Cracked rafter fix and loose truss plates I appear to have a crack on my drywall where it meets the ceiling in my bedroom.

The crack is spreading a bit. I went in the attic and noticed that this rafter beam is cracked and might be causing the ceiling in my room to lift? I'm not 100% sure what's going on here.

But on my other side of the home I'm developing a crack running down my ceiling. On this side of my home I noticed a few truss mending plates have come undone against the rafter.

I'm in Sacramento so we suffered a 5 year severe drought only to be completely drenched this past winter. Now that we're in the middle of Summer were experiencing a ton of heat and our clay soil is cracking all over our yard.

Wondering what's the best approach to repairs at this stage. Do I have foundation issues? Or is it just some wood expansion and shrinkage that's pulling my drywall apart. Do I patch the drywall or call a foundation expert?

This time of year last year I do have some door frames that go out of square leading to minor adjustments and it's been this way for the last two years I have lived here.

More pictures

Edit:
These are extra pictures, as you can see in the picture 1, ignore the temporary patch job, but the wall and the ceiling have a split and it crossed that piece of drywall, behind the wire for the lamp I put up is a gap about 1/2" wide. You could literally push up on that ceiling piece with your hand and it'll go up.

Picture 2. On the opposite side of the house, in the living room is that straight line crack that is crawling down from the ceiling.

The final picture is just a different part of the house where there are signs of bad drywall patch jobs that were done before we moved in that are starting to show more, like drywall tape that seems to be cracking.

The split top cord should be repaired. Lay a 6 or 8 ft long 2x4 or 2x6 across 3 or 4 of the bottom cords, then use a length of 2x4 to push up to close the  split. When it is aligned properly, nail it in place with numerous nails that are the type that do not causing splitting.  Then sister on 3 or 4 ft (or more) of 2x4 on one side of the repaired section. If protruding roofing nails prevent sistering on either side, then you might have to use a 2x3 on the side and on the bottom edge.

(You might squirt wood glue into the crack before pressing the crack closed.)


How can I use a standard prehung interior door on 2x6 studs? We framed in a bathroom in our metal barn. To allow plenty of room for installation and for added strength we used 2x6s.

Is it possible to adjust a standard prehing door to fit?

You can buy pre-hung doors for 2x6 studding. If you already have one for 2x4 studding then it could be adapted, but it would be better to return it and get one designed for 2x6 studding. See here. Some doors with a split jamb might fit either one.

Do you already have the door on site?


Honeywell Wi-Fi Thermostat I need to hook up a C wire to power a wi-Fi thermostat. I have an extra unused blue wire, but I don't know what to hook it up to at the furnace. I don't have the traditional wiring R W RC G Y C on the furnace. I did locate a 24V transformer coming out, but I'm not sure if I can hook the blue wire (C) to the red hot wire which is already carrying a red wire to the thermostat RH terminal.

The gray (grey) wire coming off the transformer is the C wire.  You can make your connection down near the transformer, or up where the A/C condensing unit wiring connects.


Can salt be used to create a slip resistance surface in concrete? Is it true that salt can be used to put a slip resistant surface in fresh concrete?

I don't think you'd want to use salt for a couple of reasons:

if you have any rebar in there, salt will increase corrosion
salt will affect the concrete mix, possibly badly affecting strength

Instead, use one of the polymer grip additives designed for this purpose - they can be very cheap, and some are transparent so do not affect the appearance of the concrete.

An example - I haven't used this one, but there are many available.


Safe to install vinyl plank flooring under appliances? We’re installing luxury vinyl plank flooring in our kitchen and the instructions inside the box say not to install underneath appliances which we didn’t know until we started.

How hard and fast is that rule or would it be safe to install across the entire kitchen floor?  We’re concerned about having an unfinished areas under the stove and refrigerator where moisture can get under and we’re not sure what to put in that area instead.

The kitchen is approximately 15 x 13" and we've laid down underlayment.

LVP (luxury vinyl plank) floors will not warp, crack or otherwise damage by the weight of home appliances, and being a plastic, they're waterproof and impermeable, so moisture will not affect them.  This leaves temperature as the only issue with LVP.  They also have the least thermal expansion rating of all floating floors, having a rating of 0mm of expansion (none) in normal room temperatures.

They tell you not to install any floating floors under appliances only because you are tacking them down by weight and they could possibly fail to expand in any 2D direction if you lay the planks down with appliances on both ends, so they may tent.

If you leave a standard expansion gap for the flooring to expand in at least 2 of 4 directions, you will be absolutely fine.  The flooring doesn't care which way it expands, just that it can expand.

In fact, if you do not allow direct sunlight to hit your flooring (dark flooring can go above 120 F in direct sunlight), and you never let the temperature in your house go below 50 or above 100, your LVP will never expand or contract at all in the first place.

Of any floating floor, LVP are by far the most worry-free for thermal expansion.

References:

https://www.floorstoyourhome.com/blog/which-flooring-expands-and-contracts-the-least/


How do suds cause water leakage and the machine to breakdown? It seems like an old wives' tale, but I've got a quote here:

  Regular detergents produce much more suds and can cause water leakage.

How do suds actually cause water leakage and the machine to breakdown? Anyone got a video capture or a diagrammatic explanation?

Pour yourself a drink.   Use a fresh cold can of soda and a clear-sided glass. Now, watch the interface between foam and liquid.

As the foam falls, the liquid line rises.   That's because foam is made of liquid.

The reverse happens when you agitate soapy water.  Now the foam rises without limit, and reaches places it couldn't reach without foaming.  Once it is clear of the agitation, it settles back into soapy water.  It can do this unlimited, so it can pump a lot of water.

So it's not leaking, it's migrating.  You are using too much soap (or poor soap).

Detergent bottles are tricky these days.  They went to those goofy "scoops", which caused the caps to become very large.  Separately, they also made detergent much more concentrated.  The upshot is that caps are no longer sized for 1 load per cap.  You need to read the instructions and look at the very non-obvious graduation markings on the cap.  For instance the detergent I use, you use 1/6 to 1/3 of a cap.


Drain under the kitchen sink check Today I inspected the drain and trap under the kitchen sink. I haven't really had any specific problem but I guess the drain could be faster. Sometimes I start the disposer to make it drain quicker. I have spotted some sort of grease leaking out of the trap and I will clean that up but my question is - is this an optimal drain plumbing? Something seems off in this installation but maybe it's just my lack of experience.

On the right side, difficult to see in these particular pictures, there is a copper pipe section that goes down to the sewer and also up to a vent on the roof.

Please, forget the section of drywall I removed. I just wanted to see the hot and cold water pipes as I'm also trying to fix a water hammer issue, but that is another story.

This is what you need to do.

What you have is essentially a very long and deep trap seal. For a trap to function properly you need a seal (height of stored water) to be between 2 and 4". So from the bottom of the exit pipe to the bottom of the trap should be between 2 and 4". The reservoir of water should only be contained in the trap.

You want the drain to slope the entire way, 1/4" per foot is the only acceptable slope.
This allows the waste water to wash the pipe. It swishies back and forth at 1/4" slope. More slope and the waste shoots down the center building up debris on the wall of the pipe. Less slope and it doesn't flow.

Most people don't know this for some reason but on a torpedo level half the bubble is 1/2" slope per foot, 1/4 bubble is 1/4" per foot.

Some levels have multiple indicators to aid in the measurement. In this case 1/8th and 1/4" respectively.

www.swansontoolco.com


New well pressure tank short cycling I have a 3/4HP well for my lawn sprinkler system.  I recently changed the pressure gauge, the pressure switch (set to 20/40) and a new pressure tank (18PSI from the factory).  When I turn on the power, the pressure goes to just above 20 and then shuts off. When I run the sprinklers, it drops below 20, then turns on to above 20, and then just short cycles above and below 20.  I let this continue and blew out the first new pressure switch.  I then installed a second brand new pressure switch and the same thing is happening.  What's going on?

Is the pressure gauge close to the pressure switch or some distance away.  Maybe the pressure switch is seeing a different pressure than the gauge. Too small piping could also contribute as well as any blockages.   Either that or the pressure switch isn't adjusted properly.

With that small a tank the usage by the sprinkler system and the production rate of the pump would need to be very closely matched or you'd short cycling as you describe.  It sounds more like an expansion tank.

Short cycling is also very hard on the pump motor too.

You mentioned you recently replaced some items, was it working before? What is the reason for the changes?

I'd put in a much larger storage/pressure tank.  That would minimize the short cycling. A diagram of your plumbing would help us sort this this out as well.

Sorry for posting this as an "answer", but it was too long for the comment section.


HVAC Heat only comes on when Fan is set to "ON" (not Auto) have a weird problem that JUST started happening.  When I turn the thermostat up with the fan set to "AUTO", nothing happens.  The furnace does not light and the fan does not come on. This worked fine (for many years) until a few weeks ago and nothing else was changed. I changed the Thermostat, and a second unit did nothing different.

When I set the Thermostat fan to the "ON" setting, it starts blowing, and then when I turn the thermostat up the furnace immediately lights and heating commences.

The furnace is controlled by a Honeywell HZ322. Again, nothing changed.

There is a second Zone (downstairs), and it continues to work perfectly - fan and heat come on when thermostat is set to AUTO.

Any thoughts?

The zone board's gone bad

Since upstairs is broken, yet downstairs is fine, and it's not a thermostat issue, I'd point the finger at the zone board having something wrong with it. Just to make sure, try pulling the upstairs thermostat and jumpering R to W on its base; if the heat doesn't come on, then something's dead with the W input for that zone.


Is there a Plastic Barb to PVC Pipe pipe fitting? I'm using this Diaphragm Pump that I bought online for a certain project, and I want to attach the inlet and outlets of this diaphragm pump to a PVC pipe.

