four way switch to three way for vent fan Currently there is a ventilation switch on the wall, which has 14/2 leading to a relay which will turn on my furnace and newly installed HRV. It also turns on the bathroom fan in the nearby bathroom.
However the bathroom fan switch ONLY turns on the bathroom fan on and off.  And again the furnace fan switch will turn on the 'furnace' (again via relays etc) and the bathroom fan
I will attach a photo I drew and some explanation;

Power comes into bathroom junction box
splits via marrett to lower terminal on 2 way fan switch and to black wire on 14/3 wire to furnace fan switch
black 14/3 wire (energized) goes to BOTH BLACK terminals on 4 way switch
Red wire from 14/3 goes on upper brass terminal of 4 way switch to the load wire of the bathroom fan switch (this is key)
Black wire on 14/2 wire to furnace goes from lower brass terminal on 4 way switch

So the interesting thing here which I have never seen before is my 4th point above, where if you look at my diagram, the red wire on the 14/3 is connected to the load wire just above the 2 way bathroom fan switch. meaning current can go down red wire from furnace switch to the bath fan and bypass the 2 way switch.  However when the 2 way switch is operated (bathroom fan turned on) and current is sent down the red wire to the 4 way, the 4 way switch ignors this and does not trigger the furnace fan.
this picture shows the bathroom fan wiring

these show the furnace switch, note the 14/3 from bathroom is on the left and the 14/2 to furnace is on the right..

I would like to replace this switch with a timer switch, which i purchased a three way timer switch;
Lutron MA-T51MN-WH
And i would like it to behave exactly how the previous switch worked, that is the bathroom switch only controls bathroom fan but the timer switch will turn on both
I tried installing the new three way timer and in most cases behaves as a three way, where if the bathroom fan is turned on/off while the furnace fan switch is on, the red wire becomes un-energized and furnace fan turns off.  As well the furnace fan switch I believe did not turn on the bathroom fan, though I suspect this is because the bathroom is not a 3 way.
I know this is a long shot and it sucks because there is no 4 way timer switches on the market.  But I am hoping if I swap the bathroom fan switch out with another 3 way (or 4 way???), there is the possibility of recreating what I currently have... Basically my question is;
how can I switch my ventilation switch to a timer switch which at best could be a 3way
edit: I realize I am an idiot for assuming it was a 4 way switch. its a dual pole switch.

You want a DPST timer switch (or a relay) since your existing switch is a double pole switch, not a 4-way switch
From the wiring arrangement shown, the only way things could work is if your existing fan/HRV combo switch is a double pole switch, not a 4-way switch. As a result of this, we need two switching poles at the living room location, and most timers that support that are made in a larger "time switch" form factor that's designed to be surface mounted in an unfinished space, such as a mechanical room or garage.
There are a couple options here, but you'll likely have to replace the box with a bigger box, either way
Fortunately, you aren't out of options, as there are a few wallbox timers available that do provide double-pole switching, and you can also use a relay to provide the second switching pole due to the fact neutral's available at the living room box.  Most of these, though, will require replacing the existing single-gang box with a two-gang box in order to make sufficient room for the parts required.
Going old school here
The first option I'd look at if the box replacement is practical is a Marktime 72131AB timer.  This is a two-gang, spring-wound, DPST timer switch with a hold function that lets you override the timer for both poles; the black wire and jumper go to L1/L2 on this switch, with the black furnace wire and the red fan wire going to T1 and T2 (or vice versa), and no need for a neutral wire.
If you want a fancier timer...
If you want a fancy electronic timer instead of an old-school wind-up timer, that's possible too, but requires a timer that uses neutral for its power return, such as a Lutron MA-T51MN, and a 120V SPST or SPDT relay such as the AP&C PAM-1, in addition to likely needing extra box space to fit it all in for practical reasons. (The extra box gang is covered by a blank faceplate.)  In this case:

A white pigtail from the silver screw on the timer and the white wire from the relay module get nutted in with the existing bundle of white wires in the box
The green ground screw on the timer is pigtailed to the existing ground bundle in the box with a green or bare wire
The incoming black hot from the bathroom is nutted to the blue wire on the relay and a black pigtail to the black screw on the timer
The outgoing black switched-hot headed for the furnace is nutted to the black wire on the relay and a pigtail to the brass screw on the timer
The outgoing red switched-hot headed back to the bathroom gets nutted to the orange wire on the relay
And the yellow wire on the relay is capped off by itself

If replacing the box isn't an option
If swapping junction boxes is a non-starter, it's still possible to do this, although you have to give up the notion of a "hold" function on your timer to do so, as the Intermatic FD460MW (aka the only DPST timer I could find that fit your existing box and faceplate) is not available with that feature.  If that is acceptable, though, you can wire said timer as the existing double-pole switch was wired, with the black hot wire and jumper to the LINE terminals, and the switched-hot wires (black and red) to the LOAD terminals on the timer.


Need suggestions for a removable or mobile fence for a parking spot next to the garage Below is the layout of the space that I want to close with a fence. What is not shown in the picture is a large driveway that goes from the street to both the garage and the parking spot that I want to close.
My plan is to fix the front view of my property, the house that is next to me, on the left side is a mirror image of my house. All the houses on the street are the same model and mine is the only one that has no front fence next to the garage. My plan is to keep the parking spot as it is (could use it for storing a small boat or to part an utility trailer) but to mask this with a fence and a gate. The gate will be used for accessing the backyard and  the front side of the fence should be removable so I can get the boat or the trailer out of there.

The brown strip next to the garage is for flowers. The grey square at the end of the far side of the space is a gate and behind that is the backyard and you can guess a patio there

I am looking for a smart idea to close that area and to preserve the accessibility of that space.

Are you permitted to build out into the driveway toward the street? You could sink a post to the left and right (anchoring the right post to the face of the brick garage). Frame it across the top, hang an upper tubular guide, and build a hanging sliding panel in front of the boat. The panel would span the left ~2/3 of the opening in front of the boat and roll to the right when access is needed.

You could frame up a smaller swinging gate to the right of where the sliding panel is. The sliding panel would cover the swinging gate and part of the garage when open, when closed it  would be like a fence. Something kinda like this:


Unused electrical duplex box, soon to be hidden behind a bookcase? I'm getting ready to install bookcases for my home office (SouthWest USA).  One wall floor to ceiling consisting of four units screwed together.  In one place there is a duplex outlet right behind the joint between two bookcase units...    If the duplex outlet was in the middle of a bookcase (and not at the carcase edge) I'd just add an extender and leave it in place, but there is no way to do that in this case.  I'm thinking I'd just like to remove the outlet, add wire nuts to the wires in the box, then cover the outlet. Based on other work I've done in this house , I'm not convinced I'll ever be able to find the other end of that wire, to disconnect it and leave it 'abandoned in place'.

As I understand it I can safely (and legally to code) cover the unused junction box with a cover plate.  What I'm not clear about is must that cover plate remain accessible?  In my case you'd have to move about a thousand books and a built in bookcase to get to the cover.  I intend to screw the bookcase units in place.

Two series of questions here:

How accessible must that cover plate be?  Is there a specification (NEC code?) on what defines accessibility?  Must the cover plate be easily visible?  In my case I intend it hidden behind a built in book case assembly.
The cover plates I've seen stick out nearly 1/4 of an inch. So this one outlet pushes the entire book case 1/4" away from the wall.  Think like a machinist.  Every thousandth of an inch counts.  If I get a blank metal cover plate, hammer the curved edges flat (so the top surface of the plate now only sticks out only 1/32" or so) am I still legal?

Anybody have a solid handle on the NEC code, as it regards these questions?

Update, August 2016:
So I went ahead and flipped the circuit to the other side of an interior wall, per the comment of TomG from May 2014.

Today I'm nearly about to do the final bookcase install, and I'm debating putting in lamps on the bookcase directed at the top shelf.  I realize there was another alternative to correcting the "buried behind the bookcase" issue.. and that is to relocate the socket straight up, so it's on top of the book case installation. In my case I left 8" between to the top of the built in bookcase and the ceiling to accommodate air inlets built into the ceiling.  I could have relocated the power duplex to just above the top of the bookcase, rotated it 90 degrees and it would be invisible from the ground.  I could use that new duplex plug for the power supply for the low voltage hockey puck lamps for the top shelf.  Obviously the "move it up" choice only works if you know there is no horizontal bracing installed between the studs.

Article 100 of the 2014 NEC is on point for you:

  Readily Accessible Capable of being reached quickly for operation,
  renewal or inspection without requiring those concerned to use a tool,
  to climb over, remove an obstacle or other.

But personally I'd move the outlet using an old-work box then cut a matching hole in the back of the bookcase.  If it's a normal stud wall construction you've got a 14 inch wide cavity to work with (subject to a wire length constraint).  One day you may appreciate having available electric power within the bookcase wall... lighted nick-naks anyone?

Or, move the outlet to the other side of the wall (per @TomG).

Abandon in place is possible, but beware that the wires might daisy chain to other outlets.  Any junction of any wires must itself be accessible by the above definition.  You can't really win :-).  If you want to abandon, places like the Berkeley Tool Library rent or loan circuit finders.  These come in two halves: one half plugs into the hot outlet, the other is a sensor that can trace the matching wire or breaker.


What size should sistered joists be when repairing a cut joist? I need to repair a cut joist in my kitchen floor. I was going to use a header and sister the joists on either side of it. Question: how do I know what thickness of a header I should use? What about the thickness of the sistered joists? The joists are 16" on centre.

Here is a drawing of the problem area
(for context, this is a top-down view of the floor under the kitchen) :

Here is my proposed fix

If we're talking about any sort of engineered joist (truss, TJI), stop reading now and consult a local engineer. This answer assumes solid 2x10 lumber.

I'm guessing that you don't mean a header so much as a joist fit between the sistered joists alongside. Since the span is so short (presumably 32" or less), you can use a single joist of the same height as the one to be repaired (so you have full backing for joist hangers).

