Does using an existing attic exhaust pipe to also serve air flow from a range hood cause smells/micro particles of oil/soot/etc to get into attic? Our kitchen renovation contractor decided to change plans on us and vent the range hood out via the same pipe as was pre-existing to passively control the temperature in our attic, instead of vent out the side of the house as this person originally suggested (See further below).

It has got me thinking that perhaps with an opening in the side of this pipe in the attic to allow hot air in the top of the attic to make it's way out the top of the roof, that some/all of whatever is going to be sucked up by the range hood could make it's way into the attic instead of going to the vent on the top of the roof.

Is there some scientific principle that would prevent that, or has the contractor taken a shortcut with ramifications (vermin being attracted into the attic as a result of meaty smelling oils is one thought)?

Yes, this will cause a problem.

You say, “with an opening in the side of this pipe...” If there isn’t a solid pipe (without openings) in your new exhaust pipe, it will partially vent kitchen air into your attic. (Good practice calls for the pipe joints to be lapped in the direction of the exhaust and sealed...no openings.)

Having a “gravity” vent in your attic does not allow for backdraft flaps...so it can’t be fixed.

These are two separate venting procedures. One is power vented and one is gravity. They cannot be combined. The power exhaust vent will blow smells into your attic.

I’d check with your Building Department and they’ll tell you that the new kitchen exhaust vent must be vented to the exterior...without “openings in the side of the pipe”.


How often would a chest freezer need to be defrosted in a very humid tropical area? Approximately how often would a chest freezer need to be defrosted if I live in an area that has a very high relative humidity and dew point.

Relative Humidity: 73%
Dew Point: 70 degrees

I read on the web that most people need to defrost once a year, however this is with regular humidity levels, does anyone know approximately the frequency of defrosting with the mentioned humidity levels?

Regards

It depends on how often the freezer is opened and if it has any air leaks, you can go forever without having to defrost if the freezer is never opened and does not have any air leaks.

In the UK, frost free freezers are now common, they are greate!


What kind of caulk to use in order to caulk the toilet to the floor? My toilet was replaced and it has no caulk around the bottom of it.  A little water does seep around it from time to time.  What kind of caulk should I use to do the job?  It sits on ceramic tile, and the tile is on a cement slab.

It is best NOT to caulk this location.  Caulking this location can lead to moisture from a leaking toilet getting trapped under the toilet and creating a haven for mold (and/or rot, should there be wood in the area).

In your case remove the toilet, and replace the wax seal (or use one of many rubberized "no wax" products, which claim to be better.

If you do caulk the location, I recommend leaving a gap at some point, perhaps in the back of the toilet, to allow some air circulation. I prefer a quality latex caulk to silicon, as the silicon never seems to stick all that long.


Water not reaching the overhead tank from mains pipe- flow ground to top to the overhead tank The water flows from underground pipe when the water in main pipe is released to 1st floor of the building but not to the overhead tank which is on 5th floor.
The pressure seems to be not building up for the overhead tank - seen in the meter fitting on the pipe, but for the 1st floor it seems to be fine. What could be the reason?

Water pressure at the ground level is the issue here as your pipes go up you lose pressure at .445 pounds per foot 5 stories up ~50’ your pressure would be ~22 psi less this may not be enough pressure to open the valve to the tank. If you are on a well you can increase the cut out pressure on your pump. If on a city water system contact them about the low pressure. Other than that a booster pump to increase pressure may be needed to provide enough pressure for the tank to fill.


Adding C wire to WiFi thermostat I’m trying to add c wire to furnace to run a WiFi thermostat but don’t know where to hook up c wire to get power to turn on thermostat i have 2 extra wires just don’t know where to put one them to get power

Look for the junction of brown wires and attach your C wire to that

On the wiring diagram for your furnace, the brown wires are all C wires, and they come together at a junction that should be somewhere near where the mains wires come in.  Connect your C wire (which can be any unused wire in the thermostat cable) to that junction, perhaps with a length of extension wire (brown stranded #14 THHN/AWM will do the trick), and you'll be good to go.


Extractor fans not working with LED bulbs? I have 2 bathrooms, each with both an extractor fan and a ceiling rose mounted light bulb.  The fans are Greenwood Airvacs.  They are 20 years old.  The fans have automatic run ons of about 15 minutes after the bulbs are switched off with their respective cord pulls.  It all works fine in both bathrooms.

I have now substituted the bulbs for LED bulbs.  The fans now just run on for ever after turning the bulbs off.  The only way to switch the fans off is via the isolator switches.

Putting the incandescent bulbs back restores proper fan operation.  Swapping the LED bulbs from bathroom to bathroom makes each fan run on for ever.  It's definitely something to do with the design of LED light bulbs.

EDIT:  Taking the bulbs out, pulling the switch starts the fans.  Then they run and stop.  They stop with no bulb in the socket.  So in summary, the fans operate correctly with incandescent bulbs, and no bulbs.  They never stop with LED bulbs(!?)

One LED bulb is from ASDA (own brand) and the other is from Homebase ( a Phillips).  They physically look different.  There is no connection between them that I can ascertain.

Why do my extractor fans never stop with an LED bulb in the ceiling fitting?

The fan controller is monitoring the lamp circuit to know when the lamp turns off. It seems as though it relies on a low-resistance path to neutral through the lamp filament to run the timer.

The LED lamps have fancier electronics in them so there may not be a direct path to neutral if the electronics is not running.


Why does my bathroom exhaust fan drip during the summer? I've seen a lot of questions (including one on this site) about condensation on bathroom vents.  However, they all seem to  take place in winter, with consensus being that as the warm air from the bathroom travels slowly to the outdoors, it is cooled off and condenses in the pipe and drips back down to the fan.

However, I am having this problem in the peak of summer, where it's intensely hot and humid outside, and nice and cool inside.  This happens in the downstairs bathroom.  I believe that it is vented outside, to the side of the house, not the roof.  If I am correct, then the exhaust pipe has to traverse the length of the living room to get there, maybe 10 feet or so.  This is only a half bath, so there isn't even a shower creating humidity.

Any ideas would be appreciated!  The dripping is driving me nuts.

I think Chris is right, warm moist air from outside is coming into the vent and condensing on the cooler inside surfaces.

Fixing this could be as easy as fixing or replacing the outside vent damper so it closes properly.  You could also go for a vent damper that installs within the vent itself.  And finally, you can insulate the pipe so that the vent pipe stays close to the temperature of the air flowing through it rather than the inside or outside of the home (depending on where the pipe runs).


How should I transition between cement board floor and alcove tub? Remodeling a bathroom and about to put in the floor. I have a plywood subfloor, and I'm about to install 1/2-in cement board on top, bedded in modified thinset spread with a quarter inch notched trowel. I plan to leave a 1/8-in in gap between all cement board sheets on the floor, with a 1/4-in gap at the walls. I'll be using a mosaic floor tile, and a subway tile on the walls with a cove base transition.
My tub is a porcelain enameled steel tub. It is solidly installed with the flange anchored on top of a ledge at the back of the wall. It is set into a bed of mortar which supports the entire base.
I have looked everywhere, but I can't seem to find any information as to how to properly transition the cement board on the floor with the skirt/apron/decorative panel of the tub. I have small kids that will definitely create splashes. Ideally I'll wipe them up quickly, but there will certainly be situations where the chaos of life leaves small puddles on the bathroom floor every now and then. I know of several people that have had issues with leaks from standing water at this transition point.
My thought is to leave an 1/8-in gap, and then fill that with thinset right up against the edge of the tub. Because I will be using Mapei Aqua Defense under the tile inside of the shower/tub enclosure, I could also apply a coat of this up against the edge of the tub at least, if not the entire bathroom floor (very small, 4x6 ft). I would then install tile as normal, leaving a 1/8-in gap, and caulking with 100% silicone or a siliconized grout matching caulk.
Does this make sense? Should I be doing anything different here? Another idea was leaving the 1/8-in gap open (cement board and tile), and filling the entire gap with silicone after installing tile.

I think you have a good plan except do not fill the gap with thinset, leave a small gap between the cement board and the tub and fill with caulk.
You could apply some of the Mapei on the first few inches of the cement board.


Screen Door Pneumatic Tube stopper: What are they called and why is mine not working? We prefer to keep our screen doors (or "storm doors" as I guess they are also known by) open all the time. We only really want them shut when we keep the main door open for a breeze or to let our cats look out longingly for freedom.

A few months back a pizza delivery guy for whatever  reason thought I was holding the door open with my mind (my hands occupied by pizzas) and thought he would kindly close the screen door for us. Clearly of superior intelligence (or supernatural powers), when it didn't close right away, he started shoving and yanking to show that he was a stronger jedi than me.

Well, the force was strong in this one.  Ever since, we can't prop that door open. The bit seems intact (not bent or anything), but we slide it over and it just gets pushed back.

I was going to stop at a hardware store to see if that piece is sold solo, but I thought I'd do my homework first.

I've tried "jamb", "stopper", "stop", and "slider", all of which bring up results, but none that resemble the bit that locks our pneumatic tube in place (guess I'll try "lock" next).

So:

What are those things called? They are basically a square washer with a flappy tongue that you slide to where you want the tube to stop, and
Based on the scenario of the closing by force, is it likely that this bit with no name just needs replacing, or do I need to adjust something else, or did he break my door?

Also, can the bits be purchased solo and easily replaced?

They're called hold-open washers.
It won't be easy to assume based on your description. Perhaps post a photo of where the washer normally meets the metal?

It sounds like the washer is probably just bent. Maybe you can take it off and straighten it in a vice and try it again. If it comes down to it, and you want to save some money.. you can back the set screw out of a drill stop and put a thumb screw in, grind the lugs off the shaft and slide it on!


How to polish welding at 90 degree curves? We have given contract to the local railings constructor and they have put the railing Balusters on the floor along with clips to put glass on. I am satisfied with their work so far, only thing that is bugging me is the weird looking welding work near the clips.

