How can I meter power usage by an on-demand electric hot water heater? I am installing a radiant heat system alongside a rocket mass heater.  I want to compare the cost of operating each.  For the radiant heat system, an on-demand electric hot water heater is being used.  I want to meter power used by this device as a way to quantify the cost of operating it.

The heater will be hard-wired and operates on split-phase 240v at 19A.  What's the best way to meter its actual power usage?

I went with a 120/240 Volt Pass-Through kWh Meter, 3-wire (2 hots, 1 neutral), 100A, 60Hz, EKM-25IDS.

The meter is hard-wired in front of the hot water heater and provides a digital kWh readout for the hot water heater's power usage.


Can I season firewood over the woodstove? I have a woodstove but all my firewood is still green. My friend suggested I dry it out indoors. He said I should put a few fire bricks on top of the stove, then stack green firewood on the bricks, around the single-wall chimney pipe.

Is this a good idea?

Proper seasoning is going to take longer than that. Most experts recommend you buy green firewood in the spring, to let it season in the rack over the summer. A minimum of 6 months' drying time, leaving it exposed to the sun and protected from moisture, is needed to "cure' firewood.

DO NOT burn your green firewood. It will smoke, smoulder and not heat the chimney properly for good draft, so you'll get backdrafts into your home. I had this problem even with seasoned but dampened logs from my rack outside; the wood wouldn't burn properly even with a nice hot bed of coals under it, and we got a lot of smoke coming out the front of the fireplace (and up into the upper story of our house).


Multiple return air vents in single framing cavity I am building a smaller 2 story home. Upstairs in one bedroom the return air drops into a joist space, then in the next bedroom another cold air drops into the same space. It then goes over a couple spaces via holes in the joists and then down between 2 studs where there is a 3rd return then into the trunk line in the basement.

My concern is will it pull from the top 2 bedrooms?

As with anything air is always going to take the path to least resistance. Return air is often overlooked by installers because it will work with just a big open duct next to the furnace. If the rest of the install is done fairly well, l then a poor job with the return mayl not have a significant negative impact on the house. If the walls are open I'd address it now. I actually spend more time on return air than I do on supply. If you have architectural drawings with a heat loss calculation they will specify the required cfm (cubic feet per minute) of supply and return. Then duct and return cavities should be sized accordingly. A single stud cavity is only good for about 120 ish cfm which may be good for two rooms depending on the rest of the system and the size of the rooms and if the doors are undercut, the list goes on.

This is a forced air system www.hometips.com

And this is how you would add an HRV to a forced air system www.finehomebuilding.com


Can I add a second thermostat in my basement for more control? I would like to install a second thermostat on the lower floor of my home. My thinking is that when we have guest staying on the lower floor I could turn the upper floor thermostat off and the lower on and the heater would respond to the temperature on the lower level. Would this arrangement work?

The other issue will be that if the temperature sensor is in the basement, the upper part of the house may get too warm by the time the furnace displaces all of the cold ait in the basement. Remember, warm air RISES, so if your return air resister is not in the basement, it will be a long time before there is enough air exchange to make a difference down there.

What I would do (have done) is to add a baseboard heater as a supplemental system, with its own thermostat in the basement, along with a way to keep the basement air from rising out of the basement (i.e. stairwell door).


Impedance of electrical circuits increased - do they need to be replaced? I have recently had the impedance of my electrical circuits tested, and they were found to have increased over the 12 years since they were installed (from about 0.3 mΩ to 0.4 mΩ) and to fluctuate when subsequent readings are taken.

The electrician advised that all the electrical circuits would have to be replaced. My question is... is this really necessary? Could an increase in impedance be simply caused by a loose connection somewhere (for example in the fuse box)?

Unless you have aluminum wiring, there is no reason to periodically check circuit impedance. For that matter, the resistance of 10 meters of 12-gauge copper wire, often used for 20 amp circuits, is about 50 mohms, so I would question what circuits need to be replaced. The entrance cable? Certainly not your house wiring.


My circular old work electrical box is too small for the light fixture mounting bracket I purchased some flush mount light fixtures to install in each of the bedrooms in my house. Originally I picked up some circular 4" old work electrical boxes (the ones with the "flags") but discovered that those are not mean to bear weight (the weight of each fixture is about 5lbs). I found the "right" circular old work electrical box which had a metal support and said it supported up to 10lbs, so I bought them and installed them. I did notice that they were 3 1/2" but I didn't think anything of it.

Now I'm trying to install the mounting bracket for the light fixture and it is too wide for these boxes... The outer screws which must go in the outer holes are touching the plastic of the box itself. I feel like I'm screwed now. If they make bigger electrical boxes, I could buy them, but I already have three 3 1/2" holes in my ceiling so removing them and expanding the holes will be a nightmare. These fixtures are meant to match others that I was able to install in original electrical boxes without a problem, so I really don't want to change them.

This is the light fixture:

This is the electrical box:

And here's the problem:

Any help is appreciated.

Edit: I just tried a 4" round old work box (with the "flags") and it has the exact same problem... Is there a different type of box that I need to be using for this? How would you make this work in an "old work" style situation (E.g. I have a 3.5" hole in the center of my ceiling)?

Edit: Sorry, trim the screws

In electrical, screws are not sacrosanct.  If one is too long, you simply trim it.  That's why your stripper-crimper multi-tool has thread shears around the center pivot.

Wrong holes

This box has 2 sets of holes at 2 different spacings.

 The inner (closer) set of holes sit on inward sticking nubs.  Those are the ones you are trying to line up on.

 The outer (farther) set of holes sit pretty much on the rim of the box. They are 90 degrees from the other holes.  Try those.

The reason for the two spacings is the two sizes of steel octagon box (pictured).

The older, now largely obsolete 3-1/2" trade size (3-1/2" across corners, 3" across flats) had 2-3/4" screw spacing.
The current 4" trade size (4" across corners, 3-1/2" across flats) has 3-1/4" screw spacing.


Can Rhino lining be used for a residential roof? Is Rhino® lining a viable option for a residential roof? I know for many people it is cost prohibitive, are there any regulations concerning polyurethane coatings on a roof? Has this been done before?

To answer the question directly, polyurethane is used on metal roofs, but the physics behind all of the roofing products that exist is tailored to roofing requirements. There's lots of info online about polyurethane on metal roofing... suggesting that it doesn't "breath".

I have also considered rhino liner on asphalt and cedar shingles, but the cost is quite high and the possibility of condensation problems was too risky. But if you decide to experiment, then be mindful of the fact that roofs need to breath or else condensation will build up and rot the wood underneath. This is one of the reasons why plastic, steel, and/or other non-breathing roofing materials are corrugated (allowing air to flow under the panels).

I have used plastic sheets to temporarily cover unfinished roofs; after 24 hours  the amount of condensation is amazing.

Various paints (and tar) are often sold for roofs, including aluminum, rubber, and acrylic latex. I have used tried all of them. Tar definitely works the best. Aluminum paint works too, but you will probably need to apply a few thick coats. Rubber works well temporarily, but decomposes quickly (after a month or three). I tried an acrylic latex paint on an aged and leaking roof on a wood shed. It helped reduce the leaking after 3 coats but overall, it wasn't effective for stopping the leaks.


How can I repair this Ikea light fixture that seems to be missing parts? We found this chandelier at IKEA in the as-is section (apparently formerly a floor model), and as it seemed to be in perfect condition, 50% off the retail price seemed like a good deal. Unfortunately, we didn't realize it was missing a vital part: the ceiling mount AND a wiring adapter (as seen in step #3 in these instructions). So basically what I have is an unmarked two-stranded wire (the connector was removed from the light fixture's cord as well), and no way to connect them to the ceiling box.

I purchased a stand-alone canopy kit, which can replace the missing canopy mount, but I cannot seem to figure out where to find a power adapter to connect to my ceiling wires and the light fixture's wires. I've figured out that I definitely need something through trial and error -- connecting the wires directly to the ceiling lines results in blown bulbs (with the wires tried both ways). I may just need to know what that little cube thingy is actually called, so I can look it up.

It also occurs to me that this could very well NOT be the problem... The quick connect boxes I'm seeing don't actually have any electrical bits in them, they're just faster than using wire nuts. Maybe the wires in my ceiling are screwy.

Any ideas?

The bulbs are not rated for line voltage, and that box is likely some form of Rectifier and/or step down transformer.  I'd follow the instructions on page 3 of the installation guide.

From IKEA SÖDER Chandelier, 7-armed:

Care instructions
Halogen bulb G4 12V 10W


Why does my garage door opener only click when the button is pushed? My Quantum 3213 garage door opener only clicks when I hit the main button in the garage. The light comes on for 30 seconds or so, and then it blinks on and off.

I've checked all the safety mechanisms: the eyes are aligned, etc.

Why won't it do its thing?

Check that the door is not unhooked from the lift mechanism. On some door systems there is a rope that when pulled releases the door from the motorized lift. This would allow the door to be opened and closed by hand. If the door wasn't reconnected to the catch then the motor when activated would spin and not lift the door.


Gas dryer water heater vent Is it safe to use the same outside vent outlet for a gas dryer and gas hot water heater? The 3" diameter, 18" long, water heater duct joins the 4" diameter, dryer duct in a Y right at the wall with 2" shared duct to the outside.
The alternative is 15' of 3" duct to the outside for a stand-alone water heater vent and the dryer to a separate 4" diameter, 10' long duct to the outside.

NO
Dryers need separate ventilation because lint gets into their ventilation system and builds up there -- in a shared vent, this'd cause excess backpressure that the water heater can't tolerate, leading to backdrafting, CO, and an unexpected visit to the ER.  Furthermore, a gas dryer is a forced draft appliance, which aggravates the backdrafting issue and will send you to the hospital with the CO detector ringing in your ears well before lint buildup will.
Atop that, Section M1502.2 of the International Residential Code prohibits what you are asking about:

M1502.2 Independent Exhaust Systems
Dryer exhaust systems shall be independent of all other systems and shall convey the moisture to the outdoors.


