Is it normal for there to be tar showing from under some shingles on a roof? I just had a new roof put on and my wife and I noticed that there are some sections of shingle that show tar like if too much tar was used. Can this be fixed?

Asphalt shingles have strips of tar on them that are designed to be covered by the next layer of shingles.  The top shingle will heat up, melt the tar strip, and then that tar strip will grab onto the shingle above, and so it helps stabilize the shingle in place.

Is that what you're seeing?


What could cause my Craftsman push mower to die after running for a few minutes? I received a Craftsman push mower (Model 917.377543) from my sister. She had left it outside all winter in the snow/rain.

I have got to the point where the mower will run for 15-20 minutes initially before dying (it runs good when it does). After that, I have to let it sit for 5-10 minutes before it will start again, and it will only last 5-10 minutes, and eventually will stop starting.

Heres a list of things that I have done (the mower wouldn't start at all at first)

Replaced the air filter
Removed old gas & oil and replaced
Took the carb apart (the bottom tin can part) and cleaned with carb cleaner. This is what got the mower running in the first place.
Replaced rotted gasket in the carb
Mixed some cleaner into the gas to help clean the engine out as well
WD-40'd necessary spots

Is there anything else I can try to get this thing running? I am about to just go buy a new mower, but I am no mechanic so there may be something else little I can try out.

The only other part visible on the mower that may be the culprit is this black tube that i believe is hooked up to the oil tank, and it runs near the carb, it is rotted at the end and it seems air may be able to get in. Looking at the engine parts here, it may be the 'breather tube' (part #12). Would this make sense with what is happening (shutting off after some use)

Another thing I notice when it shuts off, is that if I remove the oil cap white smoke comes out. Is this normal?

(I can try to get some pics of the tube that is rotted when I go home)

Check or replace your gas cap.  Looks like it is not venting properly.  Try it with the gas cap loose or adjust it occasionally while mowing.


Will the cold water from a faucet be warm if a re-circulation bridge valve is used? We are building a new house.  The master bath is the furthest spot from the tankless water heater.  The builder is specifying the WaterQuick Premiere circulation pump with the bridge valve.  It looks like it has a water flow sensor.  So to activate it, it looks like you give the faucet a quick turn on/off on the hot water side.  Which activates the pump and will run until the bridge valve shuts down the flow (meaning the hot water is reaching the bathroom).
My issue with the bridge valve is that now I'm pumping warmed water into the cold side, so if I want to get a drink from the sink while this is running, the water will be almost hot coming from the cold side, right?
I have asked the builder to do a dedicated return from the furthest point and then put the pump on it, with a smart outlet that I can then either time when the pump will run, and/or a button in the bathroom when we walk in.
Am I thinking too much into this? Which would you do in a new build?
Thanks

Too much over thinking.  The set up the OP is describing is that the pump turns on when the hot water is turned on in the master the master.  Once the water starts to warm up, the temperature bridge closes and pump shuts off.  The bridge closes before the water gets too warm.  I have a re-circulating hot water pump, and the water out of the cold faucet never feel hot or warm.  It is just not "cold".  So if you are looking for "cold" water out of the faucet, then a recirculating would be out of the question.
No- the water will NOT be hot coming out of the cold-side faucet, just not cold or cool.
If you think about it,  The water out of the cold side of the faucet will be the normal temp of the cold faucet water until the existing water on the hot water side has been expelled and heated water has reached the bridge.
If you want to spend the additional money for a separate return line to the pump to have cold water to drink, the builder will most likely accommodate you.


4yr old heat pump doesn't label 24v C wire I'm used to the gas furnaces, and I still want to swap out this 4 year old heat pump, but it would be too expensive. I recently bought a smart thermostat to try and help with the utility bills, but it requires a "C" or common wire. The thermostat did include a "C wire adapter" but it assumes that it is being used installed in a gas furnace with a control board. While looking at the system I noticed that it doesn't specify/label the 24v side or the 110/220 side. And as I REALLY do not want to experience another 220 flash. Can someone point me in the right direction?

You don't have the C wire brought out to the thermostat.
See that COND UNIT CONTACTOR   On the right is the Y wire going to the stat
On the left is the C wire going to the transformer common.  It is not labeled C but nevertheless it IS the C wire.
If you have more than 4 individual wires going to the stat then you would have an unused wire, you could connect that to the left terminal of the COND UNIT CONTACTOR and get your C wire brought out to the stat
Or you could run new stat wiring.
Or you could wire in the C wire adapter.  Usually how those work is they take some of the signaling wires like G, W or Y wires, convert them into a multiplexed set on a single wire, then the thermostat breaks out the multiplexing internally.  Then you repurpose the now-unused G W or Y wire to a C wire.
By the way if you live in a temperate climate then the heat pump isn't worse than a gas furnace.  I'm like you, I am old-school with a central gas furnace and a central air conditioner.  But I'm in a temperate climate and a lot of people around here run heat pumps and their costs are about equivalent to my combined electrical/gas.
Where heat pumps really suck (in my opinion) is cooler climates where you get a lot of snow and such in the winter and it's not that hot in the summer.  Such as like Montana 50 years ago before Global Warming scotched everything.


Do I need a junction box for a hardwired stove? I'm replacing my drop-in electric stove with a free-standing electric stove (both are rangetop + oven). The drop-in stove was hardwired and the wiring comes up out of a hole in the floor about 3" from the wall.  The old stove was connected to a junction box with 12 gauge wire in flexible conduit, but the junction box was just floating around on the floor behind the cabinets--it wasn't fastened in place on the floor or to the wall.

Because the new stove requires 10 gauge or larger wiring and the store wasn't open when I needed to install the new stove, I "temporarily" connected the new stove directly to the really thick wire coming out of the floor (removing the junction box and 12 gauge wiring).  Is it acceptable to leave the new stove like this, or must I install a junction box between the stove and the wire that runs to the breaker panel?

You will need to refer to the documentation that came with your new appliance.  Is it rated to be connected with a cord an plug or directly wired?

To start with you will need to run a new cable of 10 gauge wire and replace the circuit breaker in your panel.  Operating the appliance with 12 gauge wire when it is rated more than 20 amps and requires 10 gauge wire violates the manufacturers instructions as well as overloading the circuit.


SER cable Through Crawl Space (encapsulated) Situation:

I am moving my main electrical panel 200A to a utility room at back of the house.
Given this new distance, an outside disconnect will be installed, technically rendering the new indoor panel a sub-panel.
To reach it, I’ll be running 75’ of 4/0 SER cable so I have the separate grounding leg.
I’ll have 2” PVC conduit to sheath the SER where it runs out of the disconnect (MAIN) until it passes through concrete foundation.

QUESTION:

Can I run the 4/0 SER on a running board installed on the flat, attached to the underside of the joists?  Clearance to the vapor barrier below ranges 13” to 18”.

Or

Can I attach the SER to the inside of the 2”x8” floor joists (which run in parallel with the SER path)?

Or

Should I install a running board on the vertical, parallel-to but below the joists, so that the SER can be seen from above?

I would simply run it attached to the side of the joist
I would simply attach your run to the side of the joist so that it's set back upwards of 1¼" from the joist edge (to avoid the need for a nailplate).  Attaching it to the joist can be done with straps or staples designed for 4/0 SER cable (note that SEU cable staples/straps are not usable for SER cable as the two are shaped differently).


Outside garage lights I have 1 outdoor light on the front of my house and 2 on either side of my garage that are on the same switch as the light above the front door.  How can I keep power to the three lights without them being on the switch?  The three lights all have photocells and I want to make the switch control just the front door light so that can be turned on when needed but not burning all night?
Aren't the wires from all of these lights meeting in a junction box somewhere and then to the switch?
Thanks for any help!

Without opening up the boxes and looking at how they are wired, it's impossible to answer with 100% accuracy.  However, even without seeing the wiring, I can say it's doubtful that the wiring for all the lights meets in a single junction box.  More likely, the lights are "daisy chained" together.

To do what you want, you're likely going to have to modify some of the wiring. This could include pulling new cable through walls/floors/ceilings. There's no way to know for sure what's involved, without actually seeing how the circuit is wired.


outdoor heater wiring wire and circuit breaker I am installing an outdoor heater that is 3000 watt, 12.5 amp, 240 v.  What size breaker and wire
should be used?

To just answer your question, You will need #12 AWG wire which is good for 20 Amps and a 20 Amp breaker.
If you add more information about the location and the heater, we might be able to help out with the installation.


New crawl space fiberglass insulation - Strong odor We just had fiberglass batt insulation installed in the crawl space under our house.  There is a strong odor coming from the crawl space that was not there this morning before the work was done.

I've never smelled anything like it and it is hard to describe.  It's sickly sweet and also reminescent of something charred or slightly burned.  It is what I might imagine burned cotton candy would smell like, maybe, but with other overtones as well.  It's quite unpleasant.

I realize this isn't a lot to go on, but does anybody have an idea of what the odor might be, and if it is harmful?  I would not have expected fiberglass insulation to have any odor at all.

I've emailed the contractor and asked for MSDS but probably won't get a response until tomorrow or Monday.

Your comment about "burnt cotton candy" triggered my memory of this article that I read a while ago.  From Green Building Adviser on smelly eco-friendly fiberglass.
The article describes the glue used as having a sweet burnt smell:

According to Frank O’Brien-Bernini, an Owens Corning vice president
and chief sustainability officer, “The new binder was introduced a
couple of years ago. We have totally converted our entire product line
to this product.”
O’Brien-Bernini admits that you can smell the binder
when you open a fresh bag of insulation. He reminded me that
old-fashioned formaldehyde-based glues also have an odor — one that is
sometimes compared to cat urine. “Our prior insulation also had an
odor to it that was far less pleasant,” O’Brien-Bernini said. “When we
started developing this product, we did an aroma test. Most people
said the new aroma is far preferable to the aroma of the prior
product.”


Can I put a thermostat on my wood burning furnace? I have a wood burning furnace with its own blower. I would like to control the blower with a thermostat. Is it possible? The unit has a limit switch.

