Paint Peeling, maybe gypsum paper too? We just bought a house and were pulling some nails left over from what was probably crown moulding. The nails had been painted over and some of the paint came off with the nails.

I peeled off a bit more to see if I could find a good place to sand and fill in with joint compound, but it just kept coming off (rather easily too). After closer inspection it appears that it might be the paper from the gypsum has detached, although I can't tell what's texture/joint compound and whether the layer below that is the actual drywall.

It appears that what's peeling off may actually be paint (left), texture (center) and drywall paper (right).

So several questions:

What's actually going on here -- is this a common problem and my google-fu is failing me?
Is there something that can be done to the affected area only?
And if not, can I just peel all of this off, smooth over rough areas with joint compound, prime, texture and paint? Or is there something else that needs to be done?

Although difficult to see and you are not sure if you have exposed the base drywall, I suspect what you have is painted wallpaper. The drywall paper rarely comes off easily without taking some gypsum with it. Because you have described three distinct layers, you may have wallpaper that has been skim coated with mud or primer then painted. What typically happens when wallpaper is coated or painted is that the wallpaper paste is reactivated or wetted by the coating put on it. The added weight of the overcoat tends to pull the paper away from the drywall. Short of stripping a large area, you could try using a sharp utility knife and score a square around the area. Then peel to the score which should leave a clean border, hopefully at a point where there is still a good bond of all the different layers. you could lightly sand that border to ease the edge, then apply a coat of mud or spackle.  If the area is not too large, I prefer lightweight spackle because it dries very quickly and has less tendency to react with the existing wallpaper, wet it and cause it to separate from the drywall  even more.


How do I meet the 7 feet high ceiling requirement after finishing the basement? My basement ceiling joists are exactly 7 feet above the concrete slab.  The requirement for finished living space is 7 ft from the finished floor to the finished ceiling.  Since I'll loose a couple of inches with the flooring (I'll have Delta-FL drainboard + laminate) and the ceiling (drywall), essentially I won't have enough height to meet the requirement.

I'm quoting from what I think is my local code (pdf):

R305.1 (Amended). Habitable space, hallways, corridors, bathrooms, toilet rooms, laundry rooms and portions of basements containing these spaces shall have a ceiling height of not less than 7 feet. The required height shall be measured from the finished floor to the lowest projection of the ceiling. Not more than 50% of the floor area of a room or space is permitted to have a sloped ceiling less than 7 feet in height.

Question: what can I do about this?  One idea I had was to put the drywall between the joists rather than below them perhaps just a few inches above the lower end to compensate for this.  Would this fly?  Has anyone done anything like that?  I realize that this is going to be a lot more work but I may be willing to do it.  Any other ideas?

Per the wording of that code, you can't be adding anything to the floor or the ceiling as you'll be under the 7' minimum. You could consider a super-thin flooring (stain the concrete? Linoleum?) and then, as you suggest, put the sheetrock between the joists (though that sounds like a finishing nightmare).

Alternatively, raise the foundation (likely cost prohibitive).

All that said, I echo B Mitch...what is the concern of not meeting the code? The main drawback would be that you couldn't advertise it as finished square footage when you sell.

The first thing I'd do, though, is have an inspector come out and ask what the odds would be in getting a 1" variance or so. They may count it as 'close enough' and let you get by.


Heat pump - outside unit fan not running we recently had an ice storm in the DFW area. Our outside unit is in a shady area that hasn't completely thawed out yet. Therefore, we have significant ice around the unit (and even inside) that hasn't melted. The unit is heating the house just fine but the fan isn't running and frost is building up on the outside coils and on some of the piping inside. What could the problem be?

Sounds like your defrost cycle isn't kicking in.  There is a defrost circuit in most newer units that controls that cycle, in which the unit runs in reverse -- literally taking heat from your house to defrost the unit.  I'd turn it off ASAP if that's the case since it's just wasting electricity and call a tech to have a look and possibly replace the circuit board.  Tell them what's going on ahead of time and maybe they will have the part with them when they come out!


Prime/paint drywall ceiling in bathroom around ceiling light I'm installing a ceiling in a shower where the contractors left it unfinished. From reading, it sounds like drywall as a shower ceiling can be fine if it's properly primed and painted. Here's my question, though-- the ceiling has a hole cut in it for a light, and that hole obviously has an exposed drywall edge that won't be sealed with the primer or paint. Is that OK, or do I have to somehow get the primer and paint inside the edge of that hole?
Thanks!

Assuming you have a typical exhaust fan in operation, there's no concern. Cut drywall edges around electrical boxes are never treated. It would only be in severe moisture situations that you'd have a problem, and sealing the hole isn't the solution there anyway.


Can an electric stove infinite switch for a small burner be used to control a large burner? I have an electric stove model# JBS55DM2WW.  A small burner and large burner burnt out.  I replaced the larger burner to see if it was salvageable in the first place.  It worked but the infinite switch was bad and kept the stove on.  So I took the smaller burner's inifinite switch and replaced the large burner's infinite switch. I didn't realize the amps are different.  Is this ok to use like this?

I suspect since the amps being drawn by the switch is lower that the larger burner should be able to handle it and it will be ok.  Is this alright for long term?

The small burner infinite switch is rated for 5.4-7.0 amps
The larger burner infinite switch is rated for 7.2-9.0 amps
Both switches are 240 volts.

I'm not an electrical guy.  I'm getting confused by what is out there about putting a lower amp outlet for a wall socket.  For instance a 15a won't run a 20amp appliance.  But to me my situation is different since the switch can only provide up to 7.0 amps the burner only gets 7.0 amps and might run cooler but still be ok.  Or am I wrong and the larger burner is trying to draw way more amps than the switch can provide and is therefore a hazard?

Thanks in advance!!!

I spent some time researching these infinite switches because they are failing on our 25-year-old GE range but by a different mode than you have. Ours are losing the lower end. They don't heat at all on low but do work above a certain setting.

The infinite switches are different part numbers for the two different burners and it is not clear to me that it is "safe" to use an infinite switch for a small burner on a large one. The wires and the sensing element in the small infinite switch might not be sized to carry the larger current drawn by the large burner and might overheat or fail somehow.

The current through the switch is determined by the size of the burner. The infinite switch regulates the heat of the burner by square wave time modulation of the current on a time scale of maybe a second. So when the current is on it would be at a higher value (9 A?) on the large burner than on the smaller one. It is questionable in my mind that it is wise to use the infinite switch for the smaller burner on the larger one.

I suggest you get the specified one for the larger burner and get a new heating element for the smaller burner.


Can I repurpose an HVAC circuit for shop outlets? I recently relocated my HVAC system from back patio to side of house-can I convert the old system (#8 wire, etc.) to a 20 amp outlet for a nearby shop function?

Short answer is yes, but... You might want to consider a small sub panel (outdoor rated) there if you have a 4 wire service to that location. That way, if your needs change (IE: grow), you'll have the power there.   There are lots of posts here regarding connecting a sub-panel... esp. the importance of separating the neutral from the ground in a sub-panel.

If you don't want the sub-panel, you'll probably need a junction box of some sort to connect the 8 ga to 12 ga. If aluminum you'll need special connectors and noalox compound on the AL.   In the main panel, you'll need to splice wires and downsize the breaker to 20 amps.

I think I got this right, but one of the "big three" might be able to improve on this answer.


Is it possible to remove colored paint from cedar shingles and then stain them? We are buying an old house that has cedar shingles (I think they are cedar, they are some type of wood) and I was wondering if its completely crazy to think we can power wash or strip the maroon red paint off the shingles and restore them to a natural wood color or even a dark stain if needed?

Is is possible to do something like this or are we gonna have to decide on a colored paint?

I think this will be very, very difficult - I won't say impossible, because anything can be done with enough time & effort.  But take a close look at the surface - unless you're willing to get in and scrape with dental tools, it will be hard to get all the paint out of all the cracks and crevices.


How to replace the copper connector under the bathroom faucet Trying to use the most accurate description: it's a copper connector or supply line that connects directly to the faucet that breaks with a huge hole. It leaks if I turn on the water.

photo 1 shows the faucet
photo 2 shows the underlying connection of the faucet and the copper connector
photo 3 shows the hole on the pipe

I searched and looks like epoxy is usually used for such situation - is that the only way? The hole is pretty big, also the line is very twisted, not sure if it affects water pressure even if I fixed the hole. I guess it would be great if I can replace it, but I didn't find anyway to detach it from faucet - the connection is deep and I don't have access to it.

Forget about epoxy for fixing that. The pipe is too damaged and being crushed in like that will definitely affect water pressure out of the faucet.
You're looking at cutting out the bad section and using compression fittings or sweating in a new section of pipe or just connecting the to ends after removing the damaged area.  Trying to do this under the sink would be a pain. I'd remove the faucet and do repairs, then reinstall the faucet.
You might even think about just replacing the faucet if the fixing part worries you.


How can I detect reverse polarity on an ungrounded receptacle? Recently moved into a 1950s-built house and am swapping out some of the older receptacles.

On one particular ungrounded circuit there are four receptacles. The first two are as expected - the two black wires were connected to the gold screws in the existing receptacles and the two white wires to the two silver screws. However, for the last two receptacles this was reversed - the incoming black wires were hooked up to the silver screws with the black hooked up to the gold screws.

In installing the new receptacles I switched the wiring so that the black wires are connected to the gold screws and the white wires to the silver screws.

My questions:

How does one test to determine whether the black wire is really hot or if there was some mixup within the wall? I know there are receptacle testers, but I've heard that the polarity testing does not work for ungrounded receptacles.
Is there any harm in having reverse polarity on an ungrounded wire? Is there potential harm to the devices that use the receptacle? Currently, these two receptacles are not being used, but I plan on plugging in a TV, DVD player, etc. into one of them.

