House already wired for ethernet; how to engage? A previous owner of my home (I don't know when) wired every room in the house with an ethernet port. I have not been using the ethernet at all, but recent needs for working at home have made me curious about what I could accomplish with somewhat minimal investment.

A diagram of what I think is my wiring setup is provided below. There used to be an antenna mounted on my roof with a wire that enters my garage and connects to a "Power Injector" before joining a patch panel. All the rooms in the house have an ethernet outlet that I assume lead to the other wires in the patch panel.

Currently, I get my internet from a cable port in my living room that connects directly into an Arris Surfboard cable modem / wifi router.

I am enough of an engineer to feel that simply plugging an ethernet cable into the router and the nearest wall outlet won't suddenly bring wired ethernet into all of the rooms of my house. But in browsing other help pages here and on the wider internet, it's hard to tell what exactly I am lacking.

Here is a picture of the power injector.

And here is the patch panel (Yikes, I know. Secondary question will be how to figure out which cable in this rat's nest goes where)

Ah, look, my day job...

Step one - if the roof antenna is gone, and you are not otherwise using the existing cables, remove the power injector. It's just wasting power and doing nothing useful, and may be incompatible with whatever you do next. It is at minimum irrelevant, or else it is doing something and you'll notice something like video cameras stop working and revise your assessment of your system wiring.

What goes where?

Plug a patch from the Living room (LR) router into the LR wall port.
Take a computer to    the garage and plug in a patch cable until you
find the one (there    should only be one) port that works -
That port/cable leads to    the living room.
Label it. (preferably, label both ends - Living room outlet is labelled with port on the patch, patch panel is labeled living room... [or a spread sheet is filled in Port number XX | Living room and then printed out and taped to the wall after it's all filled in - there is usually not room for good descriptive labelling on the panel itself.]

Now, plug another patch cable into the living room port (in the garage patch panel) leaving the living room port in the living room connected to the router.

Plug it into any other port in the garage patch panel.
Go back in the    house and plug a computer into wall jacks until you
find one (there should only be one) that  now  works.
Label it (preferable method is as above.)

Repeat until done. If there are jacks elsewhere than in the house, include those. Presumably you can see the wire that leads to the roof and know you don't need to go up there with a computer to find it, and probably don't want to connect it at all. If you have checked every jack you know of and cannot find one that works, note that at the patch panel and move on (there's either some you don't know, or wires are broken/damaged.)

With that done:

You'll probably want a switch in the garage, unless activating only one of the other ports in the house will meet your actual need - that would cost the least.

The best guess I can make from counting wires in the too-small picture is that you have 13 coming in there rather than the 7 your diagram admits to - if you want all of those to work your minimum switch size would be 16. If you only want some of them to work, a 4 or 8 port switch would be less expensive, typically.

I cannot make out from the small picture what obscenity has been done with what appears to be a rack mount patch panel in the garage that's either hanging from the wires (bad, bad, bad idea) or screwed to the wall in what would appear to be a direction that would make the patch ports inaccessible, normally. You can get a small wall mount rack to clean that up rather inexpensively, or even do something creative with blocks of wood and screws that would be better than what little I can infer from the picture.

At that point, your path forward forks a lot depending on what you want and what you have. Personally, I hate having the crappy thing from the cable company doing whole-house WiFi wherever the cable happens to terminate, so I'd either turn that off or turn its power way down and put other WiFI access points (not routers) elsewhere in the house for better distributed signal. With the fancy high speed wireless that runs on 5 GHz, if you can't see the access point from where you are working with your device, your signal will be badly degraded or your device will switch to less fancy and slower 2.4 GHz, since that penetrates walls far more effectively. You may not care, you may be happy with the WiFi (but then why are you even looking at the cables? I suspect you are not totally happy with your WiFi) or you may just want wired connections throughout the house - figure out what you have and what you want and pointing you forward without making assumptions becomes a lot easier.

For instance, it may be a bad assumption that there is Cable-TV coax run to the garage, since the previous method might have been the antenna on the roof being the source of the internet in the house.

Somewhere towards the end of the process, using either screw-attach cable ties or double-sided velcro screwed to the wall (easier to reconfigure without having to cut and throw away all the cable ties) to tidy up that mess of cables would fall under "...in a workman like manner" i.e. not looking like total crud.


Can you tell me what the code is around electrical boxes in homes with a basement? I am trying to sell my house and the following item was called out as a Safety Hazard that I must correct to sell.

I live in Indiana, can someone explain the code, what is wrong here and what a mediation look like?

This is an easy one, code requires the wiring to be protected below 8’ it can be in conduit (not a cost effective option here).

It can be protected by 1/2” plywood or Sheetrock ! Here is the East way to go.

I would attach some 2x4’s on either side of the box to the floor Joist , then a simple piece of Sheetrock or plywood ~16” wide would meet code. The wiring run through the holes in the joist should be fine. But below 8’ on the walls they need to be protected.

An easy hint
a 8’ 2x 4 cut in 4 pieces one laid flat on each sid of the box with 2 tap con screws to hold it in place then nail or screw the other 2 pieces on top of the 2 that are screwed to the wall next the piece of Sheetrock or ply wood to cover it all. A couple dollars for the 2x 4 tap con screws are a bit more expensive some come with the drill bit. 4 screws to hold the 2x4 to the 2x4’s and then 4 more screws to hold the Sheetrock to the 2x4’s,

It could be done with construction adhesive instead of screws but I don’t recommend this but it could be done , I lived in Dayton and did enclose my panel (using construction adhesive in my youth) I had gone through apprenticeship prior to that time and it passed. Today I try to make it serviceable where construction adhesive really requires it to be torn out to pull new circuits.

Added code references: 334.10  must be permitted by to be used except where prohibited by 334.12

334.15 .B exposed work. Protected from damage Cable shall be be protected where necessary

334.15.C installed on the wall of a basement shall be allowed to be installed in conduit or tubing or protected in accordance with 300.4

So yes nm cables on a basement wall require protection. In this case the easiest way is to “finish that section” and box it in.


Need help wiring two lights from a switch at the end I am trying to wire two lights in my shed with a switch at the end of the circuit.  Power comes from a subpanel on the back of my house and is connected to a GFI outlet.  Power then goes underground and into the shed in a junction box.  The wire comes out of the junction box to an outlet, and then to light no. 1 then to light no. 2 and then to the switch.  I am using 14/2 for everything inside the shed, except in between the two fixtures, where I am using 14/3.

I connected everything and it worked fine, but after pushing the wires for the two lights into their respective junction boxes, and mounting the light fixtures to the boxes, nothing works anymore.  It keeps tripping the GFI outlet every time I flip the switch.

I'm fairly sure I have it wired correctly but here's what I have.  First light:

Second light:

I don't have a picture of the switch, but it's just black on bottom, white on top, and neutral to neutral screw.

Anybody know what I've done wrong?

It's your ground wires. They're on top.

They're biffing onto a neutral or hot terminal.

Also, you need to use the #10-32 screw in the steel box and put a pigtail on that, and join that to the ground wires.  Alternately you could use ground clips to attach to the sides of the box.

The key here, however, is to push the grounds into the back of the box behind all other wires.  You should do this as the very first thing, and then never think about them again.  This will greatly aid troubleshooting; often people wire grounds last after testing, and discover connecting grounds breaks the circuit. This leads them on a snipe hunt looking for a ground problem, when it's something else.

The next layer above grounds is everything that doesn't tie to the lamp, i.e. those black bundles one of which will soon be a black-white-marked.

Then finally the wires go in that actually attach to the lamp socket.  That should solve it; there's plenty of depth in a 1.5" octagon box to keep the grounds far away from the socket back face.

Your switch loop is wrong

Code requires a /3 cable for a switch loop so neutral is present for smart switches etc.  Use of a /2 switch loop is allowed if changing the cable is easy without tearing apart any part of the building, i.e. Conduit or unimproved work.  However you must do BOTH these things:

Use the white wire for always-hot, not switched-hot as you have.  That is so the white wire will definitely test hot at all times, and it's not likely to be confused for a neutral.  AND
Mark both ends of the white wire with colored paint, tape or shrinkwrap.


How to open this smoke detector in order to change battery? I need to change battery for my home smoke detector, but I have no idea how to open this model.

I found many video tutorial on google, but have not seen any model similar to this one.

Does anyone have experience on this model?

My suggestion is that you try pressing in (or up) on these two tabs:

And then that the lower part of the unit will hinge down. The hinge edge being along here:


Why is plywood with tongue and groove preferred for flooring? I'm just curious - in reading more about subflooring I see that a lot of sources are saying to use plywood with tongue and groove.  Why? What is the benefit of tongue and groove plywood as opposed to plywood (of the same thickness) with flat edges? Does the interlock help the subfloor be more stable? Does it protect against leaks?

The way we lay flooring is to use subfloor adhesive and lay a bead down the whole length of the groove. You wedge it together till the gap totally closes. Doing this in addition to using tongue and groove plywood/OSB accomplishes two things:

You have an airtight floor membrane. This gets rid of heat loss and also the intrusion of moist damp air possibly mold contaminated from the crawl space.
You have a much stronger floor that is seamless which can carry more weight and not have bounce because the edge is supported by and locked into the adjoining sheet.

Why you shouldn't use standard plywood -> if you just butt plywood up to create the subfloor, you get this neat sawing action from the unsupported edges that slowly fills the crawlspace with sawdust as the wood eats away at itself, causing the seams to open up. It also groans nicely if you have the right amount of frictional contact and leaves you with a spongy floor because there is no support from the mating plywood sheet along the length of the seam to prevent differential motion between the two sheets.


