Lag bolt vs structural screw (and length) for TV mount I'm attaching a TV mount (1/8" thick slotted plate) to a wall that is 1" soft wood (redwood?) paneling over what I suspect are 3.5" redwood studs. The studs seem to be square. The mount takes five fasteners (3 in one stud, 2 in the next).

From what I've read the bolts should go 1.25" - 1.5" into the stud so I was thinking I would use 2.5" long, 5/16" diameter lag bolts. To my surprise, the mount came lag bolts that are 3.5" long and 1/4" in diameter.

So, wise folk who use more fasteners than I do:

Would you use lag bolts or a structural screws?
How long?
Do you have a preferred brand? (please don't say Everbilt)
If a lag bolt, what metal and diameter?

Thank you!

1/4 lags should be fine even in redwood, many homes were built with redwood in the north Bay Area. Redwood is soft and has a lower withdraw force, I have 4 ea 1/4 x 3 lags holding a 78” flat screen I would use the same in redwood.

I would use lags over structural screws for the higher shear force. No brand preference, just plain old steel, bright or hot dipped it makes no real difference if they are not visible.


Is there a safe way to check for a short in a motor (garbage disposal)? Quick version:
Is there a way to reliably identify a short in a motor, such as a garbage disposal? Such as measuring resistance?

Less quick version:
My first thought was that since there shouldn't be any switches inside, and making the completely unsupported assumption, that there isn't any transformers or inverters, I thought:

I = E / R      (Thank you Physics I)

So I measured the resistance across the motor Hoping for 8 to 10 ohms, which is where it seemed it should be.  Instead, I got 1.8. Hardly open, but much lower than expected.  If my theory was right that would be a 67A draw.  Then I remembered that resistance was linearly temperature dependant and maybe I could justify the 1.8 ohms like this:

dR/dT = ⍺R => R=[1+⍺(T-Tref)]   (Grrrr.  I hated physics II)

Ultimately, math failed me. I'm glad I wasn't a physics major. Assuming the coefficient for copper I found on the internet of 0.007074 was correct, and plugging eq 2 into eq 1, If that motor is supposed to draw 15 amps, The temperature at the stator would have to be somewhere around 628 degrees celsius above room temperature. So I'm just going to assume that doesn't work. Math has failed me.

Heres the back story.  I bought this really nice garbage disposal.  Stupid expensive because it's a 1.5hp motor.  I was tired of my wife shoving remains of thanksgiving dinner down the drain and destroying the plumbing. It worked great for about a year,  then we decided to remodel.  Since the goal was to remodel in stages, so that for the most part the kitchen would stay in working order, and I knew I would have to take apart the sink more than once, I un-hard wired the garbage disposal.  Yes, I know this is illegal in most municipalities.  Yes I know there are many good reasons for not doing this but, well, I did it anyway.  At least I'm better with electricity than math.  In my defense, I have seem many professionally wired homes that do this.

Regardless, some moron stocking the shelves at Home Depot, put one of those stupid sideways 20A plugs that nobody uses in the wrong spot, and I accidentally bought it.  As a result, for a time, I had a working sink with a semi-working drain.  While I was at work, My wife, doing her thing as usual, crammed a bunch of food in the garbage disposal, and ran an extension cord from the plug I installed to a wall outlet.  Big surprise, it blew a breaker.  When I get home I tried a more controlled experiment, thinking that the long extension cord or the arc during the act of plugging it in could have been the problem.  I killed the breaker, ran a heavy gauge, shorter extension cord to an isolated outlet on a 20A breaker.  After all connections were made I flipped the breaker.  It blew again.

I removed the garbage disposal and checked the wiring.  After checking the resistance, I pulled out the wires and inspected for damage.  Everything looks good. Not sure what to try next.

UPDATE

Installed it last night after cleaning it out and it ran without issue.  It must have either been a blocked rotor or excessive draw due to the cable.

Your equation (Ohm's Law) is correct but you are failing to take into account that the formula you've written is for DC STEADY-STATE conditions.  An INDUCTION MOTOR, which is undoubtedly what you have in your disposal, runs on AC and doesn't follow this limited-case equation.

An induction motor, you can read theory here:

Induction Motor Basics

will look like a low-resistance load at DC.  That, of course, is what you're seeing.  But it's not just a straight wire but rather an inductor so if you apply 60HZ AC to it, you now must account for the DELTA V (i.e. rate of change of the input voltage) to calculate the IMPEDANCE of the load.  Impedance is the actual "resistance" of a complex load to the input power.  Calculating the of an induction motor is fairly complicated since you must include the wiring resistance, the inductance, and as the motor moves, the "back EMF" that it generates.

Long story short: If it blows the circuit breaker when you switch it on, you have a short or other problem in the motor.  If it just hums, you probably have a blocked rotor, and if it doesn't nothing, you may have an open in one of the windings.

  put one of those stupid sideways 20A plugs that nobody uses in the wrong spot

Yes, those ARE used and indicate that this device should be on its own dedicated 20A circuit.  Based on your description, however:

  doing her thing as usual, crammed a bunch of food in the garbage disposal, and ran an extension cord from the plug I installed to a wall outlet. Big surprise, it blew a breaker.

You may have damaged the motor by loading it down and then running it with a poor source of power, specifically the extension cord.

Clear the blockage out of it, see if it has a keyway on the bottom of the unit where you can turn the shaft with a hex wrench, and see if you can get it going again.

If not, time for a new one.  Please either get one that is rated for the power you have or install a proper outlet and circuit for the unit's requirements.


Are these holes in my garage's wall indicative of flushing out carpenter ants? I just bought a home and discovered a substantial amount of wood rot in the garage. I had to tear away a lot of drywall to see it, and when I did, I found obvious evidence of carpenter ants. However, there are no ants left, no corpses, the entire colony seems empty.
Now, our contract with the sellers clearly states that there have been no pests or wood destroying organisms in the time that they've owned the home, but I don't believe that at all. They've been there for 33 years and have made modifications to the garage, including adding insulation and drywall (dated 88 and 2001 respectively) and building a second garage that adjoins to the first in 1994. I find it extraordinarily difficult to believe that the rot I'm seeing has been present for over 33 years, it seems to me that it should be far worse by now if that was the case.
This picture shows the rot in the corner of the garage, which is adjoined to the addition garage from 1994. If the owners were being truthful, I'm to believe that they built this addition with pest-induced rot so bad that you could see daylight through the siding? Sounds absurd to me. They even reinforced (poorly) the structural members. That concrete is also only in the corner, the rest of that wall has wood right on top of the dirt.

Clearly there have been repairs done. It's a question of whether or not there was an infestation during their period of ownership, which brings us to these holes in the drywall (this is the same wall as the previous photo):

You can see another one to the left where I removed the drywall, but it's the same kind of hole. This to me looks suspiciously like some kind of hole for gassing or otherwise injecting something to kill the ants. (the fan in the middle is some exhaust to outside and I figure is unrelated)
This is an up close shot of the white junk that was injected into the hole.

Obviously I'm consulting professional carpenters and exterminators, but does anyone have any experience with this kind of thing? If this really is obviously a treated infestation then I'm planning on getting some kind of statement from an exterminator and/or carpenter and pursuing legal action. I'm not sure if the sellers lied or just messed up their contract and didn't understand what they signed, but they're still on the hook in Washington state if they improperly disclose defects.
Some other shots showing clear evidence of a carpenter ant colony:

Thanks!

That is termite damage. I had one termite attack where they combined with ants ; I did not immediately get rid of the ants because I understood they would not coexist with termites.  That is pretty extensive damage, I would replace all wood with damage. Apparently a  repair was made by squirting in expanding urethane foam ( such as "Great Stuff"). I have had 2 termite attacks and a few cases of dry rot and recognize the difference. And carpenter ants chewed some of the Styrofoam out of my insulated garage door ; the wonders of Texas.


How Do I Disconnect This Plastic Wire Connector? I am trying to disassemble my Kenmore Elite clothes dryer so I can test the thermal fuse. I need to disconnect wires that are held together with a plastic wire connector. Can anyone tell me how I get this specific connector to disconnect? (See pic in link) Thanks!

There are little hooks inside the connector (from the wire side). You have to find something small. (Tiny screwdriver) Push these hooks down and that releases the wire. If you are careful you can connect them again.


Portable air conditioner exhaust through door Dryer & washer outside in a room w/out access to window. Can portable air conditioner be vented/hose used through door when needed?

To quote from Consumer Reports,

  Unlike a window air conditioner, all the mechanical parts of a
  portable air conditioner are sitting in the room you’re trying to
  cool. This contributes to the noise and less-than-capable cooling, as
  the portable unit is using conditioned air from the room to cool the
  condenser and exhausts the hot air out an ungainly exhaust hose that
  resembles a dryer vent. That creates negative pressure causing
  unconditioned warm air from surrounding rooms or outdoors to be drawn
  into the room you’re trying keep cool

So unless the rest of your house is cool, in which case a box fan will do the job, you're not going to get much cooling in your laundry room.

In sum: yes, you can install a portable unit, and it will operate. No, it won't do much good.

.


What are some safe and ethical ways to dispose rinse water used to clean up lead contamination jobs? I'm researching lead paint removal and cleanup, and I understand the need to seal off the room with plastic and tape. I also understand that a final cleanup is to be carried out some time after 4 to 24 hours after the removal job. The prevailing recommendation is to wash or mop the floor using rags and separate buckets for wash water solution and rinse water, and to seal off your cleaning materials in a bag. What I haven't been able to find is a satisfactory method to dispose of the rinse water resulting from that cleanup.

In this literature from the state of Maine, they have you wash your lead contaminated areas and then to pour the rinse water into the toilet. It occurs to me that this is deferring the lead contamination to sewage treatment, which seems much less than ideal.

Let the water evaporate and then dispose of the bucket in a plastic garbage bag.


