Breakers loose in main panel, does whole panel need to be replaced? I went on a breaker flipping binge the other day because the panel at my house wasn't labeled and I had a doorbell transformer to replace. After I got the doorbell finished I realized the fridge wasn't running. Investigated and found that the issue is the breakers have some wiggle to them, not flopping around but if you apply slight pressure to top or bottom they move a fair bit. Can reliably get fridge to turn off by wiggling that breaker.

The Wiggle (animated gif but seems to only go if clicked on):

I'm not super comfortable with fussing in the main panel, I'm just wondering if I should expect an electrician to want to replace the whole panel? Does replacing the whole panel seem reasonable for something like this? Should I just swap out this one breaker for now and see if that helps?

Boy, that's a classic. Is it a GE?

It's fine, just replace the offending breaker, and have your electrician check the others while he's there. The looseness is in the breaker, not the panel itself.


Off grid Solar What panel to use to distribute power to 2 locations Butte County California Panels, Batteries and Inverter are all in the shop.  Lighting, outlets, sprinkler system pump and well pump will be run off the sub panel in the garage.  House isn't here yet but will have a 200 amp panel though we will not use anywhere near that much electricity.

I am thinking (be worried) that there should be a junction type box that sends power to both locations.  Need power in the shop while waiting for the home and is a hundred foot run so feels wasteful to run the power to the house then back to the shop.

Need to get the permit in and my electrician is not responding.

Electrician got back to me, 200 amp panel in the shop. My well pump is a Grundfos SQF-11 made for alternative energy, so not a big draw. The fire sprinkler pump is a different animal all together.

The correct solution here is a smallish electrical panel

Were I in your shoes, I would have a small-ish electrical panel (8 or 12 space, 200A bussing) in the shed to provide a home for the service disconnecting means -- having rule-of-six shutoffs here due to the multi-building nature (presuming the garage is attached and the shed separate) of this system.  The inverter can feed a main breaker or backfed main in the panel for now, and when the house is ready, the main breaker can be removed, using main lugs to feed the panel and allowing separate shutoffs for the house and shed.

If you want a single-main-disconnect solution -- that's possible as well, using an 8-space 200A panel with feed-thru lugs (called a "mobile home panel" sometimes).  The main breaker is fed from the inverter, while the feeder to the house is tapped at the feed-through lugs, and the shed circuits fed from the panel breakers, or a subpanel on a feeder breaker there.


Can I sink existing concrete? We got a house where it has a one foot strip of concrete that is 20 feet long besides a patio that is in good condition.

On this 1'x20' strip there are two spots where the concrete has risen about an inch.  This has produced two humps and a lip next to the patio near these parts.  (sorry no picture but won't be over to the house for another month again)

I dug around these areas and both were caused by roots from a tree 15 feet away.  I have broken these roots out and have a good 3 foot hole along the ridge.  Is there anything I can do to sink these two "high" areas to "flat"?  Really willing to try anything, as if we can't I will just make my ridge hole bigger and dump concrete in.

In your shoes, I'd do this:

Trench out along the concrete strip to give yourself access to the soil under the raised portions of the strip. Make the trench 6-8" below the bottom of the concrete and wide enough to work in.
Determine whether there's remaining root under the concrete. If so, dig and chop it out completely.
Using a water hose, begin "drilling" under the high spots in the slab, allowing the water to wash soil out into the trench. Do this every foot or so. Rather than completely removing the soil in any large areas, remove it from several small areas. This will result in more predictable settling.
With a heavy object padded with towels or plywood, tamp the concrete down as you flush soil out from underneath.

Some notes:

Be sure to get the hose all the way to the far side of the concrete strip to accomplish a uniform descent and prevent tilting.

Stop when the slab is about 1/2" above the adjacent concrete. Chances are the slab will settle further as the soil fills the holes back in over time. Do occasional tamping over the next day or two and see where it stabilizes. Remove more soil if necessary, down to 1/8" or so above the adjacent slab.


Can I integrate my over-the-range microwave hood's lights with my under cabinet lights? I have a combination microwave/range hood installed above my range. It has a light on it, which shines down onto the range and is controlled by a button labeled "Surface Light" on the front of the microwave/hood:

I also have under cabinet lights in my kitchen, which I frequently use while cooking. They are on an occupancy sensor switch, so they turn on even when I'm cooking and my hands are full. But because the Surface Light on the hood is a separate control, I rarely bother to turn it on.

I'd like to have the hood's Surface Light turn on automatically whenever the under cabinet lights are on. Is that possible? Or is there some reasonable way to install a new light, wired with the other under cabinet lights, under the hood?

In case it matters, the microwave/hood is a GE JVM7195SFSS. The surface lights are housed under the microwave and are two small halogen bulbs (model WB36X10213). The under-cabinet lights are chainable LED units, hard-wired in 3 spots.

Electrically speaking there is no reason why you can't hook up those lights. But the reason I wouldn't has to do with the warranty of the microwave, and let's suppose you try and connect them up and something gets lost or broken or even worse now the microwave doesn't work. No manufacturer is going to take that microwave back and service it once it has been tampered with. You might be better off just installing a strip of lights attached to your existing under counter lights and be done with it.


Convert concrete stairs to limestone stairs I have a narrow concrete stair front door like so:

I want to make it larger and nicer like this

It doesn't need to be limestone but any outdoor stones/tiles is fine.

Some questions:

Can I make it "wider" by framing concrete on both side of the stairs now?
Then I would just put mortar and install tiles/stones on top of the concrete. Would there be any problem with that?
What is the thinner stone material for outdoor for this case?

I believe it can widened if you connect the concrete pieces together (drill holes and add rebar between the two). Still, you may get a crack that would probably carry through any tile/grout you put on it.

I'd instead consider replacement of the concrete with a wider piece. Either prefabbed or poured on site. If you pour it on site, you could have the concrete stamped and stained to have that nicer look.

You could also consider doing wood over the existing and widen it as wanted. You will want to pay attention to the step height and the supports for the edges of the wood. If you don't want the maintenance, composite decking would work for that.

I'd also consider a railing regardless. Tile if used can become slippery when wet and if you live anywhere snow/ice can occur it could become an unpleasant ride down.


Can you install a ceiling fan with a hickey and crossbar? I have a concrete ceiling with an old-style electrical box that has a stud for a hickey, but does not have the traditional mounting holes for fixture screws, like the box in this diagram:

Can I install a ceiling fan using a hickey and crossbar kit to provide a mounting location for the ceiling fan bracket?

The box is embedded in concrete so replacing it is not practical. I'm confident it will support the weight of the fan but I'm worried the crossbar might not provide enough stability.

The primary consideration is not the static load, but the dynamic load from a heavy, rotating load.

That's why there are electrical boxes specifically designed and designated by code for ceiling fan loads.

See http://homerepair.about.com/od/electricalrepair/ss/elec_box_ltg.htm#step5


Outside electrical outlet doesn't work after pressure washing My outside outlet has a flap but son pressure washed house using it. Now will not work I think he had it gotten wet. If I replace outlet would that work?

That may not be necessary. You may have tripped a circuit breaker or a GFCI device.

First see if the breaker to that outlet has been tripped.
If the breaker is not already off, turn off the power to that outlet.
Confirm there is no power on the case by touching a no-contact tester against it.
Carefully remove the cover over the outlet.
Again check there is no power to the wires on the outlet.
See if there is any water in the housing.
If so let it drain, mop up with paper towels, and let air dry.
See if there is any sign of scorching or melted wire or insulation.
If there is, you need to replace the outlet and maybe even some wiring.

Once you are sure it is dry, before you replace the cover, you can try to reset the outlet. All modern outdoor outlets should be GFCI, with a device in the outlet itself, somewhere back downstream on the circuit, or at the main panel.

Turn the circuit breaker back on, and then find the GFCI device and reset it. This may solve your problem. If not, you may need a new outlet or GFCI device. If there is no GFCI device in the circuit, by all means replace the outdoor outlet with a new one.

If the seals around the outdoor outlet cover are not in good shape, you may want to replace that as well.


Cat6 shielded cable or no? I'm planning on running cat6 solid cable throughout many areas of my house. The best way for me to get from the basement to the second floor is through a pvc pipe my builder installed with the house that runs to the attic. I have already used this pipe to run electrical wire up to the attic so I could install my outside flood lights.....thinking ahead before I order everything will I need shielded cat6 since it is running up this pipe with the other electrical wires? Am I setting myself up for a lot of interference if I don't use shielded cat6 and grounded keystones or can I just get the wall rated riser cat6 and regular keystones?  Thanks in advance!!!!

Some areas code do not allow data in the same conduit with power unless the data cable has the voltage rating of the power in that run.
 If you do run shielded,  ground on the supply end do not ground on both ends this is how industrial plants run comm wires when in close proximity to 480V lines.