Are there such things that allow quick changing which circuit powers outlets/lights Is there some kind of electrical switch that will take 2 different electrical circuits in and the load can alternate between circuits based on the position of the switch?

I was thinking about doing some extended electrical work, but I would like to maintain power to the downstream lights and outlets of that circuit. Yes, I could get an electrician to split the circuit, but a simple switch would be easier to DIY (and seems like a practical device).

You're over-thinking this. Get a replacement plug from the hardware store. Disconnect the "downstream" lights and put the plug on to that wire. Then use an extension cord.


How to prevent moisture from ruining a climate-controlled wooden outbuilding We are having a 16 x 24 x 8 wooden outbuilding built. We are making a home gym that will have a cooling/heating unit for climate control.
     We are worried about moisture causing damage. Looking for suggestions on the best way to insulate, etc.
     It is a gabled roof so we were going to put in exhaust fan. One person tells us we basically need to put an attic in to create a dead space.
     Others tell us insulation, vapor barrier, etc.
     We are spending around $20,000 for everything (building, electrical, gym equipment).
     We dint want condensation ruining the roof/walls/floor or damaging equipment for that matter.
     It will have outlets, lights, fans, etc but we are told moisture will still be an issue.
     Thanks for any help.

You don't mention where you live so it is hard to give specific advice.  The best suggestion is that if it will be climate controlled, it should be built similar to any other climate controlled structure in your area.  That means keeping damp, warm air away from cold surfaces, and building such that the walls can dry if moisture enters them.

If you aren't worried about energy efficiency and don't build the structure to be particularly airtight you probably won't have an issue as long as exterior claddings are built to shed water well.  But if you want to minimize the energy usage you'll want to build tighter, and then controlling water becomes an issue.

The four ways water gets into buildings: bulk water from rain and leaks.  Capillary action: water gets drawn through porous materials.  Air transported: moist air leaks into and out of conditioned spaces through air gaps and gives up its water when it cools.  Vapor diffusion: moisture in the air passes through vapor permeable materials.

My advice, work with a builder who knows what they are doing in terms of energy efficiency.  Do a good job on keeping water out from leakage (good singling work, good flashing, airseal gaps before the drywall is up, and if you can swing it, insulate with spray foam or Rock Wool insulation.  You can find plenty of good advice on the internet.  I recommend browsing the Energy Vanguard blog, and Green Building Advisor if you want to get a little in depth.


Why can't I get a torsion spring tension level that works for having the garage door both open and closed? If I adjust tension so the cable is slightly taught when the door is open then the door only closes about half way.
If I adjust tension so that the door closes all the way then opening the door creates so much slack on the cable that it falls off the drum.

Do you have the right size and number of torsion springs? If your spring is too strong then that might explain this behavior.


GFCI Tripped - Cannot Reset I went to plug in my outside XMas lights yesterday for the first time - my exterior outlets (with GCFI test/reset button) is tripped and does not work. The test button does not push in, the reset button does, but does not pop the outlet back on. I have gone thru my whole house with a fine toothed comb pushing every RESET button I have.. They are all working.
This house was built 10 years ago, so it is not like there is old wiring. I have no idea how long the outlet has not been working - I only use it at XMas. Worked fine last year. Not only that but when I check my circuit panel there is not a breaker for the outlet ???? Please Help !!
Thanks!!

I had a GFCI go bad in a bathroom. The only thing we could ever come up with is that it shared a circuit with the lights. All new wires, no ground faults. Hired an electrician to swap it for me (as I was deployed) and it hasn't faulted since.

Protection circuits do break- like they're supposed to.


How important is it to completely insulate bare wire in outlet? When i tried replacing a receptacle, I first found the wires sticking out of the back holes, not completely insulated. As in, insulation was stripped 1 cm too much. So I did the same thinking its the way its supposed to be. Is it imperative I redo it and cut the wire to the proper length so the insulation can go into the hole?

When using back stabs it is important to use the strip gauge on the back of the outlet. When properly stripped the insulation is slightly supported by the device. If the copper is exposed the wires tend to break at the strip point even if the wire did not get nicked. If the wire was nicked when stripping it can break much sooner without support. With the power off there are usually small slots that another 14 gauge solid wire or a small screwdriver can be used to release the wire trim to the correct length and reinstall.


Encountered two different kinds of dryer tape (metallic silver plastic vs actual foil)? Up until now, I thought dryer tape and foil tape were the same thing. So when I bought the first roll I didn't think too much of it.
The first roll I bought was looked like silvery metallic coloured tape which I assumed was real metal, but while working with it I noticed it was a very slightly translucent if you looked carefully. And that's when I started noticing that it actually felt, handled, folded, crinkled, and cut just like clear packing tape. Except it had a metallic silver colour. It comes on a roll just like normal tape. Maybe it has an adhesive better suited for duct work, I'm not sure. It was labelled as dryer tape. I ended up finding the datasheet and it indeed appears to be plastic tape.
https://images.homedepot.ca/s7viewers/html5/eCatalogViewer.html?config=Scene7SharedAssets/Universal_HTML5_eCatalog&asset=homedepotcanada/TDS_DryerVent_EN_070119-pdf.pdf
Then later I encountered some tape that was clearly made of foil. It looks, feels, and tears like aluminum foil with an adhesive backing that you have to peel off.
Is there a functional difference between the two? Or maybe even a different purpose?

The issue with non-metallic tape and conduits for dryer vents is static electricity and the accumulation of lint.
Flammability and emission of toxic fumes in the event of a fire is also a reason for using metallic tape.
Code (in my area) prescribes metallic tape for this reason.
Plastic is not allowed. Also, no screws allowed, again due to lint capture.
(I don't see how plastic tape wrapped around fitted metallic piping/conduits -on the outside- would become electrostaticaly charged, so I appreciate doubts around that argument)
Since metallic tape rips easily, and screwing is not allowed, the piping must be supported very well.
Plastic tape would be stronger. If it is fire rated (FR for conduits) then perhaps it could be allowed.


Make a built-in desk level with uneven floor, or true level I'm making a 13 ft-long (4 m) built-in desk along one wall of a room.  Adopting the engineer's creed that anything worth thinking is worth over-thinking, I used my neighbor's tripod-mounted optical level to make level marks on the wall.  It turns out the floor slopes about 1/2" (13 mm) over the 13 ft.
Should I make the desk true level, or level with the floor?

1/2" isn't bad.  I'd make it true level.  You'd never install cabinets out of level I don't see why you'd make your built-in desk follow the floor.


Is it expected for an empty house to use 14 kWh per day? We have bought a new house but we haven't moved in yet. I've received our electric bill several days ago and it shows our electric bill on average is about 14 kWh per day but it seems the only working appliance in our house is the refrigerator.

Can someone suggest whether this is expected or not?

That does seem high for an unoccupied building, but not imposssible.  It works out to about 5 amps drawn 24 hours a day.

These are plenty of things that might be adding up.  The biggest ones would be:

Electric hot water. Even if you dont use it, it keeps getting reheated
AC or electric heat, if they were left on or there is a faulty thermostat turning them on
Lights left on.
Fridge running non stop - an empty fridge with a small leak in the door seal might do that.
Small appliances like keurig coffee makers that preheat the water all day

Easiest thing to do is watch the hydro meter.  It is easier if you still have an old non-smart meter with a spinning disk, but you can just write down the numbers.  Unplug the fridge and turn everything else off, check what the electric meter says and check again in half an hour.

If it has moved something is still using power.  If you can't figure out what, narrow it down by turning circuit breakers off one by one or a group at a time until it stops.


What should I do with the wires before I put a cap over the hole left by my (broken) electric smoke alarm? We have a wired smoke alarm system. We've lived here 9 years and I have no idea if they work or not, so I installed battery-operated ones in pretty much every room.
One day the wired one upstairs was going off for no reason. It didn't even sound normal - it sounded like it was going out. So I pulled it off and detached it from the clip.
I want to find a cap to put over it to plug the hole but I'm wondering what to do with the wires. The orange/red wire is just hanging and the white and black wires are attached to the clip that went into the alarm.

Stuff the wires in the hole and put a round blank cover over it
Hardwired smoke alarms, like your old ones, are required to be mounted to mains wiring junction boxes since they run directly off mains electricity, and all splices of or connections to mains electrical wiring in North American need to be made in a junction box.  As a result of this, what you're seeing here is that junction box, and junction boxes can't be left open/uncovered, so you need to put a blank cover of the appropriate shape (a 4" round cover should do the trick) on the box the smoke alarm was mounted to.


Why did my RCD trip when I was working on my de-energised lighting ring? I'm replacing a light in my hallway.  Before starting, I turned the light on, turned off the lighting-ring breaker, confirmed the light went out, and then turned off the light-switch for good measure.

Once I had removed the conductors from the terminal-block, I started pulling the bare wires back through the housing of the old light.  At this point, presumably two of the three wires touched, or shorted through the light housing, and the RCD for the whole property went off.

I don't understand why this happened.  Could the Neutral conductor still have been energised, and that is what flipped the RCD?  Or, could it be that the breaker for my lighting ring and the light-switch for this outlet are on the Neutral rather than the Live?  Is this expected behaviour on a UK installation, or is it time for me to get my friendly local electrician in to investigate further?

Shorting neutral to earth can be sufficient to trip a RCD, so there's a good chance that's what happened.

It's unlikely that the breaker or switch is on the neutral - though it is good practice to check that there is no live supply to the fitting before working on it, even with the breaker and switch turned off just in case it is fed from a different circuit.


Relay before or after power transformer For my project I plan on controlling an off-the-shelve LED lamp using a relay board which is connected to my Raspberry Pi.

As can be seen from the Lamp image below, there is a power converter which changes the 230V/50Hz to something the LED's can work with. (There are 9x 1W LEDs, the lamp says 10 Watts in total).

My question is whether I should place the relay between the converter and the lamp or between the converter and the power socket.