I think that Barb Outlets are supposed to be used with quick connectors to hoses, but I really need this pump to be used and connected with a PVC pipe.
I searched online and I can't find a quick connect pvc coupling pipe fitting.
Is there such thing as a quick connect pvc coupling pipe fitting?
and if there is, is there a correct way to call it?
If there is no such thing as a quick connect pvc coupling pipe fitting, what is the best way I can do to attach the inlet and outlet to a 1/2 inch PVC pipe and not have leaks?
All suggestions and corrections are highly appreciated.

Sometimes the hose barb fittings on a pump or device are removable so you can swap them for another fitting that suits your use. Here, it looks like the hose barbs are molded into the plastic of the pump housing.
For this you can use a short length of vinyl or silicone tubing and a hose barb-PVC fitting of the proper size (shown here). You'd have a few inches of tubing connecting the pump's hose barb and the PVC's hose barb, then run the PVC you need from that.


Is that a leak from roof into my ceiling? I found a spot into my ceiling that was not there before. Spot looks like this.

We had rain last night and i am worried if there is a leakage in the roof.

This is what is on top of it.

Is this a leak? I have life time warranty on my roof so if it is a leak i would like to give them a call and have them come check it out.

It looks like evidence of a leak. Be aware that because water runs downhill, it is often difficult to determine the source of a leak. For example if the leak is on the high roof, the water could run down inside the wall, then across a framing member to it's lowest point and then drip on the ceiling a full story and several feet away from the location where water is entering the building.

Because the typical roof warranty is more limited than one might expect, the quality of any repair is often more directly related to the emphasis a roofing company places upon it's reputation than what is written on paper [This is why commercial projects often require a bond covering the installation of a new roof system].

My recommendation is to investigate for the source of the water and where it flowed by entering the attic space. Seeing where it is wet will often be far more informative than looking at the outside of the roof. Also, it is possible for water to enter a building during an unusual wind conditions.


What could be causing my touch lamps to come on by themselves? I am rewiring my house with major upgraded wire. I am installing #12 armorflex wiring and conforming to commercial code. Yes, I know most people use romex for houses, but I have seen plenty of attics and basements with bare wire from vermin and other problems... I prefer to do it this way.

My enigma: I have a floor lamp plugged into a bedroom outlet(plugged into a touch-lamp module). In the morning when I turn on my bedside lamp (plugged into an outlet on the same circuit, but across the room), the floor lamp comes on. On rare occasions, I will wake in the middle of the night to find the floor lamp on.

I did not have this happen before the upgrade. could this be an artifact caused by the metallic cover on the wire?

Has anyone heard of this before?

This is just a guess...a big guess.  Touch modules work by static electricity jolts. This is why a close lightening bolt can activate them!  I don't know code for amorflex, but check to see if the metal case is grounded properly AND continuously.  My guess (again, a big guess) is the neutral is finding a path to the metal shield someplace besides at the fuse/breaker panel and your static touch is traveling along the metal shield.

One other thought...does the process work in reverse?  Can you touch the floor lamp and turn on the bedside lamp? If not you may have slightly defective module at the bedside table.  If it doesn't work in reverse, switch the touch sensors if you can.  If the problem follows the module you have a module problem.  If it stays at your bedside or the process works in reverse you may have a slight wiring connection problem.  I say "slight" because static voltage goes into the tens of thousands to millions of volts (no amperage that's you it doesn't kill you).  At that voltage, the charge pretty much goes where it wants.  Fun problem.


Dishwasher drainage problem I recently got a "new" (used) dishwasher and have installed it myself. It is a Frigidaire Ultra Quiet iii. There is a problem with it draining water. Here is what the setup looks like:

The pink is the drainage hose. Note that the hole in the side of the wall is near the ground while the pipe is about 2ft off the ground.
The water does not drain (at least not fully). There is always a little puddle in the bottom of the diswasher. I've researched a bit and found some discussion about a high loop. So I tried that. I used the clips on the side of the dishwasher to make a loop:

This still does not properly work. I checked the end of the drainage pipes and there doesn't seem to be anything blocking in there (I put a screw driver in and it's clear, plus the sink drains just fine).
So to diagnose, I disconnected the pipe end of the hose and put it into a bucket just to see if it drains, like so:

THIS WORKS!
It drains very well into a bucket. The pump is clearly doing it's job.
So my suspicion is that the 2nd loop is a bit tough for the pump to push through. Could that be correct? The fix would be to drill a hole near the top of the wall such that there is no loop down before it goes into the drainage pipes. Before I drill, I just want to confirm that this could be the issue.
Thanks for the help!

The drain loop is taking the place of a vacuum breaker you'd see on the counter. The loop really has no bearing on how the machine drains. It only stops (hopefully) water from flowing back to the DW from the drain. The pump is obviously working correctly as you mentioned when you checked with a bucket. What you didn't mention or check was whether  the DW was empty of water. In fact unless the water level inside is sloshing around, some residual water will most likely remain simply because the impellers cant force small amounts of liquid out the hose. Some will remain in the sump at the case bottom and then pumped out on the next drain cycle. Your first and only loop should be above the drain where the hose enters the sink drain. Make the top of the loop touch the counter top underside. Unless your DW pump is faulty or damaged it will expel water easily through the loop and down the drain.


Removing counter sunk metal security Torx head screws I have a lot of frozen countersunk T10H security pin Torx head 6-32 screws to remove from cast aluminum weatherproof enclosures. I have tried tapping, torqueing in both directions, penetrating oil, heat gun and ice/freeze mist. Tried to use a drill press and clamping the enclosure in a vise, but even then, the security pin makes the drill bit "walk" off the very hard screw. Someone told me there is some kind of electrical device used my machine shops to remove screws from engine blocks, etc., by "burning" the screw out. Will this work on screws as small as 6-32? If so, what is the device called, so I may intelligently call around to machine shops to see if they possess one of these devices? Any other ideas? I have snapped screws off and also snapped off about 5 T10H tool bits.
I there any special penetrating oil for stainless steel to aluminum tapped holes?

You are looking for Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) and some versions should be able to work at the size you need.


Blowed or batted over sprayfoam I have 3 in of spray foam on ceiling ( not a hot roof ) and 2 in on the walls of my garage can I add batted insulation to the walls before I Sheetrock them or can I blow or put batted on top of my spray foam in the  Attic .

Yes, just be sure not to squish or compact the batt or loose insulation. Part of it's insulating value is it's air space, or maybe 'fluff' would be a better word. If you compact it, you'll lose some of it's insulation value.

That is just generally speaking though. No need to be anal about it, just generally try to keep it loose.


Motion Sensing Light Switch Requires Minimum Load of 60W - can I use with LEDs? I've just bought a Luxomat 2-wire Indoor 180-N-R Motion sensing light switch.
Manual here: https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/DataSheets/BEG/BE180R2W_User%20Instructions.pdf
I was fitting the device and when reading the instructions discovered it has a minimum load of 50 Watts. I would ideally want to use this with an LED bulb but that is just 7 Watts. Apart from buying a 60 Watt filament light bulb what options do I have? Is it possible to use this with an LED bulb?
Location: UK

This is not really suitable for LEDs. Not only is the wattage too low, but since the switch has no direct neutral connection, it gets its power by trickling a small current through the light. With an incandescent light, the power would be so low that you wouldn’t notice it lighting at all when off. However, with most LEDs, you would probably notice a dim glow or flashing from the light with turned off.
Assuming you have a separate neutral wire at the switch (I have no idea how common this is in the UK), you’ll need to return this switch and get one with a third wire that connects to neutral. Make sure it’s rated for LED lights.


Should I be calling a plumber or someone from my water supply company to test for contaminents in my water? I have one bathroom where the hot shower water has a sulfur-like odor to it on most days and I'd like to have someone come and check it out but I'm not positive on who to call.

If you are on a public water supply, there may be water test results already published on a quarterly basis.

If you are doing your own testing, generally an environmental testing company or consultant (rather than a plumber) - in many cases you can save money if you can follow directions carefully and take the samples yourself, for testing at their laboratory, rather than having a consultant come and take the samples for you.

If it's ONLY the one bathroom, it's more likely something in your pipes than in the general water supply.


ceiling light where stud is I want to put three pendant lights where there is no light currently. I drilled a test hole with a drill bit and hit wood. I'm trying to move it elsewhere, but if not can I do something with a pancake junction box attached to the stud and cut only the drywall out? Any other ideas short of moving the light?

You'll want to use a saddle mount ceiling box with at least 11.25in3 of space for this application as pancake boxes don't have enough room for 2 incoming 12/2 W/G cables -- they don't even have 10in3 of space, typically.  (Image below is simply representative.)


How do I extend existing 10/3 wiring to run a compressor that needs 12/2 wiring? I am installing a new compressor in my garage. I already have 240V installed to run a kiln. The kiln is only used maybe 10 times a year. My thought is to splice into the 240V line to the kiln to run the compressor which is also 240v. The kiln is wired with 10/3 off a dual 30A breaker. the compressor needs 12/2 and pulls 15A.

What is the best way to do this?

A simple solution would be a specialty extension cord like this:

It's hard to see from this pic, but it's a 240 v Male, with several 120v outlets on the other end.  You could plug it in where the kiln is, thus ensuring both can't be used at the same time.

Made by Ericson.  But the low end one is $350.  You might be better off to run a new circuit.


Do I need this special strike plate on my laundry room to garage entry? It's creating problems with a new lock Good day everyone. I recently replaced my existing keyed Schlage lock with a keypad security lock on the door from my mudroom to my garage. The door is metal and the frame/jamb has thick rubber/silicone weather stripping. The new lock has been in place for a few months but the lock cylinder has become damaged do to extra stress created by the weather stripping and the new strike plate used over top of some weird sort of metal bracket that was installed with the previous lock.
I can't explain it well, but the weather stripping pushes the door back inward, toward the very edge of the strike plate. The new strike plate, installed over top of what appears to be a security bracket (?) is a tad too far and the deadlock plunger has become bent as a result. You can see this in the pictures I provided. This causes the latch to bind and not close fully. I can replace the latch but that won't fix the stress on the part caused by the use of these two brackets/strike plates.
Do I need this weird looking bracket? Without it, the door will shut fine without the added stress on the latch or deadlock plunger. I assume it's for added security as the rear of the strike plate has teeth that grab into slots drilled into the frame. I can't even find a name for this part.
I'd like to just be able to not use it and use the strike plate that came with the lock instead, but I feel removing the bracket will affect the security of this door. What can I do to give the door more room inside of the strike plate? I can't get the door to sit any tighter against the existing weather stripping.
Thanks for your suggestions.

