Moving House Electrical Outlet I am building a window bench seat in my home. The bench will cover 2 of my electrical receptacles. My plan is to extend the wires from each of the original blue 1 gang boxes and feed them into new 1 gang boxes I'll mount to the front of the bench and I just want to make sure I'm doing everything properly.

The bench extends 23 inches out from the wall. Can I simply just extend the live, neutral, and ground wires from the first box to the second using wire nuts to attach new wire? I'd cut about 36 inches to extend the 23 inches of the bench plus give me some slack to extend beyond the new boxes. I believe it's standard to allow enough slack to extend at least 6 inches beyond the box. There are 2x4s that run the width of the bench I can run the wires across to the new receptacles using eye bolts.

I believe the circuit is a 15-amp. If so I have 14 gauge solid core wire already I can use. If it's 20-amp I'll have to stop at the store and pickup 12 gauge. Is this the proper way to do this or am I missing an important safety step?

As the good commenters mentioned you cannot bury the junction box, it must remain accessible.  A hinged bench seat sounds like a great workaround.  That space under the bench could be considered part of habitable space though, so the cable would need to be protected in a raceway or conduit.  It would be acceptable to build a short raceway out of 2x4s.
But if you're going to have a hinged bench anyway, would it be so bad to just leave the receptacles as-is, and when you need them open the bench?  You could leave a little notch in the back of the bench so you could close it after plugging in the vacuum or whatever you'll be plugging in. Or run a power strip out of it.
[EDIT: A cable coming out the blue box and into the void behind the wall could route into a raceway that terminates into the same wall void, adjacent to the blank cover.  The reason you cannot have a cable run out of a hole in the blank cover itself is that would be unprotected.  Protecting that cable coming out the coverplate makes the junction box inaccessible.  What you could do instead is use an extension box that you could screw conduit into:   The box extension comes with some plugs to plug one of the holes, and the other hole would be your plastic or metal threaded conduit terminal adapter (must connected ground to it if its metal).]


How does everyone set up sprinkler timer with residential outdoor faucets? I am trying to set up a timed sprinkler system. Everything mechanically works out. However, I noticed cautions such as the following. If we cannot keep the outdoor faucets on, there seems to be not much point in using a water timer.
Prier:

These ASSE 1019 devices are intended for irrigation use and outdoor watering and shall not be subjected to more than 12 hours of continuous water pressure.

Legend

Avoid the use of hose bibb accessories such as hose manifolds, hose Y-splitters or sprinkler timers, which may cause the TM-550 to malfunction. The TM-550 is designed and certified in accordance with ASSE Standard 1019 Section 1.2.1, for non-continuous pressure service: Not more than twelve hours of continuous water pressure. Outlet-mounted devices may cause sudden or continuous, damaging.

Woodford

This ASSE 1019 device in intended for irrigation use and outdoor watering and shall not be subjected to more than (12) hours of continuous water pressure.

This valve comes through the house's insulation and wall. Heated side left, outside right.
Those aren't residential outdoor faucets. Those are sillcocks.
You've linked a bunch of hydrants/sillcocks, which put the valve proper inside the building, and the handle and spigot outside the building.   The purpose of those is freeze protection in winters.
The trick is to drain the water in the 6-30" of pipe coming through the wall.  That won't happen naturally. Vacuum, combined with surface tension across the small spigot outlet, will hold the water in there.  So these hydrants have a "vacuum breaker" which allows passage of air in, but not allow water to gush out. The water drains out the normal spigot.
Which means, if something is blocking the spigot, it will fail to drain.
The thing blocking it could be an extension hose (it doesn't even need a valve at the far end; a long enough hose will do), or a hose reel, manifold, timer, you name it.  Any of these will defeat the sillcock's self-drain ability, and result in freeze damage to the sillcock.
Further, if something like that has a valve of its own (think manifolds), it will entrap water pressure between the accessory's valve and the hydrant's valve. The vacuum breaker isn't made to have pressure on it 24x7, and may stick or rust closed, which is what the warnings are telling you.
So, basic sillcock hygiene 101, unhook everything attached to it at the end of the day.
Dump the sillcock. You need a plain faucet.
The valves you want to use are made to use with a plain faucet, or are made to be hard-plumbed.   So get one.
You'll have freeze problems in the winter of course, so install that line in a way that lets you drain it.  I like to place a shutoff valve then carefully slope the pipe to (or away from) a faucet I add indoors, so I can close the shutoff, then open that faucet and the outdoor ones, creating a "vacuum break" so gravity will drain the water.  Obviously if the low point is indoors, you'll need a bucket or put a hose on it (which is why I use a faucet :)
Or perhaps a more "pro" solution would be better
Another option is to (indoors) plumb in an industrial-quality solenoid valve.  Have that supply your irrigation lines.  The solenoid valve would open the water line when you apply something like 24 volts AC.  Where would that come from?  A plug-in wall-wart transformer.  Now this changes it from "needing a water timer" to "needing a lamp timer".  Now you can use any lamp timer, X10, any of a variety of smart  controllers for plug-in lamps, etc.
The exit of the building could be a sillcock, since the control valve is indoors and comes before the sillcock, hence pressure would be removed when the system isn't irrigating.   However with the hoses permanently attached, it would be on you to disassemble the system before the first freeze.


How to properly repair water/bug damaged soffit and roof deck? I removed some rotted soffit from one side of my garage this afternoon. I also ended up removing the fascia board (what the gutter mounts to) and the 2x4 that was behind the fascia because they were completely eaten away by some combination of carpenter ants, termites and water damage.
Fortunately the rafter tails, while a bit soft, seem to be in good enough condition to reuse. I do believe one of them will need sistered. Unfortunately, the last 6-12 inches of the roof deck is rotted. I would like to know the proper way to not just repair the damage, but make sure the problem that led to the moist environment is fixed, too.
I don't know much about roofing, but I think the root cause is on of two things:

The roofing underlayment (tar paper?) didn't seem to have been covering the last portion of the roof deck. But that is hard to tell because it might just be rotted away also.
The last row or two of shingles (closest to the gutter) seem cracked and maybe let water get through.

I'm looking for general advice, but I do have some specific questions:

I'm planning on letting the moisture air dry for a few days before doing anything. Is this necessary? There is a bit of rain in the forecast for the next two days which will impact the efficacy of this I'm guessing.
One bit of framing is rotted enough that it should really be replaced, but that would require removing a whole lot of trim that I would like to avoid. It is a 12" section of 2x4. If I just leave this wood in place will the rot grow? Or once the moisture problem is taken care of will that stop the spread?
Is there a way to repair the deck and just shingle that area without redoing the whole roof? Somehow chop off the foot or so of bad deck and re-shingle just the two courses that seem to be letting the moisture in? The rest of the deck is in great condition and the other shingles seem to be working just fine.
When replacing the fascia and soffit are there better materials to use than just untreated 1/2" pine? Would some of that composite trim eliminate the need to deal with this problem again down the road?

Pics below. Thanks for any help!

I'm planning on letting the moisture air dry for a few days before doing anything. Is this necessary?

It will help when it comes to patching up the damage on the rafter tails. For the other required repairs it doesn't really matter.

...a 12" section of 2x4. If I just leave this wood in place will the rot grow?

If left alone, yes the fungus causing the rot will likely continue to grow. You can stop it by digging out the unsound wood, letting it dry out, treating it with one of the several products available to stop the rot and harden up the wood, then properly patching and painting. This solution is assuming the damage is minimal, if its extensive you should pull the trim and fix it properly.

Is there a way to repair the deck and just shingle that area without redoing the whole roof?

Yes. Carefully remove as many shingle courses as necessary to get to good deck and felt. Be careful, old shingles are brittle and break, crack, tear easily. Cut damaged felt out in square-cut fashion at the top. Repair damaged deck. Replace damaged felt by placing it under the existing felt and troweling roof cement on the seams. Reinstall/replace shingles.

are there better materials to use than just untreated 1/2" pine?

Cedar and redwood are resistant to weather and insects and would work fine (expensive though, and may need to weather a bit before painting, use tannin-blocking primer). There is vinyl (expands and contracts and requires special installation techniques). There is composite (good but expensive and heavy, and some types are not paintable). There are also PVC and aluminum fascia covering products.
Notes-

repair the rafters with professional grade 2-part wood filler (it's like auto-body filler).
your roof deck plywood (or is it OSB, hard to tell from pics) extends all the way to the roof edge, which is unusual (at least where I am from). We would normally end the plywood at the wall top plate and use cedar ship-lap or T&G across the eaves, for both appearance and moisture resistance; we call those starter boards.


Is this switch properly grounded? I replaced a standard single pole switch with an Intermatic ST01 timer switch, into a metal electrical box with three other switches. The switch I was replacing had no ground connection, but some of the others do.

When installing the timer switch, I attached the green ground wire from the switch to a screw at the back of the electrical box. This is my first time doing this, so I wanted to find out if this is properly/safely grounded, or if I missed something.

That screw looks like it's for the wire clamp that secures wiring going through the back of the junction box. Instead, you should connect the green wire with a wire nut to the exposed copper wires that I believe are visible in the bottom of the picture. Make sure to use the proper size wire nut, which is based on the wire size and number of wires being joined together.


What is this piece inside the spigot supply hole, and what is it used for? I'm watching videos online describing how to fix a leaky Delta kitchen faucet.  As I'm following the instructions I encounter an odd hitch.  Where, according to the video, there should be an empty and clear spigot supply hole, mines has this weird object I'm not exactly sure what it does.

Does anyone know what this part does, and is it needed to stay in the spigot supply hole are entirely optional to keep out? Is it possible this ist he source of the leaks?

With the piece in question:

Without the piece in question:

It is indeed the spray hose diverter. I would not remove it, even if you don't normally use the spray hose. If for no other reason, you'll never be able to use the hose again.

I am unsure if removing it would cause issue. I'm not brave enough to try.

I have replaced the fittings two of my Delta faucets. One with a diverter. The gaskets were always my issue. You can buy a kit at big box stores that have a complete gasket set to replace them all.


