Feeder Wire Ampacity I am planning to run two sets of four-wire cables (two hots, one neutral, and one ground) through the same conduit to feed two subpanels from a single main breaker panel. I understand that I need to derate the ampacity of the cables to 80% because I am running them in conduit without maintaining spacing, but I was wondering this table, the very last section shows the 100% rated ampacity for SE cable as a feeder, but that seems to assume 90°C terminal ratings, which the subpanels (see page 6 here) are not rated for. They have a 75°C terminal rating.

Does this mean that I need to take 80% of 75°C rating presented in the first table to get my conductor size (ex. 1GA Cu conductors for 100A capacity) or can I take 80% of the feeder wire specs (ex. 2GA Cu conductors for 100A capacity).

I understand the difference is literally one wire size, so it's probably best to oversize than undersize it, but I want to know how I should be reading those tables properly.

Here is the code references per 2014 NEC: 110.14.C- Conductors with temperature ratings higher than specified terminations shall be permitted to be used for ampacity adjustments corrections or both.
215.15.A-  where a feeder supplies a combination of continuous loads or any combination of continuous and non continuous loads the minimum feeder size shall have an ampacity not less than the non continuous loads plus 125% of the continuous loads.
Table 310.15.B.3.A- adjustment factors for more than 3 current carrying conductors.
4-6= 80%
original comment:
I don't have my code book handy so I will post this as a comment. You can use the ampacity of the wire at 90 for derating but you can not exceede the 75 deg table for a final value. Also if your planned loads are continuous (+3 hour loads) that portion of the load needs to be at 125%. Unless I am setting up a sub for a dedicated non continuous load I use 125% of the feeder breaker size. But using the specs for 90 deg and derating is legal.


Can I install insulation over the HVAC duct work and plywood? Currently there is R19 faced insulation installed between the floor joists.  I am adding R30 unfaced perpendicular to the currently installed R19.  I have two questions:

1) There is an HVAC unit in the attic.  Can I cover the duct work (which is already insulated with foil insulation) with the unfaced R30?  My concern would be potential condensation in the summer time with the air conditioner running.

2)  In some areas of the attic, there is plywood that is nailed down to the floor joists.  But, there is the R19 faced underneath it.  Can I just add the unfaced R30 on top of the plywood?

You will not create a problem of moisture in or on the ductwork. The duct work is insulated to keep the condensate from forming on the outside of the pipes and dripping off from the temperature differences in the attic in the summertime with AC running. So more would help. What would be bad is if the duct work is flex duct and gets mashed under the weight of the added insulation on top of it. Don't underestimate what will happen once you cover it up and can't see have may have happened to it.

About the existing decking, I feel storage is valuable in any part of the home. To cover it up and lose what may be valuable space, at least in my mind seems a shame. But if you are not using it, and don't plan on it, then there really needs to be no concern.. If that is the case then insulation added anywhere in a continuous layer is a benefit. I would if it were me, pull it up and set 2X10 material on its edge and screw it to the joists so the new insulation could run tightly between the 2X material, then add plywood over that, ripping it 2 ft. wide if need be to get it through the access.


How can I make table legs from planks to support a heavy table top? I plan on building a 9' by 5' table top using solid wood. My material is limited to 4/4 lumber (1 inch thick) and 8/4 lumber (2 inches thick). The widths and lengths are random (I haven't bought the wood yet).

Should I just mount the 4 legs to the table beneath it with a diagonal piece of wood meeting it? Should I glue pieces together to make 2 boards the width of the table and put those at the ends? I expect some of these ideas I come up with to have weak points, especially if the heavy table was bumped from the side.

Is there some way of doing the math to see how much weight this wood can support? I can figure out how heavy my table top is expected to be and how much weight I plan to put on top of it when it's finished.

EDIT: Now that I am thinking about it, is it feasible and realistic to just glue the wood pieces together on the flat sides? Like this: ||| Would this have any structural issues or leave concerns?

I think you really should plan to build your table that is 9 feet long with a full four sided apron that is just under the inside edge of the table top and attached to the top. For a table that size consider an apron that is 6 inches wide and attached to the bottom of the table.

The apron is cut short in the corners so that a square profile leg can be bolted to the apron corner as attached through diagonal brackets in each frame corner. Built properly this can provide an extremely secure fastening for the leg to the table and yet still be removable for moving and/or storing the table.

These pictures can give you an idea of how this looks from a couple of vantage points:


Yellow droplets from ceilling after water heater leak I live in condominium, I got water pouring from upstairs in my store room. When I asked my upstairs neighbor he said that their water heater leaked.
For 20 minutes or so I saw clear water coming through from my ceilling , but after sometime I noticed yellow droplets on my ceilling, almost looked like oil droplets. Can anyone tell me why it got yellow color ? I am just concerned about some sort of chemical leak, I don't trust my neighbor.
I did some google search and found that water heater can have rusty water with leak, but I don't understand why most of the water was clear for almost 20 to 30 minutes , I saw yellow water only after sometime. Any explanation ?

Water leaking through the wall may at first be filtered to some extent. As the leak continues and or the wall materials are saturated materials may add to the water creating the yellow color, rust is usually red. The yellow can be from an array of building materials, wood products & insulation are common ones that would have a yellowing affect on top of the rust if not severe to be red.


How can I install r-max insulation on the interior side of a cinderblock wall? I am planning on insulating  the lower level of my house with R-Max in a method similar to this:

I have a few question about it though:

Can I use something other than Treated wood as this is going inside my house? Maybe cedar?
Where does my electrical fit and mount into all this?
I am planning on using vertical wood paneling rather than Gypsum Board (see image below). I know R-Max is fairly tough and rigid but it does not seem like the most solid thing to mount something too?
What about piping/ducting for hot water radiators/vents? Isn't the best place to have these is under the windows for circulation?

I don't know. But I'm not aware of any reason not to put treated wood inside a home, and treated wood inside against masonry has been recommended numerous times by others on this site and elsewhere.

2-4. Electrical boxes, piping, and panelling must all be mounted to a stronger surface than poly insulation, as you suspected. You would need to mount to the furring strips, whether the insulation is behind or in front of the strips.

You cannot use regular thin wood panelling to cover R-Max. It requires a thermal barrier, such as 1/2" drywall, 1/2" plywood, 1" masonry, or 1" wood. This is for two reasons, as I understand: (1) to keep it from burning in an existing fire, as it emits harmful gases when it burns, and (2) to avoid exposing it to too much heat so that it doesn't ignite on its own. This is described on page 3 of the Thermasheath 3 data sheet.

I used this product in my own basement reno earlier this year, and it worked as advertised. I put it directly against the poured concrete wall with adhesive, then built 2x4 walls against the insulation. However, if I had to do it again, I'd consider having a contractor put in spray foam insulation, for a couple of reasons: I would gain two inches of floor space against each outside wall, and I wouldn't have had to do any air sealing above the foundation (my basement is only about 5' into the ground) and at the joist headers, which turned out to be quite a large job.


Need help finding washing machine terminal I have a Whirlpool washing machine, model WTW5700SW0.  The lid switch (part WP8318084) is partially burnt and melted, so I'm going to replace it.  I also need to replace the wiring harness connector that attaches to the lid switch because it started to melt and one of the terminals is burnt.  After a lot of searching, I found part WP2172937, which is the plastic connector, but it doesn't come with the terminals that fit inside it.  Those terminals are apparently part number WP352088, but that part has been discontinued and I can't find it in stock anywhere.

I need help finding a suitable terminal to use instead of WP352088.  What should I look for?  I know I can buy a whole new wiring harness, but I really don't want to spend $150 when I just need to replace one connector.

For anyone attempting this repair, I don't recommend reusing the terminals from the original connector. It's very difficult to remove them from the old connector without bending them up and making them unusable. Just cut them off, preserving as much of the wire as you can. I had to replace a section of the white wire because the insulation was toasted and the wire was tarnished for a couple of inches. I used a lineman's splice with solder and heat shrink tubing.

When the new connector arrived, I found the manufacturer's name and part number stamped on it. Whirlpool WP2172937 cost me $11, but it's actually a repackaged Molex 43335, which can be purchased from mouser.com for $0.55. I found the connector terminals using the Molex website. Their part number is 43375-0001. You can get them for a few cents from mouser.com, but I opted to buy a package of 10 from Amazon because they have cheap fast shipping. (It's good to have some extra terminals for practice, anyway.)

You'll need a crimper for the terminals. The official Molex crimper is $500. Fortunately, I found a much cheaper one that works well. It was $21 from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073VH2WJC?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

The crimper comes with 5 dies. For these terminals, use the "1.5-2.5" slot on the "LG" die. It does the conductor crimp and the insulation crimp at the same time. Make sure the terminal is oriented the right way, then insert it into the crimper without the wire and close the crimper just until the first click. The crimper will then hold the terminal securely, making it easy to insert the wire. After the wire's in, squeeze the crimper all the way.

After the terminal is attached to the wire, you can slide the terminal into the connector with little effort and it will click into place.


How can I fix my ineffective, slipping cabinet hinges without getting new cabinets? Some of my kitchen cabinets have a problem where the hinges are slipping/losing grip at the top, causing the door to angle down and not close properly (you have to lift it up by the handle to straighten it as you close it).  In a couple cases the door has slid completely off the hinges.

Can I put a different kind of hinge on the door that won't slip?  I'm a little worried that the door material might pretty weak and not very good at holding a screw.
What is this type of hinge called?  Could I get a new hinge of this style that might work better?
Is there any way to increase the grip?  I tried putting blue loctite on the screw holding the plate against the wood, but that didn't seem to do much good.