How can I secure this faucet: the pipe is not secured inside the wall The pipe leading to this exterior faucet was apparently never secured inside the wall (contractor mistake when the wall was built):

So it pulls in and out in use, and no doubt lets rain water drip into the wall.
 It certainly means the grade D stucco paper behind has an unintended gap.

Accessing it from inside is hard.  What would the external repair options be? What would a proper bracket look like, to secure this pipe from the outside (after caulking the heck out of the gap)?

The right thing seems almost like a floor flange:

But this flange would require pipe cutting, so it could slip over the pipe for solder, and that all seems a bit awkward also, in part because soldering might stress or melt the tar paper inside.

Don't cut the pipe to seek some "creative" or "inventive" complete resolution to a springy pipe. Especially forget about a floor flange. Let the pipe relax to its unstressed position, direct caulk into the space between the pipe and the wall, and push the loose flange flush. If the existing flange interferes with caulking, you could cut it off with tin snips and put on a two part flange. This is not an emergency, you are not getting any significant rain water into the wall around this pipe.

A possible alternative to ordinary caulk would be copper wool. This is used to block openings to prevent rodent entry. Force this into the space around the pipe.

See this How do I secure a copper pipe going through a wall?

This is the only fitting I can find and it does not really look suitable for the outside of a finished wall. https://www.amazon.com/Pasco-5023-Hose-Bibb-Anchor/dp/B005G8UTUC Surely there must be purpose-designed two-part clamps available that would clamp to the copper pipe and then be secured to the wall with screws into anchors.


how to remove frost free outdoor faucet drain valve assembly I've tried unscrewing the part outlined in red below. No dice.
Do I just need to remove the whole rod (above the red outline) and replace it?)
If so, can anyone point me to instructions for them.  I can't see in there. Worried that I'll pull it out and not be able to put it back in.

(The deeper I go in the plumbing the more things I find that there is no modern fitting-part :)

My new assembly  replaces the parts outlined in red. the new assembly has a female thread. I am HOPING that the thicker part of the pipe (just above the black "collar" stopper)  is screwed onto the pipe above.

However, I cannot unscrew it. There is nothing to get a hold of. It's perfectly round.
I've tried dw40, and let it sit for 20 minutes. No love.

I'll try wacking it with a board in the direction along which it moves in when it screws (perpendicular to the threads per [this answer][2])

That part is called the stem, and is typically fully replaced, or more often, you simply replace the o rings and, well, as noybman mentioned, the bushing(s).

I have a feeling, if you pull the stem completely out, you'll fine the little brass part you're really looking for. There's a base at the back of that stem that closes the valve, and it will be replaceable on some spigots, in whole or in part. If yours is replaceable, it is typically adjustable as well.

Do a google image search for your spigot under 'repair kit'. You'll get a very handy diagram.


Part P required? Changing Fixed Oven wiring to 13A FCU (UK) I can't work out whether or not the following needs an electrician who can provide a Part P certificate under the 2005 Building Regulations (either by installing or approving).

I've got a 32A circuit to a fixed-connection oven that's broken (it's in a "special location", the kitchen). I've got a new oven with a 13A plug (and flex). What I'd like doing is replacing the fixed connection with a 13A fused FCU, to chop off the plug and wire it in.  I'd be confident doing this but don't know if I'd need it done by an electrician or checked by one.

I know there's exceptions for wiring an oven in the regs but can't work out if this is covered. The "special location" stuff is also confusing me.

The oven's "installers" cheekily suggested I (but not they) just put the 13A flex into the fixed, fuseless connection unit but it's unfused back to the consumer unit where it's 32A and I'd rather not burn my house down or invalidate my insurance.

Since April 2013 a kitchen has not been a special location under the amended Part P of the Building Regulations.

  Under the new, revised regulations, electrical work undertaken in
  kitchens such as adding a new socket or work outdoors such as
  installing a new security light will no longer be notifiable unless a
  new circuit is required.

https://www.niceic.com/Niceic.com/media/Schemes/NICEIC-Part-P-Updated-Factsheet.pdf

The work should still be done in compliance with the IET Wiring Regulations, but need not be notified to Building Control.

What you, or the person doing the work should do, ideally, is carry out basic testing on the circuit (polarity, earthing) and make out a Minor Works Certificate accordingly. Templates of MWCs are available free online, but to do the testing in strict compliance with the Regs would require a calibrated tester.


How to Adjust/Re-square 4' x 4' Concrete Slab I have an approximately 4' x 4'concrete slab outside the door to my garage, like a small porch or whatever (see pic).

Over the ~20 years life of the house it has moved, probably along with the dirt, downhill-ish about 6 inches or so.  One can easily see it is not square/centered with the door anymore, and I am looking for ideas as to how to lift or push or roll or whatever it back into, or at least closer to, original position.

The placement and surrounding landscaping make it a challenge to get any kind of hoist into place.  There is a 5"-6" holly tree trunk about 4 ' to right (i.e. not the one partially visible in pic attached) that might used as a brace for a jack approach.

Right now I am looking for suggestions, thoughts, concerns, other relevant discussion.  Thanks...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/d8y9lz0qlzbnm0y/2020-04-24%2014.19.08.jpg

It doesn't look square or 4 ft wide. Two or 3 AC guys just moved a 3' X 4' X 3" thick concrete pad 100 ft to set the new compressor on . I didn't watch but the only equipment they could have used was a hand truck. A few years ago I re-leveled  about 25 ft of 30" wide, 4 to 5 " thick sidewalk in 6 ft sections. I used a few car jacks ( scissors type work best) , pry or wrecking bars and numerous brick and cinder blocks; I needed to raise one edge about 6". And shovels. It took several hours over 2 days, but good exercise. Your pad looks like the edges may not be integral with the center and may separate when a side is jacked up. I think the first step is to dig down and find out how thick it is and dig out the soil on the side to which you want to move it.


Is aluminum wiring the cause of this strange electrical activity? My house is old and built in the 50’s so the house was made with aluminum wiring. we’ve had a few houses catch in the neighborhood and lately we’ve been having weird stuff happening. First the stove and the microwave cant go at the same time without tripping the breaker.

Then the ceiling fan in the living room started to making this humming clicking noise and then one day it started to smell like it was burning so we dismantled it.

Now we come back after being gone for 3 days and we turn the power on and only after a few hours the breaker is very warm and I definitely smelled something burning until I turned it off.

What’s going on??

Do you know if any of the outlets in the house are newer or all original? Reason I ask is newer outlets are often designed for copper wires only. And mixing aluminum with copper wires is a no-no, it corrodes. Corroded wires can then lead to bad grounds (as if any house from the 50s even used grounds) or arcing.

If the breaker is getting warm, it could be a short somewhere causing that line to draw more power than it's designed for. The breaker is suppose to trip and prevent that, but something could be faulty.  I can only guess without seeing the type of box you have.

You should consider having an electrician come out and look at it.  Shouldn't cost too much just to have someone inspect the box.


Is it feasible to use a work bench without a vise for woodworking? I live in Brazil and here we have very low quality bench vise screws, and NO woodworker bench vises for sale. Buying overseas the price starts at 200 dollars with shipping (shipping and taxes are more expensive than the vise).

I want to start playing with woodworking, some cabinet making using MDF and plywood, and maybe some furniture using salvaged wood. Can I realistically work on wood using a bench with no vises, or just vises that uses wedges, bench dogs, etc?

I guess my major problem would be edge work (planning, cutting, routing, etc). Some of that can me solved using an engineer vise (available here) or holding wood to the bench legs using clamps.

Also, is there any good bench designs that DON'T incorporate a front and tail vises?

I have no vice and I've always been able to get by without one. In fact, in all the shows I've seen about woodworking, building houses, and doing home improvement work I cannot think of a single time I've ever seen anyone use a vice. I much more frequently use clamps anyways, which are much more versatile.

Good woodworking is as much about using your brains to improvise as it is having the exact tools for every single job. In many cases you can build what you don't have, which are some interesting projects.


confused about ceiling wires I need to install a ceiling fan i bought, but the wires are not matching up. On the ceiling fan the wires are blue, black, green, and white. The wires from the ceiling that i need to connect to the ceiling fan are a black and tan that are together, another black wire a green and another tan wire. Not sure what to hook anything what to what at this point. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!....ceiling 2 black wires 2 beige wires and 1 green. Ceiling fan 1 blue 1 black 1 white and a green.

If I am assuming correctly, below is how to wire it.

Connect all green and bare wires together -- those are the ground wires.

Don't disconnect the black & tan wires in the box. Of those two, the black is the always-hot from the circuit breaker panel, and the white goes to the wall switch.

Connect the single black wire to the black and blue wires on the fan. The black wire in the box is the hot from the switch. The black and blue wires on the fan go to the light kit and fan motor (not sure which is which, but you can safely connect all three together). If you don't have a light kit, connect it anyway so if you add a light kit later you won't have to remove the entire fan to rewire.

Connect the single tan wire in the box to the white wire on the fan. This is the neutral wire.

Since it appears that you have only one wall switch, it will operate both the fan and the light. The way your wires run, you won't be able to have separate wall switches for the fan and light. Instead, you'll need to use the controls on the fan itself for that.

One other thing: if you removed a light fixture, you may need to replace the ceiling box with a heavier duty model specifically rated for fan installation. Most standard light fixture boxes aren't strong enough to hold a fan.

The above is advice based on assumptions. Use at your own risk. Always disconnect the power, and TEST that the power in the box is off using a known good voltmeter or non-contact voltage tester. When I say "known good" I mean that you've tested the tester on a live circuit to be confident that your tester is working properly. If you are in doubt about your abilities, contact an electrician. You can be killed or burn down your house if you make a mistake.


My boiler's gas burner tube is catching fire, how do I fix this? About 1 or 2 times a week I hear a roaring flame when my boiler tuns on.  I've check on it and it appears one of the boiler gas burner tubes is internally on fire (see video I took of it).

What is the flame able to flow back like this?
How do I fix this so the burner tube stops burning internally?

