How do I fix the stairs to the garage where the treads look like they are about to fall? I recently bought a house where the staircase running down into the garage has gaps between the treads and the edges.  They look as if they are about to fall.  It would make sense to me that this could happen if the right edge (the edge away from the wall) were loose... but that doesn't appear to be the case.  In the pictures you can see that some of the stairs have a space on the left, one has it on the right.

(click for full size)

How do I go about fixing this?

When you pull apart the two sides of your staircase, either side can come loose. It looks like the left side is tight against the wall, so I'd hammer the right side back in (use a piece of scrap wood so you don't leave a bunch of hammer marks).

I'd then find a way to secure the bottom tread with screws into both sides or secure the right side to the floor by running a tapcon screw through it and into the concrete.


Grounding an industrial pipe fitting lamp, which wire to use? I'm working on creating an industrial lamp using black metal pipe fittings. Since this pipe is all metal it should be properly grounded.

I'm looking around for 16/3 or 18/3 lamp cord, but finding it rather difficult. I understand lamps traditionally haven't been grounded, and it's not necessarily a major concern for most lamps beings they're encapsulated by a non-metallic casing. However, with my lamp being all metal, I'd like to find the appropriate wire.

I came across this wire at home depot, can anyone give me some advice here? Perhaps point me to a 3 conductor wire that could be safely used for my purposes?

Thanks in advance.

You should be able to purchase a three wire cord with a molded three prong grounding plug on one end open wire ends on the opposite end. These are often sold as electrical appliance replacement cords and should be available at most good hardware stores and big box type outlets.

Here is an example of one type of these cords:

Make sure to use proper strain relief on the core end at the lamp to keep stress off the internal electrical connections.

These cords are very similar to if you got a three prong extension cord and cut off one end. You could do this except in many cases any safety agency listing for that extension core becomes non valid once the cord is modified. This may also be a reason to check if the appliance replacement cord that you purchase is marked with a safety agency listing/logo.


How should I wire an exterior light where there's a load bearing post in the way? I'd like to put an exterior light fixture between my two garage doors.   The spot where it "belongs" has a post made of six (!) sistered 2x4s in the wall (presumably supporting the headers for the garage doors) and I'm looking for a way to get a wire from a shallow box (set into the 3/4" wood siding) into the empty space next to the post.   I could drill a hole on an angle, but it would have to penetrate at least two of the 2x4s, and I'm concerned that may compromise their strength too much.

What options do I have (if any) for a light in this spot?

You should be fine if you keep the hole less than 1" dia. In a column like that you will not compromise the strength like drilling through a beam. I did the same thing between my 2-car and 1-car openings when adding a motion sensor.


How do I add a switch/closet light to the existing end line light switch? I have a wall switch to control a bedroom ceiling fixture at the end of its run (2-wire power source). I would like to install an additional switch/closet light connected to the end of the run. I understand that I need 3-way switches and 3-wire cable and that the ceiling fixture needs to be energized for the closet light to function but I am unsure of the wiring configuration for such a setup.

If the wall switch only has 2 wires, it is called a switch loop. The closet light and switch cannot be extended from the current switch. The closet switch and light need a neutral, and that seems to end at the lighting fixture.

If you can run a two wire cable from the fixture to the closet switch and then to the closet fixture, the setup is simple:

Connect the neutral in the new cable to the neutral in the old fixture box. Connect the hot in the new cable to the hot in the fixture box. This is also connected to the hot going to the old switch loop.

In the new switch box, connect the neutral to the neutral in a new cable going to the new closet fixture. Connect the hot to one side of the switch. Connect the hot going to the new closet fixture to the other side of the switch.


How much weight can a 3.5" deck screw hold before pulling out? I have built a climbing wall in my daughter's bedroom room.  There is a portion on the structure that is completely horizontal on the ceiling, it is 36" × 36".  The framing consists of 2x4's.  I fastened them onto the sheetrock with 3.5" decks screws.   The deck screws go into the 1.5" stud through the 0.5" sheetrock and penatrate the ceilng joist 1.5"
I used a 3.5" screw every 4". How much weight can the screws hold before pulling out?

Deck screws are unsuitable for that use. They are light in gauge and usually have a bugle style head. You spaced them very close together so you are 'getting away with it' for now.
Most installations don't have a lot of direct pull out pressure, it's often mostly a shear load. Your installation is almost wholly in the pull out category.
In this situation I'd want a screw with flat bottomed head of a decent gauge (10 or 12 at least) and maybe even a washer to further resist pull out. You can increase the spacing but you'd still want at least 8 big screws. You can use a flat spade bit to drill small sockets or recesses to hide the screw head and washer.
There are various deck building framing screws which would be suitable, choose ones with large heads and thick gauges.


How to tighten threaded pipe in an existing assembly of pipes I have a brass pipe with threaded joints coming into the house from the street that has a leaking joint.  I can't see how it can be tightened without loosening the joint at the other end of the pipe.  Is the only solution to cut the pipe?  And then reattach the two halves with a sweated straight joint?

You either disassemble it from its closest union, or start cutting.

If it leads to a pump, I'd advise installing unions at both ends of it, to facilitate replacements.

Simply tightening this pipe probably isn't the way to go. It's likely deteriorated at the threads and that's why it's leaking. You'll risk snapping it off in the fitting to get it watertight again, unless you take it apart, inspect the threads, and re-dope it.

Also, are you sure that's brass and not galvanized steel? If it is steel, where's your dielectric fitting? (that's why it's leaking). Even if it is brass, it's crappy: look at the color of that 2" nipple below it; that's made out of real brass.

You mentioned sweat fittings. Can this be taken back all the way to the first sweated fitting, so you could do away with as many (threaded) connections as possible?


I want to mix old latex paint with ready concrete mix or cat litter to make pavers. I want to mix latex paint with ready mix concrete or cat litter to make pavers. Trying to find a way of using approx 200 gallons of old paint since I can't dispose it. Also trying to come up with inexpensive pavers.

Honestly this seems like more of a "life hacks".SE question.  There are how-to guides "all over the web" about tinting concrete with latex paint (normal mix, except when adding water, replace 25% of the water with latex paint). While the intent is not yours and they are obviously running out and buying paint for this purpose, the effect is the same.

Despite your eagerness to make the paint go away, I would not increase the ratio further unless you want the concrete to fail.  If you think it's a hassle to dispose of 3000 pounds of paint, try disposing of 50,000 pounds of concrete.

You may want stronger tints.  You can up-tint paint: adding more tints than are already in the can. - more yellow, or if yellow, some green/blue to make it greener.   Don't try to overpower tints with contradictory tints (ones on the other side of the color wheel), as the combination will turn to mud.   You'd need to find a family hardware store small enough not to have "policy" against selling you tints compatible with your system.


Why is all this exterior trim rotting and how do I fix it? We realized there was some rot on the exterior of the house when we bought it two years ago, and I knew obviously I would want to deal with it eventually.

As I've been looking more around the outside of the house, getting ready for new projects (planning on painting the exterior soon) I'm noticing just how much and how bad this rot actually is.

Before I go ripping this wood off the side of the house and trying to replace it, I want to know what the actual cause may have been so I can prevent this from happening to this extent in the future. The house was only built in the early 1990s, so I feel like it's not nearly old enough for this extent of damage to happen naturally, but I really don't know.

I'd also like to point out that all that foam/silicon/paint trying to fix or hide the issue has been there from the outset; I have not touched this at all yet.

Any ideas or suggestions are greatly appreciated, thanks all.

http://imgur.com/gallery/XXtdMXU

The cause is simply nature.  You've got wood that's outside.  It gets wet, the wet stays in the wood, the wood rots.  This happens when wood is left outside in an area where water can get stuck and the wood wasn't properly installed (no caulk) and isn't properly maintained (not regularly painted/caulked).

Much of the rot seems to start near places where wood was penetrated (nails, etc) which would make sense as an initial entry point for water.

The fact that it's on a corner near a downspout is probably a contributing factor.  You should watch this area of the house during heavy rain to see if the gutters/spout are leaking.

To repair - replace the wood, replace it with new wood, seal the seams between wood pieces with paintable exterior caulk.  Properly prime and paint the wood with exterior paint.  Apply new paint regularly as per manufacturer (the paint that is) guidelines.  Also check caulk regularly for potential need to replace.


Breaker does not make solid connection even after replacing it My main box is a 45 year old GE
the bottom 2 THQL1120 20amp breakers both are intermittent.
The breakers have lots of play and don't make solid connections.
Everyone says it's the breakers at fault not the panel.
I changed the breakers with brand new ones and no improvement at all.
So now that i established the fact that it's the panel and NOT the breakers is there anything that can be done with the panel or is total replacement necessary.
Thank you

My panel is a 48-year-old GE Flush Type TX1615F Mod 2.  I have never had a problem with loose contact of breakers. Is it possible that you are not pressing it in all the way?

I have installed a THQL1120GF and a similar 15A, but all my other branch circuits are protected by the thinner (1/2 inch wide) breakers which I think are THQP. If your panel allows these breakers, then try one of these. Two of these would fit in the space of one THQL, right? Their clamp is at a right angle to the clamp for the THQL. If you install only one, put a 1/2 inch spacer next to it.

EDIT
My GE panel accepts both THQP and THQL breakers. The panel and the breakers have a mechanical interface to prevent improper insertion of breakers--these prevent the breaker from snapping in if it's not allowed there. I came up against this when I tried to put a 2-pole compact breaker in a single 1-inch slot instead of astride two slots. A THQL must go into a single slot and presumably also has protection from improper insertion astride two slots. Are you putting these THQLs in a single slot?


What's an easy way to clad timber frame wall so as to be weatherproof? I have recently done a repair to the back wall of my ruin of a garage and it is topped with a 2ft timber frame (5 meters long) which I will clad in plywood and then attempt to weatherproof. No one much sees it as it will be facing the end of a neighbours very long garden. Can I just pin roofing felt down the 2ft height so it drips free of the block wall below? I would like it to last a good while as access is awkward. The prevailing winds tend to blow the rain clear of this wall as its roughly north facing in London.
  What would be the simplest way to weatherproof this wall bearing in mind that I will be up a ladder and working on my own?

paint the plywood before you install it, and afterwards paint the nails.

