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How can I figure out why my washing machine is tripping the GFCI receptacle? I have a Kenmore 80 Series (Model No. 110.24872300) washing machine which up to this point has been working fine. Since it is near a sink, the outlet it is plugged into is a GFCI outlet. On the last load I came back after letting it run for some time to find that it had tripped the GFCI in the middle of the wash cycle - the washer was still full of soapy water. I reset the outlet and let it run again, only to come down the next morning and find it full of water still (it had tripped during the rinse cycle this time). I reset the outlet again and this time it finished the rest of the cycle. My guess is that water is somehow getting onto the internal components of the washer and causing it to short - is there any way I can test this theory or fix the problem myself? <Q> (Summarizing the comments above) To narrow this problem down, there are three places that could be causing the GFCI to trip, a malfunction in the washing machine, a problem with the downstream wiring (aka load side of the GFCI), or the GFCI outlet itself. <S> If the outlet trips when the washing machine isn't running and isn't even plugged in, then there's a fault in the wiring on the load side of the GFCI outlet. <S> If the issue is neither of the above, then running the washing machine and monitoring to see which step is occurring when the trip happens will isolate what part of the washing machine may be leaking current to a ground. <S> It could be a certain water level, a motor being engaged, a transition step in the controller, etc. <A> Believe it or not, our Whirlpool Supreme clothes washer was doing the same thing TODAY. <S> Repeatedly and finally immediately tripping the dedicated GFCI and also a substitute one (used extension cord to go to the bathroom). <S> SOLUTION: <S> Supply feed line screens were partially or fully clogged with particles from our private well. <S> Removed, cleaned, reinstalled and like magic, the washer works great! <S> Hypothesis: <S> The water valve solenoids were starved for water to keep them cool, so they got hot and caused too much current to flow, thus tripping the GFCI? <S> Hope <S> this helps others, Good Luck?Trucster <A> Mine kept tripping because my washer pump was leaking, once I replaced the water pump, then it stopped tripping. <S> This is a safety GFCI,
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If there isn't anything downstream, then plugging the washing machine into another GFCI outlet, or simply swapping out the outlet for a known good GFCI outlet, will identify if the outlet itself is faulty.
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What are my options for installing 240v receptacles in an attached garage? My workshop (attached garage) is currently wired with 120V receptacles fed from the main panel in the house by #10/3 with ground (1 black, 1 red, 1 white, 1 ground) attached to a double-pole 30A breaker. I'd like to power a 13A, 240V table saw, and need to install a 240V receptacle. It would also be convenient to install a couple of "extension" receptacles around the perimeter so that I have of the option of changing my shop layout. I see two options, and would welcome advice. Option 1: Extend the existing wiring around the shop, using double-ganged boxes for a 120V receptacle on one side, and a 240V receptacle on the other side. The 240V receptacle would use both hots and the ground, and for the 120V side, I would draw from either hot leg to create a split receptacle. Option 2: Install a subpanel in the workshop, fed from the currently-installed 30A breaker in the main panel, and create separate circuits for 120V and 240V. Each circuit would receive its own breaker. Questions: Option 1 seems most straightforward. But is it correct or safe? If choosing Option 2, what size breakers should I use for the 120V and 240V circuits? <Q> A subpanel is probably the safest bet. <S> If you go with option 1, you'll have to step down to #12 or #14 wire at some point to feed 120V receptacles. <S> Which means you'll potentially be able to draw 30 amps on a #12/#14 wire, before the breaker trips. <S> If it were me, I'd install a subpanel with a 30A main breaker. <S> Then use a 20A single pole breaker to feed the 120V receptacles, and a 20A double pole breaker to feed the 220V receptacle. <S> You could use a 15A breaker for the 120V receptacles, but since it's a shop (where you'll likely use high draw devices) I'd go with 20A. <A> You shoul install a 60 amp sub panel and use 20 amp breaker single pole for your plugs with a wire # 12 gauge 1 <S> hot, 1 neutral and 1 ground, you can share 1 neutral for 2 circuits and for your 220 v use 20 amp doble pole wire# 12, 2 hots and 1 ground. <A> Option 1 is called a "multi-wire branch circuit" or MWBC. <S> These let you use 3 wires instead of 4, but are prone to dangerous mistakes. <S> So there are extra rules to fend off these problems. <S> as of 2011 code, you MUST use a 2-pole breaker that trips both sides of the MWBC at once. <S> MWBC makes it impossible or expensive to use GFCI or AFCI breakers. <S> Use GFCI outlets instead. <S> You must pigtail neutrals (you can’t daisychain using the 2 terminals on an outlet). <S> That is, only one neutral can go to a receptacle, and that goes to a wirenut to be joined to the upstream and downstream wires. <S> sizing breakers is very simple: Breakers protect wires. <S> What is the smallest wire in the entire MWBC, including grounds? <S> 14gauge=15A. 12ga=20A. <S> 10ga=30A. <S> That’s your max breaker size. <S> The outlets must match the breaker size exactly. <S> (with a key exception: common 15A household outlets are permitted on 20A circuits: NEC 210.21B3). <S> Most likely you’ll be stuck at a 20A breaker. <S> inspectors dislike MWBCs, because they so often have flaws. <S> Option 2, sub-panel, makes all these issues moot. <S> If metal conduit works for you, it’ll be safer and you don’t need to pull a ground.
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If you do use 20A for the 120V receptacles, make sure you use receptacles rated for that amperage and #12 wire. It will allow easier access to cut power in an emergency, and it will offer better protection of the wiring. In which case: use a 30A main breaker (10ga wire) and size the panel breakers as described above. If the room goes dark when a breaker trips, that’s a code violation.
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Trying to identify this box on the outside of my house This was under a small panel. Don't know what it is, or what it's used for. <Q> If this is somewhat new construction, these might be anti-pest defense tubes. <S> Liquid pesticide is shot via CO2 at the exterior junction box and the liquid will travel throughout the house by means of the tubes. <S> http://www.pestdefense.com/taexx is an example of this sort of system. <S> Further Readings : <S> Tubes in the Wall <A> It looks like a box for a NID (network interface device) that a telco would install with 6 weather tight connections installed. <S> Sometimes the bottom screw hole will be fitted with an anti-tamper device to prevent you from getting into it. <S> something they can disconnect easily to verify their connection is OK). <A> Looks like its a distribution box for cable. <S> as can be seen the six cores have already been used. <S> Are there any wires running inside any of them? <S> a similar box can be seen on this link
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The exterior box resembles "Tubes in the Wall" pest defense system. It was probably used to terminate the last mile leg of telephone/cable on the outside of your house, and then often there is an interconnect to connect it into the household wiring (
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How can I figure out why my garage door opener won't close the door? I detached the the door arm from the carriage to see if the opener would work properly, but it did not. The carriage goes down a half an inch and then goes all the way back up. I also adjusted the safety reverse to all possible configurations and that made no difference. The opener is a Genie Screw Drive - Series G <Q> The sensors (the "eyes" that are on both sides of the door opening) are probably "out of whack". <S> If the sensors are not aligned properly, the doors won't operate. <S> They could of been kicked by accident. <A> The balance point of the door should be about half way open--when the opener is disconnected and you give it a push open or closed it should naturally stop about half way. <S> The springs have to be adjusted under tension, and they are under a lot of tension <S> so I don't think it's a great DIY job. <A> Check the track for any obstruction. <S> Pay particular attention inisde the rail where the wheels ride. <S> If you door is equiped with a rotating handle to lock the door make sure the rods are adjusted and not catching in the slots. <S> Check the rollers that guide the door. <S> They should all have about the same amount of axle extending out of the mounting bracket.
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If it's doing this without the opener connected it sounds like the torsion springs need to be adjusted to balance the garage door properly.
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How do I remove floorboard nails from joists? How do I remove floorboard nails from joists? The nails are ~3-4mm diameter with no heads. I've tried claw-hammer and wrecking bar with no success because without nail-heads, I cannot get purchase. I guess I could attack them with a hacksaw and leave the lower part embedded, but I don't like that notion very much because around some of the nails, rust-stains are spreading which I guess is a vector for damp (??). <Q> Another method is to get pliers and a block of wood about the height of the extended nail ( protruding out the wood). <S> Grab the nail out the side of the pliers and insert the block of wood between the joist and the head of the pliers. <S> then use the leverage to pull the nail out, this is also great because it will not damage your wood. <A> If you're covering them over, then a wack with a hammer <S> so they go all the way into the joists <S> should be fine. <S> That's routine during a demolition. <S> The long handle gives you lots of leverage to hold the nail tight, and the rounded head is perfect for smoothly pulling the nail. <A> We usually use one of these standard nail pullers. <S> Grab the nail shank and roll the plier to pull the nail out of the board. <S> It has the best leverage out of all the recommendations here. <S> Available from several manufacturers, end nippers such as Diamond horse shoeing nippers have longer handles for better leverage and the wide head doesn't dent the wood as much. <A> A pair of vice grips might also work well. <S> Clamp onto the nail near the wood, then rock back and forth to pull the nail out. <S> Or clamp highter and then use a claw hammer under the vice grips to lift the nail. <A> Yet another method for headless nails is the zig-zag pull. <S> This works on nails with an inch or more protruding from the wood and requires the claw end to have a fairly acute vee where the claws meet. <S> Using the claw on the hammer, tip the hammer forward till the bottom of the vee notch is touching the joist surface. <S> Using a scrap 2x4 piece, drive the hammer forward till the nail catches in the vee, but before the nail starts to bend. <S> The nail's headless, you ain't pullin' it that way. <S> Push the hammer over sidewise like you're trying to bend the nail into a fishook. <S> If the claws are shaped right, they'll have notched the nail and given you purchase. <S> The nail will both bend and pull out at the same time. <S> Repeat steps 1,2,4 except push the hammer over sideways to the other side from the last time you bent it over. <S> Doing this will bend the nail into a zig-zag while pulling it out in 3-4 steps. <S> Aside from a scrap piece of 2x4 you were going to throw in the dumpster anyway <S> , you didn't need any extra tools to do that, eh? <A> There is a small handy tool known by many names, 'paws claw' being one. <S> It has a notched head like a claw hammer but smaller at right angles to the body. <S> Using a hammer tap the paws claw until the 'vee' is tight to the nail. <S> Roll the tool backwards using a small scrap of steel under it to preserve the floor. <S> Works very all regardless of shape or age.
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If you absolutely need to remove the nail, then get a large channel lock plier, grip the nail tight, and roll the pliers on their head to pull the nail.
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What can I do to a chain link fence to make it dog proof? I have a chain link fence which is pretty high but my neighbors' pit bull constantly climbs the fence to get over to my yard. I am scared of this dog and the Law Dog has been called numerous times about this. I would really like to put something across the top of my fencing so that I no longer have to fear this dog entering my yard, as I have two Brittany Spaniels and do not want them to be harmed in any way. I would appreciate any information you can give me to fix this problem. <Q> Coyote rollers , won't harm children like barb wire, is effective, and can be home owner installed. <S> When a coyote or other predator tries to jump your fence to attack your pets, it requires them to grab hold of the top of a fence. <S> With Coyote Rollers in place, the animals will fall right off of your fence and will not be able to jump over. <A> I'd get some Barbed Wire arms for the fence. <S> Since a picture is worth 1000 words, However, the non technical answer is that it's legally your neighbour's problem. <S> Depending on your jurisdiction, it might be legal to shoot the dog. <S> Pitbulls are often great dogs. <S> But they can also be awful dogs if owned by idiots. <A> You could put an electric fence wire at the top. <S> They make kits that contain a single wire and are powered by a battery and possibly have a solar charger. <S> They do not harm animals and are usually put down near the ground to stop aninals from digging under. <A> Use chain link fence slats. <S> It will prevent the dog from climbing the fence and also give you privacy.
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A Coyote Roller is a patented ribbed roller that mounts to the top of your fence.
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Laziest/Quickest way to smooth a wood-grain-textured door? We have some ultra-cheap hollow-core doors in our upstairs. They aren't real wood but this synthetic laminate with a raised wood-grain texture. Ugly things. But, I'm cheap, and am trying to salvage them with paint before I throw in the towel and buy new ones. Any suggestions on the quickest way to smooth them down? My first thought was to glop up on a thick coat of primer with a roller, let dry, sand (removing the primer from the raised part) then add a second coat, sand, then paint. Viable theory? Would a few coats of primer be enough to fill in a raised texture like that? I was also thinking skim coating it with plaster, but I don't think the plaster would adhere to the plastic laminate surface. Plus, that sounds like more work that I wanted to invest in these things. <Q> If it's the same door I'm thinking of, I don't think two coats of primer will do it. <S> You'll need an actual crack filler. <S> Bear in mind, if they're flat/slab doors, you can fully replace them with a luan veneer door pretty cheaply. <S> Something like $45 per door last time I bought them. <S> Not too far from the price of paint. <S> Is the fake woodgrain so ugly that a nice coat of paint won't dress it up ok? <A> Melamine paints are self-leveling and create a durable, thick finish <S> so I think it might work well in your scenario. <S> That being said, they are not the cheapest paint and can be difficult to apply. <S> I would imagine that you will need several coats to properly hide the grain. <S> Make sure that you have a good level surface to apply the paint and that you follow all of the directions as far as cleaning, priming, applying and drying. <A> I would either use some body putty from an auto body garage. <S> or buy some glass fibre resin and hardener... mix and pour the resin in the gaps. <S> let it self level, then sand with a flat sanding block... <S> After the surface is smooth.. you can apply a coat of wood primer with a fine sponge roller then one or two coats of oil based paint.. <S> thereafter you can apply your blackboard paint. <S> edit... if you can concerned that the resin will come off. <A> You mentioned plaster in your question, however plaster is not an easy substance to use, but drywall compound is. <S> You can easily smooth out those doors with a skim coat or two of compound. <S> Apply a thin coat of compound with a 8 to 12 inch knife. <S> Two thin coats will work better than one thicker coat. <S> Sand lightly between coats. <S> Carefully and lightly sand the last coat smooth with 220 or 400 grit sandpaper on a block or DA sander. <S> Seal the smooth surface with a PVA primer, then you can paint it with any regular latex paint you like. <S> I have done this many times on old textured doors with good success. <S> Good luck. <A> New, hollow-core interior doors are $22 from Home Depot. <S> They will size them if you give them the dimensions (remove your old doors and measure), or you can trim them yourself. <S> We did our whole house for the same reason you did - change wood grain to smooth.
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maybe you could drill a few small holes into the grooved area, so that the resin can take a good hold. Clean the doors with an abrasive cleanser like Comet, Ajax, etc.
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For pine shelves, do I need to stain before applying polyurethane? I built some pine shelves. They're pretty, but I don't want them to darken. I'm told I can apply polyurethane to ensure they stay nice and bright. My question is this: do I need to apply some kind of stain, even "natural," before polyurethane? Or can I sand and then apply the polyurethane directly? If it's okay to apply polyurethane directly, can I sand 60-grit and then do poly? Or do I still need to work up to 200-something-grit? <Q> There's no need to stain if you like the color as it it. <S> Chances are that your boards might already be pretty smooth, so I'd start with fine sandpaper (200 and above), not rough like 60 grain, except on edges that have been cut. <S> If you use 60 grain on a surface which is already smooth <S> you'll make it rougher and have to work hard just to get it back to where it was before you started! <A> Even with a clear varnish pine will go yellow/orange with age, so adding a colour will make it darken even more quickly. <S> A couple of coats of clear varnish will seal the wood and stop it darkening too quickly, but you may find you have to refinish the shelves in a few years to return them to their current colour. <S> As DA01 notes in his comment, pine is difficult to stain as different parts absorb different amounts of colour resulting in a patchy, mottled appearance. <A> Just varnish. <S> Sand with 220 sandpaper. <S> If the boards aren't smooth enough, start with 150 and work up to 220. <S> Put on several coats of varnish (I would say at least three) and sand lightly between coats with 220 sandpaper.
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Staining won't do anything for you and will just take more time.
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How can I install a pre-hung door when soundboard has been installed? Normally a 2x4 wall has a finished thickness of 4.5" (2x4 + 2x 1/2" drywall) I have 1/2" soundboard under one side of the drywall so my finished thickness is 5" I know that I can custom-order pre-hung doors with this jamb size, but is there way to cleanly install a standard 4.5" jamb? Should I install flush to one side, leaving the half inch and add a moulding to cover it? Should I split the difference to 1/4-inch on both sides? <Q> One approach is an oversized pre-cased, split-jamb door. <S> These have casings (room side moldings) <S> pre installed to the jamb and are attached separately from each side. <S> The joint in the middle is hidden by the stop (the molding that the door actually rests against when closed). <S> This is a home center site describing the process. <S> These doors probably would have to be special ordered and cost more than standard prehung doors. <S> An alternative is to create your own jambs using standard clear boards. <S> This does require some skill with either a chisel or router, but is not beyond the skill level of a fair DIY carpenter. <S> This will leave the other edge of the jamb about 1/2 inch recessed, the thickness of the soundboard. <S> Just putting a narrow piece of board the same thickness as the jamb would work (there is no structural issue). <S> However, butt aligning boards generally does not look good - the edges shift slightly and it always looks like an unintentional (or unprofessional) <S> joint. <S> The standard way to solve that is to create a reveal . <S> This is a small step in level between two adjoining lengths of wood. <S> You could put in a simple square edged molding (or thin strip of board) that is set back from the inner edge of the jamb opening about 1/8 to 3/16. <S> If the soundboard is tight up against the jamb (it really shouldn't be, but sometimes is) use a board/molding slightly thinner than the jamb. <S> Other wise, just slid it back a bit. <S> Then when you measure for the casing. <S> create a second small reveal set back from this filler strip. <S> Another, simpler, but less elegant approach, is to use a backband or cap type molding. <S> The one illustrated is a bit deep, but you can probably find one smaller and simpler. <S> Putting the shorter edge on the outside edge of the short jamb with the thin edge overlapping onto the inside edge of the jamb. <S> Then nail the casing agasint the cap/backband. <S> Becasue the door opens on the hinge side, this inset molding should not interfere with functionality. <A> I've done this in a similar situation. <S> Rip some 1/2 by 1/2 strips of whatever you have. <S> Glue them to the inner edge of the casing you are going to use. <S> Use a jointer or a plane to make the two pieces flush. <S> You would be making a custom version of the cap moulding 'bib' shows above. <S> When you install the door, you can either center it in the wall and use the modified casing on both sides, or hang the door flush on one side and just use the modified casing on the other. <A> Like Bib says, a split jamb door will do it. <S> I bought one a few weeks ago and it was split jamb. <S> I think most are that way now. <S> It didn't cost extra. <S> So it simply slides to the thickness you need. <S> It even had the casing already around it too. <S> So the first thing you do is split it into two halves, mount one half by attaching to the casing, then adding shims inside the jamb, then slide the other half into place.
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You could also install a standard pre-hung door with the jamb on the hinge side flush to the outer edge of that wall.
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Can I run an extension cord through my crawl space? I have a lack of plugs outside my house and was wondering if it's okay to run an extension cord through my crawl space (from the garage, underneath my living room and through a crawlspace vent). Edit I'm looking to add power outside for Christmas lights/ low voltage outdoor walkway lighting. <Q> Would it be to code and pass a city inspection? <S> I highly doubt it, particularly because it is through a vent and there are specific code requirements for running electrical cables in that scenario. <S> Will it work? <S> Yes. <S> I'd say if its for a short-term/temporary measure of light loads (a light) it will be OK, but if you plan on it being permanent or running heavy loads (an electric lawn mower), you should really have a new water tight outlet properly installed. <A> I don't see anything fundamentally wrong with that approach on a temporary basis, just be sure to follow typical safety guidelines about extension cords. <S> Use an appropriately sized, grounded, outdoor extension cord. <S> Consider GFCI protection. <S> Extension cord safety <S> I presume the primary underlying concern is about routing and protection of the cable to prevent damage. <S> You may have critter-damage concerns in your application. <S> If you've got such easy access to the crawlspace, what about running a new circuit, or an extension of an existing one, to create that outlet you desire? <A> Here's how I'd do it. <S> Find an outlet in the basement near your crawlspace that isn't part of a heavily loaded circuit. <S> Turn off the circuit! <S> Replace this outlet with a GFCI. <S> Run a 14/2 wire from the LOAD of the GFCI through the crawlspace to the wall where you want it to go. <S> (Securing it to joists where appropriate) <S> Mount an appropriate box with covers to the outside over the hole. <S> (I prefer metal). <S> Run the cable through the hole, and fill the hole with as much caulk as you can get in there. <S> (Or see comments for other ideas on sealing) <S> Wire up the new outlet, and mount it in the box. <S> Turn circuit back on. <S> Profit. <S> Now, some of these steps are non-trivial, but a little research on this site will get you going. <S> I've got a similar outlet wired off of my workbench supply, working on the theory that I won't be running electric motors outside and at the bench at the the same time. <A> I'd advise against it, even for a temporary install, because these kinds of things (where it's annoying to get in and pull it back out) tend to become semi-permanent, and that's dangerous. <S> Given that it's a crawlspace, I'd agree with other posters and say put in a real outlet and call it a day.
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Sizing extension cords at about.com Safety groups generally caution against using extension cords in a permanent capacity, or installing inside ceilings, crawlspaces, etc. Drill a hole through the wall.
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Under what circumstances is 5/8" drywall required? From what I understand the code usually discusses things like fire rating (not specific thickness) as they relate to required material, and also the fastener pattern and what thickness to use versus stud spacing. However, I've also heard that 5/8" is specifically mentioned by dimension for use as attached-garage separation from living space. Yet another person has told me that 5/8" is specifically required for residential ceilings. I've been unable to confirm the specific thickness requirements in the IBC. <Q> International Residential Code (IRC) has a table for that. <S> Chapter 7 - Wall <S> Covering SECTION <S> R702 INTERIOR COVERING R702.3 Gypsum board. <S> R702.3.5 Application. <S> Maximum spacing of supports and the size and spacing of fasteners used to attach gypsum board shall comply withTable <S> R702.3.5. <S> Gypsum sheathing shall be attached to exterior wallsin accordance with Table R602.3(1). <S> Gypsum board shall be applied atright angles or parallel to framing members. <S> All edges and ends ofgypsum board shall occur on the framing members, except those edgesand ends that are perpendicular to the framing members. <S> Interiorgypsum board shall not be installed where it is directly exposed tothe weather or to water. <S> For SI: 1 inch = 25.4 mm. <S> a. <S> For application without adhesive, a pair of nails spaced <S> not lessthan 2 inches apart or more than 21/2 inches apart may be used withthe pair of nails spaced 12 inches on center. <S> b. Screws shall be in accordance with Section R702.3.6. <S> Screws forattaching gypsum board to structural insulated panels shall penetratethe wood structural panel facing not less than 7/16 inch. <S> c. <S> Where cold-formed steel framing is used with a clinching design toreceive nails by two edges of metal, the nails shall be not less than5/8 inch longer than the gypsum board thickness and shall have ringedshanks. <S> Where the cold-formed steel framing has a nailing grooveformed to receive the nails, the nails shall have barbed shanks or be5d, 131/2 gage, 15/8 inches long, 15/64-inch head for 1/2-inch gypsumboard; and 6d, 13 gage, 17/8 inches long, 15/64-inch head for 5/8-inchgypsum board. <S> d. Three-eighths-inch-thick single-ply gypsum board shall not be usedon a ceiling where a water-based textured finish is to be applied, orwhere it will be required to support insulation above a ceiling. <S> Onceiling applications to receive a water-based texture material, eitherhand or spray applied, the gypsum board shall be applied perpendicularto framing. <S> When applying a water-based texture material, the minimumgypsum board thickness shall be increased from 3/8 inch to 1/2 inchfor 16-inch on center framing, and from 1/2 inch to 5/8 inch for24-inch on center framing or 1/2-inch sag-resistant gypsum ceilingboard shall be used. <S> e. Type X gypsum board for garage ceilings beneath habitable roomsshall be installed perpendicular to the ceiling framing and shall befastened at maximum 6 inches o.c. by minimum 17/8 inches 6d coatednails or equivalent drywall screws. <A> <A> IRC only requires 1/2" gyp. <S> brd. <S> for garage walls except when there is a living space above the garage. <S> When a living space exists above the garage then 5/8" type X gyp. <S> brd. <S> must be used on the ceiling. <A> Ancient negligent building inspectors fail to specify that the purpose of drywall is to 'seal' the interior envelope of conditioned (living) space. <S> Untaped edges/perimeters allow and facilitate a burn danger that cannot be minimized or ignored.
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The idea is to tape ALL abutments and edges of walls & ceilings to prevent air intrusion(s), thus to prevent allowing fire to 'breathe'. I'm not aware of any specific requirement for the thickness of drywall, only for fire ratings which are provided by 5/8" Type-X.
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Is it safe to remove/trim jack studs to make a door opening wider? We purchased a very expensive (at least for us 5,000+) entry door pair as replacement for an existing single door and sidelights. Today when the door contractor came to install the doors the opening was too small by 3/4 of an inch (the door contractor had measured for the doors prior to purchasing, these were custom made doors and are fiberglass that look like wood with full light beveled glass). They suggested removing or cutting down the jack studs. I am not comfortable with this. Is this a good solution? This is a load bearing wall. I have postponed installation to research this. Advice? <Q> For high priced custom doors, you deserve to get it right. <S> The king studs are the primary support on the sides of the door (they go all the way up to the top plate. <S> However, the jack studs are supporting the header over the door and that is supporting the cripple studs over the header. <S> If this is a load bearing wall, these are all supporting members. <S> If the jack studs are cut down, they probably need to be cut more than 3/4 inch total to accomodate shims to square the door in the opening. <S> If you take out only 1/2 inch on each side, you have reduced the jack stud by 33%. <S> If this is done in place, you are also stressing the remaining structure of studs, header, etc. <S> in sawing out the excess. <S> It could be that the overall framing is overengineered enough to survive this assualt, but it is risky, violates most building codes and is a bad way to start a good project. <S> I would insist that they measure thrice (three times instead of the recommended two) and bring a correctly sized door. <S> P.S. <S> I had a similar problem with a custom tempered glass shower door that I had waited eight weeks for. <S> They played with cludging it for about a minute and then took it back for a correctly sized piece. <S> It hurts but it is worth it. <A> Don't to it! <S> Somebody made a mistake and it wasn't you <S> , don't let the contractor take the easy way out at the expense of weakening your home's structure! <S> It may be that the contractor measured wrong, or put the wrong measurements in the order. <S> It could also be that the order was right but were manufactured wrong, or you were sent someone else's doors! <S> Insist on getting a copy of the order from your contractor. <S> If they ordered correctly then the manufacturer is at fault and should replace the doors with the right ones. <S> If you let them weaken the structure of your home in order to let someone off the hook and make their lives easier the only loser is you! <A> It's easy to say they mis-measured, make 'em fix it. <S> That's not everyone's reality. <S> There are alternatives that may be preferable to someone (not you!) <S> buying a new door. <S> Hacking the jack studs with a sawzall is NOT a viable alternative, as everyone has said. <S> You could re-frame the entire opening with a longer header. <S> Or you could remove the jack studs and install metal beam hangers in their place, but additional king studs would possibly have to be installed to maintain adequate support, so this is almost as much work as a longer header. <S> It may be possible to engineer an adequate jack stud support using thinner LVLs. <S> I like this last idea, but not sure it will really work. <S> Ensure <S> this is a bearing wall. <S> Things are much easier if it's non-bearing. <S> It's easy (and important) to criticise, but what's truly helpful is offering viable alternative solutions :) <A> I do framing work, some time people in this line of work make mistakes. <S> In this situation I re-frame the opening and do the job right. <S> I usually don't make any money on this type of job <S> but I will get a good customer. <A> Let the contractor hire a structural engineer to come up with an alternative that works and is safe and meets code. <S> There are options.
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If your contractor measured or ordered wrong then they are negligent and should order a replacement.
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How do I patch this hole in my vinyl window frame? Not sure what the previous homeowner was thinking when he drilled this hole, but what would be the best material to patch it with? As you can see in the picture, it's a purely aesthetic fix but I'm remodeling the room and I'm obsessed with details like this. <Q> You could try vinyl plugs that can be found in hardware/home improvement stores. <S> The plugs come in various diameters. <S> If there isn't one for the hole's size, you may have to drill it larger to the size of the plug so that it will fit. <S> Also found this kit , may be <S> this will be an alternative option. <A> Does it line up with a hole or notch in the top of the window when it is closed? <S> Then it was for a security pin or other lock. <S> The easiest thing would be to glue a larger piece of thin vinyl over it. <S> Anything else is going to be more noticeable unless you are a master craftsman. <A>
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Well it is not so big hole so you can use POP for filling it & after that you can paint it & hang a wall hanging on it so that it looks beautiful & hole didn't appear anymore.
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How do I clean teak oil off of a paint brush? I painted my outdoor wood table with teal oil last summer. I'd like to do it again using the same brush, but now the brush is stiff and gummed up. Last time I used it I washed it off with warm water, but apparently that didn't do the trick. Can it be saved? If so what should I use to clean it now that it's hardened up? Paint thinner? Goof off? What should I use to clean it right after using it in the future? <Q> Oils all pretty much set up the same way. <S> They oxidize and form a polymer cross-link. <S> Once this has happened, you have a vegetable plastic coating on everything they came in contact with and were absorbed into. <S> It's non-reversible so after-the-fact cleaning isn't an option. <S> Removing the oil while it's still liquid usually requires mineral spirits, turpentine or a degreasing agent and needs to be done before the oil starts to get tacky. <S> All the oil must be removed or the bristles will stick together as polymerization sets in. <S> My basic cleanup is to use turpentine to initially clean out the oil, followed up by a good wash out with dishwashing detergent and a final water rinse. <S> All the oil must be gone. <S> Or else go with cheap Chinese Boar Bristle brushes and toss them after the job is done. <S> NOTE: <S> Due to the oxidation and polymerization, treat all rags and any other oil contaminated items with care. <S> The process is exothermic and can generate enough heat to start a fire. <A> No you don't buy a new brush each time, you properly clean the brush after each use and it will last you for years! <S> Water didn't work because.... remember <S> school... water and oil don't mix? <S> You need to clean your brush with mineral spirits, naptha or something similar. <S> The product will tell you what to clean up with. – <A> I even managed to salvage good quality brush after not cleaning it properly the first time and accidentally letting linseed oil dry into it. <S> I first soaked it in linseed again, then in thinners - at least 8 hours in each and finally cleaned it with water and the flea comb. <S> It's not perfect, but good enough to use again.
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A good little tip you might like is that you can buy a "flea comb" from a pet supply store or veterinarian clinic and comb out a lot of the gunk that collects at the base of the bristles.
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How should I cut these speaker stands down to size? Any recommends on what tool I should use and how I can go about not ruining the finish? Here's a close up of the top: And here's the finished product - thanks for all the help! I used a pipe cutter and it worked great. <Q> The bases of the stand look as if the pole is welded to it. <S> Unless you have welding skills, cutting at the base probably will not work. <S> The top appears to consist of a thinner pole that the speaker is attached to, inserted into a slightly larger pole that is attached to the base. <S> In addition, there is a locking knob that seems to go through a threaded hole in the outer pipe, which probably presses on the inner pipe, allowing the speakers to be raised higher. <S> You probably need to cut down the outer pipe the same amount that you want the speakers to drop. <S> This will eliminate the adjustable mechanism, but you may not care. <S> If you need adjustable, you could drill and tap (thread) <S> the outer pipe lower down, but that is a hard job needing specialized tools. <S> You could solve it by drilling a series of small holes in the inner pipe and using a small rod (even a large nail) put through one of the holes and resting on the top of the outer pipe. <S> Depending on how long the inner pipe is, it may not allow the speaker to drop to the newely lowered outer pipe level. <S> In that case, you need to cut a section off the bottom of the inner pipe. <S> Several other answers address how to cut the pipe. <S> Many of them will work, depending on the tools you have. <S> Once you insert the inner pipe into the shortened outer pipe, you may have some rattling since you have eliminated the locking knob. <S> This can be cured by wedging a small sliver of plastic between the inner and outer pipes (sometimes even cardboard will do). <S> You also could create an alternative locking system by working out a clamp at the top of the outer pipe, but if you are not adjusting, that may be too much trouble and would not look as neat. <S> SUPPLEMENT: <S> Based on the additional picture, you have a plastic grommet that tops the outside pipe. <S> Once this is inserted in the cut down pipe, it will probably eliminate any rattling. <S> If it does not, you still can wedge a small wire or plastic piece between the inner pipe and the grommet to tighten it up. <A> Examine the where the pole connects to the base, looking to see if you can easily remove the base. <S> If you can, then what you want to do is cut the bottom off the pole and re-attach the base. <S> You will need a hacksaw and a miterbox to get a square cut (OR a large pipecutter (you can rent those at local tool rental) OR a chopsaw with abrasive blade)). <S> You will probably need to drill some new holes to re-attach the bases, etc. <S> Pipe cutter will give you the cleanest, squarest cut - but you may need to flare the inside back out a bit, since the cutter tends to squeeze the end down a little. <S> Chop saw will be fairly clean and square and not squeeze the end down. <S> Hacksaw and miterbox are probably the things that most people will have the easiest access to, and if done carefully, will give acceptable results. <A> Wrap the pipe with masking tape,mark the height with a pen <S> so you have a precise line. <S> As @ dbracey has suggested use a pipe cutter. <S> The tape will protect the finish from the quide roller of the cutter. <S> Any type of rotary saw will generate enough heat to mar the finish. <S> Also cutting a straight line with a saw will be difficult. <A> I would recommend either a rotary tool or oscillating tool with the appropriate metal blade. <S> How do you plan to re-attach the top to the bottom? <A> No matter what cutting tool you use, you should expect some sharp edges or burrs, so be prepared to file them down smooth. <S> You will then probably need to weld the bracket back on to the new top of the posts, so think about where the weld will be. <S> With the tilt on the speakers, the welds may be partially hidden, but you may wish to repaint the entire stand to hide these.
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You could use most kinds of metal cutting tools - but go for a relatively fine one, whether it be a small circular saw on a Dremel tool, or a fine jigsaw or something else.
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How to reduce brightness of recessed LED? I have recessed LED in the bathroom which is way too bright. LED is dimmablebut I can't put regular dimmer in front of it since it has small switch shared with two other switches. Neither I need changeable dimming. So is there a way to reduce brightness? Can I stick some resistor in the switch?How do I choose the resistor? Is there code legal components that can be used for that? <Q> <A> I am not certain, but the likelihood of finding a dimmer in a single gang with two separate switches is unlikely. <S> In addition to the electronic components needed by a dimmer, it also needs a significant heat sink. <S> Before working on the box, turn off the power to the box at the breaker panel. <S> Usually, all switches in a single box are on the same circuit, BUT TAKE NO CHANCES. <S> Make sure each wire is not live with a non-contact tester. <S> Depending how your existing box is mounted, you may be able to simply cut sideways into the plaster <S> /wallboard sufficently to fit the double gang. <S> If the old box uses a an extended strap to hold it in place. <S> you might need to take out some wallboard above and below the box. <S> The new box can be screwed into the stud on one side and supported on the opposite side with either built in support brackets or with sheet metal support straps that lock it to the plaster/wallboard. <S> If the box is free-standing (not on a stud), it can be replaced by an old-work bouble gang box that has built in support brackets for both sides. <A> Shroud it with some semi-opaque lens? <S> I put masking tape on my electronics LED's - they are way too bright.