The sistered joists should also be the same height as the originals. They would not need to have bearing at the ends if they're very well fastened to the original joists (construction adhesive along with 16d nails or structural screws in sets of three at 12" intervals, say).

|  |  |            |  |             |  |  |
|  |  |            |  |             |  |  |
|  |  |_           |  |           _ |  |  |
|  |  |___________||__||____________|  |  |
|  |  |_____________________________|  |  |
|  |  |_          ||  ||          _ |  |  |
|  |  |            |  |             |  |  |
|  |  |            |  |^- hangers-^ |  |  |
|  |  |            |  |             |  |  | <-- original joist
|  |  |            |  |
|  |  |            |  |  <-- cut joist
|  |  |
|  |  | <-- sistered joist

It's best to fit all joist components first (with a few toenails in the case of the cross-joist), then install the hangers. This ensures that they're pressed up tight, and that you can get things in place at all. Be sure to use construction adhesive at all points of contact (wood-to-wood and metal-to-wood) to prevent squeaks.


What does this (electrical) value mean on my washing machine's back? The electrical parameters of my washing machine are printed on the back. Among them there is a value for amperage:

It says 10A but I don't know if that means that I need a fuse of minimum 10A or the washing machine drains a maximum of 10A and my fuse needs to be bigger (but not equal) than 10A to accommodate for that.

So what does 10A mean for a washing machine?

The symbol to the left is the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) symbol for a fuse, so it's telling you you need a 10A fuse.  A 10A fuse will allow a maximum sustained current of 10A; anything above that will cause the fuse to blow -- how quickly it does will depend on the current that is passing through the fuse.

See the Wikipedia page for electrical fuses for more information


Notch rules or guidelines for steel studs (non-load bearing) I'm trying to figure out what kind of notches (if any) are allowed in steel studs used for non-load bearing walls (for a finished room in a basement). IRC 2009 section 603 indicates that no notches are allowed in the flange or lips:

  R603.3.4 Cutting and notching. Flanges and lips of cold-formed steel studs and headers shall not be cut or notched.

However, that entire section appears to only address load bearing walls:

  R603.1.1 Applicability limits. The provisions of this section shall control the construction of exterior cold-formed steel wall framing and interior load-bearing cold-formed steel wall framing

Thus, I can't seem to find any rules or guidelines for non load-bearing walls (unless I am misinterpreting it). Does any such rule or guideline exist?

International Residential Code 2009
Chapter 6 Wall Construction
Section R603 Steel Wall Framing
R603.1 General. Elements shall be straight and free of any defects that would significantly affect structural performance. Cold-formed steel wall framing members shall comply with the requirements of this section.
R603.3.4 Cutting and notching. Flanges and lips of cold-formed steel studs and headers shall not be cut or notched.

603.3.4 is a requirement of section 603, and so all cold-formed steel wall framing members must comply with it. Meaning that whether the wall is load-bearing or not, the framing members cannot be notched.


Are flexible PVC couplings rated for direct burial? I need to repair a severed 1 1/2" PVC drain line.

I have a Fernco flexible PVC coupling laying around, and I figured it will be much easier to use the flexible coupling instead of a rigid coupling.

I've searched Fernco's web site, but I was not able to determine if this fitting is rated for direct burial.

This is my plan for the repair:

I just replaced the main stack in my house.  Went from cast iron to pvc.  I dug out about 10 foot in my basement to connect the pvc to the clay piping that goes out to my front yard.

I used a bigger version of this coupling to marry the pvc to the clay and it is buried underground and under concrete.

Inspector told me that they only start allowing these underground a few years ago in my area.  He also told me to go get a thick trash bag and he came back with some rubber-band like material.  He had me wrap the coupling with the trash bag and seal the bag with his wraps.  He said the 20 cents and 5 minutes should keep it from rusting out an extra 20 years.


How do I open windows that are painted closed? About a month ago I painted my windows and windowsills.  The paint dried and I was able to open and close the windows at will for about a week or so after they were painted.  Then the weather got hot, we closed the windows, turned on the air conditioning for about a month.  Now the weather has cooled down and we want to open the windows again but cannot open most of them.  If it helps I painted with an exterior latex semi-gloss.

If your windows have a little bit of play, pull down first. You can pull down much harder than you can push up, without damaging the window. Once you hear the pop of the paint freeing, you can push up normally. I'll even put all the force on one side and then another.

You'll still want to cut away any obvious locations where the paint is sticking, but if your windows are anything like mine, this problem will be a reoccurring because the paint can get into the track itself and readhere over time. I've been dealing with windows that stick for many years now, one of the gifts of a prior home owner that wasn't careful enough. The only thing I haven't done yet is to hit the windows with some silicone lubricant to see if that would help.


LED 12v Not at Full Brightness I just replaced 12v halogen with 12v Led bulbs on two separate recessed lighting circuits. One has 9 lights, one has 5. On each set of lights, a single bulb is not coming on at the brightness of the others, it's significantly less bright.

I've swapped bulbs so I know it's the specific can location, not the bulb.

I also measured voltage at both the problem locations at it's showing 12v.

These are not on a dimmer.

What should I check next?

Thanks,

Thanks all. This did turn out to be an issue with some of the connections. I pulled the cans out of the ceiling (no attic access) and checked the wiring. On both of the troubled cans, the connection between the socket wires and the 12v lines coming out of the transformer looked burned out. These were factory connections, not wire nuts. I cut those out, reconnected the lines and all was good.  Thanks again.


Sanding, Blasting, or chemical for paint removal from old metal cabinets? I have old (~1950) metal painted cabinets. I'd like to strip them to the nice shiny stainless steel underneath the paint. I've read the EPA guidelines for lead paint removal. My question is what is the best method for removal.

I've done a test patch with a small hand-held circular sander.
I think there may be chemical methods
I can buy/rent a portable sand-blaster

What are the pro/cons of these methods? Are there other techniques?

Sanding will leave irregular sworls all over the cabinets.
Blasting will leave that shiny metal with a matte finish.
Chemicals may or may not be rough on your lungs & hands & the carpet in the living room.

Although it falls under "chemicals", try brake fluid first. Really. It's very effective as a paint remover, and its fumes and dermal effects are negligible, and it doesn't evaporate off quickly like commercially-available paint strippers do. It'll still make a mess on that carpet, though, so do it outdoors.

Sanding... unless you WET-sand, which is unlikely (and dangerous) with an ordinary handheld sander but reasonable with a pneumatic sander... will go through abrasive disks (assuming disks) rapidly; the paint will tend to clog the abrasive long before the abrasive is effectively "worn out".

Blasting... goes through a LOT of blasting media (NEVER USE BEACH SAND!) in a hurry, and requires a pretty healthy compressor. NEVER use any "white" sand in a sandblaster - it WILL give you a case of silicosis, which is a permanent condition much like emphysema.

There ARE some "safe" non-brake-fluid paint strippers out there on the market - they're worth exploring. I know of none that will strip ALL paints, though - there are some paints that steadfastly resist any chemical stripper, forcing you to resort to mechanical means (or question your goals).


Loud thumping sounds coming from radon pipe Our house had an existing radon pipe (passive) and high radon levels. We had a radon mitigation company assess the system. He installed a fan to the existing pipe. The fan is in the attic. Since the fan was installed, there is a loud thumping noise coming from the walls 24/7. It’s coming from the radon pipe - you can hear it inside the house AND outside the house coming from the radon pipe. The pipe exits the roof above our master bedroom. The fan is installed in the attic. When you place ear to wall you can hear water in the pipe. It’s so loud that it keeps you awake at night. I want a radon system that works. Should we start over or is there a way to fix this problem? Is the water being pulled into the pipe from under the basement floor? We have a finished walkout basement.

Without seeing the details of your piping, can't say for sure where the water might be coming from.  But, the "intake" pipe for the radon exhaust, usually coming off of a sump pump well or pit, should not be going into any water.
Our previous house had a similar radon mitigation system, but we never had to use it.  The lower part of the pipe connected to a tight fitting lid on the sump well.  It did NOT go down into the well itself, and so was never near the water that was in the sump well.


Reparing a water damaged drywall & doorframe I had a water leak from the toilet cistern. The bathroom is tiled and no signs of the leak showed there, however the wall in the bedroom on the other side of the bathroom became wet. Unfortunately this was near a corner cupboard and I didn't notice the leak for a while. The wall ended up showing signs of mould.

The leak is now fixed and the wall dried. As part of my investigations I actually ended up drilling two holes in the wall to try and identify the source of the water.

How can I repair the damage to the wall and doorframe round the cupboard? I'm concerned there may be more hidden damage 'inside' the wall...

Picture attached

I'd like to assess if this is something I can attempt on my own or need to get a professional in - and if so, what skillset said professional would need.
Can the doorframe be repaired, or does it need to be replaced. Can you replace only part of a doorframe? Should I also look at replacing the Skirting board? Knowing the drywall has had this damage, should I replace or would simply patching it be adequate

If you have never done anything like this you might want to get a pro to do the repair. If the wall was wet long enough from behind to rot a door jamb that you see, the framing behind the jamb and drywall will most likely need repair too, possibly the bottom plate replaced if pressure treated material was not used.
You can do some of the demo work to verify what you really have, but the door jamb should be replaced. The drywall needs to be cut out beyond your "poke holes" at least 1 ft. beyond each side and about 16" up from the floor to start. If there is mold growing on the back side of the wallboard, remove more until it is gone. Once the drywall is removed and cleaned up, next would be evaluate the extent of the rot. If the wall is non bearing it will be simple, If it is a bearing wall, it will take a pro to determine what needs to be done. A note on drywall repair, whether the repair is 16" tall or 2" tall, or 4' wide or 8" wide, it takes the same effort to repair and it will still take a full sheet of drywall, drywall tape and mud, so don't be squeamish on what needs to go.

You may be able to salvage the skirt boards if they are not rotted from the back side. If they have mold, it can be cleaned off and the back can be painted with primer that has mold inhibitor in it.

If you can find a reputable, licensed handyman with references and pictures will help. A picture from far away that shows the whole project will not show what goes into the job, knowledge and quality wise. Get references from the handyman so you can call the people he worked for that he did the job for will really tell you more than the pictures. The pictures just show he did it, the references tell you how well he did it.