For most of these possibilities you will need a professional service company to fix. Some possibilities are;

The burner tube may be worn out, distorted , or dirty.
The delivered gas pressure may be too low.
The chimney draft may not be correct for this unit.
Is there any thing stored near the boiler that could give off an odor or vapor that could influence the gas mixture.
The burner orfice may be worn out or partially plugged. If the boiler is an older model this could be the problem and the orfices need replaced. Or,
the orfices may need to be removed and cleaned.


Do you use joists sistered to rim boards? When running floor joist packages, do you run your starting joist 16" on center from the outside of the rimboard, or do you put rimboard and a joist at the very beginning?

"Rimboard" is a somewhat unusual term for what is usually (in the US, at least) called a "rim joist". Since there's already a joist at the outside edge, and it's usually supported directly on the foundation (or piers or whatever foundation system you're using), there's usually* no need to sister it up.

*Note: If you have an unusually long span, are cantilevering joists of the outside of the rim, or have some other, unusual situation, there may be cause for sistering the rim joist.


How can I clear out limescale from inside a bath's pipes? I have a bath which has accumulated limescale inside the piping system; it manifests itself as a very-slow running tap with a weak stream. The tap itself is removable, and I suspect the limescale is inside the pipes just upstream of the taps. What's the best way to clean this out without taking the pipes apart? Vinegar?

If the problem is scale sufficient to seriously reduce flow, you need a major solution and vinegar won't do.

There are acid treatments and reduced lime treatments, both very caustic chemicals that need to be handled by a pro. They are flushed through the whole system to dissolve the lime.

There is an electronic device being advertised that claims to break up the scale and put it back into solution to flush it out of the system. I have no experience with it and heard nothing about it, but it is a major installation.

The solution usually used for badly scaled pipes is replacement.  Ferrous pipes seem to build up much faster than non ferrous, but there are problems mixing metals in a system. If you plan a partial replacement, you probably want to consider plastic piping such as PEX.

Most of the solutions offered on various sites focus on reducing buildup by softening water rather than curing the problem after it occurs.  The added benefit of softened water is taste and easier rinsing of dishes and clothing.


Extra wires and jacks on my chandelier - where do they go? Can someone help me understand why my chandelier has a positive, negative and ground wire, then something I've never seen: 2 sets of blue and white wires and 2 jack holes inside connection pad? I'm assuming they go inside the jacks for over heating but I'm not an electrician.

Thanks in advance,
Francesco

The black, white and green/bare are for you to connect.

The blue/white are internal to the appliance to route the current to the various place it is needed (each bulb). It's got nothing to do with over-heating.


laying a brick patio in extreme temperature setting The small town where I live gets below freezing in winter and above 100º F in summer. I need to know which mortar joint width and ratio is best for laying a brick patio myself. As far as I know, mortar joints will break into pieces because of thermal expansion and contraction. Using just fine sand as a joint filler does not seem workable because my neighbor's patio which used this method has weeds growing at the joints.

Which ratio would expand/contract less? A 1 part cement and 3 parts fine sand; or a 1 part cement and 6 parts fine sand ratio? (In the local construction store they only sell cement and fine sand bags; so I will have no opportunity to buy additives or lime to increase flexibility.)

I plan to lay the patio bricks directly on my sandy-earth rather than on a sand base.

Each brick is 2.5 inches in height and width.

So what are the recommended mortar joint width and ratio so the patio will last for decades and not break into pieces within a few years?

Or are there other approaches I should consider?

This is what I intend to build:

Weeds grow anywhere...whether you mortar or use sand.

If you live in a freeze/thaw area, you definitely don't want to use mortar, as it will eventually crack, and cracked mortar is a lot harder to maintain and remove weeds from than sand is.

Also note that you don't want to use just 'fine sand' but polymeric sand. Polymeric sand needs to be wetted after application and it will 'lock itself' into the joints.

Regardless, every other year or so you will need to likely brush a bit more sand in and pull a few weeds. But that's still a lot less work than maintaining mortar joints.


Why Does Water in Toilet Bowl Drop I have an inexpensive AquaSource toilet that's about two years old that will not hold it's water level in the toilet bowl. I just did a test: flushed toilet, marked water level in toilet bowl with pencil, and observed water. Within seconds after the water shut off the level started dropping. It dropped about 1/2". Why? It needs the extra water for a good flush. What needs to be done so it doesn't drain out this water?

Assuming that the water does not continue to drain after it reaches the half-inch drop, I believe that what you're seeing is by design (intentional or otherwise). When the tank on the toilet refills, a small portion of that water goes to the toilet bowl to refill it. The bowl is typically overfilled to ensure the water level fills up to the edge of the siphon (I'm going to refer to it as such, even though this is not the name on many newer toilets) to prevent sewer gas leakage, and the excess drains over the edge. I suspect that your toilet is of such a design that the water level inside the siphon equalizes slower than one would expect.

There are a number of reasons that the water level could equalize more slowly; some models create a back-pressure inside the siphon, some create a positive air pocket for additional suction during the flush, or it could just be the intentional design of the siphon.

I doubt it is something to worry about.


Safe mounting of decorative hook with small holes I have a few of these hooks I'd like to mount, but I'm having trouble figuring out the right way to secure them. I determined the holes are a bit wider than 7/64 inches by passing that size drill bit through them. I've been looking for screws and anchors that size but I'm not quite sure whether they would even be secure enough? Not looking to put a tonne of weight on this but still would like it to stay put.
I guess I don't necessarily need an anchor if I find a stud to screw them into?

Edit: mounting on a wall with a layer of drywall and then plaster underneath. Will be used for hanging clothes / towels, nothing too heavy.

A bit wider than 7/64" (0.109375") is likely suited for a #4 (0.112") wood (or sheetmetal) screw. #3 (0.99") will definitely fit.
Or just take the hook to the hardware store with you to be sure of screw size.
Note that most of the force on such a hook will be down, not out - or shear, not tension.


Stove and oven on same circuit? Does an induction stove and an electric oven need to be on separate circuits? If they can be on one, what amperage circuit breaker do they need?

My house has a different circuit for each one, 50 amp for oven, 40 amp for stove. They are on opposite walls, and I'm redesigning my kitchen and would like to place them next to each other. So, if I could use the same circuit it would be much, much easier than having someone come out to relocate the second outlet, since I think relocating that outlet is beyond my comfort zone.

I'm looking at the amps required for a induction stove/oven combo, and they mostly say 40 amps, but when I look at just an induction stovetop by itself, it says 40 amps, and the wall oven I'm looking at says 20 amps. Little confused why it totals to much more when they are separate appliances.

See table 220.55 in the NEC, as well as footnote 4 to that table:

  Branch-Circuit Load. It shall be permissible to calculate the branch-circuit load for one range in accordance with Table 220.55. The branch-
  circuit load for one wall-mounted oven or one counter-mounted cooking unit shall be the nameplate rating of the appliance. The branch-circuit load
  for a counter-mounted cooking unit and not more than two wall-mounted ovens. all supplied from a single branch circuit and located in the same
  room, shall be calculated by adding the nameplate rating of the individual appliances and treating this total as equivalent to one range.


How do I fix flattened carpet pile? Can I prevent this from happening? As is often the case when replacing furniture, I've just bought a new sofa, but the old one has left "footprints" where the carpet pile has been squashed under the feet of the old one.

Is there anything that can be done to make the old footprints blend in? Similarly, is there anything I can do to prevent this in the future?

Lay a very damp, but not dripping, heavy towel over the mark, then iron it with a regular clothes iron on high heat.  Go over it for a few minutes until it's good and steamy.  Then remove the towel and brush the carpet with a stiff brush, against the direction in which the fibers are lying down.  Try to get them raised as much as possible and then let it dry.


What could be causing the low water level in my shower trap? I have a tri-level home with a shower on the lowest floor. When I noticed that the bathroom smelled like rotten eggs, I shined my flashlight down the shower drain and saw that the water level was low enough in the trap to let sewer gas in the house. Sometimes after running the shower, I hear gurgling, which must be the water siphoning out of the trap.

The shower drains into the sump hole, and the sump hole vents to the roof. I went on the roof to check the vent, and it didn't seem to be blocked.

Also, I have a radon mitigation system that was installed by the previous owner, and it sounds like water swishing around in the pipes all the time, and I'm not sure if that has something to do with it.

What could be causing the low water level in the trap?

If your shower (or any drain) is draining to your sump pit, you are overworking your sump pump and shortening it's life span. If you have a radon mitigation system that uses the sump pit, you are also creating a situation where radon can potentially enter your house.  The only water that should ever be in the sump pit, is ground water.
Aside from that, here are a few things that may cause your issue.
Evaporation
If the shower is not used very often, the trap can naturally dry out due to evaporation.
Solution
Either use the shower more, or routinely pour water down the drain.
Blockage in dry vent
If the vent becomes obstructed, water flowing down the drain can produce a syphoning action and suck the trap dry.
Solution
Clear the blockage in the vent, by snaking out the vent pipe.
Blockage in wet vent
In situations where a vent is not directly connected to a drain line, a wet vent will be used.  A wet vent, is a pipe that serves as both a drain line and a vent.

If this pipe becomes restricted, syphoning action similar to a blocked dry vent can suck the trap dry.

Air cannot get past the obstruction while water is flowing through the pipe, which creates a pressure difference that must be equalized. There are two things that can happen in this situation. Air can be forced past the obstruction (possibly causing gurgling), or air can be forced through the trap (causing gurgling that you're more likely to hear).
Solution
Snake the drain and clear the obstruction.
If you really are draining to a sump pit used in a radon mitigation system
If both drains and a radon mitigation system are connected to the sum pit, the radon system could be sucking the water from the trap.  A radon mitigation system works by sucking radon out from under the house, and venting it outside. If the pressure in the radon vent is lower than the pressure in the house (which is sort of how they work, so it probably is), the water in the trap could be forced out and down the drain by the higher pressure air in the house.
Solution
Don't drain to the sump pit, especially if you have a radon mitigation system.


