How do I run wired internet from a single router to several different rooms in an apartment? Here is what my apartment layout looks like:

The router will be where the arrow points, the little jack icons are (shockingly enough) where I want ethernet jacks in each room.

The apartment is currently being renovated, and many of the walls have not yet been constructed, so I am planning to wire the house while I have the chance. I will be hiring someone to do it.

The largest distance between the router and a jack would be approximately 10 meters (including the length required to go up over the ceiling and down on the other side). The max speed I am intending to have for internet is 1 gigabit/s, so the cable should be able to transfer at that speed.

From my really basic research because I know nothing about this sort of thing it looks like Cat6 cable will work both for that length and for the speed I want.

Unfortunately in this country (Japan), the folks I have hired to do the work are not too knowledgeable about wiring for internet, and I want to make sure I can clearly tell them what I want/need so that I don't have to rely on wireless.

From my understanding I will need:

Enough cat6 cable to connect each of the rooms
LAN jacks for each room
I think I will also need 4 LAN jacks right next to the router, one for each room, so that I can connect my router to each jack separately?

For the sake of completeness, the internet provider will give me a router that will hook up to the telephone wire, and I will hook up a wireless router (with wired ports as well) to the router they provide. I think I need to hook up a different port for each room I want to use the internet in, but that's where I'm stuck.

Here is a digram on how I think this process should work:

I may be wrong on some/all of this. What I would like to know is what specifically do I need to ask for in order to have working wired internet in everyone room of my apartment from a single router coming out of a phone line connected to a wireless router?

This is my recommendation and similar to what I have in my home.

Since you have the walls open, this is the perfect time to do this.  Don't limit yourself to what you need now, think about the future.  With the push for streaming and internet connected devices, almost every room will probably have at least one internet connected device.  I recommend putting drop points anywhere you plan on having a desk, tv or phone.  Also put drop points where you think desk or tv's would be nice.

As for cable, Cat6 will do but I recommend using Cat6A (or sometimes called Cat6e).  This cable will handle 10gig+ so in the future (5 years) when 1gig is not enought you will not have to pull new cable.  Though at 10 meters, even Cat6 will handle 10gig, but my mindset is put the best in the wall since it is so hard to remove.

As for installing the cable, no sharp bends and no stretching of the cable.  Similar rules for coax cable.  Most installers now how to install that, just tell them to treat the install the same.

As for the drops.  Have the installers either put a one gang electrical box or a low voltage box where you want the jacks installed.  For the jacks, here you can save a little money and use Cat5e jacks.  If you need more bandwidth in the future, these are easy to upgrade to Cat6(a/e).  They have either plates with a jack integrated or whats called a keystone plate.  With a keystone plate, you add modules for what you want into the plate.  Modules can include telephone, coax, audio or ethernet.  Personally in my house I use the keystone plates and most rooms I combine all the low voltage requirements in one box (most being coax and ethernet).

For the other end of the run, I personally would have them go to a closet or cupboard that has power.  The router does not need to be where the cables all run to and I find this to be a cleaner solution.  In the closet, place a network switch to handle connecting all the devices.  Also the network switch does not have to be as big as all the drops in your house, only as big as the drops that are currently being used.  I'm assuming you want the router next to your TV where your coax is.  Just add a drop there and pug your router into it.  The switch in the closet will handle splitting it to the rest of your house.  And this will also give 3 or so ports for the devices around your TV.  This is how it is setup in my house and all 3 of those extra ports are used.  One for the TV, BD Player and Media Streamer.

As for the closet where the end of the run is, if you only have 6 or less drops you can use a keystone plate with ethernet modules.  If you have more than 6, I would recommend putting in a patch panel.  They come in sizes as small as 8 ports up to any size you would need for an apartment.  And with short half meter patch cables, connect the panel to the switch (which can be hung on the wall near the panel).


euro hinge installation too far I decided to replace the hinges on my doors recently. Unfortunately, I drilled the holes in the door a bit too far from the edge and when I try to open the door it hits the frame.

It seems to me I need a slightly longer "neck" on the hinge to open. Is there such a product? Also, where would you recommend purchasing it?

Thanks

Fill in the holes with broken-off toothpicks and wood glue, then drill new holes a little farther away and re-install the hinges.


Will a drywall anchor work fine after it's already open or engaged? I'm going to install some shelving that is going to require either drilling into the stud, or using drywall anchors.

The brackets are kind of thick (half an inch), so I'm wondering if it matters if the screw is in all the way after I install the anchor.  Can the screw be out of the anchor almost halfway for it to still work?

It depends on the type of anchor and the length of the screw, but I think you may have another problem.

Most drywall anchors rely on the screw to expand the anchor and secure it into the drywall.  In these cases, if the screw is not into the anchor to an adequate depth, the anchor will not have sufficient purchase in the sheetrock.

With this said, however, if you are putting up a shelf that you plan to put any sort of weight on (books, etc.), sheetrock anchors are a very poor choice.  You would definitely want the majority of your anchors secured into a stud.

If you must anchor to the sheetrock, then you may want to consider butterfly anchors (toggle bolts) rather than the screw in surface anchors.  They will provide better support.


How can I switch between two generator inlets? I recently pulled a permit and installed a 30A generator inlet and backfeed breaker w/ interlock. However, I actually would like to install a second inlet in an alternate location and be able to select from either one, as I have two different generators and they are kept in different locations on my property.

To do this safely, I need a switch that can cut off one inlet when the other is engaged; otherwise, the inlet would be live when the other one is being fed by a generator.

To do this to code, do I need to switch neutral as well as both hots? If so, where can I get a 30A triple poll, double throw switch? Leviton and the like only seem to make DPDT switches (which would be fine if I only need to switch the hots).

You're looking up parts with the wrong terms. What you want is a transfer switch. You don't need the kind that includes breakers, etc., since you're using an interlock; just a simple transfer switch.

In a transfer switch where the neutrals are bonded or overlapped during switching, the advantage is reduced arcing and transients during switching. The disadvantage of this situation is that the transfer switch can not protect your genset and other electrical system components from wiring problems, such as a neutral/hot reversal sending current along the neutral.

In your case, since you're using an interlock you will already be cutting off the electricity completely anyway before switching and starting your generator; neutral continuity is not needed. So you should use a transfer switch that switches the neutral along with the hots.

See http://ecmweb.com/content/switching-neutral-whats-controversy for more details.


two load centers on one meter A couple of years ago I had a licensed electrician add a second 100 amp load center to my home (the original 100 amp load center, still in use, could accept no additional breakers).

He fed the new load center from the meter. The meter is CL200 rated.

Conductors for each panel come from the meter base. I pulled the new panel cover and see conductors connected to the main lugs going into a conduit connecting the new panel and the meter base box. Both panels are in the same structure, a single family house. The original panel is in the garage; the new panel is just outside the side door to the garage - say 5ft apart. Both panels are main breaker types. The new is a Siemens PW2020B1100 w/copper bus in type 3r enclosure. The wire size between the new panel and the meter base is 3/0.

Can I assume that the electrician verified that the meter and base could support two load centers?

100 + 100 ≠ 200

First off -- you do not need a 200A service to feed two 100A panelboards, provided the total load as determined by NEC Article 220's calculations does not exceed the service ampacity.  This is a consequence of the how 230.90(A) Exception 3 interacts with 230.40 Exception 2 and your specific setup (bold running text mine for emphasis, italics theirs):

  230.90 Where Required.

  Each ungrounded service conductor shall have overload protection.

  (A) Ungrounded Conductor. Such protection shall be
  provided by an overcurrent device in series with each ungrounded service conductor that has a rating or setting not
  higher than the allowable ampacity of the conductor. A set
  of fuses shall be considered all the fuses required to protect
  all the ungrounded conductors of a circuit. Single-pole circuit breakers, grouped in accordance with 230.71(B), shall
  be considered as one protective device.

  Exception No. 1: For motor-starting currents, ratings that
  comply with 430.52, 430.62, and 430.63 shall be permitted.

  Exception No.2: Fuses and circuit breakers with a rating
  or setting that complies with 240.4(B) or (C) and 240.6
  shall be permitted.

  Exception No.3: Two to six circuit breakers or sets of
  fuses shall be permitted as the overcurrent device to provide the overload protection. The sum of the ratings of the
  circuit breakers or fuses shall be permitted to exceed the
  ampacity of the service conductors, provided the calculated
  load does not exceed the ampacity of the service
  conductors.

  Exception No.4: Overload protection for fire pump supply
  conductors shall comply with 695.4(B)(2)(a).

  Exception No.5: Overload protection for 120/240-volt,
  3-wire, single-phase dwelling services shall be permitted in
  accordance with the requirements of 310.15(B)(7).

(Note that exception 5 has to do with the 310.15(B)(7) allowances for residential service conductor sizing -- they need to be taken into account when determining the total ampacity of your service and the ampacity of your individual sets of service entrance conductors, but stop there.)

A tale of a misplaced panelboard

But, there's more! While what the electrician did (putting a second main panel on your service) would have been OK when done properly as it would fall under 2014 NEC 230.40, exception 2 (bold running text mine for emphasis, italics theirs):

  230.40 Number of Service-Entrance Conductor Sets.

  Each service drop, set of overhead service conductors, set
  of underground service conductors, or service lateral shall
  supply only one set of service-entrance conductors.

  Exception No.1: A building with more than one occupancy shall be permitted to have one set of service-
  entrance conductors for each service, as defined in 230.2,
  run to each occupancy or group of occupancies. If the
  number of service disconnect locations for any given classification of service does not exceed six, the requirements of
  230.2(E) shall apply at each location. If the number of
  service disconnect locations exceeds six for any given supply classification, all service disconnect locations for all
  supply characteristics, together with any branch circuit or
  feeder supply sources, if applicable, shall be clearly described using suitable graphics or text, or both, on one or
  more plaques located in an approved, readily accessible
  location(s) on the building or structure served and as near
  as practicable to the point(s) of attachment or entry(ies) for
  each service drop or service lateral, and for each set of
  overhead or underground service conductors.

