Reverse osmosis water filter installation I am currently attempting to install a reverse osmosis water filtration system in the cabinet underneath my kitchen sink next to a refrigerator. The system comes with a faucet which appears to get it's water supply from the blue 1/4 inch plastic tubing. I am not too fond of the idea of having a second water faucet on our kitchen sink and would much rather have the reverse osmosis water system feed the refrigerator so that our ice and and water from the fridge are filtered.

I looked underneath my kitchen sink and found that on the main cold water pipe, there is what appears to be a self piercing T-tap and that one of the lines goes through the cabinet and likely behind a dishwasher. I do not see any other water lines leading there besides the hot water line. I'm assuming that the cold water line feeds the dishwasher and there might be another T-tap splitting the water going to the dishwasher and another line that will feed the 1/4 inch water supply line that goes to my refrigerator.

I was wondering would it be possible to just run a much longer blue 1/4 inch tube from the RO system to my refrigerator? (G to H in the below diagram containing the filtered water). I think I would rather just have the filtered water go straight to the refrigerator.

UPDATE: I pulled my refrigerator out and found that the tap on the cold water pipe goes directly to the refrigerator. What would be the best way to connect a 1/4 inch plastic tubing from the filtered water directly to the refrigerator? Is there a way for me to just directly shut off the T-tap on the cold water valve and just wire the 1/4 inch line directly from the end of the water filtration system directly to my refrigerator?

EDIT #2 - I think what would solve my issue is if I could somehow cut the water supply to that line and then use that angle stop valve to feed the RO filter and then use the blue line at the end of my RO filter to be wired directly into my refrigerator.

Is there a way for me to cut the water to braided line with a red line through it and then have the water from the saddle valve travel exclusively through the 1/4 inch plastic line? Or is there a better solution than that?

Also, could I just take out that blue 1/4 inch plastic line from the top of the refrigerator even though it is powered by the steel braided hose on the bottom of the refrigerator?

(rear of refrigerator)

Cold water tap for refrigerator water dispenser and possibly dishwasher

Reverse Osmosis diagram

Top of dishwasher

Add this to the top og the saddle valve, it will allow you to add the intake line for the RO, then route you RO line to the icemaker.


What is the purpose of a vapor barrier? I live in southern Brazil and I don't really know if I need a vapor barrier, mainly because I'm still confused about its purpose.

The house in question have brick exterior walls and interior drywall. At first I thought that I might need the vapor barrier in the wall between batrooms-bedroom and bathroom-bathroom. But after some research, it seems to be that vapor barrier is meant to avoid condensation on colder climates in heated houses, is that so?

Here we don't have cold winters (around 10-15°C average) and or summers can get quite hot (35°C average).

Yes vapor barriers are to prevent condensation inside of insulation, greatly reducing its efficiency. In your climate, if you use air conditioning and that space has insulated exterior walls, you will want a vapor barrier on the exterior side of the insulation to prevent outside humidity from condensing inside the cooler insulation. If your exterior walls are just solid masonry, no vapor barrier is required.


How to figure out wire types while replacing old switches with new ones Trying to replace these old switches (1990 build) to new Leviton z-wave switches DZS15-1BZ.

The Leviton manual for new switches expect 3 (BL, WH and RD wires) + 1 ground. But when I opened the old switch, I see 2 BL wires and 1 ground (which is no plugged to the switch).

Now how do I figure out where these 2 BL will go in the new switch?

Old switch:

New switch:

You may be out of luck. Mechanical switches don't need a neutral. Electronic gizmos generally do.

The black wire that is permanently hot connects to BK
The black wire that is switched hot (goes to load e.g. lamp) connects to RD
The white wire that is missing Connor spotted connects to WH
Nothing connects to YL/RD (that is only for 3-way switches).
A pigtail from the ground wire connects to the green terminal screw.

Worst case: You might need to run new wiring to the switches. That might mean opening up the walls.


Could plugging a dishwasher into an outlet cause it to not dry as well? I see a post saying it is OK to plug a built-in dish washer into an outlet.  I have had our dish washer plugged into an outlet for years.  The first dish washer never dried well.  I thought it was the dish washer.  I bought a new Bosch dish washer a couple years ago that is supposed to wash super well and dry well.  However, it does not dry well, at all!  I am thinking maybe the outlet being only 15A does not provide enough current for the dishwasher to heat the drying element well enough.  Therefore not drying well.

Thoughts?  I think I am going to hard wire it and see if that helps.

If your circuit breaker isn't tripping when the old or new dishwasher ran a full cycle, then hardwiring won't change a single thing. Check that your drain hose is clear & run up to above the sink trap or underside of the countertop.

There should be quite a forceful stream of water visible in the garbage disposal or sink drain. If not & you have an Air Gap atop the sink, then take the cap off the Air gap (dishwasher off) & clear all debris. You'll need to snake something down the hose leading into the garbage disposal or sink drain until you can see it come out in either. Correct any hose under the sink to be as inclined as possible above it's connection so future flow-back is eliminated.

And, especially check that the bottom of the dishwasher's inside grate or strainer is clear...if clear glass ever broke in there you really won't notice it blocking the water exit. Also, if you wash food product jars without completely removing labels, they will gum up the works quite badly & quickly.

All this should get you back in tip top shape. A new dishwasher doesn't fix an old or worsening clog.


How to test for reverse polarity I know how to test polarity in receptacle  wiring, but how can I test polarity in lamps or installed ceiling light fixtures? (Without actually taking the fixtures down again!)

Connect one lead of a voltmeter (since we're probably speaking AC here, which lead doesn't matter) to ground and measure for voltage at the center contact of the light socket and the rim. The voltage at the rim should be at or near ground (zero) and the center contact, hot.As always, make sure you know how to handle test equipment and high voltage properly. If in doubt, hire someone.


How do you secure electrical outlets in a concrete block wall? I have an old home that has several outlets in the exterior wall. These outlets are not secured to the block, they just dangle in the opening and are only secure (or appear to be firmly in place) due to the tightness of the cover plate. Are there fasteners or some type of bracing that can be used to correct the loose outlet? Is there another method of "mounting" these outlets? I can't seem to see any way to secure these outlets since the only available structure is the block itself, which is only an inch deep, so drilling tap cons right near the interior wall surface doesn't seem to be the right course of action. Any thoughts?

You may be able to secure the boxes with something like these supports

This image shows two supports that need to be separated in the middle.

The support is grasped by one of the short, perpendicular legs.  The longer end of the long leg is slid on an angle into the cavity vertically between the box and the vertical edge of the opening. Then the bottom end of the support (the shorter end of the long piece) is pushed in, slipped down and hooked behind the lower lip of the opening.  The short perpendicular legs then stick out and are wrapped around from the outside edge of the box to the inside. The same is done on the other side.  The box is then locked in place.

This assumes the box has "ears" at top and bottom that prevent the box from being pulled below the face of the wall.


Ceramics spots after placement I renovated my apartment this month and hired some guys to place the ceramics in the bathroom. They used points of adhesive to glue pottery on the wall. In the evening I observed that few spots appeared on pottery right where the adhesive is located. It is normal? Will they dry?

After few day I saw that the spots are disappearing. I searched for an expert opinion and he told me that the adhesive is working and will dry eventually.


What is this kind of rubber band with low elasticity called? I am looking for rubber bands that are not too elastic.

I remember with LEGO there were rubber bands used as a belt between rotating pieces:

They weren't the usual rubber bands that you can stretch much more:

Do you know what is their name?

O-rings are typically made from a firmer rubber than a rubber band.  They will stretch but not as much.  They come in all sizes, so you're going to have a shopping quest ahead of you, but "O-ring" is probably the best search term for you.

O-Ring Google Image Search


What can I do about a severed grounding wire? After doing some yard cleanup, I realized that my panel ground wire was severed.

I went to Home Depot and was told that they only carried a temporary solution (see attached photo) and that I should seek a code compliant connector. I also talked to an electrician and I was told that to be up to code that I cannot use a connector and that I must re-run a new ground.

Unfortunately our setup would require us to run the new ground with new ground rods in a new location because the current path of the ground is no longer accessible (it's under concrete).

Can I use a "compliant connector" or do I need to run a whole new ground wire?

Here is what the National Electrical Code says:

250.64 Grounding Electrode Conductor Installation. Grounding electrode conductors at the service, at each building or structure where supplied by a feeder(s) or branch circuit(s), or at a separately derived system shall be installed as specified in 250.64(A) through (F).
(C) Continuous. Except as provided in 250.30(A)(5) and (A)(6), 250.30(B)(1), and 250.68(C), grounding electrode conductor(s) shall be installed in one continuous length without a splice or joint. If necessary, splices or connections shall be made as permitted in (1) through (4):
(1) Splicing of the wire-type grounding electrode conductor shall be permitted only by irreversible compression-type connectors listed as grounding and bonding equipment or by the exothermic welding process.

So, the compression connector you have used there is not a listed irreversible compression connector. If it was it would be perfectly legal according to the NEC.
So, the electrician you talked to was not well informed. The Code allows the grounding electrode conductor splicing if it is done correctly.
Good luck!


I need to join my fence with my neighbor's; Can't use his post..how do I dig the hole for mine close to his? As shown in the picture my neighbor's fence is already in place (the vertical fence) Mine will be horizontal and I need to set the post as close as possible to his. My post will support a gate (72" long)

His post (white) is  already rotten and it is moving.
What options do I have? How do I dig a hole next to his post (set in concrete)

I don't think that his post will be enough to support everything. One option will be to extract his post, to replace it and to add a new one for myself and bury them both together in a large hole. Would this work?

I would (and have) set your post at least 2' from his. So it would end up looking like this

 -        -
| | -----| |-------------------
| | |    | |
| | |    | |
| | |    | |
|A| | B  |C|          D
| | |    | |
| | |    | |
| | |    | |
| | -----| |-------------------

A = neighbors post

B = your fence panel cantilevered beyond your post

C = your post

D = your gate/fence...