You can probably paint the nails with a small roller on an extension handle instead of using the ladder.

Consider using fibre-cement (eg Hardieflex) instead of plywood.


Simple software for stress analysis of wooden structures? I'd like to develop an intuition for how the stresses are distributed in a simple wooden structure (in this case, a bunk bed). One option is to spend years building bunk beds, but I'm hoping I can develop some intuition a little faster.

What software could I use to visualize the stresses on and bending of wood in simple geometric structures? I assume I'm looking for some kind of FEA (Finite Element Analysis) system, but it's not clear if any of them are built to do anything this simple.

What software would you recommend for under $100? What if money was no object?

Other than knowing they are out there, the money no object end of the spectrum is not a place I play much, and you can easily exceed $250,000 for software AFAIK.

For practical applications where the right answer is not "hire a structural engineer and let him/her worry about the software" (or become one, if it interests you enough) you need to understand enough of their lingo to use the simplified tables and calculators that are available from various places.

A whole set of calculators from Cornell
A wood beam calculator
Another wood beam calculator

I think all of these (or most) do include a bending term, either as a limit on input, or as an output. Your loads generally need to be self-calculated from (pounds-per-square-foot X square feet supported by beam), though some of the calculators will do that for you. Pay attention to whether you are being given a number with a safety factor built in, or not. Realize that wood is a variable material, and if you use a piece of wood where a flaw is stressed, it may not hold what the calculators suggest based on idealized wood and the assumption that you would have rejected such wood or used it in a manner that would not stress the flaw.

For the specific part of the question where you mention "developing intuition" there is a great deal to be said for building small models (the more accurate the model, the more accurate the intuition gained will be) and stressing them to failure. Grab a couple bags of popsicle sticks and tongue depressors (or both may be labelled as "craft sticks") and make some piles of broken kindling.


How can I cut this semi rigid aluminum duct for my dryer? I want to cut a piece of semi rigid aluminum dryer vent duct - though in doing so I will be cutting one of the ends off that goes either into the dryer or the wall outlet for the hose - the "lip" will be missing on one end - what to do?

If it is simple Type A vent pipe you can just cut the pipe and then use a 4" coupling that has male ends on both sides.  You should use some mastic around the male ends of the union or just simply wrap some aluminum tape around to seal the joint.

Do wear gloves when you're cutting the pipe with tin snips to prevent cuts.


Powerline network adapter upstream of GFCI outlet It's well-known that GFCI outlets can cause issues for powerline networking. However, is this true even if the powerline adapter is plugged in upstream of the GFCI outlet (i.e., on the same circuit, but between the panel and the GFCI outlet)? It seems to me that in this case the GFCI outlet should have no effect, but I can't find any explicit statements to this regard.

I'm planning to put a new circuit in that would be set up like this (panel => outlet for powerline adapter in basement => GFCI outlet for outdoor lights), but I want to make sure I won't regret it later. I can put in two separate circuits if need be, but since they would run in exactly the same location, that seems like a waste.

GFCIs don't care about anything happening on the LINE side.  On the LINE side, GFCI can't influence anything.

The dominant feature of a GFCI is a current transformer.  Hot and neutral are wrapped around a core, in the same direction so their (opposite flow) currents cancel out the magnetic field.  If not, current is leaking somewhere else. Trip!  Of course this is also a toroid/choke.  Signal can't get through that.

Since this is a GFCI's core design, there is no such thing as a signal-friendly GFCI.

Your solution will be fine.  I would push out the junction box to a 2-gang and put the plain receptacle and GFCI right next to each other.  Feed the outlet first, then the GFCI.  Then feed outdoor receptacles from the GFCI's LOAD terminals.  That way the outdoor outlets will be protected, but the GFCI will be indoors where it will last.  GFCI's do very badly outside.


How can I replace a 3 wire thermostat with a 4 wire on baseboard electric heater? The old thermostat had a black, red, and white wire. Black went to black, red to red and white to white in wall.  New thermostat has 2 blacks and 2 reds.  What to I connect the new wires to?

There's not really enough detail to give a solid answer. The answer will depend on the type of thermostat you purchased and what the existing wires are connected to. There's a good chance that you have a switched (red), neutral (white), and hot (black) wire in the wall since baseboard heat often works line voltage. This would be a single pole thermostat with a neutral which I'm not used to seeing (perhaps the old thermostat had any electronics within it). Typically you see 2 or 4 wire thermostats for baseboard heat.

The new thermostat you purchased sounds like a double pole thermostat that supports two hot connections and two switched connections. This would be for a 220v vs 110v baseboard wiring.

You'll need to do some more analysis, the easiest method being to look up the details on wiring your old thermostat and understand what each wire should be. If the white is an unneeded neutral, you'd cap it. And if the black/red you have are hot/switched then those can be wired to one half of the thermostat (only use the black or red wires on the thermostat). Double check the manual on your new thermostat to be sure it supports a single pole baseboard wiring.

If information on the old thermostat isn't available, you can at least verify the hot with a non-contact voltage tester being careful not to electrocute yourself when the breaker is energized for testing. A neutral should have continuity with a known good ground if you have a voltage tester. With the baseboard connected the switched will also show continuity like the neutral. If you somehow reverse the neutral and switched, the breaker will immediately trip when you turn on the thermostat (since you've created a short circuit).

Please don't hesitate to contact an electrician if you can't identify the wiring on the old thermostat and you don't have the equipment to safely test the wiring to verify what each wire does.


Sticky Rocker Light Switch -- Not stuck, just sticky -- fix or replace? My bathroom's light switch gets stuck in the on position very easily. I.e. I turn the light on and then I have to hit the switch 2-4 times to get it to turn off. It's a rocker switch.

It does turn off, but you really have to hit it hard. I've been doing some research on the internet, but I haven't really found questions about "sticky" light switches versus a light switch that is completely stuck in the on or off position. Do I absolutely have to replace it or is there a solution I can reasonably try myself? I rent my apartment so I would love it if I could just fix it myself instead of going through my landlord

Thanks!!

That's not the kind of device that you'd attempt to repair. For one thing, you'd void the UL listing and assume liability for any resulting damage, injury, or death in doing so. For another, parts aren't available. For one more, they're far too inexpensive to waste any time on.

Buy a new switch. Turn of the breaker. Replace it in the same configuration following standard good wiring practice. Be happy.


Light Fixture Trips Breaker Have gone through other threads to troubleshoot to no avail.

WORK DONE / SCENARIO
- Relocated ceiling box to hang new chandelier.
- Used existing wires that were long enough for move.
- Brand new electrical switch.
- 2 black / 2white in switch box, 1 white / 1 black in light box.

PROBLEM
- Accidentally connected hot wire to neutral wire at chandelier. Unfortunately the clear speaker wire type wiring threw me off.
- When I flipped the dimmer switch for first time, it sparked.
- Replaced dimmer with simple toggle, one-way switch.
- I now hear a slight hum at switch while light turns on for split second and it shuts off due to tripped breaker.

TROUBLESHOOTING DONE
- Tested with and without lights. Circuit trips on both.
- Turned off other lights on circuit. Circuit trips on both.
- Disconnected light fixture, circuit does not trip, and hot wire has current.
- And lastly, swapped light fixture for same (had ordered two identical  chandeliers) and the same problem occurs.

CLOSING COMMENTS
I was totally thinking I had screwed up the light with the short, but second chandelier has same problem.  And if the breaker tripped with the light disconnected, I would go down the route that there was a problem with wiring or ground, etc., but it holds.

I am stumped. Appreciate any thoughts and ideas!

The comments pretty much answer it, but the important take away here is that the wire should possibly be replaced.  I was a little thrown by the "speaker wire" comment but I presume you are referring to the light.

Get an electrician in there with a MEGGER to test the wiring. They will determine if it is compromised in areas unseen, and recommend replacing the run if needed.

Be safe! Get the megger. Chances are it melted where you found it, but it could be bad elsewhere, that you haven't found it.


How to isolate dead animal odors in crawlspace? Some animal, likely a squirrel or largish animal, obtained entrance to a crawlspace and died there. No one is able to isolate the location of the carcass.  The odor seems to be too ubiquitous in the area to be able to sense strength levels or the origin of the odor.

Are there any techniques that help to isolate odors of animal carcasses that are buried in insulation or otherwise hidden?

I've thought that perhaps if we employed a commercial ozone generator and then attempted to "smell it out" again after using this device, that it might reduce the odor enough to detect it based on vicinity, but I'm just taking guesses...

First make sure the area is clean making sure you have no more obvious contributing factors. Then install an exhaust and vent the area 24-7.  As the moisture is displaced and it will eventually be displaced, the odor with dissipate. If you live in a northern climate you will need to monitor the temperature to protect against freezing.


Back Yard Hill Drainage Issues My back yard slopes toward my house.  Below is a picture taken from my dining room to help explain things.  Previous owner had a french drain installed marked by the red lines.  We've had a week or so of rain and low temperatures.  Everything inside the red lines toward the house is dry (reasonably dry for the amount of rainfall). However, everything outside the red lines is complete mush.  Hard to walk in and impossible to cut grass.

So my question is: would it be possible or worthwhile to put another french drain further up the hill by the trees to collect water?  The hill actually continues to rise about double the length you see in the picture to some more houses on top, so there is a significant amount of surface area up the hill.  The hill goes up very sharply to the right of the photo due to a large sewer block.

Would even digging a simple trench at a slight diagonal angle across the tree line help at all?

I would add the new drain at the edge of the grass up to the right (not two close to the trees)  and continue it to the original drains. You can tell the original drain is working because it is mushie beyond that point this would have been the location I would have used at first but it is longer thus cost more and the previous owners may not have cared about the lawn much in the winter. A new drain should do the work of drying out the lawn.


salvaging DC motors from home appliances In what home appliances I can find a 40V (or so) DC motor?

Treadmills and stairlifts use good-sized DC motors.