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As you are working on the existing box, be careful of the existing wires. If the light is mounted inside of a reflective can you can try to sand or paint the inside of the can to reduce the reflected light. You could replace the existing single gang box with a double gang box, replace the triple switch with a double, and run the LED wires to a spearate single gang dimmer (LED rated). If your existing box is nailed into a stud, you should be able to access the nails and remove the old box.
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How do I shut off the ceiling fan without a pull chain? So, I move into my new house. The first hour, my mother-in-law decides to try out the ceiling fan. She turns the unit on at the lightswitch, then pulls the chain right out of the unit. The fan is now on at max whenever the unit is turned on. I still have pull chains to turn on and off the light, and a chain to reverse the direction. Those two switches however do not stop the fan. I may replace the pullchain in the future, but for the time being, is it possible to shut off the fan somehow without the chain? Would it be possible to, for example, bridge the switch connection, then flip the breaker a couple times to switch the fan off? Any other ideas? <Q> Here is a good diagram that shows how a 3-speed switch works. <S> To control the fan speed without the switch, you'd have to apply current to the proper wires to get the speed you want. <S> Since this is likely a mechanical device (not electronic), the only way to change the setting is to physically move the switch to another position. <S> A tiny bit of chain is visible <S> If even a small bit of the chain is left, you may be able to pull it using needle nose pliers. <S> Most fans have the same click pattern. <S> 1st <S> Click = High. <S> 2nd <S> Click = <S> Med. <S> 3rd Click = Low. <S> 4th <S> Click <S> = Off. <S> So be careful to count your pulls, or you'll be making another trip to the breaker. <S> The chain is just GONE! <S> If the chain is completely gone, the easiest option would be to replace the entire fan. <S> If you like to tinker; and have a bit of knowledge about this stuff, you could take the fan apart and replace the switch. <S> Don't forget to label the wires when you remove the broken switch, you won't remember where they all went. <S> Note: <S> Flipping the breaker on/off a couple times, will do nothing but turn the fan on/off a couple times. <S> It is possible to control the speed of the fan by continuously flipping the breaker on/off, but your arm would get tired pretty quick. <A> Short of replacing the switch or opening up the fan to disconnect the switch, there's not much you can do to reset it since it's a mechanical switch, not an electronic one. <S> (shutoff the power, verify with a non-contact tester, don't leave any exposed junctions, etc). <S> They're $5 at a hardware store, so no need to delay the repair to save money. <A> Pull chains break all the time. <S> Whether it is easy to fix them depends on the unit, where it broke, and your skill. <S> To attempt to fix it, you will need to do the following: Turn off the power. <S> Open the bottom of the fan unit. <S> There is often a small bolt or nut in the center bottom or small screws holding the bottom cover on. <S> If there are any exposed wired or apparent electrical parts exposed, test with a non-contact tester to make sure they are not live (hot). <S> You will probably have to remove (lower) <S> the light fixture section of the unit to get to the fan section. <S> If you do, you may be able to remove the remaining piece and replace it with a new chain or attach a new chain to the stub of the old. <S> There is a small barrel clip to connect ends of chain. <S> be sure it will not interfere with the path going in and out of the housing. <S> You may also have access to the whole switch mechanism . <S> There may be a replacement available if that seems damaged. <S> Check to see if the switch for your brand is available from either a home center store or the manufacturer. <S> You may have to remove additional coverings to get to the switch or the stub of the chain. <S> Obviously, this whole repair may be easier if you take the entire fan unit down. <S> Again, if you do this, check to make sure the power is off to the whole unit. <S> They are not hard to install (but to do it safely, it is a two person job). <S> A bonus is many come with hand-held remote controls for fan speed, light dimming, etc., which I know your mother-in-law will appreciate.
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If the fan is connected directly to power (not controlled by a wall switch), you'll probably want to shut off the breaker to stop the fan while you do this (so you don't loose your head). See if you can find the broken end of the pull chain. It's probably a good idea to have the old switch in-hand, when you make your trip to the hardware store for a replacement. If none of this succeeds, you might consider a new fan as discussed in other answers. Get a replacement that's designed to handle your load, make sure you wire it up identically, and be sure to follow all the safety steps
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Can I vent a portable air conditioner inside? I recently bought a portable air conditioner and was wondering if it is absolutely necessary to vent it to the outside. I plan on using it in a room that doesn't have a window as was wondering if I could vent it to another room in the house without doing any damage (eg mold growing in the house). I understand the air coming out of the AC will be warm and would warm up the room it was venting into. <Q> It's possible but it will be creating a situation where your a/c is fighting against itself, because you'll simply be redistributing the heat inside your house, instead of putting it on the outside. <S> Why? <S> Because the warm air will creep back into the room you were cooling, so <S> the a/c will be acting like a big do-nothing machine - to a degree anyway. <S> Mold isn't going to be too concerning, however, because you won't be taking moisture out of the one room and putting it into the other - the moisture in the air in the warm room may increase a little (because warm air can hold more water vapor than cold air, so if moisture is there, it'll get picked up) but not to the degree it would if you were, say, venting a dryer into that room, where you'd be introducing lots of NEW moisture. <S> All that said - I do not recommend this idea. <S> Better to create a vent/opening (properly, of course, <S> but that's a different question) in the outside wall to allow the warm air to go where it is supposed to. <A> Moisture is a problem. <S> Air conditioners actively remove moisture from the cooled space and deliver it into the warmed space. <S> One of the main features of air conditioning is dehumidification. <S> The warmer air in the discharge room may already be heavily saturated with moisture, and the even hotter air coming from the discharge chute will add to that moisture. <S> Prolonged use could lead to mold problems. <S> Further, interior walls of houses are rarely insulated, so the walls between the cooled room and now super-heated room will transmit the heat back to the cooled room. <S> Also, air leaks will filter some warm air back. <S> This will not totally overcome the cooling effect (we often air-condition one room and not another) but it will diminish the value and efficientcy, since the now heated room is much warmer than it normally would be. <S> Overall it is a bad idea. <S> It is possible to create a small panel captive in a window that can hold the discharge chute of the air conditioner to vent outside. <A> Yes, it will work in terms of cooling the room, but it won't be as efficient as an external vent. <S> If you have the door to the cooled room closed and as air tight as possible, the adjacent room being warm is like the outside of the house being warm. <S> Yes, there will be some unwanted heat transfer but there will still be a temperature differential. <S> The best thing is to try it and see if it is cool enough for you and if the cost in power is worth it. <S> As for your question about moisture, the answer is "it depends". <S> A typical full house AC has no moisture connection between the cool side and the warm side. <S> All water taken out of the cooled air goes into a drip tray and then a drain. <S> The more modern window AC are designed so that the water from the drip tray can hit the condenser coils to help cool them off, improving their SEER. <S> This is a moisture path to the exhaust. <S> Some portable AC have a drain hose and that means no added moisture in the exhaust. <S> But this means the exhaust has the extra moisture removed from the cooled air. <S> However, if the cooled room does not have a constant source of additional moisture, this may not be a problem for the room receiving the exhaust. <S> It would be best if that room had an open window or two. <A> No, then it will not be operating as an AC. <S> Why would you want to? <S> No window? <S> Trying to cool a large space beyond the ACs listed capacity? <S> Or simply lacking a duct extension that will reach an external opening? <A> How about keeping the portable air conditioner outside the window and vent in only the cool air in. <S> Just the reverse of conventional portable ducting. <S> This will keep all the noise and heat outside the window and only cool air is allowed to enter through duct.
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DeLonghi portable air conditioners exhaust warm moisture-filled air out their exhaust hoses, so there is less condensate to empty manually.
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How do I clean a sink overflow drain? I want to clean inside the hole of the bathroom sink that is used to control overflow. I can stick my finger in there, and rub off a small circle's worth of stuff, but I'd like to clean it more than that. Any ideas? <Q> First question: is the overflow blocked? <S> If you fill up the sink and leave the water running, will it spill onto the floor? <S> If no, don't worry about it. <S> There's may be some mold or soap scum in the drain. <S> If that wigs you out, a bottle brush and some bleach should do the job. <S> Second question: is the drain blocked because your child pushed bits of toilet paper into it? <S> If yes, then you'll have a solid mass of papier mache in the drain, and the only solution will be accessing it from the bottom (which means removing the tailpiece). <S> My suggestion below won't help. <S> So, assuming that you have a "normal" clog in the drain, such as what might happen if you shave with a full basin and hair floats into the overflow, you can get a plastic mini-snake that is designed to pull hair out of a drain. <S> Here's one example that Home Depot sells: http://www.homedepot.com/buy/plumbing/drain-openers/brasscraft-zip-it-bath-and-sink-hair-snare-bc00400.html <A> Regarding 'bioslime' in the bathroom overflow hole, I was grossed out. <S> Clean as a whistle now! <A> I tried using spray cleaner, vinegar and baking soda, etc. <S> but nothing worked until I ordered this brush: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072B9ZX9 <S> K <S> The gunk that it pulled out was quite impressive. <S> The ability of the overflow to grow biological goo is the reason that the Int'l Ass'n of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) did away with the requirement for sinks to be manufactured with overflows a few years ago.
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Tried hot water, vinegar/baking soda combination and then, finding no solution, used a paper towel to draw out as much gunk as I could and poured straight peroxide in and let it foam and work overnight.
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How can I level concrete pavement for an above-ground pool? I want to set up an above-ground pool (14' round) on my back yard. There is a relatively good place for it, where there are concrete slabs, however, there are two problems: The slabs are not level. It's about 2 inch per 10 feet decline. Between the slabs, there are about 10 inch gaps, filled with cedar blocks held together by concrete, with the surface about 1/2 inches below the surface of the slabs, and the edges of the slabs are just a bit risen. I consider this a problem as it may damage the pool's liner. I don't feel like redoing the whole area, unless there are no other options all together. Any other location would require new outlets, I'd like to avoid that either. What can I use to level the area and cover the gaps, and whatever other artifacts of the area? I know I can use concrete, but the minimal application is 2" deep, it would be too tall a rise for this. Any grout, or stucco coat I can use that will hold? <Q> This can be made from either 4x4 pressure treated timbers or pressure treated landscape ties. <S> These can be attached by drilling and screwing through them into the cedar that is already there or by drilling into the concrete to hold stakes (you can use large galvanized nails) that go through the ties. <S> You need to be concerned mostly with lateral shifting and less with holding them down. <S> This frame should then be filled with several inches of sand, as suggested by uncle brad. <S> While you can trim or shim the frame to be level, that is not really necessary. <S> The sand can be leveled even if the frame is not. <S> You also could size the frame so that it is just outside the edge of the pool, or you could set it back a bit and use concrete paving blocks to form a margin around the pool for walking. <A> I don't think you want to put an above ground pool directly on a concrete slab, even if it was level. <S> I would consider leveling the area with sand. <A> Shingles, then you can start out gradual and make them the thicker with a foam insulation rolled over the top between the concrete/shingles and the pool bottom <A> I agree with Sherri. <S> I set mine up on asphalt every year. <S> The only thing you have to level with ANY pool if the top rails. <S> The water in the pool will find its own level. <S> So level the legs with pavers and/or shingles.(I use both). <S> I lay down a combination of interlocking foam floor mats and 1/2 rigid foam insulation board under the pool liner. <S> I put the insulation board in the middle, taping them together with Gorilla tape, and then taping those to the interlocking foam mats. <S> I have quite a bit of slope in the asphalt in my backyard(Whole yard <S> is asphalt from former owner who had wheelchair van), so I form some masonry sand or brick sand into a cove on my low side at the base of the pool when there is about an inch of water in it <S> so it keeps its shape while I do it <S> , really pack it well, and then cover that with a large tarp so the splashing water doesn't wash it away. <S> Works really well for me. <S> I usually end up still about 1 inch off level, but as long as it's not more than that, even professional pool builders say that's fine.
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The best bet may be to build a frame around the area you want your pool. Sand is the standard base for both above ground and even in-ground pools that use vinyl liners.
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Should I open the top or bottom of double hung windows? I'm a new home owner and was wondering if there is a "right" way to use the double hung windows in the house. Should I open the top or bottom? Is there a seasonality to it? Does it even matter at all? I've looked around and haven't seen this answered well or with most anything other than a "try and see." Generally, is there anything special I should know to maintain the windows? Can anyone shed some light? <Q> If you open both the top and bottom about 3" the hot air goes out the top and cooler air comes in the bottom. <A> Generally one opens the bottom window, simply because it's easier. <S> The features of the window tend to be designed with that in mind: the screen (if it is original to the window) will usually have a bit of extra fill along the top edge where it meets up with the upper window's bottom edge if there is a partial open lock (that prevents complete opening) <S> it'll be designed to stop the bottom window from opening more than a few inches (though it really works both ways. <S> It's really up to you, however. <S> There are good reasons to open the top instead - for instance, if you have small children and having them climb around the window is a concern. <S> (No kidding - my friends 5 year old fell out a 3rd story window when the screen popped out) <A> If you have regular blinds/shades you may find it more useful to open the bottom, since that will allow unrestricted airflow. <S> If you have Top Down/ Bottom Up blinds/shades, you might find it gives you a bit more privacy if you open the top of the windows and blinds. <S> Some windows will have locking mechanisms that allow you to lock either the top or bottom in place, while the other moves freely. <S> In this case, it can offer better security if you can lock the bottom and open the top. <S> A burglar would have to climb higher to gain access to the open window (though they could always just smash the windows, so it's not a huge security gain). <S> You may have animals (cats, etc.) <S> that enjoy the open window, in which case they'd probably prefer you open the bottom. <A> From treehugger.com "When air passes over your home, it works the same way as it does over an airplane wing: the Bernoulli effect causes the air on top and on the downwind side of the house to be at a lower pressure than on the upwind side. <S> So if you have double hung windows, you can open the bottom section of the upwind side of the house (usually west) and the upper section of the downwind side (usually east), and the low pressure will suck the air through your house. <S> Make the outlet openings (top section) larger than the inlet opening (bottom section), it increases the draft." <A> For bedrooms with only a single window, in the summer I like to put a window fan in the bottom (blowing in) and then open the top of the window to vent. <S> Alternately, if there's an AC in the window <S> but you don't want it on, you can open the top of the window to get fresh air without removing the AC unit. <S> (My windows have screens that can slide up to the top of the window which is nice, although not all are like that.) <A> If you have awnings or eaves that overhang the windows, opening the top may reduce the chance of rain blowing in. <A> Opening the top sash allows for ventilation while maintaining privacy via top-down-bottom-up blinds, obscuring textured glass, or a similar solution for the still-closed bottom sash. <A> The top opening of the window was designed to let heat out of the structure it's installed in, while the bottom half was designed to let in cooler air because heat while cooler air tend to stay at the bottom during warmer periods of the year. <S> If you any windows installed the upper portions of a structure, and want to cool it down a bit. <S> I hope this answers shed a little light on the subject.
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Open the upper window while also opening the lower window in the structure to let cool in while hot air is vented out.
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Is this a "shared neutral" situation? In 2001, some electricians added two circuits to my house in California. I took a close look at their wiring and had some questions. At the Service Panel, there are two 20-amp circuit breakers on the left side of the panel. Both breakers are connected to the same 12/3 Romex cable, with the red wire attached to one breaker and a black wire attached to a second breaker. The two breakers are not tied together. The 12/3 cable feeds into the a junction box in the crawlspace where it connects to two 12/2 Romex cables. The red wire on the 12/3 cable attaches to a black wire on one 12/2 cable which provides power to my living room, and the black wire is connected to the black wire on a second 12/2 cable which provides power to a bedroom. Thus, the two 12/2 share a neutral. This wiring configuration is confusing. Is this a "Shared neutral" situation? I am pretty sure that this was inspected in 2001, but is this configuration allowed by modern code? Was this allowed in 2001? What are the hazards of this sort of configuration? Does this present a hazard to the receptacles in the living room and bedroom? <Q> Typically the connection of 12/3 to two side by side breakers (black on one, red on other) is used to run a 220v line. <S> A 220v line has two hots - each carrying 110v - pulled from adjacent breakers on the panel. <S> In such cases, the single white line is the 220v Neutral. <S> Speaking electrically : What this guy did was use 12/3 to carry 220v to a junction box where he divided it back up into 110 - which should be fine because in reality the 12/3 is two parallel 110v lines, with a single neutral. <S> In your case, the shared neutral stops at a junction box - and the lines to the outlets are on their own neutral lines. <S> Are there any hazards to the receptacles? <S> No, as long as they're wired properly its no different than connecting the neutrals back at the neutral bus bar. <S> Speaking in terms of CODE and what's allowable - I honestly don't know if it's legal or not, but I cannot think of a reason why it wouldn't be. <S> The junction boxes are accessible, and using 12/3 to carry 220v is legit, and each outlet is wired to 110 properly. <A> A "multi-wire branch circuit" typically has the breakers joined so that if someone turns off one breaker to work on the circuit, they don't miss the second circuit going to the same box. <S> But at the very least, I'd put a label on the crawlspace junction box that says "warning: multiple circuits". <A> When a circuit is complete, the neutral line carries current. <S> If you were to fully load one of the circuits (originally fed by the black wire) with 20 amps, and, at the same time, you were to load the other circuit (originally fed by the red) with 20 amps, you could have 40 amps returning on the single neutral (at least from the crawlspace junction box back to the panel) under certain circumstances . <S> While there is a good deal of over-engineering built into the code, <S> you could be creating a risk of overloading that neutral line (basically an overheating risk, but perhaps a voltage drop issue as well) under certain circumstances. <S> If you did, the breaker only senses the load on the hot leg, and that overload would not trip the 20+ draw traveling over the neutral. <S> SUPPLEMENT: <S> [Please see the comments below. <S> Also modified answer above, shown by italics, in light of comments.] <S> As indicated by Tester101 and Matthew PK, if the two breakers are adjacent, they are on different legs of the panel and therefor should not cause an overload on the neutral. <S> If they were on NON-adjacent slots (e.g., if they were on breaker slots 1 and 5), there could be a problem. <S> Breakers can be shifted to different slots (or wires shifted), but only do so if you are well acquanted with electric work, and be certain to turn off the main breaker (often a large pull switch) before handling any individual circuit breakers. <A> Please note...the shared neutral line does not carry 40 amps if both 110 circuits are fully loaded. <S> The shared neutral line actually carries 0 amps when both 110 circuits are fully loaded. <S> Why? <S> Trust me, the shared neutral line never carries more than 20 amps. <S> If it did, the neutral line in a 12-3 cable would have to be larger than the black or red lines, but it isn't. <S> Just saying... <S> This picture gets slightly more complicated with inductive loads in which case the currents between phase A and phase B may not necessarily be exactly 180 degrees out of phase, but the currents will still cancel each other out (in the neutral wire) to a degree. <S> In any case, the current in the neutral wire will not exceed 20 amps.
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Because the current from one 110 volt circuit is 180 degrees out of phase with the other 110 volt line, therefore cancelling out in the neutral line. The single neutral isn't really a problem here - ultimately all lines share a single neutral back at the breaker box. Since you branch off into a 12/2 for most of the circuit, I'm not sure if the code would allow separate breakers (hopefully Tester101 will chime in).
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How should I position a motion sensor? When planning motion sensor placement for a security system, is it preferable to install it facing windows, or not? <Q> IR motion sensors can be thought of as a low quality camera with only one color, IR. <S> They are constantly comparing the IR levels across a grid to see when there is a quick change in IR levels. <S> When you look at the housing of a sensor, you can see this grid, and unlike that of a digital camera with mega-pixels, these sensors only have a dozen or so measurement points. <S> Motion directly towards or away from a sensor will show only a small change in IR at the same point. <S> Therefore, you typically want the sensor position to detect motion from side to side . <S> Locate them in places you need higher levels of security, like your home office, or in places a burglar would have to pass, like a stairway or central hallway. <S> You also want them positioned that a pet could not accidentally trigger it, either by aiming high or by placing them in parts of the home that would be closed off. <S> Also, since these sensors are detecting a change in heat, avoid pointing them towards HVAC vents or other sources of quick temperature change. <A> Presuming you're talking about passive infrared or PIR detectors, you do not want them pointing at your windows. <S> They detect changes in the ambient temperature in the field of view, and pointing at windows causes them several problems: <S> heating registers are often located under windows, so when your heating system turns on and off, the temperature will change rapidly just there. <S> if you have changeable weather, there can be big temperature swings as clouds block and unblock the sun. <S> drafts from windows can make drapes sway, blocking and unblocking part of the window. <S> the lenses in PIRs are designed to admit infrared light and block visible light, but they're not perfect. <S> The more ambient light in the field of view, the less sensitive they'll be. <S> windows can often be a magnet for pets, and while pet-immune sensors exist, they often rely on blocking off the part of the PIR window that looks downwards. <S> If your cats are walking on the back of the sofa or your dog is jumping up and down barking at squirrels in your yard, it brings them directly into the field of view. <A> The short answer is no, you need to position the motion sensors in a manner where they cover open areas like hallways. <S> You might have windows here or <S> you might not. <S> If facing away from the window gives you a larger coverage area then that is probably a better placement. <S> The windows should be separately secured with contact sensors and optionally glass break detectors.
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And avoid pointing them towards windows since IR can pass through glass (though various coating on newer windows should reduce this problem). Think about what an intruder would be taking and how they'd get out of the house (it's easier to go out the back door than a window carrying the big screen TV), then cover the areas that they'll be going through.
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Can I run electrical cable and sound cable in the same conduit? In my house, I only have an underground conduit for electrical cable. I have a home theater system, but there is no separate underground conduit for home theater wiring. I want surround sound with front and rear speakers, so I need to pull underground cable for rear speakers. My questions: Should I pull my home theater wire for rear speakers through that electrical cable conduit? If I do this, will I get sound distortion? If yes, is there any specific cable which I can use that would allow the electrical cable and sound cable to be in the same conduit and not get any sound distortion? <Q> I would even recommend routing the cables in entirely different directions if at all possible to minimise mains hum. <S> Is there no other route for them? <S> As an example, my mains wiring is in the walls, so <S> where possible I have my audio wiring in the floor or above the ceilings. <S> If you absolutely can't avoid running them together, get yourself a cable that has a decent screen and make sure it is earthed. <A> NEC 2008 300.3(C) <S> Conductors of Different Systems (1) <S> 600 Volts, Nominal, or Less. <S> Conductors of ac and dc circuits, rated 600 volts, nominal, or less, shall be permitted to occupy the same equipment wiring enclosure, cable, or raceway. <S> All conductors shall have an insulation rating equal to at least the maximum circuit voltage applied to any conductor within the enclosure, cable, or raceway. <S> … <A> If you can avoid it, you should not run high voltage and low voltage lines in parallel. <S> They should be separated and should intersect at right angles when they need to cross paths. <S> You will likely get some interference, but perhaps you won't notice it. <S> No harm in trying. <A> The current induced in the speaker wire will not be noticed. <S> If it were an input cable it would be different. <S> Speakers wires are after the amplifier so the interference will not get amplified. <S> The only issue is being sure the insulation on the speaker wire is rated for the higher voltage in the AC line.
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You really want to keep these separate in a high quality audio setup, as you will get interference...especially through a sub. According to NEC 300.3(C)(1), you can only run the speaker cable in the same enclosure as a higher-voltage circuit if the insulation of the speaker cable is rated for the voltage of the higher-voltage circuit.
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How can I remove water-based emulsion paint from paving slabs? On painting the bedrooms in our new house, we've gotten some (mainly) water-based paint on some of the paving slabs on the patio. A little of it may be oil-based gloss we used for skirting boards, but the majority is emulsion. Is there an easy way to remove it without a lot of laborious scrubbing? I was rather hoping the rain might make it fade, but it's been a few weeks and that was clearly overly optimistic on my part ;) <Q> The water based paint will come off eventually with rain and normal activity on the paving slabs, but it will take a while. <S> The only guaranteed way is to use water and a scrubbing brush or, if you don't want to get down on your hands and knees, a stiff bristled yard brush. <A> A pressure washer might do the trick. <S> Look upon this not as a chore of tedious magnitude, but as an opportunity to acquire more tools! <S> Generic image -- not an endorsement of any particular brand. <A> Sure - any chemical paint stripper for latex paint. <S> Just think of it the same way you would exterior <S> latex housepaint - use the same products intended to strip that. <A> I use my Karcher 1800 PSI all the time on my concrete driveway when I painted some doors on saw horses and didn't take the time to put down a tarp.......took it right off no problem and no stains however, <S> I did it right away after painting the doors....... <S> like the next day!
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If it hasn't stained the concrete a pressure washer should do the trick. You might also try a heat gun and scraper, and then the chemical stripper.
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Why won't the bulbs light up brightly in my European chandelier? I bought a European chandelier not knowing there were light bulb size differences. I ordered 12 European to Candelabra Reducers (E14 to E12). I was so happy when I received them, and couldn't wait to install them on my new candelabra. I installed all 12 bulbs and reducers, but to my surprise only 2 really light up and the other 10 only glow. Can you help me and tell me what's wrong and what I need to do? <Q> They will be in series not in parallel. <S> To test this switch the light on and remove one bulb that is 1/2 lit. <S> Another will go off- <S> they are in series. <S> Maybe even 2 will go off. <S> They need to be re-wired in parallel. <A> 240 volts is European standard120 <S> is U SSo, if a bulb glows brightly at 240 volts and is 60 watts, then changes in U S <S> It is due to the voltage. <S> 240 volt 60 watt120 volt 30 wattSee the pattern? <S> Your other two that glow brighter? <S> More than likely higher wattage than the rest. <S> Hope this helps. <A> All replies and the OP so far seem to assume the chandelier was built for 220V. <S> But, is there any chance this is a period piece? <S> Up to the 1960s (and even the early 1970s) <S> many countries in the Mediterranean region used 230V triphase AC. <S> This is about 120V for each individual phase, and 230V between phases. <S> So you could wire a house using two phases to obtain 220-230V at the wall outlets for appliances, and the third phase for 120V for lighting. <S> 120V bulbs were actually quite common in these countries. <S> I am starting to think you may have a chandelier wired to accept 120V bulbs, under 230V voltage; i.e. each two bulbs are placed in series. <S> If there is any chance the wiring is old and deteriorated by time (humidity?), I would have it remade with new material by a licensed electrician - making <S> sure all your bulbs are connected in parallel. <S> HTH.
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If your bulbs ARE 120 volt and some are half lit then some are wired wrong.
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How do I finish a ridge cap? I've installed the ridge cap, using modified 3 tab shingles. I've installed the ridge cap all the way to the other end of the ridge, but I'm not quite sure what to do now. The next shingle will be hanging out over nothingness, how can I nail it down? Please don't nitpick about not using Ridge Cap Shingles, that's a different question altogether. <Q> That's what I've done in similar situations. <S> Cut off the top half of the shingle (using the piece without the glue line) and 2-4 nails right through your last shingle. <S> Cover the nails with a drop of roof cement. <A> Nail down, through the tar strip the dark grey shingle in your image. <S> Cut a new piece in half, throwing out the half with the tar strip. <S> Glue down the cut shingle with roofing cement. <S> Remember to cover the nail heads from the last step. <S> I believe you can buy roofing cement in a caulking tube if you don't happen to have any left over. <A> I'm not a roofing expert <S> but I put plenty of shingles on back in the day. <S> My grandfather was a building contractor <S> so I learned the techniques over the years. <S> First of all, we NEVER used staples... <S> ever, 4 nails to a shingle and they don't blow off in storms!! <S> We turn the first row of shingles upside down at the drip edge then start the next row <S> right side up right over the starter edge. <S> Continue up the roof from both side and then cut 3 caps from each tab of the shingle. <S> Gluing anything on a roof isn't in our vocabulary!!! <S> NAILS and NAILS <S> ONLY!!! <S> We also removed old shingles and reshingled..... <S> NO three layer roofs ever!! <S> There's such a thing as doing it right the first time or doing a half azz job and redoing it over and over!!
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Using the tabs we started at one end working toward the other so the nails were blind and then on the last tab you have to nail it and use some roof cement on the nail neads.
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How do I uninstall a velux blackout blind? (A Velux blind is a brand of skylight/roof-window in the UK that's apparently quite popular). We have a couple of velux windows with blinds attached. We'd like to swap them for the black-out blind variety, but having ordered the new ones, are at a bit of a loss for how to uninstall the current ones. How to best do this? Couldn't find any information on velux's site. <Q> Adding an update to Peter Mounce's answer from: https://zebbakes.com/2011/06/21/how-to-uninstall-a-velux-black-out-blind/ <S> The Mr McDonald method at the end worked for me in a couple of seconds, and doesn't have the crazy screwdriver involvement . <S> The quote is: spoke with a very helpful chap at Velux (UK) and removed the blind quite easily. <S> Method was this: 1) <S> With the blind retracted fully, grasp the casing firmly at each end with your fingers at the back (between casing and glass) and thumbs on the front. <S> 2) <S> Now twist/rotate the case up and out (as if twisting case toward top of window frame) and listen for the ‘click’ of the catches releasing both sides. <S> 3) <S> When both catches released – blind should slide forward and out! <S> Tried it <S> and it worked a treat! <S> Obviously no guarantee but was reassured by Velux that if the clips should break on attempting removal that they can supply a new set of brackets for re-installation. <A> I was looking for information and the best link I found was http://zebbakes.com/2011/06/21/how-to-uninstall-a-velux-black-out-blind/ , which was both informative and amusing. <S> It says to take a flat-head screwdriver, wrap it in a cloth, and then insert it between blind and glass, then twist it in small increments until the blind pops out by brute force. <S> It is possible to break the glass by using this method . <A> Simply by swinging the velux round and using the same technique as above but with my hand and I <S> little bit of brute force. <S> It is off and no part broken. <S> Whoopee! <A> I agree that using your hands is the best option. <S> I have just finished replacing seven old blinders with shiny new ones and I could remove them all without damage (not that I cared!) <S> by simply pulling with my bare hands. <S> It takes a while to understand that you must not pull towards you but slightly down <A> We have three velox windows and each had a blackout blind with a "Night Sky" finish. <S> Removed (and clean) side fittings. <S> Removed the slide spring ends (and clean). <S> Opened window and grasped blind cassette with both hands and gently opened / closed the window = <S> Bingo ! <S> In less than 20 seconds the cassette came away from the window fittings. <S> Cleaned the cassette. <S> Re-installing cassette into the left hand window. <A> There is a small piece of sprung plastic on the side of cassette which locks it in place. <S> If you carefully slide a thin blade between the cassette and the grey mounting (I used a butter knife because it is flat and about the right width) keeping the edge of the blade close the top of the window you can push the sprung plastic clip back and the cassette drops out easily - no force required. <A> As Nick Hawes' post above - <S> Velux told me to get fingers between glass and blind, slightly off centre, and pull away from the glass. <S> This was for the older type blind <S> I had with the 2" (50mm) deep head fascia which overhangs the frame, <S> so you cannot twist it (ie not the modern mitred narrow edge trim which sits within the frame). <S> Be careful though, mine did not come away easily, no click as catches released; it took a hard pull and it suddenly shot off hitting me on the forehead. <S> Not something to be done standing on a chair/steps as you'll fall.
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Unscrew the side strips and slide down the windows to remove from the cassetteIf you look down the side of the cassette you will see the grey plastic mounting which the cassette clips onto. I have been able to do it using my hands - they are not massive.
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Can I use landscaping lava rock as a concrete slab base? The side of our house if continually overrun with weeds. I'm thinking of fencing it in and laying some concrete to prevent the weeds and provide some storage area. Currently there is red lava rock over there (under the weeds). Pretty much this stuff (not my photo): I have never laid concrete for any reason, though I've dome some tiling and other stuff that makes me think I can handle it (famous last words, I'm sure). I haven't measured it yet, but let's say it will end up being a 4' X 30' slab, if that matters at this point. The question I have is whether I can use the lava rock as a base for the concrete rather than using something I'd have to buy. I suppose there might be concerns given the size of the rocks (1" or so versus the smaller stuff I've seen used as a base) and the porous nature of the rocks. I understand that I'd still have to remove the rocks and prepare the area by removing weeds, removing some soil, etc. before putting the rocks back as a base. Thoughts? Suggestions? <Q> By itself I would not rely on it, as this is lava rock which isn't the strongest - it's prone to breakage.. <S> However, if you cover it with stone dust to help fill in the voids which will help prevent shifting (which encourages breaking) and then solidly compact it with a power compactor, then follow up by covering it with a layer of sand on top, compacted again, <S> then I think you'll have a good solid base for your slab. <S> What really matters, though, is how deep it goes. <S> You need the base to go down below the normal frost line for your area. <S> If you don't dig down deeply enough, then come winter, <S> the freezing ground under the slab will heave and destroy your concrete, which will be a huge waste of money. <S> So if you need to dig down more, which you'll find out quickly (if you're in N CA go 16-24", if you're in the southern part, 1' will be fine) then dig down, and fill with this first, then gravel, then stone dust and finally sand - compacting each layer as you go. <A> The key to a good base is compacting and stability. <S> couldn't work but appropriate concrete base is so cheap, and cracked concrete such a pain to repair that it makes no sense not to use exactly the base intended for the purpose. <A> If the goal is to prevent weeds and obtain storage, why not consider putting down paving blocks. <S> Assuming the storage is not overly heavy, you could fill in with sand. <S> or decomposed granite or crushed limestone (fine base material) topped with sand, followed by paving blocks that are much easier to install than poured concrete, and much more forgiving of freezes and thaws (and revisions). <S> You may need to do a litte weed pulling or a bit of spraying (such as Roundup), but the main goal could be met with a reasoanbly quick fix. <S> You could also use a weed blocker (such as landscape cloth) in combination with the above to suppress weeds for several years.
