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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 railing is attached via nails only. I need to figure out how to reattach the railing in a way that won't come out again. My first thought is replace the nails with bolts, but I'm not sure if I need to also replace the railing's wood. Would bolts work? How do I determine if I should replace the wood? Thanks! Erick <Q> It appears that the rim joist is pulling away from the joists to which it's nailed due to the outward forces on the railing. <S> You could screw the rim joist to the joists (where those nails are now), which might give a bit more holding power, but you wouldn't gain a lot. <S> Using lag bolts in this situation should be avoided because they won't hold well in the end-grain of the joists. <S> Offset them slightly vertically <S> so the screws from either side of the joist don't interfere with each other. <S> Use an appropriate screw length <S> (2.5 inches would work for double joists). <S> The 4x4 posts for the railing are connected to the rim joist with bolt(s). <S> If these 4x4s connect next to one of the joists (ideally it would, and the one shown in your pictures seems to be), then you could add a deck post bracket if there isn't one already which transfers the railing force from the bolt to the joist. <S> This would replace the aforementioned angle bracket on one side of the joist. <A> Forget angle brackets, they aren't designed for that direction of force. <S> The images are mine and how I do it, and I'll tell you they are solid railings. <S> Bolt your railing to the rim board and bolt the rim board to the joists with tension ties (or deck ties). <S> If you can do it through the railing posts, it's better, but not necessary) <S> You can't tell in the images but you leave a small space between the end of the tie and the rim board, 1/4" or more is fine. <S> On the side where the rim is parallel to the joists use blocking and tension ties in both directions or use threaded rod. <A> It appears that the rim joist to which the railing is attached was nailed/screwed into the end grain of the floor joists. <S> This is an exceptionally weak connection and why toe nailing is standard when fastening perpendicular framing. <S> If this is the case, new screws or bolts won't really change anything. <S> My recommendation is use framing connectors such as those manufactured by Strong-Tie and USP. <S> These come in a variety of configurations such as angles and plates. <S> They are also manufactured in a variety of sizes, gauges, and to receive varying numbers of fasteners. <S> They are reasonably easy to install for even a casual carpenter and reduce the likelihood of splitting the wood members and struggling with bent nails. <S> This comes at a higher material cost, but not of the sort that will break a reasonable budget.
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I'd suggest adding angle brackets like these , on both sides of each joist.
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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 way switch, and how do I wire it up? <Q> As the others have said, you need a 3-way switch. <S> The copper colored screw on your old dimmer <S> is your "common" screw. <S> The other two are your travelers. <S> The new switch will have similarly color schemed screws. <S> Typically black for the "com" and brass for the two travelers. <A> Fortunately is appears to be wired in pretty standard 3-way color-coding, though it's always good to verify that at the other switch. <S> Red is the "traveller" between switches. <S> This question/answer explains the "how it works" aspect in general for 3-way switches. <S> How exactly does a 3-way switch work? <A> The dimmer is a 3-way switch and you need a 3-way switch to replace it. <S> One of the terminals on the dimmer should be marked COMMON or COM . <S> Place the wire that was on the old common terminal on the new common terminal. <S> The other two black or red wires go to the other terminals on the new switch, called travelers . <S> They may or may not be marked, but it does not matter which wire goes on which, so long as the common is right. <S> Often the common terminal screw is a different color than the travelers, but <S> not always so. <S> The green wire goes on the ground screw on the new switch. <A> When dealing with 3-way switches, the common is nearly always the odd man out. <S> Meaning the common terminal screw will usually be a different color than the traveler terminal screws. <S> It appears that Lutron devices are wired like this <S> It appears you may have a Lutron (or similar) device, so the wiring for your switch should be like this. <S> Though since I can't see all the screw terminals, and I don't know the make/model device you have, I can't say for sure.
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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.
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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 to have 3 separate dimmer switches, one for each group. I also have the power source running to this switch location on 14/2. I have run 3 sets of 14/3 wire between from this location to another location where I intend to have a 2nd set of dimmer switches further into the room. I have only tried hooking up one set of lights to for testing purposes and can't get both dimmers to work. Tried using a diagram that was shown on here ( http://www.buildmyowncabin.com/electrical/3-way-switch-diagram-7.pdf ) but it did not work. Could not even get lights to come on. I also found a diagram that has power at one dimmer and the lights at the other but not both power and lights from the same dimmer and ran a temp power line to the 2nd dimmer but even though the likes worked from either switch the dimmers did not work. http://www.do-it-yourself-help.com/3_way_switch_wiring.html ( the diagram with 2 dimmers) <Q> As @Tester101 says, with conventional dimmers, you can only have one dimmer in a circuit if the fixture (or set of fixtures) is being controlled from more than one location. <S> If you are switching from two locations, you also need to use 3-way switches for both the plain switches and dimmers (many dimmers are 3-way compatible). <S> There are specialized dimmers that work as master and slave units. <S> These do allow dimming from multiple locations, but you need to use a set of matched units. <S> These are also much more costly than basic 3-way dimmers. <S> Finally, if you are running remote switches that only connect back to the first set of switches, you need x/4 cable, not <S> x/3. <S> Two wires serve as travelers, one as the common return and one as neutral. <S> If you do not need the neutral, simply cap it in the box. <A> You can only have one dimmer per group. <S> You can put the dimmer at either location, but not both locations. <S> There are "companion" dimmers available from some companies, that allow you to place additional dimmers in the circuit. <S> But you'll have to use compatible equipment, which may or may not be available at your local big box store. <A> you have 3 options: smart switches. <S> these are fancy master/slave pairs that communicate digitally. <S> the downsides being that they are always drawing some power, they're pricey and they don't have a physical dial showing the dimmer setting. <S> 3-way dimmers. <S> these look like normal dimmers, but when one side is turned on, it disables the other side. <S> the downside being that if the dimmer is set low on one side, you can't turn it on or off from the other side. <S> 2 switches and 2 dimmers. <S> also, it would mean having separate switches and dimmers on each end, which takes up more space and might not look as nice or be as intuitive. <S> note: <S> wiring option 3 could work as follows: provide power to the spdt switch, then connect both downstream terminals to the dpdt switch. <S> send a wire from each downstream terminal on the dpdt switch to a dimmer such that the dimmers are never connected to both poles at once, then wire <S> both dimmers to the light (group), and connect the light to the return wire.
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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 (which could get expensive).
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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 down and this is the result these problems start/stop at the edges of the boards - it seems specific to the wood Elsewhere the floor looks really good. I can certainly sand & put a third coat down, but the fact that the finish looks like it is either cracking or not adhering to the floor has me concerned. What could the trouble be, and what options do I have? Update : A friend who does contracting work suspects the wood for this floor is odd-pieces and left overs; definitely possible from what I know of previous owners. The current thought is that some pieces were pre-finished with something that didn't accept my poly. <Q> There is something...in those pieces of wood. <S> (Detailed enough for you?) <S> Ok, so I would have initially said temperature until you mentioned it was only specific pieces, which leads me to think moisture, but even that would cross pieces... <S> My best suggestion is sand those spots down, clean them with a solvent dampened rag, lacquer thinner <S> maybe (don't pour it on) and then apply a wood treatment to the spots. <S> Then re-coat. <S> Edit: <S> To answer your question in the comments <S> Yes, should have mentioned that, you will need to sand before completing the steps I outlined. <S> If it isn't real wide spread <S> I would just use scraper to get the big chunks off and then a fairly fine grit sandpaper and do it by hand. <S> If there is a lot I would go with a palm sander or belt sander. <S> You don't want anything that spins it will leave marks that will be visible in the final finish. <A> The uncured first coat would have expanded with the warmth and tried to ooze out under the second coat. <S> This would be more likely to happen in the most-porous areas than the less-porous areas, and indeed it doesn't seem to have happened on the quartersawn (with "flake" figure) areas but more in the plain-sawn (with "cathedral" figure) areas. <S> I'd try resanding just the affected areas, letting them stand untouched for about 24-36 hours, then reshooting them with a third coat. <A> Looks like the raised grain on wood that has been wet. <S> If it's water based poly, maybe related? <S> I wouldn't know because I used water-based once and hated the appearance so much I never used it again. <S> I'll also offer that mixing and matching new and old wood is not forgiving as far as staining and top-coating. <S> I would never undertake that myself since I have only done a couple floors, it takes a lot of experience to anticipate how difference species of different age and moisture content will respond to different products. <S> Dumb question <S> but are you sure it's solid wood and not an engineered product with a veneer?
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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.
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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 almost exactly like a door creaking gently except very faint. When present, this noise repeats in intervals of about 5 seconds. It's barely audible, just on the edge of hearing - so much so that it's almost impossible to pinpoint it to one place. I've tracked it down to above one of the cupboards in the kitchen, behind a set of shelves in the study (possibly IN the shelf) and bizarrely, an old box of tea bags. That last one is what really throws me, but I'm 100% sure. The box was on the counter, and I was able to put my ear right up to it, and the sound was very pronounced. I was sure it was some kind of audible woodworm or something, but now that I've found it in a tea bag box I'm unsure. I emptied that tea bag box and found no bugs or insects. The sound appears to be organic in nature, because if I make a disturbance in the area, the sound stops. In the case of the cupboard and shelves a sharp bang or shake, in the case of the tea bags I just lifted the box. I have quite sensitive hearing and my wife can't hear the noise. She's starting to look at me funny when I talk about it. The only recording equipment I have is my phone, and that's not sensitive enough to pick it up. I'm going to see if I can find an old laptop with a mic port and record it next time I hear it, but until then has anyone got any ideas what this could be? NOTE: It's definitely NOT a mouse. I know what a mouse sounds like, and there was no mouse in my box of tea-bags. This is something much, much smaller. Something small enough to live inside cardboard. Update finally managed to capture the noise on my phone. apologies for the low sound quality. There's a lot of background noise from just the electronics in the phone. The house was completely silent last night. https://soundcloud.com/roryok/weird-noise You'll hear it four times in all. I've edited the track to reduce the waiting time, but the sounds were about 20-30 seconds apart Update 2 I've since found out the bugs are called "paper-lice" and are quite fond of eating cardboard / paper (hence the name). No idea how to get rid of the little buggers but at least I know I'm not going crazy. Here are two photos of the bugs in question: The two giant yellow things are popcorn kernels! zoomed out slightly, so you can see the scale properly. These guys are tiny <Q> I hear the same noise and have done in a few houses. <S> After years of chasing sounds round rooms <S> I'm pretty sure the culprit is a tiny brown beetle <S> I've found a few times, 1-3mm max. <S> I'm struggling to identify it. <S> My ex wife could hear it <S> so I knew I wasn't going mad! <S> It can really keep you awake for such a quiet sound! <S> I live in West Wales in the UK. <A> You may have a mouse in your wall... <A> I have the same sound and it comes from my wooden Kleenex box that I bought at Hobby Lobby. <S> It took me awhile to pin point it. <S> My husband thinks it is pocessed. <S> He watched to much Ghost Whisper. <S> However, I found your post and listened <S> and it is the very same sound. <S> I have actually picked it up and heard it in my lap. <S> Like it was alive.
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My brother said it has to do with the wood contracting or something like that.
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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 Countersink with 3/16-Inch Drill Bit Knowing it is a size 10 and 3/16in drill, should I buy the same size screw 10#? I assume this to be correct. Or, is it best to use a size #8 countersink with a size #10 screw? This is the desired result: http://www.rockler.com/how-to/difference-countersink-counterbore-screw-holes-usage/ Part 2 - Installing Wall Cabinets, start at 2:56 <Q> A standard #10 screw has an outer thread diameter of 3/16". <S> The #10 countersink you are referring to is a combined tool designed for applications where the screw is to pass completely through the material without digging the threads into the wood and have the head sit flush. <S> If you wish to use a screw that is actually going to grip the material, such as a wood screw or self-tapping screw, do not buy the item. <S> Instead you will need an appropriately sized #10 pilot drill (3/32" for soft wood, 7/64" for hardwood) and a separate countersink bit designed for your chosen screw size. <S> So, the answer depends on the application. <S> If you intend for the screw to pass completely through the first work piece with nothing but the head securing it (no threads biting into the wood) then the combined #10 drill/countersink is great. <S> If you intend for the screw to bite the material, you need a separate pilot drill and countersink bit. <A> When it comes to installing cabinetry the only time you would counter bore is if you plan on plugging the hole, its pretty rare that you need to use lags to install a cabinet. <S> For clarity's sake here's a diagram: This way the screw pulls the two pieces together like a clamp. <S> If you don't have a through hole there will always be a portion of the threads creating space between the two so to suck them together <S> you have to actually strip the first piece out. <S> The best countersinks I've ever found are these: Fuller Countersinks , because they countersink, through, and pilot with one bit. <S> Having said all that, when it comes to screwing face frames together the standard practice is to use trim head screws. <S> In this method you clamp the two frames together, drill the first piece to just under the size of the head, then drive the screw home. <S> Its head is so small it needs no countersink and because trim heads are self piloting you <S> (usually) don't need to pre-drill the second piece. <A> A #8 countersink will not only drill too small a hole, it'll also leave a #10 screw's head protruding slightly above the surface (assuming flat-head screws, since countersinks aren't used for any other screw head style). <S> Use a #10 countersink for a #10 screw. <S> From your description of the screws you intend to use, though... I don't think you want to countersink at all, only predrill. <S> If you need those heads to be below the surface, you'll need to "counterbore" instead of countersink; counterboring leaves a flat-bottomed hole instead of a taper-bottomed hole, and it's done with the appropriate size Forstner drill bit... <S> BEFORE drilling the clearance hole. <S> You may or may not be satisfied with the tapered drill included with that countersink for drilling both the through hole and the blind hole (the one the screw bites into). <S> A #10 wood screw starts and seats very well into a 9/64 blind hole made with an ordinary straight-shanked drill bit. <S> Since you're driving into hardwood, you'll do yourself a big favor if you go pick up a "toilet wax ring" from the hardware store and use that wax to lubricate your screws before you drive them. <S> The difference in driving effort is amazing, and the screws are far less likely to split the wood. <S> Don't use soap as a screw lubricant - it contains water and will rust the screws (unless they're brass). <A> It does not matter what the screw size is, only the angle is important. <S> You have to determine the angle of the head of the screw you are using: <S> Your countersink should be of the same angle or you will not get a clean result. <S> Most flathead screws are 82 degrees, but you have to check to make sure. <S> Also, there is an art to boring the chamfer. <S> Due to various complicated factors it is very easy to tear up the chamfer and make a ragged seat. <S> The first thing is to make a pilot hole, very important. <S> The second is to make sure you are holding the drill absolutely perpindicular to the surface.
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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 the shaft of the screw.
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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 work. My latest idea is to drill through the locking nut that is right next to the fiberglass wall of the carrier (drilling parallel to the wall, perpendicular to the surface of the locking nut) to create a gap and then just wedge the nut off using a chisel. I don't care about damaging the existing lock but I don't want to damage the fiberglass. However, when I tried this the drill would just slip right off the (very thin) nut surface. Any ideas? These car top carriers are expensive (about $1000) so worse comes to worst, I'll probably just live with not being able to lock it any longer. Thanks! Here's what it looks like on the inside: <Q> Why not leave the lock in place, drill a hole for a new lock and move the locking mechanism a few inches to the right or left? <A> I'd use an angle grinder with a thin cutoff wheel and basically just cut either the locking nut or the whole cylinder in half. <S> If you're reasonably careful, you should be able to do this and barely touch the fiberglass (if at all). <S> You're much more likely to cause cracks or other damage if you are putting torque on something, and it's much easier to have fine control over an angle grinder than a reciprocating saw or a drill. <A> If you live near or have access to a good tool supplier, Sears,Auto Zone etc. <S> It looks similar to a pipe/tubing cutter with a chisel tip instead of a cutting wheel. <S> Because there in no rapid motion of the tool the risk of damaging the fiberglass is reduced. <S> they generally come in two sizes and cost under $20. <S> Once you have one you'll find lots of use for it. <S> My favorite tool for removing toilet hold down bolts without damage to the porcelain.
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The best tool for the job in my opinion is a nut cracker.
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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 Uverse box Sony A/V Receiver Viewsonic Projector The Receiver and uverse box are plugged in to the same surge protector and the uverse box is connected to the receiver via HDMI. The receiver is then connected to the projector via HDMI and the projector is plugged in to an outlet on the other side of the room. Here's the problem. This does not happen 100% of the time, but often. When a light turns on or off, the A/C turns on or off, washer, dryer, fridge, etc. When any of these turn on of off, the projector goes to the screen showing it is searching for a different source and simultaneously the sound stops. If I just change the source on the projector the sound does not cut out because the sound is coming from the uverse box to the receiver. So far this sounds like this question: Why would my TV turn off/on when connected to a surge suppressor? , but here's where things get interesting. I had this problem in my apartment and got a new receiver(for other reasons) and I still had the same problem. Then, I moved to a new house and the problem remained. At the old place I had a Time Warner cable box and now I have uverse box. Literally the only thing that has stayed the same in this whole thing is the projector. That would indicate that the projector is the problem, which it very well may be, but I wanted to get some more insight before I went out to buy a new projector. So the question is, does anyone know what is causing all this? <Q> Something is sensitive to fluctuations in voltage. <S> My first guess would be the receiver. <S> Instead of buying a new projector or receiver, buy a power conditioner. <S> This will ensure that your cable box, receiver and projector all receive a constant voltage. <A> Either the equipment should be replaced or some electrical repairs/upgrades may need to be made. <S> Electronics are designed to operate over a particular range of input voltages. <S> Flipping switches or turning on and off loads cause changes in the supplied power line voltage. <S> Small shifts are normal, but larger shifts can indicate issues that need repair. <S> Normally, the electronics should be able to handle normal fluctuations, but with age, they may become more sensitive, and need replacement or repair. <S> As Brad Gilbert points out, some electronics are designed with too little power filtering, perhaps with too little inductance or capacitance in the filter networks. <S> However, certain electrical faults can also cause the issues you're having (e.g. open neutral, high supply resistances, bad connections overheating circuit breakers). <S> Firstly, I'd suggest verifying the "no-load" line voltage in the house. <S> With the major appliances turned off, the line voltage should be between 110 and 125 AC Volts. <S> Most houses have two feeds, so I'd suggest verifying on a few different outlets throughout the house that the voltage is in the acceptable range. <S> Next, I'd suggest measuring the under-load voltages. <S> Turn on a couple large appliances, and check that the voltage is still in the acceptable range. <S> If not, then this can indicate that there is a problem with the electrical supply to your house or the wiring in the house. <S> Outlet voltages can be measured most safely by using an in-line outlet power meter (the most famous brand is Kill-A-Watt), but can also be measured using a standard voltmeter. <S> The problems can also be mitigated by using an "on-line" UPS or power conditioner. <S> They will take the dirty power, and use it to generate clean power. <S> However, I'd suggest that the condition of your house's electrical system should first be evaluated before purchasing any sort of power conditioners. <A> Modern electronics work on low DC voltage, whereas house wiring is relatively high AC voltage. <S> To work, these devices take the AC input voltage and use a bridge rectifier to convert it to DC voltage. <S> That only makes it so that there is now a DC voltage that has a large AC voltage ripple. <S> To reduce this ripple they use capacitors across the output of the rectifier. <S> If they decide to skimp on the capacitors then the IC's can go into shutdown mode as the voltage dips too low for them to operate correctly. <S> ( There are also other ways of getting DC from AC, but they are more expensive, and usually don't exhibit this problem anyway ) <S> If it were my device, and it is no longer under warranty, I would add capacitors to the power supply of the projector. <S> Unfortunately since you had to ask this question to find the reason, its probably better if you don't do this as you may install them wrong. <S> There may also not be physically enough room for more capacitors. <S> So you can go and either hook it up to a line conditioner, or to a full time uninterruptible power supply. <S> Its also possible that running a dedicated cable from the breaker box can help. <S> There is also a possibility that you may have a grounding issue. <S> If it exhibits this behaviour when the AV equipment are plugged into the same outlet, then grounding won't be the problem.
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Additional capacitors could be added to help.
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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 beams will be extremely difficult. Does modern technology provide a tool with which I can find the position of the beams through the roof? I'm thinking about a two-part gadget where one part can tell when it is close to the other part or something. The roof is about an inch thick. <Q> To prevent water intrusion, fill the hole with silicone caulk from above prior to making your attachment, then simply patch the beam from below with wood putty or spackle and paint/stain to match. <A> My first thought was to suggest a stud finder, but since I don't know the material on the roof i'll suggest a Wall scanner . <S> Bosch carries a professional model called D-Tech150, here is a video of how it works. <S> There are cheaper alternatives such as this <S> If all else fails, a hammer and a good set ears should help you locate the beams. <S> Note <S> : I have no personal experience with the wall scanner, but everything I've read indicates this is the type of solution that will help you locate the beams. <A> Decide the best location for the item on the roof. <S> Drill a hole from the top. <S> Add additional blocking for support below. <S> Paint blocking to match. <S> Alternatively, locate one of the joists relative to the edge of a door or window opening. <S> Using squares, plumb lines and levels create a station point for reference on the roof. <S> Offset to the desired joist from the station point. <S> Establishing additional station points and triangulating will improve accuracy or find errors in measurements.
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Use a long, small diameter drill bit from below and drill all the way through the beam and the roof.
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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 what to do after that. I'm trying to move the decorative thing on top of glass also, but it's moving at all. <Q> The light fixture should have come loose after loosening that nut. <S> Get on the ladder :) Determine if the fixture is 2 separate pieces or 1 whole piece (glass + gold decorative ring) <S> Carefully grab the light fixture with both hands and firmly turn the light fixture a few degrees in either direction. <S> Be careful as the glass from the light fixture should come free. <S> If it does not <S> it could be stuck ceiling due to paint or grime as someone mentioned in the comments. <S> If this is the case, try being a little more aggressive in your rotation, again being careful as it can slide free. <A> Slip the credit card in between the seam like you're slicing a piece of cake. <S> It should come off easily that way. <A> The nut in the center should be all that is holding the glass. <S> I think you need to look closely at the edge of the glass where it contacts the fixture for traces of an adhesive someone may have used and maybe pry gently with a plastic tool keeping the nut and washer on the threads like in the picture. <S> Other than that I'm not sure without damaging the fixture.
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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.
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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 problem. I asked him whether I could smash the floor and put a new one maybe 10cm lower, he said I can do whatever I want for all he cared and as far as he knew, there was nothing important underneath. Ok so now I'm thinking big! Maybe go ahead and lower it by 40cm? or 300cm? Dig another floor underneath the building! The floor is 40m2 and the concrete is ~8cm thick according to him. The brick walls should go down another 20cm underground. How realistic would it be for me to do that? Could I leave some space between the walls and the new floor shape to dig extra low? Obviously I'd get some help and I know a guy who knows a guy who has a jackhammer. <Q> The concerns I'd have -- outside of whether there's anything under the floor that could be disturbed, and whether there's a rock layer under the floor that would prevent your lowering it -- would be: <S> I'd suggest getting an engineer's advice before doing anything. <S> You're going to have to dispose of all that rubble. <S> Not impossible -- a friend of a friend put a basement under an old farmhouse by digging outward from the root cellar, putting the house up on jacks as he went, and then getting a foundation installed under the house, and he did almost all of the digging and hauling himself -- but it's a nontrivial amount of work. <S> You're going to be moving several tons at least. <S> Putting in the new floor is going to require establishing a good seal against water infiltration between it and the foundation walls. <S> So: Yes, theoretically it can be done. <S> Personally, given the cost and effort and potential liability involved I wouldn't consider doing it on property <S> I didn't own. <S> And I definitely wouldn't consider it without expert advice. <A> Consider this simplified diagram of the bottom of a house. <S> The brick wall is part of the house; <S> Two story or eight stories, will look very different. <S> But the design of the house will be independent of the soil conditions at the site. <S> The green strip represents the footings . <S> (They rest on top of the brown surface) <S> They are the interface between the structure and the soil. <S> Their job is to accept the load of the structure without breaking, and spread that load out over enough area so as to not overstress the natural soil (the brown part). <S> It's the job of a soil engineer to decide on the thickness and width of the footings, based on the house design and the local soil conditions. <S> Now look at what you may wind up doing: <S> In particular, consider the red vertical surface. <S> This is just natural soil, the same as before, but now without and lateral support. <S> You've just incorporated a pile of dirt into the foundation of your house. <S> Short answer: hire an engineer. <A> Given a willingness and the ability to commit all the necessary resources, lowering the floor is entirely reasonable. <S> Viewed as a real-estate development project, the general rule for less experienced developers without a track record is to be more prudent in regard to problematic sites than a more experienced real-estate developer might be imagined to be. <S> One never knows what is under the basement of an old building and one should expect to be pleasantly surprised whenever it is not a can of worms. <A> The much more common solution for that problem is not to lower the basement floor, but to raise the house.
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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 disturb the foundation. That means renting a dumpster, and hauling it out of the basement. It has to carry the vertical and horizontal loads of the structure.
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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 coming through. The plug is also connected to an additional outlet which doesn't have any problem. What is causing this and how do I fix it? <Q> (not just in the socket of the GFI) <S> If there is current in the wires, double-check that you have connected the power to the line side of the GFI, not the load side. <S> Be sure that the neutral (white wire) and hot (black) are connected to the correct terminals and not reversed. <S> Remember: <S> GFIs are designed to protect from ground faults (where current is being shunted to ground). <S> They are not circuit breakers and they do not protect against over load of current like a fuse would. <S> If there is no power at the wires then the problem it outside the scope of this question and you may wish to hire an electrician. <A> For GFCI outlets, the lights are questionable and can only best be used for tripped/not tripped status. <S> Best to use a circuit tester (you can purchase from a hardware store) that you plug into the socket and it will tell you the wiring status. <S> Note, this isn't 100% either but it is the first place to start when dealing with wiring problems. <A> I have a simple solution. <S> After my initial failed installation, i removed it and realized my lines needed to be reversed. <S> When I compared the old to the new leviton gfci I noticed the load and line positions were reversed. <S> I had installed the new one assuming the positions were the same. <S> After reinstalling the new one with the lines reversed,it worked! <S> Funny thing was that little green light was on regardless of whether the recep works or not. <S> It is green now and it works. <S> The only time it was off was when it was in test mode. <S> In installed leviton 20 amp model gftr2-kt. <A> Just had a similar problem in my house. <S> Was changing a regular outlet in the bathroom for a GFCI one and lost power in all bathrooms. <S> Apparently, the breaker didn't trip but a GFCI outlet in the garage did. <S> When I installed the GFCI in the bathroom and reset the GFCI in the garage the one in the garage was working fine but in the bathroom I saw a green light on the leviton receptacle, but there was no power in the wires! <S> Very odd I thought, so assumed some other outlet was either burnt, not passing the power to the next in circuit or there was a loose wire connection. <S> But why would it happen somewhere if I just replaced an outlet?Anyway, to cut the story short, as the garage outlet was the only operational one to be still regulated by a breaker (all in the same circuit) <S> , I uninstalled it (took it completely off) and wired it back again to see whether it would do anything and what do you think? <S> Everything is working again! <S> So, the bottom line, GFCIs can be operational but only receive power. <S> If it is not a terminal outlet (last in the line - having only one black and one white wires) - it should receive and pass power on to the next one in the circuit. <S> These GFCIs would receive, could be reset but yet did not pass on. <S> Could be fully reset only by completely uninstalling and wiring back! <S> Hope <S> it helps! <S> Good luck!
