How to make a straight groove easily? I have a project for which I need to cut a groove in 44x44mm wooden plank. The groove is supposed to be 15mm deep and about 3-4mm wide, as well as no less than 150mm long. It is supposed to be positioned in the middle of one of the sides, aligned in the centre of the plank's face. The purpose of this groove is to retain a slide-in plexi piece and hold it in place - I intend to place some cushioning in the groove to prevent rattling. The most important feature for me is straightness - if it's not straight I will not be able to hold the plexi firmly and aesthetically in place.

This is a home project and I do not have a lot of tools. Specifically, I have no power tools apart from a drill/. I can't afford to buy a table saw (other than having a place to keep it) but could possibly buy a cheap angle grinder if need be - but I don't do a lot of DIY so I don't want the tool to be wasted.

What is the best way of creating such a groove, without splurging on single-use equipment?

This can be done most easily with power tools as discussed in previous answers.

However, assuming that you can create a good guide using a metal straightedge clamped to the workpiece, and you can clamp the workpiece to a heavy table, and you have a long hand saw, you can do either of the following:

Saw/Drill Approach

Put your fence together to create a rigid straightedge aligned with one side of your groove.  Now saw down 15 mm while pressing your saw up against your fence. Mark your saw at 15mm of depth so you can see how deep you've gone.
Move the fence to the other side of the groove, and repeat.
Mark a 3.5 mm drill bit at 15mm of depth. Mark the centerline of of your groove with a pencil.
Drill multiple vertical holes along your groove to a depth of 15 mm.  This is much easier with a drill press; you will drill 40-50 holes per plank.
Using a small chisel, break out the remaining pieces, and try to make the bottom reasonably flat.

This will work, but is tedious, and requires your initial 2 cuts to be very accurate.  Most people would simply find someone who had the correct tool, and who could do this in 2 minutes with it.


Is it possible to recover pencil marks on a wall that has been painted over multiple times? My parent's home has a wall that apparently used to contain lots of pen and pencil marks indicating the height progression of my father when he was growing up. The house itself was built in the 1950s and the first time the wall was painted over was in the early 2000s (by accident). Afterwards, they thought it was not recoverable so they had it painted over once or twice more when renting the house out. Over the years they've always wanted to see if there was a way to get it back.
I am not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but is there a chance the pen and pencil marks could be recovered? I am assuming that if I were to remove the paint, the pencil marks might be destroyed. I do remember that when the pencil marks were made, the wall at the time may have been some sort of unpainted drywall. Would there be any options here anyone might know of? Thanks in advance.

Experiment elsewhere on the wall first. I have once seen paint come off wood gently with repeated applications of limonene. This was as the result of a spray bottle being left open, as it heated and cooled a little would come out.


hydronic heating register air locked Can I change the air relief valve on one of my hydronic heating registers without draining the system,I have a water shutoff valve at the register and the system is cold.The boiler pressure shows 10 lbs. Thank you, Mike.

If it is a hot water system then what you are calling an "air relief valve" is actually a vent valve and "NO" the radiator has 2 connections and you would have to shut off both connections not just one.


How do I clean a very dirty refrigerator? I just got a new house and inherited a very moldy and mildewy refrigerator.  My first though it to get some cleaning spray with bleach and just go to town, but I'm worried the bleach might damage the fridge in some way.  It's close enough to an outside door that I could take it outside and hose it out as well.  I'm wondering if others have had a similar situation and got good results with a particular set of cleaning products.

There's a lot of good advice here on cleaning the inside of the fridge.  One thing I'd like to add:

Don't forget to periodically clean the fridge's coils. The coils are typically found underneath or on the back of the fridge, and are meant to dissipate the heat.  The coils will, over time, get blocked with dust etc. and the fridge runs less efficiently as a result of such buildup.    Keep the coils free of dust and you'll save money and extend the life of the fridge.  Use a vacuum with appropriate connectors, and be careful when moving the fridge, vacuuming the coils, etc.

Here's a good reference: How to Save Energy--Clean Your Fridge Coils


Old kitchen range only has 3-wires, how to wire correctly to 4 wire circuit So I have an old range that I'll probably replace soon, so I decided to inspect the wiring box under the counter.
I wanted to make sure everything is safe when I wire the new range to the dedicated range 220V 4-wire (red, black, white, and bare Cu/ground) circuit. However, when I opened the junction box I noticed the following:

the range only has 3 wires: red,black, green.
the red wire nut splice looked burned, the plastic nut melted and was almost exposed
the neutral wire from the circuit was not connected at all any of the range's 3 wires
The range's green wire was connected to ground. This is wrong right?

I cut and cleaned the burned wire/nuts, and spliced it as such:

So question: Is this wiring correct? I thought that in 3-wire ranges there's no ground, and the range's green wire was understood to be neutral..? And range's green should've been connected to the circuits white neutral?
What's the correct wiring here? range green => neutral OR range green => neutral+ground ?
Thanks in advance.
UPDATE: So it's a very simple cooktop range (no oven), 4 coils, no digital clock, analog knob controls. The dedicated circuit powering it seems to be at least #10 gauge NM 3-wire + bare ground cable, and it's on a double 50A breaker.
UPDATE2: Here's the label for the cooktop:

First the easy one:

The range's green wire was connected to ground. This is wrong right?

Actually, that is correct!
Now on with the show:
The usual correct wiring for a range is:

2 x hot = typically black & red
1 neutral = white
1 ground = green or bare (or metal conduit)

In addition, the wires must be properly sized based on the current used by the range (big enough), and the breaker must be sized accordingly (small enough). For example, a 30A circuit will require at least 10 AWG wire (8 AWG is fine, 12 AWG is not) and a 30A breaker (smaller will result in nuisance trips, larger will not protect the wires from overheating).
You need to figure out what size wires and what size breaker you currently have. You may need to upsize one or (more likely) both to properly support the new range.  Need to check with specifications of the new range.
There are certain situations - and you have at least one of these - where you only need 3 wires:

If the range only uses 240V and does not make use of 120V power at all, then it does not need or use a neutral, or have any connection for a neutral wire. That appears to be the case here. Most, but not all, newer ranges use 120V to power clock, timer, controls, etc.

If the range was installed a long time ago on a circuit that was installed a very long time ago, then a separate ground wire was not originally needed and ground and neutral combined was permitted at the time and is a grandfathered exception. In some places it is still a grandfathered exception. However, if upgrades to the wiring are needed (e.g., to change from 10 AWG to 8 AWG wire) then the exception goes away. This is not the case here, as you already have a 4-wire supply!

As far as the burn marks, etc. Those are serious problems. They could be due to undersized wires, but more likely due to loose connections. A loose connection can lead to arcing and burning and/or be high resistance which leads to overheating and burning. So cleaning up those connections is critical. I am extra concerned about the burning on the white (neutral) wire, which since it was not even connected should never overheat! Which indicates that there was likely some serious arcing going on that it burned the otherwise inert wire.
As noted, the range whip installation is not correct, and clearly there were other problems as well. Cleaning all of that up will help for now, but it may need to be all redone for the new range with new wires. I would certainly be concerned about the damage to that white wire since it will likely be needed for the new range.
You need to figure out what kind of wires you have (cable or individual wires, what size), what breaker you have, and what breaker/wire will be needed for the new range in order to decide exactly how to proceed with replacement.

Based on comments, updates, etc. This appears to be 8 AWG on a 50A double-breaker. Typically 8 AWG wire should have a 40A (or smaller) breaker. There are plenty of options that should work fine with that. I picked a GE 30" slide-in range with 4 burners and a self-cleaning oven at random from Home Depot, and the manual shows 240V @ 40A. So there is a good chance that if you swap the 50A breaker for a 40A breaker and clean up the wiring that you will be able to use this for a new range.


How to find where crickets are entering? We occasionally find crickets in our mostly unfinished basement.  We don't often open the windows down there and we haven't noticed any unusual drafts.  We don't have any dryer vents there.  There are two openings for outside faucets, but they're well sealed.  We do have a sump-pump but that's also sealed.

We don't really have a problem with any other insects or rodents.  Just crickets (so far).

How do I find where they're entering?  Is this a DIY worthy fix, or should I hire a pro?

(I have never dealt with crickets before in any capacity; they are unfamiliar to me)

I have wondered the same for our bedroom. I found they are actually able to come through the very tiny space between the balcony door and floor (it's sliding door). I would suggest that you search for tiny crack by the window or vent.


Low voltage transformer on both doorbell & furnace I have ring video doorbell constantly have to be recharged I am thinking it's because my low voltage transformer. my transformer currently has the doorbell wire to it and the furnace both. Which I found at the light fixture in the bedroom Above the light. I am wondering if I am supposed to have 2 separate Transformers or if I can run 2 separate Transformers to give myself more juice to help the ring video doorbell to keep   It charged?

I doubt you've overloaded a 40 VA transformer.

I think what's happened is the Ring is designed to power itself by leaking a small amount of current through the doorbell ringer (but not enough for the ringer to actually ring).  Similar to how old-school dimmers leak current through the incandescent bulb.  However in your case, your ringer is too small/high-impedance, and it can't leak enough power to stay alive.

The answer is put something in parallel with the doorbell ringer so current can leak around it.

You could try fitting a Lutron LUT-MLC device there (in parallel with the doorbell ringer) and see if that clears the problem.  The LUT-MLC allows additional leakage to make inline-powered devices happy.


Which way should a door between the garage and basement swing? Looked everywhere for proper answer.  We have a 2 car garage attached to the basement.  This house is old, built in 1968, we purchased this 2 years ago and were renovating here/there.  We just finished got the wall replaced (fire-rated) also vents removed, electricals/plumbing rerouted/fixed.  Now all we got left is the door.

All over the place says one thing and another, we're not sure who is right based on building code in the USA (Kansas to be specific).

From the garage walking into the basement, should the door swing in or out?  opening INTO the basement or opening INTO the garage?  We know about which kind of door we need, but not sure of the inswing or outswing.

