Can I get 3 double pole breakers in my circuit breaker? I am considering purchasing a inline water heater and having it installed (Eco 24). Before I do though I want to know for sure that it is possible to install with my current breaker box (the water heater is electric). It needs 3x40 dp breakers, and 100amp service.

I have 240v 100amp service and my breaker box is currently full(see below). There are two breakers that can be removed due to un-use. but the rest are needed.

Is it possible to use tandem breakers to gain enough space on the box to get the breakers I need?
Can my box/service support this addition?

I think you're going to need an electric service upgrade if you want to use this water heater.

Your 100 amp service is already somewhat loaded, as well as the box being physically full.

If you call for hot water while the dryer or range is in use (as obvious heavy loads on your panel), you may well trip the main, if you do not upgrade to 200 amp service before installing this water heater.

A different water heater might make more sense, unless you have other reasons to upgrade your electric service; one of the heat-pump water-heaters (or a heat-pump-add-on to an existing water heater tank), perhaps.

Edit, Add: Unless this is a house that stands vacant for long periods of time, there's surprisingly little "standby loss" (what you save by using an instant tankless electric resistance heater .vs. a tank-type electric resistance heater that's insulated to modern standards) - and if it does stand vacant for long periods, you can switch the water heater off when you leave. Changing to a heat pump water heater (HPWH) can, by contrast, save quite a bit and get you "free dehumidificaton" in the summertime. If you have gas available, it's more of a toss-up - gas and HPWH can be similar in cost to run, and a gas water heater will usually cost considerably less to buy. Most of the cost of running a normal (modern, well-insulated) tank-type water heater is, in fact, the cost of heating the water that you actually use. Most households will see little savings from using an instant-tankless waterheater, in practice.


How can I repair a leaking water tank? I have a leaking water tank here in Bombay, India. I'm looking for suggestions on how to repair it.The tank is a plastic Sintex water tank. There are cracks around a water pipe running into the side of the tank. I am looking for approaches to sealing the leak. I believe soldering/welding is one option, but I think using some kind of sealant on it might also be an option. Opinions on the pros and cons of each approach would be helpful. Specific recommendations for sealant would also be helpful; I'm not sure what to look for. Here are some photos of the leak. In order, they show:

A row of tanks.
The pipe leading to the leak.
A closeup of the pipe leading to the tank.
A closeup of the cracks in the tank areound the pipe.
Another closeup of the cracks.

You can use a few methods.

I would recommend using fibre glass firstly and then maybe some sort of epoxy /putty.

FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT

You will need to clean the areas that you are going to work with. And i do not mean like wipe with a tissue.

I mean take some sand paper and lightly scratch the surfaces so it scores it to give better grip to the adhesive.
You can do the same around the steel pipes you want to bond, but you will have to be more vigorous in making scratches in the metal.. this will help very much in bonding! It will not stick to flat surface very well.
Try to work with gloves and avoid touching the area you are working with. Your fingers leave oily substance and can cause the bond to be weak.
Using a clean cloth, spirits /alcohol  (cannot be oily) clean the and blow out any dust residue, any particles from sanding, and wipe it clean with alcohol  /spirits before you start to apply any methods.
Make sure that during the cleaning and curing (drying period of at least 48hours) there is no water leaking in the affected area.

Fibreglass

You can buy fibre glass sheets pretty cheap, they are used in the boating industry, car body shops and some building supplies.

You will now clean the are and apply the fibre glass sheets in single layers, fold and mould them to the shape you desire.
During this process you will apply resin (it is very sticky so use gloves again) and dont be shy.. use plenty of it per layer.. let it dry a bit, come back and add another layer and expand over the bottom one. Maximise surface area.

Here is an example on PVC pipe, patching up a leak. ON a steel pipe you need to wind it wider out to maximise the bonding surface, especially if its under pressure.

Epoxy / Putty

Using a strong putty, usual called steel putty, or putty with steel, you will mix 2 compounds, or some tubs are air activated. So open them take what you need and close it.

You will mould the putty to the area you need.

And you let it dry for the recommended period of time.

Pros / Cons

Because you are working with two different materials it is difficult to bond them. They both expand/contract in different ways and do not bond in the same way. Using either of the methods maximise the bonding effect.. while taking into consideration differential surface tension.

These methods will bond and seal the two parts.. so if you ever need to get access to the pipes, maintenance  or disassembly, you will most likely have to cut the steel pipe off with a grinder after the bondage leaving ample space for a connector later on.

It is possible that areas around the new bond might start to take the extra ware and tare.. monitor this and apply more fibre glass in areas that look like that might start to fail.


Pipe seized to inaccessible coupling - how to attach a new pipe? I have updated this question with additional detail - it is not a high-pressure steam environment; it only operates at 115 PSI.

Apologies if this is off-topic here. It's less "home improvement", more "industrial breakdown", but the subject is pipework which may be similar to what this site covers - I'm hoping a steam pipe expert might see this here. Reading the "what's on topic" page though, and based on the plumbing tag, I think it's on-topic, but I have also posted it to Engineering.SE as was suggested.

A friend of mine that doesn't use the internet much runs a commercial laundry. They use an old 'Manlove Tullis' laundry calendar (c. 1980) that looks like this:

(click to enlarge)

I couldn't even find any photos on Google Images of a roller iron of this type/age; I had to dig through some photos of his factory I had.

Essentially, it is a machine with 3 rollers (2 visible in the photo) on a hot plate. Garments (e.g. bedsheets) go in wet, and come out ironed flat, and dry.

The hot bed runs on steam fed by 6 pipes (2 for each roller) underneath the machine, coming from a big boiler.

A couple of days ago 1 of the pipes broke off/burst under the machine with wear & tear over the years; where the pipe is joined by a coupling to the hot bed.

It is possible that over the years with repeated super-heating and cooling some metal fatigue has crept in, or it became so brittle that it finally failed.

After allowing the machine and the pipes to cool down for a day, he went under the machine to try to fix it; but the pipe is seized to the [possibly brass] coupling. The coupling affixes to the hot bed and it appears it cannot be removed because it is both seized and in an inaccessible part of the machine. It is a 22mm coupling.

The pipe is steel, and could be cut off and a new one joined by welding it or something, but because the working area is only 50cm in height at most, and the machine is 10ft x 15ft / 3m x 5m, there are some health & safety issues with operating a welding torch under there.

An additional coupling could be added, but this introduces another mode of failure.

He has just installed a copper stop end, temporarily, in the hope that it will be possible to use the machine with 2 out of 3 rollers functional come Tuesday.

The boiler operates at 8 Bar / 115 PSI — therefore the laundry calendar also operates at 115 PSI. From reading online I understand that the pipework is more than adequate. It is also regularly inspected and serviced.

My question is:

How can we get this pipe off and a new one on? Any above-board temporary fixes would also be of interest.

The person I'm posting this question for is extremely knowledgeable on the subject, but for the first time I've seen, he's stuck here. His usual engineer doesn't know either.

I've found the phone number for 2 companies that could possibly help, but it's currently a long weekend in the UK, bank holiday Monday coming up... He has called a specialist commercial laundry engineer but he unfortunately doesn't have any parts for Manlove Tullis machines.

He's given him a phone number for another engineer that might be able to give him some advice, but he can't call him til Tuesday when businesses reopen. He is also some distance from us.

Another engineer he has spoken to has said that it either needs to be welded or a proper coupling added; but it cannot be cut off because it is inaccessible.

Are there any plumbing / steam engineering experts on here that can help? I'll offer +100 bounty when the option is available in 10 hours.

Also if a UK expert in laundry steam operations sees this and you think you can fix this on-site for him, this is something he is interested in. He understands there is a cost involved, but the machinery is currently down and needs urgently repairing.

I will attempt to get a photo of the seized pipe/coupling on Monday when I go to his factory; although he tells me I will struggle to get a photo.

As stated in comment, it's really very unlikely that the steam supply is high pressure steam (per the standard nomenclature of the industry) for a multitude of reasons - too hot, requiring a dedicated, licensed boiler operator, and the commissioning and annual inspections would have failed the copper pipes before it was ever fired up. Also, someone would probably be dead following a burst pipe (which is why there are all those restrictions on it.)

The short answer for your friend with the down machine and a seized fitting is to call a real plumber or steamfitter and get his operation back on-line, if (we presume) this is costing him money by not running and he's trying to save money by fixing it himself. Down-time is expensive (since the machine is not making money) and the expertise of a professional can cut downtime, making it well worth the brief pain of paying for professional help.


Refrigerator won't cool if it's warm in the house When it's cold outside (like in winter) and the interior temp of my house is around 65°, my fridge works just fine. But when spring/summer gets here (like now) and we get into hotter days and the temp in my house gets to 72° or hotter, my fridge won't keep cool. Freezer hovers around 40° and fridge is 60°
(Would be great to keep my house at 65° or lower all the time lol but I don't have central AC or the money to do that)
Any ideas on what the problem could be?

Refrigerators are cooled using a heat pump, the principle that all air conditioners work on. Basically, a refrigerant is pumped through the cool side and absorbs heat, then that heat is radiated out into your home. The hotter your home's air is the more difficult it is for the fridge's cooling system to radiate heat. A refrigerator that is working fine won't have a problem with this, it just takes a bit more energy to work, however your refrigerator has a problem.