Can I make my interior paint rainproof? I needed to paint house numbers on my wheelie bin and I didn't want to spend money on that. So I just painted nice white squares with... two coats of interior wood undercoat/primer + one coat of interior wood paint. Worse, I exposed that to the rain before it was completely dry and the rain ruined everything.

After cleaning paint-run I'm wondering: is there a simple way to keep my nice squares and just make then somehow rainproof?

Also I'd like to draw house numbers on them, can I just use a dark marker pen?

Once fully dry, your paint should be quite waterproof. However paint designed for interior use on wood generally will not hold up well when used outside on plastic.

Probably the cheapest way to go would be a can of spray-paint and some masking tape. Use the tape to outline a square or rectangle. Use more tape to hold down some old newspaper, cardboard, whatever to keep overspray from making a mess. Apply several light coats of paint in accordance with the manufacturer's directions. Allow each coat to dry per the instructions in a dry location.

Once it's dry, use a marker of a contrasting color to write your house number on the paint.

Alternatively, you could use that tape to outline some numbers then mask off the rest of the bin and directly paint the numbers.

Another alternative would be to use a marker (in a color that would be visible against the color of the bin) to just write directly on the bin. This is only applicable if it meets the regulation that caused you to start the project in the first place.


How are fireplaces and inserts different? How are fireplaces and inserts different? Is also used to convert a wood fireplace into a gas fireplace?

A fireplace is the broad term for the place you can safely have a fire. Be it gas or wood. A gas fireplace was designed to emulate the look of a natural wood burning fireplace. Now they come in a wide variety of styles and shapes. A wood insert is designed to contain a fire and allows for control of the flame by controlling the air entering the combustion chamber. A gas fireplace insert is designed to be installed in an existing fireplace opening and usually mimic the look of a wood burning fireplace insert.


Cutting a stainless tube - without a grinder I've got to cut a section of rectangular stainless tube (1/8" thick, 3" x 3", or about 3mm, 7x7cm) but I'm not allowed to use a grinder because of local rules. A circular saw with a grinding blade is also not allowed. What are my options?

I've got a mini oxy torch, but I've heard they don't work well on stainless. I've got a drill, but I'm not sure how I could do much with it. I'm open to buying a decent hand saw, but I imagine that something this thick and big will take forever.

The cut does not have to be neat or clean at all, and will never be seen.

Any ideas?

Welcome to DIY Home Improvement!

1/8" thick really isn't that bad.

You could use a:

Hack saw (cheapest method)
Reciprocating saw
Band saw


Fan Wiring: Black vs red wire My contractor removed multiple ceiling fans and I am replacing them with new fans.   There is a red, black (hot) and white (neutral) wire.   Is it normal for only the red wire to have 120V AC?  An AC meter reads 18V across the black and white wires: 120V AC across the red.

Updates

Good questions are appreciated. Updates will be edited here to respond to good diagnostic questions:

This non-standard wiring was observed in 3+ fixtures
Each fixture is controlled with a single switch
All fans for this discussion are ceiling fans
Black to white AC potential is 18V
I believe that I have not mistaken green for black

Current configuration: Wired and powered new fans with Red wire and is controlled by a switch in the wall

It is puzzling that the Black-White potential is anything other than 120V

I think the red wire is to control the attached light via a switch.

Try the link below for more info.


What Are the Standard Thread Sizes Used in Faucet Aerators? I was thinking of attaching a sink spray hose to my faucet's (male) aerator threads, but I am not sure if I need a fitting for it or not. I've tried looking online to see what the standard sizes for faucet aerators are, but I keep getting different answers. Can I have a list of the sizes (In NPT) if I'm using a male-threaded bathroom faucet?

There are many sizes of faucet aerator threads. You can get an idea from the picture of the thread gauge below that you will typically see at a better equipped hardware store where aerator units are sold. (In my experience typical for a USA hardware store. Your situation may vary depending upon your geographical region).

The thread gauge above supports the following thread sizes:

1/4-18 (M)

1/4-18 (F)

3/8-18 (M)

3/8-18 (F)

1/2-27 (F)

1/2-IPS (F)

9/16-24 (M)

5/8-18 (M)

5/8-24 (M)

5/8-27 (M)

11/16-24 (M)

11/16-27 (M)

3/4-11 (F)

3/4-27 (F)

13/16-20 (M)

13/16-24 (M)

13/16-24 (F)

55/64-27 (F)

15/16-24 (M)

15/16-27 (M)

*(F) Denotes stud used to determine female thread size

*(M) Denotes tapped hole used to determine male thread size

Add in metric sizes from other parts of the world and this list is likely to grow considerably.


Tub faucet, how to attach elbow to cut pipe (partially cut threading)? I'm working with an older fixture and most of the pipes are fused which has made it unwieldy. I'm a novice at plumbing as well.

I've attached a picture of the faucet plumbing. Valves still work fine so I'm not touching those, but the spout portion had an elbow and nipple attached that were horribly corroded and fused, so I had to cut it off of the nipple in the center (hanging down). This took off part of that nipple's threading but not all of it, about half is left, it's galvanized steel as far as I can tell.

How should I attach a new elbow and nipple to this piece? Since the nipple is tapered (I think) I can't just buy a new steel elbow and screw it on, but I'm not sure. I've looked into the possibility of using a dielectric union to attach to it and then use a copper piece to run out to the tub, is that feasible?

I'm short on ideas but I know there are a ton of solutions in the plumbing space I'm not aware of. Thanks for any help.

You should remove that piece you cut (hanging down) with a pipe wrench. Be sure to hold the piping going up to the shower so you don't break anything else loose or in half. Then you can take two pre-threaded brass pipes and a brass elbow (use thread paste) to create the "L" for your tub spout. You can buy those parts at most building supply stores. The straight pipes come pre-cut and threaded and are in several different lengths to suit your needs.


Will leaving an electric hose faucet timer in direct sunlight damage the timer? I recently bought an electronic outdoor hose faucet timer.  I live in a desert with 110+ degree summers and plan to water a few trees in my lawn with it.  Is there any risk of leaving this device out in the heat?  I would expect it to be designed for it (since it is for outdoor use), but probably for your "average" temperature locations.  I could not find a hard yes or no answer on this when searching online.
My house faces the sun during sunrise and the hose/spout has no shade protection.
The hose timer I purchased is this one.

The instructions say max working temp of 120f I would probably put a light color cover over it Because that’s not far off 110. A cover may affect the rain delay feature but would reduce the direct sun exposure temp to the ambient temp. also it needs to be kept from freezing .


Is it ok to use a frame hardboard siding as a tennis wall? The exterior of my house is made of frame hardboard. My wife says that I should not use it as a tennis wall because tennis size hail are known to damage the siding and therefore a tennis ball would damage it too if I hit the wall with the ball too many times. I say the material/object properties of ice and a hollow rubber ball are very different, particularly the coefficient of restitution. But I don't have any hard evidence that bouncing the tennis ball off the siding over many months won't do any damage to the siding. Any pointers? Thanks.

Hitting a tennis ball hard against "hardboard" siding would be expected at the very least to damage the paint and perhaps breakdown the siding over time.


How to determine polarity on cloth covered wires? I am wiring a ceiling fixture. There are three cables in the ceiling box. Only one of the cables has power. This cable powers the others that go on to power switches to ceiling fixtures in two separate rooms. I have found the live wire in the one cable and separated it from the neutral. I would like to know how to determine polarity of the other wires. This house was built in 1922 and on this circuit the cables and wires are cloth covered. I have used a "klein voltage tester" to determine the hot wire. In order to connect the others, how do I determine polarity? Virginia, USA
Thanks!

The wires themselves don't have polarity, that only exists within an outlet based on it being wired correctly, or reversed (hot/neutral reversed).

So essentially you just need to identify the hot wires and the neutral wires, and if you maintain this correctly throughout all of the wiring and correctly wire up your outlets, then polarity will be correct.

Non-contact testers are good for determining if there is any power on, but not perfect for finding the hot wire - sometimes neutral wires will give false positives if there is a hot wire in close proximity.

The best tool to use is a multi-meter.  The neutral and ground should read 0 (or a very low number), and hot to neutral or hot to ground should give you 120V (assuming your are in North America).

A standard outlet tester will tell you whether the polarity is correct or reversed. If it's reversed, then you just swap the hot/neutral wires.


Replacing a 15A outlet with a 5A outlet I currently have a 15A outlet, which I am trying to replace with a 5A outlet (without changing the wiring) so that I can use it to plug in my refrigerator.
Is it OK to do so?
Can it harm the appliances that are connected to the outlet?

Ps - we have 220v/50Hz

If you're intent on replacing the outlet rather than the refrigerator's plug, and want it to be safe, you can replace the 15A outlet with a box that has a 5A circuit breaker feeding a 5A outlet.

You can also keep the 15A outlet and have the above mentioned box as an adapter that connects to the 15A outlet with a 15A plug.


Fan switch not working ever since my husband fell against the wall/switches- should I replace the 3 gang box? Okay, so first of all, this is pretty ironic! My husband was a Foreman/Journeyman Electrician and was pretty awesome at his trade. However, is almost 2 years into recovery from a brain injury (I left work on a gut feeling 4-29-13 and came home to find him unresponsive with blood coming from his mouth, lying in the threshold of our bedroom. Hypoglycemic Coma-still to this day the reason is still unknown. I was told that he would not recover to which I said "Challenge Accepted" and he has been getting better ever since), which has landed an insane amount of "figure-it-out" issues in my lap.

Sorry, story-time is over.....

He ended up losing balance one day, and fell against the wall with a 3 switch plate in our bedroom.  The 3 switches are

Minka Aire Fan wall switch
Light switch w/dimmer and
normal light switch.

After falling against the wall, the fan switch stopped working (grrrr! which took me a month to find in the first place!).  I recently (finally) got around to getting a new wall switch.  When I connected the new switch, the power light came on, but when I went to push the wiring/unit into the box, it stopped working.  I also wired a normal switch to the wiring for the fan switch to make sure that there was not an issue with the wiring, and the fan turned on fine with it.  I did notice that the box seems to be pressed into the wall (from the impact of his body hitting it) on the end where the fan switch is located.

