Open appliance which has a flat round disk as a screw head, no recess at all I bought a 6 way with switches and a 4 way gang extension leads.
I bought them online and I found them being closed by these screws with a flat round disk as a head.
Now understanding the meaning of "security screws", it seems to me that this time they really got it right!
The questions are:
 - Are these screws or clips or something else?
 - Is there any way to open this extension lead other then using a sledgehammer?
Many thanks in advance

Those could be screws with the heads removed, specifically to prevent people from opening the device.  In that case, try to cut a slash across the top of the screw so that you can get a flat-head screwdriver in there.  A dremel comes to mind, although you'll damage the plastic casing, but, hey, if you want to make an omelette...

Just as likely though, they are like ring-shank nails, with notches on them designed to catch on the plastic inserts on the other side and ensure that they never, ever get removed without destroying the device.  In this case, the answer may be to drill the head off of them so that the shank can be pulled through the hole in the plastic.  Understanding, of course, that you won't be able to put them back together.

Why do you want to take it apart, incidentally?


How do I change the washers of this tap? I have a tap. I am struggling to work out how to change the main washers. How do I get access to the main washers?
I can not identify the tap, so answer will probably be speculative. Just tell me what experience you have, and what you would do.
What I have done so far.
I undid one bolt, and the front comes off.

I believe that the two small washers that are visible in the 2nd photo (the one of the tap handle), are not the washers to turn the tap off. I think they are to stop leaks along the shaft.
Some experimenting upholds the hypothesis that the tap handle pushes and releases an inter hidden bit, that in turn blocks the flow of waster: By pushing the inner hidden bit, I can modulate the flow of water (this was done by setting the isolation tap, to restrict flow. So pressure was low).
Next I looked at what is now at the front (after the tap handle is removed).

Option 1
There is what looks like a hex nut, but is it. I see not seam between this and the main body. Should I attach my grips and apply lots of force? Or is it just decorative?
Option 2
Go in from the back.

If I remove both of the attachment bolts (I will need to isolate hot and cold, as same time, to do this), will I be able to gain access from the back?

Images licence cc-by-sa ctrl-alt-delor How do I change the washers of this tap?

that is a hex nut at the front. don't use grips you could make a big mess. use a box or ring wrench of the appropriate size. or use an adjustable wrench but be careful.
I've tinted the part that comes off red and the part that stays blue


Can water supply and drain lines be installed on the surface of interior walls? Hi everyone I'm new here
I'm renovating a small portable building turning it into a camp and I'm having open cell spray foam insulation installed and don't want to undo the sound damping of the foam with a alot of holes.
I'm trying to find out if code friendly to install water lines and drain lines on the walls instead of in them?

These are all interior walls freezing isn't really an issue but all pipes will be easily accessible from inside. Where all plumbing and water connection to main lines and septic tank shall be insulated and protected. I'm trying to avoid corrupting the spray foam due to extreme loud neighbors,

Piping exterior of walls is not a problem.  Just use install pipe based on the additional environmental conditions such as abrasion or temperature.  This means using copper, galvanized, or other piping that can be "abused" and adding heat tape and insulation as req'd or the ability to drain during times of freezing temperature for areas susceptible to freezing.


What is the difference between GU-4 and G-4 bulbs? I plugged a G-4 bulb into a GU-4 slot and it burned up the unit yesterday.  What does that U mean?

The pin size is a little bigger in the GU-4 than the G-4. There's probably a risk that this could damage the socket, but they are pretty close. More importantly, I don't see anything that specifies the wattage for these bulbs, so it's possible that you replaced a lower wattage bulb in a higher wattage fixture.


Can you replace just the lever of this deadbolt latch? Can you replace just the lever of this model?

Since your lock has a set screw, then yes, you can replace it. The set screw is used to hold the current lever in place. You would simply need another lever that fits that type of deadbolt.

The catch here will be finding another part that fits but is sold separate from a deadbolt itself. A quick search turned up no sites selling just that one part.


How do I transition from a wood floor to tile that has a 1-1/4" height difference? I have three of these transitions that I need to do something about. I thought I would be able to buy a reducer but them seem to top out around 3/4". After doing some more research it seems that I would need a ramp in this situation?

Is there something I can buy that would fix this issue?

Below is a photo of one of the transitions.

Find a custom wood molding shop in your area (there will be one) and have them custom bevel a piece of 1 1/4" oak in a width that suits your fancy, then stain and varnish it. It will be more easily accomplished than you think, and the custom milling charge you will pay will be worth every penny.

I might just butt a narrow piece of 1 1/4" oak right up to the tile, or maybe 1 1/4" quarter-round (if you can find it). Better to just know you have to step up/down than to have a weird sloped transition.


How easy is it to change a B22 light fitting to an E27 one? I was looking to fit some Philips Hue LED bulbs, but they only come with Edison screw fittings (E27) and every light fitting in our house is bayonet (B22). I initially looked into using adapters but I was concerned about the quality and couldn't find a reputable brand. Is this something that I can change myself? For the avoidance of doubt, I live in the UK and I am not a qualified electrician.

it's usually pretty easy to change the fittings:

make sure electricity is off (turn off the breaker that powers the light)
double check the electricity is off
loosen the screws that hold it up on the ceiling and keep the wires attached. Remember which wire is connected to the ground (bare/green or yellow green striped wire), live (red, orange or blue wire) and neutral (black wire) connections. If your house is newer then the colors may be different: green/yellow stripe for ground, brown/black or gray for live and blue for neutral
connect the wires as indicated in the manual for the new fitting
attach the new fitting to the ceiling
put in new bulb
turn electricity back on, if the breaker doesn't want to stay on you did something wrong and should inspect what you did wrong before trying to "fix" the breaker.
toggle the switch and bask in your accomplishment.


Why do my Christmas lights have a white polyester filament inside the thin rubber wire? I have a pre-lit incandescent Christmas tree that was attacked by my cat. I'm trying to splice the wires back together.

My string of lights has a "thick" rubber wire (16 gauge) and a "thin" rubber wire (18 gauge) twined together. The 16 gauge wire has standard stranded copper inside. The 18 gauge wire contains what looks like cotton or polyester thread.

What in the world am I looking at? I can't imagine it's electrically conducting, so what is its purpose, and how do I splice it?

The filament is there to add strength to the cord. Everything else stretches more than the poly-fiber so when you pull on it(the cord) it strains against the fiber instead of the delicate electrical connections. As far as splicing it goes...you could tie a knot in it if there's enough slack or just ignore it and be careful with that spot in the future. And keep your cat away from it:)


Under what circumstances is 5/8" drywall required? From what I understand the code usually discusses things like fire rating (not specific thickness) as they relate to required material, and also the fastener pattern and what thickness to use versus stud spacing.

However, I've also heard that 5/8" is specifically mentioned by dimension for use as attached-garage separation from living space.

Yet another person has told me that 5/8" is specifically required for residential ceilings.

I've been unable to confirm the specific thickness requirements in the IBC.

International Residential Code (IRC) has a table for that.

Chapter 7 - Wall Covering
SECTION R702 INTERIOR COVERING
R702.3 Gypsum board.
R702.3.5 Application. Maximum spacing of supports and the size and spacing of fasteners used to attach gypsum board shall comply with
Table R702.3.5. Gypsum sheathing shall be attached to exterior walls
in accordance with Table R602.3(1). Gypsum board shall be applied at
right angles or parallel to framing members. All edges and ends of
gypsum board shall occur on the framing members, except those edges
and ends that are perpendicular to the framing members. Interior
gypsum board shall not be installed where it is directly exposed to
the weather or to water.

For SI: 1 inch = 25.4 mm.
a. For application without adhesive, a pair of nails spaced not less
than 2 inches apart or more than 21/2 inches apart may be used with
the pair of nails spaced 12 inches on center.
b. Screws shall be in accordance with Section R702.3.6. Screws for
attaching gypsum board to structural insulated panels shall penetrate
the wood structural panel facing not less than 7/16 inch.
c. Where cold-formed steel framing is used with a clinching design to
receive nails by two edges of metal, the nails shall be not less than
5/8 inch longer than the gypsum board thickness and shall have ringed
shanks. Where the cold-formed steel framing has a nailing groove
formed to receive the nails, the nails shall have barbed shanks or be
5d, 131/2 gage, 15/8 inches long, 15/64-inch head for 1/2-inch gypsum
board; and 6d, 13 gage, 17/8 inches long, 15/64-inch head for 5/8-inch
gypsum board.
d. Three-eighths-inch-thick single-ply gypsum board shall not be used
on a ceiling where a water-based textured finish is to be applied, or
where it will be required to support insulation above a ceiling. On
ceiling applications to receive a water-based texture material, either
hand or spray applied, the gypsum board shall be applied perpendicular
to framing. When applying a water-based texture material, the minimum
gypsum board thickness shall be increased from 3/8 inch to 1/2 inch
for 16-inch on center framing, and from 1/2 inch to 5/8 inch for
24-inch on center framing or 1/2-inch sag-resistant gypsum ceiling
board shall be used.
e. Type X gypsum board for garage ceilings beneath habitable rooms
shall be installed perpendicular to the ceiling framing and shall be
fastened at maximum 6 inches o.c. by minimum 17/8 inches 6d coated
nails or equivalent drywall screws.


issue with closed loop hot water heating So I have an 1880s Victorian in Boston that is proving to be quite the adventure. I'm new to this, so hopefully I am using the right words.
I have a four zone hot water heating system with radiators and baseboards. One of the zones (my problem zone) covers most of my second floor and features three standing radiators -- big old Niagras.
For each of the radiators, the hot water travels up from the basement, through the radiator, and then back down to the basement. The pipe then crosses the basement ceiling and goes back up again to the next radiator. After the third and final radiator, the pipe returns to the boiler area where there's a pump to pull the water.
The first radiator in the loop is HOT. The second is lukewarm. The third is room temperature.
We replaced the old pump with a new Taco - the old one was on its last legs. We also replaced the expansion tank.
The next identified culprit is the flowcheck valve (green in photo attached).
Could it be that the flow valve is slowing the flow of water through the system? Is it more likely that the first radiator is gobbling up the heat somehow?
I've attached photos of the first radiator, the up/down pipes (just to give you an idea), and the flow valve we may replace next.
Any help/ideas for what could be wrong would be much appreciated.
J

If the radiators are in series, bypass valves in the basement to adjust the energy flow by "short-cutting"  would be a solution.
Sometimes the size of the radiators are adapted to the hot water flow in old systems.
Also a flush of all radiators can help to improve the throughput - sometimes they are clogged with metal oxides and dirt like old car radiators.
If the first radiator is only hot in the upper part, and cold in the lower part, it could be also a failure of the pump (blocked by the dirt in the system) resp. the capacitor of the pump. Often this capacitor is defect thus blocking the pump from running on its nominal power. This can even happen with new pumps.
A photo of the pump might help to identify that probability.
Air bubbles in the radiators are another reason for cold radiators.
Could be easily checked by the bleeding valves. Thus the color of the water can be seen (f.e. in a white cup).