Should I redo my house wrap that is under the sheathing? When my house was built, the builder put the Tyvek wrap on the frame of the house, then installed the sheathing and then installed the siding. I am about to have my siding replaced and one of the contractors wants to take down all the siding and sheathing and peel off the Tyvek, then put sheathing back on, then Tyvek wrap it and then install the siding. He claims if I don't do this it will void the warranty on the James Hardy siding.  I am aware that I may have some sheathing damage, but I don't see any reason to do all this as I can't believe it would void the Hardy siding warranty.  Another contractor wants to put another layer of Tyvek on the outside of the sheathing and leave the old Tyvek underneath the sheathing.  I am also not sure this would be a good idea since you could trap moisture on the sheathing that would now be in the middle and then I would have mold and mildew in there if moisture did penetrate.  I would take any information that someone might have about how to handle the situation.

I can’t imagine that James Hardie will condone the installation of two exterior house wraps (James Hardie calls it : “Weather Barrier”) sandwiching the existing wall sheathing.
The existing sheathing will have moisture in it and probably large amounts of dryrot.
However, you want to install their product, their way, in order to protect the warranty. That’s why it’s important that you have an on-site inspection performed by James Hardie. Make sure you get his report in writing.
https://www.jameshardiepros.com/products/hardiewrap-weather-barriers
Btw, I would not use “Tyvek” or some random caulk. I would use only James Hardie products installed exactly how they recommended. (This includes NOT caulking above windows. This drives every installer crazy, but is required by James Hardie.)


standalone pump options for leaky below-grade room A friend of mine runs a martial arts studio where his concrete-floored office in the back is slightly below grade and floods every time it rains.

I assume that a proper solution would presumably involve re-leveling the floor to slope towards a central point, and then placing a drain at that low point. But the chance of this happening is zero-- it's a rental space and very low-budget and the landlord is not going to do anything. So it's up to my friend to figure out a solution. Today the solution is mop and bucket. Not good.

Are there standalone pumps that can be left on the floor that will suck up standing water?  I assume a big difference between a standalone pump and a "drop in a hole" sump pump is that the standalone one has to be heavy enough on the bottom so that it won't tip over easily.

There's not that much water-- probably 10 gallons/hr in the heaviest storms, much less under normal conditions.

It doesn't need to be perfect, just needs to prevent flooding so he can get through a 90-minute class without mop duty.

Got ideas?

First off, your friend should definitely talk to his landlord about the flooding. Even if the landlord won't address it, it's possible your friend could be held liable for water damage from the flooding if he doesn't notify the landlord.

There are two big differences between the pump you need here and a normal sump pump. The first is that it won't be run submerged; most sump pumps (and many other kinds of pumps) need to be run submerged to prevent overheating. Second is that it needs to be able to suck up very shallow water, which generally means it needs to be self priming as well as needing a specially designed inlet and float valve.

Pumps designed for that kind of task are typically called a "puddle pump".


How serious are these cracks in drywall and foundation? I just bought this 20yr old house a year ago and now I am noticing crack indoor as well as on the foundation.

Indoor crack goes all the way across the ridge of the angled wall and down to the corner where marked in red.
Outside crack looks like this.

Indoor crack looks a lot like what they call matching vertical crack?
I have "differential movement" of front stoop and back patio as well.
Am I in trouble?

I think you already know the answer. I'm not in construction but have seen many homes and made a lot of ceiling drywall repairs. I've never seen a ceiling crack & separate that much. And Foundation cracks! Think you need an on site inspection to find out exactly what's going on. It can be fixed. Either esthetically, correctly or both. But be ready for the cost to do it right. Good luck.


How to make door not latch In my house, I have a door that leads to my bedroom. This may seem trivial, but I would like to open the door just by pulling the handle towards me, instead of having to pull down. That is just an inconvenience for me. My door has a strike plate. I think that may be causing it to latch. I'd like the door to stop just before the strike plate if possible so I can open the door easier.

Does anyone know any way to accomplish this?

You can replace the doorknob hardware with a ball latch/strike plate. These can be easily pushed open and are often used for places like pantries where you don't need privacy and may have your hands full when trying to open/close the door. You'll also want to replace the doorknobs with dummy versions that don't swivel.

This is not a recommendation for a specific vendor, sample images only. Click on the images for the original source.


What is minimum height a wall junction box must be from ceiling? i would like to raise my wall light a bit (moving box in the process).  How high from the ceiling must it be?

I agree with 3phase there is no height limit by the NEC but there may be a limit by the manufacturer on how close it can be as not to start a fire or scorch the sheetrock, a bit more info would be helpful, if it is led or CFL there is probably nothing to worry about, incandescent or halogen can be converted to led but both of those types of lamps put out a lot of heat.


What kind of toilet tank is this? This is the toilet tank in my apartment. A few days ago I started noticing brown residue in the water. Upon investigation, I encountered a toilet tank I'm not familiar with... there's an "outer" tank, which is the one that fills with water, and a smaller, inner tank, which gets its water supply from the outer tank and is where, from what I can gather, the toilet actually flushes.

However, as you see from the pictures, while the inner tank is clean, because it always empties upon flushing, the outer tank only empties about halfway through, and the algae keeps accumulating and never reaching the bottom.

I've poured some bleach and started using those pills, but I'm not really familiar with this kind of toilet. Is it normal for the outer tank to not flush all the way down? It seems like a very strange and counterproductive design to me... the little white tank has "patent pending" written on it.

update: Looks like this is the toilet model http://youtu.be/2SzVAwPAuJ0

I suspect the water level is set too high, so it's not emptying fully. I'd try adjusting the fluidmaster fill valve (the black thing on the left)

Here is a link to a troubleshooting guide for that toilet, check the poor or sluggish flush sections.

http://www.watermatrix.com/proficiency/pdf/resources/Proficiency-Troubleshooting-Guide.pdf

Those fluidmaster fill valves are cheap and it may have been replaced once already and not been adjusted the same as the original.

It may also have been that the toilet sat unused for a while allowing the algae to grow and just killing it off once by scrubbing the toilet clean will prevent it from growing back with normal toilet usage.

Using bleach and tablets in the tank is generally not a great idea because the chlorine breaks down the pvc used in the plastic parts. I know the fluidmaster parts always have a warning against it and the guide for your toilet also mentions not to use them.


Is it code-compliant to attach a patio to the roof like this? I want to attach a patio cover to my house. Trouble is the clearance between the window and the roof rafters is too small for a ledger. I was considering the option of attaching to the roof top like this:

Is it ok to attach to the rafters like this to support and distribute the load?

If so, any reinforcement required to the roof skeleton?

Patio size would be ~25x12ft.

What you have pictured is a typical hip detail. As long as you use proper sized lumber for the span and center dimensions it looks fine. The only thing I see is a lack of metal rafter hangers, bird's mouths and collar ties over the open span. Collar ties are not absolutely necessary if a cathedral design is wanted. basically, it looks OK.  Check your local codes in case they have special requirements in hurricane prone or heavy snow load areas.


How to attach an anchor to a corner bead? I'm trying to hang a blind mount to my window frame.
While doing so, I've noticed that I'm hitting the corner bead.
I was wondering, if someone can please point me out to a tutorial, how to use an anchor when hitting a corner bead (it doesn't seem secure enough without an anchor).
I was trying to use both the EZ plastic/metal drywall anchors, but both didn't go through.

Any suggestion is more than appreciated.

Thanks!

2017-01-10 Edit:

I do not have lumber backing, and as you can see in the photo below, I've already tried to drill through and then screw the EZ Solver with not much luck (I've ruined the mud but I can fix that).

Corner bead is usually applied in places where you have solid lumber backing. I'd try this first to hang your hardware without anchors, which usually aren't intended to be used in wood:

Mark the location of your screw holes.
Find a drill bit that's just larger than the outer diameter (threads) of the screws you're using. Carefully drill just through the corner bead at all screw locations. It may be helpful to pilot with a smaller bit to prevent "walking" of the bit as you begin.
Find another drill bit the size of the screw shank or slightly smaller. Pilot about an inch into the lumber.
Mount your hardware. Do not overtighten, as you'll crack the drywall mud overlaying the bead and deform the bead.

If you find that your screws aren't long enough to get through 5/8 to 3/4" of drywall and bead plus enough wood to securely hold, stop by the hardware store and pick up longer ones. This is the right way to do this job, but you don't want your screws to tear out under load. Try to get at least 3/4" into the lumber.

If you find that you actually don't have lumber backing, you'll need to drill holes in the bead the size that the anchors call for. This can be quite large, and you run the risk that the bit catches the sheet metal and tears things loose. I don't recommend this approach. If you must do it, drill through a block of wood first, then hold it firmly over the bead as you drill through it. This should help prevent most damage. Again, don't overtighten the screws.


Is this the source of my hot tub leak, or just a symptom? Background:

I have a Galbocca 2-person Plug and Play HotSpa (tm?) that I imagine is quite old.  It came with the house I'm renting, so I have no idea exactly how old it is, but the company doesn't seem to have a website.

Judging from their LinkedIn page and cross-referencing the address listed there with Google Maps, I think it's safe to say that this company is now out of business.

The problem:

Except for some issues regulating the thermostat, it worked fairly well last winter.  Towards the end of the season, I noticed some water pooling on the floor near one side of the bottom exterior of the tub.  So, I drained it almost down to the bottom (maybe 2-3" of water in the foot well), and the leak stopped.  It is an indoor tub.

I'm now looking to fix it, so I drained the rest of the water out and examined the bottom.  This is what I saw:

As you can see, the veneer seems to be bubbling and peeling, as if water has infiltrated the surface.  On closer inspection of the bubble under the intake suction vents:

Ah ha, that must be the leak!  This is even the same side where I saw the water pooling.

But...wait a minute.  That crack could only have formed after a bubble appeared, which means that water must have already been infiltrating the surface before the crack formed.

It also seems that similar bubbles have formed, even on the other side of the tub:

So, am I reasoning this out properly?  Is this the source of the leak, or a symptom of a leak somewhere else?

