Old washing machine takes long and longer to do a cycle I have an old washing machine from the 90s, likely to be ~25 years old (make and model: Zoppas Pratica PTX43).
The machine has been working fine up to about two months ago. More recently, however, I noticed that every wash cycle seems to be taking longer and longer.
The average wash cycle duration used to be 2 hours, now it exceed 3+ hours and seems on the increase.
None of the searches attempted such as this or this yielded helpful results.
Most of the queries in the search seem to be about recently purchased machines or suggest problems that likely do not apply to my situation.
Symptoms

Cycles get stuck at intermediate areas (between one letter and the other, or at the start of one letter)
Machine emits a humming noise for the duration of the 'stuck' phase
If left unmanaged, this situation can go on for 30+ minutes

What I checked

Ensured that the washing machine filter is clean
Checked that both water intake and waste pipes are not bent
I don't believe water intake is not getting water as the clothes are being washed
Similarly the water is being drained so I do not believe the waste pipe is clogged
The soap drawer is relatively clean/unclogged

What I do as workaround (i.e. to speed up the machine)
When I notice that the machine is stuck, I just manually move the program dial forward a notch, so that the machine moves on to the next action. This is despite the instruction manual advises never to do that.
This manual action allows me to get a cycle duration down to a more acceptable time (i.e. 2-2.5 hours)
My questions

Is this symptom linked to a known/predictable cause that a repairer can reasonably fix or am I better off getting a new machine?
Is there any danger that this issue, combined with my disregarding the manual instructions not to manually move the program dial, is likely to lead to unexpected outcomes (e.g. some electrical short-circuit)?

If moving the programmer forward a notch fixes it, it's most likely simply a failing stepper-motor on the programmer. I've fixed a similar vintage machine with a similar fault.
It's not terribly hard to fix, but the programmer can be fiddly to disassemble (in a "re-assemble-able" manner) because they have lots of gears. If you can get to the end-shafts of the steppers you can see which is failing by attaching a 'flag' or marking it, to see which isn't moving.
I believe these items are fairly generic; When mine failed, I went into our local appliance-repair store with the old one in my hand, not really expecting that they would have one, and would have to order it in. I'd barely opened my mouth, when the guy at the counter reached behind him without really looking and put a new one on the counter!
Obviously, the usual caveats apply; be careful when operating the machine with exposed mains, and rotating parts which can trap unwary fingers. It goes without saying that it should be unplugged before any repairs are attempted.


How can I remotely reset a circuit breaker with obstructed access? I have a 42 foot Rv in a resort. When they put in the RV they covered the 30 amp breaker box and now if the breaker goes I have to crawl under the trailer to get to the box. Is there a way to run a wire from the 30 amp breaker box to inside the RV that if it blows I can switch it back on inside the RV?

You really need to move the location of the box or the trailer over enough to make it accessible. By code 0-150v to ground requires 36” so the box needs to be moved or the trailer moved over, see NEC 110.26(A)(1) for details.


Doorbell Wiring Problem I live in a very old house. Up until recently, my doorbell worked fine, but at some point in the last couple months it stopped working. At the transformer, I see ~18V, so that appears to be ok, but it is what I see at the chime that has me a little confused.

The previous chime had three unlabeled wires run to it. My working assumption is that 1 is to the transformer, 2 goes to the front door and 3 may have run to another switch (but I don't know where this is/was). This is where I have become stumped: At the chime, if I measure between 1 (the transformer wire) and either of the others, I read ~8V. I get this reading whether the front door switch is opened or closed (I took the button off and have tested Voltage with them loose and also tied together). Can anyone help me with a likely explanation for this? As I said before, the system was working up until recently.

Most likely, the doorbell button has failed.

There will always be voltage across the doorbell button unless it is pushed.  That's because the circuit would be complete, but for the button.  I would expect to see 18 volts (or bare transformer voltage), but with an electronic chime, I could see that value being a little funny.

You can test this out; short the 2 wires to the doorbell, that is the same as ringing the doorbell.


How do I rewire this box? In an '80s Canadian house I took out a wall switch and now I can't figure out how to rewire it.

The box has three cables coming into it. They all come off the same panel breaker. Two of the cables have a white, a red, and a black wire. One has a white and a black. All of the white wires are joined together. So I have three loose black wires and two loose red wires. I'll call them B1, B2, B3, R1, and R2. I tested joining them and found the following:

B1+R1 = ceiling lamp which I want to switch
B1+R2 = a wall socket
B1+B2 = two other wall sockets
I don't know what the third black wire does.

So I guess I need to twist together B1+R2+B2 on one side of the single pole switch and R1 on the other side. And I guess just terminate the unknown black wire with a twist-on wire connector?

Questions:

Is the above the way to go?
I don't like trying to twist three solid wires together and attach them to one pole. It seems very insecure. Is there a switch that has multiple screws on one side?
How would I find out what the odd black wire is for?

First, you can only connect one wire to a screw. If you need to connect multiple, then you create a pigtail by cutting a short piece of wire and attaching one end to the screw, and the other end is connected to the other wires with a wire nut.

Second, you need to figure out which cable provides the power to the box. Most likely it is the cable without the red wire.

Once you know which cable provides the power, then any black or red wire you want powered all the time gets connected to this black wire with a wirenut. You should also pigtail this wire to one of the terminals on your switch. Any red or black wire that you want controlled by the switch should be connected to the other screw of the switch, with a pigtail if necessary.

In general, ceiling lights with black and red wires are wired so that the black wire is for a light and the red wire is for a ceiling fan. Similarly, the black wire to an outlet typically provides continuous power, while the red wire is connected to a switch. In either case, if the red wire is unused, then you should wirenut both ends.


Venting Plumbing AFTER drywall is up First, some set up:
My friends and I have been building a sort of Mancave over the last year.  It's about 300 square feet, with a height of about 14 feet -- half of the place has a loft (making something like 2 floors) while the other half has tall ceilings.

We initially did not have plans to put in a bathroom -- so, we put drywall up everywhere.  THEN, we decided it would be nice to have a bathroom.  We ran all of the water lines from city water up into the crawlspace (passing inspection), but now are preparing to tackle the bathroom.

My question:
With the drywall up, and roof shingled -- and the whole place basically ready for use.. we are putting a bathroom in.  Under the loft, we have built a 2x6 dividing wall for all of the plumbing to sit inside (just the studs right now).  HOWEVER -- we did not realize, being newbies, that you need a plumbing vent stack.  The question is, can we possibly vent our plumbing for an entire bathroom WITHOUT penetrating the roof?

There is a somewhat tall crawlspace under the building.  Could the drain just be low in the crawlspace, and have a vent that angles out through the rim joist and run the vent outside?  I have read that it is possible to vent through an exterior wall -- but as this 2x6 wall is in the middle of the house, reaching an outside wall might be difficult.

What is my best option?
I really appreciate any help!!

P.S.  I will be making sure any plans pass inspection before doing the plumbing -- Any help I get will go toward my plans.

To vent plumbing you must either find a way to tie into an existing stack vent, go to the outside via wall (this is code depending on area and must be higher than all fixtures - what you are describing is not), or go through roof.

If the roof is available this is probably your easiest option.  You drill a hole and throw a roofing vent with gasket over the hole, caulk gasket, plug pipe in bottom of vent through hole and you are done.  This is a very easy, forgiving process.   With materials in hand you can do this in 30 mins.  So just do it right.


Brown water briefly coming from hot water pipe in bathroom sink For a minute or two one afternoon, we had water with a brownish tint coming out of one of our bathroom sinks, and only when the hot water handle was on.  The cold water was normal, and our other taps seemed to be fine.  Is this a sign that some rust or silt build-up got knocked loose in the hot water pipe leading to that sink?

We weren't running hot water elsewhere at the time before the water turned clear again, so I can't rule out the water heater being the culprit.  Is this a sign that it needs maintenance?

And in case someone asks, we've had a lot of rain lately, but no extreme weather otherwise (meaning, no frozen pipes).

My water heater eventually started leaking several months after I posted this question, so I can only assume that it was in fact due to corrosion on the inside of the tank that was a sign of things to come.  I've since gotten a new water heater installed, and my water has been fine.


Location of manufacturer name on bifold doors I asked a previous question on here about the adjustment of bifold doors.  Since that didn't produce a resolution, I guess my next port of call is to ask the manufacturer.  That leads to my next question: where, on the set of bifold doors pictured in the previous question, am I likely to find the manufacturer's name, please?
The full set of bifold doors:

The lead door:

The hinge on which I attempted adjustment, viewed from the side:

The hinge on which I attempted adjustment, viewed from above:

If it's identified, it's likely to be on the top or bottom, or on the outer edges (that face in toward the closet when the door is open). It's possible that there would be a sticker or stamp of some sort that would be visible on the inside of the closet.
You may need to clear out some closet space and close yourself in with a flashlight to find it.
Well, it seems this isn't a closet (the pics weren't there when I first wrote the answer). However, the labeling is still most likely going to be on one of the door edges. It might be on the top or bottom, but that makes it really hard to find, so I'd guess that's not going to be it. It may not be on the "lead door" that is open in the pics, so opening the other door(s) may be necessary to find the sticker.


How to measure a crooked room? I am faced with the task of measuring a room that has no right angles. The room has the following layout (this sketch in not scaled, there is also a window in the right wall which I omitted here):

I want to measure the room as accurately as possible, because I want to create a plan for a friend who is a carpenter to cut some plates for a subceiling, and I would like for them to fit.

My current plan is to measure the diagonals shown in the sketch as well as all the individual wall-segments. This should give me the information to construct an accurate plan without actually having to measure the angles of the corners.

The measuring is complicated by the fact that I cannot measure on the ground, because there is furniture in the way that I cannot move. Also, since the walls are really crooked, I want to take the measurements at the hight at which the subceiling will be built. The longest diagonal is about 6 meters.

How do I measure this room accurately? Is my approach sound? How can I measure these diagonals accurately (preferably without having to buy a laser-measuring-device)?

