How to replace siding through gas pipes I am looking for the easiest, fastest way to replace siding in a wall where the outside gas pipe is coming into the home.

My assumption is that I'll need to turn off the gas, replace the pipe, replace the siding, cut the correct sized hole for the gas pipe and reassemble; however, this seems expensive. Is there an easier, pro way of replacing siding like this?

Thank you!!!

If you have threaded iron gas pipe coming into the house, expect a MUCH MUCH larger job that it looks like if you do that - you have to start at the loose end of that pipe and back every joint out, one at a time, until you get to the siding.

The typical way of handling that situation with solid siding (clapboards, shakes, etc) is to cut a notch in the siding below the pipe hole, fit that notch around the pipe, and backfill the notch with the cut-out piece and glue/silicone.

If vinyl siding, don't remove a whole notch, just slit the siding below the pipe hole, twist to fit around the pipe, then slip another smallish scrap of siding in from behind (silicone optional) to hold the slit closed. It helps a LOT if the slit isn't dead centered on the pipe hole, but rather at either horizontal edge of the hole.

By all means, leave that pipe right where it is.


Can I salvage aluminized roofing paint Through impatience, I failed to adequately mix a 5-gallon bucket of aluminized roofing paint before I hauled it up the ladder and painted my roof.

Now, I am left with a huge wad of putty like aluminum paste at the bottom of the bucket.  I realize that I'll probably need to re-paint, but is there a safe way to salvage this gunk?

Is it safe to thin this paste with paint thinner or diesel?

I'm frankly worried that using a thinner (especially diesel) will trigger some chemical reaction rendering the re-mixed paint into something dangerous.

There are different formulations for aluminum roof coatings. I doubt that what I'm about to say is incorrect, but if you want to be 100% sure, call the manufacturer.

Diesel contains surfactants and oils; diesel will leave a residue; I very much doubt that there would be any chemcial reactions, but it will probably result in wasted or reduced quality paint. You should be able to add a little (like 10% by volume) paint thinner if you need to store it (so that it doesn't dry out) until you have a chance use it. For recycling the aluminum (and probably perlite) sludge, the best advice (IMHO) would be to mix it with more/fresh aluminum paint, and re-coat this heavy mixture over the area that you painted with light-aluminum paint.


Plug too hot to touch after using toaster I've used a toaster in the same outlet for a few years, today when unplugging it immediately after use I noticed the metal prongs on the plug were uncomfortably hot. The outlet was hot too, but quickly cooled down. I took the face plate off and couldn't see any damage to the outlet or wires, other than a lot of dust back there.

Using the same toaster in a different outlet didn't cause it to heat up, it's just this one outlet. I'm in the US and these are the original outlets in a house that's 35 years old.

Should the outlet be replaced?

Also I assume the heating up comes from the wires making poor contact with the screw terminals on the outlet, so would it be advised to strip the wires back a bit to expose fresh copper when putting in the new outlet?

Should the outlet be replaced?

Yes.

I am an intensely curious person and I absolutely worship the scientific method, but even I would refrain from trying to find out exactly what the problem is here. It is a bad idea to use one's domicile infrastructure as an experimental laboratory.

The heat could be coming from a poor connection between the wires and the receptacle, or a poor contact between the receptacle slots and the plug tines. But whatever the problem, it's certainly confined to the receptacle. Just bin it.


Why did my torch-down roof patch fail? I am looking to diagnose reasons why my first attempt at torch-down patching of my almost-flat roof (1/12) failed. I used this inexpensive torch fueled by a small, camping propane tank, for compactness and ease of transport to the roof:

To make a small patch around a fart fan roof vent using this material:

I couldn't get the other side (mating surface) of the material to melt and become adhesive, so it wouldn't stick. The environmental conditions were around 35°F and windy (probably 15 mph wind, which visibly interfered with the flame and was "sailing" the material as I was holding it with groove joint pliers). I did make sure the roof surface was dry.
Could it be because:

Inadequate (cheap) torch
Inadequate fuel tank (should have used 20 lb like for grilling, which would make it harder to get up on the roof)
Environmental conditions (temp + wind)
Lack of workman skill
Something else?

The 1 lb tank will not supply the flow needed. you used the equivalent of a small hand torch with that bottle adapter to the 1 lb tank. There is a smaller than 5 gallon 20 lb tank I think it is 10 lb and will supply the proper flow of propane if you don’t have or want the standard size tank but need a few minutes of high flow. This is the most likely cause but the low temp and wind added or even compounded the problem. Hot tar can be an art but it’s easy to learn.
Getting the surface to be bonded hot enough to “wet” or turn the material surface to liquid then start sticking it down and continuing working it until sealed. With small patches I usually will add tar around the hole or in the area. I have seen guys step on the hot tar to smush it together but I was taught to use a roller so the tar is not smushed out in one spot next to a spot that is not smushed the roller helps for an even pressure, for a small patch the back of a garden rake works. And at last resort light pressure from the ball of your foot not full pressure and make sure to overlap but remember you only have 10-30 seconds depending on how warm you got everything. If you don’t have 10 seconds you are not heating the original surface enough.


How do I open a padlock after it has frozen? I do some maintenance on the neighborhood ice-skating rink. To control the lights, there is an outside electrical panel that is locked with a padlock.

This padlock always gets frozen. Every time I need to mess with the light controls, I have a hard time trying to even get the key in, then I cannot even turn it. The only solution I have found so far is to heat it up with my bare hands, which risks frostbite. That was sustainable when the weather was good, but the temperature is going down to -25 Celsius (-13 Fahrenheit) this week.

Is there a easier way to unfreeze it?

Get some lock deicer/lubricant. It's sold specifically for this and contains graphite and methanol. Shake well before applying. The methanol removes water and oil from the lock mechanism and leaves behind graphite well flooded through every nook and cranny in the device. You use graphite because it's a dry lubricant and unlike oil, it doesn't attract dirt or gum up like petroleum lubricants.


How to extend 1/2" shower connection just a little bit I am replacing the shower head we currently have with a new one. The existing shower head used a 1/2" "S" shaped pipe with male threads on each end. The new connection is designed to end up flush with the wall and has just about 3/4" of thread exposed, but the connection inside the wall is in there about 1 1/4". I got a 1/2" male/male nipple and a 1/2" female/female connector, but that ends up being too long - it adds about 2".
Not sure how I can connect this without it being too long or too short. I also don't think I can move the connection inside the wall, as it is attached to the studs, and I don't want to take out tile, etc.

There's a one-peice extension fitting that's a bit shorter. Might or might not be shorter enough; or too short. You'll probably have to order it or try a comprehensive plumbing supply.
Search on 1/2" pipe thread extension and you should get results. Male threads on one end, female threads on the other, one solid piece.
The other likely options would be select a different product more adjustable to retrofit installs, or fill the space between the wall and the fitting on a "too long" extension with some sort of accent tile of appropriate thickness.


How to open a GE Hotpoint HTW200 washer? I'm attempting to disassemble a GE Hotpoint washer (model# htw200ask2ww) in order to check (and likely replace) the suspension rod.

Every video, guide, and manual online says that to open all top-loading GE washers, you remove the front-panel and unlatch the lid using a putty knife.  However, this washer doesn't have a front-panel, and there don't seem to be any latches!

(I shoved a putty knife under the lid every which way, with no luck)

How the hell do you open this thing?

I'm not certain what part you're referring to replacing, but PartSelect has diagrams of all the component parts (and sells some of them). If you need to get completely into the cabinet, it doesn't look like there's a panel to remove & may need to be accessed from above. It appears the top panel is held in place by spring clips (328) and a couple screws (570)? But it looks like you may have to take off the controls to get to those screws.

I'm not an appliance repair technician, so take my ideas as you would any other from a stranger on the internet.

HTW200ASK2WW General Electric Washer - Overview


How can I calculate covered area under a single-slope roof? I'm looking to build a small covered patio area on our property, next to our pool.  It'll be open on all sides, and covered by a simple skillion/single-sloped roof.  So something like in this photo:

The idea behind the single sloped roof is that we'd like to be able to put a bunch of PV panels up there to generate some solar energy.

How can I combine the roof dimensions, with the angle/pitch of the roof, to determine the amount of area that will actually be covered?  Suppose the roof is 20 feet long by, say, 15 feet wide.  If it were flat that would be easy.  But if the roof is angled at say, 30 degrees, then that will change the actual covered space below it.  How would I go about calculating that exactly?

Crossposted to Mathematics


Is it normal to use a grinder to finish a new driveway? Yesterday we had new concrete pads poured.  We expected pour-day to be the last day.  I saw them out there finishing, but when we went out that evening after everyone had left, it looked half done.  There were unfinished areas, dips in the concrete, and piles of stuff:

I texted the concrete guys and asked if they were coming back after dinner or what was going on.  They texted back that it's normal for it to look like that and that they were coming back today with a grinder to finish it out.
I've never heard of using a grinder as a finishing step (though I've only been a part of a few driveway pours).  Is this normal?  Will there be any long-term consequences (to stability or performance or appearance) of using a grinder at the end like this instead of just finishing it when wet?  Or is this a red flag that things are about to go very badly and I need another contractor to come in and tell me the correct next steps?
I worry that the guys weren't prepared and just ran out of working-time.
Edit
To follow up and let everyone know what happened, I confronted them about the work.  They admitted that the did not have sufficient experience, and ran out of time before the concrete set.  They ground it down and said they would be back in next week to 'resurface' it, and grind down the resurface so it looks like finished concrete.  They also told me that as long as the original concrete had not cured, the resurfacing should fully bond and provide adequate strength.
Edit 2
Because I often wonder what happened when reading old questions.
The resurfacing product manufacturer told me their product would only last 5-7 years.  I talked to another, experienced, concrete contractor who recommend a complete repour, and I hired them to do so.
The repour came out absolutely beautiful (photos below; please ignore the skull, it was Halloween), though they could not get all of the concrete splatter left by the original contractor off the old driveway.  I've filed a lawsuit against the original contractor who has since stopped communicating with me.