This is how they look after polishing

He says his grinding wheel does not reach the corners, so he cannot smooth it out.

Is there anyway to fix this issue ?

That welding would be termed by one of my instructors as “bird droppings”...

It needs to be done properly where the weld joins and fills the 90 gap evenly and is called a fillet weld.

Get them to grind it out and do it properly. A 4” angle grinder with a new disc will get into that.

Have a look at some of the welds shown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrS_yafue6M


How should I mount a TV stand on a wall covered in drywall? How should I mount a TV stand on a wall covered in drywall?  Should I trenail it to the wall?

I wouldn't hang my TV from the drywall. You really should put it in a stud.


What are the best practices for taping a window for hurricane protection? When working with glass windows that have no hurricane protection, I understand it is advisable to tape windows to prevent them from blowing into too many pieces.

What are the best practices for doing this, assuming no other options exist?

Do you tape them on the inside or the outside (I would assume the inside to prevent removal from elements, but also dependent on the durability of the tape)?

What's a good pattern to tape (I again assume an 'X' layout)?

What's a good tape to use (I'd guess packing tape or duct tape; masking/painter's tape only on the inside)?

If you can't cover them with shutters, then just leave them as is. It's just a waste of time and money to tape. Tape will NOT prevent them from breaking and if they do blow out, many smaller pieces cause less damage than fewer larger pieces.

Taping windows can create larger and deadlier shards of glass when winds blow through a home, said Leslie Chapman-Henderson, president and CEO of Federal Alliance for Safe Homes.
"The shards can become bigger because they're being held together," Chapman-Henderson said. "You're wasting your time. You're wasting your money and you're potentially increasing the danger to your home."

CBS News article
NOAA Hurricane Center FAQ
Snopes (see the bullet points a ways down)
Palm Beach Post article


Must I replace drywall after very small fire? Do I need to replace drywall when there was a very small fire and drywall not burned. It has stains from smoke. Some part reached 140 degrees F according to Fire dept but it was a pretty contained dryer fire and smoke stayed in small laundry room.
If I patch it (after getting all the wiring tested) it would be temporary until I pay for the 1000 other things that just happened in my house this week (30 yr old furnace replaced. same with water heater, and obviously the washer and dryer)

oh, patch needed where FD cut wall to check for spread, where there was none.

No you should not have to replace the drywall if the paper is not burned. Drywall is a fire barrier and can withstand high heat for short periods without losing strength or integraty. I would clean it well first repair the patch and use a good primer like Kilz and repaint.


How to protect wire from excessive heat? I'm running led strip lighting, on a hallway floor, for accent lighting. The floors are Warmboard subfloors, which house radient pex tube.

Here is the Problem:

When running the 18 awg cl2 wire, the wire comes up 1/2' away from the pex tube. The water in the pex tube can get as hot as 140 - 180 deg Fahrenheit.

Question

Is there a concern of running this 18 awg cl2 wire so close to the pex tube?
If it is a concern, is there any protective jacket, one that can be applied to the wire, to protect it from the heat?

You will have to rewire the circuit with a cable rated at 90°C -- type CL2 cables not further marked are only good up to 60°C, as per note 15 to the tables in the UL Wire/Cable app guide.

As to wire gauge -- 18AWG 90°C wire is rated for an ampacity of 14A by the NEC (table 310.15(B)(16)), and the maximum derate factor required for the OP's operating conditions (max 82°C) is .29 from table 310.15(B)(2)(a) -- this means you can only push 4.06A through the cable without exceeding the insulation temperature ratings or upsizing it.  14AWG should be more than ample, even at such a harsh derate -- 14AWG 90&degC; wire can handle a whopping 25A, and since you are derating, you don't have to worry about the terminations being limited to 75°C.  A 14AWG 90°C cable (even with the extra derate being imposed by the limitation to 60°C ampacities in the table by the use of NM or UF) can handle that same 4A with ease, and a 12AWG wire gets you 5.8A


All outlets but one work in bedroom To preface my question: I’m not too familiar with electrical and am planning to most likely have an electrician come take a look at my house.

My upstairs bedroom and guest bedroom are both running on the same circuit on my breaker. All outlets and lights work fine in my guest room. Lights in my bedroom work fine. There are 5 outlets in my bedroom and the one I would say is “first” or closest to the door is the only one that works.

They other four stopped working and I have no idea why. I attempted my best efforts to kill the main breaker and I took each outlet apart and examined the wiring(after making sure they weren’t hot of course) and I couldn’t find anything in particular to be wrong. I have no outlets that are turned on via a switch either so I couldn’t find any issues there. I haven’t checked the guest bedroom yet.

Anyone have any suggestions of where I could possibly take a look?

Typical method of connecting outlets on the same circuit in a chain:

This is the main reason outlets are made with four terminals instead of two. (I bet you thought it was so the outlet could be split between two circuits by removing the tabs.)

Suppose you find that outlets 3 and 4 have stopped working, while 1 and 2 still have power. The failure is almost certainly at one of the terminals A, B, C, or D -- in other words, at the last live outlet in the chain or at the first dead one.

This is a very common failure in home wiring when the builder has used the backstab terminals on the outlets instead of the screw terminals. The only excuse for ever using the backstab terminals is that your cheapass boss will fire you if you take the time to wire it right.

Many professional electricians recommend wiring outlets like this:

Those hookup wires from the terminal screws to the wire nuts are called "pigtails". They should be about 6" long.

Wire nuts are certainly more reliable than backstabs. There is some disagreement over whether wire nuts are more reliable than screw terminals. The pigtails may be a bit of overkill but they allow removal of a problematic outlet without affecting the rest of the circuit.


What is this furniture part, and where can I find one? I am trying to repair some chairs at church. One of them is missing the part in the photo. What is it called, and where can I find one in the US? Metric threads.

Thanks.

That is a barrel nut and bolt. You can find them at most hardware stores, but they are a specialty item, so they may not have the exact ones you need.

You need to take those with you to a hardware store or get the model information of the furniture to identify the size, or calipers to get accurate measurements. I recommend starting by trying to find the make and model of the furniture to contact their customer service.


Is my chimney safe if it has ash on the walls of it? I've read a bit about tarry, shiny creosote, and I don't have that. What I have is a thin coating of soot and some flaky pieces here and there. Is this something I should worry about, or just start burning in my fireplace again this season like normal?

Ash is not flammable, and ash can sometimes be in flake form.  If that is what you have, there is no danger.

Even if there is some creosote buildup, that is not necessarily dangerous either.  What is dangerous if there is enough heat and creosote thickness for the creosote to burn long enough that it overheats the chimney causing structural weakening, or emits sparks which ignite combustibles outdoors like a wood shake roof, trees, shrubbery, or other structures.

If creosote buildup is minimal (less than 1/4 inch), it can be safely removed by building a hot fire to burn it out.  If you aren't sure about doing that, don't hesitate to bring in an expert:  either a firefighter or a chimney professional, though the latter tend to have a conflict-of-interest.


Air in Water Lines - Jet Pump System Hoping someone may be able to give me some help in figuring out a problem.

I just opened up a house last night that had been shut down for over a year with the plumbing system drained and winterized. It is uses a jet well pump with 2 lines running back to the well and a pressure tank.

I had to go through the whole priming process to get the water going from the well again, and it took a couple attempts before I got prime and the water flowing. Once I had water I went around and opened all the faucets to bleed out the air and winterizing fluid, and then let the pump run until it built up pressure and shut off.

The issue I am having is that now when I turn on any fixture I am getting a lot of air coming out as well as the water. I will get water and then it will sputter and be a blast of air and then back to water, more air, more water, etc. It keeps doing this until it reaches the point that the well pump switches back on, and then all is fine. No more air coming out, just water.

If I then shut the faucet off and let the pump build pressure back up, which I think is taking an abnormally long time, and then open up the same faucet, the whole air/water thing repeats, sometimes quite violently, until the pump kicks on and then it is just water running fine again.

I did some research and read stuff about maybe a leak in the line from the well to the pump or a low well water level, but I would think if that were the case I would still be seeing air even when the pump was running.

I am not sure what is going one. Maybe the long time getting prime got a lot of air into the pressure tank bladder? Just not sure what the issue is. Any help you can give me on what the issue could be and how to solve it would be greatly appreciated.

There could be 2 problems but I would check your pressure tank first, it sounds like your bladder or diaphragm has failed, if a really old system a diaphragm tank needs to be replaced, you can check the air pressure at the tank there is normally a shrader valve  that you can check the pressure with a car or bike tire pressure gauge, if the diaphragm has failed if you turn the pump off and drain the system by opening a faucet and you get a bunch of air just prior to nothing more time to check the tank pressure it will probably close to 0 psi but if it has ~40 psi (or a couple psi less than the turn on value of the pressure switch the tank is good and you have not purged the air out of the system, air in the pump side creates air in the jet and more air in the tank, it can be tough to get the air out but high flowing a couple of faucets usually will do it. If the tank pressure goes to zero or close you can temporarily get the system running by putting some water in the tank, charging the tank with air a bike pump or air compressor is used to fill the tank to just below the turn on pressure for the pump, many times 40 psi. Now let the pump fill the tank, I have had this work for a short while so I could replace the tank on the weekend, if left in for a while you might find your water starting to taste bad because of exposure to air in the tank. So check your pressure tank, it could be a cracked line in the well or at the jet but if you are reaching pressure with the pump shutting down and pressure is solid it is probably the diaphragm or bladder in the tank that has failed. Note in most cases it is cheaper to replace the tank but some bladder based tanks the bladder can be replaced for less, but it is a fair amount of work and a new tank has a better warranty.


Why was the speaker wire installed this way for a media room? I recently moved into a relatively new home.  The home was never occupied and has a media room.

The media room has the following (see picture for locations, speaker wire is in blue, speaker wire has two carriers):

Coax connector for cable
Five junction boxes with speaker wire inside
Outlet on the ceiling on one side of the room

I traced the speaker wire.  I don't understand how I can install a surround sound system using the existing speaker wire.

