Acceptable ground to neutral voltage? First of all I'm pretty sure I know the theory behind the effect. I know about the inductive and capacitive coupling, about 3-phase balance problems and about ground bounce, so this question isn't about normality of existence of voltage between ground and neutral line.
What I want to know is in general are there established levels at which the voltage is normal, at which I should start investigating the voltage and at which I should kill power and start panicking?
!!!PLEASE READ THIS FIRST BEFORE ANSWERING!!!
Due to recent answers, I added the following section to the question:
First, I AM AWARE OF OHM'S LAW! I hoped that it would be obvious from the second sentence of the question, but it isn't.
Second, the type of answer I'm looking for is something like: "The difference in a properly installed should be below XX V because it is written so in regulation YY". Bonus points for information on how number XX has been derived.
Alternatively acceptable answer would be: "There's no limit  in any regulatory documents because of ZZZ." if it's accompanied by a good description of ZZZ.
I will down-vote answers which basically say: Ohm's law.
I know that this sounds extremely rude, but unfortunately I don't see any other way to explain exactly what I'm asking. If you don't know the answer, that's fine by me.

The best I could do was to dig up a fine print note (FPN) in the National Electrical Code (NEC). In theory, there is no limit (as stated in other answers). In practice, the limit is when things stop working. In this FPN, the limit is 3-5%. In reality, the limit is around 1-2%.
NEC 2008

210.19 Conductors — Minimum Ampacity and Size.
(A) Branch Circuits Not More Than 600 Volts.
(1) General.
FPN No. 4: Conductors for branch circuits as defined in Article 100, sized to prevent a voltage drop exceeding 3 percent at the
farthest outlet of power, heating, and lighting loads, or combinations
of such loads, and where the maximum total voltage drop on both
feeders and branch circuits to the farthest outlet does not exceed 5
percent, provide reasonable efficiency of operation. See FPN No. 2 of
215.2(A)(3) for voltage drop on feeder conductors.

This Fine Print Note (FPN) says that to provide "reasonable efficiency of operation", the voltage drop of the branch circuit to the furthest point should not exceed 3%. And that the total voltage drop, including the feeders should not exceed 5%.
120V * 3% = 3.6V
120V * 5% = 6V
Given this information.  You should start to examine your wiring, if you measure anything near 3V neutral to ground.
Note: Fine print notes are informational only and are not enforceable as requirements of the National Electrical Code.


How can I tell if a given roof vent is still active, connected? I'm doing roofing, and looking at a roof vent pipe (e.g. a plumbing drain waste plumbing penetration). It is 1.5" galvanized pipe original to the construction. I see it emerge from the top plates and up to the roof.

I can match up all the other roof vent pipes with their fixtures below, but not this one.  I think it might be abandoned.

How can I determine reliably where it goes, and if it's still part of the home's plumbing system?  All I can think of is to smell for sewer gases.

One thing you can do regarding the question if it an active part of your plumbing is to turn on your water sources one by one. While water is running down the respective drain put your ear to this unknown vent pipe top and listen for the sound of running water.

One way to make this process efficient is to have two people talking on cell phones. One person is on the roof to listen at the pipe. The other person operates each sink,  toilet or washer in turn while communicating with the person on the roof.

Of course use common sense safety strategy climbing to the roof, especially if it is particularly steep of high from ground level.


Primer and paint for radiators I need to repaint a part of my radiator. I have already sanded the tarnished area with a grinder and a flapdisk but not the whole area (half of a fin) I'm getting ready to refinish, IOW most of the area still has paint but I removed it where it looked ugly (some burn marks).

Should I use an oil based primer (as I think that's best for metal) over the whole area and then just regular indoor paint?

this is the best system to paint anything from plastic to stainless steel

Don't deviate or skip any steps.

1.clean thoroughly with acetone or MEK.

2.mechanically abrade with 180-240 grit (higher for smoother finish, but less lifespan, coarser for rougher finish but better adhesion) sandpaper

3.wipe again with acetone or MEK

4.rust convert any surface rust (on steel only) with 3M marhyde or corroseal rust converter

5.prime with any UMA primer like XIM400

6.paint with devthane 379 aliphatic urethane enamel.

Done!


What is the functional difference between using a ground wire, and grounding to a fixture? Is one method better than the other? How so?

In the possible event that one has both options at their disposal, which one should they choose?

An example where you would have both options at your disposal would be wiring a ceiling light fixture, where your feeder cable contains a ground wire, and there is also a ground clip on the fixture itself. You then have the choice of attaching the next light fixture's ground wire directly to the ground clip on the previous fixture, or you can pigtail off of the previous fixture's ground wire.

When I write ground wire, I am referring to the bare or green-insulated wire.

It makes no difference as to method of attaching the safety ground as long as the connection is:

a) Done so that the electrical wiring code is followed

b) The connection is reliable and will remain reliable

c) The reliability of the connection continues years into its service life

In any case most switches, outlets, light fixtures these days have separate safety ground screws or wire pigtails that are meant to be connected with the bare ground wire of the feeder cable in the electrical box.


How curved is a horizontal string line? I plan to build a raised planter from 2 courses of concrete blocks. The long dimension is about 9 meters. I staked the corners, and then stretched a string the entire length as taut as I could without pulling up the stakes. The string is horizontal according to the bubble of a line level hanging from any point along the string. How much sag should I assume is in the string compared with e.g. a laser line?

I was hoping to get a practical answer instead of an academic exercise, but assume the modulus of elasticity for cotton is 7.9 GPa, assume the string cross-sectional area is 1E-6 m^2, and assume tension is 80 N.

An eyeball down the string will tell the story, but a proper dryline (not kite string or other weak line) sufficiently taut (as you describe) is not going to have more than 1/4" sag in 30 feet. I'd think that would be suitable for a planter, and you could anticipate the sag when you set your heights and adjust slightly.


How to cut out precise inside corners from hardboard? We are making some templates out of 1/8" hardboard for some stonework and trying to get them accurate to within 1/32" and it is very tricky.
The hard parts are the inside corners (some of the templates have an L-shape). On the outside we can just use a rail saw to get a precise cut, but we can't do that with the inside corners. Using a jigsaw results in a jagged, uneven cut.

A couple ideas:

Try different jigsaw blades. Many different tooth configurations exist, and some will work better with fibrous material.
Use a circular saw set to full depth. The cut angle will be nearly 90°. Clamp guides to your workpiece if you don't feel steady. You can finish with a utility knife once you snap the remaining tip of the scrap, or overcut slightly on one face if that's not a problem.
Use a rotary tool and a jig.
Use your jigsaw, then clean up with a rotary tool and a straightedge (or just a utility knife).
Finish the cut with a very sharp chisel. The flat (non-beveled) side should be against your final piece.


Best way to secure a cat enclosure to the ground? I'd like to make a small outdoor cat enclosure for my cat.  I shouldn't have any problems securing it on the tops and sides but i'm curious if anyone has suggestions for securing it to the ground?  The bottom will be touching dirt and I want to make sure that my cat cannot get out AND that no critters can get in.  Suggestions?

Cats are just as capable of digging as dogs are. Dogs are capable of digging to get to a trapped and tasty treat.

The best thing I can recommend, after years of work to contain psychotic dogs when they're outside, is to have a full enclosure -- top, bottom, all four sides.


How can I fix this portion of sliding screen door track? The track which my screen door slides on has weep holes.  One of them finally gave way, leaving a gap ( see photos).  I cannot find this track style anywhere that I, as a general consumer, have looked. How can I get this fixed or fix it myself? I prefer to not have to replace the entire assembly if I can help it.

Is there, perhaps, a filler of some sort?

I'm currently searching on "sliding door track rail cover".

Click for full size image

Repaired

Based on the selected answer, here is the repair using multiple tiny clippings of aluminum from a can of dog food and judicious application of JB Weld.  The hold is extremely strong when pushed and the roll-over is fine.  There is no longer a weep hole here.  While I did coat the piece that lays flat on the surface, the epoxy either came off or receded; I plan to apply more epoxy to complete the seal.  Excess JB Weld has flaked off the track.

Update June, 2015: still holding strong a year and a half after the additional sealing.  I just moved, so this is the final update.

Click for full size image

This is a tough one, as the aluminum is hard to weld.  And replacing the sill plate is tantamount to replacing the door (strike one for planned obsolescence).

I'd first try trimming a small scrap of aluminum slightly wider than the hole.  Roll the top edge so it takes the weight of the door. Then clean the heck out of the area, and epoxy it into place.

This has a chance of working.  Don't bother trying to restore the weep function, you need all the strength you can get.   Don't worry about making the track slightly wider, the roller wheel is pretty sloppy.

Not used to working with folding metal? The top edge of an aluminum sardine can might give you a head start.  The top edge of a tin can would be even stronger at the slight risk of galvanic corrosion.  Sheet aluminum is available at any hardware store in the roofing area. JB weld is a fine epoxy.  I'd stay away from fast epoxy and make sure to clamp really well.  Remember you want the metal to take the weight of the door wheel, the epoxy is just to keep it from falling out.  Feather the edges of the epoxy to reduce catching.


Return vent in unfinished basement causing first floor to become pressurized I have a 3 year old home and the builder installed a return vent on the main intake trunk that connects to the furnace. This is super annoying for a few reasons:

It pressurized the first floor. This is very noticeable on the
first floor when opening the door to the basement. You feel the rush
of air being sucked into the basement.
It pulls odors and dust from the basement into the first floor.
It is heating the basement unnecessarily by pulling hot hair through
the underside of the basement door

I tried capping the return vent but it resulted in the blower motor making a slight noise. I mentioned this to my HVAC guy and he said this is a sign of the motor working too hard and i should remove the cap. He said there is insufficient return air coming from the first floor. I will note that prior to the cap, i have heard this same noise coming from the unit from time to time.
We have 2 return air registers on the first floor for about 1500 square feet of living space. They measure 11x11 and 10x13 but the 11x11 one seems to be doing most of the work.
What is the best way of solving this problem? My HVAC guy offered an approach of turning the basement into a full zone and utilizing dampers to have that furnace operate both the basement and first floor zones. This would be useful for finishing the basement which is something I am interested in. He was a bit hand wavey about how he would solve for the pressurization problem. I would really need to see a full system diagram to be confident. Is there a simpler solution to this problem?