How to ground a kitchen exhaust blower fan? Recently our kitchen exhaust fan stopped working, only humming and not moving. In the kitchen there's a butterfly damper, the exhaust switch is on the vent hood, and the motor and exhaust fan are on the outside of the house.
Did some troubleshooting with the motor, tried cleaning it up but it's DOA. In doing some research it appears this fasco motor is from the 60s(give or take). I called some manufacturers and found a supposed replacement since that model isn't produced anymore. Unfortunately I didn't look over the diagrams and the replacement didn't have the same mounting bolt holes.
I did some digging and found a replacement motor, ordered it and it fits (it's a fasco d367). But I noticed the new motor has a big warning to ground it, but it doesn't have a ground wire. I don't see the two squares on the label saying it's double insulated.
The original motor didn't have a ground wire either, but the dome and components had a ground wire and so were grounded(partially disconnected in this pic when removing the motor).
--
So is the ground wire on the metal dome enough to ground the motor through the case? Or is there something else I need to be doing to properly ground the motor?
Thanks!
Here are some pictures of the new motor for reference.

If it's bolted to a grounded metal case, it's grounded.


Putting a plug socket on a cable which was previously wired into a heater? Can someone please tell me if the following is safe?
I have a faulty electrical heater which is wired into a switch on the wall. I am trying to replace the heater as simply as possible. Is it possible to simply fit a plug socket to the cable,then plug a heater into this? This option seems simpler than wiring the cable into a new heater? Thanks for any advice.

SMH how is that simpler??

You get a new heater of the same basic form-factor, bolt it up in the old location, and connect the wires to it like it was to the old one.

Clearly the skill to attach wires is not absent, since you plan to wire it to a receptacle.

Do you possibly have a mental block about "gosh, I don't know where to get one of those" or "surely they must be expensive"?  Home Depot, and $50-100 depending.

I know it's not at the top of your list of things to spend $100 on this week, but life happens.  You'll be getting something that'll last 20 years, as opposed to those little plug-in heaters that won't last a season if they're your primary heat. You could easily spend more on junky little heaters than you do on the proper one.

Further, the proper one is surely 240V -- and that means you'll need to use a NEMA 6 receptacle, and you'll be paying a lot for weird heaters. You could buy a $50 Cadet made-for-permanent-installation heater and put a cord on it, but why not just permanently install it?

At best, a plug-in heater isn't going to be cheaper enough to justify the trouble.  Might as well just do it right.


Rusted metal pole in sleeve I have a square metal pole in the ground which has a metal sleeve and it's rusted that I can't get it out. In the past I've removed these poles using a Jeep jack (as in the image) and it's worked well. Now the Jeep jack is starting to break at the lip. The length of this pole under the ground is 18 inches.

So far I've tried spraying a ton of PB Blaster Penetrant into the area between the pole and the sleeve and come back and tried again and sprayed again leaving periods of 30 minutes to 4 hours between each try. I've done this 4 times so far.

I'm looking for more ideas on how to free this pole from the sleeve. Thanks.

Eighteen inches of the post penetrating into the sleeve with rust most likely to be along most of the internal overlap will be next to impossible to get apart. One of the most helpful techniques for freeing rusted parts is heating the outer part so that it expands to loosen the joint - but that technique is not possible in this situation.

I suggest that you will likely have to break or cut out the concrete around the sleeve in order to get the whole thing removed all at once. This effort could be really a lot of work if the sleeve had been installed into its hole with concrete poured around it.

Too bad to hear that your jack is breaking. If there were a way to apply the load on the jack close to the body of the jack as opposed to way at the tip would be way better. If the casting of the jack is actually broken or cracked you should remove the unit from service so that you do not try to reuse the jack at a future time and have a safety compromise.


Fixing a leaky clawfoot tub faucet One of my bathrooms has a clawfoot tub with a faucet similar to this:

Over the past 6 months a slow drip has progressed into pretty much a steady stream.

I've taken it apart the best I can but I couldn't figure out how to fix it (unfortunately there is no shutoff so I had to reinstall it).  I was expecting to find an o-ring or seal that could be replaced but I didn't find anything.

I also can't seem to find any tutorials or resources online explaining how these valves work and how to fix them.

I would just buy a brand new one, but as you can see they are ridiculously overpriced!

This is likely a common "bibb" style valve, where the water comes through a valve seat. The water is stopped by a bibb washer on the end of a moving stem; the washer seals by moving up against the valve seat.

The picture below shows a common bibb-style valve (yours would not be identical but same general parts and principle):


How should the thermostat wires be connected to my furnace? I have an Amana AMV90704CXBB furnace, and regular programmable thermostat.
I took the furnace apart because I have to wash the blower motor wheel. It was covered in construction dust.

In order to take the blower motor out I had to disconnect all the low voltage wires, that goes into main control board on furnace. Unfortunately for me, I was stupid enough and didn’t take any pictures of original wiring.

When I put everything back together and flipped the power switch on side of the furnace-blower motor starts working immediately. Even when thermostat was set on “off”. Now I have a continuously running fan., that won’t shut off.

If I turn furnace to a heat-heater works, thermostat works and after temperature was raises to a settings point-the burners will shout off, as suppose to, but fan won’t stop. If I switch to AC-the thermostat will click, but AC unit outside won’t do anything.

If I disconnect three low voltage wires that goes into a main control board from outside AC unit the heater will work as suppose to. The blower motor/fan will be  off. If temps are dropped or you rise the thermostat settings-it will works as it suppose to.

If I switch to cold and lower the temperature on thermostat-it will click, fan motor in furnace will start working, but AC ,since  it was disconnected obviously wont work. There is a three wires going into outside AC unit. I’m 99% sure that the green and red(see the pictures) are where they are before I took the unit apart. However-I’m not o sure about white colored wire. I’m sure that thermostat wiring is fine.

Can anyone help me diagnose this problem? What could it be and where this white wire should be on main control board?
On the picture-three wires from left wire are going into AC unit. 4 wires from the right one-goes into thermostat. Any help will be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much and please forgive me for my English. Obviously it’s not my native language. Thanks!

Move the green wire to the outdoor unit from the G terminal to the B/C terminal.

In the wiring diagram for your outdoor unit, the green wire from that unit is connected to the blue wire going into the outdoor unit wiring, which connects to the C terminal on the "comfort alert" (compressor monitor) module.  Connecting that green wire to the G terminal connects the circuitry in the "comfort alert" module in series with the input circuit for the control board's G terminal, which means that the current that powers the module is flowing into the G terminal, turning the input on and causing the control board to run the fan all the time.

The fix is easy: moving the green wire to the outdoor unit to the B/C terminal on the control board causes that current to flow back to the other side of the transformer instead of taking a detour through the G terminal input circuit, and will restore the normal blower functionality of your system.


How to cut off and insulate live 3-phase power? I need to disconnect my 3-phase cables from the power pole to my house. I'm building directly under it and though the contractors say they are okay with it, I would prefer to disconnect for a week or two to be 100% safe.

There is at least one spot where the cable has perished a bit and I can see copper showing through.

This is my plan:

Wear rubber gloves, rubber shoes; make sure power can't go to ground through me and use a 1000V cable shear.
Tie the cable on both sides of the cut so that the live end doesn't drop away.
Cut the cable.
Run a 6 inch tube of plastic pipe over the live end, and bend it over before taping it closed with plastic electrical tape.
Coil and hang up the loose end safely away from the building.
Repeat this process with all 4 cables, keeping them separate.

I am located in South Africa.

Call the utility, ask for a disconnect.

Or call the mortuary and pick out a casket.

This is not a job for amateurs. Nor for gloves not rated and tested for the voltage. But that's just one tiny piece, so don't think solving the gloves is making you qualified to do the work.


Brick veneer falling away from house I already suspect that I'm not going to like the answer, but I'll ask anyway.

My home has a screen porch, and in this section, the brick facade is starting to fall away from the house.  It was caused, I believe, by continual water leaking onto the ledge-- the porch is covered by a flat roof that was not properly attached to the rest of the roofing system, and water had been getting under the connection, and that water would drip onto the ledge.  (I think this because it is not a problem around the rest of the house, and I can also see water staining on the wooden panels directly above the ledge.)  That problem (which did not happen on my watch) has been fixed.

Anyway, I can think of how to jack the facade back into place, but re-attaching it seems like a problem.  I know that when it was originally built, the facade was attached to the studs of the wall between rows of brick.  Because it has pulled away slightly, I can tell where the studs are, and it wouldn't be too hard to anchor the bricks back.  However, I'm concerned that the type of fastener that I need to hold the weight of the bricks would compromise the strength of the 2 x 6 studs.

Any direction a professional could give me  would be much appreciated.

The idea of pushing a brick veneer wall back onto its bearing surface is really not a good idea. Besides water will not push it off, something else did in my opinion, like wood that swelled up from the leak, but that will be minimal. I would still be more concerned about the water around the framing behind the brick. If the brick ain't fallen yet, it may not. But it may need to be taken down to repair the band joist, plate, perhaps. Then set the brick back with proper waterproofing in place so when water gets behind the facade it won't matter. FWIW, in a building science seminar I attended, the speaker Joe Lstibureck, discovered that brick allows 10 percent of the water that hits/saturates the surface to pass through its thickness to the what is a hopeful moisture barrier behind the brick, in front of the framing...


Is using a humidifier to make paint dry slower a good idea? I'm using latex paint (or maybe acrylic -- Behr Premium Plus Ultra).

The humidity was pretty high today because of the weather. This seemed to make the paint I was using dry slower, which was nice, at least while I was applying it.

The humidity tomorrow is supposed to be much lower, but I thought I could run a humidifier in the room I'm painting while I'm painting to get the ease of slower drying paint, and then turn it off once I'm done painting so it can dry more quickly then.

This seems like an amazing idea to me, but I wonder if there's something I'm missing.

Altering the dry time (shorter or longer) is something I would generally not advise.  As the water evaporates the paint cures.  Altering the dry time interferes with this process.  This can lead to bubbling, cracking or even the tint separating from the base.  Now, are you going to run into problems for sure?  Probably not, and if it works for you by all means go for it.  I worked as a painter for years and there are two methods I have settled on that work for me.