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Use a voltage tester like a "Wiggy" or a neon tester to test the presence of voltage at the wires.
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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 low speed. <S> Pull the chain , twice. <S> Once will turn it off. <S> Once more will set it to high. <A> The ceiling fan capacitor in the motor is out. <S> Replace the capacitor. <A> To me, the fact that all the fans (you did not state how many there are) are slow probably indicates something other than the fan motors. <S> Check to see if they are overly warm or hot to the touch, which could indicate a voltage problem. <S> Turn off the circuit breaker or fuse and check the switch that controls them. <S> You could wire the hot lead and switched-hot to the fan together temporarily (bypass the switch) and see if anything changes. <S> Look upstream.
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I have encountered fans with light dimmer switches being used to control the speed, which will damage the switch and fan motors.
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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 , another 26lbs, allows it to be swiveled and repositioned up to about a foot from the wall. This allows it to be angled instead of hung like a picture frame. I've done extensive research on TV mounting the last couple of days, and purchased some 3/4" plywood to anchor across 3 studs with 12 1/4" toggle bolts (4 per stud) and #14 screws to mount the TV bracket to the plywood. I've noticed a dearth of information on spec sheets when it comes to toggle bolt ratings on metal studs -- only drywall and masonry is provided. I don't know if this suggests that metal studs are a no-no or if they're some sort of in-between, though people seem to do it with success in mounting their big TVs. The studding is 2.5" wide and 16" on centre. It's in a tower so it's not load bearing. The plywood backing I got is 38x24 centered on the middle stud. My concern is that the cantilevering action will cause the stud wall to fail and I don't want to be responsible for a Career Limiting Move™. Are my concerns justified? If my concerns are justified can you suggest an method to effectively hang this? <Q> I do this for a (part of my) living. <S> Steel studs will not provide the support you need with a cantilevered arm. <S> The only appropriate solution is to open up the wall and either replace the steel studs in question with wooden studs, or slide the wooden stud in to the steel stud. <A> Yes it can. <S> * <S> *Your mileage may vary. <S> Using a 3/4" plywood backboard spanning 3 studs, I used 18 3" long 1/4" diameter self drilling screws (6 on each stud, 3 above and below the mount respectively) to mount it. <S> 3" screws were used because of a double layering of 5/8" drywall behind the plywood. <S> Large flat washers were used to bite the screws onto the backboard. <S> The mount then went onto the backboard with its supplied hardware. <S> I was doing pull ups off it before putting the TV on -- this thing ain't going anywhere. <S> And it's been hanging for months with no problem. <S> You will also beat up the studs too much with a 5/8" hole. <S> The extraneous holes in the backboard are just predrills for toggles, they don't go anywhere. <S> Great for future cable runs, though. :) <A> cut out sheet rock 5/8" across 3 or 4 studs . <S> install <S> 2x4's in 3 or 4 of the metal studs . <S> put ply wood 5/8" in cut out .fasten ply wood to woods studs. <S> Paint and hang T.V. <S> this will help spread out the load of T.V. <A> Something I just tried and is working great is the Toggler High-Performance Anchors. <S> I got them at Lowes. <S> They come 2 or I think 10 to a pack. <S> the 2 pack was about 7 bucks. <S> Says in Drywall alone it can hold 265 pounds. <S> What we did was Drill a 1/2 hole into the Drywall and the metal Stud. <S> Installed the 2 toggles <S> and it is supporting my TV great. <S> This system seams to work MUCH better than any other toggle based system out there. <S> The only reason I used this toggle system with my TV was because it was going into a metal stud. <S> Looks much cleaner than using a sheet of plywood or Sheetrock. <A> I have metal studs on I think 21" centers. <S> Some contractor was trying to be cheap. <S> The dry wall seem to have metal in it. <S> I used 4 - 50# plastic anchors into the dry wall with screws to match for the articulating mount for a 37" X 21" LED Vizio TV. <S> I have moved the mounting all over the place holding on to the TV. <S> I am sure that the TV is a lot lighter that 100#. <S> I has been up for over 3 years, 1 medium earth quake <S> and it is still solid.
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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 until they rest on the stud.
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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. The pipe I'm using looks like the pipe in this image and is the only pipe I have seen connected to stoves before. I don't know the exact diameter, but it is approx the size of my pinkey (say, around 1/2"). The guy from the gas company who recommended replacing the pipe said that I could get the same thing, or a newer version with a yellow coating that would be slightly better (I read that as more durable). I thought this was a pretty standard kind of thing though, no? Does anyone have a good guess of what I need to ask for at the hardware store? <Q> I'm not sure exactly where this pipe is, or how far back the pipe runs. <S> Though most codes now call for a shutoff valve be installed for each appliance, in the same room and within 6' of the appliance. <S> I'm going to assume that the piece of pipe you're looking to replace, runs from the shutoff valve to the appliance <S> (this might be a terrible assumption, but you didn't supply much detail about your situation). <S> If this is the case, you could use a piece of flexible copper pipe exactly the same size as the one you're replacing. <S> Or you could use a corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST) . <S> As you've seen, flexible copper is prone to kinking, especially if you're moving the stove often. <S> The CSST is more resilient to movement, and is typically easier for DIYers and homeowners to work with. <S> If you do switch to CSST, you might find that you need an adapter to connect it to the valve. <S> You should be able to find CSST fittings in various lengths, at your local hardware store. <S> If you choose to replace the pipe with flexible copper, you should shut off the gas and take the pipe with you to the store. <S> With the pipe in hand, it should be no problem finding replacement pipe. <S> You might also find that the end(s) of your copper pipe are flared. <S> If they are, you'll also need to flare the ends of the new pipe. <S> If they can't, you'll need a special tool to do it. <S> Without actually seeing the installation, it's difficult to provide any more specific information. <A> It's very common to use either hard-drawn or soft-drawn copper for gas, whether natural gas or propane. <S> Using it for long runs is not generally the greatest of ideas, but I don't think there are any laws against it - the issue with soft-drawn for long runs is the risk that some idjit will hang something really heavy from it & kink it or outright break it. <S> Black iron pipe is a bit sturdier. <S> who'd have thought that one?). <S> It'll come in rolls of 10', 25', and 50' length. <S> Be prepared for a little sticker shock; it's not terribly cheap. <S> Much better, since you have to flare two ends anyway, to cut the pipe on both sides of that kink and install a coupling (or a pair of couplings with a short stub of new pipe between them) there instead and keep 98% of the original copper. <S> While you're at the hardware store, pick up a tubing bender - the type built like a longish (about 12" long) spring. <S> You slip it over the tubing, and it helps prevent kinks like those as you bend the tubing inside the "spring". <S> Please remember to take it back off the tubing before you flare the end... <S> (BTDT). <S> Also please please remember to put a flare nut onto the tubing before you flare the end. <A> In the end I had to buy 50' of 1/2" (interior diameter) copper tubing. <S> I appreciate the suggestion from @TDHofstetter about reusing existing tubing, however I was not able to find this diameter tubing in lengths less than 50' : <S> ( The diameter was a sticky point because it is measured from both the interior & exterior. <S> We needed 1/2" interior. <S> I cannot say if this is 'standard' for gas ranges or not, but (anecdotally) it looks right to me. <S> Here are some references that may clear up the opinions stated in other answers: copper is safe for LP, but not recommended for natural gas due to "concerns over corrosion and flaking of copper tubing, copper is not allowed for use on natural gas work in some localities" ( see reference ) <S> home depot says " Use M (red)-rated copper for indoor gas distribution " black malleable iron pipe is used from exterior storage , but is not necessary indoors (and is not what I wanted) <A> Type K has thickest wall. <S> Example Only; 1/2 inch nominal size has a 5/8 outside diameter and a little over a half inch inside diameter 0.527-in. <S> Type K wall is .049, Type L wall is .040 and Type M wall is .028. <S> Thinner wall is of course easier to bend, but may not be as puncture resistant as thicker wall tubing. <S> Copper tubing should only be used for propane (LPG) gas, and NOT natural gas. <S> FLARE or solder fittings only, NO compression (ferrule) fittings. <S> Local codes take precedence. <A> I had a hot water tank and a gas grill piped with copper tubing, and I was told it was against code to use copper pipe for gas. <S> It had to be removed and replaced. <S> From what I understand, there is a special metal gas pipe (it's black coated and sold at Lowe's in the plumbing dept). <S> I live in Kansas, and perhaps the copper is illegal only in Kansas, but it must have been determined to be unsafe over long-term use. <S> If in doubt, call your county building inspection office and ask about the safety of copper tubing with gas.
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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.
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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, short of uncapping it and seeing if water blasts out? Is there anything else it might be? I'm not there right now to measure it, but I think it's about 1/2", maybe a bit larger. <Q> Short of opening up the end-cap, there isn't a good way to tell which it is. <S> You could try banging/hitting a pipe elsewhere in the house, to see if you can hear the banging. <S> Pipe like that could be water, but it also could be oil or natural gas. <S> There is a chance that it is a drain, but I find it unlikely. <S> Before opening the pipe, turn off the utilities for the building. <S> Loosen the cap by using two pipe wrenches, one for the cap, and another for the pipe. <S> As the connection is opened, some water will leak out, or gas (and you'd smell its characteristic odour). <S> It may need to be removed, cleaned, be applied with pipe dope, and reinstalled. <S> The pipe could be made of any of a few different materials, such as galvanized steel, "black iron", copper, or brass. <S> Copper is used for both water and gas. <A> Try to scrape <S> /sand away the paint to see what material you find. <S> As mentioned in @Pigrew's answer it could be black iron steel, galvanized steel, or brass. <S> However, it's hard to tell by the photo if it is a threaded cap or not. <S> If it's not threaded it could be copper, which is used for both water and gas. <S> And for the sake of completeness, it could also be plastic which would suggest water. <S> To eliminate the biggest guess, check if you house has a gas connection/service. <S> If you have no gas service and this is located in the spot designated for a fridge and the material is brass, plastic, or copper, it's a pretty good chance <S> it's water. <A> Based on size, location above the baseboard and distance from the wall and the fact that it is a screw-on cap, I'd guess gas.
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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 various utilities.
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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 bundles of wires coming into the box, two of them having their own triads of hot, neutral, and ground. The third bundle has two triads of hot, neutral, and ground wires. In this third bundle, it's unclear which neutral is paired with which hot. Does this matter when connecting my new dimmer or can the dimmer be connected to any random pair of neutral and hot wires? <Q> This is a single circuit, and the neutral is common to all branches of this circuit. <S> In this case, all neutral wires in this box must be connected together. <S> Similarly (and this is regardless of single or multiple circuits/breakers) <S> all grounds must be connected to each other, as well as to the box itself. <S> In the case of your switches, they simply need a neutral to operate the electronics in the switch itself. <S> All you need to do is wire the neutral to each switch. <S> You'll probably have to add pigtails, and probably additional wire nuts (purely for convenience). <S> Just to illustrate, using your schematic, I added the neutral lines (my changes highlighted in yellow): <S> The number and placement of wire nuts is not important, other than you need to pay attention to the number and size of wires when choosing wire nuts (they have a rating that will say how many wires of a given gauge they support). <A> You can generally tell if it is a single circuit if you only have to turn off 1 breaker. <S> If this is the case, then you should keep all the neutrals together. <S> If it is not the case, then you should isolate the neutrals that belong to a different circuit. <S> To connect a dimmer that requires a neutral, you would pigtail the hot and the neutral to the hot and neutral of the dimmer. <S> It doesn't matter which pair of neutrals and hots you use as long as they belong together on the same circuit. <A> If all the hots are currently (no pun intended) tied together, and all the grounds are also currently tied together, and if one breaker shuts off everything in the box, then that's a simple branch circuit with two "twig circuits" (my own term, <S> don't bother looking it up on Wikipedia). <S> In such a case, all the neutrals in that box will still need to be tied together or you'll lose power to something else, probably nearby. <A> The real question you should be asking; is how to hook up your new dimmers. <S> You will have to add the neutrals for each of the new dimmers to the neutrals that are already there. <S> If you are using wire nuts and you have more than 4 wires to connect you will have to daisy chain to more than one wire nut. <S> To do this you take three of the wires and an additional length of white wire in one nut. <S> When you get down to the last few wires just take the last length of wire and wire nut them together. <S> ( It could be easier if your dimmers had "screw and clamp" connections; which is doubtful. ) <S> You could wire it differently than I said above as long as all of the neutrals are connected together.
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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.
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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 seeps in under the door. Is there something I can put under the door to prevent the water from seeping in? I put towels or socks under the door but once they are saturated with water, I have to start mopping the water that seeps in. Last night after more than an hour of heavy downpour, I had to mop up 4 buckets of water that came inside the house. If anyone has any ideas on how to solve my problem I would be very grateful. This is the second flooding this week. With the approaching year end, we are expecting more heavy rains. We thought of buying a pump to drain the water but the problem is there is nowhere for the pumped water to go. The earth here is saturated already and will no longer soak in water that is why we have the whole area around the house cemented and tiled. I hope I have given complete details to my problem. <Q> DA's comment is correct. <S> If water has gotten to your house all you can hope to do is minimize the damage... <S> water WILL get in if it is up against the door. <S> The best bet (a picture of the area in question would be useful) would be to build up the ground around the house to add a barrier to keep water off the house in the first place. <S> That may or may not be feasible in your situation <S> , this is where the picture would be handy. <A> Since you aren't going to be using that door, I would recommend getting a section of EPDM fish pond liner and some bagged sand. <S> Without pictures, it's kind of hard to give advice on how to get this to seal the best, so <S> the following is just to give an idea of what you're trying to accomplish. <S> The pond liner comes in 8', 12' or wider by whatever the roll length is. <S> Get an 8' x 3' section. <S> Cut off a section to give plenty of overlap on either side of the door. <S> With 3' folded in half, you will have protection for up to 18" of water. <S> Push it as tightly against the door frame trim and threshold plate as you can get it and hold in place with the sand bags. <S> You might need to stuff the cracks, I'd use plastic grocery bags twisted up into rope stuffed as tightly into where you were using the socks and towels. <A> See if your door's threshold is adjustable. <S> If it is you may be able to simply raise it for a water-tight seal. <S> the door threshold won't do anything if water's coming in under the threshold. <S> Or, replace the door's threshold with a Stop Threshold, where the door actually closes against a seamless lip that has a rubber seal. <S> These are very water-tight & the rubber seal is easily replaceable once it starts to fail from age. <S> To then, install a caulked concrete threshold base or step, so the street would have to exceed its 1-foot depth in order to enter the house. <S> Presumably, the street's maximum flooding depth is the 1-foot before it finds drainage from the entire block's area. <S> The step under your door would mean the street would then have to rise to 14, 16 or 18-inches to ever be a threat again. <S> Flash Flooding could reach a 13 to 15-inch depth, so however much door shortening or raising you can accomplish the better.
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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.
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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 24VAC at the TACO or because it is common, it connects to Common. Connecting to 24VAC shows 24VAC between R and C and 0 VAC between W and C.Connecting to common shows 0VAC between R and C and 24VAC between W and C. Color me puzzled Any guidance? Thanks <Q> I had the exact same problem. <S> The 24volt term seemed to test 24 volts with the red wire and the COM tested 24 with the white. <S> It was wired with thermostat wires at Taco <S> right red and left white. <S> 4 thermostats and <S> 2 days later the only solution was. <S> Wire <S> all "common" wires to the COM terminal and reverse white and red on thermostat. <S> I did not want to rewire the TACO. <S> This worked perfect. <A> The 'C' terminal connection & wire that the Honeywell instructions are talking about provides power for the thermostat's electronic control, while the R and W terminal connections simply connect to the loop in your furnace's circulation pumps. <S> As with you, my old thermostat only needed 2 wires, and the wiring to it was a harness that only had 3 (three) wires in it, 1 of which wasn't being used. <S> In order to upgrade, I needed to (a) pull new wire through my wall which had 5 wires in total (although only 4 of the 5 are being used with the new installation, 1 pair (R&W) for the circulation pump loop, 1 pair ('C' and 'Rc" for the power from a 24 VAC step-down transformer.) <S> I also purchased a Honeywell AT72D 1006 <S> 24 VAC 40 VA, which serves as a persistent power supply for the thermostat, available of the shelf at HomeDepot. <S> Since I am not using a 'C' wire off of the rely for the circulation pump, but instead I am using the external 24 VAC transformer, <S> It was crucial for me to remove the jumper on the thermostat's terminal connections that had been bridging the 'R' and 'Rc' connections. <S> Since there are 3 heating zones in my house, the 24 VAC transformer can function as the power source for all 3 thermostats, but I can't comment on the limit of how many thermostats are able to function from the single unit. <A> I suggest you look at either diagram in the URL below. <S> You will note that "R" is on the LEFT, while "W" is on the RIGHT; not that that makes any difference in operation, since we're working with 24 VAC. <S> http://www.taco-hvac.com/uploads/FileLibrary/102-381.pdf <A> I tried to connect a Honeywell RTF9580 WiFi Thermostat to my Taco SR506 temperature control box which has 24VAC terminals. <S> I had a 2 wire thermostat; disconnecting thethermostat I noticed that there were 2 extra wires wrapped and unused. <S> It was 4 wirewith colors of red, white, green and blue. <S> I tried to use the green wire as the "C" wire, so I connected the green wire to the 24V terminal then connected the red & white wire to the R & C terminals powering the thermostat screen light but was constantly blinking. <S> Then I decided to disconnect and use external 120/24VAC, 200mA transformer Stencore P8395 which can be purchased from Allied Electronics for about $10.00. <S> The transformer is small enough to fit in an electrical outlet box. <S> I have installed two thermostats this way and it works very well. <A> There is a diagram on the taco web site that describes a simple configuration that lets you connect a 3wire WiFi thermostat requiring a "c" terminal without external 24v power supplies etc. <S> The thermostat terminals on the SR-504 Are labeled "X" and "X", suggesting it makes no difference which terminal you put red or which terminal you put white on. <S> Then attach the "C" wire to the "common" terminal on the SR – 504 and you should be good to go <A> I installed a Honeywell RTH6580WF thermostat. <S> You will need at lease three wires. <S> My controller is a Taco 6 zone controller. <S> W wire from the controller to the W terminal on the thermostat. <S> Red wire to the R terminal on the thermostat. <S> Honeywell's customer service gave me a different configuration that did not work.
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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.
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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 cardboard/plastic underneath the machine is a bit bent near the right hand side. Is something blocked or another cause? <Q> Condenser dryers generate water, just like an air conditioner does. <S> If water is leaking out, then either the water collection tank is full and overflowing, or the drain is clogged and overflowing. <A> Do you have the drain kit installed? <S> It is an option available from the appliance dealer. <S> See page 6 of this . <S> If not, you will have to manually empty the condensate (see page 7 ). <S> The dryer has only a 4.3 litre capacity (see page 55 ), probably not enough for more than 2 or 3 loads. <S> If the condensate tank is empty, then consider that a clothes dryer produces a lot of lint. <A> After two visits from the appliance engineer it turned out to be a combination of: a stuck widget (?)that didn't stop the collection tank at the bottom back of the machine from overflowing and <S> the machine itself was not completely level. <S> This is required so that the water is transported into the collection tank rather than to the front of the machine where it leaks out.
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It is a fair bet that some lint or other debris has mixed with the drainage water to clog it.
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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. How do you wire this configuration? <Q> Not counting the ground wires, you have four insulated conductors. <S> One could be the supply hot, each of the others could be switched hot leads. <S> The presumption would be that the neutral is in the ceiling box and not present in the wall box. <S> Totally possible. <A> One switch originally controlled the light and vent, and the other originally controlled the heater? <S> Or did only one switch control everything? <S> Clearly you don't have three separate switched wires and a neutral and a ground. <S> It's barely possible that the ground was used as a neutral before, and the white was used as a switch leg, but that's a seriously bad wiring job. <S> You'd better open up the switch boxes and decide what's inside there. <S> with the wiring you have, you can only safely run all three (light, vent, heater) controlled by a single switch. <S> After -- and <S> ONLY after you get the switch box wiring straightened out, you'll go back to the new light/vent/heater and connect the ground to ground, all the whites together, and all the blacks together. <A> It is hard to figure out what you are saying, but I assume you mean there are two 14/2 or 12/2 cables coming to your existing vent fan. <S> The way it was probably wired before was one of the white wires is the neutral, and the rest of them were all switched hot wires. <S> If you have already taken the wiring loose you are going to have to figure out which cable is which. <S> If you haven't taken the wiring loose already, and you can't figure out what wire is what, call someone else to do it for you. <S> First make sure the breaker is off by testing at the switches and at the vent fan. <S> If you are using a non-contact tester make sure to test that it works both before and after you use it to ensure the breaker is off. <S> Go ahead and put a piece of tape over the breaker handle to indicate it shouldn't be turned back on. <S> If you do this part incorrectly you will have a dangerous situation. <S> Short out the leads of one of the cables at the vent fan. <S> If you didn't do the first part correctly you will have a spark. <S> Use a multimeter with a continuity feature to find out which cable is which at the switch box with all of them off. <S> ( If any of them are on you may get a false positive ) <S> Mark <S> the neutral that goes to one of the switches with electrical tape at both ends. <S> ( any color but green yellow or white, usually black or red ) <S> Now it should be easy to figure out what wire goes to what switch, and which one is the neutral. <S> After you know which wire is what, go ahead and wire it up. <S> If you can't figure out which wire is which, get someone else to do it that knows what they are doing.
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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.
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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 that's not an option (maybe the hole is too big?) <S> you can take a small square of drywall that's bigger than the hole and hold it up over the hole, mark around the piece with a pencil and then cut the hole out to the outside of the line. <S> Then take two slats of 1x3 and use screws to attach them through the wall on either side of the hole creating a backing for the patch. <S> Once that's done apply the patch to the backers and proceed to mud and tape the seams. <S> Here's a diagram: <S> If you need help with the mudding/taping process there are other q/ <S> a's on this site that cover it better than I can <S> so I won't go into it. <A> Traditional solution: Get some thin wood strapping. <S> Cut two pieces a bit longer than the hole. <S> Slide them through the hole, and drive wallboard screws through the surviving plaster to hold them in place. <S> Cut a wallboard patch to fit into the opening, and drive wallboard screws through it into the wood supports you've just installed. <S> Smooth the surfaces you've spackled. <S> If necessary, lightly sand the area and/or apply more spackle and/or alternate the two until the screws, and the joint between the old and new wallboard, are completely level. <S> Prime and paint. <S> Less traditional solution <S> : There are self-adhesive screening patches available. <S> Get one larger than the hole, stick it in place, apply spackle over and through it to create a new plaster surface. <S> Smooth (giving particular attention to hiding the edges of the patching screen) until it looks sufficiently level (ie, not an obvious patch, even with raking light at a low angle). <S> Prime and paint. <S> I'm sure there are other answers; these are the two I've used. <S> Both are cheap and fairly easy. <S> The traditional solution is probably more durable, but I can't prove that. <A> Remove all of the damaged sheet rock with a razor knife, or small saw. <S> Once you have a hole with solid edges, measure the thickness of the sheetrock on your wall. <S> Buy, beg, or borrow a small piece of sheetrock in that same thickness. <S> Cut the replacement to the same size as your hole. <S> The more precisely your patch matches the hole, the better. <S> Sand the facing paper off one inch in on both your patch and the existing wall. <S> Get a big balloon. <S> Stick it in the hole and blow it up. <S> Place the patch in the hole, use sheetrock tape and mud to patch the seam. <S> There are lots of youtube videos, and the folks in the paint dept of your local home center can also be valuable help. <S> Two or three coats of mud, sand after each, then paint to match. <S> Take a piece of the broken sheetrock you removed to your home center, and they can match the paint on your existing wall.
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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 solid to work against.
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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 there were no tripped breakers. The multimeter shows no current to the outlet. The refrigerator functions when plugged into a different outlet (via extension cord so it's not an actual workaround). I've tested all other outlets in the house and there is one that appears like it could be on the same circuit (given proximity and common sense, an unsafe criterion for sure), but there is also an outdoor outlet that is not functional. I can follow the circuit from that outlet for a bit and it does not seem to be on the same circuit (though who knows if that's true or not). I've also reset all breakers in the panel and no change. Additionally, I've walked through the house and tested/reset all GFCI outlets that I could find. At any rate, it seems like these three outlets could be on the same circuit and that I somehow shorted it when I tested incorrectly. What can/should I do to trace and resolve this? <Q> We are talking about garage and outdoor receptacles. <S> These are both required to be GFCI protected. <S> It is extremely easy to trip a GFI if you are working on the circuit live. <S> Simply touching the neutral to ground, or even testing from hot to ground can trip them. <S> You have a tripped GFI somewhere, you need to find it. <S> Could be nearly anywhere; garage, somewhere outside, near the main electrical panel, etc. <S> Let us know what you find. <A> If the above excellent answers don't work.... <S> The three outlets may be daisy chained, and one may have internally failed, or a wire connection loosened...effecting it like a chain of old school Christmas tree bulbs. <A> (They aren't supposed to —they're supposed to trip—but not everything works perfectly forever.) <S> (Or shut off the main disconnect and test them all for continuity.) <S> P.s. <S> I assume you have no sub panels anywhere, or you've already checked them. <A> Go to the main breaker panel, examine the neutral return connections at the bus bar. <S> It destroyed the control panel in the oven at first, then a few outlets failed a few days later. <S> all caused by the tightening screw <S> being slightly loose for years.
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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.