It is difficult to test without a ground reference.  One way to do this is with a very sensitive (very high impedance) voltmeter such as a digital voltmeter.  Make absolutely sure you are not grounded (and no pets or children are around).  Make sure the digital voltmeter is definitely on the voltage setting.  Plug one probe into one hole of the outlet, while the other probe is stretched out some distance.  There should be a "phantom voltage" reading of somewhere between a few volts to nearly the full line voltage (for you in North America that would be around 120 volts) when plugged into the hot side.  On the cold (neutral) side, there can also be some phantom voltage but it should be much less.

There is a potential harm in having the polarity reversed.  Lamps with screw in bulb sockets should always be polarized  so the rim of the socket (which is more easily touched) is connected to the cold side.  That way to be shocked you'd have to stick your finger all the way inside the socket (you would not do that).  With the polarity reversed, the hazard exists at the rim, which may have some exposure even with the bulb all the way in.

The hazard can also exist with older appliances that have the cold side intentionally connected to the appliance metallic frame.  That was the only way to make them safer before the grounded outlets became widespread.  But it required the outlet polarity be correct.

You can mitigate the hazard by using a ground fault current interrupting (GFCI) receptacle even without a ground wire available.  These devices do their intended function even without a ground wire attached.  The test button also should work (it cheats by running its 5ma current test between hot on the load side and neutral on the supply side ... not ground).  If you find a device where the test function fails to trip it, do not use it.  Mark the device as "UNgrounded" for circuits with no ground available.  Do not use an alternate ground source that is not part of the supply cable for this purpose.  Never use the neutral as a ground.

The most common hazard to people is being grounded when coming into contact with one wire that happens to be hot.  The GFCI will trip in this situation even though the current is as low as 2ma.  If a metal appliance has internally faulted where a hot wire has nicked or damaged insulation and is contacting the frame, this hazard exists with the frame of the appliance.  In grounded situations the ground wire would cause that to short circuit.


Is my furnace limit switch tripping due to a flawed coil installation? I have two furnaces - one for each floor. One of the furnaces that were replaced within a year keeps blowing cold air randomly. I would reset it by turning the main power switch off/on and then it would work for a while and stop working again with either a 13 or 31 code. This Payne unit seems to have a bad limit switch.

So, a furnace flue gentleman came out and inspect my piping and found something interesting. The path looks clear, but he found a "ducting" with coils that appear smaller than what should be in there. This causes hot air to accumulate and hit the limit switch after some time. Let me attach pictures here. This is a 90,000 BTU unit.

Thoughts? Bad install? Common in the field? I am not an expert so feel free to correct my terminologies or put me in my place :)

That looks like a crappy install the coils should be sealed tight to the air handler. It can be repaired with flashing and screws or pop rivets.
The reason your coils are running hot is the air is not forced through them this will have a huge affect on the efficiency and probably shorten the system life. I would get it sealed soon it can be done DIY just be carefull when drilling or screwing the flashing in place. I will usually use a bead of calking to seal the metal because air passing through a screwed flat piece of flashing without sealant can squeal quite loud, just a bead prior to screwing together makes a tight seal.


Why did my mains trip when I used a multimeter on a disabled socket? Here in the UK, I turned off a socket at the consumer unit. I confirmed the socket was dead with a socket tester. I confirmed the socket was dead via an appliance. I then unscrewed the socket and started testing all the live-neutral wires both ways with a multimeter set to 750 AC Voltage. Then, the consumer unit turned off electricity to the whole house and I was left thinking that I should never touch electrical circuits ever again.
But, for my curiosity, how did the consumer unit get to a state where it thought it should protect me from myself?
The box was double-socket and had two live, two neutral and two earth wires.

That can happen very easily by testing, or shorting, the neutral to earth (ground).
To the elcb for the supply that presents as an excessive trip current so it shuts off the suppy.
Best way to avoid that is to isolate the neutral for that circuit at the consumer unit as well, this avoids the neutral currents from other working devices being an issue.


which glue to repair kids floaties? I have some of these inflatable kids rubber rings, toys etc, I presume made of PVC, with little holes in them here and there, leaking air
some rips are close to the seam so I cannot put on a sticky patch. I think it is possible to put a "glue" on top of the little hole to seal it (without a patch). I read about MEK glues, but MEK is a solvent right? How can it glue anything?
What kind of glue would you recommend for this kind of repair? Must be

water resistant
stretchy (to resist inflation)

Another concern is the cost; these toys cost $5 or less so I don't want a glue that costs more than the toy! I would also prefer something that lasts for a few months once opened.
thank you for your recommendations
Nikos
PS. would plain superglue work on a small hole without a patch?

These are made from vinyl but not PVC. Same base chemical but different materials and different chemistry.
Go to any pool or outdoor water sports supply store and they will have inflatable vinyl repair kits with appropriate glue and patches.
No, cyanoacrylate adhesives (i.e. super-glue) will not hold well here.


Precautions for a subterranean level Although our house build is still several years away, we’ve started making decisions about it. I live in a tropical climate and have always felt a subterranean level makes great sense in terms of thermal insulation.
With zero experience building houses, I had not given it much thought. Structures here are built with concrete for the most part, and I was just told that I’d need to make sure I’d put in moisture protection for the subterranean part. And that this would not be cheap as nobody here builds such levels.
I’m just curious .... what’s involved in this!? How do you protect your structure from moisture when it’s all underground? And why is it different for subterranean levels than it is for above-ground levels that are exposed to the elements?
Some additional research said termites could come up through the concrete (!!!!?) and eat my (planned) wooden floor?
So now I’m wondering what other considerations there are in building underground. Any comments, links, etc are most welcome.

My home is built on a slight slope and my shop (attached) is partially earth sheltered, it has about 4.5' stem walls. To ensure it was water proof, I had a contractor who specialized in this, spray the outside of the stem wall with a tar like compound and then they applied Delta Dimple Mat" over that  (see link below). Then a well designed foundation drain to carry away and water that seeped thru the dimple mat. Fortunately for me, being on a slope I could simply let gravity do it's job to move the water.  Depending upon your topology, you may need to drain it to a sump basin and use a sump pump to pump it to a good location away from the building.
Sorry for the product recommendation, I try not to do that, but in this case, I think it's justified.
https://www.dorken.com/en/our-products/products/residential/delta-ms.php


Adding windows to exterior entry doors Bought a home with two solid wood entry doors which result in a dark entry foyer

Anyone aware of a company making window inserts that can be installed in entry doors?

I'd hate to buy new doors to replace the current ones.

Thanks for your help

There are lots of places where you can get door glass inserts. Big Box stores such as HDepot and others ..

search term Door Glass Inserts

You are going to invest in labor and also it might cost you similar pricing for a new door.


Baseboard lumber choices for staining I am in the process of selecting lumber for my baseboards.  My flooring is prefinished maple, dark red/brown, stained, looks great.  I was thinking about also smooth finished but not stained maple but someone told me maple doesn't stain well.  It is also expensive (approx. $4/ft)

What are some good choices for baseboard lumber if I just want to stain?  I plan to go with plain 1 x 6 (3/4 x 5-1/2 or better yet 5/8 x 5-1/2).  E.g. would oak be a better choice?

If you want to color maple, you might investigate dyes rather than stains - leaves much more of the grain visible.

If you're going to stain it anyway, poplar (in the lumber trade that almost always means tulip poplar) is a nice, cheap, stable wood. Has a somewhat greenish cast, but dark stain will obliterate it.

Responding to Jack's comment: I've posted this one before - it's from "fowl weather custom birdcalls" and provides a nice sample of what you can do with dyes on maple. I suppose it may be possible to use dyes in a manner that gets less clarity, but my overall experience is that dyes leave more "wood character" visible than most stains do. My personal preference is to let the wood be wood, and use a different wood if I want a different color; but I have seen nice things done with dyes.


Ground Wire Installation Currently I do not have ground in my house wiring. I am planing to install ground wiring but the floor around the main service panel is cemented and I don't think I can place a ground rod in the floor. There is an iron rod sticking horizontally out of the wall behind where my main service panel is(main service panel is in the garage). There is a wire wrapped around that rod, which seems to be made out of steel, going into the ground. I think it was installed when the house was built (1968). can I connect the ground wire to that rod?

To meet current NEC codes you cannot have neutral and ground share the same grounding rod.  Ground requires its own separate rod from each panel and sub-panel installed in the house.

The depth of the rod outside depends heavily on your area as factors like precipitation, soil composition and climate affect just how far the rod needs to be placed into the ground.  Performing this work likely requires that you obtain a permit from your local municipality, meaning that you will need to have an inspection anyway.  I would ask the inspector what he will be looking for in a ground rod.


What sort of bit can I use to drill out a thin seized screw? I have a piece of moulding on an appliance that is held on by a long, thin screw with a hex head.  The screw is perhaps 5" long and perhaps 1/8" diameter (modestly heavier than a wire coat hanger).

The overall dimension of the channel is slightly larger, but not substantially so.  The channel has no gaps or openings that would allow me to pry the remaining screw through.

When attempting to remove the moulding to replace a light bulb I noticed a lot of resistance on the screw.  I applied penetrating oil, waited, jiggled, repeated a few times and finally managed to snap the head of the screw off along with perhaps 1/2" of the shaft.  The shaft is now recessed within the moulding by 1/2"

I now realize that the screw is seized at the bottom as well.  I cannot access it from the bottom, or else I could just drill out the bit of threading at the bottom and be done.

What sort of bit could I use in a cordless 18V drill to remove this safely?

Is there another technique that would be applicable given that I cannot replace the moulding and thus must make a serious attempt not to damage it?

At present I envision using a longer drill bit to completely eat away the existing screw and then replacing it.

Have you tried using a Screw Extractor bit?

They are made for this purpose.  You basically put it into your drill and when the drill slowly turns in reverse, the bit bites into the screw and tries to unscrew it simultaneously.