Forget it!!!!  Trying to measure an untrue room for prefabrication of parts is nearly impossible.  Your carpenter will have to come in, establish a center line in both axis and divide the differences on the edges. This application is no different than doing a suspended ceiling, and must be done on site. There will be a bit of adjustment in all directions, I'm sure.


How do I estimate BTU usage to properly size new gas line? I have an existing natural gas line that feeds my furnace, water heater, and an indoor fireplace.  That's all working fine.  I'm considering adding a second line that would feed a new gas range (my current range is electric), an outdoor grill, and an outdoor fireplace.  There is a guy coming next week to make a quote for the work, but I wanted to get a jump on understanding the situation.
I understand that the new line has to be sized large enough to support all the load I will place on it, and also the gas line into the house (and up to where the two lines split) has to be large enough to support everything I'm planning.
I can find the numbers for the existing indoor fireplace, water heater, and furnace, but I have not yet purchased the items on the second line (new gas range, outdoor grill, outdoor fireplace) so I'm looking at descriptions online to estimate BTU usages.
The grill seems straightforward, at least this one says 48,000 BTU.
But when I look at gas ranges, it gets complicated.  All of the ranges on homedepot.com (like this one) tell me the BTUs for each burner, but not the BTUs for the ovens.  And even if I find the BTU for the oven, do I size the gas line so I can run every burner at full power AND both ovens at full power, all at the same time?  I guess that's not a totally ridiculous scenario on Thanksgiving ...
What value do I use for BTUs for a gas range when sizing the gas line?

The size for the range goes back to your cooking style if you use 2 burners all the time or are like my wife uses 2 burners the griddle and one of the ovens at the same time you add all that up but remember you probably won’t be grilling at the same time or the furnace may not need to turn on as often while using the range. It won’t hurt to size everything for maximum flow but the pain may be in the check book when you find you need 1-1/2 lines to do this but only really need 1” for actual use. So if you use all the burners and oven at the same time add them in but then think will you be grilling outside? Or will the heater need to come on? And go from there.


Attach railing to aluminum post I am putting in a handrail down the few steps into our garage. The floor is concrete, so I've ordered a couple of 3x3 aluminum posts. The railing has a single attachment point per post, and the hardware that came with it includes lag screws; but I'm thinking those are intended for attaching to wood studs, not aluminum posts. How should I attach the handrail to the posts? I'm thinking a bolt, all the way through the post?

EDIT: I'm mainly interested in the strength of the attachment, as it needs to bear 300lb.

If you can find these self tapping metal bits, they will do the trick.

They are a lot more robust then they look. I couldn't find the gauge of the post but worse case scenario you could mount a block to the post using two self trappers and go through the railing mount with a third self trapper.

simply google

from a google search

The list of nobility is quite complicated, it's not meant for the typical tradespersons to understand. A galvanic reaction is used to galvanize a material to prevent it from having a reaction as a result of a large gap in nobility. Materials are galvanized to reduce galvanic reaction. Now get off my back.

also from a google search


When Laying Tongue and Groove plywood over 1x6 subfloor, do I lay it with the grain perpendicular to the floor joists or to the 1x6 boards underneath? I am redoing a bedroom and I am in the process of installing a new sub floor. I currently have 1x6 running perpendicular to the floor joists. Some do have a bit of give to them.
I am laying over that 3/4" Tongue and Groove plywood.

I was wondering if I need to run the grain of the plywood perpendicular to the floor joists or do I run it perpendicular to the 1x6 boards I am laying on top of.

Also Do I need to screw down the 1x6's prior to laying the plywood, Or will the 3.5" deck screws do the trick when I am laying the plywood?

Thank you for the help.

I would reset all the nails that are holding the 1X6s,making sure the nail point has found new wood by setting the nail head below the surface by making the last few strikes with the hammer at an angle to dimple the wood with the nail head.
With the nails drawn tight, that should eliminate any potential floor squeaks, but for redundancy add a screw between all the nails. Do not add no more than that, the potential of splitting the joist tops. So if you can, run the screws in at an angle to get the screw to not go the same direction as the other nails. It is a minor detail, but that is what I would do.

After your existing subfloor is secured do what you can to get your T&G joints to break near the center of the 1X6, running you plywood the same direction as the 1X6, perpendicular to the joists.

In my opinion, 3/4" along with the existing 1X6, is overkill on the subfloor/underlayment combination, unless you are setting tile. 5/8" T&G will be a lot easier to carry upstairs and still give a T&G feature which is good. In a minimalistic approach 1/2" underlayment grade plywood will work very well too with the re-secured 1X6. DO make sure it breaks on the center of the 1X6s, cut it if it is not, I refer to NON T&G plywood here so ripping an inch or two off the occasional piece does not matter. What matters is it breaks on the 1X6 everywhere. After that 1 1/4' OR 1 5/8" screws on a 8" grid pattern and construction adhesive will tie it all together. There is no need for 3 1/2" screws for any reason. Maybe 2 1/2" in the joists here and there if you choose, but remember the thing mentioned about too many fasteners in the tops of the joists.


Where can I get electrical plans for my new house? I'm planning a few upgrades to the wiring in my condo that will require filing plans with the city.  It would make my life a lot easier if I had the existing electrical plans (and probably other systems, too).  The condo is new construction and I bought it from the builder.

Is it customary for the builder to provide copies of the plans if requested?

I think it's common in most places for the local government (town/city hall) to have the plans on file. Keep in mind though that sometimes work is done without plans or permits, so use the plans as a guide not an exact map.

Comment converted to answer


Trapdoor: which first, frame or floor? I'm installing a trapdoor to provide easier access to the basement. This is the first step in a kitchen renovation so I've also taken up the laminate flooring. The hole for the trapdoor is already done.

My question is - given that I'm going to lay the laminate flooring again - which should come first, installing a frame for the trapdoor or laying the laminate floor? Will it be easier to install the frame and then lay the laminate floor around it, or do the flooring first, leaving enough space to install the frame afterwards?

n.b. I will be attaching the frame to the subfloor rather than onto the laminate flooring itself (otherwise the point would be moot).

I would suggest that since you intend (and should) attach the frame to the subfloor that it will be much better to install the frame first. Then fit the flooring up to the frame.


Bench Grinder Wheel configuration I recently went shopping to replace a cheap electric bench grinder that came with my property gave up the ghost.   I noticed that all the bench grinders I looked at have 2 sharpening wheels.
I have also watched a video where the person replaced the a sharpening wheel with a polishing wheel.
Is there a particular reason I should know of as to why grinders have 2 grinding wheels rather then 1 grinding wheel and one polishing wheel?    Is it a bad idea to [permanently] replace one of the grinding wheels?

Grinding wheels and buffing/polishing wheels you buy at the home improvement store have different max Surface Feet Per Minute needs.   For buffing you generally need to get it up to 7500 SFPM otherwise you are going to be standing there all day long.  Grinding wheels on the other hand generally require a lot slower speeds for many applications.  For example if all you are doing is knocking a burr off a bolt you can use a coarse wheel at the highest speed no problem.  If however you are using a fine grained grinding wheel to surface finish and add luster then you want to run it a lot slower.  Wire wheeling (generally used for rust removal) is also safer at slower speeds as cheap wire wheels tend to throw wires at higher speeds.
Buffing and wire brushing also often requires the entire wheel to be exposed while it is dangerous to fully expose grinding wheels and stand in the plane of the wheel since if the wheel fragments at high speed you may be seriously injured.
I have noticed for example the trend at the Cheap Chinese Tool sellers to reduce inventory and stock of larger grinders in favor of smaller lower priced grinders.  This is because the average casual tool user sees the RPM figure on the small grinder and thinks that's all that matters  The CCT on the other hand is more worried about an idiot buying a big hefty motor and attaching a large abrasive wheel to it and having it frag him.   These smaller grinders the CCT's sell are generally terribly slow and inefficient to use due to their safer and lower SFPM speeds but it's very difficult to exceed maximum safe SFPM speeds with them by the backyard mekanik crowd (who probably isn't even wearing safety glasses much less a face shield...)


Can't find the circuit board of my HVAC system I'm trying to install a wireless thermostat for my church building's HVAC system. Currently there is no C wire, so I tried to see where the circuit board was so I could install one. I couldn't find anything that looked like a C wire though

If this isn't possible, I'm guessing a second solution would be to power it with an external transformer, but I'm trying to avoid that route if I can.

You may not have a C wire. The C is a common used to provide a constant power circuit (C is the Negative or Ground) for the thermostat to use.

In this furnace there are only 2 wires that a manual thermostat or battery operated on will connect which turn the furnace on.

Your only option is to run another wire (Or use another if there are extras) and connect it to the negative pole on the transformer (LOW VOLTAGE SIDE).

Its often the blue wire but I would need a better angle on the transformer to tell for sure on that particular one.

You should also check that the output is no more than 24v. If its anything else it could damage the thermostat.

CAUTION: There are live 110 lines into that transformer. Make sure your power is shut off at the breaker before touching anything in there. Make sure its covered when your done.


conversion from fluorescent to halogen lights I am try to take a connection that was originally used for a fluorescent light with a black wire and a white wire and use the same two wires with a halogen light that has a white wire, a black wire, and a yellow and green wire. Is it possible to make this conversion and if so, how?

The answer depends on exactly what your old arrangement was and what the new arrangement is, photos of everything would help make this clear.

Fluorescent

Fluorescent lights have electronics components associated with them, for example a starter and ballast. You need to identify where these are and make sure you remove them.

From HowStuffWorks

Halogen

Many Halogen lamps also do not work directly from your normal house electric supply (e.g. 110V AC or 230V AC depending on country etc) but need a transformer. You need to be sure the bulb is rated for the full voltage or that a new light fitting includes a suitable transformer.

