Buying a home with 2 prong outlets but the bathroom has 3 prong outets I'm looking at a home for my family and trying to assess the amount of work needed (no home-inspection is present). I saw that most of the electrical ports have 2 prong outlets and am worried that I might have to add grounding to the entire home which can cost 10k+.
I noticed though that the Bathroom outlets have 3 prong sockets though. Does this mean I might not have to re-do the entire house and just change the electrical sockets? Any help is super appreciated.

Grounding is no longer red-alert essential
Since there are other ways now to provide better protection.  Particularly, GFCI protection is so good that you're allowed to fit 3-prong outlets as long as they are protected by a GFCI device (somewhere in the circuit).
So all these are acceptable:

A socket that's obviously a GFCI, with "Test" and "Reset" buttons.
A socket that has a "GFCI Protected" sticker that is protected by a GFCI device somewhere else (e.g. GFCI breaker or GFCI socket upstream).
A 3-prong socket stickered with "GFCI Protected" and "No Equipment Ground".

Note that GFCI does not provide "Equipment Ground", or the ability of equipments to dump lightning, ESD and surges to the earth ground (which doesn't exist).
Retrofitting ground isn't as hard as it used to be
NEC 2014 broadened the rules for "retrofitting ground" to outlets not currently grounded.  Today, you are allowed to simply run a proper-sized ground wire, via any route, to any of the following:

The panel (obviously)
Any junction box that has a big enough ground going back to the panel
Any junction box with hard metal conduit going back to the panel
The Grounding Electrode System (bare wires from panel to water pipe/ground rods)

And circuits can share grounds -- you can't share neutral because that is normal service current and it can overload, but ground faults are rare events, and you're allowed to presume that you won't have 2 of them on 2 different circuits at the same instant.
Also, grounding may be there anyway. Some old houses were wired with metal conduit or metal-jacketed cable.  This, combined with broad use of metal boxes, sometimes means grounding actually is present after all. You can't tell this except by opening up junction boxes, but it's a pleasant surprise.   The houses done in conduit can even have the wires replaced with little pain - the conduit lasts forever.
So you can often use a "combo tactic" of GFCI protection + actual grounding for the receptacles in the computer room.
Worry more about the panel
Certain types of panel are toxic -- Federal Pacific and Zinsco.  Those panels must go entirely.  Swapping panels is a big job, pencil in $2000.
One panel line, Challenger, has dangerous breakers trivially replaced with modern breakers.
Other panels such as Pushmatic or old GE, are perfectly safe (Pushmatic is "the finest consumer panel ever made" say some), but are obsolete meaning modern safety-enhanced circuit breakers can't be obtained.  (at least not from reliable US vendors; the Chinese will supply dangerous junk of course.)
Still others (ITE, Crouse Hinds, Westinghouse, Challenger etc.) are obsolete in name, but fully supported by modern breaker lines.
The reason this matters is that AFCI and GFCI breaker types enhance safety considerably in old wiring.  AFCI attacks the problem of arc faults, or faulty old wiring that arcs, overheats and starts fires.  GFCI provides shock protection for humans which is significantly better than the protection provided by grounding.
As such, it's possible to secure old wiring and even "dangerous" aluminum wiring well enough to continue it in service.
Although to tell you a secret, the problem with aluminum was never the metal.  It was bad choices about attaching it to terminals not actually made for aluminum wire, and using improper screw torques.  In 2017 they require a torque screwdriver for all connections; that and CO-ALR rated receps and switches, you barely even need the AFCI breaker at that point!


New submersible water pump has rust I installed a submersible water pump in our drinking water cistern less than six months ago and today when I looked at it, I noticed it has significant amounts of rust close to the housing divisions.
Also I don't know what the white substance is, but it could be from the outer coating of the hose.
Is this something to worry about?

Perfectly normal for non-stainless steel pumps to rust.
Even stainless steel ones may rust, slightly.
The white corrosion may indicate some cast aluminum components, and if so, the combination of aluminum and iron components would also tend to promote galvanic corrosion.
It's not a cause for great concern - it's primarily cosmetic. It does lead me personally towards choosing stainless steel pumps, but cast iron pumps that look awful will work for a long time, looking awful. They do become difficult or impossible to disassemble eventually, but that's over a fairly long lifetime.


How do I prepare a hole for concrete? I removed a chimney from my house earlier this year. After everything was cleaned up, I was left with this big hole:

I have two questions: (1) How do I know what type of concrete to use? (2) How do I prep the hole before pouring/placing the concrete?

Some info: The hole is in my garage. It's about 2 or 3 feet deep. Surrounded on three sides by chimney brick and one side by the crawlspace foundation of my house. The bottom is dirt. The garage cement is pretty smooth, which you can see from the picture.

Backfill the hole with dirt/fill to about 10-12" below the surface.  You should compact the soil frequently as you go - don't wait until the end.  Wetting it will help compact it.  After the soil add 6-8" of 1/2" crushed gravel.  Compact this.  Last, add 4-6" of concrete.

Unless you plan on parking something exceptionally heavy, you can use any concrete really - 2000-5000psi.


How to fix this sink My bathroom sink drain was slow in clearing so I used this chemical drain opener that has worked for me past on other sinks and tubs. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Instant-Power-128-oz-Hair-and-Grease-Drain-Opener-1972/302373121

However, this time I ended up with damage. I thought my sink was of metal but now I am not sure. The paint is damaged and it reveals a discoloration with maybe wood beneath or some alloy.

Can I fix this by simply painting this over? If yes what kind of paint.

I've used HOMAX Tough as Tile for years. It's an epoxy coating that will stick to just about any clean surface. You can pick this kit up for about $25. It has everything you need for the job (Tri-Sodium Phosphate, Brush, Gloves and Paint). Follow the directions and especially the cleaning section in order to remove soap scum, etc. The process requires 2 coats and will take about 2-3 days to dry but you will be amazed at the end result which will be a candy shell appearance like porcelain. For optimum results, remove the drain for the work and then re-install it when the job is finished. The fumes will need to be addressed by ventilation and the odor is also a consideration.

Note: This kit comes in almond or white. It also comes with a spray can option which I don't recommend. The spray gets all over everything and takes a long time to dry.


A very hard to find piece of hardware Our new-to-us house has cable-guided retractable solar screens. The cable tension is maintained by a bracket mounted piece of hardware that looks kinda like this:

Not even the hard to find hardware websites are able to provide a clue on where such can be found. There are a number of corroded pieces outside; I'd like to find a source before I start trying to adjust the tension in the cables. Suggestions?

The world of aircraft construction uses drilled-head bolts to secure things that may otherwise vibrate loose or cannot accept a locking nut. I've used drilled head bolts with safety wire to secure a wooden propeller to the threaded hub.

In this application, it would appear that the cable passes through the length of the bolt and the threaded hole in the head would accept a set screw.

I'm inclined to agree that they items would have been custom made for the manufacturer, but that would not preclude having some made, especially in a small CNC shop.

It seems unlikely that they would have to be particularly strong (as in aircraft grade, or high carbon steel, or grade-8) and could even be done by a hobbyist. I have a "toy" lathe from Harbor Freight that would handle the 3/16" through hole and a "toy" milling machine from another source that would manage the set screw hole easily enough.

You could save a bit of labor by purchasing existing drilled head bolts, although those may be quite strong and difficult to machine.


Well issues, losing water overnight So, basic back story, well pump was done in 2012, approx 7 years old. House is 1992 built, 3 bathrooms, 4 kids, 2 adults. The kids shower almost every night back to back, which recently became an issue as water pressure drops to the point of nothing.  This goes on for months, and if you let the system sit turned on overnight, water pressure is back to normal in the morning. Well is 280’ deep, static depth is marked as 10’ deep on the well tank. Well pressure tank as far as I can tell is original to the house, I have not changed it since I moved in, 2006. Well Xtrol 20 gallon pressure tank.  I had checked the air pressure when the problem first arose this summer, and found it to be ~15psi. I readjusted it to 28.  I had a plumber come check the system to determine the fault. They said the well pump was failing and drawing 4 amps which they said is abnormal. They replaced the pressure switch because I had installed one with a shutoff.  After receiving a ridiculous quote for $2400 to replace the pump, I decided to replace the pump myself with the same unit.  3/4hp, Goulds. Same exact unit that we had before.  Pain in the ass dragging 280’ of line and the pump up by hand, but somehow got it done. Replaced the pump and motor assembly, torque arrestor, spacers, and lots of electrical tape.  Everything I got from the supply house was awesome and well priced.  Since replacing the pump, anytime we call on a significant amount of water, ie; 4 kids showering back to back, the water will randomly lose pressure and die completely.  I will leave everything on overnight and in the morning, approx 8 hours later, the water is back to normal. 50-60 psi. The thing I have noticed is the amount of sediment. We have two water filters for sediment, one is larger than the other.  The first larger one is getting very dirty very quickly. It used to take a good 3-6 months to get really dirty so that water pressure dropped, but now it seems to only take a couple weeks.   I’m at wits end and really just want this water issue fixed!  Looking for advice on what to do next.  Thank you!

Looking at the timing of the question, you may have already solved your issue(s), but in the event that you didn't, here's a few tips.

1) Water systems are meant to be used, even if it involves kids who like long showers. I personally like a nice long, hot shower, so in our situation it would have been a test of self-control. Besides, who would purchase a 2-ton truck and be told that you could only put 300lbs in it? Plus, the previous answer estimated 15 litres a minute for a shower - that's a lot more water than any shower I have used. In the U.S., most shower heads limit the flow to under 2 gallons per minute (gpm), which would equate to roughly less than 8 litres per minute.

2) Could be the pump, but the impact of that would be felt much more rapidly. It would probably start to show as soon as the pressure tank lost it's capacity on about the first shower.

3) The sediment is probably coming from exhausting the capacity of your well. I picture the pump sucking water out of the water table until it starts running dry and then getting sediment from the empty cavity. Overnight the well replenishes itself and fills the pressure tank.