How to configure my modern Tv to pick up broadcast channels? I have a Samsung T260HD TV that in the past I've used only with cable/xbox/computer. I have gotten rid of cable for all the obvious reasons but would still like to get the broadcast channels. Here I am running into issues as every time I invoke the automatic "channel scan" it turns up empty.

I am in an urban area not surrounded by any large buildings (downtown New Orleans) so I suspect I am doing something wrong.

Question 1: It seems like I should be able to get a strong signal here at least from some channel. Is that false? Is there somewhere that I can test coverage?

One thing that I find odd that I cannot understand the use of is that when I go to Channel -> Auto Program -> Auto I see 2 different selectors which I have to choose before starting.

Analog

STD
HRC
IRC

Digital

STD
HRC
IRC

Question 2: What are these options? How do I find the correct combination?

Finally, I do not have anything connected to the TV sans the power. Do I need to get some sort of antenna? I suspect that is not the issue as I can't even get a weak signal - I get no signal at all.

Question 3: If I get an antenna to help catch a broadcast signal, I'm not sure where it would plug in? This thing has every connection in the world (one of the main reasons I bought it) but how do antennas connect to modern TVs? Old timey ones had exposed cables that you manually twisted to an antenna to extend their reach but what about new ones? Do they plug into the cable jack?

Over the air (OTA) broadcasts are all digital now, so you will likely want to scan using the Digital tuner option, probably starting with "STD".

You likely will need an antenna.  antennaweb.org can help you select the proper type of antenna to get the most channels and provide some information on how it should be aimed.  I believe that most antennas will connect into the same connector on the TV that you used for the cable TV cable.

Once you get everything set, you should be very happy with the results.  The HD broadcasts that are sent OTA are very high quality.


Help identifying the manufacturer of a door by its sticker I have 4 steel entry doors on my house. 3 have matching stickers and 1 is the odd ball sticker but the door looks the exact same (for what it's worth). I'm hoping this amazing group can help identify the door brand by the sticker. I want to replace just the slab as replacing the package with side lights and transom is not needed (and $$$$).
The other three are Premdor Entergy doors. All fire doors for the garage.
Thank you for looking.

A Google search for "stl dr dksn std" returns results from Masonite, Jeld-Wen, and STL.


Rocket thrust washing machine drain hose Washing machine drain hose discharge pressure has increased, causing the hose to blast out of the drain and flooding the basement.  What would cause the pressure to increase?

It is hard to actually answer your question without actually asking more questions (see comments section of original question). But despite that you may want to look into installing a drain hose restraint that helps to keep the hose from jetting its way out of the drain drop pipe. This is often a wire assembly that attaches to the hose and the drain pipe. Some ties a short piece of chain is included.

The restraint device can correct for extra high jet strength coming out of the hose but it will not be able to correct for any possible restriction in the down pipe.


How to attach vinyl bracket to cement post? I have a vinyl fence post that was filled with cement. The vinyl fence panel brackets were screwed in before the cement was added so this wasn’t an issue,  But now a few brackets have broken off and I am having trouble replacing them. Every vinyl screw breaks when I try to go into the cement even when I pre-drill a hole. And the cement screws don’t seem to be holding.  Am I just not using the right screw, or is there a better way to attach plastic to cement?

You can try a self-tapping concrete screw, as long as the concrete is not brittle.  You need to pre-drill a pilot hole but after that nothing more than screwing the screw in.  The only problem is the screw size is probably a little bigger than you need.  I think 3/16 x 1-1/4" is the smallest made, but other manufacturers might make smaller.

Any questions click here.


How do I calculate brightness of LED strips equivalent to incandescent light bulbs? I'm trying to figure out how much LED stripe brightness I need to get roughly the same amount of light that would be produced by 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 incandescent light bulbs consuming 40, 60 and 75 watts each.

I can't find any guides online which make sense for this, only the LED power supply wattage calculations, which is a step that goes after this.

You need to know the light output. LED strips (and other LED products) usually give this in lumens

Typical values for incandescent light bulbs are

Watts    Lumens
40       450
60       800
75       1000

Since LED products vary considerably in efficiency, I can't give figures for them.

To do this properly you need to understand the difference between luminous flux, luminous intensity, illuminance and other measurements.


How to seal small leak in buried irrigation system I have 800 feet of buried 1 1/2 inch black poly irrigation line. It is fed from a well and feeds 8 frost free spigots. The well has a variable speed pump and I recently noticed that it was running ever so slightly when all of the spigots were shut off. I have a leak....somewhere. I have one suspect as there is a wettish spot in the field, but I'm hoping I don't have to dig it up. Is there any way to seal it without finding and digging it up? Something I can put in the water? Fix a flat for water pipes? This is solely used to water plants.

Grab a shovel.

In my experience there is no viable substitute for fixing it correctly. Consider, for instance, what your "fix-a-flat" like substance would do to the 8 spigots, each of which looks like a leak (actually two leaks, a big one when it's open and a little one to drain the pipe and make it frost-free when it's closed.)

Municipalities sometimes apply a material to the inside of failing water pipes, but they dig a hole and insert a tube of the material into a section of the pipe, then expand it to seal the pipe. This is unlikely to be economically viable on your scale.

For finding the leak, you may find air pressure helpful. Stay within the pressure limit of the pipe, though. If your wet spot starts to bubble or hiss, you probably have the right spot. Non-toxic dye (in the water) may also prove helpful.


Redoing a hole on a entry way saddle Our building entrance has a set of double doors, the door that is fixed is latched to the top frame and to the floor through a hole in a stone saddle.  The hole in the saddle is too big for that latch making the door not perfectly "fixed" (ie. it is loosely in place).

What material do you guys recommend could we use to fill the hole in the saddle (smaller than 1 inch in diameter) and then redo the hole?

Any suggestion/guidance will be welcome

A picture would help, but if I'm understanding correctly, many of those latches come with a metal plate:

Find/make one of those, and then screw it into the floor appropriately. Eg, if it's stone, you'll have to pre-drill a hole with a concrete bit, and install it using concrete screws (eg, tapcons).


Who should I call to remove my fireplace? I'm looking to have my fireplace removed and blocked up in order to use the wall for furniture. I already have 2 vents on the chimney breast upstairs one in each bedroom, I am unsure as to even what forms of trades person carries out this type of work. Any advice and knowledge would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Any general contractor could remove the fireplace and if the house uses the brick for suport the contractor will be able to do the needed repairs.


Light Switch Tripping Adjacent GFCI circuits I've been having some issues with what I thought were ghost GFCI trips in my shop. The shop is a metal building, all 20a 120v outlet circuits are routed through a GFCI outlet at the start of the circuit. Over the past year, I had one of the three GFCI circuits tripping intermittently, maybe a few times a month. It seemed when like over the summer it didn't really trip but it recently got colder and started tripping more frequently. I've tried removing all devices plugged into this circuit but it still trips.
Fast forward to yesterday, I installed another circuit again starting with the GFCI as the first outlet. I tested the circuit and GFCI, ran some power tools, etc. and everything seemed fine for a few hours. I turned off the lights in the shop and took a break. A few hours later I came back and all circuits were still working. As soon as I turned on the light switch (wired through a separate breaker), both my new GFCI and the one I previously had issues were tripped. I know that I have not crossed neutrals in any of the boxes since I know exactly where each wire runs.
The light circuit is on a separate breaker with no GFCI. The light circuit has several old fluorescent fixtures, probably 40 years old. 4-5 are 4 ft units, one 8 ft fluorescent unit. The rest are all newer LED units without ballasts. I've read that fluorescent lights can trip GFCI's, but my question is can they trip GFCI that are on separate circuits? I also know that the lights start a little slower depending on temperature.
Update 10/8/2020: This morning when I turned the lights on the first time, the GFCI's on both circuits were tripped. After the first time, I could not replicate the issue. Also some more information on brand if it matters. Both GFCI's that I'm having issues with are "Smart Electrician" brand. The other two GFCI's are different brands, one a Legrand, the other I can't tell without taking it out of the box.

I found disconnecting one of the fluorescent lights solved my issue. The light is hanging on the ceiling with a metal chain, then to a metal hook through the metal ceiling panel. Maybe some ground current is leaking into the metal panels of the building causing the GFCI to trip on other circuits, or maybe something with the emi. Either way I’ll be replacing the light and the issue is resolved.


Leak in Maytag washer I have a Maytag stackable washer which leaks a little water after each load. The leak is coming from the bottom of that plastic reservoir in the lower right hand of the picture. That is connected to the belt. It only starts leaking a couple of minutes after the load ended.
Any suggestions?

That item you have circled, is the drain pump. If it is leaking, the rubber gasket/o-ring inside could be bad. If it comes apart easy, you might be able to get a replacement gasket/o-ring. If it does not come apart, you will need to replace the pump.


Can I drill into basement concrete wall to hang a mirror? My basement is unfinished and I have a large concrete wall. Can (should) I drill some small holes in the concrete to hold up a mirror or two?

Are there any serious downsides to drilling into the wall an inch or so?

Shouldn't be a problem at all - look in your local hardware store for masonry bits and concrete wall anchors.


Do I need a corded drill to mix thinset? I've been looking at tearing out my fiberglass shower, installing Kerdi, and re-tiling the whole thing. During my research into this project, I've come across quite a few forums that have members typing in all caps about not mixing thinset with a cordless drill because the motor will burn out. Is this true? Even for small batches? My shower is only 3' W x 3' D x 6' H.

I've got an older DeWalt 14.4V drill that's on it's way to retirement (its batteries aren't holding a charge well), as well as a new Milwaukee M12 lithium ion 12V drill and an M12 Fuel 1/4" impact driver. Is one of those sufficient or should I go buy a cheap HF corded drill or check Craigslist to add to my growing collection of tools-that-rotate-things?

First of all, I have to say that with the volume of work you have you can just mix the thinset by hand. I once had to install about 2.7 square meters of tiling and mixed several small batches of thinset with a spattle - no problems at all, I wasted much more time on applying the thinset and installing the tiles evenly. Totally not worth risking the drill.

Next, you should not use any drill for mixing unless its manual says it's suitable for mixing or that it has overload protection that slows the drill down in case of overload. Drills explicitly suitable for mixing are typically professional drills with very low RPM (500-700 RPM) and so very high torque. The "HF corded drill" you reference is nothing near that. Drills with overload protection are typically professional cordless drills with smart electronics that monitors all the parts for overheating and reduces the output power in case of overload. The Milwaukee M12 you have likely has the right type of overload protection (that's the impression I have from reading the online specs of the drill) and so you likely could use it for this purpose.


Should I raise my subfloor when moving from 3/4" hardwood to thinner laminate? When moving from a 3/4" hardwood floor to a thinner product such as engineered or laminate which is usually 8mm or 12mm, do you typically want to offset the lower profile of the new product by installing an additional layer on the sub-floor in order to bring the level up snug under existing door frames, etc?
Quick calculations show 12mm to be a little less than 1/2" so it seems like I'd be able to layer 1/4" sheets of plywood directly on top of the existing 3/4" plywood sub-floor so that by the time I add any underlay and then the new product on top I should be at the same height as the old hardwood.
Am I thinking about this in the wrong way?  I don't want to re-frame all my door casings to be lower just to avoid gaps between the bottoms and the floor and obviously slapping quarter round on the bottom of the jamb / casings is not feasible so raising the sub-floor seems to be the best option to me.
Thanks in advance for your answers / help.  Glad to have found this site - I've used Stack Overflow for years as a software developer and it looks like there are just as many knowledgable, helpful folks over here.

Do what you can live with. If it means laying down 1/4" underlayment everywhere, do it. Especially if the floor has issues, whether minor or major, that an additional layer of underlayment will assist in correcting. Do straight edge the floor beforehand to make sure it is within the install guidelines for flatness.
When I changed the flooring in the house we have now, there were 4 different types of flooring on a slab on grade. Glued down 3/4 X 2 1/4" maple, 3/4" x 3 1/4" "floating" T&G maple, not glued or anything like that, carpet and click lock laminate. I installed vinyl click lock that was only 3/16" thick in its place. Gaps at the trim where the flooring was pulled up, to look at the gaps left over was more than I chose to live with. I used a gauge block and oscillating saw to cut all the trim bottoms the same, and set small pieces (about 7/8") of matching trim carefully in place with wood glue buttered on both cut faces to hold it there. There was only one door jamb that was an atrocity, and from another door jamb that was demoed, I cut a portion to fit under the recut jamb to fill it in. It all blended in rather nicely. Much better than the gaps. More economical too.


Was it ever acceptable in the past to use 20A breakers with 14 AWG wire? Background

I recently bought a house which was made in 1965 and which still had the original Bryant outdoor main box and breaker, a subfeed to the original GE subpanel in the garage, and (with a few modern exceptions, which seemed to be added by the previous owner) the original GE breakers.  Most of the wiring is 1960s-vintage fabric-covered, rubber-insulated 12/2 Romex which is still in reasonable shape. With the exception of some high-power circuits, like those feeding the electric oven, stove, a spa (which had been removed by the previous owner), electric dryer, and AC unit, all the circuits used 20A tandem breakers (see photo).

A neighbor having a similar house made at the same time by the same builder has a near-identical setup, with the same use of 20A tandem breakers for the branch circuits.

I've since had the exterior main breaker, subfeed to the subpanel, and subpanel replaced to support a solar installation. The new panel is a BR model by Eaton with more slots so tandem breakers don't need to be used. The electricians simply used new breakers of the same rating for each circuit (e.g. a 20A breaker in the old panel was replaced with a new non-tandem 20A dual-function AFCI/GFCI breaker in the new panel).

The new panel and solar installation was done by a licensed electrician and passed inspection. So far, so good.

I've been going around the house replacing old, worn-out switches and receptacles with new ones, checking for and replacing loose original crimp connections with wire nuts, etc., and noticed that several lighting circuits have 14/2 wiring but are still fed by a 20A breaker. It appears that those lighting circuits have 12/2 running from the subpanel to the first switch or fixture on that circuit, with 14/2 being used for the remainder of the circuit. From what I can tell, all the wiring is original 1960s vintage (i.e., the previous owner did not re-wire the circuits to use 14 AWG wire, it had always been that way).

Clearly, this does not meet modern code requirements and I've ordered replacement 15A dual-function AFCI/GFCI breakers to replace the 20A ones feeding circuits with 14 AWG wire to be safe.

My Question

Since the house was built by a reputable builder and presumably passed whatever permit/inspection requirements existed in the 1960s, that prompts me to ask: was it ever (specifically in the 1960s) acceptable or to-code to use 14 AWG wiring with 20A breakers for household branch/lighting circuits? Clearly this is not the case with the modern code (barring rare exceptions not typically found in a suburban home), but was it ever acceptable?

The short answer is NO. 20 amp fuses and breakers have been the rule for 12 awg and 15 amp for 14 awg. This goes well prior to your home being wired. Some one may have swapped them out over the years to prevent tripping at an increased fire risk. Because they used 12awg for the run. It also have been done by a contractor with good reputation and not caught because of the 12 in the panel. Not all states use the NEC today and back then there were more not using the NEC.


Is A Moisture Barrier Required/Redundant with Basement Waterproofing System? Full below-grade basement
Poured Concrete walls/slab

A few years ago I had major waterproofing done to our basement/foundation. When they did this, they also installed an external dimpled waterproofing membrane across 2 or the 4 walls. From what I know, this helps with drainage towards the footer french drains.

I will begin framing the basement and wanted to know if a moisture barrier (not a vapor barrier as I've learned) is necessary behind the studs on these foundation walls which had an external barrier already applied. I intended on using an insulating foamboard (XPS I believe is the industry name) behind the studs for the untreated basement walls.

I framed in a basement a few years ago and we first coated the wall with dry lock and then hung some thick plastic over the block wall before framing. Water getting to untreated studs is not a good thing. Which leads me to also mention that the bottom plate of your wall frame needs to be pressure treated. Hope my input helped a little!


How can I secure vinyl plank flooring that has lifted? I have a warped vinyl tile that does not lay flat on the floor underneath. There is not water damage, there is no other apparent problem. What solutions can you suggest?

Maybe I can use a glue to glue this back to the floor underneath?

This is a more close up view

Thanks

P.S. There is no water damage. The solution should be simple. I don't think I'm the only person for whom this has happened.

Ans OP question in comment.
Updated to change the glue to be used.
1. to help with the glue mess, place transparent packaging tape along both edges.  Tape as close to the edge as possible.
2. You may have to insert a couple of thin wedges, screwdriver, etc. in the gap to get enough clearance to get the glue in
3. use a glue wedge tip or screwdriver to push the glue in the gap and underneath the plank

I would use Gorilla Glue Clear, which is waterproof and glue most surfaces.  This is only a small area.
After inserting the glue into the gap, wipe off any excess.
lay a layer of wax paper over the repair area.  this is to prevent the glue from sticking to the heavy weights that you will place on top of the gap to push it down even to the floor.
Place heavy weights on the gap and wait for the glue to dry.

If your scotch tape can hold it down, then this should work.  See what comments are posted on the use of Gorilla Glue Clear as the glue for this solutions.
Caution:  Make sure it is Gorilla Glue Clear,  other Gorilla products may be the forming type, which you do NOT want to use.


Is there a standard hole diameter for corner braces? I'm planning a project that requires corner braces, and I want to figure out what size bolts I can put through them. Unfortunately, at least on the Home Depot website, the corner brace product listings do not list the hole diameters, though they do have the length and width of the brace.

Is there a standard hole diameter for corner braces? Or is there, perhaps, a standard hole diameter for each width of corner brace? If not, other than by going to the store and measuring, is there a way to know how large the holes are?

There are no standard sizes.

Braces of the type you are considering most commonly have holes that are less than 1/4" and more than 1/8", somewhere around 3/16".  They are usually intended for #6, #8 or #10 screws. You could probably use 1/8" bolts, or maybe 3/16" depending on the brace. 1/4" bolts probably won't fit unless you ream out the holes.

Which bolts will be sufficient depends on how much strain will be on them and how many braces you are using.


Is an oven heating element polarized? I just took out an oven heating element without paying attention to which wire was hooked up to what end. Does it matter how I hook it back up?

I wouldn't expect it to be anything more than a resistive element so it shouldn't be polarized... but the maintenance manual is almost certainly available on the weB, free or for a small fee, so I'd suggest you check that.


Adding the Sense electricity monitor to my breaker box I want to install the Sense electricity monitor to my breaker box to monitor my home's power usage. The instructions call for installation on a 240v breaker inside my electrical panel. Here is a link to the installation video as well as a direct link to the section regarding connecting to the breakers.

My breaker box:

Looks like I have a few options:

 I have one spot left for a breaker. I'm seeing results online about a 240v tandem breaker that would fit into a single 120V spot in my box. Does anyone have any suggestion as to what kind of breaker I need? Search results for tandem breaker run from $10 to $200 but that could be I'm looking at breakers for industrial uses. Looks like this doesn't work? Sense requires being on two different phases. Here is a video linked directly to the email that someone received from Sense.
Add the legs for the Sense unit to the existing 240V breaker for the dryer. According to Sense, this is fine to do since the device uses less than 5 watts of power.

I've done a bit of wiring around the house but this is my first time working in the breaker box. I want to make sure I'm doing the best thing here.

Attach it to the dryer's breaker.  This is fine because Sense is entirely contained inside a steel panel, so even if it entered the worst case scenario of the device drawing more current than its wires can handle, yet less than 30A, the panel enclosure would contain the damage.

