How can I install a cable jack without a box? I recently had our drywall replaced due to flooding. Our coax cables are now just hanging out of the new wall and I need to install cable jacks.

Is there a way I can mount the coax wall plates to the drywall without an electric box in the wall? I'd rather not cut the drywall if I don't have to. I don't seem to remember the cable company ever doing that either. I've found a few articles mentioning television jack mounting brackets but the local home stores don't seem to have those.

Any tips?!

You could use something like this:

Cut a hole in the sheetrock according to the template, and when you tighten the screws, the tabs tighten against the back of the sheetrock to hold in place.  You then pull the cable through and use a plate like this:


New Concrete Patio Options We would like to put in a new concrete patio.  We are looking at a stamped concrete patio for durability and visual appeal.  What other options are there?  What are the pros and cons of the different options?

In addition, what about staining concrete?  What is the durability?  Does it need to be reapplied?

the other option, you can make tile patio with a design of mosaic, that is quiet cool... : )


In a multiwire branch circuit, can the two hots be connected to the same phase? This may be an obvious question, but I haven't been able to find a direct answer.
I believe I have a MWBC - I have two hot wires connected to two separate circuit breakers, sharing a neutral and ground wire. The two circuit breakers are not adjacent to one another. they're on slot 24 and slot 28, respectively. Slot 26 is occupied with another circuit.
This is bad, right? This means that my two circuits are both on bus B and in the same phase, rather than in opposite phases like they should be, correct?
Is there some other reason a MWBC would be set up like this?

Yes, this does sound like a problem. Assuming your panel is like most, the breakers are on the same phase and you have two problems:
No Common Shutoff
MWBC is required to have common maintenance shutoff. That means if you turn off one breaker to work on the circuit, the other is turned off too. That is important for safety. This can be done with a handle-tie or by using a double-breaker. It is quite possible that a violation of this rule is what caused the problem in the first place! Without a handle-tie, and without realizing that the breaker is part of an MWBC, someone might move a breaker in order to accommodate other things, such as double-breakers for 240V circuits (dryer, oven, etc.). Once they do that, 50% chance that the 2 MWBC breakers will be on the same phase instead opposite phases.
When two breakers are side-by-side, a handle tie can be added. When the breakers are not side-by-side (with the special exception of the outer breakers of some quadplex breakers), you have to move at least one of the breakers to solve the problem.
Overloaded Neutral
Putting the two breakers on different phases (legs, poles, terminology varies and I'll leave it to the pros to argue that) means that the neutral will carry the difference between the two hots.
Putting the breakers on the same phase means the neutral will carry the sum of the two hots.
If you have a 15A circuit with 12A in use on each 1/2 of the MWBC, with different phases neutral carries nothing at all. With the same phase, neutral carries 24A, which is way too much for a 14 AWG wire. Neutral does not (normally) have a circuit breaker, so there is nothing to keep the neutral wire from overheating and starting a fire.


Patio roof rafter spacing I want to replace the roofing on an older shed style covered patio.  The patio was built 45 years ago (+/-).  The rafters are 2x8 with an odd spacing I've never seen before, alternating 21 inches OC,then 17 inches OC then 21 then 17, with blocking about 4'.  Was this a thing back then or is it a one off homeowner project?  The framing is still solid and I don't want to tear it down, just re-roof.  The roofing material is corrugated fiberglass panels only, they are original. If this was a thing, is there a roofing plan for how to start laying panels?  What width panels would I use?

We use 19.2" oc joists (5 spaces for 8' plywood) when we use Trus-Joist open web joists. They are so expensive that keeping size down and spacing maximized saves costs. (True-Joist has a software program to figure this out...)

Maybe the alternating spacing allow fasteners to secure the corrugated roofing on the "down" curve of the corrugated shape.

I think this old-time carpenter was ahead of his time.


building a fire pit starting with a steel ring I am going to build a fire pit, and ran into a few difficulties with conflicting things I have read online. When looking up various DIY projects or 'how to' videos on building a fire pit, a galvanized steel ring is set on the inside of the brick ring. I have read that heating up galvanized steel releases dangerous fumes, and also read that the zinc layer on the steel will be removed at under 400 degrees F. We know a bonfire will vary in temperature, but a few sources I have read say over 1500 degrees F. Steel melts at around 2500 degrees F, so I imagine the fire ring would not end up melting. Does the thickness of the ring have an impact on how effective it is containing the fire? Is using this galvanized steel ring safe / smart / required at all? If so, I was planning on buying steel sheets and riveting them together to build the ring myself as it is cheaper. What are my alternatives?

Galvanized gives no benefit. However.the tiny mount of zinc oxide produced would be no problem . I would suggest a local weld shop may have some stock to make you something. Material at least 1/8" ( 3 mm) thick if you want it to last awhile.  Stainless steel is pretty common, either the magnetic ( like auto exhaust) or non-magnetic. Stainless would not need to be as thick. Try a local junk yard.Bolts would be much more practical than trying to rivet. If you could find it, short length cut from large pipe like 24" diameter. Or , the old stand-by, 55 gal drum , cut off a foot of drum.


How to remove carpet tape from flooring? I used Scotch Carpet Tape for Vinyl, Ceramic, and Hardwood. I've since removed the rugs, but the tape is stuck to the floor now.

How can I remove it?

Goof Off or WD-40 works great! Available at any hardware or grocery store.

http://www.goofoffproducts.com/


How should I wire up a yurt? This yurt 30 ft. diameter; area is 700 sq. ft. ; circumference is 90 ft.

The walls are lath lattice covered with canvas. There's no interior wall space to run Romex like a regular house. You can't attach electrical boxes to the walls, either.

Some yurts have interior partition walls that hold wiring (and plumbing!) but not this one.
One option is to put flush-mount outlets in the floor. These seem to cost about $50 / ea., which adds up when you're talking about one every 12 ft. around the perimeter. They also require cutting rather large holes in the floor.

Outlets aren't the only concern: some ambient lighting from lamps hanging from the rafters are also on the docket. How to bring the wiring up the rafters?

Some yurts have additional framing in the form of 2x4s under each rafter:

This yurt does not have them, but I could add a few them as needed to support wiring infrastructure. I imagine I could run EMT up from the floor to a recep, then up to a light switch, and then up to the rafters for lighting.

How should I proceed?

The first idea that comes to mind for me, if you don't want to do the floor mounted outlets, is to run the boxes like you would in an exterior deck.  Use weather tight conduit to exterior outlet boxes.  And put the entire circuit on a GFCI breaker.

Here are a few product links:

Conduit
T-Fitting
J-Box
Cover


Any obvious problems with this DIY home automation? I'd like to know if anyone sees big issues with this system I want to implement in my home. The software is in beta, I will start doing the hardware side of things in a few weeks.

Current Home Status

almost all lights are temporary push-buttons connected to a 220V relay
two locations in the house where all the wires are connected

Since an image is worth a thousand words... (the items there are example, not the real ones I will use (different 220V relay, Arduino-connected relay but the main idea is well represented)

adding a 220V relay in series with the normal light switches, connecting it to an Arduino
a 30 amp current sensor is used for detecting the state of the light switch
each Arduino (or at least one in a pack of many Arduinos - where one won't be enough) Ethernet shield is used to send/receive data over a closed network (not accessible from LAN/internet)
a mini-itx atom board running Linux and some node.js software listens for UDP packets on the network (the controller)
each Arduino sends every x minutes the on/off state as a UDP packet
each Arduino send a UDP packet when the state changes
each Arduino listens for UDP packets addressed to it and can turn on/off a relay
the controller receives and stores all data on a network card, using a second for providing web interfaces with authentification for lan
other Arduino devices will be embedded in switches, sensor arrays, and can send UDP commands to turn on/off lights
the controller has event-driven and schedule-driven actions, state changes, and can send commands to the Arduino

Advantages

preserving the normal light switches in the house
if the system goes down the normal switches still work
modular - I can add more nodes as I need them
the controller is needed only for advanced operation
relative
future-proof - I can't imagine UDP protocol becoming obsolete anytime soon
secure web access from outside the home

Disadvantages

a lot of Arduinos and Ethernet shields might be needed

Optional items

Raspberry Pi's with thermal webcams to detect presence, using a modified zoneminder install to send UDP packets based occupancy
a couple of Android phones with broken GSM and weak batteries used as touch-screen interfaces inside the home
a Nokia phone used with Gammu to provide the ability to command the home via SMS

Clarification

The 220v relay that are set up right now were put into place to allow lights to be opened or closed from multiple places from a room. Think of the relay as a 3-sided control circuit

one side has the 220v mains coming in
one side has the push buttons that work on 220v
one side has the output to the light bulb

The 220v is an on/off relay. Each time any button is pushed, it toggles it's state, as long as you press a button more than 0.1 seconds (so it said in the relay manual).

My electrician installed the 220v relay, it is not 'normally open' or 'normally closed'. If powers goes down and then comes back the lights return to their previous states.

To trigger the 220v mains relay all i have to do is use a normally-open arduino-relay and trigger the closed state for more than 0.1 seconds. I just need to send a 220v "pulse" to the 220v relay.
This is the main reason that the lights will still work as long as power is kepy. All the arduino can fail and the normal lights will work as usual, I will only lose the remote-controll posibility and advanced scheduling/scripting.

As for pricing I am sourcing arduino+ethernet or mega+ethernet (and a few other arduino replicas) at around 15-25$ per pair, so the cost is relatively low. In the main controller software I estimate 40 hours of work, and then a few hundreds of hours over a few years refining the user interface and adding events and so on.

All the items will be placed in 2 boxes inside the house, one for each floor, and a third box will be controlling the garden,patio and watering.