What will solve almost all of your problems is a reserve tank, sometime called a cistern. This is just a big poly tank of roughly 1000 gallons, that acts as your main water source. The existing pump supplies the reserve tank with a capacity switch that turns on when it reaches a low level and a separate surface pump supplies your current pressure tank. This will put a lot less strain on your well, well pump and provide constant water supply to your house. It will also make it easier to filter the sediment.

If you are able to change out a well pump at 280', then you can install a reserve tank and surface pump. It's not a complex task and you can save a lot of money by doing it yourself. I built a small shed around the tank to dress it up a bit, leaving enough room for the surface pump and a shelf of replacement filters. The surface pump should be available at the same location you purchased the other pump.

My neighbor also installed a reserve tank and put in two pressure tanks, as he wanted the pressure to remain more constant while he was using it. In any event, this should solve all of your capacity issues and make filtering a lot easier.


What factors need to be considered to get the most powerful shower possible? I'm getting a new shower installed in my house, to replace the existing mixer shower.  I am going to stick with a mixer shower, not least because I don't have a water tank.  So, this means I have a high pressure system.

There are 2 pieces of terminology commonly used with showers - pressure, and flow rate.  As I understand it, the flow rate determines how much water can pass out of the shower per minute, and pressure determines how much you can restrict the water's egress while maintaining the flow rate.

Now, I want to get the most powerful shower possible with my current setup.  I understand that I am limited to the pressure and flow rate coming in from the mains because I have a high pressure system.  In my experience, though, what makes a shower feel "powerful" is a third factor - the water velocity.  The velocity of the water coming out of the shower head makes a major difference - if it's really fast, that's what I call powerful, as it can give a really nice massaging feel.  That, combined with a good flow rate, is what I'd like to get.  So, what should I do to get the best water velocity from my shower?  Additional queries:

Is it the shower head that would be best at giving a good water velocity?  Presumably a shower head with fewer, smaller holes will restrict the water egress and force the water velocity to be faster in order to maintain the flow rate, assuming there is enough pressure?  If so, what kind of shower heads would give this effect?
Can anyone recommend any particular showers that are good at feeling powerful (basically, having a high water velocity to give a good massaging jet of water)?  Conversely, can anyone give examples of showers that are designed to have a low water velocity?
Is it possible that increasing my boiler size will allow a higher flow rate of hot water to pass through my shower?  How can I measure what the maximum flow rate of hot water would be, and what the maximum flow rate of hot water is for my boiler?
Why do different showers have different flow rates (sometimes quite significantly different)?  It seems to me that the flow rate is basically dictated by what goes in to the shower - does this mean that showers with lower flow rates are artificially reducing the flow, and if so, why?
In the UK, every store says it's "not possible" to use a pump (like you would with a low-pressure power shower system) with a high pressure system.  Is there any technical reason for this, or is it purely a legality (it's illegal to pump from the mains because it would reduce everyone else's pressure/flow rate)?

The more detailed the answer, the better.  I'd really like to get a good knowledge base built up of how to maximize the power of your mixer shower.

Official term is "water velocity" but for domestic plumbing this isn't really a thing you need to concern yourself with stick to pressure and flow rates. To answer some of your questions all in one:
The flow rate can vary between showers due to the plumbing that supply's them also the pressure can vary for the same reason, they can also have water restrictors  that slow the flow rate down.

In Australia this is due to regs stipulating maximum flow rates for water conservation reasons, ( I will always remove these as I hate a weak shower).

As for the flow rate you can use a flow cup to check the flow rate on a unrestricted tap and a pressure gauge to check pressure available.

You can attach a booster pump to your water supply but if this is legal in your location I do not know, the use of a booster pump will also depend on the supply pipe you have to connect to and what the pressure is already if it is near the output of the pump there is no point installing the pump.


Exterior to Interior Wiring and Code Deficiencies? I recently installed a 100a exterior subpanel adjacent to my main panel to allow for the installation of 240V and 120V service to a shed on the opposite side of my house, along with a 240V dryer of which the panel spots were used for wiring the subpanel.  My plan is to run conduit from the panel to the attic then bury the wire via conduit on the opposite side to enter the shed.

Not realizing how unruly 8/3 UF-B wire is to work with I purchased a long enough section for the entire run knowing this wire meets code for the use in exterior conduit.  I quickly realized it is all but impossible to pull this through 1 1/4" Sch 40 conduit.

In this process, I have also noted what I believe are exisiting code deficiencies I am afraid they will be caught when my new electrical install is inspected.

Any input in regards to the following questions would be greatly appreciated!

1) My main service panel has several 14/2 romex wires exiting the panel into exterior conduit into the attic. This was done before I purchased the house, as I understand this is not up to code as romex is not rated for any type of outdoor use.  Should I expect my electrical inspector to also check my main panel in order to certify my subpanel, and will I be required to mediate these deficiencies?

2a) Would best practice be to use the UF-B to cross the attic and use junction boxes on either end to transition to THWN prior to entering the conduit?
2b) Could I make multiple connections (8/3, 12/3, 10/2 to corresponding THWN) within a single junction box, what is the best way to calculate the necessary volume? Would this be an appropriate option Link

2c) Can I use a single common ground through the conduit to the subpanel

3) In the attic, which is not considered to be a liveable space can I run the wire over the insulation or does it need to be affixed to the rafters?

EDIT:  I have now adjusted my plan to only use the UF-B cable to traverse the attic.  Attached wiring diagram for transitions from UF/NM to THWN wire within conduit.

I'd scrap this whole plan and start over (save for the existing buried conduit)

You started off on the right foot by burying a conduit from the house to the shed, and you are also correct that NM is nogoodnik in a wet environment, so we'll be replacing that as you indicate.  However, you were only familiar with the cables (NM and UF) used for building wiring, so you figured that was what was used inside conduits as well, and then discovered to your dismay why that isn't so: they are stiff, chunky, and generally utterly miserable to pull down conduit.

As it turns out, what you need to be pulling down these conduits are individual THHN/THWN wires, not the cables you're used to.  These take up far less fill than a fat, stiff, miserable cable, and are also far easier to pull down conduit, with their slick nylon outer coating and stranded cores giving them superior flexibility and slipperiness.

Going cable-free across your attic

One other faulty assumption you made was that you must transition from conduit to cables when you head inside.  In fact, that's not the case; there's even a handy form of conduit that is basically purpose-made for light-duty indoor work.  The Code calls it Electrical Nonmetallic Tubing, or ENT for short; however, it's much more commonly known as "smurf tube" for its bright blue color.  It is made from thin PVC plastic, corrugated for strength and flexibility, and is legal for mains wiring within houses, although it's most commonly used for communications/low-voltage work.

With this, we can make the run (save for the dryer) entirely in conduit, allowing us to take a junction box entirely out of the picture, and giving us much more flexibility in locating the remaining box for where the dryer circuit exits the conduit.

As far what goes inside said conduit...

Your other issue with your plan for powering up the shed is the idea of running two separate branch circuits there, instead of simply fitting a subpanel at the shed and running a feeder to it.  Given that your 1.25" Schedule 40 PVC can handle 374mm2 of wire fill, we can fit 3 1/0 Al XHHW-2 or THHN/THWN wires alongside an 8AWG bare copper ground down it with room to spare for 3 10AWG THHNs and a 10AWG bare copper ground for the dryer.  However, that's overkill for the initial portion of the homerun, and 1.25" ENT is rather scarce on the ground for that matter.

This means we're better off running 3 2AWG Al XHHW-2 wires alongside that bare 8 AWG copper ground, giving us the ability to provide 90A (or 100A with some pigtailing trickery at each end) to the shed, while still being able to use 1" ENT for the run across the attic.  The 4 10AWG THHNs for the dryer run out from the panel wil easily fit into the 1.25" PVC alongside the proposed feeder, and you can simply use a T-body, a reducer, and some 1/2" ENT for the rest of the dryer run.  (If you wish to transition the dryer circuit to NM at a box in-line with the 1" ENT run, you could do that as well; I simply suggested using the ENT for the dryer run because it means you don't have splices or boxes to worry about.)

Once you get to the shed...

Once our wire run reaches the shed, we then land it on the line lugs of a 100A, 24-space, main breaker subpanel.  This provides us with a convenient main disconnect for the shed, and also plenty of space for future expansion.  In the subpanel, then, we can fit the breakers for the sauna heater and lights/outlets there as well.  Note that you'll have to pull the bonding screw/strap (or make sure it's not fitted) and fit separate ground bars if the panel does not come with ground bars factory fitted.  You'll also need to torque all the breaker and panel lugs/screws to spec using an inch-pound torque screwdriver or torque wrench, by the way; this is the new 110.14(D) requirement in the 2017 NEC, and is also a good idea anyway, lest your panel get a case of the loose lugnuts.

As to replacing that NM...

What I would do to replace the NM is fit a junction box at where the conduit terminates, then run individual 14AWG THHN hots and neutrals + a 14AWG bare ground down the existing conduit, and then continue the runs from the inside junction box with NM.  Note that you may have to replace some of the NM inside due to water wicking up the paper separator in the cable.


How to attach cables to ceiling using curved nails or hooks I wanted to use this trunking for the cables (power + hdmi) coming out of my ceiling mounted projector. But I'm renting and the ceiling is covered with... wallpaper. So I'm afraid of damaging the wallpaper the day I move.

I'm thinking about a safer solution: some sort of hooks or curved nails supporting the cables, located every 20cm or so along a line from my projector. Are there any kind of nails that could do the trick?

The trunking is fairly rigid and can be put in most locations without gluing it to the wall or wallpaper.  It merely serves to cover and contain the wires which are already safely covered.

You could cut the trunking to fit the run you want, enclose the wires and then use simple wire loops around the trunking in two or three places, held close to the wall with a screw and a plastic anchor.