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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, the new windows are about an inch deeper than my current awful aluminum windows. As a result, I'm going to need to cut back the drywall in the window boxes by about an inch. It's a very cramped area and I'm not sure I'll be able to get my circular saw all the way in there. Since the lumber making up the rough opening is behind the drywall, I can't use any kind of saw that needs to penetrate through the other side by more than half an inch, if even that. What's the right tool for this job? <Q> The right tool in this case is the good old fashioned razor knife. <S> (handle with a razor blade in it). <S> Like this: <S> I suggest utilizing a strait edge to make sure you cut a good line. <S> I personally use my 4' aluminum level. <A> If you happen to have one, or can get one cheaply, a rotary drywall "saw" or cutout tool (more like a router, really) will do everything but the extreme corners quickly and easily (and very, very messily/dustily - a shop vacuum is highly recommended as well.) <S> Depending how many windows you have to do, it might or might not make sense - or your local tool rental place may have one for a reasonable rate. <S> A tool where buying the most expensive one does not make sense - they live a dusty life and will expect to die from it, so if you can rent one or find a cheap knockoff to buy, if might be sensible... <A> A vibrating Multi-Tool (Dremel multimax etc) will work great on this. <S> Mark with a line and cut freehand, you can easily get within 1/8th inch. <A> You are never going to cut it perfectly enough to just drop the new windows in and then have the dry wall look nice. <S> I recommend completely removing the drywall and corner bead. <S> After the new windows are in, use wood to trim where the drywall was. <S> Half inch boards, ripped to the width need to go flush between the window and wall. <S> And then window casing to cover the gap from from wall to trim. <S> Caulk and then paint. <S> But something to think about... <S> water proofing those new windows. <S> And if you don't weather proof, the next rain you get on those new windows you will have water enter your wall.
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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.
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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 street. I was surprised when a recommended heating guy suggested replacing my oil system with one based on liquid propane. When I do the numbers, the price per gallon for oil and LP are about the same in my area (Massachusetts) but LP has fewer BTUs so the price per BTU is cheaper with oil. The guy said that the gas boiler (Viessmann) can get up to 96% efficiency where the best oil boilers can only get up to about 86%. While those numbers are true based on what I've read, my simple calculations show that that difference is not enough to make up for the higher cost of LP. He claims that those numbers don't tell the whole story because the entire LP system would be more efficient: modulating, condensing, etc. But I thought modern oil boilers have those features too? He was saying that those simple numbers don't tell the whole story. I'm willing to believe LP can be better but I haven't seen good arguments. Is this guy simply wrong or is he right but not able to express his information well? <Q> First, check to see if there are any tax breaks on the LP system for your area. <S> My rule of thumb on energy savings savings is, it must pay off in less than 10 years or half of it's usable life (which ever is shorter). <S> A lot of times, the energy efficient items don't pay off unless they have a tax break or you have to replace an entire system anyways. <S> Edit: <S> I was curious about the results and looked up the values. <S> Assuming you are using 800 gallons of oil each year at a rate of $4.21 a gallon = $3368 year. <S> You would need 1060 gallons of propane to match the 800 gallons (taking into account different efficiency) at a rate of $3.80 a gallon = $4028 a year. <S> Cost data came from here: http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_wfr_a_EPLLPA_PRS_dpgal_w.htm BTUs of propane: 91,500 per gallonBTUs of heating oil: 135,000 per gallonConversion from oil to propane used: oil gallons <S> * oil BTUs * oil efficiency = 92,880,000 effective BTUs used each yet. <S> 92,880,000 / propane efficiency / propane BTUs = <S> 1057.38 gallons of propane used. <A> Your propane prices (and fuel oil, for that matter) are pretty steep. <S> They're barely competitive with even simple, pure electric resistance heat. <S> Even if the propane furnace manages to come out ahead of your oil system, there are electric systems that will be far cheaper to run. <S> Some options to consider: Electric Thermal Storage - Using time of use billing, it heats up a ceramic brick with dirt cheap night time electricity prices, then slowly releases that heat over the day. <S> Mini split Heat Pump - <S> Although standard heat pumps generally don't work well enough in very cold weather to be usable outside of the south, some of the mini splits can handle low temperatures well enough to be usable in Massachusetts. <S> On paper, their efficiency is fairly good (though not stunning), but they also get a savings over central heating by not requiring a large blower fan, and offering better zoning capability if you have multiple head units. <S> Geothermal Heat Pump - Gets rather good efficiency year round, but can be pricey to install (Regional cost varies significantly, so whether or not it's a good deal for you <S> depends on local costs and lot suitability) <A> The first analysis is how much more efficient does the system (LP or Oil) have to be in order to pay for itself over n years assuming annual average fuel costs [a1, a2 ... <S> an] and a potential internal rate of return <S> IRR <S> if the cost of a new system is invested elsewhere. <S> When it comes to energy efficiency, there are often low hanging fruit such as reducing air infiltration, improving insulation, upgrading windows, etc. <S> that are far more cost effective than improving boiler efficiency. <S> As in any business, an air-conditioning business may have an economic incentive to sell one type of system over another. <S> These include room for markup and programs offered by local utility companies.
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Since you have to replace the unit, see if the difference in cost - expected savings in energy over 10 years justifies going LP.
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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 barrier (a thick plastic)3) Water-resistant drywall. Is there anything else that's needed? Do I need to add a specific type of plastic? Do I need "backer board"? <Q> Confirming we are talking about your bathroom, not the shower/tub area. <S> In honesty it doesn't matter. <S> Purple, green, regular drywall will all eventually act the same given moisture. <S> Does it taking more time really help? <S> Most building codes require purple/green drywall. <S> So put that up to pass inspection. <S> If you want to not have to worry about mold issues then you need to create a barrier. <S> Two heavy handed oil based primer coats are the most effective way to do this (Killz for example - tons of brands that can do this). <S> This is why you see 100 year old bathrooms in great shape. <S> The oil based paint creates a moisture barrier. <S> Paint whatever you want over top of it. <S> Depending on size of bathroom (smaller ones I do this for sure) <S> I will either go oil based everywhere <S> and for sure on all ceilings. <S> So to answer your question <S> the steps are - insulation, drywall, oil primer, paint. <S> You don't put a plastic barrier behind drywall unless you are worried about moisture from the other side. <A> (Well, you can add insulation for sound proofing reasons but that's another issue.) <S> You should use blue board (not green contrary to popular belief) especially around the tub shower area, but even that is discretionary in most cases. <S> All that blue board does is resist mold; it is NOT water resistant. <S> If you have significant water issues from a leak, poor ventilation, or other causes, it will crumble and fail the same as any drywall. <S> It will last longer, though, so it's not a bad idea. <S> The best thing you can do is make sure to install a quality fan with proper ducting. <S> Make sure your CFM is adequate and you should have no issues. <S> If you want to go a step further you can apply a natural clay texture such as American Clay to the walls. <S> It's naturally hydroscopic so it will pull an amazing amount of moisture out of the air <S> and it looks pretty sharp too. <S> Insulation is a MUST in bathrooms, because they are protecting rest of the house from water--especially in case of any malfunction. <S> Keeping that in mind insulation should be as close to the finishing layer as possible. <A> Not a sales pitch, I just saw some of this go in: <S> [Purple Drywall] is ideally suited to environments like bathrooms and kitchens that are vulnerable to the damaging effects of moisture... offers the advantages of traditional moisture-resistant drywall with added mold and mildew resistance in the core and paper <S> You need backer-board if you're planing to tile. <S> Painted over the backer board should be a waterproofing membrane (my preference is Pro-Red ). <S> Tile in a vanity doesn't really need either of those; tubs and shower areas need both. <S> Backer-board is the same as a tub's 3'x5' footprint. <S> It sits on top of the screws holding the tub flange to the studs. <S> It does not sit inside the lip of the tub. <S> The tile closes this gap, but be sure to leave room for a healthy gout line, no less than an 1\8" regardless of the scheme. <S> (flip your 1/16th spacers sideways) <A> For our bathroom remodel, we went with normal drywall and Schluter Systems . <S> While more expensive, I believe the water barrier for our shower, which rotted out before 7 years on a new build had elapsed, is now awesome. <S> Before any tile went in, we filled our new floor pan 6" deep with water and let it sit over night. <S> Not any moisture showing around the shower before we started closing walls!
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Insulation and vapor barrier are meant for exterior walls to keep moisture from coming in .
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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 covering and special drywall but I wasn't sure about sub-floors (since there's already going to be something over it. <Q> I'm a fan of Schluter's Ditra underlayment, but there are other good options out there. <S> A typical installation has 1/4" backer board glued down with thinset and screwed down, the isolation membrane installed with thinset (and taped if necessary), and then the tile installed on top of that. <S> A membrane like Ditra serves both as waterproofing and as an isolation membrane; it lets the subfloor move slightly without transferring the movement to the tile, preventing cracking. <S> Make sure to read the installation instructions (found on the manufacturer's website) carefully; with Ditra, for example, you use latex-modified thinset in some cases and normal thinset in others. <A> No that isn't needed. <S> You'll likely have 2 more layers over the top of the sub-floor, backer and tile. <S> Done right that seals things up nice and tight. <S> If you are talking about your local building codes your best bet would be to call a builder/plumber and ask. <A> I am sure certain towns may have something for apartment buildings and such but the answer is no. <S> Should you use one? <S> Seriously debatable. <S> If you have a shower open to your entire bathroom or if what is below your bathroom is worth a lot then <S> yes. <S> So for example if under you bathroom was you 100K kitchen... <S> then yes. <S> But these systems are too expensive and laborious for your average bathroom. <S> Do you really expect someone to pay an extra $500 for a membrane in a small bathroom? <S> However tile plus baseboard plus caulking under baseboard can hold a lot of water.
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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.
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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 between the joists. If that's the case though, I'm confused on how to determine exactly where the floor joists are to begin with (presumably just look for screws/nails?). <Q> If you find the lines of nails/screws hard to spot, try a magnet. <S> They should be pretty easy to figure out, as they will spaced much more closely along the joists, and should make lines that show you where the joists are. <S> Don't set your saw too deep - it's problematic to cut where you can't see. <S> One method is to use a small hole saw and drill around the nails, just the thickness of the floor. <S> Then (after getting the sheet of plywood up) you end up with a bunch of small plywood plugs you can break off the screws/nails fairly easily, and enough nail/screw to get a grip on for removal. <A> Cut between the joists, then use a sledge hammer to hit the edge of your cuts. <S> You can usually pop each sheet off the joists with one hit at each end, and one hit on the edge. <A> Then take your foot,preferably with a boot on it and stomp right on the cuts you made. <S> Not only will the floor come off the joists but it will pull all the staples/nails with it. <S> A nice clean surface is what you will have. <S> If there is also adhesive you can scrape that off easy using a roof scraper. <S> Just be careful not to gouge the joist too much. <A> You mentioned subfloor. <S> Did you mean primary floor? <S> The first floor placed on the joists is called a primary floor. <S> Every plywood floor on top of that is called a subfloor. <S> It's reversed, like being in the basement looking up. <S> If you have a subfloor, take a medium sized pry bar and hammer to get an edge up. <S> Finish prying the board up with a long steel bar also called a manual tamper. <S> Easiest way. <S> Remove nails, or staples afterwards with a 4 to 6 inch curved channelock snip. <S> If you are trying to remove a primary floor; use a cats paw and hammer to remove the nails in one board and lift out. <S> Be careful, as joists will be exposed and falls could happen. <S> I suggest tacking down some scrap wood for stepping. <S> If you are planning on replacing the same size primary floor or thicker, you can precut around edges with a circular saw set at the appropriate level. <S> It's ok if the blade slightly scores the joists, but you don't want to cut into it. <S> Please follow all safety guidelines for your area, wear glasses, and an approved n-95 mask. <S> you only have one pair of eyes and lungs.
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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.
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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 like to start with the empty bedroom but I am not sure how that will impact the later work for the long central hallway and the living. I have never installed hard floor in my life and I read that you need to start with the biggest room, parallel with the longest continuous wallMy reason for doing it this way is the lack of experience. Since that is the smallest room I can try to learn to install hard floor without wasting tons of money, time and without turning everything upside down around me. I want to be able to regroup and call a pro if I fail or get bored The other question that I have is this: is it doable to install different hard floor in each room ? I would like to do that for variation and to give each room a specific personality or touch to say so... <Q> For purposes of this discusion, Top, Bottom, Left, Right are oriented to the drawing. <S> I've done my share of flooring, and one thing I found out is that working backwards is a pain. <S> You can lay boards perpendicular to each other if they have the same tongue and groove on the ends as along the length. <S> -- But only at your starting end. <S> At the finishing end, it's nearly impossible to get a tight join. <S> You can convert a groove to a tongue, but not the other way around. <S> If you start in the bottom left, You'll have to work backwards in the two bedrooms. <S> Might I suggest the following, but unorthodox technique: 1) Lay the Office first, Parallel to the long wall. <S> When you finish the office, Leave a TONGUE in the middle of the threshold. <S> 2) Now start laying in the hall, from (drawing) up to down. <S> The groove END of the boards should fit nicely into the tongue of the board in the threshold. <S> 3) Carry along the upper line of the hallway, and extend that row of boards across the living room to the left side. <S> DO <S> NOT NAIL!. <S> Temporarily lay in a couple of rows, squeeze it all tight, and make sure your line is straight. <S> Three rows total should be good. <S> Now, with a couple of friends, lazers, chalk lines etc. <S> Screw down a straight piece of wood to the floor up tight against that first row. <S> You can now pull up the temp flooring and use the piece of wood <S> you screwed down as a backstop for your nailing. <S> You can rip it up after you've nailed down a few rows, but leave it down as long as possible. <S> (This should be about $15 for 2x4's and good screws) <S> 4) <S> Now go to the store, and buy yourself a groove/tongue converter. <S> This is a hardwood strip that you stick in the groove of a board, that converts a board into a double tongue. <S> Now you can lay the rest of the living room in the other direction. <A> For ease of installation you should start in either the Living Room or the Office. <S> My personal preference would be to start in the Living Room on the left wall in your picture and move across the house to the right. <S> Once you get to the bedrooms use full boards that penetrate into the room. <S> Work your way to the closest wall with out going totally across the room. <S> Make any cut needed on that board that meets with the wall. <S> Then work your way from there across the room to the other side reintegrating with the hall again. <S> Plus if you end on the longest wall, you will likely do a lot more cutting than ending on a shorter wall, since most floor installations don't end with a row of full boards. <A> After some thinking I decided that I need to give this job to a pro, from what you guys have described it requires careful planning and coordination with what happens in other rooms <S> and I might not be able to get it <S> straight <S> besides this it seems that the job will require subfloor and that will affect the height of the doors (I already have enough trouble with those, the sizes are not standard, see my other question in this forum) <S> thanks for all your advice <S> , I really appreciate the details that everybody posted.
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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.
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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 ventilation from the common system on the roof of the building, there are no windows and I'm planning to install a heavy duty water proof door. All that remains is the concrete, the apartment is basically a concrete box all over, I looked around and didn't see any cracks or crevices but how likely is it that the entire 62m2 worth of concrete wall, floor and ceiling is completely water proof? <Q> Concrete on its own is a porous material. <S> It may slow water down, but will not stop it. <S> It is possible that the outside of the wall is waterproofed, but it's not a guaranteed. <A> Cracks however are not waterproof, and it's certain that your basement has some. <S> Your concerns should resolve around humidity, mold and ongoing dampness, not overt flooding. <S> And of course you'll need some video picture frames to compensate for the lack of windows. <A> The issue is not the water-proof qualities of the concrete, it is the flood-proof status of the building. <S> That status is largely a function of location. <S> General practice is to treat floods as statistical events - i.e. there are 100 year floods, 10 year floods, 500 year floods, and the floodpocolypse. <S> Historical or archeological records, if available, are one way to assess the risk. <S> Competently prepared flood maps are even better when they are available. <S> But in the end, it all boils down to a flood risk assessment. <S> Flood insurance is something you may want to investigate. <S> Rates will reflect an actuarial evaluation of the risk.
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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.
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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 interlock help the subfloor be more stable? Does it protect against leaks? <Q> The way we lay flooring is to use subfloor adhesive and lay a bead down the whole length of the groove. <S> You wedge it together till the gap totally closes. <S> Doing this in addition to using tongue and groove <S> plywood/OSB accomplishes two things: <S> You have an airtight floor membrane. <S> This gets rid of heat loss and also the intrusion of moist damp air possibly mold contaminated from the crawl space. <S> Why you shouldn't use standard plywood -> <S> if you just butt plywood up to create the subfloor, you get this neat sawing action from the unsupported edges that slowly fills the crawlspace with sawdust as the wood eats away at itself, causing the seams to open up. <S> It also groans nicely if you have the right amount of frictional contact and leaves you with a spongy floor because there is no support from the mating plywood sheet along the length of the seam to prevent differential motion between the two sheets. <A> Tongue and groove products offer extra stability at joints. <S> It reduces movement and helps avoid uneven points in the sub-flooring where two pieces come together. <S> Not sure what you mean by "Does it protect against leaks" <A> The biggest reason I can think of is due to the weight that it may have to withstand. <S> Tongue and groove gives added support at the seems and makes for a more solid floor. <S> If it was not tongue and groove, you could possibly step hard enough around a seam in the plywood and see the seams separate a bit. <S> Plus, tongue and groove will help force a more level floor. <S> Leaks have no bearing on why they are used. <A> If you have ever lived with a non-tongue/grove plywood (or chipboard) <S> subfloor, the answer will be obvious: <S> it is to prevent squeaking, creaking, and grinding from people walking over it. <S> Squeaking may be a symptom though, even though it can be darn annoying. <S> The squeaking caused by the plywood rubbing is wearing the edges of the sheets and not re-distributing the weight. <S> A heavy piece of furniture pushing down at the edge will bend the floor and eventually remove its installed flatness.
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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.
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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 the light directly or, if they are low-voltage switches, may control a relay which controls the light. <S> (If you're using a relay, you can also potentially substitute a pair of normally-open switches in series; just use the inverted relay output.) <S> Mechanically... <S> The switches I'd normally think of for this purpose either wouldn't be reliable or wouldn't be pretty. <S> The best thought I've got is a low-voltage circuit, using alarm-style reed switches. <S> These would involve switches mounted on the door frame with magnets mounted on the door edge nearest the frame. <S> When the magnet is close enough, it pulls the reed in the switch out of its "normal" position. <S> The advantage of these is that the magnets will tolerate a bit of gap rather than having to come directly in contact with the switches; how much gap depends on exactly which switch/magnet set you buy. <S> I could make it work... initially. <S> Keeping it working, given how notorious these doors are for going out of alignment and slipping off their tracks, might be another matter. <A> There are standard switches for closet doors <S> They can be mounted in a cutout in the jamb, one for each door on each side. <S> For your purposes, you want normally closed switches (makes contact when no pressure is applied). <S> Many can be wired either way. <S> When the door is slid back into the switch, the circuit opens and turns out the light. <S> Images and links are for illustration only, and not an endorsement of goods or sources. <A> Would you try a motion sensor inside the closet rather than a jamp switch? <S> That would allow the bypass sliders to close either way, and the light would go off after a certain time whether the doors were tightly closed or not. <S> The motion sensor would trigger when one reached in to the closet, but getting it to come on reliably might be a bit finicky.
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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.
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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 turned. The threaded piece of pipe leading to the tap is attached to it permanently. I used some teflon tape on the thread to make it watertight, but it only works when the two sides sit tightly together, and here, with the heater in the upright position the joint is really quite loose. What do I need to do to fix this embarrassing problem? <Q> Your picture doesn't quite give enough information. <S> I think you are saying that whatever that box is (a water heater?) connects to a threaded pipe coming out of the wall. <S> Am I right? <S> If so, the other end of that pipe is probably also threaded. <S> Remove the water heater, then use a pipe wrench to remove the threaded pipe from the wall. <S> Get a new pipe that is a bit longer. <S> FYI- <S> Teflon tape isn't a sealant. <S> The Teflon reduces the friction so that the joint can be tightened further than it could without. <A> You have no hope whatever of it not leaking if you've turned past the end point and backed up. <S> You squish out whatever sealant you have, and then back up and leave a gap. <S> It MIGHT seal if you remove it, apply pipe dope (or tape, but I have better luck with dope), and return it just to the point where it's upright <S> (count turns as you remove it.) <S> If it's actually less than half a turn from locking up hard, it should seal. <S> If it's "really quite loose" there should be one more turn in it. <S> If you didn't remove the shelf, how did get it on at all? <S> Or, how many turns have been made to this point? <S> Quite possibly there's enough to turn it all the way around clockwise to where it's upright if you apply the sort of force that's often needed in making up threaded pipe joints. <S> Without experience, it can be hard to tell for sure if you're facing "any more will break this" or "this will be fine" in force levels. <S> There's also the option of a union, which permits things to be rotated without reference to threads, but if you can't get behind the wall, that's not much of a solution for your situation - it should, however, at least be mentioned in this thread. <S> I prefer pipe dope (a paste) over PTFE tape, having used both. <S> At the moment, it's a PTFE pipe dope. <A> You could add a compression fitting between the wall and that device. <S> Tighten the compression fitting at whatever angle you want. <S> That won't give you a flush mount though.
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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 on the back of this heater, since the dangling pipe is not connected to anything.
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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 wood burning at the same time[1]) on the ground inside a stone circle building made partly or completely of wood (I guess that matters, so should be distungished in the formular in the answer) fire is watched permanently The choice of the distance should avoid transmission of sparks to fire receptive parts of the house, e.g. exposed parts of the root framework. What would a fire fighting specialist/consultant, assurance specialist, etc. say? [1] I've no idea how to measure fire energy emission, so I give this "dimension" for the beginning <Q> Keeping in mind that the fire separation distances given are in feet from the property line and that adjacent buildings have similar requirements one could use the combination of IBC [2009] table 602 and table 705.9 to determine separation. <S> As a rule of thumb, 60' would be the maximum required between two buildings each located 30' from the property line. <S> However, I recommend discussing the issue with your local fire official. <S> There may be additional considerations that limit or prohibit the use. <S> The fire official may also be aware of additional environmental, utility infrastructure, or fire service availability factors that increase or decrease the risk associated with a large fire pit. <S> If you set the forest ablaze, the distance between the pit and the structure will become irrelevant. <A> I think the most important aspect is the possibility of a long lived spark being blown to the house where it might contact cedar shingles or the like. <S> When burning dry firewood like western white pine or doug-fir, the longest lived sparks which I have observed last 5–7 seconds after which they are effectively extinguished. <S> Using seven seconds then depends on the maximum windspeed. <S> Most people aren't interested in hanging around a campfire when the wind is much over 15 mi/hr (24 km/h) <S> so using 20 mph (32 km/h) means the distance to a valuable burnable object should be 205 feet (63 m) minimum. <S> However, I have assumed quite a bit. <S> To apply to other situations, adjust: Lifetime of spark <S> Wind speed Safety factor <A> I don't have a specific formula for you <S> (I don't see how you could derive one), but I will say that in general engineering tolerances are a balance between two factors: <S> How likely is something to happen? <S> How bad would it be if it did? <S> This is why buildings in earthquake-prone areas are built stronger than elsewhere (because an earthquake is more likely to happen there), and why hospitals are built more strongly than single-family homes (because a hospital collapsing is worse than a single house collapsing). <S> So in this case you would need to weigh how likely you feel the fireplace is to start a fire (which depends on how big a fire it is, what kind of hearth you've built, wind speed and direction, etc.) <S> vs the consequences of an uncontrolled fire (is the building just a shed or a multi-family house? <S> Do you have a hose nearby in case <S> a stray ember lights something?). <A> NFPA considers 35' to be the default distance from areas where sparks could contact combustibles, with the Permit Issuing Authority retaining the right to increase that distance when warranted. <S> This assumes an area where there is no potential for existence of flammable vapors/gases or materials. <S> Unless there are special topography, flora, weather, circumstantial/situational issues you should feel OK with such a distance, especially with a full time firewatch (equipped with means to extinguish incipient fire).
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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.
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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 almost certainly intended to be used as a washing machine drain). When the washing machine empties, the water properly flows through all the pipe and into the drain. Eventually though, the water starts to back up onto the floor. The floor is sloped towards the drain, so this isn't catastrophic, but I'm wondering if there is any way to reduce the flow rate of water entering the floor drain? I've considered: increasing the pipe to a 4" or 5" pipe, then reducing the pipe at the drain end down to 1/2" or so - using the pipe as a sort of basin. Emptying the pipe into an actual basin that can hold the water, then having a smaller hose/pipe drain from that basin into the floor drain. Pretty much the same as option #1. Any other suggestions? Is there any way to change the rate at which the washing machine pumps out water? I think if I could cut that in half, the problem would be solved. <Q> Well... you've got 22 gallons coming out of the washing machine each cycle. <S> You've got about 2 1/2 gallons in the vertical pipe, and another gallon in the horizontal pipe, so you'd need to store another 20 gallons to be reasonably safe if you go down that route. <S> I wouldn't advise it -- drain water has all sorts of junk in it. <S> Personally, I've never heard of a floor drain that is 2" or less, so your drain should have sufficient capacity to drain the water thrown off by the washer. <S> So it sounds like there's some back-pressure causing the water not to flow through the drain pipe as fast as it should. <S> I'd start by snaking it, and if that doesn't work, I'd extend the PVC pipe through the hole and fairly far down the drain; this should reduce the pressure drop and force the water through the drain faster. <A> Is your drain flowing to a septic tank or to a sewer line? <S> Do you have a boggy area in your yard where the drain is emptying? <S> That could mean you have a broken, collapsed drain. <S> Is there a moisture problem under the house or along the foundation? <S> It may be time to install new drains from the house to accommodate the water flow of the modern house. <S> In 1955, washers were not meant to carry the amount of water we use now. <S> In fact, in 1955, my mom was using a ringer washer on the back porch. <S> The washer hose drained to a trench in the yard. <S> Do you have any problems with any other drains in the house? <S> I will say, that for many years I had a garden hose attached to my washer drain hose with a radiator clamp, ran the garden hose out through a slit in the dryer hose and vent, sealed the slit with duct tape. <S> I laid the garden hose where I wanted plants and trees to be watered by the wash water that day. <S> This "grey water" recycling made my yard lush and cut the costs of watering my yards. <S> The only drawback to that is that during freezing weather, I had to wait until the hose thawed. <S> Since I was living in Mississippi, and later in South Carolina, most times we had slight freezes, the hose thawed each afternoon after an overnight freeze. <S> Wishing the best for you. <A> So the washing machine is draining into the basement floor drain? <S> Sloppy solution. <S> What's that draining into? <S> Is it routed to a sump (with or without pump), the septic drains, some other leach field, the ravine behind the house...? <S> Normal setup goes directly into the septic drains, just as with any other sink or bathtub. <S> The question is why whoever kluged this didn't do it that way -- which may simply be that they were excessively cheap. <A> Bonus: <S> your laundry is on the 2nd floor? <S> Great. <S> You're lucky. <S> Install a laundry to landscape system , where that drainwater goes through new piping directly to a landscaped area outside, preferably one involving shrubs and/or trees. <S> You can install a two way diversion valve for seasonal use, or messy load use. <S> Others may be unfriendly to any gray or grey water system.