That looks like a very poor finishing job to me. I've assisted on many driveways and never had to go back with a grinder. Finishing it wet is all it takes and leaves the desired surface that isn't slippery. Watch them carefully and hold off on final payment until you're satisfied with the job.


Removing A Stripped Light Fixture Dome When removing dome light fixture, very tight. I did loosen it, but now it is stripped.(just keeps turning) , Short of taking a hammer to break the dome, how do you remove It is loose enough to pry open a little , but I cannot get anything to hold the loose adapter.

I'm guessing that the whole light fixture is turning when you try to unscrew the glass globe? If so that means the base of the light has pulled away from one of the two screws that hold the fixture to the ceiling.


How do I prepare exterior concrete walls for painting? My house exterior walls are cement - how do I prep it before painting? Here's some photos. I'm thinking maybe a pressure washer but would prefer an easier, less messy alternative if available. I read up on some websites but the info conflicted. But I did read about using KRUD KUTTER KK32 instead of trisodium phosphate??? My goal is to do it right, do it once so it will last as long as possible. I'm thinking of using KRUD KUTTER KK32 to be neighbor friendly (due to over-spray???)

Do I power wash the paint off, then use the KRUD KUTTER KK32 and then paint or can I skip the KRUD KUTTER KK32?
any technique for catching the paint to make cleanup easier?
What paint type is best to use (for a flat finish - white or brown; not sure yet). I've read about using enamel, oil and latex

Please advise

If by cement you mean stucco (which is essentially cement) you need to strip off the layer of paint that is peeling. That's typically done with sandblasting--but not using sand as an aggregate. They typically use a softer material like the husks of nuts.

You then need to paint with a proper stucco paint that will breathe.

It's not a simple job, unfortunately.

The DIY method would be using a lot of elbow grease and manually scraping as much of the flaking paint off that you can with wire brushes.


How do I remove a stubborn element from a water heater? I need to pull and replace the elements in my water heater.  The problem is, I can't get the old ones out.   My Channellock pliers can get a grip, but slips off pretty easily.  Is there something better for removing these?

Using channellocks/pliers can fail because as you apply torque, the grip expands, causing it to slip. Adjustable wrenches do not have this problem, but still might fail due to torque being applied only to two points on the bolt head. You should be using a socket, which applies the torque evenly to all six sides of the bolt head. Hardware stores sell "cheap" thin-walled sockets made for water heater elements, which will likely work well for you.

Do a Google image search for "water heater element wrench" to get an idea for what these look like. I can't find a free image of one to insert here....

Another option would be to use a high quality socket and a long "breaker-bar", but this would be more expensive. The socket size is generally 1 1/2 inches.

If you continue to have trouble, try adding a little bit of penetrating oil (and then waiting maybe half an hour), or heat that area of the water heater with a torch in order to use thermal expansion to your advantage.


Attach net/hammock to interior walls Imagine a square room with four walls (12x12). Say you wanted to string a net across the area at a height of 6 ft, like a hammock. The net will be attached on all 4 walls, and it must support up to 400 lbs.

How would you go about affixing the net to the walls? Assume typical home construction - drywall over a wood frame.

Clearly you would have to first attach some kind of (metal?) hardware to the wall, which you would tie the netting to.

Any other ideas? Any recommendations on what product/material to attach to the walls? Any recommendations on netting material? Must be safe enough to hold up to 400 lbs worth of people.

Thanks for all the advice. Will upvote once I have enough rep. What if I did this?

So basically run a 2x4 around the room. Then run the eye bolts through this 2x4, though the drywall, and into studs. That should help take some pressure off the walls right? And add some reinforcement to keep the walls from pulling inward.

As noted by others, you've got a startling amount of force applied to something that was never designed to hold that force.

If this was my house, I'd build a 4 sided frame of 1.5" square section steel pipe, set in the top corner of the wall and lag bolted securely in a few places per wall to the top plate. I'd also be sure that the corners were solidly bolted together. Use eye bolts to connect to the hammock. You could make most of it disappear by adding crown molding.

What this means is that you're relying on the steel to resist the inward pull of the hammock, and allowing the wall to carry a purely downward load.

If all that wasn't feasible, get an engineer to run the numbers.


Rheem Hybrid Water Heater Dead My one-year old Rheem Hybrid Hot Water Heater (xe50t10hd50u0) is completely dead. Power to the unit is good (full 240v). Screen on the unit is blank. I've pressed the reset button; no help. Unfortunately, Rheem is closed because it is Sunday, so tech support is not available. Is there anything else I can try?

Disconnect the power to the unit and let it sit for 5 min and then repower it. You can either switch off the breaker or pull the plug.


How to insulate garage walls from the outside? I have a partially finished double garage that has no insulation in the exterior walls.  Half the garage (10'x20') is finished and is now my office, and half (also 10'x20') is now a workshop.  The dividing wall that I put up in the garage does have insulation, so we're just talking about exterior walls.  There is a bonus room above the garage, so I have no access from above, if that matters.

My plan is to remove the T-111 panels from the outside of the house, cut the tyvek house wrap, lay the batting in the walls from the outside, then put back the wrap and T-111.

For the record, I have removed and reattached a couple of the T-111 panels before without incident, but didn't have the time/foresight to deal with the insulation issue back then when I did it.

Are there any downsides to doing the insulation from the outside as opposed to taking down the drywall inside, or cutting holes in the drywall and blowing insulation in?  Any special procedures for putting back (or replacing) the house wrap?  Can I just seal the cuts in the house wrap with some kind of tape, or do I need to fully replace it (though it seems like I would still need some sort of tape there)?

I see no problem with your plan. I asked about vapor barrier in a comment, and since you're not using any that concern is moot. It makes no difference which side you install fiberglass batts from.

I would make a minimal number of strategically-located cuts in the housewrap. If you can cut over lumber you'll be able to tape them (using approved housewrap tape) fairly easily. If you can't, I'd consider installing strips of housewrap across the cuts and taping those edges over framing, where you can press it tight for a good seal. Lap all joints with water flow in mind, of course.


Should hot water heater pipes in the basement be insulated? I have a Gambrel style home with gas fired baseboard hotwater system.  The hotwater pipes in the basement are located to the outside wall. These pipes are not wrapped in insulation.  Would wrapping the pipes be advised?

I've done it in my basement, otherwise you are just heating the basement, which is typically not conditioned.   You can use the split foam insulation that's preformed, and cover as much as you can.


How should I build a low profile stud wall in a basement? I'm considering several options for building out a wall in a basement. Unfortunately, due to the way that the stairs leading to the basement are positioned in my house and the spacing I have to build a 30" door (there's going to be another 36" door elsewhere), I don't have much room to put up the typical 2 x 4 stud wall. At most, I have just under 4" to work with and 2 of those inches are already taken up by XPS foam board insulation. To add to the complexity, this wall would likely have to support a large TV (65" or greater).

I've looked at two options and both are worrisome. The first is using metal studs. Unless I misunderstood the measurements, I believe they can come in a 1 5/8" square size. They also provide holes to run wiring through. My concern with this approach is that I'm uncertain of how much weight such studs can hold. I've seen people use 3/4" plywood fasted to the studs with the TV mount fastened to the plywood but I would venture to guess they were much thicker.

Alternatively, I though of using 2x4s but with the wider side facing the wall and running a 1.5" pressure treated beam across the floor. I haven't found much information on such a design, being atypical that it is, and it doesn't provide an easy means of running wire. I'd have to cut out some foam board behind the stud and in some spray foam once the wires are run. I'm also concerned that such an approach would cause the studs to bow out when significant weight has been added to them. Maybe fasten them through the foam board and to the concrete (though I'd hate making unnecessary holes in my foundation)?

Finally, there is the option to cut out slots in the foam board and go with the typical 2x4 framing but with pressure treated wood. My concern with this is that the foam board provides a good vapor barrier and I'd risk not sealing things properly when I go back and spray foam all the holes.

EDIT: I've added a picture for reference purposes:

With steel sheetmetal studs fastened to sheetrock or plywood, the wall is plenty strong enough to securely support 200+ pounds—provided the load is attached and distributed properly.  Either one alone (plywood or studs) can hold that weight, but in combination they are much stronger than the sum of their capacities.

Note that the floor will carry most of the load with the framing conducting the load downward depending mostly on the non-compressible aspect of the materials.  If you are skeptical, visit a metal stud store, place one of the studs upright on the floor and stress it by pushing downward into the floor.  The only way you can cause deformation is with a very large force (800+ pounds) or flexing it laterally.

I looked for specifications, but they are surprisingly difficult to apply to this use.  If there is any doubt, you can always reduce the stud spacing to like 8 or 12 inches—They aren't so expensive that it would discourage a little overkill.


Sump pump pit fill-in / Radon mitigation I live in a partially below-ground finished basement of someone else's house. I have recently tested for radon and found the level to be elevated.

There is a 2-foot deep sump pump pit in the basement that the homeowner says has not been used for over decade and the pump is not even plugged in.

I have discussed radon mitigation with some professionals, who recommend sealing the pit with a cap and running a pipe through a hole in the exterior wall to an outdoor fan for venting out the air. However, the homeowner is wary of putting a new hole in their exterior wall and would prefer to just fill in the sump pump pit.