Check local codes -- you may not get a choice in the matter.
Check the door to see if the fire rating requires it to be mounted one way or the other.
Otherwise, look at convenience. Will the door open completely with the car in the garage or your workbench in place? From a security standpoint, having it swing into the basement would be more secure as the hinges will be inside.


Should I build a segmental retaining wall on top of a grade beam with piles? 80 foot long retaining wall that ranges from 4 feet tall on one end to 12 feet tall on the other.
I am planning on a segmental wall made of Versa-Lok "Bronco 18" blocks - 1200+ pounds each.  Yes proper drainage and geo-grid behind the wall, etc.
Theoretically (I think) if the bearing value of the soil is high enough, I can just clear away the topsoil, prepare a nice bearing surface of compacted road base, and stack up the blocks like legos.  HOWEVER, I would like to go further than this ...
Can I create an 80 foot long grade beam, right at the surface of the existing soil, with perhaps a 8 foot deep pier every 6 feet (helical rebar, etc.) connected to a steel reinforced grade beam (all one concrete pour) and then stack my blocks on that, with the lip hanging off the back of it, of course ?  So basically I am doing a big giant 80 foot long first block that goes into the soil with piers, and then stacking the rest of the blocks on it ?
It seems to me that this would guarantee stability of the wall, regardless of the bearing value of the soil.
Two questions:

Is this something that people do ?  Lay down a grade beam with piers to stack the segmental wall on top of ?

Is this the unbelievably overbuilt, guaranteed to never move solution that I think it is ?

Thanks.

When you build a grade beam with piers every 6’ apart, you are essentially building a “post and beam” foundation.
The grade beam will need to be designed to span from pier to pier. The size, amount of rebar, etc. will be based on the load, (i.e.: 4’ to 12’ tall blocks stacked on the grade beam).
The reason the foundation system changes from the traditional “footings on grade” to the “post and beam” style is that the piers will act as posts pushing against the deeper (and more resistive) soil. (Soil 8’ down in the ground is more compacted than soil near the surface.)
Question #1: Is it something people do? No.
The one thing that foundation engineers fear is differential settlement. When a traditional foundation system rests on the ground, the ground can support a fairly uniform load. When you install piers they extend down to more “resistive” soil (soil that’s been compacted over eons of time from the soil higher up.) This will settle less than the soil near the surface, causing differential settlement when loaded (when the blocks are stacked on top).
Question #2: Is it unbelievably overbuilt and guaranteed never to move? Could be.
If the grade beam and piers were adequately designed, then yes, they would not move. In order to design this type of foundation system you’ll need geotechnical engineers to take samples of the soil and test them for compaction, etc. Plus, the size and complexity of the system is far more expensive.
Side Note: This type of engineering requires the highest type (most expensive) of insurance. In the medical field, anesthesiologists and OB/GYN pay the most, (except for special surgical doctors.) These engineers pay higher rates than them.


How to add corner trim to a shed without exterior access? I'd like to build a 10x10 studio shed in the back corner of my lot.  I won't have access to two of the walls as they will be inches from structures on the neighbor's lot.  I can add exterior siding to the wall, before I raise it - but what can I do about the corner where these two walls join?
My only guess right now is to buy pvc corner trim, add construction adhesive, and then install the corner trim by moving it vertically down from the roof.
The end goal is to have everything watertight.  If there is a different way to do this without corner trim, please advise.

I would build the shed on rollers or skids three feet from the neighbors' walls. Finish it completely and properly, then roll or slide it into position, lever it up and slip the timbers out. A 10x10 shed should be very manageable.
Leave any unnecessary interior work for afterwards to keep weight down.


Bathroom Tub Handle Leak I initially had a drip coming from the spout in the bathroom tub.  I replaced the hot and cold water stems and put new seats in both.  This fixed the drip.  The problem I now have is when I turn on the handle I'm getting a leak from the cold water handle.  Even if I just turn on the hot water handle, I'm still getting a leak from the cold water handle.  I'm thinking I didn't tighten that seat enough - it was very hard to get at.  Any suggestions on the problem?

So with both valves off there is no leak from the cold water "handle" nor from the spout, right? This means neither the washers (seals) nor the seats are leaking. Leave them alone.

With the cold water valve closed and the hot opened there is a leak from the "cold water handle", right? This means it is leaking around the stem of the cold valve. Most probably this is a leak around the shaft of the right valve, but could be around the threads of the packing nut. First thing to try is to tighten the packing nut to compress the packing around the shaft.

Actually the first thing is examine the right valve while it is leaking. Take the handle off and the fittings around the valve and examine it with a flashlight while it is leaking. You should be able to tell whether the leak is from the thread of the packing nut or around the shaft. First try tightening the packing nut in steps (but don't overtighten) and see if this stops the leak.

If the leak is at the threads of the packing nut and progressive tightening does not stop the leak, you might try unscrewing the packing the nut and wrapping teflon tape around it (3 turns (layers) of tape) and reinserting and retightening.

EDIT When tightening the packing nut it is important that the valve not be opened so far that the packing nut does not press against the end of the stem. The valve should be almost closed but open enough so that the mixing chamber is filled with water. And when reinserting the stem assembly after it has been removed open the valve all or most of the way so that the seal does not contact the seat while tightening the packing nut.


Splicing multiple LED lights I've just built a TARDIS and I am about to wire up the lights for the windows, the sign boxes along the top, and the beacon light at the roof peak. I've bought and installed these three items:

LED rope (4 of these)
LED strip (1 of these)
Beacon light (1 of these)

My next step is to connect these all to a rechargeable 12-volt SLA battery, then connect that battery to a solar panel. I would like to avoid a power strip, though, so my question is:

Can I splice all these six wires together into one lead that then runs into the battery?

These are al 12v lights, and 12v is pretty safe to work with.  There should be nothing wrong with splicing all the positive wires and negative wires to one cable that then hooks up to the battery.

Because they are LED lights running on DC current, polarity matters, and it might not be obvious on the wires which is positive and which is negative so pay attention to that.


Solid wood front door seasonal swelling makes latching deadbolt difficult My front door is solid wood and in the summer it swells making it difficult to latch the deadbolt (I have to lean my weight into the door to latch from the inside or pull on the handle from the outside to latch it).

In the winter the door latches without issue. If anything it feels "loose" in the latch during the winter.

I'd like to modify the door or the frame/jamb to make it easier to latch the deadbolt.

What do I need to do to determine what the specific issue with the door is and how can I modify the door to easy to latch in all seasons.

The trim sounds like it is a bit snug, when I lived back east I had a similar problem . I adjusted the trim then found in winter it had leaks, I used weather stripping to solve the problem, I had it where it did not stick in summer and a tack strip of weather stripping that sealed to the door in winter worked great, I only lived there for 3 years so I don’t know how well it held up after that but while we were there from the sub 0 temps in winter to the +100 with 100% humidity the door was easy to open and close with both locks.


Hot cup on wood made mark I'm in trouble, I put this mark on an antique cupboard by putting a lot cup on it, is there anything I can try to make it go away?

I had a wooden countertop in my island with this same issue and one trick I found was if you put a teatowel over the area and then with an iron on low hold it a ways above the towel and move it around over the area.  Be careful not to get too close or too hot or you could make the mark worse.  Did this successfully to a good half dozen 'hot rings' on the counter.


Rapid changes in humidity levels in basement suite? I live in the basement suite of a house in Vancouver. I've noticed something strange when running my dehumidifier in my bedroom: when I turn it on, the humidity is at 80%(!); after running for 30 minutes it goes down to 50%. But after three hours with the dehumidifier off, the humidity is back up to 80%!

Any idea what's going on? Is the hygrometer not reading correctly? If I don't run the dehumidifier, the humidity is really noticeable: my sheets feel clammy (can't sleep at night) and the air smells funky.

Welcome to the wonderful world (or mold) of wet basements.

Assuming you've stopped it for 3 hours after running 30 minutes:

So long as water is coming in, the dehumidifier needs to keep running on the humidistat. In half an hour you're pulling the easily available water in the air down to 50% - but there's an entire earth of more water wanting to replace that. Not going so far, there's plenty of less easily available to the dehumidifier water trapped in various surfaces and furnishings - sheetrock, concrete walls, floors, books, upholstered furniture...

That water will make its way back into the air as soon as the air is dryer than the item, but it may take some time to do so. In your case, evidently about 3 hours. assuming the deumidifer has a humidistat and can be set to hold a particular humidity level, set it at 50% and either dump the tank regularly or set it up so the water can go straight to a drain.

Assuming it's running for 3.5 hours continuously - if it feels dry, the hygrometer is, perhaps, bad. If it feels dank, the dehumidifer is having some sort of problem with running properly - sometimes they ice up excessively and stop effectively removing water - they should sense that and allow the ice to melt, but one that is not operating correctly might not do that. You may be able to see ice blocking the cooling fins if you look for it.

You would also expect to see water accumulating in the bucket if it's working, and not accumulating in the bucket (or doing so V-E-R-Y slowly) if it's not.


Technique for driving hinge screws to minimize misalignment When fitting hinge screws I've noticed that, unless the pilot holes are centered exactly on the holes in the hinge and at a precise (within 2-3 degrees) horizontal/lateral right angle to the hinge plate, the edge of the screw head is always misaligned with the hinge hole by the time the two come in contact.

In this case, the countersinks in the screw heads and hinge holes are a close size match, so even small discrepancies in position/angle end up with the head displaced to one side by up to a millimeter.

Driving it to resistance forces the head into the center position (I presume either by the metal bending or, possibly, the screw thread giving way slightly) but it still ends up tilted in its final position.

In DIY videos concerning hinge installation, instructors, DIYers and professionals often drill pilot holes, almost casually, at funny angles, and drive the screws straight in without thought to position. I'm thinking they must have the same problems but aren't bothered by it or using a method unknown to me.

Is this just me being needlessly perfectionistic? If not, can my technique be improved?

I'm also interested to know if it's usually the (stainless steel) screw bending or the thread (in hardwood) giving way that repositions the head of a misaligned screw when it's driven to resistance.

