Chimney on 100 year old home has pulled away from outside wall I am restoring a 100 year old one story wood frame home with a metal roof. The original foundation sits on cut logs. The chimney has pulled away from the roof line which leaves an exposed area where rain falls inside the exposed area. Farther down the outside wall, there is a 3 inch gap between the outside wall and the chimney. This has been like this for over 10 years.  The chimney looks straight and there are not any cracks in the brick chimney. Do you think it is the foundation of the house has sunk and this caused the house to  pull away from the chimney?  If so, should I raise the foundation? Should I remove the top of the chimney and close off the area at the top around the roof and frame up the 3 inch area at the bottom?  Should I push the chimney toward the house to close the gap?  I am doing the work myself so it needs to be something I can do on a low budget. Any help is appreciated.

You need to find if the chimney is leaning or if the house is leaning.  Use a plumb bob to check - the eye can be deceiving in these situations.   The plumb bob will tell you what you should do.

In the meantime, if you wish, you could put a board or metal flashing on the gap to shed the water while you figure out what to do.

BTW... it's unlikely you could "push" the chimney towards the house as it just has too much mass.


bathroom exhaust venting to a roof vent I am disconnecting a bathroom exhaust fan that is vented to a roof vent in my attic. This caused condensation/moisture in my attic, which became apparent on these cold winter days. Some of the insulation is damp( I plan on replacing what is apparently damp). There are no signs of mold at this time.  What do I need do so to don't have mold/rot problem in the future? Do I need to be concerned about the second floor ceiling drywall?

As Ed said in his comment, you need to reconnect your exhaust to the roof vent. Perhaps your question should've addressed that issue. It's not clear why you made that move.

I also agree that the insulation will probably dry out well with a little air movement. I'd place a fan blowing across the surface of the damp area, and be sure that you have good outflow. Apply a fan to a roof vent for a few days if necessary.

The drywall isn't an issue either, unless you have visible signs of water damage or mold. Even mold on the attic side wouldn't motivate me to tear it out.


How can I mount a Ring Pro on this door post? My wife has had her heart set on getting a Ring Pro video doorbell since someone at work demonstrated theirs. We picked one up from Lowes today, but discovered we had an issue when we got home and looked at installing it.

Somehow, we'd missed that the doorbell is set into the post at a perpendicular angle. The people with Ring Pro support are sending a bracket, but I don't think the result will be able to be mounted without blocking the screen door. I can't find any handy spot where the post is fastened into the door frame such that we might drill holes to reroute the wires.

It kind of looks like there's some amount of separation, but I haven't found any nails or screws. Is there any advice on how I might get this doorbell hung?

The inside of the post does not appear to be hollow:

Almost two years later, I realized that I never came to an answer here. The kit that Ring provided consisted of angle wedges to turn the doorbell to better focus on the area in front of the door, which did not help me, as it even more blocked the door. What I wound up doing is drilling an additional hole into the front of the post to run wires through, bought some more bell wire, and spliced additional length to the front, where I mounted the doorbell. My primary method string the wire involved using a more stiff wire to initially poke from the side to the front, and then attaching the bell wire to that to pull it through. The only issue I've faced is that I had to seal off the hole to the side to prevent humidity from affecting the bell's operation.


Why is woodwork relatively meager in modern homes? I notice that older houses tend to have much more massive and finely wrought woodwork than new homes. For example, here is a railing from an early 20th century house:

Notice the elaborate paneling on the floor siding. We can compare this to a typical railing found in a modern McMansion:

Is it simply too expensive to have turned balusters and massive hardwood railings, or is it because the craftsmanship and knowledge to build such railings has been lost? I looked at some contemporary manuals used by carpenters to build staircases before 1930 and they are amazingly complicated with complex mathematical equations and drawings. Here is an extract of two plates:

I got the impression that a carpenter would have to spend years studying this stuff before they could do it. Has this knowledge been lost, or are there still carpenters who can do it?

Getting rid of the kids would be fairly simple if you put them to work as indentured carpentry apprentices making all those beautiful banisters.

Honestly the answer is several fold:

1) stately homes like that require immense upkeep and refurbishment which means money that most people don't have;

2) wear, tear, termites, and age don't mix well;

3) design and taste changes as quickly as a new magazine is printed;

4) many of these homes were built prior to current electrical and fire codes often making them deathtraps; and

5) given the previous four, demand has driven the experience necessary to turn these pieces out of economic reality. Supply and demand.

I'm sure there are other reasons, but I'm betting these five rank in the top ten.

I am all ears for more!


My apartment has a bouncy floor, but it's the only one While we're waiting for an official inspection, I wanted to get some Internet experts' opinions.

I live in the 3rd-floor apartment of a building with two other units below me, all with virtually the same layout. Our living room floor is quite bouncy, so that we can see and feel it move a lot when our child or dog walks by, let alone an adult.

The ceiling of the 2nd-floor living room is visibly sagging and cracking, and moves when the floor upstairs is bouncing. It's pretty scary to see it from below.

Every other floor is solid, including the 2nd and 1st floor living rooms. The 1st floor living room ceiling is flat and free of cracks. This leads me to believe that there is a potentially serious problem with our floor, specifically.

Through all of this the landlord says this is totally normal and expected in an old building. I would agree if it were not completely inconsistent between the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors.

Am I reasonably concerned here?

The joists are undersize or the center distance is too great to provide the stiffness you want.It is likely strong enough unless you want large aquariums.


How can I support a room expansion that will extend above a garage slab? I have a mud room that I'd like to make larger. By doing so I have to extend the floor out into the garage. Currently, there is a landing in the garage that is about 3 feet off the ground leading into the mud room. I want to remove the landing and wall/door leading into the mudroom and extending the floor into the garage by about 4 feet and adding non-load bearing walls to the new extension. Since the current walls in garage on top of the foundation, I need to find a way to support the new extended floor/walls. I'm looking for help on how to support a floor that will be about 3 feet off the ground.

Any thoughts?

A diagram with dimensions would help.  But supporting the floor is the easy part - basically, you'll need to build a cripple wall, framed with 2x4 lumber, to support a rim joist that you'll hang your floor joists from.  Set the cripple wall on a pressure treated plate lagged to the floor with concrete anchors.  Floor joists will be sized with a span table  Note that your garage floor should be sloped from back to front - you'll have to accommodate that in your framing to end up with a level floor.

You'll also have to determine if the wall at the back of the garage that you're intending to remove is load bearing or not.  If so, that will be alot more work involving a licensed engineer, to figure out how to do that correctly.  You'll also have to figure out how to support the new floor at that side, so you'll need to understand the framing & foundation of that wall.

Not sure where you're located, but most US building codes have specific rules about the walls between a garage and living space.  Things like type & thickness of drywall, fire rated doors, sealed penetrations etc.  You'd do well to check the codes for your community before you go to far.


Tile pattern for shower base using large porcelain format I am building 46x34 shower base using large format tile. I like it because it looks the same as the flooring. I building a curbless shower by the way.

However the plumber did not position the drain in the center so I came up with this tile pattern to offset the the larger width on the right side.

[![enter image description here][1]][1]

However it came out not that great looking.

Do you have any recommendation?

(In case you ask, I have waterproof liner behind the hardiebacker AND Redgard. The tiles have not been set yet. I just lay them into correct position for now).

Update

Here is the result. It looks “okay” unless you get 1-2 feet close to it

[1]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/8toKO.jpg

I think you're being too hard on yourself. So far, I think it looks great. Keep in mind that once you start setting the tiles in Thinset a lot of those uneven pieces will be OK. You'll also have uniform grout lines. If you start at the drain and work outward setting all the large tiles first, you'll be fine. You'll still have to cut or trim some of the tiles as you set them but that's to be expected. Your last tile on the lower right should be cut to match the one on the other side. Definitely think about using epoxy grout on this as it's much stronger. Smooth over those outside corners.
Also think about putting two coats of RedGard on all your wall surfaces in the shower.


Is there a way to remove the warp in plywood? I just bought some 1/2" plywood from HD for a project, and the best piece I could find was still pretty warped. Is there a way to fix this? Currently, it's sitting flat on my garage floor with a sheet of 3/4" plywood on top of it. Other than adding more weight (maybe some half-empty paint cans?) is there anything else I can do to help it flatten out?

Most corespondents are right in that the warp is caused by an imbalance of moisture. The problem has little or nothing to do with the type of store from which it was bought because even if it was absolutely flat in the store if you store it incorrectly when you get it home it will warp. This is especially true if you stand it upright anywhere near a radiator or other heat source.

What happens is the side nearest the heat source drys out too quickly causing the wood to shrink on that side resulting in a 'bow' or 'warp'

Now the thing is to rebalance the moisture content. This is accomplished by wetting the CONCAVE side (hot water works best) then laying the board CONCAVE side down and applying weights to flatten the board. The 'wetted' side will expand as moisture is absorbed on that side and the board will flatten. Some people like to apply heat to the CONVEX side. This will certainly speed up the process but you have to be careful not to cause the warp to reverse. Check the process from time to time. As soon as the flatness you want is achieved store the board flat. It is usual to 'condition' newly purchased material for at least 48-hours in the environment in which it is going to be used, before cutting and fixing. Hope this makes sense.
Albatross


Does my extension cord have too much internal resistance? We had a snow storm yesterday and today I found in my front yard the 25-foot 110-volt outdoor-rated extension cord had caused a melt depression in the 5-inch snow. (In the picture the curving line is the extension cord)

I'm not looking for system optimization here. I just want to make sure that this isn't a fire hazard and it's within safety tolerances of the extension cord.

Edit: I should add it got to 30 deg Fahrenheit  (-1 Celsius) last night so it wouldn't take too much of a temperature increase to cause melt.

New Edit: thank you all for your help. I don't have a voltometer. I will check the temperature when the timer clicks on but I don't think it's too hot to hold as some snow was left on top of the cord. If more snow fall comes down (it's all melted away now) I will swap out cords to see if I can demonstrate the same effect.