Yes: read the manuals here: http://www.woodboilers.com/discontinued-boilers.html  and you'll see some of the issues.

The key difficulties are:

Regulation of a wood-fired furnace is a very non-linear process, and depends a lot on what fuel is already in the furnace and how it is burning.
You don't say what happens when the limit switch gets hit.  Some units need to be manually reset, some don't.
You can burn out the blower if you try to run it when there's no fire in there
If you throttle the blower due to input from the thermostat, you'll get a huge amount of creosote buildup in your chimney.

Most of these conditions fall out if you keep the fire fed regularly and you have a wide boundary between high and low setpoints, and you only run the furnace when it is cold outside.

However, it works far better to burn the wood fairly consistently and use that to heat a gigantic tank of water and to use a thermostat to move that hot water around the house.


How can I ensure precise alignment of wooden parts assembled with bolts? I am building a CNC machine (don't need to know what that is), and I have chosen wood to be what I make the frame out of. One problem that I am facing is joining the pieces together. It may seem like a simple solution (a few nails or screws) but for this project it might have to be completely disassembled for modifications/expanding it/maintenance/cleaning/storage/etc.

I don't want to ruin the wood in the process with plain screws, since it will be a normal storage procedure to disassemble parts of it when not in use. (I have a very small apartment and space is limited for storage.) I've decided to use bolts to fix this problem. However, bolts you have to drill a hole, and I would think that it would be rare that there is zero wiggle room for the bolt to move around in the hole. When assembling/disassembling often, this can be a problem with alignment, especially since a CNC machine should have the greatest accuracy possible within your budget.

Is there some sort of thing where I can put like a "long nut" all the way through the board so it will easily be removed, yet won't wiggle (noticeably)? What methods do I have?

Specialty Bolts

Some bolts have long smooth shanks and short threaded sections.  If you are able to find appropriately sized bolts like these, and able to buy a drill bit that is the same diameter as the shank for a sung fit, then this is simplest, if not the best, solution.  The key is a smooth shank of appropriate length.  If the threaded section is too long, it can, of course, be cut off with a hack saw and groomed with a file.  To straighten out threads at the tip, spin a nut all the up to the shank and leave it on until finished with the grooming.

Joinery

The craftsman approach would be to use shouldered joints.  This is a link to the wikipedia page.

Pins

Solid Pins

assemble with bolts
choose a nail size (diameter) and similarly sized drill bit for a snug (but not too tight) fit.  The match between the nail and the holes needs to be snug enough for good alignment, but not so tight as to prevent the joint from being disassembled by hand and the nails tapped out if so desired.
cut nails to length if necessary
drill two or more holes through one member and into the second member
tap the nails into their holes
Note: see @bib's answer for a "blind" variant of this

Tube Pins

choose the bolts
choose metal tubing through which the bolts easily fit.   Note: as suggested by @AnonomousPerson in a comment, PVC tubing such as 1/2" plumbing can be used with good results for large bolts
in both members, drill through-holes in which the tubing fits snugly
cut lengths of tubing matching the members combined thicknesses
tap in a section of tubing
bolt together through the tubes

Splines

Blind Rings

select 1/16" walled metal tubing whose diameter that is somewhat smaller than the narrowest member. For example, if the narrowest member is 2" wide, then select some tubing that is about 1.5" in diameter.
select a hole saw that matches the size of the tubing
temporarily assemble the members using bolts that match the diameter of hole saw's drill bit, typically 1/4".
disassemble
on each of the mating surfaces, using the bolts holes for guides, use the hole saw to drill 1/4" deep circular recesses
cut 1/2" long rings from the tubing
assemble with the rings sandwiched in between
if larger bolts are desired, re-drill the bolt holes

Blind Flats

same idea as blind rings but use 1/2" x 1/16" metal stock and saw-kerfs


Do these cracks indicate the foundation problem of a building? while searching for a house to purchase, I found that there are some cracks under the window. Even though they have been fixed by the original owner. However, I am not sure how serious they are. Do these cracks indicate any foundation problem? The house is a condo locating at the second floor of this unit. Thanks.

These type of cracks that run diagonally from the corners of a window are almost always caused by settling. They are very common and most of the time do not mean a continuing problem unless the cracks are open causing a measurable change in the spacing of the bricks or block. You have to look lower to determine if there is more evidence of settling at the foundation level or at the lentil of another window or door located below the window with the visible crack. Also check the interior for shifting of the window trim, plaster or drywall. Check the level and plum of the window to see if there is any movement.   In these pics, I do not see a large movement, but it is too bad the repair was not done with the same color mortar.


How to build sunken shed foundation with insulation I'm planning to build a garden office shed about 2.5m wide by 3m long. Regulations in the UK mean I cannot exceed 2.5m high since it will be close to the boundary of my property. The picture below shows a rough idea of the front elevation. I want to use a pitched roof and so it's actually quite tight to make the roof high enough for the door (just over 1.9m).

I've researched insulation regulations (I don't have to stick to these, as it's just a shed, but I do want to make it warm as I will be working there year-round). To achieve the recommended level of insulation, it looks like I would need around 150mm of PIR insulation board. The obvious thing would be to pour concrete foundation blocks and attach a wooden frame to this before inserting the insulation. Something like the picture below:

The problem is that this would be sitting just above ground level and would thus take away a valuable 150mm from my available headroom. What sort of foundation could I build which would leave the floor level only just above ground level, while also providing decent insulation?

Change your roof style! It is a shed why have a high pitch? A almost totally flat roof with a membrane surface will do what you want , these hold up well even in costal areas where I live on the other side of the pond, and in some areas even a 1/2 inch two tall ends up in legal issues , a almost flat membrane was the way to do it , it holds up well drains even heavy rainfalls and they can last a long time if properly installed, want to go a bit cheaper rolled roofing that is heat sealed , not as good as membrane but much cheaper. I agree icf are blocks for walls not foundations, high density foam under a slab is a cost effective way to insulate and add a hydronic heating system and it could be quite nice.


What is this electrical panel for? I bought a rehab house and currently trying to identify what everything is in there.
There is this panel in the garage. Does anyone know what it is?

http://imgur.com/a/icRHd

Looks like a sewage/septic pump controller with alarm (red light and annoying noise when the level is too high because the pump isn't pumping.) I'm surprised your copper thieves didn't trash it.


Putting washer dryer hookups through nearby interior wall I recently purchased a home and will soon be putting in a washer and dryer (both electric).

The current hookups are in a small bathroom, but only a couple feet away is an interior wall, which on the other side would be the perfect placement for the washer and dryer. I really don't want to put the washer and dryer in the bathroom as the space is already cramped.

I can easily just put a hole in the wall and I believe all the connections will easily go through and I'll have enough slack in the cords.

My concern is the following:

How can I do this safely? (there is an electrical outlet within a foot of where I'll put the hole.)
How can I make the hole aesthetically pleasing?
How can I make it so the occupant doesn't have to worry any more than usual about sound traveling through the hole
How can I make it so that the occupant doesn't have to worry about someone being able to see in?

NO!
SJ Cord ( That cord that the dryer and washer whips are made from ) is not permitted to pass through the interior of a finished wall.


How can I repair my wall where the paint around screw holes has torn away? My wife and I moved recently to a new flat and immediately started adapting it to our liking.
This process involved removing some shelves left there from the previous tenant on our living room wall.
However, as we did that, unfortunately, part of our wall was removed too, as you can see in this photo:

Now, I must admit that I am a total noob when it comes to house repairs and DIY, but my first instinct was to use spackle, which I’ve used before to close some holes in the wall.
However, in this case, I am dealing with a bigger surface and not just a hole.
Therefore, I wanted to ask what is the best way to fix this and bring it as close as possible to its previous state?
Bonus points if you also know how I can find the necessary products in the German-speaking world :)
Thanks!

Looks like paint or a light texture on drywall to me, but I agree with DMoore otherwise. You'll want to take a couple steps:

Using a sharp utility knife, slice away the loose edge of the torn paint. Remove anything that isn't well attached, but don't cut through the paper on the face of the drywall if you can help it.
Using a 6" or larger putty/drywall knife, skim the damage with general purpose or topping joint compound. (Spackle is usually very light and a little fragile for this purpose.) Press firmly with the knife laid over at a shallow angle. Don't let more material on the wall than it takes to fill the very thin void left by the removed paint/texture. Let that dry completely. A fan will make it quick.
Using a foam sanding block or a drywall screen, very lightly sand the repair flat. Use long strokes with light pressure. Your main goal is to eliminate the line around the edge of your patch where it blends into the paint. Pay particular attention to that as it's the most frequent cause for disappointment in repairs like this.
Repeat steps 1 and 2 if needed to get a perfectly smooth repair.
Using a heavy nap roller (say 3/8" or 1/2"), roll drywall primer over the repair. Blend outward with a relatively dry roller.
Do the same with the paint topcoat (which may need to be applied to the entire wall section for color matching). Use plenty of paint and don't overwork it. You want the nap to leave a heavy stipple. This should be adequate in lieu of sprayed texture, assuming the wall ever had that.

If you find that the texture just isn't heavy enough to blend you may need to pick up a can of "orange peel" spray texture. Apply that between steps 4 and 5. Practice on a scrap of cardboard to get a feel for distance.


How do I seal a large gap between slabs to avoid freeze/thaw heaving? I have a very large slab patio on the back of my home in Southern MN that has pulled away from the house about 6-8" due to freeze/thaw heaving. The previous owners have filled the gap with river rocks, which gives it an "ok" appearance, but it doesn't do anything to keep water getting in between the foundation and this slab and shoving it out. What can I use to seal such a large opening?

The slab is at least 4" thick through out, as that's how deep the contraction cuts are. I suspect in reality it's at least 6" deep throughout. The far side away from the house is between at least 10" thick on the south end and over 20" thick on the north. I suspect the original plan was for this slab to also support a deck, as there are the remains of steel pins along the top edge of the far side, and there is some suspicion that the master bedroom window directly above the door seen here was originally going to be a walk out door. That plan was thankfully never implemented by the original builders.