What kind of joint compound over plywood This question has been asked before: can you apply joint compound to plywood?
Article 1 Article 2 A good discussion

The general recommendation is not to do it because plywood cannot absorb it the way drywall does and it will have a tendency to crack. Others have reported durable results.

Well, I had to hang a TV and I had not choice but to use plywood (couldn't catch any of the studs) and now I have no choice but to apply joint compound:

So I'm looking for the best way to do it! Any suggestions on what to use and how to use it? Would Durabond be better? Should I sand the surface smooth or rough it up? Should I use paper tape or mesh? Any other suggestions?

I personally would never recommend joint compound over plywood. You could wood putty all the screws and other defects as mentioned above or you could try one other idea. How much of a lip do you have between the surface of the sheet rock and the surface of the plywood? My suggestion would be to place a piece of 1/4 inch sheet rock over the plywood if the difference between the two surface is deep enough. Then you could just finish the perimeter with tape and joint compound.


How can I fix a table top that I spilled air freshener on? I spilled air freshener on the top my dining table. It is a veneer top with urethane finish. The area is sticky to touch. How can I fix this?

I did this once. I didn't notice it came off until I wiped it off.

I just sanded the whole top of the table until it was bare wood and re-stained it and added a polyurethane on top. Looks new.


Drilling "misting" pin holes in PVC I built raised gardens this year and added cheap DIY PVC irrigation.  I used a 1/16" drill bit and drilled several holes in 1/2" PVC pipe.  The 1/16" drill bit was the smallest I had but the holes were still too big for the misting action I was going for; the water comes out in streams and pools in the low spots of the soil.

I am looking for ideas on how I can get more of a "misting" action.  My ideas:

drill smaller holes: problem with this is that 1/16" is my smallest bit, I would have to buy specialty "micro" drill bits plus a special chuck and/or Dremel to use them
drill more holes: I currently have pairs of holes every 9" or so; I could turn the PVC into swiss cheese and put holes every 1/2" or so; I can't really go back once I take the plunge, though
use duct tape: the answer for everything! I could tape over the existing holes with duct tape and use a needle to poke pinholes in the tape; this seems like it would work but might not hold up well

Any thoughts?

Your best bet would be to get some 1/2" PVC Couplings with threaded port

and some Misting Nozzles.

You should be able to find them both online, or at your local landscaping/gardening center. This setup would allow you to get the desired spray pattern, by selecting the appropriate nozzles.


when better replace carpet in the basement Does it really matter when to replace a carpet in basement, summer or fall/winter? The basement isn't really damp, but probably there are some other arguments/reasons to consider a certain season for such work?

Thanks.

Around Xmas and January.  Generally new carpet lines go out in the spring.  So in December and January we have found that we can get carpet much cheaper and the installers aren't busy at all.

Also don't let them glue down your pad or carpet.  You need to be able to move your carpet if you have a water problem.  (good installers would never think about glueing down in a basement but I see it all the time)


What do I need to fix this leaky sink? My sink started leaking - it looks like I need to replace all of the seal/gasket type things between the basin and the garbage disposal.

Top side:

Bottom side:

I am guessing that the steel part on the top side can be disconnected from the black plastic part, but I don't know that for sure, so I'm not going to go ripping at it until someone on the internet tells me to.

How do I seal each side of this back up?

The model is Pulverator P10. I couldn't find a manual online.

Plumbers putty , in a 3/8 in thick rope circle, goes under the top part.

It helps to have a helper push it straight down and keep it from turning while the jamb nut and rubber washer and  (sometimes paper) thrust washer.  The rubber washer goes against the sink.  The thrust washer goes between the rubber washer and the jamb nut.

If someone used some thread dope previously, get the mating surface of the sink cleaned off.

If the rubber washer or the thrust washer is deformed, replace them.

This video from Anaheim shows the mounting of the "Cushion ring" in step 6

A locknut wrench helps to loosen/tighten the nut.

This video shows replacing an ISE with a Waste King


How to extend shelf life of already opened one-component silicone sealant or glue? I know silicone for two things: its properties and its ability to harden when still in the tube, before use. Virtually everyone using it knows that after a while, it is necessary to cut the tip to remove the hardened part.

How can I extend its life before application? The number of available silicon types makes them very interesting, if they were usable a couple of years after opening (something basically every liquid glue allows).

Is the hardening happening only on the tip, or also on the back, the part pushed inside with the gun?

Do silicone variants with solvent and the ones without solvent (for example http://www.pattex.nl/dhz/producten/100-procent/100%25%20Universal.html I couldn't find one in English) work and harden the same way? Do they use humidity, light, oxygen, ... to cure?

Much like the bolt suggestion, I found these at a hardware store several years ago and have used them regularly.  They are actually called caulk savers.  Unfortunately, I don't recall exactly where I found them, but I have seen them around from time to time.  I did use them to save some silicone at one point, but only for a few days, maybe a week or so.  I doubt it would work any better than a bolt or screw.  I don't have any scientific basis for the next thought, but my suspicion is that once silicone contacts air, it starts a slow irreversible curing process.

One other potentially useful bit of information I stumbled upon a while back was a tip for clearing a stopped up caulk tube nozzle.  Simply take a utility knife and split the nozzle long-ways.  Clear all the dried material from the split nozzle.  Then just close it up and wrap it tightly with electrical tape.  I have done this several times and it works great.


A-Frame Bracket for 4x8 swing beam I would like to build the A-frame swing structure. One end of the beam attaches to the playhouse. The other end is the A-frame and I plan to use 4x8x12 treated lumber as the beam since I already bought one extra from previous project.

I have been researching for the mounting bracket but most would say to support 4x6 beam only like this

Source: http://www.swingworks.com/product-p/11-5010.htm

I rather not use multiple lumber pieces to build the horizontal support like this because we think it's somewhat "ugly":

OR this (using 4x8 instead):

My questions are:

Is there some kind of bracket from home improvement store that I could use? I am thinking of using "4 in. x 8 in. Concealed Face Mount Joist Hanger" like below

..and then install it as in the "red" box in this picture:

Could I use the 4x6 bracket for 4x8 lumber?
Or best, is there one bracket purposely built for 4x8 lumber?

I could buy a new 4x6 for this but would rather use the existing 4x8 that already laying around in my backyard.

I would refrain from using that type of fastener. I believe it will allow a lot of movement. I made a sketch to show what I have made before, many years ago. It does not have any hangers just angled notches that allow the legs to fit tightly and notches that act as a setting for the beam to bear on. A single bolt will draw it all together, or two could be used.

The legs are also splayed to help stabilize the swingset, and give more room for the swings.

7/12/2016 Edit

All it really takes is a circular saw set at 5 degrees or so. No set angle, just something that would draw tight as the bolt tightens. The notches on the beam are the same depth alll the way through. Just determine the angle you want the legs to splay at and make sure the overall width of the cut on the side is no wider than the leg material, otherwise the fit may be loose. The legs are what is cut at the angle. I added some sketches to help elaborate a little.

I hope it helps.


Will pressure-treated lumber shrink enough to cause failure of roof flashing around it? We need to replace the flat roof on our balcony deck. In the process we also need to replace the balcony deck railing.
The salesman for our contractor recommended a wooden railing to match what we will be removing. But the contractor's carpenter is saying that the pressure-treated lumber he'd use will shrink over a 12 month drying period and might cause water problems around the post flashing.
Question: Is pressure-treated lumber shrinkage actually a concern in situations like this?
This has turned into a minor emergency since this unexpectedly became a game day decision.
Thank you so much!

Wood expands and contracts regardless. It shrinks when it's sunny and it expands when it rains. Any flashing should be able to accommodate that, and I assume whatever was there before did so.
That said, vinyl post sleeves aren't terribly expensive. Even if your railings are bare wood, white, beige, or brown posts could look very nice. They'd also eliminate your contractor's concerns. They're worth considering.


Can I run wireless alarm sensor in same conduit as power? I need to connect a water flow valve

to my wireless alarm.
I plan on connecting the water flow switch to a wireless alarm sensor

Currently there is a junction box that has power running to it that goes through a conduit to the flow valve switch #1 for the fire bell. I need to get a second wire to the 2nd switch for the alarm monitoring.  I have an 18/4 FPLR fire wire that I will run about ten feet to connect to the wireless sensor.  Can I run this through the same box and flex conduit as the wire to the switch for the bell, or do I need to run a second conduit to the valve.