Is this species of stone wall-worthy There are a lot of stones on my property of the kind shown in the picture. They are hard and heavy, but extremely brittle. The pictures shows half of a stone that I dropped from about 2' high on another stone and it broke cleanly in half. What species of stone is it and could it be used in a 3'-high retaining wall?

When you say brittle is it flaky?
It looks like shale if you hit it or drop it on a hard surface it breaks up that would be shale, I have used it because my grampa had a hill that was shale and we used pry bars to break chunks out it works good for walls because it breaks and you can chip high spots off so they fit better if you don’t get parallel top and bottoms most of ours was like layers but different thickness. But it made a nice wall over a couple of summers (I think grampa was just keeping me and my brother busy.


How do I cap off an unused refrigerator water line? I am installing a new refrigerator. The new one doesn't have an ice maker in it and the old one did. I need to turn off the water, and when I do it will shut off all of my water. This is a rental house so I can't do major plumbing work.

Is there a plug that I can use to stop the water when I turn the main line back on?

The water line to the fridge is most likely 1/4" OD tube (either copper to plastic). It would connect to the fridge with a 1/4" Compression by 3/8" Male Iron Pipe Thread adaptor. If this is the case, when you go to remove the line from the fridge, loosen the compression nut until the tube can be removed from the adaptor fitting. The unscrew the adaptor fitting out of the fridge. Reconnect the tube to the adaptor fitting and screw a 3/8" threaded brass cap onto the end that was connected to the fridge. Use a little pipe dope or teflon tape on the threads. Turn the water back on and inspect the joints for leaks. Tighten as required if there is any drips but be carful not to over tighten the compression nut.

If this in not the case with your fridge, pull it out and take a picture of what you find.


What is the best way to paint an asbestos tile floor? I have a studio (1000 sq/ft) where the floor is covered by asbestos tiles, these tiles were previously covered by carpet that I removed.
I am planning to paint the floor to secure it. What would you think would be the best way to do it (paint type/ process)?

Having worked on quite a few older homes after the asbestos information came to the surface we used slightly thinned oil base paint to encapsulate it that was recommended so the paint would soak in and seal it better, when latex was later approved to tell the truth I did not think it covered as well thinned or not but it will cover and encapsulate the tiles. The issue is if the tiles get skuffed some asbestos fibers can be released. I am not sure if anything other than a hard epoxy paint on a floor can really seal it to prevent any problems, next think of all the employees that worked in the many industries that produced asbestos products that are just fine or passed from natural causes. I would never put my family at risk but think anything that encapsulates the tiles will work, if that coating is eroded from use a new coating will be needed to be 100% safe. I believe there is a bit of hype but why take a chance. Use a good quality oil based or latex floor paint and sleep well.


How do I fix a stuck toilet tap that hasn't been turned in 3+ years? I am trying to close the tap which connects to my toilet tank but the tap will not budge.  I don't think that this tap has been touched in more than 3 years.  Is there a way to fix it so that I can turn the tap on or off?

Unfortunately there is not going to be any "trick" that is going to make this easy. Corrosion or mineral deposits may have bonded some of the moving parts. There are basically two ways to attack this problem. Either use brute force or attempt to disassemble the valve. Before doing either, be sure to locate and check the operation of the main water shut off that feeds this toilet. You want to be sure you can turn off the water if the jammed valve in question leaks, needs to be disassembled, or removed/replaced.

Personally, I won't mess around with an old valve for long because a new 1/4 turn ball valve replacement is cheap ($4 - $7), and easy to sweat in place with a new feeder/riser tube or flexible Stainless steel hose to the toilet.

Let's try operating your frozen valve. The brute force method is simply using a pair of pump pliers or a medium length monkey wrench on the handle. Get a grip on the thing and try to open it using the leverage and length of the pliers etc. Applying enough force with a long enough handle will either move the valve or break the valve handle. Assuming you are able to get the thing to move,  the next step is to check it for leaks and see if it will close tightly again. Often, they will not close completely as the seats may be damaged or debris is stuck inside.  This is were disassembling the valve comes into play.  By removing the nut from the valve body on the operating shaft, you can pull the whole cartridge out. Once this cartridge is out, you can inspect it, clean out debris, replace bushings or packings etc and reassemble. If this is an old multi turn valve, it is rarely worth the time and energy to fix it. However, it can be done. This is where I refer you to plan 1, replace it with a new 1/4 turn ball valve.


How do I remove this door handle? I'm attempting to remove this door handle with no success. I cannot figure out how to remove the plate on the front. It seems impossible to just pry it off.

How can I remove this door handle? Also, is anyone able to identify this door knob such that I can find its manual?

EDIT: I was able to remove the rose by turning it with channel locks. I was also able to determine that this is a Karcher door level/knob. However, I cannot remove the spindle and thus cannot remove the latch. How can I remove this spindle?

In the hole in the bottom of the handle there is a screw, an allen or slotted, that has to be loosened to remove the handle. Then the other handle should pull out with the stem. The slide bolt then can be pulled out since you've already removed the screws.


Emergency my waste is leaking over my back patio The toilets make a gurgling sound and waste p
Spills out of an outside cleanout. Or at least thats what i think it is theres 2 beside each other. We have a septic tank and have well water system. Also rocks and sand in my cleanout

Your septic system is full or u have a blockage, when the water level lowers to a point it will allow gravity to work again this is your Gurge sound from two pipes full of water, one way to self test is to put food coloring in toilet flush watch for die in septic tank to see if u can see it usually do it in morning before using any water for a min then do ur normal routen check again. If water is above the drain coming in tank which is approx 6" below riser on septic tank bottom. Try these steps first


How to control the level of water in the toilet bowl? Recently purchased a home and one of the toilet bowls has very little water in it, so when you do #2 it always hits the bowl and makes a mess...

How can you control/set the amount of water the bowl contains so I can raise/increase it a little bit?

If the level in the tank is also extremely low it could be that the fill valve is adjusted way too low, thus not allowing enough water into the bowl from the refill tube.

The level in the bowl has nothing to do with the plumbing, it has to do with the design of the bowl. The track of the drain has an up "trap" and then down to the drain, so the water will only raise as high as the up trap then spill over into the drain.

Here is a visual:


Can I prevent bed bugs? I'm moving in to a new unfurnished apartment.  Many apartments in my city are reported to have bed bugs.  Is there anything I can do to prevent bed bugs from moving in?  For example, does it help to keep the apartment very clean?  Can I prevent bed bugs by putting the legs of the bed in buckets of water?

See also: How to tell if my new, unfurnished apartment has bed bugs?, How do I locate where bed bugs hide?

Two words: diatomaceous earth. This stuff is sold at pool and gardening stores, and it's that killer combination of inert to you but lethal to insects. It's basically microscopically razor-sharp stone, and physical contact with it tends to kill insects by shredding their carapaces and drying them out from the inside (ew). You could surround your bed's legs with this stuff. Put in your mattress, too.

For much, much more info, you may be interested in this account of how one enterprising homeowner managed to not only prevent bedbugs but also treat an existing infestation: http://softsolder.com/2010/11/08/bed-bugs-overview/


Crack in joint between molding and ceiling I have a very old house with plaster walls. After getting a new roof, a large crack opened up between the molding and the ceiling where the wall is pulling away, but only along the one outside wall. The rest of the walls are fine. The molding used to be a picture rail but a previous owner filled in the 1/2" gap between the molding and the ceiling; that is where it's cracked and the old plaster is falling out. The crack going down the side I can fix, but I'm not sure how to deal with the missing molding in the corner there.  I really don't want to remove and replace all the molding. Any suggestions on fixing?

I really don't want to remove and replace all the molding. Any suggestions on fixing?

If the crack has stopped growing and the wall is stable, you could just remove any loose plaster/filler, apply new filler and repaint. You'd need a "deep crack" filler.

If the crack is still growing and is as large as it looks, you have a more urgent and more important problem needing professional help.


Light switch not working; both outlets are always hot I have a single pole light switch with a hot red wire secured at the top and a hot black wire at the bottom.  I then have a handful of outlets wired with the metal tab broken separating the hot red and black wires.

However, all of the top and bottom outlets are always hot.  The switch isn't doing anything.  I tried swapping the switch (on the off chance the receptacle wasn't working) with a different one in the house that is working, but that didn't work either.

What could be causing the switch to not terminate?

A few (mediocre) photos below:

Switch:

Hot wires with broken tab:

Neutral (top) with tab connected and ground:

You said the switched receptacles are chained all around the room, so each receptacle has a switched and unswitched socket, am I right?

One of the other receptacles still has its tab.  That's all it takes.


What are possibilities of balancing 3-phase consumption? A lot of homes have a 3-phase electric connection. Each of the phases has some appliances connected to it. That implies power consumption in any moment on each phase is different, so we have an unbalanced or non-symmetric load.

A strongly unbalanced load is not desired because:

(3-phase) circuit breakers can trip because of the one overloaded phase. Even if the total load if far below the circuit breaker's designed maximum. If this happens with the main connection circuit breaker, the whole house is blacked out.
It causes higher losses and lowers the energy transmission efficiency.
The power supplier company can penalize the consumer for it.

Are there any affordable means of balancing the power consumption of 3-phase home connection? Commercial solutions are preferred, but DIY is accepted too.

Reconnecting the appliances is an option to improve the power consumption balance to some extent. But it's nonsense to use a vacuum cleaner only because the washing machine is on. The 3-phase consumption will always be varying, so at least improving the balance would suffice.

A phase-shifting transformer helps this situation in transmission networks but it is a utility grade solution.

Instead of rerouting load, intelligently adding home-made power production is the future.
Disconnection of something with a cpu in it (everything beside a hot iron)is a bad idea.

In Europe, where even the smallest villages have 3-phase connection to every home, solar panels with LiIon buffer battery are hot. A 100W panel is ~300€ all inclusive. The DIY part would be the intelligently giving the selfmade power to the most loaded phase and only when it's assymetriccaly.