--- Later edit ---
Built the schematic, you can see it in action on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmsdXMbd2vo

I've been doing something similar for the past couple of months. At present the setup only extends to my workshop (for testing). Currently I am using a single UNO for control which reads various sensor states, including light level and temperature/humidity, plus some door (reed relay) and IR movement sensors. The arduino reads the state and sends messages to some software ( currently Python 2.7 under Ubuntu) over UDP which then does the processing that is required and sends control commands back to the Arduino, again over UDP. The processing currently amounts to checking the internal light sensors and switching on the lights if necessary. Ultimately I want to migrate all my lighting to 12v LED so I can run off stored solar, but at present I am using a system similar to yours in that the relays are in series with the power switch for the lights, normally closed, so that if the control circuitry fails the light switches should operate as normal.
I also have some external IR sensors and the same system activates an external security light, this time with a normally open relay.
I consider using the normally closed relays as essential for the main lights, otherwise the domestic management will kick off once the system is rolled out to the rest of the house.
I want to use LEDS because of their dimmable nature when using the PWM enabled pins of the Arduino, this will then enable a nice low level of light for those nocturnal toilet trips, all automatically of course.
I have just taken delivery of a Mega 2560 which will provide a lot more IO. Like yourself I envisage having separate Arduino's for input and output.
I am developing the control system in python, with the intention of migrating it to raspberry PI once development has finished. This will allow me to run it all an enclosure with a status screen hooked up to the composite video. I currently have  a limited status screen running on the PC, which allows me to control the brightness of LED panels and GU16 bulbs.
I have configured the arduino so it will accept commands from any device on the network, so I can set up some control from the android devices I have around the house.
I also have a fully working zoneminder installation, but had not considered using it to trigger anything as yet, but then again I don't have any internal cameras on that, just external.
I did consider thermal imaging, as you suggested, but I think cost is a major issues (would need to come in at below $100 Australian, per room to be feasible for me), so I'm persevering with low cost IR sensors (about $2 each from China).
My Arduino code is not best but I am more than willing to share it.
It is currently set up to monitor the various sensors in a constant loop, and also listens for a 3byte UDP string in the form of 410 (4 is light 4, 1 is for on, the last digit is used for a brightness level for the LED)

I do agree with the comment about the resale values of the house, but I'm not planning to move anytime in the foreseeable future. Your needs may be different.

The python code also does some DPMS control of the monitors in the workshop. Currently they are put to standby after 10 minutes of no workshop movement.
I am in the process of setting up some power sockets that are switched in the same way as the lights, so the system can turn off things like my soldering iron and amplifiers that I frequently forget to leave on.

Let my know if I can be of any help with your project. It sounds great. Good luck

John


bit holder v.s. hex bit socket v.s. nut driver I have a novice question. What are the differences among bit holder v.s. hex bit socket v.s. nut driver? They all look similar. Can I use them interchangeably?

You can use them interchangeably, as long as they're the same size.

A "bit-holder" will often be magnetized to hold the bit in (and incidentally holding the screw as well) while the other two can be, but it's not as common.

A "hex bit socket" or "nut driver" is probably more durable than a "bit holder" if it matters to you, for example if you're using a high torque impact driver.


Should I replace a kinked hot water supply pipe? I recently put a kink in this hot water supply pipe. It's not leaking now, but I'm not sure if I should replace it proactively at this point. I'm looking for a practical answer, since replacing this would be a bit of a pain. As far as I can tell, the only shutoff before this is the intake to the hot water heater.

The copper pipe is creased enough that if the shut-off valve is twisted to the 'on' and than 'off' position several times the force exerted will probably break the already weakened pipe. It would be wise to repair the damaged pipe now rather than repairing it later (and possibly dealing with a flood clean-up). As Aloysius commented about using a no sweat replacement valve will make for a simple repair. Use a pipe cutter for a smooth even cut. You will need to leave at least a 1-2 inch stub out from the wall to have enough purchase for the new valve (looking at the photo you should have plenty). Don't forget to ream the inside of the copper after it's cut to remove burrs. FYI: 1/4 turn valves are easier to use and last longer than the rubber washer "screw" type valves.


what kind of faucet is this and how do I take off handle? The handle is loose (a bit wiggly) and I want to take it off to figure out how to tighten it.  Problem is I can't figure out how to take it off...

My guess is it is from mid to late 2000s

You should find a set screw under the small colored plug.


Lennox G40UH takes a long time for the heat to come on The digital thermostat lights up with "HEAT ON" but it takes the furnace up to an hour to kick start. Once it does, it puts out heat. We set it to 69 here in Michigan with the outside temp at Zero. When it reaches 66, sometimes it just quits and doesn't come back on for a long time.

Your furnace tries to ignite five times. If it fails, it goes into lockout for 60 minutes. Once the lockout period is up, it tries five more times.

From your description, it sounds like it's failing the first set of ignitions. This could be a problem with the gas flow, a bad igniter, a misaligned igniter, a dirty or bad flame sensor, etc.

The best way to start diagnosing the problem, is to observe the ignition sequence.  Set the thermostat to heat, and turn the set point down so the thermostat calls for heat.  Then go to the furnace, and watch/listen to what's happening. The normal ignition sequence will be something like...

Inducer fan starts.
15 seconds later the hot surface igniter heats up.
After 20 seconds the gas valve opens.
The gas ignites, and the flame sensor "proves" the flame.
After a delay, the blower will start.
The furnace runs until the thermostat is satisfied.

If step 4 fails, the furnace tries four more times to ignite. If it still fails, it goes into the 60 minute lockout.


Clogged sink drain after washing paint brush and roller We are painting indoors and my son used the downstairs wash sinks to rinse our brushes and roller. He had hot running water and a bucket to let them soak in but when I went to do wash last night the sink was still almost 3/4 full of water (from about 3 hours earlier).
I am thinking more paint got in then he thought. He did rinse the roller brush directly in there and that was a bit of paint on it.
I used a plunger and ran hot water again. I even used some baking soda and vinegar.
About 4 hours later it was down to just an inch above the drain.
This is a rental so I would like to get this working again.
I wondered if there was anything else to dissolve the paint. I was not certain about plumber's helper or such.

I would suspect that it's something other than paint. We use our kitchen sink to wash out brushes and have never had issues with it clogging. You would have had to have washed a lot of very dried out paint down in order for it to have clogged.
If plunging hasn't solved the issue, you could try any of the chemical drain cleaners, or you could try a snake or auger. Hand operated snakes are fairly inexpensive and are handy to have around in general and don't have any of the drawbacks/concerns that people have with chemicals.


How do I replace bolts for my toilet that were concreted into the original flange? This is a pic of one of the bolts. But I don't see a channel for it to turn/slip out of. The toilet I bought needs longer bolts.

If you have access from below it really is a quick job to put a new flange on.  But honestly if the one you have is that solid and has worked well (doesn't clog a lot), then I would simply just throw on a bolt extender.

Note:  Your bolt looks like it extends pretty far so not sure what toilet needs more than that but gave you an answer.


Patching hole in cellar floor when water seeps up from ground I had two holes in the poured concrete floor of my cellar.  I was planning to fill both holes.  So far I have only filled one because I ran into a problem with the other one.

How I filled the first hole: I removed any crumbled edge pieces.  I mixed the "rapid set mortar mix," using a liquid mixture that was half "concrete bonding adhesive" and half water.  I removed the standing water from the hole.  I painted pure "concrete bonding adhesive" to the edges of the concrete floor (which was surprisingly thin, by the way).  I was supposed to let that dry before continuing, but I couldn't because of the generally damp conditions.  I put the mixed mortar mix into the hole and pushed down on it with a piece of wood.  I smoothed the surface with a rubber gloved hand.

The problem I encountered with the second one: water wells up (slowly) from below one edge of the concrete floor.

Question: how can I fill the hole, given the slow but constant influx of water?

Size of filled hole: approximately 5 inches in diameter.

Size of other hole: approximately 12 inches in diameter (slightly oblong shape).

Notes: The water trickles towards the sump pit where it gets pumped out with a sump pump.  I am also working on figuring out how to eliminate the water entry in the first place, but in the meantime I would like to fill that remaining hole.

Update: I just got a call back from a friend who suggested that I go ahead with the same procedure, but on a very cold day, when hopefully the trickle will be much slowed.  Today it is 50 degreed Fahrenheit outside.  Feedback would be much appreciated.

Another update: yes, the ground froze, but not all the way down.  There is always some water seeping up from underneath.  My new idea is to put in the patch, stationing an assistant at the upper part of the hole with a turkey baster and a rag to remove water as it appears (while I'm making the patch).  Then poke a couple holes in the lower part with something like a knitting needle, to provide a way for the water to come up and then flow down toward the sump pail.  What do you think?

First as long as you have water coming up your patch probably won't hold. When I want a good seal in cases like this I do it in the summer when the ground water levels are lower. I believe hydraulic cement is the proper type of material to fill these holes, many times if you can plug them water will start coming up in other locations.

Allowing the water to flow through the patch will reduce the risk of someone getting hurt because of the hole but I would plan to do the repair in the summer if trying to seal. A couple of holes will allow the water to flow and not push the plug of new concrete out. Water underneath is not the problem, it's the pressure. They pour bridge footings under water, once the concrete displaces the water and fills the forms, it cures and works fine.


Using a second thermostat to balance temperatures thru fan-only control Like many others, temperatures between the two levels of my house are uneven. This is particularly noticeable as spring arrives and the upper floor (above ground) enjoys solar heating (so the heater never runs) and the lower (in ground) floor cools off.  Frequently, I manually turn on the furnace fan at the thermostat to circulate air between floors and this basically achieves the goal. But then I forget to turn off the fan override. So, I'm wondering if I can install a second thermostat on the lower floor to automatically control the heater blower only when the temperature falls below a given threshold on the lower floor.

Givens:
1) I have a recent model high efficiency natural gas heater
2) my current Thermostat is Honeywell TH4110D1007 Programmable Thermostat
2) access to the heater on the lower level is trivial

Assumptions:

1) I can add a second thermostat in parallel

2) I would only make some connections from the new thermostat

3) 24v Power is supplied with the Red wire

4) Heat is controlled with the White wire

5) Fan is controlled with the Green wire

6) I'd be using a simple programmable Honeywell thermostat

7) I'd need to manually set similar time periods and temperatures as are set on the existing "master" thermostat.

Note: In my current plan, I am NOT trying to turn the heating on - just the fan.

