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train · 95.7k rows

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Use baseboard to conceal wires? I am not a carpenter (programmer actually), therefore I need to know if it is possible to conceal wires in a baseboard. Basically I want a combination of this And this But I don't want my entire house to look hideous. If it is possible, are there any off the shelf baseboards, or do ...	Yes, you can take the baseboard off, cut a groove in it on a table saw, and install low voltage cabling.
How are equipment grounding conductors counted for determining conduit or junction box fill? Suppose one is doing junction box fill calculations for a typical NM-B installation such as the one shown below for a switch box with one normal and one three-way switch. Which of the wires count towards conductor fill? Secti...	Basically if you have equipment grounding conductors enter the box, you add 1 fill unit.
Can I connect a portable generator to a subpanel to backfeed my house? I have a portable 6500 W generator. I have a main house electrical panel and a subpanel in my garage, which are on opposite sides of the house. My subpanel is on the outside wall of my garage. The main panel feeds the subpanel. I would like to c...	If you want to connect your generator to the outside of the garage (don't operate it inside the garage) then you simply need to install a transfer switch at the main panel, and run a length of cable from the transfer switch to the generator location. There is no way to do this safely, and it's certainly against code.
Is is safe to plug a surge protector into a 2-prong outlet using a 3-to-2-prong adapter? I live in an apartment that has essentially no 3-prong electrical outlets. I need to plug in a modest amount of computer equipment (which has a mix of 2- and 3-prong plugs), and I want to plug this equipment into surge protectors. ...	That said, it's never considered safe to use bypass the 3rd prong (even with 2 to 3 prong adapters) and it is likely your insurance /
Do modern washers heat the water if below cycle temp? As my house is currently without hot water (heater broken), I am curious if my washer has a heating element to regulate the water temp if what comes out of the pipes is below the cycle required temperature. I would like to wash some underwear as I have no clean l...	As Ecnerwal says, generally speaking washing machines do not have heaters, but take the hot from the hot water from the hot hose.
How can I eliminate condensation on my toilet tank? My toilet is getting a great deal of condensation on the tank and dripping onto the floor. What can be done to address condensation on the exterior of a toilet tank? <Q> When warm moist air comes in contact with a cold surface condensation forms. <S> There used to b...	Another method would be to insulate the outside of the tank.
What do you call this thick washer-type part? I have been going through many parts that I have recently gotten ahold of. However, I don't know what many are or what they do. I ran into this steel part: It is 0.565 in tall, with an inner diameter of 0.25 in and an outer diameter of 1.25 in. I'm not sure if it is a ...	Could be a bushing, or "plain bearing" . Though it could be some sort of brass (or steel, as indicated by the asker) roller like you might find in something like a laser printer (if they still used metal parts in laser printers instead of plastic).
How should I vent bathroom exhaust fans in an old brick house with slate roof? I recently moved into an old brick house (slate roof), containing several bathrooms without vents. It's a problem that I've been wanting to correct, though I've put it off because I'm not sure if knocking a hole in either the brick wall or ...	A dehumidifier with a drain in the attic near the exhaust outlet would be a somewhat better alternative, but even that is not going to keep the moisture from condensing in the winter. Cutting a hole through brick is no big deal. If you will be looking into one of these units i will recommend Venmar.
How can I check for electricity theft? My electrical bill is very high despite less usage. I fear there is electrical theft used by my landlord. How can i check this? The meter is under lock and access provided only on request. Please suggest possible ways to check it. <Q> The only way to verify is to check the meter...	If the meter is registering more usage than you have devices for, then shutoff all the breakers.
What's behind my drywall? I live in an apartment in NYC, built in 1973. I'm trying to mount something to the wall which requires two screws placed 5 inches apart vertically. I used a stud finder to find a vertical stud in the wall (3 inches across), but when I drilled it went in an inch before encountering a hard sur...	Then mount your bike holder to the center of that, making sure the screws or bolts are completely through both the molding and the stud. It might be a good idea to open up the hole enough to see what is there, but do it without drilling and do it carefully. If you can cut a clean square around the area it will make it ...
can I install a new thermostat by just turning off the power instead of turining off the circuit breaker? Can I install a new thermostat by just turning the power off at the servicemen's switch, instead of at the breaker? <Q> Yes, but I would test the voltage at all the thermostat connections before proceeding. <S...	Yes, shutting the service switch off will de-energize the thermostat, in most situations.
What should I do if my vacuum trips my AFCI device? I have a vacuum that trips the AFCI device of the circuit that services my bedroom. The vacuum has some age on it, and there is some wear on the motor's commutator. This wear causes electrical arcing which, to the AFCI device, looks to be approaching an unsafe con...	Carbon dust, copper foil or other conductive dust in the slots between commutator bars causes shorting and sometimes sparking between bars. Look for obvious brush and brush holder deficiencies: Plugging the vacuum into a surge suppressor with EMI filtering, should prevent the vacuum from tripping the breaker.
Does it make sense to paint floors prior to installing laminate flooring? I am building a new home & am taken aback by all of the never ending dust. Does it make sense to paint the subfloors prior to installing the flooring, in order to seal the dust. We have swept & vacuumed repeatedly, yet the constant drywall & grou...	My biggest reason is spills are less likely to penetrate into the plywood and cause odor or mold issues later.