It's not possible to predict what will happen if you break the circuit between the converter and the lamp. The converter may fail catastrophically if it is switched on without the load it was designed for.

If you could be confident that the converter is nothing more than a step-down transformer, perhaps with a load limiting resistor, then you could insert the relay between the converter and the lamp. But since this product is touted as a superior energy saving device, it is likely to use a TCBH1 power technique that requires the lamp to be permanently connected.

Therefore I recommend inserting the relay between the power socket and the converter.

1 Too Clever By Half


Does electrical wires on exterior need to be in conduit? Do I need to run electrical wires exiting the breaker box on the exterior wall of the house & traveling across the wall in conduit or can the wires be stapled to the wood siding with steel staples?

In the US -- the general rule is that outdoor rated cables (MC, SE, and sunlight-resistant UF are the only ones you'll see in residential work -- AC isn't allowed in damp/wet locations, nor is NM of course) can be run in the open provided they   cannot be subject to physical damage -- if your cable is running anywhere where people can run into it, mow it, whack it, or trip on it, you'll need to install your wire (THWN) or cable (there are no Code objections to pulling intact SE or UF through conduit, although it may annoy the next electrician who works on it) in RMC, IMC, schedule 80 PVC, or RTRC-XW to provide protection from said physical damage, as per NEC 300.5(D)(4):

  (4) Enclosure or Raceway Damage. Where the enclosure or raceway is subject
  to physical damage, the conductors shall be installed in rigid metal conduit,
  intermediate metal conduit, RTRC-XW, Schedule 80 PVC conduit, or equivalent.


How can I reattach a chandelier light fixture to the chain? My first night in my new rental house and I bashed my head against the low hanging chandelier in the dining room.  Somehow my rock head hit it with enough force to snap the loop that attaches the light fixture to the chain that hangs from the ceiling.
The metal feels very cheap, almost like plastic, and I wonder how I can repair it in a way that it will still support the weight of the chandelier.  Would super glue or gorilla glue be strong enough to hold the piece back together? Or do I need another method of attaching the light fixture to the chain?

You need to just install a new loop. But, fortunately, the fix is pretty cheap and simple. I don't think glue is going to do it.

You'll want to shop around for one that matches the color, size, and so forth, but here's a ring on Home Depot's website as an example, and another one from Menard's website. You might want to take the chandelier apart first and take the broken ring with you test the color/fit at a store if you can.

First off, cut the power to the light.

Then, at the top of the chain, there's likely to be a metal plate (usually with a similar ring) and/or thumbscrews that hold it to the ceiling box. Unscrew the ring or thumbscrew and lower the plate from the ceiling, exposing the wires. Untwist the wire nuts and take the light fixture down.

  Here's a better step-by-step than I can come up with: How to replace
  a light fixture.

Carefully un-thread the wires back down the chain to the broken loop and disassemble the chain/loop connection. Remove the broken loop from the top of the chandelier.

Install the new loop, feed the wires through the center hole, open up the last link of the chain and bend it back together around the loop (This is a great time to make adjustments to the length of the chain if you want to) then feed the wires back up the chain, through the metal plate, and re-attach the wires and re-install the top plate, etc.

Best of luck!


Wiring diagram/configuration for 8 outlets with 1 GFCI I am installing a new circuit using a 20 amp breaker with 20 amp outlets and 1 GFCI. Should the GFCI be the first outlet from breaker panel? How do I wire this project?

Whether or not the GFCI is the first as far as proximity from the panel, it would have to be the first if you want it to protect the other receptacles. However, since you're going the route of covering so many receptacles. I'd recommend just getting a GFCI breaker to cover the whole line.

Do you want to have all of the receptacles GFCI covered? You would follow this wiring diagram if so (and continue it on like normal to add in all the rest):

However, with a GFCI breaker you would just wire all standard receptacles like normal and add the breaker in the panel:

If you want the GFCI to only cover itself, then you would connect it as such and then again connect the rest as usual:

(NOTE: For this last image, do know that you need to pigtail off of the receptacle screws in the left side setup. Do NOT connect two wires to a single terminal.)


How do I achieve this ceiling texture? My home has a ceiling texture that i can't seem to duplicate. Attached is a photo. If someone can please identify and tell me how to duplicate this look I would appreciate it. It makes things more difficult when you want to patch something up and don't know to to match the texture.

Many ceiling textures are created by putting some mud on the ceiling with a perpendicular motion, then swiping sideways with a trowel ("knock down"). I see some parts of your texture that look like this might be what happened.

Other parts of the texture have wide valleys with sharp narrow ridges. Those look to me like they were done very wet or runny. Maybe the mud was applied with a "normal" consistency and then knocked down using a dripping wet brush?

Usually these things are done using some combination of a trowel, an aluminum hawk, and/or a brush of some kind -- in combination with varying the consistency/thickness of the compound.

A full sheet of drywall doesn't cost a lot, especially if you can negotiate for a discount on a damaged piece. It might be worth getting a piece just to experiment on. Throw some mud on and play with it. Wait and see how it looks when dry, or if you're sure it's wrong, scrape the mud off while it's still wet and try again.


How can I route a toilet drain around copper supply lines right below the slab? I need to move the toilet back about 3" from where it was originally set to get to the standard 12" rough-in distance. I had to cut the concrete slab and dig into the dirt below. I was planning on going down to just above where the pipe enters the main drain line and adding in two 22.5 or 45 degree connectors to displace the top of the pipe to the proper location, but to my dismay there are 2 copper pipes running in the way about 2" below the bottom of the slab so I won't be able to move the toilet pipe, but will need to use an offset flange.

The offset flanges I have found only have about a 1.5" offset.  Can I stack 2 of these, to get the offset I need and go over the pipe, or is going over the water pipes or stacking 2 offset flanges a code violation?  At this point I'm into this pretty heavy so almost any solution is possible EXCEPT trying to move the water pipes. Any input is welcome.

Additional Info:

The distance from the top of the copper pipe to the top of the new tile floor will be 7" at the back of the pipe  to 7.5" at the left. The wall is to the left and the 2 black dashes on the top/bottom are the 12" marks.

I hate to say it, but there's really no alternative to excavating this and rerouting the drain line. The reason offset flanges are so limited is that they are MUCH more prone to clogging. I've heard they're not even allowed by code in some areas for that reason.

  I don't trust Shark-bite below ground or on old possibly out of round pipes

Shark-bites are fine below grade. If your copper pipes are really so bad off that you can't shark-bite them, you've got larger issues.


Can I use a junction box where a sub-panel feeder will exit my house? I am planning to build a small pole barn about 150 - 200 feet from the front corner of my house.  The problem for getting power to it from the main panel in my house is that it is located on the opposite corner of the house.
I am in the process of finishing my basement and want to run at least a 100 amp line to the front corner of the house that would eventually feed the barn, before I close up the ceiling in the basement.
If I run the proper wire from the main to the front corner thru conduit in the ceiling do I have to have enough wire coiled up to reach the barn or can I put some sort of sub panel or junction box in that corner of the basement that I could eventually attach a wire to and run from there to the barn.
I would like to just have the wire in the house and not a bunch coiled up in the corner waiting to run to the barn.

Even better don't run ANY wire yet.
Just run the conduit now. Add the wire later, once you figure out exactly what you need. Just make sure the conduit is big enough. You'll need 3 wires if you use metal conduit (hot/hot/neutral), 4 wires (hot/hot/neutral/ground) if you use PVC. There is some downsizing permitted for ground and possibly neutral. If you go with 1" EMT then you are OK for 3 x 3 AWG copper for 100A. If you go with 1-1/4" EMT then you could use 3 x 1 AWG aluminum for 100A.
As far the actual junction box question: You can certainly have junction boxes in between sections of conduit, and switch between wire types. You can also have (but probably doesn't make sense here) cable inside without conduit and transition to wires inside conduit for the outside run, or conduit inside with wires and transition to direct-bury for the outside.


Adding outlet in middle-of-run I want to add an outlet in the middle of a run in the garage.  The start of the run has a GFCI outlet with the proper line/load connections.  The 2nd outlet in the run is a regular 20A outlet.   Can I a new 20A outlet after this 2nd 20A outlet but before the 3rd 20A outlet  so that it becomes a 2nd ending point to this circuit?   This allows me to just run one set of romex to the new outlet instead of having to run two.  Thanks.

You can wire an single additional Romex from the 2nd electrical box off to a 4th for outlets. Just make sure that you use the proper gauge wire (should be 12 AWG for 20A circuit).

If the current 2nd outlet is wired in a manner where the incoming wires are attached to the one set of screws and the outgoing run is connected to the other set of screws on the outlet then you will have to do a little juggling around to accomodate the added outgoing run. I would suggest to remove all current connections off that outlet and use good quality wire nuts of the correct size to join all the live wires (blacks), three from the Romex cables plus a 4th pigtail together. Do the same for all the neutrals (whites). The pigtails would connect to the 2nd outlet to connect it to the circuit. Lastly all the safety grounds (bare or greens) need to be wired together, connected to the box and to the green screw of the outlet.


Why does an air-conditioner need maintenance and a fridge does not? Does anyone know why an air-conditioner needs regular maintenance while a fridge doesn't?

A refrigerator is different from a (whole house) A/C in a few ways.

Similar to a window unit A/C it's a "factory built packaged unit" -
it's been assembled and tested under carefully controlled conditions
on an assembly line. In my experience, other than cleaning the
filters, a window A/C does not need "regular service" and like many
refrigerators when it does hit a point of needing service it's not
designed to be easily serviceable, and it is usually non-economical to repair
the refrigeration system when it does fail, eventually.
A refrigerator is normally running several to many times a day, every day, every month, every year.
A whole house A/C is field assembled from components. The joints that are assembled in the field are often mechanical, though they are sometimes brazed, but they are brazed under field conditions which are often not ideal, while a factory-made unit will be brazed under nearly ideal conditions. The lines run long distances exposed to potential damage. There is far more potential for leaks.
Any A/C is usually not running many months of the year, and sometimes this causes problems with components that have sat idle for months when the system starts up again. Corrosion or decay may be more likely.
Most A/C units have parts that sit out in the weather. Most refrigerators do not.