I should note that I lifted the tub with my car jack to see if I could get at it from the other side, but the entire underside is completely filled with spray-foam insulation.

I'm a bit confused how did you get to the conclusion that crack could appear after a bubble? I’m not saying you are wrong but not sure how you have concluded this. Anyway unless there are some other cracks this is 99% sure the reason why your tub is leaking. And if there is some more cracks or problems this is one of them for sure.


I have an exterior water tap for a garden hose that needs new caulking I noticed that the caulking around my outside water tap was beginning to deteriorate and crack. I removed the old caulking to find that the builder had filled the gap where the pipe goes into the brick with bits of wood. I'm guessing this was to help stabilize the pipe, but the wood is beginning to deteriorate as well. Is this common practice for builders and should I remove the wood pieces before proceeding or should I leave them?

The best I can suggest is remove that old wood,it may attract insects as well,I used closed cell spray foam to seal my numerous entry holes,and the closed cell should help stabilize the pipe.If you have acess you could stabilize it with a bracket or hanger if its in the crawl space or basement.Good luck


Installing Porcelain tile over linoleum floor I'm considering installing porcelain tile over an existing linoleum floor.  I've had several contractors come out and they confirmed it would be fine to do and suggested it (I know many posts recommend not doing it, but I am okay with taking that risk).  Without getting into specifics, floor details, etc. I plan on putting hardie backerboard over the linoleum and screwing it into place.  I would like to use a glue/adhesive as well to attach the backerboard to the linoleum since I won't be using thinset between it.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thank you in advance.
Dan

I agree with keshlam. All you need to do is screw it down. On a normal tile install you seal the the subfloor and screw down the backer-board so this would be no different, the linoleum is just sandwiched between the sub and the hardy. The only down fall is you cant really seal it.


Suggestions for finishing off bathtub ledge We are doing a bathroom renovation. We have put a tile ledge at the foot of the existing bathtub. I’m looking for ideas on how best to close up the side panel. Plan was to use fiber cement board screwed in to the existing framing. Even then I’m not completely sure on how best to close up the edge between the top of the board and the edge of the tile.

The panel needs to be removal as during this renovation we found a bunch of wiring that needs to be accessible. Old houses.

Any suggestions are welcome.

Attached photo to highlight the space and angle.

Take a piece of corner tile and seal it to the top of your ledge so it overhangs your removable cement board. See picture below.

They come in all sorts of lengths. Tile your removable cement board and fit it  up under the corner overhang.  Think about taking a 2" strip of cement board and screwing it to the framing in contact with the floor and wall so you could caulk it to the floor and wall to prevent water from getting in there. Your removable piece would fit on top of the strip and under the corner piece.


Can I match new to existing polyurethane floor finish? I had painters tape pull up the finish on my flooring in a strip all around the room

Can I sand down the wooded strip and put polyurethane back on the one in strip and it be the same?

I hope I'm understanding your question correctly. You have varnish pulled off your floorboards from tape, right?

You can apply a finish that will look reasonably decent. It isn't likely to be a perfect match. Try to match the sheen. Also try to match the formulation of the original varnish (oil/poly). I wouldn't sand the raw wood, but I would lightly scuff the adjacent varnish with 220 grit to give the edges something to grip.

Sand very lightly between coats and use a tack cloth to pick up dust.

You might do a small test area to see if the color matches, and tint the varnish if needed.


Tight 90 degree turn for outdoor EMT I'm looking to install some outlets in an outdoor and rain-exposed location using 1/2 inch EMT. I've found plenty of raintight couplings and box connectors, so I'm good there. But I do need to make four tight 90 degree turns and I can't seem to find any elbow or conduit body that is specifically listed as raintight. I've seen plenty of options for compression fittings, but they aren't specifically listed as raintight.
Does such a thing exist? Or is it fine to just use a compression fitting for this even if it's not specifically listed for use in a wet location?

If surface mount and going around a corner we usually use conduit bodies.
I usually use LB’s the opening is on the back and they have gaskets.
It is nuts since conduit is a wet location outside but rain tight couplings are required. These are usually compression type.
For drainage, I usually drill a small hole (1/4” or less)  in the bottom of my receptacle or switch boxes outside or any place I have splices I don’t want the fitting to fill up with water.
There are short radius 90’s but I don’t remember these approved for wet locations where most LB’s are.


How to wire in my replacement fluorescent light fixture? The electrician installed a new wall switch in the kitchen, so that when I replace the fluorescent light, it can be turned on and off at the wall switch.

I am ready to install the new light.

In the ceiling, there is a bare copper wire that I am assuming is the ground and will be wired to a screw on the light fixture. There is a white wire - neutral, and a black wire- hot, and I know to wire white to white and black to black.

However, there is a second white wire and a second black wire, and they are wired together with a cap on them, and I am not sure how to connect those.

Also in the ceiling is an old two-pronged plug where you could plug something in, although I am not sure what you would ever plug in there.  But perhaps the second black and white wires are for that plug, and the electrician just capped them together temporarily because they come from the same outlet.

So do I just connect all three whites and all three blacks together?

Most likely the second white and second black wires are the connection to the switch itself.  If so, then what you've got is power line from circuit box to light, switch line from light to switch.  (The alternate method is power line from circuit box to switch, switch line from switch to light - which would have been less confusing for you but he probably was dealing with old work by the sound of it.

How it works in your configuration (if I'm right) - imagine the electrical current like a flow of water.  The power comes in from the breaker box on the black line (aka the hot line).  The power then runs to the white line and down to the wall switch.  When the switch is on it then runs back up the black line to the light.  You connect black to black, and the power flows into the light, then out the white line.  You connect white to white, and the power flows on down back to the breaker box, and out.

So - don't touch the second white and black.  Just wire the light's white to the lonely white and black to black the same way.


Does a receptacle have to supply the max current that it is rated for? Suppose you come across a L5-30R (120V, 30A receptacle) somewhere.  By spec, can you assume that there will be 30 amps at it?

Follow up: if you come across a L6-30R (250v, 30A), does it have to supply 240-250v, or can it supply 208, or even 120?

The plug specs are the maximum ratings given for how the plug is meant to be used in any given application. So a plug speced as 120V/30A is not designed to be used in applications over 120V and not to be loaded over 30A.

Now that said....those numbers do not directly have anything to do with the capabilities of the supply circuit or wiring. If the circuit was wired and deployed with the proper National Electrical Code guidelines then yes a 30A outlet would be wired with proper sized conductors capable of supplying 30A and the distribution panel being equipped with the proper sized circuit breaker rated at 30A.

However there is no guarantee that the distribution panel can always deliver the full 30A to this outlet. It is possible that the panel can support 100A total via its main breaker but there could be an active kitchen range drawing 50A on one circuit, an AC unit drawing 30A on another circuit leaving only 20A available. If you put the full 30A load on the outlet under consideration the main breaker would trip.

Regarding the voltages....outlets designed for 120V will generally be rated for supporting circuits at a nominal range of 110 to 120VAC. Similarly for outlets designed for 220 to 240VAC. The contact arrangements will be different for the two voltage ranges to prevent folks from attaching devices to the wrong voltage.


Is this an appropriate replacement for our current bathroom extractor fan? Our existing fan is old, inefficient and extremely loud. I believe it is an old P Series centrifugal extractor made by Greenwood Airvac, although I am unable to be certain as the model and serial numbers have both faded to the point that they are unreadable. A picture of the unit without its cover is included below:

I have found a model I would like to replace it with - an ST100B Silent Tornado Hi-Power Bathroom Fan, but I don't understand enough to know whether it will be possible to easily replace one with the other. For example, do they require different diameter venting holes?

I intend to employ an electrician to do the actual work, so I do not require any detail beyond whether the model I have chosen is a suitable and easy to install replacement.

It's difficult to say without seeing the current installation. Rather than answering the question directly, I'll give you some tools to make the assessment yourself.

There are a few basic considerations when seeking a replacement fan, aside from feature preferences...

Housing size
Housing mount type and location
Grille size (for coverage of the existing ceiling opening)
Duct size
Duct position

If any of those don't match, you'll need to decide whether the necessary changes are feasible and acceptable. That's mostly a matter of prerogative, so we can't say.


TV, Monitor reset periodically Recently moved into this house, built in 1994:

Computer monitor resets: This happens periodically (possibly when large electrical appliances kick on like the fridge), but it also happens almost every time when a fairly proximate ~15w LED light is switched on. I have it on a MinuteMan UPS now, but it doesn't help. It is not on a circuit with any large appliances.
TV resets: This also happens seemingly randomly, though again, it could be correlated with e.g. the fridge compressor. Again, no large appliances are on this circuit, nor is it on the same circuit as the monitor above. The TV peripheral devices (AmazonFire stick, Chromecast, etc.) are also affected (e.g. a movie will stop and need to be re-initialized, though that could be the result of the TV restarting).
Bang/clicking noise: Sometimes at night I'll hear a single bang/click noise seemingly from the wall, though there are no nearby appliances of which I am aware--I think this noise may be correlated with e.g. the TV resetting (maybe I'm hearing the furnace jolt through the duct?).

Not sure if all of these are related, or if I should focus on resolving them individually. Given that the house is new to me and the electronics are not (and were working fine in a previous residence), I'm assuming it's the house's (or the community's) electrical problems.

Update: I've removed all of the lights from the hallway light that was giving the monitor problems. The lightswitch still affects the monitor, albeit seemingly less often.

How often is this happening? If it is happening frequently enough, I'd turn off some of the circuit breakers and see if something on one of them is causing the issue.

Call your utility company. A few years ago I was having a power quality issue in an apartment that would cause my computer and network UPS's to click on and back off momentarily every 20-60 minutes. Since it was a new issue and nothing had changed in the apartment, I called the utility company. They suggested LED lighting could be affecting the power but I said I hadn't installed any recently. They ended up attaching a power quality analyzer to diagnose the issue and they were able to fix it. I never heard what the issue ended up being, but it wasn't just my apartment. It was just such a subtle one that no one else had detected it and reported it.