  Exception No.2: Where two to six service disconnecting
  means in separate enclosures are grouped at one location
  and supply separate loads from one service drop, set of
  overhead service conductors, set of underground service
  conductors, or service lateral, one set of service-entrance
  conductors shall be permitted to supply each or several
  such service equipment enclosures.

  Exception No.3: A single-family dwelling unit and its
  accessory structures shall be permitted to have one set of
  service-entrance conductors run to each from a single service drop, set of overhead service conductors, set of underground service conductors, or service lateral.

  Exception No.4: Two-family dwellings, multi-family dwellings, and multiple occupancy buildings shall be permitted
  to have one set of service-entrance conductors installed to
  supply the circuits covered in 210.25.

  Exception No.5: One set of service-entrance conductors
  connected to the supply side of the normal service disconnecting means shall be permitted to supply each or several
  systems covered by 230.82(5) or 230.82(6).

However, your electrician screwed up when he put the second panel on the outside of your garage, as that ruins the grouping required by 230.40, exception 2 and 230.72(A):

  230.72 Grouping of Disconnects.

  (A) General. The two to six disconnects as permitted in
  230.71 shall be grouped. Each disconnect shall be marked
  to indicate the load served.

So, in any case, you'll need to have the electrician move the second panelboard inside to a spot next to where the first one lives, or replace the first panelboard with an exterior unit that can be mounted next to where the new one lives.


Issue with older TV stand mounting hooks I just bought a new TV that uses a smaller screw for mounting.  My TV stand has these hooks that screw onto the TV and then the TV hangs from these hooks on the stand.  If I bought smaller screws to fit the TV they wouldn't be large enough for the holes on the hooks without a washer and I'm not sure if that is a good secure way of mounting them.  I tried searching for replacement hooks with an appropriate size mounting holes but all I can find online is wall mounting which I can not do.  What is the best way to proceed from here so that I can hang my TV from the stand?

I added the mounting tag even though it says to a wall since mounting is my end goal.

Go to your local hardware store and ask for help finding aluminum or bronze sleeves (bushings) like so:

They should be the same length as (or slightly shorter than) the thickness of your brackets. They'll fill the gap between your screws and the bracket holes. Also get some suitable washers to enlarge the screw heads.


Above ground pool question I’m new to this site. I have a question about an above ground pool, hope it is appropriate to ask here! We just put up a new Intex above ground pool. We may have been a little quick to do this, because the weather forecast has changed and temp is supposed to drop to 37 degrees F on Friday night. Just one night at this temp (so far, give it ten minutes and the forecast will change again- we live in southern Indiana). Does anyone know if this will damage the pool, or if there are any steps I need to take to protect it? The instructions that came with the pool talk about disassembling and storing pool in winter when temps start getting below 41 degrees at night, but this is one weird night in spring. Anyone have similar experience or any insight? Thanks in advance!

The only concern that I can think of is freezing; so many hours in the 20's are required to cause some freezing. It takes time to lower the temperature , then freezing require removal of a great amount of heat. Hoses will be the first thing to freeze. I had a 32 X 16 in the Chicago area and did not do much for winter ; I think I needed a new liner every other year. Many years there was about a foot of ice.  Putting in a liner was much easier than taking it down and putting it up. One year it did freeze solid ; an iceberg in the back yard.


Will a fire pit damage my patio's ceiling? I just got a portable fire pit and some new furniture for my back porch. The fire pit is 3' in diameter, and the porch is 10'×10', with a 9' ceiling.

It would be nice to be able to have a small fire with the fire pit sitting at the far edge of the patio without having to move it to the yard every time I'd like to use it. My only concern would be that the heat from it might cause damage to the paint on the ceiling of the patio. Certainly, after time, I might be able to see some residue from the smoke, but as long as it's not causing damage, I'm okay with that.

Would this cause damage to the paint, or should this setup be fine?

Additional details

The patio ceiling is painted with the same exterior paint as the rest of the house.
The house was built earlier this year.
The area I live in almost always has at least a slight breeze.
There are no obstructions near the patio that would block wind.
I'm not interested in creating any gigantic bonfires in this fire pit—just a few logs at a time.

Unless you limit usage to tiny kindling fires, this is a bad plan. Sparks are common when burning wood, and a slight breeze can put them almost anywhere. Logs burn at 600-1000 degrees F or more and hold a lot of heat in case of a tipover, etc.

You will see smoke deposits almost immediately, not "over time". Wood smoke is very dirty. It's also likely that the ceiling will get hot enough to sustain physical damage, especially on calm days.

Then, the notion that wood smoke is somehow less dangerous from a health perspective is simply wrong. It contains many carcinogenic chemicals and other irritants. Having an unvented fire in a confined space and that near your house is simply unwise.

It's almost certainly illegal as well.


How does a 3-way motion sensor switch interact with the mechanical switch on the circuit? I want to install a 3-way circuit covering a hallway and stairwell. The top of the stairs and hallway would be covered by the motion sensor and the bottom by the mechanical switch. What happens if I turn on the mechanical switch and never trigger the motion sensor? Does the sensor turn the circuit off after a certain time without motion? Or do I need to either trigger the motion sensor on or manually turn off the mechanical switch?

Just to be clear, I understand how a 3-way switch works and how the motion sensor works. It's just the mixing of the motion sensor and mechanical switch that confuses me.

Thanks!

To make a true 3-way motion detector switch -- as opposed to a motion detector with a remote, or a motion detector in series with a normal switch -- the motion detector has to be able to monitor whether power is being drawn through either of the travellers and which traveller it is currently connected to.

If no power is now flowing, to turn on flip to the other traveller.
If power is flowing, to turn on stay unchanged.

If no power is flowing, to turn off stay unchanged.
If no power is flowing, to turn on flip to the other traveller.

Welcome to the wonderful wold of simple automata and state tables.


Replacement or repair to the wheels of Sliding doors? I am trying to find replacements or find some DIY solution to replace the wheels, the original parts are manufactured by Komandor. I am unable to fin replacements in local stores. The width of the sliding wheel mechanism is about 4cm for one door.

Where can I find replacements or DIY solution to the wheels of the sliding doors?

I have had issues finding wheels because the MFG went out of business. I found other sets that did not fit but I was able to use the wheel itself by drilling and grinding to remove the damaged wheel on my original hardware and install the wheel from a new piece using a 4-40 screw as the axle since it was ruined on removal, I don’t know how long it lasted as that house was sold a year or so later but it worked and the adjustment still worked a Dremel tool was really handy on that fix.


How do I reconnect my outlet? I took apart an outlet for doing some drywall work. I have an outlet that has two black, two white and I believe four grounds. This is where I am confused. One ground should go to receptacle. Should it not? Or do I take the green screw in back of the box and run it into the wire nut with other two ground wires?

Four ground wires.

One to the upstream supply  (along with a black and white)
One to the downstream load (along with a black and white)
One to the steel box
One to the receptacle

Works for me.


Are cripple studs necessary for framing a door in a "decorative wall" With a rather large living room in my 1bd appartment, I'm building a semi-permanent partition to split off a second smaller bedroom. The partition will be a standard framed wall and put in place without modifying existing structures (just nailed to the floor, sides, and ceiling) in order to avoid losing my deposit. Basically a more solid version of a privacy curtain.

I understand that the small studs at the top of the door opening are to take over some of the loadbearing that is lost when you cut out a stud to make the opening. Is it acceptable to do away with this for the "decorative" structure I'm building? E.g. just a Master/jack stud with a head plate?

The cripples are typically a continuation of the 16" stud intervals. They make hanging drywall easier since an 8' or 4' length will fall in the middle of a stud on each end (with the exception of the cut end when your room isn't a perfect 4' increment). Like Shirlock says, they aren't required for non-load bearing walls (hardly anything is since the wall isn't load bearing), but as you remove parts like this, other details like the drywall and installing trim will become more difficult.


Why does my Rinnai Infinity water heater fire up after turning off the cold tap? I have a Rinnai Infinity XR20.  It's about 3 years old.  I've just recently noticed a peculiar issue with it that I hadn't noticed before.  If I turn on a cold tap like the one to the garden hose and then turn it off, the unit momentarily fires.

I've verified this occurs now on all cold taps in the house even those that aren't connected to the hot via a mixer.

My guess is it's the shock wave caused by water hammer which is causing the unit to think that water has started flowing when it hasn't.

I asked my local plumber and he agrees but isn't able to offer a solution.  He says he hasn't seen this problem before and will ask around for me.  In the mean time I rang up Rinnai and the technician suggested I could fit a non-return valve on the outflow of the Infinity.  However, that doesn't make sense to me.

What suggestions do you have to fix it?  Should I fit a water hammer arrestor to the inflow of the infinity?

I had the same problem with the heater firing up when the toilet was refilling from the cold waterline. I put a non-return valve on the pipe just below the heater on the cold water inlet. It has fixed the problem: no odd firing of the heater any more.


How should I mount shades with these brackets? I have some up-down shades which don't have any instructions. The are made by Allen-Roth, which is just a Lowe's house brand.

For the life of me I can't see how to mount these!

The metal bracket will slide into the top of the blind but it isn't secure at all and there isn't anyway to move that rotating latch if you do that, so I don't think that that's it.

Any ideas?

I have some of those brackets. In the picture, the bracket is sitting upside down, pick it up and turn it 180 degrees so the lever that moves is on the top. Mount it to the wall that way.

In the right picture, take the thing that moves and move it to the left so that the longest part is parallel with the left side of the mounting bracket using the right picture as reference.

Take the blind and push it up tight to the bracket and spin that moveable arm 90 degrees. Those 2 slightly raised tabs and that slightly raised tab on the moveable arm fit into the 2 curved pieces at the top of the blind support using the bottom picture as reference.

Once you spin that moveable arm, those raised tabs will now hold the blind in place. They are a pain in butt to use but they are what you have.