Pressure Tank Size for a Variable Speed Submersible Pump Information seems vague or non-existent from pump manufacturers. I need to know what size pressure tank is required for my setup, and all I'm getting is "doesn't need much" or "x gallons" and nothing about draw down.
My Setup
I have a 38ft deep well and the submersible will sit at about 35ft deep. I will be pumping 30-40gpm at max demand (when irrigation is on etc.). We are going with a 230v, 3 phase, 2 Horse Power Pump. PVC drop pipe (2") and 200ft of 1 & 1/2", 200lb poly pipe to the house where the controller and pressure tank(s) will live.
A local supplier says a single 7 gallon tank is fine. Another says get 2x7 and the a 3rd supplier says 2x5. No one seems to know why they hold those opinions.
I'm lost!
Shouldn't I have enough draw down for my pump to spin up (assuming it takes it a second or two?) and keep a constant 35gpm and 40-50psi? How do I know how much time it will take the pump to catch up to demand? Now, I don't even care about not enough flow to instantly run the entire irrigation system. It's more, do I have enough to:
a. Not damage my pump or pipes or appliances (this is #1 consideration!)
b. Not be annoying if I turn the shower on (not having enough pressure for a minute)
NOTE: I do NOT need advise static water level, water rights/local laws etc. I can legally pump 35gpm and my well could handle 100gpm or more all year round.

Maintaining 40-50 psi is the key. Yes you can do it with a 7 gallon bladder tank and it would be better to go to a 35 gallon bladder tank but depending on your flow you could set your pump to run at 80% all day and maintain 50 psi so you really don’t need much of a pressure tank in that case.
If your pump is producing 40 gallons at 70% then you want a big tank to reduce cycling of the pump.
Water cooled 3 phase pumps can start more often than single phase pumps because 3 phase start better than single phase with a capacitor.
You don’t want to cycle your pump because this is where the cost $$$ to run comes in. Remember a motor draws 3-5x normal full load amperage at startup and even higher amounts called locked rotor amperage until they start turning. Starting often can double your cost to run so that 35 gallon tank provides just under a minute were 7 gallon only a few seconds.
Will it hurt your system to go big on the tank if it would run at 70% 50 psi nope won’t hurt anything but it provides a buffer if a head gets plugged so you are not pumping enough for constant run.
So go big with the pressure tank it will help in most cases and won’t hurt. Note I did not talk about dual set points 50 or 60 psi pump drops to 70 then at 40 it jumps to 120% never stopping lowest power consumption and the pressure tank being big helps maintain control. Of pressure because there is a slight lag from pressure reading, pump commanded up to pressure increased.


Replacing trim set in horse hair plaster There are a few places in my house where I would like to replace the door trim, but the walls are horse hair plaster.  Is there anyway to do this without having the plaster totally fall apart?

Yeah it is more brittle than sheetrock but still strong stuff.  Start with scoring the paint/caulk around the casing with a utility knife, then use a pry bar as normal, except use a board or plywood between your prybar and the wall.  That way you won't have the pry bar indent into the plaster as you pull the wood off.  Work your way around the door casing, prying it a little at a time.  Once you see where the nails are you can pry directly under that point, or hit the face of it with a hammer and sometimes that makes the nails pop out enough you can pry them out through the face.


Is it possible to hook up a hose to my well pump? I have a well pump that goes and pull water from an aquifer. I'd like to hook up a hose to it and water some plants that my sprinkler system cannot reach very well. Is it possible to do this?

Pictures of my well pump:

The lever on towards the back controls lawn sprinklers and the one closer to me controls the back lawn sprinklers.

Definitely. It looks like you can even go off one of the Tees already conveniently installed. You'll need an adapter which will depend on the hose, but very simple to install.


How do I pressure test a natural gas line and what do the valve pressure ratings mean? I'm planning to add an appliance to my house, and will want to do a pressure test of the newly installed gas lines. My main shutoff says 175 PSI, but most of the appliance valves say either 1/2 or 5 PSI. Finally, I see a Nibco valve at my local hardware store  GB1A-3/4 that lists three different pressures: 1/2, 5, and 600 PSI CWP.

For the nibco valve, does that mean that it would be able to withstand up to 600 PSI of (cold) air/gas pressure, but should only be used as a main shutoff for up to 5 PSI, and an appliance shutoff where the working pressure is less than 1/2 PSI? Should the other shutoff valves rated at 1/2 or 5 be able to withstand the 4 PSI of the pressure test?

I plan to do the pressure test at about 4 PSI, with a gauge that reads up to 15 PSI. Should I cap off the lines before the shutoff valves (to avoid stressing valves, but not test them), or close the shutoff valves and remove the caps on the traps so that excess pressure leaking through valves would be vented instead of damaging the appliance regulators.

My house's regulator is set at 7" of water column, gauge pressure, and I need to test at a minimum of 3 PSI-gauge, and I'm located in Indiana, United States.

The standard pressure test for new natural gas or propane pipe in my area (NW Oregon) is something anyone can do.  Same for installing the gas line.  (Why are there so many naysayers on a DIY forum?  This is not rocket science:   Just a few new skills to learn.)

Before installing the gas pipe, I consulted with a pro (paid $80 for an hour of onsite questions).  He had some good tidbits and some not so great.  The best bit of advice was that to prevent leaks, make every connection with no more than two or three threads showing.  Since there were 105 connections, this was a heavy duty workout over several days.  Using yellow Teflon tape makes turning much easier—as does a 16 inch pipe wrench.  The joint's seal is formed by the pipe and fitting being forced together and then settling (which takes hours to days).  By turning until only 1 to 2 threads (out of 10) remain revealed, there was no leakage.

(The worst bit of "pro" advice was that he would have routed the pipe through the garage in the most obnoxious way.  It would have been convenient to install, but a royal pain in the ass to live with afterwards.  Instead, we opted to bore two holes through the garage foundation into the crawlspace and kept 98% of the pipe neatly out of the way.)

To leak test, obtain a $10 gauge as pictured  (for black pipe) and install it somewhere on the pipe.  In my case, I put it at the top of the riser pipe for the range.  I explicitly ran 3/4 inch all the way to the range to suit the gauge, which has a nice benefit of smooth generous flow even when all the burners and ovens are on.  (Total extra cost was less than $20 over 1/2 inch pipe, and no perceptible increase in hassle.)

Since every appliance has an independent cut off valve, I closed all those and the gas meter shutoff valve, used a bicycle tire pump to pressurize the system to 30 psi and waited.  If the whole system does not hold pressure for hours and hours, there is a leak somewhere.  At the end, the worst leak offender was the test gauge itself.  I had to clean the needle valve and use gobs of Teflon tape to get it down to reasonable levels—on the tire valve thread into the tester body, on the gauge stem's thread into the body, and a great deal of tape for the gas pipe going into the tester.  For preliminary tests I tried temporary caps at the appliance feeders and those were exceedingly leaky—the pipe caps don't seem to fit tapered pipe because they lacked enough thread depth.  The valves on the appliance flex hoses didn't leak at all.

Once I was satisfied that 30 psi didn't leak significantly, taking five days to drop to 22 psi (demonstrably through the test gauge), I called for inspection.  The mechanical inspector walked in, saw 22 psi and said "you pass" without looking at another thing.  According to the test standards (see 406.4), it has to hold pressure for 10 minutes with no perceptible drop and he had no idea if I pumped it up just as he arrived or hours before.  So much for inspection insuring safety.

  For the nibco valve, does that mean that it would be able to withstand up to 600 PSI of (cold) air/gas pressure, but should only be used as a main shutoff for up to 5 PSI, and an appliance shutoff where the working pressure is less than 1/2 PSI?

Yes.

  Should the other shutoff valves rated at 1/2 or 5 be able to withstand the 4 PSI of the pressure test?

Yes.

  I plan to do the pressure test at about 4 PSI, with a gauge that reads up to 15 PSI. Should I cap off the lines before the shutoff valves (to avoid stressing valves, but not test them), or close the shutoff valves and remove the caps on the traps so that excess pressure leaking through valves would be vented instead of damaging the appliance regulators.

Why not be thorough?  If there is a leak at 4 PSI, it will be very difficult to assess.  Run the test at the maximum test gauge reading.

  My house's regulator is set at 7" of water column, gauge pressure, and I need to test at a minimum of 3 PSI-gauge, and I'm located in Indiana, United States.

That is standard residential delivery, same as mine.


Can I connect a stabilizer to an inverter? At my place the voltage in winter is around 140-160V where normally it should be above 200V.
Now I have an inverter at home. The inverter during power shut down turns to batteries and supply 230V of power. But when the mains are on (160V) the inverter gives the output of same 160V as the mains.
Now I have a question. Can I connect a stabilizer on my inverter so that a continuous voltage of 230V can be supplied to my TV and PS3 and other speakers?

During mains on:
Mains(160V) > inverter (160V) > stabilizer > 230V

During mains off:
Mains(0V) > inverter (230V) > stabilizer (230V)

Will this work or damage the inverter?
Inverter is around 850 VA or KVA something.

I'm from Srinagar, india

Yes you can, but the order should be- mains to stabilizer to inverter. This way the inverter input would receive 220-240 volts. Apart from giving you good output voltage during mains on, this arrangement would also charge your batteries faster. Make sure to buy a good stabilizer with twice the wattage of your inverter. A 2 KVA Godrej or Vguard stabilizer would do fine. I have been using 3 inverters with this arrangement for 10+ years with no issues. But never connect a stabilizer to the output of your inverter as this may damage your inverter.


How do I get rid of white lines in wall corners showing up after painting? I'm painting the interior of our house. One room I started with the previous owner had painted it a light mushroom color. I'm painting it with a color that's a little lighter. I'm using Behr paint. I was told at Home Depot's paint department since it was already painted and similar color I don't need primer. So I painted the room two top coats. But I noticed I'm seeing (I think it was there before I painted too) a thin white line in the corners. I took several photos of the corner. Here is a link to them:

Click for larger view

I don't know the cause of this, but I would like to cover it up with the new color. Would a Latex primer and then two top coats take care of this? Or should I go directly with an Oil primer? Or get a quarter of each and try one in each corner to see what happens? Or is there something else that should be done? Or is this an optical illusion and I'm chasing a ghost here? :-) Thanks!

If the prior owner used caulk, and they were really dumb and didn't use paintable latex caulk, then its possible that this would be the result.

Regardless, obviously the paint isn't taking properly here - so yes, the answer here is get a quart of primer go over the edges with a brush, let it dry, and redo the corners.


Another sub-panel question Improving unfinished basement in 7 year old log home to have a small shop and a mancave
Installing sub panel 40 wire feet from main panel mainly because i don't want to home-run all my circuits to the main panel.  Shop wiring going to main....only man cave (240 volt 3000 watts of heat and lighting/tv) powered from new sub panel
125 amp eaton main lug sub panel and a Seimans main panel.   Put 50 amp breaker in main, and ran 6/3 with bare ground to sub panel.  ground appears to a 10 AWG.
Neutral bar was strapped to ground bar in sub panel from factory so I removed the strap.   Both ground bar and neutral bar are isolated from case via large plastic standoffs, so, i used the same strap to connect to floating ground bar to the sub panel enclosure. So, the neutral in the sub panel is only grounded back at the main panel.
THE QUESTION: Is the #10 AWG sufficient to ground the sub-panel to the ground bar in the main panel?
I am getting confusing info from other threads on this site and other web sites (probably my own reading comprehension issues).
The ground will never carry "neutral" current given the neutral is not connected to ground in the sub panel.  I have seen at least two threads that claim that the ground must match the size of the two hots (6 AWG).

According to Table 250.122 of the National Electrical Code, a 10 AWG copper conductor is fine as an equipment grounding conductor for circuits with up to 60 ampere protection.

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection
Article 250 Grounding and Bonding
250.122 Size of Equipment Grounding Conductors.
(A) General. Copper, aluminum, or copper-clad aluminum equipment grounding conductors of the wire type shall not be smaller than shown in Table 250.122, but in no case shall they be required to be larger than the circuit conductors supplying the equipment. Where a cable tray, a raceway, or a cable armor or sheath is used as the equipment grounding conductor, as provided in 250.118 and 250.134(A), it shall comply with 250.4(A)(5) or (B)(4). Equipment grounding conductors shall be permitted to be sectioned within a multiconductor cable, provided the combined circular mil area complies with Table 250.122.


A surge protector for an AC split unit powered by a Siemens EQ Loadcenter Late last summer my 4 year old AC unit fried its mainboard and the company which installed it originally came to service it. They suggested that the reason could be a surge, as they had a rash of calls in my area.

This season I wanted to install a surge protector and did some googling to find a few, which install into the breaker slot on the loadcenter. Do they replace a breaker? Or, if they do not, where should the breaker be then?

Surge protectors come in a wide variety of form-factors, and you don't even need to protect your whole house, you can protect particular circuits.  That is decided by where you place the protector.

The problem with "surge protectors in a circuit-breaker form factor" is that breakers do not interchange across brands.  You cannot put Brand X breaker in Brand Y panel, unless Brand X has specifically built that breaker for Brand Y panels and UL has tested and classified it for that use.

So you are probably better off using a "goes in a knockout" type suppressor.  This will let you use anyone's brand and a common $10 breaker, instead of paying a big premium for one specifically for your panel.  You can install this anywhere - it can go on its very own 2-pole breaker, where it'll protect the whole house.  Or you can install it out at the air conditioner shutoff switch (if it's wet rated).

If  you install it at the air conditioner, it will better protect the air conditioner (and the house from the air conditioner's own spikes) and less well protect the rest of the house from external spikes.

That's because long wire runs tend to weaken spikes also. By putting the spike suppressor at the air conditioner, the suppressor spends less of its bandwidth/capacity fighting surges that wouldn't make it to the A/C anyway, and 100% of its capacity on ones likely to affect the A/C.

Internal spikes are a thing. You can have one of your appliances damaging another, and large motor-driven appliances are a major culprit. Putting the spike suppressor near the air conditioner means it will "catch" any spikes from the A/C unit before they get near the rest of the house.  It will also do a better job protecting A/C electronics from A/C motor spikes!

However a suppressor at the A/C unit will do a lesser job of protecting your computer from external power spikes, obviously, since the long cable run will dampen its ability to neutralize those spikes.

Nothing says you can't install as many surge suppressors as you please, so you can fit 1 at the A/C unit and 1 in the main panel.


How can I replace the plywood under my air handler? Sunday morning I walked out into my garage to find two huge water spots in the ceiling. The condensate drain line that comes out of my air handler in the attic had clogged up, and it turns out the contractor who originally installed the system didn't connect the secondary drain line to the drip pan. They ran the pipe for it and everything, but were too lazy to cut it and install a 90° PVC elbow.

It's been 10 years since the house was built, and Alabama's statute of limitations for construction work is 6 years - so having the original idiot that installed it come back and fix it isn't an option. Plus I don't want someone that daft touching anything in my house again.

I need to replace the OSB beneath the drip tray and air handler, since I found mold on its underside when I tore open the garage ceiling. I plan on placing two 2x4s beneath the air handler and lag bolting some hefty screw-eyes into them on either side, and then lag-bolting two more screw eyes into the roof joists above. Then I'll use two ratchet straps rated for the load to lift the whole thing a few inches off the plywood.

Next I'll demo the soaked plywood (I have underside access since I tore open the garage ceiling), slide some new sheets in, and screw everything down. Does anyone see a problem with this plan? Some concerns I had were:

How much flex will the refrigerant lines have? Enough to lift the whole thing several inches?
How fragile are air handlers typically? And how heavy are they? (I'm not sure what size mine is off the top of my head - it's a 1700 sq ft home.)
I may have to add some auxiliary bracing to the roof trusses if they can't handle the load. (They're 2x6s)

I've already had two AC companies give me a $3k quote for the work over the phone, and I have one guy give me a $1,350 quote after looking at the situation first-hand. first two want to disconnect the entire system to do the work, which I think is completely unnecessary. The third guy that gave me the cheaper quote said they'd just have to disconnect the trunk line. Am I crazy for trying this myself, or are they all just trying to rip me off?

Pictures:

The drain that wasn't previously connected:

You've got a fairly sizable amount of extra refrigerant line. Lifting your air handler a couple of inches will not be a problem.

The only part I would worry about is where the lines attach to the air handler. That's where the tightest bend radius is and you don't want to get that any tighter. But since you're going up, that should actually improve that bend radius.

You should be able to find the weight of the air handler by doing a search for the specs online. Find the model number and drop it in to Google. In general, they don't weigh too much; two grown men can comfortably lift a fully assembled unit.

One thing you might consider is to leave your air handler permanently suspended. But instead of 2x4s, get 2 heavy pieces of angle iron about 8 inches longer than the width of your air handler, 4 threaded rods, and appropriate nuts/bolts/washers. You can also get rubber bushings to put on the threaded rods to damp the vibrations from your air handler.

Slide the angle iron under the air handler where the wooden blocks are that currently hold up your air handler. Attach the threaded rod to the angle iron. There's two different ways to do that. One is to drill a hole in the angle iron but that might be difficult because of how hard iron is. The other is to use u bolts. If you go the u bolt route, you need to attach it carefully to the threaded rod so it can't slip out. Don't rely on compression to hold it. . A good plan would be 2 nuts with a lock washer in between and 4 or more large washers stacked on top. That will prevent the u bolt from sliding off the end.

To attach the other end of the threaded rod to your trusses, I suggest two 2x4s or 2x6s running perpendicular to the trusses the full length of the air handler, plus an additional truss bay on either side (this will spread the load across more trusses). Lag bolt the 2x4/6s to the trusses. Drill through the 2x4/6s for the threaded rods.

Here's a marked-up copy of your picture showing where everything goes. I outlined your air handler in black and grey (the grey is the hidden edges). The threaded rod is green and the angle iron is blue.


Matching Concrete to Tile Floor Height (1") We have a tiled dining room that transitions to carpet (carpet and pad on cement foundation slab). We'd like to tear out the carpet and level the concrete slab up to the tile flooring, about 3/4 - 1" difference.. and then stain and seal the new concrete 'overlay'. We plan to prime the existing concrete 'sub floor' that is under the carpet so the new overlay bonds well.

So. The 64k question: What do we use? A self-leveling cement? Do we need to do any special prep? Anything to watch out for with such a shallow pour? Any specific or special cement type needed??

Our living room is approx. 310 sq ft. - if that helps. We'd like to do our master (which is off the living room right now and would make for a seamless transition).. looking forward to your suggestions and experience.

Level it... with more tile?

I've done my share of concrete work, but there's no way I'd trust myself to float a finished floor and I wouldn't personally guarantee any work I did less than four inches thick. I'd tile it just like the rest, if I were set (haha) on doing concrete, I'd hire that out to a stone flooring specialist.

I doubt you own a commercial floor buffer and a 20amp grinder. Having only seen it done, I can't go into great detail. I just know that I don't want to grind on a floor for two days straight. IMO, tile is your best and cheapest answer: anyone can tile well enough and your labor is free.

Note: "Self-Leveling" is a name, not an adjective. Call it whatever you want: it doesn't. You still need to know how to float concrete and you'll still need a floor buffer to correct any mistakes.

Patching a slab so that you can tile over it is DiY. Installing a Stonhard floor is best left up to a professional company (of the same name, with which I've no affiliation but I did know some people that worked for them, who said the job sucked, but the dust completely coating the interior of their car told me that).


Range Hood Transformer Replacement to LED I have an Anacona Chef Range Hood. The two Halogen lights are not working. I suspect the transformer. I would like to replace it with the LED transformer.
Is it possible? If possible, what type to install?

The user installation manual for the hood is here; the circuit diagram from the manual is below:

One more question, as per the diagram, the transformer has 3 wire (GYW) as output, what are these. Are they for the three setting on the push type switch (High, Low, Off), If they are, can I bypass 1 wire (Low) as most transformers come with 2 output wires. The Input is 2 wire connected to power control on/off switch is this 110/120v?

Any suggestions or answers would be highly appreciated. Thanks

The halogen bulbs are 12 volts at 20 watts. Almost certainly the "High" setting is 12 VAC, and the "Low" setting is the same 12 VAC but through a half wave rectifier (just a diode). So, if you want to use the current switch and processor board, you'd need something that could be driven by 12VAC, both with and without a half wave rectifier.

The problem is that half-wave-rectified AC is a lot different from pure AC; it has a large DC component to it. Some LED drivers could handle it, others couldn't. I doubt you'll find a manufacturer that will sell their product as compatible with this, as it's too rare an application for them to worry about. So, you can try various products, but you may find they won't work, and you may even find that the "Low" setting damages the bulb/circuit.

An alternative would be to install your own switch, but getting it to look good would be tough.


Does the protected device connect to top, or bottom of the MCB? Just what the title states. The house, located in India, uses old-fangled kitkat fuses. The typical domestic supply here in this part of the world is 250V AC at 50cps. I am in the middle of replacing the fuses with Miniature Circuit Breakers.

MCB appear to receive the line wire from the top connector, the bottom connector being the protected device/s. Is this universal/standard? Does the protected device connect to the top, or bottom of the MCB?

Either way around

If the circuit breaker is not marked otherwise, it should be suitable for installation in either configuration -- AFAICT without access to the IEC standards, IEC breakers (MCBs) are just like their UL compatriots in this regard.


Circuit breaker keeps popping, how do I troubleshoot? The 20 amp breaker to my garage keeps popping.  On that circuit is one outdoor floodlight fixture, one outlet receptacle (with nothing plugged into it), and two light fixtures with 60 watt incandescent bulbs (lights are switched off).  I followed the wiring in the garage and found no integrity issues from nails, chipmunks, etc.  I took pictures of the wiring in the junction boxes because I can't figure out what the installer was doing.  Please help me clean this up and figure out what goes to where and what best way to troubleshoot the circuit breaker popping.

![enter image description here][2]

I would say that this is a sign the wiring itself has been damaged internally and is shorting or grounding out, which is what is causing the repetitive trips.  I'd check in particular at where the wires enter the floodlight junction box -- the whack to the floodlight could have finished off abrasion-weakened wire insulation and created a short to ground.


How to tile over shower wall surround flange? Background

I've been following this guide from Family Handyman on installing a fiberglass tub surround, and am to the point where I need to tile over the nailing flange. They say to put 1/4" tile backer over the flange to bring it out to the same depth as the 1/2" green board, as shown in this picture:

However I had to shim behind the surround, so the difference in depth between the green board and the flange varies from almost nothing to a little more than 1/4", which you might be able to discern in the below pictures:

The question

How do I fill the uneven gaps in depth between the flange and the green board? The 1/4" tile backer can fill the bigger gaps, but I'm not sure about the smaller ones.

Do you see anything else wrong with what I'm doing?

You just want a stable platform for your tile.  It depends on the size of the tile.. If you are cantilevering 10-15% of a larger tile, just fill the thinner areas with more mud and put backer where it will fit.

It looks like you needed some blocking behind the green board (where the rear curve comes in) to be able to fill in.  Perhaps some fiberglass mesh tape would let you land some thinset to bridge the gap.


Is it better to wire power to your switches or your fixtures first? Given the option, is it better to bring power to your switches first, then run wires to your lights? Or is it better to bring the power to your lights first, then run wires to your switches? Or does it matter?

For new installations, the important thing is really getting neutral to the switch location.

NEC requires it (in most cases) as of the 2014 edition

Chapter 4 Equipment for General Use
Article 404 Switches
404.2 Switch Connections.
(C) Switches Controlling Lighting Loads. The grounded circuit conductor for the controlled lighting circuit shall be provided at the location where switches control lighting loads that are supplied by a grounded general-purpose branch circuit for other than the following [...]

It allows you to use more advanced switches (timers, motion sensor, lighted, and/or 'smart' switches)

To get a neutral to the switch you generally either need to:

Run power to the switch first
Run a 3-conductor (eg 14/3) between the switch and power location (carrying neutral, hot, and switched-hot).

Given 14/3 is more expensive than 14/2, in most cases, I'd say run power to the switch first unless it's substantially father away from the power source than the lights (eg: the power-supplying wire passes your lights, then you have to double back with power to the lights).
If you only have a couple situations where you need this, it may not be worth it to buy a spool or some bulk 14/3, so it's ultimately a judgement call.


I accidentally short the c wire and both units not turning back on I was trying to installed my nest thermostats.the power were shut off but it seem some current still in, so it short the system
my question I can't located the fuse on the board so is that mean the fuse at the disconnected blow off.( I check both fuses by the look of it I can't tell)
any in put would be appreciated.
Thank you

after a few tips from @ThreePhaseEel I be able to fix the problem that I'm having.
after I short the circle on a furnace and blow off the fuse. Since I'm not a AC tech so I don't know much about a ac or a heat pump. beside the unit outside that they need a furnace unit inside as well. so the problem that I'm having with out knowing that so I'm not be able to located the furnace. since @ThreePhaseEel mentioned that the furnace should be under the attic so I went up there to found the furnace with a fuse blow off. so replace it with a new one. Tada! it works.
what I learned here that.
even you cut the power off on the AC to put on a new thermostat that the power the fed to a furnace might come from the different source. so make sure to cut the power off from the attic as well.
or I should protect the C wire at all cost so it won't touch any other cable and I should be good.
sorry about my bad english. this is the best I could do to answer to my own problem.
cheers.


Why is there a white powdery deposit in my swamp cooler? I popped open one of my swamp coolers and in it there is a crusty white "dust" deposit everywhere, covering everything inside it.  It also happens to be the unit where I haven't changed the filters in several years.  Any guesses as to what happened there?

That's just scale and mineral buildup. Evaporative coolers work by evaporating water; when they evaporate hard water that has minerals in it, the minerals stay behind. The better coolers have constant bleed lines or purge pumps to prevent this buildup by flushing it away. You can do it yourself by periodically draining all the water in the sump. Or you can install a bleed line or purge pump yourself.

But if you have one of the old coolers that uses thin aspen pads, know that you have to replace those pads at least every year. That type of older cooler requires a decent amount of maintenance; if you're not willing or able to do it, I would recommend replacing it with a newer unit that uses thick rigid media that lasts a long time instead of those aspen pads, and has a bleed line or purge pump to keep the scale buildup down.


Ist it possible to fix aluminum tubing in a freezer? I own an upright freezer where I tried to drill a hole into the side wall. Unfortunately I hit one of the aluminium tubes that sit on the outside close to the metal frame of the freezer. Is there a way to fix it through welding or can I maybe put some plastic tubing in between and clamp it down?

You've already let out the magic smoke (refrigerant). It's not enough to just fix the tubing, you have to replace the refrigerant.

This isn't something you can do yourself. You'll have to call a refrigerator repair service that is qualified to work with refrigerant.

Note that the cost of repair may exceed the replacement cost of the freezer.


Combining circuits for higer amperage I now have two single ovens - each on a 30 amp breaker with 10 gauge wiring. I want to replace the two single ovens with a double oven - which requires a 40 amp breaker.  Can I connect the two 10 gauge wires together into an 8 gauge pigtail to connect to a new 40 amp breaker?  There is plenty of room for another breaker.

No - the breaker has to be sized for the conductor it protects.  Your 10 gauge conductors have to be treated as the separate conductors they are.  If one of the 10 gauge wires downstream was damaged, it could overheat without tripping the breaker.


Why's my dishwasher making grinding noises during pre-wash? We have an LG dishwasher that sat in storage brand new unboxed for 10 years, until we moved and installed it in the new house. Well, it's making an awful grinding noise only during the first 20 minutes of pre-wash, after which it goes away and washes the dishes perfectly. When I open the door in pre-wash there's barely any water dripping down. What's it doing so different in pre-wash? My guess is the food disposer is running. Is this dishwasher past its lifespan or saveable?
Edit: Model is LDF6920ST
Link to sound

We have an LG dishwasher as well and it does the same after a few years of operation. Currently its still grinding away but washes well, like you mentioned. I did some research before and it seems that for us its either the:

Circulation Pump
Circulation and Drain Pump Motor

It seems like our source of problem is when water is being circulated and not any drains since towards the end, when the drain is working, little noise is produced.
I have promised myself that I will do some troubleshooting to Identify root cause but haven't done yet.
Source: https://www.repairclinic.com/RepairHelp/How-To-Fix-A-Dishwasher/35-200--/Lg-Dishwasher-Making-Noise


Can I use a 4x6 as a top plate for a stud wall? The beam on the front and back walls of a shed and will be extending out to support the roof overhanging the sides of the shed.  So instead of using a typical 2x4 top plate for the walls and putting the beam on the top of that, can I just nail the studs into the 4x6 beam?

I am confused as to the purpose of a 4X6 to support the roof overhang. Are you using rafters and collar ties? The rafter tails are usually what an overhang is created from.

You should consider the conventional way of using  a double 2X4 top plate. The second or top 2X4 plate overlaps corners to lock adjacent the walls. A top plate of 4X6 would be very difficult to nail or screw to your studs without metal plates. I see no advantage to using an oversize plate.

Maybe I'm missing the point of the question however.


How can I repair a carpeted floor partly worn down by an office chair? I'm a tad worried over the current state of the carpeted flooring in my room. Over the past two to three years I'd used an office chair (on casters) without a floor mat in said room and the spot where it was used left a kind of dent that has only grown bigger since I replaced the chair with a folding camping seat.

Will I be required to replace the floorboards underneath the carpet? I can't tear up the carpeting and give further details so I can only assume that the floorboards underneath buckled as indicated by the slightly expansive warping and the noticeably uneven at times creaking boards underfoot.

Thanks in advance.

edit: this floor is located on the first story of the house. To my knowledge, there is a crawlspace underneath.

edit 2: I consulted the homeowner about the floor and she'd said that the subfloor was composed of plywood boards that are at least three to four inches thick.

Possible, but unlikely.

It's not unusual for chairs used like this to create a ring of matted carpet where you usually sit, and the frequent pressure can damage the carpet's pad as well, giving the illusion of deep indentation. This is more pronounced with certain carpets.

The only way I can think of that this would seriously damage a subfloor is if you have moisture issues also (e.g. several drinks spilled, very moist crawlspace directly underneath, burst or leaky pipes nearby). Frequent or prolonged exposure to moisture will cause problems in any wooden subfloor.

Creaking can be a sign that the subfloor is damaged, but it's not unusual for some fasteners (nails, mostly) to move a little in some parts of older houses. If you take up the carpet and pad and see problems with the floor (water stains or rot are obvious indications) you might need to replace part of the subfloor - but again, this would be unusual and not directly caused by the chair.


Outdoor GFCI shorted and caught fire, how to check if wiring is safe? Earlier today I was spraying down the exterior of my house in the general vicinity of the outdoor GFCI. It turns out the weatherproofing around the box was...less than good and water got in which appears to have caused a rather nasty short.
I killed the power to the house while investigating the burning smell and after finding this I immediately pulled it out and capped the wiring. After closer examination, the circuit breaker did in fact trip, but I have no way of knowing when. Power is back on, and when resetting the breaker for that circuit it didn't immediately trip, though I have turned the breaker back off in the mean time.
The wiring is obviously burnt up to a certain point and I recognize that needs to be cut out, but how far up does one need to go?
I'm looking for an electrician to come take a look at it, but in the mean time my question:
How do I know if this circuit is safe to turn back on? Unfortunately it's not dedicated, and appears to have the interior hallway lighting and outlets on it.

I would just cut the wires up to the point where you can see copper and the insulation feels ether soft or "crispy". If wires become too short, you can pigtail it to extend length. From the pictures, it looks like only the first couple of inches that got burned and breaker did it's job well.


How should I prepare to plaster my brick fireplace? I have a kind of ugly (okay, eye of the beholder) brick fireplace that takes up half my living room. I’d like to plaster over it. Or skim coat it, or stucco ... something. I just want a better finish than simply painting it. A plaster/stucco looking finish.

I’ve cleaned it pretty well though there’s definitely some soot stain still.

We don’t use the fireplace, but I’m assuming one day someone else will want to so I don’t want to ruin it or render it unusable.

Here’s what it looks like now:

My thinking is to cover just the red brick, not the interior.

I’m reasonably competent with home improvement in general, but I have no idea what I’m getting into here. What should I know before I had to the hardware store? (Or  call them and ask them to assemble a  box for curbside pickup, since we’re on COVID-19 lock down in CA)

I would tile over or build a frame work and Sheetrock , if I wanted to minimize it I might remove the facing brick , I have done this a few times with inserts and used tile around the opening, I don’t like plaster or Sheetrock around fireplaces but with inserts the temps and smoke are better controlled this is the reason I use them.


Will a non-dimmable LED work if the dimmer switch is on full? If a dimmer switch is fitted for the room but we get non-dimmable LED lamps (GU10), I know there may be flickering problems with dimming, but will they work fine if the dimmer is turned to max?

Yes, LED bulbs typically work fine on dimmers set to max.  In my experience, even the "non-dimmable" ones don't seem to be harmed when dimmed although your mileage here may vary with bulb and dimmer models.

This seems to be a big improvement in comparison with "non-dimmable" CFLs, which seem to be very susceptible to destruction - I have destroyed several after just seconds of dimming.


Refinished Rusty Railings Already Rusted! I have exterior steel railings that have factory seal and paint.  They started rusting, due to nicks in the paint, from show shovels, kids, etc.  In summer 2009, I completely stripped one of the railings, using a grinder.  I did a very thorough job of removing rust, and then carefully applied Rustoleum primer and sealer paint.

The following spring, rust already spread across parts of the same railing!  I live in Utah, where we have relatively low humidity (~65-70%), so I don't think the time between stripping and sealing would have been an issue.

Please provide tips on how to properly seal the remaining railings?

Not an uncommon problem.  Most of those metal railings are made of wroght iron, which is a very soft steel.  When you sand them off and don't level the "pits", the rust will come back time after time.  It is absolutely necessary to clean out all the "pits" as much as possible, then treat the area with a rust converter before priming to paint.  Rust converters are available at all home stores and help change oxides to a harden non corrosive substance. Read the directions and apply accordingly.  Difficult problem, sorry, steel railings are problem children.


Muting PC audio when doorbell rings So the setup is as follows.
I've got one of those wireless doorbells in which the button is powered by a 9V battery and is stickied to the door and the sound comes from a speaker plugged in a wall socket nearby. ( I use that since I am a student and I change houses a lot)
I also have a home stereo system that is quite loud.
I have been missing people that ring me or mail deliveries and it's getting kind of frustrating.

My idea is to use a wire of some sort to solder somewhere on the doorbell button, so I can detect the button press via a CP2102 UART USB Adapter I have left off from previous projects, and then send a command to the pc to mute the music playing.

I also have a Raspberry Pi, but I am currently using it as a HTPC, so I wouldn't want to use it.

I would be glad to any suggestions on how I could approach my task.

I'm afraid that it's more of a hardware question, but I'm offering you a DIY answer :)

How about light instead of sound?

Install some simple fixture on the wall (or desk) where you are sitting (beside the PC?) most often, put the red bulb (or whatever color you like and can make you notice easily). The wiring shouldn't be hard to guess, but if you're not really into this, you could ask another question (or modify current question) to make it work. Simple and easy. And it will not force you to make any changes regarding USB ports and signal capture.

The weakness of this solution is that the light needs to be noticeable - in case you go to a toilet or something, you may lose that.


How can I remove lichen and/or mold from plastic siding? We have some kind of lichen or mold on the plastic siding on one side of the house. What's the best way to clean it off?

Spring Cleaning? An effective way to clean mold & mildew off aluminum or vinyl siding! After a lot of researching the web for various methods, I simply used one scoop of Oxy-Clean and a cap full of laundry detergent in about 2 gallons of warm water. The soft bristle brush, about 4 ft. long, is the kind used for applying roofing cement, etc.

Just spray rinse, wash with soapy water and rinse again. Works great!


How to stop self closing doors from slamming Most of our doors have a mechanism to automatically close them.

The mechanism looks to be a chain that is connected to a spring which pulls the door shut.  Like so:

What can I do to prevent the slamming noise without stopping the door from closing itself.

Beware of UK fire codes before replacing that closer -- which you probably don't need to do.

Almost all of the closers of that type are adjustable, see below.
Rubber door bumpers are very cheap, can help a lot (but aren't as good as a well-adjusted, top-line, hydraulic closer), and come in a variety of sizes and styles.  Here's some at Amazon that should work well.

Most of those chain tensioners are adjustable.  Turn the anchor plate widdershins to lower the tension. Just use CAUTION as the chain exerts considerable force. See below.

General procedure (defer to manufacturer's instructions if possible):

Open the door fully and block it in place.
Clip or pin the chain to keep it from retracting.  All closers come with a clip for this purpose, but sometimes you can get a small nail though the chain.  Vicegrips might work in a pinch. USE CAUTION.
Move the door slightly towards closed; the chain should go slack.
Unscrew the anchor plate from the door.  If it looks like the chain will retract, STOP!
Turn the anchor plate counter-clockwise to decrease the tension.  One half-turn at a time.
Refasten the anchor plate and unpin the chain.
Make sure the door closes as required by your local regulations.
Repeat as necessary.
If the anchor plate should become fully retracted while it is loose, it can be pulled back out using a claw hammer.


Electrical Question about a 100 amp sub-panel to a 100 amp sub panel in my out-building O.K. I ran the appropriate wire from my sub-panel to a sub-panel in my 'out-building'. I stopped by the electrical supply house and spoke to an electrician for the correct wire size for that process...

QUESTION: When I put in the 100 Amp breaker in the 200 Amp Main Panel and run it to the 100 amp breaker in my sub-panel to the 100 amp service in my 'out-building', the wire connections in the breakers are NOT that large. So, what size can I use that would be appropriate....

I'm with Kris. A 100A breakers lugs are sized for a #4 through a 1/0 which is one size larger than the required #1 aluminum. I guess what you are saying is that you have run an over sized feeder.

Since you have already run the feeder you might need to reduce the conductor to fit the breaker lugs using an insulated butt splice, like the picture, inside the panel.

Good Luck


How is sandpaper quality determined? In chat today, Karl mentioned that there's a very large disparity in sandpaper quality. Now, I knew about grit differences (they refer to the fineness of the grain, iirc) but literal quality?

So, how is sandpaper quality determined? What makes a good quality sandpaper and what makes a low quality one? Is there a way to evaluate quality by touch/sensory perception alone?

There's a fascinating article in Fine Homebuilding # 221, pg. 73, where they torture test various brands of sandpaper discs and find that there's a HUGE gap in performance between the stuff that you can buy at Lowe's (Gator) and the stuff you can find only at good woodworking/tool stores or online (Mirka and Klingspor). I've typically used Mirka when I can get it; I will be trying some of the Klingspor discs soon since it was rated so much more highly. They also rated 3m highly, but didn't look at things like sanding sponges or normal block sanding paper, they just looked at discs.

There's three different things that seem to go into it. First, the quality of the abrasive. Cheap abrasive (Gator) will not hold the sharp 'edges' that make sandpaper feel gritty very long. The second is if there are any additional coatings. Norton, Mirka, and Klingspor have a Stearate coating that keeps the discs from loading up with the dust and grime from the object you're sanding. As auujay mentioned, there is a difference in the paper -- most used "C" grade paper, where Klingspor uses the "F" grade paper, which is much stiffer, but that seems to be the least of the issues with the sanding discs.

I should note that I've had really bad results with the Norton "universal" 5/8 hole disc design -- it seems to leave a lot of orbiter marks.


Black stains and discoloration on outer foundation wall of a house - water damage? The outside foundation wall of this house has visible black stains and discoloration.  The house is a bungalow built around 1970.  No way to tell what the inside of the foundation looks like (covered with drywall/paneling).
The house is located within 1000 feet of water, but it's on relatively flat ground.
Is this a sign of water damage to the foundation, or is it just dirt?

I do not think the mold is from high water.
I would say it is more likely on a shaded portion of the home on next to an area with a lawn. notice the path in the snow a walkway on the front section? The damage to the bottom of the window  possibly from shade or lawn being watered but doubtful that it is caused from flooding, notice how it ends and the “rust” stains on the wall above the mold and to the left.
With the info in the photo I would say it’s not a high water issue.


Reconciling high ceilings with New England cold weather One particular problem with typical New England architecture is that the ceilings are ordinarily low because of cold temperatures and cost of heating. If a ceiling is high, the hot air from radiators rises and collects at the top of the room, so a temperature differential arises. Essentially the homeowner is paying to keep the top of the room at 80F so the living space below is 72F.

Using low ceilings is not a problem in a small house, but the larger the room, the more disproportionate a low ceiling becomes. For example, in a room 24x14, an 8-foot ceiling makes the room seem like a basement, having a cramped feeling.

Is there a strategy for reconciling these conflicting needs, energy efficiency and high ceilings?

Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are most often installed to help keep cool in the summer but they can also help circulate the hot air in the winter. Some have adjustable blades to make them more effective for this use.


Controlling multiple rgb led strips in different zones with remote simultaneously I want to be able to control two rgb led strips with one remote simultaneously as in if I change the color on one strip the other one will match it without requiring another button press. Sync is not required but preferred.

One strip will be around 13 meters long and the second one about 5 meters. They will be about 6 meters apart. Unfortunately they cannot be both connected to one controller.

I have been searching for answers but I ended up with more questions.

If I get two exact controllers and sync one remote to both of them, providing that they are both within range will one button press trigger both of the controllers?

Do controllers that speak to each other exist? As is a master controller that when activated will repeat the signal to a slave controller.

I have been seeing controller products that support multiple zones. I am sure how these would work. Do all the strips need to be connected to the one controller or can you add additional controllers? And are the zones controlled separately or simultaneously?

What you're looking for is an amplifier.   It works like a controller, slaves off another controller.   You send the power output of the controller as a signal to the amplifier.  The wires can be quite thin since they take no appreciable current.

Trying to sync using wireless remotes is hopeless.  Controllers don't always get the signal even when you are aiming directly at them.  Two distant controllers, no chance they'll stay in sync.


LiftMaster garage opener will not erase memory Moved into a new home a couple months ago. Car was broken into on my driveway a week ago, and one of my garage door openers was stolen (along with some other things). The problem is that the opener refuses to erase the memory for connected remotes.

I have followed the instructions on the device, YouTube, and LiftMaster support docs, and none of them are erasing the memory. All directions say to hold down the LEARN button for 6 seconds and wait for an LED. I've held it down for 6 seconds, 60 seconds, etc.

I currently have remotes "locked" via the control panel, but need to reset the memory.

Is my circuit board fried? What are my options?

Just looking at the instructions you wrote and comparing to the instructions on the Liftmaster in your picture (you can read them on the back of your unit) - there is one small discrepancy and some info that you did not state.

1: Did the LED turn on when you pressed that Learn button (YELLOW BUTTON ) ?

  THE LED that should light is the one to the left of the Yellow Button (next
  to the White Up/Down buttons).

2: Did you hold the button and wait for the LED to turn off?

  Regardless of the fact it says to press and hold for 6 seconds, press
  and hold (at least 6 seconds) watch the LED light up (YES lets hope it
  does or maybe the button is not working or the LED is not working) and when > the LED is lit up wait until the LED turns off and then release the button.

Once that has been done exactly as specified  As in the quote of step 2 (if that does not erase the codes), do the procedure again and then with out pressing any buttons or anything else unplug your Liftmaster for 1 minute, and then plug it back in.

P.S. I don't think your unit is fried, broke or otherwise. ...

EDIT 12/4/2017

If the Learn LED never lights when you press the LEARN button (and you know for sure the LED works)  .. Then it could be something very simple - like your learn button is broken - but don't get anxiety over that - to repair that it could be very easy as sometimes these are plastic with an eraser like surface on the other end - when pushed the eraser like surface touches two copper traces of a printed circuit board (PCB) together to make contact.

TO FIX LEARN BUTTON :  Clean Eraser like substance with alcohol (not rubbing as it has oil)  , use a pencil eraser on the PCB copper traces underneath the button - then clean with alcohol - reassemble and test the switch.  And of course the unit should be unplugged when you do this cleaning.

If the switch is not of the above mentioned type - but a board mounted switch You can also check the switch with the logic unit removed  - perhaps a bad solder joint on the logic board.

If you should choose not to do those checks or just don't want to invest time in that - you can order a new logic board for the 8550 (I am not sure but I am guessing yours is similar to the 8550 or 8550W) guessing by the part number in your picture.

A Non WIFI unit is $88.00 and a WIFI unit is $140.00

This part replaces the following legacy #'s : 041D7356, 045DCCR, 045DCBR, 045DCCL, 045DCBL

045DCT is a Security+ 2.0® receiver logic board replacement kit. Compatible with various LiftMaster® DC chain and belt drive garage door openers; made after 2011. The unit will feature a yellow learn button. Check the manual for your specific model number before ordering to ensure compatibility.

Logic Board for WIFI is $140.00

Also if you are in the USA : Since you have to do this because someone stole your Remote Entry - Theft - Capital Loss - the possibility exists that if you itemize you could write off the expenses of repair as a loss. I know that is a tax tip and not a fix it tip but just thought I might include something that could be positive in a bad situation.


new 4-wire GE single-wall oven jts5000snss going into grandfathered 3-wire wall junction so now apparently this entire thread switches to: DO I HAVE THE CORRECT WIRENUT to connect aluminum to copper?
did call an electrician who was honest enough to tell me that he doesnt need to come out to re-wire the house because its grandfathered, i can just wrap the green and white together with the aluminum... even kind enough to warn me that i needed to make sure i have the correct wirenut since i have an aluminum... umm... ground? (or neutral?)...  photos show my old oven, which had a bare copper ground... the NEW oven has the green and white, no bare wires... i dont remember what color the wires are under the green and white insulation
no, nevermind, NOT solved
SOLVED: GREEN & WHITE FROM THE OVEN WENT TO THE BARE SILVER
BLACK WENT TO NEUTRAL BLACK (or so i THOUGHT!)
RED WENT TO HOT BLACK
OVEN WORKS
(but for how long... calling an electrician)
should i start a new post?
OUT from MY WALL: I have BLACK + BLACK + unsheathed SILVER/ALUMINIM-looking wires
OUT from MY OLD OVEN: RED + BLACK + WHITE + unsheathed COPPER
one of the WALL BLACK is connected to my old oven RED (that would be hot i hope)
the other WALL BLACK is connected to the old oven BLACK... that must be NEUTRAL??
the WALL SILVER is connected to the old oven WHITE AND COPPER
my NEW oven has a WHITE wire taped to a GREEN wire (NO BARE WIRE)... a RED wire... and a BLACK wire
my installation instructions combine several models and configurations, with one of them saying to remove the tape that binds the green and white wires... why the $#%& would they tape the two wires together... only to instruct us to separate them?? and arent the green and white going to get connected to the copper anyway??
i noticed that whats really going on is the instructions sometimes specify the house wiring or the oven, but not every time!!
im dyin over here

SOLVED: GREEN & WHITE FROM THE OVEN WENT TO THE BARE SILVER BLACK WENT TO NEUTRAL BLACK RED WENT TO HOT BLACK OVEN WORKS

Not Exactly...
First issue is nomenclature: You said "BLACK WENT TO NEUTRAL". No, black (oven) went to WHITE (house wiring). With a 3-wire oven connection, white is a hot wire. 240V (US) uses 2 hots, neutral and ground. In certain situations, it can be either 2 hots + ground (240V appliance that doesn't need 120V) or 2 hots + neutral with no separate ground (your situation). In either of those cases, if one of the hot wires is black - which will almost always be the case if the wires are in a cable - then it is still hot and not neutral.
The bigger issue is safety. In the olden days, the setup you have was routine - two hots + neutral. Plus the neutral could be, under certain circumstances, bare wire instead of insulated. There was no separate ground wire.
The ideal setup is 4 wires to match your new oven - two hots (typically black & red), neutral (almost always white) and ground (green or bare). The catch is that doing so requires one of two things:

Retrofit ground: You can add a separate ground wire and connect it to the green wire and  connect your new oven white to only the silver wire. The catch is that the ground needs to be as large as it would be if it were a new installation. My guess is that would need to be 10 AWG or 8 AWG. The usual convenient other grounds are from other kitchen circuits, which are likely to only be 12 AWG. But this may still be easier than running a new cable.
New cable: Depending on your setup, that may be very simple (e.g., my kitchen is above the unfinished area of my basement with the main panel) or may be very hard/expensive (kitchen on a different floor from main panel at the other end of the house with finished basement and no conduit).

The good news is that in most areas the old 3-wire connection is grandfathered, so that you are likely legal connecting 4-wire to 3-wire, though it is not as safe as a 4-wire connection.
Wire Size!
However, there is one big factor that may make all the difference and require a new cable: Wire size. If your old cable is 10 AWG and the new oven requires 8 AWG (or 8 AWG and 6 AWG) then you must replace it, and once you are replacing it, you definitely need to bring it up to the modern 4-wire standard.
Check the specs for the oven and see what it says. If it does not specify wire size (AWG) then see what breaker size it specifies, as breakers determine the smallest wire you can use. If you already know you need to replace your breaker (or already did!) then that's pretty much a guarantee that you need larger wires == new wires == 4-wire.


Why does turning my kitchen light off turn on my outside light? when I turn my fluorescent kitchen light off, my outside p.i.r security light comes on, why? the problem started when my father moved the p.i.r up above the door

Sounds like the sensor on your light might be aimed incorrectly. It could be that it is sensing the movement in your kitchen, and when the kitchen light is turned it becomes dark enough for the light to activate. Try adjusting where the sensor is pointing and see if that helps at all.


What is this Verizon device on my Kitchen's wall? When I disconnect its power, I lose Fios internet. Is it possible to move it to a hidden place? Thanks

It is a power supply for a Verizon ONT.  Look for where your Verizon fiber is connected to your house wiring via their box (ONT) or to a Verizon modem.  You'll probably find a pair of power lines coming to it from your house phone wiring.
Usually the power supply would go next to or inside the ONT.  Why it is installed here, we can guess:  The Verizon fiber termination was wanted in a location where there is no power receptacle, so they ran power to it via your internal phone wiring.  From there perhaps you use an ethernet cable to get to your router somewhere else.  It seems odd but that's my guess.
Can you move it?   As long as your ONT gets power somehow, you can move this or it.
Here for comparison is a more typical configuration:

Edit: a bit more advice: Stop using obsolete wiring for critical new services.  In most homes these days the internal phone wiring is disused.  If you have a home phone line at all, it usually serves only a portable phone base station.  So when rooms get redecorated, any surface wiring or wall jacks like this one tend to be cut out and removed without thought to phone service.  For that reason, you SHOULD, when convenient, move this power supply and the Verizon ONT to a location where they do not depend on your 1970s phone wires, but instead are connected in a more obvious and maintainable way.


Diagnosing a leaky metal roof We purchased a 60 year old house a year ago, and the builders report suggested no issues.

The main roof of the house is tile over wooden rafters, and the attic space is dry.

There is an extension, done very early on in the life of the house, extending one of the bedrooms beyond the main roof, and the extensions roof consists of an almost flat metal roof, starting underneath the existing roofs eaves and extending outward away from the house.  There is a slight (5 degree perhaps, without getting a protractor out) pitch to the extensions roof.

The extensions roof consists of flat metal sections interspersed with rafters on top of the roof, and these are also covered in metal.

The roof has a leak on one half of it, but we cannot seem to find any obvious place externally where the leak may be when inspecting the roof externally.  We cannot inspect the roof internally, there is no cavity of note. Externally, while the roof can do with a repaint, it looks in fair repair to a non-expert.

Can anyone suggest approaches to track down the leak, or general approaches to mitigating such leaks in these style roofs?

If the roof is faded this tells it is older and the rubber seals on the fasteners may be failing. This has happened on my barn and I start replacing all the screws with new ones. With a thermal camera you may be able to identify the area that is leaking from inside. I would just replace the screws or find new seals, I tried 1 time to replace the seals getting the old ones off was a total pain on many of the screws so I got new ones, and tossed the seals in a box.


Where can I find good resources on solar thermal backup options? The 'what if the sun don't shine' problem is the difficult issue in solar thermal.  Where can I find good solid test-based resources on the options for backup and their downsides?  For example:

Single tank with gas backup: gas standby losses, heater kicks in even if water is cold but there is no demand, minimum flow rate too high.
Single tank with electric backup: heater kicks in even if water is cold but there is no demand.
Tankless gas: high cost, inconsistent output temperature, gas service upgrades.
Tankless electric: electric service upgrades, higher per-btu cost.
2nd tank gas: high standby losses.
2nd tank electric: higher per-btu cost, but cheap to buy and effective?

Where are the good resources on this topic?  Does the answer change if a small radiant heat loop is in the mix?

For me with a solar system in New Zealand, we've found the following quite effective: we've got a solar tank with 2 electrical elements in it, one at the bottom of the tank, plus another one about a third of the way down from the top.

We run the bottom element overnight intermittently during the winter months when the whole tank is cool, the forecast is poor, and we know we'll need hot water the next day.

We have the top element on a separate booster switch which, on the rare occasion that we want a shower and we can see from the control panel that the water at the top of the tank isn't hot enough, is set up to heat the top of the tank; when the thermostat drops out as the water gets hot enough, the booster switch turns itself off, so we don't have to remember.


What is the best way to remove popcorn from the ceiling? What is the best solution for removing popcorn from the ceiling if I want to get it to look smooth afterwards?

Edit: thanks for your answers!  Would you estimate that replacing the drywall on the ceiling would be less work/mess and result in a better finish?

My wife and I just finished doing this last month. Here's the process we took:

Before you start, check to make sure you don't have asbestos in the popcorn. If your house is newer construction, you don't have to worry about this, but if it's older, you may want to scrape a bit off the ceiling and send it to a lab for testing. If it comes back positive, I would have professionals handle it. Otherwise:

Cover everything you don't want to get gross and disgusting.
Turn off breaker for the lights and remove fixtures.
Use a spray bottle or a garden sprayer to wet 5' by 5' sections of ceiling with water. Be careful not to oversaturate it and damage the drywall.
Scrape off popcorn with a 6" or 12" taping knife, whichever you find easier to handle.
Sand any spots you missed that are still rough. (For the most part, everything comes off smooth.)
Apply mud liberally to any gouges you made. Most spots I had to go over were at the seams of the drywall.
Sand again.
Repeat 6 and 7 if you're OCD like me. If you want to get everything super smooth, shine a flashlight or work light parallel with the ceiling to find raised/gouged areas.
Wipe down the ceiling to get rid of any sanding dust.
Prime
Paint with 2 coats of ceiling paint.
Throw away drop cloths
Lie on the floor and stare at your new smooth ceilings :)

One bit of advice: You're going to make A LOT of dust, and it will get all over everything in your house that isn't covered. We did the whole process before we moved in, so we only had to wipe down the walls and floors.

After you're all done, you'll probably want to change your air filter as well.


Conflicting Information Between Electrician and Home Inspector? I purchased a recently renovated home about six months ago (in Illinois).  Prior to the sale, I had a home inspection done.  I'll admit, I did not actually crawl around the tiny attic space with the inspector, but I was told 'Everything looked good'.

More recently my wife has decided we need to add some overhead lighting.  We had an electrician come out, but he's identified a whole laundry list of problems and quoted us a very high (in my mind) total to fix them.

The home was built in the 50s.  I don't know the history of the house, beyond the previous owners renovated it.

I tried to take some pictures, but my cellphone was not up to the task.  This was about the only clear image I managed.

Some examples from his To-Do list include:

All of the 'flexible' metal cabling (there is a fair bit) needs to be 100% replaced with rigid metal conduit.
All of the existing wiring is 'above' the ceiling joists.  They all need to redone so they are protected by running through the joists or retrofitted with some sort of protection.
Basically every lighting fixture that we do have needs to be ripped out and re-positioned because they aren't 'flush' with the drywall.  Some of them are just slightly setback, the worst offender is just over 1/4th of an inch in (it's actually slanted a bit, so one end is much closer, but the other end is further back).

I'll admit, seeing a twist-tie thing holding the cabling together is a little concerning.  But I'm also surprised that none of this came up during the home inspection.

Needless to say, money is tight.  I was looking to spend ~$500 installing a light in the master-bedroom.  Now we're talking several thousands of dollars.  Do I really need to do all of this?

There are others who know the code better than I, but the code allows for some variation from the wall surface by up to a 1/4" max, and there are extensions that will help get past ones that are set too far in. That is a con play.

As far as the wires on the joists, it looks like your attic is not meant for storage. If not the wires can run on top of the joists that I am aware of. There is a requirement for space below rafters that help dictate the rule if the attic is usable for storage, let alone the sizing of the ceiling joists


Using a charcoal BBQ, how far should I be away from the house? Are there any guidelines or rules anywhere?

It really depends on the material of your house and the height of the overhang.

In one extreme, if you have a brick house with no overhang you can be almost right up against it.

Vinyl siding and/or 9' overhang is the other extreme. You should probably not be within 10' of vinyl siding.

Somewhere in the middle is wood siding which probably will not burn but you might get paint bubbling if you are within 3'

As a general rule you don't want to be under a 1 story overhang which will hold heat and any sparks in.


Why are there bubbles in my bathroom toilet and sink? I have had a lot of really odd things happen in my bathroom this weekend and I want to make sure it is nothing too serious.

Ok so when I was taking a shower I heard the toilet bubble up. A few minutes later I noticed that my shower drain was going slower than normal.

So when I was done with my shower I took a plunger to the shower and it pulled back some hair, etc.  I also noticed that when I flushed the toilet it did not want to drain quickly. I immediately turned the toilet off and then I also noticed that some of the water had backed up into shower.

With the hair I pulled out of the shower I figured I had a hair clog. I put some Drano down the shower to clear the hair and I don't have hair coming up when I plunge the shower now.

However I still have some really odd stuff happening in the bathroom. When the shower gets used for more than a few minutes, the toilet bubbles up and the shower drain slows down again. The shower will eventually drain (very slowly) and when the shower empties, the water in the toilet appears to drop until I can hear air coming in from the bottom. When I use the sink the toilet bubbles up and when I flush the toilet I hear what I assume is some bubbles coming up from the sink.

With a little research I have done on this it looks like it could be the drain pipe on my roof leaking or that my drain field is flooded (I live in Michigan and we have had a ton of rain over the last 3 weeks or so).

I guess I am wondering if both of these ideas are plausible and/or likely and if something like this warrants a calls to a plumber to have them investigate?

There is a clog downstream from both of these drains.  If they are both at the lowest level of the house and you have a septic system, then it's conceivable that the problem is there, but you'd also see water backing up into that bathroom when you run any other showers/toilets in the house.

Most likely, the clog is in the joint in the drain lines where the shower and toilet join on their way out of the bathroom.  Get a snake to fish down the drain (probably best to do this in the shower to avoid damaging the toilet bowl) and expect to go down quite a few feet before you reach the problem.

Edit: Revisiting this question, I'd agree that there's also a likely vent blockage from the bubbling descriptions. But the fact that toilet water backs up into the shower points to a drain blockage, too, and that will be easier to fix.


Why is fuel leaking from the carburetor on my generator? i have Honda clone gx 160 Chinese generator, fuel is leaking from side which is attached to intake of head, i have cleaned carb checked the float. float is working properly. i have sucked air turning it upside down and could not suck any air hence fuel will also not pass. i have replaced intake side gasket too, this also did not worked. what could be the problem.

On my generators I turn the fuel off and run the carb out of fuel for several reasons the first being a tiny pice of crud in the seat for the float valve would be impossible to detect in most cases even my Onan will leak like this some times so it’s a good idea to turn off the fuel, reason #2 when fuel is left in the carb the methanol eats up some of the seals and absorbs moisture, while doing this debris from the degraded rubber parts and fuel lines cause leaks. It is a good idea when done running your generator to remove the load and turn the fuel off letting it run until it dies this helps keep the carb clean and the only negative is you have to open the fuel valve and wait a minute for the bowl to fill up prior to starting. This also provides some additional cool down time for the alternator.


Can a hammer concrete drill bit be used with a regular drill for a small project I have to run  a 1/2 inch pvc electrical conduit through a mortar joint

The mfg calls for a 7/8 masonry bit to be used to allow the conduit through.

Have not been able to find such a bit at the big box stores, but did find a 5/8 hammer drill concrete bit.

Will I be able to use that 5/8 hammer bit in a conventional power drill for this small project? Thanks for your help

Block and brick, maybe. That's a pretty large hole. I've drilled up to maybe 3/8" through mortar without hammer action, but it's slow.

Concrete, no. Unless your "regular" drill has a hammer mode, you'll spin that bit for an age and not get through concrete. You need impact action to break through the stones.


Run additional wire from junction box to existing light switch? I would like to replace an existing analog light switch with a wireless one.  The new switch requires a neutral electrical connection to work.  There is no neutral connection at the existing switch, only two wires: live and switched-live.  Would it be possible to string an additional wire through the stucco wall with the use of, say, a snake used for opening clogged drains?

The junction box is located about three feet (almost) directly above where the switch is in the wall.

Also: the existing wires are stiff copper ones.  Can I use a more flexible kind of wire for the new neutral connection?  Specifically, can a wire be capable of carrying high current, yet be flexible at the same time?

You may only use wire which is legal for wiring in your country (I am presuming USA and thus National Electrical Code).  The NEC allows many types of wire, but as a practical thing, it boils down to two types:  Multi-conductor cable, typically NM aka Romex; and single-conductor wire used in conduit, typically THWN.

You are dealing with solid wire, which is stiff.  For a much more flexible wire, stranded wire is available.  However, Romex is not available in stranded.  Each of your devices must be rated for the strandedness of your wire. (for instance "back stab" connections found on very cheap components are rated for solid wire only).

Neutral must be in the same multi-conductor cable, or the same conduit/raceway, as the other conductors.  You cannot retrofit a neutral to a multi-conductor cable.

If those boxes are connected by conduit, then each of the wires is a single conductor. You can simply pull (or shove) an additional neutral wire through the conduit.

If those boxes are connected by flexible cable, then you will need to pull an entire, additional multiconductor cable between the two boxes.  You have two ways to go.
- Pull a 12/3 or 14/3 cable to replace the existing cable.  This will include hot, switched hot, and neutral.
- Pull an additional 12/2 or 14/2 cable alongside the existing cable.  Cable A will carry always-hot and neutral for the switch and lamp.  Cable B will carry switched-hot and neutral for the lamp. This means when the switch is on, neutral will make a seemingly redundant round-trip between the boxes.  This is required by Code, and for good reason.

You don't need a plumbing snake.  They make "fishing tape" specifically for electricians, used for a variety of hat-tricks to route flexible cable through existing finished work in residences.  Generally in commercial work, everything is in metallic conduit, so any conduit they plan to use must be installed before walls are finished.

If you are starting into electrical work and plan to stay awhile, I'd encourage you early to get acquainted with your local Electrical Supply House.  This is the sort of place that's open from 7am to 6pm and at 7am, the parking lot is full of electricians' trucks.  Electricians are smart people and are perfectly capable of finding the local Home Depot; they buy from electrical supply houses because the pricing is roughly equal and the support and selection is a LOT better.


Ledger for Exterior Stairs - Attach to Existing Wood or Remove and Add Ledger I'm adding steps to the exterior of my house. I know the steps need to be attached to a ledger. However, I cannot decide what the white piece of wood that is already there:

Is it a ledger without the bolts; thus, I just need to add the bolts?
Is it just a cover that I need to pry off (it's nailed in pretty good)?
Can I just attach the stair hangers to?

The board is a fascia board, which hides the rim joist.  It's only nailed or screwed in.  I need to remove it, so I can attach the ledger.


Gooey build up on sandpaper when sanding just started my first DIY project of finishing my 3 year old IKEA Gerton Beech Wooden table top. I have been using this as my computer table and it has become very dirty so I thought I'll use this opportunity to also try to make it look like a beautiful professional table top (loved this one: https://imgur.com/gallery/kEmy8).

So I read up A LOT about how to go about this and finally decided on a wipe on poly finish and went out and bought all the stuff that I needed.

All my excitement turned to nought when I began sanding the tabletop (with 100 grit sandpaper). I couldn't get more than a few swipes before the paper gets clogged with a gooey greyish black residue that also gets even more tightly lodged into the tabletop with the sandpaper movement over it. I tried a bit and decided to check with the hardware store if they had any advise for this. The guy there told me to use an even coarser sandpaper and recommended 60 which I did but with the same results.

I've now spent a couple of hours trying to sand the table but have given up for the day. I also tried wiping it down with white spirit (bought to clean my brush for the stain apply) but again faced the same issue when I tried to sand the table. I'm also wondering if it's worthwhile buying an orbital sander to make this task easier but not sure it will with the specific issue.

I don't want to give up on this though and would really appreciate any advise to solve this problem. The table was treated with a coat of some sort of oil (most probably Danish oil) when it was bought new about 3 years ago so not sure if that's what's causing this problem now.

Wood won't clog sandpaper that fast, so it has to be the finish, dirt/soil or a combination of both. Paint thinner or mineral spirits usually work well to get dirt and grease off of wood, and wont harm most finishes you want to put overtop.

60 grit on a table top is a very coarse grit, and I would pretty much never use a grit that coarse on an already smooth surface. It will take a long time to get those marks out with progressively smoother grits.

It sounds like its the finish or a combination of dirt and finish thats clogging your sandpaper.

You may want to consider using a paint/finish stripper to get down to the bare wood, then start with maybe a 120 or 150 grit and go up from there.


How to get rid of mold on drywall This bedroom was converted from a garage attached to the house. There's some black mold where the bed used to be. What's the best way to get rid of it?

Wiping the the mold with some water-diluted bleach should eliminate the mold.  For good measure consider applying a mildew-resistant primer like "Kilz".

You will want to ensure the source of the moisture causing the problem has been fixed as well as check for mold behind the baseboard.  If you want to be extra thorough, cut out a small piece of the drywall and make sure there is not mold behind the wall surface you can see.


Washing machine overflow I live in a home built in the late 60s. The old set up for the washer was draining into a utility sink (1 1/2 trap that connects to a 2in main) I wanted to move the washing machine to the other side of the wall and remove the utility sink by including standpipe. So far, I connect a 2 in stand pipe, with a 2in trap. When the washer drains, is backing up into the utility sink. Is there any way to fix this mess I created (I don’t mind starting over) or should I just move the sink and have the washer drain into the sink (like before)?
Thanks for the help!

There's probably 50 years of lint build-up in the drain line that services this leg, causing it to be somewhat restricted. Draining a washer into a laundry sink buffers the high flow, which both makes that less of a practical problem (so long as it drains eventually) and also encourages the problem (since the water flows more slowly) - if it's backing up now, then the line beyond is probably in need of cleaning.
The vent line has some serious code issues by the codes I work under - apart from the question of how long your wet-vent is (on a trap that's absolutely testing the limits of venting to not get suctioned dry - washing machines are difficult) it is clearly going horizontal low enough that I doubt it's 6" above the flood rim of the highest fixture on the floor served. Indeed, it would appear to be below the level of the standpipe, though that does involve interpreting between pictures, but I also doubt it's 6" higher than the rim of the laundry sink I can't see.


Use a Steam Dryer hose for washer fill hose? I need to install a washer in a tight space that requires a 90 degree angle connection for water hoses. Unfortunately all my local H/W stores don't carry this item, they only have straight connections which kink the hose. I found the following part which is for a steam dryer installation but the fittings are the same (3/4" standard hose fittings). http://www.lowes.com/pd_375855-59288-98538_0__?productId=3573716

Can I use 2 of these hoses for the hot/cold washer fill hoses? My only concern is that the 90 angle piece looks a little small in diameter (smaller than a 3/4" hose) and wasn't sure if that would be a problem.

You absolutely can use these hoses. In fact, I would recommend them as they appear to be high quality and durable.

The only drawback with any slight restriction would be that it may take slightly longer for your washer to fill, small price to pay versus a burst hose.

PS- you should still turn off the water supply valve(s) whenever you will be gone for more than a few hours.


Can I install a flow through humidifier on either side of the duct? I was about to install a Wait6000 whole home humidifier when I hit this snag in the plan.

On page 3 of their manual (PDF), it says the cold air return duct must be at least 10" wide. The diagram show the humidifier install on that skinny side of the duct.
My duct is only 8" wide. I was planning to install it along the other side where it is plenty wide enough.

My question is, does it matter if I install it on the length of the duct? It would meet all other criteria.

It does not matter if it's on the skinny or wide side, as long as the surface the unit mounts on is 10" wide. There may be issues if the duct were say, 3x10, but any duct large enough for the whole house will be fine with the unit installed on any surface at least 10" wide.


Drill Bit Accessory Identification I have a set of DeWalt drill bits, and there was one piece included that I don't know the use for.
Pictures (quarter for scale):

The set includes a magnetic sleeve as well, but don't think it is related.
Edit: Possibly related to magnetic sleeve. Was useful for helping push a bit out of there...
What is this drill bit accessory?

Several on line sources report it is for demonstration purposes. It is there to show you how  the magnetic holder works. Pull, Tire, Tirez, are translated as "PULL" in English. This may explain why there is no holder in the case for it.


Does this fill valve need replacing or should I replace cap? Its leaking This fill valve is leaking, I have flushed it and it still leaks. Does it look okay or does the entire assembly need replacing?

Looks fine, but what about the diaphragm/washer assembly? That is the stuff that gets soft and worn over time; you most certainly should replace that if ever you open up the cap...