What can I use to stop drawers in an organizer from sliding out all the way? I have purchased several of these small drawer units:

However, when I open the drawers, they come straight out - there is no mechanism to ensure that the drawers stay in the slot.

In the past, I have seen inexpensive drawer units use a small wooden peg glued into the top of the drawer cavity in order to keep the drawer from coming out - but these did not come with any such device.

Is there anything that I can install in order to keep these drawers from coming out?

You could consider drilling a small hole in the center of the back board of each drawer. Then drill a corresponding hole through the back side of the drawer cabinet unit itself. Remove the drawer and install a piece of heavy string through the hole in the back of the drawer. On the inside if the drawer knot the string so it cannot pull through the hole in the back of the drawer. (You could even tie the string to a small object like a large bead, or small washer). Make this string long enough that it can extend to inside the drawer cabinet when the drawer is fully removed.

Next reach into the back of the drawer cabinet and feed the other end of the string out through the hole in the back of the cabinet. Once pulled through the back hole then install the drawer into its slot and pull the excess string out through the rear of the cabinet. Now calibrate how much slack to leave in the string by pulling the drawer out as far as you think it should be allowed to go and still not pull free from its slot in the cabinet. Mark the string as to where it pulls back through the rear hole when the drawer is extended.

The next step is to secure the string at the marked position so that it cannot pull farther than the mark. This can be achieved in a number of ways as follows.

1) Knot the string at the mark with a large enough knot so it cannot pull back through the rear hole.

2) Tie a small object to the string at the mark position such as a large bead other object.

3) Pinch the end of the string under a washer and screw that is installed into the back if the drawer cabinet.

4) Fill the rear hole with some glue which would go in around the string and permanently affix it into the hole.


Is it possible to increase CRI of LED lights/strips by using different ones together? Several spectrometer-measurements of CRI of LEDs are available online such as for LED panels and for various LED bulbs and they show how the CRI value can hide serious issues with colour rendition. Reds and cyans are often the weakest colors (sometimes they are not lit at all, they would appear grey).

Would it be possible to couple a white LED bulb or strip with a properly dimmed red LED bulb/strip to compensate? Cyans would still be weak, but the issue is mostly with reds (and cyans are less common than reds in everyday life, think about skin, lips, blood, ...) and it could improve.

OSRAM published an exhaustive document explaining the limitations of CRI and the case with deep red. It also describes the mixing of white LEDs with amber LEDs to obtain a high-CRI (including R9) light with high emission efficiency.

http://ledlight.osram-os.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/OSRAM-OS_WEBINAR_HighCRI_06-26-12.pdf


Is it normal for GFCI receptacles to explode and burn? I noticed my tooth brush wasn't charging one morning and none of the plugs in my bathroom were getting power, I went down to the circuit box and saw a flipped breaker so I flipped it back and it immediately tripped again. I tried it once more with the same result so I started to investigate the plugs in my house to see if anything was obviously wrong.

The external GFI on my deck had obvious signs of smoke on the siding so I disassembled the outlet and the entire back of the GFI blew out.

Is that a normal failure mode? Could it be a manufacture defect / installation issue?

There was obviously a lot of heat as the wire connectors appear scorched and the box is filled with a thick black soot.

Do I need to worry about additional damage to the wires beyond what is visible in the box or can I just remove the damaged wires and install a new GFI? Time to call an electrician?

Additional GFI Outlet Images

This happens all the time if an exterior GFCI is not weather-resistant. I've never had a weather resistant GFCI go up in smoke.

Yes, they can be in a metal box, but they still should be marked WR (weather resistant) - this means the electronics inside are coated to reduce the chances of moisture causing exactly what happened with your GFCI.

If it had shorted to the box, the metal screw would have arced and tripped the breaker. If it had shorted on the load side, it would have tripped the GFCI. But, in this case, enough moisture got in and the electronics shorted and let the magic smoke out.

Last item on the list is that it should have an in-use cover or an extra duty cover, that allows a cord to be plugged in with the cover protecting from rain.

In this case, replace your GFCI with a WR rated GFCI and add an in-use cover to greatly reduce the chance of this happening again. In some jurisdictions the local ordinances require the outlet itself to be GFCI so it can be reset (not running cords inside because of tripping the GFCI in wet grass with an electric mower is the "why" the inspector told me).


Why do I have to tell my Nest thermostat to either cool or heat my house? I just moved into a house with a Nest thermostat and this is the first time I've ever had a thermostat of any kind (just had window units and radiators for the past 20 years).

I don't understand why I have to choose between heating and cooling modes.  Isn't the point of a thermostat that I tell it what temperature I want the house to be, and it makes it happen (e.g. if I want it to be 70 and it's currently 75 then it cools, but if it's 65, then it heats)?

So, say it's a hot (85) and a cool (50) night - at 1pm I come home, and the house is 75 degrees so I set it to cool with a temperature of 70.  I go to sleep, the temperature drops, and once it drops below 70 it can never go back up because it's set to "cool."  So when I wake up, the house temperature is 60.
 Note - this hasn't happened (yet, because the temperature swings aren't that extreme), but could it?

You don't.  There is a feature called Heat*Cool:

https://nest.com/support/article/What-is-Heat-Cool-mode


Should I vapour barrier an (inside) sistered wall when the exterior wall already has it? I have a 8' x 8' garage wall w/vapor barrier on warm side attached to house.  This wall has 2 vertical duct runs.  It had 5/8x drywall with fire stops insulated with R13FG batts except on the 2 duct runs which had nothing except on each side of ducts.

Over the last 15 or so years since house was built this wall developed black mold on outside of drywall where the 2 duct runs existing floor to about 6 feet up.

After tearing the drywall out I discovered that the mold was a result of condensation caused by the two ducts not having any insulation over the ducts between the duct and drywall and to make it worse the duct was actually touching the drywall.  The ducts did have FG insulation on each side between duct studs but nothing facing the garage. So 15 years of condensation of hot vs cold and vice verses caused the mold and continued to feed the mold in all seasons. I painted all the wood around the 2 duct runs with oil base paint and will put non-faced FG R13 insulation in the old wall and over the 2 duct runs.

I have decided to install another 2x4 wall with a 1/2" gap between old and new wall.  I am installing kraft faced R13 FG on cold side of new wall. I am assuming this will create a dead air space between the old & new wall that will create a dead air space and hopefully eliminate any future condensation issues.

My question is: Should I install a plastic vapor barrier on the new wall even though the existing wall has a vapor barrier already installed on the warm side, or is my double wall solution both with R13 FG and a vapor barrier already installed on old wall on warm side already enough that have solved the condensation issue for the future?

No, you only want a single vapor barrier. A second vapor barrier would create a moisture trap that would cause more mold issues. If there's a condensation issue, I'd replace the section of HVAC ducts with an insulated duct. The insulation inside the duct prevents the outside metal part of the duct from getting cold enough to result in condensation.


Do you need to tape and 'mud' cement board corners in dry settings? We're giving our wood stove surround a makeover. We're going to build out the front with steel studs and cement board, then tile over it.

For the cement board, does one need to mesh tape the seams and corners? I know that's required for a wet install (such as a shower) but since this is a completely dry install, is that a required step?

If it is a required step, any tips? I've done it before for a shower, but it was a huge pain to get a final flat surface for the tile. I ended up with some slightly lumpy walls.

The thinset and mesh tape are to strengthen the seams. If you are going to tile over the cement board, you should tape the seams.

This should not be that difficult. Pack in thinset, lay on the tape, and flat-knife to get it set in. In the corners, use a corner knife.

If you just want to leave the corners untreated that will probably be fine, because that seam won't split the center of a tile.


Should a concrete slab slope toward my house? I am adding a room to my home, the contractor poured a concrete slab for the addition and it slopes toward the existing house and it is now raining and water is coming under my floors. Is the slope of the poured slab correct?

The slab upon which the addition is to be built should normally be level and without a slope to it - (a garage floor may be different). In addition the final grading of any surrounding dirt coming up to the slab/foundation should be BELOW the slab level and should slope away and down as it gets farther from the edge of the new house line.

The contractor that placed the slab is probably the wrong person to be getting assurances from regarding whether the non-level slab is OK. If they messed up the slab they are probably going to try to convince you that it is OK and try to proceed to build on top of it!! Get a formal opinion from 3rd party or your building inspector.

During the construction phase a new addition slab that is built up even with an existing floor line is likely to be susceptible to rain water coming in under the existing wall base plates even when the slab would be level. A good contractor would probably make allowances to place plastic up on the existing outside walls that drapes down over the new slab and out some 6 to 10 feet to help keep rain water from collecting up near the place where the new slab joins up against the existing wall area. If your slab with it's slope toward the existing house is a legitimate design then it seems to me that such temporary measure may be even more important. However I suspect that the slope is completely improper in this case for a bedroom addition and the fact that the contractor did not take steps to keep rain water from running into your house speaks volumes about the poor quality of the workmanship being done on your project.