Do a "dry run" with the blind sitting where it is and try to fit the bracket into that top channel. Remember to move that moveable arm to the left in the picture before you try to mount that bracket so the tabs (3) are on the same side. Then fit the bracket to the blind and move the movable arm about 90 degrees so it's tab is forced under the opposite lip.

Try it a few times you will understand how it works. When hung correctly, the curved tops of the blind sits on those 3 tabs. (2 tabs in the front and the moveable tab in the back). When you are mounting the blind, that moveable arm will be sticking straight out, stick the blind over those 2 front tabs, push the blind up tight into the bracket and lock it in place with the tab on the moveable arm.

Job done. hope this helps.


Keeping washing machine lines warm in a cold garage A month or two ago I installed a washer in my uninsulated garage. Now that we're getting some very cold weather coming up I'm worried about the rubber water lines freezing. I did put some foam insulation on the lines but I don't think they'll be enough. I put a thermometer in there and it tends to stay around 30-40 degrees in there. This weekend we're going to get into the negatives overnight so I was curious as to what everyone's thoughts were on an electric space heater. It would be right near the washing machine as well as the oil tank, but the furnace is in the cellar.

Obviously every precaution says don't leave it unattended and such but do you think I'd be okay for at least letting it run for a little while during the day to generate some heat? If not what else do you suggest? Am I getting too concerned about the rubber lines freezing?

Thanks.

Instead of a space heater, try some pipe heating cable. This is a simple electric resistance heater that is designed to be wrapped around pipes in order to prevent freezing. The good ones have a thermostat built-in, so they'll only kick on if necessary.

You wrap the cable around your pipes, apply insulation over the wrapped pipes, and plug it in. This will be a little trickier around your washer supply hoses, but assuming these don't move a lot you can probably just use some duct tape every 6" or so.


How Can I fix a broken hose? My wife and I recently bought a house, and we discovered there were buried hoses near all of our hose nozzles. We turned them on and to our surprise they were tied to sprinkler heads throughout the yard.

Anyway, one hose was broken (as shown in the pictures below) and because of how the hoses are used and they're buried, it'd be nice to be able to fix it without having to dig the entire hose up. How can we fix a hose like this?

There are garden hose splice devices that you can purchase at home centers and big box stores that can be used to fix these. You may lose a short bit of total length as you cut off the damaged part to accomodate the splicer.

If you need more added length you could use two of these splicers to stitch in a new length of hose.

They also sell devices that will attach new hose ends as well.

In your situation the hose ends that are broken may be broken from having laid out in the sun for years at a time. The sun treatment can make the hose hard and  brittle. On the other hand the part of the hose in the soil may still be in decent shape. You could cut off the old hose all the way back to where it is in the soil and splice on a piece cut from a new hose that already has the faucet tap fitting on the end.

Be aware that the direct attachment of your lawn sprinklers to the the potable water supply is not the recommended guideline. Sprinklers are generally connected through anti siphon valves (whether those be manually operated or solenoid controlled). You may want to look into replacing the temporary hose connect hack with a more permanent arrangement with some anti siphon valves. Note that the anti siphon valve should be installed at an elevation that is 8 to 12 inches above the highest sprinkler outlet on that water circuit.


Can I hang a 100lb punching bag from this joist? This board with its edge facing down. Can I hang and use a 100lb punching bag from it without breaking any part of the ceiling?

How do you think I should do it? Should I put a strong metal bracket over the top and bolt the hook to that?

I wouldn't call that a joist, I'd call that a tie. A joist is something supporting a floor, designed to take vertical loads in bending. A tie is something designed to take tension loads, in this case that tie is there to stop the roof spreading sideways at its base.

Now, just because it is a tie doesn't mean it can't also take some vertical load. In fact, it looks like there may be a vertical member running from the roof ridge down to this tie, which in all likelihood does bring some vertical load down onto the member.

So the important question is "What spare capacity is there for vertical loading on this member?". If you put bending load into a member, you reduce its capacity for axial force. So in order to answer, we'd need to know:

the member size (breadth, depth and length; easy for you to measure)
the wood type
the current axial load on the member (very difficult without knowing the whole roof structure)
the current vertical load on the member (very difficult without knowing the whole roof structure) and its position on the member

We really can't answer all of this over the internet. You could employ a structural engineer if you want, though this might be overkill. But, never fear, I have a solution!

I'd be happy to expect the walls to be able to take an extra 100lbs. So what we want to do is, instead of risking overloading the tie and destroying your roof, put in a new joist specifically to take your punching bag. You can take a flyer and just buy one if you want, or you can try and do some engineering calculations for it, to make sure you get a big enough one. There are a few questions on here about joist design, if you search for them.


How can I create a pocket door locking mechanism? Anyone know how I can make a pocket door lock? My brain is designing a few but can't figure our the best materials. I used to have a chain slide lock but i had to break into my room.

My pocket doors have large, easy-to-use, visible latching mechanisms.  We had the pocket doors installed in extra-wide door openings, so that 4 inches of each pocket door is exposed when the door is in the fully-open position.  This leaves room for a large handle and the latch.

The latches are labelled JAKO® INOX.  The handles are labelled JAKO®.  My door handles are 3/4" thick and about 7 1/4" from center-to-center, so they are more similar to Don-Jo's door handles than to Jako's current model.

Inox also offers a line of pocket door locks.


Do under cabinet electrical outlets meet code and be passed by NEC in new construction? I would like to have the quartz back splash be clear of outlets and have them in a strip at the back under side of my kitchen cabinets.  The electrician currently is telling me that these strips will not meet code guidelines.  why do they sell them if they are not safe?

They are a royal PIA to install. This may be why he is discouraging you, even though he is not being truthful.

They are fine as long as they are not higher than 20" above the counter tops, and are GFI protected.


Can I hang this heavy and deep cabinet on this wall safely? Do you think it possible and safe to hang this cabinet on this wall with no support below it?
It is 38 x 90 x 100cm and weighs something like 30kg, It is intended to fill it with dishes and such so it'll get even heavier. The wall is reinforced concrete.
I've looked around at videos and forums for advice but can't find anything definitive and I don't want to whole thing falling off the wall in the middle of the night.
If it is possible then what are correct type of supports to use? Thanks for any help and advice.

Edit after reading all the answers and comments:
I accepted an answer which I think seems good for fixing something like this to a concrete wall, but I have my doubts about the structural integrity of this cabinet floating on a wall (full of crockery) after examining it further and so I'm going to find a table or base cabinet for it instead. Thanks to everyone for your great input.

It looks like the cabinet is intended to sit on top of a base cabinet. You are right to be concerned about the structure of the cabinet. You can add a discrete support below it. In addition to the suggestions above I would add a couple of L brackets on the bottom.


Automating water to flow through one of two paths I would like to have one valve to run water flow in exactly one of two different paths.  I realize this could be done easily with two valves (split the flow, then close one of valves and open the other). I'm wondering if there's a special kind of valve that would direct the flow one way or the other.

Ideally, there would be a control on the device, like the ones for automatic sprinklers, so that the flow could be directed through A or through B without manually turning it with your hand.  If this were automated, then I can see a two valve solution would be possible if the controller were set-up to open one valve, and close the other.  BUT that would probably mean powering one or the solenoid all the time (not good), and it would probably fail completely closed (so neither would get flow).  Another problem with the two valve solution is finding parts (finding a valve that failed open and the other that failed closed). So I'd really like a single device to redirect flow one way or the other, even if it were manually operated.

What hardware would be required to get water to flow down one of two paths?

Searching "online stores" for "three way valve" "L-port" shows a manual version.  Sometimes these are labeled as "diverter valves".


Plumbing vent question Can someone tell me if this plumbing is acceptable?  Looks like some type of vent. I am plumbing newb.

Looks like an air admittance valve (AAV).  They are allowed in some areas.  You'd have to check with local building codes, to know if they're allowed where you are.  Your local building department should be able to tell you, but I would suspect they are allowed (unless the plumbing was installed by an amatuer).


Can a non-professional drill holes in a granite countertop? I recently bought an under-counter kegerator and need to have some holes drilled in the granite countertop for the tap.  The template and mount has 1.75" hole in the center (to run the beer lines) and then 4 small 3/8 holes around the center hole where bolts are placed to secure the tap down to the kegerator.

I called our granite installer and they want $200+ just to come drill the holes.  Looking online, you can get Diamond Core Hole Saw Bits for $40, and smaller diamond bits for the screws for around $10.  Obviously this is cheaper, but can a my standard corded Rigid drill (not VBR or hammer) handle this?  Wonder what the risks are in chipping the granite?  Some people recommended putting a ice cube in the bit to keep it cool and emulate a wet drill.  What would be a technique to get the bit started, so it does not move when making its first cut into the stone?

Any other tips?

I am a granite top fabricator, and every time I drill a hole in granite or marble, it always scares me. I think, "what if I crack this top by making the slightest error; I better pay attention and take my time!" Because the slightest error can break your stone top; even with experience it is nerve racking.

First you need a hole saw guide. Cut a guide hole with your hole saw out of a scrap piece of ceramic tile or a thin 1/8" to 1/4" piece of wood and clamp it or have someone hold that with two hands firmly. With this guide, start your hole dry until you cut down about 1/16" to 1/8 into the stone. Then, remove guide and now you have your starting guide to finish your cut. Cut slow and have some one with a water bottle applying water at all times. Though, put a sponge on both sides of the bit so you don't make a mess. If you already cut out your plywood, be careful when you get to the end of drilling your hole because you can easily plunge your drill through the hole, slamming the drill onto the counter and breaking your top. Remove your guide bit on the hole saw and pre-cut your plywood with a wood hole saw with guide bit.

Not to many people are successful their first time without a pro by their side so good luck! Or you can keep calling granite guys for a better price.