As you are a perfectionist for installing hinge screws perfectly it turns out that there is a product made just for this purpose. It is a self centering pilot drill that aims the pilot drill bit right on center in the hinge hole.

There is a spring loaded sleeve around the drill bit that pushes back as the bit bores the hole. The tip of the sleeve centers in the counter sink of the hinge hole.

These are often sold in sets for the range of hinge screw sizes that you are likely to encounter.

Picture Source

Picture Source


What is this black nut/gasket on my main water line? On the main water line to my house, there is a black gasket that seems to be leaking.  What is that black nut on top?  Have you seen this kind of thing before? I want to know if I can just tighten it with a wrench or if I need to turn of water line and replace it.

The picture turns out to be a picture of a test cock on a backflow preventer.  The black plug is just cosmetic.  One the side there is a way to use a flathead screwdriver and turn off the test cock (in my case, it had been slightly open).


What is this bug? And should I be concerned? I live in a high-rise condo. I have noticed a few bugs flying or crawling around in the room lately. They look harmless, but I am not sure where they come from. They have a unique trapezoid shape. Apologies for the poor picture quality. I tried. What is this bug and should I be concerned?

I vote stink bug. They like to come inside in the winter, and it seems like the population or territory has expanded recently.  I'd never seen them till a few years ago, now they're all over in the fall.  (Central NYS)


Should it take a while to get supplies to rewire a 1100sq ft house? I'm dealing with some contractor problems and I'm trying to get some information to figure out if the contractor is lying to me or just incompetent (or if I'm unreasonable).

We had a long delay of no work being done and they just started to do some work last week - and now they are saying they need another week to get materials.

This is a 1100 sq ft house. Nothing unusual about it. They are replacing all the existing knob and tube wires with up to code materials, including outlets and the main panel. This is something that was in the contract since day 1 so it's not something we just added. The electrician came over yesterday to look at the job and said he's waiting on materials before he can start.

The ONLY thing that's even remotely out of the ordinary - I asked him to run some ethernet cables as well.

Can't they pick up all of the materials from Home Depot or Lowe's? I even did a quick search on Amazon and I see they sell electrical panels which you can order with next day shipping.

Since they knew they had to do this when we first signed the contract, and there has already been over a month of no work being done, I think this delay is beyond unreasonable. I also don't think this delay is realistic since I just can't believe it's that hard to get very common materials for this type of job.

At the risk of throwing someone under the bus, NOTHING he would need could not be acquired at a real supply house (or even home center) in less than an hour and totally in stock. Even the ethernet cable (typically Cat5e) is nothing special in bulk and ANY electrician worth his salt should have the tools and be able to terminate.

I get the impression that he overbooked himself and needs time. Unfortunately for him we have the internet, so his excuse is easily debunked.


how to treat regular lumber for outdoor use What are the solutions to stain lumber for outdoor use, except buying pressure-treated wood? What I want to do is take the old lumber, which is still in good shape, but turned gray because of the weather/rain/etc, sand it, and then stain and re-use for decking. What are those stains/paints/etc. called? So I assume there is something I could stain boards with that would prevent it from rot, mould etc.

Copper Naphthenate is the stuff I use it looks like a green stain , now o days the % is much lower than in years past so I will apply several coats if in contact with earth but for rails and things not touching earth 1 coat works fine. Edited for correct chemical thanks Jimmy


Polyurethane finish over stained wood - can I combine brush and rub on techniques? I am finishing a coffee table with Polyurethane. Used it many times, but have never managed to completely eradicate those pesky brush marks on the final finish, despite sanding between coats.
So this time I am considering using the rub on method.
Obviously being a coffee table it's going to get heavy use, so would need many many coats.
Can anyone tell me if I can do the first couple of coats using a brush, sanding between coats to get it smooth, and then switch to the rub on method with thinned poly to get a perfect finish?

I wouldn't recommend using a bristle brush at all. Use either a foam brush or a lambskin applicator. I don't really see a reason to switch between the two, but it should be ok.  Make sure you follow the manufacturers recommendations.  You do not want to begin sanding until the solvents have evaporated and it begins curing.  Also, time between coats has an upper limit.  See the manufacturers website.

Two additional thoughts:

You can use a thinner such as mineral spirits to thin out the polyurethane.  You will need more coats, but it will help eliminate stroke marks.

If you really think a small application like a coffee table will take that much abuse, you could use "Glaze coat". It is a two part that goes on extremely thick and works very well.  Commercial bar tops and table tops often use it. It's not cheap.  Last time I used it I paid $25 for 9SF of coverage, but it goes on smooth and when you are done you could practically weld on it ("slight exaggeration")


What could be causing my oven to display an error when touched? Often, when I touch my oven, especially in the area of the controller, the oven controller lights up completely and resets to "PF". or Power failure. I then need to set the clock all over again and wait for the next episode. Whirlpool sent a service person who changed the circuit board. Same problem exists after a week. When I touch the oven I feel a small static electricity zap. Any ideas?

There are two causes that come to mind.  Either you have a build up of static electricity in your body and you are discharging it into the oven, causing the controller to reset, or something in the oven is shorting out to the chasis causing you to get shocked when you touch it.

Do you commonly get static shocks anywhere else in your house?  This is common in northern climates in the winter when everything is really dry.  Often you can improve this by increasing the humidity in your house.

If you do not have static issues elsewhere then it is likely that something is wrong with your oven in the form of a short.  I would advise not to use it any further and have a service person come back and check it more carefuly.  Heating elements failing is a common cause of this.


Fastening aluminum fascia to wooden subfascia As I understand it, one should pre-drill the hole for the fastener to prevent dimpling.

Should the Aluminum fascia be fastened with a nail or screw?
What is the preferred spec for the fastener?

I am new at this so any lessons-learned or pitfalls to avoid are appreciated.

Fascia wraps should only be nailed on the bottom (horizontal) face if possible. Avoid nailing the vertical face except where the run terminates if you have a gap, and then use a single nail. Dimples in the vertical face are very difficult to avoid and show conspicuously in certain lighting conditions.

Most carpenters don't pre-drill, but it can be difficult to penetrate the metal if you're not skilled in upside-down nailing. Feel free to do so. You might even do it on the ground beforehand. Aim for the center of the face and every 16" to 24" or so.

Be sure to use corrosion-resistant nails in a matching color. Drive them just far enough to pull the wrap into position. When working with finish metal, gentle is the name of the game.


Determining load bearing wall in attached blueprints attached are two images from blueprints of the first floor of my three story home. I am looking into some renovations and hoping the hive mind could provide some insight. As I'm in the general initial planning/brainstorming phase, it would be super helpful to nail this down before proceeding.

My general goal is to open up the rooms labeled "LavII" and "Exercise Room" into a single larger space. The sauna is obviously not moveable. I initially hoped I would be able to remove the wall labeled with the blue arrow to expand the exercise room beyond the sauna, as I don't need all the extra storage space in the adjacent "storage room," but correct me if I'm wrong in assuming that is a load-bearing wall for sure given its perpendicular orientation as well as the dashed lines indicating concrete foundation/slab below?

That plan being an assumed bust, I am left with the wall labeled with the two red arrows. I am hoping to take that down (just the portion on left side of the sauna), remove the toilet on the LavII side of that wall, and open up the space that way.

Any insights you could provide would be helpful. I've attached the first floor plan as well as the first floor "framing plan" for reference. Thanks!

-Callie

The dashed lines that fall along walls and at pillar points in the basement drawing indicate the location of footings (poured structures under the slab). These typically correspond with bearing walls. You'll see some of them labelled "concrete pad".

I'd expect that the joists running from the wall indicated by the blue arrow to the exterior wall to the right run lengthwise with respect to the home. You can probably verify this a number of ways. If all this is true, you'll need to install a properly-sized beam to carry the floor over that footing.

The wall indicated by red arrows has a point-load footing under it, as does the more centrally-located wall below it in the drawing. There are probably steel posts and microlam (LVL) beams over the walls there. You'll have to investigate to be sure. The joists in that area probably run crosswise with respect to the home and bear on those beams.


Can I tile over Linoleum felt paper on a concrete slab? I have a contractor coming in to tile my home.  My floor is a post tension concrete slab, home is only 4 yrs old.  The contractor said they could just tile right over the linoleum, but after reading about the risks online, I decided to rip it up and they said they would just tile right over whatever material is left.  I can easily rip up the top layer of the linoleum, but the felt/paper layer adheres to the concrete 100%.  Should I be spending time/money/energy on getting all the felt paper up as well?  or is the contractor right that there will not be any issue?

It is not uncommon to apply a coat of embossing compound over a firmly bonded vinyl floor, then tile right over it. It certainly is not my favorite method, but as long as the existing vinyl is well adhered and not curling at sides etc. the tile should stay down well.

Since you have already removed most of the vinyl, I would not worry too much about some left behind backer. Get as much off as you can, and don't leave any loose paper. If any of the leftovers will soften easily with water, soak them a bit and remove it. Other than that, if it is stuck good, go ahead and tile over it.


Why can't I get water out of my washing machine taps? I just moved in and ordered a new washer/dryer that were installed on Monday. There doesn't seem to be any water running to the washing machine. I unattached the hoses from the taps, tried turning the taps to different positions, and can't get water out of them. All nearby valves are on, and I can get water out of a pipe on the same line as the cold water after the black valve but before the taps.

I have photos of the lines here:

Any idea on what to check?

If there are shut offs further up stream you can turn them off and then remove the sharkbite elbows nearest the washing machine valves. You can then have someone briefly turn on the valves that you shut off to check if water is flowing. This will tell you if it is the washing machine valves or not.

The sharkbites can be removed by pushing the orange part into the fitting while pulling the fitting of the pipe, this can be tricky. there is a special tool for this but you can do it with crescent wrench if you size it just right .
youtube


How safely bring lamp wire into house? I'm considering replacing an outdoor lighting fixture with an LED motion-sensitive fixture, but I'm not sure how to safely do the wiring.