Incandescent Compatibility

Some compact fluorescent bulbs and some halogen bulbs are designed for use with the standard light fittings that are/were used for ordinary traditional incandescent bulbs. In this case, the associated electronics are built into the base of the bulb. If your old and new bulbs are both of this type, you should have no need for rewiring the bulb-holder/lamp-fitting.

interchangeable incandescent, fluorescent and halogen bulbs

Earth/Ground

The green/yellow wire is for a protective earth/ground connection. This suggests that your new fitting has exposed metal parts that could present a safety hazard if a fault develops in the fitting or in the wiring supplying the fitting. You need to check the building electrical code or regulations that apply in your country/state. In the worst case, you may need to run a new earth wire or have an electrician certify that your earthing arrangements (or lack of) is safe.


Main to sub panel feed I'm working on a small finished outbuilding that has a sub panel for lights, outlets, etc. From the main he sent (2) separate 70amp lines to the building sub panel into (2) 40 amp breakers, each 70 runs to a 40. Is that correct? There are 4 other varied 15/20 breakers feeding off that.

Thanks
David

If the wire is sized for a 70 amp run, then the breaker in the subpanel could be any size that size or lower.  A lower rating will protect that circuit better if you don't anticipate the need for that qty of current, but can be swapped out quickly if increasing size is needed.  However, depending on the distance traveled, the difference between the breaker sizes might be preferred to prevent nuisance tripping (if both were 40 amp breakers and you were getting close to the overall limit, then the inside breaker would likely trip before the outside due to the wire line load to feed the building itself.


craftsman shop vac motor stuck on reverse Apparently the motor itself is reversed. It I'd blowing out the top hole.

I cannot find any " reverse" switch cm and I doubt it has one. It apparently got switched into reverse somehow and I need to reset it.

It is a Craftsman 9 gallon (red) .

Any advice?

I'm just tunnel-visioned. I was sure I had plugged it into the correct socket, but no.

Stupid User Trick

Sorry


How does the temperature sensor work in an attic fan? I have an attic fan that should turn on by the temperature that is set.  It is pretty hot today (Southern California) so I expected it to be on.

So far I have not seen it turn on and I just reduce the temperature for when it should turn on to 70 degrees (it was set to around 110 deg)

I have checked the electrical to it and it has power.  The fan is brand new (i however did not install... contractor did).

So 2 questions:
- how does the temperature sensor work?  does it have to be at some temperature for a long time to kick in?

any idea what else i could check

How the temp sensor works.

The temperature sensor in a fan such as yours operate as a thermostat. As such there is a scheme in place to open and close a switch based upon the temperature that is sensed. There are various schemes and mechanisms used, some of them mechanical and others electrical or electronic. The most common scheme used is a metal strip or spring that is made of two layers of metal that have differing coefficients of thermal expansion. When the bi-metal strip is exposed to a particular temperature the shape will be static. As the temperature changes the two metals expand or contract at different rates and cause the metal strip to bend one way or the other. The metal strip can be the actual part of a switch with the bi-metal strip being a contact that opens and closes the power circuit directly as it moves. There are other designs where the bi-metal strip may be mechanically connected to a linkage that opens and closes the switching contacts. The knob that adjusts the temperature setting in a switch like this will either move the metal strip mounting so that it has to move more or less to close/open the switch OR it will simply apply pressure on the metal strip such that it has to bend harder or less hard to achieve the switch closure.

Troubleshooting the problem.

You already said that you checked the power source at the fan so that you can skip that item on my list of items to look for.

Here are some things to try >>

Check that the power feed is making it directly to the wires of the fan assembly?
Check to see if there is a separate switch mounted on the fan assembly that needs to be turned on.
There may be a built-in overload circuit breaker on the fan assembly with the pop out type button. Check to see if such thing needs resetting.
Recheck the installation from the manufacturer data sheet to see if the power wiring is connected properly.


Crack in fireplace, can i repair with fire clay/cement? I recently bought a house ( about 15 years old) but just noticed that the back of the fireplace is cracked, it's about 1cm wide in the worst place.  Can I repair this with fire clay/ cement?

If i have to replace the firestone, do I have to take to whole fireplace out to repair?

Update, wider picture of fireplace

Since you have a non flammable structure, and a solid area to work with I would clean the area out both upper and lower and fill them with fire clay.
Making sure to use tools to push the clay to the back. At each layer  make sure to mix them , it is impossible or just about impossible to work a bead all the way back and fill the hole.

I roll out a foot or so press it on the crack then use a metal putty knife and a small dowel to push the clay to the back, then add another bead or roll and make sure to punch through to mix the layers. And keep adding until the crack is completely filled and tight so if you push in it pushes out above or below the point you are filling. To make the bead or roll I take a ball of clay and roll it in my hands until it is about 2x the width of the crack, if the crack is longer than the roll no problem make another, on the next layer try not to have the lap in the same place, it won’t matter if properly mixed but is better to have laps in different sections. I usually finish with water and rub the surface smooth, now the important part.

Let the clay dry it may take 3-4 days. Go by the instructions but most fire clays I have worked with have to dry naturally , heat during the drying process can cause a failure, there was 1 brand I used that did require heat but it offgassed a horrid smell and I never used it again, it was quick and did hold , but the several hours of chemical smell was not worth it to me. So follow the instructions on the bag.

Make sure your grate is in good condition and it should be spaced from the back , I don’t know anyone burning coal any more but if it is two close it will cause the cracking, not much of a problem with wood but it can do the same.
Good luck.


What are the pros and cons of adding a vapor barrier behind shower backer board? After much research, I have a lot of conflicting advise about the need to add a vapor barrier before installing the backer (hardy / cement) board for my bathroom shower.
The "expert" at Home Depot, and another guy on youtube seem to think this is a very good idea, and even suggest sealing it with roofing tape.  (The guy on Youtube tapes it directly to the sill of tub.)
However, when I asked about the tape and how far down I should go at Lowes, they told me they'd never hear of anyone doing that, and that it didn't seem like a good idea.   Likewise, Ask This Old House only recommends putting down caulking on the sill before applying the backer board, and then again after before adding tile, and then caulking a 3rd time under the tiles before grouting.
Should I add a vapor barrier between the frame and the cement board?  Why or why not?

You should NOT place a vapor barrier BEHIND the backer board.

Where, pray tell, would any such collected vapor/water go?

Answer:There's nowhere proper for such moisture to egress.

The current best practice is to place waterproofing OVER the backetboard and just UNDER the tile.  Thin sheet membranes like Kerdi or NobleFlex are examples
. Paint on membranes can also be used, such as RedGuard or AquaDefense.

This a is a recent job I completed illustrating Kerdi over Hardibacker.


Electrical consumption measurement and data gathering at the wall outlet level? I have a TED (The Energy Detective) to measure energy levels in my home. I was initially excited with the data that I was getting, but quickly found that it was not sufficient to give a clear enough picture.

Is there a known method for measuring electrical consumption at the outlet level for devices that also reports the data back to a central local server that can show everything in a comprehensive graph?  (Essentially a Kill A Watt with networking.)

I'm considering building one (well many of these) myself if necessary and would appreciate any thoughts or input in this regard if you have any. I have about 30 outlets that I need to monitor.

Huh, I was under the impression that the TED did exactly that. Or is it that the TED unit requires being wired into the breaker panel, as opposed to an individual outlet like the Kill-A-Watt? If it's the individual outlet issue, a lot of the new "smart plugs" that work with an Amazon Echo (Alexa) or Google Home unit come in versions that also track energy usage. That's what the Sonoff" unit mentioned above is. I just bought one to work with my Alexa system, I saw that it also monitors energy use, but I didn't care about that.


Best way to clean balcony tiles in semi enclosed balcony that doesn't have drainage I have a first floor semi-enclosed balcony that is at the mercy of the elements.  The tiles (porous stone) really need a good scrub with a water blaster but there is no drainage and I couldn't get a hose up there anyway.  Any suggestions on the best way to clean it?

Some porous stone can be damaged by harsh cleaning chemicals. I would probably start with a stiff scrub brush on a broomstick, with a bucket of warm water and a bit of TSP (trisodium phosphate). Just don't use so much that you create standing water.

Let that dry then rinse with a sponge mop and clean water.


How to make my box liftable I have this big wooden box in my garage:

The current position makes it a bit cumbersome to park the car.
Is there a way to make the box easily "liftable" or "raisable" up to the ceiling (or as high as possible)? How would you go about it?

I thought maybe this could involve ropes, a pulley, and little wheels attached to the box (on the wall side).

I'm looking for a really simple solution since I'm pretty much useless at doing anything more complicated than tightening a screw.

The contents of the box weigh around 26 lbs ~= 12 kg.

From your comments, I see you want to store a bike.  You also do not want to build/install anything too complicated.

Rather then trying to raise/lower the box, I would recommmend just buying a Bike Lift:

Bike Lift http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/300/4b/4bcad37a-7e8d-45df-b54e-5cf992a65ecb_300.jpg

This particular one is $25USD at Home Depot.  I doubt you could build something yourself much cheaper.  This one is rated for 50lbs so you don't have to worry about it crashing down on your cars.


CCTV camera / PIR security light intereferance I have recently installed a CCTV system at home which is working perfectly. The system consists of a KARE® 8CH Digital Video Recorder CCTV Camera System (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KF55Y42/ref=pe_385721_145294501_TE_3p_dp_1) and two Lorex IP Wireless Camera (http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/lorex-ip-wireless-camera-a75wc). The two wireless cameras are installed either side of my garage door to cover both sides of my motor-home parked on the driveway. The garage is detached from the house with a separate electrical supply including breakers and RCD.

Since the installation of the wireless cameras though the two PIR LED security lights i have covering the driveway have not been working as effectively as they did so before, they are Blooma Bythos 10W Mains Powered PIR Floodlights from B&Q sometimes they come on and stay on, sometimes they don't activate when they should.

The wireless cameras are installed directly above each of the security lights and aimed in the same direction as the lights. Could the cameras be affecting the lights operation, if so how and can this issue be rectified while keeping both lights and cameras in place.