If you set your post too close to his, then both posts will end up being influenced by the other...as one leans/sinks it will more likely affect the footer of the post immediately next to it.


Should I use water-resistant lumber for siding? Our house has a frame exterior, and rests on a pier-and-beam foundation with a brick chainwall around the sides.

We recently had the house leveled, and that resulted in a gap of several inches between the chainwall and the bottom row of siding.

Finding replacement siding for an old house like this is nearly impossible, so I want to fill the gap with a 1x6, painted to match the house.

But since the wood will be in contact with the brick foundation (and, on the porch, with the concrete porch, should I use "blue" (water-treated) wood?

I'd normally use treated lumber for anything in contact with concrete, not to mention anything outdoors, but I'm afraid that the treated lumber won't take paint well.

If it's not going to paint well, will a coat of paint on the back/bottom of the wood be enough to protect the wood from rotting due to condensation where it meets the concrete/brick?

I would suggest using composite or PVC lumber in this application.  Composite boards are moisture and rot proof. They are made with wood fibers and recycled plastics.  Most are paintable so you can match colors.  The other choice  is PVC boards. Some are paintable, but most should be used in the factory color. If you do paint PVC, use a product that is specifically for plastics, regular latex paints will not adhere properly.

Pressure treated lumber is a good product for this application, however it is difficult to paint. It usually has a high moisture content and must be very dry before attempting to prime and paint. Not a good base for paints, however better for stains.

I'd stick to composites in your situation.


Can I put the burner head in the oven during self cleaning? My renter moved out an left a grimy mess.  The filth on the stove top actually backed-up into the nooks and carnies of surface burner head, and seems almost impassible to clean.
Since the surface burner heads (figure 1) do not have an enamel coating, I was wondering, is it safe to stick them in the oven during the self clean cycle?
If so, would I be able to put the enameled surface burner caps (figure 2) and grates in as well?
Figure 1: Burner head designs make them hard to clean:

Figure 2: Burner caps have a flat enameled surface and are generally easier to clean:

Images sourced from amazon

The self-clean temperature won't get high enough to melt the metal -- and the burner pieces are subject to pretty high heat anyway.  I have cleaned aluminum and enameled parts in a self-clean cycle and the only time I have had problems is with large surface-area part (think a frying pan or something) -- in this case you might warp the metal by subjecting it to such high heat.  I think the pieces you have will be just fin.


Dead Outlet--GFCI RESET button stuck I have a dead kitchen outlet. Switching the circuit breaker won't bring it back. I looked at the GFCI and it looks like the RESET button might be stuck. This seems like my issue. Is there any way to repair this myself?

Thanks

A GFCI is a safety alarm, which detects problems in other devices.  Its one job is to trip when another appliance has a problem.  It is testing all the appliances all the time.  If an appliance has a problem, it will not reset. That is its job.

I imagine with this GFCI tripped, a bunch of sockets are dead.  Unplug everything in those sockets.

Now go back and see if it will reset.

If it does, then the GFCI did exactly what it's supposed to.  Now start plugging things back in.  One of them will trip it.  That appliance is dead. Unplug it and take it to the repair shop.   Did that fix it?  Done.

OK next. Everything's unplugged?   OK.

After you do what ThreePhaseEel suggests, remove the two wires from the LOAD terminals.

Now power the circuit back up and see if the GFCI will behave normally.  If it does, the problem is in the downline wiring.  Or an appliance you haven't found yet!

If it still won't reset, then yeah, it's the GFCI.


Insulation over ceiling drywall nailers or scabs So fiberglass batts 12" thickness.  The goal is to not let the insulation become compacted or have gaps between unconditioned and the conditioned space.

When a drywall nailer is fastened to the top plate of a wall that means if projects into the attic space.  The fiberglass forms an arch over the protrusion.

Is the most preferred method to slit the kraft paper and hollow out fiberglass so it sets flush with the future ceiling plane?  Is there a gain doing this...assuming the insulation would otherwise just have a crown in the attic meaning still the same thickness?

no.no.no.  don't slit the paper.  its there as a vapour barrier.  having your insulation humped up over the backing is no issue, as long as your vapour barrier and insulation are complete and with full integrity.  just make sure that there are no gaps between the adjacent insulation and your humped piece of insulation (ie. where cold air can get down against the cold side of the drywall.  here in Ontario, nobody has used paper backed insulation for years.  we have the requirement of a seamless plastic barrier, taped, pocketed and sealed at all penetrations to make a giant air balloon out of every heated space.  the logic is the same for any place on earth, even if you are working with old materials or new materials that use old technologies.


Repair sprinkler pipe What is the best way to repair a pvc T joint that connects two 1 inch pipes and has a threaded half inch T extension, which has been stripped? I can't attach the sprinkler head to it without it leaking.

I have included a picture below.

Please let me know if you need additional information.

Dig out the area enough to cut out the tee and enough pipe such that a new tee and a coupling can be glued in. This will result in slight re-positioning of the sprinkler.

If maintaining the position exactly is important, cut back enough pipe on both sides of the tee and use two couplings.

You will need to be able to pull up, flex, or move the pipe a bit to facilitate the installation of new fittings. If this is not feasible, I have had good luck with repair couplings, which open like a clam shell or come in two pieces; so you do not need any pipe flex:


No power at light fixture I am installing a new vanity light fixture, but after installation it did not turn on. I reinstalled the old one and now that one doesn't turn on either at that fixture. So I used a multi-meter on the wires and it does not detect any AC voltage - I've checked the breaker and it has not tripped. I am out of ideas of where else or what else to check.
Any ideas?

As it turned out, it was the dimmer which must have  been shorted by the new light fixture. While the light fixture is dimmer compatible, I guess the old dimmer wasn't up to the task - and was probably why there was no power getting to the light fixture. bought and installed a new dimmer and now it works!


How can I soundproof a hatch door in the floor? Wooden hatch door, it's about 1.5" thick plywood but quite loud below when people walk over it, despite having carpet on top.

It closes against a metal jam so I was thinking of putting some dense foam on the jam so the door would give a little. It could however be a bit weird for those walking over it however (usually paying guests staying for a few days max).

I was thinking the egg-crate foam is more designed to stop sound hitting the crate side, so whereas that would be good so they don't get noise from us, the main problem is the drumming of this door.

Any easy solution other than replacing the door with something more rigid?

1.5" X 2 feet X 3 feet or so?
That's not very thick to support 150+Lb without flexing, which'll give you a drumhead effect regardless of how much foam is used.
Consider putting an angle iron stiffening frame on the underside of the door.
Attached firmly, it should eliminate flex, and most of the drumming.


What could cause a chainsaw chain to stop moving? I have a 40cc Craftsman 18" chainsaw, and was cutting and the chain stopped moving.  Earlier it would rotate freely when I started it, even without pulling the trigger.  Now it does not move at all.  I'm nervous to pull it too hard, and wonder if it's just some safety setting that I accidentally triggered.  Any advice?

My saw has a brake that can protect me in case of a kickback. It sits in front of my left hand. Push forward to engage, pull back to release.

Or it could be a maintenance issue:

Do you fill the bar oil when you fill the gas?
Do you clean the machine after using it? Including the drive gear and the slot in the edge of the bar?
Do you loosen the chain when putting it away? As the chain cools it contracts, and you don't want to let it get overtight. I store it loose; snug it up before using; adjust after 5-10 minutes use, when it's warm; the release when putting away.
If you remove the bar & chain, does the drive gear spin?


Where to connect C-wire on old furnace (diagram attached) I've got an old steam furnace and would like to add a common wire.  The wire is already ran, I just have no idea where to connect it.

I thought it would go to TR but that didn't work.  Thanks in advance, much appreciated!

Found this link here stating that the blue C wire is the 24V AC transformer Neutral wire, hope this is of some use to you.


Tub cracked side lip, replace or patch up? I have a newly installed tub and unfortunately it has a crack down the outer edge or front lip about 1 to 2 inches and it also goes all the way to the edge.

I am afraid of it running and getting bigger, and I am not sure the material if it is acrylic, polyester or fibreglass if that matters?

I am wondering should I replace entire tub or patch it up? Thanks for any advice or knowledge.

If you try to repair that crack then the complete length needs supporting as it is flexing too much.

I had one where we noticed the flex early and I fitted a beam with supports underneath - made access a bit more difficult but still ok.

Seen one where the next crack developed a short distance down from the repair so think carefully about the real cause as well.


Why does it take longer for the water in my kitchen to come on after the city worked on drains near my home? The city recently "did some work" on one of the drains around the corner in my neighborhood. Ever since then, my hot and cold water in the kitchen is taking longer and longer to come on. Started at 5 seconds, now it's 30 seconds.

What can I do to fix this?

Because air has been introduced into the water supply system. This is caused by the pipes being drained because they were cut and mended. So when they turn the water supply on again air pressure stop water from filling the pipes. (Because pipes are airtight and so are your taps)

To remedy this you need to open cold water tap and let it run. Don't runt your hot water tap because you might introduce dirt into your heating system.  You will hear hissing and spewing noise. Once water starts to run let it run for another minute. You might notice muddy water. If you do let it run for another minute or two until the water is clear.

Sometimes taps have filters (aerators) on them and they can get clogged up causing pressure issues. Also if you did run warm water during priming then it is likely that other filters are blocked. You need to find out which ones, clean or replace them now. Most likely a plumber will be needed to find the problem.


Well (Water) Troubleshooting I have a 20g Pressure Holding tank.

When I turn on the outside faucet, I notice low pressure after a while.

When I go to the control unit connected to the pressure tank, I see the pressure drop from 55psi to 30 psi in about 10 seconds, and then it takes 21 seconds for it to get back to 55psi where it then drops quickly to 30 psi - and repeats over and over....