Is AFCI required for detached workshop subpanel? As I read the 2014 NEC 210.12 AFCI protection is only required for a "dwelling unit", which would not include a detached workshop.  Is that interpretation correct?

I interpret the 2014 code requirement the same way. However the real question is how does the AHJ in you area interpret the code. You might check with him about what they require before making a decision.


3-way switch to control 2 fans independently I have a room where I need 2 ventilation fans.  One will be a regular bathroom fan, the other a much smaller fan powered through a timer in an outlet.  Both will be vented through the same duct to the outside and I don't want them both running at the same time.  Thinking of using a 3-way switch: up to turn on the bathroom fan, down to power an outlet. The outlet will be powered most of the time and only disconnected while the bathroom fan is on.
Not a typical scenario so wondering if there are any problems (code or otherwise) I could run into with that configuration.
Thx

So you'll have a single pole double throw switch controlling a ceiling fan in the up position and a switched outlet in the down position. This will work but keep in mind that when the ceiling fan is on and the outlet off, you're timer in the outlet will lose it's setting. You'll also need that outlet to be GFCI protected. You might consider a switch with the "center off" position.


Can't get my new masonry bit to go further than about 3/4" I bought a home last year and have been trying to put up interior walls inside my shop in the back yard.  I built a wood frame and want to secure the frames to the concrete floor using masonry screws.  The screws came with a masonry bit but I also bought an additional one just in case.  My first hole I drilled went about 1 1/2 inches and since then I am unable to drill further than 3/4" into the concrete in multiple spots using both bits.  For the life of me I cannot figure out why it can't go any further. I have tried vacuuming away debris while drilling, using oil in case the tip was getting too hot and just increasing speed and pressure in case I wasn't going fast enough.  I don't think I am any where deep enough to hit rebar either.

I am completely stumped.  Any tips are greatly appreciated.

You most probably hit a bit of hard stone aggregate in the masonry and you’re using a regular drill and not a hammer drill.

Masonry bits have hardened tips but on hard stone, the tip will just skip and slide if you’re using a regular drill.

A hammer drill adds percussive hammering to the drill so that the hardened tip can break up any aggregate or stones in its way. Hammer drills have gotten quite cheap ($30-$50 for a chinesium corded one) so you should think of buying one.

A rotary hammer which a commenter suggested is a hammer drill on steroids. Bigger, heavier, stronger, and more expensive. Definitely overkill for your purposes but great to have if you’re drilling through hardened concrete, want to make larger or deeper holes, need the chiseling function and so forth.


Is it ok to prime subfloor under engineered wood? I'm going to be installing floating hardwood. Since I have the subfloors exposed (I screwed and caulked then because why not?) I thought I might also roll on mold-resistant primer like zinser.
I don't have a mold issue but I figured why not? It doesn't take that long and if it abates mold if I ever have water intrusion then it's easy to do right now.

In it's final form the layers would be: finished wood, pad, barrier, paint, subfloor, spray foam (from below).

I will normally seal underlayment in bathrooms and kitchens. This helps to for protect from moisture problems that are normal for these locations. I have not had any negative problems with sealing and in some cases I think it has helped with vinyl.


Can I use separate circuits for Light / Ceiling fan combo for future backup power integration? I am in the process of rewiring my 100 year old house.

I would like to use 14/3 wire from the breaker box to run 2 separate circuits, one side will be just lights, the other side will be just for the ceiling fans. Both sides together will be about 1200 watts if all fans are on high and all the lights are on and if I use incandescent bulbs (but who does that anymore).

My thinking is this, some day I would like to put in a backup/alternative power source, I don't want everything to run off the backup power source, just lights and a few other select circuits. In trying to keep the demand on my backup power low.

Anyways is it an option to run those 2 circuits on a single 14/3?

No, you need to keep neutrals separate.

YOU CANNOT RUN SEPARATE CIRCUITS ON 14/3

That thing you're thinking of, is called a "multi-wire branch circuit" (singular).  It is one circuit.  Note that they share a neutral, and that's what makes them one circuit.

The only way you could conceivably ham-bone 2 circuits onto 14/3 is by using the ground wire as the second circuit's neutral, but that's so outrageously reckless that I mention it only to assassinate it.

Actually, you have a bigger prob^H^H^H^H challenge

Speaking of assassinating, I am assuming you will NOT be using one of those atrocious 6-8-10 circuit transfer switches that cost a fortune, aren't well built, are by shabby suppliers like FPE->Republic, cost 4 times as much, and have spaghetti wiring. Their only virtue is ease of retrofit, and that's no virtue at all on a ground-up rewire.

Generally the way smart people do it, is with a separate subpanel for  the circuits to be switched between sources. Then you have a simple 2- or 3-pole transfer switch or interlock; this can be as simple as a $25 strap that ties together 2 backfed breakers in the panel. That, with a

And another alternative is DC power.  For a modest "lights, refrigerator, few other things" supply, it may be better to "stay" in DC power, if your auxiliary source is battery plus solar/wind/microhydro/simple-gen.   This avoids the significant energy overhead of an inverter running 24x7 merely to run loads that can work on DC.  You can still use mains wiring and mains panels, however, the challenge I'm about to mention will become even bigger, because these systems must be rigidly separated from Mains.

The challenge

When you are in auxiliary-power mode, or when switched to it, you will have two separately-derived power sources, and certainly, two separate panels.  Because of this, wiring must be carefully separated, in particular, neutrals cannot cross. That means things like the 14/3 MWBC trick are right out.

In fact, you'll need a fan-light which has two separate neutral wires: one for fan and one for light.

Low voltage would need to be in different boxes or with listed partitions, and separate cables.  If both sides are mains power, even if they're separate panels or sources, they can commingle in the same box or even the same cable. But still, neutrals need to be separated.   And there's the trick. You need some way to "mark" which cable is coming from which service.

For instance, you could do a really diligent job of marking cables with colored tape (and leaving a bit past the cable clamp). (in particular, tape panel 2's white wires with gray tape).  Or you could wire the alternate service in UF or MC cable instead of NM.  Anything like that would be acceptable, but you'll need to do it, or you'll lose your mind trying to work inside boxes.   I work in conduit and have as many as 4 circuits in a conduit at a time, and you have to color-code or you will make mistakes!


Upgrading 2 breakers to AFCI, always trips I'm doing some electrical work in the upstairs bedrooms, and part of the permit is to add AFCI protection. The house was built in 1968, has a 100A service and a Square D breakers panel. Currently there are no AFCIs anywhere in the house, and the only GFCIs are in the kitchen and bathrooms. All electricity works fine with the regular breakers.

Upstairs has 4 bedroom and 2 bathrooms. All of these are supplied from two circuits - #4 and #6. The stairs light is supplied from circuit #2, with a 3-way switch at the top and bottom of the stairs.

When installing AFCI breakers on these circuits, the following trips occur:

AFCI Breaker #6 trips when applying load to circuit #2 or #6
AFCI Breaker #4 trips when applying load to circuit #6
AFCI Breaker #2 trips when applying load to circuit #2

Testing with a double pole AFCI breaker behaves as follows:

Double pole AFCI on #2 and #6 - trips when applying load on #2 or #6 immediately, and trips after 5 seconds even without load
Double pole AFCI on #2 and #4 - trips when applying load on #2

In all cases the AFCI "diagnostic" trip immediately, which can mean arching to ground, grounded neutral, ground fault or shared neutral.

I know for sure there is a shared neutral between #2 and #6 - the 3-way switch for the stairs light (fed from circuit #2) runs 2 wires from the bottom switch to the top switch (using the white wire for the traveler) and the stairs light fixture uses the #6 circuit neutral. The #2 circuit neutral is floating in the bottom 3-way switch junction box.

There might be more sharing of neutrals, but I haven't found any yet.

What might lead to 3 breakers affecting each other with AFCI? How can I diagnose this further?

Edit:

Here is a picture of the panel as it is now. The three breakers marked with the red box are the breakers in question (#2, #4 and #6). The AFCI breaker at the bottom left is for the basement lights, which I have rewired from scratch. This AFCI works fine, so I assume that the panel is okay.

Edit 2:

I did some troubleshooting. Turns out circuits #4 and #6 seem to partially share a neutral in the same way as #2 and #6 - both cases are 3-way switches that use a 14/2 to connect the two switches, using the white as the traveler and taking a neutral where possible.

After disconnecting the two offending neutral crossovers (temporary solution before routing proper 14/3 between the 3-way switches), the AFCI situation improves:

AFCI breaker #2 doesn't trip anymore
AFCI Breaker #4 doesn't trip anymore
AFCI Breaker #6 trips when applying load to circuit #6. AFCI diagnostic trips after 5 seconds, meaning "no fault", "thermal overlaod" or "short circuit". Since a normal breaker doesn't trip (and it should trip on both short circuit and thermal overlaod), I'm left puzzled.

Here're some pictures of the offending junction boxes. Note the floating neutral in the switches:

And the cut off phase (circled black wire):

Edit 3:

Turns out the AFCI trip on #6 was due to a grounded neutral in one of the outlets I replaced. The AFCI "time saving" diagnostic should have exposed this via an instant trip in diagnostic mode, but that didn't happen. Now both #4 and #6 work correctly on AFCI breakers.

Trying some things with the 3-way circuits didn't seem to make any sense, with various combinations of neutral/live connections causing different breakers to trip (sometimes both #4 and #6, sometimes only #6). I will just redo the entire wiring in the 3-way circuits with proper 14/3.

AFCIs are also a bit like GFCIs in that they care a lot about crossed neutrals.  A LOT.   You will never get any AFCI to hold while a crossed neutral persists, nor should you!  Remember, neutrals do not have breakers, the only thing that keeps them from overloading is the fact that they are fed from only one hot.  If they are fed by 3 hots, one could return 45A and of course start a fire in the walls.

You will have to identify every outlet (including hardwired ones) on each circuit.   Pull the covers off and the devices out.  Document how they are wired.   It is likely you will uncover the problem at that point.

