Split (1)

train · 95.7k rows

source stringlengths 620 29.3k	target stringlengths 12 1.24k
How to fix a deck railing that is falling off? I have an older deck that has a wide (approx 25 feet) unsupported span. The railing on the deck seems to be pulling outward, probably due to planters on it, and general heavy usage. The underside of the deck has fairly good support via two by eights. It appears that the ra...	I'd suggest adding angle brackets like these , on both sides of each joist.
Replacing a toggle dimmer switch with a regular light switch I am replacing a dimmer switch with a regular switch. The dimmer switch controlled a chandelier light that I just replaced with a ceiling fan. There is also another switch that controlled the light, it is not a dimmer, it is a regular type. Do I need a three...	Yes, you need a 3-way switch, since the dimmer is wired as a 3-way and the other switch controlling the same light is presumably a 3-way, or it would not work. One of the terminals on the replacement switch will be similarly marked.
How to wire Two dimmers controlling a string of recessed light? Refinishing my basement and have an open ceiling at the moment. I have hung 12 recessed lights and connected them in 3 groups (groups of 2, 6 and 4 lights) using 14/2. I then ran 14/2 from the start of each group to the entrance to the room where I intend...	if you install a spdt switch and a dimmer on one end, plus a dpdt switch and dimmer on the other end, then you can use the switches to determine which dimmer is "hot". While not every switch requires a neutral, code now requires it as a hedge against future active devices. the downsides to this plan include more wiring...
What's wrong with the polyurethane on this hardwood floor refinishing job? This is basically what I've done so far: I sanded the floor down to 120 grit with a drum sander (did a pretty good, time consuming job) Put 1 coat of polyurethane down - these problem-spots soaked it up completely Put a second coat of poly d...	That looks to my eye like a water-based polyurethane, and it looks like the first coat may not have fully dried before you shot on the second coat, then the floor temperature changed fairly radically (probably warming up) before the second coat was fully cured.
Creaking / Clicking noise coming from wood / cardboard Feel like I'm starting to lose my mind with this one. I'm regularly hearing a noise in at least two rooms of the house, which I can best describe as a creaking or clicking. I've listened to recordings of deathwatch beetles and it's definitely not that. It sounds ...	My brother said it has to do with the wood contracting or something like that.
Countersink and Screw Size I have been googling this for a few hours now and I really can't find a direct answer. This is a stupid question to validate my logic, however I like firm answers instead of assuming. I need a countersink bit to install my cabinets. The size of the counter sink is: DEWALT DW2569 Style#10 C...	All you really need to know is that the countersink needs to be at least as big as the head so it doesn't have to crush the fibers the go flush, the hole in the first piece has to be bigger than the screw threads (called a through or body hole), the hole in the second piece (pilot) should be the size of the diameter of...
Need to replace lock on car top carrier I have a Packasport fiberglass car top carrier with a cylinder lock (outside view above). The key has been lost. I ordered a new lock/key set from Packasport but am unable to remove the old one - the locking nut is rusted on. I've tried Linseed Oil and WD40 and still doesn't wo...	The best tool for the job in my opinion is a nut cracker.
Home Theater projector re-searches for input when power surges (light/ac/fridge turning on or off) I live in the US and have an interesting problem with my home theater system that Google couldn't quite solve for me. My home theater setup is as follows (I can provide model numbers upon request, if necessary): AT&T Uv...	Additional capacitors could be added to help.
Is there a tool to pinpoint an exact location through wood? I have a wooden roof. I need to drill though it from above, and hit the beams exactly in order to attach something. The edges of the roof are not straight, and it is impossible to find out where the wooden roof begins, so using a tape measure to find the b...	Use a long, small diameter drill bit from below and drill all the way through the beam and the roof.
How do I remove this stubborn ceiling light fixture? Please check the photograph of the light fixture. All the bulbs have gone out and I cannot get the glass out to replace them. I unscrewed the decorative thing at the bottom. After that I unscrewed another bolt with washer but the glass is not moving. I'm not sure wh...	Try the following: Get a step ladder or ladder and place it directly bellow the light. Use a credit card as a prying tool on the stubborn glass dome to separate it from the fixture base.
How realistic is lowering a concrete floor? So first off, I love basements, its almost like a fetish. Ook.. so this guy is selling a basement in his building and its perfect(got good water, electricity, comms, location and cheap!) except for the fact that the ceiling is 2m from the floor, since I'm 2m tall that is a pr...	Again, I'd suggest getting an engineer's advice. Whether it makes economic sense or is even economically viable depends on the local construction and real-estate markets, the regulatory environment, and the financial, equipment and labor resources at the Owner's disposal. You're going to have to make sure this doesn't ...
Why do I have a green light on my GFCI but the outlet will not come on? While cleaning, my niece sprayed my GFCI outlet causing it to go out. I attempted to reset it but came up with negative results. I purchased another one, hooked it together (green light came on showing that the outlet was good) but no power is comi...	Use a voltage tester like a "Wiggy" or a neon tester to test the presence of voltage at the wires.
Why have my ceiling fans started running slower? We have had these ceiling fans for about 9 years. They worked great at first at very high speeds. But now even on high they are going as slow as on low speed. I have a wall switch for the fan beside the light switch. What could be causing this? <Q> The fan itself is on l...	I have encountered fans with light dimmer switches being used to control the speed, which will damage the switch and fan motors.
