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What are the substitutes for kitchen wall tiles above a kitchen counter? Can anyone let me know what are the various options that we can use in place of ceramic wall tiles in kitchen (just above the kitchen counter)? <Q> You mean as a backsplash? <S> Just about any material can be used: ceramic, glass, vinyl, ABS, wood, aluminum, steel, contact paper, etc. <S> See this gallery for many ideas. <S> While most of them are ceramic tile, which is the current fashion, look carefully <S> and you'll see vinyls which look metallic. <S> Here is Home Depot's version of that. <S> We are considering that for behind the range. <A> To expand on wallyk's answer: nearly anything. <S> It's really entirely up to you. <S> The main two things to consider are maintainability (how easy is it to keep clean) and aesthetics (what do you like?) <S> The range of options can include (but is not limited to): Tiles Ceramic (as you mention) <S> glass metal stone etc Metal stainless steel copper etc countertop materials stone (marble, granite, slate, soapstone, etc.) <S> laminates etc <S> etc <S> back painted glass panels <S> vinyl <S> rubber <S> mosaic <A> If your counter did not come with a backsplash, you could have a small one (6 inches high or so) made to match the counter and then just paint above that.
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concrete/terrazzo adhesive roll material (ie contact paper) panelling cork (and perhaps most common) wallboard and paint
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How should I use the ground wire for this welder? So I want to use "ol big red", my trusty arc welder in my new home. I intend to use the electric range circuit since we have a gas range. I re-routed the range wire and was about to hook it back up and realized that there is no neutral wire, just a ground. The ground strands were connected where the neutral should be in the three prong outlet. Can someone advise on how I should connect it back up?: The way it was, using the ground as a neutral, leaving the receptacle box ungrounded. (might be difficult to avoid contact between the ground strands and the box) Use the ground strands to bond the metal receptacle box and leave the neutral disconnected. I do not believe this welder requires a neutral since it says only "230V" not "110/220V". both (!?) <Q> I have one of these, and I dug out the manual (printed October 1987). <S> It has a sentence that reads: <S> "The center contact in the receptacle is for the grounding connection. <S> A green wire in the input cable connects this contact to the frame of the welder. <S> This ensures proper grounding of the welder frame when the welder plug is connected to the receptacle" . <S> So its just a ground, and the existing neutral wire could be used. <A> That is SEU cable. <S> That bare conductor is a neutral, there is no ground. <S> This is typical cable for an older range. <S> The neutral also served as the ground (NOT the other way around as many people think). <S> Also, that plug was replaced on that welder. <S> It IS a straight 240v tool and does not require a neutral. <S> It originally came with a 6-50P plug attached, someone replaced it with that 10-50P. Personally, if you are only going to use the circuit for the welder <S> I'd replace the plug with a. 6-50 and install a 6-50R receptacle. <S> You can never use a ground as a neutral. <S> You can however simply install. <S> 10-50R receptacle on that SEU cable and it will work. <A> I think if you remove the back of the welder and look inside, you will find a schematic calling for connection to a 6-50 receptacle, stating that the third wire is connected to the case of the welder, and presenting the option that the third wire of the receptacle be connected to either a grounded neutral or to plain ground. <S> That would make it clear that someone has changed the plug. <A>
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, I do agree with using the NEMA 6-50P (plug) and the 6-50R (receptacle), but moving the neutral wire from the cable feeding the welder to the ground bar in the panel feeding it, yes bond the receptacle box too. Using that neutral conductor as a ground is fine, the opposite would in NO way be true though. I know that this is an old post, however I would never recommend to use the neutral as a ground, and definitely not a ground as a neutral, for just about the same reasons, if the main neutral connection becomes loose up stream (it happens), you could have a hot chassis don't forget, this is the very reason why you can no longer use the neutral to bond the frame of stoves and dryers (too many fires & electrocutions).For this scenario (connecting the welder)
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How do I seal an electrical box for a ceiling fan? We recently installed new electrical boxes and hung fans from them. We caulked around the boxes to seal off airflow into the attic. There are several small holes (and one has a medium sized hole) on the boxes. What's the proper way to seal this off to prevent the blown-in insulation from falling through the hole into the box (a fire hazard I presume)? Is caulking them appropriate or just putting a piece of electrical tape over the holes? <Q> I believe that insulation falling in is less of a fire hazard than air escaping through the holes during a fire. <S> The intent is to prevent air from flowing out into the attic space during a fire, which would create a chimney effect and continue to feed the fire oxygen. <S> But good news, you can achieve both with the same approach. <S> You want to use a fire-rated expanding foam or caulk. <S> In the gaps within and around a ceiling box, I’d use the intumescent style of either which will expand further when exposed to heat. <S> Be sure to clean out any foam or caulk that works its way into the electrical box. <S> From a code perspective, it is important to keep the volume of the box the same. <S> While using electrical tape to seal the holes in an electrical box is likely better than nothing, I don't suspect it will survive the heat of a fire for very long given that it is not "attached" to anything over the void of the hole. <A> If your boxes are metal, while the existing answers will work okay, I'd recommend first using knockout seals (sometimes called knockout covers) to fill in all the big holes, and then using caulk or foam to make it airtight. <S> It'll be much easier than trying to fill a big hole with only spray foam. <S> Here's an example of a knockout seal: (Image source: Home Depot ) <A> Using foam in a can, like Great Stuff <S> http://www.homedepot.com/p/GREAT-STUFF-Big-Gap-Filler-Insulating-Foam-Sealant-16-oz-248314/100029171 can be used to fill in gaps to help prevent air leaks.
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An intumescent caulk or foam will provide a much more durable blockage to prevent not only insulation from falling in, but from air escaping during a fire (which is the bigger concern IMHO).
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Hanging an over-the-range microwave without top cabinet I have an over-the-range microwave with wall bracket but no cabinets above. It is safe to hang it solely by the wall bracket or is the top cabinet to bolt it to a requirement? If it matters, this is the microwave in question <Q> I have hung a few of this type of microwave, not this particular brand or model, all required the bolts through the upper cabinet. <S> Understandably so, that is a lot of weight hanging off of a thin stamped metal plate. <A> I just hung a Whirlpool OTR microwave and attaching to the upper cabinet is a requirement. <S> The lower bracket supports the back of the microwave, but does not keep it from rotating down. <S> Two of us were holding it while a third installed the bolts, and it definitely would have fallen without us holding it. <S> I would install a shelf above the microwave so you can use it to hold up the microwave. <S> I would then put some diagonal bracing along side the microwave to cover up the sides <S> (not really meant to be visible) and make the shelf stronger by attaching it to the wall below the shelf. <S> You would definitely want to hit some studs since my microwave weighed well over 50 lbs. <A> I have installed a couple of these. <S> I don't see how it could possibly hang from just the wall without support from above. <S> If you don't have a cabinet above it, then you need some creative ideas, like maybe constructing a shelf with diagonal bracing back to the wall. <S> If you post a picture of the area, I'm sure the users on SE could come up with something. <A> I have been thinking a lot about this problem because I am in the same boat. <S> I think I came up with a solution, but haven't tried it yet. <S> IKEA sells wall shelves with a hidden metal bracket. <S> Basically you screw the bracket to the wall, slide the shelf over it, then screw the shelf to the bracket (mainly to keep it from sliding). <S> They're really easy to install. <S> In theory you could install the wall shelf first, then follow the instructions for mounting the microwave and use the shelf as support instead of the upper cabinet. <S> Then you also get some shelf space for some light decorative items or for food boxes. <A> The bracket already supports to weight all on its own because you just installed the bracket to the studs right. <S> Now get an L bracket install upside down drill holes for microwave bolts. <S> Now on wall side cut off the wall side of bracket so you only have one to two inches of bracket. <S> Align those two inches to stud and drill holes in it and bolt in to studs, done. <S> Upper and lower support with minimal bracket view. <S> Just need a carbon leaf to cut bracket and metal drill bit to make holes in bracket and good wall screws.
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When you install the microwave, you put the back end on the bracket, rotate it up so that the top of the microwave touches the bottom of the cabinet, then hold it while installing the bolts from the upper cabinet.
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What to look at first when when circuit breaker that fridge is on is tripping? I have a house where the circuit breaker has tripped a few time over the last several days. It flipped one evening, we flipped it back and was ok for a couple days. We went away for the weekend and sometime over that time it flipped again. Since we have been back it flipped again. Other facts: Fridge is old (10 years) It is has been hot here (approx 100 deg during the day) My first thought was it was the breaker\house electrical but then doing a couple quick searches a lot of posts mention the fridge itself. What should be looked at first, the breaker\house electrical or the refrigerator itself? If fridge what should be looked at? <Q> The simplest, cheapest, and fastest test would be to swap the wire into the fridge breaker with another one of the same rating. <S> (Turn off both breakers first.) <S> This would test if the breaker has "de-rated" itself. <S> That sometimes happens as they age. <S> The next easiest step is probably to measure the current used by the circuit. <S> The easiest place to do that is in the breaker box with a clamp on current meter . <S> This would reveal whether the refrigerator is consuming more power than it is rated for—if you compare the reading with the ratings plate on the fridge. <S> If it is too high, first make sure someone hasn't violated the prime rule of a fridge circuit: <S> it should be the only device on the circuit. <A> Bad compressor unit old fridge <A> Are you sure nothing else is plugged into that circuit? <S> It may be just enough for the normal load, not enough when one more thing is turned on...
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If the swapped arrangement doesn't trip, replace the (original) refrigerator breaker.
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Why two breakers (one for the line, one for the neutral) on a single-phase line? I'm wondering why in my house I have a tied-together pair of breakers (one breaker for the hot line, the other for the neutral) for one geyser, while my other geyser only has its hot line with a breaker on it, while its neutral is simply connected to the terminal strip with all the neutrals. I don't need to upload a picture: the two breakers are really next to to each other and tied together (sold as one single two-pole breaker unit), so that the operating handle is common to both. If only one trips, the other is forced to do so as well. So what is the need to have a breaker on the neutral? Are there situations where the overload will be felt only on the neutral and not on the live, or is it simply a trick to accommodate possible wiring errors down the line, i.e. somebody swapping by error the live and the neutral? My setting is a home single-phase 240V line, 15 amps breaker (was ok for the geyser alone, but I added a washing-machine and it now trips when using the washing-machine heating element. So that I contemplate changing it to a 20amps or 25 amps). EDIT: I am in South Africa, and here is an image (the two-pole breaker we're talking about is the last on the left) <Q> What you have is a 240V breaker and circuit. <S> The white is NOT a neutral, but being used as another hot...which is perfectly fine and legal. <S> Newer codes require such a white to be re-marked as a hot. <S> DO NOT replace ANY breaker with one that is larger. <S> 99.9% of the time the wiring is appropriate for the breaker feeding it. <S> Installing a larger breaker could create a fire hazard. <A> I there, <S> So finally I swapped the old two-pole 15A circuit breaker with a new 20A circuit breaker. <S> The old one was also breaking the neutral line (black cable here in South Africa) for no really valid reason (unless someone provides us with one here?). <S> So my new one-pole 20A circuit breaker breaks the live line. <S> I checked that the cable truly powers only my 3kW water heater and the washing machine <S> I added relatively recently (says that the max power of the washing-machine is 2250W, so 10A). <S> And most importantly, I checked that the cables running to the bathroom from the main electrical panel are ok to bear a load of 20A: these are two rigid copper cables of 1.8mm diameter, so a section of 2.5 sq mm. <S> Thanks, JB <A> I have no idea if you're still paying attention to this thread, but those who have provided "answers" missed something, so I'll post now. <S> Some 240V countries use, in the incoming mains, an "RCD" -- "residual current detector," which is the same thing as us USA folks would call a GFCI. <S> The OP here may very well have a combined main + rcd there, thus explaining the need for neutral to pass through it. <S> ... <S> a 240V country does not have two 120V lines,
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Head on down to your local Home Depot and pick up a single-pole GFCI circuit breaker and you will see that it has connections for the neutral to pass through it as well.
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How to fill large 1" gap between preform laminate countertop and wall We are trying to save money and replaced an old laminate countertop with a newer preform laminate countertop, where the backsplash is part of the laminate countertop. The countertop is an "L" shape, so we have the pre-cut miter ends that join together in the corner. The problem is that the walls seem to have a serious bow to them and where the countertop pieces join in the corner, there is about a 1 inch gap between the backsplash and the wall. The counters are flush up against the wall at the furthest ends from the corner. Is there any way to fill in this gap? ! countertop with 1 inch gap in corner <Q> If the walls aren't square, I bet the cabinets aren't square as well. <S> And nothing says your counter top has to be square as well. <S> The best way to hide out of square rooms is to try and match the existing angles. <S> In this case you will need to make the miter cut a little bit off 45, probably 44. <S> A small angle change can make a huge difference when getting to get things to fit. <S> And even then a slight difference in the overhang on the cabinets will not be as noticeable as any means trying to fix the gap between the counter and wall. <A> This rough-cut stone backsplash is pretty popular these days and is super easy to install (just did our kitchen with a similar product). <S> It can be bonded right to the sheetrock. <S> It should be thick enough to hide your gap. <S> If it's your style, go for it. <A> You need to plane your bench top in to fit. <S> Then you will be able to push it back. <S> Then check if you have the same over hang from cupboards to bench top. <S> If it's a little bit out don't worry about it as long as it looks ok. <S> (can't get perfect with old kitchen) <S> Then if there is still a small gap you need to fill it with no more gaps / silicone. <S> Need to silicone it anyway to stop water damage. <A> We have the same problem so I found two ways to fix before we use epoxy to cover an old ugly formica countertop in a rental. <S> 1) buy the foam filler used for cracks in windows-it is sold in large canisters that can be used without an application gun. <S> This material can be painted, sanded etc. <S> Level to countertop. <S> 2) Use bondo over foam <S> If your gap is large like ours 1-2 <S> " we used a foam filler and shoved into the gap and then applied the sprayable foam or bondo, then scraped and sanded until level. <S> Put epoxy over this and worked amazingly well.
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If you need it a bit thicker, you can screw some backer-board to the wall and bond to that.
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Extremely confusing 48 v on neutral I am actually a pretty good electrician, but am baffled by what I found today. During a remodel and adding a few new boxes for future lights, I received a shock from a neutral wire and a floating ground. The house is old and there are no grounds on most of the circuits. I was confused for there is no ground except for about 20 ft going from one new box to another but not connected to panel ground. In fact the ground is terminated with a wire nut in each box but are not connected to anything. Yet when I tested the neutral to ground voltage, I found 48 volts. Subsequently I tested a few other outlets in the house and also found neutral to ground voltage of 48 v. I then unplugged all devices. Voltage to ground disappeared. Only when I plugged in a device with a ground did the neutral to ground voltage reappear. I then went to the main panel thinking I had a bad neutral somewhere, and disconnected each circuit one at a time and found no neutral to ground issues at the panel and the neutral voltage only disappeared when I turned off hot to circuit. Different circuits were found to have neutral to ground voltage only when a grounded plug was put into that outlet. I assumed that the ground of the device was allowing me to read neutral voltage. Hot to neutral is correct everywhere. I am baffled. Suggestions? <Q> The AC input circuits of some devices use a power line filter circuit that works to keep high frequency stuff inside the equipment and prevent fast spikes from entering the product from the power lines. <S> The schematic of a typical power line filter looks like this. <S> The two capacitors that you see in the filter from line side to earth and from the neutral side to earth can form a voltage divider for AC voltage and place approximately half the line voltage on the earth wire. <S> This would be the case for instances where the earth ground connection was open circuit. <S> The fact that you found this AC signal present demonstrates that some part of your house wiring has a open earth ground wire someplace. <S> For the safety of your self and your family it is essential to get this fault corrected. <S> The floating earth wire is an invite to it not performing its safety function when you least expect to need that safety feature. <A> If there's some resistance in the neutral path, there will be voltage across it when there's current running through it. <S> Presuming that your neutral runs to earth, I'd suggest checking that this connection is still good, and that nobody did something stupid like connecting to earth through the water main and then replacing part of that line with plastic. <S> Aluminum wire is notorious for bad connections, if you have any of that in the place. <S> Which is exactly why you shouldn't have a floating ground; the purpose of safety ground is to cause the bad circuit to blow a breaker before it shocks you or catches fire. <A> If your neutral floats, it will drift somewhat proportionally to the difference of the load in both legs and the internal resistance of the source. <S> Are both legs of a home's power supply equally used?
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Normally this is not a shock hazard issue because the neutral wire is shorted to the earth ground connection at the power panel. The other possiblity is that there's leakage to your floating ground.
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How should I wire a ceiling fan remote where two switches are used to control the fixture? I have 2 wall switches. 4 wires coming out of ceiling (black-hot, red-hot, white-common, bare- ground), a ceiling fan and a remote. How do I wire them and still be able to use wall switches? I can wire the ceiling fan and just leave the red wire capped with a wire nut, but that leave a useless switch in the wall. The ceiling fan that was up before had a remote and the switches on the wall worked ( 1 switch had to be on in order for the remote to work, and the other controlled power to the fan). How do I wire it back like this? <Q> Start by turning off the power at the breaker, and verifying it's off with a non-contact voltage tester. <S> Connect all the bare or green grounding conductors together. <S> Connect the white wire from the ceiling to the white wire on the input side of the remote receiver module and the white wire in the fan. <S> Connect the black wire from the ceiling to the black wire on the input side of the remote receiver module. <S> Connect the blue wire from the output side of the remote receiver module to the blue wire in the fan. <S> Connect the red wire from the ceiling to the black wire in the fan. <S> Cap off the black and white wire from the output side of the remote receiver module. <S> Now when one switch is on, the remote will control the light. <S> The other switch will turn the fan on and off. <S> You'll end up with something like this. <S> Alternatively, you could wire it like this. <S> This answer assumes the black wire controls the fan, while the blue controls the light kit on the fan. <S> Check the documentation that came with the fixture, for proper wiring instructions. <A> For my switches to work, once I connected the blue wires for the lights together, I also had to connect those two blue wires to the black wire coming from the ceiling in order for the light to have power. <A> This was helpful to understand the red from ceiling but to get my remote to work fan and light functions while wall switch was on I had to wire like this: red from ceiling to black of receiver, black from ceiling capped, white from ceiling to white of receiver and light/fan, yellow from receiver to black of light/fan, blue from receiver to blue of light/fan <A> This is a very helpful site. <S> My setup is like user63515: <S> remote has black & white on input side; blue & yellow output side. <S> House has black, white, & ground wires. <S> Connected black input to black house, white input to white house & white light/fan, blue output to blue light/fan, and yellow output to black light/fan. <S> One wall switch powers entire fan. <S> Make sure fan is on by pulling chain. <S> Remote control now controls fan speeds and the light! <A> (C) Ceiling / ac supply: white, black & Red (RI) <S> Receiver <S> In: white, blue & black <S> (RO) Receiver out: <S> white & black (F) Fan: <S> white, black & blue Connections <S> C white & RO white <S> RI white & F white RI black & F <S> black RI blue (alone) <S> RO white & C white RO black & C <S> black C red & F blue <A> I installed a hunter fan that utilizes the remote which had a different set up from the other poster. <S> The image below is how I did it <S> and it works perfectly for utilizing both switches. <S> One switch turns on the fan directly and the other provides power to the fan where you use the remote to adjust the speed. <S> Important Note <S> : The fan remembers your last setting so you might have to wire it per the manual and turn on the light first through the remote. <A> I did this last night at my condo. <S> The fan is a 2018 Hunter remote, no chains. <S> I wanted to be able to change the fan direction and speed, so I had to use the remote for that. <S> I wanted the light to be controlled from 2 3 pole switches. <S> The switch situation is: single 3 pole by garage entry door. <S> Double switchplate housing a single pole on the left and a 3 pole on the right as you look at it, at the living room/kitchen entrance. <S> Black #1 from ceiling to blue from fan. <S> Blue from remote is capped off. <S> White from ceiling to white on remote and white from fan all together. <S> Copper from ceiling to all greens and yellow out of remote. <S> Black #2 from ceiling to black into remote. <S> Works like a charm. <S> A check of the 3 pole next to the single pole under a double switchplate revealed black as the traveler connected to two screws on the 3 pole.
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This way the remote module will control the fan (when the switch is in the ON position), and the other switch will control the light. Red from ceiling to black from fan and black out of remote.
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Rule of thumb for prefilling drywall vs. recutting a piece of new drywall I had a leak in the roof of my garage in the corner. I called a professional to come and fix it, so the leak is now fixed. I was left with a hole in my ceiling inside the garage. I proceeded to investigate it and removed tons of moldy drywall. After doing this, I attempted to patch all of it up with new drywall. This is the first time I have put up drywall and I realize now how difficult it is to measure these pieces, I have a feeling irregularly sized pieces are required to make it look really perfect, while I cut pieces that were as perpendicular as I could make them. When I put up the drywall, I realized that the pieces have evident gaps between the seams. I googled it a little, and I saw one person saying to "pre-fill" these gaps. The problem is, I don't know what the rule of thumb is for the size of these gaps. I didn't realize, but I read somewhere that it's better to prefill these gaps before taping. I have a couple of ideas on what to do now: 1) remove the drywall by unscrewing it and attempt to cut new pieces of irregularly shaped drywall, put it back on and I am hopefully good. 2) pre-fill these gaps with joint compound, but the question is, are my gaps too large? What is the rule of thumb for the maximum size of a gap? I am wondering if my drywall job is really that terrible, at first glance, it doesn't look like I did a good job. Can someone advise on drywall gaps and how to handle them correctly? <Q> You raise a number of issues. <S> How to fill an irregularly shaped hole? <S> To cut drywall (or any panel) to an exact shape with non parallel sides is hard. <S> So what we usually do is make the hole regular. <S> You can trim away some of the remaining drywall, preferably so the edge runs along the middle of a stud, parallel to another stud or the corner. <S> Then cut a rectangular patch to fill the hole, leaving about 1/8 inch gap. <S> How to make a patch sit in the same plane as the wall? <S> In general, we want the whole wall to be on the same plane (when you place a straightedge on the face of one section, it sits flat on the adjacent section, neither gapped or raised). <S> If a patch will sit below the level of adjacent wall, you can put shims behind the patch just thick enough to raise the surface to flush. <S> You can use trim boards or tapered shims to get the right thickness, tack them in place with brads, and drill through them when installing the drywall. <S> If the patch sits above the surface, its usually best to use thinner material (but don't violate fire laws about minimum thickness). <S> You should shim it out. <S> Even though you could use tape or drywall corners to cover this zigzag, it's a weak, thin joint and will look odd. <S> How big a gap is acceptable? <S> Between panels, 1/4 inch is fine. <S> Taping compound and tape will cover it with little difficulty. <S> Putting on a coat of compound before setting the tape will fill the gap. <S> If you are using mesh self adhesive tape, forcing a bit of compound through the tape into the gap couldn't hurt. <S> If you have a gap that is approaching 1/2 inch or more, you can run into a problem with shrinkage and strength in the joint. <S> Consider recutting the patch. <A> My dad always mixed in some plaster of Paris with regular old blue top mud. <S> Dried harder, less shrinkage, stronger seams, less cracking. <S> Add water to plaster until it turns grey then mix it in with mud. <A> Depending on what's behind the gap (if anything), I sometimes tear newspaper into about 1-inch pieces and mix it into some joint compound. <S> The newspaper acts like an aggregate and forms an incredibly strong filler once it dries. <S> In fact, you'll swear it's concrete if you ever need to rip it out. <S> If you're in a hurry you can always use a hot mix compound.
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You could use a thin sliver of drywall to partially fill the gap before taping, but it will be a bit more of a challenge to get it level and smooth. In your second picture, the patch looks like it is about 1/2+ lower than the wall.
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Should I use a Ridge/Soffit vent or Attic Fan? I am getting ready to redo the roof on our house (shingles and some sheathing) and I am wondering what kind of venting I should add to the roof. The roof currently is not vented at all and as a result there is mold and and the sheathing is rotting and sagging. I have been doing some research and it seems like the best way to go is to use soffit/ridge vents instead of an attic fan. However, the roof is only a 2/12 pitch and I am wondering if the shallow pitch will have any adverse effect on the vents. At one point on the roof it is about 30' from the soffit to the ridge with a 2/12 pitch. Any advice? <Q> Before I added my ridge vent when we had consecutive days of 100F the attic could get up to 120-125 easy - and my roof is heavily shaded. <S> I would come down <S> completely soaked - like swimming pool soaked - when doing 15 minutes of electrical work. <S> Measured attic temperature after a couple of days in the high 90s and the high temp was around 7PM at low 90s but basically it stayed in the mid 80s. <S> So 25F temperature change, being conservative. <S> We did cut out 3 inches on each side of mine so a total of 6 inches. <S> I am not sure what an attic fan would do in comparison. <S> The air needs to get out of the attic. <S> Hot air will escape upward. <S> The attic fan will take hot air out of your house and put it in the attic, with no where to go. <S> I could almost see the attic fan as barely making a difference due to the heat introduced from the component in this situation. <S> And from an energy stand-point it doesn't make sense to run something that is a low difference maker. <S> In this situation I could see just using your AC as being more efficient. <S> You would ALWAYS put the ridge vent before the attic fan. <S> Now would you want to install an attic fan with the ridge vent <S> is a really good question. <S> I could see the benefit of having the attic fan going with the hot air having an easy escape route. <A> If you have a 2/12 pitch roof and you are already redoing the roofing and some of the roof decking, let me recommend that instead of ventilating your very shallow and difficult-to-work-in attic, you keep it sealed and insulate the the (new) roof deck, bringing the attic into the conditioned space of the house. <S> You have a perfect opportunity to add a really good level of insulation to the top of your house's conditioned space. <S> There are two ways to do this: one is spray foaming the underside of the roof decking. <S> You can get enough R-value with 5-7 inches of spray foam, depending on your climate. <S> Either used closed cell foam for the entire thickness, or closed cell for half <S> and then you an use cheaper open cell for the other half. <S> Alternatively, and this might be much easier and cheaper <S> , you can also add 6-8 inches of polyisocyanurate insulation boards above the roof decking, and then screw down another layer of decking for the roofing material to attach to. <S> You would want to make sure that this new foam meets your wall insulation to keep a continuous layer of insulation. <A> I am starting to research getting a new roof for my home a colonial currently with gable vents an electric fan and soffits. <S> The previous owners painted over the exterior of the soffits and within the attic filled the soffits with loose insulation. <S> It has been a nightmare to fix for me. <S> The advantage to a ridge vent and soffits is they work 24/7, there are no moving parts for replacement and if you lose power they will still operate. <S> The disadvantage to gable vents/soffits and an electric fan is the fan is noisy, costs money to operate and needs to be setup to either a thermostat or switch that you have to be aware of. <S> The fan will also draw air from inside the house if your attic is not properly sealed, so if you have an AC the cool air will go much easier into the attic then air from the other gable. <S> Also gables need to be open to allow air flow, which then will allow hornets or other unfriendly creatures to enter your attic. <S> After placing a basic screen over the non fan gable, the air flow was reduced significantly. <A> I'd suggest giving some serious though to a functional Cupola (or two) (and soffit vents for intake.) <S> Some "old fashioned things" actually make sense. <S> A ridge vent can be a lot more restrictive than you might think - if you don't have some sort of architectural horror of cupolas, they can be very effective by comparison. <S> If you prefer a slightly newer fashion, look into "solar chimneys" which use the sun's heat to more directly boost venting.
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I just added a ridge vent to my attic a few months ago.
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Moving a light switch without moving it I live in a rented house, and there is a lightswitch which is unconventionally not next to the door in one of the rooms. Is there a way to move the lightswitch so it's next to the door. I am currently thinking of something that plugs in between the bulb and light switch that can be turned on or off wirelessly from a switch that can be stuck to the wall. Does such a thing exists? Or would leaving the main light switch always on and having a [remote controlled] switch in the light fitting cause problems? <Q> I did exactly that some years ago, replacing the light switch with an X10 remotely controllable switch, and hang the remote on the wall at the other end of the room. <S> However, that approach will NOT work with LED bulbs, due to the way it powers itself, and may not work safely with fluorescents. <S> (X10 is the low-budget brand which introduced carrier-current control signalling; there are better versions of the same system and alternative systems but they cost twice as much and require more planning in the house wiring.) <S> Remote-controllable devices do exist that screw in between the bulb and its socket. <S> A better solution may to be leave the room fixture alone and set up remote control of a floor- <S> or counter- mounted lamp. <S> That would provide sufficient light for you to navigate the room until you can get to the far end and turn on the overhead lights. <A> You could also consider replacing the switch with a motion-controlled/manual switch combo . <S> Walk in the room <S> and it turns on automatically. <S> Turn it off manually when you go to bed. <S> Bonus lower energy bill <S> if you are forgetful like me. <A> One example is the LevNet system form Leviton. <S> The receiver replaces your exisiting switch and a wireless switch goes wherever you choose. <S> A simpler system involves a screw in receiver at the fixture, but this particular one gets mixed reviews. <S> Search for wireless switches <S> to see a wide range of solutions. <S> Links and references are illustrative only and not an endorsement. <A> There are numerous products that meet this need. <S> You can start with a Google or product search, for example: <S> http://lmgtfy.com/?q=%22Wireless+Add+On+Switches%22 <S> There's no problem permanently leaving the existing switch left on. <S> You can even get a small plastic clip that will prevent someone from accidentally switching the light off <S> (tape never works well for this application). <S> CFL compatibility can be an issue with switches like these. <S> Many are derived from models that draw their own operating current through the bulb, which gives CFLs and some LEDs fits. <S> If you have a problem you may be forced to switch models. <S> Note: I recommend avoiding X10 technology at all costs. <S> It's slow, often unreliabile in unpredictable ways. <S> Everything else is better.