What am I missing?  Any ideas?

I'm open to using a TV or projector - with projector screen on either end of the room -  if that will relieve me of running new speaker wire.

It looks like the intent was to have your "media center" be placed on the far left wall. This is why you would have 4 electrical outlets and the coax connectors. This is the location you would either want to place your TV or projector screen. If you do go the projector route, placing the screen on the far left wall gives you the distance needed between the projector (placed near the outlet on the ceiling) and the actual screen.

The speaker wire does seem a bit odd. The way I would use it is to place 2 rear speakers in the top right and bottom right corner. These would be feed off of the lines that run toward the left of the room. Then your front left, center, and front right speakers can be easily run to the electronics on the left wall since they are so close.

You haven't specified, but if I designed a room in that fashion, I would have run 2 channel speaker wire (4 wires per jacket). This would then allow you to add the side speakers if you wanted to hook it up that way. Maybe the speaker wire you show has 4 wires in it to be used in this way.


Have 1/2 switched wall outlet. Adding ceiling fan using existing wiring EDIT: Success!  (1 down, 1 to go!)  Just need to tidy up the wiring and close up the junction box in the attic.  Total PITA but so worth it when the kid is super happy.  :)

Original Post:   Not 100% sure what I'm seeing here.  I have an existing single switch in a bedroom which operates a 1/2 outlet (1/2 hot all the time, other 1/2 to a floor lamp via the light switch).
I located the wiring in the attic (14/3) running almost directly over where I installed the mounting kit between the trusses - and would like to wire said ceiling fan using the existing switch and make the full outlet hot all the time.  Advise on how easiest to do this?  Thanks in advance! Long time lurker, 1st time question poster.
-John
:)

More pics added:

most direct way to do this would be to add 2 junction boxes in the attic.
the 14-3 from the switch to the outlet cut that with enough length to make it to the ceiling fan.
now you have a wire from the switch to the ceiling fan.
add a 14-2 from the ceiling fan to the rest of the 14-3 that goes to the outlet. add a junction box at that location. connect the red wire to the black ones. white to white. bare to bare.
in the ceiling fan connect the red to the ceiling fan and the black to the 14-2 black. connect all whites together
this way you won't have to cut sheetrock. and you won't have to rewire the devices.
the other way to do this is to fish a new wire from the switch to the ceiling fan recommend 14-3 so you can switch the fan separate from the light.
the only reason i don't recommend this is puling the switch box out of the wall and replacing it can be a pain. but ill walk you threw that if you want.


Use Honeywell VisionPro without EIM? I just acquired a Honeywell VisionPro TH9421C1004 thermostat but I didn't get the Equipment Interface Module (EIM) with it.  Can I still wire this directly from my furnace?  It only has 3 wire connections: Data, R, and C.

No, you can't
Unfortunately, the Honeywell thermostats that use an EIM rely on it to translate either RedLink (for wireless versions) or a proprietary protocol (for the wired ones) to the 24VAC signals that a furnace understands.  So, since Honeywell discontinued the wired versions in favor of their RedLink counterparts, you'll need to hunt down a secondhand EIM for your thermostat.


Is there a state mandated cap for electricity use in Spain? My dad tells me that the (recently remodeled) house he's staying in in Valencia shuts off the electrical service if he's using the cooktop and the heater at the same time.  This is very unusual in terms of what I'm familiar with.  Is there anyone who can say whether this is a policy issue or a wiring issue.  He says it seems to be a state mandated cap on usage, but I'm skeptical.

I'm from Spain, and yes, your father is right there is a cap in terms of contracted power with the electrical company. In the contract you sign with the electrical company it's stated the maximum power you need (at the same time). For example, in my case I've a maximum contracted power of 5.75KW (with this power, I've never had problems having at the same time running the AC, the oven, the fridge, a computer, some lights, and the water heater). And to my knowledge, particulars (that's not companies) can contract a power up to 9.7KW.

So the bill depends on two factors, the amount of energy you've been using during a period of time (variable), and the maximum energy you've contracted (fixed amount). An easy way to slightly reduce the bill is contracting a lower maximum energy, but in that case you may face power cuts if you surpass this maximum in a given moment. If that's your father problem, he should call his power supplier and ask them to increase the maximum energy (they usually charge for this kind of changes, and moreover the bill will be proportionally higher). He can know this maximum looking at a bill (looking at "Potencia").

But it's strange what happens to you father, mainly taking in mind that it's a new house. New houses projects usually include a study of average electrical power needs, so that you contract the power according to the study to avoid cuts. So I'd not discard an internal wiring problem.


Hot water tank leaking at bottom could it go from a trickle to a gush? My 20 yr. old gas water heater that's located in my basement has had a slow leak for 6 mos. My husband doesn't feel the need to replace it yet and feels we can just continue soak up the water with a rug/rags  until it doesn't heat up any more. I fear that it will one day break through the rusty bottom and leak 40 gals. like a faucet left on not just a trickle. He feels I'm being over worried about it and to wait another month after our company of 3 more people come and go. It's not the fittings their fine but I can see at the very bottom under the white tank it is visibly rusty and wet. What's your opinion?
Thanks,
Jenny

If the tank itself is rusted out, it's time to replace it. Water expands when it's heated, which creates pressure in the system. Pressurizing a rusty water tank is a recipe for disaster.

Replace the tank before it causes problems. Trying to eek out a few more months is foolhardy.


Adding ventilation to an older outbuilding I have a large to me storage building that I am trying to convert into a garage/workshop.  I don't have the time/money/inclination to tear the whole thing down and start anew so I am trying to make incremental improvements that will get me where I want to be one time.

The building it simple rectangle 30' x 48' made mostly out of cement block with a single garage door in either end.  The walls are 12' high and the roof is made of wooden trusses with plywood sheeting and asphalt shingles.

There is not any venting at present, the soffit is not designed to vent although there are some gaps large enough to let wasps and some birds in.

What I would like to do is to install an electric gable vent at one end and some intake vents at the other and just pull air through the attic space.  I would also seal up the unintentional gaps in the soffit to keep the local wildlife out.

This feels like it would be effective, but it goes against the suggestions I am seeing online.  Do I really need to retrofit a soffit vent?

In the future I would like to sheetrock the ceiling and blow in insulation to be better able to heat in the winter.  Would that change what I should do?

You only need retrofit soffit vents if you want passive airflow. They will be a very good idea when you sheetrock the lid, but you don't need it yet.

Is this for cooling or moisture control? Moisture is a lot more complicated. Evacuating hot air is as simple as having adequate vent area and airflow.


Help with washing machine installation I purchased a washer and dryer from Best Buy and the guys came to install it in my home. They told me they couldn’t finish the installation because they said there’s typically only one drain outlet however my home has two drain outlets.

I spoke with the sales consultant of my neighborhood and she said she’s never been asked that question before and that Best Buy should know how to install it.

Has anyone ever dealt with this before? Does it matter which drain outlet hole I put the hose into?

Thank you!!

presumably one drain outlet is for a washer and the second is for a condensing dryer, they should be interchangable.

If you're unsure run a test with a glass full of clean water and a funnel


Light switch with 3 sets of wires (not 3 way) I'm trying to replace a couple of old switches with new dimmer switches that have the wifi capability. I understand electronics fairly well and have done basic electrical work around the house before. But this situation has me a bit confused. I have 3 wires. The 3 grounds are "pig tailed" the 3 neutrals (white wires)are tied together with an wire twist. 2 blacks are pig tailed and one is alone. The old switch is single pole and the black pigtail and the single black went into the back. Ground was around the screw. When I connected the new switch, it required the neutral wire. So after connecting the 2 sets of black wires and neutral into the switch I tries each neutral individually but no luck. One of the neutral would light up the switch but not the light. Later I discovered that by disconnecting the neutrals I lost power to my outlets. The switches I'm replacing are in the bathrooms and the outlets were in the bathroom and one in a bedroom adjacent to the bathroom.  The idea is to pigtail the neutrals and connect the tail to the switch. This way it won't interrupt the circuit and provides my neutral for the new switch. Does this make sense? Thank you for the feedback.

Yes, you're on the right track: the three neutrals should remain bundled together. Simply add the neutral from the wifi switch into that group.


Are there residential light switches that don't have a arc upon toggleing I am looking for residential switches that don't arc when toggeled

No, you will not find a typical wall switch that totally eliminates the little arc when switching a load. This is inherent in a switch.

You can use a heavy duty, or "spec-grade", switch that has a much more solid and distinct switch mechanism. This may at least mask the arcing.

May I ask why you are looking for this?


How do I undo this connection? How should I undo this connection? It doesn't seem to unscrew, though part of it will move down towards the boiler although this doesnt seem to make it disconnect (I havent tried forcing this though as I don't want it to break)

Its the mains cold water inlet to a small boiler by the way.

Many thanks]1

That little washer looking thing on top at the copper pushes down. Use a wrench the size of the copper tubing to push it down to release its hold on the copper.


Can an HRV replace the air exhausted by a range hood? I'm in the process of buying a 1950s ranch house. It doesn't have the greatest insulation, so I'm planning to do some improvements over the first few years to tighten things up. I'll certainly do the basics (expanding foam in window openings, gaskets behind outlet/switch covers, rigid foam sealed with expanding foam along the rim joists in the basement, an extra foot or more of insulation in the attic, rigid foam on the basement walls, new weatherstripping where needed). I live in Michigan, so we do have a real winter with snow, and a few days in the summer where it will get hot enough to turn on the AC, so anything to save money on energy bills is great.

I've been reading about the issues you can run into when you seal up a home TOO tight, such that you don't have enough fresh air in the house. I'm not sure I'm going to run into these, but then I'm not sure how good a job I'll be able to do with the above-mentioned improvements. If it comes to it, installing an Energy Recovery Ventilator or Heat Recovery Ventilator (ERV or HRV) is something that I would consider in the future.

