Main Breaker Panel or Main Lug Panel for Sub-panel in Attached-Detached Garage I am installing a ~100-amp sub-panel in my "attached-detached" garage (an "attached-detached" garage is a detached garage that shares a continuous roof with the home). The sub-panel will be fed by my main 150-amp service panel.

I currently am only planning on having three 20-amp circuits in my garage but would like to buy a sub-panel that can accommodate more in case I expand in the future.

Does my sub-panel require a main breaker panel or a main lug panel? I have read various reports on NEC code (225.31) requiring a means of disconnect for sub-panels that are on a separate building from the main service panel but I'm confused with the exception for sub-panels with only 6 breakers (225.33)? Since my sub-panel will only have 3 breakers but may have more than 6 slots for breakers what kind of panel do I need?

Correct.  An Outbuilding needs a main shutoff switch even if it has one breaker.  It does not need a main breaker, but it absolutely needs a shutoff switch.

It is unclear whether a "connected by roof" building is an outbuilding or not.  Code plainly says it's not an outbuilding and does not need a main switch.  Your local inspector is the final word on the subject.

Spend some time in the Eaton price book, and you find out that if you optimize for "cheap" or "compact", the best way to get a main shutoff switch is to get a panel with a big switch that by wild happenstance is a circuit breaker too. We don't care about that, we just need a shutoff switch.  We only care that its "circuit breaker" trip value does not unnecessarily limit us. If your supply is 100A, then any main breaker 100A or larger will suffice.

This thing is not a breaker for us, and coordinating the breaker trip is hopeless - expecting this local breaker to trip first for our convenience violates Murphy's Law.

The one special characteristic this main "switch" might have is GFCI -- using an oversize hot tub panel is one way to provide necessary GFCI protection to every garage circuit at once, at the cheapest cost.  The problem is, hot tub panels are woefully small, though this is helped by our ability to use double-stuff breakers if AFCI is not needed.

And "small panel" is death to a project like this.  A person who brings 100A of service to their garage means to run some 240V loads.  Those go through breaker spaces like congressmen through taxpayer dollars. Most loads in a garage need to be GFCI with some AFCI, so these will be full-space breakers.

The upshot is, don't even think of a panel less than 24-space...


Reliability of a compression barb fitting for a water hose I just installed water lines to a Brondell's bidet attachment. Cold water is supplied by the regular braided hose with compression 3/8 fittings. For hot water, however, they use a single barb fitting with a compression nut over a 1/4 thread over the barb, with no ferrule. The hose is, according to the company, thermoplastic polyurethane and is rated for boiling temperatures (100 degrees Celcius) and water pressures up to 150 PSI. I cannot tell the hardness of the material, but it is softer that the nylon tubing you'd normally find in ice maker lines that also use a compression mount (w/o barb with a ferrule tho), but harder that flexible Tyvec I use in my 50 PSI air applications at work. The hose is noticeably hard to cut with my lab hose cutter, which I use to cut 95A 5/32 polyurethane tubing for 150PSI pneumatics, so, given the larger diameter of the Bidell's line, I think it's no less than 85A. The Brondell's hose is a bit more flexible even with it's larger, 1/4 OD.

The proprietary tee can be seen in this video, if you do not mind watching a few seconds of it, where this exact connection is assembled: https://youtu.be/DyVE2R4DGAw?t=2m8s

My question is, how reliable this connection is for exposed plumbing? Every time I open/close the faucet or the bidet, the line shudders a little, so there is a bit of movement everywhere, including connection points. I am worrying one day the connector will decide to just spit out the tube and cause a flood (my lab air has no such concern). I just had a flood from an unrelated leak in in-wall plumbing, so I am nervous about leaks; sorry if I am overzealous. I tested my assembly by pulling on the mounted line not quite gently while pressurized, but it still stayed.

Another concern, I used silicone oil on all gaskets (Buna-N, I believe, some non-silicone rubber 100% certainly) while mounting the brass hardware, which is a common assembly practice in the lab. Thus the tee had some oil on surface when I installed the plastic line. Should I better disassemble and degrease this hose mounting part of it?

Answering own question: I disassembled the connection with the purpose of removing possible traces of leftover silicone oil from it. When I removed the compression nut and pulled the tube off the barb, I noticed that the end of the tube has become noticeably flared, because the compression nut, well, compressed it and pulled somewhat forward on the barb. Since the tubing is on the hard side, I am sure this natural flaring alone is more than adequate to prevent the tube from coming off the barb through the retaining nuts, despite some hydraulic hammering from faucet operation and jiggling of the tubing caused by it.

I wanted to post a picture, but the transparent tubing material did not allow for a good snapshot.


Thermostatic mixing valve that holds water temperature at 120°F / 50°C I've recently installed solar hot water and as expected it gets extremely hot. I would like to keep the tank as hot as possible (>180°F) and simply mix down the water to 120°F / 50°C as it's used so the tanks charge lasts longer. The sun doesn't always cooperate however and it can obviously get much colder than that.

The solar company installed a thermostatic mixing valve, however it doesn't hold the temperature at 120°F. Depending on how hot the tank is (120°F - >180°F) the temperature at the faucet fluctuates greatly.

Is there a valve that will simply keep the temperature at 120°F no matter what the source tanks temperature is? While it is at least >120°F of course.

A thermostatic mixing valve is the same device as a thermostatic shower, the mechanism is the same but the body & fittings different.

So, have you tried adjusting the existing valve? Is there any chance it has got some debris in it causing it to fluctuate. Is the cold supply to the mixing valve restricted?

It may be a faulty valve which needs replacement.


Why won't hot water come out after turning the water main back on? If someone turns their water main off to work on a plumbing and toilet problem, why would the cold water come on but no hot water. It doesn't come out at all or it will drip.

Why would this be, and how can I fix it?

Since you have no water coming out or just a drip a large chunk of rust or scale could have broken loose from your main and plugged the water heater. I would close and open the valve to the water heater to see if this crumbles or breaks up the debris. If that works it really is time to flush the water heater from the bottom drain. A hose connected to the bottom drain and taken outside or to a close sink or toilet makes this job clean and easy. If you have valves on both the inlet and outlet cycle both. If this works on the outlet side be prepared to clean the faucet aerators. If you get water running and hot water again it is also time to check the Anode rod. Anodes reduce corrosion inside the water heater and are eaten away (Another source of gunk in the bottom of the tank). Good Luck.


Running cat 6 networking cable in the attic: what is up to code? I plan on adding a Cat 6 network in my single-story detached home. It would consist of home runs from each of the 3 bedrooms + TV room to a central patch panel in the garage, which is close to the center of the home. The cat 6 cable runs will follow the existing runs for cable tv (coax) in each room. i plan on replacing the existing coax faceplates with keystone faceplates with coax & cat6 keystone jacks.

Since the network cable will be run in the walls and the attic, would code dictate that I use riser (CMR) or plenum (CMP) rated cables or will general purpose (CM) Category 6 cable suffice?

If it matters in regards to the electrical code, home is located in Calfornia (SF Bay Area) & was built in 2003.

Since you are in a one-family dwelling, there is really only one important article to be aware of.

  800.26 Spread of Fire or Products of Combustion. Installations of communications cables and communications raceways in hollow spaces,
  vertical shafts, and ventilation or air-handling ducts shall be made
  so that the possible spread of fire or products of combustion will not
  be substantially increased. Openings around penetrations of
  communications cables and communications raceways through
  fire-resistant-rated walls, partitions, floors, or ceilings shall be
  firestopped using approved methods to maintain the fire resistance
  rating.

  FPN: Directories of electrical construction materials published by qualified testing laboratories contain many listing installation
  restrictions necessary to maintain the fireresistive rating of
  assemblies where penetrations or openings are made. Building codes
  also contain restrictions on membrane penetrations on opposite sides
  of a fire resistance–rated wall assembly. An example is the 600 mm (24
  in.) minimum horizontal separation that usually applies between boxes
  installed on opposite sides of the wall. Assistance in complying with
  800.26 can be found in building codes, fire resistance directories, and product listings.

In a one- or two-family dwelling, you can use general type cable (CM, CMG, CMX) anywhere other than where plenum cable is required.

  800.154(B)(3) One- and Two-Family Dwellings. Type CM and CMX cable shall be permitted in one- and two-family dwellings.

Or, under carpets.

  800.154(C)(6) Under Carpets. Type CMUC undercarpet communications wires and cables shall be permitted to be installed under carpet.


How to direct connect 1-1/4 tailpiece to 1-3/8 vessel sink drain threads I got a new drain for my vessel sink. The style is what is shown here:

The tailpiece that came with the drain is too short (4-inches). I need at least 6-inch. Unfortunately, the original tailpiece didn't have a separate nut—it was somehow welded/manufactured as part of the pipe. So when I bought a new flanged tailpiece, I needed a nut to attach it to the drain.
The tailpiece is 1-1/4 inch, outer diameter. The threads are 1-3/8 inch outer dimension.
I bought a 1-1/4 inch slip nut hoping it would fit (it was advertised as 1-1/4 x 1-1/4), and it does fit the tailpiece, but unfortunately the thread diameter is much too wide to attach onto the drain threads (inner diameter of the slip nut threads is 1-1/2 inch).
I've been researching a lot and haven't found anything that appears to be what I need. Is there any nut that seems to fit 1-1/4 inch pipe but has 1-3/8 inch threads? I also can't find any tailpieces that are similar to mine but longer.

You need a tailpiece extension.

Reattach the original tailpiece that came with the drain and fit an extension onto that. Extensions are available in metals or plastic and can be trimmed as needed, etc. but, unless you like clogged plumbing, don't buy the flexible "accordion-style" ones.

Installed, it looks something like this:

(Note: This is some kind of "before-and-after" picture.) What we're talking about is the portion in the center that shows the extension between the trap and the original tailpiece (chrome).


Wiring for Internet of Things I'm interested in home automation and the Internet of Things and what options presently exist in the relatively cutting-edge field.