Could this be a problem with not enough air in the pressure tank or is this an issue with not enough water flow at the well itself?

Thats right.   You need air in the tank.   OR  the bladder has ruptured.   Either way you need air in the tank, and likely need to put more air in about twice a year until you replace the P tank.


Should I cover this gap under my front door? Under my front door, there is a wood board, but there is a 1/2 to 1 inch gap above the board and below the threshold. Is it a problem if water gets in there? I'm not sure if I should seal it. There's concrete visible in the gap, and it seems to be in line with the foundation.

Yep, caulk it and paint it with paintable caulk and exterior paint (after a good "surface prepping"). Use a dark shade to help hide foot scuffs.

Don't caulk inside the metal threshold, it probably needs to be able weep water. Just caulk it where it meets the wood, and all around where the wood abuts the building, even if it's not cracked, yet.

The problem is not only with water infiltration, but air, as well with those lil' buggers.


How to clean an induction hob from scorching? After all water boiled, an empty teapot was left on the surface with turned on hob. You can see the spot on the photo. Is there some ways to fix or clean this?

Induction hob BOSCH PIB673F17E.

We use Bon Ami to clean our cooktop and it removes everything. But you can buy other products specifically designed not to scratch like Soft Scrub.


What would be a good material for a portable video projection surface? I'm considering picking up a picoprojector as an lcd replacement. I would like to have maybe some frosted plastic as a surface that I can deploy in the absence of a suitable whitewashed wall.

It should be
- frosted/backed by a semitransparent coating to show a picture, optimally from either side (projector on same side as viewer OR on opposite side).
 - cheap (easily replaceable)
 - easy to clean/descratch
 - light

Optimally it should also be amenable to some kind of modification to allow assembly into larger panels.

Maybe showerboard? I've used it in the past as a dry erase board. It comes in large sheets which you could attach to the wall via screws or hangers of some sort. A dab of white paint over the screw holes and you should be ok.

I don't remember exactly how expensive it was but I don't think it was more than $20 per sheet ... and they were fairly large sheets.


HVAC compressor turns on when calling for fan only I just moved into a new apartment with HVAC, and I'm looking to control the thermostat with a few Phidgets (I had already invested in that ecosystem, so I just needed a couple of relays).

Anyway, when I connect the R and G wires together with my relay, the system turns on both the fan and the compressor (the letter behind the green wire is indeed labelled G). I'm guessing this isn't normal; how would I go about troubleshooting this? I haven't had the chance to turn the Fan switch to "On" on the original thermostat to verify its operation.

Shorting the blue wire (labelled Y in the photo) and R turns on the compressor + fan as well, which is expected.

You're going to have to go look in the air handler, to determine how the control wiring is connected.  The thermostat is nothing but a fancy switch, so it doesn't tell you much about how the system is wired.


How should I clean and repaint a painted wooden deck? My deck appears to have been painted with just a single layer of paint, which is now peeling off.  I like the look of the paint (when it's in better condition, of course), and am uninterested in staining, especially because I'll be adding some new balusters which may not necessarily match the existing wood.  I'd like to clean, prime, and repaint the entire deck, and have a few questions:

Do I need to actually strip the existing paint?  Or can I just follow this cleaning method (power wash, scrub with bleach/water/TSP)?
Because I don't particularly care about the discoloration of the underlying wood, is the above-mentioned chemical cleaning necessary?  Or can I just pressure wash, wait to dry, then start priming?
Should I prime/paint/stain the underside of the deck?  While I want paint on the top, I'd be okay with staining the underside, if necessary.
What kind of primer/paint should I use?  This deck is in Illinois and experiences hot summers, cold winters, and plenty of moisture.

Painting a pressure treated wood deck is always tricky. Pressure treated wood does not seem to hold paint well, even with a good primer. Stain is usually a better alternative, but since your deck already has paint, it would have to be stripped completely before using stain.

In order for the paint to stick fairly well, the surface needs to be as clean and dry as possible. Looking at your pictures, I see a fair amount of algae in the grain of the wood. This is a very normal condition. You should however, use the pressure washer and bleach/water/TSP shrub down method to clean it up. I'd wait until April or May when temps are up in the 60's to 70's to help dry the deck and open the grain.

Select a high grip primer rather than a stain blocking type. Many manufactures have come out with new formulas that are designed to bond better. When you apply the primer, don't rush. Simply rolling on primer too quickly is not good. The primer needs to be brushed into the grain as deeply as possible.  Let it dry completely.  Now you can apply your deck paint as normal.


What do I need to do to prepare to remove a textured (popcorn) walls? Questions:

What are some things I should definitely know?
What will be behind my popcorn wall? (The original wall we put the popcorn over?)
Since masks are out of stock because of the Covid19 virus. What should I use for respiratory protection?
I know I must wet it to scrape it. Can I use a spray bottle?
Will the fact that my popcorn walls are painted affect removal?

The wall was put on probably 90s/80s/2000s
It’s been through 4 generations of teen girls, my mom asked for it because a guy my grandpa knew was able to put them on. Popcorn walls are uncommon but they unfortunately exist

It was put in 1998/1999 my mom said. They said they put it over just a regular wall.
Here's what the walls look like:

As noted in the comments, you * NEED * to be positive that this isn't 70s vintage, because of the possibility of asbestos. If this was my house, I'd send a sample to a lab.

What's behind the wall depends on the vintage of the house itself. If it's post-50s, it's probably a manufactured board product like drywall. Prior to that, it's apt to be some kind of lath/plaster. Either way, you'll have some sort of a substrate to work from. Don't expect it to be in perfect shape after you've removed the texture -- you'll probably have to skim the whole thing. (This is where the comment about adding a new layer of thin drywall starts to look pretty good, though trim and electrical boxes need to figure into the calculation...)

Mask-wise, you should probably wait until you can procure a mask. This emergency isn't going to last forever in the way that you want your lungs to last forever.

When actually scraping, a spray bottle is probably the best option.

Paint layers on texture will make it much harder to scrape, as the moisture you're applying won't seep in as much. A sharp scraper will help, which usually means either a lot of blades, or the ability to quickly and easily sharpen them yourself throughout the day.


How would you redo the grading of a brick patio? When it rains my patio collects water in a couple of spots close to the wall of the house. The wall is now presenting external efflorescence and cracks of the external cement coating. (not sure if anything is wrong under that coating other than excessive humidity).

It is clear that I have to fix the draining for this patio but I don't know what is the best way to do it. Here are the options that I am considering:

install a frech drain between patio and wall -the problem with this is that I need to discharge that drain somewhere. For that I might
need to extend the french drain around another wall
re-grade the patio by adding more sand under the areas where the water pools
or by removing everything (gravel,sand, pavers) and re-grading the soil
that is the base for the above layers

Which of the above would you recommend? Do you have any other ideas ?

Best is probably a combination of french drain and pulling it all up
   and regrading the base. Also the most hassle and expense, but in
   terms of function, the best option. And you would then have the option of running the drain under the patio, if that helped with discharging it.

The individual pieces of that that you have thought of are somewhere else along the expense and hassle line, as well as the effectiveness line. Obviously pulling up a few pavers and repacking under them is least expensive, but it will help the water to move away - but if the patio as a whole is not sloped to drain well, it won't help much if you are just moving the puddles around. So, if just a few spots are low, it might be all that's needed, but if filling one low spot will simply result in another, regrading the whole thing looks better eventually.


Stink in Washroom - Possibilities? I had a previous question about my toilet leaking in my washroom. For some strange reason, the washroom has a strong, persistent stink despite everything we do to remove it. What are the possibilities to investigate? Could it be mold?

We've tried:

Turning off the toilet water supply, flushing it to empty
Emptying the garbage
Cleaning the toilet bowl with strong, apple-scented cleaner
Spraying those washroom scents until the smell is gone

Despite all this, the stick returns, persistently. I don't think it's getting worse every day, but it's bad enough to keep us away from using that washroom. (We haven't used it in weeks, and since spraying and cleaning it; the smell returned in a day or two.)

I really hope it isn't mold; but what should I look for in terms of possibilities?

Our second shower sits unused for weeks and sometimes months at a time (daughter moved out.)  About a year ago, a horrible smell started emanating from that bathroom - after many unsuccessful attempts to kill the smell, I finally realized that the P-trap under the shower floor must have dried out, allowing sewer gas to rise up through the drain.  I ran a couple of gallons of water, and the smell went away.  I run that shower for 30 seconds or so once a month, and the smell has never come back.

So: any unused plumbing fixtures in that washroom?


How do I troubleshoot a ceiling fan that suddenly stopped working? I've got a ceiling fan in my kitchen that all of a sudden stopped working one day.  No lights, no fan.  Power is still up in the rest of the kitchen, and no breakers tripped.

Is it common for a ceiling fan to stop working? It's less than a few years old. It does run a fair bit, but I'd expect the lights to still work if for instance the motor went out.

I'm not sure if that means something is wrong with the electrical inside the fan, or if it's at the connection, or perhaps even the switch.

What can I do to test that it's not kaput?

Well for starters you can check the power at the switch to see of the switch has failed. This can be done with a power line wire test probe.....but do use care when dealing with AC power. It is dangerous stuff and can injure or kill if not handled properly. If this leaves you with a queasy feeling then now would be a good time to call in a professional electrician.

If power is passing through the switch to the fan and light unit then it is a pretty good guess that something has gone wrong with the unit itself. There are many things that could happen and some of them may be dependent on just what type of ceiling fan unit this is. For example if the fan was one of the type suspended down from the ceiling on a pipe type thing and if the fan was somewhat unbalanced a continual swinging motion of the hanger pipe could cause the electrical wires to fracture and become open circuit. Without further detail as to the type of fan it would be difficult to suggest specific failures that you might expect to see.

