Can I use a cantilever TV mount the other way around? I'd like to mount my TV above my fireplace, but I think it will be too high for prolonged watching.

So, I thought - could I use a cantilevered mount, but in the other orientation, so that the screen comes out and then down, instead of sideways? So that it ends up in front of the mantlepiece for viewing, but then stows back above the fireplace afterwards.

Is this possible? Or would gravity defeat me?

I think overall that mounting a TV above a fireplace is a bad idea. It is far from an optimum location to be staring toward when watching the thing. You apparently already understand the viewing problem due to asking about how to mount the TV in the manner you ask about.

There are several other problems to consider about this as well. One is that if the fireplace is used the heat that is generated in front of it wants to rise up and could very well be detrimental to the TV. Also consider that often the wall space above the fire place does not have the normal type of wall construction with good strong studs to which a TV mount can be attached in a decent manner.

As far as the mount itself is concerned. The sidewise type mount that allows a TV to be folded out at an angle from the wall and then pushed back flat against the wall will be a tall hinge assembly that is constructed in a manner to take the weight of the TV in a vertical (down) direction that is at axial to the hinge action. This means that the hinge will move as you push the TV around but will stay put at whatever position you position the TV to.

Trying to position the same type of bracket so that the hinge points are parallel to the floor will not work. This would put the supported weight of the TV at right angles to the hinge action and will make the hinge extend out to its greatest range of motion due to the applied weight of the TV.

They do make a different type of support for smaller computer monitors that allows the monitor to be positioned vertically. These either have counter balance springs to help hold the monitor at a given position OR there are hand tighten clamps that lock the arm assembly into place once the position is selected. They may very well make heavier duty versions of these for TVs but these are unlikely to fit particularly tight to the wall when the TV was raised to the upper stowed position.

Added Comments

I did a quick look online at articulating arm type TV mounts and virtually all are the type designed with the tall vertical hinge points that simply allow the TV to be pulled directly out from the wall and maybe even be positioned at an angle to the wall. From what I saw generally available there was a small selection that allow the smaller sized TVs to be tilted on the end of the swing out articulating arm to allow sight lines to be straight toward the face of the TV. Even these do not solve the issue to have to stare up at a TV that is inconveniently mounted over a fireplace.

Another thing is that none of the articulating arm style of TV mounts can be considered to be actually be a cantilever type of mechanism. The term cantilever is a misused term in the TV mount business. A true cantilever is a stiff arm or beam mechanism that is anchored on one end and then extends out over a solid support with the free end of the stiff arm supporting a load. The TV mounts are not built this way at all and the term "articulating arm" is a far more correct description of the mechanism.

The general selection of height adjustable TV mounts that have spring balanced articulated arms are designed for small TVs at up to maybe 15 pounds capacity. I did see one height adjustable mount that can handle TVs 36 to 60" size up to a maximum of 70 pounds capacity. As I said before this unit has a 6.5 inch profile out from the wall when in the folded up position and has the whopping list price of nearly 500US$. That unit also was claiming convenient single stud mounting but it would be fool hardy to mount a thing like that to a drywall covered stud.


Fill 3/8" gap between wood and wall I have installed a new balustrade for my stair and the half wall it is attached to is not straight. Leading up from the floor, it curves away from the wood so that it is about a 3/8" gap at the top - see image below. The half wall is USA 2x4 / drywall construction.

Please can anyone suggest the best way to close the gap?

Thanks in advance.

Just wrap a small encasement around the board and last couple inches of wall. Three boards finished to match the rails. I doubt you would even need to do 45s, just drop the side boards from the top board by cutting it longer than the wall is wide/thick by twice the thickness of a side board.


Repaint metal railing I need some guidance on the repainting of the metal railing that I have in my front yard. This is how it looks like as of today:

The black paint on the railing is chipping off and I am not sure why. I am not sure what kind of paint the previous owner used or whether he used the primer or not.
What is best to get this repainted and how to make sure the paint does not chip off again and is long-lasting? I went to the Home Depot and associate their recommended me this. He suggested that I do not need to prime the surface and this product will do the job.
I would love to get some feedback/opinions from the folks here before taking any further steps.
Thanks.

Since the surface is already painted I would not use a primer but getting that loose paint off will be important or the same will happen to this coat of paint.
You could use a paint scraper or corse sandpaper to help clean the loose stuff up but I would use an angle grinder with a wire brush , I use cup brushes with twisted wire to clean even badly rusted metal.
Once the loose paint is gone and the surface wiped clean any metal paint would work I like spraying but it can be brushed on   Don’t over work the paint or the brush marks will show.


Could my power strip have killed all my AFCI's? Odd thing happened today. My wife plugged a 1700W (clothes) iron into a power strip and tripped the AFCI to the bedroom.

I reckon with the TV and 2 lamps running it peaked over 15A and tripped out. What was odd was the event didn't just trip the AFCI, it killed it (test button fails to work). Not only that, it killed the other 2 AFCI's in the 2 breaker panels on separate branches.

That's odd right? Or is it?

The power strip is suspect, having blown a fuse in another device that was plugged into in earlier in the day - it had never been used before that. So maybe it was O/C from manufacture and sent a huge spike down the wire and fried the AFCI's.

What are people's thoughts?

I have a newer home, and was having some electrical problems.  The problems were scattered all over the house, with tripping AFCI's as well as tripping GFCI's.

It turns out that all of the AFCI's as well as ALL of the GFCI's were cheap chinese knock-offs.  As I removed the first GFCI for replacement, I noticed it had no brand name on it, so I looked up the UL number to see who made it...  Turns out the number was fake, the unit was a cheap chinese knock off...  Later when I pulled the AFCI, I noticed it had the same UL number, along with no name brand on the UL stamp, even though it had a square D logo printed on the front.  When I went to look at a square D AFCI at the supply store, I saw it had a completely different UL imprint on it, with the manufacturer name.

The point is that I discovered that the electrical contractor that built my house used many non-certified Chinese knock-offs that resemble name brand devices.

The point is simple, you may also have non-functional chinese knock-offs in your home, and they may trip in non-standard ways.

In my case, they seemed to trip too easily.  But it could just as easily go the other way and simply not trip.  Federal went out of business because they sold breakers that simply stopped tripping with age...  Lots of people died as a result.

Regardless, if I see components like this fail, my instinct is to replace them all.  Even if they were good name brands when they were made, they can be bad a few years later.  Once electrical starts to act flakey, it is time to consider updating everything.  Even outlets need replacement with age.  When electricity does something bad, people can die...  there are good reasons to update electrical safety components from time to time... say every 10 to 15 years... sooner if they show issues.

Federal went out of business when it was found that 60% of the components they made did not comply with UL listings, despite having UL certifications on everything.  They weren't the only company breaking the rules, they just are the one that got caught.


How can I rerun cables along stairs where a wall is being removed? I want to partially take down the wall that currently serves as my staircase handrail.  I will replace that portion of the wall with a cable rail.

.

The picture above was taken while the house was under construction.  The portion to be removed is outlined in blue.

As you can see, the portion I want to remove has some cables run through it.  What's the best way to deal with them?

I figured I will most likely have to "take in" the extra cable length and connect each side in a cable box using 6-in pigtails.  Would I be able to run the cables diagonally along the lower 2x6?  Are there any requirements I should be aware of (I live in Washington state)?

I only know about cable stapling/clamp distances (< 8 in from a plastic box, < 12 in from a metal box, < 4 ft 6 in along framing), distance to the face of the stud (>= 1 1/4 in without metal plate protection), and the general height of the cable box (12-18 in).

Thanks!

If you add a box to extend the cables it will need to remain accessible. I would pull back to before the triple and drill down , it looks like there might be a level below (I think I see studs below And fire block foam where they go down?) After dropping down, route the cables back to their original termination.
Without knowing more about the structure, that would be the best advice I could give but it may not be easy as I can’t tell the direction of the floor joists. I prefer punching through TJI’s over 2x’s when roping a house.


How would you join two twin beds? I've got two twin beds "joined". There are basically four independent components: two mattresses and two bed bases.

They are pretty uncomfortable to sleep on. They shift as I move at night. They aren't fixed in any way.

I was thinking of connecting them by a strap. Something like this, but not that fancy. It would help to solve the upper part. The lower one would still be free and detached.

Do you have any idea how to make this thing stable and interconnected?

Thank you in advance.

Update:

It's a rented apartment, and I am not supposed to sell things or change them significantly.

I don't wanna buy new furniture.

What I would actually do:

For sale: two twin beds.

Want to buy or trade: one (double, queen, king) bed.

It's the simple solution, it's the right solution, it gets rid of the fundamental problem at a fundamental level.

Your pictures do not inform about the bedframes very well. Standard iron frames could be easily conjoined with hose clamps, or bolts, or u-bolts. Wooden frames can be screwed or bolted if you don't mind putting some holes in them.

At the upper level, I vaguely recall some sort of T-pad being sold for the center joint, and it helps immensely if you put on a mattress pad that fits over both beds, as well as sheets that do the same.


How can I secure a canvas carport to a concrete pad? The canvas carport is just steel rods and a canvas roof. It came with steel foot pads with screw holes. I have a concrete pad to screw it down to. I need it to withstand 20-30mph winds and snow.

Should I use the steel foot pads that came with it, or do I need to buy something else? Is screwing into the concrete going to be secure enough?

this is the make and model King Canopy Hercules 18 Ft. W x 20 Ft. D Vehicle Ports. The instructions say to secure using the provided foot pads, but did not include any concrete screws.

To secure the base of the steel support you can use a concrete screw. TapCon is a ubiquitous brand TapCon screw that has worked well for me. You will need to drill into the concrete with the correct size bit (5/32" or 3/16") to accommodate the screw length.