How to change the bulb in an enclosed ceiling light? I have just moved to China and my apartment has these kinds of lights:

I simply cant open them! The glass can be rotated without much force, as can the inner metal ring.  The outer metal ring can also be rotated but requires much more force.  I don't want to break the fitting so I want to check with some experts before I try extra force.

I don't even know what the name for this type of light is.

Most likely, it should pull down, out of the ceiling with relative ease. The trim will be attached to the fixture either with some long springs, or a lot of the newer fixtures have tabs along the side that hold it in.

If it is the spring type, there is a tool called a Recessed Can Light Tool that makes re-attaching these a bit easier, though they can also be reattached using a screwdriver or needle nose pliars.

Try not to twist it to much as you might just be tieing the springs into a knot unknowningly.


Can I switch my washer between two power sources? Double throw switch? What switch can I use to connect my washer to my electricity and my tenants electricity so that we can switch between the two power sources without having to unplug and plug the machine multiple times?I installed a double throw switch for the dryer and it works perfectly. I can switch between my electricity and my tenants easily.

Move the double-pole switch to the washer.

A double-pole switch is just right.   You will switch hot and neutral.  You've already got one for the dryer; move it to the washer.

Switching neutral is essential when the outlets are fed from different circuits.  And these are served from different services, making it far more critical.

Get a 3-pole switch for the dryer.

The huge problem with electric dryers is that third wire is not ground. It is neutral.  It is an active conductor that handles normal current for all the 120V loads in the dryer - basically every internal device except the heater.  You must switch neutral.  You have connected the two service panel's neutrals back to back, which means neutral from either panel has two choices of path -- back through the service entrance, or via the dryer connection to the other tenant's panel.  This can cause all manner of problems, and is certainly the most likely way I can think of to set an apartment on fire.

(or you've connected neutral to only one service, but that has a whole 'nother way to set the house on fire).

Neutrals do not have circuit breakers.  The safety of the neutral wire depends absolutely on the concept that it only returns current from its circuit.  As soon as you criss-cross neutrals between circuits, you can overload that neutral. There is a variety of ways that could fail deadly.  Including some that could electrify the chassis of the dryer, because of that obsolete, unsafe 3-prong connection!

Things get even more serious when criss-crossing neutrals on two services, because now the criss-crossing neutral wire could carry all the current for the entire service. That'll start a fire for sure.

It is all right to criss-cross safety ground wires; in fact if you use metal conduit for your wiring method, it's inevitable. I have a building with 4 separate services all sharing the same metal pipes on a metal building, and thus, same safety ground. But the important thing is that a 3-wire dryer connection has no ground; that wire is neutral.

Lastly, I very strongly urge you to convert to a 4-wire connection to the dryer, including removing the (technically legal) neutral-ground bootleg strap. Because this type of switching adds a risk of a problem with the neutral (gee, you think? :) and on a 3-wire connection, that causes the chassis of the dryer to become electrified!

Rule of thumb: Don't do anything a GFCI would have a problem with

If you use a wiring technique that would trip a GFCI breaker, particularly sharing neutral, then don't do that. It was already against Code, but the GFCI keeps you honest :)

NEC 2014 already requires GFCI in the laundry room for 120V outlets e.g. washer.  I advise using GFCI protection before the transfer switch, so that everything associated with the switch is protected by GFCI.  That means a GFCI breaker, or a GFCI recep that feeds the transfer switch from its LOAD terminals.

NEC 2020 will require GFCI for the dryer as well, and the safest (and most affordable, actually) way to do that is before the transfer switch, so again, the transfer switch is in the zone of protection.  That way any screw-ups with the transfer switch are GFCI protected.

I know 90% of this  has been a "lecture", but I gotta give you more lecture.

In fact, actually do fit GFCIs... for liability.

Here is where GFCI can save your bacon.  Make sure that both transfer switches are served by GFCIs upstream of the transfer switch e.g. at the breaker - a GFCI switched by the switch is of no help.  However, for that to work, you MUST also convert the dryer to a 4-wire connection, and remove the neutral-ground jumper in the dryer, and also remove any other bootlegged grounds in this area (because those break GFCI protection).  If GFCIs are protecting, you're far better off with no ground than a bootlegged ground.  Neutral and ground must be totally separate for the GFCIs to protect.  Once the GFCIs are installed, it's less important that things actually be grounded, although retrofitting ground would be "belt and suspenders" and I would do it for liability reasons.

At this point, you've done your part to prevent an electrical shock, and one won't happen.  And if one does anyway:  the investigators will make a  "landlord made full and fair effort, no negligence here, don't charge with manslaughter" recommendation to the DA.  Now you're down to civil fines for violating the procedural stuff about permits and electricians.

All work in a rental unit must be done by a licensed electrician. That is state law in pretty much every state, and it's to prevent landlords doing their own "hack jobs". You can only do your own work in owner-occupied units.

Any work of this complexity requires a permit - precisely so the town inspector can keep an eye on the setup to make sure it is done correctly.

So you've already crossed the line on those; your only defense is doing the work well.


Draining water from an upward drain My house has a strange bit of plumbing.  It's a house flipped by a contractor.  It's plumbed for soft water, but there's no sewer near the closet where the plumbing is, and soft water units need a drain to flush water down during their regeneration cycle.  The person who flipped this house solved this problem by installing the drain line (1/2" copper) upward to the roof, where there is then a pipe across the roof to a sewer vent.

We recently had a problem where the 1/2" vinyl pipe that connects to the drain pipe came loose.  We think it was due to icing in the pipes across the roof, causing the joints to face the full house water pressure rather than just a small amount of pressure like one would expect on a drain.

We are already looking at ways to secure the junction more securely, but I was curious about trying to solve the icing problem.  Besides the obvious insulation on the pipes, the next obvious solution would be to drain the pipe.

I can't drain the soft water out to the nearby ground because we have a tree out there, but is there a good way to perhaps drain the standing water out of the pipe?

(or, if I'm totally missing the obvious solution, I'm open to answers which provide a more correct way of plumbing things that doesn't involve hacking up my slab to put new sewer lines in or poisoning my tree with salt)

Use a drain pump kit

Since asking your water softener to try to drain up that far unaided is crazy, as they are gravity-draining appliances to begin with, this needs to be corrected properly, even outside of an icing climate.  The good news is that since the water softener won't run without electric power anyway, we can safely use a drainage pump kit (laundry sink/washer drain kit) to motivate the wastewater from your softener to go uphill, without worrying about an overflow if the power goes out.


Is rodent damage considered "physical damage" under the NEC? Does the potential for rodents to access/gnaw on a cable under normal circumstances render it subject to "physical damage" in the sense the NEC intends that term to be used?

If you run the cable through a cage full of rats, then yes.  Other than that, it's going to be up to the Authority Having Jurisdiction to make the call.  They have a better understanding of the local conditions, and can make a more informed decision.


Why is TV size relevant for wall-mounting? Looking at specifications of TV wall mounts, in addition to maximum weight they are also rated for maximum size (screen diagonal). Why is that? Assuming the mounting holes match and the TV doesn't exceed the maximum weight, what problems can arise from using a mount with a larger TV than the specs allow?

As an example, I have a tilted wall mount that is rated for up to 30 kg and 32" displays. My current TV is 32", but I'm looking to upgrade to a 50" one. Can I keep using the same wall mount? The new TV weighs 14 kg, so less than half of what the mount can support (the old one is even less, ~10 kg). Or is there something I'm overlooking?

In case it's relevant, the walls are concrete, so I don't need to worry about things like wall stud spacing.

Two possible issues come to mind:

The larger screen will not physically fit in the tv wall mount
The leverage of the larger screen can tear out the fixings (torque = force * distance).


Can I run a sink drain through the wall to connect back where it was before relocation? I want to know if it is an option to run the drain along and within the wall where the new sink sits and back to where the old sink drain is.
Another option would be to connect to the drain of the sink (shown in   the left side of the image) that is in the kitchen adjacent to the same wall where the new sink is installed.
The shower heads will be located in the corner.
Here is the current layout.

and here is the new layout.

Yes, as long as you can maintain 1/4" per foot of slope between your new location and old one.


Do I need to paint exterior fiberglass porch columns? The vendor said I needed to prime and paint them. If I like the bare colour of them as they are now, I'm hoping I can just keep it as-is. Is there a reason that I would need to prime and paint them? Will the elements, or something else, damage them if I dont?

Ultraviolet light will degrade them (specifically the plastic that binds the fiberglass together into the "fiberglass reinforced plastic composite material" that we usually refer to as simply fiberglass) if you do not prime and paint, and then they will start shedding glass fiber (which does not degrade, but does make AWFUL splinters), which is a horrid mess to deal with. If you like the color as is, and it's a color, try to match that at the paint store - otherwise (if it's a "fiberglass look" you are trying to preserve) consider a clear UV protective finish such as spar varnish (which will need renewing over time, generally more frequently than paint.)


Will I need to change out box to hang 16lb ceiling fan? Just got a Hunter 42in ceiling fan, and it's about 16lbs. I am hanging it in the kitchen. The house was built in 2015 and I have pictures I took during the rough in electrical. It's conduit and I see it's a standard box, mounted to one joist,  with conduit coming in though the side.
Will I be able to hang a small fan off this that is 16lbs?
I came across this YouTube video showing how to knock out an old box and put in a fan support by twisting it in. This is in between floors, so I would have to knock it out like the video, if even possible with the conduit nipple against the box.