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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.
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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 advertised for industrial uses like railings etc <Q> I would prime the desk and then coat it with Redgard . <S> Sand after your prime. <S> Put the Redgard down in thin coats with a foam roller and it will turn out very smooth. <S> After 2 days it stiffens and will become very durable (and waterproof). <A> There are two kinds of applications, hot and cold. <S> From what I understand, cold can allow for smoother coats, as it takes longer to set. <S> I'm sure you could do it yourself, but I've seen so many botched jobs. <S> If you do pursue that route, take a look at Raptor liner. <S> You could also try Plasti-Dip! <A> They sell spray-on-rubber-in-a-can now: Check that it adheres to wood first, but if it's primed properly, it should.
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You can use truck bed liner, have it applied by a shop that can adjust the texture for you.
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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 area marked on the picture The resulting structure will look like this: Here are my questions: Is the above a good idea ? What difficulties can I expect? 2 The house has no slope build around the walls to lead the water away of the walls. That is something that I want to improve in the near future. Do I need to build a slope under the off the wall shelf ? Considering that I will have to move a prebuilt structure what is the best type of base that I should build for my new shed (the blue square)? I am thinking about a skid base. The current shed has its own base frame and it lies on top of solid concrete blocks. Considering that the half of the shed that I am moving has to slide into that space I don't think that another type of base is a good idea Do I need to lie gravel under the shed? The area was previously used as a storage area, gravel was stored there before the first shed was build. I already cleaned the place and collected all the gravel in two garage bins. The old shed base is still in place, it has a gravel bed on top of which concrete pavers were added. They are not level anymore. I could probably use them to build a base fore the new shed (in the blue area) or try to drive the water away from the house in the greyed area under our windows. The question is, if the old shed does not need a base (either gravel or concrete slabs) which of the two is the best to cover the grey filled area in the first picture: concrete slabs or gravel? (I guess they will both need a sloped bed before anything Update (2017): I ended up cutting the shed in half and reinforcing the structure so it could stand by itself (worked well)After that I used conduit pipes to move it in place. A friend of mine got some leftovers from work and they where just good to roll the whole thing on themI ended up moving the structure twice since when I first moved it in place it was late in the season and I had to wait till next year when I built a base by the book (sand, gravel, slabs)It stands strong no issues to far. <Q> Do you have sufficient variance between the house and your property line to allow for the addition of this shed there? <S> Is there a zoning or housing code you need to check? <S> Are you getting a permit for this? <S> Most parts of the country require a building permit for anything that attaches to the residence. <S> Having it permitted protects your future resale value. <S> How would the height of your shed foundation compare to the height of your residence foundation? <S> You might want them to be the same. <S> Are you going to tie the shed joists into the house joists? <S> If you weren't attaching this shed to your residence, some of these questions would not come to mind. <S> If you still want to attach it, you really should consult a contractor/builder. <S> Wishing the best for you. <A> Sticking to item 1 : what difficulties might you expect: Practically speaking, cutting it in half and moving it will be a problem (or a "challenge" as the folk who like to pretend that problems don't exist like to euphemize.) <S> Moving a shed is awkward enough when it's a complete structure. <S> As a crude model, play around with a sealed (taped) cardboard box (preferably fairly large) - then cut it in half and see how much less rigid it suddenly becomes. <S> You will need to brace the open side in some manner in order to have any hope of moving it. <S> From your comment, extracted for contrast: <S> No <S> I don't want to connect the house and the shed in any way. <S> so I can attach the shed to the house <S> Pick one <S> - you cannot have it both ways. <S> Either you build a wall for the shed and it's not attached to the house, or you attach it to the house wall and it is attached. <S> If the latter makes it not legal, you have to do the former. <A> I think: <S> No, it is not a good idea. <S> You can expect all the difficulties of renovation, new construction, and building relocation, combined. <S> Perhaps also conflicts with land use regulations as well. <S> Without tying the roof to the adjacent structure, expect water damage to both the shed and the home. <S> Support for the shed should be suitable for the soil and drainage conditions local to the site. <S> A proper foundation would be the preferred solution. <S> Whatever is constructed should be in accord with current building codes and meet the requirements for wind and seismic forces. <S> A concrete slab might provide better long term performance. <S> See answer 3. <A> I'm actually really impressed with your diagrams here haha! <S> The storage situation is pretty well illustrated! <S> But like a lot of the commentors here, I think that to if you're attempting move the storage shed in part, you're really going to be looking at a fair bit of work, and possibly a bit of unsightliness having to deal with the left over base of the existing shed. <S> Why not move the whole thing somewhere else or think about a better way to organize the items inside the storage shed and do away with it completely?
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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.
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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 dryer will continue running until you manually stop it by moving the timer to " Off " or by opening the door. This is obviously a hazard and I'd like to get it fixed! Any ideas as to how I can take the timer off the dryer, or dismantle it, then figure out what piece is busted and replace it? <Q> If you search the web for "repair manual" plus the model of your drier, you may be able to find a copy of that, or a site which will sell you a PDF if it for a few bucks. <S> That will give instructions on how to disassemble and reassemble the drier. <S> To access the timer, that's usually a matter of pulling the knobs off and loosening some screws on the back so you can remove the faceplate -- but it's a lot more comfortable when you're sure which screws to loosen. <S> Actually diagnosing it and fixing it is probably best done by unplugging and dismounting the timer from the drier and working with it on a bench, if you're comfortable dealing with house current and figuring out which leads power the timer unit and which ones get switched on and off by it. <S> There are websites which discuss that too. <S> You're lucky that this appears to still be a mechanical timer; if it had electronic controls they generally are pulled and replaced as a unit rather than trying to diagnose them. <S> If so, that's usually a standardized part and may be attached with screws and thus be replaceable. <S> The hard part would be determining what speed and direction and output gear is needed; the manual may have that info. <S> I'd start by seeing whether the motor turns at all; if not I'd dismount it, apply power to it, and see if it now turns; that will tell you whether the problem is a failure in the motor or the gear train. <S> The manual may, or may not, tell you enough to test this properly. <S> Sometimes there are interactions where other connections have to be powered or not powered, eg if the drier has a moisture-sensing cycle. <S> (There's usually a straight timed cycle; that will be simplest to check out.) <S> Basically: If it's already dead, there's no reason not to play Dr. Frankenstein and try to bring it back to life... <S> but ONLY if you're sure you can do so safely. <S> If in doubt, finding the right replacement timer and swapping it in, as @Mazura suggested, is comparatively straightforward and might still save you the labor costs. <A> Spent hours on internet. <S> Hours and hours. <S> Looked at all the manuals, etc. <S> The washer has two clips, easy to get to. <S> But the dryer? <S> How? <S> Where? <S> First, on the back, remove two small screws at the top of the console. <S> Then see the pic. <S> Just shove a paint scraper in about an inch or so -- it will compress the clip, which will allow you to lift up the corner half-an-inch. <S> Repeat on the other side. <S> The whole console can then be jiggled up an inch and then tilted forward. <S> You now have access to all the innards. <S> The knob just pulls straight off, if you're replacing the timer. <A> I doubt you can repair the timer. <S> You need that whole assembly, like this one for about $100. <S> I go to the local parts shop though. <S> Nice having someone to blame if it's the wrong part and somewhere to take it back. <S> Find the model number and get a part (timer) ordered. <S> In the meantime, YouTube for perhaps even your specific model for dismantling instructions. <A> For us this meant "after a separate unrelated repair, we had wired it back up wrong" (one of the the wires was connected to the wrong place). <S> Looked up a diagram, fixed wiring to match, timer started going down again. <S> FWIW.
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If you're lucky, it might just be that the timing motor has failed.
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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 feet all told). Then after about a minute they start to flash, and the period of the flashing gradually increases. Any idea what might be going on here? <Q> I am assuming you have a 12Vdc wall convertor on perhaps 1-2A for white LEDs. <S> The Triac conduction can fail to have the necessary holding current at low levels. <S> The load is insufficient and nonlinear in that it does not present any load below 9V or a certain phase angle on the triac. <S> The threshold is thermally sensitive so the Triac triggers a flash then skips a few cycles until it cools which then repeats like a porpoise or motor-boat bouncing in waves. <S> The thermal resistance and dynamic impedance of the triac with a small nonlinear load causes these time constants and frequencies with the LED load. <S> It is a complex stability problem from insufficient load on the Triac dimmer. <S> Adding one small normal bulb would fix that. <S> Perhaps only 8W or 25W. Better dimmer designs, can also prevent this with trailing edge phase control instead of leading edge or smart current sensing with better triggering. <S> EE since 1975. <A> Your transformer will have a minimum load of say 20 watts, your bulb will be say 5 watts. <S> Hence the transformer flash's as it constantly restarts looking for the load. <S> Some low wattage LED bulbs are designed to bluff the transformer into thinking they are say 25 watts when they are only 5 watts. <S> I think Phillips make such bulbs. <A> I see that this question is still getting some attention after all this time <S> so I thought I'd come back and share what I found to be the problem. <S> The question itself was predicated on my assumption that since I had recently replaced the transformer it was unlikely to be a transformer issue. <S> As it turns out that was a poor assumption. <S> After some time we ended up replacing this set of lights with another of a similar kind. <S> As I was doing to work to replace them <S> I noticed that I'd never trimmed the excess LV wire from the end of the run <S> (these are the type with bare braided wire that carries the LV current as well as supports the fixtures) and at some point, probably when someone was dusting up there, the 2 sides of the wire got stacked on top of each other creating a big old short. <S> I suspect at this point that that short burned out the transformer much more quickly then I considered likely and the now-faulty transformer caused the odd behavior. <S> In any case the replacement system (with its nicely trimmed LV conductors) has been working flawlessly for quite a while now.
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It is a common problem with Triacs on LV loads.
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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. The adhesive did test positive for asbestos, 4-5%. So now we need to figure out the safest way to proceed with getting new tiles in, in light of that potentially dangerous material. Contractors we have spoken to think the best approach is to put down new ceramic or porcelain tiles right over the existing adhesive. They said "capping" the mastic in a seal coat or thin layer of concrete wouldn't be a good idea- they'd need to pour rather a lot of concrete for that. Originally the contractor wanted to grind the floor (which I've read is exactly the wrong thing to do if mastic has asbestos!) When I balked at the grinding, he said he'd instead use a "fortified mortar" to lay the new tile down. I believe he also referred to this as "high polymer" mortar. My question : can you lay down ceramic/porcelain tile over existing mastic without grinding the floor? Will it adhere suffiiently? Is there a better/safer approach? <Q> I know this is an old question <S> but you would us a modified thinset and tile. <S> NO <S> NO <S> NO you do not use mastic for a basement floor. <S> Next time it flood you will have tile/asbestos coming up. <S> If this option wasn't discussed with you then you had the wrong contractors. <A> Dust level is low but Work with masks and forced window exhaust. <S> It's like a cross between a jack hammer and a sideburn shaver and easy to use . <S> 1 hr to separate from concrete . <S> 1hr to haul out. <S> 1hr to rental place and back. <S> for 500 sq ft. <S> If it is smooth enough, extra tile adhesive will work too to even out the bumps. <A> I'm not experienced enough with tile to answer the question directly but have you considered other floor coverings? <S> They make engineered wood that is rated for below grade that will float above the old mastic. <S> As long as the mastic is generally smooth (no ridges between the old tiles) it will go down just fine. <S> Cost is about the same but if you have a table saw and a miter saw you can do the install yourself. <S> Laying a floating wood floor doesn't take the same skill level as tile does. <A> Call up one of the suppliers of polymer-modified thinset, and see what they say. <S> They are the ones who can tell you whether it works or not.
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An electric tile chipper with a 8-12" sharp blade can be rented cheaply to do the job.
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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. I am not even really sure that will work the way I want to. Is there a cheaper alternative? <Q> There are all sorts of translucent roofing products, mostly corrugated. <S> Some are cheap, others ridiculously expensive. <S> Any large building supply company should have the stuff. <A> They come in 2x12' sheets, in cheap brittle PVC or expensive unbreakable Polycarbonate.(plexiglas) <S> All PVC types are brittle and wont last long but only $20-25 or so. <S> The Polycarbonate will last at least 10yrs before getting dull and you can drive your car over the stuff without damage but cost $40-50. <S> or $1 <S> /sq.ft. <S> Then add $2/sqft for framing costs every 24x16" I made a Pergola 11x12' x 8-10'h slope on two deep posts. <S> I'd be delighted to share details . <S> This was a huge patio and I made removable walls of same in panels for winter screwed to 1x2 horizontal strips of wood , removed in Spring. <S> I design to carry 6ft of snow or 3 tons into 2 posts with 12" poured concrete footers and 8" sonotubes filled with pressure treated posts surrounded by concrete to surface at 6' -8' deep instead of 3 posts 4' deep due to clay compression is better at this depth here. <S> 3 yrs later it still,perfect level. <S> Plexiglass does not have UV blocker for skin, which I wanted. <S> But looks smooth and although thicker needs sturdy framing in alum, steel or wood to prevent sagging. <A> Check with both a plastics and a a greenhouse supplier - coroplast or twinwall polycarbonate (different products, both resembling corrugated cardboard but made from plastic.) <S> However, if you really want inexpensive, design your roof to be covered with flexible green house plastic film (it lasts much longer in the sun than typical builders vapor barrier plastic) as that is pretty close to being the cheapest way you can cover ground. <A> Plexiglass is just another name for an acrilic sheet. <S> Although the price is still quite high, it's cheaper than plexiglass. <S> I would recommend looking into it!
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Home improvement stores will carry corrugated clear sheets with UV protection on one side.
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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 2 x 4 x 12's into 12' long triangles but do not have a table saw. What is the best way to do this?Can I purchase them already cut? Do I need to take them to a specific place that will cut them for me? <Q> If they are all slightly different use a straight edge or chalk line to establish your line, then cut off with a circular saw. <S> If your floor is really wild scribe the bottom of each piece, then cut with a band or jig saw. <S> Then lay back in place and mark the top line using a laser to create a global level, or measure and and mark off of a reference point if you want flat but not necessarily "level". <A> Here's what I've done. <S> I wanted a flat surface that needed no over-layment. <S> Using 2x6's and my level I found my slope then took that information and my materials to my bandsaw and ripped the boards across the width of the board so that the result were long wide wedges. <S> Several of the wedges were 8' long. <S> Then I made a fixture out of a long piece of 3/4" ply with some blocking set in place along the length to support the wedged lumber and ran it through my planer just to make it nice and even. <S> Then I took it out to the location for installation and installed each piece with a few screws right to the old floor. <S> These wedges were about 1" at the thick and nothing at the thin end (they were rather chippy at the thin end). <S> The room, as I remember it, was was about 9'x10' and needed most of its floor leveled. <S> There was a bit more to this installation but this description gives you the gist. <A> You can do this yourself with nearly any cutting tool you do have <S> that's capable of making rip cuts, though the farther you get from the optimal tool (a table saw) <S> the harder it will be. <S> If you have a circular saw, you could make the cut freehand, or use a ripping jig. <S> If you have a jigsaw, you can do it freehand or construct your own ripping jig by nailing a long straight piece of stock to the 2x12 such that the jigsaw's base is always touching the jig. <S> If you have a handsaw, you can do it freehand if you're okay with the 2x surface not being totally flat. <S> Etc. <A> Make a jig. <S> Tools required: skill saw with Rip blade and edge guide. <S> Dry wall screws,metal straight edge or string. <S> If the floor is flat, and you have a metal straight edge, you might get a perfect straight cut with two timbers tacked onto plywood with finishing nails on the inside or power-drywall screwed to plywood. <S> Separate the 12' timbers by the floor slope and verify the timber has a flat edge with a long metal straight edge. <S> Then use the skill saw edge-guide to cut one piece but positioning the wood to be cut just hanging over the parallel edge of your plywood <S> ( 3/4" plywood can be elevated for blade clearance or have blade protrude half way between plywood thickness. <S> Plan on using the factory straight edge down so any imperfections can be gapped by filler to plywood, rather than concrete. <S> If the floor is not very flat, the other answers may be preferred. <S> Contact to concrete with frame should continuous for a solid floor but with 2" shims every 16" will work but have more vibration. <S> Shims can be bonded with dots of sub floor adhesive or <S> PL400 if there are large gaps to prevent vibration.. <S> over the concrete and if really cold in winter, add fibreglass..
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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.
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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 to decide what to do about the screw holes. Ideas so far: Countersink and plug with oak dowel (not ideal as the stock is only 8mm thick, so not much room to plug) Countersink and use filler Use some "attractive" screws (don't really want to use brass as the rest of the fixings will be brushed steel or chrome) None of these seem like great options. Wondered if anyone had any better ideas! <Q> There are trim screws with very small heads. <S> They come in stainless steel. <S> The trim needs very little support so the small heads are not a structural problem. <S> A woodworker's technique is to use a small sharp gouge (a curved chisel) to lift a small patch of surface from the wood, bend it back, drive a trim screw in the divot created by the gouge, and then glue back down the lifted patch. <A> You can screw a thinner piece of plywood to the wall then glue the oak as a veneer over it. <S> You can actually get very thin veneers of oak that are specifically for this purpose at specialty woodworking stores. <S> Be sure to fill in the screwholes with putty before veneering as the screwholes will telegraph through the veneer over time. <A> The proper way to do what you want is to First, get a plug cutter of the appropriate size for your fastener, such as one of these Drill the hole(s) for the fasteners. <S> Then, depending on the type of fastener you're using, either counterbore or countersink the fastener hole so the head of the fastener is sufficiently recessed. <S> Set your fasteners. <S> Cut face grain plugs from the same material the fasteners are set in. <S> Dip the bottom of each plug in <S> varnish <S> (not glue — you might need to pull the fasteners at some point.) <S> Gently tap the plug into place, aligning the grain of the plug with that of the plank. <S> Bonus points if you match the plugs grain to that of the plank. <S> Carefully trim it flush, using a sharp chisel and flush-cutting saw. <S> Finish up with a small block plane if it needs it. <S> Apply the finish of choice. <S> Done <S> well, the plugs will be nearly invisible. <A> Make sure these boards are nice and flat and even. <S> Then install the oak finish trim on top the pine using a contact cement. <S> This way you will have no fasteners showing at all. <A> What about using a piece of wood attached to the steel studs. <S> Then use a dowel and glue to "fasten" the board in place. <S> Done this way you wouldn't have to worry as much about the thickness and the glue would hold between the two boards so it would be almost like screws except that it'd be hard to take out. <S> Not sure if that's a need based off the information thus far. <S> You could think of this as the really old way of construction. <S> P.S. <S> I'd upvote bib's answer if I could (Just joined so low rep)
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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.
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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 bathroom and I can also cause it to go off if I use the receptacle with items like my hair clippers (I think it draws a lot of watts). The GFI in the kitchen also trips off. This one happens less frequently (like 1/month) but it will also happen completely on it's own. I'll just be sitting there, with nothing plugged in and the GFI will trip. What could be causing this? Is it dangerous? Is there a way for me to debug some of the problems before I call someone in? Can it cause a fire? <Q> I am not a professional electrician but one possibility is failing component. <S> Make sure you swap like with like (current/wattage ratings etc). <S> Make sure you take all necessary precautions. <S> If the fault follows the component then it would point to a failed component. <S> If the fault doesn't follow the component but is on the same circuit then I would say there is something wrong with the install. <S> My top three issues are: water damage; rodent damage; or deteriorated installation. <S> Good luck trying to find it! <S> Water is notoriously nasty for troubleshooting and just because you found some at point B <S> it isn't necessarily coming from point A (the closest source). <S> It could be coming from point R (a totally random point nowhere near). <S> It likes to follow the scenic route from source to where it manifests. <S> Yes it's dangerous! <S> The GFI is there for a reason. <S> At least you have not said that you have forced it permanently on my taping it in the on position. <S> And that is not a suggestion. <S> DON'T DO IT! <S> Especially if it is a fault in the installation. <S> It could be sparking unseen and sparks are a good source of fires. <A> If the problem still persists then there is something else going on. <S> Typically the GFI's will only trip if there is a current on the ground or if there is an unbalanced load (more or less current on the neutral than on the hot). <S> Fire risk is low. <A> GFCI breakers are way easier to deal with than the outlets. <S> Replace all outlets with regular ones and stick a GFCI breaker in the panel.
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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.
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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 much of an electrician but I have a lot of respect for 120V AC and don't want to mess with something if I'm unsure. Now, I could use a power strip, but there's two reasons why I don't want to. For one, I want the outlets embedded into the unit so it is clean, with some of the outlets that have built in USB ports for fast charging mobile devices. The 2nd reason is I have this cool Wattmeter that I want to mount to the unit. I thought it'd be neat to watch the gears turn and see how much power my stuff is consuming. From my understanding, this is how I'd wire everything up: Obviously the cable that comes in from the right is the cable that plugs into a single wall outlet. Is this design feasible? Are there caveats to the design that would not work? I can't seem to find this kind of information online. <Q> The best solution here, would be to find a UL approved device that can satisfy your needs. <S> Building your own device can be risky, and fraught with unexpected dangers. <S> If you must build your own solution, you'll want to be aware of at least a few of the dangers. <S> Exposed wiring <S> First and foremost, you'll want to make sure nobody can ever touch anything that could be energized. <S> This means that all connections, splices, junction, etc. should be contained within an enclosure. <S> You'll also want to make sure the enclosure is listed for the use, so that it will also contain any sparks, heat, etc. <S> that might be produced. <S> Most areas now require tamper resistant receptacles in living spaces (living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, etc.), so you'll likely want to use TR receptacles for this project. <S> Overcurrent <S> While there are no hard-and-fast limits on the number of receptacles on a circuit, or the number of devices that can be fed by a receptacle. <S> In industrial and commercial settings, 180 Volt-Amperes is the value that's used to calculate receptacle loads . <S> If you use this as a guide, you should have no problems with overloading the circuit. <S> While the circuit breaker should protect the house wiring, you may want to protect the wiring in your cabinet from overload as well. <S> You can do this with a fuse, or circuit breaker. <S> You'll want to wire this in as the first device, possibly putting it in the same enclosure as the watt meter. <S> Surge protection Since you'll be dealing with expensive electronics, you'll probably want some form of surge protection. <S> There are receptacles available that offer surge protection built in , but they may not offer the level of protection you require, or that can be found in a manufactured surge strip. <A> There are some very good answers here, so I'm not going to duplicate what has already been written. <S> I will suggest however that an advantage to a good quality (not a $9.99 strip at Wally World) <S> surge protector is that it will protect all of your equipment from voltage spikes, such as from an electrical storm. <S> It won't look as neat and tidy and professional as the proposed setup, but it will protect your equipment better. <S> I use a protector that actually guarantees the equipment that is plugged into it. <S> Most warranties only cover the surge protector itself. <S> Find one (it will be expensive!) <S> that also warranties the stuff plugged into it. <A> If you go above that limit and you want to see the total power usage you will need to create a subpanel and run a heavier gauge wire over from the main panel. <S> Then you put the power meter on the heavy input and have multiple breakers for the entertainment center.
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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.
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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 it is not in stock. Am I just looking for anything labeled as a "vinyl adhesive"? Since it's going to be outside facing the weather, should I be aware of any qualities to avoid in an adhesive? Would something like Gorilla Glue work? Most "vinyl adhesive" searches end up with a bunch of the canned stuff you brush on but I think I'm looking for some sort of tubed type of adhesive. <Q> Use clear silicone caulk, super strong as an adhesive when cured and waterproof. <A> Vinyl fence cement is available from Lowes stores . <S> I used it to attach my fence post caps. <A> Personally, I'd be inclined to drive a pair of small screws, so I could remove and replace the cap if that ever becomes necessary. <S> Might be intolerably messy, though. <A> Here is an idea. <S> Fasten a piece of line to the inside center of each cap with PVC cement and attach a three pound weight weight to the end of the line (you could use a rock <S> I'm a pouch). <S> Then lower the weight into the fence post and the cap can be put back on. <S> This would not be messy, and would allow for easy access if necessary. <S> Thinking out of the box. <A> Sometimes the cap may fit on ok ,but it's sorta loose . <S> The easiest way to make it snuck is use some Velcro. <S> Put 2 to 4 small pieces inside the side of the post cap to tighten the radius . <S> The Velcro can be on either side of the strip . <S> Sometimes the softer material makes less of a expansion then the harder side of the Velcro . <S> Just play around with the Velcro . <S> You can also use some Duck tape ,again sticky side down inside post cap to tighten the expansion, just a bit .You will now have enough staying strength in high winds and changing the post cap for any reason is not a issue . <S> Hope this helps ...
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If you insist on a chemical weld, I would bet that the glues used for PVC plumbing would work.
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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 to use? I'm surprised to not find more discussion about this problem on the web -- it's really unhealthy to sleep on an unlevel bed, and many floor in old houses are very unlevel. <Q> It sounds like you are going wood posts, what I would do there is to get a few Cork or rubber Adhesive floor protectors (like below) <S> The problem there, is that you need to find material which is slightly thicker than your gaps, since you cannot really add these things together too much (since they will be easy to fall off) - You can also attempt to slit them with a long stanley blade. <S> these strips will needed to be applied to the underside of each bed post. <A> I got a drop ceiling tile. <S> Cut it to an appropriate size and slid it under each foot that needed adjusting. <S> If necessary, stack two and place under the feet that need more height. <S> They adjust the bed height with pressure of your body. <S> This really works. <A> Try these adjustable feet. <S> They are cheap and can be screwed directly into your bed frame if wood. <S> http://www.homedepot.com/s/adjustable%2520feet?NCNI-5
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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.