Another fastener type (Redhead is one brand) Redhead bolt is one in which after drilling a proper sized hole the fastener is inserted and then sharply struck with a hammer. The force of the hammer drives a metal shield around the bolt to expand outward which wedges the threaded post rigidly in the concrete. The machine screw threads can be used to fasten the base with SAE nuts.  Lastly, you can drill an opening in the concrete and insert a lead shield. This is basically a HD wall anchor. After tapping into the concrete a bolt is tightened into the shield it will  expand to tighten against the wall of the hole.

Using a hammer-type drill with a masonry bit will facilitate the job of drilling into the concrete. I found when using expansion-type bolts that vacuuming the dust from the hole enables the expansion shield to hold and stay wedged as it is being tightened.


Did I break my Kwikset SmartKey lock by trying to rekey with a key that doesn't fit all the way? I got a Kwikset deadbolt lock (has key hole on both sides instead of key hole externally with latch internally).  This lock uses SmartKey technology so you can rekey the lock to use a new key rather than having to replace the lock itself.

After I installed it, I wanted to rekey the lock to use my hold house key until my roommate got home so I could then give her the new key, after which I would rekey the lock to use the new key.  While rekeying with the SmarkKey in the hole, I found that my old house key was too big for the Kwikset lock and would only go in half way, so I pulled it out.  I then tried using the key that originally came with the lock and now it doesn't work on the inside where I was attempting the rekey, but it does work on the outside.

In order to rekey these locks, you have to insert a working key, give it a quarter turn so the key is horizontal, insert the SmarkKey, take out the current key, then insert the new key.  Since no key will work with the inside lock, I can't get it to turn at all.

Am I going to have to disasseble the lock to fix this or is there another way?

take the lock to your local home store that carries this line of locks. they will remove the core and put it in a SmartKey Reset Cradle. this returns the lock to an unprogrammed state.

there is no way to do this yourself without disassembling the lock core, and there's about a bazillion point 2 pieces in there.


How can I paint over flaky lead paint? I have an old shed which has timber beams that have lead paint on them. The paint is flaking and I want to fix it up. The shed is going to be knocked down in about 5 years, so I don't need a permanent solution, just a temporary one, and I don't really care what the end result looks like as these are internal beams.

Does anyone have any advice on the best method to paint over these beams?

You can't paint over flaking paint. Doing so only adheres the new pait to the old paint, and since the old paint is flaking, so will your new paint.

You need to remove the flaking paint. Scraping is likely best, along with the appropriate safety gear (Lead approved face masks, lead approved filters for the shop vac, etc.)

If it's only going to stand for another 5 years, though, I'm not sure I'd worry about it too much--unless you have children playing in there.


Need advice making a self-watering moss pole for plant Wasn't quiet sure where to post this, but I am helping my wife make a Moss pole for her plants. The purpose of the moss pole is so that the roots of the climbing plants attach to it and grow bigger (I think). Typically what I've seen is people either misting the moss pole to get it soaked, or using a wicking system which many have said it does not work well.
My idea is to use a 1/2" PVC pipe, use an end cap and drill holes up the PVC, and then wrap the moss around that. Then fill the top of the PVC with water to then get then moss pole saturated. The issue I am facing is I cannot get an even distribution of water.
Different things I've tried:

I used the smallest drill bit 1/16 and stepped up in size as I went up the pvc, this was a no go as the water pressure was too much at the smallest hole and would cause the bottom of the moss pole to be soaked and not allow the water reach the top of the pvc.
Tried 3m temflex 1755 which is a cotton coated tape, I used the tape for the bottom half of the pvc holes and it did slow down the pressure, but not enough to get the moss pole evenly wet.

Picture of my failed attempt:

I tried drawing the problem I am currently facing

The same problem occurs where the holes are getting larger as they go up, or if they are all the same.
It's possible I am overthinking this, but if anyone has some advice on how I can get an even distribution of water from top to bottom I'd appreciate it.

Your holes are way too big. Dry your PVC pipe and cover the holes with vinyl electrical tape. Then get the smallest sewing needle you can find and just prick the surface of the tape so you get a slow drip. You can increase the drip rate as you go up the pole by making just a slightly larger puncture. Remember, you want drips, not streams.


Protecting the tops of deck joists - or not? There appears to be a school of thought in deck building that it is worthwhile to protect the tops of joists by covering them with a waterproof barrier. That way any moisture can't sit on the top of the joists, soak in, and gradually cause rot or premature failure in pressure treated wood.

(Here's Matt Risinger's example of this).

However I've also read the viewpoint that while this practice may protect the joists it can also increase drying times for the deck boards. Assuming the decking is wood this seems like a significant risk.

I would imagine that the value of this is highly dependent on climate, the wetness of the site, solar exposure, etc. But I'm assuming the site is wet or else this wouldn't seem to matter one way or the other.

Also, though a cynical point of view is that this idea is driven by product company marketing strategy; but that itself doesn't mean it has no merit.

Is there yet any industry consensus on practices in this area? For example: building codes, studies being done as decks have aged, etc.? I'm open to global perspectives although I'm in the US myself.

There’s always “Good”, “Better” and “Best” in any construction project. I’ve never seen the tops of pressure treated deck supports protected with “peel and stick” membrane, and I live in a very wet area of the U.S. (We get about 60 - 80 inches of rain each year.)

All of the ideas he recommended in the video you referenced are great, but membrane on the top of the joists seems extreme. In fact, there is a greater chance that rot will occur at the ends of each support, (because water “wicks” into a board far more in end grain than in side grain,) than on the tops of the supports...which he doesn’t mention.

BTW, there is nothing in the Code that requires a membrane on top of deck supports.


How do I create my own shower hose? I want to make a flexible 3" hose for the shower. Can someone please tell me how I can go about making my own custom size shower hose? I'm looking to make a 3 inch hose with 1/2" female swivel ends.

This picture is very similar to what I want:

I'm open to using a material as shown in the picture, or braided steel or whatever material showers hoses use.

Currently I'm using quick connects and 3" polyethylene tubing for my project, but I need something more secure and professional looking.

Thanks for any replies!

1/2 inch pex female fittings with a piece of tube cut to length might work for your project. The ends push on and lock in place without tools other than a knife to cut the tubing.


Are spindles strong enough on a balcony to keep a toddler safe? How do I reinforce (or cover) the spindles on my balcony stairs) to prevent a toddler from pushing against them and possibly having them collapse? I also want to discourage swinging from top rail.  Would sheets of plexiglass work?

Spindles (also called balusters) on a staircase are supposed to be properly spaced, structured and attached to prevent a toddler (or anyone else) from falling under the railing.

Typical spacing is 4" on centers, too narrow to fit even a small head between, but check your local code. Obviously children could insert a limb and get hurt, but collapse is unlikely.

Standard balusters are usually made from hardwood, but even softwood versions should be sufficiently strong to handle the side pressure load of a leaning or falling person on the stairs. Any load is likely to be spread over several balusters.

Balusters are attached on the bottom either by being inset into holes in the tread or toenailed to the tread.  They are also toenailed into the handrail. This is generally sufficient to handle most strains including the pressure of a forty pound child (and probably a 140+ pound adult). Again any load is likely to be spread over several balusters.

If your handrail and balusters are substandard or improperly installed, you should repair the stairs.

If you just want to block the gaps to minimize limb insertion, any thin, smooth coverage will do. Pre-drill and screw into the balusters.

You also may want to think about not letting toddlers use the stairs without supervision.


How to cover a gap between doors and hardwood floor? Removing old carpet resulted in about 1 inch gap between doors and the floor. What are common solutions to cover such gap? Any "easy to handle" materials (other than wood planks) to extend doors?

The most common solution is to add "wood planks" to the floor, not the door. These are called saddles.  They are specialized moldings, usually about 3 to 6 inches wide with tapered edges. The usually are 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick.  They are centered under the door and reduce airflow and noise.

These are most commonly available in unfinished oak or pine:

They also can be found in other woods, prefinished, or matched to a floor system:


Quickest way to fix a wet carpet that smells So I have messed up. I am moving house.

On Saturday I hired a carpet cleaner and ran it round my flat. Something went a bit wrong when I was doing the bedroom and it didn't dry the carpet very well. I wake up on Tuesday morning to find the carpet really smells of .. wet carpet.

The carpet isn't soaking, but just feels damp to the touch.

I need to vacate the property by Friday. What are my options?

I am at work until then, so can't get any equipment. I might be able to get a carpet cleaner though. Could running over the carpet again fix things?

What you really need to do is extract the water, then dry with fans. Rather than renting a cleaner again, borrow or rent a large wet/dry vacuum. Use the floor attachment and move slowly across the carpet in overlapping rows, giving the vacuum time to draw the water out of the pad and carpet.

Once you've removed as much liquid water as you reasonably can, get fans going. The more the better. Then, exhaust the damp air from the building using bath fans, window fans, and the HVAC system. Run the heat a bit higher than normal to assist drying and move air.

Finally, apply a carpet freshener according to the instructions on the package to remove and cover odor.

Time is of the essence at this point as mold and mildew are well established. Good luck.


Best household energy storage We recently had photoelectric panels installed. We have 8 kw. In Germany this is subsidised and we reckon to break even in about 9 years, just by selling it and by own use during the daytime.

Anyway, the point is not to make a profit, but to make our own electricity, to at least feel a bit self-sufficient. So we need a method of storing our nice power until we need it, e.g. to charge an electric car or to heat water.

There are many ways to do this; batteries seemed to me to be the obvious solution but they are extremely expensive, and some of them are fire-risks. Then the solar man suggested compressed air, although this is apparently noisy. Then there's turning water into hydrogen and back again - which sounds like a fire risk to me.

In this erudite circle there is certainly someone who can point me in the right direction; I'm fine with new technology but it has to be

practical
economical
maintenance-friendly

edit: Hmm, environmental impact. I gather our solar panels will now generate more power in their official 20-year lifespan than were used in their manufacture. But this is a different question. But really it's about self-sufficiency - a suspicion that if Germany gets any greener they will start rationing electricity (this has been mentioned, in passing, by the Greens). Also, turning off the nuclear power stations and iffy gas deliverers may well mean the power just goes off on dark nights with no wind.