Is a porch just a deck with a roof? I'm thinking about building a back porch but I've never had experience with such a big project. I'm finding plenty of books and documents on how to build a deck but very few about building a porch. Is a porch just a deck with a roof or is there more to it? <Q> It depends. <S> (Notice...	A porch is generally a deck-like space with a roof, attached to a building.
Can I run PEX through PVC pipe embedded in a concrete floor with radiant heating? I'm building a new home in New York State. It will be slab on grade with radiant heat in floor. I'm going to run the domestic water supply (PEX tube) to each bathroom, sinks, toilets etc. in the concrete but inside of 1-1/4" PVC pipe in t...	In addition, you can wrap and tape sill seal around all the pipes at any point where there will be an expansion joint (it cushions the pipe just a bit if the concrete cracks and moves), and toss in a bit more reinforcing steel than the bare minimum that will be specified.
What should I know before having bathroom fixtures installed? I recently removed the old towel rack in the bathroom (which was badly installed because it left huge holes inside and the rack was hanging and I had to literally tug it out, which took me ages!) and an old toilet roll paper holder. I filled up the holes wit...	For the toilet paper holder, if the board is attached by screws into one stud firmly, and the other end is installed with butterfly anchors, it should never come off the wall.
What is a reasonably economical way to heat a basement bathroom? I have a basement bathroom (roughly 8' x 4') that corners two outside walls, and has no heat vent. Months like this it's ice cold. I'd like to heat it up, just not sure how, outside of running a space heater unattended (!). I use the bathroom quite often ...	For a "creative" method you could make use of a hot water recirculation pump and run the return piping all around the walls or under the floor (thicker than an electric mat, though) or through a fan-coil unit to basically put the heating load onto your hot water heater, rather than the furnace - and you'd have hot wate...
How do I hang a shelf without drilling holes? I'm currently living in a house in which we have clear instructions not to drill through the walls for danger of asbestos. I purchased a small projector and would like to mount a shelf to the wall, but I know that I cannot drill through. The projector weighs about 1lbs, an...	Either Velcro, or 3M, even other brands have these strips you can use to hang pictures , shelves, coat hangers (as I have) that are great, and best of all, they are removable without messing up the paint.
Is it okay to flush water heater onto the drip pan with drain hole? Our water heater is on the second floor and we need to have it flushed. It has a drip pan with a hole that has a tube attached to it. Common sense tells me that I can flush the water heater directly onto the drip pan since it has a pipe attached to i...	When you're confident the hose is sealed tight, there are no leaks, and half the heater has drained, then and only then slowly open the safety drain on the side.
Combi boiler doesn't realise it's already lit I have an Ariston Eurocombi (A23).The problem is it doesn't realise the flame is lit. When I start it up and cause demand (run hot tap or turn on heating) it fires up the flame correctly, however, you can hear the igniter still clicking away. After about 7 seconds of this (...	Don't rule out other causes, boilers shut themselves down for lots of reasons, maybe the flue is iced up or the water pump isn't operating.
How do I eliminate the cold drafts coming from my air conditioning vents during winter? I have a forced hot water (baseboard) heating system in my home and added central air conditioning about 10 years ago. The cooling system's air handler is in my attic, and duct work was added for the 1st and second floors for coolin...	The air in your duct work is cold because it is running through the attic which is not heated.
How do I fish a wire into an existing electrical box? I have a 2-gang switch box that houses two light switches. I'm replacing one of the switches with a Honeywell Programmable Light Switch PLS751, which requires both an ungrounded (hot) and a grounded (neutral) conductor. To add this switch, I'm thinking I should rou...	Send string and wire down wall near box. There may be a few situations where you can actually get the job done without opening walls, but there are a lot where that is the only option (depends on where the wires run and the construction of the walls.) You'll never be able to fish box to box with the boxes in the wall. ...
Starting row of laminate flooring Just wondering how to start the 1st row of laminate flooring.I have a door to deal with right off the bat. Wondering which is the better option (see diagram). This diagram is not to scale. The wall is 20 feet long with a standard door opening. <Q> Option B is a fine way to start, if po...	in general, unless you have at least 3/4 of a unit at the end wall, you wan to cut both the starting and ending rows to have a more balanced appearance. This gap is needed to accommodate shifting of the flooring materials due to seasonal shrinking and swelling. You could use either A or B if the door transition cover w...
How can I install a vanity over this unfortunate plumbing? I have recently removed a vanity from my bathroom and am facing an unfortunate plumbing footprint when trying to put a new vanity in place. The cold water line runs right against a built in cabinet which I would like to keep in place and the drain for the sink...	Take off valves off copper lines so that you do not have to make huge holes for them.
Bubbles in toilet, gurgling sound coming from kitchen sink So, all of a sudden, I have big bubbles coming out from my toilet bowl when the washing machine is pushing water out. Thinking it might be a clogged toilet bowl, I took the plunger to the bowl. I flushed, and the kitchen sink started making gurgling sound. Wh...	It's possible the snow has effectively blocked the vent pipe on the roof, causing this bubbling.
