Where to locate p trap and venting in complicated washing machine installation? See sketch I would like to add a washing machine (and dryer) to my split-level home so that I can rent out the basement below (which already has its own washer/dryer). I don't have the experience to do it myself, but I'd like help deciding if my preferred location for the washer is feasible before seeking help.

I would like to run the drain pipe from the washer up into the ceiling of the level below, then down into the wall of the kitchen below and into the drain. Is this feasible? If so, can the p trap and venting be located as per the sketch or must they be located closer to the washer?

It would be very difficult to vent the piping near the washer as there is no existing plumbing there and there is another floor above. It is my understanding that the p trap should not be more than 5 feet from the venting, so I suspect it would not work to locate the p trap by the washer. Furthermore, doing this would increase the height the water needs to travel before dropping into the ceiling to a total of at least 60", which my research indicates is possible, but not ideal.

Can anyone confirm or deny the feasibility of the layout in my sketch and/or offer other suggestions?

UPDATE
Thanks for the helpful information thus far.   I understand I have two problems:

The discharge water is too high above the machine.
The vent stack is too far from the machine.

We haven't bought the washer yet so using a front loader on a 3' pedestal is a possibility.  I guess this would solve problem #1.  Problem #2 however, may make this setup unfeasible.  The only solution to this might be venting out the exterior wall, which is adjacent to the washer.  I understand that this isn't ideal but could it work if the vent stack exits through the wall at a 45 degree angle?

To do this right, you'll likely have to install a whole drain system for the washer.  You'll install a new vent (according to local codes), and a new drain line that attaches to the existing drainage system (in a code compliant way). Then you'll install a standpipe with a trap, that the washer can discharge to.


Water gets really hot after 2 minutes in the shower for 5 minutes then goes normal So I live in a big apartment building and this just started happening the past few weeks.  I'm not really sure what would cause it since I didn't touch anything plumbing and its not an old building.

Basically if I shower the temperature works normally and after 2 minutes the water just gets really hot.  Even if I move the setting to the coldest.  Then after 3-4 minutes it goes back to normal.  Any ideas what would cause this?

There's probably some heat exchange between pipes happening at some point, or you're getting backflow from the water heater(s). You'll need to investigate with your building manager and a plumber. There's not much we can say with the limited information you've provided.


Apartment dust mystery In the main room of the older apartment I live in, dust is accumulating very quickly. There is no carpet (only hardwood floor), no curtain, no air vent, no pet, no bedding, no clothes. Previous tenants had the same problem so it's not something I brought in.

I cleaned thoroughly, including the baseboard radiator (which, as a test, I covered with cloth to ascertain it's not the cause), behind the range and the fridge (there is a small open kitchen corner). Yet, here's what a surface looks like 3 days after wiping it clean:

The dust looks more like tiny fibers. In raking light, as seen here, it's quite impressive.

Any clue would be greatly appreciated.

For those who may have the same problem, the dust was fiberglass from inside the electric range. When burners were on, convection was sending tiny bits of it in the air.


Is it possible for a sump pump pail to be too deep? I have my 2006 built home on the market. A prospective buyer is asking whether our sump hole is too deep? Is there such a thing as too deep and what are the ramifications?

NOTE: While I agree that NORMALLY the depth of the sump pit itself is not a factor it IS a part of the "lift" for the pump.  This specific question is about an unusually deep sump pit.  So it would be foolish to just say, "it doesn't matter how deep the pit is" because it DOES matter, in this case at least!

Yes, there is a limit on how high a particular sump pump can raise the water up a pipe.  It's called the "head" and the problem is that the closer you get to the head limit, the lower the pumping capacity of the pump is.

Here is a link to the Wayne company site, which is a major pump maker:

Wayne Pumps Data

If you have the manual for your pump (probably too much to ask for) you will probably find the spec in there.  If you know its make/model, it could probably be looked up.

But the key thing is that the TOTAL height from the bottom of the sump pit to the highest point in the outlet pipe must be less than the head specification.  Most home-use sump pumps have a head of at least 10'.


What is causing whistling from shower head (shower stall w/o bathtub)? In the master bathroom on the second floor, there is a shower stall that does not contain a bathtub or diverter valve. The shower stall only contains a knob to turn the shower on, and then the shower head itself.

When I turn the shower water on, I can hear a whistling noise, and its volume changes depending on the position of the shower head. (The shower head does not have a rotatable head that changes the spray pattern. By “position of shower head,” I mean that when I move the shower head left or right or up or down, it can change the volume or pitch of the whistling.)

Also, with the shower running, if I turn on the HOT water to the sink in the same bathroom, the whistling changes (I can't really discern whether the volume increases or decreases).

What could be causing the whistling? (The shower head is a higher flow variant from which I removed the internal restricter. It's less than a year old. I already tossed the original that was on it when I purchased the house.)

If you have hard water and don't have a water softener, the noise could be attributed to water pressure building up because the shower head is clogged or has calcified as a result of the minerals in hard water. Removing the shower head and soaking it in white vinegar can help remove those deposits. While the shower head is off, turn on the cold and hot water to clear out the shower arm of any debris that could have built up. Then, reattach the shower head, turn the shower on and listen again for the sound.
If you still hear the whistling noise, it could be time to have a plumber replace the stem or cartridge in the shower valve, which is what controls the operation of the shower, and the pressure and temperature of the water. It's not uncommon for plumbers to also find unusual items in shower valves, from rocks to screws. Those certainly can contribute to a noisy shower. It could even be an issue with your shower cartridge, such as a loose washer.
It also could be the pressure- balancing valve, which is incorporated with the shower valve and helps regulate pressure and temperature. The pressure balance valve's "mixing" spool can flutter as water passes through it. Turning the valve to hot and then to cold once or twice might help stop the whistling, or fluttering.
The whistling sound also could be attributed to a large volume of water traveling through the bends in your pipes. Replacing the shower head with a low-flow unit could solve your problem. –How to stop a shower from whistling, –www.kentucky.com

Try putting a few screens where the water-saver was, to restrict it somewhat but not like it was when it came from the factory. Sometimes when you totally remove these, the flow gets all wack. Next time try to disassemble the water-saver; remove that little O-ring, but keep that part with the eight or so holes in it, in there. E.g.,

(source)
They sell replacement water-savers. You will probably need to pick and choose which parts of it you install, to preserve good flow.


When sanding spindles how far should I go? I have a number of spindles on my stairs which need to be repainted.

The current paint is thick and badly done.

How far should I be going when sanding?

So far I have all the thick paint sanded off, but I'm not sure if I should be going down to wood.

I would make sure it is not lead based paint before I start sanding.  A product you may want to use is called peal and stick.  You apply a layer of the product then add a special paper that comes with it and another layer of product let it sit ans peal it away using plastic scrapers.  It will take it to the bare wood and you can seal with a primer and paint.


My shower grout is cracked. How can I fix it? Noticed this because the piece outside the shower was lifting and there was some water around the edge.

Is this as simple as getting a grout saw/knife and scraping out the old and putting in new grout?

Do I need to worry about any moisture underneath? Didn't own the home when it was installed so not sure what's going on underneath.

I used caulk to fix issues like this. You can order it in different colors to fit your grout (amazon link). I also recommend getting a caulk gun. I didn't get one the first time and it was a pain. It is doable without though but caulk guns are cheap and actually pretty useful in other situations as well with different types of caulk. Dry time  is pretty long though. It was annoying to keep the family out of the shower.

Grout versus caulk: I can't really speak to that. I assume caulking is easier but less durable. Maybe someone else can comment on that.


Air system with multiple filters I have a trane heat pump in my attic, do I replace the filter in the air handler AND return grill? Not sure if I can use just the return grill which is in my hallway ceiling

If you have 2 filters racks in your system you could just pick the easiest one to change and ues it exclusively. You could also use both and change the second one less often. That seems like a lot of monitoring. You may have to check both often at first until you are able to determine a schedule. It's not a bad idea but in most cases that level of filtration isn't required.


How should I redo my patio under my deck? I have a patio composed of large concrete pavers (roughly 2' x 6') (edit - more likely sections of poured concrete) - I would guess it is at least 10 years old if not much older. My second story deck is supported by posts on precast concrete footings which sit on the pavers. I'd like to redo the patio as the pavers are uneven and unappealing. What would be the best approach to redoing the patio without rebuilding the deck? Some potential approaches that have occurred to me:

Pour a concrete slab over the pavers/sections of concrete slab
Lay deck tiles over the pavers/sections of concrete slab
Lay a fresh set of sand and pavers over the existing pavers/sections of concrete slab
Use temporary posts to support the deck while removing and replacing the pavers/sections of concrete slab

How many of these approaches seem feasible? Are there better ones I haven't thought of?

Without seeing a photo of the scene I'd assume that you can put temporary legs in place. I'd install appropriate lumber at a slight angle to just outside of the patio area so that you can work on it unobstructed.

Use something like a pair of 2x6 boards screwed together in a T configuration. This should give you the strength and stiffness necessary.

Plan view:

 _________
|_________|
    | |
    | |
    | |
    |_|

Place large blocks under the posts to prevent them from sinking into the soil.
Drive large steel or lumber stakes into the ground to anchor the temporary post legs.
Anchor the tops of the posts to the beams such that they won't slip out. This could involve lapped lumber scabs screwed to the posts and the beam.
Raise the beam slightly from its original position to allow easier installation of the new posts.
Block all access to the deck while the project is underway. Check the security of the temporary posts frequently. A collapse could kill.

How you repair or replace your patio is your prerogative. That part of the question is off-topic as either too subjective or unclear, given the few details you've provided about your ultimate goal.


Bathroom fan sizing in 2 room bathroom with always open doors I have a bathroom fan that died recently.  It is a basic Broan from the 90's, 50CFM and 2.0 sones.

I want a quieter fan for sure, but I'm not sure on the sizing.  As shown in the picture, our bathroom (shower, tub, toilet) area (green) is 50 square feet, but our vanities are in an adjacent room (blue) that is 30 square feet.  Both have standard 8' ceilings.  Our master bedroom is next to that.  We almost never close any of the pocket doors between the rooms, unless we are getting ready when the other of us is asleep.