The house sits on clay atop sandstone and this back edge is basically at the top of a hill side, from the edge of the slab the back yard slopes away at a 40 to 60 degree slope for about 20', then continues to slope away at a shallower angle for at least another 80' to the creek out back in the woods.

I have a couple of estimates to remove the slab, put in a retaining wall and pave the area with pavers instead of a single monolithic slab - which pretty much everyone has said is the wrong answer for this location. Those are very expensive jobs that I can't afford at this time. Hence the desire to see what I can do to lessen the impacts and give me time to be able to afford to have the pros in to do the right thing.

Based on the pics and the amount of movement alone, I'm guessing that the foundation for this slab was not properly prepared.  I'd wager that someone simply dug a squareish hole a few inches deep, put in boards for forms and poured the concrete.  Looks great for a while, but doesn't do squat to avoid shifting in cold weather when the water freezes.

A proper concrete slab should be resting on footings that go fairly deep into the ground (the further north, the deeper).  Have a look at this image to see what I mean:

Note how the slab itself sits on a concrete wall?  We can't tell how deep it goes from the photo but it should go at least a foot.  This is done around the edges, usually, but alternatively, just like with a paver patio, you could dig out a much larger hole - a foot or more all the way down - and then fill with gravel, covered with cloth covered with sand (compacted at every layer) and the concrete poured on that.  The purpose of that type of foundation is to give adequate drainage underneath so that what little water remains beneath in a freeze/thaw/freeze cycle has room to expand around the gravel rather than heaving it out of the way.
So in short, there's no easy solution to your problem - and no amount of 'sealing' will fix it - water in the ground will get under that porch slab from all edges and continue to lift and move it as it freezes.

Sorry. :(


Is there enough here to get a ceiling fan? I want need a ceiling fan in my living room.  I looked at a few wiki-how type articles on installing them, and it looks like they need more than 2 wires, but when I opened up the light fixture on my ceiling, it looked like it only had 2 wires, a white one and black one.

My apartment is pretty old.  When I looked up there with a flashlight I could see a ceiling joist right next to this box, so I think it is strong enough to hold it.  Do I have everything I need electrically here to install a ceiling fan?

Electrically, yes.  A ceiling fan works just like a typical light fixture (in most cases), when you flip the switch the fan turn on (assuming the pull chain switch is in the proper state).

Installing a ceiling fan is the same procedure as hooking up any light fixture (Turn off the breaker first!), simply connect the black (hot) from the ceiling (should be controlled by the switch) to the black on the ceiling fan.  Then connect the white (neutral), to the white on the ceiling fan.  If the fan has a light kit you'll notice an extra blue wire (color may vary), hook this one up to the black (hot) from the ceiling along with the black from the fan. Then twist all bare/green (ground) wires together, and ground them as per the direction that came with the fan.

Structurally, maybe not.  Keep in mind the electrical box that is currently there was designed to hold the weight of a typical light fixture (a couple pounds max), not a ceiling fan (15-50 lbs). It's possible the electrical box itself will hold the fan, but I wouldn't put any of my family members under it.  they make "Old work ceiling fan boxes", that come with a brace that spans between the joists to hold the extra weight of a ceiling fan.  The brace bar expands and contracts, so you can stick it up in the hole (after you remove the old electrical box) and then expand it until it bites into the joists. Then you'll hang the new electrical box from this brace, and install the fan as usual.


how can I clean my linseed treated wooden doors? My beautiful Knotty Alder patio doors appear that dirt or mold has penetrated the linseed oil we applied to them before hanging them. How can I clean the doors? What should I use to clean them?

Removing linseed oil from wood doors is not a difficult process. Simply apply turpentine to the doors with a rag in a circular motion until the linseed oil starts to dissolve. Let the turpentine sit for 10 to 20 minutes. then wash them down with warm, soapy water.


Why does my washer's spin cycle activate only when set to the "super" size? I've inherited an old washer (GE WJSR2080).  It works fine, except that the spin cycle only works when the washer load size is set to the higher settings.  When set to the small setting, it sounds like it's trying to spin but cannot.  My hunch is that this isn't an out-of-balance issue (the small loads I've tried seem well balanced), but I'm willing to accept that it could be related.

Any thoughts on what could cause this?

I'd obviously like to keep using this as long as possible so if there's something I can do to prolong the life of the machine, that would be great.  Also, it'd be nice to not waste water.

Because you mentioned the load size switch, it sounds as if it has issues detecting the empty tub when set to a minimum change level (small load); this may indicate a blockage of some sort.

There is a thin 1/4 inch tube that runs from near the bottom of the tub up to the water level switch inside the console.  Disconnect and blow the gunk out of that tube.  You will need to get inside the console and the front of the machine must be removed to do this.  Use a putty knife to the front, then unscrew the console.

If you had mentioned the speed switch making a difference, it would be the motor/transmission or something stuck slowing down the assembly.


How can I open an Elco EL39ICA housing? I had recessed lights installed at my house a few years ago, using the Elco EL39ICA housings and Elco EL2688W trims. I love this trim because it looks extremely clean. However, as I've learnt recently after contacting the manufacturer, if you want to replace a light bulb, which is what I'm after, you need to access the light from the attic. The manufacturer recommends that an electrician does the job; but, c'mon, do you want me to call an electrician to replace a light bulb?

I went up there, failed to open the housing. The whole housing looks like this (image from the manufacturer web site):

The housing has 4 screens on the top, and 4 on each side, which you may be able to see in the image below. I tried unscrewing those, but it didn't get me anywhere.

The whole housing is nailed (4 nails) and screwed (8 screws) to the beams:

Could it be that I would need to remove those screws and nails? The screws are not a problem, but the nails are more tricky to remove, and I thought that there must be a better way to open the housing. Maybe some parts slides out? Any idea or suggestion?

There is absolutely NO WAY this is true. Even if this info came from the manufacturer (which scares me BTW). Lights like this are designed to also be installed between floors, so what do they suggest then??

Just pull down on the trim ring and the whole trim should come down. The lamp should snap into the trim and the socket goes on the lamp with a slight twist.


How Do I Take This Old P Trap Off Cast Iron T? I have a house built in 1958 and I'm replacing the bathroom vanity and sink with an IKEA unit that needs plumbing close to the wall.  I have a new P trap, but cannot take this old P trap off.  It appears to thread directly into a cast iron T inside the wall.  It is not a compression fitting like I first thought.  I have applied some PB Plaster and tried to unthread it, but it is just getting crushed.

My other option is to cut it off, and try to work with what is sticking out, but it got beat up trying to unscrew it.

Close up of the T, it is one cast part:

I'm coming in a little late to help the OP, but wanted to add some clarification in case anyone else runs into this situation. I used the procedure outlined below dozens of times when I was a repair plumber in the 80's.
The trap arm going to the wall is 1 1/2" OD tubular drawn brass (usually chrome plated). It's going into a cast iron "sanitary tee" in the wall, with an inlet that has 1 1/2" female IPS (iron pipe size) threads. The original connection was made with a so-called Marvel Adapter, which is a brass ring with 1 1/2" IPS male threads on the outside, and a smooth 1 1/2 ID inner surface that was soldered to the tubular brass trap arm. It does tend to look like some kind of leaded joint because all that's visible is the edge of the ring/adapter and the excess solder from when it was sweated on.
To remove it, first break out the old trap arm (as the OP said he accidentally did) - often a few hammer blows is all it takes, but sometimes you need to cut it off flush with a Sawzall or hacksaw. The OP's 3rd picture above shows it in this state.
Next, insert your Sawzall blade (with fine metal-cutting teeth) or the end of a hacksaw blade into the opening, preferably near the top, and make a small cut going outward. You'll be cutting through the relatively soft brass, but you should stop cutting when the sound and feel changes once the blade starts to hit the cast iron threads. Now move your saw blade over about 1/2" and make a second cut just like the first one. Then use a flat-bladed screwdriver or small chisel and tap out the 1/2" section of the brass ring you just cut. Then use the same tool to drive the rest of the ring loose - drive the screwdriver tip under one end of the remaining ring until it bends inward sufficiently far that you can grip it with a pair of pliers. Then you should be able to easily un-thread it the rest of the way out.
Now you'll have some nicely intact threads in the cast iron tee you can use. I like to use an old 1 1/2" galvanized nipple with a few axial grooves cut through the threads as a "thread-chaser" to clean out as much old rust and gunk out as I can - the first 3 or 4 threads that were in contact with the brass ring should be fine but it's a good idea to try to clean up the deeper threads too.
Now you should be able to thread an ABS or PVC male adapter into the cast iron threads (using some Rectorseal #5 thread sealant or equivalent). If you can't get a good "bite" with the plastic male adapter, you can thread a short galvanized nipple in there instead, then thread a plastic female adapter onto that. Glue in whatever length of plastic (ABS/PVC) pipe you need, and then a regular compression-ring trap adapter or whatever else you need to connect your trap.
Here's what that Marvel Adapter looks like new. These were real common 50+ years ago:
https://www.ferguson.com/product/sioux-chief-marvel-brass-marvel-thread-adapter-ring-s274/_/A-ProdFamily-216152


How to work around not enough slots available in breaker panel I have a breaker panel with one open breaker. Problem is I was going to add a heat pump to my seasonal cottage but it requires 220. Will I need to replace entire panel to accommodate this heat pump?  It's a 100 amp max box as well. Cottage is 1200 square feet. Don't know the code for this rural town in Maine. Will need to get this.
Thanks

It looks like your old Westinghouse panel will accept breakers from Eaton or Cutler-Hammer (but check at place of purchase).  If so, this tandem breaker can serve two circuits but use only one slot in the panel.

This is different from a double pole breaker which takes two slots like you would need for a 240 volt appliance:

To use the tandem, pull out a pair of single pole/non-tandem breakers (and discard), connect the two circuit wires to the tandem and insert.  Voila!  You have freed up an extra slot.


Why do my water pipes jump when running water? I turn the water on half to full volume and the pipes make a jumping noise about every 4 to 5 seconds.  The do not make any noise when turning the faucet on or off.  If I run the water slow, it doesn't do it, just when I try to get a full stream of water.  What can I do to stop this?