How much force does an 3 pound hammer hit with?  Just 3 pounds, right? Just place the hammer atop the nail and the nail drives in from the fearful force of 3 pounds? No, that's not how hammers work, hammers involve a dynamic force that is much larger.
That's not how fans work either.  Fans are mostly dynamic force because of their spinning and vibration.  It would be 16 pounds if you never started the fan; likewise the hook on my tool rack only has to contend with 3 pounds.
If you use a non-fan-rated box to hold up a fan, the fasteners will walk themselves out from the vibration, and you'll drop a fan on somebody's head.    If that's a welded steel box, it could even crack the welds.  (drawn steel boxes won't have that problem, at least).
So you'll need to do a box-ectomy, and the trick is to confine the drywall damage to what will be concealed by the fan shroud.
Tape the 2 wires together (obviously, do this with the breaker off). Since it's conduit, you'll have to find the other end of that conduit and pull back the red and white wire so it's just an inch inside the pipe, then unbolt the conduit (the castellations on that wacky nut are to give you a place to put a screwdriver so you can bap it to make it rotate; remember lefty loosey.)
You have to be careful positioning the new fan-rated box so a knockout on the box will align with the conduit pipe; it's probably EMT and hard to move. There's no benefit to removing the fitting from the end of the pipe unless you need the clearance to work. It's only an inch of clearance anyway.  The fitting has to go back on the pipe before the box is fitted because you must tighten it (for grounding; that's the ground).
Then go to the box from which you pulled the wires back, and push them back toward this box. Pushing usually works if there's only one 90-degree-bend in the pipe. Or reach into the pipe with a narrow needle-nose and grab them.  This is why you bundled them together: so you could grab them now.


How should this sink drain be connected? There was a blockage in the sink and I dismantled the pipes trying to fix it but cannot put it back together correctly. It appears the Waste drain pipe that leaves the house is too high and maybe the plumber used a special configuration of the pipes to make it work.

Can someone please sketch me a quick diagram of how I connect things back up?

Thank you in advance for your time!

Your sink doesn't drain properly because the water has to go up hill to drain. The right way to fix this is to remove this elbow:

And then re-plumb it like this (but flipped horizontally):

You will probably have to replace the existing tailpieces to get enough clearance.


Is a Heat pump / AC unit considered more or less effecient in hot states? Just learned a house we purchased has a heat pump vs a traditional heater. The heat pump / AC unit configuration outside, blower inside.

We live in the phoenix AZ area, and an efficient AC unit is critical. AC works pretty well, heat pump works fine too. But is this combined unit more or less efficient than a traditional AC unit and seperate electric heater?

Warm climates are good candidates for heat pumps.

Heat pumps have more efficiency in heating mode when the ambient temperature is warmer, less efficiency when the ambient temperature is colder.

If the outside temp falls too low, the heat pump stops providing useful heat. This is why heat pumps are often supplemented by "emergency" electric heaters that kick in when the outside temp falls too low.

Heat pumps can be more efficient than electric resistance heaters because they only need to move heat energy around, rather than create heat. When the outside temp falls too low, however, it takes more energy to move around the very small amount of available outside heat than it would to just create the heat with an electrical resistance heater.

According to wikipedia:

  This typically occurs around −18 °C (0 °F) outdoor temperature for air
  source heat pumps. Also, as the heat pump takes heat out of the air,
  some moisture in the outdoor air may condense and possibly freeze on
  the outdoor heat exchanger. The system must periodically melt this
  ice. When it is extremely cold outside, it is simpler, and wears the
  machine less, to heat using an electric-resistance heater rather than
  to overload an air-source heat pump.


How should I lay my engineered flooring to account for a hearth? I'm scratching my head over how to layout some new flooring in relationship to our walls vs. hearth.

This is an engineered floor with somewhat wide boards (about 4.5")

As it happens, I could lay them out and not need to rip any of the boards as they'd fit wall-to-wall (see bottom image). However, if I do that, I'd need to notch-out a few to go around the tile hearth (top image).

Is this just an aesthetic decision I need to make or is there a general rule of thumb? My initial thought was that having a nice line across the front of the hearth would be better, as that seems like a dominant element in the room. But that would leave two uneven slivers of full boards on either side of the room and maybe that would look even more odd?

I should also note that around the hearth, there will be a beveled wood trim piece as the flooring is about a half inch lower than the hearth. I don't know if that would change things or not (would that hide the notch or accentuate it?)

Top image: floor laid out with seam lining up with front of hearth. This leaves two different sized partial strips on either end of the room.

Bottom image: floors laid out evenly wall-to-wall. Needs to be notched to fit around hearth.

Most installs I have done we have trimmed around the fireplace.  There are several ways to do it.  If your fireplace hearth sits on flat ground we try to meet even - which is almost impossible unless you did the floor and hearth all in one install.

Most of the time we trim around the fireplace first and then cut to the trim.  This is very very very time consuming because you will potentially have a lot of boards meet the trim and they need to be within 1/32".

An easier way to do this, especially if the hearth material is not as even, is to add a riser then maybe an optional board (or partial board).  So you would layout your wood and just get as close as you can to fireplace then nail down the riser around the fireplace.  The corners take some work but this is pretty easy.  This looks really good if it is brick and you can get (or notch) the riser so its back sits in a mortar line.

And a note on floating - I would probably use a riser.  Because you could set the floating wood 1/4 inch from fireplace, giving it a proper gap, and then staple the riser just to the underlying floating wood.  It would still be floating then.


Running a jumper ground wire from panel to non grounded outlet I opened up my panel and ran a green wire for ground (14 solid awg) from the grounding bar up through the floor into my office in order to ground an existing outlet.  I have also done some grounding where I tapped into an existing grounded outlet in the basement (newer wiring down there) and ran a green wire up to other previously non-grounded outlets.

The only issue I have noticed is on the second senario, and it may be due to the ground coming from one circuit (18) and being tapped into for an outlet on another circuit (6). I find the outlets on both 18 and 6 that have been upgraded to GFCI are tripping every few days.

Is what I have done acceptable?  I am in Wisconsin, USA.

What you have done was recently made legal under NEC 2014.

The only hitch is that a 20A circuit requires 12 AWG ground wire.  So if the circuits were 20A, they are now 15A.

A ground is nothing but a safety shield.  No appliance should be flowing current to ground, not even the GFCI.

You may have already had a ground fault

If a device flows current to ground and the ground is not hooked up, it will "float" the ground to a potentially hazardous voltage, energizing whatever part of your grounding system does exist, e.g. Chassis of equipment, coverplate screws on outlets, etc.    However no current will flow unless there's a path back to source.

Suppose you already a GFCI in such a situation?  Since no current is flowing, it would not trip a GFCI.  This is safe because if you did get shocked, then current would be flowing and the GFCI would trip.

By adding the ground, you created the path back to source, which is assuring that the GFCI trips.

This is laying bare the fact that you have an appliance with a ground fault.  You did before, just your lack of ground was concealing it.

Since this is a hot-ground or neutral-ground fault, it is unlikely to be the wiring, which has never been near a ground.  I would look hard at appliances.


Can I convert a fused dryer outlet to two 20 amp circuits? We have a dryer plug we no longer use. We would like to make it a quad outlet box instead. The outlet is wired to a fuse panel with 2 30 amp cartridge fuses.  Is it within code to switch those 2 fuses to 20 amp fuses and then wire the existing wires to 2 separate outlets with a shared neutral. It is a 208 circuit currently which should make the shared neutral just fine, but I want to make sure. I also thought about putting 2 gfci outlets instead of regular ones so that if it does trip we can simply reset it, instead of having to replace a fuse.

That's just a disconnect

That's not an old fuse-era fuse box.  That's a perfectly modern shutoff switch/disconnect.

That guarantees it is fed from somewhere else.  Somewhere else, there will be a service panel of some kind.  The vast majority of service panels generally are circuit-breaker panels, (with equal chance of being modern, old or ancient). So there's good chance of it being a circuit breaker.

The breaker and fuses do the same thing, so their protection is redundant.  Actually the fuses are worse because they are not common trip, which is helpful for 120/240V appliances like dryers and ranges.

You can then change the breaker to 20A, and completely ignore the fuses. This application doesn't require the fuses, and many don't, but many do require a disconnect switch.  Could be the installer grabbed the first disconnect switch he found, or got bad advice, or the cheapest one happened to have fuses.

So go find the actual service panel/breaker that feeds this location.

GFCIs don't do overcurrent

Imagine you take $9000US of cash through TSA security at LAX.  TSA will not warn you that it will be confiscated in Toronto, it isn't TSA's job to screen for that.

It sounds like you are thinking GFCI receptacles will trip instead of the fuse.  Just for the record, they are looking at totally different things. The GFCI will cheerfully flow 50A or more as long as hot and neutral current are equal.  It will not trip for overcurrent, not even a little, that is not what GFCIs do.

The GFCI will trip for as little as 0.008 amps of imbalance current, and the fuse won't care about that at all.

However, if the advice above works out for you, there will be a 15-20A breaker in series with the fuses.  The breaker should trip before the fuse in most cases.


How can I check the refrigerant level in my air conditioner? What kind of device do I need to check the refrigerant level in my home AC?

Can I buy something like Mountain MTN8205 R134a Brass Manifold Gauge Set With Couplers?

Please suggest if I am on the wrong path.

Yes you can buy gauges, but do you know what you are doing? Do you have a 608 small appliance licence?(systems under 5 lb most homes have larger ones and require the high pressure license). Next just having gauges will only give you a ball park, a dual temp gauge (at minimum a good single temp gauge) is needed to understand what the pressures really are. If you do crack your system with that huge hose set now you have just lost some of the charge by checking it. How do you know if it is sealed? the cheap-o freon detectors sound like they do a good job. Last year we fixed a leak that the 25$ detector barely could sense, my D-tek showed me the area but it was so bad the compartment was flooded. A spray bottle with bubble solution pinpointed the leak. The owner put the cap on tight but it still leaked out most of his R22 chilled water system, at 50-100$ a pound + a service call he was lucky it was only a 15 lb system. The last point is there are up to $10,000 rewards for turning someone in for the release of Freon (The EPA collects a fine for the up to $25,000 fine if you get reported releasing Freon). So I will say again yes you can buy gauges and look at the gauges. Using only pressure gauges will not tell you the charge level. (I don't do home service calls but I have friends that do not cheap).


Five Year Mystery - Unable to find source of burning smell from HVAC system There is a burning smell that wafts out of the vents of my 15-year old, 3-level townhouse (top level is a full unfinished attic with no HVAC).