So, do I need to account for the additional area when calculating CFM?  Accounting for the short duct to the roof cap (~35' EDL, I think we have 4" duct) that puts me at either 60 or 90 CFM according to this chart:

So, I guess the question is, does it matter that much?  50, 60, or 90 CFM? (or 110??).  Our bathroom tends to stay humid for a while currently, but I'm not sure our fan has been running at full capacity either.

You shouldn't have to count the room with the sinks, but you may want to.  If you find that the mirrors in that area tend to fog up, during normal use of just the sinks. Then you might want to include the area in the calculation.

400 ft³ at 40' EDL, means you need at least a 60 cfm fan to meet the minimum air changes per hour required by International Residential Code (and others).  You'll also want to make sure you run the fan while you shower, and for 20-30 minutes after you're done. A timer unit is the best way to manage this, but you'll have to make sure you get one that's rated for motor loads.

Every time you exhaust conditioned air out of the house, you're losing some efficiency. However, in the case of steamy bathroom air, it's worth the lose to reduce the chance of mold and mildew issues.  You want to exhaust the moist air, but you want to exhaust as little conditioned air as possible. So it becomes a balancing act between wasting conditioned air, and preventing mold/mildew.


May I use alkyd primer with acrylic paint I have a fuel canister made in 1943, cleaned it from rust and old paint and sprayed over with gray primer that I had in garage. The primer is alcyd paint, with anti-corrosion properties.

Most of my spray cans seem to contain acrylic paint, can I use them over the alcyd base or should I go shopping for alcyd paint, just to be sure?

You can use acrylic over alkyd primer, in fact that is a preference of mine. What I generally do not do is apply alkyd finish over acrylic (unless I sand thoroughly).


How can I identify my bathroom tub faucet pressure valve? I am looking for a replacement trim valve kit and I am having trouble finding the right one that will fit my current pressure valve. It appears to me to be a model from American Standard.

Click photo for full size

Shut of the hot and cold supply to the shower. Turn the valve to verify that the shut off are stopping the water. Remove the screws that retain the valve. Bring it with you to your local home center or hardware store. Most stores that I have been in have a catalog that allows you to match your part to pictures in the book.


Guidelines for running tv cables behind walls for an HD TV My in-laws want to mount a new TV on the wall and have asked their contractors (they are in the middle of a renovation) to open a hole above their gas burning fireplace for routing cables to/from the TV. The contractors opened up a hole to the right of center.

Are there guidelines or special tricks for placing the hole so that they would work with all TV mounts so that the mount can be centered above the fireplace without interfering with the hole?

Or do I have to first buy the TV mount and TV to figure out the best placement for the hole? (In my case since they've already opened up a hole I guess I would have to buy mounts that would work with the hole)

Do manufacturers of mounts have any special specs that they design to?

The placement of the hole is not critical so long as it will be behind the tv panel. Obviously a hole immediately under a structural component of the mount might be a problem.

The mount is more critical than the hole. Buy the type of mount you need and see where it lands in relation to the hole. There may be no conflict. If there is, covering the old hole and making a new one is not hard.

A bigger issue is how you terminate the wires and cables.  Are you bringing power to an outlet immediately behind the tv? If so, you need an appropriately mounted electrical outlet box. Additionally, a hole may slightly compromise insulation and allow a draft, so it is a good idea to have a box and a cover plate for the cables even if the are not power cables.

There are specialty outlet boxes with low voltage media connectors or access holes. You should determine the placement of this after the mount is in place on the wall.


No More Nails adhesive on PVA primed drywall? I'd like to glue laminate flooring on my TV wall. I just plan to glue the laminate directly to the wall, which is drywall primed with Kilz PVA

I have No More Nails general purpose adhesive lying around. It states it does not recommend bonding together two (2) non-porous materials.

The back of the laminate flooring definitely looks non-porous. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Kilz PVA primer makes the drywall non-porous, right?

If so, what would be the best type of adhesive to use for this application?

ANSWERED.

Here are photos of how I did it:

I did end up using some form of adhesive on the aluminum trim/border: Super Glue!

I wouldn't try to primarily use any adhesive for this, it would be better to use a brad nailer. This will be easier, faster and stronger (and cheaper, if you already have or don't count the cost of buying the nailer itself).

Mark the studs, and put a nail in the groove (which will be hidden by the next piece).

You only really need adhesive for the top row. I'd put it on the bottom row as well, just for good measure, but the bottom row can usually be nailed or even screwed to the wall at the bottom where it will be covered by baseboard.

Since it's not really holding much weight, 'No More Nails' would work, as would basically any silicone or construction adhesive.


Will craftsman trim saw make straight cuts in 2x4? I recently found a Craftsman Circular Cordless Saw 900.112650 in a closet that I bought many years ago and never used.

Will this cordless saw make straight cuts in 2x4" treated wood?

I still have to buy the batteries (I cant find them), but I don't want to spend money on the batteries unless I know it will make clean, straight cuts on 2x4 wood.

It is unlikely the saw will cut through in a single pass. This will require flipping the board over to cut the 10% that wasn't cut the first time. The straightest cut will require the use of a saw guide. A simple quick square would be sufficient. Doing a second cut will reduce accuracy as the guide will have to be repositioned. If you are making a cut on a single board the saw you have may work. If you are cutting a lot of 2x4s the saw will quickly use up the batteries. You will need two sets to be productive. Even with two sets you will likely use up the available batteries faster than they will recharge.


Do paint fumes affect electronics? I'm planning on painting a home office but I don't want to have to move all my equipment out of the room. If I keep my equipment inside and move it all to the center of the room will the fumes affect my electronics?

Seems very unlikely. Consider that lots of harmful industrial chemicals are used in the production of electronics to begin with.

Usually most people's concerns with VOC's associated with painting have to do with human health, especially the young and old. It's generally best to minimize any contact with these by ensuring lots of ventation and if possible, using a low VOC product. Latex based paints are preferable to oil based paints in this regard.


Insulation R value vs. foil facing Insulation R value only relates to conducted heat.  Foil-facing reflects heat, so it reduces heat transfer between inside and outside via another mechanism (stops radiant heat from becoming conductive heat).  Comparing foil-faced and non-foil-faced insulation of the same R value, the foil-faced will reduce total heat transfer more.

I'm in a situation where I may need to replace foil-faced insulation with another type that is not foil-faced.  I can match the R value, but would lose the foil's reduction in radiant heat transfer.  That would translate to more conductive heat, which could be offset by increasing the R value.

Is there a way to figure out what increase in R value would yield equivalent reduction in heat transfer as the foil adds (i.e., maintain the same temperature difference between inside and outside as the foil-faced insulation)?

The layer fields on the professional Ubakus-Site allows to input also metal foils, so it should take the reflections into account.
But those reflections do only have a tiny effect if the subject is building insulation. Much more important is the fact that metal is a barrier for waterdamp.
And in general, wet insulation material decreases the insulation effect. So in reality, removing a metal foil could improve the insulation.


Can I remove this HVAC damper? Is is possible to remove this damper? It looks like there are special kind of screws about an inch above but I'm not sure how those would come out. If I can't be remove could it be cut out? I have an oscillating tool so I thought maybe there would be an attachment made for HVAC.

Those are rivets and you normally have to drill or grind them out. You can probably get in there with a rotary tool like a Dremel with a grinding wheel on it. If not, get a hack saw and just cut the bracket on each side to remove the internal parts and leave the rivets there. Is there a particular reason you want to remove it?


2 pole outlet & 2 pole breakers In USA AC system, A 2 pole circuit breaker means both hot lines (120v) are connected to the breakers. How about a 2 pole outlet. Does it also mean both hot pair of 120v are connected to the 2 pole outlet?  Or does 2 pole mean other thing when in comes to outlet? Any illustration would be much appreciated.

Yes, it means that each hot in a 240 V receptacle goes to one, and only one, of the linked breakers of the 2-pole breaker that serves the circuit.

EDIT

I am answering here while admitting that my knowledge is limited.

The average US household will have two different types of 240 V circuit--three wire and four wire as follows:

Three wire: hot1-hot2-ground. This gives 240 V between the two hots and services loads at 240 V only, e.g. an electric hot water heater.
Three wire: hot1-hot2-neutral. This is no longer allowed in new construction but is grandfathered. The receptacle for this will serve loads at both 120 V and 240 V. Our electric clothes dryer is served by this type from a 30-A 2-pole breaker.
Four wire: hot1-hot2-neutral-ground. This will serve loads which require both 120 V (one hot to neutral) and 240 V (hot to hot).

In the usual US residence each 240 V circuit is dedicated to one outlet. For example, our electric range is served by one 50-A 2-pole breaker which serves only the receptacle for the range.

A continuous conductor goes from one side of the 2-pole breaker to one of the hot slots in the receptacle, and another continuous conductor goes from the other side of the same 2-pole breaker to the other hot slot in the receptacle . (The receptacle also has slots for neutral and ground, and separate conductors connect them, respectively,  to the neutral and ground bars in the panel.)


Rotten eggs smell in house We bought a 3rd floor apartment in Italy (highest floor) a few years ago and use it as a holiday home. We've had no issues for about 3 years and suddenly we started getting the smell of rotten eggs at the entrance to the apartment. We've got someone coming in regularly and ensuring the water traps are full every week. The smell just doesn't seem to go and peaks at about 4am in the morning. I can't localise it to any bathroom or the kitchen or the HVAC system. we've had an army of plumbers come and go and no one seems to have a solution. As mentioned the smell is at it's worst at the entrance to the apartment and maybe this is because we detect it coming in from outside the house. Any help is appreciated.

Some people describe the smell of the additive that they put in natural gas as a "rotten eggs smell". I am not sure if they use such additive in natural gas in Italy but if so then you may want to consider that this smell is the accumulated gas from a gas leak someplace.


