build a shelf that will allow me to place my washer and dryer on it as well as two shelves.  Ideally, I want to house laundry baskets under the shelf.  What type of wood would you suggest I use and what thickness?  Thanks

I assume you must mean a platform (or separate platforms) resting on the floor. I think the commercial steel ones are called pedestals. ("Shelf" suggests attachment to the wall.)

I would use 2x4 frames with 3/4" plywood on top. It could be that 2x2 would work (at least in front) to give more room underneath. If you already have the 2x4s, then lay the front ones on their sides to give more clearance.

A homemade platform might not be able to handle the vibration from the spin cycle of the washer. Washers do sometimes move across the floor. This platform should have a slight raised rim, short enough to permit lifting of the machine onto the platform but tall enough to prevent it from sliding off.  I think lockable casters or at least plastic skids would be a terrifically useful enhancement. One does have to slide these out from time to time.

We have a tall top loader washer which my wife has trouble reaching down into. Think about the appropriate height. Also she cannot easily reach the cut-off valves behind this washer. I had put short extensions on the supply lines when we had a shorter washer and I replaced the original sweated on rubber washer globe valves with ball valves, but longer extensions are what we need now (and I have plenty of room for it) but that's down on my list. If you have room in the box, you might consider whether you should raise the height of the cut-off valves.

Edit

I asked someone who built one of these platforms for his washer and dryer and here are his comments.

I did make it because I thought that the manufactured ones were outrageously expensive.  It is a box constructed with a 2x4 frame and sheathed on 4 sides (I didn't do the bottom and back--but if I ever move it I plan to sheath the back also) with particle board and painted.

The dryer is light enough to lift off.  I move the washing machine by moving it onto a temporary step that I create in front of the platform using the lift and twist approach.  Then I move it onto the floor. (I have access to one side of the washing machine.)  If I had to slide it, I would lift up each side and place a rug under the feet.

Height from floor 17".  Wife at 5'4" tall picked that height. The platform is 5' wide by 38" deep.  The washer sits back 5" from the front and about 3" from the side. There is no lip or foot depression.  The "rubber" cap on the metal feet provides adequate friction to prevent movement.

The commercial metal platforms are built with drawers in them as a selling point. You could fit 12" deep drawers or an open shelf under mine.  My front face provides a lot a structural integrity to prevent racking or vibration of the frame. If you did drawers you would need to compensate for that loss of integrity in the design.


Should I repair the kraft paper vapor barrier after remodeling work? R-60 kraft-faced fiberglass batts were installed in our modular home when it was built in 1994.  We recently remodeled two rooms and the contractor made a real mess of the insulation when installing new ceiling lights and a new bathroom exhaust fan.  Batts appear to have been simply ripped up without concern for protecting them for re-use.

Some effort was made to replace batts but large gaps were left between them.  Many of the batts probably can be relaid between the trusses with some care; others may have to be replaced because the facing is torn.

My questions are these.

Is it important to maintain the (admittedly minimal) vapor barrier afforded by the kraft facing or is it OK to relay batts that have torn facing?
If batts have to be replaced, do I need to get ones that are faced?
Might it be more cost-effective to pull all the batts in the messed up areas and have them replaced by blown fiberglass insulation?  (Blown insulation at least has the advantage of making it easier to insulate around IC-rated light fixtures.)
Finally, how important is it to remove construction debris, such as sawdust, scraps of paper, cable jacketing, etc. on top of the batts in areas where they are still intact but hard to access?

Yes, you should repair or replace the vapor barrier, depending on your climate. In most areas it's important to prevent moisture due to human activity from reaching the frost front inside the insulation, where it will condense and cause mold or damage.
Yes, you should use faced batts as replacements, unless you intend to install poly sheeting over those cavities instead.
Yes, it may make sense to simply blow in cellulose or fiberglass over a new vapor barrier, but we can't say with the limited information provided. (Cost questions are also generally off-topic.)
Minor debris is inconsequential, except where it's large or heavy enough to cause compression of the insulation medium.


Painting kitchen cabinets I am getting ready to paint my kitchen cabinets and need some advice on best way to go about it.  what is the best way to prep kitchen cabinets for painting and what is the best way to paint them, brush, roller, spray painter?

Also any special type of paint I should use?

Thank you

This can be complicated. It depends on what finish is on there now. Paint; latex or oil. Clear, varnish or lacquer. Not all paint will stick to all of these. I would recommend that the end result will be dependent on how much work you put into it. So this is what I would do if I was looking for a quality job. # and remove doors & drawers. Patch any dings with wood putty, sand imperfections smooth, wipe down with tsp for better paint adhesion, wipe down with clean damp rag, let dry, use shellac based primer. (only finish that will stick to all other finishes) use a sanding sponge to make smooth. Brush on new paint, oil or latex.


How do I stop a door from swinging open without taking out the pins? I have a door that swings open. If I open it a crack it will swing open the entire way. I want to be able to leave it at a certain angle and have it stay there.

Here is the problem, I cannot take out the pins (this is a door to my office I use several times per week, my boss said fix it any way you like but do NOT take it off the hinge and do NOT remove the pins), so I need something to possibly attach to it to keep it from swinging.

I noticed there are three holes drilled in both the top back of the door and the frame, it is like something was attached there before.

Is there some sort of device I can  attach to the door to keep it from swinging open or to control the angle at which it stays open?

thanks for any ideas.

It looks like your in a pickle with the boss's restrictions. Isherwood was right in reguards to the door framing being out of plumb. My suggestion would be to invest a couple of dollars for a rubber wedge type stopper,and put it under the door to hold it back where you want it. Good luck!


Do I need to upgrade wiring to replace a 50A breaker with a 60A breaker for a new hot tub? Our 23 year old hot tub finally gave out so we are having a new one delivered but were told it needed a 60 amp breaker. When checking the panel I saw that the old tub used a 50 amp breaker. How do I determine if the wiring is safe to use with a 60 amp breaker? The current wire used is very big but I want to be sure.

The length needed for the run is 100'; 75' from the breaker box to a disconnect on the deck and then another 25' from the disconnect box/switch to the tub. The current wire is marked "Essex 8-SG non metallic sheathed cable Type NM-B 600 volt E-10816-K (UL)".

Number 8NM cable is not good for 60A. To be honest it was not even good for 50a. #8NM cable is only good for up to a 40A circuit.

For a 60A circuit you need #6cu or better yet #4 considering the distance.


Basement wall framing I'm going to start work on a basement bathroom.  I've got the drains already in.  Will insulate the walls with foam boards....the framing?   Wood or metal?   I'm thinking with a basement and the possibility of moisture I should just go with metal framing to be safe?

At least in the US, wood framing is far more common than metal in residential construction. And, I think, a lot easier for DIY construction. Certainly much easier when it comes to hanging cabinets and a lot of other little (and not-so-little) details.

If water is a problem with your wood frame construction then you have much more serious problems as your walls will be rotting, mold growing, etc. long before your wood frame gets damaged.


How do I make this large mold for concrete countertop? I've been wanting to make a concrete counter-top for a long time but there's one section that is giving me trouble. The mold would have to be bigger than would fit on a standard 4' x 8' sheet of melamine. Hoping someone might have encountered this before.