The I'm guessing the cabinets are probably from the 80s, and they have a type of hinge that I haven't personally seen before.  There's a plate that goes into a slot on the door, and you screw down the plate to get it clamp on to the door.  As you can see, the doors are made of some weak fiberboard like material, and they've cracked (and been glued back together).  Here are some photos:

It looks like the part of the cabinet that is gripped by the hinge has a reverse vee shape so the hinge should not be relying on friction to stay in.   You should look more closely at wear on the wood or the hinge that is preventing the hinge from taking advantage of this profile.  Your pictures are great but I can't quite see what might be wrong.  Open a good one to compare.
I may be wrong, that may just be deformity from moisture.  I've never seen a hinge like this before.  It's clever.  I'm rooting for it.


How can I tidy up a hole in a plaster ceiling rose? I have a pretty old plaster ceiling rose with the lighting wires coming out of a pretty ugly hole that I want to tidy up.

What are my options for neatening this up?

The area around the hole is concave and doesn't have a lot of room for maneuver.

I don't know what the right answer is, but I'd probably go with attaching an adhesive screen, using non-shrinking plaster/spackle over that to fill in the area, then trying to tool the surface to vaguely resemble the rest of the design. If you were trying for a museum-quality repair the answer would probably be to actually take a mold of the opposite side and use that to replicate the leaf pattern, but I couldn't advise you on how.

Fixing butchered art is never easy.


compression washer tap valve too big? This is an odd one! I have a bathroom sink where the hot tap has a compression valve. I can easily loosen the valve but I cannot then remove it from the tap! It seems that the far end of the compression valve is wider/as wide as the thread of the valve. Is this a recognised issue? Is there any way of removing this valve, or do I need to replace the whole tap? I can provide an image if required!

Yes, pictures are good to support your questions. Depending on valve, sometimes you need a special tool. But yes, post pictures. You may require to pull hard on valve or tap, depending on how it’s grip better. Due to water hardness valve can be stuck hard.


Vinyl flooring on a 100+ year old home with no level floors Is it possible to install interlocking vinyl flooring on a home with not exactly level floors?
The home is 100+ years old and would require a major upgrade to make the floors completely level.
I'm looking to make an economical upgrade to the bathroom floor which currently has hideous sheet vinyl floors.
Can I use interlocking vinyl floors on a surface that is not exactly level?

Floors don't have to be level for click-lock flooring, it just needs to be flat.  Manufacturers will give you the maximum floor change per foot.  I suggest that if you have small dips that are outside the manufacturers ranges you fill those with a self-leveling compound.


Why does this bench design call for bevels on legs? I'm making a bench from the Family Handyman web site.  Here is the link: http://www.familyhandyman.com/woodworking/projects/build-a-painting-bench/view-all
They said " Cut parallel 5-degree bevels on the top and bottom of the legs". I don't understand why cutting the legs with a bevel? How is the bench seat is going to fit on the legs if they are cut with the bevel?

I'm a beginner, I which there was a woodworking club close to where I live !!
thank you for the answer
Carole

The legs are beveled on the top and bottom so that they can lean inward a little bit. In other words, the distance between the tops of the legs is less than the distance between their bottoms. Because the bench top and feet are intended to be level, you cut a matching bevel on the top and bottom of each leg.

These inward-leaning legs work in combination with the "stretcher" (32" arched pieces) to make the bench stronger. The angle means the bottom of the legs will be pulled outward as weight is applied to the bench. However, the stretchers prevent the legs from spreading out. It's a similar structure to a sawhorse.


Due diligence preventing leaks between condos I wish to expand the size of my bathroom in my condo and will require the approval of my condo association.  Currently, all bathrooms in the building are stacked vertically - so if a leak occurs it will leak into another bathroom.  If I take a portion of the adjoining closet then any future leak could occur into the dry closet below.

Besides installing a floor drain and correctly pitching the floor. Are there techniques that can be used to direct a future leak towards the existing bathroom area?

Are there secondary barriers that can installed in between the units to direct leaks?

What due diligence can I present to the Condo Association to show I am doing everything possible to minimize any impact of future leaks?

I am not sure how technical your board members are but I think an easy thing to do is waterproof the entire bathroom.  I feel like I am giving you some Holmes advice (totally overdoing something) but you can lay a Kerdi membrane over the entire floor and up 4-6 inches on the wall and of course your whole shower area.  You could virtually take a bath in your entire bathroom if this was installed correctly without a leak.

Now as Henry pointed out the plumbing can leak almost anywhere.  So maybe they want all of the plumbing along a wall or two.  If these are the things they want (I wouldn't bring it up) then you could configure your layout plus the waterproofing to hopefully meet their standards.  If your association is like most then it is probably more of how you get along with everyone vs. what you are looking to do.


Dishwasher not actually washing dishes, soap left behind I can't remember the model of my dishwasher off the top of my head (will check tonight), but it's fairly new (~3 years old).

A few weeks ago, it started leaving a decent amount of detergent behind and not actually washing the dishes. I tried soaking the spray arms in vinegar. I tried pulling apart all the filters/etc at the bottom of the dishwasher and cleaning those. I washed out the dishwasher itself to clear out any residue/gunk.

These days, if I add vinegar, baking soda, and a little dish soap (like Dawn) to the dishwasher detergent, maybe 50% of the time the dishes will be washed and all of the soap (and vinegar, etc) will be washed away. The other 50% of the time, the soap (and all) just oozes down the dishwasher door (on the inside) and the dishes stay cruddy.

I've been using a Cascade liquid detergent but I'm happy to switch to anything that's better.

I've read that I may need to look at the water intake valve, but I'm not 100% sure how to do that.

Any advice/recommendations would be awesome.

UPDATE

I had an appliance repairman come out and confirm the pump was shot. He replaced it and all's well, so thank you for all of your advice and input! :D

There should not be a problem with any normal dishwasher detergent - powder, liquid or "pods". Plus a dishwasher even in simple rinse mode (deliberate or "oops, forgot to put in any detergent") will usually get most of the crud off the dishes.

Detergent left behind, as well as dishes not being clean, points to "not enough water". So intake valve is a possibility, but also possibly:

Sensor detecting amount of water cutting off too early (most machines use a sensor of some sort because the fill rate will vary depending on water pressure)
Water filling but not pumping into the spray arms

You should hear water filling when you start a cycle. As soon as the water stops filling, open the dishwasher and you should find a few inches of water sitting in the bottom. Close the dishwasher and open it a minute later and you should find evidence of water having splashed around from the spray arms. If you don't see much water - intake valve or sensor. If you see a lot of water in the bottom but no evidence that it has been sprayed around then a bad pump or valve to the spray arms.


Cover all walls of the bathroom with bathroom tiles? I want to completely cover the bathroom walls with tiles, but a friend of mine told me that it's a bad idea because the walls "can't breath". He said to at least keep a portion of 20-30 centimeters on top uncovered, but he wasn't able to explain what would happen if I don't, he said he "just knows that's how it's done".

Are there any problems if I completely cover the bathroom walls with bathroom tiles?

lol lol Walls don't breathe and you already have them completly covered, with drywall mud and paint. I don't think your friend is quite qualified to tell you anything when he has no idea what he's talking about. Tile all the walls all the way up if you want to.


Trying to change a 3 way dimmer switch to a 3 way switch See pictures the old 3 way dimmer no any screw can be seen except three wires out (two red and one black) and the box have two black wires and one red wire. Just confused which one can be the hot one and which two can be the travelers. So, please give me a hand. Thank you very much for your helping in advance

Pictures about down stairs 3 way both side.
enter image description here Pictures about down stairs 3 way both side.

Traveler wires are two wires. But the wires are interchangeable, and there is no need to distinguish one traveler from the other.

Working in conduit, I typically wire travelers as two wires of the same color.  When you're in a 3-way circuit and you see two yellow wires for instance going to the exact same place, those will be the travelers.

In your case the travelers are probably the two same-color wires on the switch.

When houses are wired in multiconductor cables, you are stuck with the default colors that those cables are manufactured with - black white red.  As such, you can't go by color code (unless you mark the wire with tape, paint or shrinkwrap).  However, an important hint is that the travelers will both run in the same cable, and that will be true at both ends of the wire.

Since your wiring is done with multiconductor cable, and none of your wires are white, and there must be two travelers: they must be red and black, and the black will be the one running in the same cable as the red.


How do I plumb LP gas lines for multiple things? Tiki torches, grill, smoker I am an experienced DYIer and am starting my research on building my deck. I would like to plumb it for eight tiki torches, a grill and a smoker. I have experience plumbing gas, I plumbed my last house for natural gas. I would like to know where to turn to answer my questions on "Will I have enough pressure to operate all at the same time" and "How many torches can I run in a single line."

You are really asking a flow question.
How many CFM (cubic feet per minute) does a given size pipe supply.  The upper limit will be the meter capacity/ pipe size from the street.

Each device has a max flow rating.  Add them up and compare to the size piping you are planning to use.  Increase the pipe diameter as necessary (up to the size coming in to the meter.


1910's vintage stone and motar foundation wall crumbles along its base My Project goal: prevent crumbling of a parged and painted stone foundation, which is not an 'exterior' wall.

Means to attain goal: coat the wall.

My basement walls, which are parged and painted, shed dust, mortar sand, and lumps along the lower 18- to 24-inches of the wall.  The shedding is uniform along the bottom of two long opposing walls, while their upper portions are stable and don't shed.  The house is Baltimore row home with units on either side, so that the shedding walls are not 'exterior' in the sense of contacting moisture and soil, but rather are foundation walls shared by adjacent units.  At the time of construction, the cellars had dirt floors and a concrete floor was added afterwards.

Can anyone explain the shedding at the lower 18-inches, while the upper part of the walls are stable.  On the upper portion, the paint doesn't flake and the parged surface underneath the paint remains adherent and does not drop off.

Should I assume that moisture is rising from the ground and reaches only as far as those 18-inches?

Are there any techniques and products which you might suggest for dealing with the lower portion of the wall -
 * removal of weakened surface (wire brush, etching, etc)
 * promoting binding ( binding agents, primers, sealers)
 * coating ( re-parging with what materials, or simply coating, painting, or
   sealing)?

Is there any harm to coating the lower portion with a sealant and simply re-coating as often as required, when the sealant ages and starts to allow shedding again?

