Ceiling hole on top floor apartment I have this ugly hole in the hallway ceiling:

It's a top floor flat, in a a very old building in the UK (5 floors in total).

If you look closely, you can see that there is some metal tube in the middle, with cracks at several layers.

Is it from a leak? If I just paint over it, will it just show up again in a few months?

Thanks!

Water has come down through that tube.  It has rotted the fiberboard and caused the paint to flake off.

The tube must get water very intermittently or you would see it.   Probably it was cut off during a renovation and the new ceiling put up.

I am curious where that tube goes, of course.  If you can go up above your flat maybe you can find out.  Maybe it goes up through the roof and gets a little water when it rains.  You could try running a long plastic stick or tape measure through; leave it run up through and then when you go up there it will be easier to find the tube.

Ideally you find the top side and cap it.  If you just plug your bottom side it will sit filled with water and might eventually corrode its way out.


How to remove this galvenized pipe? I'm attempting to replace the pipes between the bathroom sink ptrap till the end of the pipe that leads to the basement as you can see depicted in the photo. I was able to remove the ptrap as well as the 3 galvanized couplers that it led to. This was all done via vice grips and brute force.
I've reached a point where I couldn't remove the elbow, nor the pipe that connects to the pipe that is protruding the basement. Because the toilet is in the way I can't get enough torque with vice grips so I purchased 2 pipe wrenches and WD40, but the pipe standing vertically and the elbow will not budge at all. The coupler marked with an X was removed already so that can be disregarded.
I guess my question is how to remove the elbow and the pipe connecting to the pipe in the basement? Do I have to remove the toilet or is there an alternative option? Ultimately I was looking to reuse the pipe leading from the basement and connect a galvanized to pvc coupling.

Considering the age of the pipe and the odds of it being so rusted inside as to be nearly useless, I would consider now a good time to improve the drain! I would first look at what I had to cut the pipe, rather than try to fight it loose! One easy step is to grind it off if no other metal cutting tools are available. Then I would start building back with materials meant for drains. Cast iron was once common but newer builds will be plastic of various types which do not rust and clog so easily.
This drain is a real bear to deal with.
When you have a bear trapped in the cabin, it is often best to just shoot it!


How to Remove Stuck Exterior Faucets I have two outdoor faucets that I need to replace.

These are attached to some gnarly old pipes (cast iron?) and I've not been able to remove the faucets with gentle pressure. Is grabbing a pipe wrench and hauling on these as bad idea as I think? I'd appreciate ideas on how to remove these without destroying the pipes in the process.

I'm a newish homeowner and don't have a lot of plumbing experience, but working on expanding my knowledge. I've searched through this forum as well as browsed through tons of YouTube videos, but haven't found any good how to guides.

AFIK a water supply pipe would not be 'cast iron'. Older water supply systems were made of galvanized steel with threaded joints. (Drain systems in the walls were made of cast iron, but the joints between sections of drain pipe were not threaded but rather packed and sealed with lead.)

The more modern supply systems were copper tubing joined by soldered joints so called 'sweated' joints. Outside faucets would oftentimes be threaded onto a brass or copper fitting which was sweated onto the copper tubing and transitioned to normal pipe threads (NPT) either male or female. The threaded end of this transition was also called 'iron pipe' even though the fitting was made of brass. The designation of these terminations would be MIP or FIP, respectively, for male and female terminations.

In my house the outside faucets are fed by 1/2" copper tubing and I sweated on 1/2" FIP fittings so I could replace the faucets by unscrewing them and not have to get out the torch and solder. These threaded connections do require sealing with 'pipe dope' or Teflon water pipe sealing tape.

If you have galvanized steel piping you will need a pipe wrench to hold the pipe and prevent it from turning and another wrench to unscrew the faucet. (The second wrench would not have to be a pipe wrench, but could be, although a pipe wrench takes a little practice to learn how to use.) You do not want the pipe to turn because this would loosen a joint further back and could cause a leak in the wall. To use a pipe wrench correctly takes a little practice and understanding if you have never used one before. A pipe wrench is asymmetric and must be oriented properly to clamp onto the pipe. Look this up.


Is dish washing liquid safe for cleaning an oven? An awful lot of grease fell into the bottom of my oven during its last use. Afterwards, it made sense to use Dawn to clean the oven, as it cuts grease so well. After I did that, however, I thought to worry about any ill effects of heating the oven. I did go over everything with a wet rag several times, and believe I got all the Dawn out.

Specifically, I used ultra concentrated Dawn dishwashing liquid which has no phosphates and which carries warnings to not mix with bleach. So, do I have anything to be worried about?

Considering the kinds of caustic chemicals in commercial oven cleaners (lye, KOH), I would have no fear of using dish soap.  Theoretically soap bubbles can trap flammable gas, so it's good that you rinsed thoroughly, but it's certainly less dangerous than a pool of grease.

My experience has been that vinegar and baking soda are fairly effective for cleaning ovens, you might try those next time.


How to lay laminate flooring against an exterior threshold I’m installing laminate flooring in my house and just got to my front door and realized the threshold won’t have molding on it. How is this normally handled? The transition pieces are only for interior doorways.

What you could do is get a good flexible and durable caulk that can expand and retract with the flooring and use that to fill the gap between the flooring and the threshold.

Alternatively I think I've heard of people using wood filler instead but if you choose this route make sure it can expand and retract with the flooring.


Can a sink drain be on the low side of a p-trap A question and a subquestion:

Is it acceptable to have the sewer line on the high side of a p-trap under a kitchen sink?
In fixing the situation, can I plumb the dishwasher drain line into the horizontal pipe between the two sinks?

I've looked at a number of similar questions on here and spent some time wandering the internet, but I can't seem to find anything that relates to my situation exactly.  I'm sure it's out there, but I just can't figure out how to find it.

We recently moved into a new home and today the kitchen sink drain came apart.  When I investigated, I found some stuff that just looks obviously wrong to me.  I've listed all of the things that I see that seem like issues, but I suspect that the mess originated with the addition of a dishwasher and the tailpiece that was added to the right side.  It clearly has leaked in the past and today the misaligned fitting marked A simply disconnected entirely.  I don't know if the connection at E is cemented or simply holding together with years of accumulated filth, but it doesn't even have a compression ring.  I'm less than impressed with the home inspector's quality of service on this one...

My primary question is, is it acceptable to have the sewer on the high side of the p-trap?  I could replace most of this with cemented fittings in more or less the same configuration it currently has without too much work, but the entire p-trap, horizontal drain from the left sink, and part of the tailpiece from the right will be filled at all times.  There won't be sewer gas issues, to be sure, but this doesn't seem right.

If that's not acceptable I've come up with a couple of options for replumbing the mess.  (Honestly, even if it is, I don't like the idea of storing a gallon of drain water in the pipes under the sink.)

Option B: This is the one I'd like to do.  It would open up space in the cabinet and doing it should be relatively straightforward.  I'm not sure if the dishwasher drain placement is acceptable though.  I'd bring the horizontal pipe up as high as possible below the sinks, then plumb the dishwasher line into the horizontal drain between the sinks.  I've never seen it that way before, but I can't see why it would be an issue (and of course the dishwasher line would come out of the top of the pipe and have a high loop.)

Option C: This is a possibility, though I'd really rather not.  I have access to the drain in the open basement ceiling.  I could remove the existing sewer line and run it up through the floor into the bottom of the cabinet.  The only issue with this is that it essentially creates an S-trap, which I don't think is accepted anymore.

Option D: Cutting into the wall in the back of the cabinet and dropping the sewer line 6 inches.  I know that this will do the trick, but yuck.

EDIT: For the curious, the fitting at E was just jammed together and sealed with sludge - neither the beveled sealing ring nor the threaded compression part of the joint was present.  The entire system was approximately 1/3 full of sludge.  It was truly revolting.  Whether the original met code or not (I can't believe it did), this was a horrible idea for a drain setup.

Replacing the whole lot is certainly the way to go. The layout is daft and it seems held together with wishful thinking.

What to do?
Something like what you have in mind but IMO the dishwasher should join in immediately above the p-trap.

Many companies sell complete packages for what you're trying to do.

E.g..

(source: plumbers-mate-sales.co.uk)

Or  this one listed as "space saving"

(source: scene7.com)

Unfortunately, once you've done all of that I think you're still going to to find that the waste pipe comes out if the wall a little to high up.


How do I properly install GFCI outlets with existing 12/3 wire in parallel and on a switch? I am trying to help my inlaws with a problem in their living room.  Two of their outlets stopped working and I don't really know why.  The outlets were wired to a switch in the hallway, which controlled the top outlet, and the bottom outlet was always powered.  They were also the middle outlets in a series of 6. I purchased 2 Leviton brand slim GFCI outlets.  When unhooking the existing outlets, I noticed that both red wires were attached to the top "brass" connector, and both black wires were attached to the bottom "brass" connector, while the white wires were attached to the silver connectors.  I have tried every combination of wires I can think of and cannot get it to work.

Any advice?

You can't do what you want with GFCI receptacles.  You'll have to buy a couple regular duplex receptacles, and write them exactly as the old ones were wired.  And don't forget to break off the tab between the terminals, on the "hot" side of the receptacles.


What are the pros and cons of titanium lawnmower blades? I have a Honda stone-flinger with a cutting blade and a mulching blade, both steel of some flavor. I remove the blades about every other time I mow, and touch up the edges with a file, or the angle-grinder if needed.

Every season, about the 2nd time I do this I gets to thinkin' (as is my wont when faced with hard work) that a blade of a different material might be more resilient to the stones and tree-carcasses I often excavate with the derned thing.

a) How much more brittle than a typical blade would a titanium blade be?
b) How much longer than a typical blade would a titanium blade keep an edge?

I don't know anything about the different grades of titanium billet, or titanium alloys, but that might have an effect on performance.

Yes, I know that titanium is super expensive. Price is not a consideration, for this question.