A friend did that with a small river generator in order to save penalty from the power supply company.


What type of tube does this fitting take? It is a UK 240v kitchen fitting, I know the tube needs to be about 600mm long, but I don’t know if it needs a T4, T8 or whatever type.

(The old tenant removed the tube and did not replace it, so I could not look at the old tube!   The property is a 2hr drive from me, so I can’t just remove the fitting and take it into a shop.)

Unplug the fixture or turn off the circuit, unscrew the screw that is visible and its related screw(s), read the information on the ballast (which should be inside the area the screw gives access to.)


Is it ok to use push-in connectors for testing? Soon I am going to replace my 2 prong outlet with a 3 prong GFCI that will protect downstream devices. I am wondering to test the line and load if it is ok to use Push-In connectors Gauge 22-12. I just want to use them while testing. I appreciate any help.

I don't believe you're referring to the push-in terminals on the receptacle, but push in connectors like these:

In my experience, this type of push in connector is a safer bet than  wire nuts for someone that isn't practiced at using wire nuts.  I have not seen any real problems with these, and they are very easy to use.

However, I would not use them for testing.  You have to pull and twist them to remove them, and it dings up the conductor a little bit.

To simply cap single wires, insulating the stripped bit at the end for safety, wire nuts are fine for anyone - while it takes a little skill to get a good splice with wire nuts, anyone can cap a single wire - as long as the wire nut isn't too big.

For testing when you may have to unmake and remake splices, lever nuts are best.  They are easy to use and easy to remove.


How can I get this asbestos sheet removed? So I have just learned that the sheet embedded in the wall (see picture) is asbestos. We're going to get a new room made adjacent to this wall, and I need to get this sheet removed?

Unfortunately, there is no regulation related to asbestos in my country, and most people don't realize just how dangerous it can be. But I'm afraid that if I ask the contractor to get it removed, they'll break it, which will lead to spreading very harmful particles everywhere. What should I do?

I have looked and never been able to find any data that indicates there is any measurable risk from a single, limited, isolated exposure to asbestos like this job would entail.

Here is what I would do.  I'd put on a dust mask, cut it off with a reciprocating saw, maybe with a shop vac on it to pick up the worst of the sawdust.

I'd put the cutoff in a garbage bag, empty the shop vacuum into the garbage bag, and tie the garbage bag shut while wearing the mask.  I might hose down the area.

Obviously you would want to control the area to some extent so there's no kids, neighbors, etc. watching and being exposed to the dust.

The hazard with asbestos comes when it's in the air and you breath it and you're exposed to it repeatedly over time.  The serious hazard is years of exposure, for example pipefitters and insulators that handled asbestos for years without protection had higher incidences of lung cancer, especially in smokers.

It's not a direct analogy but it's like smoking:  it's dangerous but you are very very unlikely to get lung cancer from a smoking a single cigarette.  (Fortunately asbestos is not addictive so you don't have to worry that this one job will lead to two packs of asbestos a day for the next 20 years.)


what would cause the second chime of a doorbell to sound muted? I've got a doorbell that works, it is the normal two chime "ding dong", but it goes "ding chunk" where the second chime seems muted.  I looked at it and it's mounted right, it gets hit with enough force.  What would cause this?

Turns out that there was an intereference hitting into it--the cord coming into the doorbell box "from the wall" was bent up and barely touching the chime bar.  So bent it down a little and working doorbell again.


Is my well pump serviceable after overheating and starting to leak? A 'handy man' did work on my plumbing and shut off the main water to the house.  He did not unplug the well pump, and it got really hot to the touch.  When we hooked everything back up again, the pump had started to leak.

Is the pump serviceable?

Sounds like a really odd setup you have there. The main water shutoff is between the pump and the pressure switch??

That is the only way that the pump would remain running like this. Water pressure in the house on the other side of the main water water shut off drops telling the pump to turn on. The pump stays running till the valve is opened again.

Since you can see it leaking, we have to assume that it is an above ground impeller pump. Several things here are of concern if this is the case.

Under completely blocked outflow, the pump develops high pressure, probably in the 150psi range. The only reason it doesn't go any higher is that the clearances between the impeller and the housing allow for leakage back to the inlet side. You have a basic hydraulic dynamometer brake which dissipates the input power as heat. The water increases in pressure and temperature leading to boiling and cavitation, the increased pressure on the shaft seal causes it to push its components together tighter causing greater heat, eventually melting the seal contact surface if it is the standard carbon ring seal and leading to leakage.

As the bearings are contained in the motor and are either sleeve or ball bearing and separated by an air gap between the shaft seal and the impeller side bearing, you may not have any damage there. The seal, though is definitely toast. You also have to check the impeller and housing for erosion, if the edges have guttering, that's toasted as well.

Repair consists of removing 4 or 6 bolts to remove the impeller housing. Inspect the impeller and impeller housing for erosion, determine if the impeller is pressed on or has a reverse thread onto the motor shaft and use appropriate removal technique. Once you have the impeller out of the way, you have to push the shaft seal out, check the motor shaft for damage, spin the motor over to feel for bearing roughness and push a new seal in place.

My experience is with largish irrigation pumps which have substantial cost and therefore repair is an option. A typical well pump is probably a replacement item and not worth the effort.

For that assessment, you would have to provide Manufacturer Make and Model so we could see if manuals are available. The more common above ground well pumps used to have repair parts available.


Can't get fan working on thermostat I recently purchased a new thermostat. My old thermostat worked for heat (no AC either) but the fan wouldn't go on when I turned to "On" (in hopes to move some cool air from the basement up during the summer).

Same thing appears to be happening on the new one but having trouble with my wires in general. I have 2 red wires, 2 black and 1 green. The thermostat is looking for a G,Y,W,RC,RH.

I put one black to the G and W connectors and the G to RH. Where would the 2 red go?

Any insight would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

Connect the green wire to the G terminal in the furnace, and the other end of that wire to the G terminal on the thermostat. Connect one of the black wires to the W terminal in the furnace, with the other end of the wire connected to the W terminal on the thermostat. Then connect one of the red wires to the R terminal in the furnace, and the other end to the Rh terminal on the thermostat. If it's a fancy WiFi thermostat, you could connect the other red wire to the COM terminal in the furnace, with the other end of the wire to the C terminal on the thermostat

If you ever add A/C, you'll connect a jumper between Rh and Rc at the thermostat. Then you'll run a wire from the Y terminal in the furnace, to the Y wire on the thermostat


Furnace shutoff switch outlet only hot when furnace is running I have an old Aprilaire 700 powered by the 110v outlet on the side of my furnace.  I recently replaced the old humidistat with a newer Aprilaire 60 Digital.  This humidistat comes with the blower control option - when it's too dry it will activate both the humidifier and blower without needing to have the heat on.  My problem is that the outlet on the side of the furnace that the Aprilaire unit is plugged in to is only hot when the heater is running. This results in the humidistat turning on the furnace blower but the humidifier's own fan is not powered on.  By running an extension cord across my basement to a different outlet I was able to get this setup to work correctly.

Lennox/White-Rodgers 46M9901

The outlet / cutoff switch

I'd like to get that outlet to be hot all the time, or hot anytime the blower is on.

I plugged an outlet tester into the outlet, confirmed it lit up with heat on.  When I disconnected the HOT HUM quick connect fitting, the outlet tester turned off.  I tried touching the humidifier quick connect to the HOT EAC and NEUTRAL EAC terminal while holding the door safety switch, but the outlet tester did not light up.  Should I have unplugged the EAC wire and plugged the HUM wire in completely?  I figured I could just move HOT HOM to HOT EAC but that didn't seem to work.

Note: I do have an electric air cleaner, but I'm using regular filters now.  I do not need the EAC powered up.

Right after I asked this question I realized the blower needed to be running for EAC to have power.

:facepalm:

I moved HOT HUM to HOT EAC and now the humidistat will start the blower, which will power on the outlet that powers the humidifier's fan unit.  I also unplugged NEUTRAL EAC since I'm no longer using it.  Let me know if I did anything stupid here.


Do non-refillable gas cartridges have an expiration date? Does anyone know if non-refillable cartriges of butane or propane have an expiration date? If so, what part from them goes bad?

They do not. Ideally the cartridges are filled with pure butane/propane. The only thing that could go bad is the container around it. As long as the container doesn't show any forms of corrosion it should be fine, there are some butane/propane containers that may leak after a certain period because of a rubber seal inside. The seal can eventually dry out and crack, causing small leaks that will drain the container, even though the gas in the container can't spoil, you wont be able to use it because of the absence of gas


Given the variance in the depth of drive of a nail, how stringent are codes for length of nail when framing? Related to Do the nails stick out at all when toe-nailing studs?, given the variance in the depth of drive of the nail, how stringent are codes for framing? For example, the code for toe-nailing a stud to a top plate requires 4-8D box (2-1/2 x 0.113") nails. It's hard if not impossible to find those nails for 21degree nailers, but you can easily find 2-3/8" nails. Does that 1/8" really matter, given that there is so much variance in dept of drive?

Few people use 2-3/8" nails for framing with lumber. They're commonly used (in ring-shank form) for subfloors, sheathing boxes (think fireplace surrounds and soffits), and other light-duty uses.

Just as that size isn't truly an 8d (eight-penny) nail, 3" framing nails aren't truly 16d. They're thinner and shorter than a traditional 16d sinker. For that reason, most framers do their toenailing with 3" gun nails, and most only use 3 (2 from one side, one from the other). No inspector I've ever encountered raised this as an issue, and my extensive experience tells me that it's plenty strong.

You asked about codes, and I've answered in practical terms (the spirit of the law, so to speak). Codes only mean what inspectors and quality-conscious carpenters interpret them to mean. Perhaps others can speak more to "the letter of the law".


