Water Pressure Issue? First water heater leaked, then softener, now my washer long filled My water heater was leaking from the top.  I replaced it.

The next day, the water softener tank is leaking.  I turned off the valve to bypass the softener.

Now my washing machine (brand new) errored with LF which means "Long Fill"; a repairman replaced the fill valves and mentioned that they were faulty and it is a rarity that it happens.

My research found that a softener with a heater leak means there is too much water pressure.  LF errors on washing machine potentially mean that the water pressure is too low.

I'm scratching my head on this one...  The pressure in the toilet, sinks and shower seem fine.  The pressure slightly increased when I got the new water heater.  I am worried that there is some underlying pressure issue in my home.  Please suggest some solutions or tips.

You did not say, if the washer fill problem was fixed with the new valves. Sometimes, when you turn off the water to the house to make a repair, sediment or debris is loosened somewhere in the plumbing when the water is turned back on. Did you check the inlet screens at the hose connections of the washing machine. This debris will plug the screens  (a common problem). Also make sure that all the valves for the water to the washer are fully open. As far as two appliances leaking it is probably a coincidence. The research with " the softener with the heater leak means there is too much pressure" makes no sense. Any of the above mentioned problem items could cause the error message.


Is it possible to replace just the garage door opener console? My old house has a garage door system that must have been 20 years old. It has been working fine for many years. But recently my car got broken into and the remote is stolen. I have no way to re-program the currently one as it's the only one I have and I don't know if it's taking a new code or not. Also there seems to be no replacement in the market. My model is Sears 139.654021

Photos below:

Question: The whole system including motor and chain are working fine. How can I just replace ONLY the console and its remotes?

Many garage openers and remotes use a standard radio code for communicating, with the ID number programmed by a bank of DIP switches; you just have to set the remote's DIP switches to match the opener's. It sounds like your door, though, works with remotes that each transmits a unique ID, and your opener's controller can be taught that ID.

There are, however, "universal" remotes. For example, Liftmaster sells remotes that work with a broad variety of openers; if you check their compatibility table you may find one that works for yours. If you still have one working remote then you're probably in luck; a new remote can "learn" from the old one.


Installing electrical box in 2x4 I'm designing a custom headboard for our bed and I want to install electrical into the cubbies I am making in the headboard (primarily for cell phone charging). In my current design, the electrical box would be installed into a cut out 2x4.

I've attached two sketchup models for reference. My primary question is this: Are there any U.S. electrical codes or even best practices I need to be aware of in regards to where and into what material I can install an electrical box? The only thing I could find was that a box can protrude through up to 1/2" of drywall, so I'm wondering if that means that attempting to protrude through a larger (flammable) piece of material like this is against code. If you have any other related advice/caution about running electrical into furniture, that would be welcomed as well. Thanks!

EDIT: In my design, this 2x4 could be changed to a different material, but initially I was trying to keep the structure to 2x4s and plywood for simplicity. I could switch to a thinner material if that would help me to be in compliance.

,

A box can penetrate any material, not just 1/2" drywall.
For non-flammable surfaces you can have the box set back up to 1/4". Ultimately though you want to be flush with the surface.
For flammable surfaces you must be flush with the finished surface.
This is borrowed from a post by @tester101:

ARTICLE 314
Outlet, Device, Pull, and Junction Boxes;
Conduit Bodies; Fittings; and Handhole Enclosures
314.20 In Wall or Ceiling. In walls or ceilings with a surface of concrete, tile, gypsum, plaster, or other noncombustible material,
boxes employing a ﬂush-type cover or faceplate shall be installed so
that the front edge of the box, plaster ring, extension ring, or
listed extender will not be set back of the ﬁnished surface more than
6 mm (1⁄4 in.). In walls and ceilings constructed of wood or other
combustible surface material, boxes, plaster rings, extension rings,
or listed extenders shall be ﬂush with the ﬁnished surface or project
therefrom.

This might also be relevant.

406.4 Receptacle Mounting. Receptacles shall be mounted in boxes or assemblies designed for the purpose, and such boxes or assemblies
shall be securely fastened in place unless otherwise permitted
elsewhere in this Code.
(A) Boxes That Are Set Back. Receptacles mounted in boxes that are set back from the finished surface as permitted in 314.20 shall be
installed such that the mounting yoke or strap of the receptacle is
held rigidly at the finished surface.


Must outdoor GFCI power outlets be covered? I have outside the regular (i.e. non-GFCI) power outlet that you see on the left.

It has a nice double-cover that will keep water out.

I am about to replace it with a GFCI outlet (right of the picture). The GFCI outlet will not accept the receptacle you see on the left, because there is no room for the screw in the center. That space is occupied by the test/reset buttons.

Is there any disadvantage in installing the ordinary plastic cover (bottom right of the picture) to cover a GFCI outlet outdoors? It is vertical and is under a 3ft shed, so it will somewhat be protected from rain.

Why play with electricity like that?  Install one of these:

For use while connected:

or, for occasional temporary use where it can be closed and unused during wet weather:


Laundry box and water hammer arrestor I am trying to install my new washer & dryer combo. There are a few things that I am not sure since plumbing hardware and markings are a bit different in the US compared to once I used in Russia.

Please take a look at the photo and help me figuring out:

does the left (marked as red "1" on the picture) pipe provide hot water, while the right (blue "2") -- cold water? I saw that on many pictures in the Internet, but I am not sure whether the convention is reliable.
do I turn water on by turning down the handles marked with a green 3?

In the US you can almost always (almost... there's certainly exceptions) rely on hot being on the left and cold being on the right.  This will be the case for washing machine hookups, bath tubs and faucets.  I'm not sure if that is a code requirement anywhere, but it is almost universally used.  Switching sides would have safety implications because someone would assume the right handle was cold and could be scalded when it ends up being hot.

So...

This is the hot.
This is the cold.
These little levers are where you turn the water on or off.

Also, note that in different regions and even from house to house the valve types can vary quite a bit.  The values you have pictured are very modern and sleek and have built in water-hammer arresters.  Some houses would just have two gate valves like you would use for an outside water hose with red and blue handles.  Sometimes the two valves are linked and only have one handle that turns them both on or off.  This Google Image Search shows the wide variety of types out there.


Replacing kitchen sink, hot water valve under sink fails to stop water flow Just got a strange issue where the kitchen sink will deliver only a trickle out of hot water tap when opened, the cold water flows just fine, the hot water works at every other point bathrm sink,tub,laundry. I'm looking at replacing the facet in the kitchen and realized the (hot water) shut off valve at my kitchen sink wont stop the flow turning it doesnt affect it at all. And it doens't appear i have any other place to stop the flow before the water tank, so i guess my question is do i have to shut off and drain my hot water tank in order to replace facet and shut off valve?
Thanks in advance.

Replacing a leaking stop valve requires shutting off the water upstream. If your water heater is the next practical upstream shutoff location then it is fine to shut it off there.

If there is a shut off valve available on the water heater outlet then you do not have to shut off the water heater if you complete the repair in a reasonably short amount of time (a day). Is this case you would not drain it. You should close the inlet to the water heater, open a hot water faucet downstream, then close the water heater outlet valve. This will relieve stored pressure in the water heater.

If there is no shut-off on the outlet and you shut it off on the inlet then you still do not have to turn it off as long as the stop valve repair is above the height of the heater, as it will remain full of water.

If there is no shut-off on the outlet and the stop valve repair is below the level of the water heater, the water heater may drain out as you open a faucet to relieve pressure on the line so you can work on it. In this case you should turn the water heater off.

So...

There is no need to drain the water heater
if the water heater remains full and the repairs can be completed in a reasonably short time, there is no need to turn the water heater off
if the water heater is or becomes drained for any reason, it must be turned off immediately


Laying bricks/blocks into a concrete slab during the pour It is common practice to put a brick ribbon around a newly poured concrete walkway. Is it possible to put decorative designs, using bricks, in the middle of a concrete slab as it's poured? How do I put elements like paver bricks, or regular bricks, or blocks in the middle of concrete? Is this advisable, or does it cause cracks to develop?

We use “blockouts” to create a space for bricks or blocks to be mortared into after the concrete sets. (We use wood boards that are tapered slightly for easy removal out of the concrete.)

Anytime you thicken or reduce concrete you’re liable to get a crack. Therefore, we add rebar in the concrete perpendicular to where the blockouts are added.


Should I bleach my deck or just power wash it? I am planning to power wash my deck and stain it afterwards. But I am confused with most of you saying Bleach it, one says NO WAY!  My deck was built in 1987 as pressure treated lumber 2" thick vs. the standard 1 3/4", and was let go for the last 5 or so years by previous owners who moved out of state.  It has a Cabot red stain on it; most of it gone, and a lot of green mold.  It is in full sun from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m and it is tiered, so it slowly goes down 4 tiers.  No way staining can get on french doors.

I plan on using a 2 gallon sprayer for the stain when the time comes, but pressure wash it with a Subaru Costco pressure washer.  Quite a bit of wood is in bad shape.  We plan on replacing in the next year or so.

"Green mold" on a deck is almost certainly algae, not mold.

A bleach-water mixture (not straight bleach - perhaps 1 cup per gallon at the most, considerably less might be sufficient) will kill the algae and make it much easier to remove.

I happen to know someone who (evidently) is a big fan of pressure-washers and not much of a fan of bleach or scrub brushes. They'll go 3 days with the pressure washer to do what one day with bleach and a scrub-brush would do more effectively, and the traces of algae that are left behind recolonize in short order. You can be that guy, or not...


When pre-drilling for screws, how do you determine the correct bit diameter? Suppose I want to pre-drill for, say, a 5/16 screw.  How do I determine the correct drill bit diameter?

Here are some charts from Bolt Depot. Bolt Depot is a handy resource, and has lots of information about all different types of fasteners.