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There are numerous remote control systems available that use a stand alone switch and a receiver that either sits in the light fixture or in a circuit box to receive the signal and control power on the line. However, those obviously add significant bulk, and may not fit in the fixture (or may look pretty darned ugly).
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Possible To Put an Epoxy Coating on Particle Board? Is is possible/recommended to put an epoxy such as Rust-Oleum Epoxy Garage Floor Coating on particle board? Any help would be appreciated! http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-EpoxyShield-2-gal-2-Part-Epoxy-Garage-Floor-Coating-Gray-High-Gloss-Kit-2-Pack-251870/100671422 <Q> Possible, yes. <S> Recommended - probably not. <S> What purpose to you intend it to serve? <S> Why do you think epoxy coating (intended for application to concrete) makes it better for the purpose? <S> With or without coatings, is particle board even remotely suitable for the purpose? <S> Responding to comment: Marine plywood would have been a much better choice of material - if the business lasts long enough for you to discover why that's the case, remember that when you have to replace the particleboard. <S> Particleboard falls apart when it gets wet, and it will, no matter what you cover it with. <S> Given that it's a food truck <S> your choice of flooring will have to pass the health department inspection applicable to to the locale where it operates, and they may well have a preference, or even a list of approved materials; check with them before proceeding. <S> Properly applied vinyl tile flooring is very likely more durable than epoxy - epoxy <S> can be chipped. <S> The solid vinyl tiles common in commercial kitchens take a lot of abuse, and if they are too badly damaged, can be replaced individually. <A> As is the case in almost any situation you have two choices: <S> 1- Do it right <S> 2- <S> Get it done <S> The first road involves tearing out the particle board. <S> Encerwal is right, particle board is not suited to that application. <S> Not to mention that most pb's gas off formaldehyde (when not sealed properly) which is, shall we say...less than great for the people eating the food coming out of the truck. <S> The second road requires sealing the ever-loving bejesus out of the pb flooring in the hopes of preserving it long enough to get you to the time when you can fix it proper. <S> I don't see any reason the product in your link won't work but <S> if it were me I'd be looking at a deck restorer like this: <S> http://www.olympic.com/products/olympic-rescue-it-wood-and-concrete-resurfacer Its made to stick to wood, which is more or less what pb is , and its thick enough to withstand most of the slings and arrows your going to throw at it. <S> If at all possible get the edges and the underside too. <S> Give plenty of time to air out with active ventilation or the fumes might taint the food. <S> I don't know if this qualifies as "good" advice <S> but I think its the best you can do with the situation. <S> Good Luck <A> But you're looking at it the wrong way: instead of thinking floor paint, think flooring surface. <S> First you'd want to use an epoxy that is really "runny" and meant to penetrate well into wood. <S> Ideally something like Git-Rot or as a backup, a 2-part epoxy primer made for brushing. <S> If that is not feasible, I'd look at just going straight in with West System epoxy. <S> Next I would coat with West System epoxy, a very versatile epoxy system with 100 uses. <S> They make a series of gluing and fairing fillers that let you use it for anything from bondo to laminating wood to building boats. <S> In this case I'd coat the floor with several layers, giving an overnight drying interval, in much the way you might do "tabletop epoxy". <S> I was reluctant to recommend West System owing to the rather expensive upfront cost for a gallon of base and 1/5 gallon of hardener, and the pump kits. <S> But then I looked at the price of Rustoleum garage paint! <S> West is cheaper and infintely more useful, with excellent shelf life. <S> (6 year old epoxy is performing fine for me). <S> You'll never buy a hardware store epoxy pack again. <S> If you're going to be walking on it, mix the last coat with a traction additive, such as sand, or those sold with the Rustoleum systems.
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If the particle board is in good condition, and is structurally sufficient for the task, using epoxy seems like a good idea.
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How many dimmer switches do I need? I have an electrical situation, 3 switches controlling one light and I want to put in a dimmer. What type of dimmer do I need, 3-way, 4-way,or what? <Q> Conventional switches <S> When you have two switches controlling one circuit, they are both 3-way switches <S> They are called that because they have three active contacts, one common and two travelers. <S> They also have a ground and may have a neutral for extra features. <S> When you add any more switches beyond two, they each must be 4-way switches. <S> These have two hot contacts in and two out and sit between the two three way switches (electrically in between, regardless of where they are physically). <S> These also should have a ground contact and may have a neutral. <S> When you add a dimmer, it must replace one of the 3-ways, not the 4-ways. <S> Also, if you are using CFL or LED lights, make sure the dimmer is compatible (it should say so on the box). <S> Only one dimmer can be used. <S> The other switches just turn the circuit on and off, at the level the dimmer has set. <S> Multiple dimmer systems <S> As @DMoore has said, there are newer electronic switch systems that allow dimming from multiple locations (as well as on and off). <S> One switch is a master and the others are slaves. <S> In effect, the master controls the circuit and the slaves send a signal to the master to do that remotely. <S> This system will give you more flexibility than a conventional switch system, but it is significantly more expensive. <S> If you do not need this flexibility, adding one 3-way dimmer is cheaper and easier. <A> You have to buy dimmers that can communicate through each other through the common. <S> One dimmer will act as the master and the others, the slaves. <S> You should be able to dim in all three locations. <S> For 3 dimmers like this you are looking at about $100. <S> Wiring is exactly the same as your current setup, just read instructions on new dimmer set. <S> Also if you see pairs being sold, email the manufacturer and ask if adding an extra slave will work. <A> You will only need one dimmer. <S> Get a three way dimmer and look for one of the two three way switches to replace.
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You also need a dimmer that is 3-way compatible (not all are).
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How can I set up a timer for my motorized blinds? My room has a window with motorized shades, which can be brought up or down using a switch that's in the same enclosure as the light switches in the room. I want to set it up so I could program the shades to be open now, but close automatically at 5:00 AM. How can I do that? What do I have to buy and connect? <Q> There are numerous timer switches that replace a conventional switch in a wall box. <S> For example, this is a seven day timer from Honeywell <S> The wiring for simple timers is pretty straightforward. <S> Usually you simply replace the existing switch and wire the new switch the same way. <S> Often you need to add a neutral wire to the switch, and most recently wired switch boxes have a neutral available, even if it is not currently attached to the old switch. <S> There are also more advanced home automation systems that combine switches with hand-held controls that can both turn things on and off, or program them to come on based on time, temperature or a number of other criteria. <S> If you are not comfortable with this or if you want a more complex home automation system, you may want to consult with a pro, or find a friend or neighbor with some experience. <S> SUPPLEMENT <S> Based on the additional information provided, you could accomplish this using two timers. <S> Wire the first one to work the up mechanism and the second to operate the down mechanism. <S> Just make sure that both are not set to go on at the same time. <S> Clearly mark which is up and which is down. <S> Links and images are for illustration only, not an endorsement of products or sources. <A> As far as I understand, you have a switch (to close shades) that should be turned ON at 5.00 AM. <S> Something similar to RTC Alarm . <S> From EE point of view, what you require is RTC (real time clock) chip to get time information relay(s) to control your switch micro-controller to switch the relay based on time information from RTC electronic components like: resistors, capacitors, crystal, battery, etc., for interfacing these components. <S> There are a lot of references available online which can help you to understand and do the interfacing of these components. <S> Read answers to these questions also: https://electronics.stackexchange.com/q/120571/27943 https://electronics.stackexchange.com/q/58767/27943 <A> Go to your nearest second hand store and purchase a programmable coffee maker. <S> Take out the circuitry, box insulate it and program your blinds as if it were the coffee pot. <S> Then draw and study the schematics of whatever circuit you decide to choose and simplify as you go, while you understand the components use, capabilities and standards. <S> Your first step is to find out how much power (current) your blinds need and get the appropriate relay to handle twice that amount of current. <S> Then figure out what is going to control your relay. <S> Lastly, if you provide the electrical specifications of your blinds I can crunch the numbers for you and give you more detailed information. <S> You can also figure it out yourself by knowing and understanding Ohms, Joules, and Watt's laws with the addition of series and parallel circuits. <S> Above all, always keep safety first and do not sacrifice it for any amount of monetary savings, or expedience. <A> X-10 or similar remote AC controllers.
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You can also use a programmable house thermostat from Honeywell, add a relay to power your blinds. Also, get a data sheet for each component of your circuit and study them. You will be amazed how simple those circuits are and operate. If you are unfamiliar with electrical wiring, even a simple switch replacement can be daunting (or even dangerous). Set the timers to turn on for 5 minutes (or slightly longer than what is needed to fully operate the mechanism), and then off.
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Why does my GFCI receptacle trip when anything is plugged in? My house was built in 1994. The garage is fed from one 20amp circuit wired to the lights first, then a GFCI, then a couple regular outlets. This has worked fine for me for 19+ years. We had a storm Friday morning, after which the GFCI now trips when anything is turned on (even a power-strip with lighted switch). Garage lights still work (as expected since they are ahead of the GFCI). With the CB off, I put my meter on the receptacles to look for a short, but found none. With CB back on, all receptacles have 120vac available, but the second something that draws even the smallest amount of current is plugged in, the GFCI trips. I replaced the GFCI with a brand new one, but still have the same problem. I pulled the GFCI out of the wall and put my meter on the screw terminal. Both line and load have 120vac when reset. If I press the test button, the line side drops to 32vac and the load side to 10vac. The garage lights still work fine at full intensity, so the line voltage on the garage circuit isn't dropping. The only possible explanation I can come up with is that a broken wire (high winds caused the garage structure to shift?) is still making some contact to pass 120vac at no current, but the poor connection is causing the voltage drop with any load and causes the GFCI to trip. The GFCI has a tiny LED that comes on when tripped (off when reset) which must be creating the small current draw. Anybody else have any thoughts? I don't relish the though of opening the walls in the garage to run new wire. Perhaps I'll temp one with an extension cord to prove the solution electrically first. <Q> It certainly seems like you have a ground fault somewhere. <S> Is it possible <S> there is water damage anywhere inside the garage? <S> Since you've already replaced the GFCI, I think it's safe to assume it's working properly and is tripping as it's designed to. <S> That means somewhere current from the hot or neutral wires is leaking to the ground wire or somewhere else. <S> (I'm guessing it's a neutral -> ground short, since it only happens when you try to use an appliance. <S> A hot -> ground short should trip the GFCI as soon as the power comes on.) <S> Here are the things I would try: Does the tripping happen at the GFCI, or just the downstream outlets? <S> Does that trip it? <S> If so, the short is probably between that outlet and the GFCI. <S> If it doesn't trip, move to the next outlet and see if that trips, etc. <S> Take the cover off all the outlets and inspect them. <S> Look for any signs of moisture, or a loose wire nut, or a conductor touching the side of the box. <S> If you don't see anything suspicious, start pulling the outlets out and rewiring them. <S> Disconnect them all and start adding them back one by one. <S> Possibly a combination of mice chewing on the wires and moisture from the storm? <S> If you've reconnected the wiring to the outlets one by one, starting with the closets, you should at least be able to tell which section of wall the defect is likely to be in. <S> Other notes: <S> I'm not sure if the continuity tester will help much, the problem is a short not an open circuit. <S> Especially if the problem is caused by a neutral / ground short, those are always going to test as continuous since they connect at the main breaker box. <S> I wouldn't worry too much about the voltage readings you got with the GFCI tripped, open circuits can sometimes have small but non-zero voltage readings. <A> Make sure that the nuetral wire is isolated. <S> The electrical storm may have slightly damaged something on a circuit that shared the same nuetral. <S> Just a thought. <A> I believe you crossed the neutral wires when you replaced the GFCI plug. <S> Switch the 2 white wires, and see what happens.
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If it's easy to tell which order the receptacles are wired in, start by plugging something in to the first one downstream of the GFCI. If you still haven't found the issue, it's possible the wiring inside the wall got damaged somehow. In other words the nuetral wire servicing that gfci only serves that outlet and is not shared with or wire nutted together with another.
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How to stop this small roof from leaking? We have water stains in the ceiling drywall underneath this small section of roof. I suspect it's due to the loose metal that's on top of the shingles. The fasteners on the top of the metal are all sealed still, but the metal literally lifts up by hand. In the image, a gap on the left side is clearly visible. I suspect the water is entering through the nail holes, but I'm not 100% sure. How do I properly fix this? Is there a certain "maintenance" required with this metal piece? <Q> I believe that you are getting leaks through that gap. <S> Wind driven ran can push water right under that flashing. <S> I would take it a step further, and add roofing nails with the neoprene washers on them to hold the flashing closer to the roof. <S> I have the same problem with my front porch. <S> It doesn't have proper footings and has sunk over time causing a separation in the flashing. <S> Your roof appears to have the same situation. <S> It is likely that that separation will continue unless you address the structural issue. <A> You can seal the joint with polyurethane sealant. <S> This will make the joint water tight <S> and it is expandable up to 900%, as it can accommodate most of the movement. <A> It turns out that the window had some cracked caulking that was missed multiple times by the roofers and myself. <S> After re-caulking the window, no sign of water for multiple years.
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The section continued to leak after the flashing was secured, and roofing nails sealed. You can install sealant underneath the flashing like Aravindakshan K suggested.
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Is a special circular saw blade needed to cut plastic? We purchased two portable air conditioners for our bedrooms. It include a plastic window kit that can be fitted for the window. I.e., this: I need to trim off about 6 inches, which requires a simple straight cut. Doing it by hand is challenging -- both physically and to get it straight. (I took that approach years ago, with a different unit, in my apartment.) This time I have a circular saw and realized that would be a lot better and cleaner. However, I'm not sure if I need a special blade? Currently I have 18- and 24-Tooth Saw Blades . <Q> For really hard plastics, I've used a diamond abrasive blade before and that did a great job <S> (these are incredibly expensive if we're talking about a single cut though). <S> I would imagine an abrasive blade for cutting metal would do just as well though: You should be able to pick up either of these for less than $5. <S> Wear good safety glasses and do a trial cut first with whatever option you go with - plastic will chip long before it will bind the blade in most cases, and these can be both sharp and high velocity. <A> I have a 7 1/4 inch circular blade which is specifically for laminates and plastics. <S> When cutting flooring, I wasn't so impressed with its performance at first <S> but when I tried standard crosscut and ripping blades <S> I was then very impressed. <S> The standard wood working blades got gummed up and melted or fractured the laminate while lugging and jamming the saw motor. <S> Looking online now, the only blade I see which looks close is <S> this (at $30): <A> Heat is also an enemy - the faster the blade, the more the plastic can melt and distort. <S> I've successfully used a nibbler to cut thinner plastics accurately without deforming them, and repeated cuts with a sharp craft knife and a steel ruler clamped down to act as a fence/guide. <S> Again using a metal ruler as a guide. <S> The advantage here is that the sides of the cut will get a little thicker, providing some additional strength and more surface for sealing against the window frame.
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Another workable answer is to use a hot-knife to melt your way through the plastic. Back in the day when I used to put up vinyl siding, I found that the best way to cut it with a circular saw was with a cheap 140 tooth plywood blade installed backwards (to give the teeth a negative rake and prevent chipping):
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How to get rid of spilled coffee scent? Thought I managed to clean the coffee spill effectively; however, few days later the scent is still there.At this stage, what is a suitable way to removed coffee scent off a rugged floor? <Q> Dump a box of baking soda on it, wait a few days, vacuum it up. <A> Vinegar can solve the issue as well. <S> Try a 1 to 2 ratio with water. <A> Most pet stores, these days, sell enzyme mixtures for eliminating pet odors. <S> These will work on many organic odors, IF you haven't already "set" the stain by hitting it with other chemicals. <S> (Even then, they may help. <S> Nothing will ever eliminate all traces of the previous owner's cat from my persian rug, but it's been knocked down to a level that neither I nor my own cats find objectionable. <S> I did have to treat both top and bottom of the rug rather thoughly, though, since the stain had soaked through.) <S> (By the way, this stuff is great for eliminating sick-room odors as well. <S> Organics are organics.) <A> Adding on, you can do the enzyme cleaner already mentioned (and the kind for laundry has always worked just as well for me)
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then the next day put baking soda & vacuum it off Source: my ADD medication has a side effect of making me really good at cleaning, so friends & relatives are always hitting me up for problems like this.
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Metals in pool turn water green after adding shock, what's the solution? Our pool hasn't been opened in 4 years. We are finally in the process of resurrecting it from the dead, and have spent a lot of elbow grease (and tears) to get it to the point its currently at. Last night the water was a blueish turquoise, but was still opaque and very hazy (still couldn't see to the bottom of the shallow end). I added 5 gallons of liquid chlorine ("shock") and instantly the water turned green. I read up on it and it looks like if there is a lot of metal in the water, such as iron, chlorine has this affect. However, all the articles/forums/info I find on this problem don't really have any good posted solutions, so I figured I'd ask: What's the solution here? Is there a pool chemical I can buy that will help "get rid of" these metals and turn my water back to blue-ish haze? <Q> There are several independent variables to manage in a swimming pool or hot tub: <S> pH balance halogen balance calcium hardness <S> total dissolved solids <S> Nearly everyone is aware of pH balance, but what most people don't seem to understand is that pH can swing wildly unless total alkalinity is increased sufficiently to provide an "inertial buffer" with total acid. <S> Then moderate changes in chlorine or bromine content do not affect the pH so much. <S> The other thing most people are familiar with is chlorine. <S> Bromine can be used instead and is just as effective at killing bacteria but with possibly less skin and eye irritation. <S> At my pool store, they are priced the same. <S> The standard home pool test kit measures both pH and "free chlorine equivalent". <S> Calcium should be added to soft water to prevent the water from attacking and rusting metal components of the pool and filter system. <S> This is a particular problem for areas such as the Pacific Northwest which has naturally soft water. <S> Most well-based systems will have some calcium, but if it is not adequate, some supplementation is cheap insurance for minimal maintenance. <S> See <S> this for a detailed and reasonably approachable roundup of pool chemistry. <S> Note that everything affects everything else, so reading it twice is probably necessary to gain full insight. <S> In my experience, green water could be caused by either iron or copper in the water, like someone's lost jeans rivet inside the drain. <S> A chemical to precipitate and flocculate <S> the metals need be done only when it is a problem. <S> If the history of the water is uncertain or a lot of junk has entered the pool water since it was last filled, there is no substitute for draining and refilling it. <S> This reduces the total chemical load to the minimum and will make it simple to balance. <S> To maintain that simplicity, insist that all pool users shower before entering to remove sunscreen, oils, perfumes, deodorants, etc. <A> Get ready to buy some chemicals and clean your filter. <S> You need a chelating agent (for pools often sold as "Metal Free") to bind the metals. <S> Adding a clarifier will help coagulate that plus the other hazy junk so they form particles large enough to get stuck in your filter. <A> This has happened to my pool many times too. <S> I use aluminum sulfate, which you can buy in any pool shop in bags of ~20 kg. <S> Just sprinkle evenly before night, depending of the size of your pool. <S> It will react with metal particles and form a sort of dust, which will fall to the bottom of the pool. <S> The next day VERY CAREFULLY hoover your pool. <S> My sand filter does not fully stop the dust, and some of it comes back to the pool. <S> So I just swich it to <S> 'waste' and dirty water with dust in it goes out. <S> After that, water is super clean back. <S> Just make sure during the cleaning you dont make too much movement in the water, as the sulfate dust lifts very easly and takes some time to fall down again. <S> Good Luck!
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It's the metal particles in the water reacting with chlorine indeed.
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How long to wait after tile installation before placing heavy objects on it? I just installed some 12" x 24" large format tiles in my laundry room using Flexbond mortar over concrete that was machined with a diamond cup disk. Its been ~32 hours since I finished the main portion but its clear that that the mortar is still curing. It can take foot traffic at this point but I really need to get my washer/dryer back in there ASAP because I literally have no clean clothes ;) How long should I wait before hauling these two beasts back in there? My washer is probably ~300 - 350 lbs (it has huge concrete blocks in it for counter balance) and the dryer is a good ~170 lbs. <Q> It depends on the concrete permeability and the tile permeability (is it porcelain (essentially zero permeability) or a ceramic bisque (most non-porcelain tiles))? <S> A sealed concrete floor and a porcelain tile will greatly extend the cure cycle by limiting moisture migration. <S> It is for this reason that Schluter (a tile membrane manufacturer) specifies a non-modified (no latex added) thinset for its floor membranes and porcelain tiles together (on the tile side of the membrane). <S> They make the same requirement on the floor side, if the floor is limited in permeability. <S> Flexbond is VERY modified. <S> The tiles will cure properly with EVEN compression (the weight of the washer), if spread over several tiles. <S> Would it be possible to temporarily put down several 1/2" ply feet, that span from front to back, under the washer/dryer feet? <A> According to the documentation link for Flexbond that you provided - the cure time is 72 Hours. <S> Me personally I am cautious an extra day will not hurt it. <S> You said that you machined the concrete with a diamond cup disc <S> - does this mean you smoothed the surface or roughed it up - the instructions for your flexbond says a smooth concrete surface is more problematic and that you should mechanically abrade the surface ( <S> hopefully you rough ground and not polish ground) - see the technical document bonding to concrete surfaces - click the PLUS next to technical specs. <S> Cheaper to do it <S> right the first time than to do it <S> right the second time. <A> next time, tec fast set mortar, can be waked on in 3 hours and grouted in 4. <S> learning curve using it but well worth it. <S> life exists in the places tile is put down; now i see why wood is so popular... <S> down and done <S> and it is everywhere. <S> what kind of washer and dryer do you own? <S> those weights are drastic. <A> I concur with HerrBag and Ken. <S> Flexibond is an excellent product but it was overkill for this installation. <S> It’s a modified thinset basically to give some flexibility when installing over an existing floor e.g. vinyl or wood where there may be a slight “flex” in the underlying floor. <S> Why do you think the mortar is still curing? <S> Do you mean the grout is still curing? <S> It shouldn’t take more than 72 hours tops, even with all the polymers in the mortar. <S> Did you add Admix to the grout as well? <S> That would increase cure time. <S> Your concrete substrate is great unless it’s smooth as Ken mentioned. <S> What’s done is done. <S> From here I would let it cure fully 72 hours before the heavy laundry machines. <S> Additionally, I think it would be wise to set the machines on exterior grade 3/4” plywood. <S> You could use one sheet for both machines or cut to dimensions at the base of each machines + 1/2” on each side for a less detectable finish. <S> Reasoning here is that because of all the mentioned factors re: tile material, modified mortar, possibly smooth substrate, the fairly intense and constant vibration of the machines could, over time, loosen the mortar/tile bond and dislodge or break the tile. <S> Stabilizing the machine on the plywood would reduce the stress on the bond.
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If sealed floor and porcelain, 48-72 hours is safe.
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How to untangle spring for kitchen faucet hose? I'm trying to install a Grohe Concetto kitchen faucet with a spray hose. There is a long spring that is put over the hose in order to create the tension needed to help the hose return after it has been extended. The instructions are mediocre at best and I found a better illustration in an older set of instructions on-line . As I pulled the spring off of the hose, it got away from me and managed to tangle in one spot and I cannot figure out how to untangle this. The ends of the spring are attached to plastic rings so the ends aren't open. Essentially a long closed-end slinky. Help...I feel like I've created the new Rubik's Cube. Here's a link to the part listing with a picture of the spring part compressed. <Q> You can't untangle it easily while the hose is in place. <S> If you can remove the hose, this becomes straightforward; rotate the sections of spring 90 degrees to each other, and it should become obvious that pushing one through the other will either disengage them or make the problem worse. <S> If it looks like it will make the problem worse, rotate one side 180 degrees and look again. <S> If that still doesn't look like it will help, rotate back the other way. <S> From what you've shown us, it looks like there's just a single crossing that needs to be backed out. <S> Then reinstall the hose and you should be good to go. <A> Ultimately was difficult enough that after about 90 minutes I simply decided to order a new spring and install it very carefully. <S> Perhaps it was possible <S> but it only seemed to get worse when we tried. <A> We untangled our hose by holding the loop and shaking it continually with the two ends facing the floor. <S> It wasn't on the cardboard tube.
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Websearching "untangling a spring" or "untangling a slinky" will find illustrations/videos that will help you with this.
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What might cause water to leak under or behind a bathtub? The floor in my bathroom is constantly wet after showers. House was built in 1970 and this bathroom is all original. From the yellow tile down to the linoleum. The shower curtain is sealed, the shower head is not spraying, everything above the floor is dry. I tested this by drying it, putting down dry pieces of toilet paper, then showering. TP on the floor was soaked, TP on the rim of the tub was bone dry. What should I look at to find out where the water is coming from? My current list is: old caulk around tub rim plumbers putty around spout plumbers putty around faucets plumbers putty around drain look inside drain for cracks What else should I investigate? Should I find the leak or just reseal everything? <Q> Your external list is pretty good, what's missing is an internal list: water shut off valves(stem leaks) <S> : leaks at elbow inside wall <S> It is unusual for these sources to end up on the floor, outside the tub, unless your bath is over a slab. <S> If you have access (if not, you should make one; 14" square centered on the valve) to the back of the mixing valve, use a flashlight and watch carefully when the water is first turned on, after its been off overnight <A> Just resealing everything is a bad idea because you might, for example, just trap the leaking water somewhere <S> you can't see it. <S> The water will still leak and cause damage or mold. <S> You really need to find out where the water is coming from. <S> Turn on the shower and sit outside of it to find the leak. <A> We had same problem... <S> It was the water shut off leak (stems), as indicated on list above. <S> If those terms aren't clear to you, it means your hot and cold water knobs on shower do not completely shut off water and are leaking all the time. <S> Ours didn't leak next to the tub; the leak appeared from the wall nearby. <S> A good amount of water, hours after shower. <S> Apartment maintenance replaced the stems on the knobs and leaks stopped. <S> We also had a water heater in closet next to bathroom that they said had leak from condensation lines that "may have contributed to this problem". <S> Of course this is what they told us, so I can't vouch first hand for this. <S> But if you even have a small drip from shower after you turn off water, it's probably time to replace stems.. <S> so you don't end up replacing floors.
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Connections between stop valves and mixing valve Stem leaks on mixing valve Shower arm and tub outlet extension
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Help connecting cat5e cables for home networking I'm renting an older house that was renovated a few years ago, and I'm hoping to utilize the cat5 wiring in the house for networking. Here's the setup: internet --> coax --> modem --> wireless router --> wireless devices --> ethernet output --> RJ45 wall jack.... in another room....RJ45 wall jack --> PC For now, I'm just trying to connect the RJ45 jack connected to the router to the RJ45 jack connected to my PC. In theory I think this just means I need to splice the correct two cables together at our network "closet". Here's what the "closet" looks like: (Yes, they are just stapled to a piece of plywood in the basement.) The yellow wires are cat5e, but appeared to be wired into some sort of phone jack block, with an RJ11 socket on the side. Can any networking experts tell me: What is the beige box? What happens if I disconnect the yellow wires from the beige box? We're not using the landlines at all, though a phone in the kitchen is wired to the doorbell and an intercom system. What's the best way to splice the ends of the yellow wires together? Will it just work as one continuous wire if I do so? (Total cable length is definitely less than 50m, this is a small house.) Thanks so much for your help! <Q> The yellow cables are probably Cat5e, which has 4 pairs of wires. <S> (The beige cables are probably Cat 3, which might only have 2 pairs of wire). <S> A single phone line only requires 1 pair, so as you can see the other pairs are just twisted off. <S> You definitely can reuse the cable for ethernet access, but you will lose the phone jack obviously. <S> Here are some things you should know about working with ethernet cabling: Unlike phones with are relatively low-bandwidth, ethernet cables need to be in good condition with the pairs twisted around each other properly and with properly terminated connections. <S> The mess you show is fine for phones but will cause lots of interference with ethernet data. <S> If you want to reuse the cabling for data you need to cut back the cable all the way to the yellow sheathing and start over with new CAT 5e terminations. <S> The proper way to do it is to terminate all the cables at a patch panel, but you could also just crimp a regular RJ-45 on the end and connect them that way. <S> You cannot just twist the wires together and expect to get a good signal. <S> Also, at the other end of the cable (in the room with the jacks), you will need to do the same thing: cut back the cable to where it's clean, and start over with new RJ-45 jacks. <S> Also unlike phones (and household electricity), you cannot split a cable into 2 cables just by joining the same color wires. <S> If you have more than two devices you want to connect, you need to use an ethernet switch, which is a small appliance that will properly route the data packets between 2 or more devices. <A> It looks like the owner has set up the entire house for phone using only one pair of wires from each cat5 cable, which is fine. <S> I like the plywood switchboard. <S> It's very configurable if not pretty. <S> And it's tidy, so I expect you'll hear about it if you monkey around with it too much. <S> Those beige boxes are RJ11 jacks just like you said. <S> It looks like they are being used as splices/spitters however. <S> Disconnecting any of the cat5 cables ( <S> of which I think you have 11) will disconnect phone line to the room the cable serves. <S> use a cat5e Junction box . <S> You won't need any special tools or hardware like a crimper or a hub, but you'll be limited to just one device. <S> Otherwise, do what Michael says. <S> You'll also need one of these jacks <S> (I know Home Depot has them) for the room where your computer is. <S> Usually you put a box in the sheetrock and get the appropriate cover plate for these, but I don't know how the cable is run to the room. <S> Again, no special tools needed to install it save the little plastic push tool that comes with it. <A> The beige boxes are standard surface mount telephone jacks. <S> Disconnecting them will disable the phone jacks in the house (which you say you mostly aren't using). <S> If you are trying to connect more than two of the cables, then you can use a simple network hub, switch or router to connect all the cables you need.