A refrigerator should be cleaned regularly, especially the airflow around the coils, which is maintenance. I assume from your question wording that you are referring to active maintenance of the refrigeration system contents, not cleaning (which is maintenance and does prolong its life.)


Ungrounded GFCI Outlet with 3 pronged connection I have a GFCI outlet on top of my pergola outside that had solid 3-conductor wire ran from there to an outlet on the other side of my patio when my parents built the house.  My Mom wants me to put some decorative exterior lights on top of the pergola, so we bought a strand but they have a 3-prong plug.  Although the GFCI outlet has a ground connection, it is not actually hooked up where it plugs into the wall.  This is because when my Dad ran the cable and he used a very heavy gauge solid core wire.  Unfortunately, when I went to terminate the cable into a 3-prong outlet with screw terminals, the wires were so stiff that I could not get the ground wire connected to the screw terminal (I put one of those stickers on the GFCI outlet indicating it is not grounded).  I've attached a photo for further clarification.

My question is; do I need to connect the ground for the lights to operate safely, or is it good enough that they are connected to a GFCI outlet?

I think I'm going to end up going with Harper and RME's solution with the pigtail.  I can confirm that the outlet DOES WORK without a ground connection, just an FYI.  I'll install the pigtail this weekend maybe when it's not so hot outside....

Pigtail it

Heavier wire for long runs is a good thing.  If it's just a problem of fitment of the wire, solve that with a pigtail.

Get the correct size cable for your circuit (12AWG for a 20A circuit, 12 or 14 AWG for a 15A circuit).  Cut off a 6" length of each wire, attach them to the receptacle (tip, do this sitting at a bench, a real back saver), then simply wire-nut those pigtails onto the wires in the box.  Push it all into the back of the box.  Done.

Why 2 GFCIs though?

If you don't know what you're doing, you should only use the LINE terminals of the GFCI.  But then, you did come over from the Electronics forum.   So here's the skinny.

The LOAD terminals are special. They are not simply another pair of screws like on a common outlet.

When you extend the circuit off the LOAD terminals, that extension is also protected by the GFCI.  Feeding that into another GFCI is basically doing a "Yo, dawg" joke.  it's not dangerous, just pointless.

In fact, the smart electrician will arrange his circuit so the GFCI device is indoors, with all the outdoor receptacles downline and fed off those LOAD terminals.  That way he doesn't have to spring for outdoor-grade GFCIs, and the outdoor wires themselves are also protected.

GFCI breakers are expensive for my old panel, so I have 4 GFCI receptacles right at the panel.  You can plug something in there if you really want to, but their real purpose is that their LOAD terminals go right back into the panel to power other circuits.


How to hook up this kitchen drain? I'm trying to use flexible hose drain pipes that came with the sink. How do I attach this pipe to the wall drain?

Also, Can I attach dishwasher drain to this inlet - I believe its originally designed for overflow pipe, which our sink doesn't have.

Personally, I would not use flex pipe of any kind on a kitchen sink.  I know there is no "code" for that, but from experience it usually ends up bad.
The ridges of the flex pipe create areas that food or anything put down the kitchen drain can sit and rest and fester.  This will cause clogs and smells much quicker.
You also can't get the P or S shape that is often required by codes out of a flex tube which is designed to prevent sewer gases from coming back up into your kitchen sink (in part).
Also, the flex tube is typically not as strong as a schedule 40 or sometimes even a schedule 20 pipe and may be more prone to bursting.  This is also true for flex pipe depending on the location of the sink in the house (how close it is to an outside wall) and the location of your house in general (north where it gets cold or in the south where its always warmer).  If its near the outside of the house in a colder climate, water that didn't drain properly (which is a constant in flex pipes like that), will freeze and expand and possibly cause the pipe to burst, or atleast weaken and stretch the flex pipe over time.

In general I would not use this flex pipe long term, I know that is not answer you are looking for, but I would only use it as a temporary thing.  Look at getting some schedule 40 pipe for the long term.

As far as fitting that end of the flex hose into the wall drain....that opening is a regular PVC pipe it looks like from the picture.  What I would recomdend doing is getting 2 PVC pieces.  First is a PVC bushing (sometimes listed as just an adapter or reducer depending on size of pipes) with a female thread inside.  This you can find at just about any big box store.  Here is a link to Lowes (first in google search results).  Second is a PVC Adapter that will screw into the bushing/adapter/reducer.  This second one will have ridges on it, and you should be able to push the flex hose on to it and then THIRD use a standard pipe clamp ring to hold it into place.  You might want to glue the FIRST piece to the drain in the wall if this is a fairly permanant setup (less than a year I would say), otherwise don't glue it if you plan to redo it soon.
All together it should only run you about $10 depending on sizes and such.  I wish I could give you more specifics but we would need to know the size of everything.

Regarding the inlet for the drain for the dishwasher.  A plumbing supply store might have the adapter you need.  I would look locally for a plumbing supply store and they will say "oh yeah, its this thing" or "no, you need 5 fittings to go together".  The big box stores won't have something exact, but between a few bushings, adapters and fittings you should be able to make something work.  Again, I don't know the exact sizes of those, so I can't give you exact help with that.  Going to the big box store and having a few fittings to get what you want I would say is the last resort, but if so, bring it in and there is usually an associate that likes the challenge.


Replacing wall sconce (that has on/off swtich) with ones that do not. Need options for control I have several very old wall sconces that have their own individual on/off toggle switches that I would like to switch out.  Unfortunately there is no wall switch that will allow for control of these.  I have found some wireless receiver controllers that might work - X10, EnOcean.  I wanted to see what people's opinions were/prior experiences with these devices.  I'm also open to any suggestions short of rewiring everything.  That will be done but we're not ready for a major remodel.  Thank you for your help.
Elmo

You have options, they actually make smart light bulbs you can power on and off with an app, but beyond that you can always find a wall scone made of aluminum and drill out a canopy switch, connect it to the positive on the fixture and problem solved. More invasive would be snaking a 14/2 to a future switch box location, install both black and white to the switch (mark the white wire with black tape to prevent  accidents in the future. Then you need to connect the feed wire (the positive wire that carrys the power to the light) to one side of the new wire, and the positive going to the light fixture to the other side of the new wire. Hope this helps


Is it possible to use a drill press as a milling machine with the proper bit? Assuming one has the proper bit - is there a good reason not to mill material (aluminum say) on a drill press by moving the material around?  Seemingly they do more or less the same (rotary motion)

The thing that a traditional milling machine does well is handle sideways loads. Your drill press is designed for up/down loads.

Assuming you get the bit speed right, the downside to your plan is premature wear of the bearings on the drill press.

Now, if you can use it to only cut down into the stock, then you should do okay (though slow). (Assuming adequate safety/clamping of stock/etc.)


How do I make skirting boards removable? I have been thinking about how to make a room easy to repaint, if I could remove the skirting boards with ease, then paint them away from the carpet and paint the walls without having to mask the skirting boards it would save a lot of effort.

However how do I make skirting boards removable without them looking “cheap” and how do I hide any imperfections in the flatness of the wall without corking between the
skirting boards and wall.

(PS, most walls here are built with brick with a plaster finish)

You could do the following:

Cut skirting board to size
Attached it to the wall with glue-on hook and loop tape (often called by the brand name Velcro®)
Cut and place a thinner quarter round or ogee molding along the top edge of the skirting, conforming it to the curves in the wall
Attach top molding with glue and brads, only to the skirting, being carefull not to get any glue on walls (masking tape or waxed paper can be used)
After glue dries, remove skirting/moulding unit
Paint skirting/moulding unit
Reinstall.


Putting 4 wires to each breaker input & Torques required Update. To those who insert 2 wire to each terminal or 4 wires to the breakers, and just increase the torque to compensate for it. What torques did you use (did you increase it?). My 10-50 in-lbs torque screwdriver (with certification) finally arrived.

If there are two wires inserted in one breaker terminal. What must be the torque for say two AWG 10 wires? Must it be 20 in-lbs or 25 in-lbs (based on the following breaker in the picture). What do you think?

Getting the desired torque is very important to be sure the two wires and terminal lugs should have conduction at least equal to the wire original area.

original message:

Given a 30A breaker and AWG 10 wires. What is the problem if you insert 2 pcs of AWG 10 to each terminal (hence 4 wires for each breaker)? I'm not asking about current and protection by breaker or capacity as I have taken all these into account already, But I'm  just asking what is technically wrong with inserting 2 wires in each terminal (when the breaker doesn't have any listing about it). Remember as long as the terminal is screwed tight, there would be full electrical contacts between them and no arcing, heating, right? What can possibly go wrong?

There are breakers made with a lug that can accommodate two wires, but most breaker lugs  will only take one wire.  You may get away with stacking two wires - it may not fail or burn up - but sometimes it does.  It's not a reliable way to make a solid connection.

You can easily pigtail the two wires - splice them to a third short wire of the same gauge - the pigtail - and terminate the other end of the pigtail on the breaker lug.  So it's pointless to take a chance doubling up.


How should I nail blocking? I am struggling to efficiently add blocking to 16" stud bays when I can't end nail through the other side of the stud. I have a full-size nailer, a palm nailer, and a hammer or two--but not a lot of experience with any of these. What are your tricks?

Since you have a palm nailer, use that. However, I think it is worth mentioning that in lieu of a palm nailer, an electric screw driver, (which is more commonly owned by DIY folks than a nail gun), is easier to use in this situation than a regular hammer and nails.
Oh, and the way to nail them in is to stagger the blocks.

Edit: Please excuse me; for some reason, I thought you were having space issues (I misread). As everyone else said, use the regular nail gun.