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If you could compact the rock adequately there's no reason it
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How can I fix a stripped hole in an aluminum piece? I have a tripod head that is made of aluminum. In the head there is a small hole that houses a small screw that secures a quick-release plate. After some time the hole stripped and the screw no longer holds. I suspect that there is no simple way to fix it, but in case there is, I wanted to see what you guys think! <Q> If this is a clamp bolt, cheap tripods use screws going directly into the casting. <S> Quality units either use a captured nut, Nyloc nut and eccentric toggle or a tee-head bolt with threaded knob. <S> If this is a plate with a fair amount of metal surrounding the hole <S> and it's deep enough, I would get a Heli-Coil kit. <S> With this kit, you drill the hole oversize with the supplied drill, use the supplied tap <S> and then the tool to install the helical insert. <S> Another thread repair is Keensert <S> which, if you have yet more metal because it's a larger device, a locking insert that doesn't require delicate use of Red Loctite to keep it in place. <S> All the above probably are not recommended in the case that the threaded hole is in a casting that doesn't have spare metal, so the previous recommendations of drilling oversize and tapping for a larger bolt might be the best. <S> Which might not be a solution if the threads are common photography standard attachments between devices. <A> The two options are: Re-Thread the hole with a bigger screw <S> (dont force a bigger screw into a damaged site).Use a Reaming/Tap tool to increase the thread size to your desired size... <S> (also, in order to use the heli-coil) you will need to ream/tap the hole. <S> Helicoil - places an insert into the site to reduce the thread size once again. <S> you will need to match the size and thread pattern with your current screw. <S> so i suggest taking the screw with as a sample. <A> Aluminum is a soft metal and screws stripping is very common. <S> Since I don't know of any way to make a striped hole smaller, short of welding in new metal then drilling and tapping, the only solution is to make the screw larger. <S> If you have a #6 screw now, use a #8 now. <S> Simply replace the original with the next larger gauge. <S> BTW, that is not giving up, it's fixing the problem in an economical way. <A> If the screw has stripped out the treads in the hole it will go into, there is little choice. <S> The hole is now too large, for a screw that is now effectively too small. <S> You cannot simply "fix" this without some work. <S> You can use a larger screw, thus one with a larger diameter. <S> This will require you to re-thread the hole for the new screw diameter. <S> You might have to first pre-drill the hold to enlarge it more, depending on the tap you will use. <S> You could fill the hole completely, using an aluminum "welding" material. <S> In theory, that material can now be re-drilled and then tapped for the screw thread you have. <S> Be careful though to not overheat the aluminum body. <S> In either case, it will take some effort to repair. <A> Nutsert is a thread repair system that restores or installs threads in just about any material and any thickness. <S> The threads are steel so they last through repeated use. <S> They are available at "Fastenal" dealers/stores. <S> There are two types flanged for thin materials and flangeless for thicker materials. <S> The flanged units are similar to a large rivet with threads where the usual pin would be. <S> While a rivet expands by pulling the pin into the rivethead, nutserts use a threaded insert that expands the insert and is then removed leaving the threads intact. <S> I wouldn't be surprised if your local dealer would demonstrate how they work on your tripod. <A> I had the same issue...as a girl I took clear nail polish and slathered it around the screw. <S> I waited a few min then attempted to screw it back in. <S> It still wasn't 'solid' <S> but I turned the fan on low and that seems to have dried and tightened the Polish and it now works just fine <A> You might try this: http://www.amazon.com/Loctite-Form-A-Thread-repair-kit-grey/dp/B000WSEUII <S> There are also other brands of epoxy thread repair kits. <S> For a range of solutions see: http://www.repairengineering.com/thread-repair.html <A> use a tiny bit of solder and soldering iron, if the stripped threads is just a small amount of play just use super glue or super glue gel. <S> this will tighened up your threads for the screw to grab, easy fix
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Depends on the size of the screw and how much material you have to work with.
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Water from refrigerator tastes bad after 5 day power outage The water from refrigerator tastes very bad after 5 day power outage. Everything rotted in the fridge and we had to clean it out after the power came back on. The fridge is fine now, but the water that feeds the ice machine and the chilled water spout still tastes pretty funky. I tried to flush the system by running water through it for a while, that seems to help temporarily, but the funky taste came back. This is the refrigerator that I have: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_04651073000P This is the manual for it: http://www.managemylife.com/mmh/lis_pdf/OWNM/1006612L.pdf Should I just change the water filter in the fridge, or will I have to flush the system some kind of cleaning agent? How is this kind of thing normally handled? Thanks! <Q> I am guessing that the rest of the house has no issues with smell or taste of the water. <S> While the ice tray is out carefully check the ice unit for any evidence of mold or odors. <S> Change the filter. <S> Purge the system by making and throwing out a couple of trays of ice. <S> Fill and dispose of a couple of gallons of water out of the dipenser. <A> In addition to mikes' advice, consider changing the prefilter for the line that feeds a refrigerator, if there is one. <S> The most common setup is a line that comes up through the floor from the basement or sideways from a kitchen sink. <S> A refrigerator line is either a thin plastic tube or a thin copper tube. <S> Trace where the line comes through the floor or the cabinet to the refrigerator. <S> Follow it back to where it attaches to a larger pipe. <S> See if there is a canister somewhere along that line. <S> It would be about 3 inches across and 6 to 12 inches in length. <S> That is a prefilter for the fridge. <S> If you find one, replace it also. <S> Take it to a home center or plumbing supply store for a similar one. <S> Brand is not an issue and there are pretty universal fittings to attach them. <A> I had problems with the taste of the water as well. <S> When the line was originally installed they used a flexible metal line.... <S> had it changed to a clear plastic line and now the water tastes just fine...
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My first step would be to empty the ice tray and wash it really well with a mix of baking soda and water mixed into a paste.
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Why does it seem all new faucets are using braided hose instead of stainless steel? I have been looking for a new kitchen faucet recently at all the box stores, and noticed that pretty much all pull-out/pull-down faucets are now using a black braided hose instead of a more rigid stainless steel hose. For example, the black braided hose: And the stainless steel (sometimes segmented) hose: The last time I went looking for faucets, the more expensive ones (~$200+) all seemed to use the stainless steel hose, while especially on the cheaper ones (eg, <$100) used the black braided hose. What I've noticed is practically all faucets -- even $400 ones -- have the black braided hose, or sometimes a silver braided hose (which may be made of steel). I previously had one of the braided hoses in my laundry room, and one thing I noticed was it didn't seem to be as durable. If pulled too hard, it could actually be pinched against the spout and block water, and it seemed like a lot of this use would cause it to break. The stainless steel / segmented hose is effectively crush-proof and doesn't seem to have this issue. There must be some reason the industry is going to the black braided hose, but what is it? I could see this being a cost-saving measure, in that most people don't consider the hose type when purchasing, but I'd still expect the $300+ faucets to use what seems to me to be the higher-end hose. <Q> Durability - I have often seen the stainless/chrome plated hose breaking up after a few years... <S> this is where the hose splits along the seam of the hose... <S> This will not happen with the braided hose due to the fact that you have a netted sheath. <S> Also. <S> the braided pattern is more flexible than its counterpart. <S> Cost <S> - This hose is substantially cheaper than the corrugated style hose. <S> Ease of manufacturing and assembly : <S> this hose can be crimped during assembly, the alternative is to use more complex and expensive screw clamps to assemble the unit. <S> You will probably also find the regular stainless braided hose like this: <A> The braid might extend and retract with less noise. <A> Stainless steel is damaged by chlorine. <S> Municipal water treatment is turning to chloramines which damage stainless more quickly. <S> Older stainless braided hoses used weak interior hose material and didn't have an inner fabric braid under the stainless braid. <S> The older hose had a high failure rate. <A> To me, just less expensive to manufacture. <S> I bought and installed two faucets with the plastic braided hoses a few years ago, and the hoses no longer fully retract. <S> Will replace fixtures and look for faucets with metal hoses. <A> They are cheaper to manufacture. <S> If you can you should stay away from the braided hoses. <S> We have one and the portion of the hose that stays under the sink somehow developed a hole and leaked into the cabinet and then on to my basement ceiling. <S> I am sorely disappointed with the hose. <S> The only way we found out we had a hole was after the damage was already caused.
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A couple of reasons that can think of is wear to the inside and edge of the spout from the steel rubbing against it.
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Why won't my A/C turn on after I replaced the thermostat batteries? Our thermostat died yesterday, but after replacing the dead batteries with fresh batteries, and confirming the LCD screen was operable, our AC no longer turns on. I have attempted a factory reset on the thermostat, and I do hear a quiet but definitive "click" when I believe it is attempting to activate the HVAC unit, but that's as far as it gets. One theory I have is that the batteries were long dead, and the thermostat was getting it's power from the wiring directly, which means it could be the HVAC unit that died. However, it's one of the first times I've had to deal with a HVAC unit personally, so I'm guessing. I reset the breaker a couple times to see if that would do it, but it's a no go (it is clearly marked on my panel with a aluminum bridge between both breakers). Anything else I can try before I call a pro? <Q> Sounds like you may not have power from the transformer. <S> You can check this using a multimeter, by testing the voltage between the red R wire and the blue C wire. <S> You should read somewhere around 24VAC, though depending on the system it could be anywhere from about 6VAC to 30VAC. <S> Most thermostats only use the batteries to power the thermostat itself, LED display, programming, date/time, etc. <S> Thermostats with a C wire (like yours seems to have), sometimes only use the batteries to remember your settings during a power outage. <S> The actual power for signalling heat/cool, is supplied by a transformer in the furnace itself (the red R wire). <S> If there is no power on the R wire, the thermostat has no way to call for heat/cool. <S> In this case you'll have to have an HVAC tech troubleshoot, and possibly replace the transformer. <S> You could use your multimeter to verify the furnace itself is getting power, though this is slightly more dangerous since you'll have to open the service panel on the furnace. <S> This could put you in danger of electrocution, and should be avoided if you are not familiar with HVAC systems. <S> A serviceman switch is a switch on the feed line to the furnace, that allows servicemen to turn the power off to the furnace to service it. <S> It should be located very close to the furnace, and within line of site of the furnaces service panel. <S> If there is line of sight from the furnace service panel to the breaker panel that feed the furnace; or this is an old installation, you may not have a serviceman's switch. <S> Your best bet, is to simply call in an HVAC technician to service the furnace. <A> So I had the same issue and called my buddy who is a certified HVAC technician <S> and he helped me trouble shoot the problem. <S> First he had me check to make sure all the wires were secure behind the thermostat, but they were secure. <S> Then he had me take off the panel on the heater/AC Unit and push in the door trigger to see if there were lights. <S> There were lights, which meant that power was going to the unit, just not making it to the thermostat. <S> Then he had me check a fuse on the main circuit board that had the number 3 on it. <S> The fuse was not blown. <S> Next he asked me to check the AC condensation overflow pipe to make sure that there wasn't a clog because if there is a clog the safety valve will cut off power to the thermostat. <S> Sure enough, this was the issue. <S> There was a 1 inch PVC pipe running up along the left out-side of my AC/heater that went down into a water pump that was clogged. <S> I simply unclogged it and the AC cut on immediately. <A> I just had this exact issue. <S> I called the HVAC emergency service number and the technician called me back. <S> He advised to unscrew the bottom of the kill switch or float. <S> There is a yellow wire that leads to it. <S> Once I drained all the water ,the system turned on instantly. <S> Hope that helps. <A> My A/C stopped working because the batteries in my (Honeywell) thermostat needed to be replaced. <S> I replaced them and plugged it back in the wall mount. <S> The A/C still did not work, but the LCD lights were on. <S> I had to remove the face plate and replug it back into the mount. <S> This time I pressed the center of the LCD screen and got it fully connected which turned on the A/C unit. <A> Make sure you put the batteries in right. <S> Don't let the springs fool you like they did me. <S> I put both batteries in with the - (minus) sides on the springs. <S> Don't do that. <S> Put one battery with the + side on the spring. <S> It should show you the + signs on the battery holder. <S> hth <A> Before anything, try reset button at the furnace itself hidden behind the cover. <S> It's one of those that activates when the cover is on and deactivates when the cover is off. <S> My problem was exactly that.
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The only other thing I can think for you to check, is to look for a serviceman switch and make sure it's in the ON position.
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Is there any harm in using shorter shelf brackets with a deeper shelf? I'm planning on installing Ikea shelves mounted on wall brackets (using the Antonius system ). Until recently there were Antonius shelves 14 3/8 inches deep, but now they've disappeared, leaving only 11 inches deep shelves. There is a 14 3/8 deep shelf (a Broder shelf ), but to attached to the wall mount I need brackets. There are only brackets for 11 inch shelves . The shelves are planned to store dry food stuff mostly (cans, pasta, rice, potatoes, etc.), so it might be quite heavy. What is the harm in using shorter brackets with a deeper shelf? The only things I can think of are a reduced carrying capacity for the bracket and since the out edge of the shelf is not supported, it might be break. But how realistic is that the 3 3/8 edge will break from a static load? The deeper shelf is wood (as opposed to particle board for the Antonius shelves). <Q> A wooden shelf that is cantilevered 3 inches or so out from the end of a bracket will probably survive some load. <S> But stack too much of a load on it (a pantry, canned food is heavy!) and even wood will crack. <S> Particle board is very likely to fail of course as it has very little real strength. <S> A shorter bracket will often be designed for a smaller load. <S> (Long brackets may be wider at the base, to support a larger load. <S> They may be more robust to prevent buckling.) <S> The issue is not just will it support the entire width of the board, but is the bracket adequate to support a greater load since a wide shelf will have more items stored on it. <S> Those extra items stored are hanging a significant distance away from the wall. <A> The product you are looking for are brackets for what is called "standards". <S> They come in many different sizes. <S> Ikea likes to put fancy names on things so they can charge more. <S> Just goto your local home improvement store/hardware store and tell the person there that you are looking for brackets to fit standards. <A> If the shelf you're putting up is a solid wood shelf and not particle board, an 11" bracket will be fine (assuming it's a metal bracket). <S> Certainly it's not ideal, but I don't know what you have for hardware stores in Israel. <S> The grain of the wood will be perpendicular to the brackets, which would give you a chance to break the wood out at the end, but how much weight can you really put on the last 3 3/8"? <S> However, you have one big unanswered question. <S> You haven't mentioned what you're attaching the brackets to. <S> Are your walls drywall? <S> If so, can you sink both brackets into studs behind the drywall? <S> If you can, no worries about weight, if you can't hit then most anchor systems are going to be rated for 75-125 lbs(about 34-57 kilograms) for 5/8" drywall (1.5cm). <S> If you put several anchors into the wall for each rail, you'll have plenty of weight bearing capability. <S> If your walls are a concrete block (like many student dormitories here in the U.S.) you'll be fine. <S> Same with a wood finished wall (such as v-match pine). <S> If you have some kind of paneling, you'll want to anchor directly to studs behind. <S> Good luck! <A> Use the Broder brackets . <S> They were designed for the Broder shelves. <A> The links you provide no longer work. <S> I am assuming that since you said brackets for 11" shelves, that means the brackets are "designed" for 11" shelves and that they in themselves are not 11" long. <S> Also where the load is place will be become a more important factor at play. <S> There are two basic forces at play in a bracket system. <S> There is the straight downward force that is normally called the shear force. <S> Then there is the moment forces, which is more of turning/twisting force. <S> When a bracket extends to edge of the shelf then the shelf itself <S> and it's load can be treated as having a well established load limit. <S> The max load for bending moment would be as if all the weight it focused on the tip of the bracket. <S> The maximum shear force would be at the bracket base (thus why brackets are larger at the base). <S> Things become more complicated as the shelf extends beyond the end of the bracket. <S> A second bending moment/point is created between the shelf and the bracket. <S> So it is important to know if the bracket is attached to the shelf as this will cause it to act in many respects as one unit. <S> Even if it acts as one unit, as correctly mentioned above a second shear point is created at the edge of the bracket and the shelf. <S> Since I don't know the exact numbers (such as load metal thickness etc) the best i can do is point you to some sources that can help you solve the matter. <S> Here is the technical consideration of MDF and composite shelf . <S> I have listed a few tools that can help you determine the width span and sizing of the shelves: <S> The Sagulator <S> Even with correct brackets make sure it doesn't sag! <S> Remember edgeband (or using a strip of wood on the edge of the shelf) can have a large impact on the load capability. <S> Beam Formulas (PDF, page 9) Bending Moment Diagrams
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Using the brackets would change the load they could carry. To answer your question though, "yes and no" the brackets for the 11" shelves would work up to a point.
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How to keep my air conditioner from freezing when it is cool outside? My bedroom is the hottest room in the house, and even with all the windows open and fans in them doesn't cool off as much as I would like when it's an acceptable temperature outside. And I prefer to sleep in a rather cool room since I find it easier to breath. I have a window air conditioner that works perfectly in the summer, keeping the room nice and cool. But in the spring and fall, when it's cool outside (but not cool enough for me to be comfortable!) the AC will freeze over quickly. What can I do to prevent it from freezing? Are some window air conditioners better at working with lower outside temperatures? If so what would I be looking for? <Q> A typical AC shouldn't freeze over in that temperature range unless it's running 24x7. <S> Try turning it onto energy save mode and adjusting the thermostat so that it turns off for at least 10-15 minutes every 2 hours. <A> As you may know, an air conditioner works by transferring heat between coils. <S> This process depends on being able to dissipate both the hot and cold sides effectively. <S> Most devices are rated to sustain a certain maximum temperature differential between the hot side and the cold side. <S> In your case, the "hot" side is cold enough where the "cold" side gets cold enough to freeze. <S> However, since we presume that your room isn't intentionally being kept below freezing we can also presume that the reason it freezes is because the "cold" side isn't being warmed enough by your cooler air (as cooler air will less readily release its heat to the cold coil than warmer air). <S> A simple solution is turn your AC's fan up. <S> If your fan is already on maximum then you could find another way to increase airflow or you could turn your temperature up.... <S> Perhaps your unit is simply not large enough to do the job you're after. <A> Instead of trying to get the air conditioner to fight with the heating system, I'd focus on trying to balance the heating system so that opening the windows is sufficient.
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Increase the airflow across the evaporator and it should be able to cool more without freezing. A good HVAC technician should be able to help you out.
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How can I stop mortar plugs from popping out of slab holes? Our termite people plugged their dozens of chemical insertion holes using a regular grout and a putty knife. Needless to say the plugs are popping out left and right. (They tell me that is normal, the plugs pop out in all their jobs). How would you suggest sealing these holes, restoring the slab to the original condition, and keeping termiticides from leaking up? I realize the termite people never cleaned the holes of concrete dust, so I'm prepared at least to do that: <Q> If you do it your self (not endorsing, and see comment by The Evil Greebo) <S> To ensure that it does not come out, holes or cracks are usually back cut (the hole is made wider below the opening so that its diameter is greater than the diameter of the opening). <S> This can be done with a small masonry chisel and a small sledge hammer. <S> Start chiseling about 1/2 to 1 inch below the opening and go down about 3/4 to 1 inch deep. <S> You just need to get it a bit wider (1/4 inch greater all around) than the hole. <S> The hydraulic cement is used like a putty and it expands slightly as it dries to lock it in. <S> Follow the instructions, especially about moistening. <S> If you are doing this yourself, use a good mask and gloves because there have been harsh chemicals in that hole. <S> Let the chips and dust fall in the hole. <S> Do not vacuum them out! <A> The concrete shouldn't pop out... <S> I'm guessing the mortar they used <S> was no good. <S> Just buy brickies mortar from the hardware or sand and <S> cement Mortar is stronger as there is more cement to sand. <S> mix with water and a squirt of bonding agent will make it even stronger (we use bondcrete). <S> Mix until it's a moist workable putty. <S> before filling the hole, break off a small piece of styrofoam, underlay, or even toilet paper and stuffit 1 cm below the surface. <S> this is to hold the mortar in place. <S> roll the mortar in your hand and break it off into the hole. <S> use your thumb to press it down and into the edges. <S> We use this everyday and have retreated many jobs 8-10 years later... <S> the holes don't fall through. <S> Avoid water blasting directly onto the holes of course <S> but those holes should be as strong as they need to be. <S> easy, cheap and quick! <A> By looking at your photo of the plug, it looks like the termite technician did not install the plug fully into the hole. <S> If properly installed, termite plugs made from rubber or plastic need to be drilled out or pounded through the slab. <S> I have been doing termite work for 22 years using these and other types of plugs and have never seen one properly installed to fail. <S> Failure would only occur if the hole was too big and the proper sized plug was not installed. <S> of course, the plug would fall through the hole. <S> As far as termiticide coming back up through the holes it has most likely dried and has bonded with the soil. <S> Only a sub slab leak that would force up mud and water would be a concern. <S> This is assuming your house was not treated with chlordane which use was banned in 1988. <S> Fumes may still rise from the chlordane. <S> Ask your pest control professional for Triple Seal or Super Plugs. <S> They will most likely give some to you. <S> They are pounded in and can set flush with the interior slab so tile can sit level. <S> If exterior, pound them in a 1/4" to 1/2" below the surface and use concrete patch. <S> Scuff with shoe when mostly dry <S> and you will hardly see the patch work. <A> No, the actual plug is made of a flexible rubber/plastic. <S> They are (SealTite Termite Bullet Plugs) <S> Some of the holes they drilled probably did not go through the slab due to hitting steel re-bar. <S> If There is dust in the holes, it should be over 3" down in there if the drill went through the slab. <S> Therefore, the holes that didn't go through the slab are holding concrete dust still and the plugs can't go deep enough into the hole and/or were not not properly installed. <S> Or, the Bullet plugs should have never been used on the shallow un-treated drill holes holes. <S> There is one other possibility. <S> The technicians might have been too lazy to sweep up the dust and swept it back into the holes. <S> Which, of course, is also the wrong thing to do.
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you could put a more secure plug in by using hydraulic cement.
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What could be causing an A/C blower motor to turn off randomly? The Blower motor on my AC unit turns off at random times while the outside unit continues to run which is causing the coil to freeze up. The blower won't come on for 30-45 minutes after the AC has been turned off, but after that it seems to turn back on fine. I have been trying to track the problem down for the last couple months, but it literally only happens every 2 or 3 weeks. Last night it stopped again and I tried to just turn the fan (from the thermostat) on without luck. I took a look at the blower and it seemed to turn just fine. I put my hand on the back of the fan motor and it wasn't hot to the touch. About 45 minutes after it turned off the blower came back and it was working normally. What could be causing this problem? <Q> I ended up calling a buddy of mine who is an HVAC tech <S> and he pointed me in the right direction to check the fan wire on the back of the thermostat. <S> I checked the wire and it was just hanging in the terminal. <S> I'm pretty sure that was the cause of the problem. <S> It makes sense because there wasn't anything wrong with the blower motor itself. <S> The fan wire on the thermostat was in fact the problem. <S> I fixed the connection and it has worked fine for the last 3 years. <A> I have a ruud rheem heat pump, I had this same issue. <S> The unit was installed in 2006. <S> After going through the typical steps of checking air filters and electrical components on the unit, I found the wiring from the thermostat for the blower control to the control board was rusted in the wire nut. <S> I cut the wires and stripped them back and reconnected the wires and the AC unit is running with out any trouble now. <S> Remember to keep it simple. <S> HVAC service companies love these type of calls that an experienced tech can track down quickly. <S> If you have a basic understanding of how circuits work you can fix this easily and save a bunch of cash. <A> My central AC unit decided to stop on the hottest day of the year. <S> It would start and run normally for a few minutes and then the blower would shut off. <S> After checking the breakers, thermostat and overflow shut off (did not have one) <S> I saw something about a blower motor capacitor. <S> This was easy to get to and replace <S> and my last hope before waiting for someone to come fix it. <S> The capacitor cost $4.04 with tax and had my AC working again. <S> Needless to say I was beyond happy. <S> I hope this can help others with a similar problem. <A> Check your drain lines for water run off. <S> Make sure they are clear and then check the float for the excess water shut down reset them <A> Also check your ground. <S> The ground side of the 24 volt half of the transformer had 2 wires connected to it. <S> The good one went to the mounting screw of the transformer. <S> The bad wire went to the circuit board. <S> It was bent over perpendicular just above the connecter, and many of the strands were broken. <S> There was also some minor corrosion. <S> Replacing these ground connections resulted in satisfactory operation. <S> This was difficult to troubleshoot because operation was okay if the air filter was not in place, and the issue showed up only when an air filter was installed on the supply side (dirty or clean filters both had the intermittent problem). <A> Thank you for asking. <S> Your thermostat 24V wire line is lose, interrupted, broken or oxidized. <S> Solution : disconnect old 24V line, and run new line, if this restores your blower motor function the old one was defective. <S> Thank you and have a nice day.
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I just ran across an intermittent blower issue (cycling on and off constantly during call for heat from the thermostat) that was due to a poor ground connection on my 120 volt to 24 volt transformer on an old Janitrol furnace.
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How to clean a light tan vinyl fence? I had my back vinyl fence moved back a couple feet and some of the boards that were originally facing the back are now facing forward, so now there is this appearance that some boards are darker (dirtier) and some are lighter (cleaner). If you look closely at the picture, you will notice the clean boards and the dirty ones. What is the best way to clean this? The dirty boards originally had some green mold, but I got this off with water and scrubbing with a broom and now what is left dirt (at least that is what I think it is). Here is a picture: <Q> Assuming this actually is dirt and not bleaching by the sun and some confusion on which boards faced which way... <S> Go to Home Depot and rent a pressure washer. <S> Test the pressure washer on a scrap piece of fencing before you use it on the real deal - if you get too close you could blast a hole in the vinyl - but it will remove the dirt. <S> Quite amazingly so. <S> I've seen dirty old grey decking look like brand spanking new after a good pressure wash. <A> I would try some vinyl siding cleaner or Oxygen bleach like Stain Solver. <S> It doesn't look that bad in the picture though. <A> Given that you cleaned the fence I'm not certain that it's dirt as mentioned by The Evil Greebo <S> above <S> but if it is then you have several options that we commend. <S> The Green Method Use regular household vinegar. <S> Start by trying 1/2 cup vinegar to 1 Gallon of water. <S> If that doesn't seem to be working add another 1/2 cup of vinegar to increase the strength a bit and try that. <S> The more baked on dirt <S> you have the harder you will have to work to get it off. <S> You can also try the "magic eraser" in conjunction with or (before or after the vinegar). <S> Of course if you have a lot of fencing to clean this isn't going to be the preferred method. <S> You need to give the bleach a bit of time to work on the surface <S> but you should see it start working within 10 - 15 minutes. <S> Keep in mind that your putting a caustic chemical on the fence and you need to be careful with plants nearby. <S> Make sure you water down the plants after your done to dilute the bleach as much as possible to avoid harming the landscaping.
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Non Commercial Cleaners Use one part bleach to five parts water and try that on the vinyl fence.
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How can I get windshield wiper fluid stains out of my garage floor? My car's windshield wiper fluid reservoir had a leak and quite a bit of it soaked into my garage floor (which is a light concrete). It happened over night, so it soaked quite a bit. Now the floor is stained blue! I've tried using this concrete cleaner from Home Depot combined with veracious scrubbing with a hard bristle brush but to no avail: Link to cleaner I also tried bleach and pressure washing. Still blue. Anyone know how to get windshield wiper fluid stains off a garage floor? <Q> I know this post is super old but my boyfriend and <S> I had this issue recently. <S> We used a little laundry detergent and comet at first. <S> That helped a little but what really worked was kaboom, the one that's for the rest rooms. <S> This really penetrated the concrete. <S> We let it sit about 15 minutes and pressure washed it. <S> We did that about 3 times and it did the trick. <A> If you have access to a steam cleaner you can try using the steam cleaner over the stained area for a few minutes to see if it will push the stain. <S> Let it dry and rinse and repeat, if it's still there. <S> Best of luck! <A> If that spot of floor is exposed to the sunlight when the door is open the sun will bleach it out over time. <S> You could also try putting something on it to soak the color up like comet clensing powder,rice hull ash, or cement. <S> Let it set for a week or two. <S> If it never comes out you could paint your garage floor with epoxy paint and never have to worry about stains again. <S> I did mine in grey with flakes about 7 years ago and it still looks great. <A> You could try an oxygen bleach like Stain Solver .
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If the stain is stubborn, you can try using your pressure washer after steam cleaning it and/or scrub the concrete. Like The Evil Greebo asked, if the concrete isn't sealed, then the stain could be a bit difficult to remove or even permanent.
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How can I reinforce a piece of furniture to put an aquarium on it? I'm planning to build an aquarium - 50 gallons. I estimate that it'll weight 550 pounds. It would be in the top of a cabinet... but the top of that cabinet is a suspended glass. It's similiar to this one but without the drawers. How can i reinforce it using just glass, so it won't break when my aquarium gets filled with water, fishes, rocks and so on ? <Q> This sounds like a bad plan. <S> 550 pounds (or more, likely) is just way too much weight to try to hack something together. <S> Even if you put a support in the middle, then you need to make sure <S> it's <S> perfectly balanced or you're going to crack the aquarium at the pivot point — the glass tank is going to be very unforgiving of an uneven surface. <S> Plus, think of the enormous problem if your tank does crack or fall over. <S> 50 gallons of water could cause a huge amount of damage. <S> Make sure your homeowner's policy includes flood coverage that would pay for this if you do try it! <S> Just get a stand that's build to hold an aquarium. <S> It will probably be cheaper than buying a massive piece of tempered glass. <S> (Although I strongly discourage this idea, if you are committed I would suggest that you carefully test your contraption. <S> Get a bunch of bricks, bags of gravel, etc. <S> that weigh a little more than you're expecting. <S> E.g. if you think the tank will end up being 600 lbs all told, gather up 800 lbs of materials and stack it in the tank. <S> Leave it for a few days. <S> Jump on the floor. <S> Throw a pillow at it. <S> Knock on the glass. <S> Lean on the cabinet. <S> If it's going to collapse, you want to find out before you have all the water and fish in there.) <A> The Evil Greebo is correct. <S> Glass is simply not that strong. <S> So if you intend to do this despite the warnings you will get, I'd find a glass shop that can supply you with a replacement glass top that is thick enough <S> so it WILL support the design load. <S> They may suggest the use of tempered glass. <S> The problem is, thicker glass will be fairly expensive, especially tempered glass. <S> Another option, coming at this as a woodworker, is a way that is commonly used to strengthen long shelves that are supported at the ends. <S> Essentially one would laminate a second piece of wood along the front and rear edges of the shelf. <S> This creates a beam that is stronger than the single thickness of shelf material, with less deflection. <S> One would probably need to use an epoxy to form the lamination. <S> Again, a glass shop would tell you if this was feasible or worth the expense. <S> Finally, an additional support in the center of a shelf will vastly increase the load it can support, compared to a beam that is supported only at the ends. <S> It won't be cheap. <S> Even better is to avoid the glass top completely. <S> Remember that failure in this case is an extreme event. <S> Lots of water, dead fish, big bills to clean it all up. <A> You could build a sub-top using a torsion box design or something similar that will support the weight adequately. <S> It could be designed so it is tapered at the front edge. <S> Then lay a thinner pieces of glass over that and at least from the front it would have a look similar to the concept above. <S> It seems to me that if there is any deflection of the top at all it is going to lead to eventual failure of the aquarium itself. <S> Whatever material you use <S> I would pay close attention to the deflection expected in the middle of the shelf.
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To be honest, I'd go for an appropriate thickness of tempered glass.
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How can I pass cables vertically through walls that contain fire blocking? How can one pass (speaker) cables through walls from the floor to the ceiling.I am assuming that drilling a small hole at the top, dropping the cable I want to pass through and catching it at the bottom will not work because the wire being dropped would encounter a cross-beam? Are there techniques to accomplish this? I am in California, so I basically have a house made of cardboard (no bricks) but what I assume is drywall. Any tips are appreciated <Q> There are a variety of methods of fishing wires through walls. <S> The most crude being brute force with some cable types. <S> Coax can often easily be pushed down walls. <S> The most common way to fish cable is a fish tape: <S> (source: homedepot.com ) <S> This is a flexible steel or fiberglass line that is wound up. <S> You extract it by holding the reel and pushing the handle. <S> To wrap it back up, you do the opposite motion. <S> In some cases (most often in drop ceilings) you can use rods to pass the cable around: <S> (source: homedepot.com ) <S> If it is a short distance, the cheapest and easiest thing to use is a metal coat hanger. <S> With all methods, you feed it from one area to another and then pull the wire back out. <S> It doesn't usually matter what direction you go, but you will find that with some routes, approaching it from one direction is easier than the other. <S> If the route doesn't match up with how you are feeding the wire <S> (ie: it is coming from one side, but for whatever reason you need to fish from the other), you can pull a temporary line (nylon string) through with the fish tape, and then pull the wire back through with the temporary line. <S> Plan your routes well using a stud finder and other visual hints. <S> If you are lucky you will only need two holes. <S> In some tough scenarios you might need to cut another hole to allow you to pull the wire through. <S> A flexible drill bit can also be useful: <S> (source: homedepot.com ) <A> These are firebreaks meant to reduce a chimney effect that could hasten the spread of fire. <S> There are several options to address the issue. <S> Remember that speakers are very low voltage wires and do not present an electrical hazard. <S> Surface mount - There is cable that is in the form of ribbon that can be glued on the wall and painted over (after feathering the edges with taping compound). <S> Notch mount - Find the cross brace. <S> Cut a notch in the drywall and then into the face of the cross stud. <S> Drop the wire from the ceiling hole to the top of the cross brace. <S> Press the wire into the notch. <S> Drop the wire from the bottom of the cross brace to the floor hole. <S> Flexible drill <S> - There are various long shaft flexible drill bits that can be threaded through a smallish hole in the lower or upper sections to drill through the cross brace (or through a sill or top plate) to feed the hole through. <S> You might need another moderate hole below the brace to catch the wire for feeding down. <S> In all of these cases except #1, you need to patch the holes with mesh drywall tape and taping compound after the wire is in place. <S> SUPPLEMENT: <S> If the wall is exterior, there may be (should be) insulation betweent the studs. <S> This will complicate the fishing a bit and generally favors a larger access hole. <A> Professional installers have long drill bits, and stud finders. <S> The cross brace you're speaking is generally called a fireblock, and it may not be present in all stud cavities.
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Access hole - You could cut a moderate hole (an inch or two across) above the cross brace, drill on an angle through the cross brace, and then fish the wire to the floor hole. You are probably right that there are cross beams in modern stick construction houses covered in drywall.
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Do I have to remove the old thinset before installing new tile? I will be installing some new 12x12 tiles in two bathrooms approx 25 sq/ft each. When I pulled up the old tiles, there was no thin set that had made contact with them so the removal was very easy. Now, the thin set on the floor is a different story. I have been chipping away at it by hand in one bathroom to get to the cement floor below and it has been a bugger to get off. Before I attempt to continue this process in the second bathroom, I would like to know if it is absolutely required to do so if it is well adhered to the cement underneath? (It's my hope, obviously, that I can tile over the old thin set as long as it is level and firmly attached.) EDIT: My subfloor is a concrete slab with the thin set on it. It must be chipped away to remove vs. cut and replace sub floor. <Q> Like Greebo says, you want to get back down to the concrete, but I'd suggest that more to have a flat surface to build on top of. <S> To make the job go faster, you can use a power tool. <S> Several would get the job done: Power Chisel (best fit for the job): Air Hammer (you'd need a high capacity air compressor): Demo Hammer (more power than you need, but it could be useful for other jobs in the future): <S> MC Hammer (don't touch this): <A> I'd lean towards the stiffer bristles. <S> Be sure to wet the thinset before starting, and as needed. <S> The thinset comes off like mud, leaving clean concrete. <S> Once finished, scoop up the mud and sweep. <S> Done. <A> The answer is, "if you want to do it properly, yes". <S> You may find it actually easier to remove the subfloor completely <S> (cut it out with a circ saw set to the depth of the subfloor) and replace it to give yourself a clean surface on which to work. <A> After calling the rental places and comparing what I have done (using a cold chisle and hammer) to the results I would anticipate with a power chisle, I opted for the cheaper (and now added tool to the tool chest) of a $39 Royobi 4.5" angle grinder. <S> I attached a two row Dimond cutting cup about $40. <S> In three hours I finished the bathroom I started by hand and finished the second bathroom! <S> Floors are smooth as glass <S> and I was able to tile both rooms the next day. <S> All suggestions/Answeres were most appreciated. <A> You easily can go over old thin set with no problem,as long as it is down good.... <S> I have done whole house on top of strong bonded oldthinset.... <S> it is actually a benefit to the instsllation of the new tile.... <S> only a pro can understand what I mean....but trust me ,it is okay <A> You can put tile over old thinset. <S> Make sure it not loose, vacuum to remove any debris, check for cracks, apply membrane if needed. <S> I've done it hundreds of times for fifteen years including my own five houses. <S> Remove the old thinset to get a flat surface for wood or laminate installation. <A> Just finished removing tile and thin set from a small (5'x5') bathroom floor an hour ago. <S> I use a wide cold chisel and hammer to remove the tile. <S> I found it was much more productive to cut through the grout lines first with an angle grinder and diamond blade. <S> You could use a circ. <S> saw <S> but I didn't have one on hand. <S> I used my shop vac to collect the dust as I ran along the grout with the blade. <S> You don't really need to go all the way through the grout to the subfloor, just a decent groove. <S> The tile still broke up in pieces with the grout lines cut but the pieces were much larger making the job faster. <S> I found a wide chisel / scraper type attachment at Lowes which fit directly into a recip. <S> saw and that made pretty short work of the thin set ridges. <S> Going perpendicular to the ridges is much more effective. <S> Altogether the job took about 4 hours and left the new surface pretty smooth. <S> I may just hit any high spots with the grinder again to make sure. <S> It's a little late to do it once you start laying tile. <A> well, chipped all the tile up in my home OMG. <S> So now the thinset, I found a rental tool at homedepot .Its a floor buffer <S> and you put this round buffer with teeth and <S> it removes thinset. <S> DUST but fast. <S> and yes you can go over thinset <S> just make sure it not loose. <S> have fun ;) <A> thinset removal bit $25 on amazon hooks up to an air compressor. <S> .. gives you more control than a roto hammer. <S> Been doing tile for 10 years and so far best bang for your buck <A> wet the thinset with a generous amount of water before attempting to remove. <S> It will soften most thinsets up a bit but the biggest gain is in dust mitigation. <S> Let it soak as long as you can, I try to let it set for at least an hour. <S> You will have a tremendous amount of dust EVERYWHERE if you don't. <S> There will still be dust but it will be manageable when wet. <S> I just scaled 150 square feet today and although it was a back breaker <S> it wasn't nearly as bad as it could've been. <S> Used a Bosch rotary hammer with a 1.5" scaling bit. <S> Couldn't find a wider bit <S> but this actually worked well. <S> I use a 4" manual scrapper to ensure everything is flush and this really cleans any remaining thinset. <S> Good luck, it isn't for the faint of heart !!!