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The easiest way to splice the ends would be to Terminate the ends with an RJ-45 connector, and then use a coupler to connect the two wires.
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How do I fix my clogged bathtub drain? I have a trip lever drain in my bathtub. Thought it was the problem, but it's completely out and the tub still won't drain. Any ideas? <Q> I would start with a basic hand operated drain snake. <S> In a tub drain you likely have a hair clog, the snake will grab onto this clog and pull it right out. <S> A very basic snake should be all you need. <A> Great answers so far. <S> A few good "shots" / "pumps" should unclog anything that is stuck in there and definitely worth trying before purchasing any liquid drain products. <A> If it's a hair clog, I've had great luck with a "Zip-It" plastic snake. <S> It's only good for close clogs (20 inches long) and has barbs that catch/pull the gunk out when removed. <S> Should be a few dollars at most hardware stores. <A> You can buy proprietary drain unblocker products. <S> They are often a sodium hydroxide based product (so take appropriate care) that is combined in a dense gel that is designed to sink through the standing water to be able to work to break up the blockage.
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To unclog the drain in my bathtub, I've occasionally used a toilet plunger by placing it directly over the drain then filling up the tub until there is enough water to create suction.
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Wiring a fluorescent T8 fixture to a standard plug I am looking to connect a T8 fluorescent light fixture (that holds 4 bulbs) to a cord with a plug at the end so I can plug the fixture directly into a standard wall socket (or in my case a light socket adapter like this one .) Here is an image of the connector, I'm not sure the exact name of the connector part, but how would I connect that to a cord with a plug at the end? Notice the connector has 2 holes for white and 2 holes for black, I'm not sure what those are for. It seems the ballast is grounded to the fixture, would I need a 2 or 3 pronged cord? <Q> One pair goes to power, the other pair to the next fixture. <S> You can cut off the connector and strip the two wires (black and white) and connect them directly to the cord with wire twist connectors . <S> These are color coded for the total size of wires in them. <S> Yours plus a cord is likely to be the smallest (blue). <S> Black goes to black and white to white. <S> Be sure to use a three prong cord with a ground wire, like this : Secure the green wire to the fixture's metal with a screw (maybe one already in place), or cut the end of the wire, strip it, and use a twist connector to tie it to a ground wire in the fixture. <S> The clamp is a great idea if the edge of the hole in the fixture is sharp. <A> The fluorescent fixture you have is intended to be hard-wired, so I'm not sure you'll be able to find an adapter for that quick-connect fitting you show, which are designed to wire several fixtures together. <S> If you want to add a plug I think you'll have to cut the wire and splice in a new replacement cord. <S> There should be a circular knock-out at the top of the fixture that you can use to get the wiring into the fixture. <S> Make sure you use an appropriate cable clamp connector. <S> As for the number of conductors: The fixture should be grounded. <S> Usually this is done by a ground wire attached to the fixture (you can actually see the green grounding screw in your photo). <S> In your case you should use a 3-prong cable and use the ground. <S> One more comment: if you're setting up a makeshift fixture from an existing Edison socket, make sure you don't overload the capacity of the socket. <S> A 4-lamp T8 fixture is probably going to draw 150 watts or so. <A> The yellow connector can be used for connecting to power cord. <S> If hard wiring, you would simply strip the proper amount of insulation from the solid conductors and push in the holes to connect. <S> If the connector is like the Ideal #102 (same idea, different mfg) you can even use the stranded wires from the power cord, just twist them and tin them with solder. <S> Look up the specific yellow connector that came with the fixture to be sure it is approved for stranded wire first.
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The extra holes in the connector are for wire chaining the fixture to the next fixture.
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Insulation options for narrow ceiling space I've got a flat roof ( wooden, sealed with tar and then roofing iron on top of that ) with a 30 cm gap between the ceiling. Not really enough for someone to crawl in unless skinny. There's no insulation there at present. The lowest the temperature gets is 0 Centigrade. I've read on various sites that you need a gap between the roof and any insulation, about 30 cm. But that would mean I can't insulate. Is the purpose of the gap to prevent condensation of the insulation material against the roof? Is that a concern when I have a wooden roof? Could I use blown wool? That is said to both absorb and release moisture. I don't have any down lighting ( which can be a hazard if covered with insulation ). Recommended R value for this area for the ceiling is 2.9 metric ( US R of 16.5 ) video of roof space <Q> The principle behind a flat roof is the same as with a sloped roof: keep moisture out of the uninsulated space of the roof. <S> Most roof systems require venting. <S> Condensation causes mold and other moisture problems. <S> As long as there is enough room for air to move unimpeded throughout the space and in and out through the vents, you should be fine. <S> If you do not have the space for proper air movement, you can consider packing the entire roof with insulation. <S> The idea with this method would be to prevent air movement in the entire space, preventing vapor from entering in the first place. <S> This method is used for vaulted ceilings and is fine if done right. <S> You should do a super job of sealing the interior ceilings to prevent vapor transfer to that space. <S> As far as recessed lighting is concerned, there are "cans" that are made for use in insulated spaces. <S> They have a temperature sensor that turns the fixture off if it gets too hot. <A> The page http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/how-build-insulated-cathedral-ceiling is a compendium of several other pages covers the subject pretty well, though it is targeted at cathedral ceilings, all of it applies equally well to a moderately sloped or level ceiling. <S> Keeping moisture out is the prime consideration for unvented rafters. <S> To do it right, you'll have to either remove the ceiling or tear off the roof (and rebuild it afterwards). <S> For those of us in temperate areas, 2.9 seems pathetic— <S> almost a <S> Why bother? <S> Indeed, three layers of 3/4 inch plywood achieve R2.82, so adding almost any roofing material over that would meet the requirement. <S> Edit: <S> Since R2.9 metric is R16.5 non-metric, this is indeed a worthy level of insulation and should be done right. <A> If (and it's a big if) you can find a company in the business that won't have to travel too far, this might be a good candidate for a spray foam (usually polyurethane) roof, applied on top of the existing roof. <S> More commonly seen on commercial buildings, but a flat roof is a flat roof... <S> If you cannot find a company who can get to you and do it for reasonable cost, then the more typical "sheets of rigid foam" (expanded poly-styrene - XPS) on top of the deck, under the final waterproofing membrane "built-up roof" insulation method when re-roofing is probably your best bet. <S> 3-4 inches of foam will do the job. <S> The spray on version has a higher materials costs but far less labor (and it can go on over the iron.)
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Venting is necessary to remove any moisture that comes from the inside of the home into the insulated space and causes condensation.
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Gutted a basement and found a window, what should I do? I recently gutted my basement in an early 1900s home that was finished in the mid-80s, and discovered a window! This window is directly under my front door, hidden by a deck that I've never really looked under in detail, so I've never noticed the window. The window is about a foot above grade, and again, covered by a deck, so it is not exposed to snow/rain. I'm debating what to do with this, all my other windows are upgraded to newer windows about 4 years ago, but this is still a single-pane old-style window. I'm not sure if I should remove it and try and block it in with cinder blocks (Foundation is an old poured foundation), or is it acceptable to leave it as long as it's insulated and sealed? (I'd probably also cover the exterior of the Window with XPS and pressure treated plywood or something similar) The previous basement had fiberglass insulation, vapour barrier then drywall right over it, which I know won't cut it. My plan for finishing is hanging XPS boards directly against the concrete, sealing all the seams, spray-foaming any gaps around the boards, then 2x4 studs and Roxul batts as insulation. The R7.5 from XPS, plus R14 from Batts should give me approximately R22.5, which should be plenty. Any advice? I know the "Best" thing would be to remove it, but is it acceptable to cover up a window should anyone ever find a need for it? I've marked the "Answer" as to leave it. Excellent discussion for and against removing the window, but as mentioned, I think I'll leave it, insulate it and cover it from the outside. Who knows what other problems removing it could cause. Thanks <Q> Unless the existing window is leaking, the sole criterion for judging better and worse options in this case is the likelihood of future bulk water infiltration. <S> The current installation is performing functionally and aesthetically as part of the building envelope. <S> Breaching and patching the envelope is not a repair, and at best will only perform equally well with the current situation in regard to the prevention of bulk water infiltration. <S> The existing window wasn't a problem a year ago. <S> It is unlikely to be a problem a year from now. <A> There's no problem per-se with covering it up. <S> However, with a windows there's lots of chances there for leaks. <S> Based on the amount of work you plan on doing to the rest of the basement, knocking out the window and frame and filling it with concrete is not that big of a job. <A> If you just bury it, it's a potential leak and/or maintenance hassle waiting to bite you later. <S> And hiding it makes noticing, finding, and fixing the problem harder when that happens. <S> I have several windows under my own porch (with security bars, which I consider absolutely necessary in that situation!), and am seriously considering closing them off permanently myself. <S> They really aren't delivering any significant amount of light, they aren't useful for ventilation, all they are as far as I'm concerned is thin/leaky/weak sections of wall.
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And since you can't see the window from the outside and it will be behind a wall inside, you probably won't be able to see any evidence of damage or leaks until it's too late and caused significant damage to your new walls and flooring. It isn't a problem now. From an insulation standpoint, the cost benefit analysis should factor thermal performance based on the weight of an empirically proven installation versus untested new construction and the requirement that the new construction must occur under less than ideal conditions (i.e. under a porch).
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can you combine 2 circuits into 1? Can I safely combine two 15 amp double pole circuits into a single 30 amp double pole circuit? I am trying to make space in my 200 amp box to put a 40 amp double pole breaker to support a water heater upgrade. The 200 amp box will support the added draw—whoever built this put a lot of small circuits in. <Q> No. <S> The breakers are sized for the wire that was run. <S> If you put two circuits into one breaker a single wire of the circuit (which was rated to carry 15amps) could now carry 30 before the breaker blows. <S> This can lead to melting wires and fires. <S> You could combine both circuits to a single 15 amp breaker, but it would likely be overloaded. <S> This might be a possibility if both circuits are very lightly loaded. <S> Otherwise you will need an electrician to setup a subpanel - they will add a second panel which connects to the first, and move some of the circuits to this new panel to create room in the main one. <A> No. <S> That is completely the wrong approach. <S> What you want to do is replace the two 15 amp breakers with a single tandem 15 amp breaker : <S> This maintains two independent 15 amp circuits for full protection, but it is more compact (and quite a bit more expensive than two non-tandem breakers). <S> Replacing two full size breakers with one will create one free slot. <S> For clarity, this is different than a double pole ganged breaker intended for a 240 volt appliance: <A> No. <S> You cannot protect a 15 ampere circuit, with a 30 ampere breaker. <S> Depending on your panel, an Electrician might be able to install tandem breakers to create space in the panel. <S> If not, the Electrician will be able to install a subpanel.
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What you can do, if your panel supports them, is get a tandem breaker - which will have two 15 amp circuit breakers in a single unit that takes up the same slot as a single breaker.
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Covering an above ground pool indefinitely We bought a house with an above ground pool 3 years ago and never opened the pool. We just opened it and the water is brown and about 1/3 full. There's dirt, leaves and just dirty/stained in general. People say we have to replace our liner. However, we're renting the house out pretty soon. We obviously can't leave it open like that forever. So what we really want to do is close it indefinitely and not waste money on replacing the liner now then replace it again when we get the house back from the tenants. What are our options? <Q> What you see there is not just water - it's probably already an ecosystem all by itself. <S> If you would examine it, you'll see that there may be thousands of bacterial and other microscopic species there, most of which you wouldn't appreciate living in close proximity with people. <S> To make sure your new renters aren't killed off by the pool creatures, please make sure it is sealed closed, with no risk of people entering it, falling into it, or otherwise being able to use it. <S> This, of course, assumes that you need it to function as a pool once your renters leave. <S> If you don't care for the pool at all, simply fill it in completely and erase all traces, and you should be good. <S> Or, you can always make it a fresh, pristine and proper pool, and charge your renters more for the privilege. <S> But as it stands, it's almost certainly unhealthy, and would constitute a public hazard somewhere. <A> If I were a renter, I would happily pay quite a bit more than usual to rent a house with a functional swimming pool. <S> If you know who your renters will be <S> and they are not interested in paying for it, then you have a choice of a few general philosophies: <S> The fence option—while expedient—may attract garbage and debris. <S> A safety cover provides lasting value. <S> (I looked, but couldn't find the news story about an SUV which fell into a backyard swimming pool, but was held by this type of cover only a foot or two into the water.) <S> Erase it: You can be paid to accept clean fill from construction companies to fill it in. <S> Then grade and pack it to either cap it with concrete to make a patio, deck it over, plant lawn/shrubs/etc., or leave it so the old pool deck is an interesting walkway. <S> Or tear up all the concrete. <S> Restore it: This could be anywhere from a day's work to several weeks. <S> Drain and power wash it, and see what kind of condition it is in. <S> If it is mechanically sound but has <S> cracks, gaps, and etc., a new pool liner for a small in ground pool can be as little as $400 . <S> If the gunite is in poor repair, a mason might be able to restore it in several days work for less than $1000. <S> If it is finished in ceramic tile, it will be several times that and take several weeks. <S> If the recirculation and filtering systems have been neglected, it might take hundreds to thousands of dollars to restore them. <A> Or, you could turn it into a natural pool where nature cleans the water for you. <S> And chuck in some gold fish to keep the mosquito larvae at bay. <S> Note also that a still pool like this with fish will keep the mosquito population down for your local area as the mosquitos will be attracted to the water to lay their eggs, and will get eaten by the fish. <S> The fish can be fed by installing floating solar powered lights to attract moths, and other insects which will fall into the water again feeding the fish. <S> The water remains clean enough to swim in if you have enough plants around the edges to cleanse the water.
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Preserve the pool: Drain it, leave the drain open, and put a fence around it or a durable safety cover over it.
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How do I join pieces of wood tiles, 12" by 12" pieces, to make a larger slab? I have a project to work on that requires me using larger pieces of planks than what I currently have. I have square planks all over the porch that would suffice if only I had a good way of fitting pieces together.How can I join these individual pieces 12" by 12" tiles to make longer or larger planks for my project please? <Q> Use a biscuit joiner. <S> Then glue and clamp to dry. <S> But depends what you using them for. <S> There not going to be heaps strong if the timber spands over a distance. <A> The right way: buy a bigger piece of wood. <S> While a scarf joint (various types are available) is strong, with such short pieces of wood you probably don't have enough wood in each piece to support two scarf joints - not to mention that they are fiddly as heck to cut, and make buying larger planks look a lot more sensible. <S> A scarf joint needs to have a long tapered form to have strength. <S> For more robust uses, without buying a bigger piece of wood, you could double the thickness and glue them in an overlapping manner (like a "running bond" in bricklaying.) <A> If you're joining two pieces of wood along the length of the grain, the glue bond can be stronger than the wood itself. <S> Butt joints are the exact opposite. <S> If you need to join two grain ends, you'll want to reinforce it with biscuits or dowels (or possibly something even fancier like dovetails). <S> Without knowing what you're attempting to make, my suggestion would be to stagger the "planks" so that they make a solid 6" joint on the sides and reinforce with dowels on the ends.
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For very limited, low-stress uses, the biscuit joiner as mentioned by @Nathan might work well enough - as might a Tongue and groove joint, double-groove and spline joint, or lap joint.
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Should wood be treated or sealed before tiling? Building two service shelves next to a BBQ shack, that's exposed to Oregon weather. I intend to use HB over the wood. Should the wood be sealed first before using the HB, then apply the tile? <Q> Sealing the surface may reduce warpage, but will have limited effect on long-term rot issues. <A> You should always use a waterproof barrier between cementitious tile board and wood in wet applications. <S> Tile grout and hardibacker and wonderboard and concrete and any other cement based material is porous and water will eventually penetrate. <S> For your application a "cold applied" black waterproofer (in lieu of the normal hot-mop asphalt) could be used, you can get it at a tile supply store. <S> Or at least put down some craft paper that is fastened above the shelf in back and overlaps the front edge to allow penetrating moisture to "weep" away off the front edge. <A> There is no reason to use pressure treated wood if it is under both HB and tile. <S> It won't see moisture and PT wood warps more as it looses moisture. <S> You could also Redgard your HB before tiling. <S> Also HB is not supposed to be used outside according to manufacturer. <S> Would I use it outside in your situation. <S> Yes. <S> But just throwing that out there. <A> I wouldn't use hardibacker outside; I'd use a cementitious (durock etc.) <S> instead. <S> And then I'd use a waterproofer/isolation membrane like Ditra. <S> This will not only waterproof things, it will also provide some isolation against movement and cracking.
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The wood should be pressure-treated or naturally rot-resistant.
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Why did polyurethane make wood feel coarse? I have a piece of pine I want to use for shelving. I added some finish and then added a thin layer Minwax Fast-drying Polyurethane (clear semi-gloss) with a foam brush. It looks great, but the wood now has a coarse texture to it. I've never done this before so I'm guessing I screwed up somewhere or am using a bad brand of polyurethane... or maybe just need to apply more coats. <Q> First of all, I'm assuming you already sanded the surface smooth enough before you started. <S> If you put polyurethane on a rough surface you will get a rough finish. <S> Second, as @keshlam says, make sure there is no dust at all on the surface before you apply the finish. <S> A slightly damp cloth can help pick up anything remaining (but make sure the wood is dry before you apply). <S> Also, don't bother trying to apply a finish in a dusty environment, that's just asking for frustration. <S> Moving quickly, do a thin coat over the surface and then don't go back to touch it up . <S> Small bubbles may form on the surface as air comes out <S> but it will be OK. <S> If you keep re-brushing over the finish as it gets tacky you will leave the surface rough. <S> Finally, your chosen brand (Minwax) is perfectly fine, so no particular concerns there. <S> If the can has been sitting a while make sure you stir it before using, but don't shake . <S> You don't want to introduce unnecessary air into the poly. <A> The first coat of finish will raise the grain of the wood, so you need to sand it down with some sandpaper (220 grit or so) before you put on the next coat. <S> This is mentioned in the directions . <A> In addition to the excellent advice above, for soft woods like pine it is often necessary to raise the grain before applying a finish for smoothest results. <S> Sand smooth and using a tack cloth to remove the dust lightly spray the surface with a little water from a spray bottle, and/or wipe the surface with a damp cloth. <S> Don't soak the surface, just damp. <S> Let stand for a while (a few hours to overnight, depends on ambient humidity). <S> When you come back to the wood, the surface may feel fuzzy as the individual wood fibers swell and stand proud of the surface. <S> Now knock it back down to flat with a very fine sandpaper and tack it again. <S> Let dry, and apply your finish. <S> On rare occasions you'll need to do this more than once.
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Another possibility is that you kept brushing over the finish as it dried, which is a common beginner mistake.
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Should a neutral wire ever be connected to the neutral for the power meter? I was not working with this circuit breaker box but I was interested to see what was going on with only 3 breakers for the entire apartment. I found a neutral from the apartment going into the neutral with the power meter. Is this safe and to code? What else is wrong with this picture? <Q> I am not sure I understand the intent of your question. <S> It just passes through the meter box. <S> Old electric meters don't have a connection to it at all. <S> Electric meters monitor both hot legs and add up the kilowatt hours based on current flow through those. <S> photo source . <S> The only remarkable thing I see in your photo is the unusually small number of circuits. <S> That makes sense if heating, air conditioning, hot water are provided by the landlord or commons and you don't have an electric range, laundry, etc. <S> Nothing but some lights and electronics. <A> I've labeled some things in your photo, that might help you understand what's going on. <S> The wires coming up into the panel are your service conductors, of which you have two "hot" and one "neutral". <S> From there you have "hot" branch-circuit conductors, which are connected through circuit breakers. <S> There's also a branch-circuit "neutral", for each branch circuit. <S> You seem to be concerned that one of the branch-circuit "neutral" conductors, is terminated under the same lug as the service "neutral". <S> Which is a valid concern. <S> You'd have to check the documentation or labeling on the panel, to determine how many conductors can be terminated at that terminal. <S> It looks to me like that circuit predates the other two, and possibly even the panel itself. <S> I'm guessing when they updated the panel, that conductor wouldn't physically reach the "neutral" bus. <A> Remember that power runs from source, thru meter, to breaker box. <S> That isn't power to meter, it's power FROM meter (two phases, red and black). <S> It makes perfect sense to me that neutral too would be drawn from the main box thru the meter box to the apartment box. <S> I don't see anything questionable here. <A> For GFCI or AFCI breakers, the neutral/white wire connects to the breaker, which has its own lead to connect to the neutral bus.
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The neutral wire is not metered. To directly answer your question, yes, the neutral should be connected form the meter to the same bus as the individual circuits in the apartment for conventional breakers, which only switch the hot (black) wires. Instead of splicing the wire, they simply terminated it with the service "neutral". National Electrical Code limits each terminal to one conductor, but allows device manufacturers to override that as long as there is documentation stating such.
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Lights and outlets on multiple circuits out but no circuits tripped. Power back to normal after several hours for the past several days the lights and outlets to multiple rooms in my house have been going out, yet no circuits are tripped. This is happening to lights and outlets on multiple circuits. The weird thing is, the power is restored after several hours. The only common factor between the downed lights/outlets is that they are all on circuits that on the left side of the breaker box. I've check all GFCIs. The house was built in 1980. Any ideas? <Q> Before trying anything else, switch all four of those breakers completely off and then on. <S> Many models of breakers do not visibly trip: to reset them, they need to be shut off first. <S> If that doesn't work, take the panel cover off to see what is going on inside. <S> Be careful not to touch any exposed bare metal wires, especially near the main breakers. <S> Look for disconnected wires (especially on the dead circuits). <S> If they all seem connected, check for loose wires by gently wiggling each wire one at a time by grasping on the insulation near the connection. <S> Each circuit has a white wire which goes into a terminal strip which is the neutral and ground bus, like at both sides of the photo (from here ). <S> Wiggle all those wires too. <S> If there are separate bus bars, they will be connected together with a wire (unless this is not the main service panel). <S> Carefully scrutinize all the connections into the bus bars. <S> It does not make sense that all four circuits failed and are clustered together in the panel like that. <S> If one phase of the 240 volt service failed, it would affect every other circuit, both left side and right sides. <S> Also, probably none of the 240 volt appliances would work right. <S> If all the connections are fine, obtain an AC voltmeter and check that there is 120 volts (±10%) between each breaker terminal and neutral. <S> Maybe those wires go through a junction box which is disconnected? <S> It might be necessary to look inside every junction box, switch, and outlet box until the problem is found. <A> The answer is there are two main power circuits going into the house. <S> The affected line was cutting out due to tree roots. <S> PGE came out and fixed the line. <S> We cut down the tree whose roots were tugging on the circuit. <A> Have an electrician come out and look at your box. <S> You probably have a loose connection in there.
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If all four of those breakers are providing voltage but the circuits are dead, there is a break between that end of the wire and the outlets.
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Can I use rubber bumper pads to prop open a door? I live in a one person apartment. Since no one else lives there, I don't need the door to my bedroom to close. Actually, I would prefer if it could be permanently propped open. The reason is, if I have my hands full, I can open the door without moving my hands. Or if I'm carrying a glass of water, I can always have 2 hands on the glass and open the door with my back. This is impossible if the door is latched. I would like to stop the door just before it latches. I searched on Google Images and found these rubber bumper pads. They're clear and practically invisible. I was thinking I would place a few of them on the sides and they would make sure the door doesn't shut. I think they're from 3M, which I have used their products to hang wall art. Those products worked like a charm. My pictures to this day stand up. I think this is the solution to this problem, but I would like to confirm with the experts on this website. There shouldn't be a problem with applying these rubber pads to the side of my bedroom door, right? Insight is greatly appreciated. <Q> Sounds more like a case for a doorstop -- either wedge style, or flip-down, or (what's becoming my personal favorite) magnetic -- to hold the door open rather than arguing with the latch. <S> And that would leave you with the option of closing the door if you ever have houseguests or other reasons to do so. <A> When I was growing up, we just stuffed whatever we could find (paper, plastic, etc) into the latch hole to fill it up. <S> That would probably work for you. <S> I didn't come up with the stuff to keep the door from latching, and I didn't make it better. <S> <-- Lame 3M joke. <A>
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A piece of tape over the latch hole, or the latch itself would prevent the latch from catching. You could also remove the latch from the door, and replace it when you move out.
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How to cut thick felt carpet pad? We are installing carpeting and purchased felt pad for it. Using a utility knife, though, even changing the blades frequently, we are having a really hard time cutting it. Is there a tool, technique, or better knife/blade that we should be using for felt carpet padding? <Q> Take a 2x4 or other long straight edge, and stand on it to compress the pad and stabilize it, then use your utility knife to cut it. <A> If you are doing a lot of carpet/flooring work, get yourself a hooked flooring/carpet knife (any hardware store will have them). <S> They have a large hooked blade and a good solid handle. <S> #1 workplace injury: utility knife vs. body part. <A> You might laugh, but I use a very sharp BREAD knife on certain types of soundproofing/wool insulation (ROXUL) and it slices it like butter. <S> You might try something like that. <A> I ended up trying a carpet knife, and it worked perfectly. <S> I'm not sure why it would cut when the utility knife wouldn't, perhaps just the longer length of expose blade did the trick, or perhaps my utility blades weren't very sharp. <S> Also came in very handy for trimming the carpet later. <A> I use a carpet cutter from roberts, its a red handle carpet cutter for cutting carpet with pad attached. <S> The blade is adjustable for different sizes. <S> I do this every day as I work in flooring
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I also used a board underneath and pressed firmly, but it was still much better than the utility knife, industrial scissors, serrated knife, and all the other methods I tried. Remember to keep body parts out of the "line of fire".
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How should I support upright posts on a slab with no footer? We are wanting to use a structural ridge beam to put a new roof on our house. I have been talking with an engineer who said that we need to determine how big the footer is under our slab. However, when I dug out under the slab I discovered that there is not footer - it is a floating slab. We need some way to reinforce the slab to support the weight of the upright posts and roof, but we can't just pour piers that would go below the frost line because it would move separately from the rest of the slab. Is there any other way to reinforce the slab to hold the weight of the roof? -EDIT- Apparently I used incorrect terminology. What we have is a slab that appears to have no footer whatsoever. I thought that was called a "floating slab" but apparently a floating slab still has a footer. It appears that we just have a 4-6 inch slab of concrete sitting on top of hard clay. There is no footer at all visible at the perimeter of the slab. I dug down 2 feet and dug 1 foot under the edge and there is nothing there. <Q> First of all, the ground directly under the center of your house is unlikely to freeze, because the house is sitting on top of it protecting it from direct exposure to the cold. <S> Freezing under the foundation is mainly a concern at the perimeter. <S> So - directly below where you want the support to connect to the beam, using a plum line mark the foundation. <S> Cut through the foundation and down to a depth of at least 2 feet (whatever code requires). <S> Install a new footer in the ground and level the new concrete with the level of the slab. <A> Difficult to be sure, but it will depend in part on what your "floating slab" construction is - around here, that's a "thick-edged" reinforced construction and would typically support the load - <S> the edge of the slab is thicker than the center, and considerable reinforcing steel is placed to transfer loads so that the whole slab supports the structure - the entire thing is "the footer" and it results in very low ground pressure as a result. <S> Ours are also insulated to deal with "not being very deep" in country where the frost goes 4 feet down - between insulation and heating the building, they don't freeze. <S> Or you may decide that sticking with a trussed roof that does not require central support is the better option, all costs considered. <S> As a generic approach, you could potentially build a structure on top of the slab to spread the column load, if the slab reinforcement is not, itself, up to that task - that will of course be "architecturally inconvenient" unless it's something like a steel beam that you can replace the bottom of a wall with <S> so it's hidden. <S> Your engineer would need to size that structure. <S> In new construction that would simply be built into the slab with extra reinforcement and possibly a thicker part of the slab - that is hard to retrofit in an economically sensible fashion. <A> Properly supported loads are supported by foundations. <S> A slab is not a foundation. <S> A footing is a very simple type of minimal foundation. <S> Using sound engineering practice calculate the required loads per the Building Code. <S> These include but are not limited to: dead, live, snow, seismic, and wind loads. <S> Determine the bearing capacity of the soil. <S> Consult a geotechnical engineer if necessary. <S> Using sound engineering practice determine the size and location of the footing as well as the design of all connections between components in accord with the loads. <S> Saw cut the existing slab and excavate for the new footing. <S> Drilling and epoxying dowels into the existing slab is a common way of monolithically joining a new footing to existing flatwork. <S> Construction is messy and expensive. <S> Using buildings no more qualifies one to build than using the web qualifies one to write a shortest path algorithm.
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If you cannot find details about how your slab is constructed (make a significant effort to find that information), you may need to have an engineer investigate it to get some idea of what it might support. In order to support the ridge beam of your roof, which means the weight of the entire roof, you definitely need to carry that load all the way from the beam down to a footer.
