Could a high limit switch cause the furnace blower to run continuously? My furnace was running fine. The I noticed that the unit was blowing cold air. Checked the furnace burners and they were off. I turned off the unit on the thermostat and the blower continued to run. Only way to turn off unit was at breaker box. A/c unit still work normally. Could this be the limit switch on the furnace?

Yes.  A bad high limit switch would cause this.  The furnace is trying to purge the heat that it thinks is there. Normally the limit switch will reset when the temperature drops. A bad switch will remain open, so the blower will run continuously.

This is typically caused by poor air flow through the furnace, which is most often due to infrequent filter changes.   The furnace continually overheats, and eventually the high limit does not reset.

Make sure to change the filter often, and insure that all registers and returns are open and free of obstructions.


(yet another) Ceiling fan capacitor identification and replacement Could I get some help identifying this blown (and very smelly) capacitor from a ceiling fan, and maybe suggest where replacements may be found?

I'm not sure how to read the label. Also there is no wiring diagram for the 3 wires, although two different capacitances are listed.

AC300/260V. What are the two voltages, and is it necessary to match exactly for a 120V AC circuit?

1.5 / 3 uF J. How can I find out which wire is for 1.5 uF and which is for 3 uF, short of measuring. What is the J at the end?

TV525/455. No clue what any of this means. Is it relevant?

What is CJ 2WS?

It is a 1.5/3 microfared cap 260v eBay has them for 8.99$ Amazon 6.95 the one that I looked at was 250v but that will be fine on a 120v circuit.
You need to make sure you connect them correctly as 1 lead is common 1 is 1.5 UF the other is 3 UF.
The positions will be the same , the other numbers are MFG lot numbers etc.
Note I just searched “ capacitor 1.5/3”


Parallel Water Heaters, One Doesn't Run I have two water heaters (different brands) running in parallel. When I run hot water in the house only one tank will drain while the other sits there full. I have manual shut off valves so if I close the hot water on the first tank, then the second will start running.

Both tanks are 50 gallon.

Any help would be appreciated.

Piping 2 water heaters in parallel is much more than just piping, it is an art. If either tank has longer sections of pipe for the in and out connections, before the common piping, then the one with the shortest piping will get most of the flow.

The preferred method would be to start with 2 tanks from the same manufacturer, the same size and the same model number so both are exactly alike. You may need to contact a "good" plumber and ask him to do this for you. Myself, I prefer to pipe 2 tanks in series, it is easier to do, yields the same results, and is fool proof.

One last idea, if you need this much hot water to fill a large Jetted tub, you could use a single 50 gallon water heater and for the tub add a dedicated electric "point of use" water heater that would only be used when the water heater begins to run out of hot water. This is what I did.


Extract air in bedroom with no other vent I have purchased a MORI HR 150, which is an extractor vent. It has an "alternate flow" and "extract only" setting. I want to set it on extract only, which means it will take the air from inside and move it outside at a pace of 7 litres/second.

However, the bedroom has no other vent hole, so I am a little concerned that the air pressure will decrease as the vent just removed the air from the bedroom, with no entry point for new air, except for the space below the door.

Should I be concerned by that, from a health point of view?

The fact is that no home is sealed 100%. There are many sources of makeup air, from electrical outlet penetrations to imperfect windows.

Even so, the airflow under and around your door is more than adequate for that little fan. No worries.


Is translucent fiberglass roof cooler or hotter than opaque roof We are building a roof over garden table: sort of like a pergola with roofing. We are using OSB panels for insulation and fiberglass roofing sheets for weather protection. We already chose translucent roofing for availability and price, but we started to wonder whether a dark opaque roofing would offer a better heat protection from the sun.

Dark opaque roofing would become way hotter than a translucent one, but would also protect the underlying OSB panels from direct sunlight. Hot air between the roofing and OSB panels is free to circulate and convey the heat away, but some heat would nevertheless be transferred to OSB panels including with heat radiation from the roofing.

Translucent roofing enables most of the sunshine to be reflected from the bright OSB panels, but I guess a greenhouse effect comes into play and traps some heat, again heating the panels.

So more out of theoretical curiosity than out of need for actual advice I ask: Which roofing would offer cooler environment under the roof: translucent or opaque?

Technically speaking, the coolest thing to do is to have an opaque roofing surface that's a perfect mirror.  Short of that, it should be painted somewhere in the red spectrum, reflecting the infra-red range.
Beyond that, lighter colors are better.

Personally, I'd avoid the translucent, since I don't know whether long-term exposure to UV rays will damage the OSB.


Lights dimming as I add lights or plug anything into any outlet I have two 50 amp fuses that bring power from the main shutoff to my garage. When I flip the breaker in the garage all my readings seem to be normal. As I begin to turn just the lights on after I get just 3 or 4 (60 watt simple everyday led light bulbs) turned on the lights begin to dim. (The breaker box has 8 25 amp breakers in it and uses all 8 breakers for the outlets and the lights). If I have only one light on and I attempt to plug in anything into an outlet  the single light I have on will lose over half of its brightness.

No matter which light I have on the above problem seems to occur. Why would it do that?

You've lost a wire in your feeder - probably a neutral

And this should be treated like an emergency.  If it was your whole house, we'd be telling you to call the power company ASAP.

If it's a lost neutral, the problem is that while half your circuits' voltages are going down, the other half are going up - and lighting a 120V appliance up at 190V is a good way to start a fire.   Also, if your main-subpanel connection is the obsolete 3-wire type, a lost neutral is energizing all your grounds and putting lethal voltage on precisely the things that are presumed to be safe.

Fortunately there are only a few places where this problem could happen; the neutral bar in either panel, or the places the hot wires terminate in either panel.  There's also a possibility of wire/cable damage, but that generally happens right after construction of some kind.

If you have a 3-wire connection (hot-hot-neutral-NO GROUND) this is a very dangerous situation, because as goes the neutral, so goes the ground.


Why is my radiator not getting hot water or have air in it? All except one radiator are working fine. The one that stays cold is in the room with the thermostat, so the system keeps running more than it should.

I tried bleeding it and just water came out. I let it bleed for some time and the pipe which comes down from the ceiling did slowly warm up, but the radiator never got warm the next day the pipe was cold again. The pump was replaced a year or 2 ago and seems to be working fine.

It worked last year. Could there be some sort of blockage? If so, what can I do about it? We are in a hard water area.

You may have a air lock in your pipes.

Turn of all other radiator, and see if your pump is powerful enough to get water into the cold radiator.  If this works, then you need to bleed it again.


Wiring toggle switch (on/off/on) to PIR motion sensor and led strip I would like to set this up so the first on position goes through the motion sensor and the second on position would be for just turning the led strip light on and bypass the motion sensor.
When I set this up the motion doesn’t work. Both on’s create a circuit though.
It seems that it may be due to the (-) black wire may be what the PIR uses to cut the circuit.
Does anyone have an idea how to wire this?

On the PIR, you are shorting V- in and V- out.  Are you positive the documentation says they are bridged together?  If so, you can omit one wire. If not, that's half your problem.

Also you are switching the inlet of the PIR, meaning you are severing power to it.  PIRs often need to "get a sense of the lay of the land" which they then store and use as a reference for "unoccupied".  If they also monitor day/night, it helps them to go through a couple of 24hr cycles to learn what your location's highs and lows are.  These units do not have expensive NVRAM:  If you sever power, it's like a factory reset.

So supply + and - to the PIR inputs at all times.   Put the PIR output on one switch leg, constant power on the other, and to the LED in the middle. Whether you switch + or - should depend on what the PIR switches... check its docs.  If you are not sure, get a DPDT and switch both.

If you can confirm that one of those wires is bridged inside the PIR, you can nut them all together, eliminate one of them to the PIR (redundant) and use a single-pole (SPDT) switch.


Unable to remove faucet handles on widespread bathroom faucet We have these faucets in a couple of bathrooms and a couple of the handles have started to squeak. I am not sure of the brand as they were developer installed. Might be Moen as a few of the other developer installed faucets in the house are Moen, but there is no visible branding.
I thought it would be a simple job to remove the handle and apply some lubricant, but for the life of me I can find no way to get them off. There are no visible set screws.
Based on my internet research it seems maybe the bottom half might be threaded but no amount of twisting or turning has yielded any results. Also thought maybe the bottom collar might be threaded or pop off, but again I have been unable to get it to budge.
Before I break the darn thing does anyone have any other suggestions?

I highly suspect that this faucet is very similar to the Kingston Brass style KB961/2/3/4/5/7/8/9 as shown in this specification sheet.
https://s1.img-b.com/build.com/mediabase/specifications/kingston_brass/574937/kingston_brass_kb969_m.pdf
The faucets are secured via wide flange nuts from the underside of the sink/vanity. Each faucet assembly has an inlet water connection and then a separate small flexible hose connection from the faucet to the mixer connection on the bottom of the spout assembly. The following picture is from the above specification sheet.

Removal of this type of faucet necessitates the disconnection inlet supply line, the flexible connection to the spout mixer, and then the removal of the flange nut on the bottom. Once the nut is removed the whole faucet assembly lifts out of its mounting hole from the top.
Note that many of the more modern quarter turn type faucets from multiple manufacturers mount as shown here.


Attractive way to hide screw heads in 8mm oak I need to attach some oak trim (8mm x 60mm) to a recess in a plasterboard wall. The trim will affix to the metal c-stud on the verticals, and to wood noggins on the horizontal.

Since I'm fixing straight to the stud, I'll need to screw rather than glue & pin.

I'm trying to decide what to do about the screw holes. Ideas so far:

Countersink and plug with oak dowel (not ideal as the stock is only 8mm thick, so not much room to plug)
Countersink and use filler
Use some "attractive" screws (don't really want to use brass as the rest of the fixings will be brushed steel or chrome)

None of these seem like great options. Wondered if anyone had any better ideas!