Do note that it is common that a fan / light assembly may have separate switched power leads for the fan and for the light. However there may be a common return neutral line. Since it seems like both the lights and fan failed at the same time it is likely that the wiring failure could be in this common return line.


Can wallpaper be coated with a protective finish? I want to use wallpaper as the decorative top to some nightstands I plan on making. The wallpaper by itself would probably not last too long especially with cups/glasses being set on them frequently. My idea is to just coat the wallpaper with a protective finish like a spray-on lacquer or polyurethane. Will this ruin the wallpaper or is this a suitable method to protect it?

Generally, yes - you can help protect the wallpaper with polyurethane. However, once the paper is on, it's not coming off without a complete overhaul (sand it all off and redo it), and you should be aware that paper tends to fade and yellow after a while.

Also, if you use a brush to apply water based poly then you need to apply it kind of quickly and be (kind of) gentle because wet paper is easily marred.

Oil based urethane should be easier to use (provided the ink doesn't bleed). You should test some paper separately (perhaps test your method on a cardboard box) before applying it to the nightstand.


How should I install flooring over fresh concrete? I have fresh concrete poured in my basement. Planing to use Metrofloor Engage Select vinyl plank for most of the floor. Contemplating ceramic tile for the bathroom if vinyl is not good enough for that.
What would be the best combination of layers under the vinyl? Would the same combination work under tile? (Assuming I will let the concrete dry to the appropriate level.)
Some choices I've researched so far:

-Seal the leftover moisture in the concrete using urethane adhesive under plywood

or

-Let the concrete dry forever, using something like DRIcore Subfloor Panel

If gluing, use plywood or OSB?

T&G is good or hard to work with? (contractors don't seem to like it)

What goes between the vinyl and the sub floor if anything?

Any other ideas?

The vinyl plank installation guide does say that it can go over concrete, but "concrete that exhibits high levels of Moisture Vapor Emissions/ Hydrostatic pressure in combination with high levels of alkalinity provides a substance that is highly corrosive. No floor covering, including ENGAGE,can withstand the long-term corrosive nature
of this chemical. If testing determines that the level of Vapor Emissions/ Hydrostatic pressure exceeds 8 pounds using the Calcium chloride test and/or a P.H. test indicates alkalinity levels in excess of 9, steps must be taken to separate ENGAGE from the source of the corrosive effect of this chemical."

Also, vinyl directly on concrete will be cold and loud when walking on it.
So I'm looking for something to separate the vinyl from the concrete and add a bit of thermo/sound insulation.
Maybe something like SnapLock base floor and QuietWalk or FloorMuffler

First you should wait a minimum of 3 months before installing flooring on basement concrete.  This is usually a minimum.  I would suggest not sealing it either.  If its not sealed 100% you just made issue worse.

I am pretty sure I installed these on a house last year too.  I recall that they are all "rubber" (vinyl).  I liked them a lot.  I recall too calling the manufacturer # and them telling me they would suggest no underlayment under concrete.  My first reaction was this was odd since almost all floating floor manufacturers want something under but it makes sense.  Your underlayment will hold water - the planks won't.  So minimal water should dry quickly with nothing - and that is what we did.

Also I don't think you glue these - they have a good click lock system.  Read the instructions or call them but almost positive glue isn't an option.

As for dricore that is a totally different thing.  You are doubling/tripling the install and money.  I for one wouldn't think about putting dricore down in a new basement.  I have many reasons but lets just say if I have a problem in the future I don't want to deal with 5000 pounds of dricore tiles.

And for the tile part - it is nothing like the plank flooring.  You would simply use thinset then tile (maybe a binding agent).


Whatr size aerator pump is needed for a 500 gallon aerobic system? Our septic system was here when we bought the house and it is unbranded. the aerator pump above ground needs to be replaced.  How do we determine what size pump for a 500 gallon capacity aerobic system?

Option 1 - check with the local health department or wherever septic plans are filed locally and see what your system was designed to have - the system design should be on file there from when it was permitted/approved.

Option 2 - hire a septic design engineer.

Option 1 should be free. Option 2 costs money. Pulling a number out of the hat on the internet is not a good option.


How should I insulate hydronic radiant heating under floorboards A couple weeks ago a contractor installed hydronic radiant heating at my place. The building is two floors (studio above a garage) and the heating was installed under the floorboards. When he finished installing the piping and pumps he told me I'd need to install reflective insulation.

After a few google searches I'm seeing mixed information on whether reflective barriers/insulation works or not. Some sites claim more heat is lost to the lower floor than the upper floor where the heat is intended to go (not that that's entirely a bad thing, the garage isn't heated and it's my workout/laundry room). They suggest using regular foam insulation.

My questions are:

Do I need the reflective barrier/insulation?
If I need reflective barrier/insulation, do I also need foam insulation installed?

Brand suggestions are also appreciated.

theory is that the pipes are hot enough that radiation is signficant.  Putting a low  IR emmisivity surface reduces the amount of radiant energy the bottom of the cavity absorbs.

If you just have a low e foil, then you cut the radiation in half.  However by conduction the entire air space gets warm.  So you will have the foil as a barrier for conduction too.  It's not very good at that.

Me, I would put friction fit paper backed bats in. leave a 2" thick air space at the top of the cavity, so that you have fewer hot/cold spots on the floor above.


What advantages do ridge cap shingles have over modified 3-tab shingles? I'm preparing to re shingle my roof. I'm not sure if I should use ridge cap shingles,

or simply cut up 3-tab shingles for the ridge cap.

Do ridge cap shingles have any advantages over modified 3-tab shingles?

Less chance of cracking
Standard shingles are a bit thinner than ridge cap shingles, and can crack or tear when folded over the ridge.  Ridge cap shingles are thicker and come pre-bent, so there is less chance of cracking.
Better adhesion
Most ridge cap shingles have an extra dollop of adhesive near the end of the shingle, to help hold it to the shingle below. This helps to prevent blow off in heavy winds.
Thicker nailing surface
Ridge cap shingles have a thicker nailing area, which helps prevent tearing near nail holes.
No extra prep
Since ridge cap shingles are designed specifically for the ridge, there is not preparation required. Just open the box, and start slapping them on.


Do I need a separate switch leg for a light and a fan in a combo fixture? I'm putting in an exhaust fan light combo using a triple rocker switch.

Do I need a separate switch leg for the light and for the fan?

There are three silver screws on one side of the switch and a black screw on the other side. That said, apparently the black screw is a common. But I thought "common" meant neutral.

So, which is the screw to get power to that switch?

Depending on the switch type you feed the switch with the line side or hot/ black wire then the other side(s) are the switched legs that go to the light/fan. The neutral or white wire and ground don't go through the switch. The neutral and ground are usually pig tailed and run to the light/fan with the switched leg.12-3 or 14-3 with a ground will provide wires to run your light&fan neutral and ground there is also 12-4 & 14-4 that will allow for the 3rd device since you said triple rocker. Make sure to turn the breaker off when wiring.


DIY plumbing change - am i to code? Please see attached diagram of my new plumbing setup plan.
Will there be any code issues or problems with this?

im referencing the 2014 Florida plumbing code (IPC)

I don't have access to the Florida Plumbing Code or the International Plumbing Code. I do have knowledge of the Canadian National Plumbing Code:

What you have is two groups of fixtures, both being vented via wet vents. One of the rules of wet venting is that the toilet needs to be the last fixture connected.

The second floor group passes this requirement but the downstairs group does not. The correction is simple: instead of using the two 3x3x2 wye & 45 combos, use a single double 3x3x2 wye & 45 combo fitting to connect both the sink and the shower to the 3" pipe.

This provides a symmetrical connection of all three fixtures and resolves the issue.

The intent of this rule is that when the toilet is flushed, it has the potential to choke off the wet vent portion serving the shower.


Best way to reinforce beam for a deadbolt? I want to install a deadbolt into the garage door but with that one beam of wood I feel someone could easily kick it open?

What's the best way to reinforce it before installing a deadbolt. Or if anyone has better lock suggestions I'd be open to them

I would sister up another 2x4 inside of the existing stud (weird to see a single stud there anyway, usually you would have a stud and a trimmer). Secure it with screws along the entire length.

Use heavy bolts with washers from the opening/door side to the back side of the studs, above and below the strike plate/latch area. To make them sit flush on the opening/door side, countersink the heads.

Then install a heavy duty reinforced strike cup and plate unit, there are many types and sizes available:


House with many cracked external wall bricks I saw a house recently, approx. 20-30 years old in the London area. I cannot say if it has double tied cavity walls or it is the cheaper version which is essentially a wooden house with a single brick wall surrounding it.

There were many thin cracks in the bricks, easily 40 per wall. Nearby houses made of a different type of brick didn't appear to have many.

Would this be a problem or would that normally only be a case for potential worry if there are continuous cracks including the mortar?

Cracks are a sign of movement. Movement from 1) a settling foundation, 2) shifting soil, 3) structural wall movement.

1) Obviously, if the foundation is setting the wall will settle. I’d look around the perimeter at the concrete stem walls to see if there are any cracks in the concrete.

You should look around the perimeter from inside the crawl space too.

2) I’d check to see if soil is sliding away from the house due to erosion or neighbors installing underground pipes, patio footings, etc.

3) If the wall is the single wythe brick type (we call them brick veneer walls here in the U.S.) the wood could be shrinking due to drying, dryrot, etc. To check this, simply check to see what is opposite the cracks on the interior walls.

BTW, we don’t design brick walls with “strong” mortar. The mortar mix is always chosen to be weaker than the brick in compression and tension. That way, when the house moves, (and all houses move,) the cracks will develop in the mortar, which is easier and cheaper to fix than a bunch of broken bricks.