Trying to determine if a wall in my basement is load-bearing I want to expand my basement.  I removed the drywall from the this wall. Someone told me it is not load bearing but I want to be 110% sure.  The floor joists above the basement are running parallel to the wall in the pictures but there is another wall above this wall (first floor).  There is no wall directly above the first floor to 2nd floor, it is off by 3-4 feet.  Based on the pictures, can you tell me if this is a load bearing wall?  Thanks

In wood construction, load almost always follows a plumb path. Where it doesn't, you find headers, wall plates or beams that are perpendicular to the horizontal, load bearing frame members they support.

If the wall in your photographs were perpendicular to the floor joists, it could be difficult to estimate load bearing potential without reviewing engineering specs of the joists in context of what the joists DO support in addition to loading they are required TO support (according to building code at the time of construction, such as having 40 people in your living room for a party).

Because your wall is parallel to the joists, It becomes much easier to estimate load bearing potential. If there is no 1st floor construction resting directly over the span of joist that sits atop your wall, then there exists no plumb path for load and thus the wall cannot be load bearing. However, that does not mean the wall doesn't provide strategic support. If the wall is under the center portion of open floor, then it could play a role in reducing "bounce".

Finally, if the wall was erected after the structure was complete, then it is not load bearing for the original structure but could be support for a later addition to the structure (such as a stone hearth, bath tub or even a slate pool table). You can identify a retrofit wall by a difference in the construction materials from the rest of the structure (lumber, fasteners, drywall).

I agree with Isherwood's comment, and my contribution here should be accepted only as information for your consideration.


To egress or not egress In attempting to get a permit to install a basement bathroom, our township building inspector is demanding we install an egress window. She has put a stop work order in the meantime. Naturally, we need to move. This has been going on for nearly a month. Everything we dispute one claim, they make another. First, it was because there is some drywall. Next, it was because she claimed the bathroom made it a habitable area.  When I pointed out that the code she is claiming to go by specifically says bathrooms don't count as habitable, her and the building department manager decided ALL basements have to have egress windows. Period.

It's the 2009 IRC that they claim to be going by.

R310.1 Emergency escape and rescue required. Basements, habitable attics and every sleeping room shall have at least one operable emergency escape and rescue opening.

So, I said, why doesn't my side door that connects to the basement by stairwell count? There is no other room. Nothing to block it. By the very definition in the code it should count.

EMERGENCY ESCAPE AND RESCUE OPENING. An operable exterior window, door or similar device that provides for a means of escape and access for rescue in the event of an emergency.

THAT is the complete definition AND the document itself says nothing is to be altered if already defined in the document. Only thing I wanted to check, and according to Webster, since they DON'T define an exterior door, and that is defined as a door allowing entry and exit to/from the outside.

I would have no problem if this was really necessary but we are putting in a bathroom. No recreation room, no bedrooms. Storage and a utility room. That's it. Can't get any satisfaction from the township, needless to say. We're considering just doing it so we can get this nonsense done and then suing in court for causing us unnecessary expense.

Any thoughts? I mentioned we need to move. We bought the house a couple months ago and have been trying to get it ready before moving in. So much for that plan.....

OK, first of all it is probably best to not get into a shouting match with the local code officials. No matter how wrong you think they are, you still need their approval. So be sure to stay civil!

Second, the question of which code version should not be up to whim. You can verify what copy of the IRC your state and local city uses by looking it up online. Many states make additional adjustments to the code, and your county or city might as well. All of this is easily verified.

Third, put down the Webster dictionary. Building codes and construction have specific meanings for many words and phrases, and a dictionary will not help you.

But to get back to your question, the answer is in the very code you cited... you just stopped reading too soon:

  IRC 2009, Chapter 3
  R310.1 Emergency escape and rescue required. Basements and every sleeping room shall have at least one operable emergency and rescue opening. [...] Emergency escape and rescue openings shall open directly into a public way, or to a yard or court that opens to a public way.

So it only counts as an emergency exit if it goes directly outside. It can't go up stairs and then out a door. The side door you already have counts as an emergency exit for the ground floor, but not for the basement.

Unfortunately you have learned that if you do construction in an area of the house you are generally required to bring that portion up-to-code. If you were not doing any work in the basement, it's unlikely that the building officials would care about the exit. But if you touch it, you own it.


How should I repair this splintered wood. The splinter is on the back of the lid on a wooden box/chest. Thanks! How should I repair this splintered wood. The splinter is on the back of the lid on a wooden box/chest. Thanks!!!

It looks like it will press right back into place, so it really comes down to what type of glue to use, and how to clamp. Here's what I would do:

Choose a glue: Any normal PVA ("wood glue") should be fine. Superglue might be quicker, but it can be fussy, so practice with it on another piece of wood if you go that route, so you know what to expect.
Plan/rehearse clamping: Is masking tape enough to hold the crack shut? How about a couple of bar clamps or a ratchet strap? Experiment to see what works before you apply any glue. If you need to apply some packing tape to a clamp or strap to keep the glue from sticking to it, do that now too. Keep the clamps handy.
Prepare the surfaces (optional).

If you rub a candle (paraffin) on the finished surfaces of the wood near the crack, excess glue will be easier to clean up, and you may avoid damaging the finish.
Some woods can be hard to glue because of oils on the surface, esp. tropical woods like mahogany. If in doubt, carefully wipe/floss the inside of the crack with some acetone or deglosser on a cotton rag. Whatever you do, don't splinter the wood--you want it to match perfectly when clamped.

Glue and clamp: Spread glue inside the crack without splintering the wood. You can "floss" it in there with some paper or cloth--or just get it to drip in. Don't worry too much about the excess. If it's super glue you'll have to work fast. Clamp it up--since you rehearsed it will be quick and without surprises. You did rehearse, right? Since the outside of the board looks like it's finished, you can wipe up excess with a damp rag.
Cleanup: wait until the glue is semi-cured, dry but not completely hard. Probably 30-60 minutes for PVA depending on humidity & temperature. Chip off the excess with a chisel, knife, fingernail, or whatever--just be careful not to damage the finish. Technically you could take the clamps off at this point, but it's better to leave them on for 8-24 hours just to be safe.


Intermittent power failures in a new build I was wondering if anyone has ever heard of this happening before:

Since we've moved into our self build house (in 6 months now) our electricity cuts out maybe 2-3 times a month but it doesn't trip anything in the fuse box and usually comes back on again without our intervention.

There are usually no appliances running when it happens though sometimes there are (dishwasher/washing machine), but it's happened several times without

We've noticed it happens mostly at night but it has occurred during the day too, we're worried there could be a fault and a potential fire hazard.

Another thing we've noticed (though not sure if connected) is that our mains connected smoke alarms go off sometimes for no reason, but not when there is a power outage.

Thanks in advance

I'm with @Tyson, my money is on the utility side. Outages like this are frequent especially if you are in a newer area where there is a lot of construction or in an old area where there hasn't been much maintenance on the lines. Check with the utility company if it is on their side they will have a list of recorded outages, right up to your meter if you have a smart meter. If it is not the utility company then your problem lies somewhere between the load side of your meter and the bus in your main panel.

Good luck


Why isn't my Empire heater blower working? The blower on my empire vented room heater model RH-50-6 will not come on.   We know the motor and fan work and we have replaced the fan control switch.  We don't know what to try next.

Have you read through the Owner's manual
Have you tried oiling it?

Oiling
The blower motor has an oil hole located on each end of the motor.
Use #20 motor oil only. It is best to oil the motor several times during
the heating season using 2 or 3 drops each time. If the motor fails
to start and hums, it could be a tight bearing due to lack of oil. This
may be corrected by pouring kerosene in the oil holes, allowing to
stand for a few hours and then oiling properly

Have you tried cleaning it?

Cleaning
The blower wheel will collect lint and could require cleaning once
a year. If the air output decreases or the noise level increases, it
indicates a dirty wheel. Complete removal of the wheel and scrubbing
it with a brush under flowing water is recommended

Are you waiting long enough?

Fan Control
The automatic fan control is located in the switch box. The switch
box is attached to the front of the blower assembly. The switch box
is adjacent to the combustion chamber. The fan control is a nonadjustable
automatic type. The fan control will require between
5 and 10 minutes of main burner operation before the fan control
“closes” and activates the blower. The blower will continue to run
between 5 and 10 minutes after the main burner shuts off, before
the fan control “opens” and deactivates the blower

Have you tried connecting the fan directly to power, to make sure it spins at all?


Wiring Ceiling Fan Remote, Two Dimmers I think this DIY wiring is a bit too much (I honestly didn't know the fan came with a remote unit when I bought it). I have a switch with separate fan and light dimmers already installed (one switches the fan off and on and adjusts the speed, one switches and dims the light). I got the fan/light to work, but the remote and dimmers aren't responding as they should.  It's a Casablanca Glen Arbor with a remote.

My ceiling has a green, white, red (hot for the light dimmer I suspect) and black (hot for the fan dimmer I suspect).

The remote receiver unit has white, yellow, blue and black.

The fan has green, white, blue and black.

What would be the ideal way to wire this?  Thank you!

In all honesty, your using 2 incompatible set ups: hardwired and remotes. they're designed to be exclusive of each other. Either remove the canopy controller and use as standard fan, or remove dimmers in the wall, and use the remote.

If you really want both, you'll need to either uses something like this wonderful but pricy setup or something like this.


How could our sliding mirror doors have cracked so easily? I purchased and installed a set of sliding mirror doors 2 weeks ago. In the space of two weeks all four of the doors have developed cracks in them. A couple of them are at least a foot long.

I have not been abusing them excessively. The one crack I was aware of causing was when I did open a door a little bit too hard and it caused it to knock into the adjacent door. Surely the doors should be built to withstand a little bit of a knock.

I can think of two possibilities - either I have installed thew in such an incorrect way that means they are incredibly fragile, or the doors are of very poor build quality. I did follow the instructions to the letter.

Before ranting at the manufacturer - is it possible that I have just missed something obvious when installing that could have caused them to crack so easily?