I can't say for sure what's wrong with your refrigerator, but it could be a number of things:

Fouled radiator: over time the radiator on the back of the refrigerator can get covered in dust and crud which reduces its efficiency. If it's bad enough the fridge won't be able to work. This is easy to resolve, you pull the refrigerator away from the wall and vacuum the radiator off. If there's stuck on grease clean it off with a brush and/or cleanser, but don't use any abrasives or power tools. Make sure all grates are clear of dust and aren't blocked so the internal components can cool too. When you put it back make sure you leave enough clearance for air to circulate around the radiator
Low refrigerant: Over time the refrigerant in your refrigerator may seep out and need to be replenished. There could also be a slow leak. You obviously have some refrigerant or it wouldn't cool at all. You'd need to get a specialist in to replenish the refrigerant, they'll also run a pressure check for leaks
Mechanical problem: there are compressors and pumps which move the refrigerant around the system, if these have problems they may not be able to keep up with the demand. You'd need a specialist to diagnose and fix these problems

So, pull out your fridge and give the back a thorough clean, then make sure it's got good airflow and see how it works. If that doesn't solve your problem you'll have to get someone in.


What are the pros and cons of Milgard vs Jeld-Wen windows? I am replacing old window. The new window will be 69 1/2 inches wide and 59 1/2 inches tall.

I am thinking vinyl, two-vent slider (three equal sizes).

Home Depot suggests Jeld Wen ($500) for vinyl. A contractor quoted me Milgard (not sure of the price since it includes labor).

Is there any pros/cons to one brand or the other?

I've got Milgard in my house and have been very pleased.  There was one window that after about 8 months became difficult to open.  I called up their service and they sent a guy to my house the next day and it was fixed all for free.  Their windows come with a lifetime warranty, though as I'm writing this I'm not sure if it is for the original owner or if it follows in a sale.  The double pane helped tremendously with noise reduction too.


Fixing a Pergo separation I am currently installing a Pergo-like interlocking, floor system in my kitchen. I noticed after finishing one area that two of the flooring strips had separated about 1/16th of an inch a few rows back from where I currently am. Is there a way to get those two to pull back together without having to take several pieces back up to do it?

There is generally a lot of friction, making adjustment difficult, so you might have to either disassemble and redo it, or just fill the gap with the matching repair putty.  It will be noticeable because it will be a solid color, but less noticeable than a gap.

However, it doesn't hurt to try to close the gap.  At the end of that row farthest from the gap, you will need to keep that row and both adjacent rows from moving. Take some scrap pieces of laminate (or wood of the same width as the planks), and cut a set of filler strips to match the gaps between each of the three rows and the wall.  Wedge those in place temporarily just for the adjustment.

On the other end of the problem row (the end closest to the gap), you will be trying to push or pull the end of the row to close the gap.  There is a tool for that.  It is a bar or heavy strip maybe 18" long, with a lip at each end.  You lay the bar on the end of the row.  One lip goes down to capture the end of the row.  The other lip sticks up and you tap it with a hammer to pull the gap closed.

If you don't have that tool, you can use a wide pry bar as a lever.  Put the tip of the bar against the end of the problem row.  Above that, stick a long block of wood between the bar and the wall to act as a pivot.  Tap the bar with a hammer above the pivot and in the direction of the wall so that the tip of the bar is being pushed against the end of the plank.

With either method, don't tap so hard that you damage the end of the plank or dent the wall.  A lot of light taps can be as effective as a heavy whack and less likely to damage anything.

The planks might not move at all, or may make the gap narrower but not completely tighten it (or it may close and then rebound open so that you can't totally close it).  But if it doesn't close the gap, any improvement you get will make filling less noticeable if you decide to go that route.

Just some perspective, though, if you can't push the row tight--the flooring will be there for a very long time, and you might kick yourself later for filling the gap rather than doing it right.  If you still don't have many rows installed beyond that, consider biting the bullet and redoing that part of the row while the task is still not insurmountable.


How to determine if electrical wires (romex) are undersized? I've got a situation where I have mismatched wires to circuit breakers in my panel.  The breaker for my range is 40A and heat pump is 50A.  The electrician who discovered this (during an inspection) advised that they need to determine if the wires (30A) are undersized or if the breakers are oversized with considerable cost difference ($1250) if they have to run new wire.

I'd like to see if I can determine this myself in order to make an educated decision concerning the repair.  Is this as simple as looking at the specs of the heat pump/range to see what they should be pulling?  Or is it more involved.

How do i determine the amp rating of the wires themselves?  A quick Google search indicates it's not only based on Guage but also length but how do I determine the length without knowing where the wires run in the walls/ceilings?

Look at the cable or wire.  Any cable or wire legal to use in the US must be labeled at regular intervals.  There's usually a lot of gibberish but amongst it will be something like 10 AWG  or 8 AWG or 6 AWG.

You should also double-check to see if the wire is copper or aluminum.  Look at the ends at the bare wire. Copper is the color of a penny.  Aluminum is the color of a nickel.  Aluminum wiring may also have markings like AL or AA-8000 or AA-1350.  The AA-1300 series alloys are illegal for new work and widely considered dangerous.  The AA-8000 series are legal but must be terminated in a special way.

The allowable circuit breaker size is defined by the size of the wire.  It's fairly simple:

14 AWG copper wire -- 15 amp breaker
12 AWG copper wire -- 20 amp breaker
10 AWG copper wire -- 30 amp breaker
8 AWG copper wire -- 40 amp breaker
6 AWG copper wire -- 50 amp breaker (higher in some cases)

(the pattern is not linear after this, it is also different for aluminum.)  You cannot use a larger (more amps) breaker than the wire can support. Smaller is OK.

So step 1 look at your wire.  Step 2 check your breaker.  If your breaker is not allowed for the wire, turn the breaker OFF until you change it to the value allowed for the wire.   Don't delay, shortcut or fool around.  Do it right away.  At this point the circuit is safe from overload.

Now that you know the allowed amps on the circuit, and have replaced the breaker to that value, it's time to look at the receptacle.  Here's the table right out of the National Electrical Code.

Look at your circuit amps, and change your receptacle to one of the allowed sizes.  (by the way, 50A receptacles are allowed on 40A circuits because there's no such thing as a 40A receptacle. If it ever did exist, code would allow it, but it doesn't. That's because there's already a glut of receptacle sizes, we don't need another.)

Your fixed wiring is now legal, in a safety sense. (it may not be provisioning the circuits that Code requires for new construction, but it won't burn your house down.)

Now, let's look at distance. All wires have resistive losses at high loads.  The loss is "per-foot", and the above steps have made sure the loss is small enough per foot that nothing will get dangerously hot, regardless of the length.

But on a longer run, this can add up to significant voltage drop - the appliance may not get as much voltage as it wants, which can result in poor performance.

You can compensate for that by using larger wire.  Here is a calculator to help you work that out.    This is rarely needed in within-the-house wiring; it would have to be a pretty big house.

The next step is to figure out if your devices can work with that amount of power.  I generally assume that previous people who worked on a circuit had a "method to their madness" and didn't do random stupid things.  You may find your appliances are able to work with circuits of that ampacity - check the documentation and/or with the manufacturer.

For instance it's very common to have ranges which actually work fine on 40A, but are supplied with a 50A plug for reasons discussed above.

Or this may be a replacement appliance, and the original one did work with that ampacity.  In which case you'll be able to find other appliances which will work.  This is likely cheaper than pulling new cable.

Or you may be able to adapt your use of appliances so you can stay within circuit limits.  This may or may not be legal.  For instance if your heat pump has a multi-stage auxiliary heat system, you may be able to disable one of the stages.


How best to isolate dirty power caused air conditioners or other motor driven devices at the dirty device itself? I have two air conditioners that are the source of some voltage fluctuation/line noise in my home. The two A/C's running at the same time is definitely and unambiguously at fault. This is primarily a problem because it causes LED lights to flicker.
Rewiring/adding circuits is not an option, nor is disassembly or modification of the A/C's themselves.
I would like to isolate the A/C's with something that plugs in inline to keep the rest of the power clean. I'd prefer to stick something between the A/C's and the wall (because there are only two of them) than have to put lots of filters/conditioners on everything else.
My Google-Fu has failed me - I can only seem to find information on how to protect sensitive devices from EMI/voltage fluctuations (e.g. stick a online UPS between a computer and the wall), and not how to properly mitigate a known dirty device.
I'm in the US with 120VAC single phase power.
What is the proper device to add inline to an air conditioner or other motor-driven device in order to keep the rest of the power clean? Isolation transformer? Line conditioner? UPS (if so, what flavor - battery backup in an outage doesn't matter except as a means to smooth the inrush voltage fluctuations)? Massive ferrite bead?
Edit:
I have read several proscriptions against using a UPS or AVR, etc on electric motors, primarily because the startup current draw of the motor might exceed the capabilities of the device. (See almost every post on laser printers for reference) Most advice seems to treat this as a blanket prohibition, but in reality there is obviously more nuance to it: https://www.apc.com/us/en/faqs/FA158851/
So to refine the question somewhat - assuming the inline device is properly sized for the motor and providing a natural sinewave, as noted in the APC link above, what is the proper device to use to isolate/smooth a motor driven appliance from its 120V AC power supply?

Well after plenty of research the proper device is a online sinewave UPS that is sized to handle the startup load of the motor/compressor. See https://www.apc.com/us/en/faqs/FA158851/ This answers the question above as posed; however, said UPS is prohibitively expensive.
As for my flicker issue (the symptom) I solved it by wiring in inexpensive EMI filters into the affected fixtures.


Should loft insulation cover wall cavities? When insulating a loft at ceiling level with mineral wool type material, should the insulation cover the exposed wall cavities for external walls?

Your insulation should cover the top plate of the wall.  This gives you a complete thermal envelope.  Covering the wall cavities will help keep cold air from coming up to the upper areas.


Carbon Monoxide in garage I arrived home today from running some errands to find that the carbon monoxide alarm in my garage was going off. The display was reading 55 ppm CO (which I gather is a non-lethal but nevertheless high reading).