Would this be a reliable way of mitigating the radon and, if so, what fill-in technique would you recommend? Complete concrete, sand, foam, plastic capping, combination, etc?

No, it probably wouldn't be.  Radon can come in through many ways, not just via the sump pit.  It can come in through cracks in walls or the foundation, as well as other ways.  See http://www.dea.human.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/radon_illustration.pdf.  If you do fill in the sump pit, the radon will probably find another way into the basement.

If you wanted to try it and see what the impact is, I would suggest just buying a premade radon sump pit cover and installing it.  Make sure you caulk around the perimeter.  I would suggest against filling in the sump pit itself, were I the homeowner, unless I'd done something to mitigate against whatever water infiltration the sump pit and pump was put in there for in the first place.


Plugging in my dishwasher and water filter to the same outlet with an extender I have two appliances that I need to plug in to the same outlet. These are:
A dishwasher - Bosch Benchmark 40-Decibel Top Control 24-in Built-In Dishwasher (Stainless Steel) ENERGY STAR
A water purifier - Waterdrop RO Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System, TDS Reduction, 400 GPD Fast Flow, Tankless,
Can I plug them both in to the same outlet by using an extender? I am particularly worried about the dishwasher as it is high power and don't want to harm it by sharing power with a water purifier (which is low power)
Best,
RS

Don't use an extender!
Assuming an extender is some sort of little 3-to-1 (or similar) gadget to just "make extra outlets", those are not normally recommended for (a) permanent use, (b) hidden use or (c) high power use.

Permanent Use - They get forgotten and they are an extra point of failure since they are just "hanging around" so they are not really attached in any permanent way.
Hidden Use - Since they are not really attached in any permanent way (screwed in), they can come loose without you knowing because they are hidden inside the sink cabinet. Loose is worse than out. If an extender or anything else comes totally out, you research the problem and plug it back in. But if something is loose then it can lead to high-resistance connections, arcing and other problems which can lead to fire.
High Power Use - The first two problems are multiplied when dealing with high power use (e.g., dishwasher when running the heating element), plus many extenders, extension cords, etc. are actually rated in the fine print for only low power usage. Not a problem (generally) for occasional use, but for frequent and hidden usage, this is a big problem.

The proper solution is to replace a single receptacle with the more typical duplex receptacle, or if this is already a duplex receptacle (e.g., split circuit - top = disposal, bottom = dishwasher) then add a new duplex receptacle next to it. If you do not need a new circuit (which depends on total power requirements - separate question!) then this should be a fairly straightforward upgrade, at least if you have easy access to the existing receptacle/box.


How does a multi-tap motor speed control work? I have a Home Depot, undocumented, no-name ceiling fan and I've messed up the speed control connections, and I'm trying to understand how the circuit works.  I found a circuit on the internet which looks close to my fan, but the motor speed switch doesn't quite match.

My fan motor has 5 wires, with Blue-Brown resistance 60 Ohms, and Yellow-Red-Gray resistances of 29, 96 (and 120 yellow-gray).

The speed switch in ceiling fans appear to have some not straightforward logic in it:

I think the truth table on my switch is:

A: L+2+3
B: L+1+3
C: L+1      (Maybe this is L+1+2 ???)
D: L+1+2+3

I think my fan might take the hot in on '1' and feed the reversing coil with the 'L', then use 2+3 to control the multitap coil.

I understand the reversing of the single phase to reverse the direction of the fan, and I understand the capacitor changes the phase between the two coils to select a direction.  My question is how the interaction of the motor speed switch and the tapped coil produce the three speed changes.

Why does powering or shorting the different taps of this multi-tap motor affect the speed of the motor?  Like a DC motor, is there some kind of braking action if you short across a coil?  If you wanted high speed, would you power the full 120 ohm coil, the smaller (29ohm) section, or the 96 ohm section?  With one end of the triple tap coil tied to Neutral through the capacitor, how do you produce three speeds (High, Medium, and Low) using the two other two taps?

(eta: three speed confusion.)

ETA: This question was migrated from the electrical engineering site, but the question I was trying to ask was about the theory of multi-tap motor coils and their use, with a ceiling fan as a practical example.  In the diagram shown, with the switch table in the diagram, it appears that the high speed setting energizes to only the reversing coil, the longer/higher resistance/(/multiple coil?) sub-coil and not the reversing coil, and the low speed setting energizes only the shorter(/less poles?) coil but does not energize the reversing coil--how can these configurations possibly control direction?  For medium speed, apparently the high #turns tap is energized, but the low #turns tap is shorted.   If you energized the high #turns tap and shorted out the low #turns, would the speed be even lower?  Is the tap on this sort of multi-pole motor energizing a just a fraction of the poles or is the tap putting more or less turns on the same number of poles?

Comparing those tables: Note that the speed switch in the circuit you show isn't using L.

A: L+2+3
B: L+1+3
C: L+1      (Maybe this is L+1+2 ???)
D: L+1+2+3

0: No connection (or no connection to anything but L)
1: 2+1 (possibly plus a connection to L)
2: 1+2+3 (possibly plus a connection to L)
3: 2+3 (possibly plus a connection to L)

Making them correspond with each other...

C is obviously equivalent to 0.
D is obviously equivalent to 2.

That leaves us with

A: L+2+3
B: L+1+3

1: 2+1 (possibly plus a connection to L)
3: 2+3 (possibly plus a connection to L)

We can make those match if we relabel the connections. If we just swap the labels on your terminals 3 and 2, then

A is equivalent to 3
B is equivalent to 1

If we renumbered them all (your 2 is their 3, your 3 is their 1, your 1 is their 2), then

A is equivalent to 1
B is equivalent to 3

Pick whichever you prefer; one will switch off-high-medium-low-off, and the other will switch off-low-medium-high-off.

As far as theory goes: I'm not sure either, but let's see what I can do with it.

3 (2->3) appears to be "slow" because power flows through the right half of the bottom coil, and then through the side coil, in series. More resistance, less current flow, less power.

1 (2->1) appears to be "fast" because the left side of the bottom coil, and the side coil, are powered in parallel. Both get the full house-current voltage applied across them rather than the reduced amount of power they got in series.

2 (2->1 and 3) is the tricky one. I am far from certain, so DON'T take my word for it. But I think what's happening here is that, since the middle and right sides of the bottom coil (1 and 3) are now connected to each other,  that loop has a current induced in it by the motor's moving magnets, which creates a countering magnetic field, which acts as a magnetic brake to slow the motor... so fast with a bit of braking equals medium. Seems like an odd solution, but if I'm remembering my freshman Physics at all correctly it might actually be a reasonably efficient solution.

You might want to run this by the physics discussion, to get someone with more recent memory of electrodynamics to check and/or correct that last paragraph.

Gopher baroque...


How can I fill in the gap between my chain-link fence and its gate We have a couple of gates in our chain-link fence and bunnies and large rodents like to squeeze through them.  I would like to fill the gap somehow so the gates are still usable and look halfway decent. Here are a couple of pics of the gate. The gaps are about 5 inches wide.

If you don't care about how it looks, a piece of plywood or other rigid material mounted to the gate would bridge the gap.  You could attach it to the vertical part of the gate using a variety of types of u-bolts/brackets.

Otherwise the easiest thing is to replace the gate with a wider one. Another alternative is to move the posts to reduce the gap on the existing gate but this requires installing posts and replacing the section of fence.


Maximum span/strength of Howe Truss I'm considering removing some walls in the center of a home with Howe Trusses (see pic).  I know trusses are normally designed to transfer all the load to the exterior walls, but what concerns me is that the entire length of the house is supported roughly at the center by a wall capable of being load-bearing through to the foundation below.  And while I've owned homes with other styles of trusses, these Howe trusses look ideal for a design where the load is split between the center and the outside walls.  So I'm not confident I can remove those center walls

The exterior walls measure 25' apart on the inside (~25' 4" on center); I'm in coastal Maryland, so my snow load is 25 or 30 psf.  The roof is a 4/12 pitch, and the house was built in the 1970s.

Does anyone know for certain that the trusses in question can handle the full snow load with no center support?  I realized most people, including me, would say "ask an engineer", but I suspect someone here has experience with this truss design over this very common span distance and therefore knows the answer.

Trusses are designed based on 1) top and bottom chord size, 2) size of web members, 3) size of connectors at each chord, 4) species of wood, 5) pitch of roof.

I'd go to your local truss manufacturer and give him all the info I listed above and have him run it through his "truss calculator". It'll take him about 5 seconds and you'll know for sure. (Or, go to your local truss manufacturer and ask him to run a printout for 4:12 truss spanning 25'-7" out to out and take the printout home and compare.)

You will be able to compare everything fairly easily, except the connector plates pressed into the chord joints. For that, ask to measure one of their standard steel plates and measure distances between deformations and depth of deformations.


Can vinyl siding be painted or stained? Can vinyl siding be painted or stained, and more importantly, does it last or will I be repainting every year like a wood sided house?

Yes, you can paint it.  Make sure you clean it very well (use a TSP Cleaner) and then use a primer first (although some sites say you can get away without a primer).

Also make sure to paint it a lighter color than the current one:

  I assume you're painting with a
  lighter color paint - vinyl siding
  painted a dark color can have problems
  with warping and expansion in direct
  sun.

from http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Alt/alt.home.repair/2008-08/msg03475.html

The expected life of the paint job will be dependent on the weather conditions for that area of the house and probably be about the same as a wood sided area.


Should I connect a new ceiling fan as the old one was? I have two cables coming into box. Old fan had black and blue attached to the black (hot all the time). The white fan wire attached to other black in the box. The 2 white wires were connected as were the grounds. Should I install new fan the same way?

I think the switch was originally on the neutral (downstream) side, which should be corrected. Here's your correct configuration:

Cable 1 is the supply (home run). Cable 2 is the switch loop.