This is probably the best for someone that is not overly adept at painting because it requires less speed.  Cut (do the edges with a brush) the entire room; ceilings, walls corners, around switches vents etc and let it dry completely.  Go back around the room with a roller making sure your last pass on a section of wall is a floor to ceiling un-interrupted pass (this helps eliminate roller texture being visible when it dries).  The last thing to mention here is roll as close to the edge as possible overlapping with your cut work otherwise the texture difference between the cut work and roll work will be glaringly obvious (particularly with light shining on it).  Edit: oh and if you are doing 2+ coats, cut multiple times first, then roll multiple times.  The more layers of roller texture over the cut work the better.
The second method involves either a second person (one cutting one rolling) or moving much more quickly.  This method works essentially the same except you move around the room in chunks and you want to roll over the cut work before it dries.  This is my preferred method, it looks nicer as the coat is more even (opinion).  Edit: and to be clear, ignore the edit above for this method...

Beyond that my standard painting disclaimers, use good paint, use good brushes and rollers.  Good luck.


Do I Need New Kitchen Faucet Handles? I just replaced faucet washers and after reassembly, the tap doesn't work. There is a crack in the handle. Is a replacement handle needed?

Depends on if you can get a new handle and if there are set screws that hold the handle on.

If you want to fix it and not replace the whole unit, do research on the parts you need.  If you can't get them you will need to replace the whole unit.


20 amp breaker connected to 14 GA I have breaker that is 20 amps and is a 12 gauge copper wire that leads out of the box. Somewhere along the line in my upper crawl space it connects to a 14 gauge copper wire? What is the best way for me to find out where this connection has been made? Yes?

I have checked my whole house when I been replacing receptacles and switches and even the junction box except for the upper crawl space. What is the best way to trace this type of problem. If you used a multimeter it won't tell you if the gauge of wire is 14 or 12? Is there an instrument for tracing this kind of problem and identifying where the two 14 and 12 copper gauge wire meets--if not what would you suggest. Yes getting an electrician would be last resort but besides that I'm curious on what you guys and gals do when this happens.  I'm sure it has to be a wire nut connection somewhere in the upper crawl space. This connection happened some 7 years ago when I had a new box installed but never checked the labeling until recently. This particular breaker actually connects to bedrooms and some hall lights. Thank u Larry

Putting this trick first but it is my last resort.

To find wiring when I don't have my scanner, a simple stud finder with a voltage alert. Turn all the other circuits off then using the stud finder watch for the voltage alert to light up.  You can get within a couple of inches of the wire path through the walls and figure out where it goes. I have used this method several times where I was not planning on doing any electrical work.  It is cheap and works well but you do need to turn the other breakers off for this method to work well.

To answer your question, here are my normal methods to trace wire and find circuit breakers.

I use a Greenlee CS-8000 it injects a signal on the wire and can trace wires through walls and even conduit. This tool is expensive ($995) and not worth it for homeowners.

When I am doing telecom I use a less expensive toner/tracer again made by Greenlee but there are lots of low voltage toner/tracers both of the above can be used with no power on the circuit or live. (The wand style for telecom is limited to phone line voltages not 120 volts.) These need to be in close proximity to the wire to use on 120 v wiring & the breaker needs to be turned off.  These are less than $100.

The last circuit tracer I use is the cheapest made to find circuit breakers most of these cost ~60$ and require a live circuit to work you plug into an outlet with the transmitter and use the receiver to find the correct breaker.


Single switch controls GFCI outlet and lights My mother lives in a senior living apartment building.  The building and its wiring are at least 40 years old.  Her bathroom has one switch that controls both a GFCI outlet (top and bottom) and mirror lights.   Therefore, the night-light that is plugged into the GFCI outlet only works when the mirror lights are switched on. If the mirror lights are off, the night-light will not work.  How dumb!  I want the night-light to work even if the mirror lights are off.   The apartment "electrician" says the problem can't be fixed without ripping out walls.   Can that be true?   If not, how do I make changes to the GFCI and/or the switch so that a night light can be used as it was intended?  There are no other lights or outlets in the bathroom.

The apartment "electrician" is correct.

The feed for the receptacle is going through the switch. Probably so things don't get left on when someone has left the room. I agree it is not the way it should be but you can't change that.

You could replace the switch (or have the "electrician" replace it) with a lighted switch or a combination switch / receptacle like this and wire the receptacle always hot like it should be. (The lighted switch is lit when the switch is off.)

Either way you can have a night light.

Good luck and stay safe!


Fluorescent ballast has white/black wiring; home wiring has red/white; how do I match them up? Does white stay with white and red to black?

Yes, in North America on a fluorescent ballast, white is neutral and black is hot -- switched hot, that is.

In North American wiring, white and gray are neutral, green and yellow/green are safety ground, and everything else is hot.  So red is hot.

Further, there's a mild preference to use black for always-hot and red for switched-hot. You obviously want switched-hot to a light.


Two inputs to an old switch are hot I am removing a switch that was not working and both wires that were connected are hot. Any ideas why?

Here's what happened.

Your house was built with a wiring shortcut called 'switched receptacles'.  You are intended to install a floor lamp and plug it into that switched receptacle, which is then operated by the switch.
They used the split-feed feature on the receptacle (breaking off the "tab") to split the 2 sockets, so one is always hot (probably black), and the other is switched hot. (probably red).
Someone got fed up with this, and installed a ceiling lamp.
An inexperienced person went through the house and replaced receptacles.  They simply matched up wire for wire.  They have never heard of a "tab".
The tab was not broken off, so it shorted  always-hot and switched-hot.
The homeowner didn't care enough to fix it. .
You show up, unaware the house ever had switched outlets.  You discover always-hot and switched-hot shorted to each other.

The tab is doing this.

Your options are to a) find the receptacle that should've had its tab broken off, and break it off; restoring original function.  Or b) cap off red wire at both ends add eliminate use of the switch.

Certain lights are required by Code.  Switched outlets satisfy this requirement.  So you might need the light.


Electrical Outlet/Switch Cover Vanity Plate Screw Issues I am taking the time to update all of my outlets and switches in my home since they are 14+ years old or older and most of them are the METALLIC and NOT NYLON and have the vanity/cover plate entirely painted over and its taking me about 20 minutes of futile finagling of unscrewing the slotted screws (slots caked to the brim with paint) on EACH OUTLET/SWITCH, my issue and question to you awesome Goobers is,
Is there a safe, fast and efficient method to remove these paint filled vanity/cover plate slotted screws from the outlets and switches ?
Thank you in Advanced !!

t's the slot in the head of the plate screw that makes unscrewing the screws a hassle! I always curse slot headed screws when I encounter them!
The trick to use that makes the screws unscrew with no problems is to clean out the slot of the screw head. Using a utility knife slice through the dried paint that is clogging the slot. It may take a couple of passes with the knife blade, but it will clear the paint quickly.
Pay attention to your digits (fingers) location when slicing.
The screwdriver tip now has a deeper straighter slot to turn against. No more slipping.


BBQ: Add Propane Connection with Y Connector I live in Western Europe, where there are two common types of gas cylinders for BBQs: butane and propane. I have a BBQ (second hand) that came with a butane bottle and regulator of 28 mbar. The BBQ is clearly marked on the front that it's compatible with propane at 37 mbar.

I'm interested in switching to propane, as I've heard it's better at lower temperatures, and I use the BBQ regularly even during the winter months. I understand I will need a new regulator as the pressure and interfaces aren't compatible. I was in the store looking for one when I saw a Y connector, like this:

This got me thinking, would it be possible to use some extra hose and a Y connection to have both these regulators attached at the same time? Would I need to add shut off valves between the Y and the regulators to prevent the higher pressure propane from reaching the butane regulator?

Propane and Butane bottles at least here (Italy) have the exact same bolt-type connector or the vendor-specific 'fast' connector. I suggest you to buy an adjustable regulator :
so you can increase or decrease gas pressure upon your needs.
To see if pressure is correct just look at the flame, it has to be blue without orange tips, if you see most flames turning orange you have to decrease the pressure if flames are 'sad' you can pump it little up.


What material to use for cosmetic red brick touch ups outside? There are some holes in the brickwork on the outside of my house from unneeded cable clips, anchors and DIY jobs gone bad.

Nothing structurally significant but I do want to achieve a cleaner look.

Maybe some paste I can smear over the holes? If there is such a thing, how is it called so I can buy some?
Or maybe I can make something myself?

Thanks

I would find color-matched urethane caulk. You'd be able to easily apply it with the nozzle and it's dead-reliable. Companies that make fibercement siding often have an array of colors available.


What is this PVC pipe in my basement I recently purchased a newly built house. It has an unfinished basement. There is a white pvc pipe that comes from the floor. It is about 4 feet tall. Out of it comes a sewer smell. Some days worse than others.

What is this pipe?
How can I stop the smell from coming into my basement?

My basement has a 4 inch perforated drain pipe in 16 inches of washed septic gravel under the concrete floor.  It is reduced to a smaller diameter and taken up to the roof.  It is to vent any radon or any other gas that might be under the floor.  Could the OP's pipe be a vent?


Can I glue a sleeve over a cracked dishwasher inlet line on my brand new garbage disposal unit? The disposal is brand new and I can't return it even though it was damaged in shipping, as I'm well outside the return window. I believe the inlet is ABS plastic, as it's stamped with a small number 2.  The crack runs about as deep as the barbed end.

Can I just cut back the damaged area and weld/glue an ABS sleeve with a hose barb over the inlet?

My plumber was nervous about using it, but maybe he's being overly cautious.

With your inlet line cracked it might be possible to repair depending on how much of that inlet line exists.

as an FYI fro a better route: If you purchased that thing via HD or Lo - take it back for an exchange - they generally will do it. even if you are outside of 30 days. Damaged in shipping file a damage claim with the carrier.

Now on to the answer if the better route is not possible for you.

Repairing ABS plastic is not the easiest and I do not know if ABS is weldable like PVC pipe is.

What I would do is insert a small piece of Thin Wall copper pipe on the inside of the inlet for support and on the outer side maybe fit PVC or a tight fit Rubber Hose over the outer side with and connect my dishwasher outlet into it. You can use a high temp gasket sealant with this setup as well but don't use too much. Make sure you provide some strain/stress relief on the pipe as well.