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How do I wire a ceiling fan? I recently purchased a ceiling fan - Harbor Breeze Tilghman WITHOUT a light - to replace a ceiling fan WITH a light. The wires coming from the (old)ceiling are red, black, white, green, and copper. The green wire is coming from the ceiling mounting bracket. I do know the light worked on the previous fan before replacement, but the fan motor had long burned out. On the new fan, the wires are white, blue, and black; with the green ground wire from the downrod. The old fan connected to one switch, which turned on both the fan and light, then we could use the pull chains to turn either/or off as desired. I have tried multiple wiring combinations and still the fan does not work. What wiring combinations do you suggest - aside from the obvious white-white, black-black, and green to green, I'm not sure if I need to connect the red (from the ceiling) or the blue (from the fan - since we don't have a light on this fan) to anything or to simply leave the alone and wrapped in electrical tape. Any suggestions?? <Q> Absolutely do not leave the wires alone wrapped in electrical tape. <S> Electrical tape does not have enough longevity to safely protect the exposed leads and can create a hazard in the future. <S> The blue wire exists to support the future addition of a light. <S> The polite thing to do for your future self or future owner of your home would be to connect the blue and red wires. <S> However, it is not necessary; if you do not want to, you can cap both leads with wire nuts. <S> Note that it is also legitimate to connect the black on the fan to the red from the ceiling, and the blue on the fan to the black from the ceiling. <S> Assuming you have two switches, that will swap which switch controls the fan and which switch controls the light. <S> If the existing black-black connection doesn't work, you can try the black-red. <S> If that does work, it would suggest that the switch for the fan has failed, although it could also indicate other wiring problems. <A> Green to green, white to white. <S> Assuming you have a two gang switch (two switches at wall, only one used). <S> Blue and Black from fan connected either to the red or black wire from wall. <S> Other wire needs to be wire capped. <S> The black wire from the fan is the hot for the fan motor, the blue is for an optional light kit. <A> The wires from the ceiling box are probably a "hot" wire (black), a neutral wire (white), a ground wire (copper), and a switched-hot (red)(see description here ). <S> On the fan you probably have a neutral (white), a "hot" lead for the motor and a "hot" lead for the light that is not there (blue & black). <S> So... <S> Hook black (or red if you want to control it from the wall switch) from the ceiling to the black and the blue on the fan <S> (since we do not know which one is for the motor and which is for the light).Hook white to whiteHook all greens to the copper. <S> You will need to have the wall switch turned on to operate the unit if you use the red wire. <S> Cap all unused wires. <S> Please never work on live electrical equipment and use an electrical tester to confirm all wiring assumptions.
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Most fans can be equipped with light kits so they have a wire for it.
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Is it normal for an exhaust fan cover to hang below the finished ceiling? I live in an apt complex and have asked my live-in manager to please fix the bathroom fan. He tells me that there is "nothing to fix". Can someone please tell me if this is true? <Q> This is not normal. <S> The trim plate should be tight against the finished ceiling. <S> If that doesn't work, you'll have to adjust the retaining clips to hold the plate in place. <A> I have had this issue a few times with bathroom fans. <S> I have no idea why the manufacturers don't just let us screw the fans in. <S> The retaining clips are crap, sometimes don't hold well and often are never snug when they do. <S> Yours is really bad <S> so I am thinking it is not in the right spot. <S> You usually have to hold the clips together and push up. <S> A first option is to cut off part of the retaining clip and try again. <S> But more often than not when I have this issue I simply drill a small hole on opposite side of cover and screw them into the ceiling (use a drywall anchor). <S> These are really light and the screws are much easier to deal with than the clips. <A> Could also be that the frame is installed above the finished ceiling so clips aren't able to get above the wide spot where they lock. <S> Drop the level of the exhaust fan
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You might be able to simply push the trim plate up, where it will lock into place.
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Do I need a permit to renovate a porch in NYC? I want to renovate my 2nd floor porch, but I don't know if NYC requires a permit. My house was built in 1901, and I believe a CO is not needed because of the grandfather clause. But if I make any alterations, will it be an issue if I want to sell my house and don't have a CO? Does changing the size of the porch also require an engineer or architect be involved? If I kept it the same size, but made slight improvements, would that help me circumvent needing the city's approval? I've never been through the process of applying for a permit, and I don't know what it all entails. Any help is appreciated. <Q> At the point where someone wonders, "Is a building permit required?" <S> the answer is usually, Yes. <S> The only definitive answer will come from the local building department. <A> As a highly-regulated hobby, pretty much everything about DIY remodeling requires a permit. <S> This is generally more true the more structural the project and the bluer the state you live in. <S> However, among DIYers, permit requirements are commonly ignored with no consequences, usually because nobody can see you doing the work. <S> However, common sense dictates that if the project you are considering is sufficiently complicated or extreme that you feel like you might need to go get a permit, <S> what you probably actually need is professional help, and the professional you hire will pull any required permits for you. <S> Now, to apply this to your situation: you're looking at possible structural modifications to a second-story porch on a hundred-year-old house in one of the most highly regulated and bureaucratized cities in America where privacy is a distant memory. <S> Darn right you're going to need a permit. <S> You're also probably going to want to hire a pro <S> so you don't kill yourself, unless the modifications you're considering involve anything more drastic than repainting. <S> Said pro will helpfully pull the permit for you, double the price he paid to do so, add it onto your bill, and pocket the difference. <A> Location specific advice is generally considered off topic as per the [faq] <S> but, that said... <S> Whether or not you actually GET one is a different question, but a blanket "yes, probably" applies here. <S> But that said - a permit only applies to the work being done. <S> If you get a permit for a new electrical line in the front room, and don't touch the line to the 2nd floor light in the back, the existing work is almost always automatically grandfathered "as is". <S> The general rule is if you TOUCH it, it has to be brought to code. <S> So the CO question does not apply because: <S> You don't put CO detectors on a porch (no point) <S> The porch renovation won't have anything to do with the basement
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Pretty much anything you do to a building "requires" a permit.
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Framing a wall over a carpeted floor I have a carpeted basement. There is both pad and carpet over concrete. There is a section I want to wall off and turn into a bedroom, it will not be load bearing. I would prefer not to have to pull up the carpet to anchor the frame into the floor. Would you recommend nailing through the carpet? Will it be sturdy enough? The follow on question to that is will baseboards go in over the carpet effectively or will they look off? <Q> No, I would not recommend nailing through carpet. <S> Whether or not you prefer to, cutting the carpet and pad and removing them (under the wall) is the only right way to do this job. <S> Baseboards on top of carpet will look like baseboards on top of carpet. <S> If that's not how the rest of the baseboards are done, they will indeed look "off;" especially in the corners where the two types come together. <A> I think the big issue is the carpet. <S> It was stretched for the current room. <S> You are basically nailing the carpet into the floor in the middle. <S> Your carpet will have issues in at least one of the rooms if not both. <S> To rectify the first thing you will have to do is take a knife and cut along the walls. <S> Then lay tacking strips and restretch carpet. <S> This isn't rocket science but this will happen. <A> I have seen framing installed over carpet several times. <S> It worked well enough. <S> In one commercial building, the landlord divided a large office space into a bunch of small offices by installing sheet metal framing and sheetrock without doing anything to the carpet. <S> It was a commercial grade carpet with little padding and it compressed just fine when they power-tacked the stud into the concrete through the carpet. <S> After finishing and trim molding, it was hard to tell it wasn't a very well done carpet installation. <S> There was carpet under all the walls; the offices seemed perfectly fine. <S> The carpet was unusable so we tossed it out. <S> This was a wood frame floor though, not concrete. <A> Not only should you not nail over carpet for several reasons: <S> As Ecnerwal said, it will look off If any water gets trapped in that carpet it will rot and stink <S> There is an additional concern. <S> You can't just nail down a 2x4 into concrete. <S> Period. <S> You need special equipment to secure a bottom plate to concrete. <S> Typically it's done with a nailer that fires a cartridge using something akin to a bullet. <S> Concrete wicks moisture, so that wood will rot eventually if it's exposed to bare concrete. <S> You need a sill pad or other moisture barrier between the 2x4 and the concrete, and no, carpet won't do the job.
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The most important thing is the carpet in the rooms. Keeping a padding and old carpet below 2x4 isn't something I would ever suggest but the chances are no one will ever know unless they take the wall out. Now the pad and carpet could make fastening the 2x4 to the concrete. That is something to think about. You aren't doing anything majorly wrong but the initial laziness is just putting off the work. At another commercial building, we did the opposite: tore out a bunch of walls to make a cluster of small offices into a classroom. Plus, you need to protect that wood.
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How can I convert a closed stringer staircase to an open stringer staircase? Currently I have a closed stringer staircase against a wall in my home, and my plan is to convert it into an open stringer staircase. I have looked underneath the staircase and there is no central stringer, just three triangle bits against the join between the treads and risers. How feasible is this conversion and would it be a case of simply cutting the tops of the stringer in line with the treads, or a case of adding a central stringer maybe? Just to aid my question I have attached a pic from underneath and how it looks above <Q> It depends on how the particular stair was constructed. <S> Although the absence of a central stringer is evidence that the treads are capable of spanning without the support of a riser, it is not proof that they are adequate for the span. <S> Likewise, the absence of a central stringer does not mean that the stair is laterally stable without risers. <S> Even assuming the stair is constructed to withstand the removal of the risers, the feasibility of 'simply cutting the tops of the stringer' has a lot to do with what constitutes feasibility. <S> Risers stiffen. <S> Bouncing treads or squeaky steps are not consistent with the intent. <S> What performed well before, may not perform well after modification. <S> In addition, aesthetics probably plays a role and might even be the driving motivation. <S> Just having open risers is unlikely to be enough, they need to look good, and the ease with which the desired results can be obtained is probably also a consideration. <S> Sawing and cutting and patching a closed riser stair to the point of an aesthetically satisfactory open riser stair is likely to be extremely labor intensive. <S> Particularly given that errors are part and parcel of the learn as you go method one must use when tackling a problem without a straight-forward solution. <S> So sure, it might be feasible. <S> That doesn't necessarily make it cheaper or easier or more cost effective than simply replacing the existing stair with something close to what you actually envision. <S> Cutting out the risers doesn't change the basic fact that it's a construction project where quality of fit and finish matter. <A> The problem you have is that on a staircase designed with open stringers, the tread sits on top of the full thickness of the stringer, and often sticks out a bit over. <S> In a closed stringer setup, the tread is wedged in a dado (a groove) cut into the inside face of the stringer. <S> Generally the groove is about half the thickness of the stringer. <S> If you cut off the sections of stringer over each tread, you make the stringer less rigid, both vertically and laterally. <S> You also weaken the lateral compression that helps hold the staircase together. <S> Unless you can get an engineer (or very experienced builder) to affirm that the stair will be strong and stable enough after surgery, I would strongly urge you not to do it. <S> As an alternative, you might be able to insert a properly constructed open stringer inside <S> the two existing stringers, sister (attach laterally) <S> the new and old stringers, then trim the old. <S> This would depend on whether you have sufficient access to the inside areas, and whether you can get adequate support on the top and bottom edges of the new stringers. <A> You will need to completely redo the stairs to convert to an open stringer. <S> From the pictures you provided, there would be about 2-3 inches of material left from the cut. <S> Do you really only want that much material to support 12 feet of stairs? <A> What if you temporarily supported the stairway from underneath (use 1x10s or 2x10s against the bottom of the stairs, supported by vertical 4x4s) then cut out and remove the outside stringer completely. <S> You could then use the bottoms and backs of the existing treads and risers as a template to cut a new heavy-duty stringer. <S> Then you could replace the treads one by one. <S> Make sure your finished width from new banister to wall meets or exceeds local code clearance requirements. <S> Buy hardware at your local mom-and-pop shop when you can, and buy American made products whenever possible.
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If you were to cut the stringer flush to the top of the stairs you will not have enough structural support left to safely support the stairs.
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How can I improve the stability of this DIY pull-up bar? I built this pullup rig: as part of my calisthenics workout. The problem is that it there's too much swing. The first version also suffered from instability issues, even with more pipes: A Lowe's employee suggested I add diagonal pipes that attach to vertical pipes at an angle, using angle brackets typically used for fencing (suggested to me), but I'm not sure how that looks like. I've also seen this solution using clamps with diagonal supports ( video ). What are my options in reducing the swing? I'd like to optimize for ease of installation and cost, as I don't have experience drilling. <Q> Added 2 eyelets per corner and used rope to tighten the tension. <S> Not quite an A-frame like the other answer, <S> but it's now very stable. <S> I also noticed the instability was due to the wooden planks not being completely flat, so I padded the gap with magazines and doorstoppers, and now it doesn't budge at all. <S> Thanks for all the suggestions! <A> Bracing should be 45 degrees or more. <S> The sway is horizontal so that's where you need to brace it. <S> You can also brace it to the wall. <S> Threaded pipe is great to work with if acquired at scrap metal prices. <S> Think of making a square or rectangular frame with it, then weight the corners if needed for even more stability. <S> This could make an excellent calisthenics project. <S> After you have the kinks worked out, sell the idea with all the parts necessary to others though shipping might make this awkward for anybody but local people. <S> You deserve to be rewarded after experimentation and refinement. <S> You can also just sell the plans for much less as no parts are involved. <S> Or post them on a website and monetize it if you are able to get the traffic for ads. <S> That probably has the most potential of all. <S> Just make sure you legally disclaim yourself before embarking down this road. <S> And don't have your real name attached to the website <S> so its impossible for scam artists to do an asset search on you. <A> Attach the bar to the wall. <S> Trying to leverage from the floor will require several times the lateral forces applied at the top. <S> By attaching it at the top, the forces will be one to one. <S> If direct attachment is not feasible, then bars which brace against opposing walls would prevent the need to drill into any wall. <A> Add a A - frame for support. <S> Would be heaps stronger.
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Some people screw a thick piece of plywood to the studs of the wall then anchor things to that.
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Home Light Automation - Emulate 4 way switch with relay I've been thinking of ways to do home automation that is somewhat future proof (hardwired); and the best idea I have is to use relays for lights on a 3 way switch circuit. Put in a dual pole dual throw relay and have it emulate a 4 way switch. Also add a current sensor so I can tell if the light is on or off (secondary goal). All the lighting circuit wiring is in the attic (1 story house) so I'll splice the box in above. Due to the nature of the way a 4 way switch works this should be passive and allow for simple switches to be used unlike what I saw here Any obvious problems with this DIY home automation? . Also means that if the automation logic is removed the switches will work as normal. I can put these in now and worry about hardware/software later; having all control and sensor wires run back to a central location. Question is what relay do I need to get, and how would I wire it up in order to accomplish this task? I was thinking of using 24vac coils because they are very common (in homes) but that makes it harder to hook up to a logic board as I'll need another relay to convert DC to AC for the coil on the 120v (USA) relay. Pretty sure I would need a DTDP (or 2x STDP) latching relay but I'm not sure which one to get and how to wire it up so that the circuits cross like X or goes parallel like = when given a switch signal. Making all switches be 3 way wouldn't be that hard to do in this house; so I could do this for every light switch without too much hassle. <Q> You can purchase and utilize a common DPDT type relay (Double Pole / Double Throw) to create a cross over switch. <S> It is pretty easy to understand from the following relay diagram: <S> You connect one circuit to the two NC (normally closed) terminals of the relay. <S> The other circuit connects to the two COM (common) terminals. <S> Then you add two additional wires which cross connect the two NC terminals to the opposite NO (normally open) terminals. <S> The coil of course is driven with the control voltage that you have selected. <S> The simplest control voltage to use would be +12V DC. <S> If you go ahead and use 24V AC for the relay coils then you would have to use an additional relay for each switch control to translate the switching from the AC realm to the low voltage DC realm. <S> (There are circuit components available that can switch the 24VAC <S> but it gets more complex than necessary for an application where +12V DC can be easily used instead. <S> And then you can derive the needed +12V DC from a re-purposed computer power supply. <S> A major concern when building any type of system such as this, where you bring remote control wiring into the mains wiring boxes of your house, is safety and isolation. <A> Personally, I'd stick with a carrier-current or radio system -- <S> TREMENDOUSLY easier to install, lower risk due to the inherent isolation, UL or equivalent certification <S> so you aren't going to have home inspectors failing your place for code violations... <S> and, frankly, if you are asking this question you shouldn't be designing this system. <A> If you already have a fully functional relay module with a minimum of 2 channels than you can emulate this type of circuit by wiring it this way... <S> I am sorry for not being able to make a slide for this... <S> so m uploading an image of the hand drawn circuit...I have personally done this at my house... <S> You have to switch both the relays
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There are plenty of relays available that have 12V DC coils and your remote automation control can use simple transistors to drive the relay coils. Only relays rated properly should be used and you would bear the safety liability associated with stringing the control wires around your house.
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Running a new kitchen light circuit from a receptacle with a "traveller." I'd like to power a set of three ceiling-mounted down-lights from an existing receptacle in a kitchen reno. A picture of the existing receptacle is attached. My confusion is it has a fourth wire (red), which I believe is called a traveller. I think it indicates this receptacle is part of a switched circuit, but I can find no such switch in my old house and according to my breaker box, this receptacle has a circuit all to itself.Anyway, I just want to power this string of LEDs. Can I tap into this receptacle to get the power without disturbing the rest of the universe? And how do I do it?Sincere thanks! <Q> Before you terminate and dead end the red wire in the box there a couple of things to consider. <S> Since there are obviously two hots providing power to a split outlet (i.e. tab removed) it does NOT necessarily mean that half the outlet is switched. <S> It could just be that two separate circuits supply power from two circuit breakers. <S> The red wire may come from one breaker. <S> It is a possibility that all of the kitchen outlets may have been split and two circuits provide good capacity to the kitchen. <S> On the other hand the black wire you have may already be daisy chained to other outlets and the red specifically routed to half of this outlet for a single point dedicated load. <S> Another thing to consider, from your comment that you are discontinuing this outlet completely, is that it is rare that you have too many outlets in a kitchen. <S> Do not put yourself in a situation a few years from now wishing you still had that outlet. <S> Lastly if you do succumb to the drive to eliminate the outlet completely do be aware that you cannot cover up and how the now unused junction box. <S> The cover has to be fairly accessible and not like walled over or hidden behind permanently installed fixtures. <A> In this context, the third conductor is just another hot. <S> (the tab is on the side with the red & black conductors, so I can't see if it's removed in the photo). <S> If the tab is still there, then both conductors are always hot, and having both connected is pointless. <S> To daisy chain wiring for additional outlets/lights/whatever, you just need to connect black-black and white-white (and bare to bare), and ignore the red entirely. <S> Two notes: 20 amp circuits are pretty common in kitchens; if the circuit has a 20 amp breaker, make sure you're using 12 gauge romex, not 14 gauge. <S> Also, I'm guessing that since there's only a single outlet on the circuit, it's intended to be a dedicated circuit for an appliance (microwave?) and running additional loads on the circuit may be against local code. <A> NO. <S> You CANNOT extend this kitchen receptacle circuit to feed lighting. <S> Both Canada (I believe) and the US have restrictions on this. <S> If you are removing it altogether then I would say it is probably OK, but WHY are you removing it? <S> There is a very real chance you are creating a different violation by removing it, unless a whole counter area is being removed also. <S> I assume you are in Canada, split <S> kitchen receptacles are a big thing there.
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Usually, when two hots are connected to an outlet like that, the break-away tab is removed, and one outlet is always on while the other is switched. The third insulated conductor is only called a "traveler" in the context of a three way switch (when two light switches control the same lights). You must find a different source to feed this lighting load.
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Installed Ceiling Fan, Now Light Switch Not Working Properly Last night I switched a ceiling light fixture with a Ceiling Fan. Before it was just a light fixture and it was controlled from a switch on the wall; one of two switches on the same switch plate/panel (so a double switch). The two switches controlled two different ceiling light fixtures. Now that the Ceiling Fan is in, one of the switches does nothing and the other controls both the Ceiling Fan and Light Fixture. I've tried researching the issue however my search terms always resulted in tutorials on how to have a Ceiling Fan with Lighting controlled by two separate Switches. There were only three wires in the ceiling box; red, green, and white. The green is the ground ostensibly (given how it was connected). There is a remote control kit installed for the fan. The red and white cables are connected to corresponding red and white cables on the kit box; which in turn has three wires which connect to the actual Ceiling Fans wiring. Any and all help appreciated. The unit is a Harbor Breeze (0152426). I strongly suspect the problem lies with the wiring for the wall switch unit. Some pics for clarity: Here is a picture of the switch with the panel off (original wiring); it is the switch on the left that does nothing and the one on the right which now turns on and off a ceiling light and a then the Ceiling Fan which itself was a ceiling light prior: Here is the wiring for the Ceiling Fan: <Q> Another thing that seriously needs to get corrected is the totally unacceptable workmanship of the wire attachment at the switches. <S> The wire insulation should be right up at the screw head. <S> The tail end of the wire should only extend out from under the screw heads by a very small amount. <S> If you have no recourse then you owe it to yourself, for safety and peace of mind, to get this mess cleaned up. <A> I suggest first off to take the remote control kit out of the installation to see if you can get the fan going without it. <S> Once that is successful then re-attempt introducing the remote unit. <A> Based on your descriptions (the pictures are hard to read), there should be red and black wires in the ceiling box. <S> It sounds like you should have tapped the fan's AC IN L into the black wire for the fan's switched hot line, but you tapped into the red instead. <S> If that is the case, just switch the fan power line over to the black. <S> Be sure to leave the other reds in the box connected or you will lose power in the other fixture. <A> Fan/light with no remote Put everything back the way it was. <S> Connect the white from the fan/light to the white from the ceiling. <S> Connect the green/bare from the fan/light to the green/bare from the ceiling. <S> Connect the black and blue wires from the fan/light to the black or red wire from the ceiling that was connected to the black wire from the old fixture. <S> Fan/light with remote Put everything back the way it was. <S> Connect the white wire from the ceiling to the white wire on the input side of the remote receiver. <S> Connect the green/bare wire from the ceiling to the green/bare wire on the input side of the remote receiver. <S> Connect the red or black wire from the ceiling to the black wire on the input side of the remote receiver. <S> Connect the white wire from the output side of the remote receiver to the white wire from the fan/light. <S> Connect the black wire from the output side of the remote receiver to the black wire from the fan/light. <S> Connect the blue wire from the output side of the remote receiver to the blue wire from the fan/light. <S> Connect the green/bare wire from the output side of the remote receiver to the green/bare wire from the fan/light. <S> If there's no green/bare wire on the output side of the remote receiver, connect the green/bare wire from the fan/light to the green/bare wire from the ceiling. <S> With this setup, the remote will only work when the wall switch is in the ON position. <A> Remote receivers control the light and fan usually, it only gets one power source. <S> Once installed only one switch will work. <S> It sucks but that's how they are. <S> You are bypassing the ability to control both functions from wall to the more "convenient" option of a remote. <S> The switches are both use less at this point. <S> Use the remote as the switch. <S> My fan had same issue. <S> They include a mount for remote to be placed over switch so u can control it from switch location and take remote when needed. <S> The one switch that does work will only provide power to the receiver from now and will not turn on either function. <S> So if u turn off light/fan, then if u turn back on from switch, nothing will happen until you click remote. <S> If u want both switches, remove receiver and straight wire the fan to the wiring. <S> I recommend something like a Berlin <S> wemo switch that will allow you to control the actuall switch remotely to control the fan, but at 40-50 a piece its not worth it to use for both functions, caus you will need two. <S> Good luck <S> -Joby <A> If you only have red green and white wired coming from the ceiling, that means it's only meant for one switch. <S> The other switch may be for an outlet in the room.
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Sometimes an outlet is set to a switch so you can connect a lamp and control it from a wall switch; if this is the case you will not be able to control the light and fan separately except with a remote control. If this wiring was prepared by someone that you paid to do the work you should take proper recourse to get them back to correct this extremely shoddy work.
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How far does a ground rod need to be from the foundation? I need to ground an antenna strapped to my chimney, which requires hammering in a new ground rod. However, the entire side of my house is paved, meaning I can't dig it up to find the foundation footing; I'll need to drill a hole to drive in the rod. How far should the ground rod be from the side of the house so it doesn't hit the footing? (This is especially a concern because it'll be right next to the chimney stack.) Also, please keep any answers to code (NFPA 70), as I need it to be able to pass inspection. If it is of any relevance, the house was built in 1942. <Q> It is best to keep it as close as possible, but nothing dictates this by code. <S> The main thing you want to avoid is getting it a few feed down then hitting the footing. <S> This is a PIA. <S> Here are the relevant code sections with regard to spacing. <S> Taken form the 2001 NEC. <S> III. <S> Grounding Electrode System and Grounding Electrode Conductor <S> 250.50 Grounding Electrode System <S> All grounding electrodes as described in 250.52(A)(1) through (A)(7) that are present at each building or structure <S> served shall be bonded together to form the grounding electrode system. <S> Where none of these grounding electrodes exist, one or more of the grounding electrodes specified in 250.52(A)(4) through (A)(8) shall be installed and used. <S> 250.53 <S> Grounding Electrode System Installation (B) Electrode Spacing. <S> Where more than one of the electrodes of the type specified in 250.52(A)(5) or (A)(7) are used, each electrode of one grounding system (including that used for strike termination devices) shall not be less than 1.83 m (6 ft) from any other electrode of another grounding system. <S> Two or more grounding electrodes that are bonded together shall be considered a single grounding electrode system. <S> (G) Rod and Pipe Electrodes. <S> The electrode shall be installed such that at least 2.44 m (8 ft) of length is in contact with the soil. <S> It shall be driven to a depth of not less than 2.44 m (8 ft) except that, where rock bottom is encountered, the electrode shall be driven at an oblique angle not to exceed 45 degrees from the vertical or, where rock bottom is encountered at an angle up to 45 degrees, the electrode shall be permitted to be buried in a trench that is at least 750 mm (30 in.) <S> deep. <S> The upper end of the electrode shall be flush with or below ground level unless the aboveground end and the grounding electrode conductor attachment are protected against physical damage as specified in 250.10. <A> I don't think there is any specification for minimum distance from the structure. <S> It just has to be driven in a full 8 feet. <S> Probably you will want to avoid driving it through the footing, though I suppose you could if you pre-drilled it. <S> In your case, maybe you want to run the ground wire around the corner to a more convenient place to install the ground rods. <S> I do recall there is a maximum distance they can be located, but it is pretty generous and usually trumped by "as close as practical" language in the code. <A> The grounding electrode conductors can be used to allow installation of the grounding electrode sufficiently far from the structure to avoid the footings. <S> There is little point in speculating in regard to the size and configuration of existing foundations. <S> However an reasonable estimate might be made using excavations on one or more other areas of the structure. <S> It is possible that properly installed grounding electrode conductors would allow the electrode to be installed in a location with fewer unusual conditions (depending of course on the site configuration). <A> I know this is an old post, but... <S> the ground rod should not come in contact with the concrete footing/foundation of the home, which typically protrudes a foot from the house. <S> Because of this, it is highly recommended the closest ground rod not be any closer than two feet from the home. <S> The second rod should be right feet from the first.
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There is no minimum or maximum distance from a foundation, footing, panel or otherwise.
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How do I know if I will drill into a hole in a wall that was already made? I drilled 2 large holes for mounting a flat screen in the bedroom. One hole is in a wood stud and the other is a metal stud. I will be renting out our apartment and will be taking the TV down and filling the holes and repainting walls. If I ever plan to move back into this apartment and mount a TV again in the same spot, how do I avoid not drilling in the same exact spot? Basically, I don't want to hit a portion of the same hole and create an even larger hole, making it very unsafe to mount a TV. Is there a way to mark the spot so that I know to avoid it in the future? <Q> These are designed to stop anyone from drilling into a wire that runs through a stud. <S> Patch the drywall. <S> Next time, if you can't find the location, and accidentally drill in the same spot, you'll hit the stud plate. <A> Why not just measure the height of your bracket and keep note of it, then next time mount it a few inches higher or lower so you don't risk hitting the same spots? <S> I suppose you could also plot the X,Y co-ordinates from a corner of the wall and mark those spots to avoid when you move back. <A> Why not just leave the bolts (lag, I assume) in the holes, screwed in below the level of the wall; then patch the wall. <S> You can find them with a magnet if you ever want to reuse them.
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Chip away the drywall over the hole and install a Stud Plate.
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How can I remove brush marks from a wall painted with metallic paint? I recently painted my kitchen wall with a metallic paint. I love the paint and the look it gives my wall, except I have brush marks in it. This wall was a new sheet rocked wall that was mudded and sanded. I made sure the wall was smooth before I painted. It suggested that I used a roller with a nap for smooth surface and I did, but I had to use a paint brush on the top of the wall by the trim. When it dried I seen bad brush marks, so I let it dry for 2 days and then sanded it lightly and it seemed as if it was all smooth again. I painted it again but this time I used a small roller after the first coat I still seen brush marks, so I waited a few days and painted it again. It has been 2 weeks and I still have brush marks. I was looking online for a way to fix this, and I found a site that said I should sand it lightly with 120 paper and then prime the wall before I paint it. <Q> Once dry, brush marks will not go away without sanding...sorry. <S> Once that is done though: When you paint any given space you should move precisely and quickly. <S> So in this case when you cut out the space in your kitchen (brushing the edges) you should immediately (before the cut work dries) go over it with the roller and get the roller as close to the edge as is reasonable. <S> Even with good brushes <S> (I agree with the poster who mentions using quality applicators, I was a painter for 10 years or so and they make a ton of difference) <S> you will still see a difference between the sheen on the portions that are brushed and the portions that are rolled but this can be minimized if you roll over the cut portions before they dry as it makes the sheen/texture match. <S> Edit: <S> Also, if you are using the same paint again there is absolutely no reason to prime after you sand down the brush marks. <A> Dark colors and metallics do not cover well as they do not have the pigment (titanium dioxide) that blocks out underlying colors . <S> The use of high quality applicators (brushes and rollers) is critical for ensuring a high quality final finish. <S> Buy a good paintbrush that will deliver an even coating application and you should see those brush marks disappear. <S> In our "disposable" society, everyone buys cheap brushes with the intent of throwing them out when done, only to suffer from lame results. <S> Get a good brush ($$), clean it thoroughly when you are done, and hang it up to reuse next time, over and over and over. <S> Just set aside time for clean up and it won't be so bad. <A> If you can borrow, rent, or buy a sprayer, I would highly recommend that for any metallic or pearlescent paints. <S> The thing about those types of paint is that they have little light-reflective bits in them. <S> As you apply the paint with a brush/roller/pad, the physical orientation of those bits (scientific term) is determined, at least in part, by the direction you're moving, the nap of the applicator, and the amount of pressure applied. <S> In the dried finish, the bits in one brush stroke will reflect light differently than the bits in another brush stroke applied at an angle just a couple of degrees off <S> and you will always be able to see the difference. <S> Sanding won't change the position of the bits -- they're set once the finish dries. <S> I paint a lot and don't often use it because I don't like the taping and draping (two hours of prep work, 30 minutes of spraying, 1 hour of clean up...), but it's the only way I've found to get a flawless finish with metallic paint. <S> It's also pretty great for things with a lot of nooks and crannies, e.g., closets with built-in shelves. <A> You won't get brush marks, but you may drive yourself crazy trying to make it look good, since the pad won't look the same as the roller on the rest of the wall.