Blue and black from the fan should connect to 2-black (the return from the switch).
White from the fan should connect to 1-white (the source neutral).
The remaining black (source hot) should connect to the remaining white (switch supply).

It's pretty much this, but you'll have a blue along with the black from the fixture.


Repeated new pocket door problems New pocket door installed by reputable company this spring.  After a few weeks, it was gouging the door.  They have been back 3-4x, even changed the door once.  Always goes perfect for awhile, then gouges in a new place!    Everything else on bathroom remodel works great.
Folks house and they’re at their wits end!!!

If the door is centered in a 2X4 wall, approx. 4 1/2" thick, Fastener length must be carefully watched. Sheetrock screws should be only 1" long, if the typical 1 1/4" screws are used when the screws are set below the surface, the smallest, barely undetectable screw point will stick through and scratch a door. A few can be ground at the opening, but the ones farther in will not be able to be ground at all. They really need to be replaced. Even the nails holding the trim to the face of the wall, needs to be carefully set. If the trim is 11/16" thick and not 3/4" by the time a 2" nail is set below the surface, the point can protrude as much a 1/8" beyond the pocket door framing.
A picture would be helpful, but if the scratches are across the whole width of the door, the nails or screws that are doing the scratching are near the opening. Grinding may fix the problem. If the scratches are at the edge closest to the pocket, the problem is much deeper in the pocket and the fasters in that area needs to be replaced with shorter fasteners.


Locking a metal gate with a deadbolt I'm having a metal fence custom-made that will have a regular (pedestrian) gate as well as a double gate for vehicles. I'd like to install deadbolts on both gates for better security than other locking methods.
I see several places sell metal boxes that can be welded on with two holes (for a deadbolt and lever) or one hole (for just a deadbolt), so it seems like that will work well. But I'm wondering what to do on the other side opposite the deadbolt. I could just drill a hole through the post, but then there's no strike plate. Or weld a strike plate on and leave a bigger gap to accommodate it? Or do they sell similar metal boxes to weld into the other side?

A deadbolt doesn't need a strike plate, because the gate is swung with the bolt retracted, and then using the key the bolt is advanced into the hole.
You can use the strike plate if you want and screw or weld it in position over the hole.
For the double gate consider organising the ground pin so that it interferes with the deadlock pin or the other leaf of the gate so that it can't be withdrawn until the gate is unlocked


Installing wall shelves- Crumbling walls My husband and I just moved into a new apartment and are trying to install our floating wall shelves. When we drill into the wall, the hole gets really big and the edges crumble. It takes a good bit of pressure to drill in.

The walls must be made of a plaster, as it is solid all the way through. Our last place was thick plaster, too, though, and we were able to drill smooth, clean holes that held the shelves no problem.

Is there any way we can install things onto our wall? We've already marred a few spots pretty good. Any advice is appreciated!

Walls aren't made out of solid plaster. Plaster is merely a coating. If its hard and 'crumbling' all the way through, my guess is it's a masonry block (or brick) wall coated in plaster. Knowing what region of the world you live in may help us narrow down the potential building technique for you.

If it is masonry, there are two things you need to do:

1) Make sure it's not a party wall. Party walls are fire walls and you may not be allowed to drill into them to begin with.

2) Invest in masonry drill bits and masonry anchor screws.


Inspector says that split bolts shouldn't be used on live connections. Right or wrong? I installed a spa sub-panel on the exterior of my house.  The inside wiring is NM-B 6AWG wire that goes to a junction box where it's spliced to 6AWG direct bury rated wire (the NM-B wire I had wasn't long enough, so it was cheaper to splice).

The splice was done with split bolts, wrapping 3M Temflex rubber splicing tape, then wrapped in electrical tape.

The inspector claimed that split bolts wrapped in tape are not rated for live connections and I would need to replace the split bolts with standard blue wire nuts.

Is the inspector wrong?  To me, the wrench-tightened, rubber insulated splice would be more durable then a $0.50 wire nut.

If you are discontent with the quality of wire nuts, you can go to a proper splice block.   These are my go-to for anything larger than 6 AWG.

Source

The wires are inserted in the side, then they are tightened down from the top holes with hex keys to a specified torque.   The holes where the hex keys go in are then capped.  If the wires are near the largest size the block permits, there is nothing exposed at all.   The quality of the connection is exceptional.


How to remove window with minimum damage to outside trim I've recently purchased an old home with windows that have probably not been replaced since the thing was built in the 20's.

The siding on this home looks new and I'm taking it upon myself to replace the windows for better fuel efficiency and so that you dont feel like you're sleeping in an icebox when the temperature gets to the teens.

Is there any way to remove an old wooden window window (ropes and weights, storm window on outsides) with minimum damage to the outside trim?

There are replacement window inserts from most major window manufacturers. If your existing window frames are sound, you remove the stops (the vertical strips that hold the sashes in) and the upper and lower sashes. The new window includes a very thin frame with sashes preinserted that attaches and seals to the existing frame. This is done without removing or replacing inside and outside casings (face moldings).

Search replacement window inserts for information from the manufacturers.


How heavy is too heavy? mounting heavy window planter boxes I want to mount some heavy planter boxes on an outside wall under windows.  The boxes are 52” wide and will go below nylon window frames that are a little more than 48” wide.  I have a frame house from the 80’s with L-1011 siding covered by Hardi Plank shingles on the exterior.  I made the planter boxes out of 5/4 pvc boards.  The boxes that I made are actually designed to allow us to put generic plastic planter boxes or pots inside these outer more ornamental shells.  The shell boxes are also designed to hold weight of plants and to not sag in the front.

When I say heavy, I figure that the interior planter boxes have about 2.8 cubic feet of volume.  If I filled this space with water, which is the worst case, they would weigh 174 lbs.  The boards used for the outside boxes aren’t light either.  I don’t know exactly, say 50 lbs. That’s over 220 lbs.  the interior boxes that will contain the plants are plastic and don’t weigh much.

My goal is low maintenance and to mount these boxes so that they won’t sag but also so to mount them so that they can be removed, and when removed ideally, not leave an unsightly hanging mechanism.

I want to use four 3/8” stainless mounting screws for each box.  These are the kind of screws with two sets of threads, a screw end to screw permanently into the stub and a bolt end that will go through the board on the back of the box and will be attached to the box with a large washer and a removable nut.   The back of the boxes won’t exactly be flush to the mounting wall, as the shingles are irregular.

My questions:

Will four mount points be enough for the weight?
Can I screw two of the mounting bolts through into the window’s king studs near the bottom of the window, and the two other two into the lower orphan studs or jack studs?  Will this be strong enough?   Am I liable to break my window trying to hold this using the king studs and jack studs?  Is 230 lbs a lot, too much maybe, for studs on an exterior wall?

What do you suggest? Thank you!

I used z-clips also known as french cleats. Perfect. They distribute the load across the sill of the window, including to the studs on both sides. Seems to be holding fine.


Repair drywall and protect wires on back of electrical panel My electrician had to cut drywall on the back side of a wall that has a new electrical panel mounted. The back side is the kitchen (the panel is facing into the living room). The feeder and a bunch of existing circuits came from above. The electrician wanted to notch it out of a structural beam, but I didn't want that much damage to the beam.

See pictures below for what it looks like right now. I don't want to just put some drywall over here, because somebody in the future could screw into it and hit the 100A feeder or any of the other circuits. I'm thinking of putting a wood cover over the vertical wall piece, and some drywall to cover the ceiling. I figured if I leave the screws exposed it might be clear that this is an access panel with something behind it, and they shouldn't screw into it. I also thought about putting some sheet metal behind it, but I'm not sure how thick it would have to be to prevent nails and screws from penetrating it and hitting the wires.

Two questions:
- what should I do for the vertical part of the wall
- How can I make a good transition from the drywall in the ceiling to the vertical access door.

I think your idea of a wood panel isn't bad, but I would go the extra mile here:

Buy a nicer board, a couple of basic hinges, and a knob
Paint the mounted opening white and fix your drywall
Cut your board to be large enough to cover the opening and paint it white
Attach the knob and hinges, then mount to the opening on the side closest to the wall

It looks like a cabinet, but if you slap a simple label of "Electrical" on it, nobody will attempt to use it to hang things, etc. A mere board may be confused for a bulkhead.


Does these electrical issues require an immediate repair? We are discussing the purchase of an existing house in France (built in 1948 and in good conditions overall), where the law prescribes that each aspect of a building is inspected by a professional inspector.
He has found some issues about the electrical system:

The envelope of at least one material is missing or damaged.
The electrical installation includes at least a connection with a bare active part under voltage accessible.
The rated current (rating) of the protection against overloads and short circuits of at least one circuit is not suitable for the section corresponding conductors.
At least one protective device against overcurrent is not placed on a phase conductor.
At least one circuit (not supplying outlets) is not earthed.

And he also added:

There is no high sensitivity differential device < or equal to 30mA.
At least one receptacle is not a shutter type.
At least one socket outlet does not have a 15mm well.

My question is, are these problems serious enough to require to be fixed immediately or they are to be expected for a house that it is not new?
I am going to ask to some electrician about them, but they may have an interest in pushing me to carry out some work immediately, while I would be more than happy to postpone them to next year.

The envelope of at least one material is missing or damaged.

The electrical installation includes at least a connection with a bare active part under voltage accessible.

Sounds like a missing cover or crumbling insulation on a wire.  The latter is urgent, the former, it depends who spends time in your house and whether they have curious fingers.

The rated current (rating) of the protection against overloads and short circuits of at least one circuit is not suitable for the section corresponding conductors.

Urgent, and easy.