Edit

I forgot to add a conclusion. I contacted the manufacturers and they said they had never seen their doors crack so easily before. Without any argument they replaced the doors straight away. The replacements are still going strong without a crack > 6 months later.

The main problem is that the energy that is stored when you open and close the doors are delivered direct to the mirror and the frames, cracking the glass or the wood. Check to see if your installation was done properly. Also, if you don't want to go through problems with the manufacturer, you can try to do some wood work and reforce the frames. Try not to hit the sliding dors when opending and closing them.

Hope it helps!


Descale municipal water supply line I have a pretty old house (1910) and the water supply line from the street is ancient. I suspect it may be narrowed with scale, and/or manganese fouling (there is manganese in the local supply), because the water pressure, while ok, is not that great.

At one point the town offered to replace old supply lines for free, but now they tell residents to get a private contractor. Digging up the line is a big deal because it goes down into the foundation before heading out to the street, so it must be at least 6 feet deep.

I am wondering if an easier route might be to descale the line somehow, either with a snake/rooter or by a chemical method.

Note that there does not appear to be a curb stop on the line and the meter is located in the basement.

Are you sure its a scale build-up. Just a few things to note.

Here is just a shortlist of things to try first:

Make sure that your water meter is not the cause. there is a filter
in most meters, and it is prone to build up with gravel and small
stones, The filter is on the meter on the inlet pipe side, but you
may need the munic to do it for you.
One possibility is that the towns pressure has decreased due to more consumption, that may be the cause of your pressure loss.
Obviously look at all the gause filters on taps and check they are clean (i am sure this has been tried already)
Generally, Scale and sediment are more prone to build up on joints and T's, rather than the straight sections, one method is to try to locate the joints and have someone replace just those for you.
See if you can locate your curb stop (shut off valve) and increase flow slightly

Scale build-up will occur where there is a rapid change in pressure or temparature (water heaters specifically), however, in your case any reduction valves or joints would be the first place to look.

There are actually many types of scale, and the removal technique should be suited to the type of scale,  A Poor choice of removal method may actually promote rapid recurrence of scale. Scale Strength (Delicate, brittle, whiskers, crystal, rock like) , texture and purity (one mineral or multi-mineral) are all determining factors

Carbonate minerals are highly soluble in Hydrochloric acid
Hard Sulfate Scale more difficult since it has a low acid solubility
(need    chelating agents)

The common way to clean scale of the pipes is an acid wash, sulfuric or hydrochloric acid is normally used, whereby the pipe is opened up just after the meter, and connected to a pump, then one tap is opened at the end of the line, and a bucket is placed, then the pump circulates acid through the pipe and flushes the system. The problem with this process is that the acid does etch the pipe and create craters for accelerated scale build-up in the future.  The system must be flushed extremely well, since the spent acid solutions of scale are excellent incubators of fresh scale.


How to properly bond metal junction box with 6 AWG conductors What is the appropriate way to bond a metal junction box containing a receptacle wired with 6 AWG wire? It seems that most metal junction boxes have a 10-32 tapped hole to accept a ground screw but almost all of the pre-built pigtails that I've seen that attach to this screw are 12 AWG. Using some sort of ginormous wire nut to connect 2-6 and 1-12 AWG wires doesn't seem like the right move.

Is there some sort of ground lug that attaches to the 10-32 hold and then accepts the two 6 gauge wires? How is this normally done?

First off, why is the ground #6? Seems big unless the circuit is over 60A.

Personally, as Tester commented, I'd use a double lug screwed to the box via a machine thread screw, that is if you can find one small enough. The one Tester linked is quite large for the application. Smaller ones might be hard to find though.
This one is the smallest I could find:
http://www.cesco.com/b2c/product/Burndy-K2A25U-Two-Conductor-Terminal-Lug/159535

Another alternative is to splice the two grounds to a third tail and connect that to a single small lug screwed to the box.
http://www.cesco.com/b2c/product/Blackburn-Elastimold-L70-Type-L-Slot-Screw/3978


How do I sharpen wood lathe tools? I've had a lathe for about a year now (I have the JET 1442 with variable speed) and love it but noticed that I really suck at keeping a nice sharp edge on my tools. I have a small bench grinder I use to sharpen them, but I still just can't seem to get a good edge on my tools. Any tips or advice?

Be very careful with the grinder. It is only used to establish the original critical angle and to take out nicks in the cutting edge. If you use too heavy a pass and the metal changes color (metal temper color - extremely light straw, you've started to mess up - blue or dull metal color, you've really messed up), you soften the metal and it won't keep an edge till retempered or ground past the area where the coloration occurred.

Once the angle is established, you use standard sharpening stones to keep the edge, they are much finer grit and establish a really sharp edge. On a properly maintained tool with an established angle, this part is a touch-up process, not a laborious grind, and may be done several times during a turning session if maintaining a really sharp edge is necessary.

After fine stone work, you can use a strop charged with buffing compound to remove the burr (wire edge) that results from a good sharpening session. I also just used the buffing wheel on the other grinder (always use the portion of the wheel where the surface is passing away from you so the point doesn't catch and throw the tool at you).


Is oil-based house paint a health concern? Some use enamel to paint doors and windows. Some use enamel paint for few rooms. Some use enamel for entire house.

Reason: we can wash the doors/windows/walls if kids are scribbling on the walls or dusted

Using enamel paint for house is good or bad for health? Any idea.

Thanks.

The type of enamel paint being used will be the key. Using an enamel with no VOCs (volatile organic compounds) is what you want to eliminate the health concerns. There are latex enamels that are washable and will provide the finish you want without the possible health concerns from outgassing VOCs.


Can water based polyurethane be used to prevent knots in pine wood from bleeding through white paint? I am renovating an old house and, long story short, we have some very knotty solid pine wood planks. They're the economy - or "cottage grade" as menards calls it - tongue-and-groove, beadboard 0.5x4 planks from Menards and they were only a few cents per square foot more expensive than the sheets of imitation stuff (I have a rule, no particle wood or osb in the house!). They will be used to cover the bedroom ceiling.

However, "cottage grade" means that the wood has many large knots, ragged edges and even bark on a few pieces. And I've read how these knots can be a big problem for white paint.

My plan is this:

install them
finish them with water-based polyurethane (water based so the color of the pine does not change/darken, we prefere the 'unfinished' look plus the protection of a urethane)
decide if we like the look or not
paint them white, or another color (light gray?), if we choose.

My hope is that, if we don't like the unfinished look (the water based polyurethane is virtually invisible but will provide the benefits of a urethane such as easier to clean and a little glossy) then it will also act as a sealer coat so we can paint them.

Will the water-based polyurethane be capable of blocking the resins in the knotty pine from bleeding into the paint? If not, can I put something over the polyurethane, and will that be enough? And if so, then what?

Thanks!

Shellac is usually applied to knots prior to top coating. I've not heard of a absolutely foolproof method of sealing knots so that will stop potential bleeding from occurring. If you do decide to paint, then you have more options for addressing bleed through if it occurs.

I think it's also worth pointing out that if you decide to paint over the finished wood, you will need to prep. That means sanding in preparation for painting. That's difficult work when your surface is overhead on a ceiling. My advice would be to finish a small section and temporarily mounting it on to the ceiling so you can decide whether or not you like the look before you decide on just finishing or painting the wood.


Tub gurgles when toilet is flushed We had the sewer line cleaned out. And my husband got up on the roof to look at the vent, but he said its too hard to see clear down in the vent. It goes too far.

Gurgling drains are usually caused by obstructions in the venting system. The gurgling sound is caused by air being forced through water in your drain trap.

Follow this link for more info:

https://www.tradewindsimports.com/blog/troubleshooting-gurgling-drains/


Differences Between a Cast Iron or Steel Base for a Belt Sander? Are there any significant differences between a cast iron base or a steel base for a 4" x 36" belt sander? I know that cast iron tends to be stronger but crack more instead of flexing like how steel does. I also know from some forging videos that cast iron doesn't conduct vibrations as well, which is why cast anvils tend to be worse for forging than a forged anvil. Are there any other differences? Does the better vibration control account for much when operating a belt sander for say, a small wood shop?

I can't imagine you would be applying enough pressure on a belt sander to worry about cracking.

It is definitely true that a heavier sander will not vibrate at the high frequencies generated by normal sanding.

Steel is strong and light, so it might be better for a portable belt sander.  But cast iron might be better for you in a workshop.

In the end, with light sanding, you might want to do some shopping and look at the features then find the best price to performance ratio to make your decision.


How can I remove bubbles in a newly laid linoleum floor? We laid linoleum using glue but did not use a roller. It is bubbled all over. Can a roller be used after 8 hours and glue has dried? Will bubbles stay??

You can try poking a pinhole thru the linoleum and hope to vent it that way... If you'd gotten to this before adhesive had set the roller might have been able to work the bubbles out to the edge. Best, of course, is to eliminate them as the lino is being put down.


What is this insect and how to kill it? What is the name of insect in linked photo and how we can kill it in easy way

I believe this is the Pyrrharctia Isabella, or woollybear. Thuricide1 is labelled as a catepillar control pesticide.

1 Home Depot link, no endorsement as I have never used this myself


Attach Porch Roof Beam to Side of House The porch is 15'x20' and will be connected to the back of the house. The concrete piers, ledger, joists, and beams have already been installed. I'm now moving to install 4x4 posts and (2) 2x8 roof beams on top of the posts. I need to make a connection between the beams at two places to the flat side of the back of the house. It's been suggested I use a joist hanger like those used for the deck joists to connect the beam to the backside of the house after removing the siding that is in place. Is this the correct connection bracket or are there other options?

I've attached a picture to explain in better detail hopefully. I will be building a gabled roof on top of these beams and was planning to connect the first set of rafters to the side of the house as well with lags.

Thanks

You seem to have posts at the face of the existing wall. If that's the case, you don't really need to attach the beams other than to hold them in place in a superficial manner.

Otherwise, joist hangers or full bearing on framing in the wall. In either case you need suitable backing structure on which to mount the hangers or bear the beams. If you don't have studs in the right locations, look into top-bearing hangers that you can fasten to the top of your wall plates.