What are the possible ways to prevent heating pipes in an entryway from freezing? I live in Maine, and it can get cold in the winter. My house has baseboard hot water heating and three heating zones (basement, first floor, and second floor). We have a mudroom/entry room that I believe was added to the house after it ...	I wired a switch in parallel that allows me to run the ciculator independent of the thermostat. Splice your pipes and add the mudroom baseboard to one of the other circuits that will be running even when wood stove is on (basement, likely). If the only pipes in this room were for the radiator, you wouldn't even need to...
Newly installed ceiling fan, lights turn on and off on it's own - dimmer switch, breaker or light bulbs causing issue? Help, I have a newly installed ceiling fan that is controlled by a remote control and the wall has a dimmer switch. (We had a smaller ceiling fan in place and replaced it with a larger fan to fit the r...	Most fans that have a remote respond to a momentary interruption in power as a toggle command for the light.
How will a granite countertop on a floating island affect the laminate floor it sits on? We are looking at upgrading our countertops to granite. We have a floating laminate floor under a movable island that we don't wish to anchor. The island would have a 40"x50" top surface. How does the weight of the granite affec...	It depends on what the island stands on, but if they are fairly large casters or support bases, you should be fine.
Should a gas water heater be shut down if the water main has to be turned off? I have a brand new AO Smith 50gal gas water heater. Today there was a burst pipe from the cold spell we're having currently, so I had to turn off the water main to the house until the plumbers get here tomorrow. With that, nobody had used a...	Before the use of pressure relief valves, homeowners were always urged to shut off the gas or electricity to a water heater which has the water cut off. Considering you wont be using the water, and it will only be off for a short time there is no risk at all.
Are T-8 lights and T-12 lights safely interchangeable? I have a fixture that came with T-12 lights. Is it safe to use T-8 bulbs instead? <Q> You are meant to replace the ballast on old T12s , reusing the old G13 base and enclosure. <S> There are numerous retrofit and upgrade kits available. <S> The official wor...	T12 lamps with a ballast for T8 lamps might cause the ballast to go bad sooner, if T12 lamps (rated at 430 mA) draw more current than what a T8 lamp is rated at (265 mA) from your ballast rated for T8 lamps.
What type of screws should I use? I am going to build a set of shelves for my wall to hold my bead jars. The shelves are narrow 4" nominal and very close together 3" is the farthest apart they will be. I'm using quality pine 1"x4"x3'. I'm extremely new at this, but am assuming I should use screws instead of nails. ...	I use 2" drywall screws for all my rough carpentry projects.
How can I fix floor cracks in bathtub (enamel?) coating? We just moved into our new home (not a new build) and noticed flaking of the material in the bottom of one of the bathtubs. It appears as though the coating (enamel?) has flaked away in some places. We haven't noticed any leaking, but we're not sure how much of...	A local search for Tub-refitters should yield some results.
Two A/C units are close to each other and turning one on turns the other on. How to fix? I had an Air Con unit installed in the Living Room and another in a bedroom adjacent to the Living Room, both from the same brand. The Air Con units are actually next to each other, and only separated by a wall that has a doorway ...	You could use strategically placed mirrors or IR remote extenders to redirect or retransmit the signals to the correct unit. Change the address on one of the units. Keep the bedroom door closed so light from the living room remote can't control the bedroom AC unit. A solid opaque plastic should work (one site I found i...
Find replacement decorative wood spindle for screen door I have a wood screen door in the screened-in porch that is missing a decorative spindle. It came with the house, so I don't know the manufacturer. There are also no marking anywhere on it, and I've asked a few contractors about suggestions to no avail. I have yet...	Some quick scouring on the web at places like ebay would probably also turn something up or possibly even at a local hardware store in the right section.
How can I smooth out a poor drywall repair? I am a new 1st time home owner. The house I purchased is an older home, and has had some "renovations". The people who were there before me 'remodeled' the kitchen by taking out a wall that had cabinets to open the kitchen up a bit more. They did a very poor job at fixing t...	You will need to smooth it out by applying increasingly wide applications of drywall mud; depending on how rough it is it might take 2-3 coats.
Replacing battery in backup sump pump I have a PHCC 2400 battery backup sump pump. It started beeping today and the controller light indicated that the battery terminals were corroded or that the battery was bad. I opened up the case and checked the terminals, no corrosion. I pulled the plug on the controller (charge...	If you can't find the exact specs of the battery, in general if the original and replacement batteries are the same physical size and same chemistry (both lead acid), the capacity and max current will be similar enough that they won't cause problems.
What is this, and can my dryer work without it? My clothes dryer had about a quarter of the rope in the image hanging out from inside the door. By pulling it the rest of it came out. Looks like some sort of gasket that's broken. Questions: Does anybody know what it is? Can the dryer operate without it? Dryer maker/...	The felt strip is typically fitted around the front periphery of the drum where it fits into a round track on the front housing of the dryer. They are relatively easy to replace but do require disassembling the dryer. Search on ebay for dryer felt seal kits. My felt liner was still in great shape so I am pretty certain...