See below for an example.


Can I Install Floating Cork Floor without baseboards? What are the pros and cons of not installing baseboards.

You can essentially do whatever you want. Safety doesn't really play a role but there are some things to consider.

For instance, a floating floor needs expansions gaps where it meets the wall and between transitional areas.

The gap is supposed to be at least 1/4" and usually no more than 1/2". If you do not have this gap covered, how do you intend to keep crumbs from getting under there, or the edge of the flooring from lifting up since it is not nailed down?

Asides from that, it may look ugly and incomplete.

If you do not like the idea of a baseboard, or if budget plays a role, then you might want to consider at least using a quarter round trim.

Note: I have assumed you do indeed have expansion gaps.


DC current for mini fridge Do mini fridges actually run on DC current that is converted from 110 V AC input? I would like to convert one to DC so I can use it in a camper van.

Not so easy

The first thing you must learn is that you can't "dip" a vehicle battery very far, least of all your starting battery.  With lead-acid batteries, you can't use more than about 25% of its charge on a daily basis or you will degrade the battery and have short life.

Lithium batteries are much better (and more expensive) and you can use most of their range daily, but even really good Apple quality ones are only good for about 1000 full cycles.

Peltier fridges - too inefficient

A few "mini-fridges" operate on the Peltier principle using solid-state. This seems cool until you realize how ghastly inefficient they are. They do indeed operate internally on 12 voltish DC (with an AC adapter) but are rather weak and can only keep things cool, not chill them.  Far worse, their poor efficiency will necessitate a much larger battery.

House fridges can't handle vibration or shock

The #1 problem with residential grade refrigerators is they are not built for the vibration and shocks of being in a vehicle. Motion will tear them apart.  That's why they're out.

Just informationally...

These machines use the normal freon-compressor cycle, which is efficient.  However they are AC-only and have a big AC draw when they start.  That requires a big inverter to drive them.  What's more, they don't run very often, but you don't know when, so you must run the big inverter 24x7.  A large inverter driving no load has a high "standby" energy cost, which saps your battery.

"Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln"... people building alternative-power homes love the common residential-grade fridge.  They used to make very special fridges for solar off-grid use, with 6" thick walls - but it turns out there's no need, since recent Energy Star refrigerators are so good.  This presumes you already have a nice large inverter already in place for other reasons... and the battery bank to drive it.

Ammonia (propane) refrigerators

Some refrigerators work in a triple mode:  120V, 12V or propane.  These work on a less efficient ammonia cycle - great on propane, weak on 12V.  It also introduces the risk of a propane leak into your RV, which can kill  you explosively.

Freon refrigerators made for RVs

This is the best of all worlds.  The machine is sturdy enough to bounce around.  It uses the efficient Freon cycle.  It is either 12V or multi-voltage -- either using a DC motor internally, or a "brushless DC" (read: an AC motor driven by its own onboard inverter  that only runs when the motor is in use, so no standby losses).

The best fridges actually open from the top - after all if you've ever been hit by a curtain of cold air when you open a vertical fridge, you know cold air wants to go down.  Fridges/freezers with top lids don't lose much cold when you open them.

How do I know so much?  I follow people on the Internet who put refrigerators in vehicles.  You can too; look at

British narrowboating (also called "on the cut", cut being a civil engineering term)
Boaters generally, but beware, boats don't hit potholes
#VanLife - the US "people who turn vans and delivery trucks into stealth RVs
Off-grid* folks using solar/wind power to homestead, they use 12V fridges, most of which are vehicle-rated

* In the "I don't have a mains electrical feed" sense of the term, heh heh


Do I need Attic Fan in Garage? My garage is about 20" x 24" and I have made attic in the Garage by adding plywood, insulation & sheet-rock, It is nicely done and as soon I finish this project, i realize, i do not any ventilation. I do have furnace in Attic.

Please provide feedback and suggestion, if i need to have Attic Fan?

BTW, I am live in San Francisco South Bay, CA.

Roofs need to be ventilated to remove excess moisture and to inprove teh effectiveness of your insulation.  In the summer, improper ventilation can cause attic heat to build in excess of 160°F. This super-heated air eventually penetrates the ceiling insulation into the living area below.
  In the winter, warm interior air leaking through the insulation can cause condensation and can contribute to excess moisture build-up. Improperly ventilated attics will allow this moisture to collect and cling to the underside of the roof. The moisture will condense and fall, soaking the attic insulation and reducing its efficiency.
  You should install roof vents.  There should be a air passageway that allows air from the eaves to be drawn in and exit through roof vents. This all can be passive and does not require a fan.


Diagnosing GFCi trips with a laser printer I have an HP consumer-sized color laser printer. (M255dw). I plugged into a GFCi receptacle that protects outside outlets wired to its output terminals.

Every so often, it tripped when the printer started up. I unplugged everything else from the circuit; same result. I replaced the outlet. Same result. I called up HP, and said, 'hey, this printer has a ground fault'. The HP safety person and I were both a bit puzzled as to how this could be, but they sent me a new one.

Guess what happened this morning, which happens to be a damp morning here in damp Seattle. Printer started up, ground fault tripped.

What have we got here? Is there some reason why the surge current of the printer starting up would trip the ground fault? Or could there be a problem with the outdoor outlets?

I agree that a badly designed product is an improbability, since it is not a refrigerator, freezer or garage door opener.  Big motor driven things tend to give GFCIs fits.  The big load in a laser printer is the fuser heater, a resistive load that has no inductive kick.

So I think it boils down to one of two cases:

The circuit is already almost tripping the GFCI due to other pre-existing ground faults, and something about the laser printer (power factor?) is the straw that broke the camel's back.  I would expect this sort of thing to improve or get worse with dry/rainy weather.   The fix would be open up and clean out those outdoor outlets, get all the dust, old leaves and rocks out of the boxes, dry them out, and then get a better outdoor cover. (how do rocks get in there anyway?)
The GFCI is marginal to begin with, and the printer is too much for it for some reason. You'd need to pause to distinguish it from the first case, and then if necessary, replace the GFCI. I would do this reluctantly.
Or, if the printer is plugged into a location that was previously unused, it is miswired (half-in, half-out of that GFCI's protection).

Either way, the proof of the pudding will be to relocate the printer to another GFCI circuit, and see if the problem moves with it.  Meanwhile put other hungry heating loads on that receptacle.


Add 240V to Garage through New Sub-Panel I'm wanting to run a 30 amp 240v to my garage.  Probably 30 ft to the attic from the breaker in the kitchen (1st floor),. 35 ft across the attic (which is above the second floor) and around 30-35 down to the garage (below the kitchen level).  Unfortunately the garage is finished and located at ground level.

My breaker box is full so I either need to get a 100 amp panel with 32 slots (current is 24) or run a 50/60amp sub panel in the upstairs guest bedroom and change the dryer breaker from 30 to 50 or 60amps and run a low gauge (Probably 6/3 or 4/3) wire that will support 50 or 60 amps back to the panel in the kitchen.

Ideally I’m looking to put in a NEMA 14-30 connection or a NEMA 6-20 preferably the 14-30 unless this isnt possible

Can I legally have a 60amp Breaker in a 100amp panel?  One electrician told me that you shouldn't have a Breaker that is over half of you total output.
If I cant put a 60amp Breaker and have to go with 50 can I still have two 30Amp breakers in the subpanel?  Dryer is rated for 26amp max and the Car charger will do 24amps max so I would essentially not be able to run both at the same time (which is fine)
I added the junction box to the new run from the dryer to the Sub-Panel to avoid pulling a new wire down to the dryer.  Is this ok?
My idea is to run the wires and essentially have a qualified electrician actually make the connection from the subpanel to the panel in the kitchen.  Will electricians do this or will they only do it if they do the entire job?

Don't paint yourself into a corner... again

"24 space full, 32 space will suffice"...  A common theme on this forum is the size of subpanels.  Having a full panel is a difficult, expensive and frustrating problem as you well know.  Wouldn't it have been keen if it could have been avoided for the price of a couple latté's?  Well, it is, and it can.

And this is why we bang the drum so very hard for large, large panels.  If you have a full 24-space, don't even contemplate anything less than a 40. (40 is the maximum before panels start getting very pricey). If you go subpanel, I like to see 48+ spaces between the  two (remember you'll lose at least 2 for the subpanel breaker), so I'd recommend another 18 or 24 in the bathroom and 12++ in the garage.  Garage breakers tend to be 240V and they gobble up spaces 2 at a time.

As ThreePhaseEel says, "Go big or go home".  This isn't lazy upselling, but knowledge of *just how preventable "running out of spaces" is.

Less-than-40-space panels are for builders. Your builder, in fact!

60A breakers in 100A panels are fine (#1)

Yeah, you can have a 60A breaker in a 100A panel.  You can have a 100A breaker in a 100A panel (though at that point, thru lugs are just as good). Nobody cares how many panels you have or which loads are in which panel.  They only care that the house has enough power provisioned to support all your loads, in the usual way that is calculated.

So the only question is whether your additional garage load will oversubscribe your 100A service.  That would make this answer too broad, so I'll skip it.

You need more spaces, period.  You're allowed to have them in 2 panels. Connecting both at full line current is perfectly versatile!

60 vs 50 (#2)

First, if you wire for 50A you have probably wired for 60A - because you're using either #6 copper or #4 aluminum cable.  The only case where you're allowed 50A but not 60A is if you're running in conduit and you are using #8Cu/#6Al individual wires running 75 degrees C.

Nonetheless, I would just run the full 100A up to the laundry room sub; on #1Al wire (or #3Cu if your last name is Kennecott.)  I recommend aluminum for feeder.

By the way, remember the working space required around a panel.  You must have a box 30" wide by 36" deep by 78" high in front of your panel cleared of any stuff. (doesn't need to be centered).  Hallways/walk-throughs are great places for this.