The fact that one beam appears to connect at an outside corner may complicate things a bit. You won't have room for a standard hanger. You might be able to attach around the corner by flattening out one leg of the hanger. That also may be a good location to cut into the corner stud cluster and bear directly.


How do I safely clean my paver stone driveway? I sprayed moss killer to prevent moss from growing between the cracks of my paver stone driveway.  I tested a small area first to make sure it wouldn't stain the paver stones.  It looked fine after about a day--no stains--so I proceeded to spray the whole driveway.

It came out fine, except that, shockingly, one portion of the driveway became stained with a rust-like color.  I tried power washing it out with water only, which worked a little bit, but it's still discolored.

What cleanser can I use to clean up the stain without damaging the stone? The stones look like this:

If the pavers are the same on the bottom as well as the top, you can pull up the affected pavers, wash them with just water and maybe some dish soap and then put them back in upside down.  The newly cleaned bottom side should match the other pavers pretty well.  You'll then need to put down some sand and sweep it around to refill the joints.


replace old furnace blower motor with a new one but the wires are different It is an old Rheem RGAA-100C furnace, On the old motor the wires was: White, Brown, Red, Black and Blue. On the new Motor it has Brown, Brown/White, Black, Red, White, and Blue. I don't know how to wire it back. They do not make the old motor anymore, this motor was the replacement. Could you please help.

On the circuit diagram on the motor says:

Br/Wh to Cap.
Br to Cap.
Wh to Line.
[Blk (Hi) or Blue (Med) or Red (Low)] to Line.

There should be a schematic printed on a sticker on the motor.  Without knowing the make and model, or looking at the diagram. I'm guessing based on other motors.

One common "standard" is as follows:

White = grounded (neutral) (clockwise).
Black = High speed.
Blue = Medium speed (medium low).
Red = Low speed.
Brown = Run capacitor.
Brown w/ white = Run capacitor.
Green = Ground.
Yellow = Medium speed.
Purple = Grounded (neutral) (anticlockwise).

Optional wiring available on some motors.

However, without the make and model, or the schematic, this is just a guess.

Update

The two brown wires (Br and Br/Wh) should be connected to the capacitor. If you don't have one, you may need to install one. The brown wire from the old motor should have been connected to it, so try to remember where you removed the brown wire from.

The white wire from the motor, should connect to the white wire in the junction box. This is L2/neutral, and completes the circuit.

The remaining wires are for selecting the motor speed (Blk, Blue, Red), so you're going to have to figure out which speed you should be using.  If you can remember which color wire was connected to the red wire in the junction box, that should be the same color wire to hook back up. Typically the blower is run at low speed when in heating mode, but that's no guarantee that your equipment was set up that way.

I wasn't able to locate any documentation on your equipment, and without a schematic I can't be any more specific. If you could include a good photo of the schematic, I could show you where to make the connections. You should be able to find a schematic in the manufacturer's documentation, or on the furnaces access panel.


What is the proper garbage disposal/recycle process? It has always been a problem for me since I moved from Russia to separate my stuff into compost/recycle/garbage cans by material.

I find it to difficult and ineffective to memorize where each particular thing goes. I need a list of general principles that would allow me to make the separation quick and simple. How do I define whether something is okay to compost or recycle?

By now I used the following process. If something is organic and can rot it goes into the compost can. If it's made of paper or plastic or glass or metal or their combination it goes into recycle can. This would not let me clearly define, when an object is sent to the garbage can. I can see how these rules are incomplete and erroneous.

I also don't know if I can use a single plastic bag to wrap all the compostables. Should I use paper bags instead or maybe some special biodegradable plasic ones?

P.S. I moved from Russia to the US relatively recently and many aspects of life differ a lot. That's definitely not the last question about how are the things done here.

It sounds like you have Single Stream Recycling for most everything else, so I don't see any improvement needed there. Except, to rinse everything out so it doesn't stink up the place or the Recycling Can.

The compostables (just do food scraps) go in the regular trash for most people, put them in a plastic bag to keep the wretched stink down. If you buy into that "Eating Healthy" nonsense. But, I haven't heard of a Compost Pick Up from the Town or City Service (Public Works Dept.).

You usually dump the Food Scraps in a specific area of your yard, pouring out a bucket or tossing a paper bag on the pile. But, to do it right you need to till-it or turn & mix it with a Shovel or Pitch Fork monthly to get the composting action to happen.

However, there are Private Compost Pickup services all over the country. So, you may have 1 or more in your area. You can Google Compost Pick Up or you can search through sites like CompostNow.org for someone in your area.


Is there a visible way to turn off this Wedgewood pilot light? I would like to turn off this pilot light on my 1930's Wedgewood stove, to use less gas. I can't see any obvious way to turn it off; am I missing something? Like I don't know if that nut or what seems to be an airflow controller below it would do anything. Figured I'd ask before trying it, before moving the stove out to look for other valves.

No, there is no valve visible here. On this particular model, after further searching, the valve for the broiler pilot turned out to be where the pilot gas line exits the gas distribution manifold, which is under the cooktop, by the broiler control dial. It looks like a a flathead screw. If you're going to then use it by lighting with a match/striker/lighter, then obviously only do this with a broiler or something else that is simple on-off, not something like an oven that has a thermostat.


How to replace sink shut off valve I would like to replace the old style shut off valve with the new 1/4 turn angle valve. My question is can I just unscrew the red part and screw in a new 1/4 turn one to the blue part so I don't have to make cuts to the pex pipe?

This doesn't appear to be PEX pipe but a 1/2' or 3/8" compression inlet. Remove the valve by unscrewing the red part  and take it to your plumbing supply store so they can attempt to  match the compression face and threads. If the compression sleeve and nut come off the pipe easily, take them with you too.
Your valve stem is PVC so I'm curious as to why you want to replace the valve.


What type of tool or bit is a metal shaft with splines? I inherited a load of tools from my father. Among them was this bit.  I have never seen one like it, and don't know its purpose. It has six straight splines set at an angle to the long axis of the bit and sharpened to act as cutters. The diameter at the splines is 1/2" and at the smooth shaft slightly less than that.  There is a hole in the tip that is 1/8" deep.  The first half or so of the hole is conical, and the deepest part is cylindrical.  I do not see or feel any threads in the hole. The following is stamped into the smooth part of the shaft: "National Detroit High Speed IVF [those three letters are slightly obscured from wear, but I think that's what they are] 1/2 [which must be the diameter]." It will cut into the edge of a piece of wood if put in a drill press with the wood pressed against the rotating bit, but the cutting is slow.

That is a straight reamer  it's used to make a hole a precise size (drill slightly under-sized, ream to size, more precise than simply drilling to size.) The hole at the tip is used in making it and/or sharpening it (as made it will be exactly 1/2" - after re-sharpening it will be slightly less than 1/2")
It is NOT a router bit (and putting side loads on a drill press can have unfortunate consequences, so I suggest not trying to use it that way anymore)


Is it alright for an exhaust fan to vent into the loft? I live in a rented property, when I moved in a new bathroom suite had been installed.

We however have had chronic condensation problems in the property.

when going into the loftspace I could not believe that the ventilation pipe is just venting into the loft itself.

Also the exhaust fan is approx 6 feet high from the bathrooms ceiling and there is a bend in the pipe of approx 60 degrees, and then after another foot or so, the fan sits.

I'm just enquiring if this is in anyway cited as good practice, or is the workmanship poor?

Bad, bad, bad.

Mold will be in evidence shortly in the loft (attic), as we go into warmer weather.

The vent must run to the exterior, either through a gable wall or through the roof.  Its easier to properly down-slope to the gable wall (to eliminate any condensation in the vent pipe.

To reduce pipe condensation (either inside or outside of pipe), a jacket of insulation is suggested.  Also suggested is smooth walled pipe, gradual turns and no screw penetrations into the vent airspace.


Correct Breaker for older Murray panel (wider slot) While reorganizing an older Murray panel (Brooklyn era) and replacing a few older breakers with the current MP style I found they do not fit over the tabs on positions 9, 13 and 17.

The tab width on these are approx 3/4-7/8". I also noticed some burrs and some copper looking marks at the ends, is this normal and safe to use with the correct breaker.

Thanks In advance to all.

Abducted by alien breakers

Someone (Bruce Banner?) tried to fit incompatible breakers such as GE THQP215 or a double-stuff Murray MP2020U. Breakers that Just Don't Belong in this panel.

When the breaker didn't fit, that person just "made it fit".   And bent the bus stabs all to heck.  You've circled the faults, but I would pop the other breakers and check them too.

Fixing stabs?

I really, really, really, really do not like damaged bus stabs.  If you look at the history of panels that have had severe problems (Zinsco, FPE) the real firestarter in the panels is their faulty bus stabs, and that can't be fixed by changing breakers.   So bus stab damage should be treated "serious as a heart attack".

The affected spaces are 9-10, 13-14, and 17-18. The even numbered spaces aren't making good contact either, so you cannot continue them in service as-is. That means the 2-pole breaker in 16+18 can only go in spaces 1-8 now.

I suppose you could shut off the main breaker, test that it has no leakage, and get in there and straighten the breakers, and pray to the metal-fatigue gods that  you haven't weakened them in the bend-unbend.  Not easily will they bend; the last guy really did a gorilla job on this thing.

However, I also see what look like "burrs" on there, most acute on the one above the top red circle. I can't even fathom how a breaker would do that damage,  unless it was arcing. (which is of course the danger).  That's a harder fix; that'll require getting in there with a light file and dressing that back to proper shape as far as possible, but that'll require someone with some chops at metalwork. if you scratch up the sides of the stabs, you'll create an arcing problem.

Who knows what other damage is under breakers 1-8?

The root problem: one too many latté's

Separately from that, this is a 20-space, which is small even for an apartment, which I suspect is how this all started.  Some chowderhead decided to pound in double-stuff breakers, even though the label plainly prohibits them.