If not, disconnect them all and light up each circuit, one at a time, to determine which is the "first" outlet.  Hook up that outlet correctly (as opposed to  how it is now) and test.   Continue one at a time, thoroughly testing each time.

When you run out of things to hook up, and you still don't have problems, then you have licked it.   Otherwise, the problem will return at a particular step. That is your problem area.

You seem sanguine about some crossed circuits in a 3-way light circuit.  That may be one of your problems, and there may not be a legit way to regain original functionality without going to smart switches.


Can I use romex in my unfinished, detached garage or should I use MC? I bought my house with an unfinished detached garage.  I will never finish the walls.  The previous owner has junction boxes with romex coming out of them and going to the fixtures.  I've only seen MC or MC Lite used like this.

Is this legal (area dependent, I know) or even safe?  SHould I replace the romex with MC or MC Lite?

Thanks,
Evan

New Jersey apparently is using NEC 2011 with some minor amendments that would not appear to affect the question.

I believe that means the wire needs to be "protected" and as stated in my comment I'd personally recommend EMT (lightweight steel conduit) first and foremost, though MC/AC also suits my concept of keeping it rodent-proof (and barring insane rodent pressure, PVC conduit also works.)


Leaking drain joint in reconstructed pipes under new kitchen sink We recently installed a new countertop and kitchen sink (which is built into the island). The sink is 2 inches deeper than the old sink, so we had to redo the plumbing to make everything fit. We used ABS pipes, a new out of package p-trap and ABS cement. Currently we have ONE joint that will not stop leaking. It is the joint right off of the disposal (see picture).
Things we have tried after initial installation:

New /different pipe
New / different washer (right now we have a Polyethylene washer designed for a slip nut)
Teflon putty (TFE paste)

At first it only leaked when there was a rush of water (like if the sink was full and I released the drain stopper).
After we applied the TFE paste, it leaks whenever we turn on the water. Just a drop every 5 minutes or so.
I am out of ideas. What advice can you offer?

As mentioned in the comments you first need to make sure that you have the proper washers assembled correctly on the tailpiece coming out of the disposal.
Then, remove the P trap and attach the white drain pipe in the picture to the tailpiece first before attaching the P trap. This will take any potential lateral pressure off the joint that's leaking giving you a better chance of a secure connection.


Can I use a polarized cord and plug to rewire a non-polarized clock? I have a clock that has a pretty corroded plug. The clock plug is not polarized. You can plug it in any which way.

I also have a spare electric cord that is wired with a polarized plug.

I'd like to use the spare cord to rewire the clock.

I can see how wiring a device that expects a polarized plug with a non-polarized plug would be a Bad Idea. But I'm pretty sure putting a polarized plug on a device that does not expect it won't hurt.

But I want to double check that. Am I missing something here?

You're absolutely right.

Since the original plug is non-polarized, the clock doesn't care which wire is live and which is neutral.  With the polarized plug, live is always going to be on one wire, and since the clock doesn't care which one, neither should you.

The only thing to worry about is that the new wire is the same gauge or thicker so that you can be sure that it will safely carry the current that the clock requires.


Mildew in new apartment I am in a newly built apartment. No basement.i see mold on furniture that sits on floor. I have a dehumitifier since Friday. I had it set at 40. In 7 days, I had to empty water 6 times. I then set it at 50. It ran for 2-3 minutes, off for about a minute. Complained to maintenance that something wrong . Where is all this water coming from. They told me to set it at 70. It has not run since. I see it says 63 on dehumitifier, suggestions and advise appreciated. I cringe to see my electric bill. I'm on a fixed income. Should I even consider moving?

live in pa. No mildew was not on furniture prior. Just developed about a month ago. I had dehumitifier set at 40. In 6 days,the dehumitifier was full. I was told all air has water and this is not unusual. I know I've been given runaround by owner. Was told to set at 70. I knew this was not correct. Yes, I have central air, but being on first floor and Windows closed, it was cool and central air did not kick on. I noticed a problem when I had breathing problems and knew something was wrong. Since running dehumitifier a week, I no longer have breathing problems.

Comfort and mold are two different things.  The comments you received are good advice for comfort, but mold has its own considerations, especially if you live in a hot, humid area where interior mold is a prevalent problem.

55% relative humidity is the maximum to avoid mildew; 50% is usually the recommended level.  Dehumidifiers are inefficient below about 40%, so you'll spend a lot on electricity without pulling much moisture from the air if the humidity is at that level.

Moisture gets absorbed into every porous surface, so if you start with enough moisture to promote mold, you will need to run the dehumidifier for days to dry things out. 40-45% can help initially, but once you get things under control, run it at 50%. It will cycle as needed to keep the humidity below the mildew threshold. Over 60% you'll get new mold blooms.

As others have indicated, where you live can be important to knowing whether you have a bigger problem.  If you live in a place like Florida, interior mold comes with the territory and you just need to deal with it.  Mildew caused by environmental humidity will bloom in a widespread pattern.

If you live in a cooler, drier climate, it would be unusual for interior humidity to get that high on its own, so interior mold could be a sign of a water problem (like a leaky water pipe or rain or ground water getting in somewhere).  If you get mold in that situation, it is likely to be concentrated in the problem location.

There's tons of information and advice online.  Here's a link that covers a lot of information in one place, and it's written for a non-technical audience: https://inspectapedia.com/sickhouse/Humidity_Level_Target.php

BTW, @Fizz makes a good point in a comment.  Drying things out doesn't kill the mold, it just controls it.  After a bloom, there will still be spores everywhere waiting to regrow.  You need to clean and disinfect all surfaces to get rid of it.  Vacuuming with a regular vacuum cleaner will just recycle it back into the air; use a HEPA vacuum cleaner (there are consumer models that aren't outrageously expensive).

If you live in an area where interior mold is endemic, consider getting a HEPA filter to capture the airborne spores, which will reduce what's available to bloom if conditions become favorable.  There are HEPA-grade filters for your HVAC system, or high-end pleated "allergy-rated" filters.


What is a smart switch? I was looking at this question which mentions smart switches.  What are they?  What are there uses?

I believe those are switches that can be controlled remotely. The method varies - some can receive commands through power lines, some use radio, some need a separate cable.

You use these when you want to build a "smart house". That is, all the electrical devices can be controlled remotely. For example you could connect to your house from your work through the Internet and turn off the light in the kitchen that you left on. Or you could switch on the coffee maker before departing for home, so that you have fresh coffee when you arrive. Or maybe have your washing machine send you an SMS when the laundry is done. The possibilities are limitless.

The technology isn't anything new, but such devices are still a lot more expensive than traditional electrical networks. They are trying to make it cheaper of course, but it's nowhere near the point where it could be made ubiquitous.

Also they are not problem free. As always - the more stuff there is, the more something can go wrong. And both radio and power-line based communications suffer heavily from noise. Separate cables don't have this issue, but they are difficult to lay out, not to mention expensive. Naturally, progress has been made here as well over the last decades, so the latest types of devices are already quite reliable.

Last but not least - not only are there different methods for communication, but several different protocols as well for each method. So whichever you choose it will severely limit the devices available to you. Of course you could always use the traditional "dumb" devices, but then you'd loose all the benefits of a smart house.


Black dots on wooden stair treads, can't sand them away I am quite  a beginner as far as diy is concerned and I'm in the process of refurbishing the old wooden stairs in our new house. Never done that before. It was carpeted so I removed it and there were several layers of paint underneath, and I removed that too, now I am sanding the treads.

The next step would be to stain the treads with a dark colour (to contrast with our flooring which is a clearer colour).

My issue is that being old stairs they have black "dots" and sanding does not seem to remove them, they are not superficial, they have a bit of depth to them, see pictures:

I'd like to know if it is OK to leave them as they are, given that we want to stain with a dark colour. Or is it bad practice and they have to somehow be "cleaned", if so, how?

On an aesthetic view, would leaving them look nice and authentic/rustic, or would it look like amateurish work?

I think I will need to use a stainable filler to mask the nail holes, will the filler be good enough to mask these black "dots" too?

A good filler will work for the nail holes but probably won't help with the black spots because there's not enough depth for the filler to take hold. Be sure to get a filler that will take stain as many don't. These stairs were probably meant to be carpeted from the start so quality lumber wasn't used. Your best bet would be to buy/rent a belt sander and sand the hell out of them. Even then, you probably won't get all the black dots out of the stairs. Then finish them as planned.


What type of anchor is this and what is the max capacity ? I want to mount an item that is pretty heavy on the wall but the studs don't align with where I would like to mount it.   Here is a picture I the anchor I am using (using two of them):

What type of anchor is this? And how much weight can it hold ? (Given evenly distributed weight and standard drywall)

It looks like a "Triple Grip" brand anchor. I have similar anchors.  The box says 77 pounds in 5/8 inch drywall.  No specification for 1/2 inch.

[


Residential water pressure booster operation & reliability We live on the top of a hill and thus have fairly low city water pressure (35psi) arriving at our house. I have a chance of saving quite a bit of money on my water bill by potentially reducing this pressure a bit further (see How can I determine what size main water meter is required?).

To compensate, I might have to consider getting a residential pressure booster pump (like this one) as suggested by @virtualxtc in an answer to the question mentioned above. Before deciding to do so, I have a couple of general questions about these pumps:

If such a pump breaks, what happens to the water supply to the house? Does it simply go back to the pressure it had before installation of the pump? Or is the pressure now much lower? Or, worse, would this shut off water to the house entirely? (Let's only consider things like motor failures, since I would expect these to be much more common than tank or pipe ruptures)
How long can I expect these pumps to last before an expensive repair or replacement?
Do these pumps use a "noticeable" amount of electricity?
I guess, if anyone knows it, the most useful thing to know would be a rough idea of the total annual cost of ownership that I would need to expect.

Thanks

Supply

I'm not sure about that specific model, but it's not built in, you can add a 1-way bypass line so that you will always have some water.

Life Span

Lifespan should be in the 10-25 year range. Warranties are usually for 3-5 years.

Power Draw

It like other pumps in your house will increase in electricity cost.  I haven't checked actual the rating, but can imagine it will be comparable to a modern refrigerator.