Your main trunk duct may be undersized for the return air on the main level. If this is a new system that used the existing ductwork the fan speeds may be set for the highest efficiency.
In my opinion the system is not properly sized or set up correctly not enough info but one of the 2 is true.
For a fix:
It looks like a Rheem but not sure, the Rheem furnaces / air handlers I have installed have multiple motor speed taps. Running the system at a lower speed should help reduce the pressure imbalance.
Adding a larger intake trunk duct to pull air out of the upper floors would be a option since there are already 2.
If you add heat to the basement this will eliminate most if not all of the imbalance but I would absolutely want a damper on the supply duct for the basement so you can balance the flows or much the heat / ac will end up in the basement.
Even a single heat duct down there may reduce the pressure imbalance.
I would check to see if you have a multi tap motor that could be run at a slower speed if you are not ready to add heat downstairs.
I just re read and the system is 3 years old so you are past the point where you can usually get something done for free.


How can I keep a router aligned correctly while running it along the narrow edge of a board? How can I keep my router aligned correctly when using it with the base against the edge rather than the face of a board? Is there a jig or attachment I should use? Freehanding clearly doesn't cut it.

I'm not sure if I really understand the question, but I think you are trying to shape the edge of a board by running the router against the narrow edge instead of the wide top/bottom. If this is the case, there are a couple of ways to keep the router steady and perpendicular to the edge.  The best way is to mount the router in a table and run your stock against the guide/fence.  If you don't have a router table, you can clamp some larger stock like a 2X4 to the board to make a wider edge for the router to slide on. This will help keep the router platform flat to the work.


How high is shower waterproofing treatment supposed to be? We noticed a sudden water leak while deep cleaning the master shower with the removable shower head, and quickly found the culprit - the tile "bench" in the shower had a grout joint that has completely separated on the leading edge facing the water, and that allowed water to get behind the tile.

My concern is how easily water showed up in the downstairs dining room. Should there be waterproofing around the whole shower and behind all tiles to prevent that from occurring? This is a relatively new home (2016) and I'm wondering if I should just reseal and move on, or if this is something worth taking up with the builder who has already told me this is "homeowner maintenance." Also, given I know water went all the way through, at least to an HVAC duct, is that cause enough to remove tile and investigate any other damage?

Thanks in advance.

When a 2-year-old shower is leaking, something is definitely wrong. Call the builder, and tell him to fix it.

Yes, there's supposed to be waterproofing behind the tiles. The tiles and grout by themselves won't be enough to keep the water out of the wall. I don't know if there are precise rules for how high the waterproofing should go, but I would think at least as high as the shower head. When I built my shower, I went all the way up to the ceiling.


How can I safely work around power lines? I have to do some painting and repair work on the outside of the house near the incoming power line. The repair is pulling off molding and replacing it as well as painting the surrounding area.

I am going to get a fiberglass ladder to work around the area but is that enough? I will be so close that I am bound to touch it and it scares the crap out of me.

What else should I do to get this work done and still be alive to enjoy it after?

Call your utility company and have the power shut off at the pole for the duration of your work in that area.


Name the architectural feature of thin strip of roof on side wall connecting gabel end points? Is there a specific name for this feature:

I think this is purely for aesthetics, generally a horizontal mini-roof that connects the lowest points of a gable end. I believe it's to visually break up the otherwise large expanse of side wall, although without a term to look up I'm finding it hard to research.

As answered in the comments, it looks like this feature has a few names:

Just an "eave", like any other eave on the house
"eave return", or "full eave return"
"cornice return" or "full cornice return"

There are a handful of colloquial terms for specific types of "eave returns" - "pork chop returns", "mutton chop returns", "bird boxes".

Sources:

http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/cornicer.html
http://www.contractortalk.com/f14/what-type-eave-called-see-picture-38794/
https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2287882/why-are-full-cornice-returns-aka-mutton-chops-disliked-here


Extending branch circuit to outdoor shed and additional exterior outlets US, Southern CA, NEC 2017
I have a 15A* kitchen branch circuit not feeding countertop outlets that also feeds a single outlet on an exterior wall. The existing circuit consists of three indoor outlets, a ceiling fan, and one outdoor outlet, and one outdoor light fixture, connected by Romex. A switch is installed inside the house but is currently disconnected.
[* A 20A breaker is installed for this circuit but the wiring may only be rated for 15A. I have verified that it only feeds the ceiling fan and some outlets on a wall opposite the countertops]
I'm hoping to answer whether this branch circuit can also be used to power an outdoor shed office, plus some additional exterior outlets. Summing up the expected loads, the total power usage for the entire circuit is around 1000W. I have seen that you can only run a single circuit to an outbuilding, and that all wires for a circuit must be contained in the same wiring method.
The proposed additions:

conduit and junction boxes leading to the shed (J1 & J2)
a disconnect mounted on the exterior wall of the shed (S2)
a GFCI outlet and switch at the base of a nearby pillar (O5 & S3). The switch controls a remote outlet for a pond pump (O7) to be run intermittently
an overhead GFCI outlet for lights (O6) controlled by a switch inside the house (S1)

Questions

Aside from burying the conduit at the correct depth, using GFCI for exterior outlets, and having a disconnect means for the shed, are there other code requirements that would apply to extending this branch circuit?

Is there anything restricting running the 4 wires in a single conduit (hot, neutral, ground, switched hot S1 > O6) or does the shed need its own conduit (hot, neutral, ground), separate from the conduit feeding the exterior outlets (hot, neutral, ground, switched hot)?

Are there any things to watch out for with this plan?

The existing circuit doesn't comply with Code in the first instance...
The one Code issue with your plan is that the existing circuit you're trying to tap from doesn't conform with the NEC to begin with.  In particular, it violates NEC 210.52(B) because (B)(1) requires that the kitchen small appliance branch circuits not only feed the kitchen countertops, but any wall receptacles available in the kitchen space, and (B)(2) prohibits any outlet other than that required by (B)(1) from being put on a kitchen small appliance branch circuit.
As a result of this, I'd make sure that the O4 feed is sourced from the S1 junction box so that a new homerun can be brought to S1 in the future, at least partially rectifying the violation.  (O1-O3 will also need to get rewired with 12AWG in order to fully correct things, but that can wait until an appropriate time.)
And you don't want to skimp on the conduit, either
Other than that, your plan looks reasonable, save for some issues with conduit sizing and parts.  We start at J1, where your plan to use a junction box there is foiled by the fact PVC weatherproof junction boxes don't come with side entries.  I'd instead bring the conduit directly down from the O4 box, then use either a 90° prefab sweep or a pair of 45° prefabs to kick the conduit over to where it needs to be to line up with the pillar and shed properly.
Once that's out of the way, we get to J2, which is also an issue because you can't stick any old junction box in the ground and get away with it.  Instead, you'll want to use a molded plastic handhole at J2 with the conduits entering from the bottom and a set of direct burial rated splices inside.  Alternatively, you could align the conduit so it comes up directly into S2 and then run conduit from S2 to O5/S3; this gets rid of the handhole at the cost of a slightly larger offset in the conduit run.
As to the size of the conduit, your prime constraint is going to be a tradeoff between future expandability out to the shed and getting things that'll fit.  I'd at the very least bury two 1" PVC conduits, or perhaps a 1" and a 1.5", so that there's a way to run a communications line to the shed in the future without tearing up the yard.  The switched-hot to O6 won't be an issue in this case, either, by the way; the only time it will become an issue is if you're pulling a feeder through for the shed, at which time you can evaluate your options.
Running a larger conduit than 1" for the mains wiring right now, though, would require some serious work to get it out of the house and into the shed.  First off, PVC weatherproof extensions aren't a thing, so you'll have to use a cast-metal one with a PVC male adapter threaded into its bottom.  Furthermore, you can't fit a male adapter into a reducing bushing, so you'll want to use a "stub" nipple of PVC between the male adapter and the reducing bushing instead.  Finally, you'd need to stack reducers if you tried to go up much beyond 1", and that may not work well with all designs of reducing bushings.
At the shed end, it depends on if you are using a light switch box or something more sophisticated for the disconnecting means there.  If you're using a light switch in a weatherproof box, then similar caveats apply save for the lack of a need for a male adapter since you can simply use a PVC box for the job instead.  Using a pullout disconnect spares you that hassle, though, and works better with multi-wire branch circuits if you wish to pull a MWBC to the shed in the future.
Finally, since this is California, where ground motion is to be expected, you'll want to put expansion joints in all your conduit stub-ups, so they don't fail completely if you get a bit of shakin' going on.


Connecting "C" wire Gas Furnace Have spent hours searching for answer for my application to no avail.
I am  going to install a Honeywell  RTH9580wf. These pics pic show my current 4 wire setup. I  have run a new 5 wire line and would like verification on where to connect the "C" wire at Furnace and New T Stat. The "C" wire  would be Yellow if I leave things as they currently are. Thanks...

[![enter image description here][3]][3]

According to the schematic, the labeled C terminal is the C terminal.


Does a new water tank need to be installed at the same height as an existing one for the floats to work properly? I'm installing a 500 gallon water tank next to an existing water tank...
The existing tank holds 300 gallons and is fed by well water. This tank has a float shut off and a pump that pumps into a pressure tank and then the house.
We will connect at the bottom w/ 2" PVC.
I've read that the two tanks need to be set at the same heights.
Does this mean that the new 500 gallon tank will only store 300 gallons since the existing tank will shut off at that point via the float switch?
Can I raise the level of the 300 gallon tank so that it is higher than the 500 gal tank (I was thinking the 500 would store more water but now realizing that the water in this tank wont flow back to the 300). Thank you!