I assume you want longer blade life ? As a metallurgist I can't think of any advantage for Ti. I have weld hard-faced steel blades  ( 5% Cr+ C ).They cut well but it was very difficult to grind a sharp edge on the rounded weld deposit. My current cheap mower blade is doing very well and I realized all that is needed is to harden it - quench and temper ( Q & T ). The large majority of blades are just cold rolled steel , not hard. They are relatively low carbon like nearly all ordinary steels , that can make Q & T difficult. But it can be done with high austenitizing temperature ,like 1650F, and quenching into salt water. There are other more expensive things that can be done.


I feel like I should rewire my older trailer home , I don't even know where to start I rent a older 2 bedroom 1 bath trailer home. This is my first home , it me and my daughter's . I have lived here for a few months shy of a year . The tenants before me lived her 12 years and I am almost positive they always fixed everything themselves . I bought a new GFI circuit because my kitchen lights and 2 living room outlets would turnoff randomly and for days. I have gone through 15 - 25 packs of light bulbs . If I even barley tap a light fixture they blow. I Bought a new hanging light fixture for my dining room ,it takes 6 smaller bulbs . I blew 6 trying to put them in. My dad had to do whatever to make it work . I am now being given the option to buy. I am a young first time home owner . I feel a safety concern with the wiring in my home . Where do I start ? What do I look for ? If I buy I want all new light fixtures but don't want to go through an it her 200.00 in bulbs.  Any advice is appreciated .

Mia, I don't mean to panic you, but you really should get an electrician to inspect your wiring as soon as you can. If it's something  minor, you've taken a sensible precaution and gotten a problem fixed. If it's something major, you may save you and your daughter's lives.

There's a possibility that it's something serious enough to start a fire.

It sounds like you may have loose connections in your service panel (breaker box) or even loose or broken connections somewhere else, like in an outlet box or inside a wall. There's a chance it is a single bad connection.

If the neutral connection in your service panel is loose or open, you could get wildly fluctuating voltage on your branch circuits, as you turn lights and appliances on and off, which could burn lights out quickly or even cause appliances to suddenly catch on fire.

There's even a condition where an open neutral can cause current to "leak" into moist wood in your walls, which over enough time can completely dry the wood out and turn it into kind of a charcoal tinder, which is another fire risk.


Choosing depth of ceiling electrical boxes? Ceiling electrical boxes come in different depths: 0.5", 1.5", 2.25", 2.75" seem to be fairly common. I'm going to be hanging some lights as well as ceiling fans. I want to have the boxes as shallow as possible in order to keep the service chase shallow.

How do I determine how deep of boxes I need? I'm looking at 1.5" deep boxes -- in what situations would I need to use boxes deeper than that?

The number of wires in your box determines the size of the electrical box you need.  I personally find 1.5" boxes rather shallow for a fan install since you are often hiding some of the fan wires in the box - this is a bit brand dependent though.

Also the depth of your box shouldn't effect insulation.  We are talking about the difference of an inch.  The insulation will have a little hump and will perform the same.


Connecting a Honda 7000iS portable generator to a transfer switch I recently purchased a Honda EU7000iS generator (manual) to power our house when the power goes out. The house came with a transfer switch but I'm unsure which cord to buy to connect the two. Can someone point me in the right direction?
I've attached a picture of the instructions manual for the transfer switch.

Good news: you can use this generator with this transfer switch
The good news is that the EU7000is, luckily, is a floating neutral generator, so it can be used with simpler transfer switches, such as your "select circuit" switch, or breaker interlocks without violating the NEC's grounding and bonding provisions.  (Many jobsite generators have bonded neutrals as per the OSHA rules on worksite use, but this means that they need to be used as separately derived systems. This, in turn, requires a transfer switch which switches the neutral wire over so that you don't put the two neutral-ground bonds in parallel inadvertently, which'd cause merry havoc with stray neutral currents and even GFCI tripping.)
...but the cord you'll need is kind of odd
The problem is that you'll basically need an adapter in order to plug your generator into your house, as your transfer switch has a 50A, California Standard twistlock inlet which requires the correct connector (the inlet's a CS6375 and the mating cord cap's a CS6364), while your generator has a NEMA L14-30R on it.  Such a thing does exist, or you could use a length of 8/4 outdoor cordage (such as SOOW), a NEMA L14-30P, and a CS6364 cordcap to fabricate your own cord.


Will insulating pipes shorten the time it takes for hot water to reach the faucet? Ok, so I took a few weekends and totally insulated all hot water pipes I could get access to from the water heater. Now, I still wait approx 90 seconds for hot water to reach the farthest faucet from the water heater.

So my question, does anyone find insulating pipes useful? I feel like I wasted time and money. The insulation I used was both fiber and foam.

I'm now looking at water circulation pumps but the wife is skeptical of my projects to have hot water fast at that farthest faucet.

Insulating water pipes reduces the speed that they lose their temperature with the ambient air. This can reduce the risk of the pipes freezing in an outdoor location. For the indoors, it keeps the pipes warmer for longer, which may help for frequent tasks that don't require hot water, like hand washing.

But once the pipes have cooled off it doesn't increase the speed that water takes to travel from the hot water heater to your fixtures. If you need to reduce that time, you may want to consider adding a hot water recirculating pump that ensures the water is always hot at your fixture.


Question about drain trap - limited space in cabinet I am finishing my basement bathroom and have run in to a drain spacing issue in my vanity. The PVC coming out of the wall is 20" off the floor.  The bottom of the vanity cabinet is 18" off the floor, leaving me about 2" of space between the two.  Obviously, I can't have a p-trap that sits below the PVC in the wall given the lack of space in the cabinet.

What are my options in this case?  Is it ok to have the p-trap site above where the water will drain in to the wall (would this mean using an s-trap -- which I think is against code)?  Or, should I look to extend the PVC in the wall so it's higher up and can accept the p-trap exit at nearly parallel to the floor?

The pictures below are what's inside the wall.  The red is my idea of extended the PVC up the wall a bit.   The sketch is the s-trap which I think is a no go.

EDIT:  100% sure the S-trap is against code and will create a siphon.  Anyone see an issue with extending the pipe in the wall as "illustrated" in my red picture?

You're right. You don't want an S trap. They are against code. I think your idea to extend the drain up the wall is the right way to go. I'm not aware of any code issues with a short, vertical drain as you're proposing it. This will give you the vertical space you need to install a proper P trap. Make sure that when you install the horizontal piece from the P trap to the drain that you allow for a 1/4" per foot slope in the line.


GFCI not triggered after installing AFCI / GFCI breaker I have replaced a traditional breaker with dual function AFCI / GFCI breaker hoping to make the outlets up to code (3 prongs with no ground). However, when testing with GFCI tester, outlets with no ground do not trip the breaker (not expected). There is 1 outlet which has its ground connected to water pipe would trip during test (expected). All outlets source from the same breaker.

Any ideas?

GFCI plug in testers with a trip button won't work without some ground connection.  When the test button is depressed it is basically a high resistance leak to the ground pin, with no ground wire connected the test fails.

Specifically this type of device:

Additionally: If the outlet is GFCI protected but has no ground it should be marked "GFCI protected No Equipment Ground" with the stickers that came with the device.


How can I test a radiant heated driveway in warm weather? I'm buying a house which has a radiant heated driveway (for snow and ice abatement)
How can I go about testing it in warm weather?

Wait until night time, then turn it on and look at it with an infrared camera?


NEC code-compliant hard wired hidden LED driver What is an NEC code-compliant way to install a 15A 120V dimmer switch --> driver --> led strip set up that enables the driver to be concealed or out of view but accessible for an in-wall lighting effect similar to below:

The switch is to be close to the wall in which the LED strip and channel is embedded.  Can the driver be located elsewhere in a cool/clean environment or inside some kind of junction box with the low-voltage connection run back to the LED strip?  Since you cannot enclose electrical devices inside a wall cavity, how does a professional electrician conceal the driver while still being able to control the light via switch?

Eek! Don't use a 120V dimmer "switch" to drive low voltage LEDs.

In the 120VAC world, the scheme for dimming is an extremely hanky-janky hack, which was only made to work with incandescents.  LEDs are immune to it. Dimmable LEDs need a microcomputer onboard to "outsmart" the janky dimmer scheme, reverse-engineer what the dimmer is trying to do, and then set dimming to that level.  It's a true Rube Goldberg contraption already.  Now try to add AC dimming a low voltage driver, and you have a totally unworkable train wreck.

In the 12 VDC world, LED dimming is blissfully easy.  You make constant 12V, then you take that to an electronic "PWM" dimmer. This is an elegant method that plays to LED's strengths.  It scales infinitely (you could dim a whole stadium using this method), you can carry dimming long distances as a signal, and then power each bank of lights locally, responding to the dimming command.  You can have any dim level possible, limited only by the resolution of the dimmer.  You can even "dim" RGBW, meaning select any color you want.

So yeah.  Do your dimming on the 12V side.  Also, it's low-voltage, so the easy low-voltage wiring rules apply.

So yeah. Stick the 120v-12V driver in the basement, and bring 12V up to the switch and/or lights.   You could even put a battery there and replace the driver with a charger, along with a solar panel and charge controller.  Then the lights would work during outages!

There are two ways to go about it.

Power to dimmer -> power onward to LEDs

Pretty straightforward: bring 12V to the switch, dim it, then send 12V (dimmed) to the lamps proper.

Signal to dimmer -> separate amplifiers driving LEDs

In this case, you send 12V +/- to the dimmer, and get "dim" (-) back as a signal (so 3-wires, low current; thermostat wire is fine).

Separately, you send to a basement amplifier:

12V +/- power supply
the "dim" signal (-, and the dimmer's + also if this is a different power supply) as the signal input to the amplifier.
Some number of LEDs on the output of the amplifier

This can be repeated for as many [power supply]/amplifier/LED sets that you wish to drive.

If you want to do this with RGB, then the dimmer will output three "-" wires (and one + if you're talking to a different power supply or driving LEDs directly).  The LEDs will take 4 wires: R G B and common.

If you want to do this with RGBW, then the dimmer outputs 4 "-" wires (and one "+").   LEDs will take 5 wires: R G B, W and common.