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If you sand and prime over the part that has brush marks, you could try using a pad trim painter. I bought a sprayer after several frustrating attempts to apply metallic paint to a single wall.
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Can I count on being able to cut galvanized pipe to size? I am planning a shelving project that will use galvanized pipes. I am still designing the shelf and am wondering if I can plan on using whatever length pipe that I need (because they are straight-forward to cut) or are they difficult/costly to cut and I should find out what specific increments are available and design my shelf around that? After I cut them, the ends of the pipes won't be threaded anymore. Do I have anyway of using standard pipe fittings on pipes without threads? <Q> If you buy the pipe at Home Depot, they custom cut it (and thread it) for free. <S> You have to buy the pipe, and there is a fairly flexible policy that they will make up to three cuts per 10 foot length, but if you catch them an hour before closing or when it is not otherwise busy, they are very accommodating. <A> The ease of cutting will come down to the following: <S> The pipe schedule (thickness of the pipe wall) <S> The diameter of the pipe <S> The cutting tool to be used <S> reciprocating saw angle grinder with a zip blade <S> hacksaw <S> I've listed these in descending order with the easiest first (although this would be subjective based on your familiarity with the listed tools). <A> Why don't you use a standard sized and threaded pipe for your shelves? <S> Sizes range from 1" to 8'(foot) in lengths and 1/2" to 3" in half inch increments on the widths, in stock and on the shelves at Home D or just about any DIY Big Box Store. <S> This way you could create whatever you like and probably wind up within an inch or so of wherever you want it to fit. <S> Then all you will need are the fittings like elbows(90deg.and 45deg. <S> or even 22.5deg. <S> ) couplings, reducers or caps. <S> No cutting will be necessary and you can assemble it with a pair of adjustable grooved pliers or even a pipe wrench if you have one keeping in mind no water tight joints are necessary.
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Assuming that the pipe schedule is sch 40 or less and the diameter is 2" or less (larger diameters can limit the cutting tool selection and the increases the effort required to obtain a true parallel cut), the following cutting tools would be your best options: chop saw with an abrasive blade
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What could cause low hot water pressure in the shower only? The hot water pressure in every other faucet in the house is fine, but in the shower it's a little more than a trickle. I removed the shower head and pulled out the cartridge (it looks kind of like this ). The water was only coming out of the left hole and it was hot water. There was no cold water coming out. It's a single handle shower and if I turn it toward cold there is plenty of pressure, but then if I move it back toward hot then at a certain point it kind of jumps a little and then loses all pressure. <Q> I would first check the valve's anti-scalding setting. <S> You have to take off trim and this is usually a setting on the valve outer stem. <S> Make sure this is set to as hot as possible. <S> This could have slipped. <S> Next I would check the filters inside your valve cartridge. <S> There is usually a filter for cold and another for hot. <S> The hot filter could be clogged and need cleaning (very seldom do these need replacing except the rings). <S> Lastly you might need a new cartridge or to have yours rebuilt. <S> If you know the model this might actually be easier than all of the other troubleshooting but often isn't needed. <S> The cartridges can cost as little as $10 and up to a couple hundred. <A> As described, there is a restriction in the hot water line going only to the shower. <S> This wasn't a complete blockage and some flow existed. <S> When the shower valve was shut off, the slowed flow had time to build up pressure resulting in the "jump" described as the pressure build up was released and not supported by enough flow. <S> If the cartridge was removed as indicated, somehow the water had been shut off. <S> Based on the description of water coming out of the hot side (no indication of how much) it would indicate the shut-off valves leading to the shower were used. <S> If in fact the hot water flow indicated was restricted with the cartridge removed, this would indicate the restriction was at the shut-off valve or in the pipe leading to the shower valve assembly. <S> If this occurred after years of trouble-free operation, the most likely problem would be the failure of the shut-off valve (mineral deposit build up would show at other hot water outlets as well and therefore not likely the problem). <S> Repair or replace the valve. <S> If this occurred right away or a short time after installation, it might be a defective shut-off valve or what I call sloppy plumbing and the plumber got something in the pipe during installation. <S> I have encountered this when repairing a similar problem. <S> It turned out that the plumber wasn’t careful to cover an open pipe when drilling a hole to run another pipe. <S> The result was chunks of wood that finally plugged the shower valve. <S> Another possibility is that excess solder from the sweating process somehow got stuck in the valve opening. <S> Depending on the type of valves, it might be possible to open them up and use compressed air to clear the lines. <S> Most likely the pipes/valves would need to be removed and cleaned or replaced. <S> The process for doing this should be from the shower first and going toward the water source, checking the flow after each part of the line is removed if the blockage is found. <A> I'm not an expert <S> and I'm only guessing based on too many hours of This Old House , but <S> the fact that it "jumps" suggests that there's a mechanical issue. <S> Inside that thing is a pressure balancing valve that keeps you from getting scalded when someone causes cold water pressure to drop by flushing a toilet or something similar. <S> My guess is that the do-hickey that is supposed to equalize the pressure is instead cutting off all the pressure on the hot side. <S> According to Wikipedia, the thing has a diaphragm or piston to balance the pressures. <S> My guess is yours is broken. <A> I would suspect that one or both of the water shutoff valves are closed. <S> There is a mechanism inside of the valve cartridge which will close when there is no water pressure in either the hot or cold water supply. <S> This is there to prevent someone from being scalded when there is a sudden drop in water pressure. <S> If the cold, or hot is shutoff then it will reduce the pressure down to nothing, or a slight trickle. <S> This is normal, as there is nothing wrong with the valve itself.
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This would indicate either the shut-off valve was defective or something was restricting the flow to the shut-off valve or shower valve assembly.
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How can you open the top part of a double-hung window when you are old and short? How can you open the top of a double-hung window when you are short and elderly? I have air conditioners on the bottom of the windows, but I would like some fresh air on cool days. I am in no shape to remove the air conditioners. I thought perhaps something like a garden hoe might work. Can you help? <Q> Many air conditioners have a "fresh air" setting; at that setting, they blow air from outdoors into the house. <S> Although it does cost electricity, it's better than opening the window because it moves are even on dead-still days. <A> They may be spring loaded cables, weighted ropes/cables with pulleys, torsion spring devices, etc., depending on design and age. <S> If your windows are difficult to raise or lower check the operation of the sash balances, remove paint from surfaces which may be causing sticking, and lubricate the sash channels with stick wax . <A> If it's difficult to open the top sash, I have a hunch these are older windows. <S> Issues with older windows: <S> old wood double hung windows had heavy sashes. <S> top sashes aren't opened all that much. <S> Years of seasonal humidity, grime, etc can 'fuse' the sash in place. <S> same as above, they are often painted shut. <S> The ideal solution is to replace the windows--or at least the sashes with replacement inserts. <S> Alternatively, move the air conditioner to it's own opening so that the bottom sashes are available to you. <S> Of course that's a more involved solution requiring a new hole be made in your wall. <S> Another option is to upgrade the window unit and replace with a mini-split system. <S> Then noisy part sits outside, the quiet part you hang on the wall. <S> Then you drill a tiny 1/4" hole to let the pipes between the two in and out. <S> This frees up your window completely.
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These windows have raise/lower assist devices called sash balances. A mini-split air conditioner is essentially a window unit cut in half. With a double-hung window, if the lower sash is raised and there is an air-conditioner in the lower sash area (as you describe), you can't open the upper sash because it slides down into the space where the air conditioner is. To make it easier to open/close, there were lead weights on a pulley to help balance it. In old houses, these are often broken or removed.
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Can I re-fluff blown-in fiberglass insulation with a cellulose blower? I am planning to add blown-in cellulose (GreenFiber) to my 15' x 40' attic, which currently has blown-in pink (circa 1971) which has really settled/compacted. A lot of it, I can actually pick up in sheets and/or good-sized chunks. If I stuff some into trash bags, can I dump it into the blower I get free from the big box store when I buy the cellulose and re-blow and re-fluff the fiberglass before I add the cellulose?The Cocoon machine at Lowe's has a warning label about only using cellulose, user assumes liability, etc. <Q> If you're going to go through the trouble trouble of pulling out the fiberglass, you might as well just replace it with cellulose, which has a significantly higher R-value (around 50% higher per inch than fresh loose fill fiberglass). <S> Your settled fiberglass, on the other hand, has a significantly higher R-value per inch than the fresh fluffy stuff! <S> The settling of loose fill insulation is only a problem because you lose inches faster than the R-value per inch increases. <A> The more you compress insulation the more the R value goes out the window. <S> You should expect some settling but you shouldnt be pulling it out in chunks or sheets. <S> I agree with Zhentar on pulling the old insulation as it is adding weight to your drywall ceiling (and you may not want to add to it) plus compacted that much it is not earning its keep. <S> As far as pulling it out in sheets / chunks <S> you should really check / recalculate your ventilation. <S> settling is normal but chunks and sheets ar an indicator of high moisture content. <S> As far as loading it into the machine.... the auger should have a grate above it that the bag can rest on. <S> Make use of it. <S> set the bag on the grates and cut the bottom. <S> Itll feed the machine instead of your front yard. <S> Best of Luck ! <A> Fiberglass has a settle rate of ZERO! <S> These guys are just completely wrong. <S> Cellulose has a significant settle rate which is why all cellulose manufactures recommend blowing more insulation to compensate for the settle. <S> All loose fill fiberglass companies list ZERO settlement. <S> Either from the home or from the roof or ventilation. <S> And a qualified insulation contractor will advise of that with sealing of penetrations, adding more exhaust roof vents or equalizing the ratio between soffit to roof vents. <S> Cellulose will settle regardless as it is made of recycled newspaper. <S> And anyone that has left a paper on the driveway knows what happens...it shrinks. <S> You have probably already solved your issues, but my recommendation also follows the previous...remove the old and install new...or just add more fiberglass over the top and be done with it. <S> Adding fiberglass over the cellulose solves the shrink issues completely.
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"Fluffing" what you have now would save you a little bit of cellulose but if you still fill to the same depth, but would leave you less insulated. The only time fiberglass will settle is if there is a moisture issue. Whether you can or not, you probably don't want to.
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How would I go about identifying and matching this wood stain color? I inherited some wooden furniture (which I believe to be oak) a few years back and was looking to add a couple of pieces to it. I want to try and get close to the same color, but I have no idea what color this actually is, so I was looking for some help. Sorry that some of the photos are a little more "blue" for some reason. Photos are of the end-table and coffee-table. <Q> Well first off: that's not oak. <S> It's larch or southern yellow pine (maybe even hemlock) from the look of it. <S> As for color, that looks very near to the natural color of softwood after some yellowing from age but its hard to say. <S> It appears to be production grade furniture (although of a fairly high quality) which means the colorant(stain), if any, is a proprietary blend mixed specially for the manufacturer by a finish supplier (i.e. Sherwin Williams) so trying to track it down will be difficult or impossible. <S> But don't desperate, most furniture makers have a "natural" color blend and most of them are very similar. <A> The only thing I suggest otherwise is that when they ask you the wood type, you reply to them that you have white pine as that is what the furniture is. <S> If I were trying to come close I would grab natural stain and satin polyurethane. <A> Go to your local paint or big box store and get a color chart for the stains they carry. <S> Often they show the stain on both oak and pine. <S> As Veritas pointed out, you have pine. <S> Pick the colors that come close <S> (recommend three: one as close as possible, one lighter, one darker) and buy the smallest can possible (usually a half pint). <S> Test each of these on an inconspicuous area on the new pieces (also pine if you want them to look similar). <S> Also put on a topcoat, which tends to make a stained surface look a little bit lighter. <S> Pick the one that looks closest to the originals. <S> Go back and buy enough to do the job.
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Your best bet is to have Sherwin-Williams do a stain match.
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wall outlet when bottom is tiled and top is drywall Our handyman may have planned poorly when tiling the bottom half of our bathroom wall. The light outlet's bottom is within the tiled area, white the top half is within the drywall. There is a space of about an inch behind the switch and the drywall that needs to be filled with something. Another tile? I would love to send you a picture and hear your suggestions for this design nightmare. <Q> There are only three options: Move the light switch. <S> Live with it. <S> The first and second options require additional tile work and possibly work to the gypsum board and the electrical system. <A> Find some wood the same thickness as the tile+backer (you say one inch). <S> Fiberboard may be a good option as it won't splinter or split. <S> Cut it larger than the area needed under the face plate, router a roundover or other edge shape on the three exposed edges. <S> Cut an opening for the receptacle. <S> You'll have a 'U' shaped peice of wood at the end of all this. <S> Screw/glue it to the wall. <S> Fill the screw heads and chipouts with wood filler. <S> Caulk any gaps. <S> Prime it. <S> Paint it. <S> Get a Rotozip or Dremmel with a tile bit and cut away the tile to accommodate the face plate. <S> Easier, but uglier as you'll have exposed cut tile edge to look at. <S> There may be some bullnose edge treatments that you can bond to the tile to hide the edge. <S> You'll just need to cut away enough tile to fit. <A> I would run a beed of caulk along the top edge of the tile, then around the outlet. <S> Those would be my two suggestions. <S> I ran into that issue tonight, but lucky for me I am using small tile squares, so I am going to do another row heigh, and it will solve the problem. <A> Just ran into this myself on a backsplash. <S> Mine is for two light switches together and <S> my vertical line w/ wo tile goes through center of the switches. <S> Can’t move box or divide to two separate switches, no other place for it,truly. <S> Can’t live with it, caulk would be over 3/8” thick, mine is marble subway tile. <S> It’s only 2” to end of counter and could back up the 2” to avoid but the opposite side is where sink is <S> so I need it there and <S> two inches short of countertop edge looks wrong, just wrong... <S> so... I am going to bullnose around it. <S> With the marble I hand sand with palm sander to make a pretty bullnose and can do any shape. <S> Did 527 already, so a few extra aren’t a big deal at this point. <S> I do this myself, but <S> I’ve <S> Glass mosaic many times has a finished edge. <S> If I were doing this on the horizontal version I would choose this same option but cut the tile narrower to go around top of outlet bullnosing &framing it.
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Either that, or cut the top edge of the outlet off so that it matched the height of the tile, then run a beed of caulk over the top of the tile and fill the gap in the outlet. If you have bullnose or quarter-round tile installed at the top edge, you may want to router a matching cove shape where your wood piece meets the tile. had this done professionally if you have someone in your area that bullnoses tile that’s ceramic or porcelain. Install the tile differently. Some more options: Attach a receptacle box extender to the switch box. It's a ton of work for a small detail, it'll still look like an afterthought, and you'll need to be good with a router.
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Possible to refinish hardwood floor without messing with quarter-round baseboard? I am evaluating a quote to refinish my hardwood floors and stairs. The contractor mentioned that they would not be removing the quarter-round below the base board and it would require touch up after the job is done. The alternative is to remove the quarter-round, and reinstall with caulk after finishing the floors. Based on the additional labor the cost of the work would be higher. What are the relative advantages and disadvantages in regard to appearance, durability, and cost of removing/not removing quarter round? <Q> The answer depends on what you are willing to accept for a finished result. <S> Removing the quarter-round allows the edger to reach underneath what is visible when the quarter-round is re-installed. <S> Even the most fastidious edging is going to be visible to close inspection if the trim isn't removed. <S> The extent to which it is obvious depends largely on the skill of the person doing the work, but it is impossible to hide completely unless the trim covers it. <S> Depending on the condition of the floor when you start, the condition of the trim, skill of the work, this can look decent or pretty bad: <S> Keep in mind that this isn't the only cosmetic consideration. <S> The other would be what the condition of the trim is. <S> If you have several layers of paint, it might look worse if you remove the quarter-round. <S> For example, the trim below would be a major pain to re-finish and look anywhere near decent. <S> My personal inclination would be to remove the quarter-round myself, have a professional do the floor sanding, and then re-trim it and paint it myself. <S> I have quite a bit of experience installing trim, so your mileage my vary. <A> Contractors are not interchangeable. <S> Each has their own skill set, business model, and targeted market segment. <S> Just asking if it makes sense not to remove the quarter round may be a sign that the person offering to do the work may not be the right fit for your job. <S> The contractor whose business model is largely based on refinishing floors for investors looking to flip houses and referrals from real-estate agents helping owners prepare houses for sale makes their money because they are fast and 'good enough'. <S> At the other end of the spectrum are artisans who happen to contract. <S> They simply won't cut corners. <S> And that's really what this boils down to, the value of cutting corners. <S> How close to the limits of material and human craft does the project need to be and what value an individual places upon it. <A> If you don't remove before you refinish the floors there will be a line in floor where you stopped sanding. <S> It has to come off. <S> I'm baffled that a flooring re-finisher would suggest otherwise.
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The quarter round (in this case referred to as base shoe) has no purpose other than to conceal the joint between the base and the floor.
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Do I need to install aerial wall outlets or is there a wireless solution? Just bought a new house and realized that everything is great but there's only one aerial socket (rooftop antenna coax connector) and it's on the opposite side of the living room where I want the TV. I also want a TV in the kitchen and probably some in the bedrooms: basically, I'd like to be able to put a TV wherever I want conveniently. So I'm wondering if I need to hire an electrician to install aerial socket outlets in each of the rooms or is there some sort of device I can get to plug into the aerial socket I have now which will increase the TV signal, similar to a wifi repeater or something and then other TVs in the home can use portable antennas. <Q> One solution I have used in the past is the HD Home Run . <S> It is an OTA tuner that outputs to your home WIFI network. <S> To receive the output, you can use a PC with Windows media player, an XBox or Playstation, or your smart TV if it supports DLNA. <S> I personally used a PC to receive the signal, and then connected my PC to my TV to view. <S> The nice part about that is that Windows Media Player has a free program guide for OTA tv, and can act as a DVR. <A> Just did a quick Google and found http://www.marmitek.com/en/product-details/watch/wireless-tv/analogue-tv-anywhere.php <A> You have to start with a strong signal as redistribution always degrades the signal, no matter what way you do it. <S> Get a distribution amplifier that will attach to the antenna socket and run coax to all the positions where you want TV reception. <S> Properly designed modern distribution amplifiers will work with the digital signal and not degrade it before amplifying it and passing it on. <S> In order to wirelessly retransmit, the system will operate up in the 5.8Ghz range so the rebroadcast doesn't interfere with the TV channel reception (think microphone feedback) on your current antenna. <S> If everyone is watching the same thing, wireless A/V redistribution units are made. <S> A master TV decodes the signal and the A/V signal is then fed into the magic box that retransmits it so A <S> /V receivers placed around the house can pick it up. <S> Requires a separate receiver for each TV. <S> The good ones have an IR control link so you can change channels on the master TV. <S> Use a digital wireless cable TV sender system. <S> It requires a transmitter and for each TV set, a receiver with built-in tuner. <S> Each TV set can then watch independent channels. <S> While they were briefly available, they may be hard to find. <S> Must be able to work with ATSC digital signals.
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TV is already wireless, just attached to an external antenna.
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Cleaning a very dusty garage My garage is mainly used for storage and, over many years, has become full of dust, cob webs, etc. I would like to use an area for exercise, but am concerned about the amount of dust in the garage (being breathed in). I don't think using a vacuum cleaner is wise, since the garage is full of loose nuts and bolts and the floor is unsmoothed concrete. I began to use a brush to clean the walls and roof structs, but figured it would take too long as a lot of the dust falls on other items in the garage (and it's difficult to get to the top of the roof). So my question is, what is the best way to remove as much dust as possible, given that I cannot use a vacuum cleaner and cannot remove anything currently stored. <Q> Buy/rent a shop vac . <S> Start from the ceiling and work your way to the floor. <S> Repeat the process as may times as you need until you are satisfied with the results (allow time between repeats so that disturbed dust is allowed to settle). <S> Once done, sift through the contents of the shop vac's collection canister and remove any thing you want to keep. <S> If you're concerned about breathing in the dust while cleaning, get a good respirator/dust mask and use it while vacuuming. <A> It sorta sounds like you want it clean without cleaning. <S> You're not going to be able to solve a problem with dust without getting everything out of there, at least temporarily, and cleaning it top to bottom. <S> Sweep, vacuum then hose it out. <A> If you can remove the dust out of the garage and not really care where it ends up a good solution is to use a leaf blower. <S> I do this in my wood shop from time to time to get rid of sawdust that has accumulated in hard to reach places. <S> Also, anything heavy generally won't get blown around too much if you don't focus the air stream on the item. <A> 1) Gather the small parts, then vacuum. <S> Sweeping with a magnet may be worth considering. <S> Since you're going to vacuum later, you don't have to be precise about this; you just want to get anything that will damage the vacuum or that you will really mind losing. <S> 2) <S> Or use a shop vac and resign yourself to losing those small parts. <S> If you really cared about them you'd have picked them up when you dropped them. <S> If they're still on the floor, they're trash; admit it to yourself and just get the job done. <S> (In case it isn't obvious, this is the one I would recommend. <S> 3) Or go overboard and rig some sort of separator in the shop vac's input to try to automatically rescue solid objects out of the dirt. <S> Centrifugal, deflection screen, whatever's within your abilities to build. <S> This will almost certainly be more trouble than it's worth right now, but if you expect to continue dropping stuff on the floor and then ignoring it until dust has piled up, it might be a worthwhile investment. <S> Though it would probably cost you more (in both parts and effort) than it could possibly rescue. <A> Your local home improvement store should carry a product known as "sweeping compound". <S> This is a sand-like product you apply over your entire floor. <S> It helps keep the dust down while sweeping. <S> Sometimes it is scented or coloured. <S> You might need a few goes at it to get all of the debris swept up. <S> (source: homedepot.com ) <A> Cat litter! <S> Believe it or not it works! <S> A mechanic friend of mine told me this years ago <S> and I've been using this little trick ever since...much more economical than purchasing a 50lb bag of sweeping compound <S> and it's also great at "gathering & holding" the very fine dust of the garage floor... <S> good luck!
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Get yourself a good quality, large push broom and dust pan and sweep up all the compound and dirt. Among other things, a shop vac is a good investment if you have a garage or workshop or other places which generate the sort of larger/sharper trash you wouldn't want to risk your household vac on... and they can be used to gather sawdust directly from many small tools.)
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Why is a previously wet light fixture now getting dimmer? A leak resulted in the light fixture in the ceiling of my laundry room getting wet. Despite being dry now, the light gets noticeably dimmer each time it's turned on. I am trying to keep it off until I know what to do but I sometimes forget and turn it on out of habit. It's so dim now it's almost out. Can this fixture be saved or should it be replaced. The fixture takes 2 standard 25 watt bulbs. The house and its wiring are 15 years old. <Q> I would replace it. <S> However, replacing it means turning the power off to that circuit and removing the fixture completely from the wiring after using a tester/multimeter to confirm power is off at the fixture connections. <S> That gives you an opportunity to disassemble the removed fixture as far as you can and look for corrosion and dirt. <A> Turn off the circuit and inspect the fixture. <S> You most likely have corrosion forming in the light sockets. <S> If it is corroding, it is best to replace. <A> There may also be an issue with the wiring above the ceiling; the copper may have oxidized, causing gradually poorer contact between two conductors. <S> first up: try changing at least one light bulb. <S> As you remove the old bulb, twist it several times back & forth at the "nearly tight" position to help rub the contacts clean, and do the same with the new bulb. <S> Second up, if that doesn't cure the problem (that was actually two actions, replacing the bulb and cleaning the contacts), there's probably nothing wrong with the fixture itself (the fixture is just a carrier for the light sockets), so I'd want to look at the connections where the fixture's pigtails connect to the house wiring.
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It might be possible to clean it up and remove any corrosion.
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Few questions about concrete/cement wall inside of the apartment and which screws to use I live in an apartment building that has concrete/cement walls. I am still not sure which one it is. I included the image which has the wall in the background. I would like to know which screws i should use to let's say hang shelves or paintings. Do i need to get concrete screws like tapcon and use an impact drive to screw them in? Can i just make a hole and use plastic anchors with regular screws? I did hang a picture on the wall but i had tough time getting the screws in with a cordless drill. Some of the wall chipped a bit. Also are there beams behind the concrete wall or there is no reason to have them. I can just screw almost anything to it? I have a beam finder and it does detect some beams but i wonder if it's a false positive because it is a concrete wall. <Q> Cement is a powder, so I doubt your walls are cement! <S> You might have lathe-and-plaster walls. <S> (What country are you in and what year was the apartment built?) <S> If your wall covering is sandy plaster, then you would attach light shelves and pictures by pre-drilling holes with a masonry bit and using expanding anchors or toggle bolts. <S> Heavy shelves or cabinets will require screwing to a stud (which you are referring to as a beam) <A> First: as someone said in the comments consult your landlord because he/she might flip out to find you drilling holes in the masonry walls. <S> Second: During your conversation with the landlord find out whether your walls are masonry block(cinder block) concrete, rendered brick, etc. <S> I think it highly unlikely you have plaster and lathe. <S> Third: <S> the anchor you use is determined by the material you're working with(different materials require different anchors), and the weight/load of the object you're trying to hang. <S> When I say weight/load <S> I mean both the dead weight of the object plus the torsional load created by its intended use. <S> i.e. a small shelf may only weigh 10 pounds but it might be occasionally used as an arm rest which will put upwards of 100 lb's of stress on the anchors. <S> Determine your bearing load and divide by the number of anchors you can use and then select <S> an appropriate anchor(max loads are listed on the box). <S> In any event you'll need a way to drill through concrete and the only way to do that successfully is with a rotohammer and a masonry bit. <A> I realize this post is out-dated, but I wanted to give advice for any future readers. <S> I, too, live in a 1950s apartment that has about an inch (if I'm lucky) of plaster over cinderblock. <S> Needless to say, the building isn't going anywhere, but it's a pain in the neck to hang anything heavier than a simple picture frame! <S> My best advice, get a powerful cordless drill and bits meant for concrete. <S> Also, don't waste your time on the little cheap plastic anchors. <S> This is important, because if you use the cheap anchors that came with whatever you are hanging, all you are going to succeed in doing, is making a bigger hole in the plaster. <S> By spending some extra time and making sure you have the right anchors and screws, you will come out much better in the end. <S> I promise! <S> Lastly, when you get ready to leave and take all of this stuff down, you're going to see many large holes in the walls. <S> To have some hope of getting your deposit back, use water putty - usually a few bucks at the local hardware store - to fill in the holes. <S> They have videos on YouTube showing the best way to use it.
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Go to your local hardware store and invest in anchors made specifically for concrete.
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Is there ever a reason for reversing hot and neutral on a receptacle? I moved into a new home and several receptacles have the hot and neutral reversed. I confirmed this with a basic receptacle tester . I opened one up and found the white wire on the brass terminal, and the black wire on the silver terminal. Is there any scenario where this would have been done on purpose? Perhaps as a workaround for some other issue? If not, then I would assume I could safely correct it myself. <Q> There is no reason why they should be reversed. <S> It looks like you had someone living there that was comfortable making electrical changes that didn't know anything about electrical. <A> Make sure that your ground is not hot. <S> I found so receptacles in my house that were apparently wired in reverse (according to a receptacle tester). <S> In reality, some had connected the ground for that are to the live wire with no connected to actual ground. <S> As a result, the ground and live are at the same voltage and there's a 120V difference between ground and neutral. <S> This shows up on a tester as reversed. <S> I struggled to believe that someone would do that, but there it was before my eyes. <A> Correct it or have it corrected as soon as you can. <S> It is worth noting that you can get wiring reversals in sockets that allow properly wired appliances to work AND reversals in appliances that allow them to work with properly wired sockets but <S> the two faults together may be non functional. <S> I saw this happen where a "sleepout" was wrongly wired and a tape player was wrongly wired. <S> The player would work everywhere except when plugged into power in the sleepout. <S> I was asked to find out what was wrong and to fix it. <S> In the process I discovered that when the player was plugged into the sleepout power outlet , phase (live) appeared on its "grounded" body. <S> Had earthed metal been present nearby a fatality could have occurred.
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Fix the receptacles and double check all the electrical in your house. This is never necessary and is potentially lethal.