Safely hang a mirror that does not have hooks I would like to safely secure a mirror to the drywall. The mirror itself is pretty light (probably under 5kg), the weight is not an issue. However, its back surface does not have any hooks or anything that can be used to secure it. I was going to use a string and some nails, but I am not sure it will work, the wooden part is really thin. Any ideas? Perhaps, some adhesive tape?

UPDATE

Thanks everyone for your answers. All of them are great, it's hard (perhaps, impossible) to pick the best one. Because the mirror is light, I decided to use a wire and small eye bolts attached to the sides of my mirror.

Mirror clips are made for exactly this purpose. Plain or fancy as fits your decor and/or budget.


Temperature readings are high on income eletrical feeds to the breaker box I am buying a home built in 2006 the incoming temp the temp on the left side is 200 degrees and the right side is 80 with full load on. My inspector sees a tie wrap stuck down the hookup on the left side and says that may be the cause of the heat difference and should be removed.

With aluminum service conductors if an anti oxide compound was not used the connection may be failing. Also if the terminals were not properly torqued this can happen. The 2017 NEC has a new section on torque requirements for this very reason. Re torquing the service requires hot gloves and flash gear if the service is live. I have never found a zip tie to cause an over heating problem. But have found many terminations that needed to be tightened both with copper and aluminum wire (I have found more problems with aluminum than copper).


Why is my dryer squealing even after roller replacement and lubrication? I have replaced my dryer rollers, but the rear right side (that was worn completely before replacing) is beginning to wear again and now causing a high pitched squeal.  The other rollers all seem to be fine.  The roller appears to lock up - if sprayed with WD40 it works fine for limited amount of time with no noise.  Also replaced both felt seals (Maytag Bravo Quiet Series Dryer).  Thoughts on next steps?

Were the shafts clean? On dryers that I have replaced rollers there has been residue from the original roller. This residue increases the friction and may be the cause of your noise , the rollers I have replaced did not have bearings but were like a dense plastic with graphite impregnated they were not supposed to be lubricated if you have similar you might try cleaning with some isopropyl it sounds funny but a lubricant may cause problems in this application, if a lube is needed a grease would be more appropriate.


Vapors from washing machine stinking the garage and kitchen This shows that there is a trap in the washing machine drainHow do I hook up a washing machine drain line to this box?. How do I clean this?  Other traps under sinks have threaded connectors so I can extricate crap. And somehow my drain hose is stuck in the box as gentle tugging will not disconnect it;  is there a clip inside that somehow grips it?  Coz' suddenly after 10 years, our Maytag front load washer is eschewing vapors into the garage and even into the kitchen sink and it seems needs a clean-out.

If it isn't spraying water, it doesn't need a clean-out. More likely your vent stack needs to be cleaned out.


Why don't I see water being pumped outside when my sump pump runs? My sump pail has been dry for almost 2 months now if not 3. But we had a rain storm last week and 2 days now i heard it kick in here and there. problem is, I went outside and I don't see any water being discharged from the outside drain when the sump pump is kicking on. Is this normal? and if it is, what is making the sump pup kick on if the pit is dry? I though water builds up in the pit which make the floater in the sump pump rise then the pump kicks on?

Help please...
much appreciated.

If the float is triggering it to start the pump, but there is insufficient water to where the pump sucks air via a vortex, it will not pump out. That then means your float is not adjusted properly; it should not trigger on until there is enough water to avoid it sucking in air.

Sometimes when there is heavy inflow and a pump that that was too small, people lower the float switch trip point in order to get the pump started earlier if it was having trouble keeping up with the flow. That's not the way to fix that problem, the fix is to get a bigger pump.


Can I convert door slab from LH inswing to RH inswing I like my current wooden front door a great deal, but it's hinged to swing inward to the right, and traffic flow (getting a bike into the mud room, for example) would be a lot easier if it swung in to the left.

Problem is, the latch edge of the door is beveled the standard 15 degrees to permit closing with a smaller gap, whereas the hinge edge is square. And I can't flip the door top-to-bottom/left-to-right to move that bevel; its design has a clear "up"... if I rotate it only on the other axis the latch edge will be bevelled the wrong way, definitely not an improvement.

Best solutions I've come up with so far involve keeping the door in its current orientation, swapping hardware (requires disguising the old lock borings; I have an idea for that), bevelling what used to be the hinge side... and maybe, if I can't get away with just letting the hinge absorb the angle difference, applying a wedge or wedges to re-square it.

How insane am I? Should I try without changing the bevels first? Or should I not try at all, get a new front door, and try to find a good home for this one?

If your door jamb has a tight gap already, this trick will work much better. And I just read that pretty much everybody has the same answer, but I got sketches... Do not take the rebevel out to the edges completely, rebevel everything, save 1/4" of the original edge.


Leaving old wiring unconnected in a wall I am planning to replace a in-wall forced air heater in my bedroom with electric radiant floor of comparable wattage. I want, however, to err on the side of caution and leave the possibility to switch back to the forced air heater if radiant floor proves inadequate for being the primary heat source in the room.

Current setup is as follows: there are wires going from the breaker to a thermostat in the bedroom, and wires going from the thermostat to the heater.

The plan is to disconnect the wires going from thermostat to the heater and leave them in the wall, keep the heater in place for now. Replace the thermostat with the one appropriate for the radiant floors and install additional wiring from the floor to thermostat (and replace the breaker for that circuit with GFCI, while I am at it). The new setup will reuse wires from the breaker to the thermostat.

Is anything that prevents me from simply disconnecting the heater and leaving all the wiring in the walls unconnected?
Radiant floor will use its own wiring.

Disconnect the wires at the thermostat, wire nut, tape and mark for future use and tuck them back into the box. There's no problem just leaving the old heater in place with the wires connected. I don't think a GFCI breaker is required at that location.


Disposal container for muriatic acid I need to do work with muriatic acid and was wondering if storing the waste (12 Oz of acid per gallon of water) is okay to do in a regular plastic 5 gal bucket. My concern is whether the acid could melt the plastic then spill out. Should I get a metal bucket just in case?

A metal bucket is much MORE prone to be attacked by acids in general than most plastics, especially those commonly used for buckets.

As it's "waste acid" throw in a box or two of baking soda and you'll neutralize it right then and there. Preferably outside due to the release of carbon dioxide. Or use marble/limestone chips or dust.


How to clean oxidized stainless steel Espresso maker? I left my Bialetti coffee maker too long on my inductive stove. It got red hot for a moment and has now a nicely oxidized base. Is it possible or advisable to clean it so that it looks new?

Whether you have the silver/chrome base or the stainless steel, then unfortunately, no. The steel has lost it's temper (metallurgical changes) and it is not stainless anymore (it can rust now), and this aspect can't be cleaned or repaired. It could be refinished by electroplating it (not really a DIY thing, and although there are electroplaters for hire, the price would be hundreds of dollars).

On the other hand, I might suggest using a high temperature paint/enamel. The silver (spray) paints just don't make a good chrome finish (so I wouldn't suggest that); but other colors could work. You should not use paint on the inside of the coffee maker, and some of the high temperature paints (like manifold paint) need to be cooked for it to cure. So you should disassemble the coffee maker (remove any plastic) before painting and baking it.

If you decide to paint it, read (especially on the paint can) about surface preparations.


Would you fix this gap in vinyl siding? I've been fixing a bunch of cracked siding panels, so I was on a mission to "fix it all". I came across this one (see red circle in picture below). Oddly (to me), unlike the other sides of the structure this side did not use "finish trim" at the top with the siding panels cut to fit up under it. Instead, the siding panels are uncut at the top, but their nail strips are nailed up under a board. So to fix this, I think I'd have to remove the board, replace the siding panel with one that is longer to fill that gap, then re-attach the board.

1) Will this gap cause trouble (water entering, etc.)?

2) Can anyone explain why this side of the structure would be so different from the others in the attachment of the top of the siding?

That gap could be the result of seasonal movement. If installed correctly, the nails in vinyl siding components are left loose, so that the vinyl can move with daily and seasonal expansion and contraction.

I'd try pulling each section of edge channel sideways to close the gap. You might find that it moves easily.


Can I hold a Hammock up with Star Pickets? I would like to hang, my Hammock.
Unfortunately the new property doesn't have any handy trees etc.

So I thought I could perhaps secure it to some star-pickets.
The ground is quiet sandy, and I don't have the option to sink a bag of cement on to the end of each picket.

I thought I would get 2x 8ft pickets, and beat them 2 foot into the ground -- leaving ~6 foot above the ground to secure the hammock to.
Then add 3 more smaller "outrigger", pickets around each main picket to brace against side ways force.

To draw rough sketch of a overhead view.
With the pickets in Red, the guy-wires in blue and the Hammock in the middle:

Will this work?
If so:
How tall should the outriggers be?