All of this leads me to my main question: I like to cook. I would like to put in a fairly powerful range (nothing huge, though; I don't need six burners and a griddle), and will need a hood that can carry smoke, heat, steam, grease, etc. from cooking out of the house. I don't want absurd overkill, but I don't want my smoke detectors going off when I roast a chicken. It looks like I will be looking at hoods around 650-800 CFM (see my other question).

The air that goes out the hood has to come from somewhere. Will an HRV flow extra intake air if there is a pressure imbalance caused by extra air being exhausted elsewhere in the house? Will it flow enough extra intake air to supply the hood I'll need for the above? Chances are, I'm not going to have the hood on high unless I'm cooking something that produces a lot of heat/smoke, or cooking for lots of people (things I do regularly, but not every day). Would it OK to run the fan on low/medium most of the time, and open a window when I need to turn it up? Or do I need to look into providing dedicated make-up air?

Am I just over-thinking all of this and I'll be fine because there's no way I'll ever be able to seal an existing house up enough that this is a concern?

Are you going to run your kitchen hood exhaust through your HRV? I don't think that is an approved configuration because of the grease in the exhaust. Let's assume you don't for the 2nd part of this answer.

An HRV tries to recover heat from air exhausted through the HRV and use it to warm incoming air. When running your kitchen hood, no air will be exhausted through the HRV so the HRV will be acting like an open window: fresh air will come in through it but it will not be warmed.

During a cold winter, I assume you would find this situation (cold outside air distributed through your house) to be uncomfortable and undesirable.

All the literature I have seen assumes you want to take the cold outside air, hundreds of CFM, and heat it up to 70F so that you can turn around and blow it outside. Equipment capable of doing this is expensive and it seems wasteful of energy.

In my house, I have two windows right next to the hood and I just open the windows when I use the hood. Outside air comes in, mixes with the cooking fumes and goes right out. Standing in front of the range is a little colder than the rest of the house but at the same time, you have the heat from the range so it's not a big deal in my experience.

The bottom line is to consider if you want to heat your makeup air and if not, bring it in as close to the hood as possible, but in a way that helps capture the cooking fumes and doesn't just bypass the range.


Will a toilet flange bolt cause a problem if dropped into the drain pipe? I dropped one of the toilet bolts in the drain hole. It's in the basement and set in concrete. I tried to vacuum it out but couldn't.

How serious is this, will it get flushed down or do I need to trace it it a snake camera and pull it out somehow? The pipe turns horizontal right after the elbow in the ground and it's a 4" pipe.

Or can I just leave it?

It's probably not an issue. There's a very small chance that it will get caught on a fitting and cause a clog, but more likely it'll either settle somewhere forever or make its way to the septic or municipal sewer. If it does clog a simple auger job should clear it.

Years ago I had my drain augered and the guy dropped a full size Vice-Grip down my aging 3" cast-iron pipe system. He tried for half an hour to retrieve it (magnets not being an option) but was unable. I figured it would come back to haunt me for sure, but it never did.


How to turn on my irrigation system I moved into a house that was a foreclosure but has an irrigation system. There was no one around to show me how to set everything up. I know where the control box is and have read the instructions well enough (I believe) to test the heads but nothing comes out. I have gone out to the box outside in the lawn where the valves are and they all seem to be open. I assume the problem is that there is some master water shut off valve to the system that I have not found. I'd rather not spend $100 to have someone come out to just turn a valve if I can help it. Any thoughts? It is a rainbird system if that helps but I don't feel that is relevant in this case.

First thing to check: is there (or was there) a well?  If your sprinkler system is attached to a well, then this is the first thing to check.  Make sure it's on and operating correctly.

If it's not attached to a well, then it's just a matter of tracing the pipes, possibly from each end.  Locate the main shutoff in the house and any lines running to unknown locations, particularly back outside.  Make sure all valves are open.  Then from outside, trace the line running back into the house and check if there are any access panels in the path that could be hiding a valve.

Finally, just an obvious check, check your breakers and make sure the system doesn't have a rain switch that has been activated.


What framing is needed for swinging closet doors? How do you frame an existing, finished opening for double swinging closet doors to be installed?

You usually start with the current opening (if finished)  and pick a standard door size, add in for gaps (3 gaps: Left hinge, right hinge and center).

Typical gap sizes would be 1/8 on either side and 3/16 in the middle

If the opening is currently drywall, the corner beads would be removed and a wooden jamb is installed left, top and bottom.  Casing molding is installed over the jamb to cover the gap between the jamb and the original opening.

Roller catches at the top center are nice, because there is not a usual single door strike plate

You have a choice of door handles (which will need wider stiles) or cabinet pulls,


How can I repair damaged epoxy grout in a shower? I have a small opening in my shower tile floor that is grouted with epoxy grout. It is collecting water. I've dried all the water that has made it in the opening but want to know if I need to use epoxy grout to fill in small opening or if I can just use regular grout.

It is usually always better to use like materials when fixing something.  If you use regular concrete based grout to patch a hole in epoxy grout, not only can you not be sure of a texture and color match, there is the risk that different expansion rates will simply cause the concrete to crack.

Not to mention, concrete grout is not stain proof, nor water proof.  Epoxy grout is both.  So eventually the difference will show...


How do I get the most torque out of a spanner? Recently I tried to get extra torque out of a spanner when unscrewing a bicycle pedal by lengthening the spanner with a piece of pipe and the spanner just broke apart.

I realize that this was something to expect - no spanner will tolerate infinite stress, but maybe I could have done it better so that I got more torque without actually breaking the spanner.

Are there any tips to how to get more torque out of a spanner without having the spanner broken?

The first thing I would think about is not how I get more torque out of a spanner, but why I need to. Your average spanner (wrench) produces a lot of torque, and adding more in some cases is likely to break whatever it is you are trying to fix, rounding off the nut, or breaking the tool (as you experienced). It's far better to figure out why something is stuck and trying to remedy that by using some penetrating fluid like wd40 or the like, or maybe some gentle tapping with a mallet in a strategic place.

To answer your original question a piece of pipe is my standard solution for those extra torque situations just as you used, but it helps to have good quality steel tools and not cast chromium alloys as the last tend to shatter.


How much weight can the studs in a non load bearing wall support? I have a non load bearing wall in my home that has a 52' inch LCD TV mounted into the studs. I think the TV weighs around 90lb

I'd like to add another shelf underneath the TV to the same wall mounted to the studs, the shelf should weigh less than 70lb.

The house was built in 1927 and is raised off the ground. Not on cement.

Should the wall be able to hold the two items weighing a total of 160-170 lbs?

Non-load bearing means that it doesn't have the weight of the roof and ceiling bearing on it, basically, it can be removed with no ill effects. This has no bearing whatsoever on its capacity to hold a load, which has more to do with how the wall is tied in with the floor and roof joists. If you had a modern home I wouldn't worry about it. Since your home is (probably) not up to modern building codes you could have a professional mount it and thus bear any liability for the failure of the wall. If that isn't an option, inspect the condition and spacing of your studs and the anchoring of the wall into the floor and ceiling.


How to get outlets straight inside boxes? I am replacing my outlets with tamper resistant outlets. After replacement, some of them are crooked in their boxes.

The old outlets were straight enough so I know the boxes are aligned appropriately. I have tried to remove them and get them in more straight, but I haven't had much success.

Any tips on how to best make sure the outlets are flush with the box/plate/wall?

I would hazard a guess that the boxes are not aligned perfectly. This isn't uncommon, and often the metal flanges of the outlet will need to be slightly, deliberately twisted to get the face of the outlet to match the plane of the plate (which will pretty much always conform to the wall). Another factor, as mentioned by @Tyson, is the force of the wires behind the outlet pushing it out of alignment. This can particularly be a problem with 12 guage wire and bulky GFCI outlets.

In extreme cases of vertical box misalignment, you may need to not clamp the outlet flange tight against the box (either leaving it slightly floating, or shim with washers) but in this case it looks like most of the misalignment is horizontal, and can be remedied with a little twisting (but you could maybe back out that top screw a turn or so).

It's also possible to snap off the "ears" on the flanges if any of them are impeding alignment, but it's hard to tell if this is the case from the pictures. Alternately you may need to gouge out a little more plaster under the ears on one side.


how to remove soap stain from granite countertop I was fixing my dishwasher door recently and this resulted in some liquid dishwasher soap sitting on my counter for 1-2 hours.

How can I remove this stain on my counter? I can’t tell if the seal has been eaten away or if i need a special cleaner to fix this.

Automatic dishwasher soap will strip paint.

If hot water doesn't move the mark then the surface finish is damaged.


Issue with residential electrical system in Brazil A 127 volt electrical receptacle in my kitchen in Brazil appears to have a problem. Could be a coincidence, but after moving the frig to clean behind it (it was never tilted) and plugging it back in, almost immediately a relay popped with a burning smell. The frig was repaired  but before plugging it in again, I checked the voltage and the amperage in the receptacle using an old fan I could afford to lose if the receptacle was defective.
The voltage looks perfect: 127 volts with hot (black) to neutral (blue); 127 volts with hot to earth ground (green) and 0 volts neutral to earth ground.
The amperage reading appears to suggest a problem. 3.7 amps on the hot wire and 5.3 amps on the neutral.
It’s my understanding that the neutral should be 0 amps no matter what the hot is reading.
What am I missing ?
Thanks,
Tom

Well, it isn't unusual for neutral current flow to differ from hot current flow, when the circuit is a multi-wire branch circuit.

Brazil uses a compromise voltage of 127V hot-neutral and 220V hot-hot.  This lets them be compatible with USA's 120V hot-neutral and 240V hot-hot (within 8% anyway, which is fine). This allows them to deliver 3-phase power to the house. (127 x sqrt(3) = 220).

So on a Brazilian multi-wire branch circuit, there may be up to 3 hots sharing the neutral.  Activity on the other hots would account for the differing current.