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Why does the blade of my table saw stop? I have a cheap, old (but, until recently, serviceable) belt-drive, table-top table saw, Skil 10" model 3400 . Last week while cutting a 2x4, the blade stopped but the motor kept going. I finished up with a hand-held circular saw and let the table saw cool down. When I came back to it, I looked it over. The blade is still firmly attached to the shaft. The nuts are secure and if I manually move the blade, the shaft turns. When I turn it on, the blade turns (though it seems to lag the motor a bit) but when it makes contact with wood, it stops. There's a weird, rhythmic ying-ying-ying noise when it is running. I have some weak intuition that a bearing failed. Any thoughts on further diagnosing -- or, better yet, repairing -- my saw? Or should just hit Craig's List looking for a replacement? <Q> At this point I would take it apart. <S> It's already broke you have nothing to lose. <S> I had an older Delta saw that had a gearbox fail. <S> The parts were more than I paid for the saw. <S> It may not be a total loss though. <S> Some of the older models had a router mount cast into the table. <S> It was useless as a saw but made a dandy router table. <A> Guessing, admittedly: If the motor turns and the blade doesn't move, something is slipping between the two that shouldn't. <S> Direct-drive saw means no belt. <S> It sounds like that connection has come loose. <S> So I'd suggest checking back along the drive shaft toward the motor for anything that looks like a connection, and see if there's a setscrew; if so, tighten that. <S> Depending on what's going on, you may need to rotate the two pieces relative to each other to get the setscrew to line up with a flat for best hold. <A> Direct drive does not always mean what it says. <S> Some of these so-called direct drive motors have a belt drive inside the casing.
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There has to be some kind of linkage between the motor and the drive shaft unless the latter is built into the former (possible but unlikely).
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How to loosen a rusted nut/screw I have been trying the change the screws connecting the toilet tank, i managed to remove the tank but the nut it completely rusted and became one with the screw. I tried holding the screw in place and rotating the nut to no luck. next i used WD-40 (sprayed it and left it for an hour then sprayed it again and left it for another hour with no luck). I don't have access to a drill to drill out the screw top also i don't know if it may damage the porcelain which is the same reason i can't use a blow torch. Is there a way to remove this without cutting it off ? Update : I actually cannot drill the head off as to avoid any damage to the porcelain. Update 2 : Here are some images from the top-bottom view (sorry about things being dirty): <Q> The most expedient and practical solution is to drill out the bolt. <S> Probably access is better from the top through the tank, but it can be done from either side. <S> The goal of "drilling out" is to weaken the shaft of the bolt enough so that either the friction on the nut is reduced to the point where it turns, or the shaft breaks and separates into two pieces, both of which are easily removed. <S> Your concerns of damaging the porcelain indicate the choice of too large a drill bit. <S> Choose a diameter smaller than the diameter of the bolt's shaft, preferably in the range 60 to 95%. <S> If kept to the center of the shaft and parallel to it, the drill bit won't touch anything outside the bolt. <S> In the case of drilling from the top where the head is, drill into it about 6 mm/0.25 inches and then try turning the bolt. <S> The head should break off and free both pieces. <A> Looks like the threads on the bolt are crushed/damaged, <S> so you're <S> only choice might be to drill it out or cut it off. <S> Put on a pair of good work gloves. <S> Remove the blade from a hack saw. <S> Then work the blade between the nut, and the plastic washer. <S> It will likely be slow, hard work, but eventually you should be able to cut the bolt. <S> Alternatively, you could try using a metal blade in an oscillating multi-tool or rotary tool. <A> The bolt looks like a lost cause. <S> I assume you'll be replacing it with a new one? <S> First try this: Get a good wrench on the nut (closed <S> end preferably). <S> A vice grips set very snugly should work too. <S> Find a way to hold it in place so it doesn't spin with the bolt (the floor or a vice or some helping hands) <S> so you have two hands free. <S> Get a good screwdriver (or better yet just a flathead driver head) <S> that fills the slot completely. <S> You might want to run some kind of a metal blade thru the slot to clean it up so that the driver fits in the slot snugly. <S> Get a hex driver with some leverage or another vice grip and grab the shaft of the driver. <S> Twist with both hands until something happens <S> (most likely the bolt will shear off) <S> If that fails:cut off the bolt flush with the nut. <S> Go as far as you feel comfortable <S> (no need to go completely through the nut) and re-try the above technique. <A> Use a mini-hack and get rid of that bolt, along with those washers. <S> The parts on that tank are all wrong. <S> The bolts should be brass and the washers should be rubber, not hard plastic.
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Get a drill bit the size as the bolt and drill out the bolt inside the nut.
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Do hot water tanks have to be in the drain pan I bought a new hot water tank and had it installed by a plumber. It didn't fit in the existing drain pan, so he put it on top of the pan. Is this safe? <Q> The purpose of a drain pan is to contain small leaks that can lead to damage and can give you warning that there is a problem. <S> This doesn't mean that it is necessary, however for 10$ - 20$ at your local hardware store you could have picked one up - worth the small investment. <S> (I'm surprised that a plumber who is called to install a hotwater tank doesn't have an extra pan in his tool kit) <S> The tank doesn't look level from the pictures. <S> Try taking a level, place it on the top of the tank. <S> Here is a guide on how to level a hot water tank. <S> New water heaters or water heaters that are placed on an un-level surface, need to be leveled and shimmed for them to work properly. <S> Personally, I would go pickup a new drain pan, call the plumber back and have the pan installed. <S> If the tank is not leveled, he can address this at the same time. <S> The question you asked is whether this installation is safe - the tank will probably sit there without incident for many years. <S> The problem I'm having is that if it is not level, you will be possibly shortening the life of the tank, could be voiding a warranty and are not protected in the event of a slow leak. <A> From the standpoint of building safety, it is probably okay. <S> Lots of water heaters are installed without a leak pan. <S> Yours looks to have about 90% coverage. <S> Without feeling the strength of the casing I don't know whether it is likely or not, but it is something to watch and assess. <S> As far as personal safety goes, I am also concerned that, unless the tank is strapped to the wall, it is less stable than it should be. <S> An earthquake or vehicle impact is far more likely than normal for the tank to fall over. <S> Whatever else you do, I don't think anyone should charge for such makeshift installation. <S> If someone did pay for this, they should be called back to correct it. <A> I think those that answered given you good input. <S> For $20 you can get a 24 inch diameter pan. <S> You don't need a pan but it will be a sign of a potential problem to fix. <S> The pan will have a hole in it for routing a line from it to a drain. <S> If a drain is not close by I would suggest putting a pvc fitting in it and plug it to keep the water in the pan. <S> I would also recommend you shorten the pressure relief line <S> and if you don't use an appropriate size pan under your tank, put a tall glass jar under it to collect any hot water if and when your tank pressure relief valve opens. <S> From the photo it appears hot water will be blowing on your dry wall the way your installer has it currently. <S> This is a poor installation and I would be concerned if the rest of the installation is as poor quality, like a gas leak?
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For heater safety, I am concerned that sitting on the edge of the pan will eventually cause damage to the bottom of the tank.
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Improving piece of furniture I have a piece of furniture that is in need of some improvements.This is the piece: As you may already see, there are a lot of light marks in it.If we look closer to the surface, this is how it looks like in some areas: And like this: I'm not sure what kind of wood this is. I was trying to avoid sanding it because I like the current color and lighter finishing in the edges and I don't think I will be able to make it look as is. Is there any way to minimize the marks? Some polisher that can be applied? I don't know much about this kind of stuff and don't want to end up ruining the piece. <Q> You need to figure out what the finish is before you do anything. <S> I suspect it is some kind of solid stain or paint with a polyurethane clear coat, but it could be epoxy or any other number of combinations. <S> The type of wood doesn't matter much in your case. <S> Here's one resource to help with your analysis. <S> Keep googling. <S> And check the back and bottom for manufacturer and brand information. <S> I do very little with my furniture besides cleaning. <S> They wear their dings with honor. <S> The first one looks bad, but get enough of them <S> and it's a "patina", "texture", or "interest". <S> Although they don't have the solid finish yours does. <A> Since the piece is already distressed I'd say just go with it. <S> Lightly sand out any rough spots with 280, clean off the white marks with whatever works and then take a gel stain that matches the color of the distressed edges (the lighter reddish color). <S> Once that's dry (3-4 hours, longer if its cold and humid, no harm in waiting overnight) take a low sheen wipe-on poly and apply it to any spots that got the stain, then wipe back off thoroughly. <S> This will seal the spots that got down to bear wood without leaving any residue on the factory finish. <S> Later if you see smudges take some mineral spirits and wipe vigorously with a soft cotton cloth. <S> Cheers. <A> Cleaning the piece is a good start. <S> You should use a cleaner intended for furniture that does not leave any wax or polish behind, such as Simple Green (there are many others). <S> Some of the light colored marks may come off. <S> These are basically permanent markers that come in a range of colors. <S> Choose a few that look close, both lighter and darker. <S> Experiment in an out-of-sight area. <S> You can mix colors by putting one over or alongside one another. <S> Have a paper towel handy to wipe off excess before it dries (only a second or two). <S> You can also blend it while it is still wet by wiping with a paper towel dipped in denatured alcohol. <S> But before using alcohol, make sure it won't dull the existing finish by testing in a concealed area. <S> The marks, scratches and chips will not go away completely, but the touch-up may make them fairly unnoticeable. <S> Images and links are for illustration only and not an endorsement of goods or sources. <A> If you want to get rid of the white marks you can try a cleaning product called Magic Eraser (or similar <S> but this is what I am familiar with) <S> this product will remove those white marks on the surface. <S> Alternatively, you can clean the surface and use a latex paint. <S> You will need to lightly sand the areas similar to picture 2 since you don't want to catch an edge. <S> If you don't want to sand the entire piece down or spend much time on it then this is the way to go. <A> You might be surprised what a black magic marker can do in a situation like this. <S> when carefully applied, a very simple fix. <S> The finish looks like black lacquer, better not to mess with it.
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Since it is an older piece and you don't want to do an overall refinishing, you can touch up the lighter spots and the small gouges with a touch-up marker .
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Should I be using wire nuts to connect my light socket? I am replacing a light socket in a ceiling lamp. The old socket had two short wires permanently attached to the socket, which were then connected to the wires coming out of the ceiling with wire nuts (neat looking ceramic ones actually, I think it was done in the forties or fifties). My new socket has screw terminals, so I am thinking I can just connect the wires from the ceiling directly to the screw terminals. These are all copper wires. Is there some reason I should instead attach a new wire to the screw terminals and then use a wire nut to connect that? It looks like this (although the mounting bracket is a different shape): <Q> As long as the wiring is copper, there should be no problem using the screw terminals. <S> If you're in the US, black (hot) to brass, white (neutral) to silver. <A> I WOULD NOT attach the building wiring directly to the socket. <S> I would use some #16 or #18ga stranded leads from the socket. <S> There needs to be some flexibility between the socket and the house wiring since even something as simple as changing lamps will move the socket around a bit, as well as expansion and contraction from the extreme heat generated by the lamp. <S> The reason the new socket has terminals is because it is a replacement socket. <S> Factory sockets usually have leads to save assembly labor. <A> I would use a pigtail (short piece of wire) between the building wiring and the socket, attached with a wire nut. <S> Eventually that wire gets so short that its difficult or impossible to attach the socket to. <S> If you use the wire nuts and a short wire, its only that short wire you will need to cut and restrip (until it too gets too short). <S> Generally, especially with older wiring, the wires that are in the box are already pretty short and hard to work with, so the pigtail gives you more room to work with while wiring the socket.
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The reason is pretty simple - every time you replace the socket you probably need to cut off and restrip the end of the wire.
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Latex paint peeling off oil based paint. How do I apply a new layer of paint? As I understand it, a few years ago, latex paint was applied on top of oil based paint. The top layer of paint is now peeling off. Would like to apply a new coat of latex paint, but I'm unsure how to proceed. Do I need to sand? Should I apply a primer? Some other process? Thanks! <Q> Painting over a glossy oil paint is indeed different than painting over an oil primer. <S> I just came from a customers's home where the seller did the former - you can literally pull sheets of the paint off the trim. <S> Maybe there are better latex paints that tend to adhere more strongly and you can get away with putting them over oil, but I'd never do it. <S> Don't take the chance. <S> Either stick with oil-based paint on trim that already has it, or sand and prime first before switching to latex. <A> Latex paint should never be painted straight onto oil paint. <S> In this case you'll need to remove as much of the new paint as possible. <S> Then you can use a water based primer with an adhesive like Gripper from Glidden. <S> There are other brands of course, but an adhesive based primer will stay on oil paint or other surfaces that water based latex paint would peel off of. <A> I just had the same problem with latex paint peeling off the interior of my front door. <S> The hardest part was removing the latex paint. <S> I discovered that the best way to remove it was to apply tape and pull it off rather than sand. <S> It was somewhat time consuming but it sure took it off. <S> Edited to add every kind of tape worked, packing, scotch type, duct, masking, and even green painters tape <S> worked vey well. <A> This is all bad, I am sorry to say. <S> This is the result of poor surface preparation (sanding) prior to the application of the paint that is peeling. <S> Sanding with coarse paper (maybe a heat gun but be careful) is the likely solution. <S> On top of that, you will need to properly sand the underlying finish, to remove any sheen, prior to repainting. <S> Good quality latex paint will adhere just fine to old oil-based paint IF the surface is properly prepared. <S> No primer is needed unless you take it all the way down to bare wood. <A> Then prime it all, using a strong water based primer. <S> Zinser 123 is good. <S> Then re paint it using a water based paint that is 100% acrylic . <S> Not just latex or vinyl latex. <S> Make sure it's 100% acrylic <S> and you'll have no problems. <A> When in doubt OIL IT OUT... <S> There is no easy or lasting fix to this, weigh out the labor <S> Vs replacing.probably could use some updated trim anyway.
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There is no easy solution, you must remove all the peeling paint along with any that even might peel. I would sand all the baseboard that is peeling, wipe clean for sanding dust.
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A spark from a power strip recently made the electricity go out is it safe to turn it back on? About a week ago my daughter plugged up her iPod to a power strip that was plugged into an outlet in her bedroom, she said she placed the iPod onto the power strip and let it sit there while she plugged it up, then it made a spark, and the electricity in her room went out. The iPod was burned on one side from the spark. So my question is, could it of happened just because she placed the iPod onto the power strip or could it be a bad power strip or is it the outlet? I haven't turned the power back on in her room because I'm afraid of a fire, but if its just the power strip then I could easily replace that. I can't afford to call an electrician right now and would like to be able to get her back in her room with out worrying about a fire. (Update) 8/5/14 Since I posted this, my daughter told me the power strip was only plugged half way into the wall when this happended, I also just noticed the outlet looks like its been burned, The power strip looks normal. The iPod still works and we are still using the same charger in a different outlet. Thanks. <Q> I would suspect your daughters iPod charging port has shorted. <S> It is not uncommon, and a known issue with late model 4-5 phones and pods, but heavily denied by Apple. <S> While her room's circuit is off, unplug the iPod and power strip. <S> Then turn the circuit on and test it out with something that is known to work well, a lamp, or if you want something to pull some current, try a blow-dryer. <S> If everything works well, try the power strip with a lamp or something else. <S> Finally, since your ipod is already scorched from shorting, get it replaced under warranty, or not if water was the cause of the shorting (good chance of this, ask your daughter.). <S> Source: <S> verizon wireless forums(iPhones and iPods are very similar) and http://www.yourgadgetguide.net/my-iphone-5-caught-fire-why-apple/ <A> Toss the power strip and turn the breaker back on - you'll almost certainly be fine. <S> The circuit breaker did its job by tripping, and you can reasonably expect it to do the same thing if you get another short or arc fault. <S> When you replace the power strip itself, make sure that the one you get has its own over-current protection. <A> The metal casing of the iPod caused the power strip to short out. <S> The breaker did it's job in tripping when it sensed two much current on the line. <S> The iPod might live, might not. <S> But it is safe to see if it does. <S> The power strip, even it if works, is dead. <S> Throw it out. <S> The circuit should be safe to turn back on. <S> I say should, because if was wired to code, and done correctly it would handle the current before the breaker tripped. <S> If you question the electrical work done in the house, then play it safe until you have an electrician, or even a handman friend, do a visual inspection. <S> With the breaker still off, remove the cover plate and inspect the outlet. <S> If you see scorch marks or evidence of smoke, you will at least have to replace the outlet. <S> If feel even more comfortable, remove the two screws that holds the outlet to the box. <S> Carefully pull the outlet out and inspect the wires behind. <S> Again, looking for scorch marks inside the box and also look at the wires. <S> If everything looks good, carefully push the outlet back into the box and re-screw. <S> Replace cover and turn on the breaker.
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Or if you feel comfortable, remove the plate off the outlet and do an inspection. If an oversized breaker was used on undersized wires or outlet, either/both the wires or the outlet could have failed as well.
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What kind of glue is best for a black plastic kitchen appliance (ABS plastic)? I have a built in microwave oven with a broken door open button (the hinge plastic was too thin by design). The plastic is somewhat pliable, waxy. There is no chasing arrow showing the plastic type, but it is marked ">ABS<". In the past I've tried "works on plastic" household glue, PVA glue, super glue and/or plastic epoxy with mixed or worse results. Is there anything that really works on ABS? See also: How to identify the type of plastic and How do I fix a broken microwave door hook latch? <Q> The surprising (to me) answer may be ABS cement. <S> You probably won't find this in the hardware store glue isle, instead head over to plumbing: <S> You'll want the smallest can possible (e.g. 4oz), and after use to seal it in a zipper lock bag and store in a cool dry location. <S> The stuff goes bad in the can pretty fast. <S> You can also cut out a small piece of ABS drain pipe, or other ABS item, to use as a patch for the repair. <S> Note that ABS cement is a mix of a solvent and ABS powder <S> : in the end you really end up welding the plastic more than gluing it. <S> For this reason clamping is recommended. <A> You can use acetone to glue ABS <S> We do this a lot with our ABS 3D-prints at our local hackerspace. <A> According to the lego community, to glue ABS (Legos happen to be made out of ABS plastic as well), you actually want a solvent, not a glue. <S> The solvent loosens up the molecules on the surface of the plastic allowing them to combine, leaving a cleanly fused surface with no residue. <S> The best choices for solvents to "glue" ABS are MEK or GBL. <S> Although acetone may also work, anecdotal evidence suggests it may take too long or provide a bond that is too weak. <S> see https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/1037/what-glue-should-i-use-for-permanent-lego-construction <A> Have you considered welding the plastic? <S> I have a car radio mount that broke when someone stole the radio. <S> I ordered the wrong part from Amazon and ended up having to fixing the mount. <S> Not sure if the plastic was ABS, but PVC cement did not work. <S> In the end, I used a electronics soldering iron and welded the plastic together. <S> Worked great. <S> I have more confidence in the weld than if I would have found a cement that would have worked.
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The ABS cement worked for me far better than any of the other glues mentioned above.
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Why is high voltage coming out of HDMI port on my TV? I am plugging my TV into a grounded outlet. When I plug an HDMI cable into the back of the TV and measure the voltage coming out of the other end of the cable (should be 0 shouldn't it?) it reads 380 volts... I'm talking to my landlord about this but this is absolutely not normal is it? If so, what could be causing this? It happens with other outlets as well. UPDATE PAST INFO:When the first Comcast guy came and tried to install the X1 box, he got a little shock while trying to connect the two. He told me that the outlet I was plugging them into was reversed wired. The landlord fixed this and I confirmed that he did with a plug in tester. After this, Comcast came back and tried to install it again, same sparking issue. I had two TVs with this problem TV #1 (3 pronged) was in my bedroom and was plugged in, and hooked up to a Comcast Digital Receiver with an HDMI cord. Worked perfectly. When I moved it into my living room and tried it with the Comcast X1 HD box, it created sparks when I tried to connect the two with an HDMI. The Comcast technician verified that no foreign voltage was coming out of the box or the HDMI from the box. He also replaced the box and the box's power supply. So this happened with two comcast boxes Could it be the Comcast box? TV #2 (3 pronged) was always located in the living room and created sparks after I plugged in the Comcast X1 box (both of the boxes). NEW INFO: The two TVs that had high voltage coming from the HDMI cord that was plugged into the back of them had one thing in common. The power cords for those TVs had a ground on them (3 prong). My landlord brought his TV over and tested it and it worked. His TV has 2 prongs. I just bought a new TV and had an electrician come and we tested it, it worked. My new TV has 2 prongs. Could the three prongs be a problem with something? My landlord used a Digital Volt Meter and had it set to the vAC option when it read 300+. <Q> You mention that there were sparks and a concern about your ground, I'd check for an incorrectly wired outlet as a precaution. <S> The initial check is a simple outlet tester. <S> These have 3 lights and quickly identify a hot ground or swapped neutral/hot, along with other common issues. <S> What they can't identify is if there's voltage on both the neutral and ground, for that, you'll need a known good ground and a simple voltage tester. <S> For a known good ground, you can find some plumbing lines that are grounded, or perhaps the ground rods that the panel connects to, but a really easy way is to plug a long extension cord into a friendly neighbor's house and use the ground pin (in your case, the bedroom is probably a good ground). <S> Check if there's voltage between the known good ground and your ground, or your neutral. <S> Since you're seeing actual sparks, I'm going to rule out phantom voltage from running an hdmi near electrical wires. <S> And since the problem happened after you moved the TV, either the TV was damaged in the move, or it's another device that you added to the mix. <S> Start with the outlet to be safe, but if that's not the problem, you likely had a faulty device. <S> Given the reading of over 300V, I'm guessing that it was a faulty device. <S> A hot/ground short would usually trip a breaker (unless it's not really grounded) and only read 120V. <A> Hi Ive seen this many times in my years as a uverse tech, we call it voltage bleed out. <S> Faulty electronic components inside the tv bleed out high amounts of voltage (200+ VAC) through the hdmi ports onto our receivers making them fail or lose signal. <S> To solve this issue and stop potential revisits, our techs install grounding module blocks. <S> These grounding modules plug into your outlet with three prongs and have a coax screw on the bottom that we use to attach a piece of coax to the coax screw in the back of the tv. <S> The results are instant. <S> You dont get any voltage readings with the FVD on the surface of the tv or on the connected hdmi cables. <S> Sometimes every tv is bleeding voltage and we install one for every tv to protect the equipment. <S> Its still a mystery as to why this happens as we see it on brand new and older tvs. <S> Hope this helps. <A> I agree it is the bleed-out from faulty equipment, but my observation is slightly different. <S> It is not always the TV that bleeds high voltage into the HDMI port. <S> I have two Android TV Boxes connected with my two TVs out of which one is brand new, and have experienced voltage in both HDMI cables, before even inserting into the TV. <S> So in my case, the voltage, which produces a spark comes out of the TV Box and NOT the TV. <S> Since my TCL TV has a metal bezel, it gives a shock when we touch the outer most bezel when the TV Box is connected to it whether turned on or off. <S> Once I plug out the power from the TV Box or take the HDMI cable out of the TV or the box, everything turns to normal. <S> It therefore suggests that not in all cases, the TVs are faulty, it could be the media box being used. <S> The moot question therefore is that IS THE BLEED OUT FROM MEDIA BOX DANGEROUS FOR THE TV? <S> Cause the Media Box costs 20 times less than the TV itself :-) <A> When grounding a TV, we use one of these modules. <S> We plugged the module into a grounded outlet and attach a piece of terminated coax wire going from the coax lug on the back of the TV to the coax lug on the module. <S> All V bleed out disappears when testing devices with FVDs after grounding.
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We identify this issue by waving a Foreign Voltage detector anywhere near the surface of the tv and holding it close to the tip of an hdmi cable that is only connected to the tv.
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How many amps does it take to power 2 AC's, a freezer, a refrigerator, 2 TV's, and a computer? I'm making my garage into a living place and I put in a 50 amp line from my house to the garage. The garage has its own fuse box but I want to have an upstairs living area and a downstairs man-cave. I want to plug in a freezer, refrigerator and a couple of AC's and of course upstairs would have a TV and a computer. Am I going to have enough amps or am I going to be blowing the fuse box often? <Q> Look at the published ratings for each of the specific appliances you want to run simultaneously, and add them up. <S> You'll have to do this yourself; we don't know which units you're interested in, and in fact it may affect which ones you purchase. <A> A 50A (@240v) feeder will be more than enough for this load. <S> If this were a work shop where several larger tools would be run at the same time then you might be pushing it, but a few window <S> A/C's and some electronics will be absolutely fine. <S> Remember, 50A @ <S> 240V is 12,000 watts. <S> A 10k BTU A/C is around 1000 watts. <A> The best way to find out is with a Kill-A-Watt or equivalent. <S> They are sold at most big box, hardware stores, and anywhere electrical supplies are sold. <S> I just bought one off Amazon a couple of weeks ago to see how much power some LED lights I bought will draw.
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If the sum is more amps than the breaker will permit, the breaker or fuse will eventually blow when everything happens to make its peak demand simultaneously. If you want to watch your usage over time there are even many new products that will report via you house WiFi or Bluetooth.
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How can I go back to a gas water heater? I recently got a condo unit (low rise condo) on the 4th (top) floor. The unit previously had a gas water heater but was replaced with an electric unit after the gas one broke down I suppose. This was before I got it. I didn't realize the issues I'd be facing. The electric bills are too high. I thought of going back to gas water heater and asked the heater vendor to do an analysis. But, they refused saying that vent has a black pipe which needs to be changed to White PVC pipe and vent cannot be run through the unit. Now, I am not sure what to do and the management is not willing to fix it for me. What can I do? Thanks Jimmy, Zhentar and Comintern for your answers, The hot water tank is also used to heat the unit during the winter times, this is what raising the electricity bills. And one more thing hurting is the Gas cost is covered by the maintenance bill and i am not using gas in this unit as the water heater is electricity, so i end up paying both the gas bill and electricity. And the other units in the building are having gas water heater. <Q> Only "power-vent" type gas water heaters can be vented with plastic pipe. <S> These are gas water heaters with a fan on top which blows the flue gas (and cools it by mixing surrounding cool air with it, hence plastic vent is OK) out of the house. <S> Most can be vented with 3" PVC (white), ABS (black), or CPVC (kinda tan colored). <S> These vents can be run horizontally and can have 90 degree bends (limits on that though, see instructions/local code). <S> So if the black pipe in question is plastic, it is probably ABS, and the vendor might be wrong. <S> Not sure if you know what you are getting into, direct-vent heaters are significantly more $$ than regular natural draft gas heaters (which require metal vent pipes that go more or less UP only). <S> Some of these direct-vent heaters now require a fresh air supply from outside because they have sealed burners, you may not be equipped for that. <S> You would need to be 100% sure of the condition, length, and route of the existing vent if you use it. <S> Then there is the piping for water and gas and such, labor... <S> It might not be worth the trouble and expense to change back. <S> Amortize the cost of the new heater over time and I am not sure it would pay off. <A> Jimmy's answer covers gas water heaters pretty well. <S> But there are two other points I'd like to address in regards to " <S> what can I do?" <S> Heat Pump Water Heaters are electric water heaters with significantly higher efficiency than normal resistance water heaters, generally rated in the range of 200% to 275% efficiency. <S> Reducing your hot water usage can be easier and more effective at reducing your water heating cost. <S> Average usage estimates for a small family at average electricity prices is somewhere in the range of $50/month, and it's not hard to hit half that if you're conscious about conserving hot water. <S> Also, are you sure it's your water heating cost that's driving your electricity bill? <S> Without any context, I don't have much to speculate on what might be the problem, but water heating generally wouldn't be my first suspect. <A> If your heater is on a 'exterior wall' consider direct-vent outside, by-passing the flue stack. <S> so there's little need of flue handle and in case of leak you won't destroy all your house. <S> In case of ice it'll be also super-cheap to replace (for 200€ you ca get an acceptable machine) like this:
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Another option can be installing a heater on a balcony
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How do I install a ceiling fan remote? I am trying to replace a busted Hunter ceiling fan remote. The receiver unit from the old remote had 5 wires - live and neutral, and then 1 that was labeled "fan out", 1 that was labeled "light out", and 1 that was labeled "common out." The fan unit has 4 wires - 1 green wire that is capped, 1 blue wire labelled "for light", 1 black wire, and 1 white wire. Can I use the new remote/receiver that I have and ignore the white wire (obviously capping it for safety? Or do I need to replace the new remote receiver unit with a different one that has the third "common out" wire? I only have a single light switch in the room. <Q> Green/bare from ceiling to green/bare from receiver and fan. <S> Black from ceiling to black (hot) from receiver. <S> White from ceiling to white (neutral) from receiver. <S> Blue from fan to red (light) from receiver. <S> Black from fan to black (fan) from receiver. <S> White from fan to white (common) from receiver. <S> *Red from ceiling should be capped off. <S> *Optional: <S> If the unit was previously controlled by two switches. <A> Doing my best to interpret your question: First, call the unit you wire in with the fan the "receiver," since it receives signals from the remote transmitter to control the fan (and usually a light). <S> The instructions that came with your receiver should explain what the "common out" is for. <S> Without more clear information it could either be intended for 3-way switches or for switching other lights using the same remote. <S> In the first case the "common out" should be twisted with the other (hopefully black) "live"/"hot" on the receiver together with the live wire coming into the junction box. <S> In the second case it should just be capped. <S> In either case you should wire the white (neutral) wires together. <S> You should also ensure that the fan's green wire is connected to a ground. <A> Wire it this way. <S> Connect the green to the ceiling fan's green wires and the bare copper ground wire in the ceiling box. <S> Connect all white wires together. <S> This will be the fans white wire, the fan control white wire and the white wire in the ceiling box. <S> If the fan control does not have a white wire, connect the fan's white wire to ceiling box white wire. <S> This is assuming the new fan control only has one white wire. <S> Connect the fan's fan wire to fan control's fan wire. <S> fan's light wire to control's light wire. <S> Finally connect the fan control's black wire to the ceiling box's black wire.