That little plunger is called a dead latch. It requires precise and correct alignment between the door latch and the strike plate with no excuses.
The purpose of a dead latch is that if it is held in, the latch can't move.  This defeats "using a credit card" to force against the latch's ramped piece to make it retract.
The strike plate, thus, must be correct for the dead latch.  It must allow the latch to drop into the hole, but the dead latch not to.  The best option is to use the strike plate supplied with the lock set, whose hole should be the right size so only the latch fits.
The dead latch should not be taking any damage because it should not be falling into the hole.  It sounds like the dead latch is falling into the hole, and then, is bearing the full force applied against the door, including by the wind, which can be considerable.
Too big a gap between door and strike plate
Part of your problem may be the strike plate being too far from the door.  (I can look right at the weatherproofing and tell you that!)  In that case, the beveled latch is only going partway into the hole, and that is leaving room for the deadlatch to fit also.
The latch is beveled.  If the strike plate is close like it's supposed to be, the hole is only big enough for the width of the latch, and the deadlatch can't fall in.  However, if the strike plate is too far away, it aligns with a part of the latch that is not as wide (since it's beveled).  That leaves room for the deadlatch to fall in.
The gap between door and strike should be very close - you should barely be able to fit a credit card in there.  I bet you can fit about 6 credit cards in there!
I also notice the latch is "inset" from the edge of the door. That shouldn't be.  You need to shim that back out so the latch is flush or even very slightly proud of the door edge.  Here, every mil matters.

^^ How it's supposed to work.

^^ Yours. Note too-big gap and too-inset latch allowing deadlatch to fall in.
That type of weatherproofing makes "closed" ambiguous
If a door is not weatherproofed, there is a well-defined point where the door is positively closed all the way.  With this type of weatherproofing, after the door first contacts part of the weatherproofing,  you can lean on the door harder and harder, and the door will keep closing, moving more than 1/4" additional if you lean on it hard enough.   This makes correct positioning of strike plate extremely difficult, but also, all the more important.  It's a mistake to set the strike so the door is too loose; first it will bear a lot of dynamic force from being loaded in both directions by the wind, and second, people who pull the door shut hard will drag the latch past the strike plate, making for very sloppy latch action... and (again) allowing the dead latch to fall into the hole if the strike plate is too far away.
You say the oval screw spaces in the reinforcement are in the wrong place.  I doubt that. I suspect the weatherstripping is making you want to put the strike in the wrong place.  Since you're already having trouble with the dead latch dropping in, clearly you're already putting the strike plate too far out, and it appears you are near the outer limit of that oval.  I suspect correct placement will be closer to the inner limit, but this will make the door very stiff to close, and you don't like that.
Well, you're going to need to sort that out. Decide whether you want to keep this weatherstripping and place the strike so you must pull hard to close, go with other types of weatherstripping that don't interfere with a positive "closed" position on the door, or get rid of weatherstripping.
The wood may be too beat up to take screws
It's also possible that the wood  "meat" the strike plate screws go into has perished from over-use, and/or the existing holes simply making it impossible to get a screw to go in the correct position (since the screw seeks the existing hole).  That thrashed wood fiber needs to be drilled out and replaced with some sort of filler.  I would drill it and epoxy in a softwood dowel. It needs to be about the hardness of the underlying wood, not much harder or softer (or drills will "seek" the softer material).
You could use an epoxy with filler instead of a dowel; a blend of colloidal silica and fairing filler (e.g. West System 406 and 410) would be a nice compromise between softwood hardness and strength.
I've also heard of people driving match sticks into the screw holes (NOT with the flammable heads!)
So... it sounds like the door framing has been a real "slop job" and these issues were simply ignored by past installers.
You will need to move through each issue and correct it.

Shim out the latch in the door so it's flush, or a tick proud.
Shim the door, or jamb, or strike base, so the door and strike are close enough to work as intended.
Find the strike position so with the latch extended, but the dead latch retracted (tape it down), the door compresses your weatherstripping (if any) firmly for a good seal, and without allowing slack of movement.
Remedy any issues with chewed up wood not letting you place screws correctly.


Installing cabinet hinges backwards? I have a frameless cabinet hinge like this that I bought for a closet-like piece I am building. However, I quickly realized there was a problem; the hinge is designed so that the door lays flat in front of the frame, while in my design the door sits flush within the frame. I was on the verge of giving up and trying to find new hinges when I thought that maybe I could just flip around the hinges, install the cabinet frame piece on the door and the door piece on the cabinet frame, this way that the hinge will effectively place the door flush with the frame. I know that this is not typically done, but can anyone see a possible problem with this?

Basically I want to flip around an overlay hinge to get an inset hinge.

I'm not sure how you're going to be able to do that with this hinge. There are a few tactical issues. First, the hinge requires a mortise which would typically be on the inside of the door. So now you'll have to figure out how to cut the mortise on the inside of the cabinet frame. Second, The hinge is a 110 degree hinge but it's meant to swing in the opposite direction so it will want to swing in instead of out.
I won't get into the fulcrum point of the hinge which will be a non-issue since I don't think the hinge will functionally do what you want it to do.
Buy new hinges!


How should an unused knob and tube run be terminated? What are the safe and compliant options for terminating an unused knob and tube branch? In this instance, insulation will be applied, so the fixtures and receptacles previously on this circuit have been wired to a completely separate circuit of Romex. This is on a third floor, far away from the panel.
I had an electrician complete this work, but I’m not very confident in the mess of wires he left in the attic. What type of termination should I be looking for in order to feel comfortable proceeding with insulation?
Wires in cavity between roof and 3rd floor ceiling:

A wire nut can be seen in the open air

I'd have to go double check my NEC before saying for certain, but my recollection is that unless specifically tagged for future use old wiring no longer in service is supposed to be entirely removed. Now, there is some question of the practicality of that when the wiring is not in conduit, etc. but I would suggest getting as much removed as practical before insulating. Getting rid of all of it would be best practice. You also want to be very sure that if any of it is still hooked up anywhere it does not get buried in insulation.


What do the flashing rates on an Elster REX2 electric meter signify? Our electric service (USA) is metered with an Elster REX2 digital smart meter. There is a main display area that cycles through some lines of information, most importantly the total energy used. Below the main display is a double-headed arrow made of three elements (it looks something like ◀ ■ ▶). The arrow flashes slowly or quickly to indicate direction and rate of energy flow—the arrowhead flashes on and off relatively quickly, and the central box flashes less often.
I'm wondering what exactly those flashes indicate. Is the arrowhead one watt and the central box ten? Or is it ten and fifty? Fifty and 200?

According to the manual the arrow box arrow are real energy indicators
Of 3.2 Rex meter tech manual
They pulse at a rate proportional to the rate of consumption.
Each square pulse indicates 1kh.  each change of state on to off indicates 1/2kh.
The arrow toggles for each Ke
Left arrow energy received
Right arrow indicates energy delivered.
It said see table 2-1 for ke values per meter form.
Form 1s, 2s, 12s.   ke.1 kh1.0
Form 3s, 4s      ke.  0.01 HK 1.0
So it depends on the meter form
The different forms are the class meter 20, 200, 320 2 wire or 3 wire single phase and if there is a disconnect link.


What kind of caulk should I use around my bathtub? I would like to recaulk between the bathtub and the ceramic-tile wall, but there are many kinds of caulking for sale.  What kind should I use?

I just caulked my shower last night. I used GE Silicone II caulk from Home Depot. I read up on this a little before picking out what kind I needed. From what I can tell, silicone caulk is good for bathrooms because:

It's permanently waterproof
It doesn't crack or shrink

Another factor which may play into your choice of caulk could be whether or not it's paintable, but the most important factor for a bathroom is going to be waterproof/mold proof.


Been going around caulking the inside windows and ran into a bigger gap I have been going around the replacing the old caulk where it was cracked on the insides of my windows.  I came across this window and it really opened up when scraping away the old caulk.  It's by far the biggest gap so far and I'm guessing needs more than just a re-caulk.  I stopped scraping after the first bit, got a little worried.  As you can see in the photos, the insullation is visible and the wall flexes quite a bit.

Photos:  https://ibb.co/album/hfDAOv

Is this a big issue or can I just fill it with a different product?  Would something like a foam backer rod work here?

Thank you

It looks like it has been there since the dry wall was mudded and not something new. I would not expect water damage to look like that. I don't know what is the reason for the wall flex or if it is excessive. More than likely it was either a poor fit of the dry wall during installation or these are newer windows that were narrower than the originals. I suggest filling in with 'hot' mud which is a chemical set dry wall mud that is fast setting and won't shrink and crack


Which communication bus systems for home automation? Many communication systems have been proposed for home automation (e.g., HVAC control, alarms, access control, light control, and entertainment), including 1-Wire and X10.  Which system is best suitable for a beginning home automation DIYer, especially in terms of the variety of low-cost devices available?

It seems that X10 is simplest solution if applicable, because it relies on existing electrical lines. Beside 1-Wire, protocols like RS-485, and CAN bus are also good option because they work well on large distances (tens or even hundreds of meters). Protocols like i2c or spi, are usually reserved for shorter distances (few meters) and are useful for say sensor to micro controller communication.