So, my specific questions:

A. Has anyone ever done this?

B. Would I connect the Fan wire or would I actually cross connect the thermostat's Heat connection (W) to the fan control wire. i.e., to get automatic fan control, would I use the G or W wires to signal/control? Or, am I totally mixed up?

C. Am I risking my entire system for something risky?

D. Is there another better way to achieve the goal?

In theory this should be easy -- have the second thermostat connect the R and G wires when it calls for cooling, and the fan will run.

Here's one reason it might NOT work, and it's subtle/non-intuitive so I thought it was worth mentioning:  Some thermostats short the Y (cooling) and G (fan) wires together whenever they're in cooling mode.  They do this so that they can use one relay to turn on both fan and A/C during a call for cooling.  (Relays are relatively expensive components.)  This shorting happens whenever the thermostat is in "cool" mode, whether it's actually calling for cooling or not.  (Although if you set such a thermostat's Fan switch to "ON" instead of "AUTO", the short is removed so as to run the fan only.)

Where there's only one thermostat in the system, this shorting behavior does no harm.  But if a second thermostat is added and it calls for "fan", the power will go through the short in the first thermostat and turn on the A/C as well.  I have this exact arrangement in the house I just bought, and I cannot run the fan independently from either thermostat -- it will always run the A/C as well.  If I unwire either thermostat (or set it to "heat" mode), I can then run the fan without the A/C.

So you might try shorting R (or Rc) and G with your existing setup to make sure that the A/C does not come on as well.

Source: personal observation confirmed by isolated testing on Robertshaw 9600 programmable thermostat


How do I identify brand/type of bathtub faucet? I have a cartridge type of bathtub faucet and both the hot and cold cartridges need to be replaced. Unfortunately, the faucet has no branding marks on it at all. At one point I had removed the cartridge and took it into a plumbing supply store, but was unable to find a match. Also, the clerk at the plumbing supply store said that by knowing the brand, they would be able to determine a match. (Also, the sink, towel rack, valves, and toilet all match and none of it is branded.)

How do I determine the faucet brand? Does anyone know of an online resource that works as a "field guide" to faucets?

Another note: the toilet and sink fixtures are designer branded "Jacob Dalafon", but I was told at the plumbing supply store that will not determine the faucet branding.

When I needed to replace valve stems in my bathtub faucet, there was a logo on the cleanout/overflow cover.  I took a picture of that with me to the plumbing supply store.  They recognized the logo and could match up the stem in a few minutes.


Screws stuck inside of Anchors, with shelving unit in between. I drilled the anchors into the wall and used the screws they came with. The screws wouldn't drill all the way in to lay flat against the shelf, so I tried removing the screws from the anchors and the anchors came with them . Now the screws are stuck inside the anchors with the shelf in between them and I can't get them apart. Any tips?

The type of plastic drywall anchor that you show on those screws can be removed by holding the anchor with a pair of pliers and then back out the screw with a philips screwdriver. After the plastic part has been removed toss it into the trash.

Note that that type of anchor is not suitable for hanging a wall shelf unless that shelf is a piddly small thing only intended to hold some small nick-knacks. Any other application should have the screws going directly into studs in the wall.


Improvising a temporary skylight? I have a skylight that is essentially a flashed plywood curb with a late 50's era glass paver that "cups" over top. No tar or caulk, just gravity holding it there. Now, because I'm an idiot, I decided to touch it during a kitchen remodel to clean up/paint the curb box which is visible from inside. I ended up breaking the glass paver.

So, what can I improvise to get me through the rest of the winter rain?

Bear in mind these factors:

I intend to replace these not-even-close skylights this summer when I have the roof redone.
It only needs to be temporary, but as with everything, temporary things have a funny way of needing to last much longer than intended. I'd rather not continue to use the upside-down plastic storage bin method I have in place.
It's an unusual size (10.5" x 10.5"), so off-the-shelf skylights aren't an option, and I'd rather not go custom for something I intend to rip out eventually.
I'm in the SF Bay Area in CA, so not a lot of extreme weather or snow. I am seeing a good amount of rain though (all things considered).

My initial thoughts:

Add a drip edge around the top of the curb box to protect the wood.
Then firmly screw down a 12x12 sheet of 1/2" plexiglass that I already have over the top edge with a nice bead of caulk in between, and liberal amounts of caulk and/or tar along the seams.
Wait for the next rain (or a hose) and monitor for leaks.

To be clear, I don't have a lot of experience with roofing and roofing products. I've installed vents and understand the basic principles behind flashing and water flow, but that's about it.

I think your Plexiglas would work but I would use Lexan polycarbonate sheet. Lexan is a few more bucks but will not crack when you drill it or something hits it, tree limb baseball ect.
You can heat polycarbonate with a heat gun and bend it. I would do this on the top edge at a minimum. Other than the material I believe your plan will work both short and long term.


Is there a special name in the US for round/hollow neoprene door seals like these? I know I run the risk of posting a "shopping" question, but I don't know of any other place to go for this.

I am looking to create a custom door gasket to do around a new soundproof door I made.  I find strips like what you see below when I search for things like "neoprene door gasket" and "round neoprene" and what have you, but I only seem to be able to locate these items on overseas websites like China and the UK.  Are neoprene rubber door seals not popular in the US or does they carry a different name?  I'd love to be able to run down to my local Menard's, Home Depot, or Lowe's and pick up some of this stuff, but it seems like it simply doesn't exist here.

What are some terms I could search for to locate these door seal strips in the US?

I especially like the first P-shaped one:

Identification in order, P, Half-Round and Quarter-Round

Referred to as door seal or weatherstrip.

Commonly available for aircraft door seal and older automotive trunk and door weatherstrip.

You can get EPDM variants for home door seal use from WeatherKing or MD.

The larger stuff used in automotive can be obtained by the roll from industrial supplies like Grainger.

The US has largely abandoned this stuff as it's easy to snag, miserable to mount and unless made from EPDM rubber, not long lived in sunlight.

The vinyl clad "V" seals that replace it for door casement sealing need only a narrow saw kerf (hence their other name, "Kerf Seal") to be pushed into for mounting, no weatherstrip cement to get all over the place or peal off tacky tape that quits sticking to the surface so it falls off.

With proper construction so it has full contact and proper compression, it is both air-tight and sound-tight. When worn or damaged, replacement is easy, just gently pull from the slot and press the new strip back in.

You also might search for kerf seal weatherstripping (Amesbury is one such manufacturer) as there are a lot of other cross-sections available that might be more what you're looking for. Having to just cut a slot and have it both readily available and easily replaceable via saw slot is something that will be desirable down the road.


Why is my bath exhaust fan noisy only when installed in the ceiling box? The house and fan are 45 years old. The fan in the guest bathroom sounded like a jet plane since we bought the house, but we finally decided enough was enough after some house guests complained. (Note: We really like these people. If you get unwelcome guests, do NOT fix your noisy fan!)

Took the fan out, plugged it into an outlet in the shop. Quiet, and I couldn't imagine a new one being quieter. Oiled the shaft anyway. Put it back. Jet plane again.

Why would the fan be so loud, but only when installed?

To me it sounds like you removed the back draft damper that may have gotten stuck.


How do I wire a 4 terminal light fixture How do I wire a porcelain ceiling light fixture with two sets of terminals (two hot/two neutral) instead of the usual two terminal fixture?

Black to black to black.
White to white to white.

All they've done in your light fixture's case is not bother to connect the wires for you ahead of time.  You'll just be wiring the lights up in parallel yourself.  It's always hot to hot and neutral to neutral.


Drywall is off, can this wall come out? I know the most sure way to figure this out is to have an engineer look at this but am hoping to get some insight here from someone knowledgeable in this area.
We live in a condo and have a truss roof system. Our unit is 2 stories and is on 1  half of the main roof trusses (the largest ones). There are other little peaks with their own baby trusses around our house over small exterior pop outs and our shower is under one of those small pop outs.
We want to remove the wall that is in the center of this little pop out on the second floor and I’m wondering if there is any chance it is holding any load?
It is running perpendicular to the trusses above it but both trusses also run from each exterior wall and the span is fairly small (8/9 ft) from each exterior side.
This little area only has 3 trusses that it is composed of; the outer most exterior truss, one in the middle and then one on the inner side which is then attached to a larger truss which also becomes an outermost exterior truss further along in the house.  (Guessing that is what those metal straps are where those 2 trusses meet up).
In the photos:
1st: close up photo is looking into the mini truss area. It seems the brace is being held up by the exterior wall and not the blue one i want to remove?
2nd: from the outside and the red line is signifying where the wall is we want to remove on the second floor
3rd: : from the inside. The blue is outlining what I want to remove.
4th: The blue arrows are the walls I want to remove. The red boxes are where the exterior parts of the pop out are in the house.
Would there be any chance this little wall could be holding up any of this structure?!
Not looking to be told how bad of an idea this is or how unsafe. I am very aware of the ramifications of taking out a bearing wall. Just looking for advice.

THANK YOU!
.imgur.com/Qoc1d.jpg

Based on the current very top picture there are three main indicators.
#1 - These are directly under and perpendicular to the loaded joists.
#2 - As mentioned in the comments the left part of the wall is under the footings for the truss.
#3 - This is actually the most damning evidence of this being load bearing...   The right side of the picture.   Two clues here - the brace for the plumbing and the wall of 2x4s.   You simply wouldn't worry about a plumbing brace on a non-load bearing wall and you definitely wouldn't squeeze 6-7 2xs at the end of this wall (also a good indicator that this is a point load and the door and over to the right are not of consequence).
Again if you are set on removing you can consult and engineer/architect with full blueprints.   I mean normally you don't need this many load bearing walls in a short span so maybe there is a solution but no inspector will allow you to remove it without sign-off.


How to make a PVC pipe coming out of drywall pretty? Is there a standard methodology for things like this? 1 1/2" PVC pipe for a sink drain.

I came across ABS Plastic Round Escutcheon Plate but it seems like home improvement stores don't carry these? Is there a more typical method? Do people just usually mud them in or use gap filler? (image at the bottom)

Same question for the flexible metal hose inlets. Yes, all of this is visible from the living area. Also anyone know if it's safe to scrape/sand off the purple stuff where it's exposed? I assume it's PVC glue/sealer?