Could it be possible that the impact of his weight falling against it could be causing the wiring going through the box and into the wall to be "pinched" somewhere?  This would be why the switch worked until I pushed it into the box?  Am I better off just removing the existing box and replacing it with an old work one?

Any input would be hugely appreciated!!!

It's highly unlikely that the box itself is broken and causing this problem.

What you should do next is remove everything from the box (label the wires first). Also remove each wire nut and put it back on, one at a time. In doing this, you may find a loose connection or wire nut. If not, then inspect each wire to make sure the plastic covering is intact. If you find anything broken, you might be able to shorten the wire past the break. Now put everything back together.

If it still doesn't work, it's time to call a professional.


Can I install outlets in my window wells? I'm helping my folks install battery-operated sump pumps in three window wells to deal with a persistent flooding problem. We're running a GFCI-protected circuit from a nearby sub-panel to each location for the battery tenders.

Is it acceptable to install wall-mounted outlets (with full plastic conduit and weather-resistant covers) below grade in egress window wells?

You wish to install a weatherproof outlet below-grade in a basement egress window well that is prone to flooding. Apply NEC Article 682 which instructs you to determine the electrical datum and install any non-submersible devices at least 2 ft above the datum plane.

For example, suppose a pump fails with the outlet energized. In that case your flood line could reach either the top of the egress window or the top of the egress window well. The electrical datum would be 2 ft above that line and your weatherproof outlet needs to be installed above this plane.

If the sump pump is submersible you will need to install a local disconnect This will need to be no more than 30" from the pump so probably a switch within the weatherproof box.

Consider whether the outlet and pump will impede egress from the basement in an emergency. Can the window be opened from inside? If the pump blocks a portion of the window or well reduce the effective size accordingly and then determine whether the window and well continue to meet local standards for egress. Not every window well must qualify as an egress window but there will need to be at least one that does. See section R310 of the International Residential Code and/or any applicable local codes.


Can I run one pendant light off garbage disposal switch? I failed my electric inspection because my current over the sink pendant light fixture is run to a switch in a two-gang box that include a kitchen appliance outlet and is pulling power from the same 20 amp line. Inspector said my light fixture can't be on the same circuit as a kitchen appliance, which sounds credible. So would a solution be to run a wire to the pendant light off a new two gang box where my garbage disposal switch currently sits? If not, what else would be the solution here?

You can't connect up any kitchen lighting to any of the dedicated small appliance circuits. And any receptacle near a counter automatically becomes a dedicated small appliance circuit.
The solutions include:

New circuit - kind of crazy given the low power needed for modern LED lighting, plus the work involved.
Connect to existing lighting circuit - that is the most logical, but not always the easiest
Connect to a circuit in the kitchen that is not connected to any small appliance receptacles, like the garbage disposal or dishwasher. That's your idea, and it should work.

If I remember correctly, you can't normally have receptacles on a circuit that has 50% or more capacity used by hardwired loads. For example, if a circuit has a 10A garbage disposal or dishwasher then you can't put a regular receptacle on the same circuit. But you should be able to add more hardwired loads (like lighting) as long as the total does not exceed 80% of the capacity of the circuit (it gets a little more complicated than that, as only continuous loads (like lighting) need to be derated but not temporary loads (like a garbage disposal that runs for a few seconds at a time), but better to stay well within the capacity of the circuit).
There is another reason, aside from code compliance, to not put lighting on small appliance circuits: GFCI. The small appliance circuits require GFCI protection. Lighting generally does not, and in fact it is generally better to not have lighting GFCI protected because if it is protected and a ground fault occurs on the circuit, the lights go out! Leaving you in the dark next to a broken food processor or whatever.


Grounding Pin is Stuck in the Outlet The grounding pin of my extension cord broke off in the outlet when I unplugged it.
Is it safe to use pliers to pull the pin out of the outlet?
Will I get shocked?

You'll want to turn off the breaker. You should be alright but if the internals of the outlet are damaged or broken, you don't want to come in contact with them when you pull out the ground plug. You might even want to replace the outlet since the grounding terminal shouldn't just break off under normal use, unless the extension cord was really damaged.


How to fix cracks in cellar room? I have a question regarding the cellar floor of my 1950s house in germany.
It has a concrete floor. In one room there are a lot of cracks in it. They are meters long, but only a few mm wide.
When there are very heavy rainfalls and / or heavy snow melt, these cracks are wet. (Happens approximately once a year) The water presses up from down the foundation.
This never was a big issue, because after some days it is always dry again. However now this particular room should be renovated as a hobby-room. Among other things I want to lay out a PVC coating.
Now if I would lay the PVC coating above these cracks, it would most likely start to mould under it, when the moisture comes.
So my question is...
Can I somehow repair / seal these cracks, so the moisture stays away?

You are correct that a surface cover will not resolve the issue and it's likely to disrupt flooring if done that way.
There are several commercial products for concrete foundation repairs, they are typically epoxy or polyurethane "injections" (this term may help you find some in your area but I do not know the German translation for the phrase "concrete injection"). The visible surface of the crack is temporarily sealed and then the epoxy applied with pressure so it pushes deep into the crack to seal it from the inside (or other side, if possible). In my experience these typically don't require drilling through the concrete so you can apply to the earth side, but variations may exist.
Read and follow the directions of whatever product you choose. Cracks are more commonly addressed in foundation walls so make sure your product is also rated for application to floor cracks.


How many heating watts can I draw from a pair of tied 15A breakers? Currently there are 3 baseboard heaters (750, 1000 and 1500) 3250 watts total running on  2 tied 15 amp breakers.  I want to change all three heaters.  What is the maximum number of combined watts I can install?

Resistive heating loads are required to be calculated as continuous loads so the circuit can only be loaded to 80% of its rating.

Therefore a 15 amp circuit at 120 volts is good for 12 amps which yields 1440 watts of power. More likely the heaters are 240 volts which yields 2880 watts per circuit for a totoal of 5760 watts for both circuits. (240 volt circuits will require a 2 pole breaker for each circuit occupying 2 spaces in your panel for each one.)

However, you would have to put two on one circuit and one on the other so you have to make sure the circuit with two heaters does not exceed 2880 watts at 240 volts and then put the largest one on a circuit by itself.

Here is part of the pertinant article from the 2017 National Electrical Code:

  424.3 Branch Circuits.

  (A) Branch-Circuit Requirements. Individual branch circuits shall be permitted to supply any volt-ampere or wattage rating of fixed electric space-heating equipment for which they are rated.
  Branch circuits supplying two or more outlets for fixed electric space-heating equipment shall be rated not over 30 amperes. In other than a dwelling unit,  fixed infrared heating equipment shall be permitted to be supplied from branch circuits rated not over 50 amperes.

  (B) Branch-Circuit Sizing. Fixed electric space-heating equipment and motors shall be considered continuous load.

Good luck with your project!


Is it safe to have a furnaces exhaust pipe facing to the side instead of down? We have had an issue with our furnace this winter, were snow/ ice gets in our cold air intake and prevents the furnace from Working. My husband turned the exhaust pipe to the side, instead of facing down. I guess I an attempt to help. I'm worried that with it being this way the stuff blowing out of that pipe can get sucked back in by the cold air intake. Can this happen?

You mean that the exhaust pipe is pointed towards the intake, with the idea that the heat of the exhaust will melt the snow? That is definitely not a good idea; you are correct that it could result in exhaust being pulled into the combustion air, which is not a good thing. It also risks making the problem worse -the exhaust air has close to 100% humidity, which could condense on the cold and freeze. In fact, if your intake is icing up, it's quite likely that's already the source of your problem, and you need to make sure the exhaust is further from the intake.


Traveller Wire Showing 40V When There Should Be None I have installed a pair of 3-way switches in an incandescent lighting application (lights are not installed). After installation I used my handy voltage detector and found there was "voltage" present in any switch configuration at the light rough-in. The grounds are terminated in each box and at the main panel.

Troubleshooting:
1) disconnected wiring from switches and checked continuity. Switches check out fine.

2) wires still disconnected from the traveller pair, but 120V applied to the common terminal. Switch operates as expected. In the off-position, 120V is on T1 (arbitrary name for one of the traveller terminals), and 0V is on T2. Switch to on-position, and 0V is on T1 and 120V on T2 (measurement from traveller terminal to ground).

3) connect travellers and line voltage to one switch, other end of travellers left open (capped each off).

In the switch off-position:
Common Terminal to ground = 120V (great)
T1 to ground = 120V (great)
T2 to ground = 40V (opposite of great)

In the switch on-position:
Common Terminal to ground = 120V (great)
T1 to ground = 38V (not great)
T2 to ground = 120V (great)

When switch #2 was in the circuit it's common terminal connected to the light rough-in was 40V.

What to do? There is no access to inspect the run of 14/3, as the Drywaller came in and did his thing. Would a pinch in the cable cause this "inductive coupling"? Any thoughts on this would help greatly. Thank you

Are you by any chance using lighted switches? If so they are likely the source of the voltage you are seeing. The 3-way switch is a "single throw double pole" switch that has a resister and light (usually neon) between the poles. This allows a small amount of current (milliamps) to flow to the load even when the switch(s) are off in order to light the switch. 40 volts sounds about typical for an open load i.e. no light installed but there is not enough current to light the light. This is true for incandescent lights, LED lights could light dimly or flicker.


How to prepare a rough concrete slab for pavers I tore my old wood deck out and am planning to lay pavers on top of the concrete slab that was beneath it.
I'm following the instructions here, photo below:

The inner paver bricks will have a layer of sand underneath them, so they will be level. But the border pavers are just glued down.
But this seems to be assuming the top of the concrete slab is finished... mine is very rough:

What can I do to level the concrete before laying the border pavers on top of it? Or is that not necessary, can I just glue them to the rough surface?