Can metal studs support a 64" plasma TV on a swiveling mount? Alright, I need a sanity check here. I've been tasked with mounting a 64" plasma TV with an articulating mount onto a metal stud wall in the corporate boardroom. It's the quadruple-threat with no room for error. The TV weighs 85lbs dead load. The mount , ...	If you want to surface-mount the TV then you can use toggle bolts through a steel stud, but a cantilevered arm WILL fail. Note, toggle bolts will not work because the hole needed for a sufficient bolt will be 5/8", large enough to create problems centering all the bolts due to gravity - They will all want to slip down ...
What type of copper pipe do I need for a typical LP gas range? I need to buy ~25' of copper pipe to fix our badly kinked stove line. It looks similar to (but worse than) this pic: I won't be able to measure the pipe for a couple days and the guy at Lowes wasn't able to help me determine what kind of pipe I need. ...	What you'll need to ask for is either simply "soft-drawn copper" or "refrigeration tubing" ( One useful comment I got at Home Depot is that it is better to err on the larger side since smaller tubing can 'starve' (eg damage) an appliance. Some stores can do this for you.
Is this a refrigerator water hookup? We just moved into a new place, and need to get a refrigerator -- and would like to get one with ice maker/water dispenser if possible. This capped pipe (below) is right behind where the refrigerator would go, and my best guess is that it's a water source, but how can I be sure, sh...	Black iron pipe is often used for natural gas while galvanized steel and brass are used for water (though sometimes the wrong type is used, so this is not a reliable way to tell its contents). Retightening the cap may not completely seal it. Also, look at other exposed piping to see what materials were used for the var...
In a multi-gang box, are neutral wires paired with specific hot wires? I have a four-gang box that I'm installing new dimmers in. Currently all of the neutral (white) wires coming into the box are connected together (and not to the dimmers). The new dimmers require connections to the neutrals. There are three bundle...	All of the neutral wires that are connected together should belong to a single circuit. Then if you have more than three more wires to add you take two of them in addition to the previous length of wire, and another length of wire in a wire nut.
How do I prevent flood waters from entering my house? I live in a city where every time a heavy downpour lasts for more than 15 minutes there is flooding everywhere. When the water in the street have no more place to go, it then enters my driveway/patio. When it is around one foot deep, the water plus minute sewage see...	Of course, you want to caulk the threshold to the concrete & have no open cracks anywhere... Or, remove the door threshold & cut the door shorter...or raise the whole door in the wall, if building framing & interior ceiling height can accommodate.
I am installing a Honeywell RTH6580WF with a TACO SR504 The current installation does not have a C wire. So I have run an extra wire and am now confused as to where to connect it. There is a 24VAC connection and a common connection. Comments say that the C wire provides 24VAC. Does that mean it connects to the 24V...	The third wire will go from the common terminal at the 24VAC terminal in the controller to the C terminal in the thermostat. However in the three wire configuration, it is essential that white is on the left and red is on the right. This setup worked like a charm.
What could be causing my condensation dryer to have standing water under the heating exchanger? Our zanussi zdc68560w condensation dryer leaks water from the heat exchanger. There is water in the water tank but also some is leaking from the front of the machine and sitting water under the heat exchanger. The black card...	It is a fair bet that some lint or other debris has mixed with the drainage water to clog it.
Replacing Bathroom vent, heat light combo and wiring is weird I am replacing a bathroom vent, light, heater combo. The wiring from the house has three switches, but has only two lines with three wires (black, white and ground). The new vent, light and heater has 2 wires (colored and white) each function and ground. H...	That means you need to find that same white wire back at the switch box and make sure that it's connected to a neutral instead of being a switched hot. If this is true, please mark the switched hot leads appropriately.
How to fix a large hole in drywall My girlfriend knocked a chair over when she tripped and it made a large hole approximately 6 inches by 6 inches in a triangle shape. How do I fix this as fast and as cheap as possible ? <Q> There are hole patch <S> kits <S> that can be purchased at most hardware stores. <S> If tha...	Spackle the joint between the patch and the plaster; spackle over the screw heads. Make the edges smooth with no small pieces of facing paper on the edges. You can buy small pieces at your local home center, but if any new homes are being built near you, you can get a piece just for asking. This will give you something...
Three dead power outlets, no tripped breakers A few days ago I was using a multimeter to check for current to the thermostat on my garage refrigerator. I wasn't thinking and did something wrong (wrong HOT, I believe) and power to the refrigerator died. Believing I'd tripped the circuit breaker, I checked the panel but ...	At my home, I just found one lug screw for a neutral return loose, burnt, and arcing. Go to the main breaker box and test all the breakers to see if any of them has no voltage on the output side. Sometimes breakers can die if they are overloaded.
What's the best way/tool to cut a strip of drywall out of my window boxes? I'm installing nice new vinyl windows, and in order to maximize the glass area, I've ordered new construction windows to avoid having to set them in the existing window boxes and live with the frames taking up more space than necessary. However...	Otherwise, the knife is a cheaper tool and gets all the way into the corners. When you use new build windows in a retro fit job it is going to be hard to place the weather seal strips over/under the nail fin of the new window.