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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 is no danger of accidentally putting a finger in there. <Q> On the other hand, you can make it a bit safer by screwing in a dead bulb (which, like everyone, you'll acquire over time), or one of the edison-base-to-outlet adapters available at hardware stores. <S> I'd consider either of those approaches reasonably child-resistant, especially given that the fixture is presumably out of reach of kids anyway. <A> I am a Fire Marshall. <S> No, it is not safe. <S> Lint, dust, a moth, or flying bug could cause a spark/fire. <S> Better to leave a bulb in the socket, or insert a plug adapter than to leave the socket open. <A> I always leave a dead bulb in a socket, it is not like the electrons are going to fall and waste electricity without something in the socket, but it is so much safer. <S> 002-00125-000 a product number from amazon , it changes the socket into a plug, in the middle of the page, there is a version for $2 <S> I will feel better if you do. <A> You can put some tape over the opening and a warning label stating that they are still connected. <S> If you want to expend the effort you can remove the sockets and put a cover where the wires came out (again with labels stating the hotness of the wires). <A> How many of those do you have around your house?
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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.
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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 current "mushroom" light fixture, there are two 60 Watt light bulbs. My new fixture says it will take 100W light bulbs, 3 of them. Does this matter that after I change out the fixture, i will utilize essentially 300W where there now are 120Watt total? <Q> Yes it could matter your best course of action would be to determine all loads connected to that circuit and potential loads to see if the circuit will be likely to handle the additional load. <S> Connected loads will most likely be other lights. <S> You can either identify them and add the wattage or better turn them all on and check the amperage that breaker with a clamp on ammeter then add any general use outlets on that circuit at 180 watts each. <S> A 15 amp circuit should not have more than 12 amps (1440 watts) <S> continuous load a 20 amp circuit <S> no more than 16 amps (1920 watts) <A> In most cases, this would pose no problem. <S> Lighting circuits in most homes are 15 amp lines. <S> That means the line can theoretically handle about 1800 watts at one time without tripping the circuit breaker or posing a hazard. <S> That equals 18 100 watt lights at the same time. <S> Or one 1200 watt vacuum cleaner and 6 100 watt bulbs. <S> At the same time . <S> Wattage should be limited to slightly lower levels if the use is continuous. <S> If you have very few breakers (more fixtures and outlets on fewer circuits) you might have a problem. <A> If this is a modern home, then there is no issue. <S> If you have turn of the century wiring, then that is another story.
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On most homes built (or rewired) in the last forty years, it probably is not an issue.
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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 perimeter and partition wall) and then insulate the perimeter? I favour the second option as that will allow me to close off the utility room before moving on to do the rest of the basement, but not quite sure if that is the way it is done commonly. <Q> The only reason not to frame everything up would be logistics. <S> If it would be hard to get the bathtub or drywall into the basement because of a framed wall in the way. <S> Cost could be another factor. <S> You would be staggering your project in a possibly inconvenient manner. <S> It may also require extra sets of permits and inspections from the local gov't due to the fact that you'll be framing essentially twice. <A> Typically everything is framed at once on a single floor. <S> There are parts that may be added during framing that would normally be done at other times, like insulation in corners (were the corner is covered by the framing, fire blocking between walls, essentially anything that you'll be unable to easily reach once the framing is complete. <S> The biggest advantage of framing all the walls together is being able to overlap the second top plate for stronger joints, and less cross bracing needed throughout the structure. <A> Don't put a wood frame directly against a basement wall that isn't insulated on the outside (i.e. with the insulation between the wall and the soil). <S> A basement wall is a moisture sponge, and it will wick its moisture into the wood frame no matter how well sealed it may be on the interior, eventually rotting the frame and transforming it into a mold factory. <S> And do not add a dedicated moisture barrier between the basement wall and the finished interior; especially not between the drywall and the frame. <S> Moisture would condense there and start rotting the frame from the sill plates. <S> If you want to insulate your basement and finish the exterior walls, you have two options: <S> Insulate with a vapor-impermeable material to keep the moisture in the wall itself. <S> In this case, the fact that the material is a moisture barrier is okay because it clings to the surface so well, effectively sealing it up and not letting moisture collect between the wall and the insulation. <S> For this, you would optimally want to use closed-cell spray foam to completely encapsulate the wall. <S> You could also use cheaper XPS foam if your basement walls are flat. <S> Make sure any framed walls you add are touching the insulation, not the basement walls themselves. <S> Insulate with a material that is vapor-permeable but not moisture-sensitive, to allow moisture in the wall to migrate inwards and dry there. <S> For this, you would probably want to use EPS foam. <S> You would not want to add any moisture-sensitive materials to your finished wall, since the wall is expected to be moist. <S> No wood frame and no paper-covered drywall. <S> You could conceivably use cementboard right over the foam or mineral wool. <S> The following links might be very helpful: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/how-insulate-basement-wall <S> http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/information-sheets/basement-insulation <S> http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/bareports/ba-0309-renovating-your-basment http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/digests/bsd-103-understanding-basements/
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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.
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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 joining two long boards and using wood glue with biscuits, I need to clamp the whole thing together and if that clamp is touching the joint, the excess glue will stick the clamp as well, which I obviously don't want. So is there some material that can be used as an insulator blocking the glue coming through to the other side but also not sticking to it? Cellophane sheets of some sort (which?) come to mind because they seem very smooth, i.e. not adhesive. <Q> I have used wax paper over surfaces to keep it clean. <A> Wood glue will peel right off of pretty much any type of poly sheeting. <A> I've used cling film. <S> It's very thin <S> so will follow contours extremely well. <S> I a few instances of gluing in steel studs with a nut screwed on (to keep the stud perpendicular to the mounting surface), I've wrapped the stud with PTFE tape from the plumbing world. <S> That allows the nut to come off smoothly.
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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 to garbage bags.
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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 I have two seven years old who keep bumping into the table. Does anyone know what I should be using to glue the glass top to the top of the log. <Q> Search for "glass table suction cups". <S> The cups have a small cylindrical nub that sits in a hole you will have to drill for each cup. <S> You should only need about four. <S> With the suction cups, the table would be secure, would have some (minimal) give when struck, and would be easy to replace. <A> It is inside the house in a controlled environment, the expansion/contraction of the wood should be fairly minimized. <S> Use a flexible adhesive like clear silicone, make sure you get the type that says it cures crystal clear. <S> Put a few nice big dollops and it will hold. <S> Not sure I like the idea of a large unprotected sheet of glass around a couple of 7 year old kids <S> , it's gonna get broken and when it does I hope nobody gets hurt. <A> I make a table like this in my shop. <S> And we actually take it to markets, trade shows etc. <S> Magnets! <S> Embed a rare earth magnet in the top. <S> We use a forstener bit the size of the magnet we are going to imbed. <S> You don't need much one or two 1/2- 3/4 OD magnets. <S> Rare earth magnets are readily available at Cheapot. <S> Then just use your magnet on the top. <S> Works perfect. <S> You can even plug over your magnet in the stump and still get it to pull with a bigger magnet. <S> If you're searching for total aesthetics the crystal silicone around the OUTSIDE perimeter of stump works perfect. <S> Then you can remove with a razor blade. <S> Helps to level the glass too! <A> I suppose you might be able to epoxy a large pin (something like a nail, but bigger) to the center of the glass, and drill a hole in the base for it to slide into. <S> Something vaguely like this clevis pin (image from McMaster-Carr) which can be had in a 1" x 6" size for under $10. <S> You would want to either drill the glass and glue the pin through it, or at minimum roughen the glass where you'd be gluing the head of the pin onto the bottom side. <S> Either of which may not be possible if the glass is tempered. <A> Clear glass unless totally supported is a bad idea. <S> You put stickers on your French windows so that you don't walk into them and clear glass table tops can also create the same illusion of not being there!
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Suction cups are used with success in this situation. Try a toughened smoke glass top pre-drilled to secure to your log base.
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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 studs next to the two studs that are on the left and right side of stud being removed and then run a header plate between the 2 that would support the remaining part of the center stud. See picture. Red studs are king studs in picture. <Q> The jack studs take the load from the cripple and transfer it vertically to the floor. <S> You could attach to king studs as you showed, but <S> the problem is you now have to worry about sheer strength as well. <A> With studs at 16" on-center, the two studs left would give you 30 1/2" of clear space; subtract the 3" for the two new studs and 1" for new drywall; you are left with only 26 1/2" of clear space. <S> Are you sure this is going to be wide enough? <S> The header in your illustration should be 3" wider and the "king" studs you illustrated in red should be cut shorter to support the header. <A> As others have mentioned, the header goes on top of your jack studs, not between them. <S> The king studs are the full length studs that are either added to get the proper width opening, or your existing 16" OC studs. <S> When removing studs, before the header is added, you'll need to reinforce the area with an adjacent load bearing temporary wall to prevent sagging or a possible collapse depending on what's above. <S> The sizing of the header is important and will depend on the load. <S> You may only need a pair of 2x6's installed on edge with a plywood filler, while a pair of 2x8's will likely be more than enough, but you'll want to seek professional advice on this. <S> I think the bigger question is if you actually want to do this. <S> You'll need to find somewhere to run the water line, install an outlet, and you need to be sure that the fridge is properly vented (they aren't creating cold, they are moving heat, and need to be able to exhaust it into your home). <S> And if this is an exterior wall, you'll be compromising the insulation and vapor barrier. <A> Happens all the time. <S> That's how windows and doors go in. <S> You should make sure it's enough space for your fridge and your header needs to be on top of the studs. <S> You'll never fasten a header to a stud via the side and get the support you need.
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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.
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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 bathroom. Now that we've left, the landlord has brought in the plumber (the same people who installed the tub) and they are saying that the tub drain was damaged due to excessive wear. I'm trying to figure out what kind of wear would cause a tub drain to leak and if this is a normal thing for freestanding bathtubs or not? We have a family of 4 (minus the baby) and the wife and boys were the only ones to really use the tub. The drain is in the center of the tub so you have to sit on it whenever you take a bath. Additionally, the tub is on a raised platform above a slab. <Q> There would be no such thing as "excessive wear" on a bathtub drain - unless there was caustic material being poured down the drain which ate away at the drain pipe and joints..... <S> although from the sounds of it this is far from the case here. <S> For the sake of discussion let us assume that the tub is a quality name brand product. <S> It may be that there was excessive flex on the drain pipe joint to the tub, especially in the case of a plastic or fiberglass type of tub. <A> Poorly preforming contractors make things up to explain problems which they do not understand...... <S> this is especially true if said contractors were involved in any way with the installation of the object(s) in need of explanation. <S> As this is the case here, I would like to say that as a retired General contractor and an experienced plumber......you are being sold a bill of goods. <S> If it were the case that continual use by your family were to have caused a problem with the drain it would be called either: a poorly installed, poorly designed or normally used and subsequently worn out drain......not an excessively used one. <S> Landlords are required in virtually all 50 states to allow for normal wear and tear on reasonably used items....make sure that if an attempt to charge you for repairs is made that an explanation for unreasonable use is included. <A> They probably plumbed it with a solid PVC piping connection. <S> I installed a free standing tub but the connection to the tub was too rigid. <S> My solution was to use a Flexible PVC pipe. <S> The instructions for the tub were not great, however a Google search found products made for this application. <S> These products started around $65.00 up to $285.00 . <S> I made mine with the Flex pipe and Solvent weld drain kit from Menards. <S> http://youtu.be/08x62nlQMZM
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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.
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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 if that matters. I've looked at using 2 valves, one on each supply line, and a T fitting. I could vary the opening of each valve to get to the desired temperature. But somehow I don't feel like this is the right way. I think opening valves halfway damages them? Also I feel that hot water could get back into the cold line that way? Then I found this thing called a thermostatic valve. I think I can vary from getting 100% cold to 100% hot and everything in between? Or is there a safety setting which stops me from getting 100% cold or hot? <Q> You might want to consider installing a utility/laundry faucet, in place of the spigot. <S> This will allow you to connect both hot and cold supply lines, and will have a built in mixing valve to allow you to vary the temperature of the water. <S> They also tend to have the proper threads on the spout, to allow the attachment of a garden hose. <S> You'll have to find a way to support the faucet, as you don't want it just hanging by the supply lines. <S> I've seen them with all different types of attachment methods, including holes to allow them to be screwed to the wall/washtub. <S> You'll also want to make sure you have a shutoff valve on each supply within the conditioned space of the house. <S> It's also a good idea to have a way to drain the lines once they're shut off, if you live in an area with harsh winters. <S> The only other problem, is that garden hoses are not designed to be used with warm/hot water. <S> So you may experience problems from additional contaminants in the water, to accelerated deterioration of the hose. <A> Hose connection done by adapter, mixing valve done by faucet, done. <A> I've looked at using 2 valves, one on each supply line, and a T fitting. <S> But somehow I don't feel like this is the right way. <S> I think opening valves halfway damages them? <S> Also I feel that hot water could get back into the cold line that way? <S> Yes, you are overthinking this. <S> How do you think your sink / bath taps work? <S> You said "garden hose" <S> so I will assume it's wanted outside, in the garden. <S> The cheap way is just add a hot line right beside the existing cold line. <S> Use exactly the same pipe and fittings, buy a red handle instead of a blue one. <S> Get a washing machine Y-hose to mix hot and cold. <S> The fancy way involves any tap assembly that suits your needs (plumbing, cosmetic, budget etc) and simply replace the existing output connection with one that takes a garden hose fitting.
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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.
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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 wheels come off the track. Are there any tricks or adjustments I can make to prevent this? <Q> Tip #1 <S> I do a lot of remodels and the easiest way to make a bedroom look newer <S> is take out the old hollow doors or mirrored doors and put in 6 panels. <S> Not many closets are square either. <S> The first thing you need to do is use the rolling mechanism to adjust the door meet the wall as good as you can. <S> Obviously your door needs to slide on the floor <S> so you have to play with this a little. <S> But try to get each door to match its outside wall. <S> Tip #2 Buy better rollers. <S> These only cost a couple dollars at big box and if you are taking old ones out, there is no extra work. <S> For instance the roller in Mazura's answer isn't as adjustable as the normal roller you would get at big box. <S> Tip #3 <S> You want a little friction on the flooring... <S> But that only works with carpet. <S> If closet doors are flung open the pressure of the roller will eventually affect the track each time it jumps off. <S> So get the doors a little lower. <S> Tip <S> #4 Make sure the rollers are about 3-4 inches from the outside of each door. <S> The closer to the middle your rollers are, the easier for them to jump. <S> Tip #5 Get a good light/flashlight and inspect your tracks. <S> Most tracks are about the same quality (I am sure there are high end ones <S> but I haven't seen them). <S> You can have two problems with the track. <S> First the track can be angled down. <S> This just happens with the weight of the door over time. <S> For this use a wood block and hammer. <S> The other thing that goes wrong is the lip itself becomes deformed or it get pushed down. <S> I would simply tap this into place with a hammer. <S> For more deformed sections I break out the pliers. <S> If I am having an issue I go through the whole track with pliers. <S> Tip #6 Grease the wheels and track. <A> Most high end sliding door hardware has captive wheels. <S> that means the track has a top edge as well as a bottom edge. <S> While changing tracks is a project, it should solve the problem. <A> Buy new rollers if adjustments do not avail you. <S> To remove the door, disengage the lower track. <S> Standing outside, tilt the bottom of door towards you. <S> Lift slightly and the door should fall off. <S> Insure the track is free of debris. <S> Measure your roller arm carefully, Prime Line Products has many types and sizes. <S> Your wheels probably don't look like this anymore, on Ebay : <A> Check the area where the doors run along the bottom ,on many older homes the bottom of the door runs on a small piece of iron known as a sled. <S> If any debris plaster etc. <S> is in the doors glide path <S> it will lift the door when closing and will knock the roller off the track. <S> Also to get the roller back on track lift the door at the bottom with a large flat head screwdriver and a block of wood and wiggle the door left, right, in and out until the roller seats on the rail. <S> This may take many attempts unless you get lucky. <S> Good luck , it's a real pain , but better the tearing your walls out . <A> If you have a gap at the top or bottom where the door and opening meet . <S> The roller assembly is adjustable to level the door. <S> If there is base trim and the bottom of door is not notched out ,this will cause the door to come off track from hitting it. <S> There is floor mounted hardware that acts as a divider and keeps the bottom of doors in place from swinging in and out. <S> Over stuffed closets without this divider will cause doors to come off track. <S> The screws holding the roller hardware usually get over tightened and stripped out. <S> They may need to be moved or add another screw. <S> Slamming the doors often is rough on the roller hardware and throws off the adjustments. <S> Closets in kids rooms are prone to this. <S> If roller hardware has been replaced with the wrong sized rollers they will definitely constantly come off track. <S> Beware front door rollers are different from the back rollers. <S> Properly installed sliding doors that are not rough handled will work as they should. <S> Bifold doors work better but have their issues too but work fine when hardware and door are installed and adjusted correctly and not rough handled which is the key to using these type of closet doors.
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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 path and you should be ok. It actually doesn't hurt to have it angled up slightly (open side of track).
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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 process of remodeling our upstairs bathroom in a condo unit. What is there now is a 3/4" OSB sub-floor (over which tile was directly installed). Before we bought the condo, the toilet leaked and got shaky (and unusable, as it wanted to go through the floor; fortunately, there was a joist just underneath to support it); it's dry now but the OSB sub-floor around where the toilet was is completely rotten and has to be replaced. I believe the original contractor who built the house did a sloppy job in there, 1st by installing OSB in the bathroom instead of using plywood and 2nd not putting any backer-board before installing the tiles and 3rd by the way the spread the thin-set under the tiles (the "curvy/old" way). <Q> OSB was an idea introduced in the late 1970s and caught fire in the 1980s. <S> After a few decades of use, compared to plywood, OSB just does not hold up as well. <S> You would have thought wood manufacturers would have learned from manufacturers of plastics, and moved toward fiber-mat combination for strength and durability... guess not. <S> I have observed plywood homes which have solid (but squeaky) <S> sub floors which are several decades old and still in excellent shape. <S> On the other hand I have observed sub floors which are OSB and just a few years old and crumbling into their original configuration (saw dust). <S> Environmentalist may very well like OSB <S> but for wet applications, its not desirable. <S> In wet applications mold, mildew and rot are the constant battle. <S> Bathrooms in homes are just not configured to deal with these issues, Bathrooms in residential construction don't disperse water/humidity from the air, and usually have very little air movement, most being tied to only one register outlet of the central air system. <S> It helps if one keeps their central air system fan in constant "on" mode as opposed to allowing it to cycle off. <A> It doesn't do well when it's wet. <S> Theoretically that should never be an issue but life happens and sometimes OSB gets wet. <S> Personally I would replace it with plywood. <A> Can't add a comment. <S> If I remember correctly the same article said there is ether newer OSB on the market or there will be OSB products coming out to address this issue. <S> I can't remember where I read this, maybe finehomebuilding.
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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.
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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 water heating system with PEX while I was at it. Of course, I would leave my baseboards with a copper pipe so that it gives off more heat. What I would like to do is to have quick-connects from the PEX to the copper, so that if ever I need to remove the baseboards (redoing flooring, walls, etc), I just disconnect the whole thing and pop out the baseboard. PEX is better at keeping the heat in the pipe compared to copper so I would be losing less heat if I go from the boiler to the baseboard with PEX. Then I'd have copper inside the baseboard which would feed into the other PEX that would go to another baseboard... Is this recommended in 2014? I feel like copper is old and out dated. My boiler is powered by bi-energy electrical elements, which then gets pumped through the whole system with approximately 12-15 psi. Will I eventually regret putting PEX? Should I keep going through this old house and fixing the copper whenever there's a leak? <Q> How often does your heating system spring a leak? <S> It's not particularly often in my (long) experience with closed-crcuit hot water heating systems - less than once per 20 years, I'd say, and usually with some outside cause. <S> In general, it is a waste of money to remove/replace a system that's working. <S> To address one of your "benefits" - where do you suppose the heat "lost" from your copper heating pipes goes? <S> Unless the pipes are running on the outside of your house (which would be a bit unusual) it goes to heating your house. <S> Absolutely nothing is gained by "saving" that (small amount of) heat "for the radiators. <S> " If the pipes are running outside the building, they should be insulated regardless of their material. <S> Quick connects are more likely to INCREASE the number of leaks you have over time .vs. <S> leaving the copper pipes alone. <S> Replacing a reliable soldered joint with a complex mechanical seal is not a direction that will benefit your leak statistics. <S> Most people simply work around baseboard heat when redoing walls, floors, etc. <S> and manage to get by just fine without "popping them out. <S> " <S> You need to use an oxygen barrier type PEX if your heating system is (as is typically the case) a closed circuit system. <S> Copper pipes do that by default. <S> You may, or course, do what you like, but this appears to be a somewhat absurd project. <A> I did this very thing (replaced copper with PEX for baseboard heating). <S> But I did this because my copper had frozen and split in about 200 places. <S> So, if your copper is shot, I'd replace with PEX. <S> But if the copper is fine, save the hassle! <S> But if you do decide to do it, some tips: <S> Sharkbite connectors are great and make it super easy to connect copper to PEX (at the baseboards) <S> Be sure to get oxygen barrier PEX. <S> This is designed specifically for heating systems and has a metal liner inside to prevent air from permeating in. <S> pex is a pain for tight corners. <S> You'll either need room for a gradual bend (they make elbow clamps for PEX to handle radiused corners) or you'll need to use elbow fittings for sharp corners (either those designed for the PEX you are using or, again, sharkbites--though sharkbites can get pricey) <A> There is one good reason to go to PEX, that is when you have high acidity water from your well -- a common situation in wooded areas. <S> I get pinhole leaks in the copper pipes and have ruined a wall and a ceiling so far. <S> You know you have this problem if you see greenish deposits in your tub, shower and sink.
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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.
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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 switches for those rows are closed. Four possible combinations are shown here: I looked at relays and multi-way switches but could not find an example of how the corner lights can be wired and still only use four switches. If anybody could point me in the right direction, that would be great. Thanks. <Q> So each switch controls all lights. <S> While it -might- be possible to make 2 light groups (1 common light) work the way you want with two 4-way switches back-wired through each other, you're asking for something even more complicated. <S> Each switch interacts with 2 others, which means you'd need at least triple-circuit switches (likely paired 4-ways). <S> I don't think they make those. <S> Certainly not in home light switch form-factors. <S> This will be much easier if you start with home-automation tools. <S> Most vendors make an in-wall module for a slave device ; then you just need to install and configure smart switches to manage them. <S> Or you could go for all wifi bulbs , and have the option of other light patterns if you wanted. <S> And maybe even programmable color . <A> Switch one powers the center top light and the coils of two relaysthat <S> do the top left and right corners. <S> Switch 2 powers the left-center 2 lights and the coils of <S> two DIFFERENT relays that power the top and bottom left corners. <S> Switch 3 <S> (once you correct your diagram per comments) <S> powers the bottom center light and the coils of two relays that power the bottom left and right corners. <S> Switch 4 powers the right-center 2 lights and the coils of <S> two DIFFERENT relays that power the top and bottom right corners. <S> Each corner light has power supplied, independently, by two relays. <S> The relay that is OFF will not feed power back to the light of the other relay on its circuit. <S> If both relays are on, not a problem, the light is on with one, the other, or both on. <S> You will need eight (8) relays in total. <S> Or just 4 relays with double, independent contacts (DPST), as I think about it further (one per switch, each pole powering one corner light.) <A> You have not used switch n. 3 <S> A better approach would be use it and simplify circuit logic: Using 3rd switch <S> Not using 3rd switch <S> If you must not use 3rd switch, use Boolean logic (more switches will be necessary). <S> Boolean logic ... can be achieved using Protoboard <A> What you're describing is called "scene lighting" and is customarily achieved using automation modules either at the switches or fixtures. <S> Each of the four configurations you have shown would be its own scene, and you would program each automation module to respond as either on or off when each scene is selected. <S> They're not cheap, but they are readily available and have the required regulatory markings <S> so there's hope that you won't be excluding your house from insurance coverage if you use them. <S> You'll need to figure out exactly how your switches and lights are wired and then work out the most efficient combination of automation modules you need to achieve the scene lighting you are looking for. <A> If you use low-voltage DC lighting (e.g. halogen), you can use the switch to switch DC power and use suitably rated diodes to provide power to the corner bulbs. <S> You'd have to check the wiring in the walls can carry the required currents and take great care to isolate the DC side from AC.
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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.
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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 where I also have my water tank. The bathroom walls and the ceiling are well insulated but not the floor underneath which is only double 3/4 inch sheathing. During the week the temperature in the bathroom is kept above the freezing point by a small electric heater controlled by a thermostat. I was planning to staple or nail solid foam insulation between the floor joists underneath the bathroom only to save on electricity when I stumbled on this site and the subject of vapor barriers. Do I need one and if so, on what side of the 1" styrofoam insulation (pink stuff)? There is no ceiling drywall underneath, only suspended ceiling panels. So you now see that my cold side of the insulation will be toward the living room below during the week and to a lesser degree toward the floor above during the winter weekends. My intuition tells me that I should not be using any barrier at all. Am I correct? <Q> You are correct. <S> The field of building science is gradually moving away from friendliness toward vapor barriers in exterior walls, and you certainly should not put one in an interior wall or floor. <S> Not a great idea. <S> In addition, it would make more sense to use batt or spray foam insulation between the floor joists as opposed to cutting rigid foam to fit in those irregular spaces, which would be a nightmare. <S> For this reason, ideally you would use mineral wool batts (sold under the name "Roxul" in the USA) in the floor joist bays, as they are highly-insulating and vapor-permeable. <S> As an added bonus, they block sound very well too--useful for insulation between floors of a house. <S> I am re-insulating my house with this stuff <S> and just love it. <S> Unlike fiberglass, mineral wool batts are not moisture sensitive, easy to work with, and highly effective. <A> You are correct: this is a situation where you want no vapor barrier at all, not even the insulation. <S> However, your better bet may working with the plumbing, so you don't need a heater, don't pay for that electricity, and don't need to worry about power outages. <S> I assume when you said "rubber pipes" you meant plastic like PEX, but even then you face the issue of defrosting them prior to use. <S> The place could be re-plumbed with all pipes sloped to a central drain. <S> Drain the system before you leave, or even install a freeze sensitive automatic system. <A> I had a client's weekend home completely freeze with pex lines we installed. <S> Nothing broke. <S> Unfaced batt insulation is the fastest, cheapest stuff. <S> Use Ecobatt if you can find it, you can sleep in that stuff, no itching or irritation.