By selling the electricity, it can  be stored as money because the fungibility of money allows it to be exchanged for electricity. Furthermore, this is likely to be competitively efficient with various physical storage equipment. In addition money can be converted into reduced demand by allocating it toward more efficient load side equipment.

The goal is really sustained access to a particular level electrical service. Generating and storing electrical power on site are just two possible strategies for maintaining such access.


What do I need to supply electricity to my shed 150' from my house? I have a newly constructed shed that I want to run service to.  My current panel is full and already has a 100amp sub-panel tied to it.  The sub panel is not full.  I want to run 100 amp service to the new building but am not sure of the size of the wire due to the distance.  I've read some of the codes, but I'm overloaded with information.  I've been told I could use a tandem 100 amp breaker from the main to run the second panel - and this is where my confusion starts.  If I run 3 3 3 5, at 18" depth, is this sufficient?  I've already purchased 1" conduit (plastic) for the burial, but after what I've read, don't think it's big enough.  What do I want to run in the new building?  Nothing heavy, probably 1/2 dozen plugs, overhead lights and enough to run a compressor (110) and a welder I haven't acquired yet - but have looked at 225V.  Additionally, there will be an old table saw that I'll want to run periodically.  Any insight would be appreciated.  Or can I just run 10/3 from the house to the building new panel?

Per the calculator here[http://www.electrician2.com/calculators/vd_calculator.html], 150 feet at 100 amps on 10Ga copper would be 15.5% drop - not the least surprising given that 10Ga is 30 amps in normal use and that's a long run.

3AWG copper is 3.1% drop - not quite kosher, but pretty close.
2AWG copper gets it down to 2.4%
3AWG aluminum is 5% drop.
Aluminum has to be 1/0 (0) gauge to get below 3% drop (2.5%).

1" schedule 40 Conduit is not adequate to run a service with any of the sizes that will actually carry that load. I'd suggest 2" schedule 80 so that you could run it on aluminum wires, since they will cost a good deal less than copper, even at the larger size, in general. Schedule 80 only costs a little more than schedule 40, and is thicker/more robust. Since you already have it, run the 1" conduit in the same trench and you can use it for network, telephone, intercom or the like.

In a quick look at my local prices from vendors that publish prices...(there are often better prices from other vendors, but the relationship between Cu & Al is less variable.)

adequate 2Ga Cu $1.79/ft
not quite adequate 3Ga Cu $1.39/ft
overkill 2/0 Al $0.98/ft
and adequate 1/0 Al $0.82/ft

If you buy a separate ground wire, and upsize the conduit to fit it, there's also a 4/0 4/0 2/0 aluminum wire (twisted together, but not jacketed) for $2.09/ft, or less than 3 individual 1/0 wires. A better supplier might have a similar product with all 4 wires at a similarly attractive price. Depending on insulation type, that will still fit in a 2" conduit (or need 2-1/2 for other insulation types.)

None of this assesses whether your service into the building will carry the additional load, either. You may need to upgrade that before proceeding.

Both compressors (moreso) and tablesaws are hard to start - and both benefit from being run as 240V loads if possible, since they'll draw less current that way.


Generator transfer switch manufacturer compatibility? I am in the process of trying to finalize selection and installation of a standby generator for my house.

A couple of years ago, while the house was under construction, the electrical contractor on the project installed a Kohler brand automatic transfer switch. The model number of the switch is RDT-CFNC-0400ASE. It's a lot like the one here on Kohler's web site. The only difference is that on the inside of the front panel of mine, the "Material" number is "RDT-CFNC-400ASE -QS2", while the Kohler web site's product page shows the number ending is "-QS3". I'm assuming that that part of the number is just some sort of revision code, and that the switch is fundamentally identical.

While I had told the electrical contractor that we would be buying a Generac generator before they installed the switch, they told me after they'd installed the Kohler switch that it didn't matter, and that the Kohler switch would work fine with a Generac generator.

Now, the dealer I've talked to about the generator itself, who sells both Generac and Kohler products, has told me that the transfer switch manufactured by Kohler can work only with Kohler generators, and so now I'm stuck having to buy a Kohler generator instead of a Generac.

Is this correct?  If so, is there any practical way to adapt the switch so it would work with Generac equipment?

I could of course get into an argument with the electrical contractor and make them rectify their error, but at this point it's going to be "he said, she said". That's a lot of headache for a very uncertain outcome.

I could also of course pay to have a different switch installed, but given that my only real reason for preferring Generac over Kohler is that their price/generated-kW is better, that extra work would more than consume whatever monetary savings I might have gotten by purchasing a Generac model.

So I'd like to know if there's some way to allow for a Generac option in a way that would be acceptable to all parties involved, but without involving some huge expense.

No, he is full of it. A transfer switch is just a switch. Kohler doesn't even make the switch they sell, neither does Generac. In fact the switch mechanism inside of them is the same (the electronics are different and they use different brands of circuit breakers).
The only issue is that the wiring diagrams likely show you specific connection references for their own respective brands. But anyone with half a brain can figure that out.


Can I change the socket of a light fixture by simply cutting the old one off and re-wiring? I currently have a wall light fixture that is only for small bulbs (I believe they are E14's):

Currently, Philips Hue does not manufacturer bulbs of this type. As a result, I am wondering how I can go about changing the socket size in order to get this light running Philips Hue bulbs. I'm specifically wondering if its as easy as cutting the old socket off and replacing with something like this:

Are there any compatibility issues to consider? Given the wattage is different, I presume only the necessary amount of electricity will flow to the bulb? (i.e. there is no risk of the bulb receiving too much electricity).

Aside from ensuring the power is off, matching up the wires correctly and using marettes, any other recommendations or advice?

Thanks,
Chris

It looks like the Hue system doesn't have any candelabra sized bulbs.  I don't see a Hue switch that would let you control the fixture as is.  All the Hue system bulbs look large.

There are adapters that will let you use standard bulbs in an e14 socket:

I'm just not sure the bulb will fit in the fixture with the adapter - looks like it may be too small even without the adapter.  It might turn out to be easier to change the fixture.

(BTW, if you are in the US, you may want to check that it's really E14 and not E17 intermediate size socket.)


Electrical wire to use w/ 240V outlet for Tesla charger? I'm buying the material needed for an electrician to install a 240V outlet in my garage for a Tesla charger. I need to buy wiring that has to go through an underground conduit, and I was wondering what type I need to buy?

THWN is the stuff you need

You'll need to get get 6 AWG copper or 4 AWG aluminum THWN in black and/or red for the live wires as well as white for the neutral and 10 AWG bare copper for the ground wire.  While it sounds like "40A charger = 40A circuit", NEC 625.41 says that the charger is a continuous load, which requires upsizing the wire to 6AWG (or 4AWG for aluminum) and the breaker to 50A as a 40A breaker will eventually trip if subject to continuous 40A current through it.

If you know how long the conduit run is as-run -- you can order wire by-the-foot in each color (including bare) and add about 5' for terminations at each end.  Or, you can get a bunch of white (say, a 250' spool should leave you and the sparky with plenty left over to negotiate over), and have the electrician treat it as the universal donor wire color it is (tape flags for hots, strip it bare for grounding duty).

Using wet-rated (UF) cable is a bad idea because it makes the pull harder for the electrician, and the wires inside aren't marked for individual use so you can't take the jacket off.


Small geyser coming out of the basement floor My house is 40 years old. I have had basement flooding issues for years. With heavy rain, water comes out of my floors. I have a sump pump that takes care of it. Despite knowing better, Ive been able to ignore it. It hasn't caused any problems. My washer and dryer are the only things down there. However, this morning I started down the stairs and I heard water running. To my dismay, I found a small geyser about 3 inches coming out of the corner of the basement.

I am a little worried because this last summer my garage patio started to get a small crack in it. However, one morning I went to back out of the garage only to find about a 3 foot wide hole had fell in. It was about 6 foot deep. (Thank God for back-up cameras.) I was informed there was an old well there and I had it fixed. Last week another crack appeared in the same spot. I also noticed a crack above a bedroom door at the other end of the house.

The water coming into the basement is about 50 foot from my patio. Should I be worried that the problem is a sink hole and not a water well? Could this problem be diagnosed and fixed for a reasonable amount of money? I have not found a similar problem on the internet.

I know that my answer will not be a proper one (ok, you may downvote if you wish...), but my experience tells me that it's a serious problem.
Cracks on walls always tell that something serious is around. My advice is to find a civil engineer/specialist to make a proper judgement of this matter. I strongly reccomend that, and I guess that this question will not be easily resolved here, on DIY SE.


Electrical wiring issue with Ring Camera I am replacing an old floodlight with a new Ring spotlight camera that is on the same breaker as a pre-existing Ring spotlight. I’m adding a second Ring for additional coverage around our property. The first Ring I installed tied into a black, white, and ground wire. It’s been working fine for the past several months. After removing the old floodlight, the wiring coming from the house is black, red, white, and ground. While installing the new Ring I tied into the black, white, and ground—and just put a wire nut on the end of the loose red wire (as shown in image). After flipping the breaker, the new Ring is getting power, but the old one is not.
Do I need to tie the red wire in so that I continue getting power to the pre-existing Ring? Why is there a red wire on this anyways?

Connect red to black here
I'm betting that whatever they did had the photocell on this light switching the other light on and off.  (You may be able to verify this through some logging facility on the old Ring, as it'd have been turning on at night and off during the day.)  So, I'd tie the red wire here in with the black wire and the new Ring's hot wire, and see if both Rings power up at that point.


Using a 15 Amp Switch on 20 Amp Circuit I know that it is to code to use two 15 Amp Receptacles on a 20 Amp breaker.

Is it acceptable to use a 15 Amp switch that controls the bathroom lights, which is on a 20 Amp breaker, along with an outlet (not switched)?

This is important because I would like to use a wifi-enabled smart dimmer switch, most of which are rated for only 15 Amps.

Thanks!

The answer is yes you can use a 15 amp switch on a 20 amp circuit but the total load needs to be less than the switch rating.


How can I extend a cable to move an outlet inside a kitchen island cabinet? Due to remodeling, I need to move an outlet in my island. The current system is wired as follows: a 12/2 NM wire comes from the circuit breaker box to the first (non-moving) outlet, and a 12/2 wire runs from there to the second outlet. I can't just direct this wire to the new location because it is too short to reach. Also, there is not enough slack to pull the first outlet out to connect a new longer wire.

Therefore, my plan is to cut the wire from the circuit breaker and route it to a junction box. From there, I would run a longer wire to each of the outlets. I tried to verify this was to code, and came up with some questions (everywhere I look for the NEC tells me that copyright prohibits putting it up in its entirety, or what I found was so convoluted that I don't understand it exactly):

Lots of places have said or implied that you can't put a junction box in a cabinet, but others say that it just needs to be accessible, i.e., not behind a wall or cabinet. Can I put a jxn box on the back wall inside the cupboard where I store pots/pans?
Is AC cable required, or can I just use NM? Some sites have said AC is required, but i'm not sure why.
Is there a better plan?

Thanks.

First of all, figure out if the original wire is stapled or not.  If it isn't then the solution is easy.

CAUTION: Requires work IN the panel.  If you are not 100% confident you can do this safely, call an electrician.   It's not difficult, but you need to know exactly what you're doing.

Turn off breaker.
Cut pretty close to the box.
Use this slack to do what you need to do upstairs.  -- free fixed outlet, new wire to the one you want to move.
Mount a junction box a couple of feet from the panel in the basement.
Find a piece of cable that will reach from the new junction box to the panel.  (Maybe there's some old wire we just removed lying around?)
Splice in the junction box, and find someone to connect it back to the panel.


How to remove faucet handles I have a dripping bathroom faucet and I cannot figure out how to remove the handles to replace the cartridge.  All videos I've seen on the internet show a screw to remove, but I popped off the top of the handle and I don't see any screw.  Here is a video of what it looks like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-9pmfznykY

And here are some pics from above and below:

I figured it out on my own.  The lower part of the handle unscrews (the bell shaped part).  It was on pretty tight and hard to grip so I had to use an oil filter wrench.  And I had to use pliers to grip underneath to prevent the entire thing from spinning.


How to patch hole in furnace pipes? I recently bought a house and the heating bill has been unusually high. I discovered there is a big hole leading to the outside that the previous owner hid, but isn't sealed properly. Their patch was just a piece of wood with nails, but it is so badly secured, it lets tons of air out and isn't allowing the furnace vents to build pressure.
The hole itself is an 8.5" diameter circle. Currently there is a 8.5" diameter fan blade there. Yet, that fan is leading to the outside. Behind the fan blade it leads what appears is the conduit through which the air blows.

This picture is a fairly good representation. The toys are inside the ventilation, which is above a closet, and running towards the fan, beyond which is the outside of the house.
I thought I could simply buy some expanding foam, but after buying the foam, found it has tons of warnings not to let it anywhere near heat or it could combust. There is an additional worry because the fan blade has wires those could cause a fire too.
I will pull out the 8.5" fan out, I'm left with a circular hole to patch. What can I use to safely patch this? There is a product like this called duct seal compound, but the product demonstration pictures show it used on cracks, not on a giant hole. Can it be used to fill such a huge hole?

There are a several things you need to do.

Remove the fan from the heating duct. This will entail properly wire-nutting the wires and terminating them in a junction box that is covered but left accesible per code. If the fan is on it's own circuit (unlikely) you would want to shut down that breaker. Importantly, you want to mark the new junction box and any breakers/switches/thermostats so a future owner will understand what was done.

You'll want to close off the 8-1/2 inch hole so that it is airtight. Assuming that the inner surface around the hole is smooth (sheet metal, OSB or similar sheathing) I would cut a plywood square larger than the hole (11x11) and mount it on the interior surface with a high quality construction adhesive and secure it with either appropriately sized sheet metal or wood screws. I would then run a heavy bead of silicone caulk around the edge of the plywood to ensure there is no leakage of air. If you are attaching the plywood directly to the ductwork ideally you'll want a solid surface on the outside of the sheet metal to insure good contact. You might be able to add another piece of plywood on the exterior to accomplish that. In that situation you'll also have the option to patch it with a square of sheet metal instead of the plywood using sheet metal screws and applying silicone caulk to the seams.

Lastly you'll probably want to add some insulation and finish the exterior appropriately.


Is there a name for open-top curtains? I've walked around my neighborhood, and seen curtains that leave around the top 1/4 of the window open, which I really like. It seems to provide the same amount of privacy, but also let in a good amount of direct sunlight even if they're closed. I've tried searching for them in different places, but nothing really seems to come up. Are they just normal window shades/blinds installed lower? Are these a common design? Is there a name for them? Are there any drawbacks or hangups to doing them?

I used to work for Lowes and I believe you’re referring to the cordless cellular shades that you can control from the top or bottom in order to maintain privacy and allow plenty of sunlight in as you mentioned, or you can put them all the way up from the bottom, and even play with color/ filter options. Not may drawbacks that I can remember. They are typically mounted inside the window frame, as long as your window allows for inside mount you should be good to go.


How can I build and install kitchen cabinets? I will be building the kitchen cabinets in my new house, I'm thinking on the following steps:

Brick base (about 10-15 cms);
Wood structure for cabinets and coutertops screwed to the base and the drywall in the back;
Installing the cabinets themselves;
Installing the countertops (supported by the wood structure and not the cabinets).

I've never done kitchen cabinets before and I'm really unsure on how to plan it all. Especially since I want to use granite stone for countertops and they are quite heavy.

EDIT: In the editing I somehow removed the question.

Is a brick base the recomended pratice in my case (support cabinets, appliances, and heavy countertops)? Are the any other alternatives?

Also, I think of separating structure and cabinets, is that normal pratice or they should they be built as a unit?

EDIT: I live in Brazil, here construction of houses is made from only bricks and mortar, drywall is alien here (I will be using it and I'm having a hard time to explain it to engineers and general contractors) and so are many techniques associated with it. In Brazil people usually affix the counter-top IN the wall (using steel and concrete) and then make cabinets below it. I want to part with those construction methods, I find them colonial, dated and inpractical.

I have built many islands using top cabinets - they don't have bases.  The easiest way to add a base is with some 2x4s (or 2x6s for height).  You will just build a simple rectangle with bracing for each cabinet.  I guess you could build a big rectangle for a row of cabinets but I have been down that road and it won't be traveled again.

Basically you just need to decide how you want this to look.  Do you want a ledge (common in america) or do you want it flat?  Ahh and then the last thing.  You will need to put on a face plate on this section that matches the rest of your cabinets.  If you are going to have a 4 inch ledge... no big deal just make sure all of your rectangles project at the same depth.  But if you want it flat then you really have to be precise and take account for the depth of your face plate.

About Brick.  I wouldn't even think about it.  Brick gets its strength from being surrounded by other brick - kind of like tiles.  I don't see it being strong enough on its own to handle the weight, movement, or whatever unless you build a solid brick brick.  Also you are going to deal with a ton of other issues like how do you secure the brick to cabinet and how do you keep the bricks even across all cabinets...  Can brick be done?  For sure.  But expect a ton of time and it will need a few rows for sure - and I am not sure what you plans are if it isn't close to level.

Another alternative is get some screw in cabinet legs... we buy them at IKEA here.


Dimmer rotation span wider than the light intensity span I had a guy install a dimmer for my kitchen's spotlight. It works as supposed to except for one small detail. The spots are totally off not at the end of the rotation of the controller but at about 40%.

If the full turn is 360 degrees giving max light, they become uneluminated at about 140 degrees. In reality, I'd like them to be slightly on even at 0 degrees. Turning off is done by pushing the button.

I could try to fix it myself or together with the electrician. However, I need advise on what to tell him. I know jack about electricity so I'm not even sure if anything could be done about it to begin with. I just find it counter-intuitive to have rotation span left to go at the end of the illumination decrement.

Your LED's are not capable of a full 360 turn on the dimmer switch. LED's require a minimum voltage to pass thru to light them up. Your dimmer allows a much lower voltage thru than the LED driver can convert. One way to test this, is to put a regular incandescent bulb in the socket(s) and try your dimmer switch. I am not aware of any LED bulbs yet, that can dim so low that they barely shine.


Is the diameter of drain snake cable the bigger the better? Is the diameter of drain snake cable on the drain snake machine the bigger the better?

If it is for the same price, what is the advantage or disadvantage to have the bigger-diameter cable machine?

Bigger is better to a point. The problem comes when the size is two large to make a 90 or 2. If the cable is two large in lets say a 3" pipe the cable can chew through the side wall (I did this with a power snake) I find the smaller cable with a center core tends to hold up better and make it through more bends. You did mention "machine" On smaller hand snakes I have never found one to be two large If this is the type you are talking about. I use smaller hand style like a drill with snake drum for laterals and my big snake for main line work where I enter through a clean out or vent. A small snake can get twisted up in a large pipe when the clog is encountered.


Is stacking material under an I-Beam to make it level structurally sound and passing code? Saw this in my new home construction, I am concerned, wondering if this is common. Thanks!

These are metal shims - very very common.

You install ibeam and either right after install or after joists are installed you want to level everything out.   You will need to shim at least one side.

This is really common.   Dealing with ground settling, concrete shrinking and so on over a 60' or longer stretch you have two options:

Pay a ton of money to make sure all the planets align and your beam is perfectly level on concrete cut-outs.  (and after all that money, it could still be off)
Put $2 worth of metal plates under to shim.

Those plates are not going anywhere - the weight of your house is on them.   As an inspector it would not concern me in the least.

The only fear you should have is an overzealous inspector in your town - but this should be the same guy that signed off on the house in the first place.   They could require the plates welded to the ibeam or to get a welded piece on that.   This would require a temp post, jack it up and weld it on.

Also not sure what it looks like if you go further but I like my ibeam resting on a steel flange.   I don't see that here and that bothers me more than anything.  And looking at the picture further I would like to see the top of the beam - really doesn't make sense on what is going on there.

Notes based on 2nd picture:

Some cities may have a max height of the shims.  I have seen 4" more than once.   I don't believe there are any code standards on this.
The height may not meet code but the most concerning thing is that the plates are not stacked appropriately.   The fact is there may be a lateral force due to this.   Probably negated by the extreme downward force.
And of course they are not welded or tied to the ibeam
How concerned would I be as a home owner maybe a 3 out of 10.   I mean it wasn't done perfect but it isn't going anywhere.   Just the fact that they used this many shims shows they took time to make sure your floors were flat and level.
The verdict... I don't think it will pass inspection.   I think inspector makes them weld a solid piece to ibeam or steel piece plus 1-3 shims.   I would give this maybe a 10-20% chance of making it.   The good news it is a relatively fast fix and will only cost builder a few hundred.


Ground Fault in Underground Wiring? We've had loads of rain the past weekend, and now my garage has no power.

I've traced the issue to a GFCI outlet that protects the rest of the circuits in the garage - It keeps tripping.

The Power is run to the garage via an underground conduit, which I believe is standard metal electrical conduit.

I recently pulled new low voltage (ethernet) cable thru secondary conduit that was orignally for Alarm wiring purposes, and noticed that water had infiltrated that conduit. Im assuming the conduit had corroded underground.

Is it possible, if water had infiltrated the conduit that carries the garage power (120vac), that it would cause a continuous ground fault?

I've replaced the GFCI outlet it case it had gone bad, but am experiencing the same behavior.

Thanks for any ideas. I'd prefer to not have to dig up the yard to replace the conduit, but I'm guessing that's where I'm headed.

***UPDATE****

The garage did have power after the storm - at least for a couple hours. Storm ended around 7pm, and garage had power at least at 830-9pm.

Voltage Testing:
Across black (line) and white (neutral) - I get 125 volts, the same I get at the breaker.
Across Black and Ground (receptacle box) I get 125v

Across White and Ground, I get 0v.

I think that means I'm safe from any voltage leak.
I cannot figure out why it keeps popping though.
I've removed the other garage circuits, unplugged the opener and any other loads. I'm wondering if I maybe have another bad GFI outlet. –

Even if the conduit is flooded, the wires should be completely insulated from any water.

I would use a voltmeter to see what is happening electrically with the wires.  If the neutral or ground wires are not at zero volts, then try to determine where the bridge from a "hot" wire is.  Hopefully it is in a junction box in the garage or house.  You can probably narrow down the problem by temporarily disconnecting the bridged wire at one end and then the other and seeing which direction the feed is coming from.

Only if both ends are disconnected would that indicate a failure inside the conduit.  Then you could try evacuating the conduit with a shop vac and see if that has an effect on the problem.  If so, it is time to replace the wire inside the conduit.  You need not dig it up.  You ought to be able to feed a replacement wire by attaching it to the old as you pull it out.  Be sure to use generous amounts of silicon lubricant so it gets easier as you go—and to make replacement easy next time.


How to improve insulation in a single room I would like to stabilize the temperature in our nursery.  Currently we need to overheat/cool the rest of the house (using central forced-air heating and cooling) to maintain our desired temperature in a single room.  The room is on a southwest-facing corner on the top floor and has two large windows on the exterior walls.  We are located in a very temporate region, where the highs in the summer are rarely above 85f and the overnight lows in the winter almost never get below 40, and we do not have much humidity in the summer (Zone 3, near the coast).
Currently the windows are aluminum double pane, but the seals on the panes have "blown out" and air can move between them.  Otherwise they are in good shape and there are no obvious cracks or drafts.  There is no insulation in the walls, and there is 4" of paper-backed fiberglass batt with some gaps in the attic above.  The building is modern construction (1994) but has very little insulation due to our locally moderate climate.
My first step will be to rearrange the attic insulation to eliminate the gaps and caulk/foam any gaps around the ceiling fixture box.
My question is, after that, where will I get the most bang for my buck?  Should I install new windows, blow cellulose insulation into the exterior walls, or add another layer of batting in the attic?  Will any one of these help without doing the others?  Am I wasting time trying to improve one room without looking at the rest of the house?
I also have access to a thermal imaging camera if that will help make this decision.
I found a few related questions, but none of them directly address my situation (single room, willing to do moderate improvement projects.)
Most efficient way to improve my house's heating
Most bang for buck approach to insulating home
Insulating my Room for the Winter?

Your #1 enemy is solar gain
The southwest location of that room is the major problem on keeping the room conditioned to spec.  It catches the brunt of the sun, which affects south more than north (for obvious reasons), and affects west more than east (because the east side of the house is still cold from the night).
This means the house's balance completely changes hour by hour.
I hope you're pausing to consider what that means...
"Wait.  So if I have a one-zone heating system with one blower, that distributes heating to different rooms via ducting... and that ducting balance is tuned either by design or by adjustable flaps... and that is the normal setup for most homes... that is imbalanced half the time?
Yup, that's what I'm saying.   Not half the time exactly, it might be balanced for sunless times, in which case the sunny rooms are "too warm" but the rest of the house is right.
It gets a lot messier if the thermostat is located in a sunny room.  Now you have the tail wagging the dog: the thermostat is treating its amount of solar gain as if it's heating the whole house.  So solar gain makes the rest of the house get colder!
Solar gain is around 340 "BTU" per square foot that is straight-on to the sun.  So if the sun is at a 45 degree angle to the wall/surface, that means 340/sqrt(2) or 240 "BTU" per square foot.   Regardless, we're talking a lot of heat gain.
When I say "BTU" I mean the HVAC industry unit, which is actually BTU/hr.
Insulation will only help somewhat.
Insulation will reduce overall heat gain/loss... somewhat... but it cannot eliminate the fact that south and west will catch a lot of heating from the sun.  The balance of a 1-zone house will still be thrown off.
The only way to really balance it is to have a multi-zone setup, or have an auxiliary  heat pump just in the room which adds heat or cooling as needed.
The cheapest way to keep the room consistent is to place the thermostat there.  Of course that'll be the tail wagging the dog, and the rest of the house will take a wild ride.


Leveling the sagging side of the home I am buying a home and one part of the home is actually visibly sagging.
While looking at the crawlspace, I've noticed that some work was done to support the home.
It seems like there is no new settling cracks and it looks like the home has settled, but I want to fix it permanently and level-up the sag.
After looking at the foundation wall, it seems to be in perfect shape and the sag was cased by the woodwork.

Yes, I can improve upon what was done before and add proper footing/ support beam/jacks.
But I am wondering if there is a way for me to attach some sort of a "shelf" directly to the foundation wall, and put jacks on that "shelf".

Sure you can fix this, but I wouldn’t opt for the “shelf” idea.

Typically, in a post and beam foundation, all loads are transferred directly to the soil. Installing a “shelf” will put thrust on the foundation wall. Obviously the foundation is marginal and I doubt the wall is designed for any horizontal thrust.

You’ll be pouring several “pad” footings, so why not pour one near the foundation wall and eliminate the “shelf”?

Btw, Is the roof really sagging, or is that gutter installed in such a manner that it appears to be sagging. If you look close, you’ll see there’s about 1 1/2” of fascia board exposed under the gutter on the left side of the house, but about 3” exposed on the right side. (Although, that roof section on the far right looks like its sagging.)

Also, if we’re sagging very much where you have the arrow pointed, that window would be cracked/broken.

You’re lucky that it’s a one story house. The loads are easy to follow from roof, to walls, to floor, to footing.

If you’re located in a high seismic zone or high wind area, you’ll need extra holddowns so I’d contact a structural engineer or architect for help. Good luck.


How to remove large old wire nut I’m trying to switch out a wall oven, and I’m having trouble disconnecting the old wiring. The wires are connected by these large blue wire nuts that have a soft outside and almost seem shrink wrapped on. Any ideas on how to remove them? They don’t unscrew.

Those are 3M Scotchloks, one of 3M's few bad products.  It was ingenius, it just didn't work as hoped.  Their expertise came in the plastic sheath; however the metal part is designed to deform to hold the wires together.  As such, Scotchloks are single-use IMO.

Part of the gimmick is the flexible plastic sheath isn't tightly bound to the metal lining.  It's designed to start slipping once the splice is "tight enough" (for some value of tight-enough that I don't trust).   The upshot is you'll spin the plastic part all day; you must grab the thing with pliers to grip the metal part through the plastic.


Skim Coat after Primer? I'm in the process of removing popcorn and repaint the ceiling.

After a few days of filling holes in my ceiling, the ceiling was primed. Staring at a primed ceiling, it becomes apparent that there's a joint that's sticking out.

Is it too late to do skim coat and prime again now?

Absolutely you can skim. (Lots of people deliberately prime in order to see the defects that might not be obvious.)

If you can, use topping mud, which will sand more easily and give a better feathered edge than all purpose mud.


Why does my bathroom cold water faucet cut off while in use? Can someone with plumbing experience help me

Typically with a blocked pipe, a small flow of water can get past the blockage and equalise the pressure both sides of the blockage. When a far away faucet is opened the water on it's side of the blockage flows out, giving an impression of a good flow for a short while (maybe a few seconds), however after that the flow rate is determined by leakage past the blockage. This can seem like a small trickle or may not be enough to really notice.

I have had this happen a few times due to sediment gradually accumulating in a filter in a pressure reduction valve. Cleaning the filter solves the problem for a year or so.

I would check all the valves and other devices upstream of the faucet one by one. Blockages often occur at restrictions like these.


Wiring of jacuzzi bath tub (replacing normal tub) I bought a "Jacuzzi" brand bath tub - standard size (30x60) with jets - to replace old "normal" tub.

I can do the plumbing/finishing, but not sure about the wiring code requirements.

So far i understand:
 - wet location so need GFCI
 - dedicated 20A circuit for pump, and another one for heater if I add a heater
 - timer/switch at least 5 feet away

Do I mount a GFCI outlet inside the "trap access opening" ?
Can i use normal 12/2 NM (Romex) ?

Also not sure where to mount timer/switch or what switch to buy (it did not come with one).
Where would you mount the timer/switch - this is a standard small bathroom 6x8. So on the opposite wall by the vanity sink to be at least 5 feet away?

You can't put a GFCI receptacle inside the "trap access opening" because it has to be accessible so you can reset it.  But that's alright; GFCIs can sit anywhere and protect a load "down the line" from it.

A good reason to do that is if the GFCI is too close, its protection is not total.  If the GFCI's Line terminals get wet, that can still carry an electric shock to you even if the GFCI trips.You're actually better off installing a GFCI far away from the thing you're protecting.

One possible place is right in the service panel using a GFCI breaker.  If it's a dedicated circuit that goes only to the hot tub, that makes a lot of sense.

12/2 cable is fine for the 20A motor circuit.   You didn't say what current the heater is; if it's 20A then #12 is fine.  If it's 30A you need #10.

If the heater is 120V-only or 240V-only, then /2 cable will suffice.  If it is 240/120 with neutral (which would surprise me), you need /3.   You also need a GFCI on the heater. If it's a 240V heater, that is only possible as a GFCI breaker.

You definitely want the GFCI protection before the timer.  First to protect you while you're operating it, and second because cutting power to a GFCI is bad for the GFCI and will cause nuisance trips.

The installation instructions for the jacuzzi will tell you officially what cable and breaker sizes to use.  Those instructions are approved by Underwriter's Labratories as part of its UL Listing.  You must follow them because the validity of the UL listing depends on following the instructions.  (Code, NEC 110.3B).


Multiple layers of roofing shingles? I am replacing some flashing on a roof and therefore need to take up some shingles. Unfortunately, there appears to be four layers of shingles, so I will have remove quite a mass of shingling.

Is this normal to have four layers of shingles on a roof? I thought when a new roof is added they are supposed to remove the old shingling first.

It was fairly common years ago, but even then there was a right way and a wrong way. The right way was to nest the new layer into the existing layer such that there's no structural span happening--each new shingle is fully supported. When that wasn't done the new layer was sure to fail prematurely. I watched it happen across the alley--a brand new roof came completely apart after about 8 years.

In my area the practice became outlawed some years ago (and manufacturers began to specifically reject warranty claims when it was done). It's rare to come across lingering roofs with multiple layers aside from the odd neglected outbuilding, for example.


Can 14/3 wire, with all three conductors hot, be the only cable in a switch box? I currently have a bathroom light and a single pole switch at the door. The power for the light first comes into the ceiling box directly above the light. The hot is tapped in right there by using the white wire of 14/2, said 14/2 then runs to the switch where both the white and black are used to run through the switch and then back to the light with now the black wire hot with switch on.

Now I'm putting in a light that has a vent fan attached. I will be installing a 2 function switch instead of the single pole so I can control the fan and the light separately. So, I'm thinking, why not just replace the 14/2 that runs through the switch now with 14/3 wire. I can do that in the attic. I'll use the white from said 14/3 to carry the hot to my switch securing on the  the black switch screws (and not break off the tab). I'll then hook up the black and red from the 14/3 on the other side of the receptacle so they carry the power back to the fan or light. I will put black tape on white wires to designate hot.

It's better (and to code for new construction) to run a 14/4 wire to get a neutral to the switch. In case you want to upgrade it to a smart switch or timer that needs that neutral.

You could leave the 14/2 in place as the unswitched feed and run a new 14/3 in parallel to carry the switched lives. However when you do so you must ensure that the neutral goes back to the through that 14/3 and that the lamp/fan is connected to that neutral and not the one feeding the 14/2.


water running but wont run hot through the kitchen only we have hot water in all other parts of the house, but not in the kitchen? the water will come through cold and not become hot.  If we turn the laundry hot water on, it will turn the kitchen hot water on, but the pressure is at half strength.

This sounds like the cartridge inside of the sink faucet has failed. Some cartridges have a special mixing valve that reacts to changes in pressure to prevent large temperature swings when, for example, a toilet is flushed. If this is the case, you'd have a single handle faucet, and if you disconnected the hot water from the shutoff under the sink, you should have full water pressure when you open that shutoff valve (into a large bucket). To fix it, get a replacement that specific to your faucet and follow the instructions that comes with the replacement. When disassembling a faucet, it's a good idea to place something (usually a towel) in the drain to prevent any lost parts.


Proper installation of a three-way shower I recently purchased this shower kit: http://soak.com/300mm-square-stainless-steel-head-handheld-&-four-body-jets--thermostatic-mixer-shower-kit_p31112937.htm. It has three outputs: overhead shower head, hand-held shower head, and side jets. There are then three controls: two one-way control, and one two-way controls.

I recently paid a plumber to install this in my bathroom, and I have just returned to find that things are not as I would have expected. One of the one-way controls is for temperature, as expected. However, the other one-way control is for the hand-held shower, and the two-way control is for changing between the overhead shower and the side jets. This means that I cannot use the overhead shower and the side jets simultaneousy....but I thought that was the whole point!

What I had expected, is that the one-way valve would be used to control the side jets, and then the two-way valve would be used to decide between the overhead or the hand-held shower. This is the set up I have seen everywhere else, to my memory.

So, my question is, can I accuse my plumber of installing the shower incorrectly? Or has he actually done a standard job with a standard configuration, and it would have been up to me to brief him beforehand as to which way I wanted it configured? Unfortunately, he has taken away the instructions, so I cannot see what the original instructions said.

I agree that the setup you wanted has been the way I have seen similar arrangements, and seems intuitive, but the product description for the mixing valve unit says "controls the water flow to your outlet of desire".

My thought is that a plumber who cares about pleasing his client would have asked prior to roughing it in, but I don't think you have any legal standing.

  These shiny chrome plated mixer valves do much more than adding a designer look to your bathroom. They are convenient and safe to use with a 3 Way diverter. One knob controls the water flow to your outlet of desire, the other controls temperature and the third control water flow. To protect you and your family from scalding these valves are fitted with leading Vernet thermostatic control. Pre-set at 38 degrees this system prevents any water above this temperature from leaving the shower, for further safety it is enabled with an automatic shutdown if the cold water supply ever fails.


What is "3 inch minus"? My heavy equipment guy said we should put "3 inch minus" down on a new driveway. What is it, and is it a good choice?

It means anything that will fit through a 3" x 3" screen grid, including large stones, smaller stones, all the way down to dust.  It's something that would typically be used as a deep base to support a finer top layer of gravel.


What is this nut clamp called and how do you remove it? I would like to remove the wheel that is being held in by this contraption:

I tried to use a standard socket wrench, but couldn't get just the right size: 1/2" or 13mm seems too small; 5/8" or 14mm seems too big.
Also, I'm not sure if there's a trick involving the black part.  What's that called? Is there a special technique?
The other end of the rod looks the same.

The hex is irrelevant, don't turn it.   The black part is the heart of the matter.  This is an E-clip.

Pop it off with a small screwdriver but control it with your finger - it WILL go flying!


How can I avoid excessive junk on inside junction, when cementing PVC sprinkler pipe? I'm cementing some schedule 40 PVC pipe using the best instructions I could find ( http://www.tchristy.net/pdf/ChristysTechManual_v5_English.pdf ).  The outside of each joint looks fine, but inside there's often a mess of plastic scrapings, PVC primer and PVC cement:

The dross could clearly affect water flow or clog a filter.  I won't use PVC pipe for drinking water because of lead (See http://chej.org/2013/09/pvc-pipes-bringing-toxic-lead-to-drinking-water/ ), but for those that do, the bits of plastic in the water could be an issue.

I've already tried rotating less while inserting, but that's not always practical. I'm cutting pipe with a ratcheting PVC cutter and deburring with sandpaper.

How can I get better looking interior joints?

That level of glop is not normal.

Some things to check:

Is the pipe end deburred?  A file plus sandpaper to finish works well.
Are the pipe & fittings dry?  Water can do strange things to PVC cement.
Be firm, but don't push too hard, and don't over rotate.  1/8 of a rotation is enough.
Work quickly, but do let any residual drips in the primer evaporate before moving on to glue.


brick jointer with springy blades I saw a video where the mortar on brick steps was being repaired. The jointer being used had flexible, springy blade-tips, not rigid ones. I'm looking for the name of that tool. What is that style called?

You apparently saw a video where a flexible finger pointing trowel was in use. These find use also in tuck pointing work.

(Picture Source: https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Finger-Pointing-Flexible-Jointer/dp/B00ZMGLMMM )


How do I put up a roof ladder? What is a safe process for getting a roof ladder on and off the roof?

Ok Walker, here's the scoop. beg, borrow or rent two extension ladders, ladder jacks and a walking pick. (wide plank that fits into ladder jacks). This will form a stable staging a few of feet below the roof soffit. Calculate the length of the roof and adjust your roof ladder accordingly. TIE OFF the rungs of the roof ladder, if using an extension ladder, so it cannot disconnect from the adjustable height locking hooks. Lean it up against your pick, climb up on the pick and carefully drag the roof ladder up and over the pick to the roof. The other advantage of using a pick is that you can work along several feet of the roof, moving your roof ladder as you go.  Most picks are 10 to 18 feet in length and can be equipped with a safety railing.  Check out your local rental center.  Be Safe.

Pics and procedures for using ladder jacks and staging (picks): http://www.ehow.com/about_5046018_ladder-jack.html


Shower hot water problem Why does my shower hot water flow slow down during showers? I find that I need to keep adding more hot water to keep a consistent temperature.

How big is your hot water tank, and how high is the thermostat set? It sounds like you're running out of hot water, so you have to keep turning up the valve so the (now cooler) hot water can compensate


How can I tell what kind of paint is on my stucco? I have a stucco house that has been painted. I would like to somehow figure out what kind of paint it is. The reason being that I would like to re-color the house with a high-quality mineral paint, and the application will be greatly complicated and increased in cost if I first have to sandblast off the existing paint.

Here's a close-up of the existing painted stucco:

If it's regular latex paint, I'll need to have it sandblasted, because the new mineral paint won't adhere to it. But if it's cement or mineral paint, then I think I'll be able to paint right over it, because the new mineral paint will be able to bond with those types of paints.

Does anybody know of a good way to figure out what kind of paint is currently on there?

DO NOT ever use elastomeric paint on stucco.....Stucco needs to breathe.... in truth stucco should never be "painted" at all.  It needs to be lime washed or mineral coated.  This actually bonds chemically to the stone and will breathe, not mold/mildew because of the alkalinity, and fill in small cracks. Minerals can last 50+ years, Lime wash less.  Also you need to know what the stucco is made from, Lime, Portland cement, ???  that will determine what will bond to it.  The lime wash is super inexpensive but doesn't last as long as the mineral silicate.

The new mineral paint will adhere to previously painted stucco.
check out ROMA BIO or KEIM.

Power wash it hard then mineral coat it, they now can match color, it will be beautiful.  Also the mineral coatings slightly reflect light so the color has life like the sun is on it.

I learn all this when I bought a untouched 1920 stucco house.

BTW elastomeric paint is forbidden to be used on listed historic buildings as they found that it causes them to mold.  It traps water.  check out the GSA guidelines and united masons websites they go into detail what should be done.


Can my house's electricity supply be upgraded? I'm trying to start a business in my house: Cryptomining. Essentially, I will be buying many big power-hungry computers which will print money out of thin air. It's a very lucrative business.

(source: coindesk.com)
Right now my house's utility supply is 200A 120v + 200A 240v, which is 72 kW 48kW total. This means I should be able to use ~32 kW for my equipment aside from all the household appliances. The equipment can accept both voltages and actually is more efficient on 240v.
Can the public electricity supply to my home be upgraded? The house is located in a development off the main road. The wiring runs underground for about 1000 ft. until it connects to the utility pole on the main road. So my guess is a solid "no".
I have considered renting a small warehouse and starting the business there. The problem is, most of the properties I find on real estate search engines (like Loopnet) only have 100 or 200 amp service. I need at least 120 kW in order for moving out of the house to be worthwhile.
What are my options? I know heat dissipation will be a big problem as well, but let's set that aside for a moment.
EDIT: My location is central New Jersey, U.S.A., and my house was built in 1998.

This is an economics game. Electricity is #1.

So the very first conversation you need to have is with the electric company. And you need to cast your nets far and wide:  Read this discussion of this rate in Georgia and think about the impact that has on your profitability.  For instance the example I mentioned was a 2000 watt continuous load (1440kw/month) - cost $27 (1.8 cent/kwh) winter, and $84 (5.8 cent/kwh) summer.  Have I got your undivided attention?

So you need to shop, not even locally, but nationally, for rates like that.  And then, you need to go to wherever those rates are.    I suspect commercial is out of the question; they'll never give a business rates like that, but ask.  And don't give them your real name.   Now, moving to another state for those rates may seem unreasonable, but run the numbers before you say that.  If you'll make $50k/year extra for doing this in Georgia instead of California, you can learn to like Cracker Barrel and calling all sodas Coke.

Second, think about service into the building.  400A residential service is actually common where all-electric homes exist.  That's because the heat pump needs an auxiliary heater, typically 140 amps, for when it's too cold outside for the heat pump to work.  Your servers are your aux heat, and your bigger problem is removing heat; your heat pump will be running in A/C mode even in the winter, and you'll need supplemental A/C in the summer.  (or better yet, shut it off during the heat of the day; that will dovetail nicely with avoiding those peak load charges.)

Third, think about other uses of the building. I would consider several houses as your facility, to capture those amazing residential rates.  That has "AirBnB" written all over it: get a portfolio of vacation homes on a Georgia beach that have back rooms you can secure without wrecking their AirBnB value... and you're making money two ways.

I'd also think about equipment cooling.  One very effective strategy is water-cooling the relevant parts.  You interchange that outside either to an automotive radiator from a junkyard, or you interchange heat with water drawn from a ground source, or river, lake or ocean shore.  Which implies riverfront, lakefront or beach property :)

A few numbers

You want to do this at, at least, 120kw.   A 400A home has 96kw of service, so let's get 2 of them, using 60kw and leaving 36kw for household loads and the A/C you'll need.  60kw run continuously is 43200kwh.

In California (.16/kwh) that would cost you about $7000/month x 2 houses = $14,000.

That Georgia rate (.01/kwh and 6.64/kw): $830/month x 2 = $1670.

I don't know how much money you're making from the coin, but saving $12,300 a month is huge.

And even if your venture in cryptocurrency ends up a big bust-out, you've got vacation rental income, and you own some nice properties.


What is the difference between a 10a and 15a powerpoint? I accidentally pulled a powerpoint out of the wall when I unplugged an appliance.

Looking at Bunnings there seems to be 2 choices. 10amp or 15amp.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/deta-double-power-point_p4430414
https://www.bunnings.com.au/deta-15a-double-power-point_p4430422

What is the difference? Can I get either? When would I use one over the other?

This is Australia by the way.

Earthing pin is taller.  This is a way of keying the receptacle so a 10A or 15A load can plug into a 15A receptacle, but a 15A load (tall earth) cannot plug into a 10A receptacle.

North America does exactly the same with NEMA 5-15 and 5-20 and 6-15 and 6-20, just more obviously (which helps users understand why it won't fit).

And it's probably the same thing: it means the cabling behind the receptacle is either the thinner cable that saves money, or the thicker cable with higher current rating installed at extra cost. With a different size overcurrent device (breaker) for each to protect the wires.


How do I fix a spot on my wood desk? Some wood seal got removed on my desk. There is a noticible spot. Is there anyway to fix it without refinishing the whole thing?

Tinted shellac: adding a metalic dye to a dewaxed shellac: Advantage, can be done in layers, fast drying.  Finish can be blended and buffed.  Once blended, an appropriate top coat to protect all.
Stain or dye directly to the 'noticeable spot'.  Over-finish with spray can of clear coat : Lacquer, shellac or polyurethane as appropriate.
Stain markers (like a kids paint marker) are available in a multitude of wood tones.  They can be blended on surface and removed with paint thinner as needed.  They should be fixed with an over-finish as in step 2.


Rule of thumb for prefilling drywall vs. recutting a piece of new drywall I had a leak in the roof of my garage in the corner.  I called a professional to come and fix it, so the leak is now fixed.  I was left with a hole in my ceiling inside the garage.  I proceeded to investigate it and removed tons of moldy drywall.  After doing this, I attempted to patch all of it up with new drywall.  This is the first time I have put up drywall and I realize now how difficult it is to measure these pieces, I have a feeling irregularly sized pieces are required to make it look really perfect, while I cut pieces that were as perpendicular as I could make them.

When I put up the drywall, I realized that the pieces have evident gaps between the seams.  I googled it a little, and I saw one person saying to "pre-fill" these gaps.  The problem is, I don't know what the rule of thumb is for the size of these gaps.  I didn't realize, but I read somewhere that it's better to prefill these gaps before taping.

I have a couple of ideas on what to do now:

1) remove the drywall by unscrewing it and attempt to cut new pieces of irregularly shaped drywall, put it back on and I am hopefully good.

2) pre-fill these gaps with joint compound, but the question is, are my gaps too large?  What is the rule of thumb for the maximum size of a gap?

I am wondering if my drywall job is really that terrible, at first glance, it doesn't look like I did a good job.

Can someone advise on drywall gaps and how to handle them correctly?

You raise a number of issues.

How to fill an irregularly shaped hole?

To cut drywall (or any panel) to an exact shape with non parallel sides is hard. So what we usually do is make the hole regular. You can trim away some of the remaining drywall, preferably so the edge runs along the middle of a stud, parallel to another stud or the corner. Then cut a rectangular patch to fill the hole, leaving about 1/8 inch gap.

How to make a patch sit in the same plane as the wall?

In general, we want the whole wall to be on the same plane (when you place a straightedge on the face of one section, it sits flat on the adjacent section, neither gapped or raised). If a patch will sit below the level of adjacent wall, you can put shims behind the patch just thick enough to raise the surface to flush. You can use trim boards or tapered shims to get the right thickness, tack them in place with brads, and drill through them when installing the drywall. If the patch sits above the surface, its usually best to use thinner material (but don't violate fire laws about minimum thickness).

In your second picture, the patch looks like it is about 1/2+ lower than the wall. You should shim it out. Even though you could use tape or drywall corners to cover this zigzag, it's a weak, thin joint and will look odd.

How big a gap is acceptable?

Between panels, 1/4 inch is fine. Taping compound and tape will cover it with little difficulty. Putting on a coat of compound before setting the tape will fill the gap. If you are using mesh self adhesive tape, forcing a bit of compound through the tape into the gap couldn't hurt.

If you have a gap that is approaching 1/2 inch or more, you can run into a problem with shrinkage and strength in the joint. Consider recutting the patch. You could use a thin sliver of drywall to partially fill the gap before taping, but it will be a bit more of a challenge to  get it level and smooth.


Hue Compatible Wall Switch? I have a bunch of Hue bulbs throughout the house.  Most are controlled via your standard wall switch.   This is, of course, sub-optimal;  with the wall switch off, the Hue lamp can't be remotely controlled.

I'm looking for switch that is, effectively, a power pass through with a signaling mechanism for controlling the Hue.  That would be ideal but, I suspect, runs afoul of electrical code.

Question:  Is there some device that could replace the existing wall switches while still leaving the Hue powered while also providing signaling to turn the Hue off?

So, the next best solution appears to be using something like the Lutron Caseta switches.   They can be configured to replace the 3 way switches and are Apple HomeKit compatible.

Is there a Caseta switch that is either just on/off or can the Caseta dimmers be configured to not dim?

There are options available.  Maybe they are so new, you just didn't know about them:

Hue Dimmer Switch

Hue Tap Switch


Replacing a power outlet safely I want to replace some power outlets in my condo with ones that have built-in USB ports. The condo was built in 2008.

My thinking is I can simply turn off the breaker for those outlets and get to work. But then I thought... what if those outlets are mis-wired? Should I use an outlet tester?

What is the best way to be safe when replacing power outlets?

An outlet tester is a great way to determine that an outlet is wired correctly. They are also useful to show that the correct breaker has been tripped before you start working. Take pictures before you disconnect anything so you'll have accurate information in case you have to come back here and ask questions. Follow the directions that will be included with the outlets. Also, make sure none of the outlets are switched as that could interrupt your charging.


Need suggestion on appropriate hinge type for fixing cabinet door I have an antique cabinet and the doors are coming off. The top and the bottom hooks there to the doors are no longer holding the doors in place. The doors are supposedly inset and are having a thickness of 1 inch.

I did some research online and understood that for inset cabinets, the de-facto choice seems to be the usage of euro hinges.

However, I feel that this could be problematic in my case because the euro hinges require a 0.35mm diameter cup and boring this sized cup into a 1 inch thick cabinet could have a greater chance of breaking the door itself.

I may be wrong, not sure.

Could anyone advise if euro hinges are the way to go or if there are euro hinges that can suit a cup which wont break a 1 inch thick door or should I stick to the traditional hinges like these?

Euro hinges are routinely used on doors that are 3/4" thick, so that is not a problem. However, the cup must be cut fairly precisely, usually by a drill press to ensure alignment and depth limit. Without such a tool, most DIYers would use conventional mortised or no-mortise hinges.


Is this thermolimiter faulty? After recently replacing a broken fan element, my oven still doesn't heat up. I'm trying to establish whether the other elements are at fault or whether the faulty part is the thermolimiter.

The oven temperature light comes on (and never goes off). I have read in multiple places that this indicates a faulty element.

Testing the upper and lower heating elements I get about 55Ω, which I understand to be OK. But testing the part shown below I get no conductivity at all.

I think this part is the thermal cut-out. It's attached to the upper heating element.

Can anyone confirm based on my readings that this part is the faulty one, and also that the temperature light would be expected to be on regardless?

If the thermal cut-off doesn't test conductive, in this case near 0 Ohm, it is dead.

Get a replacement with the same temperature rating.


Replacing and old switch I am in the process of replacing a regular switch that controls the light in my bedroom with a motion sensor switch and I am a bit baffled by the way it looks. As you can see in these pictures, it looks like a 3-wire (black, white, red) to a 2-wire (black, white) circuit. The 2 black wires (hot) are running into the top and the red one at the bottom. There are also 2 white wires in the box that are connected together with a wire nut and no ground wire. What I would like to figure out is the role of the white wire. Giving this is a 50-year old home, I doubt that this is a neutral wire and I'm not sure how to check it (probably with a voltmeter between the white and the black?). I've also noticed that my bathroom switch is wired the same way. The new switch has two black wires and a ground (green) and doesn't require a neutral wire. I also have a smart switch that requires a neutral (N-L-L1-L2-L3).
I know the black wires are connected incorrectly and I plan to use a pigtail and a wire nut. Now, I intend to connect one of the red wires of the motion sensor switch to the black wires, the other black wire of the switch to the red one and the green wire to the box. I'm pretty sure it's doable. My last question is, can I install the smart switch instead and use the (supposedly) neutral wire?

In cables, the different wire colors distinguish wires.  They do not color code by function, except by accident.

In this case, the accident worked out.  White is neutral.  Black is always-hot.  Red is switched-hot to the lamp.

It's unusual because in this case, the cable from switch to lamp is serving a double purpose.  It is taking switched-hot to the lamp, and then, it is carrying always-hot power onward to other appliances e.g. Lamps.

You may be confusing neutral and ground.  Older houses don't have ground. They always had neutral or lights wouldn't work!

It doesn't appear there is any ground in the box, unless you see some ground wires tucked back there.

If you have a powered switch that does not need neutral or ground, beware, it may not play well with non-incandescent bulbs.

If you have a powered switch that doesn't need neutral, beware, some of them need ground because they are using it as a bootlegged current return (UL would list such products if current was very small, but that is coming to an end). These won't work without proper grounding back to the panel.


How do I safely transport a heavy item downstairs? I want to put a freezer in our basement. The models I'm interested in weigh around 60-75kg.
The shops will happily deliver the item to our front door, but from there, I'm on my own. I'm a 75kg middle-aged male (IT guy, average "white-collar worker" strength). My goal is to get this thing safely into the basement, without hurting anyone or damaging anything.
I have never tried to transport an item this heavy myself. My current plan is as follows:

Put this thing on a stair climber hand truck. I have this model, which is rated for 120kg.

Use tension belts to fix the package on the hand truck.

Put the kids in front of the TV to get them out of the way; ask my wife walk in front of me to open doors, clear the way and help if needed.

Use the hand truck to slowly move the freezer down the stairs.

Any other precautions I should take? It feels wrong to order professional help just to move an item down a flight of stairs, but I'm prepared to do that if my plan is unsafe or unfeasible. (Who would I call for something like that? A moving company?) Due to the Covid lockdown and social distancing rules, I'd prefer not to ask friends from other households to come over and help.

Well all your prep work sounds good but I am well over 100Kg and I would want another person on the stairs below to help by actually pushing back on the freezer so it doesn’t drag you down the stairs. The model I use has belts that when you pull it back the belts ride on the stair edge and don’t tear up the stairs. But even with this I consider it a 2 person job. Unless you have an electric stair climber hand truck.


Does this look like asbestos glue? I pulled up some carpet and found some brownish glue that's still gummy underneath the pad.  This doesn't appear to look like any of the images of asbestos glue I can find online (it's see-through and not completely black), but I just want to double check.

AFAIR, asbestos mastic is much more likely with tile (which may itself contain asbestos) - I would not expect it under carpet, other than as a remnant of a prior tile job (no sign of that here.) And, as you have noted, it doesn't look like it.

While you could engage full paranoia (as the folks that make money from it like) and have it tested, you can probably remove it without too much concern, and if it's "gummy" you might want to take a "solvent and wipe up" approach anyway, which would minimize anything getting in the air.


Identification of unique DIY floating shelf bracket I'm trying to recreate these shelves. Does anyone know what these steel brackets are called? Or have any ideas how to do this in a different way?

https://stillfried.com/products/das-kleine-b-b-87

They're called "custom-made brackets, specifically for this product". Otherwise known as "bespoke".

You should be able to buy one of these from the company, dismantle it, and send a specimen to a metal fabrication shop, who will make as many as you please for you. Of course, by doing so you'd be violating their patents or design rights.  If you can find a "maker space", they also have the light metalworking tools needed to replicate such things, and you can rent time on their machines, often by a monthly fee a-la a gym membership.

You would be better off designing this differently anyway. Not least, since it's holding books, it ought to go into studs or bricks, not hang on drywall (which is basically chalk and paper). As such, the supports will need to be physically on top of the studs, which means you need to be able to move them back and forth.

You could use plain old L-brackets for the top anchor, with the L angle folded down against the wall so the books hide it.  For the bottom anchor, you don't actually need an anchor; simply screw into the bottom rail a bumper of the right length, and let that hold it at the right distance from the wall.  You could also use L-brackets as in above.


1920 UK London House - How should I internal insulate? The house was built in the 1920's east of London. The inside walls are cold to touch and we are considering insulating them. The house was recently externally rendered without external insulation :( and therefore I am looking at internal insulation.
I drilled into the wall ~6 inches above the skirting board on the ground floor and was surprised that it took me 9cm to hit something hard which I think is brick work. I have been told the house has solid walls, please take a look at the photos below and let me know what you think the wall is made of?
Under the render is ~3 cm of grey material with a metal mesh. I have a piece taken off the extension non-original wall. Is the grey material likely to be cement?
The piece of wood is 20cm width which is what I am guessing is a single brick width solid wall
There is 9cm of material which creates yellowish very fine dust. Is this 9cm of plaster?
I have read articles about brick walls needing to "breathe" and horror stories of soggy insulation. How should I go about internally insulating the walls? Should I remove the 9cm of yellow material? I am looking at getting new windows as the current windows feel drafty.
Outside is rendered picture 2008

That 9cm of material will be a form of plaster. However, I highly suggest you get an asbestos sample taken of it and sent away for testing. Some of these old plasters did contain asbestos previously but not all of them. You can do this fairly cheaply. Do not underestimate the danger of asbestos if you know nothing about it. Research it please. Any damage to asbestos containing material should be sprayed with water to stop particles forming in the air and do not use a vacuum cleaner as it will spread them around. You shouldn't touch it period if it has asbestos in it as it is a notifiable substance.
If you are tight for space in the rooms then yes remove the plaster and frame the wall out with stud work and put PIR/PUR insulation boards in and leave a small cavity gap at the back of the boards. If you aren't tight for room or you find asbestos, frame directly on top of the plaster. Again installing PIR/PUR boards. In an ideal scenario you would want the insulation boards to be 100mm thick but you can get insulation boards in varying thickness. Its all about how much space you want to sacrifice for insulation gains.