How can i fix this my vanity lights? There are 6 lights on my vanity three on each side, you can unscrew the light bulbs too. Someone put tweezers in the light socket and it blew a fuse, now one side won’t turn on and when I turn on the lights they’re delayed. Can I fix this?

OK... what you need to do is:

1) after turning off the power, remove the two screws above and below the middle socket of the vanity lights that are not working. Examine the wires in the junction box for any burn parks are disconnected wires. Redo any connections that look bad.

2) Remove the cover from the other side of the vanity, the side that's working, and examine the connections for the wires from other lights to where they hook up to the white and black wires from the switch. Look for burnt or disconnected wires. Redo any connections that look bad. Put a light bulb in each side and turn on the power and flip the switch and see what happens. Good luck.


How do I remove musty smell in coat closet? Recently moved into an older house (1950s built) and noticed that the coat closet has a musty smell.

The coat closet is next to the front door and has one wall that is an exterior wall. It has Tavertine flooring (as does the entry way), plaster walls, and a cheap wood baseboard.

In one of the corners of the closet walls that is on the exterior wall of the house I noticed a gap about a half inch long by a quarter inch wide that went down to the subfloor (I imagine). On the same wall on exterior of the house I noticed that there was a small gap between the cement and the paneling on the outside of the house.

My thought is that when we had pretty heavy rains a few weeks ago that water may have seeped into the subfloor beneath the tile and mildew/mold started to grow. I liberally applied caulk to close the gaps - both in the interior of the coat closet and along the exterior of the house - and have been running a HEPA air filter inside the closet with the door closed for the last 36 hours. However, the musty smell remains.

What is my next step? Should I give the HEPA air filter more time? Do I need a different filter to remove the smell? I presume that if I have eliminated the water source (which remains to be seen) that the mildew/mold causing the smell will die off, will not return, and the musty smell will go with it. Is that understanding correct?

A dehumidifier should remove the moisture (I've also had success with DampRid) along with some kind of scent remover like Febreeze or something similar, but I'd be more concerned with additional moisture building up. I'd check more into how the moisture is getting in to begin with. The caulk may have sealed the gap but do you know for sure that no more water is getting behind the wall or under the sub floor?

I'd be afraid of additional mold building up or water backing up somewhere and causing you additional damage.


Engineer or Architect? I have a semi-finished attic in my 1930's era cape. A shed roof was added at some point, so there is some open space and light. The square footage is counted as part of the house (well it was when I bought it).

I'm thinking about remodeling, but have some concerns, floor joist spacing (its not 16", bigger), ceiling height, "can I add a bathroom"?

Can an architect answer these questions, or would it require an engineer? Would either make the permitting process easier?

Any thoughts on closed cell spray foam directly under the roof? to make the space better insulated?

There are many kinds of engineers and most are specialists like: civil (water, sewer, drainage, etc.); structural; mechanical (plumbing? HVAC, etc.); electrical; acoustical; etc.

Architects know building components like: windows, stairs, doors, roofing, etc. plus they know code issues like required setbacks, energy use (insulation, vapor barriers, etc.). They also know customary construction practices so you don’t get unusual joist spacing, etc. If they need electrical, plumbing, etc. help, let them hire the specialized engineer.

I’d go with an architect with residential experience. (Some Architects do schools, clinics, etc.) Ask for their resume and a list of references.

Btw, a residential architect will know a couple good contractors capable of doing the job on time and on budget. (Always get 3 bids for the work.)


How can I determine why all the outlets in one room are out? I checked the breaker box and none were tripped. I eliminated the breakers and located the one feeding the outlets that are out. The breaker showed 120 volts from terminal to neutral bar. I checked the outlets hot to neutral is zero. Hot to ground is 120 volts and neutral to ground is 120 volts.  ON EVERY OUTLET.  What to do next?

Something is seriously messed up! If you are not experienced with electrical work do not try to fix this yourself, call someone!

If you are knowledgeable (I guess you must have some knowledge to test like that), then most likely a neutral wire fell off of one plug and managed to land on the hot.

How the hell it did that I have no idea.

Or maybe there is some strange fault in the plug.

The outlets are usually chained together. Sometimes you can get lucky and guess the order of the chain from the layout in the room and where the wires from the breaker panel come in.

Figure out which is the first outlet and look for the fault there.

If necessary pick a random outlet and remove it from the wall and disconnect the wires and cover them with wire nuts secured with a bit of tape so they don't fall off. Then turn the power back on and check which outlets are working and which are not.

Continue in the direction of the working outlets and try to figure out which is the first in line, then test that one.

Good luck, and be safe! ALWAYS test the wire before touching it using a neon tester EVEN if the power is off. (Normally power off is fine, but with a strange situation like this don't take any chances.)


Im ready for grouting what to use? I'm almost ready to grout.

What unsanded grout should I use?
Is it ok to any if the ones in the picture? The tube will be easier for me.

Do I need to use a sealer after?

After tiling using the leveling spacers system few where stuck in between that I cant reach to pull (close to the tile surface but no edge to pull), is it ok to leave them when grouting or u should find a  way to remove them.

Just a question wondering, why not using silicon caulk instead of the grout since its water proof.

What color should I use with tile (is white ok?)

Typically you use sanded grout for seams over 1/8" and non-sanded for under. Any good quality grout will do the trick if you follow the on-package instructions. Regarding the spacers, you want to remove them mainly because they'll cause a gap or weak point in the seam that could cause the grout to fail prematurely. Try using an awl or small screwdriver to get under the spacers and pry them out.
That silicone caulk will be fine for corners and along tub edges, etc.and should come in varying colors but silicone, while waterproof, is difficult to work with. You may think it will be easier to use but it isn't - it's meant for small patch jobs and edge seams. I'd stick with the grout which is very simple and easy to use. Again just follow the directions and yes you will want to seal it afterwards. Grout isn't waterproof and only marginally water-resistant.


Can water supply lines touch or rest on each other? I have 2 bathrooms that share a wall on our 2nd floor. Both have independent supply lines for hot and cold for each bathroom. One of the hot water supply lines was inoperable so I capped it and added a T from the other hot water supply as shown here:

Of course the hot water lines are on the outside of both sets of pipes and the sink drain in the middle. So, to be able to run the pex around the cold water supply and get it past the drain, it's resting against the cold water supply. As shown here:

Is this against code? Can these pipes be touching and resting against each other?

The only real issue is rattling noise due to vibration, or creaking due to thermal expansion. In this case, since one pipe is plastic, it's probably not a concern. I'd try to lighten the tension between them by flexing the plastic a bit, or place a rag between to act as a silencer. Be sure that by doing so you don't create a tight spot against the lumber, which can also cause noise.


Irrigation backflow preventer spigot location question. I'm not sure if this is the right category to post this so here goes.
Long story short I am getting ready to install my backflow preventer, Zurn 34-720A Wilkins Pressure Vacuum, on my DIY irrigation system. The main water supply is the pipe coming out from under the storage shed. It tees off to the left for the water hose bib and the irrigation is on the right. The other two PVC pipes in the pictures go out to the yard irrigation. The second picture is a mockup of my plan. My question is should I move the water hose bib to the down leg (the outlet side) of the backflow preventer as demonstrated in the third picture? That way the water hose bib will be protected by the backflow preventer and the backflow will be installed 12 inches above the hose bib. You'll have to excuse the bad photoshop lol I attached pictures.

Do whatever the county official or water company recommends.  Back flow from the spigot should not need protection so as long as the irrigation system cannot flow back to the water source you should be fine.


Unused live electrical wires in kitchen I have unused live electrical wires coming out of wall in kitchen where new cabinets are going. How should I handle this?

Assuming you don't want to/can't remove them completely, (i.e.- back to an existing junction box, or all the way back to the breaker box), you need to properly terminate them (capped with wire nuts) in an accessible junction box.

In other words- install a junction box in, put wire nuts on the wires, install your cabinets, with a hole where the junction box is, and put a cover plate on.


Should a 3'-4' retaining wall have interlocking blocks? I'm building a 3'-4' retaining wall in my backyard and I'm in the process of choosing block. One of the blocks I like isn't engineered with any kind of lip or interlocking feature. Is this necessary for a wall that size? Or is this type of block meant more for a freestanding wall or a small garden wall with only 2-4 courses?

without a lip you'd want to use concrete adhesive on each row.

check your local code regulations. Typically a wall of a certain height has to be run through an engineer first. In my area I believe the height was 3'. Anything higher I'd have to hire an engineer.

In our case, we had a large amount of earth to retain, but decided it was best to use a tiered approach building two 3' walls with a 8' set back between each.

In either case, go with the largest blocks you can use. The larger the block, the heavier the block, the sturdier the wall, and the better it will hold back whatever is behind it.


How do I repair this kind of drywall damage? Was wondering how to repair this kind of drywall damage that I have in 2 areas in my house (does it repair to replace with a new piece or is there some kind of putty/Spackle that can repair this?

Looks like plaster on wood or plywood.

From what I can see:

Make sure the water leak is fixed (second photo).
Remove any loose plaster.
Not sure what the surface is.  Scuff it up so new material will stick.
May want to apply some sort of bonding primer, or possibly staple some thin mesh up to give the new plaster or spackling good support.
Apply plaster or spackling, working it in well to get good adhesion.  Make sure you get something that mentions adhesion on the label.
Your choice of learning to create a matching texture, or (around here) there is spray texture available (though you would have to mask or taper the old plaster).  Looks like "knockdown" texture.  Probably need to practice on a piece of scrap wood or cardboard.
Use a stain-blocking primer.


Removing kitchen tap limescale Cannot remove kitchen taps because of limescale buildup. Taps hidden by underside of bowl, therefore v. Difficult to get to. The limescale is blocking the threads for the hot tap (obviously the cold can be unscrewed by hand

3 Ways to deal with plumbing that has seized due to lime scale

1 More torque

Get the biggest wrench your space will allow and use it to loosen the plumbing.
Alternatively, you can try using a pipe to extend the leverage you have on an existing wrench.