I'm inclined not to parge, since prior parging failed to adhere and shed off the wall.  Any thoughts on parging the moist wall?

Generally speaking when stone walls are falling apart there are two main reasons:

(1) The structure has an unsound design. This is typically the case for badly designed retaining walls which have not been backed into the hill far enough.

(2) The stone is ill-fitted.

In your case reason #2 is probably the problem. You cannot just heap two unmatched stones next to each other and fit so-called mortar in between. Mortar and cement are two different things.

The correct plan of action is to reset the wall with close fitting stones which requires an expert mason.

Alternatively you can remove all the junk the original incompetent mason put in there and then cement it all back together again. This also requires a good quality mason, although it requires a much lower level of expertise than the correct plan of action, which is why most neighborhood masons will recommend this solution. Of course, such a solution will eventually fall apart as well, but it will take so long to do so that you will no longer be present, so it will be another generation's problem at that point. They, of course, will then be faced with exactly the same problem that you have now.


How should I deal with a full ground bus bar in an electrical panel? My (main) GE panel's ground bus bar is full. Is it better form to

a) put multiple ground wires in the same hole

b) put some of the ground wires in the neutral section

My research seems to suggest that either option is safe and code-legal. Is one considered a better approach? Some people seem to be wary of putting ground wires in the same hole, but this seems to just be a misapplication of the rules for neutral wires?

Seeing that this is your main panel the ground bar, neutral bar and the metal of panel should be bounded, usually with a bonding screw, in some way. So putting the new ground wires on the neutral bar is okay. Now with that said,  if you don't want to do that, why not add another ground bar if you have the space?  If you look at the sides, top or bottom of the panel you may see holes (with a ground symbol) for another ground bar to screw down to. If you see this turn off the power and add the bar.


Can i hook run a 110 plug off my dryer out let and still have my dryer outlet and a plug out side for things Can i run a 110 outdoor plug off my dryer plug in my laundry room.i have new wire to run and new plug

I know this has been asked before, but the simple answer is no, you cannot connect a normal 15 or 20A outlet to a 30A dryer circuit.


how to install pre-finished hardwood floors? I have pulled up the carpet in my bedroom and got down to the plywood subfloor.

Do I have to prepare the plywood or lay anything down prior to placing the lengths of 3/4" oak flooring down (and nailing it of course)?

I want to make 100% sure the floor will not make noise at all, because this is a problem in other areas of the house. Since i am redoing the floors I want them perfectly quiet.

Yes indeed,  prep is required and very important. First step is to renail or screw down the plywood subfloor. If you have a pneumatic frame nailer, you can use 2 1/2 inch threaded, ring nails (never use common nails), or alternately use 1 5/8 inch drywall screws. Install your nails or screws every 8 to 10 inches apart along each joist line with special attention to seams of the plywood. The importance of securing the subfloor well cannot be understated. The major cause of squeaky floors is drying or aging wood loosening around the nails, allowing them to move.

The second step is to lay a layer of building felt or rosin paper between the subfloor and new hardwood. Simply roll it out and staple it enough to hold it in place. This will assure that there is no wood on wood contact which can also result in squeaks.


How do I remove the head off this Giacomini thermostatic radiator valve? How do I remove the head off this Giacomini thermostatic radiator valve?:

Click for larger view

I was expecting part of the white bit to twist off easily, to reveal the inner pin on the valve. It looks like there might be some trick to it, e.g  a release mechanism by poking something through the holes. But the bottom white bit is metal and rock solid. Do I need to use wrench to unscrew it? I don't want to remove the valve (gets messy) just the valve head.

My actual problem is that the radiator has simply stopped working, but I'm told it's likely to be the thermostatic valve is broken. By removing the valve head I hope to determine whether this is the case.

In the technical guides for the Giacomini valves, it appears that some of the heads can be removed by unscrewing it past the the open position. Have you tried that? This is assuming that the top part on your model spins.

For other models, it appears the whole head pulls off the valve. An example is shown in this guide: http://www.giacomini.com/export/sites/default/en/download_gallery/certifications/cen_en_215_tech_doc/1257763387429_R452_1-502GB.pdf

In your photo, I can see the tops of the numbers on the valve, but not enough to compare to the various units the manufacturer produces. You might call them for more info at their support line, here:

TECHNICAL MANAGER
eng. SERVILIO GIORIA
tel.: 0322 923 372
servilio.gioria@giacomini.com

TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT SECRETARY

Mrs. PAOLA FRATTINI
tel.0322 923 372 - fax 0322 923 255
paola.frattini@giacomini.com


Does 2008-era drywall contain asbestos? I changed the brake pads on my motorcycle today and I read in the manual that you have to be careful when cleaning them with compressed air because asbestos fibers might get into your lungs and cause permanent and severe damage.

While I was googling I've also found that drywall removal is dangerous for the same reason. And it just hit me; last year I removed 5 drywall walls (gypsum wallpapers) in my home using a sledge-hammer and electric saws. I think I used something on my face because inhaling it was unbearable. I did it for 2 days. I was stupid for not wearing a mask. The drywall is gypsum based and was installed there post 2008. Does it contain the deadly asbestos? I live in Eastern Europe in the EU.

Will I die of cancer in 10 years?

Asbestos has been banned in Europe for over a decade you will be fine.
Blue and brown asbestos was been banned since 1985 and white asbestos since 1999 (resolving and complete end by 2005) so 2008 (manufactured or sold) gypsum board could not legally have asbestos.

The only danger you'd face is the possibly older insulation behind it or you end up shaking an older ceiling.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestos#United_Kingdom

http://ibasecretariat.org/lka_eu_ban.php


1972 York Furnace wiring to a blower motor This is a pic for an earlier question on the subject of wiring a blower motor with newer model (motor)...the new model has extra wires the old motor did not have.  I don't know what to do with two extra black wires.  And not to sure what to do with the brown and the brown/white wires to the capacitor.  Please help ...heat is killing me.

The wiring diagram is printed on the side of the motor.

Brown, Brown/White
The Brown and Brown with White wires go to the run capacitor. If the old motor did not have a capacitor, you'll need to get a 10 microfarad 370 VAC capacitor. Mount the capacitor, and connect these wires to it.
Yellow
The yellow wire is one of the line wires. It will either go to L2 or neutral, depending on the motor and the system it is installed in.
Black, Blue, Red
These wires are the speed taps. You'll connect one of them to power at a time, to make the motor spin at the desired speed. Black is high, Blue is medium, and Red is low speed. In some furnaces/air handlers, you'll simply park each tap at the corresponding terminal on the fan control module.
Rotation Direction
This motor also allows you to select the rotation direction, by simply connecting four wires in the appropriate configuration.


How to best connect anodized aluminum and wood posts I have added an anodized aluminum guardrail to the edge of my raised patio on one side. The other sides are surrounded by wood guardrails. The wood posts are roughly 3" x 3" pine, and the aluminum posts are approximately 2" x 2".
The metal guardrail section is not as strongly anchored as the wood sections, so I want to secure the end aluminum posts to the wood posts to ensure they do not fail. However, they are positioned roughly 6-12" away from each other at odd angles (i.e., not perpendicular). How can I best attach these posts to one another in a rigid way?
My first thought was to buy quarter-inch anodized aluminium strips and and bend them to the appropriate angles, but I don't know if I can easily do that - plus it requires drilling holes through the aluminum strip to anchor it into the metal posts and wood posts. Finally, I'd want them to also be a black finish (like the metal guardrail) so it would match. I haven't been able to find vendors that easily supply this material, so I'm wondering if my approach is misguided.
Is there any easier way to accomplish this?

Use wood. I would cut 1x4 or 2x4 pieces and miter them to match the angle(s). Then prime and paint black. This is a simple, strong, durable method and you could rip them to whatever width is aesthetically pleasing to you.


Are most contractors capable of building any home? I know very little about building homes.  However, I have a vision of what I want my next home to be like.  But when I look at the websites of local builders and contractors, it looks like they only have preset designs and plans for the homes that they build.

Are there contractors that are flexible enough that I could just give them a home plan that I purchased online? Would they do a quality job?  Are most contractors capable of doing this kind of a thing? Or would I need to find someone who is more specialized for the job?

Although David Moore is somewhat correct, there are a lot of varied explanations to your question depending on where you live, the market etc.  In large markets, there are large corporate home builders that have multiple crews covering all trades and do a turn key package. Many do custom homes from your plans. Many however will only build your home on land they have and sell you. Mega builders are not as flexible as smaller builders.

In more rural areas, or areas where development is not large, the contractor pool is much smaller. In my area around Portland Maine and most of New England, custom home builders are mostly general contractors. They have preferred sub-contractors for foundations, framing, electrical, etc, etc, etc.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with using a general contractor, in fact, they often are very competitive and build a great product.

The key to getting what you want is picking the right contractor based on research, referrals, and interviews with existing customers. Check with your local BBB, State licensing bureau or similar to see if the contractor is in good standing and financially sound.

When you sit with you contractor, the devil is in the details. Know exactly what you want. Don't fall for the "allowance" quotes.  Be specific on what type, brand, model of everything you can think of, or pick from what the contractor has to offer.  Example: lighting fixtures can be $15 or $80 each, plumbing fixtures can range from $50 for a bath faucet to over $300, counter tops go for $20/square foot to over $100/square foot. The same goes for windows, doors flooring, cabinets, counter tops, wiring devices, tile, the list goes on and on. Quality costs money, but spec grade materials can be very cheaply made.  Insist on a full check list, specify all options, materials and grade/models of appliances etc.  This is a big job, but if you want to be happy with the finish product, know what will be going into it.

A good general contractor is going to spend the time and help educate you and assist you in making these important decisions. The more specific you are up front, the more accurate your quote will be and less $$$ overruns. Change orders are very expensive.

Always be proactive, inspect materials before they are installed. Be sure the right stuff is being used and your specifications are being followed. Having an open line of communication with the GC is the key to assure a smooth job and catch problems before they happen.   Good luck


How can I fit a board to another that isn't straight? When I created this end cap I knew the floor was not level, but I only have the straight cut of my table saw.