Splicing and Junction boxes in feeder. (#3)

Any splice has to be in a junction box, but it has an impact on usable wire size.

You can splice #8 or #6 cable in a common junction box of sufficient size (24 c.i. for #8 or 40 c.i. for #6, so a 4" square deep, or 4-11/16 square, respectively).
To splice #4 and up, you have to think about bending radius, and you need a pretty big box.

Having the electrician finish the job (#4)

Your intuition is correct; electricians don't like to finish somebody else's job.  Further, when a novice enters a project, it is common enough for the novice to screw things up - example, the working area requirement for a subpanel.  After red-flagging several problems, necessitating re-do of much of the work, the electrician will (gleefully) write up the whole project and expect you to pay it.

So there's a 2-prong strategy to using electricians well (that way).

First, do obsessive project review.  Ask here about every detail and then -- you know the person who comes on here, we give feedback about a variety of factors on the project, and the person argues and self-justifies every suggestion?  Be the opposite of that guy. Read postings 2-3 times and make sure you miss no detail.  Ask, ask, ask. Listen, listen, listen.   Do this iteratively.

Second, work in EMT conduit if able, oversize the conduit, and don't chintz out on access points.  2/3 of working in residential is physically breaching the building - pushing through deck plates, fishing to avoid disturbing too much drywall, that kinda thing.  You know exactly what I mean.  I really hate paying an electrician to do carpenter work.


How do I troubleshoot an intermittent problem with a ceiling light/fan? We have a ceiling fan that includes a light fixture. One day the light went off several minutes after turning it on. I checked the panel, and found that the breakers were ok.  Room receptacles from the same breaker are ok too.  After shaking the fan wire in the attic, it started working again, but after a couple of hours the same thing happened. I took the fan out and searched for a loose connection, but didn't find one. I traced the wire to a box, where there are four wires coming in.  I checked all the wires but no power. Funny thing is the breaker is not tripping.

After 30 years as an electrician, most 95% of all electrical problems I've seen are caused by poor connections.

The best connection for outlets (receptacles) is to pigtail the wires by first twisting the white (neutrals) together and the blacks (hot) with a separate wire for each going to the terminal screws on the receptacle. Torque the connection sufficiently to avoid a high resistance connection, which will generate heat under load.

Many less skilled workmen insert wires into the back of a receptacle, and over time they work their way back out or open up because of high resistance.

Make sure the power is off or consult an electrician.


AC Blower running very slowly I have a Ducane heat pump.  When running in AC Mode, the outdoor fan and compressor kick off just fine.  The blower fan seems to kick off as well, though it's not putting out very much air.  I can feel cool air blowing out of the vent but it's a small trickle, and it's not enough to keep the house very cool.  I've also noticed that the pipes are freezing over inside my outdoor unit (which I have been told is a side-effect of the blower fan not pulling its weight).  I've cycled the breakers and verified that the filter is clean / new, with no improvements.  One of the breakers on the box that controls the outside unit seems very flimsy, and it has been suggested that this should be changed as an electrical issue there may be preventing the blower fan from running in 'high' mode as is usually the case with AC.  Is there any merit to that suggestion (i.e. an issue with the breaker could be causing the fan to run slowly) or is there a more likely problem that would cause this type of symptom?  Any help / suggestions would be appreciated.

There are a multitude of blowers out there.  The outside breaker you mention likely has no relation to this problem.  The pipes are indeed freezing due to too little airflow.  Here are the most likely causes and solutions for this:

Assuming you have one of the most common PSC types (and not some other type like an ECM, slip induction, etc), then a weak run capacitor for the blower motor can cause this problem.  The run capacitor for the blower should be checked with a capacitance meter and replaced if it is below 90% of the rated value.  Or, if you happen to know how to use an ESR meter, then check the capacitor that way.
It is possible that it is a multi-speed motor with the wrong lead energized in the "cool" mode.  Typically Red=Low, Blu=Med, Blk=High.  The black lead is usually the one needed for a/c operation.
Sometimes the motors wear out by having the lubricant in the bearings go dry.  In this case the blower wheel will not turn effortlessly and smoothly by hand when the unit is off.  If the bearings are dry, then you need a new blower motor.
(unusual) Since you have a heat pump, if it is a higher performance model it may have an electronic blower speed control that is supposed to automatically slow the blower when it is very cold outside to ensure an adequate warm air temp inside.  Typically, this would be shunted to high speed blower mode for a/c operation, but if a control relay has failed or appropriate wire become lose, or other fan speed control failure has occurred, then the speed control could be causing the blower to run very slowly (as it would in cold weather heating operation).  If you have this then you will have to determine if it has failed by temporarily bypassing it to see if the fan runs on high speed without the speed control unit inline.

Verify main power for the unit is off before proceeding with any of this work.  The main power for the air handler is usually separate and in addition to the main power for the outdoor unit.

**Edit:  I see that Ducane air handlers offer options including both electronic blower speed controls as well as constant torque (ECM) motors.  If your unit has either of these then the low speed problem may have other causes.  For example, ECM motors have an electronic digital driver that is set using DIP switches or other means.  An incorrect low torque setting yields low blower speed.  I recommend you post the exact model number of your air handler as well as a photo of the interior showing the back end of the blower motor and the control board.  A close up of any DIP switches as well as a legible photo of the schematic on the inside panel would be nice too if you want any additional comments.


Why do I have less than line voltage at a switch box? at the breaker I have 120 volts but I only measure 20 volts between either the black or the white and ground at the switch itself. Between the black and the white I have zero voltage.
Any idea what the problem might be ... the switch controls a ceiling fan.

You appear to have a bad connection in the ground wire somewhere.

With a standard switch loop, the Code requires the white wire in a 2 wire cable to be connected to the hot feed and be permanently re-identified as an ungrounded conductor. Most electricians just use some black electrical tape to re-identify the hot feed to the switch. Personally I like blue in this case as it is not used in a normal residential install so it stands out.

So, with the switch closed (on) you should not get any voltage between the white wire and the black. You should then get 120 volts from either the black or white wires to the ground wire. With the switch open (off) you should read 120 volts between these wires and 120 volts from the white to the ground wire.

You should re-identify the white wire as any color but white or green. Then look for a bad connection on the ground wire.

Good luck and stay safe!


How can I convert from 2 sconce lights to one vanity bar light? Help! My husband is legally blind and we need more light in our bathroom. The only light source we have comes from two sconce lights above the vanity (controlled by one switch). We'd like to know how to convert these two wires to one bar light.

The difficulty that you face is the existence of two outlet boxes, the metal or plastic boxes recessed in the wall that contain the electrical wire. Most electrical codes require that those boxes remain accessible, with either a fixture, a device (such as an outlet or a switch), or even a blank cover over the outlet box.

If both of the sconces are controlled by the same switch, you only need to hook up the new horizontal bar to one of the sets of wires in one of the outlet boxes behind one sconce. The question is, where is the power coming from and how are the outlet boxes and the switch routed?

In the simplest example, the power comes to the switch box. The hot wire (black) is attached to the switch. The  neutral wire (white) is not attached to the switch. On most modern switches, the bare ground wire (occasionally green) is attached. In the switch box, there is another set of black, white and bare wires. That second black wire is attached to the other pole of the switch.  That is now a switched hot wire. The second white is attached to the first white and the ground is attached to the other ground(s). These wires then leave the switch box and go to the closest outlet box behind a sconce. The switched hot wire is attached to the black wire from the sconce and also to another black wire going to the second outlet box for the next sconce.  The white wire is also attached to the white from the sconce and another white to the next sconce. Similarly the ground wire.

Several other wire connections are possible and a bit more complicated. If you are unfamiliar with what was just said, you probably should not be trying to do this without an electrician.

On the practical/decorative side, someone skilled in electrical work can easily hook up a bar light tapping into one of the outlet boxes. If the second box is directly tapped only off the first (as described above) and has no other wires in it, the wires leaving the first sconce to power the second sconce box can be fully disconnected, and the second box will no longer have service. It could then be fully covered without access, or even removed. The dead wires in each box should be marked to be sure there is no confusion in the future.

If the wiring does not allow you to fully remove service from one box, it either needs a blank cover over it, an outlet with a correct cover, or it needs to be fully covered by the fixture.


How should I seal exposed nails on the roof of an addition? We recently added a gable portico / overhang at our front door as part of a renovation. We used the same architectural shingles as the rest of the roof to make it seamless. However when the guys did join at the ridge of the new overhang they had to put 3 exposed nails.

I know that typically exposed nails are a big "no no", so I wanted to see if in your experience these nails are okay once they are covered with some roofing cement. We have similar nails on the main ridge end, but obviously at the end and not sort of in the middle. Note that the area beneath these nails will technically be on the outside.

Water leaks are obviously the one concern because no one will be looking at the roof from the angle where they are visible (except our neighbors!).

Are these worth redoing or left as they are with some roofing cement applied?

Exposed nails not only look bad but the heads will deteriorate faster being exposed. On the occasion I have a shiner I will cover it with a small amount of roof patch. I use an asphalt based patch and collect some of the sand from a bundle then it is hard to see even if you know it's there.


Can baseboards be used in one pipe steam heating system? I just switched to natural gas and had a new Weil-McLain steam boiler installed. (I originally had an oil boiler with steam heat.)  It is a one pipe system and I have the old style radiators, except for wrought iron baseboards in two rooms (main level bathroom, and small "den").

I had no problem with heat in any rooms before the gas conversion and new boiler installation.  Now two the rooms with baseboards (they are connected through the shared wall because the furthest room is on a slab) do not have heat unless I keep the thermostat set at 80 degrees.  I can hear the heat trying to work... almost like clinking and ticking sounds (not banging and clanging).

The boiler company installed new vents, and made sure all the radiators are sloped correctly.  But nothing has worked.  They say there's not enough pressure building up, and that the pipe(s) to those rooms aren't big enough around.  (Yet, it worked before!)  They do have to come back for a third time, because several of the pipes/radiators in other rooms are clanging like crazy, so loud you can hear it outside the house, and it's impossible to get much sleep.