2 Descaling

Go to the dollar store and buy some 'cleaning vinegar' (and a spray bottle if you don't have one).
Pour the cleaning vinegar into an empty spray bottle and close it.
Thoroughly spray the area with the lime scale
Wait 10 min
Repeat steps 3 and 4 until lime scale is satisfactorily removed

3 Cut and replace the fitting

When the other two methods don't work, or you have plenty of pipe to work with, you can use a pipe cutter, pipe saw, or oscillating saw to cut to the affected are and replace the fitting.
This method is the one I generally use, as trying to salvage something with a lot of buildup is time consuming and not likely to re-seal well.

Going forward you'll want to address the reason for the scale build-up (water pressure too high / improperly sealed connection) and possibly think about installing a descaling filter on your water main to protect appliances and any fancy shower heads.


thickness of cedar siding I am replacing all of the old, rotten siding on my 1895 Victorian with new cedar siding that I plan to prime and paint (either 6" or 8", about 4k sq.ft).  Looking at the options in my area (Indianapolis, IN) I'm struggling with the choices.  I found pre-primed 1/2", beveled cedar at one location vs unprimed, Grade-A.  At another store, they have 5/4" (0.828"), rabbeted, unprimed select knotty, and 3/4" (0.688"), rabbeted, unprimed--the thicker, rabbeted almost doubles the price.

1) I've read you still have to prime the pre-primed, so I'm thinking any extra cost for pre-primed isn't worth it.

2) Can rabbeting pose any problems with expansion/shrink cycles?

3) For double the cost, is the 3/4 vs 5/4 thickness (less than 0.15" real difference) actually worth it?

4) I'm not so concerned about the "look"--is the Grade A vs Select Knotty very different in sturdiness/reliability?
Thanks in advance!

Depends on the finish you select. A high-quality product won't be so dependent on a high-quality primer. The issue is mostly sealing, as the thin factory-applied primer bonds well, and facilitates a good bond with your topcoat, but doesn't necessarily seal well itself. Typically you'd plan on a re-coat after only a few years anyway to establish a hearty, protective finish.
I've never seen rabbeted siding buckle vertically, and I'm in a part of the world with extremes of temperature and humidity. Typically only thicker, more stable siding is rabbeted, and it's done so that the profile isn't so deep. There's really no drawback to it, in my opinion.
Cedar siding is prone to cracking along the grain if it's too thin. I'd be more concerned with the thickness at the top of the boards than the bottom. Ideally, you have a full 3/8" at the top. Some cheaper siding is barely 1/4", and you can feel the difference. If the boards are easy to flex across the vertical with your fingers, look for a better product.
Grade A (which I assume means "clear" in this case) will obviously be less prone to structural breakdown due to greater consistency. However, knotty cedar isn't necessarily a durability risk. Take a close look at the structure of the knotty boards and check for looseness and obvious weakness. When installing, cut out knots that look like they'll fall out--ones with sharp edge lines and which penetrate at a 90 degree angle.


Do I need to attach a wire fished through a ceiling? I have a finished basement and am mounting a flat-screen TV on the wall and I want to put an electrical box behind the TV.  The two existing outlets are both two joists over and each separated with a metal heating vent to boot - so it would be extremely difficult to tie into one of those. However, I have access to the ceiling and can run cable there and out to another outlet.

Can I just run regular electrical wire through the joists and along the ceiling without fastening it to the joists along the way?

Yes:

  NEC 2011 334.30(B): Unsupported cables. Nonmetallic-sheathed cable shall be permitted to be unsupported where the cable:

  (1) Is fished between access points through concealed spaces in finished buildings or structures and supporting is impracticable.

  (2) Is not more than 1.4 m (4½ ft) from the last point of cable support to the point of connection to a luminaire or other piece of electrical equipment and the cable and point of connection are within an accessible ceiling.

Otherwise the rest of 334.30 applies:

  NEC 2011 334.30: Securing and supporting. Nonmetallic-sheathed cable shall be supported and secured by staples, cable ties, straps, hangers, or similar fittings designed and installed so as not to damage the cable, at intervals not exceeding 1.4 m (4½ ft) and within 300 mm (12 in.) of every outlet box, junction box, cabinet, or fitting. Flat cables shall not be stapled on edge.

  Sections of cable protected from physical damage by raceways shall not be required to be secured within the raceway.

  (A) Horizontal Runs Through Holes and Notches. In other than vertical runs, cables installed in accordance with 300.4 shall be considered to be supported and secured where such support does not exceed 1.4-m (4½-ft) intervals and the nonmetallic-sheathed cable is securely fastened in place by an approved means within 300 mm (12 in.) of each box, conduit body, or other nonmetallic-sheathed cable termination.

  Informational Note: See 314.17(C) for support where non-metallic boxes are used.

  (B) [given above]

  (C) Wiring Device Without a Separate Outlet Box. […]


Upstairs bedrooms are too hot. Would like to put in another thermostat. I've been searching for an answer to this question but have yet to find one that applies. I'm looking to put in a new thermostat on the 2nd floor where the bedrooms are that would take over in the summer to keep the rooms cool enough to sleep. The original thermostat is on the first floor and keeps the whole house warm enough in the winter. I'd prefer not to have to go into the walls and do crazy new duct work/rewiring. The house is my first home and was a foreclosure so I already have my work cut out for me and would like to get as simple of a fix as possible.

I would love for the new thermostat to be wireless and just able to communicate with the old already wired thermostat to tell the AC when to turn off and on again. Is this type of product out there? Or do I need to bite the bullet and re-wire/re-duct the whole house? I've looked into covering the registers but I've heard that can make the furnace/AC unit less efficient so would like to avoid that as well. There are no ducts towards the ceilings on the 2nd story. I've already ordered a new high-efficient roof in order to help with the heating/cooling issue, and am planning on putting new insulation in the attic when I get the chance. But with summer coming on I'd really like a quick fix if it's available.

Thank you all for your help!

You can't make your single-zone system behave like a 2-zone system just by changing the thermostat, unfortunately. What you're suggesting would be roughly equivalent to relocating the thermostat upstairs. To do this, you could either move your existing thermostat and wiring, or achieve a similar effect by getting a thermostat with a wireless remote temperature sensor. In the winter, you'd have the thermostat base its operation on the temp downstairs, and in the summer move the sensor upstairs.

But - this would just run the AC more. You'll still have the problem of upstairs being much warmer, even if it's 70 upstairs and 60 downstairs. You could probably achieve a similar effect by just turning down the temperature on your thermostat without moving it.

You mentioned your house was built in 1941. A common cause of poor upstairs cooling in older homes is the lack of a return air duct upstairs. This leaves no escape for hot air that has collected upstairs; the cool air pumped up there is going to settle down first. If you have a return upstairs, try closing your downstairs return in the summer so that your system is forced to pull more from upstairs. If you don't have an upstairs return, try closing some of your downstairs vents, so more of your cool air goes upstairs. Yes, this will make your blower work a little harder, but it's not uncommon and should be fine.

Finally, a low-tech but possibly helpful option would be to add a floor fan blowing air upstairs. Run it for a day or so and see if it makes a difference in equalizing temperatures.


Bit holder or hex chuck? A novice DIY-er, I'm building out my arsenal of tools. One of the things that has been possible me is the bit holder vs the hex chuck.

When buying bits, so far I've gone for the Irwin impact-ready line. They lock securely into the hex chuck of my impact driver and they won't come out unless I pull back the sleeve on the driver, popping the bit out. The bit holder is from an old machine, but despite not being impact-ready it locks nicely into my driver too.

Given I have the choice in what type of bits I buy, is there any reason for me to prefer "an impact ready bit holder with bits for it" vs. "directly inserting impact ready bits into the hex chuck on the driver" ?

Appreciate any comments to clear up this confusion for me.

Both are good and functional. It probably boils down to preference, at the end of the day.

Bit holder:

+uses cheaper 1" bits

+over time, you'll probably acquire bit sets that include a bunch of 1" bits, so there's a good place to use them

+for obscure bit sizes, like Torx 15, you probably won't bother getting long ones, so this is what you'll need

+you'll occasionally need to stick the 1" bit directly in the nose (because of a lack of room), so having short bits around is useful

-bit holders that aren't 'impact ready' can break in time. For a couple of bucks, you'll replace it. Eventually, you'll lose your mind and buy something like a Wera Rapidaptor for $25 or so.

-a tiny bit more wobbly than a direct bit

Impact-ready bits:

+a little bigger and harder to lose in your pockets

+if you buy 3" long ones, they'll interchange with your Picquic screwdriver

+(edited in, following comments) a longer bit will sometimes let you get into a tight spot or sink a screw more deeply than the bit holder

-a little more expensive, and heartbreaking when they break. (And they will. At the least convenient time possible.)


In knob and tube wiring, how to identify neutral wire vs a dead wire? I'm in the US, Ohio if that matters.

I have an old house with many circuits still on K&T wiring. I haven't been able to find information on how to identify a neutral wire - most guides just tell you how to identify hot wires, and whatever is left must be neutral.

Some of my K&T wires are disconnected but still in the wall.

Is there a way to identify which ones are neutral vs the ones that are simply disconnected from the electrical box in the basement?

Thanks.

Plug in an extension cord, and bring its socket end up to where you're working.  Measure voltage from extension cord "hot" to the mystery wire.  120ish volts - it's a neutral.  Significantly less - phantom voltage on a dead wire.

To sanity check what "120ish" volts should be, measure hot v neutral on the extension cord itself.


How to run flexible metal conduit through wall of attached garage? The photo shows a disconnected generator transfer switch and a sub-panel in an interior room on a wall that is shared with an attached garage.

The transfer switch is pre-wired with some sort of flexible metal conduit. (Greenfield? AC / armored cable? BX?) The conduit is about 1" interior diameter and 1.25" exterior.

As part of a remodel, I want to mount the transfer switch in the attached garage, so the metal conduit comes through the wall and into the subpanel. I want to mount the switch roughly opposite the subpanel.

The wall is plywood with drywall on the garage side as a fire-barrier.

May I just drill a big hole through the wall into the garage and run the metal conduit through? I would seal the edges of the hole with some fireproof caulk. Or is some sort of connector fitting required?