Cost of Ownership

These should be maintenance free, so electricity is your main concern for CoO.

According to Stack Exchange guidlines I really shouldn't provide any numbers here anyways I don't know what you pay per Kw, nor is that price likely to be static.


Small leak in bathtub valve stem (hot) I replaced the valve stems in my bathtub yesterday. When screwing in both the cold and diverter stems, they slowly got tighter and tighter as I went (as expected). However, with the hot stem there wasn't much resistance until I basically hit the end of the threads. I wasn't too worried except that when I turned the water back on, there was a small leak on the hot side at the seat. We're talking 1 drop every 30 seconds. I tightened it up more (didn't want to turn that much) and that seemed to fix it but I'm a little concerned it might come back.

Obviously, I'm not a pro, but why is did the hot side stem screw in differently than the cold side? Because it was hot and the metal had expanded? And does that have anything to do with the leak? And most of all, should I do something about this like put some teflon tape on the hot side threads?

Here is a photo of where the water was dripping:

It's the very back part of the valve stem where you screw it over the valve body inside the wall. Here is the same point on the old stem:

That type of stem requires a friction ring (generally either plastic or fiber) at the valve-body thread shoulder. Ensure there is one present and that it is in good condition. Also make sure that you have not inadvertantly installed two rings, as it is sometimes difficult to notice that an old one is stuck to the valve housing in the wall.


Running a dryer outlet to garage Planning to Run a dryer outlet from outside service panel along the exterior wall approx 45 feet before entering the garage. What will be the correct size wire and conduit type to use?

I would use EMT conduit and #10 THWN stranded wires.  One white wire and two wires that are black, brown, red, orange, yellow, pink, blue or purple.  They can be the same color.

EMT is its own grounding path, but if you want to be a completist, also run a single #10 green or bare wire.

Terminate that at a NEMA 14-30 socket.  If the dryer has a 3-prong cord, change it to a 14-30 plug and remove the neutral-ground strap.

Using an old NEMA 10 outlet is illegal and has been since the Bangles topped the charts.

No more than one 90 degree curve between access points. For hard corners use a conduit body, which is an access point.  1/2” EMT would suffice.  You can put up to 4 circuits in that conduit; if you expect more than 2, use 3/4" conduit.

Entry through the wall is also best done with a conduit body.


Tripped GFCI protected receptacles NEW USER: so this has probably been covered but every situation is different and I've found some inconsistent work done by the original contractor. Here's the jist:

-Using an electric Pressure washer, I've tripped all three of my outdoor receptacles.

My checklist for finding/fixing the issue:

Since these are outdoor I assumed they were GFCI protected so I checked all of them looking for the TEST/Reset buttons. None were present.
Next, checked the Breaker Box for a tripped breaker. None were tripped
Next, I checked all of the other GFCI outlets that are installed. None were tripped.
Next I tested every other existing outlets for power. They were all 100%
Next I checked the Breaker panel again for something tripped. All were fine.
Next I one by one flipped all of the individual breakers to reset. Still no power
Next I flipped the main breaker for the entire unit thinking it may reset any issues. No Luck
Is it possible, I need to replace one of the individual breakers even though they all seem to be good?

Lastly, I know the line is all attached for the outside receptacles, but I can't even find where it ties into the breaker box because everything else works. Oh and one thing I have not done for safety reasons because I don't know what breaker to throw, was to pull all the receptacles off individually and check the wiring. I thought about it but If that is the case and I pull one and the wire touches to make the circuit live again, it may not turn out so well.

The contractor did right, probably. When you have a string of outlets that goes outside, you put the GFCI inside the house so it's not in the weather.  You also try to use a GFCI receptacle instead of breaker because they are cheaper.

You don't need to upturn the entire house looking for this GFCI, just follow the wires back from the outdoor receptacle chain. I'll grant you this is sometimes less than obvious.

Also are you really sure you don't have a GFCI breaker and there isn't a RESET button on the breaker patiently waiting to be pushed?  Cycling the breaker may not have that effect.

You can easily de-energize the receptacles in question, just turn off the main.  You are probably wise to do that, as it will educate you as to how the wires are routed.


How to GFCI-protect a 3 gang box where each receptacle is on a different circuit How to GFCI-protect a 3 gang box where each receptacle is on a different circuit.

There's a 3-gang box near my kitchen sink. In it is a light switch, the garbage disposal switch, and an outlet. All of these are on different circuits (with the disposal on a dedicated circuit).

Is there a way to project all of these with a single GFCI, or do I need to replace all three with GFCIs?

First, "GFCIs", it sounds like you are talking about the "GFCI + receptacle combo device" readily available all over.  While that is one way to provide GFCI protection, it can also be provided by a GFCI device upstream.  Any GFCI device can protect all downstream loads.  As such, GFCIs come as

a GFCI+circuit breaker combo device
a GFCI-only device (deadfront, looks like a receptacle but with no holes)
a GFCI+receptacle combo device, if having a receptacle on that circuit is allowed there, which in the case of kitchen receptacle circuits, it is not.

So for instance, providing GFCI protection to a switch obviously can't be done by a GFCI+receptacle combo device at the switch location.  You need to find an upstream location and install a GFCI device.

You said "GFCI protect your 3-gang box", and it doesn't work that way. Boxes don't get GFCI protection, outlets do. (an "outlet" includes any electrical tap, including hardwired loads such as a light or disposal).  This box has a mix of things that do, or do not, need GFCI protection. Lighting generally doesn't need GFCI protection.  A disposal may, but putting it downstream of a switch is bad form, as some GFCI devices don't like their power being interrupted.  The better location for that GFCI device is upstream of the switch.

Home inspectors are particularly awful about spreading this "GFCIs are receptacles" myth. . If they don't see a "Test" and "Reset" button, they tell you it needs a GFCI there.  This is why "GFCI protected" stickers are required on plain receptacles whose GFCI protection is sourced from upstream.  Unfortunately, some people consider them unstylish, and tear them off.  Get more.  You can also make them with a labelmaker, they need not be blue.


How to tighten screw in looser masonry hole? I'm using 5/16" masonry rated screws to secure my door frame in masonry. When I use 3/16" drill bit, the screw won't go in and when I use the next size up, 1/4", the screw goes in but it doesn't lock when it reaches the end, instead spins endlessly, which indicates that there isn't enough grip for a secure torque as the hole is a little too big.

Is there something, like a non mechanical thread locker or a 2-part epoxy, that I can maybe inject into the hole (or smear around the bolt, the the former seems more realistic) that will lock it tight?

Shop for 'masonry screw anchor' and 'machine screw anchor'. These are much more tolerant of slight dimensional inaccuracies. They come in a variety of styles designed for different applications.

I used the lead-cylinder type when framing my finished basement and they hold a heavy door frame without shaking.

I would not use epoxy or mortar because you have to hold the installation in place until the adhesive sets. Plus you can't ever remove the screws.

I'm not sure but it looks like driving special screws directly into masonry should only be done with a matching drill and driver supplied by the screw vendor.


Wiring two motion sensors from separate locations to control a bank of lights in between both? I want to turn on a bank of lights running along a deck between two entryways. The power switch is inside one doorway and feeds the circuit to the outside.  How do I wire the two motion sensors so either will trigger the lights to come on?

Wire nut together the motion sensors so that they are in parallel and will then so provide a path to the light if either is switched on.

Here is a wiring diagram (minus the grounds that must be pulled along):

Blacks are hot, red are travelers, and the gray are your neutrals.


Help Repair Chemical Damage to Dresser Surface Okay, so I think this dresser came from Lazy Boy or Ashley Furniture, it isn't vintage or built like they used to make it. Nonetheless, I am getting ready to move, and this has been driving me crazy for the last 2 years.

My nephew left a bottle of carpet stain cleaner, or some other type of cleaner, on my dresser, and it leaked through the bottle. When I picked it up I saw that it had eaten through the laying of paint(I don't know terminology, sorry). In its place it left an outline of the bottle, and soaked into some paper(the white fuzzy stuff). This is a beautiful dresser, but I cannot stand this eye sore anymore.

Can anyone give me some insight into how I might go about fixing this. I figure I need to sand it down, and then repaint or stain it. I've been researching this online the last few days, and I am more confused then when I started.

If you have any insight or guidance as to how I can at least improve the texture, even it out, and get it somewhat black again I would greatly appreciate it.

I've never done much in terms of DIY home repair, aside from my fixation on FleaMarket Flip, but it is something I am dying to get into. So yeah, I would love some help with this.

Thanks,

Chris

Just sand it smooth and repaint. It's really not that complicated. You'll have to be careful not to sand through the veneer, so do it by hand, don't use an electric sander. Start with coarse sandpaper, then medium, then fine. At the fine sandpaper stage, sand the whole top of the dresser, not just the damaged area, it'll help the paint adhere.

Word of advice on choosing the paint color: you probably won't be able to get an exact match. So try to use a contrasting color instead, it'll look better than a color that almost matches. Or repaint the whole dresser at once.


How to sound proof bedroom floor above garage door? We live in an apartment building. Our two bedrooms are directly above the building's garage door. The opening and closing of the garage door disrupts the peace at home and sleep of my family.

Since we do not have too much options on what can be done with the garage door for noise reduction, we are looking into sound proofing on our bedrooms floors.

There are three types of noises we hear when the garage door is in operation:
 - steady humming of garage door opener
 - metal clanking
 - a loud stud sound when the door has reached all the way up or down

The garage door opener is mounted to the concrete ceiling in the level below our bedroom (building's car garage). We measured the noise decidable in our bedroom using an iphone + app and observed these numbers in dB:

Evening time garage door is not in motion: ~42 dB
Garage door in motion at loudest: 74 dB
Garage door in motion average: 68 dB

We are looking for any technical advise on what can we do with our bedroom floors to reduce this noise.

Since you are renting you likely are limited in how extensive you modifications can be. I would first contact whoever is responsible for the buildings maintenance. It is possible the door just needs some maintenance. Lubrication of the chain and rollers along with the adjustment of the up and down stop points.  You can ask if you can install thick carpet padding and thick carpet over the entire floor to dampen the noise.