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Having done this exact thing recently, I found that using the hard metal brush attachment for the angle grinder worked very well to remove thinset without affecting the concrete beneath it. You're going to find it near impossible to get a good base to lay tile on if you try to apply thinset overtop of old thinset. At Matthew PK's suggestion to water the floor down, it did eat it up and make mud.
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How can I air-condition a garage without modifying it? So my apartment has an attached garage and I love having it, but I also live in Las Vegas where, today, it was over 100F outside. I have been considering air conditioning the garage, or even just a corner of it for a workshop with a cool breeze, but I have a little problem - since it's an apartment I can't modify the garage in any way to vent hot air outside. I've considered portable evaporative coolers, and while I've got one and it works, it only works for a little while - since the garage is so enclosed the evaporative cooler eventually humidifies the air to the point where it stops working. This also creates problems with condensation and since my hobby space in the garage is to be used for electronics, radio and various other electricity-friendly pursuits, condensing water droplets is a very bad thing. What can I do? Is there any way to lower the temperature of the garage air without somehow venting hot air back to the outside world? Would combining an evaporative cooler and a dehumidifier work? If so, how should I arrange them for optimal cooling? <Q> Unless you can insulate, it will cost a ton of money. <S> I get that it's a rental, but maybe the landlord won't mind if you insulate the garage. <S> Having done that, get one of these AC units that only require you to make a 6" hole through the wall: <S> Talk to your landlord, they may not mind these slight mods, especially if you pay for the insulation. <S> However, if you really can't modify anything, another option is to build a smaller insulated shack in the garage, and AC that. <S> Or, build a temporary wall to isolate part of the garage as an insulated and AC'ed space. <A> A evaporative cooler and a dehumidifier together would likely just end up heating the garage. <S> Consider any sort of heat pump however. <S> The pipes can go under garage door, with just a little temporary gasket to keep it sealed. <A> The room-inside-the-garage idea sounds best to me, but here are a couple other crazy ideas. <S> The basic problem is you need to push heat out of the garage. <S> You either need a thermal barrier to keep it from coming back too fast, or you need to move out a lot of heat faster than it races back in. <S> The room-inside-the-garage idea solves this by creating a thermal barrier between the room and the rest of the garage and pushing the heat from the room out into the garage. <S> As an alternative, use the garage as a room inside your residence, and push the heat from the garage to the residence. <S> Run an air conditioning unit and pipe the hot air into your main residence, where that region's AC can handle restoring a more reasonable temperature. <S> You'd want to circulate the air throughout the apartment so that you don't end up with a hot spot right by the exhaust, and you're going to be spending a lot of money fighting against the lack of garage insulation. <S> You could also consider insulating in such a way that you can remove the insulation when you vacate the apartment. <S> I'm thinking exposed batts of insulation placed against the exterior walls and particularly against the back of the garage door panels. <S> You will doubtless need some sort of bracing to keep them up against the wall. <S> There might be a better product for this sort of removable insulation that I don't know about, as well. <S> Along the same lines, you might be able to get away with venting a portable AC unit outside through a small hole or holes in the wall. <S> Patch those holes when you leave. <S> Or maybe there's a window in the garage that you can open, fit with a wood piece the same size as the bottom half of the now open window to plug the hole, and then cut a hole in that wood piece to run the exhaust pipe to the outside. <A> I know that this thread was a long time ago, but here is a possible solution for other people. <S> Disconnect the tube to go in and out of the garage and fashion <S> some sort of plug for the hole while the tube is disconnected. <S> I would also create some sort of screen to go over the end of the tube while in use to keep bugs out of the machinery. <S> Then, when you are ready to vacate your apartment, replace the original garage door panel and take the one with a hole with you, along with your AC. <S> I own my home and plan to put a pet door into the lowest garage door panel. <S> I will then make a panel to fit in the pet door and make my hole in that panel to accommodate the AC tube. <S> If we ever sell the house, we will just have a garage door with a pet door in it, or we can replace the door panel at that time.
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If your garage door is the typical multi-hinged garage door that "rolls" up into the area above the garage space, you can replace one of the panels and make a hole in it to accept the exhaust tube.
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How can I prevent water from pooling in the street in front of my house? I have a problem with water pooling in front of my house. Between my Sprinklers and the rain there is always a puddle where my lawn meets the street. What do you think is the best way to stop this puddle? I can't reslope the street or regrade my grass. Nor do I want to pay the money to have a professional put a drain in. I was thinking of drilling some 1" holes and filling them with loose stone or sand. I have never drilled holes in asphalt and I am not sure if this is something I can do with my regular drill. <Q> Most towns/cities will not be too happy with you, if you start cutting up their road. <S> So you'll have to use a method that will be completely on your property. <S> Dump some dirt <S> The easiest solution would be to build up the area with a load of dirt. <S> Using a wheelbarrow and a shovel, grab some dirt from another location in your yard. <S> If you can't find a place in your yard to take dirt from, you could always purchase some from a gardening/landscape/home improvement store. <S> Dump the dirt along the edge of the road until your hole becomes a hill, then feather it into the rest of the yard. <S> Plant some grass, and grab one of @dbracey's margaritas and watch it grow. <S> French drain <S> A french drain would give the water a place to go. <S> Start by digging a trench right next to the road about 12" wide, and 12" deep (don't forget to call before you dig <S> , so you don't damage any underground utilities). <S> You want the water to drain away, so you'll want a drop of at least 1/8" for every 1' in length. <S> For example. <S> If the drain will be 20' long, the end of the drain will be 2 1/2" lower than the beginning. <S> Next fill the trench with about 4" of crushed stone, and lay your drain pipe in the middle of the trench. <S> You can use either rigid, or flexible pipe. <S> Fill the trench to about 2" from the top with more crushed stone, then finish filling the trench with topsoil. <S> plant grass, and enjoy. <S> Concrete gutter <S> If you're familiar with working with concrete, and you like a more finished look. <S> You could install a gutter, along the side of the road. <S> Just remember, you'll need the gutter to slope so water will run away. <S> It's probably a good idea to install a dry <S> well or other drainage method at the end of the gutter, so the water has a place to go (unless you don't care if you simply move the puddle to your neighbors yard). <A> You could dig a dry well , which is a pit for water to collect and soak away through. <S> At the same time, you will raise the grade which will further help reduce the problem. <S> Simply dig the area out to a depth of a foot or two, dump in six inches to a foot of gravel, then re-cover with soil, and have your final grade end up about six inches higher than before. <S> You could dig along the road in both directions to create a french drain if need be. <A> First of all, drilling or otherwise changing the road will likely expose you to a huge fine or maybe even jail time in some jurisdictions, all changes should only be made to the lawn. <S> Now you really want to get rid of that water and do that without major changes. <S> The cheap way would be to utilize the area around the bushes (the ones on the left) for absorbing water. <S> This will require a single cut along the pipe axis (so that the grass inflicts minimal disruption), you will then remove some ground under the grass, put the pipe into the hollow and then put the lawn back to cover the pipe. <S> This will take one shovel, one plastic pipe <S> and I guess 30 to 60 minutes of not very intensive work. <S> The only downside of this method is that now all the stuff that gets spilled onto the road (like gasolene and machine oil) will flow directly to the bushes instead of being absorbed by the lawn. <A> Is it a public road? <S> If so, then the road, the puddle, and some right away from the edge of the road belongs to your village, city, town, county or state. <S> That puddle is bad for the edge of the road <S> (look at those cracks heading toward it), ask them to fix it. <S> Write a nice letter, or attend a local government meeting. <A> Go to Home Depot and buy a hammock. <S> Go the the supermarket and get frozen limeade mix and tequila and triple sec. <S> Drink margaritas in the hammock and don't worry about a little puddle along the road, behind the plantings where you can't even see it. <A> This Is Not Pea Gravel , which will never settle, it's called fines or fine gravel , 2 to 4 mm . <S> You can build up the lawn with dirt and fight cars to get grass to grow or acknowledge that the roadway is incomplete and treat it as such: shore it up with a few yards of fine gravel. <S> In a rural area, you might be able to sweat talk the municipal material yard officer into helping you out , with that picture. <S> sbsg.com
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To do so you could slightly lower the ground around the bushes and then cut and lift the lawn between the road and the bushes and put a pipe there - something like 2-3 inches in diameter, some strong plastic will do - then put the lawn back.
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Did I break my Kwikset SmartKey lock by trying to rekey with a key that doesn't fit all the way? I got a Kwikset deadbolt lock ( has key hole on both sides instead of key hole externally with latch internally). This lock uses SmartKey technology so you can rekey the lock to use a new key rather than having to replace the lock itself. After I installed it, I wanted to rekey the lock to use my hold house key until my roommate got home so I could then give her the new key, after which I would rekey the lock to use the new key. While rekeying with the SmarkKey in the hole, I found that my old house key was too big for the Kwikset lock and would only go in half way, so I pulled it out. I then tried using the key that originally came with the lock and now it doesn't work on the inside where I was attempting the rekey, but it does work on the outside. In order to rekey these locks, you have to insert a working key, give it a quarter turn so the key is horizontal, insert the SmarkKey, take out the current key, then insert the new key. Since no key will work with the inside lock, I can't get it to turn at all. Am I going to have to disasseble the lock to fix this or is there another way? <Q> take the lock to your local home store that carries this line of locks. <S> they will remove the core and put it in a SmartKey Reset Cradle . <S> this returns the lock to an unprogrammed state. <S> there is no way to do this yourself without disassembling the lock core, and there's about a bazillion point 2 pieces in there. <A> I've done it and you don't need the original key or a SmartKey. <S> Disassemble <S> it right down to the core. <S> There will be two slip rings that can be pushed off with a flat blade screwdriver to allow you to get the core apart. <S> Gently slide the outer cylinder off the inner core, remove the little bar in the center of the inner core and then lift off the slider-semi-cylinder that would normally be pushed by the SmartKey, being careful not to drop out any of the little levers (best to have that piece on the bottom at that time so that gravity holds them in). <S> Put in the new key to line up the latches with it, straighten out the levers, put the slider back on and reassemble. <A> One of the "smart Levers" inside the core kept misaligning rendering my key useless to turn the core. <S> I took everything apart, removed one of the 5 smart levers and it now works fine. <S> Thanks for the encouragement to tackle this. <S> 15 minute fix <A> I called Kwikset at the number on the directions (800-327-5625), said I purchased it about 1 year ago and that it suddenly stopped working. <S> As I could not turn the key, I could not reset the lock. <S> Without any issue, they said they will immediately send me a new cylinder and keys which I can then reset. <A> Once this happens, you should be back in the rekey mode. <S> Be very careful that the key that you wish to use is completely inserted and don't pull back on it when turning. <S> I have had this problem a couple of times, and the above method allows me to correct the mistake that I made. <A> First of all, the instructions for the SmartKey that come with the deadbolt are nothing like this instruction that you mention, <S> "In order to rekey these locks, you have to insert a working key, give it a quarter turn <S> so the key is horizontal, insert the SmartKey, take out the current key, then insert the new key. <S> " <S> This instruction worked for me. <S> The ones sujpplied by Kwickset did not. <S> Thanks for the information. <A> I read the guys answer on how to do <S> and I did it <S> and it did work <S> but it isn't totally how he said and it can be explained better. <S> When you take it apart you don't need to take out the smart key gears. <S> The object is to separate the inner lock core with the lock core shell, turn it clockwise to the spot you would normally put it at to redo your key (3 o'clock) then reassemble with a key in it and turn it back to program it. <S> To do this, separate it then use your smart key tool to press the smart key slider in. <S> This allows you to press down on the smart key bar that sticks out and it can be reinserted at the correct position. <S> After that it will program any key like normal as per the smart key instructions.
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If you reinsert the key that caused the problem, hold it tightly with two fingers while turning the key with your other hand and ever so slowly retract the key, eventually you will find the spot that the key was in.
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How should I insulate the walls and ceilings of this 1920's semi-detached brick house? I'm renovating a 1920's semi-detached house. The plaster on the walls was slapped straight on the wall about an inch thick, and the ceilings were lath and plaster which had been overboarded. Most of this needs to come off to do repair work to the walls. I want to know what is the best way to insulate the walls and ceilings with the aim of meeting the BC regs u value. ( i believe this is 0.3 [unit needed]) All exterior walls are 9 inch solid brick. The floor joists are 30cm apart with pine floor on top which I don't plan to remove as its all sound.I plan to insulate the loft with rock-wool/fibreglass to about 400mm and use sound deadening board on the ceilings and most internal walls. Above the living room and kitchen are spare bedrooms which aren't really used. I'd like to insulate them so that I'm not heating unused space. My concerns are: To insulate external walls with insulated plasterboard would mean building a frame and losing a good 4 inches around each room. It would also create a logistical problem in mounting (future) fixtures to the wall. I'm also concerned about condensation in the joists if I insulate the ground floor ceilings. <Q> Condensation is definitely a concern in colder weather. <S> If you create a thermal break that isn't properly sealed against air leakage, warm air from the house will seep behind the walls, bringing lots and lots of moisture with it. <S> Meanwhile the bricks, which are now insulated, are going to be very very cold, and when warm air gets cold <S> it lets go of its moisture - and thus we get condensation. <S> That condensation would then get trapped inside the walls - and long before you have a problem with brick deterioration you're going to have mold issues that lead to health issues. <S> The best thing to do to prevent this is to insulate with a substance that also serves as a vapor barrier , which will prevent any air (and thus any moisture) from leaking into the closed cavity. <S> The best product for this IMO is spray foam insulation, because it fills in all the nooks and crannies and IS the vapor barrier. <S> Alternatively, you could use fiberglass and cover it over with plastic to form a vapor barrier, and this can work IF you properly seal it all the way around the edges, seams and any holes that occur. <S> Either approach, however, is going to require you to sacrifice living space, as for a proper thermal break you're going to probably want at least 4" of insulation. <S> Now - with regard to insulating your spare rooms. <S> Don't insulate your interior walls. <S> Yes you will be heating them, but if they're properly insulated they're not going to cost much to heat <S> and there are numerous other concerns with turning an inside room into a "cold" room <S> - it's a finished space, after all, and you don't want to risk damaging that by letting it be freezing cold in there. <A> I own a semi detached brick building in Boston. <S> I did extensive research and it seems like its not recommended to insulate masonry structures from the inside. <S> Condensation becomes a big issue and the brick detiorates. <A> I was going to tell you not to worry about insulating, as current thinking leans toward stopping air flow through exterior walls instead of stopping heat transfer, but then I did a little research on brick. <S> To say the least, it's complicated. <S> Here's one article that speaks to the complexity: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/insulating-old-brick-building . <S> It seems like your best bet is still to limit your air infiltration through windows and other wall penetrations, but leaving your brick alone. <S> If you have your heart set on insulating the interior walls, I'd recommend having a consultant review your home to give you a response tailored to your complete situation. <A> I'll add another permutation to the mix. <S> Spark's answer was probably the most correct when he said "it's complicated". <S> As most others have pointed out, dealing with moisture issues is going to be your biggest concern. <S> However, vapor barriers are not always the best solution. <S> In fact, there are different levels of moisture "permeability" that depend on a variety of factors such as climate, amount of insulation, and even the temperature and humidity you keep inside your house. <S> For a detailed research paper on this topic with a variety of options check out the RR-1105 report from Building Science Corp. Lastly, to address your concern about losing interior space: <S> One approach to take would be to insulate from the outside instead of from the inside. <S> You'd get to keep your interior space. <S> However, the tradeoff would obviously be a changed aesthetic from the outside.
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Put proper insulation in the external walls of those rooms, so that they don't lose heat to the outside.
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What's the standard height for an outlet? I am installing outlets in my patio room. What is the standard height recommended above the ground for these to be installed? <Q> The direct answer to your question is "There is no standard". <S> The only NEC requirement is that you must be within 6 feet of an outlet along any wall (12' between outlets, A unbroken wall space of 2 feet or more including space measured around a corner requires an outlet. <S> ref. <S> NEC 210.52.A.2. <S> A common height for a wall outlet is between 12 to 16 inches to the bottom of the device. <S> In rare instances, outlets are still installed in baseboards and in the floor with proper box/covers. <A> In the UK, Part P of the Building Regulations 2010 states that for new builds ( emphasis mine): <S> Approved Document M does not recommend a height for new consumer units. <S> However, one way of complying with Part M in new dwellings is to mount consumer units so that the switches are between 1350mm and 1450mm above floor level. <S> At this height, the consumer unit is out of reach of young children yet accessible to other people when standing or sitting. <S> In practice, in areas where there is limited risk, it tends to be the case that unless otherwise specified, a home builder will install light switches at 1.2m above finished floor level, and sockets are at 450mm (approx 18inches) above finished floor level. <S> Isolating switches such as those for a extractor fan for a shower are exempt from those heights (and instead would be installed close to the ceiling level). <A> When I had my new room built onto my house, the electrician used a standard claw hammer for the height. <S> The electrician stated that this is a general rule of thumb that many electricians use. <S> In fact, a simple google search revealed that someone at the DoItYourself.com forums, recommended a standard 16 oz hammer standing on its end as a reference height. <S> The eHow.com site recommends using an "electrician's hammer" as the point of reference. <S> A forum post a the DIYChatroom recommends also to use a 16 oz hammer that gets you about 18 inches off the floor. <S> So, I would use the hammer as a guide. <A> While I agree with @matthew because it answers your question of, “What is the standard heigh...?” <S> , and I like matching the height of the existing outlets. <S> However, more and more of the homes we are doing we install outlets 18” AFF to match ADA requirements (not because we have to, but because the clients are older and acknowledge their “reach range” is decreasing). <S> We are also installing elevators (or shafts for future elevators) in multi story houses too. <S> As the population ages, we’ll all be thinking about designing “things” and “uses” for this aging group. <A> A hammer length or the front part of a spade is good rough approximation. <S> The exact answer according to the code of practice SANS 10142 <S> states that it must be 500 mm above floor level. <A> There is no code on the height of electrical outlets. <S> You have a standard height of 16" to the top of the outlet box, and a standard height of 48" to the top of the switch box. <S> Then, there are custom heights in which different company use accordingly to the home owner or builder. <S> Spec homes generally get standard height, and custom homes usually get standard height as well, unless other wise specified by the blue print, home owner or builder. <A> It is in the nec code book and there is a standard in there for all outlets. <S> Kitchen, utility room, bath etc: . <A> wiring for myself all my kitchen outlet's are above counter height. <S> I have outlets at 6 feet behind tvs, an outlet at bed height beside my bed for convenience (mine). <S> 42" height by my desk. <S> make your own conditions
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Outlets can be installed at whatever height is comfortable for the intended use. Approved Document M recommends that in new dwellings only, switches and socket-outlets for lighting and other equipment should be between 450mm and 1200mm from finished floor level . 13" or hammer length above sub floor to bottom of box (Not a framing hammer) that's it.
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Troubleshooting a leaking exterior door I have an exterior door that leaks water into the house when rain is blown against it. The floor on the inside of the house is unfinished, meaning it is just the raw subfloor. I don't want to put the finish floor down until the leak is addressed. The few things I have done thus far have not improved the situation but has also not made it worse. Here is what I have done: Pulled the exterior frame off and filled all the gaps with slow expanding foam. I have put a roll of 4" valcor rubber strip over all the now foam filled gaps. I have checked and confirmed that the door is plumb. I installed a aluminum drip edge across the top molding and behind the clapboard. I inspected the gasket on the bottom and it looks ok. The surrounding gaskets seem ok (no cuts or overly squished look when the door is open). I do not know the brand of door, but it is about 5 years old and has been doing this since pretty much the first storm after install. What is the next thing I should look for OR what can I do to test and find what is failing to allow water to come in? And then, How do I fix it? I will also say that depending on who I listen to from the DIY shows, Mike Holmes from Canada says "Use a storm door, that's why they call it a storm door". Norm Abrams from My USA says "an exterior door should keep out all the elements on its own and not require a storm door to do its job". I like and believe that an exterior door should do its job and something is wrong, broken or failing and THAT is what needs to be addressed. <Q> Verify that the door is leaking and not some other place. <S> Give it 30 min to show up and if that doesn't work try spraying around the outside of the frame and see if it leaks in then. <S> Follow the stains to the wall. <S> It is entirely likely that the leak is somewhere else and the door is the first break in the seal so it leaks there. <S> You may need to pull moulding and or wall sections around the door. <S> Following rusty nails can do it to. <S> I have an addition to a mobile they did not keep a solid pitch <S> so the add-on is about 4" below the main roof. <S> If ice starts damning it will go down under that roofing all the way across the roof and in to the outside wall <S> 16' <S> away before leaking out. <S> We had a bay window dripping last winter because of that. <A> Do you have an adjustable threshold? <S> If so, it's probably too low. <A> I had a leak on an exterior door where driving rains would cause a leak under the door at the threshold. <S> I replaced the U-channel shoe but water would still come in under the door during driving rains. <S> I solved my issue by installing something called a leakstrip which adds a water tight compression seal at the bottom of the door. <S> I got mine on ebay. <S> Pretty easy to install. <S> Good luck <A> Another option is to install a rain diverter above the door. <S> These are extremely useful if the leak is from rain streaming down the wall above your door.
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Have a helper with you and on a dry week spray with a water hose against the door where it meets the jam see if any water leaks in from that. Remove caps that cover adjustment screws and bring the threshold up until just after you can't pull a $1 bill through after it's closed.
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Can an external light fixture and an external receptacle share a circuit? I have to get power to provide an outlet for an awning at high level. The nearest power source is an external light fixture. Can I wire into this? If so is there anything special I should know? <Q> Should you? <S> No, Greebo is right (+1), lights and outlets should be separate. <S> Can you? <S> Maybe, it depends on whether the power source is at the light fixture, or at the light switch. <S> What do you need to know? <S> Everything about electrical safety and codes so that you don't electrocute yourself or create a dangerous situation. <S> Things like turning the power off at the breaker, testing the lines before you touch anything, using a GFCI outlet, using an outlet cover for exterior protection, stapling the wire to the stud, using the proper gauge wire, etc. <S> If any of that list leaves you scratching your head, it would be best to hire a professional. <A> Yes, the NEC does not prohibit putting an outside light fixture and an outside receptacle on the same circuit. <A> Lights and outlets should never be wired on the same circuit, because if you blow the breaker for the outlet, you're left in the dark.
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If it's at the light switch, then your outlet would also be switched.
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Is this plastic pipe connecting city water to the main line dangerous? I bought a whole house water filter to hook up to the main water line. The plumber who came in said that he won't be able to install it because the pipe that comes from the ground hooked up to the copper pipe is plastic. He says that this plastic is usually not used for that kind of water pressure for the main line and can burst at any time. If he starts cutting the pipe above it to hook up the water filter, there is a potential that the plastic could break/leak due to all the shaking etc. He has asked me to contact the builder/home inspector (as it shouldn't have passed the home inspection like that? ) and take care of this first. Picture is below. The black color pipe is the one in question. Has anyone seen plastic pipes come up from the ground like that to the main line? Will it burst? Update - new pics and details Close up pictures on request. I looked the pipe closely. It is written 1 1/2" 0.1 / Plastic. (above the first ring at the bottom, you can see it in the second pic).House is built in 1993. <Q> Though it may seem odd, it is possible the plumber knows what he's talking about. <S> If this is a Polybutylene pipe, it could indeed be brittle and fail if it's jostled during the installation of the filter. <S> It's impossible to tell from the picture what type of pipe that is, but based on the plumbers concern I'd guess it is Polybutylene. <S> Polybutylene Polybutylene was used in pipes between about 1980-1994/5, and was commonly used as supply line in the 80's. <S> It was found (in some cases) to react with oxidants in the water supply, which caused the pipe to become brittle and fail. <S> To my knowledge, this type of piping is no longer used. <S> Though if the house was built; or there was supply line work done, during the 80's, it's likely this is Polybutylene pipe. <S> High Density Polyethylene Don't confuse Polybutylene pipe with Polyethylene pipe. <S> High-density polyethylene is commonly used as water supply line today, and is stable and safe to use. <S> Cross-linked polyethylene <S> Where PEX is used underground, it's typically encased in sand (or other non-reactive materials) to prevent negative reactions. <S> Because of this it's often more expensive to bury PEX, so other materials are used instead. <S> How can I tell what it is? <S> Polybutylene will be marked PB#### , Polyethylene will be marked <S> PE#### , Cross-linked polyethylene will be marked PEX- <S> x (where x = A, B, or C). <A> Yes, it's common. <S> In fact, nearly all modern residential construction uses plastic PEX piping (and it's widely considered superior to copper). <S> Now, perhaps your plastic pipe is wrong... but that would be interesting as it's no simple task to replace an entire water main... <S> Can you take a better photo of the plastic pipe? <A> Isn't that your water meter on the inside of your house, that the black city line feeds? <S> Shouldn't the whole house water filter be going AFTER the water meter? <S> In which case the black pipe is irrelevant, is it not? <S> Which leads me to think - you need a different plumber. <A> That looks very similar to the plastic pipe the brings water into my house. <S> Depending how much is visible, you may be able to find some writing that will tell you more about it. <S> Different pipes that look similar may be rated for different PSIs. <S> Ours had a couple of leaks out in the ground and was rated for (iirc) 100psi. <S> The new pipe that we had put in looked almost identical but was a little thicker and rated for 200psi. <S> The guys that did my line replacement told me that the older stuff was ok for wells <S> but city psi is much higher and also that in the city, the psi raises at night and other times when there is less demand. <S> Realistically, I'd get a 2nd opinion. <S> I don't see any reason why turning the water off and installing a whole house filter would compromise the existing stuff. <S> Once you turned the water off, you'd disconnect one of the unions going to the plastic pipe, so you aren't going to wiggling on the plastic pipe at all anyway. <S> It may be a legitimate concern, but it might also be that he didn't want to be on the hook for issues that you may have later down the line. <S> Did it seem like he was trying to convince you to replace the supply line, or just talk you out of installing a filter? <A> no way to tell from the picture. <S> if that is sched40/80 rigid plastic pipe like what that white pipe is he may well be right. <S> most mobile homes and some new instals use a unerground raited pex like pipe that is armored and made to go in the ground. <S> if they put rigid plastic that is likely to get destroyed even by tree roots. <S> you find that out after your first 2k water bill...
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Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) is not typically used as an underground supply line, as it can sometimes react with minerals in the soil. The only way to be sure what type of pipe this is, is to look for markings on the pipe itself.
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How can I convert Cat5e wired sockets to Ethernet? I recently moved to a new home and I noticed that the phone jacks (RJ-11) were connected using Cat5e cable. I'm thinking I can replace the RJ-11 plugs with RJ-45 and use Ethernet over the existing Cat5e cable in one particular room to avoid having to run a cable under the carpet. The cable guy who came out to install my home internet and land line said that I could simply unplug the Cat5e cable from the telephone tap box and terminate it using a female or male RJ-45 and then treat it as if it were a normal cable. I am afraid that somehow the cable might be "daisy-chained" somewhere in the walls and therefore by hooking up and sending data over the new Ethernet connection, it might screw up my home phone. I also read somewhere that the ringing over a phone line generates something like 70-90 volts and "could fry my Ethernet card". I did some research ( here & here ) and apparently the Cat5e cable only uses 1-6 of the wires leaving the last twisted pair unused. Does this mean when Cat5e cable is used for phone connection, only wires 7&8 or the last twisted pair are used for the phone line connection leaving 1-6 or pairs 1-3 available for Ethernet? If so, that would mean I could run the Ethernet connection safely because no data would ever be sent over the last pair which is the phone connection and therefore no data would be interrupted? If its any help to this theory, I noticed the brown wires (last twisted pair) were crimped or connected together in the wall jacks. <Q> Yes, with it being cat-5e cable, you could repurpose it as network cable by installing rj-45 jacks. <S> Early Ethernet (10mBit & 100mBit) used two pairs (4 wires) and Gigabit typically uses all 4 pairs (all 8). <S> Your Cat-5 link is referring to 10/100 Ethernet, so only two pairs are used. <S> The other two pairs could carry a phone line each or another Ethernet connection (we used this on IP phones, the computer was on one half and the VOIP on the other half, figure out the color diagrams yourself for your RJ-45s on the second half). <S> My preference is to not muck around with this as the first time you plug in a Gigabit equipped computer, you face getting full ring voltage into its RX/TX for the second set of pairs. <S> Wire it for Gigabit using all pairs and be done with it. <S> In the good old days of 25 wire straight cable, daisy chain was common installation technique, with the advent of <S> CAT-4 and above phone installations I have worked with have all been star to a central patch panel. <A> The man challenge is the wiring pattern, Ethernet used to be daisy chained, but those days are gone. <S> While the wire was rated as Cat5e, remember that the installation might not be Cat5e. <S> It isn't enough for your materials to be a high enough grade, an improper installation can degrade performance too. <S> With an existing wire, you cannot know details about bend radius, whether the wire properly runs perpendicular to power carrying lines, etc. <S> But, it's so easy to convert a line, that I would recommend converting it and testing it rather than attempting to inspect (if that was even possible) <S> beforehand. <S> Buy a small patch panel block if you intend to have multiple lines running to a central location. <S> Use a spring loaded 110 punch down tool. <S> It's very easy to hit 100 MB/s with Cat5e, even on a poor installation. <S> It's a bit harder to hit 1 GB/s, but such speeds are not out of reach, I've seen it done. <A> To find if you have daisy-chained connections; easy <S> :Count the sockets/outlets. <S> If you have 4 sockets, see if you have 4 cables ending up at the entry point of the phone service. <S> On ebay you can get a network tester for under $4 (I think ebay shows it to me in danish currency) <S> "LAN Network/Phone Cable Tester RJ11 RJ12 RJ45 Cat5" <S> It will only show if you have connected the wires correctly, but that alone is worth the money. <S> For around $30, you can get a SC8108 which can show the length of the cable, if wires are crossed wrongly, and, if a wire is broken along the cable, it can show how where in cm (or inches?) <S> it is broken. <S> You don't get HP-precison for that price, but you do get value for your money.
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Yes, you can re-purpose cat5e wire to run Ethernet. If your existing wiring is not a point-to-point run, you will have to convert it to a point-to-point run to get the results you desire.
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How can I figure out what mystery wall switches might do? I have a two-story house with blown-in insulation in the attic. There are at least four wall switches in my house (some on the ground floor, some upstairs) that seem to serve no discernible function. I have asked the previous owners of the house and the owners before that, but none of them know the function of these switches. The first family to occupy the house is no longer alive. What techniques might I use to figure out what these mystery wall switches are for? I've tried all the outlets, and they don't seem to turn any of them on and off, and I can't find any mounted lights controlled by the switches. <Q> First thing I'd check is if the switch is even connected to any wires. <S> You can probably check this just by removing the face plate. <S> You already checked the receptacles, but did you check both the top and bottom outlet? <S> Sometimes a switch will only control one part of the outlet. <S> In this case, the metal tab connecting both hot terminals is broken so that the top and bottom outlets can be individually powered (and switched). <S> First turn off the circuit breaker and test again with a non-contact tester <S> (if you don't know what the switches do, then it could have more than 1 circuit in the box - just to be safe). <S> Remove the switch and take note of the switch type - is it a single pole switch or 3-way switch? <S> (If its a 3-way switch then the color of the traveler might be helpful in finding what it controls.) <S> Is the line (from the circuit breaker) in this box? <S> If a visual inspection doesn't give you any clues then you need to trace the circuit. <S> This is usually done with the power off using a circuit tracer: <S> A telecom probe/tracer can also be used in many cases. <S> You hook the tone generator up to the wires at the switch, and then you use the probe to follow the wires through the wall. <S> Depending how badly you want to know, you might need to open the wall (or use a scope) at some point to help trace the wire. <S> More expensive versions of this tool exist that might be needed to find really sneaky wires. <S> It's not unheard of to find out that a previous owner dry walled over an electrical box, so keep this in mind as a possibility. <S> And if you just can't sleep at night without know where it goes, you could always x-ray your house as a last resort. <S> (source: tomcomunicacao.com.br ) <S> (The above image is by photographer Nick Veasey . <S> While this photo was stitched together, there are companies that x-ray buildings ) <A> I had one circuit in my house where the outlets were originally wired as split outlets - the top of all of them was switched, and the bottom was always on. <A> Estimated cost: <S> under $50 Estimated time: under 30 minutes I had a similar problem in an upstairs bedroom. <S> I found the answer in several different sections across different forums. <S> Take all safety precautions- <S> at least turn off the power to the room you are working in (after step 1). <S> Step 1- determine if the switch has electricity (you can buy a cheap electrical tester at the hardware store for $10 to $30)(Now you would want to turn off the power and take any other necessary safety precautions) <S> Step 2- Open up the switch by removing the switch plate Step 3- determine if there is a red wire. <S> If so... Step 4- open each outlet in the room to determine if any of them have a red wire too. <S> If so, that is the outlet connected to the switch. <S> Step 5- remove the outlet from the wall by unscrewing both screws holding it in place <S> Step 6- locate the "outlet tab" between two screws on the side of the outlet (below is a picture) or you can search for images of "outlet tab" Step 7- using a pair of pliers (needle noise would be easiest) <S> wiggle that tab back and forth until it breaks Step 8- <S> ensure all wires are connected properly Step 9- <S> put all components back in the wall Step 10- test the switch (with power restored) <S> Now one plug should be hot all the time and one should be controlled by the wall switch. <S> If that did not fix the problem you may want to consider replacing the switch as well. <S> If that still does not work you most likely need to have an electrician come out to ensure the wires are not interrupted somewhere between the switch and plug. <A> I'm a few years late to this thread, but I was looking for that circuit tracer device. <S> One possibility that was not addressed here is that some houses are planned to have a ceiling fan/light combo installed and so two wall switches are installed during the build. <S> However, the fan might not be installed as planned - in one of my houses, they did not install a light in the fan, so I had a "mystery" switch. <S> Also, a wireless fan controller could be installed, too, creating two such switches. <S> I've had three houses with decorative shelving from 8 to 12 feet off the ground, each having a switched outlet for the purpose of "mood" lights. <S> I discovered the first of these after setting up a ladder to install garlands for Christmas, and was quite happy to see that I could plug them in.