I'm worried that the installers changed the way the pipes were, right above the boiler, so the heat isn't getting to those two rooms.  Does anyone have any other ideas?  I guess I also need to know how high above the boiler the "header" (or equalizer?) should be?

Thank you for any help at all.

You need someone that knows exactly how the near-boiler piping should be. Even a slight change in the diameter, the height above the water line, or the return system will affect the system's operation.

Also, on a one pipe steam system, the maximum steam pressure should not exceed 3 psig. The output of the new boiler should exceed the connected piping and radiation load by about 33%. On a steam system the boiler size is dictated by the connected load and not the heat loss of the building.

All radiator valves on a 1 pipe steam system are only for isolation of that radiator and need to be fully open or fully closed; no partially open/closed steam valves. Steam vent choice is also critical. Again, I say again, you need someone who knows steam piping and most people in the business do not!!! I rattled on about piping and etc. and forgot to answer the original question.  Yes you can use baseboard radiation on a one pipe steam system. the minimum pipe/radiation size is inch and 1/4 if a short run or preferable 2".


Vapor barrier problems Update: added some additional details below based on comments.

I have a basement bathroom that I am currently working on. I've framed and installed rough plumbing. I have some vapor barrier problems I need to work through. I live in the Vancouver, bc area and the climate is quite mild, but we do get wet winters. I've had this house for close to 9 years and the basement has always been bone dry. We have a dimpled membrane around the foundation, which keeps the basement dry.

A note about why I'm going vapor barrier. Our local building code requires stud wall with bat (I'm installing roxul mineral wool insulation) and vapor barrier for exterior facing walls. Which is why I'm asking.

The joist header is currently insulated and vapor barriered. I was planning on insulating and running the vapor barrier up and around obstacles via cutting/acoustic seal/taping. Is this correct?
The furnace room, I have two choices finish or not finish.

a. I was planning on leaving unfinished. This poses a challenge though as the vapor barrier will end and then the furnace room will be unfinished. If I was going to do this, how would I vapor barrier? If I'm leaving the furnace room unfinished, I would need to insulate and vapor behind the bathtub and up to the duct work? I was under the assumption that vapor barrier behind tile is not a great idea.

b. The other option is to frame/insulate/vapor barrier the furnace room. How would I do this based on the supplied photos? My areas of grief are the water tank and gas pipes. A note is that we have a insulated hose that is supplying fresh air from the outside into the furnace room.

What option do you guys think is the best and which way should I go? Sorry for all the questions, I'm just trying to get as much info/questions out as possible.

See photos below:

Exterior facing wall in bathroom

Bathtub, furnace room on other side of wall.

Bathtub showing the ceiling

Drop ceiling, working around the furnace ducting

Furnace room, How would I create a wall/insulate/vapor around this?

thanks in advance!

Eric

Ideally, you would have used rigid insulation against the concrete. This would have worked as both your insulation and a vapor retarder (but not barrier). These days, vapor barriers are frowned upon in basements, as they ultimately lead to trapped moisture somewhere.

The only exception is closed-cell spray foam. That acts as a vapor barrier and insulation, but since it's applied directly against the concrete sans air gap, there is no place for water to be trapped in the first place.

Given the budget, I'd strongly recommend the spray foam solution.

Barring that, skip the vapor barrier, make sure the bath is properly vented (fan), and use a 'tile-side' waterproofer for your tub surround such as Redgard.


Adapter socket works and doesn't works The light bulb socket adapter I'm talking about is the one with two female AC plugs on each side and a you can screw a light bulb on top.  I screwed this socket into my light fixture outside of my house, there's one on each side of my garage, and I screwed a light bulb into the adapter then I screwed the adapter into the light fixture outside of my house.  It didn't work.  When I removed the adapter form the light fixture and screwed in a light bulb into the fixture outside the light bulb when on.  I took the adapter and tried it on a lamp inside of my house and it worked fine.  Will not work on the light fixture outside, but the fixture works fine with a light bulb in it.  I returned the adapter to Lowe's and got a new one and the same thing happened.  The light fixture outside works fine with a light bulb in it, but will not work with the adapter in it.  Very frustrating.  I hope I explained myself well.
Hope you can help me.  I'm trying to put up Xmas lights outside.
Thanks.

It is possible that the outter shell (Screw portion) of the outside lamp is longer not allowing the adapter to screw all the way in and touch the center contact.
with the switch off(perferrably circuit breaker off) you might try pulling the center contact out so it will make contact.
if this works you may need to place some insulating material behind the contact so it wont push back in when it gets warm from the light,
Please if you do this make sure the circuit is turned off best checked with a volt meter or non contact "tick tester" so you dont light yourself up.


Cleaning indoor concrete floor without damaging it I just finished helping a colleague clean out his (large) garage at his new house. He's gradually converting it to a indoor gym for himself and his kids (ie: indoor swing set, toys, etc, with a small corner for his weights). The previous owners used the garage for parking their cars, so the floor is a real mess: oil spills, random dirt and other spills, he himself spilled beer and food a few times on it.

We need to clean the floor and make it look presentable, but there's a catch: certain items (bench, wooden play fortress, etc) have already been assembled and bolted into the concrete with anchors. Those areas were already clean, so no worries there, but this means we can't just buy a heavy duty solvent and use a pressure washer afterwards to blast it all out. We're going to have to just mop and scrub.

That being said, is there a particular general purpose cleaner we should use?

It sounds like the acid-based cleaners wouldn't be a good idea, since they can leave a white film behind and damage the concrete if we don't spray it away with a hose afterwards.
The concrete also seems to have a waxy finish on it, so I don't want to damage it if it servers an important purpose, so a number of alkaline abrasives also wouldn't necessarily be a good idea.
We'd considered simple floor cleaner like what one would use on a tile floor, but it doesn't seem to put a dent in the grease/oil stains, and even when diluted, seems to leave a sticky residue behind that takes days to go away. Maybe since the floor is cold, it doesn't evaporate away very quickly.
We need to use something non-toxic. Kids will be touching the concrete, and we don't want them getting sick if they don't wash their hands before having a snack.

Interesting point: while doing some woodworking, he spilled a lot of carpenters glue on the floor, and when it dried, it easily came off with a paint scraper. The concrete looks very clean, and still has its waxy surface, so there must be a cleaner that can do this if cheap glue can.

Is there some kind of general purpose cleaner I can use to mop the floor with periodically and gradually get out the grease, oil, and other stains. If we have to mop the floor 10 times, that's fine, since he's a bit of a neat freak, and would likely be mopping up footprints from shoes every couple of weeks anyway.

Thank you.

Use a solvent degreaser for concrete floors, following manufacturer's instructions, on the oily areas. Then mop with warm water mixed with a bit of liquid laundry detergent and let it dry.

If the treated area looks different due to alteration of the "waxy finish", use a hard floor wax remover on the entire floor, again follow instructions.

If you wish to restore the "waxy finish", apply a coat of hard floor wax finish. The cost of all the supplies needed should be less than $35.


What to fill the cut in quartz counter top with? My wife an I had a new quartz counter top installed in July.  In autumn the seam between two pieces expanded and if there was a sealant between the two pieces to also separated. With further weather change its now moved closer together.  I need to glue/seal this with something but I don't know what to use.  The gap seems to small for silicone calk.  Any ideas on how I fill/seal this?

Thanks,
Craig

This looks to be a bad install.   The gap seem too large and that is with the epoxy filling it.  When a good installer deals with seams there is a process where they will clamp each side (suction cups or other methods) to push the pieces together.  They will add the epoxy in before sandwiching and then scrape off and level the pieces.  For different types of countertops they might leave this like this for a day.

I see a wide epoxy seam, which means they did use epoxy but they didn't jam the pieces together.  So what happened is epoxy was put in (all the way through I am not sure about), then they fit the two pieces, pushed them together, then the epoxy pushed them apart... very little but enough for it to crack later.

The next issue is that these pieces should have been secured under the slabs to the cabinets in multiple places as close to the seam as possible and as close to the seam as possible.  I don't buy that this is normal, because I have seen it done right and have moved two pieces that were seamed together in my house to install new lower cabinets (the seam never broke).

What should you do now?  Call the installers.  If this isn't an option you need to buy a knife grade epoxy kit.  You can match your color or go clear.  If you have trouble finding these please let me know and I can look online.  (Probably won't be at big boxes)  Also if you are just going to lay some epoxy on here it can look nice but probably won't be permanent but is literally a 10 minute job.


Water Pressure Pump Location We would like to increase the hot water pressure in our home to increase the flow rate in our upstairs shower.
We are in California on city water (no well). I spoke with the water company and they said we are on a gravity fed system and it is not possible for them to increase the water pressure. They calculated the water pressure at our tap at 38-43 PSI.
I have done the following:

Pressure regulator valve (located near hose bib in front of house before water pipe enters the home) is wide open (maxed out at 80 PSI).
Water pressure at hose bib in front of house, after the PRV, before entering the house is 38-40 PSI.
Water pressure at cold water inlet to the tank hot water heater is also 38-40 PSI.
I bypassed the water heater by connecting the cold water inlet flex hose to the hot water pipe going into the house and the water flow was the same at the upstairs shower. This rules out an issue with the water heater.
Removed shower head and observed same slow flow rate. It's not the shower head.
Checked aerators at faucets and did not find any significant deposits.

I am considering installing a water pressure pump (like SEAFLO 33-Series or similar, or a more expensive Davey brand pump). Some questions:

Would such a pump improve our hot water pressure for our home?
Do I need a water holding tank for such a pump, or can it work without it?
If I'm just trying to increase the hot water pressure, where should I install it - before the cold water inlet to the hot water tank, or after the hot water outlet of the water tank?
What type of lifespan should I expect from these pumps?