If the wire for the switch and the bell that is in the existing conduit is carrying 110V, the answer is NO.  You can not mix High & Low Voltage in the same conduit, so you will need to run an additional conduit to connect to the second set of terminals.

Is this for your residence or for a business?  I question this as you are "playing with fire", in more ways than one.  For one, the wireless contact you reference is a water sensor.  Meaning it is designed to detect actual water, as in water touching the wireless contact.  These are often placed under sinks or behind toilets to be on the look out for a broken pipe, water leak, or flooded home.  Not for hooking a water flow device to it.

If this question is regarding a business, there is a whole other set of hoops you must jump through to ensure you are following what ever Code your local AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) has adopted.

If this is for your home, you need to ensure the wireless sensor you purchase is capable of monitoring a Normal Open Circuit, WITH Supervision.  Many wireless sensors do not meet these guidelines.

Sorry for the long drawn out answer, but when dealing with fire alarms, you are dealing with peoples lives.  Please keep that in mind as you move forward with your project.


Marking studs with tape measure Maybe I'm a little dense, but I'm having a little difficulty visualizing how laying out studs 16" OC works with a tape measure.  From almost every source I look at they say "Don't screw this up.  Hook it on the end, go to the red numbers (16/32/etc), and mark 3/4" to each side to get them on center".

That's great and all, but they all also say to start by placing the first stud right at the end of the board.  Thus, your original markings would be at 15.25" (16 - 3/4"), and when you place your end stud, it'll span from 0" - 1.5".  (with the middle being on 0.75").  Therefore, the distance OC between the first stud and the 2nd stud would be 16-0.75 = 15.25", not 16".  What gives? To me it seems like you'd just hook the end of the tape and mark on the reds and use that as your outer edge, not the inner.

When you start a wall, your first board is not supposed to be on 16" centers. You're right, the first stud will end up  15.25" center to center from the second stud but that is because you don't want you first stud to be centered on the edge of the sheeting (whether your sheeting it with plywood, sheetrock, or whatever you're using). Rather, you want your sheeting to be flush with the edge of your first stud. So yes, when you measure from the beginning of a wall, mark it the way that you've been reading.

Your thinking is correct when you're in the middle of a wall. If you hook the tape measure on the edge of one stud, your 16" line should come up to the edge of your next stud. Studs that are on 16" centers are 16" from the center of the one stud to the center of the next stud. So if you are building a long wall, and you are not measuring from the beginning of the wall, you would hook your tape on the board where a stud is and put your each multiple of 16. Put your "X" on the far side of the line and bury the "X" when you put your stud in.

Just remember - for every wall, there is one exception... the first stud.


Grounded outlet has ground wire attached to neutral post, neutral wire isolated and not connected As the title says, I encountered an outlet yesterday in a house that has been rewired.  I have re-set all the boxes in the house (they were out by about 1/2 inch as the owner was going to install sheetrock over the bead board) except this one and encountered no problems until now.  The outlet is a three prong grounded outlet and all the wiring is between 5-10 years old.  The box is an older steel box.

When re-installing the box after doing some wall repair, I discovered the outlet was wired odd.  The hot was correct but the ground wire was attached to the neutral post.  The neutral wire was insulated with tape and not hooked to the outlet at all.  It goes into a 15 amp breaker.  The outlet has worked great for a year and a half - I have used this room as a saw room and run table and compound miter saws through that outlet.  What was the reason for this wiring?  If I wire it correctly what problem should I look for?

This is NOT okay.

Use a multimeter (or voltmeter) to test the grounded (neutral) conductor, to see if you're getting the proper voltage between it and the ungrounded (hot) conductor.

If it tests okay, wire the receptacle up the way it's supposed to.

If not, you'll have to trace back through the circuit, and try to figure out what's wrong.


Fix drywall painting disaster I had a team of "professionals" repaint the drywalls of a newly-purchased house.

A few days after they completed the work, two kinds of defects appeared on the walls, in a large number of different spots.

The first kind (depicted below) is the paint looking either depressed or protruded over fairly large areas (15-20 cm).

The second kind (depicted below) is the paint protruding and looking (and feeling) smooth as silk in the affected area.

The people who did the work claim there is an unspecified "problem" with the dry wall itself, but cannot recommend any specific course of action to rectify it. Of course they maintain they carried out the work with great care and competence. I don't trust them more than I would a 30£ note, but I myself saw them sanding and priming the wall before applying the new paint.

How can I fix this? I have some experience painting dry walls but I am no expert. Is this a case where extra preparation is needed, possibly involving repair of the dry wall itself?

Hard to tell if the defects were caused by the recent painting or were there before and now showing up because of a lighter color or different sheen. The "orange peel" effect starts out when the drywall is first sprayed with a primer and carries over each time the wall is painted. Any time you patch a hole or gouge with mud and then sand it, you smooth out the orange peel and when you paint over it you get what happened in your second picture. You can make it less obvious if you take a small brush, dip it in some mud and dap the sanded surface. Another technique is to apply the mud to the wall and lightly run a dry paint roller over it and blend it in .

In your first picture it looks like there was an excess amount of paint left after a paint job and it just ran a bit... you can sand it down and then add the orange peel like I described above.

If the defects are too numerous to fix and they will drive you nuts, one alternative is to sand the entire wall and remove all the old paint and then prime and repaint. the other alternative is to replace or add new drywall. Good luck.


Bathtub separating from wall I recently bought an older house. It has had some work done in the master bath, and I just noticed that the tub is separating from the wall. What would be the best way to fix this? Oh I should mention we had the foundation leveled last week, so there are drywall cracks all over the house.

Appearance of this crack has nothing to do with foundation; it is something that you can see in many bathrooms. First check if both wall and bathtub are vertical, if they are not this crack will most likely appear from time to time (every year or so).Now, you can do one of two things: You can use silicone to glue it together. Keep in mind that silicone (or similar material) should be replaced every 6-12 months you will know when to change because black dots will start to appear. Another thing you can do is that you can put a rubber band and just glue it to both sides. Now this solution is more permanent (you don't need to change it so often) but if you ask me it's not that pretty. Now, foundation....since you did all that work maybe (if possible) you should give your house couple of months or a year to settle before you start doing anything.


What's involved in upgrading a circuit? I have a LOT of computer equipment in my bonus room.  Additionally, during the summer, our HVAC system has difficulty keeping it cool (as a side note, the HVAC was replaced recently, so it is not defective - just your typical issues with a zoned system in the dead of summer).

During the summer I use a portable air conditioner to try to keep from roasting.  However, with all my equipment running, adding in the air conditioner will frequently trip the breaker, which I believe is a standard 15-amp.

If I wanted to upgrade the circuit to 20 amps or higher in order to sustain the load, I suspect it would take both a new circuit breaker and rewiring the outlets with heavier gauge wire, correct?  Anything else?

"Upgrading" the circuit involves running a new cable (of thicker gauge).  Basically you would be replacing a 15 amp circuit with a 20 amp, for a benefit of 5 amps but with all of the work of just running a new circuit (either 15 or 20) which would give you a total of 30-35 amps instead of 20.  Because you also have two circuits, if one blows, only loose whatever was on that circuit instead of everything.

Running a new circuit is the way to go.  As a commenter said, you can "balance" the load. Ideally you would not have the AC on the same circuit as your computer as the motors can put off electrical noise.

The gauge of wire you use will depend on the amperage and distance.  If your room is upstairs with the bedrooms, code will often require an arc-fault breaker to be used.


How do I purge the air from a hot water furnace with zones I want to try and bleed the air from my hydronic ( baseboard ) heating system. It's a natural gas system, I think I understand the basic functionality but my system seems to be a bit unusual and I'm looking for some advice and information.

The furnace appears to have the automatic fill line feeding into the back left of the furnace. On the rear right, there is a large pipe going into the furnace that is attached to a manifold with 4 valves and an expansion tank, and also has the computer and pressure valve mounted to it.  I'm assuming this is the return of the 4 zones. On the front right, there is the gas feed and also what I believe is the main output of the furnace. This feeds into the circulation pump and the output is split into the 4 zones. each zone has a servo valve, followed by a manual valve, followed by a drain valve.

Normally I would assume you close the manual valves and then open the drain valve for each zone to purge the air out of the system, the automatic feed valve should replace the water in the system automatically pushing the air out of each zone.

The thing that confuses me about this system is that the circulation pump is right before that 4 manual valves for the zones. If i shut those calves and open the drain valve, am I not just draining water from the system and not replacing it? or does the automatic fill valve fill the system from the back side? I cant really tell what the pipes do inside the furnace. I'm also concerned ( for no particular reason ) that the fill valve may not be working.

Am I doing this correctly? or am I making some wrong assumption about the setup? I've done this before on a different furnace and it was no problem, but this one is a bit more confusing.

Well... the way that my father does it is that he isolates the zone from the other zones by shutting off the manual cutoffs.  Then attaches a pump to the drain cock on both sides of the zone, and runs the pump -- with luck you'll get the air out of the top of the line and back to the pump, and the auto-fill should replace the water.

Alternatively, you may have air separators at the top of each run, and you can open up the valve at the top to bleed those.


How to tell what is causing my breaker to trip I have a 15 AMP breaker that will not stay on. Shut off lights, went to bed as usual and in the morning the lights would not come on. I inspected the breaker panel and found that circuit was tripped. When I tried to flip it back on, it lasted less than a second with a sort of "bzzzz pop" sound. Same results every time I try to flip it back on - seemed like a short to me.

This breaker covers the overhead lighting (13 recessed flood lights) for 2 rooms and vanity lighting (4 LED bulbs) and 2 outlets (1 is GFCI) in a bathroom. There is a light switch in the bathroom, a light switch in one room and a dual switch in the other (one for each room). I figured I'd start ruling out components one by one.