I was thinking 5ft, but maybe I would be better off with little 2ft ones and driving them basically the whole way into the ground?

The thing about hammocks is that they create tremendous sideways forces. With the following configuration, you balance them well, but still create large tensions in the cables and a very large compressive load on the upright:

Plugging in 150 pounds for mg, 4 ft for the post height h, 3 ft for d and w, and 20° for theta, you end up with a hammock tension (T1) of 263 lbs, a guy line tension (T2) of 240 lbs, and a pole compressive load (Fa) of 420 lbs.

Changing the mg, h, w, d, and theta variables will result in new values for each of these forces. For example, increasing w in relation to h will result in a lower compressive load on the pole, and a lower tension in the guy lines. For all other variables constant, changing w to 6 ft results in T2 = 161 lbs, and Fa = 255 lbs.

For best results, you want to minimize the bending moment of the posts, since that's what tends to pull them out of the ground. So attach your guy lines at the same spot as the hammock on the upright posts, and then attach the other end as close to the ground as possible. You'll probably just need some very beefy stakes, rather than T-posts for the end of the guy lines attached to the ground.

@Ratchet Freak's suggestion of angling the base of the poles in toward the center will increase compressive load on the poles an minimize tension in the guy lines, since Fa will be pointing up and away instead of just up. However, you run the risk of adding buckling and twisting as a problem with that solution.

Might I suggest using a hammock stand instead? They're not too much more expensive, and they'll do a much better job remaining stable.


How can I get my stuck sprinkler heads to go down after watering? I have an automatic water sprinkling system in my lawn. After it runs, some of the heads are still stuck in the up position. I will attach some photos. What can I do to ensure these heads go down because I have a very careless lawn maintenance service and they will definitely sever the heads during mowing. I cannot manually monitor this on a daily basis.

I pushed each of the three heads still stuck up after watering down into the ground.  One snapped right down, a second needed a slow push and little bits of water sprayed out as it went down.  The third seemed to scrape its way down as though there was some dirt caught.

What can I do to get these to go down without my intervention?

This usually comes after years of use where there is grit in the water. The plastic sliding surfaces get abraded and start to stick. Usually the result is that you have to replace the sprinkler as the tube and piston are both pretty well shot.

You might try unscrewing that black cap, the insides come out and with removing the spray head at the top, you can completely disassemble all the sliding parts. Flush the cup underneath the cap out to remove sediment and touch up all the sliding surfaces with paste wax after completely cleaning them.

Which brings up mineral fouling, if your water has mineral content, soak everything in white vinegar to help the crusts disappear and clean out the filters.

If the wax doesn't add some plasticy glidiness back after reassembly, then replacement is the only option left.

Often irrigation supplies have the filters and nozzels available by the box load, optionally, the internals. Usually, you end up buying the whole shebang, if you stick with only one brand and don't have to deal with freezing, unscrew the top, leave the cup in the ground and replace just the working parts. Acceptable for DIY, professionals don't have time to waste on this and just replace them.

Down on the ranch, we called it Irritation and it involved moving tarp sticks in ditches and 20' RainBird pipes. At least it didn't have the added misery of suburban irrigation that can be totally halted by fine sediment. Oh, the misery of Drip!

Note: this appears to be a simple spray assembly, if you have rotators, the water motor and other parts are usually getting near life's end when this starts happening so attempting the wax job just postpones the inevitable.


Can This Hardwood Floor Be Saved? I'm considering putting an offer in on a house that is a fixer upper. I'd like to keep the original (1945) hardwood floors but am concerned about their condition.
The floor has a large bare spot in the middle of the room where it looks like the stain and varnish have been worn away leaving the bare wood exposed. Other parts of the room have large black spots (2-3 feet long).

My goal is to sand the floors so they are no longer a darker wood color and then re-stain them a light maple or a natural tone like sand.
Is this possible with these floors?

I sanded a similar wood floor, a bit older though.
I used a drum sander 8 or 10” in diameter and 14 or 16” long roughly.
I sanded diagonal to the grain with coarse then finer grades of paper. It took about 5 passes in total with 2 at the medium paper.
This produced a lot of dust and I sealed all the doors to prevent other rooms getting covered. Also had a big vac to get the dust.
Stain and finish as preferred.


Can this junction box wiring be used for a duplex receptacle? !

Hi - this junction box was covered with a plug cover That had no openings in it, just a blank cover over the wall box. As you can see from the image we have two cables entering the box from the top left back corner, each cable with four separate thin wires inside the main cables. The colors are green, black, red and yellow. The wires are much thinner gauge than I usually seen for the other outlet boxes in my house.

Does anyone know if this wiring will work for a regular duplex wall outlet? Id like to have a outlet plug where the box is. What color wires would I connect to the outlet?

My house was built in the early 80s, Utah, USA if that helps. The people who lived here before me did not take very good care of the house and I doubt they did much custom work to it. I am the third owner of the house.

Thanks in advance for the help.

This looks like phone wiring, so no

This appears to be telephone wiring, based on the thin gauge and the color coding.  There likely was a telephone jack here at some point, but it was removed by a prior owner, leaving what you see here, which does you no good whatsoever in your quest to add a receptacle.  Of course, it could be for some other low-voltage system, too, such as an intercom or alarm system.

So, you'll have to cut in an old work box somewhere nearby and run NM cable from that box to an existing receptacle, or some other junction where power can be tapped.  Sorry!


Safe to put tiles on top of two 3/4" fir board layers & Ditra-Heat? 106 year old house - on top of the joists (16" on center) are wide 3/4" thick boards at a 45 degree angle, then 3/5 tongue and groove on top of that.  Putting 3" marble hex down and plan to use a 1/2" thick Ditra-Heat uncoupling membrane.

Is that enough support under the tile or do I need to add hardibacker or plywood too? I am trying to minimize height, it's already above the wood floor in the hallway.

Thanks!!

if you install over wood, you will eventually have cracked tiles and/or grout.  it is not a stable substrate.

If height is an issue, I would take out the tongue and groove flooring, and install the cement board on top on the 3/4" subfloor.

For floor, i use 1/2" cement board.


Ceiling fan wiring w/ 3 black, 3 white, 1 red, and 2 bare copper wires I’m trying to wire a new ceiling fan in a house built in the 1920s.

From the ceiling there are:
3 black wires
3 white wires
1 red wire
2 bare copper wires

From the fixture there are:
1 black wire
1 white wire
1 blue wire
1 green/yellow wire

There is also a green/yellow wire from the mounting bracket. Any help would be appreciated.

OK the wires in the switch box are all hot or switched hot (plus the bare gnd). The white wire in this box goes to both switches (can see but think so) and so is the always hot. (So don't think it is a neutral; there is no neutral in the switch box.) The black and the red are switched hots for the fan and light.

Look in the box for the fan and find the cable from the switch box--it will have the black, red, and white wires in one cable. The red wire will be connected to the blue for light and the black wire to the black fan wire. The white wire is being used for hot feed and it must be connected to an always hot, which will probably be one of the other black wires. You must determine this by testing voltage with switches off and on. You should mark the ends of this white wire with black tape to indicate it is a hot.

The other two white wires (joined) are neutrals (one from the feed and one to the other fan) and these two wires are to be connected to the white lead (common neutral) of the fan/light.

The striped green is ground for the fan/light and should be connected to the bare copper ground. The green from the box must also be a ground to the box and it is to be connected to the bare copper ground.

The final black wire must be the hot feed to the other fan. If we have this straight, then it should be connected with the black marked white.


What is the best way to remove and reuse wooden fence boards? I ask the question generally, but for my situation these are 6' tall and 7.5" wide boards with two nails each at top and bottom rails.   My access is on the front face (nail head side).

Flat prybar:

(Almost self explanatory, but...)

Just reach over the top, get a flat prybar between the top rail and the board, pry the top off, then pull the top down - the board may pull the nails out of the rail, or you may have to use the prybar again on the bottom.  This will leave the nails with the boards, drive them back out by hitting the points from the back, and pull them out with pliers or a nail puller.

After the first one, you'll be able to easily get between the rail and the board top and bottom and it should go pretty fast.

If the wood's rotten or very soft, the heads may tear through.  The first one is probably the one most likely to get mangled so pick an ugly one.  This isn't exactly restoration architect technique, but it should work.

Another gentler way is to get a small hole saw just bigger than the nail head, and cut around each nail.  With a good hole saw and cordless drill this will actually go pretty fast.  This will leave holes in the boards but they will be perfectly round and easy to plug if need be.


Waterproofing bathroom register for heating and cooling Installing hardibacker and had a quick question while cutting out the hole for the HVAC register.  The toilet, as I understand it, gets caulked around the base. So no special water proofing is needed.  However, the register, I'm not so sure. I also can't find mention of it elsewhere on the internet.