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The next step is to look at the wiring of the switch. Then, the owner replaced one of the outlets, but they didn't know what they were doing and forgot to break the tab on the outlet connecting the two hot sides together, which made them all on all the time. Breaking the tab on that outlet fixed the issue. Another possibility is an outlet where you would not expect one. With any luck you will find your way to a ceiling or wall box.
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In this scenario is my electrician giving good advice? So I asked Why does my ceiling lights require some other outlet in the room to be turned on and off again before it works? a while ago, and the consensus was that my electrics were arcing and that I should check with an electrician. Well, I have done that and he told me to try swapping our energy saving light bulbs with regular ones and to see what happens. Once I did this the lights worked as normal (switch them on they come on, off and they go off - no need to turn on any other electrical appliance). He also made a survey of my house and what he said was that we simply need to replace one switch (a dimmer that makes a buzzing sound that he thinks is dangerous) and to replace the fuse box (which he estimates to be about 30 years old). As you can tell, I know nothing about electrics, so does this seem reasonable? Would changing the fuse box mean that I can use energy saving bulbs again? <Q> Would changing the fuse box mean that I can use energy saving bulbs again? <S> No, you can use energy saving bulbs on a 30-year-old fuse-box. <S> Fuse-boxes don't contain fuses any more, they contain circuit-breakers (of varying types), so you'll find that "consumer unit" is the current name for what were once fuse-boxes. <S> Replacing a consumer-unit would be expensive. <S> replace one switch (a dimmer that makes a buzzing sound <S> Most dimmers are incompatible with energy saving bulbs (CFL). <S> Unless you really want a dimming capability, you can just have that replaced with an ordinary light switch. <S> This should be a very low cost (a competent person should be able to do this in 10 minutes, the parts would cost less than a sandwich and a coffee). <A> Swapping out the dimmer sounds good. <S> If your fuse box is an actual fuse box rather than a breaker box, I would do a few things rather than replace it with a modern breaker box: <S> Ensure the box is properly covered (no live parts exposed during normal operation) and the circuit index (the list of what each fuse protects, like "#1 - Furnace, #2 - A/C, etc.") is up to date. <S> Ensure the mains disconnect is safe to use. <S> If it's an old knife switch, I would consider replacing the box, as only the very tip of the handle is safe to touch; a slight mistake will expose you to the power coming from your service entrance cable. <S> The adapter makes each amperage screw base different, so you can't do this any more. <S> The classic Edison base was interchangeable and dangerous. <S> Get a box of fuses of the appropriate amperage and screw type and leave it by the fuse box for when you blow a fuse. <S> If you have cartridge fuses, you should probably also post the electrician's name and phone number by the fuse box, because should you ever blow one of those, you'll want a professional in to swap them out. <S> If you just said "fuse box" out of habit and not because you actually have fuses, you can ignore everything there except the "no live parts" and "up-to-date circuit index" bits. <S> There are some breaker boxes that you should outright replace because they/their breakers were horrifically unreliable and are considered unsafe now. <S> I'd have to look up the names, but if you post the brand and model of your panel, I'll look it up. <A> Replacing the switch makes sense, and considering it's such a cheap replacement <S> I see no reason not to at least try it. <S> As to whether you need to replace the fuse box with circuit breakers, I think what's missing here is his reasoning as to why he thinks it is unsafe and needs to be replaced. <S> You should ask if he had a specific concern with it. <S> If you do decide to replace your fuse box, now is a good time to also evaluate your electrical service (say for example your house only has 60amp service). <A> Well, thanks for everyone's advice - I took it onboard but my "solution" may cause a riot of flames (I am really grateful for the answers, honestly, and I did think hard about this) <S> but I thought to myself... <S> Well, I have this old radio which I love but don't use any more - why, <S> well because it uses valves and when they break it is a) expensive to get replacements and b) <S> always a tricky experience <S> so what if I get into the same situation with this fuse box? <S> I know I can get a stock of fuses and I will probably be able to find them far into the future <S> but I live in a small town in the hills in Austria and <S> we have these crazy electrical storms that often blow the fuses and, well, much as I shouldn't <S> I kind of like the guy that came to check - he seemed genuine and maybe he is taking a punt as to why the lights are not working properly but other than costing a bit of money <S> I won't be any worse off with a shiny new box and if it doesn't work it eliminates a bunch of the possible reasons why I have this strangeness going on. <S> Anyway, so the guy came and he changed the fuse box into a "consumer unit" (it is white with nice curvey edges and has a sticker that says "Schrack" on it) and replaced the switch I mentioned too (plus put a few little clips into the walls where cables were hanging untidily) and would you believe it - the lights, even with energy savers in, are working perfectly!
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A fuse box in good condition does not need to be replaced "just because", and while circuit breakers are definitely more convenient, fuses are still readily available. Install Fustat adapters so you can't accidentally overrate a circuit by installing a 20 A fuse instead of a 15 A fuse.
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How long does latex paint last? I have several buckets of four-year old latex paint leftover from finishing our basement. Many are still in unopened original containers, in particular, our primary wall paint. I opened one to use for wall patching and found it to be completely separated. This bucket was also in the garage and was subjected to freezing temperatures. With just a little bit of stirring it seems to be back to life, but I just want to be sure that I won't have any adverse affects using it to patch several chips and scuffs around the house. How long is the shelf life for latex paint? <Q> Most of the evidence seems anecdotal. <S> There always seems to be a case of someone using something 20 years old that they got for free and it lasted 30 years. <S> There doesn't seem to be hard evidence from manufacturers saying that you will decrease service life by X number of years if stored for X number of months. <S> I would do a test sample on something similar to your planned use, wood trim,drywall etc. <S> Give it a day or so to see how the color match and texture looks. <S> If it looks OK you have nothing to loose. <S> If you buy new paint you will probable want to redo the whole wall so it will blend in. <S> If the old paint doesn't match you'll have to redo the wall anyway <A> I just called Valspar customer service and they said latex paint shelf life is about 8 years if kept in "climate controlled" environment. <S> I asked if that meant indoors, and she said yes, so 70 to 80 F. <S> I asked what happened after 8 years <S> and she said if moisture intrudes the paint can get lumpy. <S> I think if a series of questions is asked of several manufacturers and the data is all added together, one might arrive at a reasonable answer. <A> Paint is a chemical compound. <S> It is formulated much like an adhesive so it sticks to what you paint. <S> Paint also has a carrier. <S> Latex paint uses water. <S> Oil base paints use mineral oil. <S> Chemical and physical reactions occur when you apply the paint. <S> Most of the physical reaction is simply the carrier evaporating. <S> The chemical reactions are the adhesives in the paint bonding together and with the surface it's applied to. <S> From the time it is made, the chemical reations in the paint slowly begin. <S> If you catch it early enough before it completely solidifies and it is a gunk, you can mix it up and think you have good paint. <S> You won't. <S> Most if the adhesive qualities have been consumed making the gunk in the bottom of the can. <S> It will not stick well to whatever you are painting. <S> Shelf life varies greatly based on a large number of factors, type of paint, temperature, color, etc. <S> Two years stored in good conditions is typically my limit, however I just threw away two gallons if one year old Kilz because I didn't like the way it mixed. <S> It was the base coat on a remodel job <S> and I didn't want to take a chance. <S> And I didn't just throw it in the garbage. <S> I mixed it with the cheapest kitty litter I could find. <A> For most finishes in indoor situations, I rely on a practical test: <S> Get a small sample of whatever you're going to apply it to. <S> Prepare that sample as you would normally. <S> Open the finish. <S> Stir it thoroughly (but avoid mixing air into it), getting ALL the solids back into suspension. <S> If it seems unreasonably thick, add small amounts of the appropriate solvent (water, for latex paint) until it's back to a workable consistency. <S> Apply the finish to the sample. <S> Give it a reasonable amount of time to dry. <S> (Check the label.) <S> After that, if it's still sticky, or if it rubs/peels off, or otherwise doesn't behave as you expected it to, chuck it. <S> If it gave you a clean, hard finish on the sample, and you like the look of it, you can probably go ahead and use it. <S> I've used decade-old (at least!) <S> latex paint left over from a prior owner to touch up around the house. <S> Outside of the problem of the can sometimes having rusted into the paint (added iron oxide pigment, not well distributed?), it's generally worked reasonably well. <S> I wouldn't use it on something I was building for someone else, but for my own place... <S> hey, worst comes to worst <S> I get a new can and paint over it. <A> IF there are any volatile compounds in the paint that are important to its adhesion properties, then you would want to keep as much of them in the can as possible. <S> Therefore I suggest that you shake the can as much as possible before opening, then stir. <S> This will help keep as much of the freshness as possible. <S> I've heard that paint stores will re-shake cans of paint that you bought from them. <S> It can't hurt to ask if you are nearby. <A> I just redid our walls with 16 year old latex eggshell paint stored in <S> it's original can in our basement. <S> It had been stored upside-down and was in fine condition. <S> I put it into another container and used my electric beaters, mixing it with just a touch of water and it worked well. <S> Now I'm wondering what I can put the bit that's still left into and keep it for another while in case it's needed for touch-ups, maybe an upside-down plastic jar with plastic wrap in the seal?
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If you let the unopened can sit long enough, the adhesive chemicals, solids and colors will settle to the bottom and solidify. From what I have read it varies with the quality of the paint and the storage conditions,but 3-5 years is reasonable for unopened cans.
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Should I choose MDF or plywood for my false stair treads? I'm looking to install false stair treads and risers on my basement stairs. Generally, we're talking about a kit like this: Which is installed with adhesive and finishing nails like this: The project itself looks fairly straightforward, but I have an issue with product choice. One product is MDF (IKEA Board) with 3/16 oak laminate on the tread surface, and the usual paper thin layer on the risers. The other is plywood, with a similar laminate layer. The price difference is pretty much a wash, so there's no clear advantage either way on that front. Is there any reason I should choose the MDF over plywood or vice versa? <Q> If it is MDF or HDF (as opposed to particleboard) then I would choose the fiberboard over ply. <S> Any surface wear will impact the finish laminate, regardless of the underlying material. <S> By contrast, MDF/HDF should be more impact resistance, water/mold resistant and uniform in density and composition. <S> MDF above: more uniform and dense. <S> Particle below, less uniform and dense. <A> I would select the product based on the appearance and durability of the finish laminate alone, with little concern for the substrate material, assuming the substrate is some viable material and not pressed paper pulp or something else obviously inferior. <A> Personally, I am not a fan of MDF for any use--but especially in a high-use area such as stairs. <S> My oak plywood stairs have held up great for 30 years in a house with 4 kids, multiple dogs, and grandkids. <S> I think this should speak for itself.
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For identical finish laminates, MDF would be preferable to plywood as it is denser and more dimensionally stable.
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Why is the drywall in my garage sagging? The drywall on my garage ceiling is sagging badly. Is this because it's too thin (I think it's 1/2" and I guess it's supposed to be 5/8") or is it because of humidity or something else? If I re-drywall the ceiling with 5/8" fire resistant (I think that's the code requirement) should I use some kind of sealer on it? <Q> Usually you would fix to joists no more than 24" apart, and separate your screws on each joist by 16", which gives you a structure which can even cope with small amounts of water leakage without damage . <S> I would guess though, that you don't have joists at that spacing - otherwise the sheetrock would probably be fixed to it already - <S> so you will want to remove it all, fix joists and use new sheetrock. <S> (This will be a fun job - especially if the existing stuff is a bit damp - bring friends to help bring it down otherwise you will have an exceedingly messy afternoon) <A> It sounds like whomever framed your garage might have been extraordinarily cheap and inept by not spacing your ceiling joists 16" apart on center. <S> A full sheet of drywall is hung securely either horizontally or vertically on 16" centers. <S> If it is not this then the people who did your drywall were extraordinarily lazy by not hanging it correctly. <S> They might have just nailed or screwed in the sides and corners and neglected or ignored securing to joists running through the middle. <A> You could put some filler boards between the joists if they are on 24 centers. <S> If they are on 16 in. <S> centers, you should be able to just screw the drywall back up. <S> If you do new, I would paint it with a primer / sealer, then a coat of paint to look nice and keep the paper dry. <A> All garage ceilings face a 9 out 10 chance of distortion or failing completely if there aren't ceiling battens fitted to the joists, as this creates a braced grid type situation. <S> Screws won't hold the ceiling for much and can be no help as stud glue gives a better strength hold. <S> I guess you can put in a ton of screws, but glue in my opinion would be best applied prior to any rescrewing of plasterboard. <S> Garages are cold and damp and don't often have carpet or heating so an interior plasterboard can suffer more than a interior of a home ceiling with insulation also. <S> The dampness is the problem.
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If you have joists already present, then you may be able to push the sheetrock back up and nail it correctly, however it may already be permanently warped - this will depend on just how far the bowing is. The problem is because sheetrock does weaken a little over time, and with moisture, but the reason you are seeing it sounds like you just haven't used enough fixing points.
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Why is my 3-prong dryer outlet showing 240V between hot and neutral/ground 'L' prong? I'm trying to tell what might be wired wrong with our dryer outlet. Using a Fluke 75 set to AC, I read 238V between the hot leads, 118V from one lead to ground, and 238V between the other lead to ground. Is this a simple breaker box problem or might I have bigger issues? FYI, the house was built in 1977 but I've been told the wiring is copper not aluminum. I am comfortable doing the fix if I have good debugging tips... Corrections now that I'm home: It's 120v between h1-h2, 120v between h2-neutral, and 240 between h1-neutral. Major user error in data collection but I feel better knowing it's just wired wrong. Please delete or edit at your whim. Also please ding the upvotes because it's a flawed question with bad data. <Q> This answer was based on a prior version of the question <S> The picture that Jeremy posted in his answer you is perfect. <S> I do however disagree with the idea that there may be a short between ground and neutral. <S> Ground and neutral should be at the same potential and intentionally connected/ bonded in the breaker box. <S> As far as the readings you are getting L1 to Ground/neutral = <S> 120vac and L2 to ground/ <S> neutral = <S> 240vac, this leads me to believe there may be an interconnection of the two power leads. <S> It would seem to me however, if they were somehow interconnected, you would see 240vac on either leg to ground. <S> I would suggest taking the cover off the plug and testing the hot leads to the neural lug and case ground again. <S> Obviously be careful and skilled with working with open wiring! <S> The next step would be to take the same measurements at the breaker. <S> It should be a double pole 30 amp breaker. <S> Look for any double taps off one leg of the breaker. <S> If the same error exists, you may need to turn off the breaker, remove it and disconnect the wires and ohm out the individual paths looking for any shorts in the cable itself. <S> This must be done with the wires disconnected from all power sources. <S> If you are not sure of your abilities, call a pro. <S> I gotta think about this one a bit more. <S> Maybe one of my electrical guru buds on here can lend some better ideas. <A> Based on your updated readings (120v between h1-h2, 120v between h2-neutral, and 240 between h1-neutral), it looks like Hot2 and Neutral have been reversed. <S> Shutoff the breaker, verify there's no voltage, open the outlet, and correct the wiring so you can dry clothes without getting zapped. <S> In the end, you should have this: <A> This answer was based on a prior version of the question I'm going to convert my comment to an answer and elaborate a bit on a comment left by @Tester101. <S> What you're describing here is not possible with residential electrical, unless you are testing with the washer plugged in (in which case all bets are off). <S> A 240V reading across your hot leads demonstrates that they are properly connected to the opposite phases of your supply. <S> There is no other way reasonable way <S> you could get such a reading. <S> The fact that one hot lead to neutral reads 120V likewise indicates it is correct. <S> The voltage of a single supply phase to the neutral is 120V. <S> The wildcard (and user error, in my opinion) is that you claim the other hot lead reads 240V to neutral. <S> The supply cannot be wired this way, and no erroneous circuity I can think of would result in such a reading. <S> For simplicity, you expect one hot leg to be -120V and <S> the other to be +120V. <S> Then, with neutral of zero you get 240V between the hot legs and 120V between each and the neutral. <S> Potential is usually considered from the RMS of the AC power wave. <S> And this reading is compared additively. <S> The only answer applicable here is that your multi-meter is malfunctioning or you are using it improperly. <S> Here is the relevant math for why your description cannot be accurate <S> (I did it on paper, easier than using the SE math writer, imho) Section at the top-left are your readings. <S> Jackie Chan was probably the more appropriate drawing, but I don't have those skills.... <A> This answer was based on a prior version of the question <S> The readings don't make sense to me either. <S> You might want to borrow another meter to verify it. <S> What led to this investigation in the first place? <S> Did the dryer not run? <S> If you haven't plugged it in, its best to resolve this issue first before trying it. <S> Make sure somebody hasn't tied onto the circuit somewhere.
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Be sure to check for any voltage, even with wires off the breaker, before proceeding, just in case there is some other interconnection to a hot line. The readings should be 120 to ground/neutral from each side of the breaker and 240 across the hot lugs of the breakers. I would check voltages in the breaker box like Shirlock suggest. This trouble shooting is dangerous and should only be attempted by someone qualified. This situation and readings sound strange and improbable.
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How to drive a nail in a confined space? I keep finding myself needing to hammer nails in places where my hammer is too long to actually make the hammer head contact the nail. This isn't a situation where I need the leverage provided by the handle - I'm choking the hammer anyway for added control and less mess should a strike slip off the nailhead - but I'd rather not saw off a good hickory handle. (And forget trying to hacksaw through a metal handle.) What I keep wishing for is basically a metal ovoid with a flattened surface, basically a big flat hammer head I can swing with one hand. Does such exist? Or is there some other tool I should be using instead? I've tried using a nailset, but while it's great for insetting an already driven nail, it's too finicky to get a nail started. To provide context, I'm trying to hammer in cable staples in the space between the top of the foundation and the ceiling in a basement. That gives me a workspace of about 6 in in height, 16 in in width, and maybe 10 in in depth. With the staple inset about 5 in from the right and towards the back of the space, I can't tuck a hammer crossways into the space to swing at the nails, and the space is too deep and not high enough for me to hang the handle over the ledge and swing down. ETA: Wow, thanks for the fast (and unanimous) responses! I now have an M12 battery-powered palm nailer on the way. I'm not keen on the noise and hose-dragging of a compressor, and I've got the "swap out the battery" rhythm down from using the M12 impact driver. <Q> I think what you need is a Palm Nailer. <S> You can get these in air or electric powered versions. <S> They are compact and are handy to drive nails in tight spaces. <A> I saw one of these on demo at Home Depot for $49 CDN: <S> It's basically a vibrator that slowly drives the nail into the wood. <S> I tried it on a big galvanized spike, and it went in effortlessly. <S> However, you'll be faster using a decent claw hammer and a full swing. <S> This seems to fit the bill perfectly for working in places where you can't get the backswing. <S> If that's too pricy, I've also had some success in this scenario with one of these (Pricing unavailable.) <S> It at least allows me to start the nail. <A> That problem used to plague me as well until I invested in a palm nailer: <S> There are also electric, cordless versions if you don't have an air compressor. <A> But for very small nails in very tight places, I like to replace the nail with a small square drive <S> finish screw and install it with a long bit extension on my screw gun. <S> Quick and easy. <A> Palm nailers are the clear winner here, but I don't think the more low tech options have been fully explored? <S> Handle-less hammers are available with brand names such as "Handi-hammer" and "Thumper".
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Palm nailers are fantastic, I have one and use it a lot.
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How much weight can an old work box hold? I will be installing new light fixtures in two bathrooms that look like this: Each fixture will be replacing a light box. Meaning it is a simple chrome plated box about 30" wide with a plastic diffuser and sat on top of a mirror. The challenge: The old light is connected to the power cable and there is no work box, it was simply screwed to the wall and wired up. The wire comes through the wall via a hole as big as the cable. I plan on using an old work box to not only contain the cable, but attach the new light fixture to it. My question is: How much weight can the old work box hold? (As it will be secured to the sheet rock and not a stud). <Q> When looking at a box that attaches to a stud/joist using nails ( B520P ), it states. <S> Suitable for fixture support up to 50 lbs. <S> With the the old work version( B618R ), it states. <S> Not listed for fixture support in ceilings. <S> A box like this ( BH614R ), states. <S> Listed for wall fixture support up to 10 lbs. <S> The last page of this catalog shows some round boxes, and the weight they are rated to hold. <S> Update: <S> I contacted a company that manufactures these, and here is their response. <S> [Link to product omitted] As shown on the link above this item is not listed for fixture support. <S> [Link to other product omitted] <S> The link for boxes rated for fixture support, pointed to boxes that attached to structural members. <A> The ears on an old-work box (or the molly-like metal flanges on some) are pretty small contact points behind 1/2" drywall (or even 5/8"). <S> It might be strong enough, but you don't want a lighting fixture with glass shades tumbling on Junior, Rover or Grandma. <S> What about cutting the hole for the box, inserting a piece of furring or lattice, about twelve inches long horizontally along the top of the hole the box will go in. <S> You can hold it with a string tied around the middle as you position it. <S> Then screw through the face of the drywall to cinch the brace to the wall. <S> Dothe same on the bottomof the hole. <S> Now you can mount the box using screws into the new bracing. <S> Touch up the screw holes with taping compound or spackle and a bit of paint. <S> P.S. <S> I can't give you a real weight limit. <S> For a seriously heavy unit, you should have a real brace tied into the studs. <A> You can use an old work fan brace box . <S> If you know the direction of your joists, you may not even have to get up in the attic. <S> Just cut a hole the size of the box, slide it in endwise, and twist the bar to expand it to fit snugly between the joists.
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The best options in your situation, would be to move the fixture location to allow you to fasten the box to a structural member, or add a structural member to mount the box to. From what I could find, it doesn't look like these types of boxes are listed for any type of fixture support. We do have several other boxes that are rated for fixture support. Based on this information, I would say the box you want to use will support less than 10 lbs. This is still not a strong structural support, but should be able to hold a moderate weight sconce.
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What are the consequences of allowing paint to freeze? Insulating and heating my garage sounds like a pain. What are the consequences of simply allowing water-based latex paint to freeze in the winter? Is it ruined forever or does it just need tons of extra mixing in the spring? <Q> I have an idea for you. <S> Build a box or cabinet large enough to store all your paints. <S> Insulate the inside with some 2 inch rigid foam or R-11 blanket insulation and put some foam weather stripping around the insulated door or cover to make it fairly air tight. <S> You could then install a low wattage light bulb as a source of heat. <S> Honeywell makes an inexpensive plug=in/plug outlet feed thermostat that would work fantastic in this application. <S> I use one for running three 40 watt clamp-on light fixtures in the engine compartment of my boat. <S> The thermostat can be set to turn on the lights when the temp lowers to 35 to 40F and turn off at 40 to 50F. <S> You set it to keep the locker above freezing. <S> I wish I was good at drawing pics with the puter, but a good design would be to mount your lights and thermostat at the very bottom of the locker with a venting or wire shelf just above, so the heat rises in the locker and the bulbs are protected from getting bumped by paint cans. <S> I'm sure you could build the whole project for under $100. <S> The bonus is that something like this would be very cheap to run all winter. <A> Latex paint is composed of a mixture of components that when frozen can cause the solids to expand and separate from the mixture. <S> Effects of using damaged latex paint can result in degraded performance such as un-even coat, less gloss, cracking and peeling of paint much sooner when exposed to the environments (sun light), and etc. <S> It is not recommended to expose latex paint to extreme temperatures. <S> You probably can get away with it once. <S> If it's frozen, thaw (expose to room temperature) and once thawed, stir the paint. <S> If the paint is smooth, you should be okay; however, if the paint is lumpy (the solids have separated from the mixture because it was damaged by being frozen) then you have a bad mixture. <S> Some mixtures may include propylene glycol, which is used to protect the paint from freezing temperature and damaging the mixture. <A> I had 5 gallons of paint freeze and no amount of mixing would get the lumps out! <S> I mixed it for over an hour, no difference... ruined! <A> I accidentally froze a 5 gallon bucket of paint. <S> I didn't want to throw it away, so I thawed it out and used a paint mixer on my drill to blend it. <S> It was still lumpy, so I used an old screen and strained all the lumps out of it. <S> I used it to paint my son's living room. <S> By the way it looks just like the paint that was not frozen. <S> I lost some paint in the straining process, but salvaged most of the frozen paint and used all the remaining paint. <S> It was well worth the try, since that brand of paint is about 32 bucks a gallon. <A> For a latex paint (water soluble) <S> I added water and actually used a hand blender for 3-4 minutes, the result was an even, smooth paint. <S> The paint was completely granulated before. <S> Whether or not it stays on the wood will be determined in a couple of years... <S> EDIT: <S> The paint had frozen completely at least twice! <A> the easiest way to store paint in the winter is in an old refrigerator in the workshop, has insulation, etc just leave the unit as is and install a incandescent light bulb of about 40w connected to an old wall thermostat in the bottom. <S> When the temperature inside the unit drops below what you have set it to the light comes on. <S> If you are really worried, use two bulbs when/if one fails another there for backup da da, and during the rest of the year, keep you beer in it!! :-) <A> I have 2 cans of rustoluem oil based paint that froze over the winter (and by froze they got down below -20 for nearly a month.. <S> I mixed them with paint thinner for over an hour, they are NO GOOD ! <S> Do Not Let your Paint FREEZE !!! <S> If you do, can throw it in the trash !!!
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Instead of insulating and heating the entire garage to save a few gallons of paint, perhaps you could build a small insulated paint locker.
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Why do my LED lights flash on cold start? Whenever I flip on my dimmer switch, all four dimmable LED lamps flash on in unison, blink off, and then come on at the selected dim level. This happens even with the dimmer slider maxed out, so it's not a matter of trying to drive the lamps with too little power, which I know can cause flashing and flickering. The flashing happens only on cold start, by which I mean, if I've just turned off the lamps and then flip them back on, they come on directly with no flash. Wait just a few seconds after flipping them off - a bit past the time they take to completely stop emitting light - and they will flash when you flip the switch back on again. I don't know what could be causing this particular failure mode, so I don't know where to start debugging this problem. For what it's worth, I first noticed this behavior when testing after wiring in the third lamp. When only two were wired in, no flashing was apparent. Gory details: I have a Lutron Diva CL 3-way dimmer . The "CL" designates that it handles CFL and LED dimming. It's driving 4 Cooper Lighting HALO 4" LED retrofit kits, model RL406830WH . The dimmer's package insert installation instructions state it can handle up to 150 W of CFL/LED load. Each of my LED lamps draws only 13.5 W, so all 4 together draw less than 55 W. This is well within the operating range of the dimmer. The exact LED lamps I'm using are not listed among the "Approved Bulb List for Wall-Mount CL Dimmers" , but several similar models by Cooper Lighting are. ETA: I still would like to know why I saw this behavior, but the problem appears to have been the dimmer. Disconnecting 3 of the 4 lamps showed flash-on-start still. I swapped the dimmer for a standard S_3 and had no problem. I then swapped in another instance of the same model. (Though the sticker on the side gave a different hardware rev, and the assembly location was St. Kitt's rather than China.) The new dimmer caused no flash on power-on, but it couldn't dim the LEDs nearly as low as the first instance. Frustrating. <Q> I know this is an old thread, but I recently had this problem myself. <S> Ended up being because of cheap bulbs. <S> I have two of the same dimmers, one works fine, the other would flash once every time before turning on. <S> I had just bought some "dimmable" LED bulbs on sale from Home Depot, and when I switched the bulbs for the LED bulbs I had in my other fixture the problem was solved. <S> Guess not all dimmable bulbs are made equal. <S> Hope this helps someone. <A> As I don't know the interns of this dimmer it might switch when the alternating voltage (and therefore the current with resistive loads) crosses zero. <S> To detect the phase (crossing 0V will occur at 0° 180° and 360° which is again 0 <S> ° - you might want to look it up here: <S> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase_(waves) ) and the type of load (e.g. inductive loads delay the flow of current depending on their inductance and the frequency in relation to the voltage. <S> I could not find a text on wikipedia describing that so here's a plain image: http://people.sinclair.edu/nickreeder/eet155/PageArt/phaseInductor.gif To detect the type of load it has to observe the mains line for a short period of time without regulating it. <S> The issue does not occur on light loads because most dimmers can handle inductive, capacitive and resistive loads quite well on low power levels. <S> By letting the dimmer "cool down" you may erase its short term memory so it has to resynchronize every time you switch it on. <S> Again: As the internals of this dimmer (or better: the two) are not known I can't provide a better answer. <S> A newer hardware revision usually improves the product. <S> Also chinese manufacturers tend to produce lower quality products as seen here: http://hackaday.com/2012/08/15/buying-cheaper-electronics-and-not-saving-money/ <A> My wife bought a good quality ceiling light with 12 individual lights. <S> I bought a trailing edge dimmer, but I found that the lights started to flicker after about 20 minutes. <S> I carried out various fault finding with no success. <S> I eventually contacted THORN who made the dimmer switch and they told me that it was probably a design issue and that they would send me, free of charge <S> , new dimmer switches to try. <S> I tried two before I got one which actually worked. <S> So what I'm saying is that sometimes the fault can be outside your control. <S> It's worth phoning a few companies to see what they advise. <A> I have the same prob with the flash on start up. <S> I replaced the first bulb with an incandescent and the flash went away. <S> Not sure why. <A> They are not all interchangeable. <A> The inrush current of an LED on startup is similar to an incandescent bulb of similar brightness. <S> If you have a 300 watt dimmer with four 15W LED <S> you might think you are well within limits, when actually you have a 400W load. <S> Either follow manufacturers recommendations or assume a 100W equivalent LED actually draws 100W at startup.
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You have to make sure that the dimmer is compatible with the type of bulbs you are using.
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Is it a good idea to add oxidizer to my septic tank? I recently had my 1500 gallon septic tank fill up/back up. When the contractor removed the lid, it was obvious that the tank was completely full and needed to be pumped. The contractor then said that the distribution box was also full and that I should add "Oxidizer Plus" in order to clean out my distribution box and drain field. He stated that without this chemical, the drain field would be in jeopardy. We caught the problem before it backed up into the house and caused damage, so it was truly just a tank pumping..etc. Is the contractor's advice consistent with current practices re: septic systems? I was in a bind, and feel that the entire service was rather expensive. <Q> If your tank and box are completely filled, your drain field is plugged up and no longer draining properly. <S> It is not in jeopardy, it is done. <S> While it could have been worse, it is still bad. <S> Unless this was caused by a temporary overloading condition, or the main line was simply blocked at one point, you probably will need to build a replacement field soon, if not now. <S> It's conceivable, that giving the field a good long rest with little or no waste load, that some sort of product that accelerates waste breakdown could help temporarily get the field partly working. <S> But if the field isn't draining, the product will not get to where it's needed. <S> Some of these products are snake oil and do nothing. <S> Others will help accelerate breakdown, but given enough time, breakdown will occur naturally, special products are not needed, but may be helpful. <S> Every guy with a pumper truck sells something like this because it's easy money. <S> If your field is partly draining, and this Oxidizer Plus (many similar products around, btw, shop around) stuff really is actually beneficial, it may be worth a try, as the real solution is very expensive. <S> It will be important to drastically reduce waste loading once a product is distributed to let it breakdown the obstructions with out adding on more work. <S> The same results can be achieved with no product at all, but it may take longer. <S> If you do get the field draining, it will still be in a very fragile state. <S> It could be easily overloaded again with even modest inflows. <S> You should also determine why the field became obstructed in the first place. <S> A properly sized, constructed, and maintained system should last indefinitely. <A> The drain field is there to absorb the black-water outflow from the septic tank. <S> Tank full of fluid up to outlet - ok. <S> Tank full of muck and flowing through outlet into drainfield, you've waited too long to pump. <S> Fluid backed up into inlet, you're looking at a clogged drain field and no amount of pumping will cure what ails ya. <S> (unless it's the rainy season, the ground's saturated and it's only fluid filling the tank, not the other stuff, Yay Oregon and a badly situated drain field!) <S> The soil aready contains the bacteria necessary to decompose drainfield effluent, the problem is that septic tank solids remains essentially silt in the pores in the soil and bacterial biofilm seal off what remains left for fluid flow. <S> In a clogged drainfield, more bacteria probably aren't going to help <S> and there's little or no flow to carry what you're flushing down there, so <S> the problem isn't going to resolve itself soon. <S> Pumping of septic tanks to remove the muck is not a last resort, but a periodic maintenance to keep the septic system healthy. <A> Last year my daughter had septic problems this home has a huge tank and drain field on the side of a hill <S> no way it will ever back up because of hydraulic pressure alone, but the septic guy was trying to sell her something expensive. <S> She called me and I told her to look for wet spots below the tank. <S> What had happened the pipe broke a few feet down the hill & filled with dirt <S> so don't believe everything you are told. <S> If you use large amounts of bleach, or heavy phosphate types of laundry soap you may not have enough good bacteria to break down the solids and solids are what kills the drain field or in this case a solid chunk of dirt. <A> No do not use the chemicals. <S> They cause the sludge in your septic tank to break down and flow out into your leach field which will decrease the life of the leach field. <S> Get it pumped out and if that doesnt work go to a professional designer for repair.
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Septic tanks are there to catch and digest solids through bacterial action and should never be allowed to fill with solids until they get pushed out into the drain field.