In order to troubleshoot, I first removed all the bulbs just in case there was a bad ballast causing an issue - no change. I then removed the leads on all the outlets and light switches and tried again - no change. I then swapped out the breaker in the main panel - no change. I crawled into the attic and didn't see any damage (though a lot of the wiring is not easy to get to, I saw no evidence of animals chewing through anything). Is there anything I'm missing that I could look at?

In most cases of getting a "bzzz pop" on a circuit breaker there is a 98% chance you have a direct short to ground and if this happens once you shouldn't keep trying. The only thing it does is cause further damage to your electrical system.

The first thing I would do is to turn very switch to the off position and unplug every piece of equipment from the system. I would remove the panel cover and using an ohm meter or continuity tester to see if I got a "ring" between the load side of the breaker and the neutral/ground buss which indicates a short. Or you could just reset the breaker if you don't have any meters but remember you are damaging your circuit and the breaker.

So if you do not get a ring or the breaker stays on, then you know it is not the receptacles or the switches. Now you know the short is after one of the switches and probably in one of your light fixtures. You can then go around and turn on each switch on until you get a ring. This will locate which lighting branch is shorting out and you have at least isolated the problem to a smaller area of the circuit.

If you do get a ring or the breaker trips off, you know the short is either before the switches or at one of the receptacles. Experience would tell me to check the receptacles first.

Shorts are easy to find since they are and arc flash and create a lot of heat. so there will be the smell of something burnt, melted wire, blackened residue and melted insulation.

Removing lamps form light fixture really doesn't help especially in fluorescent fixtures with ballasts and LED's with drivers. These ballasts and drivers use energy regardless if the lamps are plug in or not.

Isolating and locating where the problem is allows you to make better informed decisions on if its a simple fix you can handle or you need professional help.

FYI - since you have already turned the breaker on let it trip multiple times. It may be a good idea to change out the breaker. It is probably not operating within allowable tolerances (laymen terms the contacts are burnt and the bi-metal trip material is damaged).

Good luck


Should I use plumbers tape on tub drain or just plumbers putty? I am replacing the tub drain (chrome to bronze). I was wondering if I should use plumbers tape on the drain, or is the putty enough?
EDIT:  Thank you for your responses. I am changing the drain only. I guess a better question is, should I use plumbers tape between the drain and drain shoe? I know I should use the putty on the edge of the drain but someone told me to use plumbers tape on the threads. I just changed to whole drain shoe and I'm afraid to mess it up by doing it wrong.
Second edit: thanks again for all your responses. It seems the general consensus is that I do not need tape. The shoe is pvc and the drain is bronze.

You don't need tape for the seal (those drain to shoe threads are not where the water seal takes place in those parts) but since you are using metal drain parts teflon tape or pipe dope does greatly increase the odds that you or the next person will be able to get them apart, rather than finding them irrevocably corroded together. I'd actually prefer pipe dope for the purpose.
As for putty, that apparently depends on the tub material. I was looking up instructions for my new-ish tub and was very surprised to find that silicone caulking was the recommended material for my tub - apparently plumber's putty does not get along with acrylic tubs? I'm going to guess that your all metal drain probably goes with a cast iron tub where plumbers putty is the right material, but I offer that observation because it surprised me, and made my tub of plumber's putty feel sad and unwanted, poor thing.


Wiring a garage heater? I have 2 30 amp breakers on a circuit that only has a 30 amp
receptacle for my dryer. Can I tie into this circuit to hard wire a 30 amp 7500 watt garage heater?

Your heater is 7500W, which is 31.25 amps, and because it's a heater, it must be derated to 125% or 9375W or 38.8 amps.

That is too much for a 30A wire and breaker, but is "just right" for 40A wire and breaker.  That is designed that way on purpose.

So you need to use #8 cable, e.g. 8/2 Romex.  And a 40A breaker.  The 30A/10AWG wires are not suitable for this heater.

If you want a heater able to exploit the #10 cable and 30A breaker, pick one whose output is 5300-5500 watts (22-23 amps).  That, multiplied by 125%, will fall just under 30A.

If you are connecting it via cord-and-plug, Code requires you use a 50A receptacle.  You can either use a NEMA 6-50, which does not include neutral, or a NEMA 14-50  receptacle (but then you need to run 8/3 cable).

If you also want to plug in actual 50A loads, such as an RV or electric vehicle charger, then run 6/3 cable to a NEMA 14-50 and use a 50A breaker.


How to check and turn on pilot light of this water tank? I have never done this before but the gas line was turned off briefly and now we have no hot water.

Look like the pilot light went out on this but I have no idea how to see the light and how to turn it on.

I looked on the internet and it said to turn to pilot and push down but it didn't do anything

Looking for advise. Thank you

There are detailed instructions on the water heater, text and diagrams, but the following is my recollections.

If the gas tap at the end of the house supply piping is turned off, the knobs on the heater will be in the operating positions.

Turn the main control on the tank off and then turn it to a position that will be labeled "Pilot". (Maybe just turn it to "Pilot".) Open the cover on the burner compartment so you can see inside.
Turn the smaller "pilot" valve to a position (usu 90 deg) which will allow the valve to be pushed down against a spring. Holding the valve down opens a safety valve and allows gas to flow to the pilot only.
While holding this valve down try to ignite the pilot by pressing an igniter button. Observe whether the pilot lights. If it does, continue to hold the button down for 15 seconds or so after the pilot lights so that the heat of the pilot can warm a sensor that allows it to stay on. If you release the button too soon, the pilot will go out.

If the pilot does not light with that press of the igniter, then continue to hold the pilot valve down, wait 15 sec, and press the igniter button again.

Turn the pilot valve to the operating position.
Turn the main valve to its operating position and desired temperature. When you do this the main gas burner should come on and start heating the water in the tank. In 30 min or so you will have usable warmed water in the tank.
Close the cover on the burner compartment.

EDIT

http://www.home-repair-central.com/how-to-light-a-water-heater.html


What wires do you splice in a 3-way switch? I want to put two 3-way switches in the same box. I'm uncertain what splices I have to make, but I have an educated guess. (Diagram below)
Here's my assumptions:

The hots (black) from the 14-3 wire get spliced together with: the source hot and hots running to each switch

The 14-3 reds do not get spliced together.

A hot from each light fixture runs to it's switch

Does this look accurate and code compliant with NEC (red rectangles indicate marretts) ?
The diagram shows two switches for two different lights, each part of their own 3-way. In case the notation wasn't clear, the green circle is a grounding screw (this is a metal 2-gang box)
(Note: It looks like some of my neutrals in my diagram are hidden by grounds. I plan to splice all neutrals in the box together)

There are several ways to wire this circuit, but this is the one that will be least confusing to any future maintainers (which might even be you, two or three years from now).

I have put a "C" next to the common terminal on each switch.
Note that the white wires running to the remote 3-ways are marked with black paint or tape at both ends to indicate that they carry constant-hot and not neutral.


Wire sizing from breaker box to bedroom If you were wiring a bedroom and a new house and you ran a 12-2  for your homerun and then to each outlet receptacle in the room let’s say there were four.  Then from the last outlet receptacle you ran 12-2  up to the bedroom light switch outlet.  At that point you switch to 14-2  and ran it up to the lights. Would that be permissible if you used a 15 amp breaker?  Wouldn’t it be possible that someone could later change the 15 to 20  amp breaker not knowing about the 14-2 to the light.

A 15A breaker (AFCI) is not just permissible in this situation, it is required because of the #14 wire in the circuit. You should make a note somewhere near the panel indicating that circuit has #14 wire in it and to not replace the 15A breaker with a 20A. Alternatively - and this is the much preferred way to do things - just use #12 throughout and put a 20A breaker on.

However, if at all possible, keep your receptacles and lights on different circuits. If you trip a breaker you won't be left in the dark!


Is this deck plan strong enough for a hot tub I'd like to know if this deck plan is strong enough for a 7'x7' hot tub. The max weight with water and seven people is 4,800lb. I'd like to keep the four post design because there is an 18" Oak stump in the middle, and I want to avoid the root system as much as possible. I'm going to dig and cut the roots as much and as deep as necessary to get a big flat holes.
This picture should have enough information to understand the plan.
[Edit] This would be built with treated Southern Yellow Pine.

With the given tub load and 50 psf deck load, I've checked the reactions of the 2x10 joist, and 2x12 beam, assuming there is one beam on each side of the tub. You shall add at least 10% to the design forces indicated in the graph below to check the adequacy of the members.
For foundation, you shall divide the post design load by the footing area to get the bearing pressure, then compare it with the allowable soil pressure. Note you shall leave a safe margin for the weight of the concrete footing, which wasn't included in the calculation.

Notes:

Under tub joist load = (Tub Weight/Tub Area) x joist spacing = (4800#/7'x7') x 8" = 65.3 plf, then add joist and misc. weight rounding up to 80 plf. (*Please double-check the full weight of the tub, it seems low).

Suggest adding bracing between the posts in each direction to resist the lateral loads (wind and from water splashing).

The most critical bending moment of the joist and beam is when the tub is loaded full, the surrounding deck is free of live load (empty).

This is an engineering matter that shouldn't be expected to get a simple answer "Yes" or "No" from a stranger you don't know. Please consult a structural engineer before proceeding. Good luck.


Removing caulk on painted wall My husband painted our daughters bedroom with one large strip horizontal stripe  around the room.  To make the lines even on our textured wall he used caulk.  How do I get rid of the caulk lines so I can paint the room one color?

Just peel or scape it off.  Depending on what type of product was used, it might come off cleanly or it might not.  Worst case is you will need to patch any damaged parts of the wall, prime and repaint (which you will need to do anyways!).