With proper valve and control setup, you can set it at whatever height you like. Level control in each tank would be independent of the other tank.
There are multiple ways to do this. One would be to have the float switch on the 500 gallon tank, and a float valve (fed from the 500 gallon tank) on the 300 gallon tank, as well as a check valve on the output of the 300 gallon tank to the pressure pump before it joined the output of the 500 gallon tank to the pressure pump.
If it's just open pipes, sharing one float valve in one tank, you can't.
Of course, if the 500 gallon tank was larger diameter but the same height, that could work - you have not given specifics about those details.
If you want to elevate the 300 gallon tank, you'd move the pressure pump input to the bottom of the 500 gallon tank, so that water from the 300 would flow into the 500, with the tops of both tanks at the same level.


wood plank subfloor repair and leveling Our plank subfloor needs repair and leveling.

Could we do the following:

replace some of the pieces
add a layer of structural plywood (1/2" or 5/8") on top
use cement patch compound to level it
add finish plywood

I would make a cut with a circular saw set to the thickness of the boards all the way around the room, as close as the saw allows to the wall. I'd then fit 3/4" plywood inside the cut, adding framing below where necessary to support the edge well. I'd then overlay 1/2" plywood wall-to-wall, with construction adhesive between it and the old boards. Screw it all down with 2-1/2" construction screws.

If you're set on leaving the old boards in place, here's what I'd do:

Screw every board down tight with 3" construction screws, two per board per joist. Don't bother replacing any unless they're rotten or otherwise falling apart.
Grind down any severe bumps or high spots. If the boards are all down tight to the joists I wouldn't expect many.
Run 1/4" beads of construction adhesive perpendicular to the boards and on 6-8" intervals.
Set your plywood overlay and screw it down on an 8" grid using 2" construction screws, creating a laminated bond with the boards below.


Why electrical switches are rated lower for led than incadescent lights? I bought a dimmer that supports ic, halogen, led and cfl lights.
It says 600w for incadescent and halogen and 150w for led and cfl.
Why is the difference?
What happens if I put it in a circuit with 8 led lights rated at 25w?

It's not a switch, for one thing. It's a dimmer - a switch, in the same circumstances, would be just fine with full rated amperage of LED or CFL. Unless you have a great deal of interest in dimming, your best option if you have 200W of LEDs on the circuit would be to use a switch.

The limit comes from the interaction of the power supply circuits internal to "dimmable" LEDs/CFLs and the dimmers that can be used with them. Overloading the dimmer will probably cost you at least a new dimmer, and depending what fails, perhaps one or more of the attached lights.

Look at the bottom of page 15:


Is there a rule about minimum rise of a vent pipe before it can run horizontal? I am replacing my shower/bath, including removing the wall that houses the vent pipe (the new unit is free-standing). To make the repiping easier, I want to redirect the tub vent pipe to merge with the vent stack for the double sink, which is about 7 feet away. My plan is for the tub vent pipe to start vertical, then almost immediately turn to run horizontal for that 7 feet, then vertical again (with some maneuvering) to merge into the vent stack for the sinks. I know vent pipes can be run horizontal as long as there is a slope, but is there a rule about minimum rise distance of a vent pipe before it can run horizontal?

Yes.  The vent can't run horizontal until you've reached the overflow height of the attached fixtures.   The idea is you don't want the water to backup into a horizontal section of venting and deposit debris in the event that the waste pipe clogs.  If the waste pipe clogs then the fixture should overflow before water runs into a horizontal section of vent pipe.


What techniques can be used to buff a stainless steel sink? Hypothetically, say I was too aggressive using a bucket in a new stainless steel sink.

Hypothetically, say the sink now has some scratches.

I used an oxalic acid based cleanser (Bar Keepers Friend), scrubbing in the direction of the grain.  Sink cleaned up nicely, but the scratches were barely dented (scratched).

How is the grain originally put into the sink?  I would assume a wire wheel.  I would think metal buffing compound would make the surface TOO smooth.

Any tips or techniques would be appreciated.

The "grain" is a result of a 25 minute grinding and buffing process completed near the end of the creation of the sink.

This video gives a bit of a clue.  The final stages are at the 3:50 mark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYd7-ZNbg5g


Should I use Fire Bricks in Wood Stove I recently bought a new place with a wood stove which needs the Fire Bricks replaced. I have read they reduce heat generation in the room and might not be needed. (More efficient without but possibly more dangerous?)

What is the communities thoughts on this matter?

I have a few theories but I'm to noob to know and want an unbiased feedback from the SE community.

Thanks!

Some google reads...

https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/are-fire-bricks-necesarry.215264/

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/no-bricks-in-wood-stove.84728/

Stoves designed for firebricks should have them.

Stove metal can be corroded and burn through if incorrectly used.

This can be caused by poor combustion due to wet wood or poor draught.

As the OP needs more...

I have bought and fitted 4 wood stoves (2 small and 1 cooking range which all came with firebricks as standard) and looked after several others, some of which were heavy cast iron without firebricks but had a longer path for the gasses to get proper combustion.

This youtube video shows one similar to some I used:

Jotul stove

And the hunting scenes always give character...

As for burning wet wood, it is the fastest way to damage a woodstove - I had to rebuild one for someone after two seasons - the gasses are seriously corrosive.

This is why everyone who knows what they ate talking about suggest that the wood is dreied for two years before burning. Also, knowing what type of wood you have is crucial : elm is poor to burn while oak (well seasoned) is pure gold.

Here is a list (easy to find others), which defines wood types:

burning woods


Why is my sewage ejector pump running so long? I have a bathroom in the basement.  The sewage collects in a pit with an ejector pump and is then pumped up to a pipe which feeds into the main sewage pipe that goes out of the house (see diagram).

Normally the pump runs for 10 seconds and then stops (after the float switch detects that the fluid level has dropped sufficiently).  Recently, the toilet valve got stuck open so that water was being continuously added to the bowl.  For some reason the water started coming out of the bowl and flooding the basement (my daughter noticed before it caused too much havoc).  When I got home from work I went to check out the ejector pump and could feel/hear that the pump was running continuously.  I unplugged it, then plugged it back in and it ran for 10 seconds and then stopped.

I then rigged up a device (raspberry pi) to monitor the pump and kill the power briefly whenever the pump runs for more than 30 seconds.  The raspberry pi is programmed to send me a text message when this occurs.  I installed this system in November and there have been 3 power shutoffs since then (12/4, 12/10, and today: 12/12).  Each time, cutting the power briefly seems to work (the sewage pump does not run continuously afterward), but I am sure there is a plumbing problem that needs to be addressed.

Can anyone help me figure it out?  My guess is that the main trap (shown in the figure) is mostly clogged.  I am wondering if the sewage may be re-entering the ejector pit through the vent line.  Should I rent a snake and open the cap near where I wrote "main floor" and see if that does the trick?  Is it possible that the flow control valve on the main sewage pipe is part of the problem?

Thanks in advance for any advice!!!

OK... so the mystery has been solved. :-)

The problem got so bad today that the failure rate reached 100% (every time the pump came on it would churn for >30 seconds)... I got a lot of text messages. When I got to the pump, I noticed that during these failures there didn't seem to be any flow at all, and I could feel the pressure build up around the coupler just below the flow control check valve (the one above the ejector pump).

I began to suspect the issue was with this valve, so I took it off and found it was basically just a disk inside a cylinder.  It was not attached to anything (no hinge to keep it from flipping over freely).  This effectively made the valve stop flow in either direction.  I guess that the valve was originally something like this:

The issue may be similar to the issue described in this video, except my valve (American Granby SPCV200) was a swing check valve:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W65Si-PhMDk


AC compressor makes strange constant noise, won't run My Comfortmaker AC compressor outside makes this strange sound when I turn it on, and the fan in the compressor doesn't run. https://vocaroo.com/i/s0rx9CsN4XaQ Every few seconds it also makes the sound you can hear at 0:06, which turns off after 1 second, and this cycle keeps going until I turn the system off. Any help you can provide on what the problem could be would be greatly appreciated!

Given that you are likely talking about a residential air conditioning compressor with a single phase motor, that sound would be indicative of a failed Starting Capacitor in the compressor motor, so the motor is not able to start. Many of those are hermetically sealed compressors, so the capacitor is separately mounted somewhere away from the motor itself, then there is a "Potential Relay" that takes it off-line once the motor has started (as opposed to a centrifugal switch found on standard single phase motors). So if the capacitor is OK, it might also be a failed potential relay. Either way it's not something the average homeowner can fix, it takes some specialized knowledge of what to look for and how to troubleshoot it. I suggest calling an HVAC service tech.


ive been told i have low results of asbestos in my ceiling Ive been told there are a diffrent results of asbestos ie low medium or high , ive been living with a huge hole on my sitting room ceiling for seven weeks with parts of it falling daily  as a result ive been picking this up with my bare hands , ive now been told its only dangerous if you handle it , ive bee told its a low result and wont effect me or my children but i have been handling it as shards have fallen and ive picked it up

Some ceiling tiles contain asbestos; some don't.  If you want to be sure then you can have it tested.  If the tests come back negative, then you can stop worrying!  If you don't want to do a test, then I would do something about it right away, just in case.

Asbestos can cause problems when inhaled, but not when touched.  If you've had pieces falling off of the ceiling, you may have fibers floating in the air.

The particles are small and light enough that they never really settle as dust.  HEPA-rated filters will remove asbestos from the air, but only if they are attached to a matching HEPA vacuum.  If you put an after-market HEPA filter on your shop vac there are any number of ways for the asbestos to get around the filter.

Keep in mind that asbestos is a politically hot topic.  Some people believe that a single fiber will lead to inevitable cancer. Others believe that you have to breath fibers for years and then maybe something bad will happen later in life. The truth must be somewhere in between: Asbestos is a naturally occuring mineral, and is always present (in low levels) in the environment.

