Peeling exterior paint I had a new roof built with all new facia board and painted. My issue is just about every year the paint peels down to the wood on all of the facia board. I scrape and clean and paint and it still happens. The facia board is a hangover from the house and not against the home itself. The roof is new with new drip ends . What do I do???

Moisture gets in the wood and then the heat (and sun) will bring the moisture out to the surface. This causes the paint to blister and peel.

Exterior wood (especially fascia hung away from a building) should be primed on all sides to keep the moisture out.

You may need to protect the wood boards with a tarp until they are “dry”.  Pic a day when it’s not too humid.

Often paint will peel if there is no interior moisture barrier. However, this is not your problem, because the boards are away from the house.

You may need to check to see that rain is not seeping down between the roof and the fascia board. This could soak the wood and make the paint blister when the sun comes out. That’s why all edges need to be primed when dry.


What should I do about mold in a new build? I bought my first place in December, five months ago. It's a new 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom condominium in San Francisco CA, and they finished construction in October 2019.

Over the last few days, other residents have been complaining about mold in the same position as my closet in the multi-story building. I decided to check my closet, and found a load of mold along the exterior of the wall. Some areas area more localized, where it follows the wall. In other areas, it's covered the items of clothing, such as my shoes.

What should I do immediately about the mold? I'm worried about breathing in the mold, and unsure of whether I should try and save the items of clothing that have mold on them.
What should I do in the medium-term? Do the builders have an obligation to address the root cause of the issue, and/or pay for damaged items?

Thank you in advance for any advice! I'm a little stressed out by it, so will very much appreciate it.

Edits –

Building description. 9 levels with 8 floors of condominiums, 4 to 6 on each floor. I am on the 4th floor. Some parts of the exterior are concrete.

New learnings: The room where this occurred is on the exterior of the building, where the exterior wall is concrete. I have since found out that the same unit in 3 floors above me and 1 unit below me have found mold in the same area of their units.

What's happened since: I agreed to let the building company arrange for a mold inspector to see the mold, and arrange for cleaners to remove the mold. When the inspectors arrived, they arrived with 3 others' from the building company. I didn't know one of them - they might have been a legal representative (they asked again for permission to enter our unit, and were particularly cautious). The unit above me decided against accepting their offer (to provide mold inspection and removal) on the advice of their legal advisor.

Current state: The cleaner who was sent by the building company removed all the visible mold from my unit, though they only wiped it off surfaces, and didn't check under the carpet etc. The carpet in that area is still damp. I put a dehumidifier and an air purifier in there, though the dehumidifier is pulling up about the same amount of water each day.

Short term ask: San Francisco is going to be in a 'shelter in place' situation for a while longer, so we cannot leave. I therefore need to fix this as quick as possible, even if I pay myself. I don't want to risk health issues due to the mold that has been growing about 10 feet away from my bed, and 5 feet from my desk. I therefore want to identify whether there are affordable solutions that reduce the health risk to me.

(added additional photos and illustrations below)

First of all, you should probably contact a mold abatement contractor.  Not only should they be able to remove the existing mold, they should be able to identify its cause as well.

Then you may need to consult an attorney since from what you've said, this doesn't seem to be a one-shot deal in your unit but a systemic problem likely due to defective materials and/or workmanship.  So the builder may be liable and the city, who presumably inspected this work, may be liable too.

But it certainly doesn't sound like a DIY project.  Note also that it may not be safe for you to continue to live there until it's resolved.  I'd take the advice of the mold contractor on that.


Why isn't my aircon blowing cold air? I have 2 x 9000Btu split aircon installed in my house three days ago. In fan mode it works properly but when I switch to cooling mode the upper pipe from the outside unit freezes immediately, not cold air coming inside, just like in fan mode. The compressor sound running. The other aircon instead of blowing hot air from the outside fan it blows cold. Both aircons have the same problem.

When you says it freezes up, do you mean that you get ice build-up on the pipes and/or condenser? If so, there's nothing you can do yourself. Call an AC tech.


3 white wires & 3 black wires coming from ceiling box I am replacing an old light fixture with a new one, which normally I do pretty easily.  However, when I took down the old fixture, there are 3 black wires all tied off with a wire nut, 2 white wires together and 1 single white wire, plus 2 ground wires.  I know the fixture was older (1983) and had black and brown wires, but none were attached to the black wires.  I'm confused on how to proceed as the new fixture only has 1 white, 1 black, and the ground.  Does anyone know how to do this?

The likely scenario is that the single white wire is the switched hot and the bundled white wires are the neutral. You need to confirm this.

With all wire bundles clear of each other and any metal, turn on the switch and then restore power at the breaker. With a non-contact tester, check the black wire bundle, the white wire bundle and the single white wire.

The black bundle should register hot. The white bundle should register not hot. The White wire should register hot.

Now turn off the switch (not the breaker) and check again. All should be the same except the white wire, which should now be not hot.

If that is the case, we have confirmed the setup.

Turn off the power at the breaker. Attach the white wire from the fixture to the white bundle. Attach the black fixture wire to the single wire. Attach the ground to the bare or green ground wire (if present) or to the metal box if no ground wire wire, or leave alone if no wire and a plastic box.

All should be well. If not, write back.

P.S. If this does work, the single white wire should have a black marking on it to show it is sometimes hot. Tape or a marker will do.


Repair wood floor damage I just moved into a new house.  I have never had wooden floors until now.  Today, we moved a box and saw a strange waxy looking white gunk on the floor after moving a box.  Unknowingly, I scraped it off with my fingernails.  Now, I am pretty sure I scraped off the top layer of my wood floors finish.

I read about wood floor finishes.  Some say I should try to match the floor's finish, but I don't know what it is.  Others have said polyurathane can just be brushed on.

The wood and stain appear to be fine, but this waxy stuff on top I destroyed.  Its about a 36sq in area that I destroyed.

Damaged Floor

Good Floor

What can I do to fix this?  Do I need a professional?

This is an educated guess only because I can't really see or feel what you are describing.  This may be old floor wax that has had something damp left sitting on it. Often in older homes folks would use old fashion floor waxes that will discolor or turn white with age, water, friction or heat.  You may first try using a little mineral spirits or a mild cleaning agent with a polishing compound, such as Bar Keepers Friend with a soft cloth on a small spot to see if it will remove the white residue. If in fact this floor has been treated with a wax product, the entire floor would have to be stripped of wax, perhaps buff sanded and restained, then protected with a few coats of Urethane. Don't attempt to apply urethane until you have determined what is causing the white waxy residue. Putting any coating such as urethane over a waxed floor will bubble, peel, and create a mess to clean up. another test you could do would be to gently scrape a very small section of the white stain with a putty knife. If the material comes off easily it may be wax.  it may be old varnish, but that would not feel waxy, but not out of the question.  Let us know what you find, and we can go from there.  Good Luck


Toilet flange conundrum We are remodelling our bathroom and installing a new toilet. When we took the existing toilet off, we found the cast iron flange was broken, brittle and in need of replacing. We could maybe get away with a spanner on the completely busted side, but the other side isn't very solid so we think we should just replace it. The problem is, the drain pipe is PVC. I know how to replace a cast iron flange if connected to lead pipe and a PVC flange if connected to PVC pipe, but not cast iron that is connected to PVC. Any words of wisdom? Also, it's a basement bathroom so no access to under the floor.

Check out some of the fittings and repair parts from Oatey. Not sure what sizes of pipe you have. But if you have a 4 inch pipe, 43539 is supposed to slide inside of it. It has a rubber piece that expands using 3 socket cap screws.

Link to Oatey site product page for the fit inside, expanding rubber flange

I have been repairing my own toilet bend, which is a lead piece coming from a cast iron drain stack. I would have used that part above, but I think I'm going to go with a 3x4 repair flange instead because this non expanding flange was shorter and fit better. The "3x4" part means it will fit over a 3" pipe or fit inside a 4" pipe.

I hope this helps, every toilet flange problem is different. I had to buy many of the repair parts and test fit them before I found the right piece.


Caulking around base of toilet I just remodeled my bathroom by the master bedroom and the toilet needed to be shimmed since the tile around the flange was a bit higher than where the toilet bowl ends.  After shimming there is a slight gap exposing beneath the toilet. I attempted caulking it on a whim but it did not look good.

How do you caulk around the base of the toilet and make it look good? a.k.a. how to make the caulk even and smooth.  I tried a spoon as well,  that did not work.

Two words: clear silicone.

You can match any toilet to any floor effortlessly if you use the clear stuff. It transmits the colors of the toilet and the floor and doesn't create an ugly, wavy visual line.

I usually use a finger if I'm dealing with a larger gap. Silicone wipes off skin cleanly enough that it's not a problem. Try to fill the void fairly flatly so you're not pulling a lot of caulk along as you tool it out. Err on the side of too little.

Note: While I don't agree that toilets should be left completely uncaulked to show failure of the wax ring seal, I do think it's wise to leave the back portion open for that reason. It's often difficult to reach that area with a caulking gun anyway.


Will any thickness of Kingspan K118 do for an existing wall in my house? The wall is in a 45 year old house that has standard UK cavity walls (red-brick on the outside, cavity, concrete blocks on the inside). Kooltherm K118 Insulated Plasterboard is what I'm thinking about.
Kingspan building regulation's page shows a target W/m²·K figure for the wall type. I'm in Scotland and for an existing heated home, 0.30 W/m²·K applies.
On the the product page it says:

As part of our Kooltherm 100 range, it provides a level of performance that is unrivaled in the world of rigid thermoset insulation materials with a thermal conductivity of just 0.018 W/mK across all thicknesses.

So (help me here) 0.018 is a lot less than 0.30, and it says "any thickness", so I could choose their thinnest sheets: 32.5mm and still be compliant with the regulations, right?
Maybe I'm getting lost in W/mK vs W/m²K..