Look at your dryer's breaker and see whether its labeling or instructions authorize use of two wires of dissimilar sizes. If not, you will need to get some #10 wire and pigtail it.  When using wirenuts on #10 wire, tighten it with great fervor especially if it is solid wire.   This would also be a great place to use mini-lugs, i.e. alumiconns.


Extension Hose for a Tank Booster My plumber told me that this tank booster won't work with my hot water heater.

[edited: somehow the rest of my question got stripped off on first post]

His reason is that the cold water inlet and the hot water outlet are too far apart. It appears a longer hose could be used with the booster, but he said that it can't. I suspect he's wrong and just want to confirm. I read the manual for the tank booster and it doesn't say anything about not extending the cold water hose. I read the tank manual too and it recommends using a mixer valve (for safety... doesn't mention boosting).

Do you think I can go ahead and install this booster and simply get a longer hose for the cold water?

Not sure why this would not work, so I'm just going to give a little background about how these 'boosters' work so you can decide for yourself.

As you shower or bathe, you open a faucet to mix hot water from the tank with cold water from the city, producing a comfortable mixture. The hotter the tank set point, the less hot water you need to draw to produce a comfortable mixture and the longer you can shower.

The tank temperature has nothing to do with this component. Even without this component, you can "boost" the amount of hot water in your house by increasing the temperature of the tank.

There are however major risks to increasing the tank temperature. Notice that it takes only 2 seconds of exposure to 60C water to produce the same amount of burn as 1 minute of exposure of 50C water.

For this reason, it is really unsafe to simply boost your hot water temperature. A baby (yours or someone else's) may come in and turn on your hot water tap. Or drunken you may do the same. This may lead to serious injuries. It is therefore against code to have high-temperature water flowing out of a tap.

The way this component (a mixing valve) "boosts" water is that it allows you to keep the tank at a high temperature but it ensures that the water coming out of the tank (and into your faucet) is mixed with cold water automatically shortly after it leaves the tank.

This "booster" is a safety feature that allows you to meet code requirements and stay safe.


Mold or rust stain on roof truss Paid a visit to my attic earlier today to see if there was any winter damage.  Looking all good except for a small piece of truss that has a black stain on it (see picture).   I would have said mold but the symmetry of the stain is odd.   Could this be a rust stain or something else that was already present when roof was built?  If you look at roof sheathing nearby and cardboard piece preventing blow-in insulation from reaching soffit, it does not look like there was water infiltration anywhere nearby.
Looking for any input that you guys may provide.

Neither. It's labeling paint. It was either sprayed onto the entire lumber unit or this truss set for identification.

source


Can I build a wooden floor over an occasionally moist garage slab with a drain? I would like to install a subfloor in my garage and turn it into an office.
The floor is slanted all towards the middle where there is a drain.
There has never been any water (that I've seen in the last 5 years anyway) come out of it. However, sometimes, when it rains VERY HARD there is a little bit of water infiltration beneath my garage door.

My question is
- Can I build a sub floor over top of that? Do i need to leave access to the drain? should i be worried about the minimal water infiltration (we're talking about 2-3 cups of water)

Consider a subfloor system like DriCore.

These types of systems combine a subfloor base with a water barrier that has channels underneath to allow small amounts of moisture to drain or evaporate.

 Images and links for illustration only, not an endorsement of goods or sources.


Is it possible to shorten the flue/chimney of a range hood? We are replacing our OTR microwave with a more efficient hood.

The microwave hung under a top cabinet, with about 62" of clearance from stove to bottom of top cabinet.

Is there a way to shorten the flue of a range hood if it comes with one slightly longer than permits by height?

Depends on the hood. Some come with a telescopic shroud, to go bigger, but not smaller. Check the dimensions on the box. Whatever the small dimension is, has to be able to fit.

Or open the box to see how much of the shroud you could cut off, having grabbed an elbow from another isle in the store to see the ultimate clearance requirements when assembled. Flexible might save you an extra inch or so, but is ideally avoided.


Two capped hot wires in wall box I'm installing a light fixture in my dining room and there is an existing wall box just below where I want to put the light switch. I'm assuming this old box also contained a switch. I was going to run the lines from the existing box through my switch and to the light. However, when I opened it up and pulled everything out, I was surprised to see that both black wires had been capped but the whites and grounds are still tied together.

Does anyone know why the two hots would be capped and not tied together like the others?

That's exactly how it would be left if someone removed the switch.   When the switch was there, the two blacks went to the switch, and the whites and grounds were spliced just like that and pushed into the back of the box.

After removing the switch, if they wanted to emulate the switch being on, they would have spliced the blacks together.  If they wanted to emulate the switch being off, they'd do what they did.

That may be because they removed the fixture and did not want hot going somewhere it did not need to be.


What are the best practices for a low deck built half on a concrete slab? In our current place, we moved the main access door from going into the kitchen, to entering an old laundry room converted to a mud room.  In order to do so, the front door was moved over about 4', and off the existing concrete patio.  The bottom of the door sill is ~11 1/2" above the existing slab, and ~12" above grade.  You can see a plan view of the existing concrete patio and proposed deck below.

The plan is to make a 10'x12' deck.  Why so big for an entry way?  Well, it is next to the kitchen, and it would be a great spot to grill.  Also, I plan on building a bench or two on the deck for kids to take off shoes, boots, etc.. before entering the house.

Since the deck is so low to the ground, I plan on building it directly on the slab, and having it free-standing (i.e.- not connected to the house, thus no ledger board).  By "directly on the slab" I mean to also shim it up, say, 1/2" to allow for circulation and water flow.  I plan on using 12' 2x8 joists, spaced at 12".  First question- does this all seem like a sane idea?

For my second question- obviously this deck will hang over an area where there is no concrete slab.  Would it be enough to place an 8" diameter, 4'deep footer at the two outside corners and in the middle of the 12' span, one joist in from the outside, at the same level as the slab?  (see dotted circles in the drawing).

Any other thoughts?  Am I out of my mind?

I thought this would be a fun thing to do (and perhaps set a precedent on diy.stackexchange.com)- post a picture with the results of my question.

Thanks to the tips here on this question, as well as another I asked, I have completed my deck project.  I ended up with what was described above- a ground-level deck, mostly on the slab.  I took Shirlock's advice, and went with an 8" deck block at the two corners not on the slab.  I compacted the earth a bit with a hand compactor.  Since the deck is not attached to the house, if there is some heave, it wont do any damage, and I can always dig some concrete holes under those two corners next spring if it turns out I need them.  So, without further adieu, the finished deck (yes I realize we have some funky siding..  spring 2011 project ;) ):


Can you heat an entire house with wall-mounted gas heaters? My house currently is heated by a hot-water boiler, with radiators in the main rooms. The bedrooms have no radiators (it's an old house and I guess when it was built they figured the central radiators were enough, which they are if you leave the bedroom doors open a bit).

The boiler is nearing the end of its life and I'm wondering if there is any reason why I couldn't replace it with wall-mounted ventless gas heaters (like this, as an example only: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Dyna-Glo-30-000-BTU-Natural-Gas-Infrared-Natural-Gas-Wall-Heater-IR30NMDG-1/206556628).  I'd make sure the total BTUs met the requirements of the space. (I'd also make sure my carbon monoxide detectors work, just in case, given that these are ventless.)

Would this create any code violations or other problems? It's common in my area for folks to install one or two of these in their houses as auxiliary heat, but I've never heard of anyone using them as their only heat source, so I'm curious.

If it were me I would investigate the ability to use the existing boiler to heat the entire house. You said that the boiler is reaching the end of it's useful life; please explain why you think so. Hot water boilers can last as many as 100 years. At that age they are not usually very efficient but they will still heat a home or building. With a useable boiler you have many options to extend the  heating system into the unheated rooms. Using unvented heaters as you mentioned is not a good option. You will have the smell, the excess humidity, running new gas lines to each one, the depletion of breathable oxygen and other things to consider. I would never use one of those heaters in a confined space or room. They are cheap for a reason. Go find a good boiler guy and investigate your options using the old boiler. my 2 cents


How do I connect light fixture’s ground to supply wires? Location: US

While not exactly a novice in regards to electrical, I’m a little confused here. Replacing ceiling fan+light combo controlled by two switches with light fixture (removing one switch/taking it out of operation/capping wires, etc etc etc.) I know the proper wire connections/which ones need to be capped off in each location and so forth. My ceiling box has the pigtails ready to go that need to be connected to the fixture (switch loop configuration and also feeds other items) - no problem there.

That said, my supply’s ground has a pigtail ready to be connected to the fixture’s ground wire. The fixture’s ground wire lead is where I’m confused. The fixture has the standard black for hot, white for neutral, green for ground. The ground wire is in the cable with the hot and neutral (as expected) but then terminates under the ground screw on the fixture’s mounting strap via a ring terminal. There’s not a second ground wire in the fixture’s cable to hook to my supply grounds.

This normally wouldn’t be a problem. I would just take the fixture’s ground wire, tie it in with my supply ground and use a pigtail off of that to attach to the ground screw on the fixture’s mounting strap. The problem is that since the only ground in the fixture’s cable has a ring terminal on the end, I’m unable to tie it into the grounds in the box. Furthermore, if I had a metal box, this wouldn’t be an issue. But alas, the ceiling box is plastic.

What am I missing here? I’m assuming the fixture is set up for installation to a metal box. How am I supposed to connect the supply ground to the fixture? Should I remove the pigtail lead from the ground screw on the mounting strap, cut off the ring terminal end and strip the wire to tie into my supply ground, then add a pigtail to the bundle of grounds to attach to the ground screw on the mounting strap? Or can the ground screw on the mounting strap have both the ring terminal and a solid wire wrapped on it? I know the one-solid-wire-per-screw rule. I also know that more than one ring terminal can be on a screw, but not sure what this falls under considering it’s a mix of the two. I’ve googled to the end of the internet and haven’t found anything that matches my situation.