Your LED security lights work on PIR, passive infrared to trigger them on.
The Lorex Camera specs out using
Night Vision
Night Vision Distance   41m
Number of Infra-Red LEDs    24
It is possible the infrared of the cameras are over loading the security lights enough to keep them from working fully.  You can check this simply by turning off the camera or placing a piece of cardboard over the front and see if the lights trigger as expected.
If the two interfere with each other not much can be done other then moving the camera or turning off the night vision ability (kind of defeats the use).
It might be possible to make a small shield to shade the cameras IR from directing into the lights or a directed tube on the lights sensor to narrow the view.
If the interference exists, it is all trial and error to find a placement or shadowing to make it work.  My drive camera had to be raised about ten feet above the leds to make things work as best possible.


Electrical ,what voltage to use I am confused about what voltage to use to calculate current for cable size of transformer.
for example, single phase given load 140kva 120/240.
if  I=140/120v= 1166 A  and if  140/240v=583A
I know for fact, we use I=kva/1.73 x V. But for single phase i am not able to find correct solution.
Thank you for your help.

I don't know why this question is here as it's not a DIY process, but I'll answer anyway.

Three phase power (208/120 or 480/277) is divided by the square root of 3 and by the higher voltage. The square root of 3 is used because of the adjustment between phases.

Single phase power is completely different, and easier. You just divide by the higher voltage, 240. This is because 120 is not the voltage on the panel; 120 is simply a subdivision because of the neutral.


How to level an old cement floor? I have an old garage where I want to make an office. The floor is not 100%  leveled and has some holes. I read about self leveling material for the floor. Is this something one can apply? is it easy? Are there other diy solutions?

Self-leveling material may be appropriate depending on the condition of the existing floor and the depth of the repair. You'd need to take some measurements and read the product literature to know for sure.

The alternate approach is to rip treated joists as needed to create a level frame, then overlay suitable subfloor sheathing.

Without more information that's about as specific as I can get.


NM-B Romex going through conduit raceway to external breaker box. Not code compliant? I recently noticed one connection in my breaker box where 12/2 Romex exits the house in a conduit and enters the breaker box.  The breaker box is on the external wall of the house. I thought this was considered a wet location and therefore running Romex through conduit is prohibited.
Just wanted to make sure that this violates code.  I am going to have to rewire this before I have the inspector come in for another job I am doing right now.
Here is a picture of the breaker box - Look for yellow cable popping out from bottom right corner.

Picture of conduit attached to the breaker box

Picture of the electrical box where conduit terminates (both inside and outside of the box)

If the conduit continues into a box for the receptacle just replace with thhn. If the conduit is just a sleeve to protect the romex it would need to be changes to type uf-b  because the conduit would be considered a wet location


What kind of wall do I have, and do I need anchors? I have a 36"x60" 30 lbs frameless mirror that I want to hang up on my wall, but I can't seem to find the studs! I've tried using a magnetic stud finder with no luck. I've drilled multiple holes in my wall and here is what I found:

There's an outlet at the bottom right edge of my wall. I drilled one hole at eye level about 9" to the left of that and did hit wood! I thought I found a stud, but then I drilled another hole closer to the floor where the base of the mirror would be. It's directly underneath the first hole but now there's no wood! I'm so confused.
I drilled a bunch of holes elsewhere in the wall, but no wood. All of these holes are pretty deep, like 1 1/2". Is my wall not hollow?
Shining a flashlight into some of these holes makes me think it's not made of drywall? Could it be concrete?
Also, with every hole, I seem to have drilled through some sort of metal fence thing about 7/8" from the surface. Is there like a metal mesh inside my wall?

The surface of my wall is textured and I live in an old apartment in San Francisco (I have rent control so it was probably built before 1979).

I've given up looking for a stud and just use wall anchors instead, but it doesn't look like my wall is hollow so the anchors probably won't even come out the other side. What kind of wall do I have, and given the thickness, can I just use the screws by themselves to hang up the mirror?

For a 30 pound mirror i would not use just screws into plaster and lath.

If your wall is as you state in the comments then i would use My favorite Toggle anchors

They are very strong and have a beefy machine screw.

You will need a 1/2 inch drill bit. You drill the hole, collapse the anchor, slide it into the hole, snug up the wall tab and break off the excessive part of the tabs, then just thread in the machine screw.

There needs to be enough room in the cavity of the wall for the anchor to go in and make its turn.

If your wall is plaster and lath there is a possibility that the back side where the toggle will be sitting against is not flat, this would cause the toggle to not be straight and aligning the screw to thread in may be problematic.

Here is short but informative video on how to install.


What should I use to seal the joints between two pieces of concrete backer board in a bathroom? We had some plumbing issues in a bathroom that required us to open up the wall for the shower.  That's been fixed but now I'm wondering how to seal the replacement piece of backer board.  It'll be screwed into the wall studs so I'm NOT worried about it moving.  I just want to protect it against water/moisture, etc.

What should I use?  I assume a normal silicon won't bond to concrete.

Detail the existing backer board so there is no thinset left at all, you will need that room for the new thinset. Tape off the areas you don't want caulk on and use any caulk that will bridge the gap in the sheets, and cover with a liquid applied membrane meant for showers. Set your tile.


Installing a dimmer switch I'm replacing a regular light switch with a new dimmer switch. When I pulled out the switch, there was a red and black wire that were slotted into the top of the switch, and then a thicker black wire slotted into the bottom.  And the grounding wire.  The new dimmer switch has a green and white wire - I know the green wire is the grounding wire but don't know which of the black and red wire from the outlet is the neutral and which is hot.  Also, on the side of the dimmer switch are spots for Load and Line. So I have 3 wires to connect to the white (neutral) wire, the Load and the Line on the dimmer...

You need to use a voltage tester while the circuit is on to identify which is the load and which is the line. The line comes from the circuit break to the switch. As long as you have power, that will be hot. The load is from the switch to the light/outlet/etc. That will only be hot when the switch is in the on state.
Neutral is its own wire. Generally white, and will be in the back of the junction box capped (unused). You connect the smart/dimmer white wire to this wire.


Cleaning a dryer vent with a sharp elbow Curious if there is a good solution for cleaning a dryer vent that has two sharp elbows in it, one next to the other. There is a 90 degree bend as soon as the vent enters the wall and another 90 degree bend about a foot below it as it moves towards the back of the house.

I've tried using the "Lint Eater" product (by Gardus) and a power drill, but the two bends in the vent together are too sharp for the the rods to make the turn. It seems that the only option is to come in from the outside but I'm afraid of hurting the vent hood. Damaging the hood it would only make the problem worse if an animal decides to move in. Hoping there is some other alternative.

I've had good luck with the brushes that come with the Lint Eater type products you mentioned... but tied on to a piece of rope.

First step is to get the rope through the vent. I hook up a shop vac to one end and feed the rope in from the other. The shop vac will suck the rope through the vent. Sometimes tying a cloth rag to the end of the rope increases the force of the suction on the rope. When the rope arrives at the other end, tie the Lint Eater brush to the rope.

Now comes the fun part: pull the rope back out the other way, dragging the brush behind it.

Additionally, you can tie a rope to the other end of the brush before you pull it back. This lets you pull the brush back and forth a couple of times without having to repeat the shop vac trick.


How can I black out sunlight BEHIND my condo's windows and vertical blinds? To block sun light, I taped  aluminum foil and garbage bags to window. then  condo board lawyer mailed me warning letter. They violated condo's bylaws and she ordered me to take them down.

Without prior written consent of our condo board, you cannot:

decorate or paint any outside area, exterior surface or exterior door.

change the color of any exterior glass, window, door or screen of any dwelling unit. The window side of all drapes, blinds or other window coverings shall be white or off white in color.

Lawyer wrote foil or bags cannot be in front of, or touch, blinds or window.  But I can put up coverings behind red line in picture.  But how can I set up them at red line? Bag or foil can't stick to ceiling or carpet!

Condo board refused my request and wrote that if they let everybody cover their windows with bags or foil, condo will look ugly and look like it's still under construction!
Pic below is my blinds. I don't have curtain rods. I can't hang curtains. I got allergies. I DON'T want sleep mask,  tent,  hat to cover eyes or put pillow over my head. I lost my job. I don't have money to hire professionals  or lawyers.

I agree those window coverings are wholly inadequate for keeping out light. They're the "cheap, default" window coverings provided by most condo associations.   You're expected to upgrade if you own the place.
Normal upgrades include heavier curtains which do block the light.  Note that most quality curtains have a "curtain liner" on the backside.  These are typically white or off-white, even if your side of the curtain is red, blue, black or whatever.   It might even be a variation on the blinds you do have, with the interior side black instead of white.
So they certainly don't mean you can't have window treatments that are non-white on the interior side.  They mean if you're going to put up trailer-trash third world literally garbage up to block light, you need to stand it off from the proper window treatments so you don't mess up their aesthetic.
You live there because  you like it, because it's nice, right?  Well, it didn't get nice by itself.  It's nice because the builder, and the condo association, and the residents, work pretty hard to keep it nice.
"Nice" has other implications, like higher class occupants and less crime.
If you really mean to say "nice" is not important to you, then you're wasting capital by tying it up in a property whose major (costly) feature is being "nice".  Sell it and get something that's a better fit.


Gas furnace air is cooler (but NOT COLD) during bitter cold days - why? I have a Lennox central gas furnace. It is only about 3 years old, and was on the very high end of the models available in terms of energy efficiency and such. I sprung for a more expensive model firstly because I got rebates from all my energy companies, and secondly because I actually could afford and wanted to have such efficiency!

Up here in Minnesota we can have some bitterly cold days. It's not uncommon for temps to be well below 0. For example, today the ambient outdoor temperature was minus 5 degrees.

I've noticed that when it gets this cold outside, the heated air coming from the ducts is a lot cooler. It's not cold, there's still very definite warmth to it - this is not an issue with the furnace blowing air without the flame going or anything like that. However, it is certainly nowhere near as warm as it normally is.