I'm no code expert but as I understand it, yes if you use fire caulk as per exception #2 in 713.3.1 and you are going to surface mount the switch on the drywall in the garage.

713.3 Fire-resistance-rated walls. Penetrations into or through fire walls, fire barriers, smoke barrier walls and fire partitions shall comply with Sections 713.3.1 through 713.3.3. Penetrations in smoke barrier walls shall also comply with Section 713.5.

  713.3.1 Through penetrations. Through penetrations of fire-resistance-rated walls shall comply with Section 713.3.1.1 or 713.3.1.2.

  Exception: Where the penetrating items are steel, ferrous or copper pipes, tubes or conduits, the annular space between the penetrating item and the fire-resistance-rated wall is permitted to be protected as follows:

  In concrete or masonry walls where the penetrating item is a maximum 6-inch (152 mm) nominal diameter and the area of the opening through the wall does not exceed 144 square inches (0.0929 m2), concrete, grout or mortar is permitted where it is installed the full thickness of the wall or the thickness required to maintain the fire-resistance rating; or
  The material used to fill the annular space shall prevent the passage of flame and hot gases sufficient to ignite cotton waste when subjected to ASTM E 119 or UL 263 time-temperature fire conditions under a minimum positive pressure differential of 0.01 inch (2.49 Pa) of water at the location of the penetration for the time period equivalent to the fire-resistance rating of the construction penetrated.

  713.3.1.1 Fire-resistance-rated assemblies. Penetrations shall be installed as tested in an approved fire-resistance-rated assembly.

  713.3.1.2 Through-penetration firestop system. Through penetrations shall be protected by an approved penetration firestop system installed as tested in accordance with ASTM E 814 or UL 1479, with a minimum positive pressure differential of 0.01 inch (2.49 Pa) of water and shall have an F rating of not less than the required fire-resistance rating of the wall penetrated.

http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/icod/ibc/2009/icod_ibc_2009_7_sec013.htm

Side note: whats wrong with it where it is in the picture? Don't want it inside your house looking ugly? Also, some of those wires look a little short. You may want to cut as much of the BX as you can leaving just enough to connect it.


move an electric panel My electric panel faces inside the kitchen wall and limits my remodeling options - specifically, where I can locate the refrigerator.  Can you give me an idea of how much work it would be to reverse the panel to the other side of the wall - facing the dining room instead?

Having recently had my panel (~20 circuits, 150A service) relocated to the opposite side of the wall it was on (though mine went from exterior to interior, along with a panel upgrade), it took the better part of a day for the electrician to get everything unhooked, taken out, the new panel in, and everything reconnected. The power company took their sweet time reconnecting my meter, but the electricians' work was done by mid-afternoon.

A rough step-by-step of the work involved:

Have the power company disconnect the meter
Label and disconnect all of the circuits in the panel
Prepare the wall where the panel will be moved to
Remove the panel, and install it (or a new panel) in the new location
Feed all the wires through to the new panel
Reconnect all of the circuits
Get it inspected, if needed / desired
Have the power company reconnect the meter
Drywall repair, trim, cabinet, whatever to hide or improve appearance of panel - this is typically not done by the electrician though

Some things can be done in parallel if there are multiple people available, and some things may involve a lot of waiting.

Make sure to check local codes, permitting requirements, etc.

If you're just planning to flip the panel to the other side of the wall, keeping it in the same stud bay, you won't have any issues relating to obstructions, too-short wires, etc so it may be even easier. Everything being interior makes it a bit easier as well.

I'd strongly urge you to consider how much space your existing panel has and whether a bigger (number of circuits and/or max amperage) panel would be useful. Panels are cheap, compared to the cost of upgrading later on, so if you can swing it to get a bigger panel now (and your existing one is close to full), now is the time to do it.


How to open this locked door Accidentally locked the door and am panicking because I am house sitting. Would really appreciate the help

That type of latch rotates (there is a half-cam inside)
That square hole you see is engaged by the shaft on the missing knob, and rotates that piece.
You can use anything to turn that either way. A screwdriver with a bit too big to fit straight, but will fit in 'diagonally' will do the trick...
a quarter turn should open it fully.
This is provided it is the same as the kind I am trying to describe, from what I can see in the picture.
Also, after you get in, when you try to put the pieces back together, make sure the key works BEFORE you close-up and lock yourself out.  It is often possible to get the inside knob and outside knob together wrong by 90º, and then you will probably not be able to rotate the key one direction, and/or be able to turn the lock-tab inside both ways.  Check the knobs and keys and lock tab function, with the door open, for proper operation BEFORE you close the door...


paper (tape) showing after sanding After some initial sanding of a taped joint, the tape/paper is showing. It's sticking out and frayed, and still needs some sanding. What are my options for dealing with this? should I apply more mud and feather it out further or try to remove it and do it again?

If you are sanding the paper tape, you definitely need more mud. So put on more mud.

Removing it would not really help, it would just make more of a mess you have to mud over.

I suggest 3-4", 6-8" and 12" for a progression in drywall "knives" (a coat with the small one, knock off only the high points, a coat with the medium one, knock off only the high points, a coat with the big one, if there are significant divots when sanding after that (there should not be), stop and recoat to fill the divots.


T&P relief valve's probe size issue - can I use a shorter exposed probe to replace a long one Please check the below picture, can I use a longer neck of T&P valve which has shorter exposed probe compare with my old to replace it?

The T&P probe should be the same length as the original to make sure it has the same contact with the water. Longer should be OK as long as it fits properly but shorter is not.


How do I wire these dimmer switches? The current wiring is crazy I've installed light switches in other parts of our house, but there is one pair of dimmers that mystifies me. One is a normal dimmer and one is supposed to be a three way dimmer, but the latter is wired incorrectly so that the dimmer and remote switch must be both on at the same time.

There are three bundles of wires coming into the box and I have no idea what is supposed to be wired to what.

I've drawn up diagram of how they are currently wired.

In all other boxes in the house there is one bundle per switch and the wire colors are consistent. In this case there are 3 bundles used for two switches and the whites from two of the bundles are tied together for some reason. I have no idea which wires from the 3 bundles should match up with the wires on the new dimmers.

EDIT 2:

Here are the voltages between the two grounds and every other wire. The things to note are:

There is a 17 volt difference between the two grounds.
The only live wire appears to be W2 (white from bundle 2). This seems crazy. How did the old dimmer 2 ever work if it wasn't connected to a hot wire?
The difference between G1 and W2 is 102, but the difference between G3 and W2 is 47.

VOLTAGES (G1 is ground from bundle 1. W2 is white from bundle 2, etc.):

    G1  G3
G1  0   17
B1  1   21
W1  1   21
B2  1   20
W2  102 47
B3  19  1
W3  18  0
G3  17  0
R3  19  1

White wires are your neutral. You don't switch the neutral, you switch the hot, otherwise, contact with an off fixture could electrocute you if you contact a ground. Therefore, the whites are frequently tied together, with the exception of cases where the white is being used for something else, like a switched wire.

For a 3-way switch, you need an extra wire, which I prefer to use the red wire of a 3 conductor cable. It looks like they've done exactly that in your setup. For more details on how 3 way switches are wired, you can review the various diagrams on this site which include many of the possible wiring variations.

Edit2:

Thanks for the picture. That, a nights sleep, and your description of the other side of the 3 way switch narrow down how this could be wired. I was hoping for the best from your previous electrician, but it looks like you got the worst. Someone really didn't know what they were doing in this J-box. Also, that doesn't appear to be a 3 way switch on the right, at least, not yet, which is why it never worked right. Note, unless it's specially designed to work with 2, you should only have 1 dimmer on a 3 way switch configuration. The other side should be a non-dimming 3 way switch.

Here's my assumption: Bundle 1 goes to fixture 1, Bundle 2 goes to fixture 2, and bundle 3 goes to the other 3 way switch. It looks like all the line wires are in the fixtures themselves (otherwise, you'd have at least one more bundle coming into this J-box).

What I'm not going to assume is that white is actually white in bundles 1 and 2. Most likely it is because of how the current switches are wired, you want to test this to be sure. With the power off and the old switches disconnected, check for continuity between each of the wires in bundles 1 and 2 to ground (use bundle 1's ground for your tests). And with the power temporarily turned on (be careful with exposed live wires), make sure the current only appears between ground and black. If any of the wires are mis-colored, put some tape on the end and label it, and go by the label, not the color, in the below instructions.

Here's what you should do to clean up the mess:

Step 1: Tie all the grounds together, including all 3 bundles and both switches that you replace. Use a short piece of exposed copper to connect the switches if they don't have their own wires. Make sure the wire nut is large enough for all 5 wires. If you can't find a ground on bundle 2, I would double check fixture 2 to make sure it's grounded, and if so, the ground from bundle 1 is all you have to rely on for everything else.

Step 2: Wire up switch 1 like normal, black and white to the two screws on the switch. Nothing connecting the other side is necessary if the above tests worked. If the white from bundle 1 is faulty, connecting to the white in bundle 2 will work, but you really want to find the problem and fix it.

Step 3: Your 3 way switch appears to be variation 1 on the above site, with the line coming to the fixture itself, bundle 2 is the left line in the diagram, and bundle 3 is the right wire in the diagram. The whites from bundle 2 and 3 are tied together and to nothing else (unless a connection to switch 1 is needed). The black from bundle 2 connects to the typically white screw of switch 2. The red and black from bundle 3 connect to the two separate black screws on switch 2, but it doesn't mater which is which at this point. Double check the other end of the 3 way switch to be sure that the white is on the correct screw.

Step 4: Temporarily check your work with the power on. If you don't like the direction of the 3 way switches (I prefer both switches being down as "off"), you can just swap the red and black on either switch to reverse them.

Tip: if the dimmers are large, and the push in connections on the back have an adjustable clamp that closes when you turn the screw, then use the push in connections on the back of the 3 way switch to reduce the risk of a short on the side.

Standard warning: while working with electrical, always have the power off unless you are doing a quick test. Before doing any tests, make sure no wires are shorted with any others. And during any quick tests, make sure you don't touch those wires with anything other than the voltage tester.