You do need to adjust between the different units.  To work out the thickness of insulation needed for 0.30 W/m²·K you can do 0.018W/m·K / 0.30W/m²·K = 0.06m.  So you will need 60mm sheet of insulation to get that target with the foam (note that this is the thickness of the foam, not the combined foam+plasterboard).
Dimensional analysis is useful for a sanity check, it doesn't make sure we have the right formula but it does help make sure we aren't wrong.  W/m·K / (W/m²·K) = m which is good since we want to work out the thickness of the insulation and m is a measure of thickness.
In practice it is much more complicated because your existing walls provide some amount of insulation, how much depends on your existing wall construction, if you cavities are already insulated then this will be quite significant.  So you will need less than 60mm of foam to get 0.30 W/m²·K thermal conductivity for your wall.  Working this out is beyond the scope of this answer.  However in the product brochure pdf on the Kooltherm K118 Insulated plasterboard webpage you linked to there are tables with estimated combined U values including a "Masonry Cavity Walls" section.  So this should hopefully give you the information you need.


IKEA kitchen drawer - push to open I am trying to find a way of getting my kitchen to be fully handleless, but the more i research and try different thing the more it gets tricky. How can i make a push to open drawers on Ikea maximera kitchen units?

Example drawer:

I know that Blum used to make kitchen hardware for IKEA but i don't think this is the case any longer. Also i am running Gloss white, so i can't use VOXTORP fronts as they are NOT in gloss white...

Any thoughts ?

The IKEA Maximera drawers are a special order version of Blum's Tandembox antaro line. Blum's name is stamped on the drawer slides.  They appear to be almost identical.

There are a couple videos on YouTube, where people show that they have removed the soft closer on other types of IKEA drawers (not SEKTION) , and used the IKEA push to open unit mounted to the sidewall instead.

Looking through the Blum catalog, they offer a push-to-open accessory branded "Tip-On" which they sell a version for Tandembox drawers.  It appears to mount under the drawer near the front of the slide.  It may just attach to the the Maximera, hard to say.


Can I still use a metal box if the cover plate mounting holes are stripped? The metal double-gang box (40 yrs old) is stripped where you place the 8/32 screws. I should have replace the box in the beginning. It took me an hour or so to put a nut on both of these screws from within (not touching any wires) behind the stripped holes to hold the screws. Do most electricians replace the box or get the next size screws up (10/32)?

Answer: tap it out one size larger for 8/32 10/32.

Grandfather clause may over rule the following but figured you'd like to know....

First: That box is only rated for 18 21 cubic in. capacity.  You got at least 13 conductors, counting each switch as 2 conductors per Code.

14 AWG = 13 x 2.00 = 26 Cubic capacity
12 AWG = 13 x 2.25 = 29.25 Cubic capacity

Plus you're missing a ground jumper which counts as one conductor. (Devices have to be of the self-grounding type to omit bond jumper.)

The switch plate would need to add at least 5 cubic in. for it to work with 14 AWG. Otherwise, you'll need a 1900 box extension to pass muster

Lastly, you maybe wondering about using a larger course screw.  While this is a quick fix certain care should be followed not to allow the sharp threads to damage conductors and not to use a longer than necessary screw. NEC 314.23(B)(1) prohibits using screws and nails


How can I enlarge an opening in wall tile for an electrical box? When the backsplash was installed, the hole left for an outlet box is a tad too small. What is my best option to enlarge the hole to slide the box in?

An angle grinder with a diamond-dust blade will cut that tile easily. It's very messy, of course, so have a helper hold a strong vacuum right near the blade as you cut.

You might also be able to just file enough material away to get it to fit. A common rasp or other abrasive tool could work. Wall tile is relatively soft, but the glaze isn't, so expect some dulling of such tools to occur. Don't use your best woodworking equipment.


Does cold galvanizing compound restore the rust protection of a galvanized duct? The house is a ranch built on slab on grade with a newer furnace in a downflow configuration with A/C. The in-floor clay tile supply lines are in good shape and clean.

The original 60 year old in-floor supply plenum (30in x 22in) shows corrosion.  The plenum is directly below the A-Coil & subject to condensate.

I have wire brushed the surface rust and treated it with The Must for Rust. I am looking at various cold galvanizing compounds (GRC/Rustoleum) to apply to the bare metal to restore the zinc protection. Access to the plenum (which is much larger than the 14in x 19in cabinet housing the A-Coil) is tight so this will be a challenge.

My concern is that since there are mixed metals in close proximity, a zinc coating may be important to protect the noble metal of the A-Coil by sacrificing itself to the eventual rusting process. Or does this even apply given that plenums are now sometimes fabricated with duct board?

I am wondering if I can just reline the bottom with a thin rubber mat cut to size that will conform itself to the metal isolating it from moisture from possible condensate from above?

The zinc coating on the galvanized duct work is not in any way required to control corrosion of the A-coil.  Isolating the unit from the duct work is commonly done in the trade to provide vibration isolation.

However, sandwiching corrosion under a sheet of rubber that is not fully adhered may not be a good idea.  Moisture may become trapped between the two layers.  Also, it is generally not acceptable to place flammable materials such as rubber inside of duct work.  You would likely be better off painting or cold galvanizing the duct after applying your phosphotizing chemical.  If the condensate drain on the new fan-coil is correctly installed and kept clear, very little condensate should reach the duct.


What is the purpose of a dishwasher elbow? I am installing a dishwasher that has a 3/4-inch threaded male connection for the water line. The instructions say to buy a dishwasher elbow to connect to this piece, then connect the other side of the elbow to a standard 3/8-inch compression sink hose.

Is there any reason why I couldn't instead connect a 3/4-inch female hose directly to the dishwasher?

Another way of asking this question is: What is the purpose of a dishwasher elbow? Other than adapting a standard 3/8-inch sink hose to a larger dishwasher water inlet, is there a reason you need to have the elbow?

Typically there is very little clearance behind the dishwasher and the back of the cabinet.

A hose attached directly to the inlet might have to be bent and kinked in order to fit.  That would not be good.  The elbow allows the supply line to run parallel to the back of the dishwasher without taking up much room.

As for the ¾" versus ⅜" connectors, again typically the nearby sink would have a shutoff valve with a ⅜" connector, so a standard ⅜" connecting hose would be the obvious thing to use.

It doesn't mean that one can't use other types of hoses, only that one would have to go out of their way to need to.


Drag marks from piano wheels, how to fix? Recently we tried to move our piano across our floor by rolling it but to our chagrin the weight of the piano left indented rolling marks on our lovely wooden floor. They are all over about 1/6th of our living floor. Some are drag marks, i.e. the markings are NOT smooth. Most of them are smooth indented rolling marks about 1/16 - 1/7 in depth by my estimates.

Is there an easy fix for this or do I have to sand down the entire floor by that much? Ir can I just sand down that area...but then we would be left with I leveled floors.

I’m really frustrated because I have to see these marks everyday. :(

I have heard you can use a steam iron on smaller nicks and dings.  Put a towel down on the floor then keep iron moving on the towel to avoid burning the wood, try a few spots, might be surprised with results.


Interior door handle with privacy lock for 2-inch think interior doors I need to replace all of my interior door handles with new hardware that includes privacy locks for bathrooms and bedrooms.  All doors are the correct thickness to accept standard US replacements (Schlage, Kwickset, Baldwin, etc).
The previous owner replaced two doors with 2-inch thick ones that are too thick for the standard American lock sets.  I’ve seen a lot of thick door extension kits, but they seem to be designed for exterior lock sets only.
I’ve been able to find extremely expensive European-made sets, but the prices require a second mortgage.
Is it possible to extend a retail hardware store-grade interior privacy set to work on a thicker door?

So, this is a little out-of-line, as shopping advice goes stale fast out there in the world, but do this:

go to build.com and search "interior privacy lockset 2" door"
in the side column, headed "Narrow Your Results", under 'function', select privacy.
same column, under 'door thickness', select 2"
sort low to high price and you'll find an array of decent options


AFCI breakers and code compliance Doing a condo kitchen remodel in Los Angeles, CA. I have a licensed GC and electrician, but I'm keeping close tabs on permits, inspections etc.

Electric inspection flagged I need to add 2 more circuits, and also cited  93.210.12(A) LAMC:

  All 120-volt, single phase 15 and 20 ampere branch circuits supplying
  outlets in dwelling unit kitchens, family rooms, living rooms,
  parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms, sunrooms, recreation rooms,
  closets, hallways, laundry areas, or similar rooms or areas shall be
  protected by a listed arc-fault circuit interrupter, combination type
  installed to provide protection of the branch circuit.

Do I need to update ALL those circuits to AFCI? The GC insists that he checked with two electricians, and to satisfy the inspection correction notice only the kitchen circuits need AFCI's.
My panel (below) is totally full (not to mention that CAFCI's don't come in tandem), so I need to swap it with a bigger one... Do you know if the work can be done under the kitchen remodel express electrical permit? Or I should brace for extra permit costs?
Any further ramifications I'm missing? By swapping the panel, am I opening a new pandora box of electrical code-compliance?

What does the citation mean?

The facts are that you need to apply the new codes inside the scope of new work, and the remodel qualifies as new work.  The areas of the house you are not touching should be grandfathered.  The section of the code you are citing did not mention that fact.  This is a common problem with citing random bits of code.

The code says you need AFCI protection in all those places.  However this is overridden by the fact that the other locations are grandfathered.  The area you are doing new work is not grandfathered and the requirement applies there.

New panel

You can replace your existing panel if you really want to.  Or if it is a dangerous FPE.  Or if it is an obsolete panel like Pushmatic where you won't be able to get AFCI breakers.

However, you can also install a subpanel.   You would need to move a number of circuits over from your existing panel to the new subpanel - enough to make space for a large double breaker, which will power the subpanel.

Now if you need 2 extra circuits and need to move 4 to make the space, you can get a 6 space panel.  However that means you'll be right back here again next time you add anything.   You could add a 12 space panel but again you are just kicking the can down the road.  This is where my colleagues recommend a 20 and I recommend a 40 space panel.  The cost is trivial compared to the cost of having this problem.   My first motive is to never have to deal with this again, ever, and my second motivation is to plan ahead so the subpanel can later become the new main panel, after you move circuits over, one at a time at your leisure.

Also beware of panels which say "50 circuit 30 space", those are only good for 30, because the double-density breakers are not available in the GFCI or AFCI that almost every circuit requires these days.