It could also be that you may have some pockets of air in the pipes that cause them to jump or knock. You can try shutting off you main water valve, then open all of faucets until there is no water left. Then with the faucets and spickets open turn the main valve on.


Add slope to existing flat porch/balcony I have a patio attached to my house (like in the image below)

As you can see, it is covered and over my garage. Although it is covered, it still gets rain and snow on it and, unfortunately, the top decking material is just painted OSB and it is seriously rotting. Under the OSB is good flat framing. I am going to rip out the OSB and I want to add a waterproof deck top, but understand that if I do that, I need to add slop.

My main question is this: how do I add slope to the existing frame?
(I am assuming that there is none).

Some bonus questions:

How would I check if there is slope already? It doesn't appear that
there is slope to the eye. Would it show up on a long level?
Any suggestions on waterproofing material?

Slope is quite easy. 3 ways. First, is to cut full length wedges out of 2x4's or bigger & screw them to the top of the sub-floor at the joist locations. Second, is to remove the sub-floor too & sister-on pitched or sloped 2x4's or bigger. Third, is to use concrete or cement over the sub-floor & new decking, the floor needs to be real stiff to avoid future cracking. Typically, just 1/8" per foot is enough to keep everything heading out ...anything more is better.

Yes, a level should easily indicate if the floor is already sloped outward or not or even sagged in either direction. As far as good waterproof material. I'd probably opt for a 3/4" plywood (not OSB) with Cement Board on top of Options 1 & 2 for all taped & cemented seams & screw heads to then be covered in Concrete Resurfacer.

This would just need an Exterior Masonry Sealer to prevent dusting &, if desired, could be painted with a porch or garage floor paint. Glued-down Aluminum Diamond Plate Panels or Textured Thick Plastic Sheeting would be my next option, seams would just be caulked & painted (so they stay nice looking). I wouldn't try to protect any kind of wood though, as you've discovered it's a failure waiting to happen...this is true whether sloped or not.


Flooring prep for epoxy Pebblestone I'm going to put in epoxy Pebblestone flooring in the basement.  My floor has the old 8x8 tiles.  They are all secure and have talked to people who say I can put the flooring over them.  Problem is I have a row of tiles which were loose and I have removed.  See the picture.  So do I just put a little more of the pebbles where these missing tiles are and ensure it is level?  Or should I put down some kind of underlay

I would just cover the entire area without adding additional underlayment. I have had epoxy pebblestone resurfacing on several sidewalks and patios that had divots after they were done you could not see any variation because of the original surface. I doubt an indoor installation would be any different from outdoor.


What are some of your previous owner nightmares you have inherited? Things like picket fences that are screwed and to end and to trees with no posts.  Or where there are posts they are sunk 4 inches into the ground with concrete around the top.

Or plumbing done with automotive parts or using the sump pump to empty the washer runoff.

Or main fuse boxes that are wired up with no rhyme or reason.

In a house we rented a while back, the previous tenants tried (and failed) to install a dishwasher.  Apparently, they were too cheap to find an adapter to hook up the waste flow from the dishwasher, so they cut a hole in the waste line of the sink on the wrong side of the trap and epoxied a piece of PVC there.  Then they hooked up the waste hose from the dishwasher and let it sit on the floor.

This caused dirty dishwater to flow back into the dishwasher where it sat and stagnated, and if there wasn't enough stagnant water in the hose, sewer gases would leak up through the dishwasher.

They also failed at the wiring, so the metal parts would occasionally carry some voltage and shock you if you're just unlucky enough.  Good times.


Hanging drywall on taller than 8-foot walls I have a concrete slab porch that was made into a family room by the previous owner. They used paneling on the walls and I'm going to remove that paneling and replace it with drywall. The top of the wall has wood trim all the way around. That wood is damaged to some extent and I'm thinking of just removing it all. However, that would make the total height for the walls 8ft 8inches. So how should I hang the drywall?
If I take 4x8 sheets, mounted horizontally, I would have 8 inches uncovered. Where should that 8 inches be? Should I mount one drywall sheet at the top and one at the bottom and patch the 8 inches in-between? Put the 8-inch section at the top? At the bottom?

Firstly, you may be able to source 54" drywall. Two sheets oriented in the usual horizontal way will cover a wall height up to 108" (9 ft) with one tape joint between them. The extra cost may be worth the effort savings.
If your framing is laid out accurately on 16" or 24" centers, 10' sheets would stand up (vertically) nicely. All tape joints would be vertical - none horizontal. The waste won't cost much.
Otherwise, it really comes down to where you want to work. The outcome will be the same regardless, since a well-done tape joint is more or less as strong as the sheet itself.
Normally you work top-down, so you'd have that joint near the floor. One benefit is that you have flat drywall where you'll install base trim instead of a tapered edge. The drawback is that you're taping a joint hunched over.
Pros will sometimes do narrow strips in the middle so they can tape both joints almost as a single joint, skimming it all out together. The drawback to that is that you're taping a flat (butt) joint, since one edge of the strip won't have a taper. That means a slightly thicker bulge in the wall. If it's done well it won't matter, though.


Why does a cordless circular saw have the blade on the left? At the moment considering the purchase of a circular saw for light work. I'm looking at a corded model and a cordless model. But the question I have is not about which one is better.

My question today is why the corded one has the blade on the right of my hand and the cordless one has the blade on the left of my hand. See both models below.

Now, I know some manufacturers make left- and right-handed versions of their circular saw. And I'm also aware that 'worm drive circular saws' usually have the blade to the left of my hand. But it seems odd to me. Especially as it seems to apply to most manufacturers too.

Was wondering if somebody has an explanation for this.

A majority of people are right handed. With the blade to the left you are positioned to comfortably view the cut (for a right handed person).


How can I get the drain apparatus out of a pedestal wash basin? I have successfully replaced two out of the three wash basin faucets in my house so far, but this one has me stumped:

As you can see from the picture, it's a pretty run-of-the-mill pedestal wash basin.  However, what this picture doesn't quite-so-adequately convey is how little clearance there is behind the pedestal to get a wrench in to drop the drain pipe:

I'm hoping someone has some suggestions on how I can get a vise grip or an adjustable wrench behind this area?  The clearance is rather small and I don't think they make adjustable wrenches small enough but with big enough mouths to properly twist a trap nut.

I have owned/installed a pedestal sink once before. The sink was mounted to the wall and the base slid into place after the plumbing was done. It was not a structural part and just covered the drain. Your's looks just like it.


Lower level black brick staining What might be the cause of the lower level black brick staining, shown on the pictures?  What is the remedy?  I did not get up close to look at these, rather saw them when I was posting neighborhood notices for an association where I'm the board.  These are north facing units that are part of a quad-unit building.  I did not look on the south facing units to see if there was similar staining.

Looks like mold/mildew due to rain splash from lack of (or clogged) gutters.
Generally, the staining is not uniform from top to bottom.


How can I kill black ants? I have been finding black ants in random rooms in my house.  On walls and/or floors.

I called exterminators and they want >$350, which I can't afford right now.
They claim they are going to lay bait and then ants will take it back it to the colony to kill them.

Is there an acceptable DIY way to stop them from coming in to the house without using those cheap hardware store traps?

What checmicals can a homeowner use?

boric acid (aka orthoboric acid, borax) works VERY well for under $5. Look for a tall white squeezable bottle at Home Repot or the like. Then lookup a recipe online with grease or sugar/jam for proper mixing ratios. Taking the bait back to the nest to destroy the babies is exactly what the boric acid does when used correctly. I wouldn't be surprised if that's what the exterminators are using, with a $345 markup for their "expertise".

Even though it's powerful against bugs, it's basically harmless to pets and humans, having the same LD50 as table salt. That it's cheap, safe, and effective, is why it's my favorite ant+roach solution.


How can I "seal up" cracks in my wooden shed between wooden slats/floorboards? I've got a new shed being put up this weekend, I want to try to seal it up to keep some of the bugs from taking over. After looking around Focus DIY (large DIY chain in the UK) I found some "wood sealer", which comes in a tube and slots into a gun for squeezing out.

Each tube costs £6 and I think I'd need about 20 or so in order to seal a 6' by 8' shed, is there a cheaper or more effective method?

Just lay some tongue-and-groove OSB plywood on top of the planks.

For a 6x8 shed, you should only need two 4x8 sheets - which should certainly cost a lot less than the £120 you would pay for sealer.

Or for that matter, just have them use T&G plywood for the flooring in the first place.


How can I vent a bath fan with no access to exterior? We are redoing our bathroom and just discovered when we were replacing the fan that is wasn't vented out anywhere. How can we vent now? It's between floors with no windows and a brick wall. The only option we can see would be downdraft. Any solutions>?

You need to vent the moisture outside. If you have access to the outer wall cut a hole into the sheathing it can be bigger than the duct. Then, using a masonry bit, drill a single hole through the brick where the center of the duct will be for reference. I suggest not using a hammer drill so as not to bust or crack the brick causing unwanted problems.

Now go outside using the center hole for reference mark on the brick mark the opening you will need.  Now drill a series of holes alone the mark fairly close together taking your time and be careful--it's better that the opening is smaller than needed because you can always remove more material.

It's important that you not hurry and drill from the brick facade.  This is because sometimes when drilling thru the back of the brick can break off uneven. Run the duct thru the hole install and seal the vent cover.


Tool to remove faucet? I am VERY green too DIY work but I am trying to learn :)
I am trying to install new sink faucets and I am stuck on removing my old handles. The image below is from under the sink.
I cant reach the nuts that attach the handles to the sink and the little pipe sticking out the side of these make it so I cannot use the EZ Change Faucet tool. Not to mention these are too big to fit in there anyway.
I am hoping for some suggestion on how to get these off!
Full size Image:
https://imgur.com/xulZwnP

edit: i have a basin wrench but it does not fit around the nut because the sink and the wood frame are too close to the nut. is my only option breaking it?