But the failure tree branches back further, to the person who saved the cost of a latté by speccing such a small panel.  Spaces are cheap when you're buying a panel.

This.  This is why on this stack we veritably foam at the mouth to say "get a HUGE panel". Because then, stupid doesn't happen.

Just replace the darn thing

Fortunately, this panel is in a "utility space": it's surface mounted, so you won't be fighting drywall.  There are two ways to go on replacing this panel, depending on logistics.

Option 1: Double-barrel panels. if you have the space, fit another service panel right next to it. I would go at least a 30-space. (no more double-stuffs, 'K? They're effectively illegal now anyway.)

Feed the new panel from a big breaker (or subfeed lugs) in the old panel.  Move circuits to it at  your leisure. As discussed, spaces 9-10, 13-14, and 17-18 are unusable;  and they're all on the same phase. Ignoring your 240V breakers, you now have 8 spaces on phase 1 but only 2 on phase 2.  So effectively, you can't use spaces 9-20 at all, and should migrate away from them ASAP.  They really chowdered this panel.

Option 2: Replace main panel.  Again, being in utility space saves you, but you'll need to have the power company cut power.  Fortunately, you are in conduit, where you can just go to the other end of the conduit and pull the wires back to protect them during all the metal-flinging.

I would replace with a 40-space panel. Staying with Murray/Siemens is perfectly fine, it's a good panel and it'll let you reuse the breakers.  40-space because the next size down is 30, and that's too few.  If physical space is an issue, look at Eaton CH or the overpriced Square D QO which are more compact (without being double-stuffed).

If your panel was more glued into the wall and had more cables and less conduit, I would propose swapping the bus assembly with another panel with the same mounting hole and cover form-factor; or simply going with one of the Eaton kits that lets you replace all the panel guts. (it's intended for Zinsco/FPE panels). But that's excessive here.

Watch out for Multi-Wire Branch Circuits

I see a couple red wires in there, and I see more hots than neutrals.  Your panel should be labeled to show which neutrals go with which hots.   I suspect you will have cases where 2 hots share a neutral, which is called a Multi-Wire Branch circuit or MWBC.  In that case, the 2 hots must be on a 2-pole breaker such as the one in 16-18.

If this is done, the neutral will carry only differential current (e.g. if one leg draws 10 amps and the other draws 15, the neutral will carry 5 amps).  If they are improperly placed, the neutral will draw the sum (25 amps).

Look at breakers 11 and 15 (or 15 and 19?)  They appear to be an MWBC.  Danger! Their breakers cannot be positioned like that, or they will overload the neutral.  Losing most of your phase-2 positions makes it impossible to place MWBCs correctly in this panel.

If you cannot fix the MWBC problem any other way, then you need to place both hot wires on the same terminal of the same 1-pole breaker. Neutral will still carry the sum of currents, but, both hots total will be limited to the single breaker throw (e.g. 15A).  Never place an MWBC on a duplex breaker!  Note that this arrangement may create statutory code violations because it is effectively combining circuits that may not be permissible to combine, such as bathroom receptacles + kitchen receptacles.


Cutting out shapes inside cement board I need to cut out a shape (rectangular opening) inside a cement board. Was wondering if it can be done with a jigsaw and a special blade once I have pilot holes drilled in each corner.

There is no real experience needed when cutting an opening in cement board. I've seen openings for faucet handles created with nothing more than a well placed hammer strike (one hit each hole!). What ever tool you have available will suffice. I've drilled perforations with a masonry bit for a single shower valve. Oscillating tools with a carbide blade work. The primitive method is to cut the mesh with a utility knife and then force the board to break along the cut line. For a triangle cut not along an edge, mark the outline with a pencil, and drill a 3/8 inch hole at each of the 3 points. With an aggressive saw blade follow the lines to each 3/8 inch hole. If the edges are to jagged smooth with a rasp or  a whet stone.


Wiring Bathroom Exhaust Fan With Heater Unfortunately I did not take a picture of how the original fan was wired, but I have 5 wires going to the fan, and the fan appears to have connections for 7, help?

Schematic:

Wires to the unit:

Unit's wires:

3 control switch- light, fan, heat

I'm sure that previous fan had exhaust, heat, and light working independently, but again I did not have the foresight to take a picture of that before removal. My dad says it's not possible, am I crazy?

To wire this properly, you have two options.

Run a 14/4 (or 12/4 if it's a 20 ampere circuit), or 14/2/2 (12/2/2 for 20 amperes) plus ground nonmetallic sheathed cable (Type NM) between the switch and the fan.
Install conduit and run individual conductors between the switch and fan.

There's no way to wire this in a code compliant way, using two 14/2 with ground cables. You'd either violate 300.3(B), by not having all the conductors in the same cable. Or you'd violate 310.10(H)(1), by having paralleled conductors.

Using 14/4 is the easiest, since the wire colors should match up. Simply collect all the white wires from the fan, and connect them to the white wire from the 14/4 cable. Connect the bare ground wire from the cable, to the green wire from the fan. Then just match the colors, black to black, red to red, and blue to blue.

At the switch, connect all the grounds together. Connect the white wire from the 14/4 cable, to the feeder neutral. Connect the black wire to the fan switch, the blue wire to the light switch, and the red wire to the heater switch.

If you're using 14/2/2. Instead of a blue wire, you'll have a white wire with a red stripe. You'll have to mark this wire at both ends with a marker or tape, to reidentify it as a hot conductor. Once that's done, simply substitute it for the blue wire in the description above.

If you install conduit, you can use whatever code compliant color wires you want.


How should I hang Christmas lights where I don't have any gutters? I finally got around to hanging Christmas lights this year. I bought gutter clips so I wouldn't have to permanently install anything, but I just realized that I don't have gutters along a pitched portion of my roof. The soffit there isn't perforated, so I can't hang them through it either. I did notice the metal flashing (maybe it's flashing? someone correct me if I didn't use the right term) is hung with nails underneath the eaves. Can I nail into that without worrying about moisture problems?

How about Magnetic Christmas Lights? I've never tried them, but if they use a descent magnet it would be a winner.

I've seen these before a Walmart or places like that.  It looks like it would clip onto your shingles.  They might be good for the short term of Christmas but I don't know how sun, wind and weather will affect their life.


Running electric to treehouse from outdoor load center I have this load center on the outside wall of my house. It was added for a hot tub that we no longer use. Can I run electricity from this box to a treehouse I just built?

If this tree-house involves children, I suggest you go another way entirely.

Make it an experiment/exposition in off-grid solar technologies.  Use the most common voltage for smaller off-grid systems: 12V DC.    There's a lot of exciting stuff going on in this field.  It is highly accessible to children.  It engages them in STEM.  And unlike many "STEM projects, childrens' version", you get to work in the real magilla, with the same hardware the pros use.  The same design issues arise, and he gets direct field experience with them. So those skills apply directly to the solar/off-grid field.

See?  This suddenly becomes worlds safer, and a whole bunch of Code and permitting issues just disappear!

(well not quite. Code does have a thing or two to say about low voltage power systems. But violating Code in this area isn't going to get anyone electrocuted and probably won't burn your tree down.)

If the system needs help, you could certainly add a 12V battery charger fed from 120V.  But you'd have flexibility to put that in a safe, code legal location.


Can I use a brighter bulb in a Harbor Breeze Caratuk fixture? The house I'm living in has Harbor Breeze Caratuk ceiling fan fixtures installed in the bedrooms. The light bulb is a 60W equivalent LED bulb (6.5W). But the rooms are not lit brightly enough for me. The fixtures have a sticker that says "Max 6.5W" (yes: it does NOT say "65W"):

From what I've read online the max wattage is 7W. Is that really accurate? Am I stuck with the dim bulbs or can I replace them with something brighter? Or am I going to have to add lamps or replace the fixtures to get more light in the room?

Pretty low wattage for a lamp socket. I have never seen one listing that low. This would mean LED only. But, if this is the case, you could potentially choose a higher temperature range to get "brighter" light. If you have warm white, change to cool white. Try to find a bulb in the 5000k-6000k range.

I looked up the fan on https://www.lowes.com/pd/Harbor-Breeze-Caratuk-River-52-in-Bronze-Indoor-Downrod-Or-Close-Mount-Ceiling-Fan-with-Light-Kit/50354992 , and it states a max wattage of 60. So you could get a 100 watt equivalent LED and install that. Incandescent, CFL and LED are all different. At 60 watts, you are limited to a 60 watt incandescent, a 60 watt CFL is equivalent to a 225-276 watt incandescent, and a 60-watt LED is roughly equivalent to a 276-450 watt incandescent. Those are all estimates.


What can I replace oversized waterproof outlet cover with? In my house I have two external outlets like this:

Both of them cracked and need replacement. Though I found a straight replacement (Leviton 4986-GY 1-Gang Duplex Device Wallplate Cover, Oversize, Weather-Resistant, Thermoplastic, Device Mount, Horizontal, Gray) based on reviews they will crack soon again.
I tried to find alternatives but there are no clear candidates. Ideally I'd like to install something like weatherproof deep in-use cover one but they don't cover underlying round box. What are my options?

Update. Followed the answer, worked like a charm! Need to paint around outlet.

Easy. Just get a round to single gang adapter like this:

Amazon even suggests this is bought together with an in-use cover and GFCI, so you are clearly not the only one with this problem.
If you don't have GFCI on this circuit, you should add it. Even with an in-use cover, that would be better done inside (breaker panel or an earlier receptacle in the circuit).


3 way switch with multiple outlets I'm wiring the new workshop and want to use 3 way switches to control four outlets running across the ceiling for plug in lights.  Right now, each switch is functioning like a single pole, turning on/off the string of outlets rather than controlling the outlets as intended. Power comes into the first 3-way; Red traveler is continuous from first to second switch; black traveler runs from first switch, ties into each outlet, and ends at second switch common; white neutral comes from power and ties into each outlet; white wire is used as hot wire from last outlet to second switch.

Where did I make the mistake?  Thanks for the help.