Fixing substantially warped table top planks I'm fixing up a wooden table that has sat in a warm attic for about 10 years. It's got pretty substantial bow and twist across the planks. I'm a beginner and want some advice on how best to get rid of the warp.

There were three pieces of wood perpendicular to the main planks across the underside holding them together. Before I took them off, I noticed the staples holding them to the planks were partially out, i.e. the warping of the main planks was strong enough to pull them out.
There are also these thin, wavy pieces of metal (what are these called?) hammered across each plank pair (see photo below), holding the them close together. Some of the planks are offset vertically from each other, and hammering hard with a mallet I can't shift these back to being level. The warping has also been strong enough that on one edge the wood around where a wavy metal piece was present has broken under the force of the warp. This has meant the edge plank is no longer flush against its neighbour, and the wavy metal piece is now holding it in a new location. Should I just use a hammer or strong clamp to "crush" this metal piece slightly to make the plank flush again, or must I remove it and reinsert it or replace it?

What I plan to try next, unless someone has better advice, is to replace the staples I removed from the three perpendicular planks with proper screws and drill them in tightly to the underside of the main planks. I hope this will have enough force to undo the bow across the planks. Then attaching the leg structure (left of the first photo) with the same screws I hope the remaining twist will come out. I have not considered using water, steam or other techniques yet - I have no experience with those - but any ideas would be appreciated.
Photo of the whole setup. The three perpendicular planks and staples I removed are visible at the top.

Have a bonfire and go buy some straight 2x4's (those certainly appear to be 2x4's)
Or possibly some nicer wood, depending what you intend for this table. My eyeball assessment is that this is ordinary framing lumber ("studs") which is commonly "spruce, pine or fir" and nothing special to look at.
Salvaging what you have will be tedious frustrating and largely pointless, IMHO unless this particular collection of wood has huge sentimental value.
The only "get rid of the twist" method I can recommend is to remove wood until the boards are thinner, but flat. That is a somewhat challenging prospect if you have limited experience with woodworking. Wetting generally only makes a difference while it's wet, and when it dries out it goes right back where it was. Steaming is a huge operation, then you need to move the wood somewhat beyond where you need it to end up, as it "springs back," and clamp it there until it cools and dries. If you have correctly guessed the amount to overcompensate for the current twist and bow you might end up close to straight.
Meanwhile, you could have had that bonfire and gotten some straight dry wood...


How to Cover Small Window but allow Light? I want to prevent my neighbors to see through my window but allow maximum light. Blinds are not possible there in the small one. The small window

Some transparent layer/membrane could work, not any permanent one.

There are many films available to obscure glass -- frosted, patterned, etc.

They are self adhering and can be fairly easily removed. They come in a variety of sizes and can be cut to size.

Look for them in big box stores or window treatment stores.

 Images and links are examples only, not an endorsement of goods or sources


Need tips on running 230 in detached garage I'm looking for some direction here. I have a detached garage that already has power supplied to it, and the structure is divided into garage space and a woodworking shop by a partition wall. The garage space is all exposed joists, beams, and studs, but the shop area is all finished. The panel is in the garage on an unfinished wall. I want to run a 20A 230V circuit to the partition wall for a single 230 receptacle, and an electrician has told me there's enough spare amperage to run the circuit. I'd have a run of about 15' to the wall, and then over a few more feet to drop it down the wall (the top of the wall is also exposed in the garage side, but is finished with OSB).

I spent some time as an apprentice electrician about a decade ago, so I have the tools and confidence, a healthy respect for the lethality of electricity, can generally read and understand NEC code citations, and I'm an anal retentive perfectionist who doesn't want to get sued or have anyone get killed.

So these are my questions:

Should I use THHN in PVC rather than NM cable? If THHN, could I make
a run up the wall and across the joists into a junction box, and
then run NM down the wall?
What's considered "workmanlike" practice when running conduit up
studs and across / parallel to joists?
I'm planning to use 12 gauge conductors for a 20A circuit - I'm
under the impression this is what's advised? A dust collector is the only thing that'll be running on this circuit.

I would not hesitate to run EMT conduit the whole way, and for a very good reason: Alterability given that the wood shop is a finished space.

You're in a wood shop.  You have things arranged the way you'd like now, but you may decide later you'd like to rearrange, or add something else.  Add a circuit? Pop the covers off, pull 2 wires, punch em down, badabing.

And I like EMT conduit because over on the unfinished side, it provides physical protection without question.  Sched 40 PVC is limited in its ability to provide physical protection.

Also, if you're drilling holes through joists to accommodate the wire or conduit, EMT lets you get the most through the smallest hole - up to 4 circuits in a 1/2" EMT pipe.  With wood shop tools that even allows a couple of 30A/#10 tools.

I think 12 AWG is a good idea. I own 11 colors of stranded 12 AWG (just found blue-red at the Habitat for Humanity store) and none of 14 AWG. I need the colors for circuit disambiguation, much much much more than I need to save small coin on my few circuits that can be 15A.

There is one circumstance where you can put #14 on a 20A breaker (or #12 on a 30A) - but this is not a case of undersizing wire (you'd never do that). For certain motors, you are allowed to use the correct and proper size of wire for the motor, then up the breaker to avoid startup trips. To qualify for this, certain motor calculations are required.


Is there any acceptable way to cover a junction box? The outlet for my range hood was misplaced. It needs to be 4 inches to the side. I can make the junction and move the wiring to the new location but I really don't want to have the empty plate exposed.

The wire is not long enough to reach the required location, so I will make a junction in the existing box, and add a new box at the correct location.

Is there any acceptable circumstance where I could tile over the "old" in-wall junction box?

I'm guessing not, but I figured I'd ask.

EDIT: I should clarify, based on the answers below... I know for a fact that this outlet is the only line on this entire circuit, all the way back to the panel. I am asking explicitly if there is any way to acceptably splice the wiring without exposing a junction box.

You cannot cover any junction box that still has live wires in it.  Your best bet is to either remove the box all together or just put a cover plate on it. Your other option is to run a new circuit to the new box and de-energize the circuit to the old box and mark the source wires as "NOT IN USE" at your panel in which case I believe you could cover it over.

If there are live wires in the box, sooner or later you will need to get to the box again, which you can't do if you've covered it over! You'll thank yourself later (as will any future home owner).


Can a broken prong stuck in an outlet increase electrical consumption? I looked at my outlets today the top is fine but the bottom ones all have a prong broken off stuck inside. I always wondered is this why my electric bill is so high! Please can someone tell me if broken prongs in outlets drain my electricity!!??

A prong by itself cannot make a complete circuit. Even if it did, it would immediately trip your circuit breaker and likely damage the receptacle (as in it would visibly spark/arc). It doesn't sound they they're on the surface either, or they would be a shock hazard.

If I were you, and you feel confident enough to turn the power off, you could replace it easily with a new receptacle. It's just a matter of unscrewing and screwing with wires. Take a picture of the wires before you disconnect them.


This old fashion drinking fountain leaks. How do I fix it? This old fashion drinking fountain leaks just a little bit from the spout, sometimes but not always. The on-off handle does not always spring back to the fully off position.  So a little water dribbles out of the spout.  How might I go about fixing this so it turns off fully?  Thanks.

That looks like a Halsey Taylor "bracket style" fountain

You could contact them for repair parts availability, or call plumbing supply houses now that you have a manufacturer and model.

If you open the installation instructions, it provides a parts list that includes

  600116618640 Stem Assy W/Lever

I googled that part number, and found this image at amazon:

And that looks like there is a gasket at the threaded collar that goes into the body of the housing, and a simple flat washer at the end of the stem. I'd replace the flat washer, and clean it out well first.


How do I cover old baseboard (skirting)? I have some old skirting (I believe baseboard is the familiar term for most of you: the wood covering the join between my floor and walls).

The floor tiler failed to tell us that it could easily be removed before tiling and re-done afterwards (and should be if you want it to look good, which is obviously the point of getting new tiles). So now I have a very expensive and nice tile floor that looks a bit cheap and shoddy because the edges are a bit messy and the skirting is old (and uneven in places), and I can't remove it because the tile is holding it in.

How can I cover it up?

I'm imagining there is a product out there somewhere which is sort of a trim for concealing smaller old trim like mine. Looks just like largish trim but is "hollow" underneath, like in this ascii-art diagram:

WALL
:
:
:
:-------IMAGINARY CONCEALING TRIM
:\____ |
:__  | |
: |  | |
:.|..|_|.........FLOOR

 ^
 |
 OLD SKIRTING

Does anything like this exist?

Or any better solutions?

Update:
Quarter round has been mentioned, and that hides the bottom of the trim (skirting/baseboard), but I also need to hide the top (it's very uneven and clearly lower than in adjoining rooms).

I think this is a problem easily solved by Quarter round. Actually I think this is why quarter round was invented.

If the existing molding is small enough you could possibly cover it up, but it might look even worse if the original molding is too large because the cover would have to be bigger.

If you want to cover the original molding you could get larger molding, and using a router hollow out part of it so the old molding fits inside.  Then simply nail it on.

Other than that you could always ask the tiler if he could fix the problem (at his own cost of course), because it sounds like he did not do a proper job.  If you have not paid him, consider withholding the payment until the job is done properly.


Plumbing in new shower I'm trying to connect my new electric shower unit up. Unfortunately both the connections have threaded connections. I bought a straighter coupler but this seems to be the opposite of what I want.

This is the existing elbow joint.

This is my failed attempt to bridge them with a straight coupler. Posted to give an idea of what I'm trying to achieve.

Sorry, this is probably the stupidest question ever. I'm new to plumbing.

Warning, U.S. English ahead.  What you purchased would be known as a "nipple", which is a short piece of pipe with male threads on both ends.  You wanted a "coupler" which has female threads on both ends.  I'm not sure if nipple and coupler are used outside of the U.S., but they have specific meanings here.