The garage is detached from the house and has no heat. There are several pieces of gas-powered lawn equipment stored there but nothing has been running running. I was gone from the house for several hours so I assume any exhaust from the car briefly running in the garage had dissipated. (When I left the house I just started the car and drove out... no remote start or idling in the garage.)

Does anyone have any idea what the cause of carbon monoxide might be? The CO alarm is less than a year old but maybe it is defective?

The answer is fairly obvious to me. For one thing, 55 parts per million isn't "high".

  When cold engines first start, they run rich," Greiner said. The catalytic converter is cold and not converting deadly carbon monoxide (CO) to carbon dioxide (CO2). Concentrations in the exhaust can be more than 80,000 parts per million. Concentrations so large fill the garage with carbon monoxide in a very short time even with the door open. ...after only two minutes of warm-up in the opened garage, carbon monoxide concentrations rose to a lethal 575 parts per million

https://www.extension.iastate.edu/pages/communications/CO/co_car.html


How to open this recessed faucet aerator? It seems very hidden inside! We need to install a faucet filter and have a problem removing our kitchen faucet recessed aerator.

I googled and saw some examples on YouTube but not sure if our recessed aerator is same as the ones on the videos.

We already tried using a anti-slip cloth to squeeze the aerator and also use an adjustable wrench to open it but all didn’t work.

Please let us know if you know what else we could try to open it.

Updated photo

From the original posted picture, it appears that you have the type that needs an aerator wrench.
See link below
aerator with wrench
To remove the aerator, without the specific wrench, try using a pin wench.
The aerator is inside the faucet, so you will not be able to use slip grip, etc. on the outside.
Those two notches are what you have to grap to be able to twist the aerator off.  By luck, a very thin long nose plier may be able to work.
The wrench cost about a $1 at HD or Lowes.

This is where the notches would be located based on original pictures. The notches would be located inside the rim.

Your image showing location of notches.
Sorry If I mislead you,  After closer exam of the side view, maybe this in not a notched aeration.  Can you provide a complete picture of the side view of the end of the facuet.

1: https://www.zoro.com/american-standard-aerator-metering-brass-m962393-0020a/i/G0853912/


Can you attach more than one wire in a given hole on a bus in an electrical panel? Is it permissible to attach more than one neutral or ground wire to any terminal screw on the service panel bus?  A home inspector says this is not allowed. THAT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT, because all of these wires are being bonded to earth ground - they are all the same point, electrically.

The issue isn’t about mixing ground and neutral on a single bus in the main panel. That is allowed although it’s preferred to have separate neutral and ground busses, both bonded to the chassis and grounded.

The issue is that most panel busses aren’t rated to have more than one wire per termination point. Some are but most aren’t. The issue, other than just the question of certification, is that they may just not be designed to hold two wires securely or to keep a tight connection over time.

If you can post a photo of your panel, or at least give the brand and model, someone here should be able to give you a specific answer.


Shower base and perimeter adhesive & grout Just put in the shower floor tile with epoxy adhesive & have the perimeter tiles left to do (the very bottom tile against the shower floor tiles)

What Adhesive can I use for this? Is it ok to use thin-set tile mortar or should I use Epoxy?

2nd question ; What kind of grout should I be using for the shower floor?

I would use the Thinset tile mortar for those tiles. I would use the epoxy grout for the shower floor and the rest of the tiles. There is a difference between the epoxy adhesive and epoxy grout, make sure you get the epoxy grout.


Sump pump running continuously, float switch ok I have a sump pump in the crawl space of my house, with a French drain system. Several years ago the pump failed and I replaced it. Yesterday I realized the pump was running continuously - it’s not loud or obvious, but took us a while to realize what the motor sound was. The location is not easy to get to to check it or work on it.

We have had only light rain, and the water level in the pit was below the intake, and everything around it seemed dry.

I unplugged it and plugged it back in and it did not restart. I manually moved the float switch a few times. The pump turned on and off appropriately, and the float mode smoothly with no obstruction.

This afternoon I could again hear the pump running continuously. Since it was easier to access I tripped the GFI in the garage and reset it, the pump again did not restart.

Is there is something I can check or fix without replacing the whole unit?

Edit: The pump is an Everbilt pump and the float switch has the direct-in connection. I believe the float switch has a magnetic sensor, but I can't find the same type of switch. It looks like I might be able to get a replacement tether-type float switch.

The float switch has failed. Replace it.  Good Luck.


PVC pipe end cap fitting, with center hole and offset hole? Is there such a thing as a PVC pipe reducer end cap fitting, which has a center hole and an offset hole?

The purpose of the center hole is to insert a small diameter straight PVC pipe through the center of the cap, so that the smaller pipe is projected inside the larger pipe.

(This smaller pipe is used to inject a gas or fluid into the larger pipe, using additional PVC fittings inside the larger pipe.)

The purpose of the offset hole is to provide a drain for the larger pipe, aligned with the edge of the larger pipe so it can be drained completely through the offset hole, into another PVC pipe.

So for example the large diameter PVC pipe would be 4" schedule 40, and this end cap would have a 1.5" center pipe hole without an inner stop-lip, thereby allowing a pipe to project through the cap, and a second 1.5" offset hole for a PVC drain pipe.

I know there are often special industry terms for certain objects, and I do not know what this might be called. Possibly such a thing might be available as a hot tub PVC plumbing component.

EDIT: Some mockup drawings in SketchUp

The outer PVC pipe diameter should be 4 inches, but I do not care specifically what the smaller pipe sizes are. I will work with whatever I can find.

Wye won't a why work?

Reducer that will accept your air inlet pipe straight on, and a cleanout plug coming out the bottom to drain it.


Repair water leak around gas line in foundation I've noticed during heavy rains that I get water leaking through the wall of my foundation, about 2 feet below grade, where an old capped off gas line enters the basement.

Looking around online I've seen these kits: http://www.appliedtechnologies.com/home/waterline_and_pipe_penetration_leak_kit.html

It seems reasonable but in the video there is actually a void surrounding the pipe to fill with the poly compound.  In my case, the foundation surrounding the pipe is intact and painted over, with the painted sort of bubbled off and some crumbing right around the pipe.

I guess my question is, are these kits a good way to repair this, and what kind of prep do I need to do beforehand?  I was thinking of using a wire brush attachment on my angle grinder and trying to clean off the paint and loose concrete / efflorescence.  How do I actually clean around the pipe?  Should I try and remove more material around it with a dril and masonry bit?  I'd like to have some confidence in what I'm doing so I don't just end up with a bigger leak!

I would chisel out around the pipe a little about 1/4" wide 1/2" deep. clean it up good. Pipe and concrete. Then use a concrete sealant.  $75 is overpriced.
This is under $10 and makes a flexible water seal.

Sikaflex 10 fl. oz. Crack Sealant


Can I safely plug a 15amp socket to 13amp socket, through multiple adapters? I bought a smart plug, I wanted to use it as remote control for my AC. I asked the electrician to replace the 15amp with a 13 amp socket. so I can plug the smart plug and then plug the AC to the smart plug.
He explaind it won't work and explaind the difference between 13 and 15 amp plugs.

I found online a fuse adapter such shown.
so I am thinking to plug a fuse adapter on the 15 amp wall socket, then insert the smart plug on it, then on the smart plug put another fuse adapter, then put the AC 15 am plug on the fuse adapter.

is this safe?

See the image for illustration of what I intend to do.

Do not do this.

First of all even you would have to admit that the assemblage would be unwieldy at best.
Secondly having so many connections in series increases the overall resistance of the circuit and leads to a voltage drop and increase in temperature.
Kludges like what you propose often lead to unfortunate results.

Get a true sense of danger and respect for high powered live mains connections  and live to tell your grandchildren about how to live a safe life.


What are ways to clean glass top ranges undergoing heavy use? We are avid cooks and our cooktop witnesses almost daily use.
To that effect, does this picture of suggest permanent wear, or can it be cleaned? Either case, any way of cleaning or mitigating the wear?
Finally, is it economical to replace just the surface of the range? This is a slide-in range-oven, and new ones run a steep $1400.

Have you tried ceramic cooktop cleaner? It's exactly designed for this type of mess, and you can get pastes and scrubbing pads for big messes, and wet wipes for smaller spills and every day use.


What am I sealing as I install my Shower Faucet Stem and Handle? As a result of a leak, I replaced my shower's hot water faucet stem. (I think) I installed it successfully, but now I am wondering which hole I am trying to seal.

Am I trying to seal the entire hole around the stem or seal the edge of the sleeve that I will seat around the stem (see the metal sleeve at the base of the other handle)?

Best way would be if you put a bead of plumbers putty on the back of the sleeve, it's easier now and latter on if you have to remove it again.


Could joist bridging prevent movement and noise in my tile floor? Brand new tiles installed by contractor 4 years ago in kitchen, bathroom and also in a new house extension on pillars.  Tiles started clicking in the extension during first winter.  Now the grout is clearly starting to deteriorate.  Obviously the extension will need to be redone completely.
Since then a few tiles started clicking in the bathroom and in the kitchen but also only winter.
Subfloor information :

The house extension on pillars is brand new so I hope everything is repecting modern standards... which is weird because the problem is worst there!
In the house I have 2x8 joists with plank flooring and plywood on top of it. Don't know plywood thickness.

Since the problem is happening on two different types of subflooring I think the tiler somewhat messed up with the glue!
Questions :

Why it clicks only in winter?  Humidity, temperature?  There is a
big difference between winter and summer temperature here.
If possible I would like to fix the kitchen and the bathroom before it
gets worse.  Since the tiles click only in winter I am wondering if
bridging the joist could help.  If so, should I do it in summer when
it is not clicking?