How do I fill the holes in concrete to reattach a curtain rod? I am very, very new to this DIY thing, so be gentle.
A bedroom curtain rod popped out of this concrete wall with a surface material which I don't recognize.  The rod holds fairly heavy blackout curtains.
The rod is fine, the wall is not. At the very least I would like to fill/patch these holes. There isn't much room so ideally I would also like to reuse the area to drill in and reinstall the rod with new anchors and screws.  I have a hammer drill, anchors, and screws.
Finally, optionally, I'd like to fix that edge but I have no idea what that material is on the surface.
The photo is of the right side, the left looks the same.  Happy to provide any additional details.
Thank you all so much in advance.

You might have to use one of these drop-in anchors with an embed sucket. Enlarge the existing hole, if it is smaller than the sucket, and install the sucket with recommended adhesive. If the existing hole is larger than the sucket, clean the hole and fill it with mortar paste and the sucket. Do not install the curtain rod holder until the adhesive/mortar has fully cured. https://www.globalindustrial.com/c/fasteners/Anchors

For the edge, I'll just paint it over.


Adding 60 to 80 amp subpanel with #4 Aluminum SER service entrance wire from 150 amp main panel I have a 150 amp 120/240 and a three phase panel that are connected by 4 wires. two of the 120/240 is shared between two separate meters/panels. The 3 phase panel is also connected to an extra wire that I believe is High leg delta.

A neutral/ground bare wire enters the 120/240 meter/panel. In resume total of 4 wires come from the pole, two insulated black and one bare goes to 150 amp single phase. The same two black are also shared with the 3 phase plus another wire that I believe is a high leg delta. I want to wire a 60 amp subpanel in an attached guest house of 500 square feet, about 70 feet from these panels by feeding a 60, 70 or 80 amp breaker.

Does it make a difference in which panel I should install the feeder breaker?  The guest house is wired for 24" electric stove.   An electric Ac already is connected to the main 150 amp panel.  The main house has a 24" electric stove and electric dryer. The wire that brings service to the guest house is #4 ALU SER service entrance.

The answer depends on the details of what loads are already connected to your 150A panel. You didn't say if this was a residence or other. Certainly a second 3-phase service would be highly unusual in a residence.

However, assuming that the sum of the existing loads on the 150A panel don't preclude adding the additional load of the guest house, then the 4AWG aluminum conductors would admit a maximum 60A feed (Unless you can find a 70A breaker… I've never seen one). Not 80A.

As to which panel to connect… if there are existing circuits in the guest house, I would be leery of connecting the SER to a different panel than these circuits… mixing circuits from two different services in the same dwelling is increasing the chance for disastrous errors in the future.

And unless you're really experienced, knowledgable, and qualified about electric power distribution, I would advise that you not touch the 3-phase stuff. There are numerous non-obvious pitfalls in that for the untrained person.


Will the light fixture be able to replace my current light fixture? So, just to be sure I thought I would ask before I go and really screw something up. I have these light fixtures that I want to replace.

The original light fixture support two light bulbs, each socket rating maxes out at 60W and it appears to have two separate wirings going to each socket. (see attached picture)

The fixture I want to replace it with has two light bulb sockets, but appears to only have one set of wiring.

My question is: is it safe to put two 60W lightbulbs on only one set of this wiring? And if it is, how do I ensure the second (live wire) that won't be used is safe from causing any problems?

If there are any more details needed to answer this question, please ask!

Should be fine.

The old fixture has 2 hots, one going to each lamp socket.  They both go to the same place - a single "hot" supply wire.  That's where your new fixture's "hot" goes.

You'll probably see something similar with the neutrals.  You might see 2 neutrals coming in from the ceiling and joining the 2 from the old lamp.  If so, join those two and the one from the lamp.

The wires look ample for what the lamp is listed for -- 60 watt incandescents.  The reason for the restrictions is fire from the heat of those bulbs overheating the fixture.  So any bulb which consumes more than 60 actual watts is improper.  As far as CFLs, the fixture won't overheat from a hypothetical 60-watt-actual CFL (which would be bright), but I think they are trying to tell you the "bulb" would fail prematurely because the fixture is too confined for it too cool properly. (among other things CFLs are designed to run base-down not sideways).  And this is a guess by the fixture manufacturer.

Since the year is 2017, I assume you'd use LEDs. They don't cool as well as CFLs, but have better heat sinks and much better efficiency in lumens per watt. You can also get directional LEDs which only light one "side" of the "bulb", so in a fixture like this you're not wasting energy lighting the top of the fixture.  So there's no problem getting plenty of light - for instance two 13W's directionals would be 3000 lumens of well-aimed light, that's as much as two 48" fluorescent tubes (rather quite a lot, and probably more than you want).

You were wise to take a "before" picture.  Many people fail to do this and wind up lost.


How to fix running toilet if pushing down on the fill valve is the only way to stop it? My toilet runs without stopping.  As I say in the title, the only way to hear it stop is if I push down on the fill valve directly from the top.  This is not something where it fills then stops and then after a while fills again, rather it is consistently running to a small degree.
I was guessing it might be the shank washer on the fill valve.  Is this a possibility, or what things could go wrong if the above temporary remedy is the only way to make the toilet stay quiet?

It is probably a bad "o" ring on the plunger or a bad seat seal on the valve base. You should  be able to get replacement parts at your home store but I've found replacing the entire fill valve to be a quicker and more complete fix to the problem.


How to cut thin strips of Hardiebacker I started with Hardiebacker for the first time today for the wall of a shower, and was greatly impressed by the ease of the score-and-snap method for getting the large pieces I need.  However, I also require some thin strips of Hardibacker for a few places (e.g., 3.5 inches wide for the entrance on either side of the curb; 1.5 inches wide in a corner). In those cases there isn't a lot of board to provide much leverage to snap, so how can I make such thin strips reliably?

After scoring, place the sheet on the floor as usual, then cover the thin strip with a stiff board or straight stud as long as the score line. Align one edge of the board with the score. Kneel, or have someone stand, on the board. Pull up on the larger piece.

In other words, score and snap as usual, but trap the thin piece between your work surface and a stiff strong board.


What NEC requirements apply to installing receptacle next to a tree? I will install a receptacle next to a tree. I know it must be protected by a GFCI and weatherproof. But my concern is about how to support it and how high it should be from the ground.

Where in the NEC is the information about these requirements?

The most important code sections to be aware of when installing outdoor receptacles, are 314.15, 314.23, and 406.8(B)(1).
First off, the box should keep water out.

National Electrical Code 2008
ARTICLE 314 Outlet, Device, Pull, and Junction Boxes; Conduit Bodies; Fittings; and Handhole Enclosures
314.15 Damp or Wet Locations. In damp or wet locations, boxes, conduit bodies, and fittings shall be placed or equipped so as to
prevent moisture from entering or accumulating within the box, conduit
body, or fitting. Boxes, conduit bodies, and fittings installed in wet
locations shall be listed for use in wet locations.

Secondly, the cover should also keep water out even when things are connected.

ARTICLE 406 Receptacles, Cord Connectors, and Attachment Plugs (Caps)
406.8 Receptacles in Damp or Wet Locations.
(B) Wet Locations.
(1) 15- and 20-Ampere Receptacles in a Wet Location. 15- and 20-ampere, 125- and 250-volt receptacles installed in a wet location
shall have an enclosure that is weatherproof whether or not the
attachment plug cap is inserted. All 15- and 20-ampere, 125- and
250-volt nonlocking receptacles shall be listed weather-resistant
type.

Lastly, you'll want to make sure the thing isn't laying in the mud. Depending on the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), you might get away with attaching the box directly to the tree, or supporting it with the conduit used to supply it. The proper way to do it, however, would be according to 314.23 (B). Use a stake.

314.23 Supports.
(B) Structural Mounting. An enclosure supported from a structural member of a building or from grade shall be rigidly supported either
directly or by using a metal, polymeric,  or wood brace.
(2) Braces. Metal braces shall be protected against corrosion and formed from metal that is not less than 0.51 mm (0.020 in.) thick
uncoated. Wood braces shall have a cross section not less than nominal
25 mm × 50 mm (1 in. × 2 in.). Wood braces in wet locations shall be
treated for the  conditions. Polymeric braces shall be identified as
being suitable for the use.

Common sense says you should install the box up out of puddles, and if you get snow in your area above the normal snow level.  There are no code sections that deal with the height above grade, so use your best judgement. And never forget the most important code section of all...

110.12 Mechanical Execution of Work. Electrical equipment shall be installed in a neat and workmanlike manner.


Water pressure drops in well water home, stops completely for 5-10 minutes, then comes back full pressure I have read through other similar posts and it doesn't quite match my problem, so bear with me lol.

We had a massive leak under the house and our landlord called a plumber out to fix it.  He turned off the main, fixed the leak (we have old copper pipes that poop out constantly), and the guy forgot to do something before leaving because he left us with no water for 24 hours.  He came back out and said he forgot to turn a valve somewhere. This was about 2 or 3 weeks ago.  Ever since then, whenever we run showers or the sink, we almost always lose water pressure, usually completely until there is no water running. It takes about 5 to 10 minutes for what I'm guessing is the pump to come on or cycle because the lights dim for a split second and then the water comes back to full pressure within a few  seconds.  It has gotten to the point where we prestart our showers to let it lose pressure, stop, then come back before we actually take the shower.

The other posts similar to mine all suggested that the pump was failing, or the pressure bladder.  Our pump was just replaced last year, and considering this guy was sort of well...incompetent, I'm kinda guessing that the pump or bladder isn't failing. I would like to try to fix this problem ourselves if possible because our landlord is a nice lady, but going through a lot of problems and we would like to spare her the stress of yet another problem in this house. What are some simple things we as non-plumbers can check or try that this idiot plumber might have screwed up or left undone when he fixed the leaks under the house?