At least one protective device against overcurrent is not placed on a phase conductor.

Urgent, and probably easy.

At least one circuit (not supplying outlets) is not earthed.
There is no high sensitivity differential device < or equal to 30mA.

The latter means no RCD aka "whole house GFPE".  (I hate to call it a GFCI since it's barely that).
Either one of these things I wouldn't consider urgent.  But both together -- Studies of aviation accidents find it usually takes several problems overlapping to down an airplane.  The airplane could do fine with 2 of 3 of the problems, but when all 3 coincide...  They talk about "several slices of Swiss Cheese, and the holes happening to line up".
These two failure conditions are 2 holes already lined up.  Your defense-in-depth is gone.  One more thing fails and you're done.
So yeah, fix at least one of those things, and the RCD is the easier path unless there are serious wiring defects.  One could also do 5mA RCBOs on a per-circuit basis; that is in fact equivalent to American GFCIs, and the more sensitive detection makes it more useful for human safety.
5ma detection is too sensitive for a whole house, which is why whole-house RCDs are 30ma. They are mostly there to detect parallel arc faults.

At least one receptacle is not a shutter type.
At least one socket outlet does not have a 15mm well.

Only an issue around children.  European socket defense is actually pretty good without tamper shutters.


Installing nema 14-50 with no ground Good morning,
Im in the US and I have a problem that I can't seem to find a straight answer for.
I recently bought a new range and the receptacle was a 3 prong but the oven uses a 4 prong cord. I see a lot of people with this issue but the details are a little different.
The previous receptacle was a nema 10-50 and there are only 3 wires coming out of the box, a red, black and white. No ground. I found a video explaining that it's fine to hook the new 14-50r without a ground (just connect the 2 hot and 1 neutral) so I did that. I turned it on and everything appears to be working great. My question is if this is safe or not because aside from that video I haven't seen anyone else online do this same thing.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Nope, no good.
The right thing to do in this situation is not to just omit the equipment ground wire from the four-wire receptacle as if it was optional.  It will operate, but it will not be code compliant, and it won't be as safe as it could or should be.  That wire is after all the safety ground.
If you aren't prepared to run a ground wire for the circuit, the right thing to do in this situation is use the three-wire receptacle, and change the appliance cord to a three-wire, making the connections inside according to the manufacturer's instructions for a three-wire cord.  It's a simple fix, easy, inexpensive, code compliant, and reasonably safe.  There are literally millions of ranges and dryers installed this way in older homes in the US.
With most ranges and dryers, the instructions will show how to connect your cord if you're using a receptacle without an equipment ground.  The connection generally bonds the neutral to the frame of the appliance.  While this is not quite as safe as a four-wire circuit wired with an equipment ground, it does provide protection / fault clearing in case of an internal ground fault in the appliance.  Here's an example:

from a power company handout.
If you have a four wire cord with the usual four-wire connections inside the appliance, but the equipment ground goes nowhere in that receptacle, you have no fault clearing for those internal ground faults, which is potentially dangerous.
If someone knew what they were doing, I suppose they could use a four-wire cord with a four-wire receptacle that has no equipment ground, but bond neutral to ground inside the appliance like you would with a three-wire cord.  You would have the same fault-clearing you'd have with a three wire cord.  But that's still a bad idea.  For one thing, if anyone ever corrects the wiring of the receptacle, but assumes the appliance is wired normally - a reasonable assumption - they will not remove the bond / jumper inside, and it will create a dangerous configuration where you have unwanted current on the equipment ground.  But if they know what they're doing, wouldn't they just do it the right way?
In addition, since the instructions for the four-wire receptacle don't make that equipment ground optional, it's a code violation to install the receptacle without the ground.  Even if it was not a code violation, it's a common sense violation.  When someone sees a NEMA 14-50R it's reasonable for them to assume there's an equipment ground, and if they plug in equipment wired for that equipment ground, they will unknowingly create an unsafe situation.


Why do space heaters make the air smell like that? My parents live in a country house and they've got a bunch of space heaters of various designs. Some of them are:

Heating coil and a fan (hot air blower)
Oil-filled battery
Flat electric battery (no liquids inside)
Infrared lamp

Only the infrared type doesn't make the air smell weird (or at least not as much as the other types). Others noticeably make the air smell like it's burnt or something. And they're all not new, so they've had enough time to work through whatever extra factory residue was on them originally.

I've spent some time enjoying the heat from campfires, fireplaces, hot evening breezes near large bodies of water, and a nervous couple minutes near a clearly faulty heater which was about to short out and give off a thick cloud of smoke. Those are all smells distinctly different from that.

Why are (properly functioning) heaters making the air smell weird? What's in that smell?

When air contacts a sufficiently hot object, dust in the air burns, and in some cases, particles from the hot object are also ejected similar to how dry ice sublimates.  Dust can also gather on the heating filament when not in use, and burn off immediately when plugged in.

An infrared lamp with a sealed glass bulb contains the hottest point (the filament of the bulb) within a sealed glass enclosure, eliminating filament loss.  Radiant heaters are also the least likely to stir currents of air over he heater.

For those two reasons, an infrared heater is least likely to produce a noticeable smell.


Seal a backup drain from sewer gas? I want to install a backup drain for a bathroom where there might be overflow onto the floor. The problem is how to seal that drain against sewer gas. The usual P-trap cannot be used because the drain will ordinarily never be used. It is just there in case of an unusual overflow condition, like someone flooding a sink for example.
How can I seal the drain from sewer gas?

The ordinary P trap is required to be used, as I'm quite sure that you live in an area covered by ordinary plumbing codes.
A Trap Filler AKA Trap Primer and/or a floor drain seal may also be required to protect the trap seal.
https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/IPC2018/chapter-10-traps,-interceptors-and-separators#IPC2018_Ch10_Sec1002.4
IPC 1002.4 Other codes will be similar.


What to do about a radiator behind a curtain? I have lived in several houses, including my current one, where there is a large radiator behind a curtain, and a window above the radiator.

My question is - just how bad is this for heat efficiency?  Are there any good methods to improve the situation (apart from keeping the curtains open.)

Thanks.

It is terrible, shorten the curtains.   This is like putting a towel over traditional vents.   You are paying to warm up the curtains and probably getting a small fraction of the actual heat the radiator should be dispersing.   But you will have warm curtains!


Hot water temp in shower/tub fluctuates I live in a condo that has 13 units in two buildings and am the president of the board. A few months ago we had a new water pump installed in our boiler room. Shortly after that all three units in my tier of the building experienced hot water fluctuations in the shower. The water would go from being hot to cold and back. This would happen several times while using the shower.

We had the plumber out who replaced and installed the new pump to check and see if it was the cause of the issue but he couldn't find anything wrong. We replaced all the cartridges in the tub faucets and that didn't help. The plumber checked again for a possible cause in our boiler room but again couldn't find anything. So as a test he turned off the hot water return line which stopped the water from fluctuating. It wasn't an issue to do it because my tier is directly above the boiler room so we get hot water rather quickly.

Now owners in the adjacent building which is further away from the boiler room are having the same issue with the hot water fluctuating in the shower. A plumber was recently out again to check for the cause but couldn't find anything. His theory is that someone remodeled their bathroom around the time the new water pump was installed and crossed the lines there. He advised us to check any units that had major work done in their bathrooms recently.

The plumber says a large volume of cold water is getting in the hot water line. He showed me the hot water line in the boiler room and we both felt it get cold and go back to being hot a couple of times. Since I know very little about plumbing would this be the cause of the issue? Is there something else that may be causing this? Could a bad cartridge in someone's tub faucet be the cause (which seems unlikely to me)? If anyone could point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it.

Your plumber is right... or his test was successful in identifying the problem. Since the hot water is installed in a loop system, and cutting off the return seems to solve the problem (or at least reduced the issue), then obviously there is a bad cartrige or crossed line somewhere.

Cold water usually has a slightly higher pressure than the hot water because it has a shorter path to travel (it doesn't travel through a boiler). So, with a bad cartrige (maybe missing an o-ring or something) or a crossed pipe, the cold water would flow into the hot (instead of hot into cold).

Regarding the test, since the hot water is installed in a loop system, the pressure is actually even lower than a non-return type system. The lower pressure of the hot water loop system allows more cold water to enter the hot water line. When he shut off the return (no loop), the problem was lessened to a noticeable extent. This strongly suggest a crossed pipe or faulty cartrige.


Frame Overhanging Slab by 3inches and not attached to support bolts I'm using a contractor to build a brand new 2000sq foot home.  There is one section on the house that looks suspect.  The slab subs obviously overpoured, and it looks like it was compounded even more by the framers doing a shoddy job.  There are two 5 foot sections that are not attached to the slab bolts (if that's what you call them), and the corner support strap is bent all up.  Can anyone tell me if this is 'normal' or not?  My builder said this is not uncommon and that it is secure and that 'all is well', but I'm a little apprehensive to just let this one go.  My bank is going by for an inspection soon, so should I bring this up to them, or call in a 3rd party inspector?  Any thoughts, please I'm open for suggestions.  I'm adding some pictures here:

That is not normal or acceptable workmanship. The correct response to a foundation that far out of specification is to require the foundation contractors to rip it out and try again, or not get paid. Clearly that point was missed.

The larger problem for you is that you are already entered into a contract with an incompetent, lying builder. I'd have your lawyer/solicitor review your options at this point according to the terms of your contract. I can't see a lot of hope for a happy outcome, unfortunately. And yes, call in inspectors, notify the bank, etc.


Are there simple ways to construct shelving under a kitchen worktable? I have the following worktable in my kitchen:

I'd like to have another "shelf" below the table top. Are there any simple solutions to this problem?

It might be possible to purchase another shelf from the manufacturer, but I think this would be expensive and installing another shelf by "slipping" it on will likely be very difficult.

it is somewhat difficult to answer because I cannot tell what is easy for you.  It depends a lot of what kind of tools you have.

One way I can think of requiring basic tools would be to cut 3 pieces of 2x4 to fit between the legs and attach them to the leg with screws.  They are horizontally placed about 12” below your table top.  Then cut the shelf and have it rest on top of the 3 pieces of wood.  Attach the shelf it support with wood glue.


Cedar shakes/shingles for bird feeder The previous owners of my house left us a bird/squirrel feeder that looks like this:

While the cedar shingle root is falling apart, the frame itself is fine and I would like to replace the roof (26" x 13" each side).

All I can find at the big box stores are 16" or 24" shingles in large lots, which isn't really useful. The shingles are way too long and the quantity is much too large.

I need suggestions on what to use as an alternative to standard cedar shingles.

Either buy a bundle (#2 white cedar, and pick out the better ones) and cut them down, or visit a jobsite with shingling in progress and ask for offcuts (bring coffee and doughnuts to improve your odds of "yeah, sure, take whatever you need from the scrap pile")

A quick glance shows that $10 will get a bundle of "utility" grade shingles, which is codeword for "bad" but you can probably trim those to get enough usable shingles for your small job and a lot of kindling for lighting fires with.

Any job will have a large number of cutoffs where the top of the wall or roof is finished with short shingles - no short shingles are sold, so all the 4"-8" shingles lining the top have a corresponding 12"-8" cutoff.

You might think you'll just buy a pack of shims, but shims are too narrow to function as shingles (anything less than 3" wide is not wide enough.) That might even be what was originally done on your bird feeder, upon a quick count - and part of why it failed so badly. You need at least 1-1/2" from a joint in one layer to a joint in the next layer - thus, 3" is a minimum.


How should a section of cast iron piping be replaced? I just discovered a leaking section of cast iron pipe in my basement. There is moisture around the joints, but I guess there could be pinhole-sized spots or a crack on the bit I can't easily see. I'm not sure how long it's been like this but I want to get it dealt with ASAP. I'm looking for some information about the overall process and some ideas about the severity so I can deal with the plumber. Should this be replaced with new cast iron or something else? Will they need to dig up the floor?

The house is 67 years old. This waste pipe appears to be for the upstairs master bathroom based on it's location towards the front of the house.

The only action I've taken is making the bathroom off limits and I have setup a dehumidifier in the basement.

Here are photos

Cast Iron drain pipe with Bell fittings, these are packed with oakum and overlaid with hot poured lead driven in place to seal and then a second layer poured in to complete the seal.

It may only need the lead driven in to repack the oakum and a new layer of lead poured.

Contact a plumber with knowledge about old drain systems, cast iron can take a long time to rust through and may not need replacement.


How to connect backyard cover to existing roof? This is an image I found on the internet

My roof in the backyard is very similar where it sloping down toward the yard. I want to make the cover like the photo.

Few questions:

From the photo, look like they put the new roof of the cover ON TOP of the existing roof? How does water get run off?
Is the gutter still there under the new roof of the cover?
How to do this correctly? I am not sure if the photo shows a correct way of doing this.

Thanks

UPDATE 1:

Option 1:

I like the glass design. But thinking of using lumber instead of metal frame. Look like this will require cutting into the existing overhang. I also saw a little pipe pointing to the left side. How does the water escaping out of there? Also it seems "flat".

Option 2:

This option seems "correct" in term of slope and water escape. But how do I frame the "white triangle" portion below the patio? Is it just siding material?

The photo does indeed show the patio cover extending up over the existing roof. This is not the normal way to do this sort of thing but apparently had to be done that way because there was next to no clearance between the tops of the windows and the existing roof overhang to attach a more conventional ledger board onto the side of the house. With the conventional ledger board it would be screwed into the wall studs and then the rafters of the patio cover would attach to the ledger using hanger brackets.

Using the method showing in the picture it is necessary to open up the existing roof covering so that the upper ends of the cover rafters can be tapered and fastened down to the roof structure. The the roofing material of the cover is installed followed by replacement covering of the existing roof overlapping the upper end of the cover material. Sometimes the cover rafters may even be extended and nailed to the sides of the existing roof rafters. Doing this requires removing the sheathing of the existing roof at the point where the join is made.

In that picture, the roof of the house is so flat that it is possible that they extended the roofing material of the patio cover all the way to the ridge of the house roof.


Shelving on Rubble Stone Foundation I am looking to build shelving, nothing fancy, for a basement wall. I want to go the easiest possible route and was thinking of nailing a couple 2x4's to the wall and attaching some shelving brackets to them with some plywood shelves. The difficult part is that the wall is a rubble stone foundation wall and because of its unevenness I'm not sure how easy it will be to level the 2x4's. Any ideas?

You really don't want to penetrate that wall at all nor especially hang anything off of it. It's really just meant to work vertically, not laterally.

The best & only right shelving method is to hang the shelving from the ceiling joists, then you can have as many as you want. 2x4's resting against the wall with a lot of weight is perfectly fine.


Whats purpose of four pole breaker? I was working on a friends house today, mostly running a new branch circuit for an upgraded kitchen.   That all went fine.   However, the panel in the basement has a four pole breaker as the main.  I've never seen a panel this way.  What's the purpose?

Has anybody seen this before?   Why would they do this?

The manufacturer decided that rather than develop a 200 ampere double pole breaker, they'd parallel 100 ampere breakers to create the breaker instead.
Each leg of the service is connected to a pair of 100 ampere single pole breakers in parallel. This configuration allows the current to be divided equally between the breakers, as long as it can be guaranteed that the resistance across each breaker is nearly identical.
Basically the manufacturer created a double pole 200 ampere breaker, using four 100 ampere breakers.
Before you get the idea to try this at home, 240.8 of the National Electrical Code (NEC) prohibits it.

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection
Article 240 Overcurrent Protection
240.8 Fuses or Circuit Breakers in Parallel. Fuses and circuit breakers shall be permitted to be connected in parallel where they are factory assembled in parallel and listed as a unit. Individual fuses, circuit breakers, or combinations thereof shall not otherwise be connected in parallel


How can I dim landscape lights permanently? I googled this question before posting here - I cant seem to find anyone with my exact needs, so I am asking here.

I have a light switch connected to an outlet that is under my house. From here I have a power strip mounted to the joist then there are 3 sets of Home Depot brand landscape lights connected to this strip (22 total lamps). They are too bright, and I would like to dim all three permanently (meaning set it once). I don't have any desire to change the level once I have it set, so its okay if the device I need is under the house.

What should I do?

The specifications for the current power pack (transformer) offered by Malibu says that it is Not for use with dimmers. Older versions listed on their site also say the same thing.

While some of the earlier transformers from that manufacturer may differ, it doesn't look promising unless you swap out the transformer for a different brand.


Toro ready start lawn mower dead Toro Personal Pace Recycler 22 in.
Variable Speed Self-Propelled Gas Lawn Mower
Briggs & Stratton Engine
Model #: 104M02-0010-F1
Serial:1412305830813
Parts List: PDF

Last worked one month ago.
Now, I pull and pull, but engine won't start (doesn't even sound like it tries)

This youtube video @ 2:53 is how my lawn mower sounds and acts. Later on the guy sprays some stuff into the engine and shows how it will start and cut off. My lawn mower won't even do that.

TL;DR: Aside from checking/changing the spark plug, is there anything else I can do or should I just figure out how to load the thing in my car and have it serviced?

Troubleshooting steps I've done:

Drained the oil and put new SAE 30 in.
Drained the fuel and put new fuel in (fresh from gas station).
Watched a youtube video saying use 13/16 inch spark plug
Looked up accessories for mower on Home Depot and was recommended 13/16 spark plug
Purchased the spark plug and a 13/16 spark plug socket
Tried to remove the spark plug with purchased socket and the socket was too damn big
Much shakes fist, very frustration
Plugged the spark plug wire back into spark plug and tried to start
Pulled a few times and back at square one

More troubleshooting with DIY users help:

I've verified blue spark by unscrewing the spark plug from the engine, stuck it back into the "lead" (the cable that was plugged into the spark plug), and pulled a few times.

I can turn it in for warranty but its heavy and I'd prefer to know how to fix this instead of having to lug it back to Home Depot and wait who knows how long for them to fix it. Next thing I'm going to do is see if I can at least get the socket right so I can check the spark plug. Local Home Depot does not sell the spark plug itself, gotta order it.

EDIT: while I was at home depot to get a new socket and some cleaner, the dude told me i needed to look at the spark plug in order to see which one it is. Turns out its an AUTOLITE 3924 in case anyone else needs to get one. Alts are the Champion 5/8in RC12YC and the E3.20

We need to divide the problem in half. In the case of an engine we need to decide if it's not starting because of gas or spark. Too test the engine for spark your going to need an extra set of hands or some electrical tools. If you have help you can have some one hold the spark plug wire close to the spark plug while you pull the string. If electricity is getting to the spark plug you will see a spark jump from the wire too the sparkplug. IF you see a spark we can now trouble shoot the fuel.

The easiest way to check the fuel would be to buy a can of ether, that is what the guy in the video sprayed into the engine. If it runs for a couple seconds (or even acts like its about to start) then we know the problem is with the carburetor or fuel system in general.

If you complete these next steps please come back and +1 my answer(so I get a notification) and I will continue to assist you in trouble shooting. Regardless if it's spark on fuel the trouble shooting only get more and more complex from here. I would replace the spark plug and if that doesn't work I would look at calling Home Depot, they might even pick the lawn mover up for you. They are good people.