When the temps outside are around, say, 30 degrees or even as low as the high teens, the furnace pumps out nice toasty warm air and keeps the house warm running less than 25% of the time. However, once temps drop below 0, the furnace can run 24/7 just to maintain a temperature of 66 degrees! If we get lower than say 10 or 15 below, the furnace basically loses the battle, and will run 24/7 even though the house temp will slowly, slowly, slowly creep downward. Again, the air coming out of the ducts when this happens is significantly cooler, but not cold. Luckily lately we haven't had days that cold in long stretches, but last winter there was a period of maybe a few weeks where the average temps were below 0, and I ended up turning off the water mains and temporarily living with a friend, because it was clear the furnace wasn't going to warm the house back up.

The furnace has two PVC pipes going to the outside - obviously one is an intake and one is an exhaust. The air coming from the exhaust pipe feels a lot warmer than the air coming out of the ducts - however I admit this might be deceptive since it's so bitterly cold outside that anything probably feels warm.

All of the flame systems are working fine. The sensors are good, the ignition goes off without a hitch every time, the burning flame is clearly visible through the observation port, and my gas bill shows that the gas company certainly feels that I'm using a lot of gas. LOL

Any ideas why the air coming out of the system is so much cooler when it's extremely cold outside?

Thanks!

F

There should be a nameplate on the unit, which among other things will list the expected temperature rise across the heat exchanger.  This value tells you how much the furnace should be expected to raise the temperature of the incoming air.

Furnaces do not put out an exact temperature air, the outlet air temperature is always based on the inlet air temperature. For example. If you have a furnace with a 60°F temperature rise rating, and an inlet air temperature of 65°F. You should expect 125°F air coming out of the furnace. If you have an inlet air temperature of 45°F, going into the same furnace.  You should only expect 105°F air to come out.

Add to that the fact that some ducts might be run in exterior walls or unconditioned space, and you could be losing heat before the air actually reaches you.

It sounds like either the furnace is undersized, dirty, old, or the home is not insulated well.  Make sure the filter is clean, all registers and returns are open and unobstructed, and have the heat exchanger cleaned and inspected by an HVAC technician.


Residentail Tankless Water Heater Electrical Concerns So the electrical install guide for Ecosmart ECO 18 requires 2 (two) 40 amp double pole circuits.  They specifically mention running two grounds too which I gather would be provided if NM cable w/ground was used.

The two concerns that I have that the install guide does not request or mention are as follows:

One: should not there be a handle tie between the two 40 amp breakers?
Two:  If I run the 4 #8's in EMT then one insulated ground #8 would suffice, no? I do realize the EMT can be used as a ground too.

Update* Talked to tech support and they do not recommend a handle tie and one ground would be enough but they recommend two.

Handle-ties have two reasons:

Joint trip.  This is relevant if a safety problem that causes one trip, would also require the other side be tripped. It's not applicable to multi-wire branch circuits (MWBC), for instance. In this case it is not applicable to dual 240V heater elements as that machine is designed.
Common maintenance shut-off.  Appropriate when we want to design the system so a worker de-energizing equipment is forced to turn it all off.  This is required for MWBCs, for instance.  It's not really relevant here, since it's readily obvious to any competent person that the heater is powered by 2-3 circuits, so he's going to make sure he shuts them all off.

In this case, neither instance applies, so handle ties between the 2-pole breakers are not warranted.  Beware: the tripping half-breaker may not have the physical muscle to trip three additional half-breakers.  So you don't do something like that without affirming the device is listed to do exactly that.  Otherwise you violate the rule on using items only as listed (tested).

Using both grounds is a matter of why not, since it's already in the 8/2 cable.  If it was connected via plastic conduit, that wouldn't apply.

In steel conduit, the conduit is the ground and no further grounds are required; you can run a ground of any size if you're really into belt-and-suspenders.  I'm sorry, I made that sound weird.  I would do that.


150cm X 25cm ceramic tiles - how to cut them? I have wood-look large ceramic tiles for my bathroom and I don't know how to cut them without damaging.
While it was easy with smaller format tiles, cutting these alongside does make me worry that the tile might snap.
Any suggestions?

Wet tile saw

The best way to cut straight lines is to use a wet tile saw. This gives you a nice clean line, and is safer and significantly less messy than a dry saw because the water keeps bits from flying everywhere.

Snap tile cutter

Another option is a snap tile cutter. This scores the tile and then you can snap it easily. It doesn't produce as clean of cuts as a wet saw so it's an ok option if you are hiding the cut edge under baseboard at the edges of the room.

Tile nipper

Another option is a tile nipper. These are only for cutting small pieces, doing detail work or cutting curves. They literally nibble a way a little bit at a time.


Are there motion light sensors available for multi-gang switches? I suspect this is not available but I have rooms and bathrooms, all of which are multi-gang.  2 plus switches per plate.  Are there slim line automatic switches for these configurations?

Kids are driving me crazy leaving lights on and want to do this but can't find anything but single switch options.

A 2-gang box simply holds 2 single-gang devices. You need the single-gang device, the hard part will be finding the correct faceplate to use.


Bathroom exhaust fan without duct I just found out that our bathroom exhaust fan has no duct attached to it. Our current fan is Panasonic FV-08VQ2 (90 CFM, 4" duct diameter). The fan just blows the air to the inaccessible attic. There is what looks like an attic exhaust close to the location of the fan but no duct (see white circle in the picture). The bathroom exhaust fan is about 5' from the window on the top floor. Here are my questions:

Is this a big problem? I assume the fan has been like this for 15+ years. If it is, I will look into getting a duct there, which is complicated by the inaccessible attic space.
Should we stop using the fan until this gets fixed?
Should we be concerned about any mold etc in the attic as a consequence of this?

Thanks!

Is this a big problem? I assume the fan has been like this for 15+ > years. If it is, I will look into getting a duct there, which is complicated by the inaccessible attic space.

Moisture in the attic is a problem and the fan needs to be ducted to the exterior. I find it hard to believe that your attic has no access. Code requires one for many reasons including maintenance and for fire fighting.

  Should we stop using the fan until this gets fixed?

After 15 years, a little longer won't be a big difference in the overall picture and not using it can cause problems in your bathroom due to excessive moisture there.

  Should we be concerned about any mold etc in the attic as a consequence of this?

Yes. When you get the work done have them check for mold and decay of the roof framing members and roof sheathing


toilet is constantly running water to tank but won’t fill My toilet is constantly running and water is pouring into tank but won’t fill and toilet won’t flush

Get some food coloring and put a lot of it into the tank, you will likely see it ending up in the bowl. When it leaks into the bowl slowly, it just goes down the drain slowly without creating a "flush" action.

If you start putting the food coloring in next to the overflow tube in the tank, you will see it go into the bowl immediately, which means your fill valve needs adjusting so that it does not let the water go over the top of that tube.

If it is not, then when the coloring filters its way down to the flapper, that's when you will likely start to see it make it's way into the bowl. that means you must replace the flapper.


Can I drain the main sink in a double sink (with a small disposal side) into the disposal, to prevent clogs from building up from food waste? The main sink keeps clogging up--I'll use a plunger, Liquid Plumber, and/or a snake to clean it out and get it running nicely, and then it'll clog again within a week or so.

To solve this, I'm wanting to set up something that I knew my parents had when I was a kid: the main sink drained through the disposal, so that whenever the main sink clogged, running the disposal cleared it.

How do I drain the main sink through the disposal?

The only way would be to actually disconnect all the piping and reconfigure your set-up so that the disposer is on the "main sink" side. It should actually be fairly simple to do, but it is a lot of hard work on your back under the cabinet. Removing and re-setting the disposer is not rocket science but if you have not done it before or are unfamiliar with setting sink strainers you might want to hire out the job.

1) disconnect all the waste pipes all the way to the trap

2) remove the disposer: disconnect power, disconnect dishwasher drain hose (if present), remove disposer body from disposer sink drain assembly (method varies by brand), remove disposer sink drain assembly (method varies by brand).

3) remove sink drain assembly (basket strainer) from main sink and re-install on small sink.

4) install drain assembly and disposer unit on main sink.

5) install new plastic waste piping to tie drains into the trap: measure twice / cut once, test fit all pieces hand tight, tighten firmly with Channellock pliers.

Tools/materials: screwdrivers, Channellocks, plumbers putty, adjustable wrench, flashlight


What are my options for heating an energy efficient home with low heating needs? I have a super insulated, envelope home. I have R-88 in the ceiling and R-44 in the walls. Living in Northern WI I do have heating requirements, but nowhere near the output of the 90,000 BTU furnace that was originally installed. After living in the home a few years I decreased the burner orifices to give a 50,600 BTU output. This was better and I have used it for the last 20 years. Now my furnace is 33 years old and I am looking for the "Right" furnace to install.

I have connected my furnace to my computer and have recorded every burn cycle for the last year. I have read my gas meter to calculate the amount of gas used per minute. I then calculated that my furnace requirement is about a 25000 BTU furnace. The smallest furnace I can find on the market is a 40,000 BTU furnace. I calculate the 40,000 BTU furnace about twice as much heat as I need.

I do not want to decrease the output of my current furnace (by reducing the number of gas nozzles), as I am concerned with effecting the efficiency of the furnace.

What are my options for such a small heating requirement?

Low ambient mini-split heat pump is a typical approach - might want a couple-three (the 9-12K BTU/hr ones tend to be more efficient than the bigger ones, and the "1-compressor - 1 inside unit" also tend to be more efficient than the "1 compressor - multiple inside unit" versions, though the initial cost will be more.

An alternate approach for just heat, and using your ducts as is, would be to replace your furnace with a "fan coil unit" (water to air heat exchanger with a blower fan) and connect that to a highly efficient gas water heater. A circulating pump would also be required, and perhaps a heat exchanger to isolate the systems (or find a coil unit that is safe for potable water contact and use a stainless steel pump.)

On the third hand, a natural gas parlor heater (fake wood stove) in that size range could provide the heat, (or a pellet stove if you wanted to change fuel sources, but at the current time gas is probably the most economical heating fuel if you have it) and then you might still want some sort of fan on the ducts to help even out the temperatures around the house. These are available with controls that do not require outside electric power to operate, and can be quite an attractive focal point.