There is a possibility that the builder was able “to get a good deal” on brick seconds. That is to say, the bricks could have been rejected and sold cheaper. There are tests to help determine the quality of the bricks. Here’s a website to help you get started:

https://learnwithatul.blogspot.com/2017/09/types-of-field-test-of-bricks.html


Installation of a GFCI without a ground wire I'm installing a GFCI plug in a house built prior to 1962. The receptacle box is plastic and has only a 'HOT' & 'Neutral' wire coming into it. Do I need a ground wire to properly install the GFCI? The elecrical panel was updated recently. It has a common buse-bar where all the neutral wires are attached and is grounded to a copper rod and plumbing.

Short answer: No you don't need a ground wire. The code lets you replace the two wire receptacle with a GFCI.

From the 2011 National Electrical Code

  406.4(D)(2)(b) A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be replaced with a ground-fault circuit interrupter-type of receptacle(s). These receptacles shall be marked “No Equipment Ground.” An equipment grounding conductor shall not be connected from the ground-fault circuit-interrupter-type receptacle to any outlet supplied from the ground-fault circuit-interrupter receptacle.


Should a special type of paint be used on a forced air HVAC heat register? I'm not sure if the higher temperatures would compromise the finish.

If you mean the registers used in forced air HVAC then they are not really exposed to any extreme temperatures that would warrant a special paint.  I would imagine that the most common type of paint used is a matt or metallic spray paint.  Clean them well before painting and make sure to paint in a well ventilated area!


How can I insulate my attic on a tight budget? My attic is running 135Fahrenheit (55 Celsius) and more right now. And that's before it even gets to the hottest part of the day! The A/C guy said the A/C's are working perfectly. But he tested the ceiling, and it is a completely different temperature than what comes out of the A/C vents! So I'm boiling in my new home, even at night!

The A/C guy verified that it is terribly insulated in my attic. I have a radiant barrier, (whatever that is), but there is not sufficient insulation to prevent the heat transfer to the rest of my house. The second story is definitely the hottest, but even the first story is too hot. Because of this my electric bill is insane which I also cannot afford because the A/C can never work hard enough to do the job I want it to do.

It's been suggested to me to lay down rolls of insulation across the floor of the attic. After attempting to read on-line how to do this and what kind of insulation to buy I am overwhelmed at all the information given as well as the references to blowers, joists, and many other words that are completely new to me.

Because of recent personal problems I am on  a really tight budget. Can somebody offer me some guidance on how to insulate my attic?

The most direct answer to your insulation question is fairly simple. Your goal should be to have insulation equaling an "R" value of 40 or above on top of the ceiling of the second floor.

The cheapest method for a DIYer is to roll out unfaced fiberglass insulation over any existing insulation. We don't know what you have now, "R" value or type. That would be a helpful factor in determining how much more you should add.

But with that said, here are some general guidelines:

Standard fiberglass blanket insulation adds between 3.2 to 3.4 "R" per inch. Example: 3 1/2" insulation = R-11,  5 1/2" = R-19, etc.
This comes in rolls either 15 1/2" or 23" wide.

It is fairly easy to install, but precautions must be taken not to breath in any fiberglass dust or expose skin. Dust mask and light weight full clothing is good.

Also be careful moving around in your attic. You must keep your weight on the ceiling joists, never step on the actual ceiling or you may find yourself in the room below. A few boards strategically located across a few joists can make a walkway and can be moved as you work.

If you are completely inexperienced, perhaps you can get the help of a friend with a little DIY experience to help you out. Added insulation is always a good investment and will give you a fast payback on your A/C energy costs.

If any of my fellow SE guru's have any good video tutorial links, please add them.

A video explains all this

Good Luck.


attempting to paint over a darker colour of paint trying to paint a bedroom, that has been papered and previously painted , but the paint won't stick to the wall , its all patchy I let it dry for a few days, tried again but the roller is just removing paint, or its just not taking any paint

The walls need to be prepared first.

Light sand and then TSP cleaner over all the walls.  If the old paint is oil based, you then need a coat of primer before you paint.


Tv cable, safe to cut? I have long ends of to cable coming out of baseboards in several rooms. Is it safe to cut off? Cable is no longer used in the house.

I push the cable back into the wall or floor until just the connector is sticking out.  You may not want cable right now, but never say never - you might want high speed internet or have a tenant or a next homeowner.  I know cable will install it for "free" but it's not really free, it costs you some discounts/rebates for an installer to come.


What do I need to provide the cable company with for grounding, when wiring my own house? I'm planing to do my own electrical wiring for a new house, and the cable company needs something to attach their ground wire to when they mount the demarcation box.

I'd like a clean looking install, so I was thinking that I would just have a piece of 1" RNC coming out of the bottom of the outside panel (the one with the meter) that protects the #4 copper wire on the way down to the ground rods. The conduit would end at the grade level and the #4 would come out of it there.

But this doesn't give the telco anything to bond to on the wall. Is there a nice looking way to get a code compliant ground hookup next to where the demarcation box goes for them? Some type of nice looking box conencted to the panel via conduit so there's not just a sloppy looking wire draped across the side of the house like I see on some houses?

Update:

I found this gadget from Arlington: http://www.aifittings.com/catalog/grounding/intersystem-grounding-bridges-with-pvc-adapter/GBB5P which might do the trick. It's meant for 1/2" RNC. I'm interested to know if the conduit that the ground wire is in can turn after it comes out of the electrical box, go horizontal across the wall a few feet to where the dmarc is, then have one of these gadgets installed on it's way down to the ground? Is there any code reason why that wouldn't be permitted?

I'm also interested to know if the code would allow the a ground wire from the panel to go through the wall and into the dmarc through the conduit that the coax enters the building through, as one answer suggested. This would be very clean, but I'm not sure if it meets the NEC requirements in 250.94.

Do a search for "Intersystem Bonding". You should be able to find quite a few devices on the market, hopefully one of them suits your fancy.

Basically, you'll install an intersystem bonding termination device (with at least 3 terminals) near the electrical service entrance. Then you'll bond the IBT back to the grounding electrode system, using a 6 AWG copper conductor. You should be able to find an IBT device that can mount directly to the meter base
 or service panel enclosure, if that's more convenient for you.

Here's an article from the International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI) magazine, that discusses the NEC 250.94 rules.


What could be causing lights to be flickering and multiple breakers tripping and won't reset? I was outside yesterday when my wife called to me saying the lights in the kitchen were flickering. Next thing I know the power to the TV went out so I went downstairs to the breaker box to find that 5 of the breakers had tripped. When I went to reset them only 2 would reset. I called my electrician who wasn't sure but had some ideas which I wasn't quite fallowing.. And he swapped out one of the less needed breakers that worked for one that was broken until he could get some new ones seeing it is a holiday weekend. He left, I went to do errands I when I returned I found six more breakers are tripped And broken.... And as I write this the lights in the kitchen are flickering every few minutes. Any ideas?

Personally, I'd flip the master breaker and shut everything down until you know what is going on.

Something is seriously wrong with your wiring system, possibly the breaker panel itself has developed a really bad internal fault with how the breakers attach to the bus bars.

We just lost a house across the street due to a wiring fire as of 30 minutes ago.


How do I level a 2x4 on a concrete basement floor with an irregular surface? The original 2x4 that rested on the floor was removed in one piece with approx. 7" of the vertical studs attached to it.  The sides of the studs rest against a concrete block wall.  The removal was done to allow access to the cold joint for the application of a waterproofing material whose surface is varied and uneven.  Now I'd like to install a new 2x4, hopefully with closely matching 7" studs attached to it to be sistered in, since all the original studs were partly rotted from flooding.  I can't drill down into the concrete floor because it would disturb the waterproofing, but need something to serve as "shims."  I'm concerned about using construction adhesive of some kind since I think I need more time to do the fitting even if I check everything first.

If I'm interpreting correctly, your framing isn't so much structural as a place to hang drywall/ whatever. If this is the case, then a bunch of construction adhesive will do fine. If you can, add an "L" bracket or two to the wall to tie it all together.

Pressure treated wood is probably what your AHJ would call for in this setting.


What dehumidification options don't require a lot of electricity? I have permanently humid walls (due to a construction error, not uncommon around here) that I need to dry out occasionally.

I live off the grid, with all power coming from solar panels. That works great, but run-off-the-mill dehumidificators   would drain the system too much.

Do powerful dehumidification options exist that don't require a lot of electricity?

All I can see in shops is those small packages with some sort of salt that you can put in your closet. I need something more serious than that.

For an off-grid dehumidification system, you have two or three choices that I can think of. One is to install additional power panels to support the additional load of a "standard-type" electric refrigeration-based dehumidifier, and purchase the most efficient version of that type that you can.

The most likely alternative, which I'm not aware of being commonly available "pre-built" though it's possible that it's out there and I'm not aware of it, is to use solar heat to dry a desiccant, and then switch that desiccant into the airspace to be dried (either by switching airflow over fixed desiccant containers, or by physically moving it.) You would generally want to have at least 2 sets of desiccant, so that one set can be dried while another is absorbing water. This is fairly amenable to DIY implementation. It may need to be quite large to keep up with any significant drying load.

An outlier, which is more likely to be seen in a "commercial" or fairly large-scale offgrid setup would be to use an absorption refrigeration loop driven by solar heat to generate the "cold" for dehumidification (and possibly also for other refrigeration purposes) - the complexity of which typically makes it impractical and/or hazardous for a one-family sized situation. By the time you've gone through all that's required, option 1 looks inexpensive, normally, even though this has the potential to be more efficient in conversion of sun to cold; it's a complex and not very common setup, which can leak, has typically noxious chemistry (ammonia) and needs maintenance.