Should I sand my frame or buy a custom storm door for an opening that's 1/8" too short? I'd like a full view storm door in front of my front door. The left side of the opening is 80" and the right seems to be about 79 7/8". The frame is some kind of wood. I'm a complete novice, so I'm not sure if sanding it makes a lick of sense, or if it's better to find someone that makes a slightly smaller storm door (and if so, where to look).

You can spend an hour or two with a sharp utility knife, a saw, some sandpaper and a can of paint, or you can triple (or more) the cost of your storm door by getting a custom built one that's 1/8" smaller than standard.
To be honest, though, an 80x32" storm door is the nominal listing size - the actual door will probably be 79-3x4" x 31-3/4" and will fit quite nicely. Stop by your local storm door retailer with a tape measure in hand and measure the physical size. Or, ask the sales guy for the actual dimensions. Odds are good an off-the-shelf door will fit without any tailoring at all.


How do timing networks work? I am curious on how timer networks are used in Corridor Lighting systems and what components are used?

Your question is so general that it can only be answered in generalities. Assuming you are referring to lights that are turned on at specific times, there are several methods.  You can use a purely mechanical timer with cams that turn on switches that, then, turn on lights.  One step up is an electrical timer run by a synchronous motor that also turns on lights at specific times using relays or switches.  For more versatility, a microprocessor can be programmed to behave as a timer and to activate mechanical or solid state relays to turn on lights at programmable times and durations. Light sensors can be added to this programmable timer to turn on lights only when it is dark.  Motion sensors will turn on lights when motion is detected.  There is no limit to what can be done with the proper sensors and programmable controllers.


How can I remove tile grout from floorboards? We've removed old ceramic tiles that cover a tongue and groove bathroom floor.  What is a good way to remove the hard tile grout that now covers the floor?

EDIT: updated title as we've found Rimu is a podocarp softwood

EDIT: To answer the comment below, yes we would like to finish the boards with polyurethane varnish in keeping with other parts of the house

EDIT: after trying a bunch of approaches what worked was using a belt sander with P80 belts, stubborn areas required a little more pressure

Scraper. This is going to be a tough job if you want to keep damage to the wood to a minimum. It does look like the floor has some type of finish on it before the grout material was applied. This should help a lot to make the scraping removal a bit more practical.

Note that what ever type of scraper that you use will likely need replacement or resharpening a number of times in your removal process.


Is there an NEC-compliant method of repairing minor damage to electrical wire insulation without a junction box? While trying to pry loose a stubborn cable staple that fastens a 14-gauge electrical cable to a stud, I accidentally tore a very small hole through both the outer jacket and the insulation around the neutral wire, exposing the bare conductor inside.  The damage is located halfway between the electrical box and the 5/8" hole in the frame's bottom plate where the wire disappears to beneath the floor somewhere.  The hole is but a mere dot measuring at about 1/32" in diameter.

Is it okay to repair this tear with electrical tape?  The copper wire itself was not damaged.  I am hoping someone isn't going to tell me that NEC requires me to repair the damaged section by replacing it with a new wire and installing a junction box or something.

Update: Right now, it's between shirlock homes and SteveR for the answer.  SteveR brought an excellent option to my attention, and that is to expose the junction box on the other side of the wall since, in my case, it happens to be a closet.  shirlock homes recommends wrapping the damaged neutral wire with insulating tape then taping up the jacket.  I like this idea, but if it's not NEC compliant then I think SteveR will get the answer.

You can repair anyway you want, but for it to be repaired and the UL still good, you have to use something like 3M 2234 Cable repair kit.

Here's some info on it

If it is romex you are best to cut the bad part out and use a junction box (or 2) to put in the good piece.  If it is in the wall then you might have to change out the whole run.  With ARC Fault breakers (AFCI) slowly becoming code in more than just bedrooms it could create a problem.


Add "C" wire to NEST I have a NEST thermostat. My heating and cooling system is in the attic.I need to add a "C" wire to the control board, but I can't find out where I need to open the unit in the attic to see where the existing thermostat wires run from my hallway thermostat to the attic?

Sometimes air handlers/furnaces have lift off covers that allow you to access the wires, but often you will have to remove some screws or cut some duct tape (if the install was messy) to remove the proper panel.  Pictures help here, but you want to look for any covers or panels that will slide or lift out of place.

If you find one, open it and see whats inside.  If it only provides access to the blower or the heater portion of the unit and not the control board, you will most likely have to remove a few screws to remove another panel (panel can be large, like the whole half of the unit).

Again, this is general advice, but I think that many people might not think they need to start pulling out sheet metal screws and expect a pop-open panel.  If you're not sure, post some pictures.  I wouldn't want you taking apart the wrong thing!


how to fix awning windows won't close I rent a double story town house. The window in the bed room is awning windows, and there is a problem that the crank is not closing to the end; there is still a gap that keeps window a bit open. So wind still get to the room.

The bed room is in the 2nd floor so i cannot close it from outside.

is there anyway i can close this window? I cannot fix the crank because I don't have the tools or the experience. i just want this window to be shut

I have kitchen windows that close with a crank. Sometimes debris gets caught where the window meets the frame or sometimes paint or caulk may have settled there. Check to see if there is debris where the window sash meets the frame.


What are the possible ways to prevent heating pipes in an entryway from freezing? I live in Maine, and it can get cold in the winter.  My house has baseboard hot water heating and three heating zones (basement, first floor, and second floor).  We have a mudroom/entry room that I believe was added to the house after it was originally built - it has many windows and cools easily.  It also has a long heating register, which is on the first floor zone.

The thermostat for the first floor zone is well-located in a central spot.  Typically, all works well.  When most of the first floor is kept at a comfy 68 or so, the mudroom is probably in the mid or upper 40s.

A problem has arisen, however, with the installation of a wood stove on our first floor.  The stove works well and can heat the whole house.  However, when it is operating, it raises the inside temp enough so that the baseboard heat doesn't come on.  The problem is that if it is sufficiently cold outside, the temperature out in the mudroom can drop into the low 30s (or potentially lower if I don't keep a careful eye on it).  I obviously don't want this to happen because i don't want the pipes that supply the register in the mudroom to freeze.

What suggestions do you have that might address this problem?

Some ideas I've had are:

Remove the baseboard heat from the mudroom (possible, though I'd like a little heat out there)
Put the mudroom on its own zone (a bit of a costly undertaking, but perhaps the best solution)
Put a thermostat out in the mudroom set to, say, 35 - it would be connected to the same first-floor zone as the indoor thermostat.  The whole zone would kick on when either thermostat tripped.  Would add more heat than wanted inside...but might be workable?
Install some sort of shut-off valve on the pipes that go out to the mudroom so that I can manually drain those pipes and shut off water in them when I am running the stove.  (I suspect this is a bad idea)
Install some sort of standalone heater. (I am reluctant to do this - there isn't a great spot for one, and it seems like a less elegant solution in that it adds an additional complication rather than fixing the existing problem)

Some different ideas:

Remove the baseboard water heater and replace with electric, thereby creating it's own zone. If the only pipes in this room were for the radiator, you wouldn't even need to set the heat, as there are no more pipes to worry about.
Add insulation to the mudroom
Keep mudroom door open when using wood heater
Splice your pipes and add the mudroom baseboard to one of the other circuits that will be running even when wood stove is on (basement, likely).


Greenhouse (cold frame) side walls - footing question Planning a hoop house, or cold frame style greenhouse. I live in Nebraska, we get pretty consistent winds, not unusual to have 50 mph gusts.

I want set two parallel 3-4 ft tall rows of 4x4 posts, 4 ft apart. The 1-3/8" diameter "hoop" arches (made from chain link top-rail) will get secured to these posts every 4 feet.

I really don't want to bury the pressure treated 4x4's in:
A) the heavy clay we have here
B) concrete

When they rot out, it would be difficult to replace if anchored by a 500 lb block of concrete.

Can I use a sonotube, then wet-set a 4x4 saddle and attach 4x4 to the saddle?

I read that concrete saddle's aren't really designed for wind-sheer (fencing) loads. Not sure if my hoop house would apply more of a wind sheer or downward force?

thanks!!

I went though the same issue. Better to use 1 7/8  galvanized pipe  4 feet long set in concrete (3 80 lb bags each hole) as a sleeve. Then 1 5/8 poles slide into the sleeve and are anchored with tek screws. Make sure your sleeve is 8 inches above ground of course so that you have something to fasten too. If you are useing 1 3/8 then you can find emt that will work as a sleeve as well. I have experienced 50mph winds with no problem on a 14x28 greenhouse 12 feet at the center in height.

As to sono tube... the fasten point at the saddle will be the weakest point of the structure as the horizontal wind load will be significant under high wind gusts. It will hold but I felt better with the set up above as the sleeve encased concrete and tek fastened would require the wall pole inserted into it to fail. At that point the structure would be toast regardless.


Tips for texturing ceilings? I'm getting ready to texture ceilings for the first time using an air-compressor / hopper.  I plan to practice first on some old sample sheets of drywall I have laying around but was also hoping to get some tips from the pros =)

Specifically, I'd like to know:

What type of consistency should the topping mud be? Runny? Thick?
What techniques should be used for actual spraying? Top-to-bottom? Left-to-right?
What preparation needs to be done beforehand? Taping off outlets? Placing plastic over windows?
How full should the hopper be filled?
What can we do if there are mistakes?

I have spent a great deal of time scrapping popcorn off ceilings. I don't know if that is the type of coating you are planning on, but I would tend to leave the ceilings smooth. I think that looks better. Textures ceilings were big in the 70's and 80's, but not so much now.

Sorry, not an answer, just my opinion.


How do I stop the toilet seat from continuously sliding to the right every time it is used? I don't know why the seat keeps moving. I slide it left and it moves to the right every time. Now I definitely see similar questions on here, but the people say they tighten it and it gets loose again. My problem is, I don't know what they're tightening and where to find it. Because I don't see any screws.

Standard toilets in my area tighten from below, with a thumb-turn nut located between the tank and bowl. You can only see and access the nuts from the bottom looking up.
That being said, there are many different types of toilets and this may not apply to yours.