To explain a bit:

Both travelers (Red and Black) must be continuous from the first to the second switch. Then from the second switch you would connect the non-traveler (now the switched wire) to each outlet.

If the outlets are along the path of the travelers then that means that each outlet will have 4 wires (+ground): the neutral, the switched wire and the 2 travelers.

Convention for the color codes in the switches are

red and marked white = traveler.
black = switched wire
white = neutral.

current code also requires you to pull the neutral to the second switch (left capped off if not used) as future proofing for when you want to connect a timer or motion sensor.


What could be causing my spa filter to clog regularly/often; and how can I fix it? EDITED FOR TL;DR:

I have an above-ground fiberglass spa in the backyard of my home. I'd call it a four-person as more than that would probably overflow the tub, but it's got seating for up to seven; my best guess as to water capacity is about 350-400 gallons.

The spa's circulation system is a combination electric pump/electric heater, which is upstream of and inline with a Hayward cylinder filter and housing. We bought a brand-new filter for it when we bought the house, as a part of the general process of making the spa usable again (it had been neglected for at least the previous winter). The filter's about a foot wide by a foot and a half tall; at least half the size of the smallest comparable Hayward filters that the HIWs and Leslie Pools keep in stock, and possibly smaller.

When the filter is new, newly-cleaned, or even taken out and air-dried for a few hours, the jets run great. However, after a period of just a few days of normal circulation with the jets "off", the water flow drops to next to nothing. From week to week the situation becomes so bad that there isn't enough pressure to siphon air from the intakes into the jets when the pump's at full (and so you don't get much massaging action; not much fun).

The circulation system is very simple; skimmer and bottom drain -> gate valve -> pump/heater -> filter -> gate valve -> jets. The two gate valves basically allow you to hold the water in the tub while you work on the pump or filter. There's no backwash capability, and there's really no good way to even fully drain the tub. This, along with a host of other little things (like, I dunno, the spa no longer being level because it didn't have a proper foundation) makes me think that some things were skipped in the installation.

Currently, the workaround when the flow is too low for a dip is to take out the filter. This isn't a great solution because the filter housing is not easy to get to with bare feet, and if we let it go then obviously the water isn't being filtered and turns cloudy and green. To clean the filter, I remove it, rinse it off well, then soak it in filter cleaner, rinse well again, and reinstall it. This works for a week and then I have to repeat the whole process, which adds up to two hours to the regular spa maintenance that otherwise takes less than a half an hour (skim, brush, net, test, balance, shock, new chlorine tab, test again).

Is there a problem here? I think so. I think either the pump isn't strong enough to get good flow unless the filter is completely clean, or the filter is too small and is gunking up too quickly. There could be something else; I doubt it's bio-slime as the stuff I use for shock is also an algaecide and it does a good job. Maybe too much clarifier (the shock has that in it too)?

Options:

Suck it up. Maybe the filter really does need to be rinsed out weekly; the FAQ from one of the comments says to rinse "periodically" and to only chemically clean the filter once a season or so (every time you need to drain/refill the tub).
Replace the pump with a higher-pressure one for better flow no matter the filter state.
Replace the filter housing with one that has more filter area in the cartridge so it'll go longer before gunking up completely.
Redo the circulation lines to add backwash and/or bypass capabilities, allowing for a more automated clean-out and/or the ability to easily ignore the problem while in the tub (even clogged, the filter does a great job keeping the water clean, it just doesn't allow enough circulation when we want the jets on full).
Look at the products I'm using and see if any are contributing to the problem (adding too much hardness, too much clarifier compound, etc etc etc)
Drain, clean, refill tub (the water's perfect according to the last test strip; maybe a bit high on the pH)
Rip the whole spa out and start over (may sound extreme but there are reasons)

Pics when I can get them.

I don't know if this is really an answer, but I've had a Coleman 6 person spa in service for about 25 years. Yes, 25 years!  I have never had the same problems you are experiencing. We learned early on that any clothing (bathing suits etc) must be very clean and rinsed extremely well before going into the spa. Clothes cleaning detergents left in the fabrics release into the pool water and cause foam quickly. The clarifier is good at flocking these soaps, but they do tend to gum up the works quickly.  We never lost a lot of pressure however, just had to clean the filter.  We also made a habit of completely changing the water at least twice a year. After draining as much as we could via the drain hose, we used a wet vac to get as much out of any low spots.  We then put in just enough water to cover the intake close to the bottom and jogged the pump to cycle clean water through the system and get the dirty water out. Again, drain and vacuum and repeat this process until the water looks clear.  We do this with the filter out.  This will clean out a lot of crap. About once a year just before we do a drain and complete cleaning, we treat the tub with anti-scale cleanser.  This cleans the internal pipes of built up scale and solids. In your case, you may want to do this anti-scale treatment for a few days with the circulator on low and the filter out to purge the internal system. Then go ahead and change the water.

Another test you can do is to see how well the pump pushes water. When you have the small amount in the bottom, just above the intake, jets exposed, turn the jets to full, air off and see if the pump will shoot the water out of the jets with extreme force.  Mine will shot water 20 feet away!!!!  lol. If you don't have really good pressure, you may have a warn pump impeller. They can be damaged over time by chlorine based sanitizer, I never use chlorine, just bromine based shock etc.

The other item to check is if you have the right filter for your unit. Filters come in so many styles and densities. You may need to find one that allows better flow.

Assuming you find the root cause of your problem, good housekeeping, keeping as much contaminates as possible out of your tub will help. Very clean bathing suits or none at all,(yahoo) no body cosmetics such as body oils, moisturizers, perfumes etc. Keep chemical treatments to a minimum. Do a quick check weekly for PH, Total alkalinity, and bromine level. Adjust them sparingly so not to overdo any chemicals. Once you get everything under control, maintaining it is very easy and quick.  Good Luck


Why do microwaves run 3 extra seconds after timer ends? So I think I know the answer to this but want to confirm and ask further questions.

Whenever you run most microwaves in timer mode, it stops the microwave operation at 0 seconds, but continues to leave the light on, the fan running and even the tray rotating for an extra 2 or 3 seconds. Why do they do this? One manufacturer's site mentions that its to cool down the elements inside.

But if this is the case, does that mean that if you manually stop the process by either hitting clear/stop or just opening the door, are the elements not being cooled down as they should? Because manually stopping the process prevents the cool down cycle from happening. Will manually stopping the microwave shorten the lifetime of the microwave?

I had a microwave oven that would keep the fan, light, and turntable going until the food was rotated to its original orientation.  That way it was easy to grab the handle of your tea cup :)

I've repaired microwave ovens in the past, and I don't think that a few extra seconds of airflow (after the cooking is completed) would help the longevity.  They are designed so that nothing gets hot except for the food.

Unless, of course, it is a dual microwave/convection model.  Then a cooling cycle would keep the hot elements from over-heating the convection pathways.

Update:

I've been doing some research and have found additional information.  The microwave ovens are not actually all that efficient from an electrical power standpoint.  For example, a representative oven I found online cooks at 900W but requires 1350W from the wall outlet.

This relates to your question because all that extra power is dissipated in the oven as non-functional (not-for-cooking) heat, and is removed with fans.  Most of the excess heat is generated in the magnetron, and a little is used for the controller, user interface, etc.

Removing some of this waste heat from the magnetron may very well improve the longevity of the oven.  The design engineers may have reduced the oven's passive venting by including extra active fan-based cooling.


Should I keep downspout extenders installed during the winter? Should downspout extenders be kept installed during winter? For some reason, I think they facilitate ice formation to creep up the spout?

When I say downspout extenders, I mean these

Proper drainage depends on a constant gradient. These flexible pipes don't provide that.

Those concentric corrugations and the flexibility that allows them to follow ground contour with a portion of the length dropping into a depression or having to go over an obstruction leaves a pool of water that freezes.

Elbows and rigid downspout stock to get the roof runoff out away from the foundation works best. There are fold-up metal/vinyl 48/60" extenders available that allow for flowerbed maintenance.

If you have a lot of winter precipitation as rain, or a lot of melt-water, you need to get the runoff out and away from the house foundation, which is the purpose of a proper downspout system. Thus, extending the outflow of the downspouts is needed year around to prevent this.


Is it more economical to use hot water before boiling or to bring cold water to a boil? Since the arrival of our newborn, we have been using the stove to boil water in order to sterilize the nipples, bottles and rings.

Which got me thinking, is it more economical to start off using hot water to help accelerate the boil or are we better off bringing the cold water to a boil?

EDIT:
This question is was to satisfy my curiosity more than anything. I used the fact that I need to constantly boil water to sterilize baby related items as an example, this is not the first time it crossed my mind (preparing pasta for example).

It might be slightly more economical, but it also might be slightly worse for your health.  Hot water dissolves plumbing (pipes, valves, fixtures, etc.) much faster, and what it dissolves is in the water.

Lead is specifically of concern, particularly with homes prior to 1986 and with infants.  There's a NY Times article that sums it up nicely with sources.


How to run low voltage wire from one side of kitchen hood to the other? I need to run low voltage wire for under cabinet lighting from one side of an exhaust hood to the other.  I would like to install a conduit so that the wire can be pulled later in the project (after backsplash is installed, etc.)  For example can we cut away the drywall, mount a 1/4" conduit to the 2x4s and burry it in compound?  If yes, what type of conduit should be used?  Is there something made for this purpose?

Also (and perhaps more importantly), what is the "right" way to do this?

I've done this myself with both conventional range hoods and over-the-oven microwaves. Just drop the hood and cut one in. Avoid the areas where mounting screws will need to go, and avoid damaging your vapor barrier (if present). There's no need to patch the drywall.

Use any rigid or semi-rigid tubing that meets your size requirements. Obviously you'll want to position it so that it aligns with the holes you drill in your cabinetry.

UPDATE:
From your comment I see that you'd like the wire to be under the upper cabinets. This is what I expected. My wire route usually goes through the side of the cabinet adjacent to the range hood, down through the cabinet floor at the rear corner, and wherever it needs to go underneath the cabinet, concealed by the recess. Sometimes it's necessary to clip a very small corner off the floating shelves, but it's not really visible from outside.