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What could be causing AFCI breaker and GFCI receptacle nuisance tripping? I have a very unusual set of electrical issues that have proven difficult to troubleshoot. I live in a newly constructed house. Each bedroom has AFCI breakers. In the past 3 years living there, the AFCI breaker to my bedroom has tripped about a dozen times. All occur sometime in the middle of the night. Each time, resetting the breaker has resolved the problem. Sometimes the breaker will trip when the 1000W Lutron Dummer is turned on. Sometimes it trips while we are asleep. I have noticed that when the breaker trips the "Arc" light is not activated which I believe means the AFCI breaker tripped due to a ground fault? Interestingly, almost every time this has occured, two GFCI outlets, one in our kitchen and one in our garage has also tripped, but with much less frequency. In our case this has happened 4 times in 3 years (1-2 times a year). Each GFCI outlet is on a different circuit in this case. The GFCI outlets do not trip if the AFCI breaker doesn't trip. Also, one GFCI circuit is in a different panel than the other one. I could replace the AFCI breaker and the 2 offending outlets. Is there something else I should be looking for? The only thing that I can think of that would cause this problem is something temperature related or perhaps some kind of surge? is that possible? Things I have heard that can cause an AFCI breaker to trip: Stack of AFCI breakers in the electrical panel over heating (Ihave 4 in a row, with Master Bedroom in the middle Dimmer (something about Lutron) Pinched or stapled electrical wire(would this just cause it to tripconsistently though) Charging electrical gizmos Things I have heard that can cause a GFCI breaker to trip Variations in supply voltage Unbalanced, intermitant loads (I don't have any) Cheap surge protectors Things I have heard that can cause an AFCI and a GFCI breaker to trip Cheap surge protectors (I have a few surge protectors on each AFCIand GFCI outlets that are tripping). I'm not sure I'd consider them"cheap". Could any of this be upstream from me? <Q> Some surge protectors work by "redirecting" surges to the equipment ground, which is pretty much the definition of a ground fault. <S> In this case, it's definitely possible that surge suppressors could be tripping GFCI receptacles/breakers (given a large enough surge). <S> As for the AFCIs... <S> When electrical contacts separate, they often create an arc between the contacts. <S> This arc spans the gap until the contacts are too far apart, and the arc can no longer be sustained. <S> It's not likely that a properly functioning GFCI would do this, but if the GFCI was old and worn it could be opening the contacts slow enough that a detectable arc is being produced. <S> Determining if the GFCI tripping is causing the AFCI to trip, is a simple test. <S> Simply press the test button on the GFCI. <S> If the AFCI trips, you'll have figured out half the problem. <S> If the ACFI does not trip, you could repeat the test using a receptacle tester with a GFCI test function. <S> If it's determined that the GFCI is causing the AFCI breaker to trip, replacing the GFCI receptacle may resolve that part of the issue. <S> Figuring out if the surge suppressor is tripping the GFCI, is a more difficult proposition. <S> It will likely require you to monitor the supply voltage over some time, to identify and document possible surges. <A> The problem could be "upstream". <S> These breakers can be tripped by noise, such as voltages induced by radio-frequency interference. <S> Triac-based dimmers abruptly turn power on and off 120 times a second, causing switching noise which has high frequency components. <S> "Mystery trippings" of GFCI's are not uncommon. <S> To get to the root cause, you would need special equipment, knowledge and time on your hands. <S> For instance a digital oscilloscope to capture a trace of the outlet's line voltage leading up to the event. <S> If a spike, or some strange noise is recorded, then that explains the tripping. <S> But, of course, you still don't know where it came from or what, if anything, can be done about it. <A> Tighten all the screws that hold wires. <S> A slightly loose connection can cause trouble that happens at different times. <A> I've heard a vacuum that is full will strain the motor causing a greater arc at the brushes/stator. <S> This will trip an AFCI.
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It's possible (in theory) that the GFCI tripping could create a large enough arc, for long enough to cause the AFCI to trip.
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Do I need bracing for 12"x55" shelves? I am installing new shelves in my pantry, 12" x 55" with walls on three sides. The shelving material is laminate over particleboard. Considering how heavy a shelf full of canned goods is, can I get away with just using 1" nailers on all three walls to rest the shelves on, or do I need L brackets in the middle as additional support? <Q> 55 inches is a rather long span for a 12 inch wide shelf that is supported on the ends and back side by the wall. <A> Other important factors are how thick the shelving is, and what the shelf to shelf vertical spacing is, and how the back edge is attached, if at all, to the support. <S> Assuming typical home improvement store shelving and common 12" to 16" vertical spacing, and simple nail attachment, the shelving is structurally adequate (meaning it will not actually collapse), but over time, a heavily loaded shelf will develop a very noticeable, unsightly bow without added support.(Which in itself could be called structurally inadequate by some) Particle board will creep, or slowly deflect, over time even under modest loads. <S> An alternative to L brackets might be a deep banding strip attached to the front of the shelving. <S> The attachment would need to be carefully detailed, as you can't simply nail the banding into the edge of particle board and expect satisfactory results. <A> Another way to add some support to the shelves, expanding from my first answer, is to add angle supports as shown. <S> This keeps the front edge of the shelves open and takes advantage of the fact that the back side support strip under the next shelf down is fastened securely to the wall. <S> This approach works well in that the angle pieces do not need to be aligned or anchored into a stud. <A> I agree with the answer by @bcworkz and would add an alternative to L brackets. <S> Wooden brackets would be more attractive and offer comparable support
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One way that you could provide some more support for the shelves would be to add some center front supports for the shelves working up from the floor to the top shelf.
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How do I correctly measure this basement window for a replacement? I have three of these metal-framed basement windows which I would like to replace but I am unsure of what dimension I should measure and use for the replacements. Initially I measured the outside dimension (32 1/2" x 16 1/4") but on closer inspection, it looks like the metal is just folded up against the concrete. This leads me to think I should use the inside dimension (30 1/2" x 14"). What is the correct way to measure for replacement windows in this case? EDIT: Included some outside pictures <Q> Foundation windows are a difficult item to order replacements for. <S> The mounting and track is different for most manufactures. <S> Since you can't easily change the steel frame that is embedded in the concrete, you need the right window glass frame and size. <S> My advise would be to remove the glass sashes and bring them with you to your supplier and see if they can identify the manufacturer. <S> they can measure them and order the right items. <S> The other option would be to take the glass and removable frame to a glass shop and have them reconditioned. <A> I ended up completing this project by removing the metal frames first and then measuring the opening in the concrete. <S> I had the window boarded up for several weeks which is what I was trying to avoid. <S> After having removed the frames and seeing how exactly they were embedded, it is clear that I could have measured inside the metal frame and added 1/8" to account for the thickness of the frame. <S> In this case I would have had accurate measurements and avoided not having a window for a bit. <A> If the metal frames are rotted to the point of being unusable you can remove them. <S> It will not be easy. <S> They may have anchors embedded into the foundation. <S> You may also need some masonary skills to repair or prepare the opening to accept the new windows. <S> Then you have to decide how the windows will mount to the concrete. <S> You can frame the opening with P/T wood and then anchor the new windows to the wood or metal frames anchored to the original masonary opening. <S> The opening may require a bit of work to set new metal windows. <S> Another option is glass block set diectly into the opening if ventilation isn't required. <A> The answer to your question; windows are measured by the size of the empty opening.
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Until you remove the frame you can't tell what the size of the opening will be.
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How can I install a cable jack without a box? I recently had our drywall replaced due to flooding. Our coax cables are now just hanging out of the new wall and I need to install cable jacks. Is there a way I can mount the coax wall plates to the drywall without an electric box in the wall? I'd rather not cut the drywall if I don't have to. I don't seem to remember the cable company ever doing that either. I've found a few articles mentioning television jack mounting brackets but the local home stores don't seem to have those. Any tips?! <Q> <A> They make low voltage wall plate brackets that work well for this purpose. <S> They should be in your local home improvement store with the various connectors for cable, telephone, and network wiring. <S> I've used this one from Leviton. <S> You cut back the drywall to the inner border of the bracket and fold back the tabs into the wall to hold it in the opening. <S> As Edwin says, give the tabs a gentle crimp to make it tight to the drywall: <A> http://www.homedepot.com/p/CE-TECH-Flexible-Opening-Cable-Wall-Plate-White-5028-WH/203564824#.UhtnuBu1GZM <S> Same idea as the boxless and does not require cutting and adding the male/female plugs on each end. <S> The continuous cable will also not have any loss of signal from the plugs.
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You could use something like this: Cut a hole in the sheetrock according to the template, and when you tighten the screws, the tabs tighten against the back of the sheetrock to hold in place. You then pull the cable through and use a plate like this:
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What is a good way to cut hard plastic so it will have a smooth finish? I want to cut a piece of plastic peg. The peg will be visible (it is on my laptop stand), so want it to have a smooth finish. I could just use a saw, but the finish will not be good. How should I go about it? I am not sure if a file will be enough to get a proper finish. <Q> I would recommend cutting the peg(s) using a fine toothed saw like this one: <S> These saws cut very smooth and are made by Xacto. <S> Should be available from most serious hardware stores and craft centers. <S> One Source: http://www.sears.com/x-acto-extra-fine-saw-blade-tools-hand/p-SPM12429862532 <S> Many types of plastics can be sanded with very fine sand paper. <S> You want to look for a product known as "wet or dry" sand paper with a grit number up to 1500 or more. <S> If the cutting operation leaves some saw kerf marks on the stub of the peg you may need to start with a courser paper and then work your way up to the highest numbered grit to get the polish you desire. <S> The Silicon Carbide type wet-dry sandpaper should be available at good hardware stores. <S> Sometimes you can also find this at auto parts stores. <A> As a follow-up to the advice about using very fine saws and super fine sandpaper, jewelers rouge is often used to do a final polish on plastic to get to a clear finish. <A> Flame-polished is smoother & shinier than sanded. <S> Here's the general process: First, to determine whether this is a thermoplastic or a thermosetting plastic, expose one waste (past the projected cut) edge to high temperature (candle flame, cigarette lighter, etc). <S> If it's thermoplastic, it'll melt. <S> Good sign. <S> To flame-polish a rod of this material after sawing, carefully expose it to the flame from - say - a stovetop burner. <S> Heat very gently, retract often. <S> The plastic at the cut line will "heal" itself, flowing into the scratches made by the saw and finishing up with a high-gloss surface if done well. <A> Depending on the type of plastic, and the thickness / dimensions of the cut, a hot knife or a heated wire knife might be what you are looking for. <S> There are many ways to go about rigging a hot knife, the simplest being to attach an xacto knife blade to a soldering iron. <S> Larger jobs might require a purpose built tool, or at least a much better setup. <S> Another option is to get the cleanest cut you can, and experiment with a heat gun to soften the cut area. <S> Again, even heating without burning is key, and some plastics are easier to work with than others. <S> Keep safety in mind, plastic burns giving off very nasty fumes. <S> Most people die on airplanes due to plastic fumes far before any in-plane fires reach them. <S> While you (hopefully) won't scorch your plastic, even heating it should be done with ample ventilation (preferably outdoors). <A> If you are working with acrylic you should check these technical bulletins for information about how to work with arcylic. <S> I have successfully used a tablesaw to get a good straight cut then used a variable speed bench jointer to smooth the edge. <S> I was working with 1/4" and 1/8" thick acrylic and resulting parts were all rectangular and more than 1" in each dimension. <S> If you don't have a jointer you might be able to use a bench mounted router to get a smooth edge <S> but I haven't tried it myself. <S> I tried other methods for cutting the acrylic but only the table saw <S> could gave me consistently straight cuts. <S> (I tried a band saw, jig saw and the score and snap method) <A> I used an electric saw and my plastic rings did not crack in half. <A> I use an electric sodering gun (trigger Dual Heat Type) <S> First I grind Tip to sharp edge like a knife <S> then I pull trigger to first setting , then slowly pull through material . <S> Happy cutting (Use second trigger setting for thicker materials) <A> All the Above are Exellent options to choose from I have also been sometimes successful with using a lazar to mark a straight line “especially when the item is round or circular”. <S> Then I will usually start the cut if possible with a very tight blade on a good or professional quality hacksaw. <S> I have a Lennox brandon since I was around 16-17 years old, ya <S> I started really early in life <S> and I’m a few months from the dreaded 40; <S> If I make It, but anyway I still have and use the same exact saw and brutally used sometimes and that’s probably putting it lightly. <S> Then over half of the time I just use the Blade Only!That’s been pretty much all over the best, quickest, and easiest and leaves a decent edge <S> but it’s <S> still a little jagged and unfinished. <S> Not a big deal because like above in the other comments heat works well and Key to a lot of aspects of assaulting a project sometimes. <S> I use the heating methods as mentioned by the others <S> but I also have a little different way of getting a smooth glossy finished edges product and can also be done in a contour or decorative finish or edging depending on what you choose to use <S> but what I do is heat up a metal object “usually flattened” like scrap metals and very carefully use it like a big butter knife icing a cake! <S> Always Use PPE!!! <S> There’s no auto parts store for OEM eyeballs and toes and fingers or hands arms and legs or eardrums <S> either so get all OSHE’d up because you only get one or two depending on the body part at risk of loss or whatever else you don’t want. <S> Hopefully this helps <S> and Your probably well over finish with whatever project <S> It was that you were asking about so it turned out well. <S> or if not you just found a way to not do it and tryout another approach or method for round two. <S> Either way Cake sounds great <S> so see y’all next trip.
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To smooth up the XActo saw cut (a truly excellent tool), you can often flame-polish most thermoplastics, provided you do so carefully.
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Should we install an overhead tank or cistern tank? We are building our home (a 2-storey house) and a cistern tank was suggested by our architect for aesthetics. We asked around the neighborhood and one person has a cistern and an overhead tank but uses the cistern more on a daily basis while the overhead tank is used when there's no power. The ground floor is also connected directly to the city water line while the 2nd floor is pumped from the cistern due to low pressure up to the 2nd floor. The other neighbor only uses an overhead tank in their backyard. We are quite concerned on aesthetics and safety but also about the cost of electricity if we use a cistern powered by a tank to supply the 2nd floor of the house. We were told by our architect that we can find an energy saving pump these days and in case there's no electricity, we can always buy a cheaper generator as back-up. Also, our architect suggested we have a cistern to store rain water for use in gardening and supply water to the pond which we think is a great idea. Are there other reasons for choosing a cistern tank vs an overhead tank? <Q> A cistern tank is shielded from all elements-the temperature will be less volatile. <S> Sun warmth can not increase bio live. <S> They work for centuries now. <A> Overhead tanks can provide water flow (until emptied) even when commercial power isn't available. <S> The electricity for pumping to a second floor is negligible compared to other common power uses in a modern household. <S> The overhead tank also can temper the water from chilly underground temperatures, somewhat reducing water heating costs. <S> A cistern for collecting rain or spring water provides ideal irrigation source for garden. <S> It's not without costs unless you have an easy to tap spring. <S> The first costs to setup for harvesting rainwater can be pricey. <A> Economy : If you cannot get the water pressure to reach the 2nd floor, you have to pump it there. <S> But if you build an overhead tank you'll have to pump to even higher altitude with a more powerful (read more expensive to buy and maintain) water pump. <S> And you are going to use more energy to get it there although bigger pumps usually have better power efficiency. <S> The cost to build an overhead tank itself seems to be higher than a cistern. <S> Water quality : If the water is stored in higher temperatures than 25°C (77°F), the danger of legionella should be considered. <S> That's why storing potable water in an overhead tank (exposed to sun heat) isn't a good idea. <S> Storing the potable water in a back-up storage for longer periods isn't an good idea <S> neither - it will become too stale. <S> It could be used in the backyard or in the toilet but not in the kitchen. <S> Freezing : <S> You don't mention the location in your question. <S> Is there any possibility of freezing in your area? <S> Should you heat the overhead tank and the supply line in winter or empty it and not use it at all? <S> The top of the cistern should be below the freezing depth to keep it operational and to prevent damage. <S> Still there is one point against a cistern tank in favor of an overhead tank. <S> If the level of underground water is too close to the ground level, it can spoil the stored water or displace the cistern.
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I'd use a water pump with a pressure vessel which can even overcome a short electricity shortage and can be very energy efficient.
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What products are available to make coved ceilings? Due to massive cracks and drooping ceilings we need to tear off our existing plaster/lath walls and replace with sheetrock. The 1948 house currently has coved ceilings that we want to duplicate when we do the remodel. Are there products available to help create the coved look that would make the job easier for a novice? <Q> Although I have never used them, and don't know the brand names, there are light weight cove sections made from composites that you can nail or screw to the wall/ceiling, then finish in with mud. <S> I'm quite sure I saw a tutorial on using these products on the TOH website. <S> If I can find it, I'll post the link. <A> Your coving was most likely created using a mold of some kind, you can still buy molds and do the work, but it is not easy or quick. <S> I've tackled lots of jobs <S> but I'd never try that one myself. <S> In the states and the UK <S> (I've lived in both) <S> Styrofoam is very inexpensive, and easy to work with as it is extremely light. <S> If you make a bad cut you just use another piece, and just glue it into place and then prime/paint. <S> Preformed plaster is heavier and harder to cut and fit, however it is stronger and may last longer. <S> Personally I'd go for stryofoam <S> , it may not be as sturdy <S> but it's so much easier to work with! <S> Just be very careful not to damage it as you work with it. <A> You don't say where you are based (I'm assuming the USA), but in the UK you can buy preformed plaster coving in a variety of styles: <S> Sculpted Egg and Dart <S> These are from Screwfix , but other places sell them as well. <S> These can be cut with a mitre saw to form corners, or some types have pre-cut corner packs you can buy. <S> With an older house it might be best to cut the corners yourself as you can account for the variations that will occur that make the corners not quite square.
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you can get preformed plaster and styrofoam coving in a variety of styles, and that's much easier to work with.
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Can a receptacle be added to a lamppost? I'm adding a post and a post-mounted light fixture in the backyard. Some posts have an outlet at the bottom , but they appear to always have a "decorative ladder rest" (with plastic golden balls!) that is an eyesore. Is it possible to add a receptacle to a plain post? The plan is to use this light , which fits on a 3" post. <Q> There is no reason you could not, if you followed the standard requirements for outdoor recepticles, such as Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) sealed box properly protected cable <S> However, this is likely to be a bulky add on . <S> Cutting a hole in the post presents a problem becasue you need to install a sealable box and sealable cable connections. <S> Finding a post that already has a UL listed outlet is probably a safer, easier and maybe cheaper alternative. <S> (See comment by @The Evil Greebo) <S> A manufacturer can design an integrated housing for the outlet and get it UL rated, whereas you need to rely on off-the-shelf parts (read not custom fit ) to get the same safety and performance. <S> Also, on the posts you have seen so far, it might be easier to remove the decorative items and plug them with small caps or finials than adding a safe outlet. <A> You don't need the bulky solution posted by @bib. <S> In my yard I have exactly what you are looking for, a receptacle on a plain 3-inch pole. <S> Google "Design House 502112", available from a variety of sources including Home Depot. <S> It's called a "replacement" receptacle, but it can be added new by drilling a 1-3/8" hole in the side of the pole. <S> The biggest issue with this item is that the cover is not terribly rugged... <S> mine broke after 8 years of regular use (which is why I am replacing it now), but I've seen other reviews indicating quicker failure. <A> I guess a lot depends upon just how you are doing your light. <S> If you are purchasing a ready-made light pole with integrated light fixture then the ability to add the outlet would depend on how the pole is constructed. <S> For instance if the pole was a smallish pipe type thing at one inch diameter adding an outlet would be a completely different thing than adding an outlet to the cast metal base that was eight or ten inches in size. <S> If you are making your own post out of wood adding an outlet may simplest if the post was constructed as a box construction out of boards as opposed to being a solid timber. <S> Of course you can even go the route of using surface mounted exterior electrical boxes and conduit but that can be rather ugly and mostly suitable for purely utilitarian applications.
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In either case the ability to add an electrical outlet is possible if you select the proper type of post.
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What type of primer and paint are better used in a bathroom? I just removed some wallpaper from a shower ceiling. I now have exposed drywall. What type of primer and paint do you suggest I use? I'm overwhelmed by the oil/water/latex bases, and when to use which. It stands to reason, being a shower, that moisture is top concern. <Q> Ideally, if it's standard sheetrock, I'd suggest removing it. <S> You normally want to use 'greenboard' (sheetrock with a waxed paper layer) or, even better, the paperless wallboard products like Densarmor (they use a fiberglass layer rather than paper). <S> The paper is what the mildew will like to 'eat' so removing as much of that as you can, the better. <S> Barring that, they do make paints specifically for bathrooms. <S> They usually have some sort of anti-mildew additive. <S> Finally, be sure the bathroom is properly vented. <S> That, alone, is the single best solution. <S> If there is no ceiling fan, invest in that first. <S> To answer the specifics: Latex is water based, so that's the same thing. <S> And is what you want to use--specifically ones labeled for bathrooms and high-moisture areas <S> (ie, they have the mildew preventative additive). <S> You COULD use Oil based paint, and that has historically been something to use in a bathroom, but latex paints have come a long way and Oil based interior paint is now a rarity and likely not what most DIYers would want to use anyways <S> (it's a bit more finicky and smelly to apply and a lot more messy to clean up). <A> You said your removed wallpaper from the ceiling. <S> I'm assuming that the house is old, and the bathroom is old, and the wallpaper has been there a while. <S> (Because who puts wallpaper on ceilings?) <S> The wallpaper probably trapped moisture against the ceiling, so you may already have the start of a mold/mildew problem. <S> My advice, for drywall, is to get the ceiling as dry as you can, as fast as you can. <S> If you have a second bath, you might consider opening a window if it's winter where you are (winter air tends to be dry, pulling moisture out quickly). <S> If it's humid where you are, or summer, then get some kind of drying mechanism - a fan, a salamander type heater, etc. <S> Spend a day or two driving as much moisture out of the ceiling as you can. <S> Once that's done, put on a coat or two of "mold killing primer". <S> Zinser and Kilz both make this and sell it in "big box" stores. <S> I'm sure other manufacturers sell similar products. <S> This will tend to kill anything that is already growing (even if you can't see it), and create an immediate vapor barrier with the drywall. <S> Pay particular attention to the corners/edges, where the ceiling meets whatever wall you have. <S> I don't know if you have tile all the way up, or more drywall, or what. <S> But the edges are going to be a potential weak spot, so you should really slather it on at the edges before cleaning it off. <S> Once you have the primer up, you can wait on the actual paint. <S> If you already know your target paint color(s), you might consider asking your paint vendor to tint the primer for you, so you don't have to use so much paint over it. <S> If you are using the bathroom, you may have to "help" the primer to dry. <S> Don't expose it to cold air, but a heater or a fan or a dehumidifier might be good. <A> Oil based / latex isn't a "where" question as much as it is <S> an "on what" question. <S> On wood you want oil based.
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With drywall, latex will be fine.
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What is a good way to cleanly cut through steel? What tools can I use to get a clean cut through thin steel? Specifically, I have several mini beer kegs I need to cut the bottoms out of. I don't mind it taking a while, but my cuts are jagged (easy to cut myself on them) and it takes me about an hour and a half to get a semi-clean cut to where I don't cut myself. I also would prefer a tool that does not create sparks, as I don't exactly have a fire-safe environment to work with, but I can always do the cutting elsewhere if need be. <Q> A Nibbler , is a tool that is used for cutting thin metal. <S> A heavy duty nibbler is usually capable of cutting up to 14 gauge steel. <S> I'm not sure what gauge metal is used for mini kegs, so this tool may not be appropriate in your situation. <S> Some nibblers work similar to a punch and die, nibbling small sections of the metal at a time (think hole punch ). <S> Other versions make two parallel cuts, and roll the scrap material in front of the tool as they cut. <S> Nibblers come in both manual, and powered variations. <S> Powered version can be powered by both air, or electricity. <S> There are even some available that attach to a drill, converting the drills rotary action to a reciprocating motion. <S> Nibblers will give you a clean cut, and will not create sparks. <A> Plasma torches are great. <S> But maybe overkill for your needs. <S> I'd say a jig saw with a metal blade would be the best bet. <A> I would recommend either a oscillating multi-tool or a rotary tool. <S> The rotary tool with a cut-off blade is more likely to make sparks, but the multitool should be fairly spark free. <A> An angle grinder with a cutoff wheel would probably be your best bet. <S> Sure, it will create a hailstorm of sparks, but it will cut more cleanly than any other type of saw, or even a nibbler. <S> There are various sizes of cutoff wheels available from very tiny like what is used in handheld rotary tools, to massive like the ones used for heavy construction. <S> Find the appropriate sized one for your application, and go to town. <S> They can also be used as a sanding disk if you are careful. <S> It can be used to clean up your jagged edges you currently have. <S> A word of caution, these tools can be dangerous in the wrong hands. <S> Also be aware that the cutoff wheel can kick back and cut you. <S> They can also explode if the RPMs are too high, or too much force is applied. <S> You also need eye protection, and should cut in an area where there aren't any flammable materials around. <S> Gloves and long sleeves are also recommended. <A> No sparks, fast work, and an inexpensive tool if you have access to a compressor. <A> Try to go for a nice fine blade edge, and if you can clamp the keg somewhere without bending the sides. <S> then bonus! <S> Its better to go for the double thick blades which normally feature two cutting sides, then its easer on the hands, otherwise get a specialised pullsaw. <S> you can then clean off the cuts with a few passes of some 100grit or so sandpaper. <A> I'd use a sharp cold chisel (meant to cut steel) and a hammer. <S> I have in fact used exactly those tools to cut the bottom out of full-sized barrels, and with a touch of practice <S> it's just like using a can opener...
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If tin snips are sufficient for the work, you can get a set of pneumatic metal shears. You definitely would need to secure the work pieces to make sure it doesn't go flying when you are cutting. The Mini Keg is so small, I would simply use a hacksaw blade.
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How do I lay "click system" laminate flooring across an opening? I want to lay laminate flooring throughout my apartment as one big continuous floor. Normally you start laying a row against a wall and then create a new row and click it into the previous row. This click mechanism only works correctly in one direction. The following (simple) image shows the situation (the yellow represents a wall) How do I lay the planks in the area marked as A since the "click system" doesn't work in that direction? <Q> First of all, I disagree with your orientation. <S> But, it is your choice, and I'll respect that. <S> You may want to read this: <S> http://diy.blogoverflow.com/2012/09/installing-laminateengineered-wood-floating-floors/ Pay close attention to the pre-measuring, so that you avoid having a 1 inch board running along either wall. <S> The idea is that you never want to rip a board to less than half <S> it's width. <S> If you end up with a half - board gap along either wall, then you should really be using a 3/4 board gap along BOTH walls (That is, convert the final 1.5 board widths to two 3/4 board widths at start and finish, or whatever fraction works for your measurement.) <S> However, it is an important step. <S> It's going to be some tough geometry to strike the right compromises. <S> You might find it easier to work in Board Widths rather than inches. <S> Don't be afraid to notch the board so that it slips around the wall if required. <S> Again, see the blog post for measuring tips. <S> This material has to be aligned exactly for it to snap together. <S> From your drawing (which may not be to scale) <S> I'd start at the right side. <S> Your wiggle room is the width of the baseboards and quarter round <S> you're going to use to finish the job. <S> You need a 1/4 inch gap from all the walls, and a typical baseboard + 1/4 round can cover up to 3/4 of an inch. <S> (But do a recon at the Home Depot and actually measure this stuff <S> so you know what errors you can cover up) <A> While I disagree with your orientation, this isn't really that hard as long as you're using a floating floor. <S> Start by running a line of boards across all three rooms, and orient them so they are as perpendicular as possible to all the walls. <S> (Alternatively snap a chalk line to represent the left edge of that single line of boards. <S> Now in each room, measure from the left edge (or chalk line) of the board to the left hand wall. <S> Divide that distance by the width of your boards. <S> The remainder is the width of your starter boards in each room. <S> Rip your boards to fit. <S> When you get to your opening, stop - lay the boards out in the next room until they come up to the opening. <S> Run your line of boards from the first room into the 2nd room. <S> Now since its a floating floor, shift the floor in the new room to align with the board sticking into the room. <S> Click the connecting board into place, and you now have a continuously aligned run. <S> Repeat for room 3. <A> Lay the boards into area <S> A first, before laying the boards that join the adjoining rooms. <S> Area A may be fractional (in the number of board widths required). <S> When the long boards are laid to span and join the adjoining areas, some minor adjustment will be required (sliding the A area this way or that). <S> If you do your calculations right, that adjustment should be small, well within the tolerance which is concealed by baseboards.
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However, you're going to want to start against the wall that will leave you the smallest amount of floor to slide around to make it connect up. Start laying the boards out in the room with the most distance to the left of the line. That can all be measured: you can start laying area A with a fractional board (which has been cut to size lengthwise). It's going to be particularly tricky in this case, because you have 4 different measurements to deal with (three rooms + opening). Just be careful with the conversions! Once you've figured out the measuring, proceed as The Evil Greebo suggests.
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How do I take apart a wooden retaining wall? I have a retaining wall, sorta. It acts as a divider between homes rather than retain anything. Built the same way as one, with 6x6 boards, spikes, all that jazz. No deadmen, of course. I need to take it apart and down while keeping the boards intact (I am going to reuse them in furniture). I tried just putting a bar between two and prying them apart but after a lot of work I got them separated by about 1/4". There's too many to do that way. Update: I'll try the sawzall approach this weekend and come back. Thanks for the suggestions! <Q> If you have access to a sawz-all also called a Tiger saw or reciprocating saw you can cut the spikes. <S> Pry the timbers one at a time to get a little separation. <S> Using the longest metal cutting saw blades you can get in the 14 tooth per inch range saw thru the spike. <S> The longer blade will allow you to cut the spike if it is on the far side of the timber. <S> Depending on what type of spike was used you may be looking at using several packs of blades. <S> The process may get tougher near the bottom if they anchored the timbers to the ground with rebar. <A> I just finished a similar project -- removing the top layer from about 40 running feet of retaining wall built with 6x8 timbers. <S> I used a long crowbar (about 36") and a one pound sledge to drive the claw part of the crowbar under the top of the spike, then use the leverage of the crowbar to pull it out. <S> It may only move a small amount at a time; add boards under the crowbar to raise it as the spike comes out. <S> The large spikes typically used for retaining walls are quite tough to pull out -- if you can get space between the timbers, you might want to consider the Sawz-All approach suggested by Mikes. <A> I just finished a similar project and found the comments here very useful. <S> Each 6x6 was tacked into the board below with 5 each 10" 3/8 diameter spikes, or a combination of spikes and rebar. <S> Because the retaining wall ran up a hill, some of the 6x6 used spikes into boards on one end and 1/2 inch diameter 2 foot length rebar on the other. <S> I drove a 5 lb wedge using a 3 pound hammer under one end of the 6x6 I wanted to move. <S> Using a Sawzall with a carbide tipped Diablo heavy metal blade (~$14 at home depot) <S> I was easily able to get through the spikes in about 2 - 3 seconds each. <S> After each cut, I drove the wedge a little further. <S> A single Diablo carbide blade was sufficient to cut 40 spikes, with life left in it. <A> If you don't want to reuse the wood, and have 8' to 10' of space in front of the wall, rent a mini-excavator with a hydraulic thumb. <S> I use a Kubota Kx-121 for projects like this. <S> $200 a day or more cost wise.
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When it came to the rebar, I used a heavy 5 foot wrecking bar and a 5" by 5" block of wood (as a fulcrum) once the spikes were cut, I could slide the wrecking bar under the board, lift and move the fulcrum to the midway point toward the rebar end of the board, then use the board itself as a lever to pull the rebar out of the ground.
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How can I insulate a basement wall that has 1x1 framing installed on it? It is freezing in my basement so I decided to re-insulate my daughter's bedroom. I removed the old paneling walls to find that it wasn't insulated! There was a water barrier and a heat shield. My problem now is winter is almost here and the framing is 1x1's. I don't have the money to redo the framing. Do I use rigid foam board cut to size to fit the holes and spray insulation around that and cover with water barrier? Can I just spray insulation all over and cover with dry wall? Please tell me there is something I can do, without having to take down the frame. I am taking about the outer wall and I live in Quebec Canada so it gets pretty cold. <Q> There is a rigid polyisocyanurate foam core insulation, often sold under the brand name Super Tuff from Dow that has a higher R value than XPS. <S> It is R-13 in 2 inch panels and is higher if you trap a small air barrier behind it (around R-15). <S> The foam has a foil vapor barrier on the back. <S> You could mount this on the existing furring foil side out, using glue and screws <S> seal the edges with foil tape reinstall paneling with glue and screws throught the foam, into the existing furring. <S> HOWEVER: <S> The paneling could hold itself up when mounted this way, and you could mount lighweight things, such as pictures. <S> The walls would NOT be suitable for mounting shelves, fixtures, heavy mirrors, etc. <S> You would need to take care and inform any subsequent owner that the walls were not intended for bearing any signifciant weight! <A> One inch isn't much space for insulation, but you can get thin fiberglass insulation, which is how I'd go although foam is much easier to use. <S> It'll help certainly. <S> To be sure the right way to do this is to re-do the frame and hang fiberglass insulation, but then again you know that. <S> If you can't re-do the framing you could put an extra layer of rigid foam insulation on the outside of the frame as a temporary measure. <S> It wouldn't take any weight, and you probably couldn't put outlets through it, but you could put a layer of drywall over it and pretty it up some. <S> The thing is that costs money too. <S> Really there's no way to insulate that wall effectively without spending money on something , so why not spend it on doing it right? <A> Sounds like you've committed yourself to XPS foam and gyp board regardless of other ideas offered here. <S> No only can you not use them to support shelving and such, it's really not even adequate to support gyp board. <S> If that is simply impossible, the best you can do is rely on glue to hold everything up. <S> Glue the XPS well to the wall, then glue the gyp board to the XPS. <S> Screw the gyp board to the 1x1s to hold things up until the glue sets, and pray the screws hold that long. <S> Cut the XPS to fit snugly between the 1x1s, minimizing the spray foam needed. <S> While using the spray foam behind the 1x1s sounds like a good idea for more insulation, the gain is minimal and there is a real chance the foam will expand enough to push the 1x1s off the wall, or at least cause them to bow out. <S> Assuming this all stays up, R5 will be way better than the R0.05 <S> (wild guess) it is currently. <S> Worth doing, even if it could have been done better. <S> Many of us are in hard times, I understand the need to cut corners. <S> But not installing adequate support may be cutting too much. <S> Good luck. <A> A 1x1 isn't really considered framing. <S> It's merely a furring strip. <S> It can be used, but as you have found out, in a cold climate, it's rather silly. <S> Here's how I prefer to frame and insulate basement walls: <S> Should I use steel or wood studs for basement exterior walls? <S> The bullet point highlights: <S> use foam board for insulation (XPS or EPS) <S> use metal studs use paperless wallboard (such as densarmor) do not use any vapor barrier <S> The arguments are that the foam acts as a moisture retarder, but not blocker. <S> As such, that combined with NOT using a moisture barrier allows moisture on either side to eventually dry to the other. <S> Alas, that means you need to redo your basement, which is sounds like isn't an option at this time. <S> You could go ahead and wedge in 1" XP foam boards and then re-sheetrock. <S> In fact, I think that's about the only practical solution you have at this time. <S> But it takes a lot of work to pull down sheetrock, add insulation, re-sheetrock, mud and paint. <S> If you're going through all that work, you might as well take the little bit of extra time and money and reframe the walls properly, IMHO. <A> 1" XPS rigid foam is only going to give you R5 (if that seeing how it will only be between studs and not along the entire wall) which will be better than nothing, but no where near the amount of insulation you should have for your climate (I'm in Toronto, ON and insulating my basement with 1.5" XPS and R14 Fiberglass giving me <S> ~R21.5). <S> If the foam was applied against the wall and all the seams taped it would form a vapor barrier, but installed only in-between the studs it will not so you still need a barrier on top of the studs. <S> Closed-cell spray in foam would probably give you the best R value but it is expensive compared to foam or fiberglass.
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Only use glue specifically noted for use with foam insulation, other glues can melt it! You really should consider larger furring strips to give you more insulation and adequate support for wall finish. It'll help a bit. Unfortunately, 1x1s are structurally worthless. The research comes from Building Sciences Corporation which has focused on cold climate basement insulation.