Ground source heat pumps are a lovely idea that suffer from often being not economically viable - A minimal GSHP setup is typically 5-10X the cost of low-ambient air-air units, though they are far more resilient in deep cold since they operate from deep groundwater temperatures that are usually stable at 52F or so.


How can I mount a one gang box to a pipe? I would like to mount a single gang box to a pipe and stay code compliant. I have a 1-1/2" pipe (but that can be changed), and I would like to have an outlet on the side of the pipe for mounting a projector on the pipe and plugging it in right at the pipe instead of at the wall.

Or, even better, is there a product that I can mount to a pipe that has a box integrated into it?

This question brought to you by Home Depot and their lousy selection.

I do a ton of EMT conduit. Hanging EMT or junction boxes off pipes is completely routine.

Just from one page on Grainger:

If the pipe clamps are blind threaded, like two of these are, take care to select sizes that fit the existing holes in your junction boxes, typically 10-32 or 10-24 is safe, sometimes 1/4-20 will work.  And select machine screws short enough they don't bottom out and break the clamp.

Your friendly neighborhood electrical supply house will have some of these, and other options, in stock.

Don't use the hole in your junction box that is tapped 10-32, that is for a ground screw.

I  have also seen people drill and tap holes directly into steel poles, then then simply use machine screws to attach the box.  Obviously the pipe contains no fluid.


Choosing a material to cover wood and paint with emulsion We're using a floor to ceiling stained pine bookcase to subdivide a room.

On the front side it looks great. However, the back of the bookcase is quite ugly.

I'd like to cover the back with something that I can paint with emulsion so, from that side, it looks like part of the dry wall rather than a piece of furniture.

I considered using plywood but I imagine the woodgrain texture could show through.

I've also wondered about either a sheet of MDF or sticking plasterboard to the back (although would this require skimming?)

Could anyone suggest what the best material to make wood, not look like wood.

I would imagine that a similar problem would occur when picking a material for boxing in pipes or vents.

Depending on how fussy you are, the best thing to look like drywall is drywall. It may also be the least expensive thing that looks like drywall.

I have built a bookcase (attached to the floor and ceiling, so functionally a wall) with a drywall backing, mudded the drywall as usual and indeed the other side looks just like a wall. You have to accept that you have limited attachment points for the drywall (unless there's a terribly thick back on the shelf, which would be unusual) and that will upset folks that want it attached as if there were studs there, but this has not proven to be a problem as far as I can tell. I carefully marked where the fixed uprights and fixed horizontal shelves were, and screwed into those.

You could probably use resilient channel if you wanted a better screwing situation, but you give up some space and add issues treating the end to cover the gap that would create behind the drywall.


How can I remove a portion of a hardwood floor board? I am adding a small pantry with door to the kitchen area and want to continue the hardwood floors from the kitchen area into the pantry.  After removing the baseboard moldings I see that the last hardwood board against the wall was roughly ripped to fit.  I want to cut out a portion of this board where the door opening will be, so that I can continue the flooring into the pantry.  Can I cross-cut this board without having to remove the entire board first?  There is not enough room to plunge cut with a circular saw - would it be better to just use a chisel?

Added drawing to show what I'm trying to do.  The boards against the wall have been ripped down to only about 1" wide, so there's not much to cut...

For close cutting, either horizontally or vertically in very close quarters, I  recommend a multitool.

It has different blades for wood, metal, and can do some limited grinding and tight sanding. You do need clearance of at least the width of the blade plus about 1/4 inch.

If you do not have that much clearance, you may need a Dremel-type rotary cutting/grinding tool. It can cut or grind down to very small widths.

Failing that, or if you are hand tool inclined, you can use a chisel.


Do i need a new collar on a toilet if i have a vinyl floor? never had one before Do i need a new collar on a toilet if i have a vinyl floor? never had one before

this is my second toilet and it was leaking.  even before the plumber started the work, the price went form $220.00 to $440.00 because he said I might need a new collar.

I never had a problem with the last 2 plumbers not needing one and when 2 new toilets were put in it was not needed.

this plumber said they require it without even looking at the toilet.  I am a single 68 year old female and i feel like I am being taken advantage of.  is it a must or can the ring be 1/4" below the floor like everyone states?

The ring can be 1/4" below the floor, although level with the floor is best. Modern wax rings (and some other newfangled sealing rings) are able to accomodate this.

There may be some other reason the plumber is recommending repair or replacement of the closet ring. Armed with this knowledge, ask him/her to explain in detail why this is necessary. If you are unsatisfied with the response, thank the plumber and say you will call them back after you think about it. Then call some other reputable, licensed, insured plumber and get a second opinion.


Want to Control 2 thermostats separately from one gas fired heating only furnace I have a 24V gas-fired furnace heating only, 3 wire thermostat and I want to use 2 separate thermostats to control the furnace.  1 thermostat will be used in warmer heating months to control the space temperature of a cabin and the other thermostat will be used in below zero weather to heat a crawl space containing pipes to prevent freezing.  Only one thermostat will be able to control the furnace.  Someone suggested a DPDT switch but how do I wire that switch?

You should be able to wire the thermostats in parallel.  When either one is closed, the furnace runs.

Run wires from both thermostats to the furnace.  (You likely have one set there already.)  From thermostat A the two wires (usually one black, one white, sometimes other colours) are connected to two screws on the furnace.  With thermostat B's wires connect one each to the same two screws.  So both white ones are on one screw and both others are on the other screw.

Most thermostats don't care about current direction, so one wire to each screw.

Therm A -----------------------0-------------------------------- Therm B
        -----------------------0--------------------------------
                               ^
                       Screws on Furnace


How to detect mildew or fungus? We live in an apartment, and since a couple of months, my girlfriend suffer from all sort of lung/breath/throat problems. ( Multiple visits to the Doctors give the same result: she has nothing, might be allergy. But she also have been tested for allergies, and nothing to declare in that part )

Since a couple of weeks, I also start to have throat problem, and I'm someone that have a natural good heal, I'm almost never sick.

Even if we see nothing, and keep the place clean, I'm starting to think that there might be mildew or fungus in wall, roof, or anyplace that we can't inspect visually, and lead to a bad/toxic air.

How can we check if we have that kind of problem without opening the walls ?

There are many DIY air quality test kits available, that might be the best place to start.  This one checks for bacteria on HVAC filters and vents.  This one from AirLab actually samples the air to test, though it is a bit pricey.

You could also call a professional to come in and test the quality of the air in your home, this can be expensive so I would recommend a cheap DIY test first. If the DIY test shows contaminants or inconclusive results, then I would call in the professionals.

You might want to discuss this with your landlord, as they might be responsible for testing and/or removal of the contaminants (depending on your local laws).


How can I remove old paint from wooden door frames? There is paint in almost all door frames in my home. All of them were done because of clumsy paint job years ago. The paint is normal wall color (water soluble).

I really need to get rid of the paint. What I am looking is a way to do it without hurting my hands for hours using a wet sponge and without having to remove the whole frame from each door.

Dried paint does not come of with a wet sponge, even if it is water based. There is a plasticizer in the paint which hardens as it dries and loses it water solubility.

There are several techniques, and which one will work depends on many factors, such as the finish on the door frames before painting, the cleanliness of those frames, the type and age of the paint, etc.

Try using a plastic scraper - use the edge of a credit card (not an active one) held almost perpendicular to the molding and scrape downward. You can also use a plastic putty knife, but that edge is usually not sharp enough.
Use a metal scraper - harder to do without damaging the underlying finish, but if done very gently and carefully, it may get most off. There are specialty scrapers called cabinet scrapers that are especially suited to careful work like this.
Follow up the above two methods with a utility knife (a razor blade-like knife). Use it sideways as a scraper just on the painted area.
Use a pot scrubbing pad - (but this involves wet hands that you don't like; try latex gloves) use a cleaning solution. Mask the adjoining wall first to avoid scraping paint that you want to keep.
Sanding - if all of the above fail, you can try a sanding block or sponge.  This will definitely get it off but will cut through the finish n the molding mandating at least a partial refinishing. This may be the only technique that gets out the fine lines of white in the grain of the wood as shown in your pictures, unless you want to try to carefully dig it out with an xacto-type knife (a very narrow craft knife).

For all of these techniques, the molding finish may be damaged. If so, you can touch it up with a polyurethane (assuming the color in the damaged areas is not too different from the finished areas). You might try a rub-on poly if the gloss is close to the existing one. It is more forgiving in application.


Making exposed structural wood look nice I built a loft/bed in a bedroom. It uses structural 2x which will be exposed once the room is complete. The structural 2x (a vertical 2x6 post and horizontal 2x12-2 beams spanning 75% of the room) doesn't look awesome, but the loft is solid as a rock :)

Some ideas I have for making it look nice:

Drywall the beam and post -- wife veto'd that idea. She wants the
look of wood.
Attach 1x hardwood (maple/birch) to the 2x with glue/brad nail(s)? The problem with this is a) it's really expensive and b) I can't find a solid 1x14 to cover the 2x12 11.5" face and c) it seems wasteful to be attaching 1x to an already solid beam/post just for looks.
Sand and paint -- could do this, but the 2x12 has the standard cracks and rough finish that makes it difficult to deal with on a raw basis. It would be easier just to throw 1/4" drywall on it (but see #1)
Apply some kind of veneer. I don't know how to do this, nor if it would look good wrapped around a post or beam.

All four sides of the post are exposed. Only one face and the top/bottom of the beam are exposed.

I'm leaning towards #2, eating the expense and attaching 1x hardwood to the post/beam in a box kind of configuration. Are there any other ideas out there before I continue, and if not, what are some good ways of attaching the 1x to the structural wood?

Here's a picture of the wood that will be exposed. That big beam and the post at the far end (and the beam that can't be seen attaching the post to the wall on the right).