The subpanel can be next to the main panel (a good idea for a future switchover).  Or, if the kitchen is fairly far away from the main panel, it can be near (not in) the kitchen.  That will make all your circuit runs much shorter.

Everything related to the new panel work will lose grandfathering and need to meet current code.   This is one reason to do the subpanel instead of replacing the main panel; it avoids having to upgrade every circuit to new standard, almost all both AFCI and GFCI.

While we're on the subject of overbuilding...

Also, what sort of activities do you expect in the kitchen? Any chance someone might be, I don't know, just spitballing here... cooking?  Because these days, a lot of kitchens see not much, while others see quite a lot.  Those can be populated with coffeemakers, toasters, skillets, grills, sous vide, wafflers, you name it.  These heat-making appliances are typically sized at 1500W and cannot share a 20A circuit.  And your chef will probably want to use several at once when busy.  S/he will mightily appreciate it if your kitchen is populated with as many kitchen countertop circuits as you can bear to install. One circuit per receptacle is not excessive.   Crazies like me even go for one circuit per socket.  This is where a subpanel near the kitchen will be particularly useful, and that's the easy way to do it.


Central Vacuuming: Is it worth it, and how does it compare to normal vacuuming? I am in the process of buying a brand new home in the US through a builder. The home will be approximately 3,000 sq ft and I was given the option of buying a central vacuuming system for the house.

It looks really nice and convenient. The price doesn't sound crazy for the potential benefit and all the "plumbing" required (approx. $3,500). I am pretty confident this would not be something easy (or even feasible) to get installed after the home is built. Therefore, a few questions that popped in my head are:

In terms of efficiency of vacuuming, is this a better option than normal vacuum cleaners that have to be plugged in to the wall? (i.e. which of the two removes more dust from my home?)
Any concerns regarding the compatibility of the holes that go in the wall? Are they pretty standard, or will I be tied to a particular manufacturer if I decide to buy the central vacuuming system?
Is it true that central vacuums will expel less dust than normal vacuums? The seller said so and it sounds intuitive to me since you can have particles coming out of the electric vacuum cleaners while you're vacuuming, while the central vacuum is just a giant hose all the way to the central container.
Thoughts on the little dust vent that goes in the wall, used to suck the particles you swept from the floor? (doesn't require the hose)
For those who have it, do you think it's worth it? Any limitations that make you have to use an electric vacuuming system?

I've installed several systems in new construction projects up to about 6,000 s.f., one of which was a log home. (That was interesting.)

No, you don't necessarily get better performance. It's all about convenience and not having to deal with dusty bags or canisters except maybe once a year. A really good standalone unit will at least equal a central vac powerhead.

Each brand has a specific interface. Some may be compatible, but don't count on it. You could have the builder rough it in and add the boxes and covers later, if you're the patient and careful type.

It's true that central vacs expel less dust into the home in the sense that the collection can is usually outside, or at least exhausted to the exterior. They're often in the garage or under an exterior shelter. If yours stays inside, it all comes down to specific hardware.

Floor sweeps are great if you actually use a broom (or just want to kick a little debris in). If you're more of a hard-floor vacuumer anyway, they'd be somewhat pointless.

"Worth it" is subjective. You might look into doing the install yourself and save about 2/3 the cost. It's not difficult and isn't as critical as drain plumbing since a tiny leak won't destroy a portion of your home. With modern standalone vacuums as great as they are cough Shark Rocket cough, it's up in the air. So to speak.

Other thoughts:

Noise is a bit of a wash. You don't have the fan motor running at the point of use, but the air being pushed through the pipes can whoosh a bit in other rooms, and the powerhead brush motor (or pneumatic impeller) makes some noise. You also have a powerful fan unit coming on suddenly in your garage, which can startle the pants off the dog.
The powerhead and hose assembly is a bit cumbersome to use and store. Since the hose has to reach from the inlet port to the other side of a typical room, they're much longer than what you'd find on a traditional portable canister vacuum. Think laundry-basket sized bulk.
The inlets can leak slightly during use or snap shut a bit when the system is activated. Again, noise in rooms other than where the thing is actually being used.
Some folks end up buying multiple powerheads, one for each level of the home. Plan for that potential cost.


Can I use SharkBite connectors on a copper stub out? Is it possible to use a SharkBite male adapter on a copper stub out for a bathtub faucet?

I am not well versed in soldering plumbing fittings and I would rather not have to buy the gas, a torch tip, flux, and solder just for one connection. Also, the copper stub out is only about 10" long and connects to Pex in the wall so keeping that amount of heat off the copper would be a good thing, right?

If you are trying to install a screw-on tub spout, it might not tighten up, because the SharkBite adapter will spin.  You would need to use a wrench to tighten the SharkBite side, and that would be hard to do inside the spout.

Some spout basics:

Diverter vs tub only

Diverter spout models have a pull up knob that blocks the water
flow, causing it to reverse and come out the shower head.
Tub only are just simple spouts, filling the tub.

Spout connection types
There are three main types of how a spout connects to the pipe

1 Front threaded.  The pipe traverses the length of the spout
internally, ending in a threaded fitting (usually 1/2" IPS).  A front
threaded spout usually does not integrate a diverter.
2 Rear threaded.  The pipe connection is made at the rear of the spout.  These spouts can be either diverters or tub only.
3 Slip on. These spouts will work with just a clean, open copper pipe, as it has a set screw adapter to clamp the pipe.

Soldering to the nipple with the PEX attached is not optimum, but can be managed if you have room to tightly wrap a water saturated cotton rag around the copper and extended over the PEX portion. The water won't allow the PEX connection to go above 212 until it dries out.  You will need several inches of bare copper pipe on the end to solder to.  (Just TRY to a solder a pipe with any water in it.)  Practice your soldering ahead of time and you will become confident of solid, leak free joints.

This thread has some good advice on soldering

This page describes tub spouts.


air-compressor size for continuous duty What size air-compressor is needed for continuous duty?

I'm trying to use a 90psi needle scaler to remove paint layers from an outdoor wrought-iron trellis that has lots of nooks and crannies an abrasive pad and angle-grinder cannot reach.  My brand-name 6-gallon air-compressor doesn't have enough capacity to support continuous use: the scaler works well only for about 5-6 seconds and then its ability to remove the paint rapidly peters out. Then it takes about 15-20 seconds for the compressor to get back to 90psi. So the job is taking forever.

Your tool and your compressor both have (or should have, but they probably do) ratings in "Standard Cubic Feet Per Minute" (SCFM) possibly stated just as CFM.

The compressor SCFM needs to be equal to or greater than that of the tool to operate the tool continuously.

Small "homeowner-grade" compressors are often not rated for continuous operation at all (they will overheat if asked to supply their maximum SCFM for more than 10 or 20 minutes at a time.) Industrial compressors are more typically designed to operate continuously for long periods without failure.


Is it worthwhile to have ductwork cleaned? Was rearranging some ductwork in my basement, and noticed that the stuff I took down was pretty filthy inside (especially the return air ducts).

Is it worthwhile to have ductwork cleaned out?  What kind of (if any) efficiency benefits do you get out of it?

It's not the efficiency which you get -- it's less dust in the air.  Less dust equals better health in the long run.

Lots of dust in the ducts is an indication of a bad air filter and/or leaks around the filter or in places where ducts join/turn.  I'd look for that as well.


Extending horizontal urinal flush handle vertically We have a urinal used by small young children where the handle is too high.  We'd like to extend it lower so that it could be reached by them.

My only thought is kind of ugly and hackish -- a couple of zip ties, a chain, key/split rings, and perhaps some kind of handle.

Another option is carefully drilling out the handle (vertically) and putting a stainless steel eye hook through it, then attaching a chain, etc.  Then at least it won't slide and I can avoid the beautiful zip ties.

I'd really prefer an off-the-shelf solution -- perhaps there is a product that exists that does this to make the handle handicap accessible.  I haven't had any luck searching.

Is there a product (or better suggestion) available?

The best hack is one that has already been specifically engineered:

They make remote buttons for them, the pictured style is one of several options. Go to a good commercial plumbing shop and you should be able to get more info.


Exterior lamp post trips breaker after a few hours I replaced the photocell on an exterior lamp, removed the fixture and connected it to an outlet on the same outside circuit and it burned for 4-5 hours with no issue.

Then I removed 2 of the three Cree low wattage bulbs and the one remaining bulb tripped the circuit breaker after a few hours.

I thought if there is a problem with the underground power cable it would trip quickly, not after an hour or so.  What could be causing it to trip in this manner?

I will note that this is an old fixture and the problem appears to be getting worse.

In order to troubleshoot your problem you need to have a few meters. First you need an amprobe. Check the amount of current your circuit is pulling at the breaker when the fixture is on. Let's say you have a 15 amp breaker and your amprobe is showing you are pulling 16 amps. A standard molded case breaker has two operations. One an instantaneous trip and a thermodynamic trip. Since you voltage is too low for an instantaneous trip. It is slowly heating up and then tripping out on overload over time according to the breaker curve of that particular breaker. If you are reading an overload on your breaker and the only thing you have on that circuit is the light post, then you have a high resistance fault somewhere in your circuit. I can't tell you where with the information at hand but I would start with the photocell you just replaced.

If you check your circuit and it is below the amperage rating of the circuit breaker. Then you should take a good look at your breaker. You will need an infrared thermometer to check the temperature of the breaker. Turn it off let it cool down for and hour or so and then turn it back on and see if you are getting a temperature rise on the breaker. You can also check this by hand by just touching the breaker but make sure you don't burn your hand. Yes they can get that hot. Some breakers over time and tripping can weaken and this type of breaker is thermodynamic so if the bimetal part is weak it will heat up and trip without overload. If this is happening I would just replace the breaker and inspect it for loose or corrosion connections at both the connection of the conductor and the connection to the buss. If necessary clean and make sure your connections are getting a good electrical and mechanical connection.

Safety note: If you have removed the panel cover to inspect the breakers make sure the power to the panel is turned off to avoid electrical shock. Or have a professional do this for you.

Good luck.


Filling a chain link fence end post with concrete I have a 6 foot chain link fence. The end posts that come up to my house are set in concrete and do not move at the base but they still tend to wobble a bit near the top because of the height. I would like to know if filling the post up with concrete you be a good way to add more stability.

That wont solve the problem.  The best way to make a 'solid' fence post is to bury more into the ground.

Putting a cement ball at the bottom is not the best solution and filling the hollow cavity will do nothing to help


Taping drywall and cementboard butted together When taping cementboard butted against drywall, is it better to use drywall (paper/mesh) tape with joint compound or cementboard mesh tape with thinset?

Since you will put tile over the seam and also, I assume, thinset you should use screws and mesh made for concrete board.
The cement board and thinset may contain things which reduce efficacy of typical drywall screws, compound, and tape. Don't tape the seam until you're installing the tile.
Behind the cabinets you can use standard compound.


Possible to oil my Furnace Fan Motor myself and with 3-in-1 Motor Oil? My Furnace Fan/Inducer Motor (not the Blower Motor) has been noisy all the time lately. I put some 3-in-1 motor oil by the Gasket. That really seemed to eliminate the noise. Some people have said (outside this forum) to oil it or not oil at all. I chose to oil-the sound was so loud. Was it ok to oil and with that type of oil?

I put it by the gasket. But what are the 2 orange rubber plugs that I can remove off the housing unit? Should oil go in there too?

Don't laugh. I'm a single homeowner and don't know much about furnaces. And I can't afford a HVAC guy right now.

Thanks for the replies.
(My main question was about whether the 3-in-1 was ok to use to oil the gasket)

3-in-1 will work fine. Since I can't see exactly what your talking about in relation to your '2 orange rubber plugs' most of the time you do remove said plugs and oli until it's full.

Here is actually a video that better explains it in detail: https://youtu.be/UKoK_U_GKZI

Hope this helps!


What is the purpose of a "framed" switch? I'm replacing the switches throughout my house and came across this one today. What is the value of it being "framed" (it seems like that's the only difference between it and the most basic switch)?

Can I just replace it with this one.

I think it means the case of the switch is molded around the bezel of the switch. Levitron seems to use this language to describe its "commercial-quality" switches.


What is the proper personal protective equipment and procedures for removing mouse nesting that may contain Hantavirus? Me and my uncle are working on cleaning stuff (various auto parts and tools built up over the last 60 or so years) out a garage on my parents' property prior to demolishing it.

There are multiple obvious mouse nests of unknown age that we'll need to deal with either now or during the knocking down.

The issue is that mice in this area (Western Canada) have been known to carry hantavirus.

Google is finding me loads of conflicting information on proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and procedures for dealing with this, ranging from the vague "wear appropriate PPE" to "goggles, gloves, and an N100 dust mask" to "wear an NCB suit and hose everything down with bleach".

Does anyone have some specific suggestions on how to deal with this?

Generally, house mice don't carry hantavirus.  However, it sounds like your property may be semi-rural, so there might be deer mice, which may carry it.

I found this Center for Disease Control PDF.  Interestingly enough, it doesn't talk about respiratory protection at all.  It seems that all you need to do is spray down the old nests/etc. with disinfectant or a bleach/water solution and bag it.

While I don't claim to be more knowledgeable on the subject than the CDC, I would certainly wear a mask.

Summary from PDF for posterity:

How to clean out cabins, sheds,
barns, or other outbuildings:

Open all doors and windows. Leave them
open for 30 minutes before cleaning.
Wear rubber or plastic gloves.
Clean up all rodent urine, droppings,
nests, or dead mice or
rats by using a
disinfectant or a
mixture of bleach and
water.
Air out cabins
Mop floors or spray dirt floors with a
disinfectant or mixture of bleach and
water.

Clean countertops, cabinets, and
drawers with a disinfectant or a
mixture of bleach and water.

Steam clean, shampoo, or spray
upholstered furniture with a detergent,
disinfectant, or a mixture of bleach and
water.


Can I replace the knob and tube wiring in the ceiling but not the walls? We are planning to replace the K&T in the attic so we can put in some insulation.  Is it possible to leave the K&T in the walls by hooking them up to the new wiring at the ceiling/wall edge?  Are we taking too much of a chance to save money and prevent knocking holes in the plaster?

It can be and frequently is replaced piecemeal, but I'd certainly be in favor of wholesale replacement if it were my house.

If we accept "1880s-1930s" as the range of its general use (wikipedia, not any particularly great research effort) it's 80-130 years old. And any impact it's having on your insurance rates won't end until it's all gone.

Plus, you can insulate the walls, too, once it's gone. And you'll have ground wires.


Three phase well pump wire colors This question is not stemming from any immediate practical application. But I am curious about the color of wire insulation used for three phase 208V or 240V well pumps. Looking online I see a lot of submersible well pump cables that are black/red/yellow/green. But I don't see any that are black/red/blue/green. I know black/red/blue/green colors are somewhat customary (but not mandatory) for 208V. Also white if neutral is used.

Is it an electrical code requirement in the US to use wire listed as submersible well pump wire under UL 83 for well pumps? What part of the NEC calls that out? I am talking about the wire that goes down the bore to the pump motor.

I know the NEC is silent about colors, but what is the customary color, if any, of insulation used for 3-phase well pump wire and cable (208-240V)?

There is no required NEC color coding for 3 phase pumps or motors with the exception of a high leg or wild leg be on B phase and marked orange, there are industry standards like Brown orange yellow for 480 but they can all be black. The only other requirement the phasing be front to back, top to bottom or right to left when talking about phase numbering in the NEC. I should add the ground is bare or insulated green.
To update for edit:  black red blue is the normal 3 phase color code For most companies but not all.
I do have a concern that you may be confusing 3 phase and 3 wire pumps 2 very different things. If you have an inverter you may have a 3 phase pump but if only standard voltage 240 3 wire is not the same.


Replacing Ceramic Toilet Cistern I have a damaged toilet cistern which is beyond repair. I was wondering if I was to install a new cistern how I would know my new one would be 'compatible' with my current set up? Is there a degree of standardisation such that I can be guaranteed I can install one I buy?

All I really know is my current one is a Twyford 2003 6L model which has a water inlet on the bottom and push button flush.

Any help much appreciated, I'm dying for a dump.

In the U.S., the tank (cistern) and bowl are sold together and are unique between manufacturers and models. You generally can't put one brand of tank on another brand bowl, just like you can't put Fiat parts on an Austin. The only likely way would be to purchase a cistern of the same manufacture which is also compatible with the model you have.


How to wire programmable thermostat that doesn't have an E termimal I am trying to replace a manual with programmable thermostat that is missing emergency heat (E) terminal. There are bits and pieces of information I have gathered but am still not clear.

Can I leave off (E)?

Manual thermostat (th3210d1004) terminals:
E|AUX|Y|G|O|L|R|B|C    where L,B are not used
Programmable thermostat (TX1500E) terminals:
G|RH|RC|Y|W|O|B|C

The plan is to wire:
R->RH,RC
E->not used
AUX->W ?
All the other letters are matched. Is that correct?

Your Lux TX1500E thermostat is not made to be used with a Heat Pump system with emergency heat, so it can't be used in your installation.  Lux has an updated model, TX1500U that is made for "heat pumps with up to 2-stage heat/1 stage cool".


What could be causing my GFCI to trip? My Christmas lights keep tripping my GFI in the rain.

I've got one of those Light Show boxes with 6 different sections of lights plugged into it.  When I have all 6 sections plugged in, the GFI trips immediately.  However, if I try them one at a time, the GFI doesn't trip.

If there was a ground fault in any of the sections, wouldn't it always trip the GFI?  What am I missing?  How do I debug this problem?

Can "high instantaneous current" also trip the GFI?

GFIs don't actually measure "ground fault", they measure the difference between the current (amperage) going in and the current going out.  It sounds like the current is leaking a little bit on each one, but maybe in not sufficient magnitude to trip the GFI.  Try doing 2 or 3 and seeing what happens..


Where can I find parts for attic pulldown stairs? I need two rollers replaced in my attic loft pull down staircase - the big ones on the picture. These drums have tension spring inside that helps to pull the stairs up and down.

The mechanism is quite similar to sectional garage doors but garage door contractors I have called would not even go past "oh, we only do garage doors"

Where would I look for these parts? Or for a whole new rope system if nothing else.

(I have no idea who and when built that staircase)

I suspect you'll need to go directly to the manufacturer for this one. The only thing I've seen from the HI stores are fold down style of stairs.

For your pull down style, the first result I found in a Google search (so no affiliation or endorsement) is Bessler Stairway Company. They have parts for door and stringer spring tension drums, pulleys for the door cables, and the cables for the door and stringers. If you cannot identify your model, you may want to contact a manufacturer to see if their parts are generic or interchangeable with other manufacturers, or if they can help identify your model.


Lighted medicine cabinet needs GFCI outlet and Dimmer - why? I'm having my GC prepare electrical for lighted medicine cabinet and I'm trying to understand the wiring instructions so I can make sure he does the work right before the walls go up. My confusion is why this lighted medicine cabinet requires BOTH a connection to a GFCI outlet AND a connection to a dimmer.

Is the dimmer switch here the same as any other dimmer switch that I'd use for a normal recessed light, which turns on and off and also controls brightness level? If yes, then why do I need to connect to a GFCI outlet at all?

If it isn't a normal dimmer switch for a recessed light, then what type of dimmer is it and where do i find one?

Thanks for your help in advance!

The GFCI is purely for the outlets (as required by code for outlets near sinks).

The light is separate and controlled by the dimmer. You can also use a normal lightswitch.

The reason for having both is that you want outlets to be powered even when the light is off. To be able to charge your electric toothbrush while you are not using it for example. Dimming outlets is not a good idea in general.


Kohler bathtub cold water stem removal Need to remove stem from bathtub cold water faucet which turns on clockwise and off counter-clockwise. Does Lefty-Loosy apply here?

98 out of 100 times it is indeed lefty loosey. In cases of some power tools it is the opposite.


Will a shorter bar increase my chainsaw's power significantly? If I swap-on a 16", or 14", bar & chain onto my 42cc / 18"-OEM-bar chainaw, will I have a significant cut-power boost?