How can I fix my garage's existing wiring My non-attached garage is currently fed with a 10-2 w/ground wire from my main service panel via a single pole breaker buried in conduit.  When the wire enters the garage it enters a junction box were 2 lights, 3 outlets are fed off of this.  I haven't had any issues tripping the circuit breaker feeding the garage, but want to add a sub-panel for a more local disconnect/protection.

If I am understanding correctly I can install a 6 slot panel and not bond the neutral with ground, install a separate ground rod and then feed these 3 circuits with breakers?

I also could "jumper" the other side of the panel (to use all 6 slots), but this might not pass via inspector (making it a 120v only panel)?

I am aware of the main feed capacity which is currently a 15a breaker.

Thanks!

Hold on.  Why is it 10 AWG?  You're always allowed to use bigger wire than is required, but why did they do it?  It's important.

By the way, a local breaker will not trip first.  In most cases, it's at least 50/50 that that the breaker in the house will trip first, closer to 100% if it's raining :)

Factoring for distance

For a long cable run, you need to examine your actual loads (not breaker trip rating) and the distance, and consider the voltage drop you would suffer on that circuit given those actual loads.  If you're a cable salesman, you want to keep it under 3%.  If you're a cable buyer, you want to keep it under 6%, and if there are other segments of wiring, make sure they all together don't exceed 8%.  8% isn't going to break anything.

Most people do not realize the above, and take the cable salesman's default of breaker trip value / 3%.  That calls for a bump in wire size every 58 feet @ 120V, or every 115' @ 240V, give or take 10 feet or so.

If your garage is >60' from the house, you need to consider your loads and recompute voltage drop for your loads and percent preference.

One option: change the circuit to 240V

Right off the bat, doing so cuts your voltage drop in half, and your power drop by 3/4.  After this refactoring,  you could definitely fuse the circuit for 20A -- and just like 120V, 20A is the cap for "normal" branch circuits.  You would need to use 240V lighting (which is easy, many lights are 120-240-277V multi-voltage these days).  And you would need to change all your receptacles to NEMA 6, and use 240V appliances obviously.  You could use an isolation transformer for 120V appliances.

Since this is still one circuit, you don't need to install local grounding rods.

Another option: Multi-wire branch circuit

If the existing wire is conduit, this will be easy, but you will need to replace the 10/2 cable with individual wires.  You get to do your voltage drop calculations based on 240V if both legs are loaded at least halfway - so if you have 6A of lighting on one leg, and 12A of tool on the other, you're golden.

This is still a single circuit, so you still don't need grounding rods.

120V Subpanel

This is the solution you are thinking of.  Without running an additional neutral, you can wire the subpanel as a 120V subpanel.  Pick a tiny panel (e.g. 18 spaces)* that has a main breaker (mandatory), and just split the 120V hot wire to both sides of the main breaker.

Technically, you don't need a main breaker only a shutoff switch, but the cheapest way to get large-amperage shutoff switches is main breakers in panels.  Also, it's morally important that the shutoff switch be readily obvious, and a larger "main breaker" set above the other breakers does the job.  Code technically allows a back-fed breaker with a label, but I think that's too confusing to someone in a panic, in a hurry, in the dark.

Since its' a subpanel, it will need 2 ground rods set at least 6' apart - yes, in addition to the ground wire going back to the house.  It only needs one ground rod if it passes the ground impedance test, but that test is not DIYable, and ground rods are.

120/240V subpanel

If it's in conduit, and you can run 3 wires + ground, you can make it a 120/240V subpanel, in the normal way subpanels are done. For least voltage drop, try to have loads balanced (or at least 50% balanced). Other than that, see above.

Transformer-fed panel

Lastly I'll mention the option of using the /2 cable to feed a 240/480--120/240 transformer.  You get to keep the same cable, but you are able to deliver 120V/240V, and voltage drop on 120V loads is reduced by 3/4.

In this case you obtain a 5 KVA transformer (Craigslist sometimes has them in the $100-ish range) and feed the primary with 240V from the house. The secondary feeds the garage panel, which is a "main panel" (because it's transformer-derived) so we need ground rods again.  The transformer automagically converts your 120V draws into 240V at half the amperage, which means 1/4 the voltage drop.  You can also jumper the transformer to give you a few volts "bump" to compensate for voltage drop.


Should I pigtail from the bundle of neutrals in order to get the needed neutral connection? My new universal dimmer (legrand adorne) has no wires of its own.  It requires a neutral.  My neutral wires are bundled together and capped in the box.  Should I pigtail from that bundle in order to get my needed neutral connection?

Yes.  Just make sure the connector you use, is rated for the number and size of wires you're connecting.


Rewiring a flat (apartment) with concrete walls I've just had an electrical check done on my flat, and it's failed. The consumer unit is ancient, with actual fuses, and no RCDs, and the mains sockets don't have earths. Apparently the pipework that holds the cables would have been the earth when originally installed, but owners before me have replaced single sockets with doubles and not properly connected to the piping. So no earths.
The electrician says that it's impractical to chase along/into the walls to do the rewiring, as they are concrete, and this would be about three times more expensive than doing a "surface" job with conduit (which can be made to look "industrial"). The estimate for even the conduit is looking at a few thousand £. (I'm in the UK)
Obviously opinions from strangers on the internet who can't see the property are going to be varied, but I have no practical skills myself.
Does what the electrician is saying at least seem consistent? (It is a small one-bedroom flat in a block that was purpose built in the 1950s or so.)

I would focus on replacing the consumer unit.
Once you have RCDs (or better: RCBOs per circuit), the state of the wiring becomes less critical.
As far as earths, the fact that your wiring was done inside pipes (conduits) is very important.  Generally the pipes are installed before the wires are, so it's no trouble installing additional wires (or pulling all the old wires out and replacing with state-of-the-art wires).
Carrying earth on the metal pipe is perfectly fine.  Or, a yellow/green earth wire can be pulled into the pipe.  Either way is fine.
In fact, the old way of using metal conduits is superior to modern methods.  They stopped doing them because new ways are cheaper.
So my advice is to make the most out of the existing conduit in the wall. A variety of surface conduit methods can be used for new outlet locations not currently in the piping network.


How should I apply ambient air temperature ampacity correction factors when exact temperature is unknown? Is there a good method or rule of thumb for determining ambient air temperature for wire runs through non-climate controlled areas in residential applications (e.g. attics -- I've read literature from the Copper Development Association that attics can get anywhere from 30 degrees to 50 degrees hotter than outdoor air temperature)? There seem to be so many different factors that it would be difficult to get right unless the area is climate-controlled.

The NEC does not seem to give any guidance on how to determine ambient air temperature for use in applying ambient air ampacity correction factors (e.g. Table 310.15(B)(2)(a)):

Size it for the highest expected temps in the area (geographically and part of building - huge differences there).  If  on the border line, then size to the conservative side and use bigger conductors or more runs.

In my area, the high temps would be 105'F If we add another 50'F for an attic (worst case per your numbers) that would place me in the 155'F+ bracket.  However, a crawl space would likely just be based on the 105'F or less.


Should a generator transfer switch have continuity between all contacts in the "Gen" position? I am finishing up installing my generator transfer switch today and I think I have a wiring problem...

I have a six circuit transfer switch wired in with a power inlet box outside. Everything is wired in and I am doing the final check before hooking up the generator. For checking the wiring, I am doing a continuity check between all four conductors. When the transfer switches are all in the "Line" position, I have continuity between neutral-ground and none in the other five combinations (L1-L2, L1-N, L2-N, L1-G, L2-G). With the transfer switches set in the "Off" position, I have the same continuity readings.

The problem (I think) is that when I put the transfer switches in the "Gen" position, I have continuity between every conductor!

I am 99.9999999999% certain this ain't right. Any ideas on where to look first? I am headed back to the basement to open the panel again and double check all the obvious things.

If you are testing continuity at the generator inlet plug with the transfer switch in the GEN. position, you will be measuring continuity throughout the entire circuit.  If you look at this image, you should see why you're getting the readings you are.

The light blue box on the left, represents the main service panel. The light blue box on the right, represents the transfer switch.

Have the installation inspected by a certified licensed electrician before using the generator, to make sure the transfer switch is installed properly.  Remember, peoples lives could be on the line here (pun intended).  Back feeding caused by improper transfer installation, can kill linesmen trying to restore electrical service to your home during an outage.


What type of subfloor should be used for Engineered hardwood flooring installed on grade concrete slab? I would like to install engineered hardwood flooring over a concrete slab which is on grade. It is the first floor of the house, there is no basement and the house was built in the 1990's. I have seen vapor barrier sheets, DRIcore vapor barrie/plywood tiles, as well as other methods used underneath the engineered hardwood. Would it make sense to seal the concrete slab and then place DRIcore as well as a foam underlayment down below the flooring? Or would DRIcore or a vapor barrier with an underlayment be enough? Would it be recommended to lay the floor floating or glued down? Or if using the DRIcore, could the flooring be stapled down? I would appreciate all advice! Thank you!

I am in NYC, not in a flood zone and the backyard and front driveway are all properly graded away from the house. There doesn't seem to be any evidence of flooding or water damage. The floor is currently tiled. But I think that was an aethetic thing, as the former owner tiled every room of the house including the second floor.

I have had 3/4" hardwood floors placed on Dricore on 2 different jobs. One below grade with a foundation drain system the company I worked for installed. Top of the line, no holds barred water control system. The floor went down a is still performing beautifully. 1 1/2" staples were used so they did not go through the plywood so far to poke holes in the dimple mat. This was tested on a piece to insure this would not happen before the flooring was laid. The other floor was done with wide plank flooring, 5 years ago still working great to this day too. So you would not be going wrong if you went with Dricore. I placed this on the concrete without a vapor barrier in either case, but the floor was sealed.

You may need to check what the staples will do with your thinner engineered flooring. Also, you MAY be able to direct glue the flooring to the concrete slab since it is above grade. Since it is a newer home there should be a below slab vapor barrier. Two good conditions to have, so you don't get moisture rising through the slab.