Can a dryer receptacle be wired without a neutral? In my apartment, I have a 4 wire 240V receptacle for a dryer where the neutral is not connected, only the 2 hots and ground. Is this configuration permitted for a dryer circuit? An electrician and maintenance person have both said the circuit is fine, but the electrician did point out that there is no box for the receptacle. How can the dryer get the necessary 120V to operate the panel and the other small parts in the dryer?

Here is a highlighted image of a random electric dryer schematic.

Click for larger view
Notice that all the control circuits are 120V components, and that basically only the heater is 240V.  Extending this image further, we can see how the dryer connects to a 120/240V split-phase system using a 3 wire cord.

Click for larger view
Due to the nature of the 120/240V split-phase system, the grounded (neutral) and grounding conductors in a dedicated single appliance circuit are basically the same. The dryer will work just fine whether the N terminal is connected to a grounded (neutral) conductor, or a grounding conductor.  However, connecting a NEMA 14-30R device in this way is nonstandard, and a code violation.

NEMA 14-30R
In the case of a three wire circuit, a NEMA 10-30R device should be installed.

NEMA 10-30R
When the wiring is connected to the proper device, the third wire in the cable becomes a grounded (neutral) conductor, and the code may be satisfied.
If you read point number three of the exception to section 250.140 of the National Electrical Code, you'll find that the neutral must be either insulated, or part of a Type SE cable.  If this is not the case, your installation may still be a code violation.
An uninsulated, normally current carrying conductor running through your walls is typically a bad thing.  Which is why this code exception is only valid, if the conductor is insulated.

tl;dr
Connecting a dryer in this way will work, but is a potentially dangerous code violation (according to the National Electrical Code).
If the receptacle is not of the self-contained variety, and is not in a box. That is defiantly a code violation (NEC 2011 406.5).

Extra Information:
If a proper 4 wire cable existed, the schematic from above would look something like this...

Click for larger view

If I've missed anything, or haven't explained something properly. Feel free to ask additional questions, or point out mistakes in the comments below.


toilet siphon has pressure beam of water I was wondering if it is normal that there is a pressure beam of water coming out from the toilet's siphon. And also, what I should do to fix this? I have the feeling this should not happen during 'normal operation'.

I tried tightening or losening the ring, but when I do, either the beam continues, or the beam stops, but still water is flowing into the toilet, even though the water reservoir is full.

Under normal circumstances, the water source should react on full/non-full condition. In your case, I'd try to disassemble the unit to make sure there is no rust/salt/etc preventing it to stop the water beam.

Then, about the beam itself. It depends on a water pressure and effective gate size, however it affects the fulfillment speed only. Once floating bobber is high enough, it pushes a lever that intends to shut the water gate.


"Tomato cage" plastic connections -- Design idea I'm creating on AutoCAD a hydroponic tower garden.

I would like to get some ideas about how to design the connections between the parts required to build a tomato cage.

Here's a bird's eye view of the project:

I'm planning on stacking 6 levels of red circles.

Now... Zooming in, specifically on the tomato cage...

My question is... What is the best way to connect those parts? Some requirements:

-- Without using any tools
-- Easy to disconnect
-- Preferably, no external fasteners. Everything needs to be integrated
-- Firm connections between the parts... No shaking (vibration) in windy conditions

Thickness: 6.5mm. If necessary, it can be changed. Maybe the red circle needs to be thicker.

I would like to have some suggestions. Thanks in advance.

Typically a wire product like this would be electro-welded together.

Your set of criteria is going to be next to impossible to achieve. You envision something that has the properties of a fully welded structure but desire it to be a pile of loose parts.

I believe that your best goal would be to make each level of your gadget an electro-welded assembly that is self sufficient from a structural standpoint. The design should be such that these pieces are able to stack together. At each interface between the levels there would be adjacent horizontal rings that are part of the lower stacked element and the next stacked unit. You could then have the user/installer then tie these rings together using nylon zip-ties of an appropriate size. Dis-assembly is as simple as cutting these ties with a diagonal cutter.

Cross sectional detail of one side. White dots are electro welds.


Is it ok to trim a header to make a door fit? I want to install a closet door under my stairway in my basement. The stairway is in the center of the basement and the main support beam is split. There is neither a support beam nor a header currently where i want to separate the 2x6 studs and install this door. There is only a double top plate over this approximately 4 foot span. I pieced together a header using osb and 2x10s. Now im realizing there is not enough space for both the header and the door. Since there was never a header there to begin with am i ok trimming the height of the header about 3 inches to make my door fit? Or does the door necessitate a full 2x10 header?

I am assuming that the main support beam was properly supported on either side of the staircase before you began this project.  If not, you have a bigger problem that may need an engineer, or at least a serious framing contractor. If is is properly supported, read on.

A simple closet door by itself in a partition wall (non-loadbearing) does not need a true structural header. Headers are used to carry and transfer weight where a door interrupts a load bearing structure.

If there was no header in the wall before and it was sound, the only weight being carried is the small amount of framing over the door and the surface covering, such as a small area of drywall. The top plates should be enough to carry this weight.

If you added a 2x10 inch header, you have given it more support than it really needs and trimming 3 inches off that header should be no problem.


How to plan for the future when installing a new roof? We're hiring a contractor to take off the existing roof, repair/replace any rotted sheathing and rafters, and install a new roof. We've also asked that they add a new plumbing vent stack for a new bathroom we'll add later, a bathroom exhaust vent, a whirlybird to vent the attic, a dryer vent, and supports in case we want to install a roof deck later.

This is a 4 floor row house with shallow pitch roof in mid-Atlantic US. There's a 6" to 3' pitched attic area with r30 batts on the ceiling joists. Also have HVAC compressor on roof and unit in attic.

What else should we think about along these lines? Green roof supports? Solar panel mounts? Additional insulation? What should we prepare for now, or at least consider?

The three things that I ask people to consider when they're replacing a roof is if they're in a wind or hail damage region, and if they're in a region with high solar gain (such as Texas) or an area prone to ice damming (such as New England or the upper midwest.)

If you're in an area that is prone to wind or hail damage (thunderstorms or hurricanes), you might want to look into a more resilient form of roofing material. Stone-coated steel shingles (which look just like standard asphalt shingles) are a great product that will resist most forms of damage that can be dished out. Your insurance may give you a discount on them because they have a longer lifetime.

If you're in a high solar gain area, look into some of the energy-star rated shingles. They again look just like stone coated asphalt shingles, but they'll help keep your attic cool in the summertime.

If you're in an area that gets a decent amount of snow, make sure that they install an ice & water barrier around any roof penetrations (like skylights or places where they replace a vent) and along the edge of the roof where you could develop ice damming problems. This material is a sticky membrane that self-sticks to the roof deck and basically keeps water from seeping through at all. Common brand name for this product are "Grace Ice & Water Shield" ... I also personally use it in roof valleys, gable crotches, and several other places where water tends to get blown up inside something and you really don't want it to soak through.

You definitely want to get your insulation up to the max, but that's something that you can do at any time using blown-in insulation. If you are replacing roof decking and have it open, you should make sure that you have plenty of soffit vents and that your soffit vents are baffled properly. (I like the Berger Accuvent, personally...)

You want to make sure that any damaged or rusted flashing is replaced, and that tar paper is replaced. Look into what kind of tar paper they're using (heavier the weight, the better...), because that's actually your roof. Make sure you know what kind of valleys you're getting. For standard asphalt shingles, I prefer woven valleys, but they're harder to do and therefore are more expensive.


how to protect outdoor cables I've installed some outdoor security cameras and ran the Cat5e cables along the outside of the walls. Now I want to protect the parts where the cables are exposed to the sun. What are my options? I was thinking to use some kind of spiral wrap.

Thanks for the help.

Paint

All the answers posted so far entail shielding devices which themselves will require paint to last very long under UV light bombardment.  So with or without them, you will need a suitable primer and paint.

I recommend running a Scotchbrite pad down the wire or shield before priming, to give the material some microscopic "tooth" for the primer to lock into.  Then a solvent based primer.   Then an exterior rated paint of your choice.

If you want to match what you have on the house, find a way to remove something that is painted in that color, and the hardware store can match it with their scanner.


Is it a bad idea to paint the underside of a deck? What happens when you paint underside of deck? I have been advised not to do that. Can anyone give a good answer?

In my opinion you should never paint a deck it will only seal in moisture and prematurely rote the wood, painting the bottom even seems worse I don't think it will dry out, only use a stain/preserver


Garage Door Opener, Power to Motor Will Not Turn Off I have a Craftsman model 139.53600 garage door opener.  While closing the door, the motor did not turn off and jammed the trolley against the trolley stop.  The motor hums, gets hot, shuts off, cools and restarts the cycle.  The down limit switch does not turn off the power to the motor.  I unplugged the opener.
I released the door from the trolley and can operate the door manually. With the door released and the chain removed from the pulley, the motor runs in the direction to close the door.  Unplugging and plugging does not change the direction.  Pressing the wall switch pauses the motor, then it restarts in the same direction.
The gears are working properly and the down limit switch makes contact.
In recent years, I have had to adjust the down and up limit  switches several times a year to keep the door in the proper position.
I would appreciate guidance on how to fix the opener.

Replace it, so you don't have to explain to somebody why you didn't replace it
I would replace this geezer of a GDO if I were in your shoes.  It did quite well to make it to 32, but outlived its welcome as it most likely lacks the auto-reverse safeties of newer openers (namely, stall-reverse/inherent protection and photoeyes/photosensors), rendering it hazardous to operate in the way one would treat a newer opener.
This would also be a good time to inspect the door itself for proper manual functionality and adjustment.


Can I clean out a GE dishwasher drain pump? I have a GE GDT530 dishwasher that just went out of warranty 2 months ago. Now it's starting to make crackling sounds when it's draining water and it sounds like there is some debris in the drain pump. So I was wondering if it's possible to clean out the drain pump on this dishwasher or will I have to replace the drain pump entirely?

GE dishwasher won’t drain.
Washer is washing, but doesn’t drain.
During drain cycle you hear a hum, but no water is flowing into the garbage disposal.