I've been reading about everything related to chainsaws that I can find (and youtubing, especially Steve's Saloon series!) but haven't found a solid answer to this yet... If you're very very comfortable with a powerhead that came OEM with an 18" bar, but you never ever plan to use the thing in a manner that'd require >14" bar, wouldn't you get a serious power-boost by using the 14" bar (relative to the 18")?

Thanks for any answers/explanations on this one, am aware my 18" accommodates 14" and 16" bars (with specific drive-links at least) and wanting to down-grade the bar size (as I need more than this 18"s 42cc powerhead for my biggest saw) and just kinda hoping it's worthwhile to make the downgrade (instead of just buying another 18" chain for it, despite never using it on stuff over 1-2' wide!)

Also curious what type of chain(s) would be the most-aggressive that I could get, have read Oregon's manual and while it describes them it doesn't really say "this is the strongest"...I know I don't want a 'safety chain' (cut-link as every-other-link on the chain) but past that am unsure where to aim, bar/sprocket are generic 3/8" / 0.050"...actually I have a 14" with bad powerhead, may do some comparison-testing if the drive-links & pitch & gauge are appropriate for my 42cc's sprocket!

No. Or yes.

It isn't like gearing. A shorter chain doesn't compound torque like a smaller gear does. The amount of force applied at any point on the chain is identical.

However, the shorter bar limits how much contact the chain can make with the wood. Herein lies the difference. If you're cutting 16" of wood rather than 18" the motor isn't working as hard.

Should you do it? Probably not. You needlessly restrict yourself with respect to reach, and you can accomplish the same goal by working in a less aggressive manner when you're dealing with maximum-depth cuts.


Extremely low suspended ceilings? (NEC) Here are the key points:

Condo in NYC with concrete ceilings
Recessed lighting
"Exactly"
The ceiling is to be dropped by only 2-1/2"
The light in mind is a 1-1/4 LED light (Extremely low profile)
Ex:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-Ultra-Slim-3-in-Color-Selectable-Canless-LED-Recessed-Kit-91274/306079876

... my question is, what is the NEC code on drop/suspended ceilings like the one explained here? (if they exist at all) The low profile LED lights are a fairly modern invention so I'm not even sure if there's any word on if this meets code.

I'm also curious on NYC or NEC code for the suspended ceiling structure, steel or wood under ultra light 1/2 gypsum board for ceilings with wiring and maybe a "mini" junction box (that might be a stretch). I know 5/8 FR board is the norm and certain for meeting code, but would anything change for this application?

*Please reply only on NEC and NYC code. I really want to keep this thread free from alternative lighting suggestions, they've all been considered (yes, all including fabric ceiling options), but I would like to explore this option.

With concrete ceilings/floors between levels, you can install any rated or unrated suspended ceiling. (The concrete ceiling/floor assembly provides the necessary fire rating between floors and between units.)

However, there are height restrictions (which you didn’t ask about).


What is the "warm water method" of clearing a clogged toilet? In this question the OP mentioned that, when having problems with blocked toilet, as his first attempt he tried warm water method.

I would like to ask:

  What is warm water method? For which purposes and in what situations can it be used?

Using warm (should be very hot water) to break up plumbing blockages.  Works for minor issues.  You would simply dump hot water into the drain (or toilet) and let the heated water try to affect the material blocking the pipe.


What could be causing a urine smell in our bathrooms? I live in a home built in 2006. We are a clean family and have no pets. In ALL three of our bathrooms I am smelling an odor of "old urine". I do have a 3-year-old son so at first I thought he was simply missing the toilet in his bathroom, but days after both my husband and I noticed the same smell in the other two restrooms. I cleaned all with bleach thoroughly and still. . .the odor remains. Could this be something with our plumbing? Can we do a cleansing of the plumbing in the house?

Being a landlord I have tenants that just don't like to clean/scrub toilets weekly... try once or twice a year...  however they do sometimes call up and say my toilet smells when I flush it.  Every single time I have had this the solution has been the same with tenants... clean it with toilet bowl cleaner including under the RIM and clean it about 5 or 6 times as so much stuff is stuck everywhere... even change cleansers every other week.. but not in the same day (don't mix chemicals)...

Another possibility is the kid peed on the walls.. wash them.

Another possibility is ... are there warm air floor ducts near the toilet... maybe the kid pees in them for fun??? lift the covers and have a look... I did find one grill that was covered in pee spray... in a guest bathroom... once upon a time.

Another possibility there is a bad seal or no seal under the toilet... there is supposed to be a foam or wax ring under the toilet that keeps the air and water in the sewer system separate from the air and water in your house.  I have had one instance in 20 years of a urine smell that happens every time you flush that cleansers did not solve... it turned out be a foam ring that was not wide enough to fill the gap between the floor and the bottom of the toilet and every time you flush - air from the sewer passes by after the water has passed by.  Strangely there never were any water leaks that anyone ever noticed.

THe only way to check this is to remove the toilet by unscrewing the floor bolts, lifting and looking to see what is underneath... before you do this you might want to buy 3 regular wax rings and 3 extra thick wax rings... so you can choose which you want after you lift...  if the rings are foam you might notice how one end might be squished and the other end appears full height... the full height is your clue that air might be getting through...   Personally I don't care for the foam rings (hardware stores charge more for these than wax.. but it is harder to determine if you have a good fit.. with wax... it all just squishes out if it's too much and you get a good seal.

The last and least likely idea is that there is an issue with the vent stack for each toilet.  Don't know the reputation or experience of your builder or the care with which city inspectors review builder work before signing off... but... you might want to check if there is a clear path from the stack inside the wall behind the toilet to the roof.  Start with a quick look at each roof vent (the little chimney sticking out through the shingles) and see if you can see down it.. or is it plugged with a bird nest or some dead critter?


Loading Bearing Studs issue I have some questions/concerns about my load bearing studs/wall in my basement stairs.
My house is just 3 years old house and no modification done yet to any load bearing wall yet.
You can see the pic in Basement stair Front ( 1st picture), how joists ( just above the stair's landing) are running. Both the Stairs Left/Right side walls are load bearing wall.
And, I found a weird thing with the load bearing studs ( see pic "Stair Right Side - Load bearing Double Studs" or 2nd picture)). The double studs (has cut from top)  are not actually holding the foyer (in main living)  load, rather its just the stud next to it or other studs in the same wall.
How ? please see there is a gap between double plate and double studs in  the picture.
If you look at left side of stair ( see pic 4th picture). the double studs are correctly installed and actually supporting the load from upstairs.
Actually, I have to make door through the Stair right side load bearing wall and I know I have to install a strong header made of 2 2X10 header and 1/2 plywood between 2X10s.
But I have to fix the existing structural issue.
Also I am not sure why electrician ran wire through 3 studs to install a switch box, why not just straight down from double plate hole. I am not seeing any reason why switchbox can't be on other side of the double studs. There is nothing blocking the switch box there.
Any suggestion and advise will be highly appreciated,
Thanks

[![enter image description here][6]][6]
[![enter image description here][6]][6]

I had inspector come and looked into this issue.
He was also not sure why it was happened like that way.
He suggested to replace those two studs with new 2 studs. those two studs are just a waste right now as those are not attached to the top plate, also one of the stud is pretty old.
thanks


What controls the min/max brightness of a dimmer switch light I have a room with the main light on a dimmer switch.

If I turn the switch all the way down, then the light doesn't go off. And indeed, it doesn't even go all that far down.

I'd like the minimum to be lower (ideally off). What controls that?

Is it solely a function of the bulb? solely the dimmer switch? A combination of the two?

If it's determined by the dimmer switch, then is that something I can modify on the switch? If not, then what property should I be looking at when I buy the replacement switch? What value determines the intensity of the light at the lowest bound?

I assume that for the maximum brightness, I don't care about anythign except the bulb ... I just need to get a higher Wattage bulb, just as I would do for a regular, non-Dimmable switch.

Is that right?

First check that your dimmer does not have a dimming range adjustment.  Several of the Lutron CFL/LED dimmers have this ability, check for an adjustment dial. LUTRON ADJUSTMENT

But lower dimmable levels depend on what type of bulb you have (CFL, LED, incandescent, halogen).
Lutron Dimmable Bulbs identifies the following

  What does “compatible” mean?
  Compatible means that the bulbs can be dimmed, although the bulb’s dimming performance may not
  match what you’re used to seeing when dimming an incandescent or halogen bulb. These bulbs have also
  been electrically tested to confirm that the control may be used up to its full rated CFL/LED load without
  affecting the life of the control.
  Products on this list are considered compatible with the respective Lutron C·L dimmers. Depending on the
  quality of the bulb you select, compatible bulbs may still:
  - have less dimming range than an incandescent or halogen bulb
  - dim less smoothly than an incandescent or halogen bulb
  - flicker or shimmer at certain light levels
  - buzz

As you notice LED and CFLs are not able to dim to the same levels that incandescents and halogens can achieve.  So if your using LEDs or CFLs and want to dim to a lower level you could switch to incandescent or halogen.  But if you must use LEDs or CFLs then the only way to have less "brightness" is to move to a lower lumen bulb or try changing color temperature.


Light Timer behind a dimmer? Does anyone know of a light timer that will work behind a dimmer?

It is for a reptile cage, my basking light has to be on a dimming thermostat, and I need that thermostat to turn off for 30 mins 3 times a day. The thermostat doesn't have this function, and the thermostat serves other devices that need to be used during this time, so I cannot turn off the entire thermostat.

So is there any light timer, that I can use behind a dimmer, that will accept and be okay with being dimmed?

I would use a simple intermatic timer being powered by another source then use the contact set in the timer to break the power to the heater. This would be a code compliant way to control the heat cycle. I do not know of any timer that could work as you describe but they may be out there. As far as intermatic they make clockwork style that you put lugs on a dial up to fancy digital units that you program. There are other brands I use intermatic because they last at least the clockwork ones almost never fail.


Hold several 2x4s together for tabletop? I was thinking of making a very rudimentary TV stand with several treated 2x4s I have here. The tabletop would look like this.

What can I do to hold all these 2x4s together so that they're sturdy?

I also have several 2x6s, and the tabletop would be three 2x6 together.

Really the only reliable way to hold boards together to make a top is to use some type of perpendicular board to attach them to like in this traditional picnic table:

This type of top will normally have small gaps between the boards to make them appear more uniform.  A small gap ends up looking better than a very uneven butt joint, but that can depend on the exact boards you choose.

If you had some high quality lumber, you could square up the edges on a jointer and glue and biscuit the boards together, but rough 2x4s are not straight enough for that, and they are likely to shrink/expand/twist over the years which would crack that type of joint in the long run.


Will drain camera see whether P-trap is filled with water? I rent in a highrise apartment building.  It can take upward of a year when asking the landlord to check for obstructions in the ventilation and/or clean the conduit, e.g., as might be prompted by lots of condensation after showering, leading to mold.

I have a sewagy smell in the bathroom, especiallly pronounced when I've kept the bathroom door closed.  I fear that it might be the bathtub P-trap, as the sink P-trap was recently cleared of obstruction (after years of slow drainage -- I usually try to find work arounds for as long as possible before imposing on the landlord for servicing). Perhaps there is a leak in the bathtub P-trap, or there is a strand of something that wicks water out.  I did not imagine that it would be trivial to pull up the bathtub to inspect this, and shining a flashlight down reveals that the drain pipe immediately dekes horizontally.  If online images are any indication, it likely meets a vertical pipe for the overflow, and then curls into a P-trap.

Since I anticipate much resistance and delay to a nontrivial request to check the bathtub P-trap, I considered renting a drainage camera to look myself.  They're quite expensive, with limited options in my city.  Two offerings I found were for $220 and $150 per day.  I also found that a hardware chain with continental presence (Canadian Tire) sells a cheap camera for $300 ("MAXIMUM Inspection Camera").  So I might just buy one at twice the cost of renting, which gives me the freedom to re-inspect if necessary.

Can such cameras typically see whether the P-trap is water filled, or is there an large uncertainty in their effectiveness?  I don't want to blow $300 on a course of action for which there is (say) 50% chance of being able to see the water with some degree of certainty.  I found a youtube video alluding to seeing reflection off the water in a P-trap, but frankly, I couldn't make anything out of it.  If it takes a highly experienced eye to recognize such a reflection, or otherwise discern whether sufficient water is present, then that reduces the chances of effectiveness of this "solution" for me.

Yes, they should get you the answer you seek. It should be plainly apparent whether there's water standing or not.

You can buy cameras that do what you need for much less. Note that there is variety in the type and rigidity of the cables, so read carefully.


What could cause the freezer to work but not the fridge? My fridge (10 year old Elextrolux model PLHT219TCK0) is not cooling (60 degrees) while the freezer works fine.  I thawed the freezer for 12 hours and when I turned it back on everything worked fine for a week and then the problem re-appeared. When I opened up the back of the freezer there is a build up of frost on all components.  I am thinking that maybe the defroster is not working.  See the attached pictures.

Usually there's a fan that moves air from the freezer to the fridge.  It could be that the frost is preventing the fan from spinning and/or blocking the air chase between the two.  Would probably take a week or so to build up to that point.  If the defrosters not working, which, if that's the back of the interior of your freezer, it looks like it isn't, that's definitely what I would start checking.

I'm not fridge guy, but my first step would be to verify voltage to the defroster.


How to build a curbless shower pan Does anyone have any experience building a curbless shower pan? I have built multiple showers and have generally mastered the typical shower pan with a 3"-4" curb but we now have my wife's 91-year-old mother living with us and she has trouble stepping over the curb. We are getting ready to remodel her bathroom to make it more accessible and a curbless shower pan would help.

My first thought is to cut into the sub-floor and joists (2x12) enough to create a 1/4" slope for a 42"x60" shower pan (roughly 1-1/4"). Then add stabilizers between the joists (perpendicular) and new subfloor. This seems like a lot of work! But with our aging population we should see more of them than we typically do.

Someone has to have done this before and could possibly shine a little light...

To long for a comment
My niece is disabled and uses a wheelchair no curb shower pans are easy but remember the pan is now going to be 2-4x the size of a normal shower. We used a glass brick wall on the center to divide the bathroom up because the large unusual size. For her shower the floor has a slope from the opposing wall all the way back to the drain. We considered a speed bump (very slight) to contain the water that may splash but at 7’ felt it would not be needed. 10 years later the shower is still fully functional. One thing my sister insisted on was thermostatic water valves so if she bumped the valve they would not get froze or burned. The valve has required replacement 1 time recently. The rest of the bathroom floor was raised 3/4 or 1 inch I do not remember. For the floor tiles a rough finished natural stone was used so it would not be slippery when it was sealed, my sister says this is both a blessing and a curse it is not slippery but is hard to clean, we added another outlet close to the opening that she can turn on and spray down the floor pushing the water and soap back to the drain. Since it has a minimal slope. Since this is for an elderly person you might consider a fold away bench. I installed one of these many years ago for an elderly couple in a standard shower. I don’t know if they ever dropped it down but they told me it was very nice.
So you can go totally curbless but you need the pan to extend beyond the splash zone.


Can I use single walled stove pipe for my wood stove? I have a wood stove that I'm going to use in my work room that is on the first floor of my house.  I was planning on running it out the side of my house and then the chimney go up next to my house.  I have a wall thimble to go through the wall, but my question is, can I use single walled pipe for the chimney?  It wouldn't be touching the house.

As a wood stove owner I can tell you this is a bad idea.  You need to look carefully at the wood stove manufacturer's requirements, but most wood stoves need a large draft to operate correctly and loss of heat through a single wall pipe causes too much loss of draft as well as creosote problems eventually leading to a chimney fire, if you can manage to keep your stove lit.


Does a non grounded GFCI meet code? Background

So I live in Michigan (which of course affects code) and I have a bunch of two prong outlets in a house that I own. If I want to convert these to be 3 prong outlets is it still up to code to replace them with GFCI's with a label "No Equipment Grounding"? The outlets I am referring to are just in bedrooms so not by a source of water like the bathroom / kitchen.

Will the outlet still pass the outlet checker tool?

I know the tool is checking for a ground and probably still won't find one with just the GFCI there but I guess it isn't necessarily a requirement to pass that tool is it?

So if just using a GFCI is not sufficient, recently all of my copper pipes were replaced with PEX; however, the main line coming into the house to the internal water meter is still copper. Can I join all of the grounds to this? Seems like the perfect ground as it goes deep into the earth and then out to the city.

Installing GFCI protection on a circuit allows you to replace non-grounded receptacles (2 wire) with a grounded receptacle (3 wire) as long as it is marked "No equipment ground" and "GFCI Protected". If you just replace one non-grounded receptacle with a GFCI then it must be marked "No equipment ground". This can be found in the NEC Article 406.4(D)(2). It is used as a means to install grounded receptacles on a non-grounded circuit and not have to rewire an entire dwelling. The GFCI is not a ground but acts as shock protection due to its design.

If most of your dwelling was rerun in PEX then you should insure that you have a at least 10' of water pipe in direct contact with the earth, NEC 250.52(A)(1).

NEC Article 250.50 requires that every method of grounded available shall be combined to form one Grounding Electrode System. This means that if you only have the water pipe as your grounding electrode, you should as least drive and attach a ground rod supplementary to the water pipe.

Hope this helps to clear some things up.Good luck.


Protecting a finished wood exterior door I have a solid wood exterior door, that I had stained and finished by the maker.  I was looking for a way to prolong and protect the finish.  I thought about waxing the door (especially the exterior side).  Any have any suggestions on this ?  I thought just a spray automotive wax would do the trick.

You mention the door is "finished" by the manufacturer. Can you tell me what type of finish ? Most exterior doors that are stained can be sealed with a product such as spar varnish, or marine grade epoxy. Seikens makes some very good marine sealers that work great on exterior wood doors exposed to direct sunlight. If your door is shaded and protected by a storm door, than  it can be sealed with urethane, however urethane is not recommended for direct exposure to the elements or direct sunlight.


Wiring for GFCI with 3 cables Current setup is a 20A breaker that powers:

Above counter: 2 gang box with:

Left side: a switch powering over-sink light
Right side: a switch for the garbage disposal

Under sink: A hardwired garbage disposal

Desired/plan:

Replace the garbage disposal switch with a 20A GFCI
Install a 15A receptacle below sink (where I'll plug in a button air switch for a plug-in disposal + hot water dispenser)

Nothing wrong with this plan I hope?
I have questions about how to properly wire the GFCI, so that it (I think should) also protect the under-sink outlet.
As I look to install the GFCI, the instructions say:

DO NOT install the GFCI receptacle in an electrical box containing (a) more than four (4) wires (not including the grounding wires) or (b) cables with more than two (2) wires (not including the grounding wire)."

As you can see from the photos, I have 3 cables going into the box. All 3 cables have black/white/ground. Can this be installed and if so what is the correct wiring?
Please let me know if you need more information and I can edit this. In USA.

When UL lists the device, they list the instructions along with it.
The reason for the "DO NOT" instruction is because the instructions in the GFCI device are written for the specific case of one cable in; and 0 or 1 cable out.  UL would not approve more complex instructions to handle every case; so the instructions say to get professional help if your case is more complex than the instructions.
The way to wire it is to identify "Always-hot" (which is hot at all times) and true Neutral.  Pigtail "Always-hot" to the LINE brass screw.  Pigtail Neutral to the LINE silver screw.
GFCI devices have the ability to provide GFCI protection to a downline.  If you want to protect downline points-of-use, then for each downline load, hook its Hot wire to LOAD brass screw, and its Neutral wire to the LOAD silver screw.    Only do these in pairs - both hot and neutral of any downline.
Note this can get quite confusing where switches are concerned.


Can I use a magnet to make a hinged mirror stick to the wall? After installing my Ikea mirror which can open like a door (in order to install small hooks on the wall behind it and hang keys and stuff), I realize it touches the wall only if I apply pressure on it, otherwise there's a 1 centimeter gap.

I was thinking about installing a small magnet on the wall at half height of the mirror, then a small metal sheet glued on the mirror at the same height so that the mirror is attracted by the magnet.

Ideally the magnet on the wall would be a simple screw whose head is a magnet! Is there such a thing?

Otherwise, what do you suggest?

Why, of course! You're looking for a "magnetic catch".
Just you should possibly install it the other way around - a metal plate on the wall, and the catch screwed on the mirror.

Images added:

Magnet mounted as plug in the cabinet with large head screw contact
Magnet in cup washer and mating contact washer mounted with screws
Thin magnet to metal plate


Galvanized pipe life expectancy USA, NW Oregon, single-story house with crawl space, built 1972.

Background

The house has the original galvanized piping in the crawl space and suffers from low water flow in two bathrooms.  Static pressure measured at an external hose faucet near where the service line enters is 80psi so pressure is not a problem.  The kitchen, which is next to the service line entry, does not have a flow problem

The home inspector suggested the galvanized pipe is near the end of its service life.  An additional factor is that that the previous owners did a major remodel of the kitchen and both bathrooms 5-7 years ago and installed copper risers (yay, no sheetrock tearout to repipe) but the contractor didn't use dielectric couplings, which could have accelerated corrosion in the galvanized pipe near the joints.  When I replaced the shower heads I found some black crumbly granules in the old shower heads, and also in a sink aerator.

We have decided to replace the galvanized pipe with PEX, and there is some disagreement among contractor bids about the necessity of replacing the galvanized service line from the meter to the house.  One contractor thinks it is not necessary.

Questions (all related):

Is the expected lifetime of galvanized pipe in the 40-50 year range as claimed by the inspector?
Could the lack of dielectric couplings have greatly accelerated the corrosion leading to the current situation?
If yes, would the copper be corroded/weakened as well?
Is there a way to inspect the service line to determine if it needs to be replaced?

40-50 years is a fair lifespan. I've seen plenty of houses with galvi that was 60+ years old without it failing, the real issue to me is if you want to wait until it fails to replace it.
Not greatly accelerated the process, no.
Yes.
Potentially and at decent expense. It depends on the size of the water service, condition of the piping, and access point.

If you're re-piping your house and don't mind them digging up your yard, a water service replacement is a good idea. It should be cheaper to do it all at once rather than to do them as two separate projects.


Gable venting a bathroom fan and kitchen range hood I am planning on venting my bathroom fan and the range hood in my kitchen out the gable end of my house in separate runs.  The gable end is above a gable roof, so I am hoping for some recommendations on how far above the roof I need to install the vents.  The gable roof has two roof vents on them, but I'm not sure whether that matters.

Thanks in advance!

The primary concern with any opening is bulk water infiltration. Sound practice is a minimum of 8" between the sill of the opening and the roof surface to provide for proper flashing and counterflashing. 12" is better.

So long as the duct layout and clearances are consistent with the manufacturer's recommendations, the installation should otherwise be fine.


How to remove about 1/4" of wood from in-place beam? Previous owner of my house installed a staircase by creating an opening in the ceiling/floor.  One side of this opening is a major support beam of the house --- 12" high, probably 4" wide.  Single solid piece of wood.  This beam is bowed outward.  I would like flatten it out so I can put some drywall over it.  This would require removing somewhere around 1/4" to 3/8" over a span of about two feet, and a lesser amount outside of that.

I'm familiar with using sanders, and I know it would do the job --- eventually.  But that seems like an awful lot of wood to try to remove that way.  I'm not familiar with using other tools that might be useful here --- chisels?  planes?

What would be the right tool for this job?   And BTW, is there a name for this kind of wood working operation?  (Can't google it if you don't know what to call it...)

The most popular tool for the job is a power planer, which you're unlikely to own unless you hang tons of doors. The equivalent hand tool would be a bench or jack plane. Overall hand planes are more useful, but high quality ones have eye popping prices.

The most common term would be planing (i.e. to plane). Though just to make things confusing the machine for one side of a board flat is a jointer, while the planer makes the other side parallel to the first. So in wood working (as opposed to carpentry) the operations are called jointing and planing. Most people call portable planers "lunchbox planers" because of their appearance, and stick to power planer or electric planer for the handheld versions. That's not universal though, so expect some crossover results from search engines.

Also if you should ever be in a situation where you need to lift a lunchbox planer use both hands and lift with your knees, not your back. That name is extremely misleading; they weigh a ton.


How do I remove surface rust from a metal roof? I am buying a house that requires some minor modifications.  One of them is a recommendation to remove a small area of surface rust on a metal roof.  I'm interested in the best way to achieve this.

There at multiple products with which to remove rust from iron based metals. There are the mechanical methods which include sanding or wire brushing. Both of these methods can be done by hand or with a power tool.

The other method is to use a rust remover chemical. The common product is often referred to as "naval jelly". It is brushed on and then let sit for a while and then washed away. Often it is necessary to use a combination of approaches, the jelly and some concurrent work with steel wool or a wire brush. Make sure to use proper personal protection when working with the chemicals.

Another very important part of removing rust is the need to properly prime and paint the surface soon after the rust removal. The rust removal process opens up the bare metal surface and it will re-rust quickly in the presence of any moisture.

In consideration that you would be working on a part of your roof be prepared ahead of time how you plan to deal with matching in the paint with the reset of the roof. It could get to necessary to repaint a larger area or whole side of the roof.


How can I prevent sewer gas coming from the drain of an infrequently used shower? I have a shower stall in my basement guest unit.  As it's only used occasionally, sometimes the P-trap dries out.  Other than remembering to add water periodically, if I haven't had any guests or I anticipate a long period without use, can I fill it with oil or antifreeze? What are my options?

Is there something I can do to avoid having the trap dry out during intermittent use? Or is there an alternative type of trap I can install during an upcoming renovation?

I'm also considering removing my wash basin (it gets moldy and takes up a ton of room) and adding a stand pipe to catch my AC condensate, but I am worried I'll experience similar issues.

There's two solutions to this - a trap primer and baby oil.

A trap primer is a device that has a tube running from a fixture to a seldom-used drain. Whenever that fixture is run, a small amount of water is diverted to the trap to fill it. There are also standalone primers that run based on a timer and don't rely on a fixture.

Since oil floats on water, baby oil will coat the water in the trap and keep it from evaporating. Next time you notice the trap is low, top it up and add some baby oil.

Adding a trap primer will probably be disruptive and expensive - I'd go with the baby oil.

You can use any oil, but baby oil (or plain, unscented mineral oil) won't go rancid as a food oil (vegetable oil, canola oil, etc) eventually will. Plain unscented mineral oil is sold as a laxative in most pharmacies and some supermarkets.


What flooring material to install in a sunroom with wide temperature and moisture variations? Late last fall, we had a sunroom built on our nhouse, and we're trying to determine what type of flooring should be installed. We live in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, so the climate will definitely be a factor.

The flooring is plywood, with metal flashing around the outside edge at the walls.

In January/February, the temperature can reach -35C (-31F). In July/August, the temperature can reach +35C (95F). The sunroom is south-facing, with all glass/aluminum walls, so the air temperature inside during summer will be higher than that. In winter, the sun won't have any significant moderating effect on the temperature.

Compounding this, we have a dog that we let out into the back yard every day, so we walk through the sunroom two or three times every day, winter or summer. In winter, this lets a lot of moisture into the sunroom, which condenses on the windows. As we get closer to spring, the moisture melts and pools at the edges of the sunroom, and wicks onto the plywood if I don't mop it up quickly enough.

We have been told that some flooring types won't be suitable (linoleum and vinyl, I think) because they get brittle in our winter temperatures. We were expecting to have to use some outside carpet, but one flooring company told us we could use laminate flooring. I'm getting a sense that the contractor is a bit of an amateur, though, and I've read that laminate flooring contracts in the cold, so I would expect it to shift as we walk on it.

Can someone please recommend types of flooring that may be suitable for our conditions? I plan to have whatever we choose professionally installed (I'm not very handy).

To clarify, the sunroom is a raised structure with insulation in the floor and ceiling. It is an unheated space, and with the temperatures we get in the winter, no amount of insulation will help an unheated space in January. The structure seems quite secure, with teleposts of some kind on top of concrete footings.

EDIT: Not enough reputation to comment on my own question. My installation does not have any sort of pan. The walls are mostly glass with a metal frame, which stands on metal flashing. The flashing extends 5" from the glass/metal walls, and the remainder of the floor is plywood. Since we open the door from the kitchen several times a day to let the dog in and out, the air in the sunroom, which would normally be very dry in the winter, ends up having a lot of moisture in it, which condenses and freezes. In the spring, as the sun becomes more intense, the condensation melts and pools at the base of the wall. I mop it up every day to reduce the amount that can condense that evening, but a couple of times it has reached the plywood before I got home. My thought was to install whatever flooring type is best, then put a barrier of some sort (metal or plastic edging), then add a bead of silicone along the entire edge, to force the water to stay on the flashing until I can mop it up.

Your best option is sheet vinyl.  Next to that would be tile or concrete.

Most other flooring has seams which will eventually leak.  Yes, you can place vinyl tiles, or even laminate flooring, if you appropriately glue/seal all the seams.  Eventually the seams will leak, and in the case of laminate surface scratches must be sealed immediately to avoid damage to the laminate below the waterproof surface.

A single sheet, if possible, will provide continuous leak protection across the entire floor surface.  If it's too wide for a single sheet, then a single seam is easier to keep sealed than the multiple seams found in other flooring choices.

Tile and concrete are both good options as well. Regular maintenance and upkeep will keep them in good waterproof operation for the life of the house, while vinyl will need to be replaced every decade or two.

Even though it's designed to be an unheated space, you should consider adding a vapor barrier and insulation to the flooring area.  This will reduce the likelihood of later rotting or water condensation.

Keep in mind that outdoor carpet requires a sealed or well-draining surface.  Your current plywood would have to be treated and sealed for the outdoor carpeting to be useful.  The carpeting alone won't prevent damage to the subfloor - it will only avoid damage itself when exposed to water.

In your situation you need to protect both the flooring and the subfloor.

Regarding the cold temperatures, newer vinyl floors are much more flexible and resilient even in the fact of extreme cold weather. You'll need to specify that both the flooring and the adhesive be tolerant to freeze-thaw cycles.