My pa did a rather extensive paver back patio with curved steps, concentric pavers, a retaining wall and other challenges.  It looks beautiful.  Some of it is laid on existing concrete, some on packed gravel before the sand.  He used masonry mortar and concrete fill for the steps and edge pieces and it has definitely stood the test of time.  As mentioned in AlaskaMan's comment, the thickness of mortar allows you to lay the section in sand first and match the edge to the height of that.  After 25 years a small section of the lower patio has sunk about 3/4 inches because the gravel wasn't packed hard enough, but otherwise the whole thing is rock solid including parts without concrete base.  It will also deal with the unevenness of your pad, which to my eye does look like asphalt, as isherwood suggests.
One other note if you lay brick over solid pads, any drainage problems that exist with the pad will continue to exist under the sand.


Why don't new flush valve seals have the same bump in them as the original? I recently replace a flush valve seal:

I noticed the old one had a quarter inch "bump" on - I had no idea how that would have happened, but to me seemed to explain why the seal was not sealing:

Even more recently, I had a second toilet that was intermittently running on its own. I replaced that seal, and the same bump was there on that seal! The replacement valve seals do not have any bumps (as I would expect). Is this bump expected on some seals? Or does this happen over time for some reason?

The bump is most likely not necessary for a good seal.
Bumps like that are usually location devices for assembly (at the factory or on site). There's probably a corresponding dimple or slot on the hard parts of the toilet. They allow for quicker and more accurate manufacturing.
So just be sure that your new seal stays in the correct position as you tighten things up.


Can I connect 14 gauge wire to 12 gauge wire I have an existing ceiling fan with no light that has 12/2 wire in box which is ran to a single switch that is also wired with 12/2. Want to change out fan with newer model that includes a light kit. Also want to take single switch and make a two gang, switch for light and switch for fan. So my question is when I remove the existing 12/2 switch leg, can I run 14/3 from switch to fan? Or do I need to run 12/3?

Depends on the Breaker
The breaker protects the devices but also protects the wiring. Too much current heats up the wires in the walls --> fire! You have two likely possibilities:

15A Breaker

14 AWG wire is rated for 15A of current. If the circuit is already on a 15A breaker then you can go ahead and swap any or all of the 12 AWG wiring for 14 AWG without any problems.

20A Breaker

12 AWG wire is rated for 20A of current. If the circuit is currently on a 20A breaker then you can't have 14 AWG wire in the circuit. You can either continue to use 12 AWG wire everywhere or you can replace the 20A breaker with a 15A breaker. However, if you replace the breaker then you may want to mark it in the panel because the next person might see 12 AWG wire connected and think that it could be replaced with a 20A breaker.
Keep in mind that a 20A breaker (and matching wire) can be very useful even if you don't have any individual devices that need 20A. For example, if you have a 15A circuit and someone plugs in a heating device (hair dryer, portable heater, toaster oven, etc.) it will typically draw ~ 12A = 1,440 watts while in use. That leaves only ~ 3A to spare for all lights, fans, TVs, computers, etc. that share the circuit. With a 20A circuit, you have 7A to spare, which can make the difference between having nuisance trips (or avoidance of usage) or not.


Is an LED light strip safe to use under a bed? I see a lot of RGB LED light strips being sold on sites like Amazon etc. The lights appear to be of decent quality, run off of 12V but do need up to 5-6 Amps to power.  This is a lot of current, so I'm wondering if they are safe to use under my bed. Two concerns that I have is the possibility of an electrical shock and the strip/module catching fire and lighting me up in my sleep. How can I avoid these risks in my project?

This is the LED light strip/controller/power supply I'm interested in:

You won't be able to shock yourself with 12v, but you can shock yourself with whatever power supply you find that'll do 5A at 12v. Assuming you'll only use one strip at 6a just grab a laptop power supply (I'd recommend this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812203037) - that way you really don't need to worry about whatever engineering decisions went into building that laptop power supply.

If you cleanly splice the wires, you won't have any issues. Solder them correctly, twisting them to have a mechanical connection and soldering to have an electrical connection.. then heat shrink it.

The LEDs will not give off enough heat to catch on fire or burn your bed, ever.

This project could easily be the fusion of 2 well engineered products to do something cool without any risks! Have fun!


3 240v circuits connected to 2 double pole 30a square d breakers? I'm doing a service panel change on my home and I always take a picture of the panel before just to use as a reference in case something in my labeling isn't making sense. So this is the before picture and it appears to show two 30a double pole breakers back to back in the middle of the panel. I added white circles around the wires so you can see what I'm talking about but it would appear that there are 3 240v circuits being ran off of just the 2 double pole breakers. It's done in a bit of a weird way but I kind of see how it made sense when whoever did it. I know square d's are made to accept 2 wires but I was not sure that this is ok to do considering the draw of the 3 different appliances these wires are used for. I have not traced those wires out so I can't say for sure what they feed. Is this an acceptable wiring to duplicate after I do the panel change or should I just add an additional 30a double pole to connect up that 3rd branch circuit?

I can't think of any way this could be code compliant wiring, but it might make more sense if we knew what the circuits were supplying.


why does my gas furnace exhaust constantly why does my high eff gas furnace exhaust run constantly ( when furnace isn't on ) the furnace turns on and off a few times before running then the blower comes on. now the exhaust wont stop without cutting power to the furnace

There might be an error code on your electronic control board. It's located in the lower half of the furnace. Sometimes there's a little plastic window that you can look through or you might have to take the cover off.

There'll be an LED on the board that will blink in a special sequence and give you a code number. There should be a label inside the cover or inside the wall of the furnace that tells you how to decipher the code.


How should I fix my downspout? I just moved into this house that needs a lot of work. I noticed that the upper gutters drain onto the roof of the lower gutters and I learned that this will ruin my roof.  I was originally thinking to just connect the upper and the lower with a downspout (option A in the photo),  but after doing some more research, I started to think maybe rerouting the downspout would be a better fix (option B in the photo). Would this look kinda bad right at the entryway, though? What are your thoughts?

My house has a similar situation and when I got new gutters I inquired about option A but the guy said it would actually cause issues:

It's another clog point
It will provide shade for moss to grow and destroy the roof way faster than excess water could ever hope to achieve

If you can re-slope the gutters for option B then go for it, I don't think it would look bad. You can always paint the downspout to camouflage it or buy a pre-colored downspout which closely matches the house.
I am willing to bet you have much more pressing matters to tend to which don't involve messing with gutters that work as designed :-)


Installing floating floor and keep getting gaps My sister and I are installing pergo max premier which is a new verison of their floating floor, my sister has installed 2 laminate floors before and this type is a lot thicker with less give and more difficult to work with.

Each peace we really have to pound in place with a hammer and a tapping block, we are running it along a very big room, close to 150 feet in length and we are noticing that once we get to the 4th row the very first row against the floor a few gaps between the pieces are forming.

We have disconnected and redid the floors twice but it seems from us using the hammer and tapping block it's causing gaps in the rows that we have already done and the pieces don't seem to be locking in place like the should even though when we set them they are set as in as much as they can go.

Does anyone have any experience with this happening and how to fix it as we don't want to continue adding new rows when the first few rows gaps keep appearing.

I haven't worked with the newer Pergo; the last I installed was in 2007.

However, check the installation basics (from here and here):

Are you installing in the correct direction?  The tongue facing upward should be on the floor and the next piece goes on top of it.
Is the floor flat?
Is the flooring material acclimated to between 65 °F and 72 °F for at least 48 hours?
Are you alternating seams so they are at least 12 inches offset from each row?
Are you not tapping from the sides?
Are you providing 1/2 inch clearance from the walls, pipes, and other fixed objects?  (3/8 is for rooms smaller than 40 feet.)
Are you damaging the tongues or seams?
Are you using T molding across the width of the room?  See the instructions for rooms longer than 40 feet.


Can I rewire an audio amplifier with a round pin plug to fit sockets in living room made for lamps? Basically I just bought a home theatre system but our living room has 2 round pin 5amp plugs that are locaed where I would like the amp and rear speakers. Can I wire a round pin 5 amp plug onto the amp and use the round pin sockets? Or does an adapter exist that I could use? (UK)

Amplifier details below.

TA-SA500WR/TA-SA600WR:
POWER OUTPUT (reference)
Surround L/Surround R:
200 W (per channel at 6 ohms, 1 kHz)
TA-SA700WR:
POWER OUTPUT (reference)
Surround L/Surround R:
 100 W (per channel at 6 ohms, 1 kHz)
Rated impedance
6 
Communication system
Wireless sound Specification version
3.0
Frequency band
Europe, Oceania, Africa*, India, Middle
East*, Thailand, and Russia models:
5.2 GHz, 5.8 GHz
Singapore and Taiwan models:
5.8 GHz
China model: 5.2 GHz
* 5.2 GHz or 5.8 GHz may not be
available in some countries/regions.
Modulation method
DSSS
Power requirements
220 V – 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz

Can I wire a round pin 5 amp plug onto the amp

Nothing stops you from doing so.

  Or does an adapter exist

Yes, adapters exist, they are sold as travel adapters for people from the UK who are visiting India (the indian 6A plug is equivilent to the 5A BS546).

Unfortunately many travel adapters are frankly complete garbage. I belive https://www.amazon.co.uk/Go-Travel-Earthed-Compact-Convertor/dp/B079VRTCRX is a non-garbage one but I haven't bought one personally.

Be aware that 5A sockets found in a domestic premesis will almost certainly be fed from a lighting circuit. So pay attention to total load on said circuit. They will also likely be fed via a light switch, people may find it confusing if the hi-fi turns off when they turn off the light switches.

Also make sure the socket is not fed via a dimmer. If it is then you would need to change the dimmer for a conventional switch before plugging anything other than dimmer-compatible lighting into it.


Can I replace Slater boxless receptacles with conventional ones? Most of my receptacles have stopped working on one side.  When I went to replace them, I found out that they are Slater Boxless Receptacles.  Can I replace the Slater ones with
conventional outlets?

Yes, but you MUST cut in old work device boxes first. You CANNOT simply install standard receptacles in the holes in the walls.