I apologize in advance for what is probably a seemingly simple solution but I often tend to overthink which leads either to overlooking the obvious or over-engineering things.

Unfortunately, the installation instructions that came with the fixture don’t conform with reality, either.

If it was me I would go to to the electrical supply store and purchase one of this type of safety GND wire pigtail.

Loosen the screw on the lamp mounting bracket and install the spade lug on the pigtail under this same screw. Re-tighten.
Cut off the end with the green screw and strip the wire insulation about 3/4 inch.
Remove the wire nut on the GND wires currently in the electrical box and then merge the new stripped end of the green pigtail into the bundle and re-bind the bungle of GNDs with a good quality wire nut of the appropriate size.


Sound blocking privacy fence Have a sound studio in the backyard, and the Electric utility just cut down numerous trees that buffered the sound from an adjacent highway. Is there a relatively inexpensive way to block sound from the highway along a 200' chain link fenced property line?

The only thing I personally know of, but don't know its name or manufacturer, that works quite amazing is for cyclone fences only & used by Golf Courses. Their version looks & feels like Astroturf & are just slats or strips that you feed into the cyclone netting. Really impressive at a course I used to play, where you're only 40' from a 4-lane highway.

Otherwise, here's one of many companies who handle fence situations. That one's mostly blankets, but many others are slats or strips...Google - cyclone or chain link fence sound barrier. The Home improvement stores also offer aluminum mini-blind type slats, if you want to hide the sound treatment.

Sound Barrier Companies, may not sell for DIY

http://www.slimwall.com.au/acoustic-properties

https://acousticalsolutions.com/block-your-backyard-noise-with-a-noise-reduction-fence/

http://www.acoustiblok.com/acoustical_fence.php

http://www.soundbarrierfence.com/Sound-Barrier-Insulation.html

Priced DIY Sources

http://www.supersoundproofingsales.com/products.asp?dept=28

http://www.fencefabricsonline.com/noise-reducing-fence-cover

http://www.soundproofingamerica.us/products/

Cyclone Inserts, will do privacy and very minimal sound reduction.

http://www.yourfencestore.com/slats/ultimate-fence-slat.asp

http://www.homedepot.com/b/Lumber-Composites-Fencing-Chain-Link-Fencing-Chain-Link-Fence-Slats/N-5yc1vZc81o


Is GFCI a good idea for a washer in a utility room, even if not required? Updating wiring for a laundry area, I'm wondering if a GFCI receptacle should be used for the washer.

The washer manual asks for a 15A individual branch circuit. Code says if the receptacle is within 6' of the edge of a sink, it needs to be GFCI. In my case, the receptacle will be located >6' from the nearest sink edge (~10') and 15-25 feet from a water heater and natural gas furnace. (I note the water heater and furnace in the room, just in case that has any affect on the decision.)

So, a GFCI is not required, but should I opt for one anyway since a new receptacle is being installed? Given the circuit will service only a single 15A receptacle, does it need a GFCI or is being grounded with properly rated breaker & wire enough?

NEC article 210.8(A) lists areas requiring GFCI protection and not only are garages listed, but the last item on the list is "laundry areas", with no exceptions listed (nationally, your local codes may vary). So yes, you must use a GFCI either way. The 6' distance exception only pertains to sinks and bath tubs, not laundry areas, because it must be used in the laundry area even if the sink is more than 6' away.


Dirty water stain on oak worktop I have had a solid oak worktop delivered and placed it on some sheets next to my radiator until ready to treat with Danish oil. Just about to start and it looks like the radiator has leaked and soaked the edge of the worktop

I have let it dry but it has left behind a dirty water stain all along the edge, I have tried using some fine sandpaper but it doesn't seem to do anything

Does anyone have any suggestions for removing this type of stain

Thanks

Oxalic acid will remove the stain. Here is a link to the product. It is for showing you the container. It has very easy to use instructions on the container


How can I remove a really stuck screw? I often come across screws that just won't budge with a manual screwdriver or even a driver bit in a drill.  They are of different screw types and heads in a variety of different materials. What are some techniques I can use to try and remove them?

Twist in the proper direction
Are you turning the right way?  Remember, "Righty tighty, Lefty loosy" (which never made sense to me). Most screws are right-handed threads, so you'll turn them anti(counter)-clockwise to remove them.  In some situations left-hand thread screws are used (usually to prevent screws from loosening due to rotational forces), so you'll actually have to turn the screw clock-wise to loosen it.
Sometimes tightening the screw very, very slightly, can loosen it up enough that it can be removed.
Muscle
The first thing to try, is simply to apply more inward force while turning.

Use a screwdriver with a head that fits snugly in the screw head.
Put the palm of one hand on the back side of the screwdriver handle, and wrap your other hand around the handle ready to twist.
Push the screwdriver as hard as you can with your back hand into the screw, and twist with your other hand.

If you are using a screwdriver with a hexagonal or square shaft, you can grip the shaft of the screwdriver with an adjustable spanner (wrench) or vise grips. This will allow you to exert more torque, and may put you in a better position to push the screwdriver harder into the screw head.
Lube
Sometimes screws seize up due to rust, or other debris.  Soaking the area with penetrating oil, may free up the screw enough for you to remove it.

Apply a liberal amount of penetrating oil to the area.
Allow the oil to soak in for 5-10 minutes.
Try to remove the screw (by conventional means, and using the technique above).

Rapping, Tapping, and Banging
If both methods above have not worked, giving the area a sharp tap with a hammer might break the screw free.

Hit the screw and surrounding area with a series of sharp taps with your hammer.

Remember, you're not trying to knock the screw into next week, you just want to loosen it up (though there are situations where you'll have to give the piece a healthy whack).
Impact Driver
For really stuck screws, you can use a manual impact driver.

Attach a bit that fits snugly in the screw slot
Set the driver to spin in the proper direction (this process varies from tool to tool, but most commonly, you'll compress the driver and twist).
Place the driver on the screw, and hold the driver as straight as possible (keep you hands away from both ends of the tool).
Give the back side of the driver a whack with a hammer (a rubber mallet or non-marring hammer is good for this).
Repeat until the screw starts to twist (most impact drivers have to be "reset" between strikes, so don't forget to reset the driver before whacking it again).
Once the screw is freed up, use a regular screwdriver to remove it.

This may not always be the best tool when working with sensitive electronics or delicate equipment, but it's very useful for removing stuck screws.
Drilling
If you still cannot remove the screw, as a last resort you can drill the screw out.

Select a drill bit that is just smaller than the shaft of the screw you want to remove (you may have to guess if you can't see the whole screw, but you can always go bigger later so start small).
Place the bit in a drill.
Place the tip of the bit in the center of the head of the screw.
Drill until the screw comes free, or until you think you are deep enough.
If the screw did not come free, switch to a slightly larger bit and drill again.

This is a last-ditch effort, and will destroy the screw (and possibly the threads in the hole, if not done correctly).  Use this technique only as your last resort.
Explosives
Remove the screw, and everything else in a 20ft. radius.

Place the charge on the screw.
Light the fuse.
Run like hell.
Cover your ears.
Bask in destructive glory.

It's a good idea to film the explosion using a high-speed camera, so you can watch it over and over again in super slow-mo.


Crack in plaster ceiling Have lived in our 1957 ranch for 14 years.  Sometime back, there was an errant step by someone working in the attic, and a bit of cracking occurred in the plaster ceiling in the master bedroom.

The crack was stable for years.... But recently we discovered it was worsening.  There has been major road work less than two blocks from our house (think once every forty years rebuilding of eight lane freeway) which I'm sure hasn't helped.   Tiny bubbling in the plaster has also been noticed in the last month.

We went up in to the attic and found a small leak on the air conditioning unit (boiler heat through baseboards with AC unit in attic). Placed a pan under it until the spring when it's warm enough to repair.

We want a fix for the plaster, but aren't sure how to go about it.
There's the crack.   Missing a teeny piece of plaster in the middle.  Can't appreciate any lath up under the plaster.  It's a grey substrate material directly above the cracked plaster?     Can we patch the plaster without making it a huge deal and pulling the entire ceiling down one piece at a time?

You should be able to just pick off the worst bits and apply new joint compound. Do it in 2 thin layers if the plaster is thick. It will look a bit patchy if you don't sand and paint afterwards.


Help - Light switches My basement is long and mostly finished- There are three light switches at both ends,  I built a bedroom in the centre of the room, so I moved the lights and tried to put a new light switch for four of the light, now I can not get any of then to work. The wire has a red, black and white, but the switch only has two screws. Please help

One of the boxes this is the one  that works

light switches more photos to come

More of the basement lights and switches

More of the basement lights and switches

More of the basement lights and switches

To wire your lamp to be controlled by 3 or more switches the "middle" switches must be "intermediate" or "cross-over" switches with 4 terminals, which cross the strapping/traveller pair.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiway_switching#More_than_two_locations


How do I use dust saved from sanding Corian to fix scratches? I recently installed a wet bar with a Corian counter top.  When I sanded it (starting with 200 grit and working up to 2500) i created a bunch of Corian dust.  I had heard that I should save this in case I need to use it for scratches/repairs to the Corian.  Is this accurate?

How can I use this to fix my counter top if I have scratches?  I have roughly 6 oz volume (half of a 12 oz glass -- I know that's not the right way to measure it but I'm not going to weigh it) saved.

Similar to using wood dust mixed with wood glue to fill in some imperfection on a wood project. You will always see it, but most other folks won't. Kind of depends on the scratch.

If you have a scrap of your corian, put a scratch in it, take the dust, mix with some epoxy fill the scratch and sand flush. See if it works to your satisfaction. Then put away that experience to the day if and when you actually scratch your bar top. And don't forget where you put those corian sandings.

My assumption is that epoxy will stick to the corian and not pop off.


LED lighting fixture driver busted - what can I replace it with? A LED lighting fixture in my apartment (in Israel/Palestine) started flickering for a while before coming on, then went bust. I suspect it's the driver/power supply rather than the LEDs themselves, since it was all very uniform.
the LED area cover has a sticker saying "9V DC 40W 196 LEDs".
Question: What can I replace this driver with?
That is, what tolerance ranges do I have for the different driver parameters, to fit my LEDs?
The supposed manufacturer's website (www.xz-power.com) gives me an HTTP 403 page, "Your request was rejected", so no help there. There's this webpage with a list of what are supposedly the manufacturer's products, but - I'm not sure I know what to look for; plus, I'm not sure these things are available in single units for retail where I live (in fact I doubt it).
Notes:

I'm not sure the driver was the right one to begin with, seeing how it failed. I didn't buy this fixture myself.
I'm  not asking for specific product recommendations.
I don't care about how much such a driver would cost - for the purposes of this question.

This is the sticker on the driver:

Based on the input voltage in the picture being 200-240V, I'm guessing you're not in the US, but I could be wrong. Be aware of different rules that may apply based on where in the world you are.
When looking for a replacement LED driver, what is important?
A replacement driver should have a similar voltage input and output range, but what is more critical to match is the current supplied to the LEDs, as over current and over temperature tend to be what kills LEDs. If a direct replacement is not available, look for a driver with an adjustable current limit that you can change to match to the old value, by using a multimeter with a current measurement.
Where can I find a suitable driver to purchase, and how can I make sure it's safe?
Constant-current LED drivers are available from many electronics suppliers like DigiKey or Mouser (US examples, no affiliation). Be sure to select a reputable supplier that sells drivers with the relevant certifications (UL, CE, ETL, etc) and be wary of online marketplaces that may not have the same safety guarantees for what they sell.


How close can speaker wire be to a recessed light before heat is a concern? I'm currently building a home and have plans to install in-ceiling speakers in my family room when the house is finished. The package that the builder offers is obnoxiously expensive and I can't do it before the walls go up. The benefit though is that I can take copious pictures before the walls go up to help me out.

So I know which joist bay I want to install the speakers in. Unfortunately there is a recessed light there. There's definitely more than enough space to put the wires there, I'm just a little worried about the heat generated from the light and it damaging the speaker wire or worse. I just had a phase 2/framing inspection on Friday and I asked the inspector how close speaker wire can get to the light and he said pretty close.

I just wanted to double check that. Any thoughts?

On most of the non-IC (insulation contact) rated cans I've used, they state a minimum 3" clearance from any insulation.  Verify with the inspector that this is an acceptable distance.


Exterior grading where brick meets stone foundation I'm wondering how my soil should be graded where my exterior brick meets my stone foundation.

The first photo below shows my soil coming up above my brick line, while the left photo shows the soil below the brick line.

Should I clear out all this soil so it doesn't reach the brick line?

Houses that I am familiar with have vents ( no mortar) in the bottom course of brick , so the soil must be below the brick . I like to keep the soil more than 2 inches below the brick to look for termite or ant tunnels up to the vents. Even if you don't have vents I would not want the soil over the brick keeping the mortar damp.


Flood prevention in laundry closet I recently bought a house with the laundry closet upstairs. The washer and dryer were conveyed to us by the sellers. The washer does not have a drain pan underneath it, and as far as I can see, the laundry room does not have a floor drain.

I'm planning to have a drain pan placed under the washer, but I don't think I will install a floor drain as this will require substantial plumbing work (the laundry closet is in the middle of the house).

What else can I do to prevent water damage from supply hose leaks in the absence of a floor drain? I'm thinking of installing the Floodstop automatic shut-off valves, and wondering if anyone has experience with this or better suggestions.

A product like Floodstop will not prevent leakages from the drain hose. Do I need to be concerned about significant water damage from a detached/leaking drain hose? The washer I have is an LG Direct Drive front load one, so it minimizes the water it holds at any point in a cycle. If I do need to be concerned about drain hose leakage, what solutions are available to prevent it?

Thank you,
Fijoy

I'm adding this as answer because I really think this is a solution that will work for you, even though as written, I really can't call it a duplicate.

Check out this question and related answers: How can I turn off the power to an outlet if a water alarm is triggered?

The basic idea is to get a device that cuts power to the washer if water is detected.  This will minimize any damage from a broken drain line since the machine will stop pumping water when the power is cut off.


What glue & screw/bolt/nut to use to fix the bathtub drain overflow? I was cleaning the bath tub and I had unscrew a cap from the side of bath tub (where the hole is located) below:

The cap consists of 2 parts:Part A & B as below

When I removed part B, there was a screw at the part A to hold the part B.
Here are the layout diagrams:

Here is the top view of part A with screw

Lastly, based on my best guess & screw type/size here is the back of the part A with screw. Take note that the white part of the part A would be glued to the bath tub wall

However, by accident, I had pushed the screw into the inner part of bath tub.

Would there be any problem if I left the screw inside the bath tub?
The part A is held on the bath tub wall by a glue. What glue should I use to stick the part A on the hole? This is how I stick part A on the bath tub:

What screw, nut, bolt or other tool to hold part B to part A?

Any suggestion is welcomed! Let me know if you need more photos! Thank you.
EDITED
Further investigation reveals that there is a bath tub drain system installed in this bath tub, as seen in the image below:

This is the best I could do to get bath tub drain system out to the wall of bath tub, while waiting for a solution from you all on which glue to buy.

So only question remains now:
How to join part A, part B to the bath tub drain system behind of the bath tub?
What glue should I use to hold the bath tub drain system to the bath tub wall?
Thank you.

By design, this assembly is not supposed to need any glue or caulking. The gray gasket on the overflow horn (visible in pic) is supposed to press and seal against the back of the tub wall, and the white gasket on the overflow strainer is supposed to press (no need to seal the front, it's just a cushion) against the front of the tub wall.
If it were me, I would:

remove the threaded post from the overflow horn
discard the original overflow strainer and cover plate
install a new cover plate using a new screw with the same thread as the old threaded post:

It is important to understand that the seal between the horn and the back of the tub wall is what is important, to keep any incidental splashing water (or, god forbid, an actual overflow) from leaking in the back, to the floor below. The presence of silicone caulk back there (visible in pic) is distressing because it could interfere with the gray gasket sealing against the back of the tub wall. I would try to remove that clear caulking as best I could...


How can I fill a hole in masonry so I can redrill? I am looking to install a folding clothesline that is bolted on the outer wall of the house.

To do that I will need to drill several holes into the brick wall, but as I have never drilled anything in my life, I am somewhat planning ahead for my mistakes.

If I was to make a mistake and drilled on a slight angle, is there a way to seal the hole and be able to re-drill on the same/similar spot?

Unless you are considerably more than "on a slight angle", you are unlikely to have a problem. If you are slightly more out, the screw should still hold the clothesline, just the screw head won't sit as neat on the surface.

Take your time, let the drill do the work, and don't force it.


How can I prevent water from flowing into my carport under the wall plate? The carport was enclosed but no additional concrete was poured. The sill was screwed directly into the concrete. As a result of being so close to to ground, water has come in under it about 2-3 inches. I was wondering what would be the most cost efficient method to remedy this problem? Could we put water proofing membrane  around the sill and bottom of the framing studs then pour concrete or cinder block on the exterior, making the foundation higher (as it should have been prior to construction) even though it's only the perimeter that is higher? Please help.

I would consiter putting in a temporary wall a foot back. Remove the existing wall Or at least the rotted  wood cut it off at the bottom and pour a new stem wall that is taller. With the best method being to dig a new footing and put some perf pipe in a sock at the edge of the footing for drainage (Basicly a French drain). With a new stem wall the water won't be able to rot out the sill plate, with drainage the wall should not weep.


How can I troubleshoot a ceiling fan light kit Issue? I have an issue with my ceiling fan light; the light is on, then eventually over time it starts flickering off and on, eventually over time shutting off.  I'll switch the light off, and then switch it back on, but no light.  After a little while, I can get the light back on.  Eventually it will start flickering again and shutoff.

While it's off, I tested the fan, and it works.  Seems to me this is a loose wire in the light kit?  Or maybe we need to replace the light kit altogether?

It could be one of a few things, like the prong in the lamp socket, or where the wires are riveted to the socket, or the factory crimp/wire nuts not having all the wires securely attached. Any place there is a wire connection could affect it.

DIY box stores should have a school house light kit for under $10.00.


What grade of plywood should we use as subfloor under VCT tile? What is the preferred grade of plywood we should use as a subfloor underneath commercial-grade Vinyl Composition Tile (VCT) tile (not vinyl peel & stick tile).

Basically any plywood will do.  If I were doing it I would go with 3/4 inch.  The key to a vinyl install install isn't the quality or depth of the subfloor but how flat it is.  Any divots or seams bigger than 1/8" could have issues in the future and need to be filled.


Drilling into stone wall with plaster on top I'm trying to hang a curtain rod. The wall is irregular stone, with plaster covering it. I have masonry bits, a drill, and an impact driver (no hammer drill, though I may be able to borrow one).

When drilling, the bit is wandering instead of drilling in (probably due to the irregular stone not being perpendicular at this spot to the hole I'm trying to drill). Is there a recommended way to get the hole started, so the drill bit stays in one place? Some kind of center punch or similar which I should be using? I tried just starting with a smaller bit, but it's still wandering around the stone instead of biting.

I have found mounting a scrap piece of wood to use as a guide helps drill through the wood and place the bit in the hole so you have exact alignment, use a couple of screws to hold the board in place not screwed tight but create a divot from at least 2 screws 3 is better. Now press the board tight and use your masonary drill bit (hammer drill will make this go much cleaner and faster so borrow one if you can).  usually you only need to drill in about a 1/8 to a 1/4" and the hole will then guide the bit. Remove the board and finish drilling the hole and then patch the divots. I have done this without creating the divots but I am a really big guy and will still usually create at least 2 so the board dosent shift.