Aesthetics of a home design is very personal.  I like the uniqueness of your Structural bed frame. I don’t think it needs to be covered with wood trim or gypsum board.

I have two fireplaces in my house...one is a large brick fireplace and the other is made from logs off the beach. Everyone that sees the brick fireplace comments on this one unique brick that is extremely twisted. They love it. Everyone that sees the log fireplace comments on the rusty steel connector located at one end. They love it, but everyone misses the rest of each fireplace.

My point is: make it unique. Go ahead and finish the rest of the bedroom but leave the structural wood exposed. I’d finish it with transparent stain...don’t paint it and try to “cover it up”.

There’s a “thing” in design that says put opposites next to each other...they’ll accent each other’s qualities. That is to say, putting a piece of wood next to a gypsum board wall, will make the trim stand out and the gypsum board look monolithic.

We design custom homes that are all white in a natural wooded environment so that the house says, “I’m unique to this environment.”


Can I tap into my hot water heater circuit for an exhaust fan and a extra plug? I am installing a exhaust fan in my basement and a extra plug so I am wondering if I can tap into my electric hot water heater for the power.

No.

The water heater needs a dedicated circuit, and most likely uses a higher amperage fuse or breaker which can't be used for normal 120v outlets.


Old Frost-Free Sillcock Woes I disassembled this old outdoor spigot to replace the stem seal and stop the slow spout drip. I can't see any markings on it. But the seal refused to slide out and from pulling, popped off inside the unit! I can reinsert the stem and the screwhead will go into the seal again, but not pull it out. It leaks more now, of course.

The stem looks to be 14" long. Have no idea yet whether it is sweated or threaded to the copper pipe.

Close-up of the old stem seal, minus the seal...

What are the options here? I have no idea which make or model sillcock this is or even how old it is. Will the whole thing need replacing?

Edit: Well I tried getting the seal out using the water pressure itself, thinking it might blow it right out. That didn't work, but I did get shards of the old, deteriorated seal as it fell apart. Given where this seal is, even getting a replacement in there would be challenging. I'm not convinced it can even be removed externally. Tomorrow it's supposed to be very cold so the whole faucet must be replaced now.

Looking in the crawl, it was a 3/4" threaded fitting to 1/2" copper. I went to the local home improvement store and boggled at how few "wall hydrants" they had in this (apparently 12") size with 3/4" threads. The only frost-free faucet close to this was an inch shorter:

It took a lot longer than an hour. My propane torch was 20 miles away, so a proper copper alteration wasn't possible. A red brass 3/4" FIP to 3/4" close was used, making the whole thing about an inch longer than the original. The exterior mounting holes were also different, and I don't own a hammer drill and assorted carbide bits. I expanding-foamed the gaps and insulated the union. So yes, it's working and drip-free, but is not flush with the exterior brick. Now I have to go back down there in the spring and trim the 1/2" pipe so the faucet is flush outside.

Moral of this story: Just because you can do-it-yourself, doesn't always mean that you should. Yes, I saved money by doing it myself, but now I have to essentially re-do the job in the spring because I didn't have the proper tools.

I would not try to find parts if you have acces to the connections.  I would convert to pex then install a new frost free faucet.

Replacement if you know EXACTLY what parts to buy, with the proper tools on hand, and a single trip to the parts store should take around an hour.

Fixing your existing frostfree, locating parts, turning the main on and off, ect could take days if you have to wait on parts after you spend hours trying to find them.  Further at the end of it all you STILL might need to replace the faucet.

Your time has to be worth something right?

Without knowing what to buy and without the proper tools, you are probably looking double to triple the time for either option.

If the connections are not accessible; everything might change.

If you don't like to do what it takes to get to the connections (to dirty, to cramped, etc), pay someone else to and make money to pay them doing something more preferable.


Can I rely on a simple gas valve to shut off the gas? I have a gas pipe with a simple turn shut-off valve in line on the pipe feeding the section I need to work on. Is shutting it off there sufficient enough to do the work I need to do, or do I need to shut it off at the main?

Scenario;
We recently found the foundation had bowed in just a little which put pressure on where this piece of pipe angles to feed a fireplace and the laundry room for a gas dryer. I had dead man anchors etc installed to take care of the foundation issue. Now I need to replace two pipes to take off any pressure from the pipeline.

See in the image, the foundation is pressed up against and even bending the pipe;

So I need to replace both pipes feeding this corner. Conveniently after breaking down  more ceiling (amazing what you find when you remodel) I found this in-line valve I turned off that feeds this section.

Can I get away with just having that in-line valve shut-off to do what I need to do? I've never done it without the main shut-off but there's like 4 neighbors gas registers in my yard and I don't know which is mine, but I still wanted to be safe and get some opinions first. Advice welcome

That should do the trick for a start. You will smell gas when you disassemble the pipe and should dissipate. On the jobsite, when this is done, the longer pipe section is removed from the valve on the fed side (fireplace side) of the pipe and capped with a threaded plug with the proper tape sealant or pipe dope approved for gas fittings. A nipple and cap can be used too, instead of a plug. Its a variation of the same thing.

Do be careful on this, this should go without saying, you are dealing with some really explosive stuff here.


Can I install a 220V chandelier from Turkey on a Canadian 110V circuit? I got a 70 years old chandelier from Turkey that is wired in 220V. The seller told me that the electric cable has been recently changed and that it will work in 110 or 220V.

I'm in Canada where the cabling is all 110V. The wiring of the chandelier is different from here and I was wondering if it's safe to use here... And if so, how to install it? My father is working in the home improvement industry and is able to install anything electric related but I want to make checks before.

There are a few things that would make me nervous about doing this:

For a given wattage, bulbs rated for 110 V will draw over twice as much current as those rated for 240 V.  For example, 60 W @ 240 V is 250 mA; 60 W @ 110 V is 550 mA.  Are the supply wires going to be able to carry enough current for as many bulbs and at the wattage you want?  The extra live wire is probably to allow independent control of parts of the chandelier from two light switches, so the limiting factor will be the neutral.
In any light fixture that you could buy in the US or Canada, any exposed metal parts that could be energized in a fault would be grounded.  Your photos don't show a ground lead -- is there one, and is it hooked up correctly?

My advice would be to talk to an antique dealer that specializes in lighting.  I imagine that there's a market for importing and/or updating fixtures to current standards, and they would probably be able to put you in touch with someone who could do any work that's required.

Installation should be easy once it's ready.  US wiring has color coded wires for live and neutral; if Canada is the same, you'd probably need to tag the neutral wire to indicate that it is neutral.


Yard Smells Funky When It Rains-I have a Septic System I just bought a house with well and septic. The last two times it has rained continuously for more than a day I noticed a foul smell around my back yard.

There is a septic system, but I had it pumped out just after moving in and the septic company said it looked fine.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

It has nothing to do with rain water, but rather atmospheric conditions when it rains. Septic tanks rely on anaerobic bacteria to break down waste. Their activity emits foul smelling gases. Normally, these gases work their way up the main drainage line to the venting system and out up through the roof.

Normal atmospheric conditions carry away these gases unnoticed. In certain conditions, the air over the roof containing the foul smell is denser than the surrounding air. It then slides down the roof slope onto the ground level where you can detect it's foul payload.

There's no a lot you can do about this. You could install a house trap with a vent that could be directed somewhere where odor release would be less objectionable. The house trap would prevent odors from coming out on the roof, all odors will go out the house trap vent. Traps prevent the passage of gases past the trap, but they must be vented or the water gets siphoned out and the trap no longer blocks gases.

Depending on the tank location, you could directly vent the tank. Most odor will come out at the tank instead of the roof. Tank venting in some jurisdictions is actually required. If the tank is near areas you spend time in, this would not be a good solution.

Septic tanks smell. All you can hope to do is manage where the smell is released.


As a beginner woodworker, should I buy a table saw or a band saw? I'm just getting into woodworking and don't have any equipment, not even a bench. As a beginner looking to maybe make anything from small boxes to light furniture, should I buy a table saw or a band saw? I'm looking to spend around £100...

It needs to be controllable enough to cut dovetails, etc but this would also be my only saw.

It depends on what you're cutting, why you're cutting it, and what type of cuts you're making.
Long Straight Cuts
When it comes to long straight cuts, a table saw is the best in the business.  Set the fence, turn it on, and it'll cut the same width pieces forever. With a band saw (or most other saws), you'll be looking at using some type of jig for long straight cuts.  Though even with a jig, you can end up with a bit of wobble in the cut since the blade may be a bit flexible.
Scrolling Cuts
If you're scrolling, you're not using a table saw. A band saw is going to allow you to make tighter radius curves, and do more accurate scrolling work.
Depth of Cut
In some cases you'll not want to cut clean through a board. Maybe you're cutting a dado, a groove, a tongue, etc. In these cases, the height adjustable blade on a table saw can be quite handy. You're not making these cuts on a band saw, though you could always use a router.
Beveling
Some table saws also allow you to tilt the blade, which allows you to make long straight bevel cuts.  You can do bevel cuts on a band saw, but you're going to have to tilt the work piece instead of the saw blade.
Materials
If you're working with more than just wood, a band saw will be your friend.  You'll be able to cut metal, wood, plastics, and even meat, simply by installing an appropriate blade.  A table saw is simply not going to offer the same versatility.
Kerf
Kerf, is the amount of material removed by the saw blade. Since a band saws blades are thinner, they'll have a smaller kerf than a table saw.  Whether that's a pro or con is up to you, but there you go.
Noise
In almost all cases, a band saw is going to be much quieter than a table saw.
Safety
Some people feel safer around a band saw. Maybe because it's quieter, or doesn't look as ominous. I'm not sure what the reason, that's just how it is.  Don't be fooled, a band saw will take your finger off just the same as a table saw.

In the end, it depends what types of cuts you'll be making most, what materials you'll be using, and your own personal preference.  I say, get both!


What does a Mitre Saw offer that a Table Saw does not? I have a range of MDF Panels and strips of Solid Wood that I would like to turn into Picture Frames.  As such, each piece of MDF/Wood will need to have a 45-degree angle cut into each end.