You probably can find white coated wire to match the trunking.


prep for bathroom wall painting I am currently remodeling a bathroom and am ready for painting after removing the old vanity and furniture. I have several questions regarding the prep work.

a) There are white thick stuffs (about 1/16") beneath the old paint (the arrows shown in the photos below). They are located over the drywall and easily sanded. What are they? Is there anyway to easily remove them without sanding which would cause a lot of dusts?

b) Should I completely scrape off the old paint before applying a primer? Or, could a primer be applied over the old paint?

Thanks

It looks like patches to the sheetrock or maybe wet spots and the rock is not in good shape. You should evaluate if the sheetrock is not solid it should be cut out and replaced.
I usually use green board for repairs in bathrooms.(Green board is water resistant sheetrock). I would scrape and see if the paint is well bonded if it is well bonded fill the low spots with topping mud then prime for best results.


Where does the blue wire in my fan go to? I took my fan down because it was not working..... I cleaned it thoroughly, and recut all the wires.  I checked everything and it worked fine.  Next, I went to fully assemble it, (knowing that the motor was working now) and a blue wire fell out of the fan motor itself.  I know where to connect it to the ceiling, However I do not know where this blue wire goes to the fan box itself....

It connects the house wiring to the light kit if the fan has one, if the fan does not have a light, it does not need it, it is just a spare wire.


carport to garage conversion I have a garage that used to be a carport. Therefore the ceiling, clad with stucco, is not insulated. Do I need to pull down the stucco to properly have a vapour barrier when I insulate? or is the stucco enough of a vapour barrier?

Is there a second floor?  You don't really want an extra "vapor barrier" on anything that is (now) an interior surface.

And in general you want one and only one vapor barrier: all building spaces need to exchange humidity in at least one direction.  Put up two vapor barriers and the space in the middle will have the wrong humidity.


Is this asbestos in my ceiling drywall? While looking through a hole in the drywall, I saw this...

Is this asbestos?

While it looks like fiberglass, you probably don't want to be wrong if you are going to be doing any work on that area.  The easiest thing to do is get the material professionally tested.  When I was looking into scraping the nasty acousitcal gunk from our ceiling, I sent a  small sample to a local testing company (http://www.asbestos.org/sampling/samples.html) and got a pretty quick response (it was asbestos).  It's worth the money to be completely sure.  It's your (and your family's) health after all.

If you are not going to be dong work on that area, just leave it undisturbed.  If asbestos stays where it is, it isn't normally a problem.

Good luck.


Should the brushes be this bright on my vacuum cleaner's motor? I have a vacuum cleaner that sometimes slows down while in use. If I turn it off and turn it back on again it usually solves the problem.

I took the debris chamber and the filter off, so I can see the vacuum cleaner motor running directly beneath a plastic screen. The arcs coming from the brushes of the motor are extremely bright. Is this normal or does this indicate a problem with the motor?

No, this is not normal. Some small arcing around the brushes is normal. In this case the rotor had segments that shorted resulting in very high current on the brushes for a percentage of the rotation. The higher current resulted in the larger arcs from the brushes since they take longer to extinguish.

Not long after taking this photograph the motor began to smoke and smell horribly. So I disposed of it.


Remove Tight Decking Screws I'm trying to remove 1 decking plank to access a blocked drain underneath. The decking was installed about 6 months ago (not by myself). The screws appear to have been countersunk far below the surface and the holes look something like:

I'm using a 9V cordless drill with variable torque settings to try and get these up. I'm using a PZ2 bit with a drill bit extender. I've managed to get some of these up but most of them just aren't moving and I'm very concerned about stripping the screw heads. I've also tried using a manual screwdriver with little luck

The screws when removed look like:

Which shows even for the easy ones I'm starting to strip them. My question is, how on earth do I go about removing the other screws? Also, how have the screws been sunk so far?

An impact wrench will do it if the head is not stripped like the one in the photo. As noted , keep high down force to prevent stripping the heads. My Makita has given excellent service.


Setting up makeup lights on this rotating jewelry cabinet I want to buy this jewelry cabinet for my wife  (white one).
Now to ensure her face is sufficiently illuminated while getting prepared, I want to setup some lights along the wooden frame around the mirror. Could anyone suggest a better light setup for this?
Here are some challenges:

The item is rotatable, hence risky to install something connected to the power outlet.
Preferred to have at least 900 lumen or more in total. Please suggest if you have other opinion.
When not in use, the lights must remain subtle and nearly unseeable state.

I'm considering this one but it does not seem to have enough lumens. Other options are like either corded or separate lights will be extremely hard to build it nice and strong.

Make up mirror.

source
Your cabinet has a full length mirror but not a makeup mirror and that is what she needs to do makeup.  A magnifying makeup mirror will also serve to reflect ambient light onto her face.  Install the makeup mirror and then make sure lighting for the room it is in is adequately bright (or can be made adequately bright) and the correct spectrum for applying makeup.


Which Product to Use for Repairing My Drywall Can someone recommend which product I should use in this case?... I removed the backsplash tile in my kitchen and, in doing so, some of the tiles also pulled the top layer of drywall off along with the glue adhesive, resulting in patches of the exposed brown paper layer of the drywall.

I read online to seal those areas with a product that would coat it while preventing it from bubbling up, and prevent it from anything water-based that would cause it to bubble up. So I have done that. But now I need to even out the wall before installing new tile. Should I use joint compound, drywall mud {are those the same thing?}, spackle, a Sherwin Williams product mentioned in an answer to a question on this site about drywall repair, general purpose compound, etc.?

There seem to be a lot of products that work similarly, but I want to use what would be best and most stable/sturdy for this situation.

Basically, I have lots of patches that are significantly lower {or deeper} than the areas where the top drywall layer did not come off, because between the thickness in the top layer of drywall and the paint that had previously been on the drywall, together, those two layers create quite a height difference between the torn drywall patches and the rest of the wall where the drywall remained in tact.

I need to even everything out {or make it a flat surface}, and I am wondering what the best product would be to fill the patches up to be level with the good layer of the wall and even up all the areas for a relatively flat surface that my new tiles can lay flat on. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

If it was me, I'd cut away the bad drywall and replace it with 1/2" hardi board. That'll give a flat, solid and waterproof substrate for your tiles, in contrast to the beaten up drywall you've got now.

Oh, and be sure to thoroughly caulk the gap between the drywall and the hardi.


What is required clearance from mechanical exhaust to garage door? I'm looking to add a new tankless water heater, which allows for pvc exhaust.

In California, USA, I think clearance requirements for a door is four feet horizontally or one foot vertically. Does this also apply to garage doors?

What clearance is required by code from this exhaust to garage door?

I see the required clearances from the manufacturer but many of them say refer to local building codes.

PVC isn't actually a proper material for exhaust, despite what the manufacturer says -- use stainless instead

The exhaust gas temperature of a high-efficiency condensing tankless heater operating at 140°F water thermostat will hover around 170°F out of the box, and this simply gets worse with time and scale buildup, reaching 300°F or more as scale is a much poorer heat conductor than copper is.  This causes a PVC vent flue to "cook" (it will turn tan, then yellow, then purple/brown) and sag (PVC pipe is rated to 140°F), leading to leakage and eventual total failure (in a decade or less) with its attendant CO(!!!!!!!!), hypoxia, and moisture-buildup hazards.  In fact, failed PVC venting (due to heat) on a condensing boiler system is suspected in the CO death of a family of four on a high-end rental property in Aspen.

Instead, a stainless steel concentric or double wall vent system listed to UL 1738 should be used; stainless steel vent systems, applied according to their listing instructions, will neither corrode nor fail due to heat.  If that is absolutely not an option, then high-temperature polypropylene venting (rated to 230°F) can be used as a fallback, but this requires an external, engineered interlock to shut down and lock out the burner fuel supply if flue gas temperatures become excessive for the material used, as tankless heaters aren't smart enough to do that on their own (yet) and will continue to turn up the fire as they scale up in an effort to keep up with demand.

Whatever material you use, keep it clear of the garage door

The 4' horizontal or 1' vertical clearance you mention, though, should be applied to a garage door, as per IRC M1804.2.6 point 2, which applies to any "door, window, or gravity air inlet" -- in other words, any opening where natural circulation of significant quantities of air is expected when the opening is open.


Should I replace a sump pump that's not keeping up? My 1/2 hp sump pump has to pump up about 4' and then downhill about another 50'-60' to a creek and can't keep up during steady rainfall.

Would a stronger pump fix this problem or would just adding a utility pump be better?

I would favor a strategy that maximizes reliability.  I would go for a pump that is rated at double the estimated worst case flow.  That will mean there is a margin of safety and also mean the pump is not running at full capacity.  This will be better for a longer life, as friction and heat are an electric motors worst enemies.  This may be hard to estimate, but double the GPM (gallons per minute) might be a good starting point.

Take care that the larger motor is within the capacity of the circuit.  50% of the maximum circuit capacity is a good rule of thumb, especially for a motor circuit, which has large start-up current requirements.  Since this circuit is so critical, it would be advisable to make it a dedicated one, ensuring no other device would cause a nuisance trip of the circuit breaker.

Finally, large rain related increases in sump flow might suggest some runoff improvements around the house might be in order..  Extending downspouts, berming any reversed pitch areas (places near the house that collect water).


What is this hose reel part called? I have a hose reel where this one piece has broken.
I literally can not come to spend another $100 on the entire assembly when all that's broken is this piece, but I don't even know what to search for in this case.
Our big-box stores definitely don't carry it.
It allows the assembly to spin (for reeling in, and unreeling)...

This is where it goes:

A swivel or "rotary union" (but there are many things under the same names that don't look like that, or in some cases work like that. It's imprecise, but does cover what you have, as well as some other things.)
Specifically one with one side "garden hose thread" and the other appears likely to be pipe thread in a smaller size.


What's the purpose of a cold water expansion vessel? My rented flat (in the UK) has 2 expansion tanks behind the boiler, one red, one blue.

From googling around I can find lots of references to hot water expansion vessels; the purpose seems to be to allow for expansion of the water in the closed system of the heating circuits as it gets hotter.

What's the purpose of the cold water vessel? Is it just to prevent water hammer?

Update: here's a description of the lines and where they go, as requested in a comment. Please correct my terminology, I don't know what it should be but I'm keen to learn:

cold water seems to arrive from outside - there's a stopcock.
When I close the stopcock, I have no cold water anywhere in the flat.
Immediately after the stopcock, is what I think is a pressure reducing valve (Caleffi - 3.5 bar is printed on it).
After that, there are a few branches off this pipe:

one leads to the blue expansion tank.
one leads to a cylindrical tank below ('Keston Spa'). Where it joins, it's marked "MAINS CWS" (Cold Water Supply?)
one leads to a hose with closed valves that I believe can be temporarily opened to 'top up' the closed heating system: beyond the closed valves, I can see that it connects to the return port on the boiler (according to the manual), as well as the red expansion tank.

finally it seems to go off around the flat.

An expansion tank is needed on a section of closed line that is subject to variable pressure. The only sane cause I can discern for having two tanks in close proximity relates to multiple devices with multiple check valves or an undersized expansion tank. Whether that tank is before or after the water heater is usually irrelevant. The job is to take up liquid expansion between a closed faucet and a supply line check valve.

It may be the case that your water for radiators is separated from your drinking water. Two distinct systems with a check valve to prevent radiator water from draining back could explain a second tank.


What are the benefits of setting electrical switches at the center of drywall seams? Im setting switches and wondering why I am seeing a lot of people set the switch at 48" to center of switch when in an 8' ceiling room that makes the switch go between two drywall sheets at the horizontal seam?  Is it easier to mud or easier to drywall with that? I am considering setting switch boxes 48" from floor to top of box to ensure that it lands only on one sheet but I can see how it would be difficult to keep the concaved joint flat when a switch box takes up the bottom half.

It's easier to cut the drywall when the bottom of the switchbox is sticking out from the bottom of the top drywall panel.  Drywallers cut receptacle box holes with the drywall in place using a rotary tool.  It's easier to cut the hole when the panel doesn't cover the whole box.  There's not any impact to mudding, because, like you noted, you have to fill the joint flat either way.


Can water pressure changes cause hot water tank to leak? I had to replace hot water tank yesterday. The previous evening, while shower was being used, the water was turned off to our neighborhood. The water was turned on sometime during the night. When I awoke I found the tank was leaking (flowing) from the top of the tank, flooding laundry room.

Can the pressure when water was turned back on be strong enough to cause this damage to the tank?

The shower was being used when the water was turned off. Was the power or gas turned off to the water heater? Low water level on many tanks left running can cause failure of the tank. This is the reason many recommend to turn the water heater off if on a long vacation.


Purpose of mercury switch in old doorbell I moved recently and the new house has a vintage doorbell. It's by Friedland, but there's no other identifying information that would help me find a manual. All the wires had been disconnected by the previous owners, and I'm trying to get it working again.

The thing is pretty standard except for the fact that it has a mercury switch attached to the striker arm (see green vial in picture below; no I'm not going to leave the wires like that). If I ignore the switch and wire things the normal way it works fine, but I assume it's there for a reason. My expectation was if I put it in series with the button and the solenoid, it would cut the current before the striker reached the bell on the right, resulting in a "dong" on the backstroke instead of the full "ding dong." That way you could wire one button through the switch and one around it and be able to tell the two apart. But, this isn't what happens. The only difference the switch makes is that if you hold the button down, the bell ding-dongs repeatedly until you let go (otherwise it dings when you push and dongs when you release). So what's the point? Am I misunderstanding how this is supposed to work, or is the switch just calibrated wrong after all these decades and not cutting off fast enough?

The red wire comes from the button via one terminal on the transformer, the white wire goes back to the other terminal on the transformer, the blue wire comes from a second button that I haven't hooked up yet.

Switch/arm detail:

I have this exact Friedland chime. It has the number 280-860 on the back. Here's how to wire it:

The terminals are numbered, clockwise from top left:
3, 0, 2, 1, 4.

The solenoid is internally connected to 3 and 4.

The upper 2 batteries go to 3 and 0.

The lower 2 batteries go to 2 and 4.

The mercury tilt-switch is connected to 1 and 3.

The front-door bell-push should be connected to 0 and 1.

This gives a continuous DING-DONG, DING-DONG, ... as long as the bell-push is held down, by striking the vertical plates at either side.

The back-door bell-push (if used) should be connected to 0 and 2.

This gives a single DING when the bell-push is pressed down, and a single DONG when it is released.

Operating with 4x 1.5V D-cells, that is all there is to it.

If you want to use a 6 volt transformer instead, be sure NOT to fit batteries as well.

Link 2 to 3 with insulated wire (be sure to remove the batteries otherwise this will short out the lower pair).

Connect the 6V AC supply from the transformer to 3 and 0.

When fixing to the wall make sure the mercury switch is at the bottom, as per the photo above.

Job done.


Drilling 1/4" steel plate and concrete? I need to drill (44) holes in (22) 1/4"-thick stainless steel plates. These are for 3"x3/8" heavy Duty Screw Anchors that will go through the plate and into the concrete.

My question is: if possible, can I use one drill bit that will make the hole through the 1/4"-thick steel plate and the concrete where the screw will be inserted? This is hard reinforced concrete.

If not, what drill bits should I use? And can I use a regular drill?

No.

Steel bits need to be very sharp to do their job. In fact, unless you set a depth gauge just barely through the metal, you'll wreck the cutting edge with every hole when you contact concrete and need to resharpen.

Concrete bits create holes by pounding and disintegrating the material. They have cutting edges, but that's mostly to focus the impact and clear debris. They become dull over time as well, but it doesn't dramatically affect their performance.

Ideally you'll drill your plates in advance, then use them as guides for drilling the concrete. Herb Guy offers some good advice on that note: "Try to find a local welding, ironworks or machine shop. They can punch or drill those holes for faster and cheaper than you ever will and make the S/S plate hole's ø 1/8” larger so the hammer drill tip and anchor shields/wedges pass through."

Otherwise, I suggest having several of each type of bit on hand. The steel bits will need time to cool after several holes (unless you lubricate with oil), so you'll want to rotate them, and the concrete bits occasionally throw their carbide teeth.


How to correct blotchy brush marks on stained wood? I just bought a house with some wood handrails and paneling around the staircase. It looks like it was recently stained but to my eye it looks horrible and uneven.

What is the best way to fix this without sanding down and “starting over”? I am pretty flexible on the color so if it would help to go darker to cover this that is fine but I don’t want to paint over it.

The stain IS uneven and that is because the underlying softwood was stained using dark pigmented stains made to be almost a paint in pigment particle size and intensity. They may have even thinned out some oil based paint to do this job. In some areas they really gobbed it on to hide something underneath the stain. Just like deck stains come in clear grades all the way to fully pigmented almost paint grade stains for older deckwood in poor condition, so do cheap pro level interior stains come in various pigment grades. These stains are made to even up different low grade wood species used in house trim. It appears the softwood paneling is a non stain grade plywood in the center panels and the surrounding trim and boards are likely a different species and do not color match when fully stripped. Poplar is a low cost white wood used for interior house trim but now a bunch of cheap tropical species are imported for just this pupose. I would avoid stripping to bare wood with sanding as the results may also not appeal to your eye and it will require a ton of time and sanpaper to strip this paneling to bare wood.

You can try sanding some of the heaviest areas of pigmented stain off the wood to try to even things up but realize that these heavily pigmented stains have probably penetrated deeply into some areas of the plywood paneling and left other areas only lightly pigmented. In other words they were trying to hide something (wood defects) and made things worse to your eye. A lot of paint grade sofwood trim is turned into stain grade trim by applying heavily pigmented stains at a thick coverage. Some people notice and many others do not so it keeps happening to save money as real stain grade interior wood trim is really expensive compared to cheap poplar white wood trim.

My only advice is to find an out of the way spot with several different problem areas, strip some paint off with sanding( 120- 150 grit to 220 grit final) and go back over it with foam or bristly brush applied lower pigmented stains to try to faux finish the problem areas. You may need two or three different colored pigemented oil based stains to get a result you like. Final finish with a semi gloss or matt varnish to even up the gloss. This is the kind of job you will be really good at when you are finished but not when you just start out. So work your way into the highest visibility areas last. Good luck


The sill plate touching my foundation isn't laying flat, it's about 10 degrees tilted. How do I install a header below it? I installed a window in my basement 2 years ago and in the time since I've realized that I fastened the header incorrectly. Oops. I have to take it apart anyways to re-do the trim and match the other windows better, so I want to just fix it all.

The problem was the sill plate, which should lay flat on top of the header. It is tilted outwards about 10 degrees.

I have 4 options:

1) Wedge the header under it and leave the sill plate to only contact at the corner

2) Wedge the header and then try and screw it to suck it back straight

3) Use the table saw to match the angle on the sill plate and cut the header

5) Use shims to ensure full contact.

I assume the sill plate shouldn't be slanted anyways. What might cause this, is this a bigger issue than I know? Should I also add concrete anchors to suck it back down to the concrete? And do I need to put that foam membrane stuff around my PT framing?

Here's a diagram:

Ideally, you want the plate to fully bear on the header. The fact that a twist developed indicates there is not any appreciable load at this location, so it probably does not matter much what you do. It's tempting to try to take the twist out so everything is straight and true, but you may just end up causing the studs above to not bear on the plate. The installation may look better, but you have not gained better bearing. Further more, the suspended studs could eventually settle, causing cracks in the finish and creating stress risers nearby due to differential settlement.

This leaves the viable choices to either shim or cut the header top on an angle to match. While shimming has the appearance of shoddy work, it is actually the best way to ensure full bearing. Focus on getting good bearing under the studs above, the space between studs is not that important.