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How to cut threads on 2" PVC pipe? I have some sections of 2" PVC and some Tee fittings that I need to join. On the Tee fittings, the main line is threaded and the outlets are smooth. How can I cut the threads in the straight sections to join with the threaded main line? <Q> I see no reason why you should cut threads on a PVC pipe. <S> It seems to me that this would be unnecessarily difficult and would weaken the pipe. <S> Any big-box hardware store or irrigation department should be able to provide this adapter. <S> Edit:Here is a link to such an adapter for $1.56at big orange hardware store. <S> : <S> https://www.homedepot.com/p/Charlotte-Pipe-2-in-PVC-Sch-40-MPT-x-S-Male-Adapter-PVC-02109-1600HD/203825431 <A> Threaded fittings on PVC are intended to connect to existing, threaded NON-PVC connectors, such as galvanized pipe or fittings. <S> When connecting PVC to PVC it should all be glue joints without threads. <S> You have the wrong type of fitting. <S> Fittings are very cheap, much cheaper than adapters. <A> Need to thread PVC? <S> Use schedule 80. <S> Schedule 40 PVC pipe is for socket fittings (slip glue) only; threading is not a recommended practice. <S> Schedule 80 PVC pipe can be threaded. <S> Cite ~~ <S> > http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=23979 <A> The thing to look for is a threaded adapter. <S> I searched at my favorite big-box store's web site for both PVC adapter PVC copper adapter <S> Here is one that is PVC to PVC threads. <S> You glue this one onto the unthreaded PVC, then screw it into the part that's threaded: Images supplied by lowes.com. <S> No endorsement intended or implied. <S> and here is one that is PVC to copper. <S> This one is just a push-fit on the unthreaded PVC before screwing into the threaded end: <S> I didn't find one for 2" pipe, but if your local big-box doesn't have one, I'm sure any reasonably stocked plumbing supply store will have one. <S> They would also know exactly what to get you if you simply asked for "something to connect PVC to a threaded copper pipe". <A> Simple, if expensive. <S> Use schedule 80 (or heavier) <S> PVC pipe (only.) <S> Use a pipe thread die and diestock to cut threads, or set up an appropriate lathe with appropriate cutters running at appropriate angles to cut the threads. <S> The die is generally a better choice unless you already own the lathe, know how to cut threads on it (even if they are angled threads) and have sticker shock from the cost of pipe dies but still want to thread the pipe rather than gluing on adapter fittings. <S> "Simple and cheap" buy and glue on adapter fittings. <S> This one is from "Supply house .com <S> " is schedule 40 and costs under a buck at the time of writing - but thats not an endorsement, just an example <S> Better, simple, and cheap - buy <S> Tees intended for glue on all three ports, no adapters needed. <S> Here's a schedule 40 2" all - glue Tee, and it's under $2. <S> Same source for the picture, same lack of endorsement. <S> Since you'd need two adapters for each Tee, probably a hair cheaper to just get the right Tees for all-glued threadless connections. <S> Certainly less fuss to assemble leak-free, unless there's an unstated in the question need to disassemble by unscrewing. <A> You need a threading wrench (example that may or may not meet your specifications), a clamp, and schedule 80 PVC <S> (I suggest schedule 120 though). <S> Clamp pvc at 90 degree angle and slowly start threading. <S> You have to keep perpendicular pressure on the wrench so that the threads width is consistent. <S> I took 5-6 practice runs before mine were acceptable. <S> The project I did was for a water pump output for a boat that had to be set up on dock. <S> I am not really sure why you wouldn't be a threaded piece and just join that with an adapter - which is probably more secure than a self-threaded connection.
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You should, instead, get a slip to thread adapter and glue it onto the pipe to thread it wherever you like.
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How can I temporarily seal a gap underneath my door to stop water getting in while it's raining? During heavy rain the water from the drains outside my apartment overflow. The doors have an almost 1 inch gap at the bottom, and the water floods the apartment. How can I seal that door gap temporarily during the rain to avoid flooding the apartment? Currently I live in a small town in Argentina. So I do not have access to all materials and do not have any tools. I was thinking about pressing some sort of modeling material into the gap. Today I was using some towels but that holds the water only if I renew them every few minutes. And I don't know what to do when I leave the apartment for a few days and rain starts while I am absent. The pictures are from 1 of 2 doors. <Q> EDIT: <S> Comments above say that you have 1-2" of water. <S> ORIGINAL ANSWER: <S> The proper long term answer is to fix the the drain. <S> However, I appreciate that you are in need of a more short term solution. <S> In English, what you are looking for is a "Rubber Threshold Seal" like this: <S> Or Like This (this is made for garage doors): Installing these will require drilling through the tile and concrete, installing a plug and screwing it down. <S> You will also need a liberal dose of caulk (silicone sealer) underneath. <S> If you're in a real bind, and need a quick and dirty fix until you can get better parts, get a piece of wood, about the width of the door and slightly smaller than the gap, and caulk it down. <S> Paint it with yellow and black stripes <S> so you don't kick it off. <A> Hydrabarrier from Watershed innovations. <S> Fill with water and place outside door. <S> But I think you have more of a problem than water.... <S> I dont think that's up to construction standards. <S> Not to mention cold and hot air coming in...or snow dependeing where you live. <S> The owner of the building should have that gap fixed. <A> Given Juergen doesn't have access to various tools and supplies, this is the only thing I think he could pull off that would help somewhat <S> (but he'd have find a way to seal the edges of the door then). <S> And of course, nothing less than serious effort is going to stop h20 from coming under that ginormous opening under the door. <S> However, I think an appropriate piece of rubber would be more efficacious still (than the wood). <S> And yes, a shiny new, rubber threshold seal like the one above from Home Depot would be nice, but can you get those in a small town in Argentina? <S> If you're poor? <S> And Juergen, some type of molding might work, but you'll have to move eventually, unless maybe they get a better drain that works, cuz you'll never totally stop water from coming under that door. <S> Move?
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I think the only viable answer here that can help with Juergen's problem is caulking a strip of wood down, as crude as it may be. The sealant won't hold if you stub your toe against it. There is no solution for this other than fixing the drain. (Or going to marine style doors with a raised threshold.) What I've describe below can mitigate minor flooding, but won't help with the serious issue you seem to be having. the gap is so wide that rodents & snakes can get into your apartment. That cannot be up to outdoor construction standards.
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How do I insulate exterior basement wall? Working from scratch with a bare wall. What do I do? 3 hardware stores have told me 3 different things. We have very cold winters here. Looking for cheapest and highest R value. contractor next door says 2 layers ridged R5, overlapping and taped...2x4s...then gypsum board. He says I don't need a vapor barrier. <Q> Best place to go for this sort of information is buildingscience.com. <S> This set of documents on basements will have lots of useful guidance. <A> Space your framing half inch off the wall then closed cell spray foam. <S> It depends on how much you want to spend and how much space you want to give up. <A> Read this answer <S> I provided here <S> (this question is likely a duplicate of it): <S> Should I use steel or wood studs for basement exterior walls? <S> Broadly speaking, there are two ways to answer this: <S> it's the better way. <S> I chose the latter after doing a lot of research (see above link) <S> that states that vapor barriers are probably a bad thing in a basement. <S> Code dictated that there be a barrier, and as such I had to spend a chunk of time doing a lot of documentation and providing citations to other research to convince them otherwise <S> (I was able to finally convince them). <S> To summarize, I generally agree with your neighbor, and would suggest a) using metal studs instead of wood <S> (mold can't grow on metal <S> + it's really easy to work with) and b) upgrading the wall board to a paperless product such as densarmor (which uses a fiberglass surface instead of paper).
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do it the way code states research and do it the way you want to do it, potentially having to convince the code folks
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Any US building codes about a door opening into a hallway near a stairway? A while ago I changed a door out from my tiny bathroom so that it opens outside of the bathroom and into the hallway. It looks attractive and provides a great deal more room in the bathroom making it feel much bigger now. It was also a great deal of work since I reused the existing door frame, chiseled new hinge slots and used wood putty to cover up the old hinge slots in the existing door frame. Now that we are going to sell the house, a friend of mine mentioned that perhaps the house was purposely built for the door to swing inside the bathroom because the door is close to the stairway and that it could be some kind of building code. The house was built in 1958 so if it were a code decision so long ago then I am sure somebody might know something about this. My father in law is pretty handy but has never heard of such a building code. I am terrified now that this might get called out in a home inspection and that if it were a code issue that I will be required to replace the door before I can sell the house. Is this indeed a code issue in the United States? EDIT: I included a rough diagram so that you can visualize this: EDIT 2: I realize that information this localized is not on topic for this forum, but I am a resident of Pennsylvania and according to the local building codes that user Sean Cheshire was so kind to give me (Thank you!), this was the only building codes in regards to stair landings that I could find: R311.5.4 Landings for stairways. There shall be a floor or landing at the top and bottom of each stairway. Exception: Afloor or landing is not required at the top of an interior flight of stairs, including stairs in an enclosed I garage, provided a door does not swing over the stairs. A flight of stairs shall not have a vertical rise larger than 12 feet (3658 mm) between floor levels or landings. The width of each landing shall not be less than the width of the stairway served. Every landing shall have a minimum dimension of36 inches (914 mm) measured in the direction of travel. It doesn't appear like the door swings over the stairway so I should be okay! Thanks everyone! <Q> There's no such thing as US building codes, there are state, county, and municipal codes which vary widely between areas. <S> There's no harm in it, simply call the office that is responsible and ask. <S> You don't have to say you've already done it if you're worried about it <S> , you could say you are planning on doing some remodeling and ask them if a door opens into a landing if that's OK and see what they say. <S> Worst case is you have to turn it back in the way it was. <A> Your door is not on the stairs, it's in the hall. <A> To correct an common misconception there are national / international codes. <S> These generally form the basis of state and local codes. <S> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Building_Code <S> The overriding factor here is fir egress which demands that doors open out ... <S> there are exceptions. <S> For ares with less than 50 people and more for less than 10. <S> If ya having a rush to get to the bathroom, you're gonna want the door to open in. <S> No one ever rushes to get out. <S> In homes, most doors open in due to the smaller hallways with would block the entire pathway if they opened out.
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While local codes certainly vary, in general there's nothing wrong that I know of with that installation. I have always joked that if there's a fire, you want the door to open out. The only way to know is to ask, which is what I'd recommend you do.
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How do I get this rusted screw out? Possible Duplicate: How can I remove a really stuck screw? I have to return my license plates to DMV by Friday (they expire!), and am finding it next-to-impossible to get them off my car! First I tried unscrewing them with a solid/thick flathead and neither screw would budge (there's two; 1 on each side of the license plate): So early this morning I practically emptied a small can of WD-40 on the screws, both of them, on the front of each screw (and around them). Additionally, I pried back the license plate away from the car, and sprayed WD-40 on the back-side of the plate, around the area where the screws might be rusting/welding onto the car underneath the plate. I let it sit there soaking in the WD-40 spray for about 40 minutes, which according to the instructions, is more than enough time for it to take full action. These screws will not budge! Either of them! I am junking this old car, so I'm not too concerned about hurting its exterior, but I'm at a total loss as to how to get these screws off. I have a hacksaw, but the width ("curf"?) of its blade is too thick to fit between the bulky head of the screw and the license plate (preventing me from being able to cut the head off). Not to mention I don't think I could use it anyways, because the license plate area is recessed 3 - 4 inches inward from the rest of the car's exterior, and I don't think I could fit my hacksaw into the recess. Any ideas? <Q> Some times tightening the screw helps un stick it. <S> I don't mean turning it a full quarter tighten but use some force. <S> If you hear it click/budge a bit- <S> Spray WD-40 <S> on it then untighten it, spray WD-40(only <S> a short spray-don't drown it), repeat over and over and the distance will get larger and larger and eventually you will be able to unscrew with ease. <S> By the way- <S> Do not use a flat screwdriver. <S> To avoid this problem in the future- spend a few bux more and get stainless steel bolts/screws. <S> Galvanized are OK- but some cheap ones rust anyway after a year or two. <A> If the edges of the plates are bent out of shape they will not care as they're going into the junk pile anyway. <A> Home depot can rent an impact driver to you. <S> That and a 1/4" bolt driver should do the trick. <S> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzG1xg7qrsc
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The DMV don't expect their license plates back in pristine condition, they usually get them back beat up as hell, so just pry them off with a screwdriver. Get a spanner that fits snug on that bolt - you will get it loose very quick with that.
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Does water dripping through my soffit indicate a problem? When it rains, water drips through the soffit and along the inside face of the fascia. This picture shows the water dripping through, but when it rains harder sometimes there's more: My landlord just installed that aluminum soffit. Above it is solid plywood. This is at the valley of an L-shaped gabled roof. Is this a problem? It's not a ton of water and I haven't noticed any leaks inside the house, but it seems to me like there shouldn't be any water in there. The gutters have been recently cleaned and there's no debris in them. EDIT: added a few more photos Here are two shots of the valley in question from above, plus another shot of a different gutter to show the construction and condition of the roof. The shingles are approximately 4 years old, on top of an older layer (maybe more? hard to tell). There doesn't seem to be a drip edge. The shingles extend over the fascia and into the gutter by about 1". <Q> Oh, wow. <S> I'm sorry, but your roof is probably bad. <S> If you can get the money you paid four years ago back (doubtful), I would, but you probably need to get that entire mess torn off all the way down to the decking, and probably quite a bit of the decking near the edges of the roof too. <S> You can tell because the shingles look "lumpy" and have a rolling look to them -- like someone's melted them, especially near the edges -- and the valley is curved instead of sharp. <S> I can also see the lines running across where different runs of roof sheathing panels meet (every 4' or so); that it's sagged in between these lines is a sign of sheathing damage. <S> Your roof isn't the shingles, so it doesn't matter that the shingles are only four years old. <S> Your roof is actually the tar paper and ice and water shield that is underneath underneath the shingles. <S> If you go up into your attic when it's been raining quite a bit, see how much more of the underside of your roof sheathing is damp. <S> If there's a lot, you need to get it torn off and replaced as soon as possible. <S> If there isn't much, you have a few years to save up for it, but it looks bad now from the top. <S> Make sure when they re-do it that they tear everything down to bare wood, remove all the nails and staples and junk, use Ice & Water Shield along the roof edges and in the valleys, and then put new 30 year tar paper and shingles over it. <S> The tar paper and ice&water shield is what actually keeps the water out of your house. <S> The shingles only protect the tar paper from abuse. <A> Water dripping where it shouldn't means something is wrong in the roofing. <S> This will give you a good idea which are of the roof to investigate from the outside. <S> This will require partially disassembling that ceiling made of perforated metal. <S> The most likely reason is some minor damage to one of the shingles - this can be repaired pretty easy once you locate it. <A> A few things: Multiple layers of roof shingles are fine if done properly. <S> Would be interesting to know if a proper starter course was installed beneath the lower row of shingles. <S> If not, the rainwater could be penetrating the original or former layer of shingles. <S> Take a look at how the lower rows of shingles are "woven" together in the valley. <S> Improper. <S> What is with what appears to be a block of wood in the gutter at the base of the valley? <S> Drip edge flashing is advised as well as sealing the gutter seams when weather is accommodating. <S> Gutters need to be kept clear at all times! <S> Especially at the base of a valley! <A> It seems to me that the problem is in the rain gutter, which does not appear to have any slope to it. <S> Without a proper slope to the gutter, water will just stack up in the gutter and run over the edge if it gets too full, looking like there is a roof problem. <S> Before you worry too much about a new roof, I would look at the gutters. <S> See if they are filling up when it rains. <S> That COULD be your problem, although the shingle job on the roof is not very impressive.
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If you want to find where exactly the problem comes from your best bet is to get into the space under the roof when it rains and try to find where exactly water appears first. Multiple layers of shingles are bad; it means that they didn't replace the actual stuff that keeps the water out of your house, they just replaced the stuff that you see that goes over top.
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Why does my ceiling fan light turn off by itself? I have a remote-controlled ceiling fan and light. I don't run the fan, but when I turn the light on sometimes it will stay on for a long time then just go off by itself. I have tried both kinds of bulbs, but neither works. What causes this problem. Do I have to replace the ceiling fan and light, or can it be fixed? <Q> I had a ceiling fan where the light turned off after it heated up, it turns out that the contact that the bulb screws into lost contact due to the expansion of the metal due to the heat. <S> You could try bending the contact out a bit to see if that helps. <S> Clean it as well while you're at it. <S> Make sure the power to the light is off <S> so you don't get a shock. <S> Another possibility is that the radio control is being activated by interference or someone else using a remote on the same frequency. <S> Many devices like doorbells and garage door remotes use the same radio technology, so changing the radio channel your light uses may fix the problem. <S> Your manual should show how to do that. <A> This last guy is right. <S> A lot of these ceiling fan lights have a wattage/voltage protectors. <S> If the combined wattage of the bulbs exceed 190 watts, it will shut down the lights. <S> Try using 40 watt bulbs, not 60. <S> I just had this happen to me <A> I installed an outdoor Hunter ceiling fan 8 days ago (lantern model) that came with the 2 dimmable LED bulbs so the bulbs are not overheating. <S> It also came with the 2032CR watch battery for the remote control. <S> I opened the remote control, pressed the reset button and haven't had the problem the last 3 days.
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Occasionally when I use the wall switch to turn the fan & light on and off instead of using the remote control to control the fan and light on and off from it's previous setting I have that problem.
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Is there a window or portable AC system I can use with an awning window? My bedroom gets ridiculously hot and I taped tin foil over the window. It didn't help much. I'm thinking of getting an air conditioner but the ledge on the window is small and the window doesn't open very much. I was looking at the portable air conditioners on Amazon and wonder, how do they work? Does the hot air get ejected through a hose that I could put out the window? My window opens like this one so I take it a window AC is out of the question? <Q> Window unit air conditioners rely less on the ledge and more on the window itself to keep from falling. <S> The unit is surrounded by a frame. <S> You carefully set the unit in the window with the frame tilted forward some towards you. <S> You then lower the window until the A/C frame can rest on the frame of the window itself. <S> Portable air conditioners usually (as I understand it) have an exhaust hose that you use to vent the hot air outside. <S> You could put this hose out the window - but you'll want to make sure the rest of the opening is blocked off so as to not allow outside air back in while you're pumping out the hot air. <A> Often the actual pane unit for awning and casement windows can be removed (especially in newer and higher end windows). <S> If this is the case, you can install a standard window air conditioner. <S> You would use an "L" shaped bar, called angle "iron" or angle stock (actually aluminum <S> is probably more convenient), placed at the top of the unit instead of the upper sash to hold the unit in the frame. <S> The flat inside face of the angle iron would overlap and be screwed into the frame at the edges. <S> The horizontal edge of the angle would be trimmed to fit inside the frame. <S> The air conditioner can be centered in the gap and the AC units side filler panels can be used to cover the gap. <S> In the alternative, filler panels (clear plexi or any other thin weatherproof material) can be cut to fill the rectangular gaps on either side of the unit in place of the AC unit's fillers, which usually do not seal too well. <S> In the alternative, the unit can be centered and one panel used to fill the gap. <S> Be sure to seal around the AC edges and around the panels in either case. <S> Because most awning windows are not too tall, you may need a low profile AC unit such as this one <A> Portable A/C units send warm air outside through a hose (typically a 4" or larger hose, similar to a dryer), and also produce water as a result of condensation that has to be dealt with. <S> There may be a hose for the water that has to go to a drain (or outside), and some units have a reservoir for the water which must be drained periodically. <S> Portable or not, A/C units can use a fair amount of power, so you may need a dedicated circuit. <S> Check the specifications, it should indicate the current draw and typically the higher the BTU (cooling power), the higher the current draw. <S> Make sure if you're adding this to an existing circuit that already has stuff plugged in, that you don't exceed the maximum draw (typically 15A). <S> This may mean you're limited in how big a unit you can buy, so don't just rush out and buy the highest BTU unit you can find. <S> There are also single- and dual-hose units. <S> Single hose units use the air inside the room to cool the unit as well, and exhaust some of this air out of the hose. <S> If the air being drawn into the room is hot, it'll make the room hotter. <S> Dual hose units have two hoses, one to take air in and one for exhaust. <S> They use outside air to cool the compressor, and have a completely separate system for the cold air in the room. <S> No outside air mixes with inside air, and you don't get any pressure change in the room. <S> Since these units are using warm air to cool themselves, they're slightly less efficient theoretically than the single-hose units, but because they're not creating negative air pressure, they may actually make the room feel cooler. <A> Here's an idea for a temporary installation: <S> Open the awning as far as possible and latch it to keep it open. <S> Set up the small portable AC unit as usual (with side wings). <S> Screw a 1" x 2" board across the window where the top of the unit will be (in the same place where the window would normally hold it). <S> Install the unit, and fill in the gap above unit with plywood, Plexiglas, or whatever you've got. <S> It might look kind of funky <S> but who cares if you are dying from heat!
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This means some of your cooled air is being sent outside, and also that there is negative air pressure in the room, which means air will be drawn in under doors and through vents to replace it.
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Door sticking, frame no longer square, is this serious? I'm a rookie home owner. My "mudroom" door (never heard that term before this house) has started to stick. The house was built in 1952. At the time it was just the house, and the garage and mudroom were both additions. There is no access under either the mudroom or the garage. Checking it recently, I notice: The gaps on the side and tops of the door are now inconsistent from side to side, top to bottom. Door is definitely askew in the frame. The top of the door frame is no longer truly straight, but bowed slightly In the wood that forms the area around the window to the right of the door, there is a hairline gap between the planks that appears to be bigger than any on the other side. Above the door, there is a hairline gap between the vertical and horizontal joint. It's hard to check level, since both the top and the bottom of the door frame are bowed slightly. My questions, knowing I can only give a rough description: Is this common, or should I be worried? What's the ballpark cost (cost ranges) to set this right? Who would be qualified to check this out? A home inspector? Is it serious enough for a structural engineer? Pics, inside: Top of Door, showing uneven gaps Just to right of door, showing crack above and split betweeen panels Bottom of door, showing uneven gaps Pics, outside: Base of door, showing crack in block Left of door, showing minor crack Right of door, showing bigger crack <Q> Unfortunately, it looks like you have a structural problem in the front wall or foundation of the mudroom. <S> This is evidenced by the severe cracking in the brick to the right of the door , as well as cracking in the concrete under your threshold and at left . <S> The picture showing cracking to the right of your door also shows more mortar above the lowest course of bricks than in between the other courses; this suggests that this problem was patched before, but has recently gotten worse. <S> Considering that, it is likely that structural repairs will be needed. <S> Furthermore, if the failure occurred because of water/drainage problems, you will want to take corrective action there to ensure it doesn't happen again. <S> Because the mudroom is its own addition, the worst-case scenario is that the whole addition has to be rebuilt. <S> More likely is that some significant foundation and masonry repairs are needed, somewhere in the $1000-3000 range. <S> Once that's done you can do the door/carpentry fixes. <S> Note that this can be a complex issue to diagnose in person, let alone from pictures over the internet. <S> You'll want to get several opinions from people who know what they're doing. <S> A structural engineer may not be necessary, but their opinion could help you distinguish between the builders who understand what's going on and the ones who just want to sell you an overpriced patch. <A> Doors sticking and cracks on outer brick work = <S> you need some piering work! <S> This is pretty pricing, but unfortunately the only permanent solution. <A> First, get a good square and level and check exactly what is out of line. <S> Look in the basement at the support beams. <S> Are they sagging? <S> Have they been modified from the original plan with some sort of renovation? <S> In other words, make sure this is not a symptom of some bigger problem. <S> If it's a new house, they settle and these things will happen. <S> In another month or year it may correct itself. <S> Some move in cycles with the seasons. <S> If it's small, don't worry about it. <S> If simply sanding a bit off the top/bottom to make it stop sticking is not sufficient, you can remove the trim, pull out the entire door jamb (it sits within the supporting structure) and replace it with a new one that is square. <S> Then seal/insulate it properly , put up new trim, paint, and you're done.
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These could be incremental fixes, reinforcing some weak parts, or a more comprehensive fix (such as replacing the mud room's foundation or footings) could be required. I would recommend you call some experienced masons and general builders to assess the situation. Also check the floor in the area.
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How do I measure the leg positions for a three-legged table with a circular top? I am creating a three-legged stand for a monitor (not really a table, but whatever) and am not sure how to conduct the measurements so that all three legs are accurately spaced in an equilateral triangular shape such that the weight of whatever is sitting on top is evenly distributed over all three legs. How do I go about calculating this? <Q> An equilateral triangular set of legs is easy for a circular top. <S> Take a pair of dividers (for those who do not know what I mean, this is just the standard school compass used by kids), set to the radius of the circular top. <S> Step around the perimeter of the table top using the dividers. <S> There will be EXACTLY 6 such steps until you return to the start point if you had set that distance carefully. <S> Mark the steps you take with a pencil around the perimeter. <S> (Adjust the dividers if you do not return to the start point, then redo the steps.) <S> Once 6 points are located around the perimeter, choose every other mark. <S> Draw a line from the center of the table top to the corresponding mark on the perimeter. <S> Finally, with that same compass, draw a circle around the center point. <S> Where that circle crosses the radial lines you have just drawn will be the location of your legs, so choose a reasonable radius here. <S> Stability can be increased if the legs splay out a bit, but not too far as you don't want people tripping over them. <S> Rungs that connect the legs can make them more robust. <S> The process I described above works because a regular hexagon can be inscribed inside a circle such that the vertices lie on the perimeter of the circle. <S> The length of the edges of that hexagon are the same as the circle radius. <S> Theta = <S> 360/12 = 30 degrees, Sin(30) <S> = <S> 1/2 <S> So the chord length is R. Edit: You often have the center of the circle from when you made the table top. <S> Some circle cutting jigs will actually leave a hole in the center. <S> But, if you don't have that mark to use, that compass will come again to your aid. <S> Set that tool to mark a distance larger than the radius of the circle. <S> With one point at the perimeter of the circle, draw an arc across the rough center of the top. <S> Now repeat, but from the opposite side of the table. <S> Those arcs will cross at two points. <S> Draw a straight line between them. <S> Now, rotate the entire process by approximately 90 degrees, drawing a second line between a pair of intersections of circular arcs. <S> The two lines we have drawn will intersect at the center of the circle. <A> Measure the length, divide by 3, then mark off the thirds on the string. <S> Put the string back on and use the third marks to find the leg positions. <S> It's not as exacting as @woodchips method <S> but it's faster <S> , you don't need special measuring tools, and it's probably good enough for your purposes. <S> Of course you could just eyeball it <S> , you'd be surprised how exact you can get it that way. <A> Construct a hexagon, discard every other vertex. <S> Start with a no flexible string <S> (wire works very well) and draw a circle. <S> The center of this circle is where the center of the table's weight should be. <S> The circle should be wide enough that your legs will attach somewhere along <S> it's edge. <S> Then reposition to where you want one of the legs to be and draw (most of) another circle. <S> Since the wire is the same length, it will pass through the center of table's weight. <S> Then reposition to where that second circle crosses the first (it will do so in two places) and draw more (partial) circles. <S> They will go through the center of the table and the point where you drew the first off-center circle. <S> Since your string didn't change length, the three points (center of the main circle, and center of the two other circles) are all the same length apart, making a perfect 60 degree / 60 degree / 60 degree triangle. <S> Then you repeat the process, moving the center of the "next" circle around the edge to where the last circle crossed the "center" circle. <S> You will construct six crossing points on the outer circle, each exactly 60 degrees apart, and if you connected them you would have a perfect hexagon. <S> To make a triangle, just ignore ever other point. <S> Here's a video of how it's done . <A> There is a rather simple tool called a protractor which is taylor made for this situation. <S> Here is an example of one: <S> These are available in various sizes in the school supply section of many retail markets. <S> Simply draw a line from the center of the table top to the outside perimeter (1). <S> Then use the protractor to measure off an angle of 120 degrees from each direction from the line you have drawn and make two more lines (2) & (3). <S> These will determine the rotational location for the three table legs. <S> Measure from the center of the table along each line an equal distance to locate the center position of the legs (4), (5) & (6).
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An easier method to using dividers is to get a piece of string, wrap it around the circumference of the table surface, and mark the and where the string meets itself.
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How can I install a frost-free outdoor faucet with very little space? On one side of my house, the previous owner frequently forgot to shut off the outdoor water during the winter. Given that my house is in Minnesota, it gets cold during the winter, and he had to replace plumbing twice because of busted pipes. I'd like to avoid this nonsense (and the associated insurance costs). Ideally, I'd like to install a frost-free faucet so I have added protection in case I forget to turn it off in the winter. Unfortunately, I have about 4" from my exterior wall (siding) to the sheetrock on the other side. The smallest frost free sillcock I was able to find is one with a 4" extension. The problem is, once I put the soldered fittings on it (a right-angle connector and a threaded connector for the sillcock) it's about 7" long. As an added bonus, the pipe to which I'm connecting is about 2" into the wall, so I lose 2". All told, if I connect the frost-free faucet to the existing pipe, I'm looking at it sticking out of the outside of my house about 4.2". Ugh. So, my question is sort of two part - I thought about blocking the exterior of the faucet. That is, I thought about taking a 4x4 (or a piece of wood that's an appropriate size) and cutting a section of it to place on top of the siding, into which the pipe will go, extending it away from the siding, but giving me enough room to attach the sillcock to the existing pipe. What I'm worried about is whether this is a waste of time. If the extension of the sillcock is sitting outside of the house, will it even buy me anything additional over having just a standard sillcock? Is there another way I might be able to attach this device that, in my less than infinite wisdom, I haven't thought of yet? I'm a pretty new homeowner, so it's possible that I might be able to do something else that isn't quite as ludicrous as having a 4" pipe sticking out of the side of my house. :) <Q> The purpose of the extension on a frost free faucet is to get the valve itself in a heated space inside of your home so that it could never freeze (see the below diagram). <S> If you only have an inch or so of insulation that's being penetrated by these plumbing pipes, it's likely that the valve would still reach the freezing point inside of your wall. <S> So any type of build out on the outside of your home to mount the faucet is defeating the purpose of the extension. <S> The proper way to use this type of faucet would be to build out something on the inside of your home, which I'm guessing isn't possible, or at least unattractive in your situation. <S> Therefore, I'd recommend getting in the habit of shutting off the water on the inside, possibly replacing the shutoff valve with a quarter turn ball valve so that it's quick, easy, and obvious when it's been done. <S> You want to open the outside faucets when the water has been shut off so that the lines are empty when they do eventually freeze. <S> After they've been left to drain for a day, I cover my outdoor faucets with insulating covers. <S> This is also a good time to drain the hoses and bring them into a protected location (e.g. a garage or shed). <A> The faucet in the outside wall is probably piped from a water line in your basement or crawl space. <S> It was probably poked up into the wall before exiting to the outside wall of the house so that it would be at a reasonable working height above the ground. <S> There is no real workable solution to get any type of frost proof faucet to work in the current faucet location with just a four inch wall thickness. <S> So I would suggest a couple of alternatives for you to consider. <S> 1) <S> If there is straight through access to the basement or crawlspace from lower down on the outside wall below the current faucet location then consider installing a 12" or 18" length frost proof type faucet the lower level. <S> This solution may entail having to squat or kneel down to attach hoses or open/close the faucet. <S> 2) <S> This solution requires reaching down into the well to attach hoses and operate the faucet. <A> If you can relocate your valve to a point opposite an interior wall, you can run it inside that wall to any depth you like, accessing the joint through the sheet-rock of the interior wall, and then closing that access with sheet-rock or installing a service door.
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If straight through access to the basement or crawlspace is below grade on the outside of the house consider installing a window - well type thing against the outside of the basement or foundation so as to create a recessed area to accomodate the installation of a longer frost free faucet.
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How can I prevent water from getting behind the gutter? A friend of mine is having a water problem; the water is coming down behind the gutter. It turns out the drip edge isn't covering up the gutter completely on the one side for a considerable length of the house, as the gutter slants downward. Is there a way to fix this? Is there a flashing you can use, or something else? Note that this started happening after a recent replacement of a roof. I've included some pictures of what this looks like. <Q> Is the water running down the roof not going into the gutter, and instead flowing behind the gutter? <S> If so, then there is a problem with the gutter and/or flashing installation. <S> In addition to the drip flashing, you should check that the gutters are properly affixed. <S> They should be sloped toward the downspouts, but are they securely attached to the fascia board? <S> The fascia board could be rotted, and the gutter hangers unable to hold the gutters firmly against the building. <S> (This is the sort of problem that rapidly gets worse, as the more the fascia board is exposed to water, the more it rots, letting the gutter hangers fail.) <A> Carefully raise the lowest shingles on the roof line. <S> Slip an additional shingle in under those shingles - install <S> them oriented so the normally top edge of the shingle is the bottom edge (but make sure they stay face up). <S> Nail in place as high up as you can close to the layer of shingles above, leaving a 1" over hang over the gutter to create a new drip edge. <S> Install using proper roofing nails. <A> Same thing happened to me. <S> 1yr old roof. <S> In the off season (late fall) I had window caulked a 1" cut strip of vinyl gutter material with a curved edge in where the shingles were turning up and the drip edge was lacking. <S> Once spring came I replaced the bottom course (very time consuming) and used proper asphalt caulk/nails to tack it down. <S> Now looking for a good soffit contractor since mine are now dry-rotten... <S> Best advice I can give is to put on a rain coat and go out in the rain or have a buddy lightly hose roof edge. <S> You have to see where the water is going to see just how far the water goes. <S> I also used my garage stethoscope since the drips can be heard inside when they hit the soffit.
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Alternatively, if the gutters are overflowing and draining toward the house instead of down the downspouts, then you probably just need to clean the gutters so they can drain properly. Run a 3/8" bead of roofing caulk (black tar like substance) along the top edge of that new layer of shingles, then lay the old layer of shingles back down on top of the new drip edge.
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Should I run laminate continuously through rooms, or separate with T moulding? I am installing laminate flooring in an area that has two bedrooms and a living area. The bedrooms are about 150 sq ft each and the living space is around 250 sq ft. --------------- -----------------------------| | | || | | || Bd #1 | stairs | || | | || |--------| Living Space || ||-------------| || || |- ---------- ---------------------|| | | || Bd #2 | Bath | Utility Room || | | || | | |---------------------------------------------------- I know about the standard spacing that must be left between the flooring and the walls. I also understand I should run flooring parallel with the longest wall. I would like to know if I should just run the entire flooring from room to room, or if I should separate it based on the rooms and have T moulding to transition from the bedrooms to the living space. I think this would help with the expansion of the flooring and be less likely to have bowing. I think it would look better to have no spacing at all, so maybe I'm being paranoid about the spacing/bowing. Is there a standard for this type of transition? I think once you reach a certain square footage you need to insert a gap, but I'm not sure what that is. Any advice is appreciated. <Q> I think you should be more concerned with the expansion gap than other types of expansion. <S> And that difference in expansion could give some bowing. <A> Since each room in your house will have different temp and humidity levels, the T moulding allows each room to contract, expand, and flex independently of the others. <S> This helps prevent warping and cracking. <A> As an installer, I have done many jobs where my client just didn't want a T-mold in the door ways. <S> When I first started installing laminate, all the sides were glued together. <S> This is where we always used T-molds. <S> Cutting Door Jambs 1 <S> These days they sell 10, 12 and 14mm thick laminate. <S> These thicker products from what I have seen do not seem to grow or shrink like a 7 or 8mm. <S> All the buckling repairs I have done always involved 7 or 8mm. <S> The one thing that I always pay particular attention to is under cutting the door jambs and maintaining the gap around all the walls. <A> In the summer when humidity is at its highest, the gap should be smaller as compared to a winter install. <A> Depending on what type of laminate you bought, it may be difficult to transition from room to room without using moulding because I would think that you may start having to go backwards with the laminate??
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In my opinion you should use some kind of separation between the living room and the bedrooms, because bigger rooms require bigger expansion gaps. I have done many jobs without T-molds knowing that all the potential problem areas are OK. When under cutting the jambs just make sure that you have the gap underneath where you can't actually see. It also depends what time of the year it is.