Be certain that your subfloor is substantial and secure.  Cracking occurs where stresses increase significantly on one area of the floor.  As long as the vinyl is well-adhered to the subfloor, and the subfloor is relatively stable, then the stresses from expansion and contraction will be spread evenly across the entire surface.  While these forces are large, they won't overcome the strength of the vinyl.  If the subfloor develops a large gap, then the stresses in the vinyl would be greater around that gap and that's where a tear might start.

So your flooring really starts with a good, stable, strong subfloor.  What you put on top, then, will be fine as long as it can deal with the water exposure.


Do I need a slope in drain lines under sink? I'm connecting the drains for a double basin sink something like the one in this picture. My question is, do I need any slope in the horizontal line between the two basins or after the p-trap in the section leading to the vertical?

You do. You want at least 1/4" per foot to keep liquids flowing and carrying any sediment or waste into your drain line. It shouldn't be hard to accomplish given your setup.
Edit
To adjust height you need to loosen the nut on the right tailpiece and raise it up on the slip joint. You may have to trim a little off the tailpiece to do that. Do the same for the lower tailpiece on the left below the inlet and above the trap. Slip joints will typically have enough play to allow you to make these type of adjustments but sometimes they require trimming.
One tip - It's often easier to make this type of adjustment if you slightly loosen all of the plastic nuts first to give you a little play when setting the slope. Just don't forget to retighten afterward and check for leaks.


Will my existing deck support the weight of a new hot tub? I have a hot tub on my deck. I'm ready to fill it but now wondering about the weight on it.  The deck is 10' wide with 2x8 joists on 16"centers. The tub is 7' x 7'. When filled with water and people it will weigh about 6000lbs.

I know it's  not strong enough.  I was thinking about sandwiching each joist with two 2x8s then installing a header under each end.  I would like to keep it open underneath.

Double 2x8's spanning 10' @ 16" O.C. can barely support 160 PSF (safely) if they are douglas fir and the spa is centered on the joist.  150 PSF over ~50 Sq. Ft. would be about 7,500 lb.

As for your end beams, (3) 2x10's spanning 7' would support the weight of the joist ends with a 1.5 sq. ft. footing on each end of the beams; 4 total.

Just to stiffen things up, I would add (2) 2x8s between the existing joist evenly spaced ~5" O.C or so to help support the deck boards.  With the beams and the footings, this would give plenty of support to the SPA.


How do I prevent my security cameras from being stolen? I'm in a high theft area and I plan to set-up three IP cameras: two outdoor and one indoor. Stealing the cameras is lucrative if the thieves know what they are doing since:

They total around 10,000 PHP or around 180 USD.
The settings are very easy to reset for resale; just press the hole with a pin.
The SD card which stores the recording are housed inside the camera unit.

How do I prevent someone from just removing the camera?

I'm looking for a solution which:

Does not obstruct the camera view (if there's a way to cage the camera in such a way, that is good)
Keeps the camera maintainable; so no permanent welding.

There's a couple of ways to play this, depending on how easy it is to get above/behind the mount point above the camera

Attach a smooth-face bolt to the bottom and put the nut above/behind. If you're mounting to a soffit or plywood, this is the best way to do it because you have no native access to loosen the bolt from the outside. All you see is the smooth face
Use a one-way screw. Not impossible to remove, but not doable with hand tools

Use a non-standard screw head. Star bits are a bit harder to come by than Phillips or straight. There's even some rather exotic heads, with the goal being security through obscurity

Mind you, there's nothing to stop a determined thief from drilling the fastener out and taking the camera (which would involve noise), but these ideas should make it more difficult than using a regular pocket screwdriver.


Where is the ledger supposed to attach to the rim joist? If you look at the pic there's a gap right under the door way, about 5 inches deep and high. The rim joist of the house is halfway behind the brick and the other half is exposed right under the door.

Can I just fill in the gap with say a 6x6 post and secure that to the rim joist, then attach my ledger board to that and through the brick veneer? Would that be an acceptable method of securing the ledger or are there any other options? Otherwise, I am considering a free-standing deck.


Why is the cut using a jigsaw not a perfect straight line? I attempted to test-cut a straight line using my new electric jigsaw. Therefore, I clamped a piece of scrap wood and used another piece as guide, marked the cut lines using a pencil and fitted the jigsaw with the blade and cut.
But my cut is like this:

As you can see, my cut is not straight and has some kind of stair-like pattern, so do you think that this blade used to cut is at fault?

Would you recommend this blade for cutting straight lines?

Jig saws are designed for cutting curves.
You can cut straight lines and generally you followed the correct procedure - using a straight edge. Your picture of the cut is pretty blurry, so it's hard to tell for sure, but there are several possibilities:

The piece of wood you used as a straight edge isn't as straight as you thought. Usually one uses a metal or plastic straight edge - one that is manufactured to be straight. Either a ruler, a level, or a specifically designed cutting straight edge.

If you're starting in with tools, wood working and house projects, get yourself a level and plan to clamp it carefully to use as a straight edge.
Depending on the design of the level, this might be easy or difficult. Purchase one with the thought of clamping as a straight edge to get more than one use out of your tool.

You didn't follow the straight edge as carefully as you thought you did.

Note my initial comment that jig saws are designed for cutting curves. That means that the slightest variation from dead straight will end up with a wavy line.
You have to have a thick enough straight edge, clamped well enough, that you can actually continually pull the base-plate of the jig saw against the straight edge. If you don't, it will tend to wander off because that's what they're designed to do.

It does appear that your blade has a lower tooth-per-inch count. I'd guess it's between 6 and 9 teeth per inch.

These blades are good for "general purpose" cutting and especially for fast cutting. They generally do not make a "pretty" cut. They generally leave a pretty ragged cut edge behind.
If you want a smoother cut, a higher tooth-per-inch blade is what you want. Something that has 12 or more teeth per inch. Be aware, however, that these will cut slower, and are often designed for cutting metal. They will cut wood just fine, but they will cut slowly in comparison to the faster cutting wood blades.

Once you get some practice with the saw, you will get to be pretty good a following your pencil line free-hand (without a straight edge), but it's not likely that you'll ever generate dead-straight lines with a jig saw (especially not free-hand). It's just the wrong tool for the job.
Some additional thoughts:
Jig saws are used for curved cuts, but also for notching or stopped cuts where you need to cut into a board, but not all the way through from one edge to the other. You use it to cut straight in from the outside edge of the wood, straight to the corner, then you nibble away at the turn until you've got enough clearance to make a 90° (or whatever is called for) turn, then make the next straight cut. Continue this for as many interior corners as you need.
None of this is to say that you

Can't make straight cuts with a jig-saw (everyone has agreed that it's possible, but it takes practice and it's very unlikely they'll ever be laser straight), or
Can't use it for making full edge-to-edge cuts. Generally, though, a through cut is made with a circular saw because that's what they are designed for.

Since you've already purchased the jig saw (and may not be able to return it for refund), go ahead and use it. Make some practice cuts to get the hang of how to use it and accept that your cuts will likely never be perfectly straight. If you do need a really neat final cut, adjust your cut to give yourself a smidge (1mm or so) of room to manually clean up the cut using a different technique as noted in Joe's excellent answer.
Finally, it looks like your "option" blade is labeled "extra clean cut". That will help make a nicer cut, but what you really want is a wider blade - one that has more distance between the points of the teeth and the smooth non-cutting side of the blade. This width is what will help the blade track straighter, though it still isn't the magic bullet for straights cuts.
Another, additional thought
Some jig saws have an "orbit" function that causes the blade to move forward and back as well as up and down. The greater the amount of orbit, the faster but rougher the cut will be. This used to be a high-end feature, but seems to have made its way into the mid-range and even some low-end models. Usually, the amount of orbit is adjustable from "lots" to "none". Make sure the orbit function is turned off for a smoother cut


All Outlets on Breaker Randomly Give ~8V All the devices on one of my breakers randomly stop working, and when checked with a multimeter, I see that the outlets are giving a voltage of ~8V rather than the ~125V I usually get. When I check that breaker at the panel, I get ~125V as I should.

What's extra strange is that this seems to be associated with my dryer, but I can't imagine how. The dryer is on a totally separate breaker from the one that keeps dying. But when this happens, I have to flip the dryer breaker and the other one, and then turn on the dryer, and then boom all the other devices power up again the second I turn start the dryer. I've done this three times now, so I really doubt that it's just coincidence.

Note: My dryer is ghetto rigged. It has two dials: an on-off dial and a timer dial. A while back, the on-off dial stopped working. I opened up the dryer, and hardwired past on-off button so that it just starts as soon as you move the timer dial. In doing so I left a third wire that was connected to the on-off button just hanging out - unconnected with electrical tape covering it. I did check to make sure that the chasis was still grounded. That "fix" has been working for 7 months before issue started. I'm not sure if its related, but I just want to give as much info as possible.

Any thoughts or ideas are appreciated - Thanks!

You have an intermittent open leg on your electrical service. By turning on the dryer you are creating a backfeed through the heating elements which is a 240V load that uses both legs of your service.

An open service neutral would show with the voltages in the house going both up and down. Meaning you might get 50V on one leg but 180V on the other.

I'd start by calling the power company to see if the problem is on their end of things.


What size rubber grommet will a 3/4" PVC pipe fit (water tight) through? What size rubber grommet do I need for a water-tight seal on a 3/4" PVC pipe?

For example, would this rubber grommet fit a 3/4" PVC Pipe?

In these situations, I use bulkhead fittings. It saves the annoyance to getting this stuff to seal properly, any slight leverage and there's now a leak. These are available in several sizes at most plumbing supply stores. If there's a gentle curve to the surface this has to penetrate, I've used a large O-ring instead of the supplied gasket. They're available as glue type fittings, or internally threaded.


Water flow reduced after a few seconds in 2nd floor bathroom sink, cold side If you turn the cold water on full blast, it flows for 2-3 seconds at full, then drops off to a trickle thereafter. The hot side does not have the same issue. This began happening a few months ago, with no other issues, or changes to the plumbing.

What could be the issue?

Thanks!

A nearly-full-clogged cold water pipe. Pressure builds in time after the clog (giving the initial full blast) but it cannot sustain the flow (dropping to a trickle).