The location is protected (under a porch) but still needs to be weatherproof. Here's the existing fixture and mount:

The obvious replacement would be another lamp that included its own box cover, so that its wiring would be covered and protected. But, the fixture I like doesn't include such a cover:

You can see it's meant to be screwed into the wall, but doesn't cover anything. The power cable ends with bare wires which are meant to be wire-nutted to the supply wiring, probably inside a junction box. But, how do I get the wire safely into the junction box while keeping things weatherproof?

One option would be to replace the lamp's power cable with one ending in a grounded plug, and install a weatherproof outlet box. But that's ugly and complex.

Are there weatherproof junction box covers that include provisions for sealed entry of cables?

Those cheap Chinese lights need to be thought out better. There is no one stock part to simply mount them to a proper box. You'll need to make something up on your own. Some of the ones I've seen at the supply house have been put together with a plate from the manufacturer with a rubber sealed connector already installed.

You'll need to mount the bracket to a gasketed weatherproof blank place, then knock out or drill a hole for a rubber cord connector of the proper size to pass the cord through the metal plate.

If you do not have the light yet my strong recommendation would be to find one that is already set up to mount to a box properly.


T-bevel vs Protractor angle finder Is there something that a T-Bevel can do that a Protractor/Angle driver can't? The protactor is able to give the angle measure which is a plus.

Yep. It can fit in your pocket.

The whole point of a bevel gauge is to transfer angles as simply and compactly as possible. It's a carpenter's tool. You wouldn't want your utility knife to dice vegetables for you, and you don't want a fussy, clumsy tool in your belt pouch that you don't need.


Removing blocked shower drain cover? The shower drain cover of my shower seems to be blocked.

I  had it removed for cleaning a couple of times before simply unscrewing it. I've tried unscrewing clockwise, counter-clockwise, lifting from both sides at the same time but it wont pop out.

I believe this is the technical description here, but could not make much sense of it:

https://www.hudsonreed.co.uk/images/a/420/stw001_trays_v1_ld.jpg

From

https://www.hudsonreed.co.uk/products/enclosures/accessories/STW001

Any one would have a recommendation perhaps?

Usually the grill strainer just pulls away. Try to pry it up with a screwdriver or grip with needlenose pliers and gently pull up.


220v, 3-wire circuit, 4-wire cooktop: tying neutral & ground - variation on common question 220v, existing 3-wire circuit, new 4-wire cooktop (I understand that white and ground on cooktop get connected to bare ground on incoming line).

BUT, the 3-wire incoming line first goes into a junction box which feeds a 220v, 3-wire undersink tankless water heater.  That same 3-wire line then goes to the new cooktop where the white neutral and ground are tied together.  The cooktop has an integrated fan so I’m sure that the neutral and ground will be part of an active (i.e. “live”) 120v circuit.

QUESTION: is this dangerous?  Logically if it was dangerous, any instructions suggesting tying the neutral and ground together would also state that the neutral and ground can ONLY be tied together on a dedicated circuit, which the instructions did not state.

So logically, this setup should be safe.  Having said that, “logic” has gotten a lot of people killed!

Any comments would be greatly appreciated!

The exception that allows grounding your range, ovens, cooktops and clothes dryers via the current carrying neutral (which is called "the grounded circuit conductor" in the NEC) does not include a water heater and so grounding your water heater that way is a code violation.
As you recognized the safety of those circuits that were legal to be installed that way is compromised, so much so that new circuits are not allowed to be wired that way. The exception applies only to existing circuits, the exception allows you to not update the wiring when connecting a new appliance or replacing a damaged receptacle.
Additionally connecting the water heater to the range circuit will not satisfy the overcurrent protection required for the water heater and is another violation of the NEC.

250.140 Frames of Ranges and Clothes Dryers. Frames of electric ranges, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted cooking units, clothes dryers, and outlet or junction boxes that are part of the circuit for these appliances shall be connected to the ground (equipment grounding conductor) in the manner specified by 250.134 or 250.138.
Exception: For existing branch-circuit installations only where a ground (equipment grounding conductor) is not present in the outlet or junction box, the frames of electric ranges, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted cooking units, clothes dryers, and outlet or junction boxes that are part of the circuit for these appliances shall be permitted to be connected to the neutral* if all the following conditions are met.

(1) The supply circuit is 120/240-volt, single-phase, 3-wire; or 208Y/120-volt derived from a 3-phase, 4-wire, wye-connected system.

(2) The neutral* is not smaller than 10 AWG copper or 8 AWG aluminum.

(3) The neutral* is insulated, or the neutral* is uninsulated and part of a Type SE service-entrance cable and the branch circuit originates at the service panel (service equipment).

(4) Grounding contacts of receptacles furnished as part of the equipment are bonded to the equipment.

* NEC's legal term for Neutral is "grounded conductor", which is very confusing. For clarity, it's been changed to "neutral" here.


How do I add insulation to my attic? I'm pretty sure my attic needs some additional insulation (it looks pretty sparse and my house is freezing!).

Here are some images of my attic: http://imgur.com/a/pdsXF

Two questions:

There is some existing blown-in insulation (looks like the recycled kind), can I lay down batt insulation over that?
I have a skylight that is not insulated at all, how can I insulate the drywall around it?  Is this a good idea.

*Some additional Info: I'm in CA (East SF Bay Area).  Winters are not too cold, Summers can be hot (90s-100s).

You can, but there's a few issues to be aware of.  First, your blown-in insulation requires space to stay "fluffy" and work well.  Compressing the blown-in with batts will diminish the former's effectiveness and compromise the overall r-value.

Secondly any vapor barrier (the paper on the roll) should be against the drywall.  If you don't have a vapor barrier in place, I would address that (see this article from this answer for more info).  If you do have a vapor barrier, make sure you buy unfaced (like your link), or remove the paper from your batts before installing.

Your best value will likely be buying more blown-in insulation.  If you buy a reasonable amount most of the big box stores will let you rent the machine for free.  It is a messy two person job, however.
It looks like you have standard 2x4s on the edges where the drywall is attached, you could staple faced fiberglass batts to it.  Measure between the "studs" and buy a roll that you can cut to width.  I've seen skylights both with and without insulation, I don't know if there is a downside to insulating them.

Edit

If you put plywood over the cellulose, you're going to have a similar compression problem.  This table shows you what kind of r-value you can get per inch.  So the depth of your joists (they didn't look very tall) is going to limit the r-value you can get if you're covering the joists with plywood.  Since it appears the insulation you already have is near the top, you won't see a huge gain in efficiency if you add just another inch or two of blown insulation.  You might try asking another question once you figure out what r-value you have and what r-value you'd like to have.  If you're near the recommended r-value for your climate and your house is still too cold, you might be better served by looking for air leaks first.


Best Option For Securing Lightbox I’m having some trouble with a light fixture. I have installed a hanging light and it seems that the electrical box in the ceiling is coming out. It has spring clips but they’re not strong enough to hold my new hanging light fixture into place (it’s not crazy heavy, but apparently too heavy for the clips).

The circular plate that has the hole in it is metal (I drilled that). The circle hole in the ceiling had a a metal ring that sits inside of it. What is my best choice to secure this into the ceiling?

Thanks!

The electrical box in the ceiling should not be able to come through the hole under any circumstances.  If this one is, then it's probably a box that was not designed to support a fixture.    (You didn't mention what kind of fixture was in this room before, but there are several types of lamps which don't hang directly from a box -- fluorescent fixtures, and "swag"-style lamps of the 1960s and '70s are popular examples).

Unfortunately, your choices are two:

(1) Get an "old work" box that's rated to support a hanging fixture.

An "old work" box is one that installs into a ceiling after the house is built (i.e., now), while a "new work" box is one that is installed while building the house (i.e., before the ceiling is installed).

For the kind of lighting fixture you have, where it pulls down on the box (due to gravity),  you have no choice but to have a box that's rated to support a fixture --- typically, this must be reinforced to the ceiling structure.   A ceiling box that "clips" to the drywall or plaster ceiling relies on the strength of the ceiling, which means that if the drywall, or plaster, ceiling cracks, due to the weight of the lamp, your lamp will come crashing down.    This is a safety hazard, is prohibited by building and electrical codes, and might hurt someone.

Or:

(2) Get a different hanging lamp that doesn't hang directly from the outlet box.

There are plenty of fixtures that don't hang directly from the electrical box.   Either "strip" lighting fixtures (fluorescent-style), or "swag" style lamps are good alternatives.

For swag lamps, you hang them elsewhere, usually from a hook that's screwed into a stud above (also known as a ceiling joist), and then only a cord goes to the electrical box.

For a fluorescent or strip lamp, you screw the lamp into the ceiling-joists through mounting holes, so the screws bear the weight and the outlet-box does not.

Occasionally, you can find a "pendant" light that has a mounting ring which provides screw holes into the ceiling.  You'll need to make sure you have something solid in the surrounding area -- a joist very close to the outlet box, for example, which it sounds like you don't have.

For each of these choices, the electrical box doesn't have to support any weight, so you'll likely be able to use an "old work" box that just clips to the existing ceiling.

Whichever you choose:

It seems like you should replace the existing box since it isn't secured well enough to the existing ceiling.  The box should never come down from the ceiling.  A good local hardware store or big-box home improvement store can sell you what you need.  If the thought of replacing the box makes you uncomfortable, you should call a professional to complete the install.


How can I secure a wall-mount server rack? I would like to install a 2-Post 12U wall-mounted server rack in my utility closet. The rack will hold up to 200lbs. However, my equipment will be just under 180lbs. Most of the weight will be at the last 4U of the rack (2-2U UPS Battery Backup units weighing in at 63lbs each)
I have two studs 16" apart that I can secure the rack to with 4 lag bolts included. However, my concern is not being able to hit the center of the stud and having the equipment rip off the wall.
Would ripping out the sheetrock and installing a 24" wide by 48" tall plywood board in its place be a better option? I could then mark the center of the studs once I see them and screw the lag bolts through the plywood first and then into the stud?
I could even add additional 2x4 going vertically and horizontally to strengthen the integrity of the wall.
Thoughts?
Specs of the wall-mount rack:
Weight (lbs): Approx 15.5
Size (in): 24.8 x 20.1 x 18.24 (HWD)

Here is a link to the actual rack

You can overkill the job as much as you like, but it's easy enough to use a studfinder or a magnet (looking for screw-heads) to establish the location of the stud non-desctructively, or drill some small holes that will be covered by the rack (and which you can spackle) to destructively identify for certain where the edge of the stud is, and thus infer the center. Given an inch and a half of surface, you don't have to be too precise not to miss the stud.