Troubleshooting:
Two common problems:  1. Drain hose is blocked at the garbage disposal or anti-siphon air gap connection.  2.  Something is stuck in the drain pump so that the impeller blades can't turn.  That is why you hear a hum, but no water flows.  The drain pump has a magnetic AC induction motor of about 45 watts and is unlikely to burn out.

Unplug dishwasher power.
Get a large pan.  A plastic pan that you use to drain your motor oil into is about the right size.
Place the pan on the floor in front of your sink cabinet.
The pan should be lower than the bottom of the inside of dishwasher.
Disconnect the drain hose that goes to the air gap or garbage disposal.
If your line is not plugged up, water will flow out of the dishwasher into the pan.
If water flows out of the dishwasher into the pan your drain pump is not working.

Pull the dishwasher out far enough to turn it on it's side.
In many installations you will be able to slide the dishwasher out far enough to turn it on it's side without disconnecting the hot water inlet hose.  Be sure to turn the hot water valve under the sink off.

Fixing the drain pump:

The drain pump is basically dangling from a wire hanger.
Disconnect the hoses and AC wires and remove the pump.
The impeller housing cover is held on by three torx type screws.
Remove the cover and check the impeller blades.  Often you will find a foreign
 object such as piece of glass or china chip that is stopping the impeller blade.  Remove the object and reassemble the pump.

Put everything back together.  Plug in the dishwasher and turn the hot water back on.
Select the “Rinse Only" mode.  Press Start/Reset button.  Wait until you hear the dishwasher washing.  The press the Start/Reset button again.  The dishwasher will stop after a few seconds and hopefully start draining.

Thousands of dishwasher drain pumps have been unnecessarily replaced because a small piece of junk was stuck in the impeller blades.
(Note:  If you don't have a Torx bit go to your local Harbor Freight or hardware store and buy a small set of bits.  Much cheaper than a pump and you will have them for future projects.)


Building a Wire Mesh Basket for Under a Table I'm looking into the possibility of DIYing the table in the picture below (taken from here):

I've found many great tutorials for a rough approximation of the legs (although mine will be four straight legs - I don't think I could DIY the curves in those legs, could I?) and the top. However, I am unsure whether I can replicate the wire mesh basket. What materials would I need for the mesh and the frame that lines the mesh? How would I connect the mesh and frame, the basket and the table? And if it isn't something I can easily DIY, would there be a kind of professional I could seek out who could build the basket? If so, who should I be looking for?

Here's what I see.  Wire grid from McMaster-Carr.  Brass rod, or steel if you can work with the material competently.  Bend the rod to desired shape on a jig.  Cut the wire grid appropriately then bend it likewise on a jig.  You may need to make the jigs. Then figure out where to put the holes in the rod to take the ends of the grids.  Your call whether to drill the holes not quite through or through and then metalwork the wire ends flush.
For each of the wire ends on the grid, rough it up with #60 sandpaper. We want some surface roughness.
Mix up very slow epoxy with high-density adhesive filler so it's peanut butter consistency, it needs to not leak out. Syringe it into the holes of one of the bars and then carefully fit all the wires into the holes. Make sure all the wires are seated all the way (weight as necessary).  If you drilled the holes all the way through, you can bend excess wire over to make sure it stays where it belongs and work that against spacers/wedges etc. Otherwise feel free to ty-wrap the grid to the bar so it stays put.  Make sure the holes are well packed with epoxy, you only get one shot.
Allow to cure.  At the "stiff enough to not flow but still cuttable with an exacto knife" stage of the curing phase, cut away any excess epoxy.  Don't let it hard cure or else you'll be all day with a Dremel removing it.
Flip it over and do the same to the other side.


Applying flammable coating at temperature below its flash point I want to apply a xylene-based urethane coating with a flash point of 81 degrees (F) to an epoxy floor in a windowless 8' x 8' room equipped with near-new 100-CFM exhaust fan. I hope to be able to encapsulate the room and vent the rather noxious vapors with just this exhaust fan.

If the ambient temperature of the room will be about 65 Degrees (F) - below the coating's flash point - as the motor runs, am I still at risk of the motor igniting the vapors, or do I need to rent an explosion-proof blower to vent the room?

You should be aware that the just because the temp. of the liquid is below the listed flash point, does not mean that the liquid is not giving off flammable vapors. It means only that it is not giving off enough vapors to reach the low end of its flammable range (LFL- lower flammable limit) concentration in air under specific test conditions. If the conditions you describe were to change, you could have a problem because xylene ignites at a relatively low concentration in air (1% - 6%).

That being said, I think it would be difficult to achieve the LFL concentration (1% for xylene) in a room that small, at that temperature, with a 100cfm fan. The fuel-air mixture would just be too lean.

Don't forget to wear a good respirator rated for organic vapors.


Solar powered charger for laptop How do I build a solar powered charger for a laptop with dc rating 19v, 3.42A? I'd also prefer to use some other batteries to store the electricity? How can I accomplish this?

A. You will need to calculate your Energy consumption estimations. Let say, for 5 hours a day of average laptop consumption (70W) you will need to produce 450-550w a day (that is 350w plus energy losses on conversion of voltage and losses of battery).

B. For this You will need:
1. Some kind of solar panels
2. A solar charger
3. A battery
4. An inverter

The specification of those element is depend on the strategy that you're planning to apply.

C. There are two basic strategies for planing this system:

You can use a 24V system and then get a DC-DC inverter (24v to 19v), OR you can use...
Mine preferred way, because the computer is a gentle electronic device, is to go through the transformer of the computer it self (that is, 220/110v AC to 19DC), as you can count on it to be accurate and stable for the computer and the internal battery system: use a 24/12v system with a inverter to normal appliance voltage in your region (220/110v) and plug the original transformer of the computer to the inverter.

You've a lot more to learn before i would recommend you to start spending money on materials.

You can read more here (cost 20$) - and I'm not getting paid for this. i don't even know the writer... i really do recommend this e-book, i have used it myself.
and here you can find an full and detailed article i wrote about how to build a solar pv electric system, but it in Hebrew, so maybe try to Google-translate it.

And here two more good pieces of content, from "Instructables":

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Solar-Setup/
http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Home-Solar-Planning-a-Solar-Array-Beginners/

Hope you'll find this answer useful.


taking out damaged small screws I want to replace this 1 inch hinge on a decorative cabinet. the screws are pretty small and their head is damaged as you can see in the pictures. I can't get any leverage with the screw driver. Does anyone know how I can take these small screws out with out damaging the cabinet and ruining the wood?

Using a thin cutoff disk in a rotary tool (Dremel), cut a slot in each screw that fits a medium-sized flat-blade screwdriver.


Identifying cause of light flickering? I've got 2 lights in the house that have an intermittent flicker (we can go for days without having it at all, then it'll happen for a bit).  I've not seen them do it at the same time.  They are on the same circuit (but different switches).  It's not much of a flicker really, closer to a very subtle change in light output, just enough to annoy and concern me (my wife didn't even notice until I pointed it out).  They are 2 of the highest power consumers in the house, one being 200 watts, the other 180 watts.  For comparison, our third highest consumer is 160 watts, is on a different circuit and has never been seen to flicker.

There is also a 60 watt bulb on the same circuit as my flickering lights and on the same switch as the 200 watt fixture.  This one never has been observed to flicker (but perhaps I simply can't notice it as the light output is so much lower).

I'm at a loss as to how to narrow this down further.  I've observed other light and appliance usage in the house and it doesn't seem to match up with anything.  The closest I've gotten to a pattern is that the 200w unit seems most likely to flicker when used between 5-6am and the 180w when used between 8-9pm.  I'm not opposed to calling an electrician, but since I can't reproduce it at will, that seems like I'd probably end up throwing a lot of money at it for no results.

edit

I've now been able to isolate as the other light on the circuit has started flickering (very faintly) now.  It's only when the lights are on due to both (3-way) switches being "down".  If they're both "up", the lights are flicker free.  I'll be checking the connections at the switches now.  If not the connections, is that failure usually a bad switch or a bad connection wire for the 3-way setup?

It was a bad switch.

The isolating it to when both switches were in the same position was as far as we could get for diagnostics.  All connections were inspected and seemed fine.  I finally gave in and just bought 2 new switches.  Upon trying to install them I noticed mismatches in wiring colors so I brought in an electrician who was able to sort things out (and tagged the wiring for me).  He then removed the oldest looking of the 2 switches and replaced it with one of my new switches.  The flickering problem is gone and I have a spare switch now...


Vaulting ceiling and removing ceiling joists without risking the integrity of my roof system? I have a large space without walls and when I looked in the attic, it seems like there is a possibility to vault my ceiling. Checking if anyone here could help me to figure it out. What are my options for vaulting this thing?

Yes, you can remove the ceiling joists and “vault” the room, but you have several issues: 1) unusual structural system, 2) loss of attic insulation, 3) heating

1) The existing roof joists are  supported by a complex set of ridge beam, intermittent vertical supports and a “strongback”. In order to remove the ceiling joists and vault the space, you’ll need to install temporary supports under all existing roof joists, remove the existing vertical supports under the ridge beam and then slip a NEW ridge beam in under the existing ridge beam. (This is going to be somewhat difficult because the existing ridge beam is slightly lower than the roof joists. The new ridge beam will need a notch so it can fit tight to the roof joists.)

After the new ridge beam is in place and supported with a NEW post at each end and each joist clipped to the beam, then the existing ceiling joists and temporary supports can be removed.

The new posts will need adequate footings. You may be luck, because the existing strongback probably has some footing under it at each end.

Installing the beam will be difficult because it could weigh 17 lbs. per foot (for a 6x12) up to 25 lbs. per foot (for a 5 1/8” x 18” glu-lam). Wiggling that into place will take some skill.

2) New attic batt insulation can be installed between each joists, but keep 1” air space between the insulation and roof sheathing for venting. (Be sure to add soffit vents and ridge vents in EACH joist space.)

