What do I do about re-seating this old flange? Not a big DIY'er historically, getting into it..anyways, figured replacing this toilet would be straightforward but my house is from the 1950's...anyways, removed the toilet to find the following...in images.

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0PG6XBubJOKSDs

Also, there's dirt and roots in there? That's probably a terrible sign. Anywho, there's one solid thread in there to reattach the flange? What about the other 3?

This thing isn't even a pipe it seems like? Seems like it was made by hand?

Thanks for all of the help!

Wow, that's a pretty advanced state of decay. I'll guess that the pipe is cast iron and hope the stuff you see that looks like dirt is finely crumbling bits of rusted pipe. It looks like the end of the pipe is broken away such that it would be hard to make a reliable gasket seal between the toilet and the pipe.

It's worth noting that it's always important for a toilet to be securely attached to the flange. Any amount of rocking will eventually cause a wax ring gasket to fail. If you do attempt to make this work with some kind of gaskets, having the toilet secured to the floor would be especially critical.

Since you're kind of warming up the DIY muscles... how do you feel about replacing that flooring? I'd be thinking real hard about breaking out a hole in the concrete floor. It might have to be 1-2 feet long on each side -- large enough to be able to remove the gravel or dirt beneath, cut off the failing portion of the pipe, and install new pipe, elbow, and closet flange. Finish it off with a bit of new concrete mixed in a bucket or wheelbarrow and then new flooring.


Replace light switch with no ground wire in box I just bought a GE Z-Wave dimmer and the I went to install it I noticed that the previous switch did not have a ground wire attached to it. The new switch says that it requires a ground switch (and obviously I want to install the switch safely). Is there anything I can do to properly ground it?

Pigtail the ground to the box

It looks like the original installer did a pretty sloppy job of installing the cables (the damaged "redhead" insulating bushing top left is evidence of that").  That aside, the BX armor should be grounded, so by extension, the box should be grounded via the armor.

This means that you should connect the ground screw on the switch to a 10-32 machine screw threaded into one of the holes in the back of the box using a bare or green #14 wire pigtail.  Your average big-box store will carry pre-made-up ground pigtails that you can just screw into the back of the box then attach to the ground screw on the switch, or you can make your own with a 10-32 machine screw and a length of 14AWG wire that's been shucked of its insulation by looping one end of the wire around the screw.


Can pressure treated wood be buried in concrete? I was planning a relatively simple, 6x8ft "2-post" pavilion, just a small structure to provide  protection to a small bench.
This design would require to bury the wood into the concrete several feet. Is it OK to bury wood in concrete this way? How to avoid getting water in it so it does not rot? Or is there an alternative that is considered better?

"Pressure treated wood" isn't one thing. It's many things. Some is rated for ground contact or below grade use. Most isn't. You'd need lumber that is.
You won't keep it from getting wet underground, but you can keep it from being constantly saturated by giving the concrete sleeve a drain at the bottom. One strategy is to set the post on gravel and just pour the concrete around the post, not under it. This only works if the surrounding soil drains well also, though.


Stair tread damage - repairable/replaceable? (photo) The staircase had carpet, we want to remove the carpet and paint the stairs in their "wooden" state.

On removing the carpet we have treads like this:

We do not have access from "behind" the staircase.

Is this repairable or replaceable in a reasonable time/budget? (not "you'd have to dismantle the whole upstairs" level of complexity).

Edited to add: is it normal for treads to crack this way or do I have a more fundamental problem? House was built in the 1960s, I don't know if the staircase dates back to then but probably it does.

Edit2: Happy to go with a cosmetic "less than ideal"(visible cracks etc) as long as it's structurally sound.

If it's easy to remove the tread (and it may be) it's likely easiest to just replace it.

If it's not so easy to replace it, what you could do is put in a couple of pocket screws using a pocket screw kit. Kreg is a popular brand that makes pocket screw kits that you can find at most any big-box store.

You'd set up the jig, drill your holes, squirt a bit of wood glue into the crack, then screw it together.

You then fill the screw holes by gluing the included wood plugs in, give it a sand, and ready to paint.


Why is my wall buckling and the plaster coming away In one area and how do I repair it? Hope someone can help. I moved into a property A couple of years ago with an extension that was built in 2013 so not old.

In the corner of the wall there was a bulge and when I dug down I realised it was like a grey plaster that was cracked.

So I patched it up with plastering tape and a ready mixed filler. Now a year later I’m decorating and I found it’s buckling out and cracked on the surface in about the same area and when I opened up the crack it took off a layer of plaster exposing wood underneath which I assume is the plaster it’s frame?

I’m not sure what caused the bulge in the first place but should I be concerned and what would be the best way to repair it?

See pictures attached. Many thanks for any help. (Apologies I couldn’t rotate the last picture So it’s on it’s side.)

[2

Plaster doesn't stick well to wood in the long run.  On an old time plaster wall, the base coat was spread over lath boards so that it oozed out the other side and locked in the wall as a whole.  When that starts cracking, problems result.   This is too new of a house for that, so it's probably just some not-so-well thought out wall finishing.

The go-to product for sticking plaster to other things, including old layers of itself, is "Plaster Weld"  It's a pink thick latex that will bond to the substrate and let the new plaster stick to it.

I have an old quart, I've been nursing for years.  Seems it's not that easy to find these days.  Plaster Weld quart


How can I interconnect two doorbells operating on different voltages? i'm a noob/have rudimentary knowledge about batteries in series and parallel. i'll explain what i'm doing and would like your input as how to solve my problem.

i have 2 doorbells, one at the front of the house and one at the back.

please see attached photo of one doorbell to see how i've connected things up.

a 9v battery is attached to the black & red wires at the bottom. this doorbell uses the lower left & right terminals (at the top, where the white wires are) to connect to the push button. this forms one circuit.

then, the upper left & right terminals are connected to the other doorbell. that forms another circuit. that doorbell uses 4xAA batteries. so 6v.

as far as i can tell, both doorbells (batteries) are +ve to +ve.

so, first question: is this a series or parallel circuit?

what seems to be happening is that the 9v battery is draining/leaking because it becomes dead within a few weeks/months even if not used - ie not many people ringing the doorbell.

next question: how do i solve this 9v & 6v problem?

can i use a diode to stop the 9v battery leaking to the 6v one? how do i work out which diode i need to use?

or can it not be done? ie cannot make a 9v and a 6v parallel circuit work? (i'm assuming it is parallel).

or is there another way of configuring the wires so the 2 doorbells are separate? eg rather than using the upper terminals for the 2nd doorbell, i connect it directly to the push button? but then, the wires for both doorbells will be touching each other at the push button, and won't that also make a circuit and cause problems?

ok, over to you good people to give me the correct solution. thanks in advance.

the top circuit diagram shows the current and voltage if the first doorbell was by itself.
the next circuit diagram shows the current and voltage if the second doorbell was by itself.
however, I have the doorbells set up as in the last circuit diagram and there is a drain from the 9v battery into the 6v battery.

I agree with the other answer that it's very possible they'll both work on 6V or both work on 9V.  If that is the case you could wire it so both doorbells are in parallel off one battery.  There may be an issue if the battery doesn't have the power to run both doorbells.

You could use a relay as suggested in the comments.  With the relay coil in parallel with the 9V doorbell, and the contacts switching the 6V doorbell, you'd be done.  You'd just need a relay with the proper rating, and again the relay coil will take away a little of the power available to the 9V doorbell.

You could use surface mount DPST momentary switches for the doorbells, if you can find them, but you'd have to run four wires to the doorbell.

You could get a relay with two pole contacts and put another battery / power source in series with the doorbell switch in series with the relay coil, and have one set of contacts switch the back doorbell, and the other set switch the front doorbell.

You could install a PLC or home automation system that uses the doorbell as a digital input and the two doorbells as relay outputs, you could do all kinds of crazy things.  You could get a dog that barks a lot or you could put up a sign that instructs people to knock really loudly.

Of course all these things are harder than just buying a system made for one switch and two chimes, which are readily available, but what fun would that be?


What size aluminum ser do I need for 100 amp sub panel 10 feet away from 200 amp main? What size aluminum ser do I need to feed 100 amp subpanel? Ten feet from main panel.

Why SER?

With surface mounted panels in what presumably is an unfinished space, there is 0 reason to run an exposed SER cable here.  Instead, I would run a conduit between the two panels (2" EMT will handle anything you want to do here), and then simply run 3 XHHW-2 conductors (hot, hot, neutral) in the conduit between the two panels, using the conduit as a grounding path.

As to inner conductor sizing...

I would use 1AWG Al wires here; spending the extra for copper is a waste, and you can't get away with 2AWG for this because you'd exceed the 75°C termination limit that is normal for breakers and loadcenters if you did.  This limitation is a consequence of NEC 110.14(C)(1), by the way.

TORQUE ALL LUGS TO SPEC

One essential thing with this job, no matter who does it, is that all lugs will need to be tightened to the torque specified on the corresponding labels using an inch-pound torque-wrench; this is required by 2017 NEC 110.14(D), and is a good idea anyway, lest your electrical system go the way of Greg Biffle's infamous lugnuts.


How do I sharpen my circle cutter I have a circle cutter that I inherited from my father.  The directions are long gone.  It's bogging down and I'm sure sharpening it would help but it's kind of unclear which is the cutting edge.  Truth be told, I'm not 100% sure which way the "blade" goes in.  It is square and pitched from one corner to the opposite and I'm sure that the point need to be nearer the center (otherwise it wouldn't cut clean circles) but that still leaves two possible positions.

Q1. Does the point lead or follow the other side of the blade?

Q2. How do I sharpen it?  I'm thinking put it in my vice and file an edge or two but which ones?

The point leads. Otherwise, the tool will simply skate over the material.

As you indicate, it should be to the inside of the circle to produce a clean disk, or to the outside of the circle to produce a clean hole.

To sharpen, file or grind the entire end, keeping the face at same angle.