Is there a product that provides a switch for diverting water through a different set of pipes? I have a pond setup where there are two pools, a lower pool and upper pool. Water is pumped from the lower pool into the upper pool, with an electric pump, then flows back through a waterfall.
Much of the pump is plumbed with 2" schedule 40 PVC pipe.
In certain situations, such as during storms, or extreme winds, I'd like to be able to stop the pump from sending water to the waterfall. There may also be situations where I need to be able to quickly lower the water level (e.g. before an impending monsoon), so I'm setting up pipes to divert the water elsewhere.
I hope to be able to achieve that with some kind of switch, much like a switch you see on a railroad crossing. Switch is pointed one way, the water goes that way.
I went to the local hardware store and asked if there is some schedule 40-compatible product that is essentially a switch, basically a Y, and if the switch is set one way, water goes to the left, and if switched the other way, water goes to the right.
The hardware store employees said there is no such way, I need to setup two shut-off valves. That would lead to a lot of confusion in my situation and also could cause problems, as the pump does build up some pressure in the pipes.
Is there some product for switching the water to another pipe?

Sounds like you're looking for a 3-way ball valve. Inasmuch as your use has one source and two destinations, the source would go to the middle port of this valve and the destinations would be fed from either side. (image from supplyhouse.com)

It seems one of your concerns with using two ordinary valves is the possibility that the pump could be turned on while both valves are closed. There exist "tamper" or "supervisory" switches that can be fitted to valves, or valves with the switch built-in, to provide electrical indication whether the valve is open or closed. The electrical output could be used to inhibit pump operation. These valves are often used in fire sprinkler applications.
Another way to deal with the problem of two valves both being closed is to set up a high pressure cut-out to stop the pump when pressure rises too high.


In-ground base foundation Do not know if I’m under engineered.
4 feet in depth, individual 3000lb block to form walls (seating area), on geogrid between 6” of 1 1/2 angular stone, and on top of blackland prairie soil.. I have a dry well to hide the rain over flow.
https://gardening.stackexchange.com/questions/57669/geotechnical-engineering-classification-and-percolation
Top Yellow Seating back - recessed off 6” off;
Bottom yellow block - 3000lb seating;
Between Stone and base? Geogrid;
Dark grey - Base;
Light grey - Gravel sides
Brown around sides it just undisturbed dirt.
!
!
This is a close up of the subdivisions back filled garbage soil, never mind the irrigation we’re cutting it out next week, but we don’t want it to flood like the rain did and paused us during construction.

You didn't mention what is the foundation to support, a patio with deck is very different from a 2-stories building in concern of settlement tolerance.
The settlement is a function of soil bearing strength and footing area, for a concentrically loaded foundation, the bearing pressure is the total force (superimposed dead load + live load + footing self-weight) divided by the footing area, the resulting bearing pressure must not exceed the allowable bearing strength. For the dry condition, you can obtain the presumptive bearing pressure from the building code, or from the local building department provided that you know the type of the underlying soil. However, if there is the presence of groundwater near or above the bottom of the footing, you shall consult a geotechnical engineer for guidance.


Kenmore microwave heating when off with door closed My kenmore microwave continues making the "heating" sound and actually heating even even if it's not being used.

Let's say it's unplugged. As soon as I plug the microwave to the electricity, it will make the "heating" sound usually made when it's cooking something, and it's actually heating. But the light's not on and the glass plate's not revolving.

What can the issue be?

I'm not sure if I'm explaining myself, so here's another way of describing the situation: if I had a blindfold on and then I plugged in the microwave, I would assume it's heating something because of the sound it makes.

Once I take the blindfold off, I'll notice there's something wrong because the inner light's off and it's not revolving. Not only that, the cold cup of water that I put inside the microwave before plugging it in is now hot. All this happened once I plugged it in.

Any help is appreciated. The microwave's about two years old.

Wanted to point out that the microwave doesn't heat (or make the "heating" noise) when the door is open. In other words, as soon as I plug it in (with door closed), it starts heating even though the light's off and the glass plated doesn't revolve. Once I open the door, the light turns on and it stops making the noise. The issue is when the door's closed.

Toss It!
I am absolutely not in favor of throwing any useful stuff. See the clutter around my house and you'll agree :-)
But a microwave oven is a potentially very dangerous item. A conventional oven (from toaster on up to self-cleaning convection wall oven) has two main hazards:

Electricity - There are numerous safeguards in place including GFCI for plug-in appliances, circuit breakers to match wire size & appliance size, grounding requirements, etc. Despite all that, people sometimes still get hurt, but if the devices are not damaged and are installed correctly, electricity can be managed safely.

Heat - Anyone can get burned in an instant from a cooktop, toaster, conventional oven or microwave oven. Actually, microwave ovens are arguably safer (the oven itself does not normally heat up nearly as much as a conventional oven) yet also more dangerous (because the oven itself doesn't heat up much, the food inside can turn out to be unexpectedly hot after just a few minutes of cooking.

A microwave oven adds a third major category of damage. Yes, you guessed it, microwaves!
Microwaves, like radio waves, X-rays, etc. are not visible. As a result, they can do their damage without being apparent until the damage is already done. Like carbon monoxide and other "silent killers".
Microwaves can be managed extremely well by having a sealed oven with solid metal - or metal with openings no larger than a certain size (related to wavelength - the Physics people can explain). The result is that a typical microwave oven has multiple safeguards against the magnetron, which generates the microwaves, running while the door is open.
Your oven it has a serious failure (magnetron running even though oven is in the "off" mode). The good news is that the safeguards on the door are working as designed to turn off the magnetron when the door is opened. FYI, while consumer microwave ovens are designed to be extremely safe, there have been very noticeable failures of safety engineering, such as the Therac-25, where a combination of errors resulted in critical safety mechanisms not working as they were supposed to. So the concerns are very real.
The first question is: Can you use it without fixing it? The answer is an absolute NO. Unlike "turntable doesn't turn" or "light doesn't go on (or off)" or "some of the timer functions don't work quite right", this is a safety issue. You simply can't leave it as is - someone will inevitably plug it in to warm up something and forget it (since the normal timer won't function to turn it off automatically) and start a fire.
With any appliance problem, the next question is not CAN we fix it? The answer of course is "Yes, we can!". The question is DOES IT PAY to fix it? In the case of a countertop microwave oven, the answer is almost always NO. A full-size (~ 2 cubic feet) countertop microwave oven is typically in the $200 range. A small microwave oven (< 1 cubic foot) is often < $100. Parts are often relatively expensive (a full control board can cost as much as an entire oven - really!) and trouble-shooting down to the small level (e.g., relay instead of full control board) can be quite time consuming. But on top of that, while the chance of something going wrong is small, the risks are HUGE.
The exception, IMHO, is failure of parts that are designed to fail. Specifically, there are thermal fuses in many (perhaps all, I don't know the design requirements) ovens (especially microwave ovens, but actually some conventional ovens too) so that if there is a fire inside the oven, power will cut off quickly. I have replaced those in one microwave oven, but it was a built-in over-the-cooktop large oven - which tends to be much more expensive to replace than a countertop oven. In addition, the failure was clear - it followed a fire in the oven (long story...) and was not a fault of unknown origin such as you are dealing with here. Plus, the device acted as expected under the circumstances, and troubleshooting based on the wiring diagram all worked as designed. But in your case there is a failure - and a fail "on" rather than fail "off", which is NOT the way these things are supposed to work when they break.


Correct Screw length I should be buying Can you help me out. I am planning to install this (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rubbermaid-70-in-White-Twin-Track-Upright-for-Wood-or-Wire-Shelving-FG4B8900WHT/100047070) in my cabinet to add organizer inside my closet. I am not sure though what should be the lenght of the wood screw that I will be using if I will install it in the stud. Note that depth of that material is around 1 inches. Thank you

Just add up all the parts:

Bracket - your questions says "about 1 inches" but I usually find these types of brackets (but haven't used exactly this one) are a bit thinner than 1 inch
Cabinet back - varies, might not be any at all
Drywall or other wall material - typically 1/2"
Between 1 inch and 2 inches into the stud. Studs are nominally 3-1/2" thick, but if there is any possibility of wires going through the studs then you don't want to go more than 1-1/2" in.

So that makes a total of 2-1/2" to 3" typical.
As noted elsewhere, don't use drywall screws. They are handy, but they are not designed to hold a heavy load, which is important for shelving brackets.


How can I prevent aluminum window frames from heating up when they're in full sun? There is a room that has a window, the frame of the window is made of aluminum. This window is subjected to direct sunlight a long time of the day, which makes the aluminum get really hot, and start acting as a heat radiator and heating up the room pretty quickly.

What can I do to block the sun from heating up the window frame?

I tried putting some paper with adhesive tape, but it was not durable at all, even though there wasn't a lot of rain or water.

I prefer something DIY, if possible.

Some ideas to try:

Paint the window frames white. This will reflect the light instead of absorbing it.  This might make quite a difference by itself
Cover the frames with XPS foam. On the inside you'd need to cover the foam with drywall or another fire barrier.
Plant a tree or bush near the window to help shade it
Replace the window with a vinyl window.  It's not as hard as it sounds and can definitely be DIY
Install an awning or trellis above the window (Thanks DA01)


IKEA Loviken Faucet disassembly assistance requested My kitchen faucet drips a bit from the hot water tap. I've found the manual, which is somewhat helpful, but I'm unable to remove the part 118211 shown on page 3.

There is a exterior top screw cap, which exposes a very small interior phillips head screw. When the interior phillips is loosened, I'm unable to get the handle to come off. I'm also unsure if part 118211 is easily replaced here in the US, although I've found a number of posts concerning it in the UK. Any tips or info is greatly appreciated!

When the interior phillips is loosened,

You should remove it, not just loosen it.

Then the handle should lift off vertically.

This should allow you to remove the cover/washer part

Then you should be able to see the hexagonal top of the valve assembly
and remove it with the corresponding sized spanner wrench (or adjustable nut-rounder)

  My kitchen faucet drips a bit

I'd investigate if the valve unit can be tightened and whether everything is seating correctly / whether there is trapped debris or damage. There might be a rubber/plastic washer you can replace.