Why does my stud finder detect electrical wires over a large area of my wall? I wanted to install a shelving system into my closet. The stud finder seems to detect live wires over a large area (approximately 4 by 4 feet!) The closet is in the basement, with no power outlets except the light fixture. But the stud finder...	You will see that the stud finder sounds for electricity only when it comes on top of the wire; you can pinpoint the location of the wire exactly. Sensitivity may be affected by metalwork on the other side of the plasterboard/drywall. I use phone book pages for this purpose (they are free and you may add as many pages ...
In what way does varnish protect wood? When researching wood finishes, I often see that varnish is attributed with the ability to "protect" wood. In what way does varnish protect wood? From scratching? From fading? From moisture? From direct contact with water? From something else? <Q> A much better explanation can ...	Generally speaking, varnish makes the wood look pretty and shiny and protects it from water although the protection is not perfect.
What kind of wall switch is needed for a natural gas fireplace to ignite consistently? When we moved in, our natural gas fireplace worked well: Flick the switch & it would ignite. Years later, it started acting erratically: Sometimes, the switch worked, other times, no luck. We'd try turning the switch off & on again...	It's probably just a matter of finding a switch with a low enough on resistance.
Cast Iron to ABS - exterior of cast iron not smooth - how to stop leak at coupling? I have 2" cast iron pipe that is for kitchen waste. I had to cut out a 32" section of the pipe under the concrete slab of the basement because a wye had failed. I have replaced the cast iron pipe with ABS and used American Valve co...	You should probably try to smooth the pipe out more - a lot can be done with a narrow strip of coarse sandpaper, wrapped around the pipe so you can "saw" it back and forth. You can also try really cranking on the hose clamps - if you're only using a screwdriver, you haven't really hit what they can do (but you have to ...
Can I dim LED lights when there are two different switches for the same fixture? I would like to place dimmers in two different rooms that are sometimes a bit over lit. Is that possible when both areas have two switches for the recessed lighting? Do I need to replace both switches with LED dimmer switches? <Q> No, you ...	Replace one of the switches (on each set of lights that have two switches) with the dimmer - the other switch will turn them on or off, at wherever the dimmer is set.
Can I use the area above my garage for storage? The ceiling joists in my garage are 2x8 spaced 24" o.c., and span 21'. The roof load appears to be carried by the walls, so the joists seem to only be in place to hold the drywall. I'd like to use the space for light storage (holiday decorations, etc), but I'm not sure ...	The joists are almost certainly taking some tension load (keeping the walls from spreading) from the roof, at least, unless it's very strangely built.
Frame Overhanging Slab by 3inches and not attached to support bolts I'm using a contractor to build a brand new 2000sq foot home. There is one section on the house that looks suspect. The slab subs obviously overpoured, and it looks like it was compounded even more by the framers doing a shoddy job. There are two 5 ...	The correct response to a foundation that far out of specification is to require the foundation contractors to rip it out and try again, or not get paid.
How to stiffen flexible plywood We have a curved wall framed with steel studs 16"o.c. that will be finished with hardwood planks (running vertically on the wall). For the hardwoods substrate, they recommended plywood and normal plywood does not conform to the curve. Our lumber supplier suggested snakeply (wiggle wo...	2 layers of luan, bonded together with construction adhesive will provide a good backer to create your curved wall.
Prevent air leaking from couplings on an air compressor hose I recently purchased an air compressor. When I turn it on without a hose attached, it seems to work fine. It gets up to 140 PSI and shuts off the motor. As soon as I attach the hose, I can't get it above 60 PSI. I can hear air leaking out both at the q...	There are multiple types of quick-connect air line fittings that at first glance appear similar, but are not necessarily compatible. The documentation for your air compressor may specify exactly which type of fitting you have. Placing an O-ring inside the socket will stop the leaking between the end and the quick conne...
How to poke coaxial cables out of a wall nicely? I have coaxial cables that are poking out of walls in numerous places all over the house. I don't use them and I don't know why there's so many coming out of each hole. These were left by the previous owner. They look ugly just sitting on the ground. This is illustrated ...	Shorten the lengths of cable, and add new connectors to the ends ( you'll also have to buy these from the home improvement store, so go back and get them ). Installation Cut a hole in the wall large enough for the low voltage bracket to fit. You'll have to trace the cables to determine where they come from, or where th...
Replacing hardwired fire alarms with 10 year sealed alarms My house was built in 2004 and came with fire alarms pre-installed and hardwired. The alarms also use a 9V battery backup, so we have to replace the batteries regularly (not an easy task with 9 ft ceilings, neither of us is exceptionally tall). It's time to re...	The leading companies sell hard-wired smoke detectors with the 10-year batteries, so simply purchase the correct version.
How do you install a solar light tube through an outside wall into the basement? In renovating a basement, is it possible to install a solar-light-tube through the wall to the outside and still gather light? <Q> I'm assuming you need at least one bend to do this? <S> Otherwise you could just put in a window. <S> Adding...	From what I've seen, even with simple installations, the transmitted light is only decent on bright sunny days. In the end, the precise details of your installation would determine if this is practical.
Do stairs need to be the same height after landing? I have set of stairs that leads from the main floor to the basement. A little over half way down there is a landing (typical L-shape). I'm looking to put in an insulated subfloor in my basement, which could raise the floor height quite a bit. If I did so, I might h...	According to the International Residential Code (IRC), the 3/8" variance only applies to a "flight of stairs" not the entire "stairway".