How to accurately judge economics of converting from oil heat to liquid propane? I have an oil boiler in my house (boiler and burner about 27 years old) and, as part of a renovation project, I may upgrade to something more efficient. I thought I would have to stay with oil because I have no natural gas available on my ...	Since you have to replace the unit, see if the difference in cost - expected savings in energy over 10 years justifies going LP.
What is the proper order of layers for bathroom walls? Region: Santa Cruz, California, USA. I'm gutting a bathroom down to the studs and would like a reminder on the proper order of layers for them to ensure that it's moisture-resistant. As far as I know, it's usually: 1) Insulation. 2) Some sort of moisture barrie...	Insulation and vapor barrier are meant for exterior walls to keep moisture from coming in .
Do subfloors in bathrooms require any special sealant or moisture barrier prior to adding standard floor covering (like tile)? Region: Santa Cruz, California, USA Do subfloors in bathrooms require any special sealant or moisture barrier prior to adding standard floor coverings (like tile)? I know walls need a coveri...	I think a quality bathroom installation includes waterproofing and an isolation membrane. The only time I have ever heard of an inspector even talking about a bathroom floor is if there is another dwelling below you (basement apartment being rented out). There are no codes or laws for a normal one family dwelling.
What is the proper way to remove plywood subfloor? I need to remove old plywood subfloor from a bathroom (the flooring above it is already gone). What's the preferred/proper way to remove it without damaging the floor joists? One of the methods I've heard of is to a circular saw and cut through the plywood in betwe...	The best way i found to remove an old subfloor with tons of nails and/or staples is,first rip the floor between all joists. You can cut primary floor around edges with a toe kick saw, or a sawzall; if careful. That is the quickest and easiest way to go about it.
When installing hardwood floor which room should I start with? Below is the layout of my ground floor. I would like to redo the hardfloor. The old one is still in place, the house was built in 58 and I beleive that the floor was never replaced so it is about the time :-) The grey areas do not need hard floor.I would l...	If you start in the Master bed, you'll have to work backwards in the living room and spare. You want to start in the room that is the largest to make sure you have the straightest start. You can choose to continue into the bedrooms now, or leave them until later, leaving a clean tongue in the threshold.
How water proof is concrete? I'm looking to buy living quarters in this basement level apartment. The only doubts I have are because some ~5 years ago, there was a giant flood in the city and had this building been couple blocks down the road, the basement would have been underwater. Now there is already good ventilat...	Concrete on its own might migrate some moisture, but can be used to create water tanks. If flood water rises to the level of the second floor, the basement of just about any building will be full of water regardless of how it is constructed.
Why is plywood with tongue and groove preferred for flooring? I'm just curious - in reading more about subflooring I see that a lot of sources are saying to use plywood with tongue and groove. Why? What is the benefit of tongue and groove plywood as opposed to plywood (of the same thickness) with flat edges? Does the ...	You have a much stronger floor that is seamless which can carry more weight and not have bounce because the edge is supported by and locked into the adjoining sheet.
Door open lightswitch for sliding closet doors My closets are the kind with door doors, either of which slides to the side, overlapping the other. I'd like to have the light inside the closet come on when either of the doors is opened. This is for new construction - how do I wire this up? <Q> The switches may control t...	From a functional point of view, you want the two switches in parallel, normally-closed but held open when the door is in its closed position, so that if either door is open the switch closes and the light comes on.
How to tighten a pipe while keeping it at specific angle? A picture is worth 1000 words. If I turn it upright, it starts leaking. There's not enough give to complete one more turn (I could turn it maybe 30 degrees more if I remove the shelf and push really hard). The pipe in the wall is - well, in the wall, can't be...	Normally there is enough give in a threaded pipe installation to put things where they belong, but only if you get there and stop. As such, hiring a plumber is sometimes actually the cheaper solution. Your picture is somewhat less enlightening than it might be - I'm forced to guess that there is a threaded connection o...
What's the recommended distance of a fire pit from a building? I'd like to know if there's an argumentation-/science-based recommendation regardless of the specific laws in different countries. Boundaries/parameters of my question: fire pit for making a(n open) camp fire with wood for <= 15 persons (max. 10 kg of woo...	The model building codes provide separation distances based upon radiant heat, construction type, occupancy, fire resistance of the exterior walls and the ratio of openings to solid wall in the building to be protected.
How to prevent washing machine drain overflow I have a washing machine upstairs. The discharge hose is placed in the top of some 2" ABS pipe. That pipe then drops about 14' to my basement floor, then runs along the floor for 5', ending in a hole in the floor. (The house is from 1955, so that hole in the floor is almo...	So...if you do need to make new drains, you could drain the washer with a garden hose clamped to the washer drain, until you got the new drains connected. Some jurisdictions give automatic permits for this, to encourage such installations.
How can I paint a wooden desk with a rubberised feel? I've acquired an old wooden desk that is just varnished wood. I would like to paint it but with the rubberised feel I have seen applied to some metals. I'm not sure if this paint exists for wood, but maybe it's possible to mix it manually? I've seen rubberised paint...	You can use truck bed liner, have it applied by a shop that can adjust the texture for you.
How should I relocate my shed? The property that I bought recently had two sheds. The older one was closer the to the fence and it is already demolished and the other one which is currently blocking our view and it is too big for our needs. The plan is to cut it in half and try to relocate one of the halves on the blue...	Once you cut it in half you'll lose a good deal of what structure it has (especially cutting through the peak of the roof like that), and it will be torn between moving and collapsing at every application of force.