I've mounted dozens of wall-mount racks and never bothered with more than a studfinder and/or magnet, and not one has fallen off the wall.


What does "architectural" really mean when used to describe building products? Various types of building-related materials and products are often described as being "architectural". I have seen windows, doors, roofing tiles, etc. all described this way.

Example 1
Example 2
Example 3

One possibility is that this is just meaningless marketing gobbledygook meant to convey an impression of high quality.

Or it might have real meaning, but not necessarily a consistent meaning in all cases.

But if there is a real, meaningful definition that would help navigate through myraid product choices - what is it?

Thanks

It does not have a consistent meaning, but in the context of building materials/products is usually intended to suggest a higher level of quality or prestige. I think this comes from the suggestion that this particular material might be specified by an architect, who wants a quality project and doesn't care much about price. In contrast, builder-grade products are low-quality, low-price, generally acceptable items available at low cost for builders who want to limit expenses.

In some areas a more specific meaning has evolved - the shingles you point out are an example, where architectural shingles are a class with a typical design (in contrast to cheaper 3-tab shingles).


How do I tighten this adapter so it stops leaking? I'm installing a new faucet and it's going fairly smoothly except I cannot seem to get this adapter (unsure that's the right word) to stop leaking.
I've managed to tighten the supply line (top green circle) and bottom nut (bottom green circle) enough where there are no leaks there, but this nut in the middle (red circle) will not stop leaking from underneath (see blue lines; I'm an MS Paint master).
I've taken the supply line off and tried tightening just the nut and it will get gradually tighter until it's loose and I can finger tighten it again
This adapter was installed with the old faucet which I tried to repair, failed miserably, and have since removed.
Do I need to replace this part or is there a way to tighten it I am just not getting?

Under that brass nut is a copper or plastic ferrule (sometimes called an olive) if the inside of it is scratched it will not seal.They are cheap so replace it.
Make sure the end of the pipe is smooth and has no spurs that could scratch the new ferrule. If the pipe has shrunk from the pressure of the old ferrule cut that part of pipe off clean up the cut edge and fit a new ferrule.

Plan B: Is if that upper hose is long enough replace the short copper pipe with a connector, seal the connector to the valve and the hose with thread tape.


What is the best way to cut railway sleepers Is it possible? Is the wood treatment of the sleepers affecting my equipment
Tools in my possession: electric chainsaw, circular saw and an handsaw.

If you're talking about railroad ties, just buy a cheap circular saw blade for about $5, use it for the railroad ties and then throw away. It won't go all the way through, even if using on all four sides, but will get close. You can then finish with a bow saw or just strike it against something to split it the rest of the way.


How can I build a shed in two halves and join them without the roof leaking? I am building a shed and I need to build it in two halves so I can take it off the foundation if I need to. The problem is that due to the dimensions, I have to split it in such a way the split line goes across the roof perpendicular to the ridge. The fact that I will be using wooden shakes makes this even harder. What can I do to keep it from leaking?

If the two halves of the shed are built to be structurally sound while separate, then there is no reason that each roof can't be built slightly asymmetrically so that one overlaps a portion of the other to provide weatherproof protection, like this:

Some tweaking of the interface would be needed to make it practical and convenient, but the basic idea would be to build it so there is at least 6 inches of overlap where the higher one covers the lower one.


Adding wires to EMT conduit to add circuits unfortunately, the kitchen wiring in our new condo is severely outdated. Just two circuits; one 15amp for lights and one 20amp for fridge, microwave, gas stove and oven, garbage disposal, dishwasher and countertop outlets. Surprisingly, the 20 amp only tripped once. But it's time to think about an upgrade.

We have a EMT conduit from the basement to the third floor currently with 3 circuits (2x 15amp, 1x 20amp) and one additional pair of wires for future use. I would like to add additional wires to the conduit. I researched this pretty thoroughly but it would be great to get confirmation and address some questions)

CONDUIT details

Wheatland EMT Tube, about 30' long. I think it is the 3/4'' size (outside 0.922''/ inside 0.824''). See picture with junction box below.

Current wires: 4x THWN 12 AWG, 4x THWN 14 AWG, ground wire (for 3 circuits and one unused wire pair)

Proposed additional wires for 4 additional circuits: 6x THWN 12 AWG, 2x THWN 14 AWG

Total wires: 10x THWN 12 AWG, 6x THWN 14 AWG, ground wire

Based on this calculator, the additional wires should fit in the conduit and be code compliant.

Questions

Is this calculation correct? Can I add 8 additional wires to the conduit?
Do I have to worry about the ground? I am not sure what gauge the ground wire is. But is it an issue with all the additional circuits or does the grounding work through the conduit anyways?
I will also have to use larger junction boxes in the third floor and basement. Based on my own calculation, it should be 130 cubic inches. Any suggestions for junction boxes in that size with cut-outs in the back to put the wires in the wall?

Picture of EMT conduit with junction box:

Electrical panel:

You don't need a wired ground in EMT conduit between metal boxes.

Your calc is fine, but you forgot the other calc.

So many wires, so close, will make too much heat.

And that's settled here.

You have 16 conductors so a 50% derate.   You derate off the thermal max for the wire you are using (for THHN, that's 90C column in table 310.15B16).  Blah blah, the ultimate derate for 16  THHN wires in conduit is #14=unusable, #12=15A , and #10=20A.

That doesn't work.  The ground is unnecessary in EMT, so get rid of that and bump your #14s to #12, but 15A is not legal for kitchen countertop circuits. At first blush, it appears you will have to cut circuits to make room for #10 wire on the 20A-mandatory circuits.

However, we're not going to do that!

Multi-wire branch circuits

These things are almost obsolete, because they play badly with AFCI and GFCI  breakers, but they can be life savers in moments like these.  This will require very judicuous breaker placement, which requires elbow room in your panel.

An MWBC has two hots which share a neutral.  The hots are placed on opposite poles (240V opposed) so the neutral  only carries differential current.

Interesting fact, if the neutral is carrying current, that means one of the hots is not - so if the neutral is seeing 10A, one hot may be 20A and the other is 10A.  Heat is the square of current, so 20..10..10 actually runs cooler than 20..20. So neutrals in MWBCs are exempted when calculating thermal derate. Read that again.  Get where this is going?

You now have two #14 hot wires, and six #12 hot wires.  And four neutrals, but they don't count for derate.   This puts us at 8 wires, which take a 30% derate.

30% derate on THHN is #14=17.5A... #12=21A... #10=28A.   So we made it.

In MWBCs, neutrals  must be kept fastidiously separate from one circuit to another.  Further, groupings must be marked - I like colored tape for that. For what it's worth, 8 hot colors exist: black brown red orange yellow pink blue and purple.  And I just bought some blue-red-stripe!  But you must also mark which neutral is with which hots.

Also in MWBC, neutrals must be pigtailed at every splice.  That way any device can be removed without severing the neutral for the other half of the circuit.

All breakers on an MWBC must be handle-tied for common maintenance shutoff.  A 2-pole breaker is one way to get that, however it also provides common trip guaranteed, which is not a thing we need.

If GFCI is desired at the breaker, then it must be a 2-pole breaker.  AFCI implementations differ by manufacturer; some don't allow shared-neutral AFCI.


What does this device on my new furnace do? Can someone please tell me what this is? I had a 35-year old oil furnace replaced recently and the new furnace is obviously more complex and has many safety features the old one didn't. I've looked it over and understand what all the new devices do... except this one. The red plate suggests it's a fire safety device but I can't figure out why it would have an adjustable wheel.

That is a thermally fused switch.  There is a fuse in there that will cut off the power if the temperature in the room rises above a certain temperture.  The wheel is to replace the fuse when it blows.

There's one on this page, Beckett 12501, not sure if it's the same as yours:

http://www.beckettcorp.com/product2/productdetail.asp?detailid=66


Leaking ball valve at flush port How do I get at the internals of the forward (one pointed down with grey cap) flush port of this cold water inlet valve (Propane instant hot water heater)? Screw holds on blue handle but don't know how to remove handle to possibly access some type of additional release of ball

I agree with Jimmy Fix-it. You'll need to replace the valve entirely. It's a specialty assembly and not available to the public readily...that I've seen.

Can you just replace the seal on the grey cap and screw it back on to let it ride? IF so and everything's fine without the simply annoying drip, then take that road.

A Plumbing Supply store may be able to get you a new one. But, you need to figure out with them if you'll be sweating a new one on or going to a compression fitting, which needs to be longer if the old one's being cut off.

Alternatively. Is this part of leased equipment from the propane dealer? It may very well be a stretch. But, if so, then contact them and they will, typically, remedy the problem for free.

Of course, a Plumber might be your best bet in correcting more than this question. Is that valve assembly required or from another setup? Are those wacky reducers and not-yellow teflon tape okay? Is flex-line suddenly approved for outdoor use in a permanent installation? ...it's not, around me.


Refrigerator fail due to adjacent chest freezer I recently moved into a rental property and within the first week the refrigerator stopped keeping things under 50ºF.  When the guy came out to look, he said it was due to my chest freezer being near the refrigerator and it caused the compressor to burn out in it.  The refrigerator has wood on both sides, going up to the cabinet above it, creating a little nook for it to reside in.  There is about an inch gap on both sides between it and the wood. The chest freezer was on one side, next to the wood, with the stove being on the other.  The chest freezer's compressor and other parts are in the back corner, away from the refrigerator.

If any other information is needed, ask and I will provide if I can.