So my questions are as follows:

Do I need to do any special waterproofing for the air register on the floor?
Do I use the mesh tape and/or the red guard waterproofing around this area?

My main concern is water going under the sides of the register, then getting to the hardibacker that way, as the tile doesn't go down the side of the register.

Any help is appreciated.  Thanks.

I'm assuming you are going to tile the bathroom. Are you concerned with just moisture or accidentally overflow from the tub. Either way overdoing waterproofing is never a bad idea. Use the mesh tape and the red guard to seal the edge around the register and for an added layer of protection you could put a bead of caulking to the underside of the vent cover before installing.


How to keep my sink from coming loose? How can I keep my faucet from twisting on it's center axis and becoming loose?

I have a Glacier Bay Keelia 8 in. Single-Handle Pull-Out Sprayer Kitchen Faucet, as you can see in the below photo. In the photo below that, you can see how it attaches to the sink.

The problem is that the sink pivots on it's center, and over time this makes the large nut loose. This causes the whole faucet to separate and wobble around a little bit.

Thus far, the solution has been to re-tighten the nuts and the screws. However I would like to avoid

making this a every 3-6 month task
purchasing a new sink

Completed Project Update

I took the advice of Fiasco Labs and used plumber's putty. I covered the bottom where the hard plastic piece meets the sink like in the picture below. After securing it I just removed the excess.

Additionally I realized that the top part of the faucet has interlocking pieces with the base plate. I removed the ring, pictured below, since it did not also have the interlocking pieces. This greatly improved stability. Another issue to be aware of is the large hollow screw in the center of the faucet screws into the top part of the faucet with plastic threads, make sure that this is securely fastened as well. However make sure that you don't strip the plastic threads.

This is one of those places where a little bit of plumber's putty is indicated.

The problem is that there is little friction between the base of the faucet head fixture and the sink to resist the torque.

Roll yourself a pencil of plumber's putty about  1/4" dia and long enough to form a ring around the hole. Add a couple extensions straight out from the sides so it looks like the old US Airforce star and bar insignia. If you did it right you will get little or no squeezeout, the base plate will adhere to the sink and you now have a water dam so no moisture can get through the hole.

Operating the sink handle once you have the faucet assembly tightened down should no longer allow a twisting force against the fastenings.

Don't use silicone caulk to do this if you can help it. The sink outlasts several faucets and having to remove it from the sink is nigh impossible and looks pretty ugly when a new faucet has a footprint that exposes it.


What is the effective difference between an inline air separator vs a air vent at the high point in a recirculating water system? My tankless water heater manual suggested the recirculating set up shown here:

It appears there are 2 air vents, but one is attached to an air separator.

Do I need both an air vent upstream of my pump and and and air
separator with air vent after the recirculation pump? Why?
Should my boiler have a similar setup?

The air separator is in the wrong place (it should be right after the heater/boiler) in the loop, as hotter water holds less air/gasses in solution than cooler water, so that's where it's most easily/effectively separated. The cooler return side is a poor choice of location.

The high vent serves to trap bubbles that escape the separator out of the loop, since circulating pumps are poorly suited to pushing large bubbles around.

I need to check, but I'm pretty sure the expansion tank is in the wrong relationship to the pump, as well. Yes, indeed. The arrangement shown increases the liklihood of cavitation, which accelerates wear and damage to the pump, shortening its life


Can anyone identify this outdoor faucet manufacturer from the mid 70's? I have two of these outside of my house and would like to replace the stem?  Any idea who the manufacturer is?

My experience has been that the brass body of the hose bib is almost always sound and that to try to remove it can lead to much more work than you are prepared for.  I think most plumbing or hardware stores will stock all the replacement parts you will need, including a kit to "dress" or smooth out the sealing surface where the washer closes against.  Also, seriously, look for an old guy like me in your neighborhood who has all the parts you'd need, to rebuild several spigots, and would be glad to share.


Old radiant heat ceiling not cooperating, looking for ways to fix it myself So I came home today to find my living room at over 80f degrees. My thermostat still correctly showed my base temp at 70f, but the room temp was through the roof and the ceiling heat was still going strong. I tried pulling the thermostat from the wall and disconnected the two wires so they dangle free, I left my place and came back a few hours later to find it feeling like I just opened a door to the Amazon jungle. I ended up shutting off all of the breakers since I didn't know which one the system was connected to and finally the room began to slowly cool down.

Now I'm stuck with no power and a ceiling that keeps heating, so there's some problem with the system itself. Unfortunately I found out the only company in the area that deals with these ceilings charges a ton because they know they can, and I'm just about fed up this and want to see if I can handle this myself before calling an overpriced professional. My questions are:

Does anyone have any insight as to what the issue could be? I'm assuming it can't be too complex and should be simple to identify.
How can I identify where the system is connected? If it's some drywall I have to cut open, is there an indication where that might be?
Is it something that I can realistically do myself? I can go without electricity in that section for as long as it takes, and I have some experience wiring home electrical systems and general home renovation work.

I appreciate any help, which will in turn help anyone else in the building if I find out the work can be done without a pro.

Because they DO heat, I think that the problem is not in the heaters themselves, but in their thermostat or thermostat's probe.

What you need to do is to disconnect the heater element itself (the one on the ceiling) and connect a lightbulb (a real, incandescent bulb) in it's place. This way you can begin analyzing on when the panels are on and what to do to make them off, starting with what breaker they're on.

Your second step should be to map the entire system. Trace the wires, eg by switching off all breakers except the one controlling heater and tracing them with contactless voltage detector. The system must have 2 elements at least (heater and thermostat controlling it), but it can be much more sophisticated; eg thermostat can have remote probe or remote knob and the heating element can be controlled indirectly via a contactor. As you've said you've disconnected the thermostat, a stuck contactor is very likely cause.  Replacing it is quite straightforward operation, IF you can locate and access it.

Another but radical solution is to ditch the old control system altogether and keep only the heaters themselves (of course AFTER confirming they work on mains voltage directly and old control system isn't doing some tricky power conversion). Then you get a brand new thermostat and a contactor(s) and set them up using new wiring at best. Probably best way do to new wiring is to keep the contactor in or near the breaker box and run two separate sets of wiring - one set (live and neutral for single phase / L1-N-L2 in case of 2phase / neutral + 3 live in case of 3phase) of power wires to the heaters controlled by the contactor and another set of control wires (live and neutral to power the thermostat + one live control wire back from the thermostat to drive the contactor - "control" but still operating on mains) to the thermostat. Or some fancy digital wireless system that would save you the wiring for the thermostat.


How do I remove this so I can change the lightbulb? This is a lot more complicated than I thought. I unscrewed the nipple, thinking the cover would slide right out, but no — nothing. Any ideas? I can't get a very good vantage point and am really hoping this can be done blindly from beneath.

Have a go at one of those three finger lookin' things holding the glass.   Unscrew the little bolt holding it it.  Or, more likely, one of them might be spring loaded.   Take care not to drop the glass.


Why would a circuit 'all of a sudden' read 50v? Its is an outdoor GFI that has worked perfectly for years and then not. Could it be at the breaker? I've used a voltmeter on the wiring to determine its not at the plug. Also replaced the original outlet.

This might be "phantom voltage" - i.e., voltage read when the circuit is effectively dead. Or it could be something else.
Troubleshooting process is to start at the beginning - the breaker - and work your way out.
You could have a bad breaker, but normally breakers will either fail off (in which case there is no real danger, but the circuit will be dead, but you may read phantom voltage) or fail on (extremely dangerous). But a failed breaker would be extremely unlikely to cause a "real" partial voltage - electricity doesn't work that way.
Then work your way out to each receptacle or other device (switch, lighting fixture, etc.) in the circuit. Any place that there is a junction - a wire nut, two wires (or a looped wire) under a screw, wires on two sides of a receptacle - could have the possibility of a loose or broken connection. A broken connection will result in the rest of the circuit being dead (but again, possibly phantom voltage). A loose connection can result in high resistance (among other problems), which could cause all kinds of strange readings.
Pay special attention to "back stab" connections. This is where a wire is stuck into the back of a receptacle instead of around a screw. Back stabs are more prone to failure than screw connections. If you find any, move them to screws instead.


Is operating a 66' boom lift something that a non-construction type homeowner could likely manage? I'm wanting to mount a radio receiver (for internet access) to a really tall tree in my yard. I don't have a death wish so climbing it with tools is a non-starter.

So I've been thinking about renting a boom lift (specifically a Genie / S-65 or JLG / 660SJ) from one of those construction rental places. This should get me high enough to bolt the sucker to the tree, if I max out the reach of it.

What has me nervous is that I've never worked heavy equipment bigger than my riding lawn mower. I'm concerned that I'm going to be able to operate that sucker without some kind of extensive training or someone who knows what they are doing nearby. Clearly these machines can be extremely dangerous if used incorrectly.