Check the water pressure & air pressure of your system when the water almost stops flowing as you've described (i.e. before the pump engages).  You may have a small hole in your bladder.  The other possibilities are:

The valve that your incompetent service person opened is not opened completely.  That would cause the incoming water to not keep up with the outgoing (shower) water & therefore need some time to recover before it will give you proper water flow. Ensure the water valve is open properly.
Your pressure switch isn't working as designed.  It may not switch on at the proper pressure level.  If it is adjustable, try to adjust it to the proper turn-on pressure.  If it isn't adjustable, then replace it or have it replaced.
You may have an electrical wire/connector that is intermittently working.


Adjustment of Door closer screws for holding door in fully open position Door closer in attached/linked photo controls both opening and closing of door but
My door closer is not allowing/holding(stand still) the door in fully open position since last week(it was actually working fine before that and it holded door in fully open position)

I want that my door remains in fully open position unless i close the door when i go inside

Which of the screws shown in photo i need to tune and how

I've installed that brand/model of door closer before, and it doesn't have a hold open function as far as I know.

You'll want a floor stop, or get a different door closer that has a hold open function.


How can I cool down a hot garage? My North Carolina garage is extremely hot, does not have a window and a room over top. In 5 years I have lost three freezers, there is no other place to put the freezer.  I have tried to find a fan w ith a damper and a thermostat that could be mounted thru the wall but no luck. What can I do?

What about an attic vent fan such as this one?

It has a thermostatic control.

Separate shutters are also available such as these.  They open based on the air pressure generated by the fan.

You would need to create "in" vents, preferably placed low on several walls to allow full air flow. These could be either fixed or shuttered, depending on whether you are concerned about infiltration of air in colder weather.


What kind of sand should I use for a sandbox? What type of Sand is normally used for Sandboxes? I've heard some people love Masonry sand because it clean of small pebbles. Other like Concrete sand because it packs well.

Industrial sand often contains fine silica dust and really shouldn't be used for sandboxes, as that dust can be inhaled, which isn't good for you.

Dust-free sand (Such as Sakrete play sand) or non-silica sand (Such as Sandtastik) would be your best choice.


Boiler Temperature in oil system Our complex winter-summer boiler control unit for an oil-fired forced water heating system frequently calls for a temperature that the boiler never achieves on a cold day. The burner will turn off even though the temperature in the boiler is 20 degrees colder than the target that the controller shows on its display.

Is something broken?

Is something broken?

Almost certainly.

I used to have an oil-fired forced-water heating system and the water exiting
the boiler would be at 60C regardless of the room thermostat setting (e.g. 20C). The sort of system I used had a fixed boiler temperature. The room temperature is achieved by cycling the boiler on and off, not by continuous adjustment of the boiler output temperature.

This had a relatively simple control system, nevertheless, there's no reason for a boiler to be producing tepid water.

Some boilers have diagnostic lights and the manuals sometimes contain troubleshooting sections.


What might be causing leaks in my roof and ceiling? We had a new roof put onto our kitchen extension because water marks were appearing on the ceiling.  For a year, this seemed to stop any further water coming through.  in the past week or so more water has been coming through and has actually caused rips in the paper covering the ceiling and also you can see a grid of where the water seems to be running down the joists - quite extensive and worrying especially with more rain to come.

We are trying to get hold of the roof people as it is under guarantee, but I think we need to address the potential problems being caused with wet joists as this seems to be getting worse each day with more wet patches and more worryingly is now going underneath one of the upstairs bedrooms.

Does anyone know what I should have looked at in the first instance?  I don't think the roofers do internal stuff so may not be much help.  I feel I will need to call someone else out and quickly as I don't want some serious damage to occur - I've not had to deal with this kind of issue before.

Thanks

In the end, the roofing company had ceased to exist which was why it was difficult to get hold of them.

I got a reputable building company to sort out the cracks in the walls and weatherproof the render - they did an amazing job and they even found a fault in the way the new roof was fitted... and fixed it for free.  The fault was that the new roof was just a new covering (although well fitted and looked good to the untrained eye), but it required some lead flashing (like a skirt) to force water run-off from the walls to run onto the roof and towards the drain/drainpipe.  Without the flashing the water was allowed to run between the roof covering and the wall itself, hence leaking underneath in particularly wet weather.  The issue never returned.


Sewer gas smell in replumbed old house We bought a 1920 house about a year and a half ago and occasionally we can smell a sewer gas odor and I’ve been trying to figure out what the cause is. Whenever we smell it, it’s coming from either the second floor bathroom or the kitchen below it on the first floor. Sometimes it smells bad in the dish washer when I open it up right after running it.

The house was replumbed by the previous owner. It has those red and blue plastic pipes. The sewer pipes (at least in the basement) appear new as well.

Last night, I figured out something new which may be related: when the tub in the second floor bath is stopped, the toilet does not flush well. We had started smelling the odor last night in the bathroom when the toilet wasn’t flushing. My wife took a shower and realized the tub wasn’t draining well and we figured out that the stopper was engaged. After disengaging the stopper, the toilet would flush fine.

I have been looking for a pattern that can explain every time we smell the odor, but nothing seems to fit. Running water to fill traps doesn’t seem to fix anything. I have a couple theories:

The vents are not done correctly
There’s a siphoning issue
There’s a crack in a vent
Toilet seal is breeched (toilet is slightly wobbly)

Do any of these make sense?

Other notes: the previous owners added 2 bathrooms: one on the first floor and one in the basement that has a pump in the floor to pump waste water up into the sewer line. I don’t know if this is relevant. The kitchen was expanded and the kitchen sink moved. There’s a vent under the sink. I can’t figure out where the vent for the second floor bathroom is. It’s definitely not through the roof and the only think I see outside on the exterior wall is the air vent for the ceiling thing.

Does anyone have an idea what could be going on here? What could be causing the sewer gas smell? And why doesn’t the toilet flush well when the tub is stopped? Is that a telling sign of what the issue is?

It turned out to be that there was no wax seal on the toilet. I hired a plumber who noticed that the toilet was wobbly and believed that a bad seal was the problem. It’s been a few weeks since he installed a new seal and we have not noticed the sewer gas smell once, so I think that was it!

There were other clues. The previous owner had caulked the hell out of the bottom of the toilet. The floor has a slight slant to it. After pulling up the toilet, the plumber noted that they’d sort of tried to level it with some sort of cement like substance. He tightened the toilet down well, but since the floor has a bit of a slant there, it may loosen over time and that wobbling would degrade the wax seal and it will eventually all flush away. He expects it will need resealed every year or two. (We plan on redoing the bathroom, including pulling up the floor and sistering the joists so we can put down tile, so that should more permanently solve the problem.)

The plumber also noted that with the oversized tub catch, he didn’t think it would siphon even if there was not a vent.

He explained that we smelled it in the kitchen (below the bathroom) because the sewer gas could freely go under the floor and down the wall and get into the living space below. (It’s an old house and thus pretty leaky and poorly insulated.)

He believed that the smell in the dishwasher was a separate issue. He said it was due to backwash from the disposal under the sink. He pointed out some discoloration in the tube that runs waste water from the dishwasher into the disposal. There wasn’t much, but it shows it has happened a bit. He also said that food remnant in the sewer pipes amplify the sewer gas smell. We may notice a smell in the dishwasher from time to time because of this backwash. We haven’t smelled that in quite some time. We don’t use the disposal much because we compost.

There is a vent on the toilet drain, BTW. I overlooked it before.

Side note: I learned what a loop vent is. He pointed it out in the basement. Pretty cool.

Edit: I forgot to mention that that one vent on the roof (which I’d overlooked because it was on the “side roof” [think pyramid] and was gray plastic that blended in with the sky) is the one vent for the entire house. Anything draining anywhere in the house can push the sewer gas (which is heavier than air - as noted in the other answer) up, which is why it was hard to determine a pattern. But also, that opening was there all the time and he said we should have a fairly constant smell. After I mentioned that to my wife, she claimed that she could faintly smell something all the time (which was news to me). I had not suspected a toilet seal breech simply because there was no water damage or noticeable leaks. The plumber explained that you wouldn’t necessarily see leaks when there’s no seal. The waste water only passes through for a few seconds. The plumber was good. He explained everything well. Seemed very astute. It was Povio Plumbing in central Jersey. I recommend them if you live in the area. Oh and he also said that if there was a crack in the drain, you would see this red rust-looking substance on the outside of the drain in the basement because of the type of metal the drain was and there was no evidence of that. And he said that it would definitely be there because the water swirls down the drain and coats all sides.


circuit breaker that trips when there is a loss of power Is there such an animal that would trip a circuit breaker when there is a loss of input power?  Similarly with the relay system which energized to close the main contact to apply main/grid power to the service panel, but when there is a loss of grid power = loss power to the relay which disengage the main contacts which isolate the grid to the service panel.  I am wondering as to is there such a compact plug and play device to do just that.  Many thanks in advance and hope to hear your great insights...

A magnetic starter switch or magnetic contactor can do what you want.  Most are designed for fairly heavy loads (8A and up), and they are not consumer-style plug-in devices but rather bulky boxes intended for permanently wiring.  There are circuit breakers with this feature that you can mount in a panel (hopefully you have a panel type that one of these can fit).  The on/off buttons are provided on the breaker itself and/or via a separate switch connected with its own wiring and mounted near the load (usually a machine of some sort).

The Fuji SC-03 is one example of such a circuit breaker:
 https://www.fujielectric.com/products/mc/mc_ms_tr_sc_neos.html


Protecting a PVC downspout under a driveway? I need to run a 3" PVC downspout to the street. The issue is that the only place I have to run it is down my gravel driveway. At the house, the downspout is at least 12in below the surface of the ground. From what I understand, if using schedule 40 pipe that would be deep enough to protect it.

The issue is that the driveway slopes down and by the time the pipe would reach the concrete sidewalk it would be only 3 to 4 inches underground. Even with schedule 40 pipe, I believe that would get crushed by a car.

With a schedule 40 pipe 3 to 4 inches underground how should it be protected against being crushed by a car?

I'd be surprised if the pipe was crushed by a typical car. Very heavy pickups or SUVs, maybe. PVC is surprisingly tough.

However, you could scrape away the gravel to the level of the pipe to a width of 8-10 inches and lay some treated two-by lumber or steel plate over the pipe, resting on the adjacent gravel. You could drive some large pole barn nails through the edges of the lumber (after drilling appropriately-sized holes) to keep it in position if your gravel tends to be loose. Cover again with gravel and be happy.


What are these holes in my concrete wall and how can I mount things to them? I have several 2.3" holes in my concrete walls.  I think they were likely used as part of the construction or assembly process.  They're maybe an inch to an inch and a half deep, and they look like this:

I'd like to use them to non-destructively mount things to my wall (such as a VESA monitor, let's say).  My idea is to put an anchor in them that can brace against the sides of the hole, then mount a rail to it that I can mount my monitor on.

The question is, what kind of anchor can I put in the hole that can non-destructively form a sturdy mount for a rail of some sort to mount a monitor?

Using these holes for a mount is feasible if you can use two or more of the holes for one rail.

One method is to make round wooden plugs that just fit into the holes. Make it so it can go in as deep as possible whilest not sticking out beyond the surface of the wall.

Next you cut the plug in half as shown below. Place the two halves of the plug into the hole and then pound in some wedges to make the plug fit into the hole as tight as possible. Be careful to use a wedge that does not have too much angle to it so that you can get expansion of the plug as far down in as possible.

After the thing is wedged in place cut off the excess length of the wedge. The plug can now be used as a screw point to mount a flat plank across the wall. It would be to this plank that you mount any additional harware for the monitor mount.


Has anyone ever mixed fiberglas strands into drywall mud? Has anyone mixed 3/8" loose fiberglass strands into drywall mud. I restore boats for a living and we commonly mix these fiberglass strands into the resin to produce a workable paste.  This can then be worked with a putty knife. These fiberglass strands are commonly called "chop" and are the same fiberglass which is being put into concrete.  I see no reason why they would not reinforce drywall mud also. I am doing some test pieces with 1/2" drywall to determine if this is a good idea or if I am out is left field. Please comment.

In a marine fiberglass-in-resin situation, the resin's surface tension pulls the fibers into the mass, with few protruding fibers. Plus, since the resin is of similar strength to the glass, sanding will remove both fiber and resin at the same rate, leaving a relatively smooth finish.

With strands in drywall mud, however, the mud is likely to leave strands protruding. Plus, if you try and sand it smooth, you'll find that the mud is much weaker than the glass fibers, and you'll inevitably remove more mud than fiber, leaving a "hairy" finish.

People use fiberglass tape or mesh to reinforce the mud, but that only works if, when you're finishing, you only remove some of the mud but never get down to the fiberglass.


Do I need a ground rod in addition to a pipe? Subpanel in separate structure The scenario: detached garage with a subpanel supplied by a 30a 240v feeder from the house, with two hots, neutral, and EGC.  There is also an Ethernet cable from the house to the garage, carrying a phone line, but technically this could be  "another metallic path" between the buildings.
The neutrals and EGC are not bonded at the subpanel.  EGC at the subpanel is connected to a 1" iron pipe, which goes into the ground and runs horizontally about 30 feet, 18" deep, terminating underground at nothing. (No idea what it was for.)
The questions: do I need a ground rod at the garage, in addition to this pipe?  Or is the pipe + EGC from the house sufficient? If I do need a rod, does it need to be 6+ feet away from the pipe?

The NEC requires "grounding electrode(s)", a ground rod is one acceptable electrode. All electrodes that are present are required to be bonded to the service.
To qualify as a service electrode NEC 250.52(A)(5) allows pipe or conduit 8' long, 3/4" min diameter, with a corrosive resistant coating to be used as an electrode.  250.53 requires it be driven to a depth of 8' unless hitting rock bottom, then it can be driven at a 45 degree angle or buried in a trench a minimum 30" deep. Your pipe horizontally buried 18" deep in a trench for convenience it is quite likely to be rejected by the local AHJ. 250.53 also specifies plate, pipe, and rod spacing to be at least 6'.
The connector to the pipe must be NRTL (UL,CSA,MET) Listed for the purpose.
There is also some disagreement about how many electrodes you need, using only a plate, rod, or pipe electrode at a service requires a supplemental electrode. Some jurisdictions allow a single plate, rod, or pipe electrode at an accessory building. I think the argument for the code allowing that is weak, although the logic of a 4th rod electrode could be understandably be argued redundant.


To identify model of Liftmaster garage door opener At my new house there's already a Liftmaster garage door opener working but even taking a closer look at its body, I don't know what model it is. Is there a way to tell?

Some pictures of the body if these help (I Googled Part No but haven't found anything specific):

(Reason I need to know the model is because I'm trying to linking a wireless opener (GD00Z-4), which claims to be compatible with most of the garage door openers out there, but I'm having an issue while installing it so want to confirm.)

Like many "brands" of opener, it's really a Chamberlain, and has a Chamberlain part number there on the label.


How should I remove carpet in preparation for sanding and polishing floorboards? I have a bedroom I want to convert into a nursery.  The room's mostly carpeted, with a small section missing where a wardrobe was built in.  From what I can see, it's just carpet over floorboards, no glue.  I'm guessing there are tack strips on the perimeter.  Before we bought the house, the house inspector said the floorboards were in perfect condition.

I want to have polished floorboards in the room, due to allergen issues.

I have next to no renovation experience, but I'm keen to start doing things myself.  Is there anything in particular I should be watching out for?

I'll leave the sanding/polishing for a separate question.

Pull up the edges around the perimeter, roll up the carpet and dispose. If working yourself, cut the carpet into manageable sections you can carry.  There might be padding under the carpet but its probably not tacked down.  Cut and roll it up too.

Use a small pry bar to pull up the tack strips and make sure to remove or hammer down any nails that are not sitting flush with the floor.  If there are stubborn nails, place a small scrap of wood under the pry bar so that you don't damage the floor.


How can I measure the voltage of 40A transformer? I need to power 10 meters of 5V LED strip, for which I bought a 40A transformer on AliExpress.

Now, as much as I believe that cheap stuff bought from China can be okay quality, I'd like to make sure I'm sending the right amount of volts in the strip. There is a little screw on the transformer (on the very right) to adjust the voltage but there are no numbers or anything.

My question is, is there a way to measure voltage coming out of the transformer before I plug it in? All multimeters I've seen have maximum limit of 200mA or 10A.

Does this limit apply to measuring voltage as well?

Do you have any other ideas how to make sure I won't burn all my LEDs when I plug them in?

You're not measuring the amperage, you are measuring the voltage.

Set it to measure DC Volts on the 20 scale, read. The maximum voltage for the meter is printed right on it, 600.

The device you have is not a transformer, it is a DC power supply.

When you connect your lights, measure the voltage again with the lights connected. Don't try to measure the current with this meter.


Why do garbage disposal companies suggest using cold water with their products? Why do garbage disposal companies suggest using cold water with their products?

Assuming that food waste disposers will include more grease going down the drain due to the variety of items being disposed, I've been told that cold water helps coagulate grease into chunks that wash down the drain. Somehow this helps reduce grease buildup in the trap. I would suspect that cold+liquid grease at the disposal gets broken up without gumming up the works, but warm liquid grease will coagulate in the cutters/trap as it cools and settles.

According to this GE Disposal User Guide (PDF)

  Do not use hot water while running the disposer. Cold water will keep food waste and fats solid so they can be flushed down the drain.


Bathroom vent installation What kind of contractor do I call to have a bathroom vent installed? I also need a vent put in above my stove. Thanks

Not many contractors I know would touch such a small project. I think you're looking for a handyman. E.g., I live in Chicago and there's a business called HandiCo. They'll do anything you want, after you pay them over a hundred dollars to show up, and about half of that per hour, until it's done.

You could try handyman.com, a contractor locator service.

I have no affiliation with either of these companies, nor have I used them.


Can an outdoor receptacle be supplied through a GFCI in a bathroom? My parents just bought a house that is still under the original warranty.  There is a standard GFCI outlet in one of the bathrooms with outlets in the other two bathrooms connected to the load side of that GFCI.  So far so good.

On their back porch they have another GFCI outlet.  It is also connected to the load side of the bathroom GFCI.  They found this out when some contractors were working and managed to trip the GFCI in the bathroom with equipment plugged in to the GFCI on the porch.

They know the builder as he just completed other work for them.  I contend that it's wired incorrectly and should be fixed under warranty.  He admits that it seems odd but doesn't want to get it fixed, of course.

They just had other electricians doing work at the house last week who looked at it and said "that's strange, but it's not dangerous".  I'm not saying it's dangerous, just wrong.

I would like the builder to fix it, preferably by putting the outside outlets on a separate circuit.  Thoughts?

This isn't "dangerous", but it can be inconvenient when your outlet goes dead and it's tricky to figure out where the GFCI reset button is.

On the other hand, this could be against your local electrical codes. For example, NEC 210.11(C)(3) states that your bathroom circuit may only power bathroom outlets. Note that there is an exception to this rule: When the circuit supplies one bathroom (i.e. isn't shared between bedrooms), other things (such as fans and lights) in the same bathroom can share the same circuit. Regardless, the mentioned situation is against the NEC code.

As to if the builder should modify this, I can't say. When in doubt, call your local building inspector.


Do I have to remove the existing 6' fence posts to install an 8' metal fence? I would like to replace a 6 foot fence with a 8 foot fence.  The current fence has metal post.  Will I have to dig up the current post or can I weld an extension to the existing post.

In terms of structure, sure.  However it will be ugly, unless you are a very good welder, and take a lot of care dressing it after.

Remember too that most fence pipe is galvanized.  The fumes given off when you heat it are quite poisonous.

It may be a better idea to just buy chunks of pipe with an inside diameter that can slide over the existing post, or alternately, to make extension posts of the same diameter with a stub that will fit inside the existing post.  This latter method would allow you to do any welding in a shop setting (much easier).

Or instead of welding you could use epoxy glue, or hole and bolt to join the pipes.


Switch leg to light/ceiling fan with two 14/2 cables I'm installing a ceiling fan with a light kit and want to control the fan and light separatly from two separate switches in the same two-gang box via a switch leg (power comes in through the fan). It seems that I need 4 wires for this - one hot, two load, and one neutral. Would it be a code violation to use two 14/2 cables to accomplish this task? I could buy 14/2/2, but it's not widely available and is pricey. Am I over thinking this, or is there an easier way to do it?

Many thanks in advance for the help.

Two cables won't fly, most likely

Splitting the wiring here between two 14/2 cables would be a 310.10(H)/300.3(B) violation for having unbalanced currents in each of the cables.  Using a 14/2 and a 14/3 is likely to be a non-option as well, as many fan/light controllers assume a common always-hot for both sides of the control, again bringing unbalanced currents into play.

Smurf (tube) to the rescue, though!

While 14/4 or 14/2/2 will definitely work for this application (check with your local electrical supply house -- they should be able to get you decent pricing on this stuff if big-box is gouging you on it), there is another option as well -- running an ENT ("smurf tube") between the switch box and the fan box.  A 1/2" trade size ENT can fit 11(!) 14AWG THHN wires  alongside a bare 14AWG ground, and also gives you the flexibility to use the rainbow to your advantage, selecting wire colors based on application instead of being bound by the monotone of NM cable.  Furthermore, it makes adding additional wires to that loop later trivial compared to ripping out and replacing a cable, alleviating concerns about having to provision an unused neutral now.

You'll need boxes with 1/2" conduit knockouts though, or to carefully make your own KOs with a KO punch set or KO holesaw (a 1/2" trade size KO is 7/8" in diameter to accommodate a standard conduit connector or cable clamp) if you have cheap plastic boxes without conduit KOs.  Also, stranded THHN is your friend here -- it is far easier to work with than solid wire due to its flexibility.


Ground level deck - how to attach bearers to concrete I'm building a free-standing deck that is at ground level on one side, and the ground slopes away to about 60cm on the other. My question is, what's the best approach for the bearers at the point where it will be at ground level (edit: seems like 'bearer'  is a local term, I mean the horizontal support that the joists go on, which seems to be commonly known as a beam).

I'm planning on making concrete pads, but how should I attach them? None of the hardware for posts, like the metal post supports I've seen are the right dimension for bearers.

If possible, I'd put posts at the ground level side, even if you have to dig out a little.  Even if it's just a few inches below the beam, it's easier for the very reason you mention.  It will keep the beam drier.  If the post ever rots, it's a lot easier to replace the post than the beam.  You may be able to make the posts integral with rail posts, too.


Slotted Brass Screw Types I'm building shelves into an alcove. They're mounted onto wooden battens that I've screwed into place with slotted, domed brass screws to get a 'retro' feel and for decorative appearance. To finish the job I'd like to hold the shelves down by screwing them into the battens and would like to do it with similar domed brass screws. The batten I'm screwing into is only 15mm wide, so I'll have trouble drilling a pilot hole that close to the wall and need the thinnest possible screw of this type (domed brass and slotted) in order to avoid splitting the boards at their edges or the battens. Can anyone advise on the thinnest screw of this type and where I can buy them? I found some places no longer sold this type of screw at all.

A few options, in no particular order:

Drill pilot hole first

Take the batten off the wall, drill pilot hole, replace. Then you can use whatever size screw is necessary.

Use a flexible drill shaft

These plug into an existing drill and let you get into tight places.

Use double-sided tape or adhesive

Not as strong, but depending on the application may be an easy way to accomplish the goal of preventing shelves from coming out

Use an angle bracket

Use a couple small angle brackets to drill into the bottom of the shelf.


reinforcing existing header My house has an existing header, which I believe is somewhat undersized.  For context, it's two-ply 2x10s, 12ft long (but I don't want to get into the sizing calculation here).

I would like to reinforce the header by putting two braces at each end.  These would be pieces of 4x4, about 3ft long, which would be attached at a 45 degree angle at each end of the header, going between the jack studs and the header (attaching to each roughly 2ft from the upper corner).

Questions:

What is the name of a brace like this ?  (I can't seem to google something comparable).
What becomes the effective span of the reinforced header ?   It's gotta be better than the original 12ft, but I doubt it's as good as the 8ft between the two braces.
What's the best way to attach the braces to the jacks and header ?  I'm imagining large lag bolts (perhaps 5/8" x 8"); install them horizontally and vertically, or straight into the bottom face of each brace (so 45 degree angle to the jacks and header) ?   Some other kind of fasteners ?

this is called a knee brace
You mean the span not the bearing width. Assuming the brace to be fully effective, the effective span is less than the span between the knee braces. The reason is too complected to explain in detail here. For design, you could be conservative and just use the distance between the braces
I usually suggest lag screws. The screws will be in shear, not withdrawal, so the length only needs to be long enough to get through the brace and into the main member a few inches

This isn't a very good solution. You'll create bending in your trimmer and king stud that will reduce their design strength. Knee braces generally aren't used to reduce the span, they are for lateral (sideways) strength so that it doesn't fall over. Think about a gazebo

Your best solution is to replace the header with a stronger one. It can be of the same(ish) size and therefore not reducing the opening under it. Good options include glue laminated beam and manufactured lumber such as LSL, LVL and PSL.


What is a proper size air conditioner for Texas 384 sq ft? My cabin is in north Texas (aka Hell’s Furnace) and is 16x24. I have R19 walls, R25 ceiling, and R20 floors. The walls are 2x6 and I have 7/16 OSB sheathing and Tyvek wrap between sheathing and siding. There are two high quality fiberglass doors, and 4 high quality windows, 2@ 36x48, 1@24x36, and 1@12x24. There is one bathroom 6x8 ft where the 12x24 window is. The attic is vented with a ridge vent and vents are in place under the overhangs. Interior walls are 1/2 in drywall. Ceilings are 8 feet.

So having said all that, I am probably going to buy a window unit rather than a portable. From what I hear and research, they’re just better all around.

As far as sizing the unit, the boxes say 10k BTU is appropriate, and a calculator I found said 13k, but that’s seems right for normal places, not the sweltering sauna that is the Lone Star State in the summer. I figured I’d go to 14K. Does this make sense?

Also how is the quality of the big-box window units? Especially the GE models?

I would think that 12 kBTU/h would be fine even in north Texas. One interesting feature of window units is that the chilled condensed water from inside is used to cool the bottom coil of the condenser before the condensate is conducted out to the ground. (At least this was the arrangement in the early 1970s when we had a window unit in north Florida.) Central units just dump the 40 deg F condensate to a drain and so waste the cooling capacity of this chilled water.

If there is a separate bedroom, you might consider a mini-split ductless with one condenser unit supplying two air handlers. This would cost a lot more, and require professional installation, but would almost certainly use less power and cool better. They are advertised as employing "inverter technology"; some of these minisplits have a claimed SEER of 20 to 30 and they are available as heat pumps which would heat the cabin in winter. But personally given the price difference I would first try the window unit.

If you put in a window unit, you could cut a hole in a wall rather than use a window and there are even "window type" units (I think called slide-in) which are designed for this type of installation. Some window units can't be installed in a hole in a wall because the wall is so thick that it would cover the intake vents for the exterior part of the unit.


How can I deal with non square walls when installing a countertop with backsplash? I am converting the huge upstairs master suite in my house into a studio apartment.  I have built a kitchenette in one of the dormers.  Everything is coming along and looks great.  But when the counter was dry fitted into place, we realized the corners of the dormer were not square.  The counter is flush against the window but is 5/8" off the wall at each corner.  I had planned on installing a subway and mosaic tile back splash but don't know how to deal with the gap.  I love the way it has turned out but all the wind has been knocked out of my sails with this problem.

If you are installing a tile backsplash, just sort the issue out on the tile substrate. Depending where you want the tile surface, either overlay backerboard and shim to correct the gaps, or rip out the current wall surface and replace with backerboard, shimmed to correct the gap once the tile is installed (which may mean an even gap before the tile is installed, again depending how you intend for it to look.)

It's a small area, should not be too difficult/lengthy a process.

Counter looks a wee bit high going by the window opening...if that's an egress window you may fail inspection for partially blocking it.


Finding nails and staples all over yard after roof replacement I just had the roof of my house replaced.
The roofers had tarps spread around the house and swept the yard after the work with what looked like a magnet after they finished but I'm finding a lot of nails and staples in our yard and driveway now.
Is this normal, or did I have a sloppy roofer?
.

Unfortunately it is not uncommon for workers to be less than careful or less than thorough in clean up. (nor could i say it is common)
Is it "normal" ?  There is no way to answer that question.
If they were "trying" to do a clean up then it would seem that  there is a company policy in place to do it but maybe it was not executed properly.
Magnet sweeper


How to choose drywall repair technique Drywall fixing techniques - Which to use and when?

I understand that there are several ways to fix drywall holes:

Bigger holes need a piece of drywall replaced and use 2x4 for back support. Use joint tape on the edges and use joint compound to affix it.
For smaller holes, use mesh (tape) and just use joint compound over it.

My question is what size the drywall hole should be, in order to choose one of the above methods? What should be a rule of thumb to decide?

If I use just a mesh tape with joint compound on top on my 4" x 4" hole, how sturdy would be the fix?

I doubt that a 4x4 hole that's fixed with mesh tape would be durable over the long haul (my limit is about an inch), but if it was somewhere that never gets any bumps or touching, then maybe it would be fine. (You're replacing something that's 1/2" thick with something that's much thinner...)

On a practical level, you're apt to have problems with the mesh sagging/bulging. If you're brave enough to try this repair, I'd suggest you use a stiff mix of setting compound both to butter the edges of the hole and to do the first coat. Try and press as much through the mesh as possible. (I know that "stiff mix" and "press through" are somewhat incompatible.) You might also look into the 6" wide rolls of mesh tape. They'd certainly have more structure than 3 strips of normal mesh.