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Finally, most foam insulations are themselves vapor barriers, so if you use foam, you will be creating much of a vapor barrier anyway.
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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 just started a couple weeks ago.It could be a main drain issue, blocked somewhere downstream maybe causing it, or perhaps the detergent has changed somehow. <Q> HE detergents create very, very little foam. <S> She may have switched detergent brands. <S> Or there was a load done with a soapy car wash rag or something similar in it. <A> Washing machine bubble overflow can be encountered from a few different problems. <S> If they're truly doing the SAME thing, and no <S> I forgot to mention 's <S> come up, <S> what else could it be but a clogged line? <S> More often with the bubbles everywhere problem <S> it is user error in how much or too little detergent is used or excessive bleach , in conjunction with load size. <A> Hire a new plumber! <S> :) <S> Are the bubbles coming out of the washer, or are they coming out of the drain? <S> Hook your washer drain hose to the side of a 5 gallon bucket to determine the source of the bubbles. <S> If they exit your washing machine as bubbles, adjust your detergent. <S> If they are not leaving your washer as bubbles, check your plumbing. <S> Do you live in a multi story building with your washer on one of your upper floors, then check for proper venting from lower floors.
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A partially clogged drain or a dirty catch screen on the discharge line is a probable cause with those symptoms.
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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 the the switch was wired correctly with the hot side being switched, not the neutral). I successfully installed the first light, and had just pulled the second one down. I turned the lights back on to see better (since the other fixtures still worked), but didn't notice that the now bare and exposed hot and neutral wires from the fixture I just pulled were touching. When I turned on the switch, the lights did not come on and you could hear a deep growling noise somewhere in the house, very similar to water hammer noise. I turned off the switch right away, not knowing the cause. I turned on the switch again with the same result. After turning off the switch, I inspected the wiring from the fixture and discovered the short. As I understand it, the time it takes a breaker to trip is basically inversely proportional to the current draw. A dead short should be VERY high current, and I would have expected the breaker to trip instantly. It did not do so. Questions: Shouldn't the breaker have tripped?If so, I can't trust the breaker and should replace it. But, how do I go about testing the other breakers in the box? They are all old... probably original to the 1964 house.What was that noise? <Q> That noise was a wire or junction <S> /splice somewhere vibrating and heating up. <S> At a minimum, you should replace that breaker. <S> If this were my house (and my family's life) I would call an electrician and have them inspect for damage. <A> A dead short would have very high current. <S> Fortunately, a dead short is not possible in a typical home. <S> The wires have resistance as do the connectors, wire nuts, and switch. <S> There is probably nearly one ohm in your configuration. <S> This limits the current to 120 amps—initially. <S> That considerably increases the resistance which further limits the current. <S> You probably were hearing the breaker trying to trip. <S> I agree that it should be replaced. <S> If it is not a GFI nor AFCI, it should be inexpensive ($3–$7). <S> It would be useful and perhaps interesting to measure the short: <S> Disconnect the wire from the circuit breaker, connect the neutral and hot wire which accidentally touched before, turn on the switch, and then use an ohmmeter to measure the resistance of the circuit between the wire (formerly) connected to the breaker and a neutral bar in the service panel. <S> Then measure the meter's own resistance by touching the leads together. <S> Subtract the latter from the former. <S> (Example: suppose the full circuit shows 0.75 ohms and the meter leads show 0.05 ohms. <S> The circuit resistance is 0.75 minus 0.05 which is 0.70 ohms.) <S> 120 volts (in North America) divided by the resistance is the current flow. <S> (For the example 120 / 0.7 = 171.4 amps.) <S> If the current is more than 1.5 times the breaker rating, it should trip pretty quickly, not much more than a second if it is rated for motor starting, otherwise much less than a second. <A> Does it really need (not should) to be replaced: <S> Is there a lifetime failure count for a breaker? <S> -StackEx <S> Here's some extra Yahoo answers nonsense, from my attempted search in finding a way to safely make a breaker pop. <S> The other answers to your question here bring valid concern about replacing a questionable breaker. <S> I'd be more concerned with the condition of the wire, which I believe was the noise (rattling in the pipe). <S> Circuit breakers are pretty good about failing in a safe state , I.e, it just won't work anymore. <S> It was not a good thing to have happened (although not the worst) and if you're not going to pull the wire it may be safer to replace the breaker with an arc fault. <S> THQL1120AF , an arc fault for $50, except it's not a tandem. <S> aplussupply.com sells standard replacement breakers for your panel. <S> I was unable to find a THQL1120 (AF or GFCI) <S> tandem breaker. <S> FYI, I looked up a 100amp AF for that panel, it's $800... <S> You could swap that single for a new regular tandem, freeing an entire slot (by taking the other wire from the bad breaker ( provided that it was on the same leg originally ) for a 1" AF, now hooked to the circuits' questionable wire. <S> Request clarification if you do not understand the importance on which of the legs a breaker is on and how to properly relocate them. <S> Go big or go home. <S> Meaning, as discussed here , replace that panel or leave it alone as much as possible.
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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 one single you have there. I wouldn't be so concerned that a monetary/slight (crappy) contact didn't trip the breaker; you did not achieve a dead enough short (see wallyk's). As the point of closing the unwanted circuit, the contact gets hot, perhaps sparking.
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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 two extension cords from my 30 amp generator; one to the main panel in my basement to power the furnace and the other to the sub panel in the pole barn to power the woodstove. I want to get a hookup for my generator so that I don't need all that sassafras if I ever lose power in the winter again. While it would be easier to run the generator by the pole barn and backfeed the main panel, reading other questions makes me believe that is neither safe nor legal. So, I think I need to get a transfer switch or interlock kit setup on my main panel for the generator. However, I still need to power the woodstove from the pole barn sub panel. My question is, can I use a 30 amp generator connected to my main panel to power the 60 amp sub panel in my pole barn? The only thing I want to power in the pole barn is the woodstove, which is on a 20 amp breaker in that sub panel. References: Is it reasonable to create a 30amp branch circuit for the purpose of feeding the panel from a generator? Can I connect a portable generator to a subpanel to backfeed my house? <Q> Yes, if you make sure to shut down enough things (if not, you'll trip breakers, so you are still good, from the safe and effective front.) <S> I have a 40 amp manual generator interlock installed in a 200 amp panel. <S> I do want (and I have) <S> the ability to power any one thing (or combination of things) that the generator can safely supply, without having to fool around with hack rewiring jobs under poor conditions or absurd extension cord tricks. <S> That panel will eventually have a 100 amp feed to another building, and the generator input will be able to feed it (so long as the actual draw over there is controlled to be below the generator output, of course.) <S> Exactly what your options are will depend on exactly what your panels are, and what the panel maker has for approved interlock devices, but generically, it is possible. <S> The legal and important safety end of "safe and legal" is having the interlock <S> so you absolutely, positively, cannot backfeed power to the grid. <S> The overcurrent part of safe will be taken care of by the generator output breaker and/or the panel input breaker for the interlock. <S> The 60 amp rated wiring will of course be just fine with 30 or less amps running on it. <A> Having a panel that's rated for more amps than you're going to put through it isn't a problem. <S> (Trying put power through something that's rated for fewer amps is a big problem.) <S> For the rest, that's outside my expertise. <A> An interlock kit would certainly work, and be safe and legal. <S> What's nice about them is that you can choose what is going to run before you connect the generator. <S> Also, in cases like yours you can alternate loads so that you can run critical and non-critical loads, albeit not at the same time. <S> , connect a generator to a sub-panel and backfeed a main panel.
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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
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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 lines are connected to the "quick connect" holes in the back of the outlet, leaving 2 open terminals on each side of the outlet. Is it okay to connect the third new line to the side terminals, and the new ground wire in with the other two grounds? So the new setup would consist of this: 2 lines (2 white + 2 black wires) connected through the backwiring holes 1 line (1 white + 1 black wire) connected via the side terminals (black on "long" side, white on "short" side). all three lines' ground wires pigtailed, with the pigtail connected to the one ground terminal on the outlet. <Q> As long as the terminals are rated for the size of wire being attached. <S> For example. <S> Most "back stab" terminals are rated for 14 AWG solid copper wire, whereas screw terminals are usually 12 or 14 AWG solid or stranded copper. <S> With that said... <S> It sounds like your receptacles might be hooked up backwards. <S> The black ungrounded "hot" conductor should be connected to the brass colored screw, which is on the side of the receptacle with the shorter slot (at least in the US). <A> I recommend that you not use the back stab wire technique. <S> There are numerous problems with these things - both long term and short term. <S> More often that one would like these connections lead to intermittent connections. <S> Connect the two existing hot wires with your third added hot wire and a short hot pigtail using a good quality wire nut at the back of the electrical outlet. <S> Do the same for the existing plus added neutral wires. <S> Then wire up a new outlet to the two pigtails using the side screws for the connections. <S> Note that whenever I open up an electrical box and observe that back stab wiring connections were used <S> I routinely take it all apart and replace with new switches and/or outlets as described above. <A> On a Leviton 20A outlet, couldn't use the "back stab" holes and the screw terminal at the same location at the same time. <S> The holes wouldn't tighten around the 12 G wire as these were screw tightened. <S> Seemed like the wires looped around the screws prevented the holes from tightening. <S> Worked when the wires were removed from the screws and <S> just the back holes were used for the double connection. <A> Thats fine to do. <S> I always check my wiring with a plug in connection tester. <S> If I wired it correctly I get two yellow lights. <S> If i did something wrong they will light up in a different pattern and the tester labels what's wrong. <S> good luck
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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.
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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 at my local hardware store is rated 100amp (main lug and main breaker). If I replace the 100amp breaker in the box I found with a 60amp breaker would that be fine? I assume that the box is rated up to 100amp but anything lower would work too. <Q> You will also likely need to replace the cable with larger gauge wires, though without knowing what's there right now <S> it's impossible to say for sure. <S> Also, whenever you replace old electrical equipment, you are generally required to adhere to the latest code <S> , so it's possible there are other changes you will need to make too. <S> This might include AFCI breakers. <A> Yes, "down-rating" panels by installing a lower amperage main breaker of a type that meets the panel's listing is fine -- in fact, you can often order the exact same panelboard from the factory with different main breaker amperage options, or main lugs -- and then change it out freely in the field depending on installation conditions. <A> Electrically, that's fine. <S> I have no idea whether code would object.
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If you are unsure, always best to check with a licensed electrician.
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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 nodes (and no wires connected to LINE), and the outlet at the other end of the kitchen had one wire connected to LINE, and one connected to LOAD, but neither LINE nor LOAD had both a black and white connected. What does this mean? Which side is the first in the circuit? Was this even wired properly? How should I connect my new outlets? <Q> Line is the side of the device where the wires from the panel (or other equipment feeding the device) are connected. <S> Most "newer" GFCI devices will not reset if they are not connected probably. <S> GFCI devices use a current transformer (CT) , to detect any current differences between the "hot" and "neutral" conductors. <S> The LINE terminals are on one side of the CT, while the LOAD terminals (and the receptacles on the device) are on the other. <A> If you have a green or bare wire it needs to connect to the green screw and the box if it is metal. <A> If you have both brass colored and silver toned screws on the device being installed then you need both hot (commonly black, red and blue depending on if you are wiring a 120 or 240 volt circuit black is most often used for 120v and red is most common for the second hot leg of a 240v) and neutral wires (most often white). <S> Current travels down the hot leg(s) and returns on the white leg. <S> The green or (most often) bare wire is your ground and sends the current to the ground via a series of connections that ends at a rod that is driven deep into the ground by your meter or the place where power enters the home or business. <S> It can also be grounded to galvanized cold water pipes or metal electrical boxes mounted to the framing of the building. <S> The "hot" wire(s) connect to the brass screw, neutral to the silver and bare or green wire to the green ground screw. <S> Power enters a GFCI from the panel on the side (don't get confused here, by "side" they are referring to either the top or bottom set of screws since the circuit interrupted is located in the middle where the test and reset buttons are located) labeled "line" and the current exits the GFCI from the side labeled "load". <S> This basically installs a switch (similar to a light switch that makes a break in the circuit <S> should an appliance or device short circuit or overload and backfired down your wiring toward the panel. <S> Rather than damaging your panel or causing an electrical fire the backfired electricity simply trips the switch in the GFCI opening the circuit and preventing the power from traveling any further. <S> So you only need to repair/replace the device that caused the short, and possibly the outlet that supplied power to the short circuited device. <A> Line is the source, and load is what is being fed from the receptacle in question. <S> The easiest way to test this is to bare and spread all of the wires. <S> Once they are all spread (make sure nothing is touching this is important) , kick the breaker on and place one lead of a multimeter on a black wire (hot) and touch the other to a white wire (neutral). <S> If you get any reading at all, you'll know that your hot is correct. <S> It should read around 120 for your line neutral and around 20 for your load neutral. <S> Separate them and wire accordingly.
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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 connected.
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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 walls, so that makes me "feel" that I should do something, but what? Also prior to putting down the cement board do I need to apply any caulk or anything to where the plywood meets the tub? Or will that be "sealed" with the mortar when applying beneath the cement board and then again when laying the tile. Edit: Thanks for all the responses, I am worried I may have chosen the wrong product to put BENEATH the cement board. I am using James Hardie Backer Board and the two guys at the big box who both said they do tiling on the side use below. Steps were advised as follow: Put down tile adhesive, put down the backer board let dry. Create thinset use between backer board with tape. After dry use thin set again to lay down tiles. <Q> The cement board must be properly backed at tub edge to keep it stiff. <S> The gap between it and the tub is grout filled. <S> I don't tape corners. <S> I generally silicon tiled corners. <S> I use 1/8 inch gap and that give me more room for silicon on the corners. <S> That's enough room. <S> The idea is to avoid buckling from settlement and let you get more silicon in there. <S> You will notice the bevel edge on 2 sides of the cement board. <S> When butt end joints are required it's a good idea to rasp a bevel into the ends using a wood rasp. <S> The idea of the bevel is to allow you to get more joint compound in there making a stronger joint. <S> The minimum for tub joints is Fast Set. <S> It doesn't rot. <S> I silicon tub ledgers to avoid future squeaks. <S> Just because you screw or clip the tub to the wall doesn't mean it won't squeak later if settlement occurs. <A> Not on walls or tub. <S> I'm not sure about a 1/4 inch gap by tub (probably would do 1/8 there) <S> be everywhere else <S> is fine. <S> Nothing goes in the gap. <S> Gap will be covered by either tile on the wall or baseboard. <S> Also make sure you are using the right mesh "tape". <S> Your cement board gets same thinset as your tile . <A> Tape the seams if your going to use pro-red or its equivalent (highly suggested). <S> If the manufacture says to leave an expansion gap, that's what you do; leave a gap. <S> I must admit, that where it meets the walls, I wouldn't. <S> Any expansion would buckle the tape and bubble the paint. <S> I'd rather the whole wall shift a little. <S> Also, the only place for caulk in a bathroom is on the outside of a shower door frame (and underneath it) and around fixtures (sparingly, leaving a drain hole at the bottom). <S> Not the tub nor the tile.
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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.
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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 yard (3'x3'x3'), what amount of stone should I order? In other words, if I ordered one cubic yard, spread it out, and tamped it down, how close would the resulting volume be to one cubic yard? Is it close enough to not worry? Or would it compact down to only be 75% of the cubic yard? Edited to add: For the sake of this question, assume that I've already added a buffer in my order for voids I've not accounted for, that I've already adjusted for loss while wheel-barrowing the stone to the area I'm going to put it, that I've accounted for deviations in how much the gravel company delivers, and that I've already accounted for extra slough off the shoulder of the base layer. The question is NOT about "how to build a path?" or "it's just a path, why do you care?" - the question is simply, how much volume is lost when compacting 3/4"-? It's obviously non-zero because it actually does compact (as opposed to river rock which does not compact). <Q> When something calls for x" of compacted y, you typically calculate the amount of y prior to compacting. <S> So if something calls for a 4" compacted base, order enough to cover your area with 4". <S> Then compact. <S> (Actually, order to cover 4", but the only lay down half, compact that, then lay down the other half, then compact that.) <S> In other words, you don't typically order the stone to allow for compaction. <S> You order the stone based on the volume needed prior to compaction. <S> UPDATE: <S> If you're just asking about the rate of compaction 3/4 minus has, the answer is...actually, that's a tough one. <S> There seems to be a lot of opinion, but no specific engineering spec that I can find. <S> Keep in mind that there's also issues of your soil base compacting as well. <S> So based on that limited info, I'd suggest ordering 20% over. <S> Keep in mind that this may be a trial-and-error process that may not be worth the headache. <S> If you can't get 20% compaction, then you're left with extra crushed stone that may or may not be easy to get rid of. <A> If you are compacting road crush with a vibratory plate you will get about 10 to 15% compaction. <S> (This is based on you having a stable compacted base first. <S> If you are putting the road crush on top of top soil you will lose more to compaction.) <S> If you use a jumping jack, about 20% would be accurate. <S> I personally like a jumping jack because it is very evident when it is fully compacted <S> (The jumping jack will 'jump' when it is fully compacted. <S> It will also keep compacting into soft areas till they are fully compacted. <S> If you get to clay base you can expect about 20%, but if you are in top soil, it can take significantly more volume to fill and compact). <S> You also need to asses what you are placing over the top of the road crush. <S> If it is a sidewalk it will not get the same psi as a driveway. <S> If you are parking a motorhome then you want to ensure a fully compacted base. <S> Think of it this way. <S> Spending a weekend with jumping jack is worth not having cracked driveways. <A> A number of websites have recommended adding 4% to the order to account for compaction. <S> Bob Vila Gravel Expert Great Day Improvements <A> I was actually looking for an accurate range for a specific stone and wound up here... <S> The answer is complicated but boils down to about 10 to 25% over order based on a bunch of stuff. <S> The loose drop weight of a relatively uniform (all the rocks are similar size and shape) <S> 3/4" stone will be about 80-90% depending on the stone (angularity and phi). <S> Presuming that you are compacting to 100% of some form of "proctor density", because you're awesome at compacting and have a monster machine (and thin lifts), that's 100/80=125%. <S> You will not achieve 100%. <S> You will not achieve close to 100%. <S> 100% is what some sledge hammer thing does to a couple of buckets of soil over the course of 15 to 30 minutes with some guy standing there adding water until it's perfect. <S> You will be lucky to get 93% with standard effort. <S> That gets you about 10% loss in volume. <S> However, as others mentioned, you will get more loss on a finer substrata. <S> This is mostly because the finer strata (sand silt clay) will ooze around the stones as you literally drive the stone into the subgrade. <S> If the subgrade is rocky, the stone will "hang up" on the underlying rocks and you won't have such a loss... <S> at first... upwelling water will probably manage to settle your gravel a little by moving surrounding finer soils over time. <S> If the subgrade is sandy, it will not invade such a well graded gravel as much. <S> This is a superior situation. <S> If you're a glacier, you will take a loose dropped stone weighing roughly 105 pcf, and make it into metamorphic stone weighing 167 pcf, meaning that you should have ordered 159% of your required thickness... for your glacier walkway or whatever. <S> ~Geotechnical P.E. <A> Here are two reasons for thinking this is reasonable: <S> The densest packing of spheres is about 74%, whereas a common less compact packing is about 68%. <S> (74% - 68%) / 74% = 8% potential volume loss. <S> A standard specification for careful tamping of backfill is "in 6-inch lifts to 95% of maximum density". <S> In other words, after tamping, there is still a potential for 0% - 5% potential volume loss. <S> The 74% packing density is "face-centered cubic" or "hexagonal close pack" or "tetragonal body-centered cubic". <S> The 68% packing density is "body-centered cubic". <A> Shame this question is so old as I can offer a far more comprehensive answer. <S> The truth is it's impossible to create an exact formula. <S> Too many variables. <S> What proctor density are you compacting to? <S> What is the density of the substrate? <S> What is the moisture content of the substrate and the material to be used? <S> How much weight will be applied to the finished product? <S> Some of our roads have a weight limit, compaction is a very complicated thing.. <S> when ordering stone it depends on availability. <S> Under-order easily available stone and top up if needed. <S> Over-order difficult to access stone and dispose of if necessary...
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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 subgrade. Without having done any experiments, my scientific wild-ass guess (SWAG) is 4 to 8 percent. General googling seems to imply you'd be in the 20% loss due to compaction range, but I can't find any hard data to back that up.
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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 afford to pay. My yard is about an acre with about 30 trees. It has heavy dense grass. The extension cord would need to be at least 250 feet long to reach to the edge of the yard. My question is what gauge wire would I need to use to make the extension cord? The mower that I'm thinking about buying is a 12 amp mower. The circuit breaker for the plug at the house is a 20 amp breaker. Are there other things that I need to take into consideration? And if you have suggestions for a mower that would work well for these conditions, I'm open to suggestions. <Q> A Gas lawnmower with an electric start . <S> Electric ones don't like to cut heavy dense grass . <S> Plug it in at the house, start it, disconnect and go. <S> A quick search found a self-propelled one for about $300. <S> I couldn't really find one much cheaper <S> but I do recommend a self propelled model. <S> Like this one from Briggs and Stratton, a reputable company. <S> - Home Depot <S> If you're not just going to plug a bunch of regular cords into each other, a legitimately constructed cable and an electric mower would near, if not surpass, the cost of one of these more effective machines. <A> I really think you're going to be unhappy with an electric mower for this situation, for a couple reasons: 250 feet of extension cord is going to be expensive, heavy, and very unwieldy to mow with Electric mowers are not that powerful and mowing <S> a full acre is going to be a long, hard slog. <S> I would guess it would probably take you two hours of hard work. <S> Having said that, a 12 GA extension cord (very large) will have about 8% voltage drop, which I would say is only borderline acceptable. <S> Based on a quick check online, it seems like you're looking at $100 - $150 (plus the cost of the mower, of course). <S> One thing to consider is shrinking the size of the yard that you keep mowed, and letting the rest of it grow. <S> Maybe you can pay someone to cut the whole thing only once a year, to keep it from getting out of hand. <S> Also, I don't know what exactly your reason for saying you can't start a gas mower: <S> not sure if you physically can't pull hard enough or just feel like you don't have the right skill set for a small engine, but I have a newish Toro self-propelled mower that starts on the first pull every time. <S> Every time . <S> It's been the easiest small engine I've ever used. <A> You can find a voltage drop calculator here . <S> With your scenario, you would drop about 10% of the voltage, leaving 90% for the mower. <S> This is on the edge of acceptable assuming that the voltage at the outlet is a full 120 volts, but if it's lower the voltage at het mower would be marginal. <S> In that case, going to a 10 gauge cable would drop the voltage drop down to only about 7%. <S> However, a good-quality 10 gauge 100' extension cord is going to be pretty price - at least $100.
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Anything smaller than that will loose so much voltage that the mower will barely work.
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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 it up there, but we were totally unable to drive the heads down just below the surface. (The drywall is 5/8" thick). I tried removing them and re-inserting, with no success. I suspect the studs are really hard old-growth wood, believing this house to be 100 years old. Our next attempt was predrilling, which may have worked but the required drill bit was not long enough to penetrate the wood completely. We were able to "sink" the screws, except for approximately 1/16", that protrudes above the drywall. I really don't want to use shorter screws or nails. The drill used was 3/32". How can I drive the screws to the proper depth? <Q> I suspect the studs are really hard old-growth wood <S> Lubricating screws can really help when driving them into wood. <S> For exterior projects I've used LM grease and petroleum jelly (vaseline) but I'm not sure if there are any problems using either in your situation. <S> The other common solution is to drill pilot holes to the expected depth of the screws, but this would be pretty tedious. <S> I usually pick a drill size by holding screw and drill up to the light together and checking that the screw's threads are wider than the drill and that the drill is almost as wide as the core of the screw. <A> If you're not snapping the heads off (torque), your drill just doesn't cut it. <S> If you're stripping the heads, you're not pushing hard enough (under powered drills require more pressure to avoid this and also lose torque towards the end, helping you snap the heads off). <S> If the drywall pops, use two or more screws 2-3" apart, slowly sinking each one to distribute the load. <S> This countersinks the drywall and will help you set the screws with a poor drill or unhappy hard wood. <S> I've had some sections where only deck screws would avail me (+1 for impact drivers). <S> Keshlam mentioned backing it out and driving it again, however I'd toss any screw I backed out that was giving me trouble <S> (careful, they're hot). <A> How big an area? <S> If it is small, can you replace the studs with pine? <S> Cut the old out with a Sawzall. <S> You could also use drywall adhesive.
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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.
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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 locks with no luck.Thanks <Q> In the absence of a puller (which you can usually borrow from a local hardware store if you buy a cartridge) you can use the handle screw to attach any flat iron bar stock (even a piece of wood maybe) to the stem and twist and pull the cartridge out. <S> I've done it many times. <A> The manual for the Moen 1224 cartridge seems to suggest that it just pulls out. <S> Instead of <S> WD-40 try something like CLR. <S> I'd expect you have something like lime or hard water making it stick more than rust. <S> WD-40 <S> won't do much on lime or hard water type corrosion and its not great on rust either. <S> Are you sure you have a Moen Chateau? <S> It seems that the current line up is a single handle shower fixture. <S> Can you provide a link to the manual or a model number for the Chateau in your shower? <A> Then I gently tapped them out. <S> Worked great. <S> Much easier to push out than pull out. <S> A basic law of physics from an aerospace engineer.
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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.
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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 roof and caused water damage inside the garage and another room. The fence was removed and the roof repaired. The door access is considered a safety issue (for a mortgage refinance) and must be removed or made inaccessible. I don't have the funds to put up a fence. Any suggestions? <Q> You'll see houses built where a deck was optional, that have a railing built in front of the sliding door. <S> Something like this... <S> The best way to find out what is acceptable, is to contact the people who will be determining if your solution is acceptable. <A> A quick and easy way to disable a door is to remove the door handle. <S> Most doors have at least a handle operated latch that requires the handle to be turned before the door can be opened. <S> If necessary you can make a blanking plate to cover the place where the handle fitted. <S> This could be a piece of wood (or metal or plastic) cut to the right shape, with screw-holes drilled to match any existing screw-holes. <S> Alternatively, on interior doors in my locale, the latch is operated by a piece of square steel bar that fits between handles, just remove this bar and refit the handle. <S> Same applies to most mortice-deadlocks on external doors. <S> A couple of minutes work with a screwdriver. <A> When we moved into this house, the sliding door from our bedroom to the deck-over-flat-roof-with-no-railing was fastened shut with a single very long (4" maybe?) <S> screw. <S> The house inspector said that was so that it was our responsibility if we unscrewed it and started using the door. <S> If you're not worried about legal liability, just want to stop people using the door until you replace what's on the other side, it seems hard to beat a single long screw. <S> Nobody can accidentally open the door that way. <S> Of course, this prevents using the door for ventilation, but it's quick and simple to do.