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According to the installation instructions for a Hunter Universal Fan & Light Remote Control (Model 27185), the device should be wired as follows.
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Can I thin thick PVC cement with primer? I needed to make a repair on some PVC pipe. When I opened my can of cement, I discovered that is was thicker than when new. I purchased the cement around a year ago and kept the lid firmly closed. The can is about 2/3 full. I could still easily spread the cement around the pipe. At what point is the cement no longer viable? Can it be made viable by thinning it with PVC primer? Yes, I should go purchase a new can of cement. <Q> I use MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) available at most hardware stores. <S> It has always worked for me <S> and I've never had a fitting failure yet. <S> I have had fittings fail from using thickened glue. <S> Granted <S> it's not the best thing to do, <S> and I always buy a new can as soon as possible. <S> But I do know where you're coming from when you need to do something to be able to finish a job, and can't run to a store at 3 am, or when you are 30 or more miles from any supplies. <S> Being that is the main ingredient in most welding adhesives or glues. <S> Look at any MSDS Sheet and you will see the solvent used in it. <S> For example: http://www.speedlinepvc.com/user/pdfs/5152-pdfs-5-file.pdf <S> I know I'm satisfied with my results. <S> And storing that can upside-down always helps. <A> PVC cement works, in major part, by creating a chemical weld between the two pieces. <S> If it has thickened, that means there's less solvent, which means it probably won't dissolve/weld into the two pieces as well. <S> Whether it's good enough is hard to predict, and depends in part on what you're using it for. <A> Oatey Purple Primer contains Acetone, Cyclohexanone, Tetrahydrofuran, and Methyl ethyl ketone. <S> Oatey Regular Clear PVC Cement contains Tetrahydrofuran, Acetone, PVC Resin, Cyclohexanone, and Methyl ethyl ketone. <A> A little thicker or gummy? <S> If it is gummy at all do not use it for a pressurized application. <S> I have tried it in a pinch because I did not want to make the time killing run to the hardware store and the joint blew out two days later, it literally came unglued. <S> You would have thought that it would blow out at initial introduction of pressure, right? <S> No, it waited; with evil intent, until I was not home and flooded the yard and garage. <S> I applied it as directed, clean fittings and pipe plus primer. <A> You sure can, friend. <S> All you have to do is keep mixing until you get it to the consistency you want. <S> Just know that whenever you break it down, it's not going to hold as well as an un-thinned cement. <A> Have you tried acetone? <S> The PVC cement I use lists acetone as one of the solvent contained therein. <S> http://www.oatey.com/msds/sds-us--regulare-clear-cement.pdf <A> I'm out in the Styx and have used the ol lady's fingernail polish remover to thin the PVC glue. <S> Never had a problem . <S> It has acetone in it and works fine.
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Primer contains the same ingredients as Cement, except Cement also has PVC resin in it, so theoretically you should be able to add primer to cement to thin it. I've even spread a bit of the glue around the top of the can to dry into a seal if I know I'm not going to use it for a really long time. It may "work", but the joint is likely to be weaker than it would be with a fresh can.
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Routing cables under the house with raised perimeter foundation Rather a simple question, I want to route some cables under the house with a raised perimeter foundation. The question is, how should I pass the cables I'm routing from under the house into the wall up above? This is the closest resemblance to my foundation (from my untrained eye) <Q> Drill up into the wall Drill on an angle <S> You could try and dill up from underneath at just the right angle. <S> Though this might be difficult, since you may not have much room to work and getting the proper angle could be impossible. <S> Use a flexible bit <S> In some situations, there might be enough room available to get a flexible bit into position from below. <S> Though again, space may be limited making it difficult. <S> Drill down <S> Start by cutting an access hole in the wall. <S> About the size of an electrical box will do. <S> This might be convenient, if you're installing a receptacle or something in the area. <S> If you're not installing a device, cut the hole large enough to give yourself plenty of room to work. <S> Patching a large hole in drywall is just as easy as patching a small one (sometimes easier). <S> Once you have the hole, use a flexible drill bit to drill down through the bottom plate. <S> Use and alignment tool, to make sure the bit is in the proper position. <S> Flexible drill bit placement tool <S> Flexible drill bit <S> Man using a flexible drill bit <A> Careful measuring and (for exterior walls) a right angle drill, generally does the trick. <S> Note that from below you generally can't see where the walls are, as you're looking at floorboards. <A> With something like this <S> http://www.screwfix.com/p/armeg-sds-plus-channelling-chisel-30mm/16724 <S> If you are going to remove the skirting boards, a normal SDS chisel or drill bit is usually enough.
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The more appropriate way to accomplish this task, is to drill from the top down.
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Should I be worried about tears in my foundation wrap? I recently moved into a newly built house in an area still in construction. My house was completed before my immediate neighbours. While they were excavating, they took large chunks of our foundation wrap out. I made this known to our site supervisor. His solution was to pin back what was left over as "it [is] deep enough down from finished grade to worry about sealing". I looked up the installation manual for the "DMX Foundation Wrap" that they used. It has a section on fixing tears, so I'm weary that leaving it alone is an acceptable solution. Additionally, it suggests that it be installed an inch below final grading (which it is). Evident in the pictures below, the tear is about half a foot down. Is half a foot really "deep enough" to not be of concern? Will this have any future detrimental effects on my foundation? Should I request this be repaired/fix it myself? Edit: There's not actually enough material to pin back. It's completely gone. <Q> Heavy rains in future will pose a damp wall problem with fungus over the years. <S> Get it fixed promptly. <S> Subfloor adhesive will bond and seal well with overlap and is cheap in large tubes. <S> You can always demand compensation before you do it, but don't expect much. <A> This is clearly unacceptable and should be reinstalled.....not repaired as there is not really proper way to repair it and be as good as it was when originally installed...... <S> a piece of the material should be overlaid on the torn areas with a least one foot overlap and sealed as per manufacturers suggestion. <A> This needs to be repaired, whether you do it, or the builder does it. <S> It is the builders responsibility, but if he does not do it, it still needs to be done. <S> Eventually dirt or sediment will leach in and begin to fill the void that is made for the water to travel out by. <S> THAT will hold the moisture to the wall instead of letting it go down and drain into the drain tile. <S> Now, imagine that the dirt, a lot of it, compared to what it should be, (which is none) is already at the wall, it rains, now the dirt is already inside the cavity where the water, which is not really ever supposed to get in beyond the barrier, is now being pushed/washed into the void. <S> Oh, that water is never really supposed to be in to begin with. <S> If only a few months have passed, the amount of dirt and water that gets in there should be minimal, hopefully, no concern. <S> If it is repaired now, using the guidelines set by the manufacturer.
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I read the install guide, they claim that a tear will not cause a problem, that is true over the short haul.
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How to determine if a 20 amp breaker can be upgraded to 30 amp I recently purchased my first home and the breaker the electric clothes dryer is connected to is 20 amp. I was told it should be 30 amp by a home inspector but foolishly did not have the seller correct it. If I run the dryer on its highest heat setting it will trip the breaker so I would like to swap out the 20 for a 30. How can I tell if the wiring and such is adequate for 30 amps? Location: North-eastern U.S. <Q> It depends upon two things: The gauge (thickness) of the wire; and The length of the wire. <S> For 30 amp, a typical household installation requires 10 gauge: To measure it you'll need to use a wire gauge measurement tool on an uninsulated piece of the wire: <S> You can get these on Amazon <A> It is almost certainly one of 14, 12, or 10 gauge wire. <S> If you haven't worked with much electrical wire, then sighting its diameter <S> it won't be as easy, so simply compare it to a known gauge wire, perhaps in the other breakers. <S> Or go to your local electrical supply store or big box retailer and look and feel the wires. <S> Maybe even buy a foot of each to keep as reference. <A> A cloths dryer needs to be fed by a 30 amp circuit through at least#10 awg copper wire (I don't recommend aluminum) if you do find that the wire you have is#10 ga. <S> Copper make sure that it has 3#10 conductors and is not using the very small bonding conductor that old romex like that usually has for the neutral.
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The easiest and surest way to determine the gauge is to look at the bare wire itself, either in the outlet, or more easily in the service panel where it goes into the breaker.
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Should electrical wiring be placed above or below plumbing pipes I'm putting a bathroom in my garage/shop. I'm going to have to run wiring and water supply plumbing through the same walls. should I put the wiring above or below plumbing? <Q> It makes absolutely NO difference. <S> NOR would it"short out" even in the slightest, even if it got into a device box. <S> Worrying about having electric and plumbing in the wall together is tantamount to worrying about having gas in the gas tank of your car with the exhaust 6" away. <A> I would think in a perfect world I would always have electric above plumbing so that if you have any floods or leaks that there isn't a short. <S> The water would basically have to come in around the outlet. <S> Since you cannot always pick the height of your outlet (you won't have normal room outlets 3 feet off the ground) <S> it is sometimes not possible. <S> NEC code mentions no issues with either install but again would put plumbing lower. <A> Your insulation (particularly batt varieties) would absorb the leaking water and thus allow it to travel up to the electrical lines anyway. <S> That's also in conjunction to the propulsion of your, typically 50 psi, water pressure... <S> essentially, a burst or cracked water line would jet the water in any/all possible directions within the wall, further aiding the upward spread/insulation absorption. <S> lol). <A> I think it s best to put some kind of outdoor flexialbe pvc electrical cover over it. <S> You can slice it long ways and wrap it around just to take that extra precaution. <S> If a new build then I would run different places to protect any burst, but the wires are insulated twice on a 12- gage or 14 gage up so only a box with heavy spray might get inside a nut then the breaker would triger if its all grounded to code. <S> Good luck.
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So you'd have to put your electrical lines, switches and outlets clear up near the ceiling (or at the least on the top side of your "fire blocks") to mitigate any potential contact as far as is possible... which I feel certain wouldn't meet NEC/all other applicable codes (not to mention would be quite inconvenient and 'unsightly' by the measure of most. Even if the water pipes broke and flooded the stud bay the cable would not typically be damaged or harmed. The chances of it mattering are almost zero since electric is insulated.
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Imperfectly cut tile (4mm short) within acceptable range of error? Recently we had a tiler who tiled the backsplash in our kitchen. He had to cut a tile to fit right below the extractor fan (hood). And he grouted the space between the top of this tile and the bottom edge of the extractor fan. The day he finished the work, the left side of the grout popped open and exposed a 2mm-gap. (I have no photo to show this unfortunately). After this happened, I measured this tile he cut, and discovered that the tile has the width (or height if you face the tile in the photo) of 103mm (left edge) 107mm (center) 107mm (right edge) In order to fix the gap, my father suggested pressing down the left-rear corner of the hood so it meets the tile (this was also the tiler's solution, but the grout he used had not been strong enough, so the hood popped up). My father was able to make the hood meet the tile by putting a lump of grout to the left of the hood (to give it more hold). Both my father and the tiler had to put a screw into the wall to force down the hood overnight until the grout dried. The photo was taken after this fix. Note: we have not regrouted the edge on the left. Now the left-rear corner of the hood is 2mm lower than the right-rear corner of the hood, although it's unlikely that any casual visitor would actually spot this error. But because I spent a lot of money on this kitchen (we bought top-of-the-line everything), and this tile (top center in the kitchen, above the burners, below the hood) is in a prominent visible position, I feel this inaccuracy is not acceptable. I feel my father's "solution" of pressing down the hood on one end is also a hack solution. It distorts the hood for one, and also, the lump of grout he used to hold down the hood is ugly (though it's white so less glaring). Do you think errors of this magnitude is acceptable for a good tiler? What options do I have? Technically speaking, is it worthwhile, possible, without-risk for the tiler to cut another tile to replace this one? Other than pressing down the hood, what other solution is there? I suppose you can make the grout line thicker to conceal the uneven height without pressing down the hood. What's the best solution here, if any? Thank you. <Q> Nobody else will ever notice it. <S> You'll forget about it in a week, unless you let it drive you insane, which will result in everybody feeling bad, since the tile guy is unlikely to see one corner of the range hood being 2mm offset from the opposite one as remotely within the realm of a sensible customer complaint. <S> If this will drive you mad, I recommend that you hire a different person to redo that part of the work and explain to this other person exactly what your expectations are. <S> One of those expectations should be pay a lot for this service. <S> Personally, I would just make the grout line a bit thicker on that side or put some colored caulk in there or something. <S> It's a tiny tiny difference that nobody is ever going to notice. <A> The best course of practice for most construction projects is to: Have a contract. <S> So really, the hard limit of what is or is not acceptable depends on the contents of the contract and specifications. <S> The soft limit is the relationship between the owner and the construction trades. <S> In terms of writing specifications, in the US the reference document would be the TCNA Handbook and ANSI A108. <S> There is some general information about tile grout tolerance here: https://www.tcnatile.com/faqs/40-grout-joint-size.html#faq30 <S> The rule of thumb for construction is generally a person can get whatever their wallet will support and it is not unreasonable to expect a substantial premium for unusually exacting construction beyond normal industry standards. <S> Keep in mind that while tile is a manufactured product, the installation of tile is performed by hand, not machine. <S> If one expects the Luis Suarez of tile-setting one should expect to pay a commensurate premium both for their higher level of skill and for their willingness to redo work that does not meet arbitrarily exacting expectations of lay people. <S> Pushing down the hood is likely to make the installation worse. <S> Rehanging the hood is probably a better approach. <A> In all honesty, I'm thinking this is more a problem with the design spec than the tiling itself. <S> If this is such a "prominent visible position", I wouldn't recommend having a cut tile there at all, and certainly not a grout joint against the range hood. <S> I likely would have recommended either some sort of bull-nose at the bottom of the range hood or running the tile up the wall behind the range hood. <S> That said, the "solution" is pretty subjective. <S> I wouldn't push down on the range hood myself, but that is certainly one option. <S> If it really bothers you, pull the hood out and have the tile replaced, then re-hang the range hood. <S> It certainly isn't outside the realm of possibility to cut almost a meter of tile perfectly straight, but it will be exceedingly difficult, even for a good tiler. <S> It would be reasonable to assume that they may have to build some sort of cutting jig, and even with that take a couple attempts at it (and destroy some otherwise good tile). <S> They would be much better equipped to do this than would be reasonably expected from a tiling contractor. <S> The subtext of the question seems to be whether you should have to pay <S> said tiling contractor to perform this replacement for you, and I think @benrudgers answer hits that nail on the head. <S> I would personally pay for the rework, especially given that it is something that doesn't appear like it would be obvious to casual inspection. <A> While redoing the tile work is the "right way"™ to get it done, alas it would be of low productivity and utility. <S> A lot of work will have to be done to achieve perfection and that money and time could be focused elsewhere for more reward. <S> While I appreciate the "move the hood lower" idea, at least do it on both sides to keep it level. <S> I have mounted one of those and know how hard it would be to redo. <S> Some ideas: <S> Install a back splash right under the hood. <S> Maybe all the way down to the range (this one is stainless so it doesn't photograph too well): <S> Or maybe a more decorative back splash .
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The best option would be to see if the tile supplier can fabricate a custom bullnose for you. Have specifications Incorporate by reference the specifications into the contract. In general, you want to design in such a way that installation intolerances can be accommodated and hidden in non-prominent places.
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How to safely dispose of latex paint? So, like most home owners, I have gallons of partially used paint, both from my old place, and old ones from the previous owners here. I want to dispose of these both safely and efficiently (we have quite a few gallons so pricey solutions may not fly). They're all latex paint. My municipality will take these if they're "dry". I checked, and I tossed the chunked solid ones, but what about the ones with liquid? How do I dry them? Can I just open the can? That seems like it will release a lot of VOCs, which I'd rather not. I saw some "drying agent" at Home Depot, is this a good match? Or something simple like kitty litter (we do not have a cat) would be more cost efficient? <Q> The municipalities just don't want it liquid or with the lid on. <S> Imagine a paint can full of paint when the compactor squishes down on it. <S> Paint everywhere! <S> You can put whatever you want in the paint to make it more solid. <S> Kitty litter, the store bought stuff drying agent, sand. <S> I have used some old mortar that I had on hand. <S> You just want to make sure that it's a solid or semi solid, and you can put it out on the curb for pickup without worry of it spilling with no lid. <S> It would take too long for it to air dry. <S> Also, a film might form on the top, preventing the bottom from drying. <A> Look to see if your municipality has a home hazardous waste disposal. <S> I have in a large metro area <S> and they have multiple locations and open Tue-Sat. <S> I've been in another where they were only open once a month. <S> But it is a good location to dispose of batteries, paint, meds and other chemicals <S> I don't need around the home. <A> I picked up a leaflet on paint re-use at the local B&Q (UK DIY store) the other day. <S> If you can't give it to a community re-use scheme they say stir in sawdust/wood shavings/a proprietary paint-setting product (similar to cat litter). <S> The set (emulsion/latex) paint can then be disposed of as normal waste and if you empty the tin in the process that may be recycled. <S> The older alternative is to paint/spread/pour it onto scrap board or newspaper. <S> Even a very thick coat will eventually set and you can use the same board many times. <S> This is a good option for small quantities but a pain if you want to get rid of lots in one go. <A> What I have done on several occasions is to pour unwanted latex paint out on a sheet of plastic in the sun. <S> spread it out <S> so there are no deep puddles. <S> After it dries, simply fold up the plastic and dispose as any other solid waste. <S> After the can is dry, it also can go into recycling or the trash. <A> Open the lid and let it dry out. <S> Place it out of the way somewhere where rainwater will not cause it to overflow. <S> Throw it out in a few weeks when it is mostly dried up. <S> Do not worry about VOCs, this is an acceptable method of disposal. <A> Latex paint is water soluble and non-toxic. <S> You can dilute with water and pour it down the drain. <A> I'd try the craigslist free section before I tried actually disposing of it.
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Alternatively you can just throw it out in the trash.
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Can I use Zinsser BIN over latex? My contractor inadvertently painted my plywood subfloor with latex wall paint instead of the Zinsser BIN shellac based primer I bought for it to seal in dog odor. Now what do I do? Should I just wait a few days for the latex to totally dry and then paint over it with the BIN shellac sealant? Will the BIN still seal well since it will be going over paint instead of into the pores of the wood? Or must I strip the paint before applying the Zinsser BIN? <Q> Now will the Zinsser after latex not cover up the smell as much. <S> I am not sure and not really sure anyone could say for sure <S> but I would rather have it directly on the wood. <S> Latex will sit and Zinsser will work its way in more. <A> Ask the Contractor to contact Rustoleum/Zinsser customer support <S> If there is friction against your request, review the termination terms of the agreement with the Contractor. <A> Generally speaking, shellac-based finishes can be used between any two other finishes. <S> I refer you to "Understanding Wood Finishes" by Bob Flexner in which he makes this case. <S> He does not; however, cover the your case of shellac over latex paint because the context of his book is wood finishes that do not hide the look of the wood itself.
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You can definitely Zinsser over latex - just did it last week.
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Do I attach kitchen cabinets when installed overtop of a hardwood floor? I have heard about installing cabinets directly on top of a hardwood floor. How do you secure the cabinets? How do you secure an island? Do you screw directly into the hardwood? <Q> Yes, there are many good reasons to finish laying the hardwood floor, and then screw cabinets into the floor and subfloor. <S> There are also some reasons not to do so. <S> This is an area of ongoing disagreement about the topic: Hardwood Installer Patch.com <S> forums <S> Hardwood <S> Flooring forums <S> My neighbor was a professional cabinet installer for decades and specialized in high end luxury houses. <S> His way of telling if the general contractor was a cheap b*stard or a quality contractor was by whether the hardwood was laid wall-to-wall in the kitchen or stopped for the cabinets. <A> You never screw cabinets to hardwood flooring - never. <S> They sit on floor and they are anchored to the wall. <S> If it is an island you have two options. <S> Cut out floor there (and screw them in) <S> or you float the island and let the weight of the cabinets hopefully keep it from moving too much. <S> Also fixed islands require electric (per most US based municipalities) while floating doesn't have any requirement. <A> While I do not disagree in principle with the advice not to attach cabinets to a hardwood floor, there are circumstances when it might make sense. <S> Attaching to a floating floor creates problems. <S> It severely restricts the ability of that floor to expand and shift. <S> It could lead to buckling. <S> However, nailed down hardwood flooring does not shift significantly. <S> If you were installing cabinets that might need to be moved or replaced, installing over a nailed down hardwood might be a good idea. <S> Also there are times when it would be advisable to screw down an island. <S> I installed an island made from a 24x60 stand alone cabinet that stood on 4" legs. <S> The top is covered with 1" granite that overhangs 10" on one side, glued down. <S> The cabinet is hardwood, but not very heavy, and does not contain heavy items. <S> To ensure that it could not be jostled or tipped, I installed small L brackets. <S> The horizontal leg is screwed into the nailed down narrow board old pine flooring, and into the subflooring. <S> The vertical leg of the bracket is screwed into the inside edge of the cabinet leg. <S> No problems four years later.
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My neighbor is a proponent of laying the hardwood wall-to-wall and placing the cabinets on top of it, screwing where necessary through the hardwood into the subfloor.
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Can I remove parquet flooring adhesive by using a heat gun? I have to remove a parquet floor with possible bitumen adhesive and am unsure how thick the adhesive was applied. I need to remove the flooring to prep for laying ceramic tiling. Could a heat gun be of use to remove the adhesive rather than costly solvents? Is this an effective method for preparing the floor for new tile? If not what course of action would you recommend? <Q> I'd advise against using heat. <S> Last week I removed a parquet floor from my living room that had been stuck down with bitumen. <S> After trial and error I found the best technique was to use a hammer and chisel to prise the tiles up, leaving just the bitumen coating on the floorboards. <S> I then paid a guy to sand up the bitumen with a large industrial sander using very rough sanding paper. <S> It took him about half a day and the floorboards now look great. <S> (Make sure you use very rough paper and a powerful machine - if the paper isn't rough enough, the bitumen just gums it up.) <S> I did try a heat approach <S> but this just melted the bitumen, making it sticky and even harder to remove. <S> I also tried to use solvents, which had the same effect. <A> You might be able to remove the bitumen mechanically by scraping it off. <S> It might actually shatter as you scrape it. <A> I've been advised that the best way to take up the vinyl "tiles" in my place is a combination of a heat gun to get them started and a paint scraper shoved under them to pop them up. <S> Caveat: <S> I haven't tried this yet. <S> (I still need to get one up, carefully and get it and the adhesive to a lab to be checked for asbestos before I do anything more.)
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If you can scrape the bulk of the bitumen off, a heat gun might work well for tidying up the inevitable remaining spots of bitumen. Failing that, a heat gun might work, but it might be too localised as a heat source and make for very tedious work.
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How can I protect a hardwood floor from a rolling office chair? My wife's office has solid hickory hardwood floors, and I'd like to protect the floor from her rolling office chair. What can be done to protect the floor? Should I even be concerned about the chair damaging the floor? <Q> In two old homes now I've shredded the wood floor under my chair, monster splinters eventually emerging. <S> I work at home in semi-rural New Hampshire. <S> I think they're very old pine floors, so softwood. <S> I plan to try Shepherd Brand Urethane Casters after putty and repainting. <S> From the manufacturer's site, "Nylon tread for carpeting, and urethane tread for hard floors." <S> Much buzz on Amazon about these. <S> Edit : After months with the new casters there are no new paint flakes or splinters. <S> I haven't repainted the floor yet, but it appears these casters will do the trick. <A> I live in a house full of wood floors (engineered hardwood). <S> If the floors are kept clean and the wheels of the chair also are kept clean, every little damage will ever happen to your floors. <S> I say this, because if some sand or small rock gets between the chair caster and the floor it will mark it. <S> You can always fill the small imperfection but a rug is a small insurance plan for that area of floor. <A> Most chairs come with hard nylon casters, but softer rubber/polyurethane/neoprene casters are less likely to scratch or damage your floor. <A> I was initially worried about this, but I've had my office chair on hardwood for about 2 years without issue, with generally at least an hour to 4 hours use every day (and more when I occasionally work from home). <S> It's a pretty typical chair with fairly hard plastic castors. <A> I would either get some sort of "mat" or area rug. <S> There are some plastic mats that are sold without the plastic spikes. <S> There are also 'floating vinyls" or fiber floors that come in rolls (often at Home Depot) and they can just go on top of floor without adhesive. <S> You can cut them to size. <S> Usually, their weight holds them down. <A> I use something like this: http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/459806/Realspace-Bamboo-Chair-Mat-36-W/ <S> Of course I have bamboo floors so it blends in. <A> I would not use a plastic mat, as I did because a tiny piece of something got under it <S> and I must have rolled over it a dozen times <S> and it left a bunch of annoying marks in my beautiful hardwood floor. <S> :( <A> I would use some sort of sacrificial mat, either a pre-made mat or a section of some laminate flooring material to cover the area that you will be using the chair. <A> The trouble is, no matter what you put down there, if it's a sunny room, your floor will age unevenly. <S> I had one of those clear plastic mats down and when I removed it after a couple of years, a huge light spot was left behind. <S> I have recently refinished the floor in this room <S> and I'm reluctant to put anything down on the new floor-- <S> though maybe with the modern tools & chemicals <S> it's fade-proof <S> I don't know. <S> But I think I have to expect some change of color over time. <S> It's a very sunny room. <S> Kept hoping I'd find something like casters with felt coated wheels. <S> I had no luck. <S> Maybe I should invent such a thing, Lol. <S> Bet they'd sell well. <S> My office chair is also terribly loud rolling across the floor. <A> If you're really really into a solution here, you want a Flexible Glass Chair Mat . <S> It's that: glass you lay on the floor to protect it. <S> Just Google that term. <S> The first results lead to solutions.
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If your floors are perfectly smooth and any imperfection will bother you, I do recommend either a low pile or woven rug under the desk and chair. Replacing your chair's casters can help.
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How do I mount this pullup bar? I bought this pull up bar that is designed to go into studs that are 16" apart Ultimate Body Press My basement walls are only framed out so I can see all of the studs. I started to mount it and realized the studs are 18" OC. I'm trying to think of the best way to get this mounted and strong. My leading idea right now is to buy 2 more 2x6 studs and attach them to the inside of the existing ones. There is nothing running through the studs so it should be as simple as lining them up and screwing them together. I would do a few screws horizontally and then 2 on the top and bottom at a 45 degree angle to attach to the base and top horizontal studs. I believe the term is toeing? Are there any downsides to this approach now or in the future. At some point we will finish the basement and cover this all up with drywall. <Q> Your approach is sound. <S> I wouldn't bother toeing screws in from top/bottom. <S> Two bolts above the bar and two below. <S> Alternatively you can attach horizontal 2x4's across your studs with recessed lag bolts and then mount the pull-up bar to those. <S> Since the 2x4's will be attached to the studs the same way the pull-up bar would have been attached you won't lose much connective strength. <A> An alternative would be to hang one horizontal 2x6, 16-1/2" long, horizontally between two adjacent studs. <S> That wouldn't be as sturdy as two vertical "married" studs, though. <S> Yep, Toeing, or toenailing if you do it with nails. <S> Nails TEND to be better - they're not as hard, but they're stronger than most equivalent screws. <S> Another alternative would be to redrill the chinup bar <S> so both supports can be moved outward to exactly accomodate your stud spacing. <S> If you're not close to the bar's max weight limit, that'd be the best approach. <A> Through-bolt it (with big washers on the backside) through a 2 x 10 or 2 x 12 (or lumber that you feel is appropriately strong),like 24" long, attached horizontally to your 18" OC studs. <S> Basically span the stud bay. <A> The correct term is laminating , then you should also toe-nail it. <S> I could not find the nailing schedule for laminating 2x6's. <S> Use 2 rows of 16d in a staggered pattern. <S> Or go nuts and use bolts and nails. <S> Consider adding brackets to all toe nailed areas (all four locations). <S> If you don't own nor want to rent a framing nail gun, at least use deck screws, not anything made for drywall. <S> With a hammer (yikes) you may want to laminate them on the floor first and then reinstall the new 'post'. <S> From the ASHI Reporter on x12: <S> Nailed and bolted connections: <S> For laminating l-¾"-wide LVLs up to three 12-inch-deep plies, look for two rows of 16d nails spaced 12 inches on center . <S> The rows should be nailed from both sides with the spacing staggered . <S> For three plies over 12 inches deep, look for three rows of 16d nails, again 12 inches on center, both sides with a staggered pattern. <S> For laminating four or more plies (generally, it is not recommended to exceed four plies), look for two rows, three inches from the top and bottom of ½"-diameter through-bolts with fender washers on both faces, every two feet on center, with a staggered pattern, in addition to the regular nailing schedule specified above. <S> Other details we should look for include proper post caps, splices and beam pockets.
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I would drill through both the stud and the filler board and attach with nuts/bolts/washers (as opposed to threading a screw into the stud).