Should I leave the fan switch on my thermostat set to fan rather than auto? I purchased a new Amanda Furnace in Oct'2013. I am told in order to maximize a warm, consistent room temperature I should set the thermostat to the Fan position rather than the Auto position. Does this make a difference in maintaining room tem...	While running the fan does consume electricity, you end up with a more uniform air throughout the house.
When snaking the main sewer line, how do you know when you've reached the street connection? I've had good success clearing out a blockage but am wondering - how do I know when I hit the street line? What does it feel like? Right now I hit a seemingly impassable point (I didn't force it) about 5-6 feet past the obstru...	The easiest way (other than a camera of course) to know you're at the street is to measure the distance from the edge of your foundation to the street, then add the distance inside plus a few feet to account for it not being perfectly straight and level. You have to measure your snake line.
Why would said gas furnace keep shutting off? Seems that I have a gas furnace that is having some sort of heat/air sensing issue. Basically it shuts off after running for a minute or two. But if I remove the top plate of the furnace itself it runs just fine. It has an automatic ignitor which is doing just fine. ...	When the air in the plenum (the box the ductwork attaches to) gets hot, the sensor there will turn on the big blower that sends the heat around the house.
How can I make suction cups stay securely to a tiled shower wall? I am trying to hang a mirror in the shower and it simply will not stay on the wall. It does not weigh more than a couple of pounds. There are two suction cups. Things I've tried: Cleaning the tile surface before attaching Using water on the suction c...	I found that my problem was how I cleaned the suction cups.
How do I deal with glued-on drywall? I'm in the process of gutting a bedroom. I had to remove a pocket door, move the light switch, add a couple of receptacles, and deal with some rot/mold/insects on the exterior wall. I found that whoever put up the drywall in that room used glue on every stud with only a handful of d...	Because of this it can span over slight differences between surfaces, that's what the glue will do, provide a "filler" for the gaps behind the drywall. It should make quick work of getting the glue off but won't be as aggressive/damaging as a reciprocating saw. If the liquid nail is only 1/8 thick then no problem, just...
How to remove floor adhesive from concrete? The problem is aggravated by the presence of underlayment. When engineered hadrwood flooring was removed, some underlayment was removed with it, and some stayed glued to the floor. What is the best way to remove all this mess? And should I use any solvent or adhesive remover...	Pour adhesive remover on top of the underlayment, let it soak a few hours. Scrape underlayment with a sharp scraping tool. Sweep the floor using a heavy duty broom.
What kind of plug adapter do I need? See the image below. This is from a lamp. Clearly it needs some kind of adapter to go into an outlet (I assume it came with one many years ago). Any idea what the name is of the kind of adapter I need? And do I need to pay attention to voltage, watts, etc when making the purchase? ...	Use a multimeter to assess where each plug wire goes (probably ground to the case, and each side of the bulb) and connect up to the power supply to suit - or connect to one side of a NEW 3-terminal connector pair and connect the other side to the power supply.
What is the best way to cut receptacle holes when hanging drywall? I will be installing drywall in a 10x10 room this weekend, walls only. I'm planning to use the longer sheets so there is only a single horizontal seam on each wall and install the top sheet first, flush against the existing ceiling. My question is, wh...	I have done the same with ceiling light boxes, for exact positioning, by installing pieces of strapping in the ceiling through the box hole, and screwing them into the ceiling joists; then screwing the clampoing box into them. With the ceiling, the sides will be hidden by the drywall on the wall, so you can allow for g...
How to add a new cable box to an existing stud wall I need to wire in a new speaker volume adjuster and box into an existing stud wall. My worry is I am not sure if the speaker wire will be able to get to where I need it to go. This is because I am worried that the stud wall wood will get in the way. If this were not ...	I would suggest using a stud-finder to... find the studs, or even a strong magnet to locate the nails or screws going into the studs; this way, you can choose a spot in the center of a wall pocket.
How do I tighten/loosen this recessed nut and bolt? My bed has a nut and bolt that are recessed into a piece of wood. The only tool I have that fits it is the tiny toy spanner that came with the bed. The spanner does not grip the nut tightly enough to be able to turn it. But a larger adjustable spanner/pair of grips...	While you can also use a standard box wrench (a closed loop without the ratchet), in tight places, placing the wrench, advancing it a fraction of a turn, freeing the wrench, resetting it and turning again can get annoying.
What is this technique of joining wood called? I'm hoping someone can tell me a couple things about how the clipboard pictured below was made. It appears to be three pieces of wood (the same kind of wood), each stained separately, and then joined together. First, does this technique have a specific name? Second, do...	They are joined...with wood glue.
Getting shocked by a neutral wire I'm trying to figure out how I got a shock from a neutral wire. I didn't think it was possible until I read this article on being "in series with the neutral." Here's what happened: I was disconnecting a ceiling fan remote receiver which has a hot and neutral connection and supplies...	As I noted above, you would only see voltage on that white wire when it was disconnected from the real neutral wire. But even if he did turn off the circuit breaker, he could still get shocked if the circuit is part of a multi-wire (shared neutral) circuit which are commonly found in most houses. Andrew did not shut of...