A few relevant facts:

The maximum current of the extension cord is the current where it produces some specified temperature increase above ambient, possibly 10 or 20 degrees C. (Or some specified voltage drop from one end to the other, hopefully not more than 10 V).
Snow is a fairly good insulator, so once it has covered the extension cord, all the heat produced by the cord will be contained around the cord. This means the cord temperature will rise more than it would if the cord were surrounded by air.
Snow (typically) falls only when the air temperature is in a fairly narrow temperature range around the freezing point of water. So it won't normally take much added heat to start melting new-fallen snow.

These three facts mean that what you saw does not necessarily indicate a problem.

But of course you should make sure the current load is no more than the cord is rated for, and that the two ends of the cord are both well protected from water intrusion if you're going to use it with snow falling or on the ground.


What Automatic Transfer Switch can switch between parallel sources without a priority setting so as to run a well pump from either of two homes? We have two homes sharing a single well.  The other homeowner and I want to change our water system so that we each have our own Pressure Tank and we can each run the well pump with power from our own home.  Currently, my electricity and pressure tank, is supplying water to both  homes.  Our homes are 500' apart, and each home is about 300' from the pressure tank.

I'm looking for an Automatic transfer switch that will send power to the well pump from the Pressure switch of either of our Pressure Tanks.  Do any of you know of an Automatic Transfer Switch that will work for this purpose.  Our pump circuit is 20 Amp, 240 Volt.   It draws only 1600 watts when on.  We are using 10/3 wire with ground because of long wire runs.  300' runs from either his or my circuit Panels to the pressure tanks (Installed in a shed on our mutual property line).  It is another 250' from our shared Pressure tank shed to the shared well.

For the last two years the well pump has been metered.  We know that the pump typically only uses about $5/month worth of electricity.  We plan to also meter the water mainline to each of our homes. Since the cost for electricity to run the well is currently low, our main concern is giving my neighbor independent control over his water source.

A DPDT air conditioning relay should do the trick

House 2 is connected by default.  When House 1 calls for water, it "takes over" and powers the well itself.

Air conditioning relays are rated at 30A and are rated to start motors.  It's a 2-pole relay, and it switches both hots, but not ground.   This setup must not use neutral: if it does, get a 3-pole DPDT relay, which will be rarer and more expensive.  A relay normally connects its two Common  terminals to its two NC terminals (Normally Closed, or connected when not energized).  When energized, it disconnects NC and connects Common to the NO terminals (Normally Open, or connected when energized).

Each house has wires going to the well pump which are past the presure switch, i.e. They are energized only when that system is calling for water.  Those are the wires we will be working with today.

The two wires from the pump are connected to the relay's Common terminals.

The pump wires from house 1 are connected to the relay's coil.   That means when house 1 calls for water, the relay will snap over. The pump wires for house 1 also go to the NO (connected when energized) contacts on the relay.

The "common" wires on the relay go to the pump.  That will connect house 1’s power to the pump.

The relay's NC (connected when not energized) contacts are connected to the pump wires from house 2.  That means house 2 powers the pump whenever house 1 does not.

Note that NC and NO terminals never connect to each other.  That is VERY important!  For instance there is a scheme with simpler relays that is dead wrong and will short the two houses together. At best, it will trip the breakers. At worst, this will make both houses' meters spin rather faster than you want them to.

Phasing

Normally in mains electrical, nobody cares about phasing because loads don't care.  However in this case we may be switching "live" between two power supplies if both houses call for water.  If we switch phases when we switch power supplies, it will cause the motor to jerk rather hard, and that could wear out the motor.  The one at the bottom of the well.

We presume that the two houses are powered from reasonably close points on the power grid, that will be close to "in phase".  This may not be possible: if they are on different transformers they may be irreparably out of phase, in which case you may need something more sophisticated.

The way you phase them is by running two different color wires (e.g. red and black) starting at the pressure switches. When able, have both houses call for water, and measure voltage between the two blacks.  There should be near 0 volts between them. If there is near 240V between them, they are out of phase - swap red and black on one of the pressure switches and re-check. Later, if anybody has work done to their service panel, check phasing again.

From this point up to the relay, be careful to keep red and black matched.


Is it possible to run an Antminer S9 on a 250v NEMA 10-30? I am in the process of starting a crypto mining farm. Eventually I will be getting upgraded outlets, but for now I am working with NEMA 10-30 dryer outlets that were installed back in the early 90s.

I probed the outlet and got the following voltages:
LINE1 to NEUTRAL: 125V
LINE2 to NEUTRAL: 125V
LINE1 to LINE2: 250V

The specification on the power supply I want to use on this outlet specifies 100-240V AC with no mention of split phase.
https://shop.bitmain.com/productDetail.htm?pid=00020170920224132179WEIOvhXx06D6

My first question: I am assuming that the appliance will not care whether the power is supplied in single phase or split phase. I am also assuming that the appliance will not mind getting 250v instead of the rated 230v since it is within 10% of spec. However it seems a little on the high side, with only 3V to spare. Am I correct in these assumptions?

My second question is regarding the lack of a grounding conductor. It concerned me at first, however as far as I can tell the appliance is wired for single phase. Am I correct in my assertion that since it is wired this way, all current would be carried between LINE1 and LINE2 and that in this use case, the neutral could actually be considered a grounding conductor since it does not carry current? As opposed to when operating my dryer, it uses 125v from LINE1 to the NEUTRAL for the lights and timing mechanism, which would cause the neutral to cease being a grounding conductor. There is nothing else on the line, only one 10-30 outlet on a double pole breaker.

My last question is a more of a curiosity. In addition to the above measured voltages, I was reading about 4.5V AC between the neutral and LINE1 or LINE2 with the breaker OFF. Does this mean some other appliance is leaking current back into the breaker or something else?

All measurements taken with a Fluke 87.

My end goal is to have the highest level of safety for both myself and to protect the equipment. However it will be up to a month before I can get modern outlets installed so I would loose quite a bit of profit during that time span as my equipment is arriving before then.

I have an AS in EET so I feel pretty confident this is going to work but I came here for a second opinion as well as so future miners in my situation may find an answer to this.

Any help/tips/you're going to blow your miner up comments are welcome.

There are only 2 ways to hook this power supply up.

120V line (either line) to neutral.  This would use the standard, common  NEMA 5-15 connector, you know the one.
240V line to line. (akin to using only +12 and -12 for a 24V load).  Neutral is not used on this configuration, it doesn't even need to be wired to the receptacle. The proper connector is NEMA 6. This power supply will give 1600W of power on this config.

Equipment safety ground is not comparable to electronics GND. Code requires it today, and it does two things for you: helps fight ESD, and helps prevent electrocutions.  A GFCI/RCD actually does a better job of the latter, but does nothing for ESD.

Getting a ground

This is such a super good idea I assume you'll find a way.   Open up the box and look at the cable.

If the neutral is a bare wire or bunch of bare strands surrounding the conductors, permanently reassign it to be ground instead of neutral.  Neutral and ground are tied in the main panel... but if it's a sub-panel, move the bare wire from the neutral bus to the ground bus.  This is one-way; converting it back to neutral violates code.

If the neutral is a white wire, look and see if there's not already a ground wire in there. In 1993, maybe.  Otherwise Code now permits you to retrofit a ground wire, minimum #10 size, green or bare, via any workable route back to the panel.  Enter via a knockout and use a proper cable clamp.  #10 to be compatible with future dryer use, so you don't fail inspection when you sell the home.

You can never retrofit neutral.

Wiring it up if only this plugs in here

Keeping in mind it will hurt your resale value if you can't roll it back to a dryer outlet.

Get a NEMA 6-15 dual receptacle, correct box lid and cover plate.  Attach hot1, hot2 and ground to it. The dual sockets are for code compliance or a second server.

You must also change the 30A breaker to a 20A breaker.  Normally socket amperage must match the breaker (hence not 30A) but there is a special exception for 15A sockets that makes multiples of them legal on a 20A breaker.

Yup, same form-factor.  This a dual 6-15.

If the dryer needs to function too

You must have neutral and ground.  Change the receptacle and dryer cord to NEMA 14-30, which will make your family safer too.   Remember to remove the neutral-ground tie on the dryer.

Several options.

Ask the Code geeks on diy.se whether you can really put a 30A plug on a 1600W server.  I don't think you can.  If you can't...
Install a subpanel.  Get at least an 8-space subpanel rated 30A or more, no "main" breaker required.  One 30A 2-pole breaker goes to a NEMA 14-30 for the dryer, wired with #10 wire.  A 20A 2-pole goes to the NEMA 6-15 dual as described above, wired with #12. The rest are for expansion, as you can put up to 24A continuous on this panel.  (Continuous loads count as 125% of their actual measured draw.)
connect a UL-listed PDU that is rated for 30A or more.  It must be installed according to its instructions, but fit a NEMA 6-30 or 14-30 plug if that is allowed.

If you want to use an L6-30, same deal as 6-30, the "L" means twist-lock.   Ditto L14-30.


Who do I contact to have the property line marked? I'm looking to install a fence on the property line, and I was wondering who do I speak to about having it marked?  Thanks!

The official answer is find a local land surveyor and hire them to do a property survey.

However, you can do a bit of research on your own, and may be able to figure out where the property lines are well enough to get by without hiring a surveyor, which can cost $250-1,000+, depending on the size of your property and how complicated the boundaries are. Note that you and you alone will be responsible for the cost of moving your fence if you get it wrong though.

Property corners are usually marked by a piece of rebar driven vertically into the ground. There's often a brightly colored plastic cap on top as well. If you're lucky, the text description may even be legible.

You can get a good idea of where to start looking by getting a copy of your plat at your local courthouse.