If the space is too tight to get a basin wrench in then it's possible that the plumber installed the faucet onto the basin before the bowl was put into place. After all, it's much easier to work on top of the cabinet than it is to work underneath.
You may want to look into removing the counter top from the cabinet, or the basin from the counter top to get at removing this.


What type of paint can I use for exterior flagstone? So I have this beautiful flagstone...which normally I would like but, as you can see, it doesnt match with our house whatsoever.

Im thinking we have two options: paint our whole house to match the stone or paint the stone to match our house.

Eventually, we want to paint the exterior but for now, we are looking for a semi-quick fix. Any recommendations? If we do paint the stone, what type of paint should we use, seeing that our walkway and porch will be heavy traffic areas.

In Dallas TX people are painting perfectly good brick because they think it is a design choice. I personally would never paint perfectly good brick.

In my neighborhood of brick facade homes I have, however, seen one case I personally thought it sorta worked. A house with uniform bright red brick with off-white tooled mortar was painted with a highly diluted white latex paint. The owners described it as a "wash".

It desaturated the red and gave some variation which was interesting. If you tried that on your flagstone, wear patterns would probably develop, but maybe you could periodically "rewash" those areas. And if it didn't work at all, you might be able to remove it with a power washer. If you have an inconspicuous place, you could test this.

Personally, I would try to live with the bold flags, and try to consider them a fact of nature which is too much trouble to change by art.


Is it safe to use a polyurethane faux beam to hide an asbestos insulated (and wet-wrapped encapsulated) heating pipe? I am planning on finishing my basement and there is an asbestos insulated and wet wrapped encapsulated steam heat pipe that runs the length of my basement.  I found a 3 sided faux wood beam that would be cheap and easy to install that work great to hide it.  Is it safe or recommended to do so?

Thanks for any input

By "wet wrapped" can we assume you mean that the asbestos insulation was wrapped with a rubberized gauze and sealant system that keeps the asbestos in place and encapsulated? If so, the faux beam is fine for cosmetics, it's that wet wrap that is going to protect you from exposure. It's actually a good idea to cover that to help prevent the wet wrap from being physically damaged and exposing the asbestos layer underneath.


What Can Cause TP-LINK Smart Switch (HS200) To Light (LED) Flicker? I have bought a TP-LINK (HS200) wall light switch to replace several switches.

The first switch I tried is controlled an outlet that I have a a lamp connected to it. The outlet is configured as follows:

Bare copper wire: Ground
Black wire: live, shows about ~120V AC multi-meter regardless of switch's position.
Red wire: load, shows few mVs when OFF, and ~120V AC when the switch is ON.
Inside the outlet box there are 3-white wires bundled all together with a wire-nut at the end (assumed to be neutral lines).

I have connected the TP-LINK HS200 to the wires as they are marked/named on the back of the switch. When I returned power to the switch the lamp flickers really fast on low light, when the switch is supposedly switched on the flickering is a little brighter and the white circle LED light on the switch is ON. The WiFi icon on the switch goes orange on and off regardless of switch's state (as I did not configure it yet).

I called TP-LINK customer support and they barely speak English. I emailed her pictures of my wiring, and she told me someone would call me back within 30 minutes. It has been a day and yet no one called. So that route of help is gone.

I have tried two HS200 switches thinking one was faulty, and got the same result. I have swapped the Live/Load wires and got the same result.

How should it be wired to work properly?

The light (LED or bulb) was flickering really fast. I found out that the White Neutral Wire was at fault. Wrong wiring caused the neutral line to float and be tied to return to the electrical box. Once I tied the entire bundle of the neutral wires together, the switched worked perfectly.


Floating floor over old mastic? I recently had carpet and asbestos tile tested and removed from my basement, and now am left with concrete covered with black mastic (non-asbestos per testing).  I would like to cover the floor with floating planks, and was wondering if the mastic must be removed first.
The concrete is reasonably level with some pitting, and does not appear to be sealed.  There is an "All-dry" water mitigation system in place around the edge of the concrete directing any moisture towards the outside of the foundation, so the concrete is unlikely to see much moisture.
My understanding is that floating planks over concrete is usually 3 layers:

6 mil vapor barrier
Underlayment
Floating planks

Provided the concrete does not need leveling, will I have problems if I install these layers directly without removing the mastic?

As with any flooring the flatter and smother the base is the better the end result will be.
I have had good luck with a heat gun and a putty knife. You do really want to remove the high spots for a good looking floor that will last.


Will a fan cause pendant lights to move? I know this may be a silly question, but didn't know if anyone else has run into this.  I have an 11 x 11 kitchen and existing fan and some track lighting.  I want to use track pendant lights and was wondering how bad they would move around if I had the fan on to.  Any thoughts?

Assuming a ceiling fan, probably not at all. Ceiling fans push air down or up. If you had a fan mounted on the wall pushing against the side of the lamps, you would probably get movement. But not with a ceiling fan.


Help translate terminology relating to flat roof construction I just bought a house which had an extension done 12 years ago. I am about to do some work in this area and want to understand what has been done before. Below is a screen shot of the bits of the planning drawings relating to the flat roof construction.

What does this say? (it is hard to scribe something when you don't fully understand it )

EDIT:

2 LAYERS ASPHALT TO CP144

with SOLAR REFLECTIVE PAINT

on 70 mm pearldeck,

175x30 mm joists

on 400 mm centers

What is a pearldeck?
Is this a warm or cold roof?
Does this have sufficient insulation properties or would you recommend I add more?
If yes, can I do this internally without causing condensation issues?

2 LAYERS ASPHALT TO CP144
with SOLAR REFLECTIVE PAINT
on [10?]mm PEARLDECK ([.025/.023])
ON @@@@@ SC3 Joists
AT #00 CENTRES

@@ RRING [PIECES?] [10?/TO?] @@@ 1-30

CP144 is a standards document describing roofing requirements. (It's been superseded.)

Based on some cursory research, it doesn't looks like Pearldeck comes in 10mm thicknesses, so I'm not sure what that number might be.

SC3 is a European strength rating for joists that has been replaced by a different rating system. (According to the link, SC3 is roughly equivalent to C16)

I'd bet that the last line is "100 CENTRES" with 100 being cm, which seems to be a common spacing for joists.

Pearldeck is hard to find, but based on these two sources:

http://www.woodgreentimber.com/Roofing-Materials-Wood-Green-Potters-Bar.php
http://www.euroken.net/supplies/products.html

It looks like it's an insulation board for roofing.

As to whether or not it's a good roof, cold, hot, or anything else, I have absolutely no idea, and it will largely depend on your local climate. Maybe an expert can add something to this answer, or maybe my translation will let you ask someone you know.

Lastly, not only am I not a professional, but I'm also American (I'm not familiar with common European building measurements/practices), so any or all of this might be completely wrong. This is all based on deduction and Google ;-) So feel free to edit whatever is obviously wrong.

I hope that helps!


Can a load bearing beam be offset from lapping joists? I'm replacing a section of 4'' load bearing wall by a large 8''x8'' steel beam, and due to the size of the beam it would stick out to one side too much if I were to install it exactly centered with the current wall. I would need to offset it by about 3 inches to keep one side of the beam flush with the remaining section of wall. The joists above are lapped. Is this possible or the beam has to be absolutely centered with the existing wall?

You've essentially got a column buckling problem here. Factors affecting the maximum load include the geometry of the beam cross section, its material properties, and the manner which its ends are constrained. You can read up on it here.

What makes it more complicated is a possible eccentric loading condition, as The Evil Greebo points out. Now you have to worry about compressive stress and normal stress. This eBook does a good job describing the loading conditions and resulting stress under the "Maximum Stress" section.

Since the current exact loading conditions are unknown, and in addition you're changing the location the load is applied in, I think it would seek professional engineering advice. (I would, and I'm a mechanical engineer - I just don't specialize in architecture.) Either that, or an experienced contractor may be able to give you a better answer. (Shirlock, where are you on this one, buddy?)


How to repair solid wood cabinet finish after fire? After a small kitchen fire in which the cabinets got fire damage, but did not actually catch fire, we repaired the walls, but are now left with a cabinet that looks (not too) bad. The black spots are small bubbles, and the white spots are bigger bubbles that we scraped. It's solid wood.

Any ideas how to repair this? Also, (not as important), how about the veneer on the counter-top?

Click photo for full size

It depends on whether the wood is actually singed or just the finish.

You need to remove the finish on the door (and perhaps the whole cabinet unit), but begin with a test stripping of just the damaged area. This can be done with solvent strippers (harsh and smelly, but faster) or citrus based (a bit slower but more person/environment friendly).  The wood then needs to be lightly sanded.

Refinish
If the wood is not charred (black or severly discolored), you can strip the rest of the door, sand it, stain it to match the rest of the cabintet and finish it with a polyurethane finish with a sheen similar to the cabinet. Getting it all to match can be hard, so you may wish to do the entire cabinet.

Repair and Refinish
I the wood has a slight char or discolorization, you can try to sand these areas out or use a diluted wood bleach to match the rest of the wood. If this works, then proceed as with refinishing above.

Paint
If the damage is too deep, you need to cover it with an opaque finish, such as paint or a heavily pigmented stain. This will change the overall look so it needs to be done to the entire cabinet. Sand away the damaged finish and lightly sand the rest of the piece with 120 grade sandpaper. Then refinish according to the paint/stain directions.

Countertop
If the laminate is blistered, there is little that can be done except replace it.  If it has just lifted, you may be able to reglue it. This generally will not work unless the lifted section is near an edge and can easily be pushed flat. If you can lift the whole section at least 1/2 inch, contact cement works best. Spread glue on both faces to be joined and let dry separately before pressing together. If the gap is too small, you can force conventional glues under the area and weigh it down while the glue sets.