Should I replace my toilet's wax ring when I see moisture around the base? I am noticing moisture around the bottom of the toilet, and can tell some moisture is staining the wood floor when viewed from the basement. The bolts holding the toilet are easily tightened. Will that help or should I just replace the wax rin...	You should replace the wax ring.
Under Cabinet LIghts - Anything Exist That's Not Harsh White? I'd like to replace the old fluorescent white tube lights under my cabinets. I hate that harsh white color and want something warmer. Does such a thing exist that could be hard-wired into the existing circuits and switches? I've seen halogen before but ...	Undercabinet light strips that employ small xenon bulbs emit a pleasant light that is little different from standard tungsten incandescent, especially when dimmed.
I have this light and I don't know how to open it I would like to replace the bulb and I don't know how to do it. I tried pulling the clips on the side out, but they don't budge. Then I tried to unscrew the clips off (hence the third picture), but the screwdriver has to be used at an angle and won't unscrew. Any advice...	Pull it out away from the dome, then slide the dome out from the other two stationary clips. I even got the pliers out before realizing that I just needed a screwdriver (and subsequently feeling like an idiot). Be sure and support the under side of the dome while releasing the spring clip.
How can I replace a long double vanity with two single vanities? I have one long double vanity in my master bathroom. It is approx 122" with a 53" vanity on the left (butts up to soaker tub) and a 49" vanity on the right (butts up to wall when entering bathroom). In the middle is a 20" open section where you would sit ...	This really depends on what kind of cabinet you get More often, it's impossible to find an exact match, and so the only way to make it look right is to completely replace all tiles.
Should a water distribution manifold consist of a circular loop? I'm replacing the copper in my house with PEX tubing and I'd like to set up my new utility room with hot water and cold water manifolds. Each connection on the manifold would then lead to either hot or cold on a plumbing fixture and I'd have shutoff valv...	A circular manifold is not a hot water recirculating loop, though a hot water recirculating loop could conceivably be set up as a sort of large ring manifold.
How can I prevent racking on a large free standing wardrobe? I have two free standing wardrobes, 2.8m by 2m (depth 70cm). Actually inside the wardrobe there is one internal 'wall', halfway 1m, so it divides each wardrobe into 2, but is no stronger than the side 'walls'. I would like to remove the back board (for v...	An eye bolt at each end with a turnbuckle in the middle would be a good solution for getting steel cables taut. T brackets at each rear junction are a possibility, but probably not as strong as the backboard with 4" holes.
How do I fix a squeaky carpeted floor given that scored screws don't help? My flooring--second story, carpeted--squeaks. I tried the scored screws solution answered in this question . I covered the entire room and adjacent hallway with scored screws on all the joists, every 6 inches, per the instructions. After t...	Your better screws should solve this, else you could try construction adhesive in the crack (remove baseboards first). My previous home was built with them, and some of the floors had a lot of give.
Why little holes/dots when I apply joint compound? I can't find answer anywhere, can somebody tell me why and how to avoid these little dots/holes when I spackle. I also including the pic of the compound I'm using. <Q> There have got to be many ways to minimize the bubbles. <S> These kind of problems you deal with ...	The bubbles are usually from not mixing the mud well enough or not applying it with enough pressure. This will help to better feather out our edges.
Does a thermocouple need to be screwed in to work? I'm recently having trouble with a water heater. The pilot light with ignite just fine, but will go out after releasing the reset button, even after holding it for over a minute. That makes me think the thermocouple is bad. In addition to that, the hole where the bras...	Before screwing it in, I placed a small piece of electrical wire casing around it to give pressure from the nut to the end of the thermocouple. You can consult your furnace documentation for the minimum voltage needed. A thermocouple requires two wires to function: electricity is generated at the junction of two differ...
Will removing the insulation from an unfinished basement cause it to be a lot colder? We live in upstate NY and the house has an unfinished basement. It's waterproofed with cinder block walls and a concrete floor. There is no framing, no drywall. However someone put up this hanging batting insulation with a white va...	If you remove it without a plan to replace the insulation, the basement will be somewhat cooler.
How to get a new tumbler pattern to re-key existing locks? I suspect I don't know what terminology is correct which is why I can't find any information on this via google. Say I have standard door locks (Schlage or Kwikset) that are fairly new and I have deadbolts and doorknobs that are all set to the same pattern (so...	Do it yourself rekey kits are available for some lock brands online.
Can a 20 amp circuit have a 14 gauge pigtail directly to one receptacle? I'm rewiring a a small part of a wall and I'm confused about a combination of the NEC and the products that I'm able to find. I'm working on a 20 amp circuit (with 12g wire of course). I'm connecting 4 receptacles each in their own box, 15 amp r...	You can not use 14 AWG anywhere on a circuit that has a 20A breaker. If you're installing this on a 20 ampere circuit, with 12 AWG wire, you'll have to use the screw terminals. Tap conductors shall have an ampacity sufficient for the load served.
What is the best way to remove hair from carpets? We do have a vacuum cleaner, but unfortunately that does not do a good job. I do not mind purchasing a new one, but I am going to be here only for the next 3 - 6 months and I would rather not buy one unless absolutely necessary. I found the following while searching...	I have a good canister vac with a beater brush but the carpet rake helps it do a better job.