Indoor Putting Green - Not Level I have a finished basement with a floor made up of square, 8" ceramic tiles.  I have a putting green placed on top of the floor that is made up of interlocking hard plastic modules, each about 2 square feet.  The green in total covers about 16' by 7'.   I have tried multiple things to try and create a level surface for the green to sit on, but the settling of the floor over the years has made this impossible.  Since the green is modular, and the tiles settle individually AND the whole floor has probably settled over the last 6o years, there is no simple way to create a level surface.  Obviously the floor is finished, so I don't want to pour concrete on top of the tiles.  I am hoping someone might have a simple solution for creating a non-permanent level surface that I can rest the green on top of.

Basement floors are not level if they are made right.   Throw in larger tiles and there will definitely be some ridges.   There is nothing to do to actually fix this permanently, you don't want to because the slope flows to a drain.
I would suggest that you use a trick that old carpenters used to level off subfloors for wood floors - rooftiles (asphalt shingles).   The are bigger on one end and the hold well - don't slide.   It will be painful to get this just right but I can't think of anything else I would use on something like this other than shingles.   Also you can usually pick these up cheap - find an open bag at big box or go to a resale material store and might run you $15.
You will need some heavy duty scissors to cut them and after you get things flat... if your green is still sliding you may still need some weight on it meaning you might have to lay some plywood down first before doing the green.


Should there be any moisture around a shower valve? I just had a plumber install a new shower valve in a remodel and when I run my finger around the back of the ring on the front of the valve, I feel a little bit of moisture. It's a large walk in shower and he installed 2 of these valves but I only feel the moisture on one valve.

Is this normal? Is it maybe that the valve is just sweating a bit?

I did this on 2 separate occasions about 6 hours apart so I know it wasn't an isolated incident.

It's a Delta R10000-UNBXHF Multichoice Universal Shower Only Valve Body.

There should not be, if you have exactly as depicted in the picture. The Silver Ring just needs to be tightened a little more or it may have a speck of debris disturbing its seal. Don't worry though and leave it alone, if it doesn't tighten easily and not dripping to screw with tile installation. That gray plastic in the center is just the Test Cap that has a gasket behind it and will be permanently removed once he installs the valve's cartridge and shower handle.


Can a white neutral wire be used as a three pole traveler wire? I live in a 1977 vintage apartment building in the US. I have two 3-pole switches for my bedroom entry light, which are not working correctly. The one switch must be left in the "up" position all the time in order for the other switch to be able to turn the light on or off. They do not work independently of each other like they should. Upon opening up both double gang switches, I noticed that one of the white neutral wires on each switch is separated from the others. Could that be the missing traveler wire? Also, does a three pole connection require use of a 14-3 cable, which has a red wire which I hear is the only color for a traveler wire. One double gang box has four 14-2 cables. The other has three 14-2 cables and one 14-3 cable, but that is already being used for a switch controlled outlet.

The answer is yes in 1977 the white was regularly used as a switched leg. There are 2 travelers. It sounds like someone has replaced the switch in the past and mixed up a common for a traveler ( in This case common is the switch contact that toggles from 1 traveler terminal to the other) This is quite common in DIY where someone did not pay attention to the original wiring.


Baseboard heater powered by a switch, not thermostat Our finished basement has electric baseboard heat.  The baseboard is powered by a light switch, so I either have the heat on or off.  Can I take out the switch and use the wiring to connect a digital thermostat instead?

What you need is a line voltage thermostat.  Non--programmable ones are very common. Programmable (digital as you call it) line voltage stats are available but rare. I attached a pic of one that I found. Search for "line voltage thermostat" and you'll find a few.  If you don't care about programability, simple line voltage stats are as common as dirt. Just be sure it's two pole.   I don't know if single pole stats are still available, but for 240, I don't consider them safe.
Not sure what NoSparksPlease was getting at regarding the disconnecting switch (???), I would assume the existing circuit is on a breaker and that would satisfy the code.


Can I repair hairline cracks in a solid wood exterior door with clear silicone caulk? My front doors have several small hairline cracks around the door panels. I would like to seal them. Can I use clear silicone caulking without damage to the stained surface? Do I need to clean or prep the wood surface for better adhesion?

I don't see any reason why you couldn't use silicon caulking or why it would damage the surface.  Just know that you will not be able to stain over it again.  Some caulk is listed as paintable which might be a better bet as at least you can paint it down the road if you choose.

If you are going to want to stain the door at a later date, a wood filler product would probably work best as it will blend in well and accept the stain.

As for cleaning the door, you definitely want to remove any dirt and debris from the area you are going to fix. You will want to scrape off and remove any previous caulking that may be present too.


Round or elongated toilet seat? Not 100% sure if these are elongated or round seats. (I don't have physical access to verify.)

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Those are round. They are not interchangeable. Elongated seats go on elongated toilets and vice versa.


Why do my ceiling fan lights come on bright then suddenly dim? The home I bought has 3 bedrooms each with a ceiling fan and single switch. I think these are Hunters, they have a remote and require T4 bulbs. These are not on the same circuit.

All 3 of these do the same thing when you flip the switch on. The light comes on at full strength, then after maybe 1 second, they dim to less than 50%.

I originally purchased 100W bulbs but then noticed inside the fixture it says 75W max, so I've now tried 75W T4 bulbs with the same result.

One professional installer (who wasn't hired) told me that there was some power limiter in these fans that they routinely disabled on installation because of call-backs. I installed three of these fans myself in a relative's house (no remotes) with existing ceiling fixtures and wall switches. I just followed the directions and so far no complaints. My wife had two similar Hunter fans with remotes installed in our house in rooms with no ceiling fixtures. Pressing and holding the light button brightens or dims the lights. The installers didn't disable any power limiters present. No wall switches for our fans.

The absence of wall switches for our Hunter fans means I can't replicate your report. Without a wall switch the receiver is always powered and I don't have a major transient when using the button. I did have one failure with one of our two fan--neither light nor fan would come on. I assumed the connections were bad and I redid each connection in the fan shroud and it worked. Problem solved.

Then it did it again. Thinking the receiver was bad I removed it and wired the fan straight and we used the pull chains. Then I rigged up a test apparatus with a bulb as load and tested the receiver for both light and fan (using a single 40 W incandescent bulb as both load and indicator) and it passed all the tests. I reinstalled the receiver and it worked . . . but then had another failure. This time I just cycled the breaker on the circuit and the fan worked again, and has not failed for a year since.


How do I patch a subfloor over a return duct cavity I need to patch these holes in the subfloor where the vents are. These holes are from a return vent that is being moved, the joist cavity below these holes is a return duct. I'm assuming using blocking would affect the airflow. Is it acceptable to patch the subfloor right in the middle of a joist where you would have 3/4" of the patch on the joist and 3/4" of the existing subfloor on the other half of the joist. Or should I use a larger patch and go past the joist and use blocking. Do the other two sides of the patch need to be supported. The subfloor is 3/4" plywood and the joists are 16" OC. The slate floor and laminate floor in the picture have been removed and the finished floor will be either hardwood or an engineered floor. How do I patch this and not affect the airflow in the return vent.

Cut pieces of 2/4 screw them from your floor put a patch of 3/4 inch wood screw it to the 2/4 floor is rigid enough not to flex tile right on top the more screws the better


What is the easiest way to "detect" electrical installations (wires in wall) I'm starting to redecorate a small flat soon, and would like to make some changes as to the electrical installations in it (would like to install pipes for some cables, if possible; would like to install potentiometer light switches, maybe motion detect light switches and place a few more electrial sockets) - and for that I need to know where the current electrical installations go through.

So I'm wondering, what is the easiest way to detect where wires/installations from electrical sockets go and what is the right way to go about this? (Really, grateful for any advice you can give, no matter how useful you may think it may be).

I would like to avoid tearing down the walls, more than necessary.

Studfinders usually have AC detection circuitry, but they only work if there's power in the wire.
These are $20 or so, and you run them along the wall to find the wires.

To detect which socket/circuit they are on, have an assistant turn off the breakers one by one until the studfinder stops flashing, and then go back and use a test light to determine which socket it is connected to.


Hanging IKEA Kungsfors on drywall I'm hoping to hang two sections of IKEA's Kungsfors system on drywall in our kitchen. It'll be about twice as tall as the one in the link (two sections), but since they're independent of each other the height probably doesn't matter.

The uprights/suspension rails are here. Each has three mount points on it, which you can see on page 7 of the assembly instructions.

The problem is that I can't align any of the uprights with a stud. Even if I could it'd only work for upright, since the shelves are 23" and studs are 16" apart.

So! Will the 3/16th inch version of these snap toggles work, if I use them for all 18 mount points? (3 per rail x 2 rails per column x 3 column) Or is the drywall just gonna crumble?

It was also suggested that I run a 1/2"-3/4" board horizontally, attach that to the studs, and then attach the Kungsfors suspension rails to the board. (Like you would for hanging cabinets I guess. (Is that what I need to do? Or will the snap toggles be enough?

Thank you!

I would say that the snap toggles are a lousy way to hang a shelving unit like that if only mounting into drywall by itself. If you had any hope of using the shelving unit any where near its load capacity the drywall only solution is a total non-starter.

I see two possible solutions to this situation:

Install a horizontal strip of wood across the studs aligned with the mount point on each bracket. These are secured with screws into the studs. Other screws then secure the shelf rails to the wood strips.
Apply a plywood backer against the wall behind where the shelf will be installed. The plywood is screwed to the studs using numerous screws. The shelf rails are then mounted onto the plywood using suitable wood screws.

In both cases the wood/plywood can be painted to match the wall color so they do not stand out. Of course in the case of the plywood it could be finished in a way to look like a back for the shelves if it's size matched the full width and height of the shelf unit.