The bottom level of the townhouse is the main level (with the front entrance door) and sits on concrete slab. The burning smell occurs in all weather, all seasons of the year, with the HVAC unit on or off, HVAC fan on or off. The cause of the smell is not electrical, 3 master electricians ruled that out. It is not the HVAC fan, that was replaced and there was no improvement.

This burning smell has been happening, year round, for over 5 years. It was pointed out to me that one of the HVAC pipes on my roof top is 1/3 the height of all my neighbor's (see the pictures). I have gas heat.

I think this pipe on the roof is related to the gas furnace. If the pipe on my roof is too short, and it is connected to the gas furnace, could that cause a backup of the gas pilot light/fumes to flow back into the HVAC unit to then exit through the ceiling vents into the two floors of the townhouse?

The burning smell is so bad at times that I have to leave the house or put box fans in the windows to clear the air.

Additional details originally posted as an answer:

First, thank you to everyone who responded to my post!! Your time and response is very much appreciated. Below is response to the responses we received.

We rent and our landlord advised that for the first 7 years he lived here they never had a problem with this smell. Actually, the problem began 2 years after we moved in and has continued for 5 years.

We just heard back from the landlord and he does not believe the short height on the stack pipe on the roof could be the problem. At this point, we are willing to try in hopes it may help. But landlord approval is required.

Regarding neighbors - have talked with both, they never smell it. We have had the smell occur when the neighbors were away on travel. Don't think they are the cause.

We are not the only ones who have smelled the smell in our townhouse, so it is not imagined. The very first time I smelled it, I thought it was an electrical burn.

The smell is intermittent. It starts and builds over a period of 3-4 days with the smell intensifying till it is maddening, then it abruptly stops and we have 2-3 days of relief, then the process starts over. We have taped coverings over ceiling vents in the bedrooms to keep the smell out - just closing the vents was not enough. The smell still got through, although diminished.

I can distinguish between the smell of metal, plastics, animals, mold, chemicals, and decomposition. The smell is not like the pilot light in our fireplace or the smell when using the stove or oven. It is most closely associated with the smell of an overheating electrical unit or electrical burn.

We have literally turned off circuit breakers in sections of the house for days, thinking the smell may be electrical in nature, but that didn't stop the smell.

We are truly baffled by what is producing the smell and why it is coming FROM the vents. After 5 years of doing every process of elimination we could think of, and that others suggested, I am now convinced the smell is originating within the HVAC unit.

The gas water heater sits beside the HVAC unit in the laundry room on the middle floor. There are no smells coming from that unit, it has been checked frequently.

All of this (and more) is why the has been referred to as a MYSTERY.

We have made two discoveries as we have tried to deal with clearning the air - if we run the exhaust fans, they cause the smell coming out of the ceiling vents to increase. If we place the box fans in the windows and blow air into the house, that will cause the smell coming out of the ceiling vents to decrease. Someone told us using the box fans in this way creates a positive pressure in the house and that is why it helps.

I don't know if this additional information helps in further solving the mystery, but I hope so. We are still open to any further thoughts, recommendations, thoughts, feedback you may have.

Do you maybe have a steam humidifier on the furnace?  If it was wired incorrectly or was damaged it could be trying to heat water when the furnace is not running, or when no water was present in the boiler.

How confident are you on the diagnosis of the electrical issues?  I've heard of underground feeders upstream of the breaker panel becoming damaged and heating the ground.

Defrost cycle on a freezer.  These will come on every few days, and they often use an electric heating element that may be damaged or running hot because of a bad thermostat.

If this is a new-ish building, do you have a heat recovery ventilator?  These are separate from the furnace, but are generally connected to the furnace ducting, and they will run all year round.  I think I remember seeing a recall for bad HRV fan motors burning up in at least one brand.

Has anyone else also detected the smell?  Noses are all different, and you might be sensitive or mis-sensing a smell.

I would make friends with a home inspector or someone else with a thermal imaging camera and inspect the area carefully.  If it is caused by something getting hot this is one of the best (only?) ways to find it.  Let us know if you solve the mystery.


Is it normal or necessary to line gas fireplace cavities with drywall? Some drywall and framing was demolished around my gas fireplace during a drain tile installation. It looks like the framing/walls around the fireplace are built on 2x4's with fire resistant drywall on both sides — i.e., inside the cavity.

This isn't quite what I expected to see, just given the tutorials I've seen online. I was expecting 2x4 framing inside, with clearance from the fireplace, and drywall on the outside only.

But, is this the normal, necessary, or safe way to do this? Or, does this look like it was an over-precautious DIY project?

What do I ultimately need to do to restore this safely?

It depends on:

The specs for the unit. Some require an air gap and typically have metal protrusions to enforce that spec. Older ones may have called specifically for fire-resistant wall treatments.
Local building codes. There may be requirements that disregard and enhance manufacturer requirements and recommendations.
The risk tolerance of the builder or homeowner. If it helps you sleep at night to not have kiln-dried lumber directly exposed to a firebox, it's cheap comfort to drop in some drywall. To do it right it would need to be taped or otherwise sealed at the joints, though.


Potential water damage issues with siding being in contact with patio I bought a house last year and when I was buying it, I did not register the fact that on the back side of the house the siding is in contact with the ground/stone patio.

Because of the slope of the back yard, during rainfall about an inch of water pools where the patio and siding meet (the water drains quite quickly once it is done raining).  My questions are:

Is this not up to general code, and if not, what is code?
If not, what can I do to remedy the situation?
If I don't do anything about this for another year, what potential water damage issues (if any) will I be risking?

Codes vary, but generally speaking wood and related exterior products must be 6" or so above the ground. I'm not sure whether a concrete slab is treated the same as the ground in this case. It's probably moot in your case as you're now beyond the point where you'll ask the seller to deal with it.

There isn't a whole lot you can do assuming that you have typical wall sheathing behind the siding. Replacing the siding with something more durable (white or painted vinyl planking, for example) will prevent visible decay, but doesn't help with rot behind.

To offer further suggestions I'd need to know what the wall looks like behind the siding.


Installing propane tank to gas range with strange copper pipe I am replacing a gas range and the gas line that was connected to the previous range doesn't fit into any of the fittings that came with the installation kit or directly into the range (which is how it was setup on the old range).

Here are some images I took of the pipe in question and of it next to the tube that, according to the instructions, I am supposed to connect it to.

Note: I believe that pipe is connected directly to the propane tank on the outside of the kitchen wall.

Why is this like this?
Seeing as though I can't find a setup like this anywhere online, is it safe to say that this isn't up to code?
What do I need to do to connect this pipe to the range properly?

Thanks

I am going to "go out on a limb" as we used to say and tell you that the shiny flex gas line in the bottom picture is used for natural gas only and the copper line is the one for the propane connection. Any time I hooked up a bottled gas device to a bottled gas source the tubing to the appliance was hard piped or done in flexible copper with flare fittings at the connection point. Compression fittings were never allowed. You will probably have to remove that shiny flex piece up to a threaded fitting, and purchase or add the required fittings to adapt the copper tubing to the device (stove). The copper line looks like 3/8" OD or 1/4" ID (they are the same thing). To complete the installation, you may need someone that can "flare" the copper tubing (that would be a propane dealer or an HVAC company). Stoves in my day, could utilize either propane or natural gas with a minimum of adjustments. Yours is probably set up for natural gas.  If that is the case, nake sure it is changed or adjusted to the fuel you are using. I hope this helps.


How to read my radon system I have a radon system in my recently purchased home which looks like this:

However, I have no idea how to interpret what it is telling me. Can anyone provide clear and easy to follow instructions?

This is actually just a vacuum measurement system - used to show that there is negative pressure in the radon mitigation system drawing radon gas up and out of your home.

As long as the liquid in the right hand arm is higher than the left, then it is working.


Toilet supply line seems connected somehow that I can't see, what do I do? I've just bought a bidet and assumed that replacing the water supply line would be easy, this is turning out to be a bad assumption.  After unscrewing both sides neither side seems to come out, I've tried pulling on both sides and the top will come down a bit but it feels like it's under heavy tension and as soon as I let go it's pulled back into position as if something is holding it in place.  The bottom side doesn't move at all and it feels like pulling on it that I'm just going to rip the valve out of the wall.
Do I just need to pull harder or is it possible that the top is somehow connected to something inside the toilet?  Certainly this isn't some valve/line/toilet package that isn't meant to be separated?

Yes pull harder. The plastic has some flex but because it is “straight” it is kind of spring loaded pushing it self back.


Can I connect the supply ground wire to a fixture's ground wire with a wire nut Supply has black, white and ground wires. Light fixture has black and white wires and a green screw for ground. Green screw connects to fixture itself. I cannot get the supply ground around the fixture's green ground screw and the ground is short to begin with. Can I get another ground wire, connect  it to fixture's green ground screw and then wire nut the two grounds together?

Yes. What you propose is safe, code compliant, and good workmanship.
Electrical codes in most locations require that a ground fault wire be either bare (uninsulated), insulated in green, or insulated in green and yellow stripes.


Can I replace a single breaker with a double in the space above where broken tab is I have a broken tab on a panel board. Can I replace a single with a double breaker?

Here is a few things to consider. First a QO double pole breaker usually has only one connection point to the tabs. So make sure it's on the correct side.

Second, and I know this might be nitpicking but NEC Article 110.12(B) Integrity of Electrical Equipment and Connections states there shall be no damaged parts that may adversely affect the safe operation or mechanical strength of the equipment such as parts that are broken; bent; cut; or deteriorated by corrosion, chemical action, or overheating.

So the question is: Does that fit this situation? Which I cannot answer because I am not there. What I will tell you that is I if I were still running a service company, I would have a liability to my customer and my state license. I would replace it.

I am not sure of the age of the panel but you might be able to find a comparable box where the guts match and just replace the guts rather than the whole panel.

Whatever you decide use good judgement and be safe.