There are trim screws with very small heads. They come in stainless steel. The trim needs very little support so the small heads are not a structural problem.

A  woodworker's technique is to use a small sharp gouge (a curved chisel) to lift a small patch of surface from the wood, bend it back, drive a trim screw in the divot created by the gouge, and then glue back down the lifted patch.


How do i connect an air compressor's 5 wires to a 3 prong 220 dryer plug? I have an air compressor that has a 110 plug with separate extra wires for optional 220 connection.

It has 5 wires showing for the 220 option:
black, white, brown, orange, and a purple wire.

-The purple wire is a larger gauge then the rest.-
-The brown and orange are capped together.-

I have a 3 pronged 220 plug w/ 10-3 wire. How do i connect the air compressor wiring(5 wires) to the 3 prong 220 dryer plug?

You need to look at the motor plate to see what they want you to do.

Typically with a 120/240 switchable motor, you are jumpering two sections of the motor into series or parallel.  So for 120V you might make connections hot1-A-C and B-D-neutral, and for 220V you wire hot1-A, B-C, and D-hot2.   It may be more complicated than that if there's a start capacitor or start winding involved.

Point being you must make those connections as the factory instructs, and those instructions will be particular to the motor, and should be on the motor plate.


How can I repair a cinder block wall around a sewer line? After having replaced ~30' of 4" cast iron w PVC, I'm left with two holes in the cinderblock foundation. The holes are the height of 1 block and about 1/2 the width of a block. These leaves a pretty significant hole around the pipe.

I'm inclined to think I'll need to build a crazy custom form to go around the pipes and be able to access the hole as I work.

But I'm also thinking there has to be a better way.

Both holes have already been backfilled inside from the top. So all work needs to be done on the exterior.

Also note the rubber boot between the PVC and the cast Iron? I've found mixed opinions on the need to surround that with poured concrete. In truth this work (the butt joins not the wall repair) will likely be revisited several years in the future.

Here are pics of both sewer lines.
Also note - both lines now have clean-outs and boots.
The pic on the second one was taken before that was completed.

I would fill the wall around the pipe with hydraulic cement to get a water-tight seal.

Both the PVC and the rubber boot need UV protection. Those should be buried under at least 6 inches of dirt (that was the recommendation of the inspector when I had to do a similar repair).


Mount over-the-range microwave without top cabinet I am looking to mount an over-the-range microwave above my stove, but there is no cabinet on top. Here's a picture:
We originally planned to mount a shelf to the wall above the stove and use the shelf instead of a top cabinet for mounting the microwave. We bought a piece of 3/4" plywood and cut it to size. However, when we went to buy brackets, the guy in Lowe's said that he didn't think it  would be strong enough.

My question is, would this work? Can we mount an over-the-range microwave using a 36"x12" piece of 3/4" plywood as the 'top cabinet'? Will it hold? What kind of brackets do we need for the shelf? The microwave is 65 pounds. Installation instructions are here.

There is another question on this site about this, but it is not as detailed and there doesn't seem to be a definite answer there.

There are brackets made specifically for mounting a microwave oven on the wall. When you use these there is no need for a separate shelf. Do make sure to mount the brackets into studs and not just to the wall with hollow wall anchors.

(Picture Source: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FPFNFB1)

The set of brackets shown above are rated for 110 pounds when securely screwed into two studs.


Unexpected voltage with switch turned off I am doing some work on a ceiling light and I notice that, even though the light-switch is off, my voltage tester shows voltage present.

Answers to other questions (below) explain about phantom voltages but how exactly do I test for these and know what voltages are real and what are phantom so that I can work safely?

Phantom voltage questions

Why do I only have 30V going to my light fixture
24v from a double circuit outlet
Why am I measuring 16 volts on a wire that should be at 0 volts?
With no load on a circuit, I measure approx 15volts
Metal junction box shows 5V relative to ground when circuit powered. Why?
What is the cause for low voltage when the breaker is off?
Why is my outlet voltage abnormal?
Why does voltage still exists when a circuit is broken by a 3-way switch?
Voltage detected on ceiling light no matter the switch is on or off
Yard Light has Volts but no light
Should the tester start flickering when I touch my chandelier's top wiring cover?

Unexpected voltage

Just to recap, a "phantom voltage" is where a wire from a switch to a light or outlet runs next to a permanently live wire, when the switch is off, the AC voltage in the other wire can induce a voltage in the switched-off wire. However, there is very little energy transferred so the phantom voltage is usually not dangerous because it can produce almost no current. However it can cause confusion and confusion can cause dangerous mistakes.

Most voltage testers and most multimeters are not useful for telling the difference between real and phantom voltages.

In When doing electrical work, what do I use to check wires are safe? I have a long answer that covers the different types of tester and some of their advantages and disadvantages - however it is very long and doesn't show how to use a tester.

Here's how I used mine when replacing a ceiling light:

First, with the breaker on and the switch on, I test that my voltage-tester is working.

Good, it shows 230 volts as expected.

Now I turn the switch off and check the voltage again. At this point you'd expect no voltage.

But no, it is reading 50 volts! what does this mean?

As explained above, this is a phantom voltage. How can we be sure?

The tester has a button marked "test". This puts a lower resistance across the live connection and allows a small current to flow (only about 3 thousandths of an amp)

When pressing the test button, the 50V dissapears. That shows that this is a phantom voltage with no real power behind it.

I can now turn off the breaker, check my tester again elsewhere and proceed to work on the wiring in safety.

UK wiring

Some notes about the wiring and light fittings shown above.

Don't worry if your wire-colours, connectors and light look nothing like this. The same principles apply wherever you are in the world, whether your voltage is 120 or 230 and no matter what colours your wires are.

If you are interested, read on, otherwise ignore what follows.

What is shown is a Swedish light fitting in a UK home. It uses a "2D" fluorescent bulb - which are no longer very popular and might not be found in your part of the world. However it works like any light bulb in that it lights up when mains/live/hot voltage is applied to it.

A common UK practice is to use the light fitting as a junction box for wiring fromthe supply, to and from the light-switch and onward to the next light fitting.

The three red wires on the right are

live in from supply
live out to switch
live out to next light fitting

The black wire with the red-tape on it is a "switched live" coming back from the switch. This is what gets connected to one side of the light itself.

The two black wires are

neutral in from supply
neutral out to next light fitting

the green/yellow wires are three bare-copper ground wires which the electrician covered with a yellow-green sleeve.

ground from supply
ground to switch
ground to next light fitting

In some countries you wont have any ground wires.

In some countries or some homes you won't have all the other wiring coming to the light fitting, you'll just have one one live/hot wire and one neutral wire. The colours depend on country. In the UK the colours have changed for European harmonisation. These are the old colours.

In other parts of the world, different types of connector are used. In the USA you will find "wire-nuts" twisted onto groups of wires.

Note that the connector blocks used in the UK allow you to fairly easily test voltages without undoing the connectors. The plastic insulation protrudes far enough from the metal inside that it is safe to handle the connectors with your fingers with wires in place. Howver there is room to get either an insulated screwdriver or a voltage-tester probe into the connector and touching the clamp-screw.


Is this asbestos ceiling tile? This is in a drop ceiling.
I don't know when the ceiling was installed.

Send a sample to a lab. There's really no way to know without doing that, though you could try taking one down to see if there is any information marked on the edges or backside that might help to narrow it down.


What is the proper way to protect electrical wires in an iron pipe lamp? I'm building 10 foot tall steampunk chandelier. It will look similar to the this

The electrical wire is going to be fed down through the top of the chandelier and to each light bulb. All the terminations and wire splicing will be done in the junction box on the top of the chandelier.

Question

What is the code compliant way to protect the electrical wire withing the iron pipe?
Would running the electrical wire in a Braided Cable Sleeve, like the following properly protect the wire and be code compliant?

Iron pipe is (aside from galvanizing and listing and some of the fittings) exactly the same as rigid conduit. Code does not require any protection for wires in conduit - indeed, code regards the conduit as protection for the wires.

All pipes should be de-burred on the inside at the cut and threaded ends (or cut and not threaded, depending how you are assembling) to prevent cutting the wire insulation. If you want to additionally use braided loom, that is fine, but not a code requirement.

If you wanted to be persnickety, you could use rigid (or IMC) conduit  and conduit fittings and then paint it black, rather than using black iron pipe.


Should I be worried about tears in my foundation wrap? I recently moved into a newly built house in an area still in construction. My house was completed before my immediate neighbours. While they were excavating, they took large chunks of our foundation wrap out.

I made this known to our site supervisor. His solution was to pin back what was left over as "it [is] deep enough down from finished grade to worry about sealing".

I looked up the installation manual for the "DMX Foundation Wrap" that they used. It has a section on fixing tears, so I'm weary that leaving it alone is an acceptable solution. Additionally, it suggests that it be installed an inch below final grading (which it is). Evident in the pictures below, the tear is about half a foot down. Is half a foot really "deep enough" to not be of concern? Will this have any future detrimental effects on my foundation? Should I request this be repaired/fix it myself?

Edit: There's not actually enough material to pin back. It's completely gone.

Heavy rains in future will pose a damp wall problem with fungus over the years.  Get it fixed promptly.  Subfloor adhesive will bond and seal well with overlap and is cheap in large tubes.

You can always demand compensation before you do it, but don't expect much.


Need to attach shelving unit to wall; what kind of wall structure is this? I live in an Australian inner city apartment built in 2007. I want to attach a shelving unit to a wall but haven’t ever done this before, so I want to make sure to do it properly. I’m not sure exactly what the wall structure is, so I’d love to get some input from anybody that can help. I’ve taken off one of the electrical outlet covers and taken some photos; see attached. Can you tell much from this? What will be important when hanging up the shelving unit?