If the PRV is adjustable (most are) crank it up! Normally turning the adjustment screw clockwise will increase the pressure. If you have a pressure gauge crank it to 60 most well systems I set up are 40/60  but city water I usually set 60 as a minimum. The increased pressure will increase the flow the pressure depends on the height of the tank but if you have 80 psi outside you should be able to get the same or a reasonable 60 psi in the home by increasing the Spring tension on the PRV (PRV is a fancy name for a pressure regulator they need to be made for potable (drinking) water systems but that’s all they are) increase the spring pressure and your pressure increases.


Will preformed concrete piers make a sufficient shed foundation in a seismically active region? I'm building a 10' by 16' shed/workshop, and I'd like to use preformed concrete pier blocks. Is this a sufficient foundation for such a structure in a seismically active region like the Pacific Northwest?

Yes , pier blocks are great for sheds make sure you have enough for your project. I usually dig down 1/2-2/3 the height of the pier block to get below the topsoil this reduces the amount of settling and any issues with frost heave in the winter, luckily our winters are not as cold as the Midwest and back east. So frost heave is not much of a problem with the pier dug in, this also reduces the step up.


Is it okay to put 3/4" plywood over 1/2" wood subfloor? I recently purchased a 2 level condo and took out existing hardwood floor on the 2nd floor. Some of the pieces of plywood is pretty old. I wanted to get an honest opinion on whether I should replace the plywood or put plywood on top? The current plywood is 1/2" wood. Would this cause me problems later? I am planning to keep the property and want to ensure I am making the right decision. The joist on the rim of the rooms are under the walls which would make it difficult to replace from what I'm understanding.

Any thoughts? My head is spinning..Help!

There are no structural issues with putting extra subfloor on existing subfloor.  The only issue this would cause would be matching of the floor heights and possibly your first stair height.

(and trim - subfloor could make you reinstall/cut all trim)

(and make sure the old subfloor is even/flat or patch it first)


How to make bathroom tiles non slippery We currently have the typical floor tiles in our bedroom and bathroom. I dont know if they are ceramic or porcelain. The problem is the bathroom floor can get very slippery when wet (and when the bath mats are not in the bathroom (washed/dryed)). Are there any ways I could make the tiles in our bathroom non slippery ?
Installing grab rails is an option am considering at the moment. But any other ideas ?

A few products on the market (depending on the type of tile). They are sealers that when applied properly, etch the face of the tile and add skid resistance when wet. They do not change the appearance of the tile at all (as always, test an inconspicuous area and follow all instructions). Check local tile distributors,the products are generally very reasonable in price.

One is by Miracle, "511 non-skid", a good product. Another I've used is Invisa Tread, not sure the manufacturer. Miracle is a reputable sealer company and I think it runs about 15$ a gallon (here).

Be careful around unfinished wood or metal, pull the strainer off your shower as well. Good Luck


Best way to remove roots around a tree stump I recently had a tree stump removed by a tree company. My lawn care company filled the hole with dirt.
However they both forgot to put in root killer. I now have about a 3-4 ft circle around the newly laid grass. The tree is a Texas Live Oak. There a hundreds of roots now sounding the grass.
What is the best way to remove these roots?

A woody plant killer like crossbow is the only way I know of and it won’t hurt the lawn. I usually paint the stump just after cutting a tree around the outside just inside the bark with concentrated crossbow and let that sit for at least a few weeks. If any shoots come up hit them with crossbow it won’t kill the lawn unless it is all dandelion’s. This has worked for me on even cotton wood that will continue to put shoots up for years if not treated when cut down.


Unexpected rain less than 24 hours after staining I painted some exposed wood surfaces (window beams) with an acrylic/oil mix stain/sealant.  The can said to paint when rain is not expected in 24 hours and that drying time is 24 hours.  I did not see any rain in the forecast, although this time of year it's possible for scattered thunderstorms to show up unpredicted.  Sure enough, only 8 hours later a short downpour rolled through.

Now what?  I examined the wood surfaces and they appear wet although I am not sure if that is simply because the rain touched the surface or if the paint has actually gotten wet.  It wasn't terribly humid last night (< 50%) and the surfaces were looking - not dry - but they had already changed noticeably from the wet sheen when paint is first applied to a duller appearance, so I am thinking maybe after 8 hours they are (hopefully?) dried enough to resist a quick downpour, but what if more rain comes?  I don't see any evidence of running at the moment.  After everything is completely dried out, should I apply another coat just to be safe?  Or do I need to try to sand everything down and try again?  It's a rather irregular (older) wood and not completely smooth even after extensive sanding.

I just love how manufacturers expect that weather be so predictable that one could be assured of no rain in the next 24–48 hours.

Here, in the land of the world's most unpredictable weather, we often cross our fingers, resigned to repaint.  Or put up tarps to deal with the possibility of rain, or tarps are at the ready in case threatening clouds appear.

If the temperature and humidity were conducive to quick curing before the rain, it is probably okay.  More rain won't make much difference, especially if the rain stops and the humidity goes down in a few hours.

If there are a few patches of not-well-cured paint, try gentle use of a hair dryer.  In a few days, see if any touch up is needed.


Cement around decorative bricks leaves grey/matte coating on bricks I'm installing a decorative brick wall (individual thin bricks) for the first time. I glued all the bricks and now I'm working on the cement (mortar) around the bricks. I did a few rows yesterday for a test. While applying the mortar, some fell on the bricks. I wiped the bricks with a dry cloth as much as I could but the bricks are now covered with a thin "coating" that makes them pale and matte.

Q1: How can I clean the bricks?

Q2: How should I work the rest of the wall to avoid that?

Q1:

I would try a stiff brush and water.  If this does not work, you may be able to try a muriatic acid solution, but I would look at the manufacturer's recommendations first.  Depending on the brick color and type, this may discolor the brick.

Q2:

Apply the grout using a grout bag to minimize the mess.
When the joints are filled, wait until the grout is the consistency of wet beach sand.
Go over the joints with a brick jointer.
As you are jointing, periodically wipe down the brick surface with a wet mason's sponge to remove any grout from the brick face (clean the sponge out in a bucket of water as you go).


Will old flats always have a crack and holes problem? I'm currently filling a lot of cracks and holes in my very old flat.  Once I'm done I'm hoping I won't have to be doing any more filling.
As I have a lot of sensitivities I've been advised to move to a new build flat which tend to have less problems.  Someone advised me that I'm going to continue to have problems whilst I stay in older buildings.  However once Im done filling and sealing I dont expect there will be any more issues.
Is there anything about an old flat that predisposes it to develop more cracks and holes such that after I finish my work, more issues will arise?
Thanks.

If your foundations, roof and exterior walls are sound then you should not see any new cracks forming.
If they are not your house will continue to fall down in slow motion and cracks will continue to form.


Framing a cement room Under our garage is a cement room (23' x 20', 8' high).  We added it to the construction plans as a storage room, with the option of using part of it as living space.  Everyone seems to think it would make an amazing home theater room...  ^_^

Well, before we can even use it effectively for storage, I need to get more lights installed.  Framing the room seems a good way to make the space more usable, and get a roof I can attach lights to.  But this raises some unusual (for me) questions.

How do I frame the ceiling?  Do I just follow the basic plan for framing corners so I can attach sheetrock, or are there other concerns?

We plan on putting a wall through the middle and dividing the room.  So the final spaces will be approximately 19.5' x 11', with ceiling members across the 11' dimension.  What dimension lumber do I need, for the ceiling?  2x4?  2x6?

There is a connection for the central air system in one wall:  a "source" against the ceiling, and a "return" against the floor.  I believe I can simply put a grate over the return once we finish the wall, but do I need a minimum depth to the ceiling to support running ducts across the room?

These are the only major concerns I have planning this, but if anyone sees anything likely to come up, feel free to warn me.  ^_^

I did a lot of research before finishing our basement. Traditional thought is:

vapor barrier
wood framing
fiberglass batts
sheetrock

And every basement I've been in using that method has smelled really musty.

Building Sciences Corporation has some good research on this:

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=building+sciences+insulating+basement

Based on that, here's what I did, and what I recommend for all basement remodels:

eps or xps sheet insultation, glued and taped to wall
metal studs. baseplate should be separated from concrete via thin insulation.
paperless sheetrock (use the fiberglass faced stuff...itchy, but won't attract mold)

Note the lack of a vapor barrier. The idea is that this leaves the system slightly breathable. XPS and EPS are vapor permeable so moisture can eventually dry to the inside.

The added bonus is that metal studs are SO much easier to work with than wood. They're light, straight, can cut with a tin-snip and you don't even need to use screws (you can crimp them all together). Plus, they won't let mold grow.


Securing and Attaching Home Electrical Mast I was recently notified by my electrical company that the electrical mast routing electricity from overhead wires into my house was in not in compliance for permanent service.

The problem is that "the service mast conduit must have 2 points of attachment: 2 Kindorf brackets, or 2 U-bolts, or 1 U-bolt and a guy kit, or 1 Kindorf  and a guy kit". I believe this refers to the pipe above the meter, which currently is not attached to the home. They specifically won't allow "pipe straps".

Which of these options (U-bolt, Kindorf, or Guy Kit) is the most cost effective and easy to install? What's the basic instructions for installation? The utility's approved diagram is below.

Depending on how well you know the area under the siding, you may find that a Kindorf bracket pair will be the easiest to install. A U-bolt requires access to the rear to secure the nuts, which seems unlikely with your siding. It seems unlikely with any house covering system.

A Kindorf bracket is rather common in the electrical field, although until now, I was not aware that I knew the product.

You would have to be able to secure a slotted rail across the axis of the pipe currently in place, perhaps wedged between the siding and the pipe. You would need to locate studs into which the rail would be fastened.

The Kindorf brackets are similar to the prohibited pipe straps but more strongly constructed.

Even though the image above shows an L-bracket rail mount, the rails are available for surface mounting.

I think the most challenging part of this correction is to find the studs inside the wall.