I'm highly skeptical about this, but don't want to just take the blame of it being broken. I have no real knowledge if it is possible or not.
So, is it possible that the refrigerator is failing due to it's proximity to the freezer?

Update
They have replaced the refrigerator at no cost to us.  The guy mentioned that he was going to have it written into the lease to not allow chest freezers at all so I'm thinking he may have something personal against them.  Thanks for all the input and help.

Total, utter, male-bovine-derived-organic-fertilizer.

The cabinet isn't helping it cool any (and is almost certainly less ventilation space than the manufacturer requires), but the freezer really can't have much effect, being on the other side of the cabinet.

The stove on the other side gets far hotter than the outside of the freezer does - so why wasn't that blamed? Presumably because you added the chest freezer to an extant rental kitchen, and the landlord wants to stick you for price of the new refrigerator?

You are not, however, doing your chest freezer any favors if it was right next to the wood - most chest freezers have the coils running under the skin and also have a manufacturer-recommended minimum ventilation space around them.


Are there power transfer switches with various and diverse input types? If you have solar, you might get a manual transfer switch between utility and solar.  Both of those would be hard wired.
So let's say you had solar and utility power AND a generator ... I see there are three-way transfer switches - again, all three choices would be hard wired.
But what if you had solar, utility, generator AND you also had various other power inputs in the future that you could not predict ahead of time.  Maybe someone shows up with a solar array on a truck or someone drives up towing a bigger generator ... or maybe you disconnect your electric car batteries from the car itself and cable it up to the house ...
The point is, you would need a transfer panel with various, diverse inputs (perhaps standard NEMA plugs ?  Open bus bars ?  Lugs to clamp onto ?) and it would need to be able to switch between, say, five or six different inputs.  Basically, a swiss army knife manual transfer switch.
Do these exist ?  Is it possible to wire a device (switch) into my mains power such that I could rent a big huge Ingersoll Rand Diesel generator and drive it up to my house and connect it with cables without rewiring my house ?
How can I create a collection of diverse power inputs for my house that would allow me to opportunistically use whatever power input happened to be available ?
Thank you.

The issue, overall, is transfer architecture
The idea of a "universal transfer switch" per se doesn't exist, at least not in  the turn-key form you're after.  Why?  The issue is that multimode (grid-tied/off-grid switchable) solar systems use a different transfer architecture from standby generators.  In particular, if you have a standby generator (save for some exotic systems), you will never be running it in parallel with the utility's generation, so the transfer switches used with standby generators, whether it's a 6kW light-duty portable genset or a 600kW emergency generator at a hospital, are double throw switches that provide total isolation between the utility mains and the generator connection.
However, solar power systems in this day and age are expected to be able to deliver power to the grid when a grid connection is available.  In order to be able to do this when the grid is around, while still providing safety from backfeeding when utility power goes away, multimode solar systems use a single throw transfer means.  This can either be in the form of a dedicated box, such as the Backup Gateway used with the Tesla Powerwall system, or integral with some other part of the system, typically the inverter-charger used to manage the batteries in "open architecture" multimode systems using 24 or 48VDC battery banks.  While many of these inverter-chargers also support selecting a second AC input instead of the first, it does not change the overall thrust of the setup; namely, that when the transfer means is closed, the solar system is permitted to generate power in synchrony with whatever source is feeding the "mains" side of the inverter.
Trouble comes where neutral meets ground
A further issue comes from the fact that most portable generators are required to meet the OSHA specifications for construction use, which require neutral and ground to be bonded at the generator so that everything works as expected when you're using the generator as a sole source of power, say on a jobsite.  However, your house also supplies a neutral-ground bond at its main breaker panel (service disconnect enclosure), so in order to avoid trouble with parallel bonding means when you add the generator to the picture, you either need to

Remove the neutral-ground bond from the genset (something that's not always possible/provided for, and even when it is, creates a bit of a trap for someone who wishes to then use that generator for portable service), or
Use a transfer switch that switches neutral, thus isolating the generator's neutral/ground bond from the bond in your main panel and eliminating the problem.

However, while switched neutral manual transfer is quite feasible to achieve, switched neutral automatic transfer is quite hard.  In particular, while 3-pole double throw enclosed (UL98) switches are available at a reasonable price and a few switched neutral interlocked-breaker manual transfer panels (Eaton CHGEN...RSN, Reliance Controls PanelLink X, and some setups using Square D QO panels and parts)  also exist, single phase automatic transfer switches that are not made for RV use universally have solid neutrals, and so do most multimode inverters. In fact, there's only one UL 1741 compliant multimode inverter available on the market at the time of this writing, and that's the 120V version of the Victron MultiPlus/MultiGrid; however, that inverter has several downsides that make it difficult to use in North American applications, especially those involving multiple power sources:

It's 120V-only, requiring two inverters to be stacked for split phase service
It lacks a secondary AC input, unlike it's bigger brother (the Victron Quattro, which hasn't yet been UL 1741 tested/listed), or the competing solid-neutral UL1741 inverters for that matter
It only supports 24V DC, again unlike the Quattro, as well as the competing inverters from Outback and Schneider, which support 48V DC
Its listing itself is...questionable when it comes to US usage, as the test lab that listed it isn't OSHA-approved as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (they're CSA-accredited, but that may not be good enough for your Authority Having Jurisdiction).

Permanent standby generators, of course, can be wired either with a bonded or a floating neutral without these issues, and are shipped in a floating-neutral configuration to allow use with stock two-pole residential transfer switches.
There is a glimmer of hope here though
The good news, though, is there is something that comes close to a "universal inlet" for most generators upwards of 8-9kW, whether they be light-duty portables or heavy-duty mobile generators.  In particular, while NEMA never wrote a standard for twist-lock receptacles and plugs over 30A, the State of California did, and it has become a de facto standard throughout the electrical industry for this application.  The resulting inlet for 120/240V split-phase applications is known as a CS6375, and is available either wrapped neatly in an inlet box from multiple manufacturers (Reliance Controls PB50, Eaton EGSPIB50, Midwest U050N, GE/ABB T050N), or as a kit that fits a 2.5" KO (Reliance Controls PI50).
While this limits you to pulling 50A at 240VAC from your generator, no matter what size it is, it's an adequate solution for most residential standby power needs.  (Larger commercial applications use single-pole cam-lock type connectors, but these require significantly more attention in handling than residential power inlets and outlets do, and thus are generally only used in environments where appropriate personnel training can be guaranteed.)


What to call a store that sells end mills? I need to pick up an end mill, today. Mail order isn't an option.

I've been googling for over an hour now, looking for a place in my area that sells end mills. Every search term I've tried leads back to either generic hardware stores or machine shops.

What do you call a store that sells end mills, such that google can find one for you?

Machining and Machine tool supply

Tool and Die Maker's Supplies

Wood Machinery Tool Supply


Re-tapping M3 to 6-32 UNC I have an issue with a project. I have some 6-32 UNC screws that I need to use. I won't get too far into specifics but this is standardized and I cannot use any other screw. The problem I am having is that I found a specialized nut that I need than only comes in metric. Unfortunately it only comes in M3 and M4, not M3.5 which is a close equivalent to 6-32. Although, after looking into it more, I think the thread pitch between 6-32 UNC and M3.5 is different anyhow. Since M3 is a little smaller, would it be possible to get M3 nuts and use a 6-32 UNC tap on it?

The tap drill for a m3 is 2.5mm or .0984" the tap for a #6 is .1065" these are fairly close in size but the #6 is larger so there would be some thread depending on the strength needed there may be enough to do the project it would be worth a try since the fasteners are "custom". I would give taping a try to see if there will be enough thread to do the job I don't have any metric taps to measure the depth of the thread for a m3.


How can I neaten up the corner between stairs and wall We had wooden stairs installed, but did not have any frame installed beforehand. We’d like to make this look better. Looking for ideas and suggestions.

There are 2 typical ways to neaten things like this up:

Trim: thin pieces of wood or plastic cut into short pieces that fit in the treads and risers, tight to the wall. These can be painted or if it is wood, varnished. Pros: looks good, Cons: material cost, requires tools and expertise to look good, installation time
Caulk/mastic/silicone bead: gel sealants which are squeezed from a long tube in a continuous line that would trace the contour of the stairs between the stair and the wall. Pros: looks decent, cheap, fast and requires few tools. Cons: Not as nice looking as trim, only covers the crack between the tread and the stair, does not cover up the wall above the tread

You have a challenging set of stairs to trim because the front of the stair is curved, so any trim would need to match that contour exactly in order to look good. This can be done with the right tools, it's just a matter of expertise. Some sort of sealant bead would be a much simpler and cheaper solution, I would suggest paying someone to do it as they will do a better job of it.

Note: the above assumes you want to keep the look of the wooden stairs, if not you could carpet them up to the wall. If you do plan to carpet them nothing else is necessary.


Disconnected Loud (IMO Useless) bathroom exhaust fan Moved in to my apartment recently. The bathroom ceiling exhaust fan has been unbearably loud. I called my landlord maintenance and they only made it worse (they thought the problem was the light fixture when I had clearly stated it was the fan). I had a look at it myself and it looks like everyone is too lazy to clean/replace the damn thing! Caked with centimeter-thick dust. There's so much dust on this monstrosity: Mind you, this thing goes DEEP into the ceiling! Not your average exhaust fan to easily replace... seems very old. And there is only one switch that controls both fan and light, so I couldn't selectively turn off the damn fan. So I disconnected the useless rotating dust magnet from the socket:
Now the light works... and for once I can use the bathroom and walk out without a headache.

My question: what is the risk of unplugging it? To me, this thing is useless with all that dust, and what exhaust and odor is the old, dirty thing REALLY getting rid of? Especially with a big, hole-less, square light cover blocking the entire thing (not pictured). I guess regardless, to me, I'd unplug a supposedly "odor-blocking, air cleaning" machine to reduce headache any day. But tell me your thoughts!

The accumulated dust is going to have minimal affect its performance as a fan. But feel free to vacuum/brush it if that makes you happier. Lacking a description of the noise, it probably needs bearing lubrication.