Do you have an endoscope? If not it may be a cheap investment ($25 on Wish). You could run the scope into the wall cavity until you find a stud or other type of support member. I would not want to attach a shelf to anything without knowing what the material is so that I could use the correct anchor, and where the studs/support members are so that I could possibly attach one side of the shelf to it.


How can I insulate my basement on a budget? I have a home built in 1925, a "Chicago Bungalow" style, in Louisville, KY.

I have roughed in the basement, trying to take advantage of every square inch. I am planning on using it for short-term guests and also for a family room/reading area with loks of bookcases.

How much do I have to insulate the exterior basement walls? I'm leaving the ceiling open and painting it, so that isn't an issue. My family is fine with cooler temperatures and when we have guests, I could put a small space heater in the room where they'll be staying. Honestly, insulation is more expensive than I thought it would be and this thing is holding up my project. I want to do the right thing but am unsure of what that would be, within my budget.

The basement is approx. 900 sq. ft. (25' x 35'). There are 4 windows, 2' x 2.5' each. Since it is a "Chicago Bungalow" style, about 2.5 feet is above ground. The ceiling is the hardwood floor, with no subfloor and not finished, nor going to be finished (there is just too much duct work to consider working around it all). The budget is about $500 for insulation.

You are in the same climate zone as me.  Your walls do not have to be insulated from top to bottom according to building science reports (please read their definition of basement which is totally below grade).   They only suggest floor to ceiling insulation in our region given spray foam or rigid foam - in "typical" home basements.

What I have been doing the past 6-7 years with great results - including my own house - is only insulating about 1 foot below grade, using BS advice.  I use rock wool.  I stuff any joist areas until they meet wall level.  A decent size house costs about $250.  The results can be felt right away.  My crews ask that this not be done until right before the drywall is put up because the basement instantly retains a ton of heat.

This is the exact reason why it is not necessary in our region to go floor to ceiling.  By over insulating you are not allowing for any cool air to come in during the warmer 6-8 months out of the year.  I for sure have noticed an increase in AC usage while a decrease in furnace usage in my own home.

Also by leaving your bottom half exposed you are creating a high volume area for air flow.  Meaning any moisture that gets in - and there is always some - will evaporate quickly.

So we simply stagger our scrap 2x4s about 1 foot below grade (sometimes this is just the top 1-2 feet of framing), stuff rock wool against wall and then above our framing into the joists all the way to the outer wall.  This is super cheap and super effective and all inspectors in our area were more than pleased with this.  Again this is not for cold climates but will work in the Midwest.


Basement Sub-panel Breaker Size I am confused about small-appliance branch circuit for service load calculation.  I am trying to size my breaker for a sub-panel in my basement from my main 200A panel.

I will have a main room, wet bar area, bedroom, and bathroom.

I have calculated the following loads:

Lighting Wattage = 790sq ft x  3 = 2,370 VA
Under counter 46 Bottle Wine Cooler: 90VA
Under counter refrigerator: 240VA
HVAC Heat Pump = 4,320 VA
HVAC Air Handler = 960 VA
HVAC Heat Strips = 4,800 VA
Sump Pump = 1,200 VA

Do I need to consider any small-appliance branch circuits in my calculation?

The small appliance requirement is for the kitchen counters 2 as 20 amp circuits. If you want you can add a circuit for the bar but it would not be required.


Covering some smelly paint Recently (4 days ago) I replaced a solid radiator with a column one. On removing the solid radiator the wallpaper was as you might expect an old colour.

I managed to find an opened tin of paint the same colour that we used 3 years ago when we painted the room and applied it to the wallpaper before fitting the new radiator.

However, once it dried it was clear there was an unusual smell coming from the paint. It smells like washing does when you forget to take it out of the washing machine for a day or so. It smells like damp/off water. There is certainly something bad about the paint...

The smell is still there after 4 days so I want to seal the section of paint with something and repaint it with a fresh tin. Luckily I haven't plumbed in the radiator yet so this will be a quick job.

My question is: what's the best thing to seal the bad paint with? Obviously I want to prevent the smell coming through. To hand I have the following:

PVA glue (could also do a mix with water)
Zinsser BIN sealant http://www.zinsseruk.com/product/bulls-eye-1-2-3/

I'm happy to go and buy something else of course. What's the best way to seal off this smelly paint?

You're describing the smell of mold or mildew. It's a living fungus that sometimes grows on walls, paint, wood, clothes when conditions are right. You want to kill it and remove it.

Mold can grow under wall paper and paint.

If it were me I would clean it with some mold killing cleaner according to directions. Remove the wallpaper, bag it and throw it out. Clean the area again. Prime and paint.

There are special encapsulating paints to cover up mold and recently Zinsser came out with a Mold Killing Primer. I haven't used it myself but I've used other Zinsser mold/mildew resistant paints and have been pleased but as I said I'd use it in conjunction with wallpaper removal.


Can I pop a water bubble on my wall? We live in LA and it rains every once in awhile. I noticed recently that there is a bubble on my wall and I can actually push it around.
The wall is plaster and we have latex paint on top. (There are many layers, b/c this house is 90 years old, so the bottom layers may be other kind of paint.)

I know that eventually I will have to fix where the source of the water leak is, but I. The mean time can I just pop this bubble by making a tiny pinhole to drain it? Or is it a bad thing to do. I don’t want the hole to grow bigger.

Here’s a picture. I’ve placed my hand next to it for scale.

I wouldn't be inclined to make a pin hole because it could take too long to drain and could be soaking into the wall and forming mold. I'd make a small slit right on top of the baseboard. Now you really need to find the source of the leak. Is that an outside wall?


Combining two water inlets into one. Does increase pressure There are two water pipes with same diameter and same water pressure. If we combine both pipes to get single output. Does it increase water pressure on final output or the pressure will be same. What happens if water pressure on both pipes are different.

Here are some basic fluid dynamic examples that should help answer your question:

With no flow, the pressure is the same everywhere. If the capped pressure is not the same at your two destinations, that means that there is flow in the city main (left on my diagrams) and there are significant losses in the city main (may be undersized, nothing you can do).

As the water exits an open pipe, the pressure is zero. The flow rate depends on the losses in the pipe and the pressure difference. In the college Fluid Dynamics class I took nearly 40 years ago, we used published graphs for pipes to determine flow for pressure and length. There are probably computer programs and/or online tools to do the same now.

Combining the two pipes will double the flow rate, assuming that there are minimal losses after the pipes are combined.

If two pipes with different static pressures are connected, water will flow back to the city main. Assuming that your question is real, and that the city will allow you to do this, at a minimum they will insist on back-flow preventers.

If the pipes are not capped or open, if they are connected to a small nozzle, the solution is not trivial anymore. The best thing to do would be to add pressure gauges to see what the destination pressure is.


What can I do to transition between concrete and drywall? I am drywalling my unheated, partially-below grade exterior garage. A four-foot tall concrete wall runs along the parts of the garage that are below-grade.

Above the concrete walls are 2x6 wood framed walls. The wood is anchored to the concrete and separated with a sill gasket. There is a 1/2 inch ledge so the drywall will be flush with the concrete.

What can I do to transition between the drywall and the cement? I don't want a gap, and I suspect the drywall shouldn't be in direct contact with the concrete.

In my last house a daylight basement the original sheetrock was glued to the cement walls with liquid nails that worked very well. I did pull it all out and add furring for electrical spaces. (I don't like exposed conduit and surface boxes in a room that became my man land). If you are worried about cracking at the sill add a accent trim over the gap.


Can new grout be layered on top of old grout? I had a shower updated by a professional contractor.  He removed all the old tile and floor pan.
There are several areas I'm concerned about.

There are gaps all across the tiles.  There are spots where the grout is well below the edge of the tile.  The grout is uneven and looks crumbling in places.  The contractor says he'll come back and add another layer of grout.  It's been 3 weeks since he grouted.  Should I let him ADD grout?  Of should he remove it all and start again?

He cut the wall tile and inserted the soap dish below the cut.  He didn't finish the edges with silicone.  Just some grout and there are big gaps between the grout and the soap dish.  Looking at YouTube on soap dish installation, every one I saw shows a smaller hole the soap dish fixes to and then the soap dish hugs the tile - not set under it.

He put in a new pan and laid tile...kind of a mosaic style. There are spots that feel like I'm stepping on a bulge.  He says that's normal because the pans aren't completely flat.  What!  I realize the new tile floor has to slope toward the drain.  But shouldn't it be flat?

Yes new grout can be installed on old grout.  Make sure the old grout is thoroughly cleaned and then wet before installation.  I do this all the time.   There is absolutely no need to start over and given the quality of the install you have had so far I would say that starting over might introduce more issues.

On the pan you can expect a slight slope towards the drain but the pan should be flat to the foot.  Depending on what kind of pan he used your issues could be very severe or 1-2 hours of tile work.


How do I determine what load values I need to use when using door/windows header sizing tables? I'm designing the framing drawings for a building with window and door openings in a roof-bearing wall (no floors above) and I need to determine how thick my headers need to be. There are span tables that do this, but in order to use them, I need to know the "Live or Ground Snow Load", the "Dead Load", and the "Load Duration Factor, Cd".

Here's an example set of tables:
http://www.southernpine.com/span-tables/headers-beams-size-selection-tables/

There are six different tables based on which load factors are needed.

How do I determine the required load values so I know which table to use?

We only worry about two things: 1) Live loads, and 2) Dead loads.

1) Live Load (loads that come and go): In your case, there isn't a second floor, so you're just concerned about "snow load". (If there was a second floor, then you'd add "people Load". In the U.S., its 40 lbs. per square foot.) You'll need to determine what your building code requires. You can call your local building department and they'll know. (It'll be something like 40 lbs. per square foot, or higher if you live in a snow zone.)