Size of a return duct because I have a large bedroom, I’m adding another return duct which I will put on the ceiling against the wall. It's a 15’ ceiling and I want to get the trapped hot air out.
Now, I was thinking of putting either a 12x12x8 or a 10x10x8, and then realized would it matter, because ultimately no matter what size it is, since they both have an 8” flexible hose, won't that determine how much air is drawn in anyway. Seems like an excellent physics problem. I'm going nuts trying to figure this one out. Thank you in advance for the help. EdE

A 10"x 10" register box would be fine with an 8" flex duct.
I think you need to do a bit more research into your AC system though. 8" flex duct has a lot of resistance to air flow, much more than rigid duct. Depending on how well your existing system is balanced, supply and return, you might find out that adding that register won't help get rid of that trapped hot air. If you connect a length of 8" flex to a return plenum or another rigid return duct, the resistance of the flex might be too much to make any difference. Have you considered just adding a ceiling fan to move the trapped air around so the existing system can remove and cool that air down?


How to lock a staple gun? I have recently purchased a staple gun (this model, in case that matters, but I guess all of them work more or less the same way?)

I don't understand how to lock it.
The instructions say this:

push the handle down
pull it outwards

First of all, I don't understand one thing: am I supposed to remove the staples before locking the staple gun (or always shoot one staple)? Or is there a point where I can push down just enough for not yet firing, but still be able to lock?

Also, I tried to push down and pull the handle, as described (without staples), but somehow it always "jumps back" and unlocks itself. I cannot find the point where it would stay fixed.

So is there a trick to this, that I'm missing?

I have a few different staple guns - I don't think any have that handle lock.  One has a metal loop that hooks up to hold the hand down.  I think this is more to keep it in a smaller shape then prevent it from being used.

It wouldn't make sense to have to remove the staples just to lock the handle.

From the image I'd just pull the handle down to what it is level with the rest of the stapler (not fully engaged such that a staple is fired) and then pull away from the nose as indicated.  It is probably just a matter of playing with it until you get the handle into the correct position such that is can move away from the nose and lock.  I have pex crimpers that have a similar feature to open the jaws and it took a while to figure those out.


How can I remove this floor transition, and what should it be replaced with once I lay LVP? I'm planning to replace a linoleum floor with LVP.  The transition strip/threshold matches the wood floor, but since the LVP is a few mm thicker than the linoleum, I don't think it'll fit once I lay the new floor.
My questions are:

How do I remove this transition strip without damaging the wood, so I can get a better idea of what I'm working with?

Once the LVP is put down, what should I replace it with?  The only thing I can think of is to cut it back to the middle of the door jamb, and then add another low-profile threshold strip on top of it to cover the junction with the LVP.

Why remove it?  It's matched perfectly to the floor outside the room, and you have vinyl now so just slice the vinyl carefully where it meets the wood now, and if the new floor is a bit thicker it'll level up perfectly and look great.    If the new floor is higher than the wood floor add a narrow brass threshhold to protect its edge.


How do you remove paint from hair? We painted a closet recently with a latex/acrylic based paint and no plastic hair caps.  This lead to the issue with some unsightly paint splotches on our hair.  After several washes the paint still hasn't faded and is very noticeable.

Please let me know what methods are available for removing the paint from the hair on our heads while leaving the hair intact after the process.

UPDATE:
We tried several of the solutions here but nothing worked.  We had to wait until the hair grew out and it was cut off.  Hair dye would not even cover the paint. I think a couple of the reasons we were unsuccessful was the amount of time that went by before we noticed the issue and the fact the hair seemed more porous due to the condition it was in to begin with.  We think it was porous due to the frequency of the hair dyes and the very dry nature of Colorado's weather.

When this has happened to the kids (we let them help when painting) I just pick the paint out of their hair with fingernails while watching TV - they sit still and it's quite 'Gorillas in the Mist'

It does take a wee while, but it works without the use of any chemicals.


2 gang boxes installed side-by-side; How do I fix this? Recently I took a wall plate off a 4 switch box to paint the wall.  When I did this, I found that the wall plate was being held on by paint alone.

It appears that 4 light switches were installed in 2 adjacent double gang boxes.  There is a stud on the left side of box 1 and a stud on the right side of box 2.

To get things stabilized and provide a way to attach the wall plate, I installed 2 mud rings (shown in the picture).

However, I quickly realized that the 4 device wall plate will not cover this now that they are seated properly.  I tried initially to fix this by cutting a standard 2 device plate and positioning it next to a standard plate:

Q1: Is it possible to replace the 2 gang boxes with a single 4 gang box?  I'm hesitant to go down this path because my instincts tell me that there is a reason why someone did it like this.

Q2: One other idea I had was to combine some of the switches.  Three of the switches control recessed lighting in the room and we rarely turn on one without the others.  So, I'm considering combining those 3 into a single switch.  I read a few other similar questions but I'm not entirely sure if I can do this.  Outside of verifying the switch can handle the load, what other things do I need to consider?  Would it be simpler/easier to do this rather than replacing the whole thing with a 4 gang box?

Thank you for any help you can provide!

Assuming the 3 switches for recessed lighting are on the same circuit (same hot wire) replace them with a 3-in-1 switch. I have those for light /fan /heat in my bathrooms but there is no reason they can't be 3 light circuits.


How to power a well water pump on the local electric grid I have a well water pump which I have been operating on a 10KW generator at 220V. Lately, the generator has been having problems so I need to power the pump on my local electrical grid while the generator is fixed. However, the electricity fluctuates between 140-200V, so I got a transformer to keep it at 220V, which is working well for my house.

However, when I connected my pump, the volt dropped and fluctuated between 100-110V (I read it on the pump dashboard), and no water came up. Does anybody have an idea on fixing this? Note that the pump uses 13 Amps of electricity, and I have no other options available.

Edit: Adding pictures for further explanation

Also, my device is not just a simple transformer. It also acts as a voltage regulator.

This is my transformer. It's produced by a local Syrian company and from what I've been told it's one of the best ones there are:

This white cable comes out of the transformer to this, where it is connected to the main power of my house and back. It also has a line leading to the water pump

(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/7863/GqFenB.jpg)

The big white cable in the center goes to the pump, and in the bottom right corner there is a black cable out of which a blue and red cable are exiting, this is the main power to the house:

My pump dashboard:

Also, if helpful, the generator which has been operating my pump. It's diesel powered and produces 10 Kilowatts:

My pump is the submersible type, and is approximately 200 meters underground in the well

A dramatic sag like that, when you add a big load, is due to one of two things. We'll look at them individually.

Voltage drop

Voltage drop is caused by resistance in your wires and connections.  Resistance is normal for wires, and is a function of their size and their length.  Bigger wires have lower resistance, and longer wires have (proportionately) more resistance.  Long runs like 30m or longer have significantly more resistance, and can necessitate using a larger wire.  Since you know amps, voltage drop can be calculated based on wire size and length; there are calculators all over the web.

It may seem economical to use thinner wire, but over a long distance it can stack to voltage drop of concern.

Connections Are not supposed to add resistance, but a bad connection will. You can spot one because it will be warmer than the wires around it.  That is BAD and not normal, and should be fixed at once.  Though if that connection is causing a 90 volt drop at 13A, that's 1170 watts which would burn up in a hurry!

Lost neutral

This voltage drop is so extreme (and labile) that it might not actually be voltage drop.  That has me think it could be a phase balance problem from your supply.

In 5-continent power, which follows Europe's design, power is distributed to the neighborhood in high voltage, and then the neighborhood is supplied 400V 3-phase "wye".  Neutral is in the middle, and is tied to earth for the single goal of keeping the three phases only 230V from earth, which is safer.  Each house is provided one phase and neutral.

The various houses are randomly given one phase or another, so on average, the three phases are fairly well balanced.  Your power use returns via neutral, but it's quickly distributed to other houses if loads are balanced.  That's never perfect, and that's why neutral is attached to the supply transformer.  This transformer tie forces your voltage to "stay in the middle of the wye" - at 230V regardless of the other loads at your neighbors'.

But what if neutral went away? Then neutral would not stay in the middle.  It would drift/float all over the triangle defined by the phases.

Then the three groups of houses on the 3 phases would be like an electrical, Y-shaped "see saw".  As one group of houses loaded the circuit more, it would make its own voltage sag, but the other houses' voltage go up.  This see-saw action would happen instantly as loads changed.   We just had this happen at my complex, and making toast would sag our voltage 20 volts (out of 120).

This, most likely, would be a problem at your utility, probably right at the supply transformer.  You can detect it two ways, first by measuring power at your service entrance (thr demarcation point between utility power and your wiring), and second by asking your neighbors if they've seen too-high voltage or had appliances fry on them.

You might be able to follow the wires on the electric poles, and see if you can visually observe which phase your wires are connected to.

Remedying it

If the voltage at the service entrance sags about the same as the numbers reported on that transformer, that is a lost neutral (or other supply problem, such as too-small wires on the poles).   If the numbers at the service entrance remain good while pump voltag sags, that is your wiring.

The lost neutral problem could only occur at a point common to you and your neighbors, so it is up on the pole and in the responsibility of your utility.

If the problem is voltage drop, then crunch the numbers and see if the voltage drop from your wires will explain it. (If so, what to do about it will be obvious.) If wiring drop does not explain it, then examine each connection - be careful not to burn yourself on a hot connection!


Something like epoxy for painting a playhouse? I'm building a bunk-bed/playhouse out of (mostly) plywood.

The plywood I bought is not the best stuff, definitely no veneer. The smoother face is still pretty splintery. In hindsight I wish I had sprung for the good stuff, but in my defense even the cheaper plywood ran to almost $300. The plywood I would have preferred would have put the total well over $400, which (at the time) seemed hard to justify for this project. I figured I would just have to spend extra time sanding and prepping, which would probably be worth it to save the money.

I went ahead and did all the cutting (and there are enough pieces that it took a couple weekends). Then I worked on smoothing out the pieces. I used a pre-treatment that was recommended for sanding rough plywood. I believe it was supposed to lock down the wood fibers so they wouldn't lift during sanding.