However, a threaded coupler will normally only work when the piece you are connected can be screwed in (like connecting two straight pipes).  Since the valve you are connecting too looks like it's connected to the shower unit, you're not going to be able to rotate it around in place to screw it into the elbow in the wall.

What you really need is called a "union", and looks like this:

The two ends of the union can be separated and screwed onto the elbow and valve separately.  Then, the large "nut" in the center is used to join the two halves without rotating either end.


Toilet question regarding fungus I've a toilet like the photo bellow.

Do you know what is it and how to remove it?
Thank you.

Copper salt?
That is a really impressive turquoise.  I have never seen hard water leave stains so vividly colored.  Not only has it left the stain but the color is intense enough to color the water in the toilet.  If this is from hard water then that would mean water from the tap has that blue color.  I would not drink that!
I think there is something in your toilet tank that is giving off that color.  It will either be something that is artificially colored blue (there are such products available, for putting in the toilet tank - maybe a previous owner placed it?)  Or you have something made of copper that is seriously corroding in there.  The blue colored stuff for tanks should not stain so I am betting on the copper.
That color blue would be copper sulfate.  If you are on well water your water might have sulfates in it that are corroding the copper thing (e.g. float rod) in your tank.
Long and short of it: please take a photo of the inside of your tank and post it!

A little more research - apparently the culprit is usually the copper pipe bringing fresh water.
[
https://www.npl.co.uk/special-pages/guides/gpg120_corrosion.aspx?ext=.
https://caitcocares.com/blue-green-tap-water/

Now and then a homeowner will call a plumber with the complaint of
“blue or green water coming from my tap.” This water this color is
rare. What most often causes tap water to come out blue or green is
the corrosion of copper freshwater line plumbing pipes. The discolored
water is often accompanied by a metallic taste.

To get rid of the color you will need to get rid of the pipe with the corrosion.  To clean it off, use an oxalic acid scrub cleaner; in the US some of these are Zud or Barkeeps Friend.  And serious scrubbing!


Removing high gloss paint from walls I'm trying to prep my interior walls so when the drywallers come, they can add a single layer of skim coat and re-texture everything (the current texture is really uneven and ugly).

The walls have a thick layer of high gloss paint on them that doesn't seem like it was properly applied. I say this because when I took the trim off all of the windows and doors, in many places the paint would peel off in big, plasticy/stretchy pieces leaving the (badly) white textured surface below.

The drywaller guy said they usually use TSP to roughen it up but that if I were to do a light sanding it would come out much better. I'm also worried that if they just TSP it, it will still easily peel off in places. I have a big 6" disc sander that I was going to use but it seems like it might get clogged up on this plasticy glossy paint. What would be the proper way to prepare the walls for a light skim coat and retexture?

Buy a drywall pole sander and give the entire surface a good de-glossing scuff. I would use 120 grit rectangular paper designed for your pole sander rather than the mesh sheets, which I think would clog quickly.

Do not use your power disc sander.


What are the considerations for crawlspace encapsulation barriers / humidity control? I live in a house that's half slab, half crawlspace.  The crawl is half basement.  Typical crawlspace/basement humidity readings are:

  80% RH @ 67°F
  85% RH @ 68°F
  78% RH @ 67°F

Where in the room above:

  67% RH @ 74°F
  65% RH @ 72°F
  66% RH @ 75°F

In places the crawl remains visibly damp even after months of dry weather,
however no water ponds.  A plastic sheet placed on the ground gets wet. The basement air is too damp for storage of goods (e.g. things start to smell musty).

What normal guidelines are there for acceptable crawl humidity?

An encapsulation company has given a bid of $5000 to put heavy plastic sheets on the dirt, to hold the moisture away from the air.  What are the potential pitfalls here (other than the $5000 hole in the pocket) for retrofit vapor barriers on old homes?

This particular home has no A/C, is in a mild Mediterranean climate, and sits on highly impermeable clay soil.  The foundation is from 1938.

I use a standalone humidity reducer in the wettest room of my house. I've used one in a finished basement too, when it got too damp down there we ran it. For about $100 USD you can get a decent dehumidifier that plugs into a regular wall socket. It works by pulling water from the air. They also produce heat, which will raise the room temperature a little when it's running, helping the drying process. Most of them have a way to attach a hose and run the water directly to a drain if you don't want to manually empty the bucket. Otherwise you'll have to empty the basin a couple times a day when the room is very wet. I opted to buy a larger machine with a bigger collection basin so I don't have to empty it as often.

$5000 to throw heavy plastic over the crawlspace floor sounds ridiculous. We had our whole basement cleaned, insulated, and sheeted over dirt floors for less than half that cost. You might want to get a few more bids or consider a DIY.


Where should I place electrical outlets in waterfall island? I'm remodeling my kitchen.
The existing island have a raised bar and two electrical outlets (on its the backsplash).
We are cutting down the raised wall and moving to a waterfall countertop but then, I don't know what to do with the outlets.

Do we still need the two outlets or can it be reduced to one?
Where should they go while still being in compliance with electrical building code?

The finished island will look exactly like this one. I added the actual dimensions to make it easier.
Based on it's size and the 6" max overhand rule (which I don't know if still exists), it looks I have a problem.

According to NEC 2020, you need 1 for the first 9 square feet and another for each 18 square feet.
92" x 39" = ~ 25 square feet. So you need at least 2.
I would put one duplex receptacle on each end. That would be better than flush mounted receptacles (big concern about spills). But you can certainly have more receptacles, and that may be a good idea. For example, 4 - one near each corner - would allow for blender or other appliances on the "work" side while leaving the "stool side" receptacles available for phone chargers.


How can I hang a custom lamp from the ceiling by its cord? I have purchased a lamp shade, which I would like to hang from the ceiling on a cord of specific color (in this case orange). I have had a previous lamp, which included the cord, which I replaced and hang without problem, looks like this:

The lamp shade I have now though, I bought in glassware shop and it didn't include the cord or other fixtures for hanging, it was just a plain glass item. So I went to local hardware store and bought the bulb socket. It fits like this:

However, the problem is, that the bulb socket does not have the wire attached by a screw, but is instead inserted in small holes on top of the item, similar to the item described in this DIY question. So the only thing that holds the lamp hanging is the wire inserted. And the weight of the glass lampshade is too much to hold the wire in the sockets and it comes out sooner or later, crashing the lamp to the floor.

I wanted to buy bulb socket with wire terminals, but turns out the "insert and click wire in place" bulb sockets are the only ones being sold in any nearby hardware shops. Probably some EU regulations or standartizations or whatnot.

When the shop assistant heard about my problem he said I should purchase additional item, called "lamp hanger set". I have it now, but I really don't understand how am I supposed to use it in my case, as it seems not to add any safety or fixing bulb socket to the wire.
Here are all the items:

You can screw the tube #5 into thingie #8, making it look like this:

and then you can screw the other end of the tube into top of bulb socket #1, and drag the wire through the tube... ok, so what? How is it supposed to help unless you havee some hook from which to hang the lamp right under ceiling, instead of hanging it low like in the first picture?

First off you do not want to hang the light by the socket that you purchased. With the poke in holes for the wires this is NOT an acceptable mounting system for your lamp - heavy glass or not.

Next note that the wire used to hang lamps is a special type that has strengthing cord built into the cable.

The conventional hanging lamp fixture has a two piece socket assembly that has a top part that slides up on the cord. The cord is then knotted with a special electricians knot that puts equal tension in all the conductors and fibres in the cord. The ends of the wires then attach to the lower portion of the conventional socket via screw terminals. Finally the top and bottom parts of the socket firmly snap together to hide the knot inside. The hanging lamp assembly pulls against the knot to transfer the weight into the cord from the ceiling.


2 prong outlet with 3 wires Our 1950s era house has a 2-prong switched outlet by the front door. Both plugs are turned on/off by the switch next to the front door, so it's not one of those split kind where one plug is always hot and the other is switched.
The outlet has 3 wires like this:

The metal between wires 2 and 3 on the left is connected, so it's not like the modern outlets where you can break the tab to stop the continuity between these 2 screw terminals.

I did an experiment where I disconnected each wire one at a time and found these results:

Disconnected 1: Both plugs on this outlet stop working.
Disconnected 2: Both plugs on this outlet stop working.
Disconnected 3: Both plugs on this outlet work, but another outlet on a different wall stops working.

I held a non-contact voltage detector by each wire and it shows 1 and 3 with voltage. The really baffling part is that the voltage tester still shows voltage on 1 and 3 when the switch is turned off, but I've read that you can have "phantom voltage" so maybe it's showing that. The switch doesn't turn off the other outlet, just this one.

Does the following sound like a correct assessment?

Wire 1 is the incoming hot for this outlet.
Wire 2 is the neutral.
Wire 3 is the neutral leg coming from the outlet on the other wall.

I'm also curious how the switch is involved here to turn off the outlet. Maybe Wire 1 is being turned off despite the tester showing voltage there. I also thought perhaps the switch is interruping the neutral wire 2, but if that's the case then the other outlet would be shut off too.

I used a continuity tester and found that

The right wire #1 comes from the switch. The switch's other wire is the hot, so when the switch is turned on, the power flows through the switch, then to this wire that feeds this outlet on that right wire.
The bottom-left wire #3 comes from the other outlet, and it's a neutral in that outlet, so basically it is the continuation of that outlet's neutral. (I'm not sure why they hooked it up this way rather than using a cap to tie it together with a pigtail to the outlet? But I guess electrically it's the same. I think I will rewire it the way I'm used to seeing.)
The top-left wire #2 must be the neutral.

As far as why there's voltage on #3, I'm baffled! I don't know how hacky this is but I used my jumper cables to hook to the grounding rod outside so I had a definite ground (this is a 2 prong outlet so I didn't know what else to use as ground), then tested the wires and #1 had 120V as expected with the switch on, but #3 had 70V even when it was disconnected from this outlet! I'm going to have to call an electrician to investigate this further because I have no clue why.