Here is an example:


Torque screwdriver hex bit for main panel breaker, etc I finally used the 10-50 in-lbs Torque screwdriver I received yesterday to all the breakers in the main panel and subpanel. The Siemens load center MBK100A breaker is the hardest to torque because of the 55 in-lb torque rating. I only have 50 in-lbs maximum.

So far all breakers were under tightened, except for some 20 in-lb breakers that were tight already. Some were under tightened by 50% like the Siemens main breaker and the din rail MCB with recommended torque of 55 in-lbs and 30 in-lbs respectively.

In the Siemens main panel, I was able to torque the right lugs well to reach the 50 in-lbs limit (when the torque setting was reached, the screwdriver slips instead of click sound, it is great design), but when tightening the left lugs. I couldn't reach 50 in-lb before the screws got so deformed the tool can no longer fit tight. So my three questions:

How can you know whether the hex bit is the right size for the lugs or any screws?
What is the biggest flat screw driver that can fit the Siemens MBK100A load center main panel perfectly?

It looks like your screwdriver bit was too small. The bit should have a snug fit and be wider, from what I can see. If the bit is not wide enough then the torque is applied to a smaller area and the screw can be damaged as yours was.


Can I repair my own roof in MA Can I as a homeowner in Mass pull a permit to repair my roof myself or do I need a contractor, I have a friend who does handy work but is not licensed can I still use him for the job.

Most areas allow the homeowner to perform your own work as long as you pull the proper permits and have it inspected.

Also, in my state, you have to sign an affidavit that you plan to live there for at least one year when you pull the permit.

However, every area has its own rules and the only way to know for sure is to check with your local Authority Having Jurisdiction.

Good luck!


How can I disable or remove a ceiling fan wall switch? My ceiling fan is controlled by a remote, however the wall switch has to be turned on.  How can I remove this wall switch and have the fan hot all the time.

The switch has two set of wires going to it. One for the fan toggle (off and on) and one for the light toggle (off and on).

If I remove the switch and connect these two sets of wires together will that do the trick.. keep the fan hot all the time and not have to worry weather the wall switch has been turned off or on.

Yes. Assuming this isn't a 3-way or 4-way switch, all the switch does is connect all the stuff wired into it (excluding the ground conductor, of course). If you want it on all the time, just take the stuff that was attached to the switch and bond it together with wire nuts. Remove the switch and replace the switch plate with a blank wallplate.

For a no-wiring-required solution, you can also buy a switch lock like this:

That is held in place by the screw that holds your cover plate, and just mechanically prevents the switch from being moved. If you think the switch might be useful in the future, this is a little easier to reverse.


What 4x4 lumber is appropriate for a skybed lounger swing? I am going to build a sky bed lounger. ( a 4-pod swing made from a trampoline) I have the 4 point steel bracket that needs 4x4 wood in each slot. It looks like this:

I would like this to hold a 6-foot trampoline base (just base no legs etc) which is roughly 4 stone in weight. What is the best wood that will be strong enough to hold this structure and what screws would I need for the bottom? I'd secure rope from each bottom base to secure the legs of the swing and stop the wood bending.

Virtually any 4x4 lumber will be more than strong enough. Pressure-treated SPF would be fine, as would untreated pine/fir or cedar. You won't break a good-quality 4x4, as each is only carrying roughly a quarter of the load.

Screws are almost unnecessary here, but almost anything that fits the holes well is fine. They carry very little load and simply prevent the thing from falling apart when being transported. 1/4" lag screws or heavy construction screws come to mind.


newly installed picture window bends under pressure We have just got new retrofit windows installed yesterday, argon two pane vinyl windows, Alside brand. They have lots of smudges all over so I started cleaning them. The biggest of them, tempered picture window on the porch feels somewhat flimsy. I press the rag against it and it moves, bends and come back after I release the pressure.
Is that normal?

The contractor claims it is normal but the old window ( original wooden single pane ) was certainly not moving. Also, none of the other windows ( some of them also big picture windows although none of them this big ) are doing it.

Other question is about the smudges, some seem to be caulk, some glue-ish and some oil. I can also see a big Alside sign in the top part under a certain angle. None of it comes off easily with the Windex. The oily patches not at all. The contractor recommended to clean it with lacquer thinner. Is that okay? something like acetone? Is not it going to damage the layer on the window?

Each window manufacturer has an engineering department that can help you calculate the maximum size for your particular location.

Each region in the U.S. has a wind load requirement. Based on that wind load, each brand of window and each series (style of window) can only support a maximum window size.

Here’s their customer service info:

https://www.alside.com/support/contact-us/

I’d call and ask for their engineering department and be prepared to give them the overall size, style (brand series, like 1700 Series, etc.) and number of panes. They can quickly tell you the maximum size allowed in your geographical location.

Remember, it’s important to get this right or you’ll void the warranty. BTW, if it’s oversized, I’d ask for a refund from the installer. The engineering department can email you the maximum size in order to not void the warranty that you can show the installer.


How to square plywood using the 3-4-5 method? I know about the square triangle 3-4-5, and I know how to use it get a 90° angle.

But I can't think or understand how people use it (accurately) to get 90° on a big plywood sheet.

The most "proper" way that I can think of it mark my reference edge two points 4 units apart, and using a compass or very static (non strechable) line trace two arcs (3 and 5 units) to get the intersection. But I don't have any line that I would trust for that, not any compass large enough (and precise enought to reference from an edge instead of a point in a plane) to do that.

I could have measuring sticks 3 and 5 units in lenght and just join everything to get the needed point, but how to accurately mark this point if you have the sticks on the way?

So, how do you do it properly?

This is not far off from your original description, but consider that a set of yard sticks of reliable precision will do what you require. Drill a small hole in each one at the 1/2" point (or 1" if you like) and again at the appropriate multiple plus the 1/2" or 1" offset. Place a brad at your zero point, which could be a salvage board under the edge of the primary surface and place another brad at the appropriate distance. You now have two arc-devices which will provide you with the third point when the brad-holes align at the ends.

If precision is required, use your salvage board with the two brads and tap the edge of the brad into the work surface until half the diameter is "buried" to compensate for the thickness of the brad.

You can use any material, of course, and drill holes to your specifications in order to fit the working surface.


Why won't my electric baseboard heaters work? I'm installing a 72" 240V baseboard heater in a home office. I ran 12/2 gauge wire, installed a 20 amp 2-pole breaker and 2-pole thermostat. I'm pretty good with electrical, and so I can confirm that all is connected properly. Yet I have no heat. I tested the line at the breaker, and I have 120V at each leg. All grounds are connected but no heat. If I take my probe and touch each screw on the breaker I have nothing. I thought I should have 240V on the tester.

What is happening and how do I fix it?

Right. I've seen this before. Some handyman put in a subpanel, but only ran 120V service to it (who knows why - saving money on wires? Expanding one wire feeding an outlet into a whole sub-panel?) and then jumpers the hots - which works OK if everything is 120V loads - which was probably the case when the panel was installed.

This does, of course, mean that a 2-pole breaker has pretty much 0 volts across it, as both sides are fed from the same phase (both are 120V to neutral/&ground.)

You'll need to add another hot wire from the source to the panel (traditionally red in the US system - black hot, red hot, white neutral (grounded), green or bare safety ground.)

Depending what the current wiring is, and especially if it's inappropriately sized (which would go right along with the handyman's decision to run it 120V) it may be more appropriate to replace the current wiring completely with 4 wire cable (called 3-wire cable due to the convention of not counting the ground wire) or 4 wires in conduit.

I'd also double-check the status of the ground and neutral - in a sub-panel the neutral is supposed to be isolated from the ground (including not being connected to the case, which should be grounded) and I would not bet on that being how this one is, just following the pattern of behavior shown by whoever wired it up.

You should probably go over the whole electrical system looking for any other "interesting" work that's been done to it, and possibly call in an electrician to check you on anything you can't sort out. Incidentally (clarifying my comment), both QO and Homeline are fine, it's just that the breakers have to be the same flavor as the panel, and sometimes folks get the wrong one as both are Square-D products, and they almost-sort-of fit. But that has nothing to do with your problem, from your description in the comments.


Do we need to re-install tiles if it was exposed to water for 20 minutes after installation? The tile installers didn't shut off the shower valve when they left after installing tile work in our shower. We turned on the main water supply and 15 minutes later, we went to the bathroom to check the tile work. The bathroom was soaked and water overflowed in our master bedroom. Do we need to re-install the tiles? Also, we're wondering if it is necessary to remove the backer board to check for water seeping behind the walls. We've placed a dehumidifier the entire night to remove all the moisture and to keep the bathroom dry.

There are two problems I can think of. The first is exposing the thinset to excess moisture, this will impact the chemical reaction that's part of the curing process, which may lead to a weaker bond and loose tiles. It's easy enough to wait at least 24 hours and then check the tiles to see if they are firmly in place. If a bunch are easily dislodged, then I'd remove everything to inspect for damage behind the walls. You'll want a new backer board for a flat tile install anyway.

The bigger problem is if water got behind the tiles into the wall. A proper install will have a waterproof barrier behind the tiles since grout, thin set, and often the tiles themselves are not waterproof. If this barrier (e.g. Ditra) isn't the case in your install, the materials behind the tile and possible paths water could take are important. If water is getting into drywall, even green board, wood (studs, plywood, or OSB), or on metal (non-galvanized nails/screws, electrical lines, communications lines) you will see damage. The damage will likely take time to detect, e.g. rusting, corrosion, and mold won't be noticeable immediately.

On the flip side, it's also possible that any damage that has resulted will not be noticed until after you sell the home or perform another renovation. Because of this, it's difficult for anyone to give a definitive answer. You may be exposing yourself to significant health hazards from mold, or you may not have any issues at all.


How can I prevent the water from my neighbor's leaky gutter from entering my basement? There is some water leakage in my stone basement on my neighbor's side (which is otherwise, very dry for a stone basement).

As you can see from picture, the side of our house is loose stone (may be difficult to see).  A friend of mine has put a concrete "curb" next to his foundation to cause his neighbor's insufficient gutter's water to flow away from his stone foundation.  I'm guessing that the loose gravel keeps me from using this solution for my problem.

What can I do to my house to resolve the neighbor's 'waterfall gutter' situation in my basement?

I guess the 'repair' solution for the neighbor's house didn't pan out.

You can use your friend's solution, you are just limited by how much room you have to the property line.  You just excavate to the frost line, attach an waterproof isolation layer to the house and extend it above the new pad.  Place some curbing forms and pour concrete.

Another method (even more expensive) is an exterior french drain with a full wall membrane

The interior french drain/sump pump combo will also work.  Unfortunately, you'll need to trench all 4 exterior walls with this method.

Recently, others on the site have used wall coatings (Dry-loc sealer) to stop small amounts of water intrusion.  YMMV.


How to trim exterior basement window I just put in egress basement windows in my 1950s house. The issue I'm encountering is that they didn't use forms so the exterior concrete is super rough and doesn't give any easy solution to trim. Hoping some one knows how best to trim this out.

Based on that pic, I'd agree with the comment that some small stock, ripped to the appropriate width to fill that gap is going to be your only way to trim that out. Personally, I'd suggest using PVC "wood" as it's guaranteed to never rot (since it's not wood). If you want to stick with real wood, I'd suggest that investing in pressure treated at a minimum or possibly something like cedar that is naturally rot resistant, then, once each piece is cut to fit, prime all six sides with a quality primer (don't skimp here or you'll be replacing it sooner than you'd like) before installation and paint the outside the appropriate color after installation.
I'd decide how far out from the concrete you want it to stick, then get the appropriate thickness (or build it up out of layers if using PVC - it usually only comes in nominal 1"), rip pieces to width to fit into the narrow gaps, then either use wider pieces (where you have the room) that match the width of your other window trim or use the same width as this narrow gap has where you don't have the room.
For the side shown in the picture, I'd put a heavy bead of caulk down the side of the concrete, and another down the side of the window, then push the trim into the caulk and use the appropriate screws to attach it to the wall. I purchased a kit of screws that came with a driver bit with a depth stop and little white PVC plugs that just fill the holes when the screws are driven to the proper depth.
For the bottom trim, depending on how far above ground this is, you may want to leave the caulk off the bottom, so that any moisture that manages to get behind the trim has a place to escape. If this is very close to the ground, I'd put caulk along the bottom there to prevent moisture from wicking in should there ever be any flooding or snow build up in the window well.


What alternatives to Stab-Lok breakers are there? After reading this article:

https://inspectapedia.com/fpe/Federal_Pioneer_Panel_Safety.php

and from it a link to this one:

https://inspectapedia.com/electric/Circuit-Breaker-Defects-Aronstein-IEEE-2018.pdf

  ABSTRACT Test results presented in this paper demonstrate that some
  brands of residential molded case circuit breakers do not operate
  properly within the limits specified by the applicable standard. The
  samples tested are both used, from homes, and new, purchased at retail
  sources. The minimum trip current is determined for each breaker. The
  test procedure encompasses the basic overload trip requirements of the
  applicable standard. Breakers that do not open the circuit at or below
  135% of rated current fail to meet the requirements of the standard.
  Test results vary substantially from brand to brand. The best brands
  are essentially failure free. The failure rate of the worst-case
  brands is in the order of 50% for both used breakers from homes and
  new breakers recently purchased. Some samples, primarily multi-pole
  breakers, do not open the circuit at any level of applied current.
  Failure of a circuit breaker in a home to operate properly when
  required poses an increased risk of fire and injury.

I am concerned. The second article written only a bit over a year ago says that the same defects in this style of breaker are still common.

I'm considering putting in a sub panel in my garage, and would like to do the right thing.  The second article is weasel worded and doesn't identify the various brands, but by implication all of the Stab-Lok type circuit breakers are flawed.

What is the best alternative type of breaker?

UBI is a 'replacement' stab-lok sold under various names.  Chinese based company.
2/3 failed to trip below the 135% rated current.

Siemens/Murray looks about 2/3 passed at or very closely above.

Eaton, Square D and GE had no test failures.

This is NOT a huge test.

Second image is from testing 3000 breakers that were removed when renovations were done.  Breakers had not been abused. (Wet, building hit by lightning, etc) and were all in service at the time of removal.

Based on this, I will go with a Square D sub panel and breakers.

Images is from the article: https://inspectapedia.com/electric/Circuit_Breaker_Failures.php


How do I prevent my fence gate from binding against the post? My gate was binding against the post along the top drip rail. I figured the gate was a little too wide at that spot so I trimmed it a little shorter.

Shorty after the gate started binding at a couple other spots. I presume the "keep trimming the everything until it stops binding" method is not the right way to fix my gate.

How can I adjust the gate so it doesn't strike the post when closing?

First, determine why it is binding:

Is it because the wood has swollen due to wet weather, pests, etc.?
Is it because the posts surrounding the gate have shifted?
Has the ground shifted and moved the posts closer together?

My garden gate binds during wet weather.  Fortunately, we are much less likely to use the gate then.  The posts and gate are set to match perfectly when the wood is dry and that is when we most care about it working well.

If I were to do anything to make "wet closing" easier, I would bevel the striking surfaces so they wouldn't cause a dead stop, but move the posts apart so the gate can be closed with one hand.


Why does my gas stove smell like burnt gas when turning on the oven and burners I bought a gas stove over a year ago. I continually smell burnt gas. It has smelled since day 1.

Why does this happen and how do I stop it?

Have the orifice checked in the gas regulator. The will come with either a natural gas or propane orifice. Depending on what you have in the way of gas, you may need them swapped. The spare orifices are stored with the regulator.

We had the same problem when we moved in to our house. It came with a new stove, the house has propane, but the smell got progressively worse and the oven was sooted up. We called the installer and the came and swapped out the orifices, problem solved.


How can I remove a porcelain sink from a granite counter? I'd like to replace my kitchen sink.  It is a drop-in porcelain, mounted in a granite tile countertop.  It has been there almost 20 years.  The tile is in great shape and I would like to avoid damaging it.
I tried to cut away the silicone from the sink and slip a putty knife under there to loosen it, but I couldn't create any gap to get the knife in.  I also tried to use heat to loosen the silicone, and a mallet to jiggle the sink a bit from the bottom.  Nothing has worked.
Any advice on working the sink loose while avoiding tile damage?

A kitchen sink is usually relatively large and when made of porcelain it's probably pretty heavy. The putty knife is a good idea but you're fighting against not just the silicone but also the weight of the sink. Also make sure you're not fighting against the plumbing -- the drain or the faucet supply pipes could hamper your efforts.
Find a way to apply some lifting force to the sink while trying to cut the caulk with the putty knife. An assistant could push up on the bottom of the sink, or if the drain plumbing is removed, can lift the sink from above by grasping through the drain hole(s). Another possibility is to use a lever or jack of some kind. Take care with this approach. It sets up a "weakest link" challenge: if things go right the caulk will fail, but if things go wrong the sink may break or the floor of the cabinet may be damaged. Proceed with caution, increasing the force/leverage gradually.
Whichever method you choose for lifting the sink, try doing so at all four corners (one at a time). One of them may be adhered weaker than the others; once you get one area loose the rest will follow more easily.


Should I use DF (AFCI + GFCI) breaker for circuit sharing bathroom lights? I have a bathroom which shares a lighting circuit with other living areas. In California this is required to be AFCI protected, but not required to be GFCI protected (receptacles are on a separate dedicated circuit and GFCI protected)
However, with light switches in close proximity to sinks and showers what is considered best practice?
Should I replace my AFCI lighting breaker with a DF breaker offering both protections?
(Square D QO)
The switches and receptacles are grounded. These switches are in a plastic box with a plastic face plate.

I would not use a dual function breaker on the lighting for several reasons.
The first being the lighting circuit usually has the fan and possibly a humidistat , timer I have had trouble with GFCI’s tripping and fans my best guess is the emf on start and turn off is the cause not always but often enough that several of the owners that had me install them had me remove them.
This is the main reason a minor reason is electronic breakers tend to have a shorter life than common breakers dual function just one more thing to fail.
As far as the switch electrical contacts these are isolated from the metal, this and the fact that it is grounded really is the protection needed if the worst happens the ground will cause the breaker to trip.
I do not see an advantage in this case and only more costs and possible failures.


Building a Mezzanine Office 2x10s or 2x122 Working on building a mezzanine in my shop for a small office. I am currently trying to figure out the best way to build it. I am thinking 2x6 walls 24OC and 2x10s 12OC. 16 FT Span. Should I upgrade to 2x12s 16OC or will the 2x10s work?

Assuming ordinary loads on the floor and etc. you can look this up on a span table, such as this one.

This shows that for a 16' span, 2x10's spaced 12" on center are adequate even with the Eastern spruce number for a 40#/ft-ft live load.

You could get by with 2x8's if you use #1 grade yellow pine and only need to support a 30#/ft-ft live load, but I'd much rather leave some room for error than try to squeak by.

With 2x12's, you can actually get by with 24" spacing, although that's going to be a springy floor, it's probably a significant savings.  Spruce will make it, but you could probably upgrade from spruce to #1 or #2 yellow pine for some room for error and still come out ahead.


How to properly install tongue and groove plywood subfloor? I'm doing a remodel and can't seem to find the proper method for installing the tongue and groove plywood subfloor over joists. I mean, I think I pretty much understand how to do it but there are a few details I'm missing still.

On the first sheet down, does the tongue or groove go towards the wall? Pretty sure it's groove based on what Bob Vila shows on TV
What adhesive should I be using to attach the plywood to the joists? (Be specific)
Nails or screws? And exactly what kind?
Where are expansion gaps required? Everyone says to leave a 1/8" expansion gap but they never say where that gap should be
How tight should the T&G be? Does it need to be glued or anything?