  I'm also unsure if part 118211 is easily replaced here in the US

It is easily replaced in the US, it might not be easily obtained in the US :-)

I'd

Ask IKEA about obtaining replacement part 118211.
Take part 118211 to the local hardware store / DIY-shed and show it to the oldest person there.
Send money to Sweden.


I am wondering can I add a new electrical connection for a gas range to this line? I found the electrical line with only with one receptacle for a garbage disposal. I am wondering can I add a new electrical connection for a gas range to this line?

Given that the gas range only uses electric for clock and ignition you will be fine (given 20A circuit).  Being fine and passing inspection are two different things though.

However the real question is what the oven and disposal require and the size of the circuit.  In the manual for oven and disposal there should be information about circuit requirements.   My disposal for instance says that for a 20A circuit it may be shared with one other outlet.

So read the manual to see if this will work for you.  If you gave us the exact models we could answer better.  If this is permitted work, then just ask your inspector.  Your configuration is very normal in my area but not normal in others.


Changing out old two wire switch to new three wire grounded switch I am trying to install a modern plug switch in kitchen to combine light and plug in. To a old two wire single pole switch with no ground.

You can't anyway.
Kitchen lighting is not allowed on kitchen receptacle circuits.
By putting a receptacle on a lighting circuit,  you are creating a code violation.
Now, if the kitchen wiring was done at a time before this was required, and permits were pulled, then the kitchen wiring as it is now is "grandfathered".  It's allowed to continue in service even though it would never be approved today, because it was legal at the time.   This is not license to modify it.
Modifications must meet Code at the time they are installed. Today, kitchen/pantry/dining area receptacles must be on 20A circuits which are dedicated to serving receptacles in those areas, with no other loads allowed except for auxiliary electric loads on a gas range, and a wall clock.  There must be at least 2 such circuits, but the inspector would surely let you slide on that if you were only installing a couple of additional receptacles.
Since the circuit you are speaking of has a hardwired light on it, you can't add a kitchen receptacle to it.


how to run ceiling joists across a 15' room with no ceiling removed some metal T system drop ceilings now I want sheetrock but not sure best way to run ceiling joists across 15' room if I go with 8' 2x4 how do I tie them together towards center of room to prevent slag Edit if room is only like 14' can I just run a 15' 2x4 across span of room or do I have to buy engineered joists even though only weight I'll be making them hold is sheetrock

To span 14' or more with a ceiling joist with an uninhabited attic with no storage, you need 2x6s or larger.  If you want something smaller, you need an engineeered product rated for the span.


How can I test if a PVC irrigation pipe is in use? While digging in the yard I came across 2 PVC pipes. I broke one of them. I then ran the irrigation and discovered that (luckily) the one that I broke is old and no longer in use. The other I don't know about.

How do I test or discover if that pipe is still used by the irrigation system or is also an old unused one. I know that one answer would be to also break that pipe and run the irrigation again. For obvious reasons I don't want to do that.

Maybe pour some warm water around the uncertain pipe and run your irrigation system again and see if the colder irrigation water cools down the pipe in question, or if the pipe stays warm, indicating no water flow?


As of the 2014 NEC code do tamper resistant receptacles need to be installed on a GFCI circuit? Replacing 2 prong with 3 prong. Want to protect the entire circuit with a GFCI.
Do the outlets I replace have to be tamper resistant if they are protected by a GFCI?

With the latest code yes even gfci protected outlets require the tamper resistance feature. In fact outdoor gfci outlets that are weather resistant or stamped WR need the tamper resistant feature also. Got hit on that one last year.


Heating issues with slab foundation 50 year old home I put a new furnace in (97% efficiency) because this home is so cold on the floors that my feet are cold anywhere I walk.  Now have heat vents in ceiling but not helping any.  Always cold, especially around baseboards (can feel the cold come in).  Can't afford any major project.  On SS and in debt for the furnace so hoping for a quick and cheap fix.

A quick and cheap fix is a warmer pair of socks.

As MDMoore313 says, the ceiling is not an ideal place for a heat register since the warm air will tend to stay at the ceiling. I can only speculate why your contractor installed them there: possibly as a cost-saving solution because access was easier or there was existing AC ductwork?

You may be able to mitigate the problem with a couple carefully placed fans to circulate the warm air off the ceiling. You want them on low speed and not directed at people, or else they will have a chilling effect. A ceiling fan blowing UP would be perfect for this situation, but even a small adjustable fan like a Vornado would probably help a lot.

You also mention that you can "feel the cold come in". Do you mean there's a draft? Getting your building envelope as airtight as possible should be your #1 priority. The most efficient furnace in the world is useless if all that hot air leaks out of your house. A tube of caulk or can of spray foam will pay for itself 100 times over if you can plug up any leaks.

If you have the budget for it, an energy audit may be worthwhile. The furnace is just once piece of the system. In particular, a door blower test or thermal imaging scan may help you identify areas that would benefit from extra sealing or insulation, which would both save you money and make the house more comfortable. Your state and/or utility company may offer free or subsidized energy audits.


I just had my driveway sealed, and the fumes are making my house uninhabitable. What can I do? I've seen claims about buckets of water, vinegar, and cut onions helping with freshly painted rooms. But that's all. Is there anything I can do to make these fumes go away? Or am I doomed to stay with my in-laws for the indefinite future?

As Tester101 said, first step is isolating your house from them: close doors, windows, garage, and so on.

Next step is dealing with those vapors that do come in.  Have you tried activated carbon filters?  They make ones that fit in your air handler.  These things can absorb amazing amounts of organic vapors.

As for the sealer, it will off-gas the volatile components at a first order rate (I think, someone may correct me), which means it has a half life.  The amount will drop exponentially over time.  It should get better,but there's not much you can do to speed it up.


GE Dishwasher - Control Pad Buttons Won't Respond (gld5660v00ss) I have a GE gld5660v00ss Dishwasher that no longer responds. The "Normal Wash" and "Heated Dry" buttons are lit, but no other buttons respond. The Start button does nothing, and none of the other buttons light up when pressed.

The door itself latches, and still beeps when latched but that's it.

Is it time for a new dish washer?

Looks like all the replaceable electronic components are $100+ and might not fix the problem.

I thought maybe the dishwasher was locked, and tried holding down the "Heated Dry" button for 3 seconds, but that was not the case.

Help!

It sounds like your control board is failing, considering that unpowering and repowering the unit is not getting it out of the bad state -- replacing it should fix it.


4 black wires for light switch I'm trying to replace my master closet light switch with a single pole dimmer switch but the wiring doesn't seem to correspond. The old switch has 2 black wires back stabbed, 1 black wire that's tapped on the bottom screw (looks like 2 black wires coming off the switch), and the ground screwed on the top. Im replacing it with the Lutron Maestro which has 2 black wires, 1 green+1ground.

Any suggestions?

You should be able to pig tail the 3 blacks and run it to 1 side of the switch and the other black goes to the other side then put your ground on the yoke ground screw and you will be good to go.


How can I figure out why the low voltage furnace fuse blows on heat but not cool? I have a Tempstar Model NTC6100KFG1 gas furnace. Furnace was working fine through the summer blowing the AC. It's been off for a month or two as we've been changing seasons here. When I went to turn on the heat, I found that it would immediately blow the low voltage fuse on the control board.

I replaced the original control board with a Honeywell ST9120U1011 universal control board about two years ago after the original one blew.

Every troubleshooting tip I found said to disconnect the W (heat relay) and R (24V supply) terminals from the thermostat and jumper them on the control board. If the fuse didn't blow, it meant the thermostat wire was shorting somewhere. If it did blow, it meant the control board was bad.

Well, the fuse blew. I'm having a hard time believing that just the heating section of the control board went bad after two year while not being used all summer. Before I go and buy a new one, is there anything else I should check? For instance the igniters or the gas valve? If so, what is the proper procedure for checking these?

Edit: If anyone knows where to find a schematic for this board, that would also be very helpful.

Following the advice of @longneck, I disconnected all the components that make up the heating circuit and reconnected them one by one. The furnace has two igniters as shown below. If I connect only one of the igniters, the control board is fine. But if I connect both of them, the fuse blows. Each igniter is measuring approximately 3Ω. Since they work individually, I don't think there is a short to chassis. Could they be shorting together? What should I check next?

Since you mention an igniter I'm going to assume a gas furnace. So start by turning off the gas. Then disconnect everything else other than the power in and the thermostat wiring.

Now turn on the thermostat. If the fuse doesn't blow, reconnect one thing (like the igniter) and try again. Repeat until something blows the fuse.

Since you have isolated the problem to the igniters, I would try just replacing one or both of them. That's probably cheap to do. If that doesn't work, then you're probably looking at replacing the control board.


Is there an option to replace the vacuum seal in the main valve of a sprinkler system? I tried blowing out my sprinkler system and the pressure blew right though the top.  I unscrewed the top dome and found that the metal seal with a rubber seal had worn away, there was a thin piece of rubber on the seal.  Unfortunately, there is metal piece across the middle of the opening, which has a downward facing spring and a metal rod in the center to hold the valve in place.  I tried cutting a tennis ball in half, but, I had to cut the tennis ball to fit around the metal rod.  It did not work and my alternative is to disassemble the unit.  Any suggestions?

That sounds like the vacuum breaker valve that prevents back-flow. They are generally required by law in sprinkler systems. In 1996 our county started requiring spring loaded types. There are many designs . If you can't find a replacement part from the manufacturer , you may need to replace the valve. If you replace the valve , the city or county may want to inspect it.


Can I connect the ground wire for my dryer to a different hole in the chassis? I am installing a new GE electric dryer (model GTD42EASJ2WW) and attempting to connect the 4-wire cord.  The last step is to connect the green ground wire with a supplied ground screw.  The hole that is annotated with a ground symbol is behind the hot wires and somewhat inaccessible.  See photo below (hole in question is pointed to by red arrow):

Rather than connect to the hole that is annotated with a ground symbol, I attached the ground wire via another, much more accessible screw hole (see above).  I am wondering whether this is safe. In other words, as long as the grounding wire makes secure contact with the metal back of the dryer, will the dryer be grounded?  Or is there potentially something specific about that one hole marked with the ground symbol that requires that I connect the green wire there?