The dimensions in the diagram aren't exact but give a rough idea of the size and shape.

As I see it I have 2 options.

Connect 2 pieces of plywood to create one large mold

Not sure if this is a good idea or not. Might create an uneven surface where the melamine is joined or create the appearance of a seam? Need to reinforce it to make sure it doesn't come apart with the weight of the cement mix. Also will have one very heavy piece to move.

Make 2 molds

I can split the counter-top into 2 molds and then seam the two pieces with epoxy. It should blend in pretty good plus the sink hole will remove a lot of the seem from view. I'll also have 2 more manageable slabs to move around.

3 options for where to put the seem. Yellow line, red line and blue line.

Red and blue lines I'm worried might be too close to the sink opening and compromise strength? Anyone know how close it's recommended to have a sink hole to the edge? Blue

Blue line is pointless now that I look at it. No benefit and just makes the weight distribution between the 2 parts weird.

Yellow line is probably the least conspicuous location but I think might make the mold a little more difficult. Especially getting the sink hole edges to line up. I'd like to use an undermount sink.

Make 3 Molds

After reading the helpful input and better understanding the challenges I'm now leaning towards making 3 molds with a seam at the red and blue lines.

I think it will make it easier to create the molds, make it easier to get a good sink hole and overall be stronger. Three slabs will be easier to move around than 2 also.

Open to any opinions.

Yellow line is where you need to go, make the form slightly longer on the meeting edges so the ends can be recut to a clean joint. the reason being, moisture loss in concrete will change the look of the slab were it looses it rapidly. This means at any joint in the form where water can leak out will force the concrete to cure differently. Caulking the corners will help fix the problem an will also radius the edges a little or more if you choose, when done in the right spots. This should be done on the meeting joint, but of course you don't want a radius where they meet, hence the recut. Have some 1/4" stainless steel rod to drop into the wet mix at the sink front to strengthen those ends. If you put any on the back edge, be sure you steer clear of the area where the faucet is drilled.

You may be aware of this already, but I need to mention this. Concrete slab tops are honed/polished like natural stone is. A stain can be added to the surface prior to honing to add a variation in color too. Melamine will give a good start, but the honing and polishing will give a fine finish.


Pressure Reducing Valve at water meter--need some assistance--how install, what parts, tools. Newbie How to put in PRV Valve 12 foot after home water meter.
Thanks for your kind help. I may end up hiring a plumber but for $600 that 2 neighbors spent, I wonder if this is something I can do myself or someone with more skills than I.

This is what 2 neighbors had put in, looks like it is PVC:

Questions:

3/4" Pipe is coming out of water meter. I cannot see if it is PEX or PVC. House was built in 2001, Thoughts????

.
2. If I use this type of PRV (below image) what parts/tools do I need to connect it?

If I use this type PRV (below image) what parts/tools would I need? Or would this not work the way the joints are?

I appreciate your knowledge and advice in advance

Thank you
Peter

The picture of your neighbors is a PEX pipe. The first PRV is national pipe thread. The Second one is  PEX and it's very easy to do this work. If you're using PEX then the second one is the obvious choice. You need a crimper and a pipe slicer. That's it. That being said, by the time you buy those tools and the PRV you could be pretty close to 600 bucks anyway.


How can I touch up the paint on crown molding where I inadvertently applied wall paint? I've painted the drywall and even though I carefully put the paint tape around the ceiling molding, I still made some marks on it. So I tried to remove it after with a damp/wet cloth, it didn't help though.

The molding is white colored, so I guess I don't need to repaint it all together but just touch it. Am I right?

Can I just dip a piece of cloth in a well stirred paint and then simply buff it over the marked spots on the moldings?

I'm newbie :-)

Thanks for feedback!

Yes you can just take a small brush, pour a bit of paint in a plastic cup and go along and touch it up. Make sure to wipe off the brush very well, so only a little paint is applied and you reduce the chance of drips.

Another positive you have going for you is this is up high so people aren't going to be looking at it too closely.


Germany: Is it legal to connect a gas oven to a gas tank manually? I have arrived recently in Germany and I want to get a gas oven.
I was wondering if it's possible to buy the oven, the gas tank, and manually connect them on my own, is this possible legally? Or should I use a professional service?
Update 1: The oven in question is the Ooni Koda 16, and I won't attach it to a gas line as I don't have one, I will attach it to a gas cylinder (bottle).
Update 2: The reason I want a gas oven, is that I want to bake Neapolitan pizza at home, that needs ~500C temperature to be able to cook it properly, as far as I know, an electric oven can't reach beyond 300C.
Answers:

Regulations forbid to use such an oven indoors
Gas stoves and similar stuff depend also on contract terms (renting)
The oven mentioned in my question can be installed manually without any problems, but only outdoors

Big thanks to all the respectful people who helped me with this, I could've injured myself unless I've seen your answers and setup the oven, thank you!

Update: the stove you refer to is an outdoor gas stove. You don't even need to talk to anyone, using thas stove indoors will violate all kinds of regulations and will pose a huge safety hazard to you.  There are also better ways of killing yourself than running an outdoor gas stove indoors.
Unfortunately Ooni doesn't give the power of the stove on their web site, but they say that 440 g of propane (1 lb) will last "up to an hour". Propane has a lower heating value of 46 MJ/kg. At 440 g/h that is 20 kW. I.e. you are far above the 11 kW limit for normal private use of gas burners in a flat.
BTW: you don't need high power to reach high temperature in the stove if the stove has decent insulation and/or a volume that is not much larger than the pizza. For indoor settings such insulation is not only required for gas safety reasons but also for fire and burn safety.
To give you an idea, a quick glance found me that a 20 kW gas indoor pizza stove is the size for making 9 30 cm pizzas simultaneously.  Or, thinking from the other side, you get electric indoor pizza stoves with   2.5 - 3.5 kW (suitable for 230 V 16 A i.e. standard electric installation) for a single pizza at a time.

If the kitchen is equipped with a plug-in gas outlet, you plug in your new stove and proceed as the manual says.

If there is no fixed gas installation available, the bottom line is that hardly anyone cares about the hassle (safety plus safety burocracy plus carrying gas bottles into your flat) and people go for electric (e.g. induction) cooking instead: the electric installatin typically has 3 phases with 16 A for the electric stove, so you can get 11 kW electric stove as easily as an 11 kW gas stove (gas installation above 11 kW has additional regulation).

Otherwise:

If you are not owning the house, you'll have to talk to your landlord. It is quite possible for the renting contract (or the landlord) to forbid gas cooking for general safety reasons. (If you own a flat in a house, you may have to talk to the other owners, but there I'm not sure)

Where the building has a fixed gas installation, a rental flat typically comes with a fixed gas stove already installed.

Building and fire safety regulations vary by Land (state, province).

You may need to obtain the permission by the chimney sweeper, and have them regularly measure emissions.
Make sure you talk to them beforehand since they may tell you that you need to put ventilation holes into all doors etc.
One important limit is 11 kW - below that things are somewhat easier, but you still need to take care of regulations like minimum distances and required room volume.
You can also ask the customer service of the local gas provider (Stadtwerke) about regulations. They'll know even if your house is not connected with gas.

For fixed gas installation (gas tank, fixed pipes, fixed connection to stove) call a gas fitter/plumber (in Germany, Gas- und Wasserinstallateur or old name
Klempner = plumber is one profession).

In general, there is also the possibility that you do the installation yourself and then have a plumber do the safety check only. (Similar for electric installation.)
Of course, it is quite possible that no local plumber will sign the safety certificate if they cannot sufficiently inspect the installation. So make sure you talk to them beforehand.

If we're speaking gas bottle and stove, you can connect bottle, reducing valve and stove yourself. Make sure you have the propane nozzle in.  (And if you don't know what I'm talking about, have a plumber show you)
You still need approval by landlord and also the regulations like approval by chimney sweeper, ventilation etc. still apply.
For the technical part of the rules, the Technische Regeln Flüssiggas are relevant.
Keep in mind:

no underground storage of gas bottles, no storage in sleeping rooms etc.*
at most 16 kg of propane or butane in the house (so one 5 kg reserve bottle plus the normal 11 kg bottle)*
you can not fill your gas bottle yourself at the gas station, instead you exchange it for a full one.

* without special installation (e.g. force ventilated gas cabinets)


how do I change the lightbulb in a pendulum lamp? how do I change the lightbulb in a pendulum lamp like this shown in the image?

On the one I had in the past there is a nut at the top, loosen this nut and the globe can now be shifted, holding the globe shift it around moving the nut to the side of the opening. At 1 or 2 positions the edge of the support plate will come out of the globe, now move that to the other side and the fixture will be released. Place the globe on a safe surface hold the fixture and unscrew the lamp and replace. I usually wash the globes with warm soapy water as they usually have dust and grease buildup in and on them and reverse the process to re assemble.


Hang a 100lb heavy bag from ceiling I'm trying to figure out the safest way to hang a 100lb heavy bag from the ceiling in my garage.

The pictured part is under a bedroom, and the continuous line, if it's like the part that is under the attic has a 1.5inch wide piece of wood.  The other half of the garage does not have any of the perpendicular beams.

From what I've read, I can't just hang it with a single eye bolt, and I don't have access to the other side because of the room above.  I found this TuffRail system, but I'm not convinced that it would be structurally sound.  I also found this SpiderMount, but the spacing of the larger beams doesn't match.

Is it possible to safely hang the bag?

Attached is a picture

So a 100lb bag getting rocked by punches may be disturbing to whoever is upstairs it's not all that heavy for the structure. A single drywall sheet is around 50 pounds or so(not going to google exact weight). So the issue is fastening to the ceiling. I like the second one you posted because of the springs. I would fasten some light duty metal square tubing across the span of the joists in such a way that I could bolt the spider mount to the metal.

Hand drawn (obviously) conceptual illustration

With this method you can run the tubing across several joists spreading the load so over time they won't sag.

I think your joists run this way and in the method outlined above the metal tube would run perpendicular to the joists spanning 3 joists for redundancy.


How to quantify the difference in power of tablesaw motor rewired to 240 vs 120 volts I often read comments that the same 1.5 hp motor will be less powerful if rewired from 240 to 120 volts, but the wattage of the machine should be the same at 240 volts as at 120 because the amps just double when the motor is rewired to 120.

Is this power loss real, and if so how would it be quantified, pounds of torque?

I don't know who is saying those comments or in what context they are saying, but I don't agree.  If the motor is actually designed to be jumpered between 240V and 120V, then it should perform the same in either configuration.

Induction motors of this type have an entirely passive rotor, so no brushes.  The only windings are in the non-moving fields, so it is practicable to switch them. How it's done is to wind the fields with 2 wires half the cross-section.  For 120V, those wires are connected in parallel. For 240V, in series.  The same amount of current flows through each wire in either configuration, so motor performance is the same, and temperature will be the same.

If you are abusing a motor that is not manufactured to be switchable, then all bets are off.  Or if you are dealing with a brushed or shaded-pole motor on a smaller appliance, the rules can change, but that is not OP's question.


Is this white powdery substance on a wood shelf caused by flying termites? There were probably about 100 or 200 so flying termites inside the house two days ago. They were all flying to the ceiling lights, and I placed buckets of water below it and many got in. I also vacuumed the termites in the air and nearly all are gone now. They seem to be coming from inside of the house and the professionals are coming in later in the week.

I noticed this whitish powder on my wood shelf. Are they the eggs of these termites? Or their droppings?  Should I just wipe them away?

If you saw swarming termites in your house two years ago, I hope you had you house treated. If not, they have your home as the food menu.


1lb of cure is worth 10 tons of mold: DIY repair of a poorly sealed window? lots of photos herein Preface

I live in China. Construction is largely handled by unskilled migrants, and one cannot just call up a specialist contractor to fix a major issue.

Problem

I've got a window that was not properly sealed when the apartment was built, and which has become a major vector for mold and moisture. So much so that ice builds along the edges in the winter and water occasionally pools in the summer.

Task

Fix it myself, from the inside only, with tools and materials readily available at Home Depot-type stores. (i.e. - nothing too exotic)

Photos and Descriptions

The problem window (north facing, to make things even more "fun"

Window blueprint, somewhat to scale.

Mold and plaster damage around the left concrete column. Interior is to the left, exterior to the right. The plaster is about 2MM thick and applied directly to the concrete, with a latex interior paint double coat. I don't know what exact material was used to seal the window in place.

The plaster is steadily falling off the wall due to the damp.

More falling plaster...

Close-up of some of the damage.

Best course of action?

I figure there's no getting around stripping all the plaster off the wall around the window, and that's fine. The questions I have in mind are:

does the concrete need a sealant before fresh plaster & paint are applied?
can the window frame be effectively resealed from the inside only?
is there hope for success? or will this always be a bastard unless we can find a competent renovator who can fly? (we're on the 4th floor)

EDIT - photo captions don't work? I've added them manually as paragraphs...

Andrew, excellent question and great photos.  The problem is a bit complicated. I can see from the photos that the water migration is coming from the top, perhaps even above the top of your window. Anytime the plaster separates from a concrete base, it means the moisture is coming through the concrete, most likely from the out of doors in your case. Unfortunately the proper fix would have to be diagnosed and repaired outside at the source of the leak. Since you have no assess to the outside to explore and repair, the only mitigation to the problem from the inside would be to seal the concrete with a hydo-seal product such a Dri-loc sealer. I really think trying to replace the scratch and finish plaster coats will be a waste of time and fail again soon.  I would strip away all the plaster to bare concrete in the effected area, making a clean line at the end of the bad plaster.  Attempt to dry it as much as possible with a fan or fan forced heater. Something like a small box ceramic heater would be fine. Strip out as much of the caulking from around the window frame as possible.  Paint the concrete with two coats of the Dri-loc sealer.  Let it cure completely, recaulk the window frame with a Silicon/Acrylic paintable caulk. Paint the sealed surface with a recommended type of paint compatible with the sealer you select.  You will not have as nice and smooth a surface as the original plaster, however, since you cannot stop the source of the water, the goal here is to simply stop it from entering your window bay.


Is it possible to install an occupancy sensor switch to control 3 light fixtures? Renovating my bathroom, I wanted to have 3 wet proof light fixtures in the shower/tub area. The source is at the light and the instructions are vague. The sensor is a Lutron MS-OPS6M2-DVR-WH.

The wiring diagram in the manufacturer's documentation is quite simple.

The lines labeled "Hot/Live" and "Neutral", is the feed from the breaker. The "Load" is the light you're trying to control.  To expand it for three lights, you'd wire it like this...

Notice that the wiring in the switch box does not change. You simply add on additional loads (lights) to the circuit.

NOTES:

For an occupancy sensor to work, it has to "see" your movement. Which means it will have to be positioned so that it can always "see" you, no matter where you are in the bathroom. This might require a clear, or translucent shower curtain.
The switch cannot be mounted within the shower/tub area, or anywhere it might get sprayed, splashed, or wet by any means.


Can I replace a 20A breaker with a 40A breaker? My basement has only one 20 Amp breaker running it. When I turn my heater on...it kicks the breaker. Can I just change that out to a 40 Amp breaker.. I'm freezing here. What can I do? It kicks every day .help me out

Never EVER swap a breaker for a larger amp.  Extremely dangerous and could easily burn your house down.  If turning on a space heater trips the breaker, there are other things on the circuit drawing current and you will need to shut them off to run your heater on that same circuit.  Also use the lowest wattage setting whenever possible - running 1500 watts (high power) all the time... no telling how warm/hot the wires inside your walls are getting.  If you have an industrial (high-amp) extension cord, you could use it to run your heater from another circuit, or even add a second heater to the basement using the heavy-duty extension cord. (Do NOT use a normal household extension cord to power a heater though!!!).  I'd suggest a kerosene heater to get you through really cold temps - they are great emergency heaters.  Or an oil-filled dielectric radiator heater (those are safer than most).


How can I prevent a wooden door from expanding and binding when it rains? When we have heavy driving rains it causes the front door to expand and we're unable to close or lock the door until it has dried out and contracted.  There is no veranda so the rain hits straight onto the front door.

How can I prevent this?

I am going to guess that you have a wood door causing the problem. If you have checked the original installation and frame alignment and feel that cannot be changed, then the only real solution is to plane it down so it closes properly when damp or humid. You can install extra or new weatherstripping to assure it has a good airtight seal,especially in dryer times when it may shrink a bit.


How do I replace or repair a motion sensor PIR lens? The PIR lens/translucent cover for my motion sensor for my outdoor light kit broke.  Crumbled to the touch after about a year outside despite being made for outdoors.

The sensor is now way too sensitive without it, but the sensor does still work.

Is it possible to replace this PIR lens, or do I have to throw the baby out with the bathwater and replace the whole sensor piece?

I am not asking where I can buy this part (and I am reaching out to the manufacturer now that I have the part name); I just want to know whether it is possible (and worth my time)  to replace this part or the whole item.

Alternately, can I repair it?  Is there some sort of frosted tape I can use here?

The item you are looking for is a PIR lens.  These are typically sold in bulk, but now that you know the name of it, you should be able to google for one to purchase.

An example one is here


Mounting a 23kg 55" tv to stud wall on full motion mount?? UK I've read so many forums and advice pages about this but have seen nothing definitive!

I have a 23kg 55" tv and a full motion mount that claims it can hold 40kg+

I think my walls are plasterboard with studs but I'm not 100% certain... If I can confirm, through drilling little test holes, that there are studs are either or both of the following options ok:

1) if studs align perfectly with tv mount then just drill into wooden studs and mount on them with 4 x corner holes of tv mount, then the 2 middle holes of tv mount use heavy duty gripit plasterboard fixings.

2) if studs don't align, or just anyway, use something like 18mm ply/mdf to span all available studs behind tv, fix that in with numerous screws into wooden studs, then screw tv mount into the ply. < If I use this option should I go all the way through wood and plasterboard with the tv mount fixings or not?

Help hugely appreciated. I just want to avoid having to cut out the whole wall and but battens or additional studs in then replastering because that is waaay outside of my experience level. Thanks

Your #2 idea to use some sheet material to span across the whole range of studs is the way to go. However do not use MDF or particle board. Both those materials have terrible screw retention problems. Instead use good quality plywood.

Also use thicker plywood if you can get it. 18mm thickness is a little on the thin side for this application. Try to get 20mm or more. The reason is that full motion TV mounts will put incredible stress on the mounting screws and you want to maximize the ability of the plywood to grip the screw threads and provide the maximal pull-out strength.

Note that when mounting the plywood to the wall always use a pilot drill of the appropriate size for the screw threads into the stud. Sized properly the installed screw will be stronger than if you try to just brute force it into the stud without the pilot hole. The same thing for the mount screws into the plywood - use pilot holes there too.

The size of the plywood sheet may want some consideration. If you can get substantial coverage over studs and still have it largely behind the TV than it will be easy to paint to same color as the wall and be hardly noticeable. On the other hand if it has to be larger than the TV then it may actually be aesthetically better looking to extend the plywood all across the width of the working surface.


Specific name of this faucet / sink type I'm having a heck of a time finding a replacement faucet for this sink. I was hoping someone could enlighten me as to if there's a specific name for this type of sink/faucet that might help me locate one easier.

Notice the the raised area the faucet sits on the sink at, also the pieces from left to right are what looks like maybe a broken soap dispenser, a pull/push drain control for the left basin, then the faucet, then another drain control for the right basin, and on the furthest right is the hose sprayer thing (not sure of the correct verbiage for any of this).

The Sink is a 3 basin porcelain sink. The (I'll just call it a "cap") that the faucet and stuff sits on seems very unique. I understand I'll likely try to have to re-use this "cap" piece along with the original pull/pull drain plug controls for the basins, but I have no idea what you would call the rest of this setup. Everywhere I've looked I only seem to find the contemporary standard ones that sit on top of a flat surface as one piece but can't find a setup to replace this for the life of me.

So any insight would be appreciated! Thanks.

I don't know the name of this type of sink or faucet configuration.

If you are already expecting to re-use the cap, you may be able to find another faucet that will work with it.  There are a number of one-handle kitchen faucets that are now designed to be installed with or without a wide base.  For example, the Moen Essie faucet

You may be able to take a faucet like this and mount it on top of the existing cap.


Looped air conditioner condensate line not draining? Using our split air conditioner for the first time, the wall unit started dripping water. Its condensate tube runs through the wall into an adjacent attic and then into the DWV vent stack.

The tubing had a trap formed as a simple  loop with a radius of about 4". When I inspected the tube I could see that some water had accumulated in the bottom of the loop but hadn't reached the top where it would actually drain out into the DWV. Strangely it was not backed up vertically above that point into the pan - there was actually air in that section also.

I took the loop out making it a straight run and the whole thing started draining properly after that. The loop was ~12" below the drip pan height, and everything slopes downwards or almost vertically.

The tubing itself is about 3/4", its a lightweight plastic translucent corrugated type. There was no blockage, the tube was not kinked, etc. No obvious visible reason why it wouldn't drain. The DWV vent stack is about 2' away. Could there be some kind of air lock?

Obviously I want to get it back to having a trap, but need to understand the problem first.

Thanks

All of the Mini split systems I have Installed specify no loop of any kind even after a 8’ drop to the ground there needs to be a consistent down slope. On split with an air handler a loop is still the wrong thing a “p” trap or “u” bend are the proper method to allow water out and no sewer gasses in a loop traps air and will not drain. Since you said draining on the wall if the drain exits the house and drains on the ground no loop is needed. If it drains into a sewer drain then a trap is needed but this may be problematic see the manufacturers install instructions for proper setup.


3 way circuit options to indicate if circuit is active I've got a couple switches controlling an exterior light which is not directly visible from either switch. That causes issues if, for instance, I am leaving during daylight hours and know I will be returning after dark and want to have the light on. I need to flip the switch and then check to see if the light is on (or check, then switch) which is inconvenient (there's a similar issue checking to turn if off during daylight hours).

Ideally, I'd like to use something like the Lutron dimmer system where tapping the top always turns it on and tapping the bottom always turns it off. I don't need a dimmer function so I'd rather not pay for one. Alternatively, switches that had an LED indicator to show when the circuit is energized would work. Are there any products available that would provide either feature? For various not-very good reasons, mostly having to do with laziness, I don't want to use a motion sensor or light sensor and just leave it "on" permanently.

Thanks.

Colin

Using a Z-Wave, Insteon or similar type of "smart" switch would be the simplest way, as just requires replacing the two existing switches. Expect $50-70 per switch. The is the closet thing I'm aware of that's an off-the-shelf solution to your problem.

You could also run a new wire between the two switches, to provide a switched return line that could power an indicator light. I don't know what the situation is like if it's feasible to run a line or worth the effort. Quick search finds some "3-way pilot light" switches that would work. Just to be clear, these require 4 conductors between the two 3-way switches rather than the usual 3.

You could also use a 120V panel-mount indicator light. You'd need to expand to a 2-gang box and custom mount the indicator in a blank faceplate.

Yet another option would be to build a current-sensing light circuit: basically, a current ring on the power line that is capable of sensing the light being on, and in turn, lights up a LED. This would require a custom circuit (though you can find lots of examples on the internet), a transformer to get the ~5VDC (or whatever you use for the circuit), and space to mount all of this stuff (you can't/shouldn't just mount a circuit board inside an enclosure that has 120V in it, it needs to be in a separate enclosure -- offhand I'm not sure if this is part of NEC, but if not it's just common sense).


Does PEX leach BPA when used for hot water plumbing? Would using PEX for potable hot water result in having Bisphenol A (BPA) leached into the water?

Does PEX have BPA content?

If it's labeled for potable water, then it (technically) meets all regulations. Whether those regulations allow for a certain amount of BPA is what you'd want to check.

That said, one should not be ingesting hot water out of the tap. I'm less worried about the pipes and more worried about who-knows-what leaching/growing in the hot water tank. Hot water is for cleaning. Use cold water for all drinking and cooking.


My brand new hot water baseboard heater doesn't give off much heat My home was recently converted from oil to gas and from old school radiators to hot water baseboard. All of the other baseboards in the house get very hot, except for the one in the living room. It gets warm, not hot. What can I do?

There are a number of possibilities:

Air in the system. After installation or repair, it's almost inevitable that some air gets into a hydronic heating system, and there are valves on each baseboard convector and at the pressure tank to remove air from the system. Though automatic bleed valves will slowly remove air, you can do so manually. Be prepared for some water overflow with rags and sponges, since fitting a pan underneath a convector is difficult.
Look for balance valves in the basement which shunt water between parallel routes, and check that the valve to the living room is fully open.
There may be flow valves at the end of the baseboard unit... depending on design.
During installation, a pipe was damaged or filled with solder.

N.B. Since you (or someone) paid for this work, it should be covered by warranty. Notify the installer in writing of the issue and have them fix it.


What could have caused a partial-panel service interruption when my dryer was started? We had a unique thing happen the other day. The home has 200 Square D/Schneider service panel. When the dryer was started, everything that was feeding from the right side of the circuit went dead. However, none of the breakers were tripped. Before we could put a meter on it, they all came back on. The power company checked the meter can and the transformer but found no issues on their end. As they were checking the can, we started the dryer without issue. My diagnosis is a weak main that is in the process of giving up the ghost. Thoughts?

I think what you are trying to say is that you momentarily lost a phase. By the way there are 2 phases in you panel usually labeled A & B. Each one will read 120V to the neutral (ground) and 240V when measured phase to phase.

The momentary loss just might be a power company failure, but you might also be losing a phase in the panel. It might be just a loose conductor feeding from the meter to your panel or you might have a lose connection where the main id attached to your bus or your dryer breaker may not be making good contact with either its conductors or bus. Or like you said you may have a main going bad but that would be the most unlikely situation.

Open your panel and look for any discoloration or burned insulation around the breakers. When the dryer is running feel its breaker and the main and see if they feel warmer than the other breakers. If you have one check them out with an infrared thermometer. If you have a voltage meter you can test across the breakers and see what kind of voltage drop you are reading. It should be around .05 to .03 volts. If its reading somewhere around .1 to .3 volts you are reading a higher resistance in the breaker than usual and may be damaged. Also check the conductor landings on all breakers including the main beaker and make sure they are tight. There will be a lug torque chart on the panel door if it hasn't fallen off. If it's missing you can go on Sq D's website and they will have a lug torque chart.

I am surprised that if your utility company came out they didn't mention whether they had a phase loss or not since they should get an alarm and record if that happened. If you think this is testing is a little over the top;

This is the end result of what might happen.

So good luck and stay safe.


New 4 prong dryer but have a 3 prong outlet Can I wire the four wire cord to a three wire plug so it works for the three prong outlet?

Your dryer wants the modern, safe NEMA 14-30 recep.
Your house has the obsolete, dangerous NEMA 10-30. If the neutral wire has a common problem, it will electrify the chassis of the dryer.
So you can, but you shouldn't.   Here are your options:
LUCKY: There's a 4-wire cable underneath that 3-prong outlet ($15)
Turn the breaker off. Unscrew the receptacle and go see.
If you see either a ground wire, or metal conduit going back to the service panel, you're in luck.  You can simply change the receptacle to NEMA 14-30 and you are done.  Metal conduit is a valid grounding path.
This happens a lot, because Goober gets a used 3-prong dryer, doesn't realize you can easily change the cord, and so Goober changed the receptacle from 4-prong to 3.  Home Depot still sells the receptacles, which they should not.
SUPERB: Fit a 30A, 2-pole GFCI breaker ($95)
At your service panel, find the 30A breaker powering that outlet.  Change it for a 2-pole GFCI breaker.  (this requires that GFCI breakers be available for your panel: Eaton, Cutler Hammer, Bryant, Challenger, Square D, Murray, Siemens and GE are available many places. A few others are supported by Eaton CL breakers. For Pushmatic, Zinsco and FPE you're out of luck, but in the last two, your panel is actually dangerous and should go ASAP.)
After upgrading the breaker, change the receptacle to NEMA 14-30 and don't hook up the ground wire.
Finally, stick two stickers next to the receptacle:

GFCI Protected - reset at panel
No Equipment Ground

And you're done.  This is safe as houses. It would be almost impossible to kill yourself with your dryer even if you were intentionally trying.
GOOD: Retrofit a ground wire. ($20++++ depending on luck of route)
Run a 10 AWG separate ground wire, bare or green, from the dryer receptacle area (leave 1' extra slack) back to any of the following places:

The service panel where the breaker is
any junction box with a metal conduit path back to the panel
any junction box that has a #10 ground wire going back to the panel
Anywhere in the Grounding Electrode System - the bare wires connecting the panel to ground rods/water pipes/etc.

Then, change the receptacle to NEMA 14-30 type and hook up ground.   If the old neutral wire is bare, insulate it thoroughly.  Shrink tubing is not excessive. It mustn't touch ground.
POOR: Change cord to NEMA 10-30 ($15)
There is a procedure in your instructions to swap the dryer out for a 3-prong cord.  It involves changing the cord (obviously) but also involves adding a ground strap tying neutral to ground.  This instruction is telling you to "bootleg ground", which is stupid and dangerous, and illegal anywhere but here because of a special exception notched into Code for dryers and ranges.  Ugh.
The problem with this procedure is that if the neutral wire breaks, it will electrify the chassis of your dryer.  The reasoning behind the exception to the rule is that "Dryers are unplugged rarely, and this isn't likely to happen". This was installed due to pressure from appliance manufacturers, who were scared of losing sales if rewiring was required.  The "retrofit ground" option wasn't available then; it's a quite recent development.
LESS POOR, BUT ILLEGAL: Cheat a separate ground. ($20)
Defy its instructions, don't attach the ground-neutral strap, and hang a ground anywhere you can, in some way which is inferior to the Retrofit Ground procedure (which presumably, you are unable to do).
You could do it all neat and proper, like a retrofit ground, but don't. Deliberately make it look horky-dorky.  That way nobody mistakes it for a proper, legal retrofit ground.
Of course, this is very naughty.


My timber retaining wall is tipping over My timber retaining wall is falling over, I'm just wondering what my options are? Is there a way to fix what I've got, or will I need to dig this whole area out and rebuild? You can't tell from the pictures but it's about 3-4 feet tall.

Photo:

It's quite hard to tell how big this wall is but you stated it's 3-4' tall.

It looks like it was built simply as a vertical wall. There's nothing you can do about it. It was inevitably going to tip over.  So yes, you do have to dig it out.

If you want to replace it with timber, you need to add something called deadmen to it. A deadman is a timber that runs perpendicular to the wall itself that is then attached to another timber that runs parallel to the wall itself. Diagram:

Without those, your timber wall will always end up getting pushed over eventually.

The catch is, of course, to bury the deadman, you need to excavate all the dirt behind the wall back to about the same depth as the wall...so you'd be moving the 4' of dirt behind the wall as well. That may or may not work depending on who's side of the yard that is.

Another option is to go with a block wall. Retainer block walls are typically staggered backwards as it goes up. You then line the back side with drainable material (river rock) and a drain tile to allow any water building up a route of escape. However you're pushing the limits of most consumer-size retaining wall blocks at 4'.

Yet another option is to build two, 2' walls stepped back (one 2' wall on the bottom, then a second 2' wall several feet behind and above the first one). This is likely the best solution for long term retaining of the land. Plus it may offer some landscaping options (allow you to plant the strip in between with decorative plantings).


gravel under concrete slab? is it absolutely required? so, I have a post-frame shed, 12x16. there are posts at 6' on the short sides and every 4' on the long side. posts are set ~18" below grade, on a 2" cap of cement over a few inches of well compacted gravel, holes were all about 27" or so, 2x6 girder runs level at the top (very level all the way around) around base,
ok, so, basically I have ~5.5" to grade from bottom of 2x6 girder to top of board, and the Ive got posts set in concrete, at 24" from the top of that board
so I want to fill that in with concrete, I could put gravel in, say 2" and 3.5" of concrete over that.

Its about 3.75 cu yards of crete, or like $400
It will cost $100 for gravel to fill in 2", but my crete is still only a little cheaper, and it will be a thinner slab.

I could put gravel in, say 2" and 3.5" of concrete over that
or just full 5.5" of crete
or I could do lot of gravel and a 2" top coat over that with a bunch of steel and fibers,

Its just a shed, so Im not too worried about it, I'll put steel mesh in and probably fiberglass to control cracks and run a groover down the center.

Point is, can I get away without using gravel and just lay plastic down and pour a slab, or is the clay soil going to destroy it if I dont have a couple inches of gravel. I am not, going to dig this down deeper, or pour higher that the girder.

Its 5.5" of space, with a few low spots I can rake out. It much faster to do a one day pour so I can put my books back in and my tools to keep them dry, so full 5.5" concrete is good and fast, but a couple inches of gravel would be nice, but is a total extra set of work for little gain

thoughts?
(yes, I should have done this in a different order, it was not an option at the time)

Is gravel absolutely required NO but it is a good idea. Most the time i see slabs poured directly on earth the owners are doing it themselves and the base is not level or has holes. If a slab is not a uniform thickness this can cause cracks even with reinforcement of fiberglass, mesh or rebar.


Schlage single cylinder lockset won't release from the door I have a nosy homeowners association that enters anytime they want....my privacy is not respected. I have purchased an identical Schlage set, have removed all the screws I can, but the covers don't drop off. Any suggestions for removal without damaging the wooden door?

If you have an identical lockset, then you know exactly how many fastening screws there are. If removing them all doesn't loosen the cover plates, they must be held in place by adhesion to the door's finish.

Using your sharpest knife, carefully cut the paint or varnish adjacent to the cover plates. Score it all the way round, the gently work the knife point under the edge of the cover. Be very patient and pry only a little bit at a time.

You will improve with practice, so work on the inside cover plate first, leading to less damage around the outside cover to attract the attention of the HOA snoops.


Good looking, easy to install alternatives to drywall I'm remodeling my garage and am leaning away from using drywall for wall panels for a few reasons:

Dust
Difficult to cut and install
Too much work ... taping, mudding, sanding, etc
Would like something more rigid to hang pictures and shelves on

What other options do I have?

I want something that's easy to install, paintable, looks good, and doesn't require a lot of work to hide the seams between panels.

I like MDO plywood (medium density overlay plywood). MDO has a resin paper on one side that you can paint. It comes in 4’ x 8’ x 1/2” thick sheets. (I think it comes thicker too.)

The only way to “cover” the joints is with a batten. However, the edges are trimmed true and straight, so the edges can be butted together easily.

BTW, any wall or ceiling in a garage that is adjacent to a habitable space must have a 1-hour fire rated protection on it...like 5/8” gypsum board Type-X or 1/2” gypsum board Type-C on supports spaces no more than 16” on center. But the MDO can be on top of it for the finish


Can I use conduit to ground an antenna? I have an HD antenna mounted to a storage shed, not even as high as the house roof. It's close to where the electrical service enters the house. There's no ground rod in sight. (House built in 1971.) However, electrical is underground, and there's a metal conduit from the meter into the ground.

I'm guessing (!) that the conduit is grounded. My thinking is that, since it goes underground and constitutes a ground itself, it must (by code) be connected to the main ground.

I could pay an electrician a few hundred dollars (or, in my experience, much more) to provide a ground to the antenna, or I could just ground it to the conduit, which has a very handy clamp where it's attached to the brick wall.

Probably 90% of home antenna installations aren't grounded at all, but I thought I'd make an attempt to do it right.

Above grounding would also apply to the ground block which will be attached to the outside wall, near where the coax enters the house.

If the conduit is metalic, and at least size 3/4", and at least 8 ft. long.  Then you should be able to use it as the grounding electrode for the antenna.

If the conduit meets all these criteria, then you'll want to bond the antenna mast to it using at least 10 AWG solid copper wire (810.21(H)). You'll have to use a connector designed for the purpose, so you probably can't just tuck the wire into the bracket holding the conduit to the building.

  National Electrical Code 2014

  Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection

  Article 250 Grounding and Bonding

  250.52 Grounding Electrodes.

  (A) Electrodes Permitted for Grounding.

  (5) Rod and Pipe Electrodes. Rod and pipe electrodes
  shall not be less than 2.44 m (8 ft) in length and shall
  consist of the following materials.

  (a) Grounding electrodes of pipe or conduit shall not
  be smaller than metric designator 21 (trade size 3/4) and,
  where of steel, shall have the outer surface galvanized or
  otherwise metal-coated for corrosion protection.

  (b) Grounding electrodes of stainless steel and copper
  or zinc coated steel shall be at least 15.87 mm (5/8 in.) in
  diameter, unless listed and not less than 12.70 mm (1/2 in.)
  in diameter.

Since you're using the conduit as a grounding electrode, you'll have to bond the conduit to the main structures electrical system grounding electrode. This must be done using at least a 6 AWG copper wire (810.21(J)).

You'll also have to ground the coaxial cable, and install an antenna discharge unit at the house.  See this answer for more detail.


yellow zinc plated screw to subfloor and stud Home is built in California late 1990s.
I recently removed some nails and screwed subfloor on 2nd floor to joint/stud below using yellow zinc plated screws from HomeDepot.
Now I realized it has notes this screw is only for non-structural and should not be used on treated lumbers (what woods are considered to be treated?)

Is it a problem to screw yellow zinc plated screw to stud and subfloor? (will it corrode? what does it mean by corrode? will it cause damages to structure over a long time?)

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Grip-Rite-2-1-2-in-Construction-Screw-10-lb-Box-212GCS10BK/207200509

Appreciate your answers!

The lumber on the second floor is unlikely to be treated. And holding flooring down isn’t the toughest application, so that wouldn’t be an issue. The screws you linked to would be acceptable for this application.


Is re-sanding needed after primer is applied to wood cabinets? Just wondering if I should re-sand the primer I just applied to wood kitchen cabinets, BEFORE I apply the cabinet paint I purchased?  The kind of final coat I bought is Valspar latex with oil-enriched enamel (cleans up with water). It's supposed to be some sort of acrylic hybrid paint - alkyd or something like that. So because I've never used this paint before, I don't know what to expect. The Valspar cabinet paint can reads that it is not necessary to prime before painting...but because I had to sand these cabinet doors down to the bare wood practically, I thought priming was a better idea....so I primed them with a "bonding" primer, that I was told would work with the Valspar paint.  My question is this - now that they are primed...should I RE-SAND all the cabinet doors again before I apply the final coat?  Also...is there any tricks to making sure I get all the dust off before I apply the final coat?

should I RE-SAND all the cabinet doors again before I apply the final
coat?

I would. As cabinet doors they will be quite visible and I'm sure you want the best finish possible.  A light sanding after the primer ensures that the primer is smooth which will help you get a good finish coat.

Also...is there any tricks to making sure I get all the dust off
before I apply the final coat?

"tack cloth"


How do I connect a C-wire on a Triangle Tube Prestige Solo 110? I purchased a Honeywell RTH6580WF to use with my recently installed Triangle Tube Prestige Solo 110 propane boiler. I only have two wires at my existing heat-only thermostat. I understand that the c-wire is common. There is no terminal labeled "C" in the boiler, but all the grounds are to the chassis/terminal block backplane.

The existing connections at the thermostat are W, RH and a jumper between RH and RC. I contacted Honeywell customer service, and they said "call a contractor." Can I power the RTH6580WF by simply connecting the C in the new thermostat to household common, or do I need to run it back to the chassis or somewhere else of the boiler, or...? If I HAVE to add a separate transformer, where do I connect the + and - from the transformer to the thermostat?

The 24V transformer is part of the control board, and so is not shown on the wiring diagram you've linked to. However, R is always one side of the transformers secondary, and C is always the other side. The thermostat needs to draw its own power, and so requires a connection to "C" to complete the circuit.

Your thermostat is just a load on the 24V circuit.

If you don't feel comfortable modifying the wiring, it's probably best to contact a local HVAC technician.


Looking to protect OSB through the winter I've been building a small cabin in the mountains for the past year or so in my spare time and finally have a sub floor laid out and screwed down. I have no time frame as to when I get a roof over the floor and with winter approaching, I'd like to get something to protect my OSB from the elements.

I am in southern california and we're supposed to have a wet winter. Not necessarily snow, but a lot of rain. I know the OSB comes presealed, but I'd like to add another layer of protection.

I was thinking something like deck sealer or this patio paint from HD: http://www.homedepot.com/p/BEHR-Premium-1-Gal-PFC-35-Rich-Brown-Low-Lustre-Porch-and-Patio-Floor-Paint-630001/203939583

I spent $100 dollars on a thick, large tarp that lasted a couple months, but the wind destroyed it. It gets pretty windy up there. Below is a picture of the subfloor I have finished. It is about 320sqft.

I understand, I can't completely waterproof this stuff, but I want to try and at least get it through this winter season.

Prime and paint is your best option.  Exterior paint will create a thin latex layer of protection over the surface.  Use primer first to be sure and get a good bond with the somewhat-presealed OSB, then two coats of a quality exterior (porch paint should be great) paint.  Two gallons of paint and two gallons of primer should be plenty for two coats.  And remember that a coat of primer and a coat of paint is better than two coats of paint.

Be sure and and get very good coverage on the edges.  I might go so far as to caulk the seams with some cheap caulking to prevent water from soaking to the cracks.


Dishwasher causes terrible smell in disposal - why? Our 15-year-old Asko dishwasher has its drain connected to the garbage disposal on our sink, and it in turns drains through a P-trap into a sewer pipe that has a "sure vent" (not vented to the roof or outside).  When the dishwasher runs, a horrible smell erupts from the disposal.  The inside of the dishwasher does not smell bad.