Timer on dryer stopped working The timer on our Maytag dryer seems to have died/stopped working and I would like to replace it myself: What I mean by " died/stopped working " is that the timer no longer decrements and mechanically moves itself down to " Off ". It just stays in whatever place you set it to and so the ...	If you're lucky, it might just be that the timing motor has failed.
Low-voltage lights turn on then start to flash I've got a string of LV lights in my kitchen that over the last few weeks have started to behave oddly. They will turn on and the one farthest from the power supply are dimmer than the ones closest (there are 5 12-volt lights in the series and they stretch over about 10 fe...	It is a common problem with Triacs on LV loads.
Can you lay ceramic/porcelain tile over existing mastic without grinding the floor? We had a basement flood, and consequently had to rip out the vinyl floor tiles in our basement. The tiles were not asbestos (we had them tested). But after the tiles came up we discovered that they had been secured with black mastic. ...	An electric tile chipper with a 8-12" sharp blade can be rented cheaply to do the job.
Is there a cheaper alternative to plexiglass? I want to cover a small area to be usable in the winter / rain. I am thinking of using some transparent or semi/transparent material to allow light to pass and to be discreet.I found Plexiglas, but I still think it's a bit expensive per square/mt for the work I want to do....	Home improvement stores will carry corrugated clear sheets with UV protection on one side.
How can I get 2X6X12's cut at a slight angle so I can build a level floor? Here's my question - I am turning a friends small garage into a guest room and I need to place a wood subfloor on top of the cement floor. The room is 7.5' wide by 12' long and it slopes at a slight angle longways. I need to basically cut the ...	If the joists are all the same, layout a master on some 1x material then use a pattern maker bit to rout off your pieces (cut off majority of excess with skill saw first). If the concrete gets moist in spring, lay down heavy-duty poly.
Attractive way to hide screw heads in 8mm oak I need to attach some oak trim (8mm x 60mm) to a recess in a plasterboard wall. The trim will affix to the metal c-stud on the verticals, and to wood noggins on the horizontal. Since I'm fixing straight to the stud, I'll need to screw rather than glue & pin. I'm trying ...	Your best bet is to first strip the opening with some pine boards that you can screw in place to the studs with whatever fasteners that are feasible and can be countersunk.
Why does my GFI keep going off? Is it dangerous? I have a small condo with one bathroom. There is a GFI in the kitchen and bathroom. The GFI in the bathroom trips off on a regular basis. It started slowly (like 1/week) and now it happens multiple times a day. It happens whenever I go to switch on the light in the bat...	Yes it could potentially cause a fire. If the GFI's are old, might as well replace them. If yours are plug in (or if you are happy with mains wiring) then try swapping the two dodgy ones with each other or with non-dodgy ones.
Wiring electrical outlets from a single outlet I'm building an entertainment center unit, and on the unit I want to embed wall outlets into it so I can plug things like my receiver, NAS, consoles etc in a clean method. I thought the entertainment unit could be plugged into a single wall outlet. Unfortunately I'm not m...	You'll want to be cautious not to overload your wiring. There is a maximum number of outlets you are allowed to wire up to a single breaker that way (depends on jurisdiction). There are tons of UL approved power strips available on the market, it hard to imagine you wouldn't be able to find one that suits your needs.
How to secure vinyl post caps? I have a deck with vinyl posts, and 5"x5" vinyl caps on the posts. I'm looking at how I can affix them to the posts so they don't blow off. I found a "Vinyl Fence Glue" listed at both Home Depot and Lowe's websites, but they are listed as online-only. Amazon has something similar but i...	If you insist on a chemical weld, I would bet that the glues used for PVC plumbing would work.
How can I level my bed? I have a very uneven floor in my bedroom, and a metal bed frame (non-leveling feet), soon to be a wooden bed frame. I'd like to level my bed. What are some good ways to do this? One approach is to just get some shims and stack them up. If this is my best bet, then what are recommended materials...	This really depends on the degree to which the bed posts are out of level, the floor type you are using and the diameter of the post contact on the ground. If metal use the angle/flange of your rail system and use an appropriate adjustable style foot to screw/bolt into then adjust until there's no more rocking.
Is it safe to leave light socket without a light bulb? We have several light sockets with light bulbs, controlled by a single light switch. I don't need that much light, so I want to remove a couple of light bulbs from their sockets. Is that safe ? In my case the sockets are pretty high up on the ceiling, and there i...	It's about as safe as leaving an electric socket without a plug in it. Depends on what you mean by "safe". I wouldn't entirely trust it with a kid in the house, but it's probably fine for adults. Not worth the effort, I expect, but you did ask.
Can I replace a ceiling light fixture with a higher wattage one? I am planning to order replacement ceiling fixtures for my 2 foyer lights. i want to make sure they will work first. measurement wise, the dimensions seem to fit the space well. the ones in there now are standard, came with the new house. in the curre...	On most homes built (or rewired) in the last forty years, it probably is not an issue.
What is the proper order in framing the basement walls? I am thinking of finishing my basement and am wondering what is the proper order of things for framing the walls. Do I put up perimeter walls first with electrical, insulation and vapor barrier, and then do the partition walls or do I do all the framing (both p...	With a vapor-impermeable insulation like this, you could then frame and drywall over it. At the very least, anything load bearing is framed at one time before the next level is raised, but it's much easier to frame everything on the level and then run the joists for the floor above.
