Are there any standards/certifications for TV wall mount quality? I'm considering wall mounting a 40" LED TV.
Up front, I realize this is a somewhat vague question. Is there any real quality difference between brands or retailers for TV wall mounts? It seems like the big box stores have exorbitant markup; Best Buy prices most mounts $50 to well over $100. I also see visually identical mounts for around $20 from sites like Amazon and Harbor Freight.
What I can't determine is whether these mounts are really comparable. One one hand, Best Buy loves to charge $30 for an HDMI cable. On the other hand, Amazon has become a clearing house for low-quality and counterfeit items. Harbor Freight has served me well, but after the jack stand recall, I'm less confident about any item that holds something heavy over my head.
Is there any standards body that rates or certifies TV mounts that I could look for? For example, UL, ANSI, or OSHA?

The answer would seem to be "Yes."  In short, you'll want to look for VESA and UL certifications for monitor/TV mounting brackets.
There are VESA Flat Display Mounting Interface (FDMI) specifications for wall mounts but those seem to be mostly constrained to the "geometry" of the mount and its usefulness for fitting VESA-compliant monitors and televisions. The VESA standards do seem to set weight specifications that must be met in order for the mounting system to be considered VESA Certified though.
UL certifies TV/monitor mounts, and "mounts that are UL-approved have undergone an additional level of testing that only adds to our peace of mind while hanging a TV off the wall. To attain UL certification, a mount is tested to at least four times the advertised weight rating. Most of the mounts we researched have an advertised weight rating of 130 to 175 pounds, which is already excessive, given the relatively light weight of today’s TVs."
NY Times, The Best TV Wall Mount", OCTOBER 2, 2020


Is it possible to buy just the fins or the copper pipe with fins for baseboard radiator? I have a project to build and I want to use finned tubing (like in baseboard radiators) but I am unable to find the tubing without buying the enclosure as well.

(This is for a hobby project - I want to make a heat exchanger to take latent heat out of steam and heat fluid in the copper tubes.)

Can anyone suggest a source to buy these without the baseboard enclosure?

EDIT - the project is a "preheater" for maple syrup evaporator.

The evaporator is a firebox with pans of maple sap sitting on top.  The water evaporates from the sap and leaves behind the concentrated syrup.

To improve efficiency the goal is to use the heat in the steam to preheat sap before it hits the pan - thus using wasted heat energy.

http://www.uvm.edu/~uvmaple/sappreheaters.pdf
http://www.leaderevaporator.com/p-286-parallel-flow-sap-pre-heater.aspx

Sap flows from a holding tank (cold sap) through the copper tubes that are positioned over the pan and inside a hood.  Then from there it goes through a float valve into the syrup pan.  (hopefully at a higher temperature than when it entered the copper tubing)

You might try a scrapyard. There are probably old radiators kicking around from people who scavenge worksites. Maybe not, though--they may have been sold off when the price of copper jumped.


Can I use pressure-treated 2x2 posts as a base for an aluminum arbor? I plan on building an arbor with 2" square, white, tubing ( the sort used for screen rooms).
I read that aluminum should not be set in concrete. What if is used 2" X 2" PT wood set in concrete and put the aluminum post over them?
Any comments appreciated

Wood that thin doesn't offer much in the way of strength or stiffness. Even if you built your arbor as a completely self-supporting structure and only needed the posts to anchor it, 2x2s would offer relatively little in the way of storm resistance, for example.

A better approach is to design your arbor so that it's self-supporting and rigid, and mount stainless steel brackets to the slab using suitable anchors. Your arbor's legs would attach to the brackets. They won't offer torsional stiffness, but they'll keep the arbor in place.

You could also embed pipes in the slab, into which you'd insert your aluminum legs. These could be PVC. You'd then use shims to secure the legs of your arbor into them. The pipes should be open at the bottom with a drainage basin of sand or washed rock.


Can I cut a 2" thick marble slab myself? I've picked up a 27"x27"x2" piece of marble countertop off the street. I'd like to clean it up and use it, but I'd also like to trim it down.

I don't mind doing it myself, but want to make sure I'm doing it right. I've seen posts saying a diamond blade for my circular saw will do the trick.

Am I correct that the following approaches are reasonable?

Marble/masonry continuous rim diamond blade
Multiple shallow passes
A trickle of water from a hose (plus a GFCI outlet or extension cord)
Protecting the surfaces of the slab from chip out with tape/foam board

Anything not right there? Anything I'm missing? Should I not attempt this?

Thanks!

I have cut one inch granite and it went very well with one exception to your list. Make the cut in a single pass or you will have lines on the cut face. You can use a good circular saw because the small water flow will stop essentially all dust; there will be some water spray that contains fine particles but no problem. I have cut cinder block dry and that needed a "sacrificial " circular saw. Breakout was not a problem when going slow at the end of cut. What I did for water was use a gallon bottle with a 1/4 vinyl (aquarium) hose with a clamp or valve for control; then you can make the mess anywhere.It requires little water and it will run down the cut groove to the blade.


How can I get a 60 Hz refrigerator to work on a 50 Hz system? I bought a refrigerator with 4 doors (model #: LMX31985st) in the USA, for use in Europe. I also bought the slow down converter. I'm afraid that the frequency in the USA is 60 hz, and in Europe it is 50 hz. Because of this, the appliance doesn't work. Does the slow down converter regulate the frequency, or could there be something wrong with it?

You face many challenges with this refrigerator.

It is a discontinued model.
It is made for North American electricity.
It is made for North American kitchen space.  It will probably be too big for 95% of European kitchens: width, depth, and height.
Many European kitchen floors will not be able to hold its empty weight of 324 pounds/147 kg, let alone loading it full of stuff.  Its weight loading is 36 pounds per square foot (empty) which should be okay in most buildings (less than an adult standing on the floor).
It will be very expensive to ship.  Probably at least half the price of a new fridge.
A sufficiently hefty non-switched UPS (uninterruptible power supply) intended for North American power can do the frequency and voltage conversion, but it won't be just any off-the-shelf UPS.  Maybe one like this for around $900 will do.  Some models allow input range from like 90 V to 250 V.  Most heftier, non-switch-through do the proper frequency conversion.  I looked for awhile but didn't see any less than $750.


3 way circuit only works in some switch states I have a 3 way system set up for upstairs hallway. I recently installed 3 can lights on it. Power feed runs to the dimmer switch upstairs and the lights are connected to that dimmer. There is a 3 way wire running to the toggle switch downstairs. I put the power back on and had lights at first and then they stopped working. Also at one point the bottom switch only worked if the dimmer was in the on position. It is a 3 way dimmer and the toggle is 3 way as well. Had an electrician buddy look at it and said it was hooked up right and should be working. Any ideas would be good ideas. Thanks.

I've had this happen more times than I can count after replacing switches. They aren't all oriented the same, and I can't visualize the circuit in my head well enough to know where the travelers go.

The good news is that they're all carrying the hot branch in your case, so you can try different combinations willy-nilly and not risk a short-circuit. Open which ever switch is easier to work on (probably the standard toggler since it's the only thing in that box) and start moving things around.


Identifying a load-bearing wall Can I just triple check to get your views on whether the indicated wall in this house floor plan (between kitchen and diner on ground floor) is a load-bearing wall or not? Very much appreciated.

No, it is not a bearing wall, but there is a "double stud" (post) required in the wall line to support the "beam that supports the roof" that is in the second floor exterior wall. Very unusual.

This post (double stud) is important because it's noted on the second floor plan too. So, the double stud is to extend up to the roof level and align with the double stud on the first floor level. We don't create a separate structural system (like this double stud system / beam system) we just "up-size" the floor joists to support the second floor loading and the second floor exterior wall load and whatever roof loads too.

First, you'll notice there are parallel walls on each side of the kitchen and dining that align with the second floor (although the second floor is slightly narrower.) This allows all the framing to span from wall to wall and transfer the loads to the foundation. The wall between the kitchen / dining runs perpendicular to the floor joists and roof trusses so it will not be a bearing wall, but has a "double stud" note in it. So, you can remove the WALL but not the POST (double stud).

Second, if you look close, you'll see notes and arrows on the drawings that refer to, "300 x 50 joists". This refers to the size of the joists and the direction the joists are to span. (We Americans never learned the metric system.) As you can see, the floor joists rests on the walls perpendicular to the kitchen / dining wall. So, again, it's not a bearing wall.

Also, it is not a "shear wall". A shear wall is used to keep the building "stiff" and not allow the structure to sway or turn into a parallelogram. I live in a high wind area, as I suspect you do too, and I'm very interested in horizontal thrusts on buildings as well as vertical loads.

You can remove this wall (but not the double stud) and sleep well at nights or not worry when you're out windsurfing.

Note: If you look close at the North East elevation, you'll notice there is no double studs required on the left side of the drawing, only on the right side. Yet, it has the same identical roof structure. (Hmmm...unless there is a vaulted ceiling on the right side.   Is there?)


How can I attach a garden hose to my sink faucet? I would like to attach a garden-hose adapter to my sink faucet. Currently there is an aerator on the end that I like.

Is there some solution that anyone knows of that will allow both the garden hose adapter and aerator to function simultaneously on the faucet. I just don't want to have to attach the adapter each time I use a hose.

I was thinking either an adapter with an aerator built in, or an adapter with aerator threads on the inside of the hose end. Any other suggestions are appreciated.

Yes, but it won't be pretty. There's a fitting designed to let you hook up a dishwasher to a sink faucet. They come in both temporary and permanent varieties. Don't ignore the removable kind as that might be exactly what you need if your hose use is just occasional. From there, you can get another fitting to step up the dishwasher connection to a garden hose size connection.

Just realize that you're not going to get much volume/pressure out of a sink.

If you don't need a garden hose per-se but just a hose-like think for short range use, investigate a bath store like Bed Bath and Beyond. There exist rubber hand-held shower products that are designed to fit on to the end of a bath spout or screw on to a sink.