Wiring switched GFCI outlets outdoors I have a dedicated outdoor 20 amp circuit (GFCI breaker) in my yard that was for a pool we got rid of.  2-gang box w/weatherproof cover.  I want to install a GFCI outlet that is controlled by a switch.  I plan on adding an underground extension of the circuit to my barn and I want the switch to control everything downstream as well.  What is the proper way to wire this?   Thanks very much.

GFCIs do not work that way.  GFCIs are not a kind of receptacle.  They are a system of protection that takes hot and neutral in ; and provides conditioned hot and neutral out.   They also make these systems in a receptacle form-factor, and it also provides a couple of convenience sockets right on them.  It looks an awful lot like a receptacle.  This has misconfused people into thinking GFCIs are merely some sort of rather expensive receptacle.  No.  Receptacles are still $3.

GFCI protection modules do not like to be downstream of switches. You need to do what you did before; have the GFCI protection module upstream of the switch, so the switch is switching conditioned hot and passing conditioned neutral thru to the outdoor outlet.

You can do this either with another GFCI breaker (price, I know) or a GFCI module such as a deadface upstream of the switch.   I really don't care if you buy a deadface which also has a couple convenience sockets on its front, also called a liveface.


What's the fastest way to remove/dissolve plaster from brick? We want to expose our brick walls in a house that was built around the 1900's.  We're doing a complete demo, so hopefully we're not to restricted as to what we can use to remove the plaster.

What's the fastest way to remove the plaster? Is there a chemical we could use?

Sandblasting would be the fastest, but it's not a easy DIY project.

Muratic acid, properly used, vented, masked (organic cartridges), gloved, goggled.  A 10:1 water:acid mix is a good place to start.  Be sure to add acid to water during dilution.

You should hand scrape or carefully grind with a diamond cup wheel to leave a thin a layer as possible (< 1/16 inch).

Let soak 10-20 min and scrub with acid safe brush.

Once clean, several water only rinses, then use an acid neutralizer.
Baking soda and water, diluted lime or diluted ammonia will work.  Final water rinse.

If any walls are in kitchens, a natural stone/grout sealer will greatly ease future cleaning.  You may also like the look of an enhancing sealer, but that is a personal preference if mine.


When is service connection completed for water / sewer for new construction? Is it after Final Inspection that the lines are run from the house to the street? I'd like to hire a contractor for the service connection portion and need to know at what point in the process this is done. I'm in the US.

Typically, tie-ins are done in conjunction with the locality (town/city maintenance) and are done independently of the state inspections. This is because of locality-specific backflow prevention devices.

You see, hypothetically, nowhere in code do I need a backflow prevention device for sewer in my house in town. However, because I have a full basement, and my plumbing runs lower than the town's sewer system, it'd be in the best interest of all concerned for me to install one.

Get with your local contractor. He/she knows what to do.


What to do with wobbling laundry machine? I have a laundry machine in a condo and have been using it for almost two years (I use it around 1-2 times a week).

Last week when I was washing a heavy duty, I felt my laundry machine was a little shaky, so I decided to adjust the front legs. But after a few adjustments, not only did I not fix the problem, I also forgot the original positions for the screws.

My question is, how can I make sure that my machine's legs are on a perfect plane, because even a slight gap on one leg can cause the laundry machine to shake very hard.

Any suggestion is appreciated!

An uneven or unbalanced load of laundry can send a washing machine "walking" across the floor in some situations. For a machine to function correctly it should be situated so the case is level (horizontal plane) and plumb (vertical plane). The easiest way to check this is to use a carpenters level. Set the level on the top and adjust the glides up or down. Hold the level on the side of the case and adjust like-wise.


Is there any code regarding in-wall convection ovens? Are there any code restrictions involving in-wall convection ovens?

A stand alone appliance will always come under Underwriters Laboratories jurisdiction.  The manufacturer's install instruction will dictate proper guidelines. If a local inspector is involved he can and sometimes does ask for this literature and check things out.  Involving a convection oven, I would rigidly follow these instructions and even might error on the side of caution.


How can I extract rusted/painted outdoor screws? We have an outdoor lamppost that is controlled by a switch from inside.  Originally the light was burnt out, so we replaced it, and it started working again, but it blew out the light again.  So I'm trying to look at the socket to tighten up and/or replace it, but it's impossible to get at unless I undo a couple of screws at the interface between the post and the 'fixture'.  They're all rusted and painted over, and I'm having limited success.  Things I've tried with varying amounts of goodness:

Naval Jelly rust dissolver
A screw extractor bit
metal drill bits to drill out the screw

None of them has really done the trick, but I'll keep trying.  The fixture is probably stuck on the post as well - but it does appear to actually have a collar, so once I get these screws out I may have better luck with a mallet to dislodge it.  Any other suggestions?

Apply heat.
A heat gun simultaneously softens paint and temporarily causes the metal in the screw to expand slightly. Once the paint starts to bubble and drip, your screwdriver should have no problem getting properly slotted. Start with a minute or two of heating on the low setting and test with a screwdriver. If that doesn't work, try again with higher heat. Unless the head was already stripped, you should have no problem getting your screwdriver engaged. As the screw cools, it should also loosen up and be easier to remove.
Heat guns are inexpensive and useful for a variety of projects. Before I bought a heat gun, I used the following steps:

Remove the paint/rust from the screw head.
For paint, I've found a gel paint stripper to be effective.  As you point out, naval jelly or a penetrating oil can be used on rust.  You can also try using a rotary tool fitted with an abrasive brush to quickly clean the screw head.

Use a manual screwdriver to get the screw started.
Too often, I've gone straight to the power screwdriver and stripped the slots in the screw head.  This is particularly common with Phillips head screws.  Using a hand screwdriver reduces the risk.

Re-slot the screw head.
Using a cutting disk attachment on a rotary tool, it's possible to either add a slot or deepen an existing slot on the screw head.  Aim to create a single groove deep enough for a flat head screwdriver to engage.

Drill or chisel out the surrounding area.
If all else fails, you ought to be able to extract a screw by drilling out or attacking the area around the screw with a chisel.  (Presumably you could use a rotary tool for this step as well, but since I obtained one I haven't need to go past step #3.)  If you dig out enough material, you might be able to grasp the screw head with a pair of pliers.

It probably goes without saying (but I will anyway) that you should wear proper safety equipment such as gloves and goggles when handling harsh chemicals and using high-speed rotary tools.


How can I fix a large hole in plaster ceiling that's backed by drywall instead of wood lath? We are renovating a 1959 home and have a large hole in our plaster ceiling due to the removal of a kitchen wall and soffit. I have reviewed lots of videos about how to patch plaster + lath ceilings; however, instead of lath supporting our plaster ceiling, they did it with sheets of drywall? How do I fix the hole if I don't have any lath for the plaster to adhere to!? If I use hot mud instead of plaster to fill the hole, will a 1/4" of hot mud adhere okay to the drywall without any additional support?
(Note, image includes an additional layer of drywall we added in an attempt to patch!)

What you have is what is called "rock lath" It is a forerunner of modern drywall. It replaced wood lath somewhere around the 1940's or 50's.
There should be framing that the rock lath is secured to, typically as backers over the wall that was taken out or other wood that was on either side of the wall. A small diameter nail probe should locate something. With the framing found. even if it is only on an edge, or in the middle, it does not matter, this will allow a filler piece of drywall to screwed in place, not nailed, nailing will vibrate all kinds of stuff that may crack things you don't want cracked. The sandy "brown coat" and thin "white coat" usually are about 3/8" thick over the rock lath. 3/8 sheetrock is still available, get a piece and set in place with screws long enough to find the framing, say about 1 5/8" to 2" long. You can add dabs of construction adhesive under it too, it the framing to screw to is only on one edge.
After the filler pieces are in, and the existing plaster is cleaned back to get rid of the remnants of the corners that stick downward, then you can start filling in the gaps with fast set. When they are filled use a 45 or 90 minute fast set to tape all joints where new and old meet. This material is available in "easy sand" don't believe it, it is better than  the original fast set, but still tough to sand to a finish, so don't use it for the finish coat., use regular drywall mud for the final coat, it will go much easier.
As a mention, if the plaster build up is a 1/2 " or more, by all means, use 1/2" drywall for the filler.
!-15-21 edit after pic was added
You are on the right track with the repair. Typically  Plaster is roughly 3/4" to 7/8" thick. As a mention, the black expanded metal you see at the edges of the plaster are/were 8" wide pieces bent lengthwise to act as reinforcement in the corners. This is what was typically done when rock lath was used. Rock lath is 3/8" thick of the 3/4" to 7/8" mentioned earlier. If you are adding your drywall directly to the framing and not adding it over the rock lath, which my answer above assumed, then add wood strips of the proper thickness where the screws will go before you add the sheetrock. This would mean taking down what you have up already. This would allow a LOT less mud to be used. If you leave it as it is now, it may take a few bags of fast set to get it filled in properly. If you do just the joint, you may notice a high spot because of it.
It looks like you have a sanded finish on your ceiling. I  would try to grind down the roughness a little with a very coarse sandpaper on a sanding pole or pad if possible. This will make the final skim coat on the repair much easier to do. The bumps of sand will make the new finish ripple because of it. You could get by without the coarse sanding first, but you would need to wet sponge the edges down to feather in the new to old. Beyond the edges, into towards the repair there will be ripples to sand out later after it dries but the edges will already be smooth...hopefully.... I think Ed Beal's answer may have a good idea on how to mimic the sanded finish. I have not tried it, but what I do know, what I have tried did not work satisfactory for me.


How can I stop my shower turning too hot and too cold? There's something wrong with the plumbing, because the shower temperature simply will not stay constant. It gradually changes to either scalding hot, or freezing cold while it's running.

The temperature dial is over sensitive - the slightest touch sends the temperature to one of the extremes. A plumber mentioned to me that the water pressure of hot and cold water coming into the shower might be uneven, and the shower unit cannot balance it.

How do I balance the pressure myself? I had a look at the pipes under the boiler but couldn't see anything to change the pressure.