Tools you'll need:

metal detector (or a very strong magnet on a stick, as DMoore suggests)
shovel (I'd recommend a drain spade, but you can get by with most any shovel)
compass
100' tape measure

Then go about finding your property corners. They should be fairly easy to pick up with even a cheap metal detector, as they usually aren't buried very deep, and are made of a giant metal bar. Try triangulating off of known features, like curb or street corners. Roads often have centerline markers embedded in them as well that you can reference.

To keep from having a bunch of obvious holes in your yard, cut a plug of soil around the suspected marker location by digging the shovel in a circle to cut the sod.

Source: I used to be a land survey technician for a few summers in college.


What's the standard way to mount wooden board to concrete wall? I would like to put a wooden board on the concrete wall of my basement so that I can easily mount and dismount electronic equipment to the board with drywall screws without creating concrete dust.

My electrical main breaker panel board is mounted this way, but I can't tell how the wood is attached to the concrete.

Is chipboard ok in this application?  I think it would help "hide" holes from removed screws better than plywood.

And how should I attach the board to the wall?  Epoxy, concrete lags, nails fired from some sort of gunpowder powered tool?

Including electrical tags because I know that main breaker panels are mounted this way.

Anchors
Concrete screws are fine, but they don't have great pullout strength in concrete block. If properly installed in poured concrete they're quite strong.

If you happen to have a block wall I'd use an expanding anchor of some sort. Plastic plugs, togglers, and expanding sleeves would all be appropriate.

Finally, size and quantity are important. I wouldn't use 1-1/2" #8 screws to mount 3/4" plywood, for example. 2" x 3/16" would be more suitable, and with a quantity of at least 6, with more depending on your sheet size and load. Post more details in your question for a more specific recommendation.

Boards
I would use high-quality plywood (BC grade or better) of at least 5/8" thickness. Anything less won't hold enough of a screw's threads for any significant load. 3/4" plywood is ideal, and doubled would be excellent.

3/4" OSB would be ok, but it tends to release "strands" when screws are run in, resulting in a rougher surface. It is plenty strong, though, and is often more dimensionally stable than plywood.

Don't use particle board or MDF as moisture is likely to be present, if only in small amounts. Neither is great for holding screws anyway.

Moisture Management
If you have regular moisture on your wall, seal it first with a suitable paint-like coating, or apply 4 mil or heavier poly sheeting behind the board. This will reduce mold and rot.


Water pressure problem - plumber tapped into kitchen hot/cold water line to add bathroom sink on other side of wall I had a bathroom sink  added to opposite side of kitchen where there's a sink/dishwasher. I think contractor hired a plumber who is unlicensed. He insists the guy is licensed but I've had too many problems so far to believe that this guy is trained right.
First we had copper line leak that the plumber put in and now there's no pressure in kitchen sink. the contractor insists the guy didn't share the hot/cold water line but i am seeing it for myself and the plumber tapped into the cold/hot water on the kitchen wall - tapping into it with T-copper line to add a bathroom sink on the other side.
Is this why i have no pressure on my kitchen sink now? Is that even to code to add a sink in bathroom with same hot/cold water lines?
Note: photo shown is on new bathroom side where sink will go (other side of wall is current kitchen sink/dishwasher)

The most common reason this happens is not anything to do with the plumbing work done, but rather when old shutoff valves are closed and reopened the rubber washers crumble and clog the screens in the faucets. Have your contractor take apart the kitchen faucet and check the screens for debris. There is usually ones under the sink before the cartridge depending on the design


why does my main service electrical panel not have a ground? or is it bonded already? So im in the middle of installing a mini split in my home and i was about to start the wiring but when i opened up my main panel i realized that i dont have any grounds anywhere.So i started doing my research online and i saw that maybe my grounds are bonded with my neutrals but i dont see a  green bonding screw nor is there a stranded ground wire coming to it.I know the home is old so maybe they didnt add a ground to them back then.So do i just add a ground? or just leave the ground out and just put a cap on it

You have an old "BX cable" installation.  This was common 100 years ago they ran "flexible armored cable" in homes - quite often in conjunction with "knob and tube" wiring.  There were NO separate "safety grounds" at the time.  The panels DID NOT HAVE a separate "safety ground" bus panel.  "Safety grounding" was SOMETIMES done at the meter panel, then a metal tube ran from the meter to the breaker box, supposedly providing a ground path, and then the supposedly grounded panel box itself provided a ground through the BX armor on the wires assuming the correct metal clamps were used on the jacket of the BX cable where it entered into the panel.  Sometimes they would run a "ground" wire from the panel to a cold water pipe.
The CORRECT WAY to have electrical outlets in this setup was to have UNGROUNDED outlets WITHOUT a ground prong.  Of course this would require using the "cheater" 3-into-2 with a dangling ground wire things everywhere.  But at least the user plugging anything in would know the system was ungrounded and could either buy double-insulated appliances or take their chances.
"back in the day" people would sometimes drill holes in these panels and install a separate ground bus and ground wires assuming space existed in the breaker panel.  Yours certainly does not have enough space for this IMHO.   I personally would question if all those breakers in there would even trip at all they are so old.  Plus you do NOT have a proper main disconnect breaker.
If this was mine I would demolish the main panel and buy a modern one with modern safety "smart" breakers in it.  Your incoming cabling from the meter also looks like possibly a 100amp (or maybe lower) service and I would suspect the thing is already overloaded so demolish all that and replace with a proper modern feed from the meter.  Those old 2 wire systems are safety hazards and at the least, doing it this way will give you some GFCI/AFCI protection and with an old wiring system like that, plus given the tampering it has likely suffered over the years, that would be the wise choice.
Look at it this way - you are already saving a ton of money installing your own mini-split, well I would rather be safe from electrocution in my own home than cool so take that savings and spend it on a main panel replacement.  Yes I know you are looking for a quick answer here but there is none.  There is NO safe way of "modifying" this installation to make it safer with ground wires and whatnot and the second you touch the panel like that you are required by law to follow code and there's no jurisdiction out there that would allow a panel like this to remain and meet code.


Does cutting into a joist too close to the top ruin it? A "carpenter" did this to a big double joist in my house (top floor), I was under the impression that one does not cut a hole this close to the edge of a joist, especially not one this big! Should I be worried about this joist and how would I go about repairing it?

The cut is about 1.2 meters from the wall

I was under the impression that one does not cut a hole this close to the edge of a joist

In the UK, holes must be on the centre-line of the joist. In the US, holes may not be closer than 2" to the edge of a joist.

  especially not one this big!

In the UK, hole diameters must not exceed 1/4 the height of the joist (1/3 in the US I think?). The hole in your photo looks like 1/3.

  Should I be worried about this joist?

It no longer meets safety standards in the US, UK and probably many other countries.

Because the hole is so close to the top edge it is effectively a notch.

So far as I know, the depth of a notch cannot exceed 1/6th (US) or 1/8th (UK) of the height of the joist. The bottom edge of the hole in your joist looks about a third of the way down the joist.

  how would I go about repairing it?

I've seen UK advice to use steel strapping across the damaged section and a foot beyond on each side. They use two-part epoxy to ensure the load is spread across the whole length of the steel reinforcement. The steel needs to be substantial since it has to cope with compressive load.

Others suggest nailing (or screwing or bolting) and gluing reinforcing timber or ply (3/4") to both sides of the damaged section. Extending at least 12" beyond the damaged area. Nails are generally better under shear loading than are screws.

I don't know what is acceptable in the US.


How to put carpet over hardwood in apartment, inexpensively, and removable without nails or screws? My apartment has hardwood. Some people may like this, and it's fine for the kitchen and dining room. But for the bedrooms and living room I want carpet, which has both benefits of noise reduction and because I prefer to walk on carpet with my bare feet, not cold hardwood. I also like how carpet makes the apartment feel warm and cozy; complete hardwood has a cold vibe.

I will put an area rug in the dining room which I already have. But an area rug is far too expensive for the bedrooms and living room, plus I want a solid color (not patterns like area rugs have), so I plan to simply get some carpet by the rolls which is much cheaper.

However, I need to know how to install this in a temporary fashion that does zero damage to the hardwood, and it also needs to be as inexpensive as possible.

What I want to do is have a way to install and stretch the carpet as if it was installed, but in a way that does Zero damage to the hardwood even if it is on for years. Because it is an apartment, and I cannot damage the hardwood.

I did hours of research but am still coming up empty. Hope you can help, thanks.

You can get non-slip rug pads that are made to keep rugs from sliding around on floors, and cover your entire floor with those wherever you want this carpet. But without nailing it down at the edges, there is no way to do it. I've done what you are planning in bedrooms before, but I didn't bother putting the carpet/rug under the bed or furniture; no point in wasting the money. I only wanted it where feet would go.

Not an endorsement, but here are some examples; items 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9 on this page:
https://www.tenbestproduct.com/best-rug-pads/


Trouble identifying this tool G’day,

I recently started a new job, and have come across in the toolbox this set of “pliers”.

I’ve never seen these before, and I can’t find them anywhere online.

Can someone tell me what they are and what they’re used for?

Thanks!

Based on the previous answers and a reverse image lookup which turned out to be pretty accurate. I was able to identify these as:

  "COIL CRIMPING PLIERS"

These are a few features listed from an online store detailing the tool:

  Cut and crimp your plastic spiral coil in one clip.
  Comfortable Plastic Grip for easy crimping.
  Pliers utilize a twin metal spring design to bounce back. The
  mechanism retracts after the pliers cut and crimp actions are
  complete.
  A Red dot marks the orientation for the proper direction to cut and crimp.

To be honest with you, I don't exactly know why you would need a special tool for this. Can I link video links?

Here's one in action:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtClAvRoQUU

And here's a close-up image of the "desired" end result which was produced by a coil crimping machine! Added this to my answer because you can really see the details of the cut & crimp.


Can I put a low-voltage transformer in the attic? I'm planning a low-voltage monorail light system,
fitted with 10x 7.5W 12V AC LED light heads. The manufacturer provides a "remote electronic transformer", and the installation instructions call for "remote but accessible location" for the transformer.

Can I put such transformer in the attic space above the room?

The attic is insulated, so the transformer will likely need an additional
enclosure box (like this)

I looked up the California Electrical Code 2016 but couldn't find a paragraph which would explicitly allow or disallow such installation (and everything <1000V is considered low-voltage by the code, which doesn't help with search)

Besides, the attic space gets quite hot during the summer, and the
transformer has a thermal shut-off. So maybe it is not a good idea
to put it there anyway.

The alternative option I have is to install the transformer inside a closet
nearby, but again I'm not sure whether this would be allowed by code.

Your attic is an accessible location that looks like it is already housed so all you will need a box for the connection to the power according to the instructions. Additional enclosures should not be needed.


What do I need to use one winch motor independently on several different cables (for overhead storage)? I'm almost-nearly-started on installing a bunch of motorized ceiling-storage platforms in my garage.  I was researching which winch/hoist to buy when I realized that I'd rather not buy one electric winch motor per platform.

Is there a gearbox of some sort where I could hook up a single motor to a half-dozen (or so) reels, and select which reel gets rotated?  I would hook each reel up to one ceiling-storage platform.  Each reel would have to have a brake of its own, so when it's not engaged, it doesn't rotate.  (The stuff on the ceiling needs to stay on the ceiling when the motor isn't hooked up to it.)

Edit: I don't have access to a machine shop.  I'm trying to figure out if it's cheaper to go for the gearbox, or just one winch per platform (at around $75 each).  I'll build the platform and set up the pulleys myself.  I figure that each platform + stuff will weigh around 200 pounds, and the current plan will have enough pulleys to have a 4:1 lift ratio.  (I'm going to use a single cable that goes back and forth to the ceiling several times, for stability.)

I have two of these Racor Heavy Lifts in my garage now.  I also had one in my old house.  They now have a rod that you can connect to a drill to raise and lower the platforms.  At $127 they are very affordable and work quite well.  I store my lawnmower on it in the winter and the snowblower on it in the summer along with some other items that are not used very often like my wheelbarrow.


pull up bar from concrete ceiling I am considering installing a pull up bar in my basement. My concrete ceiling has these anchors (not sure if it's the correct term, please check the picture) about 90cm apart from each other in a network that used to hold the metal frame of a drop ceiling.

According to the contractor that built the house, each of these anchors can hold 100-120 kgs.

I weight approximately 80 kgs.

The idea is to re-use 4 of these anchor holes to disperse my weight, possibly in an H shaped design:

screw back the fasteners in each of the 4 anchor holes (corners of
the H)
connect 2x2 fasteners together in parallel with some sort of support bar (vertical sides of the H)
connect the 2 support bars together in the middle with the pull up bar itself (horizontal line in H)

I'm not a professional so I would appreciate all sorts of comments or ideas about whether this is actually a sound idea or not.

Even though those existing anchors may be able to hold you up as you hang from the bar do you really want to trust it? I know I would not trust it. Hanging anything from a concrete ceiling is risky.

Hey even look at the fastener that you put in the picture. There is a fracture in the concrete that passes right through that area.

I would strongly suggest that you devise some type of stand for the pullup bar that sits on the floor and is built with materials that you know and trust to be reliable. Something like building an A-Frame assembly on two sides to hold up the bar.


Loud vibration using hot water Cast iron sink with wall mounted faucet. The house is 75 years old, the plumbing may be that old too.  The pipes are galvanized. The faucet has no identifying marks. There has been no trouble or changes in the plumbing until this started about 3 weeks ago.

When I turn on the hot water faucet about 1/4 turn, a medium flow for doing dishes, there is a loud groaning sound and vibration. If I open the faucet more about 1/2 turn, a high flow for filling a pot, the vibration and sound goes away.  I can turn the water on just a little bit to allow a tiny drip without any sound or vibration.

Is this water hammer?  Can water hammer just start happening one day and can it occur when a faucet is partially opened and then stop when the faucet is open all the way?

What could be causing this and how can I stop this vibration and groaning?

The faucet washer is loose or worn out. The rush of water causes it to flip back and forth, causing the hammering. Close the water shutoff valves for the faucet, take off the handle and replace the washer (you may have to bring it to a hardware store to get the exact right one).


What hinges should I use for my overlay cabinet doors? I need help understanding how to choose the right hinges for my cabinet doors. I have new 3/4" thick cabinet doors, fully overlaying/sitting on the face frame of the cabinet box.  I do not want European hinges, and want the doors to open to approximately 180 degrees (open all the way back to the adjacent cabinet door).
What description do I look for in choosing the right hinges for this application?

If you don't want to use european style hinges, you need to use an overlay hinge such as this type

These can be found ast sites such as Rockler, or in many DIY centers.


GE PowerMark Gold + Conversion Kit GE has their PowerMark Gold series subpanels. Some of those are main lug that are convertible to main breaker.
I bought one of those panels
(https://www.lowes.com/pd/GE-125-Amp-14-Spaces-24-Circuit-Convertible-Main-Breaker-Panel-Load-Center/1091073?cm_mmc=shp--c--prd--elc--google--lia--206--switchgear--1091073-_-0&placeholder=null&&ds_a_cid=112741100&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5JKbiYKZ7QIVir3ACh3W0gu2EAQYByABEgJ_2fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds).
It does have the instructions for hooking up a back feed breaker in the upper right slot but doesn’t say how to configure with a separate kit.
(https://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-PowerMark-Gold-125-Amp-2-Pole-Main-Circuit-Breaker-Conversion-Kit-THQMH125CP/100118346).
The kit also doesn’t say anything about the breaker panel cover.
The breaker cover panel does not have a knock out for that. Am I supposed to cut an opening for it or are these conversion kits not compatible?
Is cutting the breaker cover allowed by code?

You need to use a backfed main with a THQLRK3 hold-down...
Your panel, unfortunately, is not compatible with the TQMH000 main breaker adapter kit you are contemplating.  This is denoted on the diagram by the box labeled "MAIN" taking up two branch breaker spaces, instead of being above the branch breaker "stack".
...or just get a larger panel
However, there's an easy way to forestall all this, and that's simply to take the panel back and get something chunkier.  Going up to a 24-space, 125A or even a 30- or 40-space panel isn't that much more expensive, and means you don't have to agonize over panel spaces nearly as much.  You won't need to replace the main breaker in the bigger panel, either, since you're fitting a subpanel.  (It's either an easy way to get the required shutoff means for a subpanel in an outbuilding, or can simply be replaced by main lugs if the subpanel is in the same building as the panel feeding it.)


Extending power from 3 way switch with power coming into the fixture I have a dining room light on a 3 way switch that also extends power into the hallway from the first switch. All the wires have been removed and now I'm lost. Trick is, there is a 14-2 power supply to the fixture, then a 14-3 from the fixture to the 1st light switch. This is where the power is suppose to branch power into the hallway (and other rooms/porch) while also continuing to the 2nd 3 way switch (which is a dead end switch).
Is there suppose to be a 4 way switch at the first 3 way switch location? I'm able to get the 3 way switches to work alone, the hallway (along with basement hallway, another room and porch lights) alone or both with the issue of only one switch working the dining room light.
I've looked online for this situation with power coming into the fixture on a 14-2 and leaving on a 14-3 without any luck.
P.S. Sorry about the sloppy drawing.

Your problem: too many hots, not enough neutrals, because the prior installer didn't know how to pigtail
Your problem is that in the fixture box, you somehow have two wires carrying always-hot power down to the switch but nothing carrying neutral to the switch location.  Atop being a violation of 404.2(C) in the current NEC, this is what is stymieing your plans to tap power for the hallway circuit at the switch box, as you need two to tango: a hot to get power from the utility, and a neutral to return the "spent" electricity back to the utility (they want their electrons back, so to speak :).
Anyway, what you need to do is get into the light fixture's box and move the white wire in the 14/3 over from being nutted in with the always-hots to being nutted in with the existing neutrals and remove any tape flags or bands from said white wire while you are in there.  Once that's done, you can button the light fixture back up and move onto the first switch box.
There, we take the tape off the white  wire from the 14/3 to the light fixture box, remove it from the switch common screw, and then nut it to the white wire in the 14/2 exiting that box.  From there, we take a black or red 14AWG pigtail (if you don't have any suitable wire laying around or shuckable scraps of NM handy for that matter, simply get some THHN of the appropriate gauge and color and use that) and nut it in with the junction of the red and black wires in the switch box, then land the other end of the pigtail on the black common screw on the switch that we just vacated.  Once that's done, you should be able to button the switch back up, turn the power on, and enjoy having everything work again!


How can I seal around pipe baseboard heating to seal out smoke from downstairs? I live in an apartment on 2nd floor.  The landlord lives downstairs and 3 people down there constantly smoke. It's so bad in my second bedroom.  I bought expanding foam but afraid to spray around pipe where hole is because of heat. Is this a fire hazard or should I  use silicone instead? And should I go along the bottom as well where the floor meets the wall or will that affect the heat? Also be Dangerous??

There are a few different issues here, including one that I'll bet you didn't think of:

Smoke/Odors

This is your initial concern. Something like Great Stuff Foam will do well for this.

Heat Resistance

Here is where it gets...tricky. I have found various references - the one specific one I found for Great Stuff or similar foam (and it may vary both between brands and between products within a brand) was 240 F. That is high for a normal room. But is not so high if you are talking about a heating system. Around ordinary forced air ductwork that would be fine or around dryer ductwork (I found plenty of references to that). A big question though is What is your heating system?

  It is gas heat...coils under baseboard

Gas heat is typically either forced air or a boiler heating water that is pumped through radiators. So "coils under baseboard" sounds like hot water. Which unless it is actually high pressure steam (not something typically found in apartments but used in some big buildings and industry), it is likely < 212 F and probably OK. But you might want to measure the temperature of these coils when the heat is on to get an idea of what you are really dealing with.

FIRESTOP

This is the biggie, which I doubt you have considered. If cigarette smoke can get from one apartment to another, a REAL FIRE could spread life-threatening smoke and flames just as easily! (OK, yes cigarette smoke will kill you too - but secondhand smoke takes a long time. An actual FIRE will kill in minutes.)

I don't know the exact rules, but there are some pretty strict rules in most areas about fireblock between apartments (so a fire in one apartment doesn't kill everyone else in the building before the fire department can get there), between residential areas and garages and probably other specific areas as well. This typically means that there are no openings between those areas where smoke and fire can easily get through and that all walls, doors and windows between those areas are "fire rated". That doesn't mean fire can never get through - the rules set minimum times for a fire of a particular temperature to be prevented from getting from one room to another, provided the doors, windows, etc. are closed at the time.

So if your landlord doesn't care about you smelling smoke, and doesn't care about wasting energy on heating & cooling (if there are gaps between floors I'll bet there are gaps to the outside as well), I'll bet the landlord would definitely care about being in violation of code requirements regarding firestops.

That being said, you don't need to confront your landlord or call the building department - neither tends to end well. But you may be able to get your landlord to pay for sealing the cracks, holes, etc. if they understand the importance of proper firestop.


Generator RCD trips after startup We currently have a renewable power system (solar, hydro and wind sources charging a 48v DC battery bank) connected to an inverter, which in turn supplies 230V power to a house.

Due to the lack of sun, wind and rain we have found that we need to start a (new) generator to top up the power in the DC battery bank.  This is achieved by connecting the generator to a 230v input on the inverter, which in turn charges the battery bank (the inverter is operating as a battery charge controller also).

The inverter has neutral tied to earth.  The generator also has neutral tied to earth.  Both have their own earth stakes.

Moments after the generator is started, while the generator is being synchronised to the inverter's supply, the generator's RCD trips.

If the house is turned off (isolated), the RCD does not trip.

The house has its own RCDs, but they haven't tripped.

Do you have any ideas of what the problem could be, and how I would isolate it?

There should be no ground currents unless there is a fault condition.  If ground and neutral are bonded at both ends then the main current will flow in all three conductors, if the neutral current is compared to the live wire current it will no longer be in balance and trip the protection.

You have an unenviable situation where you have two (perhaps 3 if you get grid connected) power utilities on site with the generator and the battery powered inverter.  The responsibility of providing the neutral conductor at (close as possible to) ground potential rests with the supply utility (which is easy when there is only one).

You mention the 230V input on the inverter unit.  Twice in relation to battery charging and one in relation to synchronising.  These two do not work together often.  If you have a battery charger input on the inverter unit then it does not need synchronising.  If the 230V input is for hot switching between the inverter and the generator (or utility grid) it is not just for battery charging and is the sign of a complex or sophisticated controller.

There are likely standard connection guidelines for this controller that you should investigate, if you can locate an on-line installation manual this would help with getting answers.

Also as mentioned you should try and maintain a single ground point at your main distribution panel (unless you have a very large installation with possible isolation transformers where you have to re-establish the neutral ground reference after the isolation transformer).

The inverters 230V input neutral connection should NOT be tied directly to ground as it is not a supply neutral but it is possible that it is connected to the output neutral if it is intended for hot switching and not just battery charging.  If this is the case you may be able to float the generator output (unlink the ground from neutral).   You may have to remove the RCD on the generator if no other solution is found. I found an interesting document that discusses the safety of these options though based in Australia.  There is also an Australian forum thread that covers and solves what is possibly exactly your problem.

Basically if your generator is only supplying your inverter/charger/controller it does not need the RCD which is used for protecting humans from earth faults.  The RCD on the inverters output will provide this protection.

EDIT:
The on-line installation manual has a lot of meat in it.  As predicted the unit is sophisticated and does support battery charging and hot switching. Specifically the main guide describes the functional parts of the wiring diagrams in section 17 Figure Elements AC Part and the appendix shows the wiring options.  All of the wiring options (except the transformer isolated (label Y) one where it is required to re-establish the neutral reference) do not want the neutral connected to ground (label C) at the inverter/controller.   The neutral line is illustrated as linked through (which is acceptable as it is also able to switch to operate in bypass mode) this means any neutral to earth (label C) link will be seen by the output of the generating set.

What is even more interesting is that the neutral can be programmatically connected to ground inside the inverter (label V or relay K4) but only with expert level parameter settings according to local codes and specific needs that would be rare.

It also mentions the key point "The neutral is earthed at a single point of the installation, downstream of the source and upstream of the protection device(s)" (with some extra details about multiple sources again) but it boils down to the fact that you cannot connect the neutral to earth AFTER (they say downstream) the RCD.  The only time you would use the link at the inverter (label C) or the internal expert level relay (label V) would be if the inverter is the only source of supply and has to take charge of the neutral reference.  The reason to link at the inverter programmatically would be if the neutral reference is supplied by a plug in generator or shore power and this reference is lost when unplugged.

Conclusion
Your generator RCD trips when the inverter has synchronised and connects the load to the generator, at this point the current shared by the neutral and ground is no longer zero and the unbalance occurs.

You can leave the generator RCD (label D) in place and the generator neutral to ground link (label E) but will need to make sure there are no other neutral to ground links in your system (label C and V).  For peace of mind also document this so if the generator is disconnected (label K) a neutral to ground link must then be established at the inverter (label C).

As some highlander is rumoured to have said; "There can be only one"


What material should I use to seal door moldings, small holes between walls and floors to prevent roaches? To clear it up, I am mostly using sealing/caulking interchangeably in this text.

Some days ago I started seeing cockroaches in one room that is also connected to another bathroom. I caught 4 over an inch ones, but I saw a few small and very small ones too. I think they are Oriental and pretty sure not German, but anyways I need to take action right now, doesn't matter whether they are coming from outside or some spacings in the walls, I want to seal all holes.

Now I noticed patterns where they go and I noticed two holes. Both on the floor, one going into the wall the other into the floor (at the edge of the wall), I also noticed that my door moldings are not properly glued, they can be removed with a hand and nothing will hold them back, so there are spacings made naturally between door moldings and wall just because there is nothing to hold them to the wall, so I will need to close these too. My plan is to set up gel baits, and close them off (tell me if this is not the smartest idea, I know I can pour in boric acid too there, but I think gel baits will be better) - however the question is not about this but the following:

I have no idea what caulk/sealant should I use, acrylic, silicone or even plaster for such application? Yes, some of them is wall, other is probably some kind of plastic door moldings, so I might need to buy different types too, I want something that will hold up good. I do not think there will be any contact with water, however some water resistance would be good as one of these walls got pretty bad mold so I am guessing that that place is more suspicable to water (as it is closer to some pipes - which is probably a problem on its own, so I might need to take that into consideration when choosing what type of sealant? Also, how important would be the gun for it, how much should I invest in it?

Just get a quality silicone caulk and go through the house caulking every opening. Get one that's paintable. They also come in a variety of colors so you might not have to paint over them. This type of caulk is water proof so if it comes in contact with moisture, you'll be ok. This will work on just about every surface there is. It also comes in tubes so you might not need a gun. The guns are inexpensive and you can get all this stuff at your home store. Good luck.


Craftsman framing nailer, does nail collation type matter? I have a Craftsman #351.181790 Clipped Head 28 Angle Framing Nailer (2"-3 1/2" nails) which is no longer sold.  Original nails are no longer available.

I have read the manual, but it does not specify the collation type for the nails.  There is another question on HI about comparable nails and those nails are wire weld. The original nails for gun were paper tape. The nailer drives straight, screw and ring shank nails.

Do the nails have to be collated a certain way for this nailer?

Does it matter if I use paper, plastic, or wire weld collated nails?

Interesting, I don't think I have seen wire-welded nails for a framing nailer. Only roofing or siding nailers.

All I have seen are paper tape for clipped head and plastic for full head for framing nailers.

I would match the angle and try some paper tape collated clipped head of a couple different brands. If you can't get any to work, you may be out of luck.

Good luck!


Silicone caulk for shower and tub? I am about to seal the gap between my tub and the wall tile with caulk (it was originally grout which cracked so I chiseled out what I could). I was planning to use silicone caulk (GE II), but a contractor suggested that pure silicone is not ideal since all caulk will eventually need to be removed and replaced and silicone is very difficult to remove. There's some logic to this, so I'm wondering - is he right? If so, what kind of caulk should I use?

That gap is to small. Push really hard with the float to completely fill it with grout, giving it one more shot; next time caulk it. Caulked tub surrounds are one of my pet peeves; I'm the one who gets to scrape that mess out.

Whether grout or caulk, I like Some Guy's advice: prestress the tub by filling it with water as you work.


How to fix my LED track lighting that is flickering? I replaced all of the bulbs in the track light with LEDs. I also replaced the two switches with LED compatible smart switches (dimmers). The furthest light on the track has been flickering and recently the next one has started to flickers as well. The flickering started when I changed the bulbs to LED and I figured that changing the switches would fix it, it didn't. Do I have to replace the track lighting completely with "LED Compatible" ones?

NOTE: The house was built about 19 years ago.

If you look on the box/packaging that the LED bulbs came in, they will tell you the type of switch they require. Some LED bulbs work fine with CFL dimmers (which are the cheaper one's that some manufacturer's will say can dim LEDs) but the majority of 120v LED bulbs require an ELV dimmer.

Another thing worth noting is that a lot of smart dimming switches are rated for about 150W. Common LED bulb wattage is at around 9W. This means that switch will only support up to 16 bulbs.

And lastly, if you have any mixed bulb type/vendors on the circuit, it can also cause flickering/conflicts.


Mounting exterior shutters on deeply recessed windows I want to mount shutters on my 1930's house, but since we've had it insulated with polystyrene, the recess is 7 inches. That would need a huge offset hinge!! The windows are metal-cased woodframed double glazing. I would like the shutters to look authentic, and don't want to mount them outside the window. We would use Fischer Thermax wal plugs for the outside mount, but my concern is the window frame, and getting hold of such long shutter hinges.

If you want the open shutters to run parallel to the wall, some kind of offset hinge is needed. But creating such a hinge to mount the shutters shouldn't be too hard.

The pivot point needs to be slightly outward of the midpoint of the well around the window. The lower tail of the hinge in the image can be cut off, or it can be bent to fit against the window casing.

You should be able to find standard flat strap hinges that can be bent and cut to suit. A bench vise would be the easiest way to make the bends.

Because there is such a long reach, you may want three hinges per shutter.


Why does my clothes dryer make a rattling sound after 5 minutes? We have a new dryer just one year old. It's an Amana. Just the other day it suddenly started making loud rattling noise after running  5 min. It's so new I'm surprised. What could this be. Everything else working fine. Just really noisy. Any suggestions would help.

A dryer is a very simple machine.

There is a belt that turns the drum and there are bearings on the drum supports.The motor, the belt, or the drum bearings can have a problem - the drum bearings is what I suspect.

Sometimes the simple things are overlooked so with that said:

Another possibility is that you have something on the side of the dryer (like a dryer shoe rack) that starts to rattle against the machine after it is spinning up a bit, also check your venting pipes.


Using 14 ga on part of a 20A circuit? I'm building an outdoor bbq and have a 20A circuit with 2 runs - 1 for outlets and 1 for lights. The outlets are done with 20A receptacles and 12 ga wire inside 1/2" emc.

The lights will be hanging pull lights (16 ga wire in the cord) and because it's a little cheaper and easier, I wanted to get power to the fixtures by 14 ga wire, also in 1/2" emc.

Is this a no-no? The only thing on this run would be 5 lights, so very low load.

You can't do this unless you change the breaker to 15A. The 16 AWG wire as part of the lamps is allowed because the lamps, by design, will never have more power going through them. But the wires you put in could, someday, have additional power - perhaps another owner decides to put more lights or convert one to a receptacle for outdoor power tools. You can't control all of that (as much as you think you can) so you have to stick to the rules. 12 AWG for 20 A. 14 AWG for 15 A. You can have a mix of 12 & 14 on a 15 A circuit, but can't do that on a 20 A circuit because the circuit breaker has to be small enough to protect all the wires connected to it.


Existing light fixture is connected to 2 white wires, black wires are capped I started to replace a light fixture in a closet and discovered that although 2 wires (each containing a black, white, and ground wire) come into the box, only the white wires are connected to the fixture (one on each side).  Black and ground wires are connected separately, but not attached to the fixture.  See picture.
The light is controlled by a single switch.  How can the light work (it does if the switch is turned on) without a black wire?

It looks like a switch loop that was wired backwards. The always hot of a switch loop should be white and the switched hot should be black with a marking on the white always hot to identify it as a hot. I have seen this many times, it is easy to fix by swapping the white and black at each end and then marking the white wire with a black sharpie or black tape (any color other than green, gray or white would meet code)


Is there a way to 'remove' blackened water-stain from hardwood floor? We have several large (3' x 6') blackened areas on our hardwood floor where water damage occurred.  This discoloration goes deep. Our goal is to sand the floors and apply a clear coat, but we first want to know if there is a product that will remove the black stain.  Also, if this cannot be done will a dark stain hide the problem?

Removing Dark Stains With Sandpaper

  Remove the finish over the stain gently with sandpaper, moving with the grain of the wood. Use #100-grit sandpaper, and then feather the
  edges with #150-grit sandpaper.
  Sand the stain with #150-grit sandpaper, now that you have removed the finish. Feather the edges around the stained area with #0000 steel
  wool.
  Use tack cloth (lint-free cloth) to remove sanding dust.
  Put on several light coats of varnish to match the original finish.
  Feather the edges of the new varnish with #0000 steel wool to remove the slight bump between the old and new varnish.
  Wax the wood with a quality polish.

  Remove Dark Stains With Bleach

  Bleach the wood with chlorine bleach if the stain turns out to be too deep to remove without excessive sanding.
  Don your rubber gloves and apply the bleach with a brush.
  Let it sit for a few hours. The stain should fade to nearly the wood’s original color, but it’s a slow process.
  Use a clean sponge and water to remove the bleach completely and prevent further fading of the wood color.
  Apply vinegar to neutralize the wood. This will prevent the wood from lightening the stain or varnish when you brush it on.
  Let the wood dry thoroughly.
  Apply wood stain, if needed, and let it dry again.
  Brush on several light coats of varnish to match the original finish.
  Feather the edges of the new varnish with #0000 steel wool to remove the slight bump between the old and new varnish. Remove dust
  with a tack cloth.
  Wax the wood with a quality polish.

Taken from: http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Water-Stains-Off-Wood


Found a Crack in Subfloor when Removing Old Tile I was removing old tile from my kitchen and found the crack seen in the pictures. I was wondering how big a deal the crack was and how to proceed with trying to lay new tile. I wanted to knock out more of the thinset mortar left around it, but I was afraid I might make the crack worse. Any advice on how to go forward?

You'll need to lay down an isolation pad over the crack before installing the new tile.
The pad will allow the crack to open (if it is active) and not break the tile like as if they were set directly to the concrete floor.


How to install a screen door? I have been thinking of adding a screen door to an existing sliding glass door on my balcony.

I measured my door frame and purchased a screen door, now I am not sure how to install it.

Can I install the door without removing the glass door from its place?
I fear that once I remove it from the track I will not be able to put it back.

The sliding screen door is completely independent of the the sliding glass door. There is no need to remove the glass door to install a screen door. If you are not experienced at removing sliding glass doors and you try to do so, even with a helper, you risk damaging the door and personal injury.

The light sliding screen doors I am familiar with have two spring loaded rollers on the bottom (possibly on the top too). Insert the top of the door into the top slot and position the bottom as close to the bottom track as you can. Use a flat metal blade (e.g. a putty knife) to lift up one roller, push the door over the track and release the roller. Repeat on the other roller.


How do I get rid of fruit flies in my fridge? Sorry in advance if this is the wrong place to post this.

In my fridge there are scores of dead fruit flies lying on the bottom. I rarely see any live ones in or outside the fridge, but, daily, there are dozens of dead ones both in the main part of the fridge and freezer compartment.

I've taken apart the seals and cleaned them to no affect. I've tried the juice and liquid soap trick and caught none at all. I've cleaned the fridge too, of course.

None are on any of the food in the fridge either. It's like my fridge is the elephant graveyard of fruit flies - they just go there to die.

Would anyone know how I could get rid of them?

The fruit flies have laid eggs somewhere in your fridge.  If there are any drain traps or any extra covers for electric/whatever take them off.  Spray the entire fridge with a spray cleaner that has bleach.  Then unplug fridge and let it dry out.

If during the exercise you find holes that are good possibilities of breeding grounds, plug them with tape.    We find fridges that are very usable in this state very often during flips and the first things we do is bleach the inside (409 makes a spray and a gel that works good - the gel on the bottom).  After it sits for a day we clean with soap and water and let it dry.  Then plug it in and almost all of the time - given seals are good never - no insect issues.


Is my interior door LH or RH? Have just read your 2010 posts regarding whether an interior door is LH or RH.  Using the "hand that plus the door toward you" guideline, I get the opposite of what I get when using the hinge/jamb guideline. I do in fact have 3 interior doors that pull toward me using right hand but using the jamb guideline, they are LH. I would call these outswing as they do not swing  IN to the area they are closing. I have another door into a small bath I would call inswing RH using the jamb guideline but LH using the left hand to pull towards me. I'm starting to like the idea to take a drawing with me...

Stand in front of the door.

If the handle moves away from you and to the left, it's left handed.
If  the handle moves toward you and to the right, it's left handed.
If the handle moves away from you and to the right, it's right handed.
If the handle moves toward you and to the left, it's right handed.

Basically, if it opens away from you, it's whichever way it opens to. If it opens toward you, it's the opposite of whichever way it opens.


Would pipe from radiator to bottom of hot water tank be supply or return? I have one radiator that does not work at all (although it has worked in the past). Unlike all the other radiators that come directly of the main supply and return pipe from the boiler I can see that one end of the radiator is connected to a pipe that runs directly to the bottom of the hot water tank. I cannot trace where the other pipes goes, it seems to run towards the back of the hot water tank but cannot see where it goes after this point. Because this radiator is newly installed we don't actually know which pipe is the supply and which is the return, both pipes are stone cold. Its replacing a previous one but the installer didn't make note of which end had the thermostatic valve before he removed it and redid the pipes.

My questions are:

Why has this radiator been attached directly to hot water cylinder
Will the pipe attached to the bottom of the hot water cylinder be
supply or return ?
Where logically should other pipe attach.
What could stop it from working ?

Why has this radiator been attached directly to hot water cylinder

Seems like a bodge to me.

Traditional UK systems have the radiators completely separate from the hot-water (which supplies taps only). The radiator system is usually a closed loop - with some means of topping up the water - either a header tank in the loft (US: attic) or a valve next to a pressure vessel with a pressure gauge.

 Source: Honeywell

The hot water tank usually has four connections, two for supply and return from boiler which connect to an internal helical loop, there is no transfer of water from this loop into the tank, only a transfer of heat.

The tank is supplied with cold water at the bottom (e.g. from a separate header tank) and hot water to taps is drawn out the top.

 Source: Potterton, modified to show pump, three-port zone-valve, vents and cold water to taps

  Will the pipe attached to the bottom of the hot water cylinder be supply or return ?

Generally you remove hot water from the top and supply cold water into the bottom.

  Where logically should other pipe attach.

Your arrangement seems illogical. Probably the top of the cylinder.

  What could stop it from working?

Sediment clogging the supply pipe or radiator
A valve turned off, blocked or broken.
Lockshield valve (that "other" radiator-valve) needs adjusting?
Air in the radiator
Failure of a circulation pump (if present†)
Bad design or design reliant on specific characteristics of removed radiator.
Programmer/timer set to CH on but HW off.
Failure of HW thermostat or set too low for magic radiator to do its thing.
HW thermostat set too high or insufficient call for HW to sustain temperature gradient in tank needed to support magic for radiator?

† I believe some very old heating systems used natural convection but I've never seen one‡.
‡ I'm not a plumber.


Can a T8 bulb work with a T5 ballast? What (if any problems) will happen if a T8 bulbs are used with T5 ballasts?

It won't work right.  It will overdrive the tube (or underdrive the tube) and you'd get short tube life.  It may flicker horribly.  It may not be able to strike.

Basically the same things that will happen if you put T12 tubes in a T8-ballasted fixture.

It's basically a dumb thing to do.

If you got a wrong thing, take it back and get the right thing.

This may not help, but.. You know, if you have a T8 fixture and it uses anything like standard tombstones (lamp sockets), they sell special extension tombstones to fit a T5 bulb.  Or if the fixture already has that upgrade, you can roll it back using standard tombstones.

Though the T5 is slightly more efficient, all things being equal.


How can I repair this garage door trim and weather stripping? The weather stripping on the outside of my garage door is wavy, as is the metal trim its anchored through, which leads to a lot of air leakage. I could just caulk this as is, but I'm guessing the results would be better if I removed some of the waviness first. However, I'm not really sure what caused it, how to undo it, or how to prevent it from happening again. Any tips about that? It's been like this for years, but is now becoming an issue as I'm working on insulating the garage.

Is the weather seal screwed in?

I would recommend removing the weather seal and replacing it with new.

Install the top piece first. Do not cut it long so you have to force it into place; cut it to fit tight at the ends but you should not have to force it into place. use ring shanked colored nails and nail about every 6-9". Do not over tighten the nails, just bring them flush to the weather seal. Cut the sides to length, again, not so tight that you have to force it. Square cut all ends, do not attempt to miter this product. the rubber flap should form a U to the door, not a 90 degree. Clean it all up then use a good caulk along the edge of the weather seal and the siding.

Done like this you will get most of that bowing and gapping out of what you have now.

Done right, this will be a huge improvement. Take your time and get the weather seal cut to the right length and nail carefully and often.


Water restriction when washing machine is running I live in a townhome. Only when the washing machine is running I'm not able to use water anywhere in the house.
As soon as it washing machine stops the water works immediately. I believe its a valve or something that stops the pressure to save on the water bill. I attached a picture of a valve I see:

Open the valve and see if it makes a difference. I would think any 2 faucets on at the same time would have the same effect. The valve may have been installed to dampen water hammer issues. I have seen this done and work but it limits the flow.


Where can I get flexible ferrous/ferritic strip? It is easy to find narrow flexible strips that are magnetic on one side and sticky or smooth on the other side, commonly used to turn any object into a fridge magnet.

What I want to find is the opposite. A narrow flexible strip that is sticky on one side and ferrous/ferritic on the other side, so that magnets will stick to it. I want to turn a narrow section of wall into something that fridge magnets can be stuck to.

A strip of steel or iron is a slight option, but it's harder to ship, sharper on the edges, and more likely to rust.

Edit: the smooth white surface of the exposed side is an important feature of the existing product that I hope to duplicate in the product I'm looking for. I might settle for glossy or brushed metal, but I don't want the ugly grey/brown of the back of a magnet strip.

Edit - Here are two sources for strips - MyWhiteBoards and MagnetValley. However these strips are magnetic but should be equal or better than "magnetic receptive" material.

Original post - It sounds like you want a surface similar to a dry-erase white board.  MyWhiteBoards is a source for flexible, magnetic, dry-erase wall covering.  Although it is called "magnetic", it means "magnetic receptive" which means that magnets will stick but the covering itself is not magnetic.  From this source, the smallest size (1.5 ft x 2 ft) costs $42 and includes a peel-n-stick backing.

If a non-flexible surface is OK, then Office Depot or Staples carry lower cost magnetic-receptive white boards.


How much should it cost to add a circuit breaker? In this question, I asked about problems between my circuit breaker for a circuit shared by my microwave and sump pump. The conclusion was that another circuit should be added to support the microwave on its own. I have open spots for breakers in the box. Assuming I have an electrician do this job, how much should I expect it to cost? If location is a variable, I'm in central Maryland.

Note that the new circuit could be added to support only the sump-pump in an unfinished basement. So my thinking is that it should be one of the easiest additions possible.

It is fairly simple to add an additional breaker to a box but of course there would be some sort of minimum charge to come out and also the cost of the breaker, so probably around $100.

BUT that assumes the actual line for the sump pump/microwave (the one you want to put on the new circuit) is all by itself.  I have seen some interesting wiring in old houses where one thing is wired to the next which is wired to the next and eventually all of it goes back to the same breaker.  The electrician might need some time to figure out how the microwave and/or sump pump are currently wired before being able to propose a solution.  If this is the case then I would expect a much higher bill (since this is no longer a trivial "install a new breaker" job).


What type of mortar would I use to seal cracks in our chimney? We've got a brick chimney that's ~25 years old and it's got a quite a few cracks in the mortar (some hairline, some as thick is a quarter).

What's the best way to seal all those cracks? I assume mortar, but is there a specific type?

I'm not concerned so much with how it looks (can't really see it from the street), but we've had a slew of leaks coming in from all these cracks, so just need something that does a good job of sealing it long term.

Sure sounds like your chimney is a good candidate for a re pointing job. This involves removing all loose and damaged mortar, then pointing all the joints with a portland cement mortar. If you have never done this kind of work, read up on it. It can get quite involved if there are loose bricks etc. It may be a good idea to get a pro, so it will last awhile and not just fall out as soon as it dries. An alternative product for a quick temp fix can be found in a caulking tube. There are several products designed specifically  for masonry and do a pretty good job in sealing small cracks. Remove as much loose mortar as you can to assure the masonry caulk sticks well.


Sump pump size and reliabilty for crawlspace Still trying to sort out the different advice from crawlspace drainage vendors. The least expensive fellow insists a single 1/3 HP pump pumps out plenty of volume, and that only a single pump is needed (w/battery backup) because they're so reliable. He also said he stopped using sock filters because he found the socks themselves were much more likely to clog up than the perf pipe. The other, far more expensive operations, are pushing for a 3-pump system and insist a sock is mandatory. Hard to know who to believe. Thanks.

If you have any fear of high water table of flooding you always need a backup on your sump pump. There are some options to safely knowing your sump pump system is always working such as sensors that send updates to your phone, however having the peace of mind that a backup pump instills is nice. If you are going to theoretically rely on your backup someday when the main pump fails, be sure to buy a backup that pumps a reasonable amount of water. Someone more experienced will need to add information about the sock.


How can I prevent a tankless propane on-demand water heater from freezing up in very cold climates? We are considering installing a tankless propane on-demand water heater in a residential setting, where multiple tenants use a shared bathing facility (presently served satisfactorily by a 40 gal electric tank heater). A big concern about installing a propane tankless heater, is the possibility of a cold air down draft in the chimney into the unit and having the core freeze (and break).  We experience wintertime lows outside temps of -40°F to -50°F and colder.

In this setting there might be early AM use and then, possibly, a long period through the day with no demand until dinner time. (i.e. natural use will not necessarily have the unit cycling on and off).

Does anyone know of units where there are dampers in the flue that positively (as opposed to passively) close that would protect against such a freeze up. Anyone with direct experience?

Where is the tankless water heater to be located? If it is in a space that is heated, then freezing will not likely be a concern as there will be plenty of heat gain through the equipment enclosure.

If freezing is still a concern, look for a tankless unit that has a electric element for freeze protection. This will use a lot of energy if the unit is located in a cold garage, so best practice would be to locate the unit inside a heated space.


How can I find the cleanout for my cast iron drain line? I bought a 1962 home in Merritt Island, Florida last year and immediately noticed a plumbing issue due to cast iron pipes corroding since they sat for a few years. Where is my cleanout so I can snake it?  At this time, everything is backing up into the master shower room and I am not able to use any bathroom or even the sink in the bathroom or the washer. I have many neighbors who tell me I have a cleanout but they don't say where.

How far should it be from the house? How far should I look to find it in the ground? How should I locate it? Is it in the front of the house or back, left or right?  I know if I find it I can fix a part of the issue but I don't know where to find it.

You basically have three main options for a cleanout:

Roof.  Most home during that era, especially with cast iron have a full clean out on the roof vent.
Main stack on lowest level.  This would be basements in some homes but guessing you don't have one.  Without a basement these can be on the first level or crawl space, usually first level.  If there is a cleanout opening it should have an access panel which could be any sort of panel size and less than 1' by 1'.  I would look in the center of the house or close to bathrooms/kitchen, really close to toilets.
Closer to the street, probably on you front lawn.  You should see a small manhole or some other sort of contraption for a cleanout to your street sewer system.

Things to think about...

You need something to snake this.  Snaking old cast iron is not easy.  As it corrodes it becomes smaller inside.  You shaking metal inside that always isn't a good scenario.  Pieces break off and make a bigger mess.  So make sure you are using the proper tool.  We have no idea how big your yard is but in mine I need a 300 foot auger out ever two years to get tree roots.  I of course don't own one so I call someone.
Calling a plumber is not going to help you if you just want it temporarily fixed and snaked.  There are other companies that will do this for you local for $75 or so.  There are a ton in my area that for $50-75 will send someone out and let them snake for an hour for that amount - or until issue is fixed.  Calling a plumber could run you 4x the costs.
Which brings me to the real answer...  Just have a plumber convert your lines to PVC.  Most of the time this is a one day job and ranges in price from $750-1500.  I know you are trying to save money but having a plumber troubleshoot one time could be $300-400, and he very well may never touch the root cause of the issue.  Something like this isn't worth half-assing because it isn't something that is just broke but it is broke and getting worse.


How do I connect a 4 prong cord on my GE dryer which is currently connected with a 3 prong cord? On my GE dryer, a 3 prong cord is hooked up as shown on the picture. I want to replace it with a 4 prong cord I got with the standard green/red/black/white terminals.
I am a bit unsure of what goes where and why the ground is connected to white/yellow with a jumper on the current setup.
How would I hook up the new cord after having removed the old 3 prong one and will I keep that jumper from ground like it is now?
It was suggested that this answered my question: White wire when changing from 4 prong to 3 on dryer I read that but found it a bit confusing. The answers I got here solved it for me.

Remove that brass jumper, connect white to the middle terminal, red and black to the one each of the two end terminals and green to the ground screw.


Is this a load bearing beam? Is the big steel beam running perpendicular to the joists a load bearing beam?

This gave me a chuckle. (No offense intended)

Is the big steel beam running perpendicular to the joists a load
bearing beam?

It is a beam and the photo shows a load on it, floor joists, and all of that on a post. So YES  it is load bearing beam.
I will leave it to others more knowledgeable and eloquent to explain further.


Adding new 240v 30 amp outlet by tapping into existing NEMA 10-30 outlet box Here's the situation: House was built in the 1980s. My laundry room has an existing NEMA 10-30 outlet that is not being used since we have a gas dryer. I am thinking about getting an electric car so I'll need a place to charge it in the garage which is located just outside the laundry room door which is just adjacent to this unused 10-30 outlet. My thought was maybe I could junction off of this outlet and run a 10 gauge Romex to the garage wall for a new outlet to plug in the car.

I was hoping to not have to run all new cable from the breaker box because that is in the basement. The breaker for this circuit a 2-pole 30 amp breaker. Since I may some day want to use this laundry room outlet if we were to get an electric dryer, I was thinking it would be nice to keep that installed as an outlet and just run new wires from that to the garage. I wasn't sure if that was acceptable and if I did this would it mean that I'd only be able to use one outlet at a time. The car can be set to pull 24 amps for the 30 amp circuit. (80% of 30 amps) As I said I don't need the outlet now but if some day I wanted to use it would this be a problem for the circuit?

My other thought is to just move the NEMA 10-30 outlet (or install a new NEMA 14-30) to the garage and use the existing outlet box as a junction box to tie-in the new cables. Then close the laundry room box up with a blank faceplate so it won't be usable anymore. I would then use the newly installed garage outlet for the car charging.

I appreciate any advice you can offer for this situation. I've relocated 120 volt outlets before for various reasons but I've never done this for a 240 so I wasn't sure if that makes a difference. I'll likely get an electrician to do the work either way but just thought I'd get some advice here on what is possible.

Thanks for the responses this has been helpful. I was not aware that the code requires EV chargers to be on a dedicated circuit so that was good to learn. Here's a few pictures I was finally able to take of the outlet wiring. I'll probably just get an electrician to add a dedicated 50 amp circuit to the garage instead and leave this one as is.

You need to see if there's a ground inside the box

For your application, equipment safety ground MUST be separate from neutral. let's examine the cases.

There is neutral and a ground wire (or metal conduit)

The NEMA 10 does not connect to this ground.
You can extend off this outlet by tapping the two hots and ground (and neutral if your charger needs it). Smash the NEMA 10 socket.  Cover it with a blanking plate; you can normally have multiple 30A sockets, but not with EVSEs.

There is a bare stranded neutral woven around the other wires

This is the only kind of cable that was ever allowed to use a bare neutral.  You can go one of two ways here.

Re-designate that bare wire as a ground wire, and you will be permanently unable to ever use that cable to power any electric dryer.  This can ONLY power a NEMA 6 socket.
Keep that wire as neutral, which is grandfathered, and retrofit a ground wire.  Make sure they don't touch!

3-wire cable, but the neutral is bare

This cable was illegal to feed a NEMA 10 at the time it was installed, and therefore is ineligible for grandfathering.  Because the bare wire is illegal to use as neutral.  It must be re-tasked to be ground, and can never supply a dryer, only a NEMA 6.

3-wire cable, white neutral (or braided bare neutral as mentioned earlier)

You cannot tap this. Period.  End of subject.   It is a shame, if you woke up one day and found that previously a ground had been retrofitted, then you could have tapped it.  But no luck. Sorry!

If you think you can retrofit a ground and immediately tap it, in one step, no... But my suggestion is "sleep on it" :)

Retrofitting Ground

A separate ground wire can be retrofitted.  It can run on its own route. It only needs to reach any of the following:

the service panel this circuit is powered out of, obviously
any junction box  with an all-metal-conduit path back to the service panel
any junction box with a #10 or larger ground wire back to the service panel, such as a water heater or air conditioner.
any part of the Grounding Electrode System, those copper wires that come out of the panel to go to water pipes or ground rods.

Change the dryer receptacle to NEMA 14-30 at this point for plausible deniability that the ground retrofit was unrelated work.  You must leave the 14-30 disconnected because you can't have other outlets on an EVSE circuit.


Will a PVC pipe crack in concrete? If a plastic PVC pipe is totally covered with cement? Does a minor crack/s in the concrete will also crack PVC pipe or damage it? I mean cracks such as due to very minor seismic movements?

If the pipe is totally encased in concrete small surface cracks would not affect. If the cracks go all the way through, like a total crack in a foundation, it could also damage the pipe. If the concrete has shifted along the crack line then the pipe is going to be damaged. The amount of damage will depend on the type of re- enforcement done when laying the concrete.
What is the pipe used for?


Best way to vent gas from gas lines in preparation for opening gas line I understand how this will be perceived by some since I’m not a licensed plumber. However, I’m not going to pay a licensed plumber $2000 for installing gas pipe. (Yes, I did go through the effort of getting an on-site estimate from a licensed plumber.) It’s just not going to happen. (Yes, I understand the consequences.)

I need to install gas line (black steel pipe) in order to supply gas for a gas dryer. I’ve removed the drywall and see all the pipe in the wall that I will be working on. I’ll need to replace a few tees, replace some pipe, add some pipe, and so on. I’ll be using pipe dope (Rectorseal) for the fittings, drilling holes through the studs, and so on. I will also purchase a manometer and hook it up to perform a pressure test (not relying on liquid and bubbles).

I’m not going to do it until I'm confident that I'm doing it as safe as I personally can (personally, as in without paying a licensed professional).

My question is: when I shut off the valve at the gas meter, if I just open the gas line, there will still be gas in the lines that will escape. In order to perform this procedure most safely, what is the best way to evacuate gas from the gas lines prior to opening the gas lines? Should I just shut off the valve at the gas meter and then run the water heater until the pilot light goes out (observed by visual inspection)? (I don't have a gas range, so I can't run a stove and watch the burners.)

Do not use pipe dope.  The secret to making gas tight fittings is to screw in each connection until only one or two threads are showing.  Yellow Teflon tape makes this easier, but it is not a requirement.  It can take up to 24 hours for the steel pipe to seal up, so do not expect it to immediately be gas tight.  A 16 inch (or longer) pipe wrench also makes this easy, but it is still quite a workout.
Yes, there will be natural gas in the line.  It should be at a pressure of about seven inches of water column (equivalent to 1/50 atmosphere, 0.02 bar, and 0.25 psi).  If there is a really long and fat pressurized pipe (50+ feet of 3/4 inch) in the system, opening could release a few cubic inches of gas.  But it is going to rapidly dissipate and float away.  Natural gas is buoyant; propane sinks and accumulates in low places.   Personally, I wouldn't worry about gas in the line.  Just opening a nearby window is more than enough.  (Of course, I don't smoke either.)

There is no reason for a plumber to lay pipe.  This is something anyone can do.  Homeowners are, in my experience, more likely to do a better job because the professionals don't have to live with the installation.

As long as you do a good pressure test, you can assure yourself and your loved ones that it was done well.


Outlet Wiring Identification I'm replacing an outlet and I don't know which wires attach to which screws. I'm partially color-blind, and two of the wires look like different shades of red and one looks black. I know that the black wire should be attached to one of the brass screws, but I need help identifying the other 2 wires.

Additional Angles:

This is the old outlet:

And the new outlet:

You'll want a few extra parts for this

The wiring runs in this box appear to have been made using new-style armored cable (AC) that has a bonding strip in it, which means that you don't have a ground wire; instead, the combination of the cable armor and bonding strip serves as the grounding path.  As a result, you'll either need to return your receptacle and get one with a self-grounding feature (in addition to tamper-resistance, that is!), or get a ground pigtail that you can screw into the designated grounding hole in the back of the box to provide a ground wire to the receptacle's grounding screw.  (You also may need to return the receptacle anyway, since it won't fit the existing faceplate as it's decorator-style (big rectangular opening) vs using a standard (two roundish openings) receptacle opening on a faceplate.)

While you're there, get a short length (3-6") of black 12AWG THHN and a wirenut suitable for three 12AWG wires.  Once you return with the right things, you'll then need to strip the insulation off the ends of the black wire you bought, and use the wirenut to combine it with the existing black and red wires in the box -- crank it down tight and make sure it passes a pull test!  Then, you can install the ground pigtail and wire it to the green screw on the new receptacle if you went that route.  Once that's done, the black pigtail goes to the brass screw and the existing (yellowish) white pigtail goes to the silver screw on the receptacle; once the receptacle's all wired up, you can button things back up, turn the power back on, and enjoy your work!