Can you have neutrals on ground bar only bonded through main panel body I have just added a circuit to my main panel and saw something I wanted clarification on. For reference, my main panel is a Homeline 30 space panel with 2 extra grounding bars on the sides. Picture for reference.

I know that in a main panel, you can have grounds and neutrals on the same bar, since they are bonded together at the main anyway. But doesn't that only pertain to the 2 inner neutral/ground bars, the ones that have the bonding screw. I found several neutral wires on the grounding bars on that are near the edges of the panel. From my understanding, wouldn't that be against code since the panel body is now carrying the return current for those particular circuits. In other words, should those 2 outer bars ONLY have grounding wires on them, while the 2 inner bars can have ground AND neutral wires.

Thanks for any input.

It may sound funny but it is ok and even required in a way your neutral and ground being on the same bar is fine but look closer and you will see a jumper to ground (the panel is required to be grounded, your grounded and grounding conductors are tied together and then to the case so it is functionally the same on separate bars that are bonded and connected to the case.


What is the name of this plug/socket combo from a rangehood? I have a rangehood with some lights for illumination.  But they're expensive lamps, mains voltage, not very bright and they run hot.  So I'm looking to remove and replace with something LED based.  Ideally I'll remove the whole lampholder assembly and store them, and fit a replacement.   To do so I'll need to connect to the existing wiring harness with two new plugs.
But I don't know the name to search for, and there are many different standards.

The lamps are 240 Volt AC.  Both sides of the plug are designed to hide the metal contactors from accidental touch.  One side is a round prong and a square prong, and the matching connector has round and square holes.  Each block is 4 mm per side, though this is hard to measure, could be 20% off.   They are mounted inside an earthed stainless steel rangehood.
As you can see there is not a lot of slack in the wire, so while I could snip these off there's no space to reconnect them.  Also local laws allow me to "plug modules in internally" but not "rewire" so plugging is important.
The only other comment is that these are inside the rangehood and are exposed to grease and steam and heat.  They're astonishingly clean given an age of ~8 years, with no tackyness or similar feeling, so I suspect I need plastic that is heat-tolerant.
Question: What are these called?  And do I need a special tool for them - if so what is that called ?

Molex is one of the leading brand names for these connectors, there are several different sizes of pins commonly used Based on the amperage.
Some manufactures use different shaped pin and sleeve connectors
There are tools to slide in and release the connectors so the body can be repinned.
The commercial tools are expensive but I have had mine over 20 years.
You can get parts online for a few $  molex pins , extraction tools, kits all available on amazon prime. There are also crimp tools (look a lot like wire strippers with a small pair of crimp Jaws again look up molex crimper.


Terminating unused wiring in electrical box I am upgrading my electrical box with more circuits, and circuit breakers. I would like terminate all the unused circuits wires in the electrical box panel with dummy circuit breakers rather than leave them dangling in the box. I would then terminate the unused wires in the attic within an enclosed terminal block in the attic. When I need to add another circuit in the future, all I have to do is run the circuit from the terminal bock, and replace the dummy circuit breaker with a real one. This avoids the hassle of running a new wire into the panel from the attic, and crowding the panel with unorganized new wiring, etc. I rather do it all upfront. Is there any problems with this configuration other than code issues?

Cap off hot and neutral

The hot(s) and neutral wires should be capped off and laid in the panel somewhere out of the way.   Don't attach even the neutral; neutral can be a live wire in certain edge conditions.  You can attach ground, however.

How long to leave the wires? Long enough so every hot and neutral can reach every breaker space in the panel.  This should be standard operating procedure for every circuit anyway*.  Neutral is one of these because AFCI/GFCI.

* which is incompatible with the "Captain Snippy" method of making wires minimum length for an "ultra-neat panel" -- but you don't actually get brownie points for that.  You get brownie points for a functional panel.


Hardwood floor refinish | correct / low cost finish? I am refinishing wood floors on the smallest budget possible. I believe the wood is a red fir. It was installed in the late 50s and I think it has a worn layer of urethan. It has been under carpet for appox 20 years.

The goal is a rustic, rougher look - in as much that it reduces labor. I dont want a high gloss / glassy smoothy. If costs were not such an issue, we would spend the effort distressing it. I am leaning towards a hardening penetrating finish, but would like to get out of sanding it to wood (time, PITA, I dont want it perfectly smooth).

Q1. What determines if I can get away with scouring the surface of the existing urethan (some type of poly?) adding more build up layers of a polyurethane?

If I do have to sand down to wood, I will go with penetrating oil. Im not going to spend a weekend beating the floor with chains and wielding an ice pick, but I would like to highlight some of the existing distressing.

Q2. Can I put a dark stain on places of distressing before the initial sanding or do I really need to standings?

Q3. What are the trade offs of a hardening penetrating oil finish?

A1: Whether you or another appearance critic (spouses are common) can stand the way it looks. You pretty much have to try a spot and see what you think.

A1a: Don't use poly if you don't want a high gloss "look". Use an oil and see what you think. Even "matte" polyurethane is pretty shiny, as things go - but also look for yourself, that's my opinion.

A2: Sure, if you don't sand that deep and remove it all.

A3: a hardening oil finish will actually get dry. A non hardening finish, won't. Much easier to get the floor somewhat clean if it's not sticky. There is some problem of marketing confusing the issue - some vendors sell a "hardening oil finish" that others (more truthful) would just call a varnish. At the most basic level you have raw linseed oil and "boiled" linseed oil (not actually boiled, for the most part) - the raw never hardens, the boiling (or other chemical treatment) makes the boiled harden. Or "salad oil" (soy or canola) .vs. walnut oil - walnut naturally hardens, salad oil never does. But salad oil can go rancid...

Most of the stuff sold as "tung oil" or "Danish oil" is better described as a wiping varnish


Should I remove this gray layer on freshly bought steel? So I bought this steel bar 240x5x0.5 cm and it has this kind of ugly, somewhat chippy surface: a dark gray layer. What is it? Should it be removed? In the picture, you can see how I'd sand it down, but it's taking forever (using 60 grit aluminum oxide sandpaper) with an excenter sander. I'll paint it with an anti-corrosion primer once the material is ready. I'm aligned towards removing it but perhaps my method is not the most optimal...

Looks like mill scale.  It's normally removed prior to riveting, welding and painting.  It is metal oxide but it's a pretty good rust barrier in the short term.  Painting over mill scale works well... For awhile... But when it fails, the mill scale turns against you; being moist and trapped under paint, it rusts progressively under the paint, making ever larger blisters with heavy rust under them.

Knock it off prior to applying a good metal primer and paint.    Absolute ideal is grit (”sand") blast to SP10 near white metal, then a mil-spec 2-part epoxy strontium chromate primer and appropriate topcoat.  That can last 50 years, so it's what you use if you're NASA.   A weaker surface prep will significantly reduce performance.  A weaker primer will reduce performance somewhat.


Do soffit lights count as an exterior light required at doors? I am considering installing soffit lights (if I can find a type that is decent quality) instead of wall mounted lights for my front door/porch area and for the front of the garage doors.  I know electrical code requires a light to be at each door, but would soffit lighting work for that requirement?

If so, should I be looking for a specific style of light that would install in my aluminum soffit or just look for a recessed fixture?

Yes, soffit lighting will work. The requirement is just to provide adequate illumination outside at exterior doors.

Any recessed light should work.


Which size wire I need to run 220 volt breaker for a tanning bed Which size wire do I need to run a 220 volt breaker? I need about 50 feet, but I'm not sure which size wire I need to run it with.  I know it's a 220 volt circuit breaker.

Assuming all the terminals are rated for 75°C, 4/0 conductors should handle 220 amperes @ 240 volts.

If the tanning bed doesn't actually pull 220 amperes (which I'm sure it doesn't). You should check the nameplate or manufacturer's installation instructions, to determine the actual electrical requirements.


Can I cut stringers on a closed stringer staircase without affecting the structural integrity? My current stairs are built inside the stringers, I want to cut the stringers as shown in the picture on both sides in order to lay treads and have them overhang. Can I do this? Or will it weaken the stairs?

Current Stairs

Red lines indicate where I want to cut. I want to cut at every stair and on both sides.

Goal

Cutting your stringers that way will absolutely weaken them. Your "After" diagram shows the space under the stairs filled in with something; if that "something" does a good job in supporting the newly-weakened stringers, then you may be OK.


Why does my shower diverter allow water to flow to the tub spout? I'm having a plumbing issue somewhat different from most I see posted.  When I run the bath faucet, the diverter works fine and there is no leaking from the showerhead.  However, when I run the shower, there is significant water flow from the bath spigot.  For some reason it's worst (almost full flow) when the diverter is turned all the way to the shower side, but I can reduce it a little by setting the diverter back, to maybe two thirds of the way between bath and shower (if I move any further there is insufficient water from the showerhead).  Anyone see this as well?  Is it simply a case of replacing the diverter (which I've done before, when I couldn't switch flow at all) or something else?

Edit: This is a new issue, it just started in the last week or so. I replaced the diverter a couple of years ago. Since posting earlier today, I removed the diverter to have a look. Everything looks fine with the diverter, but the problem may be in the actual mixing valve that the diverter fits into. There seems to be a rubber lining of some kind in the valve (not sure what function it serves) that has a tear or hole in it. Any idea what that is? Now the rubber seems to be preventing the diverter from fitting tightly into the valve again. Thanks for any ideas anyone has.

Sure sounds like the diverter needs fixing or replacement.

When the diverter is closed (sending water to the showerhead), it has to handle the full supply pressure.  When only closed two thirds, it sees significantly less pressure. Sounds like the force of the water, is pushing the diverter open. This allows water to flow out the tub spout, rather than being sent to the showerhead.

Depending on the make and model, you might be able to make adjustments, replace parts, or a full replacement may be required.


Can I replace a fan timer with one having duration options beyond one hour? We have a dial that only goes up to an hour to control our fan so we are continuously getting up and turning it for another hour. Can this be replaced with a longer timer dial, like 12 hours?