Pilot hole size:

Wood Screw Diameter:

****Major thread diameter** is measured on the outside of the threads.*


Should the interconnect wire for smoke alarms read 120v? Today I installed some new Kidde PI2010 Hardwired Dual Photoelectric and Ionization Sensor Smoke Alarm with Battery Backup smoke alarms. I am interconnecting 5 of them in my home. When I hooked up the third one the other two went into alarm. I measured 120V on the red interconnect wire. Is this correct? I'm reading here that it should be 9V?
Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you all for comments. I was able to figure out the problem. Apparently the smoke alarm is polarity sensitive. Because of a wire change in the associated junction box, standard USA black and white was changed to British blue and brown. The brown is supposed to be connected to the black and white to blue, but they were reversed. Correcting this solved the problem. Now when the alarm is in "alarm mode" (test) it sends 18V on the red wire to the other alarms. and NOT have a constant 120V


Can I convert a gas log fireplace to wood burning? My house currently has a gas fireplace with (as far as I can tell) a metal firebox and a metal flue running up a non-masonry chimney. Are there any options available to me to convert this fireplace to wood-burning? This isn't out of a desire for increased efficiency, just a personal preference for the flame and smell of wood instead of gas.

There is no way to convert a gas fireplace to burn wood, unless you are very lucky and the gas fireplace is an insert in a properly functioning solid fuel fireplace (in which case you basically just remove the insert, and have the fireplace inspected).
In situations like this, you have a couple options.
Install a Solid Fuel Stove
This option will require the least amount of work, though can still be quite expensive and time consuming.
You'll have to follow all local codes that deal with this type of project, but for this example we'll use National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards (NFPA 211 Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents, and Solid Fuel-Burning Appliances).
Clearances
You'll need 36" clearance from combustible materials on all sides (top, left, right, front, and back).
Floor protection
You'll need a floor protector under the unit, that extends 18" in all directions (except up/down, that would just be silly).
Listed Stoves
The floor protection requirements will be provided by the manufacturer, for listed stoves.
Unlisted Stoves
For unlisted stoves, the floor protection requirements are determined by the length of the legs on the unit.
0" - 2"
Stove must be placed on non-combustible floor.
2" - 6"
4" hollow masonry laid to provide air circulation through the layer, covered with 24-gauge sheet metal.
6" and Greater
Closely spaced masonry not less than 2", covered with 24-gauge sheet metal.
Reducing clearances
There are ways to reduce the clearances, by installing special materials around the stove. Check your local codes for methods to reduce clearances.
Stovepipe
You'll need 18" clearance around the stove pipe, as well as a stovepipe thimble where the stovepipe passes through walls/ceilings.

Chimney
If you don't have a proper masonry chimney to attach the stovepipe to, you'll have to use a factory built metal (A.K.A. prefabricated, Class A, all-fuel) chimney. You likely won't be able to use the same pipe used by the old gas fireplace. You also don't want to connect the stovepipe to the chimney used by your other gas appliances (furnace, water heater, etc.).
Build a masonry fireplace
If you've got the cash and time, you could have a proper masonry chimney/fireplace built (or build it yourself).  This option will require modifications to the building structure, lots of masonry skills, a healthy bank account, and a good bit of time.


Is it okay to use an LFNC whip to connect air conditioner where subject to physical damage? I have seen many air conditioners at ground-level in multiple cities near me that are connected using liquid-tight non-flexible conduit (LFNC) whips.

Example: http://www.southwire.com/products/whip-assemblies-ultra-whip-water-well.htm (Note: this is not an endorsement of the product I selected it as an example because it states: "Commonly used for connecting air conditioners" under applications)

Per 2014 NEC section 356.12(1), LFNC shall not be used where subject to physical damage. As I understand, connecting an air conditioner at ground level on an exterior of a home without any surrounding protection like a fence makes the LFNC very much subject to physical damage (particularly from string trimmers).

Are the installations I have seen in violation of code, or does 2014 NEC section 356.10(1) (listed below) somehow trump 356.12(1)?

  356.10 Uses Permitted. LFNC shall be permitted to be used in exposed or concealed locations for the following purposes:

  Informational Note: Extreme cold may cause some types of nonmetallic
  conduits to become brittle and therefore more susceptible to damage
  from physical contact.

  (1) Where flexibility is required for installation, operation, or
  maintenance.

This would be a decision left up to the inspector, as only they can say what's "subject to physical damage". Though technically, you're correct. Liquid-tight non-flexible conduit should probably not be used in these situations.

It's possible that the units come with the whip factory installed, so the HVAC techs simply install it that way. In my experience, the HVAC community doesn't always follow NEC very closely.


Mounting a Projector on a joist - Is Joint Integrity still ok? I am mounting a projector on the ceiling in my single story extension with a sloped roof.

My luck had it that there was a joist within range and I proceeded to drill into it from below through the plasterboard ceiling and fix the bracket as I thought this would be the best support.

Now, afterwards, I am concerned that I have weakened the joist and that it may become an issue.

I have attached a sketch that shows approximate dimensions.

The projector and mount will be approx. 13-14kg  (28-31lbs) max. In weight.

You have not weakened the joist in any meaningful way. Even if you had run half inch lag screws into it, the remaining material is more than adequate.


Why won't my furnace run on the generator? I have a portable generator for my standby power connected to a sub panel through a manual transfer switch supplied by a breaker in the main panel. I have separated the neutral and the ground at the sub panel and the transfer switch--they are only bound at the main panel. The problem I'm having is the furnace will not operate on the generator but works fine on normal power.
The furnace model is a GOODMAN GMVC950905DXAB. The generator is a GENERAC XG8000. The thermostat is a Honeywell RTH5160 which uses batter power and only one 15AMP circuit to the furnace, which measures 115.7 volts.
There is a circuit board on the furnace with a 2 digit readout on it that puts out an 88 code that has no definition on the troubleshooting area, but there are two LEDs at the top of the circuit board. One is marked RX and the other is marked status. The RX blinks on generator power but not on normal power. The status LED blinks ounce and then goes out. Normal operation then OP comes on in the readout and the furnace starts to run.

Your portable generator has ratings for starting watts and running watts. When you first turn it on, it starts with a higher number of watts then reduces to the amount of running watts. I am wondering if there is a mismatch in watts needed by the furnace and those provided by the generator. Make and model might help us discern this. 8000 watts might just be the starting level, while the generator provides only 5000 (arbitrary number) watts as running watts, underpowering the furnace.


Should I use 12/3 NM cable for a 240 volt 40 amp electric cooktop? I am installing a 240 volt 40 amp electric cooktop. Will 12/3 NM cable suffice for this?

Secondly, I know I need a double-pole breaker because 240 volts is delivered using two out-of-phase 120 volt circuits. My question is, is a double-pole breaker labeled "20 amps" really two 20-amp circuits that together can supply 40 amps @ 240 volts?  Or do I need a double-pole breaker labeled "40 amps"?

Not even remotely close. You need 8 gauge copper or 6 gauge aluminum wire.

A 20 amp dual pole breaker supplies 20 amps at 240 volts (line to line), or 20 amps at 120 volts twice (line to neutral and line to neutral). You need a 40 amp at 240 volt breaker.

...and these two questions in combination strongly suggest that you get professional help before you cause yourself an expensive problem. Like the price of a new house expensive.


How can I unclog my gutter downspouts from the ground? My house downspouts often get clogged with debris.  Is it possible to clean them without getting on a ladder or on the roof?  I was thinking about snaking my gutters.  I made a quick trial using a garden hose and also a plumbing snake.  Neither worked out.  Is there a lighter weight snake type option available (I don't want to rip off my downspouts)

There is an adapter that connects the output of a leaf blower to the bottom of the downspout and blows the debris back out the way it came (sometimes you can even do it without an adapter).  It works pretty well if it is a recent accumulation.  Note, though, that you will get covered in a shower of disgusting stuff (gravity working for you).

But if it has been decomposing for several seasons and turning into a solid block of adobe filling the inside the downspout, that may not work.  In that case, the snake and hose is probably the tool of choice to try first.  Smacking the downspout in the vicinity of the clog can help loosen it.

They make a special nozzle for the hose that puts out both a high pressure forward spray, and side sprays that also spin the nozzle, creating a rotating jet of water that helps to break things up and wash it out.  It can be a long slow process that will raise your water bill and flood your yard, turning it into a mud field by the time you're done.

Sometimes the fastest solution to stubborn downspouts is just to start taking sections apart.  A few screws and a section comes off.  Clogs tend to build from the bottom up so if you're lucky, the bottom-most section will either do it, or make it easier to get the rest out by simpler means.  Once a section is removed, low tech smacking, blowing, or pushing is usually enough to clean it.


How to remove rebar passing through an inaccessible pipe My maintenance crew recently discovered that someone drove a rebar through a sewer pipe during construction. Obviously this causes problems. The rebar in nearly dead center of the pipe which is encased in a concrete floor. Any ideas to remove the rebar with out breaking up the floor? There is access from the outside about 10-15 feet from the rebar. Thanks.

They make root cutters for cutting plant roots that have grown through pipes, but they are made to cut roots, not steel. I'm not aware of anything that is specifically designed for this. Maybe you could get a steel cutting blade made for a root cutter. You would then still have to get the pipe lined afterwards to seal the holes. This would be a pretty difficult and expensive process, and it would not be guaranteed to work.

Overall, it will probably be the best and cheapest option to cut the concrete around the pipe, fix it properly, and replace the floor. If the repair blending in is of concern, you would want to cut at existing saw joints, if the concrete will be covered, you can just cut and replace the immediate area of the repair.


Floor heating: is electrical heating better for me? We want to lay 40qm of floor heating.

It seems to me that electrical heating i.e. thermoelectric elements eadiating warmth is more efficient to install and maintain.

Than, say, thin water pipes.

But maybe I'm wrong? How to decide?

Hydronic heating is much cheaper to run but more costly to install. 40 square meters is a pretty large space for electric. If it's going to be your only heat source and you live in a cool climate go hydronic.


Funky water pressure issues I know that the pressure from the street is over 90psi in my area.

I have a pressure regulator (about 5 years old) on my main line and when all faucets are off and not drawing water the psi is set and maintains at 80psi.  Plus I have an expansion tank on my main water heater and it is roughly 5 yrs old.

However, I notice that I have had very inconsistent water pressure at various times of the day.  For example, today at 230p I saw 80psi on the meter then turned on an upstairs faucet and saw the meter drop to about 45psi with it open on full (and not coming out with a strong flow).  Once I closed the faucet it returned to 80psi.

Similar experiment just now...  started at 80PSI, turned on downstairs faucet1 right past the reduction valve and only dropped to 75, turned on the next faucet downstairs and dropped to 55psi.

I brought a plumber in who installed the reduction valve and he said that it was fine and this was a mystery.

I thought that setting the valve to 80PSI meant that it would maintain 80PSI under usage as long as the street was coming in higher than 80.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what the problem could be here?  Does this sound like the reduction valve is going bad?  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

If this is the gauge on the PRV output, you have a restriction on the intake side of the PRV or in the PRV itself. I suppose it may also be possible that your plumber installed a valve that's too small for your connected devices' flow rates.

As an aside, you also have a dimwit for a plumber if that's "a mystery" - or your plumber is lying to you, which comes somewhat lower than dimwit in my book.

You (or your new, hopefully competent and truthful plumber) will need to remove the PRV and see if there's something like an intake filter screen that is clogged with debris, pipe scale, etc. restricting flow into the valve, and if not, go looking for something stuck in the inner workings of the valve itself. You may wish to add a more easily serviced filter suited to the full street pressure on that intake side, as well.


Honeywell Humidifier Leaking Near Overflow Tube My humidifier is leaking.  It is leaking at the drain assembly.  The assembly itself has some designed openings that don't make much sense to me.  The water is collecting there and dripping out slowly.

Is there a fix for this?  Perhaps a replacement assembly?  Can I fill the holes?

My suggestion is that you take a look at that plastic bulkhead fitting closely. The drain hose is attached and clamped in place with a nylon tie wrap. Upon inspection you will likely see that if the hose were removed the outer portion of that bulkhead fitting would screw off like a nut. The rest of the fitting projects through from the inside. There would be a flat rubber washer that seals the fitting against the inner side of the bulkhead.

It is also possible that the fitting is one that was pressed through from the inside with catches that came through those notches and then the fitting was turned to lock it into place. In this case there should still be a rubber washer or O-ring on the inside of the drain tank.

My guess is that the rubber washer or O-ring has degraded, cracked and has thus led to the leak that you are seeing. The best bet is to replace this sealing component.

You may have an alternative that could stop the leaking on a temporary or semi permanent basis. If the tank surfaces around the fitting were nice and clean and dry without any scale or gunk it may be possible to apply a bead of silicon sealer around the fitting to stop the leaking. Success of this will depend upon if the plastic type is one that will bond well with the silicon or not.


bubbly/cracked paint I recently removed wallpaper from my bathroom and painted the walls with the primer and mildew resistance included in the paint. One section in the shower area has developed bubbly spots, almost looking like alligator skin.

Can you tell me what can cause this and how to fix it.

There are a few reasons that paint wrinkles. The most common reason is using an oil based primer or paint over a latex painted surface. If you only have a small area of problem, this is probably not the case. I suspect you may have left some wallpaper sizing or glue behind. Some soap may have leached behind the wallpaper also. When removing wallpaper, it is very important to really clean the surface well. Sometimes a skim coat of joint compound is needed to smooth the walls and create a good bondable surface. Another possible cause is that the primer was not dry enough when you painted. If the primer didn't wrinkle after it had been on and cured, then maybe something contaminated the surface before you painted.  As you see, there are several reasons for the paint failure.  Check the options or add more detail to the question.


1 nest to control all vales on UFH manifold? We are having an extension done and intend on having all underfloor heating in the new area. Currently we have a valiant combi boiler supplying the main house which has been T'd off with a valve for the underfloor heating when we are ready to install its manifold. I wanted to install a Nest thermostat for the main house and a second Nest to control the underfloor heating. Given the size of the room (50 square metres) I've been told it splitting it into 3 zones would be best. I'm not quite sure how that will work with the Nest, as their support desk mentioned that 1 nest can only control 1 zone. Is what I want achievable ? And if so, how would it be hooked up? I.e what do I need to do at this stage.

Thanks

The Nest can only control one zone at a time, but that's ok, because it sounds like there's only one "control zone" in your system.

Your heating system may work better if its split into three sections, but since the will all come on at the same time, the Nest should be able to control all three at the same time.  What the Nest can do is control each zone separately.

Typical control systems have a "hot" wire and a "common" wire.  Just tie all the commons together and all the hots together and then run a single common and hot to the Nest for control.


What are some inexpensive DIY options for fixing a low water pressure condition in a toilet? Low Water Pressure

We have a toilet that has very low-pressure flushing action. Is there anything that I can do other than calling in a professional? We've had a few people out to look at it and they cannot seem to diagnose this properly.

Click here for flushing action

Background

The low-pressure is occurring on a guest house on the property. We can see a pipe that appears related to the toilet. When the toilet is over-used (flushed multiple times), we can see a bit of water overflow from the pipe. The toilet has never worked properly and the professionals we brought in could not assist other than suggesting a new external septic tank.

That option leaves me with a concern: Wouldn't they have to figure out the status of the current water outflow pipe and cap it before connecting to a new tank? That seems like a much bigger project so I am hoping to find a better solution from the community.

Please feel free to let me know if any of my assumptions are wrong or if I have missed other options. I am not a professional.

The immediate non-flush nature of your problem, as depicted in the video, indicates (to me, anyway) a very local obstruction, as in the toilet trap itself. You need to run a toilet auger (see pic) down through the toilet trap and/or pull the toilet to see if there is an obstruction immediately below. This could be anything from packed paper to packed solid material to a kid's toy to rocks from a fish tank. I have seen all those things and more.

If the sewer system itself were backed up such that there was water/waste all the way up to the toilet trap itself, your toilet bowl would overflow onto the floor when flushed and you would very likely have water coming out from under the toilet due to wax seal compromise.


breakers all putting out power but outlet not working Was using a power drill on a gfci outlet and power suddenly stopped.  The trip light did not go on on the outlet but the test button cannot be pushed (means no power, correct?) I took off the gfci and tested the incoming wires - no power.  I've checked every room in the house for a tripped gfci but there aren't any.  I went to breaker panel and no breakers were tripped.   I tested each breaker and they are all outputting 120 volts.  The breakers are very poorly labeled and I can't tell which one goes to the gfci. Is there a way to pinpoint which breaker runs to the gfci?  Can there even be a problem with the breaker if it is outputting 120 volts?

Are there any other receptacles or lights with no power? Presumably there are other receptacles on this same circuit.

You say no power at the incoming line to this receptacle--presumably meaning no hot. So a connection of a hot upstream has gone bad. Do you have spring "backstab" connections to the receptacles? If so, change them to the side screw. (If you have backwire connections secured by the screw that is fine.)

In any case, check each receptacle in the circuit from the non-working one going back towards the panel. Use a plug-in circuit tester or a multimeter. It will tell whether there is no hot or no neural at each receptacle.


How can we cover a carpet for the long term? Are there any plastic covers (or protectors or films) available that are more for long term (like about a year) as opposed to the short-term ones that last only 30-60 days.

We're about to rent a place, and the landlord has "no stains on carpet" demand. Since most of us are always at home and there are people who would certainly take food/drinks to their rooms, we are left with no choice but to cover up the carpet.

Yes, there are cleaning solutions available, but they are usually effective if you use them right away. Some of these people would completely forget about it for weeks.

Please understand that it can not be too costly. We'll there for a year or two, and we can not justify spending $500 for this cause.

Feel free to get creative. It does not have to be plastic, as long as food/spills don't reach the carpet.

If your soon-to-be-landlord is already making unreasonable demands, I would reconsider your choice to rent with them. Minor carpet staining from traffic is considered to be "wear and tear" in most states, as well as scuffing of the walls and other things that result from simply living in a space.

Unless you're a group of college kids (to which, I could understand creating some fear so that people don't go party-crazy), a "no stains period" policy is unlikely to be legally binding, however, that is a question for a lawyer. Personally, if those are the types of demands the landlord is making, I would go into your lease expecting a bill for every single thing that should be considered "wear and tear". I've often rejected apartments simply because the landlord has alluded to charging for repairs before I have even moved in.

As for a permanent wall-to-wall covering, I can't think of anything permanent that would  would suffer the wear, be water tight, and especially fit a tight budget. If you are set on this rental, I would consider putting your money toward regular professional carpet cleanings and before moving out, and the purchase of some spot-treatment carpet cleaners for when the inevitable spill does occur.

Finally, if you can't trust your roommates or their guests to share/respect your concerns for the carpet, you're going to be disappointed.

-My 2 cents


Hide fiberglass insulation in ceiling next to stone wall I'm pretty inexperienced to say the least, so bear with me.

In my basement, the previous owners stuffed a bit of the pink insulation between the wall and ceiling but left it exposed.  I don't particularly want to install a proper ceiling down here since it's not living space, but I would like to cover up that insulation so it's not trying to fall down. Plus we'd like to use some of the space for gym equipment, and breathing that in seems less than ideal.

The difficult part (for me) is that the wall is a stone wall, so it's uneven.  What's the process for putting something up to hide and hold that insulation, but still fitting it as much to that wall as possible?

The simplest solution here would be plywood. It would be easy to cut into the shapes you need (which are mostly rectangular) and then screw to the bottom of the joists. If you want to cover by the stones, consider caulk, but I think the plywood would suffice here.


Baseboard heat wiring Original wiring is Romex 12/2 no ground.New heaters have chassis ground.Do I pull new Romex 12/2 with ground or can ground be added back to main panel?Wiring is 240 volt

Under NEC 2014, you can leave the conductors alone and add (retrofit) a ground wire.

It is not necessary for the ground wire to follow the same route as the conductors. However the ground wire must go to the ground bus in the same panel the heater is powered out of.

Circuits which come out of that same panel can share ground wires.  So you don't have to home-run all the way back to the panel, if  you can reach the ground wire of another circuit also served out of that same panel.  However the entire route of the ground wire must be as thick as the conductors, i.e. at least 12 AWG in this case.

If your jurisdiction hasn't adopted NEC 2014 yet, well... I don't know what to tell you.  I would investigate whether they're likely to.


install smoke/fire detector in basement I would like to install smoke detector in the basement, which has the following layout:

    +----------------------------------------+
    |                                        |
  Small           Living Area                |
  Window                                     |
    |                                        |
    +---+       +---------------+------------+
    |     Utility Room          |      |-----|
    |  (furnace, washer,        |      |-----|
    |   hot water tank)         |      |---- |
    +---------------------------+------------+

The right bottom box indicates stairs to upper level. So my question is: where is the best spot to install a smoke detector? Is it right next to the stairs, e.g. to the left or right, or in front of the stairs, or closer to the utility room?

From the National Fire Protection Association:

  Smoke alarms installed in the basement should be installed on the
  ceiling at the bottom of the stairs leading to the next level.

I presume this is to detect smoke as it rises up the stairs. I have also read on the detector instruction sheet NOT to install smoke/monoxide detector closer than 15 feet from your furnace. I assume this is to reduce false alarms. If you have any doubts, you could certainly install more than one detector.

I have a similar layout in that I have a finished basement along with a separate utility room. I put a detector by the stairs as well as one in the utility room, about 10 feet from the furnace. No false alarms. Haven't had a fire to test this setup, thankfully.


How do I fill in holes in a fire door? I removed a piece of door hardware I'd screwed into the metal firedoor we have on the front of the house. Now, I have two holes in the door. The only advice I've found is this guy who seems to default to "buy this product I'm suggesting". I'm mainly looking for something cosmetic, but I also want to make the door as safe as possible. The hole is only on one side of the door, the inside.

One of the other methods he mentioned was to simply put a screw in and either grind it down or just paint it over. Would that work?

If you could dimple in the metal around the hole so that you leave enough metal for screw threads to engage then you can install a flat head sheet metal screw that has threads right up to the head. This strategy in the best case would recess the screw head enough so that you could use some high temperature epoxy to fill in over the screw head. In the less than optimum case the screw head may stick out above the surface in which case you would have to go ahead and grind it down to flush or more so that you can the fill the area around and over the screw head.

If the metal door has a wood core behind where holes are located you may be able to countersink and dimple the area around the hole so that a flat head screw will fit up to the surface. In this case a longer screw could be threaded into the wooden core inside the metal door.

If there is no real chance to get a screw threads to engage in the metal cladding of the door or into some door core material then the problem of plugging the hole with a metal piece becomes a bit more complicated. For a very small hole in the size of say 1/8 inch it would seem to me that a high temperature epoxy may be the best thing. Just fill it, let it harden and then sand to level. Note that when using the filler it would really be best to sand down to bare metal near the hole. The epoxy will adhere better to bare roughened bare metal than it would to paint surface.


Should I replace my mercury switch thermostat? We have an old mercury switch thermostat in our house, You know the type, gold ring, very common.

We are in new England on a gas/steam system. There is no central AC.

We have been told by more than one heating professional that there really aren't any decent alternatives. The problem is that the thermostat doesn't report the right temperature, so it basically functions as a switch. The other problem is that my wife hates it.

I think we are on a 2 rather than three wire system. The house was built in the late 1920's.

Does anyone have experience with alternative thermostats?

Almost every thermostat on the market today is a better alternative than a mercury switch-type.

Even the cheapest digital thermostats have schedules, so that they can have different heating points during the morning, daytime, evening and overnight, and range from having weekend vs weekday to 7-day indepedent schedules. This allows you to save money by turning down the temperature while you're not home or sleeping.

On the more advanced side of things, there are internet-connected thermostats you can program/control from your PC/phone/etc, and ones that can self-learn based on manual adjustments and motion-sensing. There is a corresponding increase in price, and these typically do require a C-wire so since you only have two wires you'd have to pull a new wire for this.

To connect a basic digital thermostat to the 2-wires, the best thing is to follow the instructions that come with the thermostat. Typically you're going to connect the two wires between R (or Rh) and W.


Should I have cavity wall insulation installed? I have the option to get cavity wall insulation done for free in my home, but i'm not sure if its a good idea or not. I've heard people say it can cause issues with damp, its hard to get out if there's a problem etc.

What would people suggest?

You should always be careful with contractors who seem to be out to make a quick buck. And you should certainly raise your questions with them when you meet them, and make sure you get an answer you are comfortable with. If you are dealing with a government- or utility-subsidized energy efficiency program, you may still have a choice of contractors. And the subsidy program may itself provide some inspection services which can help to keep the contractors in line.

We considered and performed similar energy efficiency upgrades in our home, a 120-year-old wood frame house near Boston. We received bids from two companies, both using the statewide utility subsidy program. The bids included blown cellulose cavity insulation and air sealing. The bids were similarly priced. We ended up going with the company that seemed easier to deal with and more competent in assembling the bid. They in turn used a subcontractor to do the work, and they did good work (probably because they knew to expect a strict inspection afterwards).

The blown cellulose was installed in wall cavities and attic floor. No vapor barrier was added, as this would require tearing out the walls.

The insulation made a noticeable difference in comfort and heating costs the next winter. I agree with you there is some risk of additional damage if moisture gets into the walls; there isn't a nice empty cavity behind the wall to help any leaked water evaporate. This likely means you have to keep a closer eye on your roof and walls, check your attic yearly, and ensure you don't have even a small leak. However, blown-in cellulose insulation is widely used and recommended, so the risk is (probably) small.


How can I get the light cover off my fixture? I have a light fixture in my bathroom and I’ve no idea how to remove the cover go replace the bulb, tried turning it, tried prying it off with no avail. There is a slight notch however trying to pry it off using this just isn’t happening.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks in advance ,
Emma

There are fixtures now that screw in like a bulb over an keyless socket or similar. Turn the whole thing gently and see if it unscrews.

For example

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-Lightbulb-Replacement-Fixture-7-in-Round-White-60-Watt-Equivalent-Integrated-LED-Flushmount-Bright-White-54483142/205890895


Do I need to use BX wire in my house? I live in the Chicago, IL suburbs, and I've been told that I need BX wire to be up to code, both from a worker at Home Depot and from a friend who is an electrician.

However, I have only used Romex before, and it looks like there is already Romex wire running from my circuit box. Am I ok to continue use of Romex in my home?

I'm planning to add an overhead fan unit with a light to one of my bedrooms. The wires will be behind drywall.

If you went to a Home Depot very close to your house (in the same town) and they said that BX is required, I would take that seriously and research the finer points of that rule.  A lot of the workers at home stores are not experts by any stretch, but they know what sells and what they have to stock, so there will be some truth to what they "know".

That said, your question illustrates perfectly why location is important, although I totally understand not wanting to give out more info that is needed.  After a little research into Chicago, it looks like you would have to tell us your exact location in order to weed through the various versions of codes that suburbs have adopted, and at that level of detail, a question is considered off topic because it's not likely to be helpful to anyone else.

It seems that Chicago is one of the places that requires metal conduit for residential wiring.  From what I can tell, the city is very strict on it and as you move into the suburbs, they are various levels of strict to the point of allowing NM cable in some areas.

A term that comes up in code discussions is Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ).  It's important that you know what jurisdiction you are in so you can ask the right people about the codes in your area.  The county code compliance office should be able to tell you quickly what is required and if you need a permit or if you're even allowed to do the work (in some cases a pro has to do the job).


Connect Taco Radiator system to a new Honeywell wireless thermostat I have a Taco model 572 valve connected to an existing wired Honeywell TH8110 thermostat for my oil fueled radiator system.  I'm getting a new Honeywell TH6320 wireless thermostat for a new A/C installation and I would like to know if there is equipment available that would allow me to connect the wireless thermostat to the Taco valve.  The Taco valve is currently connected to a Honeywell control board.

This turned out to be much easier than I expected.  The EIM that had been setup for A/C only had the R Rc Rh terminals connected by jumpers.

I removed the jumper on the Rh terminal because the heating system
had it's own 24V power.
I replaced the wire that was coming from the old wired thermostat with a new one that I connected to the Rh terminal and W terminal on the EIM.

The thermostat had already been connected to the EIM so these steps were all it took.


Should I install drywall or plywood above a drop ceiling to increase the insulation value? I am currently insulating a new room in my house. I am planning to put up a drop ceiling. I have  insulated between my roof trusses. Do I need anything else between my drop ceiling and attic space other than insulation. I thought of putting either drywall or plywood but not sure if I need it or not.

If your in a cold weather area a layer of poly creates a vapor barrier, otherwise Drywall and plywood have no insulation value. Notes for the insulation between roof trusses:

4" cavity space: R-13 or R-15 batts,
6" cavity space: R-19 or R-21 batts,
if it's a wide open attic, use an R-30 or R-38 batt.


What, if any, circuit elements are disallowed downstream of a GFCI? This was inspired by the "reverse" question .   Is there any switch, protection element, (even a new breaker box) which is not allowed to be installed downstream of a GFCI?

The only restriction would be in a “smart switch” that doesn't have a neutral but uses the ground for a small amount of current I think these are limited to 5 but I would have to check on that to verify the number.


How do I fix a sinkhole in my backyard? I have a sinkhole in my backyard along the fence line which began expanding during the last few months. There's a slight depression in the ground about 6' in diameter centered around one of the fence posts which is set in concrete. The fence post at the center of the hole is about 6" lower than the other posts. A hole just opened up on my side of the fence that's about 1' in diameter, and kind of shoots down at a 45° angle into my yard. My neighbor actually pointed it out, because the hole is more noticeable on her side of the fence.

How can I fix this? My neighbor says they've put a truckload of dirt down it without any real results. She told me yesterday that I needed to go stomp on my side of the fence and pack the sinkhole in, which sounded like a very bad idea to me. She also wants to pour concrete down the hole in an attempt to fill it up.

I'm worried that if dirt didn't solve the problem, concrete won't either, and we'll be stuck with an area that we can't excavate because there's a giant man-made concrete boulder in the way. What are the general steps involved with identifying the underlying cause of the sinkhole and the best solution to fill it in?

Follow Up: Our fence got mostly destroyed by high winds from a nearby tornado, so I went ahead and had the fence company repair the sinkhole while they were replacing the fence. They brought in a mini-backhoe (good call @shirlock) and started digging.

The sinkhole was filled with all sorts of construction debris, and something that may have once been part of a port-a-john (gross). Five feet down, it seemed like the debris was thinning out, so they stopped digging and poured a concrete footing to support the fence post.

We'll see if it holds up. I just hope we found the bottom of the sinkhole. It's hard to know since we couldn't excavate on my neighbor's side of the fence as well.

How old is the house?  If it's fairly recent, do you have any idea of what the property was like before being built on?  It's possible that the builder put down a lot of fill, and there was a large amount of organic material in that fill, or that he just dumped fill on top of what was there - stumps, trees, etc.  Depending on the composition of the fill used, you might be able to get away with just dumping earth or sand into the hole, but it sounds like a large area - which means that digging it up, removing the rotting organic material, and replacing it with fresh fill is really the only way to permanently fix it.

You might want to get a local plumber to come out and "scope" the hole to see if you can tell whether or not this really is your problem.


Russian motor from washing machine with 4 wires coming out. How to use for windmill generator? I've just pulled apart an old russian washing machine to extract a couple of motors to use as in windmill generators I'm making. I don't know much about motors, so I'm kinda new to this but want to learn about it.

One motor has 4 wires coming out of it. 1 wire is copper, the other 3 I think are aluminium. The copper wire has red insulation, there's another red one, a black and a blue. There is also a 5th wire connected to the body which I'd guess is ground/earth.

I've read a few posts around the place like testing with a multimeter the resistance between the wires to find pairs.

The resistance between:

Red(copper) & red(aluminium) wires: 19.2ohms
Red(copper) & black: 1.4megaohms
Red(copper) & blue: 1.3megaohms
Red(aluminium) & black: .9megaohms
Black and blue: 51.2ohms
Red(aluminum) and blue: 1megaohms

So from what I've learned, whatever pair has the least resistance is connected to the Armature and therefore, the other 2 are for the field. In my case then, red and red are armature (brush?), black and blue are field

What I'm curious to know is, how would I connect these wires for using it as a generator? I saw a video of a guy connecting the 4 wires into 2 to 'induce some voltage' as he says.

If I connect mine the same (2 red wires together, and black and blue together) then connect it to a multimeter to test volts and give the motor a spin, I can see it's creating a AC voltage, but not much (.02v). I'm not using a drill. If I switch it to testing DC voltage, nothing changes when I turn the motor. So I'm assuming it is an AC motor but I really don't know. How can I be sure?

BTW, these are the details from what I've gathered reading the russian
180v, 1.5a, and I think 1350RPM. Here's a photo(s) if you happen to be able to read this:

Any tips for this would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

Washing machine motor (especially an old one) is most likely to be an asynchronous motor - they can't work as generator. The minimal voltage you see comes from residual magnetization of the rotor acquired over the years. A brand-new specimen wouldn't yield even that.

You should have noted how the motor was connected before you took it apart. One pair is probably the main phase and the other the startup phase, powered via a capacitor to achieve a phase shift. There is no winding for the rotor.
Capacitor start induction motor on Wikipedia

About the photos you posted: I can see the word "kondensator" which means "capacitor", and "6mkF 600V" which seems to be "6μF, 600V". That most likely is the spec of the capacitor required for operation.
I think it reads 50Hz, 180W, power factor 0.9 (cos fi), 220V, 1.5A.

/edit: Ah, I forgot about one thing. Washing machine motors usually are bit more complicated because they have twin windings to be ran in reverse and often have yet another, "high speed" winding for spinning. But that's all in the stator, the rotor is just a hunk of metal just like any other induction motor. If you want to learn more about your motor, google yields some schematics if you ask about this model: https://www.google.ru/#q=%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B5+071+4%D1%81

(A tip for future research on russian and soviet parts: open google.ru, it has Cyrillic on-screen keyboard so you can actually type the model you have)


Wiring for an emergency generator interlock I want to use an interlock to have use of any breakers (if necessary) in my circuit panel.The problem is I have power from the utility meter feeding a service disconnect which, in turn, feeds the main lug breaker panel on the opposite wall of my garage.  There is no "main" circuit breaker in the panel otherwise I would put an interlock kit there.  I'm questioning whether I could place a "feed through" breaker panel in between the service disconnect and the main lug breaker panel. This feed through panel would have a main breaker and 50A breaker for the generator power and interlock kit as well as lugs to continue the main service to the breaker panel when not using generator power.  Am I completely off base with this or does someone out there have some different ideas? Thank you

Edit because I can now see your pictures:
Best bet if it's a convertible panel
Call around to electrical supplies until you find an Eaton dealer.  Give them your panel model number and ask them if it's convertible to main-breaker and if Eaton has a factory generator interlock for it.   I have a feeling it's convertible because some features in the top area (like those funny pillars) don't make any sense otherwise.
Wow, that was super easy.
If it's NOT convertible, note the sticker "Use in Box G1 size (indoor) or G1R size (outdoor) panel". That refers to the steel enclosure (the thing 14" wide by 30" or so tall).  Search for a panel that uses the same exact box as yours that is convertible - example, a BR4040N200R panel.   Pull all the breakers and tuck them back, and remove the two fat hot wires.  Then remove the screw now hiding under the bottom breaker and the screw between the pillars up top. There may be 1 or 2 more screws, and voilà, the bus assembly pops right out.  Do the same to the breaker panel you just acquired, and swap the bus assemblies. Also swap lids. You have replaced your entire panel with astonishingly little work, because you picked exactly the right donor panel.   Now you have a convertible panel; proceed as above.
The next best thing: Backfeed a breaker
Another option in this panel is to fit a 125A breaker in the top position of your panel, and backfeed that.  (Sadly BR does not make a 200A plug-on breaker, and you can't use any other brand. So you'll lose a lot of usable ampacity.)  You would remove the feed wires from the main lugs, and reroute to the backfed breaker.  Then use a backfeed style interlock (BRPMIKBR) to interlock that with your generator breaker.   Most likely these (4/0?) Al wires won't fit on the breaker so you'd need to change to 2/0 Cu.
If you can't make your panel convertible, use a transfer switch
That's your idea, and yeah, sure, I don't see any problem with that.  You could use a main-lug panel and the kind of interlock kit where two "normal" breakers backfeed and are interlocked.   One breaker is "Utility" and the other is "generator".  Both backfeed the bus of that panel.   Then off the main lugs of that panel, go onward to your large existing panel.
If you feel weird backfeeding and sending power "upward" through the main lugs, then mount the panel upside down so the main lugs exit the bottom. Then just pretend they're feed-thru lugs lol.
Edit: One big snag with this is your 200A service.  That's an awful lot to backfeed into regular breakers simply because 200A regular breakers are scarce. What you need is a panel type that both a) supports 200A branch circuit breakers, and b) has an appropriate interlock.   That's a scarce combination - for instance Square D's lowbrow HOMeline is deprived of many features, but it actually does have a 200A branch circuit breaker (HOM2200BB)... unfortunately not a factory interlock, so you'd have to go to the aftermarket.
Probably a better bet to go with any of the numerous of 200A main-breaker panels out there with 4-8 breaker spaces and feed-through lugs, such as the BR816N200RF.  You could stick the generator breaker in one of the normal spaces and use a standard factory interlock, then feed the big panel off the "feed-through lugs".  The only problem is, the boxes are gigantic (for cable bending space reasons).
Either way, the above boxes could actually stand in as a substitute for your current 200A main breaker/disconnect (that's kinda what they're for)... if you wanted to get into pulling the meter / pulling permits / inspection to get the power turned back on etc.
But if you're going with a gigantic panel anyway...
... just have a second main panel and call it good. Another 200A main breaker, this time panel right next to your existing panel, with interlock.  It's fed with 200A wire either from your main breaker outside, or the panel next to it via double-lugs or "tee" Polaris connectors.  Serving 200A wire to both panels is fine.  This lets you take a clean-slate approach without having to move all your circuits. Simply move the circuits that you want on generator.
Or if you're moving circuits anyway... go with a smaller panel.
This lets you use a more compact subpanel such as a BRP20L125, with two backfed breakers interlocked. One backfed breaker comes from generator, the other from the large panel where it's fed from a breaker there.   Then you move into this subpanel any circuits you want on generator.


Sump discharge freezing I was awoken early this morning by my sump water level alarm going off.   After some investigation, I believe that my sump discharge has frozen due to recent low temperatures.
I've verified that the pump is still functioning (Disconnecting the pump discharge in the house shows that it is moving water at high pressure.   When connecting the pump discharge to the pipe that leads out of the house, water stops flowing.
My sump discharge is run under the basement foundation, then underground for about 300-400 feet, then pops out of a small mound on the side of a slope.  When investigating the outlet this morning, I found it completely covered with snow, and no signs of water leaving the pipe.
I've tried running a snake from outside (Into the house, but it hits something hard (Assuming ice) about 1 - 2 feet in).
Specific Questions

What is the typical way that a sump discharge is setup in freezing climates?
What can I do in the short term (While ground is frozen) to fix this issue.  (I currently have it running into my septic system, which I assume will mess that up in short order).
What is the correct long term fix for this issue?

Additional details if required

Home was built in the last two years, and up until this point I would have said that I never have water in the sump.
There are two pipes leaving the mound, the smaller of the two is the sump outlet, the larger is what I believe to be connected to the sump vent (Air vent out of the top of the sump pit) (But I have not verified this).
Running electrical to this location (For heat tape or something similar) would be difficult (Especially with the frozen ground), due to the long distance from the house.

How is a sump discharge normally set up in freezing climates?
Short and wide, with plenty of slope, so that ice cannot build up in the bottom of the pipe. A 2" pipe to a 4" pipe with a fall to a gutter or ditch leading away from the house.
Alternatively, completely below frost line to a dry well.
What can I do in the short term
Buy 350-450 feet of garden hose (or enough more than you already own to get there) and run water in the far end of the sump pipe. You'll have to keep the water in the hose flowing so it does not freeze up on you, and get it back inside a warm area when you stop.
Depending upon your builder, you might also try complaining that the extravagant mess they built (a 300+ foot underground sump drain fully qualifies for that description, IMHO) isn't working right, and you'd appreciate some help from them correcting it. This might clear up which pipe is which, if nothing else - you don't want to waste a lot of effort on the wrong pipe.
Contact a plumber with a pipe-thawing rig - the modern ones involve a pump that drives heated water into a smaller pipe inserted in the frozen pipe, which can normally be done from inside the house where power is easy to come by. Given the absurd length of your setup a portable generator or large heavy-duty extension cord may be required to work from the other end as well.
The town I grew up in had a portable boiler for thawing frozen culverts by blowing steam into them, but I don't think such a thing is easily found for rental. If you get back to long, heavy extension cord or portable generator I guess you could try a wallpaper or cleaning steamer.
What is the correct long term fix for this issue?
Hard to be sure without knowing where the problem actually is. If it's just frozen at the outlet end, an immediate red flag is "the smaller pipe is the outlet" and I'd start with digging that up, going back in at least 10 feet and replacing the exposed end of the pipe with a larger diameter pipe, ensuring that it is sloped a minimum of 1/4" per foot. When burying that again, dig out 2 to 4 feet wide for 8-16 feet of pipe and lay a sheet or two of XPS insulation on top of the pipe, centered, which makes it act like it's buried deeper. Or apply more dirt and bury it deeper, which might mean building a retaining wall on the face where the pipe comes out. If the original pipe was not properly set, it may have lost slope with ground movement due to frost, causing water to pool and freeze.
If it's frozen in the middle of the run, that's a very expensive proposition to fix and is clearly your builder's fault for doing it wrong. Well, the whole mess is clearly your builder's fault for doing it wrong, it's only two years old.
There are electrical internal pipe thawing devices, usually intended for water supply lines, which can be placed and only powered as needed.


How do I replace an A/C diffuser attached to flex duct? Our house has central air, with the air distributed via flex ducts around the house.  On the second floor, the diffusers have baffles behind them that can be closed when the system is not in use, but the mechanism on these devices isn't very well built and on some has actually broken.

I'd like to replace them, but I'm not exactly sure what to call all the parts.  On the outside is what I would call a diffuser, but that's attached to some sort of plastic collar that (a) houses the baffle and (b) attaches to the flex duct via a long zip tie.

The whole assembly is clamped onto the ceiling via screws that connect to a little plastic "wing" that swings out when everything is tightened.

I'm not sure where to find these assemblies.  The local Home Depot carries diffusers, but they don't have anything like the plastic collars with the baffles, and my Googling to date hasn't turned up the right thing.

I suspect part of my problem is that I don't know the nomenclature.  I'm hoping you folks can help point me in the right direction.

This is the collar:

This is the diffuser:

The screw holes on the diffuser match up with channels in the collar.

It's a butterfly style diffuser damper. Home depot sells them, but I don't see one that has the long collar that you would want to attaching to the flex tube.

Your best bet is finding an online retailer that supplies parts for the flex duct systems. I see this one from a google search that includes the grille and damper box:


Running NM wire romex along rafters in vaulted ceilings So my ceilings look like this:  /\

I want to replace / relocate my breaker panel.

The circuits run along the rafters into the attic space (small, cant stand up).

My questions:

Can I just fish romex along the rafters?
If I do that, it doesn't seem possible to staple them every 4' - so how do you secure romex in non accessible places where you are fishing wire?

Thank you

You don't. If you're fishing cable, you don't have to secure it.

National Electrical Code
334.30 Securing and Supporting.
(B) Unsupported Cables. Nonmetallic-sheathed cable shall be permitted to be unsupported where the cable:
(1) Is ﬁshed between access points through concealed spaces in ﬁnished buildings or structures and supporting is impracticable


Getting shocked by a neutral wire I'm trying to figure out how I got a shock from a neutral wire. I didn't think it was possible until I read this article on being "in series with the neutral." Here's what happened:

I was disconnecting a ceiling fan remote receiver which has a hot and neutral connection and supplies power to the fan and light kit. The hot wire that supplies the box runs through a single-pole switch, so I shut off the switch and tested with a solenoid voltage meter to make sure it was in the off position. I then removed the wire nuts from the hot and neutral connections. I tested both the hot and neutral bundles with the voltage meter (between wires and the grounded box) and there was no voltage, but there was a small spark when I touched the lead to the neutral bundle. I tested it again and there was no voltage, so I assumed that it was static discharge (I don't know why I did that). So I tested the neutral bundle again, to be safe, and there was no voltage. I started unbraiding the neutral wires and that's when I got a shock.

I couldn't believe it. I got a multimeter out and tested again, but there was zero voltage from the neutrals to ground. I turned the switch back on and tested again (hot to ground and hot to neutral), and the black wire was indeed the hot. Then I realized that there were two neutral wires coming into the box, which seemed odd for a ceiling box with only one load (the fan controller). I tested both neutral wires with the switch on and off (neutral to ground): no voltage on either.

Is it possible to get a shock even though you can't detect voltage from a neutral wire? I think now that "neutral one" came from a mystery load that ran into the box and hooked up to  "neutral two", which runs to the neutral bar. I probably should have tested hot to each neutral separately to confirm this, but I didn't want another shock. Did I complete a circuit when I touched both neutral wires, and that is why I got the shock?

Here's how you can get a shock from a "neutral" wire: you had multiple white wires, only one was the neutral leading back to your circuit breaker/fuse panel. The rest are extending the neutral to other fixtures/outlets. Let's say that one is a light fixture and its switch is on. When you undid the white wire bundle, the white wire going to that light now becomes hot: voltage is coming through the closed switch and the light. You'd get a shock from that white wire, but only when you'd disconnected it from the true neutral.

Now, as for the volt meter, did you meter the individual white wires to ground, or only the complete bundle? As I noted above, you would only see voltage on that white wire when it was disconnected from the real neutral wire.


Install Sump Pump Check Valve on Washing Machine We just purchased a Everbuilt THD1020 (In-Line Sump Pump Check Valve) , and installed in the back hose of our washing machine. The original hose would leak detergent soap and water. Is it a good practice to install In-Line check valves like this on washing machines? Are there any negative consequences, issues with flooding or clogging from doing this? The original hose kept leaking, so decide to get this instead. How does this fit in state california rules?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-25-in-and-1-5-in-ABS-In-Line-Sump-Pump-Check-Valve-THD1020/205616001

Update: Reading the website from Home Depot, trying to understand, see if it applies to my situation

"Can you use this on a 2inch waste line every time washing machine drains it flows back up through the tub drain"

Answers "That's probably not the best way to resolve your problem but it may be the only way without knowing more about your situation. If you do decide to use this, and if it is at all possible, mount this check valve in the horizontal position. The reason for this is that unlike sump pumps that usually eject clear water, washing machines are continually ejecting water mixed with particulate. If the valve was mounted in the vertical position, particulate could get lodged in the valve easier and could cause it not to seal all the way. If mounting it horizontally is not possible, then you could go ahead and try it vertically. The worst thing that could happen is that the valve could temporarily get stuck open and you end up right back to where you are today."

"you could, understanding some limitations. tub drain will allow hair and other crud through it so check valve might eventually not offer full seal against reverse wash as it accumulates this debris. key is to have a screen or strainer in your tub drain to eliminate this from going down in first place. However, you probably need to solve the underlying problem of the slow drain which empties the washer and tub. Try some digestive enzymes such as Roebic RBC to open that common drainpipe. Or manually clean it out with an auger."

If you have water backing up your drain line is partially plugged or under sized. I would fix the problem back pressure on the washer pump may cause it to fail much sooner than normal. If the line is backing up it would be advisable to run a snake down the line to clear it out. Many homes have a clean out close to washers but not all. Snaking the line would be my first thing to attempt.


Can I connect a combination heater/fan unit to the existing bathroom wiring? I have a dedicated 15A circuit for a top-floor bathroom fan with heat lamps which draws much less than capacity. There is nothing else on this circuit.

I know that code for a 15A 14ga circuit at 80% load should be 12A max.

This is the quandry. I'm looking at a Panasonic Heater Fan (FV-11VH2) that draws, only when both the heater and exhaust fan is running, 12.12A (1454.5W). 95% of the time, only the vent fan will be running (<1A). When it's running the heat it'll be on a wall timer.

In a perfect world, I'd run a new 12ga 20A circuit, but I'm not too keen on ripping out 3 floors of drywall to run a new wire.

So run it anyways on the 14ga/15A breaker or abandon it? Hard to believe an extra 120mA run occasionally is a big deal ...

In this case, it looks like you'll have to run a new 20A circuit.  As per Article 110.3(B) of the National Electrical Code (NEC), and the manufacturers instructions.

NEC 2008
110.3 Examination, Identification, Installation, and Use of Equipment.
(B) Installation and Use. Listed or labeled equipment shall be installed and used in accordance with any instructions included in the
listing or labeling.

On page 5 of the manufacturers installation manual (PDF), it clearly states that you must use a 20A circuit.


How do I remove this kitchen faucet? I Googled a lot, checked a lot of YouTube videos but to no avail.

I have a single hole kitchen faucet.

The image shows the bottom part of the faucet. I'm not sure what to unscrew. I thought there would be a nut under the metal C shaped cap. But I could not find any nut or anything I can unscrew. I am trying to replace this one with a new one.

My house is somewhat old (20 years).

Found a similar design at the Delta website. The round knurled piece should unscrew. The male threaded section should also unscrew. Apparently some have a hex shape to facilitate installation. Some have an internal female hex shape that is removed by an allen wrench. This allows the retaining plate to be removed. If there is enough room between the backsplash and the spout you could try holding the piece under the sink with a pipe-wrench, vise grips or large pliers and have someone spin the faucet.


Cold Water Line frozen, should I leave cold water faucet open? It has been really cold in DC lately. My thermostat is broken, so it goes to 77 degrees no matter what I set it to. I tried to get it fixed, but it ended up being a waste of $50 because they just cleaned the boiler, although I told them over the phone what the problem is. So I decided to just ignore it because winter is almost over anyway. I turn the heat off at night since I'm under my blankets, so it was 46 degrees in the house when I woke up yesterday morning.

I noticed that the cold water to the entire upstairs bathroom wasn't working. I left the heat on all day, and the faucet and toilet cold water line thawed out. But the tub cold water line is still not working, now a full day later.

I've tried the hair dryer thing, and next I'm thinking about using the wet vac on the faucet to see if an air pocket is the problem. My Dad thinks this is a bad idea. Is it?

Anyway, in the mean time I've been leaving the faucet open so pressure doesn't build up and also so I can hear it when it hopefully comes back on. But after reading some more stuff on line I'm worried that leaving the faucet open means there is still water trying to come through the pipe and that will burst it.

So long story short, if a cold water line is frozen do I leave the faucet open or closed?

Thank you!

It makes absolutely no difference whatsoever to the freezing condition if you leave the faucet open or not.

If a faucet is left open BEFORE it freezes, it can prevent freezing because running water does not freeze.

The only way to thaw it is to find the area that is frozen and heat it with a warming strip or a hair dryer or a propane torch or whatever. Try not to start a fire. If you use a hair dryer it can take HOURS to thaw a water line, even if it is blowing at high right at the frozen spot. Also, a hair dryer will only work if the line is frozen in one specific spot. If, say, 3 feet or 4 feet of piping are frozen, there is no way a hair dryer will do anything (at least in a day or two).


Removing Excess Blind Material I have blinds on my new windows and the blinds are too long for the window opening. My guess is this is done to make them universal. How do you remove the excess and reattach the bottom?

If these are slatted miniblinds, each of the vertical strings goes down through the bottom rail and is held in place by a little button.  Once you pop out those buttons with a small screwdriver, the strings are free and you can remove the bottom rail.  Then you can un-thread the extra slats and re-thread the bottom rail back on, cut the strings and replace the buttons.


What is this dishwasher drain solenoid seal part & how can I replace it? Our dishwasher (GE GSD3200G00WW) is leaking underneath whenever the drain process kicks in.  It looks like the seal between the drain solenoid and the drain itself has deteriorated and should be replaced.

Removed the drain solenoid:

This part (1/2 inch in diameter) (that is right against the drain around where the shaft comes out) popped right off:

And behind it you can see rotted rubber type material inset into the drain itself around the shaft:

which is almost certainly where the water is coming out.

In the videos I can find showing how to replace the drain solenoid, it shows this part already being in place, as if built into the drain itself, for example in this video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZX9uP8UcPc#t=96 :

So -- what is this part called?  And, how can I replace it?  Can I just scrape out the remaining rubber from the drain around the shaft, and then pop the new part in?  Or is this so integrated with the drain that I'll need to fully remove the drain and pump and everything?

This part is a shaft seal (the links below), you might want to get the push-on nut also (GE part number AP2059046), as you may have to cut it off to install the seal.

searspartsdirect.com, Part number: WD08X0181, Substitution: WD8X181. (Part may differ in appearance but is a functional equivalent)

appliancepartspros.com also shows this seal as: Part Number WD8X181


How do household radiator thermostatic valves work I'm unclear how thermostatic valves work.
If set to 5 does that mean it continues letting in hot water into the 1. radiator regardless, or does it stop when it detects the 2. radiator is a certain temperature, or it is based on them 3. ambient air temperature.

And if 2/3 how does it detect temperature, what is max temperature ?

I know it seems crazy but those thermostatic valves actually do detect room ambient temperature and increase or reduce the flow of water through the radiator based on that temperature.  It does not care about the temperature of the water flowing through the lines.  If you set it to '5' and the room is cool, it will allow a lot of the water circulating through the system into that radiator.  As the room warms, the valve starts to restrict the amount of water into the radiator.  When the room hits a predetermined level, the valve will shut all the water off flowing to the radiator.


Should I replace a receptacle with a small burn mark? I have a window A/C in my room. I turned it on last night and power from that socket, the restroom lights, second bedroom and hallway lights are not working now. The plugs in the restroom do work. The socket that the A/C unit was plugged into has a slight burn mark on it. No breakers tripped and I checked the whole house for GFCI plugs to reset.

What else could I try? Should I replace the socket that has the burn mark because I can't find any other problem?

I would definitely replace it if you feel comfortable doing so. A small burn mark on the surface could be a big burn or melted spot on the back. If it was quick-wired (wires just stuck in the holes in the back) then it is quite likely the contact is compromised or even burnt.


Light switch with hot pig tail under screw & hot wire in a push-in conncection One hot wire that has the pigtail & it will go under the screw. The other hot wire needs to go in the Push-In Wire Connection. How far in? What if you can see exposed wire once pushed in the hole? This switch controls one overhead light, nothing else as far as I can tell.
The non hot wire will go under the other screw or in the push-in connection.

Add the extra hot to the pigtail and then you don't need the push-in connection, which is less reliable than the screw connection.


Need to find 2" utility sink drain The plastic drain in a utility/laundry sink did not survive the attempt to remove or repair it.  The hole in the sink bottom is 2" in diameter.  There is a 3" diameter inset at the hole that limits the size of the drain's top flange. I have searched the web extensively and not found anything of appropriate size.  The closest I can get in appearance is an Oatey 42099; it unfortunately has a strainer that's over 3".

I hope I don't have to replace the sink!

You need a "Laundry Tub Strainer". They are available at any good plumbing shop (notice I did not say "Big Box Home Improvement store") or online at what I think is the largest online retailer on earth (starts with A, ends with N, Z in the middle).

This one fits a 2" hole, the upper flange diameter is 2 3/4":

Specs are here:
laundry tub strainer assembly


2 outlets in kitchen have no power to them I have two outlets in my kitchen that have no power to them. I didn't change plugs because there is no power to them. I checked breakers and there is power coming out. I checked  bus bar and made sure wire was secure. I don't know what to do next?

Sounds like they're protected by a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), and the GFCI has tripped. You'll want to start by searching for the GFCI device, and resetting it. In most cases, it will look like a receptacle, except that there will be two button in the center of the face.  Press the RESET button in as far as it will go, you may or may not hear a click.

If these receptacles are not GFCI protected, then there's likely a loose, broken, or damaged wire somewhere.  You'll have to determine everything that's on the circuit, then try and figure out where the line feeding the first dead receptacle comes from.  With the circuit breaker off, carefully inspect the wiring of all the devices on the circuit.  Look for damaged, loose, or broken connections.

If you're not comfortable with electrical work, or don't have the knowledge and tools necessary, please contact a local licensed electrician.


Halogen to LED conversion on multi-light fixture not working I have a fixture with 4 MR16 (two pin) halogen bulbs. If I replace 2 of the halogen bulbs with LED's all bulbs work. If I replace 3 halogen bulbs with LED's all the bulbs act like a strobe light (not flickering because it is a constant on/off pattern). If I replace all halogen bulbs with LED's none of the bulbs work.

The fixture does not have a dimmer.

The problem is likely a mix of old and new technology: the power supply for the old halogen incandescent lamps is a newer electronic converter, rather than a transformer. Some of these converters have a minimum current for operation, which the LED's don't meet.

You have a few options:

Replace the existing power supply with one designed for LED lighting (This is a generic example; choose one that meets your needs).
Run with two of each type. You'll save some energy over all-incandescent, but not as much. In addition, the difference in color temperature may be an advantage -- a more complete spectrum, or a disadvantage -- noticeable mismatch in color.
Try a different brand of MR16 LED lamp... but there's no guarantee it would work better unless the lamp is specified to work with the particular model supply in your fixture.


Will coefficient of performance rise in the future for heat pumps? I can see there are heat pumps with x > 4.1 SCOP, which is great!

Q: But will this get better in the future? Ex. in 10 years? New type of heat-pumps?

Or are there any psyhical limitations, that will only provide SCOP between around 4-5-6-7?

Absolutely they will get better! Every year company's invent new methods of controll that have increased performance, research is on going to find better forms of "Freon" that are more efficient and don't have a global warming or ozone depletion problems. How fast will it happen? Right now there are small increments of improvement every year and who knows someone may have a groundbreaking discovery that takes us to a whole new level of efficiency. Would I wait to purchase a unit for my home? No I would do it now, well I did do it to my latest home not long ago. The advancements are usually small but continual as each of the big players try to be the best so if you wait 5 years the rating of the best units may improve 1 or 2 seer. 20 years ago 13 was a good value now we are getting above 20- 22 with many mfg's. Note seer is seasonal energy efficiency ratio. The higher the better.  I use that instead of the coefficient of performance since seer is the standard comparison in the trade. To further answer your question we would need to know why you ask.


What is "code" and what should a DIYer know about it? I've heard people who work in construction and here on this site discuss "code", and when this happens someone sites a specific document such as the National Electrical Code or International Plumbing Code or similar.

(I'm assuming electrical and plumbing would be most important because they both result in thousands of dollars of property damage (fire or water damage)....)

If I'm about to start a DIY project, what should I know about codes, and assuming I know what kind of project I'm doing (plumbing, drywall, etc.) how do I know which document I need to get my hands on in order to make sure I don't do things egregiously badly?

Codes are usually minimum safety standards.

However, in the vernacular, "code" is a loose term that includes national, state, county and local laws and ordinances that dictate or direct building practices of all kinds. The whim of the inspectors could also loosely be considered "code". Most of the time, the basis of these laws and whims are guided by or reference/include the works of standards bodies, such as the National Electrical Code, NFPA, and International Plumbing Code, to name a few.

Depending on the jurisdiction and disposition of the building inspectors, a good way to make sure you will meet code for a particular project is to ask the inspector to look at your plans before you start your work. Your mileage here will vary greatly. Some jurisdictions won't even return your calls if you're not a contractor.

A good way to plan a project is to find a book at your local hardware store on the subject. While "code" varies from place to place, there is a lot of uniformity and common ground. These practices will generally be followed in these books. In fact, many times these books address code directly. A book I recently used on deck building referenced the International Residential Code specifically in many sections when explaining a decision to be made.


Ground a dryer converting to a 3-prong cord - manufacturer hardware missing I need to change the cord on an electric dryer from 4-prong to 3-prong. My questions concern 1) what to do with the ground when moving to the 3-prong dryer and 2) how to test whether the installation is working as it should using a multi-meter.

The dryer is a Bosch WTMC3300US/01. The relevant section of the manual is here:

The ground strap that the documentation mentions is not present nor is it available. I have fashioned a connection from 10 gauge copper wire. The new installation looks like this:

My research on the wisdom of this connection is all over the place, and I'm very interested in not screwing up. (One electrician I asked told me to connect the middle lead of the pigtail to the ground screw and leave the neutral empty. The most read post on this site says not to connect the ground and neutral. The manual says to use the ground strap, presumably connecting the neutral and ground.)

This is the wiring diagram for the dryer:

This is the original 4-prong configuration:

Thanks for your input.

EDIT: This is the inside of the current dryer receptacle, which is connected to a THQL breaker in the junction box (picture of that in the comments):

What you have done is correct but whether it is safe is another thing. If I had to do this at gunpoint, I would have used a Stranded piece of wire with eye connectors at each end. That would give a much more solid connection at both ends without a wire wrapped around a screw over a eye termination.

To test the connections with a multimeter I'd go from the middle terminal to each end terminal and look for 120V, then from the two end terminals and look for 240V.

You should really do this according to current code and leave the four wire plug and run your existing feed into a new box and add a four prong receptacle.


Drywall/Cement board transition for a tub surround I am remodeling my bathroom, and intend to replace my bathtub and surround. I have started ripping the 5/8 in. drywall from around the bathtub, and I intend to install a cement board and tile all the way to the ceiling.

However, the cement board, Hardiebacker, is only 0.42 in. thick, so I will have almost a 1/4 in. difference in thickness between the cement board and the drywall adjacent to the tub. What can I do to transition properly between the 0.42 in. Hardiebacker cement wall and the 5/8 drywall so that my tiling will look good and smooth?

I have not done a tub surround before, so I am not really sure what the smartest way to handle this.

I would shim out the studs behind the Hardiebacker so it's level with the drywall. A couple packs of cedar shims should do it


How do you wire multiple outlets between three way switches? I am trying to put my basement lights onto a three way circuit and can not find any examples of how to wire the circuit correctly.  I have power (12/2) coming into a box with a three way switch, then a 14/3 line going to an outlet, then another 3 outlets until finally going to a box with the other three way switch.

How do I wire the outlets correctly?

First off, you CANNOT use #14 on a circuit wired with #12. If you do you'd have to replace the breaker with a 15A and this is simply foolish IMO. Why loose 5 potential circuit capacity amps over such an issue?

OK, you need to forget the physical orientation of the items. The fact that the receptacles are physically in between the switches is irrelevant.
You can wire it this way, but not with what you have and it gets complicated.

You should re-wire the receptacles with the proper 12/2 wire from one of the switches. Then use 12/3 between the two switches and feed the other switch.
The only problem with this is that all three receptacles will be switched. This does NOT seem like a convenient setup, unless of course that is exactly what you want.

You can follow this wiring scheme shown as it is the easiest for DIYer and beginners, but remember that there is no one correct way to wire things. If you Google "3-way wiring" you'll find hundreds of diagrams people have drawn with just as many ways to wire.

Just think of your receptacles as the light in this diagram and continue on to the rest.


Can I hang a bathroom cabinet on a single stud and drywall anchors? I have a 15-20lb wood bathroom cabinet (24 inches wide, few feet tall) and I'll be looking to load it up with heavy bathroom supplies. Problem is there is only one stud available. Do you think one stud + drywall anchors on the other side is enough support? I was thinking it'd be best to cut out the drywall and put a backer board in between the studs?

While having all four mount points connect to structure (aka: the stud) is ideal, I think in your case, having two mount points in wood and two in a drywall anchor, you're going to be ok.

Consider this question:
What is the weight capacity of a drywall screw?

One drywall screw CAN (not should) hold a lot of weight for its size.  Also a properly installed drywall anchor can typically stand 70~ pounds of pull force (as in pulling out, not down).

With two WOOD (not drywall - wood) screws set into the available stud and 2 (or better, 4) drywall anchors, I think you're not likely to exceed the capacity.  If your cabinet total weight when full is < 100 lbs you're probably not going to have a problem.


Another code question: can I take a 110V outlet off one leg of a 220V circuit? Wiring the workshop, it'd be simplest to use the 220V circuit to also supply the shop's 110V outlets. I know some machines/appliances do that internally; can I expose it on the wall?

(I'm never sure whether to call it 110/220, which is what I heard as a kid, 120/240, or 115/230.... or if they're all recognised as nominal so it doesn't much matter except when planning wattage capacity.)

There are a few concerns:
Neutral and Grounding
First and foremost to do any of this would require a neutral conductor and a non current carrying conductor known as a ground/earth.
Undersized Grounding
Most double pole branch circuit grounds are only sized at #10. This is only good for up to 60 Amps according to the NEC.  The total Amps gained with the 120 V outlets may exceed what the code allows for #10 grounding. If the existing double pole is rated at 50 Amps, than you have 10 Amps to spare before having to increase the size of the ground to a #8  If you plan on removing the double pole receptacle all together than there shouldn't be a problem with a undersized ground.
OverCurrent Protection
If the above criteria has been met and the existing double pole receptacle is protected by a double pole 15 or 20 Amp breaker then you can safely tap off the conductors at the junction box to fed other 120 V outlets.
However if the double pole receptacle is protected by a breaker greater than 20 Amps, then one solution would be to change the the double pole receptacle to a small main-lug sub-panel.  Then branch off the sub-panel so each branch circuit is protected by its own breaker.


Will a 15A receptacle on a 20A circuit fail if I draw over 15A combined from each outlet? OR: is the rating for the entire receptacle or each outlet individually?

A common 15A receptacle has two outlets. If such a receptacle is attached to a 20A circuit, an 8A draw from each outlet will not trip the breaker.

Should such a draw cause the receptacle to fail? Or is the rating for each outlet contained in the receptacle?

No.

For a receptacle to be rated for 15A, it must be able to handle 15A at either outlet.  For example. If you plug one item that draws 15A into a receptacle, the receptacle must be able to handle that current.

Receptacles are actually designed to handle 150% over their rated current (or something like that, I'd have to find the specification to be sure). A 15A receptacle should be able to handle 22.5A, so your breaker should trip before the receptacle fails.

Consider this image...

Assuming the tab between the hot terminals is removed, and the red and black wires are each connected to separate 15A breakers. This is a valid configuration, and would allow 15A to be drawn at each outlet.

However, It's usually not a good idea to tempt fate, or stress test electrical components.  So in theory, it will not fail. In practice, it should not fail.


Do I have to do anything special when laying a shed? Ie foundations/bases etc? I know there is already a similar question but focused on plastic sheds

My question is, I'm thinking of investing in a shed for my garden, but do I need to do any preparation or can I literally just start setting it up? I have an area in my garden that is most grass/mud and is a flat area, do I need to lay any foundations?

I'd use a foundation.

It doesn't have to be very deep - it could just be a set of paving stones covering an area slightly larger than the shed itself.

If nothing else it will keep the wood away from the ground and reduce the damp and moisture that will attack the shed, thus prolonging it's life.

It will also help keep the shed level.


Is it ok to hang a ceiling fan from an Iberville Octagonal Box 1-1/2 Inch AC90 Steel Stud? Iberville Octagonal Box 1-1/2 Inch AC90 Steel Stud
I'm trying to figure if I can mount a 30lb fan (as per specification full installed weight) to this box?
We are in a townhouse condo and don't think we have access to attic. I did find the label on the box and it's exactly the box in the pic. The two screws on the box that would be used for fan mount would take 8-32 machine screws. I am thinking of using them with hex nuts for extra protection.
But is this box ok for mounting the fan? Or if not, how do we switch it, as not sure how to get in attic.
Also it has two pipes of wiring coming into it with bigger nuts to hold the pipe. It seems pretty stable if it try to move by hand.
Same is available in home depot : link

Nothing in the box itself, nor any of it sales literature, indicates that it’s fan-rated.  If it were, they’d be shouting that pretty loudly, because it’s a major feature.
Fan-rated boxes are special
Because fans are not a static load.  A 30-pound chandelier just hangs there.  A 30-pound fan vibrates and shakes.  These dynamic forces are what make ceiling fan boxes so critical/tough.
If you install a ceiling fan on a non-fan-rated box, it is likely to cause fatigue failure in the box or fasteners, and drop a spinning fan on somebody’s head.