Possible Leak at Plumbing Solder Joint I am currently renovating my bathroom and recently removed the copper supply piping back to and including the hot and cold shutoff valves to repipe for a new shower valve. Everything was repiped with copper, cleaned, prepped and soldered including 2 new ball valves, a new shower valve and 2 new drop ears for shower and tub. I turned the water on and everything seemed to be good and none of my joints were leaking. I returned to double check the pipes the following day (about 10 hours later with pressure on all joints overnight) and there were no leaks, but I noticed on the "house side" of both shutoff valves there is the slightest amount of moisture on the surface of the solder joint between the shutoff valve and copper pipe. No dripping, not enough moisture to run down the pipe, just barely enough that when I run my hand across the joint I can feel and see the slight presence of moisture. It almost feels like condensation but I don't even want to call it that because the amount is so minimal. Is this a problem? Possibly usual for a new joints like this? This occurrence is happening on both valves and visually the joints look good so I don't believe it is a bad solder joint. Any help would be appreciated. I want to make sure everything is good before I install cement board and tile.

If there was water in the supply line when you went to sweat the joints the water turns to steam and can cause very tiny leaks like you have. I was taught to get as much of the water out that I could then pack some white bread (no crust) tight in the pipe. The bread makes a plug that once soldered a flow of water will dissolve (just need to remove the aerator) I do this on pipes that have been damaged and need a new coupling on both sides works great and no leaks, I believe this is the problem because the hot should never have condensation and if the water is not running the cold should not be much different than the room temp.


Strange noise from heat pump Does anyone have any idea what this strange noise is in the linked video?

It happens after the heater has been on for a while, and it always seems to happen twice (a few seconds apart).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtQA0HVVUM0

The HVAC technician I had contacted just got back to me right after I posted this. He says the noise is the compressor going into defrost mode, and it is an expected sound for the quality (builder-grade) of the unit I have.


Does anyone know if this is a Ethernet jack or a phone line? I just moved in and I was wondering with this is?

It has 6 pins but I have no idea what it is.

I'd say it's a six-conductor eight-pin RJ-type connector, which means it is not Ethernet. It's likely a (multi-line?) phone connection.


Fridge / Freezer not cooling. No sound. Short: My fridge was cold two days ago. Now it's not cold at all. Makes no sounds. Power is on and lights on.

Long:

Fridge was in storage for unknown years, and filthy.
Cleaned and plugged in. It got cold and ran well for maybe 1 day.
Water dispenser (maybe) leaked. It looked like it may have been coming from the ice maker inside and trickling down. I didn't get to diagnose.
Thermostat works. Says it's 70 deg.
There's no ice anywhere: inside, outside, etc.
There's no sounds. No fans, compressors, silent.
There's a condensation tray underneath that has a lot of water in it.

I'm not sure what of this leads to the right answer, but I figured this is specific enough to pinpoint. Thanks team.

Could be low on coolant (freon), or could be a thermo switch. If the thermostat for the coil is not functioning, then it will cause it to ice over and not defrost. This is an easy fix on most freezers. Just let the freezer thaw completely, don't chop or break ice off. It could also be the thermostat timer. If it is not advancing, then it is not sending a signal to the defrost heater to thaw the coil. Easy way to check this is to manually advance the timer and see if you hear anything happen. Wait about 30 minutes and see if something changes, like the fridge coming back on. This would indicate the timer is working or not.


Replacing gas burner in a vented glass 3 sided fireplave Our fireplace, installed in mid 80's has a burner that is completly worn out. Is is possible to install a new burner that is not made by original maker? When I've asked at fireplace shops they claim that the entire unit, box and all must be torn out and replaced...really? I want to know if I can purchase a burner and replace, if so is there anything other than where the burner connects to gas line I need to know an
Bout? Thanks

You must get a new burner from the manufacturer, anything else could potentially end in disaster.remember to make sure if it's natural or propane gas burner.


What type of lubrication should I use on a squeaky swing set? There's a bracket around the top tube with a hole in it. A bolt passes through the hole, to hold a doodad that the swing chain can be connected via an S bolt.

When the swing swings, it makes an awful squeak.  I was originally thinking of spraying it with silicone spray, but then thought white lithium grease or powdered graphite would be better. It's metal on metal contact, and outdoors.

What would be the most appropriate lubrication to use in this situation?

Since this is exterior, and I'd be too lazy to oil it after the first time, I'd use grease. It's the preferred maritime lubricant, and that's good enough for me.

White Lithium Grease –joneakes.com

  Lithium Grease is that thick white grease you often find packed into bearing housings. It is the workhorse of the lubricants and can take high temperatures and pressures. If you have a grease housing which will hold extra grease, using a thick lithium grease from a tube or a can is the best thing to do. They have now come out with Lithium spray greases. These are great for outdoor uses, tending to be thicker and stay put longer under the rigors of outdoor conditions than other sprays, but they are not intended to replace the even thicker grease that you pack into a gear box. They are definitely a grease and will stain clothing as well as attract dust when used openly, so although a great lubricant, not the best product for a bicycle chain. Be sure to shake the can well before using.

Google search: Marine Lubricant/Grease


Capacitor values and compatible replacements I have a Lennox 13ACD series unit (model 048) and the fan will not start. I can kick start it and it gets up to speed just fine. My best guess from reading online is that it is the capacitor. The values label on the capacitor reads:

50-10pF +/- 10% 440VAC 50/60Hz

Searching online, I am having difficulty finding the exact same capacitor values. I see search results like "45+5 440v" or "50/5 440v" that seem to be shorter descriptions. In what appears to be a suggested replacement using my model number in a google search, I see "60+10.0pF +/-6%" on the label (picture included) in what is said to be a suggested replacement part.

How critical is it that I match the exact capacitor values?

Are you sure that is "pf" and not microfarads?

The symbol for micro is a Greek letter mu with a descending tail in the "μ". It could be confused for a "p" fairly easily if the printing is faint. A picofarad rated capacitor would be too small for a motor capacitor and is normally used in very low power electronics circuits.

Here is what I found when I searched your numbers:
https://www.amazon.com/Motor-Dual-Capacitor-Round-12892/dp/B00C0YSBTG

The double numbers are because it is a start/run capacitor so it has a dual value. One for start one for run.  Check the dimensions on it and see if it matches up. If so then give it a try.

Good luck!


What is the best way to clean grout to make it white again without removing it and regrouting What is best/ easiest way to clean or make grout white again without removing it and regrouting? The grout is not chipping or missing. Remodeling hotel room

Try one of the many Grout Restorers or Rejuvenators. They would bring the problem area(s) back to matching the rest of the grout. There are also Grout Coloring Kits that basically paint or stain the grout. You can luck out if a color perfectly matches your grout, but usually you'll have to do the whole floor's grout lines for everything to match. Sealing your grout is the only preventative measure you can take to avoid future situations. This paints on a clear coat & thereby removes grout's porosity. Though, it does need to be re-done every 3 to 10-years...depending on traffic.


Smart Switch in HOT Sun I have a switch on an Arizona west facing wall without protection from the hot sun (making it at least 125 to 130).  The switch, installed by the landscaper (matching standard like the flip switch here: How do you weatherproof a light switch?) controls a small submersible pump operating the small water feature in our yard (low wattage, not dimmer adaptable).  I want to automate the switch to turn it off at night, ideally with SmartThings.  However, I have not found a smart switch or micro switch rated for that kind of temperature.  Even if I re-piped it somewhere into the shade, I am still above the normal rating of 104F.  Any suggestions?

Who cares where the smart switch is physically located?  Not the smart switch.  Put it somewhere sheltered.
If you also want manual control in that location, then select a smart-switch that's designed to retrofit into old-school 3-way switch circuits.  It will expect a plain old "steam" switch as its "wired remote".  Fit a plain old switch here, run a (probably /2) cable to the smart switch location, and there you go.


Metal Studs - How they should be installed? What is the way metal stud should be installed? Is there a reason they should be, a same way, as in upside down? And precut - holes line up.

Yes, it matters how the studs are placed.  All should be facing the same C pattern. And the larger hole points up, so that if doing taller walls the metal stiffeners do not fall out.


Can't get whole-house water filter housing loose I've got a well system, with a standard 10-inch filter housing between the pressure tank and the water softener.

The filter housing is plastic, and there are shut-off valves on either side.  I religiously change the filter once a month, but when I tried to loosen the housing recently to replace the filter, I could not get the housing loose.

I tried some Russian diplomacy but it won't budge.  I'm afraid to use too much force because I don't want to (a) rip the housing loose from the wall or (b) mess up the input/output lines attached to the housing.

Any ideas?  I guess the nuclear option is to install a whole new filter housing, but I was hoping for a trick to loosen the existing one.

Thanks!!!

Those little red buttons quit functioning with age, and crappy water. Open a faucet, and turn supply off.
A slight coating of petrolium jelly on the o ring works wonders as well. Use very little, just to the point of adding a sheen to the rubber.


Why are cracks forming in my plaster and stucco near the windows? I bought this house a few months ago and haven't had any rain yet here. But we are seeing some cracks in a window that make me suspicious of settling. The cracks are only on this window but on a perpendicular wall with 6 windows there are no cracks. The other perpendicular wall has a few small ones but nothing like this. I'm trying to understand how they formed. There are corresponding cracks outside in the stucco on the same location. House was built in 1954 with this room added in 1968 on a slab and is next to the garage. Rest of house was completely remodeled in 2006. Also, they completely repainted the whole house a few months before we bought it.

Any thoughts?

I almost always agree with isherwood, but in this case, my take is a little different.

Diagonal cracks at the corners of doors or windows is characteristic of settlement due to doors and windows having double framing, which makes them strong spots.  The question is whether the settlement is old or new.  Even if it is old, cracks don't open unless things are moving or under stress.

The texture finish is the kind of thing someone might do to hide repairs, so this could be an old problem.  If they just skimmed an old crack without taping it, vibration from trucks going by or the garage door opening and closing could break up the old repair.  The lower drywall crack looks wider than just a hairline, though.  I wouldn't expect an old repair to open up that much.

The stucco crack would worry me more.  It isn't as easy to crack as drywall, and it's hard to make invisible repairs.  If it was previously repaired, you are likely to be able to see it if you look for it around the crack.  That's less likely to be an old problem with a disintegrated repair.

Even if this is an old problem, that's only relevant if it was initial settlement that is now stable.  To me, the signs seem more likely to be an active problem.  I would expose the slab along the cracked area.  You don't need to go all the way to the footer, just enough to see what's going on in the area.  Look at how continuous and level the top edge is, and how serious any cracks are.  Use your judgment as to whether it would be prudent to have an expert look at it.  You could also post pictures of the stucco cracks and slab here.


Front-loading GE washer makes loud noise I have about two and half years old GE GFWR4800FWW (GFWR4800F0FWW specifically) front-loading washer. It has started making very loud noise during spin, and also when I turn the drum slowly by hand it seems something is pulled upward along with the drum little ways until gravity pulls it back down, creating a rattling sound, almost as if a chain would slide down on the outer surface of the drum. I've opened the back of the washer, and external to the plastic tub everything seems to be (at least visually) in order (shocks, suspension, etc.), so the problem seems to be inside the tub.

The next step would be to open the tub, which I haven't yet decided whether I want to attempt it myself. Based on the symptoms, I'm wondering how big bill I'm looking at in parts (and labor if I call someone to look at it), assuming something that could be tightened hasn't just come loose.

Thanks for any insights!

Sounds like your tub's supporting bearing at the back is shot. I'd start there, even just to see how your tub is actually operated.

This is important because your tub may not have a support bearing at all & may rest on front & back rollers with a bottom wheel or a belt connecting to a pulley on the motor. 1 or more of these rollers or just the drive-wheel may be worn down.

If you have this roller setup you may be able to adjust the drive-wheel height by an adjusting screw. If just a or the bottom rollers have worn but the tops are still new, then just swap those around.

Once you determine what's what then you can go online-line to any appliance parts website & see if it's worth your time or if $100 or more would be better spent on an Appliance Repairer doing a full assessment of the washer along with the necessary repair.


Is it possible to replace a ceiling fan speed controller with a switch? Is it possible to replace a ceiling fan speed controller with a switch? I just bought a house that had a ceiling fan with no light, which used a fan speed controller on the wall with different speeds. I added a light to the ceiling fan and would like to replace the fan controller with a light switch, that will turn both the light and the fan on. You would have to control each with the chains that hang from the fan. I replaced the fan controller with a light switch and it didn't work. Does it need to be connected differently? I only connected the 2 black wires and the ground. It is a one pole switch.

Sure you can do this. The fan speed controller should have 2 terminals, swap it with a single pole switch.  If it's a digital controller it might also have a neutral - just put a wire nut over it and only connect the switch between the hot wires.


Is it safe to use drywall anchors for a heavy bookshelf between two studs? I want to put a bookshelf (heavy load) in a small alcove where I have access to threw studs, two 11" apart (left side) and the other two 28" apart (right side).

I would like to mount standards to this and will need something in the center to keep the wood from bowing.

Can I mount a standard on either end and then use some drywall anchors for a third standard in the middle?

This small bits of tape indicate where I marked off screws to help find the studs.

Yes this will be fine if you use the right type of anchor, you need toggle bolts of some sort.  For example a 3/16" toggle bolt in 1/2" drywall can support 70# of load.  If you have two or three of these on the middle shelf bracket, it will be more than adequate.

I'd recommend snaptoggles, eztoggles, or other variant that holds the toggle in the wall without the bolt - these are much easier to use.

When you select your shelf brackets, you'll want something that you screw fast to the wall; you don't want something with the "keyhole" type mounting holes, where you basically hang the shelf brackets off the screws.


Wiring a Split Outlet with Two Neutrals I’m trying to replace a very old outlet in my kitchen. The garbage disposal and the dishwasher are plugged into this outlet. The top outlet is switched, but the bottom is always hot. Everything I’ve read about this type of outlet has both circuits sharing a single neutral, but this outlet is odd. It has a single neutral from one circuit plugged in on one side, then on the other it has the two hot wires with the broken tab (as you would expect). The weird thing is that there is a second neutral wired to the same terminal as the hot wire for the first circuit. [see below illustration]

My question is what is going on here? At this point I’m not even really concerned about replacing the outlet, I just want to know if it’s even safe to put it back like this?

Thanks!

           [ || ]—————-H2
           [
      ——N1-[ || ]======H1/N2

That's not a weird neutral.  That's a switch loop.

They are correctly using the white wire for always-hot, precisely to invoke that "WTH" response.  By using white as always-hot, it assures the white wire will always light up a voltage tester.    If white was a switched-hot, it might not always light up, and could be mistaken for neutral.

What they failed to do, however, is mark the white wire with black or colored tape, as is required today (also) to designate it as a hot.

You are welcome to retrofit grounds to help protect this circuit.  However, better protection would be achieved with GFCI.  You can't fit a GFCI+receptacle combo device here because they don't allow splitting.   However you can fit one at a receptacle upstream if there is any, or a GFCI+circuit breaker combo device if there is not.


Do I need to upgrade my panel? So I went to look at my father in law’s panel, and as far as I can see, they look like they’re trying to draw too much amperage from the panel.

Does anything look amiss here?

In answer to your question nothing looks amiss as far as overloading is concerned. The way you know if a panel is over loaded is that the main circuit breaker trips out on overload. Prior to that if you are really concerned. Get an infrared thermometer and see if you can find any hot spots. Particularly around the connection and lug points. You want things to stay below 75C or 167F. Look for any discoloration or burn caused by overheating. Overheating is a sign of overloading due to the resistance of the bus and conductors.

Good luck


Bernzomatic propane torch won't light properly I have a Bernzomatic propane torch, #UL2317.  It stopped working in the middle of a job.  I tried a new tank but have the same problem.  It makes a hissing sound when I turn the knob and I can get a very small flame initially but when I turn it up the flame goes out (but still hisses).  Any suggestions?

HOW IT WORKS

Torches are simple devices.  The propane is stored as a liquid under pressure in the tank.  The valve on the torch provides an exit for the pressurized liquid propane.

When the valve is opened, the atmospheric pressure on the outside of the valve is less than the pressure required to keep the propane as a liquid.  The propane begins to change state from a liquid to a gas, pulling heat from the environment as it does so.  (This endothermic phase change is why the propane tank will frost up and feel cold when used for an extended period of time.  It is also why they often do not work in cold temperatures, as there is not enough ambient heat available for the phase change to take place.)

The pressure inside the tank forces the propane gas through the valve where it mixes with oxygen from the ambient air when it reaches the vent holes near the tip of the torch, and then exits the tip as a stoichiometric mixture ready to be ignited.

SOLUTION

There could be a blockage in the valve.  This could be caused by a piece of debris, or the valve could be frozen due to the endothermic reaction mentioned above. Clean or thaw the valve to fix.
The valve on the tank it self could be blocked/frozen, but this is unlikely as you tried an alternate tank. Let the tank slowly warm up to room temperature to fix.
The vent holes near the tip of the torch could be blocked, not allowing enough oxygen to mix with the propane.  Ensure these holes are free and clear to fix.
The ambient temperature may be too low for the endothermic phase change to take place.  This means that the propane exiting the valve is too dense to mix properly with the oxygen at the vent holes, so it won't burn when it reaches the tip.  Given the time of year and the problem you described, this is the most likely problem.  You will need to warm the tank back to room temperature in order for it to work.  CAUTION read the warning label on the tank before attempting to warm it. Do not place near open flame or excessive heat, as this could cause the tank to explode.


Should I use push-to-connect fittings for PRV installation? I have excessive water pressure and intend to install a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) on my 3/4" copper water line.
While looking at PRVs I noticed that some products feature SkarkBite push to connect fittings. I do not have all of the supplies I'd need to solder to the pipe so using a push to connect would save me from having to buy them. It may also be easier because I'd be working in my crawl space.
I live in central Alabama so we do not get many hard freezes, and the PRV will be in an enclosed crawl space that is warmer than the outside during the winter.

Are PTC connections reliable long term for high pressure applications?
Are there any other factors I should consider when deciding whether
to solder in the PRV vs. use a Shark Bite?
In practice, how easy would it be to replace the PRV if I connected
it with PTC fittings, and would it be better to have soldered on
threaded adapters if I need to replace the PRV in 10-20 years?

Edit: I ended up buying and installing a PRV with Shark Bite fittings. Here is a photo of my finished installation. I didn’t notice when I asked the question originally that the ball valve that was already there was also installed with push to connect fittings.

SharkBite and other similar self-sealing insertion products are deemed reliable for long-term use (SharkBite are actually guaranteed for 25 years). They're tried and true at this point, having been used for quite a few years. Of course, performance depends on your technique. It's important to de-burr and de-flare the pipe end.

The fact that you're installing a PRV isn't really relevant. Whether it's appropriate depends on your usage scenario and personal preference. Do you have space to work with this type of fitting? Are you willing to spend the money on them?

SharkBite connectors can be removed with proprietary tools or DIY methods. Whether that's a good strategy is entirely your prerogative.


Castors for under stairs storage unit I'm going to make a slide-out trolley/shelving unit to go under my stairs. This will be made to fit fairly snugly into the area to maximise usable storage space (I'm planning to make it 1-2 cm narrower/shorter than the space). This will have castors on the bottom so it can be pulled out and pushed back in.

Would I be best off using fixed castors, or swivel ones? Swivel ones would potentially handle misalignment better, whereas fixed ones would not suffer from any "wobble" when they turn around.

Here are some pictures of what I am planning:

Part of the answer to this will be determined if you are pushing in the unit from the side of the stairs or from the taller space into the lower height wedge space. Fixed casters may be more appropriate for the side access because there will be benefit to the guided straight in/out positioning where the storage unit will be higher on one side than the other.

It is common to put fixed casters on one end of a moveable item and the swivel casters on the other end. The best advantage is having the swivel casters on the end you push/pull from so that you can steer the cabinet into its final location. It may help to envision a grocery cart that is usually equipped with fixed + swivel wheels. Sometimes you just have to get ahold of the front of a grocery cart to back it up into a tight spot.


replacing door leading into sunroom We want to replace the sliding door that leads from our family room to our sunroom with French double doors.  Can we replace it with indoor doors? Or do we need outdoor doors?  The sun room has other doors that lead to out to the yard that won’t be replaced.