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A/c makes the lights turn on and off! No Joke! The lights on the first floor, upstairs bathroom and upstairs Laundry room won't work.The breakers did NOT popThe air conditioning was running this morning but is not working now.When the thermostat turns the air off those lights turn off, but when the Tstat turns the air on, the lights come back on but they are slightly dim.I have to let the Tstat think the air is on and let it run the furnace fan constantly. If I turn the A/c off, either at the breaker or the main line at the A/C unit, all of the lights downstairs turn off...no the breakers do not pop but some of the GFI's pop. The compressor on the A/C is not working (no real air conditioning)I am in the USA. The The A/C is in the upper left of the panel, and most of the affected rooms are on the right side of the panel. The problem affects all but the last couple of breakers on the right side.The dryer, in the laundry room sounds like it isnt getting enough power and wont completely start.When I run the garbage disposal, all of the affected lights dim considerably. <Q> Which country, Michael? <S> USA, by any chance, judging from your jargon? <S> If so... I think you may have a grounding issue at the panel or at the line coming in from the pole. <S> I've seen similar issues, and issues with lights burning EXTREMELY brightly for a short while before they burn out, from just such grounding issues. <S> In the latter case, it may be in the subpanel or the wiring leading to it. <A> I sounds like the problem might be that the right side of your service panel either isn't connected to the main at all or has a really bad connection. <S> I'm guessing <S> what is happening is that when the A/C is "on", it is back feeding the right side of your panel through the breaker. <S> This could also explain why your A/C compressor isn't working - it would be getting a 120v feed instead of a 240v feed. <S> This is something that would require testing the voltage at the mains in the box, and as @Tester101 pointed out in his first comment, fixing this isn't a DIY job. <S> Cut the breaker to the A/C in the main service panel to keep this from doing any damage (I'm thinking electronics around the house), and get an electrician out there before you turn it back on. <A> Well, you guys are absolutely brilliant. <S> The problem is nearly fixed. <S> I had comEd come out <S> do just what you said. <S> It turns out that one of the phases coming into the house is bad! <S> So everyone was spot on... <S> the AC was operating at 120 and feeding the rest of the house when it was "on". <S> Half the panel was out because of the bad phase. <S> The "boys in red" at ComEd put a jumper at the service box as a band aid. <S> This solved all of the issues. <S> They are coming back out to rip up the yard and replace the main feed to the house. <S> I couldn't be happier. <S> Thanks for your comments and feedback,
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Especially if the AC and the 1st-floor lights are served by breakers near the bottom of the panel, or from a separate subpanel... in the former case, the grounding problem may be inside the panel itself.
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Kitchen fixture pulled lose from ceiling My kitchen fluorescent fixture has pulled lost from the ceiling and is dangling just by the electrical wires. It is an older home(25years) and the anchor bolts have pulled thru the drywall. I have tried to drill new holes but the drywall just keeps pulling out from the weight of the fixture.What type of repair person should I call because the drywall may need to be repaired also.Electrician, handyman, kitchen remodel shop?????? <Q> but if you need someone that can match texture and finish you can get a drywall professional to do that part. <S> You need to have an electrician evaluate the wire to make sure that the wire was not damaged by the fixture hanging by it he would also know how best to re hang the fixture. <A> Don't use plastic anchors. <S> Instead, use "molly bolts" or expanding steel anchors that grip from BEHIND the drywall. <S> For Plan B, you could cut a short slot about 2" wide where it'd be hidden by the fixture, and slip a 3"-wide piece of plywood up through the slot. <S> Turn it crosswise to the slot and screw through the drywall into it. <S> Now you can screw your fixture to the plywood with drywall screws. <A> I realize this is a month old <S> but I'll add an answer. <S> A) <S> This is a job for an electrician, NOT a handyman. <S> B) <S> If this is a fluorescent then it is likely that it is big enough to have <S> at least a few of the mounting screws hit framing above the drywall.
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A handy man that knows how to patch drywall and some carpentry should be able to install blocking between the joists that the fixture can be screwed to
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Electric shock - was I stupid, unlucky, or a combination of both? One of the double sockets in our garage needed replacing (damaged after a washing pole hit it) - a pretty trivial job that I'd done before. So I flipped the MCB for the ring main, used a non-contact voltage tester to check nothing was there, and set to work. I disconnected the old socket fine, and was lining the cables up to fit into the new socket when... ow. My finger bridged the live and earth pins, and suffice to say the live wire was very much alive. Bar a few finger spasms I was fine fortunately, and believe me I realise I was very lucky in that respect (I'm in the UK, so that was 240V.) Before finishing the job I then shut off the entire property's electrics - I was taking no more chances. Further inspection confirmed two things I immediately suspected at this point - the MCB in the garage (installed before we moved into the house) was shutting off power via the neutral, not the live, and the voltage tester was dodgy (I had tested it on the same socket earlier and it seemed fine, further testing showed it presumably had a loose connection internally and only worked sporadically.) Needless to say it's now in the bin, and an electrician has been called to sort the MCB and check the rest of the house for similar issues. Unsurprisingly this has shaken me up a bit - I would say I'm a rather safety conscious person, and in this case thought I'd done all the checks properly (including taping over the relevant trip switch to ensure no-one flipped it back on while I was working.) In some ways I can't help feeling I was unlucky that the MCB was wired by a cowboy, in combination with the voltage tester failing in the way that it did, at the time that it did. However, I'm not one to solely blame tools - clearly some, if not most of the blame here lies with myself also. So in short, what should I have done differently - and was I primarily being stupid, or really quite unlucky? <Q> The paranoid way to use a non contact voltage tester is: <S> Test that outlet shows as live Flip breaker test that outlet shows as dead Test a different outlet that should still be live <S> The last step is what would have saved you a shock here - its to check that your tester didn't die while you were flipping the breaker, and that you haven't done anything silly like forgetting to turn it on. <A> 1. <S> Test. <S> 2. <S> Confirm. <S> 3. <S> Do work. <S> 4. <S> Check your work. <S> Always test the tester. <S> (Preferably with a different tester.) <S> NCV's should only be used to confirm an outlet <S> should work, NOT that it is dead. <S> They are also nice for locating CBs if you want to play the flip on/off game, though not to be used for confirmation of that either. <S> Item 4, the outlet tester, would have alerted you to the live wire <S> and it's incorrect wiring. <S> It's a common curtsey in my crew to ask "Did you check it with a wiggy yet?" <S> (item 2) for their own safety as they begin. <S> We also never defer to each other, check it again yourself. <S> Most likely there are other wires from other circuits and depending on the situation those get shut-off too. <S> A note on NCVs: <S> They will sometimes pick up a strong enough induced current (from proximity to live wires) to give you a false positive. <S> Again, non-contact voltage testers are best used to see if an outlet should be working, at a glance, NOT to confirm that it is dead. <S> More on Stack Exchange: Is a negative reading from a non-contact voltage detector sufficient? <A> Unlucky to have come across a dodgy installation. <S> What follows is a US experience, same voltage. <S> We lived in a house dating from "Rural Electrification" so that might give you an idea of the age of the fuse panel. <S> There was this coiled bit of Romex hanging off a nail in the eaves, bare clipped off ends, that was hot. <S> After pulling all the fuses and the Range and Pump 220V fuse blocks, it still was hot. <S> We had to call the power company to come pull the meter as it was wired for who knows what ungodly reason, into the input lugs to the fuse panel. <S> The experience shows why I prefer a standard contact voltmeter for verification, two different methods for cross-check. <S> I love the non-contacts for ease of use. <A> Aside from that, it just sounds like you were unlucky. <S> This is why it's important to know what you're doing, before attempting any DIY project. <S> The person before you obviously did not, and the end result could have been your death (luckily it wasn't). <A> I use a multimeter and check all three pairs (live-neutral, live-ground, and neutral-ground) before doing anything. <S> This lets me catch bad wiring, as well as things like a leak to ground that may not have a high enough voltage to trigger an NCV or other yes/no tester.
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Though if it were a loose connection you still could be very unlucky and have it pass all those tests with the outlet still live. Always verify the non-contact voltage tester is working properly, before trusting it (this is true for any tool, I guess). Once I have a box open I check all around with a NCV again.
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Can I use a wall tile on the floor? I came across ceramic wall tiles that I really want to use for my bathroom, but I can't find the perfect floor tile that matches. Can I use the wall tile as a floor tile? Here's a link (might be a blurry) picture of it: http://i.imgur.com/aBlxVwE.jpg I want to use the grey one (top one) on the floor. The tiles are not smooth, so I don't think they'll be slippery. Are there other factors? Can wall tiles generally be used as floor tiles? <Q> ONLY IF... <S> the floor surface is well-prepared (1/2" cement board minimum), the tiles have a thick enough body (some wall tiles have a very thin body, and are unsuitable for floor tiles because they're so fragile), and are made up of a material (my favorite is red clay) suitable for compressive loading (your heeled shoes, or high heels), your mortaring work is IMPECCABLE, and your tile-laying technique is excellent. <A> Maybe not, but not for the reason you think! <S> Wall tiles on the floor would certainly be considered an alternative material. <S> In some jurisdictions it is illegal to install building materials for other than their intended purpose without approval. <S> "The provisions of this code are not intended to prevent the installation of any material or to prohibit any design or method of construction not specifically prescribed by this code, provided that any such alternative has been approved. <S> An alternative material, design or method of construction shall be approved where the building official finds that the proposed design is satisfactory and complies with the intent of the provisions of this code, and that the material, method or work offered is, for the purpose intended, at least the equivalent of that prescribed in this code. <S> Compliance with the specific performance-based provisions of the International Codes in lieu of specific requirements of this code shall also be permitted as an alternate." <S> I once asked for approval <S> and they wanted result from a testing lab showing equivalency. <S> Please don't shoot the messenger! <S> I think you know who to shoot. <A> (my floor tiles already started breaking too after many years, <S> so you're probably going to see breakage much sooner) <S> Also while the tiles may be 'not slippery', it's really hard to say until you have walked on them. <S> they don't seem that rough or porous <S> so I think you may have issues there. <S> Lastly if you're talking about those large rectangles at the very top-- <S> I think those look ugly due to the rectangle shape; and if your'e talking about the little squares, imho that looks worse still Neglecting the possibility of breakage, it all comes down to personal preference. <S> I would peruse for some more floor tiles before you make a decision, though. <S> Good luck!
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A few problems, wall tiles aren't built to withstand weight like floor tiles, so they are more prone to breaking.
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How do I fix a heavily rusted garburator? I have an INsinkerator that I never used for years as I hate it. I tested it out the other day and it no longer works as it appears heavily rusted over due to non-use. I tried the red re-set button, but it wouldn't work. I would hear a low hum and it would pop back out. I found an allen key and tried turning it from the bottom with no success (seemed super stuck). Is this fixable? Is there any way to remove the rust that is safe? Or am I better off replacing it? Thanks. <Q> Replace the thing. <S> New ones are not excessively expensive. <S> Attempts at repair are likely to be a futile exercise. <A> If you don't use it why replace it? <S> Just remove it and put a standard drain in. <A> DEFINITELY replace it. <S> If you have some extra time on your hands, take this one and fiddle with it until you get it into nice shape again... then keep it for a spare. <A> I don't hold out a lot of hope for this option <S> but it's worth the cost of a can of CX to try it. <S> Cheers! <A> My biggest problem with disposals is that anything bigger than plate scrapings will eventually clog up the almost-horizontal waste pipe going from my sink to the main stack, but I'm sure many houses are less vulnerable to that than mine. <S> Anyway, I bought an Insinkerator in '03 that lasted about 11 years (until the base of the grind chamber leaked through rust holes), during which it froze up a couple of times; each time, I was able to un-stick it with the allen wrench, but it took a lot of back-and-forth. <S> I replaced it with <S> one my neighbor mistakenly thought was bad (the cable had fractured); that eventually started leaking around the casing of the grind chamber and I fixed it with gorilla glue and drywall tape. <S> I intend to try the same thing with my old one; neither one will last forever, but they've both had respectable life spans. <S> Insinkerators seem very prone to rust, they obviously don't use much stainless steel, though mine (unlike my neighbor's) had a plastic grind-chamber casing which has actually held up very well, so <S> an all-plastic model might be an improvement. <S> Before either of these I had a top-of-the-line Sears, which had much more stainless steel, but only lasted 7 years; the nut holding the grinding disk in place (which tended to be permanently rusted tight on the Insinkerators) got loose. <S> I've fixed it with epoxy, but won't know how well it holds until the one I'm using quits for good. <S> PS: Don't use bleach in these; it eats right through regular steel and isn't kind to either stainless or plastic. <S> I find alternating between hot water and ice cubes gets rid of the stench.
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The reason is that old disposers often corrode right through the lower portion of the casing and there really is no good way to repair that. I can't say I disagree with the other two answers here but in the intereset of exploring all options, try spraying half a can of CorrosionX (or any descent penetrating lubricant spray) down there, let it sit for an hour or two, and then crank it a few revolutions with your allen wrench and see if it breaks up the corrosion.
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Installing/fixing ceiling drywall when trusses are uneven? My house is an "L" shape where the short leg of the "L" is the garage. Above the garage ceiling, the trusses transition from one orientation 90 degrees to another orientation. The different orientations of trusses are different heights above the floor. This means one-third of the ceiling has the bottom edge of the trusses 1/2-inch lower than the other two-thirds. When the ceiling drywall was originally installed, the drywall was butted up at this uneven transition and caulked. This joint has failed over time, and then wind blows through the joint (when the garage door is open) making the problem even worse. What is the proper way to fix this situation? <Q> You'll have a header running across the 90 <S> ° transition in the framing direction, so <S> this shouldn't be that difficult to fix. <S> I'd remove the drywall from the last stud bay (shaded below)... ...and attach blocking to the header that will catch the sheetrock. <S> Since you're getting air ingress there, I'd take the opportunity to insulate while you have it open. <S> I'd also use fiberglass tape instead of paper along this joint when you put the drywall back up - I've found that it tends to hold up better along seams like this. <A> There are a few solutions for such a problem. <S> What I would do is mark <S> the locations of the joists on the higher drywall, and then glue and screw new half inch drywall right on top of it. <S> (Or 3/8" or 5/8" depending on if it's not exactly a half inch difference.) <S> This will most likely be the cheapest and easiest option. <S> This Fine Homebuilding article has a more detailed description of the process. <A> The higher section could easily be furred down (after removing the drywall) with strips of 1/2" plywood.
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You could also remove the drywall, sister wood or steel studs to the ceiling joists at a 1/2" offset and then reinstall drywall.
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Why is my new Altura 68" fan so slow moving on high speed? This is the 2nd fan that I purchased and it moves slow for such a large fan. Do smaller fans run faster? My 1st fan was a Harbor Breeze Saratoga 60" that had an air flow of 7344 CFMs on high speed. I returned it thinking something was wrong with the interior of the fan. Next, I connected Hampton Bay Altura 68" that has an air flow of 8,435 CFM, and to see it run the same speed as my previous fan is dumbfounding. What is wrong with the speed? It's connected to direct current. I have a dimmer switch in the kitchen but didn't connect the wires to it. Please help! <Q> Your new fan is larger, which means it should be able to move more air at the same speed. <S> As you say, it moves more air (8435 CFM, up from 7344). <S> Who cares how fast the blades turn? <A> CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) is a measure of the volume of air being moved. <S> A larger fan can move more air while rotating at the same speed as a smaller fan. <S> So if you're simply looking at the fan size and CFM, you can expect that at the same CFM a larger fan will spin slower. <A> I used to own this fan in a previous house, installed in a large vaulted family room. <S> The blades do move slow when compared to smaller fans. <S> When I mean slow, it felt like it was on low when it was on high. <S> But I will say, this fan worked well and we rarely needed to turn that fan on high. <S> It was in a 400sqf room and no mater where we were, we could feel the air movement with the fan on medium. <S> With those large blades, being directly under it also didn't feel like being in a tornado that smaller fans are like.
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If anything it's probably quieter to have a slow, large fan vs a small fan that has to spin a lot faster to move the same amount of air.
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Is there a way to unscrew a light bulb that has broken? The recessed light in my bathroom broke while trying to unscrew it, and only the metal collar remains. What is the best way to get that remaining part out? <Q> If the bulb is really stuck <S> you might try spraying some WD40 around it. <S> A similar alternative, as others have mentioned in the comments, is to expand a pair of pliers inside of the base in order to grip the inside and turn it. <A> In a pinch, if you lack a bulb remover, you can use a potato to remove a broken light bulb. <S> Essentually, you just cut it to a size that'll fit into the socket, but engage with whatever's left of the broken bulb, then twist. <S> This youtube video illustrates the technique. <A> Pull-chain switched lights and 3-way switched lights are particularly difficult in this regard. <S> So I bought a broken bulb remover - 2 sizes of rubber tip on an insulated plastic handle. <S> Big one slips over the little one. <S> Broom-handle/extension-pole threads on the far end. <S> Don't use it often, but nice to have when needed. <A> If only the metal collar remains (no glass), and if the pliers don't quite fit outside the collar, it's still quite easy: <S> Crimp a portion of the metal collar inward with the pliers. <S> Crimp the opposite side of the metal collar inward (opposite meaning 180-degrees away from the first position). <S> Use the crimped portions to grip the metal collar from the outside. <S> If the socket is tightly gripping the collar, hold the socket in-place as you rotate the collar out. <S> I myself did this just a few weeks ago. <S> No potatoes required. <A> Four words: Use a large carrot. <A> With the breaker off, I use a pair of needle-nose pliers as 'fingers', opening them up inside the base. <S> Keep the pressure on and twist. <A> I have used a tennis ball for this very purpose. <A> My Solution, turn off the power ( IMPORTANT )Using an insulated screwdriver with a large flat blade >8mm, stick it into the bulb base and turn anticlockwise. <S> Works every time. <A> With the breaker off I usually just use my Leathermans pliers. <S> I put it inside closed, then open it and screw it out!
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With the power off at the breaker, and verified with a non-contact tester , I've always just used a pair of needle nose pliers to grip the rim of the bulb base and turn it to remove. I've never been all that comfortable with @Steven's solution, as it's hard to be sure the power to the light is off when the bulb is broken so you can check, unless you shut off the whole house (or the circuits are actually really well labeled.) Ive had it happen to me many times. Just shove the tennis ball forcefully against the remaining bulb base, and continue pushing inward while turning counter-clockwise.
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Toilet not flushing properly because flapper is closing too soon I installed a new flapper and it doesn't stay open long enough. The chain is short to the point not much left to shorten. It was the proper flapper, but just does not stay open long enough unless I hold the handle down. When held down, it flushes just fine. I replaced flapper because old one was leaking and causing run on. <Q> Sounds like the chain is too short. <S> The flapper has to come up past vertical, so that it's out of the way for the full flush. <S> Once the tank starts to fill again, the flapper will slam shut. <S> If the chain is too short, it won't let the flapper fall into the full open position. <S> The chain has to be just right, for everything to work. <A> My particular float bulb/flapper valve has two large holes in the bottom and side of a large bulb. <S> This lets air out too fast and it did not stay open. <S> The geometry of the other parts in the tank prevent the flapper from ever settling into a vertical position as described in some of the fixes. <S> No adjustments of the chain length, arm length, or water level had any effect. <S> The flapper always sank too fast. <S> It was like this when we moved in. <S> I noticed that a working toilet in the house had a foam float on it to help the flapper stay open. <S> I experimented with attaching pieces of pool noodle to the chain, but finally got results when I put pool noodle material into the bulb. <S> I cut off a round slice ("O" shape) that was roughly half an inch thick and cut a break into it ("C" shape but with no gap). <S> I threaded this through the hole in the bottom of the floater. <S> The flapper now stays buoyant for longer and allows the toilet to flush without holding the handle down. <A> They are designed that way to save water. <S> The idea is that you give it a quick flush for a pee and a long flush to remove solids. <S> The problem is that people don't know that so they give it a quick flush and it doesn't clear the pan <S> so they give it another flush. <A> I had the same issue. <S> The flapper would not go up all the way <S> and it was because the holes on the sides were too small and too tight on the little "L" tabs. <S> Macgyvering stuff is the best. <S> Took a drill bit slightly bigger than the holes, driled them a little bigger and Presto. <S> The flap goes up all the way and back down now with no issues.
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If the chain is too long, it won't lift the flapper enough. I solved this problem by stuffing a piece of pool noodle into the float bulb.
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Should a heavy duty transformer (used predominantly for LED lights) be on the mains ring or the lighting circuit? I am putting RGB LED strip lights in a room, powered by a fairly heavy duty (30A) 12V transformer. The transformer will also power a Raspberry Pi (volatage will be split to give it 5V)that will be used with a touchscreen to control light colour and function, and a motorised blind. There will also be a relay from the Pi controlling a couple of normal (mains) lights. Given the "primary function" of the transformer is for lighting, I assume it should be on the lighting ring. (I guess the risk is with "forgetting" the motor etc is on the lighting ring.) Even though there is a high current draw at 12V, it is only 1.5A at 240V. There are only a couple of other lights on this circuit, so I think 1mm2 cable will be fine too. Is this approach correct? <Q> Is this approach correct? <S> Basically, yes. <S> 1mm2 twin and earth cable (I presume that is what you are proposing) could carry up to 16A, depending on where it runs, so 1.5A is well within the headroom (assuming that you aren't talking such long runs that voltage drop becomes an issue). <S> For lighting, however, I tend to use 1.5mm2 in preference to cable 1mm2. <A> 360W 50 <S> Hz transformer is big and expensive. <S> Conductive losses on 30A will be large at 12V. <S> A reasonable approach is consider 5% losses in distribution max. <S> For this you need the average length of cable carrying 30A from source to load. <S> They should not be daisy chained more than 50W per FPC cable unless otherwise suggested by supplier. <S> Lets assume 10m for L. use the following formula: R = pL <S> /A <S> Where p is the resistivity of the material, L is the length and A is the cross sectional area. <S> Copper has a resistivity of 1.72 *10^ <S> -8 ohm*m <S> Using 5% of 360W = <S> 18W = I^2R, R=0.02 Ohm <S> Thus A= 1.72 <S> *10 <S> ^ <S> -8 ohm*m <S> *10m <S> /0.02ohm=8.6*10 <S> ^-6 sq.m. <S> Thus diameter of wire = 2.93mm, which is AWG9 !! <S> Therefore if you use 1 or 1.5 mm wire, it may calculate your losses and consider a star distributed wiring or loop wiring to each 60W section. <S> I would prefer to use a PC ATX supply with a SMPS instead of a transformer, because the LEDs only conduct during peak voltage mostly between 10 and 14V with series resistors on strings. <S> This is only <1/3 of the sine cycle and thus the peak current will be 3x average of 30Amps, which implies even more distribution losses from this nonlinear load. <S> AC transformer rectifier is an inefficient solution and wire losses are significant for a 30A Zener like load. <S> P.s. <S> if you are using a bulky 360VA transformer to power a couple strings, that is of course your choice, not mine. <A> One thing with these 30A 12V transformers is that they are usually open terminal <S> so I would advise you to get an enclosure if you do not already have one.
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Yes wiring into your lighting is absolutely fine and would be a more complete solution as opposed to plugging the transformer into your wall socket.
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Cleaning walls or painting When white walls get kind of filthy due to smoking or dirty finger here and there, is the only solution to paint over? Or is there any product that could clean them once in a year or so to keep them fresh looking? <Q> The answer is "clean walls AND paint," if you're going to paint at all. <S> Even if you do decide to paint over a stain you can't remove, you still need to clean the wall to make sure the paint adheres properly. <S> It cuts the level of surface gloss, really cuts through grease, and gives you a nice clean surface for new paint - all with a quick wipe down and minimal scrubbing. <A> I have always used a grout sponge, cold water and dawn. <S> If the cleaning takes off the paint then you need to repaint of course <S> but most of the time soap and water works. <S> Obviously doesn't help that much with an intense smoke smell (but painting might not either). <A> Javex or bleach diluted in water will clean with a sponge or flat floor mop rinsed often. <S> If too Strong and scrubbed , it can remove stains or slowly remove paint as well. <A> In UK we use sugar soap to treat dirt from smoking before painting the wall. <S> I suppose you can use it without consecutive painting. <A> Depends on the quality of the paint and the sheen really. <S> Generally speaking the closer to a gloss <S> finish <S> the easier <S> it is to clean. <S> Glossy surfaces are going to be less porous than flat surfaces, therefore easier to clean. <S> If you decide to paint, like other answers have mentioned, always sand and clean the walls before hand. <S> Prep work is very important for paint adhesion. <S> A simple mixture of vinegar and water is a good cleaning agent for paint as it is less corrosive than a chemical cleaning agent.
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I use TSP to wipe down the walls or surfaces prior to repainting.
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Should washing machines be placed on tile or other water-proof flooring? I am redoing the area where my washing machine is. Currently it's placed in a closet and has a tile floor. I'd rather not use tile in the new setup, but it got me wondering if this is an important aspect of a laundry area. How important is it for the floor below a washing machine to be resistant to water? <Q> It is common to set washing machines in a washing machine pan <S> These can handle minor leaks. <S> Some versions include connections for floor drains that handle larger leaks. <S> Many apartment buildings that allow above basement washers require that a built in pan be an integral part of the floor and sometimes specify a deeper pan than the 2" versions. <A> Engineered wood floors would meet this requirement. <S> As @bib mentions, there are drain pans available to place under your machine to catch any leaking water. <S> However, periodically looking under you machine for any leaks would be sufficient to ensure there is no damage from a machine that has developed a leak. <S> This also may alert you sooner to a developing issue. <S> The biggest risk with washing machines is that of the supply hoses bursting and causing massive water damage, especially when no one is home to shut it off. <S> A non-drained drain pan will not provide any reduction of damage in this scenario. <S> To limit the risk of water damage caused by burst supply hoses, you should replace the hoses every 3 to 5 years. <S> It's also recommended to use a higher quality hose, such as a stainless braided one. <S> In addition, shut off the supply to the hoses when you leave for an extended period of time (weekends/vacation). <S> There also exists multiple products that can be installed either during the rough-in stage or as a retro-fit, that will detect if a hose bursts and automatically shut off the water supply. <S> There are even versions that come with a floor sensor that will also shut off the water supply if water is sensed. <S> More information can be read found in this This Old House article. <A> From what I have seen of laminate and time passing, you might want to consider the "ceramic tile hardwood" (seen at at least one if not both flavors of US home improvement stores recently) for the area around the laundry; or just let it be different. <S> Once the substrate starts to swell, the floor starts to look like bleep! <S> I see that engineered hardwood is (somewhat) different from laminate, in that it uses "real wood" on either side of the fiberboard center core (per Armstrong's description) rather than printed plastic wood-look, but the fundamental incompatibility with serious water exposure probably remains, in my "reading between the lines" opinion.
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The floor should be resistant to water, however this is more of a cleaning requirement: you want to be able to cleanup any spills of soap on the floor. Real life exposure to water is not generally harmless to laminate, whatever the sales-folk may tell you.
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What type of joint should I use while building a plywood box? I'm building a trophy. It will consist of two boxes...one slightly smaller than the other and stacked on top of one another. I'm looking for suggestions on how to join the corners of the boxes so that the veneer is the only thing exposed on the 4 corners and top. Thoughts? <Q> The simplest way to do this is with a simple miter joint. <S> Miter all sides of your panels at 45°. <S> You'll need a tablesaw to do this, or a very accurate circular saw with a straight cutting jig (i.e. a track saw). <S> To visualize it, each panel will end up looking like a squashed flat top pyramid if you lay it down on its outer face. <S> It will be very difficult to get the miter perfect, especially if the boxes you're creating are rather large. <S> Any gaps will be obvious since the layers of ply will be visible underneath the veneer. <S> The corners will also be fairly sharp and fragile since you can't sand or rout them down without exposing the plies underneath. <S> If the biggest dimension of the boxes is 11.25" or smaller, I'd just use a 1x12 instead of plywood. <S> Then use a square block or beam at each corner on the interior when you're gluing and clamping the corners. <S> Alternatively you could do this with a router and a router table to create a lock miter joint, and then the blocking inside the box would be unnecessary: Image source <A> I would approach this a little differently. <S> Once the box is together, sand <S> so all the faces are smooth and the joint can't be felt. <S> Now, get some veneer sheets (thin sheets of wood) and attach according to the instructions. <S> Some will have adhesive backs, some you will need to glue. <A> If you can make a precise miter, it does this fine. <S> The trick is in making it precise enough, and gluing it without allowing it to slip. <S> There is a family of standard joints, either originated by or made famous by the Stickley company (who were trying to get quarter-sawn faces on all 4 sides of an oak leg), that help with the slipping-when-gluing aspect by adding a key to the surface. <S> A picture would be delightful here <S> but I'm uncomfortable with the rights status (for me to post it here) of anything I can find, so go <S> have a look around the web with that in mind. <S> I have also seen this done by making a VERY precise V-groove that does not QUITE go through the face veneer at each joint location, and then gluing and folding - the face veneer is continuous on 3 corners, which helps hold it from slipping and also looks "seamless. <S> " You'll have to judge whether this is within your tools and skills or not.
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First I would make the box using a join that best fits the tools you have (Butt, dado, miter or dovetail).
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How do I connect a light before a 3way, followed by a 3way, then a light? I now have power to 3way A, connected to 3way B, to a light. I want to add a light before 3way A. Power comes to a junction box, then to 3way A. A is at the bottom of a stairs and B is at the top. <Q> Your question is a little unclear a diagram and pictures would help. <S> If you want to add a light to a 3 way set up the easiest way is to run a 2 wire of the same size as the others in the circuit from the existing switched light to your new one and connect the wires color to color. <A> You CANNOT do this without rewiring. <S> This is a common request that most folks think is no problem. <S> It simply cannot be done with your existing wiring. <S> The simplest thing is to get a wire from the existing light to the new one. <A> Do you want the new light to be switched with the 3ways? <S> If you want it to be independent, no problem.
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If you want it to work in tandem with the other light, BIG problem - one perhaps best solved by the use of a "wireless switch".
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