How can I fill the gap between layers of a stair tread? I had to add tread height, to make an old stair come out even when adding an insulated floor below (see How can I deal with a short bottom step on a stairwell? ).   Now I've got a gap on the top tread's sill nosing.  What type of product might work?  "Bondo" is often used for such things, but it may be too stiff and crack over time:

What might be both structural, and form a neat enough edge?  The stairs will be painted, then have carpet runners.  Note that each stair from here down was raised by 1/4" more than the prior one, averaging out the short bottom step.

Here's what I'd do to avoid hacky patch solutions that will probably fail:

Carefully remove the cove molding from under the original nosing.
Cut the original nosing and the overlay flush with the riser to create a flat vertical plane. Use a circular saw, jigsaw, and a belt sander, if available.
Screw and glue down the overlay if it isn't already, so it's solid.
Glue and screw a replacement nosing in place, matching the original size and profile, flush on top.
Reinstall the cove molding under the new nosing.
Fill fastener holes, sand, prime, paint.

This will leave you with a result indistinguishable from the original and just as solid.


Replacing 2 inch vertical cast iron pipe going through concrete I have a 2 inch cast iron pipe that is leaking at the cement line of a second floor condominium. The common line connects 3 stacked bathrooms.

My plan is to remove the concrete around the pipe that is leaking and if it is small and isolated using bondo to repair it, place an access panel where we cut the drywall in case we need to access that area again. Is using bondo to repair a 2 inch crack in cast iron a plausable repair?

If the crack is more extensive, my question relates to the best way to remove the 35 feet of cast iron piping. Should I open the ceiling in the garage; disconnect the plumbing on the first floor and slide the pipe through the open concrete; then cutting the concrete on the second floor disconnecting the second floor and sliding the pipe down to the garage and so on? Or as we slide the pipe down for second to first floor cut the pipe in small sections. And replacing the cast iron pipe, how would you proceed?  Should I put a sleeve around the pipe that goes through the concrete? What material sleeve do you reccommend.

I can do the work with a friend, just need to know the logistics. Thank you.

Since this unit is one in a building of condos, an improvised DIY job is not acceptable; the job must be done right. I would assume that there is a collar that the pipe passes through, that is, the concrete is not adhering to the cast iron pipe.  I would think that you must remove the broken section by making at least three cuts with an iron pipe cutter.  Then insert a new section and connect with approved couplings.

Find out if you can use PVC or ABS plastic for the replacement section. The  replacement section may have to be in two parts if the hole is tight. Really sounds like a professional job to me.


How can I find out why my washing machine trips the outlet? I was washing a large down comforter in my washing machine and I noticed that the machine was shaking during the spin cycle. I let it go for about 10 minutes and decided to just turn it off, but when I went back out there was water leaking onto the floor (luckily this was outside) and it had just stopped running. The dryer is plugged into the same outlet.

When I have them both plugged in and I hit the reset button it causes the washer to fill with water for about one second and immediately shut off. The dryer won't work at all. When I only have the dryer plugged in the dryer runs fine. So what is wrong with the washer? Can someone help me understand where to go from here?

The shaking probably shook a wire loose besides causing a leak, or the leak flooded over a set of wires and shorted the wire to the casing. The GFCI did its job by detecting the current to ground and shutting down the power. Reconnecting with the fault in place will cause the GFCI to trip again.

The dryer is protected by the same GFCI so when it trips the GFCI will shut down all power.

Get someone qualified to inspect it and be prepared to shell out for a new washing machine should it be irreparable.


Need help with wiring of in-line ventilation fan I've got this fan to install as part of a heat transfer system. The fan is controlled by a touch-screen thermostat/control unit and has three speeds.

I understand the supplied wiring diagram, but I'm wondering how best to implement it.

Should I find 4-conductor cable and join the neutral back by the control unit, or run a separate wire for the neutral?

So basically, whats the best way to physically run the wires?

Thanks

Since you are running the wires back to the control unit anyway - I would run 4 wires back to the unit and connect them all including the ground in that location.

This should prevent any issue with ground loops.


Convert a switched receptacle to a non switched receptacle This is a code question and I live in the US.

Some background.  My house originally had no overhead lights except for the bathrooms, kitchen and hallways.  The rest of the rooms had just one switched receptacle, usually in the most inconvenient spot to put a floor lamp.  The house has two circuits for the non-switched receptacles and two circuits for the switched receptacles and overhead lights.  I've since rewired all the rooms with overhead lights and most of the switched receptacles I've converted to non-switched.

Now the code question.  Is there any code violations converting a switched receptacle on a lighting circuit to a non switched receptacle?  Or Similar, could someone add a receptacle to a lighting circuit and still be under code.

Not as long as you have at least one switched outlet. There's a difference between outlets and receptacles. In your case the switched outlet is the overhead lights you added. No other provisions are required.


Should I buy dry compound mix and mix my own? Pros/Cons Should I mix my own 'mud' (joint compound)?  I'm trying to smooth out parts of my wall and also to cover some patched areas.

My "drywall guy" (and the pros on construction sites) uses all pre-mixed compound in buckets.

Green lid for applying tape, blue lid for top coats and spotting screws.

He did say you can get 20 minute or even 5 minute dry mix and he has used these for very small repairs when you want the mud to dry extremely fast. These products have extremely short work times so you really have to know what you are doing.

So, like all things, there are products for specific tasks and the size of your job. Make your choice accordingly.

Good luck!


Attaching Three Copper Wires Together Without Using A Wire Nut? I am trying to splice a third copper wire to two currently present wires inside the electrical box of my switch I am trying to replace. Most resources online are telling me to use a wire nut to attach the third copper wire but perhaps I am just not skilled enough but I am having major difficulties doing this. The wires seem to be 12 awg solid copper wires and are very difficult to twist and bend in such a tight space.

My question is; Is there an easier way to splice this third copper wire without using a wire nut? I have used special splicers for speaker wire before but those don't seem strong enough for solid copper wires. Thank you.

What you're looking for is a "push-in wire connector" that looks something like

 or .

These don't require nearly the gymnastics required of twist-on type connectors, make a more secure connection over time, and aren't much more expensive either.


How to make a rectangular pipe structure with clockwise threads I'm trying to make a gate structure for my attic to prevent people from falling through the pull-down stairs opening.  For this, I'm joining threaded iron piping together with elbow joints and t-joints.  The problem is that when I try to make a rectangle with four sections of pipe and four elbows/t-joints, I can't attach the fourth corner together because tightening the fourth section of pipe into the fourth joint by turning it clockwise would un-screw the third joint because it would be turning counter-clockwise.

Here is a photo of what I'm doing:

I feel like I'm missing something obvious.  And when I googled it, I found this site for building shelves with similar materials and a similar method, but it doesn't mention the problem I'm having.

Could someone please help?

you need a "union" connector. It allows both sides to tighten and then tighten union.


Consumer unit tripping and hard to reset I had a power cut this morning. After a lot of experimentation, it seems to be related to the washing machine.
The thing that confuses me is that when we power the washing machine the master circuit breaker in the consumer unit trips. It then refuses to reset. I have every plug I can find in the house disconnected, and every switch turned off. It still refuses to reset.
It seems like after enough banging my head against a wall, and slowly trying to reset the master circuit breaker, it'll give in. It takes a while though, and I have no idea why it eventually gives in, and even whether it will in the future.
Does this suggest that the master circuit breaker switch in the consumer unit needs replacing? Or perhaps there's some leakage between earth and live and it just takes some time for that to 'drain' out of the system?? I'm obviously guessing here!!
I can't exactly try many experiments with the washing machine as when it dies it's a pain to get power back.
I tried changing the fuse in the washing machine plug just in case. That made no difference. Surely that fuse should have blown first? I also tried adding in an rcd between the washing machine and the plug socket - that also didn't help and the main fuse went. Why could that be?
Any advice or suggestions really appreciated. I have an electrician booked in but the next available date is a few days away - and I'd also like to understand the issue a bit too!
Many thanks,
Dave.

As a follow-up, there were a couple of issues:

The RCD was broken. It was tripping correctly, but it should have been able to be reset. This has been replaced and now works as expected (and as an aside, I'll soon be replacing the whole CU).

The washing machine was defective. Once the RCD was fixed I was able to perform some tests. The heating element had failed. Disconnected it stopped it tripping the RCD. I've installed a new heating element and it now works perfectly.

Thanks for everyone's help & suggestions.


Make baby gate self-close I am trying to secure the top of my staircase from my crawling baby. I want a gate with no threshold (i.e the whole thing swings freely) so no one will trip over it and fall down the stairs. I also want a gate that self-closes so I don't have to worry about my older children forgetting to close it.

I can't seem to find any commercial baby gate that has both of these features. If I buy a threshold-free gate, what can I add to make it self-close? Would it make a difference if it's wood or metal? We bought a spring self-closer gizmo that works for a light door, but I don't think it would work for a gate.

As a quick fix, you could get a module that chimes when the gate is not closed or latched.


Single handle Moen 1200 cartridge has a drip after one day I replaced a Moen 1200 cartridge with new one. One day later it started to drip when I turn the water off. It’s the exact same cartridge model I pulled out. I made sure before inserting the new one that all parts that I didn’t need to buy were clean and free of any rust, lime or calcium. Does anybody have any ideas?

With the unit again disassembled and cartridge removed, take a 3/4 copper fitting brush and clean out the brass body. This removes stuck debris.
Flush out with water from a spray bottle. Clean and dry and re-lubricate.


Circuit breaker system standard UL 489 certifies only the clearance, but is there a standard specifying how energized bars are connected to the circuit breakers?

Or is matching brands for circuit breaker boxes and circuit breakers themselves the only way to make sure they're compatible?

Circuit breakers are not interchangeable amongst manufacturers or even within manufacturer lines (many of which are acquisitions).   There is no effort by regulatory agencies to do so.  There is little effort by manufacturers to do so, except that a few manufacturers make breakers for other people's service panels.


How do I find a replacement door lock for this? I moved into a newly built home and am trying to replace the deadbolt and the lever below.
But I'm not able to find a replacement lock that replaces my existing locks. All locks I've looked at have rectangular plates that need to be screwed onto the side of the door (see the picture, but I have circular openings on the door with no screws and no rectangular latch plate). I see "Fortis" labeled on one of the deadbolts.

Can anybody help me identify this door lock?

If you are having a hard time finding the strikes that do not have the rectangular plate, many latchset makers have the round ones like you have in the box with the others. Seems to me that they make the bolts or latch fit into any situation. According to one of the manufacturers the type of bolt you are looking for is called a "drive-in" latch

Or as Ecnerwal suggests, although it may take longer than 5 minutes for a newbie to mortise in the rectangular ones. All it takes is a razor knife, chisel and hammer


Cutting Ceramic Glass Glazed Tile I have some glass glazed ceramic mosaic tile that I will soon install as our new kitchen backsplash.  The tiles are 4" x 4", with pre-scoring into 1" x 1" mosaics with a grout line of 1/16".  They are 3/8" thick.

I only have a wet tile saw at the moment.  The manufacturer recommends dry cutting these tiles.  What is the best way to cut them and minimise chipping of the glass glazed finish?

Many Thanks,

Simon

Unplug the water pump on your wet tile saw and go ahead and use it. If you are worried about damaging your wet blade (I wouldn't be) you can buy a dry cut diamond blade for your wet saw.


Which adapter am I missing for my washing mashine? I got a new washing mashine from a friend. As we couldnt get of the tube, i had to buy a new one. Now it seems i am missing an Adapter.
Which Adapter do i need?
(I hope the questions is ok to ask here.)
Country: Germany. Online Shopping is possible.

Unscrew the spigot from the tap and then the washing machine pipe will screw straight on to the 3/4 thread.
Edit based on comments:
This is a picture of a "normal" standard replacement hose. Do note both ends have plastic fittings which are standard. there are stainless wrapped versions but they are only rated to the same working pressure anyway.
Used these many times and the only time I ever saw one of the plastic nuts break was when it had a gorilla crush it with mole-grips, hand tight is more than ample.

Edit 2:
To help those who have not seen the pipe style with the electric valve, here is a picture:


What is the "required" amount when using Plumber's Putty I have a new stainless steel sink and installed a Kohler sink flange following their package instructions. The instructions for putty only stipulated "apply a ring of putty."  However, subsequently, I find the instructions regarding the flange for the disposal I am installing on the other side stipulates a ring "half an inch thick." The ring in a flange installation online video shows a ring about that applied to the area in opening and the flange fit into that.  Other online instructions show 1/8" (which mine probably was) to 1/4" thick.  When I set the flange, putty came out pretty much all around...but not much.

Question: 1) if I got excess all around, is it set in "enough" and 2) if not and I have leakage underneath when water is run into new sink, is it set "permanent" or will it release fairly easily once I remove screws and tightened ring?

You only need a enough to cover the ring area and keep the flange from leaking.  It really depends on the depth of the offset space and how your flange fits into it.

I think normally I would probably lay down 1/8 inch.  However I have ran across some new modern bathroom sinks where I used 1/4 inch because the ring was deep.

Yes.  It sounds like your application was the perfect amount.  You really should have a slight amount come out on tighten.  If you don't then you don't know if you have enough.  If a lot comes out then you run the chance of not being able to tighten enough and getting dribble leaks.  If you have too little and there are no leaks then you will still have a "crack" around the flange where water pools.  Might never leak but isn't attractive.
You have to tighten the ring to test for leaks.  Once the ring is tighten it is permanent.  If you untighten the ring then you could cause the putty to move and introduce a leak.  Often if you untighten you have to reputty.

Also I want to note two small things.  #1 - Do not use rubber/plastic gaskets instead of plumber's putty.  These are now included in a lot of kits.  First sometimes they fail right away.  Second the material can break down and it can fail in near future.  Plumber's putty isn't perfect but it is much much more reliable (also don't mix plumber's putty with these gaskets).  #2 When you apply your plumber's putty you want a little squeezing out - you should get a little squeezing out all around the circle.  If you get a lot on one side and none on the other I would start over.  The amounts squeezed out don't have to be perfectly symmetrical but you don't want to see none in an area.


What are reasonable expectations about grout width accuracy in a professional tile installation? We are currently redoing our master bathroom and our contractor just got half way through laying the tile on the floor. The grout was supposed to be 1/8" wide, but there are quite a few places (mid-field) where the gaps between the tiles are much wider or smaller. The tile we chose is a dark gray limestone-look porcelain and we want to combine it with light (platinum) grout, so the grout will stand out quite a bit relative to the tile.

Clearly, it's not going to be possible for anyone to get all tile gaps to be exactly 1/8". What would be an accuracy (minimum to maximum gap size, for example, or standard deviation), that I should be able to expect from a professional contractor? 10% off from 1/8"? 25% off? 50% off (i.e. 1/16 to 3/16, or: the widest gap is 3 times as wide as the smallest gap)? More?

Here's an example of what the floor looks like:

It's a bit hard to tell since the grout isn't in yet and the floor is dusty, but for reference, I placed two of the alignment spacers into the picture: In one case, it easily fits sideways into the grout and in the other case, it barely fits the correct way. So, one grout-line will be almost twice as wide as it's "direct" neighbor:

There may or may not be an easy answer to your question. I would start by calling the grout and tile manufacturers to get their opinion. In general though... You should reasonably expect to get the quality of service you contracted and paid for.

Bottom line is do you think you're getting what you paid for. Not what you think you paid for. If you hire the best electrician in your area to paint your kitchen, don't expect to have the best painted kitchen in town. If you don't hire someone who specializes in tile installations, don't expect to have the best tile work either. If you hire the best tile setter you should expect to have an amazing tile job. You should always check references and try to see examples of their work from the people that you found them through so you have an expectation on the general quality of their work.

Looks like a 3x9" tile (or somewhere around there) which results in a lot of grout lines. On top of that you want thin grout lines. It all adds up to a difficult tile installation. At what point was the contractor aware of the tile you were using? Was it when you spec'd the job or the day he showed up to lay the tile? Usually there's a little bit of blame on both sides.

I'm just a DIY'er but I would have used more tile spacers than he appears to have used (based on the marks in the mortar not the spacers in the photo) and would have scooped out any excess mortar in the joints and off the faces of the tile before everything dried. There may however be other issues that affected the spacing that were outside his control or the budget for the project.

Things may look different (better or worse) once the grout is in. Maybe you want to put grout in a small section before the rest of the tile is laid to get a better idea. If you're not happy talk to your contractor to see what can be done. Depending on the situation it's probably fair that both parties eat some of the cost to redo (or not.) Or just get a different contractor.

Update

Found this info from the Tile Council of North America's FAQ There are also apparently some ANSI Standards on this.

  What is the standard for variations in grout joints?

  When evaluating grout joints, it is important to consider that the
  grout is used to adjust for differences in the following:

  Variations in the size of the tile Changes in the plane of the
  substrate Changes in the thickness of the tile (often this applies to
  hand-molded tile) Variations in the rustic profile of the tile The
  standards for the manufacture of tile allow for variation from tile to
  tile. While the standard details this exactly, it is not uncommon for
  some manufacturers to ship tile with about 3/32" difference between
  the largest and smallest tiles in a box.

  Grout must adjust for these differences between tiles so
  understandably there can be some variation in the width of a grout
  joint.

  Generally, it is advisable to use a grout joint at least two times the
  average difference between the largest tiles and the smallest tiles. A
  smaller joint will exacerbate the differences between tiles as the
  human eye can readily see very small differences as a percentage of
  the total grout joint. For example, while a difference of a 1/16" of
  an inch may seem small on a 12" tile, this is readily apparent
  compared to a 1/8" grout joint.

  As the plane of the tile changes, the grout joint allows for this
  change. Should tile go over a hump in the floor, the grout joint will
  open; when tile follows a depression in the floor, the grout joint
  will narrow.

  Clearly, grout joints also accommodate both changes in the thickness
  and profile of rustic, hand-molded tile.

  Perhaps due to these variables, there is not a numerical standard to
  which the tile grout joint must conform.

  ANSI A108.02, Section 4.3.8 of the ANSI A108 standard says, "Nominal
  centerline of all joints should be straight and of even width with due
  allowances for hand-molded or rustic tiles."

  ANSI A108.02, Section 4.3.10 addresses variations in the plane of the
  tilework. This section states, "Finish floor and wall areas level and
  plumb with no variations exceeding ¼" in 10 feet from the required
  plane."

  However, it should be noted, elsewhere in the standards the plane of
  the subfloor is required to be similarly flat.

  Tile installed by the thinset method is really a surface finish that
  will follow the plane of the substrate. As such, variations in the
  substrate will be reflected in the tile layer, unless additional
  leveling is performed.


How can I repair this door and deadlock? Some time ago I closed my front door (rather forcefully) while the deadbolt was sticking out partially.

This loosened the deadbolt, and the top screw no longer held. In addition, it cracked the door on the interior side. I've attached a picture showing the damage.

The door works mainly, though it can be difficult to lock sometimes, especially when the weather gets colder.

I'm currently renting, and will soon be moving out of this house, once I buy a house. I would like to repair this door myself, and I'm hoping I don't have to replace the entire door.

Is this something that can be repaired? If so, how? I realize that a new deadbolt is probably needed, but how can I repair the wood damage around it?

Aside from replacing the door, you can purchase and install reinforcement kits for your door and jamb.

EDIT: These are also known as door wrap around plates.

As you can see, it contains a metal bracket that fits around the door. Some just protect the edge while other models extends a few more inches over the door and covers the holes for the dead bolt and handle.

Look around at your local home improvement store or call a local lock smith.

Get a new high security dead bolt while you are at it.


What is a “pocket door”? Outside of the USA, most people have never heard of the term “pocket door”. Can you explain what this is?

A picture being worth 1000 words,

This is a pocket door:


How can I access the lint duct assembly of a Maytag Centennial dryer? We have a Maytag Centennial dryer (Model # MGDC700VW0) that has had its lint filter neglected too many times in-between runs.  When the lint filter is over-full, pulling it out actually lets lint spill into the lint duct assembly (bulkhead part #45 at the bottom of this diagram) and accumulate there.  It's only year old, but at this point, the dryer is taking too long to dry, and I'm attacking this as the first culprit.  (I'll also be cleaning out the short vent duct, too)

The old dryer we had could have the top pop up, revealing a couple set screws that held on the front.  Not this unit :-(  ...I've spent about 2 hours (and one blood-blister) trying to get into it.

Does anyone have any ideas besides an acetylene torch?  :-)

If anyone else has this problem, don't try to take the dryer apart!

I found it's much easier - stick your head in the dryer, and get a good look at the Outlet Grill (Bulkhead Part #32).  (If the hyperlink breaks, the Outlet Grill is the part that holds the lint filter).  Lint covers up recessed screws on the grill that you need to remove.

Once you get the Outlet Grill off, you have plenty of space to get into the lint duct and clear it out.


Natural Gas Fireplace rust starting at flue inside house, should i be worried ? What can i do to fix? Having a hard time finding information online about my situation.
Only owners manual I don't have for the appliances in my house.
Luxors Gas fires - Model - MB-36

When using any gas appliance water is a byproduct of the combustion process. Under normal conditions, this is expelled through the vent into the atmosphere and does not cause any
harm. In cold weather however, the vapors may condense on any exposed surface it comes into contact with.

I think your flue is colder than the fire place and condensation is occurring when the hot wet air contacts the cold flue surface. It's happening everywhere on the flue but it's only an issue where rust can also occur. The rust is occurring around the connection between the pipe and firebox evidenced by the rust near the top of the pipe that would not occur if water was draining down the inside of the pipe. Also the inside of the pipe is clean. The edge of the opening in the firebox for the pipe may have had its protective coat of paint damaged during the instillation, or wasn't applied very thick during manufacture.

It's an issue because it doesn't look nice and eventually it will rust through. To prevent future rusting you can paint the affected area with paint, sanding first off any rust or rust stains. You just need to do the area around the pipe. You need paint that is heat resistant. It will say so on the container.


Is it safe to spray herbicide on the bark of a tree if you don't get it on the leaves? I've got a bunch of poison ivy growing up a tree. I'd like to kill the poison ivy, but obviously not the tree it is growing on.

It is just about impossible to spray the ivy without hitting the tree, but I was curious as to whether it will harm the tree if I just get it on the bark and not the leaves.

I realize it is probably safest not to do this at all, but I was just curious how these herbicides work.

To answer your question directly, it depends entirely on the type of tree and the type of herbicide. It might be okay, but it might not be. It is possible to kill a tree with herbicides, and it is possible to kill poison ivy on its own with certain herbicides without killing certain trees.

Unless you're prepared to be absolutely certain that the type of herbicide you're using isn't going to harm a tree you care about, it's probably a safe bet to skip it. There's nothing that a pick axe + hoe + gloves can't solve. Rip the suckers out!


Shingling detail for hip and ridge Got a few nitpick questions about the finishing steps when shingling a hip roof and the hip ridges and main ridge. Worked beside a pro and he would shingle towards the hip-ridge and then came back later and cut every shingle about 3/4" back from the very point of the hip-ridge. He also top/face nailed the edge of each shingle on the top part of it likely to help keep it flat before installing ridge cap.

Is it acceptable to have the shingle cut that far back? Meaning before the ridge cap goes on, you can see all the way to the osb roof sheathing, or to the underlayment in places he didn't slice thru the underlayment? I'm talking probably a 3/4" to 1" gap between each plane of shingles as they butt into 45 degree part of the hip-ridge.

Next, is that nail on the top of the shingle at that edge okay? I know the ridge cap will definitely cover the nails, but it seems like a point water would get in. Maybe not.

Lastly, he didn't get far enough to do any ridge cap. I've watched several videos but none really on the hip-ridge. If I start on the very bottom of the hip-ridge, I assume the first cap will need cut so that it's edges don't hang past the drip edge. Is there any tips when it comes to laying this? So far I've picked up that I'll need to snap a line to keep it straight, and only use one nail on each end of the cap about an inch from the edge, and that when I terminate it, I'll need to cut one cap just above the nail line, flip it 180 degrees so that the sticky side is towards the end of the ridge, and then cut another cap so it's just the shingle color side, and facenail it with tar and granuals for cover. Also when the two hip-ridges come up to the main ridge it looks like I'll need to custom cut some of those to make it lay right.

No problem with how the main shingle run is cut back. I think his idea is that it make 3 places that ease the cap over the ridge rather that trying to do a "hard" corner. If the temps are cooler where you are the ridge cap shingles may crack over a corner that is abrupt.

You are correct about the chalk line, use blue chalk or another non-permanent color, that washes off with the next rain. Do not take for granted that a 12" wide cap will finish off so a chalk line at the 6" mark will be even. It most likely will not. Try 2 shingles with no nails in place to get where the chalk line really needs to be. I ask you use 2 shingles because 1 shingle all by itself with no line to go by can go crooked without realizing it and if you set your line by that, the caps may be off centered. Two shingles help to square each other in a little easier.

When cutting the cap pieces unless you have specified cap shingles already on hand, (some makers provide precut cap shingles) and this also depends on if you have 3 tab or archtectural shingles, the kind that have extra pieces added to them to make them look ore rustic. The latter shingle I think hast the precut caps. If you have 3 tab shingles, typically the caps are cut from scraps and left over shingles. The trick I do with this type of shingle is angle the top part of the shingle that is covered by the next shingle to be laid about 1" or so back at an angle so the upper edge of the shingle is hidden by the next one. It makes a cleaner install.


When drywalling, do the pros cover electrical boxes, or work around them? This may be a bit of a subjective question, but I was just thinking about it. I've seen many electrical boxes that are full of drywall compound, often to the point of having to dig the wires out of it so you can use it.

To prevent this, should the boxes be taped up (with tape and/or plastic cover) prior to drywall going up, or is this just caused by lazy/sloppy mudding? Is this the responsibility of the electrician or drywaller?

I am a general contractor and I'm having a house redone right now after the electrician and plumber roughed in. I tape off the plumbing and stuff newspaper in the electric boxes and light fixture boxes. When the mudding is done and they do the finish, I'll go around and remove the newspaper and clean up the boxes.

This takes about an hour total time and sparkey and plumber will love you for it. If it's a time and material job, you will save a couple of hours on both subs, so it's a big payback.


How can I trace water pipes and the water flow under the ground? I'd like to close the tube that from my garden go to the garage box. Is there any cheap way to figure out where the tubes are without dig the ground/walls?

Here is what I would do to locate that plastic pipe under ground - I would disconnect it at your garage box, I would then insert a copper, aluminum wire of sufficient gauge to be able to feed into the pipe with out it curling up on you or you could run Electricians steel 'Fish Tape' .

At this point use a metal detector - you can buy them for about $100 - $200 U.S.

Now using the metal detector you can plot where that Plastic Pipe is located ..Very easily..

Booyah!!..


Minimal gap between basement ceiling and main floor floor I would like to raise my basement ceiling by a few inches. There is abour a 8-9 inch gap between them right now. Is that the minimum or can I go smaller?

If the "gap" you speak of is between the floor/ceiling surfaces, it's probably already minimal, as typical floor framing is about that size.

If it's between the ceiling surface and the bottom of the floor framing, you'll have to find out what is running in the gap, where, before knowing if (or at least where) you can raise the ceiling to be attached to the bottom of the floor framing (or some intermediate framing/resilient channel attached to the floor framing.) Commonly there will be some plumbing and/or ducts in the space, for some parts of the basement.


After market air filter replacment I have a Lennox heat pump which has an air handler with a Lennox X7935 Carbon Clean Healthy Climate MERV 16 Filter installed.  These filters are like $105 per at least.  When we purchased this whole system from Horizon, they stated we'd only ever need to change a filter once a year.  One year later when we had our maitanance, they asked if we ever changed out filter, to which we responded no.  Turns out, it's supposed to be replaced every month or couple of months.

I see that there a lot of aftermarket filters out there with the exact same dimensions, but a slightly lower MERV rating.  My question is, should I stick to the factor installed filter, or is it ok to go with an aftermarket brand?  Some of the ones I'm seeing are as low as $55 for two, vs. $105 for one.

For example, this is one of the aftermarket ones I'm looking at, vs. the standard one I use.

Other than less filtration, is there any other risks I should be concerned about?  Would this cause damage to my air handler or other components?

This question unfortunately can not be answered without a lot of data that is usually very difficult to obtain. First off there is no such thing as a time limit on filters. The same filter may last 1 month or 10 years depending on usage and the amount of airborne particles.
If the new filter has more back pressure than the existing one then it has the same effect as a dirty filter, more back pressure. Too much back pressure and the heat pump will over heat. The bad part is most manufacturers do not publish their pressure ratings. The only way to tell is to take pressure readings with a magnahelic gauge and compare the reading to the published air flow for the air handler.  As a general rule of thumb the thicker the filter the better the air flow and the base of most air handlers are too small to accept a proper size filter so I generally make the filter cabinet larger than the air handler opening.
Sorry I can not give a more direct answer but there is no guarantee that the system was designed properly in the first place and the only thing that matters to your equipment is air flow. Give it enough airflow and the equipment will be happy regardless of what kind of filter.
One final thought, people tend to over emphasize their filter. The filter is one small part of keeping dust down. The filter is only doing its job a couple hours a day unless the fan is set to continuous. Only a small percentage of particles actually finds its way to the filter anyway. I would argue that if you had 2 identical homes, one with a MERV 8 filter and 1 with a MERV 16 filter there would be no noticeable improvement in the air quality since most particles are not airborne long enough to make it to the filter.
Any filter that fits snugly in the filter rack and provides at least the same air flow will be fine.