The floor under your tile is moving.  Likely there is enough pressure from the joists in the summer to keep things relatively steady but clearly when things dry out in the winter there is more movement and you get the audible clicking.
The problem is that tile with grout is very intolerant of any movement at all.  The grout will quickly crack and start to pop out of the joints as you have seen.
No easy fix in my opinion.  Your contractor should have ensured that the floor was solid and without any movement before tiling over it.  It seems that was not done.
Now the best you can do without pulling up the tile and fixing the root cause is a band-aid fix.  Remove the grout and re-grout with a more flexible type of grout, such as latex grout. This will just extend the time until you have to do it again but possibly by then you'll be tired of this flooring and can have it done properly.
Some bridging MAY help but there is no guarantee.  It's worth a try at this point.


How much weight can threads hold? I'm building a pot rack that will hang from my ceiling and I want to make sure it is secure.  I rigged up a hanging apparatus that consists of a 1/2" x 12" bolt, two lock nuts, a 3/8" pipe floor flange, and two deck screws.  The deck screws will be directly embedded into a solid ceiling joist.

I'd like to know generally, how much downward weight can a bolt like mine hold before the threads strip and fail.  I'd also like to know the same thing regarding the deck screws.  I couldn't find any sort of general chart or stats online.  I included pics of my parts:

The 1/2" bolts will hold up your truck, or thereabouts, so that's not an issue.

I'd be concerned about the pullout strength of the deck screws (especially if your rack was particularly big or you have a fondness for cast iron). Upgrade to something a little bigger. I'd lean toward a 1/4" lag screw, 3" or so, assuming that fits the flange. If that doesn't fit, aim for a #12 deck screw. Predrill pilot holes for the screws.

A little research... in typical conditions, you can expect a 2.5" fully threaded #12 screw to hold something like 300# in pine. See the calculator at engineering toolbox.


Is connecting a 5 A PLUG into a 10/20 A socket for electronics pose a problem Most of my electronic appliances are 5 A based, this includes my Desktop PC, external hard-drives, Laptop and TV but the socket I have are 10A/20 A one. Could there be a problem connecting the 5 A plugs into these 10 A/20 A socket ? I live in India where power supply is rated at 230 V Ac/50 Hz.

Additional Info -

The socket is a 5 pin 10A/20A Anchor (a brand) socket.

There shouldn't be, as a rule of thumb you'd normally want them to match, but you aren't likely to run into too many problems.

The only real big problem I can see is that if one of your 5amp devices were to short out completely, the 15/20amp breaker/fuse may not trip so your device would just sit there frying the poor 5amp socket which could cause a fire.

So, assuming you put in a lower rated fuse on the wire as well (or buy a socket with a fuse built in) it shouldn't be an issue, but I'd definitely refer to your local building codes for advice.

Hopefully someone more versed in practical electronics can help you, I've always been more of a low-power guy myself.

EDIT**
Adding a few sources as I find more. First is this manual from OSHA in America, read pages 13-15 for the relevant information.


How to properly fix dry wall tearing away How can I properly fix dry wall that is tearing away from the seam, which is a window sill?

There is a point were it meets the window and window sill, and it seems to be tearing away. I have added a picture below. What would cause drywall to do this?

Fix the leak first - this appears to be water damaged, so replacing it without stopping the source of water will be pointless, as the replacement will be water-damaged again. Probably the leak is associated with the window (though it could potentially be coming from anywhere higher, all the way to the roof.)

Once the leak is stopped, you cut back to sound drywall and replace the damaged section.


Goodman Furnace short cycling because of high limit . Cant figure out why? So just had a Brand new Goodman furnace and a/c installed before winter hit. As soon as heating season started i noticed it was short cycling and had a flash code of 4. I contacted the installer and he did a few things. 1. increased blower speed. 2. Said it was not getting enough return air and cut a large vent into ducting right before filter. #3. Turned gas pressure down. It was no longer overheating but the air coming out did not even get the ducting warm. It would take forever to warm the house enough for furnace to turn off. I verified all ducts are open supply and return. Filter is brand new. I checked gas pressure and he had it adjusted to 1.50 where manufacturers spec is 3.50. I adjusted it back up to 3.50 but again after 5 minutes it would turn off and flash code would turn on. I adjusted it back down to 2.50 and at that pressure it does not overheat anymore but it bothers me that the gas pressure would need to be turned down. It should operate at 3.50 for best efficiency as that is what manufacturer wants it set at. What do i need to look at to figure out why my furnace overheats when gas pressure is set to its optimal pressure? Any insight would be appreciated!!

How many square feet is your house? When was it built? And where do you live? You should never alter the gas pressure from 3.5 inch water column. It has more to do with the flame speed then the capacity. If the pressure is too low then your flame will ride on the burner faces and destroy them. NG burns at about 12" per second and 3.5 inch NG comes out of the orifices at about 12" per second. Without the requested information above answering your question is essentially impossible. Duct size may be an issue, but it's more complicated then it's 8x24. Also if you have air conditioning make sure the evaporator is clean.


Low water pressure at reverse osmosis tap after running fridge dispenser I was replacing the air filter in my fridge and decided to install a water filter while I was at it ( it came with the air filter ).

I ran roughly 2 gallons of water through the dispenser after installation, as recommended by the manufacturer.

After doing so, the pressure at the fridge water dispenser was low, but so was the pressure at my reverse osmosis tap at the kitchen sink.

The sink is on the opposite wall from the fridge. I waited a bit and tried it again, and the same thing happened.

Why is this the case?

Reverse osmosis systems have a holding tank containing treated water. If you run it for an extended period and drain the holding tank the pressure will often drop until it's replenished. I'm guessing your refrigerator water is sourced from the RO system. If so, it should replenish but sometimes with slow flow systems it takes a while..


what do i use to attach an ikea table top to storage facilities. links attached I want to attach these -

Ikea Algot

to this -

Bekant table top

what would be the best way?

There's no single best method - it depends on your subjective opinion and your personal criteria for best (price, durability, aesthetic, ease of cleaning, ...)

Pipe clips


What is on my dryer vent cover? I have a gas Speed Queen dryer and something keeps accumulating on the heat duct vent cover.  I've replaced the cover once thinking something melted on it, but it's happened again.
Other than the melted gunk sometimes getting on clothes,  there's no damage to any of the clothes we put in the dryer.
Any ideas what's causing this?

The dark mark is a substance that melted from the heat. The unidentified mark appears to be a plastic material (at least in my opinion). This could be anything from a candy or cigarette wrapper to ziplock baggie.
Most likely it was in some ones pocket and went unnoticed after washing. If there is still a film remaining it would be wise to scrape it off so it doesn't transfer to any brilliant whites clothing in future dryer usage.


Two 240 volt runs off same breaker I have natural gas for all main appliances except for our AC system.
However, there are breakers and outlets for all 240v appliances. They are unused and in the off position. Presumably if someone wanted say a gas oven/dryer/water heater etc they could then do that without issue.
My question is, while I never plan on getting anything but natural gas appliances, it is nice to know that I could go electric should I want to. So, that being said, am I able to use one of the existing 240v breakers to drop my own 240v plug in a place that doesn’t currently have one?
Let’s assume all proper calculations like wire size, expected draw, etc were all figured out. The question is simply can you have two separate leads on the same breaker going to two separate outlets? My gut tells me no, because I don’t see anything like that in the panel. But I’d like to ask.
Note: currently there is no more space in the panel, so that’s why I have this question.

Disconnect the old run then hook up the new one
Since we're dealing with EVSE (a Tesla charger) here, we need to provide a dedicated branch circuit for that EVSE as per NEC 625.40:

625.40 Electric Vehicle Branch Circuit. Each outlet installed
for the purpose of charging electric vehicles shall be supplied
by an individual branch circuit. Each circuit shall have no other
outlets.

As a result, you'll need to disconnect the old wires from the breaker you plan to use and cap them off inside the breaker box, then attach your new homerun to the breaker in question.


How can I join 20“x20”x1" panels into a one-end-open box? This is an attempt to ask a more-focused version of a prior question (How best to join (in reversible manner) 5 20"x20"x1" panels (4 air filters, 1 plywood) into open-ended box?), that was closed with the suggestion to "focus on one problem only".
I have 5 20in x 20in x 1in panels of lightweight material. (You can think of it as identical to the foam-insulation boards, sold in nominal 8ft x 4ft x 1in panels - as one or more of the panels will actually be cut out of such a board.)
I'd like to join them along the edges to make a cube that's open on top. Of course something like tape is one sloppy option, but I'm hoping to find a superior option that holds them rigidly and tightly in relation to each other, but is reversible, so sides can be individually replaced.
(More specifics about the intended home-air-improvement application of this box are in the original closed question, but my focused need here is to solve the home-insulation-materials joining problem.)
Is there a solution meeting the above parameters?

Build a frame with tracks for the filters to slide into.
Use U channel for the tracks.
Get 4  60.75" pieces of 0.5x1x0.5 U channel and cut notches in the sides at 20.25" and 40.5"
Fold them into U shapes
then join them together to make a frame.
Something like this Picasso.

the U channels can be connected together using rivets or welding or whatever.


How can I round the edges of a piece of wood? I need a piece of wood to place above a window, to which I'm going to attach a curtain rail. I'd like it to match an existing piece of wood above another window, which has quarter-round edges all around. What are my options, given that I don't own a router?

I would expect that most retail outlets do not offer to run wood through a shaper or do router work. What you really want to look for is a crafts-person that has the tools to do this for you.