Edit: Additional information.  Below is from the installation instructions (available online at https://www.geapplianceparts.com/store/parts/assembly/GTD42EASJ2WW).  Note the description of the bracket as "strain relief bracket", which is distinct from the "strain relief."  The instructions (step 7) say that the hole for the ground screw is "above the strain relief bracket", which is consistent with where I put the ground screw.  The diagram in the installation instructions also appears consistent with where I put the ground wire.  The only thing that's inconsistent is the location of the ground symbol.

Second Edit: Taking a closer look, there is another ground symbol hiding behind the terminal of the red wire, just above and to the left of the strain relief bracket.  This is more consistent with the diagram in the installation instructions than I had thought, which gives me further confidence that I've connected ground to the correct spot.  Thank you everyone!

Taking a closer look, there is another ground symbol hiding behind the terminal of the red wire, just above and to the left of the strain relief bracket (see first photo in the question---the first horizontal line of the ground symbol is just visible above the terminal for the red wire). This is more consistent with the diagram in the installation instructions than I had thought.  Between that and the text of step 7 of the installation instructions (which states that the hole for the ground screw is above the strain relief bracket rather than on the strain relief bracket), I feel fairly confident that I've connected ground to the correct spot. Thank you everyone!


Low voltage under load from main line I have two main hot legs coming into my circuit breaker. One has a steady voltage of ~124V load or no load. The other has some mysterious problem. Sometimes it works fine delivering proper voltage under load. Other times it will drop to at or nearly at 0V under load. When all circuits on the low voltage leg are switched off the voltage will swing from 0V to a large reading. It will keep swinging for about 10 seconds until it finally stabilizes at 124V. I've taken each circuit, except for the 240V circut for the AC as it's winter and never turns on, and moved them to the good line and they all work fine. The utility company came twice and each time they left a note saying everything on their end is working.

What could be causing this?

It sounds like you have a bad connection or a broken wire somewhere upstream of your main breaker. Assuming that the power company's test were valid, then the problem would be the wire between your main breaker and the power meter. Other possibilities are that your main breaker is bad, or that the meter, meter box, or something upstream of that is broken.

See my answer to Insufficient voltage to dryer receptacle; what next? for why broken wires or breakers can cause weird voltage issues.


What anchor type should I use for mounting a pull-up bar installation into concrete? So yesterday I got a pull up bar at a really good price. Now the only thing I got to do is to mount it to a solid concrete wall. Since a nearby shop offers only a few different anchors, I bought two types that would fit best.

Sleeve anchor - 1/4'' (5/16'' drill) width x 4'' length,
Wedge anchor 5/16'' width x 2.5'' length

Pull up bar thickness is 4/5'' (2cm) and there are 8 holes

But here is the problem... I know that the sleeve anchors holding values are less in terms of shear and pullout than those of wedge type. On the other hand the wedge type anchors are really short and the pull up bar itself is thicker than the maximum value allowed for this length of the anchor.

The question is : Should I look for longer wedge type anchors? I live far from the city and would have to order some.

Or are the sleeve type anchors sufficient for the strain that's typical for a workout? Would also like to exercise using a TRX. (Not just me, flatmates too) so safety is a priority.

Tapcon makes a heavy duty masonry screw designed for applications like ledger boards. They come in the longer lengths as well. You'll have to drill holes with a masonry bit first (you can buy bits for a standard drill if you don't have a hammer drill), but they bite really well.

I have a pull-up bar mounted on wood studs (had to cleat it with 2x4s since the holes didn't line up). Just to be sure the cleat can't move I have 2 4" lag bolts driven in the top with 3" screws driven in the bottom. I would want a minimum of 3" on this to make sure it doesn't move.


Lighting a Bathroom Tub? My upstairs bathroom has a bathtub with no light over it, worse yet, we use a privacy curtain diminishing the light even further. This is a pain, especially when shaving and is generally unpleasant.

What kind of lights can I install, and can a light be placed over a bathtub for illumination?

I was considering also considering installing a bathroom fan, and I'm aware that some of them have lights on them, but everyone I've talked to about this has said that the fan should not be placed directly over the tub (I suppose due to winter drafts?).

What's the best way to light the tub, and what specs should I look for either in lighting or in a humidity extractor?

Bathtub picture with curtain:

Per NEC 410.10.B there is a restricted area 8' above the rim of the tub and this extends 3' to the side of the tub this is why you usually do not see lighting in this location. But it can be done with a fixture listed for wet locations. These fixtures usually seal so water cannot get in. If this is only a tub not a shower a damp location fixture could be used (not getting splashed) but I prefer the wet location fixtures.


Why would an air conditioning unit specify a maximum breaker size? A ductless mini split unit I am interested in specifies a maximum breaker size of 15 amps. Why would this be the case?
The unit is going to be installed on the opposite side of the house from where the breaker is, so for a 220v system that runs at about 5 amps, a 70 foot run of electrical wire calls for 8 gauge wire.
I was going to throw a 20 amp circuit breaker for this run until I came across the spec sheet for the unit. I found a similar post where the top answer states that you can always use bigger wire which only reassures me that 8 gauge wire is fine in a 15 amp breaker, but I can't seem to find why the AC unit would call for no bigger than a 15 amp breaker.
In other words, why would a device on a circuit be sensitive to the potential max amperage of its circuit

The unit won't be protected properly by a larger breaker
While hermetic compressors and fan motors are protected against overload by internal means, or by their drive electronics if you have an inverter-based system, the wiring of the unit still needs to be protected in case it shorts out internally.  As a result of this and the fact that air conditioners universally are complex, multimotor loads, UL has taken pity on installers and inspectors and requires the manufacturer to do the breaker sizing math for us.  (Otherwise, you'd have to dig into Articles 430 and 440 of the NEC and size the breaker yourself, which is a bit fiddly for a multimotor load.)
So, simply use the 15A breaker the manufacturer calls for and call it a day, although I doubt you need 8AWG wire for a unit that draws less than 10A at 240VAC.  In fact, for that run, 14AWG is perfectly fine.  (The chart you found is probably for low-voltage DC circuits, where voltage drop is a far greater limiting factor than at 240V.)  However, there is some merit to future-proofing an air conditioner circuit, and to that end, I'd run ½" ENT as that'll get you up to 50A with THHN wire and the assumption that your panel supports 75°C terminations, then pull the 3 14AWG wires needed through it.


Where to install C wire? I need to run new thermostat wire since I don't have a C wire to power my smart thermostat, but need some guidance on where to hook it up. I have five wires at my thermostat, two going back to my furnace in the basement and the other three going to my attic where the A/C is located.

On dual transformer systems, Nest expects the common wire to come from the cool side (Nest Pro Guide, bottom of page 20); look towards your A/C not your boiler.

If there is a common terminal on your A/C control board and

18/5 wire bundle - use one of the extra wires to connect the common terminal to your Nest
18/3 wire bundle

Use Venstar Add-A-Wire (or equivalent) or
Run a new common wire (might make more sense to just run a new 18/5 or more bundle)

If there is not a common terminal on your A/C, you'll need to find the wiring diagram and locate the 24v transformer. Pull a common wire off the negative side of the secondary side (24v) of the transformer and connect to common terminal of Nest (or use Venstar Add-A-Wire). You'll need to verify that the added load of the Nest won't exceed the VA rating of the transformer (it shouldn't). If this is over your head - call an electrician.


Clamps for cutting PVC or other circular objects This is about as simplistic as it gets...

They make wood clamps, C clamps, etc, for securing objects with a flat surface that you are about to cut.  Whether it's a circular saw, sawzall, jigsaw, whatever.

Is there a clamp for securing various circular/cylindrical objects like PVC pipe?  Or maybe a trick when you have wood clamps?  Various diameters...

I would love to be able to clamp a PVC pipe to my wood sawhorses, hands free, so I can focus on cutting it cleanly with a sawzall or circular saw plunge cut.  Does such a thing or a technique exist?

There are an array of things that will clamp a PVC pipe.

The best thing for a bench is probably a vice clamp - probably need to put a thin rag on each side.   They also make circle clamps but you will need one for various sizes.

Probably the most used plumbing tool is a chain vice.   Coupled with some rubber matting or rags you can clamp PVC tight.

I have cut a lot of PVC in my life and I have never felt the need to clamp it.  You should be using a mitre saw or you should just buy a PVC pipe cutter - I use both ways.


Wall air conditioner not operating with outlet I recently bought a Haier 12000 btu wall ac unit. When plugged into the wall outlet a 15A 125V, the unit turns on for a few second then cuts off with the units display lights flashing. This unit doesn't need a 220line so I plugged it into a surge protector strip then to the wall outlet. The unit fired up and began to operate with no problems. So, I'm confused with the wall outlet which the unit recommended the 15a 125v outlet. What should I try next???

This is an easy answer with the information provided. It is new Take it back!. This the best advice I can give as a licensed electrician, & having universal HVAC licencees. If additional information of the model and a better description of flashing lights we may be able to give a better answer.


What type of door can be used for a utility room? I currently have a louvered door to get into my utility room. The gaps in the door don't allow the basement to keep heat in. Is there a needed code that doesn’t allow for a solid wood door, or am I OK in installing one?

I’m in Denver, and the water heater and furnace is in the utility room

Based on your utility room and what is in there there needs to either be a certain amount of square feet or a certain amount of vented wall space.   This door would account for vented door/wall space.
If the door is needed for air intake - to meet minimum requirements - if you replaced it with a solid door you would have to add wall grills to that room.   This might defeat the purpose of trying to keep utility room air out of the basement.
The bigger issue probably isn't this door, it is why is your utility room that cold?    With working equipment - heater, water heater, whatever... and given your utility room is not conditioned (most aren't), it really shouldn't be much cooler than the rest of your house in the winter.   I would guess that the main issue you are having isn't that door, it is probably the air gaps and lack of insulation in the utility room.   You could probably fix your basement cold issue with $40 worth of insulation.