3) consider how you’ll heat the space...ducts?


Metal bracket to hang stringer below joist? I need to hang a stringer (basically another 2x8) right below my deck joist 2x8. Look like this photo

Can you tell me what kind of hanger / bracket is it in the red circle?

The article is from here

http://www.familyhandyman.com/decks/designs/backyard-decks-build-an-island-deck/view-all

And I was looking at this skew hanger but I don't believe it has ability to allow the 2x8 to sit right below another 2x8:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_29926-166-LSSH15-TZ___?productId=3375802

Those are simple L-angle joist hangers. I'm not sure if it's appropriate to use them like that, though... especially if you plan to use the stringer to support something (other than itself).

In other words, the ground-support should be directly supporting the stringer and the joists should be resting on the stringer- unless you will not be using the stringer to support anything (significant)... but then why would you put it there?

edit- After some consideration, I think that this hanging step is interesting. I wouldn't make two steps like that, of course, and I wouldn't skimp on the stringers... the picture shows 7 stringers, each about 4 ft long, for one step/tread; it will be an expensive step, but part of the safety is a measure of how far you fall... maybe 8 to 10 inches.


How to install a portable AC exhaust in a vertical window with horizontal blinds? I have a window with a moving vertical part, so to open and close this window I need to slide the moving part left or right. And the window has horizontal blinds on it.

I'd like to install a portable A/C and put its exhaust into this window, but I think the portable A/C exhaust would get in the way of the blinds.

What is the best way to install the exhaust, while keeping the blinds functional and aesthetic?

One of the options I see is to install vertical shades, but if I install them in one window, I would need to replace window blinds to vertical in all the house windows to keep a coherent appearance.

With a long enough vertical window adapter kit, you could likely get the exhaust hose port to be at the very bottom of your window. That would let you get your blinds almost all the way down, which might be good enough. There's really not much more you can do -- portable A/C units work best with a direct exhaust route to the outside, so any shenanigans to try and squeeze that exhaust hose between your blinds will reduce its efficiency and lead to sub-par cooling.

You could also use a special, sliding-window A/C unit (e.g. http://www.amazon.com/Frigidaire-FFRS1022R1-115-volt-Conditioner-Full-Function/dp/B00VV2JV3I), which might be able to fit behind your blinds.


how do you remove a swamp cooler pillow block bearing that's stuck/seized/rusted on? One side of my swamp cooler isn't spinning right, it's like it's spinning the "whole thing" instead of just the shaft inside.  I presume that it's a "seized bearing" on that side.  But in trying to remove the old bearing off the shaft, there's a reason the whole thing is spinning, it's really seized on hard.  How to get off a very stuck one?

Oof, what a pain, I had a Champion swamp cooler with the same issue, except the collar was also rusted on. There's absolutely no way of getting leverage outside of possibly removing the entire squirrel cage, but then I'd be chancing the other side not coming off after the effort of removing the pulley wheel etc.

Wasn't sure what I was going to do but after reading your post I decided to give the hacksaw option a try, $10 and 15 minutes later and everything was off! So happy I found your post, would have been more money or a technician coming out otherwise.

I cut enough of a groove into each segment I was removing to insert a good flat head screw driver then gave it a little twist and they popped off really easily.


How can I safely cut small limestone bricks? I have a number of long limestone bricks leftover after breaking down a large limestone planter. They're 2.5"x4", vary in length from 6" to 18", and some are mortared together. I'd like to cut them into 6" lengths and reuse them for a landscaping barrier. I already have a 10" jobsite table saw and a 7.25" worm drive circular saw.
Is my best bet to buy a segmented diamond blade for my circular saw and cut the bricks wet? Is it safe to use a 10" diamond blade on a table saw? (I haven't seen any mention of this online)

Something like this https://www.harborfreight.com/4-12-in-turbo-wet-dry-masonry-diamond-blade-68878.html and good angle grinder, at least 7.00 amp and dig about 1/4” all 4 side and little tap with small hammer would do the job. You have to rest brick (one being cut) on two bricks on the edge.


Joists to binder - best way to attach I am planning to fit some binders to support sagging ceiling joists and want to know the best way to join the joists to binders.

The joists are C16 4x2 and span over 4 meters! The house was built in the 60ies and the sagging has caused the ceiling to crack right down the middle. Its a small crack but it is developing.

There is a binder that runs half way over the existing joists but it does not look like it was fitted properly as some joists are not attached to it (I can see gaps) and one end of it does not rest on the load bearing wall.

I am planning to run 2 additional 4x2 binders and just want your opinion on the best way to attach them to the joists.

I am thinking about using these (in order of preference)

Stainless Steel Banding 20mm - Run under the joist and then twist and wrap around and over the top of the binder and screw.
Angle brackets
Truss clips
Skew screwing from the joists to the binder.

Loft is used for light storage and is boarded.

Thanks!

I'd use hurricane ties, they're intended more to hold things down than hold things up but I'm sure they'd work.

A pair of these:

Or one of these:


How to attach a top plate to a plaster and lath ceiling for a closet? I'm looking to add a closet to a room in my house. I took down the walls (and have since had drywall put back up) so I know where the studs are in the walls, but I don't know where the ceiling joists are. I don't have access to them from above since there are hardwood floors upstairs.

I'm not sure how I should go about attaching the top plates for the closet. Can I just screw them into the lath? Will this crush the plaster and cause everything to come crashing down? Should I (and how would I?) remove the plaster above the closet so I can see the joists? What if the closet walls line up with the wall studs, but the ceiling joists don't?

It should be fairly easy to determine the direction the joists run. In older homes they almost always run across the short dimension of the home's footprint. Once you know that, and you have your walls laid out, just start drilling holes with a small bit through the plaster and lath until you find a joist. They should be on 16 inch centers from there. Simply run 3 inch construction screws through your plate, through the lath, and into the joist. You will not crush the plaster, but watch for signs of cracking as you tighten things up.

If you find that you have a wall running parallel to the joists and between them, you'll probably want to just glue the top plate in place. There shouldn't be very much sideways force on it anyway. I would use heavy duty construction adhesive and run a few screws into the lath to hold it in place while the adhesive sets. Plaster and lath is actually very strong and it's unlikely you'll do any damage this way if your wall framing fits snugly. Connect the ends of such walls securely into other walls or joists as you can and don't worry about it from there.

The right technique would have been to install blocking between joists while you had the plaster and lath out. Obviously it's too late for that now but it's not a big deal.


How to get rid of a burned coal smell that's coming to my flat? I live in a semi-urban area, where most surrounding houses use charcoal or black coal to heat them. Since my flat is on the top floor (2nd), the outside chimneys are not that much above my roof and, in consequence, during the few months of winter, depending on the wind I'll get an unpleasant smell of burned coal in my apartment.

So, how to get rid of it?

The obvious answer is to close all gravitational ventilation inside the flat, which is what I do at the moment and which is cumbersome and not a permanent solution as the gravitational ventilation needs to be turned on at least periodically.

I was thinking about buying lots of plants. In the vain of this TED presentation and blog post:
http://mattnt.com/2010/08/15/air-filtration/

The question is - what kind of plant/plants would deal with this problem most efficiently?

Or maybe there is a better solution?

In terms of plant answers,  mother in law tongue is one of 15 plants recommended by NASA for air purification. Plus this plant releases oxygen at night as well as during that daytime(good plant to keep near your bed). I have this plant in my dorm room, works wonders.

Additionally this site will give a basic outline of a few others that work well.

In case you need more evidence, this is a CAM plant which means the plant separates the two photosynthesis pathways and performs all light dependent reactions during the day and stores the products up for use at night when the light dependent reactions take place, called Calvin's cycle. Ergo, this plant is awesome.

*Verdict, get some mother in law tongue plants, they look good, NASA proven, they can take some neglect, and they don't rack up your electric bill.


Can I use a heat gun or hair dryer to remove plastic from my steel door I failed to remove the plastic from my steel door and now I am unable to peel it off. Can I use a heat gun or hair dryer to remove it, or is there a better way? I have tried several different things, but none seem to work.

You do not mention what kind of plastic this is or how it is adhered to the door - but since you said peel it off...

Don't use a heat gun - it will melt the plastic.

If the plastic is glued on to the door

Use something like this to dissolve the glue :


How to apply plaster to a plaster damaged drywall section Some plaster came off our drywall.  It's not a huge area but bigger than I'd like to use a polyfiller on.
Can I plaster directly onto the area or do I need to use a PVA or similar?  Is there a technique to get it flush with the rest of the wall?

First of all, plaster and drywall are two very different things.  Please use the correct terms.
It appears from the photo that you have damaged drywall, that looks like it may have been improperly patched in the past.  While you could try to fix this using drywall compound, that will be a very difficult thing to make it stick and look good over such a large area.
The usual way to fix something like this is to REMOVE a section of the drywall, fit a new piece of drywall in the void, and then use drywall tape and drywall compound to blend the edges into the existing wall surface.


Placement of window AC in open living space I am struggling to find good advice on the placement of window AC units in an (half) open living space. The units are supposed to cover the green area, which is relatively open (total size 790 square foot). We are pretty much set on LGs dual inverter units with 9,500 BTU (450 sq ft, LG LW1019IVSM) or 14,000 BTU (800 sq ft, LG LW1517IVSM). My current thinking is to use two 9,500 BTU units. One in window 1 and one in window 3 or 5. Does that make sense? What are guidelines to cover a space like this?

I would probably use window 12 over number 1 because that is where the heat load is and the room is larger.
3 or 5 are both good options but I would use 3 because of  the proximity for the discharge to blow towards the family room.
If this were my place I would install mini splits , last week I saw an advertisement for a top brand 12k btu mini split with a 10 year warranty for 475.00 installed, I am sure that means you have to put the power in but hanging a split and mounting the outside unit on a plastic pad can be done very quickly, there are even some full DIY options out there but they are more expensive.
The split units can be mounted above windows or on walls and can add value to your home including providing a efficient heat source in the winter