I would like to know if it is possible to use something like a central home computer (equivalent to ECUs in vehicles) that is connected to the internet and which can, for example, flip power switches without the need that the switch itself has a CPU and modem to connect to the internet directly, like the Nest thermostat does (which makes it bigger, more complicated and expensive). In order to do that, the electric (Romex) NM cable that is normally 14/2 NM (hot, neutral, and ground), that connects the switch, would also need to have data wires or cable to correspond with the computer, which, I'm guessing should be close to or better yet integrated in the main electrical panel.

The above paragraph is something between a fantasy guess and an educated hypothesis. I'm asking if what I described exists or is on its way or am I missing how the whole thing should work.

I'm not sure of particular products or solutions, but I will say that hardwiring any of it is quickly becoming obsolete. Technology will advance which will downsize the products and make everything more convenient. Right now there are already the Belkin switches that fit in a regular switch box, connect over wifi and with existing electrical wires, and can be controlled through a phone instead of a desktop computer or  set interface.

As mentioned before, anything can be done if you throw enough money at it. But honestly, it's actually cheaper now-a-days to get the convenient stuff.

And back towards your example, that can all be done with programmable logic and some relays to create a whole home system that can be rewired at will without the need for any internet connection. Again though, this isn't exactly cheap.


What kind of light bulb does this lamp use? It is an old lamp from IKEA

Here is a picture of the inside of it

I could not remember what kind of light bulb it uses. Can anyone able to identify the right kind?

It would be even greater if you link back to the IKEA catalogue.

Measurement of the socket: 1 inch at the widest

Edit:

Photo of a label at the bottom

Yes, I live in Australia

IKEA provides a tool to help identify bulb size. The one you need is listed as a group: (E12, E14, E17 or SES)

The 12 in E12, for example, means a diameter of 12mm. This is just a bit under 1/2". Carefully measure the size of the threaded cylinder and you should know which size you need. E14 will be about 9/16". E17 will be about 11/16". E14 and SES are the same.

E14/SES seems to be the most common and is probably your huckleberry.


How to fix sagging cabinet shelves? Crappy cabinets, shelves made of MDF. The contractor will be installing tile backsplash next week. I thought it would be the right time to fix the shelves, too.

The question is about the bottom shelves. I am less worried about internal shelves - these can be braced easily.

Edit: Upon doing some research, I came across this product. Google "shelf stiffener". I have not tried it but it looks promising.

Assuming you don't want to spend the money replacing with all solid wood cabinets (which is what I did last year), you could double the shelves up and screw the old one into the new one. Use screws no thicker than the two boards combined (obviously).


I have a car EV charger with a NEMA 6-20 plug and a different 220v receptacle -- adapter? I bought a 220V car EV charger with what I understand is a NEMA 6-20 plug:

But the socket is some other 220V that I can't find the specifications for:

Is there an adapter I can get to use this plug for this socket or do I need to get the socket replaced?

Thanks in advance for any guidance ... I'm a software guy and new to 220V nuances.

A NEMA 6-20 plug "implies" a current limit of 20 amps but more accurately, one should avoid approaching that figure. Your charger should be rated around 15-16 amperes, which is 80 percent of the alleged capacity of that plug.

The photo is a bit dark, but odds are good it's a NEMA 14-50 if there are four pins/sockets. As the number implies, that should be a 50 amp (40 at 80 percent) socket.

If you connect your charger to that socket, and something goes amiss, you would be getting up to 40 amperes of current before the circuit breaker does its job.

Such a consideration would not stop me from purchasing a 14-50 plug and 6-20 socket and wiring the two together, but I would also attempt an additional level of safety by putting a 20 amp breaker inline to the adapter.

Because of the disparity of current ratings, you'll not find an off-the-shelf adapter and any construction you create is at your own risk.

The numbers imply a 3 kw charger, kind of on the low side for a home charger, common in the wild, but superior to using a 110v version.


How can I fix poorly stained pine trim with routing grooves and rosettes? We are trying to stain pine trim pieces that have heavily routed grooves and also rosettes for the corners.  The trim is looking zebra-like with dark-light-dark light patches. The rosettes have circular routings which are taking the stain in many different ways so they look like many variances of color/finish.

Can anything be done to fix the stain on the existing pieces, or do we need to buy new pieces?
How can I sand these pieces without damaging the routing lines?

The problem is that pine in general is a difficult wood to stain. Some areas will absorb lots of stain, others that won't. But you have made it worse (not intentionally so) because of the routed regions. These offer much end grain on the surface, which just loves to soak up stain.

There are solutions. First, use a sanding sealer. This is usually a thin, clear liquid that when dry, will plug up the pores of the pine, controlling how your stain is absorbed. (Many sanding sealers are just shellac.)

You can also use a gel stain, a stain that is designed for these problem woods.

As for the existing wood that has been stained and is showing a problem, this will be difficult to fix without stripping. If not much has been stained like that, I'd just replace it with fresh wood.


Will my raised flower bed design be sturdy enough? I am building a 4'x 8' flower bed.  The bed is 32" tall with a floor made out of 1x4" cedar four feet across.  Soil depth is 12 inches, 32 cubic feet (8x4).  Worst case 7.481 gallons per sq foot x 8 lbs of water per gallon = 60 lbs x 32 = 1915 lbs.

The design uses corrugated steel for the sides with two 2x4s screwed to the steel--one at 12" deep on the inside to support the 1x4 flooring and another 2x4 at 24" deep (the steel is 24" deep by 8').  On the outside there is a 1x4 frame with supports on the ends and at 24" intervals. So each side has two 2x4s and two 1x4 and corrugated steel, all eight feet long.  The ends are the same with 4 foot lengths. Is this frame strong enough?

The floor is marginal, the deflection is almost an inch. This might be tolerable, but deflections also put a lot of stress on the screws. Damp soil weighs more than water, 96 lbs/ft3 according to one website, so it could be worse than these calculations.

Floor calculation:

Another concern is the strength of the corners. If this stand isn't level, there will be tremendous forces on the corners. Even if it starts level, settling could make it un-level. I would sink PT 4x4s 3 ft into the ground in the corners (or maybe 6 total), so there is no chance of the corners rupturing and it falling and hurting someone.

I don't know how to account for the corrugated steel, so I didn't calculate the side strength.

Edit for new design:

Floor calculation:

2x6 side rail calculation:

Both of these calculations are OK. I can't comment on the remainder of the design without seeing a detailed diagram. I don't know how to analyze screw and bolt strength, so I wouldn't necessarily be able to confirm a complete design anyway.

If you are going to rest the 2x6 on top of the 4x4s, you need to be sure that there is no chance that it can slip off.


What type of flooring can be used on a concrete slab? I have a split ranch house in NY and the downstairs hallway and half bath / laundry room currently has vinyl tile on a concrete slab.  I would like to cover the vinyl tile with a new floor.

What is the best flooring material to use in this environment?

I was originally thinking ceramic tile because the the garage enters into the hallway (dirty, wet shoes).  However, I'm concerned that the tile will be too cold during the winter, so I was thinking about some type of wood flooring.  However, the potential for a water problem in the bath / laundry room makes me want to avoid wood.

Tile floors can be installed with a radiant floor heating system such as this one

It is imbedded in the floor below the tiles and is controllable with a wall mounted thermostat. Unless there is significant structural damage to the floor, there is no risk based on dampness.  These are routinely used in bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms.


Why does water randomly come out of the kitchen tap every now and then Sometimes the taps have a little bit of water come out for a few seconds while I'm just sat around not doing anything with the sink

The seal in your faucet is failing, and water is building up very slowly. Surface tension keeps it in a shallow bubble until it finally flows out the horizontal faucet segment in a burst.

Disassemble your faucet and check for mineral deposits and other debris. Clean or replace the ceramic or rubber seals, and lubricate rubber seals with white grease.


Can I attach a extract fan on a portable a/c unit exhaust hose? I have a window a little far(+-5 meters) from the room i wish to add an portable a/c. Is it possible to use an extractor fan to help pull the exhausted air from the portable a/c?

I wouldn't without first consulting the manufacturer.  You are messing with the design parameters.  With that distance, you will loose all legitimate warrantee coverage. I'm not saying it couldn't be done but you would probable need automatic variable speed control based on discharge air temperature as well as built in purge delays and base airflow settings.  Or you could just play with it and try to hold discharge temp of between 110* and 120*.  Good luck. One day you are going to forget, not have enough cooling to the condenser, run the head pressure up and damage the compressor.


Sweat or threaded connections for shut-off valves I'm in need of installing a shut-off valve for my hose bib (sillcock), specifically a ball valve. But I was wondering if a threaded connection was better than a sweat in terms of effectiveness and maintenance.

I've had better luck sweating/soldering Cu connections than the threaded-with-tape approach.  Another option is to use SharkBite (tm) or equivalent push-on connectors.
FYI, I just added a hose bib out the front of the crawlspace.  8 fittings total with 6 soldered, 1 Sharkbite, and one threaded.  The only one I had a leak issue with is the threaded joint.
Edit 1 - Nap should be Mapp
If you're going to go the solder route, I highly recommend a Mapp torch rather than a propane one.  The Mapp heats up the copper a lot faster than the propane.


Can I perform a large ceiling drywall repair myself? A leaky roof caused water damage to an area of the ceiling approximately 3' x 4'. The ceiling also has a nearby crack that seems to follow a joint, bringing the total affected area to about 5' x 8'. The room itself is 13' x 16':

Is it reasonable to cut out an area of drywall that amounts to about 20% of the total area and patch it with a new sheet of drywall the way one would patch a smaller area? Is there anything that I should do differently for such a large repair? Finally, is this a project that a competent do-it-yourselfer can manage, or should I call a pro?

Yes, this is certainly doable, but I guess an assistant would be very useful when handling pieces of drywall and attaching them to the ceiling.

What you essentially will have to do is remove the affected drywall (not necessary to remove entire sheets - if a sheet is only partially damaged you can cut the damaged part away and leave the unaffected part) and then patch the area. No major difference compared to a small area patch - you will have to replace the damaged material entirely from one closest stud to another, studs are separated with rather small distance.