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A common way to handle this, is to build a railing in front of the door.
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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 actual cutting device. However Dremel does not make a collet adapter that will allow me to use regular bits in the Trio. Does anyone know of a universal collet adapter, or anything like that? It seems that there would be a simple way to solve this problem, but for the life of me I can't think of it. <Q> Dremel don't support that Here are the reasons they give: <S> Q: <S> Can the Dremel Trio use Dremel rotary tool accessories? <S> A: <S> No. <S> Though Trio accessories look and work like standard rotary tool accessories, they are specially engineered to handle the demands placed upon them by this slower yet more powerful tool. <S> Q: <S> What is the difference between rotary tool and Trio Accessories? <S> A: <S> The Dremel Trio only accepts accessories with 3/16” shanks. <S> Rotary tools, on the other hand, use accessories with shank diameters ranging from of 1/8” to 1/32”. <S> This means you can’t use Trio accessories in your Dremel rotary tool – and you can’t use rotary tool accessories in your Trio (and there are no “conversion collets” available allowing you to do so). <S> The rotary tools have high speed (e.g. 30,000 RPM) but low-torque motors. <S> Maybe the Trio is different and might break bits designed for low-torque tools (or at least, Dremel wish to avoid being held responsible for any consequences of large numbers of bit breakages) <A> Yes, there is an aftermarket collet available here: https://www.testntools.co.nz/dremel-trio-collet-adapter-for-3.2mm-1-8-shank-accessories-t000000001.html <A> This will now hold all rotary shanks in the Trio.
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You can take the collet out of your rotary (if you have one) and put it inside the collet that is on the Trio.
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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 can get my hands on. How do I connect them together at 90 degrees while maintaining a solid connection? I don't have any fancy tools; at best I can get a hand drill, a jigsaw and some vices. This is just the simplified view of the X-axis frame. It's just a normal rectangular frame.. <Q> How do I connect [1x4 wood] together at 90 degrees while maintaining a solid connection? <S> If you can obtain a hand-saw (e.g. tenon-saw/back-saw), some sandpaper and some wood glue, you can make lap-joints. <S> I find they are the easiest way for me to make rigid joints in wood. <S> I find jigsaws are a good way to make wobbly uneven cuts in sheets of wood. <S> Maybe that's just me. <S> Chewing through wood with your bare teeth is not much worse. <S> A back-saw and a miter-box might be more useful to you if you can obtain them. <A> I would just drill pilot holes and screw it together, you don't need to do fancy cuts in the wood. <S> If you need extra stability, put in a diagonal (diagonal cuts all the way across a board are much easier than notching). <S> I would put in a small diagonal brace on each corner, although it would be easier to just use a large one across the whole frame. <S> I built a fairly nice CNC out of steel and aluminum and the framing members were butted togther and bolted to corner plates (which also added some diagonal support). <S> The thing weights almost 200 pounds and I can lean it up on one corner of the X-axis frame and it doesn't budge at all. <S> Butt joints don't look very nice, but they are easy and work just fine if you brace them properly. <S> While you could make your machine out of 1x4s and a dremel tool, I would at least use solid sheets of MDF and 2x4s or aluminum square tubes. <S> Wood is cheap; most of your budget will be on your linear slides, screws/belts, motors, and controller(s) <S> and it just isn't worth it to greatly limit the performance of your whole machine by skimping on what will end up being such a small part of your overall budget <A> Which way is the 90 degrees connection going? <S> ie are the pieces of wood in the same plane (a flat joint)? <S> If they are, you could use a use a half-lap joint (or perhaps a mitre). <S> Or are the pieces of wood in different planes? <S> This gives you various options for the joint, for example: <S> Rebated joint. <S> Mitre Biscuit joint (possibly also with a mitre) <S> Box / finger joints Dovetails <S> Mortice & tenon <S> In this case, you might even be best with a fillet across the corner for reinforcing the joint to give maximum stiffness. <S> Hard to say for sure without seeing your machine design intentions. <A> An easy yet secure method would be to use a pocket-hole jig, like a Kreg jig. <S> Go to their website and watch the explanational video. <S> There are also Youtube videos explaining how you can make your own jig if you don't have the money for a Kreg or other brand.
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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
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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 had ordered and am awaiting their response. What product did I likely get? What is this material used for? <Q> Sounds like you got "Crusher Run", when you wanted "Washed Stone". <S> This site has a good description of some different types . <S> Crusher Run Washed stone <S> It's used as a base for driveways and roads, but is typically compacted and covered by another material (asphalt for example). <S> You may have been thinking of something more like pea gravel, or similar. <S> Something that consists of smallish roundish stones, that you could use as a top layer for a driveway. <S> While the quarry was thinking you meant more of a base type gravel, that you would later add a finish layer on top of. <S> This is sometimes the problem with ordering stone without being familiar with the source, since " Gravel " is a subjective term. <S> Making matters worse, places often try to guess what you need based on the description of the job you provide. <A> When ordering "gravel" it is important to consider if it's washed or not. <S> The crushed gravel can be compacted just fine. <S> The clay will not compact as well since it won't lock together. <S> If you're really concerned you can add some lye to your gravel as you compact it and that will strengthen it up. <S> Honestly we get the crushed stone all the time for the roads we repair here in the Midwest so for a driveway it shouldn't be a problem. <S> Size CA-6 is most commonly used. <S> The rocks are about 1/2"-3/4" including the "fines" (the little crushed parts). <S> Sand as a filler isn't bad but you may need some geotextile fabric between your sand and gravel so that the force of vehicles doesn't rut your driveway faster than it should. <S> On the upside the sand will "wick" water away from your driveway base and that can add to the life of your drive. <S> It will depend on the soil types next to your drive though. <S> All this is based on covering the driveway with asphalt or concrete. <A> Turns out that this is a local-ism for the Canadian prairies. <S> These are seperately gathered and mixed in specific proportions. <S> Aparently most other places in N America would call this a low grade road gravel or base gravel. <S> I still feel like I orderred a coffee and got a mix of coffee, tea, and coke but my local network of people <S> advised this is what should be expected. <S> I guess it's a lesson in making sure you are clear as to what you specifically want. <A> I work in a gravel pit on the crusher. <S> Yes in some orders for driveways and shoulders on roads clay and Sand is used in the mix. <S> The last run we had we were having problems with the clay getting stuck when we were doing tests for quality. <S> So we removed the clay and the sand was not setting up. <S> So for a filler and binder we started using crusher fines and dust with 3/4-. <S> After a good packing and rain it sets up better than concrete. <S> And sheds the water if leveled right.
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Locally gravel means a mix of mostly clay, with some sand and stone.
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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 hot, around 37 degrees Celsius with high humidity. We have two fan coil units (one for the living room, the other shared between 2 bedrooms) both fed of a central chilled water system. We are on the 10th floor of a 15 story apartment block. Both AC outlet vents put out humid air, one of them is worse than the other. The air is cold at the required temperature, but it feels wet - 90% RH at 23 degrees Celsius. We have no leaky windows, no vents that are sucking in outside humid air - only outlet vents for the kitchen and bathroom extractor fans. We leave the AC running 24/7 at set temperature of 23.5 degrees. Landlord said there is no problem and doesn't want to fix it - he sent his AC guys twice who just cleaned the filters nothing else. It is very hard to find professional tradesmen here in this part of the world where there is an illogical infatuation with low cost labor - most "engineers" are self trained air conditioning experts. Since I don't accept their answer that me mopping the floor is causing the humidity (i don't own a mop), how would i go about fixing this: Any idea what the cause is of cold but damp air (90% RH at 23 degrees Celsius)? Are there multiple possible causes? Can i service the AC drain, filter and anything else that may be causing a block myself? Is this likely a problem with the building or confined to my fan coil units? I am concerned about health issues so don't want to be troubleshooting this for long. <Q> UPDATED (not enough reputation to comment, so editing this answer): <S> Another interesting thread here: http://www.greenbuildingtalk.com/Forums/tabid/53/aff/13/aft/77152/afv/topic/Default.aspx <S> Synopsis: <S> if the chilled water is not cold enough, the fan coil unit will not remove enough moisture from the incoming air and RH could rise to mold inducing levels. <S> 70% RH at 23.5C is a dewpoint of about 17.7C. <S> I think the incoming water will need to be a fair bit below that to get your air dry enough... <S> Indeed, the forum post linked to above suggests a temp of around 10C. Try to measure the temperature of the incoming water to see if it is too high. <S> More generally, you already have ample evidence (high RH of the cold air), IMHO, that the unit is not functioning correctly. <S> The landlord is full of beans and too cheap to fix this. <S> But more data/evidence (i.e. temp of incoming water) may be enough to convince them to actually fix the thing... <S> Remind them too that mold is a health issue.... <S> OLD ANSWER: <S> I was intrigued because I thought AC dehumidifies, not the other way round... <S> Per Google, so it is. <S> But not always apparently. <S> https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110614124215AAb8n46 <S> I know nothing about AC systems, but the answers linked to above sound superficially authoritative. <S> Perhaps it'll put you on the right track. <S> Best of luck. <A> Please first check your measuring tool by putting it to your refrigerator.it will be around 8C. <S> Can you measure the outside temperature and humidity too if your measuring tool is working? <S> It seems there is a problem in your fan coil supply air temperature because of it <S> high degree;21C. <S> It's normal temperature is 15C in hot summer day. <S> The 21C may lower the room temperature but it will never remove the moisture but it will make indoor more humid due to only sensible heat transfer. <S> After assuring the measuring tool is working correctly,there will be following probabilities: 1-If other apartments in your floor haven't <S> your problem you should check the circuit of your fan coils(pipes,valves and hoses).Sometimes one or both of valves are fully or partially closed and everybody thinks they are opened. <S> And sometimes the internal diameter of hoses is small ,you should change them with next size. <S> 2-If other apartments have your problem, there is a problem in your central chiller. <S> 3-Or may be,both problems exist in your apartment. <S> May I ask where do you live?I think I know there! <S> Regards <S> Mazdak <A> From the picture it looks like this might be a window A/C unit. <S> Do you have the option to recirculate air, or is it always pulling fresh air from outside? <S> If it can't recirculate, I doubt the AC unit will ever be able to dehumidify the air. <S> As a workaround, you might want to look into installing a dedicate dehumidifier. <S> This will not pull in any outside air and instead will remove the humidity from the inside air.
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To avoid mold, the RH should be kept below 70%.
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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 our laundry and winter coats down there; so I'd like to know if it is safe to use the basement or live in the house; The report also reads that the risk of cancer from radon exposure, rounded up to 2.0 pCi/L is about the same as the risk of dying from poison, or that about 4 out of a 1,000 people who never smoked (like we don't) were exposed to this amount over a life time would get cancer. Considering it effects smokers more so than non-smokers, and that I don't smoke, is it safe for me to exercise in the basement? <Q> As you have probably learned doing research, there isn't a hard-and-fast cutoff between "safe" and "dangerous". <S> But 2.0 pCi/L seems to be the threshold for considering remediation, and that's for a living space. <S> Personally I wouldn't worry about it. <A> EPA sets the "Action Level", the level at which mitigation should occur, at 4.0 pCi/L. <S> I agree with @Henry Jackson, if you got 2 short-term test results that averaged 1.7 then continue to use the space as before. <S> The reason for 2 short term tests is to rule out high levels that would pose an immediate threat. <S> If your long term test result is > <S> 4.0 pCi/L <S> then you should fix the house/basement. <A> The risk is there regardless.... <S> exercise 1hr a day 3-4 days a week.... <S> over even only 5 yrs would increase your risk by as much as 16 percent. <S> I would install at the very least and exhaust fan to collect and send air out, turning fan on 15min prior to using space. <S> This would help move the air. <S> You should most definitely do a long term test and recheck every year. <S> It's your lungs, your life your health. <S> If you don't smoke, then why would you want to expose yourself to a higher risk for no reason. <S> Systems if needed are not really that expensive. <A> The EPA action level is an average of 4.0 pCi/L. <S> For homes testing at or above this level, remediation is recommended for real estate transactions, additional measurements are recommended in some cases for non-real estate transaction evaluations. <S> For homes testing below this level, no action is required. <S> For more detailed information about radon: A Citizens Guide to Radon, and The Home Buyer’s and Seller’s Guide to Radon. <S> These guides outline the next steps for added measurement or recommendations for fixing the home. <A> Someone stated to add a vent exhaust fan to the basement. <S> This would cause negative pressure in the basement and could suck radon from the soil inside. <S> (I would have commented directly but this forum won't allow me to do so.) <A> You are probably ok, a few years back I had a friend that had a high radon level, first we sealed his basement floor the basement level went down but the house living level did not change much at all. <S> With a 3rd test we found his natural marble counter tops were the source , he did have them replaced and the levels on the 4th test were down to .4 <S> or .5. <S> So sealing the floor can help.
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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, which would dramatically reduce your exposure.
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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 paintable latex caulk. <S> Apply a very small amount then work it into the length of the crack with a finger. <S> Wipe off all excess with a damp rag or sponge, then paint. <S> It is a good method requiring no sanding. <A> The only correct way to fix it, IMHO, is to get some paper drywall tape, and embed it in some setting-type (the powdered kind that you mix with water yourself) compound. <S> Do not use the pre-mixed, and do not use fiberglass drywall tape. <S> In my experience, any other method will eventually open-up on you. <A> There is also Goodbye Cracks Elastic Crack Cover Spray. <S> Do a search, <S> these look promising. <S> Even the ones I re paper taped still crack with the ground shifts. <S> I am going to try the above this time. <S> The reviews are good.
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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.
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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 consider a different laminate or switch to engineered wood. <S> Found this install instruction for laminate <S> and it does mention adding an expansion joint for larger rooms. <S> Max room size before expansion is 33' for the panel length and 26' for the panel width. <A> I've run ikea laminate flooring longways in a 20 x 40 foot office. <S> This worked fine and I'm really pleased with the result. <S> One advantage I had was that the ends are not visible at the top or the bottom <S> so I was able to leave a decent amount of expansion space. <S> Obviously your laminate may expand more or less than ikea laminate though. <A> I'm wondering easthetically, if you run the planks the long way along the length of the room, it might enhance the long and narrow feel of the room. <S> I personally would not run them along the long length but the other way.
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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 / contraction space too.
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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 there. The good part is, most of my walls are already pulled off or will be pulled off. I am replacing the current 3/8'' drywall with 1/2''. What kind of material would be the best to insulate my exterior walls? I have a 28'x 40' house, will 2,440$ be enough? Also, if there's a better way of doing this than removing the walls, let me know. <Q> If you wish to preserve the brick exterior, you have the following options, depending on the wall construction: <S> This will entail applying rigid insulation board--either foam or mineral wool--over the inside of the wall, and then covering that up with drywall. <S> If you have a brick cavity wall (e.g. brick veneer on the outside and structural brick or block on the inside) then you can blow water-permeable insulation like perlite into the cavity. <S> You could additionally insulate this wall from the inside as per above. <S> If you have a brick veneer on wood framed wall, then you'll need to insulate the stud cavities normally. <S> You can use fiberglass batts, mineral wool batts, closed-cell spray foam, or dense-packed cellulose. <S> All will be effective. <S> This could save you a ton of money if you haven't already removed the drywall. <S> If you have to or plan to remove and replace the drywall anyway, my personal recommendation would be installing either mineral wool batts or dense-packed cellulose in the stud bays, covering the open stud bays with an additional layer of rigid mineral wool board, and then applying the drywall over that. <S> An added bonus is that this will all but completely soundproof the house. <A> The problems associated with insulating brick, block, or concrete walls vary depending upon environment, construction, and even sunlight. <S> It is critical to get a proper assessment of the overall situation. <S> This is an instance where money spent on a documented professional consultant is money well spent. <S> I have come behind DIY folks many times. <S> Some of them did well but most threw dollars away, or worse, created far worse problems. <S> When the Feds pushed for greater sealing of walls, it was soon discovered that the lack of adequate ventilation resulted in exterior paint bubbling, a reaction to vapor forming inside the walls, often rotting sheathing and studs. <S> Mandatory additional room venting was required. <S> Cooking, showering, and just living creates enormous amounts of moisture that has to go somewhere. <S> I have had success with batting interior masonry walls, leaving an air gap. <S> In subterranean situations I have used brush on sealers. <S> On both interior and exterior, even floors, to stop moisture intrusion in combination with employing venting methods. <S> Often the introduction of a dehumidifier of a simple small fan will halt mold in corners. <S> Remember to use vapor barrier paint under your finish coat. <S> Great stuff. <S> There is more that almost 50 years of this work and a willingness to research has taught me. <S> I can't emphasize enough the value of an expert for you. <A> Your two options are going to be insulation batting or spray foam. <S> Batting is cheap, easy enough to do as a DIYer <S> and will easily come in under your price tag. <S> The other spray foam is more expensive and typically requires professional install. <S> There is a DIYer kit out there <S> but I have never used them. <S> Professional install <S> you are looking at way over your budget <S> but the DIYer kit is about $3k for your size of house.
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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.
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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 plumbing, the wall facing was rebuilt. <S> You might try texturing the wall and repainting it with a non-glossy paint. <S> Just matching the other walls should be good enough. <S> Also, if you have not yet returned all wall coverings, tapestries, paintings, and furniture to that wall or carpet to the floor, the room will sound much "brighter". <A> Have the room's contents changed? <S> Irregular surfaces diffuse sound more effectively, as do soft surfaces. <S> Wall hangings, bookcases (especially if the books aren't all lined up with each other), carpets, furniture and people all absorb some sound energy and change the sound of a room. <A> As said above, sound bounces around on hard surfaces. <S> To calm the echo down you need to use a combination of diffusion and absorption. <S> Diffusion is what causes the sound to bounce in different directions, ie a blank wall will reflect the sound in the same direction which causes it to come straight back to your ears, but if you put a book shelf in the way the sound will bounce away from your ears. <S> Absorption is where the sound is prevented from reflecting. <S> The most effective furniture here would be sofas, cushions and other soft furnishings. <S> Hope this helps. <S> Antony greavesHead of audio productionAcademy of contemporary music
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You can also make a difference with curtains and canvas paintings.
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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, especially when are unused slots. <S> They do seem to accept a few doubled up when they are all in use. <S> If they were serious about this "rule", they could insist on a ground bus extender—but I have never heard of that happening except in commercial (office) wiring. <A> Consult the documentation for the panel or bar. <S> And some jurisdictions won't allow it, even if the manufacturer allows it. <A> Code is code, and pretty much every ground bar/panel I have seen in the past 25 years allows more than one grounding conductor, of the same size, per hole. <S> Most up to three conductors. <S> REGARDLESS of how many unused holes exist. <S> If an inspector can provide a written amendment disallowing it that is an entirely different story, but I doubt many of these local amendments exist. <A> It all depends on the UL LISTING of the connections to the bar as was all ready mentioned the instructions will tell you.
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Some allow it and some don't.
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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 the store, and I was impatient. <S> I managed to get it to a somewhat workable consistency, but <S> no matter what I did, I couldn't get the lumps out of it. <S> I think if I'd let it sit and re-hydrate over a longer period, perhaps I could have worked out the lumps. <S> But by that time, I'd have the car, and I just threw the lot of it away. <A> The reason is in the binder, the stuff that makes it harden and stick to the wall. <S> This is usually polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). <S> For reference, see the USG Sheetrock all-purpose joint compound MSDS , which lists "vinyl alcohol polymer" as an ingredient. <S> PVA is water soluble, but by the time it has dried, the polymerization reaction that makes it work as a glue has already happened. <S> Getting it wet then somewhat reverses this reaction, but not completely. <S> Even if you get all the lumps out, at a microscopic level you will still have a lot of polymerized PVA and other products of the reaction. <S> You will essentially have drywall compound where a significant portion of the binder has already "dried", so when your rehydrated compound dries again, it won't bind as well as it should. <S> As a result, you will get poor adhesion to the wall, and likewise paint will not adhere well. <S> This case study (now paywalled, <S> see archive.org version ) examines a case where the drywall contractors thinned excessively new drywall compound and got a similar result. <S> While not exactly your case, it should demonstrate how the curing reaction in joint compound is not simple drying, and can be broken by deviation from the proper conditions. <A> Unfortunately you cannot re-wet drywall compound and get a usable product. <S> It will break down in to a rough slurry, but the consistency will never be smooth enough to get a descent finish. <S> I have to admit, however, that's where my knowledge ended, so I had to ask myself... <S> why? <S> Why doesn't it just turn back into the mud from whence <S> it came. <S> So to satisfy my own curiosity I started googling. <S> Sadly, according to Google, to understand <S> the "why" it seems you need a degree in chemistry, which I do not have. <S> Basically there are chemical reactions in the setting type that cannot be undone by adding water, and there are additives in the drying type that gas off, chiefly ethylene vinyl acetate. <S> Without replacing them you'll never get the same consistency. <S> I suppose if you added those chemicals back in with the water you could get there <S> but as Bobfandango pointed out, mud is so cheap why would you go to such lengths. <S> I'm not sure what we learned here today <S> but the short answer is: no. <A> I am a taper and you can rehydrate any of it <S> and if it has chunks; you need to slowly add water to make sure the needed abrasion happens while getting mixed(if <S> it becomes souppy; won't be quick). <S> If it is 90,45 or 20; then very hot water after if possible having heated the the mud in the container and let sit covered in a hot area and the water will dissolve it and when you can mix it; add wood glue and use it as a taping mud. <A> I was successfully able to rehydrate enough to patch a few small nicks from removing wallpaper and holes from pulling out nails. <S> So keep that dried-out tub in a sealed plastic bag in case more small projects like this pop up. <A> I have rehydrated mud by adding water and mixing I am talking about premixed mud , hot mud can not be rehydrated, I used to buy mud in a dry powder form and ran out with only a small amount needed 30+ miles out of town I put in some water and used a drill powered mixer to rehydrate some old premixed added more water until it was the right consistency and <S> it worked great, I do save the plastic sheet on buckets now and it never drys out or at least within a year or so. <S> I use both paper tape and the nylon mesh depending on the area and have not had a problem rehydrating some <S> but it takes a little time to get it mixed. <A> My understanding from a basic chemical point of view is: <S> no, even if it looks similar it will be a different product without the strength or bonding qualities of the original. <S> Rehydrating set PVA mentioned in previous comments <S> is problematic +1. <S> Also the product contains limestone in the form of hydrated calcium (calcium hydroxide). <S> When it is kept wet it stays in that form but in contact with oxygen it reacts and turns into calcium carbonate (also called limestone but chemically different). <S> When drying into calcium carbonate it creates cure into the hard shape that it is molded into. <S> Where as using calcium carbonate rehydrated solution there is no chemial curing, and the bond is weak, powdery and easily cracks, chips and crumbles. <S> It's the difference between a limestone block and a limestone powder mud pie. <S> To turn limestone (calcium carbonate) back into limestone (calcium hydroxide) you first need to add 825C of heat to turn into limestone (calcium oxide), and then add water through a process called slacking, which turns it back into limestone (calcium hydroxide).
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While you can rehydrate mud, the rehydrated stuff you make will not perform acceptably.
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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 my enquiry. <S> There is actually a clip (first image in the original question) with an arrow mark on it. <S> The problem is that the mark is uncoloured, very difficult to be noticed from where I stand. <S> Push the clip to the left to release the lock, then pull down the whole thing. <S> You will find the latch hardly slides: it has to move about 1mm and then pull it down gently because the hook has a habit of snapping off. <A> My suggestion is that you try pressing in (or up) on these two tabs: <S> And then that the lower part of the unit will hinge down. <S> The hinge edge being along here: <A> Thank you for this, I have an alarm similar to the one in the first photo. <S> Had to get a torch to see the arrow on the clip. <A> Just did it by pushing the bottom part a bit towards the ceiling and meanwhile sliding the clip to the left which is the arrow pointing direction - and yay <S> it easily was opened. <A> Try simply grasping the lower portion of the detector unit and then try to turn it left or right. <S> It may turn a short distance and then simply pull straight down. <S> AC Powered smoke detectors like this almost always have a plastic receiver piece that screws to the ceiling / electrical box. <S> The AC power wires attach to a short harness and connector assembly that passes through a hole on the receiver plate. <S> This connector then attaches to the top side of the detector unit. <S> At installation the detector unit has fingers that match up with slots in the receiver plate. <S> Then unit is simply pushed up into place and then rotated 25 - 35 degrees to lock it into place on the receiver piece. <S> My suggested removal procedure is the reverse of this common installation procedure. <A> I have a similar one mine says slide to remove.
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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.
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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 shower (around 3-4 feet through the attic). I have a couple ideas, but not sure which to pursue: To build a box in the attic (ceiling drywall, plus add a piece of plywood on top of the joists in the attic to create an air tight space for the pipe) and cover with insulation add some heating element round the pipe just leave it as is but make sure that the pipe is sloped. This will allow the water to get out of the pipe when there is no pressure (my distribution valve will leak it through the on-the-wall shower). What is the best way of doing this? <Q> where is the home?he most important question: <S> Does it freeze in your attic?Even if it freezes - <S> if the pipe is beneath ample insulation it is ok - Unless you are on an extended vacation - in which case must leave the heat on low enough to make sure the house envelope does not drop below freezing. <A> Not sure if this is the right answer, but this is what I did: removed a piece of drywall from the ceiling and cleaned all the insulation that fell down built a small plywood box in the attic above the ceiling (only covering the top and sides, with access from below); insulated the seams with silicone ran the pipe through the plywood box <S> re-drywalled the ceiling added insulation in the attic on top of the box that was built took 1 day to complete <A> If I understand your question correctly, you are running a pipe from the in-wall mixing valve into the attic space to supply a rain shower head. <S> This means that the water in this pipe will never be under pressure. <S> Make the pipe accessible and protected, insulate around it. <S> This should be more than sufficient. <A> Is it a tub/shower combo? <S> If it's totally gutted, what about adding a tub spout with a diverter valve? <S> The vertical column of water to your shower will drain after every use.
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As long as all the pipes in the attic are pitched, you should be fine.