Either way, asbestos is a controlled "hazardous substance".  If you get a positive result on an asbestos test then what I'm about to suggest may not be allowed (especially step 3). You can Google "asbestos remediation" for a lot of information.

I assume you don't want to buy a new vac.  Then there are three things that I'd do:

Stop adding possible asbestos to the air. You need to repair (or stabilize) the damage in the ceiling. This can be difficult to do without releasing more asbestos :)  One common way is to cover the asbestos-containing material with sprayed-on paint.  But this isn't appropriate if there is already damage.
Be wary while cleaning up the fallen material. You can mix a small amount of dish soap into water and spray it onto the material. This traps the fibers so they don't get released while you scoop up the material. Keep it wet when cleaning it up and then tie the garbage bag closed.  If the material is known to contain asbestos then it is generally illegal to throw it into your residential garbage container.
Ventilate the room. Get a lot of air flowing through the room through an outside window.  Don't blow the air into the rest of your house. Any fibers will quickly disperse in the atmosphere.  Again, this isn't generally allowed if the tests have come back positive.


How do I fix a leaky outdoor faucet? As you can see, the outdoor faucet in my backyard leaks when the water is turned on. It does not leak when the water is turned off.  (For those who are wondering: Yes, there is some water going through the hose.)

So how do I fix this thing? I found this YouTube video that shows how to tighten the packing nut, but that didn't work for me. Also, I can push/pull on the handle and it feels like the whole valve stem will come in/out about 1/4". This doesn't affect the amount of water that leaks though.

Woodford Faucet is probably the place to go for the parts breakdown if I can read the handle right. They produce a kit specifically for repair. You'll have to look for better identification, but here's the Model 17 kit (round handle) which probably addresses all the issues.

American MFG that's been around like forever and has always been good about repair kits. You'll recognize their key'd faucets if you've used campsites.

EPDM Packing that's under the Nut


What are your drywall/cement board/framing flatness tolerances for tile supporting walls? What are your drywall/cement board/framing flatness tolerances for tile supporting walls?
I am rebuilding half of a frame and it is a challenge to bring all the studs in the same plane. I do know about the tricks used to straighten studs but I am thinking there must be some tolerances in this respect
Update:
this is related to this thread.
Can I use corner brackets to rebuild a wall frame that has the horizontal 2x4s extended in an adjacent room?
I build my second half of the frame and now I am trying to align it with the existing and it seems to be complex since the top and the bottom plate could be aligned using a long level as straight edge but then studs might not be in the same plan with the other half that is already there.
I am using a vertical laser and double checking with the 8' straight edge-level
Update2:
this guy is doing it using thinset. Is this normal? (you can call this floating the cement board I guess)
https://youtu.be/Fls1asNV9ug?t=1141
Update3: this guy is floating the tiles instead
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tZrczG_H_U&ab_channel=VancouverCarpenter

Just use drywall cardboard shims or sistered studs to bring the studs into plane. TCNA says 1/4" deviation over 10'. If using large format tile, trying to level with thinset after will take way longer and be more frustrating than the time it would take to make sure the walls are straight and plumb
Edit: Since you like Sal youtube videos this is the one you want https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCUWkbG060s


Wiring three light fixtures to a headboard for my bed I’ve made a few lamps and a few small electrical projects.
But have never done some thing like this so was wondering
what the best way to wire them would be. I don’t want to burn my house down when I plug it in.

I just need diagrams of the right way to wire the three lights together, and one of the "burn your house down" way, so I know how not to wire it. :)

Looks like you have already purchased mains-voltage lamps and are intending to wire those, presumably with a switch somewhere. You can do that, but IMHO it's easier to use low-voltage lights and you'll get nicer results too.

Use your favorite web search engine and search for "led puck lights". There are too many different options to list here, and that will be your biggest challenge. But once you find the one you want, you can just plug the LED driver/transformer into a wall socket, run the low-voltage wires to the lights, no fuss, no worries about burning anything down or electrocuting yourself.

This is similar to the other answer, except that I'll suggest you stick with 12V, or possibly 24V, equipment if you can. USB-powered devices use 5V, and will generally have lower wattage, and generally won't be dimmable (if that's something you care about…people often do in the bedroom setting). With the 12V options, they will either come with a dimmable power supply, or it will be trivial to rewire them with a replacement power supply that is dimmable (worst-case, you'll have to cut some wires and splice with wire nuts…the wires will all be small and carry only low-voltage current, so easy and relatively safe).

Other than picking an actual set of lights, the other "hard part" will be orienting the lights. The puck lights are designed to be downlights. You might want to build a short shelf in which you can mount all of the lamps, or alternatively you could build a little housing for each so that they can be directed downward while attached to the vertical surface of the headboard.

I used LED puck lights, mounted in a "box valence" (there's probably a better term for this…it's just a shallow hollow space that runs under the overhead cabinet, connecting the left and right sides of the Murphy bed frame) over the head of a Murphy bed in my guest room, and they turned out great. Just the right amount of light, they were easy to install, and the only part of the project that involved mains-voltage parts, was literally just "plug and play". I didn't have to do anything tricky or risky with mains-voltage at all.


Old to new molding transition Picture shows corner of opening between kitchen (on left) and living room (on right). You can see that edge of laminate floor in living room doesn't go under base board(blue) but hidden by quarter round(red). I recently installed new floor (yellow) in kitchen area.

I am going to be installing new baseboard on top of kitchen floor, my question is, height of new  baseboard won't match with height of living room baseboard. Is that ok ? I am looking for suggestions.

If you're happy with the height of the kitchen baseboard being a little lower, then you could cut a strip off the bottom of the kitchen baseboard so when it rests on the tile, its height matches the lounge baseboard.

You can then mitre the right end to make a neat finish with the lounge. If the baseboard ends here then the left end can be mitred as shown here https://youtu.be/dX2tVUg9r8I or https://youtu.be/8UlntpiHB8k


Sloped ceiling - remove hot air with exhaust fan I have what I think is an unusual setup of a sloped ceiling that may offer an easy fix to my problem, but wanted to get some opinions from you guys.

Our master bedroom, on the 2nd floor (top floor), has a sloped ceiling (roof above it) and also a wall that is 2 stories high. So it's a square room except 1 wall is 2x the normal height, and therefore the ceiling is sloped. The master bedroom faces west, has a large window on the short wall, and gets pounded with sun all afternoon. It gets up to about 80-82º. It's nearly impossible to get it cooled back down with the existing single duct. The upper part of the tall wall has an unconditioned attic on the other side of (behind) it.

The 2 other bedrooms on the 2nd floor have normal flat ceilings, with the attic above it. Those 2 other bedrooms are facing east. They stay nice and cool in the summer.

About 5 years ago, we had new insulation put in the house: loose fill in the attic, and dense pack in the master sloped ceiling. They did not install air ducts (baffles?), so I think the insulation is just really packed in. Works well for keeping it warm in winter. But now it's hot in summer.

I've tried adding an in-vent fan that constantly pushed air in the room. That helped a tiny bit. I installed a blackout shaded, which keep the light out well, but has not helped the heat build up.

I'm having some HVAC people come to give their opinions on what can be done, but I wanted to get your thoughts.

One idea: add another duct from the basement blower unit up to the master. This will be costly I'm sure. Will this help solve the issue?

Second idea (maybe a bad idea, I don't know, please tell me): The upper part of the tall wall in the master has the attic on the other side of it. So, would it make sense to install a simple bathroom exhaust fan high on that wall, that sucks the hot air from the top of the room and dumps it into the attic (or out to the side of the house)? With the attic setup, looks like it would be easy to install and hook it into a light switch in the master bedroom.

That unusual setup of the high wall that has the attic on the other side of it - seems like a good opportunity for a simple, inexpensive fix to the problem (exhaust fan). What do you guys think?

Any other thoughts about options that would be most effective in getting rid of that trapped hot air?

Thank you!!

I usually advocate for a small mini split air conditioner in your case. For less money you could go with a portable unit in the master bed. The problem with adding a new duct is it will imbalance the system if the rest of the house is good. Also when you go to heat in the winter you will get twice the heat up there. As far as a fan up high, I think you will need a whole lot more air flow than a bath fan can move. Also you will then be dumping all your cooled air outside. Shouldn’t work well but I have seen things like this that shouldn’t be a good idea on paper work out due to other factors.


Can I extend my sump pump outlet? I live in area without sewers, so we depend on swales and drainage ditches when it rains.  My basement sump pump outlet is in the ditch in front of the house, but it's a couple of inches below grass level.  Often the ditch fills over the outlet during heavy rain, which can make the sump pump fall behind and bam, water in the basement.

I'm thinking of putting an upside-down J pipe on the outlet so the water actually comes out of it at above ditch level.  I'm pretty sure I'm not even close to maxing out either the rise or run specs on the sump pump even if I do this.

Is this plan stupid?  Am I better off just installing a stronger pump?  If I go that route, how do I know how powerful a pump the buried outlet pipe can withstand?  Is there even a risk of bursting it since it's buried and so supported on all sides by earth?

You should not add an upward bend to the pipe, as that will more likely lead to water always sitting in the pipe.

Instead you should add a check valve (one way valve) to the line. This will allow the pump to push water out, while preventing ditch water from flowing back in.

If the pump is strong enough, it should be able to push water into the ditch even when it's full. Unless the outlet is pointed upstream, in which case you should redirect the pipe downstream.


My water pipes seem to be NPS sizes, can this be right? The plumbing in my new house is from the 1950s and I need to replace a section of it, a few feet of what I think is size 3/8 inch NPS. I figured this would be a simple matter, but I am completely unable to find this size pipe available in a consumer quantity.  It seems like it is only made for industrial purposes?  Where do owners of older homes find this type of pipe?