Generator to house hook up I have a 6.5KW generator and wonder should I use the 120V 30 amp receptacle to hook to house panel or the 240V 30 amp receptacle?

The 240-volt power supply will always be better and supply more power to your house.  Please take note however you need one more rather sophisticated item it the mix to make a safe system.  You need some type of a transfer switch to make your system safe and to keep your generator power from energizing the utility power grid.  You can plug individual appliances into the generator just as is.  But if you want to connect to the house panel, you need a transfer switch first.  Most places this is the law.  Without it people can get hurt.


Wiring light switch with neutral (Z-wave) I am trying to see whether or not I satisfy conditions to buy Linear WD500Z-1 Z-Wave 500-watt Wall Mount Dimmer Switch. Here is the picture of wiring I currently have:

Just to provide more info:

I'm looking to replace two left x10 switches.
Third switch, the first one on the right, is a part of 3 way setup and I wouldn't touch it for now.
Wiring situation is quite simple - we have 2 yellow and 1 orange cap

To left yellow cap goes yellow (from wall) and black (from switch). Picture can fool you that red is also connected to that cap, but it's not... it's just yellow and black.
Middle, orange cap is connected with red (hot) from all switches. I've connected blue from x10 switches to red (probably should have used black, but for x10 switch it doesn't make difference)
To right yellow cap goes purple (from wall) and black (from switch)

So, the questions that I have:

Is that white wire in the back neutral that I need for Z Wave switches?
There are two white wires in the back, how do I know which one to use? And do I need to connect each wire to a different switch?
How would I use white wire? Just cut it and then split it and connect to light switch?
How to be 100% sure that white wire is neutral? For line and load I understand that I can buy Fluke Voltage Tester... but can I buy something better that'll tell me whether or not line is neutral?

Too bad I haven't updated answer when I rewired everything - but better late, then never, right? Here are the answers to my questions:

White wire is neutral in US in most cases... so it was in my case.
Basically, two whites were neutrals for two different circuits. I bought Voltage detector and separated right white wire by turning off circuit for lights - the other white still had electricity running through it so I was able to figure it which white/neutral I needed
Yeah, I just cut it, add in neutral connecting from the switch and then put cap on
For this you need Voltage Meter, there are quite few tutorials on YouTube that explain how to figure out which wire is which with Voltage Meter.


Series breaker panel box I bought and installed (into the wall) a breaker panel box (screenshots below). As shown in one of the screenshots (#5), the circuit of the panel box appears to be "series". I installed a 60-amp breaker as shown in one of the screenshots. Does this mean that since the panel circuit is series I can connect the source hot wire to the 60-amp breaker and all other breakers will automatically be connected to the 60-amp breaker? For example, if my assumption is correct, then I can connect the 20-amp breaker to a washing machine outlet for example then the 60-amp breaker will act as the main switch/breaker?

Thanks for any help!

Does this mean that since the panel circuit is series I can connect the source hot wire to the 60-amp breaker and all other breakers will automatically be connected to the 60-amp breaker?

The panel bus bars are two separate circuits that can be fed with a two pole breaker. The bus bars are not in series with each other. As you have proposed, a 60 amp two-pole breaker inserted into the panel can be used as the main breaker if it is fed from your main panel. The other two-pole breakers will draw power through the 60 amp breaker.

I notice there is no neutral or ground bars in this panel. If you are in Europe this may be OK but in the USA these need to be added to the panel and the neutral bar needs to be insulated from the panel.

Good luck!


one-too-many smoke detector cavities? There are two cavities in the wall.  I want to replace the old smoke detector. Questions:
(1) What's the big metal square thing on the right in the lower cavity, and did the lower cavity once house a more ancient smoke detector?
(2) If I replace the dangling old smoke detector with a new one in the upper cavity, can I patch the lower cavity with drywall?  Or does that violate code?

That silver block with two screw terminals is probably a doorbell transformer, which converts (I'm guessing) 120VAC line voltage to the 24VAC that the doorbell needs.

With that in mind, you cannot wall off boxes that contain line voltages; the contents must be accessible. If a box only contains low voltages, then you can wall it off. However, the doorbell transformer input probably must be accessible, and it looks like you have line voltages in the top box as well, which would mean both must be accessible.


Pressure relief valve stuck - leave alone or force it? Have a Rheem "Everkleen" 50gal water tank.  Water is heating fine, but fear ive let it go too long. Have not drained it since the house was built in 2008, yet another thing Ive discovered that needs maintenance around a house. Tried to test the pressure relief value and it wouldnt budge.  There is pretty heavy mineral content to the water here, especially chlorine.  Should I leave it alone or use a little "extra" with a tap from a pair of pliers etc?  Last thing I want to happen is start it to leak.

You should remove and replace the valve.  If you cannot open it using the lever chances are good that it also will not function properly when needed.  So you have a dangerous condition.
It looks like you have limited space to work in so you may need to remove the downpipe from the valve before you can remove it.  But a new one is cheap insurance vs. a thermostat failure leading to a rupture or worse.


Will a high efficiency furnace vent etch the brick on my house? My neighbour just informed me that they had to change the vent on their high efficiency furnace. The furnace vents between our two houses and it used to have an elbow on it directing it along the walkway but she said the elbow was icing up and they had to change it. It is now directed straight at the brick on our house. She wants to lean a sheet of plastic, the type that's used as roofing material on decks, against our house to protect it. My question is, will the emissions cause damage to our brick over time? We are about four feet away. I don't want to have a sheet of plastic leaning there.

The combustion byproducts of natural gas also include nitrogen and sulfur oxides. Those oxides combine with other combustion byproducts to create acidic compounds.

If those corrosive vapors condense on your brick wall, it will do damage. That is why high efficiency gas furnaces can not use unlined brick chimneys.


How can I trace the exhaust duct of my bathroom fan? I have a suspicion that my bathroom isn't venting correctly.  I'm thinking smoke would be an easy way to test this, but I don't know of a safe and cheap way to make it.  Any ideas?

I wouldn't bother with making smoke—at least not initially.  If this is in an apartment or condo, that might set off a smoke alarm.

The surefire solution is to poke your head up into the attic with a bright hand held light.  If you can't see the bathroom fan area from the access opening, you'll have to crawl through the attic until you are close enough.  Attics are not usually made for careless movement through them:  you might have to temporarily install pieces of plywood, 2x6s 4–6 feet long, etc. so you can lay a safe trail to get there.  If you don't, you risk falling through the ceiling.

If there is no attic, such as in a multistory apartment building, maybe you could rent an inspection scope (like this) and poke it through the fan into the duct and see what you can see.  There are only two or three possibilities:  1) the duct is clogged or collapsed, 2) the vent box knockout was never removed and not ducted anywhere, or 3) the far end of the duct is pinched or blocked.


Replacing a water heater--the physical task, not the plumbing part of it Once again it's time for a new water heater and I find myself dreading the task.  The water heater sits on a pedestal that is approximately 18" high (required by code) and lifting a 50 gallon water heater onto/off of that pedestal about at the limit of my strength--and we have no friends that we could ask for help with a heavy lifting task like that.

To make the lifting problem even worse I put a catch pan under it last time after it made a mess.  It's proved it's worth--this time instead of a mess I just have a wet area outside where the hose drains.  However that means the water heater has to be lifted over the lip of the pan--and the pan most certainly would be crushed if the weight of the water heater were to come onto the edge of it.

I would think some sort of block and tackle system would be the ideal solution here but I've never seen anything built for the task and it's an awful lot of weight and bulk to be confident lifting with a homemade rig.  What would be even better is if the connection to the ceiling was to something that could slide--lift, slide it to open space and lower.

Any fixes beyond simply hiring two strong people?

Here is a frame that can be made to use with a cable hoist.

The hole in the top is where the ratcheting cable lift will pick up the heater with straps around the heater. Lean the frame to the wall after the frame is set where you want the heater to set at on the floor.

To rock the heater away from the wall, ratchet the heater up enough to clear the flange the inch or two it needs and step on the bottom slowly to add enough weight to counter balance to frame with heater back so the heater is beyond the pedestal.

After using care on rocking it back, use the ratchet lift to lower the heater to the floor

Not everything is to scale, you will need to confirm some things yourself, for example if the building of the frame itself is something you may want to handle, the size to the top shelf that the lift will set to to lift will need to be bigger, or even if something like this will fit where  your heater is..


What temperature are faucet feed lines rated for? (don't want them to leach into potable fluid) I am planning on using the flexible faucet feed lines for a project I am working on.  (they have a metallic outside and I suspect vinyl or plastic interior)

The temperature of the fluid that I will be running though it (maple sap) will be around 100F to 180F - but I don't know yet.  I am building a preheater out of copper tube and need a way to connect two parts that are fixed but must be able to disconnect

I don't want the part to fail or break down and I do not want the material to leach into the fluid.

Are these feed lines acceptable for temps to 180F?

Is there another alternative that allows flexibility and easy connect/disconnect on one side of the part?

The tubing should have a stamp on the side that says what temperature range it can handle.


Are garage door locks that cannot be opened from the outside available? I would like to replace my garage lock with a lock face that does not permit opening it from the outside.  I don't have a key to it anyway, and right now it's the weakest link of my home security.

I've not been able to find a solution for this, however.  Can you recommend any replacement lock faces that are simply plates, without a key hole?

if you really only need to be able to operate this from inside the garage door, a simple sliding lock may fit the bill.