You should place sill sealer under the window's sill plate, some standing water could potentially sit here. You don't need it behind vertical members to protect the PT wood from moisture, but you will want to do something to limit infiltration. Sill sealer works well for this, but you can use other methods if you prefer, such as polyurethane foam, or simply setting the king studs in sealant.


Can I insulate over 1/2 in. styrofoam? We have a rec room (basement) from the 60's that we are redoing.  Currently on the outside walls, they have 1 x 2 studding then 1/2 inch white styrofoam then vapour barrier.  WE are wondering if we can remove the plastic vapour barrier and stud over what is there with 2 x 4 then use Roxul Comfort batts?  Wasn't sure if there would be an issue with putting the Roxul over the styrofoam.  As this is the old type of styro I doubt if would have much, if any R value but does anyone know for sure

1/2" Styrofoam will give you about R-2.0 to R-2.5 insulation. The best you can expect from any reasonable 1/2" material is R-3.0 to R-3.5, so it's not too bad for what it is. Obviously you will get much better R-values from much thicker material.

Vapor barriers should only be installed closest to the warm side of any insulating assembly and nowhere else. While Roxul is largely water resistant, you still do not want water condensing inside the insulation, it reduces the insulating value and promotes mold growth. You also do not want to block any moisture that gets this far from being able to escape by having additional vapor barriers farther in from the warm side.

So you must remove the existing vapor barrier. Never install insulation on the warm side of a vapor barrier. Unfortunately, styrofoam also serves as a vapor barrier, so you should remove it as well before installing the Roxul. Better to give up that R-2 than risk moisture being trapped in the Roxul. The one and only vapor barrier should be on the warm side of the Roxul.

Note that this is assuming there is no risk of water ingress through the basement walls. If there is any risk, you should be using an insulation impervious to water such as XPS, and some positive drainage scheme must be in place behind the insulation to allow water to drain to a sump for removal.


How do I protect people walking around my deck from banging their head on this overhanging platform? Below is the picture showing the platform that I am talking about

The plan is to have the barbeque under that so that aspect is taken care of. Probably a plant toward the house end of that underneath area. My question is more about adding some foam or something on the wood joist that holds the platform but I still need to preserve the modern look of my deck

Put something underneath it, or cordon it off somehow. This prevents them from walking close enough to hit their head in the first place.

You can plant some shrubs or flowers underneath it; make sure to get appropriate sun / shade tolerant plants. You could put a little sculpture, or just landscape it with mulch. People tend to avoid walking on mulch, even if there's nothing planted.

The other option is to put some kind of barrier around it. A small fence, some large rocks / boulders, etc.

Edited after your edit: Make the BBQ slightly bigger than the overhang, or stick out further than the overhang. Supplement with plants or other ideas from my answer if needed. This prevents people from being able to walk where they would hit their head in the first place, negating the need for any foam or other material on the overhang itself.


Is it safe to drill a 6" hole into a beam or i-joist for range hood duct? I'm installing a range hood over my island after a kitchen remodel and I ran into an issue. If I try to run the ducting alongside the joists in the ceiling I run into a beam which looks to be supporting the sunroom which extends beyond the kitchen. I've included a picture of the kitchen layout below with an annotation showing the location and direction of the beam and an illustration of the direction of the joists (not to scale). To be clear there is a second floor above this one so I can't just go out the roof.

The beam and joists are 14" deep. I am concerned about drilling a 6" hole in the beam and perhaps a second one which is behind it. Is that acceptable? The range hood I have will not accommodate any reduction in diameter. The beam appears to be solid wood and a picture is shown below (looking down the hole in the ceiling along the joists.

An alternative route is for me to go a shorter distance through the joists and out the side of the house. The joists are engineered wood TJI 230 14". Now according to the manufacturer, I can drill a 6" hole through the web no problem since I am far enough from the ends and there are no other substantial holes in the ones I've looked at so far. My only concern here is that contrary to what I am reading from the manufacturer, everyone seems to be telling me that I shouldn't make a hole any greater than 1/3rd the depth of the joist, and that if I do that I need to re-enforce the hole. But I don't see this mentioned anywhere in the manufacturer's guidelines. By all indications it is perfectly acceptable to make a 6" hole in the joists.

Can anyone provide me feedback: am I okay going through the beam? Alternatively, can I go through the i-joists without re-enforcement? Does the 1/3rd rule not apply to engineered i-joists like this?
Thanks!

When I got my first car, my Dad said, “GM builds ‘em, tests ‘em, and tells you how to maintain ‘em...so follow ALL the maintenance rules.”
I think that applies here. They know what their I-joists can withstand. I’d follow it carefully.
The one thing that causes problems seems to be when installers get in a hurry and “eyeball” cuts, etc. id carefully layout the holes and use a SHARP saw. You want it cut perfectly. No tearing of surrounding fibers.
Remember, there is a “safety factor” the manufacturers use and you don’t want to cut into that.
Note: Now you’ve got to be careful of any additional loading (like waterbed, refrigerator, etc.) from the second floor that could affect the manufacturer’s normal design criteria.
For cut timbers there are dozens of things that can go wrong, so I’d get a structural engineer or architect to lay it out, but for I-joists I’d follow their instructions.


How do I rewire this electrical panel? House was built in 50s or 60s, and there was a bundle of wires all grounded to the main ground lug.  I removed them and began to separate to disperse them along the ground bar, and three of them are hot. Also they are a mixture of white and bare wires.  Do I connect them to the ground bar?

The neutrals are hot until they're connected to the neutral bus whenever the load is connected (switched on or whatever). You have a very dangerous situation there whenever they're disconnected. You should never disconnect neutrals or grounds unless the associated hot is disconnected or the breaker switched off.

More info and explanation

In a main panel, ground and neutral are "bonded", and they share one or more bus bars. The neutrals and grounds for a particular branch circuit should never be installed together under a single screw. It is a code requirement that each neutral be terminated one per hole with no other wires. This prevents inadvertent and dangerous detachment of additional neutrals when working with a single screw.

UPDATE: Here's a good discussion on 408.21, the section that covers this issue. My interpretation is that neutrals must be individually secured, but grounds can be doubled (or even tripled) when the hardware allows. Confusion often stems from the terms "grounded" and "grounding". The former refers to grounded neutrals, and the latter to (typically) bare ground conductors.


Should I move this support post in my basement? I am trying to create a new bedroom in the basement.  The first problem I hit is that there is this short concrete "wall" with a post coming out of it.  Actually, the post is 3 2x4's joined together.  If I leave it as-is, it would make the future bedroom a few feet shorter than if I were able to remove it.

My first thought was to put in a temporary post, jackhammer out the wall, take out the original post, and replace it.  However, that seems kind of daunting for a couple of reasons:

How to build a new post? Maybe jackhammer out some of the floor slab then fill it in so that it sits below the floor and not just on top of it.
This seems like it would be a "structural modification" which requires getting a construction permit and having things inspected, and I'm wary of that because all the other improvements to this 1925 house (such as replacing knob and tube wiring) were clearly done not up to code.

With that in mind, I'm thinking it would be better to rent a concrete saw and cut that wall vertically close to the post, so I can jackhammer it out without disturbing the post.

Any advice is appreciated!

That is really sketchy. Built-up 2x4s aren't great for carry loads - something like a 4x4 is much much better.

If you want to replace it, a temporary support on each side, take out the wall, dig out a section of the floor, and then pour a footing underneath, let it cure, then put in a replacement post. Steel is a lot more common for this usage than wood.


Mop disintegrates when used on coarse stone floor - any good alternatives? We have some natural stone tile which is pretty coarse. This is actually a very pretty (IMO) natural texture but it is a little hard to clean. Vacuuming is fine but like most hard surfaces also needs some wet cleaning from time to time.
Regular mops we've tried tend to fall apart and leave bits behind on this surface. Sponge or cloth string types. Maybe there is something we haven't tried or thought of... or maybe there is a certain type of cleaner or something other than mopping that would help?
Just to be clear, I'm not asking for advise on leveling the floor or smoothing it, since that's not something we perceive as a problem itself.

I had a black slate floor just like that. I cleaned it 3 times by hand as soon as it was down and dry - still not used then treated it with 3 coats of oil and let it soak in. Ever since it is easily cleaned with a mop and liquids don’t sink in.


What kind of fastener should I use to hang things on cabinets? I have cabinets that hang down in the middle of my kitchen, above the island, and would like to mount things on the back of them (it's a metal rod from Ikea from which I'm going to hang pots and pans, so a decent amount of weight - basically something like this, but about 5 feet long:

I'm wondering how exactly I should mount it to the back of the cabinets.  I figure I can:

screw right into the cabinet wall
drill holes for anchors into the cabinet wall, and then screw into those (but the cabinet wall is not very thick, maybe 1/2 or 3/4 inch (standard, I assume)
drill holes into the cabinet wall and then attach with nuts and bolts
something else?

What's the best way to do this?  I couldn't find anything by searching; I guess this isn't a very common thing since most peoples' cabinets' back walls are, well, against the walls in their kitchens.

I would drill your holes for the rack through your cabinet, then drill some counter-sink holes on the inside of your cabinet so your bolts are flush with the inside.  You can find some flat headed bolts to use for this at any hardware store.  Have the head of your bolt on the inside of the cabinet and secure it with a lock washer and nut.  You should not need anything too thick as far as bolts go for this.  You idea on how to mount them will be fine.  The bad thing is that now you will have holes in your cabinet, so if you do not like it or if you want to remove it, you have just ruined your cabinets in a sense.