How to check for spark video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUOmsGiirTU


Window Replacement (Inserts or Gut Out) When replacing wood windows of a brick house do you just insert them into the old frame or do you gut the frame out and replace the whole thing?

What are the pros and cons of each method?

Edit: I have double hang windows at the moment and the replacement would be the same type.  FWIS, I've been looking at different materials and would probably go with fiberglass rather than vinyl or wood.

If you're thinking of changing materials then it would probably be better to replace the whole window, frame and all. I'm not sure how well fibreglass would slide against the (painted) wood.

If you just want to replace the moving parts then it's certainly possible, but you need to make sure that the thickness of the windows match. There are companies in the UK that offer a sash window renovation service - when I last checked some of them did offer this.


Is 14.2 acceptable for an electric baseboard? I wanted to add a new electric baseboard heater, 1500 w in series with an old 2500 w baseboard. As I stared the work l noticed the wire used is a 14.2 wire. Is this a problem. Must I rewire everything?

The limits on wire size are based on amps, not watts, so we would need to know the amps the heaters require before determining the wiring requirements. 14 gauge wire is good for a 15 amp breaker, but for a continuous load you are supposed to derate to 80%, which is 12 amps. On a 120V circuit that would be 1450 watts and on a 240V circuit that would be 2900 W.

Also, how and why would you wire these in series? Virtually nothing in household wiring should be in series (except for switches). A simple resistive load like an electric heater would probably work if wired in series but it would dramatically reduce the heat output of both and is certainly a violation of the manufacturer's installation procedure.


are these mud tunnels from termites or carpenter ants? I found some (apparently now vacant) "mud tunnels" in a wall void behind some drywall, in an area where water damage had occurred "over a winter."  (This is in Utah FWIW--apparently we have both termites and carpenter ants present).  Any guesses? termites? Carpenter ants? and more .  Thanks!

Termites, without a doubt. That's the way they eat wood. Also, only termites eat drywall paper, as your second picture shows happened.


ground wire to neutral in a boathouse Recently a home inspector flagged the panel box in a boathouse for having a ground wire attached to the neutral bus bar. The ground came from a jet ski lift attached to the boathouse. This 10 yr old house was in sale process so it had been that way for 10 yrs. I moved the wire to the ground bar. Is that ok?

This is a special situation.

Don't fool around with grounds around water

Electrical drownings are some of the most tragic fatalities around electrical.  Current that is nowhere near lethal can stun a person to where they cannot keep their head above water, and they drown.   Far worse, when someone goes to rescue them, they too suffer the same fate, like these four girls and nearly, several more rescuers.

Or it may be mistaken for a plain drowning, and only discovered after an unusual string of drownings (and more).

In fact, the death of more than one person (victim and rescuer) is the hallmark of an electrical drowning.

There are literally hundreds of these incidents.

Using Earth as a "ground wire" actually causes this

The whole point of the ground wire is to return fault current back to source.  Current wants to return to source, not earth, and artificial current's source is your electrical service (i.e. neutral).  If current leaks, you want to efficiently return it via the grounding wires back to the main panel and back to the power company.

Current flows down every available path in proportion to its conductance (1/resistance) - you can't do anything about that, but you can provide an extremely high-conductance path so that proportionately very little (almost no) current flows any other way. That's what a ground wire does.

Anyway, earth - even wet earth - is a terrible conductor.  That's why we go to all the trouble to mine copper :) It's low enough conductance that if it's in parallel with a human, some fraction of total current will flow through the human.  And that will drown them.

So we definitely do not want to go to earth as our current return, because that will cause current to try to return via earth, water and anyone in the way.

Tying ground and neutral causes a single point of failure

If your neutral-ground wire breaks, and that is a common enough problem, it means that normal current tries to return to neutral (but can't) so it floats the neutral up toward 120V.  Neutral is tied to ground at the boathouse, so ground also floats to 120V.  And ground is tied to equipment in contact with water, so it also floats the water and earth up to 120V.

Now if you have separate neutral and ground back to the house, it may seem clever to bond them to halve your chances of a wire break.  Actually, not so much.  Many things which would sever neutral would also sever ground, and you're back to this situation.

Whereas  if neutral and ground are kept separate and severed, the equipment just won't work.  It will not electrify the grounds/water unless it also has a ground fault.  So it requires a double failure to have a problem.  It's true that second failure could happen first and lurk until the first failure happens, but if you are using GFCI protection, it won't be likely.


Flow rate for a small garden waterfall I would like to build a really small (~1.5 x 1.5 m2) alpine garden with a water stream in my garden. There is already a plastic pond there, 0.35 m deep and 0.6 m in diameter, from the previous owners, which I am actually going to cover. I have a baby daughter and don't want her to fall into water one day. I need to select the correct pump for the project.

I've read that ideally I should pump the complete volume of water each hour. The pond volume is just below 100 l, and I was unable to find an outdoor pump with the flow rating below roughly 400 l/h. So I am wondering:

Can a pump be actually too powerful for a given task (not in the sense of wasting money, but in terms of creating a ridiculously powerful flow, spitting water all around the place etc?
Can I somehow regulate the actual flow once the pump is in the pond, to make the stream look natural?
The pump I have found is rated for the maximum height of 0.7 m. Can I rely on this value if I want the alpine garden to be 0.6 m high (from the water level), or do I need some safety factor and thus an even more powerful pump?

Teach your baby daughter to swim as soon as possible - there's plenty of water to fall into that is not in your garden.

A pump rated for 0.7m head should be fine with a 0.6m lift.

If you cannot find a pump with  lower minimum flow (though, to be honest, you may find the "waterfall" aspect of 100 l/hr or 1.6 l/minute a bit more like a dull trickle) you can place a pipe from the pump output to the pump input, with a valve that you can adjust so that the actual water pumped out is, say, 100l/hr while the pump is pumping 400l/hr, but 300 of that is recirculating in the pipe.

I suspect the pump rate advisory is intended for a minimum flow rate of ponds with fish, etc. in them - that does not sound like your actual situation, so 400 l/hr (or more) may be a perfectly acceptable flow rate for your application.


Water leaks out of spout when the shower is on The faucet leaks while the shower is on. I removed the spout and all there is, is a pipe coming out of the wall. Do I have to remove the tiles to get at whatever is behind them or can I fix this problem as it is, i.e. pipe only coming out of the wall.

Thank you

If the shower diverter knob is on the faucet itself, then that can also happen if there is low water pressure to the shower. The type of spout you have uses some of the water pressure to seal the gaps that would otherwise allow water to come out of the spout. The easiest thing to try would be to simply unscrew the faucet from the pipe and replace with another of the same type and see if it works better. If not, then your issue has more to do with the shower water pressure being too low.

If that is not the case, then replacing any different kind of diverter may require working inside of the wall. Access to most shower plumbing is usually done from the opposite side of the wall, in another room.


When should pipe dope vs thread tape be used? For threaded plumbing connections, you typically use pipe dope or thread tape (aka teflon tape). Are there situations when one is preferred over another? Does the size of the pipe, type of pipe, part being connected, or other variable make a difference in the selection?

Note, this assumes you aren't using both at the same time.

Whether dope is required at all, is dependent on the type of threads. The type of thread is determined by the tap or die used to create the threads, and should be labeled on the pipe or fitting.
Thread Standards
National Pipe Thread (NPT)
This type of thread when mated, may contain slight gaps between the major and minor diameter of the threads. Because of this, a thread seal agent may be required. However, this type of thread is tapered at a rate of 1/16 (3/4"/foot), which often allows a seal to be made without a sealing agent.
May be listed as MNPT or FNPT, for male and female threads respectively.
National Pipe Thread Fuel (NPTF)
NPTF threads are designed so that when the threads are mated, they actually deform to create a mechanical seal. Since the seal is created by the threads themselves, a thread seal agent is not required (though may be used as a lubricant).
May be listed as MNPTF or FNPTF, for male and female threads respectively.
National Pipe Straight (NPS)
This type of thread is similar to NPT, except that the thread does not have a taper. A thread seal agent is required, but should be selected differently due to the lack of taper.
May be listed as MNPS or FNPS, for male and female threads respectively.
National Pipe Straight Fuel (NPSF)
NPSF like NPTF creates a mechanical seal due to the deformation of the threads, however, unlike NPTF NPSF threads are not tapered.
May be listed as MNPSF or FNPSF, for male and female threads respectively.
Selecting Dope
Which form of dope you choose is often based on who you learned from, personal preference, what's on hand, what type of pipe you're working with, etc. The following are my personal guidelines.
Water
Plastic, Soft Metals, Unreactive Metals
In this situation I'll reach for PTFE tape, since it's not likely I'll require long term corrosion protection.  I'm just looking to lubricate the joint, so I can tighten it to create a leak free joint.
Steel, Reactive Metals
Because I don't want the threads to rust or react negatively, in this situation I'll use paste dope. The paste dope will give me the lube I need to get the pipes properly joined, while at the same time providing corrosion protection.  The paste dope will never harden or flake off, so I know the threads will be protected for a long time.
Large Diameter Pipe
If I'm working with water pipe of any material larger than ~1", I'll always use paste dope.  I don't really have any particular reason for this, it's just the way I was taught.
Fuel Gas
When working with fuel gas pipes of any kind, I always use a paste dope labeled for this use. This is especially true when working with "black" pipe, since I want some corrosion protection in these joints.
Tapered VS. Straight Threads
Tapered Threads
For pipes and fittings with tapered threads, I'll simply follow the guidelines mentioned above.
Straight Threads
When working with fittings with straight threads, paste dope should always be used.  Tape dope is too thick, and can actually prevent a good seal in straight thread joints. Paste dope will spread and be pushed out of the way, and will not prevent the threads from properly engaging.