How to prevent small birds from getting trapped inside open double-hung windows? I have a double-hung window which has an AC unit, meaning it is always open.  Occasionally, like just now, small birds get trapped in between the panels and they can't get out because it is narrow and they have like 15" to climb with glass on either side. Is there any way to put something on the window that will prevent small critters from getting trapped when there is an opening they can get through?

The standard approach to sealing the top of the lower sash raised for the AC is a foam strip placed between the outward facing uper edge of the inner sash and the outer glass pane.

This gap is on the inside of the house.

The birds you mention must be getting in through the lower gap between the lower rail of the upper sash and the glass pane on the inside sash.  There is no reason you could not use the same type of foam insulator on the outside (assuming you can safely reach the window).  While this is not a hard barrier that will prevent a forceful assault by a determined attack bird, it probably will be enough to discourage the accidental intruder.

The foam will likely deteriorate much more quickly outdoors, but should last a  season.


Why do a lot of old houses have drop ceilings? I've been looking at a lot of older home listings in different areas and I'm seeing a lot of drop ceilings in older homes, especially in less populated areas. In my areas drop ceilings are primarily used in commercial locations and in some older finished basements.
When I see a drop ceiling on a main floor in an old home I assume there's a crumbly mess of plaster behind there that nobody wanted to pay to fix right. Is that it or is it something else? I've been looking with someone else online in areas I don't plan to visit but I'm very curious if anyone knows.

It is a "design trend" driven by several things boiling down to $$$$
In general ceiling heights in the 1800's were pretty high across the globe, 3.5 meters in Europe was not uncommon.  Remember that "nice" single family homes back then were not common among the peasants, the upper class people wanted high ceilings because of several reasons - the soaring "look", a place for the smoke (produced by lanterns, gaslights, etc.) to rise to, (as well as pipe and cigar smoke)  much better cooling (gave a place for the heat to rise), the perception of "healthier rooms" as well as just the plain old "I'm richer than you are, nannyer nannyer nannyer" notion.  The higher the building the more materials and more expensive it looked.
In the US this trend came across and by the time the 1900's came along 9 feet and higher ceiling heights were common, as well when electrification came along it gave space for a ceiling fan.  During that era fuel was cheap so people would have stoves and such and burn entire forests up heating 3 rooms.
Later on when they started installing gas furnaces heating became expensive so people put in drop ceilings to push the heat down closer to the people.  During the 70's and 80's the standard ceiling height in new construction became 8 feet high as a way of saving money on heating.  Your drop ceilings in older homes are almost certainly tacked on after the fact (and I would guess they look terrible, eh?) for this reason, saving heating costs. Just beware since a drop ceiling could have been used to conceal an original asbestos-impregnated "popcorn" or "acoustical tile" ceiling.
Nowadays the "standard" in new construction is 9 feet high ceilings, and "tray" ceilings seem popular now (I think they are stupid dust catchers but what do I know)  The trend once more is back to the "I'm richer than you are, ha ha ha ha" notion I think - because the price of single family detached homes is so high we are really returning back to the way things used to be in Europe where only the wealthy and upper middle class owned single family detached homes, and the lower middle class and poor are crammed into rack, stack & pack apartments.  (and it is a sad and dangerous trend which is going to have a serious negative effect on the economy in the future)
Throughout history one of the biggest marks of wealth has been space - if you are poor and you want to look rich - buy a "spread" with a few acres out in the country - everyone will immediately assume you are worth at least $1M because so few people understand land pricing in the country.   The illusion of wealth is created by ceiling height so if you want to rip down the drop ceiling and go back to the original real ceiling, more power to you!


Should a timer switch 'reduce' load? I bought a Leviton Decora Present Electronic Timer Switch...the kind with several button each set to different minutes for a bath fan.

The fan is just a cheapo whatever-the-builder-got-in-bulk fan.

This is all a 15amp circuit.

The issue: after installing the Leviton, the fan runs quieter. It sounds like it's underpowered compared to the old plain switch.

The the Leviton switch installed, I can short the circuit and the fan goes back to full power, but through the Leviton, it's quieter.

Question: Is this normal? If so, is the drop in power negligible in terms of properly exhausting a fan? Or should I find a switch that offers full power? If the latter, how do I know if a timer switch will drop power or not?

In looking at the package, I do now notice that it says "Incandescent 500W" and there's a bit of a blurb that says "Ideal for Heat Lamps, Indoor and Outdoor Lighting". Did I buy a switch only good for lights?

Well...I typed that too fast, I guess. I just found the answer! Sure enough, this is not actually designed to handle fan loads. UGH. Just blew $40 on two of these. Apparently there's some small print. To quote a review on Home Depot's web site:

  Works great for lights,but as I'm finding a common problem with all electric supplies you must read the fine print. Huge voltage drop when I used it for my bathroom fan and as labeled in the fine print using it for a fan caused it to heat up. How it made a UL listing is beyond me.

Sigh. Off to Home Depot to spend more money. This time I'll read the fine print...


Weird wiring in a 4-connection switch configuration for ceiling fan/light I bought a new fan with an LED light, so the dimmer switch connected to the old fan has to be switched. When I pulled out the switch, I found a confusing set up.

Wiring instructions

The current wiring colors don't quite match. Currently it is hooked up as:

Switch's B/W wire is joined to a Red and White coming from the box
Switch's Blue wire is joined to another Red coming from the box
Switch's Black wire is joined to a Black wire coming from the box
Ground is as expected.

Here is an photo of the current switch:

The 4-connection switch in the other room is wired as expected, however, the white wires don't have the expected black tape on the ends.

My question is: what is the appropriate way to replace this custom dimmer/fan switch with a standard 3-connection switch - which wires go where and what to do with the extra red wire?

This is pretty easy, because whatever's happening with the red and white wires there is none of our business.

It's like if you call in a realtor and prime contractor, and they show up at the same time and look alike... that's none of your business.

(You can take it apart if you want to... but then you become responsible for everything going on in that area of the circuit, and I gather you don't have the skills to pay those bills.  Such unnecessary dismantling almost always ends in an electrician call.  I do have the skills, and those colors unnerve me,  and I'd do some investigating, but I wouldn't touch it until I'd fully mapped it out.)

So, all ground wires everywhere except the old Soviet Bloc are bare, green, or yellow/green.  All grounds go together. Done.

The black/white wire is supply hot, and it's not unusual for supply hots to splice with other things to go onward to other points of use. So you leave that alone and just join the red, white and a pigtail to the "common" on your new duplex switch.

Except for grounds, color codes mean next to nothing because of the way cables are made.  It'd be peachy keen if we could just buy red/black, blue/white, red/yellow/yellow or whatever combo you needed, but nope - cables are only made one way.  So colors are pretty useless unless you swerve out of your way to use colored tape to mark wires.

The remaining two wires:

Solo-red from the wall goes to the light.
Solo-black from the wall goes to the fan.

Each of these goes to a switched-hot screw on your duplex switch.


All new Plaster needed for unmodernised Victorian Terrace? I've seen and am tempted to put an offer on a (mostly) unmodernised Victorian terraced house in London, UK.

The interior walls are a bit of a state.. layers of paint and wallpaper, and where the paper is peeling the plaster is freely coming away.

Does this imply that all the interior walls would need all the plaster removing and re-rendering?

Im just unsure of the options really. Thanks

Impossible to answer in general, and hard to answer in specific without actually seeing it. Photos would help, but seriously, I'd suggest you bring in a pro (or several pros) for advice and estimates. After they tell you what the options are for that specific situation, you can decide how much or how little you want to do yourself.

In the US, I'd suggest having this done as part of the inspection process since that estimate can become a bargaining point when setting the final price of the house.


How much weight can you mount to a wall? I would like to mount a fairly heavy shelving unit (~150lbs) to a wall with a number of L-brackets. It being a shelving unit, I would be putting all kinds of books and random stuff on it, thus increasing the weight.

This seems like a bad idea to me. I have no idea how heavy it could end up being with books, DVDs, art supplies, etc.

Is there a limit to how much weight should be mounted to a wall?

150 lbs is a very heavy set of shelves, unless the bottom sits on the floor and you only need to secure it to the wall so it won't tip forward.  In any case, there is no written limit on weight, but a lot of common sense has to be used in this case. You will want to know what the rating of the "L" brackets are and if strong enough to hold your load. They would have to be securely mounted to studs in the wall with some pretty large screws. There are no anchors for drywall that I would trust for that much weight. Perhaps you might consider some legs from the bottom of your shelf unit to the floor to support the weight.


Part 2 - What sort of ceiling fan support do I need where I can't find framing? I am return and resume  to work on my ceiling fan in the dining room. Last August of 2018, I tried to put it up but the support bar is different than others. I did not know what to do until I saw a poster from a company that they took picture fan fixture boxes. I was looking at it and realized that there is something I was missing.. a bracket strap to hold the support bar.

What sort of ceiling fan support do I need where I can't find framing?

I went to Lowe's and found the ceiling box with this :

https://www.lowes.com/pd/CARLON-Ceiling-Box-with-Adjustable-Bar-Hanger/3152573

but I had a problem is that it is wobble and the nuts I drilled in is stuck.

Do you have any suggest to fix this problem ?

What options do I have ?

The box you used is for a light fixture and is designed to be installed during construction before the drywall is installed. It is not designed for a fan, and even for a light it cannot be installed with the ceiling drywall already in place.

You need to get one that is listed as retrofit for a fan, e.g., Home Depot ceiling fan retrofit The retrofit ceiling fan support allows one to expand the support against the ceiling joists by rotating the bar, then the box is fastened to the bar. See the video on the link.