I assume it helped, but the final product is still pretty rough. And while the smaller fibers aren't too bad, it's still possible to catch long flat splinters you didn't even notice because they were lying so flush to the wood. I definitely wouldn't want to brush my hand flat along it. And I have very little confidence that painting will help that situation much.

Again, in hindsight I wish I had just paid more up-front for the wood, but it is what it is. I want to salvage what's already been invested in the project - both money and time. Between the cutting and endless treating and sanding it's probably been over 8 weekends of time spent. So scrapping it all and starting over with better wood isn't really an option.

I'm willing to spend money to get back on track though. I'm thinking what I need is some kind of epoxy-like coating I can use in lieu of normal paint. Something that will glue any remaining fibers and splinters down and also provide some smoothing and leveling. I'm not so worried about the final texture, I just want something durable I don't need to worry about anyone hurting themselves on.

Ideally I'm looking for something I can paint on with a brush or roller. I bet there are auto-leveling epoxy products intended for floors or countertops that would give me exactly the finish I'm after, but I don't think you can apply those like you would standard paint, and a more elaborate process would probaby be a huge hassle when extended to dozens of plywood pieces.

And I need to color it to match the room, so I either need to be able to dictate the color, apply standard paint on top of it, or paint the wood directly and apply the product over that. I'd definitely prefer the minimum amount of steps (I'm so ready to be done with this) so a tintable product would probably be the best.

There's a fair amount of wood involved in this. An (extremely) rough estimate might be 350-400 square feet. So while I'm ready to spend some money to make this go away, a $150 product intended to finish a single kitchen's worth of countertops (40-50 sf?) is probably going to end up being way too expensive.

Can anyone point me to a product that might work?

I agree an epoxy coating makes sense.  West System epoxy would pretty much do what you want.  GitRot would have better penetration, but it'd be pricey and not designed for that purpose.  West System is specifically meant to be painted on.  They even sell special foam rollers.

It will penetrate somewhat, get underneath those wanna-be splinters, and tack them down.   It is sandable, but if it's not blended with fairing powder, it can be fairly hard to sand, i.e. The sander won't take material very quickly.  I would recommend one pass with sanding to remove burrs and odd bits.

If you also want to level the surface you can mix epoxy with fairing filler, then trowel on the mixture.  This is much easier to sand.

Lightly scuff-sand the epoxy, wipe off the amine blush, and you can paint it with most paints.


New cooktop has aluminum wires New cooktop has aluminum wires. Is it ok to connect those wires to the present outlet which had copper wires connecting the old cooktop?
Thank you for your help

I will all but guaranty you the wires are not aluminum, but tinned copper. Look at the cut ends of the conductors, not the stripped part. Tell us what you find.


Best solution to fix this siding gap with the trim We recently replace some bad trims and changed some windows. But we ran into this issue now where the siding is not touching the new trims.

Some part is is just 1/4" but this photo shows the largest gap is 1"

What is the best way to deal with this?

I am thinking of some options:

Option 1: Cut another piece of trim 1". Set the depth of the skilsaw and cut siding back evenly. Then insert new trim to fill the gap.

Option 2: Fill with caulk and paint.

Option 3: Fill with foam and paint.

Option 4: Nothing we can do. Just paint and leave it alone.

Option 5: Replace all sidings and make them 1/4" to 1" longer. This is a very expensive solution.

Your best option is cutting back the siding so the corner board, whether you add a piece or remove and rip a piece of 5/4X6 to fit the new width.

If you choose to add a piece after cutting the siding, the gap looks like it may only need a piece of 3/4" material in the gap which will leave a small caulk gap to fill. Another suggestion I would like to make is, do not try to line the face of the added piece to match the board in place as in trying to make it look like one piece, it will not work. The caulk at that joint will smear over the face and change the texture of the corner board, just like the joint in the picture, where I would take a hand wire brush to, and texture that joint by pulling down only on the brush to remove some of the filler, leaving hopefully coarse lines to help blend the joint in. Since the joint is cut at an angle it will shed water, if the cut ends are primed, better still. Square cut butt joints will allow water to easily migrate in, but you do not have that here. So much for the side note.

The idea is to either recess the added piece to create a 1/4" reveal to the corner board there now, and still have the bevel siding a little behind the added piece still. That way the inside corners can be caulked easily without smearing all over the face of the trim.

If that won't work, do the opposite add a piece that is 1/4" thicker than the corner board to create a reveal over the existing corner board, giving the needed corner to caulk to.

Over all the best thing to do is to cut the siding and replace the corner boards ripped to meet the newly recut siding. Either way you go, bed the corner boards in caulk after any cut ends are primed. Not so much to make it ooze out all over, but enough to know the caulk is working "behind the scenes" and finish up the faces with caulk for painting.

Please realize, caulk can hold in water as well as keep it out, so be certain all caulk is filling what it needs to fill. Surface caulk will fail over time, the stuff you place behind your material is protected from UV and weather so it will outlast anything on the surface.


Should I leave faced fiberglass in my basement energy walls or replace it with rigid foam? I bought a house a few months ago and the basement was basically finished.  So I am redoing the bathroom and so I rip out some drywall along the exterior block foundation wall.  And noticed the 2 x 4 framing is basically up against the foundation wall, and it has faced insulation between the studs.

All I have read is to put the foam board on the foundation wall then frame etc.  Well this wasn't done that way.  And I had no plans of ripping everything out and starting from scratch and basically I can not at all afford to do it.

I haven't had any moisture problems, ran a few tests and they came back negative.  The foundation wall is painted so maybe that's acting as somewhat of a moisture barrier and then the tabs on the paper backed insulation are acting as a vapor barrier?  is that possible?

I guess I am curious what my options are, short of ripping everything out?  I did notice the paper on the insulation was a tad dark, either from just time or maybe there is a little moisture.  but the insulation itself looked good.  Do I have options, I may even go as far as ripping the drywall off if I have options.  Any advice would be great, and thanks in advance

I am in Nebraska, USA

You'll get a lot of opinions on this subject, and there are several lengthy discussions to be found on SE, but the bottom line is that each case needs to be handled individually.

In my area, it's common to have framed energy walls with unfaced fiberglass batts (not faced like you have). Sometimes moisture is an issue, so it's commonly advised to forego a moisture barrier inside the insulation so that the wall can breath and dry out. You don't tend to get the type of condensation that you would in a main-floor wall, which is exposed to the outside air. Poly sheeting is often installed over the insulation in unfinished basements to protect and contain the insulation, and it may or may not be removed when the walls are finished.

In your case, if it hasn't been a problem to date, it probably won't be in the future.


How to know when an asphalt shingle roof needs to be replaced? Is there a way to inspect a roof to know whether the asphalt shingles need to be replaced?

Yes.

Short of actual leaks (which are better avoided by replacing before you notice them) aging in asphalt shingles (if you don't know when they were installed) is assessed by observing loss of the mineral covering and any signs of cracks developing, or loss of bond allowing the tabs to "flap" in the wind.

If you do know when it was installed, and it was 25 years or more in the past, assume you should plan to replace it unless you are quite sure it was claimed to have a longer lifespan and actually appears to be in good shape. If you don't know the claimed lifespan but it appears to be in good shape, start saving money for a replacement, at least.

In no case should you do any business with "drive-by" roofers nor should you let them "inspect" your roof. Contact a reputable local roofing contractor if you have concerns. The "drive-by" sort are a long-running but obviously effective enough (as they have been running for decades) scam of doing shoddy work and leaving town, and sad to say they may actually damage your roof while "inspecting" it to make a quick sale.


Running water in master shower causes guest bathtub spigot to drip If this sounds familiar, I deleted my previous question cause I have more info that changes the facts.

I noticed that my son's guest bathroom tub had a little water around the drain after I took a shower. Last night, he ran the shower for a while and then noticed the guest bathtub spigot started a slow drip. What would cause that?

I have seen this with washer less faucets. The pressure drop causes them to drip especially if they are older. A set of new seals and possibly springs may tighten it enough to stop the drip, The big box stores Cary kits with different sizes some times they are color coded to size, there are at least 3 different sizes that I can remember, or you could pull the cartridge and take it with you to the store to make sure to get the correct size
here is a sample of what I think you need.


Wiring a hot tub pump What gauge wire should I use to run 8 feet from a 13 amp pump to the control box . The wire it came with is 14 ga. But only 4 feet. Could I splice it?

Better yet, you could replace the wire entirely and avoid splices but splicing it is an option as long as you have a junction box to make the joints in. Wire nutting and taping the conductors is not acceptable to the Code.

14 AWG wire is rated for 15 amp circuits so it has the ampacity to supply your hot tub pump. The heater on the hot tub is going to have to be on a separate circuit from the pump.


Quick flooring for uneven floor We're having an HVAC unit replaced. The unit has been removed and the contractor is coming back Monday to start installing the new unit. We'd like to do something about the terrible floor that is in that closet.

The existing floor is many layers of old, uneven, cracked tile. The topmost later is a vinyl sheet that covers most, but not all of the floor. What can we put over this that would be fast and easy?

Would vinyl sheet be resilient enough to smooth out some bumps? Is there something we can apply to the old floor to even it out some?

We don't need anything nice or pretty - just something a little more sanitary. We don't want to make this a major project, but would like to take the opportunity to make a small improvement.

IMO - It shouldn't be ridiculous to tear up any and all linoleum and tile with a good floor scraper down to the subfloor. Then a nice piece of plywood cut to fit and a bit of paint is a great way to go.

Otherwise, I'd mix up a batch of a Floor Leveling Compound, then a nice piece of linoleum (sometimes had for free as a drop from your local flooring depot).

I'm tend to lean on the "just tear it all out" kind of project, but a leveling compound will not only give you a level floor, it will definitely fill any gaps, crevices, etc.