I want to put a 4’X8’ platform in my garage to hoist stuff up I’d like to frame up a 4’X8’ hole in the ceiling of my garage.  Rafters above are 2x6 on 24” centers.  So I’d have to cut through 4 of them to do it.  Obviously I would have to make a really sturdy frame.  Is this even possible or reasonable?

If you have a hand framed roof with a non-structural ridge beam and you want to cut the rafter ties, then you will need to add collar ties. The rafter/collar ties are in tension, so you need one or the other to prevent the roof from collapsing in on itself and pushing the exterior walls out. The other option is to add a structural ridge beam for at least that 8' section, but that's not an ideal solution.

If you have a hand framed roof with a structural ridge beam, then there is a chance you don't need rafter/collar ties at all. It depends on what it looks like up there.

If you have engineered roof trusses with metal gussets, then it gets a little more tricky. An engineer would definitely need to get involved.

If you upload some pictures we might be able to help you size it, but more than likely you'll need to contact a contractor or engineer in your area.


5 wire hob to 4 wire junction Looking for verification before I have this wired.

The hob is 220-240v 50/60Hz 11Kw being wired to a 50 amp breaker.

The hob has 5 wires; 4 hot 1 ground.
Me Electrical has 4 wires; 2 120v hot, neutral and ground.

This schematic seems to show 1+2 positive 120v,
3+4+5 negative 120v, and ground. No neutral.

The cable that came included has 5 wire, my electrican say I can use this cable I think I should swap out for a 3 wire (2 hot + ground) and use bridges in the wire box.

Is this reading of the schematic correct?
Should a 3 wire be used?

Edit: @ThreePhaseEel the hob came prewired with (best guess from comparing to wire strippers) strand copper 10awg. You can see it in the image. I do not think larger wire would fit. I do beleive branch line circuit rules would allow 10awg for the last 5 feet or less.

Your appliance is really three hob-pairs, each of which runs off of 230VAC 50/60Hz 1 phase, pulling 16A.  This means that your proposed wiring scheme will work out from an electrical standpoint, which is the good news.

The bad news, though, is that for most cord types, carrying 48A requires the flexible cord to have 6AWG conductors as per Table 400.5(A)(1) in the NEC.  Considering it looks as if the terminals on your stove will accept neither 6AWG conductors nor spade- or ring-type terminals (most range cords terminate in the latter to fit the terminal blocks on US electric ranges), finding a cord that you can use for this is quite hard -- in fact, no premade cords for this job exist!  This leaves you with two options -- make a custom cord that terminates in a standard NEMA 6-50P and use jumpers in the appliance's terminal box to configure it for single phase operation, or use a customized power cord to route the 3 individual hots back to the plug and jumper all three hots together in the receptacle's junction box.  I'd recommend the latter as the parts for it are going to be much easier to find -- 10-3 W or G cords generally don't turn up!  (Certainly, the orange and blue borgs don't have 'em, nor do your typical industrial suppliers...)  Of course, you can always see if your hob will accept a hardware-store range cord -- you will need to jumper in the wirebox as your electrician suggests, and leave the cord's neutral unconnected (cutting off the spade terminal, if present, and using heat-shrink or a wirenut to insulate it would be wise in this case).

Using a three-phase cord and receptacle

You will need a NEMA L22-20P plug and a NEMA L22-20R receptacle, as well as some 10AWG THHN for jumpering in the stove outlet junction box, and the correct wire nuts for connecting the existing 8AWG branch circuit wires to the 10AWG jumpers.

First, cut the existing plug off the cord and wire the L22-20P in its place (if the existing cord cannot be reused for some reason, you will need a length of 10/5 flexible cord to replace it with)).  You will need to jumper the appliance for a Y (Wye) power configuration.

Then, take each HOT terminal on the receptacle and wire a 10AWG pigtail to it.  Twist all the HOT pigtails together and wirenut them with one of the special wirenuts to the black wire on the branch circuit.  Then connect the red wire on the branch circuit to the receptacle neutral and the bare wire on the branch circuit to the receptacle ground.  Finally, cap the white wire from the branch circuit off with a wirenut before installing the receptacle.

Making your own cord for a 6-50 plug/receptacle

Making your own cord for this application will require a length of 10/3, 75°C type W flexible cord (a 10/3 type SC or type G cord can be substituted, as these types use the table 400.5(A)(2) ampacities instead of table 400.5(A)(1)) and a NEMA 6-50P plug.  You will need to install a NEMA 6-50R receptacle as well -- neither the NEMA 10-50 nor the NEMA 14-50 is apropos for this application, although the latter can be used in in conjunction with a NEMA 14-50P to NEMA 6-50R adapter rated for 50A.


AFCI randomly tripping, and related questions Warning, this may be a bit long ... I'll do my best to be brief but it's a somewhat complicated situation.  Primary issue is that the AFCI breaker trips in a very random pattern that I can't figure out; secondary issue is that said breaker seems to have way too big a load and I don't fully understand the wiring.

The basement in my single-family house was finished by the previous owner in what looks like a combination of professional and DIY work.  There are a few weird things about the wiring:

Almost every light (20!) and the outlets in the room that was
finished as a bedroom are one a single, 15A, AFCI circuit breaker.
This breaker is wired to a 14/3 NM-B (Romex) Cable, with BOTH the red and black wires connected to power at the breaker.
In the basement this cable goes into a junction box, where it is connected to two other cables - the black connects to the black of a 14/2 cable that powers all the lights and outlets in the bedroom; the red connects to the red of a 14/3 cable that powers all the other lights in the basement.
There are multiple switched lighting subcircuits that fan
out from each of these lines - 4 in the bedroom, and 6 in the rest
of the basement.
As stated above, the AFCI breaker occasionally
trips, with no discernable pattern or cause.  There can be a lot of
lights on and it will trip, or it won't.  There can be just a couple
of lights on and it will trip, or it won't.  There is no pattern to
which lighting sub-circuits cause it to trip, or time of day, or time of year, or anything.

Here are my questions:

How can I figure out what is tripping the AFCI?  Given the complete lack of a pattern I'm at a total loss here.
From what I've read it sounds like I don't actually need an AFCI and they can have a lot of nuisance trips; can I just swap it out for a regular breaker?
Obviously there is a big load on this one breaker.  I'd like to split it out into two circuits and there is a path to this given that there are already two circuits in the basement coming out of this junction box.  I've read where I could connect the red and black wires from the 14/3 cable to two separate breakers in the junction box and the have the neutral be shared for the two circuits in the basement.  Is this safe and does it meet code?

Thanks in advance for any help - this has been a pain for the last 2.5 years since I moved into the house; I'll really be thrilled if I can get it fixed!

What I'm thinking I could do is replace the AFCI w/a regular breaker, then connect the red wire to the unused breaker you can see in the picture, and connect the red wire to one of the two circuits that connect in the junction box; in this way I'd have two separate half-circuits on two separate breakers so the load wouldn't be so great.

AFCI
AFCI generally detects problems with wiring, but can be triggered by certain devices that may or may not be a dangerous situation. The more devices, receptacles, wire connections, etc., the more likely that (a) real problems will crop up that are actually being protected by the AFCI and (b) false "nuisance" trips will happen. But until you know for sure, you should assume the trips are "real".
Do you need AFCI? Probably, but depends on location. Unlike GFCI, which is life-safety based such that out-of-reach (e.g., lighting) is normally exempt), AFCI is fire-safety based so lighting is as in need of protection as anything else, subject to local code requirements.
Pigtail
You can connect two circuits to one breaker. You use a pigtail to connect to the breaker on one end and the two separate circuits on the other end (pigtail plus the other 2 wires in a wire nut). However, that doesn't really gain anything here since your total current is limited by the neutral wire, unless you go to an MWBC.
Multi Wire Branch Circuit - MWBC
What you have described as a solution is a MWBC. Basically you have two hots and one neutral == /3 cable - connecting to two breakers. There are a number of catches to this:

The breakers must be on opposite legs. Traditionally that has been easy to do. However, if you were thinking of "replace a full size breaker with a double-stuff pair of 1/2 size breakers", that won't work here because that would be on only one leg. There are, for some panels, quad 1/2 size breakers where one of the pairs can be used this way, but that is very panel dependent. The simple way to look at it is: If installed correctly, red to black will measure 240V, red to white (neutral) 120V, black to white 120V. If you get red to black 0V then everything is on one leg == NO GOOD.
The breakers must have a common maintenance shutoff because otherwise neutral current could be quite dangerous when working on 1/2 the circuit when the other 1/2 is off.
AFCI and GFCI get messy unless handled as part of the breaker.

Note that an MWBC is not "two separate circuits". It is one multi-wire combined circuit. Effectively two circuits in one, but the savings being 3 wires (plus ground) instead of 2. Neutral "cancels out" which is why it works in general but also why it must be on a properly installed double breaker.
Two truly separate circuits would require 4 wires (plus grounds) - i.e., each circuit needs its own paired hot & neutral. An MWBC shares the neutral in a safe way.


Wiring for grounds wire in light fixture Im not sure how to connect these ground wires. Theres a ground wire connected to green screw on electrical box, and theres another green screw on the light fixture bracket. Thanks

[3]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/sGDvl.jpg

That's a strange ground clip on the electrical box. The box doesn't appear to be metal and that clip will interfere with your fixture bracket. I would remove that clip from the box and pigtail those two grounds to a 6" piece of bare copper wire. Install your bracket. Wrap your extended ground wire around the green screw on the bracket. Connect the end of the extended ground wire to the ground wire from the fixture with a small wire nut.