See the gap at the lower left?

For future projects....

How could I have cut this so I compensated for the uneven floor?

The technique I've used most often is called "scribing". The word simply means "writing" or "tracing", but here's how it goes.

Set your board to be fitted in place. I typically tilt it so that I have roughly the same gap at each end if the high spot is in the middle. Otherwise, align the top as you'd like it to ultimately be.
Lay a pencil on the surface you're fitting to at the location with the widest gap and perpendicular to the board being fitted. Either tilt the pencil up so the lead point meets the corner of the board or lay something under the pencil to raise it, as needed. You want the point of the pencil exactly at the edge of the board being fitted at the widest part of the gap.
Slide the pencil (and spacer, if present) along the surface being fitted to, scribing a line parallel to it on the board being fitted. If done correctly, you'll see an exact replica of the shape to be cut drawn on the board.
Use any technique needed to shape the board to the scribed line. A powered hand planer is useful, or a belt sander, or a circular saw with a steady hand, or a combination of these. If done carefully you should have a very good fit. If needed, repeat the process.

Now that I've written that all up, I recommend this article for a better description and diagrams. Here's a good video, too.


Total wires in a receptacle duplex box What is the most 14 ga copper wires (hot/neutral) according to NEC should fit in a duplex receptacle standard(single gang)  outlet metal box? This number should also include piggybacks?

Table 314.16.A provides box fill for standard boxes:

a 3x2x1-1/2 box is listed for 3ea 14 gauge conductors (7.5 cu inch box)
a 3x2x3-1/2 box can have 9# 14 conductors (18 cu inch box)

The calculation for #14 wire is

    # of conductors x 2 cu in. + 2 cu. in. for all the grounds. (Only count 1x for all the grounds.)
  + 4 cu in. per device
  + 1x if the box has clamps (1x 2 cu. in.) only count 1 even if there are more.
  = total cu inches or less is acceptable unless an extension ring/adapter is possible ( referred to as plaster/mud rings can add to the total value and will be stamped on the extender or mud rings).

If using # 12 wire the multiplier would be 2.25 to give an idea for different wire sizes.
Note that just measuring the box will provide the wrong value. The stamped value is usually smaller than the measured value.


Can drywall edges float on the ceiling? When running ceiling drywall (sheetrock) on the main floor, it is screwed to the truss chords.  I have read on here that when there is a partition wall in the way, to just let the drywall float and have the wall board support this un-secured end of the ceiling drywall.  The reasoning was because otherwise there would be a crack from truss movement.

Does the same idea not counter-argue the idea of letting drywall on the ceiling "float" at the corner seam from ceiling to wall transition?  After the top corner is mudded, and the trusses lift up, it would lift the ceiling drywall which is mudded to the wall drywall, therefor causing a crack, correct?  I'm having a hard time finding the proper information that is not contradicting physics.

In the field of an expanse of ceiling drywall nailed to the bottom cords, the drywall can rise with the chord and bend, but at 16" or less from a vertical partition one stops nailing to the bottom cord so the cord can lift without pulling the drywall with it. The drywall must be allowed to bend in this last 16" because at the intersection joint with the wall the ceiling drywall is joined to the wall drywall which cannot lift.


Request for proper word - "bur?" Sometimes certain things call for a washer to be put on a metal shaft, and then in order for the washer to not come back out, you would hammer the top of the shaft so that it deforms. I've heard someone call the process creating a "bur". But I don't think that's the right spelling. What's right word for it?

That's called peening (Wiki).

TFD – peen, v.t. :  2. to enlarge, straighten, or smooth with a peen.

  I would like to know how to go about [peening] over the end of the stick tang onto the material at the very end of the handle. –britishblades.com

(quote edited for misspelling)


Can a freestanding bathtub drain be damaged by regular use? I recently moved out of a house with a freestanding bathtub. During our tenancy there, the floor developed cracks which I reported and 2 months before we left, we would find water on the floor every time my wife or the kids took a bath, so we stopped using the bathroom.

Now that we've left, the landlord has brought in the plumber (the same people who installed the tub) and they are saying that the tub drain was damaged due to excessive wear.  I'm trying to figure out what kind of wear would cause a tub drain to leak and if this is a normal thing for freestanding bathtubs or not?  We have a family of 4 (minus the baby) and the wife and boys were the only ones to really use the tub.

The drain is in the center of the tub so you have to sit on it whenever you take a bath. Additionally, the tub is on a raised platform above a slab.

There would be no such thing as "excessive wear" on a bathtub drain - unless there was caustic material being poured down the drain which ate away at the drain pipe and joints.....although from the sounds of it this is far from the case here.

For the sake of discussion let us assume that the tub is a quality name brand product.

It may be that there was excessive flex on the drain pipe joint to the tub, especially in the case of a plastic or fiberglass type of tub. Excessive flex would only be brought on by an improper installation of the tub where it was not supported in the correct manner or the drain pipe was improperly installed.


Why is my tablesaw whining? I have a Craftsman 113.298031 tablesaw. Recently it has started making a whining sound and the blade is easily bogged down.   Previously the blade bogged down without the noise and I had to tighten the belt. This seems different. I took the belt off and the motor seems to run well by itself. I suspect bearings on the blade assembly but haven't taken it apart yet. Any suggestions before I get started? Likely just lube? Might need new bearings?  Thanks for anything you can do to shorten the repair process.

My son had a Craftsman 10” saw that the shiv or pulley connection to the shaft was loose. It would spin up but was noisy and when he tried to cut the blade stopped. I checked it out and the set screw had backed off a bit and it did damage the shaft because he had tightened the belt and it worked for a while before he called. I tightened the set screw on the shaft the shaft to pulley or shiv is not perfect because of the spinning damage but with the screw tight it works fine.


How smooth does the floor need to be to lay vinyl plank over it? I'm installing CoreTec One vinyl plank flooring as a floating floor over slab in a three-season porch.  I don't think my situation is as bad as that described in How can I prepare uneven concrete basement floor for vinyl planks?  The slab is even at a macro level (no visible dips or hills).  However, overall the cement has a texture like a lightly-textured ceiling, a bit rougher than most sidewalks.  I worry that laying the plank over this is like laying it on a bed of nails with many points of contact but a lot of unsupported area in between.  Do I need to do a skim coat of self-leveling cement to even this out before laying the planks?

You can download the DIY installation instructions here, which contain a lot of guidance on the subfloor requirements, as well as instructions.  They say concrete is a suitable subfloor, although they are probably referring to a typical interior floor rather than a broom finished surface.

There are also several caveats for concrete.  It needs to be level (i.e., smooth/flat) to within 3/16" per 10 foot radius, and not have a moisture problem (the planks won't be damaged, but the moisture can collect under them and wick to walls and cause damage).

Ceramic tile (with grout lines), and textured vinyl are suitable subfloors, so the the surface irregularities in those surfaces aren't considered a problem (but they provide more support surface, that is less pointy).

The planks are rigid, so irregularities won't telegraph through them.  They have a cork bottom layer which should conform to the small points in the surface.  The planks don't expand or contract, which would mean that they don't move in relation to the rough surface, which might abrade the bottom, although they still want you to leave an expansion gap around the perimeter, so who knows.

If you are concerned that the surface is rougher and more irregular than a typical concrete floor, the best bet is to ask them directly.  They have a toll-free support number, 844-743-7439, that you can call to get their recommendation.


How to find/construct simple trim for windows I need to add the trim to a window.

I don't care about beauty too much.  All I need is an L shaped wood trim.  The "reveal" (I think that's how it's called) is 3/8'' inside the wall, so I need this specific dimension for the L shape to go inside.
Question: Is there a way to find this specific trim size online, or do a custom order somewhere.
Alternatively, am I better off just nailing in a 3/8'' frame to the reveal, bringing the reveal level with the wall, and just nail in wider wood boards to cover the gap between the reveal and the wall?  The look would be fine, I am just not sure what is the better way of doing this.
Yet another option is to cut the L-shape myself, but it looks tricky to get it right.

Yes you could add another jamb extension to the jamb extensions that are there already. The down side of that is the joint will look out of place if you try to add the new wood flush with the original, or if you step it back to make a new reveal, (the reveal you referred to is more of a projection of the wall or recess of the jamb extension) to me it makes the inside of the window opening too "busy".
If it were mine to trim I would use 5/4 material (1" thick") and table saw a relief to accommodate the wall projection.
That being said, if you have trim elsewhere in the room that you will need to match up and it is not thick enough to cut the back out, then you may need to add to the jamb extension, so you can use an off the shelf trim.


Will my french drain clog/erode my soil if the pipe has holes on top? Yesterday, I bought some piping at Home Depot for my french drain project. The solid pipe looked good with the proper alignment of holes. However, I needed flexible piping due to the nature of my project so I got a 4" corrugated pipe. The issue is, the corrugated pipe I bought has holes all around its radius.

I am some what concerned because I know that there are supposed to be two hole near the bottom, but having holes facing up is not recommended.

Will having holes facing up (as well as down) cause me issues such as clogs and soil erosion?

Also, I've seen conflicting messages on whether I should wrap the pipe in a mesh, any opinions on that?

Additional Details:

*Will be a shallow pipe as I just need to redirect surface flow.

*The pipe will run a short length: <20'

*I am planning on using crushed rock on the bottom/sides

I believe it will fill in.  My house had a 4" PVC pipe from the foundation to the septic tank, about 10 to 15 feet away.  Apparently, a plumber was out probing for the pipe with a steel rod (standard tool for this), and pierced the pipe without realizing it.  The pipe eventually filled in, and I had a whole lot of digging to do to fix it.


How do I drain my sump pump in a semi-detached bungalow? The previous owners of my house installed a sump pit in my semi-detached bungalow. The sump pit is located next to the inside wall (the wall I share with my neighbour), so I cannot drill a hole through it for the drain or I'd be flooding my neighbour's basement.  Instead I will have to run the drain pipe across the basement to the outside wall.  This requires probably about 20 feet of pipe, and it will probably have to go up about 8ft to get over the wall.