This will constitute lots of tedious work and will be rather dirty but it is certainly doable by a DIYer.


Can flexible baseboards come in lengths longer than 8' My contractor is telling me that it is not possible to get flexible baseboard moldings longer than 8'. But my curved section is 12'. I currently have to use 2 flexible moldings which I believe looks bad. How can I get a longer molding?

PVC baseboard moldings are readily available in 12' (and probably longer). For example, http://www.lowes.com/pd_310628-1487-07527_0__?productId=3340764 (EverTrue 3.25-in x 12-ft Interior/Exterior PVC Baseboard). Your contractor needs to look a little harder.


Roof trusses left out in rain, are they still good? I experienced a house fire in May 2015.  The house is undergoing a full gut job.  The roof has to be completely replaced.

Unfortunately, I hired the wrong contractor and they have been taking their sweet time getting anything done.  In October the demolition was done. The house is now just a shell of concrete block; no drywall, no roof.  The roof trusses were delivered in early December and have been sitting outside un-covered since then.

I live in Florida. It doesn't get very cold, but we have had some serious rain recently.  Will the trusses warp? Will there be mold to deal with?

I believe this article should give you some answers:

http://www.sbcmag.info/article/2012/truss-storage

In short, it all depends on how the trusses look after the time. The article says that they may be left out for a week max and then should be covered, but any time after that just comes down to what the current weather conditions have done to them.


Replacing 14/2 wire with larger gauge (12/3), is this a problem? I replaced a 2 conductor NM wire running from a light fixture to the switch with a 3 conductor 12/3 wire, to bring a neutral line to the switch box for a smart switch.
Then I pulled out the old wire and realized that it actually was 14/2, not 12/2. I thought it was 12/2 so I picked up 12 gauge from the store, and this of course was after I already fished the line through the wall.
Is there potentially a problem switching out a wire for a higher gauge? Theoretically a 12 gauge wire can conduct more amps than a 14, so my assumption is that it’s not a problem because it can handle more current than the old wire, not less. But I thought I’d double check.

You're good to go. You could run #10, #8 or #6 if you wanted (of course you'd have a heck of a time terminating it in the box, but that's another story).
You're always free to run a larger gauge wire since, as you know, it can handle the higher amps.
Make sure you label the circuit (as others very properly noted) to remind yourself and future electricians that this is a 15a circuit with some #12 wiring and that it's not #12 all the way to the breaker.


Can I use a perfume sprayer to spray bleach solution? I am looking for a way to spray a moderate bleach solution up under the rim of my toilet. One idea I had was to use a "perfume sprayer"-type thing with the bulb that you squeeze. Would this work? Would the flow rate be too low? Would the bleach damage the sprayer? Are there better alternatives I am missing?

Thanks!

Bleach will likely make spring rust and it will quickly fail. Even regular sprayers don't last long. However, there are chemically rated spray bottles that will last and stand up to chlorine. That's what I used for just what you are planning, works great!

I got my sprayer at Home Depot. Here is a set on Amazon for reference


How to protect my home from high voltage? My household circuit has an effective voltage of about 220 volts most of the time (98% of the time). There are cases when the voltage is to high: 250,300,350 and burns most electronic devices. How can i fix this problem?

I was thinking of putting one electrical fuse of 220V before the voltage enters the house. In case of high voltage, I'd need only to replace the electrical fuse. Is this a good idea? If yes what kind of electrical fuse do I need?

Update!!!
I must mention that this is the box with electrical switches,before the voltage enters the house, it passes through this box.The first switch in the left,goes off in case of short circuit. The first switch in the right controls all the switches, and the other switches controls each switch each room.

Circuit breakers don't provide protection against over-voltage.  They might in extreme circumstances where over-voltage causes an over-current situation, but that protection occurs too late, after the electrical appliance is smoking.

What you really need is a power conditioner, also known as a voltage conditioner.  They are expensive even for small loads.  A whole-house conditioner might run $15,000.  But to target just a few appliances, there are some around $1,700.  See this and this.

If this is not a temporary power situation, you might consider a whole house standby generator.  The deluxe units switch to generator power not only when the voltage goes low, but also when it goes too high.


How can a glossy finish be achieve on a wooden desk? I'm planning to build a desk for my workstation and I wanted to have a glossy finish something like this.

I'll be using a 3/4" thick plyboard and plan to cover it with patching compound to have a smooth surface. I'm not really good at DIY and I'm saving some money... but will try my best to get a good result :)

Question 1: Is my approach stupid?

Question 2: What paint would you recommend? Can I use spray paint on this?

Question 3: Any alternative suggestion?

You want a gloss enamel.

Yes, you can use spray paint with it ... although I'd definitely sand it VERY carefully first with an orbital sander and 120 and 220 sandpaper, wipe down with tackcloth very carefully, prime with an oil based primer, sand again with 220, wipe, prime again, and sand AGAIN with 220 or possibly even a finer grit ... you want to make sure that the surface is absolutely perfect before you even try to paint with a gloss paint. Gloss finishes are the hardest to get a decent finish with.

Use thin coats of paint and build it up, trying to make it as even as possible. Don't be afraid to go over it with some 220 and then another finer grit of sandpaper if you feel like you've messed it up. Keep in mind that full cure times for enamel is generally 24+ hours and you'll want it to fully cure before you try to sand it, move it, recoat it, etc.

If you're brave, you can also try rolling it with a foam roller and some penetrol. A pint of gloss enamel shouldn't run you that much, and if you have done the prep right, mix it right, and apply it right you can get just as good a finish as a spray finish... or better if you're not used to finishing surfaces with spray cans or equipment.

If you go the can-and-roller route, avoid Rustoleum and go with something that is good, like Sherwin. If you go with cans, avoid the "Rustoleum Universal" spray cans, the spray heads on them suck. Just regular "Painter's Touch" or Krylon will work fine.


Is there an approximate substitute for a Torx T40 bit? I needed a Torx T40 bit for a job, but that bit was missing from my toolbox.

I didn't want to strip the bolts (they were fastened tightly over a decade ago), so I had to wait until I could get the exact bit.

Is there an approximate substitute for a Torx T40 bit that I could have used?

Depending on how many you have and what is at risk ... could fit the T40 screw head socket with the largest possible hex/allen bit, spray the T40 recess with silicone, clean the hex bit, dab some quick curing epoxy or liquid metal into the recess, immediately followed by inserting the bit (only) until cured.


Where can I find these textured cast concrete blocks? I am trying to match up some old blocks but ain't having much luck.
Would anybody know the name or style of the block?

I can't find them offered online either. The quality/style has changed quite a bit since those were made, and I think they've been outmoded.

I found something similar: http://www.uticacast.com/Veneer.htm


Replace GFCI in bathroom When I opened up the old one, there are 3 cables with the normal 2 black, 2 white, and ground.  However, there are 2 whites and black capped together to a load screw and another white on the other load screw, and on the line side, there are 2 blacks attached to 1 screw, and 1 black to the other.  The GFCI won't reset.  Can I piggyback the 2 blacks that are attached to 1 screw?  I've never seen anything like that before.  Electricity is not my forte, but I have replaced outlets before.

A white wire connected to a hot can be seen on switched hots. A good electrician will often add a piece of black tape to indicate this, but that often doesn't happen.

When connecting wires to screws on outlets, you only want one wire per screw. If you need to attach multiple wires and don't have enough locations to screw them on, then pig tail them together with a short piece of wire, secure and cover with a wire nut, and connect the short piece of wire to the outlet.

To resolve the GFCI not resetting, disconnect everything except the line connections. Verify the GFCI is working properly. Then connect each load one at a time until you locate the fault. You'll need to trace these lines or identify what isn't working when disconnected and inspect every junction to locate the problem with that line. If you don't feel comfortable with this, then I recommend hiring a professional electrician. As always with electrical, do not work on live wires and use a voltage tester, preferably non-contact, to check all wiring before you touch it.


Door sticking, frame no longer square, is this serious? I'm a rookie home owner. My "mudroom" door (never heard that term before this house) has started to stick. The house was built in 1952. At the time it was just the house, and the garage and mudroom were both additions. There is no access under either the mudroom or the garage.

Checking it recently, I notice:

The gaps on the side and tops of the door are now inconsistent from side to side, top to bottom. Door is definitely askew in the frame.
The top of the door frame is no longer truly straight, but bowed slightly
In the wood that forms the area around the window to the right of the door, there is a hairline gap between the planks that appears to be bigger than any on the other side.
Above the door, there is a hairline gap between the vertical and horizontal joint.

It's hard to check level, since both the top and the bottom of the door frame are bowed slightly.

My questions, knowing I can only give a rough description:

Is this common, or should I be worried?
What's the ballpark cost (cost ranges) to set this right?
Who would be qualified to check this out? A home inspector? Is it serious enough for a structural engineer?

Pics, inside:
Top of Door, showing uneven gaps
Just to right of door, showing crack above and split betweeen panels
Bottom of door, showing uneven gaps

Pics, outside:
Base of door, showing crack in block
Left of door, showing minor crack
Right of door, showing bigger crack

Unfortunately, it looks like you have a structural problem in the front wall or foundation of the mudroom. This is evidenced by the severe cracking in the brick to the right of the door, as well as cracking in the concrete under your threshold and at left. The picture showing cracking to the right of your door also shows more mortar above the lowest course of bricks than in between the other courses; this suggests that this problem was patched before, but has recently gotten worse.

Considering that, it is likely that structural repairs will be needed. These could be incremental fixes, reinforcing some weak parts, or a more comprehensive fix (such as replacing the mud room's foundation or footings) could be required. Furthermore, if the failure occurred because of water/drainage problems, you will want to take corrective action there to ensure it doesn't happen again.

I would recommend you call some experienced masons and general builders to assess the situation. Because the mudroom is its own addition, the worst-case scenario is that the whole addition has to be rebuilt. More likely is that some significant foundation and masonry repairs are needed, somewhere in the $1000-3000 range. Once that's done you can do the door/carpentry fixes.

Note that this can be a complex issue to diagnose in person, let alone from pictures over the internet. You'll want to get several opinions from people who know what they're doing. A structural engineer may not be necessary, but their opinion could help you distinguish between the builders who understand what's going on and the ones who just want to sell you an overpriced patch.


Wall scuffing protection for bicycle I just moved into a 2 family apartment. The porch leads to two doors,
one for the upstairs apartment, and
one for the downstairs apartment.

The upstairs entryway has a relatively thin space
to the side of the stair bannister,
but wide enough for my commuting bicycle,
(although I'll probably roll it in backwards,
so the handlebars never get caught). I plan to place my bicycle there,
but I want to ensure that I do not scuff up the walls,
as I roll it in and out each day.

I want to cheaply line the walls
without altering (scuffing, penetrating) the walls. I figure 3 planes of material could do it,
(for the left, right, and back walls),
but I'm not sure of which material could be:

Sturdy enough to stand on its own weight
Thin enough to not significantly reduce the already small space
Light enough to rest against the wall without cutting into it if it shifted slightly
Purchased in sizes 5 ft. tall
Cheap
Possibly still aesthetically pleasing

Ideas included:

Corregated cardboard (where could I get sizes large enough)
Sheetrock/drywall (I think these max at 4 feet)
Plastic (what type? clear would be aesthetically pleasing)

It's an entryway that you'd like to keep clean, and drywall would ding, scrape, and mar just like the existing drywall, so that's not a good option.

I would consider the following material:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-16-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-Plastic-Panel-63003/202090190

It's a simple lightweight plastic, that can be installed with cheater strips and liquid nails, and has an inexpensive cap rail too. It'd be long lasting, easy to clean, and white goes with almost anything.  It does mean you will have to take some time and care to make sure it looks good, considering it'll be there for decades.  My cost estimate would be $130 US in total, for 3 panels, a straightedge and box knife, Liquid nails and the edging strips.

And, of course, that also means you need to get permission from the building owner to install it, but the fact you've asked will go a long way to getting a yes.

If you don't care what it looks like, and you're moving out in a year or so, then I'd seriously consider the cardboard option instead, and use blue painters tape to hold the cardboard together, and the panels to one another.

Or just say screw it all, save up the money to have the wall repaired when you move out, and offer the landlord $100 to cover the scrapes and repaint the area - they have to do it anyway....


How should I insulate an interior wall between a warm humid bathroom and a cold bedroom? We're redoing the master bath. I'm wondering if and how I should insulate the interior wall. Bedroom is kept at 60F. Bathroom will be warm (radiant floor) and humid even if we have and run vent fan.

Should I put insulation in wall? Standard fiberglass with vapor barrier on bathroom side? Foam board? Fiberglass w/o vapor barrier?

Given what you know about how you will heat the rooms differentially, insulation is good. I'd go with mineral wool (or fiberglass) since some sound isolation is often desirable between bedroom and bathroom and foam is not great at that application.

If you will be doing the bathroom walls with a moisture barrier no additional vapor barrier on the insulation is called for.


Possible to drain mini split into clean out opening? I have a mini split in a bedroom that was set up so the condensed water drains via a plastic hose into 5 gallon bucket in the cellar.  There is no proper drainage in the cellar so periodically I have to carry the bucket up the stairs and dump it out.

This is getting old fast especially when someone in the house leaves the window open with the AC on!  Grr.

Would it be possible to drain the water into the soil pipe instead?  Adjacent to the bucket is the soil pipe with a trap and jim caps similar to photo below.

Perhaps I could replace the cap on the house side with, say, a 2 foot tall pipe and fit the hose into that? I'm thinking it needs a length of pipe so backups don't overflow -- I've seen something similar in use in clothes washers in basements I believe.

Edit to add: The mini split is in a bedroom on the ground floor, one floor above the cellar.  The mini split is mounted on an interior wall and there is not easy route to the outside.

Suggestions for other approaches are most welcome.

Are you against installing a sump basin in the cellar and having the split drain into that, with a sump pump to push the water outside of the house? Maybe this is financially prohibitive, but I suspect you could DIY it relatively inexpensively.

That said, I'm not a plumber, but you could optionally add a 45-degree branch, shaped like the pic below, extending up from the "house-side" cleanout access. In your case, I would keep the vertical run capped, basically just extending the existing clean out upward a couple feet, and drain the mini-split into the 45-degree branch.

.......there are some caveats, for which a plumber's experience would be desirable:

1) What happens if/when you have a backup? Where does that problem manifest itself?? It should backup into the next lowest point, which is probably a bathtub, but the mini-split will be introduced as an option!

2) Venting. The dripping from the split probably doesn't need a vent to flow, but you might acquire a sewer smell in that bedroom. This might even be illegal in some respects, like if the home or room is rented.

3) You might hear gurgling sounds in that room, as water flowing through the piping will be transmitted up to the evap/fan assembly. Washing machines draining, toilets flushing, and bathtubs draining might be enough flow to transmit the gurgling sounds.

I would advise the sump basin/pump strategy, but the above could probably suffice as a short-term solution in the meantime. Again, I'm not a plumber!


How do I pick a good paint brush? I know:

Natural bristle brushes should not be used with water base paints. Synthetic bristles can be used with either.
A slanted end is easier for cutting in.
You want to avoid brushes that shed bristles.
A good brush has tapered ends on bristles.

Other than that, what makes the difference between a 3 buck walmart special, and a 30 dollar Purdy?

Edit:

There seem to be two interpretations of my question.

A:  How to pick the right paint brush for your painting task.  This is fairly straight forward, and there is a bunch of good advice out there on boar bristle, nylon, polyester.  And wall brush vs sash brushes.  It starts getting a bit vague when you take a closer look.  Purdy has 4 lines of brushes.  The XL  line has 11 styles that come in 41 sizes. Just what is the difference between a Blue Heron, a Dale, a Cub, a Dale and a Glide.

B:  Once you have decide what type of handle feels good in your hand, and have picked your size and cut how do you tell a well made brush from a bad brush in the store at the time of purchase?

It's the second question I'm seeking an answer to.

For a professional, it's all about economy, and that doesn't mean brush price. That means project speed and finish quality.

A great brush should:

Carry a lot of paint without dropping it
Allow consistent, smooth application of the paint film
Provide very good edge control
Feel good in the hand
Offer a comfortable, secure grip
Function well with the user's preferred techniques
Last through multiple jobs without frizzing or bristle loss
Clean up easily and completely

It isn't about features, such as shape or taper or bristle material, because what's needed varies by painter and by project. It's about benefits in the way of performance that save time and money.

Just as I can't tell you what shaver or deodorant to use, I can't tell you what paint brush to buy. Try a few and learn what works for you. It's a safe bet that neither the cheapest nor the most expensive are the right one.


What could prevent a motorised CD player drawer from opening after not being used for an extended period of time? Many years ago, I used to use a CD player that had an opening drawer - you'd press a button, the drawer would open, you'd insert the CD and then either push the drawer closed or use the same button. For some unknown reason to me now, this drawer somehow became damaged and after being off for several hours, it'd take around 50 presses of the button before the drawer would open. The button would press without issue, but each time I pressed the button I could hear the drawer sticking until it'd just open - if I kept using the button to open the drawer it'd open without issue, but if I stopped for an extended period of time I'd have to repeat the same process outlined above. This drawer would open outwards - it wasn't a flip-up kind of thing.

What could have changed in the period of time that I stopped opening the drawer to make it stick and not open? I'm not an expert on these types of things, and even though I no longer use this particular player I've always been interested to know!

Thanks.

The grease on the pinion gear could have dried out or the bearing surfaces, usually plastic on plastic. There are things that could cause this that we may not think about, but if you have ever opened one of these up the motors are tiny and many are monitored or they open and close based on how much current is being drawn, two much current you hear them try to cycle but they cannot. A paper clip or large needle will usually release a stuck tray (small hole usually just under the tray that opens) manually opening the drawer can sometimes get them working again for a while.


What is a split bus panel, and how do I recognize it in the field? I'm having trouble identifying a split bus panel. I design and install Solar systems, and lately (after Mr Wiley gave a few seminars to local inspectors) the local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) are refusing to allow a second feed to a service panel if the utility feed is in the middle of the bus (center). Citing if the panel is a split bus, the 120% rule doesn't apply.

Can anyone confirm what a split bus is and how to identify. is it simply when the feed is in the middle of the bus in the panel?

Imagine a 2-phase sub-panel: 2 bus bars down the middle, 2 lugs at the top to connecting the incoming power from the main panel. (No main breaker here because this is a sub-panel; the disconnect breaker for this type of panel lives in the upstream panel.)

Now imagine a sub-panel that contains 2 completely independent sets of bus bars. This is a split bus panel.

Here's a picture:

Typically, in a split bus panel, the wires delivering the power to the panel are connected directly to the lugs for the upper bus. Then a double-pole breaker is installed on the upper bus and wired to the lugs on the lower bus.

This is allowed because of the "6 breaker rule", which says that a panel must de-energize all of its circuits by switching off at most 6 breakers. Provided that the upper bus has at most 6 breakers installed (say all double-throw breakers for big appliances) and one of those 6 is the double-pole powering the lower bus, then it takes at most 6 breakers to de-energize all of the attached circuits for the entire panel.

So you can identify a split bus panel by looking in the middle for a (ahem) split bus. It should be obvious because there are lugs buried between the breakers, and those lugs are likely wired to a breaker above.

(In looking for pictures or diagrams to help me explain this, I came across a website from Charles Buell, a home inspector, that explains a lot about split sub panels, including some mistakes he sees, plus some things that people claim are mistakes but are not. It's a good read and it might help you.)


Pipes that supply water to washing machine are constantly dripping I've recently noticed a regular dripping sound coming from somewhere near the pipes the supply my washing machine.

In that picture, the sound seems to be coming from behind the faucet on the left. The sound is about once every 2 seconds, and is somewhat lower pitched, a little like knocking, but still seems to be some kind of dripping.

Above the faucet, there's a fixture that seems to be leaking, but much more slowly; e.g. a drip of water forms and falls maybe once every 20 minutes or so, and it results in part of the central drain hose below being wet:

Note that this leak is extremely small and slow (and seems separate from the dripping sound every two seconds which appears to be coming from inside the pipes), so beyond the slightly wet outer surface of the black hose (since the hose just happens to lie right below that extremely slowly leaking fixture, there's doesn't seem to be any other puddles on the ground. The fixture seems to be connected to the pipes behind the faucet: when I push the fixture gently; pipes seem to move a little.

I'm locating on the east coast, in New Jersey. The last time I used my washing machine was yesterday, but the sound has been around for at least 4-5 days.

Any suggestions on how I should proceed?

You need to find the source of this problem and either fix it or have it repaired.  This kind of a water leak could result is mold growth as well as other bad things for you home. You will probably have to open the wall to expose the source.  Wall repair is simple and inexpensive when compared to the other problems that  could result leaving this unattended.


unauthorized usage of power, Locating source of excessive energy use my new neighbor has had many visitors since moving and now has unwanted visitors outside bv who are loud and trespassing and i believe they had used my outside power outlet. I'm asking if it is possible to determine if power was used from that outlet

Without any additional equipment (a clamp-on ammeter), it's not possible to determine how much electricity was used from one specific outlet / fixture. And, even then, it won't be able to determine how much was used in the past, only what's used once the equipment is installed.

Even so, it's not likely the neighbors used a significant amount of electricity from a single receptacle. Assuming you're in the US, it's 120V 15A, which is 1800W max - run that for an hour, and that's only 1.8 kWh (anywhere from ~20 to ~50 cents, depending on your rates). 5 hours a night for 30 nights a month, and it's "only" ~$30 difference in your electric bill - probably rather insignificant with AC running during the summer. And that's a worst-case scenario; if they are actually using it it's likely not anywhere near the 15A limit and so cost is much less.

If your electric bill is unusually / unseasonably high, check your HVAC first, followed by your water heater (if electric).


Can I transition a 12 mm to a 8 mm laminate wood floor in an adjacent room? Is there a way to transition a 12 mm laminate floor to a 8 mm laminate floor in an adjacent room?  We have had trouble finding the same color flooring to replace the floor in an adjacent room except for one in an 8 mm size.  Would a reducer 1/2 in. Thick x 1-3/4 in. Wide x 72 in. Length work?  Any suggestions?

4 mm is between 1/4" and 1/8". With a transition I doubt it would be very noticeable. You can add 1/4" (6.35 mm) underlayment under the new laminate and that would reduce the difference to 2.35 mm which is between 1/8" and 1/16". Of course the new laminate would now be the higher one, but the difference in height would be reduce in half


Change Irregular Shower Handles One of my shower handles broke so I'm trying to replace them as easily as possible.  Since they're original to the house, I'm not sure how to disassemble them or which type I'd need to replace them with.

There are holes on opposite sides of the individual handles, but they don't look like standard Allen sockets.

That's a shame, those are some cool-looking handles..

I know you said it wasn't, but they do look like allen screw holes, just a little corroded. Better hit them with some PB Blaster and let them soak awhile, while you try to find the right allenhead. I predict you're in for a battle with those screws.

Even when the screws are out, they won't give up easily. Those handles are on splined stems sticking out of the wall, and more than likely they are a little corroded as well.

Tap with a hammer, pull, pry, spray PB, tap, pull, pry. Stay vigilant. It will be a long day removing those handles.

Once they are off, splines are easily matched up at most hardware stores. Well, easier than removing those handles, anyway.

Have you tried just unscrewing the porcelin section yet? Maybe you can find something that will just replace that?


Got a used Electric oven - not sure what wire and breaker to use We just got a used electric oven.  We had propane, but no longer have access to propane.  Currently there is only a standard wall outlet behind the oven.

I realize I need to run a new wire, etc., but am over my head as far as what type of wire, what type of breaker, etc.

The metal panel inside the oven door says:

  3 wire 120/208 - 240 volts - 60 Hz AC ONLY

  KILOWATTS 208 VOLTS

  KILOWATTS 240 VOLTS

  WHIRLPOOL

  MODEL RE374PXDN 0

I have a double-30 breaker open in the box.  Can I use that, or should I get something bigger?

Is the "3 wire 120/208" the description of the wire I need?

I tried looking it up by the model number, but it doesn't appear to exist.  Any help greatly appreciated

You'll need:

NEMA 14-50 receptacle.
40 ampere double pole breaker
Four 8 AWG copper conductors, or four 6 AWG aluminum conductors (Hot, Hot, Neutral, Ground).

It's common for builders to use a 50 ampere breaker and larger conductors,  to make sure the circuit can handle any range the owner's might use. But if you're installing the circuit to support a particular device, you may be able to use a smaller circuit.

It's common to use aluminum conductors for range circuits, because it's a bit cheaper when you start using larger conductors. Type SE (service entrance) cables are common for range circuits, as it's often easier to pull a cable than individual conductors.

In layman's terms. Go to the electrical supply shop, or hardware store. Tell them what you're doing, and ask for:

A four prong range plug.
A four wire range cord.
8/3 with ground NM (nonmetallic) cable (copper).
A double pole 40 amp breaker.


How exactly do you set these post holders into concrete? How should you set these bases into concrete?

Do you push them all the way down? Or should you leave a gap underneath? If you leave a gap, how big a gap should you leave? It has drain holes on the bottom, which makes me think it needs to be off the concrete, but then you have the full weight of you 6x6 post on that one piece of steel.

What's the proper/best way to set this into concrete?

That base goes into a hole drilled into a concrete slab, and is then attached with epoxy. The base of the bracket bears on the cured slab. Follow the epoxy manufacturer's instructions regarding hole clearance and cleaning procedure.


Can I run water lines through the attic? I recently had a Slab leak in my home in Indianapolis,IN. This is the 4th Slab leak since I've owned the home. I decided it was time to reroute all the Water lines. I thought this was best so I wouldn't have to deal with anymore slab issues. We had pex lines run through our attic space to the bathrooms and laundry area.
Pex had to be ran under the concrete from the utility closet to the Kitchen. All the lines are tied to a Manifold.
After reading some info on this site, I am alarmed that we may have frozen lines in the cold temp.
The pex was run about 3 maybe 4 feet above the blown in insulation. The lines were fastened to the rafters. Black insulation was used to wrap the lines. I've been told that this is out of code in Indiana and that the lines need to be rerun inside the home. Just below celing. Then celing would have to be framed and new drywall attached.
Help! Anyone that can provide any information about what we should do, would be appreciated.

The simple solution is to dig up the insulation, run the pipes along the top of the ceiling drywall (ie, just above the ceiling, rather than just below it), and put the insulation back on top of them, which puts them on the warm side of the insulation, "inside the home (thermally speaking)." Also to be a lot more careful when hiring "plumbers."

Otherwise, framing in a pipe chase below the ceiling would work, and might actually be easier in some cases (where crossing rather than running along ceiling joists.)


Single tile and drywall repair with a backing stud Had to knock out a single tile to repair a toilet supply line/valve. Luckily there’s a stud behind the knocked out tile. What’s the best way to repair the drywall and tile for just a single tile (with pipe obstruction)? My plan is:

Chip away the rest of the damaged tile and drywall.

Drill hole in drywall patch for pipe or cut semicircles in two pieces.

Screw drywall piece(s) into single stud in center. Fill borders with joint compound. Prepare surface and affix tile later.

My principal concern is if attaching the drywall patch to a single stud will be stable enough. I can’t use mesh patch because the neighboring drywall has intact tile.
Alternatively I can knock out additional tiles to the left and the drywall patch over two studs for firmer attachment.

I would cut out that square.   Cut drywall to size and get 3-4 screws on that stud.   Little thinset... might even use mastic here.    Pop another tile over it (need to cut hole in tile and take the inlet valve off - TURN OFF WATER).   There is no reason you should overdo the wall behind a toilet.   No one will be pushing right at the edge of that tile... and if there is someone doing that they are the problem not your fix.


Shower head won't screw back I removed the shower head for cleaning it, but now I can't screw it back anymore: the threads won't click into one-another (unless I remove the gasket so that the two ends can get closer to each other, but then of course the head is no use anymore, because the water will flow from the base too).
What I tried was pressing the head and the tube together (with the gasket in), but even then, the threads don't reach eachother.

Question: is there some trick to screw it back together, or should I just buy a new one?

You might be best to just by a new one, however, one thing you could try is some plumbing tape (PTFE tape, or Teflon Tape). This tape is generally used to help seal screw connections on plumbing but could provide the extra grip between the threads needed to keep it connected.


What can I do about an old steam baseboard heating valve that wont turn? It is currently the fall. It is cool outside but is like a sauna inside due to the heaters in my apartment. I have complained about this issue repeatedly to the building super and office. They said they would get the heating guy to come but it has been nearly 2 weeks.

The super came in and said I can turn off the heat via a valve in my bedroom. However, when he tried, he could not turn the valve. I tried with a pair of vice grips, and even though I am fairly strong, I was not able to even budge it.

It looks like it is very old and has been painted over. This is an old building. I tried scraping off the paint and that accomplished nothing. Still wont budge.

My question is - how do I fix this so that it will turn off? It is 4 AM and I am exhausted but can not sleep because, despite having the windows wide open and fans on, I am sweating profusely. Also, right near where the valve is, I can hear water trickling inside the pipes, and it is quite loud.

Here are images of the valve I took:

Click for larger image

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

As a temporary solution you could cover the radiator with blankets or clothing to limit the amount of heat dissipation into the room. Don't worry, hot water/steam heating systems do not get hot enough to ignite combustible materials.

If you cannot get the valve repaired or replaced, then you may want to pick up some foam insulation boards and duct tape from a builder's supply store. You can cut the foam with a sharp razor knife to form a 3-sided box that would fit over the radiator. Then just duct tape the edges of the foam box and it should set in place against the wall. Adjust the distance the box is from the wall for regulating the heat in the room.


Problem removing cracked siding shingle I'm trying to replace a single cracked asbestos siding shingle with a new fiber cement shingle. But it seems like the way the old shingles were installed might necessitate temporarily removing all the shingles above the cracked one. I'm hoping someone can suggest a workaround whereby I don't have to fuss with a bunch of additional shingles besides the cracked one.
First off, I'm aware of precautions to take when remove asbestos siding, for example as discussed here and here.
Before starting out, I watched a video addressing a similar 1-for-1 replacement that made it look pretty easy. Just remove the nails from the existing shingle (being careful not to break it or adjacent shingles), slide it out, slide the new one in, and nail it in place.
So I went and removed the nails through the cracked shingle. But it wouldn't come free, even after removing a few nails from the overhanging shingles to allow for more wiggle room.
The lower left part of the cracked shingle was barely connected at this point, and so I gently snapped it off to get it out of the way. This revealed a lath cant strip installed overlaying the head of the shingle below, i.e. nailed through the top of the shingle below. From a little further investigation, these cant strips appear to be installed across every row of shingles. I'm familiar with these being placed at the very bottom of the siding, but not along every row.
So now it seems like to remove the one cracked shingle, I'd need to remove the cant strip overlaying its head. But to get at that strip, I'd need to remove the shingles above the cracked one. But to remove those shingles, I'd need to get at their cant strips, etc. The shingle I'm trying to replace is in the second lowest row of seven, so I'd potentially be looking at taking down around 20 shingles.
Any ideas for how to do this more efficiently?

I've seen Tommy do something like this on This Old House.  The trick is to get a tool that you use to gently pry out the offending shingle and rip out the nail from behind, without removing the shingle above.  I don't remember the trick for blind nailing the replacement back in.  But that's better than tearing it all the way up.
Look at the head of this example tool.
Shingle ripping tool


Thermocouple keep burning out, is it our gas valve? Thermocouple keeps burning out. Looking at 1 or 2  within 2 week period ! Tried different brands, the pilot will only stay lit for 3 minutes then automatically shuts down.

This is not necessarily a thermocouple or a gas valve problem, but possibly just a matter of cleaning or adjustment.  Thermocouples generate an extremely weak current which can just barely hold the gas valve open under normal circumstances.  If you recently replaced your thermocouple, odds are good there is a tiny bit of contamination between the new thermocouple contact and the port on the gas valve where it makes an electrical connection.  The contact between these two needs to be very clean to work reliably.

To burn out a new thermocouple in 1-2 weeks, the gas to your pilot would have to be set much too high and/or the position of the thermocouple would need to be very wrong, and even then I doubt it would fail so quickly.  If you have doubts about what is wrong, your best bet may be to call a professional.


Smells in kitchen sink We have a smell that only comes from the kitchen sink sometimes.

I have tried cleaning it all different ways many times. Have taken the plumbing apart by the Ptrap and have done the baking soda thing all different ways.

We put in a new dishwasher a few months back and the smell subsided. It is now back but only sometimes from the sink, which makes it go to dishwasher also.
When dishwasher was installed the guys were told of the problem so I am sure my plumbing is right.

I also had a friend look at it and he told me it looked good. He is a plumber.

Can it be something behind the walls that I would have no clue about?

I would look at the garbage disposer.  In the bottom chamber that is connected to the drain pipe.  I would remove the drain pipe at the disposal. If possible look through the opening and see if grind up food and grease has formed a 'paste' on the inter-wall.  Fibrous vegetables can also form large gobs of waste matter after passing through the grinder.  Water is able to pass through, but the decaying waste on the wall is nearly impossible to flush out.  Unplug the disposer. Use a long thin stick, drain brush, or other items to scrape the rotten mess out of the chamber.
Reconnect the drain pipe, and flush with hot water several minutes.


Do powerline adaptors need to be plugged into outlets that are on the same leg I used a powerline adapter like this to connect my security camera receiver to my router. This allows me to access the cameras from my cell phone which was working but now it doesn't. There's two things that may have caused this. 1. The receiver was unplugged for a while which may have affected the settings on the receiver. 2. The other powerline adapter was moved to a different circuit.

The settings on the security camera receiver look fine although it's possible the ip address changed and the phone may need to be re-connected.

I know the easy answer here is just plug the powerline adapter back into the old outlet. Unfortunately that outlet was removed because it wasn't code compliant.

Edit: Photos of the panel showing the which circuits the powerline adapters were/are now plugged in to.

I did the unthinkable, and started to read the manual for the product you linked, and in the troubleshooting section there is a theme:

Try another wall socket and make sure all powerline devices are on the same electrical circuit.

If you search the PDF for "circuit" you find this phrase several times.  I didn't find where the manual lists using the same phase or circuit as a hard requirement, but you can infer from the troubleshooting that they fully expect you to use the same circuit, which I think is a "dumbed down" way of saying it should be the same phase/leg.
I also found this in their FAQ section:

Q3.5: Can Powerline adapters work if they are separated by different electric circuits?
A: No. If they can pair in the same room, but the powerline LED turns off when you move one powerline device to another area, this usually means they are plugged into separate electrical circuits, preventing them from communicating. Please try different locations.

I think they are being a little concervative, because I do have powerline adapters on different breakers, and they work reliably.
Netgear is more optimistic, which muddies the waters a bit because most of these devices are based on the same protocols and theorys:

Can powerline be used in homes across multiple phases?
Yes, but you will either suffer a noticeable loss in performance, or if the signal is too low the units will not be able to communicate.

Finally the Homeplug (standard the devices use) wiki page states:

One of the greatest technical challenges was finding a way to reduce sensitivity to the electrical noise present on power lines. HomePlug solved this problem by increasing the communication carrier frequencies so that the signal is conveyed by the neutral conductor, which is common to all phases.

In conclusion, the answer appears to be a big "Maybe".


Should I ventilate a small waste pipe? I am about to plumb a toilet and the condense pipe of a combi boiler into an existing internal waste pipe (the waste pipe currently comes out of the ground 2ft).
I was just going to renew the waste pipe, fit a no-return valve to the condense pipe, add 2 straps to connect the toilet and condense, and then cap off the top of the waste pipe.

Someone told me that I should ventilate the top of the waste pipe but that seems crazy to me.

Am I doing this wrong?
Should I be ventilating the waste pipe?
What about the smell?

According to the International Plumbing Code, the length between a toilet (water closet) trap and the vent is unlimited. Which means if you're only installing a toilet, you don't need a vent.

International Plumbing Code 2012
Chapter 9 Vents
Section 909 Fixture Vents
909.1 Distance of trap from vent. Each fixture trap shall have a protecting vent located so that the slope and the developed length in the fixture drain from the trap weir to the vent fitting are within the requirements set forth in Table 909.1.
Exception: The developed length of the fixture drain from the trap weir to the vent fitting for self-siphoning fixtures, such as water closets, shall not be limited.

When you do install a vent for a plumbing system, the vent must terminate outside the building (and not within x distance of windows/doors/intakes/etc.). So there's no concern with smell, at least not inside the house.
As for the condensate drain. You'll have to check the manufacturers documentation, to determine if a trap is required. If a trap is required, you'll have to vent the trap. You'll determine the distance from the trap to the vent using Table 909.1

There's also the matter of drain size. The toilet should have at least a 3" drain, and cannot lead into a drain that is smaller in size. So if the existing waste pipe that you're connecting to is smaller than the toilet drain pipe, you're going to have a problem.
It sounds like you're starting with a waste pipe simply sticking out of the ground.

To add the toilet, you'll want to connect to the existing pipe using a sanitary tee. You'll also have to maintain a proper slope of the toilet drain pipe.

I'd probably use another sanitary tee above the toilet connection, to connect the condensate drain to the waste pipe. Then cap the waste pipe.

If the manufacture of the boiler requires a trap on the condensate line, I'd probably use a trap and standpipe setup to connect the condensate to the waste pipe.

And if there's not a vent within the appropriate distance of the trap, you'll have to extend the waste pipe to provide a vent.

If you want to avoid the vent altogether, you could plumb the toilet as described above. Then simply have the condensate drain dump into the toilet. I'm not sure if this is an approved method, but it should get the job done.


Determine depth of laminate flooring I am going to remove some, but not all, of the laminate flooring in a particular area of our home. I understand that using a circular saw set to a very shallow depth is appropriate for this, which makes sense... is there a way to determine the depth of the flooring other than guess and check with the saw?

Edit: this area is on plywood subfloor, not slab.

Laminate floors have a gap around the edges for expansion, which is covered by quarter round or a baseboard. You can gently remove a short run of quarter round or baseboards and measure the laminate thickness that way.

Since you're removing some of the laminate, you'll need to pull the baseboards/quarter round up anyway so you can lay your new flooring closer to the wall.

Or, as @diceless points out in the comments below, removing a floor register would offer an even easier hassle-free method for determining laminate thickness.


Should I thread tape counter-clockwise on kitchen sink shut off valve? Just bought Decor Star TPC11-TB kitchen faucet. In the instructions, it directs you to use Teflon tape on the shut off valve before installing the water supply lines. However, it says to thread in the counter-clockwise direction. Everything I’ve read says clockwise direction, starting from the top, so that you follow the threads. Perhaps the instructions say counter-clockwise because they want you to start from the bottom?

TPFE tape is wound around pipe threads in the same direction that the coupling nut is twisted when tightening. For the illustrated pipe, that would be clockwise. If the pipe were pointing down, but you were looking from above, counterclockwise.

If you wrap it in the direction opposite the nut-tightening direction, the nut will unwind it, it will bunch up and prevent a good seal.


8 way splitter degrades internet signal over time I have a cable TV plus Internet coming into the house and into an 8-way splitter (CE Tech Home Command Center).  From this splitter I have coax going to the cable modem plus 3 TV's.  When I have my cable provider refresh my signal everything works fine for about two months.  Then the interet gets gradually slower, and I have to have a signal refresh again.  When I take the splitter out, the internet is back to full strength.

My question is how can the splitter gradually degrade the signal?  It is just physical coax connections, no amplification or other electronics.  I don't see how it can work on day 1 and gradually get slower.

Also, I could split the cable from outside, connect one to the modem and the other to the command center for the 3 TVs.  Or I could buy a signal amplifier and boost the signal before it gets to the command center.  Any recommendations on this?

It sounds like you might just be dealing with a bad splitter, so my first recommendation would be to just replace the splitter.

There is a loss associated with every port on the splitter.  If you look on the splitter, you'll probably see something like -4dB printed on each port.  This is how much signal loss there is on that port.

Typically your cable modem will be connected to a splitter directly from the source feed, then all other TVs split from a secondary splitter.

Amplifiers usually just add noise and if there is a signal quality issue, it's best to work with your service provider to get the addressed.

Bad connector fittings on the end of the cable can make a huge difference, as can the length and quality of the cable used. By SOP, most cable installers would probably replace every RG6 compression fitting between the source and the modem.


bi folding pantry door to frosted single door? I have a brand new home, and in the kitchen is a bi folding door on a track for pantry. I am looking to convert it to one of those frosted doors. Can I just put this on hinges to the wall? Or do i need to get it as a pre hung door and install it with a door jamb, and remove the drywall around it etc? Having trouble finding information as a DIYer for this.

Currently there is no trim around bi folding doors. Just the painted dry wall with notches cut out at floor baseboard and trim.

I replaced several bi-fold doors with pre-hung and for all but one I removed the drywall down to the rough 2x4 framing. For one thing this allowed standard doors to fit.

For one narrow closet of odd size I got a custom pre-hung door and did not remove drywall. I didn't remove the drywall because the interior dry wall face extended all the way out the outside. There must be a name for this kind of closet.


how to adhere a stainless steel backsplash to painted drywall surface I have a 30" x 21" 22 ga. stainless steel backsplash with 4 (3/16") mounting holes 3/4" from edges.  Since I will be using 4 screws to put it up, can I use removable (not permanent) double sided tape, e.g. DUCT brand, over much if not all of its surface to keep it from buckling or bowing out?  The sheet is set back from a cooktop by about 5 inches.

I would assume that it'll get warm at times and use a product that won't goo apart as a result. Anything that's stiff will leave you with ripples visible from the side.

A panel adhesive that lists suitability for metal will give you a smooth finish and lasting bond. Use a small v-notch trowel to distribute it flatly and evenly to avoid rippling.

Alternatively, attach a sheet of felt to the back with double-sided tape to act as a vibration and noise dampener and just use the four screws.


2006 Kohler bathroom faucet how to remove, has toggle "nut" different than one here already This is a 2006 Kohler bath faucet and I want to replace it. There's a post here with one similar but not the same-the other one has a way to take off from the top, mine does not, see pics. Maybe just use pliers and twist the nut even though the plastic is there?

Obviously, you first remove the stopper linkage, then unscrew the toggle nut. The fact that the large washer has two tabs that project down through the toggle nut makes me wonder, but I would go ahead and twist the toggle CCW and see what happens.


Multiple grid-tie (non-micro) inverters This is a question that just occurred to me. Assume you have multiple grid-tie solar PV inverters connected to your home load center. What would happen if, while in operation, you were to open the main circuit breaker?

The inverters are monitoring the AC side to detect loss of grid power to shutdown. But wouldn't each inverter see the other's output as grid power and continue operating?

Obviously, this is not a problem with micro-inverters as there are generally multiple on a house. Is it a problem with full-sized inverters? If not, how is this solved (or how do micro-inverters solve this)?

In case it matters, I'm specifically asking about US split-phase 240 volt systems.

Yes, your grid tie systems could see each other as a grid that is still running, but ONLY if they are putting enough power out to keep the voltage up.  If the grid is down, and still connected, it is unlikely that you would be putting enough power out to keep the grid up, so if the grid is connected they should see it go down and act appropriately.

If the grid is disconnected, each unit should find the other is unwilling to accept any current, if they are not under load, on the other hand, one unloaded unit may prop up the loaded unit.  In theory they should try to help each other, within the limits of available power.  If they can't find a happy balance, one or both will shut-down using whatever fail safe they have.

It is possible that one will not like the quality of the power from the other, especially if the sine waye isn't as pure as they need for syncing up.  In that case they should simply shut down.

However no matter what, you should discuss your intended design with the manufacturer, to be sure they don't have a problem with what you are trying to do.  There may be some additional equipment, connections or precautions to be taken.

I have found grid tie systems to be incredibly intelligent, and reliable.  I used them when I was building a critical lab that needed quality power, and I used them without solar inputs, rather I had one set being used to charge battery from the grid, and generator as backup, with a second set that simply ran off the battery.  Clearly I had both grid-tie AND battery storage capabilities, I know many newer grid-tie systems don't support battery.  No matter the issues around any power outage, my battery backed power source was solid with zero interruptions for 15 years straight.  All maintenance, including periodic refresh of battery, installing new generators, replacing pole transformers, and even weeks long power outages were all handled by the system gracefully with no issues.  I was using Trace inverters, purchased around 1996.  Trace has changed names, and has newer models now, but they were so darned flexible, and so much cheaper than the more traditional systems for lab/datacenter power...  They had three inputs, two AC inputs and one DC input and I could current limit each input to match the source capability.  the DC and City connections were bi-directional, and the generator input was input only, at least that is how the software worked.  In practice I had inter-tie functionality turned off, except when I was doing off-grid experiments that mimicked your scenario.

I did play with them when I first bought them, just to answer questions like yours, and I was very impressed with their capabilities.  If I was building a power plant again today, I would very likely try to use the same type of equipment.  Of course you have to be an engineer to know what you are doing, and know the electrical code well enough to stay safe.

Will your systems work as well as the systems I used?  Who knows?  So your mileage will vary.  Not all systems have the same features that the Trace units had in 1996.


How to install insulation in a small space behind an existing shower? I have a 3" wide area the height of the bathroom wall behind at the corner of an existing shower on the external wall without insulation. The space runs the full 8' height I can only reach the top 8" or so that is above the shower wall. Is it a problem that this space is not insulated? Any recommendations how to fill the space to the floor with insulation and provide a vapor barrier?

Remove the shower and build the wall right
Or forget the vapor barrier and blow in cellulose.

If you really want a probable horror show, spray foam it, but I would not recommend that if you don't want a horror show - it will probably overexpand and warp or crack the shower enclosure.
If you don't insulate it that will be an uncomfortable shower (I've lived with that junk in places I didn't build. Would not recommend.)


How do I prevent an LED rope light from glowing dim when switched off? I have 2 strings of LED lights on my patio wired to a switch/outlet combo. This is controlled by an interior switch that also controls my exterior door light. I can either just have the door light on or switch on the LEDs at the combo box. All was working well.
However, I just recently tapped into the end of the strings with a 16/3 exterior extension cord, cut off the female end and hardwired it into another switch/outlet to control some LED rope lights in a screened porch. When the rope lights are switched off, they continue to glow very dimmly - visible only after dark.
How do I stop them from glowing when they're turned off?

This is caused by phantom current, it's does not indicate a problem and need not be remedied unless the glow bothers you.


Why is there a wave spring washer and a plain washer between these two sealed bearings? I replaced the bearings in my Vitamix blender and I’m curious as to why there is a wave washer and a plain washer with a smaller diameter in between the two sealed ball bearings.

My guess is that the wave washer will prevent chattering between the two bearings and the plain washer provides support to the inner area of each bearing.

Edit: Here's a photo of the completed blade assembly. The two bearings on the shaft are inside the threaded cup. The inside of the cup is threaded as well and the bearings are held in place with threadlocker.

Ball bearings typically have some axial play or backlash

Take a look at the cross section for a ball bearing.

The inner and outer race are rarely manufactured to fully constrain the ball. If you take a bearing and hold the inner race, you'll notice you can move the outer race back and forth slightly. This motion would typically cause extra wear, friction, and vibration.

"Preloading" resolves these issues.

In the image above, the outer race would be pushed to the left while the inner race would be pushed to the right. This causes the ball to only contact each race at one point on the ball's surface. Connecting these two points creates an imaginary line, which is shown at some angle, known as the contact angle, relative to a radial line.

Both of the inner and outer races move together to reduce wear

Typically, you don't want slip between the bearing ID or OD and the mating surface, so the inner races of both bearings move together and the outer races of both bearings move together.

Two bearings help improve shaft alignment

A single bearing, because of the play mentioned earlier, can allow the shaft angle to vary. This is called shaft misalignment. Typically, bearings are spaced further apart, but using two bearings helps constrain the shaft misalignment greatly because the angular tolerance between two subsequent bearings is lower than that of a single bearing.

Putting this all together

The inner washer is used to space the bearing races apart so they don't rub (and wear the seals) while also coupling the motion of the inner races. This appears to be clamped rigidly with an acorn nut above the blades. This, however, doesn't constrain the outer races, which is why a wavy washer is used. Clamping the inner races together compresses the wavy washer, which forces the outer races apart, fully constraining the balls with opposing contact angles.


What kind of window crank is this, and what brand is it? Looking for a possible identity of the brand of this window handle. The issue with the handle is that while it can open, it cannot close the window, and the gears from the outside have to be pushed in order to have it close. Below is an image of the actual mechanism:

The logo on thew crank handle is Milgard.

You may be able to get a rep out there and perhaps they will replace it for free. Sometimes the lifetime guarantee is transferable if you are not the original owner


Adding an Interior Door on a Stair Landing *Update 1/26/2017
Ok, it looks like a traditional door may not work...

What about an accordion style door? There are likely studs at both the corner and at the opposite wall on the landing that would accomodate a frame for an accordion style door. I'm thinking there would be a piece at the top to house the rollers, a piece on one side to hold the door, and a magnetic latch on the other side to keep the door closed.
(We would rather not have to install it at the bottom of the stairs, for aesthetic purposes.)

In my father's house, there is an upstairs bonus room, which I will be using as a bedroom temporarily. We are trying to figure out a way to add an interior door at the first stair up from the landing in order to block out light and noise for sleeping purposes. The ceiling in the picture extends above that first step, so the door will be the height from that step to the ceiling. That height is 86.25", and the width from wall to wall is 36".

Any ideas on how to do this? What kind of door/frame to use? Some sort of folding door...?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

View looking up the stairs - the door is to be on that first step to the right of the landing.

View looking down the stairs

There shall be a floor or landing on each side of a door. Such floor or landing shall be at the same elevation on each side of the door. Landings shall be level except for exterior landings, which are permitted to have a slope not to exceed 1 unit vertical in 50 units’ horizontal (2-percent slope). - Florida Building Code 1008.1.4 2007 - See more at: http://inspectapedia.com/Stairs/Stair_Landings.php#DoorSwing

There's all sorts of code requirements that will not allow a door to be put in there. If you must have a door and not a curtain and you don't care about code, then I would put the door like this:

You'll have to install a door jamb, I would be surprised if you found a door from a big box store that perfectly fit so you might have to custom build it all yourself. It would be a big project!


Is there such a thing as lightweight window glass? I have a cool wood screen door which my wife wants to turn into a storm door. I think its suitability is marginal. As in, it would probably work but I'd prefer a little more structure. I'll consider bolting a custom steel frame to the inside of the door but it occurred to me today that lighter weight glass might be the ticket. Does such a product exist?

Well, there's rigid plastic, which is much lighter weight than glass for similar strength, but generally more subject to scratches. There are also plastic film products that would be similar to a screen in terms of weight and installation, some of which are very clear.

Glass weight is primarily a function of thickness, so thinner glass would be lighter than thicker glass, but without knowing what thickness glass you are contemplating now, it's unclear if you could go lighter or not.

Glass for a storm door should be tempered, which means 3mm / 1/8" is as thin as you can go (thinner glass is made, but it cannot be tempered and would present a cut hazard - since the tempering process also strengthens the glass, the thinner untempered glass would also be much weaker, and thus more prone to getting broken and causing cuts.)


Why does my microwave keep throwing the circuit breaker? I have a circuit that powers several things in my house:

Kitchen microwave
Basement lights
Basement sockets
Sump pump

Recently, this circuit has been thrown with alarming frequency when I use the microwave. No other combination of uses has thrown it. It seems especially likely to throw if the microwave is used after a big rain (when the sump pump is active).

This is not something I encountered in the first 2 years of owning the house, however it has happened a couple dozen times in the last six months.

Any ideas on what it could be and how to fix it? Will it cause permanent damage to not fix? If it's relevant, I plan to sell the house in about a year.

This sounds like pure luck that you haven't had problems before. Niall has the ratings right: My microwave says 1100W power output, and 1500W max power use (which is 13A), and a 1/3HP sump pump is 9.5A (or 10A for a 1/2 HP pump), with a peak around 15A when it first starts up. If this is a 20A circuit, you're likely over the limit, and if it's a 15, you're definitely over.

After rain is very easy to explain: your sump pump is coming on more often. The starting surge of sump pump is around 5A, and the microwave probably has a surge of at least 2A when it starts up.

Basement lights are easy to figure out, just add up the wattage of the bulbs (and current in Amps = # Watts / 115V). Likewise for anything plugged into the basement outlets.

Since the sump pump turns on and off at random times depending on the water level, it's likely that any time it tries to start while you have the microwave going it's tripping the breaker. When the microwave is on a lower power setting, it may not cause the same problem.

If possible, your best bet is to run a new circuit for the microwave: by the sounds of it, it's been retrofitted, and someone just picked the nearest circuit. I would try to find where it was added (assuming unfinished basement or at least access to the ceiling or other relevant areas), and add a junction box and a new line back to the panel, and give it its own 20A circuit.

Next best is to run a new circuit for the sump pump. You'll still have the issue with anything plugged into the basement outlets, but at least that's more controllable.


Type of tool used to fasten wood to brick The brick foundation under my porch has latticework that is mounted on wood.  A number of these wood pieces have rotted and I would like to replace them.  They have been mounted to the brick with a tool that I am unfamiliar with - can anyone tell me what I can use to accomplish this?  See picture below:

Thanks!

The picture that you show is indicating some type of fastener to hold the wood to the brick. That is not really a tool. A tool may very well have been used to install the fastener in the first place.

It is difficult to discern the type of fastener that was used from your picture. A close up of the fastener would help but from zooming into your picture it appears that the wood may have been mounted using concrete nails that were aimed into the mortar lines between the bricks. Very hard steel nails of this type are often installed using a single shot tool called a "concrete nail gun" that shoots out the nail with very high force and velocity so it lodges into the concrete with minimal chipping. These nail guns use a small caliber blanks that contain gun powder that fires off to embed the nail.

Removing concrete nails can lead to quite a bit of damage to the medium that they are set into. In your case it may be necessary to cut the wood pieces away using a reciprocating type saw right along the nail. Once the wood is removed the nail may be either cut with a metal cutting blade or bent back and forth till it breaks off.

For your new wood installation you could choose to use a similar type of concrete nail installation but I am not experienced with how they work if you try to nail right into a brick itself. The brick may very well shatter or break into pieces. There are alternative types of expansion type fasteners that would be more appropriate for mounting wood to brick. These mostly require drilling a hole for the part of the fastener that gets installed onto the brick.


How to install a washing machine outlet box on the inside wall I have a metal building and my walls are thin. However it is installed and sheet rocked. This is what we call are game room and all my plumbing is on the inside walls covered with foam tubing
   I have been told sence my water lines or on the inside I can not put a 90 degree angle into the wall and a 90 into the box? Is this true will it slow down my presure.

There is no problem with multiple 90 degree elbows. Yes there will be some friction loss due to the elbows, slightly affecting your flow rate; no it will not make any difference, your washing machine may take a few extra seconds to fill up is all. Describing the situation exactly will help you get the best answer.


Dealing with non square wall and non-planable vanity cabinet I've just replaced the floor in my bathroom and as I prepare to put the vanity back (we removed it to lay floor under it in the spirit of completeness) I've discovered why combs and things fall down the side of the vanity so often (what a trove we found when we took it out.) The wall is not square:

The wall takes a turn just before the corner and seems like it's thicker. This means the vanity does not sit squarely in the corner. We were thinking of putting tiles on the wall just above the vanity to cover this gap (and we still might) but we may have other options.

First, I can put a shim at the top left corner in this picture, so that the vanity is evenly out from the unsquare wall, and sits squarely in the room, which should stop the gap at the side, which is where everything fell. The back of the vanity comes up in an L shape to form a very short backsplash (maybe 2 inches) so stuff doesn't fall in that direction. But the gap between the wall and the backsplash will be noticeable (even more than it is today), so we would still want to do the tiles. But the non squareness of the wall may be emphasized by trying to attach a tile border to it.

I can't plane the back of the cabinet, because this backsplash is some sort of ceramic. I'm considering getting a thickish piece of wood and planing some off the back of it to match where the wall swells so that the front of the wood forms a square surface, attaching it to studs just above the backsplash, painting the wood the same colour as the wall (white) and then attaching the tile to the wood, presumably resulting in a border of tiles that is nice and even. Is this sensible? Overkill?

Could I instead chisel a bit of a channel into the wall and set the last tile into that so it is still even? Which is more work, chiseling the wall or planing and then attaching the wood?

Ideally when you set a stand-alone cabinet you have a scribe on both of the ends that contact the wall like so (dimensions are exaggerated for clarity):

Not often are you going to find integral scribes on a store bought vanity but you can add your own after the fact and that gives you the chances to set the piece to the median square of the corner and conform to any hinkyness relative to plum as well. Note the L-shape of the scribe, this gives you a place to run screws and still be able to plane or sand the scribe edge.

Once you've scribed in your cabinet you can set your top, splitting the difference from square so as to maintain the 1" (usually) over hang on the cab.

If the gap when split is less than an 1/8" it's probably acceptable to caulk it and then tile around it if you so choose. If the gap is bigger than 1/4" (between an 1/8 and a 1/4 is debatable) you can consider scribing the c-top into place but it will require a diamond grinding wheel and nerves of steel. You may want to consult a professional stone mason on that one. The biggest problem is you're adding scribe to the cabinet and loosing depth and width on your top which is subtracting from your overhang so you'll have to be judicious. Anything less than say a 1/2" of overhang will look odd. It should be noted that this kind of problem would require your wall to be out of square by 1/2" over 30"-36"? depending on your vanity. That's a lot. If that's the case, you might want to consider fixing your walls before you begin setting cabinets. If the problem is just an acute build up of compound in the corner, you may be able to scrape off the mud where needed but if you have to start cutting in to the drywall below the paper, its not worth it. Best of luck!


Is this a gas valve behind stove? I can't move it to turn it off I want to get a new stove and when I pulled out the old stove I found the gas line within a hole in the wall and the gas line had a metal bar on its side. I am thinking this bar is a gas valve but I am not sure I haven't seen a pic of a gas valve that looks like this on the internet. Also when I tried to move it it seems to jiggle a little but I couldn't get it to move. Has anyone seen this before and can let me know if it is the gas valve and how I can get it unstuck to move it to turn off the gas?

Yes it's a gas valve. Sometimes they become very stiff when they aren't operated for a long time. In the photo you posted, notice the little tab sticking down from the silver lever. That's a stopper; it limits the rotation of the lever. Make sure you're attempting to rotate the lever in the correct direction, ie not pushing against that limiter (or another less visible one).
The shutoff valve at an appliance should work reliably so that gas can be shut off in case of emergency (or convenience, as in the case of replacing an appliance). I suggest the following:

Learn where your gas meter and main shutoff are located and how to operate that shutoff.
Be prepared to replace this appliance shutoff valve - have parts and tools on hand, or a plumber identified, and work at a time when you can deal with having a gas outage for a few hours at least.
Attempt to turn the lever on the valve with a wrench. If it turns easy, operates properly, and doesn't start leaking out the valve stem then you're all done. If it breaks, leaks, or things otherwise go badly then at least you went into it prepared with a recovery plan!