Kitchen Cabinet "Cracks" when opened A cabinet door in my kitchen makes a loud annoying "cracking" noise when I open and close it and I'm curious if this is something that I can fix simply by adjusting the adjustment screws or if there is actually something wrong with the hinge and it needs to be replaced.  I've tried slowly and meticulously adjusting the different adjustment screws to no avail.  Hoping that somoene else has come across this and can offer me some advice

Video with sound
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kgv5herrklx4kl6/Video%20Oct%2009%2C%209%2024%2043%20PM.mov?dl=0

Photo of the hinge
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0jjdgb91qyxchlh/Photo%20Oct%2009%2C%209%2025%2016%20PM.jpg?dl=0

Thanks!

Your hinge is adjustable for both how far away from door to door (front screw) and also how far from frame to door (back screw) . The hinges also have the non interesting door to door height alignment ( up down ) .

A nice video sample of that is found here:
https://youtu.be/Bd7sbYWGpXw


Can I switch all the stuff from my electric dryer to a gas dryer eliminating the gas burner We purchase a Kenmore stackable washer/ gas dryer.  Can the gas dryer be converted to electric? We found out we don't have a gas line in laundry area.

It may be possible to convert a gas dryer to electric, but it's not practical. Instead, I'd say you have two options.
Install a gas line
If you have a gas supply into the home, you could have a line extended to the area near the dryer. It will cost a bit of money, but it's cheaper than trying to convert the dryer to electric.
Return the dryer
Unless you bought the dryer on craigslist, a very long time ago, or from a not so reputable dealer. Most dealers will allow you to return the dryer, and exchange it for the correct item.  I'm sure dealers see this type of thing all the time, and that there are policies in place to deal with it.


How do I refinish a bathroom ceiling after it got moldy and peeled? I need to refinish the bathroom ceiling in my 35-year-old house. Before I bought the house a few years ago, the bathroom had just had some work done (new wallpaper, probably new lights, and I assume new ceiling). In just the past couple years, the ceiling got moldy and started peeling.

We talked to a local contractor about installing a fan but he thought the bathroom was too small to need one. I assume all the previous owners didn't have to redo the bathroom ceiling every few yeaers, so I think the problem is just that the ceiling wasn't done properly. My guess is that the texture absorbed and stored the moisture when we showered, allowing the mold to grow and causing the texture to crack and peel and fall off. Now that I'm refinishing the ceiling, I want to do it right. I did see another question related to the bathroom ceiling mold, but I still have a few questions:

If it had been painted would this not have been a problem? (the ceiling was textured but not painted before it started disintegrating)
Is there any particular reason to finish it smooth vs. textured?
If I just paint it smooth right now, does that make it harder to texture later if I want to do that?
Do I need to install a fan? (ceiling area is about 52 sq ft)
If I install a fan, will it be easier to do it before or after I refinish the ceiling?

Paint may have helped.  It would act as a bit of a seal, causing the water to drip off rather than absorb into the texture.
I would do it smooth.  A rough surface has a larger surface area meaning a larger surface for condensation.
I would recommend against texturing at a later date.
I would put a fan in.  It's a good idea to put it on a timer so that it turns off automatically.  This allows you to leave it running after you leave, and is also good for bathroom odors.  Also, be aware that cheap = loud when talking about fans.
Definitely put the fan in before. You're going to need to cut and repair drywall as well as drill through the brick to create a vent.  You'll mess up any work you've already done.


Too much drop in 3 inch pvc line? I'm redoing old rotten cast iron and I have a problem with a gas line in the way. Is a 9 inch drop too much in a 6 foot run of 3" pvc coming from the water closet to the main stack?

I doubt that the 9 inch drop is any sort of problem. After all some parts of your drainage system will have a total vertical drop which is the maximal case of drop. The main reason of specifying drop per horizontal distance is to spec out the minimal amount of drop to allow drainage flow to work.


How to permanently secure shelves for built-ins I have used a set of Billy book selves from Ikea to create a built-in unit. I will be placing the shelves in place, then filling the rest of the holes (which allow for adjustment of the shelves). The intent is for the shelves to stay in place, to never be removed. How should I affix the shelves so they will stay permanently? Obviously I'll be using the pins which come with the book shelves to support the shelves, but I want to ensure they stay in place. Should I use something like Liquid Nails to keep them in place? Would the latex paint I'll be spraying the unit with be enough to hold them in place? Or is there a better way to ensure they don't move?

EDIT NOTE: The shelving units are already in place. If I'd have thought about it before hand, I would have used screws in the side to secure them in place.

I took a quick look at the assembly instructions. If you wanted the shelves permanently attached the time to do this was while assembling the cabinet. Instead of using the shelf pins you would use wooden dowels as you did with the non-adjustable shelves.

One issue is that the adjustable shelves are going to be slightly shorter than the permanent shelves because they have to leave room to be inserted as well as room to accommodate the thickness of the shelf pins so you'd need to fill in the gap as well.

At this point I think your best bet is to just use the included shelf pins. Particleboard doesn't hold screws well. If you want to immobilize the shelves you can add a couple of pocket screws on either side of the shelf to lock it in place. A Kreg mini pocket hole jig is affordable and easy to use. I've found multiple uses for mine. If you do a lot of DIY projects you might want to look at some of their more versatile projects because pocket screw joinery helps with a lot of things. Check out my post of which Kreg Jig to buy. They also make plugs to fill in the pocket holes that can be sanded and painted.

I wouldn't recommend just using pocket screws because as I said particle board doesn't hold screws well. The shelf pins should give you better support but the screws will prevent someone lifting off the shelf.

Personally though, I would just use the pins and let gravity do it's job keeping the shelves in place. If the weight of items on the shelves causes the particleboard to break or you want to replace them at a later point because the particleboard has started to bow under the weight it's easier if their just on the pins.


Can I move warm air from 2nd floor to basement to help with heating? I have a finished basement with an open stair well to the 1st floor which even in the middle of the summer needs to be heated to stay at 69F degrees. There's also a large open foyer leading to the 2nd floor. I'm thinking of moving hot air on the 2nd floor down to the basement. Would this help?

Some house details:

Basement (1500 SQFT) is open to the 1st floor  through stairwell
1st floor (2000 SQFT) is open to the 2nd floor through foyer
2nd floor (600 SQFT) has some common space and two bedrooms
Every room and a common space has individual returns
Basement is walk-out and there's no radon

There are 2 HVAC systems (both sitting in the basement):

The larger (100kBTU) system is zoned for the 1st and 2nd floor.
The smaller (40KBTU) system is zoned for a large south-west facing 1st floor office with many widows and the basement.

In the summer, the cool air sinks to the basement, and the heat must run to keep it at 69F. If I turn off the basement zone, the basement eventually settles at around 64/65. Heat seems to rise to the 2nd floor open space, where it's usually at least 80F at the ceiling when the AC is set to 75F.

This 2nd floor common space has a return at the top of a wall near the ceiling (conveniently right near the attic entry), and seems to be the hottest place in the house. I'm thinking of disconnecting this return in the basement, and using a Tjernlund M6 duct fan to move that warm air down dispersing it through the basement near the floor.

I'm hoping this would essentially circulate the hot air to the basement, pushing some of the cold air up. Or, potentially it could be done in reverse (move the cold air near the basement floor to the 2nd floor ceiling). Would this help? I don't want to have to run the heat in the summer, it seems like a waste and there's plenty of hot air around.

The Tjernlund M6 moves 500CFM and even at a higher static pressure (say moving 200CFM) it would exchange the entire basement volume throughout the house in 60 minutes. There's also a Tjernlund through floor (ASLL) fan, but this would move 75F degree air from the 1st level floor to the basement ceiling and only provides about 50CFM. It seems moving the 80F degree air from the 2nd floor ceiling to the basement floor would be a better choice.

I live about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh, Pa. so I am familiar with some of your problems. First: the office and basement should not be on the same zone. Since it is installed this way it may be impossible to change now. In summer the office needs lots of cooling to offset the southwest facing windows and the basement needs none or even some heating. Add returns, 2 or more, or as many as you can at the floor level in the basement, connected to the 1st. and 2nd floor unit. Do not disconnect the high wall return near the attic access, but add more if you can to take the hot air off the ceiling. Run the fan for this unit continuously, 24 hours a day on a low speed when the unit is not calling for A/C, to help recirculate the cold basement air.  Close any basement supply registers in the summer when the A/C is running. Consult a roofing specialist to see if it would be advantageous to add a roof mounted, thermostatically controlled, attic fan, to vent the excess heat from the attic area. You said that every room has cold air returns. Are there both high and low returns in each room? If so, the highs are used in the summer and the lows in the winter except in the basement. Multiple story homes with open stair wells, open to all floors are very hard to heat and cool. All the heat rises and the cold air falls, as you well know. In my experience adding Tjernlund fans to circulate air is just another noise you will have to contend with. Hopes this info helps. Good luck, in solving your problems.


Water heater pilot not staying lit A customers 70 gallon gas fueled Bradford White water heaters' pilot light goes out immediately after releasing the red pilot button when relighting it. I concluded (in order of most likely suspects) the thermocouple which was replaced. No change. I figured next it could be a clogged orifice (not likely), but pulled the burner anyway to clear the tube. No clogs and no change. Gas supply is strong. No blockage in the exhaust vent.   This is a model that is 8 years old. It's most likely past the its' life expectancy. The customer has left the decision to repair or replace up to me. A similar model will cost $1200 plus my labor to replace. If I wanted to repair it and wanted to order a part would I be correct in assuming that the thermostat valve is what's preventing the pilot from staying lit?   I will most likely replace the unit, but would like to know if my guess about the repair is correct?

You should test the output of the thermocouple with a multi-meter to confirm that the replacement is working as expected.

An 8-year old heater would have an "auto-reset" thermal cut-off switch built into the pilot assembly, to protect the burner compartment from overheating, these can go bad. Was that replaced when the thermocouple was replaced? For modern heaters it is recommended to replace the entire pilot assembly, not just the thermocouple.

You should be able to purchase a replacement gas control unit for significantly less than a new heater. My heater is 16 years old and still going strong, 8 years is not necessarily "end of life".

Check out this tutorial : Water Heater Service Training


How to protect plumbing to an outbuilding from freezing? I'm planning plumbing to an outbuilding.

When I splice in to the water line, I'm thinking I should insert a shutoff valve with a weep hole ("stop and waste"). Then, if I leave for the winter, I can drain the line to protect from freezing.

Is this sensible?

The water line is 1" HDPE. Are there stop-and-waste valves with barbs for poly line?

Or should I use a pair of regular valves - one for supply, one for draining the line?

EDIT: I should note that our specified frost depth is only 12". The valve won't be very farbelow grade. Of course, maybe such a mild climate means this is overkill.

I doubt you will find a barbed fitting with all the features you are looking for. You can use a barbed to male threaded adapter, then a brass valve with waste drain. A little teflon tape and you should be good to go.


Concrete Footings for 16x24 log cabin I am buildings a 16x24 log cabin in rural West Virginia. It will not have electric, running water, or any type of HVAC. One of the biggest worries I have, as I feel I should, is the foundation. I am planning to use 18 12" diameter concrete footings (pillars) and have a few questions about doing this.

Does anyone know where to find the official frost line for northern West Virginia? I looked all over and found different answers (between 12 and 36 inches) and just want to make sure. Most answers were around 30" so if there is not an official number available I am going to go with that.

Do I need to have a flat piece or pyramid at the bottom of the footing? I've read that it is totally necessary but have watched multiple videos where the builders did not do this.

How deep below the surface can I end the footing at? Sorry if that is worded poorly but I don't know how else to ask it. I do not want any concrete sticking out of the ground as I think that would ruin the log-cabin vibe but I have not been able to find any info on this. I saw a finished model of what the cabin will look like and the treated 6x6s went into the ground, I'm just not sure how far.

Any insight is very helpful. I am quite new to this but I am determined to make it work by educating myself and thinking ahead.

I use the extreme cases when preparing footings, the map I looked at showed 36” would be an extreme condition and as such constant frost heave at that depth will not be a problem. As far as your piling I have done quite a few homes and never shaped the bottom other than flat, if using a auger to drill your holes they do end up with a bit of a point.
I usually put a couple shovels full of rock in the hole so the concrete doesn’t mix with dirt as it is pumped/ dumped in the tube, code in my area requires the piling to be 6” above grade, small diameter piling (less than 18”) also require tubes to prevent dirt contamination and a 5000 psi mix .


Parents cable box caught fire, hour later half the house is out of power? So, My dad was working on a leaking sink in a bathroom and my mom yells there is a fire. Their cable box caught fire, they put the fire out without a problem and mom called the cable company. While mom was on the phone with cable people, the house lost power but only half of the house.. My uncle is pretty handy with electric stuff and couldn't figure it out. There is no way they can afford an electrician. Any ideas please? Any thoughts are welcome

It sounds like they have a floating neutral in the power. If outside at the cable junction box take a look at the connectors. If they are burned or melted then it is a floating neutral and the power in the house looked for a ground which the cable lines are grounded with the house electric. This allowing the cable to get energized which can cause the fire


Moving access to crawl space I have a small crawl space (8' wide) under the porch of my 1920s home. The door (2' wide) is currently near/next to the house. We would like to move the door to be away from the house so we can put an AC compressor in front of where the door currently is.

It is not obvious to me what is load bearing or even what the construction material is. Can I make a new door about 2' to the right of the current opening and then seal up the old opening?

Will it be much harder to make the opening if the AC compressor is in place before doing the work so that there is no immediate inside access?

It appears to me that all of the vertical walls are load-bearing. If I assume the roof to the crawl space is a reinforced concrete slab, it's live and dead loads would likely bear parallel and perpendicular to the side walls.

You can move the opening. But because the existing construction of the crawl space roof is unknown and, like-wise, exactly how it bears on the walls, I suggest you create the new opening in a mirror image to the existing opening. In other words, from your picture, use the measurement from the left side of the opening to the wall to the left as your new right side opening measurement from the corner, but do add to that length the width of the the wall.

Lastly, yes it would be more difficult to do the work after adding the new AC compressor because it is best to fill the existing opening with load-bearing material, such as concrete block, and finish the exterior to best match the walls. Once that's finished you won't have a possible interference with the AC compressor.


I need to pressurize a room and I'm kind of at a loss as to how to do it, hoping someone out there might have some advice I'm setting up a small packaging operation for edible products for pets. There are certain government standards we have to hit to be able to do this.

The actual packaging takes place in a 420 sq ft room with 12 ft ceilings. It's all well sealed with a single door for entry and exit, that is itself pretty well sealed when closed.

In order to pass inspection we need to be able to demonstrate that the room is pressurized. There isn't a specific differential we need to maintain, we just need to be able to pass a smoke test at the door. The air needs to be filtered as well. It doesn't even have to be HEPA, just filtered. Pretty much I just need to be able to blow filtered air through the wall from the main area into this packaging room and get it nicely pressurized.

I spoke with one engineer who said "You don't need me for that, just get whatever you want and install it". He was pretty curt. I've been looking around and all I can find are inline duct fans for grow-ops (that sound like jet engines) and little bathroom fans.

What's my best bet for solving this problem? I know there isn't much to worry about in terms of installation, I'm just trying to avoid buying and installing something only to discover it's completely inadequate.

Thanks!

It depends if you're looking for a "proper" solution or any workable solution, and your tolerance to noise.

It looks like filtering is one of your requirements, so you'll probably want to use a squirrel cage type fan, which is capable of developing the requisite pressure to push air past a filter.

Common sources of these fans:
-Air purifiers (also filters the air for you), 100-600CFM depending on what you get, often cheap on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. Might be too small. ~25-200W. Also try "air scrubbers", available with higher CFMs like furnace blowers.

-Furnace blowers or old furnaces (cut the furnace part off, leave it, or just build a box) and filter, 2000-6000CFM. ~300-1000W. Usually has a few speeds. Also try "air makeup unit". Not toooo loud.

-Bathroom fans. Broan LoSone (pretty big)(300cfm) ~250W, Costco has some real quiet ones ~100cfm last I checked ~50W.

-Air mover blowers for drying floors or whatnot (need to rig a filter onto this), pretty cheap at Home Depot ~100-300w.

-Range hood fans - get a "chimmney style" one which will likely be squirrel cage and replace the grease catch filters with a furnace filter. Often cheap on Craigslist etc. ~200-400W.

-Hack a filter into a portable air conditioner or salvage the fan(take the "condenser" fan)

-Search Craigslist for words like "fan" or "blower" and find something that looks like it takes at least a few hundred watts

Crappy options:
-Box fans with furnace filters on them
-Induced draft blowers, small squirrel cage blowers, pressure blowers etc etc are a little too small for the room I think

Expensive options:
-Proper air handler with filter
-in line duct fans (unusually expensive for some reason)

Before you commit to installing something, try an experiment first: Tape up and seal the fan with filter rigged on to one of the doors with plastic or something, and make sure the plastic bulges out significantly.


Paddle switch Pass and Seymor model RCD38 I have the following model paddle switch/receptacle  Pass and Seymor  Legrand Radiant Model RCD38
Can I configure this switch paddle/receptacle  so that the switch controls the outlet only ?

Nothing easier.  Attach 2 wires (+ground).

Attach the neutral wire to the silver screw on the receptacle side.
Attach the always-hot wire to one of the brass (traveler) screws on the 3-way switch side.
Don't break off the tab.

If you don't like which throw is "on", move the always-hot wire to the other traveler screw.


What are some inexpensive options for replacing a single-stall garage door? The house we recently purchased has a detached 3 1/2 car garage that has seen better days.  The entrances to the garage door consist of a 2-stall garage door, and a 1-stall garage door. Luckily, the 2-stall door is in pretty good shape- just needs a new opener, a bit of trimming/sealing, and a coat of paint.

The single-stall door, however, is a complete loss.  The door is rotting to the point that it is falling apart, the door sliders are falling off the ceiling, and the garage door spring is broken.  The good news is, I plan to use this side of the garage for a small workshop, and to store our lawn tractor.  In other words, I don't need an automatic garage door.  However, looking at the typical sliding garage doors, they are quite pricey, even in a single stall size.  Any thoughts on other options for doors?  Would it be practical to build/install a double barn door for the stall?  Any other ideas of a non-traditional garage door for the single stall side?

These look nice

You could probably build a simpler version pretty cheap.

Also if the doors are large enough, and you are ambitious enough you could put a smaller "man" door in one of the doors.  That way when you go in and out you don't have to open the large doors, but you still have the large doors for getting large projects/lawn tractor in and out.


Can camera wires be placed under the roof tiles? I am about to have my roof tiles removed temporarily to place new roof paper down. Can the camera wires currently running over the tiles, now be put under them?

They shouldn't be running either over or under roof tiles :) They should be running in the space underneath the roof structure, or get rerouted elsewhere.


Replacing old mechanical line voltage thermostat with Caleo from Casa Connect ------ Update ------

I followed the instructions from Casa: I made A1 go into the new thermostat and then out into the blacks of B1 and C1 (see my diagram of the old setup below). Then I connected A2 directly to the whites of B2 and C2. This DOES work—the thermostat did power on but the heaters were turning on and off every 3 seconds. I have since learned that CASA DOES NOT support fan-forced heaters :(

For anyone interested, I did find a smart line-voltage thermostat that does support fan-forced heater: https://getmysa.com/.

------------------

My old thermostat provides electricity to two wall heaters with fans (I believe the heat and fans always run at the same time). I'd like to replace the thermostat with the Wifi thermostat from Casa, which only has two wires, a line and load.

As you can see, the black and white wires coming into the old thermostat are both hot. Then they go out to two lines, B and C.

I don't understand what is going on after that. One wire coming out of the thermostat (D1) connects to the black wires of B and C and the other (D2) connects to the white wires of B and C.

How do I wire the new wifi thermostat?

Here is what the old thermostat looks like when I opened the back:

And here are some instructions from Casa, but I'm not sure they apply to my situation.

I followed the instructions from Casa: I made A1 go into the new thermostat and then out into the blacks of B1 and C1. Then I connected A2 directly to the whites of B2 and C2. This DOES work—the thermostat did power on but the heaters were turning on and off every 3 seconds. I have since learned that CASA DOES NOT support fan-forced heaters :(

For anyone interested, I did find a smart line-voltage thermostat that does support fan-forced heater: https://getmysa.com/.


How can I prevent water from pooling in the street in front of my house? I have a problem with water pooling in front of my house. Between my Sprinklers and the rain there is always a puddle where my lawn meets the street.

What do you think is the best way to stop this puddle? I can't reslope the street or regrade my grass. Nor do I want to pay the money to have a professional put a drain in.

I was thinking of drilling some 1" holes and filling them with loose stone or sand. I have never drilled holes in asphalt and I am not sure if this is something I can do with my regular drill.

Most towns/cities will not be too happy with you, if you start cutting up their road. So you'll have to use a method that will be completely on your property.
Dump some dirt
The easiest solution would be to build up the area with a load of dirt.  Using a wheelbarrow and a shovel, grab some dirt from another location in your yard. If you can't find a place in your yard to take dirt from, you could always purchase some from a gardening/landscape/home improvement store.  Dump the dirt along the edge of the road until your hole becomes a hill, then feather it into the rest of the yard. Plant some grass, and grab one of @dbracey's margaritas and watch it grow.
French drain
A french drain would give the water a place to go.
Start by digging a trench right next to the road about 12" wide, and 12" deep (don't forget to call before you dig, so you don't damage any underground utilities). You want the water to drain away, so you'll want a drop of at least 1/8" for every 1' in length. For example. If the drain will be 20' long, the end of the drain will be 2 1/2" lower than the beginning. Next fill the trench with about 4" of crushed stone, and lay your drain pipe in the middle of the trench. You can use either rigid, or flexible pipe.

Fill the trench to about 2" from the top with more crushed stone, then finish filling the trench with topsoil. plant grass, and enjoy.
Concrete gutter
If you're familiar with working with concrete, and you like a more finished look. You could install a gutter, along the side of the road.

Just remember, you'll need the gutter to slope so water will run away.  It's probably a good idea to install a dry well or other drainage method at the end of the gutter, so the water has a place to go (unless you don't care if you simply move the puddle to your neighbors yard).


Using a humidistat? (humidifier) I came here to seek a bit of guidance on using my humidistat. I've only owned my home for a few months and have never had a humidistat before.

I have a GeneralAire M3 humidistat and was trying to look up how to use it properly.

From my understanding, the winter months has very low humidity and by setting the humidistat to a certain level, it will help keep some moisture in the air of the home, which helps with retaining heat. And apparently keeps your skin from drying out so bad. But also doesn't create too much humidity to where you windows sweat and things like that.

Based on the operation instructions in the manual, I should adjust the humidity setting based on the difference of the outside temperature vs the inside temperature? So if I keep my house at 72F and it's 40F...or lower, I would set it to 10% humidity?

Am I understanding this right, or am I completely wrong? Also, was I supposed to keep the humidistat off all summer or does it have benefits in the summer too?

Here is the setup I have:

You asked a basic question of how to set the humidity level on the humidistat itself.  The easy answer is a table that is printed right on the face of my humidistat.  It's easier to use than subtracting outside temp from inside temp.

The magic of not using an indoor temp is they just assume a comfortable indoor temp (probably around 68-72F) and build a table based on that and outdoor temps.

The humidistat is not the only control however. Most forced air systems use a "flow-thru" humidifier. The other control then is an Air Damper that controls the volume of air that is re-circulated during humidifier operation. (There are a few models in a another class this may not apply to, but virtually every humidifier I've actually seen installed is the "flow-thru" type.)

This pic is a typical "Flow-thru" type humidifier.  When in operation warm air is fed from the duct entering on the left.  The air is pushed thru a water panel, and back into the return air side of the furnace.

For the humidifier to work the air duct must be open. The knob on the left side of the second picture is fully open when the knob is on high. Low on the other hand is not "low" but essentially fully closed.

In the winter to add humidity to the air, both the humidistat must be set high enough where it's calling for humidity AND the air damper must be open.

In the summer, you want the opposite. Turn OFF the humidistat and CLOSE the air damper, so that the Air Conditioning will have maximum effect.  (Air conditioning by nature DE-humidies or removes water from the air-- so you don't want to be adding water to the air just before the air is cooled.)

Three more thoughts:

1) You're probably thinking, how inconvenient to be adjusting the humidistat's setting frequently based on the outdoor temp swings.  The bottom line... You don't really need to.  In practice, just setting it around 30 or 40 and leave it the whole winter works out just great.  The reason is that if you keep the fan (on the thermostat) on the "auto" setting, the humidifier itself will only run when the furnace comes on.  If the temp is warmer outside it doesn't run much and not much humidity is added, as its colder outside it gets a chance to run more and add humidity, at the same time doors are opening and closing and letting in cold dry air. In the end it all averages out.

2) There is a disposable part in humidifiers.  The water panel needs to be replaced every couple years.  A worn out water panel will waste more water than it will add humidity to the house.

3) The water must be on, and the system can't be plugged up. When you switch the humidifier on the first time each year, test it.  Let is run long enough that you know water is coming out the drain hose.  I've seen cases where the water valve is either shut off, or orifice is plugged with calcium deposit and water won't flow.  (The orifice location varies by make and model, sometimes it's part of the solenoid valve on the humidifier other times its a little plastic part with just a pin hole for water to flow thru--It's what regulates the water flow to a tiny trickle.)


best paint for bookshelf I plan to make a built-in bookshelf and want to paint it a glossy white (so washable), and obviously need to be somehow wear resistant. From an online search, it seems that the best is an oil-based paint (but takes a few weeks to cure + the odor), which is more resistant than any acrylic, latex paint.  It was also suggested 2 water based paint as being good alternatives: Target Coatings USL and Fuhr International 9100, but I can't find any dealer in the San Jose area. What paint brand/type are best for painting shelving (bookcases, wardrobes)?

Have you considered simply building it out of white melamine (plastic-laminate-covered fiberboard, available at most lumberyards in the US)? Heavy, requires special screws to get a really strong connection, but cheap and durable.


Exterior Window Trim and Rough-In Sizing Short version: How much does/should exterior trim overlap window casing?

Long version: I'm trying to figure out how to position a rectangular window for a spot near the peak of the house. I want to make sure that the exterior trim doesn't collide with the soffits (and leaves an aesthetic spacing). The problem I have is that I don't know how much to plan on the trim overlapping the window.

Hypothetical Numbers: Suppose the window I want to position has a rough-in size of 30" wide by 36" high. The trim I'm using is 5" wide. What will be the final exterior width and height of the trimmed window?

Pick out your trim for the window and for the frieze.  Decide on head flashing. Decide on the jamb reveal.  Make your best guess for the window position. Then frame the rough opening 3" extra wide and 3" extra tall. Then fill the RO down to size by screwing (not nailing) 1x stock to the jacks, header, and sill.  Center your sheathing over the RO so that a single 4x8 sheet covers it entirely. Nail it to the 2x framing members, but not to the 1x.


Forced Hot Air temp out of vents seems too hot Vents close to heater the temp is up to 130 F. Others further away are less than 100. 130 F just seems so hot that the metal register would burn your hand if you left it touching. The heater has to run over 7 minutes to reach this high temp.

Add inlet area with filter to the furnace. This permits more air to flow over the furnace tubes. The furnace will be putting out about the same amount of heat but it will have a larger amount of air so the air temperature will not be as high. And as commented, make certain all dampers are open; there may be dampers in the ducts not just at the outlet grills.


How do I seal this grating when it rains? I use this 6x10' grating for sunlight and aeration but its a menace when it rains. I have used multiple plastic sheets and tarpaulins. They do block the rainwater but start leaking or tearing apart after a few months. What are some permanent measures that I could take to fix this. Also, is there any automated method to do this when required.

If you have no glass to keep rain out and the window is open all year except when you put plastic over it. If you prefer to have no glass, I am sure there is a producer of automatic louvers that have a rain sensor to sense when they need to close. They may shade the window more than the grate does now, but it will keep the rain out.I am sure the shade will be custom made for each window.


Connecting a Pseudo-Neutral to Pig Tail of GFCI In my country. Our homes mostly don't have third ground wires connecting to the neutral wires of the utility pole because contractors are all into cost cutting. Although some important facilities have them. My old house didn't have neutral/ground lines and it's so far to the utility pole. Someone suggested at the home improvement forum how to provide neutral to the GFCI breaker input I bought for a project so as to power its circuit which needs 120V, but he fell short of providing any more details. He said: "on the need for 120V to power the GFCI's guts, here's an idea: a North American panel in the Phillippines has a neutral bus that is completely unused. Use it. Install a 5 VA (that should be enough) 240V center-tap autotransformer in there, tie the center tap to the neutral bar. Then land all the GFCI pig's tails on the neutral bar".

I have a Siemens QF260A GFCI Breaker:

The poster instructs me to connect the GFCI Pigtail to the 240v autotransformer center-tap. Can it really work? Any possible problem that can occur?

In that case you would hook the red "outside" wires to a 240V supply, i.e. A different 240V breaker.  That would cause the center black wire to synthesize a midpoint at ~120V.

Since the GFCI breaker is getting its outside wires from the exact same bus bars, the center black would appear as a neutral to it, and should suffice to power it.

GFCI devices don't care about safety earthing, so you're all set.

It wouldn't work to attach the two red wires to the outputs of the GFCI breaker; those are inside the GFCI protected zone, and you intend to use the black (pseudo neutral) wire outside that zone, so it would be a fault, exactly what the GFCI is designed to detect and trip on!

There is one problem, though.  There is no listed method for attaching supply power to that breaker; it's designed to snap into a Siemens service panel and engage its bus bars.  Therefore your best bet is to get a small Siemens panel that is  compatible.   That panel could support several such breakers: you could set it up as a subpanel.


Is it possible to seal just patches of new concrete? I recently had some interior drain tile installed in my basement. During this time I also took it upon myself to fix a few decent sized chips/cracks with a patching compound. The vast majority of my basement is still the original slab.
It's now been about a month and from what I can tell I should be sealing the new concrete to prevent water from wicking up, protect the concrete, etc.
Due to budgetary (and other) reasons, I'd rather not seal all of the old concrete along with the new stuff right now, unless I really need to. Is this a reasonable approach, or is it absolutely imperative that it all gets re-sealed at once for some reason?

It isn't critical that all the concrete be sealed at once. It's essentially just a varnish, and while you may see variation in sheen where your applications overlap, it won't affect performance with most products.
When in doubt read the label.


Fixing tear in vinyl floor My dog locked herself in the bathroom while I was gone & tore up a gap in the vinyl on the floor. This is a rental so I want to repair it if possible. Any tips? I have the ripped pieces in tact.

There is no way to fix that.  Just replace the bathroom flooring.  A small area won't be expensive if you DIY.

Maybe wait until you are ready to move if the dog could repeat this.  It wouldn't hurt to talk to the landlord.  If the flooring needs to be replaced, they might prefer something different, in which case they might agree to just taking an amount you would have spent on the repair (without you having to be responsible for the work).


How can I have a light turn on when a pocket door is opened? I'm building a new home with quite a few pocket doors and would like to know if there is a way for the pantry and utility room lights to come on when the pocket door slides open.

There are some very sophisticated kits that actually use a motion sensor on the slider.  These are very very expensive and if you have a problem down the road you are taking out a bunch of drywall.  You can go this route.

However a pantry and utility room are closed off smaller spaces.  I would just put an occupancy sensor near the door in each room.  This will turn the lights on when you open and walk in.


Anyone recognize this faucet? How to remove these faucet handles? I'm trying to remove these bathroom faucet handles. There are no screws anywhere on the outside surface.
Is it just a matter of prying them off, either using a screwdriver or just pulling up on the knobs really hard? Or should I try turning the knobs the wrong way?
I don't want to force it, so I figured I'd ask first.
Does anyone recognize the make / model? It would be good to know what replacement parts I'd need to buy before I disassemble it.

If there are no obvious means of disconnecting, it ALMOST has to be a "pop off" design.   What other options are there???    I'd take a putty knife and gently pry on it from different sides and see if it "wants" to break free.


Fridge is not cooling When I was cleaning my fridge to remove the ice from the fridge, Accidentally my I made a hole in the bottom plate of the fridger and some liquid start leaking, I guess it's a coolant. After that my fridge is not cooling. Can you please help me with the resolution ?

Sounds like you've hit one of the refrigerant lines, and let the magic juice out. This is a very common cause of refrigerator failure. Unfortunately, if it's even possible to repair the damage, it'll likely cost more for the repair than for a new fridge.  Of course that completely depends on the make and model of the unit, and how accessible the damaged section of tubing is.

Next time you want to defrost the freezer, follow the manufacturer's defrost procedure. Stabbing at the ice with pointy bits, is never a good idea.


How to fix leaking bathroom sink drain where PVC meets ABS connection? My bathroom sink drain began leaking recently. The PVC connection that meets the ABS connection is the culprit. See picture with red arrow below.

After taking everything apart and cleaning the parts, I discovered the ABS threads look to be dented (see picture). I suspect the leak occurs because the tapered gasket cannot form a water tight seal where it meets this dent.

How do I fix this?

Can a material of some kind be added to fix the dent, but still allow the threads to work?
Do I have to replace the ABS thread connection entirely? I'm not sure how to do this exactly since I believe ABS connections are cemented. Guidance is appreciated if this is my only option.
Other?

It looks like there may be a glue type residue on the ABS threads. I wonder if there was once glue of some kind that broke down over time and caused the leak now. I can't imagine why this connection would have sealed without some kind of other stop gap measure in place to account for the dent.

Try @JACK solution of cutting off bad threads. You might also try a different style slip-joint washer (they come in plastic or rubber). Tighten the fitting, hand tight is not enough. If that doesn't work, the fitting is toast. I would cut it off and glue a new one on, then use the proper slip-joint assembly with no glue, goop, caulk, goo, or any other such nonsense that is unlikely to work.

You have a couple problems though.

If you cut it off (even if you cut carefully, which you should) there will be very little pipe remaining outside of the wall. That's OK though, glue the new (1 1/2" male adapter) to whatever is left and it will be fine. Use abs glue if you get an ABS fitting, use universal or multi purpose glue if your new fitting happens to be PVC.
The PVC trap arm may end up being too short after you shorten the wall pipe (it depends how much was left inserted into the wall pipe). If so, you'll need a new P-Trap.


Placement of a package unit heat pump for my shop I was wondering if I would benefit by locating my 3 ton package unit heat pump  closer to the load center. The ducting would be my only interference with it closer to the load center. The unit would also be in the sun during the hottest time of day.

If the unit is to be placed 50 feet on the other side of the shop, it will be in the shade during the hot part of day. The ducting will not interfere with anything. I just have to run 75 feet of 6ga wires instead of 20 feet.

longneck's answer above is correct based on the wire and if you can do it, but doesn't really answer if you would benefit from doing it.

There are a number of reasons, but I wouldn't worry much about the shade. Unless the shade is significant in that it actually lowers the surrounding air temperature some, it's a pretty minor improvement. Secondly, you might have the shade in the summer when cooling the space, but (depending on where you are located) you will also have the shade in the winter when trying to heat it.

You can place the unit farther away and other than the ductwork, you are mainly looking at just a higher cost in getting the circuit there.

Take into account the other factors on locating the unit - like noise, space around it (for mowing and such), running the duct, etc. Locate it where convenient and it impacts you the least.


How to move/remove the bracing from this desk? So, I am the proud new owner of this new desk!  I've never needed a desk before.  Unfortunately, along the long side, I find myself leaning and writing.  A lot.  The brace at the bottom really gets in  the way of my legs, sadly.

I have a lot of homework.

So, does anyone know a good way to say, move the brace up on the desk so my feet are free?  I'll buy a sheet of hard clear plastic and epoxy it on there if I have to.  And yes, I understand the equation t=r X F... I know why it has to be braced.

It would nice if I could avoid any permanent damage to the desk!

You could remove the brace, drill holes into the other bars that are thiner and move the brace up closer to the glass. Obviously the closer you get to the top the less steady it will become so only allow enough room to where you are comfortable. I actually use to have the same desk in black. The glass makes it heavy so as long as one side is braced correctly it shouldn't move to much.


Mr. Cool 24k mini split. Electrical install I'm getting ready to install a mr. Cool 24k mini split. The Electrical in the instructions is pretty vague. Just want to double-check that I'm correct on how I'm going to install it.

Inside my main breaker box gets a double pole 30 amp breaker. Then I run 10-3 to and outdoor a/c fuse box with two 25amp fuses in it. Then I run a whip cable into outdoor unit. Does that sound right? Thanks

Air conditioners don't quite follow the same rules as everything else out there

Due to the fact that hermetic air conditioning compressors invariably have overload protection built-in, the circuit breaker on an air conditioner circuit doesn't need to protect against a motor overload condition, just a short circuit.  Hence, the NEC lets you size wiring and protection for an air conditioner based on the Minimum Circuit Ampacity and Maximum Overcurrent Protection Device figures quoted by the manufacturer and listed on the nameplate, instead of using the general branch-circuit wire sizing rules.  (These figures obey rules found in NEC Article 440.)

In particular, according to the brochure's specifications for your unit, it has a Minimum Circuit Ampacity of 18A and a Maximum Overcurrent Protection Device of 30A.  So, you could run 10/2 or 12/2 NM to the disconnect, since the unit has no use for a neutral wire, then run a prefab 1/2" flex whip kit (1/2" LFNC with 3x 12AWG) from a non-fusible pullout disconnect down to the outdoor unit. (The signal cable on these units is an integral part of the lineset, so it is routed with that instead of traveling up the flex whip.)

If you need a service receptacle at the unit, 12/4, 12/2/2, or 10/4 NM can be used instead, with the black and white wires used for the service receptacle and the red and blue (or white/red taped black, red, or blue) wires used for the 240V circuit to the air conditioner.  In all of these cases, you'll be using a THQL2130 or THQP230 (30A, 2 pole) breaker for the air conditioner circuit; while one could use a 25A breaker instead, that may lead to difficulty down the road (namely, false trips due to a hard starting compressor).  The service receptacle circuit, if present, is then connected to a general lighting circuit in the panel using wirenuts and 12AWG THHN pigtails to avoid a double tap on the breaker, by the way.


Best way to remove tv projector mount to access air filter? I bought a place that has a TV projector mounted to the ceiling.  However, the mount is sort of a Y bracket that blocks the air filter from being removed  and cleaned.  I tried using a 3mm and a 4mm allen wrench on the screws in the Y but neither   worked.
Assuming I get a 3.5 mm allen wrench and it fits, is this still the best way to do this?
It seems like I'm going to have to hold the projector the entire time or else I'm going to have the entire thing hanging by 1 screw.
The air filter looks like it needs about an inch of clearance.  It comes straight up towards the ceiling, you can't pull it out horizontally at all.

A couple ideas:

Reverse the mount. It looks like the arms differ from one side to the other.

Install some plastic or metal bushings between the mounting arms and the projector to give clearance. This depends on available headroom, of course, but may only need to be 1/2" or a bit more.

Trim the ends off the mount arms short of the filter cover using a rotary tool or hacksaw. Use a suitable spacer and bolt to re-secure the bars at the end of each arm through holes you'd drill. This is important to keep the bars from spreading and losing the mounting bolts.

 | |      | |
 | | ____ | |
 | ||    || |
 | ||____|| |


Is It Okay to Connect Two Water Heaters in a Series (so that water from one flows into the other)? Our project is to install a 50-gallon hybrid water heater. Our existing 38-gallon electric water heater is too small and we do not know how old it is. It cannot fill our very large bathtub.
The existing unit is located in a small space below a stairwell, behind our clothes dryer. There is not enough space to install a larger unit in that location. It is, however, near the garage where there is plenty of space (after a few modifications). So our idea is to install a hybrid heater there.
Instead of simply removing and replacing the existing unit, we are wondering about the feasibility of continuing to use it for additional capacity. Our thought is to connect the two heaters in a series with the old unit "downstream" from the hybrid heater.
We will add the hybrid heater regardless of whether we continue to use the old unit. We do not know how old the existing heater is, so maybe it would be best to simply remove it. We are just thinking that it probably would not use much electricity keeping already hot water hot, but it would significantly increase the overall capacity. Our bathtub is so large that we are not even sure if a 50-gallon heater will be adequate.

Yes you can do that but it will be highly inefficient.  A single larger tank is more efficient than two smaller ones with the same total capacity.  This is because they have more surface area between them for heat to be lost from.
So install a 50 gal. tank.  You might consider an on-demand/tankless heater for your tub needs.  That way you will have all the hot water you want when you fill it but won't be paying for holding a large quantity of hot water on the chance you might use it.


Old switch tripping breaker after a different one was replaced So my electrical is bad and I knew that before buying my house just a few months ago. I just replace a double switch which works fine on both switches. Now, a different switch that turns 2 outlets on and off is tripping 2 different breakers. I did not touch that switch and it was always on before.

Also I want to note there are a lot of overloaded breakers because of an obnoxious amount of outlets in the house.

If I remove some of the outlets we don’t and will never use from the circuit does anyone think it will prevent this old switch from tripping?

Also, it still trips if it is the only thing on.

I’m kind of throwing a lot out there but I am just trying to find my fastest course of action for now before I gut a lot of the electrical latter.

Thanks in advance.

If you have a switch that is tripping two breakers. Then chances are somewhere in your circuitry you have caused a phase to phase short. Re-examine the switch you replaced and see if you can find where you have crossed the phases. It wouldn't hurt to have a voltmeter with you so you can measure any wires where you are reading 240V between conductors. Or by turning your tripped breakers on and off you can see which conductors are crossing over.

Even if it's not at your switch, it's really just a matter of tracing out each tripped circuit and finding where they are intersecting. It's also very possible that the short is connected through a neutral.

Good luck

Also see Harpers comment on devices.


How can I warm up my new LED recessed lighting I was just buying some halogen replacement bulbs for my kitchen recessed lighting  when the salesperson talked me into buying recessed LEDs instead. The sales pitch was great about how long they last and energy efficiency. They look super cool too.....until you turn them on.  Then they have a really harsh, blue light as opposed to the beautiful warm glow of my halogens. I've read that you can use photo gels somehow, but I just need to know more details about how to actually install them.  Do you just sort of "fit" them into the opening?  Will they get too hot?  What color should I get?  Anybody have any ideas?

LED (and other) light bulbs are available in a variety of different color temperatures. Look at the packaging for the bulbs you bought. Are they labelled as "cool white" or "daylight" with a color temperature around 4000K? Just return them and get something labelled "warm white" or "soft white", with a color temperature around 2700-3000K.

While you could potentially alter the light with a gel, there are a couple of potential downsides. First, the added filter will limit air circulation around the bulb, potentially causing it to overheat and fail prematurely. Second, it won't look as good as a stock light. Since the change you're looking for is likely available by simply using a different bulb, I'd suggest you shop around instead.


What adhesive to use with EPDM rubber sheet roofing (shed project) I want to install EPDM rubber (1/16 thk) on my shed. I need about 10'x10'.
But I cannot get an answer on what adhesive to use. I talked to 2 roofing companies, but they never gave me an answer. I was told that asphalt based adhesive will destroy the rubber.
Can you help me to figure out what to use?

Forget about it. EPDM is too picky.
EPDM is a complex roofing product that requires a variety of fairly specialized chemicals to work together.
I have a feeling you got all excited when you saw the square foot price for just the rubber membrane. Then you researched and priced the approved glues and other kit... and found out that would quadruple the price!  And that makes rubber more expensive than shingle, and more like the cost of high performance roofs like metal.  Yeah, it's like that.  But it is a high-performance roof, if you can keep the "stupid" away.
"Stupid" is any misuse of another chemical. Tar is the #1 enemy of rubber roofs, and many roof "products" are actually made of tar even though they really work hard to dodge admitting that.
Our poor nonprofit had a new $12,000 rubber roof - should've been a 30 year roof, a welcome respite to 2 decades of roof problems.  Except one genius thought the black roof made the building too warm, and painted it silver.  With cheapie RV roof coating (you know, the $90 for 5 gallons stuff which is tar). Utterly destroyed the roof.  The rubber became brittle and parted from the (expensive) glue holding it to the OSB, started moving around, cracked, and leaked.  Voided the warranty of course.  Patching it is hopeless, more tar only makes it even worse, and proper rubber patches won't stick to the silver/tar topcoat.


Can I use this blade to cut Hardyboard? Is the saw blade in the photo appropriate to cutout a window in HardyPanel?  Wood paneling?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/James-Hardie-HardiePanel-HZ10-5-16-in-x-48-in-x-96-in-Fiber-Cement-Sierra-8-Panel-Siding-9003080/305684630
What exactly is the nomenclature for this blade (if I wanted another I would ask for ????)?
The CDC recommends polycrystalline diamond tip (PCD) blades.

That's a stone/tile/masonry cutting blade with a diamond 'turbo' rim.

It will work for Hardie Backer board or similar fiber-cement products but it'll make a lot of dust, and would almost certainly be awful at cutting any sort of wood or wood paneling - more likely to burn through than cut it.
Some other rim types for diamond blades are:
Continuous
Segmented
Segmented Turbo


How to get locks that are keyed alike? I'm looking to replace 3 sets of deadbolts and doorknobs with new keyed alike handles and deadbolts (they don't need to be high security or anything, just regular exterior entry). All of the big box home improvement stores I've been to don't have a good way to get keyed alike doorknobs etc. The best I've found is two-packs, but that means I still have to dig through and try to find another set with the same key.

Where would be the best place to get locks that are keyed alike?

Actually, they do.

Look at the packages for "Key Numbers"

Every lock package will have a prominent 3-5 digit "Key Number" somewhere on the outside of the package, typically the back. All packages with the same key number use the same key.

So if you have 3 knobs and 2 deadbolts you all want keyed alike, buy 3 knob+deadbolt sets of the same number.

Generally there are 3-8 lock packages in a carton (all with the same style/color/SKU).  Every package in the carton will have the same key number.  Search the packages with the same SKU until you find your matches.  If not enough match, see if they have an unopened carton on the racks, or hit another big-box store.  (This is the one time I'll recommend big-box; they buy whole cartons).

This only works within the same SKU (barcode number). Do not turn the store upside down looking for the same key number on a different SKU, you won't find it.  So if you need 3 knobs + 2 deadbolts, you must buy 3 knob+deadbolt sets, not 2 and a loose knob.

Speaking of security...  Buy your lock-sets far away, at places you don't normally shop. Once we demoted someone in a club and changed the knob/lock to his office.  He drilled out ours and fit his own knob-lock. I noted the model, went to the local hardware store and bought one of each key number.  Voilà. He could never figure out how I did it!

Some brands of locks are self-rekeyable. But they're cheap.

Certain low-midline brands of lock allow you to "re-key" the lock to any arbitrary key.  You unlock it, insert a special tool, and then insert the new desired key.  These are compatible with certain keyways.   I'm not a fan, honestly; the mechanism seems flimsy given the price point.

Your friendly neighborhood locksmith can do anything

They can make anything you want. But the price will be nosebleed compared to the other options.   They can cheerfully build any lock-set (even a padlock!) to match your key.

First, there are 3 kinds of locksmiths:

Scammers who flood Google. They collect your contact info and sell it to shady "outbound only" locksmiths who come to you, overcharge you, and/or case your house for a later break-in.
Outbound-only.  They have a truck, not a shop, and their business is the urgent call and collecting that service charge for coming to you.
Shop-based locksmiths (it need not be neat). They are happy for you to come to them, and can make anything since they have a well-equipped shop. They cheerfully handle routine requirements at sensible cost (for locksmiths).

So when calling around, if they pressure you to come to you, hang up the phone: that's a fly-by-night with a truck.  Going to their well-worn location assures they're the real deal.  You can also find them in 10-year-old phone books.


Can I backfeed just one leg of a service sub-panel for temporary power? I'll be connecting a #10 cable fed from a 20A breaker to temporarily power a subpanel while we acquire and install the feeder cable. The #10 cable is two-conductor plus ground. Can I safely connect it to a single 20A breaker in the sub-panel? No 240v breakers will be installed.

Obviously this means that only every other bus tab will have power, and that's fine with us.

With the main turned off, I have done this to power tools on a job site, the bonus was that generator had GFCI outputs so temporary power had GFCI protection. Even though the service is not in yet I still lock out the main breaker.


Ok to use Denatured Alcohol to clean wood before applying oil-based primer? I'm preparing crown molding for painting. The molding is pre-primed with pine core. I hand-sanded the molding and vacuumed to remove as much dust as possible. The surface still has dust, and I'm not sure what's the best way to remove it. If the pieces were flat I'd use a tack cloth and be done with it, but the molding is "fancy" and using a tack cloth to clean the profile will be tedious and time-consuming, also, I don't want wax residue ending up in corners and hard to clean areas.

If I'm using an oil-based primer (Benjamin Moore Enamel 217), can I clean the surface with denatured alcohol instead of a tack cloth? I suppose mineral spirits would work too but the alcohol dries much faster.

Denatured alcohol will be fine to use it will dry quickly and will be fine for any type of paint once dried.


Wood siding meets concrete I recently had a concrete drive poured and it was poured up against the wood siding. Should this be caulked where the wood meets the concrete? If so what type of caulk should be used and should I caulk before or after I paint? Below is the photo.

Wood meeting concrete in a damp area is never a good recipe. As porous as concrete is, its not even ideal that treated wood meets concrete. this is mostly because of the chance for standing water or leeching.

My recommendation in this scenario would be to trim the wood siding ~1/4 inch minimally, or better yet 6" to 8" above the concrete area. If you go inches, (which you should) install aluminum flashing (for example).

After doing the trimming, you should use flashing or caulk as you suggested to not so much as seal it off, but while sealing it off, make a curved bead that directs water away from the wood.

I would have thought ideally the contractor would have put expansion strips here right along the side, and ideally should have discussed with you the height of the concrete once cured and what the plans were for water control and keeping it off of the structure.

What you have there now is going to rot, caulking it would slow it down from the outside, but underneath it would probably accelerate it since the moisture will wick up behind the caulk and up the siding.

Here is a quick google search of water wicking up wood:
http://www.cwfbuilders.com/images/Water_damage_at_walls_from_patio.JPG

Here is just one of many views yours could look like with flashing. Just picture it is a slab instead of a deck, Also, consider direction of travel for water. In this photo while it gives you and idea, the trim strip is not something you'd install on top, this is just a pictoral reference form anotehr quick google:
http://decks.blob.core.windows.net/img/articles/large/16011219304064.jpg


Using ceiling hook with no joist or anchor/toggle? Is it ok to do for string lights? What hook to use? I've been trying to figure out whether or not it's safe to use regular hooks in the ceiling without a toggle or joist or other reinforcement for lightweight applications. I would imagine there would  only be maybe 3 pounds of force on it. I just don't want to drill big holes in the ceiling.
Everywhere I look it says to hang things from the ceiling you need to have the hook in the joist, or you have to use anchors but it says for around 10 pounds and over. I'm just using them for string lights though. I'd really prefer to have something non-invasive that won't scar the ceiling if I decide to remove them. I was thinking I could just use standard drywall hooks.
Each one needs to support just the weight of 2 or 3 strands or string lights that drape from the wall to the center of the ceiling.
Are there any particular sizes I should look for, threads, or specific types of hooks or whatnot or should any small ceiling hook work?
Everywhere I search, people are trying to use their hooks for heavier applications like big light fixtures, plants, etc. so I wasn't sure if it was ok for small light things. Also I have attached the string lights in question. Little heavier than Christmas lights but not by much.
The entire 100 foot string weighs 12 pounds and will be across 13 hooks.
Link to the lights I am using.

If you have a plaster ceiling and it's in good shape, not coming away from the lath anywhere, there are some screw types and techniques that could reasonably hold weight like this.  I don't recommend it but it's possible and you need to experiment to find what works well in your plaster. It varies.  If you do this, also follow the advice below for the FIRST HOOK in drywall.
Assuming however you have a drywall ceiling:
The FIRST HOOK, the one that has the long tail of the power cord, switch, and plug dangling from it, should be a strong hook screwed deep into a joist.  At least a #8x2" eye hook.  This will take the strain of being wiggled and pulled when the plug or switch is handled by human hands.  The cable should be firmly attached (eg tight wire ties) to this hook in order to prevent further downstream hooks from taking any stress from handling.
After that for the subsequent hooks: Options to hang lightweight things on ceilings and leave no, or minimal damage after removal:

Removable sticky-backed  stretch-to-remove such as 3M command strips. Those should hold the weight of this string and can be removed with no trace but sometimes the paint comes off with them.
Use steel screw hooks or screw eyes (not cup hooks), find the thinnest longest one you can.  I've seen #8x1.5" and M3x1.5".  If you could find a #6x1.5" that would be great but I can't see one. Screw through the drywall into a joist without drilling.   The purpose of the joist is not because you have a heavy piece to hang.  It is to allow you to use a very thin screw that will hold well, and can be removed with minimal damage to the ceiling and no drilling.  The hole left behind will be almost invisible without painting, with just some filler.
If you don't want to find and use joists then find the smallest plastic anchors you can, and use them with small cup hooks to conceal them.  Don't use decorative cup hooks without anchors.  They are too short to reach joists and won't hold without anchors.
If you just don't want to use a drill, buy self-drilling drywall anchors.  I don't recommend this, however, because if you do hit a joist with one of these you end up with a mess.  With very small plastic anchors (method #3) you can drill into the joist to accommodate them or cut them short at the surface.


Move or remove a downspout inside brick wall I just moved into 1912 townhouse in DC. It has cast iron drain lines for the gutter downspouts. One of the lines is clogged, but I assume it eventually connects to the sewer. At some point in the house's history an addition was put on and this line (which was previously on the back of the house) appears to have been bent such that it now protrudes out of the side of the house. The exterior brick wall of the addition was constructed around the pipe.

I'd like to remove the pipe because it looks awful and it feels like the area is lacking support due to missing bricks.

How do I even approach solving this? Do I call a plumber? A mason? A structural engineer?

I suppose you'd call a plumber. You must determine if this is connected to the sanitary sewer. Also this opening should be capped with a proper cleanout fitting with a cap that would prevent sewage from pouring out, but would be removable for inspection or clearing a blockage. The plumber could run a camera down this and see where it goes.

AFIK rain water is not supposed to be directed into the sanitary sewer. Does DC allow this? It may be they accept it under grandfathering . . . or not.


Protecting engineered hardwood from water My wife and I are in the midst of attempting to install engineered hardwood in our home, for better or worse.  We are floating it on QuietWalk underlayment.  It is the click/lock kind with about a 2mm wear layer.  Some water was spilled, and was cleaned up immediately, but some evidently penetrated a board and the veneer started peeling/wrinkling.  Are there any products that can be used in the board seams to help prevent water seeping down the cracks?  Or any other protective products to help prevent water damage on engineered hardwood?

Strangely enough (for me at least), other pieces (scraps) were left out on our porch and got rained on a lot.  These pieces still look fine.

I suggest you back out now, before the problem gets worse.  Most hardwood floors will tolerate quick spill cleanups.  That yours didn't implies some combination of badly made flooring or improper installation.
You can try refinishing that chunk, but if the veneer is wrinkling, it's not going to work.
When using laminates in a wet area, one recommendation is to glue the individual planks together.  This is fussy, as you need enough glue to squeeze out, but not enough to glue the plank to subfloor/underlay, nor to make a mess cleaning the top.  But it does make your floor more water resistant.  This reduces both the edge exposure of the plank, and the amount of water than penetrates into the subfloor.
Wood based flooring (hardwood, engineered plank, laminate) is getting better about water.  Despite Manufacturers Claims of their use in bath, laundry, kitchen, I'm not yet sold.
Vinyl sheet flooring is close to waterproof.  Good stuff lasts for decades.  Cutting and laying it is an art form. Because it has few seams, the subfloor is protected too.
Vinyl tile is an option, but while it wears well, it, um... lacks artistic appeal.
Ceramic tile is the ultimate floor for wet rooms, and if you have good knees is well within the capability of a DIYer.  You'll just take 6 times as long as a pro. I've now done a shower, a laundry room, a slate wood stove surround, and a kitchen back splash.  Youtube is your friend. Some water will penetrate the grout, the mortar and into the subfloor.  This is where membrane systems like Ditra are a win -- one more barrier keeping the subfloor dry.  A sealer on the grout helps a lot.  A sealer on the subfloor helps a lot.  Having the subfloor vented on the bottom side will help some.
One thing to remember about 'waterproof flooring'  While the floor may be waterproof, it does not form a waterproof membrane.  (Sheet vinyl comes close) You cannot put a 'waterproof  floor over porridge board (sawdust/small chip board) and expect the subfloor to remain intact.


In electrical terms, what is the definition of a "disconnect"? Santa Cruz County, CA, USA

I'm working on a project that requires an electrician to install a "disconnect" at a building/shed separate from my house (as per NEC 225.31).  I'm unfamiliar with this term and would like a better understanding of what things could potentially be considered a "disconnect"?

Can someone elaborate on this? For example, can a simple wall switch be considered a "disconnect"? Or does it need to be something more robust such as a sub-panel?

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 1 General
Article 100 Definitions
Disconnecting Means. A device, or group of devices, or
other means by which the conductors of a circuit can be
disconnected from their source of supply.

This can include a switch, a circuit breaker, a cord and plug connection (sometimes), or a group of the aforementioned devices.
There are other stipulations within the code that dictate how these devices can, and cannot be used. But at the core of it, any device that can disconnect the conductors of a circuit from their source of supply, is a disconnecting means.
In the context of a separate building, typically either circuit breakers or a switch type device will be used.


How to attach a wall plate to an old junction box with different screw hole spacing? I have two round junction boxes on top of my mantle that were used to support sconces.

I removed the sconces and want to cover the hole. The junction box screw holes are 2.75" apart. I can not find any cover plates that have those screw spacings.

How do I mount a wall plate with different screw spacings to that junction box?

Currently I have a rectangular wall plate covering it with only one screw in place until I find the better solution.

Is an option to get a large double rectangular plate and mount with 4 wall screws and attach directly to the wall? Is this considered "to code"?

What you have there is a 3-1/2" round junction box intended for lamps.  That is a standard size, though largely obsolete today in favor of 4" round.

A 3-1/2" round junction box cover should do the job.  Most well equipped hardware stores and every electrical supply will sell it.

You might also find decorator covers but look for ones that will work with 3-1/2" round boxes.


Upgrading from a 3 wire rotary thermostat to a Electronic Digital This is my first post so please be gentle. I currently have a Honeywell rotary thermostat (240V) 3 Wires plus earth.

Live in
Neutral (for the anticipator I believe)
Switched live out

I appreciate that I could swap this out and replace it with something like the SALUS RT500 2 wire system and just terminate/isolate the Neutral, But........
I was wondering if I could use something like this (Photo)

In this case could I use my Live and Neutral feed (originally terminals 1 and 2 on the old unit) and connect the switched live to L1 to supply the boiler
So that the new set up would be

Live (1) Now to Terminal 4
Neutral (2) Now to Terminal 3
Switched Live (3) now to Terminal 1

The new thermostat has an internal Temp sensor with the option of an additional external.

Please feel free to offer any advice of shoot me down in proverbial flames.
Thanks in advance
Rod

You should be able to use the device you pictured.

You might have to bridge 2 & 3 with a short wire loop if the terminals are not internally bridged. The manual would make this clear or you could test with a continuity tester.