Our flat is in London, England in a house that's been converted into four flats. We have a combination boiler and a 'normal' shower (not a power shower).

P.S. I've noticed that if I turn on the central heating then the shower temperature stays constant. Also, the radiators heat up when the shower is turned on hot, even though the central heating is off.

Is the shower mixer a thermostatic control?

We have a similar set up. The one shower with a non-thermostatic mixer is a bit temperamental, but the other shower with a thermostatic mixer keeps a steady temperature. The former has a single control - left and right for temperature (though mixing), in and out for flow rate. The latter has two controls - one for flow rate and the other for temperature.

The problem with the radiators heating up implies that you haven't got a valve on the radiator feed that prevents the hot water entering the system. I'd get a plumber to check that the system is set up correctly.


How does a soft-start autotransformer compare to a regular autotransformer? I'm using some commercial kitchen appliances from the U.S. in Europe, so I need to transform the voltage from 230v to 115v. I have been learning about different autotransformers, and came across some that have 'soft-start' and those that don't.

As I understand it, soft-start ramps up the voltage as it is needed by the device instead of just giving the full voltage at once. Is that true?

What devices prefer an adjusted voltage to begin with? From what I've seen, soft-start autotransformers appear to be more expensive, so I'm guessing they are probably better all around, but I don't know. Perhaps the device wants the full power straight away. How would I decide whether to get a soft-start or not?

Normally "soft-start" style circuits are used for motors connected to equipment to limit the startup torque and reduce damage to equipment.

Other equipment can use this concept if large inrush currents would be damaging to the circuits or equipment.

Resistive heating elements like those used in cooking equipment would not need a soft start. Appliances should already have a proper filter circuit for their electronic controls to limit the effect of small voltage fluctuations or spikes.

I can't really see the advantage to a soft-start for a transformer for appliances. If a product can handle being plugged in to 120 volts here in the US then they should certainly be able to handle it in Europe.

Good luck!


How can I hang a heavy bag from this beam in my garage? I'm renting a house that was built about 10 years ago.  The attached, finished garage is under the master bedroom.  It has two large beams running across it, see picture.

The larger one is 6.5" wide x 18" tall, and runs the entire width of the garage.  The smaller one runs from the garage door to the large one, about 3/4 of the garage.

I want to hang a "heavy bag" for punching, from the large beam.  I tried to drill into the side of it, but my wood bit got about 1.5 in before hitting something too hard (masonry or metal).  Tried this in two locations, same thing.

How can I hang this 80lb bag?  My current plan is to attach a 2x4 to ten 75lb "E-Z Anchor® Twist-N-Lock(TM)" drywall anchors and attach the hook with some 1/4-20 bolts.

UPDATE: When I check the beam with a magnet, the lower 'edges' are highly magnetic.  That's the rounded portions within 1" of the corner, running all the way along the beam.  There are also spots mid-height every foot or so where the magnet sticks moderately, the texture looks a bit deformed at these spots.

UPDATE 2: Per @Craig, yes, the edges are metal drywall corner bead.  The drilling was sideways.  I'll post a pic of the drill hole tonight.  I'm not too concerned about the landlord... he's friendly, it's behind the beam and I can spackle it up when I move out.

Since this is a rental unit I would have concerns with drilling holes large enough to hang a heavy bag. It could cost you the security deposit when you leave. If you check the website of the bag maker they may offer a free standing frame or you could fabricate an "A" frame out of wood. The advantage of the freestanding unit is it will isolate the house from the vibration hitting the bag generates. I have a bag hanging in my basement. The load is spread over three floor joists and it is very obvious when someone is hitting the bag as the vibration resonates through the entire house.


How should I insulate the walls in a stucco house? What is the best way to insulate a 1969 stucco home in the San Francisco Bay Area? I have added a lot of insulation in the attic area but the rooms and walls are cold. Any suggestions?

I assume you mean to insulate the walls. Houses of that vintage often had no insulation between the wall studs. The easiest way to insulate them without wrecking the stucco or drywall is to drill holes through one or the other at the top of the stud bay and blow in cellulose insulation.

However, when you do this, you impair the ability of the wall to dry when it gets wet, since there's less heat flow and less air flow through those empty cavities--both of which promote drying. This isn't much of a problem with a modern wall where the stucco is separated from the wood with tar paper or housewrap, but in an old house like yours, oftentimes the stucco was applied over wood lath with no tar paper separating it from the board sheathing; in fact, in many cases, there was no sheathing at all! They simply nailed wood lath to the studs and stuccoed it.

In such a wall, adding blown-in cellulose insulation can be a problem when the stucco gets wet, since it can't dry as easily, and cellulose itself is capable of storing water. The risk of this approach depends on the climate and the construction. If your house is in rainy San francisco, it's riskier than in Campbell or San Jose. If your house has no sheathing and/or no tar paper under the stucco, it's riskier than if it did.

In such borderline cases, the prudent approach, if you really want to insulate, would be to remove all the stucco, install batt insulation (fiberglass or mineral wool) between the exposed studs, then install plywood sheathing, wrap the house in tar paper or housewrap, apply 1+ inches of rigid foam or mineral wool insulation over that, then nail 1x3 furring strips over that, and then apply new stucco or siding over the furring strips. Obviously this would be the most expensive option but it would result in a very well insulated wall and have zero risk of mold or rot.


Alternatives to forced hot air unit heaters? The current heat source in the house a Cadet in wall unit heater in each room. They are really noisy and often emit this "iron left in one place too long" odor from (I presume) scorching dust.

I've seen some wall mounted heaters that look they might be more or less "drop in" replacements - for example the Stiebel Eltron CNS series.

Is this likely to work or am I chasing a unicorn? Ultimately I'd like to go to a mini-split heat pump system, but that isn't in the budget right now.

When was the last time you cleaned the heaters? Cadet recommends once every 6 months, which I feel is overkill in most cases, but I bet this is something you've never actually done. This should fix the smell at least.

http://cadetheat.com/blog/clean-electric-wall-heater/


Romex exiting junction box just below 8 feet I am installing new outlets by drilling up from the garage between the wall cavity and fishing romex up. As seen in the picture:

I had my first inspection and the inspector called out that the junction boxes are just below 8 feet above the floor, by just a few inches. So this romex is considered "exposed" and must be protected.

I'm not sure how to rectify this situation. Do I need two junction boxes at each entry point? The junction box you see existing, and add another one just below the above floor? It sounds silly to me to install so much hardware. Is there a cheaper, easier, code-compliant solution?

Can I put the romex in a flexible metal conduit? But then how would I terminate the FMC with the romex just poking out of it?

What are other code-compliant ways to protect just a few inches of romex like this?

Easy.  Cut up bits of 1x4 so you can fit them on the wall around the cable, so the cable goes between them.  Then cap it off with another scrap of 1x4.  The one-by dimension is ample to provide clearance for the cable.


How to fix leak at PVC/galvanized stubout When everything under my bathroom sink fell off, I installed a new metal tailpiece, then went PVC with trap and drain extension, which slips inside a 60+ year old galvanized(?) drain stubout, the problem area.  I have tried a variety of washers with different profiles, but they all leak. The closest I got was when I whittled down a washer I had left over from an adapter kit, and had a drip every five seconds. Tightening the nut turned the drip into a stream.  What really frustrates me is that I can see that the drainpipe in the wall is lower than the floor of the stubout, so water should want to drain instead of backing up and dripping.  Any suggestions, including cheats?

Are the threads still good on your galv. stub?

I have a trick where I use a bastard file to "flatten off" the front end of the stub-out, then run my 1 1/2" pipe die on to chase the threads, then use a rubber slip-joint washer instead of a plastic one.

The reason for using rubber is that the plastic washers rely on an even squish provided by the washer pressing into the i.d. of the old galv. pipe, which is often out-of-round due to age/corrosion. The rubber washer just butts against the end of the galv. pipe and the squish is provided only by the slip-joint nut.

P.S.- slip-joint connections need to be tightened with a wrench. Folks are often mistakenly instructed by Big-box teenager that "hand tight" is sufficient, it is not.


Why would our kitchen faucet hot water stops working intermittently when it gets cold outside? The cold water works great and has never stopped. But sometimes, when it gets really cold outside, the hot stops working. And then, magically, it will start working again. There is no drop in pressure, it just cuts off completely for an undetermined amount of time. I can't pinpoint a pattern other than the cold weather catalyst. The faucet is a Delta Addison Single-Handle Pull-Down Sprayer Kitchen Faucet in Venetian Bronze with MagnaTite Docking and was installed by a pro plumber. I can't find anything on the Delta site or anywhere else on the Net. Also, I tried running the dishwater, which is connected to the hot water supply line, while the hot was not working and the dishwasher did not fill with any water throughout the entire clean/rinse cycles. It seems like the water is not getting to the area at all.

Hot water line is closer to the (substitute "source of cold" for "outside wall" in my comment) than the cold water line, and freezes first.

Mysterious water stoppages in cold weather are nearly always from pipes freezing.

The fact that it's the hot water line does not mean that it's full of hot water - after it's sat for a few hours, it's cold, and if it's sat for a few hours by something really, really cold, it will freeze.

Some plumbers can be quite oblivious about this - I've seen pipes clamped to the inside of the sheathing and all the insulation being put on over them - I've also seen those supply pipes, which I was assured would never freeze when I pointed it out, relocated to coming up through the floor inside the wall after a cold spell (not my house, someone else was "in charge" and it evidently took the pipes actually freezing before they would do the job correctly. It probably cost 3 times as much to do over as it would have to do right in the first place.)


Which is better indirect or tankless hotwater heater I am in the process of getting my boiler and hot water heater replaced. One company gave me a quote for a Weil McLain boiler and indirect hot water heater. Another company gave me a quote for a bosh boiler with a tankless hot water heater built in. There is 3 of us in the house and we wash dishes and do laundry while others take a shower.

Can anyone give me the pros and cons and which setup is better. Everything I read, tankless has maintenance cost and is cheaper to install, but every article I read leans toward indirect.

Tankless units are limited in the amount of hot water they can produce. It is rated at a certain number of gallons per minute. Think of it in terms of continuous versus multiple use. With a tankless unit rated at 7 gallons per minute you could shower with a 3 gallon per minute shower head until you ran out of fuel. If three people were multiple showering at the same time your use would use 9 gallons per minute and you would run out of hot water. The plus of tankless is you only heat water when needed. However if the tankless unit is part of your furnace it will cycle to maintain a minimum water temperature. With an indirect unit the water in the furnace will heat tank water via a coil in the storage tank. The furnace will still cycle to maintain the internal temperature. You are keeping approx. 40 gallons of water hot for when you need it. The key to an efficient indirect heater is a well insulated tank so the furnace doesn't have to run very often to heat the stored water. This is usually specified as degree drop per hour. Your decision needs to be based on a calculated maximum hot water use per minute versus the capacity of the tankless. Then compare the added cost and how long it will take to recoup the cost based on utility prices.


What hoses for shallow point well? I've got a shallow point well w/pump where the tube (some sort of hard plastic) from the pump to the well has failed.  It developed a pinhole leak.  Question is, what do I need to replace it?  Is there a specific type of tube/hose?  I was considering making a temporary connection with a spare car coolant system hose I have, but when I prime the system it sees full utility water pressure (not sure what it is, but I'm sure I'm guessing it might be 60psi and I'm not sure that cooling system hoses are good for any more than around 2.0 bar).  Tips or tricks?

Typically 100psi poly is used (it's a black flexible pipe with a blue stripe). You should be using brass or poly fittings. I personally avoid nylon, just because with the threaded parts it tends to have the tool grip worn down - it's especially a pain when you go to take it off years after it's been put on, and you need to apply a lot of torque: it tends to strip the fitting, rather than loosen it. Again, make sure the fitting you're using is rated for at least 100psi.

When you connect this pipe to the fittings, you'll need to heat it up (I prefer MEP gas but propane works as well) just enough so it can go on (you still need to apply a bit of force). If you heat it too much to the point it stretches, you'll weaken the pipe and probably cause a leak - if you do this, cut the end off and start over. Use two stainless steel gear clamps to ensure a reliable connection (you can usually get away with one -- but in an outside location like a well, an extra couple gear clamps is probably cheaper than the pain of having to do this repair again).

Wrap some black electrical tape around the gear clamps afterwards, especially if you have wires nearby. This reduces the chance of the sharp edges of the clamps rubbing against the wires and causing a short eventually (I've seen it happen - remember, these pipes will move a bunch every time the pump comes on). It also makes it easier to get the clamps off later, as they won't get full of mud and insects and whatever else. Inside, unless there are wires right next to the pipes, this generally isn't needed.

Most pressure systems are adjusted so they turn on at 40psi, and off at 60psi. The pressure tank in your house buffers this so the pump doesn't cycle constantly (which is hard on pumps). You want to use higher-rated pipes and fittings because sometimes pressure switches can fail and cause the pump to stay on. Most typical domestic pumps (up to 3/4 HP) can't produce above about 90psi, though it depends on several factors including the depth of the well and length of piping.


Are the sink and washer vented correctly? I want to avoid cutting through the studs supporting the window header above the sink.  Many of the plumbing diagrams I've seen cut through multiple studs.  This layout would only require holes for the 2" washer drain and 1.5" sink vent in one stud, but I'm not sure if it's laid out correctly.  I think I may need a clean out for the washer too, but not sure where.

Are you adding the piece that loops around your sink?  It's redundant.

You need a P-trap in your washer line to prevent gases from backing up into your washroom

Otherwise, what you have drawn out is fine.  No need for a clean-out.


Outlets (top only) and lights wired together with trail wire not working I have a room in my house where the top of each outlet is controlled by a switch, and all of the ceiling lights by another switch.  I thought I could just bypass the switch for the outlets and have them on at all times, but it turned out to be more complicated than I anticipated.  I would like some help putting it back to the way it was.  Trouble is, I do not remember the way it was.  There are only two wires coming into the switches indicated below, one coming into the room from the ceiling (top) and one coming into the room through the floor (bottom).

Here is how it is now:

Problem is, now nothing works.  What is the correct way to wire this?

EDIT:  I do know for sure there was a trail wire connecting the two switches, I just do not know how they were connected

EDIT: Here is how the outlets are wired

This is the correct way to wire what you have described (grounds not shown):

You have 3-wire cable wired to your split receptacles, which means there should be 3-wire cable running to your switch in order to complete the circuit.

If there is only a 2-wire cable wired to your switch, then the power for your lights must be coming from somewhere else, and your switches should be wired like this:


Curtan rod pulled spacle out of wall? I'm not sure what type of walls I have in the first floor of my house, but it looks as though someone   tried to Spackle a hole     and the curtain rod bracket has just fallen out, since the bracket was attached to the Spackle.
Is there anyway to fix this?
Or is it just going to go on with me applying Spackle and it falling out of the wall until there's a hole big enough that I should just add another door?

It is hard to tell but I think you have lath and plaster.
If that is the case then you break away the loose plaster exposing the lath (thin wood boards).  Once you have the lath exposed you use concrete fill ( a fiberglass re-inforced setting compound ) to get to the same vertical plane as the wall.
Typically you'll have a rough area at this point and you apply a finish coat of setting compound.  I'd go with a 30 minute setting compound.  Once the setting compound dries, you sand and then paint.
Now that the area is finished again you can use toggle bolts to hold the curtain rod bracket in place (assuming the spot that the bracket needs to sit doesn't have framing behind it).


Reading electrical clamp tester higher voltage/amp 400A A sub panel CH 60AMP 3 Pole breaker keeps tripping. I'd like to test the AMPs on the three wires. My clamp tool measures 7.9A while on the 400A AC setting. That seems awfully low to trip a 60 AMP breaker. Is this the right way to measure this kind of wire for this clamp setting?

This is the tester 21050T True RMS 400A AC/DC Clamp Meter.

No, you have to clamp each wire individually.


Are these dishwasher symptoms consistent with a blocked drainage hose? I believe that my dishwasher's drainage hose is partially blocked. Are the following symptoms all consistent with / explained by that, or is there something else I should be worried about?

Not fully draining

After a wash there is normally an inch or two of pretty clean water left lying at the bottom of the dishwasher.
Doesn't seem like dirty washing water - seems more like rinsing water. Hence my suspicion that the blockage is only partial.

Drastically increased salt usage

Previously a salt-refill would "last" 3-5 months. It's now asked for 4 refills in a month.
I'm guessing this is caused by the water not draining, which means the salt reservoir sits underwater the whole time?

Rust spots on cutlery

Dishwasher has a top cutlery drawer and knifes have recently started coming out with notable rust spots, where they didn't previously do so.

Glasses with greasy streaks
Less effective cleaning in general

I've followed the manual's instructions about cleaning the filter, and checking that the impeller wheel is unobstructed, to no effect. (Manual, page 27/28) So I think it's in the pipe itself, not in the dishwasher?

Have I judged this correctly?

See here for my question about what I should do if I am right.

Where does your dishwasher drain hose go? It should go to either an air gap or a high hose loop. An air gap is a metal/plastic gadget, normally on top of the sink, that has the dishwasher output come in one hose and another hose that goes down to sink drain/disposal. A high hose loop has one hose that goes from the dishwasher, loops up to just under the counter (and at a minimum, above the bottom of the sink) and then goes down to the sink drain/disposal.

If you have a high hose loop but it fell down then that would explain at least some of these symptoms. If you're not sure, post a picture of the hose/drain/etc.

The manual you linked is for use, not installation. I found a Bosch installation manual and while it does not include a diagram of a high hose loop connection, it does reference that in the text, so that is definitely a possibility - and therefore a "high hose loop that isn't high or a loop any more" is also a possibility.


Water pump as air compressor? I've googled this, but found no satisfactory answers. I've found a diaphragm pump on amazon for $20, but it has one problem- it's designed for water. I specifically need a diaphragm pump/compressor, but they all appear to be expensive and achieve a low psi. For my application, I need a PSI of around 100, but I don't need a high flow rate. In short, Can a water pump be used to compress air? Thanks in advance.

Yes, you can use a water pump to indirectly pressurize a gas with water pressure if you use a water tank with an internal air bladder. First, you drain the water from the tank. Second, you fill the air bladder with your gas through the Schrader valve. Third, you pump water into the water tank to the pressure you want your gas. Fourth, your gas in the air bladder is now the same pressure as the water in the water tank and you can remove it from the tank.

The opposite can also be done by using air pressure to create water pressure if you ever have an air compressor and need to make water flow instead.

Most tanks have a maximum rating of 100-120 psi pressure, and hydrogen fuel  tanks operate at a working pressure of 5,000-10,000 psi, so I think you'll be fine using a water tank to indirectly compress hydrogen to 100 psi. Direct contact with an electric pump is the last thing you should do with hydrogen, so use this technique and you'll be safe.

Alternatively, you could replace the water pump with an air compressor like a bicycle pump and achieve similar results using this method. I would use this or a combination of both water and air in the water reservoir if your small water pump can't create the necessary pressure. Essentially you're using one bladder to pressurize a second bladder, which works because they're both trapped inside of a container with a fixed volume.


Does a ceiling fan have to have a wall switch I have a three gang wall plate with switches. One switch controls a receptacle in the living room, for a lamp. There is no room to add a fourth switch to control a ceiling fan. I'd like to add a ceiling fan with an integrated light but direct wire it back to the electric panel, and just use the pull cords to control the light and fan. Is that against any fire/electrical codes?

In your case you are fine. The switched receptacle covers NEC Article 210.70(1). If you feel you would still want a switch at the entrance you can always install a wireless control device.

Reference: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Universal-Wall-Mount-Ceiling-Fan-Control-99111/203690000

Good luck


Ethernet LAN disconnects after turning off kitchen tubelight or fan Whenever my kitchen tube light or fan is turned off or on my Ethernet LAN disconnects. How could they interfere with the the Ethernet? My Laptop is connected only to LAN Ethernet cable

What could cause this to disconnect?