Thank you!

.

Escutcheon plates come in many styles. Most common being chrome plated. Personally I would take the PVC out and replace it with chrome metal pipe. It’s a little more expensive and slightly harder to work with but looks a lot nicer and is usually what is used when exposed. If you really want to keep the PVC it can always be painted with a plastic paint such as Krylon Fusion. You could fill the holes in the drywall and sand it smooth to alleviate the need for a plate. You may want to maintain a 1/8” gap and fill with caulking  to eliminate drywall mud cracking due to pipe movement.


How do I run a dock circuit and what size breaker will be needed? I am running 10 gauge wire to my dock which will be about 100 ft from the disconnect box on the house to the dock.  I will be providing electricity to a 1/2 hp hoist, which runs on 110, that will only run a few minutes at a time, a 75 watt light bulb, and a ceiling fan to be used occasionally.  What size breaker do I need to use?  I was told I could run 220 to the dock.  If I do that will I have to have a breaker box on the dock to split into two separate 110 circuits?  Florida location.

30 amp breaker. Full load current on the motor is about 10 amps, plus a couple more amps for the other stuff gives you a voltage drop of 2%, less than the allowed 3%, so you're OK. You can run 220 as 2 branch circuits with a shared neutral. It's not really 220 because you can't power 220v equipment, but the voltage between the hot legs of each circuit is indeed 220v. You don't need breakers at the dock for this configuration, but you will need 3 conductors plus ground and a handle tied tandem breaker at the house panel.

Every thing will run fine on one circuit, so there is no advantage except you get 2 circuits. The voltage to ground is the same either way, so there is no added efficiency for the extra voltage.


How far does a ground rod need to be from the foundation? I need to ground an antenna strapped to my chimney, which requires hammering in a new ground rod.

However, the entire side of my house is paved, meaning I can't dig it up to find the foundation footing; I'll need to drill a hole to drive in the rod.

How far should the ground rod be from the side of the house so it doesn't hit the footing? (This is especially a concern because it'll be right next to the chimney stack.)

Also, please keep any answers to code (NFPA 70), as I need it to be able to pass inspection. If it is of any relevance, the house was built in 1942.

There is no minimum or maximum distance from a foundation, footing, panel or otherwise.

It is best to keep it as close as possible, but nothing dictates this by code.
The main thing you want to avoid is getting it a few feed down then hitting the footing. This is a PIA.

Here are the relevant code sections with regard to spacing.
Taken form the 2001 NEC.

  III. Grounding Electrode System and Grounding Electrode Conductor

  250.50 Grounding Electrode System

  All grounding electrodes as described in 250.52(A)(1) through (A)(7)
  that are present at each building or structure served shall be bonded
  together to form the grounding electrode system. Where none of these
  grounding electrodes exist, one or more of the grounding electrodes
  specified in 250.52(A)(4) through (A)(8) shall be installed and used.

  250.53 Grounding Electrode System Installation

  (B) Electrode Spacing.

  Where more than one of the electrodes of the type specified in
  250.52(A)(5) or (A)(7) are used, each electrode of one grounding system (including that used for strike termination devices) shall not
  be less than 1.83 m (6 ft) from any other electrode of another
  grounding system. Two or more grounding electrodes that are bonded
  together shall be considered a single grounding electrode system.

  (G) Rod and Pipe Electrodes.

  The electrode shall be installed such that at least 2.44 m (8 ft) of
  length is in contact with the soil. It shall be driven to a depth of
  not less than 2.44 m (8 ft) except that, where rock bottom is
  encountered, the electrode shall be driven at an oblique angle not to
  exceed 45 degrees from the vertical or, where rock bottom is
  encountered at an angle up to 45 degrees, the electrode shall be
  permitted to be buried in a trench that is at least 750 mm (30 in.)
  deep. The upper end of the electrode shall be flush with or below
  ground level unless the aboveground end and the grounding electrode
  conductor attachment are protected against physical damage as
  specified in 250.10.


Does home security system only link to wire-powered smoke detector but not the battery-powered ones? Currently my home has battery-powered smoke/CO detectors, I wonder if in the future I am setting up a home monitoring security system with commercial company for the whole house (to detect things like abnormal temperature, burglar, smoke, fire, and carbon monoxide, etc), will it only be connected to smoke/CO detectors that are powered via wiring behind the walls, and not compatible with battery-powered smoke/CO detectors?

In short: yes that’s correct.

However there are wireless alarm systems, but they’ll use different battery smokes than you currently have.


Cutting joist for skewed joist hanger Do I need to cut the joist lumber's end at an angle so that it sits flushed to the beam when installing skewed joist hanger?

The below video tells me that it's not necessary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5sQTT-xURE

no - the LSU hangers sit over the end of a square cut joist or rafter.  they wont work if you cut them on an angle.


I do have a lot of ice and snow on the roof should I install an ice melting cables I don't have ice damming but do have a lot of ice and snow on the roof should I install a ice melting cables?

No. Best case scenario you just waste the money that it would take to install them, worst case scenario you create a problem that didn't exist before.

Ice dams are typically created by sharp surface temperature gradients on roofs, usually caused by inadequate insulation in the attic.  Heated air escapes through the attic and warms the roof deck, melting the bottom of the snow accumulated there.  The water runs down the surface of the roof until it gets to an area that isn't being heated from below (typically the eaves), where it freezes again and creates a dam.

If you don't have an ice damming issue and start melting snow off of the eaves, the surface temperature gradient will be at the top of the ice melting cable.  Gravity will be on your side in this case, but there is still a risk that you'll get ice forming above the ice melting cable.

Finally, having snow accumulate on the roof is only a problem if there is too much weight. Outside of that, you want to have snow on your roof because it provides some additional insulating value and an excellent wind barrier. As an interesting side note, you can see this incorporated into traditional building designs in different parts of the world.  Areas with heavy snow falls tended to have steeper roofs, but they get less steep as the snow fall drops off largely in order to balance the amount of snow that stays on the roof.


How do I remove wobble from my DIY table? I made this table:

This is how the legs are attached to the table:

It has 3 legs on the back and two on the front. The top is solid wood. It wobbles both from front to back and side to side (front to back is worse). What can I do to minimize the wobble knowing that I have limited tools and experience in wood working?
I want to make the table sturdy by itself, so I don't want to screw it to the wall.
A solution with readily available materials and beginner friendly would be ideal. I enjoy solving problems like these, but I think in this case I lack the knowledge to figure out a good solution. Extra points for creative thinking.

Your table and legs and floor are turning into parallelograms.  This is because the legs have no resistance against swinging on their mounts.

I suspect that these legs are not designed to prevent this, because they expect the desk surface will be anchored in both dimensions by something else, e.g. Being attached to a wall.

You will either need to select different legs, or find a way to brace these.  This is why most desks and chairs have some sort of cross bracing between legs, but you need more than that, or you'll just have more parallelograms.

If it were me, I would use steel angled shelf brackets that have a nice triangle shape to them, and drill and tap appropriate machine screws into the legs, using the steel in the legs to hold the screws.  I would not drill through the hollow legs and use a bolt and nut, because all that would do is squash the hollow leg.  You would need to learn the fine art of using a hand tap, and it would also help to get centerpunches to get the pilot holes in the right place, but that is not excessively hard.  Just tedious.


How to run electrical wire in concrete ceilng? I live in a condo with popcorn (a.k.a California) ceilings. Next week I'm having them scraped, spackled, and painted smooth.
I also want to hang a ceiling light fixture (the dining area desperately needs more light). Since I'm having the ceiling done, I thought I might ask the contractor to run a wire as well. What is the best way to go about it?

Here is the picture I have in mind:

Cut a shallow groove in the ceiling to the nearest wall with electrical box nearby. Snake a wire from electrical box to the ceiling, then lay wire in the groove and spackle it over. Install the fixture (I have not decided on exact type yet, probably something hanging like a chandalier) with concrete bolts. The spot where the wire comes out of the ceiling would be concealed by the fixture.

Does this make sense? Is there a better way to do it?

While that might work, I doubt your HOA would allow grooving the ceiling because the concrete is part of the common structure.

Instead, install flat conduit.

Or flatwire.

(source: flatwireready.com)

Or maybe you might like a beam which could conceal a wire.


multiple homeruns for neutral only? I work in conduit and run single wires.  I have a weird one.

I have an always-hot (black) and neutral (white) pair that run from the panel passing through A to serve loads at B and C.

At C, always-hot (black) continues to a switch loop at D.  The switched-hot (blue) comes back through C, B and A to go down another branch, AA, to serve the lamp.

The neutral for the lamp (white) goes from AA through A back to the service panel.

The circuit has 2 neutrals (white), one serving the receptacle loads at B and C, and the other serving the lamp load at AA.  They pass like ships in the night at A, not connecting, and run alongside in the same conduit from A to the panel.

Edit: Here is a drawing.  I added a second circuit (red/gray) that is unrelated, simply to illustrate that boxes B and C have a lot of other stuff going on.

Is it kosher for the circuit (black) to have two neutrals on the neutral bar?

Here is the deal:

No matter how you wire things, you normally need to have two wires. One with the outgoing current and one with the return current. Otherwise you will get inductive heating of any ferrous materials.

If you split a neutral (return the outgoing current back to the source in a separate conduit) you will get inductive heating.

So, to answer your question, the neutral at point A may or may not be joined. This is a fielder's choice since all of the current leaving the panel on the black wire is returning on the two neutrals so the net current (algebraic sum of the current) in the conduit from the panel to point A is zero. However, it is bad technique to have more than one neutral return to the panel per phase conductor. It could be confusing to a future electrician.

This is the key: The algebraic sum of current at any point in the system must add to zero to avoid inductive heating.

Good luck and stay safe!


How does an end notch in a ceiling beam affect deflection calculations? We have a ceiling beam that is a standard 4x8 over 12 feet.

Let's stipulate that is properly sized for the weight load over that span.

