Trying to install smart switches - came across something that looks wrong I am putting in some wemo dimmers to replace my existing dimmers in a three gang box, and came across this wiring:

I marked areas of concern with red circles.

It seems that the two dimmers are grounded to each other (the boxes in the middle and right). The ground wires are just tied together, nothing else.
The cables to the lights are also grounded together (but I can't see grounding from anywhere else).
Also, it seems that the neutral wires are tied to a ground wire that is from a 3 way switch. This is the other end of the three way switch:

The light gray wire (as opposed to the dark grey) I'm assuming is a white wire used as part of a traveler.

Here are pictures of the actual boxes:

My #1 concern is this: is it ok for those neutrals to be tied to a ground wire? Should those dimmers be grounded to eachother?

Thank you so much for your time and consideration!

The nut of the problem is the ground wire joining the neutrals in drawing 1.   This is a bootlegged attempt to fix a fundamental problem of bringing 5 wires:  2 travelers, always-hot, neutral and ground in a /3+ground cable.

Everything in drawing 1 is bootlegging neutral from ground. This is bad and needs to be fixed Right Now.  Not least, nothing in that box is actually grounded.

Good thing you're into smart switches

Because the real solution here is use smart switches to reduce the number of 3-way travelers, so we can free up the wire we need to do this right.

Theoretically, you can reduce the number of travelers from 2 to 0 with Insteon, X10 or other tech that uses powerline signaling to communicate between switches.  However it will suffice to use smart switches that use 1 comms wire, so that is what I will describe.

remove the 3-way from the 2-gang box.  There, see the clump of blacks in the 2-gang box, which include a white from the /3 cable?  Remove the white and replace it with the /3 cable's black (remove yellow tape).  Now you have a 5-wire bundle of eevery black in the box (not blueblack) and a pigtail to each switch.  These are always-hot.
Notice the bundle of neutrals here.  Add the /3 white wire to it, and also add a white pigtail that will go to the future 3-way smart switch.  Now you have a 6-wire bundle (you will need a red or tan wire nut for that) with all white wires and a pigtail to each switch.  These are all real neutral.

Remove the 3-way from the 3-gang box.  There, see the /3 white going to a clump of black pigtails going on to switches?  Remove the white and replace it with the /3 cable's black (remove yellow tape). Also add a black pigtail that will go to the future 3-way smart switch.  Now you have all 4 uncolored blacks in a bundle (supply and 3 pigtails). These are always-hot.
Notice the bundle of neutrals here.  Remove the /3‘s green wire and replace it with the /3’s white wire and add 1 white pigtail for the smart switches.  Now you have 5 white wires (one from every cable plus the pigtail) so you'll need a red nut for this.  This bundle is full; you'll add the smart switch pigtails to the other end of that white pigtail.  All these white wires are neutral.
Now you have a loose ground wire.  Joint it with every other ground in the box.
The red wire is now the only comms wire.

Whew!!!   We have corrected  the bootleg wiring, and have honest always-hot, neutral and safety ground in both boxes. The 3-way circuit is wrecked: cap off its wires until you procure a correct smart switch.

The 3-way smart switch "master" must go in the 3-gang box. It connects to line/always-hot (black), neutral (white), load/switched-hot (blue), and if needed, comms/traveler (yellow-red).
The 2-gang gets the 3-way smart "remote".  It takes line/always-hot (black), neutral (white) and if needed comms/traveler (yellow-red).
The other smart switches install according to their instructions. The load/switched-hot wires all have colored tape on black.


Another fluorescent light question The fixtures are older T-12, 8', 2 lamp, single point ends.  There are many at this location but this one is not working for me.  First it wouldn't come on at all.  I replaced the ballast with a new one, from Loews, commercial instant on ballast that fit the requirement.  It would flash on and then shut down.  Tried a 2nd ballast.  Same result.  Have electric to the ballast and to the two sockets on the one end (both the red and blue wires).  But once it shuts down I still have juice at that red and blue ends, but nothing at the other end (the yellow wires).  What do I do next other than replace the entire fixture?

You're much better off with the (did you notice, much lighter) electronic ballast.  Instant start is fine, since it's the only type possible with 1-pin ends.

There are only 4 parts to a fluorescent lamp: Chassis, lampholders, ballast and lamps.  You just eliminated ballast.  Lamps, I'm trusting you here.  That leaves lampholders.

Look at the lampholders closely, make sure they are intact and the jumper between the yellow lampholders is intact.  8' 1-pin replacement lampholders can be had for a couple of bucks, I replace them all the time.  (4' 2-pin lampholders are like 60 cents.)


Tankless Water Heater - wasting water It takes a  while for the water to heat going to the tankless water heater and in doing that, a lot of water gets wasted. Is there such a thing as a pre-heat switch that would start the heating process prior to the water flow activating it? Is there anything that would reduce the amount of water being wasted while waiting for it to get hot enough (like for a shower)?

That would be a tanked system with a recirculation loop but what you save on water you waste in power consumption. The best alternitive would to purchase a point of use heater they are smaller and lower flow than the whole house model but other than that not running without flow is how these tankless units save $.


How to rectify tannin staining through paint? I am painting some wooden internal window sills and skirting boards, and a yellow-brown stain is showing through the paint.  From the answers to What are the brown stains showing through my white paint? and Primed wood and painted with white paint but looks yellow. Why and how to fix?, it looks like it is probably tannin leaching out of the wood and through the paint.  I'd like to know how best to fix the problem, ideally without having to sand back to the bare wood and start again.
I'm not sure what type of wood it is, but it was a reddish colour, and previously covered with a dark red-coloured varnish.  The varnish has been scraped off, then sanded down and primed with white 'Valspar Wood Primer & Undercoat'.  The stain was quickly visible through the primer, so a day or so later, a second layer of primer was applied before painting with white 'Dulux Quick Dry Satinwood for Wood and Metal'.  While this initially looked OK, the stain is now starting to show through again.
The answers to the questions linked above talked about using primers to stop staining in the first place, but didn't really discuss how to make good stains that were coming through.  After all the painting I've done so far, I'm not keen to sand it back to bare wood and start again with a different primer.  Is there anything I can apply on top of the satinwood paint to stop the tannin coming out before a final coat?  Recommendations for products I can get in the UK would be welcome.

You may have wondered with all these low odor paints available why would anyone use a smelly paint?  One answer is to find a paint that will not absorb the stain.
You don't need to sand back to wood, just scuff sand to dull the sheen so that a fresh coat of different paint will stick.  however if there is a texture you want to disguise you can sand deeper.
Use a paint with a contrasting chemistry as undercoat, EG: use an oil-based paint with an organic solvent, or a shellac based sealer with an alcohol solvent if your main coat has a water solvent.


Why won't my toilet's water valve not turn off? I need to replace my wax ring on my toilet.  To do that I need to turn the water off that fills the tank.

When I go to the valve that is by/under the toilet it will turn a bit more than a quarter turn.  That is all.  After that it is very stuck.  Trying to force it seems to put torque on the little pipe coming out of the wall (though I admit I have not tried too hard because I really don't want to have to open my wall up to fix a messed up copper pipe.)

I am the first owner of my home and this valve has never worked (though I did not think to check it till way after my warranty expired).

So, is this a cut the pipe and put on a new one kind of job, or is there a better way?

First, a silly question for you. Are you sure the valve is not a 1/4 turn ball valve, and are you sure it has not turned off the water supply to the tank.  If the answer is no to both questions, then we have to assume the valve is defective and we go to plan two. Now you have two jobs ahead. First, replace defective valve with a 1/4 turn ball valve and second, replace the wax ring with rubber flange. Before you can attack the valve replacement, you must turn off the main water supply, usually found at meter or pressure tank. After you have turned off the water supply. open a couple of faucets that are below and above the valve you want to replace. This will drain water from the system and avoid a lot of water held in pipes above the toilet valve from rushing out all over the place when you unsolder or cut the old valve out. Without seeing exactly what configuration your valve is attached by, I cannot advise you if it can be unsoldered.  Another option may be to secure the body of the valve with a wrench and see if you can remove the cartridge retaining nut with a separate wrench.  This will avoid the fear of ruining the copper in the wall. you may be able to replace just the guts instead of the entire valve.  A pic of your set up would be helpful.


Open front and top panels on Whirlpool Cabrio gas dryer I have a Whirlpool Cabrio gas dryer, model WGD8200YW2, that started making some squealing noises. I bought a parts kit to do a little tune up. I can't for the life of me figure out how to remove the front panel, though. All of the videos I found on youtube are either for dryers with the lint trap on top (this model has it inside the door) or with a split front panel (this model has a single full-height front panel).

I was able to remove the back plate and replace the idler pulley, and I can see the drum support rollers, but can't access them easily to replace. I also can't thread the belt back onto the drum without getting into the front and/or top. How is the front (and top for that matter) supposed to come off on this dryer?

Edit: I've got a parts diagram. I can see the locating tab (#35) and lock (#43) at the top front, but I'm not seeing a way to release them. I can slide a putty knife in behind the lock and push one side of forward, but that leaves the front portion still. I can't seem to push the front portion back at all.

Is this correct
I am almost certain that is the same model I have if so I have opened mine a year or so back.  I installed the LP gas conversion and reversed the door.
I will search my archives and see if I can find how I opened up the front.  I know it was found when I searched by looking for installing LP conversion.  The link shows door change in the pdfs but not much more.

Something in back of my head tells me I had to pop the top up to lift the face.  And I am fairly sure I removed a couple of screws.   Again I will search my old computer archives for info I saved on this (a few terra bites of files to look through).  But do look at videos on LP conversion for more light on subject.

Install instruction video


Dehumidifier degraded performance I have a 2 year old dehumidifier that had been working fine until this past winter.

As humidity started to increase I noticed the that the fins on the heat exchange developed frost. I checked the air filter, I checked the refrigerant plumbing and finally cleaned the fins with compressed canned air without any improvement.
While cleaning the unit I noticed that one side of the heat exchanger is all full of rust while the other side is pristine. Is this normal?

This is the 2nd dehumidifier (in a second house) that has died within 2 years of purchase. Is this a common problem with dehumidifers these days?

What is the normal cycle of a dehumidifer that is working properly. I seem to remember that even when unable to reach the humidity setpoint this dehumidifier would stop after several minutes of running (possilby to allow for thawing of any frost?) and then resume course after ~10 minutes off. Can someone with a working consumer dehumidifer confirm this behavior?

edt: spelling

My experience with dehumidifiers is that most usually last 2-3 years. I had 1 that lasted 7-8 years but that was a rare experience. I buy them at a store that has a cheap 3 year warranty. So far I have used the warranty 3 times on different units. It is a cheap way to extend the life of the unit. This works for me since the cost of repair is usually close to or exceeds the cost of the unit. As for normal cycles, mine is set for 40% and it runs until that humidity level is reached. There is never any ice build-up or should there be. Ice build-up occurs when the refrigerant charge is low, the filter is dirty,  or it is running in an area where the ambient temperature is below it's recommended temperature.


mice and sound traveling through brick party wall joist pockets We live in a 1912 row house that I believe has joist pockets that allow sound and mice to travel freely between me and my neighbors' houses. For instance, my neighbor hired pest control to deal with his mice last winter and one of the dying mice staggered into my living room, clearly in distress from the poison. Assuming my hunch is correct and the joist pockets are to blame, what's the best way to repair them so that mice AND sound are abated?  I've already rejected spray foam since mice can chew through it and it lacks sufficient mass to block sound.

The right way to do that would be to use metal flashing, fabricated to go around the joists and abut the pockets. Fill the spaces with metal screen or coarse steel wool (to discourage rodent teeth), followed by the foam for sound deadening, then seal it up with the metal flashing, bent to go flush against the brick and nailed into the joists.


What do I need to do if the neutral bar is live in the panel box? In my panel box I have just discovered that the neutral bar is hot;it actually shot sparks.  I was putting in a breaker for a new ceiling fan and light attached and went to put the neutral on the neutral bar and when I touched the bar with the wire it shot the sparks.

What would cause it to do that?

How can I fix it?

If the main breaker was on this would be expected if you put the breaker (in its on position) in before connecting the neutral and there was something turned on in the branch you were connecting. If something is drawing on a circuit there is going to be current flowing back through the neutral - that is what the neutral is for. It completes the circuit from the hot to ground.

A good way to think about this is to think about your wiring as plumbing. The hot wire is the water pipe, and the neutral is the drain line. When you turn on a faucet, it opens a circuit and the water flows from the water pipe into the drain. What you did is similar to what would happen if you left a faucet open, then turned on the supply line before you had the drain connected. It leaked.

If a light switch was turned on or something was plugged in, you completed the circuit when you got the wire close enough to your neutral bar for it to arc. This wouldn't happen if (as @NiallC points out) the main was turned off. If you were grounded and touched the neutral, it would have completed the circuit through you. You should never assume a neutral is safe if the branch is live.


Why my wall sockets are buzzing when I plug something in? Problem: So whenever I plug something into the wall socket, it gives a little electrical buzzing noise, a bit faint but i can hear it. It stops when its pluged all the way in.

The plug is loose in the socket, so should I replace the sockets? I'm a bit new to this, what should I do?

I have tried to ignore it and just plug stuff in, but I worry it may create a huge problem either in the devices I plug in or possibly damage to the home.

The socket spring is sprung.  The buzzing says you have arcing in there.  Very bad news.  I suspect the wire is getting loose because it's a type of connection we call a "back stab" where you jab the wire in a hole and a barbed spring grabs it, I bet that has also sprung. I would shut off the breaker and swap the outlets for quality grades.

How do you learn how to do that?  Libraries and big-box home improvement shops have a collection of books that teach home electical repairs.   Look through all of them and find one that "speaks to you".

When you shop for outlets, you'll find there's a 75 cent tier, a $3-4 tier and a $10-12 tier.  You want the $3-4 tier.

Never use the "back stabs" on the outlet where you jab the wire in, and it grabs it.  The springs are unreliable - this very thing happens.  It is OK to use "clamp-screw" types where you stick the wire into a slot and then screw down the screw to clamp it down.  Those are in the $3-4 tier.   Or use the screw terminals.

Also be on the lookout for "aluminum wire" - it is silver or gray instead of orangish copper.  Aluminum wire requires very special handling - check back here.


What structure is inside these stair walls between floors (for running wire)? I am planning to run CAT6 from the basement to the attic through the first and second floor of my 1905 wood house (renovated some time in the last 20-30 years). Location is Seattle.

There's an existing structured media cutout on the second floor used for CAT3 phone that runs into the attic and off to various spots that I plan to hijack and use to pull new stuff once I get all the lines into the attic from the basement. Assuming they aren't stapled down.

The CAT3 comes into the house from the left exterior wall and (probably) runs up the wall into the attic and down into the cutout.

Aside from exterior walls, the only wall that is shared by all levels is the interior stairwell. My plan is to build out a cabinet under the basement stairs.

My question: what sort of structure will I find in the stair walls for this era of house (as best as one can reasonably predict)? I'm trying to understand what I have to drill through and what I will have to avoid.

Floor plans are mostly to scale, still a work in progress.

The first floor wall seems to be cantilevered on the basement wall (first sits offset left of basement by 4-5 inches).

Second floor

Basement wall

First floor wall

Second floor stair well

It should be a doubled-up (floor joist) header hanging between a doubled-up trimmer and a doubled-up stair header. "1905" - well, it's definitely not an engineered joist. (No light above the sink; that doesn't meet code ;)

– hometips.com

It sounds like you're trying to do this Can I drill vertically through this from the main floor to the upstairs?

"It will not affect it structurally  [citation needed]  . If we go by the 1/3 rule, that's .45 inch. So not even a half inch hole is ok. In my 30+ years of experience, I've never put more than a 1/4" hole through a 1.5" member."

"Any more than that and you've substantially compromised it. A 3/4" hole is effectively half of a member. Common sense should tell you that that's ABSOLUTELY NOT OKAY."

"Just don't go cutting it, OK?"

But what you do need to do is cut open the walls and stop asking moot questions until that's done. But if you wanted me to run some Cat5, the last place I'd be doing it is where I'd have to violate the structural integrity of a staircase and its opening.

As seen in the linked picture, you cut holes like that above and below every penetration you plan to make, so that you can get a drill in there, and make them where they should (or shouldn't) be, and feed the wire. If that's 'not where they should be', you get to destroy more drywall, which when running utilities, is the enemy.

I can't look at a picture of drywall and tell you what to do, nor answer this specific question w/o the actual blueprints, nor would I trust them anyway. Verify in field.


Can I use landscaping lava rock as a concrete slab base? The side of our house if continually overrun with weeds.  I'm thinking of fencing it in and laying some concrete to prevent the weeds and provide some storage area.  Currently there is red lava rock over there (under the weeds).  Pretty much this stuff (not my photo):

I have never laid concrete for any reason, though I've dome some tiling and other stuff that makes me think I can handle it (famous last words, I'm sure).  I haven't measured it yet, but let's say it will end up being a 4' X 30' slab, if that matters at this point.

The question I have is whether I can use the lava rock as a base for the concrete rather than using something I'd have to buy.  I suppose there might be concerns given the size of the rocks (1" or so versus the smaller stuff I've seen used as a base) and the porous nature of the rocks.

I understand that I'd still have to remove the rocks and prepare the area by removing weeds, removing some soil, etc. before putting the rocks back as a base.

Thoughts?  Suggestions?

By itself I would not rely on it, as this is lava rock which isn't the strongest - it's prone to breakage..  However, if you cover it with stone dust to help fill in the voids which will help prevent shifting (which encourages breaking) and then solidly compact it with a power compactor, then follow up by covering it with a layer of sand on top, compacted again, then I think you'll have a good solid base for your slab.

What really matters, though, is how deep it goes.  You need the base to go down below the normal frost line for your area.  If you don't dig down deeply enough, then come winter, the freezing ground under the slab will heave and destroy your concrete, which will be a huge waste of money.

So if you need to dig down more, which you'll find out quickly (if you're in N CA go 16-24", if you're in the southern part, 1' will be fine) then dig down, and fill with this first, then gravel, then stone dust and finally sand - compacting each layer as you go.


Determine what a wall switch does I have 2 wall switches in an electrical box, 1 controls the ceiling fan, and I cannot find out what the other one does.

I've tested everything in the room. It does not control the light in the fan, the fan speed, or the wall outlet nearest the wall switch, or any other wall outlet in the room. The house is 12 years old and I'm the original owner. I've never used this switch before.

I have no other issues like this or any other in the house so it would be extremely unusual for this to be an issue where the builder made a mistake.

Now I need this switch. What can I do?

A lot of ceiling fan boxes are wired with two switches so that one switch can control the lights and the other can control the fan motor.  Of course, when someone replaces a fan, or even when it's initially installed, it's not hooked up that way so one switch controls everything.

After you check all the other outlets in the room (both sides like Chris said), you can pull the canopy trim off the fan and look at the wires.  See if there is an extra wire capped off in the box.


Simple two wire connection to a programmable Honeywell RTH6360 themostat. Have a 'C' wire in the 18/5. Do I still need batteries? I'm assuming after reading the owner's manual that the batteries are required.
I purchased this 80 dollar thermostat at a garage sale for 5 dollars in an unopened box.
So i thought it might be good futureproofing for my home. I had a very nice high efficiency Rheem furnace installed a few years ago.  Just using the old round dial thermostat.

All I want out of the new high tech programmable Honeywell for the time being is ultra basic set-and-forget heat. I don't care at all about losing settings in a power outage. I hate the idea of complicating my life with having to worry about batteries going out and replacing them regularly.  Why can't I just put a 120vac/3vdc transformer in the basement and run 3vcd through two of the unused wires in the 18/5 and connect the wires to the battery terminals inside the thermostat? Does connecting the 'C' wire power this thermostat without the need for the battery backup?

Or is there a way that honeywell has provided for me to do this that I don't know about?

The manual says "C does not power the thermostat display or operations; batteries are always required", so there's no reason to doubt that.

Putting 3V on a pair of wires and running them to the battery terminals would probably work fine, but obviously it isn't intended and I have no idea if it's to code.

Less complicated options would be to just put batteries in there (they should only need replacing every couple years) or buying another thermostat that is intended to be powered by 24VAC from the R/C wires.


Pros and cons of painting cinder block in basement? I have owned my house for 5 years.  The outside wall of the laundry room in the basement is unfinished cinderblock.  The cinderblock wall looks a bit unsightly, with dabs of paint, and the rough surface collects dust.  The basement does not get water.  In the summer, I run a dehumidifier.  What are the pros and cons on painting the interior side of the cinderblock wall?  If there are no real cons, what type of paint should I consider using?

pros - looks better, smoother surface that makes less dust

cons - seals the surface up well which prevents moisture from evaporating from the block.  if its 100% sealed on the outside, it wont be an issue, but if you have any moisture, it will trap it in the block.

painting block is an extremely common commercial/industrial finish process.  the trick is to use the right approach and material.

step 1 - fill and seal with concrete prep coat.  this material is usually sprayed or put on with a texture gun, but if you want you could probably do it by roller (i wouldnt bother, just spray it)

https://www.dulux.ca/pro/products/masonry-coatings/perma-crete-ltc-concrete-block-and-masonry-surface

step 2 - paint over with whatever you want

omit the sealer and you can count on 10 coats minimum to seal it up properly.


Can I install a nest thermostat on a 2-wire boiler (with unmarked wires)? Our house has an old boiler, and the thermostat isn't working. I'd like to replace it with a Nest thermostat. But, when I took the cover off to check which wires it had, I only see two wires (red and white) and they aren't marked. I checked the Nest compatibility guide, but it asks me to identify the wires, and I have no idea which ones they are.

Here's 3 pictures of the thermostat:

Can anyone tell me how I can figure out which wires they are? Could I install a Nest E thermostat on this?

If you have only two wires on a heating system, then those two wires are the ones known as R (red) and W (white), and it doesn't even matter which one is which because it's AC and there are only two. (If you had a more complex system with cooling or other features for the thermostat to control, then there would be more wires.)

To confirm, get a multimeter and measure the two wires on the AC voltage mode (you should see about 24 volts). If you hold the wires together the heat should start. If this doesn't work, the problem may be with the boiler rather than the thermostat.

You probably know this already, but just in case: your old thermostat has a significant amount of mercury in it. Make sure to take it to a household hazardous waste disposal station rather than putting it in the trash.


Slow filling toilet tank after new valve kit installation I did a new installation of Fluidmaster (400ARHRK) on both fill valve and flush valve. Now the refill after flushing is much slower than before (took about 2 minutes).

I read the post and reply of why my toilet fill too slow, but it didn't seem to address my issue. I have opened the cap and water come out of it fine (probably not long as suggested 15 seconds). Some has suggested there is a flow restrictor inside the shank that I can pull out - I am not sure that is the root cause. Earlier I did another one with 400CR, just the fill, it didn't have this issue.

Any ideas or suggestions?

My toilet would require 15 minutes to refill. I found what looks to be a restrictor (rubber screw like plug) inside the lower water inlet tube. I removed it and the toilet fills quickly as intended. Although I can't find any source that identifies this part or its intended function.


What should I build a bench out of? I want to build a bench with a 450mm overhang from the legs (long story why I need the overhang, and I already have the legs which are heavy duty steel monsters). The bench will not hold anything heavy, but I want it to be very sturdy and last a long time.

Having a look at the local timber yard, my easiest options seem to be Pine, Oak, and FormPly.

What thickness do I need for a 2100mm by 600mm bench, with 450mm overhangs from the legs on each end? Should I run a batten underneath it? What size? Any batten have to be near the back of the bench.

Also, what varnish/paint should I choose that is hard wearing? I'd like it to be very dark (almost black would be ideal).

Ok, I did the metric to inches conversions so I understand the size of your project. Sure wish the USA would go metric like the rest of the civilized world. LOL.

Your bench is going to be apx 7 foot by 2 foot with 17 inch overhangs. I think you will find that a solid stable material like 20 mm (3/4inch) plywood, medium density fiberboard (MDF) or solid boards will work well if the load is not too heavy. Avoid materials like cheap chip or particle board  because they have a tendency to warp easily if not secured to a sub-straight. Because the surface is not real smooth, they don't look great when painted.

If you want to be sure the unsupported overhangs don't curl or distort, you could frame under the exposed sections with an extra parameter rim of say, 2 to 3 inch by  3/4" solid stock mounted flat under the overhang. This would effectively make the overhang 1 1/2 inch (38mm) thick.

Use a good grade stain blocking primer and finish your project with a couple of coats of quality enamel paint.


How much space is needed in electrical box for new dimmer switch? Background

I am installing a dimmer switch in one of the rooms of my apartment (I live in a tri-plex in California).
The existing light switch works (I.E this is a upgrade not a repair).
This room has a metal box, single pole, single light control.
No green grounding screw or grounding copper wire (although there was a small piece of copper in the far back that may be connected to the box - which may be why the box is properly grounded).

Problem

The new dimmer switch is 1.5-2x fatter/wider than the old/traditional switch and thus both sides of the plastic casing on the switch body are touching the metal box. I have seen articles suggesting to calculate the box size needed based on number of wires but I was curios:

How much space is needed/required AROUND the switch to be safe and up to code?

NOTE: My setup is exactly as described here: http://www.familyhandyman.com/electrical/wiring-switches/how-to-install-a-dimmer-switch/view-all

The box fill calculation in NEC 314.16 is per device; there is no code difference in a single gang box for a switch or a duplex outlet or a dimmer. Code treats them all the same, using a 2x the wire size calculation for the largest wire connected to them.

Example: if the box has 2 cables 14 awg with ground there is a total of 6 wires but you only need to count 1 of the grounds. The metal box should have a clamp, so 1 clamp is counted at 1x and 1 device counted at 2x for a total of 8. Now we look up 14 gauge wire per table 314.16B. Number 14 wire is calculated at 2 cubic inches x 8 for a total of 16 cubic inches. The box would need to be 3x2x3.5 per table 314.16.A. I hope this helps your understanding of box fill. Note for 12 gauge wire use 2.25, otherwise the rules are the same.

Also note you need to use the listed size not a measurement of the box the above box is listed as 18 but calculates at 21.


Suggestions for improving these stairs I love the treads on these stairs which I will be revitalizing. The risers are awful. I was thinking of adding a nose and then using 1/4 be needed plywood to cover the treads. The wall right next to the stairs had an orange peel texture and if I add plywood it will be higher than the wall. The steps change site tionand the rest of the flight has walls in either side and isn't an eyesore. Its just 4 steps that need help.

Any suggestions would be super helpful! Thank you!

There are a lot of ways to handle this based on your taste.  The lower 2 treads appear to be cobbled together and if it were me I would tear them out completely taking care to salvage the treads.  Then rebuild the lower structure from scratch utilizing the treads.  Purely my opinion based on a single photo, but I think it would be easier than trying to clean up what is there and it gives you more options to do what you like.  Then, whatever you do for the face of the riser, you can do above the second tread.  Even if it sticks out beyond the face of the wall, it will look like a deliberate part of the stairs which will now be treated and seen as their own unit instead of a mishandled attempt to match the wall.  At any rate, I wish you well with your project!


Where is "C" wire on Honeywell 8043F1036 My home is 3 zones (2 hot water, 1 steam) and heated with oil. I added a Nest Thermostat E to one of the zones and while it does work without the 'C' wire, I would like to wire it anyways so my relay stops buzzing when the Nest is powering itself. All of my thermostat wires have 3 conductors and since I have no air conditioning here, I believe I can use the unused 'Y' conductor.

I have 2 zone relay valves (Honeywell 8043F1036) and I'm not certain where the common wire is on this relay.

I believe it is either wires 1 or 2 labeled in the picture. The wiring diagrams on Honeywells website aren't clear which terminal is common, or if it is even one of these terminals.

According to the wiring diagram I found, typical wiring is as follows.

1 END SWITCH (To circulator or another valve)
2 END SWITCH (To circulator or another valve)
3 TH/TR (Thermostat and Transformer)
4 TH (Thermostat)
5 TR (Transformer)

You'll have to verify this is how your valve is wired, but it looks just like the diagram to me. If this is how it's wired, you should be able to connect the c wire to the TR (5 in your image) terminal on the valve.


Can not work out what material the interior of my walls are made of I am trying to work out what the inner walls of my house are made out of. I want to attach some shelves but have no clue what anchor to use.

I've attached a photo of the area around a light switch, it looks like breeze block ? ( I have a faint memory of someone telling me that it was many years ago but can't remember for sure ).

In some places, although not around this light switch for example, tapping the wall sounds very hollow.

It's an old barn conversion from the mid 20th century, if that helps!

Cheers in advance !

It's drywall, also called sheet rock, and it is very typical. It is made of gypsum with a thin paper layer on each side. It is applied directly to the studs with nails or screws. The sheet size is typically 4'x8' which is a size that can fit both 16" oc and 24" oc stud spacing. Longer sheets are available at 10' and 12' The seems are covered with mud and tape.

It is relatively strong and can support normal household level loads such as shelving. There are a large verity of anchors that can be used to attach items to it. They vary in how much load they can hold, how big a hole it makes, and how it is in stalled. My favorite is the self driving screw-in type.


Dishwasher supply line leak I deinstalled my old dishwasher as I getting a replacement.  The supply line has been dripping ever since. I double checked the supply line was firmly closed and tightened the nut from the water supply to the dishwasher nut - but still leaking - help!!

Supply valve is not fully shutting off.

Consider replacing it.

If that is not a task you wish to do now get a plug for  the line to temporarily stop the drip until new DW is installed


How can I fix a Groaning/bubbling toilet? Our toilet "groans" when flushed- it makes a loud noise that does not appear to be correlated with anything I can see. Also, it randomly bubbles and leaves black pulpy residue inside the bowl. Is there an easy fix to this that I am missing?

Check your upstream vents. Drain cleaner or a drain snake usually does the trick!
If the vents are okay, you may need to call a plumber.


How to select a good Triangle (Speed square?) My father is now retired and has returned to his hobby of being a woodworker. He's been helping me build a standing desk for my office and happened to mention while we was working that he wished he had a better triangle.

I would like to buy one for him as a thank you for helping me build the desk, but I don't know what makes a good or bad triangle. He currently has a very solid metal 6" triangle. The only complaint against that one that he has is that is has a little nook as soon as one of the straight edges starts labeled "pivot point" that he says messes up the markings when he's doing small precise work.

How can I select a good triangle, or what makes one good? It's primary purpose will be to get straight edges or angles for woodworking.

Edit: I just found out that these are called speed squares.

For marking right angles, a try square is a good choice.

You might also want to consider a Japanese style square.


Can you remove the garage door sensors? I have tried everything to adjust and fix the sensors on my garage door. They will not close when the sun is hitting them. Can I just remove them?

The sensors are a safety requirement. Excess sunlight may be saturating them to the point they cannot pickup the signal from the other one. I would suggest adding some kind of shade or hood around which one is picking up light from the other. An empty toilet paper cardboard roll might work, depending on how the sensor is placed around the door track.


Is a sandwiched beam made out of 2x4s laid flat a suitable for a 15' span that doesn't carry a load? After working to remove a wall that runs parallel to the ceiling joists, I've run into a little problem.  The builder used a 2x6 for a nailer (to attach the ceiling drywall) on top of the 2x4 stud wall that I am removing.  I can get this out but I'm trying to disturb the existing ceiling as little as possible so I was hoping to leave the 2x6 in place (I plan to frame out a beam across the space and am trying to avoid dumping the 18 inches of spray in insulation into my dining room).

My current plan is to create a beam out of the 2x4s in the top plate, adding one or two more as necessary and screwing them together... but I need to span just under 15 feet.  The only load above is the roof/attic space (without storage).  I have very little access to the attic space so was planning to use joist hangers to face-nail the sandwiched 2x4 beams on either end.  As is, they run at the same height of all the other walls so without creating a post up against the walls, I see no other way to support the beam... and this wouldn't work anyway as one of the beams would go right in front of the window that I planned to put in.  Things were going so well until today.

My question:  Is a sandwiched beam made out of 2x4s laid flat a feasible solution for the span that I need?

If you put a beam across the room you'll feel bad every time you look at it.  if you have a flat ceiling, you'll feel proud.

Use joist hangers to put some 2x4s between the ceiling joists so that they pass just above the 2x6 (stuff's going to sag), drill through the top plate from below with a spade bit and screw the 2x6 to the 2x4s remove the wall and top plates patch and plaster the ceiling.

If you can't get into the ceiling to get enough access to fit the hangers you could just lay 2x4s across the top of the ceiling joists and use really long screws, or maybe even come through the roof with threaded rod.


Is tungsten wattage different from regular wattage? I bought a new in-wall timer rated 20 Amps. and it says '1350 w Tungsten', so I'm wondering if there are watts which are measured different then other watts? In my calculation it should be 20 x 120 = 2400.

Yes, apparently "tungsten-heater" load type is measured differently than a ideal/purely resistive load type!

Check this for example - http://www.nkkswitches.com/pdf/electricalratings.pdf - you will see chart of the current v time "inrush" curve for tungsten filament electrical light bulbs - while cold, their resistance is very low - so they spike when switched on (not coincidently that's the time when these burn out - during power-on).

And thus differences in ratings, for example this smart switch allows only 1/2 tungsten load than resistive:

ELECTRICAL RATINGS
• Electrical rating: 15A, 120Vac, 60Hz
• Resistive: 1800W
• Tungsten: 960W
• Electrical Ballast: 500VA
• Type 1.B Action


How can I add a carbonated water tap in my kitchen? I love carbonated water, but am sick and tired of buying it in bottles.  There are home water-carbonating appliances like SodaStream, but I prefer not to have another countertop appliance.  Can I install a carbonation device under my counter and have it available on a tap on my sink, similar to how under-counter water filtration devices are often installed?

I also prefer to have a co2 that can be refilled or at least recycled.

You need 3 major factors for this:

1) a source of CO2. Many people use paintball tanks which can be refilled. They come in 12 and 20 oz tanks so they would easily fit under your counter. But I bought a 20 pound tank as that seemed like the sweet spot for tank cost vs gas cost for me.

2) a tank to hold the pressurized water. For example, a 3 Gallon Pepsi style Cornelius keg is 17" high by 8.5" wide.

3) a way to keep the water tank cold. This is the hard part and I don't know of any easy solutions. I bought a 7 CF freezer and hacked the thermostat. It doesn't fit under the counter but my wife is ok with it because she drinks a LOT of carbonated water.

--
In response to the question about refilling the water tank:

The cheapest Cornelius kegs are used and hold 5 gallons/19 liters. That would last most people at least a week. So I just refill the keg as it gets empty.

I thought about other methods to refill the keg, partially with the aim of reducing the CO2 wasted when the keg is opened for manual refilling.

One idea is to buy a 2nd keg and use an air compressor to force water from the 2nd keg to the 1st keg. You would stop before the 2nd keg is empty so that air doesn't get into the 1st keg. Then you add CO2 to the 1st keg to bring it up to the desired carbonation level.

How much could you save by doing this?
Typically there is 2 to 4 volumes of CO2 in carbonated water. Let's assume we use 3. In other words, 20 liters of water would use 60 liters of gas. Also that we use 1 bar or 15 psi to push the water out. That's an additional liter of gas per liter of water. At one liter of water consumed per day, that's 365 liters per year of gas wasted by opening the keg to refill.

There are 229 liters of gas per pound and I paid about $1 per pound, thus the wasted 365 liters of gas costs $1.60. I don't think this is worth any effort to avoid at my price for gas. If gas costs you more, you'll have to analyze the tradeoffs for yourself.

Note that 20 pounds gives 4,580 liters of gas while 1 liter of water per day is 1,460 liters of gas per year. This means 20 pounds of gas will last over 3 years.

If you wanted something really automated, you could use a weight sensor to detect when the water tank was running low and turn on a valve to let more water into the keg. This assumes household water pressure is higher than keg pressure. For me, water pressure at the street is 100 PSI and my regulator takes it down to 60, much more than the 15 PSI that the keg uses.
If this is not your situation, you'd need a water pump.
The weight sensor also needs to signal when the keg has enough water and turn off the valve.

You'd also need a pressure sensor to detect when the keg pressure is too low and inject more CO2. I consider this too complicated for home use.

Another reason I do it this way is that my wife and I love the taste of San Pellegrino. I read an article describing how to make it at home.

http://blog.khymos.org/2012/01/04/mineral-waters-a-la-carte/

I was able to find a local brewery supply house that sold "Burton water salts". Mixed into the water at an appropriate ratio (I use 1 gram per liter), it tastes very good.

Since I have to mix the minerals into my water anyway, refilling the keg and pressurizing it as a batch process is no extra burden.

Here are some photos, I hope a link to facebook doesn't break any rules.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151813156323324.1073741838.770693323&type=1&l=eaa13eed3b


Can I electrically isolate appliances by putting them on separate legs of a split phase supply? In my office, I have a server (powered through a UPS) and a laser printer on the same circuit. When the laser printer turns on, the lights dim and the UPS will briefly switch to battery. This prematurely wears out the battery, and, if there were no UPS, would cause extra wear and tear on the server's power supply.

Can I electrically isolate these two from each other by putting them on separate legs of my house's split-phase power supply? In other words, do loads on one leg of a split-phase power supply affect loads on the other leg?

Possibly related answer here.

If the outlets are on completely separate wire runs from the breaker panel OR sharing a neutral but on opposite legs (sharing on the same leg is illegal), then the wire resistance from the panel to the outlets will be isolated between them and the voltage drop will be minimized. (The current draw is low enough that there should be no noticeable drop at the panel).

So yes, even if they were on the same breaker, let alone phase, as long as the wire runs are separate, the server should not see a drop from the laser printer. Also good if a neutral is legally shared.

(The reason that the shared neutral is OK is that each circuit's return current will be 180 degrees out of phase. Therefore, the worst case current through the neutral will be one circuit's. In fact, when the laser turns on, the voltage may even rise slightly to the server as some of the server return current will actually flow through the laser, bypassing the neutral.)


Should I replace a carport post as it was originally built or with an upgraded column? I’ve got a 60s era carport with a rotted post. It’s a low slope cantilevered roof about 20 feet long. It has two posts on each corner at the front, and the back is supported by the house.

The rotted post is a 2x4 sandwiched by 2x6s like an I beam.

I could replace it as built, Doug fir 2x. The roof is big enough that I’m a little concerned about a 2x4 holding up all that load.

The pier this rests on is perfectly sized for a 4x6. What holds me back from putting in a 4x6 is I don’t know about cutting a birds mouth into an existing beam, and the pier is not very level.

What do you all think? As built or how to sub in a bigger column?

The post looks reasonably adequate as it was originally built even by modern standards. If it wasn't you'd have seen disaster long ago, when it first started to decay.

To maintain the style detail I'd rebuild to match, using pressure-treated lumber. By doing so you eliminate the need to cut that notch and you end up with a more robust post. A single post member may have weaknesses that are addressed by using multiple boards. To be clear, each board should be cut accurately to fit its bearing points on each end. It's not just the center board carrying the roof load.

I'd fit everything and screw it all together at 18" intervals with pairs of 3" corrosion-resistant deck screws from each side. After it dries out for a few weeks, use a high-quality wood filler to flatten out the screw heads, then prime and paint.


Breaker box below electric meter I have an interesting question for anyone willing to answer. Below my electric meter outside there is a breaker box housing the 200 amp main shut off breaker as well as two 20A outside appliance breakers.

There are 3 2AWG aluminum wires leading to a barn about a hundred feet from house through 1.25" underground conduit. These three aluminum wires were not previously hooked up to any breaker on either end of run, but terminate in both breaker boxes. I have since installed two 60A breakers in both breaker boxes, one in the panel below the meter as well as one in the new breaker box in the barn as a main shut off.

The problem is that only one of the two hot wires in barn has power, leaving only one side of breaker box having power, leaving me with only 30A and 110V service at the barn. Are breaker boxes below meters typically only 110V? Any ideas of what could be the problem?

Sometimes panel manufacturers will have a null breaker slot on top, bottom, and/or both. Even though a double breaker seemingly fits right in like it's supposed to, only one phase will be hot.

A visual inspection of the busbar is one way to tell, or if you have the busbar layout diagram it will show too.

In case this is the problem, simply move the double pole breaker into the proper slot, then put a blank slot filler to cover the exposed parts.  If you don't have a blank handy a breaker with nothing on it is fine too.


New GFCI keeps tripping Remodeling our bathroom and I noticed the GFCI TEST button is stuck. Our GFCI outlets are probably 25 years old. So I couldn't test the outlet. I thought to my self, no problem, I'll just replace the outlet, i've done it 4-5 times already.

But for whatever reason this outlet (I guess) had a broke test button, but it still functioned properly over all these years.

When I tried to replace the GFCI, it kept tripping. I marked the wires, so i'm sure the wires were placed properly, but I could be wrong, and It have been that the previous wiring was done incorrectly?

The outlets in the master bedroom/bath room all work except 1. The outlet that's on the other side of the bathroom, it has never worked ever since we've lived in this house.

I notice you have 4 wires on this GFCI using all 4 terminals.

Two of them, the LINE terminals, are connected to the power source, and will allow this GFCI to power up and do its thing.  Hook up only these wires and tape off the others.  Does the GFCI power up and behave correctly?

The other two, LOAD, are not there for convenience.  They have a very specific job. They extend the GFCI's "zone of protection" to other loads.  Doing this is both a blessing and a curse: it confers GFCI protection to the loads; but it means this GFCI will trip if the downline load has a ground fault.  That is why these terminals should not be used lightly or frivolously.

The reason it trips now, when it didn't before, is that it didn't have a ground fault before, and now it does.  The old GFCI's test button wasn't stuck, it was refusing to reset because of the ground fault.  That "retest  before allowing reset" is a more advanced feature of better GFCIs.

If you followed my instructions above, some things in your house are now out.  One of them is the culprit: the source of the ground fault.  Once it is removed from the circuit, the GFCI will reset.

So you can reconnect the LOAD wires and start unhooking each of the possible culprits until you find the one responsible.


Need help identifying flooring element I am looking to install vinyl flooring on my basement (ground level). I will be removing the existing tiles. On 2 of the walls (the ones that face the exterior) I have this mini step along the walls (see images below). It looks like continuous wall footing basement or maybe the drainage goes beneath that.

Can anyone confirm what that is and the best way to deal with it when installing new floor? It's going to be a challenge to install vinyl with that.

Any help is appreciated!

I've dealt with something similar but in a laundry room and it was brick not tile.
I did the floors and left that part alone and covered it with thin base cabinets to hold supplies.


Where to start looking for problems with my fujitsu split system inverter? I have a split system with 36,000 btu capacity, split over three indoor head units.
For the first 5 years worked flawlessly quickly generating tons of heat and cold from startup.
Since the end of last summer, it can take 20-30 minutes for the head units to start doing anything and when they do, it never blows that cold or hot air, just mildly cool or warm.

I had a hvac guy come out and he said the temperature difference between the high and low pressure lines by the compressor were 20 degrees apart which he says is good (I have no idea) nevertheless it doesn't blow cold or hot air. I think I need a new hvac guy.

But until I find one, can this simply be a refrigerant leak and it needs to be charged and the leak plugged? Or is there something simpler I can look for?

It doesn't sound like anything a do-it-yourselfer could attempt. I would call another HVAC company for a second opinion.

Look for a certified Fujitsu HVAC technician.

Good luck!


Why is there an extra conductor in my hew home's light switch circuit? We are trying to install a ceiling light in a new build home. The wires are all there and connected to a single pole switch, but the ceiling box has 4 wires(black, white, red and ground) and the switch only has red, black and ground attached. What wires do I use for the light fixture itself?  Usually it’s white to white, black to black and ground to screw, but the red wire is throwing me off since there is only one switch for this light. Any help would be great!

TLDR: Because NEC 404.2 requires a neutral be brought to all "switch loops" for future smartswitch use.

Color codes are pretty weak in North American wiring.  You can go by color somewhat, but you're going to have to know what you're looking at.

I don't like that system because you have to open up 3 boxes and stare at them for 5 minutes to figure out what you're looking at.  I like a much simpler system, and that's why I own 10 colors of tape.  I'm not stupid, it's just too much workload.

Grounds all just connect in a big web.  They are the only wires that do. Neutrals do not.  Ignoring grounds,  wires have functions, I give the functions names, and I have an "ideal" color I like to make them, either direct or with tape tagging.  Certain functions are in certain places depending on where you are.

Unfortunately most house wiring is done with multiconductor cable, which comes in fixed colors: black/white... black/white/red... whether you like it or not.  Hence the tape.

Here are the color codes I prefer:

hot (works much better if you choose black)
neutral (Code absolutely requires neutral be white*)
switched-hot (in a perfect world: red but not common)

Incoming supply has two wires:  hot and neutral.

A lamp needs two wires: switched-hot and neutral. (assuming you want it switchable). If it isn't that way, mark the wire with tape.  When a wire has two ends, mark both ends the same.

A switch needs three wires: always-hot because hot has to come from somewhere.  Switched-hot so the switch can switch it!  Neutral (white) which must be present per NEC 404.2. Old style mechanical switches don't need it, but smart switches do, hence the requirement.

Old style switch loops did weird things, like make the white (taped black) the always-hot and black the switched-hot.  That's no longer legal per 404.2.

Your lamp may come with a black hot cable. Since you want the lamp on some of the time, I would wrap the wire with red tape to mark it as a switched-hot.

See what I've done?  Everything is properly color-coded by function and you just go red to red, white to white etc.

* White can also be gray, if you're willing to pay a fortune for custom Romex. Don't laugh, one Nevada builder uses pink Romex and has an understanding with every scrapyard and building inspectors to BOLO; any pink Romex not at one of his houses is stolen.


Adding a light to an existing switch This may require a diagram, but as I’m doing this from my phone, that’s not doable at the moment.

I have an existing ceiling fixture in a bathroom that has 3 sets of wires going into it (no ground):

Black and white hot wire from fuse panel
Black and white wires out to a single pole light switch
Black and white wires out to a hallway light that has its own switch.

I need to add an existing fixture on the wall hopefully without tearing out a bunch of drywall. I ran a new set of wires from the ceiling fixture in the attic above, across to the wall and snaked it down to where I want the fixture installed. Easy enough.

My problem is that now I have 4 sets of wires and I really have no idea how they should all be connected to make this thing work. As you can probably gather, I’m not an electrician, but I have a basic understanding.

The black and white from the fuse panel is the constant power feeding two circuits: The bath light and the hall light. I take it the single pole light switch was used to control the old ceiling fixture. The two wires going to the hallway light need to be attached white to black from the fuse panel. That is one complete circuit.

CEILING FIXTURE: The two wires going to the light switch should both be considered "hot". Attach the switch black wire to the black wire from the fuse panel and the switch white wire to the black wire of your old ceiling fixture.  Attach the white wire of the old ceiling fixture to the fuse panel white wire. That's a complete circuit.

NEW FIXTURE: The switch can also be used to control the new fixture. Attach the black wire to the black wire on the old ceiling fixture. This will supply power to the new fixture when the switch is activated. Attach the white wire to the panel white wire.

In the end, the panel white wire will have three wires connected to it (all neutrals tied together). The fuse panel black wire will only have two wires connected to it because the switch will feed power to the ceiling and the new fixture at the same time.


Water supply tube elimination in the refrigerator icemaker Is it possible to eliminate water line, supplying the ice maker in the refrigerator, with a refill system similar to the coffee makers? It would be a lot safer not to use leaking faucets and free moving to any spot in the room, not stuck with the water line.

There is no such device. However, when my step-son got married and had no ice maker in his refrigerator he asked us what he could do. I told him that we all used ice trays. when I was growing up. I was shocked when he asked us, "What's an ice tray?". I only mention this because I am not sure of your age. I am certainly not trying to be funny or offend.


Pergola attached to house and load capacity for 6x6 post My question is how much load can my 2 each 6 x 6 pre-treated post handle.  I have approximately 1,466 lbs of treated wood as my roof of the pergola and it will be attached to the house the other will be 2 each 6 x 6 post in concrete in the ground.  I wanted to hang a swing between the 6 x 6 post (350 lbs max weight).  My span between 6 x 6 post is 12 ft center to center.  I have 2 x 12 x 20 bolted on each side of the 6 x 6 post.  I wanted to hang my swing from that.

Will my structure work?  Will 6 X 6 post handle 1,466 lbs plus swing 350 lbs?
Is this structure design sound for this application?

The 6x6 and the double 2x12 are sufficient in themselves for your swing.  But the 2x12s may not be attached securely enough to the 6x6 posts, and/or the pergola may not be attached securely enough to the house.

Also, once the temporary diagonal cross braces on the 6x6 shown in the photo are removed, there may not be enough lateral stability. If you were to convert the pergola into a roof, and sheathed the roof with plywood, then there would be enough lateral stability assuming the framing is attached securely enough to the house.


How do I locate the ceiling joists in my kitchen addition? My kitchen is an extension. I want to put ceiling hooks up there so I can hang pans from the ceiling.

I need to know where the rafters are so I'm not just putting hooks into the plaster. There is no access to the loft space.

I like the rubber insulated handle of my screw driver as a knocking tool.  The rubber handle of a hammer works well, won't mar the ceiling.  A small finish nail leaves very little hole behind. (Happy Hunting) I carry an electronic stud finder as well. The newer stud finders are pretty amazing, fab results.  You don't need an expensive finder for impressive results.  I would avoid the low, low end models.


Ductless Mini Split Efficiency It’s well known that a single zone ductless system has extremely high efficiency. I’ve seen advertisements for SEER 20 or SEER 30 systems. My question is what is the SEER rating for a multihead system. Can the larger condenser really cycle down to only output the BTU/hr needed for a smaller room while keeping the higher SEER? How does this then compare to say high velocity AC?

The type of motor control is where the efficiency is gained. Variable frequency drives (VFD) can reduce the speed when needed thus using only the amount of power needed so a multi port compressor can maintain a high efficiency with this type of control.


Why neutral wire connected to load wire? I opened switch box in the basement that has two switches: one for basement and other 3way switch for stairs. I wonder why white wire thet usually neutral connected to black wire that goes to another connection woth load wire.

It's not neutral.  Neutral wires must be white, but not the other way round.  A white wire can be hot if it's in cable.
So think about the meaning of this.  If you see a bundle wire-nutted together, and even one wire is non-white, what does it mean about the whites in that bundle? It means they cannot possibly be neutral.  They are hot.
"Hot" includes always-hot, switched-hot and 3-way travelers.
Here is how a 3-way switch works, electrically. The physical positions may change, and the colors will alway change, but electrically if you unwrap it, it looks like this everytime.

... That wasn't so bad, was it? I love this drawing because it makes sense.  Current travels in loops, and you can see very quickly what's really going on.  Eother the switches line up, or they don't.
Of course, when you turn your gaze to the morass in that electrical box, not so pretty.
It can be prettier.  They make colored electrical tape, a 5-pack for $4.  And I recommend re-marking wires in the box, particularly travelers, using that tape. First rule of tape marking: mark both ends of the wire the same.   It really makes life easier, and it's one of the easiest things a less experienced person can do to make comprehension easier and reduce mistakes.  I'm a stickler for it just because I don't have time to puzzle out wire functions everytime I open a box.
It is now the law that you must mark white wires black or a color when you make them a hot.

So identify both travelers on both 3-way switches and mark them with yellow tape.  On a 3-way switch, the travelers are on the brass screws.. That is the key to wiring a 3-way switch.  Every switch jumbles around the positions, but the screw colors are true.


Dishwasher electrical connection up to code? When I removed my dishwasher in order to level the floors and install new flooring, this is what I found:

It looks like the electrician just left the wire sticking out of a hole in the wall, but not enough, and then whoever installed the dishwasher pulled and ripped the wall until they got enough cord.

I live in Rock Hill, York County, SC. Is this up to code? How do I find out? Do I need to call an electrician? Can I fix it myself? Or should I leave it like it is?

For a hardwired appliance, either one of two things are true in order for the connection to comply with Code:

The appliance provides a junction box on itself where the field wiring connections can be made, or
The appliance provides a "whip" of cordage or wire-in-flex that has bare ends -- this is intended to be terminated in a field-installed junction box.

If it's the former, then the drywall damage is pure sloppiness (and wouldn't qualify as "neat and workmanlike" if you ask me -- some sort of LV bracket could be used for cable routing purposes I suppose?).  If your dishwasher does the latter (which is my suspicion), then you need to install a box and NM clamp for the cable (a surface mounted "handy box" would do, as would an old work box cut into the wall) and then use a faceplate with a knockout on the front along with a cable clamp or bushing to route the appliance whip into the box.


What can I do to avoid incandescent bulbs for my 3-bulb ceiling fan, yet maintain brightness? My ceiling fan takes 3 candelabra (E12) base bulbs for lighting.  The bulb slots are labeled  75W - 125V.  The fan light is dimmable and I currently use 3 60w incandescent flame tips.

I plan to switch to LEDs or flourescent bulbs, but so far I have only found candelabra-based LED bulbs at 25w equivalent.  Even with 3 of them, the room is not as bright as I want it, especially considering the previous lighting set-up.

What can I do to make the lighting situation brighter, understanding the 75W / 125V constraints, and that I would like the potential to use the dimmer ability?

NOTE: User "Monso" responded in the comments about using an adapter like this one to allow for larger bulbs to be used, and while that seems like a good solution (bigger bulbs = brighter bulbs), I want to make sure I don't overload the circuitry.  Am I still constrained to 75w / 125v with the larger adapter?  What are my limits if I wanted to use an LED or florescent bulb?

I posted a response in JoshDM's thread over on Sustainability.stackexchange.com. Replying here as well in case this might help someone.

I'd been looking for a 60W equivalent candelabra base bulb for a while too. For the past few years the highest equivalent available to consumers was 40W. Now it looks like the 60's are finally making their way to market. This one claims 700 lumens which, if true, would be very close to the brightness of a 60W incandescent.

https://web.archive.org/web/20160308065010/http://www.wholesaleled.com/products/60w-equivalent-7-watt-joshua-series-round-top-clear-silver-base-led-candelabra

Update: Lowes now carries a 7.5W LED candelabra for a bit less. It's sold as a 60W-equivalent, though only puts out 500 lumens.


Odd receptacle wiring I have several receptacles with two cables: one has black and white wires, the other - black and red wires. Can I replace these receptacles with GFCIs? If affirmative, how should I interpret the red wire? Thanks!

Followup: The black wires are originally twisted together, and the red and white wires are twisted together, too.

This really isn't that odd and yes you can replace them with GFCI's. It is common with multi-wire branch circuits, or in cases where one outlet is switched and another isn't.

In the case of the black and red wire, one is hot and one is neutral. You can identify which one is hot with a multi-meter or non-contact tester (though NC testers can sometimes be misleading).  Do yourself a favor and mark the neutral with white electrical tape wrapped around it once you identify which wire is which.

Don't get too caught up with the wire colours - while you hope people adhere to the standard, there are lots of cases when it's perfectly OK to deviate.


What material is this toilet water supply line? Photos of my toilet water supply line, which is the part below the valve:

Without Flash
[
With Flash

Based on the appearance, it only fits the description of galvanized iron (which is apparently the same as galvanized steel). However, based on numerous sources, galvanized steel has been mostly phased out in the 1960s, but my house was built in the 1990s (in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, if that matters).

I want to cut this pipe in order to install a quarter-turn valve with compression connections, but I am unable to find any close quarters tubing cutters that can cut galvanized iron/steel.

So my questions are:

What material might the toilet water supply line be?
Should I attempt to cut a galvanized iron/steel line with a cutter that is meant for everything but iron/steel (E.g. The Ridgid 40617 cutter states it is for "hard and soft copper, aluminum, brass and plastic tubing", but doesn't state iron/steel)?

Update 1
So, I scraped the back of the tubing with a file as one user suggested as shown here, and it appears to be copper. Also, a neodymium magnet was not attracted to it, as another user suggested in trying to do so.

That is either a painted or plated 1/2" copper line. If it is plated, the plating is failing or failed. Either way take a strip of emery cloth and clean it up before adding the compression fitting


How to protect soil up against new wood fence base Landscaping the back yard in our new house, the landscaper brought up the dirt level.  But now the dirt level is so high soil is up against our fence covering 6-8" of it vertically all around the yard.  I'm worried about moisture damage over time.  The fence is redwood, and while it's pre-treated, that's a lot of dirt sitting up against it.

Should I pull the dirt away from the fence and either put plastic or river/pebble rocks in the gap so the soil touches one of these instead of the fence directly?

Thanks!

Having dirt touching the fence will increase the chance that the bottoms of your rails/pickets will rot. This doesn't necessarily mean your whole fence will rot; only the parts exposed to heavy moisture are at risk. Maybe you're OK with having a bit of rot on the hard-to-see part of the fence after a few years; how bad it is really depends on the wood, how wet the climate is where you are, how much sun that area gets, etc.

If you want to protect the fence, I see three options:

Cut the bottom end of the pickets so it's no longer touching the dirt. If needed, treat the cut to improve rot resistance (may not be needed on natural redwood cedar, but you said it was pre-treated, so any cut surfaces should be treated in the same way).
Add stone/gravel to provide free-draining surroundings as you suggest. (I wouldn't recommend plastic as it's likely to just trap moisture against the fence and accelerate rot.)
Remove some dirt near the fence (may be too much work, or against your landscape design goals).


Stopping sewer smell I have a sewer near the house where two sewer pipes meet. The problem is that it's been built badly and a lot of sewage remains there instead of going in the 3rd pipe. How could I make it go through the pipe?

The outlet pipe needs to be the lowest point so anything that arrives goes down the pipe, also it all needs to be smooth feeding the outlet.

So, I suggest that needs re-building.


How much power should a ductless A/C system use while "off"? I (with the help of an HVAC professional) installed a ductless, split system. It's a 24,000 BTU, single head system. What surprised me is how much energy (relative to everything else in the house) it uses while in the off/stand-by mode.

It's on a dedicated circuit, and I calculated using my Aeotec Home Energy Monitor that it's continuously using about 130 W with no visible operation. The head/air handler is "off", no noise from the compressor, compressor fan is not moving, etc.

Is this common for systems to use this much energy in stand-by or does it indicate something may be wrong with the wiring or connections?

Additional notes:

My system doesn't make an off/standby distinction. There is just an off button on the remote. I use the terms interchangeably b/c while it is "off" it is still drawing 130 W of power.
The home energy monitor uses clamps (one on each incoming 120V main line). I know it's ~ 130 W by monitoring the usage for 5 min, throwing the 2 pole breaker for the A/C, calculating the diff, and then turning it back on to verify. It appears to be fairly accurate for other circuits that I've tested (e.g. ~15 W for an LED lamp, < 1 W for an in-panel surge protector, ~60-70 W for the fridge, spikes +1000 W for the microwave, etc.)

Your unit is probably a Heat Pump.  I sell these and I'm not aware of any companies that still sell a/c only units since the cost difference was minimal they have been phased out.  So being a heat pump it would have a crankcase heater either under or wrapped around the compressor.  As long as the main power switch is on the heater will be energized whenever the compressor is off.  That is to keep the oil in the system liquid so it can mix with the refrigerant gas when in operation.  It is a resistance type heater so the wattage seems reasonable.


Does an Electrical Metallic Tube (EMT) Inside Corner Pull Elbow count towards the 360° total bends? When running EMT, my understanding of Code is that the conduit cannot contain more than 360° in bends.  If more bends than that are needed to complete the run, a pull box is required.
Do angle fittings such as this inside corner pull elbow count towards the no-more-than-360° rule, or are these considered a pull box/pull point?
(I see "pull elbow" in the description of the product, which leads me to believe they do not count towards the 360° rule, but I don't want to make assumptions).
Relevant Code citations are always appreciated.  Thanks!

That's a pull point, albeit a possibly miserable one in practice. The latter bit being "informed opinion" as a frequent user of conduit.
As such, it "resets" your 360° (practically speaking, try to stay at 270 or less when possible - it meets code and there's less swearing involved.)


what is code for jboxes in celing joists that I intend to cover with plywood? If I cover the boxes and properly secure the cables per code can they be hidden or do I have to surface mount them?

They must be "accessible without removing any part of the building or structure".  If they're accessible from below (ceiling fixture box, etc.), then they can be covered. If the only way to access them is from the attic, then covering them with flooring violates the code.
If you create an easily removable cover, then you might get it approved. But simply nailing/screwing down plywood, is likely not acceptable.

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 3 Wiring Methods
Article 314 Outlet, Device, Pull, and Junction Boxes; Conduit Bodies; Fittings; and Handhole Enclosures.
314.29 Boxes, Conduit Bodies, and Handhole Enclosures to Be Accessible. Boxes, conduit bodies, and handhole enclosures shall be installed so that the wiring contained in them can be rendered accessible without removing any part of the building or structure, or, in underground circuits, without excavating sidewalks, paving, earth, or other substance that is to be used to establish the finished grade.


Concrete roof weight holding capacity How much weight a concrete roof of 12x06 feet dimensions can hold. Will it easily support a water tank of 150 gallon capacity ?

Well, basing the calcs on water, that is around 568kg or 1253lbs plus the weight of the tank itself and any associated pipework. Whether or not it will support such a load depends on the thickness of the concrete and whether or not it has any reinforcement.

Adding weight to a basically suspended slab increases the tension on the concrete and generally, concrete is weak in tension (unless reinforced).


What could cause a drawer in a bedside table to become stuck? Firstly, I apologise if this has been posted in the wrong place but I thought it would be worth starting here!

I have a bedside table with three drawers - I'm in no way whatsoever a DIY person, so all I understand about these is that they're all connected to individual runners. Whilst two of the drawers worked without issue and would open all of the way up, my top drawer wouldn't and would only open about half way. Thinking that something might have been blocking it from opening completely, I reached my hand inside and to the back of the unit - but nothing existed in the gap that could be the cause. Then, with one hand I slowly began to pull the drawer from the very back - this worked, and the drawer eventually came all the way out. I haven't had any problems with it since.

Now - my question. If there was nothing that could have been physically causing the drawer not to open, what could this have been? As mentioned, since using some force to open the drawer it has been absolutely fine since.

Thank you for your time.

If the drawers have the more modern full extension ball bearing slides it is possible for the slider intermediate rail to get aligned to one end opposite it's normal operating position. This can cause the drawer to either not pull out all the way or not close all the way when you push/pull the drawer with gentle force. A higher force will cause the intermediate rail to slide on its balls instead of rolling thus getting the piece into it's proper position.


Can I run a kitchen sink drain 19' through a hollow stud wall with seven 90-degree turns? I am adding a kitchen sink to a basement and want to run the sink drain through a hollow stud wall to reach the existing soil stack. My concern is it is 17' away and requires seven 90-degree elbows. Yes, seven. I know it's crazy, but this is what I have to work with. There is a pillar in the way which can't be moved, and I don't see any other options besides cutting a long trench in the concrete from the sink to the stack in the bathroom, which I really don't want to do. Three questions:
1) Is this feasible?
2) Will it pass inspection?
3) Do I need a vent near the kitchen sink or will the stack in the bathroom serve as an adequate vent?

Drilling holes in 17 feet of studs to accommodate a 1 1/2 inch drain line would not be recommended. The sheer number of studs impacted, including two corners, would definitely weaken the wall, especially if it is a exterior load bearing wall.

A second consideration with what is shown in your picture is that if it ever plugged it would be impossible to run a snake through such piping construction.

It is common to organize the house layout so that the plumbing routing is optimized and clustered into one particular area. This way you avoid much of what you are proposing. You may want to seriously consider just where you plan to put this kitchen sink and drains.


What is the name for this type of anchor bolt with a "leg"? I'm trying to figure out what this is called. This was used in a basketball hoop to connect a piece of square bar to a flat metal frame. The bolt went through the metal frame, then into a hole in the metal square bar. When tightened, as you'd expect, it snugly secured the frame to the square bar.

It's frustrating because I'm not sure what to call this thing. It has a "leg" that's a little different than J-bolts or the 90-degree anchor bolts that I've seen advertised.

Any ideas on what I should refer to it as? Also, is this a "standard" bolt or is this some weird one-off thing that no one else uses?

This is a specialty bolt made up my the manufacturer of the basketball hoop. I suspect you are asking because you need a new one. I doubt if you will be able to find one, but you should be able to make up something very similar that will do the same function. Get a regular bolt, washer and nut, with the right diameter and length. A second washer might be good enough to sandwich in the the square bar to the frame. If not, get a small plate and drill a hole in it for the bolt. The plate will serve the same purpose as the "leg" on the existing bolt.


Rheem Heat Pump A/C Mode Delay Cycle In Hot Weather I have a Rheem 15PJL48A01 heat pump which has been working correctly for years, and is maintained properly. It is hot here currently and so it is operating in cooling mode.

Yesterday and today, it has been very hot out. 105 °F yesterday and 103 °F today. The outdoor pump's fan has been cutting off every 20 minutes or so during the day. When it cuts off, it goes into a 5 minute delay cycle, then fires back up. During this time, the air handler (Rheem RHLLHM6024JA) keeps blowing air. There is power to the heat pump outdoor unit at all times. I removed the panel to investigate the shutdown code and it codes "5 min delay" and no other issue. Interestingly, at night when the ambient temperature cools off, the fan will run for hours without issue, blowing cold air through the home until the desired temperature is reached.

Here's the heat pump manual, specs, and troubleshooting guide

Here's a photo that shows the daytime shutoffs yesterday (Tuesday) between noon and 6pm as compared to the days prior. Notice that in the night and early morning it operates normally.

So what's happening? Is it overheating?

Actual, better answer:

The heat pump was definitely overheating. Since the heat wave has passed, there have been 0 issues. The ambient outside temperature is 90-95 °F this week, whereas it was 103 - 105 °F last week. This seems to make all the difference as things are purring along and the home is staying cool. Thanks for the help everyone!


A 1" T fits the pipe and a 1" valve does not, why? Both of these are labeled 1". The T on the left fits the little bit of grey pipe. The valve on the right is too small. What am I missing?

That valve is for a different type of piping system called CPVC and the sizes and fittings are different. The difference is deliberate because CPVC is rated for hot water whereas regular PVC is not; they don't want people to accidentally (or deliberately, to save money) install regular PVC pipe or fittings on a hot water system.
Look at the valve label.


Is air conditioner installation a DIY project? We got a bargain on a brand new 6.2kw Split System Inverter Air Conditioner.

The quotes we've received for installation are almost as much as the unit cost itself.

Is this something I should be brave enough to attempt myself? It's a back-to-back installation.

Unless you have the tools and knowledge, let the pros handle this one.  I don't think this is really a diy project, there is a reason the installation cost is so high.


How do I install a vanity that's higher than the mirror? I'm doing a bath remodel. The existing wall mirror is resting on a Formica back-splash. The existing cabinet is wheelchair height.

The remodel cabinet will be higher than the bottom of the wall mirror. The mirror extends across the full wall behind the toilet and adjacent vanity.

I plan to frame the mirror with crown molding stained to match the new cabinet. The height of the new cabinet plus top will be higher than the lower edge of the mirror.

Should I cut the mirror? Or cut the base cabinet? Just butt against the mirror? Or build out the wall behind the cabinet with another piece of sheetrock?

Is the mirror one piece or is it made of tiles?
Is it glued in place or supported by clips, brackets, or a frame?

If it is mounted (clips, brackets, or frame) carefully unmount it, have it professionally cut, and then remount it.  I strongly advise hiring a professional window or glass man to do this.

If it is glued but is made of tiles:

Locate a supply of identical tiles.
Have enough of the new tiles cut down and be sure to include some spares.
Carefully remove the tiles that will be partially blocked by the new cabinet.
Carefully glue the cut-down tiles in place.

If it is glued and is in one piece:

Do not try to cut it yourself!
If you find a glass man that claims he can cut it, be sure he is bonded and contracts to fully replace the mirror if he damages it.
Otherwise, leave the mirror uncut and...
Use sheetrock, plywood, a laminate, etc. to shim the cabinet out to where it is at least 1/16th away from touching the mirror.
Carefully caulk, frame, and/or trim for the best aesthetics.  Be sure that there is a water-tight seal to stop moisture on the mirror from dripping behind the cabinet.


Basement Drain Pump pipe vibrates Outflow pipe rattles and vibrates when water is discharged.  Is something wrong with the pump?  Just started doing it.  Believe it is a 404 liberty pump.  Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

You need to remove the pump from it's location and take it to a work area. remove the inlet screen and clear out the debris on the impeller. Also check the impeller for any bent or broken vanes. If there are any missing vanes you will need to replace it or the whole pump. Test run the pump for a couple seconds to see if the vibration has been eliminated. If it has, Reinstall in the sump and put back into operation.


Can I burn wood in this fireplace? I have what appears to be a manufactured fireplace with a metal flue (rather than masonry). It currently burns gas, and I assumed that's all I could burn, but I noticed on its product placard that it was suitable for solid wood fuel or gas.

Is it safe to have the gas pieces removed and burn wood in here? Are there any potential concerns with the flue/chimney?

The fireplace itself appears to be ceramic sheets embossed with a texture similar to brick. The gas/hvac guy I use said it would be safe, but I wanted a second opinion.

I have attached a photo of the placard inside the fireplace.

The firebox may be rated for solid fuel, but is the chimney constructed to handle the extra heat and the possibility of having a flue fire from soot and creosote deposits?

A natural gas flue is not a solid fuel flue. If the chimney construction was skimped on to save money, then no.

If your HVAC tech has inspected the chimney and found it up to proper standards, then maybe.


Setting freezeless valve in masonry I need to set this freezeless valve through a layer of bricks/mortar.

Should I set mortar directly around the pipe or should I leave some spacing and fill it with insulation foam (or something similar)? Or set a 1" pipe directly in masonry and put this valve pipe inside it with something to fill the gap.

My primary concerns are thermal insulation and preventing pipe breakage.

The point of a frost-free faucet is that it drains completely when not in use (the shutoff point is at the inner end of the assembly). Insulation should not be a concern, and probably won't accomplish much--copper is a very good conductor of heat, and the outside end is exposed to the elements regardless of any insulation on the pipe.

Follow the general guidelines of masonry with respect to plumbing and other penetrations.


External TV antenna grounded inside attic? I want to install an OTA external antenna to an existing satellite dish mast, I have removed the dish and plan on just attaching the antenna.  The existing dish mast was never grounded, there are also coax grounding blocks on the outside of the house, but they are not grounded either.

The location of the mast is within a valley about mid way up the roof, between the main roof and the garage, its below the ridge of the house.  Its not in a very good location to run a ground wire, the wire would have to run across the top of the roof then down to the side of the house grounding stake.

My question I'm wondering is if its ok to ground the external antenna somewhere within the attic?  I could run 2 sheathed ground wires, one from the mast grounding block, the other from the coax grounding block into the attic where the coax goes into the house, then into the house ground, either to a cold water line or possibly into an electrical ground (that I'm not sure how to do).  Is this an ok solution, or would it be better to run a ground wire across the roof ?  I really don't want to re-locate the mast or the antenna.  Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

I'm probably a little less then 20 miles from the towers, so a mohu leaf might be an option.  I already have the antenna so was wanting to just try that and see, but if it worked, I wanted to make sure I got it grounded properly.

You should run a ground wire from the the mast grounding block, but I would not ground it to anything other than the grounding electrode conductor at the source. If you have a ground rod that is where I would connect it. If there is lightning, your mast could be subject to a strike and I would want it to go directly to ground and not through any other part of my system that could be upstream of some pieces of equipment that may be damaged. Use at least a solid #10 and make sure any radius has a nice long arch.

The metal sheath in a coax is not a ground, it is a shield which drains off misc radio and electronic interference. So it needs to be grounded on one end and left open on the other. So if it has a coax block you can ground it there just make sure you are not grounded at the other end. You also need to make sure the the coax block is grounded to the mast.

Good Luck


Can I use a copper sleeve around a galvanized pipe? For a bird feeder project I want to have an adjustable, sliding metal sleeve fit snugly over a galvanized pole (7’). Will a 3/4” L-type copper pipe fit over a 1” galvanized pipe? From online chart, the copper I.D. should be 1.025” and the steel pipe O.D., 1”. The outer copper sleeve would be about 2’ long. Would the copper pipe actually fit and be movable or is the fit too tight? I’ve read elsewhere on SE suggesting steel/steel alternatives with set-screws but I’ prefer something closer to this if possible. Thanks!

Instead of trying to source your own parts that fit together, I suggest you find something that already exists. A telescoping pole, such as a paint roller extension pole or a pool brush pole, would probably serve your purpose.


Can you remove a tin roof and install insulation and re-attach the tin roof? Hello from Hobart Tasmania.  I have purchased 1930's weatherboard cottage with a tin roof.  The roof is insulated in the main part of the house (i.e., in the attic) but the additions on the house are not insulated - there is no attic on these extensions, just the roof immediately above the rooms.  As a result, these extension areas are very hot in summer and extremely cold in winter.

Recently, when we were getting a quote on insulating in the crawl space below the house, an insulator company suggested that they could simply 'remove' the tin roof above the extension, install fiberglass, and re-attach the tin.

It seemed like a reasonable way forward to make these rooms more useable - but I am curious if there is anything I need to be wary of or concerned about.  Is is OK to simply remove tin, add insulation, and re-attach tin?  Do I need to worry about anything else, such as potential new leaks on roof from removing the tin?  Do I need to worry about moisture from the house causing rot?

Any clues would be most appreciated!  I have no experience with any thing like this at all!

What they are suggesting is done in metal buildings in the USA, the insulation is wrapped in a type of plastic sheeting on all sides, it is made that way. It is also in large rolls and very wide, maybe 3-4ft?

My biggest concern would be the distortion of the metal when it comes to removing it. If the roof is attached with screws, you have a small chance of salvaging the roofing. If the roof is fastened with nails, the metal will surely be distorted. The fasteners to reattach the roofing, which should be screws with neoprene washers, rely on a flat surface, if it is a newer system. The refastening may not take well if care is not taken on the removal. Of all the fasteners in any given roof it will only take one to create  leak, with the insulation in place and it's plastic layer, it would be hard to tell where a leak may really be or if any evidence is visible until it is too late. I refer to wet, or rotted framing after a time.

If it is the older system where the nails are driven through the standing rib, and the nail has a lead coating to conform and seal the hole from the nail,, DO NOT let them remove it unless a new roof goes back down. It may be better to insulate from the underside, even if it may be finished.

This is a sample of what I was going to suggest, It may cost more overall, but it is the metal roof and insulation combined. It will not compress like the fiberglass will and give a higher R rating


Concerned about roof trusses and ceiling joists in new-construction home Found a new-construction home I want to purchase, but I have serious concerns about the roof trusses and ceiling joists. The house is completed on exterior (bricked, windows, and roof completed) but interior is unfinished. Studded walls show floor plan laid out, but no drywall, no electrical/plumbing/insulation/cabinetry/fixtures, etc. House completely unfinished on interior other than studded walls throughout and sub-floor. Center of home is one very large, open space for main living space- living/kitchen/dining, and measures 33.5'x 20'.

My biggest concern is this: The ceiling joists(which are part of the roof trusses) run the direction of the 33.5 feet in the room, and are only made of 2"x4"s (seems way too small to me), which are connected by metal brackets which connect the 2x4's end-to-end, and there is obvious sagging in places along these runs of 2x4's. Obviously, once you hang drywall to make your ceiling, you would have even more sagging! There are no cross beams to add support anywhere in the 33.5'x 20' room. The roof trusses are made of 2x4's also, and all of this is spaced on 24 inch centers.

Someone has made chalk lines along the worst sagging areas, and the chalk line is over one third up the board in places, so cutting them to even them out would weaken the structure I would think (someone told me you could do that!)

I'm just trying to decide if I should run for the hills, or is this not a deal breaker? Absolutely everything else about this house and property is perfect, as we've been looking for well over a year now! Any information from those who're knowledgeable about roof trusses and ceiling joists in new-construction would be very much appreciated!

There is probably a very good reason why this house is sitting there in this unfinished state and up for sale. You should definitely do a detailed investigation of the history surrounding the design, permitting and construction of this house. You may very well find information that would help you understand just what you are getting into should you stay on the path of purchasing this unfinished shell.

The issue that you describe is a very big problem and could very well require removing the roof and replacing the trusses with properly designed assemblies on proper spacing. What may look like a very good deal could end up costing you way more in the long run to get the problems corrected and to pass inspections.


Correct Sealant / Caulk for fixing LED Down Light I have recently had LED down lights installed in my ceiling.
In strong winds I am finding some granulated loft insulation is blown through around the light fixings.
I would like to seal around them - what should i use to do this?

Silicone would be hard to paint. Would decorators Caulk "stick"?  any advice appreciated i am in UK.

I would shy away from caulk just because you might have to remove the ring/trim in the future and caulk would make that difficult. Have you thought about using some weather stripping? It comes in various thicknesses and colors and is self adhesiving. It's easy to use and less messy than caulk.


Can I increase the efficiency of a refrigerator by replacing the door insulation? I am in the process repainting the refrigerator doors, and cleaning up the rust on the inside of the doors.  The question is, would I increase the efficiency of operation by replacing the original fiber insulation with polyurethan foam sheet insulation?  The door thickness 2 inches thick.

Yes it would.  Extruded (tiny bubbles, no beads) polystyrene runs about R5 per inch, compared to R3.5 for fiberglass.

However:  The door is only about 1/5 of the surface of the fridge.  You are going to make that 1/5 possibly have 1/3 less heat loss.  So overall you are reducing it by 1/15 or about 7%

In addition transfer thorugh the walls is only part of the heat loss.  More is caused by opening and closing the door.  If half is caused by loss of cold air on opening the door, then your savings just dropped to 3.5 %

If it is old enough to require rust repair, it may be time for a new fridge.  Fridge is one of the big power users in the house, and cooling systems have improved a lot in the last 20 years.


How to test voltage on open wire with multimeter? If I have an open wire and a multimeter -- is there a way to check whether there is current and what voltage it is if the wire is not connected to anything, i.e. doesn't have another wire or an appliance to send the current to? Is there a common method whereby I can send the current to somewhere and then put the other probe of the multimeter there to simulate a circuit?

Two suggestions:

A non-contact voltage tester can detect line-level voltage without needing to complete a circuit. It does this by detecting the alternating electric field that radiates off any “live” household wire. It won’t detect direct current (uncommon in household settings) and will sometimes give false positive readings if the wire being tested isn’t grounded and is close to a live wire.
You can always use your multimeter in the AC Volts mode to test between an unknown wire and a ground. In the modern US, that means put one probe in the central U-shaped hole in the nearest outlet, and touch the other probe to the wire under test. This may also give false readings for the same reason as mentioned above.

By the way, the reason it’s valid to test voltage relative to ground is because that’s the test that matters to personal safety - if there is voltage relative to ground on a wire you touch, you could potentially complete the circuit with painful results!