If your intent is to avoid having to pay someone to do a project like this then take the opportunity to figure out how you can do it yourself. There are a number of options that you can investigate:

You could elect to purchase a router and bit that can cut the round over edge on the wood piece. This approach may not actually cost too much more than outright paying a crafts-person.
There are tool rental businesses that allow you to pay a small fee to use a tool for a day or half day. This is usually a fraction of the cost of buying a quality tool of your own.
There are lower cost hand tools that can be used to create a rounded over edge on a board. A nice sharp hand plane and a sand paper block can do the trick with a little time investment.
You can ask around. You may very well find a friend or colleague that has the tools and would be more than willing to do the routing on your board. You may find it appropriate to offer a meal out or a visit to the pub as a return favor.


How should I secure spindles on a baserail without a groove? I would like to replace a single piece metal spindle with wooden spindles, however, the metal is just screwed into the baserail, which does not have a groove.  So I cannot follow instructions like these where the spindles are kept in place with 'fillets' while they are being pinned.  The top handrail does have a groove on the underside, so that will be fine, but what do I do about the baserail?

Edit: added a couple of pictures.  Note how ugly it is, and how it isn't actually even attached to the handrail!

The plough (or plow, so I have been told it is called) under the hand rail makes for a simple, secure way to attach a baluster  to the rail. If the cut is a little off, the cut is hidden by the sides and the fillets.

For the bottom fit, it only needs to be cut neatly to fit the bottom plate, if that is what you have and secure in place with a few 4D (1 1/2") or 6D (2") finish nails or a couple of trim head screws after pilot holes are drilled.

Since there is most likely a hole where the metal baluster used to be, each of the 2 nails will go on either side of the drilled hole since the wood baluster will cover the old hole. If a long enough trim head screw is used, say 2 1/4"-3" long you may only need the one screw to hold it at the bottom. The longer screw will span through the old hole and grab wood on the other side.


romex - drywall over plywood I have an outlet on one side of the wall, then on the other side I was planning on putting another outlet. Problem seems to be the the room for the new outlet was an addition... For some reason there's a layer of plywood and then a layer of sheet rock, I've drilled a hole through both and have the wire in the new room. Question is how do I now go about routing it to my new outlet location? I can't go over the drywall, I don't really want to remove all the drywall AND plywood in order to be able to run it through the studs.... Thoughts?

Well, if it was an addition then the plywood was the old exterior sheathing. There would have been no reason to remove it. It is absolutely typical to leave it in place.

If you are simply putting a new receptacle back to back I am not sure why you think you need to remove wall material to go through studs.
If you are implying that you need to go laterally along the wall to get to the new box location than NO, the cable CANNOT go along the surface, or even just below the drywall. You will in that case need to cut a channel in the wall to drill and cross studs. This can be done from either side if you don't want to mess with the plywood.

If you have the wire already through a hole you just need to cut a box into the drywall/plywood. A jig saw, RotoZip, MultiMaster, etc, will do a fine job of making the hole for the box.


What is what in the basement rough in When we bought this house we were told that the bathroom rough in was done.
What is the purpose of each pipe/hole? I'm assuming the larger one (blue cap) is for the toilet? Is this all we need to install 3 piece bathroom? Thank you.

Update:

The blue capped pipe is 3", orange capped pipe 2-1/2" and orange hole in the floor 1-1/2"

The blue capped pipe doesn’t look big enough. I think toilets need 3” poppies, unless there some kind of power flush.

Also, a floor mounted toilet comes with a set rough-in distance from the back wall (like 8”, 12”, etc.) and is centered on the toilet fixture. So, measure from the back wall AND from the side wall to see if it will fit. If a floor mount toilet won’t work, you may need to find a wall-hung toilet and use a drain line in the wall, if there is one.

Likewise, a tub or shower have limited distances for rough-in too.

Generally the sink drain can be routed around and tie into the shower or toilet drain. You just need adequate wall space to mount the cabinets, etc.

The vent could be a problem if they have not extended something up through the roof. Look in the ceiling joist space for a 1 1/2” to 2” pipe that has been capped.


How do i stop office chair sound when leaning back? I have an office chair, which has a leaning mechanism that can be tightend and loosend as per requirement. But the problem is, whenever i lean backwards, and then come forward, the mechanism makes a krrrrr sound in the forward journey. I found out the sound comes from the cylindrical box type thing. Any ideas how can i get rid of this annoying sound? I don't see a way to open it either.

I've used Lock Ease for this exact issue.

Lock Ease is an amazing product. It's dry graphite, with an alcohol (I think) based carrier fluid packaged in an aerosol can. The carrier fluid help gets the dry graphite to penetrate then evaporates leaving no oily residue behind. It's made for lock cylinders, but I use it wherever dry lubricant (such as graphite) is needed.

Disclaimer: Amazon link for convenience only, I don't work Lock-Ease, Amazon, or the Amazon Marketplace seller distributing the product.


Do I need to retrofit a junction box when replacing a vanity light? I am installing a new vanity light. I took down the old one from 1997 and found that there is no box behind the light, only the cable coming through the drywall, (black, white and green/ground.) Is it okay to just hook up the new fixture to this set up? Why would there be a need for a box?

The question depends entirely on whether the fixture acts as its own junction box, with full containment and a strain relief clamp. If it includes a UL listed enclosure, all good. The instructions should make this fairly clear.

If not, grab an old work (remodeler) box and pop it in. Be sure you'll clear your studs before you start cutting drywall.


Retaining wall: footing or no footing? I'm looking to build a retaining wall on my sloped backyard. I'll be using cinder blocks (with mortar to join them together and rebar for added stability).

(added info: at the lowest point the wall is going to be close to 4 feet tall, not counting how deep I have to dig and how much of the wall needs to be underground)

Some questions:

1) Footing or no footing? Can I start setting the cinder blocks directly on base gravel, with rebar vertically every 3-4 feet for added stability, and filling them up with mortar as I go? Or do I need footing?

2) If I need a footing, how deep into the ground should my footing be? Not how deep the footing itself should be (I'm thinking I'll go with a 1' footing—feel free to comment on that), but rather how deep into the ground do I need to dig my trench in order to set the footing?

I know that for gravity walls on sloped yards I need to measure 5' out of where I plan my wall to be and dig the difference. What about for cinder block walls, is it the same? Or the added strength and stability of rebar+mortar, or footing+rebar+mortar, makes it so I don't have to dig as much?

Hope the info I provided is sufficient to get help and answers from. Let me know if you need me to try and sketch the design of the wall for added context.

Thanks

Can I convince you to not do this ?

Honestly not trying to be an ass.

Please, please - Get a quote from a company that builds retaining walls.

The quote will cost very little or nothing.

You will be shocked at the cost, and not in a good way.

The quantity of material needed to build the wall, will amaze you.

Please get a quote or two first.

I promise you, you will not regret it.

Block walls work in compression, heavy things directly on top of them is fine.

Side to side, their goal in life is to tip over, and they are damn good at it.

Blocks work because they are tied to very solid, heavy things at the top and bottom that run the length of the wall, and have regular supports at a right angle to the length of the brick.

A 1' deep pile of soil, behind a 4' block wall, 1 block long, weighs 500 pounds.

The path of least resistance is to knock over the wall.

Blocks, attached with mortar, to the soil behind the wall about as strong as a 2x10 resting on its edge.

The question is more one of how many yards of concrete will you need to build the footing.


How di i convert a generator rated140v to 230v How can I convert my generator rated 140v 35A to 230v, it came from Canada where they use 140v and this region  we use European standards of 230v,

You will need to adjust or modify the governor so the engine runs at 5/6 current speed (e.g. 1000/1500/3000 RPM instead of 1200/1800/3600). That is because 230V-land is also 50Hz.

You will need to tune generator excitation so that it works correctly at this speed.

Then you will need to rejumper, rewire or rewind the generator for 240V instead of 120V.  This might be quite easy. Or prohibitive. Depending on the generator.

Then you need to move the neutral-ground bonding so it is corner-grounded instead of center-grounded, except if you're using it at a construction site and not interlocking it with utility power, I wouldn't bother. Center-grounding is a virtue in that application; Britain even requires it.

Finally change the receptacles from North American to the ones you find convenient.

Plan B: sell it on Craigslist to some American who brought over US tools without thinking about voltage, and buy the right thing.


How to clean a calcified bathtub outlet that I can't dismantle? Because the tap water in our area is extremely heavy in calcium, our faucet filters calcify quickly. I regularly remove all the faucet filters in the apartment and soak them in vinegar overnight, but the filters in the bathtub are so encrusted that I can't remove them.

The bathtub has three regular faucet filters in a row that are thoroughly calcified - so much that the amount of water passing through is not enough to trigger the hot-water heater to turn on, thus resulting in cold bath water :-(

How can I de-calcify these filters without removing them? Or what can I do to remove them without destroying the bathtub inlet?

It doesn't help that the tub's filters are very inaccessible so I can't get a proper hold on them with any tools. I'm also afraid that the plastic parts might be damaged.

front view:

view from below:

If you can't remove them, you can use lemon juice or vinegar. The challenge will be to soak those filters without the liquid going everywhere.

If the seal around the faucet is good, I'd probably get a small container and some putty and cut the bottom of the container so I could place it over the faucet.

Use the putty to temporarily seal around the container and then fill it with lemon juice, vinegar or a commercial decalcification solution so the filters are covered.

Then just leave it for a few hours - this should work very effectively.


non grounded outlets converted to gfi If I have 5 old outlets that are not grounded(but installed in old plaster walls that I dont want to disturb) can I wire a gfi at lead of circuit and protect the others downstream. I have access to 1 of the  outlets, and can reach the wiring of the others from under the house.Or should I fish new wire through the walls ?

Yes.

You can protect the downstream receptacles, by supplying them from the LOAD side of a GFCI device.

Or you could install new cable.


Are there any rules of thumb for whether a concrete pad needs metal re-inforcement and if so, how much? I may be doing some concrete work soon around the house and I'm somewhat of a novice at it. One thing that I am unsure about is when I need to reinforce the concrete with re-bar or other metal embedded in the pour.

I used to think it was absolutely essential on just about any concrete job, but have noticed that some people do it and others don't and I'm not sure what aspects of the job determine the need for it.

Can anyone give me some general guidelines about when it is necessary to install metal in a concrete pad and what type/size?

A simple rule of thumb for whether to include rebar or not is based on a 45 degree rule. In simple terms if the foundation is more than twice as wide as it is deep then you will probably need reinforcement, if it is not then you may be able to get away without because there will be little bending, and therefore tension in the concrete.

There are of course a number of complications to this for example you might need to make sure that if the foundation does settle, it settles evenly. In this instance the foundation may need to provide some strength and so will need reinforcement. You will also need to be careful of large plastic cracks forming in the concrete at early age if you don't put reinforcement in it.


Voltage based switch. Ceiling fan on dimmable lights Excuse my ignorance in the subject, below i will try to explain what i have and what i am trying to achieve.

In my living room I have about 15 led dimmable recessed lights on a dimmable switch.

From my research installing a motor in a dimmable switch is the recipe for disaster. So I wont install a ceiling fan because having dimmable lights is more important to me. Unless there is some sort of switch based on voltage that I can install on the individual light. That way the fan will only turn on when the dimmer is all the way up. I read of a device called voltage comparator but I am not clear on how it solves my issue.

Putting the fan aside, it will also be nice if when i dim the lights down some of them turn off, and on the way up they turn on when a voltage is reached.

If anyone knows of anything that will be able to reach my goals please let me know. Otherwise if there is a flaw on what i am asking for let me know also so I can learn more about the subject

How dimmers work

It sounds like you have some very common misconceptions of how dimmers work.  The usual assumption is they reduce the voltage; however that would require either a) a Variac (about a 30 pound transformer bigger than a soda can), or b) a large power resistor about the size of a shoe box, that makes lots and lots of heat.

That's not how it works at all.  Actually, the dimmer supplies full voltage, but only part of the time.   It waits until a certain point in the AC cycle, then turns the power on full.  As the AC voltage follows the sinewave to zero, the switch shuts off automatically.  Then, the dimmer waits a period and turns it on again.  So the light only sees part of the sinewave.    This scheme is done to keep the dimmer lightweight, small and cheap, so it's built around a 30 cent triac instead of a $40 transformer.

Motor speed control is a different kettle of fish

You can see where that would make a motor very, very angry.   Further, many motors are designed to go one speed: the speed of the AC frequency, and to regulate their speed you need a Variable Frequency Drive, a sophisticated piece of electronics. So trimming voltage but keeping frequency just imbalances the motor and makes it hot and inefficient.

There are other schemes to control other types of motors, but none of them are anything like dimming.

So yes. Dimmers are for lights; motor speed controllers are for motors. Hence the names of the devices.

You can use any UL-listed control scheme that works

You are perfectly welcome to have two switches side by side; one being a dimmer and the other being a fan speed controller, each feeding its respective devices.  That would, obviously, require a 2-gang box and some more cabling fished in the walls, but it's straightforward work for any competent electrician of the "specialize in fishing cables through walls" variety. That electrician could also make sure to install a fan-rated junction box which is capable of bearing the extreme vibration loads that will pull the nails out of a normal box, or metal-fatigue it.

Another option, these days, is to hardwire hot to the ceiling, and use "smart" fan and light controllers to respond to a smart switch.  However, this setup must retain what every room in America has: a light switch in the usual location that a complete novice can turn on.  That is to benefit guests, particularly EMTs, cops and firemen who need lights turned on fast to intubate you, clear the room, etc.  It can be a smart switch; it just has to work.


What failure modes are there for electric water heater elements? What would be the cause of the elements to go out in my electric water heater?

My wife is convinced that it's because the water heater hasn't been drained/flushed in the past 3 years.

I was also told it was an issue with over use or possibly just old age (installed in 2004).

So for future reference so I can prevent this, what could cause them to go out?

There's a few problems. The most common is the tank rusting out. (This can usually be prolonged if you replace the sacrificial anode regularly, but it won't prevent it forever.) The second is sediment. If you have a lot of rust in your pipes or water with a lot of sediment, it can build up in the bottom of the tank. It can also build up on the elements.

Check out this website... What Kills Water Heaters


Replacing a crawl space with concrete slab I have a 1970 rental house that is prone to flooding the crawlspace approximately 1 week a year.

To clarify, the whole section of land, yard, and streets are under a foot or more of water, due to excessive new construction developments that all drain into this area of town. This is the only house that is affected.

So, there is nowhere for excess water to go during really heavy rains. Due to the crawlspace being flooded many times over the past 10 years, the floor joists are shot. The floors have sunk down approximately one inch and when you try and jack them up, the floor joists collapse.

I have several rentals and my son works with me. He thinks I should just donate the house to the city and walk away. I was wondering if it would be feasable to pour the crawl space full of concrete to eliminate the crawl space and turn it into a slab foundation.

This house is approximately 1500 sq. feet and in great shape other then the floors.

You certainly wouldn't pour dozens of yards of concrete in there. You'd remove the organic soil, fill it with sand, and pour a 4" slab on that after setting up the plumbing.

Alternatively, look at an internal drain tile loop, along with some ventilation. It would be fairly easy to trench in perforated and socked pipe inside the footing. The tough part would be getting through or under the footing.


Light switch only has live wire is this right? Light switch for outdoor light only have brown wire contented the blue wire is inside the wall with blue tax covering the end,it only turns on it doesn't turn off!

is this right?

No.

Firstly, Blue-Tack is not an acceptable way of insulating a loose wire.

Secondly, the blue wire should be connected to the switch. Otherwise the switch has no purpose.

This is sufficiently strange that I'd turn off the breaker for this circuit, open up the outdoor light, note the connections, disconnect the wires and check continuity back to the blue wire you show in the picture. It may be that things are not wired as you think they are - it is important to be sure before connecting the blue wire and potentially energising some unknown device or fitting. It might be that the blue wire was disconnected because of a fault elsewhere that constitutes a potential safety hazard.

Your photo looks like a typical light-switch in a UK kitchen built or rewired in the last decade or so.

UK lights are usually wired like this:

There should be tape on both ends of the blue wire from the switch to indicate it is live (or switched live) and not neutral. Normally red tape would be used. In your case white tape seems to be used.

Often the blue and brown wires from the switch are connected the other way around at the junction-box (or ceiling rose) for the light. I.e. blue (with tape) to position 2, brown to position 3.


Is dirty batt insulation on attic floor a sign of air leakage? My attic is 530 sqft, with soffits, ridge vent and some 18"X18" window with mesh over it (I cant recall its name). The house was built in 1960 and has batt insulation on the attic floor. The batt insulation is about 6" deep. It somewhat looks like the top left of this
(source: bpa.gov)
My question is, is it ok that the top of the batt insulation is dirty since my attic has soffit vents? As I've read, dirty means there's air movement, but doesn't it make sense that there's air movement where there are soffits and ridge vent? I'm trying to figure out if I need to air seal and insulate more.
Thanks

A layer of dust or dirt on top of your insualtion would be quite normal in a vented attic. If the dirt was inpregnated in the actual insulation, so that it was acting like a filter, then that would indicated air movement from one side of the insulation to the other.  This would be seen most often around holes in the ceiling from light fixtures, plumbing/electrical or any areas open to air leakage from the interior to the attic. I think what you are seeing laying on top of your insulation is just plain old dust from outdoors entering through the venting. not a problem.


How to prepare home to prevent pipe leaks during a severe winter storm? The news has shown much footage of homes in Texas being destroyed by pipe leaks after a storm hit in February 2021. I live at a similar latitude to the places impacted by the storm, though it did not cause such destruction where I live. What should homeowners do to prepare the home, either in advance, or shortly before such a storm, to avoid having this from happening?

The cheapest thing to do, and feasible to do at the very last minute without any supplies, is to shut off the water at an underground location outside the building (at the meter, for instance). Iced pipes, and even broken pipes, aren't what causes severe damage to a building -- it's the water that flows uncontrolled after a frozen and broken pipe thaws that really causes havoc.
I don't have statistics handy for the average length of piping used in a US home, but just to work with round numbers, suppose it's 100 feet of 3/4 inch pipe and 200 feet of 1/2 inch pipe. Combined all that pipe holds about 6.5 gallons of water.
That's not an insignificant amount of water, but chances are that a leak in some arbitrary place isn't going to allow all of that to leak out, either. A good portion of the pipe contents could be drained out before the freeze by opening faucets. High-elevation faucets will admit air into the system while low-elevation faucets let the water run away down the drain.
Don't forget to also drain other reservoirs of chaos: toilet tanks and water heater tank. Extra credit goes to one who treats the P-traps too. Those under sinks could be removed and the water simply dumped out. Those under bathtubs, built into toilets, or hidden in the wall for a clothes washer could be vaccumed out with a wet-dry vac or even a turkey baster, or treated with salt or RV antifreeze to prevent the remaining water from freezing.
Water-using appliances are likely to be damaged but freeze-proofing them is challenging. Think about the in-door water dispenser or ice maker in a fridge, the dish washer, the clothes washer, the steam feature in a clothes dryer, a steam oven, and so on..
After the storm is over and temperatures return above freezing careful re-commissioning of the water system is key. Verify the drainage plumbing is undamaged (traps below sinks, bathtubs, clothes washers, etc). Test the supply plumbing for leaks with vacuum or compressed air if possible. Turn the water on slowly and carefully listen and watch for signs of leaks. Monitor the flow indicator and dials on the water meter to confirm water flows only when it's expected to (when a valve somewhere is opened).


Fixing water ingress at mitred corner in roof fascia Apologies in advance for the long question - I wanted to include all the details as I am rather unsure of what I am doing!

I have a 10-year-old flat roof with a fascia facing the predominant weather. This fascia has no gutter as the roof slopes along its length with a small lip at the top of the roof to keep most of the water on the roof surface and to drain it away at the roof edge at right-angles to this fascia.

The fascia also has a corner which is weather-facing and connects this front face to a fascia which faces onto my neighbour's property. Here's a plan view sketch, omitting the roof "felt" which extends over the top of the fascia to create a drip edge (I use the word felt loosely - it's not lead, it feels like a tarmac-type thing, but is dry, hard and dark grey).

This summer, I noticed that the paint on the fascia was flaking badly, so I sanded back, treated, primed and painted the section. In the weather-facing corner, I noticed that a lot of the wood at the bottom of the fascia board was rotten (but not actually on the weather facing face, but on the inside face). I removed the rotten wood, treated, added wood hardener, filled, sanded, primed, painted. I was very happy with the result! At the same time I added filler to the mitred edge, figuring that water was entering here and soaking down through the fascia, causing the rot at the bottom (where the water would likely accumulate).

6 weeks on, I took a look to see how it was all doing. Not so good. There is a clear 1mm ish gap between the two halves of the mitre and water is clearly getting in again. I guess that the filler did not move with the wood as the weather cooled (I live in the UK). There are clear signs that the water is coming through to the bottom again, as well as travelling along the grain near the surface. Where I filled at the bottom of the fascia there are now cracks between the filler and the wood.

I can't easily replace the fascia board myself, as to do so I would need to lift up the roof "felt" edge which is hard and inflexible, as well as being sealed at the corners. I am sure a professional could, but it looks like a big job, and the existing work there looks good.

My current plan is to put duck tape over the mitre for the winter to stop more water getting in (while hopefully what is there will slowly make its way down and out) and then in the summer add an aluminium fascia cover. Here is a section view of what is currently in place.

Note that there is very little gap between the roof "felt" return and the fascia board (at most 2mm) and at the corners a bit less. I can pull it up a bit with my fingers, but at the corners it really isn't going to shift much. My plan is to put the aluminium up as high as it will go, which will be partially under the edge of the roof felt, adding a bead of clear,  UV-stable, low-modulus silicone sealant along the gap, like this.

Each screw will be in an oval hole that I pre-cut in the aluminium to allow for expansion and I will add some dabs of grab adhesive along the length too, just to keep the aluminium in close to the existing fascia. FYI, this aluminium cladding solution has proper corner pieces that seal against the ingress that started this whole problem off, which is part of the motivation for doing all this (the other part is that I won't have to paint it again for 20 years).

What do people think of this plan? Is it likely to work? Will the silicone sealant stop any errant water drops finding their way under the aluminium and getting trapped between the aluminum and wood? Am I missing an easier way to fix this? All thoughts would be gratefully received!

Metal facia can look awesome.

For the amount of work that you are proposing you should consider a 3 part system.  A top piece with a hem hook that looks like an h that caps your roof felt.  The roof felt and top face of facia inside the bottom of the h.  A bottom piece similar idea but flipped on the x axis.  The last piece, a flat piece of metal with a female hem along each length that hooks onto the two male pieces.


Sealing Terminals on 150w Garden Transformer I bought a garden transformer to power 2x 12v 50w Halogen lights near the pool.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/hpm-12v-150w-garden-light-transformer_p4396752

Should I be concerned that the terminals on the transformer aren't weather sealed?

What can I seal these with to ensure no water enters the terminal in case of rain, splash etc?

Thanks

Scott

If you look at the specs on the link in the question, you'll see they claim that the power supply is rated for outdoors, but not for wet locations.  It will have to be installed indoors or in a suitable enclosure.


Should I use Ditra for my slate floor with radiant heat and 2 layers of plywood? We are putting slate on our main floor, and have radiant heat. We used a second layer of plywood as guides/spacers between the pex loops, rather than concrete over the whole thing to help cut down on overall weight, as the main floor is over a full basement. We plan to fill in the gaps with thinset as we go to help with heat transfer. I'm wondering if it would be better to put a layer of Ditra down as well before we do the tile install.

Thank you!

Gypcrete is about 27% lighter than concrete (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsum_concrete). If it's not too late and you don't mind tearing up the second layer of plywood, the gypcrete will be a LOT more favorable in every way. Better for heat transfer. You can tile right over it.

That said, if you're already set on the path you're going, yes, I would use Ditra. You have to use something (a lateral anti crack membrane like Ditra, or hardieboard etc.) Ditra comes highly recommended as apposed to hardieboard. There are also Ditra alternatives that are the same basic thing (lateral anti-cracking underlayment.)


How can I determine what the minimum working pressure is for a gas range? I have recently purchased a range top, converted it to propane and am planning to use it with a 5 gallon propane tank.

When I connected it to my tank, I got a second worth of gas flow and then it stopped.

After my plumber troubleshooted with the manufacture for a while, it turns out that new ranges seem to have a minimum working pressure in order to operate.

How is this minimum pressure feature called- so I can look for a different range that doesn't have it?

You may not be able to use a 5 gallon (20 lb?) tank as the supply for a range top - effective propane delivery depends on having adequate tank to boil off the required supply of gas - depending on how much the range uses and the temperature, a 5 gallon tank may "freeze up" (really, self-cool) to the point where it does not provide the gas required - a 100-200lb tank is certainly much more standard as the supply for a propane range.

LP stands for Liquified Propane - it has the useful feature for storage and transport of becoming a liquid at relatively low pressures. when you draw gas from the tank, the liquid boils - as it boils, it cools the tank. If the tank is already cold (question is from February) and the gas use rate is high, the pressure in the tank falls to 0 at roughly -40 (F or C) A larger tank has more area to collect heat from so it cools more slowly for the same rate of gas use.

Using the correct regulator (for delivery pressure with adequate tank pressure driving it) is also required...

This previous answer may also shed more light on the subject.

If my regular propane tank for the house runs out, can I use a BBQ tank as a temporary fix?


Fixing a wobbly, leaning mailbox My mailbox is very wobbly and sags deeply to the side. I tried stuffing dirt in the base where's there's a gap, but that doesn't work. What is my best course of action?

Start by removing the mailbox from whatever it is supported by - the plastic mailbox "post" is a sleeve that's set over some actual post. It may just slip on (so you can just lift it off) or it may have a few screws you need to remove before you can lift it off. (It appears to be this model of "Step2" mailbox, and the assembly instructions do have screws into the post)
When you have removed the mailbox itself, dig the post out. If the post is rotten, or broken/cracked, you'll need a new post. If the post is OK, you'll just need to set it firmly in the ground. If you get a new post, same.
People are terribly fond of setting posts in concrete - it usually causes more problems than not, but it seems great short-term. All you really need to do is set the post vertically in the hole, add only a couple of inches of soil, tamp that soil down firmly, and repeat until the hole is full. The small amount of work involved in tamping is all you save by using concrete to set posts.
Once the post is set, slip the mailbox back on the post. If it was screwed in, replace the screws.


What size timber beams do we need to span our ceiling/floor system? We are building a hand hewn old oak log home (yes pioneer style not kit log).  We want exposed solid timber beams in the ceiling of the main floor.  We are having oak sawn into 2x6 tongue & groove ceiling/floor for on top of these beams.  Our roof load will not rest on this floor system, its weight will be on the log walls. There will be bedrooms above so weight load will just be living space. One room will have a 16ft open span, one 12 ft, the kicker will be the 20x20 open living room.  We were thinking these beams would need to be on 30inch centers.  Our question is what species of wood and what size beams?  We can saw our own pine, oak, poplar.

This question is a bit on (or over) the edge of what's sensible to ask here. Even those who might be structural engineers (I'm not) can't do your structural engineering over the internet. People get hurt when buildings fall down.

Hopefully you have some big trees available.

Running it through a basic wood beam calculator (DAGS, which will keep any links from getting old), the 20 ft span on 30" spacing will need to be at least 4x16, and if you are sawing (or hewing) it yourself you're going to have to learn to grade your lumber for beams (a knot or split in the wrong place can make a much larger beam unsuitable for the load, depending where it is on the beam.) Or you do what the old-time old builders of your old oak log home would have more likely have done, and put two posts in the room supporting a central beam, rather than trying to span 20 feet. Few barns even had spans over 12 feet...

If you mean "tulip poplar" AKA tuliptree (wood tends to be greenish), it might be usable. It's a somewhat respectable wood. White poplar (young bark can be greenish, but the wood is dead white) aka cottonwood aka popple -  I believe is generally considered unsuitable for beams - it's a lovely soft white wood to carve, you can cut wall panels from it, but it's weak as can be. Pine or oak are both fine.


What is the best way to wire a Cooper E-Z Wire recptacle? I'm looking at replacing a few outlets that are old and loosely hold in plugs now. They are 15a 125v as is the wiring and breakers. I bought several Cooper E-Z Wire outlets and I am now trying to figure out if there is a best practice for these. They have the exposed screws so you can bend the wires into a U and wrap it around the screws OR you can insert the wires behind the plate behind the screw and tighten the screw; tightening the screw causes a clamp to grip the wire.

Which is the better method for connecting the outlet?
Also, I've seen some people wrap the outlet in electrical tape and other people not. Is this code?

1) Which is the better method for connecting the outlet?

It depends on the size wire you have.  If you have 14 gauge you can use the push in terminals, which is size wire this option allows.  You can bend the wire if you prefer, or if have 12 gauge.  These push ins that have to screwed down is better than the regular stab in and self locking.

If you do bend your wire make sure you do not tighten it on the insulation.  It will make a bad connection.