Some mitigating factors are that I will be a minimum of 80 feet from any power lines and the ground is very level around the job site. Also, I'm pretty nervous about heights so you can be sure that I am going to be totally obsessive about following any safety precautions. A complicating factors is that I'd probably need to use the full extended height of the equipment.

I'd like to hear from someone who either as a pro or amateur has operated equipment similar to this as to whether it is something I could safely do with a quick training by the rental company person or by reading the manual?

A snork lift is something that you could rent, and it is not that hard to use, as long as you are comfortable.  With large equipment, it is always better to hire someone.  If something goes wrong they will have insurance to cover it :).  I am sure you are capable of doing it yourself, but sometimes the feeling of hiring a professional is better then the feeling of screwing up.  I have operated this type of equipment, and I have to say, for jobs that require heavy machinery, hire a professional.  It will be better in the long run.


Replace the drywall but preserve the molding trim? I've got a 1949 fixer-upper with water-stained drywall on walls and ceilings that measures only 3/8" thick instead of the usual 1/2".  I want to update wiring and re-insulate so I'm thinking to demolish all the funky old drywall.  (Because of the presumption of lead paint, I'll make sure it's done with necessary precautions.)

But the wood molding trim around windows, doors, and baseboard is quite decent - very good material in reasonable shape, but with (presumably) some lead paint.

Is it worth the effort to remove, repaint, and re-use the moldings? Better to remove them with pry-bar or use a recip saw (to cut the nails from behind)?  Is the lead paint on moldings a deal-killer?

I wouldn't use a recep saw. Seem like you want to start with a prybar and depends on how its starting to look you can then use whats called an oscillating multi-tool. This will give you a much cleaner cut with more control. It's a great tool to own.
My guess is those guys used 2-3 inch nails which is a pain in the butt to remove. Had to go through this with my 1970 house.


Is using the second terminal hole on the back of a switch electrically the same as bundling it with other neutral wires? First, a picture for reference:

My question is: if I were to take the neutral wire coming from the light out of the wire nut bundle and instead put it into the second hole next to B, would it be electrically the same? Or is there something I'm missing here.

For context, there's a second switch in the same gang box. The hot line wire comes into this switch, then out of the second hole into the line terminal of Light 2. Light 1's load hot wire comes into the load terminal. Light 1's load neutral wire plugs into the neutral terminal. The second hole on the neutral terminal goes to a wire nut where the power line's neutral, as well as the neutral for Light 2 are connected (possibly in the same way, I'm not sure. I'd have to pull them out again to be sure).

The two push-in terminals in those holes are directly connected, electrically continuous, or equipotential for a really high priced term.  Connecting the two neutrals to them would work just like the pigtail connection illustrated would.
 There are a number of reasons NOT to use them though.

Number one, the push in connections on receptacles and switches generally don't make a good connection, even though they are approved, legal, etc., they often cause problems, some minor, some major.  I never use them.  Ever.  (Now the push in connectors are not to be confused with the backwired connections that operate with a screw clamp - those are fine.)

But you could use the screw terminals to achieve the same end;  the two neutral screw terminals and push in terminals are all connected.  This would again be legal and a good reliable connection.

If this circuit is a multi-wire branch circuit that shares the neutral with two 15A or 20A circuits, there is a code issue using the screw terminals:  there's a rule that devices on those circuits must be wired in a manner such that removing the device does not open the neutral.

This may be why the illustration is as it is:  pigtailing the neutral may not be required, but it never hurts.


How do I remove this drain pipe from my garbage disposal? I found a leak in my garbage disposal, and I think I know the source (possibly a crack in the drainpipe).
However, now I'm stuck on how to actually take off the drain pipe.
The disposal pipe (3 in the picture) seems to be getting stuck right after the threading in piece #2.
Is there a correct way to take the pipe off?

That should be a slip fit and simply pull out.
It's possible that some prior worker glued the joint between 1&2 with 3 inserted, and it got stuck that way. It's also possible that it's merely stuck with years of crud. In either case, it should pull out, twisting it while pulling may help to break whatever is sticking it loose, and if it just won't go you need a whole new set of parts 1, 2, & 3


How much volume is lost after compacting 3/4" crushed stone? I'm putting in a stepping stone path.  The stones will be on top of 4" of packed, 3/4"- (three quarter minus) stone - which packs to a nice, solid base.

My question is, if I know that the volume of the stone in the path is going to be (for example) one cubic yard (3'x3'x3'), what amount of stone should I order?

In other words, if I ordered one cubic yard, spread it out, and tamped it down, how close would the resulting volume be to one cubic yard?  Is it close enough to not worry?  Or would it compact down to only be 75% of the cubic yard?

Edited to add:
For the sake of this question, assume that I've already added a buffer in my order for voids I've not accounted for, that I've already adjusted for loss while wheel-barrowing the stone to the area I'm going to put it, that I've accounted for deviations in how much the gravel company delivers, and that I've already accounted for extra slough off the shoulder of the base layer.

The question is NOT about "how to build a path?" or "it's just a path, why do you care?" - the question is simply, how much volume is lost when compacting 3/4"-?  It's obviously non-zero because it actually does compact (as opposed to river rock which does not compact).

When something calls for x" of compacted y, you typically calculate the amount of y prior to compacting.

So if something calls for a 4" compacted base, order enough to cover your area with 4". Then compact.

(Actually, order to cover 4", but the only lay down half, compact that, then lay down the other half, then compact that.)

In other words, you don't typically order the stone to allow for compaction. You order the stone based on the volume needed prior to compaction.

UPDATE:

If you're just asking about the rate of compaction 3/4 minus has, the answer is...actually, that's a tough one. There seems to be a lot of opinion, but no specific engineering spec that I can find. General googling seems to imply you'd be in the 20% loss due to compaction range, but I can't find any hard data to back that up.

Keep in mind that there's also issues of your soil base compacting as well.

So based on that limited info, I'd suggest ordering 20% over. Keep in mind that this may be a trial-and-error process that may not be worth the headache. If you can't get 20% compaction, then you're left with extra crushed stone that may or may not be easy to get rid of.


Kitchen sink strainer stuck I've tried every tool,wrench,chisel, hammer I've been told to use.what do I use to cut a sink strainer locknut off?

I've used mini (compact) hacksaws or multi saws, and a bit of patience.

An oscillating multitool might also do the job.

Carefully heating the nut with a torch, can sometimes loosen it up. Just make sure you've rinsed/wiped away any penetrating oil you've applied.


How long should water come out of a radiator whilst I bleed it, if the radiator is isolated? Trying to isolate a leaking radiator. I've closed the locksheild valve by turning it clockwise until it tightened and set the thermostatic valve to 0.

I've just tried bleeding the radiator to check that it's isolated (and what is dripping is just the left over contents of the radiator) and water is coming out at a pace as I bleed it.

How long should water come out of a radiator whilst I bleed it, if the radiator is isolated?

It could be that the 'stat valve or the lockshield valve isn't closing properly (it's not uncommon).

As to how long water will come out, that will depend on the size of the radiator and how fast the water is draining.

If the radiator doesn't have a drain point, I'd put a bowl or tray (whatever will fit under the valve) and remove one of the valves from the radiator. You'll soon see if that valve is letting water past when it's closed - you'll have water coming from the valve as well as the radiator. If water slows to a trickle, it's rpobably coming from the otehr valve. You could then take it off and check.

Note though, the water might be a sludgy black colour, so you might want to avoid getting it on the carpet.

If one of the valves is faulty, the options left are to either drain the whole system down or to freeze the pipes leading to the valves.


Grounded Neutral Voltage Fluctuatons BACKGROUND: Hi this is in Chicago so we use EMT Conduit as our grounding system and only use an EGC for stoves/dryers/sump pump/ etc... so I was working with my cousin to demo stuff in a basement in a residential Chicago home where only one 20 AMP CIRCUIT BREAKER with ONE circuit was provided by the "Electrician" which connected to 2 outlets in series 15 ft apart from each other. This circuit provided the service for tradesmen (i.e. charge power tools, use heavy duty masonry drills/ compressors/ microwaves/ heaters and Lights) to carry on their task. However, during the plumbing renovation one of the plumbers cut and removed the old plumbing copper pipes that were attached to the city's main water supply and left the remaining old copper pipes in the ceiling (idky they DID NOT remove the rest of the pipes. These copper pipes had a 12 gauge conductor attached to it to provide the "Grounding" factor. Now when the plumbers did this it led to voltage fluctuations to the point where i could NOT charge my cordless battery packs (18V ryobi and 18V bosch) and barely got any juice for my USB C phone charger. There was a pattern every second or half a second my equipment was able to get full charge but they would reset and i would hear a clicking sound, continuously.
PROBLEM: electrical service was fluctuating at an inoperable level.
-- We called "Electrician" and he took out his multi-meter and was getting different voltages from Neutral and Hot side about 120V HOT and 80-105V NEUTRAL or vice versa. He traced it back to the old plumbing where a white insulated cable was attached to the top/demo'ed part of the old copper plumbing system (which was still not removed at this point, which was a 2 day ordeal coordinating and communicating with "Electrician" and plumber. so he removed the white insulated wire from the old "Floating" plumbing system(which will eventually be removed) and connected it to the new copper plumbing system which went underground per-concrete poured.
SOLUTION: The "Electrician"said that he "Jerry-Rigged" a 12awg conductor from utility/gooseneck and connected it to the old plumbing system to use it as a grounding system. so when the old plumbing system was cut out from the earth, he simply attached the 12awg conductor to the new plumbing system in the earth and problem was fixed. Mind you the wire he "Jerry-rigged was connected to the NEUTRAL Conductor coming from the service lines outside above, bypassing the main panel, and being attached to the plumbing. The service panel's only circuit breaker had 2 conductors, 1 HOT and 1 NEUTRAL and the NEUTRAL Was grounded via the jerry-rigged conductor connected to the NEUTRAL Utility.
*Above was the scenario in chronological order of events.*