I hold mine at an upward angle against my fine grinding wheel with the point corner upwards.

Addendum: I know you didn't ask this, but while we're on the subject of circle cutters, I find that the imbalance of the spinning tool causes the drill to cut sideways with its flutes, enlarging the center hole and losing position. For this reason, I don't use a drill in the center of the cutter. I drill the pilot hole first and then use a smooth shaft of the same size.


Why do my new door hinges prevent my door from shutting completely? I have installed some new standard 3" door hinges with a small corner radius on a 32" door.  The doors are solid-core oak doors.  The hinges appear to look fine and fit perfectly flush in the existing grooves in both the frame and door.  But now when I close the door, the door hits the opposite side of the door frame (handle side), and overlaps about 1/16" - 1/8" so it will not shut.  The top of the door is fine.  It appears to be pretty evenly overlapping, so it's not like the top of the adjacent side is ok and the bottom overlaps.

I assume this is because the hinges must be slightly thicker, or in the closed position they are a bit wider.  How do I go about fixing this?  I guess I could take them off again, and chisel away a little on the door grooves or in the frame, but how would I keep that consistent?  I have 5 more doors to do after this one; I sure hope they are not all this way.

How do I go about fixing this? I guess I could take them off again, and chisel away a little on the door grooves or in the frame,

That's pretty much the only way - but take a good look and work out which side (door or frame) needs to move and in which direction. I've done this in the past and gone the wrong way at first which isn't good.

In some cases I've even had to resort to shaving a bit from the edge of the frame:

This shows the hinge side, but the same applies if the problem is occurring on the handle side. You only need to shave that part of the frame where the door and frame interfere. This might be the only solution if the door is warped or twisted at all as moving the entire door by repositioning the hinges would leave gaps between the door and the frame.


Kitchen Wiring 14 to 12 Neutral I have a 20 amp circuit going directly from the panel to the kitchen with 20 amp receptacles and subsequent 12 gauge wire. There are only 4 outlets on that circuit (one being a GFI). I am installing under-cabinet lights and lights above the sink, well within the total amperage and volts allowed for the 20 amp circuit. I will use the 12 gauge wire to power the 15amp single pole switches and go to the lights with 14 gauge wire. Can I connect the 14 gauge neutral to the 12 gauge already in the box or should I just run 12 gauge to the lights for the neutral and connect??.... thank you in advance for your input

Switches are not circuit breakers (overcurrent protection). They cannot protect wire and do not make it ok to use smaller wire past them.

If any 14AWG wire is used, you must downgrade the breaker to 15A, and downgrade the countertop receptacles to 15A. The other wire can remain 12AWG.  This will mean it is not one of the two mandatory 20A circuits for countertop receptacles and you may need to add a circuit.

There is another reason not to put kitchen lights on receptacle circuits. An appliance trip will plunge the cook into darkness.


Options for replacing an at-grade hose bibb The problem

My house is built on a crawlspace and the floor of the house is just a few inches above grade. The hose bibbs come straight out of the crawlspace and are thus very close to the ground. The guys who installed them 60 years ago knew this would be awkward, so they pointed the outlets 45º away from vertical.

I'm ready to solve this awkwardness in a way that does not increase the risk of freezing pipes. Here's what I've considered so far:

Frost-free sillcock A modern, frost-free sillcock placed 18" above grade and plumbed down to the crawlspace inside an exterior wall. This is problematic because the shortest frost-free sillcock available (called a six-inch one) is actually more than eight inches long and might not fit within the thickness of the wall.

Sillcock with shutoff A regular spigot placed 18" above grade and plumbed down to the crawlspace inside an exterior wall, but with a draining shuttoff valve inside the crawlspace. This is problematic because I might forget to shut off the water in the crawlspace and because the winter here (Colorado) is mild enough that needing occasional use of the hose during winter is inevitable.

Elaborate electromechanical solution A regular spigot, but with a three-way solenoid valve inside the crawlspace that can shut off and drain the final leg of the spigot run, controlled by an above-ground switch. I'm not averse to setting this up, but it seems like there must be a simpler answer.

I'm not completely satisfied with any of these choices. What is the best way to raise my spigots above ground without introducing an untoward freezing risk?

I would definitely be worried about remembering to drain the valve, and it's also a pain that you'd have to drain it inside. Your second option is pretty good though, otherwise.

Another option, which is probably easier, would be to make up an adapter of sorts for the outside. Take a regular spigot, attach to a 90 degree elbow, and put a hose adapter on the bottom. Mount this to the outside of your house at a convenient height. Use a washing machine hose (or preferably something slightly bigger, eg: find or make a small female-female garden hose) and connect your existing sillcock to this new contraption. Leave the existing one on all the time.

You could use CPVC if you paint it (to protect from ultraviolet) or any other material that is not going to break down when exposed to sunlight. The key is that you can disconnect and drain it. If you do end up installing a frost-free sillcock, you can winterize it by simply shutting off the sillcock and disconnecting the hose.


What are some ways to fill a small gap between a wooden column and a concrete wall I have wood pergola columns connecting to my house through fixtures which are fitted into grooves in the wood. The wood was cut slightly too short (or due to small variations in the wall), there is a small gap about 1–2 centimeters in some places. I want to fill the gap so that the metal fixture won't be visible and the wood "end" will be flush with the wall so water won't get between the column and the wall.

In this picture you might be able to see the small gap I need to fill. In some other places the gap is larger (in this case it might be barely visible)

How to correct for the gaps is a challenge if you just decide to "stick something in there" such as caulk or shims. I say that because anything you do along those lines is going to look crappy and kludged up.

The best solution would be to do a re-install by carefully measuring each individual piece and cutting it to the correct length. Done that way then a very small bead of exterior type caulk can be used to seal off the end of the beam to the wall if needed.

One possible solution that may work for the existing installation is to get some trim pieces that are cut and fitted around the ends of the beam and up to the wall to cover the gap. It would look something like this:

The trim pieces could then be sealed to the wall with caulk if so needed.


Will two given concrete mixtures with the same quantity of water but different cement have the same strength Is concrete strength primarily a function of water content? E.g., let's say:

concrete mixture A contains (per cubic metre)

400kg cement
180kg water
1900kg aggregate

for a slump of 10cm

And let's say that for 10cm slump we can also make concrete mixture B, which is not as strong

250kg cement
300kg water
2000kg aggregate

If we aim to make concrete mixture A, but end up adding 300kg water instead of 180kg, does this result in the same strength as concrete mixture B, which has much less cement, but was properly mixed?

I.e. is concrete strength primarily a function of the actual quantity of water added, or does the mixture somehow shed excess water without losing strength, or only losing partial strength?

No. Overwatering results in a much weaker mix. The water eventually leaves the concrete, resulting in a very porous structure. You also get more cure shrinkage, and the aggregate mix can settle.

Read more


vanity separated from shower by doorway and toilet I want to remodel a small bathroom to add a double-sink vanity. Currently the layout looks roughly like this, with a single-sink vanity:

I've looked at keeping everything on the "west" wall, but there's no great way to expand the vanity due to the space required around the toilet. The best configuration I could think of is this:

I found some larger vanities online and verified that they would fit the space with enough room for the door, trim, and so on. However, the following facts make me nervous:

The "south" wall is an exterior wall, and the sink plumbing would have to run through that.
I can't remember ever seeing a bathroom laid out like this.

Is there a reason I shouldn't lay out my bathroom like this?

Water supply pipes on an exterior wall have a greater chance of freezing.

We do this all the time where I live, but we make sure the building insulation is on the exterior side of the water supply lines. Make sure the bottom and top of the insulation batts are turned so as to keep cold air from seeping into the cavity.

You’re not moving the lav that far, so venting, pressure drop, etc. is not an issue.


Wood Cladding Construction Technique I am working on a tiny house idea that includes a construction technique that I've modified somewhat from something else I saw. I wanted to run it by folks, to see about the wisdom of it.

The desire here is to build more simply, but the welcome byproducts include it being cheaper and quicker.

I think I'm talking about wood cladding, where I would simply stack 2 x 6 tongue and groove lumber on top of each other to form a big box. At the corners, in the design I'm borrowing from the planks are notched and fit together much like a log cabin. In my design, I'd rather not have the crossed wood for aesthetic reasons, so I simply butt the pieces but alternate the butt at each flight. I have to add a little lateral notch to the end of each board so that it grabs on to the tongue of the lower flight.

I've constructed a small box using this technique and it holds together somewhat without any fasteners, but the next step is to figure out how to fasten it well. As long as it maintains it's box shape, it will be strong.

My idea is to run a piece of angle iron, or perhaps aluminum up each corner to attach the boards to. Lag boots could go into every other board on each wall skipping the ones that present their end grain, since that wouldn't be a strong connection anyway.
I'm wondering if a) this is a known construction technique, and I just don't know the right name. b) If you have any other ideas on how to fasten it. c) Ff the design seems structurally sufficient to you.

My idea originated from this EZ Cabin system that I found.
My only modification is to change the way the corners join. Instead of the extra effort to notch the wood, I would do it like this...

The tongue and groove boards would each be glued to one another and then I would lag bolt a piece of angle iron vertically to each corner attached to every plank. Obviously I am not under the impression that what works at this size will work at any size.
Thanks for the opinions and intuition so far, but I wonder if seeing the existing cabins and pictures of my design convinces anyone that it will work.

I don't think this is a great idea. The cabin kits you've found have the following major drawbacks that I can see:

No insulation. You'll have unnecessarily high heating and cooling bills unless you plan to build where it's 75 and cloudy year-round.
No real protection from water. When those boards get wet, so will the interior side, eventually. As soon as that happens, everything will immediately suck.
No racking resistance. I don't see anything but a hope and a prayer protecting a house built out of those from blowing down in high wind.
No bowing resistance. The heavier your roof, the more those walls look likely to bow out.
Not airtight. You can see the gaps in the corners in your picture. Hot or cold air is going to whistle through those joints. During a windstorm, it'll be very uncomfortable.
Nowhere to hide wiring and plumbing.
Awkward integration with windows and doors. Most of them have jambs or frames that are 3.5" thick; they'll protrude awkwardly from one of the two sides. You could trim wood frame door jambs, but you can't do the same for windows.