Issue with chimney and wood burning insert We are interested in adding a wood burning insert to an existing fireplace.
Our issue is that our chimney is already lined: but not with the typical liner. At the top are terracotta tile liners, and toward the bottom, the chimney is double-bricked. However, as a result of this, no standard liner can fit. As is the diameter of the chimney is far larger than the normal venting pipe attached to wood burning inserts.
Is it a fire hazard or smoke hazard to install a wood burning insert and vent it directly into the chimney?
I acknowledge and understand that as a consequence the chimney will need to be inspected, swept, and cleared of creosote on a regular basis (biannually).
Picture of chimney from the top:

If that clay tile in the picture goes all the way to the fireplace then that was constructed as a solid fuel chimney. As far as knowing if this chimney can accept a wood burning insert I would have the chimney inspected by an expert just to be sure.


Should I apply waterproofer on the subfloor beneath a shower pan? I'm going to be using the Kerdi shower pan and membrane to seal a steam shower. I understand the process of installing the membrane, deck and preparing the wall and ceiling substrate.

This question is specifically about the subfloor.

Do I need to apply a waterproofer such as Redgard to the subfloor ply before I apply the thinset to set the Kerdi shower pan?

The same answer, I presume, is applicable to a dry pack pan as well?

In such a high humidity environment, I'd remove the existing sub-floor and put in pressure treated plywood in the entire room.  Not out of concern for spilled water but because it's a steam shower, so your overall bathroom is going to become a playground for mold.

Update

Based on the comments to this answer, updated answer:

Since you're waterproofing the entire room, its not essential.  However, it's not a BAD idea to do it anyway - and I'd do the entire room not just the floor under the pan - because an ounce of water-proofer is worth several thousand dollars of ripped out bathroom due to rot...

Just in case your kerdi leaks, that is.


Is it ok for vent pipe flashing/boots to have exposed nails? I bought one of these Ultimate Pipe Flashings vent boot flashing units which come with these nail slots to secure the unit. Part of their instructions is to only fasten with nails within the slots designed into the unit.

Lifetime Tool ultimate pipe flashing fitting installation

What I'm curious about is whether or not its a bad idea to nail a vent flashing in areas that are exposed, ie not covered by shingles, even if you caulk the nails.

Nailed Flashing Examples

Here's some examples where I'm seeing them installed with exposed nails.

How to install a pipe boot on your roof

Vent Seal Plus - 2 In. Full Skirt

Perma-Boot 312 2" Repair System - Black

How-To: Shingle around a vent pipe Flashing

Warped Flashing

I would think even with caulking its a bad idea simply with expansion and contraction of the materials at different rates which should wiggle out the nails as I see in my family's roof if you look at the warped and wavy flashings in this image. (I believe all the flashing is original to the roof, so some 40+ years old). I also noticed with the examples that the nails eventually rust and would consequently shrink and allow water to seep as they lose their bite onto the sheathing.

Typically, no. I NEVER nail in an exposed area of a boot, unless I have no choice, which doesn't happen very often.

All nailing in the exposed parts does is create another place for a possible leak. Not to mention, your roof decking swells and contracts with the weather, which means your boots need to be able to move a little as well...


How can I repair this washing machine that I think has had the chip wiped? I have been having a huge problem with my washing machine and I think that it's because the chip program is wiped or a problem with the EEPROM.

Here's a video showing what happens when I plug it in the wall, until I unplug it:

I have already sent the control panel to be fixed, 2 tracers were burned and are now repaired but still the problem persists.

Does anyone know what the problem is and what the fix might be?

The following is a picture showing what was burned before I sent it to the repair shop:

And here is the view from above:

The parts in the burned tracers area are a M10LZ47 5-J (or 5-i, don't recall correctly) screwed to the heatsink and a small 104 smd capacitor.

I can't find a replacement anywhere so my only choice is to repair whatever the problem might be so I am trying to see if someone here might give me a hand.

Just wanted to leave an update, I replace the PCB with another from a completely different model that had AG+.

I thought it wouldn't work at first because I didn't have the Silver Nano extra pcb and for my surprise it did work so if anyone is having the same problems of finding a replacement for their model then find one that is the equivalent of yours and it will work.
I don't know if the same is possible with the dryer versions so only try with those if you have absolutely no other choice.

My washing machine is a Q1044, portugal model - original PCB model is MFS-Q1044-00 - and the PCB that I used for replacement is from the Polish (or russian, I am not quite sure now) model F1245AV - PCB model MFS-1245A-00.

All connections fit perfectly and everything works well, except for the Silver Nano technology which I wouldn't want either way.


Drilling a 1-1/8" hole in plastic with a Dremel Forgive me for being a complete beginner to this; I have a Dremel 3000 with the standard complement of attachments, and it's been useful to sand some items and brush up others.

I have a piece of plastic in which I need to cut a 1-1/8" hole, preferably as accurately as possible.

Can I do this with the Dremel, perhaps by buying another bit for it? I'm in the UK, if that helps with sourcing.

In my research, I've been told that standard drill bits will probably not survive the higher RPMs of the Dremel. A suggestion has been to crudely cut a hole to size, and smooth it with the Dremel afterward.

Is there a better way than the above, or am I somewhat stuck without buying a drill?

While this can be done with a Dremel (I've done it), you'll get a much better result picking up a paddle bit or hole saw and a hand drill. If the exactness of 1.125" is not particularly required, you can go with the dremel, but if you need exactly that hole size (say, you're trying to minimize possible air leaks in something) I'd say you need a drill.

Edit: I just realized you're using a dremel on plastic -- This will lead to bits of high static plastic everywhere. In addition to that, whatever you cut will not have clean cuts, there will be melted plastic all the way around the edge. I won't say this isn't an irreparable situation, but getting a drill probably is your best bet.

Aside from that, almost any home based project will be 100x easier with a drill. It's one of the few tools even the least DIY people should have around the house.


Water pressure low after hose was left on overnight The water pressure inside my house went way down and stayed down after the hose was left on overnight.  It's been a while now and the water pressure is still low (useable but low).  The air pressure on the pump hovers between 40 and 50psi and we are served by well water.  I hope there was no permanent damage done by leaving the hose on for that long.  Anyone have any suggestions?

I'd guess that the recovery rate on your well is sufficient for your daily use, but not for the extended used that occured with the hose.  As a result, the water level in your well has probably dropped to the point that the intake tube isn't completely submerged, so it's drawing less water.  If you can reduce your water usage for a few days, it will likely recover.


How to run wire through corner with lots of studs I have a new garage addition that I'm doing the electrical for.  I got to the point of running the wires for the front coach lights and realized a snag.  I'm trying to figure out the best way to run the wire to the hole in the lower right of this picture (hope it's easy to see, just under the horizontal 1x6):

The tarp is where the garage door will be, so no way going right. I have the huge LVL beam in the way of going up.  I have 3 studs in the way going left (with not really any room to drill a hole) before getting to two more studs in the way around the corner.

I know if I dont finish the garage with drywall I can just run the wire on the inside, but I'd like to plan for the future of possibly closing it all in with drywall.  Would my best bet be to just run a small conduit on the inside corner that would be outside of the drywall in the future?

Hope this all makes sense and is explained well.  Let me know if any further clarification or pictures can help.

Drill it.

Just get a spade bit, you have lots of room in the garage opening if that is a stud in the way just start by drilling through that.  Buy some extensions and self feed spade bits.  Drill from the garage opening to the corner then drill from the other direction.  Now to get from one side to the other get 2 fish tapes and insert them and then spin so they hook together then use a plumbers chain with one conductor of your 14/2 looped and twisted through one of the links then duct tape or ele tape the connections and pull your wire.


can drywall be apply over plaster have fake stone on the out side of house and some how it seek through the wall and the plaster in side and got wet along wit the card board likr material. can you put drywall over plaster  what do you need to do?

Yes, you can install drywall directly over plastered walls. First you need to solve the  water intrusion issue that damaged your plaster, or the drywall will end up being damaged the same way the plaster was.

Installing drywall over plaster is the same as installing it anywhere else except you may need longer fasteners (nails/screws). This forum is not the place to give comprehensive instruction on drywall installation but there are many sources for you to get that info...


Is there a tool like a ratchet clamp but for pushing? I am fixing a shelf in my closet.  The shelf rests along a piece of wood nailed to the wall.  That wood that is acting as a base for the shelf has separated from the wall.  Apparently whoever built this didn't secure it to the studs, but instead nailed it to the drywall and just got lucky that they never put any weight on the shelf.

I pulled/snipped all the nails and will be using screws to fasten the base back to the wall before replacing the shelf.

Anyway the wood is slightly warped.  I can press against it to flatten it, but I can't do that while also drilling new holes and adding the screws.  Since this is inside a closet, I figure I can find something like a Ratcheting Cargo Bar or the reverse of a ratchet clamp to press against the opposing wall to hold it in place.  The space is slightly less than 2 feet wide.

Does a tool like this exist and what is it called?

The comment is correct but there is an answer.

Measure accurately the length between the pressed in wood support and the opposite wall. Cut a 2X4 to this length Minus half an inch or so. With some paper or such on the wall opposite to protect the paint put the 2X4 against the shelf support and add more wood to shim it into place. Shims are sold as very thin wood wedges and it would take several of those. That might be tough to manage. Once you see the goal as I describe it the solution will be seen within the pieces you have.


Is it a good idea to pay for an energy saving audit of my new home We have a newly built home but I'm not at all confident in the builder's prowess when it comes to energy conservation.  Is it worth hiring someone (like our energy provider or other specialized contractor) to do an energy audit?  Or do you think they would most likely find something whether or not there was a problem so they can charge us more for the fix?

If no energy audit, does anyone have any tips for the best ways to look for these "leaks" myself?

A lot of utility providers will provide a basic home energy audit for free. If this is the case, it's a no-brainer.

If they don't provide an actual audit, then they often provide statistics for what an average home should be consuming, so you can assess if you think you're using too much.

Besides for that, you can check for drafts or cracks in windows and doors yourself as a basic audit.

After that, I've found just be living in my home, I can tell if a room is too hot or cold compared to the rest of the house, and then look for problems then.

With all that said, I think that you should take a long view. If you have no free audit options, and you can find an affordable paid service, it'll most likely be worth it in the long run.