My question to you Guru's is, Why on earth was the voltage fluctuating
when the ground system was physically removed i.e. plumbing?
I thought Electrical circuits were not influenced by a grounding
system and that the grounding system on affected voltage spikes i.e.
lightning etc...
the circuit was still closed as our equipment was still charging
(barely but still charging with a 25volt potential difference on N and
H ends).
I know it had to do with the plumbing but once it was cut and just
floating in the houses frame it would just be that, no loads or
anything for it to energize im assuming....

Can you please break down why on earth was voltage fluctuating ?

You have a totally different problem!
Your root problem is a lost neutral. Probably somewhere up on the service drop to the pole, the neutral wire has parted.  Happens all the time; neutral is also the carrier wire that carries the weight of the other wires.
So you should check the panels for neutral integrity just in case it's something obvious. If you find nothing,  it's probably the pole line - call the power company out and have them fix their wire.
Neutral is NOT dependent on any grounding.  The power company supplies hot(s) and neutral from the transformer.  That is all you need for power to work properly.  An AC power system will work with no grounds at all if things are in order.  The only reason we do anything with grounding is to increase occupant safety.
So what's the deal with this HUGE red herring??
Well, when you lose the neutral wire, neutral current can find an alternate route through the Grounding Electrode System.  It's not a very good route since it involves traveling across dirt, but it's better than nothing and will provide some functionality.   The route is:
The panel's neutral bar... via the main panel's Neutral-Ground Equipontential Bond ... to the Ground bar ... to the Grounding Electrode System (GES)... And I'm betting your neighborhood has metal water pipes... to the Grounding Electrode System of a neighbor... through their N-G Equipotential Bond.... to their neutral bar... to their wiring... back to the transformer.
This is a terrible state of affairs.  You are not only moving current on your GES, which is a big no-no, but on your neighbor's grounding as well. Their neutral service wire is carrying not only their neutral current, but yours as well!
We don't ever want current moving on the grounding wires.  Those are only for use during transient ground faults. Normal service currents must be all on the neutral, the wire intended for that.
Remember, the grounding systems are only an "optional" safety bolt-on; power will work without it.
Your power will not work without safety ground, which is how we recognize a Lost Neutral.
Barking up the wrong tree
Your "electrician" did not actually care about having a working neutral wire.   Your electrician was trying to restore the original failure -- where neutral is out, but ground wires and water pipes carry your neutral current to your neighbor's.  Shame on him!
Now, fix your neutral.  Contact the power company and tell them power is out and have them fix their wires.  This is done for free.  And it takes an hour not a week.


Screw stuck on backflow test cock - thoughts before replacing? I was draining my backflow prevention device before a deep freeze. I removed the caps on the test cocks and got sprayed by a nice gusher of water from one... apparently the test cock has been open for years, and water completely contained by just the screw-on cap.
Anyways, the test cock is stuck in the open position, and opens/shuts via flathead screwdriver. A few attempts to turn it have just worn some of the slot away.
Any thoughts/tips on getting it to turn? I'm guessing I can just buy a replacement test cock, but was wondering if there were any suggestions I should go through first. The test cock looks similar to this one from amazon:

You need a right angled screw driver with a long handle for applying maximum force to the valve.
Here's a DIY version: attach a locking pliers (vise grip) to the handle of a screw driver. You should now be able to press the slot-head forcefully into the valve slot while wrenching it counterclockwise (loose).
If you can shut the water off before the back flow valve you could than remove the test port and work on it more comfortably (in a vice).


Oil-fired furnace sight window repair I have an 20+ year old oil burner and a tankless boiler/furnace. There is a small round (2-3" diameter) window above the burner that lets you see the flame, I assume as an aid to tuning the burner.

After noticing a slightly smoky smell in the basement I found that this window was leaning outward from the wall of the furnace. There is an e-clip there as well. My assumption is that the metal groove for the e-clip has degraded enough that it can't hold the window in place any longer.

Is there an easy and safe way to repair this myself? I was thinking of some sort of high-temperature adhesive but I'm not sure what to use.

There certainly are high-temperature epoxies that should do the trick for this (J-B Weld comes to mind,  it's rated for a constant 500 deg. F but you should confirm that's higher than this part of your furnace gets).

But you say "my assumption is that the metal groove for the e-clip has degraded" -- does that mean you're not sure?  I ask because to me this seems like an odd thing to wear out given that it's just holding a stationary piece of glass in place.  Is it possible the clip popped out a long time ago and the groove is just full of soot or rust?


Energy Saver on new A/C doesn't work well I just got a GE AEW12AM window a/c and the energy saver mode doesn't work that well.  I'm used to the in-wall a/c that usually run for a few minutes then turn off for ten.  This GE unit seems to turn off once it gets 2 degrees below the set temperature and comes back on when it gets to 2 degrees above your specified temp. So the a/c will run for a while until it gets to the temp, but then it turns off for at least 30-60 minutes even though it starts getting kinda hot.  Part of the problem I think is that the thermostat in the a/c gets varying temperatures.  How can I fix this?

I would return it.

Energy saving modes work like this:
You set the temp and the fan and compressor run until the room is cooled to that temperature +/- a few degrees.  Once the set temperature is reached, the compressor AND fan shut off.  Every 2-5 minutes (each manufacture is different) ONLY the fan will turn on to get the room air circulating though the unit to check the temperature.  If the room got hotter, then the compressor and fan will turn on to cool and turn off when done. Repeat cycle.

Where as the normal mode the fan and compressor come on, and once the temperature is reached, the compressor turns off but the fan stays on continuously.


Torn wallboard repair When replacing door trim the wallboard PAPER came off! how do I repair this 6’ x 1’ strip along side door frame?
Do I joint compound plaster?

Without seeing the damage, it usually involves skimming with joint compound, sanding lightly, priming and painting. Trim away any loose material first.


What causes wet/damp concrete blocks in a newly built shed? Over three weeks ago, we had building contractors in to build a turf shed and today there was heavy rainfall all day and we noticed wet/dampness on the inside of the blocks. There are two coats of plaster on the outside of the shed.

Can anyone help?

Concrete and plaster are porous materials; water can penetrate them, and in fact cinder block is more or less a sponge for water. In addition, the mortar used to build the wall will have only just cured completely after three weeks, and while it's curing it will actively accept water.

To avoid this dampness, you should apply a sealant. There are sealants like Thompson's Water Seal which are designed to be re-applied regularly but which are clear and otherwise inconspicuous, or there are sealants like latex or tar-based coatings which are more permanent but also more obvious; your call. Sealing the outside is the better option when the option is available; by "outside", I also mean any courses of block laid down underground as a foundation, which requires you to dig a trench around this brand-new shed to access them.

Sealing the inside will prevent interior dampness, but it will also allow the block to continue to absorb water from outside the shed, and if you live in an area where deep freezes are a concern (the ground freezes deeply, thaws, refreezes, etc for several cycles each winter), the water trapped in these blocks will freeze, expand, and cause fracturing and eventual disintegration of the blocks and the shed.


How fast does moisture seep out of the ground in a crawlspace? I need to fix humidity in my crawlspace. I'm aware of the expensive option, i.e. conditioned and sealed crawlspace, but I hope that's a last resort. I'm wondering if I can get away with the dehumidifier that we already have if we seal the crawlspace vents up and the only remaining source of moisture would be the soil (which does have plastic tarp on it, but hardly airtight).

Sealing up the crawlspace vents are the last thing you want to do (IMHO).
If anything you want to improve the "natural" ventilation to the crawl space, doing so will (greatly) aid the evaporation of moisture and prevent mold taking hold. A sealed (stagnant air), moist space, is a pretty good environment for mold to take hold and grow (spread) in.
If you really want to stop (or at least greatly reduce the) moisture entering the crawl space from the soil underneath, you need to put down some kind of physical barrier eg

Concrete slab poured on top of a DPM.