If this is a standard fan (i.e. no smart switch), Intermatic does make a 12-hour mechanical timer (no neutral required). If you want a programmable switch, you'll need a neutral wire in your switch box.


Can 8-3 wire be used with a 10-50R 3 wire receptacle? I renovated my house with my father-in-law.  We removed a wall and had to relocate the receptacle for the electric stove range. He had me buy 8-3 wire, and we ran this wire from the breaker box to the new range location.  Consequently, we also bought a new range.

However, he connected the 8-3 supply wire to a 3 prong 10-50R receptacle that he had lying around. I just got curious and was reading and it seems that when you run a new 8-3 supply wire you are supposed to connect it to a 4 prong receptacle.

I didn't see how he hooked up, but the range works fine and we have been using it for months now.  I am just wondering if it is fine what he did or if I should change out the 3 prong receptacle with the 4 prong receptacle and buy a 4 prong power cord.

A NEMA 10-50R device does not have a grounding pin, so your father-in-law likely simply didn't connect the grounding conductor from the cable. A NEMA 14-50R, which should have been used, does have a grounding pin.

Technically, you should have installed a 14-50 receptacle in the first place (to be code compliant). That being said. Loads of old homes have 10-50R devices in place, and have worked fine that way for many years. As it's currently wired, the range should continue to function without a problem. However, without a proper ground, there's always the potential for electric shock. It's up to you, whether or not you think the potential dangers are great enough to take action.


Are all ground wires inside electrical junction box grounded? I'm installing a new timer for the bathroom fan which is inside of its own electrical junction box and not attached to the bathroom light switch box. The previous timer did not have a place to connect a ground wire. In the back of this junction box, there are 3 ground wires bound in a wire nut.

Can I use any of these ground wires for the new timer that has a ground wire attach point or do I need to get an extra copper ground wire to tie in with the 3 ground wires in the box to run to the new timer?

Thanks!

Jason H.

Use a pigtail to tie the screw to the existing bundle
Use a pigtail (short length) of bare or green 12AWG copper wire to connect the timer's ground screw to the existing bundle of grounds, assuming from your description that the timer has a ground screw on it and not a ground lead coming out.


How do I scribe a curved sink? How can I scribe this very curved sink? I want to fill the gap. Bought the cabinet as you see it. I can remove the small 3/4' thick rectangular piece (it is pocket screwed in). The ultimate goal it to close that gap to maker t look like the sink is built in to the cabinet.

I want it to look like this:

Start by making a template.

Using a dry-erase marker, draw a line on the sink where it will meet the new cabinet cutout. You can hold a ruler flat against the rectangular piece shown in the photo to guide the marker.

Temporarily remove the currently installed rectangle and replace it with a rectangle of material from which the template will be cut.

Cut a short length of scrap material (e.g. paint stirrer) to bridge the widest part of the gap, plus a quarter inch or so. Keeping this bridge strictly horizontal and flat against the rectangle, trace the marker line on the sink with one end. The other end will describe a path on the rectangle; mark this path with your carpenter's pencil.

The line on the sink is to help you keep the end of the bridge in the plane of the rectangle surface, especially where the gap is widest.

After cutting the template along the pencil line, match it against the line on the sink and trim it for a tight fit.


Can an electric dryer be next to the gas furnace? I intend to relocate my washing machine and electric dryer within the basement.  The dryer will then be about 2 feet from the furnace.  Is that OK?

As far as I know, as long as the electric and gas lines don't actually touch, there's no more reason to be concerned about the gas and electric being 2 feet apart as there is 20 feet.

If you have a gas leak from the furnace, the furnaces own ignition system (pilot light or electronic sparker) has as much chance of setting off a blast as the dryer.


How can I add joists to an existing trussed ceiling? My garage ceiling framing consists of manufactured 2x4 trusses over a 20.5' span and on 24" centers. There is currently some plywood flooring for light storage. The sheetrock that was on the ceiling was bowing between those 24" spans. The 2x4 trusses are NOT sagging. I have removed all the sheetrock and intend to replace it with plywood. I would also like to add a joist between each of the trusses which will provide joists on 12" centers instead of 24". I need to use 2x4s so I don't have to raise the existing light storage flooring to accommodate 2x6s or 2x8s. I am thinking of putting 2x4 blocking between the existing trusses (offset from the center of the span to avoid the trusses' nail plates at the center) and using two 12' 2x4s (cut to length, of course) to make the span, nailing at the wall plate and but-joining to the 2x4 block with added blocking for support between the trusses and joists at a half or third the length of the new joists. Is this the best way to accomplish what I am trying to do?

This question really begs to have the analysis done by a structural engineer. That being said I can venture to suggest two ideas that may be suitable to your situation.

A) Probably the best way to provide adequate support for the drywall on the ceiling would be to screw flat 2x4's at right angles to the existing rafters onto the bottom of the lower rafter stringer. Place these on 16" centers so that you get the right spacing for the new ceiling materials.

B) If you try to add in 2x4 stringers in between the existing rafters you would definately not want to have those stringers have an unsupported span that was less than the segments on the lower side of the existing rafters. This likely means that a single cross header near the center is not going to be suitable. The rafter construction often has the support design of the rafter webbing in the shape of a W that divides the lower stringer into three sections. Your cross headers should be at points that the rafter webbing intersects the lower stringer of the rafters. Personally this method is so much more work than method A above I would try to avoid it.

You should check with your local building code administration to see if you can even use plywood to cover a garage ceiling of your style. If your garage is attached to your house there are often stringent regulations that specify the use of drywall at least 5/8" thick.


Insulate Floor with No Crawlspace Access As a corollary to my other question on insulating existing walls, I am also interested in insulating my floors. Right now, only about half of the 300 sq. ft. has its "final" flooring completed. We installed tongue-and-groove laminate over a light foam underlayment on top of the existing subfloor. Unfortunately, the floor is pretty cold. It's probably close to ambient + 10°F. Because we got a ridiculous quote on a mini-split, we plan to install either electric or hydronic (above subfloor) radiant heating, and I'd like to minimize heat loss to the crawlspace.

Things to know:

There is currently no insulation at all, other than the underlayment we added (and that's not very insulative)
The crawlspace is about 6" deep, making access nearly impossible
The subfloor is made of 1x2 (actual dimension, this is old construction) planks, nailed into the floor joists
I don't want to add too much on top of the existing subfloor because a hydronic radiant system will add ~1" to the floors already

I'm willing to consider ripping up the current floor, installing rigid insulation between joists, installing a new subfloor with radiant channels already underneath, etc. but I would really rather see if there is a better way.

EDIT: I just asked another question about radiant ceilings instead of floors, so I can also consider insulation above my subfloor, provided it doesn't add more than 1-2" maximum.

I'd have to go with #5 as the better way and only right way. If the partial new floor has to come up for radiant heating anyway, and it does, then I'd strip everything to the joists and do it right with screws. You'll be eternally quiet, solid and comfortable with the heating protected by the subfloor and reflected up by foil-faced insulation for maximum efficiency. Make it all pay you back.


GFCI Outlet Neutral Shows Hot I have a question about whether a GFCI outlet leaks power to the neutral contact. I have a 12 AWG (Black/White/Bare) wire coming straight off the panel directly to a GFCI. Prior to wiring the GFCI, the hot wire shows 120 VAC to ground and the neutral wire shows 0 VAC to ground (No surprise there). When I connect ONLY the hot wire to the line terminal on the GFCI, the neutral terminal (the one that is for the white wire) goes hot at about 20 VAC and about 0.02 maAC to ground. There is nothing plugged into the GFCI, the white and ground were not connected yet. After I finished wiring, the GFCI works fine and does not trip...was able to use drills, belt sanders, heaters, you name it. I searched numerous websites but could not find anything about why the neutral side of the GFCI would show hot when nothing is plugged into it. Is it normal for a GFCI to draw/leak power to operate?

Without the neutral attached to the receptacle the terminal is floating. So, taking a voltage reading (comparing it to ground) you could get different readings and 20 VAC is not surprising. The current you were measuring was the leakage current through your meter.

It wasn't actually drawing any power during your test since you hadn't completed the circuit and were just taking a static voltage reading. The device may draw micro amps of current to operate the circuitry while it is operating normally. Modern test equipment is very sensitive by design. This is why a static voltage test on a car battery doesn't really show the condition of the battery. A better test would be performed with the headlights and defroster on.

The main goal of a piece of test equipment is to measure the circuit without affecting the circuit.


What paint is best for asbestos siding? Is one type of paint better than another to paint over dark asbestos siding?

Any quality paint really that encapsulates the siding. The only change of my opinion in this matter is if oil based paint was used the last time it may be better to use oil, however there are many latex paints that work well over oil based with less prep work. Some require sanding a bad thing for asbestos base. If latex was used last laytex based would be best if the last coat is solid.


How do I cut an access panel in an inside wall? I have a home theatre and I need to run some cables from the floor through to the roof.

My original plan was to drill from the roof down through the beams and then cut a small hole at the bottom through which to feed cables through.

However, I can't find a way of drilling from inside the roof down through the cross beams in the wall frame.

So now I want to cut a panel out in the plaster of the front wall.  The panel will be hinged so I can open and close it.

What this means is that I will be able to get a drill in there then and drill through the beams and thus get cables to run through the wall.

I was wondering how to approach this so that the edges weren't ragged but nice and straight into which i can then fit a (door) as such to cover the hole.

Most access panels have a lip that covers a good half inch around the perimeter of the opening, so you don't have to make the hole perfect. Pick up your desired panel from the store so you have a reference. It should include a door and a separate part for mounting on the wall:

Start by cutting your hole slightly smaller with a drywall keyhole saw.

Check for any obstructions with this hole and adjust the position accordingly to make your final hole. Use the panel on the wall as a template to mark out the position of the final hole, and then cut that out with either the same saw, a sharp utility knife, and/or a rasp: