Primer /sealer over latex paint I have new ceiling in my bathroom installed by my contractor. I gave him primer/sealer to apply on new drywall ceiling before painting it.
Looks like he cut corner and did not apply primer and directly painted the ceiling with white paint.
I wanted to seal drywall before paint , is it too late now ? Can I still apply this primer/sealer and paint again ?
I am using this KILZ 2 water-based primer.

It's a shame your contractor couldn't follow directions.
Check to see if the paint he used contained a primer, many paints out there now do.
The primer you purchased can be applied over latex paint so you could still use it over the painted ceiling and then repaint it.


How can 12 V halogen downlights be much more efficient than 220 V ones? The house I bought has halogen downlights pretty much everywhere, and they are all 12 V. I was wondering why bother with stepping down to 12 V but didn't think much about it.

When looking at downlights in some shop the other day (thinking about replacing them with LEDs) I noticed that for halogen 12 V ones are much more efficient than 220 V ones - for 50 W specs were 350 lm for 220 V and 680 lm for 12V. How can there be such a difference for the same technology but different voltages?

You can check specs for the same manufacturer (Osram) and the 2 voltages here and here

This gets into efficacy/usefulness verses efficiency and the important fact that less voltage is far more stabler.

If you look closely:

12V 50W energy consumption = 53 kWh/1000h
240V 50W energy consumption = 50 kWh/1000h

Thus the 240V 50W is 3kWh/1000h more efficient in energy consumption.

However the 240V 50W has half the life span of the 12V

12V 50W number of switching cycles= 50000
240V 50W number of switching cycles  = 25000

Thus the efficiency you would gain is nullified due to the decreased lifespan.

Next compare the luminous intensity

12V 50W luminous intensity = 1450
240V 50W luminous intensity  = 900

By far the 12V has a much greater efficacy to efficiency ratio.

Now to explain why

Voltage is the rate/speed/pressure of electrical phenomenon.

On average 12 volts is plenty fast to illuminate a 50 Watt incandescent or halogen.

Increasing the voltage beyond this point as you can see does little help as the efficacy "usefulness" of the bulb to achieve desired illumination in relation to the efficient use of energy it requires is most satisfactory at 12 Volts.

As an experiment, take a 9 volt battery and touch the two prongs to a 20 watt halogen MR16 or MR11.  The voltage required to reach the desired efficacy is very little, and less voltage/pressure is a good thing.


Wiring dishwasher and garbage disposal I am finishing my kitchen remodel but I had run the electrical supply lines previously, before I finished my basement, when its ceiling was exposed for routing. For some reason I can't exactly recall right now, I ran a 12/3 cable to supply the dishwasher and garbage disposal. I now think it was not the best choice because they should either be on a 15A (which corresponds to 14 AWG) dedicated circuit each or share a common 20A circuit. In other words, 20A each is an overkill and might be an overload on the side of the panel. The breaker at the panel is a double 20A where the switch is shared between the two circuits, in other words they are bother either on or off but can't be in a different state, because they share the same cable and the same neutral (I think this is called a multi-wire branch circuit).
Even though this may be perfectly legal (is it?), I prefer to go optimal and not provide more amps than can realistically be drawn. The dishwasher draws a maximum of 10.9A and the garbage disposal 5.9. I am asking for help to decide among several possible recourse options, assuming that the 12/3 cable going in cannot be changed as the distance is very long and blocked by drywall the entire route:

Even though the wire is 12 AWG, replace the 20A double branch breaker with a 15A double branch circuit and the 20A rater terminal outlet, which both appliances share, with a 15A, making it effectively a 15A circuit for each appliance.
Make it a single regular 20A circuit by simply not using the red wire inside the cable. Is this allowed?
Leave it a 20A double branch circuit as is.

The main reason I would like to make this change is so that the main panel looks as elegant as possible and not overloaded so that a future buyer's home inspector doesn't ask any unnecessary questions. It is not so much a safety issue (or is it?) as it is about perception management.

The 12/3 and 20A is perfectly fine. This is a Multi-Wire Branch Circuit or MWBC. The basic idea is that by having two breakers on opposite legs (240V between them), you get 2 x 120V using 3 wires (hot/hot/neutral) instead of 4 wires (hot/hot/neutral/neutral). The catch is that the circuits have to turn off together at the breaker (your double breaker takes care of that).
From a safety standpoint, a disposal and dishwasher on 2 x 20A is really the same as if they shared a single 20A circuit. If one of the devices overloaded then the breaker would trip at the same 20A that it would trip if they were on the same circuit if the other device wasn't running at the same time. In reality, most overloads are going to be way over (short circuit or just a massive overload) and 15A vs. 20A just wouldn't make a difference anyway.
It also happens to be right now that you could put the two devices together on a single 20A circuit (sum < 16A) but if you replaced one of them (e.g., installed a more powerful disposal) you could end up with a problem. 2 x 20A = guaranteed no problem.
As a general rule, you can't mix and match circuit breaker sizes, wire sizes and devices. For example, you can't put a 15A receptacle on a 30A circuit. However, 15A and 20A are a special situation in the NEC. The end result is that, generally speaking, most devices that go on a 15A circuit (15A receptacles, a lot of built-in appliances except for ovens & cooktops) can just as easily go on a 20A circuit.
Just to be sure, I spot-checked a major US manufacturer dishwasher selected at random and the installation guide clearly states that it can be installed on a 15A or 20A circuit and plug-in or hardwired. Local codes may have specific requirements.
In this case, the one big catch is GFCI. You may or may not need GFCI on this circuit. If you do, then it gets a bit more complicated - either a GFCI double-breaker (expensive) or 2 separate GFCI receptacles instead of a duplex receptacle. Assuming GFCI is not needed, then depending on the instructions for your dishwasher and disposal, you can do one of the following:
Hardwired

12/3 from breaker to a junction box.
Short 12/3 to switch box above counter. Black hot to incoming black, red switched hot to disposal black hot, white neutral to incoming neutral and disposal neutral and dishwasher neutral.
Dishwasher black hot to incoming red, dishwasher white neutral to incoming neutral and disposal neutral and dishwasher neutral.

Receptacles

Use a 20A duplex. Normally a 15A duplex is OK on a 20A circuit, but that is when you are thereby getting 2 15A receptacles on one 20A breaker. In this case, each 1/2 has 20A, so I suspect (can't say 100%) that you must use duplex 20A. And nothing is lost by doing that (cost is same or perhaps 50 cents different).
12/3 from breaker to a junction box.
Short 12/3 to switch box above counter. Black hot to incoming black, red switched hot to top receptacle hot, white neutral to incoming neutral and receptacle neutral.
Incoming red to bottom receptacle hot.
Remove the hot-side tab from the duplex receptacle. Do not remove the neutral-side tab.
Plug disposal in top and dishwasher in bottom.

It is also possible to have one device hardwired and the other plug-in.


Easy/Cheap fix to insulating 2x4 exterior wall in Maryland I am living in an rowhouse with exterior walls built of 2x4's.  When it gets really cold in the winter - I can feel the cold coming through the wall of my bedroom when I put my hand on it.  The wall is about 12' wide by 8' tall with 2 windows.  Is there something I can do to better insulate?  The only thing I can think of is to remove the drywall and furr out the wall and re-insulate.  Are there any less destructive and DIY options?

You can have blown-in insulation added after the fact. They will drill small, maybe 1-1/2" holes in the stucco, one above and one below the fire blocks in each section between the studs and blow in the chopped fiberglass material. then they patch the stucco and if you have some of the original leftover paint, they will repaint it. If not they try to match it, but the success of that varies.

Most HOAs will allow this by the way, so long as the contractor is licensed and in some cases pre-approved by the HOA.

This is what it looks like when they are done, pre-painting.


Identifying and sharpening carbide tipped planer blade Below are photos of an electric (hand) planer blade that came with a used Makita power planer, model 1900B.

I believe the blades are carbide tipped, but am not certain. I could not search the model number and find anything conclusive, perhaps because these blades are old.

Are the blades carbide tipped? If so, can they be sharpened at home, or best sent to a professional?

The blades certainly have some sort of inset visible at the edge, which might well be carbide.

Home sharpening of carbide is possible with diamond abrasives.

But, if you have to ask, it's likely that a better job will be done by a competent shop, since you inquire about "best."


What happens if I seal my driveway on a cool day and then it rains? What if I apply black jack 500 sealer and the temperature is between 40 and 50 degrees and it rains? We are selling a house and need to get this done right away,
The driveway has been power washed and cleaned.

From Blackjack 500 technical manual:

  Temperatures must be 65°F and rising, but below 90°F during application. Clean driveway with
  Drive Kleen and thoroughly rinse. Remove puddles and then apply sealer to a slightly damp surface
  (not wet). A small amount of water separation in the pail is normal, and should be easily
  mixed in. Pour out 1/3 of the container and spread product across the blacktop surface with a
  squeegee. Squeegee must be used to spread product and for proper application rates. After
  application with squeegee, a follow up with a brush may be used if a textured surface is desired.
  Complete the entire driveway in one continuous application to prevent “color shading”. If multiple
  pails are used, it is best to match batch codes and blend the end of one pail into the beginning of
  the other to maintain consistent coloring and texture. Do not over apply as this may lead to track- ing. Do not apply if rain or cold temperatures are expected within 36 hours

As implied by @Daniel Griscom, you really ought to read and follow the directions on the product container


Is there any way to stain white pine to match a natural red pine? We are building a bed frame and my hubby accidentally got white pine for the head board, but red pine for the posts and the wood for the sides of the bed. We wanted to stain the whole bed a rustic color, unsure which stain at this point because we don't know what to choose since we have different color pines. We can't return the wood because they have already been cut and sanded. What is our best course of action.

I have had good success making pine look like maple, walnut, teak or semi-transparent blends by mixing deep colors and adding latex paint to an oil based stain to make it more pastel like to tone down the contrast. I even made K3 particle board stain like old mahogany with many thin layers of brush grain stain and urethane for a dining room table extension . Usually I might brush on and wipe off excess for contrast  or apply a sealer first lightly for less contrast.

If you like my idea towards a slightly semi-transparent stain rather than a clear stain consider taking 1/4 cup in  yogurt container then add teaspoon of latex white or any colour you are inclined towards . Then experiment on a hidden side with untinted and tinted then add more latex stir and try again until you get a blend of clear stain and semi-opaque or "milk-stain".

THe above are the typical mini-wax stains.


What should I do about the floor for a outside metal shed / ventilation I put together one of those 1 million fastener sheds from lowes.  I didn't do a lot of ground prep but tried to make it as flat as possible.  There were initially some areas under the perimeter wall that were too low so I added dirt under those sections.  The exterior walls then all sat flat but due to time constraints I didn't try to completely level the inside dirt area.  I then put some 6mil poly down on the flat ground and then put the shed on top.

A season later and I have some water puddles in the low spots.  I am not sure if the water came in from the change in season and humidity - over the winter there were certainly times where the metal ceiling of the shed was sweating with condensation and dripping.

Do I put a hole in the poly at the low spots to allow the water to drain?  Should I put a layer of sand on top of the poly?  Anyone add a vent to these things to allow more air flow?  The shed is in a really tight spot so I can move it maybe a few feet in one direction but it is pinned in by a tree, a garage, and two sides with fence.

I suppose I could cut the poly, add soil to level and tuck tape in new poly.  Really I guess the water and ventilation are the main issue.  There is a probably a liter of water sitting on the floor and that seems like a lot for condensation from season change but I am pretty sure that the grade all around the exterior slopes away so maybe there is some kind of small leak in the roof.  In the pacific north west we have enough rain that if there was any sizable leak the thing would be saturated.

With two people I can lift the shed vertically.  Ideas?  Thank you in advance.

The plastic is good to prevent growth from taking over the shed floor. You're now paying the price for not taking the time to do proper ground prep. This is going to be some additional work, but think about adding more sand to the top of the plastic, level it and put down some of those 16" x 16" concrete pavers. Those are easy to keep level and any water dripping down for any reason would fall into the cracks of the pavers and be absorbed by the sand. Just a thought.


Potential Cause for these Bay Window Cracks in Victorian House in London Two diagonal \ and / cracks at lower part of bay window.
Can not tell if they are visible from inside as there is wall paper.
None of the neighbours seems to have any cracks.
Crack width seems at most 1 mm as was unable to squeeze-in a 1p coin.
There appear to be no other cracks inside or at the back of the house.
There are also mirror fault lines in the window sill, but I suspect they are just countours of the three-part stonework; or are they?
The front "garden" has a weird open D ~ 30 mm metal pipe/tube sticking out upwards -- looks like a super-short bin.
East London location.

The cracks are caused by settlement, evident by the separation of the window sill and the wall. I suspect the settlement is caused by water. What you can do is 1) repair the concrete walkway and apply the flexible sealant to the concrete-wall joint, and 2) grade the ground, or correct the slope of the concrete walkway, to allow water to flow away from the building, also the downspout, if any.
After the corrective actions, patch the wall and monitor the situation. If the cracks reappear soon afterward, then you might need to contact a structural/geotechnical engineer to check/work on the foundation.


Will my roof framing support an array of flat solar panels? I want to install 23 305w panels on my roof.  It's a flat roof constructed with 2x8 beams spaced at 24".  There is no snow load to consider and we get occasional wind and rain storms a few times per year.

Is this structure sufficient to support a solar array?  I can space each panel a few feet apart.  Each panel weighs 41lb with a psf of under 2.5.

2x8’s spanning 14’ can support between 31 psf and 53 psf depending on the species and grade of your 2x8’s.

Your existing flat roof “dead load” (load that does not change) is:

1) roofing between 3 psf and 8 psf depending on the type, number of re-roofs, etc.,

2) roof sheathing is between 1.5 and 2.5 psf,

3) roof joists of 2x8’s is 1.5 psf,

4) attic insulation (if any) is between 2 and 3 psf,

5) ceiling (if any) is between 3 and 4 psf,

6) miscellaneous, including lights, etc. is between 2 and 3 psf

Therefore, the total dead load is between 11.5 and 20.5 psf depending on all the materials on your roof. (Feel free to adjust my estimates depending on your exact materials.)

Generally, we add a “Live Load” (snow load, etc.) to the dead load to get a Total Load. However, you’ve indicated that there is no snow load.

Your 2x8’s spanning 14’ At 24” on center will easily support your solar collectors weighing about 2.5 psf.

So, the 2x8’s will hold them up, but we also worry about holding them down. If you live in a high wind area or seismic area, you’ll need to anchor the collectors to the roof too. Then, we worry about holding the 2x8’s to the bearing walls, then the bearing walls to the footings, etc.

Btw, solar collectors are the perfect shape to fly away...be careful.


Electrical problem with GFCI I just bought this house, and the circuit in the garage was functioning fine.  I have a GFCI and one downstream receptacle on a certain branch.  There are other GFCIs on this circuit, but not in line with these two (as far as I can tell).

After coming back from a trip, I found that two GFCI branches would not hold load.  After replacing the GFCI on one branch, it is functioning well.

I replaced the other GFCI and the downstream still won't take load.  I removed the downstream outlet and replaced it.  In the process, I am finding that whenever I hook the ground up to the downstream receptacle, it will not take load.  If the ground is NOT connected, it will take load.

I can't figure out what changed, or why this is ocurring.

I don't want to just wire nut the ground wire off, but it is tempting.

Any help is appreciated.

I was thinking the same as user19141. You can have more than one GFCI on a single branch circuit. But only if they are wired correctly. If we pretend we are electrons traveling down your circuit, It would leave the panel and go to your first GFCI at some point. If than at that first GFCI you leave that box on the load screws on your GFCI and run to a couple more plugs, than another GFCI. It will not work properly. The point being that another GFCI can not be ran off the load side of another GFCI. Perhaps this is the case? And it just started acting up because thats the way it goes sometimes!


Identifying three wires for two bulb fixture I live in eastern Europe, and I have a system where a double light switch controls two bulbs via a 3 wire ceiling fixture (my understanding is that two Live wires and a common Neutral wire). I want to replace my ceiling lamp, but there's a problem: the wires coming out from the ceiling aren't color coded, so I have 3 wires of the same color. How would I be able to find out which is which and how to connect my new lamp? Note that I have a voltage tester and a multimeter at my disposal. Thanks.

There should only be a single hot wire for a three way switch.  The other two wires are known as "travelers" connecting the two switches. I would disconnect all of the wires and ohm them out one at a time from switch to fixture and fixture to fixture.

At the very least, disconnect power, disconnect the wires at the fixtures, and check for power.  Once that is identified, the other two will be a quick swap if you guess wrong and nothing will get damaged.

Either way, once identified, you should be able to mark and reconnect them  correctly.


How do I repair this stair rail hole and screw back in? As you can see the screw on the right side is hanging in the air right now . What should I use to fill the hole and screw them back in? Thanks!

These work best if the screws are driven into a wall stud vs. a hollow-wall anchor.  It's not clear what you have going on here, but if it's an anchor, or just a screw driven into drywall, then you should relocate to a spot where you can hit the stud.
Patch the hole with some spackle and if needed, you might need some backer as this looks to be a fairly large hole.


Bad smell from disherwasher - is this a bad setup? I've been noticing a bad sewer-like smell that happens when I run the dish washer. The house is older, and the setup under the kitchen sink is a bit confusing. There was once a garbage disposal, but it was removed. The Torani bottle you can see in the picture is full after the dishwasher runs.

My first thought is that I need to clean the trap, and the second is that the black hose should either be higher than the drain from the sink. But the whole setup seems weird. Is something wrong the setup?

I think that the pipe from the dishwasher does not have a high point before its connection to the sink drain. So water flows from the sink into the dishwasher drain pipe and sits there. All you need to do is clamp the dishwasher drain pipe to near the top of the cabinet right before the connection with the sink drain.


Flow through the fill tube when there is high water draw from some other water user One of the 4 toilets in the house runs water through the fill tube even though it has not been flushed.  This happens when a large flow of water from another water user such as filling the washing machine or flushing one of other toilets.  Once the large flow ends the water flow from the suspect toilet stops. The suspect toilet does not flow water when none of the other large water flow sources are flowing.

There are several types (and many brands and models) of toilet fill valves, aka ballcock valves.

The type most susceptible to pressure fluctuations are those that utilize a "weir diaphragm" assembly because these rely on inlet pressure to keep the valve closed. An old stiff (or worn/soft/contaminated) diaphragm can exacerbate this susceptibility such that a pressure bobble can cause the valve to open.

You should open the valve to inspect the bonnet area and diaphragm for problems; cleaning/flushing all parts and perhaps replacing the diaphragm (replacements are commonly available, specific to each brand and model).

Another option would be to just replace the entire valve.


Repair leak on rain gutter Can somebody suggest me a good way to repair a leak in the rain gutter? The rain gutter consists of coated iron sheet metal, it is not in the traditional semicircle form but it is bended to an rectangular cross section. Exactly in the middle of an inner corner there is a leak (~ 3 x 10 mm). Somebody already tried to repair it with some sort of sealant but over the years that ripped open, allowing water to leak in the wooden substructure.

I have no possibility to access the underside of the rain gutter, I would prefer a spot repair since the rest of the gutter is in good shape.

Ideally you'd disassemble the corner and replace parts so you can start fresh. Sealant over sealant is a low-percentage approach.

Otherwise, it's a matter of scraping away as much of the old sealant as you can, cleaning the surface well (maybe with alcohol), and using one of the purpose-made sealants. It must be extremely flexible to handle movement due to temperature variation.


Proper Method of Beam to Colum for two story column? It's been many years since I built a deck, and never a two story one. Existing deck getting replaced, it's a two story, with the pitch of the house roof (1) extending a few inches past the face of the deck. Note I said a few inches.... What is the right way to mount a support column to a deck and to a header? won't work for me as it would put the deck past the drip line!
County will accept a rough-drawn sketch (sketchup) for a permit, when I called about this question, was informed they issue permits, if I need design, call an engineer! Any way, my question is about the rim joist to post connection. My knee-jerk reaction is the notch the post and use a single 2X6 (3). Or do I need a double header here (4), if so, doesn't notching a 6 by 6 post...3 inches...too much?
My second question is, what about when two rim-joists meet? I assume I meet them in the middle of the notch (5)?
Can't use existing deck as example, there's a reason why it needs replaced.

I’ll try to help. There are several issues.
First, I don’t think the posts have to extend two stories. I think the posts could extend from a foundation support up to the deck structural system.
Second, posts could extend from the deck structural system up to the roof overhang if necessary for the guardrail support. (The posts could align with the first floor posts, if necessary.)
Third, the size of the deck support beam (you call it a “rim joist”) is dependent on how far the deck extends from the wall AND how far it spans from post to post. By Code, “decks” are required to support 40 lbs. per square foot (psf). See Table R301.5)
If the exterior balcony is more than 6’ deep (I’ll assume 6’ you tell me if I’m wrong) and posts are more than 6’ apart, a single 2 x 6 will not provide enough support. In fact, 2-2 x 6’s will not give enough support.
Fourth, notching a 6 x 6 about 3” is excessive and will not give adequate support for the deck and guardrail.
I would restructure the balcony so that an adequate sized beam is used (4 x 8) and so that it is placed on top of a post, rather than notched into a 6 x 6.
Please note that the code requires decks to be anchored to the house in at least two locations using straps like this tie:
https://www.fastenersplus.com/products/Simpson-DTT2Z-Deck-Tension-Tie-Zmax-Finish?gclid=Cj0KCQjw7YblBRDFARIsAKkK-dJZrRsiFDrb6UevCNA1fWsgoBllbcaFbSIxYM08Q-lVaduQDD0EbOYaAvekEALw_wcB
I’d use a steel post cap (like Simpson Strong-Tie) to connect the beam to the post, but there isn’t enough info to size the connector.


Why should I add water in cooler but not in air conditioner? Today I saw my father added water into the cooler. But I never saw my father add water into the air conditioner.

Why should I add water in cooler but not in air conditioner?

Presumably when you say "cooler" you mean an evaporative cooler, sometimes called a swamp cooler.  These work in dry climates by evaporating water, which cools the air passing through (and also increases the humidity).  It doesn't actually remove heat - just uses some of the heat to evaporate water, which reduces the temperature of the air. As the water is evaporated, it has to be replaced.

An air conditioner works by using a thermodynamic refrigeration cycle to remove heat from the air.  As the air is cooled, humidity in the air will actually condense so an air conditioner discharges water.


How do I fix a "water hammer" problem? When I shut off a water faucet or right after the toilet tank refills after flushing, I hear a vibrating sound in my pipes. It last between one and two seconds.

On the interwebs, I found out that it's called "water hammer" and that it can be fixed by draining my plumbing system: by shutting off the water main and opening up all the faucets and flushing all the toilets in the house.

Well, I did that and it helped for two, maybe three days. What do I do next (other than call a professional)?

This normally happens near quick-acting valves in your plumbing system, like those used in a clothes washing machine.  Those valves are opened by a solenoid and get slammed shut by water pressure, and all that water coming to such an abrupt stop can rattle already-loose pipes, cause them to become loose, or in the worst case damage them over time and cause leaks.  That's why water hammer arrestors are commonly installed near washing machine outlets (it may be required by code, I'm not sure).  They look like this:

They work by maintaining a reservoir of air inside that vertical tube.  When the column of water is stopped abruptly by a valve, the air acts as a cushion, compressing so that the water can slow down more gradually and impart less inertial force to your pipes.

These are fairly easy to install even for someone with no plumbing experience.  I believe the one pictured is designed to be mounted inline with a sink or toilet connection, and they also make models with standard garden hose style threads for a washer connection.  You shouldn't need to install these at every fixture; one set (hot and cold) for each bathroom/kitchen should be plenty.

Since your problem seems to occur on (relatively) slower-acting valves that shouldn't be generating an unacceptable amount of water hammer, you may also just have a section of pipe that's not mounted properly.  If you're only noticing the banging sound in one area, it may be possible to open up the wall there and install some pipe clamps to keep things from moving around and making noise.  This would be a more difficult job than installing arrestors (but potentially cheaper if you do it yourself).


What should I do about a huge gap under the drywall and baseboard when installing luxury vinyl tile? I am installing luxury vinyl tile in a room and I am having an issue with the gap. My drywall sits about an inch from the subfloor. There is no drywall there at floor level to hold the LVT in place. The space under the drywall to its back support is about 1 inch. So if I leave a 1/4 inch expansion gap from the drywall it will be a total of 1 1/4 inch from where the flooring would actually touch anything. I fear that the expansion gap being that large would create spaces at the joints down the line. It is the click together flooring (Shaw alto plus planks). At first I thought I could just stick the planks 3/4 inch under the drywall which would leave a 1/4 inch gap to the outside support stud but I quickly realized I am unable to click the next piece in under the wall (oops). I hoped I explained this well. ANY suggestions (other than scrapping the product because I love the look and feel) would be greatly appreciated.

The last picture is of the flooring laid under the floorboard and under the drywall. You can see the gap is enough to still see space between the flooring and the wall.

The pictures do not show the depth very well.

I did call Shaw, and they did not seem to understand what I was asking. She just kept saying you need an expansion gap.

Take the baseboard off and install your floor.  Cut your vinyl tile even with the sheetrock, less 1/4 inch -- this will allow space for you to lift your tile and lock it in place; after you have installed your floor, you can reinstall your baseboard to sit flush to the floor, leaving a finished look. The 1/2 inch thickness of the sheetrock will give you plenty of expansion  room. There is very little expansion  in vinyl. Trust me, I spent 29 years installing flooring.


Wiring AC ARC Welding machine Three Phase I sold my inverter machine to buy a three phase arc welding machine because I read it's more solid, but I can't figure out how to wire it, the seller is clueless he doesn't know what is the difference between three phase and single phase, the manual is in Chinese with bad translation to English and for a different model; I returned it to the seller, and I tried to find another one but I couldn't find any three phase AC arc welder there are only single phase welders so I bought it back from the same seller again.
The model is BX1-250 "BX1 Series" it has two inputs "1" for 240V and "2" 380V.
I think I should connect N-L1 in input 1 and L2-L3 in input 2, but I'm afraid I'm going to toast it. Anyone is familiar with these AC ARC welding Machines?

My English is not good.

It depends how you count phases. from looking at the back my guess is that you either connect 240V single phase to the 240V terminals  or a  380V supply to the 380V terminals.
I'm guessing that the welder has a single phase transformer inside it.
380V is what you get across two phases of some 3 phase supplies (where they use wye with 220V to a central neutral)
240V is a common 3 phase voltage in USA, but 240V single phase is also used.
Connecting to both sides seems wrong as there is a lot of metal between the terminals, and all conductors in a circuit should always pass through a single hole in the metal, also a welder doesn't need a neutral connection.


What is the best way to cut this PVC line in a hot tub? I am helping a buddy replace a filter housing, on which the lid threads have split off, in a hot tub.  All of the piping is PVC.  The inlet and outlet have fitting right up to the junction of the filter housing, leaving basically no place to cut the line.

Top picture is the inlet, bottom is the outlet.  In both pictures, the housing is the gray piece on the left of the picture.

In the inlet, I could potentially just cut it way back before the tee, and replace all the pieces there after. On the outlet side, though, the pipe curves immediately upon exiting the last manifold fitting, making it very unlikely that it will fit into a new fitting.  Plus, cutting and replacing all off those hoses and fitting seems like a huge amount of work, if someone knows a better way...

Any ideas?
Thanks so much!

I can see your predicament: cut it all or nothing. It is possible to remove PVC pipe that has been welded into a fitting. I've sawed out pipe sections from slip valves and re-glued the valve with no leaks. It's an extreme last ditch effort, but I don't see any other way other than cutting the entire manifold out . Hopefully some one else will see an easier way. Here's how I'd do it:   Looking at your first photo, the short length of pipe as it enters the 45, can be cut half-way up the hub  so that half of the connection is left (left on the 'Tee and short pipe stub). This will free one end of the housing. The amputated 45 sleeve attached to the pipe that is the inlet can be section with a saw and should peel off with pliers a segment at a time.  The outlet at the 45 and housing connection; the same can be done. This will free the housing. At the 45 you will have to cut segments into the still glued pipe. A hacksaw blade works well. Cut a minimum of 6-8 segments around the inside pipe and only cut the pipe not the fitting hub it is glued to. The more segments you cut the less chance of cracking the fitting when removing the pipe and the easier it is to remove. A quick blast with a heat gun to soften the PVC helps.   If you are successful you'll only have some minor saw marks after the pipe is removed. They won't affect the seal once new sections are glued. Use primer and "Hot" (blue) glue when installing new pipe.


What's the best way to select windows for heating efficiency? I have an older house in a northern climate I am sure that the Energy Star program is not going to help me.

The USA Energy Star program helps people find energy efficient windows.  It guides us to prefer windows with low U-Factor and low solar heat gain coefficient.  This is good in two circumstances:

In a climate with more cooling days than heating days, such as the southern climate zone.
In a perfectly insulated house, in winter, that retains generated heat so well that heat from sunlight isn't welcome.

But in an old house with mediocre insulation, sunlight is welcome in winter.  Windows with a higher heat gain coefficient allow the sunlight to warm the interior of the house.  This can save energy, in a climate with more heating days than cooling days.

To mitigate the higher heat gain coefficient on a hot summer day, the sunlight can be blocked with a blind.  This can be done very efficiently using a blind on the exterior of the window or embedded within the window (i.e. between two panes of a multi-pane window).

The USA Energy Star program steers people away from using windows in this way.  As a result, homeowners in the northern climate zone, in older houses, are installing windows that help them in summer months.  But many of these people might really benefit financially from windows that help them in the winter instead.

If you compare the USA Energy Star program to the Canada Energy Star program, you'll see a difference in priorities.  As a result, certain windows (with higher heat gain coefficient) that are Energy Star certified in Quebec are not certified in Maine.

There are parts of the USA where heating costs are relatively higher, because passive cooling is relatively easy and effective.  In these parts, costs can be reduced more effectively using windows with high heat gain coefficient.

Update: Please do not turn this into a political discussion.

I think the answer has to do with the subtlety of cost savings versus comfort, as benefits of windows' technical properties. It appears that the USA Energy Star program places full weight on cost savings, while in Canada the cold is so extreme that a balance between cost savings and comfort must be struck. I was hoping to find a window engineer on this forum who could explain authoritatively.

As an example of a window rating system that goes way beyond Energy Star's yes/no binary value, check the Energy Calculator provided by Canadian glass manufacturer Cardinal. It gives results of different glass products in terms of both savings and comfort. Comfort is further broken down into seasons. This level of information should be available to end consumers of framed windows, and should be incorporated into location-based government certifications.

Update 2: Efficient Windows Collaborative

I found a website, sponsored by major window manufacturers and suppliers, and originally founded by the Department of Energy, which helps consumers choose the right windows based on building location and design.  It directs users to specific window types that are offered by various manufacturers.

This is much more useful than the Energy Star yes/no rating system.  In addition to cost savings and comfort as attributes of window performance, it discusses condensation on window surface as well.

The true answer is that it takes more energy to remove heat from a space than it does to add heat to a space. For every watt of heat you want to remove, you have to expend an additional 2 to 3 watts of heat just to carry that first watt away from the area. So, insulation will always be biased towards preventing heat ingress.


Separate boiler and AC, to which does C wire connect for Nest thermostat I have installed a Nest thermostat into a system with hot water heat and separate a/c system each with its own transformer.  To run a C wire to gain constant power, does the wire connect to the boiler, a/c, or to both.  Additionally, I would like to be able to disconnect the opposite system depending upon the season. Is this possible?  Thanks

2 on boiler side; R to Rh and W1 back to zone valves. 3 from a/c; R to Rc, Y to Y1, and G to G.  There are no designations on a/c terminal block but I am attaching schematic from documentation.  I assume my terminal marked with arrow would correspond to C.

Easy.  It is in the attic right above the thermo.  I can go either way, also, since I can fish from boiler to attic, to thermo as well.  Nest has never confirmed that with both Rc and Rh wired, the common wire connection for constant power is only between Rc and C which makes connecting to a/c the logical answer.

Run it from the A/C air handler

According to this tech support article from Nest, the Nest prefers Rc and C over Rh and C when all three are connected.

So, I'd run a new thermostat cable (18/8 is trivial to find, although even 18/4 or 18/5 will do for what you're doing) in place of the old one from the air handler -- this gives you spare wires so you can use one for a C wire from the Nest to your air handler.  Once you have the wire in place (blue is the standard color), you can connect it to the C terminal on the Nest and to the #6 terminal (as you have identified in the diagram) on your air handler's terminal block.

From there, Rh and W1 on the Nest go to the red and white wires from the boiler cable, while Rc, Y1, and G go to the red, yellow, and green wires in the new cable to the air handler.  At the air handler end, the red wire goes to R (#8 terminal), the green wire goes to G (#7 terminal), and the yellow wire goes to Y (#2 terminal).


What are my options for running feeder cable into an exterior main panel? I'm trying to connect a 4/3 nm feeder cable into to my exterior mounted service entry / main panel.

There is already what looks like a 1 1/2" rigid conduit from the crawlspace through the rim joist up into the bottom of the panel that all of the houses wiring currently uses:

There are only 9 single pole circuits (so 18 conductors?) going through the conduit already so I believe im way under the fill capacity for a 1 1/2" conduit. However, it still is pretty tight to physically run my 4/3 cable through it:

I'm worried if I run the 4/3 through the existing conduit I will be over capacity or the inspector will complain im jamming too many wires through it. Should I be worried or just put the cable through it anyways?

My next thought was to just run another conduit turn next to the existing one to put the feeder through. The first problem I ran into was that my box only has 1" knockouts left on the bottom. I tried to bend the 4/3 cable through a 1" LB fitting and, although the fitting itself said it could handle 4 #4 conductors, it felt like cramming it in there was not going to work.
If I upsize to 1 1/4" it seems like it will fit, but then how do I connect the 1 1/4" conduit to the 1" hole in the box? Do they make "reducing" hubs? What kind of fitting(s) would let me do this?

The NEC wants you to avoid overfilling a conduit so that the conductors can dissipate heat, and so you can remove a conductor without damaging it. See NEC 300.17.

  There are only 9 single pole circuits (so 18 conductors?)

Ground conductors count for equipment fill, so you have more than 18 -- maybe 23?

Ironically, when you get close to a fill limit, the NEC actually wants you to increase conductor size, because that reduces heat.

  Should I be worried or just put the cable through it anyways?

If this was my house, I would want to add a new conduit, if only because pulling the new conductor will be so much easier.

  Do they make "reducing" hubs?

Yes. Here are some examples: http://www.thomasbetts.com/ps/endeca/index.cgi?a=nav&N=3819+598+4294951140&Ntt=

I've always found I needed 6" of conduit to make the transition between the reducer and the male fitting that connects to the box. Luckily my local hardware store will sell PVC conduit by the foot, so I don't have to buy a full stick for this.

As @Tester101 mentions, you can also make the hole bigger. A step bit is a nice tool, but 1 1/4" conduit requires a knockout that's actually ~1 3/4". The one he linked to only goes to 1 3/8", and I haven't seen bigger.

The professional way to make a larger knockout is to use a punch. They're a little expensive. Maybe you can find an electrician who will punch the hole for you in exchange for beer or a favor. Or maybe a tool rental place will have a bunch for you.

You don't have to bring the conduit in through an existing knockout - you could punch a hole on the side in a blank area, if that's more convenient for you. Alternately, if there's a good spot with 2 small knockouts, you can consume that whole area.

In your existing installation, I think the lock washer is upside-down. There are sharp edges that are intended to bit in to the metal, so it won't come loose. Unfortunately fixing this means undoing a lot of wiring.

Also, I think you should use a bushing to protect the conductor from the end of the conduit. Whether your inspector will require it is difficult to guess, but it's seems like cheap insurance. Something like this:

Also, I hope that if you're going through the trouble of pulling a big conductor to a new location, you're installing a subpanel at the other end. Because subpanels are awesome.


Can't get the oven light cover off I have a Fisher n Paykel OB60SVMX2 oven that I cannot figure out.
The manual implies you screw out the cover and pull the bulb out.

The problem is the top heating element does not have enough clearance to remove the bulb cover.  It hits the top element as it comes out.  Tilting the heating element down doesn't help in any way.

Am I supposed to remove an oven element?  Such a bad design to have to remove the element to replace the bulb!  It feels wrong.  So I'm asking for some wisdom and help here.  Any help/hints appreciated

Picture now attached.  Light is on the right top rear of the oven.  The heating element is angled down as far as it goes.  When the element is up all the way it still gets in the way of the light cover coming off.

There are two screws that appear to hold something but not clear if that is the element.  The two what look like inner screws are more like rivets.  It's not clear how that comes out.  I'd not be pleased if I have to remove the entire oven to get this out.

The two Phillip screws you clearly see hold the thermocouple for the temperature gauge. The two that look like rivets are probably screws that need to be removed with a socket or nut driver. Turn off the breaker for the oven. Verify oven's off by turning it on... the light's out so you can't use that. Remove those two screws with a socket or nut driver and pull out the element just enough to give you clearance to remove the light cover. Be careful not to pull out the element far enough to disconnect it from the wires behind it. Once the bulb is replaced, put the element back in place. good luck.


Should I use pilot holes to reduce chances of splitting the post? The height of 3 of 6 of the 4x4 posts I need to make on a deck are only 3.5" high. These would be on top of concrete piers and then (2) 2x8 beams on top of that and then joists on the beams.  Its just barely enough room to fit the hardware for attaching the posts and I'm wondering if I have to worry about splitting the wood in the short posts. Would it be acceptable to drill small pilot holes in the post for the nails to attach hardware to reduce the chance of splitting. Or perhaps I should use pilot holes and screws?

pilot holes are almost always a good idea to prevent splitting.  They are just time consuming.  They can reduce the holding power of nails, so if you just have a few, I would use pilot holes and screws.


Reducing noise from hardwood floors We have a ranch (single-story) house with hardwood floors on most of the ground level. The basement below this level is finished, and is where I work out of at home. We have kids that like to run everywhere, so there is considerable noise transmitted from these floors down to the basement.

What are the best ways to accomplish noise reduction? The basement is completely open (or at least accessible in all places) to the subfloor above, no tight quarters, etc. In the finished area of the basement, the ceiling is typical drop-in tiles. These can be easily removed for work. No part of the floor above is inaccessible. Likewise, the floor itself could be replaced if there was a higher standard to be built against (see comment w/r/t luxury apartments).

Budget is not a primary concern here, finding an effective solution is most important.

As I see it, there are basically three kinds of noise happening:

"Contact" noise, i.e. the sound of feet, shoes, dropped toys, etc. hitting the floor itself.
Squeaking/creaking etc. from loose boards, or subfloor.
A booming sound or vibration which I assume is either occurring between the (mostly insulated) joists below, or possibly between the hardwood and subfloor.

Sound #3 above is the most annoying. What's the best way(s) to resolve this?

Some sort of insulation between the floor joists? (e.g. this type of acoustic insulation, or just regular blown-in insulation)
Cork, mass-loaded vinyl sheets or other product between the hardwood floors (yes, I realize the current floor would have to replaced) and the subfloor.
A floating subfloor or other more sophisticated construction?
Combo of above?
Something else?

Hardwood, especially nailed to subfloor (especially a thinner subfloor) is probably the noisiest type of flooring you can have for sound reverberations to a basement.

Also you have a construction in your basement that is causing two echo zones, the drop ceiling and the unfinished parts.

Going from easiest/least expensive to hardest/most expensive you can...

Staple bats in between joists - even in unfinished.
After stapling in bats buy some longer batted sound rated insulation to sit on top of ceiling tiles.   Never blown in on ceiling tiles.   Just absolute mess.
Make sure unfinished has carpeting/rugs in most places.
Finish your ceiling (drywall).
Put carpet pad and carpet over existing hardwood.
Put down an extra 1/2" of subfloor, concrete board, and tile everything.   Note that this isn't as costly as it seems until you factor in having to redo all trim and doors in the first floor.
Put down an extra 1/2" of subfloor and put in floating hardwood with a good pad.

The tile plus insulation/drywall the ceiling is going to be the most quiet by far.   My basement is pretty quiet except for the jumping or loud drops with floating hardwood plust insulated/finished ceiling.   If I went with a softer hardwood like cork it might be quieter but with hardwood you are not dispersing the "jumping sound" as good as tile.


Does outside air conditioning compressor fan run all the time? Had some electrical issues with an air conditioner and after I rewired it, I noticed that the fan was stopping every 30 seconds or so.  Is this fan supposed to shut off when unit is running?

It sounds like you still have some rewiring left to do, the fan shouldn't stop while the compressor is on. If the fan isn't on, your air conditioner won't be able to dissipate all of the heat that is generated by the compressor, making the compressor less effective ( or not at all effective ).


how can I attach screws perpendicularly to an aluminum sheet I do not own a drill press nor a welding machine; I do own a simple drill however it is not poweful enough to penetrate through the aluminum. are there any special glue types for aluminum that can help me with that?

When you say "simple drill" is this an electric drill or hand-powered? If it's electric you should be able to drill into it with a decent drill bit. You can *generally use woodworking tools (saws, drills, files, etc) on aluminum, unless you have some sort of exotic hardened aluminum.

You can use epoxy to join aluminum. Make sure both surfaces are clean and dry. A little scuffing with sandpaper would help it get a better grip.

This is dependent on the use for the item, also. If it is not highly stressed,  you should be fine.

*generally, as in not EVERY single wood working tool.


How to cover a rectangle with least number of convex polygons cut from sheets of given size I'm designing a big door -- a rectangle sized 3*2.6 meters.  (7.8 square meters).

Given that the material I'm going with is OSB, which comes in 2.5*1.25 m. (3.125 sq.m.) sheets. Is there a tool/method to devise a cutting plan that'd use the least number of polygons to cover the rectangle?
UPD: Inspired by the answer:
The smallest I've got to is with 5 rectangles cut out from 3 pieces of OSB:

I suggest dividing the 3 m length into three even 1 m lengths. Then divide the 2.6 m width into two uneven lengths. If you want to minimize cuts I suggest 1.25 m and 1.35 m. These add up to 2.6 m.

Out of a single 1.25 x 2.5 board you can cut out one 1.00 x 1.25 piece and one 1.00 x 1.35 piece. It will require 3 straight cuts (labeled in order below).

Repeat three times and assemble. I've drawn two versions of the assembly. Which one you prefer may depend on the framing that the OSB is attached to and what you intend to cover it with, if anything.


Is there a UL listed relay for a line voltage device? I once saw a device with full UL listing that was effectively a relay that could switch on or off a line voltage device. It looked something like a short extension cord but then had a low voltage wire coming off of it to control the setup.

Does anyone know about anything like this? I want to build a few DIY electronics projects but for insurance reasons I need the UL certification.

I once saw the PowerSwitch Tail, which is functionally what you describe, but does not indicate that it is UL listed.


Deck Sagging - How to fix? I have a two story deck. I noticed earlier this week the upper deck is sagging. It appears the support beams that were lagged into the 6x6 post have rotted. This is return has allowed the joists to sag.  I can put temporary bracing up and get a new support beam, but I’m afraid the current post also needs to be replaced which means a much larger effort since its holding the bottom deck. Thoughts on how I might provide the support needed to lift the support beams which will provide the joists the support they need?

There may be code differences between my area and yours, but beams bolted to the post as in your picture #1 and #3 are not allowed here.
Recommended connection is to notch the post and rest the beam in the notch, or at a minimum use metal beam supports bolted/lagged to the post below and through the beam (typically the beam support bracket would be for a non-load bearing connection like for an awning and not the deck floor).

If your post is rotted, you really should replace it along with the other rotted members. The joists themselves in your photo are showing early signs of water saturation which leads to rot and those will need replaced soon if not already. I recommend checking all your framing members for rot and either replacing, or bracing all of them with the understanding that you'll need to replace them or your entire deck soon.

If all you're worried about is replacing a few beams, you can use hydraulic jacks to support the old beam as you do so. Check some online resources for proper post notch and beam installation, they show how to do this in the middle of a span as well as at corners.


What are the advantages and disadvantages of nails and dowel pins? I'm planning to build some cubbies and drawers based on the design in the picture in a closet in my house.

I'm planning to use plywood for most of it.  I've seen some designs use glue and dowel pins to connect the components, others just use glue and finishing nails.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of these two methods?

If you are looking for strong, long lasting, high quality work that looks professionally done, then nails are not the solution I'd ever choose for joinery of this sort.

Nails work well between a pair of 2x4s when you are framing a wall, but that is where I stop using them. If you are expecting finishing nails to hold any serious load, don't. That does not say that finishing nails have no purpose. They can work nicely to hold together a joint while the glue dries - no clamps need apply! But even so, butt joints with glue (and a few light nails) are simply not very strong. It won't hold up over a few years. (Yes, I'll admit that I have never UNDER-engineered my work.)

So, the next step up might be rabbet joints, glued and nailed. Again, with nails or not, they simply won't offer strong, long lasting joints. In the right place, a rabbet can be the right joint.

Dado joints (a groove that fully encases the matching wood) will be strong, and will support a serious amount of weight. These offer a good solution, IF you have the tools to cut one, so either a router or a dado blade for a table saw. But a dado joint is not always an option.

Butt joints with dowels can work, but it will be somewhat slow to do. You need to be accurate in lining up the holes, so a good jig will be important, and know how to use it.

Personally, I like biscuit joinery. It helps to have a biscuit joiner to cut the slots, but a router could do the job in a pinch. It is strong, works well enough with plywood, easy enough to do. Biscuits will be far easier to use and install compared to dowels, because they allow for a bit of slop in the slots.

The last option I'll throw out is pocket screw joinery. It creates quite a strong joint, even with plywood. They are easy to line up, since you drill the holes with the wood mated together. The screws draw the mating pieces together tightly, resulting in a good looking joint. You can build very high quality case work with these joints, however, you generally want to be careful to keep the screw heads hidden. The cost is not too high for a screw jig, and then all it takes is an electric drill.

Either of these latter two options would be my preference. They will be significantly faster to do than dowels, but dowels (if done well) can offer a strong, serviceable joint.

The point of all this is it depends on how strong, how professional a job you want to do here. Are you willing to invest a few dollars into a piece of equipment (i.e., dowel jig, biscuit joiner, pocket screw jig?)


Isn't supplying three phase power to regular retail customers UNSTABLE? Some countries, outside the US, supply 3-Phase power direct to individual apartments (aka "flats") in highrise towers. [ Especially former UK colonies and the like, and also noted on this thread in some cases in US too: Why do I have three phase electricity? ].

Isn't this a very wrong thing to do from the point of view of stability of the grid supply, because the currents in the phases will be unbalanced, compared to running proper 3-phase equipment/loads which automatically balance the phases? After all, what is the individual apartment dweller supposed to do with each phase? All his/her appliances run on single phase. Balancing the phases would be nigh  impossible, precluding, of course, a wye-delta transformer for the whole apartment or house (let's ignore that possibility)!

Any thoughts?

In the USA, a small block shares a 240V split-phase transformer.  The primary of that transformer is on typically 2400 volt 3-phase delta, one leg obviously.   The next block over is tapped off different phases.
In Europe, a neighborhood gets a 415V 3-phase wye transformer, and the first house is connected to phase A and neutral, next house to B and neutral, next house to C and neutral, etc.  Some houses get 2 or 3 phases, particularly if they are load-heavy.  It's as simple as delivering one more wire.  They can then connect appliances to 415V, but that is rare except for serious tradesmen or hobbyists with industrial tools.
In Manhattan, a block gets 208V 3-phase wye, house 1 gets phase A and B and neutral, house 2 gets B, C and neutral, house 3 gets A and C etc.
Distant rural America often sees ~10kv single-phase with a transformer at each farmhouse. However this is one side of 3-phase delta, the next farm road will be tapped on the next phase.
Australia sometimes distributes at high voltage with a single wire and earth as neutral, literally one solitary wire on the pole.  It is 3-phase "wye" with the other 2 phases going down other distribution lines.

All distribution is 3-phase - if not to the pole, at least to the neighborhood.

So what choice do you have? Nobody is seriously going to run a big single-phase distribution system**, and do a large conversion from 3-phase to 1-phase, simply over imbalance.

It averages out

Imbalances aren't as big a deal as you might think.  With a sufficiently large number of houses to average over, eventually load per phase averages out.

If for some reason it doesn't, the power company can change which phase a particular flat or block is tapping.

Now if the town's large industry decides to heavily load one phase and create an imbalance, then they might get a serious talking-to by the power company.  Because they are big enough to create an imbalance too big to average out.

** Except the railroad.  Look on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, see the even number of power lines?  Single phase.  They have to solve the "how do you put an enormous single-phase load on 3-phase" problem.


How to spread light more Which one is better for light bulbs in home to get more from light.

White board behind bulb?
White plastic covering the bulb?
Mirror behind the bulb?
Any other way?

How to get more from a light source?

If you want get more light to specific spot - use "Mirror board behind bulb".

But if you want to feel that room is more brighten, then you have to add more light sources. Feeling of brightness come from various sources: lamps, walls, objects in room. E.g. if there are lot of shadows, room may not look bright. If walls are black/dark grey, it again may not look bright.


Hanging ceiling drywall, rafters not all 24” center? I’m putting up 5/8” 4x8 sheets of drywall on my garage ceiling. I am finding the 24” center on rafters not all exactly 24”. So when I am butting up sheets some barely are able to get a screw into the 2x4 on the edge of the sheet. I find it hard to cut a 3/4” slice off the edge of the drywall. What is the best way to deal with this?

I would suggest that you install 1x4 furring strips (example not a recommendation) across the joists.    Use the picture below as an example.
Notes:

24" is too far apart to install 5/8" on a ceiling.   It would sag over time especially in a garage where there are more humidity and heat changes.   So even if they were dead on - still a bad install.   No inspector near me would OK this (yes I know its a garage and might not be inspected).
I use 1x4 furring strips on basements and garages for ceilings when I need to.   I have used 1x3s and what I have found is when you screw into the edge of them you can split the strips or crack them.   Furring strips are cheap wood - give yourself the extra inch.   The cost comparison is pretty negligible - might cost $10 more for the garage.
The wider furring strips allow for you to install hooks and things easier too once the drywall is up.
If there is a room above the furring strips will help you hold the insulation.  Make sure to make rigid boxes to separate lighting before drywalling - much easier to do this beforehand.
If your walls (drywall) isn't up yet make sure your furring strips near the wall are about 6 inches out - you do not want to screw the edges down.   This will allow for movement and the drywall on the walls should support this.
These furring strips since it is 5/8" and a ceiling should either be 12" or 18" on center.   18" is probably adequate for a garage.   You need at least three tie-in rows.
If you have a nail gun this is about 30 mins of prep for a garage.   You can use a chalk rope to snap your grid and you should only have 10 or so cuts.   This 30 mins of prep will make installing the drywall on the ceiling be twice as quick.

Side Note:  Concerning point #1 - I am not disagreeing about the ability to install the drywall on 24" on center.   But I have done a lot of houses.  Most are 24" on center, most/all old ones have cracked seams.   Most have no strapping or blocking.    So sure put the drywall up and watch all your seams crack over time.   And when your seams crack there isn't a long-term fix - yes you can always remud the seam and it will crack again.    The fact is you will hang stuff in garage, you will have insulation on top of the drywall, you will be hanging shelves, you will probably have a garage door opener.   Yes the garage does not have to be the Taj Majal but doing a tiny bit of prep is the right way.   You can certainly do a substandard install and say "it's the garage".   The point of my answer is the furring strips are cheap and easy to install AND make the install much easier and last longer.   I have done this to any garage or basement that I have redone - (basements are a great example - if I do a basement without furring strips you can for sure see the bumps on the joists after a bit no matter how good of a job you do.  I am not saying anyone without inspecting it and staring at the ceiling would notice but hey I can see it.    If you use furring strips almost impossible to notice.)


What type of UV-resistant (fade-resistant) paint is best for a rain barrel made of polyethylene? It will be in a greenhouse What type of UV-resistant (fade-resistant) paint is best as the outer coating of a rain barrel? The barrel is made of polyethylene. It will sit in a greenhouse, so other than direct sunlight and slight temperature variations, it's relatively protected from other types of abuse.
I would like to use black paint to maximize solar-heat absorption.
Basically the paint needs to be durable, adhere well and won't crack or come off over time.

“Adhere to polyethylene” is going to be your problem. It Does Not Like things sticking to it.
I suppose you could voraciously scuff-sand to create a surface with a lot of “tooth”, then paint it in epoxy, hoping for a mechanical bind.  Ideally epoxy primer like Amercote, but that is too dangerous for consumers to use. I suppose something like West System 105 would do.  Sunlight will quickly destroy the epoxy, so you’ll need to topcoat it with something.  But paints stick a great deal better to epoxy then to polyethylene.


Installing Coax & Cat6 in 2-Gang with Electrical? Using a 2-gang box, can I install a (1) outlet, (2) coax, and (3) Cat-6 line without code or interference issues?

I have an existing 1-gang box with electrical that I am running the coax and cat-6 towards. The new lines don't follow the electrical line, but I am unsure if having all the outlets so close may also cause interference or code issues.

Is it okay to put them all in the same box?

Yes you can, as long as you keep the conductors separated. However, you should likely avoid it if possible. Common practice is to keep power and communications circuits in separate stud bays.

National Electrical Code allows you to put power and communication circuits in the same box, as long as all the conductors are separated by a permanent barrier or listed device.

  National Electrical Code 2014

  Chapter 8 Communications Systems

  Article 800 Communications Circuits

  800.133 Installation of Communications Wires, Cables,
  and Equipment.

  (A) Separation from Other Conductors.

  (1) In Raceways, Cable Trays, Boxes, Cables, Enclosures and Cable Routing Assemblies.

  (d) Electric Light, Power, Class 1, Non–Power-Limited
  Fire Alarm, and Medium-Power Network-Powered Broadband
  Communications Circuits in Raceways, Compartments,
  and Boxes. Communications conductors shall not be placed in
  any raceway, compartment, outlet box, junction box, or similar
  fitting with conductors of electric light, power, Class 1, non–
  power-limited fire alarm, or medium-power network-powered
  broadband communications circuits.

  Exception No. 1: Where all of the conductors of electric
  light, power, Class 1, non–power-limited fire alarm, and
  medium-power network-powered broadband communications
  circuits are separated from all of the conductors of communications
  circuits by a permanent barrier or listed divider.

Here's an example of a listed device:

From a Carlon sales brochure


How do I connect 4 electrical wires to a 3-phase cooktop? I need to connect the wires to my new IKEA cooktop. I learned from the website  that the wire colors normally mean, blue=N, brown=L, and yellow/green=PE.

However, I have a (3-phase) cable with 4 colored wires: white, brown, blue and yellow/green.

Should I connect the the brown wire to L2 (2), white wire to L1 (1), if there are 5 connecting points, from top to bottom are 1, 2, 3(no connecting screw), N, and PE.

From denmark

Since you are in Denmark, your mains are 400 V phase-phase, and 230 V phase to neutral. The white and brown wires are two of the three phases, and the yellow/green is your ground. You don't have a wire for the third phase available.

The standard IEC color code says that blue is neutral, brown is L1, grey (what you call white) is L3.

Your stove, since it doesn't have the screw for L3, presumably only needs two phases of power, neutral, and ground. This is what you have available.

You should connect yellow/green to PE and blue to N. I'd connect grey to (1) and brown to (2), preserving the ordering of the phases. The configuration of these two "hot" wires likely does not matter, as the cooktop's loads are likely all connected phase->neutral instead of phase->phase.


Why does my new floodlight trip the circuit breaker? I am swapping out an existing floodlight for this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07873SR5S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The existing light works fine. The new light works as long as it is NOT screwed into the electrical box. If it is touching the electrical box when the light comes on, the circuit breaker will trip (accompanied by a complementary popping noise and some sparks).

Some background information: My house was built in the 50s. I'm not aware of any outlets that are truly grounded. The power to the floodlight is controlled by a switch in my kitchen. Conduit runs from the wall just outside the switch to a carport fluorescent light and then out to the floodlight.

At the electrical box for the floodlight, there is a red wire (hot) and a white wire (neutral). The floodlight has three wires: black (hot), white (neutral), green (ground). I connect the two hot wires (red to black), the two neutral wires (white to white), and leave the green ground wire unconnected and capped. Again, it works perfectly when the wires are connected but the light is not screwed into the electrical box.

Any testing I have done with an analog voltmeter seems to be correct. When the power is on: red(hot) to white (neutral) reads ~110V. Red(hot) to the electrical box reads ~110V. White(neutral) to the electrical box doesn't register a reading. With the power off, there is no reading.

I originally assumed something was wrong upstream. I have verified everything is I would expect behind the kitchen switch (same testing procedure as above). I haven't pulled the fluorescent light fixture yet to check its electrical box, but the wiring at the fixture looks okay (nothing exposed).

I'm left wondering if something is wrong inside the new light, lol. That seems unlikely, but I guess it is possible. Hopefully, I've explained this well enough. I'm sure it's obvious I am no expert with electricity.

The green/ground should be connected. My understanding (others more expert will correct me if I'm wrong) is that if the box for the floodlight is metal and has metal conduit going back to the switch, etc. then the box should be grounded and that the normal thing to do without a ground wire coming in to the box is to connect the floodlight ground wire to the metal box. If the box is NOT grounded that wouldn't hurt anything (but would NOT be providing the expected ground, but no worse than a capped ground wire, which does no good at all and is most likely not considered a complete/proper installation). But if the box is somehow hot then (a) you have a dangerous situation and (b) every time you touch the case of the floodlight (which should be connected to the floodlight ground wire internally) to the metal box you will trip the circuit. So I see two likely scenarios:

1 - Floodlight is good. Box is bad (shorted to hot?). Need to diagnosis/fix box problem, which may be a bit complicated. Check for voltage between neutral and metal box - should be 0 V, if I understand the nature of neutral/ground bond correctly. If it is 120 V (or anything more than a few V) then I think either your metal box is hot (VERY bad) or hot/neutral reversed somewhere (also VERY bad) - figuring out which one would require a bit of detective work - but definitely need to fix before installing the light. I just noticed you DID test neutral/box = 0 V and hot/box = 110 V, so that would indicate the box is OK (though unknown whether it is a proper ground or not) which leads to...

2 - Floodlight is bad. With the floodlight disconnected from the circuit, use a tester to check for continuity (or low resistance) between (a) ground wire and metal case - (good), (b) hot wire and metal case (VERY bad), (c) neutral wire and metal case (bad, but if I understand things correctly, that shouldn't cause a sparks-flying-breaker-trip). If (b) or (c) then I think you have a defective floodlight.


Can a marginal transformer be responsible for random standing pilot light cutoff? I have an old (late-50s era) forced-air furnace system with a standing pilot. Over the past few years it's started randomly shutting off (an audible click occurs as though the thermocouple has cooled and tripped it). I've replaced the thermocouple and even the entire pilot/thermocouple assembly and had an HVAC-employed neighbor verify my work.
It doesn't coincide with windy days and wasn't a problem 4-5 years ago, so it's unlikely to be some kind of backdraft issue with the vent.
I'm now suspecting the (ancient) control system's transformer is on its last legs. My reasoning for this is because the Nest thermostat (1st generation) now and then reports it's lost power then randomly comes back on. This doesn't seem to coincide with the pilot shutoff and is much rarer, but I'm thinking because the Nest has got a very small power draw and I'm assuming holding open the safety valve is by far the larger draw, that's usually the first to trip.
Is this a reasonable theory? Should I look into replacing the control system?
[Removed alternate limit switch suspicions and pic.]

Usually the pilot light is normally only controlled by the thermocouple/ sensor on systems of this age probably only a millivolt controlled gas valve.
What I have seen quite often is the burners get dirty some rust on the cast iron burner holes and even spider webs on them can stop the flow then a bit of gas is not burning properly and when the call for heat is gone the main valve shuts off (not the pilot) and then there is a puff of gas that flashes and that pressure blows out the pilot on shutdown.
I usually pull the burner elements and clean the tops with a wire brush , then clean each opening with a wire just small enough to go through (a small drill bit also works if there is a lot of rust. Don’t cut any more metal away.
After completing each element I reinstall them light the pilot if it went out and adjust the flame. Each burner usually has a opening that is adjustable on the back I take them all the way to blue and work to a small orange tip, then I start over, sometimes the adjustments on the first ones will be off. If they look good I will cycle the furnace a few times to see if it is going to blow itself out again.
There can be other things but with what you explain I would go there (clean) first.
As far as the age I have worked on “ancient furnaces” some solid cast heat heat exchangers (from the 30’s) that will probably last another 50 years one had all the replaced motors listed on the side and the 1 gas valve that was replaced because they wanted to add a thermocouple safety.
If the heat exchanger is in good shape you loose a little efficiency but a higher efficiency furnace will never pay for itself compared to running some of the old beasts that I have found that will probably continue with a new motor every every decade or two, check out the burners most come out in sections when cool lift pull away from the manifold (sometimes if you hit a stop rotate~90 while pulling to the back, once they clear the manifold pull it them out to be cleaned and reinstall in reverse order.


Can I use a single 3-conductor cable to rewire a switch in the US? In replacing old knob and tube wiring to a light switch, is there any safety or code reason (United States) to not use a single 3-conductor cable for the two hot wires?

Using a single cable with three conductors (like a single run of 14/3) is the most common way to wire a switch and is certainly the right way to do it.

If using US-colored wire, 14/3 has black, red, and white.  White carries the neutral to the switch (which is required now), and the red and black are used for the switched hot.  And then of course there is the omnipresent bare ground wire.


Electric Shock from concrete pad MY band recently played a gig at a friend's farm. We set up on a concrete pad behind his barn. I received my first shock when I set my arm on the top of my guitar amplifier. It was a hot sunny day and my arm was a little sweaty. Shock was minor. I then touched one of my effects pedals with my hand to adjust settings while holding my guitar with my other hand and received a very severe shock that literally knocked me off my feet. Our bass player's amplifier (next to me) completely fried as did a replacement amp. Our other guitar player who set up on other side of stage had no issues even though he was using same cord/circuit. We changed power cords, used different circuits, etc. The only thing that finally solved the problem was by plugging our gear into the extension chords on the other side of the pad. In other words, the issue was somehow related to the place on the pad where we were setup. Have you ever heard of such a thing? In 30 years playing, none of us had ever come across anything like this. We are all pretty good at tracking down electrical issues. Thanks for your reply.

Sounds like the barn did not have proper equipotential bonding, which lead to a voltage potential between different areas of the barn.

Your cord was plugged in where ground was 0 volts, and your equipment was set up where ground was a different 0 volts. Because of the lack of equipotential bonding, there's an electrical potential difference between the two grounds.


How to tell if there is poor water pressure before my main shut-off valve? I am troubleshooting some spontaneous and inexplicable water pressure issues. Overnight, without anything jumping out as obvious, our water pressure has dropped from "good/steady" to "barely existent".

First, I need to figure out whether the water pressure coming into the house is good or bad; that will rule a lot of things out. I was told that I need to:

  ...figure out if any water is available before [my] main shut-off valve. If so check the water pressure there.

However I'm not all that familiar with what tools/methods are available to me to make this assessment. I know where water leaves my house (it's a 4- or 5-inch thick pipe down in my basement). But I'm not sure where water is entering my house, and even then, how to check the pressure before the water gets to this "shut off" valve.

Any ideas as to how I can:

Identify where water is entering my house; and
How to test the pressure prior to this shut-off valve? Tools? Methods? Caveats/gotchyas?

Work with the water company on this.  Unless you live in a rural area, they should be able to turn the water off to the property at the street. They'll then be able to pull the meter (something you can't do), and check the pressure there.

If the pressure at the meter is good, it's a problem in the building. If the pressure at the meter is bad, it's a problem in their plumbing.

Have you asked if they are doing; or have recently done,  any work in the area?  Or are fire hydrants in the area being flushed?


How can I remove the coating from black iron pipe? I'm building a couple industrial style tables, using black pipe from Home Depot for the legs. The fittings and smaller nipples are all a faded gray color that perfectly complements the black cherry stain I used on the wood. But the longer segments of pipe come in a black color that is too dark and very patchy and uneven. I would really like to remove it and ideally match the color of the fittings.

Based on some research, I tried using mineral spirits to clean them up. This had very little effect. Next I tried sanding. This does break through the black, but is very slow going and the sand paper quickly fills up with black goop. Also this cuts all the way through to the underlying metal, which results in a shinier color than the fittings. There's got to be a better way.

According to this video, the black stuff is mill scale and can be removed with Jasco paint and epoxy remover. This does look effective from the clip, but the Jasco stuff is $45/gal and seems pretty toxic. Also I'm skeptical that the black stuff is actually mill scale.

Before I drop the money on the Jasco, can anyone tell me what the stuff is and maybe recommend a less toxic way of removing it? I wouldn't mind painting over it if I can figure out how to properly prime the current surface so the paint stays on.

It is "mill varnish" , nothing to do with mill scale. I find no definition in the  ASTM index. Very likely it is a varnish ; A resin plus a solvent/vehicle. Mineral spirits or gasoline should take it off. Different mills may use different products as there is no firm definition. It is applied to new , relatively scale free pipe. A industrial purchaser does not want to see his brand new pipe delivery covered with rust. Oil companies sometime order pipe with no mill varnish as it is a nuisance to remove. I have seen it hard like paint , I have seen is still gooey. Mill scale is thick black iron oxide scale; Fe O and Fe3 O4. The mill removes scale with concentrated sulfuric acid. I have seen some new steel products with scale allowed to weather , rust ( complex hydrated Fe3 O4 - brown) will loosed the mill scale so blast cleaning is easier


Where can I find plumbing diagram for my home? Trying to understand the workings of the house. Where will I be able to find a plumbing diagram for my house? Does the City Hall/Planning have a copy?

In a typical residential build, the plans are not that detailed.  You've probably seen movies and TV shows, where they lay out a blueprint of a building that contains all the plumbing and wiring in the building.  Unfortunately, detailed plans like that, almost certainly don't exist for your home.

The blueprint for the home will show where each plumbing fixture should go, but it's up to the plumber to connect the dots.  The chances of the plumber taking the time to map out where each pipe was installed, is slim to none.


How to tell if my led strip is busted? I recently ordered an led strip off of amazon and i hooked it up to a 19v power supply. it turned on suddenly and then turned off. Did i botch my new led strip? how can i tell if i really did. I disconnected it from that PSU and connected is to an 12v as other people did in the comments section on amazon did, but the lights would not turn on.

Was it very bright, once, and now it doesn't light?  That was you frying it.

LED strips do not have switching regulators on them, current limiting is done by dumb resistors.  They are running at absolute limits on 13.8V which is float voltage for an automotive alternator.

Looks like you're out $22.  Sorry.

Now if you really need to run off 19v, you can buy a type of LED strip designed to run on 24V.  Those will be notably dim, but it's worth a try.


Latch won't retract into my door unless I turn the knob Starting about a week ago, the latch on my back door knob won't retract into the doorknob unless I turn the doorknob. This means to close my door properly I have to unlock the doorknob, turn it, close the door, then lock it again.

If I try to just close it, the latch won't retract and just bangs against the door frame. If I try to push the latch closed with my hand, it (mostly) won't budge. If I fiddle with it enough, I am able to push it in, but usually this doesn't work.

Is this just a possible issue that lubrication will solve? Or am I looking at replacing my doorknob/lock?

I think a little lubrication will fix this.  Try turning the knob so the latch is retracted and spraying a little lube into the hole where the latch goes.  Use the little straw that comes with the spray can, and get it as far in as you can.  Spray very sparingly.  Then turn the knob back and forth to work the latch.  See if it's working any better, and repeat if necessary.  A shot in the keyhole as well won't hurt, while you're at it.

If this doesn't do it, you may have to remove the doorknob / lockset and remove the latch to apply the lubricant more thoroughly - but I doubt it will be necessary.

For the lubricant - some people agonize over what to use, I do not, WD-40 or a good quality silicone spray will be fine.


How can I secure a workout rack to a wooden platform? I want to secure a "power rack" for weighlifting  -- a square cage that supports a barbell so you don't need a spotter for squat and bench press.  I'd like to fasten it to a wooden platform.  My first thought was to bolt it to the platform,  but the rack comes with no pre-drilled holes.
The frame is 2" x 2" 16-gauge steel and looks like this:
I haven't built the platform so I have some flexibility.  Current plans: an 8' by 8' platform made of two layers of 5/8" OSB.   That platform would rest directly on an old beat up concrete slab in my garage.
How would you connect/tie/bolt/whatever the frame to the floor?

A: Drill some holes and bolt it.
B: Straps (pipe hanger strapping) or brackets if you don't want to drill holes.
C: The wooden approach to B: - surround the "foot parts" with 2x2's screwed into the platform, then screw or carriage bolt short sections of 2x2 or 2x4 over the metal foot parts into the 2x2's on either side to capture the foot parts.


Repair squeaky MDF board for a Ottoman Divan Bed I have an Ottoman Divan Bed that looks like this:

.jpg

The top part is made of MDF, unfortunately the bit where it opens on the right hand side has sunken in a little bit in the middle right. As a result the edge of the bed is very squeaky on that side and the mattress feels lower.

Whats the best way to repair this MDF without damaging the fabric? Or atleast reduce the squeaking and make the MDF flatter?

MDF is particularly prone to sagging, and the only way to flatten it and prevent future sagging is to a fix a  brace or batten to it.

A 1x2" piece of hardwood, as long as possible, should be used (multiple, if possible, along the width). The best way to fasten it would be with Screws through the MDF top (make sure to drill pilot holes and countersinks to prevent warping the mdf).

Im not sure about the squeaking... But if to from the top contacting the sides when you're on top, a bit of foam tape or weatherstripping in the right spot can help that.


How can I level a floor with uneven joists? Ripping up 3/4" particle board underlayment over 1/2" plywood subfloor. Running with the joists the floor is flat and level. But running perpendicular to the joists I have high spots every six to seven feet creating a sway of 2 to 3 eighths at its lowest point.

My question is, to level or more importantly flatten the floor, can I lay shingles and 30lb felt the length of the low spots, then screw down 3/4" ply on top in prep for vinyl plank flooring?

Egads. Why would you not fix the framing properly? By leaving gaps between your new underlayment and the subfloor you allow much more flex (and possibly noise) than you have now.

I'd sister 2x4s to the sides of your joists on plane where needed. Run drylines across the floor at intervals, one pencil thickness above the high points in the joists. Make additional level adjustments if things are tilted. Set your new lumber using a pencil as a spacer.

Use construction adhesive and framing nails or gold screws to attach the lumber and prevent squeaks. Lay your new subfloor and underlayment. (I'd recommend 3/4" tongue-and-groove BC plywood or OSB, then 1/4" birch plywood.)


How to improve this table stability? I built this tall wooden table for working while standing. The problem is that it's a little bit unstable(shaky) horizontally. What is the minimum work I can do to make it stable?

Edit: Diagonal bracings on sides successfully worked.

The minimum would be diagonal bracing on back and side.

+---+
|  /|
| / |
|/  |
+---+

Triangles resist lateral forces much better than rectangles do.


What kind of eye protection would I need for this particular spot welding system? First of all, if this is the wrong StackExchange site for this question, I'm sorry. (If someone could point me to the right one, please do so!)

So in this DIY YouTube video, the person makes some sort of spot welding device. (I'm not sure if it's "truly" a "spot welder," but it's the term he uses, so I'll just go with that.) If I made it using the same materials/components, what kind of eye protection would I need to use it safely? I only know a little about oxyacetylene and arc welding (I've done those before, and I wasn't good at them) and I think an arc welding mask would be overkill and regular lab goggles would probably be unsafe/insufficient.

You're right about the arc welding full-face mask - they use very dark glass to accommodate the bright arc. There is no arc here, so in such mask you'll see nothing. Also unlike arc welding (where you spend bit of time aligning, then you lower the mask and then spend considerable time doing the actual welding) here you spend almost all the time on aligning the material but the actual welding takes only tiny fraction of total time spent working (real spot welders use capacitors to do the job in sub-second timeframes. This is where the savings come from). So a vision-limiting full face mask won't work here, because you'll have strong incentives to simply not wear it.

I believe you should use gas-welding goggles, the convertible kind where you can lift dark glass and work with clear glass. Just make sure they are rated for operation with the clear glass alone, because cheap models have only superficial clear plastic that won't protect against larger projectile or UV. And of course, stay clear from "steampunk", "mad scientist", etc decorative goggles because they're intended for nothing more than, well, decoration. Especially now, around Halloween, the market is flooded with such toys.


The hot water pressure is low in my shower and tub What would cause the only the  hot water pressure to be low only in the shower. The pressure use to always be strong. It's not the shower head.

Does you shower have a pressure balancing valve?  That is the single-knob type to control the water temperature.  If so, there is a pressure balancing piston that sometimes gets clogged with hard water deposits and stops working properly.

Fortunately the inner cartridge can usually be replaced and restore proper operation, without having to replace the whole valve.  See this TOH video for and example:

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,20809251,00.html


Info concerning an old AC unit I have a Panasonic cu-g125ke AC unit which trips the circuit breaker 30 seconds after its's powered on. I have searched the manuals for what to do but it says: contact a dealer in your area. The problem here is that there is no authorized dealer in my area... A non-authorized one could not find a solution. So, I thought I'd take action and search for errors on the devices (indoor, outdoor) in order to replace broken parts, but don't know how to do it. Suggestions are welcome!

When an air conditioner is first turned on, the compressor motor encounters high back-pressure from the warm gas, which goes down a bit while running. If nothing is broken in the AC, then perhaps there is a high initial inrush, causing the mains circuit breaker to trip. Try the following:

Make sure all other appliances and lamps on that circuit are off when starting the AC.
If the circuit breaker is less than  20 amperes, try a heavy duty extension cord (rated for more than 15 A)  to an outlet on a 20 A or greater circuit.
If you can remove the AC from its case, see if the fans are free to rotate. Sometimes debris can block them. Lubricate bearing, if possible.

If that does not get it working, then, regrettably, mechanical problems often cost more to fix than the price of a new AC, so there is probably little point in probing further.

BTW, the manufacturer's user manual, p. 24, is less than helpful: "Is There a Problem?
Call the dealer immediately."


Does this appear to be asbestos? I stupidly started ripping down a damaged ceiling tile with the idea of replacing it with a new one. Someone mentioned that ceiling tiles sometimes contain asbestos.

The house is from the 30's however the ceiling tiles appear to be added on after the fact to cover a damaged plaster ceiling.

I had already tested the plaster in a different room and it had come back negative.

Any thoughts?

You've done the right thing with the plaster as you stated. You sent a sample to a lab and had it tested. That is the only way to know for sure.

We cannot tell you from a photo with certainty.


Can I replace Halogen fixtures with these LED fixtures? I just moved into a new apartment, in the bathroom there are 6 lights in the ceiling and a dimmable switch next to the door.

I want to change the bulbs to LEDs, but these damn halogen bulbs are really really slim (G4 socket, 12v) and the LEDs that I bought are just too "fat" to fit in the housing.

So I thought I might as well change the whole housing and looking on ebay I see this
3W 5W LED Ceiling light Warm/Cool White Cree Down light Recessed Spotlight Lamp.

Will these work, or will they blow if I try connecting them to the present set?

Let me know if you need pictures of anything if you don't understand anything I wrote above.

They Look similar.  Best bet is to check with Cree.  THey make fantastic LED products but without a spec sheet one couldn't know for sure on this.


How should I install laminate without removing the baseboard? I will be installing the laminate with the baseboard intact, do I lay the laminate right next to the baseboard? Or do I still need to use the spacers?

You should remove the baseboard, install the flooring, and then reinstall the baseboard. At least that's how I do it.

Most people leave the baseboard in place, and cover the expansion gap with quarter-round or shoe molding.  If you're going to do it this way, you'll have to leave the manufacturer recommended expansion gap between the flooring and the baseboard. Than as I've said, you'll cover the gap with quarter-round or shoe molding.


What considerations do I need when wiring a string of light bulbs in parallel? I want to build a hollywood style mirror light for my wife (as pictured below). I'd like it to be powered by mains electricity (230v where we live in the UK), but I understand the bulbs will take mains voltage so any exposed wiring can be dangerous. What considerations should I take about wiring? Should I calculate an appropriate fuse for aproximately 15 lightbulbs?

to get the needed amp rating for the wiring and fuse you take the wattage of the bulbs divide by the voltage and multiply by number of bulbs.

so 15 75W bulbs means 75W/230V*15 ~ 5 amps. this is much less than would need a dedicated circuit. (it's the same as a 1125W appliance).


Replace Dimmer Switch with normal switch I had a dimmer switch setup in my dining room.  The dimmer switch stopped working and I want to replace it with a normal switch (3 screws which are hot, neutral, ground).

In the picture below, there seems to be a lot more going on than I had anticipated.

I tried connecting the "line"(tested hot) wire and "Neutral" wire and the "Ground" wire to the normal switch but it didn't work and then I'm not sure what to do with the "Load" wire.

The only wires that should be connected to the new switch are line, load and ground. The old switch likely had circuitry that required a neutral for operation. Basic switches do not use a neutral, just line, load and ground.


Why does the breaker trip on my new low-power lighting circuit? I added 10 recessed lights in the kitchen (adding approximately 50 feet of wire), which draw 14 watts each (total 140 watts).

A two way switch controls 4 lights, another two way switch controls another 4 lights.  The remaining two lights have their own switches.

There are another 7 lights on the same circuit (in the garage, deck, laundry room, etc.) and all of them use LEDs.

The total load shouldn’t be more than 500 watts. All these lights on a 15 amp breaker.

The issue is that when I switch on one of the foursome lights, the breaker trips.

What could be the problem?  Overloaded circuit?

There are only 1 Black, 1 White and 1 ground where I connected one of the foursome lights. The other connection has 2 red, 2 black, 2 white and 2 ground. I might have connected there incorrectly.

What could be the problem?

It could be that you miswired a switch so that it creates a short-circuit in one position. It could be that the miswiring occured elsewhere (in a junction box, a light fitting, etc)

  Am I overloading the circuit?

No, the total load of 500 Watts is not enough to overload a 15 Amp circuit. At 110 Volts, 500 Watts is only 4.5 Amps.


Insulating ducts in a crawlspace Consider a source duct from the furnace/AC. The ducts run in a vented crawlspace. The floors atop the crawlspace are a mix of hardwood and kitchen vinyl.

The symptoms are:

the longer run vents aren't blowing as hot as the short run vents. They've just been foil-taped to ensure no leakage.
the furnace runs longer to heat the house; the thermostat is in the room with the longest duct vents.

Does it make sense, or is it recommended to insulate these metal ducts? Currently considering these products:

Reflectix foil wrap - reflective bubble wrap. Claiming an R-value of 4. Unsure if this R-value is worth the time/cost!
fiberglass batt with foil backing

House is in a climate that sees -15 C through 35 C. That's 5 F through 95 F.

When should metal ducts in a crawlspace be insulated?
What products are best suited to insulate ducts?
What R-value insulation should be considered satisfactory?

Any time you have heating ductwork in an unheated area, it is very wise to insulate it. There are several products, but I tend to go with the high density, foil backed fiberglass wrap most of the time. The exact type differs depending on the shape of the ductwork. (round vs rectangular) I always seal any seams in the insulation with foil tape.  To solve the uneven heating problem, you will need dampers in the shorter runs. By adjusting the dampers, you can balance the amount of hot air delivered to each register.


Why I am seeing brick dust on my basement walls? So lately I noticed a lot brick dust in my basement walls-should I be concerned? The house is a 100 year row house.
[2
[]3

Of course a photo would help. :)

But sans photo or any further details, my guess is you are seeing efflorescence which is essentially mineral deposits left from the migration of moisture passing through a porous wall (cement, brick, stucco, etc.)