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How to run an interior gas (LP) line I need to run a gas (LP) line from outside the house to a cooktop in the kitchen. Here's what I think I need to do: drill a hole in the exterior wall and the header (from the attic) of the same wall connect a 90° joint to Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST), drop it through the hole drilled in the header and fish it through the hole in the exterior wall connect a short piece of black pipe to the elbow, and connect it to the regulator installed by the propane supplier the other end of the CSST would run through the attic and down through another hole in the header of the kitchen wall connect to cooktop (I will, of course, use the supplied conversion kit) This is the plan I've assimilated from research, much of it conflicting. So I'm sure it needs some adjustments. Here are my questions: from what I've read CSST is the way to go, but how do you protect it from fasteners going into the wall? I assumed short legs of black pipe should be used at the ends, since it probably looks better coming out of the wall, unless...is there some kind of wall plate/jack that could be used? Is this approach generally sound? Anything else I should consider? <Q> It is not intended to be buried in a wall, where it could be pierced by a random fastener driven blindly. <S> It is also only used where an appliance needs to be moved to connect or disconnect it to the supply line. <S> In all other cases and places, solid black pipe should be used, not corrugated. <S> Solid should be run to the connection right before the stove, a cutoff valve should be installed at that point before attaching a short length of corrugated between the stove and the valve. <S> The risks are very high, and a simple oversight (common to many a DIYer) is disastrous. <S> The pros avoid those oversights because of long practice. <S> Please stay safe. <A> Daniel, I will also add to the suggestions of hiring a professional. <S> Run solid pipe though the walls. <S> It will have to be cut the right lenght, threaded, and then assembled in place. <S> The threads need sealant. <S> Codes require things like a cut off valve near the appliance. <S> With black pipe in the wall, you don't have to worry as much about poking a hole in it with a nail or screw. <S> Is the line already in the attic or are you running a new line from outside? <S> If from outside, why go up to the attic and not straight throught the wall? <A> The CSST (corrugated stainless steel tubing) is approved as a drop and in concealed stud cavities; however, the manufacturer's installation instruction regarding protecting the piping in the stud cavity needs to be followed. <S> Usually strip wound conduit is required for 12" from locations that secure the csst (terminations and penetration at the top or bottom plates). <S> Removing and repairing the drywall is the best solution and then running sch. <S> 40 steel pipe in the wall and use the csst for the run to the tie-in. <A> Although this was posted years ago, I figure DIYers still read through this today. <S> If you're not a licensed professional, read through Home-Flex's Installation manual, it is free online. <S> Essentially, there are protective barriers available now, such as striker plates and protective conduits for installation in a wall. <A> Always use solid pipe in walls. <S> And, for safety, always pressurize the line with air, seal, and make sure the pressure is maintained for a couple of days before hooking up any combustible gas.
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Corrugated pipe is generally intended only to be used as the last connection to an appliance, in a living space where it not vulnerable to banging or jostling (usually behind or in a space at the bottom of an appliance), but where it can be seen and accessed if work is being done. Having said all this, I join in the various suggestions that you engage a professional plumber (pipefitter). I know how to do it, I have done it in the past, and I would NOT do it again. A pro may have a better idea about where to route the line. The whole thing will be pressure tested (preferably overnight).
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What could be wrong with this receptacle? the power outlet where my tv was plugged in lost power all of a sudden. However, when I plug in a receptacle tester, the power goes back on but when I remove the receptacle tester, power goes off again. What seems to be the problem. I already checked the duplex receptacle and the wires are secured firmly with screws and not poked into the hole. I also tried plugging an extension into the outlet and plugged the receptacle tester into the extension and it also worked. But nothing works without the tester. <Q> How exactly do you know that the power is going back on? <S> If the TV is still plugged into one recepticle and simply plugging the AC tester causes the TV to come back on ---- <S> then you need to immediately investigate repairing and replacing the duplex recepticle. <S> It is likely that the wiring in the box is using the quick connect type connection where the wires poke into a hole in the back of the outlet. <S> One wire must be loose and making an intermittent connection. <S> This could be caused by a wire that is improperly installed or the internal string contact that is supposed to retain the wire is broken. <S> Simply installing the AC tester into the other outlet is apparently moving the contact metal work inside the recepticle just enough to cause it to touch the loose wire. <A> Something's worn or broken in the contact system inside the receptacle. <S> Replace it before something touches something it shouldn't. <S> Or heats up because of bad contact and melts stuff. <S> The insides of these receptacles are made up of strips of brass which is work hardened to have spring. <S> If the contact with the plug is slightly loose, the brass can heat and lose its springyness (annealed). <S> Sounds like your symptom? <A> I suspect that your outlet has a bad contact, so that (let's hypothesize) <S> one of the prongs does not work. <S> Also, let us assume that the two neutrals in the outlet are connected to each other. <S> Just not to the power grid. <S> Suppose that the tester creates a bridge between neutral and ground. <S> The resistance of this bridge is not anywhere near zero ohms, but that might not matter. <S> What that means is that the neutral receptacles in the socket now have a path to ground, and even if that path is resistive, that completes the circuit. <S> Current can flow from hot, through the device, into the neutral prong (which has no grid connection, but does have a connection to the tester's netural) and then, via the tester, to its ground prong. <S> If the device has a small current draw, then its effective resistance may be significantly greater than the resistance in the tester, and so the tester's resistance might not matter much. <S> The device may see a voltage drop, but its power supply may be tolerant to it. <S> Anyway, needless to say, replace the outlet.
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Pushing something into the opposite plug hole can put pressure on the brass contact strip and cause it to make contact in the loose socket. Let's further hypothesize that it's the neutral that has the bad contact. Do note that a loose wire like this is unsafe and could lead to a fire - so please investigate immediately - for the sake of yourself, your family and your dwelling.
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Is it safe to use a portable microwave in a confined shelfspace? I have an 900 watt emerson microwave that looks similar to this one: It weighs about 30 pounds and the outside dimensions are about 19" (W) x 16" (D) x 12" (H). We normally have it sitting on the kitchen counter space but my significant other would like it put in a more discrete location and suggested moving it to a semi-permanent location in the cupboard shelf. I'm reasonably certain that it'll fit in the shelf and am confident that the shelf could hold the weight (and any heavy items we cook) but I'm concerned about ventilation. The manual says: Ventilation: Do not block air vents. If they are blocked during operation, the oven may overheat and eventually cause oven failure. For proper ventilation, keep three inches of space between the oven’s top, sides, rear and the area where the unit is to be installed. The shelf would have that 3" breather room but not much more. Does that sound OK? Am I worrying over nothing? Is there anything else I need to be conscious of here? <Q> Microwave ovens do not generate heat themselves, but cause the food itself to heat up. <S> As such there is not a lot of heat output from the unit, but there is expanding air as the food warms the air in the chamber. <S> Reputable manufacturers are fairly conservative about their venting requirements. <S> If you meet those requirements, you should be OK. <S> Another consideration is clearance for the door swing and for moving dishes in and out of the unit. <S> Make sure that its positioning does not cause you to be handling a hot dish at an awkward angle. <S> Also high shelves are a bit risky since you would be handling hot food at head and face level. <S> A singed hand pulled back could lead to a bad scalding. <S> Finally, you need to be sure that there is an outlet nearby of the proper amperage. <S> A 900 watt microwave draws about 8 amps. <S> A line with a number of other heavy duty appliances on it may pop circuit breakers. <A> As long as you meet the minimum clearance requirements your microwave will be fine. <S> The shelf above may have some issues with the steam and moist air that will be released from the heated food. <S> Watch for damage if it unprotected wood or a laminate. <A> I installed a medium size microwave in our newly remodeled kitchen in the fall of 2012. <S> The microwave sat in an open shelf with the back and both sides closed, so that the microwave sits in the enclosure with the door accessed freely. <S> The microwave began malfunctioning, some buttons don't work and at times it doesn't respond even when resetting it. <S> A repair person came out and diagnosed the problem as the control unit assembly needs replaced for $287. <S> I declined the repairs and decided to find a replacement microwave. <S> Only above oven (built-in microwaves can be installed in a confined area). <S> So, We decided to get a counter top microwave since the space available in the cabinet is too small for a built-in one. <S> Microwaves should last a minimum of 10 years or more, not 6. <S> And yes, a dedicated circuit is a must. <S> I hope that helps answer the question.
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Speaking with an appliance knowledgeable tech, once he learned the situation and where the microwave is installed he said "the microwave is dying of suffocation (no air flow).
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How to use network patch panel in new house I just moved in to a townhouse built in 2007 with a seemingly nice CAT5 and coaxial cabling. In fact, I found a patch panel in the closet! I opened it and found this: I also noticed some of the rooms have ethernet ports and/or coaxial cables/outlets sticking out. I guess I have 2 questions:1. Where should I connect the router so that I can get connectivity from any of the ethernet ports in the house.2. Where should I connect the (comcast) cable modem? Any other tips are greatly appreciated. <Q> From this photo: Cable modem is likely attached to the cable at the lower right corner. <S> Cable modem network jack goes to the internet port on your router. <S> Lan ports on the router are connected to the patch panel in the center. <S> The yellow cat5/6 wires are networking to the rooms. <S> If you want TV's in different rooms, you can swap out which white cables are plugged into the top splitter (or get a different splitter with more ports, but the fewer times you split the signal, the better the signal is). <S> The bottom splitter is the first split to the cable modem to give it the best signal. <S> Yellow cable line is most likely the source, and white cable lines go to the various rooms. <S> Blue wires should be for telephone. <S> I don't see where the external connection is, so if you don't have a dial tone, it may not be connected to the demarcation outside. <S> If that's the case, either the last owner never used it, or they plugged in a voip box into a network and phone jack elsewhere in the house. <A> Switch, router, modem, should all connect at this box. <S> The patch panel should be run to the ports in the rooms. <S> That switch should uplink into the LAN port of a router (or that switch <S> should be the LAN ports of a router). <A> Each patch panel connection goes to a room. <S> You have to connect a jumper to each connection you want to be active. <S> If your router doesn't have enough ports just connect to the rooms you are using to get started. <S> You can add a separate hub or switch (better) to get more connections.
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You need to run wires from the patch panel into a switch.
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How do I repair laminate damage on a kitchen cabinet? We have a kitchen cabinet that we accidentally attached a calendar to using tape. When removing the tape the surface came right off with it. My question is how to best repair this damage? It appears this material is paper backed. Will we need to remove the rest of the wood looking sticker? <Q> One idea to consider is to re-cover the whole side with an adhesive contact paper. <S> With careful selection you may find this to look better than the way it does now. <S> If you do elect to go this route I would recommend a step to even out the surface where the existing laminate was torn away. <S> You may be able to sand the edges of the ripped area so it is a smooth transition as opposed to an abrupt transition. <S> This leveling is needed because any surface irregularity will show through contact paper. <S> Contact paper is available in wood print simulated coloring such as this example from Amazon: <S> Amazon Link: <S> http://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Honey-Adhesive-Contact-Paper/dp/B000KKIR0A <A> Another idea would be to find a way to cover that area with a useful adaptation. <S> Here are several ideas: Magnetic message board - Cork sheet glued on to create a bulletin board - Letter board - <A> The surface cannot be repaired. <S> Removal of the remainder will do no good since the surface underneath is some type of particle board. <S> You can add adhesive papers in various patterns, including wood grain (but not likely to match rest of cabinets) <S> thin plywood - glue on and stain to resemble the existing cabinet a sheet of laminate in in a complementary color or pattern - glue on paint in a complementary color - lightly sand the surface first <S> magnetic paint - use it as a magnetic bulletin board <S> chalkboard paint (variety of colors) - use it for notes . <A> I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who made the mistake of using tape on the "wood" panel. <S> The paper peeled off around my electric outlet (which was loose). <S> I used sticky tape to keep it still rather than undo the thing and tighten the screws -- which I have now done as part of my solution). <S> I thought I would cover the entire thing with contact paper, but instead I cut out a square of contact paper (in a neutral pattern) and just covered the part that was torn. <S> I bought a new outlet cover in dark brown for $0.48 from HomeDepot. <S> I think it looks great! <S> It's a patch to cover an issue. <S> It's not in the line of sight unless you're sitting at the kitchen table. <S> A cheap and cheerful solution. <A> You'd have to remove the entire later and put on a new laminate layer, and in order for it to look right <S> you'd have to find an exact match to the other cabinets. <S> Not likely you'll be able to do any of that. <S> The best you're going to be able to do is cover it up. <S> Get a bigger calendar or use the area to showcase children's artwork, that sort of thing. <A> Here's how I did it. <S> Expect some frustration. <S> I'll list all the steps, including the mess-ups, so you can see what you're looking at and what not to do. <S> I realize I've very late to this party, but I know this is an ongoing issue. <S> Buy thin rif-cut veneer with paper backing. <S> Mixed oil-based stains to closely match original color. <S> Don't like (actually wife doesn't like) rif-cut pattern. <S> Order flat-cut veneer. <S> Much nicer pattern. <S> But paper backing is much thinner, <S> once it's stained, glue won't stick to it <S> (it's like trying to glue paper soaked in oil). <S> Start over with water-based stains, find a mix of stains that closely matches original color (see photo). <S> Glue it on, find that chosen glue makes veneer buckle even with clamping. <S> Rip it all off, sand off glue. <S> Cut/stain another piece of veneer, use contact cement to attach. <S> This one works. <S> Hints: <S> Cut veneer a little large and trim it down. <S> Trim AFTER staining. <S> Veneer is normally glued in a vacuum press, so some glues will require clamping with one or more large pieces of wood to keep it flat. <S> Test glue on scrap material to be sure it will work. <S> You'll have to sand the damaged surface for any glue (including contact cement) to stick well. <S> Best to sand it down to bare particle board. <S> I finally settled on contact cement because I wasn't confident I could get good clamping force across the entire surface. <S> I didn't have much luck when I tried construction adhesive. <S> Plan on spending several hours on this over multiple days. <S> You might find that the iron-on veneer is easiest to work with. <S> I couldn't find any the right size in white oak, but other woods (including red oak) are available with the iron-on glue. <S> Also, there are iron-on glues that you can apply to the surface <S> but I didn't try them. <S> My total cost was north of $150, but part of that is the purchase of the veneer twice. <A> You could also cover it with white board cut to fit. <A> For a match, laminate a poster-sized print of a photo taken of the back of the cabinet (where the faux wood grain is intact).
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Another approach may be to try filling the torn out areas with spackle or dry wall compound using a six inch wide blade. There's really no way to fix that unfortunately. It needs to be covered in some way.
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What is this kind of security bolt head called, and how can I remove it? A previous owner fitted the light fitting pictured above, and has not left me a tool to remove the bolt. The bulb has blown so I need to get in to the unit. The head diameter is about 12mm and the gap between the two notches is about 6mm. I would like to remove it with some technique involving more finesse than simply smashing up the fitting and/or drilling out the bolt. I hope someone can recognise the bolt and give me a search term which will let me cheaply buy a bit for this bolt from somewhere like Ebay UK. <Q> Useful site here . <S> Screwfix doesn't have them. <S> This site may do, although it is international. <S> You'll need to figure out the correct size before you order. <S> If you can grip it with a pliers try a pair of locking pliers and unscrewing it that way I keep a mini vise-grips handy for that sort of thing. <A> I think that's a Spanner bit : <A> Find a pair of scissors with a not-so-flimsy build, open them to the correct angle and insert the points into the two slots. <S> If the screw is not too tight, this may work. <A> Variously known as a spanner-head, snake-eye or pig-nose screwdriver. <S> I had exactly the same problem as the OP - I think I have the same light fixing. <S> Presumably the idea of using a weird fixing is to protect from vandalism, but it's a right pain if you don't pass on the right tool to subsequent owners. <S> I was just about to start grinding a hole in an old screwdriver when I tried undoing it by hand, and found that it was only on finger-tight. <S> So to anyone facing the same problem - try unscrewing it by hand!!! <S> Otherwise I suspect it's cheaper to smash up the fixing and buy a new fixing, than it is to order a special screwdriver from overseas. <A> I took a simple screwdriver (AC tester actually) and cut the middle of it with a rotary grinder. <S> It works for me to open these screws whenever I barge into them once in a few years. <S> No need to search for rare bits for this one.
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Alternatively get a real cheap flat-head screwdriver the right width and file down the middle until you get the right notch. It's called a spanner slotted (or slotted spanner) head. Hard to find in the UK, why the owner used one I cannot imagine. I put off replacing a blown bulb for months, looked all over for the right tool but couldn't find one.
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How do I remove dried latex paint from carpet? I dropped a brush while painting my office. We have brand new carpet and of course, I dropped the paint brush in a spot where there was no drop cloth >:( I thought since it's latex based paint I could let it dry and then peel it off but it doesn't seem that I can do that. I was thinking about a solvent but I don't know what I can use and if it will affect the carpet fibers. I read that certain solvents will eat away the latex backing on the carpet causing the fibers to release from the mesh. I read that there is a product called "Goof off 2" that isn't a solvent that will harm the carpet. But I have no idea. What I can use to remove the paint? The carpet is brand new. I'm not sure what kind of fibers they are. <Q> Depending on when this happened you might be able to just use water, or soap and water. <S> Before it cures, latex paint is water soluble (so <S> the absolute best time to clean it up is before it dries at all). <S> I've had good luck using a couple of sponges and warm water - one to apply fresh clean water to the paint, and the other to blot up dissolved paint/water. <S> You can continue this until the spot is gone. <S> If the paint is cured (i.e. the water isn't breaking it down) <S> then there is a cleaner called "Oops!" <S> that works well on paint, ink, tar etc on carpets. <S> I would try some of that as I've heard it works wonders. <S> It should be available at your local hardware store. <A> I used some goof off to get paint off a cushion. <S> After applying, and sitting a few minutes, the paint peeled off. <S> Try to scrape it vs dissove it and wipe it off. <S> I used a plastic putty knife. <S> You could check the store for other products. <A> If the above methods leave any residual paint, I have found rubbing alcohol will often work as a solvent for well dried latex paint. <S> The first time I tried it was in desperation. <S> A wool jacket of my husband's had well dried latex paint that neither of us had been able to remove. <S> For some reason I tried rubbing alcohol. <S> It worked. <S> I have since removed a number of latex paint splashes with alcohol. <S> But one time, it did not seem to work. <S> No idea why. <A> Alcohol and paint removers can discolor your carpet so I'd try gentler things first. <S> If it's water-based latex paint then your best bet is simply a scrub brush and a bucket of soapy water. <S> Get the painted areas of carpet nice and wet, let it soak for a few minutes, then scrub away. <S> Should get it off no problem. <S> In the future don't let paint dry before you try and clean it, it's an order of magnitude harder to remove when it dries! <A> I was able to remove from my white carpeting a drop of bright blue latex paint that had dried for over 48 hours using a solvent called Goof Off. <S> at first. <S> Then I followed up with my steam cleaner using the hand attachment with the detergent and water rinse. <S> I repeated this cycle until the paint drop was no longer visible (about five times). <A> I have found that many times the paint sits up on the nap of the carpet. <S> Simply snipping of the paint leaves the rug like new! <A> As soon as the spill occurs, generously pour water over the spill and use a shop vac to clean it all up. <S> When I do this within a few minutes of spilling, the paint hasn't dried at all and it completely comes up with the first vacuuming. <S> After 10–15 minutes, the edges have dried, but are still soft. <S> Water + vacuum gets most of it, but some scrubbing is needed to get the drier parts loose. <S> Then soaking water and vacuuming usually gets 97+% of it. <S> The rest wears away after a few months, though I have concentrated vacuuming there more.
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I soaked the spot as suggested earlier, then rubbed it in with a stiff brush, which seemed to smear the stain (but hey, it was loosening the paint!)
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How can I remove a stuck bath stopper assembly? The drain in our tub is slow and I'd like to snake it. I was planning on going through the overflow / drain stopper toggle plate: But I can't remove the stopper and link from the overflow pipe. It seems stuck—there's maybe 1/2" of vertical travel and I can't pull it up any more. I've tried a moderate amount of force, but I don't want to break anything and be in a worse spot. Is there some trick to this? Should I just pull hard? Or does it require disassembly from behind the wall? EDIT: Sorry for not being more specific about the fixture: the tub does not have a pop-up stopper in the tub floor. The drain fixture is just a grate (can't get a snake through). I assume that the stopper is suspended in the overflow pipe, like Tester101's second image. EDIT 2: After fiddling with the lever more I was still unable to get the stopper out. I'm also unable to close the drain plug. However, somehow in my jiggling I must've loosened the clog, since the tub is now draining well. Oh well, problem solved, I guess! I don't take baths so am not concerned about not being able to close it. <Q> First, make sure that the clog is accessible via the overflow. <S> Try this test... <S> While the tub is draining slowly, pour water down the overflow through a funnel. <S> If that drains fast, then the clog is in the horizontal arm and no clearing through the overflow will help you. <S> What works for me is to use a wet cloth to seal off the overflow (replace it first to make as small an opening as possible). <S> With the tub 1/2 full of water and holding the wet cloth over the overflow vent, a plunger should then be able to clear the clog because it will force water down the drain (horizontal or vertical) rather than pushing water up the overflow pipe (or pulling air down it). <S> Should that fail, use draino or physically pry off the grate for an auger. <S> The plunger should pull some amount of gunk back up into the tub while you're using it, even through the grate. <S> If that doesn't happen and the drainage does not improve, then you may have a clogged vent . <S> You need air behind water for it to drain quickly <S> otherwise it's like water draining from an upside-down bottle. <S> Cleaning the vent means going up on the roof and clearing the clog from there -- a hose at full blast will usually do this. <S> As for fully removing the overflow and parts... <S> I don't know. <A> This is likely what you're dealing with... <S> Try wiggling the lift linkage while you pull up. <S> If that doesn't work, try lifting/wiggling the stopper as you pull the lift linkage up. <S> This area of the drain often collects quite a bit of gunk, and may become difficult to disassemble when it's gunked up. <S> You could also try removing the stopper and rocker arm first (removal instructions will depend on make and model of stopper). <S> If you don't have a pop up stopper, forget everything you just read. <S> You could be dealing with something like this... <S> In which case, the plunger may be getting hung up (possibly on gunk). <A> With a funnel, pour hot water first and then vinegar generously into the overflow drain, wiggling the lift linkage in all directions and let it sit over night. <S> Repeat the process as needed . <S> Push the screw driver handle downward. <S> Hopefully that will do it. <S> Good luck. <A> I used WD-40 but not usual stuff. <S> Found penetrating WD-40 at home depot. <S> Also got a plastic hair clog tool. <S> Sprayed down pipe, let it sit for 15-20 minutes, stuck clog tool down, jiggled it around and viola...able to pull out stopper ( <S> lucky it hadn't broken off).
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Try wiggling the lift linkage while you pull up, this might free up the plunger and allow you to pull it out. Finally, I put a big flat head screw driver under the pin and put something between the screw driver and the bottom of the overflow opening.
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What is the pointed end of a spud or construction adjustable wrench used for? I saw one of these at Lowe's the other day and was just wondering what the pointed end is used for. I have seen it called a "construction" wrench and a "spud" wrench. <Q> Same thing you use a Marlin Spike for. <S> (Tapered steel rod with a mushroom head on one end to strike with a mallet or dead blow) <S> It's an alignment tool for drilled holes in metal building frames. <S> During assembly, the bolt holes don't necessarily line up, so you stick the tapered tail through the mating holes in the construction item, lever them around till the adjacent holes line up, slap a bolt through, affix a nut and washer and then use the wrench end to tighten. <S> Note: <S> Landlubber term is Drift Pin or Bull Pin. <S> Alignment Punch would be the technical name any machinist or mechanic would recognize. <S> When an ocean going tug captain decides that it's more lucrative to run his boat up a slough, pull the engine and use it to power a sawmill operation, he's already been using a tapered steel rod to splice hawser cable. <S> And when he needs to line up pieces of equipment on shore, he repurposes the Marlin Spike for more or less what he's been doing with it all along, using it as a multipurpose prybar, alignment tool and general persuader of anything that isn't quite in the right place. <S> And the name he knew it as followed him into the big mill where he became head millwright. <A> I'm an ironworker and we use the "bull pin" to hammer into points and then bolt up, we use a "sleeve bar" or alignment bar to move the point around line up holes and then bolt up usually while still holding the s leever bar, when you use a bull pin you can go hands free because it is wedged into the point. <S> A marlin spike is far to small and fragile to be used for any type of bolt hole alignment, a marlin spike is used for back splicing wire cables to make chokers, and sometimes as a center punch in a pinch. <S> And all of our other tools have the pointed end to help with alignment but also so we can set them somewhere safe when we are working thirty stories in the air, wedged in bolt holes;-) <A> I was the Shipsboatswain (Boson) on the USS Forrestal (CV-59) <S> and I carried one of these Adjustable Marlin Spike wrenches along with my knife and sheath on my side daily. <S> Walking around the decks I was always stopping to tighten something that was loose, whether it was a bolt, nut, or wire rope. <S> It was also my hammer for shackles and sheave pins. <S> It was very handy to hold a piece of flat bar from getting underway etc... <S> I still have mine in my tool chest in the garage. <S> I never thought I would see a Picture of it here. <S> I thought I was the only one with an original idea. <S> I even got to use it on an aircraft, when the airman did not have time to check out the tool from the tool room. <A> Whatever you might prefer to call this type of wrench, it comes in many sizes due to the almost universal need for a tool to perform its intended purpose. <S> The spike also allows you to slide a "cheater" pipe over the end of the wrench to provide extra leverage so you can apply more torque at the wrench-end. <S> I have used these tools to align the mounting holes in many types of equipment, ranging from installing military Surface and Air-search Radar assemblies (Remember, boys... <S> Heads UP, Nuts DOWN!) <S> to aligning the bell-housing of a farm tractor transmission to the engine block, and even when aligning mount holes for rack-mounted electronics. <S> Assuming you have the proper size of this tool, you can find a use for it while working on almost anything. <A> Bull and drift pins are construction tools, for aligning(as everyone stated priorly above). <S> While you can use a marlin spike this way, it's like using a pliers to hammer a nail. <S> Marlin spikes are a wire cable splicing tool. <S> The wooden equivalent is a fid, and is used to splice rope (manilla & hemp etc) as opposed to cable. <A> It's a spud wrench. <S> You use it to align holes while connecting steel beams together. <S> Align the holes with your wrench, if necessary using a sleever or connecting bar, stick your spud wrench through the hole. <S> Nothing fits as perfect as it's drawn, so you stick the point in the hole until it's deep enough where you can make a bolt in a different hole. <S> Screw that bolt down, stick another get to the hook and go. <A> I'm a stagehand and basically yes, we use it for aligning the holes in our truss. <S> But it also comes in very handy as pry bar and sometimes drift pin. <A> Iron workers came from the old sailing ships sailors because of their ability to work at heights. <S> The terms over lap because of this fact. <S> The term Marlin spike for a bull pin is wrong because of the use and durability. <S> I would be very pissed if someone used my Marlin spike as a bull pin. <S> A bull pin is tapered and meant to alien steel connections by beating on it with a beater. <S> A drift pin is used after the initial alignment has been made. <S> Then you can pin the connection with fifty percent of drift pins, which I don't necessarily like to be beat on. <S> But it happens some times.
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As the preceding posts point out, the tapered "spike" or "pin" end is very useful for aligning holes to allow the insertion of pins, bolts, rivets, or any thru-hole connector.
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What is this thing next to my sink? Possible Duplicate: What is this component that connects to the garbage disposal? As I mentioned in a previous post, I recently moved to a new place and I'm still trying to figure out what things do. There are still a few things that are particularly puzzling, like what this thing next to the sink is. <Q> The purpose of the air gap is to prevent back flow siphoning from the sink drain back into the dish washer. <S> The lower item is definitely a timer unit. <S> The dark colored thing under the timer dial appears to be a switch that has positions of OFF, FULL ON and TIMER MODE. <S> You should be able to use this switch to determine just what things this timer turns on and off. <S> If it connects to internal lights then the purpose it to make it look like people are home whilst you are away on vacation. <S> It may also be tied into exterior lights such as an entry way light, lights on the front of your garage and/or sidewalk lights. <S> In this case the purpose would be to automatically turn these lights on of a few hours in the early evening and then turn them off automatically when you have gone to bed. <S> More commonly it is used to control heating or other high-load electricity/gas-powered systems as many tariffs offer cheaper power overnight. <A> The top picture is a vent or air gap for your dishwasher. <A> The one on the bottom is a day timer, it turns something on or off depending on the position of the pins. <S> The switch on the bottom is the override and can be set to timer, always on, or always off. <S> From what I can gather it looks like whatever it is will be off from about 10:30am to 3pm if set to timer mode <S> so I would hazard a guess it's connected to your heating system so it will be off during the warmest part of the day, although it could control anything electrical. <S> If it is connected to your heating system it's most likely a low voltage system, if it turns a light on or off it will be regular household current.
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A common use for a timer like this is to turn certain lights in your dwelling on and off according to a fixed schedule. If the top item is near your kitchen sink then this probably an air gap for your dish washer drain system.
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Is it OK to put hardwood flooring over 3/4" particle board that's over 1/2" wood subfloor? We want to install either laminate or hardwood flooring throughout most of our home. The home is about 35 years old. I pulled up all the carpet and found 3/4" particle board over 1/2" plywood board subfloor underneath the carpet. It is particle board and not OSB. The particle board does not run under the walls. The walls rest on the 1/2" wood board and the joists. Since carpet was laid over the particle board they were not so concerned about one board being level with the next so they are uneven. We've been told it was OK to put flooring over the particle board if we level it up and by another to remove the particle board and replace with 3/4" plywood. So I'm seeking a confirmation of one or the other or another suggestion. <Q> 1/2" subfloor is definitely insufficient, so I get why it was reinforced. <S> 3/4" particle board... <S> that is not structural. <S> It's paper dust and glue. <S> A little water <S> and it loses all cohesion. <S> Simply for peace of mind, if it were me, I'd remove the particle board and put down either OSB or plywood. <S> Probably OSB, only because it's a little stronger (not much) <S> but it's also more expensive so if budget were a concern, I'd go with equal thickness plywood. <S> Either will do you. <S> But the particle board? <S> Get rid! <S> Its probably not gonna fall apart on you, unless you have a spill... <S> but why even keep that worry? <A> In fact, it's hardly acceptable for most carpets anymore. <S> Here is Jeff Hosking on the subject: http://www.hoskinghardwood.com/Department/Hardwood-Floors/All-About-Subfloors--installing-flooring-over-various-sub-floors.aspx?dId=7&pageId=2 <S> Particle board underlayment Looks like oatmeal and consists of tiny wood particles glued and pressed into 4 x 8 foot sheets. <S> It is NOT suitable to use as a Structural subfloor material. <S> I have only included Particle Board in this article because a lot of people see it when they remove old carpet and think it is a structural subfloor material like plywood or OSB. <S> Particle board is NOT a structural subfloor material and is only manufactured to be used as a cheap underlayment filler sheet on top of the main structural subfloor material to raise the height of carpet to a desired level. <S> If this type of underlayment is present, it will have to be removed when planning to install a nail or glue down hardwood floor. <S> Are you certain you have 3/4" particle board? <S> That is a strange material to sit atop 1/2" ply. <S> Do you know your floor joist spacing? <S> I would suggest that you get t&g ply at an appropriate thickness for your joist spacing. <S> I would say 1/2" minimum depending on your spacing. <A> I have been working on Manufactured or Mobile homes for 31 years!! <S> Whatever you do. <S> I don't recommend installing floating or wood flooring over 3/4" paticle board flooring. <S> If you do "your sub flooring will buckle up within 6 months" to a year. <S> I prefer plywood. <S> Good luck and follow the manufactured directions on installing a moisture barrier as well. <S> some companies do not recommend it!!. <S> Good luck and enjoy your new laminate wood floating floor.
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Particle board is not an appropriate underlayment for hardwood of any type. I would glue this to the existing subfloor, screw into the joists, and nail the entire field. Make sure that you tear out the particle board and install either 3/4 plywood or 3/4 osb. Furthermore, 1/2" ply is not suitable as a subfloor.... Particle board can absorb excessive moisture is very brittle and does not hold nails very well. I have seen 15 to 20 people that have done that and everyone of the so called sub floor's have buckled to the point of having to do it all over again.
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Is standing water at bottom of dishwasher normal? Is standing water at the bottom of dishwasher normal? Is this to keep up seal pressure?I want to make sure this is not unsafe. <Q> Standing water in the bottom of the dish washer after a cleaning cycle is complete is NOT normal. <S> After the wash/rinse cycle and the pump out your dishwasher not have water in it. <S> Standing water could be due to number of problems. <S> I'll list out some of the things to check on. <S> 1) <S> There is a possibility that the filter screen in the bottom of your washer is mostly plugged up and not allowing the water to drain down into the pump. <S> Clean it and try another wash. <S> 2) <S> Many dishwashers are installed with an air gap assembly at the kitchen counter level. <S> These are designed to keep the sink drain from siphoning or draining back down into the dishwasher. <S> Sometimes things from the dishwasher can get up into the air-gap and plug it and thus impeded the drainage of the dishwasher. <S> 3) <S> Your washer could be old and tired from washing countless loads of dishes. <S> The pump unit in the bottom that drains the water out can sometimes fail and need replacement. <S> 4) With some older style dishwashers that have the rotary timer knob it is possible that some electrical contacts in the timer mechanism get burned and make certain parts of the wash cycle not work correctly. <S> This could be causing the drain pump to not be running when it is supposed to. <S> Replacement of the timer would be the fix for this. <S> Note <S> that dirty food bearing water left standing the bottom of the dishwasher could be a spawning ground for all kinds of nasty and unhealthy things. <S> Can also leave something to be desired about the quality of the wash job it will do on your next load of dishes. <S> So for the health of you and your family it is a good thing you are looking into this problem. <A> Check your manual! <S> It should say. <S> My dishwasher specifically states that there should always be a small amount of water remaining in the dishwasher, and if there isn't (say during first run after installation) <S> you should add several cups of water. <S> Source: <S> GE Dishwasher manual (PDF) <A> In addition to what Michael mentioned, also check: <S> The drain hose - look for any kinks, sharp bends, etc. <S> Is the dishwasher level? <S> If your dishwasher is connected to a garbage disposal, that the garbage disposal is not clogged <S> Does your dishwasher finish the entire cycle correctly? <S> You can check #3 and the rest of the drain by running water in your sink <S> - ensure that it drains correctly and quickly. <S> If it is slow then there might be a clog further down the line which could result in the dishwasher not fully emptying. <A> I have a GE GSD3210Z02AA dishwasher. <S> Observed water at the bottom up to around the screen. <S> After cleaning out the filter screen, cleaned the food chopper as well. <S> It had some stuff winded around it, which was difficult to clean with a paper clip and stuff. <S> Anyway, re-attached everything back and ran a wash cycle. <S> At the end of the cycle found water sitting at the bottom of the tub, around the screen again. <S> Now, after a careful review of the Owner's manual, I find that "It is normal" and "a small amount of clean water around the outlet on the tub bottom at the back of the tub keeps the water seal lubricated" <S> (excerpts from the manual). <S> So, there you have it. <S> Please check your Owner's Manual before you decide to do anything with the dishwasher.
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It is normal to have a little water at the bottom of the tub to keep the water seal lubricated.
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