My question is, will having such a high and long drain pipe create any issues with the effectiveness of the drain? I will be using a check valve.

The reason the owners install the sump pit next to the inside wall rather than the outside wall is because this location has easy access to the weeping tile.  They are currently draining the pump into the city sewer, which in major storms is useless because the drain will back-up.

The main thing you will need to pay attention to is the head rating of the sump pump. I can't imagine a standard big box store sump pump would have any trouble raising the water 8 feet...every sump I've ever owned had to go at least that high. The horizontal run has a negligible effect on the capability of the pump (it's not zero, but it is very small compared to the vertical portion.)
Yo uwill need to make sure that the pump can discarge enough water at the head height to keep up with the flow of water into the pit. This is most often a guessing game, unless you know the volume of the pit and can time how long it takes to fill up under the worst conditions (perhaps a severe rain storm).

A pump curve tells you the flow performance (measured in gallons per minute or liters per minute) of a pump relative to the head pressure. To read a pump curve, you must first examine the units of measurement used along each of the displayed axes. The pictured pump curve displays head pressure in Feet (along the left-side y-axis) and in Meters (along the right-side y-axis). Increased head pressure is indicated as you travel up the y-axis. The flow performance is indicated in gallons per minute (along the lower x-axis) and liters per minute (along the upper x-axis). This is an indication of the output flow of a pump.
The pump curve is read by first determining the head pressure of the application in which the pump will be used. Once you’ve determined your head pressure, simply follow the head value you have selected from the y-axis horizontally to where it intersects with the pump curve line. From that point, move vertically to the flow measurement on the x-axis.

Head Pressure


How do you calculate if it's worth it to insulate? We live just north of NYC, and the house was built in 1906.  We're putting on a new roof and trying to figure out if it's worth it to insulate too.  It's a cathedral ceiling on the inside, and we do not have vented soffits right now.  The contractor says it might not be worth it since he'd have to vent the soffits etc.

Insulating the roof will be worth it - you will save significantly on heating and cooling, and doing it while the roof is open is the best time. There are other things you can do at the same time to maximize the return on the roof insulation. Reducing the chimney effect from basement to roof-line with proper air sealing will multiply the savings.

One caveat: if your roofing contractor does not know if it's worth it, he's the wrong person to be installing insulation. The right insulation, installed properly, is worth it. The wrong insulation installed incorrectly is not worth it, for example, it's easy to make R-19 fiberglass batt insulation insulate as poorly as an R-2. As a rule of thumb, if his prior experience says that customers aren't getting a good payback on insulation, then he or his subcontractor is not insulating properly.

You don't want to just "insulate" - you want to get an energy audit and do the kind of insulation and air sealing that's needed for your house in your climate.

There are tons of incentive programs in NY state (http://www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/map2.cfm?CurrentPageID=1&State=NY&RE=1&EE=1), as well as special low-interest loans run through the utility companies that you pay via your utility bill - and whose payments are designed not to exceed the amount saved by the efficiency measures you make.

There are also federal tax rebates for energy efficiency measures. Find a BPI or RESNET HERS certified auditor to assess your house and help you figure out how to maximize your savings.  Between rebates and energy savings, you'll find that insulating is one of the smartest investments you can make for your family.


Magnetic ballast replacement Replacing two magnetic ballasts with starters with one electronic ballast that runs two bulbs. Can I leave the starters in place or should I replace the bulb sockets?

You need to bypass the starters electrically.   I leave them in place, saves having to fill the hole.


Should I install my own electrical service panel or hire an electrician? I'm getting electrical service to bare land. This is not temporary service but permanent remote service to a pressure treated 6" x 6" post instead of a building.

I already have covered the work to trench, lay conduit, and install the post. But I'm uncertain about the next step, of installing the meter socket and service panel.

My power company provides a handbook that describes what they want to see. The remote metering setup is described on pages 16 and 17 of that document. Here is the diagram they provide:

Here's my neighbor's remote meter, as an example. The main difference is that I won't be running conduit off to a house. I intend to put a couple construction receptacles on the post, though.

(Click through for full-size image.)

I like electrical work, and have gone as far as installing a new circuit in my house. I could read up a bit more on this stuff and DIY, or hire a pro. What do you recommend?

This is in Washington State, USA.

Jay, your power utility probably has an instruction sheet with specifications for the post, wire sizes, and temp meter enclosure.  In some states you (the home owner) can preassemble the temp service.

Since the temp box only supports plug-ins (extension cords, etc) there aren't any load conductors to inspect.  The power utility has to make the connections after they inspect the service. If you don't use a meter/breaker/recpt preassembled box, you have to make it from components.

The connection from the load side of the meter to the line lugs or the disconnect panel my have to be signed off by a Master Electrician. Check your local codes on that part.

Be sure all the parts are the proper NEMA type per specs, and don't bury any cables or conduit (but you can lay them in the trench) until utility or building inspector gives you the OK.

I almost forgot to mention, some electricians have temp services all made up that you can rent. Not a bad idea if it is going to be only short term use. You still have to run your service entry cable however.


Low pressure in sprinklers troubleshooting My sprinklers acts like they don't have enough pressure when they are turned on. If I start closing the heads, from the upper part of the lawn down to the lower part, the pressure seems to build up high enough for the rest of the sprinklers after the third one gets closed.

Now, If I go back and open all the sprinklers, then they all start running fine. I would think that if there was not enough pressure to run the system, then when I reopen the top 3, the other ones would lose pressure again, and the ones that I reopen would also be experiencing the low pressure. But instead it's like doing that little procedure of closing then reopening fixes the problem. Does anyone have any ideas?

Jimmy Fix-it is right.
If you decide to try to disassemble the diaphragm valve, make sure there is no water pressure or the diaphragm will break (my experience).


Why does this toilet valve have corrosion on it? I had a question about some corrosion on my toilet water supply line. I've provided a picture below.

What I was wondering are a few things.

1) What is the reason for this? Why would a valve start building up corrosion while my other bathrooms do not.

2) Is it something I need to worry about and replace or can I just wash it with some solution to remove the corrosion or if I don't replace it will it cause a bigger issue down the line.

I cannot answer whether it needs replacing, but I can tell you why this happens.

It happens because it gets cold and water condenses on it.

Whenever you flush your toilet, cold water runs through and cools it off. Then the hot, humid air around it condenses water on it, making it moist. Because this happens so often, it will be moist a lot of the time, and thus corrodes.

Why this doesn't happen other places: The toilet is the one thing that uses most cold water. Your shower and sink uses more warm water, and not as much, and thus aren't as exposed to this phenomenon.

Unless it leaks I think you can leave it on.


Do floating floorboards still shift after a decade? I understand that when you install floating floorboards, you need to be careful around the edge, with skirting boards, etc, to allow for the floorboards to expand, shrink and shift, or else they might buckle.

My floorboards have been in place for 10-14 years. Can I expect that they have now settled, and I do not need to take such precautions, or do they continue to shift throughout their lifetime?

How much does the humidity in your house vary over the course of a year? If it's a constant humidity and temperature all year round, no movement should take place. If, as is more normal, it's dry in the winter and wet in the summer, the floor will move "forever." Depends on your HVAC approach, and how much it is or is not like a museum's. No open windows, constant heat or A/C and humidification/dehumidification, no movement. If you like to open the windows from time to time, movement...


I do not have power to all my breakers I exchanged my double pole 40 ampere breaker that supplied my sub panel for my garage with a single pole 40 ampere and now out of my six breakers in the sub panel only 1,3, and 5 have power. How do I resolve the issue to get power to all my breakers?

The reason I exchanged breakers is my sub panel has three lugs, and I had to completely disconnect it to do some work. When I wired it back up, even with the breakers in the sub panel in the off position, I had power to all my outlets and switches. I do not know what I did wrong as it was fine before.

To Harper, yes, there are only three wires supplying the sub panel.

Oh dear.  This is a foogly mess.

First, you did the right thing by punching that main panel breaker down onto a single.  The problem is with the subpanel; it is very badly misconfigured by a guy who cut a lot of shortcuts.

First, it is illegal to double-tap neutral bar screws like that, unless the panel's labeling or instructions say they are intended for that, and these aren't.  A few panels will allow 3 grounds on a screw, but always one neutral.

Second, I see no cable clamps on the Romex cables entering this panel.  Run down to the electrical supply house and grab a handful.

Separate neutrals and grounds

This sub panel has neutrals and grounds on the same bar. That is improper in a subpanel.  Those neutrals and grounds need to be separated, and the grounds need to be attached to the subpanel chassis/frame.  The ideal way to do this is to install an accessory  ground bar for the panel - however the last guy didn't leave you much length to reach it.

Option 1: The panel may have factory drilled/tapped screw holes for accessory grounding bars. Fit them and buy a Square D brand grounding bar that lines up on those holes.  Extend the ground wires down to it with wire nuts.  There is a green grounding screw that connects the neutral bar to the box chassis; it appears to already be removed. Remove it.

Option 2: Squeeze a ground bar above the neutral bar, but it must be physically screwed down to the panel, it can't flop around.  To bolt it down, either a) use any old metal screws to physically mount it, then run an actual #10++ (#8 would be great) ground wire to a suitable place on the chassis.  Or b) mount the ground bar with fine-thread machine screws (bolts) of -32 or finer pitch, and then you can ground the bar through the screws.

Option 3: Convert the neutral bar to a ground bar only. You'll never find that green grounding screw, so just run a jumper wire from this bar to the panel chassis. Remove all the neutrals, and use wire nuts and a pigtail chain to attach supply neutral to the other neutrals. Inelegant, but effective.

Supplying the two hot terminals

The black hot wire coming in needs to be split to supply both hot terminals.  (the last guy did a very ugly cheat he should not have done).  For this, get about 2 feet of #8 copper wire, black will do, and make 2 pigtails off the solitary hot wire.  One goes to where the black wire now is.  The other goes to where the ground wire now is.  Ideal's big blue wire nut is about right to join three #8s, crank it down HARD.

This converts the panel to a 120V panel. It is not legal to power this subpanel in 120/240V mode, with only 3 wires, as it was before - that would create a very dangerous situation, where if the neutral wire had a problem, everything that is supposed to be grounded would energize at 120V.

The panel will only able to supply 40A for all circuits added together, somewhat less than the 2 poles of 40 A that had been cheated in here.  So you are at somewhat higher risk of tripping the supply breaker, but it probably won't be an issue.

Is it conduit? Add the 4th wire

If the route of the wire between subpanel and main panel is all conduit, a red wire of the same size should be added to the pipe.  Then it can be hooked up like a normal panel.

While you're at this, maybe replace this panel.

Thinking about all the work needed here - ground bars, cable clamps, etc. - and the fact that this panel is already full - and that you may want to replace with a 4-wire cable which you might as well upsize too for more power...

-- well, given that, I'm thinking this might be a good time to just replace the whole panel with a much larger one.

For instance a 20 space would be a step in the right direction (ThreePhaseEel and myself would certainly go 30+, because spaces are cheap, and being out of space is expensive).  By "space" I mean actual knockout, ignore that "20 space/40 circuit" baloney, that is a lie since nowadays most breakers must be GFCI or AFCI, and those require a full space each.   (this requirement won't affect you since  you are grandfathered; merely replacing a panel does not trigger the obligation to retrofit AFCI/GFCI).

If you want to keep the "sunk costs" you already have in those six breakers (we're talking $27 here) then you could stay in Square D Homeline - which is exactly what it says on the tin, a builder-grade cheapie (not unsafe, just not excellent).  The way panels are marketed, there's hardly a price difference to get up into the industrial grade units like Square D's QO line, Eaton CH, GE or Siemens. Also, QO and CH are physically smaller.

So you might shop for a panel  that will fit, has plenty of extra spaces, and where the neutral and ground wires will reach the bar without extending (we already must split the hot wire). Any type will do; a main breaker is unnecessary here.  Some panels come with "bonus breakers".


Backyard Drainage Issues I recently had a sink hole in my backyard that I consulted with here on DIY and got some helpful responses. This was as a result of an old well. It was fixed by a landscape architect.

However, after some more heavy rain I can now see other issues that my back yard is having with drainage. Can anyone recommend additional drainage fixes?

Along the side of the first picture I have three french drains. Those drains hook to a larger drain that goes to the main neighborhood reservoir. They do not seem effective though, and neither does the mulch as it just flows downward. Water flows onto the deck posts and soaks them, as well as along the back line of the yard and down to the lower side as you can see in the pictures. I am thinking this is where the issues lie - need a better solution here.

In the second picture (yes I know, its blurry but it was raining heavily) you can see some standing water in the grass which I have highlighted. Some water flows along the back fence/grass line which is fine. I obviously can't force a drain line to flow into my neighbors yard as this is illegal.

That water all comes down along the fence line next to the neighbors house which sits lower than mine. It piles up along the side of my house as you can see in the third picture. Maybe that needs some french drains as well?

I had nearly the same problem and a single french drain made the problem go away. It is important (and probably worth reinstalling if not done) to have:

a 10% grade (1 inch down for every 10 inches of pipe length)
cloth covered french drain pipe
plug off the yard-end or open it to a ground level drain (cloth and grate covered!) and make sure you can access it to clean it out
make sure your trench is at least 8 inches wide (2 inches clearance on either side of a standard 4 inch french drain pipe)
place the french drain pipe in a channel that has 1-2 inches of pea gravel for a bed
cover the pipe with at least 2 inches of pea gravel before putting in the dirt

The french drain also should start prior to the onset of the wet area.
(Please note the image does not accurately reflect the opening of the yard end - i.e. you can't clean this one out!)


Floors and walls in unheated garage/workshop On my lot I have a garage which I use for various types of storage. At the moment the floor is paved with concrete bricks, and the walls are made of concrete fence. Suffice to say it's not the prettiest and I am trying to come up with ways to make it a little bit comfier.

The main challenge is that it's unheated, will never be heated and I live in Poland where over the year the temperatures go from -15°C to 30°C (5°F to 86°F).

What types of materials could I use to make even and clean floor and walls? I don't particularly mind if overtime they'll get a little crooked, have cracks or whatnots.

For floors I was thinking about floor panels, not solid wood but fiberwood (don't know how those are called in English, the ones that are made of dense fiberwood meant to imitate real wood panels but thinner). Unfortunately I've read a lot of conflicting opinions about those so I am not confident it'd work well, plus it also raises the question what to put underneath them, to keep them even and avoid moisture from the ground destroying them, if that even is an issue.

For the walls I was thinking plasterboard, finished with wall putty and painted over, probably with paint that allows moisture to pass through.

But those ideas come from very uneducated place.

If the concrete brick block floor is dry you might be able to put a floating floor on it a nice thick pad for insulation the floor needs to be flat. There are many different brands and many snap together, one of the first of these I did back in 2000 is still in good shape and we have had 3 dogs.
The walls could be covered with furring strips and Sheetrock attached to the strips, then finished and painted. You said no heat so I would not waste $ on insulation. Both projects are DIY for even a new person and a garage is a good space to start and build your skills.


Bottom of dishwasher leaking when not running I just moved into a house and was trying to adjust the dishwasher height when I noticed the bottom of the dishwasher is leaking when I'm not even using it. Here is the leaking part circled in red:
https://imgur.com/a/Wb4vmKT

I've noticed that if I turn the shut off the water supply it does stop leaking so I assume it's not some buildup of water from a previous run that's leaking.
Because of this I'm assuming this is the water inlet hose and it's leaking but it's unclear to me what I can do about this. Specifically, is it because the dishwasher isn't level and water leaks as a result for some reason? Or is it just the connection is loose or broken? Do I need a new dishwasher?

Best case scenario is the brass bit just needs a bit more Teflon tape, and no parts are required. However, you need to figure out whether it is from the dishwasher to the brass L adapter, or the L adapter to the hose. If it is between the dishwasher and the L adapter, you have no choice but to take everything apart, because you can't possibly re-apply the Teflon tape otherwise.
If you need to replace anything, you may consider just outright skipping that L adapter and attach a hose directly to the dishwasher.  You should have enough floor clearance to do that.


Is running ethernet cable through an air return allowed under US code? I'm looking to wire up the second floor of my house and the cold air return provides a convenient, straight run from the office to the utility room. Is it safe and within code to run ethernet cable in the air return?

The air returns are not metal ducts, they are just open cavities in the studs.

Scope of this question is purely limited to running network cable through an air return, decisions on wired/wireless and the various wired options have already been made.

Looking in 2011 National Electric Code Changes of Interest, they reference NFPA 90A-2009 :

  Section 4.3.4 of NFPA 90A-2009 states that “Wiring shall not be installed in air ducts” unless it is “directly associated with the air distribution system and does not exceed 1.22m (4 ft).”

I don't have access to the full code, but just in the notes on the revisions to NEC 2011, they seem to allow CMP (plenum rated cable) in air ducts or "other spaces used for environmental air" based on the table on page 15, 'Applications of Communications Wires and Cables'.  All others must be in a raceway ... other than CMUC (under carpet) or cables w/ power, which are both banned completely.

I'd personally ask a local inspector -- they're the ones who are going to know what the local interpretation of the codes are.  If you're running something that's not required to be inspected, I'd only run plenum rated cable -- the jacket won't give off toxic fumes if burned, so you'll have a chance at escaping a fire without being poisoned first.


What causes seasonal doors and how do you prevent it? I understand that wood expands and contracts based on temperature, humidity, and other factors...

However in our house the doors are really subject to seasonal changes.  For instance my bedroom door is perfect in the winter but has trouble closing in the summer - seems to move up the trim.  My 2-year-old's room is the opposite.

Basically almost all of the doors in the house have a season or two when they are very easy to close and a season where they may barely close right.  Wondering why some houses would have so much variance? - mine is a basic american ranch design - all doors mentioned are on first level.

Then to follow that up what can be done to prevent this from happening?  Is there any bracing what is below/above to help this?

The condition you outline is not uncommon. It usually results from humidity changes. Typically, the tolerances were a bit too tight when the house was built, not exactly squared or the door framing was not secured as tightly as it should have been.

Here are a couple of things you can do now to mitigate the problems.

Replace the center screw of each hinge on the casing with a longer screw. A 2 1/2 to 3 inch screw will be sure to penetrate the Jack and Stud, thus holding the door casing firm to the framing. Make sure all the other screws are snug.

Check the casings for a secure attachment to the underlying studs. If you press against them hard with your hand and there is any movement, you may need to add a few longer finish nails to secure them to the studs.

Trim the doors by sanding or planing them at the time they fit the worse.

Some one or combination of the above should permanently fix your problem.


How to fix a fuse box socket I have an old fuse box from the 50s or earlier that accepts type TL fuses.  I recently discovered two of the insulating washers inside of the sockets were missing.  I took out a washer from a good socket to examine it for replacements.  It appears to be a fiber washer, and I found a very similar fiber washer at the hardware store.  My question is, should I use the new fiber washer or is there some other material washer I should use?  Perhaps neoprene.  Also, are "fiber" washers made from fiberglass, paper, or something else?  Will they hold up under the heat and current of a 30 amp circuit?  Thanks.

Some are paper and some are mica on old panels I have worked on , I believe I may have seen some fiberglass ones but not positive. As long as it is an insulator (not conductive) you should be fine. Your fuses don't get hot really when the blow that's the highest temp and this should be well below 451f the ignition point of paper.