EDIT
Apparently my situation is odd (?) so I thought I would add some pictures.  You can see that the pipe I am replacing has OD of ~0.68" and the main pipe has OD ~0.88".  For reference you can see that a nearby 2x4 measures accurately on the calipers.

It's copper, so it is rigid tube, not pipe, as specified in ASTM B88 (Standard Specification for Seamless Copper Water Tube).  The actual OD is 1/8" larger than the nominal size.  So, your .88 diameter is 3/4" and your .68 diameter is a slightly fat 1/2".


What is the right way/tool to remove this tile and thinset from a concrete slab? I'm finishing up my hardwood flooring project and realized I had enough material to replace a tile entry pad with hardwood. So I started removing the tile and thinset with my handy prybar. I'm finding it extremely slow going. The tiles are very difficult to remove, and most of the thinset beneath them is extremely well-bonded to the concrete slab beneath them. I'm having a hard time getting

Is there a reasonably-priced tool I can acquire to make this task less arduous? Or am I just going to have to bang and scrape at it over and over and over and over again?

Hammer and chisel.  That area should take about 10-15 minutes.  If you pat the area with a hammer it will break the bond with the tile.  The chisel isn't used much accept to knock off build up of thinset.


What size cap do I need for this steam pipe? I'd like to put a cap on this steam pipe, but the standard cap sizes don't seem to fit -- a 2" cap is way too big and a 1.5" cap is slightly too small:

There is a very faint "1 1/4" engraved on the T-joint. That doesn't make sense to me, because if a 1.5" cap is too small, then a 1.25" cap should also be too small.

Is there a trick to matching pipe sizes (or to getting the almost-right 1.5" cap to fit) that I'm missing?

1-1/4 is probably the thread size on the bottom (standard pipe threads.) The threaded part that's currently exposed is the radiator union connection, and may fit a 1-1/4" union, or it may be an odd size specific to the radiator, depending on how that company was playing the game at the time.

If its a 1-1/4 union thread, you'd need to buy a 1-1/4 union and a 1-1/4 plug (or cap, depending on the flavor of the union), remove 1/3 of  the union corresponding to the part on the valve, and attach the remaining 2/3 of the union to the valve, and plug or cap the hole in the union. If it's non-standard and specific to the radiator you probably need to remove the valve and cap the pipe.

If you have not thrown out the radiator, that should have the fitting you need attached to it.


Can I put a PV panel on my roof and run wires into a room to a power resistor to generate heat? Maybe a dumb idea, but can I just put a PV panel on my roof and run wires into a room to a power resistor to generate heat? I have just one room that I was thinking of adding this additional heat to. I suppose I could prototype the idea by running a heater of the desired wattage (maybe 200 watts on average) and seeing if it makes much of a difference in the temp of the room. But I dont see anyone who has done this on the web. Also, you would want to maximize the power transfer from the PV to the power resistor, so that suggests trying to figure out the resistance of the panel and supply lines and trying to match your power resistor to that same resistance?

Works (while the sun is shining), but is a very expensive option and not overly efficient.

Solar PV panels of a remotely affordable price are about 10% efficient in terms of converting sunlight to electricity. Most of the rest of the sun's energy that hits them is converted to heat.

So, from a sun conversion point of view, direct solar thermal collection is more efficient.

However, for a grid-tied house, you might be better off (as relative prices of PV and thermal systems shift) putting up some grid-tied panels and using the grid they are tied to run a heat pump (depending on climate, a low-tmperature heat pump, which are relatively new on the scene and can operate in air temperatures below 0° F.)

200W is a tiny amount of heat in any case - about 600 BTU/hr.

PV panels tend to have two specified numbers that will be somewhat relevant for choosing a resistor - the open circuit voltage (no current, no power) and the short circuit current (no voltage, no power) - a sophisticated system tries to shoot for the "maximum power point" which is somewhere in the middle. If you are lucky that might also be specified. You are not trying to "match resistance" (whatever you mean by that) - rather you are looking for a resistor that will drop a voltage somewhat less than the open circuit voltage at a current somewhat less than the short circuit current.


Why my bedroom lights are on when a light in another room is turned on During night, when all the lights are off and it is very dark in the room, I noticed that my bedroom lights turn on barely when a light is turned on in another room.
The light is very barely visible and I would not notice them if it was during the day, only when it is very dark. I am using Philips Hue in my bedroom.

It sounds like you may have not set up your lights properly through your app?
In pictures this is the sequence to follow. I would also make sure your serials are inputted properly and not reacting off other light settings, since Hue bulbs can receive signals from other bulbs (rather than just your Hue Bridge),


GFCI breaker trips only when weather is very cold I have a microwave that works great except when the temperature outside is something like 15 degrees F or cooler outside. When this is the case, it more or less reliably trips the GFCI breaker in my basement, requiring me to turn it back on to try to get a few more seconds of heating out of it.

This never happens when the weather is warmer.

I’m only able to do proper tests when it is cold like this. What i did today was after the breaker tripped and I flipped it back on, I plugged the microwave in with a kill-a-watt meter in order to monitor the voltage. I conducted the same test (heating one hot pocket) and it completed a full minute without incident. So it may be possible that the kill-a-watt meter introduced some difference that prevents it from tripping now. Although, this is only one data point.

I just wonder what are some other things that I can test. And if I plug the microwave on a different circuit (having a regular breaker) it runs fine.

I looked at this again now that it has tripped once more with 38 degrees F outside temperature. It is an AFCI breaker, not a GFCI (or possibly more correct it is both), and when flipping it back to on, the light labeled ARC FAULT comes on (not the other one labeled GROUND FAULT).

Upon more reading, simply ensuring the microwave isn't underloaded (e.g. add a cup of water to it while heating something small) should prevent this.

Except that what is funny about this is that when it tripped today it in fact already had a bit of extra water inside. Although it was a shot glass of water, not a whole cup. Now that I'm barking up the right tree I should be able to get somewhere with this though.


What do I need to do to prepare for a storage shed? I'm thinking of putting a small shed (something like this -- a Montana 8' x 10' mini-barn) and wondering what I need to do to prepare.

I was thinking of getting a load of gravel, and having a bed of 4-6" of gravel, with deck blocks on top of that.  The area under consideration isn't quite level, and gets a bit damp in the spring.

Or would just putting down the deck blocks (digging them in a bit to ensure they're all level) be sufficient?

I looked at your profile, but don't know what part of the country you are in. Where you are makes a lot of difference. The building you are considering is a wooden structure, fairly heavy and can hold some cargo. Any building that size deserves a decent foundation. If you don't support it right, it will warp, shift and bend with the seasons, resulting in screwed doors and separations on the siding.since you said the ground can be wet in season, I would recommended a foundation that keeps it off the ground, a vapor barrier to protect he floor and is deep enough to withstand ground heaves if you are in an area where the ground freezes in winter.  If you are in a non-freeze area, I think you may want to at least support the corners and side walls with blocks at least 12 inches in the ground. Any and all water you can stop from attacking your new building will increase it's life span. Your idea of a gravel base with supports would be a minimum. Let me know where you are, and I may be able to give you better advise.


Is it dangerous to not replace a steam boiler pressure gauge that is stuck at 0? Everything else works and it's heating fine. Let me know if you have more questions.

Dangerous? If it malfunctions and an over-pressure event occurs, that's dangerous. Whether or not a functioning gauge will provide early warning or not would depend on the experience/knowledge level of the gauge reader and the nature of the malfunction.

Are you required to have a functioning pressure gauge? Most likely you are but it may depend on the duty rating (BTU), type of occupancy, and where you live. Some boilers in some states require regular documented inspections which include a pressure check. Inquire with your local code enforcement agency, although you may not like what you find out about responsibilities attached to steam boiler operators.

But the rules are written in somebody's blood, just do an internet search for boiler explosions and you will see.


My kitchen has no real walls. Is this going to be a problem? I recently redid my kitchen, which included removing the back splash and putting in new tile, but when I went to remove the old tile, I found that the tile is only attached to drywall. Knowing this was weird, I cut a small hole in the drywall and on the other side was only insulation which led directly to the plastic siding on the outside of my kitchen wall!? I could push the insulation and my brother could see the plastic siding move on the outside.

I know that my neighborhood was build by a cheap contractor, but no plywood or anything? I pulled out all the sheet rock on the wall below the hanging cabinets (above the counter) and found nothing but the occasional stud, which weren't even properly spaced, (they were too far apart.) The summary is this, the only thing keeping the outside for getting in, is plastic siding, insulation, and drywall with tile on it. And the plastic siding isn't water proof.

What do I do? I have owned this house going on four years and I haven't noticed any problems, and the heating bill isn't outrageous. Am I okay or disillusioned. Do I have walls put in before a major incident occurs or do  I do nothing?

Edit My concern is with what I need to do, if I need to do anything. Do I put in walls myself because I have been lucky thus far because the water hasn't made it past the siding, or is this system going to hold. I relaize the obvious nature of the question, but has anyone encountered a similar problem, and if so what was the outcome of either side?

It depends partly where you live whether it is up to code or not. In Mass., for example, exterior bracing (plywood is required).

Where is the house? I could probably dig out the building codes for you.

As far as what to do? I'd call a lawyer if it isn't up to your city/county/state building code. You probably don't want to fight that battle yourself.


Harden my dirt parking spots I just bought a house in the mountains and have 3 parking spots "off road" style. There are many pine trees so lots of loose dirt , rocks and dry pine needles. I'm afraid that when it snows and rains, it'll turn into a mud pit. How can I harden my dirt? Or recommendations on what to do that's not too expensive and still attractive but simple. Lol. This is my first house, so learning a lot of DIY techniques. Thanks for your time and help in advance.

What is the soil type in this area? If the soil is sandy, it will not turn to mud when wet. A layer of the right kind of gravel might be both functional and pleasing to the eye, but don't put just anything down. Look around at what are others doing.

Parking cars on a bed of pine needles sounds to me like it would be a fire risk (catalytic converters get very hot). Ask the fire control authorities about whether the pine needles should be raked away from the car parking area.