In order to achieve such cuts, I have been looking at the purchase of various Mitre and Table Saws.  I can see that with the assistance of a Mitre Gauge, the Table Saw is able to complete such a task.

With this in mind, I was wondering what a Mitre Saw provided that a Table Saw did not.

I am new to Woodwork but it seems that a Mitre Saw is limited to 1 task whereas the Table Saw is able to perform a variety of tasks.  Am I overlooking something here?

You absolutely can make any mitre cut with a table saw provided you have the correct jigs and guides.  But, it's a LOT simpler and quicker to use a mitre saw to make mitre cuts.  For "casual" work or just one-offs, then go ahead and use your table saw.  If you're wanting to have quick and repeatable angle cuts, then get a mitre saw.

If you have to choose only one due to space or cost limitations, you might consider a radial-arm saw instead of a table saw.


How should I repair mounting holes drilled into pvc window frames? A previous owner had drilled holes into the pvc frames to fit blinds, which have since been removed leaving small holes.

I'm not expecting pvc can be filled flawlessly, but what would be the best thing to do?  White silicone?

White silicon may work to plug the holes but if you use it make sure to get the surface finish the way you want it before the stuff dries. It is not a material that will sand very well after the fact.

You may also want to try a bathroom tub and sink sealer product. These products bridge gaps fairly well and dry staying a nice white color. The product that I have used for sinks and tubs is the one pictured below.

Also be aware of several things. If screws had been applied into the PVC window frame the screw threads probably made a portion of the PVC surface stick out at the hole edge. This may need to be trimmed carefully so that your patched holes will be flat. If the window frame was made only of PVC with no internal wood structure the only thing the patch material will be adhering to is the edges of the hole. This will mean that the patch could pop in or out of someone were to be poking at it.


Cannot shut off water from street valve This might be a very basic question. But I just bought a new house and it has a valve on the wall outside my house:

I tried to turn the valve to match the hole, both clockwise and counter-clockwise but the water never got shut off inside the house.

I realized when I turned it, the back nuts are also moving (red circle):

Am I supposed to get a wrench to hold the nuts in place?

Please advise.

The main shutoff for city water in the majority of the Pacific north west is at the curb. If an older home it will be a concrete box with a metal plate the meter reader lifts to read the usage. Clean off the grass and dirt open the plate some times you will need to lift the top off to get to the shutoff. Lift and wiggle using the meter reader hole and you will find the shutoff valve some times covered with a little dirt. Don't jerk up on the cement cover or it may crack/break. If a newer home the box may be green plastic similar removal process. As others have said your photo is of the gas meter& shutoff. Don't feel like a fool you now know where to shut the gas off if you smell gas in the house. Down south of you they recommend a gas wrench to be strapped to the pipe, a few years back the utility was offering cheap stamped ones for 2$ but a crescent or open end wrench will work, this was for earthquake safety since they are saying the big one off shore is due in the next 100 years and you may not be able to find a wrench (night , building damage or other problem) having the wrench at the shutoff could prevent a fire.


What's the best way to get rid of ants inside my home? I have ants occasionally in the summer come through the cracks in my garage floor. What is the best way to eliminate them?

Some options to consider:

ant poison (Terro a being a popular choice)
fill in the crack (concrete crack filler)
get a pet anteater (not sure how easy they are to house train)

Once the ants are gone, you can then get perimeter ant poison for your big-box DIY retailer. It's a granule that you can spread around the perimeter of your house to help prevent them from migrating into the house. Diatomaceous earth is also a good choice as a perimeter barrier (it's basically a sand that is microscopically 'sharp' for insects and they are reluctant to cross it).


Are there 3-way water pipe junctions which allow any variant of flow? Suppose you have 3 pipes arriving at a junction: A, B & C
There are many possible water flows:
A => B+C
B => A+C
C => A+B
A+B => C
A+C => B
B+C => A
A => B (C not flowing)
A => C (B not flowing)
B => C (A not flowing)
B => A (C not flowing)
C => A (B not flowing)
C => B (A not flowing)

Obviously, given a fixed mains pressure and static valves around this junction, only one of these options can be happening at a time.
But by changing what valves are open around the joint, I could switch between these various options.
In particular, I have a design where A, B, and C are all sometimes an in-flow and sometimes an out-flow.
Question: Do I need to get a "special" kind of 3 way joint for this?
If I just get "any old T-fitting" then will it handle any of these flow options, or are fittings "directional" in some way?

Get a 1-1/4" PVC T-fitting.  They're cheap.
Cast "Detect magic" on it.  There's no magic.  (magical T-fittings are NOT cheap).
Now look at the device itself with the Mark 1 eyeball and Fingers 1.0.
Do you see anything special about that fitting?
No. There are no innards/guts which would provide any sort of flow checking.  If you want, you can also examine a check valve to see an example of a piece which does have flow-management innards.
So a plain "tee" is "exactly what it says on the tin".  Flow will be decided by whatever is connected to it and how.


How to remove door hinge cap? I have a door that swings open, I’ve watched a few videos about removing the pin and bending it to stop the swing.

Unfortunately none of the videos I’ve watched have a hinge like mine, in the photo the left hand side of the hinge forms the top and bottom caps. They seem welded together so I’ve no idea how to get the pin out.

Can anybody help? I thought maybe it wa something to do with the two holes near the caps but I’ve proded it and nothing happens

All the videos I’ve watched either have one cap or they hit the bottom cap with a nail but that’s not going to work for my hinge

It looks like a fixed pin hinge with security caps on both ends. If so unscrewing it from the jamb or hinge is the only way to take the door  down.

Circled in red  are two pins or screws look at both sides see if there is a way to unscrew them.  If the set pin/screw does not extend through the entire hinge or have a place for using a tool to unscrew it is a security hinge that has a non removable pin.
Your hinge is found here on the manufacturer’s website. It is a very good ball bearing hinge that should not need any tweaking. Bending it would surely compromise the smooth operation.  The wall the door is mounted in may be a bit out of plumb causing the door to swing open. I would investigate installing a door closer on it as @RedGrittyBrick suggests.

Edit: I asked about this hinge on Amazon UK it is s fixed pin hinge not designed to be separated.


Dangerous to use water heater which activates circuit breaker? I have diagnosed an error in my water heater. A control board is defunct and needs replacement. Unfortunately it is winter now and the replacement delivery will take a week or longer. The water heater still functions properly but trips the circuit breaker of one phase occasionally. Is it still safe to use until the replacement arrives?

It is probably "safe". However, a problem which results in an overcurrent trip on one breaker might be causing damage to the related equipment (heating element, relays, etc.) in a way that doing so repeatedly (even for a week) might result in other parts of the heater breaking. Nearly impossible to tell, especially over the internet, as there are a lot of variables involved.
If it is possible to run the heater with that phase (leg) off, then that may be a temporary solution. However, depending on design that may not work at all, or it may result in the other heating elements running at a higher duty-cycle and cause other problems.
This is one of those situations where a few extra $ for fast shipping may be worth it.


Splice inside light pole I am replacing a rotted out light pole in my yard.  The underground feeder that runs to the light pole is only long enough to run halfway up the new light pole.  Is it acceptable to splice an extra length of cable to run to the top of the light pole?  I don't know if this is acceptable since there will be a splice hidden inside the light pole.

No -- splices need to be accessible in case something gets messed up and the splice needs re-doing.  There should be a space in the base of the lamppost to make the needed splice/connection, though -- look for an access panel as part of the base.


Finding a switch for dining room ceiling wires I bought a house and there is a spot in the dining room for a ceiling light (it was capped off) and I installed a chandelier after determining the wires were not live and there is no switch that I can find that would control the light. The wires are not live. I checked the circuit breaker and there is none turned off or marked for the dining room. How can I locate the switch?

Many times if a owner wants to save $ up front we put a blank plat over the fixture location but there is normally a switch near by that wire is pulled to. If you don’t have a blank still pull any switches out and look for the unused conductors in the box. This might mean you need to purchase a single gang double switch but I have done this a few times.


What would cause these bubbles in texture? I recently had a contractor out doing work on my bathroom, including re-texturing walls and painting.
When we 'moved back in', I noticed the walls are littered with these little 'holes' or bubbles and not sure what would have caused it.
Any ideas?

It's either poorly prepared compound or poor application technique.
I assume you're asking this because the are finished with the work.  If that's the case, this is substandard work, in my opinion at least, and should be corrected.


How can I locate and eliminate mysterious water hammer related to humidifier? In the morning, early, when my thermostat kicks back up, I hear a banging/rattle sound that I've determined is related to my humidifier. It only lasts about 10 seconds so by the time I get down to the basement it's gone. Turning on/off the humidifier doesn't recreate it either. When I turn off the humidifier completely it doesn't happen at all. I thought it may be the solenoid but still scratching my head. Currently I've been turning off the humidifier at night since it's super annoying to wake up to. Any ideas on how to troubleshoot/fix? The humidifier is the basic bypass type. The humidistat is also basic mechanical.

update Solved with a Sioux Chief 660-TC0 1/4' Icemaker Water Hammer Arrestor Tee from Amazon. Thanks to suggestion from user19919 below

Water hammer is caused when flowing water abruptly stops and the change in velocity causes the piping to shake if it's not secured properly.

Look through the pipes you have access to and make sure they're securely fastened. If not, add some more clamps to secure them.

Contact the manufacturer of your humidifier. I'm not sure of the proper terminology but see if they have a replacement for the valve that controls filling the humidifier that closes slowly. My guess is in the morning the humidifier needs to refill itself, opens up the valve and when it's done it closes the valve quickly, causing the water hammer. Might also be another issue that they may know about.

They also make water hammer arrestors. These devices get installed in the copper lines and absorb the shock to reduce or eliminate water hammer. They will eventually need to be replaced (or if they are the round ones with a rubber bladder may need to be maintained) so install them somewhere accessible. Here's a video on installing a water hammer arrestor.