Water damage in bathroom ceiling floor: how to treat and then prevent? Water on the floor next to the bathtub in the upstairs bathroom (tile floor and tile baseboard) was allowed to sit for a half hour, then I heard drip-drip-drip in the bathroom directly below it.  We rushed to clean it up, but I was disheartened to see this:

What should I do now?  I turned off my house humidifier and cranked the heat. What else?
Should I fix it? How? Or should I leave it, figuring it is going to happen again?
How do I prevent water on the floor from seeping through so quickly?

Bathroom floors are not supposed to leak. You may want to pay to have the floor redone properly. I assume this is a new house that you are just discovering this.

The photo looks like plastered drywall. Normally wet drywall has to be replaced, otherwise it will grow mold which is bad. Theoretically it can be dryed out, but that would not be an easy operation and practically requires removing the drywall to get full access to it, so if you remove it you may as well replace it.


Is RC2040M150CH MSP upgradable to 200amps main circuit breaker I have Square-D Main Service Panel RC2040M150CH.
Notice the checkbox on the left for this particular model.

The preinstalled circuit breaker is QOM2150VH for 150 amps; 200amps equivalent is QOM2200VH.
https://stevenengineering.com/Tech_Support/PDFs/45CBMCC.pdf

The Main Service Panel itself is rated as 200amps (see three highlighted places on the photo below). The 150amps preinstalled circuit breaker is what made this MSP RC2040M150CH and not RC2040M200CH.

I think just upgrading main service breaker from QOM2150VH to QOM2200VH will make this MSP completely rated at 200amps, and good to pass inspections?

Thanks.

You're good for that breaker swap

Since your utility is OK with the service upsize and the labeling on your meter-main allows it, putting the QOM2200VH in there instead of the existing QOM2150VH is fine.  You'll need to have the utility pull the meter (they can do this for no-charge during normal working hours) to do this safely, though, and also to make sure that the breaker screws and nuts are torqued to specification on the new breaker (this will require an inch-pound torque wrench).


Closet dome light, is the tinfoil necessary? In taking the cover off my closet dome light to change a lightbulb, I noticed that behind the lightbulb there is peeling tinfoil which is revealing something that looks like insulation. The lightbulbs (2) rest pretty close the tinfoil and the revealed insulation. Is this a fire hazard? Do i need to replace the tinfoil that's peeled away? Is there a max wattage of lightbulb I shouldn't be using?

That is a reflective sheet to help use more of your bulbs' light output. So if you want the same sort of brightness as you had, yep, you do need to replace it. But for a closet, I personally wouldn't bother.

The maximum wattage should be stamped somewhere on the light. If in doubt, use LEDs or similar bulbs that don't push out as much heat as the equivalent CFL or incandescent.


Adjacent room light switch causing LED lights to display tiny bit of light I have three rooms in my basement that have all their ceiling light circuits wired up in sequence. They are all single switch circuits and the first two rooms have 4 ceiling lights each and the last (the bathroom) has two circuits in it. One switch controls two ceiling lights and the other controls a ceiling light and small exhaust fan.

All the ceiling lights are 15 watt recessed lights.

I have them all wired up the same as this diagram except move the second switch to a separate box and add two more circuits, plus more lights on each circuit. It's pretty basic wiring. Each switch has three wires going to each box, the first going to the lights, the second coming from the power source, with the third wire continuing to the next circuit. The neutral wires are all connected in each and the grounds are all connected.

This wiring diagram belongs to do-it-yourself-help.com. The original image can be found here: https://www.do-it-yourself-help.com/wiring_switches.html

I noticed two nights ago when my wife went to the bathroom when she turned on the bathroom light, all 4 ceiling lights in the bedroom showed a TINY amount of light and then subsequently dimmed! LED lights take a few seconds to turn off, slowly dimming in the process. It was quite noticeable, but you can only see it in the dark. It's not enough to get around in the dark though.

Is this normal? Do I have a problem with my wiring setup?? Do LEDs behave this way?

Edit - this morning I tested with a voltage sensor, and it does indeed beep for a split second when hold it up to the bedroom light wire while turning on the bathroom light. The same for every other circuit. This indicates a small bit of power goes through the wire. Is it traveling back through the entire neutral wire, even on the other circuits?

Is this normal?

No, but it is not especially unusual.

  Do I have a problem with my wiring setup?

Insufficient information to tell.

  Do LEDs behave this way?

It is a common problem with some types of LED "bulb" in certain situations.

LED replacements for incandescent lights are relatively new so a lot of house wiring and accessories that people have already installed are designed to work with incandescent bulbs, not with LED replacement bulbs.

Some older accessories that need to draw a small amount of power at, for example, a switch location that has no neutral (only live and switched live) do so by drawing a tiny current through the light bulbs controlled by the switch, the current is too small to make an incandescent light bulb glow but is enough to make most kinds of LED bulb glow.

The working part of Incandescent bulbs, (the coiled tungsten filament) operate at 120 V AC or 230V AC and draw around 500 mA current when working.

Each of several working parts of a LED bulb (each individual light emitting diode itself) operates at about 2V DC and draws maybe 8 mA from the 120 V side of it's driver circuit.

So it can only take a very small current to make a LED begin to light up.

Since LEDs are low-voltage constant-current DC devices, there has to be some driver circuitry somewhere to make them work with 120V AC. This circuitry is either built into the "bulb" or is a separate box. There are many different designs for the driver circuitry and some of these are more susceptible to producing the sort of effects you report.

I don't know if induced voltages from long runs of wiring next to each other are enough to start to drive a LED, but there are probably many circumstances where this happens unexpectedly - it isn't a certain indication of a wiring fault. Far from it.

  I tested with a voltage sensor, and it does indeed beep for a split second when hold it up to the bedroom light wire while turning on the bathroom light.

This does suggest some sort of inductive transient voltage being generated. Are there any fluorescent lights in the bathroom?

To properly diagnose this issue you will probably need more equipment - or hire an electrician.


Used the wrong color wood stain on a Cypress post I am looking for advice on a home DIY mistake. We have 4 cypress posts in the front of our house, and 2 cypress posts in the back. They are new and had never been finished. I stained the back two posts using MinWax Special Walnut Stain and they came out great. When I began on the front, I started on one post and noticed it was darker than the back but it was in an area that is shady & was also still wet so I didn’t think otherwise. Confused, I picked up the can and saw it was MinWax Dark Walnut. I purchased this on a Lowe’s curbside pickup and should have double checked but rookie mistake. To be honest I looked and saw Walnut and went ahead not realizing.
How can I correct it now? Should I sand it back down first? Or should I use a paint thinner before? I’m also worried it will make this one post look slightly different from the other three once I finish them all. Please no rude comments. I am aware it was my error. I’m just trying to fix

Typically, I find sanding is the most sure way to remove a staining mistake. To use a solvent or thinner will not remove enough of the wrong stain to make the difference you are looking for.
When sanding by electric sander, it will leave marks that will not be apparent until, you stain. Those marks will also make the stain look slightly different than the other posts, even when using the exact same stain. You should finish the sanding by hand and sand up and down the post with the grain, not across the posts the short way, across the grain. This will even out the swirl marks left by most electric sanders.
You would need to start with a relatively coarse grit, like 80G to start, to remove the bulk of the stain. Switch to a finer grit like 120G to remove the swirl marks from the 80G. Then move onto the hand sanding with 120G and maybe finish with 180G.
Since the other posts are typically not sanded before staining, they are never touched by sandpaper. This surface usually stains differently than a sanded surface, so the need for a fine sanding with the grain is important.


What sealant should I use for the base of a sink faucet? I guess the title says it all. =) I'm planning to replace my kitchen sink faucet. What type of sealant should I use for the base of the new sink faucet?

Many facuets come with a rubber gasket, so you don't need any sealant, just install the gasket.


Garden tub pipes emitting foul odor I have a garden tub that never gets used. There is a foul (not sewage) smell coming from it. What is it and how do I get rid of it?

I think the trap is dry.   Run at least a half gallon (2 litres) of water down the drain and see if that stops the odor.


What is this green paste on cold water outlet Does anyone know what this green stuff is

It has a paste like consistency.

Pretty sure that is isn’t oxidised copper as there it is too thick/ there is too much and none is on the copper pipework.

If anymore information is required let me know.

The green stuff is cupric chloride, a byproduct of corrosion of the valve body. It's typical of water leakage where the water is of low pH. It's usually found on copper pipes. Your pipes have been painted so it's not forming on them but you do have untreated copper going into the valve. Make sure all the connection are tight.


I am unable to find such t moldings or reducer where it fits my laminate to tile transition I got this picture from another post and since I am new to this community I dont know much on how i can ask questions to existing posts or comments also it did not allow me to do so.
Below is a picture which closely resembles to what I have. The distance between laminate and tile is 7/8th of an inch. So ideally I was looking for a T molding where one side is thicker(lets say something greater than 5/16" on one side and 5/16" on the other) and one side is thinner to cover up the height difference but I havent found something like this in Lowe's /Home Depot/Floor and decor. If anyone knows where I can found something as described please tell me ?

For using reducer of this kind If I can get something like below that would help too:

Final question: Do you think the space left (7/8th inch) between laminate and tile is very small and if I make that wider then I would have more options on the reducer ?

I've had that exact situation, and found that the only type of transition strips that allow for this kind of height difference are ones meant for carpets. They tend to be metal, but wood ones can also be found. Below is an example. You would still need to build up the gap in between a little in order to have some support underneath and have something for the nails to go into.


Outlets not working, no GFCI issues, breaker problem? We just moved into this house about 8 months ago. It was remodeled before we moved in, and a some outlets were added. Fast forward to now, some of those outlets added and possibly a few existing ones have stopped working. Unfortunately this affected outlets in both the kitchen and the garage, which prevented our two refrigerators from working in addition to lots of other trouble that isn't important right now.

I'll try to make this as simple as possible:

The breaker panel appears to be a Pushmatic panel. There are no labels of any sort on it.