Those things really look more like storage sheds than anything I'd want to live in. In order to make it work, you'd be swimming upstream every step of the way. Why bother? Go with the flow. Conventional wood frame construction is super cheap and easy to do--that's why it's the dominant construction method in price-sensitive America. It's easy to learn, too. Almost all tiny house builders had no conventional construction expertise beforehand, but they picked up what they needed in a week or two of hands-on work. It's really not that hard.

Additionally, one of the advantages of building a tiny house is that you can utilize high-quality components due to the fact that you don't need a lot of them. I'm talking about things like mineral wool insulation batts and boards, standing seam roofing, wood shingle siding or stone veneer, deluxe high-performance windows, etc. Really nice stuff. All of these things will be barely more expensive than their crappier equivalents for a <200 sf house due to how little you'll need. But if you try to turn a glorified storage shed into a house, you'll lose the ability to easily do that, and spend all your time cutting door frames to fit your super thin wall and devising ways to make the roof not collapse once you realize you need more insulation. What's the point?


How can I wire two switched outlets but power is connected at the first outlet? I'm trying to connect a new switch and two new outlets (from switch) to an existing electric line.  This new switch should turn the two new outlets on and off.

However, I'd like to connect it as follows:

Existing power is closest to new outlet #1.
New light switch and new outlet #2 are on the other side of the room and located next to each other.

Are there any wiring diagrams to explain how to connect this?  I think I can do this with my 14-2 wire but I'm not positive.

EDIT: Does this diagram look correct?

If the power enters at the first receptacle outlet, then you can wire it as follows:
At the receptacle outlet box

14/2 feed into the receptacle outlet box.
14/3 between the receptacle outlet box and the other outlet box.
Connect white wire from 14/2 feed to the silver screw on the receptacle, and the white wire from the 14/3 cable going to the other box.
Connect the black wire from the 14/2 feed, to the black wire of the 14/3 cable.
Connect the red wire from the 14/3 cable, to the brass screw on the receptacle.
Connect all grounding conductors to box and device.

At the other outlet box

Connect the white wire from the 14/3 cable to the silver screw on the receptacle.
Connect the black wire from the 14/3 cable to one of the switch terminals.
Connect the red wire from the 14/3 cable to the brass screw on the receptacle, and the other switch terminal.
Connect all grounding conductors to box and device.

Grounding conductors not shown for simplicity


What is the name of this? Here is the picture of an item I do not know the name of. Please advise what is the correct name of it

Valet stand. Or garment rack.
picture, no endorsement implied


How do I remove this old bathroom exhaust fan? My ancient 1960s bathroom fan (a NuTone 8832) stopped working. I removed the cover and fan, but the "metal box" assembly is still in the ceiling. I'm not sure how to get it out.

Here's the unit, with the cover and fan removed:

What I've tried:

undo all exposed screws. didn't help.
look for a way to tilt or pry a piece of it down. no luck there either.

Any ideas how to get this box out of my ceiling? I bought a new fan unit, but I need to get the old one out before I can install the new one! :)

I am assuming that new fan is bigger or same size.

You have joists that this is nailed/screwed into.  Try not to damage adjacent drywall.  I am going to guess from this picture your joists are on the top/bottom of picture.
This is because your exhaust/and electric look to be coming from the left.  I would cut straight along the top and bottom (using picture) of the fan cut-out and extend that about 2 feet to the left.
Remove drywall
Take out old fan with hammer or screwdriver or just club it out gently.
Install new fan - with the 2 feet you have room for maneuver duct into fan slot and electric work.
Put new piece of drywall on and then you have 3 pretty easy seams to mud/tape.


Is it possible that my GFCI receptacle is bad? I have a double wide mobile home. The outside receptacles and the one in master bath do not work. They are GFCI protected but the GFCI is NOT tripped. Is it possible that the GFCI is bad? I think the GFCI in the other bathroom controls these, but how can I know? Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

When you say "the GFCI is NOT tripped", are you referring to a GFCI breaker or GFCI receptacle? If you're talking about a receptacle, have you checked the breaker/fuse to see if it has tripped/blown?

It's entirely possible that the GFCI is bad. Though it's impossible for anybody to inspect the wiring through the internet, so that's about the most definitive answer anybody will be able to provide. Your best bet would be to contact a local licensed Electrician.


Can I drill holes into the front of my fridge to attach a new handle? I am going to attach contact paper to a fridge with no drilled holes. My old handle was glued on with two sided tape. I want to buy nice handles that will stay attached. Tape? Epoxy glue? Screws?

It depends on the refrigerator, of course, but a typical sheet steel unit can take short sheet metal screws without issue. You'll want to be sure you don't penetrate any wiring, tubing, or the inner panel or seals.
I'd consider backing up the screws with the strength of permanent double-sided foam tape. Screws under regular strain tend to work loose over time, and the added stability this would provide would help prevent failure.


My Mercury thermostat clicks on when I manipulate it but immediately shuts off My Mercury thermostat clicksks on/ off if I manipulate the dial by pushing in but then immediately shuts off. I checked housing it's ok but why would it not be turning my furnace on? It just immediately  shuts it off if I release any pressure

From your description I believe it is a failure of the thermostat or a loose wire.
Is this a standard wet bulb with a bimetallic support?
(A glass globe with mercury and fine wires coming out of 1 end?) .
The most likely cause is the wires to the wet bulb are starting to fail, these thermostats normally last for decades but they do fail. Moving things may make the connection but when you let the pressure off it fails, if it continues to heat while you hold it that would be my first guess, second a loose wire.  I would remove the cover allowing access to the screws and snug them.
Depending on your location you may not be able to get a replacement because of the mercury but they make electronic ones that run on a 9v or a couple of AAA batteries and those are cheaper than the last Hg or mercury one I ordered.
(Some areas will not transport Hg or mercury containing products).


Can I eliminate the pump in my septic system? I have a pressurized septic system with the second tank and a pump, and the pump keeps tripping the breaker and setting off the alarm even though I've put new plugs on it and replaced the breaker. What I would like to know is, could I just eliminate the pump and let the tank drain by itself out to the drain field? Why do I need the pump?

No, you can't eliminate the pump. The drain field is higher than the septic tank.

If you have a mound system (elevated drainfield) or a pressurized sewer system, then the pump has to lift the effluent (outflow from the septic tank) up to the drain field level or pump against the pressure of a pressurized utility system.

If you eliminate the pump then sewage will eventually back up into your house. Yuck!

If the pump keeps tripping the breaker and you have replaced the breaker then the pump is probably malfunctioning and needs repair or replacement.

Good luck!


Caulk between the segments of this modular shower surround? I found this modular (3-piece) 3-sided plastic tub/shower surround installed at a recent renovation.  I can't find any identifying information on it, nor can I locate the contractor who installed it.

There are deep 1/8" gaps between the three pieces of the surround, as well as between the surround and the tub.  Should I be filling these gaps with silicone caulk?

Here is the (horizontal) gap between the surround and the tub:

And here is one of the vertical gaps between two of the pieces of the surround:

You probably don't need to, as the lap in the surround design will drain water effectively. However, those are traps for mildew and grime.

I'd clean them as deeply as you reasonably can with rubbing alcohol, then put in a bead of 100% white silicone. If you trim your tip carefully you can inject caulk to a depth of about 1/2" for good grab.

The tube tip will tool the caulk to some extent if you size and shape it correctly. Use caulk flow rate and movement speed to prevent squeeze-out of caulk around the tip. You should then be able to use a damp finger to apply a final cove surface without squeezing caulk out onto the shoulders of the panels. Use firm pressure and wipe your finger immediately if caulk starts to pile up under it. The result will be a nicely coved joint that's nearly identical to the factory inside corner joints.


How can I hit studs and avoid cables when installing a TV mount? I bought a suitable TV wall mount bracket (45"-55") for my 48" television, however, I have reservations about committing to the work. My concerns are

Should I look for a wall stud, and screw into that?
Will hollow wall bolts be strong enough to support the TV if I just mount it to the plasterboard?
What if I hit a power cable?

What techniques can I use to alleviate my fears?

Although you TV set may be light enough so that wall anchors will support the weight they may pull loose when the set gets re-positioned and adjusted.
Always try to secure the mount to a framing member (stud). Most mounts are designed for this installation as they have openings spaced at 16 inches (the distance between each studs' center).
A stud sensor is the easiest way to precisely find a stud, but locating a stud behind the wall isn't that difficult with out one if you know what to look for:
-Tapping along a dry-walled wall listening for a duller less hollow sound is good.
-looking for a nail head that has popped up works.
-floor molding is usually nailed through to studs.
switch and receptacle boxes are sometimes nailed off to studs (on one side of the box or the other).
You should be aware of cable and plumbing that may be in the vicinity. Usually electric cable is ran through studs so that it is recessed back from the wall about 2 inches so that an 1 5/8th's drywall screw won't damage it. Plumbing is also usually protected by the same location and/or a metal stud plate directly over it. Drill slowly and cautiously if in doubt.


When is it generally safe/acceptable to use a wire nut? Can someone please clarify for me when exactly it's safe/acceptable to use wire nuts?

Regional building codes withstanding, I think the general rules of thumb are:

Only use wire nuts in enclosed/covered junction boxes.
Only use/combine same gauge wiring
Only use wire nuts that are rated for handling the gauge, quantity and type (Al or Cu) of wire involved.

THESE ARE MERELY MY ASSUMPTIONS AND ARE LIKELY INCORRECT

Can I get clarification?

Wire nuts come in a lot of different sizes and styles, just look at this PDF.  This brochure is from Ideal and go to page 20 for the wire size chart.  I used information from Ideal not because I think they are better than others but I'm more familiar with them.

@BMitch is right about mixing AL & CU, but there are wire nuts for those applications as well.  Most of these say that you CANNOT use with aluminum to aluminum.  Weird.

While I don't think its a problem on this site, you can use most wire nuts with 600 volt maximum.  Normally the colors dictate what sizes you can use with what wires and a lot of times these will overlap one another.  Yellow, tan, red, and the large grey will allow you to use 2 - #12's with each.  Yellow allows 1 to 3 #12's while the large grey allows 2 to 6 # 12's.  The colors and the represented wire sizes accepted is pretty much accepted by most manufacturers.

Direct burial wire nuts are available.  They are 'gel' filled and have a thicker shell.  I don't know if I would direct bury one except for landscape lighting, but they are ideal for being used in damp, moist areas like pole lights.

Anything larger than the listed size should be used with split bolts, which gets treated completely different.


Changing old light fitting to new - wiring problem I am looking to change a new light fitting in cloakroom.
The old wiring has a black wire with red tape around, which I think signifies a ‘live’ . I also have 3 red cables and 2 other black cables plus the earth.
The new LED fitting only has a live, neutral and earth. Please see picture of old wiring.  I isolated the system at the consumer unit and then, I wired up the earth to earth, the 3 red to a single choc block type connector ( not connected to new fitting) and the black ‘ live’ to the live and the other 2 black to the neutral.
When I turned on everything back in, the LED are flickering like a strobe. I turned off and checked all connections for tightness but the same result.
Is my wiring correct.
Any assistance gratefully received

Thank you all for your comments and advice, I am in UK, the house is circa 20 years old but this is the first time the cloakroom light fitting has been changed. It gives me some comfort that I have wired correctly as such I have decided to return the light fitting and see if I can get some thing a bit better without the integrated LEDs. The switch is the standard cord pull on/ off. I will try again tomorrow when I have sourced a better light fitting and let you know if I need your words of wisdom! For now, thank you all, have a good evening...


Poured door transition - Safe to dig around? In the back of my house I have an addition that just sits on a perimeter foundation (no basement).  I've got some moisture problems and some grading issues, so I'm putting a french drain around the foundation.

I'm trying to dig down about 24" or so below surface (36" or masonry exposed).  My plan is to repair the masonry, apply asphalt sealant, layer of 8mm plastic, and then thr french drain (garden fabric, #4 stone, 4" perforated drain pipe w/sock, 1:100 inclination).

When digging, I got to the door and realized that the concrete transition at the door opening appears to be poured and overhands the cap of the foundation by 6-8" (see photos).  I'm thinking it's not safe to remove it and I'm going to have to leave all the dirt and soil around and near the door and come out a foot or two.  This means I can't deal and plastic there like I wanted.  Is this my only option?

If, as it appears from your pictures, this is a solid block poured in place of the blocks that are not there in the door opening, on top of the poured foundation wall, 6-8" overhang that thick is not a particular concern for digging away underneath - it's not going to fall off if you're not taking a sledgehammer to it, even if it is unreinforced.

If it stuck out more, or if it was thinner, there might be a cause for concern. Here, no worries. Or, if I'm seeing things wrong and it's really just scabbed onto the face of blocks (can you see the backside of this in the crawlspace?) but in that case I'd expect it to fall off anyway, so it seems unlikely.

Compact the drainage rock well when filling this area would be the only special attention I'd pay to that.


Can I use an adapter to convert a 120v outlet to 240v? I purchased a dryer that has a 240 plug but my socket use 120. Can I purchase an adapter instead of having to install a new socket?

No. That 120V plug can give small amounts of electricity, like to spin the drum or run the blower.  Normally the heat comes from gas.

What you bought there is an electric dryer.  That thing requires INSANE amounts of electricity, and the little 120V plug cannot possibly provide it.

You can search the room (or other potential places where a laundry room would have made sense) for a large socket the size of your fist.  It either has 4 slots...  or 3 slots and looks like the scary clown from Halloween. (And it does kill people).

If there is no such socket on the premises, and you don't own the place, talk to the person who does.  If you own it (or have permission) then you will need to call in an electrician to install the large circuit breaker, wiring and socket. He will also change the cord/plug to 4-prong, because 3-prong is illegal because it's unsafe.  This is serious work, and should not be attempted by a DIYer new to electricial work.  Success will depend on

your service panel being modern enough (FPE or Zinsco is no-go),
panel being large enough (not full) and
your electrical supply service being large enough (most likely it is, but mine isn't).

If none of this can work out, then back to the store it goes. They should not have sold it to you.

If you bought this thing used eg. On Craigslist, then you made the common mistake of not checking what power it takes.  I regularly score very low prices on 3-phase shop tools, because the seller bought it without thinking about power requirements (because he didn't know anything about power) and I go "heh heh heh" as I cart it off. Often he had bought it from someone else in the same pickle.


Need help identifying my frost free outdoor faucet I have leaky weep holes so it is my understanding that I need to replace the washer on the valve assembly on the end of the stem assembly.  The screw at the end of the valve assembly on the end of the stem assembly is stuck. I can’t find the proper replacement washer but even if I could I can’t get it on since the screw won’t release.  So I need to replace the whole stem but need to know who the manufacturer is but it isn’t marked. If anyone can help I’d sure appreciate it.  I don’t have access in my house  to replace the whole faucet without tearing up the place.

Only manufacturers I know that make wall hydrants and Nibco and Watts. Other wise replace the wall hydrant itself.


Anchor In Foundation Doesn't Seem Right I am getting a house built, and it looks like one of my anchor bolt wasn't placed correctly (not inside the wood). I compared with a they dont all appear to be like mine. Should I be worried about this? I attached a picture of the bolt in question.

There are two things in the photo: 1) anchor bolt, and 2) holddown. You must live in a “high wind” area or a “seismically active” area.

1) The anchor bolt is used to secure the plate to the foundation. The plywood sheathing is then nailed into the plate to create a “shear panel” (shear wall). It’s a bit unusual to me because it has a head. Usually the bolt’s threaded end extends out of the concrete a few inches. Then when the plate is installed a nut and washer is installed AND TIGHTENED DOWN. This installation does not allow it to be tightened. (Maybe they drive the anchor bolt deep enough that the plate sits tight to the concrete.). The 3” square washer is to keep the plate from pulling off the foundation wall. (I’d check to make sure the anchor bolts have a hook (about 1” hook) so it doesn’t pull out. It should also be about 10” long...in order to develop “full resistance “.

2) The holddown is used to keep the shear wall from rotating away from the concrete. If it starts to rotate away, it will unzip the full length of the wall. It seems properly anchored into a post (post must be a minimum of 3” thickness), but I’d make sure all the holes in the metal connector have a screw into the post. What seems odd is the rod  is placed off center of the concrete wall. In order for it to develop full strength, the rod needs to be 1) deformed, 2) set in a 8” wide concrete wall, and 3) encased in concrete about a minimum of 18” (depending on the load it’s resisting. Sometimes they are 48” long...but I’d expect it to have a larger diameter.)

I’d ask the builder why this doesn’t match up to the others and I’d call it to the attention of the Building Inspector.  You did get a Building Permit, right?


Low-voltage lights turn on then start to flash I've got a string of LV lights in my kitchen that over the last few weeks have started to behave oddly. They will turn on and the one farthest from the power supply are dimmer than the ones closest (there are 5 12-volt lights in the series and they stretch over about 10 feet all told). Then after about a minute they start to flash, and the period of the flashing gradually increases.

Any idea what might be going on here?

It is a common problem with Triacs on LV loads.  I am assuming you have a 12Vdc wall convertor on perhaps 1-2A for white LEDs.  The Triac conduction can fail to have the necessary holding current at low levels. The load is insufficient and nonlinear in that it does not present any load below 9V or a certain phase angle on the triac. The threshold is thermally sensitive so the Triac  triggers a flash then skips a few cycles until it cools which  then repeats like a porpoise or motor-boat bouncing in waves.  The thermal resistance and dynamic impedance of the triac with a small nonlinear load  causes these time constants and frequencies with the LED load.

It is a complex stability problem from insufficient load on the Triac dimmer.  Adding one small normal bulb would fix that. Perhaps only 8W or 25W.

Better dimmer designs, can also prevent this with trailing edge phase control instead of leading edge or smart current sensing with better triggering.

EE since 1975.


How to secure a toilet Is shimming a robust way of securing toilets and avoiding rocking, or is there a better way?
Is any distance between the water tank and the wall behind the toilet a problem that needs bracing?
Are 2 bolts enough for securing a toilet or should all 4 bolts be used when available?

1:   Are 2 bolts enough for securing a toilet or should all 4 bolts
  be used when available?

I have not seen toilets with 4 bolts - only 2 bolts. 2 should be fine if the toilet is installed correctly. Level with the floor and attached to the flange spud. You should have a wax ring (although you might have a wax ring and a spacer - check for exactly what you have - you might take some pictures and post.

  2:  Is shimming a robust way of securing toilets and avoiding
  rocking, or is there a better way?

The real issue here is why do you need to shim the toilet in the first place. How much rocking do you have ?... Does your toilet flange have a spacer attached to it ? If so remove the spacer.

Did you remove the old wax ring before installing a new one ?

How does your floor level sit - did someone change out the flooring and not set it correctly or install it with out leveling with the toilet flange. I have seen ceramic tile that had mastic 2 inches thick in order to have the floor height match the toilet drain spud.

You can use wooden shims or better yet the plastic ones - but first make sure you really need the shims. I re-did my bathroom with new ceramic tile - when I installed the tile I made sure the toilet level would be fine with the tile - some people don't think this far ahead.

  3:  Is any distance between the water tank and the wall behind the
  toilet a problem that needs bracing?

There should not be if the toilet is assembled correctly - again the key is correctly assembling the toilet. The Tank has 2 bolts and a rubber seal - install the seal correctly and make sure it is seated properly - wiggle the tank a bit to make sure it seats - tighten your tank screws (be careful as you can break the tank) a slight rock is not an issue - and it will move slightly.

Some videos that might be helpful to you ..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_hVZ3rPzm4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM-6bgV7G5s


Periodic surging sound from plumbing There is a surging sound coming from the plumbing between the water main and hot water tank in my house. It has a beat, with a period of about 1 second. It sounds sort of like the lines are "breathing." It sounds as if there's a bad toilet valve, but we've narrowed it down to the hot water system and nothing in the house which uses water is making any sound. We're not sure what causes it to start, but it lasts around ten minutes once it does. The sound stops once we turn off the water main, and when we turn off the valve leading into the water heater, but resumes when we turn it back on. There are no leaks that we can find (it's been happening for a couple weeks and there's no water damage in the ceiling) and the water heater doesn't make any sounds and doesn't vibrate. We can feel the beat in the pipe after the water main, and just coming into the water heater.

What could be causing this problem? We're fairly certain it's not the PRV, and it's not water hammer (no pipes are banging together, and there's no sharp crests in the sound).

If it was the pressure relief valve, then you would see water coming out that line.  It sounds like a failing pressure regulator valve to me.  To check, pickup a simple pressure meter from the local HI store:

If you see this climbing around the same time the surging sound is happening, locate this device which should be shortly after the main shutoff and replace it:


What type and rating of insulation should be used in a basement bathroom? I need to replace the insulation on the back and side of the bathtub.  The walls face the
exterior of the house (poured foundation).  What type and rating should I use?  I can't tell what the existing insulation rating is or if it is a vapor type.

The best would be sprayed-in-place foam. Second would be foam board, cut to fit the space and then sealed in with spray can foam. EPS foam is fine, but if you are willing to pay for poly-iso you will get a better R value. I would go for a couple of inches thick of foam.

You could also do fiberglass, but you won't get the same level of insulation and you could get condensation in the wall.


Find exit point/path of conduit I'm installing an air conditioner above a bedroom window, but there's no electric outlet nearby. I'm to avoid running wire along the wall, and I noticed that the light fixture receptacle has an empty conduit pointing in the direction of the window.
If it reaches the window (or close enough to it) I could drill near the window and put an outlet there. However, I have no way of telling if the conduit continues straight ahead or curves to somewhere. I put a snake wire in it, and it goes in fairly easily more than the distance from the light fixture to the window.

Is there any way to trace the path of the empty conduit? It's embedded in a concrete ceiling, about two or three inches deep.

This is going to be slow, but see if you can affix a strong neodymium magnet to the end of your fish tape, and detect it with a well balanced compass.

Even better, use magnetic viewing paper, and have someone reciprocate the fish tape while you watch through the paper for a vibrating field.

I'd personally try a toner tracer first, but a magnetic field will be harder to block than a toner.

Perhaps you could use coaxial cable as your push wire.  Attach the toner to the core on one end, strip back an inch of jacket on the other so most of the toner'e RF energy makes it down the cable to a point emanator on the far end.  Then carefully follow that point as you push the coax down the conduit.


Why did concrete screws feel loose when installed in a brick wall? I am trying to secure a floating mantle shelf over a brick fireplace wall.

I used 2 3/4" 3/16  tapcon screws to secure the  strip of wood to a brick wall but the wood strip did not hold securely

The tapcon 3/16" screws called for a 5/32 mortar bit hole which I used, but when I drilled  the tapcon screws into the mortar they felt loose, as if the hole was too big.

Any guesses as to what might have gone wrong?  Any suggestions as what type of fasteners would work better in securing the wood strip to the brick wall?

Tapconing into a mortar joint is to be avoided.
See the discussion here.
And the one here about how 3/16" are garbage. Use 1/4".

If the Tapcon goes into a mortar joint it's pull out strength will depend on the compressive PSI of the mortar and the depth of the mortar joint in combination with the length & diameter of the Tapcon.
– forums.jlconline.com


Chemical drain cleaning - acid, base or something else? There are industrial drain cleaners but according to my research on them, they are mostly overpriced bottles of simple chemicals such as sodium hydroxide.

Chemicals that can (theoretically) be used for drain cleaning also often already lay around your garage with no need to rush and buy dedicated drain cleaner. Either way, this question is what to use, specifically from safety point of view. Here are some options:

Acids - I know for sure that sulfuric acid is common drain cleaner base ingredient. However acids tend to react with a lot of metals. Sulfuric acid is relatively safe, but also not exactly efficient. Should a reaction with metal occur in the pipes, you're in for a nice hydrogen explosion (worst case scenario).
Basic hydroxides - Probably only sodium hydroxide falls in this category (as far as drain cleaning is concerned). It leaves most metals alone, but aluminium violently displaces sodium from the molecule which means any alumunium surfaces will be destroyed by NaOH solution. This is a big concern before using this.
Chlorine based house cleaners - I'm not sure if those are commonplace everywhere, but in Czech republic those are very common and universally used to disinfect anything. Due to this, they are always at hand, but how efficient are they at cleaning the drains and pipes is not clear to me.

As a special award for efficiency combined with lethality (to the user), I nominate

Piranha solution - a combination of sulfuric acid and hydrogenium peroxide. Eats almost everything organic (that is, everything that can normally be dehydrated) and violently corrodes metals. The latter is the lethal part, but it would be #1 choice for pipe system that is guaranteed to be 100% plastic as long as proper venting is provided and concentration is low.

I would like someone with practical experience and knowledge of how plumbing works and how clogs form to give me some insights what is the best (safety comes before efficiency) solution.

I would like to keep this as general as possible for the sake of future visitors, but I want to make clear that it's not just drain that is clogged but also part of the plumbing. The drain was cleaned and still doesn't consume sufficient amounts of water.

Many of the commercial products are buffered in some way to try and reduce the impact on metals, since DWV plumbing may commonly be made from copper, brass, lead, or iron, as well as plastics. In the USA, aluminum is not, to my knowledge, a common drain pipe material.

Sodium hydroxide (lye) is primarily of use against grease based clogs, as it turns the grease to soap. Of course, it only turns the grease it contacts to soap, so if it flows past the clog it will only affect a small amount of a grease clog.

Boiling (or at least very hot) water is another approach, though it is not an approach to use on a toilet (commonly sealed to the base with a wax ring.) Adding sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) or sodium carbonate (washing soda) can add some of the saponifying effect that lye has while being much safer for you than handling lye.

In general, if you have cleaned out the trap and still have a clog in the drain lines beyond the trap, mechanical means (a drain snake) are much more likely to solve the problem than chemical solutions.

Hair is, by far, the most common component of most clogs. There are some drain cleaners which purport to be specifically formulated to attack it - from what I recall, independent test results were not encouraging, perhaps because hair in a drain clog is coated with a variety of other substances. Physically removing it works.

Acids can indeed affect metal pipes badly - I've recently seen a copper drain line where 25% of the diameter was just gone due to acid corrosion.


Is building regulations approval needed for replacing gas fire with log burner Currently selling my house and the buyer has come back demanding building regulations approval for some work we did replacing a gas fire with a log burner built into an existing chimney.

We did the work about 5 years ago and didn't get any approval.

Is approval required in this case? I looked at the guidelines but am unclear of how this situation fits in.

Is building regulations approval needed for replacing gas fire ... ?

Permanently removing a gas fire involves capping off or removing the gas pipework and testing it to ensure it is safe.

  80 Gas work should only be undertaken:
  (a) by a person who has successfully completed an industry-recognised
  training course followed by assessment of competence. Training that
  leads to assessment of competence in safe gas work should be
  recognised by the industry’s standards setting body; or
  (b) in the case of a currently or previously registered person, where they
  have proved competence through a certification scheme; or
  (c) for those working at premises that fall outside the scope of the
  Regulations (see regulation 2(4) and associated guidance), by a person
  who has successfully completed an appropriate full training course
  followed by assessment of competence.

Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 Approved Code of Practice and guidance

Unless you are a landlord, there is no legal requirement for a certificate for the gas installation.

My guess is that the buyer wants evidence from a qualified engineer that any remaining gas pipes and equipment are safe and that the chimney flue was properly adapted for the change in use.

Whether you pay someone qualified to inspect and report on the work depends on how much you want to appease this particular potential buyer. I guess it is something that is likely to come up again though.


How can I repair damaged drywall? I live in a rental house. My pit bull terrier ate the drywall and now I have a home inspection coming up.

What can I do?

I have a picture just don't know how to post it.

Just buy a little tub of joint compound, or spackling and cover up the areas.  You will have to paint it as well.  If it is a hole then get a small piece of drywall slightly bigger than the hole but where you can still get it inside (you may have to cut it bigger).  Drill a hole in the middle to fit a piece of string in it.  This will help you to hold it to the wall.  Use joint compound on the edges like glue.  When it dries, fill the void with more joint compound.  I've repaired many fist-size holes from when I was a teenager.


Water dripping from the ceiling over a humidifier Humidity in my house right now 13%, which is normal during winter. I have cathedral ceilings with no attic. It is an older, very large, 100% wood house, log cabin style. I ran 1 gallon humidifier for a week and now have water dripping exactly above the  humidifier. It drips like one drop every 10 min at night and more often during day time. It is 21F outside. The roofer had said the roof is fine.  Is it because of the humidifier? But the house is huge and I would think the moisture would spread around the house, not accumulate somewhere. The distance between the floor and the ceiling is also substantial. What is happening, please help.

I bet your ceiling is cold.
Consider my cold drink on a hot day.  Humidity has spread around the clubhouse.  The outside of my glass is dripping wet and I must use a coaster.  Why does the humidity stop just on my glass and not breeze on by?  It is because my glass is cold, and passing humidity that bumps into it condenses into water.
So too your roof.  You have a cold spot for whatever reason.  Ambient humidity in the house stops there and condenses.  You could try to address the spot, or give up on humidifying the great room and concentrate on humidifying bedrooms.


Smoke from the fusebox switch but everything seems be working I was replacing an electrical fixture and I had turned off the circuit (one with support for arc testing) on the electrical panel. When I turned it back on, it made some noise/ some smoke came. I immediately turned it off again/ check the fixture wirings etc.. And, then turned the circuit back on. This time there was no smoke and everything seems to be working.

I would like to understand the source of the smoke/ check if all is well.

Some termonolog may be in order, your service panel or breaker panel is where you installed an arc fault device? Don't know of any fuse box versions. Did you have the breaker turned off when you snapped it in? A load on a breaker when inserted can cause an arc flash with smoke and maybe minor damage to the buss or breaker. Since things now work it may be fine but I would want to inspect the buss and contacts on the breaker if all looks good it may have been a minor arc that did not cause harm that would make it unsafe.


How can I identify the manufacturer of my windows? So, the seals on one of the double pane windows in my parent's home have failed (moisture and mold between panes).  I want to contact the manufacturer to see if there is a possibility of warranty replacement.  However, the name is nowhere to be found on the window, only the S/N (Googling turns up nothing) and a sticker from NAMI, with the codes;

  Code:ALS Series:280 MST:6060

I can post pictures of the stickers/window itself if that would prove helpful.

Contact a builder or building supply store in your area to see if they can help you identify the manufacturer using the information.

If you cannot identify the manufacture, consider repairing the damage to the window without completely replacing it. You can replace a broken latch or window pane, or have a professional do it for you, and this may be more affordable than replacing the entire window. On the other hand, if the windows are generic in appearance, you may be able to replace the whole window without destroying the overall look of your property.


Is a thick, unvented hot roof a good candidate for spray foam? Upon removing some drywall from an unvented hot roof I noticed two serious issues:

1) The roof sheathing is not a taped or sealed ply but a 2x8 T&G
2) There is no vapor barrier and the cavity is discolored and moist

This particular hot roof is framed with 4x10s, so the cavity is pretty deep. I have decided that I need to pull all the sheetrock and address it. I cannot add a vented attic space here so I'm thinking that I will have closed-cell foam sprayed in.

The question is whether or not this is an appropriate solution and how much foam should I use?

The cavity is 9.5 inches deep... I don't need that much foam but if I spray less do I need to fill the space? With what?

Is there a better solution than spray foam for this?

You need to make the foam your vapor barrier, which means using closed-cell foam. Secondly, you need sufficient foam in order to prevent condensation inside the wall. Thirdly, you do not need to fill in the space, but you need to provide enough insulation to bring the total to the required minimum for insulating ceilings. Lastly, foam is nasty when it burns, so you'll need to put an ignition barrier (such as cellulose, hardboard, or drywall) directly in contact with the foam.

The required minimum amount of foam for the various climate zones of the United States/Canada are:

Zones 1-3 — R-5
Zone 4C — R-10
Zones 4A, 4B — R-15
Zone 5 — R-20
Zone 6 — R-25
Zone 7 — R-30
Zone 8 — R-35

Since you are in zone 4 or 5, you'll need a minimum of R-20, which is about five inches of foam.

I would fill the ceiling to slightly more than this minimum with foam, install drywall, and then fill the gap with blown cellulose insulation. You would need to remove all of the drywall.

You could also add ventilation to this knee-wall/cathedral ceiling by using mid-roof vents such as The Edge Vent or The Smart Vent installing a baffle to prevent insulation from blocking the air flow, and filling the walls with blown insulation or faced batts (with the paper against the drywall). This would likely be much cheaper than foam insulation, but not insulate as wall.

Insects (such as ants and termites) can tunnel through foam insulation.


How to stop this small roof from leaking? We have water stains in the ceiling drywall underneath this small section of roof.

I suspect it's due to the loose metal that's on top of the shingles.  The fasteners on the top of the metal are all sealed still, but the metal literally lifts up by hand.

In the image, a gap on the left side is clearly visible.  I suspect the water is entering through the nail holes, but I'm not 100% sure.

How do I properly fix this?  Is there a certain "maintenance" required with this metal piece?

I believe that you are getting leaks through that gap. Wind driven ran can push water right under that flashing.

You can install sealant underneath the flashing like Aravindakshan K suggested. I would take it a step further, and add roofing nails with the neoprene washers on them to hold the flashing closer to the roof.

I have the same problem with my front porch. It doesn't have proper footings and has sunk over time causing a separation in the flashing. Your roof appears to have the same situation. It is likely that that separation will continue unless you address the structural issue.


Furnace starts only when R and W are shorted The inductor motor starts only when R and W are shorted on the control board. The wires to the motor do not have power otherwise. The fuse seems good though I'll be replacing it tomorrow just to make sure. When the thermostat is plugged in and tries to initiate heating, VRW=28 V. Shorting R and W with alligator clips  does start the motor so it doesn't seem to be a control board problem, at least on the high-voltage side.
I do not know exactly what to expect when checking the wires behind the battery-powered thermostat but shorting RH and W there does not start the furnace. RC is left open for some reason, though the manual says that it should be shorted with RH. We have no A/C and nothing outside so there shouldn't be anything else between the thermostat and the terminals on the board.
The furnace was working normally last week but we're moving slowly so no idea when it may have stopped. The only "unusual" event since is that we switched the breaker off and on last week.
Where is the problem likely to be?

If connecting R and W at the furnace turns on the heat and connecting R and W at the thermostat does not  then there's a problem with the wire from the furnace to the thermostat.


Why doesn't my replacement kitchen sprayer work as expected? I have an older Grohe Bridgeport kitchen faucet with a side sprayer. It is different than what's being sold today, as the two valves and the spout are not bridged together, but are separate. The side spray hose started leaking recently and I installed a replacement today. Now, when I turn on the spray, the water continues to flow from both, the rotating spout and the side spray. When I took the body apart, there is a small flap under a spring that is supposed to shut off the water flow to the main spout, but it doesn't. Any ideas?

I am not sure what you mean when you say you "took the body apart", pictures may help.

Residential kitchen faucets with separate hand-held sprayers (as opposed to those where the sprayer is integral to the spout) do not charge the sprayers with system pressure until you trigger the sprayer.

They utilize a special diverter mechanism, usually located in the main valve body. The mechanism is a valve that only actuates and diverts water to the sprayer when the trigger/button on the sprayer is pressed. You need to replace the diverter valve.

The below illustration depicts one type of Grohe faucet that uses a diverter valve, there are very likely others:


How can I color concrete? I'm going to be using a mold to pour a concrete pathway and I was wondering about coloring options. I've done this previously with this quikrete product. It worked and turned out okay, but one bottle only does two bags of concrete. The cost of color adds up pretty fast.

On TV I saw some DIY show use powder that was broadcast over wet concrete. I've also seen some stains that you apply to cured concrete. Are there any cheaper options to get rid of the dull gray? This will be outside, so durability is important.

After using the similar forms you describe, poured about 60 feet of walkway -- I've used the Bear concrete stains which are applied after the product cures with great success.  Even taken two different shades and did the "artistic" thing providing a little depth and 10 years later still looks good -- although an extra step, it went quite quickly.  Using the "artistic" approach allowed us to use the $5.00 mis-mixes with a little creativity.

hope it helps...


GFCI trips when flipping light switch in another room I just replaced an old outlet in the bathroom with a new GFCI outlet.  Works fine in the bathroom when plugging in a hair dryer.  However, when I try to turn on the hallway light, the GFCI trips and the hallway light is no longer usable.  Any suggestions on the cause or how to fix this issue would be appreciated.  Thank you.

The old receptacle had more than 2 wires on it.  You presumed two of them were LINE, and got that part right.  However, if you look closer at the old receptacle, you can see that the two screws on the same side are connected by metal.  They are all LINE.

You placed one or more of them on LOAD.  Move it back to LINE.  Most GFCIs have a feature that allows 2 wires to attach to one screw.

As you know, the entire point of buying a GFCI is that it places the sockets in a "GFCI protected zone" where it will catch current leakage.  That side is called the LOAD side.   You can put other things there, but you must do that correctly and intending to do that.. The LOAD terminals are not extras.


Broken Hot Water Circulating Pump - Shouldn't I still have hot water in showers eventually? I have a Grundfos hot water circulator. After turning off the main to the house and the hot water circulator the other day to change out a valve for our dishwasher, the hot water circulator hasn't been working properly (making horrible noises, not sending out water properly).

From what I've read it seems that the hot water circulator has seized. We've unplugged and replugged, and tried to turn the bolt on it, but it won't move. Again, from what I've read, this indicates we probably need to replace with a new unit.

My belief was that we would still have hot water (as we would if we didn't have a circulator), however we are not getting sustained hot water in our showers both upstairs and downstairs (after about 5 minutes the water is warm, but then turns cold). What would cause that? I am hoping to figure out how to have hot water access until we can get the unit replaced.

Pressure from the cold side is higher than from the hot side, so cold water is backfeeding through the circulator and on to the hot side to the faucets in use.  Close the shutoffs you have for the circulator and the problem should go away.


Leaky drain, round 2: Trap joint won't stop leaking I've just replaced the trap on a sink drain, and I can't get the replacement to stop leaking.  The leak is coming from the where the trap connects to the wall stub (circled in the picture).

There is no washer here; it looks like this is supposed to be a pressure fit with the outside nut forcing the sides of the conical end on the bottom piece against the sides of the top piece.  It's a great theory, but it doesn't seem to be working.

I've tried reeeeeeally tightening this joint, and while that seems to have reduced the leak it hasn't stopped it.  Since this isn't really a screw joint, there's no point in something like plumbers tape.

Any thoughts on how I can stop this from leaking?

]1

I'd say take it all out and start over. Avoid RTV and flexible fittings. Put a standard tailpiece onto the sink, a starndard trap like brhans mentioned, and a slip nut on the pipe going into the wall. Then it will easier to take apart and clean. Or take apart in case you drop something value able down there. Google image search "standard p trap setup". Or just look under somebodies sink.


Can I remove a tub surround, without removing the tub? I have an acrylic tub/shower combo that I would like to update. It is a two piece unit - the tub and a complete 3 walled surround mounted above.  Ideally, I'd like to remove only the surround part and replace it with tile.  I understand we would have to replace the drywall behind with something appropriate for tiling in the shower.  I'd rather not have to replace the tub, however.  Is it possible to leave the existing tub?

I have done almost this exact same retrofit. It was a lot of work, but you can leave the existing tub. I refinished mine with a Rustoleum epoxy product, but that's another story.

Basically, depending on the tub, I would take everything down to the studs, and start with a good masonry board, and any possible structural/plumbing changes you might need.'

The important thing is to make sure when you are all done you've accomplished two things:

A good, consistent seal from the tiled surface to the bath tub
See No.1

I've repaired and refinished bathrooms where this was done, and 9 times out of 10 there was water penetration around the bathtub that caused unmentionable horrors that were invisible, until it all failed horribly.

Good luck and take your time.

PS - a "zip saw" or handheld router can be your friend to cut that modular shower into smaller pieces.


Glue to Secure Dishwasher to Granite Recently my dishwasher (DW) required service which meant pulling it out from under the granite counter top. The DW was secured to the counter top with two metal tabs which were glued to the counter top. The DW is operational again but I am searching for the type of glue that was used. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Edit:

The epoxy product I ended up using is called Loctite Epoxy Five Minute Instant Mix. Before applying it, I used sand paper to remove the old epoxy. Then I simply applied the epoxy to the metal tabs, slid the dishwasher back into place with the door open, and clamped the metal tabs to the counter top. The next morning, I removed the clamps and verified the epoxy was rock solid. Rock on!

Two Part Epoxy.

But I wouldn't use it to hold the clip in; I'd use it to attach a tee nut, which is then fastened with a bolt to the clips on the dishwasher, facilitating removal or replacement in the future.


Mount horizontal 6" metal exhaust pipe to wall economically? I'm trying to add more ventilation to the back room of my garage. The only available outside air exit location is 25' horizontally along the front room of the garage's wall.

I have 6" 30ga sheet metal vent pipe like this for the ducting:

How would I go about securing it to the wall? All of the hangers and clamps I've seen are either nuts expensive or designed to support the pipe from above (ceiling), not from the wall.

I can't support it from the ceiling as it would interfere with the garage door mechanism.

A cheap option, is hanger strap.

enter link description here http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/300/0f/0f824744-2554-4da0-91c2-cad95ee94416_300.jpg

It's available in both metal and plastic, and in various sizes.


Heat Strip in Heat Pump We had a/c here last week to fix a capacitor on our a/c unit and signed up for their maintenance program. They came today to clean everything and do checkup and said the heat strip in our heat pump was burned out and we were lucky we didn't have a fire or smell smoke. We had neither of these things. The picture he showed me had some ashy looking stuff in the unit and said that was what happened when it blew out. He said it will cost 415 to replace. I have never used this company before and wanted to make sure I wasn't getting snookered. Does this sound legitimate? We do live in an area that can dip down to 0 in the winter but not too often.

Heat pumps work by "harvesting" any heat in the outside air to heat your home, but there is a limit to what they can do so they have heat strips for when the outside air drops below 40F. Heat strips do burn out. Whether or not yours is really burned out or this guy is "snookering" you is something we can't help with.


How to frame an outlet between studs I’m remodeling an old kitchen. Drywall is removed. I’d like to add a receptacle in a spot between studs. I suppose I could add a stud but it is a 10’ ceiling and would hate to waste a 2x4 just for the receptacle (not to mention the cost of lumber now!!!)
Maybe I’m overthinking it! Any suggestions on how to frame it. Would it be just a simple as two cross beams and a horizontal mini stud between them?
I looked for code requirements for mounting receptacles but could not find anything specific. I’m in Ontario Canada if there are code considerations.
Thanks!

A simple 2x6 horizontally across the stud bay is all that is needed,
2 screws  from the back of the box into the 2x6.
Remember if in the center and no clamps NMB needs to be stapled within 8”
Make sure to set the back cross beam or horizontal box hanger so your box will protrude ~1/2” beyond the face of the stud I have seen DIY’s forget this step and the inspector flagged them on the cover inspection.
They did not know what to do but a box extension in all of there locations worked fine.  It was good they called a 1$ Fix per box (I fixed the big stuff he flagged).
It can be done with a single 2x4 but they are not as solid as a 2x6.


Water dripping from basement ceiling during heavy rain I would appreciate direction on investigating this water issue further:

I have had water dripping (from ceiling) during heavy rain , along inside wall of basement only on one side of the house. Fortunately, this is also not a chronic issue. It happened only during two spring/summer seasons in past 7 years.  Only after super heavy rain I saw this 3-5 times one year, and 1-2 time the next year spring. Dripping along the wall, stops after the heavy rain stops. For past two springs, it has been dry along that wall and now I am finishing the basement, so could use help on what preventive/investigative steps I could take before framing the inside wall. My plumber ruled out any water pipe leak. It is a 1950 cape in northeast, with poured concrete basement wall.

Visuals below:

The first image shows the stain on the wall from the ceiling, from water drippings. You can see the same basement window in the second image from an outside view. Since the basement ceiling is well over 18 inches above ground level, I ruled this out as collected ground water coming back in.

The second image is an outside view of the same basement window: The water dripping along inside wall is isolated to the right of this window, in this view.

The third image shows the full view of the outside wall, including the gutter & pipes on roof. I believe the gutters are fine, and water discharges about 21 feet away from the basement though a buried gutter extension. There is no other puddle or wet wall outside I could detect during rain.

I am suspecting the problem is some leakage around the flashing on the roof coming down alone inside of exterior wall, or some seepage along the cracks on the outdoor wood shingles.

Suggestions on other areas I could investigate, are very much appreciated. Right now I am think of calling a chimney professional to check flashings on the roof, as the next step to investigate.

I know you say the guttering is fine, but my advice to all homeowners is: "never check the gutters when they are dry". Always check them when it's pouring with rain, the harder the better. There is no better way of seeing exactly where the water is going.

My thoughts are that if the roof or chimney were leaking, you'd see evidence long before the water hits the basement ceiling, no?

The fact the water leak is above the ground level means the water is likely getting past the cladding. The fact it only does it during extreme rain points to the gutter system overflowing (IMHO).

The problem may then be twofold; the gutter (as it is) can't cope with heavy rain, and second, there is a breach in the cladding and/ or membrane behind the cladding.


Is it feasible to store adequate thermal solar heat overnight? I'm considering a passive solar radiant heating installation in the Chicago area and was wondering if it would be feasible to store enough water/energy to support heating for most of the night.  The house already has a gas central furnace, and can serve as backup, but the winter bills have been as high as $300-400 (for about 300 to 400 therms) during last year's expensive gas rates.

Roughly how much water might be needed to keep ~2000 sqft heated when it's 0 outside overnight in a below average insulated house?  Orders of magnitude would be good enough of an estimate.  I'm really just looking to understand if this is feasible.  If this would require a basement swimming pool, obviously it's not.

Also, since the PEX would be installed on the unfinished basement ceiling, I'm a bit concerned about the basement heating up too much.  I assume there are ways to shield the basement from the radiant heat via some form of heat reflectors under the PEX?

It would almost undoubtedly be a better use of your available money, time, and space to add insulation, not a complicated solar heat storage system, which after all, will do nothing for you half the year.

Start with your basement and insulate the walls and the rim joists. Then move to your attic and air seal the floor and add about 12-16 inches of cellulose or fiberglass. That should help tremendously.

Here are some articles to help you get started on the right track: (greenbuildingadvisor.com and finehomebuilding.com)

All about basements
How to insulate a basement wall
Insulating rim joists
Air sealing an attic
How to insulate and air seal an attic hatch

After that, keep air sealing everything, and consider replacing your windows if they're on the way out for other reasons too (rotting, impossible to open or close, etc).

Doing all of these things should cut your heating AND cooling bills by 50% or more.


Tiling floor in porch and entry hall I need to tile the floor in the porch and entry hall (total area about 3 sq m). The problem is that once the tiles are laid, it should stay undisturbed for at least 12 hours (better 24). This is where the issue is. While there is another entry door into the house (via garage), the entry hall is the place where the stairs from the ground floor to the first floor start. There is no option of moving out for a couple of days, so the work will need to be done with the family present. Only using one floor for 2 days is also not an option with the family of 5.

The only thing I can think of is to tile in the evening after the children have gone to bed - and hope that the adhesive will set enough to walk on the tiles in the morning.

The tiles are ceramic and going on 18 mm plywood.

Is there anything I can do to improve my chances of it drying overnight? Maybe some special adhesive?

12 hours over night will be sufficient to get it set most of the way. You could Cut a piece of 3/4 plywood to fit the space ( one piece is better but two would work ) and lay it down over the tiles for the morning traffic.

The wood will spread/distribute the weight out over a broader area and should help to avoid a corner of the tile from being push down by concentrated weight.

Just an idea.


Nest Thermostat - Not cooling First warm weather using my nest thermostat and now  trying to use the central air. However, only the fan turns on and it doesn't actually cool no matter how long I run it. (It worked perfectly in the winter with this setup)

Looking at the furnace and NEST, the wiring is as follows:

FURNACE  |   NEST
------------------
   R     |    RH
   W     |    W
   Y     |    Y1
   G     |    G
   C     |    C

On the Nest, the remaining spots that do not have wires are: Y2, OB, RC, W2 aux, and *.

Any help is appreciated.
Thank you.

Had someone come look at it last night. It was the capacitor on the unit. (Said that the top was bulged meaning it was bad) He replaced it, works like a charm! $100. I was convinced the whole thing was going to need replacing!


How can I insulate the door to my attic? I have a 5 level townhouse; heat seems to come out of the area around the door to the attic in warm days. is it possible to add insulation to this attic and door? the attic is walkable and has plywood floors so I'm not sure if i can lay insulation down and walk on it or what other options i have. the attic is pretty warm but ventilated appropriately. any ideas are appreciated.

Well, if there's a lack of insulation under the plywood floors, taking up the plywood, insulating, and replacing the plywood would be the correct method.
If there's insulation there but it's inadequate, that's a different issue.
Hard to know about door insulation without any idea what sort of door you have. If it's a trap door you can probably put some insulation over the top of it in some way, but the way will depend on how it opens/operates.


How should I fix an electric shower pull cord that doesn't work anymore? The red light on my pull cord electric shower no longer comes on, hence it doesn't work. However, there was a brief period yesterday where it worked suggesting it's an electric fault and can be fixed? There's a great article explaining how electric showers work and if someone could at least point me in the right direction that would be great.

I've never seen an electric shower (looks to be a European thing?) but based on the diagram in that article you've got electrical contacts near moisture. Corrosion is quite likely and would cause intermittent problems like you describe. Turn off all power to the device then open it and check for "crud" on any of the electrical terminals. a fine brass-bristle brush can help remove it, or even a Scotch-Brite scrubbing pad.


How can I determine the fire rating of my entry door? I am trying to determine the Fire Rating of the entry door to my condo.  The only label on the door has the following:  A 111389  2688  S5712


Why does my re-plumbed shower come on whenever the tub faucet is opened? We recently bought this place and are in the middle of updating the bathroom. Bought all new tub/shower fixtures as well as a valve. Handyman installed and flushed/tested/etc. this new valve, and I’ve since installed the new spout, faucet, shower head. Things work okay, EXCEPT when the tub is on, the shower comes on. Not just a trickle!

I’ve searched and searched to find a similar problem with answers in the forum, and what I’ve found is related to pex vs copper and shower height. Everything was copper before and still is. Also, we didn’t change the shower height. I did purchase a gooseneck shower arm to add a little bit of height/length, but it makes no difference. Not knowing much about water pressure, my gut is telling me it’s something to do with that and the new valve. It’s a pressure balancing valve that cost a good $90 and says it’s 20psi (seems low?). It fits the new faucet specifically. The old valve was a delta, and I don’t know if the previous owner had the same problem. We do live in the foothills and have high water pressure naturally. Also, although we have a VERY large and nearly new water heater, we seem to run out of hot water very quickly in the tub. Related?

I have the drywall behind the fixtures open but don’t know where to go with it as of now. Any ideas?

Thanks for reading.

FIXED! The problem was these little buggers inside the shark bites. Don’t know why the handy man use shark bite instead of soldering, but those little plastic bits were restricting the flow enough to shoot everything right up to the shower. Removed them, replaced everything, now the tub works as it should. Holy smokes!


SimpleHuman plastic slim trashcan cover won't stay on I've got a SimpleHuman 40 liter plastic slim step can (http://www.simplehuman.com/40-litre-slim-step-can-black-plastic) and the lid will not stay on. When I press the foot pedal the cover pops off. Have examined the cover along with the hinges on the trash can and there does not appear to anything wrong with it. Has anyone seen this before?

From the reviews of these Simple Human trash cans at Amazon, this seems to be a complaint many have reported. It sounds like a design flaw. How long have you owned it?

  The only positive that I have to say about this trash can is that it
  looks nice. However, the functionality of it is less than desirable. I
  have had this trash can for almost a year, and it is literally falling
  apart. The hinge comes off at least once a day, and has to be snapped
  back on before it will function properly again.


Are track lighting systems standardized/universal? Our business has track for track lighting, but the previous tenants took the fixtures with them when they moved out.  I want to buy and install some pendant and spotlight track lights, but I'm not sure whether I have to look for models compatible with a certain standard, or if I possibly even have to stick to the same brand as the track manufacturer.

I think the manufacturer of the track is Juno, but I'll have to double-check whether it's line-voltage or low-voltage.  Once I figure out the voltage, should I be able to buy any track lights, or are they all standardized/universal so that I can buy any fixture of the proper voltage?

No.  First as you have mentioned there is line and low voltage.  If you are not sure what to choose from pick line voltage - you can always put it on a dimmer to get what you need.  The low voltage tracks in my opinion are junk because they only allow a certain amount of light, and the transformers go out or hummmm after a while.  That is just my opinion on this - people will say you can find more selection of light bulbs with low voltage and there are special circumstances where this is right but you can order a lot of stuff easy on the internet now.

OK back to your main question.  No again.  In the US there are three main types.  See the picture below.

Get a ladder and take a look at your track or take a picture on your phone.  The Juno tracks I have seen have been j-style but you need to look because they are a huge maker and I am sure they have made each style.


Soft washing vs pressure washing-cleaning gable siding I have a older pressure washer that I was getting ready to put into use. Its primary use right now will be cleaning gable siding on a brick house. I've done some reading and I am sort of confused. The general recommendation is to use soft washing via the pressure washer on the siding. One of the benefits they mention is ability to clean siding from ground. However, when I read about pressure washing it says not to spray upwards because water can get trapped back behind siding. This seems to contradict each other. Can someone clarify this? Also, what is needed to soft wash besides the appropriate nozzles?

I like soft washing because: 1) Control, 2) Will not destroy caulking/sealant, 3) Will not deform face of siding/brick,

1) Controlling the direction of the nozzle is important so the spray does not go where it can leak into the house. Often high pressure sprays will “push” a water stream in cracks, around trim, etc. causing leaks inside the house.

2) A high pressure spray can “blow out” the caulking and sealant around windows and doors.

3) A high pressure spray can easily deform (gouge) the surface of the siding or brick. When we clean historic structures, it is especially important not to “over clean” the surface because it can get damaged easily.

I use a siding cleaner. First, I pre-soak the siding and the spray the cleaner on the surface of the siding/brick. The instructions on the cleaner will tell you how long to let it sit before you clean it off by spraying it.

The comment regarding not aiming the spray upwards is referring to the possibility of pushing water up under building paper and moisture barriers. This is especially important at corners, joints in siding or trim, where the building paper may not be lapped properly.

Remember, brick needs a clear sealant installed over it just like siding needs to be painted. The sun and rain will wear the protective coating off over time, so it needs to be reapplied every 3-5 years.


Need ceiling fan remote that also uses controls at existing wall switch I'm looking for a ceiling fan remote that will allow me to continue to use the wall switches. I am certain that the current wall switches will need to be replaced with the remote kit switches.  My current configuration is a toggle switch for the light and an off-low-med-hi-off rotary switch for the fan speed.  In other words, I have two hot wires going from the switch to the fan and do not ever use the pull-string switches on the fan.  To further complicate the situation, the light switch is a 3-way switch.

My story is (and I'm sticking to it) that I may be warm when I go to bed and would like to begin the night with the fan on and turn it off when I've cooled down.  Therefore I would keep the remote on the headboard to turn the fan off, but need to be able to turn the fan/light on/off at the door.

I beleive that you can do this using a remote control switch set such as this one

You will need two switches, one for the light and one for the fan. The remote shown has two channels. You need to check that the fan does not exceed the wattage recommended and that the dimming circuit in the switch can handle a motor, not just incandescent lights.

Several manufacturers make these types of devices, so search for ones that meet these criteria. Here is another version


What should I realistically expect after having my floors professionally refinished? We recently bought a house that has white oak hardwood floors. The floors looked decent in some places, while others were REALLY scratched. I don't even know how someone would scratch them that bad. It looks like someone dragged a piano across the floor.

We got some flooring people to come in and they basically told us that the floors would look like new after they were done. Thus, our expectations were that the floors would look near-flawless.

After they finished the work, we were pleased. The huge scratches are completely gone and the new stain color looks great. What we do see now is other, smaller scratches. We also see nails in the wood that we didn't see before. Some of the wood doesn't meet evenly and there are small gaps, which they filled in with wood putty. The floor guy said that the reason these things show up more now is that we used a darker stain and it highlights the imperfections more.

They said that they can resand and fill gaps all they want, but since the floors aren't new there will always be some imperfections. They cant do much about the nails because they were in the wood from when the floors were originally put in.

We have been telling them that we want the floors to look better, but I don't want to keep pushing for something that isn't realistic. Can nails be hidden? Can gaps be filled without it being too obvious? Are we being unrealistic?

All can be solved with money. Of course, at certain point it becomes cheaper to buy a brand new floor than keep fussing with an old one.

Nails become more visible after you sand a floor down. You can sink the nails by using a nail punch and then fill in the hole with a putty, but the putty has to matched to the color of the wood which is non-trivial. Sometimes nails will stain the wood, so you need to bore into the wood and make a larger filling. Also, you then need to redo the finish on top of this afterwards.

When a floor does not lie flat, usually that is because the joists below are not perfectly level. Sometimes this can be corrected by inserting shims between the joists and the floor boards if they are accessible (like in a basement), but it is tricky to do it. Ideally you make sure the joists are perfectly flat BEFORE you lay the floor down, and you use a subfloor.

In all honesty, the refinisher probably did all that was reasonable to do for the kind of money involved.


How do I remove the sink drain in this situation? I am replacing the faucets/drain in one of my bathrooms. I am trying to remove the drain, but I'm having a lot of trouble. I think it might be soldered on, but I'm not sure why it would be. What's the easiest method for removing the drain?

(below sink)

(above sink)

Here's a diagram of the drain:

It looks to me like you've unscrewed the nut, but not the flange (which is a separate piece that screws to the inside of the tailpiece, while the nut screws to the outside of the tailpiece).

If things are not loosening easily, you can try some penetrating oil or WD-40 and letting it sit for a while, it may help if there is any rust or corrosion on the threads. The place this would cause a problem if anywhere would be on the outside at the top of the tailpipe.