Should my water heater drip constantly? My wife was home today during a follow-up visit from the sump pump replacement we had as a result of my sump pump issue. After solving the problem, the plumber opened a the release valve from the water heater to drain into the pit, in order to test. Once it shut, it began dripping at a medium pace (not a slow drip that has to build up, but nothing even near a trickle). My wife tells me that the plumber attempted briefly attempted to hammer it fully closed. She thought the dripping would stop, but now, 4 hours later, it is still dripping. The heater has never dripped before.

Is the dripping something we should worry about? Will it eventually stop on its own? Will it cause problems?

Niall is correct.  Opening the T&P valve to drain water from the water heater is a common practice, but if it's really old, it can be damaged by sediment and corrosion.  Where the plumber went wrong is not using the T&P valve to drain some water, but rather trying to hammer it shut.  T&P valves prevent BLEVEs (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion), which are a type of catastrophic explosion -- in this case, in the event of a malfunction in the water heater.   Let's just say that if your water heater BLEVEs, you can kiss your entire house goodbye, so since there is clearly a problem with your T&P valve, you need to get yourself a new one.

In order to replace the T&P valve, you can call a plumber or do the following:

1) Turn off the cold water ball valve.
2) TURN OFF THE WATER HEATER'S BREAKER IN YOUR BREAKER BOX (if the top heating element hits air, you can damage it, and it will make a massive shotgun-like sound)
3) Open some hot water outlets, such as the hot water handles on a few sinks.  These will allow air into the top of the hot water heater.
4) Run a garden hose from the hot water heater's drain to the street/driveway.
5) Open the water heater's drain, and empty the hot water heater below the T&P valve.
6) If it does not flow on its own, you have sediment build-up (which you most likely do if your T&P is failing.)  If it doesn't flow, open the cold water ball valve so that the water pressure can help break through the sediment layer.  After 2-3 minutes, close the cold water ball valve again to allow the top of the water heater to fill up with air.
7) Replace the T&P valve.  Use teflon tape to help create a seal.

8) Turn off the drain.
9) Remove the garden hose, but keep it held high so no water comes out the end that is in your hand... and take it back outside.
10) Open the cold water ball valve.
11) A mixture of water/air should come out of the still-opened sinks after 1-2 minutes.  You can shut them off at this point if you don't mind seeing the air bubbles the next time you use the sink.
12) Turn the water heater's breaker back on.


Connecting 240v 14-50R to multiple heaters in parallel I have four infrared heaters that each draw 6.67 amps at 240v.

Each heater has a red, black and green wire: more info (I have SW-24 single lamp model)

I'm in the US and recently had a NEMA 14-50 receptacle installed.

How can I safely connect these four heaters to the receptacle? It is a temporary connection as I only need to do some tests for a few minutes with all heaters on.

My first thought is to wire an extension cable (maybe something like this) to a box with four outlets in parallel?

I'm trying to avoid paying an electrician as it's only a temporary setup and I won't need it after a few minutes of testing.

Any insight is appreciated - thanks!

This is not legal or safe, but it's safe"er" at minimum cost.

Get a 120mm (4-11/16) junction box and lid, a cable clamp appropriate for that oven cord, 4 cable clamps appropriate for the heater power cables, and three rather large wire nuts, or alternately, 5/6-position lug splices that'll take up to #6.  Also 1 foot of bare 10AWG wire, and a #10-32 ground screw (style points for green).

The 120mm box has a 10-32 tapped hole in it, put the ground screw in there and attach the pigtail.
Knock out holes for all the cable clamps that will make sense when it's mounted to the wall, and fit all the cable clamps, screws out so you can get to 'em.
Permanently mount the box on the wall within cord's reach of the 14-50 receptacle.  Certainly do not leave it dangling loose. You'll pull cords out that way and give yourself a wallop.
Bring the dryer cord into its cable clamp. Tighten it down.
Bring each heater cord into a cable clamp.  Tighten it down.
Use a splice to tie all the following wires: a) the stove cord ground, b) the pigtail from the junction box, and c) 4 ground wires from heater cords.  There better be ground wires in those heater cords!
Use a splice to tie all the following: a) the heavy black wire in the stove cord, and b) one of the conductors from each heater cable (doesn't matter which).
Use a splice to tie all the following: a) the heavy white wire and b) the remaining conductor in each heater cable.  Yes, you heard right. White.
Put a wire-nut cap on the red wire, and tape it on so it doesn't fall off. Wire-nuts don't like to stay on single wires.
Put the cover on the box.
Plug in the 14-50 plug.  Light this baby up!

If you are getting the expected/advertised heat, then you are wrong about the heaters being 240V.  They are 120V. By hooking up this way, we just saved the heaters.

If they're all heating but the heat is 1/4 of what you are expecting, then you passed the test.  Unplug the 14-50 cord.   Reopen the box,  and redo the last 4 steps, but attaching the red wire to the heaters, and capping the white.  Now you should get the works.

This isn't legal because these are not permissible uses for flexible cords, and we're abusing the tap rules, and these heaters are not listed to be portable or temporary heaters.  The proper way would be a subpanel, 20A breakers feeding 6-20 receptacles, and proper cordage to heaters that are made to be portable.


preventing pipes on an outside wall from freezing I remodeled my cabin to a four season home. My pipes have frozen twice. I removed casing because I was planning to install heat tape. I noticed my builder had not put any installation behind the pipes. I do have styrofoam covers on the pipes, but that is it. It is a Northern exposure wall and the wind comes right at it. The heat tape I have seen is not  recommended for use inside of a wall. I am wondering if I insulated the wall behind the pipes, and purchased better insulating material for the pipes if this would suffice. Would cutting 1 inch holes into the casing allow warm room air to enter into the casing? Lastly, a friend recommended stainless steel heatape. Does anybody know anything about
  this, and where I can purchase it? what about heat eleents that go inside the pipe such as 1" BRASS NPT SCREW PLUG HEATER 60 - 86 WSI for instance

You have to get insulation between those pipes and the outside wall of the cabin and lots of it.  Don't insulated the warm side of those pipes.  That is the only heat that keeps the pipes from freezing.  I wouldn't pursue the heat tape idea.  Put all of your effort into insulation the cold side of those pipes.  And keep the interior of the cabin above 60* all year. You will eventually get it.  Good Luck. You can always let the water trickle from a faucet on those cold and windy nights. Additional thought, in general the exterior wall of he cabin must be well insulated.  Hope this helps. Good Luck.


Why did one toilet regularly clog, and now another one? We have two toilets in our house and it seems that the guest bathroom seems to get clogged more often than not.  This issue is normally resolved by clearing the overflow outside.  I was about to attempt this fix but noticed that the toilet now flushes properly.  Nothing was done, to my knowledge, to clear this line.

I have now noticed that the master bathroom, which is on the other side of the house, is having issues.  The toilet can be flushed, however, it does not flush the waste.  It appears to be clogged as well.  Shortly after flushing gurgling sounds can be heard and the water drains slowly.

I’m curious as to what appeared to be a clogged toilet is now clear and the other toilet is now experiencing issues.

Can someone provide any type of feedback or have experienced this or a similiar issue?  I have called a plumber out to clear the guest bathroom and all they did was snake the line.  Since this is reoccurring and now has moved to the other side of the house, I feel that there is more to it than just a clogged line.

It's highly unlikely that the blockage transferred from one toilet to the other.

If your septic waste line is on a septic tank and leach field you may need to have it emptied.

If you are continually clearing blockage in your main septic line then you might want to consider having a plumbing service clear the main line. The reason I mention this is that it sounds like tree roots have infiltrated your main sewer line. To deal with these tree roots, specific tools are required. The problem could also be a restricted or broken line.

On the other hand, next time you are clearing the line (with a snake from the cleanout?), see what comes back attached to the spiraled head. If you are clearing it regularly, chances are you will see whatever it is attached to the snake.


What siding material is available for a tiny house with metal framing? I'm looking into building my own tiny house (8'x16'). The box will have aluminum framing, but I want to know if there is another exterior wall material to use other than aluminum sheets because of the high price. I know I can use fiberglass, but other than those are there any other materials that I could use that are relatively cheap, waterproof and somewhat sturdy?

Maybe some sort of composite material?

Thank you in advance.

Looking at older type mobiles, park models and even some of the newer tiny homes I have seen built.  A common out layer starts with a thin sheet of exterior plywood (really more like paneling or underlayment)  sizing between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick.  Then skinned with tyvek or plastic and final covered with various exterior materials (aluminum, galvalume tin, fiberglass, or more wood).  With this sandwich method the cheaper wood reduces the thickness of the out material saving costs.

The final outside depends on what your seeking for looks, for instance you can buy a Tuff-rib(tm) panel galvalume protected and painted or coated cheaper then aluminum but very nice to look at.  Some go with wood look by using cedar panels again nice finish and durable if installed correctly, if you like a natural wood look.   Fiberglass sheets are not to bad and can be painted or wrapped for finishing.   I have even seen one trailered tiny on the road using pine shiplap siding (if installed properly a very cheap sturdy exterior).


Can't remove screen from bottom of dishwasher I'm trying to do something that should be really simple - clean the filter in my GE Triton dishwasher, which won't drain. It has this screen that covers most of the bottom of the dishwasher, and I need to remove this screen to get to the filter in the back. But the screen is attached to plastic posts with these metal objects - I don't know what to call them, but they look like they are designed to go on once and not come off.

The plastic posts appear to be part of the base of the dishwasher and they don't budge. I have pulled pretty hard straight up on the screen and these things don't come off naturally. I've gone at them with a pliers with no effect. Is there a trick to removing these or does it have to be destroyed?

I've found one youtube video where someone removes the same screen and it doesn't appear to be attached at all, so I assume this was installed in a non-standard way. I definitely have to remove it to get the screen out.