But, what if, in order to place that beam, we need to notch it a bit on the very end:  so it is a 4x6 for 2 inches where it rests on the post, but is then 4x8 the rest of the (unsupported) span.

I assume the deflection is now greater than when it was 4x8.

But is it degraded all the way to the deflection of a 4x6 ?  Or is it somewhere inbetween ?  This only happens on one end - on the other end, it is a full 4x8.

If it's somewhere inbetween is it ... just a bit weaker than a 4x8 or just a bit stronger than a 4x6 or ... ?

Thank you.

A notch in the end of a beam does not affect the strength (or deflection) of a beam, unless it’s more than 1/4 th the height of the beam (or joist) at the ends out to the face of the bearing point. (See Code ICC R502.8.1)

Code does not allow notches in middle 1/3 span and Code allows 1/6 th depth of beam in the last 1/3 rd span at each end of beam.

In fact, in your case, you could probably cut the whole end of the beam off where it’s notched and it would not affect it structurally. (That size beam needs about 2” of solid bearing, depending on the grade and species.)


How to make a wall mirror out of mirror tiles? I've got nine mirror tiles (30cm square, 4mm thick), and I want to fix them to a 90x90cm board to make a mirror to hang on the wall.

What kind of board would be best – MDF, particle board, plywood, something else?

I'm thinking probably plywood, because I'm going to need to screw something into it to hang it up, and I've heard that plywood's crossing grains are good for holding screws tightly. Also I know MDF can swell, and I'm scared that would break the mirror tiles. But to be honest I have little experience so I want advice on this.

I'm planning to set the mirror tiles flush to the edge of the board – so just the edges of the board will be visible from the side. I'll probably paint the edge grey or black.

Bonus question – would regular 'mirror adhesive' like this work OK? And is there anything else I should watch out for?

You definitely want to use mirror adhesive that is approved by the maker of the mirror tiles.  The reason is, some adhesives will attack the backing on the mirrors and end up showing through the mirror.  Follow the adhesive instructions carefully and it will work as designed. I have seen mirror tile installed with general  purpose liquid nails with a blob in each corner and the install looked fine, for about a three days or so. Then four brownish blobs started to appear on each tile, one in each corner. The blobs eventually turned greyish-brown and the mirror over the blobs was gone, it was just semi-transparent glass at that point.  The homeowner who did it was quite distressed but had covered an entire wall of her living room with them and decided to live with it instead of getting into the problem of taking them off the wall and what damage was going to be to the plaster wall.

Any of those products you mention will work fine a substrate.  They each have different pros and cons though.  Is this mirror you are making going to be in a damp or humid location?  If so, MDF and especially particle board are prone to absorbing moisture and will swell up and eventually begin to crumble.  Plywood can handle humidity better but it can still delaminate.  There are plywood products made for damp and wet locations, such marine plywood.  It is pricy.

How are you going to mount it?  MDF is the heaviest of the three and depending of the thickness can be substantially heavier. Plywood will tend to warp more, especially those with fewer laminations and lower grades of plys like common CDX (a "C" side, a "D" side and e"X"terior rated).

OSB (orientated strand board), which you didn't mention, will warp less than plywood because of its smaller "strands" of wood. It will work better than MDF and partial board in damp locations but worse than plywood.  Tends to be cheaper than plywood and is used a lot in the US now since it is made from fast growing trees and a lot of adhesive.

Plywood, and OSB hold screws better than MDF and particle board.  All of these products will expand with enough moisture. They are all dimensionally stable if they stay dry.  Particle board tends to off-gas a lot of formaldehyde. Not so good for the IAQ (indoor air quality) and could interfere with some adhesives. OSB, Plywood and MDF all off-gas as well, plywood the least and can be obtained with non-formaldehyde adhesives.

Another option is MDF with a veneer but the veneer is so thin and other than the cosmetic appeal of the veneer, it may as well be MDF since it has all the same characteristics.

If it where me doing it, I would choose a cabinet grade plywood with a lot of plys to resist warping. Since it will be covered with mirror, the plywood finish isn't that important and imported baltic birch plywood can often be found for reasonably good prices. I would also make a frame of birch or poplar and biscuit and glue it to the plywood edges to hide the plys.  Or, if it was on the cheap, getting edge banding with heat sensitive glue already on it and ironing it onto the edges will hide the plys just as well and can be done quickly and onsite since it hardly  requires any tools to do. You can get edge banding at Rockler or Woodcraft in the US.  I would seal all of it prior to installing the mirrors to reduce the absorption of moisture.


How to tell if a ceiling junction box is braced to hold the weight of a ceiling fan? My new home is almost done being built, and one of the extras I asked for was for two of the rooms to have junction boxes in the ceiling suitable for hanging a ceiling fan in the future.

The light fixtures haven't been installed yet so I can see inside the junction boxes but can't really distinguish between the braced boxes and the regular boxes.  The attic is extremely limited access so I want to avoid crawling around up there to look for a brace.

Is there a quick or easy way to distinguish between a junction box that is able to carry the weight of a ceiling fan safely versus one that is not?  I could just take their word for it but they haven't had a very reliable track record so far when it comes to following through with my requests even when they tell me they will do it.

If the box was installed recently in accordance with National Electrical Code (NEC), the box should be labeled if it's rated to support a ceiling fan.

  NEC 2008
  314.27 Outlet Boxes.
  (D) Boxes at Ceiling-Suspended (Paddle) Fan Outlets. Outlet boxes or outlet box systems used as the sole support of a ceiling-suspended
  (paddle) fan shall be listed, shall be marked by their manufacturer as
  suitable for this purpose, and shall not support ceiling-suspended
  (paddle) fans that weigh more than 32 kg (70 lb). For outlet boxes or
  outlet box systems designed to support ceiling-suspended (paddle) fans
  that weigh more than 16 kg (35 lb), the required marking shall include
  the maximum weight to be supported.

If it's not labeled, the box is still required to support at least 50 lbs.

  314.27 Outlet Boxes.
  (A) Boxes at Luminaire Outlets. Boxes used at luminaire or lampholder outlets in a ceiling shall be designed for the purpose and shall be required to support a luminaire weighing a minimum of 23 kg (50 lb). Boxes used at luminaire or lampholder outlets in a wall shall be designed for the purpose and shall be marked to indicate the maximum weight of the luminaire that is permitted to be supported by the box in the wall, if other than 23 kg (50 lb). At every outlet used exclusively for lighting, the box shall be designed or installed so that a luminaire may be attached.

If the box was installed before this code was adopted; or in an area that does not follow NEC, you'll likely have to cut/drill some exploratory holes to determine if the box is properly braced.


Laying used laminate floating floor We had a water leak in our basement. We removed the laminate floating planks. We have let them dry out for weeks while we redid the walls. We are now beginning to relay the flooring. It isn’t going as well as the videos show laying a new floor. We are having to cut the lip on the ends a little so the planks will fit back together. Is there something we are doing wrong? Is there a video anywhere to watch? Will cutting the lip a little hurt in the long run? We are laying the floor on the concrete and only use the room for storage at the moment but still want it to look nice. Thanks you

The fact that the laminate was soaked with water caused it to swell. Drying it won't allow it to contract completely. Add to that the flooring was laid on concrete. Was there a vapor barrier between the concrete and the laminate? If not then the flooring had been drawing moisture from the concrete for a long time before the water leak. You are lucky you were able to disassemble the flooring without destroying it. As for trimming the lip. This will help reassembly. However, it probably won't hold together as well. My suggestion would be to scrap replacing the laminate and go purchase some LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile, also known as LVF, Luxury Vinyl Flooring). It's more durable over time and also water proof. Hope this helps.


Main 4 inch waste pipe broken I'm a renter and have had a horrible egg smell under  crawl space. Waste has is been going on in my house for three months all he did was fix pipe with PFC and put lye down I've been sick dog and wife is. Am I in danger  I feel yes and what r my rights

Let me preface this with a disclaimer; I am not a lawyer nor a health professional.

That said, the smell is likely hydrogen sulfide which in high enough concentrations can kill you, but since the problem is fixed it probably isn't nearly strong enough for that; most likely you'd just experience respiratory irritation. I recommend trying to keep it aired out as much as possible, so the gas doesn't build up. You should contact your landlord and get them to address the issue.

As far as your rights, that is entirely dependent on your location. If your landlord won't address the issue, this is probably the point where you should get your local health department involved; in most jurisdictions they can force property owners to address issues that are public health concerns.


T-Nuts for Granite/Plywood table? I have a 30"x50"x3/4" granite slab that I would like to use for a table. I'm thinking of putting 5/8" plywood underneath (20"x40"?) and before mounting the granite on top, inserting a few T-Nuts for this type of legs: https://www.homedepot.ca/product/live-edge-timber-co--38-inch-high-x-19-inch-wide-steel-furniture-legs-pair-of-2/1001215038

Are t-nuts my best option, or is there some thing else I should consider?
Is 5/8 plywood thick enough?
Anything to consider when cutting the plywood size, aside from wide enough for the legs, not wider than granite?

I have a 36" X 68" kitchen island top of 3/4 granite . It simply rests on the frame work of the island, basically 3/4 plywood on edge with cabinets and drawers like typical kitchen cabinets. There are some cross members of 2" wide 3/4 plywood. The granite is loose and can be moved. I was going to do something more sturdy but have not gotten to it in 25 years. I have stood on it a few times , I keep my feet over the 3/4 on edge plywood. A good finish carpenter made the island so it is very flat. So cabinet type birch plywood should be enough.


How to keep my tankless water heater safe in a cold room? I have a room in my apartment that can sometimes get around 40°F (4°C), and that's where my new tankless water heater is installed. Should I take any special precautions to keep my pipes from freezing or to avoid any other weird problems with my water heater? I live in the US Midwest in a second-floor apartment.

40°F is above freezing, so freezing shouldn't be a problem.
If the weather is getting cold and you're concerned that this utility room might dip below the freezing point, prop the door open a bit to allow some heated air in.
Also, since this is an apartment, talk to your landlord about your freezing concerns and ask him to address the issue - maybe adding some insulation to all the pipes in this room, or, even better, adding heat to the room!
Additionally, based on reading the comments on the OP, talk to the landlord about your freezing concerns and ask him if this is something for you to worry about at all. It may be that she's fully aware of the temperature issues and purchased heaters that have an anti-freeze feature built right in so this won't be a concern at all. It's still possible for piping to freeze, but again, 40°F is above the freezing point and it's unlikely to be a concern unless a serious cold spell hits and gets this unheated room really cold. Simply opening the interior door to this room should allow more than enough heat from the rest of the apartment into the room to keep it above freezing.


Connecting multiple hubs to a single Z-Wave device First off, please forgive me if this is not the right Stack Exchange site for this. I figured this was the best option.

Is it possible to hook up multiple hubs/controllers to a single Z-Wave device? For example, if I have a GE Simon XT alarm system control panel that is Z-Wave compatible and paired with a Z-Wave light switch, could I also hook up a Wink Hub to that same light switch and control it from either one? Or better yet, could I tap into an existing motion sensor from my security system with a Wink Hub?

As per Z-Wave specification, no. A Z-Wave node (device) can only be paired to one hub (the designated 'primary' controller). 'Secondary' controllers added to the primary controller will lose their z-wave netword/added nodes and just act as a relay remote control. I don't believe adding the Wink Hub as a secondary controller is the option you're looking for since you will lose any nodes added to it and you will have to re-add them to your primary controller (your GE Simon XT for instance).

However, some controllers, such as Vera and VeraLite, allow you to bridge two or more controllers via ethernet/wi-fi and to pass-through Z-Wave requests to devices present on either controller. The controllers remain independent of each other from a Z-Wave point of view, an communicate to each other via your ethernet/wi-fi network. I have not come across this funcionality in GE Simon XT and Wink hubs.

With the Vera Z-wave controllers, as an example of increasing range and reliability, you can:

Install one Vera on your ground-floor. Pair ground-floor nodes to this Vera.

Install another Vera on on your first-floor. Pair second-floor nodes to this Vera.

Designate one Vera as your 'main' Vera (that is, the one you'd use to control via the web, iOS app, Z-Wave remotes, etc - your go-to controller basically). Under this Vera's config, select Add Devices and choose UPNP devices.

The 'main' Vera will then locate the 'other' Vera on your LAN and show the nodes on the 'main' Vera's device panel. You can then control the 'other' nodes via your 'main' Vera. The 'main' Vera will send the required commands via LAN to the 'other' Vera to be sent via Z-Wave to it's associated nodes.


Cedar wood strong enough for hinge? I am attempting to build my own gate for an 40 inch break in the fence so that my deck could be fully enclosed. I bought a self-closing latch that says the max weight it could hold is about 50 pounds which is probably double what the closing gate is going to weigh. I was going to attach the latch to a piece of cedar that will run vertically parallel next to a deck post. My question is, is cedar a poor choice of wood to attach a latch to since it is a soft wood and may cause the gate to become lopsided after some time had passed?

Your question sort of conflates two different issues.  One is sagging and the other is the strength required to support the gate and hold the hardware.  The latch should never really be supporting weight.  It's rating reflects the load at which it could be damaged if things do sag, but long before it's damaged, you'll find yourself lifting the gate by hand to be able to work the latch, or the latch fasteners could break out of the wood.

Gate's sag if they lack a solid frame.  Just a piece of diagonal framing to supplement two horizontal boards won't prevent sagging.  You can add a diagonal tensioner that you can tighten, but you will need to periodically tighten it more, and those tend to eventually warp the gate.  The way to do it right is to start with a frame that can't sag.  This video describes one way to do it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Wiw22GRgX0.  There are also heavy-duty metal framing kits and braces to which you can attach a simple wooden frame to hold the gate material.

Once you have a gate that won't sag, you can attach it with hinges on one side and a latch on the other.  You normally attach to fence posts, so you're attaching to sturdy framing on both sides (fence post and gate frame).

Cedar is very soft.  When it weathers, it gets even softer.  On the hinge side, you should be fastening to structural pieces.  If you are adding a cedar board to match appearance, fasten through the cedar into something substantial (fence post or gate frame).  Cedar isn't really the best choice for the gate frame; you're better off attaching cedar "appearance" boards to a frame made of something more substantial.  But if the frame is cedar, I agree with Lee Sam, bolt through it.

The latch is a different story. If you build the gate right and mount it right with adequate hinges, there should never be any real stress on the latch.  The gate side of the latch is normally mounted to the gate framing (or through appearance boards and into the framing).  The other side of the latch normally attaches to a fence post (or through an appearance board and into the fence post).

If you are thinking about a cedar board the thickness of a typical picket, the stress on the latch isn't the issue.  Cedar pickets really degrade when they weather.  In a number of years, there may not be enough solid wood left to hold that end of the latch.  Bolting through a picket would be better, but you should really fasten into something more solid for permanence.

Ideally, the fence should end on each side of the opening at a fence post, and the gate should be sized to fill the gap between those posts.  There shouldn't be a need to fasten things to thin boards.  If you are retrofitting a gate to a fence that does extend past the fence posts, use a solution that doesn't require doing structural things with thin, decorative boards.  There are many options, for example:

Trim existing boards that extend beyond the posts so you are starting with a clean opening.  You may even be able to attach the trimmed piece to the gate to minimize the appearance of a change in pattern.
Remove boards that extend past the fence post, and attach them to the gate frame (the frame being sized for the opening between the posts).  You'll see part of the fence post when the gate is open, but won't be able to see a change in the pattern when the gate is closed.
Secure another structural board to the fence post behind the extended decorative board.  Fasten through the decorative board into the structural one.


Can I use Romex in an unfinished basement or attic? I am asking in reference to articles 382.2 & 382.12 in the 2008 edition of NFPA-70.

The following definition appears to me to be describing Romex (NM-type) cabling:

**382.2 Definitions**
**Nonmetallic Extension.** An assembly of two insulated conductors within a nonmetallic
jacket or an extruded thermoplastic covering. The classification includes surface
extensions intended for mounting directly on the surface of walls or ceilings.

Then, this article indicates that nonmetallic extensions cannot be used in attics:

**382.12 Uses Not Permitted.** Nonmetallic extensions shall not be used as follows:
***(1) In unfinished basements, attics, or roof spaces***
(2) Where the voltage between conductors exceeds 150 volts for nonmetallic surface
    extensions and 300 volts for aerial cable
(3) Where subject to corrosive vapors (4) Where run through a floor or partition, or
    outside the room in which it originates

My home is a single-family dwelling with a single floor, an unfinished accessible attic (permanent ladder) with crawl space only, and an unfinished basement.

I was hoping to be able to use Romex to connect branch circuit junction boxes in my attic with runs along the floor joists and through the floor joists (existing bored holes from knob and tube). I was also hoping to be able to use Romex with runs along the ceiling joists and through the ceiling joists in sections of my unfinished basement to connect junctions and light fixtures. However, these articles appear to prohibit the use of Romex in unfinished attics and basements. Must I use MC or AC for this application or am I misinterpreting the definition of a nonmetallic extension? Or, is there an article that I am missing that makes plain Romex acceptable for these applications?

Also, if it is not acceptable for these applications, how should I deal with getting runs of Romex down from the attic (or up from the basement) to power receptacles in the finished portion of my home? Is there an acceptable defined length for which NM cabling may be run in the attic to reach from a junction in an unfinished attic to power a wall receptacle, or is the only way to be code-compliant to just run AC down to the first (metal) receptacle junction box and run Romex through the walls to the other wall receptacles in the room?

You're referencing the wrong code section.
Nonmetallic-Sheathed Cable
Romex is covered by article 334 Nonmetallic-Sheathed Cable: Types NM, NMC, and NMS.

Nonmetallic Extensions
Article 382 covers a cable known as FlatWire, or Concealable Nonmetallic Extension (CNE) cable.

Notice that this cable has a single insulation layer over the conductors. Whereas NM cable has insulation on the conductors, and an outer insulated sheath.


Ceiling vent right next to wall. Ideas for grille cover? The typical size 10x4 won't work because the wall is right next to it on one side (see picture).

I can buy a smaller size but then the question is where do I screw in the second hole.

Any ideas?

You could use the 10 x 14 and cut edge off that goes up against the wall and then drill two holes in each of the long edges of the register close to the wall. Use two plastic anchors and screws there and then one of the regular screws that came with the register on the far end. Stay cool man.


Does a fluorescent light fixture use more energy than an incandescent? Help me save a friend's marriage!  :-)

They have 2 light fixtures in their bathroom.  One is incandescent with 6 75W bulbs, and the other is a fluorescent fixture with a 22W bulb that looks like it probably a type T9 bulb.

Whenever she goes into the bathroom, she turns on the incandescent fixture, because she heard that it is expensive to turn on an fluorescent fixture.

In contrast, whenever he goes into the bathroom, he turns on the fluorescent fixture because he knows that 6 75W bulbs uses much more energy than 1 22W bulb.

But she argues he winds up using more energy because of the initial draw on the fluorescent bulb.

He argues that she winds up using more energy because of all those incandescent bulbs, and the heat they create.

I suggested that maybe they replace the incandescent light fixture, but they both said that's not an option right now (they are saving to eventually buy a nice LED one).  Then I thought maybe they should replace the fluorescent one, but I questioned whether or not the cost (and waste if they didn't find a new home for the old fixture) would be worth it.

What do others think?  How much energy does a fluorescent T9 bulb use on start-up?  Should they use the fluorescent fixture for long bathroom visits, but the incandescent for short visits?  How do you define long and short?  Would it be worth it to replace the fluorescent fixture?

All in all, I say they are pretty happily married, if this is their biggest argument! :-)

They should use the fluorescent and leave it on if they both are going to use the bathroom within a few minutes of each other. the energy cost of turning it off and on is saved within a few seconds. http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/when-turn-your-lights


Base of light bulb turning brown One of my lightbulbs went out a few days ago and I was replacing it today. I found to my surprise that the base was yellowing for no apparent reason.
I found this article online: http://www.montgomerynews.com/articles/2012/10/13/springford_reporter_valley_item/news/doc5075ce95acf4f692783257.txt
It mentions that CFL lightbulbs shouldn't be used in enclosed/contained fixture, or risk the hazard of fire:

CFLS cannot be used in lighting units where the base of the CFL is encased or enclosed. “The key is letting air around” the base of the CFL bulbs, Lengel said. That means track lighting, recessed lighting and any fixture that encloses the CFL bulb is not safe to have a CFL bulb in.
One sign of a near fire as a result of improper CFL use is when the base of the CFL bulb is turning brown.

Here are some images:

In the picture above, you can see the browning.

In the picture above, you can see the lightbulb information.
Finally, here is a shot (with the light turned out for contrast) of the fixture (there are two bulbs inside):

I would like to know if the lightbulb really is a fire hazard. If I was wrong in assuming that the bulb is not CFL, would it be a fire hazard if I did place a CFL (or two) in there?

A compact florescent (CFL) definitely heats up and needs to have room to dissipate that heat.

It is not nearly as hot (25–33%) as an equivalently bright incandescent, but the radiation pattern is different too.  An incandescent has most of its heat coming out the bulb with only a small proportion from near the narrow base.  A CFL has electronics in its base and those are responsible for a good amount of the bulb's heat.

The different heat pattern would explain why an enclosed base of a CFL would get crispy hot.  If that were combined with stagnant air and warm ambient temperatures then yes, it could be a fire hazard.

However, your pictured light fixture probably does not confine the bulb's bases and was made for—what? 225 watts of incandescents?  It should be fine for three 40 watt CFLs.

Do this experiment:  fill it full of CFLs at or above the wattage you'd want to run.  Close the cover and turn it on for at least 20 minutes.  Take the cover off and feel inside.  If anything is too hot to touch (120 °F/ 50 °C or greater), then it probably is not safe.  If parts are warm to the touch but not verging on painful, it is most likely fine.

LED bulbs would be completely safe.


Are two wires coming out of the same circuit breaker safe? There are two wires coming out of two of my circuit breakers in my electrical panel.  I am thinking the previous owner of the house stuck these two wires in there because the panel was full and they didn't want to replace the panel. I am not sure though, all the searches I have done on line haven't returned any info on why they would do something like this.

It depends -- some circuit breakers are designed to accommodate two wires. If they are, though, it'll be clear that they are. For example, these Square D Homeline breakers are marked with symbols or text indicating that two conductors are allowed but only if they're both copper. The plate under the screw and the molding of the case are also visibly formed to accept two conductors.

Your breakers could be marked on the side of the case; you'd likely have to remove one to find out. There's a label just barely visible which might tell the story.. I'm not well-acquainted with your BR breakers but to my eye they don't look like they're designed for two conductors.
In any case, it's always safe and easy to use a pigtail: a single piece of wire as a jumper between the breaker terminal and the other two wires. Join the pigtail to the others with a twist-on or push-on wire connector.


Smart switch using 2 wire romex I have romex running from the breaker to junction box1 then junction box2. From junction box2 there is a switch and a light fixture.  All of the romex is 2 wire (ground, black, white).

I want to replace my single pole switch with a wifi smart switch.

What are my options here?
Is there a wifi switch that works with 2 wire cables?
Is there a way to add a 3 wire cable without going all the way back to the breaker?

There are a number of possible solutions including replacing the switch loop and smart switches that use ground (allowed if designed and tested to do so). But I'll suggest another solution:
Two Smart Switches
Put the main smart switch - which would actually have the WiFi transceiver, etc. - in Junction Box 2. There is constant power there, so any smart switch will work just fine. Wire it up to incoming power and the light fixture.
Install a smart remote to replace the existing switch. Depending on how it works, it may be:

Battery power - Cap the wires on both ends.
Constant power - Change the switch loop in Junction Box 2 to have constant power instead of connecting to the light fixture. The remote will use this to get power and (depending on design) to communicate with the main smart switch. But it won't actually switch the fixture - the main smart switch will do this.

The only problem with this is if Junction Box 2 is in a really awkward place. If it is hidden behind furniture then it doesn't matter. If it is near other switches then it will look just fine. The only problem is if it is in a weird place where a blank cover plate blends in with the surroundings but an actual switch would look out of place.


Is it against NEC code to re-use pulled cable? I'm re-wiring parts of my house and have pulled some 12/2 out. Is it against NEC code to re-use that cable?

I didn't have to pull that hard to get the cable out and there doesn't appear to be any surface damage or major bends. The cable is twelve years old from the time the house was built.

No, nothing is wrong with re-using cable and cable assemblies that are listed and approved provided that they are in working order and still permissible for new construction in the location that you intend to use them. Don't use a cable that doesn't have a grounding conductor would be the main rule for re-using what you'd find in a residential setting.

Re-use becomes more of an issue when you get into classified locations, such as medical facilities and other commercial areas. You wouldn't be able to re-use a bunch of MC (metal clad) cable where HCFC (hospital care facility cable) is now required - but you're not likely to run into those situations in a residential setting.

If it's the right type of cable, just test it:

Are the conductors stiff and brittle?
Is any bonding that used to be in the assembly still there, and in good shape?
Is the exterior obviously stressed, or showing signs of damage from smoke or water?

... don't use it :) Otherwise, you should be fine.

Still, even if it looks / tests fine - consider replacing it if it's over 15 years old. You need not waste it, Romex has oodles of uses out of the wall (it's great for tying up/down all kinds of stuff, for instance).


Light bulbs burn out at the same time twice in the last week all of the light bulbs in my house (those that were turned on) burned out at the same time.  What would cause this and is my house safe to stay in.

One thing to think about though...
If you install all of the bulbs at the same time, they are all the same age.


I have 240V cable on a 120V circuit. Should I be worried? I'm reconfiguring my kitchen and moving some stuff around, which necessitates moving some outlets and switches. This is my first attempt at any kind of electrical work, so finding weird things makes me nervous.

It appears that my house (built in 1905 and remodeled several times before I bought it in 2004) used to have an electric oven. It now has a gas oven and a 110V 20 amp circuit that is supposed to power the electrical part of the oven (a clock and the ignition for the burners and oven) and a microwave/hood combo.

When I took off the oven faceplate, I found a 240V box behind it with big white and black multi-stranded wires (and a ground). It appears that someone used one strand of each of the big wires and attached that to the outlet's terminal screws. Then they used wire nuts and pigtails to run normal 12/2 (w/ ground) wire up to the microwave/hood.

How should I deal with the 240V cable that runs from the breaker box to the outlet? Do I need to pull it out and replace it? Is there a way to wire nut a 240V stranded wire to a 120V wire, and is that an okay thing to do? I realize that as long as the breaker is only 120V, the wire is just bigger than it needs to be, but I worry that someone might see the 240V wire at the breaker and try connecting a 240V circuit without checking for smaller gauge wire downstream. Best I can tell, the 240V cable runs in one piece from the breaker box all the way to the outlet.

Pictures:

It looks like the cable was indeed originally run for a 220V stove.

When the stove was replaced with a gas stove, rather than run a new cable they just used the existing cable. This is fine as long as both ends are properly terminated.

I don't like the way they terminated the outlet though. I think they should have used a 12 AWG pigtail. ( assuming it was a NEMA 5-15 or NEMA 5-20 outlet ) Other than that I might have done the same thing depending on the difficulty of running a new cable.

( NEMA 5-15 is the designation of a US 110V 15A outlet )

If it is easy enough, I would run a 12 AWG cable from the breaker box to another box near the first with a NEMA 5-15 or 5-20 outlet.
Then either put an appropriate outlet on the existing cable with a 40A double pole breaker (assuming it is 8 AWG wire); or just put a blank cover on it.
If you do just use a blank cover, you should either ground out all of the conductors or remove the cable from the breaker box.
This way it can be left wired for both gas and electric stoves.

If it is difficult to run a new wire, I would just do what they did; except use a pigtail to connect the outlet. Don't cut back part of the wire, use an appropriately sized wire nut.


How to remove wasp nest and let them leave I find that there are some wasps flying around my house, and even built their honeycomb near the roof or soffit vent.  Are there any methods to remove them or let these wasps leave? Thanks.

As Ed B. commented,  by knocking down the nest, you'll convince the wasps to leave and build a new nest elsewhere.  It's not necessary to spray -- at least from the point of view of getting them to leave! -- as they'll abandon a fallen nest.  The difficulty comes in whacking the nest without getting a swarm attacking you.  If you're fast :-) you can wait for a very cool night, hit the nest with a long pole, and run inside.

Otherwise, some spray to at least kill the exterior wasps and dissuade insiders from coming out a poisoned entrance should precede the knocking-down step.


What is causing the clothes washer GFCI to trip? I have a clothes washer which came with a gfci adapter.  The cord didn't quite reach the nearest outlet, so we had the washer plugged into a (grounded) 3-outlet interior extension cord, then to the GFCI adapter, then to a normal outlet.

I recently had an electrician come out to install an outlet nearer to the washer.  When we plug the washer directly into this new GFCI outlet, it trips sometime during the prewash cycle.  When we plug the washer into its GFCI adapter, and then into the new GFCI outlet, the new outlet trips.  When we plug the washer into the extension cord then directly into the new GFCI outlet, the outlet trips.  I tried replacing the extension cord with a different one.  I tried eliminating the extension cord (not a viable long term solution).

When I plug my heavy duty blender or vacuum cleaner into the new outlet and turn them on high, the outlet does not trip.

The result is always the same: old outlet + washer works, new outlet + washer trips, new outlet + something else works.

The electrician asserts there's nothing wrong with the outlet, that something must be wrong with the washer.  It's clear to me that it's some combination.  What could be causing this?

This happened to me:
Modern HE front loading washers draw a large inrush current in the pre-wash cycle as they hit peak torque when starting to spin a full and slightly wet load of clothes clumped at the bottom.

This can and does fake out certain brands of GFCI outlet, and is a well-known problem.  Because the problem isn't related to wattage, but to inrush current, high wattage resistive devices like hair dryers or small motors spinning quickly like vacuum cleaners don't trigger it.

Historically, GFCI outlets were not required or installed in laundry rooms, but in 2005 or 2007, the code changed, and they were judged to be 'wet' locations, and thus to require GFCI protection.

My solution was to replace the GFCI outlet with a non-GFCI outlet, and the washer has been working perfectly for 3 1/2 years.  But you may be able to find a less sensitive GFCI outlet, or just put a normal outlet in there and use your GFCI adapter.


How can I install a new internal nonbearing concrete block wall in basement to partition off for bathroom? house is built of concrete blocks, so basement floor is poured concrete and ceiling also. Want to know how to secure wall being built to ceiling and not having wall collapse

Load bearing or not, a concrete block wall needs a footing beyond what your questionably thick slab is.

That is why it might fall down, aside from not using tie-ins. AFAIK, you shouldn't have to tie-in at the ceiling, just to the side walls. I'd hope any professional would be talking about (a) pouring a footing (b) drilling holes everywhere for rebar and (c) making pockets for tie-ins. But it's a bathroom; not a vault. No one does this if they can just frame out the wall with lumber.

Ad hoc masonry must be tied-in to the existing structure:

(diyadvice.com)

(waybuilder.net)


How to remove this black stuff at my countertop corner joint Wondering if anyone has tips on how to properly remove and clean this. I've got scrubbers, soap, but they didn't really work.

That looks like mildew behind silicone caulk. I'd scrape it away with a putty knife and razor blade, taking care to not damage the surface. Then use a mild abrasive cleaner to buff away the stain. Consult the surface manufacturer for products and procedures.

Re-caulk with pure silicone after a good drying interval. Use as small a bead as possible for the best appearance.


Had ground rod connection added to my electric panel, should old ground to copper water pipe be disconnected? My 1970 house with slab foundation originally had a connection to the copper water line as the only ground. I had a pair of ground rods 6' 6" apart added and would like to disconnect the ground to the copper water supply pipe. Is this allowable and advisable?

The reason I would want to do this is to save the water pipe from damage. We had 20 pinhole leaks in a vertical vertical hot out from the hot water tank. This tank was sweated copper tubing all the way to the tank (advice from city plumbing inspector 25 years ago) instead of flexible supply lines with insulating connections.

There is at least the possibility that the pinhole leaks were due to electrolysis from dissimilar metals (steel tank-copper water lines). Twelve years ago I had the tank replaced with a tankless heater connected with insulated ("dielectric" connections). I want to eliminate the possibility that the ground rods might produce a similar effect in the copper tubing.

Also, I have heard of lightning strikes damaging copper water lines if the panel is grounded to the copper pipes.

If it is OK to disconnect the ground wire to the copper water supply line, should I do this in the panel and at the pipe? Is it OK to leave the old ground wire in place in the panel but disconnected from the ground bar?

No -- that bond wire could save your life!

It is very important that all non-current-carrying metal, including the cold and hot water pipes, be bonded to the electrical system ground.  This prevents highly unpleasant surprises should a wire in the dishwasher come loose and contact a water pipe!  Furthermore, this requirement is enshrined in 250.104(A) of the Code:

  (A) Metal Water Piping. The metal water piping system
  shall be bonded as required in (A)(1), (A)(2), or (A)(3) of
  this section. The bonding jumper(s) shall be installed in
  accordance with 250.64(A), (B), and (E). The points of
  attachment of the bonding jumper(s) shall be accessible.

  (1) General. Metal water piping system(s) installed in or
  attached to a building or structure shall be bonded to the
  service equipment enclosure, the grounded conductor at the
  service, the grounding electrode conductor where of sufficient size, or to the one or more grounding electrodes used.
  The bonding jumper(s) shall be sized in accordance with
  Table 250.66 except as permitted in 250.104(A)(2) and
  (A)(3).

Also, the pinhole leakage you saw in your hot water pipe is a water chemistry issue (excessive chlorine residuals can attack copper pipes), not an electrolytic corrosion issue, and has nothing to do with the bonding of the water system or any dissimilar metals -- in fact, in an iron-copper couple, it's the iron that corrodes first.


Replacing Fencing with Gaps Because of Erosion I will be replacing my 6ft fencing around the perimeter of my backyard, and there are several gaps where it appears the ground washed away portions to cause spacing between the ground and the bottom of the fencing. Is it a bad idea to purchase taller fence boards and to dig these fence boarding into the ground instead of allowing a gap at the bottom of the fence? I am a new homeowner, so I apologize for my ignorance in advance, but I am trying to find a way to keep the top of the fencing even across the top, but to also cover the gaps at the bottom, which are at different levels across the entirety of the fence placement. The fencing is in need of replacement, but I wanted to plan it out in advance before I start replacing sections.

Go ahead and purchase the longer fence boards but do not bury the lower ends in the ground. The boards will just rot faster if you poke then into the soil.  Instead cut each board to length as the fence is being built.

You can stretch a string between the posts for each section to be used to guide the top of the boards for that section. Then when you are ready for each board set it in place just resting on the ground and mark its length with a carpenter pencil at the string. (Note that if the fence boards are the dog eared style turn it upside down for marking so that you are cutting off the bottom).


Epoxy over cementboard I have achieved fantastic results applying epoxy over the concrete floor in my basement apartment.

I am currently doing the kitchen in my main unit. My preferred flooring choice is stone tile because the pre-existing conditions make it possible without any unknown adaptation. But I've been flirting with the idea of epoxy.

The problem is that half of the surface ( which has nothing underneath but ground,) is concrete, and the other half (  which goes over the basement ) is usual wood construction consisting of  2x8 joists + 3/4" OSB, which I'm reinforcing with 1/2" plywood and 1/4" cement-board.

I know that epoxy can go easily over the concrete half but how about the cement-board?

Can I apply something over the cement-board, like self leveling compound, to cover the seams and screws and achieve a concrete-like surface that would equalize it with the concrete side so that I can apply the epoxy primer and then epoxy itself?

Cement board isn't intended as a finished floor. It's not as dense as concrete. You'd find high heels and chair legs punching into it in short order, leaving you with a crumbly mess. Obviously you'd also have to tape all the seams and skim the screw holes, but you'd still have air voids across the entire surface to deal with.

I'd try epoxy over good (hardwood veneer?) plywood before cement board.


What size box steel posts? I have bought 2 second hand box steel gates each 8ft high and 9ft wide for the entrance to my horses field. I estimate they weigh about 200kg and 250kg (one has a substantial letterbox welded on). I am thinking of 4.5m long box steel 100mm x 100mm x 5mm putting 1.5m into the ground and then filling the box with concrete before capping. No one at the steel merchants can tell me if this will support the weight, anyone any ideas? I have thought of a gate wheel however the drive slopes both inwards (gates will open in) and from right to left so I don't think I can use them.

It would seem to me that the 100mm square tube posts would be a bit chincy for holding the hinges for gate of that weight. If it was me I would probably be looking for something a bit beefier like a 5"x5" or a 6"x6" steel tube with a wall thickness of at least 0.25".

Gates will place a tremendous torque on the posts and I also have my doubts that a burial depth of 1.5m would be enough to prevent post movement above the ground when there is a huge cantilever weight hung on the post. This is the reason that some of the following ideas are applied to gate posts:

Overhead post tie:

Substantial support structure:

Swinging gate support:

Back bracing into adjacent fence:


Breaker in garage keeps tripping The wiring in my garage is on the fritz. A few weeks ago, the breaker that my garage door opener and motion light are connected to tripped. I reset it and the breaker was fine for a few weeks. The breaker tripped again and wouldn't reset. I replaced the breaker (its a QO 20A) thinking it was bad, but it kept tripping. I unplugged my garage door opener, reset the breaker and it still trips. There is nothing else plugged into any other outlets. An electrician friend of mine, who hooked-up all the power, says that I should try the same kind breaker as the one that is hooked up to the lights. My co-workers think it's a short in the wiring. Th

Both your friends are right.

Your electrician friend is right.  Wiring breakers are specifically sized for the load capability of the circuit.  If you put a 20A breaker on a 15A capable circuit, then congratulations, you've created a fire hazard!  (Circuit can now potentially overload carrying more amps than intended, overheat, and ignite.)

Your co-worker is right.  A breaker which trips repeatedly after replacing (wrong match or not) is not a problem with the breaker.  There is something wrong with the wiring or something connected to it.  Since you have nothing connected to it and it trips, that means your wiring has been damaged - possibly by a rodent of some kind.

Shut the breaker down for now and hire your first friend to troubleshoot it.  Electricity is not something to fiddle with if you don't know the rules well enough to avoid accidentally risking burning your garage down.  (Hope it isn't attached to the house!)


Hanging an egg chair between two joists I want to hang an egg chair from my ceiling between two joists that are 24” apart. I have no attic access. Can I put a metal plate with a welded u ring in the center of the plate across the two joists and attach them with bolts onto the two joists? My ceiling is drywall and slanted like the picture . I’d like to make it look similar to this photo. How thick would the plate have to be to hold a load of 200 lbs?

Does the plate have to be metal?
We recently did just this, with a piece of 2x8 bracing two joists, and 4 lag screws into the joists. A 2x6 is also fine. The screws must be 3in long as they go through the plate, through the drywall, and then 1 inch into the joist. Any wiring through or around the joist should -by code- be 1.25in in from the edge. You can use 3/8in or 1/2in diameter screws.
See also the "cleat" answer by Isherwood for Hang indoor swing chair BETWEEN two ceiling joists
Pre-drill the joist for the lag screws, but first use a 3/4in to drill through the ceiling drywall and confirm location of the joist to make sure you pre-drill in the centre of joist edge. I don't find stud finders accurate enough to drill blindly. The brace will cover these holes.
Optionally stain the brace.
Attach the chair's hanging hardware to the brace (U ring etc...)
As for the metal option, I'd have to defer, because the critical point is the welding of the U ring. You'd have to make sure that whoever welds it knows what it's for, and is aware of the dynamic loading. Perhaps it is better screwed or bolted onto the brace. If bolted, the nut can be recessed into the drywall.