Can an electrical subpanel go underneath plumbing? I was about to wire up my new basement subpanel when I realized I had put it directly under a toilet. I don't think this is a code violation. I can relocate it with some difficulty. I'm also considering a hack like cutting a slightly larger piece of PVC in half and ...	There is no plumbing directly over the panel as would be if the panel was surface mounted. My answer is this: Code is clear - nothing above the service panel except a structural ceiling. If it can moved that would be best if only to appease a particular inspector. As seen right now, it does not meet code and poses a se...
Can a door bell be powered from a receptacle? What's an easy way of installing a traditional door bell? I know there are the wireless, battery operated ones, but I'm tired of changing out batteries. Is there a version of doorbell that could just be plugged into a wall outlet, or better yet, NOT use up and outlet but so...	Installing a conventional doorbell involves fishing low voltage or T-wire from the button and chime to a transformer that is attached to a 120vac power source.
How can I repair this damage to the walls in my garage? The walls in my garage look terrible, they are ripped at the bottom all around the entire garage. I have no idea what caused this. What's the best way to fix something like this? I've also got foam insulation oozing out all over the place beneath the tears. <Q> St...	You can level off the spalled areas with joint compound, then paint for a clean neat appearance. As long as this area does not get wet, it's nothing to worry about.
What is the minimum distance wiring must be behind a tile backsplash? I have a log home and would like to correct the kitchen counter-top receptacles. I have discovered the following problems that necessitate rewiring the entire kitchen (new cabinets/countertops were installed recently by previous owner). No GFCI. ...	You should use either flexible metallic conduit or 1/16 inch steel plates to protect the wiring behind the backsplash if you can't put the cable at least 1 1/4 inches from either edge of the stud.
What is the easiest way to install 4" recessed lights in 6" holes? I purchased some nice-looking 4" recessed LED fixtures to replace my existing fixtures that use incandescent bulbs. I've now discovered that my current recessed lights are of the 6" variety. I like the size and appearance of the 4" lights better than ...	I would cut the new 4" hole (check the fixture for exact hole size) before mounting the patch to the ceiling. Unfortunately if you would like a very professional finish using the same spot that the 6" light was in, there is no short cut but to remove the 6" can entirely.
My light switch make a loud noise when used slowly; does it need to be replaced / fixed? I have a 3-way switch that controls 6 recessed CFL floods. One of the switches consistently makes a loud crackling / popping noise when used slowly. The other switch if played with slowly enough will make a quiet pop after severa...	If the switches feel lose or don't quickly snap between on and off positions, they need to be replaced.
kitchen sink plumbing hook up I am remodeling and I have to replace kitchen cabinets and sink, I was thinking if I had a set up like I do for my washing machine,-in wall faucets and drain it would make it easy to disconnect and move sink out to replace the bad floor then put it back until the new cabinets come in. do...	It is not advisable to have an inaccessible trap for a kitchen sink.
Can I reduce capacity of a water heater? I recently purchased a large fixer upper with a 135 gallon AO smith gas water heater built in 2001. Only two people are living in the house so we need a fraction of that amount. Do water heaters always store their full capacity or is there some way to limit what they store or ...	As others have pointed out, reducing the water temperature and adding insulation are both cost-effective ways to reduce stand-by costs
How to determine gas leak on a water heater? My gas water heater is certainly leaking gas. I can smell it. Using the image below, it seems like it might be coming from the red circle where the dial connects to the thermostat or the blue circle where the manifold tube connects to the thermostat. I don't smell anything ...	Liquid leak detectors (the type that bubble up when gasses are leaking) are great for simple threaded connections, but you've got a whole host of potential leak sources, some of which appear to be not conducive to slathering soapy water on.
Why does hot water come from the faucet when only the cold water tap is on? On occasion, when I open the cold water tap on the kitchen sink, the flow from the faucet briefly becomes warm: it starts cool, becomes warm for about 30 seconds, and then returns to the desired cold temperature. I have only observed this to h...	Hot water might flow up out of the water heater into the cold water pipes.
How to repair a microwave door with a broken spot weld My microwave door slacks down and I have to lift it up a bit before shutting it. I sent this picture to Frigidaire and asked what I should do: Their support emailed me back saying: I'm sorry, there is no screw that goes in the hole. that actually is a broken s...	On my Frigidaire microwave, the hole does go through both the door frame and the hinge piece. Trying to realign and weld parts of the safety system seems very ill-advised. If you don't have a handheld riveter, I highly recommend getting one.
What type of wire should I use to feed a 70 ampere subpanel? Finishing a basement and I need to add a subpanel. Main panel is outside. Subpanel will be in the basement. 70 Amp breaker in the main to feed the subpanel. I was thinking THHN but would this mean I need to run the conduit all the way to the subpanel? Wo...	If you can meet all the requirements for using the 90°C column, you'll be able to use 6 AWG copper for the run. You cannot use NM for the whole run because of this comment in the question "Main panel is outside. The wiring will have to be in some form of raceway the entire run. However, since you're less than 100 amper...