How to repair bowed sliding door frame? It’s tough to see from the picture, but the entire top section of frame of the sliding door is bowed downward.
I’ve tried adjustments on the door, and it either gets stuck in the middle or falls off track on the ends.
Any ideas on how to repair?
I’d be happy to edit in any clarifying information.

From you post it appears that the French doors are OK but the problem is with the sliding screen door.  I'd get a 6.5' 2x4  and my car jack and try to lift up at the middle of the frame to see if it's just separated from the header or if you have a structural problem. If it can be lifted into position, refasten it with some long wood screws through the frame and into the header. If it can't be lifted then you have a more serious problem and you'll have to remove some siding to investigate further and report back here.


TRANE XE70 GAS FURNACE - HSI only works once My TRANE XE70 Gas Heater HSI (hot surface igniter) will glow hot once and heater works fine, but then doesn't work anymore on the Thermostat cycle.
I've replaced Flame Sensor and HSI Module.
My White-Rodgers Control Panel flashes Yellow light on boot up, then goes to constant Green light and stays solid green.
I have already purchased and I am going to replace the Control Panel but wonder before I do that if there is something else to check for this intermittent HSI issue ?

Filter is New
Gas Valve is opening on commands from Thermostat
Blower is functioning correctly

Fixed this issue by replacing the Control Board and using a longer timing program insert key from 4 seconds to 7.


Furnace fan works properly intermittently My furnace fan sometimes stays on and runs continuously.  I can stop it by flipping the breaker for the furnace on and off.  It then stays off.  When heat is called for, the fan comes on again and sometimes stays on and sometimes will cut off as it should.  Is this the fan limiter switch (Honeywell L4064W 1106).  Could it be anything else?  The "fan on" control at the thermostat was disabled when the current fan limiter switch was installed.

It could be a problem with the limit switch, or the limit switch operating properly.

If the furnace is overheating, the limit will open and cause the blower to continue until the heat is dissipated.

It could also be that the limit is going bad, and opening when it shouldn't.  Or that the limit is opening due to overheating, but then not closing again as it should.


How do I remove the handle of this utility sink faucet? I removed the screw but the handle will not come off.

I squirted some liquid wrench in it and let it soak.

I've tapped gently with a screwdriver and hammer around the perimeter but it will not come off.

This type of knob has an internal splined hole which fits over the splined end of faucet stem. The knobs are typically made of die cast zinc or aluminium pot metal and then chrome plated. They are then fitted to a brass faucet stem. The screw at the top center of the knob fastens into a threaded hole in the end of the faucet stem to hold the knob in place.

It has been my experience that over time corrosion will occur with pot metal inside the knob spline. Commonly white in color this corrosion actually seems to expand in size from the original size of the spline hole inside the knob literally locking the knob in place. As you are finding this makes the knob very difficult to remove.

When I have had to remove such knobs I have tried the same Liquid Wrench as you did but multiple applications over a couple of days. I also seem to recall trying heating up white vinegar and applying that. A syringe is useful for this application. Ultimately I found that repeated rocking the knob back and forth with good force helps break the hold of the corrosion and allowing more of the solvent to enter the spline joint.

In the very worst case you may end up having to break or cut away the skirts of the knob to get access to the faucet packing nut under the knob in order to get the stem out. If you can find replacement stems then that is optimal but there is also the possibility to cut the rest of the knob shaft off the stem using a Dremel tool with a cutoff grinder disk.


Can two circuits share a neutral? I'm finally implementing the advice given in this question, I've managed to run the wiring up to the junction box, but I'm a bit confused by the contents of that box.

There are three circuits entering the box, but it appears that two circuits are sharing a single neutral.

Everything appears to work (and has done so for 2+ years), but I'm curious if this is kosher from a code point of view.  Should there be an individual neutral for each circuit?  If so, is there a brief explanation as to why this is OK?

Only if it is a split 220 volt circuit as Steven points out and it It must be on a two pole circuit breaker. This ensures that the circuit is two different legs and not just one, also the entire circuit will be disabled with only one breaker. Each hot leg returns on this shared neutral. The reasoning is that no more than the rated (breaker) current will pass through the neutral in this configuration. The two "Hot" legs will tend to balance the return current. Example: If both legs draw 5A, then no return current passes through the neutral. If leg 1 draws 3A and leg 2 draws 10A then the difference, 7A is returned through the neutral.

It is NOT permitted to share a neutral in any other situation. If you were to share a neutral with two breakers on the same leg of a panel, both circuits could draw the breaker limit (lets say 15A) making the shared neutral as much as 30A return current! That will exceed the limit of the wire size and could cause a fire. Also, GFCI and AFCI breakers will not work on a shared neutral circuit.


What is the easiest way to run telephone cable between floors without fishing them through the walls? We have a telephone system in a room downstairs with two jacks in it; one of them is connected to a phone in that room.

I am hoping to get a rotary phone installed in a room upstairs. I am in the process of ordering one as well as getting a pulse-to-tone converter. This is a two-story house; however, there is nothing actually on top of the room where the unit is downstairs (besides the roof).

We installed some new RJ45 wiring about a year ago (it was a little fun). However, this might only be temporary; maybe in use for two years at the most.

Is it legal to run wires along walls and tape them to ceilings? I can't find anything related to doing that in fire code, etc...
Are there any regulations when doing this?
Is there anything easier than just buying a 100 ft. telephone line and running it across the first floor, up the stairwell, and across the second floor?

There is already no budget for the process, so I am not looking for complex solutions that require anything more than tape and a screwdriver.

I'd stay away from tape (it may only stick for a few months) and ceilings as well. Just do what the phone company has always done. Staple or nail the wires down to the baseboard or the underside of the baseboard's cap (if any) or tuck the wire down beside wall-to-wall carpet. You continue this right up the stairs to the other room and its all easy to literally rip out when you no longer need it.


Is there any way I can reclaim this space and still safely support the front steps? In my garage I have a nearly useless room that's 6'x10' but has this ... strange shelf of sorts in there.  When I went to bust up the drywall to see whats behind it I found out it's been there since the house was built in the 80s (construction adhesive I've seen before).  I have NO IDEA why this would be done this way and was hoping someone could explain. Here's what I'm working with.

looking toward the front ... (drywall is sloped from stairs heading to front door) hmmmmmm why a 2x6?

behind / under that 2x6 ... 2x4s laying flat, 2x6s vertical, heading out front

mouse hole and 2x6 -- not connected to garage wall

To the right is cinder block, to the left is the garage (2x4s and drywall), in front of this is the entry way (front of the house).  I'm pretty sure I can't remove this, or if I wanted to, I would have to support the front steps that stick out about 5 feet before a deck starts.  Is there any way I can reclaim this space and safely support the front steps?  I prefer to do things overkill so if there's an option, I'd love to hear it!  The steps out front are 4' off the ground, roughly.

Couple possibilities I can think of (hard to tell without looking at a floor plan):

Floor was built over a larger area and then covered over.
Landing or base of the stairs was moved, possibly during early construction.
Floor or landing was intentionally extended to provide a shelf for storage.
Joists are continuing to a load bearing structure (wall of the house).

Without being physically there, or reviewing a building plan, it's difficult to say how you can move/remove this structure.


Are LED retrofit bulbs more resilient to ballast problems? My office overhead lighting currently uses fluorescent bulbs. For ~5 minutes after turning them on, lights will flicker. I diagnose this as a weak ballast.

If I insert LED retrofit bulbs into this setup am I likely to solve the temporary flickering problem?

LEDs are not susceptible to the sorts of startup flickering that affect fluorescent tubes.

However LED units are susceptible to other types of flickering caused by dimmers, smart-switches or other types of device in the circuit.

Your best chance of eliminating flicker is to remove the ballasts, then fit a good quality LED fixture - ideally one that tolerates most dimmers.


3 wire 240 double pole breaker to. 110v single pole breaker I have 3 wire ( black, white,green) 240 on a double pole breaker. White and black wire connected to breaker green to neutral bar. Want to convert to 120v single pole breaker. Which wire do I connect to new breaker? What do I do with the other wire?

You don't need to change the breaker.  Just move the white wire from the breaker to the neutral bar.   The other half of the breaker will be unused.

And change the receptacles to NEMA L5-30 or TT30.

You cannot put normal, common NEMA 5-15 and 5-20 receptacles on a 30A breaker.  In fact, 30A 120V circuits are almost useless, except for small campers using the TT30.

If you need to put common receptacles on this circuit, you must change the breaker to 20A.  (or 15A if there is only one socket and it's 15A).

If you need 30A capacity but need to feed devices with standard 15/20A plugs, then you need to fit a 120V-only subpanel, with all the rules for that (e.g. if it's in an outbuilding you'll need a main shutoff and grounding rods). It can then serve 2 or more 15 or 20A circuits. In fact, that is how my house is wired.


Can I add a breaker to my main disconnect panel? Next to my meter I have a square d all-in-one combination service entrance device with a service disconnect breaker and a sub panel breaker that must be going to my indoors panel, see attached images.
I'd like to add a 15A or 20A breaker for an additional circuit close to the outdoors disconnect panel. Can I do it?
Some similar questions are:
Can a breaker be added to the main disconnect panel?
Can I add a sub-panel near the main disconnect outside my house?
Add circuit off main disconnect or sub-panel required?
https://answers.angieslist.com/Can-I-add-main-breaker-meter-base-q260655.aspx
https://answers.angieslist.com/Can-I-install-100-amp-breaker-box-garage-coming-200-amp-Meter-box-q239867.aspx
From those it sounds like it should be possible but I'd like a confirmation for my specific setup. Thanks!