How are electrical circuits routed in a kitchen island or peninsula without a knee wall? I am trying to refine and finalize the cabinet layout for my kitchen remodel project. One new run of cabinets will form an L-shaped peninsula, as shown here:

In similar layouts I've seen a knee wall built behind the cabinets, usually to support a countertop overhang for a seating area but also useful as a space in which to run plumbing and wiring. However, in this layout I have no overhang/seating area and no plumbing, so I decided to omit the knee wall and add 12" deep cabinets along the back side of the peninsula.
I'm planning to install a slide-in electric oven/range that requires a 40 A dedicated circuit. I'll also need a 20 A circuit for outlets. I definitely don't want conduit or cables running through the visible and/or usable areas of the finished cabinets, where they could be a nuisance or a safety hazard; I also don't want to make my electrician's life miserable, or their invoice any higher than it needs to be. For those reasons, I'd like to understand:
What's the right way to route these circuits? And what are the implications when I'm putting together my cabinet order?
Additional Info

The foundation in this area is raised.
Both circuits will be a new run to the service panel.
The stove can be wired either via conduit OR via power cord and receptacle.
Here's a diagram showing the manufacturer's recommended location for supply outlet, when a power cord is installed:

Here's a diagram showing the rear of the appliance:

I'm planning to have a recessed toe kick area on the two "inside" faces of the peninsula, and flush toe kick/base trim everywhere else.
No cabinets open into the extreme left or right side of the layout, only the top edge and the "inside" faces.
My local permitting agency requires compliance with the 2019 version of the California Electrical Code.
There are no wall cabinets in this run of cabinets. There will be an oversized (36") externally vented hood above the range.
The countertop will be custom and can accommodate alterations to the layout.

Your options: come up from below or down from above
You have two choices as to supplying the receptacles for this peninsula: either you can come up from below into a wiring chase between the two sets of cabinets as SteveSh describes, or come down from above using pendant techniques.  Both work by Code, but have different caveats and costs.  Note, by the way, that while you can get away with one receptacle near the end of the peninsula space and one receptacle on the originating wall, you'll want a 3rd receptacle to efficiently serve the "corner" area of the peninsula as well.
Chasing up a cabinet
The wiring chase option appears fairly simple in that all you seemingly need to provide is a 1" gap between the backs of the two cabinets to run the wiring through; however, you'll need some way to mount the receptacles themselves, and that's where the tradeoffs lie.  Either you can use recessed "pop up" countertop boxes (such as the Arlington FL4400, Lew PUFP, or Hubbell RCT200), or you can continue conduits up through the countertop into threaded hubs or fittings on ordinary receptacle boxes above the countertop.
The former is the more elegant approach, and can be done with cable or conduit wiring methods, but costs you a bit of cabinet space due to box intrusion.  Likewise, flushmounting boxes into the cabinet endwalls (peninsula sidewalls) so that their wiring continues down into the chase is an option as well, but relies on a somewhat fiddly exception in the 2017 NEC (aka 2019 CEC) as the receptacles wind up below the counter, and doesn't alleviate the space-intrusion concerns.
The other alternative is to run pairs of rigid metal conduits up from the floor to each receptacle location, then use that conduit pair itself as support for a FSS or FDS type receptacle box.  This prevents intrusion into the cabinet storage spaces at the cost of having exposed, weatherproof-type (FD) boxes and conduit poking up from your countertop. Also, while this configuration is allowed by NEC 314.23(F), it does put more strain on where the conduits terminate in the crawlspace, so there's that to think about.
A variation on the previous theme involves using what's known as a FSY box (depicted below), which has a single conduit hub surrounded by a floor flange that can be bolted to the countertop.  This saves you some money on conduits (you can use PVC or ENT instead of rigid) and is also less vulnerable to mechanical injury than a FSS box on two conduits would be, but is not as easy to find as they're only made by Eaton (Crouse-Hinds).

No matter what you do, you'll need some junction boxes below the chase to make wiring connections to the cable or conduit "tails" coming out of the cabinet.  If I were you, I'd run 1/2" conduit of whatever flavor works for you between these boxes, instead of connecting them with a cable wiring method, in order to provide room for future expansion.
Dangling outlets
While it may seem that mounting outlets above your counters is a non-starter since you don't have upper cabinets to mount them to, there's a relatively easy way around this problem, called a pendant.  This is a setup where a special outlet box with an integrated cable-clamp designed for the job (Hubbell HBL3000 series, Leviton 3059/3099, or equivalent) is dangled from the ceiling on the end of a bus drop cable (which is a type of very heavy-duty cord).
Of course, you'll need a box in the ceiling that either supplies an appropriate strain-relief (wire mesh cord grip) if you're hardwiring the pendant, or a locking receptacle if you plan to use premade, cord-and-plug connected pendant kits.  You'll also need to make sure the receptacles are within 20" of the countertop surface in order for them to count as countertop receptacles.
As to that range...
Finally, we address the range receptacle.  Unlike the countertop receptacles, the only sane way to handle this is by coming up from below; fortunately, we can simply come directly up into a box in the range receptacle space though, instead of having to worry about wiring chases or anything like that.


Can a Dishwasher be installed underneath a Fuse Box? Can a Dishwasher be installed underneath a Fuse Box? I have a cabinet in my Kitchen that I want to remove and put a dishwasher in place, but is this against code? I live in New Jersey, USA.

Nope, and that cabinet needs to go too

Whoever installed that fuse box was completely ignorant of NEC 110.26's clear working space rules.  In short, there's a 2.5' wide by 3' deep by 6.5' high box, directly in front of the electrical equipment (fuse box in your case), that must be kept clear to allow service access to it -- no appliances, no cabinets, no shelving units, no garbage cans, no boxes, no dollhouses, nothing.


Will this shower set work as a replacement in my tub? Hi I bought a new tub and shower set and want to replace the existing ones.

I heard that for 'Shower Faucet Trim Plate and Handle', the new size/model needs to match with the current size/model. I am not sure the ones I bought would match the existing ones. Can someone help take a look? Thanks!

What you have purchased is a new shower valve that also comes with the "trim", a shower head and a tub spout.  Together, this is all commonly sold as a kit.  These are made for installing a new shower or a "down to the studs" remodel where you are going to cut the plumbing in the wall to remove the old shower valve and install a new one.

If this is what you intend on doing, then nothing has to match.  You are starting from scratch and you could use any shower valve.

Since you are concerned about "matching", what you probably wanted to purchase was a shower "trim kit" or "refresh kit".  These kits come with new handles and trim pieces but do not come with a valve.  There is no plumbing involved - you're just taking off the shower handle and putting on a new one (well I guess there is a little plumbing to install a new tub spout and shower head).

In this case, the kit must be made for your particular shower valve.  The control handles are the important parts because shower heads and tub spouts are universal (with a few exceptions).

Determining the brand of valve you have can be hard, but luckily you have a very well known valve known as "Mixet".  These were super common in the 80s (not totally sure on decade, but they were very popular).  With that brand name, you should be able to easily find a replacement handle or trim kit.


If I apply for an electrical permit, will an inspector call me out for previous unpermitted work? I want to do some electrical work in the house I just moved into (adding a 220V branch for a home shop) and do everything 100% aboveboard, with permits and all. I know that the previous homeowner did some unpermitted work in the house, however, and it will be obvious to an inspector (e.g. installing new branches with new, bright white romex vs. the old armored cable that runs the rest of the house.) Am I inviting trouble upon myself by having the inspector in? Is he/she going to tell me that I need to rip out all the old work? Or will they just inspect the work that I propose to do? Is it basically at the whim of the inspector?
I'm in upstate NY.

This, of course, depends on the inspector. They will obviously inspect the work you're doing but they will be looking in your panel and can check anything that looks suspicious. I doubt they'd make you tear out anything unless it was a complete disaster and dangerous. They could make you repair previously done work if it was done incorrectly. As far as ripping all the old work out, that usually doesn't have to be done unless there's a total renovation in an area and you have really old wiring, knob and tube.


How to remove the flush mount ceiling fixture I am trying to change the bulb in the ceiling fixture as shown in the pic.
However, it is not easy to remove the fixture. I twisted the cover counterclockwise but I could not make it. Please help me to remove the fixture.

This is Satco S21507 (https://www.satco.com/s21507.html)

I don't think the "bulb" can be replaced as it doesn't contain a bulb. This fixture is only 1" deep. It most likely has a hardwired LEDs. I looked at the specs for this fixture at the link you provided and also downloaded and viewed the PDF specs. There's nothing mentioned about bulb replacement. I installed a similar fixture several weeks ago. The diffuser "globe" is what you should be trying to remove, not the trim ring.


non-metallic flex conduit permissible locations Is it permissible to use non-metallic flex conduit in the garage or attic?

Specifically as a short distance "whip" between a disconnect and an appliance such as a water heater or an HVAC blower system.

The closest thing to reaching a prohibition is...

356.12 Uses Not Permitted. LFNC shall not be used as follows:
(1) Where subject to physical damage...


Dual zone vs single zone mini split Air/heat Ive learned a lot about Mini Splits. But I still would appreciate some expert advice please. Ive narrowed my choice down.  But I don't know which is better: single zone or dual zone.

A few specs for my house: I'm in Arizona, elevation 6,500 ft. Low temp -3 F High Temp +/- 100 F. The house was built in 1934 and is 683 sq ft. (It's tiny). There is no duct work or system of any kind for cooling. Heat is propane space heater from the 70's. I'm looking to put 2 wall mounted units in Rooms the size of: bathroom/ office 11 x 9 & LivRm/ kitchen 24 x 14.

Does it make more sense to go with a multi-zone unit (single outside compressor) or two separate units (one for each room)? Which one is cheaper to run long-term?

One last question: Where could I find an estimated cost increase to my electric bill post install? Just to give me an idea what to expect when the bill arrives..Thanx for the help

This skates awfully close to a shopping question - but. What I have observed in my consideration of the same question is that the most efficient units are essentially always single-zone. This makes a degree of sense, as an outdoor unit that can run 2 (or more) inside units will be oversized when less than the full number of units are calling for service at the same time.

That is treating the running cost as a prime motivator (which I do) - purchase cost can be and is all over the map, but is more often in favor of a multi-zone system.