The plumber says everything looks plumbed correctly, and as far as he can tell the sure-vent is still fine.

We clean the inside of the dishwasher all the time, cleaning all the filters we have access to, and cleaning out the gunk that accumulates around the inside edges of things, it doesn't seem to help.

We've replaced the drain hose and verified it has the proper "high loop".

The most recent plumber declared it was the fault of our disposal and replaced it, but that didn't help.

I'm trying to solve this by process of elimination:

If the sure-vent was stuck open, we would have sewer smell in the cabinet all the time.  We don't.
If the sure-vent was stuck closed, we would have other drain issues.  We don't.
If it was the filters and stuff inside the dishwasher getting clogged with food particles, the inside of the dishwasher would smell bad.  It doesn't.
If it was plumbed incorrectly, one of the several plumbers we've had check it would have seen it.  All of them have said it's plumbed just fine.

Sigh.

The only clue I have, is that the dishwasher is having some mental issues.  When we run it on any wash cycle, it counts down to 1 minute and then holds there forever.  We've just learned that we need to keep an eye on it, and when it hits 1 minute we tell it to go to a rinse cycle (which takes 3 minutes) and that finishes successfully.  I suspect (though cannot prove) that the heating element is not quite as powerful as it used to be, and perhaps the dishwasher is waiting to reach a certain internal temperature before calling the wash cycle "complete".  And unfortunately, the dishwasher is old enough that a replacement heating element is not available.

Is there a significant amount of plumbing between the interior of the dishwasher and the drain, places where rotten food could sit and rot and wait for the next drain cycle, but where their smell could not reach the interior?

For some reason when the dishwasher pumps into the disposer, it is foiling the water table in the p-trap allowing odors to pass.  If you haven't already replace the mechanical vent.  My money is on that.


Should I use primer alone first, or can I use paint+primer on renovated/patched walls? I have a number of walls that have a mix of old lath+plaster and new drywall (parts of walls are plaster, other parts new drywall).  The old plaster walls have paint on them but they have not been painted in a long time (like 6 years).

I am aware that there is Glidden Duo primer+paint mix which saves time (2 vs total of 4 coats with priming and painting separately).  However, given the nature of the walls and the integration of the old and new technologies, as well as the fact that the old parts already do have paint but the old ones do not, I am not sure if I can go with Duo or if I should prime it first and then paint it.

Not all primers are good sealers for new drywall and tape joints. The new paint and primer combinations are great for covering existing paint, but are not a good substitute for a PVA or shellac/alcohol based primer on new drywall or patches. When sealing new drywall, it is important to seal the pores so latex/water based paints are not absorbed. Once the surface is properly sealed, paints will cover better and color will be more consistent and the finish texture will be the same from painted areas to newly primed areas.

Here is a good article that describes the difference between different types of primers and proper selection.  http://www.finehomebuilding.com/PDF/Free/021161060.pdf


Need some advice on re-wiring kitchen, one empty breaker left I am working through a Kitchen remodel and have discovered some weird wiring situations. Below is a current breakdown of some of my breakers. We are moving the microwave to an over the range hood combination and I already put that plug on a dedicated breaker. Breaker 3 I just re-ran on a dedicated breaker as well as those two wall plugs used to be on Breaker 2.

My plan is to move the garage door opener to Breaker 1. I still have 1 unused breaker on my panel and am not sure what I should move to it, the fridge, dishwasher, or sink disposal or a combination of those three. Thoughts?

Located in Montana.

Breaker 1 (20 Amps)
"Garage"

Wall Plug (Freezer)
Also use for Table Saw, Chop Saw
Outside Flood Light (LEDs)
Overhead Light (LED)

Breaker 2 (20 Amps)
"Basement"

Overhead Light (LED)
Overhead Light (LED)
Overhead Light (LED)
Wall Plug in closet
Wall Plug in closet
Wall Plug in Bedroom (Floor Lamp)
Wall Plug in Bedroom (Phone Charger)
Wall Plug in Living Room
Dishwasher
Sink Disposal
Garage Door Opener

Breaker 3 (20 Amps)
"Small Appliance"

Wall Plug counterop (small appliance)
Wall Plug counterop (small appliance)

Breaker 4 (20 Amps)
"Kitchen"

Fridge
Wall Plug Countertop (small appliance)
Backporch Light (LED)
Overhead Lights (6 LEDs)

Remodels wipe out grandfathering

It sounds like you are remodeling a kitchen that was wired a very long time ago, and you are expecting that this gives you the privilege of keeping it wired the old way, and then maybe making an odd convenience improvement here and there.  That idea is called "grandfathering" and that's not how it works.

The idea of grandfathering is that you're not required to modify existing wiring simply because Code is revised (which it is every 3 years).  However, that does not apply to new construction obviously... or remodels.

There's no exemption in NEC for "my panel is too small"

You need 2 dedicated circuits for kitchen countertop outlets. Period.  The range vent can also be on that circuit, but not if its part of the microwave. A kitchen clock can also be on that circuit.  So can the refrigerator, but that's a bad idea.

There is actually quite a laundry list of circuits you need in a kitchen, as well as additional circuits that are a good idea, like a dedicated non-GFCI circuit for refrigerator and freezer (each), or a third kitchen countertop circuit to benefit the cook.

Pencil in at least 8 breaker spaces just for the kitchen, and additional spaces for non-kitchen things which need to be pulled off of the kitchen circuits.

"Panel is too small" is a curable problem

Replacing a main panel is a big, intrusive job, because power must be off while you do it.  It may be necessary to do this, if you have certain obsolete, dangerous panels such as FPE or Zinsco.. Other panels like Pushmatic can be addressed with a subpanel, because safe breakers are available for these panels.

In most cases where modern breakers are available for your main panel, I would advise a subpanel.  You should size your subpanel so the original planel plus this new panel total about 48 spaces (not circuits, spaces!)

The subpanel amp rating does not matter, feel free to install a 225A subpanel on a 60A main service, and the subpanel does not need a main breaker.

If your house is spread out in a way that you could make your wires shorter/cheaper by having multiple subpanels, that is a great idea. For instance a subpanel basically for the kitchen can be smart.  Panels need to be in a place where you can always stand in front of them, i.e. they won't ever be blocked in by stuff... e.g. Hallways (where you can't put stuff) are good.

If you are DIY and a subpanel feels beyond your skill level, then I say strongly: skill up! Get books on electrical from the library, read them through and through, and register your account here to an email address and use it a lot.


Do I need to worry about rain water getting into the open ground socket? I have a Christmas lights setup where one extension cord has its ground socket empty and facing upwards.

Do I need to worry about rain water potentially getting into the open ground socket? If so, would covering the hole with electrical tape be an appropriate fix?

You would do well to pull some slack to that extension cord and arrange the plugs so that they at least face down. It is not just the GND terminal of the extension cord that is of concern. You also have the open prong holes on the stackable Christmas tree light string that is facing up.

Water that gets into the electrical plug contacts raises the most concern that it can and will lead to corrosion on the metal contacts.

I have found that a better overall solution is to arrange the Christmas light installation so that plugs and extension cords are terminated up under the roof overhang.