How can I safely remove snow from my roof? How do I remove snow from my roof? How about 4" of snow covered with 1/2" of ice? How do I know when I should risk getting out there to try to remove it? We just received a notice from The New York City Office of Emergency Management saying: The Dept. of Buildings is remind...	If you do have sidewalk under the end of your roof, or have some other issue like maybe a really old roof in bad shape that can't handle the snow load, I don't see a reason to bother with it.
Why is the neutral wire the same size as hot wire in a 3C cable? I thought that the wire size depends on the amperage that the current passes. However in a 3 conductor cable, the size of the neutral wire is the same as the hot wire; which puzzles me. If both hot wires carry 15A current, the neutral wire will carry 30A ...	When it is said that the current cancels each other out, it means that the neutral of a multi-wire branch circuit only carries the imbalance of the current between the two circuits of a properly wired MWBC.
Minimum drop on washer drain? I would like to add a diverter valve to my washer's drain line to facilitate a graywater system. I'm thinking of shortening the washer drain so I can relocate the P-trap higher up and add the diverter valve beneath it on the main stack. If I were to do this, what's the shortest that I coul...	International residential code says that a standpipe must be no less than 18" above the trap weir. Check local codes, to determine what's acceptable in your area.
How to (portably) mount warped plywood artwork on apartment drywall? I have a 4' x 4' piece of plywood artwork (acrylic painting) that has become warped. It used to be mounted to drywall using velcro strips, but now the outward force of the warp is strong enough that "peels" off and cannot stay on the wall. I've tried...	If you really need to use velcro, you could attach wooden filler strips to the upright edge of the angle stock, and attach the velcro to the back of these strips.
Could bad grounding cause sparks and fire when connecting the cable box and TV? I just moved into a home built in 1955. During inspection, it was noted that none of the outlets were grounded even though they had three prong outlets installed. Per our agreement, the owner supposedly grounded all the sockets using a lic...	I have also seen it where the hot wire has shorted to the ungrounded metal box, which the outlet was then swapped to one that has a ground pin. As an aside it is very unlikely to find a handy-man that could fix this situation that quickly, and do so properly.
Can I shut off the cold water supply to an oil furnace while away on vacation? I have a hot water baseboard oil fired system. I am going away for a while and would like to shut off the cold supply to all the house in case of a water leak. If I leave the furnace on to heat the house, will shutting off the cold water sup...	I have seen no deleterious side effects from shutting the water off.
Questions after a test-run grout replacement I have very little experience with this sort of thing, so after reading and watching you-tube videos I attempted a test patch - a 3 tile wide, 1.5 tile deep section (these are 12" floor tiles). And now, I have questions… Removing the old grout I purchased a hand grout s...	The right consistency grout will not leave bubbles and voids.
is it worth upgrading from 14 AWG to 12 AWG I am looking to replace all the OLD 14/2 wiring in my "new to me" house with 12/2 wiring do you believe this is over kill? <Q> In my opinion, no. <S> Additional Capacity <S> If you need the additional capacity on a single circuit, you'd be better to simply replace that si...	You'll need 12/3 for some circuits and wiring patterns, and larger wire for some other circuits like a dryer or range. You have to consider what will be used on the circuits. Unfortunately almost any electrical upgrade will not add much value to your house compared to the cost associated with it.
What's the key to sawing straight by hand? Whenever I saw by hand I end up with edges that aren't straight. This includes both the long edge and short edge, or horizontally and vertically. What is the key to sawing straight by hand? Update 1 I've had the same wonky results with a crosscut saw , coping saw , and b...	In the end, IMHO, a lot of it comes down to practice and getting a "feel" of how the wood and the saw respond to one another on each stroke.
Why won't primer adhere to my walls? We are finally (after 12 years!) getting to painting the last room in our home. It was originally painted with builder's paint, but being a "spare" room, we weren't in a rush to repaint. The room is on the 2nd floor, as are the other bedrooms, and there has never been any moisture...	If you still have an adhesion problem, there are liquid sandpaper prep liquids available that are good to use if you have lead based paint or high gloss finishes.
Can I cool 540 sq. ft. with a single A/C unit? I have a small apartment - about 540sq ft. The layout: Click for larger view The red square would be the internal unit, and to the left and right I have 2 rooms. I also have a 6 month old little girl, so I wouldn't want a unit in her room. I'm thinking that I could ha...	Also you have to understand that if you want the subrooms very comfortable then you may have to have unit running a lot and the main room a bit chilly.
Will I have to install new cables when converting from a SD CCTV system to HD? After a breakin soon after moving into our house, we used our cash reserve to improve security. One of these updates was an 8-channel DVR with four external CCTV cameras. The DVR exposes the cameras over TCP/IP, but I'm going to assume it ...	Yes, you can use the existing coaxial cable for "HD" cameras. If you want to upgrade to IP cameras you will have to replace/install cat5 wiring for the cameras.
How can I thaw a frozen exterior drain quickly? I have a driveway that is angled down slightly towards my house. About two feet before the garage there are two long drains that cover most of the drive way. Right now one is 100% frozen and the other is 1/2 frozen. I am getting so much water build up that it's going int...	If you can get to the open end of the drain you can use a cheap pump and a hose to force hot water up the drain line to thaw the ice.

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