Having read up a little about "Conditioned Crawl Space", I see that it be should designed and constructed to be dry, almost like a "traditional" useable basement:

Crawl spaces must always have a drying mechanism. One of the most effective ways to provide a drying mechanism to a crawl space is to condition a crawl space by heating and cooling the crawl space as if the crawl space is included as part of the home. Air must be supplied to the crawl space from the home in order to provide this conditioning. This air can be returned back to the home or it can be exhausted.
Crawl spaces must always have a ground cover that prevents evaporation of ground moisture into the crawl space. There are many ways to provide a durable ground cover or liner. The option used depends on the resources available, the frequency of people entering the crawl space to either store possessions or to maintain equipment. One of the most effective is 6 mil sheet polyethylene that has taped/sealed joints and that is attached to the crawl space perimeter walls. This ground cover must be continuous through piers and supports.
Crawl space perimeter walls should also be insulated.

The above quotes come from, Conditioned Crawl Space Construction, Performance and Codes (direct link to PDF).

Comment by Matt Chambers: Obviously a sealed moist space is bad, but what's bad about a sealed dry space, kept dry by a dehumidifier which drains outside the crawlspace?

I think you will (or anyone else in a domestic situation would) find it nearly impossible to seal & keep dry enough a space so that problems don't develop, occur...
I stand corrected, if the crawl-space has been designed and built as a "Conditioned Crawl Space" in the first place, or has been retrofitted to act as one (though I would imagine the "retrofit" option comes in at a reasonable cost, therefore makes me wonder if it's a worthwhile project to undertake), then it would be dry enough and ventilated properly to prevent the space from developing problems...
Example related to above deleted text: In the UK during the 60's, 70's & early 80's "everyone" was sealing up their homes, covering over brick vents, blocking roof vents with insulation, etc
Then in the mid to later 80's they finally discovered, realised that such practices were bad for the building itself and its inhabitants.
Nowadays in the UK under Building Regulations any kind of building ventilation system shouldn't be blocked, covered over...
In fact, the Building Regulations have increased the amount of "natural" ventilation a building needs, along with greater thermal insulation requirements ie
It's all about striking a good balancing act between ventilation and insulation that is vital to a healthy building and providing a healthy environment for the inhabitants within...

Comment by Matt Chambers: But in that case I still want to know how fast moisture comes out of dry ground.

Sorry, I don't believe anyone can tell you that, without first conducting some tests on the soil under your crawl space or at least carrying out a thorough evaluation of that soil and the surrounding soil/environment eg

What type of soil do you have.

How high or low is the water table in your area.

How much annual rainfall do you get in an average year.

What are your average weather patterns in an average year.

Etc.

I honestly believe there are currently too many variables (unknowns) to give you a realistic answer to that particular question.


Mudline leaking in basement I have a new construction home that leaks in the basement near where the frame meets the foundation. The house is on a slope, so the rear has above ground windows.

An attempted solution by the builder was to caulk the inside and foam the outside. The foam wasn't done on the outside between the siding properly, as most of the foam wasn't anywhere near where it needed to be.

The inside regular caulk was used but I think due to the house settling and it not being silicon it's no longer holding up.

Could the bolts holding the frame to cement need to be tightened?

What are the proper steps to take to correct this?  It was really windy and rainy last night so I snapped pictures of the action..  also, the insulation on the adjacent walls I can see moving back and forth,  like air pressure sucking it in, is this normal too?

My furnace draws return air in from the outside but I am not sure what it's using for combustion, if the basement gets a good seal from the outside, do I need to worry about carbon monoxide? Or is that more for older houses.. house is equipped with detectors.

The grade seems okay outside as it's about 6 inches below the window and is flat away from house. But i am not sure.  Warranty is almost up, so I want to make sure this next fix is the last.

You said, "The warranty is almost up." First, I'd get their contractor's license number (CCB number) and notify your state's Construction Contractors Board. (If they won't give it to you or you can't find it, call your local building code office.) The CCB can help you file a claim against the contractor and attach his bond, if necessary. They've had at least one chance to fix the problem and I'm not sure you want them back to try again and again... (By the way, that feeble attempt to fix the problem by caulking the interior face of the framing, is also warranted. So, technically, you have a warranty period for that work too, but I'd make sure all the paperwork was turned in before the original warranty expires.) Also, you need "the repair" fixed now too, because they have created a moisture problem by trapping moisture in the wall (between the sill plates) which will lead to mold and dryrot.

Now the leak: 1) water on concrete mudsill means water is either splashing UP from surface water on exterior, or running DOWN from the window. I doubt if it's splashing up, because the leak occurs at just the window location. If water was splashing up, you'd see wet spots all along the mudsill. 2) water seems pretty evenly distributed under the window...maybe even a little more in the middle of the sill. Usually, when water gets in at the head or jambs, we find water has run down the jambs and is concentrated at the bottom of the jambs on each side of the window. 3) windows are made with grooves along the sill for window panels to slide in. These grooves have "weep holes" that allow water to escape. If the weeps are plugged (or damaged) the sill could leak. OR, if the contractor screwed or nailed down through the vinyl window sill it could leak around the screw hole. Also, there are "stops" (small notches) cut into the window frame that allow the sliding pane to lock into a partial open position. If that notch is cut wrong, water could leak through the frame. Also, check the window frame joint where the jamb meets the sill. It is suppose to be "welded" closed, but sometimes the window is dropped and it could crack loose. You're looking for a "hairline" crack.

I recommend you do a water test. Turn your water hose on and hold it in one place for about 10-15 minutes. See if it leaks, if not, move to a new spot. Start with bottom and work up. So, start with sill, then center of fixed pane, then center of sliding pane, then jambs, then head. (Just because some siding is removed doesn't mean you can't do the hose test.)

So here's some bad news...if this window leaks, others probably do too.  Just because you don't have water running down the inside of your house under other windows don't mean they aren't leaking. Is there another window with the same wind exposure that you could "pop" the interior sill trim off and check for moisture?

By the way, why did he caulk between all the sill plates? Was there water coming out from between each sill plate, or did he return on a sunny day and didn't see any standing water so he tried to seal everything?


Protecting old wood floor I'm renting a place that has some exposed, faded, old wood floors. I want to do what I can to protect it from any further and perhaps spruce it up and make it look good in the process. I know that I can't do that fully without refinishing it but in the mean time, what can I do to add some nice color and protection to these floors?

I went over to Home Depot and they suggested I rent out a buffer and some rub on floor wax. Any other options besides resorting to big machinery?

I've seen kits of cleaner/refinishers - I have no idea how good they are, but for $20-$30 they might be worth trying before bringing out the heavy machinery.

A quick search came up with this - I'm sure your local big-box will have something similar.


How can I raise a bonus room subfloor level with the adjacent floor? We recently bought a house and closed off upstairs was a bonus room which is over the family room on the main level below. The bonus room has a sub floor already in it, but it wasn't opened. So I cut the wall open at the end of the hall and put a door in. I now want to finish the room, but my question is, how is the best way to build up a floor.

When you go from the hallway into the unfinished room, there is about a 2" drop to the subfloor. I want to bring that floor up to level with the hallway.

Can I just cut 2 x 4s down and place them on top of the plywood subfloor and then put a new subfloor on top, or do I need to rip the old subfloor out and put some ripped down strips on the joists??

2 1/4 inches height difference could be made up with 2 x 4's on their side screwed in and glued over the existing joists and 3/4 OSB sub-floor on top. That will be 1/32 lower than the abutting sub floor when you take into account the actual thickness of the lumber.

You could use 2x2's, but often they're more expensive than 2x4s

Glue and screw everything to prevent squeaking.

The tricky bit will be the hardwood - carpet transition.  From your photo, which gets pretty pixelated at high zooms, it looks like you have 3/4 inch hardwood. If there is still a tongue on it, you can buy a reducer piece that will drop the height down 3/4 of an inch smoothly.  If it's a groove, you can buy a double tongue, which converts a groove to a tongue.

Otherwise, you may wish to have a threshold specially made for this purpose.


What can I use to protect my walls from marks and scratches? I store my skis against the wall, and over time the wall ends up with black marks and scratches from the minor rubbing from the skis. It's removable with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, but I would rather protect the wall.

I would prefer a solution that doesn't screw into or damage the wall. I have thought of helicopter tape, but I'm not sure if that would rip off paint when removed. I need a strip about a foot high and multiple feet long, roughly at eye level.

I have used the Command™ no damage wall hangers with a strip of canvas between 2 of these hangers to prevent scuffing of our entry where my son used to put his snowboard. At the end of the season pull the adhesive and they release with no damage to the wall. At his home now he found some of the strips that hold a wood piece he never takes it down so I don't know if they stay up for multiple years if it will affect the wall but it is a way to protect the wall without drilling.