The plywood goes down so the groove is away from the wall, that way, after the row is finished, or at least when you decide to start the next row, a 2X4 can be placed across the joists at the edge of the next row and drive, with a sledgehammer, the second run into the first. The gap should be 1/8" between ends. The tongue and groove (T&G) of the sheets should be driven snug. Do not try to drive them tight, although in some cases it might be needed in order to keep a straight run. The first run is set to a chalk line, but the rows after that can start to meander after a few runs are down, and to correct it with a tighter fit or if need be, a loose fit to correct the run so it remains true

The subfloor adhesive I choose to use is polyurethane based adhesive. It has a long open time, Meaning you don't have to rush to get it covered before the glue "skins" over, thus minimizing the bond. Also, it is twice the cost of regular subfloor adhesive, but you can actually use less. Since there is no "skin" that will form that will need to be broke again by the laying of the plywood over it, to squeeze the glue again out of the skin that was formed by it sitting open before the plywood goes down. Do not drop the plywood on the glue or set the plywood off the final placement too far or firstly the glue will splatter all out off of the joist, or slide or scrape the glue off the joists. I seen both of these things happen in my years of construction. Needless to say the bond will not be worthy. The tongue or the groove does not need to be glued, although there is no reason not to. Some engineers require it in certain applications, but for standard subfloor applications none will be needed. Again it is to your discretion also. If you choose to place the glue at the groove, so the tongue drives it into the groove.

Screws are the best to secure the plywood with, and since a premium glue is used, there only needs to be enough set to draw the plywood to the joists. You can still place them as it has been done before the days of glue which is 6" on the edges and 8" in the field.
With glue you really can spread them out farther, 5 screws used on the ends if you choose, and 4 across the field. There are drills that are sold that use screws that have the screws collated in coils or strips. Makes this go much faster. Rental is an idea here.

Again with the glue, nails can be used too, since the glue will do all of the holding after it has set. Air powered nailers are available for this and will be faster than screws, but the nail gun in some cases does not draw the wood together like screws.


How to remove the top foot of inground pool wall? I have decided to fill in my inground pool next spring, and am doing some upfront planning. My understanding of the "anatomy" of an inground pool wall is this:

So as you can see, the concrete patio sits on top of raw earth/dirt, and the wall (I'm not sure at this point what its made of, likely polymer) has some coping sitting on top of it (I forgot to include the liner which would obviously be on the outside of the wall and terminate in between the wall and the coping).

So first off, if my diagram is horribly incorrect, please begin by correcting me!

So I want to fill this in. Let's wave a magic wand and pretend we don't have to worry about building codes, and let's say that I have no intentions of ever building any structure/foundation over the pool at anytime. (If my comment about building code offends you, the "TL;DR" version is: I live in an extremely rural, 1-traffic-light town that has no building & code enforcement office. The town clerk claims that they delegate all building code enforcement to the county level. I called the county code enforcement office and they have no idea what the town clerk was saying and they claim they have no jurisdiction and never even set foot in the town I live in. LOL. Murica!)

Now then, the problem at hand. If my diagram is correct, then when I bust up the concrete (I'm going to rent one of those bobcats with a jackhammer attachment and just destroy everything in my path), there will be some 4 - 12 inches of wall exposed above the ground. Thus my thinking is that I will need to dig a trench and "cut" out this 4"-12" of wall around the entire perimeter of my pool like so:

Any ideas as to how I might accomplish this? Of course, if my understanding about pool "anatomy" is incorrect, I might not even have this problem in the first place.

A lot of people are doing the same thing here in the South- Western part of the States (mostly because of the drought). But it sounds like you have the plan (man). Be ready to deal with the embedded cage of re-bar. The hydraulic bobcat hammer is the apex demo tool to bust concrete, but you'll have to cut some tenacious 1/2 inch rebar (reciprocating saw, oxy-acetylene). I'm guessing you'll just let it drop to the pool bottom to act as fill?  The next tool you should consider using to cut through reinforced concrete is a concrete wet saw (like a Stihl TS400). This is a gas powered portable saw with a 14 inch blade and usually has a connection for a hose so as to spray the airborne dust from spreading. Also, be alert to the electric lines buried for any pool lights and expect to see 1 1/2 inch PVC encircling the entire pool shell. FYI: I've read (but never witnessed) an occurrence that may happen if the ground around the pool shell is thoroughly saturated and the pool is empty the pool can be pushed from the ground due to static water pressure.


Why does my shower feed do a long loop into my garage? The pipes feeding my shower have an odd arrangement. Hot and balanced cold plastic pipes come down from the loft into the shower space, go into the utility room next door, along the wall and into the garage. They then loop around, come back through the utility room, back into the same hole in the shower room and go to where the shower mixer bar is fitted.

The loop in the garage is two plastic elbows with a 50mm copper pipe between them. There are no isolation valves, check valves or any other form of fitting on the pipes - just a seemingly-unnecessary 5 meter long loop.

This has obviously been some effort by the original fitter - it would be far easier to feed the shower directly from the pipes coming from the loft. There is nothing functional in the pipework loop. So why have they done that?

Hard to know without having them to ask.

Possibly thinking of having a utility sink or clothes washer in the garage? My other thought was considering fitment of a pre-warming arrangement but that would only need the cold line (and a drain pump feeding the shower drain water to a heat exchanger on the cold line, for a shower not on an upper level. The pump energy being considerably less than is saved on water heating when this is done right.)


Cracked bricks/stones in the ceiling near fireplace I have a basement with a fireplace (gas). The floor above also has a fireplace (non-gas). Today i opened up the ceiling tiles in the basement to install ROXUL insulation. Near the fireplace ceiling i noticed cracked bricks/stones. Some of the bricks have cracked all the way through. Fortunately these bricks seem solid (they do not wiggle when i press against them).

Are these a problem?
If so, how to fix this?

This is looking straight up into the drop ceiling:

This is the fireplace in the basement. Notice the gray bricks in the drop-ceiling area:

This is the "hearth" for the fireplace on the top floor:
Notice the sealed cracks. I suspect something happened here before we bought the house.

Those cracked blocks are "concrete masonry units" (CMU) and what you're looking at is the bottom side of the hearth of the fireplace on the floor above. There could be three reasons: 1) Settlement, and/or 2) Under sized cantilevered slab (hearth), or 3) the weight of the concrete at the time of installation caused the lintels to crack.

It looks like the upstairs hearth is about level with the floor above, based on the height of the CMU to the adjacent wood floor joists. (We'll discuss this later.) The hearth is made from concrete and reinforcing steel. Think of it as a reinforced concrete slab up in the air rather than on the ground.

Usually, the builder will build a plywood box up in the air to hold the concrete slab and rebar. In this case, it looks like the builder had the "mason" lay some "lintel blocks" and then he poured the concrete slab on top of the masonry lintel blocks. (Very unusual where I live.) This could be due to job site scheduling. Maybe the builder was busy when the mason was building the fireplace, so the builder told the mason to "block-out a space for the hearth and he'd pour the concrete hearth later."

The concrete hearth (slab) needs to sit on the foundation of the fireplace and cantilever out from the fireplace. We usually require the slab to be 6-8" thick (depending how far it's cantilevered (extending out into the room) and what we're going to put on it...like tile, rock, etc.) We use two layers of rebar. One held down about 3/4" clear of the top surface of the slab and one layer of rebar held 3/4" clear of the bottom of the slab. With masonry lintels, it's a little more complicated, but clearances still need to be maintained.

Masonry will not hold the hearth up. It needs concrete and reinforcing. (Unless we do like the Romans and build arches.) The only way to provide the necessary strength is to use rebar and concrete. I suspect the masonry you see from below is just "formwork" used to hold the structural concrete and rebar slab.

1) Settlement:
All buildings settle. Usually during construction when we first "load-up" the soil. What we hope is that it settles uniformly. What causes problems is "differential settlement". This is when one part of the structure settles more than the rest. This causes cracking and usually occurs when one part of the building weighs more than the rest, like the fireplace. (I hope the fireplace has its own footing and is over sized. That will reduce the differential settlement.) If there was settlement, then that could cause the cracking.

2) Under sized cantilevered slab or rebar:
In this case, we have a cantilever slab that's probably causing the problem not settlement. Cantilevered slabs are a bit unusual in residential construction. So most builders don't understand them. Actually, the rebar needs to be in the top of the slab during its service. (Contractors are use to putting rebar at the bottom, I.e.: footings, slabs-on-grade, etc.) When the portion of the slab furtherest from the face of the fireplace bends, it will bend down and then the "tension" side of the slab is on top. If the contractor puts the rebar in the bottom (or more likely in the middle) of the slab, then there isn't enough "effective depth" to adequately support the load and the slab will deflect too much causing cracks ON TOP OF THE SLAB. So, if you check and see cracks (and they can be "hairline" cracks) on top of this hearth, then this is the cause. You probably have tile, brick or stone on your hearth and can't actually see the concrete slab, but checking the joints of the tile, brick or rock will work too. If you don't have cracks on top of the hearth, then the cracks you see from below are from "movement"...issues 1) or 3).

3) cracking at time of installation:
You say the masonry blocks feel solid...not loose. That's good, but doesn't mean they won't loosen in the future. It has to do with how the mason installed the lintel blocks. Lintel blocks are "U" shaped CMU. The smallest I know of are 8" high. If they installed them without modifying them, then the sides of the "U" could be embedded in the concrete slab and they'll never crack loose and fall. However, if they cut the top of each "U" off so they could install the concrete slab close to the bottom of each lintel, then the broken pieces you see from below could wiggle loose and fall. However, what is odd is that the lintel blocks are cracked on the bottom, which could be Settlement, but 2 of the blocks have a significant crack, while the third has only a "hairline" crack. Odd...unless the lintels were not supported very well at the time of installation. (The mason would need to build a wood platform to support his lintels , but maybe it wasn't adequate to support the concrete slab that was poured on top before the slab set-up and cured. Then, that would explain the cracks on the bottom of the lintels, especially if there are no cracks on the top of the hearth.

So, a little homework. Remember I started by saying I thought the top of the slab (hearth) was about level with the finished floor above, well, it needs to be verified. If the top of the hearth is 10"-12" above the finished floor (raised hearth) then that probably is good because that means the sides of the lintel blocks were not cut down and they won't come loose...cracked or not. However, all my analysis is based on the typical cantilever design. So, Is there a support wall downstairs supporting this hearth that is not in the picture?