(source: prodoorparts.com)
they install on the door and the bar slides into a hole on the garage door track.


is this ceiling tile asbestos? Looking to see if anyone can tell if this is asbestos or not
http://imgur.com/IsvbL2C
http://imgur.com/v4dPYEI

Edit: house was finished in 1984

No one can tell you if it has asbestos in it except a qualified lab.  Use a spray bottle to wet down a piece of it, carefully scrape off some of the suspect material, put it in a plastic bag and take it to a lab to be tested.


What is the best method for short-term repair of composite wood siding? My vertical composite siding is starting to pillow outwards on the bottoms.  See LP siding.

How can I seal it for a few years until I replace it with vinyl siding?

Here is a photo from the web.

First I would determine how old the siding is.  If made in the last 20 years it's probably covered by manufacturer warranty and replacing it with vinyl would be a step backwards.

Also lap siding isn't supposed to seal on the bottom.  It's supposed to allow any moisture or condensation that happens to get under the boards to drain downwards.  So you should not try to seal the bottom edge of the boards, at least not with anything that is impermeable to moisture.

If the house's sheathing isn't wrapped in something like Tyvek then significant gaps at the bottom of lap boards could give an opening for pests.  If you're having pest problems you might just address those.


How are the rats getting in? I have rat traps in my attic and I catch a rat every few months.

Answers on rat/mice problems - such this one How can I get rid of a mouse in my house? - always include the suggestion to track down how they are getting in. Any suggestions for how to go about doing that? Finding a tiny hole in a large attic seems like a daunting problem to me.

One solution I've seen people use is to get a fog machine, like are used for parties and start it up running in the area, then move around the inside and outside of the house looking for leaks.  It won't work so well for low lying areas, but for an attic it might present a good option.


Installing a repair kit on an old toilet I'm looking to install a repair kit on an old toilet (to replace the dual flush conversion which just doesn't work). I have a korky complete toilet repair kit which includes a fill valve and a flush valve, but looking at my toilet I'm not sure this will even work. The flush valve in particular has a screw thread end and a sponge gasket, but my toilet has a metal pipe between the bowl and the tank, which appears to end at the tank with a screw thread of it's own.

Is it possible to make these work together or do I need something else for a toilet of this vintage?

Also note: the tank is actually bolted to the wall!

What you have may not work. The Douglas valve or flush valve (The brass looking piece in your toilet) extend through the toilet and the Ell goes into the valve and the whole thing setts with  a nut. If the repair kits flush valve does not have enough to set, go through the tank, allow the ell to set and screw down with a nut, it is not going work. You may need to go to a plumbing store and get the correct kit for your toilet.


What kind of electrical fixture is this? The fixture is near the ceiling in the closet of master bedroom.

It's a transformer, most likely for your doorbell.

Some security systems use them too.


Why does this paint (or stain, or whatever) not want to stick to my fence? I've spent an hour or so painting this fence (more unpictured), but the paint I'm using seems to be really pathetic at actually colouring the fence. Is this even the right paint for the job?

The fence:

The paint:

Possible issues include, but are not limited to, the fence is not clean, the paint is not stirred well, and/or the paint has expired.

If you are having trouble getting the paint to stick to the fence, the problem is likely due to a dirty/moldy fence. If the paint seems thin, keep stirring the paint (most of the pigment has probably settled to the bottom).


Are expansion gaps required in between pine flooring for a shed? I'm planning to make a timber frame and flooring for a 3 x 2.3m (10 x 8ft) prefabricated garden shed. The construction method I had in mind is similar to the following image from Flickr:

For the floor I was planning to use 190 x 35mm (approx 7 x 1.5") H3 treated pine but something I'm not sure of is whether I should leave a small gap between each piece of timber to allow for expansion because of moisture / temperature? Below freezing temperatures are extremely rare here the normal temperature range is about 5 - 38C (40 - 100F).

There is no need to leave a expansion joint cause treated lumber has a tendency to shrink when it gets warm due to the moisture leaving the lumber.  In my experience nail everything tight cause when it does shrink you will have perfect joints.


Blocking above wall in the way of new ceiling I have a finished basement wall that has an exposed header since removing a drop ceiling. My goal is to replace the ceiling with a flush ceiling, perhaps drywall or a joist-mount grid system. The way that it was blocked to the joists would not allow for a flush installation, so I'm going to fix it. Access to the other side of the joist is only through the slit you see in the picture below, and the next joist sits on a concrete wall for my basement. Is there a way to attach the wall that will allow me to remove this block? Perhaps with some drywall damage, could it be installed to the concrete wall? Can I use a bracket of some sort that can be installed through this small area?

I am assuming that this blocking is help stabalize the framed wall on the basement walls.  Normally the blocking would be inside the joists so that the 2x4 is even with the bottom of the joists.  Your wall was not put up this way.

Therefore your new ceiling is that low.  You could cut out the 2x4 blocking, install like I said and add another 2x4 under all the way to the drywall and this would stabilize the wall - if done a few times per span.

However you have not much to attach drywall too.  So you would also have to add vertical blocking every couple feed and add more drywall to make this right.  If all of your walls are like this... sorry.  This is a full days work considering the drywall and extra mud and tape.  And even doing this isn't the "right" way.  Your walls should be touching the top of the ceiling for lots of reasons.


Why am I getting a lot of condensation in new shed? I just got a new shed built with concrete blocks and a metal roof last month and thing is dripping with condensation from the roof. There is absolutely no insulation in the shed.

How would I get rid of this, insulate the metal roof with spray foam or the normal kind? Plaster the inside and outside of the shed?

Because the roof is metal it will get cold and when the (relatively) warm damp air inside the shed comes into contact with it, condensation forms.

You need to make sure that there is a thermal barrier between the inside surface of the roof and the outside surface.

So any of the things you suggest would do, but might cause ventilation problems (say). So a false ceiling would probably work best.


Is this a correct installation of a whole house Surge Protector? Is this a correct installation of a whole house Surge Protector?

Note that it's not closest to the main lugs, will that matter?

I was unable to bring it closer to the main lugs since those had special breakers which I did not have and I did not want to mess with that wiring.

I have installed the Square D 80 whole house surge protector at the first available breaker that wasn't GFI. It's a brand new breaker rated at 30 A. I could not find a 20 A breaker at Lowe's so I opted for the next one up.

Should I have used a 20A?

Notice that one of the neutral wires has a slight bend to it and I've read to avoid drastic bends. Will that affect the surge protection?

Also, since it's not closest to the main lugs, will the breakers above the whole house surge protector still be protected or should I redo the whole panel?

You will need to flush-mount the protector, feeding the wires through a knockout

Since your panel is flush-mounted into the wall, and you generally are best off not modifying a deadfront if you can help it (while the UL listing on the loadcenter cabinet is not technically necessary, modifying the cabinet deadfront could confuse an inspector).  Instead, you'll need to use a HEPD58MKF or HEPD80MKF flush mount kit to mount the surge suppressor into the drywall, along with the short length of flex conduit and supplied fittings to route the wires from the HEPD80 surge suppressor into the panel.

As to making a knockout for the surge suppressor wires to go through, you'll want to make a 7/8" hole in the panel's side (this is the actual size of a knockout hole for a 1/2" nominal conduit fitting) that is directly aligned where the breaker you put in for the surge suppressor is.  The easiest way to do this is with a tool called a knockout punch; a cheap set will do you just fine.  I would not use a drill for this; even with the panel dead, it's very hard to guarantee that stray chips from drilling haven't gotten places that would cause bad news when the power is turned back on.

That 30A breaker, it turns out, is OK after all

The instructions for the HEPD80 allow for the use of a 30A maximum breaker; this isn't an issue since the conductors to the SPD carry practically no current in normal operation, and the device can't generate an overload condition, so short-circuit/ground-fault protection is the only concern here, and UL has tested the device with 30A breaker protection.

Note that while it is possible to tap an existing breaker of suitable size to install a SPD like yours, that has the downside that an overload or short on that circuit will cause a loss of surge protection; as a result, it's recommended to do as you did and use a dedicated breaker for installing the SPD.  (It's also possible to install the HEPD80 tapped directly off the busbar, but that has the downside that you have to kill power to the whole panel to service the surge protector, so having it on a dedicated breaker makes sense.)


How can I identify the cause of ceiling water damage? Just wondering if there is an easy way to tell if water damage on the celing is a result of a roof leak, or condensation build up in the house.

Here are some pictures:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/6w9uajoAcbcgYpbT8

I drilled a hole from the bottom and stuck a wire so i can be directly over the damged area.

The worst of it is in the corner but there is a bit of mold along the wall too.

Because the damage is in the corner, its very difficult to see the draywall/roof from the attic. However with the limited pictures i managed to snap it looks pretty dry.

I did order a moisture meter, and plan on testing both sides. Is there any thing else i can look for?

This is an older house, with no kitchen exhaust fan.

Not sure if you removed the insulation to take the pics, but if not then missing insulation will create a cold spot which will certainly exacerbate condensation.

I always start with a thorough exterior inspection if possible (to rule it out), but condensation is extremely common in older homes, especially where a ceiling meets an exterior wall. Poor insulation installation at this point is common (it's difficult for some guys to get it right down to meet the insulation in the wall or up to the wall plate etc. as it's often a small space).

Just be aware that there may be an intentional air gap which the insulation should not block. Venting cold roofs is important to prevent warm air escaping the house and condensing on the underneath of cold roof coverings.


How can I "stain" wood white? I am building a shelf similar to the one here, but mine is going to be against a dark wall. I think it would look nice if I could paint the wood white, but still allow the texture to show through. (I will be using a plank instead of plywood.)

Is white "stain" available for this?
Is it just a whitewash that I need?
Will a lighter or darker piece of wood give better results?

you can water down white primer/paint and rag it on to do it. That is the cheap n sl-easy way to do it.

Much of it depends on the type of wood though. Red oak can become pink, pine usually works out okay etc...

With any finishing it is often best to test a few options before getting "sold" or fixated on a certain technique because you saw a picture somewhere that looked good. If you are going to DIY it is better to practice a few techniques before committing and getting all bummed out because it didn't turn out how you wanted it to.