  2) Also, I've seen some people wrap the outlet in electrical tape and other people not. Is this code?

It is not code but some people feel it protects the terminals from touching the metal side of the box, or a device next to it.  I never tape but I always screw all the screws down.  It makes gives you a little more clearance.

If you decide to tape screw all the screws down and use a professional grade tape.  It will cost you around $4.00 or $5.00 a roll but it will stay on the receptacle.  Good tape has memory and will try to go back to it's original size and make the tape tighter.  Cheap tape has no memory and just gets looser.


Where should I connect a second slave phone box? Hi I'm new to doing diy jobs, but I already wired up a slave phone line to the master box. I'm now looking to wire a 3rd box up, would I wire this off the slave box or the master ?

For simple telephone service it doesn't matter.  You can run them all to one point or chain from one to the next; whichever is easiest to run.

For more advanced use of the phone wiring like DSL, having the shortest total path of wire to the demarc point is preferable, with as few splices as possible, which usually means running a cable from each jack to near the demarc point, usually in an electrical room or basement.

Running them all to that point also means if a wire breaks it only takes out that jack, not all the ones downstream of it.


Blower fan works w/ a/c “auto”, not with heat “auto” I know there are similar questions out there but are there any new ideas?

When I turn on my heater, the gas fires up but the fan doesn't turn on.
I know the fan is still working because it will turn on with the a/c on auto or the fan just by its self in "on" mode.

Thanks for any help

Bad Blower Motor Coil
Furnaces typically have multispeed blower motors, and use different speeds for different modes.  If the coil for the speed the heat uses is dead, that would cause the problem you're seeing.
You can use an ohmmeter (or multimeter set to measure resistance) to check if the motor coils are good.  You'll have to measure the resistance of each coil (while isolated from the rest of the system), and compare the results to the manufacturer's listed values.
Bad Control Board
There are a few things that could go wrong on the control board, that could lead to the issue you're seeing. The first thing to do, is to determine if power is ever getting sent to the motor at all.

THIS IS DANGEROUS
Since you'll be working on a live HVAC system, this testing can be dangerous.  If you're not comfortable, please contact a local licensed
HVAC technician.

Set your multimeter to measure AC voltage, and connect the common lead to the neutral terminal on the system.  Hold the door lockout switch in, so that the system will try to fire. Once the burners ignite, listen closely to hear any relays closing.
Most furnaces use timers to delay the blower, to allow the heat exchanger to heat up. Once the preset delay has elapsed, a contact should close and send power to the HEAT terminal on the control board.
Put the other lead of your multimeter on the HEAT terminal, and see if you get a voltage reading. If you do, then the problem is with the motor or the wiring to the motor. Check all connections, to make sure they are clean and secure.  If you don't read voltage, you'll have to either troubleshoot the control board, or simply replace it.


How to protect sill plate from water when slab is bigger than the structure sitting on it? I am building a small garage extension.  I want the walls in plane with the existing walls, but the existing slab in this area extends 3" beyond where the sill plate will sit.

What is the proper way to deal with this?  I was going to use pressure-treated lumber for the sill plate with a sill gasket underneath and caulk the edge.  I was thinking of creating a small sloped curb out of stucco and lathe to help move water away from the sill.  Or maybe I could use flashing but that would be ugly and possibly sharp.

I haven't been able to find what the "correct" solution for this scenario is.

Not sure if this is "correct", but one solution would be to lay one course of block underneath the sill plate. This would keep the plate plenty high above the concrete. You would probably still want to slightly taper the outer edge of the slab away from the building, to avoid water sitting there and seeping in through the block.


How to replace pull-switch on ceiling light? The pull chain broke off the switch in my closet ceiling light. I bought a replacement switch, and was going to replace it, but the lead connected to the light fixture appears to be riveted to the terminal, and I can't figure out how to free the current wire.

I also thought of just replacing the pull chain itself (since the switch is still good), but the case appears to be riveted together, and I can't get to the chain fragment inside.

Honestly that looks like a fairly inexpensive light fixture. Why not consider just purchasing a replacement fixture?

A fixture built with the riveted type of wire connectors, ceramic bulb socket and with that type of sleeving on the wires is a high temperature rated fixture. It will really not be feasible to try to repair the unit and keep it's rating intact.

Get yourself a replacement fixture with LED lighting to reduce power consumption and lower overall operating temperature.


How do I install plastic window insulation without damaging the trim? I'm planning to install plastic window wrap on my windows for the winter, but the trim around the windows is nice wood and I don't want to leave a mark on it where the double-sided tape will be.

I've seen cases where a very obvious strip is left behind after removing the double-sided tape, and also where the finish on the trim is damaged when the tape is removed.

Are there ways to prevent damage to the trim, or is it something to worry about when removing the plastic in the spring (e.g. special cleanup procedures)?

Cleaners like "Goo Gone" seem to work quite well on adhesive residues. I keep some around just for those occasions.


Is it safe to use a 100 watt LED bulb in a 3-way lamp that specifies using incandescent bulbs only? I purchased a 100 watt LED and a 3 way lamp, but now that it is all assembled I have just read in the instructions:

  Lamp is rated for max 150 watt incandescent, Type A E-26, 3-way bulb. DO NOT USE HALOGEN BULB WITH THIS LAMP. Halogen bulbs operate at a higher temperature and pose a fire hazard

They don't mention LED. Is it safe for me to use the LED bulb? I just don't want to start a fire and I didn't see anything posted about safety warnings in the instructions.

I'm assuming this is a 100 watt equivalent bulb, that is actually only running 18-20 watts.  Using a 100 watt equivalent will be safe as they run much cooler than even an incandescent.


Looking for a splashback pattern in kitchen using 3 or 4 different square tile colours I'm adding some ceramic tiles to a splashback in my kitchen, I'm using square ceramic tiles. I don't want to use just one colour, and using two only really offers me a chequerboard pattern so I was thinking of adding a third or even fourth colour (the tiles are quite muted earthy colours).

I'm looking for existing templates for a 3 or 4 colour design so I can calculate how many tiles of each colour I need, but I can't find any resources to help me with this. I expect to repeat the pattern but to give you an idea I have about 8m in length of splashback and expect it to be either 3 or 4 tiles high

There is no right or wrong way to do it.  Experiment with whatever you have on hand:  dice, marbles, squares of paper, etc.  Hint:  even if you make mistakes, just finish it so it looks like it is supposed to be that way.

Here is a sampling of some ideas to get you started (from here).


Condensation on Skylight So this is my first winter in my new house and I noticed the skylight on the second floor has a lot of condensation on the inside now that the weather is getting colder. It's an old single pane and looks and probably is plastic not glass. It for sure needs to be replaced but I was hoping to wait it out until the spring. The good news is that it doesn't leak when it rains. Its sealed very well and I actually got on the roof recently and added more roof seal for the winter.

The problem is there is a lot of steam buildup on the glass and it drips onto the floor. Any ideas on a temporary fix for a few months? It had a clear film on the frame when I moved in that I took off and I just realized it was probably shrink wrap for this exact reason. I'm going to put it back on and see if it helps. There is plenty of room between the ceiling and the actual glass so do you guys think it would be a good idea put two or three layers of shrink wrap or bubble wrap? I'm not so much concerned with letting light in or letting heat out. I just want to stop the dripping.

Just a layer of shrink wrap will be fine , as long as you prevent the moisture from getting up to it it will quit sweating.

Make sure to run the exhaust fans in the bathroom when bathing or using hot water to shave, also run your exhaust when cooking.

I found some really good stuff for sealing windows in the past that you put on the frame and shrink it with a hair dryer, I hade to make a “picture frame” and mount it as I had no trim mine was all Sheetrock. I made a frame put the film on it and then used finishing nails to hold it in place you can barely see the film , I thought I might take it down in the summer but it has been place for almost 5 years now
The stuff I used was 3m for insulation but I don’t remember a name.


Low water pressure in bathroom in the first floor The water tank is just above the first floor of the house. The diameter of pipe from the tank is 25mm and diameter inside the bathroom is 12 mm. Water pressure in bathroom of ground floor is good and the water pressure in the bathroom of first floor is poor. The tank is inside the roof so it cannot be raised. The bathroom has internal piping system so it cannot be removed without breaking the tiles. In such circumstances, if I increase the outside pipe diameter to 50 mm, will it help to increase the pressure inside the bathrooms.
Is there some other solutions?

Increasing the pipe size from 25mm to 50mm will definitely reduce the pressure loss along the pipeline, making more pressure available; however, 25mm is already a pretty good size for a residential water pipe and the pressure loss may already be very small.  So the difference may not be noticeable.  Unfortunately, the problem is likely just the lack of vertical head from the tank to the bathroom.
In some places they make tanks with a bladder or spring inside which are pressurized as they are filled to provide more pressure than gravity alone can.


Should I use 2' x 2' tiles for a galley kitchen? I am redoing my kitchen and I'm considering using a large tile size. Are 2 foot by 2 foot tiles difficult to work with? Will I run into problems with size limitations of the tools I'm using and layout difficulties? I'll be working in my galley kitchen which is about 6 feet by 10 feet. I thought the bigger tiles would result in the least amount of grout lines, which is something which appeals to me.

Are there other factors such as tile material that I should consider as well? Are some types of tile easier to maintain than others?

You really need to have a solid surface for large tiles.  The actual tiling is not the hard part.  You need to make sure you have a very very flat concrete or backer board subfloor.

As for installing the tiles the only thing "harder" is that you will have to back butter your tiles.  Also if you mess up a cut bad it costs you more.

The flip side is if your subfloor is set up right you can have a really nice looking kitchen floor.  The big tiles do look nicer and clean easier.  Also if you start in the right spot all/most of your cut edges can be hidden easier.