Those are called "push nuts" and they can be quite difficult to remove.  I've been most successful by inserting a thin screwdriver underneath the nut and gently prying up as you work your way around.

Alternatively, you can try to snap the nut by prying up an edge and then using a pair of needle-nose pliers to twist the edge until it breaks.

Another approach is to take a pick and pry up the teeth that are biting into the post so that they release.  You'll need to bend them far enough so that after you remove the pick they don't bite back into the post.  Work your way around and release all the teeth.

In either case the nut is unlikely to be reusable so you'll need to find some replacements.  I've seen them at well-stocked hardware stores or home centers and you can find many online suppliers after searching for "push nuts".

Try to avoid breaking the post itself as it appears to be plastic.

Are you sure you need to removed that screen?  It doesn't appear that the manufacturer intended for it to be removable, at least not easily for cleaning.  It appears to me that nothing large enough to clog the drain should fit through that screen.


Do i still need the insulation in an old ceiling light if I'm no longer using incandescent bulbs? The insulation itself is in fairly ragged shape after I pulled it down and then replaced it. (I wanted to avoid it getting soaked due to a plumbing leak above.)

In addition to being in poor shape, when I went to reinstall the light bulbs I'd removed when I pulled the insulation down I noticed that both appeared to have suffered damage from overheating, presumably due to being in direct contact with the insulation.

Am I safe in assuming the insulation was only needed originally because incandescent bulbs put out much larger quantities of heat, and that it is no longer needed with modern low power bulbs.

As long as it's possible to screw an incandescent in there, someone will.  So the insulation must stay, otherwise you are using the product inconsistent with its labeling or instructions, voiding its UL listing by altering it, all of which is a codevio.

The CFLs overheated because they were in a confined closed fixture, the insulation had nothing to do with it.  Been there, done that.  The root problem is you were using CFLs somewhere they should not be used, such as 2017.

That is your basic "tenant grade cheapie" fixture, and if you're absolutely in mad love with it, I would look for some ~8 watt LED screw-ins to put in there, might still have overheating problems though.

If money is no object, get a nice soldered-in-LEDs fixture where the LEDs and their heat sink are integral to the fixture, and which aims the LED light properly.  Almost everyone wants a cone of light, and fixtures try to give it to you with inefficient reflectors.   LED screw-ins don't avoid that, they corncob them around to try to light a sphere.  But purpose built fixtures can be aimed or even lensed.


Can I paint over latex with oil-based enamel to repair a peeling situation? I recently used a latex paint to paint over the wooden kitchen cabinets that had an oil-based enamel paint originally. And latex paint started to peel off when bumped. Can I go over the top of that latex paint layer with an oil-based enamel paint without worrying appealing problems later?

Painting over paint is never a good idea especially on something like kitchen cabinets that will experience a lot of wear and tear. If you're looking for long term results, strip off the layers of paint with a good paint remover and repaint with a quality wood paint.

There are many paint removers on the market that are very easy to use and you can complete a project fairly quick. One that I have used often and can be used safely indoors is Citristrip. Brush it on, wait 20 minutes and wipe it off.


Faucet is secured in a strange way. How can I remove it? I've replaced a decent amount of faucets but I've never seen something like this. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to remove it so I can replace it?

The faucet is broken to the point where the cold water runs full blast whenever the valve underneath the sink is on. More pictures:

https://imgur.com/a/9r7p76g

This looks like a faucet that is meant to be installed from the top without having to get under it to tighten nuts.  The pieces underneath that are holding in the holes look like they rotate like a toggle bolt.  Remove the handles and all the trim from the top and then look for a nut or screw that will turn to loosen/lower the locking pieces underneath.  Once it is loosened enough, the bottom pieces should rotate to be in line with the valve bodies and should pull out of the hole easily.

I've never seen a faucet like this in person, so this is an educated guess, but I'm pretty confident.


How much weight will a 4"x8"x20ft oak beam support? I am building a tree house. I will cut two support beams from oak to support the building. How much weight will a 4"x8"x20ft oak beam support?

I will be working between two trees.

The strength of the wood beam will depend on the specific species of oak, the grade of lumbar, whether there are any cantilevers, side bracing, and other factors. But 20 ft seems like a very long span for a 4x8. Glancing at some load tables I would say you're in the ballpark of only a few hundred pounds capacity, which is not sufficient when you take into account the weight of the structure, the weight of occupants, snow, etc. (Don't take my word for it: you must get a more accurate number before you start building). (By the way, where are you going to get a piece of solid oak that long??)

Another side note: you don't say anything about the design of the tree house but be careful about how you connect the trees. When the wind blows the trees will move independently and you need to make sure that your structure isn't rigidly fastened to both trees. There are many examples online about how to make a platform that is fixed to one tree and slides at another. If you don't allow for movement of the trees you risk damaging the treehouse or the trees themselves when a gust of wind blows.


Running a low-voltage audio cable through a wall; with or without conduit? I'm running wire for a 70V audio system and there is a barrier wall in the way of my run. I was wondering if it is legal as far as NFPA 70 / NEC goes if I just poke a hole in the wall (non-insulated and hollow) and run the cable through that? The cable is CL2 so it should be rated for in-wall, but I have no idea if I should still get a piece of conduit to run the cable through.

Thanks!

Commercial occupancy? In the US, the two main things you have to be aware of is penetrations in fire rated assemblies and cable jacket ratings for commercial low voltage. 70V speakers don't count as high voltage, it's the same rules as network cables (CAT5/6 or Fiber).

Typically commercial low voltage installers will use plenum rated CMP cables everywhere to simplify things, and then use intumescent fire caulking to seal any gaps in any wall penetrations in fire rated assemblies for small bundles of wires. Usually 3-4 wires or so.

In situations where they need many wires (10+) they'll put in a short piece of conduit, and use intumescent fire caulking to seal the outside of the conduit to the fire rated assembly, then put their wires inside the conduit, then stuff the hole with mineral wool insulation and/or intumescent fire caulking.

If this isn't a fire rated assembly, and you're using plenum rated cable, then pretty much anything goes. Doing whatever looks the most visually appealing and professional usually takes precedence, but that's probably because the rest of us don't really know the rules. I probably shouldn't suggest to do something just because everyone else does it that way though.

I can't speak to your CL2 cable though. In a residential abode you shouldn't have a problem unless that wall cavity is being used as an air return for HVAC, but in commercial everything above the ceiling is usually used for HVAC return air, so plenum rated cable is all that gets used so it's all I really know much about.


What should I use to cover the walls of an alcove for a water heater? My water heater is located in an alcove on the back corner of the house.  Today I found water line leaking from the heater, replaced and it is good now.  I have always just assumed the walls and ceiling of the alcove was stucco (it is a closet with a door on the outside of the house).  But after replacing the line and looking at the damage, I found it was just drywall with a texture coat.  The drywall is wet and will need to removed but I'm stuck with what to replace it with.  Doing a stucco coat seams out of the question since the family will be out of hot water for a couple of days.  So what should I put up in this 2' by 2' closet?  It has a door but I don't consider this closet to be weather proof but only mostly weather proof.  Is there another acceptable wall covering for this alcove that I can up in day or two.

Edit:  I'm going to have to get insurance involved.  I have water damage in the bathroom that is next to the water heater closet.

Cement board, tile backer board - or use the exterior siding flavor of "otherwise pretty much the same product"


Why is there whitish gunk in my fridge water even after changing the filter Why is there white filaments like in the water coming out of our fridge? We have changed the water filter 2 weeks ago, still no improvement.

Found this on Appliance 411:

I have heard a number of complaints recently that the chemicals (specifically chloramine - a mixture of chlorine and ammonia) used in some water treatment facilities are causing the material the molded plastic refrigerator water reservoirs are made from to break down resulting in white or whitish particles appearing as flakes, flecks or specs in the dispensed chilled water. In that case the water filter is not usually the cause, instead replacing of the chilled water reservoir itself may be necessary.
Most manufacturers originally used a molded plastic water reservoir which is what seems to be effected and breaking down. Many fridge manufacturers are now selling a coil of plastic tubing (like that used in the rest of the refrigerator's water system) in place of a molded plastic reservoir.


How to find/identify bad connections in house wiring? Is there a way to identify bad connections that are still connected but are prone to overheating (loose screw, badly applied wire nut, etc)?

I just moved in a newly built house and started to wonder if those kind of things could be identified or perceived before some outlet start melting due to a loose wire somewhere in the circuit.

PS: I'm not expecting it to happen. Neither I think that the electrical was poorly done, but I've seen that happen more than once in properly done wiring...

The only way I would know how to do it is to go and buy an inexpensive Infrared Thermometer. You can buy them anywhere for less than $60.00. Then you can walk through and "site" any device that appear to be warmer than normal. Start with you panel and survey every breaker. Then you can go to every device and check it. Did I mention you should make sure the circuit is on a load for at least an hour. I would use a small 1500W heater for a load source on receptacles. This is something you can do over time. If you are just shooting a receptacle head or an AC disconnect the temperature should rise to at least 5 - 10 degrees above normal temp. Really loose connections will rise much more than that.


How can I easily use a damaged hose bibb outlet? The threads on my hose bibb outlet are damaged and in pretty bad shape. I have not done my own plumbing work before and am wondering if there is some type of solution that would not require opening up the siding to replace the entire bibb. I'm hoping for a solution outside the box possibly so I don't need to hire a plumber although I will if necessary. As is, leaking at the connection is pretty bad if I try to use the outlet.

What about if you used a screw-on hose bib anti-siphon adapter. You could screw/jam it on along with a generous amount of 2-part epoxy putty (like J.B. Weld) and have new garden hose threads... and anti-siphon protection as a bonus!


Can I create a water proof barrier to keep my garage & home from flooding? Every couple of years, the area where I live gets a huge storm.  The result being that the flood of water that collects in the streets overpowers my driveway and runs down to my garage.  I put in a large drain a few years  back (6 inches) which for a moderate rainfall works fine. There are still those storms where the water is coming too fast and the drain cannot handle it and the water backs up against my closed garage door.  This door is not a good barrier though as the water runs under the door and fills up my garage.  Once the water gets to be about two inches deep in the garage, it starts to seep into our finished basement. In the 11 years we've been in this house, it has happened about 6 times.