The factor of not having a single point of failure for the entire system is also a consideration, as @Jim Stewart points out in a comment. Systems do fail or require maintenance, and there's a big difference between everything not working and half of things not working when that happens.

If you have no A/C now, your electric bill is hard to predict, considering no information about insulation (probably bad at that era unless it's been upgraded) and sun exposure. If you use window units now, very probably the cost will go down, so long as the mini-splits are more efficient (higher SEER) than the window units.

I note that only one of your brands expresses a SEER number as you're presented them to us. You should find out what the other one's SEER rating is, as that greatly influences the cost of operation.

Relative cost of heating with the mini-splits .vs. propane will depend on the price of each fuel and efficiencies.


What kind of lock is this, and how can I replace it? This is the lock barrel from one of my window handles - the key jammed in it and when I pulled the key out, the barrel came with it. You can see on the photo where a small metal lug has snapped off, so presumably this was what was holding the barrel in the handle.

What is this type of lock barrel called, where can I buy a replacement in the UK, and how would I fit it when I get one?

If you look at the lower picture, you'll see that the missing tab served to hold the plug in its recessed (locked) position. When rotated 90 degrees it lined up with the cut-outs, letting the spring (lost, I presume?) push it out to the unlocked position.

It may also have helped retain the plug in the lock. More commonly, that's actually done by a reserved wafer, so the plug can be removed and rekeyed by cutting a modified key (or by picking). If you had a new key cut recently and the new key is a bit longer or otherwise not identical, you may have unintentionally engaged that function.

If you contact the window's manufacturer -- or the lock's manufacturer if it's an aftermarket addition -- they may be able to send you a new plug with instructions for installing it. If you give them the key number they can probably issue one that responds to the same key. If you can't find a brandname, a locksmith may be able to take measurements and track it down.

Note, however, that the lock cylinder is not required to operate the latch, only to make it tamper-resistant. So you could leave it as it is, or just shove the plug back into the lock and operate it as a manual bolt rather than one that automatically pops out when you turn the key. Not as secure as it was originally,  but more so than leaving the cylinder out.


How to figure out how to wire a 2 wire furnace to 3 wire thermostat I have a 2 wire furnace and want to wire a 3 wire thermostat. My red wire is connected to the c in the transformer and the white is connected to the load. It works fine 2 wire but I dont want to mess up the new thermostat by having the wires backwards when I add the common to it

Well, in the old wiring system, it doesn't really matter which wire goes to which terminal on the low voltage side of the transformer. Therefore, your installer didn't really care if they mixed up R and C on the transformer.

Which, I think, is exactly what your installer did.  Note that the transformer has an R and C terminal labeled.  Assuming the red wire  goes to the thermostat, that belongs on R.  If the white wire goes to the furnace relays, it belongs on C.

It should be straightforward from there.


Any Issue Adding Garden Hose Bib To Soft Water Side of Water Loop? I recently replaced a water softener unit at my house. I wanted to add a hose outlet for soft water to rinse off the car. I was wondering if there are any code issues with adding a garden hose bib via a tee to the soft water side of the water loop?

Here's a picture of what I did:

I see no problem with using softened water to rinse your car with.  You do understand that it will cause you softener to cycle slightly more often and use a bit more rock salt.  It that valve accidentally gets used to water the lawn then the cost could be noticeable.


Light Outlet Reading 80V I have a hallway light that doesn't light up with the switch is flipped. My first move was to change the bulb. This did not work. I used a multimeter to test the voltage across that socket and I'm getting 80V. I found this surprising because the other bulb sockets I've tested in the house get the expected 120V.

Any thoughts? Is this something where I need a special bulb or do I have a bigger problem that requires some additional work?

I can't disagree with Paul's response especially when it comes to safety. There are certainly a few things that can be considered here and if you are uncertain I would recommend an electrician because what you describe should never be able to happen and now that is has been identified correcting it is crucial.
Given that you can measure near 120, but it is significantly lower than expected, you almost CERTAINLY have a high resistance connection and this is a recipe for fire. It is possible this is a phantom voltage, but should be treated as live until proven otherwise. Intentionally presume fire is imminent, it could happen at any moment. Now that I got the warning "no kidding this is serious" part out of the way:
Possible likely causes that come to mind:

Aluminum wiring: If your home has aluminum wiring, let us know. There are other posts on this topic that go into details how to resolve this issue short of replacing all wire.
Stab locks/backstabs: these are just... bad. If in the path of your investigation you find these types of connections, fix it. Your future self will thank you.
Bad wire nut connections: this can happen with poor or sloppy twists on wires, or people improperly joining stranded wire with solid wire, loose connections, over-tightening, or just vibrations for a poorly mated connection or a cramped box
Bad Switch, Light Fixture, Outlet, or Breaker: There may be more options here based on what you are running on this circuit, but basically, ANYTHING in the path could be worn out

Steps to resolve:
[Notice: when opening or touching wire, secure power, turn it back on when ready to test]

Identify everything ON THE CIRCUIT shared with this light
If you have an outlet, or other easy access location (be it the switch or the light), test HOT to GROUND, do you get 120V? If so, this means you have a bad Neutral (typically white) return to the box, anywhere in the path (but likely near your light/switch)
If you tested less than (say 114V) from the Hot to Ground, then the issue is on the HOT (typically black); with same location notes as #3
Was there anything else on the circuit from #1? If so, isolate those items, and test the light outlet again, is the voltage higher or lower than the initial 80v? (say +/- 3v) when tested HOT to NEUTRAL
If the voltage on #4 goes up or fluctuates, greater than a few volts, then the issue is most likely upstream and this helps you identify where to check first. Check the items HOT to NEUTRAL moving towards the breaker until (if) you get near a 120v reading. If the voltage stayed near the 80V or you cannot perform a test like #4, then just start from the light fixture and work backwards.

In either case, there is and has been a bad connection in your circuit for possibly a long time. You should check all connections from the light back to the breaker panel. High resistance connections draw more current, thus, more heat. So other connections in the circuit could be, or become, compromised.
Correct any and all bad connections, and replace wiring if sheathing is melted. Contact an electrician if any of this is even remotely questionable.


Tankless hot water to heat home I have a 1200 square foot second floor apartment that is presently heated using a forced hot water radiator system. The system is called a Paloma "Paloma Pak" heating system. It is basically a tankless hot water heater that they used back in the 1980s to heat apartments. With today's technology, can I replace it with a standard tankless hot water heater for similar results? My biggest problem is I can't find anyone to service the unit. It has an 85% efficiency rating when I check, so I can get no assistance to pay for the replacement. I think the tankless hot water heater may be an option.

Just get a combi if you need both DHW and heating or just an 'only heating' boiler. Few brands names: Immergas, Baxi, Buderus, Bosch, Riello, Junkers.

If you get I condensing unit I suggest you to keep the flow below 55°C, to exploit the condensing capability of the unit.

DHW units usually aren't suitable for space heating because those units lack a feedback control on water temperature (they assume inlet is standard 'acquaduct' range: 5°-20°, so returning with hot water may cause serious issues bringing water to boil in the exchanger leading to steam production and eventual explosion)


Need help with water valve/cartridge removal Trying to replace hot water leaking cartridge and having problems removing old one out. I was able to unscrew the top part but insides stuck and won't come out easily. I've tried to force it but afraid of damaging the pipe.

Is there a way to remove it safely?

Here are more pics of my attempt:
https://imgur.com/a/Am0jbSg

A bit late to answer my own question but what I ended up doing is I cut the pipe just around the valve and then installed Sharkbite ball valve over. So far it's been more than a year and no issues.


How to fix frayed carpet at tile transition I have a carpet/tile transition where the carpet is becoming frayed.  Pictures below for reference.

I'm trying to figure out the best way to fix this.  I don't have any spare carpet samples to use for patching.  I'm not entirely sure, but I think this may have started because the padding under the carpet was not cut properly and it prevented the carpet from sticking to the transition strip spikes.

I'm not sure if it would be better to try and find a different transition strip that would cover the frayed area, or try to pull the carpet back, cut off the frayed area and re-attach the carpet to the strip (fixing the poor padding cut job in the process).  If I were to cut off a quarter-half inch of this carpet would I even be able to pull it forward? Any advice would be greatly appreciated

I installed carpet with a professional for two years right out of college.  I don't think you need to buy anything.  You need to pry the lip of that transition piece up so you can get the carpet loose along the entire length, then stretch the carpet forward more with a knee kicker.  You can hold the carpet in place with the kicker while you use a rubber mallet to hammer down and lock the carpet under the transition again.  If the carpet is frayed bad, you can trim a little to give the tabs more meat to grab onto.  Most guys could do this in 5 minutes.  If you call a local installer and ask him to swing by one day when they are in the area, they may do it for $50 cash.


How can I build pull-down shelving for kitchen appliances? We have a relatively small kitchen and having appliances like the microwave on the benchtop takes up space all the time when they're not being used. What I'd like to do is build some pull-down shelves that normally sit high up but can be pulled down and locked when in use, preferably with a spring, pneumatic or similar mechanism so they will return to the high position when unlocked.

I've tried searching online but only found pull-down-and-out shelves that are designed to be mounted inside a cupboard (e.g. Rev-A-Shelf). Can anyone recommend any alternatives, either complete systems or parts that I could use?

I've always wanted to do something with a shelf attached with cables to pulley blocks with counterweights.  Kind of old school, but would do the job for you.  Using counterweights is good in your situation, because the weight of the empty appliance (microwave with no food) is constant. The downside is you must spent a good deal of time designing the system to the fit and finish of your kitchen. It looks like you can get the cable and pulley blocks from amazonsupply.com.


Should I bond neutral in sub panel- there is no electrical ground I have a question about my sub panel that I'm installing in a shed in the back yard. I'm using a 3 wire feed from the main panel to the sub panel (H-H-N). ...because I'm using the 3 wire feed, I'm going to be putting in two ground rods no less than six feet apart with a continuous 6 gauge wire connecting the rods to the ground bar in the sub panel. I know that you're not normally supposed to bond the neutral bar in a sub panel, but is that because you normally have a ground wire in your feeder? Should I bond the neutral bar in this case because I don't have a ground wire feeder? Or should I still keep it un-bonded?