In many apartments, the bathroom exhaust fan is most of the ventilation you get. Not running it may lead to mold problems due to excess moisture build-up. Aside from being unsightly, mold can be bad for you.

The "big, hole-less square light cover" almost certainly has a gap around the edge to permit airflow.


water proof tub surround? I have a basement bathroom with a tub/shower that I plan on tiling. My questions are-
Is Duruck, Hardie board and wonderboard the same? The area behind the tub/shower will be unfinished/no drywall, etc. Do I need to have a water barrier either under of on top of the backer board?

You absolutely need to water proof the surround. You can likely use any product (durock, hardie, wonder) that is rated for wet use (not "green" board).

You will still need to fully apply a waterproofing to wet side of the backer. I strongly recommend using a physical membrane like kerdi, but plenty of people swear by paint-on treatments like redgard.

Your finished setup will be something like this:

shower air - tile sealant - tile - thinset - waterproofer - backer - studs


Three way switch with intermittent light functionality I have a fluorescent light fixture in my kitchen that works intermittently. Or, rather, has been working intermittently, but now has stopped working.

I suspected that one of the three way switches was bad, mostly because that was the easiest and cheapest thing to replace. The switch has two black wires and one red wire. When I test the wires with my meter relative to ground, I see 124V on red, 25V on one of the black wires and ~0V on the remaining black wire. If I flip the other 3-way switch, I see 124V on red and 25V on one of the blacks.

This strikes me as odd as I don't know where that 25V is coming from.

Also, strangely enough: while I was hooking up wires, the light momentarily turned on. (I had apparently flipped the incorrect breaker - it is mislabeled - to disconnect the circuit. Lucky me!)

Any suggestions? Is there a convenient way to test the fixture without removing it from the ceiling? Is there something obvious that I am missing? What's with that 25V line?

Update

If I tie all three wires going into the switch together (having disconnected the switch completely), I can hear the fixture humming and see a faint light in the fluorescent tubes.

The switch likely has nothing to do with it.

Sounds like you need a new ballast. Or in the era of efficient LEDs, possibly a new fixture, if you care to upgrade.

I used to have a dying fluorescent fixture that was highly humidity sensitive - it would start reasonably on dry days, and take minutes or hours on wet days. There's an LED there now ;^) More light, less watts.

The 25v reading may indicate a bad neutral connection somewhere between the switch and the panel. What's the reading between the wires that are at 125 & 25 relative to ground? 100V, 150V or something else? It may also be the result of inductive coupling between wires and a meter that does not load the line much (induced voltage, which would drop to zero if any amount of current were drawn from the wire, but modern meters don't draw much current at all.) Essentially two parallel wires acting as a low-grade transformer.


What lamps available in the UK are compatible with BS 546 plugs? We have lots of spare BS546 plug sockets in our rented house (we are located it London, UK). In the bedroom, these are linked to the lighting circuit but we only have one lamp so the room is very dark. The plug on the lamp is type BS 546 5A 240v.

What type of lamps can we buy / what should we check for when buying a lamp? The one lamp we do have says "Input 230-240v 50Hz with max 40W bulb".

Can we just buy a lamp and fit a BS546 plug without blowing ourselves up?

Power (Watts) = Potential (Volts) x Current (Amps).
At 230 Volts a 40 Watt bulb uses 40/230 = 0.2 Amps. So a 5 Amp circuit will have no problem supplying this lamp.

Your choices are

Change the plugs on your lamps.
Use an adapter.

Changing the plugs is not difficult and should be within the competence of many people. If not you can probably find an electrician who will do this for minimal cost.

From a well known trade/retail store

Note that BS546 plugs are mostly not fused. I believe they should only be used on BS546 radial circuits that are individually protected at the fusebox ("consumer unit")

A few fused variants are available:

from an online retailer

If you can find a source, you can buy an adapter

 From Museaum of plugs and sockets


Can I use a bonding terminal on ground wire between ufer rod and panel Long story short, I need to replace an electrical panel.  In my the new panel the grounding bar is in a different location than the current panel.  The ground wire from the Ufer rod will not reach to the new ground bar.  Am I allowed to use a bonding terminal to "splice" a longer ground wire, or does it need to be one continuous wire?

There's an easier fix for this

Get a Siemens EC1GB82 ground bar kit and mount it to the bottom-most set of ground bar holes in your loadcenter cabinet, with the large lug down.  Then, you can simply terminate the annoyingly short ground wire to the bottom bar's large lug and call it a day.

This works because all the ground bars on a panel are electrically equivalent -- the cabinet connects them all together, by virtue of itself needing to be grounded.


sump pump discharge pipe connection broken inside basement I just bought a house and now discovered the sump pump extended discharge pipe is broken at the elbow going out the basement wall about 5 feet from floor.  Can you help with suggestion to repair?
I saw a sump pump discharge hose on a YouTube video; do you think I could change out/replace the 5' pvc pipe for a sump pump discharge hose?

Cut the pipe in half and put a cuppling on it.


Antenna Ground/Attic I have mounted a Clearstream Antenna in my attic of a single story home, which is connected to my tv's via cable. Should I ground it and if so how? Can I run a Copper wire from the splitter to the ground in my electric  or is there a better/easier way?

If it's inside of the attic, it's not exposed to lightning or wind, which is why you ground them in the first place.

You don't need a ground here.

If your wire runs outside the house, however, it wouldn't be a bad idea to ground the wires.


How does water flow through my water heater and up to the top floor without a pump? My house has a gas based water heater(geyser) on the outside. The plumber has connected it such that without the use of electric pump, just through pressure alone, hot water reaches the 1st and 2nd floor. How does this work?

The water coming to your home is under pressure. Typically about 60 psi.

Imagine a bucket with a lid and in the lid you have two holes cut. In one hole, you place a garden hose that fits snugly. You turn the water on and the bucket begins to fill. When the water reaches the top of the bucket, it will start to come out of the second hole.

Your water heater works the same way. The tank has two holes. One for water in and one for water out. The water coming into the tank will push water out of the outlet and up through your house because of the pressure.


Building a shelf question, weight bearing advice needed If I were to take a bunch of 1x2's, say 13, and glue them face to face to reach a desired shelf depth of 9.75" (plus a 1/2" nicer wood facing to reach my total depth needed of 10.25"), a length of 6' and then properly supported with 4 steel brackets screwed into wall studs, would that support about 85 to 90 lbs. of record albums?  Asking for a blog project of mine.  Thank you!

That glued-up board will comfortably support an evenly distributed load of that weight.


What do add to prop/raise the curtain rod a few inches away from the wall? I am about to install a curtain rod onto the wall. The problem is I want to add a few inches between the curtain and the wall than the default length by the curtain rod.

I wonder if there is any item and what it is called (so I can find it in hardware stores). The item will be between the curtain rod and the wall to add a few inches of distance, plus it should be sturdy but allow a screw to go through. Ideally the shape should be close to the base of the curtain rod to make it looks like the extension, but if is not, it's also fine. Is this called some kind of spacer?

Make a couple of nicely finished wooden blocks.

Can be painted same as the wall or to match / contrast with the support you show.


How to get rid of echo inside the apartment? A water pipe inside the apartment burst and was repaired. Ever since, the place has acquired a nasty echo. Everything resounds and we have to talk louder to be heard. Is there any solution to get rid of this echo?

Probably as a result of opening the wall to repair the plumbing, the wall facing was rebuilt.

You might try texturing the wall and repainting it with a non-glossy paint.  Just matching the other walls should be good enough.

Also, if you have not yet returned all wall coverings, tapestries, paintings, and furniture to that wall or carpet to the floor, the room will sound much "brighter".


Replace cartridge of valve for shower I have some problem with my shower, the control of cold and hot water doesnt work. My guess is that the cartridge of the valve needs to be replaced. The problem is that I dont know the brand for the faucet.

I have the photo attached (the upper handle is the one that controls volume, the lower handle is the one that controls the temperature. ), any suggestion is really appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Looks like you have shut off valves built in (second picture) the flat head screws on either side of the lower handle. you can shut them off and remove the cartridge to take it to a plumbing supply and they should be able to tell you.

Looking at the 2nd photo, it appears that the hot side is shut off or at least partially shut off. Try opening the valve and see if that helps.


Is Liquid Plumr or Drano safe to use with a septic system? Just as the title asks, is it safe to use products like Liquid Plumr or Drano in a Septic system?

TLDR;

As a one-off use, Drano® is fine provided you aren't cleaning your floor or doing a couple loads of whites on the same day.

What independent studies say:

According to a 2004 paper by Cornell researchers titled "Household Chemicals and your septic system", despite the assertions of the corporations making Drano® and Liquid-Plumr®, these products can indeed destroy the beneficial bacteria in your tank.  If used in excess, or in combination with other cleaner such as bleach you may encounter problems.

Further, the 1987 study preformed by Mark Gross for the Arkansas water resource title "Assessment of the Effects of Household Chemicals
Upon Individual Septic Tank Performances" claims that for a 1,000-gallon septic tank, the maximum allowable maximum daily dosage of common cleaners is as follows:

Liquid hypochlorite bleach: 1.3 gallons
Pine cleaner: 2.5 gallons
Crystal drain cleaner: 0.65 ounces

Research Notes:

Many plumbers claim that one should worry about the impact of what ever it is that caused your drain in the first place (fats, sanitary napkins, large solids, washing machine lint), than the use of the drain cleaner it self. For this reason, it is preferable to snake your drain rather than clear it with a Drano®.


can i safely turn on my heat with my water not turned on in my house i just moved into a hous3e and my water wont be turned on until next week but its cold in my house. I was wondering is it safe to turn my heat on. i have radiator heaters and i think they run off water some kind of way.im con fused and need answers

I'm no expert, but if your heating system is composed of hot water radiators, I would NOT turn it on until your water is on.

From what I know of these systems, even if they don't require new water to run, they still need to be plugged to the water system for when they need it.