First of all, congrats, you did a great job researching before asking the question. That's expected of participants here and you did that.
To answer your question, yes, there shouldn't be any reason you can't add a breaker to the outdoor combi box. Others here might chime in with local code issues, but I doubt it. If it makes you more comfortable, turn off the main breaker to shut off power to the buss.  Remove the cover, clip the new breaker in place, twist out the cover for that space and wire up the outdoor circuit using conduit and THHN/THWN or UF (UF is hard to work with!), NM (Romex) isn't legal in outdoor installations, even if in conduit.
I don't want to be a dick here, but this is a pretty basic question indicating a basic unfamiliarity with simple wiring. While this is a DIY Home Improvement site, remember that improperly installed electrical circuits can be dangerous.   You might want to grab a book at HD or Lowes on basic wiring principles. Again, I really don't want to be rude or condescending, you might actually enjoy reading about basic wiring and how to do it right. Take care and stay safe.


New service, detached structure I am now living in Cuenca, Ecuador. I have yet to see any electrical wiring that meets code. Zip, zilch, nada. Wires running everywhere, people scabbing onto other peoples houses to get electricity, etc. Since we do not have furnaces or A/C the electric company will install a 60 amp breaker in the same enclosure, below the meter itself. I saw the neighbors connection this morning. There are only three wires coming from the power company at this 60 amp breaker. It has been my intent to provide 4 wires, 2 hot, neutral and ground through the weatherhead and leave 3 feet of wire for their connection.

My shop, sub panel, is some 80 feet away. The wire will run in PVC tubing from a three hole "box" at each end. Within 3 feet of the meter/main I intend to drive a six foot copper bar into the ground and pull my ground out of the "box" to the ground bar and back into the PVC tubing. At the other end I would again pull the ground out of the box, atop which is mounted a mast that can be secured to an adjacent wall, and back up into the mast. From this mast I will have a drip  loop mid-distance to the mast coming through my detached structure roof (weather head on all three masts). I would then ground the ground bus inside the sub panel, which already has an isolated neutral bus. Am I correct in my plan?

The scary part down here is while the fellow was modifying/repairing my brick wall for mounting the meter enclosure, I provided an elbow coming out of the fitting to the enclosure and then the mast is connected to the elbow and goes up the ten foot length of mast. Once concreted in  place he, and a neighbor, are telling me that the electric company will not "allow" me to run cable INSIDE of the conduit!?! Sure enough, I look next door, around my house (15 domiciles in the urbanizacion) and not one of them has either a weather head, or cable running inside the conduit. In fact the cable, which is zip tied to the conduit, doesn't even have a bushing where it enters the meter enclosure!

You are best picking one Code and following it religiously.   It looks like Ecuador is in the North American system of 120V on small circuits served as 240V/120V split-phase. So use American or Canadian code.

Any house in the United States gets only 3 wires from the power company and down the weatherhead: 2 hots and neutral. Typical weatherhead:

Note above that the bare weight-carrying cable is also carrying neutral.  That is an idiom only the power company gets away with.

Each house derives its own ground with ground rods or water pipe bonds or both.  And then, ground is bonded to neutral in the main panel only.  From there to all other points, neutral and ground are carried separately.   Go 8' on the copper bar, and use 2 of them at least 6' apart.  On an outbuilding you would also need a grounding system bonded to the ground bus.  That does not substitute for a wired ground, that is still needed. Dirt is not a good conductor.

That brings you into conformance with USA practice.

The main panel being defined as the panel where power comes in from the utility. If the power company provisions power to two of your buildings, you have two services.  Don't mix them.

Wire from a main panel to a subpanel in an outbuilding must be 4-wire (hot-hot-neutral-ground). If you only need 120V devices, you can omit a "hot".  Generally we bury lines between buildings, but if you go overhead, your bare/carrier wire can't be hot or neutral, those must be insulated.


Adapter: male pvc pipe to female metal outdoor faucet I have an outdoor faucet that recently had a metal pipe (age caused it to crack) replaced with a pvc pipe. The faucet that is attached is metal, so it didn't leak before; it leaks now because it is a metal to pvc connection. The pvc pipe has a male threaded end and the faucet is female threaded. I need an adapter that is female on the pvc side and male on the metal side, but I have not been able to find one. All I can find is an adapter that has the pvc side that slides inside. I haven't been able to find it anywhere. Does what I need actually exist? Or do I need to fit two adapters together to get the right connection....
Thanks in advance

It sounds like you're looking for an extender of sorts. I've used fittings like that which also change pipe size at the same time: for example, an adapter with 1/2" female thread going to 1/4" male thread. These are usually brass. I haven't seen one in which the pipe size does not change. You'd probably have to use a regular threaded coupler followed by a nipple of whatever length suits you.
The real problem, though, is that you have a plastic-to-metal threaded connection that's leaking -- is that right? You don't need extra fittings to fix this. All you need is some pipe joint compound, sometimes called "pipe dope." Choose one that includes PTFE (Teflon). Disassemble the leaking joint, dry the male thread, apply the compound, reassemble. Wipe away the excess compound and test for leaks. Chances are high this is all you'll need.


Why did my third coat of polyurethane finish "buckle"? I'm refinishing a table I built about 10 years ago.  I put 2 layers of gloss polyurethane down  and sanded between coats. All was fine at this point. I gave it another light sanding and put a third coat down.  An hour later I saw that the urethane had "buckled" in several dozen spots.  I've had to sand it back down, and am ready to go again.  But what caused this and how do I prevent it from happening again?

It is very unusual for Urethane to Buckle or alligator skin when applied over urethane. The reason for this type of failure is usually a contaminate on the surface. Grease, oil, wax etc. Did you use the same type of urethane from the same lot? After sanding, did you clean the dust off with a cloth that may have had some contaminates on it? I always use a clean cloth very slightly damp with water, or a tact cloth, never use mineral spirits. Give it a while to dry completely and put on the next coat.  The only other problem could have been that the urethane was not mixed well. Always stir, never shake urethane.  Don't mix water base urethane with oil base.


What metal conduit takes a 1-5/8" dia. knockout? I have a junction box with a knockout that is 1-5/8" diameter.  (it was homebrewed, possibly in 1929).

Would this be suggestive of a particular type of conduit? It will definitely be metal conduit.

Related, I need to make a sharp turn out of that, turning 90 degrees in about 5". Is there a way to do that? I do have access to one side, but it's rather awkward so I'd like to avoid a conduit body.

1-1/4" pipe  (which are also IMC/RMC sizes) are 1.660 OD which is pretty close to 1.625. The thread start diameter on the narrow end of pipe threads is 1.557 so a nipple ought to get in the hole even if it's just that size. EMT fittings (on the threaded part) are normally threaded the same as the pipe/RMC/IMC size.

One of those weird pulling elbows is the only sharp turn I know of in conduit, other than using a conduit body, or a box.


Clean (food) oil stain from wooden floor My question is pretty related to:

How to diminish the appearance of a stain on hardwood floor? & How do I remove (food) oil stain from a wood table?

But not exactly the same. The problem is I've spilled food oil on the wooden floor several times. I'm pretty clumsy when it comes to cooking, and recently I spilled some oil from a rather high distance and it spread on several parts of the floor. So I have this big spot and other smaller ones all around.

The moment I had these accidents, I got a sponge with water and detergent and started rubbing the oil stains. It made it better, but not quite removed the stains. I've also used a wood cleaner product which improved just a little, but the stains as you can see on the attached pictures are still pretty noticeable.

I'm renting the apartment, so I should return it in a good condition. Any new ideas on how to clean these stains? Should I replace the wood?

Fisrt, DON'T REPLACE THE FLOOR, that would lead to a lot of headaches and is probably un-nessassary.  That floor shouldn't absorb oil that quickly if it had been sealed properly.  My guess is that the floor either wasn't sealed correctly or it's been so long since it has been that it's all been worn off.

Try getting a wood oil soap (like Murphy's or Old English) these soaps have oils in them that are meant to be absorbed into wood. This won't take out the oil, but it might help to make it blend in.  I don't think that stain is comming out, even if you sanded the floor, the stain would have absorbed into the wood too deeply.

It's important to remember that wood is pourous and the natural oils that are in it are evaporated over time and have to be replaced, or else the wood becomes discolored and brittle, which is probably the case here.  I wash all my wood floors twice a year with an oil soap to help keep them hydrated.


Can I get continuous power from a light controlled by a switch? I have a garage where all the lights are controlled by one switch. I want to install a separate motion light from all these lights so that when someone opens the garage door, the motion light will automatically turn on. If I try and use the power from the current light fixtures, that means I have to leave all the lights on in the garage for the motion light to work. Is there any way of accessing the power from the light fixture and have continuous power coming to the motion light fixture?

Yes, but probably not in a terribly convenient manner as you seem to be hoping for.

You'll need to find where the power is supplied to the lighting circuit:

It may be power to the switch and then switched power to the lights -
in which case you'll need to run a non-switched wire from the power
source at the switch to the place you want the new light.
It may be power supplied to one of the light boxes, and then a "switch loop" down to the switch - in which case you can tap continuous power at the light fixture where power is supplied on the feed side of the "switch loop." If that does not happen to the fixture you'd like to connect to, you'll need to run a non-switched wire from the power supply to the place you'd like the new light. If it does, congratulations, you've won the terribly convenient lottery.
it may be simpler to connect to a non-switched outlet circuit, if there are outlets in this garage as well as lights. If you're looking for one on the ceiling level, look at the garage door opener (or where one would be if there was one.) If none are convenient, again, run wire.


Have ceiling damage in daughter’s college condo shower area..can I fix? My daughter has had this for over a year, it ‘feels’ dry, don’t think additional damage has occurred. My dear friend owns the condo, has 11 children, and gives us a great deal so I try to help out with repairs, I fix towel bars, ceiling fan wiring, toilet repairs, etc.
can I scrape this off and just kilz over it until she can get a ceiling guy in? I really don’t want to replace backer board on a ceiling. Any recommendations?

I think your plan is fine, assuming there isn't a persistent plumbing issue. I'd gently brush and scrape away just the loose material, striving to retain as much texture as possible. If it gets smooth, dab on some spackle or joint compound to replicate the texture, then prime and paint.

Recognize that your paint probably won't match the existing very well, so keep it small and feather it in.