I would like to find a better way to block the water from getting into my garage, and ultimately my home.  Any ideas would be welcomed.  I am looking into a new garage door, but I'm not sure any garage door will totally block the water and keep it out of the garage.

In addition to the other ideas suggested you may want to investigate installing a driveway drain that is a trough cut across the driveway and covered over with a grate. This way any water that comes to near the garage enters the trough and gets shunted to the side of the driveway. The shunted water can then pour into a large french drain or could be diverted to a downslope area.

Here is a picture of what that would look like.


What is solution to discoloring slate? Shower is only months old. Does slate normally bleed like this or did I get bad batch?

It looks like that one brick has a lot of iron oxide in it which is leaching into the grout and dripping down. Could be an interesting chromatography experiment.

You will need to remove that brick and examine it to determine the problem. It is also slightly possible there is something behind the brick that is rusting, but that is less likely.

Probably you need to replace that brick and then re-grout the stained areas.


How should a buried water hose be winterized? It's easy enough to winterize the green hose in the picture below. The watertap connects to a T-joint. The green hose stays in the backyard, and the white one scurries somewhere in hiding to reach the front yard. To winterize the green (backyard) 50ft hose, I just took the whole thing (water inside and all) to the garage but left this short connecting segment where it is (as pictured).

Removing the white hose appears to be a serious job. Is it necessary to winterize such a hose at all or is such a white hose meant to withstand frost? If it's necessary to winterize it by blowing the water out of it while it's still in place, what kind of pump should I be looking for? Would some "shop vac" type of tool have an option to blow rather than suck air, and would there be some connectors on the market to do the trick?

You should definitely blow out the water to winterize. Anything in that hose will definitely freeze. There may be enough space in the line to get lucky and make it through a winter, but it'll eventually ruin that hose and replacing it looks like it would be annoying. They make adapters for air compressors to do this very thing.

You can rent or borrow an air compressor and use something like this to connect (sometimes called a blow out hose or blow out plug)


Troubles replacing an old outlet with a GFCI outlet I am trying to replace an old outlet with a GFCI outlet in a kitchen to meet requirements for a loan. The outlet is next to the sink and has an outlet and a light switch in the same box. It looks like the light may have been wired to run a light above the sink and to control the top outlet.  How do I wire the GFCI outlet into this?

Right now we can get the bottom outlet on the GFCI to work by hooking up a white and black wire to the line side of the outlet but are not sure how to hook up the switch. There is a ground wire hooked up to the GFCI outlet and the test and reset work properly with just the line wires connected. It also appears that another outlet further down the counter may have been hooked to this as that outlet isn't currently working. Any help would be great. We are trying to do this ourselves to save money before closing on the house.

Any GFCI can protect downstream parts of the circuit.  You move that circuit (hot and neutral) to the LOAD side of the GFCI.

Here's the trick:  You must move hot and neutral together as a matched set.  If you don't, you'll get constant GFCI trips.  This can get complicated with light switches, so you have to slow down and learn what you're doing.

Whenever you get a complicated one, seriously consider going to the previous location from which that location is fed... and put the GFCI there instead.  If that is the first location, replace the breaker with a GFCI breaker and call it done.

If you don't see a light to be switched, it's possible that switch works a garbage disposal.  Switches near sinks usually do that.  If the disposal has a receptacle, it'll be under your sink.  That definitely needs GFCI protection.


How to Lower the Ouptut of Oversized Furnace Questions

I would like to lower the output capacity of my furnace if possible. How can I do this? Is it worth doing, or should I just live with it? Is there an easy way? Some ideas: replace burner nozzles with smaller nozzles, replace burner with smaller burner if this exists, close the left of the four nozzles on the burner and move the flame sensor to the third. Since the burner and heat exchange seem to be designed to work together I assume that adjusting the burner output would screw with the efficiency of the system.

Reasoning

I purchased a house with furnaces that have a higher capacity than necessary for the space they heat. I found this out recently when I closed a small vent to one room that is not used often. Closing this one vent, not fully maybe 75% closed, triggered the high limit switch a few times and eventually the lockout. After opening the vent and resetting the system things have been fine. The cycles are still pretty short, but the high limit has not been triggered again since. The system is a Trane 80k BTU 80% efficient, forced air unit. Blower seems to be set to highest setting for heat rather than a lower setting. The heated space is around 1,100 square feet, upstairs with decent insulation and on the south side of Atlanta GA where it does not get too cold. Square footage is potentially lower due to the system not actually interacting with the hall if doors are closes. Returns and positive vents are all in rooms; hall stays warm from lower system. I did some rough estimation and figure I need somewhere between 30 and 40 thousand BTUs of output and am getting around 64k BTUs.

Saftey

I figure tinkering with the furnace to lower its capacity is not safe and will keep this in the forefront of my mind. No lectures necessary.

If partially closing a single supply vent caused your high limit to trip you probably have an restriction problem.

I would recommend investigating a bypass damper with a return and supply temp. sensor.  These devices are typically just a part of a whole house zoning system, but can be used to easily resolve supply air restrictions in situations where modifying existing duct runs is not practical.  Essentially, the bypass damper dumps excess air back in to the return.  The two sensors ensure that you don't exceed safe operating temperatures without reaching the max temp of the high limit in the winter or freezing the system up in the summer.  The only brand I have used EWC Controls which work just fine, but there are other brands available.

footnote: reducing the static pressure of your system will reduce energy usage.


Do you have to have (or does it help) to have a garbage disposal with a dish washer? I have a in sink garbage disposal but rarely use it.

I just had to replace it because it burned out from a children's plastic spoon getting 'eaten' ... more than just seized there was smoke coming out of the unit.

So I have thought about just getting rid of it. But every house that I have lived in that has a dish washer also has had a in sink garbage disposal

I was wondering if they are needed \ recommended if you have dish washer?

Dishwashers usually have a built in food disposer, so having one is not required.

I also suggest just replacing the existing disposer instead of removing it altogether. Cheapest ones cost around $60 and since they usually feature a quick change mechanism, the whole process takes 15 minutes. But if you remove one, then you will have to reroute a drain pipe to accommodate for the missing disposer. Really not fun to do in the cramped space under the sink.


Toilet leaking above coupler I’m a newbie homeowner who continues to experience a minor plumbing issue.

My toilet has a slight leak where the water supply line connects to the toilet fill valve. I replaced the gasket inside the tank, as well as the connector pipe itself from a plastic one to brass one, but nothing has changed. I tried tightening the nut a little more, and that slightly slowed down the water drop, but it still leaks. Since it doesn’t leak at all when I turn off the valve, I was confident that replacing the pipe would fix the problem and now I'm kind of lost.

The following image found on the internet illustrates the location of the leak:

The water is leaking between the nut and that flat white plastic part that is screwed right below the tank.

Note: This is not an actual photo of my toilet. I’m using the photo to clarify where the leak is.

The actual supply line I purchased is this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/BrassCraft-3-8-in-Compression-x-7-8-in-Ballcock-Nut-x-9-in-Braided-Polymer-Toilet-Connector-B1-9DL-F/100535528

The original leak is most likely either caused by a failure in the rubber washer that connect your supply line to your fill valve, or a leak in the seal that connects your fill valve to the tank.

This is a common problem, especially with older toilets that use natural rubber washers. The rubber breaks down over time and will eventually begin to leak. The newer synthetic washers will last much longer.

It is unfortunate that you already have taken it apart because you will have a harder time determining the source of the leak. When you run into a leak of this kind, it is best to first check the supply line itself, as it is the easiest to access. Shut off the water supply, and drain the tank of water. Then unscrew the supply line and inspect the washer. It should be firm and flexible, yet hold its shape and be in one piece. If it is not, then it needs to be be replaced and you can reinstall the supply line. After a quick test, you should be able to see if this fixed the leak. If it leaks from the supply, make sure that the washer is in place. On Occasion, the washer is missing right from the beginning. They either fall off, or people take them off.

The other place it could be leaking is from inside of the tank. You will need to disassemble the toilet as above. You will then needs to loosen the retaining nut on the outside bottom of the tank where the supply line goes. Loosening this nut should allow you to lift out the fill valve. Inspect the washer on the valve, and check if it is good. Also check the threaded part to make sure there aren't any cracks in the fill valve body as well. Replace washer, and reinstall.

By replacing both of these washers, it should solve the leak. If it doesn't then there may be a fault in the parts themselves - either the supply kine is bad, or the fill valve, or possibly a combination of both. Also be sure that it is leaking from the supply, and not from anywhere else. There could either be a crack in the porcelain, or there could be a bad tank to bowl seal. There are "universal" rebuild kits available out there that include everything that you need to rebuild a toilet. They include all washers, fill valve, and a flapper. The only part that is not included is the supply line. If the internals of the toilet are old, or not functioning properly, then it would be a good idea to do an entire rebuild.


spa weight of 4,250 lbs I have a pre-existing patio and would like to add a spa tub which weighs 4,250 lbs filled with water. Unknow is, re-enforced with re-bar? the exposed one side appears to be at least 18 inches thick. What is the minimum thickness of normal concrete to hold that much weight, with or without re-bar?
?

I have mine on a 4" thick reinforced concrete pad, no problem. If not reinforced, I'd go with 6". Basic cheap "Quickcrete" is 3,000PSI compressive force, plenty strong enough when you factor in the surface area of the tub's structure that will be contacting the slab.

Keep in mind though that concrete strength takes a long time to get to the peak strength levels. So don't place your tub and start filling it immediately.

Age  vs Strength percent

1 day    16%
3 days   40%
7 days   65%
14 days  90%
28 days  99%

Oh wait, you said it was already existing... never mind.