2) Dead Load (loads that are there all the time): You can add up the weight of all the roof components, or use 15 lbs. per square foot, unless you have concrete tile roofing.

Now, the Load on your header is based on those two factors added together and multiplied by one-half the span on your header. So, let's say you have roof trusses that span 28'. Just add 40 psf to 15 psf to equal 55 psf TOTAL Load. Then, multiply 55 psf by 28' and divide by 2 (because half the load goes the other direction away from the header.) which equals 770 lbs. per foot on the header.

Now you can check the tables for the span of your header (width of your window). If your window is 6' wide your header should be 2 - 2 x 10's. (Table 2.)

Simple, huh...


Should I remove and reinstall a Jacuzzi / whirlpool tub when replacing the paneling around it with tile? I have a large Jacuzzi / whirlpool tub in my master bedroom suite which currently has an all wood surround. As part of a renovation I want to get rid of the wood surround (at last partially), waterproof all around it and tile it.
While I could waterproof/tile around it with it in place- there is very little clearance between the tub and the walls so I'm afraid I'll have a hard time getting in there and I would like to potentially replace the piping, jets, pump, etc. as they are all 30 years old or so and I would hate to have to tear everything up in case of a leak down the line (is that a legitimate concern?).

Is it possible and would it be worth it to remove the tub, do waterproofing/tiling and then reinstall it? I know during installation there is some type of cement poured underneath to help seat it better and prevent vibration - would this need to all be redone or can it just be placed right back on top of the existing poured material?

If it's best to leave the tub in place: should I be concerned about the jets/piping not accessible from the front access panel leaking at some point in the future?

If it's best to leave the tub in place: the tub is currently sitting on top of the "decorative" horizontal wood pieces (see photos) - would I just attach backer board to those, waterproof and tile on top of that OR should I cut them out somehow and replace with backerboard? In this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVgCGy7N63s they seem to be attaching the backer board directly to the framing.

As I mentioned in a comment, this is largely a matter of personal preference, available resources, etc. What I would want to do is remove the tub. I can't say if that's what I'd end up doing. My reasoning:

Deck tile should really extend underneath the tub flange. It won't look great if you have to fit tile around it and grout to it, even if you caulk. A clean overlapping edge looks best.
Therefore, the backer should also extend underneath the tub flange, and the solid wood decking should be removed.
As you stated, the rather old plumbing should be upgraded. This is best done with the tub out and the connections and space more accessible.
The tub is less prone to damage during tiling if it's out of the way. You could certainly protect it with cardboard and blankets, but even then scratches and chips are possible.

Note that the tub doesn't actually rest on its flange. It's not designed to carry weight. You'll need to plan well and possibly shim up the tub base to meet the height of your tile.


If my wall has metal studs, is it better to anchor heavy objects through just drywall or also through the studs? I live in an apartment that has that has metal studs.  I'm considering hanging various things from the wall, including a coat rack that will span 5 or 6 studs.  I've seen advice that says metal studs are useless and crumple like tin foil and instead of hanging from the studs, I should use one of various heavy-duty drywall screws like SecureMount or Toggler.  I've also seen advice saying that heavy objects should always be attached to studs, whether metal or wooden.  I've even heard both sides by two different employees at the same hardware store.

I don't know the gauge of the studs but the drywall seems to be 5/8" thick.

Since the coat rack will span so many studs, it's as easy to mount it on the studs as it is between them.  So which is better?

It's going to be more secure to use the studs, but depending on the weight of what you're hanging, it may not be necessary.  If you're hanging more than 40+ pounds, I'd go ahead and use the studs.

Instead of using wood screws or lag bolts as you would use in wood studs, use toggle bolts similar to the Toggler brand that you mentioned.  Starting from the center of the stud, make progressively larger holes in the drywall and stud until the toggle bolt will fit through.  Follow the instructions as if you were putting it through just drywall.  You'll only need two studs for all but the most heavy items.  I've used this method to hang a small server rack in a partition wall, and it's stronger than I expected.


Deck screws undetectable and boards are rotting I have a rotten deck, but the previous owners painted it in a Hardrock-type covering making the screws impossible to find. How should I remove the boards with this complication? Do I cut it off with a reciprocating saw or will the coating on the deck just destroy the blades?

The deck screws are most assuredly made of steel which has iron in it. It should be very easy to find the screw locations using a magnet.

I have used these inexpensive type of magnetic nail/screw locators on walls and ceilings. I suspect they would work well on your deck as well.

(Picture Source: https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-47-400-Magnetic-Stud-Finder/dp/B0000BYD3K)


capping off range hood wires I am installing an over the range microwave.  I am adding a new dedicated circuit to plug it into.  My problem is this. The old range hood was direct wired. There is a three wire romex cable coming thru the wall. This is connected to all the other ceiling lights in the house. There is no junction box.  How do I deal with it?  Can in install a box where the wires come through, and just leave the live wires, capped inside?  It would be behind the new oven. There is no way to access the wire other than to open the wall completely which is not an option since there are already cabinets installed.

How do you know that the wire is on the same circuit as the lights??

I can clearly see the wall so you can open it.

If you are not opening the wall how are you installing a dedicated circuit for the new microwave and where are you putting the outlet for that?

"Can in install a box where the wires come through"

YES. You can install a "old work" box there, (made expressly for retrofit). Cut a hole around the wire carefully just big enough for the box, use the box as a template and trace around it with a pencil.  Run the wires in to the back of the box and cap them with wire nuts,insert the old work box and tighten the screws that pull the tabs which old the box to the drywall, put a solid cover on the box.


Using driveway sealer as floor paint Anyone know how latex driveway sealer would work as porch paint?  Can I expect the sealer to adhere to wood and/or old paint?

I just finished sealing the driveway and the latex sealer seems to have all the properties that I want from a porch paint: black, durable and anti-slip.  Aside from the difference in application, why shouldn't I just use sealer on my porch?

So I did not get any useful suggestion other than "test it first".   So after some test on new and old paint, I pulled the trigger on using it as porch "paint" and have been pleased with the final product...so far.

Of course not all sealer are the same as paint, but the latex/asphalt based, as it seems to me, is pretty close to paint. What I used is Latex-ite rubberized asphalt and sand mix from Home Depot.

To prepare the surface, I scraped loose paint, repaired rotted-wood, lightly sanded the entire porch, and applied a single coat of Zinsser 1-2-3 primer.  And this is what I learned after applying the sealant, mostly with an ordinary roller brush:

After about a weeks worth of foot traffic, it seems to hold up pretty well.  Of course the real test will be 1 or 2 yrs worth.
Applying it is different than with paint.  Whereas paint is tacky on contact, the asphalt suspension is not.  On smooth surfaces, the suspension just does NOT stick upon application. You can't use the squeegee method and roller brush works okay, but you really need a light touch: the heaviness of the suspension impedes the free rolling of the roller brush, and you end up pushing the suspension around. Even with a light-touch, the roller left a lot of bare patches that needed a second coat to conceal.  However, I can confirm that roller brush works well for that second coat, after first coat cures and the surface takes on some roughness.  Indeed, squeegee might also work as well, but I don't did not try it.
The upside to #2, however, is that clean-up is much easier
than with paint.  Whereas it was hard to clean primer that I spilled and let stand for as little as 5 mins, the asphalt was super easy to clean with rag and water, even after 30 mins.
The texture created during application really stays in place.  I
could see all the brush and roller strokers clearly after 24 hr cure
time--much more noticeable than with ordinary house paint.
Fortunately, I took the time to keep the strokes even and straight,
so the final product does not look messy.  More importantly, given
that texture was an desired feature for me, the end result--a very high-traction surface--is perfect.
Finally, the finish, like a driveway, is quite matte and black.
In low-light condition, it's like looking into a bottom-less abyss.
Ordinarily, this would be cool, but I do find dusty footprints to be
more noticeable in the bright light of day.   I don't know if its
the blackness that makes the dirt stand out or the roughness causing
more dirt to be left behind or both, but aesthetically, the use of
this product as porch paint could be an issue, especially with a
covered porch, with limited rain exposure.

With the exception of #5, so far I find the asphalt-latex sealer to be a resounding success.  I like the final finish and seeming durability.  Of course, there are porch paints designed specifically to achieve the same results, but I'm pleased with the use of driveway sealer as porch paint.

I look forward to seeing how it performs under and holds up to a cold winter: with salt and shovel use as well as heavier boot traffic.  Hopefully I will remember to update this post next summer.

UPDATE 11/3:  After a heavy flow of Halloween trick-or-treaters, the sealer held up well, albeit with lots of dirt due to surface roughness.

UPDATE 08/2018:  After a whole year, I can say the Latex-ite worked reasonably well.  It provided significant improvement in traction with snow and withstood foot traffic fairly well.   Where foot traffic is light or non-existence, the rubberized coating did extremely well.  Underfoot, however, it was mixed; that is it mostly stood up to wear and tear EXCEPT at the floorboard joints.  At the board seam, the coating crack and did exhibit additional wear from foot traffic. Presumably thermal expansion and the flex in the board was too much for the rubberized coating to withstand.  It is not obvious, on the other hand, that regular deck paint would have done better.    One regret I have is that while the coating did significantly improve traction with snow (which was the main objective), it made clearing the snow off the deck harder--residual thin coating of snow always remained after shoveling, cosmetic issue only.  I would presume that this is an unavoidable compromise with any textured deck coating.   In conclusion, after a year, I would say that functionally the latex/asphalt/sand mix worked fairly well as deck coating.

UPDATE 05/2020:   The drive sealer is still hanging on pretty good.  As noted before, it did not stand up to flex at floorboard joints, but else where, in high and low traffic areas, the sealer is still adhered to floor (to the primer layer).  The rough-texture is mostly worn in the high traffic areas, but coating still remains.


Four-way circuit turns on/off randomly My upstairs hallway lights are controlled by a four-way switch circuit.  There are three switches to control two dome lights. One switch at the bottom of the stairs, one at the top and one at the end of the hallway.

When we moved in a year ago any switch would turn the lights on or off without issue.  Recently the switches don't seem to work.  Then randomly the lights will turn on.  One time my wife noted that when she flipped a switch the lights flickered but remained off.  I think it is a loose connection of a bad switch, but I am not sure how I diagnose the root of the problem.

It's either a loose connection, a bad switch, or a poltergeist.

Turn power off to the circuit.
Verify power is off.
Remove the cover plate from each switch.
Remove the screws holding the switches to the box (should be two, one top, one bottom).
Pull the switches out a bit.
Inspect the wiring and connections, looking for loose wires, charred/burnt/melted parts, and any other damage.
Pull the lights down, and inspect the wiring there as well.

If you don't find anything, try replacing the switches. If there are 3 switches controlling the circuit, then you'll need two 3-way switches and one 4-way switch.

If you don't feel comfortable doing this type of work, contact a local licensed Electrician.


How easy is it to run coax cable with the given configuration? I am about to hook up a cable box, and the current configuration of the television and existing coax junction box have me scratching my head a little bit.

Please refer to the below picture of what I mean.  I have my TV mounted above the fireplace, and the interesting thing is that behind the TV on the fireplace is an empty junction box.  There appears to be a "laced line/string" from this junction box to an identical junction box closer to the floor on the right hand side.  And then on the other side of the stud from the empty floor junction box, there's a coax junction box.

What exactly was the builder's intention here?  I'm guessing the connected empty junction boxes are a guided tunnel to easily run coax?  But on the floor how would I tie that bottom coax into the existing coax junction box?

Any ideas here on how to get house coax behind this TV is much appreciated.  I have also included a picture of one of the two identical "empty" junction boxes (really quite confusing what the intentions are here).

Thank you in advance!

You would just need a jumper from the COAX plate to the new box next to it. Or you could just run a COAX through a hole in the blank plate then up to the TV.

Question is, WHY do you need COAX at the TV? Do you not have/need a cable or sat box?

Typically for new TVs we just run one or more HDMI cables form the cable box/blue ray/game console/etc up to the TV.

You are lucky to have that sleeve from the floor area up to the TV.

(And my post is fine. Writing "COAX" does NOT come off as shouting. That's just silly.)


How can I calculate the neutral load in a single phase circuit with disparate bus loads? In a 240 volt single phase, bus A has 4000 watt load and bus B has 7000 watt load . WHAT IS THE NEUTRAL LOAD?

In typical split phase service, the neutral carries the imbalance of the current between the two legs, so the neutral load would be

(7000-4000)W

or 3000W.


What is the best flooring for my basement? I live in Michigan, where humidity is fairly high.  I have a 70 pint dehumidifier that works great.  I also have a sump pump and water powered backup sump pump.

I am looking to floor my basement because I am planning on using it has a home theater.

I have done a lot of googling on this topic and have found a lot of varying opinions.

I don't want to add a subfloor because I don't have much headspace to play with.  Currently it has a drop ceiling and I am 6'4".  I am only a couple inches from the ceiling standing on the unfinished floor.

I have been looking at different carpeting and vinyl options.
I am trying to finish around 600 sq ft so price is a concern here.  I would like to stay under $1000 and can do installation myself if needed.

I am concerned about moisture not being able to dissipate into the air and instead getting trapped under whatever flooring I put down.

Is it okay to use a padding with carpet? Do they make special padding that allows for air to transfer through it?

Is vinyl going to trap moisture underneath and cause mold?

I don't really like the look of painted/stained concrete so I want to avoid that option.

I lived in a house that had standing water once or twice a year.  It had a pad with berber(?) carpet on top.  It dried easy with a space heater and fan within a day of these wet periods.  Usually a 5x10 foot area got wet.   When I went to pull up the carpet both the carpet and pad were in perfect condition.  I asked a friend who had done installations for years and he said that I had an open-celled padding with no moisture barrier and if they are dried out thoroughly within a reasonable time he has never seen mold.

So new house I am in is basically about the same as yours.  I am putting down carpet in part of the basement with pad.  Almost all pads are open-celled and you would have to ask for one with a moisture barrier - so if you go to a carpet store and pick out their normal padding that is the right thing.

Also I am using Trafficmaster Allure Ultra on part of the basement which I have used on jobs.  I am not a HD homer - but I have used this stuff and it is awesome.  It is pure rubber and even if you got mold (you shouldn't) it would just clean right off.

As for your $1000 budget.  You are going to have to get some very low grade carpet to meet that.  Do not get non-floating vinyl.  If you have to install the vinyl to the floor and you do have moisture problems you are in for a big mess.  The recommendation I have above is $1800.  Also a great website for flooring builddirect.com has other all rubber options but they may make you have a minimum order.


Air conditioner never seems to shut off My air conditioner when left on never seems to shut off. Even during the night when it substantially cools down it still seems to run all night.

I live in Ottawa, Ontario and for example tonight the temperature is down to about 18 degrees celcius and want even a very warm day and it's been running for at least an hour straight and its been turned on (I don't know if it's been running) all day and set to a reasonable temperature of 25 degrees celcius.

Any trouble shooting tips or ideas?

I think that your coils are frozen.
Ironically, I had the same issue with my HVAC system last week, although I am a few hundred miles south of you. Had an A/C man come out and he taught me about how units freeze up. Here are some things to check:

1) Are your air filters clean? Dirty air filters can suffocate the system and reduce the amount of efficiency. They could also cause the unit to freeze up (Which I will get to in a moment). If your system has been run without filters or with dirty filters for an extended period, the coils could also be very dirty and you will need a professional to clean them.

2) Is your thermostat set to a reasonable cool temperature? Do you have it on AUTO or ON? Sometimes leaving it set to "ON" 24/7 can be detrimental to your systems health.

3) Would you say that your vents feel under-powered? If so, this may be another sign of the coils freezing.

4) Is your A/C Drain line free? The drain line is a small 3/4" PVC pipe that comes out of your unit and drains outside. If it gets clogged, then the natural condensation that your A/C unit generates can't be drained, and could cause the system to operate incorrectly. You can try vacuuming it with a wet/dry vac. It will let out somewhere outside your home, which is where you want to connect the vacuum. Don't use a regular household vacuum!
On my unit (See picture below) there is a T joint and a cleanout, so I didn't have to cut my line. I was able to pour water through it with a funnel to verify that it was not clogged.

Touch the insulated refrigerant line. You should see it uncovered right next to the indoor unit). It should be very cool to the touch. If it is only slightly cool after several minutes of running the outdoor unit, then you are probably low on refrigerant.
Is the air sufficiently cooled? Get a thermometer and measure the temperature of the air as close to the unit as you can. In my case there is an intake a few feet from it, so I measured the temp in the duct. Then, measure the temperature in a outgoing vent. The difference should be about 20 degrees (F). If it's less (it was about 11 for me), then you may not have enough refrigerant in your lines.

So here is something to try:
Turn OFF your A/C, and run the fan only. So turn your thermostat to OFF and the fan to ON (not auto). This will help defrost the coils. After about 4 hours, cut on the air again. Does the air feel significantly cooler and at a better air flow rate? This may indicate that the coils did in fact freeze.

When your coils freeze, it reduces airflow. The outside unit keeps pumping cold refrigerant through the system, thus making the problem worse. Sometimes the ice will make the air feel very humid, but because only a small amount of air can go through, the house will not cool.

It's okay if your coils freeze up once in a blue moon, (once or twice a year). But, if you are having to defrost every day like I was, then you need to call a repairman. You likely have a refrigerant leak. This is nothing to panic over - it's not like Carbon Monoxide or anything, but, it means that your system is burning electricity like no tomorrow ($$$) and you are still cooking in your own castle.

The repairman will assess if you have a leak and what your pressure is and should be at. He will refill your lines (and replace them if he needs to). While the bill will be high, I ended up saving $200 a month on my power bill after he came out (House went from 4000kwh to 1200kwh).

Note: Don't try to recharge the A/C refrigerant with an OTC kit, there are multiple kinds of refrigerant, and you should never mix them. A professional can properly assess what kind of refrigerant you need, if there is a leak, and what your options are to fix it.

Good Luck!


How can I improve traction on an outdoor plywood ramp? I've got a shed in a very shady area.  There's a plywood ramp from the ground (grass/dirt) to the shed door.

When it rains, the ramp gets slippery.  It stays slippery for a long time afterward, as it doesn't dry very quickly due to the shade (from trees).  I'm also concerned that the wood is starting to degrade from the moisture, although the shed itself seems fine.

What can I do to improve the traction on the ramp, and maybe to also protect it a little better from the moisture?

I think the best method is to use an anti slip tape / strip / paint

Tape

Strip

Paint

They are ordered form easiest to hardest.

The strips will be the easiest because you just stick them on. You will obviously stick them on the length where your tires will be going and not sideways (because that would be pointless). The strips are more durable, but don't be deceived by the stick on ones once they are stuck.. they are STUCK! The best, but most work is painting the whole ramp.

Preparation.

Needs to be a dry day for sticking on or painting. You need to clean the surface with paper towels - after you wiped the dirt away and the surface you want to stick/paint is dry you will use more paper towels and cheap alcohol (methanol, spirits, etc) - Using the alcohol cleans the surface and removes oil (so don't touch it after you wiped it). Clean it almost like waxing (several times the same spot), this will guarantee your surface is dirt free and guarantees best adhesion for years and years of life.

The strips you can just put down - but you need some cordless drill or elbow grease to get those screws in. Make sure they are flush (level with the strip) or you risk slashing your tires.

Here are some links

http://www.vubasupplies.co.uk/anti-slip-surfaces.html

http://www.anti-slip-paint.co.uk/

http://www.antislip.uk.com/antislip-decking-strip.html


Grounding Rod for Residential application I currently live in Florida, where the soil is basically sand and clay. My question is: how should my grounding rod for my house be installed?
I've managed to dig up the grounding rod that was installed by the builders, and it looks suspicious. It is a corroded (I believe copper) rod that is jetting out of the foundation of the house horizontally, and buried about 4 inches deep. The main copper wire (ground wire) from the house is loosely wrapped around the corroded rod. Something tells me this is not the correct way to install a grounding rod. Can anyone tell me if this is normal, or just a case of the builders not knowing what they are doing?

This is a ufer ground or a concrete encased electrode. There should be a listed connector that connects to the rebar. To repair this wire brush the rebar and get the correct size clamp for the rebar size, tighten the clamp to the rebar then attach the copper to the clamp at the screw. These clamps are usually brass with a stainless screw, the rebar will get rusty but a ufer ground is the best method for grounding due to the large foundation area that is in contact with earth. If you want you can add a driven rod right next to the rebar it sounds like the wire may be long enough but a clamp to the rod will also be needed. Even though the rebar is rusty this is a superior grounding method so clean it up and use it even if you decide to add a driven rod.


Sump, French drains, or other? My place currently has a small (1 cubic foot?) pit in the basement floor with a sump pump in it, sufficient to catch the occasional flow across the basement floor from the (not well sealed to the foundation) bulkhead space. This pit  is concrete lined, and there are no perimeter drains; it really is there just to drain water already on the floor.

Except for serious flood conditions, this is just handling an occasional trickle. At the worst (100 year flood), the pump was running at about a 50% duty cycle, maybe 8 gallons per minute.

I'd rather not have water above the floor at all, even when the water table is at its highest.

So my question: would simply turning this into a real sump (porous barrel below floor level, hopefully punch only one large hole in floor to drop it in) draw enough water out from under the foundation to prevent infiltration even in bad conditions, or would I need a full system of peripheral French drains to achieve that (much more cutting/repair of concrete)?

Added:

There are two infiltration points, both of which I have attempted to seal with spray foam to be followed when I have time by hydraulic cement. (Tried an injected epoxy filler but didn't have great success with it.) One is where the bulkhead stair enclosure -- cinder blocks -- meets the poured foundation; this seeps slightly even in a "normal" heavy rain, resulting in a puddle coming in under the door.

The other, which I've mentioned before, is between the structure reinforcing the back wall of the original brick-over-fieldstone foundation, and the new poured foundation of the extension. This too is a cinder block structure apparently not sealed to the poured wall. Leakage is alongside or under the cinder blocks -- from the corner, anyway.

I should note that I've never seen leakage through the brick-over-fieldstone foundation, probably because the extension's basement is a good foot deeper than the original.

Local soil is moderately sandy, I think. But this is New England; there may be glacial erratics or other Big Rocks anywhere under the concrete floor. (All our picturesque stone walls are really the result of many years of farmers dumping the annual crop of rocks at the edge of the field...)

Hope that helps. I agree that belt, suspenders, and skyhook is probably the right answer, but if it would make sense to try something simpler first... This is rarely an issue and almost never a problem, but I would like to reduce that "rarely" and "almost" on principle. A house is a tool, and tools should be kept sharp.

I wouldn't think that even in bad conditions the water table rises all that much, I'd guess your infiltration is from the side walls as rain drains down into the earth. Re-grade next to the foundation.

If that doesn't help, then yes, you need a real sump. I'd need a pic to say if I'd make a new hole or not. French drains can be added later, but you'll need a sump regardless. Or not, if re-grading takes care of it. Order of attack:

Re-grade next to the foundation
Add sump
Add French drains

If you're serious about keeping it dry so you can use it as a rec room or whatever, arbitrarily do all three steps.

Seal the foundation with some caulk and paint it. Or skim coat the whole thing and then paint it. At the very least, some paint will show you where the trouble spots are once they discolor. If there is space permitting, I'd leave that old pump alone as a backup, and dig a new pit if you're going to put a new sump in.

But if you're 5~6 feet above a river, a real sump pump might be a losing battle... Caulk the wagon and ford the river.


Strap Mount Bracket, what is it called? I am looking for a strap mount bracket.  I have seen them on products but I need to buy one for a home project and can't find one for sale, probably because I don't know what it is called.

The bracket is made from an 1/8 inch round stock, it is about 2 inches (or shorter) and raised slightly.  It mounts to a flat surface like wood or metal.  A strap goes through and swings back around.  Generally used when applying 5 or 10 pounds holding power, where the strap will be loosed and re-tightened occasionally.

I think what you want is a "strap loop". On at least one site it seems to be called a footman loop.

https://www.google.com/search?q=strap+loop


Finding the right adapter to connect a hose and a faucet I am trying to connect this hose (thread size 2.0):

To this faucet (thread size 1.0):

The caliper reads 2.5 metric millimeters for the female screw of the hose, and the male faucet screw is 19mm. I live in the USA and none of the adapters I find online make any sense in their imperial measurements.
Please help! Thanks

You will need 2 adapters because nobody makes a single fitting that adapts from the 3/4" x 27 tubular spout thread directly to garden hose thread.
This was a common problem decades ago when portable dishwashers that hook to faucet spouts were more common.
First, adapt the tubular spout to one of the larger common aerator threads, then adapt that to hose thread, like this:


Why does water accumulate on the hardwood floors in my 1930 home? My home was build 1930 and nothing has been updated. In my downstairs bedroom under anything that sits on the floor from my bed, night stands, dog crate, and other things the floors will puddle with water.
I have done some research and come to the conclusion that I have a condensation problem, but everything that I have read talks about concrete foundation and basements primarily. My house does not have a concrete foundation or at least one I can see. This house sits on brick pillars in the front and ground in the back as it was built on a downhill slope.
My laundry room that was an addon has a concrete foundation, but I have no issues in any other part of the house but my bedroom which sits at the front of the house so it's off the ground which means air flow. I have drilled a couple of holes through the wall to the outside to help promote some air flow but that didn't seem to affect anything.
I have gas heater and though maybe the heat mixed with the cold floor is causing build up so I turned the heat off and no progress. This house also has no insulation and was built with small wood slabs (wrong term for what's it called but I can't recall the name but small thin 1-2 inch wide, 1/2 thick, length varies wood boards) Looks like it was made like an old doll house with popsicle sticks.
I don't know much about this issue and am seeking help for answers as to what could be the problem so I can fix it. Does anyone by chance have any clue what it could be? Thank you any help or advice is greatly appreciated.

Certain sealants for floors reduce permeability. If you have a sealant or its over oiled it could be inhibiting the woods ability to "breathe". That is to say absorb and dissipate moisture.
Have you added spray foam insulation under your house or added some kind of vapor barrier under your house?
If you have been updating and insulating in an old house you can change the way moisture and air flow. One of the quickest fixes would be to get a dehumidifier from your local hardware store. ...


How could other breakers have been switched off when one was tripped by a short? is it possible if one breaker trips, the rest (or some) of the other breakers in the panel will also trip at the same time?

we had put in a separate breaker for the bedrooms, once we connected this to the panel and switch it on, the breaker for this tripped.  We figured out and fixed what the issue was.  When we went back to the panel to reconnect, we noticed that the rest of breakers were off.

I'm trying to figure out how the rest of the breakers on the panel were turned off it was never touched.  is it possible that when that one breaker trip, this also made the rest of the breakers trip?

this maybe an obvious answer to some - sorry, i need some advice as the electrician that was helping me said it is not possible. He said that when one breaker trip, this does not affect the rest of the breakers to turn off as well.  But to me, it is the only rational explanation.

If you haven't yet turned them back on for some reason, it's most likely just an oopsie. There's what I call Face-Plate panel covers that don't recess or lock themselves around the breaker block nor have any lip that seats around the panel box (dumbest things ever). I & many others have been caught off-guard by these swinging or just shifting enough during removal to shut-off a whole side of the panel. You really don't notice the simultaneous click if you bang the cover or are talking. Maybe you or he hit them with your elbow, but circuits don't just suddenly crave attention.


Should I be worried, or is this a cosmetic issue? floor in 1935 apt building We live on the 4th floor of a pre-war, 1935 apartment building in NYC. On one outer wall, the oak floor is separated horizontally about 1/2" from the wall/baseboard. The floor is also little sunken all over the apartment, but that's not the issue. It looks like floorboard is missing, but its technically not. The wall is flat but must be pulling away. There is even an area where an ancient paper, dry-leaf-like material even sticks out at times! (see 2nd pic) What is that????

We've lived here 7 years with this problem, but i cant tell if it's getting worse or not. I just cant live with it anymore.

The white stuff in the cracks is boric acid i poured in after we started getting a waterbug vistor every night at the same time. The boric acid stopped it, thankfully, but it draws your eye right to the area.

The heater is just to the left of this area, and the floor and wall do get warm in one part. However, the area that has the biggest separation from the wall does not get hot at all, and is always cold to the touch.

I have zero DIY skills, and I dont even know who to call to fix this. Does it need "diagnosing" first? or will any "floor specialist" be able to fix this?

I want to know:

1) What is the world is holding the floor up, because when i shine a flashlight down, there doesnt seem to be anything connecting the floor to the outer wall!

I used to fill this crack with a piece of cardboard because its a perfect color match, but once a piece started falling in ( no subfloor here??), so i pulled it out, except for a piece in the corner.

2) Is this dangerous? Or can i just get something to fill this in?

3) How would i get a filler material like wood ( or cork?) to stay in place if theres nothing beneath it? I dont want to start ripping up my floor because one thing always leads to another in this building! And i'm sure there is lead paint underneath a few layers on my baseboards.

4) Could that ancient papery material sticking out be toxic/dangerous in any way? Anyone know what it is? I think my walls are lathe.

Here are the gruesome pix.
Thank you!!

There are already so many elements to the original baseboards I think adding another one to the bottom, painted white, to cover the gap will look just fine. It will look different to the other walls but only minimally. fill the void with insulation first and lightly pin the new trim to the baseboard, not the floor.

It's a case of you'll know it's there, but it's unlikely anyone else would notice unless they have a particularly keen architectural eye!

My only caveat is to keep an eye on the problem just in case it is the outer wall bowing outwards. Don't forget the floor joists probably run into the wall so it doesn't want to be bowing outwards too much.


Jacuzzi tub hot water valve locked in place We have one of those jacuzzi tubs in our bathroom and we'd like to use it.  When we bought the house, the inspector didn't catch the fact that the hot water valve is locked in place (cold water one works well).  I took it apart and everything looks fine to me (pics below).  I had a plumber come for other reasons and had him look at the valve, and he said that he doesn't know if it's "seized up or just stuck", and that if it's seized up and breaks somehow, he would have to break the tile to get to it, so it's probably not worth doing anything.  It's all Kohler but I don't know the exact model.

Is there anything I can try to do to fix it without risking damage?

Thanks

EDIT: adding image of the 'vent' near the tub

You either have a useless tub taking up space, or you do what needs doing to fix it so it's useable. You may also have a claim against your "home inspector" for not catching it - that sort of thing is exactly why you wasted money to hire them, after all.

I would go in prepared to "break tile" (more likely I'd cut it out, actually - it's neater, and I'm not a plumber who does not care what sort of mess they make for some other trade to clean up) and I'd replace the broken tile with an access panel because having to break tile to access plumbing is a really poor design choice made by idiots, in my not so humble opinion.

Actually - Might look underneath, too, in case access from below could be done with less mess.


Do tool cross-manufacturer battery adapters work without damaging battery or tool? I'm talking about something like this which allows you to use a Dewalt battery in a Makita tool.

Since this is just a question of connecting pins and so on, and no change of current or voltage is taking place, this should logically be ok as long as the battery is the same voltage as the one made by the same manufacturer as the tool, right?

Logically, you're correct, but practically, you might run into problems.

For the purposes of this answer, I'm assuming you're only crossing lithium ion batteries from different manufacturers. (Crossing battery chemistries is even more fraught.)

Lithium ion batteries don't like being run down to an extremely low voltage. (This varies subtly by chemistry, so I'll suggest you look up your specifics. You're in the ballpark of 3.2v per cell, which will multiply out to whatever number of cells is in series in the battery.) If you run them "dry", they get damaged internally, and either won't recharge or might (in extreme cases) catch fire. You really don't want lithium ion fires in your life. (Google "Hydrogen fluoride".)

So power tool manufacturers have built a deliberate cutoff circuit in to prevent overdischarge and protect the battery. You'd have to know whether that cutoff circuitry is in the tool or the battery. Crossing manufacturers might leave you without a cutoff circuit. (And I frankly doubt that any cheap adapter has the smarts to have a cutoff, though I could be wrong.)

If you absolutely had to do this, you need to figure out what the cutoff voltage is for your particular battery and be sure that you don't overdischarge your battery. (You need a voltmeter of some description for this.) You also need to use the manufacturer's charger with their battery. (Even if the adapter works on the charger... just don't!)


What kind of plumbing should I use to replace PB tubing? I am looking for insight. I am the 3rd owner of a single-story home built in the late 80s. It has 3/4" polybutylene (PB) plumbing running through the attic with 1/2" PB branching off. We have 2 full baths, and of course the kitchen, and 2 spigots outside. The  laundry and water heater are located in the garage, near where the main water line enters.  In all, I have 12 cold and 7 hot water fittings.

Since 2014, I have had 5 pinhole leaks in various locations in the walls, at least 1 has caused flooring damage. I've had plumbers saying the house needs to be replumbed. Had 2 estimates done; one quote was for $26k (copper), the other for $10k (copper). Neither recommended PEX. Both discouraged it but their reasoning has to do with PB and not PEX.

That being said, as an avid DIYer, I'm looking at doing my own replumbing. I know I want to do a home run system but don't know if I want to do crimp, cinch, or expansion. Any opinion or suggestions?

If you want to re-plumb with copper you may want to invest or rent a tool to use fittings made by these companies: Nibco press system, Parker Zoom Lock, Ridgid Pro-press, or Viego. I have used 2 of the above and they work great. You cut the copper to length, add the fittings, then use the tool to crimp the fitting and you are done, No soldering. It makes a professional out of a novice.  Myself, I would solder or silver braze. (my choice)


Are 5" thick filters for furnace/Central AC still available? My furnace/AC was installed about three years ago. It uses 16" X 25" X 5" filters. The problem is when I try to find a replacement at my local home center: at Lowe's, Home Depot, (you name it), I found only 1" or 2" thick filters (mostly 3M Filtrete). I looked in many stores around my area, not just one. I also checked at my local Costco and Walmart but they have none: the associates told me that they didn't carry the filters anymore and that I may need to order them online.

So, the question is: Are 5" thick filters still in use and available? Is it an uncommon size filter? Or do the thin filters have better performance?

Additional Information: the filer that we are talking about is Honeywell FC100A1029.

The thicker the filter, the more area can be created within the filter by folding the filter materials into baffles. This creates a very high efficiency filter, but I don't think I've ever seen one this thick stocked in a store. I'm sure you could resize the opening for a thinner filter, but if it was my choice, I'd order the thicker ones online.

The same thing happens in other places, e.g. high efficiency toilets have a larger flapper than what is typically stocked in stores, which will make getting replacement parts a pain.


How do I repair a warped sliding glass door track? I have a sliding glass door that barely opens and often jumps off the track.  The track under the door is bent and chipped.

Is this normal wear and tear?

Would raising the wheels fix it?  Do I need to straighten track?

I'd like to know whether this is more complex than tightening a few screws or putting on new wheels.

We had this issue on the kitchen sliding glass door at work. A hand truck had been run fully loaded over the threshold several times in its life and the Channel Lock treatment given to attempt putting the track back in line.

Our local glass shop repaired it without removing the frame as the door was a custom piece with no readily available replacement and would have been prohibitively expensive to do so.

Basically, you take a rivet buster chisel and die grinder and remove the track. You then use a die grinder burr to smooth the surface. There are replacement tracks (has to match the old one) that will now lay in the slot. Finish out by fixing in place with self tapping screws, replace the rollers on the screen door and adjust the rollers to proper height.

It now rolls just like new.

Ok, here's one manufacturer (no affiliation with any). Prime-Line Products has a cap strip like Mike was considering and they also have an actual track replacement extrusion which is what I have experience with. You'll find both repair products listed under Exterior Door Hardware for Residential Sliding Patio Doors. They also carry rollers and assemblies.

Another manufacturer that makes both cap strips and track extrusions is Swisco


How do I remove this shower stem valve? I don't see how to remove this stem valve. It fits into this brass pipe which is not a collar--it is entirely round, and I tackled it with channel lock pliers and quite a bit of force, and it did not budge. My next thought is the stem valve simply pulls out, which is tricky. One hardware store salesman suggested vice grips & a hammer. The other suggested extracting the rubber washer with a dental pick and he thought there might be a collar underneath that I could use a shower stem socket on.

As a new user I can't insert images, so here are the links to the pictures.

The plumber came out today and showed me how to remove it. The Evil Greebo was right, the stem itself unscrewed. The plumber took off the handle and escutcheon, then put the handle knob back on to further unscrew the stem. He did this very slowly and used a lot of force. He had a lot of difficulty with the cold, and that is the one I had started with, so it is not surprising I was doubtful of this being the way it was supposed to work.

The plumber thinks it is Sterling, because those were popular around here years ago and they were low cost, the type that someone would put in the downstairs shower.


Proper order of operations for re-doing windows, stucco, and footing insulation I have three big projects coming up:

Replacing all the windows and a sliding glass door
Adding 2 inches of rigid foam insulation to the exterior and re-stucco-ing
Adding rigid foam insulation against the footings

Since these three projects each interact with elements of the other two, I'm unsure of which one to do first.

I'm worried that if I have a bunch of guys put in new windows first, for example, when I go to increase the effective thickness of the wall by about 2 inches due to the foam insulation, I'll run into problems with window flashing. But if I do the wall project first, how am I going to handle the existing windows? If I add footing insulation first, I need to flash it properly against the old stucco that I'm planning to remove or cover up anyway...

Are these three things that should be done all at the same time?

I think I've answered my own question:

I'm going to do the footing insulation first. This will increase the effective thickness of the footings and result in a metal flashing plate over the footing foam at the bottom of the existing walls (for drainage and termite control/visibility).

I can use that for the wall project by resting the wall's new foam insulation on top of it. I haven't decided whether to screw the foam directly over the stucco or remove it first (see Adding insulation to exterior wall; remove stucco cladding, or add on top of it?), but regardless,during that time I'll remove the windows, build plywood bucks to put in new ones over foam and flush with the new stucco cladding, and flash them like so:

http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/insights/bsi-067-stuck-on-you


Feedback on why constantly draining. It's starting to flood backyard There's no leakage near/ around water heater. No slime or build up of any kind.
But there's constant hot water drainage coming out through pipe in backyard. It's starting to flood back porch area.
It's cream colored pipe coming out of wall of house.
Paper work says it's a gas fired water heater.
Any tips?

Water heaters have a safety device called a T & P valve, T is Temperature, P is for pressure. it sits atop or near the top of the unit and is designed to "pop off" or open in cases where the temperature or pressure is high.These can go bad by themselves or after being bled by a well meaning or curious person.
See if the temperature setting is maxed out, if so lower it some that may help, otherwise replace the T & P valve.


How to determine which neutral to which power? I have 20 Amp power run to part of my house.  The conduit that carries it runs down one of the walls of my garage.  I've cut the conduit, inserted a metal junction box, and intend on putting in a single 20 amp outlet in my garage for power tools, etc.

The conduit carried four wires: blue, yellow, gray, gray.  As it turns out, I'd thought about this as I turned off two breaker switches, but yes, the conduit is actually carrying two 20 amp circuits.  I cut the wires too quick without thinking about it though, and now find myself wondering if it matters which power is matched with which neutral.

I tested by installing the outlet with yellow, and one of the grays, and turned the breakers on (and off) one at a time.  I thought that if a lamp plugged in to the outlet turned on, I would have my match.  Problem is, I know which breaker is for yellow and blue respectively now, but the lamp works with either neutral.

Given that this is two distinct circuits, AND one of the circuits powers a room with expensive electronics, I'm paranoid.

So, does it matter which neutral is connected in pair with which power?  If so, how do I test and figure out which neutral is which?

Yes, it matters.   It is vital to pair the neutrals with their partner hots.  You should have marked the wires at the time you installed them, either by tagging the wires with tape, or by bundling the pairs with tape, or any other method that makes sense.

Now, your best bet is to document carefully which outlets are on which hots.   Then, pull one of the neutrals off the neutral rail and insulate it.   Make sure that all the outlets on one circuit do work, and all the outlets on the other circuit do not work.  Now you know the still-connected neutral is associated with that hot.  Mark it!

Do not allow a situation where some outlets on hot A return on neutral A, and other outlets on hot A return on neutral B.  That is a wiring defect that should be corrected ASAP because it will result in the neutral being overloaded.   Neutrals do not have circuit breakers, so the system absolutely depends on neutrals not serving two hots.


What are the code requirements for installing a ceiling fan alongside a fire sprinkler? I have a fire sprinkler in my bedroom ceiling which is right in the middle. I want to install a ceiling fan.  What are code requirements to follow?

It depends on what jurisdiction has authority where you are doing the work. Some sort of electric code applies, but there's nothing unusual involved. There's a requirement for the fan to be securely anchored to the structure. That could be electrical, mechanical, or building codes. They are unlikely to be very specific, "securely anchored" will be roughly all the detail you'll see.

The main issue is the sprinkler head. It seems every jurisdiction has their own requirements, though at least in the USA, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) publishes a model code from which most jurisdictions either adopt by reference or base their own code upon it.

The main provision here will be nothing can be installed to obstruct the dispersal pattern of the spray head, which normally means the head needs to be lower than the fan. However, one could argue if the fan were pendant mounted by a narrow tube, one could actually get a better dispersal with the head at ceiling height because the head is higher and the tube provides minimal obstruction. This argument may or may not be viable, depending on exactly where the two components are located relative to each other.

Since this is a judgement call, only the authority having jurisdiction can make such a ruling.


How can I repair a towel bar with one end ripped out of the wall? I'm in desperate need of assistance. I'm a tenant living in a rented apartment and one end of the towel bar just fell out of its socket!

Can anyone tell me how, if possible, I can fix it myself without telling my landlord? Or in the worst case scenario that I have to call someone, can you tell me who I should call?

I'm sorry but I'm new to all of this so I don't even know who to call to come fix it if I can't fix it myself. You are supposed to call an electrician for electrical stuff and a plumber for your plumbing but who should you call for something like this? Any help would be truly appreciated.

If it is possible to fix it myself, could you help by giving me detailed instructions on how to do so including any materials I might need to buy. I've attached pictures since I don't know how to describe it like what screws it uses and such.

Click any photo for full size

I agree that the best solution here is tell your landlord, provided you have a reasonable one. What does your lease say about routine maintenance? Chances are if you weren't doing chinups on it, you shouldn't be charged.

However, if you've had a previous experience with this landlord in which they've proved to be unreasonable, you could attempt to fix it yourself.

To do this, find a short length of steel rod with an outer diameter the same as the inside diameter of the sheared pin. Test fit to make sure it all fits together. Mix up some JB Weld, coat the steel rod, and then slide it into the sleeve on the wall, then press the other side on over it. Try to avoid getting any of the epoxy compound on the end of the rod near the wall, as doing so may end up bonding it to the wall rather than just the bracket.


Fine Mesh Screen for Chimney Can I put a fine mesh metal screen on my chimney cap. The current cap has a screen but the mesh is large enough to let stink bugs in. I'd like to put a finer metal screen over the existing screen. Does anyone even make such a product? The chimney is for a gas fireplace which is never used.

No, this is a bad idea. In the winter, the moist combustion byproducts or plain leaky indoor air can condense and freeze on the cold metal screen. After a while and in the right conditions, enough condensation can freeze to slightly prevent airflow, which makes the whole thing freeze over very quickly. I don't think I need to explain why a frozen-shut chimney is a very bad thing...


Beeswax for lubricating hinges. How does it compare to other lubricants? As per title. I've recently discovered the amazing properties of beeswax and its multiplicity of uses from rust prevention, to food preservation, to lubricating/threadlocking wood screws.

https://matteroftrust.org/101-uses-for-beeswax/

It's also non-toxic with an agreeable odor compared to other lubricants.

Aside from cost and availability, are there any disadvantages, contraindications or cautions to using natural beeswax for lubricating door hinges? Does anyone have useful practical experience?

Anecdotally, I waxed (my default, on the belief that it stays put and works which prior experience had born out) a squeaky door hinge last year, and it quieted down for a short time, then resumed squeaking.

When I addressed it the next time, I used petroleum jelly - due to what I had handy, specifically the mentholated version (Vick's Vapo-Rub, no endorsement implied) and it has remained quiet since (which is a longer period of time than the wax worked for.)


How to reattach front door rain deflector? The rain deflector from the bottom of our front door recently fell off when I trod on it by mistake.  The door and deflector are both wooden.  The deflector was stuck on, not screwed.  I'm not quite sure what the joining material I can see is: some kind of putty to hold it on I think, and white silicone sealant in a hidden channel near the top.

I tried bodging a fix using a glue gun (this is the transparent material in the pictures).  Once it was in place, I put a bead of glue along the top of the deflector, because I'm worried about water getting into the gap between the deflector and door, being held there and causing the wood to rot.  My bodge didn't last long, however: the deflector fell off again after a few weeks.

What's the best way to reattach the deflector?  I'm thinking about screwing it into place this time, and spreading some silicone sealant along the top portion (including the hidden channel) to stop water getting in the gap.  I have no experience with silicone sealant, though.  When that's complete, I guess I need to repaint it all, which the door needs anyway...

Scrape off all the old adhesives then use Liquid Nails on the back. Pre-drill, countersink, and screw it into the door. You can use caulk, liquid nails, or wood filler to fill in over screw holes and then re-prime and paint.


Better method for installing in-window air conditioner? It's that time again, getting out the ladder and installing the in-window air conditioner. The accordion thingies that come with the unit are completely useless of course, unless you don't mind hot air, flies, mosquitoes, squirrels and anything else coming into the house through the gaps. Therefore, I have the problem of how to install the thing.

My normal method is the following:

Hold the thing in by screwing it to a wood lintel that is closely fitted to the window, so it is solidly held in.
Cut pieces of lexan or plexiglass to exactly fit the gaps on both sides.
Climb up the side of the house on a ladder and install the lexan panels using duct tape. Make sure there are no gaps at all (very important).
Cut insulation that fits the gaps. Go inside house and insert insulation pads on both sides.
Cut more lexan to fit gaps in window on inside.
Duct tape the inner panels to the window. Phew, finally done.

What a pain in the butt, and when October rolls around I have take the Jerry rig all apart again.

Anybody got an easier way of doing this?

Take two pieces of 1/2" plywood, that have been cut to fit the width of the window and are 1-1/2"-2" taller than the A/C unit.

Cut out the outline of the A/C unit from the center of the plywood pcs. so that you've got a "collar" that can be slid down, like a yoke, or otherwise fit around the A/C unit.

Cut out "windows", in both pieces of plywood, on either side of the area where the A/C unit will be; maintaining at least 1" between the window jamb and the area the A/C unit will be and these "window" cutouts (so the plywood won't break).  At this point, both pieces of plywood should be identical where the cutouts were made.

Cut two pieces of Lexan (or similar) that is 3/4"+ larger than the "window" cutouts in the plywood (another reason to leave a 1" space between areas cut-out).  Glue (with something that isn't too permanent) into place and sandwich between the two pieces of plywood using carriage bolts to secure the plywood together.  Or, glue, if you're confident all is lining up perfectly and will fit properly.

Using (black) foam pipe insulation, wrap the plywood edges and staple into place (staples on the side that will be outside...to prevent water from getting inside the tubing); including the edges that will abut the A/C unit. And give it a trial fitting around the A/C unit that is already in the window, to be sure the pipe insulation compresses enough for a proper fit.  Shave the plywood where it's too tight a fit.

Note: a thin (half-width) strip of duct tape along the seam of the pipe insulation and plywood cutout will create a sort of "drip edge" or seal to divert rain water better than the staples alone.

Note: if the A/C unit tapers or has indentations at the bottom; such that the plywood would leave gaps if slide down like a yoke, first try cutting the shape of the A/C unit so it will slide into the plywood frame.  If this won't work fitted pieces of insulation board (or piggy-backed pipe insulation), duct taped into position, will do (these will be what gets replaced each year).