If you're in an area that has adopted National Electrical Code, you'll have to run a 4 wire feeder. You'll also still need the ground rods at the shed, which you'll bond the grounding bar in the panel to.
If it's an existing 3 wire feeder, and there are no other conductive paths between the buildings. Then yes, you'd bond the grounded (neutral) bar. However, if there are other conductive paths between the buildings (water pipe, conduit, gas pipe, etc.), then you'll need a 4 wire feeder.
tl;dr
If this is a new installation, you'll need a 4 wire feeder.


GFCI outlet red light I came home to unusual burning smell, and I checked out the bathroom and the room next to it, and the smell origin I found out to be the GFCI outlet in the bathroom.
However it was working fine when I inserted receptacle tester, this is how it looks:

What do I do now? I don't have the instructions I didn't set this one up, came with the house. Everything works fine just the red light seems to be unusual.

Typically, GFIs with a red or orange indicator light signal a tripped GFI. In fact, yours definitely looks tripped as the "reset" button looks popped out. In this case the receptacles definitely should NOT be working.

First things first, push the "test" button. If nothing happens and the light is on and the receptacles still work, replace the device immediately. It is not likely with a newer GFI receptacle, but it is possible for it to fail in the on position.

If the test button pushes in and the reset button pops out more, and the receptacles stop working that signals a proper test. If you can press the reset button back in, and the receptacles then work, you should be fine.

I am leaning towards the former being the case though, especially considering the electronic smell you are experiencing.


How do I properly install underlayment and a modified bitumen roof on a flat garage roof with concrete walls? My project is to replace 18'x10' flat roof on my concrete garage. So far I installed 16" oc framing and 3/4" plywood over it. Now I am planning to install some fiberglass based underlayment (#30, presumably) and 2-ply self adhering modified bitumen (like SBS Liberty from Home Depot).

Plywood sits about 3" below the top edge of concrete walls (there is a drainage hole at the low point).

So I am figuring how to properly attach underlayment, MB roofing and flashing to the whole structure. I assume that underlayment will have to be nailed or stapled to the plywood. But what size nails do I choose? If I take anything longer than 3/4" it will protrude from beneath the sheathing. Is it ok? How do I properly space it? It surely will not be nice to have this roof covered in spikes from inside.

Do I need to fasten base sheet in addition to it self-adhering to underlayment? What is the best way to attach it to concrete walls? The only way I see is to use some kind of concrete screws. Do I need flashing along all sides of the roof?

I could not find any consistent information on internet so far, so some expert advice would be highly appreciated.

You will want to contact the manufacturer of the product to get their recommendations on the type of fasteners, the fastener spacings, and the necessary penetration of the fasteners.

Yes, you will need flashing around the entire perimeter if you wish the roof to be waterproof.


Combining a Multiwire Branch Circuit on a single breaker I have a Multiwire Branch Circuit connected to two 15A Breakers (Handle tied together). Each circuit only has 2 duplex receptacles on it that are seldomly  used. Is it acceptable to combine both the HOTs together and pigtail to only 1 of the 15A breakers? I would than remove the Handle Tie and use the renamed 15A Breaker for a new circuit.

Since

the two hot conductors do not rejoin at any point (we know this because you'd have a 240V short on your hands otherwise), making it so that the rules about wires in parallel don't apply
the two hot conductors are being protected by the same breaker in the new configuration (i.e. two 14AWG hots on the same 15A breaker, returning via a 14AWG neutral), eliminating the possibility of an overloaded neutral, and
this is all on one breaker, making it all part of one branch circuit and avoiding a violation of 200.4(A) regarding shared neutrals

you can go ahead and do this safely by wirenutting both hots to a pigtail from the chosen breaker in the panel.  (312.8 allows splicing in the panel provided you aren't overflowing the gutter space.)

I would put a tag on the wires in the cable saying "Same Leg" at the various boxes this feeds though to avoid confusion between this (admittedly somewhat odd) configuration and an actual multi-wire branch circuit.


Do all sliding glass patio doors come pre-assembled in one piece? I'm doing a soundproofing project in my basement, setting up a small home recording studio, and I need a door that doesn't swing. Looking at other studios, I notice that they often go with a double set of exterior sliding glass patio doors (air gap in between). I think this is a great solution since patio doors are designed to be air tight and insulate well (in Canada anyways) and shouldn't let a lot of sound through.

My problem is that all the patio doors I can find come with pre-assembled frames (72"x80"), and I won't be able to fit it around the turn in my basement stairs.

Where can I find glass exterior doors that come in pieces so that I can actually get it down to the basement?

Any other soundproof non-swinging door ideas out there? DIY options?

A swinging door would be very convenient in this case since you can very easily find a thick door, seal any gaps and install sound insulation. However, if you really won't be able to install a swinging door you might find this helpful:

Door:

You could install a soundproofing sliding door, with roughly the same money. I suggest installing above the door entry a slider. Now you can find a really cheap wooden sliding door that fits around the turn. You don't need to go for a glass door, it is more expensive and will be more difficult to soundproof. A swinging door will do just as fine if you tweak it and add some rollers on top of it. This is what requires the most effort because you need to be very precise with the measurements, in order to leave as small gaps as possible. (In fact, we did the same on a door we couldn't replace because it was too old, and we weren't able to find doors with those dimensions).

Soundproofing:

If the door is really cheap, then it is also probably hollow and that won't block the sound. You can install soundproofing material of your choice (you can find really good deals for old foam mattresses which do the job) on the side of the door that is always shown whether it is open or closed. Lastly, however good the measurements are, there will always be gaps on the sides. To eliminate this, you can glue some sort of soundproofing strips on the 2 walls on the side, the ledge above and on the bottom part of the door, so that they are a tight fit for the door.

I hope this helps!


Flashing around chimney and gap Have been investigating leak on my 3 season room. Not certain it is related to this finding but discovered flashing around my chimney in an interesting state.

Big gap in corner and also the epoxy/sealant that the flashing was pushed against at the top of the flashing was not sealed/tight anymore (suspect water was getting under/behind it) - I caulked this up. Peeking inside of this gap I can see a varied state of wood.

Should I install some sort of kickout flashing?
Can/Should I gap fill this with caulk/foam - we had yellow jackets in
the wall on another side of the house we disposed of so I know
they'll be looking for a new home this year.

Apologize that the last few images are bad, they're from a 3rd party app to use the cheap amazon boroscope.

Inside the gap

You should caulk this with the best exterior caulk you can buy (doesn't have to be roofing, but do NOT use latex caulk for this). Don't use expanding foam, as it's not waterproof.

You might want to double check and make sure there's no lasting water damage (i.e. wood rot) before you do.


How do I make a height adjustable desk? Has anyone made their own height adjustable desk? I'm interested in making a computer desk that can easily be adjusted for either standing or sitting.

The lift mechanism could be electric or mechanical, as long as it is not too hard or time-consuming to adjust.

(There are commercial options around, but they start at $700 for the cheapest of the cheap. I'm sure I could make something myself for less that would better suit my needs.)

Update: Just to answer some of the questions in the comments. The desk would be supporting two 22" LCD monitors, a laptop, paper and anything I leave lying around the house long enough for her to throw on my desk. :-)

I do have access to some welding expertise.

Also, I live in Australia so importing from many of the places suggested would be impractical.

I've built this desk twice. It costs me ~$100 USD in materials:

And here is my version of the desk:

You can adjust it, but it is a little difficult.  However, you can fit a modified treadmill under it as you can see in this video of me using the desk.  I'm able to type comfortably while walking at 2.2 MPH.

If I may presume that the reason you want a height-adjustable desk is so you can sometimes sit and sometimes stand ( or walk!), then take the idea of height-adjustable and flip it on its head.  Just buy a tall chair instead.  (I only have a stool at the moment):

I have a height adjustable desk at work ( not ghetto'ized, like my home version).  The linear actuators for my desk come from LINKAK:


Water is still dripping from tank connection I noticed a slow but steady dripping from under the tank by the connection of the water pipe that goes into the tank. When I turned off the shut off valve it continued dripping in that area I mentioned....what can be wrong ?

What can be wrong ? You have a leak. You closed a valve this probably trapped the pressure in the tank so yes it would continue to leak. If it is a large old school pressure tank it may be close to rusting out and the drip is the warning. Old pressure tanks were usually ~5+ feet tall and about 2’ Across these were referred to as diaphragm    tanks, modern tanks are much smaller and are called bladder tanks. Both tanks use air pressure to push the water out with out having the pump to turn on for a few minutes (extending the pump life).
Bladder tanks are smaller as almost all the water gets pushed out before the pump turns back on. Bladder tanks only about 1/2 gets pushed out.  If this is just a large holding tank the water in the tank can cause a leak and would be of great concern a non pressurized tank holding water only has ~ .4 psi per foot of water.

So what is wrong you may have a fitting that has become loose but more likely the tank is getting close to failure if no work has been done in the area and the leak recently started.


how to use fiba tape for drywall patch? This fiba tape stuff protrudes from my drywall. Are you supposed to sand it? I don't see the use of it for patching a hole if it's thicker than my texture. Looks bad.

http://www.lowes.com/pd/FibaTape-300-ft-Self-Adhesive-Joint-Tape/50183377?cm_mmc=SCE_PLA--Paint--WallRepair-_-50183377:FibaTape&CAWELAID=&kpid=50183377&CAGPSPN=pla&store_code=102

Or is this user error?

Thanks

You need a putty knife, and some joint compound to apply over the top of it; the mesh provides some structure over the hole, you build it up just a little higher than the undamaged area, and feather it smooth; when you sand it, you will be sanding the compound, not the mesh. If you are careful applying the compound, very little sanding should be needed.