Ethernet LAN wire coming from local internet provider

Your profile says you're in India. It also sounds like your ISP has an Ethernet wire that runs into your dwelling (I suspect this is an apartment). I further suspect they ran the cheaper Cat 5e inside the building.

Fluorescent lighting produces a fair amount of electromagnetic interference. My bet is that the Ethernet parallels either the light fixture or the electrical wiring in general (I could easily see the latter being done to save costs by cutting corners).

Unfortunately, since you didn't run the wiring yourself, there's no easy fixes here. If you had run them, I would make sure you keep the Ethernet away from the electrical. I would also run Cat 6, since it affords better shielding. Putting the wire inside conduit would also offer better shielding.


How do I add an independently controlled light fixture to an exiting three way circuit? In my garage I have a two way switch near the rolling door and another one located next to the entry door going into the house. Both switches control the garage main light that barely gives enough light in the garage. I want to add an additional fixture and I want to control it independently and with the existing two way switches.

Essentially, I want to turn it on only when needed, but always turned off by either of the three way switches. This saves energy while maintaining the convenience of the existing circuit.

Something tells me that it can be done, but it is difficult to see how I would go about wiring it. My initial thought is to treat it like another fixture, but with an additional 1 way switch between it and the three way circuit output. The other problem is how do I find which outlet is the first one, since it won't work otherwise.

I believe this is what you are requesting:  the new light must always be off when the original light is off but can optionally be turned on while the original light is on.

To accomplish this you can connect the new light in parallel with the original light, but with a switch on the hot leg, like this:

Or use a new light that has a built-in pull-chain, which is a switch that will accomplish the same thing.

Image source


What actions can I take to reduce moisture on basement floor? In one corner of my basement, after a few heavy rains, I see a darkening of the concrete floor.  To touch, the concrete feels damp-ish.  I say damp-ish, because when I pull my hand away, I don't see any moisture on it.  There is also no beaded moisture on the surface.

The house is 57 years old, so I don't know if there is any drainage tile on the outside of the foundation.

Since the house is so old, it has settled and the surrounding landscape slopes towards the house - about 20' away has a 2-3 inch slope towards the house.

I believe the moisture is wicking up from the ground water, as there are no cracks in the foundation floor or basement walls.

Multi-part question here:

Will backfilling and building a slope away from the house stop this or at least greatly reduce the problem?  Or is this simply a matter of the water table being higher than the basement floor?  I'll re-iterate that this problem is only in one corner of the house.
I've only owned the house for 3 years, but it looks like this has been an issue for a number of years, with little real problems.  Is this something I really need to worry about, or is it mostly cosmetic?  The idea of "moisture in the basement" is typically a red flag, but since there's no beaded moisture, it's only in 1 corner, and there's no cracking on either the floor or walls, I'm wondering if this isn't a big deal.
Should I bother to get a dehumidifier or sealant for the concrete?  Is that typically what is done in this situation or will that just be a bandaid to a deeper problem with the concrete/fill under the basement floor?

Edit: Not sure if this is relevant, but this section of floor also has a drain pipe connected to, I'm guessing, the sewer.  My washing machine drains to it, but I don't notice any correlation between washing & discolouration.

Multi-part answer here:

It could be the water table, in which case, there's not a lot you can do.  If it's the water table, then you'll have water seeping up through the floor. BUT consider that when they built the house, they dug a bowl in the ground, and then backfilled with loose soil, rocks and whatever other garbage they had lying around.  You could have a permeable (gravel and sand) fill inside a relatively impermeable bowl (clay).  In this case, sloping the ground away can help.  It will at least get rid of standing water up against the foundation and help mitigate anything flowing through the walls.
The major worry is mold.  Make sure the area is clean, so that there's nothing for mold to feed on.  You can spray with a biocide if you see any growing, and certainly don't enclose it by adding drywall over the area.
If you have rising damp, then an internal sealant won't do anything.  the hydrostatic pressure will force water through.  A dehumidifier will remove the symptoms.


Can I install Delta-FL in only part of a basement? I've been looking at finishing my basement and am leaning towards using 7/16" OSB over Delta-FL for the subfloor. I was also considering leaving some areas as bare cement (laundry room, utility room, storage) to save some money since I'm not planning to put any real flooring in them.

Will leaving part of the floor uncovered cause any problems seing as Delta-FL is also intended to be a vapor barrier? Obviously the vapor barrier aspect is shot, but is that really a problem? (I also looked at dricore, which seems to take the complete opposite approach by encouraging air circulation.)

If I only do part of the floor, should I still seal the Delta-FL to the walls where possible or just give in to the air circulation approach?

Here's what the Armtec rep had to say:

  We like the idea of Platon venting into an unfinished space so this
  would be good at your doorway. In regards to the partition walls, yes
  you would treat that as you would an outside wall.

So I guess not only is it ok, but they consider it a good thing to have some air circulation with unfinished spaces, while keeping the moisture out of the finished rooms.


will a larger gauge wire used to extend and outlet prevent power loss i need to get a power source 200' out from an existing outlet.  Can I use a 8 gauge wire from the existing outlet to the new one to prevent power loss?

Absolutely.  You are always allowed to upsize the wire.  You will need to pigtail the ends of the wires onto a smaller wire so it will fit on the terminals at both ends.

I gather you've recently visited a voltage drop calculator.  A few tricks on using those effectively:

Use the Ampere rating of the actual loads you will be powering, never use the amps of the breaker trip.  In fact, if your load is more than 80% of breaker trip (16A for a 20A  breaker), that means you're overloading the circuit.  So you should never put more than 16A for a 20A circuit.
3% is not gospel.  The best practice is to limit voltage drop to 8% from the service panel to the final load, so you should separately add up voltage drop for each wiring segment.  Often with those calcs, if you change the number to 4%, you find that the next smaller wire would have worked at, say 3.3% (which is perfectly fine).
Make sure you select 120V or 240V correctly.
Distance is one-way (on most of them). It's automatically calculating for both directions of voltage drop.


Can a 20' section of #4 rebar server as concrete-encased electrode ( UFER ) if it is not attached to the rest of the rebar matrix in an on-grade slab Let's say we have 9'x25' monolithic concrete slab of 5" thickness with a 12" deep by 12" wide "haunch" footer around the perimeter. At 2-1/2" inches below the surface of the slab there is the #4 rebar grid set at 24" on-center.  Now, running through one of the 25' footers is a 20' length of #4 rebar that is sitting on chairs that rest directly on the soil. It is encased in the footer but is not attached to the rebar grid above.  Can that  20' length of #4 concrete-encased rebar serve as the UFER electrode that has the copper wire attached to it?

#4 or 1/2” rebar can be used as the concrete electrode 20’ is the minimum and you will need to stub it up or connect a #4 awg copper wire to it with an approved clamp usually if connecting to the rebar the wire in the concrete is required to be sleeved as it exits but then the connection is not required to be accessible, if connecting to a stub of rebar that attaches to the 20’ piece again #4 awg copper can be used but the connection has to be accessible (I cad weld these so they don’t require access but not many electricians have the blocks to cad weld any more. But yes you can use #4 rebar. Normally the lower pieces connect to the upper ones or there may be 2 parallel bars the wire ties that hold them in place count as connecting. The length of copper if connected in the concrete also counts.


How can I determine why all the faucets are giving only warm water when turned to cold? When ever we turn on the cold faucet in any room in out house we only get luke warm water. I have heard that a faulty washing machine inlet valve can cause this. are there any ways to test that theory? Also any other suggestions to check? We do live in phx, but we should still be able to get semi cold water. Any help is appreciated

Check the temperature of the main home water supply pipe, and compare it to other pipes in the house. Nothing else will be colder, but the other cold water pipes shouldn't be much warmer.

If you find a presumed cold water pipe that's significantly warmer than the main supply, then you can search for the source of the heat. If, for instance, the washing machine is bridging its cold and hot source, then perhaps your cold water faucets are pulling some hot water through the washing machine.


How to fix numerous holes in drywall? I bought a property for relatively cheep, the one bedroom has about 8 holes or so ranging from about 2-3 inches and others 4-8 inches most of which are in a 4 foot square area. I don't know the exact paint but it's white so that shouldn't be hard to match.

I just want a relatively seamless patch. Advice or walk thru?

You'll want to cut back the drywall to the middle of a stud on each side. If the drywall was installed horizontally, there will likely be a joint near 4' from the ceiling. It's a good idea to use this joint as one of your sides for a patch of this size. To make the replacement easier, get all the edges clean and square. If you used any existing joint for a side, knock down any of the joint compound to get close to the paper.

Get a replacement piece of drywall. Cut it to fit the opening. Drywall is cut by cutting the paper on one face with a utility knife, snapping it back, and cutting the paper on the back. Use a rasp to smooth the edge. Count on 1/8" - 1/4" gap all the way around, so reduce your measurements slightly or rasp the edges back until the piece fits. Note, tapered edges go on top and bottom when installing drywall horizontally and tapered edges should always be met against another tapered edge.

Install it with drywall screws about every 12" on the stud and 8" on the side joints. To screw it in, a "mushroom bit" can be purchased that's designed to stop after the screw is slightly countersunk. You don't want to tear the paper, if you do so, you'll need to put another screw in slightly above/below to ensure the load is carried. And you don't want the screws above the surface of the drywall, otherwise the joint compound (aka drywall mud) will not be smooth. Make sure to put a few extra screws on the adjacent drywall if it wasn't already a joint.

Next, get some premixed joint compound and a few joint knives, perhaps 6" and 12" wide. Use the narrow knife to make your first pass over all the joints. Cover the joints with a paper or mesh drywall tape, and then put another layer of compound on top and cover all the screw heads with a little joint compound, too. Allow to dry, smooth out any rough edges with a screen sander, and then cover the joints with a second layer of compound with your wide knife. You want to fan out the joint as far as possible (e.g. 12" from the joint to each side) to make the seam disappear. Allow to dry and lightly sand with a mesh screen once more.

Prime the patch with a good primer and find a matching paint (take a paint chip to have it color matched). I'd also paint the whole wall, but if you really need to save on effort, feather out your painting so that you can't see the contrast from new to old paint.