Sheet material that does not adhere to wood glue I am looking for some sheet material (as in paper, cellophane etc.) that wood glue will not stick to to use as an insulator between glue drippage on one side and something on the other side to which I don't want it glued by the excess glue. E.g. if I am biscuit joinin...	Used tape over the shafts of bar clamps, small pieces of cellophane between blocks of wood that was clamped in place to keep faces of planks aligned while edge gluing. Depending on how large of a surface you need to cover and how much abuse it needs to withstand, you can use pretty much anything from painter's plastic ...
How do I glue glass top to a wooden base I made a log table and now I'm trying to put a glass top as you can see in the picture. The issue is that the glass top is not sticking to the log. I tried various things such as clear adhesive bumper pads etc from Lowes but nothing is working. The bond is not strong enough and...	Suction cups are used with success in this situation. Try a toughened smoke glass top pre-drilled to secure to your log base.
How can I remove a stud from a load bearing wall? I want to remove a stud from a load bearing wall in order to recess my fridge another 3-4 inches.In doing so I will be removing the bottom plate, one stud from bottom plate up to height of the fridge as well as drywall behind the fridge. Is it sufficient to place king...	If anyone pushes the fridge too far back, it will likely go right through the unsupported drywall behind it. Instead of using king studs on either side of the header, use jack studs. You can remove studs the number is a more important question.
Can a freestanding bathtub drain be damaged by regular use? I recently moved out of a house with a freestanding bathtub. During our tenancy there, the floor developed cracks which I reported and 2 months before we left, we would find water on the floor every time my wife or the kids took a bath, so we stopped using the...	Excessive flex would only be brought on by an improper installation of the tub where it was not supported in the correct manner or the drain pipe was improperly installed.
How can I get warm water from my garden hose? I'm trying to rig something up so I can get cold, warmish, or downright hot water in my garden hose, depending on need. I'm looking for some kind of fitting to mix cold and hot supply lines, and for the resulting mixed water to connect back to the spigot. I have PEX lines i...	Grab a portable dishwasher adapter and screw it on the aerator threads of a faucet. I could vary the opening of each valve to get to the desired temperature. You might be overthinking this.
How can I prevent hanging sliding doors from coming off track? We've got a closet with a pair of overlapping sliding doors that hang, by their wheels, on a top-mounted rack. There's a bottom guide screwed to the floor that keeps the doors lined up. But unless a door is opened carefully and slowly, one or both of its ...	Adding a 3rd roller to center of door will help with keeping doors on track for the old beat up doors. You can angle the rollers and move them up and down. Just use a flashlight in one hand and a long thin stick (yard stick) in the other hand and push any debris over to the side (left and right) and clear the doors pat...
Should I replace bathroom OSB subfloor with plywood? Before we begin, English is not my first language so my terms could be a bit wrong. Considering I'm planning to install 1/4" concrete backer-board over the sub-floor before tiling it again, is OSB okay as a sub-floor or does it have to be plywood? I'm in the pr...	Just to add I read that OSB edges tend to curl (expand upward) if OSB gets wet which causes havoc with any flooring. At minimum I would replace the OSB that got wet.
Should I replace all the copper pipe in my heating system with PEX? I am replacing my existing faucet plumbing with red / blue PEX all over the house. Everything that goes to the sink, dishwasher, washer, bathroom sink and so on will be color coded and installed correctly. Although, I was pondering on changing my wate...	There are good arguments for building a NEW system with PEX "in 2014" but really no good reason to rip out a copper system and replace it with PEX and copper.
How can I 'share' lights between multiple circuits? I am installing a rectangle of 3 x 4 recessed can lights in the ceiling and would like to have 4 separate circuits where each individual row of lights can be illuminated by its own switch. This means that the lamp in each corner would be lit if either or both of the ...	The problem is, whenever you turn one set of lights on, power can go through that shared light into the other circuit. I have use Insteon automation modules for a very similar purpose to what you describe. Should be doable with relay logic.
How should I insulate the ceiling between floors in a ski cabin? I have a small ski cabin in upstate New York (cold climate) that we only visit on weekends. It is heated by a wood stove. During winter we had many problems with bursting water pipes so they are now all replaced with rubber except in the bathroom upstairs...	Finally, most foam insulations are themselves vapor barriers, so if you use foam, you will be creating much of a vapor barrier anyway.
What could cause a foaming clothes washer standpipe? I'm a plumbing contractor and my customer called to say her drain standpipe had started to foam out of the top near the very end of the drain cycle, allowing time for the suds to build up I guess.She has been doing the SAME thing for over six months and this foaming ...	A partially clogged drain or a dirty catch screen on the discharge line is a probable cause with those symptoms.
Why would a circuit breaker not trip if I accidentally shorted hot to neutral? I am installing a set of recessed lights in a closet, replacing the existing fixtures one at a time. I removed power to the lights while installing each one by using the light switch, not the circuit breaker at the box (after verifying that...	It could have also been the breaker (trying to) trip. You should also inspect that entire length of the wiring on that circuit as you may have melted a wirenut or wire insulation somewhere. There's a good possibility that if you turn the breaker off, it will refuse to turn back on. No good unless it happens to be the o...
Can I use a 30 amp generator to power some parts of a 60 amp subpanel My main panel is in my basement and it has a 60 amp breaker that goes to a sub panel in my pole barn. The pole barn sub panel provides power for the pumps and blower motor of my outdoor woodstove. Last winter I lost power for a week and had to run t...	Obviously the 60 amp breaker will be highly unlikely to trip if a 30 amp generator is feeding it - but if you draw 40 amps for some reason, the generator breaker will trip. I neither need nor want a generator big enough to run everything at once, or automatic switching. You CANNOT, as you already know
Is it okay to use both the backwire holes and the side terminals on an electrical outlet? I'm tying into an existing outlet box to provide power for a new electrical outlet. The existing outlet already has 2 lines connected to it - one from "upstream" (to the fuse box) and one downstream to more outlets. The existing l...	There is no problem connecting wires to both the "back stab", and screw terminals of a receptacle. I would remove all the wires from the sides and back stab holes of the old outlet.
Can I replace the main breaker in an electrical panel with a smaller one? I have an older 60amp fuse box in a rental property that is wired as a sub panel off my main 100amp service. I would like to upgrade to a new circuit breaker panel so tenants can not pull out the 15amp fuse and up size it. The only box I can find...	If you are unsure, always best to check with a licensed electrician.
What does it mean when one wire goes into load, and one goes into line I am replacing my kitchen outlets with GFCI. The inspector told me I just needed to install one at the first outlet in the circuit. I looked at the outlets on either side of my kitchen; at one end both black and white were connected to the LOAD no...	If you only have two wires one white and one black the white connects to the silver LINE terminal and the black connects to the brass LINE terminal the LOAD terminals are only needed for protecting other outlets downstream from that one . Load is where any devices that are to be protected by the GFCI device are connect...
When taping cement board do I need to tape at the walls? I am preparing to put down cement board for a bathroom tile install. I understand, I need to tape at the seams. Should I tape the edges where the cement board meets the drywall or the tub as well? I was told to provide a 1/4 inch gap between each seam and the...	I do tape bevels simply to make a flush surface for the tiles. You don't tape the edges. Yes, fill the tub full when setting it.
How much volume is lost after compacting 3/4" crushed stone? I'm putting in a stepping stone path. The stones will be on top of 4" of packed, 3/4"- (three quarter minus) stone - which packs to a nice, solid base. My question is, if I know that the volume of the stone in the path is going to be (for example) one cubic...	From my experience it depends a lot on how is the compaction done. With a more properly graded 3/4" washed stone (such as a good filter stone ranging between the 3/8" and 1" diameter), you will have a loose drop of more like 75%, but you will also actually be able to get closer to 100% without talking about your subgra...
What size extension cord gauge would I need for a 12 amp electric mower if the cord is 250 feet long? I need to use an electric mower for my very large yard because I can't start a gas mower and my nearest neighbor is about 5 miles away. Living on a limited budget, I can't find anyone to cut the grass for what I can a...	Anything smaller than that will loose so much voltage that the mower will barely work.
What do I do if drywall screws won't penetrate the studs? We have begun a bathroom remodel project. All the studs were exposed by removing plaster, wood lath and old plastic tile. We began attempting to install the ceiling drywall first. We were able to drive 1-5/8" drywall screws partially in, just enough to get ...	If the heads pop off (tension), use the same procedure only this time, run the screw backwards until it hits the stud, creating a relief. I've seen various lubricants suggested.
How do I remove a stuck moen 1224 cartridge How do you remove a stuck moen 1224 cartridge? My shower is a two handled moen chateau installed in 1994. Getting the collar of the cartridge was no problem. However, the cartridge won't budge. I don't have a puller but have tried needle-nose vice grips, wd 40 and channel loc...	On my bathroom sink I disconnected the water supply lines to the faucet and stuck a 5/16 rod into the water supply holes until they contacted the backside of the cartridges.
What is a quick and easy way to disable a door so you can no longer use it? I have a two story home with a one story garage attached. The garage has a flat roof. I can access the roof through a door in my upstairs bedroom. At one time the garage roof had a fence around the perimeter. It was secured improperly to the ro...	A common way to handle this, is to build a railing in front of the door.
Is there any way I can use regular dremel bits on a dremel trio? A few years ago I bought a Dremel Trio , which uses much more expensive bits than a regular Dremel. The collets are also different. Consequently I never really used it. Now I'm making a custom cnc machine, and I would like to use the Trio for the ac...	You can take the collet out of your rotary (if you have one) and put it inside the collet that is on the Trio.
How can I join two pieces of wood at 90 degrees? I'm trying to make myself a wooden CNC machine. I haven't started on the woodworking yet, as I'm still planning on the easiest way I can construct the machine (newbie here). I'm planning to use 1' x 4' wood as the frame for the X-axis, since that's the only material I ...	To join wood the other way, for a strong joint I'd try a simple finger joint (box joint) at best I can get a hand drill, a jigsaw and some vices
What "gravel" is composed of 50% clay, 25% sand and 25% small stones? As a supplement to this question . I ordered gravel to gravel my driveway. My wife accepted the delivery. When I got home what they had dropped was over 50% clay and equal parts sand and small stones. I left a message saying that this isn't what I...	Locally gravel means a mix of mostly clay, with some sand and stone.