For instance, right when you start to use them at the beginning of the cold season you need to bleed your radiators, which means you open a small valve and let the air come out.

Your system will need water to replace that air.


Where to connect Blue C Wire at old furnace? I have looked at other responses and each layout is a little different.  Looking to connect a Smart Thermostat and need to know where to connect the Blue wire at the Furnace.  See the attached picture.  Lots of possibilities.  Thanks for the help and guidance.

The wire nut on the far right is your common. Test it before you power up your stat. You can test it by attaching test leads from the red to the blue coming from the furnace. You should get 24v.


How can I temporarily seal a gap underneath my door to stop water getting in while it's raining? During heavy rain the water from the drains outside my apartment overflow. The doors have an almost 1 inch gap at the bottom, and the water floods the apartment.

How can I seal that door gap temporarily during the rain to avoid flooding the apartment?

Currently I live in a small town in Argentina. So I do not have access to all materials and do not have any tools. I was thinking about pressing some sort of modeling material into the gap. Today I was using some towels but that holds the water only if I renew them every few minutes. And I don't know what to do when I leave the apartment for a few days and rain starts while I am absent.

The pictures are from 1 of 2 doors.

EDIT: Comments above say that you have 1-2" of water.  There is no solution for this other than fixing the drain.  (Or going to marine style doors with a raised threshold.) What I've describe below can mitigate minor flooding, but won't help with the serious issue you seem to be having.

ORIGINAL ANSWER:

The proper long term answer is to fix the the drain.  However, I appreciate that you are in need of a more short term solution.

In English, what you are looking for is a "Rubber Threshold Seal"  like this:

Or Like This (this is made for garage doors):

Installing these will require drilling through the tile and concrete, installing a plug and screwing it down.  You will also need a liberal dose of caulk (silicone sealer) underneath.

If you're in a real bind, and need a quick and dirty fix until you can get better parts, get a piece of wood, about the width of the door and slightly smaller than the gap, and caulk it down.  Paint it with yellow and black stripes so you don't kick it off.  The sealant won't hold if you stub your toe against it.


How would you fix this cabinet not opening all the way? I’d like to see what I can do to fix this very annoying problem I have with one of the cabinets in my kitchen.
Whoever installed it didn’t take into account the pillar behind the hinge, so it’s only able to swing open to about 50 to 60 degrees out rather than opening to the full 90 degrees or more that you would expect when opening a kitchen cabinet.
What would you do that’s the easiest fix for a novice DIYer?

You can change it so it opens the opposite direction.
I.E. Flip the door over and attach the hinges to the left side of the cabinet.
You can remove door by removing the screw on each hinge that holds them to the cabinet frame.     Once you have the door un-atached you can measure where the holes are, from top and bottom, on the right side and transfer those measurements to the left side. Then hold the door up so the hinge's line up with those the marks (the marks should be visible in the slot of the hinges) and use a pencil to trace the shape of the hole, an oval, in the hinge.
Next you want to drill a small pilot hole directly in the middle of those two ovals, The drill bit should be smaller than the screws and you only need to drill them about 3/4 of an inch deep. ( in your photo it appears that there may already be a hole on the left side for the hinges, some cabinets are made to have the door mount on either side.)
You can now hold the door up in place and secure it to the cabinet with one screw in each hinge. The hole in the hinge is oval to allow you to adjust the door up or down a little so it lines up with the door next to it.
Now your door handle will be in the wrong place at the bottom of the door. Remove the handle and find a drill bit that fits in the existing screw hole. Measure from side and edge to the hole and transfer that to the top of the door so you can drill a new hole for the handle.
You can fill the old hole with some wood filler or vinyl wall Spackle and touch up with white paint.
Now you door will open in the opposite direction and it will no longer be restricted by the column.


Can I retrofit a ground wire so I can install a 4 Prong outlet for my dryer? My house was built in the 50's and has a 2 wire system. Currently the outlet for my dryer is a 3 prong NEMA 10-30. Everything I read goes back and forth between it either okay to use since its already installed and that I run the risk of electrocution if the neutral wire gets damaged. So I have 2 questions:

How much of a risk is there for the neutral wire to actually get comprised?
If my house is a 2 wire system, is there a way I can retrofit a ground wire to the outlet so that I can install a 14-30 4 prong receptacle?

Edit: The wiring to the outlet is a 3 wire cable, 2 hot wires and one neutral.

Since you have 3 insulated conductors I would add an equipment ground conductor this is legal now. 3 wire systems are still legal and do not require update but it is a good idea to have a 4 wire system this is safer. Make sure the new ground is connected to the ground bus if this is coming from a sub panel and the neutral is on the neutral bus. If in a main panel they may go to the same bus as they are tied together.


How do I modify a refrigerator water line to add a shut off valve and flexible pipe? I recently bought a house and bought a new fridge to go with it. The copper pipe that connects to the fridge water has a shut off valve underneath the house and is extremely inconvenient to access. The copper pipe is also fairly long once out of the wall (could probably stretch a good 4' - 5' if it was pulled straight) and once hooked up it would be hard to push the fridge back without damaging/kinking the pipe.

Is it possible for me to cut the pipe to around 1' or so in length and attach some sort of flexible pipe that would have a shut off valve on it?

If so does anyone have any good instructions on how to do it/materials needed?

The solution is fairly simple. Cut the copper tubing about a foot from the floor and install an inline valve. Use a compression coupler type valve and run the remainder with plastic tubing. Food grade 1/4"  plastic tubing will fit well on a 1/4" compression or graduated/clamp fitting. These fitting are available at building box stores or RV stores.


Can I use metal J-channel and drip caps intended for roofing as my window casing beads? I'm going to be installing nailing fin vinyl windows using a new construction application in a stucco wall. I'd like to install them properly with gasketed and caulked casing bead around the edges to account for the different coefficients of expansion for the stucco and vinyl windows and prevent cracking.

I can get plastic casing bead, but noticed that for a negligibly greater amount of money, I could get painted galvalume metal J-channel and drip caps intended for roofing. Examples:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Metal-Sales-Drip-Cap-in-White-4204430/204256751
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Metal-Sales-J-Channel-Flashing-in-White-4227430/204256712

I quite like this option since the metal is bound to hold up better than plastic. I can also get them in non-white colors which could create a nice contrast between the white window and the white stucco.

Is there any reason why this wouldn't work?

Galvalume is a trade name and is not the same material as galvanized steel. Englert, a major roofing manufacturer has a good technical description that specifically cautions against placing Galvalume in contact with mortar.

Believe it or not, the entire construction is not comprised of imbeciles, and building codes actually provide sound guidance in regard to what works.


How do I winterize this sprinkler system I am trying winterize my landscaping sprinklers.  I just moved into my new house and find out this plumbing layout is quite different, I hooked up my 100psi air compressor and tried to blow them out but no luck. I can't get a hold of the old owners so I don't know what to do right now, but snow is coming soon here in Utah.

Update #1: Looks like there is no backflow prevention device.

Thanks a lot!

There is no need to hookup an air compressor at all, should have contacted the local city water department first. They told me that the secondary water supplier will shutoff the valves on their end and this will cause the water to drain back leaving very small amounts of water in the pipes to be blown if you really wanted to use an air compressor.


How can I make my sink smell better? My sink has a tendency to smell awful. A few times I've poored a lemon juice & baking soda mixture down it, but it only reduces the smell for a few days. What are some longer term solutions to this problem?

The smell isn't taking over the kitchen, but it's a real nuisance for someone trying to do the dishes.

Does it smell like sewer gas?

If so, the sink trap is probably incorrectly installed, or more likely, the drain on an adjacent sink or dishwasher isn't properly vented.

A "vent" is a portion of drain tube that lets air into the pipe to replace the water flowing downward.  If there is no easy way to draw the air into the pipe (usually the vent just goes up to the roof and draws air from outside) then the water from other nearby traps can be suctioned down the drain as well.  Without water in trap, sewer gas is free to come up the drain and make you want to move to a condo.

To check the problem, run the dishwasher or wait until the stink appears.  Then get under the sink (with a bucket!) and take off the trap for the sink that smells.  This can usually be done without tools since it's usually a threaded plastic pipe.  Check that the trap is full.

If it's completely full than all this advice is moot: listen to some other commenter.

If it's not full, then the best thing to do is to fix the drain properly.  If that's too difficult or too expensive, you can install a "cheater valve" right before the trap.  They're officially called "air admittance valves" but nobody will know what you mean if you say that. :) They are one-way air valves that make it easier for an improperly vented drain to draw air through THEM rather than sucking out the water from the trap.  They're often used in island sinks where it's impossible to get a proper vent.

(source: homerepairforum.com)


what type of insulation for un conditioned attic i have a cold attic space that has an interior wall into my living space. What should i have for insulation? I can only access the attic/cold side of the wall. Also, would i use a vapor barrier?

Vapor barrier, if any, on the warm side of the insulation.
Type of insulation is your choice. More is better, within reason. Costs vary - if you have space for it, cellulose is usually the best bang for the buck. The insulations that perform better in thinner sections also cost more per applied R-value. With a wall application, cellulose would need a net, or a second (non-structural) wall to hold it in place.


How do you protect your home while restaining your front door? I have been wanting to restain my front door. It is old and there is a lot of damage caused by heat and moisture. I know it takes some time and multiple coats of stain and poly to do it right, but it seems problematic to leave your house wide open for that long. What do you use to protect your home from people, animals, and the elements? Do you just cover it with a tarp or is there some sort of temporary wall that I can put up while I am working on it? Do I just need to make sure that I am home all of the time while trying to get it done?

Thanks

Go to your local lumber yard or big box store and ask about a loaner slab. They know that builders want to send all their stuff out to be finished and will often loan door slabs for no charge. This gives you full functionality of your door while you finish the slab. Take the door dimensions and swing direction (with your back to the hinges).

Now, if you didn't buy your door (or at least your finishing products) from one of these places you may need to do a little more begging. Explain the situation and see what comes of it. An alternative is to buy a cheap scratch-and-dent slab and install it, then sell it on Craigslist or use it for a workbench.