If your sun room is really a three-season room, you need an insulated door between it and your heated space as part of what's known as the "building envelope". Interior doors not only don't insulate as well, but they don't offer the seals that prevent airflow (which is actually a greater source of heat loss).

If your sun room stays within say 20 degrees of the heated space year round, you can probably go ahead and use interior doors, but I'd still consider adding bristle-type air gaskets.


Black wire crossed with white in box I was helping my dad install Alumiconn pigtails in his home when I spotted something weird in a 1-gang outlet box: a black wire shorted with a white wire. Alarm bells went off in my head, so I spent the next couple of hours researching and trying to figure out which wires went where.

I discovered that a nearby switch had a black wire coming in and a white wire coming out and proceeding to that same panel. I also discovered that the source white and black wires coming in to the 1-gang outlet box were both hot and indeed shorted with each other when 2 of the switches on that nearby switch panel were on.

Here is a diagram of what the wiring looked like before:

It seems to me as though the electrician that installed this wiring was trying to control the hallway lights and the exterior garage lights with separate switches. My dad had commented earlier that the exterior garage lights never seemed to work correctly.

I decided that I wasn't happy with this wiring, so I redid it to look like this:  (The switch panel had existing copper pigtails that I left, but I plan to go back and install 2-port Alumiconns for each switch.)

Unfortunately the hallway lights and the  exterior garage lights are now controlled by the same switch, and the outlet is only on when the lights are on, but at least it all works now and I'm not crossing any white wires with black wires.

Two questions:

Was it wrong before, and is it right now?
If I wanted to have the outlet always on and the lights controlled separately, I believe I would need to run two additional hot conductors from the switch panel to the 1-gang box (or otherwise re-run the wiring to the outlets and the lights). Is this correct?

You don't need to put in another box somewhere, but if you want the lights controlled separately and the outlet always on, you will need to run another cable from the switch box to the outlet box.

The new cable does not have to physically follow the existing cable, it just has to connect the same two junction boxes.

You can't just add a /2 cable and use both wires as switched hots with return via the neutral wire in the existing cable. Electrical codes and safety considerations require that all current that flows through a hot wire to a load must return via a neutral wire in the same cable.

You can either abandon or remove the existing /2 cable and replace it with a /4 cable, or keep the /2 and add a /3 cable.

If you install a /4 cable, the wiring is simple. You have one neutral, a constant hot, and two switched hots. Three loads use one hot each, and they all share the one neutral.

If you add a /3 cable then it is vital that you keep the two cables completely independent, so that one of the three loads is connected only to the hot and neutral in the /2 cable, and the other two loads are connected to the two hots and the one neutral in the new /3 cable.


How do I porperly identify which sensor wires are which for my pre-wired garage door openers? I am going to install 2 garage door openers and I'm stuck on wiring the sensors.
For each garage door I have 1 x 22-2 wire on one side of the door and 2 x 22-2 wire runs on the other side of the door.  At the outlet on the ceiling I have 3 x 22-2 wire runs and on the wall by the entry door I have 3 x 22-2 wire runs. I hooked up a tracer to one set of wires by the door and every single wire in my garage that is related to the garage door are all pinging as if signal is going through all of them. Any advice for how to narrow this down or how it might have been prewired for the sensors and control panel?
Power for the opener isn’t an issue.

Tracers tend to emit signals that migrate to nearby wires, especially flat cables like doorbell wire.
set the tone injector to continuity test mode and see which cable makes it light up when you connect the wires together.


Leaky anti-siphon valve on exterior faucets I have a number of exterior faucets, all the same model and 12 years old.  All of them  produce a stream of water from the anti-siphon valve when the faucet is in use (definitely coming from under the plastic anti-siphon cap, and only while in use).

My previous houses were older and the spigots lacked anti-siphon valves, so I'm unfamiliar with them.  I don't know, for example, whether this is just characteristic of these devices, since all of them do it and have done it since I bought the house.  But it wastes a ton of water and makes a mess.

The plastic anti-siphon cap turns freely but doesn't unscrew.  If it is something repairable, it isn't obvious how it comes apart.  Given that the cap is plastic that has baked in the sun for 12 years, it's likely brittle.  So I'm hesitant to just pry it off to see what's inside, especially if the behavior is normal and/or it's not a repairable item.

So my questions:

Is this leakage normal or typical?  If so, there's no sense messing with it.
Is it repairable?  (And if it's not cost-effective for a plumber, my own time is free.)
If it is repairable, what is the level of complexity and required knowledge and specialized tools (is it a job intended for any homeowner, an experienced DIYer, or can it involve complications best left to a plumber)?
Are the parts standard items available at any big hardware chain?

Some images in case anybody is familiar with this particular model:

I contacted the manufacturer and once I had some part numbers and basic information, this was easy to track down.  This answer should apply to most people with a similar problem.  The short answer is that the leakage is not normal and it is easily repairable; in most cases by the average homeowner.
If you've searched out this problem and arrived here, it's more likely that you are in the same boat I was than that you are an experienced plumber.  So I'll write a fairly detailed answer with the kind of information I would have found useful, myself.  I'll start with some general information so people have an idea as to what's involved.
How they work
The purpose of the anti-siphon valve is to prevent contaminants from siphoning back into the potable water supply.  On ancient spigots, the valve may be added to the spigot nozzle, but the valves are now generally incorporated into the spigot at the top.  I'll just address this type.
It appears that most of the devices consist of three parts.  The cap keeps out debris but is not air-tight.  Under the cap is a seal with a vent hole in it.  Trapped under the seal is a small plunger.  When the spigot is open and water is flowing, the water pressure pushes the plunger against the seal, closing the vent.  When there is no water pressure, the plunger drops away from the seal, allowing air inside.  The availability of air prevents any siphon action because any vacuum pressure sucks air instead of water.
In normal operation, you can get a little momentary dripping before the valve seals.  However, ongoing dripping or a stream is not normal operation.
How they fail
"Stuff" (minerals, dust sucked in, etc.), can build up on the seal and plunger so that the plunger doesn't seal the vent.  This is fixable simply by cleaning it.
The valve parts can also degrade and crack, rubber parts can get old and stiff, or the valve can be damaged by water freezing inside the spigot.  In these cases, the valve can be replaced.
The anti-siphon valves are designed as a serviceable item.  On most household spigots, it can be handled by the average homeowner with a screwdriver and a pair of pliers.
Repair Parts
The catch is the parts.  The anti-siphon valve is not a universal component.  Often several spigot manufacturers will use the same parts, but the parts are generally unique and you need the ones designed for your spigot.
If you can identify the spigot manufacturer, you can contact their customer service and get the part number of the repair kit.  The kit, itself, is likely to be widely available (hardware chains, Amazon, etc.; you can Google the part number).  A kit of just the valve replacement parts is inexpensive.
For anyone who happens to have the same spigot as shown here, Mansfield sold their spigot line to Prier Products and the repair kit part number is 630-7500 (which apparently applies to all Mansfield spigots, since customer support gave me that part number without asking for a spigot model).  I found it online for around $6.  This is what the kit looks like, to give you an idea of the parts:

If you can't identify the spigot manufacturer, it gets more complicated.  The parts are often redesigned over the years.  So if you simply remove the old parts and take them to the hardware store, they may not look like the current version if it is in stock, or it may not be in stock.
If you can't identify the spigot manufacturer, it may be trial and error, or you might need to bring in an experienced plumber who might recognize the brand.  It's possible that the parts only need cleaning, but you take a risk if you aren't prepared to get replacement parts if needed.  If you just open it up and disassemble it for cleaning and inspection, and lose or break a part in the process, it may be harder to identify the replacement parts.
How to fix
If you Google leaking anti-siphon valves, you'll find a few videos on how to fix them.  They probably won't match your model, but the procedure will be generally similar (I had done that but had no idea how much variation there might be between different spigots).  I found a video for my own model here, which is very well done and should generally apply to many spigots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSqw0u3rrrk.  The gist of the procedure is this:

On some models, you may need to close the shutoff valve inside the house for the spigot and then open the spigot to release the pressure.  On mine, this is unnecessary.
Remove the cap.  On high-end models, the cap may unscrew.  Most snap on.  You pry it off by wedging a screwdriver under the cap and prying straight up.
Remove the seal (on mine it's called the vacuum breaker body).  Most of these unscrew from the spigot.  You might need pliers to loosen it.  Some may pry out.
Remove the plunger.
Clean and inspect the parts, looking for any signs of degradation.
Turn on the water briefly to flush out any debris.
Reassemble the spigot using either the cleaned parts or replacement parts.  It's just the reverse procedure.
Test for leakage.  If you only cleaned the old parts and it still leaks, it probably means that the parts are degraded and you need replacement parts.


What prevents cold air from coming in through evaporative cooler I have an evaporative cooler mounted to my roof. The air comes straight down through a large vent in my living room. During winter, I wondered if cold air could come down through that large vent, but I could not feel any coming in (just put my hand next to the vent). I did not do anything to cover/seal the vent for the winter. Now that I am using the evaporative cooler again for the hot temps, I was reminded of this question.

Do evaporative coolers or the air ducts they use have a common mechanism for preventing air from flowing when they are off?

The evaporative coolers that sit on roof are normally serviced in the fall at the end of the usage season. Typical service includes shutting off the water supply to the cooler, draining the water sump in the cooler, cleaning away any debris and leaves that may have accumulated around the unit and then installing a cover over the whole cooler shroud. The jacket may be a canvas or tight wave synthetic fabric material.

These covers are typically available at home centers and evaporative cooler suppliers and have to be purchased by size. They are typically sewn as a fitted cover that then has a closure along one side that is cinched up with heavy cord similar to lacing a shoe. Some covers have a draw string in a hem around the bottom that allows the cover to be cinched down under the lower edge of the cooler shroud to prevent it from being blown off in strong winds.

Since evaporative coolers are typically used in areas where there is intense sun for large parts of the year be prepared to have to replace the cooler cover every few years.