90% Humididty @ 23 Celsius direct from Air Conditioning Outlet I have a mold problem in my apartment, in certain areas there is condensation. I believe I have traced this to the air conditioning, in the apartment the humidity will vary from 60% to 85% RH at a temperature of 23.5 degrees Celsius. Outside it is very ho...	To avoid mold, the RH should be kept below 70%.
Radon test results came back as 1.7 pCi/L, is it safe to exercise in my basement? My Pro-Lab Analysis Report just came back and it says that my basement has 1.7 pCi/L (Picocuries), the average result of both tests. The basement is the only place I have to exercise, so I'm wondering if it's safe to do so. We also have...	You should now conduct a Long-Term Test for a more accurate analysis of your conditions. What one would want is positive pressure, blowing air into the basement, which would tend to push radon away from any openings. If you're using the room for exercise you'll probably only be spending a few hours per week there, whic...
How should I repair a new crack in the ceiling drywall? Last night there was a huge, house-rattling windstorm. This morning, there's a new hairline crack in some ceiling drywall. What's the best way to repair it? Should I fill the crack with spackle first, or can I just paint it straight away? <Q> Consider using a pain...	Stress Crack Tape, a new product out, self adhesive. If your ceiling is painted with flat (no gloss) paint, as most are, you will not be able to see it when you are done.
Laminate flooring direction in large room My room is 24x42Estetically I'd like the planks to run longIt's a good quality laminate that is floating I'm told that if I go long, it's too long and will require a seam. (Ugly!) So I'm advised to lay planks the short way Ideas? Suggestions? Feedback? <Q> You might want to ...	Whereas, if you run the planks the other way, it may give the room the appearance of balance between width and length. Switching the panels to run on the short side of the room is not going to help since it will still require an expansion gap in the middle. I'd only risk it if you could leave a good amount of expansion...
What type of insulation is needed for exterior walls on a brick house? I have a government grant (2,440$) to insulate all of my exterior walls. The issue is, I cannot access them from the outside because I have a brick house. My first guess was that I will need to take apart all the walls inside and insulate from the...	If you have a structural brick wall (e.g. multiple-wythe brick or brick veneer on block) then you will have to insulate the wall from the inside. One advantage to dense-packed cellulose is that you don't actually need to take down the drywall; you just drill holes in the top and blow in the cellulose.
How to get rid of echo inside the apartment? A water pipe inside the apartment burst and was repaired. Ever since, the place has acquired a nasty echo. Everything resounds and we have to talk louder to be heard. Is there any solution to get rid of this echo? <Q> Probably as a result of opening the wall to repair the pl...	You can also make a difference with curtains and canvas paintings.
Ground bar on sub-panel I just wanted to get confirmation on this. Can I ground more than one wire per single slot/screw on a ground busbar in a sub panel? Just to be clear, this is a sub panel with separate neutral and ground busbars. <Q> Many electrical inspectors don't like seeing two wires in the same slot, espe...	Some allow it and some don't.
Can dried out joint compound be rehydrated? I have a container of dried out drywall mud and I wondered if there is anything I can do to make it usable again. <Q> Drywall mud is so darn cheap, why would you do this? <S> That said, I actually tried this myself one time because I was temporarily without a car to get to ...	While you can rehydrate mud, the rehydrated stuff you make will not perform acceptably.
How to open this smoke detector in order to change battery? I need to change battery for my home smoke detector, but I have no idea how to open this model. I found many video tutorial on google, but have not seen any model similar to this one. Does anyone have experience on this model? <Q> HEMS, the vendor, answered ...	You only have to slide the clip a very little way while pulling the cover down from the side of the clip to open it up.
Can I run 3 feet of water pipe in the attic for a rain shower? I have a shower that I totally gutted out.I plan to implement a regular shower head and another rain shower head. I already have the majority of the work done and have only one thing left: to run a piece of pipe to the attic, then stick it out back to the s...	As long as all the pipes in the attic are pitched, you should be fine.
How can I remove residual adhesive that may contain asbestos from wood? Our house has two bedrooms in which the previous owners installed vinyl tile over wood flooring (how ironic is this: it's wood-grained pattern tile over beautiful, real wood). We want to remove the vinyl tile, then refinish the floors. The tile i...	If a home sale is in your future, I realize you may not really want to know whether the cutback has asbestos since if you do, you'd be obliged to disclose such on sale. It should easily scrape off. Get a quart, an 85¢ throwaway brush, a 4 inch scraper (I prefer steel), a 1 inch putty knife, and a cheap plastic bucket.
How to get rid of cockroaches? How can we get rid of cockroaches in our house? Things we already do and have failed in keeping the roaches away: No uncovered food left outside ever. The house and bathroom are cleaned everyday with disinfectant. Sprayed Mortein cockroach spray in all nooks and corners of the house,...	Also bait on inside of cabinets in around corners of cabinets. The best you can hope for is to control them and minimize their presence. Also, use weatherstripping and caulk to make sure you don't have any gaps around windows and doors, baseboards, etc. However, I've heard stories off occupants complaining when their n...
How to manage mold growing along the bottom vinyl window frame of every window in an R2000 home? We have a lot of windows in this house, for some reason black mold grows along the bottom of each from basement to upper floor. Its and R2000 so we don't pump any moisture into the house and we run with a dehumidifier in th...	The bleach will kill the mold and the damp rag will keep the spores down. Interior glass temperatures below the dew point Humid enough interior air that there's enough moisture to condense on your cold windows Just remember to add the peroxide to the water, not vice-versa.