Pulling wire using previous wire? I’m trying to pull a new thermostat wire down from a first floor room down into the basement. The exit point in the basement is in the ceiling, between two ceiling boards pretty inaccessible. Would it be stupid to try to hook some fishing wire to the old wire, pull that through, then tie the new wire to the fishing wire and pull that through? Is that unlikely to work? I don’t know about the opening diameter, and I’d be going from a 2-wire setup to a 4 or 5, so I guess it’d be thicker.

Your odds of success are about 1% unless the wire in in conduit, and it almost certainly isn't.

Generally, wires in walls are stapled to the framing. Perhaps your thermostat wire isn't, and then you might have a chance, if it's a straight shot. If there are staples or the wire goes around corners, you probably won't be able to pull the old wire out, and if you do manage that, the point where the new wire is connected to the pulling wire will not be happy about going through staples or around corners.


Replacing toilet supply line and valve I'm trying to replace the supply line and valve for my toilet but am having a hard time removing the coupling nut. I tried grabbing the fill valve and using a plier to remove the coupling nut but the nut kept moving along with the fill valve.

When I went to buy the supplies, I was told that these don't need to be changed unlike what my plumber told me. When I tried to put everything back, the coupling nut part wouldn't stop leaking. At this point, I think it's better if I just replace it. Any suggestion on how I could remove the coupling nut? Thank you!

the nut kept moving along with the fill valve.

Have a helper use your pliers to grab on to the fill valve inside of the tank; you need to prevent the fill valve from turning. Then remove the supply flex nut by unscrewing with a large adjustable wrench, an open-end wrench, or with your other pliers.

I would go ahead and change everything: stop valve, supply flex, and toilet fill valve.


How to insulate around a brick basement window? There is a window in my basement where quite a bit of cold air is coming in. The draft is coming not from the window itself, but the space between the layers of brick. What is the best way to insulate around the window and as a bonus finish this window so it looks a little nicer?

Normally, windows are installed into masonry with a wooden "buck", a frame wrapping all sides with treated lumber. (See photos #1 and #2.) This is bolted and sealed to the concrete or brick. The window is installed inside the buck with a small gap, which is itself insulated and sealed, and a finished extension jamb is installed to the interior of the window frame where necessary.

In your case, the best you can do is seal all gaps with more spray foam. I'd mask the entire window with tape, then spray the brick face with thin layers. Wait until the foam expands, then add more if needed.

The gap at the top of the photo needs to be addressed, too. I'd probably fill i with fiberglass batt insulation. Stuff it loosely, but completely full. I'd need better photos of that area to offer more advice.


How to apply the primer over paint on a small chipped area Someone has chipped the paint from corner of my wall. Do I need to apply a primer (I see the wall behind the paint)?

If so, I will inevitably put it over the previous paint a little. You know? I won't be able to only put the primer in the small chip in the wall, it will spill over inevitably a little. Is that okay? How does this work generally?

So it sort of depends on how bad the chipping is.  (posting a picture will allow for a bit more detail in answers)

In general for chipped paint I would recommend the following process. (and yes getting the prime on existing paint is no big deal)

Clean and sand the edges.  Basically, make sure that nothing else is loose.  Take a scraper and chip off any paint that does not adhere to the wall behind it.
Fill the holes with non-shrink spackle.  Use a scraper, apply it, let it dry then sand it smooth with the surrounding wall.
Prime.  You can get away with a spray primer (I generally use the spray Kilz to seal the parts that were patched.
Paint.  So you can brush it on and just apply a spot fix...but the texture of the paint will be different from the walls around it...ideally you should paint the whole wall, but that said you can roll a section of it, and feather out from the main area that needs paint.


What is this soft, sticky wood finish and how do I remove it? We have a second-hand table with a mysterious finish.

The wood underneath is pale, possibly pine. With the finish, it's a slightly darker and "warmer" colour. The table is not antique; I'd guess only about 20 years old.

The finish is soft, so you can easily score lines in it with a fingernail. It feels slightly sticky if you just press it with a finger. It becomes VERY sticky if it gets wet, and will permanently stick to any paper left on it, so the paper can only be removed by painstakingly scrubbing it into shreds. It also turns white after getting wet, for an hour or so, then fades back to brown.

Because of the stickiness it attracts dirt horribly, and is covered in dark grime which is very hard to remove. The grime can be removed by lengthy scrubbing with a rough sponge and Flash kitchen spray, but then the finish partly comes off too.

We tried Nitromors paint and varnish remover, followed by white spirit. It made some progress at removing the finish, but left it patchy and smeary and not completely removed; I think we've had better results with Flash kitchen spray.

Can you help me identify the finish, and recommend a way to remove it properly?

By "White spirit", do you mean turpentine or mineral spirits? If that had no effect on it... My best guess would be that it's improperly cured polyurethane, or water-based polyurethane that wasn't mixed properly. Additionally, polyurethane doesn't take to pine well and is pretty resistant to being removed chemically, so there's another pointer in that direction.

You can try denatured alcohol. If it comes up with denatured alcohol, it's probably improperly mixed shellac.

What I'd probably do if I were you would be to sand it down completely back to bare wood, first with 80 grit and then 120 and 220 grits. I know it's a pain in the butt, but it'll provide the best finish overall. Then stain it and finish it again with something that isn't polyurethane... if you stain it, I'd recommend a lacquer finish like Deft, and then a really nice set of absorbent coasters so that you don't keep getting the surface wet. ;) Or if you do use polyurethane, use a satin spray in a rattlecan and bring it indoors to a moisture and temperature controlled environment to cure for 48 hours before you put it back into use. And your last option would be to paint it (after sanding back to bare wood, or it won't adhere!) with an oil-based enamel and a bit of penetrol.


Home inspection requires exhaust to attic exterior We have sold our 1995 built home.  One item that needs to be addressed is "Bathroom fans vent to attic and need to exhaust to the exterior of the attic to prevent moisture condensation in attic."  I have been told that homes built prior to 2009 (which is when this actual code went into effect) do not need to have this done as homes built prior to 2009 are grandfathered in.  I am trying to find out if this is the case as a licensed HVAC company has told us this but we are looking for the actual code to show the inspector.  Any help would be so appreciated.

You'll want to check with your local government.  The sale of a house often requires some things to be brought up to current code.  What things are required, depends on the local government.

For example.  In my area, sump pumps are required. If you're selling a house without a sump, you'll have to install one before you can close. A nearby area requires hardwired smoke detectors be installed before closing.

Selling a house where an inspection is required, means you'll have to pass the inspection before the sale.

If this inspection was done by the buyers (buyers inspector), they have every right to request whatever repairs they want. You as the seller have every right to deny the request, renegotiate,  or cancel the deal (assuming you haven't finalized the contract). You might want to contact your lawyer.


I think I may have fixed my boiler but how could this have helped? I am an unbelievably "low confidence" DIYer, having only ever rented properties, which limits the stuff you're supposed to do, for liability reasons.

However, we had a boiler issue where it was making horrible cthonic gurgling noises and then switching off, with the fault lights blinking.

When I called the manufacturer's helpline, the automated message suggested it might be the "condensation pipe". Once I realised no-one was ever going to answer, I went down, and located what I think was the correct pipe.

This black plastic pipe runs out of where the boiler is on the top floor all the way around the corner and. On the end it was just an open pipe hole leading into the drain. I noticed there was a blob of ice covering part of the end of the pipe so I snapped it off.

I then tried to restart the boiler, with no real hope, as the pipe was incredibly long and I had no way to check if there was a proper ice blockage further up. It started fine and all the radiators began to heat up.

Could this have fixed it, or was it just coincidence? What I don't understand is why just removing a relatively small block of ice from the end of the pipe could have solved this.

If it actually got better because the daytime is warmer than the night, I'm worried it will freeze again this evening.

You have probably fixed the problem - at least temporarily.

The boiler requires that this condensation pipe is clear and unobstructed and removing the ice from the end has cleared the blockage. However, it's likely that the pipe will freeze up again - especially in this cold weather.

The solution is simple - insulate the pipe. Either use something like this - the pre slit stuff will make it easier to fit as the pipe will be clamped in a number of places. If you can't get hold anything that's the right diameter for your pipe at short notice, wrap the pipe in bubble wrap. That should be enough to keep it from freezing.


Normal toggle switches don't fit flush in metal electrical box cover I am trying to replace this old two toggle switch that burnt out in this 4-inch box in my basement:

However, every new switch has these ears the stick up and block it from sitting flush against the front cover. What am I missing here?

Those ears snap off
Those are called "plaster ears" and can be broken off using a pair of pliers.  Snapping them off will let you fit the new switch into the existing box.


Can my LED fan light that's hardwired to a dimmer switch also be controlled, ON/OFF, by the remote it came with? I have two switches set up for our LED remote fan.

1st switch: to power on the unit, which still allows me to change the speed settings on the remote.

2nd dimmer switch: to power the lights, but, the remote doesn't turn my fan light ON / OFF, even when the dimmer switch is on at its lowest setting.

With a fan + remote, you have two chocices:  Wire it so fan+light are controlled by remote, and ou can't use a dimmer. (can't dim the fan).  Or, have fan controlled by remote and light controlled by switch, which can be a dimmer if it doesn't affect the fan.

Code requires a light switch in a room that works

You may have noticed that when you go into almost any room anywhere, your arm knows exactly where to look for the light switch.  That's no accident; it's carefully enforced.

So the wall switch has to control something.  If the fan light were the only option, then the electrician would have to have chosen the "light by switch, fan by remote" option.

There is no way to have it both ways.  Especially not with a pre-existing dimmer; that's not possible in any way whatsoever.  These things simply will not play together.  They are incompatible.  Careful selection of control module, wall switch and remote, from a single product line designed to do that, may be possible.


Is it acceptable to attach elevated deck joists to rafter tails? I'm having an attached patio built by a contractor. I am concerned about the quality of the construction. In particular the attachment of the patio joists to the house rafters. Instead of using a ledger board, our contractor has simply attached the patio joists to the rafters using nails. Is this safe?

If the building inspector stopped at your job he would put a stop order on it.  You should have a 2x6 or 2x8 bolted to the house framing and then run your rafters or joists what every they may be from that using joist hangers.


Soundproofing a room so sound doesn't go out as much So the building I live in is really bad with sound. What I want is a way to soundproof my room so I can talk with my normal voice without upsetting the people who live above me. The floor above me is the 5th and they can even hear the guy playing guitar who lives in the 2nd floor. I'm usually on voice chat at night and especially if something upsets me and I raise my volume, the entire floor above me can apparently hear me. Is there anything I can do aside from making my room the way a radio studio is?

Hard to know without some details of how the place is built - if they hear the guitar player from 3 floors below, I suspect there's a ventilation-duct connection acting as a "speaking-tube". If it was just the ceiling, a "dropped" or "suspended" acoustical tile ceiling would probably help. If it is a duct connection, some type of acoustic baffle on that would probably help.

Plug the gaps around the pipes, to start. Possibly some sort of wall-covering as well as the already suggested ceiling-covering, if it's all brick and concrete.


How can I clean sticky and dirty hand tool's rubber? I have a hand tool - Needle-nose plier that had a rubber that is used as the handle. Currently, I managed to clean up all the rust on the metal and would like to clean up the rubber handle as it is sticky and dirty.

Should I use baking soda mixed with a little water as a paste to clean up the rubber handle or should I buy a new rubber to replace that old rubber?

Rubber can usually be de-gunked with a good dishwashing liquid and a brush. Avoid abrasive sponges as they will abrade the rubber as well as the gunk. Products with citrus oils like lemon or orange oil will be very good at cutting really stubborn gunk; then you just wash off the oil with a detergent.

If you really want to recondition the tool, and you can replace the rubber, then go ahead; there will be more gunk and rust under the handle coating, and even completely clean the rubber will be roughed up from general use. For most pliers, you can just cut off the rubber, clean up underneath, and then get yourself a can of Plasti-Dip and re-dip the tool handles.


Wiring up new light fitting I am trying to fit a new light fitting. The connections on this fitting equates to a 4 pin plastic junction box with live, earth, and neutral in that order with the 4th blank.

I removed the old ceiling rose but forgot to take a picture. Nightmare.
I am left with 3 red wires, 2 black wires, and 3 earth wires. I cannot tell which cable is the switcher cable because none of the wires have insulation tape on them.

So far I have not wired directly into the junction box.

I have used the old ceiling rose and wired a neutral cable from the fitting directly into the left hand pin on the neutral. I picked one of the 2 black wires and wired that next to the fittings neutral.

I then wired the 3 reds into the 3 centre connections. Finally I wired the 2nd back into the left hand side of the 2 hole junction and finally the live cable from the plastic junction box of the fitting into the right hand side of the 2 hole junction.

All 3 earths then wired into earth terminal.

Power back on and nothing.

I swapped around the 2 black wires and power back on.

Light fitting bulbs on but very dim and no control with the switches.
This is as far as I have got because I really don't want to be guessing and I really thought one of the black wire would be the switcher.

Sussed It

From trial and error located live switch. It was one of the 3 all red cables.

This wire went into live wire junction from fitting

Next was 3 earths into earth for light fitting

Next was the 2 black neutrals into neutral from fitting.

Finally left with 2 red cables and they went into the 4th hole on the junction box on there own.

Power on... Light fitting working with correct brightness and upstairs and downstairs switch both working to turn light on and off.

Only took me 3 days on and off.


Need advice on installing motion sensing light switches Trying to install motion sensing light switches at the top and bottom of my stairs. I read that I need 3 way units but was not sure if there are specific ones required.

Should I remove the old ones, take pictures and post them here for advice?

Other 3 way switches in the home seem to have 3 wires which I assume are positive, negative and common.

Thanks!

A three way switch is a single pole, double throw (SPDT) switch:

The common terminal corresponds to the one on the left in the picture, the two throws on the right are the traveler terminals.  There are a number of different ways to wire them, but this diagram is a typical configuration that illustrates how they work:

The travelers go switch to switch - they are the red in that diagram and the black running along the red.  So they are both switched hot - one or the other will be hot depending on the position of the switch the feed from the panel comes to, the switch on the left in the diagram.

They are wired so that whenever you throw either switch, if the lights are on they'll turn off, or if they're off they'll turn on.  (Study the diagram a minute and that should make sense.)  Note that neutrals are not involved in the switching, and in normal house wiring you're dealing with AC so there's really no positive and negative.

When replacing three way switches with occupancy sensor switches things work a little differently.  The exact instructions will depend on the switches you select.  For example the Lutron Maestro is more or less typical:

Lutron Application Note 435

Lutron makes a switch with an occupancy sensor and a companion switch to replace the two 3-way switches.  The wiring is pretty much like regular 3-way switches, getting the common right is the main thing, but there's one big difference:  the occupancy sensor switch has a neutral connection.

Since the switch itself is a powered device, it needs a neutral;  regular switches do not.  Until recently electrical code did not require a neutral in switch boxes.  If there is a white wire in one of the boxes that is not connected to the switch, it is probably a neutral.

If you put the sensor switch in the box on the left in the diagram, it's simple - there is an available neutral.  If you want to put it in the box at the right, you have a bit of a challenge.  Whether it is easy or challenging in your case depends on the specifics of the wiring.

Photos never hurt; clear, well lit photos that make it easy to see all the way to the back of the box are particularly helpful.


Minisplit ductless communication wire question Simple question and I am obviously missing something, but the manual calls for 14/4 to be used as the communication/power cable.  That is 1 wire for communication, 2 hot wires and lastly one for ground.  Could I simply use 14/3 w/g - that is your typical romex? The only difference seems to be with the romex the ground is a bare wire.

Thanks in advance!

This is because most mini splits are meant for a global audience

One of the quirky things about mini-split air conditioners is that they are basically the air conditioner of choice if you want central air conditioning outside of North American and the existing installed base in places like Europe and Australia.  North American-style split systems simply aren't used in the rest of the world, for a variety of reasons that have largely to do with space and efficiency, and as thus, mini-split manuals are written for a global audience, not a US one, even when written in English by major global manufacturers who are used to selling to North America (such as Mitsubishi).

One artefact of this is that they often specify cables in a way that's only crudely translated to US nomenclature.  Most of the time in the rest of the world, something akin to a tray cable is used, and in tray cable nomenclature, the green wire is counted among the wires of the cable, as it may or may not be necessary as an equipment grounding conductor, depending on the application of the tray cable.  However, Exposed Rating/Joist Pull rated tray cables (designated TC-ER-JP), the only ones that can legally be used without conduit in a dwelling unit application under the NEC (as per NEC 336.10 point 9), are thin on the ground from what I can tell; many HVAC sellers will try to sell you tray cable as "mini-split cable", but it's not appropriate for the application.

So, I'd run individual 14AWG THHNs (black, black, red) up the flex whip to the disconnect box, then tie them into 14/3 W/G NM at the AC disconnect with black and a remarked white for the hot wires in the NM cable, red for the comms wire, and the ground of course tied to the disconnect's ground terminal.  Then, this 14/3 W/G NM can be run to the indoor unit, just like you would run any other mains circuit. (Of course, if you're under codes that prohibit NM, you can substitute a MC or AC cable instead, or individual 14AWG THHN wires in metal conduit for that matter.)


AC leaking into drip pan in the attic I apologize in advance for this long post. This is the first summer in this home that I bought. I'm a first time homeowner. One day I realized a big stain in my ceiling right under the attic and found out that the drain pan was overflowing. Called the AC guy and he came and blew air into the clean out of the drain line as well as from the other end outside of the house. He also attached a sensor on the side of the drain pan.
We thought that had solved the issue. A few days later I go into the attic to check the roof since we are going to get the roof done soon. I noticed that the pan was pretty full but the sensor did nothing to tell me this. Decided to do some YouTubing and used a wet/dry vac to clean up the water in the pan as well as suck it out of the drain line. Basically every time we leave the AC on for a day or so the drain line fills back up all the way to the top where the clean out is. Then the AC unit starts to drip underneath. I'm not sure if it ever drips out from the clean out at all but it could be very likely. Every few days we have to vacuum this drain line. We even did the whole vinegar thing for 30min and then flushed it with warm water which came out clean.
Did some more research and learned about P-Traps and realized that I do not have one of these connected to my AC unit. The area in my attic is basically just a crawl space and very tight. From what I can see, there is just one pipe that goes underneath the whole unit then takes a 90 degree turn to the left wall.
I've attached some pics of my unit and hoping someone can explain to me what could be wrong and what I should do. Wondering if I should cut the tape and open up the panel?

The laws of physics cannot be ignored, water doesn't flow up hill...
If the condensation is building up in the pipe to where is drips out of the top of that first Tee fitting, it means it is not flowing out to the outside. Either something is still blocking that pipe, or the pipe is going up hill. How long is that pipe going outside? If it's relatively short, try running a sink snake through it to see if mold or animal nests have blocked it.


Help, need alternative to dissolving cheap T-11 siding fall is coming and the cheap T-11 siding on my garage has dissolved along the bottom just below and above the sill pate on both sides - it will do the same in the front shortly as the siding comes low to the ground because the foundation is non existent on the front of a garage, and only a few inches on the sides - yikes.

I'm a 57 yr.old woman so the answers need to be DIY :)

I would like to cut off the siding by 4' up (there are a couple of holes) and replace with a water proof and price friendly material.  The walls are open 2x4 studs on 24" centers (oh the lingo I pick up around here :)

Q - Is there a way to better seal T-111 so it can repel water?
Use primer on the sides and inside is what a guy at homedepot said he did....

Prince is an issue as the side walls are both 26' feet, and the front is 32'.

One other thing - the side that is the worst is the west - setting sun side.

Thank you for all you wisdom and ideas,

Well after lots of research - I am going to seal new T-111 and replace the lower 4' on both sides, then I'm going to use the Hardy siding on the front where more insurance is needed.

In both cases I'm using a good moisture wrap - Felt Buster and adding pressure treated 2x6 sections in-between each stud to secure the new materials to.  This will lock the wall with the siding helping stabilize everything.

Lots of info on fixing T-111 on Youtube.com


How hard is stamping concrete? I want to put a 2' border around my driveway of colored and stamped concrete.  I have gotten bids that almost $3,000.  I have called the concrete company and asked how much 5 yards of colored concrete would be and it is $650.  I really can't see spending more than $200 on the forms and release agent, and I think I can pour it myself with maybe one other person.

So, questions:

Can I rent the stamps?
How many people do you think I will need to pour and stamp 5 yards before it hardens too much?

Actually, what you want to do is a three step process.  You first need to pour the concrete into the forms and screed it. The second step is to float it and bring some of the butter out. The third step is to stamp the partially dried concrete.  The stamping can go pretty quick if you had two molds set up on a tamp or step board that can be tapped with a mallet. The working time can vary, temp, humidity etc, but you usually have an hour or two to do what you need to do. Ask the concrete company to give you a longer cure mix, just a bit wetter


What size expansion gap should I leave between my wall a hardwood floating floor? How much space to leave between wall and hardwood floating floor? This is a unique floor. Each board is solid bamboo (never thought I'd say that) but they snap together the same way that an engineered wood floor does. This is still a floating floor though, each piece is just much heavier since it's solid.

I'm wondering how much of an expansion gap I should leave between my wall? I've read anywhere from a 1/4" (on each side for a total of 1/2") or 1/2" (on each side for a total of 1"). As part of that, should the moisture barrier go all the way to the wall or should I keep that the same distance from the wall as the wood/bamboo?

Your vapor barrier needs to extend beyond the edges of the floor to prevent moisture from getting to the floor.  Install in accordance to manufacturer's recommendations.

The expansion gap needed also depends on the manufacturer's recommendations - different materials expand at different degrees.  The point of the gap is to give it room so it doesn't end up buckling.  If you can't find a solid recommendation then use 1/2" for the maximum protection - and if the trim you install doesn't cover the gap, use quarter round.


Are cleats/brackets for attaching timber to brick available in different sizes (Based in the UK) I am building a fence on top of a low wall by attaching 100mm fence posts to the brick wall and then attaching my fencing to the posts.

My problem is this the fencing is quite heavy so the posts have to be sturdy. I was originally going to attach the posts to the wall with three throughbolts per post but the wall is under the control of the Environment Agency and they will not allow this.

Instead they have asked me to attach the posts with three 'cleats', a metal bracket that would wrap around the post, be attached to the post in the centre and then attached either side of the post to the wall via a small rawbolt. The actual post is 4" (100m square) but I need to add another 2" (50mm) of packing so that the posts stand clear of the wall coping.

My problem is that I cannot find such cleats, I have found a fixing band that could be bent round

http://www.strongtie.co.uk/products/detail/fixing-band/756

but I dont know how easy that is and how strong it is. I would prefere ready made cleats, so my question is does anyone sell cleats to the size required.

Sometimes there is no alternative to having something custom fabricated.  The fixing band you link to in your initial questions is not appropriate for this task and it is highly unlikely you are going to find "ready made cleats" that are manufactured for the particular packing you need to clear the coping.  Find a reputable metal welding/fabricator shop in your area and arrange to have them make the cleats you need.  Some small fabricator shops can be very reasonably priced.  1/8" (3mm) thick mild steel flat bar might be a good material, but it would need to be coated with a suitable exterior grade paint.   Alternatively, you could pay for more expensive aluminum or even stainless cleats to be made, depending on what the fabricator shop has on hand, your budget, and the aesthetic requirements.


Identifying My Main Water Shutoff Valve / Setup I've owned my first home for a few years now, but have never truly known where my main water shutoff valve was, mainly because I've never really known how to identify it. I've looked around my utility room where my furnace, hot water heater, etc are, but nothing matches what I recall from my parent's home when they shut off the water there. For reference, my home was built in 1985.

After doing some searching via Google Images, this is what I believe might be the valve for my home:

The area I've circled in red is what I believe to be the main shutoff valve, but wanted to confirm before I messed with anything (note: I do not have any need to do anything with this at this time, just something I'd like to know in the event of an emergency). There are many valves in my utility room with my washer, dryer, furnace, hot water heater, etc. But based off of the images I've found from Googling, this seems to match some of the examples I've seen.

Slight side note, I'm also slightly confused at what looks to be a ground wire going from the green circle in the above image to the blue circle in the above image. This seems unnecessary and / or abnormal, but I'm not too familiar with how any of this would be set up "properly".
Here are some close ups:

Yes, that looks like your main shutoff valve.  It's normally the first valve on your water supply from where it enters your house, and typically before the water meter.    In my house there is another valve on the other side of the meter that makes it possible to swap out the meter without draining the house.

The copper wire is part of our house's grounding.  It jumps around the meter and ensures that there is an electrically secure path "through" the meter.  Because of the union joints and that some meter bodies are not electrically conductive, it provides a secure path.  Also when the meter is being replaced.


Should I dig a separate trench for CAT5e wire to shed? I am renovating a shed which is going to require doing at least a 100' trench for power from the house. I also want internet via a hard wire out to a a WAP in the shed. My question:
To avoid EM interference, do I need to run a separate trench just for the network cable?
My intuition tells me dropping even a shielded cable in with the 60-100A power line will not end well. Maybe a wireless approach would be more cost effective?
Updated 10/13: thanks for all this great information...let me clarify the use case here. The shed/cottage is to be for peloton, yoga, tv; like a "she shed," but it's for "us" :) I walked off the likely path to get conduit from router in the basement to the shed and it is more like 200 feet. So I am thinking this is like $50 of cat5e stuff, $200 for fiber, or there are these long range wifi things I have seen on amazon that look like $150-200 or so. I would not want to spend much more than that.

Same trench is fine. Use conduit, you may want to upgrade it later without re-trenching. Keep some space between the conduits, vertically, horizontally, or both.
Interference between 60 Hz power and 100+MHz ethernet is wildly overestimated by numerous people. Ethernet encoding is designed to ignore noise, and ethernet cabling is deign to reject noise so it does not get picked up, and the "noise" of a powerline is very, very much slower than what goes on in ethernet.
Still, the better bet for "what goes in your conduit" is fiber optics, but that's mostly because it provides total electrical isolation for your network equipment at both ends. It also happens to be immune to any electrical noise along the way, but that's far less likely to be a practical problem than you imagine, while side effects of thunderstorms are far more likely to be a practical problem with a wired connection.
Whatever cable you place should be "wet-rated" - for whatever reason, direct burial cable seems to be the most common wet-rated variant seen in ethernet, but put it in a conduit anyway. Outdoor conduits are defined as (and usually are) wet locations.


Playhouse to sauna conversion I am looking at converting my kids playhouse to a wood burning sauna. It sits about 6' off the ground on 4x4 treated posts.

I have two questions abut this:

The floor is 5/8" treated plywood. I was thinking either a 2" concrete floor, or 5/8" cement board. Would either work?
The walls are drywall. Would I have to remove this or can I put tongue and groove cedar over it? Plastic vapor barrier between drywall and cedar?

No, you do not need to remove the drywall to install the sauna. However, you will need a foil barrier (to reflect the heat back into the sauna) installed over the drywall. I'd install insulation on the wall too, to isolate the sauna from the house.

The reason you use cedar boards is because the room will heat up and expand then contract
making big cracks in drywall. The cedar boards will resist the rotting associated with the wetting/drying process and "move" with the heating/cooling process.

I've never used cement board for a floor.

Make sure you have a "wet location" light and enough venting (outside air intake). Your toughest task will be finding an appropriate sized heater...too small and it'll never heat the space...too big and you won't be able to be in it very long.

If you google, "how to build your own sauna", they have a zillion sites to help you.


Why is Green Glue used so much in the USA, but hardly used at all in the UK? I have been looking at designed for sound proofed walls, it seems that Green Glue is part of a lot of USA design, but does not seem to be used much in the UK.

Is there a reason for this?

Probably because it is made by the evil French frogs across the channel.

In all seriousness, though, Green Glue is widely available in the UK (Green Glue.co.uk)


Sideways king studs! House built 1905. Adding an opening in an interior load-bearing wall. However the 2x4 (unmilled) wall studs are sideways, apparently to make the wall thinner. My question is how should I attach Jack studs sideways to King stud that's currently running from the top plate to the floor plate? Or is it necessary to actually attach the Jack stud to the king stud, and just toenailing the top to the new 2x12 header and bottom end ofJack stud to the to floor plate is sufficient?

You have several issues: 1) seismic or high wind area where you live, 2) loads on wall, 3) wall finish

1) If you live in a seismically active area or a high wind area you’ll want to take special care by using steel clips like a Simpson A34 clip top and bottom. (However, your house has been there long enough without damage, it probably doesn’t matter.)

2) To me, a king stud runs from sole plate up to top plate. A trimmer runs from sole plate up to header. So, there are two kinds of loads in your wall: vertical and lateral. All the studs need to work together to resist these loads.

The trimmer, whether turned sideways or not, will support the header and loads based on its area and length. If the header is strong enough with one 2x member, then your trimmer is sufficient too. However, if it’s more than 10’ or so, it could buckle without being braced mid span. Bracing can be by toenailing to the king stud.

The king stud is also holding up vertical loads, but is also resisting lateral loads. One way we insure walls act “together” is by fastening them together with clips or plywood or OSB board. Your house is too old to have these, but could have boards nailed to the wall. If so, keep them.

3) The wall finish can also tie the studs together. Often they used lath and plaster, so the lath acted as the tie.

One interesting thing about your house is that interior load bearing walls support more load than exterior walls, because the floor loads come from both directions resting on the wall. Whereas the exterior walls have load from one direction.  (Even roof loads on exterior walls are less because older homes are “stick built” so roof loads transfer down through interior walls too.)

I’d toenail the studs together AND insure the wall finish extends onto the new king stud and jack stud WITHOUT a nearby joint. (If your ceilings are more than 10’ high or the span onto the wall is more than the rest of the house, I’d see an architect or structural engineer.)


Shock when Installing Fluorescent Bulb 50VAC between frame and GLASS of Lamp - New Ballast Installed I have a ballast that we are replacing in a church. There are approximately 12 dual lamp T12 Fixtures in parallel drops. The fixtures are all in line -- but L1, Neutral and Ground are parallel drops.

After 40 years some ballasts have failed - they are 4-wire magnetic type units. We have purchased 5 wire electronic ballasts to replace some. Upon replacing the first ballast, a GE magnetic ballast, with a Philips QuickPro 60 Electronic Ballast I managed to get a shock installing the lamp. I measured 50 VAC between the FRAME of the Fixture (my ground wire is attached to the frame), and the LAMP GLASS ITSELF - note the GLASS which is what I was touching when I got shocked - I was touching the middle of the lamp 6 feet in so I know I was not mistaken in what I touched.

I know I wired the new Ballast Correctly.

I have attached a picture showing the new Ballast wiring at the TOP of the image and the original magnetic ballast at the bottom of the picture.

My Question is two fold:

Since I have installed an electronic ballast and the other units in parallel have magnetic ballasts could this be causing an issue ?

What could be the problem that I am measuring this 50VAC between the glass and the frame of the fixture?

My examples of wiring are correct and I did find the culprit - I will post my answer.

After scratching my head - I decided to pull the tombstones out and inspect the wiring to make sure there was no sneaky connections and also nothing out of the ordinary. The older ballasts (original diagram are Magnetic Ballasts with PCB) the new ballast are electronic. I contacted the manufacturer and they suggested to verify my grounds for the ballast assembly. Since I had several that were fine and all inline - I verified ground from good unit to ground on unit that I was shocked with. Grounds were good.

So upon pulling the tombstones out and checking the wiring - I tugged on each of the wires, one of the wires just slid out of the connection. While it was inserted in the tombstone connection just fine; it just kind of slid out as if the spring clamp had not locked it in. I removed the wire and installed a new wire into the tombstone making sure it clamped down on the wire.
After I had done this there was no longer an issue. I assume the wire was close enough to conduct but far enough away to cause the issue.

I do not understand that engineering wise - but maybe it has something to do with RF, High Voltage and an Air gap.


How can I repair cracks in a sports court? I have some cracks in my sport court - see images. What can I use to repair them? I imagine that I would use some kind of filler that would then set hard. This is in the Phoenix area which means that it gets extreme heat but the temperature rarely drops below freezing.

You could patch up these cracks with an epoxy filler or a cement product type filler. In either case the filler will dry hard and be able to take the temperature extremes of your location. Repair such as this is going to leave tracks where the filled cracks were and will still be highly visible due to the surface texture that was originally applied to the slab surface. To get the best visual appearance you may want to subsequently consider prepping the surface and getting a new textured surface applied. Before doing that however please do read on to the next paragraphs.

These cracks readily show that the soil under the slab is changing position and settling. It also gives the appearance, due to the separation that has occurred, that the slab was built without any or a very limited amount of wire mesh and rebar installed. Both wire and re-bar cannot prevent cracks but will prevent large separations and variation of surface height across the cracks in most cases except the most extreme soil movement, settling, or water erosion under the slab.

You will want to carefully evaluate conditions that led to the cracks in your slab. If there is continued soil movement any repairs that you do will be only temporary and could lead to disappointment and loss due to the cost of the repairs. In the worst cases it may very well be better in the long run to remove the sports equipment, break up the slab and remove it and the replace with a new slab that is installed in a way to prevent future cracks. This would of course include plenty of wire mesh and rebar. If the soil is unstable it may even be necessary to engineer a footing and/or deep peers that can stabilize your new slab.

If the cracks have been stable for a long time and you've seen no changes since the original incident then repairs with filler and a re-application of the textured surface may be a good longer term solution.


Is the Zinsser BIN Shellac primer sandable? We are preparing to prime kitchen cabinets that had past nicotine stains, and want to completely block any future bleed-through of those stains.  We hesitate using the Shellac because we aren't sure it can be sanded in the event we get a drip or debris on the surface.  Does anyone know from experience if it can be sanded?

Pigmented Shellac like Bins is a great stain blocking primer. We use it for many purposes, bare wood, worn wood cabinets smoke and water damage etc. Bin's is very sandable and should be sanded between coats. When you apply it, work fast, get it on as even as you can, but do not try to over work it. It flashes fast and trying to overbrush partially dried bin's will cause it to curl and drag. Shellac sands very easily and boo boos can be fixed, no problem. I often use two or even three fast coats of Bin's on old wood cabinets, sanding lightly between coats.  If you feel the surface before and after sanding gently  with 400 grit paper, the difference is amazing. Sanded shellac will be extremely smooth and a great base for cabinet grade latex paints. Don't use cheap paint, get a cabinet grade, it makes all the difference in the world with filling and smoothness.  So use Bins, sand it and you will get great results.


Can anyone identify this type of shutoff valve? What type of shut off valve is this, and can I replace it with a quarter turn ball compression valve?

That is a standard sweated valve, if it is leaking they are easy to repair and much cheaper than a new valve. Most of the time a new seat (rubber seat that stops the water) and a new stem packing under the nut that holds the stem in place is all that is needed to fix a leaking valve , if it is leaking at the hose fitting that was probably over tightened , the plastic ones today break when over tightened those metal ones sometimes held but it looks like it is leaking. , replacing the valve with a 1/4 turn you will probably have to replace the hose also. I have a kit of faucet seats and valve packings / gortex rope that I got many years ago 10$ fixed probably 30 valves I still have the nice little metal box and buy rubber seats to refill you might consider a valve repair kit as looking at the age your home probably has 15+ total valves you could repair for the cost of 1 or possibly 2 new valves.


Can I build a car-port on the side of my garage? I have a 2-car attached garage but three cars in the household. While I'm obviously aware I can just leave the third car in the driveway, it inconveniently blocks the cars in the garage and in the winter it gets covered in snow.

I'd like to make a parking space on the side of my garage (most likely with pavers or concrete) but I'd also like to be able to put a roof over this space to keep the snow off.

If I do get a concrete slab poured, I could have them place some 4x4 post bases (like this or this, I'd imagine) to use on the one side, and then I think I'd have to install some kind of ledger board on the side of the garage and then of course build a simple slanted roof between the ledger board on the garage and the board running across the 4x4s on the other side.

Here's a picture of the side of the garage, and a terrible sketch of my 4x4 posts and my ledger boards (I'd probably use 3 posts, not 2, but the drawing was bad enough already...)

I'm not sure exactly what that would entail or if it's a bad idea to try to put a ledger board on the side of my garage- would I need to remove some of the vinyl siding, is that wall structurally supporting enough to handle the ledger board, etc.

If I couldn't put the ledger board directly on the garage itself, could I just put 4x4s on each side, slightly taller on the side near the garage?

Obviously this would all need to be approved by my town with a building permit, but I wanted to start planning this out and seeing what problems I might run into and how I should design this thing.

This is highly dubious since you mention snow. The current garage sidewall is not high enough to support the high side of a shed roof over your proposed additional space, and the additional roof (if you just slap it on there anyway) will introduce additional snow-loading to the garage roof that it's probably not designed for. You can get some massive snow drifts in that configuration.

You would do better to build a totally separate structure away from the current garage. Once again, given the mention of snow, that structure would probably better be a garage - aside from people blindly following trends from elsewhere-that-it-does-not-snow-in, carports have never been all that popular in snow country because the car still gets snow on, around, and under it anytime the wind blows, so it's barely better than parking it out in the open.


How to fix a through hole in a concrete step? Here're two photos of a through hole in a step in an enforced concrete staircase in an apartment building. The step is about one inch thick, the hole is about three inches wide and appeared many years ago.

The hole axis is vertically oriented - it goes from the top horizontal surface to the bottom one - just to be clear.

The two main difficulties are that the hole walls got dirty over the years (you can see on the second photo that that the hole has even been painted over) and that the hole is wider near the bottom than it is near the top.

I've seen so-called "concrete repair mortars" on sale - they claim improved adhesion to concrete but I'm not really sure if anything will work out under the two complications listed above.

How can such damage be repaired?

This will be difficult to make it work well. Cement is not strong in tension at all, and what happens is when someone steps on the patch area, the bottom side of that patch will be under tension. It will then crack, and you know what happens. In fact, you have evidence of how it will look. So the best solution is simply to replace the steps.

Assuming that replacement is not an option, I'm just guessing what I would try, as I'm not a mason. Bringing in a professional is the best solution. But you can probably do it yourself.

You need to add rebar to the patch. See that the steps did have rebar in them. The hole appeared between the members. So, I would start with an angle grinder. Wear a GOOD mask for these first few steps, as a lot of dust will be generated, and this dust is terribly bad for your lungs.

With a wire wheel in the angle grinder, strip off the paint and crud on the edges of the hole as much as possible.
Next, an abrasive cutting wheel in the grinder will cut angled slots in the surface of the hole. (A diamond wheel will also work, as long as it does not hit rebar. Diamond wheels and iron are a bad combination, that can damage the diamond wheel. So I'd just use an abrasive wheel. They are cheap anyway.) The idea is to cut angled slots on each side of the hole, wide enough that you can fit a reinforcing member into it that will span the hole. You want that reinforcement near the bottom of the patch, not the top, since as I said above, it is only the bottom of the patch that will feel tension under a load.
I would also bevel the top edge of the hole a bit with the grinder. Give something for the patch to hold onto.
Rebar comes in standard sizes, the smallest stuff you can find seems to be 3/8 inch thick. For this application I would want thinner rebar, so the slots I need to cut will be easier to cut. As well, I want to get as much reinforcement into the patch as I can. So I might actually start with steel 1/4 inch bar stock, then grind ridges into it to give it some tooth. You can see what real rebar looks like here:

When you do lay the rebar grid into the slots you have ground, I'd next hang hardware cloth (essentially metal screen) perhaps 1/4 inch below the rebar with some wire. The idea is that otherwise, the cement in this patch will just fall though.
Get a high quality cement designed for patches. There are also bonding agents you can put into the cement to help it adhere to the edges of your hole. I'd also add fiber reinforcement (like tiny rebar) into the cement. You should be able to buy this where you buy the cement.
Mix up the cement and trowel it into place. Make sure it gets into all of the cracks and slots. Make sure there are no voids. Feather out the top edges so there are no tripping points, and there is no place for water to sit.
As a very last step, I might dust some sand onto the surface of the wet cement to give traction. You don't want a slippery spot on the step.

If you are not sure how to do this, go into a store that specializes in cement products and talk to the people there. They can help guide you to what you need.


What does the "thickness" measurement in a t molding measurement actually describe? I'm trying to buy t-molding online for hardwood that is 1/2" from subfloor to top of the hardwood, so I would like a t-molding that is 1/2" from the bottom to where the t-molding would rest on the hardwood.  But I can't tell if the descriptions measure from the bottom to where the t-molding rests on the hardwood, or if it measures the thickest part of the trim piece.

For example, in this HD product description:

"9/16 in. Thick x 2 in. Wide x 84 in. Length"

Is it 9/16" from the bottom to the where it would touch the floor?  Or 9/16" from the bottom to the top?

This part is going to be 9/16" total thickness.  From the top to the bottom.  Only a more detailed drawing is going to tell the exact height and width of the tongue portion.


How to reroute this downspout? I am looking for some suggestions on how to best reroute this downspout.  Currently gravity is working it's magic and it is draining downhill following the blue arrow in the images.  The water runs next to the house and pools under the deck beside the house.

The grade is down where the red arrows point.  The trouble is the walkway is right there followed by the garden on a slope.  I am not sure how to get over/under the walkway, and once I do letting the water out on top of the garden will possibly cause erosion.  At the end of the day something will have to give, not sure what the best option may be?

Thanks

As "D-on" suggested, the best way to go is under the concrete path.  If you feel like replacing the cracked section, then pull it out, dig a trench, and extend the downspout through the trench (ductwork all the way).
 Alternatively, dig a trench under the concrete and cut a hole directly below the downspout in the existing slab.  The drawback here is you will have trouble fully back-filling the trench after installing the ductwork.

Either way, you should then put in a drywell at the terminus.  Since the piping is below ground level, it can't empty into the garden in any case (unless you run the piping far enough that the ground has sloped down to its level, in which case crushed rock at the exit point will stop erosion)


Grounding rod required, detached garage? I have a separate garage, 50' from house.  It will have no 220vac, all 120 vac in garage for outlets and lights.  Will run 6awg from 100 amp subpanel in basement of house to 60 amp panel in garage.  Do I need a grounding rod at the detached garage for the 60 amp panel?

Yes, you will need grounding rods in addition to a wired ground wire in the feeder.

You need 2 grounding rods at least 10' apart.

Do not use a 60A panel in the garage; they have too few spaces in them to be useful.  Use a panel with at least 16 spaces; it costs very little more and you'll want the spaces later.  The size of the main breaker in the garage panel does not matter, since the 60A breaker at the far end will decide the matter.  You need some size of main breaker, because you need a local disconnect switch - and that's the cheapest way to do it.

As far as going 120V instead of 240V, I think that's false economy.  You still need to run hot, neutral and ground.  The other hot is only one more wire - but doubles your capacity.   So crimping yourself down to 120V is false economy.

Speaking of false economy, nothing busts me up more than seeing someone scrimp on a tiny panel or bring out only 120V service "on the logic of saving money", and then turn around and spend a fortune on copper wire because they heard aluminum was ooga-booga.  All that's wrong.  What you should do is get a big panel, run 240V and use aluminum wire to save money. Aluminum at these large sizes is fine, and always has been. The lugs are aluminum, for Pete's sake.


How many circuits should I include in a sub-panel for workshop? I am looking to run a sub panel for a basement workshop approx 60 feet from the main panel, all inside. I have a table saw, jointer, band saw, planer, and dust vacuum, as well as routers and such. I was going to run a 60 amp breaker to a 100 amp sub with 6/3 cable. I wanted to run a higher breaker but then I am getting into much more money in the wiring.

My table saw draws 13 amps, and the planer draws 15. At some point down the road I plan on upgrading to larger tools, but for now they are more consumer grade.

In the panel I can run 3 20 amp breakers... lighting is actually run on another panel. Will 2 circuits be enough, or should I do 3?  Any other ideas and recommendations are greatly appreciated!

This may not be worth the extra expense and work of installing a sub panel. Looking up some prices from the blue hardware store:

6/3 roll 50 ft       $102        12/2 roll 250 ft   $48
subpanel              $60        3 breakers         $20
3 subpanel breakers   $20        boxes and outlets  $25
main panel breaker    $20
12/2 roll 50 ft       $25
boxes and outlets     $25
-------------------------        ----------------------
total                $255        total              $93

I think 3 circuits is appropriate. One for the tool you're actively running, one for dust collection, and a spare if you need to be running two tools at once.

Edit: If you plan on upgrading to tools that will draw more than 20 amps, it may be worth the extra expense of putting in a subpanel. That way you can use shorter runs of 10/2 or 10/3 from the subpanel to the tools, instead of running all the way back to the main panel.


How can I repair a radiator bleed valve that fell out? I over-tightened the bleed valve on the radiator and it fell out! It seems to look like a screw but I can't seem to get it re-attached, luckily it's locked so not leaking.

I can't see well enough to try and get it back on as a big cabinet is in the way. But I was wondering if it does actually screw back on or if I've snapped it off and it's permanently broken?

Yes, that is snapped off. You're OK until you need to bleed again. Then you will need to gain enough access to drill a small hole into the broken screw. Once a screw extractor is inserted into the hole, the rest of the screw should come out and you can place a new vent screw in it's place. These screws do not need to be super tight, firmly snugged should do it. At least now you know how much is too much.


Skirting is too wide for mitre box I'm fitting 138mm skirting through a house. I can only find a mitre box  100mm high, or a clamping mitre box (where the timber lies horizontally) 120mm wide.

How can i cut the joints for of the skirting?

Use the mitre box to guide the saw but make the cut outside the box.

Clamp the box to a table.
Place a board at least as thick as the bottom of the mitre box behind the box. Clamp it to the table or just hold it against the box while working.
Place the material to be cut on the board and hold it against the
mitre box.
Use a saw long enough to reach across the mitre box + work + cutting
stroke.

EDIT: This is the correct answer to the wrong question. OP is asking about cutting material that is too high for the mitre box; this answer is good for material that is too wide for the box.

So the analogue of my technique for op's too-high material would be to clamp a spacer under the mitre box to raise its top to 140mm above the table, hold the material tightly against the box, and cut part-way through the material.

The cut can be finished off by placing the material inside the mitre box as usual.


Dirt Driveway Repairs I have a long dirt driveway that is riddled with potholes.  I can’t afford to have the repair done for me or even to rent a bobcat. My thought is to have a load of driveway mix/stonecrete delivered and then move it by wheel barrow to the spots that need to be filled.  I’m not looking forward to this at all lol.  My question is how can I prevent the pile of gravel from settling so it stays workable for a while, possibly up to a week?

A pile of gravel will be easy to move (read: Scoop into something). If you have any larger rocks then it gets hard to shovel. I would just request they send a truck with a dump bed that you can adjust the end gate. Then if you have free range (no trees or power lines) they can slowly drive forward and do a thin spread for you. Much easier to move where you need it this way and no wheelbarrow involved.


Is there a specific type of motion detector for use in long hallways? I would like to select a single motion detector to drive lighting in a 70 foot hallway (straight corridor approximately 6 ft wide).  A 70 by 6 foot rectangle is to be covered. If it is necessary to use more than one detector then so be it, however less is more.

What are the specifications of a motion detector that describes it range in the  above context?

The current switch is a mechanical timer with maximum of 20 minutes.  A traditional switch, which can be left on indefinitely is not acceptable in this particular scenario. The switch should stay engage lighting for 10-20 minutes.

If you are able to wire in a device at a height of 7' on one end of the hallway, you can use this Lithonia Acuity HW13 Hallway Sensor that will give you a straight line range of up to 130 feet.

When choosing a motion sensor, I usually take into consideration the motion angle and the square footage of the detector. We use 180 degree detectors in our hallways.

Here is a diagram of motion light switch that covers 180 degrees at up to 900 sq. feet. It would cover appx. 16.9 feet in either direction and up to 16.9 feet in front of it with an overall square footage of 900 square feet.


removing a exterior wall below a floor joist of the second floor I would like to remove an exterior wall (15' long) under a floor joist (14x2) that supports a second floor and house roof edge. I was wondering if the joist itself could be used as a beam to support the new opening. Or maybe it (the floor joist) will need a reinforcement by adding a 2x12?!

Better explained in the attached images. The first is the original wall, and the second is what I think I could do.

I will really appreciate any help.

Thanks!

You’re lucky, you will not need to add a support floor joist or beam provided: 1) the floor joists run the direction you show, 2) roof joists run the same direction as the floor joists, 3) the remaining second floor wall does not have a window (as shown), 4) the remaining second floor wall has a minimum of 1/2” plywood sheathing or 1/2” OSB board sheathing.

1) There is no floor load on the wall you want to remove, if the floor joists run the direction you show. (If the first floor joist is more than 8” from the exterior, you’ll need to add a sister joist where the wall is being removed.)

2) There will be no roof load on the wall you want to remove if the roof joists run the same direction as the floor joist.

3) and 4) The remaining second floor wall is a “giant” beam that only needs to support itself and a portion of the roof wall above.

However, if any of the issues I’ve outlined above are different, then you’ll need to add a support beam...or at least double (or triple) the floor joist where the the wall is to be removed.

The existing footing at the existing post is supporting 1/4 the existing floor load. There is not much load (about 3,100 lbs. plus roof load, if any) transferred to the footing, but should be verified. About 18” x 18” should be adequate, unless your soil condition is a swamp.


Why are Pex cinch clamps breaking? I used Pex cinch clamps on my baseboard hot water heating and system. The system is about 7 years old. I have had 2 different clamps break and the water dripped on my floor. Are the cinch clamps the type to use or should they all be changed out for the copper compression type? I’m thinking the expansion of the SS clamp is different than the fitting causing them to split.

I have had those rings break on me also.  The adjustment of the tool has to be just right.  I don't use them anymore.  I would use the copper compression ring.


How do I patch my wall with tile along the seam? I just removed the top 6" of tile from my bathroom wall which is tiled from the floor to about 4 feet up. I just didn't like the pattern of tiles at the top. The tile seems to have been attached to the drywall with cement, not tile adhesive.

Removing the tile completely destroyed the drywall behind it, so I cut it out entirely & will now buy new drywall & replace this 6" strip that runs all around the bathroom.

Since the one edge of the drywall that I'm replacing is still covered by tile, I can't tape & join it properly. That edge is also not a clean edge, but crumbly. But I can't go any further because the tile I'm keeping is there.

My question is this:  How can I make this repair strong if I can only tape one edge? Can I fill the crumbly edge with joint compound & hope to get a good bond between old & new drywall?

I do not plan to re-tile over the new section, but will put in a wood moulding with a ledge, so the whole repaired area will be hidden, but not by tile. There are studs every 16" in the area to be replaced - the new piece of drywall will definitely be securely attached to the studs & the drywall above, but nervous about the connection to the drywall below, as explained above.

As long as you have secure anchoring of the 6" strip of drywall to the studs behind, and since the strip is along the ceiling, strength is not a major concern here.  Additionally, the primary reason for using joint compound is not for strength but to create a smooth work surface for finishing.

In applications where the drywall will be completely covered, such as with a hard paneling, installation can be finished with no mud/joint compound at all.

In your case, since it's in the bathroom, along the ceiling, as long as the strip is out of the splash zone of the shower I wouldn't bother with mud.

Now if your shower is unusual and the ceiling is in the splash zone, then waterproofing will be necessary and you should use cement board not drywall - but it sounds like drywall or plaster was already used, so replacing it with more drywall isn't a problem in this case.  (Or, if it is, you have much bigger issues already with the bathroom that are outside of the scope of this specific question.)


Why do I have a urine smell under vanity in bathroom I live in a condo & under my vanity it smells like urine which makes the whole bathroom smell like urine. Why & how to get rid of this!!  My cabinet is wood & I’ve clean with lysol but still smells. Toilet no smell just under my sink inside vanity. Please help

This may be a case of mold or mildew which can emit a urine like smell.

I lived in a lower level apartment for a time that was overly humid and this urine smell would crop up in enclosed areas or behind furniture from time to time.

In this case you need to ensure you improve ventilation/airflow in the affected areas, to stop the mold problem from getting worse.

Once you have better airflow, you can deal with the scent by putting vinegar in a spray bottle and lightly misting all the affected surfaces. Let the vinegar dry, then wipe down the surfaces with a rag and warm soapy water. If the smell persists, make a solution of baking soda dissolved in water and mist all the surfaces with that. Once again let it dry before wiping up. Be sure not to get it too wet, dampness is the enemy.  You can repeat the whole process a few times if the smell is particularly strong/persistent.

in my experience this process got rid of the odor, but if you haven't fixed the overall humidity issue the problem will keep coming back.

Also, if the cabinet is made of particle board and the problem is longstanding, the scent may have permeated the entire thing and be really hard to eliminate.


How strong are bolts compared to welding and what qualities to look for in foundations? I'm planning on building a home climbing wall, made from a mild steel subframe. It will probably be around 10 feet tall approx.

I was thinking along the lines of using mild steel angle, cutting to size, drilling bolt holes then joining the peices together.

Like this:

Does anyone have any idea as to the strength of such joints compared to welding?

Also, the wall will be freestanding, not attached to an existing wall so I'll need to lay some foundations, for this I was hoping to get away with a concrete base with bolt holes alligned to accept the sub frame being bolted straight to it. This would allow me to remove the wall and not leave a big RSJ poking out of my garden or some other such thing.

So my other question is, would such a foundation be acceptable? Is their other longer fixings availiable that could take the place of using bolts?

Unless your holes match the bolt size very precisely (like, you have to hammer the bolts home), you will get racking, which will weaken the joint over time. Likewise, the bolts will loosen up (use lock washers and check it frequently). It's something you'll have to watch for; as the holes get stretched, you'll need to figure out what to do. Think about how thin the piece of metal between the holes and the edge of the piece is; that's the weak point, strain-wise.

Also, a freestanding wall is going to be a tremendous strain on the footings, especially with someone (or a pack of neighborhood kids) scrabbling around at the top of it. A person can throw their weight around to the tune of 5x actual weight. At a distance of 10'-15' that is tens of thousands of ft-lbs on the bolts, and any weakening in the joint will make things worse and worse.

If you can arrange it, build it as an A-frame (climb the sides of the 'A') with at least four footings to reduce the mechanical advantage the climber has over the footings; think of a playground swing. Otherwise, it doesn't matter how strong the wall is, the whole thing may tip over or may be yanked down or ripped off its moorings.

Given that people's safety is at risk, you probably should consider consulting with a professional structural engineer. The strain strength of steel under sudden load is much smaller than you'd expect.


Suction base cups removal I have sited a Gecko loc caddy wrongly. What's the best way to remove the base plate from the tiled wall without damage.

According to the web page, the Gecko-loc uses silicone rubber suction cups which are held in place by turning the knob, ostensibly pulling a vacuum on the inside of the cup. It describes the removal as simple as peeling it off. That's the only reference I found.

One would therefore believe that you would remove the hanging device from the cup and turn the knob in the opposite direction to release the vacuum.

I've also noted that the company offers a 3M VHB tape option. 3M VHB tape is not so easily removed. One method of removal, if you have used that option, is to carefully slice with a razor or equally thin sharp cutting device between the wall and the cup mount. Once the body of the adhesive is split, additional scraping and application of adhesive removal product such as Goo-Gone will eliminate the residue. The web site provides for replacement adhesive panels.

Ideally, you have the suction cup design. Pop off the caddy, turn the knobs and re-locate.


Vent filter for floor intake grille? I have an intake on the floor, it's 6x30 and I can't seem to find a vent filter for it.  I know there's a filter down inside the heater but I am trying to prevent pet hair from entering the duct and I can't seem to find one.  Is there filters for floor mounted intakes that I can put into the vent grille?

Look for cut to fit foam filter for a window air conditioner.  It's roughly 1/4" thick very lightweight foam so it doesn't reduce airflow very much, but it'll catch most pet fur.


How can I replace a kitchen cabinet hinge with no visible screws? My kitchen cabinet hinge is broken. I want to replace it, but not really sure how because it is attached to the cabinet door without any screw (1). Anyone know a proper way to detach the hinge?

I believe that flat metal plate against the door is a cover that will pry off.  You'll find screws underneath.


Can I tap into this main gas line for my natural gas grill? see below... This is my main gas line coming into my home(after the meter of course)

My question:

Can I replace the street elbow here with a T and use the extra output as the source my natural gas grill? Is it ok to tap into the main line? Should I look for any special fittings for this purpose? Anything else to look out for?

If your state has licensing laws a plumber can not work on this, you will need someone with a heating license. Most states with these laws have a system by which you can look up a persons license number and verify they are licensed and may even be able to find out if they have made any violations or scams.

I would suggest changing as many of those fittings with new as possible while you have it open. Some people will tell you that you can't use a street fitting or a bushing, in a few areas and canadia this is true, but for 99% of the us it's fine. If you're worried about the male threads cut in the cast fitting it's very easy to pipe it differently and I don't see you needing them here anyway.

There are a couple important things though:
1-Pressure! Make sure the line is at the proper pressure for your grill, you will need a regulator, you might be able to use the one that came with your grill.

2-Gas type, if the grill is meant for propane and you give it natural gas which has a lower energy density it might not heat enough.

3-Drip leg, before the appliance, 99% of code requires a drip leg, a tee with a 3" or so nipple and cap pointing down, basically a dead end, it catches dirt, rust, whatever. Some guys argue they are dumb, I have seen exactly one drip leg with stuff in it, but it was a good amount, not worth the risk of clogging any thing in my opinion, just put one on.

4-In line with the drip leg issue, I wouldn't use ptfe tape, there are approved tapes but if a small piece tore of from the joint it's very light and could flutter down the pipe. Just use an approved pipe dope.


How to prevent solidification of mastic in nozzles Using mastic or adhesives in cartons or cartidges that are squeezed out by a handgun, the nozzle is of paramount importance.
Problem is, going back several days, weeks, or months later, the mastic has gone hard in the nozzle. It's often fine still inside the gun, but the nozzle, even if it had a screw-on cap, is full of solid, which often won't come out happily. Silicone, as it stays malleable, is the only one to easily remove, so the nozzle gets re-used, but what ways are there to ensure any nozzle doesn't just fill, solidify, and get thrown away?
This isn't a problem for tradesmen, who will get through many cartridges a week, so will use the same nozzle on the next tube, thus ending up with several spare unused.

I push a nail or screw into the nozzle, has to fit tightly though.
Usually work for a week or more, but after that I have to dig the nozzle out or fit a new nozzle to continue using the cartridge.
It will never keep forever, had some old cartridges that had never been used or opened and they had just gone solid so there is a shelf life...


Can I put 6” recessed cans into 7” holes? I want to replace these 7” speaker holes with recessed lighting. Are there any issues with using 6” cans and have a 0,5” border opening? I’ll be using the new-construction cans to nail to the wood instead of the remodel version so anchoring isn’t a problem. Also will be using 8” trims. Would dust from the attic be a problem? Or something else an issue?

No problem at all doing this. But I would come up with a way to fill in that gap you have. It will allow drafts and dust penetration. Personally, I'd square the opening in the ceiling, take a new piece of drywall the same size as the hole and put the hole for recessed can in it and then secure it to the existing ceiling drywall (used 1/8" plywood for securing the screws into), mud, texture, put the can in (new or old work), paint and then the trim.


How do you increase humidity with HRV system? I’m wondering how to increase the humidity in my home. I have a venmar constructo HRV system and have looked at the manual and many videos and can’t find the answer. I’d like my humidity to be 35% for winter as we have triple pane windows. It seems that no matter where I set the dial, it never gets higher than 32% and seems to fluctuate between 30-32% regardless of the setting. Does this mean that my newer 2015 system is broken already or is something else going on? I’ve had the dial set between -4F to 23F and even higher and the actual humidity doesn’t seem to change. Right now the outdoor temp is around 23F (-5C) so I’m worried that it’s only going to become dryer as it gets colder. Any thoughts/ideas to help me please?

You cannot actively increase humidity with an HRV, at least during the cold months. The dial control allows you to run the unit as needed to reduce humidity by exchanging more moist indoor air with dry outdoor air. If you'd like to raise humidity you need to actually introduce moisture into your home.
A standalone humidifier in an appropriate location has done well for me in the past if you wish to avoid the expense of a whole-house unit. Place it where the air movement won't create discomfort and where the HVAC system will help circulate and distribute moisture.
By the way, you should not settle on a fixed RH for the entire winter season. You want to vary it depending on the outdoor temperature to avoid excessive moisture buildup and to prevent discomfort. 35% is quite low if it's 50 degrees F. outside, and may be high if it's -30F.

Outdoor temperature over 50˚F, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 50%
Outdoor temperature over 20˚F, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 40%
Outdoor temperature between 10˚F and 20˚F, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 35%
Outdoor temperature between 0˚F and 10˚F, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 30%
Outdoor temperature between -10˚F and 0˚F, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 25%
Outdoor temperature between -20˚F and -10˚F, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 20%
Outdoor temperature at -20˚F or lower, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 15%

source


Gas Fireplace Pilot Won't Light I have a 5 year old built-in natural gas fireplace.  It has electronic spark ignition and a wall thermostat.  I just tried to start it but noticed that there is no gas reaching the pilot so no flame, so no fire.  The igniter sparks and I confirmed that the main and service gas valves are ON.  I don't hear gas flowing and I can't smell any gas.  Nothing obviously obstructing the pilot opening itself (spider webs, dust, etc.).  Is it is possible that the pilot light gas valve is stuck shut?  If so, can this be fixed or is the whole gas valve (pilot and main burner) unit shot?  How to test this?  BTW, there is no "press-and-hold" button on the gas valve; it's all electronic. Thanks!

I also believe you don't have an electronic spark ignition and a pilot.  Although I don't have a thermostat, I do have a light switch which will turn on my logs burner.  I suspect your thermostat turns on your burner.  Suspect that your gas valve does have a pilot and therefore, a push-and-hold requirement to light the pilot because there is a safety thermocouple that must get heated up or the gas stops flowing to prevent an explosion/fire hazard.  You may have missed a shut-off valve, so look for that. Otherwise, find the push-and-hold piece of the burner and turn it to the pilot position while pushing it in and light the pilot and hold the button long enough that the flame doesn't go out when you release which means the thermocouple heated up enough to allow gas to flow.  Then your thermostat should work the logs/burner.  Since you have the added complexity of a thermostat, you need to be sure the thermostat is getting power to operate.  Usually, there is going to be a transformer that supplies power to the thermostat.


Cable Modem Placement: Longer Ethernet/Shorter Coax vs Shorter Ethernet/Longer Coax I am trying to decide which location would be the better spot to mount a cable modem.

Cable modem jack will be home run to the cable box.

Current Coax run is ~50 Foot thru crawl space.

Location #1 is small hall linen closet and would re-use the existing Coax run.  Install a Coax jack and a CAT6 jack in hall closet, then run CAT6 ~30 feet up into the attic to a patch panel in another bedroom closet.  Panel would connect to a pfsense router with maybe a 7 foot patch cable

Location #2 is the bedroom closet mentioned above.  I would have to re-run a new longer Coax drop to the hall linen closet, then up into the attic, and along same path as the CAT6 to reach the bedroom closet, estimate ~80 foot Coax run.  From where Modem would be mounted to where the router would be mounted might need a 10 foot patch (maybe 7 but overestimate the 10)

So which run would be better:

50 foot Coax main, short Coax patch to modem, short CAT6 patch to jack, 30 foot Ethernet run to panel, 7 foot Ethernet patch from panel to router
80 foot Coax main, short Coax patch to modem, 10 foot CAT6 patch from modem to router

I think your configuration (despite the apparent confusion in some earlier comments) is: coax to cable modem, then CAT6 from cable modem to a router, then CAT6 from router to point of use.

RG6 coax, which is used by CATV systems, has an attenuation of ~ 6dB per 100ft (@ 1000MHz). CAT6 has an attenuation of about 9dB per 100ft (@ 200MHz). All other things being equal, coax will suffer less attenuation of relevant signals.

However, the signal strength margin (how much stronger than the minimum acceptable input for your cable modem) your CATV signal has when it enters your house is unknown, and could conceivably be just enough for your present 50 ft coax run, so that adding an additional 30ft to it could push your cable modem "over the edge". The Ethernet signal is starting at a known strength coming out of your router, and has enough margin to travel 100m (as long as you use good quality CAT6 and connector terminations), so the 40-50 ft you need is well within published expectations.

All said, I think Option 1 is slightly lower risk. but make sure your Ethernet cable, patch panel, and connectors are high quality, or you may compromise the published 100m range dramatically.


Is this metal box grounded already? I live in Chicago. I try to replace my single pole light switch to a dimmer light switch.
When I open the current light switch , I can't find the ground wire.
How should I connect my new dimmer switch's ground wire to this metal box?
Thank you very much !
Sam

Chicago doesn't have ground wires.  Everything in Chicago is in metal conduit with metal boxes.  Those, together, provide the grounding system for everything.
I mean, you're allowed to add ground wires if you really want to - belt and suspenders.
Every junction box should have a screw hole that is pre-tapped #10-32 for a ground screw. (you can also add them with a drill).   Sometimes installers accidentally use that hole for a mounting screw.  The ground screw is where you attach any "belt and suspenders" ground wires and any appliances with a ground pigtail.
Switches ground via the steel yoke and steel mounting screws.  Even though the yoke won't be landing hard on the steel box (since it's recessed into the wall), "via the screw head" is good enough for a switch.
Not for a receptacle. That needs clean-metal hard-bottomed-out contact between yoke, optional spacer, and box.  No rust, paint or those little squares that hold the screws on.
OR, a receptacle labeled "Self-grounding" can ground through the screws like a switch does.


What could be the cause of a washing machine hose coming loose? Ok, I'm not a rocket scientist but this has me stumped. I have a new hot water hose for my washing machine.  I replaced the O-ring on the faucet side of the the connection, tightened and went to use. After about 10 minutes of use, the connection becomes loose and starts to leak. I've tightened this to the point of pain in my hand. What could be the cause?

Washing machines vibrate - an inevitable side-effect of an unbalanced drum turning - so anything not very tight will work its way loose over time.

The clamps usually used to compress the seal/o-ring are designed to be tightened using a screwdriver, and you want to get these clamps really tight. The o-ring will deform quite a lot as you compress it, but it is designed to do that.

Also, before you put the hose on, make sure the surfaces which will connect together are clean and dry - this will help reduce slippage.


Is it safe to throw moldy items away I have a lot of things which were covered in fungus. I have to go to some recycling area to throw them out. I want to know if is it safe as I heard fungus can get in your breathe.

What is the best way to dispose of items covered in fungus?

Toxins from fungi can definitely become airborne. When removing them, since you have a lot of items, use a N95 respirator just to play it safe. Place items in a large plastic bag and seal the bag before placing it in  your car. As a common courtesy, let the people at the recycling facility know about the fungi.


How can I replace the siding on my garage when its on the property line, and 12" adjacent to another structure? My garage is right on the property line, and my so is my neighbors.  Its not a shared wall, but the two are about a 1 foot (maybe 1.5 feet) apart.  Its not enough room for me to squeeze back there.  The siding is pretty rotted through, and the previous owner of my garage used some MDF type particle board as the sheathing which is disintegrating.  A lot of the studs need some replacing as well, along with the sill plate on the foundation.  Its a pretty flat roof garage, so the wall I'm replacing is just  a plain 10'x20' regularly studded wall. There are no tricky angles or anything on the wall, its square.

Any ideas on how to replace the wall and siding?  Are there any siding systems that I could assemble on the roof and flip up and lower into the gap?  Sliding a new wall in from the side might be possible but it seems really heav and unmanageable. Just like lowering a new wall down from above, how do I secure it inside?  Would I have to assemble the wall studs and all before I do this? Or can I pre-assemble the sheathing-wrap-siding panels and fasten them from the inside with some clever fasteners.

Thanks, any ideas or help would be appreciated.

Seems like the best bet would be building a new wall inside the garage, on the floor. Do all the framing, and put the siding on the top. To make room for the jacks in step 2 you'd probably need to do it in 3 sections.

Then you have to support the roof while you demolish the old wall. Put a jack at each end, and 2 more evenly spaced across the span. Get beams of sufficient size to support the roof, and raise the jacks. Then tear out the old framing and siding.

Now the fun part. Stand up the newly built walls and get them around the jacks and into the right location. Attach them to the foundation, side walls and each other, then lower the roof back down and attach it.