It appears to be split bus.
I've pushed them all off and on firmly. From the outside they all seem fine.
I am not sure which breaker is for the circuit that is not working. On the lower bus, there are four 20A breakers and three 15A breakers, and I know I can rule out two of those 15A breakers.
In the past I have heard a faint buzz occasionally come from the panel's direction for a few seconds, but I am unsure if it was the panel making the sound.

The Outlets

There are two GFCI outlets in the house. The one in the kitchen appears to be fine. The one in the bathroom is not working, but when I checked it there was no voltage on the hot wire, so the outlet is probably fine. There are also no load wires connected.
I think there are a total of six outlets not working. The one in the bathroom, two in the kitchen, three in the garage. The other two outlets in the kitchen are working along with an outlet in the garage.
I have unplugged everything from all the affected outlets, then reset all the breakers. No change.
I know at least two of these outlets were installed before we moved in, possibly more.
I ran an extension cord from a good outlet to a bad one. Testing with a multimeter, there was 120v with extension cord hot -> outlet neutral, but nothing on outlet hot -> extension cord neutral.

What could the issue be? Right now I'm feeling it's either the circuit breaker or the wiring, and I feel like it's probably the breaker. I could take the cover off the panel and carefully test the breaker, although some of you may caution against that since I'm not a licensed electrician, but it seems like the easiest thing to rule out right now.

Myself, I would probably check the breakers too see if they have output voltage. Be careful. I suspect a bad connection. Check the connections at the GFCI breakers. I have seen poor connections when the push in connectors have been used (I always use the screws). I recommend a non-contact voltage tester. Some like the Klein one from Home Depot are sensitive enough so that it can be used to find a dead wire in a box if you if separate them a little.


Water management and shed base for two sheds built against the houses on adjacent properties This is a follow up for this question where I was asking for help on cutting in half and relocating a shed. The job is done and the result looks like this

I have take the shed out of there in order to build a proper base for it. (due to weather conditions I had to cut short my work last year). Now I would like to build a base using concrete slabs. As you can see in the picture my neighbor already has his shed in the same position.
Below is a schematic representation of the result with some relevant dimensions included

Question: what is the correct way to manage the rain water between these two sheds in such a way that nobody gets hurt. I have a gutter attached to the long side of my shed but my neighbor does not have one. I am plannig to ask him to attach one to his shed

The other issue here is this: I already dug a 5" base for my shed and I am going to add there gravel, slabs and a bed for slabs. Do I need to slope the subgrade (the soil) in order to make sure that the water moves away from the wall of my house?

Edit: I am contemplating a solution like this:

I will use concrete edging (long blocks 1.75"x2X35").The concrete edging will go below the subgrade level. The subgrade will be level. I need to focus on preventing lateral water infiltration. Above is the shed and I have a gutter so no need to worry about what comes from above. I need to worry above what comes for my neighbor if he refuses to add a gutter to his shed.
  Below the bottom of my 6" deep cement blocks everything is a fair game, the water can go equally toward my house or his house. I was afraid that by digging the base for my shed I am going to create an area where the water would collect if in excess because it will be gravel and sand.

Sloping the soil would never be a bad idea, but more important is supporting the perimeter with a proper foundation. Why do you need a slab at all? Assuming you have a reason for using a slab I would normally recommend a "floating slab" setup, but that is probably not feasible because you are placing a pre-built structure there. A floating slab would require the perimeter foundation to extend above grade in order for your floor to be level with grade. Not possible because your walls and floor are already built. An alternative would be one like shown below (dimensions shown could be reduced appropriate to your structure size). It is critical that the soil and gravel below be compacted.


what lightbulb can I use in this 250V 100W light fixture? I am located in the United States and have a light fixture in my kitchen w/ the following parameters:

250V, 100W
model: K512GU
not sure what this part is: 2/250

Can I use this 60W bulb in this fixture: http://a.co/eMM1v4R? More generally, do I have to use a 250V, 100W bulb, or can the voltage on the bulb differ, or can the wattage differ, or can both differ?

Pictures of the existing bulbs (which stopped working) and the info in the light fixture are attached.

The numbers you have found are the maximum ratings of the socket.

The wattage of the bulb, if incandescent, must not exceed 100 W but may be less.

The voltage of the bulb must match the voltage supplied by the electric service, which is almost certainly whichever of either 120 or 240 volts is standard for your country. The voltage rating of the socket is irrelevant. Check the old bulb for a voltage marking.


5W COB led recessed light on a parallel circuit having different Brightness Here is my setup

1 Circuit containing 7 X 5W COB (chip-on-board) Recessed light

Power supply -24V @6A rating

I removed the individual power supply that comes with led light. I measured the output of the transformer it was 23.6VDC....

Now the problem is I have all the lights on but they all are different brightness. The wiring is done in parallel. I am using 12GA AWG

1st- Extremely dim
2nd- Brighter
3rd- Brightest
4th- Dim
5th- Dim
6th- Dim
7th- Bright

Any ideas why this would happen?

Circuit starts from left in following photo:

Look at the label on the 'power supply' which came with each of those LEDs.
There's a reason its's called an "LED Driver" and not a "Power Supply".
That box supplies a constant Current to the LED, not a constant Voltage because LED brightness depends on Current, not Voltage.
LEDs are 'non-ohmic' devices which means they don't follow a linear voltage/current relationship like an old incandescent light bulb.

Measuring the output voltage of one of these drivers with no LED connected will only tell you what the maximum voltage is that it can provide with no load - not what it will provide when it's actually driving an LED at its rated current.
Measuring the voltage with an LED connected will tell you what the characteristics of that one particular LED are and should not be extrapolated to other LEDs.

By applying a constant voltage to your LEDs and not controlling or limiting the current (other than the 6A overall limit of your new power supply), it's entirely possible that you've already damaged some or all of them.

Remove your 24V 6A power supply, put the original LED Drivers back on, and hope the LEDs still work ...

The only reliable way to run these LEDs off a single LED Driver is to connect them all in series (not parallel) so that they all have the same current flowing through them (and therefore the same brightness).
The single LED Driver will need to be able to supply a voltage of at least 7 x each LED's nominal voltage (because the voltages add up when they're in series).


What type of garage door seal is this? Is this a type I cannot find, or is this just a normal flat rubber type that has been shoved into the kerf cut, folded over, and stapled?

If the latter is the case, any idea why someone would do it this way, or is this common?

It's a bit hard to tell what I'm looking at from that one photo, but it may have been someone's attempt at a homemade version of the common commercial weather seal that you see on modern overhead doors.

I'd probably remove it entirely and start fresh. 3 pieces of vinyl molding with rubber gasket will probably cost under $25.


Do refrigerators struggle with too warm a temperature setting? My apartment's fridge just stopped working (the light didn't even come on), after showing some signs of struggling in the last day or two (vibrating in sync with light flickering). The landlady asked what setting I had it at - it was at 3/9, with 9 being the coldest. (This is the setting yielding a reasonable temperature through most of the fridge, with only some parts freezing lightly.) She immediately told me that was too low a setting, that it'd overload with it set that low, that I should set it higher (colder) and it'd come back on.

I did play along, and the light and compressor came back on almost immediately after I changed the setting. I'd also pulled it away from the wall as soon as I realized it'd stopped working, though it didn't feel terribly warm anywhere on the back. But of course, correlation doesn't imply causality, and this sounds a bit odd to me - surely keeping the fridge colder puts more load on the compressor. Am I crazy?

(I suppose the more general question is: what should I do about a refrigerator that I know is flaky but is not going to get repaired or replaced terribly quickly?)

Edit: it turns out to be an electrical problem outside the fridge but I'm still interested in the answer!

Congratulations, you've just stumbled upon the secret self-destruct feature that all manufacturers design into their appliances... NOT! (^-^)

There is no setting of a refrigerator's controls that will "overload" a refrigerator (barring extremely abnormal operating conditions).  It would certainly not flicker like that.
Believe it or not, manufacturers don't like to have customer complaints and returns, it's bad for business.   If there was such a defect, lawyers would be all over it, too.

~~~
With one exception, the warmer the fridge/freezer is set, the less it works and it will not overload.
Not counting the energy lost to opening the door, or to the initial cooling of warm things, the energy a refrigerator requires is roughly:

(RoomTemp - FridgeTemp) * The compartment's surface area
--------------------------------------------------------
    The average R-value of the fridge's insulation

The R-value and the surface area are fixed by the unit's design (with one exception).  So it should be obvious that raising the FridgeTemp lowers the required energy.

For example, suppose your refrigerator compartment is 26 by 27 by 38 (inches) and the average R-value is R-19 (US, not SI).  Assume a constant, summer-time room-temp of 76°F.

Then, a fridge set to 34°F would use roughly:

(76°F - 34°F) × (2×26×27 + 2×26×38 + 2×27×38)(inches²)(ft²/144 inches²)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
    19 (ft²×°F×hour/Btu)

= about 83 BTU/hour or about 24 watts.

Set the fridge to 40°F and it drops down to 71 Btu/hour (21 watts).

See R-value (insulation) for more information.

The exceptions:

If a freezer is a frost-free model, it uses extra energy to stay frost free.  On many models this just runs off a timer, so the temperature-setting has little effect on how much energy is used.  On smarter models, the energy use increases with the room's humidity and how often the door is opened plus how full the box is (fuller is better).
If a freezer is not a frost-free model, and ice builds up.  This decreases the effective surface area and increases the effective R-value.  So, the unit uses less energy, but items in the box usually remain too warm, too long -- leading to greatly increased spoilage, poor ice making, etc.


Is a built-in oven easier to maintain than a standalone one? What is the more suitable to buy, so that its maintenance is easier and less costly, a built-in oven and stove or a standalone oven?

A built-in like this one:

or a standalone oven like this one:

And which one of these two is more practical to use, and to maintain with time?

I'm not aware of any practical difference between the two in terms of maintenance, except that servicing a built-in stove and oven might be harder because the underside and rear are not easily accessibly.

Otherwise, the only reason I've ever needed to move my free-sanding oven was to clean under/around it. If the built-in stovetop is properly installed and sealed to the counter, cleaning under it should never be an issue.