How can we prepare a nicotine stained room for painting without dangerous chemicals? We need something that will completely cover up nicotine stains. The previous owner smoked in the house for probably 30-40 years before we bought it. The walls in the living room are severely stained. They are supposed to be white but ...	The least harmful stain blocker my be a shellac primer. I'm not sure you'll find a product to seal stains without any VOCs, especially if you want an organic paint.
Can tree shade hurt a neighbor's house? Have a decent neighbor, retired, squared away, likes things neat. His back porch wood got rotten and he claims this is because the shade / humidity of the tree. Can that be true? The mildew was on the side closer to the tree, near the top, so I can see his perspective. But ...	Wood rots because of moisture, not the absence of light.
Can a furnace with a variable speed blower be used in a multistory house? I just had an HVAC guy out to give me an estimate on a new Carrier Infinity series furnace and he said the second floor rooms will always be colder because the thermostat is on the first floor and not as much air is force up there when the blower...	Air ducts are designed for a specific cfm, as the thermostat starts reaching set point and throttling back the cfm the variable blower will not produce adequate air flow to the second floor to the registers at the end of the run.
Fixing an offset pilot hole in steel? I'm trying to put a 16mm hole through the centre of some 35x35x2.0mm square hollow section (SHS) gal steel. The holes need to be fairly accurate, because they're going to be holding an axle that needs to be straight. I put some 3mm pilot holes through both layers with a drill press...	The extra layer of steel will basically act as a drill bit guide to keep your bit centered in your new pilot hole.
How do you find underground pipe and wires to a private well and how deep would they be? I need to terrace some stairs into a steep hill, but my well is at the bottom of the hill and my house is at the top. Therefore there has to be pipe and wires going up the hill somewhere. I don't know where and before we drive reba...	You can rent a wire tracer that will fairly accurately trace the path of underground wires.
Is stainless steel water piping more durable than copper? After thirty years of usage, the plumbing in my house is starting to fail progressively. The water pipes in my house is made of copper, one of which is suffering from pitting, which results in a pin-hole leakage. I tried to repair with plumber's putty, but that ...	Certain grades of stainless (316, 316L) are more resistant to this form of corrosion than other grades of stainless, so precisely which stainless piping you are being offered will matter.
Is it possible to control 3 light fixtures with 4 switches? I have an idea how I would like to tackle some wiring I am about to do, but I am having trouble figuring out how to actually wire it all. I was hoping some of you could help me out. Here's what I want: I have 3 fixtures, Lights A , B and C . I have 4 ...	If A and B are wired on the same circuit, a pair of simple on/off switches can control them both, as well as another simple switch to control C. There is no way to do this using standard wiring switches and circuits which meet NEC (electrical code).
How can I eliminate unneeded receptacles? The house I just bought has three different outlets in the walk in closet!! I want to remove a couple of the plugs and just put a solid plate on them. The outlet has 2 black wires and 2 white ones. It also has a ground. Do I wire the black wires together and the white ones? Wha...	The OP is probably fine with Ben's answer, HOWEVER, you should only nut the wires together if you are sure that they were previously connected, E.g, had taped-off the same outlet ( Extra outlets that aren't unsightly only add value to your place, and adding a switch box cover to your current hole isn't really going to ...
How many lights can be on one breaker? How many lights can be run from one breaker I would like to add two two tube fluorescent lights to a string of lights I have already. <Q> As the other two posters have indicated, it depends. <S> For 20 AMP you have 20A120V or 2400 watts and 15 AMP <S> you have 15A120V or 1800 ...	If when you add up all of the currents that the lights would use on that circuit if each light was turned on and it is well under the circuit capacity, then you should be fine. Some circuits are lightly loaded, others not so much, so your mileage will vary.
Can I use an 11 watt bulb in a desk lamp that says "CFL max 9 watts"? Hi I got a 11 watt T2 Helix Energy Saver bulb with specs stating equivalent output is 40 watts. My lamp says CFL Max 9 watts. Can I safely use this bulb in this lamp or is it a def. no no? <Q> The power consumption permitted by the fixture is 9 wat...	Most of the max wattage specifications by manufacturers are conservative, so you would probably be fine.
What are my options for temperature equalization between two rooms? Ideally a bi-directional through-wall vent + fan would be great with built in thermostats measuring both sides. I haven't found that nor am I entirely sure what to search for. Are there components that I could buy that provide this functionality? Edi...	Simply exchanging the air between the rooms will equalize the temperatures because the air will mix. There are many other ways to do this, depending on the details of your house. I am not aware of any professional products for this, but you could get an arduino or rasberry pi device with two temperature sensors, and ho...
How can I build a table into an alcove? I have this weird portion of a second bedroom where about 4 foot of it is 2 feet deeper than the rest of the wall. What I want to do is fix a butcher block in that space to use as a desk.What is the best way to mount this? I would be mounting it to drywall fronted studs / fire ...	One trick is to do the ledger, paint it to match your walls, then set the top with just the front inch of the sides that meet the capturing walls tight, then apply a back splash out of the same material as the top to cover the gap.

Subsets and Splits

No community queries yet

The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.