Of course, you can always run your conduit in the wall level with the cabinet recess since you're working on the wall anyway. The "right way" is what makes sense in your case. It's not a code issue.


Accounting for warp while welding precise corner joints I am learning how to weld. I have a wire-feed arc welder (fcaw), 125 amp max. I am working with 1/8" plain steel.

My general technique isn't great but I'm working on it. My focus now is I am trying to figure out how to weld right angle corners while taking into account how the metal flexes as it cools. I haven't yet wrapped my head around how the metal moves.

As an experiment, I made two 90 degree corners. On one corner I did the inside first, on the other, I did the outside first. On both I went in opposite directions on the inside vs. the outside. After doing the inside/outside I immediately did the other side without waiting too long.

First I clamped the metal at 90 degrees and verified:

Next I tacked both sides in the center and confirmed again:

Then I did the welds and let both pieces air cool for a while until they were about ambient temperature (yeah, the spatter and the broken wire... working on it):

Then I cleaned it up with a brush wheel and checked the angles again. Both bent inwards:

The inside-first one warped significantly more, but neither of them turned out at 90 degrees. I expected the outside-first one to bend outwards but it didn't (one thing I should have done in this experiment is measured the angles after doing one side to see if the second side pulled it in the other direction).

One of the things this applies to is, I tried to weld four pieces into a square yesterday, and it came out more diamond shaped because I did the two opposite corners first and they warped inwards.

So my question is: What's the technique here? How can I weld precise 90 degree corners while taking into account how the metal moves? Can I prevent the movement somehow, perhaps do the welds in a different order? Some other trick? Am I welding too hot, maybe (there's a lot of spatter and some visible dig on the edges, but I don't know if this is a sign of a problem)?

Most work I've seen like this where it needs to be precise employs 2 techniques.

The first of which is a welding Jig, complete with braces, clamps and the like to forcefully hold everything in position. Most of the time this uses a large, heavy welding tables with holes and slots to bolt the braces and jig too. C-Clamps and whatnot are helpful as well.

Additionally, it's not uncommon even after a well produced weld, to check for true and use a torch and tools to relieve the stress, while tweaking the alignment.

TL:DR - Keep it from warping in the first place, but if/when it warps, heat to adjust and de-stress as needed.

Also, it does look like you're welding a bit hot in places. Practice, practice, practice. There's nothing wrong with grinding out your weld, and starting over, or using a REALLY big wrench/hammer/pliers to straighten it out.


What finish should I use for concrete on stairs? I want to remove the carpets on the stairs in my duplex. it is a concrete staircase.
I think I would need to repair it and then I want to coat it and leave it bare.
what would be a good coat to use? Paint? epoxy?
I do not want it to be slippery and if possible I want to allow the concrete to absorb heat during the day in winter when the sun shines on it so that at night it can release the heat.

You don't have to finish them. If you like the look of concrete, you can leave it as-is.

If you do want to finish, I'd suggest a concrete stain. You can then seal it with a variety of clear coat products. Epoxy based clear coats are more durable, though harder to apply. You can even just apply a wax as a final protective coat if you like.


Home lead testing kits Are home lead testing kits accurate or should I hire a pro? What should I being looking for when purchasing home lead testing kits?

The home lead testing kits are very accurate if used properly, but only spot check.  I buy these same kits in boxes of 50 for home inspections.  If you are concerned about widespread lead, you need to have an electronic scan dome by a pro.  This type of electronic camera can detect lead in walls, trim, interior or exterior and can cover an entire house in half an hour.  Costs vary, but 200 to 300 bucks is average in my area.  If you are only concerned with a small area or certain surfaces, the home test is fine. There is a technique to it, don't want to over simplify, but not hard if you read and follow the directions carefully.  Good luck


Are there any advantages to using higher priced sealers? I want to use a water based sealer on my pavers to bring out the color and also for some resistance against dirt and fading.  I went to the store and saw sealers varying in price from about $11 per gallon for Thompson's water seal to about $24 for a Behr brand low luster to sealer to over $30 for a natural stone and brick name-brand sealer.

Is there really much difference in quality and longevity to justify the higher prices of the mid and name-brand sealers?

Linseed Oil makes a great concrete sealer/sealant.
The only caution you should take is the applicator that you use. Make sure you submerse the applicator in water after completion. Linseed Oil is highly flammable.

https://www.doityourself.com/stry/using-boiled-linseed-oil-as-concrete-floor-sealant


How to Turn On a Wall Heater There is this wall heater in my new apartment.

This is the inside the panel. There is a hole in the middle. The bottom has a knob that only has "off"  "high" and "low" modes.

I cannot find anything that says pilot light, or anywhere to light a pilot light flame.

Help. It's 40F inside and bloody cold here. Thanks.

Check the valve in the bottom 2 pictures that is connected to the pipe that comes up through the floor. That is the manual gas valve that may need to be turned if it is turned off. First, turn the knob marked off, low and high to OFF. Then, in the bottom 2 pictures, that RED knob or button that slants to the left and slightly downward will need to be pushed in to allow the gas to flow to the pilot. While pushing that stem in, stick a match into the hole to light the pilot. Hold the red stem in for a minute or 2. When you release that red stem the pilot should stay on, if not , redo the last step. Once the pilot stays lit you can turn that handle set to off to low or high and gas should flow. If it doesn't work you may need to call a service co. for help. Let us know if you get heat.


How to add forced water radiator? I have a very small cast iron radiator which works great, but when really cold temperature hits outside, it is not enough to heat that particular room (and it is on the third floor so 2nd zone is not an option now).

I want to add baseboard radiator to run along the side of the wall next to cast iron radiator. Given that small radiator is sufficient 80% of the time, I would like to be able to shut off baseboard one and turn it on only when needed.

How can I connect both?  And what type of shut off valve to use for baseboard one?

I would call a bunch of heating guys and scrap dealers in your neighbor hood and see if you can buy another small cast iron radiator. Pipe the two in series and add a thermostatic valve (Danfoss or Honeywell) to the first radiator. It can replace the shut off valve if you have one. Then you would have automatic operation and would not have to rig up any thing else. Hot water is piped in at the top out at the bottom. The rad does not have to match the other rad ,just make sure it has connection nipples on the top and bottom just like the existing rads


Help with moldy deck from bad boiled linseed oil job I need some opinions on what to do about my deck. About about a month and a half ago we applied linseed oil to our deck. Our first mistake was that the deck had a sealant, so the oil didn't really penetrate. The second mistake is that we didn't use an anti-fungal.

After some heavy rain we started to see mold spots on the deck. Really bad in some of the ruts where water collects.

I'm hoping that since the linseed oil didn't really penetrate that the mold is mostly just on the surface. I don't know how realistic that is.

I initially tried treating with concrobium, but it didn't really help. I am thinking that was because it could not penetrate the wood.

After that failed attempt, I cleaned the mold off with white vinegar. This worked great. All the mold just dissolved off. It hasn't rained again since I cleaned with vinegar, so I don't know how effective it was yet.

After cleaning with vinegar it has exposed the wood that was underneath the mold spots. I need to figure out what to do about this since I don't want moisture trapped in the wood, making it worse.

I've included some pictures of the deck and some mold spots. https://imgur.com/a/KsdA8JR

My question is: Should I just completely strip the deck and repaint? Or can I wait it out until next summer? I was considering sealing up the exposed wood from cleaning. One of the main places I'm concerned about mold is at the legs of the deck because they are in the dirt, so they are constantly getting moldy again from the moisture.

So your posts are in direct contact with the ground? Not pressure treated? Maybe redwood or cedar? You might just wait until its warm enough to deal with. Best bet may be to pressure wash and strip the deck then sand and reseal or stain or whatever your preferred covering is. If you can keep the deck dry and warm for a sealing project now, you could do it now. They make a deck wash that will clean your deck, very similar to a bleach solution. You need to kill the mold before you apply another treatment. If mold on the posts is an issue, you need to look into a different post, either pier blocks or replacing the posts with pressure treated wood.


How should I seal a metal window frame to a cinder block wall? I have a basement window with a metal frame fitted into a cinder block wall.  The sill is crumbling and I'll find the right masonry product to repair that but the seal/transition from the frame to the wall was also in bad shape.  It wasn't hard enough to be mortar and seemed too brittle and clumpy to be caulk.  It felt like hardened glazing compound.  I'm unsure what to reseal it with.  There is a gap of about 1/4".  Any thoughts?

Urethane or 100% silicone caulk. Urethane for the best bond and toughness, silicone if you can't find urethane. Silicone is not paintable.

Clean up all loose material first. Press in foam rope as a backer if needed, leaving room for at least 1/4" of caulk.


Do wooden cabinets absorb grease in kitchen? I had my mind on wooden countertops - but I will likely be a heavy duty user and so I have settled on the idea of using wooden cabinets (such as here) with a corian/marble type countertop. My partner has raised questions about the wood absorbing the grease - and so I would like to know if any of you have come across this problem, and how can we best mitigate it?

If you do a lot of frying and don't have an effective ventilation system grease will accumulate on kitchen surfaces. The key point is adequate ventilation to control the movement from the cooking area. The range hood should vent to the outside, not just filter and recirculate. The grease that does settle shouldn't penetrate the finish on the cabinets. The more ornate the surface the more difficult it will be to clean the nooks and crannies.


Adhesive removal from my recently installed carpet I recently installed some outdoor type - low profile carpet on my new office floor.  The adhesive used was TEC multi - purpose carpet adhesive.   The mastic bled through in a number of spots throughout the carpet (probably too much mastic). I was told the mastic would dry clear and therefore not be a problem.  It was installed this past Thursday, today is Sunday, I see no difference; even though the room is well heated with an added fan for good circulation.

How can I remove the bleed through mastic?

This will vary depending on the particular product. For TEC 706 Universal MultiPurpose Adhesive, the product data sheet says:

Clean-up

Remove fresh adhesive from face of flooring with warm, soapy water. Dried adhesive must be removed with mineral spirits.