I have no power in my attic and there are not any tripped breakers of GFCI in the house In my Attic I a have  an outlet, junction box that goes to Two ceiling Fans that are not working and a pull string mounted light.I used a voltage tester one all three(outlet, junction box, and light) there is no power to any of them.
Can any one help troubleshoot for me?

Most circuits are wired as strings, from outlet to outlet to outlet in a line.  (An outlet is a receptacle or a hardwired load).  Sometimes they are wired in a tee or tree arrangement, but the same basic idea applies.

Let's say the circuit is a string, PANEL - V - W - X -  Y - Z.

Let's say X and everything past it (Y and Z) lose power, and W is the last outlet that is still good.  It is usually a faulty wire termination or damaged device at X or W.

People often overlook the importance of the location before, W.


Thermal Mass Puzzle I Can't Figure Out I live in Los Angeles and have 2 units on my property. I use the front one as my office. I had the floors done years ago and thought I would get tile and have a subfloor of cement put in so that I would have a lot of thermal mass to keep it from getting hot. Sadly, I think it's worse than it was before. The main window that points south got changed too to Low E and it heats up early. Some light comes in from east facing windows but not much. The house has a garage underneath.

Here are next steps I am considering:

insulate the floor: there are beams in the garage, so if I filled them with bats then closed them, that would make a total area that would be VERY deep and should be very high R value
take other measures to prevent sun in the east-facing windows (like time-controlled electric shades)
start keeping the garage closed (though it's open now if you go in it even on a hot day it's not really hot as it has one foot thick walls on all sides and is built into a hill)
put in a solar-powered roof deck attic fan (should have done this a long time ago)

BTW, the roof is a composite and has solar panels on it which I thought would also lower heat buildup.

Thermal mass does not block heat; it stores and releases heat, and it slows down the flow of heat. It will absorb heat when it is colder than the surrounding area, and it will release heat when it is warmer than the surrounding area. These characteristics are useful in the following circumstances:

A thermal mass wall in a climate/season where the outdoor temperatures cycle above and below the indoor comfort point. The heavy walls will slow down the flow of heat so much that by the time it reaches the interior, the outside temperature will have dropped, reversing the flow of heat out of the wall. In order for this to work, the wall must be very dense and very thick; 12" thick rammed earth or adobe, for example.
A thermal mass element within a building's insulated envelope. Such a thing can be used to store free heat generated from sunlight, cooling, electricity usage, etc and store them until the sun goes down and everybody is asleep, whereupon it will release it, moderating the interior temperature and reducing its daily fluctuations, especially at night.

Insulating the underside of the floor is a great idea, as it will make your thermal mass floor fall into category 2.

Preventing the sun from hitting your walls or windows is likewise always a good idea; heat gain is driven almost entirely by direct solar gain.

Keeping the garage door closed may or may not help; try it and see.


How to refinish indoor window molding wood? The window molding in my house feels very "rough," for lack of a better word. The house is 25 years old.

I assume this is from the sun beating down on the finish and wearing it down over the years, since the trim that is not in direct sunlight (like the top of the window molding) has held up much better.

The damage ranges, depending on which room you're in. Some moldings appear as if the stain has evaporated away.  Some moldings have black discoloration in the corners (What is this?). Only one molding is in good shape.

The unfinished wood attracts a lot of dust. The moldings all have a perpetual layer of dust. When you dust it, more dust comes out and I can never really seem to get all of it out. As someone with allergies, this is terrible, and this is actually the main reason I am trying to repair it.

Here are photos (it's kind of hard to see what I'm talking about just by looking, which is why I took a bunch of photos):

(Notice how the vertical wood (on the right hand side) is much smoother and shinier than the horizontal wood in the following photo):

Kitchen window (it has a lighter stain, like butterscotch):

Here's the black stuff I mentioned earlier:

Here is the only window molding in the house that feels totally smooth and looks great. I don't know why this one hasn't deteriorated like the others just a few feet away from it. Maybe it's the figurines...

My first question: Can a newbie handle this project?

If it is easy enough for a beginner, how should I go about doing this? Please be as specific as possible...for example, instead of saying "sandpaper" please tell me what grit sandpaper to use. Assume I know nothing. Thanks in advance.

Refinishing it by stripping / sanding off the existing finish, restaining and resealing, would look great but a lot of work.

If it was older, rubbing it with fine steel wool and some finishing oil can make a beat finish look pretty good, though way short of refinishing.  At 25 years old, it was probably sealed with polyurethane, which doesn't rub up as well.  Still, it's worth a try.  I doubt it will make it worse, but still try it on a limited area first to be safe.

For the oil, there are many to choose from, one that no purist would approve of but works pretty good is Scott's Liquid Gold.

Since this method doesn't add any sealer or color, it won't make refinishing any harder if you have to bite the bullet.


Should I insulate the garage in the home I'm having built? I am an amateur woodworker and am having a new home built. My part-time workshop will be in the garage. Where I live (central Maryland), the winters are often cold (below freezing) and occasionally much colder (+10F/-10C and below). My current home has no insulation in the garage walls or attic, so I use an electric space heater, which is almost useless when it's really cold. I am considering having the garage in the new home insulated, since it will be much easier to do before the drywall is up.

The builder is using R-20 for the exterior walls of the living spaces, but I don't need it to be insulated enough so that I can live there, I just don't want my fingers to freeze off! I am still planning on using the space heater. The entire house will have Tyvek housewrap, including the garage (whether I choose to insulate it or not).

My question is: what level of insulation should I request? The builder wants to know what level of insulation I want before they give me a quote on the price (and I can determine if it's worth it). Do I also need to have the garage door and attic insulated to see any benefit, or can I just get by with the walls? (The walls are the critical part, since I can easily add insulation to the attic and door after the fact).

A secondary question would be: is it worth it at all? One possible answer is to do nothing and just wait for warmer weather -- it's a hobby, not a profession.

UPDATE: I've asked the builder for the pricing for R-15 in the walls (can't do R-20, since the garage is framed with 2x4s, not 2x6s) and blown insulation in the attic. Still waiting to hear back from them.

UPDATE 2: The builder has quoted me over US$1400 to insulate it. Yeah, that's only $100/year, but I think I'll just wear an extra sweater, because it's not worth that much to me.

I would insulate it unless the cost is exorbitant.

As you have discovered, it is basically impossible to heat an uninsulated structure with just a little space heater.

Also if you are going to be keeping cars in the garage as well, having an insulated garage will keep it warmer even if you don't heat it. My garage is insulated but unheated and it is usually a good 10 or 20 ºF warmer than outside temps in the winter. The difference between a car that is 20 ºF and one that is 40 ºF in the morning is considerable.

Mine also stays very cool in the summer, so I think the insulation will help you there, not hurt you. (I bet insulating the roof/attic probably makes the biggest difference there.)


Why aren’t there water shutoff valves for each room? Had an issue today with a nail going through a water supply line in a bathroom. It got me wondering if there is a practical or technical reason there aren’t typically room-specific shut offs between the master shut off and the shut offs at the fixtures? Seems silly to shut down the whole house for a pinhole, but there really wasn’t a better option.

Just asking out of curiosity to see if there are any plumbers out there.

This is a result of building as efficiently (cheaply) as possible, and there is almost no need for room valves.

First, efficiency:

Valves are more expensive than pipe. Extra valves means more labor cost.
If the valves are to be centrally located, then more pipe is required because each "zone" will have to be home-run instead of branching off a shared pipe. Extra pipe means more labor cost.
If the valves are not centrally located, then they need to be located somewhere accessible to be utilized. That means either designing a space for them, or locating them somewhere not in the way. Extra design work and extra pipe means more labor cost.

Second, there is little need to install valves in advance:

In an emergency, shutting off the water to the house for a couple of hours (or a day) while waiting for a plumber (or a run to the hardware store) is an inconvenience that most people can manage.
The most common leaks are at fixtures, not in pipes. Each fixture usually has its own shutoff.
If you need a valve to facilitate a renovation while the house is occupied, it's easy to plan to shut off the water to the house briefly to install a local valve.

In summary, the expense of the extra valves, pipe and labor are not worth it, especially from the perspective of a builder, where a small reduction in cost per home built results in a large savings overall.


Temperature Increase of Sealed Enclosure I have a sealed metal enclosure of size 20inches x 13 inches x12 inches.

A 500W isolated transformer with about half the load producing constant 51 Celsius will be put inside.

How do you compute for the temperature increase inside the enclosure? Ambient temperature outside is 36 Celsius.

Can the transformer survive it?

Even with what seems like a small amount of heat generated in the enclosure by the transformer, with no ventilation, and an ambient temperature not far below the operating temperature of the transformer, it will overheat pretty quick.

You can ventilate the cabinet with a cooling fan, you can even do calculations to figure out how much air the fan must move.  Alternately, you could mount the transformer on the outside of the cabinet, where the heat can dissipate.  However, these may be an issue in a corrosive environment or other conditions where the components must be kept sealed up.

If the cabinet must be sealed from the environment (due to presence of corrosive agents, etc.) there are cooling systems that cool the interior of the enclosure without exchanging outside air, but these are expensive and elaborate.