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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 itself comes up without any effort at all, but there is residual adhesive still attached to the wood. I'm concerned it may contain asbestos. Assuming it does, what's the proper method for removing the residual adhesive from the wood before I refinish the floor? The Residual Flooring Covering Institute's (RFCI) guide for removing residual adhesive from wood is to remove the wood - not my preferred option. <Q> First, I agree with diceless, it is probably perfectly legal for the homeowner, to deal with this problem himself (assuming no part of the house is rented to a third party). <S> On the other hand, I agree with Mazura, you may be opening a huge can of worms here. <S> Since we are only talking about 2 bedrooms, I have to question the cost and time effectiveness of trying to rehabilitate the wood if the cutback contains asbestos. <S> I realize there may be problems matching the height of the bedrooms to the hallways or other areas, but if there is asbestos (and the floors are flat enough as is), just nail down new 3/4" hardwood or good quality 1/2" engineered hardwood over top of the existing floor. <S> Just use a heat gun to remove the excess cutback to ensure the floor is flat enough. <S> If the cutback does not contain asbestos, remove excess cutback and then go at it with a drum sander (rent it at Home Depot or wherever). <S> But until you know, you can't really plan the right course. <S> You should be able to scrape up a sample of cutback, mail it to a lab and get results in less than a week. <S> e.g. <S> http://www.asbestos-test.com/ <A> First, test the adhesive. <S> If it does have asbestos, you are stuck. <S> If it doesn't your life is going to be easy. <S> Here is the reason why they recommend complete removal of the wood. <S> Asbestos removal requires two things: Enveloping the entire area, basically making a sealed air tight work area that can be removed once work is done. <S> This would be walls and ceilings covered in plastic, all seams tapped. <S> Double sealed barrier for your one entrance/exit. <S> This really isn't the deal breaker. <S> The next requirement is... Wetting. <S> Any time asbestos fibers have the possibility of becoming airborne, the entire work area needs to be wetted to prevent this from happening. <S> Can you imagine using a power sander on soaking wet wood floors? <S> One, the wood would be destroyed. <S> Second, you might never get to see those destroyed floors because you're dead from electrocution. <S> If you truly do have asbestos in the adhesive your two options are removal of the wood or encapsulating it (lay another floor on top). <A> Avoid the dust of sanding: use Citristrip Gel. <S> It's an orange color in a plastic bottle. <S> Put the gel on at least an eighth inch thick on a square foot and leave it for 18-20 hours.
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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.
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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, on door thresholds and drains (this will draw them out and we swat them and clean them away, but another army returns in a day or two) At the moment my wife is pregnant, and she is willing to go stay at a friend's place for a night to avoid exposure to harsh chemicals. We live in an apartment with no pest control facilities and the only plausible reasoning we got is that maybe the neighbors don't keep their apartment clean - but I am sure there must be something we can do. There are hundreds of other apartments. Otherwise just one pesky neighbor and all apartments would have been infested. Cockroaches are the only problem we have in this unit. <Q> @Mazura is right... <S> you will NEVER get rid of the cockroaches in an apartment. <S> Some years ago, a friend was in your situation and she was unable to move out (the ONLY solution). <S> So, she packed every nook and cranny she could find with powdered boric acid. <S> That actually did an amazing job of controlling the problem. <S> Indeed, the EPA publishes a document that says to blow the powder into the cracks with a hair dryer, and then caulk over. <S> http://www.epa.gov/ncer/childrenscenters/pdf/pesticidespring07.pdf <S> You should fully expect, however, that you'll run across some from time to time. <A> Eliminate any sources of water. <S> You might have a leak or a place where water doesn't drain away completely and the roaches are attracted to that. <A> Do Not use foggers or sprays, you will spread them to every room in the house. <S> These products will provide limited control, not pest elimination. <S> Today's pest control industry has developed terrific baits for the German Cockroach as well as other roaches. <S> The best over the counter roach bait that I recommend to people is Combat Roach Gel. <S> It will cost you about $12.00 and for an average infestation should do the job. <S> Pull out top drawers of lower cabinets. <S> Bait inside cabinets using small pea sized gel in corners to bottom of counter top. <S> You can always re-bait if needed so do not over apply. <S> Bait bottoms of electronic but be careful not to get on electrical circuits. <S> Do not forget to pull out the fridge and bait behind if needed. <S> Wait <S> two days and in areas where you still see roaches, re-apply bait as needed still using small amounts . <S> Do this three days later again and you should be done. <S> Always follow label precautions as the label is the law! <S> Keep bait placements out of reach of children and pets. <S> I have recommended this for do-it-yourself people and have been thanked many times over for 23 years in pest control. <S> Sometimes, you just need to know what to use, and how to use it. <A> Diatomaceous earth is basically caltrops for cockroaches. <S> Diatomaceous earth kills all bugs with an exoskeleton. <S> It has been reported to be the most effective solution when fighting pests like fleas, ants and bed bugs. <S> You have to keep it dry, though. <S> Even morning dew can make diatomaceous earth ineffective. <S> - richsoil.com <S> To the best of my knowledge, it's (ground up sea shells; <S> fossils) inert and is not known to the state of California to cause cancer. <S> Its effectiveness on cockroaches (like everything else that doesn't also kill you ) is obviously going to be less. <S> Also, this exterminates nothing, it kills the ones who step in it. <S> My gut tells me that anything more effective than this would be a chemical solution. <S> Even if every occupant allowed for in-house treatment, the entire building must be treated as a single unit, in one go, multiple times. <S> The reality is that not everyone will agree to it, be home at the times or keep their house clean. <S> You tenets need to petition the landlord to have it sprayed. <S> (Try words first.) <S> One-off killing them doesn't sound like a solution for you. <S> Keep spraying whatever that stuff in a can is so that they think your house sucks to hang out at. <S> The roaches just run next door. <S> " <S> HEY! <S> Who's spraying?!? <S> " Peace treaties may be necessary. <S> TLDR, In your situation, you can't.
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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 neighbors use sprays. Being that you live in an apartment, extermination will be exceedingly difficult.
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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 the basement. We also have central air and a gas furnace. I'm thinking of wiping it away but concerned it will come right back or my wiping activity will spread it. Windows are all double pain likely 15 to 19 years old in good condition. They are the type that swings open with a crank. <Q> First, kill the mold with bleach and wipe down the whole area to try to get rid of as many spores as possible. <S> Next, identify and treat the root cause. <S> Mold at the bottom of the inside would suggest that interior condensation is pooling there. <S> Window condensation is caused by two factors: <S> This suggests two potential solutions: decrease the interior humidity level, or get better windows that aren't as cold inside. <S> Getting another dehumidifier or a bigger one is likely to be much cheaper than replacing all your windows with expensive, high-performance triple-pane units which are what you really need to stop condensation in the cold Canadian climate. <S> Window technology has come a long way in the last 15-19 years, but it doesn't come cheap. <S> I'd go with the dehumidifier now if the windows are otherwise in good condition, and start saving up for those better triple-pane windows. <S> You'll feel the difference, and it will stop your condensation problems, too. <A> To wipe, wear gloves and make a bucket of diluted Bleach (1 part bleach, 9 parts water). <S> Use a rag or sponge to wipe the mold and clean the rag often in the bleach solution. <A> Kill the mold first (Bleach, Borax, Vinegar, etc.) <S> then you may use thermal imager (e.g. Flir One ) which can help you isolate places of possible cold leaks. <A> I prefer to use hydrogen peroxide (3% mixed with water) to kill mold. <S> It does a fantastic job and doesn't stink like bleach. <S> I learned this when working in a hospital many years ago. <S> This prevents a thermal reaction, ( AAA = <S> Always Add Acid).
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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.
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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 appear more yellow than white We initially bought a large amount of white paint at a cheaper price to paint every room in the house to just get fresh coats on the walls and decided we would add color to each room as we had the time/money. We thought this would be a good way to have everything fresh, and we got white ceiling paint as well. However, when we painted in the dining rom and bathroom, nicotine began oozing out I a bubble like manner. I realize I need to do something to deal with the staining before I paint again. Is there something out there better or safer than Kilz? I have a young child and don't want toxins in the house. Are there organic products that will solve this, but that do not contain VOCs or other dangerous substances? <Q> The organic solvents in paint must evaporate to leave the coating on walls. <S> The fact that they evaporate at room temperatures, by definition, means they are volatile, hence Volatile Organic Compound (VOC). <S> Its basic components are resin produced by bugs and alcohol (the drinking kind). <S> It will seal the stains and keep them from bleeding through to the top coat probably better than Kilz. <S> You will need to have good ventilation while the alcohol evaporates, though. <S> Shellac primer does a good job of sealing, but it doesn't have much any pigments in it, so you may need two finish coats (which you will probably need anyway). <A> The best non-toxic paint would be silicate mineral paint. <S> Zero VOCs. <S> It basically hardens to rock. <S> The downside is that it needs a mineral-based substrate to adhere properly, like plaster, cementboard, skim-coated drywall, etc. <S> There are some that can be painted on top of bare drywall or previously latex-painted surfaces with the use of a primer. <S> Here are some examples: http://romabio.com/products (not affiliated with this company) <S> Of course, If you "don't want toxins in the house," you've likely already lost that war. <S> Unless your house is 100% built out of earth, masonry, metal, and solid timber, it is likely already full of toxic chemicals. <S> For example: chemical-soaked pressure-treated lumber was likely used for your walls' sill plates. <S> There may be petrochemical foam insulation. <S> Formaldehyde is used as a glue in the plywood or OSB used to sheathe the walls, and in any furniture, flooring, or trim carpentry that makes use of plywood or MDF. <S> The plywood or OSB sheathing is wrapped in plastic sheeting or tar-soaked paper. <S> You've got VOCs in every layer of latex paint on every surface. <S> Carpeting is almost all synthetic and off-gasses all kinds of garbage for quite a while. <S> If the house has been treated for termites (and it should be if it's made of wood), that stuff is a toxic chemical. <S> Etc. <A> The nicotine/tar will keep seeping through the walls until the there is nothing left to seep out. <S> Or you can put a stain blocking primer up to seal it in. <S> Both Kilz and Zinsser (big box store) and most of the paint stores have low VOC stain blockers. <S> You will need to prep the walls first, clean with TSP, light sand and wipe down. <S> Once you have the primer up then use a low VOC paint. <S> Even low VOC paints stink for a couple of days but it is no way near as bad as the normal. <S> Paint in no way is 'organic', the best you can hope for environmentally friendly. <S> Having low VOC's help. <A> Being painting contractors, we run into this problem often. <S> We use shellac as a primer, which helps eliminate some of the off-gassing from the tobacco toxins embedded in the surfaces to be painted. <S> Then we add the ionic paint additive from Air-ReNu, eliminates any further odor or toxin problems. <A> The painted surfaces and wallboard are porous, allowing the smoke molecules and odors to become embedded, in the walls, ceilings, carpeting, and furniture. <S> With any temperature or humidly change the embedded odors and particles reemerge creating unhealthy air quality. <S> Out-gassing (sometimes called off-gassing, particularly when about indoor air quality) is the release of a gas that has dissolved, trapped, frozen or absorbed in some material. <S> Out gassing can include sublimation and evaporation, which are phase transitions of a substance into a gas, as well as desorption, seepage from cracks or internal volumes and gaseous products of slow chemical reactions. <S> We found using Seal Krete or shellac as a primer that only one coat of paint is required saving time and money. <S> Both Shellac and Seal Krete has the viscosity of water use a short nap roller and do not overload as it will run on the surface. <S> If you chose to use a sealer or shellac as a primer, when you're ready to paint use paint with built in primer, higher viscosity than regular paint, thus only one coat. <S> Now you’re ready to paint, add the ionic paint additive to the paint, turns the wall surface into a permanent air purification system
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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.
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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 it also turns out the porch was made of wood that was not pressure treated. And the back porch is on the North, so there's maybe an hour in the morning when the sun is blocked. He's getting the porch replaced next week, to building code. The tree extends about 18" over his property, about three feet from his porch. If I trim it back more it'll just be bare branches on his side. If I remove the tree (which I'm willing to do if it's right), our small yard will lose a lot of green cover. We have other trees shading the back of our house and seem to do no damage. <Q> If it were sunnier on his deck, he may have less rot as the dew would dry more quickly and completely. <S> Will removing the tree eliminate the issue? <S> Probably not completely given how crowded things look. <S> You're certainly not obliged to remove things that block sun from your neighbors property, however. <S> Your house might also qualify as a sun-blocker, but I doubt you'd take that down. <S> Ultimately you'll have to feel out whats right and neighborly based on your comfort level and your relationship with your neighbor. <A> It is almost certain your tree has very little to do with the condition of your neighbor's home. <S> A couple of things to keep in mind however: <S> Your tree ceases being your tree when it crosses the property line [in the US]. <S> You are neither responsible for trimming that portion of your tree nor can you prevent your neighbor from trimming right up to the line however they wish. <S> Retiree's tend toward removing trees as a general rule. <S> It reduces maintenance and lawn care. <S> That may be what your neighbor really wants. <S> North facing exposures [in the US and other Northern Hemisphere moderate climates] are most likely to support mold because they receive less sunlight regardless of tree cover. <S> Whatever you do, it may not make your neighbor happy. <S> Some people are live and let live and others aren't. <A> And even when it does (dry rot) that's because of a fungus and fungi like a lot more dark than a few hours of shade a day. <S> The deck was made out of a non-exterior grade wood, it was doomed from the beginning. <S> Your tree might have played a small role in its demise in so far as the shade inhibited the natural evaporation of moisture <S> but that's a long stretch. <S> Buy him a six pack, help him tear out the old one if it makes you feel better but rest assured, that deck was going to rot one way or the other. <A> Wood rots, period. <S> His deck would rot eventually with or without your tree. <S> It's impossible to say with any certainty that your tree contributed directly to it. <S> Maintenance, humidity, rodents, etc. are all contributing factors. <A> In my state anyone has the right so cut vertically to the sky anything that extends over the property line. <S> They may do that at their expense. <S> And, if your tree were to fall over on your neighbor's car, your neighbor's comprehensive coverage on his car, if he has any, would cover that. <S> Go figure.
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Wood rots because of moisture, not the absence of light.
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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 is at low speed. Is it true that a furnace with a variable speed blower is not suited for a two story house with the unit in the basement? <Q> Does the ratio of static pressures between two stories differ at different blower speeds? <S> That's a very interesting question, but I believe it's a moot point. <S> Any dramatic difference would mean your system isn't balanced correctly in the first place. <S> (needs zoning, split systems, or an actual balancing) <S> Stack effect will cause plenty of heat to go upstairs, while the cold air will settle. <S> I'd be more concerned that it won't cool right. <S> Except that furnaces usually only run at high speed for AC because cold air is denser, making it harder to push. <S> If your old system heats and cools just fine <S> I don't foresee a problem. <S> Without being in the correct centralized location (which is somewhere on the first floor of a two story), the thermostat will not control the house properly. <S> In low-fire mode, indeed less air will go upstairs and downstairs, per minute . <S> Blowing softly is what makes it more comfortable. <S> It will run longer and more often, reducing the intermittent temperature differential, keeping the house nice and even. <S> So no, the same amount of 'less' air will be coming out below as above. <S> Your contractor either is trying to up-sell you into a split system (or knows more than I do) or convince you that zoning is required (a possibility, however this can be retrofitted later at your discretion). <S> Either of these additions would dramatically increase the cost. <S> Unless your house has automatic zoning and was balanced by a genius, it will always be hotter on the second floor in the winter, and colder on the first in the summer, just like everyone else's. <A> Most air ducts are not perfectly designed. <S> Second floors need more air flow in the summer. <S> Heat rises in the winter. <A> You could tandem a thermostat upstairs, but you will always be wasting heat downstairs. <S> The proper solution is two furnaces or space heaters upstairs. <S> I have a separate zone upstairs with a thermostat, but because we mostly only use one room up there <S> I heat that room with a space heater.
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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.
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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, but the press table flexed, and now my holes on the back side are out by about 1-2mm. That's really gonna screw up the axle. I can't easily re-drill the holes, because the correct centre is inside the existing pilot hole. Is there a simple way to fix this mistake, and get a hole centered in the correct position? <Q> Get some flat bar and drill the hole size that you require. <S> clamp the flat bar into position over the existing hole (in the correct position). <S> Then drill or file into the flat bar hole (acting as a guide/template) to your desired position. <A> You should be able to "pull" the hole back to centred as you step up the drill sizes. <S> Just aim for (or with small drills towards) the correct centre and each step up in size will get closer and closer to being correctly centred. <A> I have used (carefully - they are brittle - wear saftey glasses and work slowly) solid carbide diamond-pattern "tile-cutting-bits" (for Roto-zip®, Dremel® or similar tools) as a side-grinding tool in a drill to correct holes in metal. <S> I generally lubricate them with oil. <S> Don't waste a diamond bit on this (diamond, when grinding steel, unless very carefully controlled often just gets destroyed - tungsten carbide will be more economical and work better in nearly all cases.) <A> the only way I think you can be truly accurate is to tack-weld or rivet a new piece layer of flat steel over the existing pilot hole. <S> Then drill a new pilot hole, then drill final size. <S> Then remove the extra steel layer. <A> Tap the existing hole if it is not already tapped. <S> Clean the hole and a bolt or screw. <S> Use JB weld and screw in the bolt tightly. <S> After all is set up, cut the bolt off flush. <S> Then center punch the new location and drill the new hole. <S> Just don't get things too hot when you cut the bolt off <S> or you the epoxy may fail. <S> You want the bolt plug to stay stationary and not spin while you are drilling or tapping.
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The extra layer of steel will basically act as a drill bit guide to keep your bit centered in your new pilot hole.
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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 rebar to anchor the containing wall/stair we need to know where the pipe is. <Q> If your water does not freeze up in the winter, they are presumably buried below frost line for your area - which is typically where they do get put by competent installers (and not terribly deep if there is no frost.) <S> In my area that's 4-5 feet, typically. <S> In most but not all cases it will probably be the shortest, most direct path from where it comes out of the house to the well. <S> The only way to be sure is to carefully dig down and find it on either end, and then use those locations to try and find it nearer to where you might be damaging it if you blindly pounded things into the hillside. <S> Once you have found a few specific points, be sure to witness them in one or more of these methods: take very careful tape measure distance readings to fixed objects(the well-head <S> if it sticks out of the ground, the corners of thehouse foundation, other objects likely to stay put for a long time)and write those measurements down on a map - you can then construct atriangle to find the pipe again by measuring from a fixed point asrecorded on the map and making an arc, then doing the same fromanther fixed point - where the two arcs cross, the point youmeasured the well-pipe at should be below (within some scope oferror.) <S> I'm fond of a more direct approach, where I construct an annualflowerbed or easily movable perennial plants flowerbed as a physicalwitness to the item below. <S> You'd still want to save a map with the "important house paperwork" and hope it doesn't go missing, but there's no doubt where to dig unless someone obliterates the flowerbed in question. <S> If you remember not to move it, some sort of lawn decoration could serve the same purpose, but a flowerbed is more lasting. <S> A section of inexpensive PVC electrical conduit just shorter than the depth to the buried item and marked (both what, and from 0 at the bottom to how long it is at the top as a measuring device) with permanent marker can also be buried in the hole as a guide to future digging. <S> The idea being that you can find it quickly as it's just barely buried, and then follow it down and know how close you are to the buried item. <A> One safety note: if you at ask think there is a chance you can hit the line, turn off power to your pump while you are working. <S> Better safe than sorry. <S> Depth <S> First of all, the water lines are almost always buried below the frost line. <S> There are exceptional cases where bedrock prevents this, and if there is no other path the lines may be shallower with insulation and possibly heat line, but this is pretty rare. <S> The power lines are almost always buried right beside the water lines, often both inside a length of <S> "big o" (corrugated black 4" HDPE) . <S> Locating via guess You can take an educated guess by looking at where the lines enter the house. <S> Generally it will be the most direct route that doesn't have any sharp turns. <S> Locating using a wire tracer <S> There are also companies that will do this for you. <S> This will only work if there are wires (submersible pump), or if you cut the water line and run a fish line down it that can be traced. <S> Obviously the most expensive, but may also be the only way without digging it up. <S> It just really depends on the distance involved and how close the line likely is to the spot you are digging or installing rebar. <A> When in doubt, Call <S> Before You Dig (your gas, power, water and telco companies). <S> Your municipality may have a system in place to make this easier, E.g, 811. <S> They will come out and mark where their utilities are so you don't hit them. <S> Concrete footings must begin below the frost line. <S> Hopefully you don't find it when digging out for the footings. <S> Rebar gives concrete strength, they're not 'piles' to be driven far off into the ground. <S> If you do find it, make sure X marks the spot as Ecnerwal suggests. <S> My 'archives' have saved me countless headaches. <A> You can buy (or maybe rent) a wire tracer like this : The power wire to the well would have to be disconnected from power and the left box connected to the loose wire. <S> Then walk around with the sensor near the ground and see where the wire goes. <S> Its range is reduced by the soil so if the wire is very deep (> 18 inches?), it may not work so well.
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You can rent a wire tracer that will fairly accurately trace the path of underground wires.
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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 did not work as the water cannot be drained out completely even when the mains is shut. I have also tried taping and clamping, but it wouldn't work either. As a portion of the pipes running through my house is buried underground, there could be leakage undetected elsewhere. My intention is to replace the entire network of water pipes with one that is exposed and easier to inspect and maintain. I am given two options, copper or stainless steel. The stainless steel option is currently 20% cheaper, but I am not sure whether this is the better option in the long run. Is stainless steel piping more durable than copper? <Q> In general, yes, stainless steel is more corrosion resistant than copper. <S> It forms a tightly bonded oxide coating which tends to prevent further corrosion. <S> If replumbing a house where copper pipes corroded (this is more prone to happen in some areas than others due to water chemistry differences) <S> my first instinct at this point would be to use PEX plastic tubing, but for metallic piping I would choose stainless steel over copper even if the price was the same. <S> If on a water supply that is treated with chlorine, or which has salts, there is a slight possibility of a stainless-steel specific problem (chloride corrosion). <S> Still, I'd choose PEX by preference - should cost less, and it's not going to corrode. <A> Depending on which type, Stainless is the better option: <S> Corrosion resistant, strong, durable and can withstand temperatures colder and hotter than you'll likely need and won't leach harmful chemicals or minerals / metals into your water supply. <S> The disadvantages are the pipe is hard to cut or bend and could crack or burst if the water freezes in the pipes but, this can be avoided if you drain the plumbing in cold weather if you won't be using them or heavily insulate them. <A> 316 stainless. <S> No question. <S> But do you have any idea what it runs? <S> It's not cheap. <S> If your worried about corrosion or longevity, think of high end scientific instruments, processing and factories, power plants, medical and other similar applications. <S> It's at home in all of those apps, but totally overkill for a home.
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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.
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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 switches, Switches 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 . Switch 1 turns on/off lights A / B . Switch 2 turns on/off lights A / B . Switch 3 turns on/off light C . Switch 4 turns on/off lights A / B / C . Is this even possible to accomplish? <Q> This is possible using standard electrical wiring devices! <S> You will need (in addition to standard electrician's tools and supplies): <S> Three three-way switches (switches 2, 3, and 4) A four-way switch such as a Leviton CSB4-15T or equivalent (linking for the sake of those who have never bumped into one, a good home improvement store should have one kicking around somewhere) <S> -- this will be switch 1 A two gang box for switch 4, with a switch + blank two gang faceplate -- <S> one side of this faceplate has the standard switch slot, the other is blank. <S> And lots of 14/3 NM-B (in addition to 14/2) because you'll need to run multiple travelers <S> The wiring diagram is as follows: <S> Dotted lines are neutrals, the rest of the colors are self-explanatory. <S> Three things: You will want to use a two-gang box for Switch 4, as the wire fill (eight wires) is too dense for a single gang. <S> Perhaps you could stash a wiring diagram in there for the sake of anyone who has to fix it later, too? <S> Keep your travelers consistent: in the diagram, red is up and black is down, always . <S> Make sure the documentation for this is kept well, otherwise it will give the next electrician who encounters it a bit of a headache. <A> Two separate switched circuits would have to be bridged together. <S> In an appliance or device, this functionality could be done with a double pole/double throw (DPDT) switch, but I have never seen a version of that for residential wiring. <S> However, your design is easily done with home automation controls, such as X10 which can be found at (large) Radio Shack stores and other electronic component retailers—I sometimes see them at Frys . <S> There are other home automation system/components which may be more suitable in your region. <S> A fourth switch performing a "scene select" function would be needed to generate the A/B and C commands from switch 4. <S> This requires a scene controller. <A> You may be able to do this using switches like this Insteon device . <S> You would need a white (neutral) wire at each switch and do something like this: <S> Switch 1 directly controls <S> lights A & BSwitch 2 has nothing connected to its load terminal; it is used a remote control. <S> Switch 3 directly controls light CSwitch 4 has nothing connected to its load terminal. <S> You would then set up a scene for lights A&B controlled by switches 1, 2, 4 and another scene for C controlled by 3 & 4. <S> This can be set up without a separate controller, although if you go to more complex setups you may want to add one. <S> There are other technologies that may work for this as well; check out "UPB lighting control" and "Zigbee lighting control" with your favorite search engine.
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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).
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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? What do I do with the ground? <Q> Yes, if you have your heart set on removing them, then after you remove the outlet, tie the two black wires together with a wirenut, and tie the two white wires together. <S> That way, you will still have power going to wherever the next electrical box is. <S> For the ground, you can either screw it to the box, if it is a metal box <S> and you can find a place to do that, or just leave it unconnected in the box. <S> If you have two ground wires (one entering the box and one leaving), tie these two ground wires together. <S> Don't forget: before you remove the faceplate and start removing wires, disconnect the circuit by turning off the appropriate circuit breaker, and then test to make sure that the outlet is dead. <A> that still had its linking bar intact). <S> Two blacks and two whites could mean there is multiple circuits present. <S> If turning off one single pole breaker killed all the power in that box, you're good to go; nut them. <S> (Assuming it's not a switch leg, and no other breakers are off in the main panel or any sub panels.) <S> Back-feeding across two breakers on the same phase is bad (effectively circumventing the protection), crossing the two phases of your incoming is (burn your house down) worse. <A> Don't. <S> If you are worried about a coat hanger or something accidentally getting stuck in one, just add a childproof outlet cover and call it a day.
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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 do much to change the aesthetic.
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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 20A*120V or 2400 watts and 15 AMP <S> you have 15A*120V or 1800 watts. <S> Good Electricians will only use 80% of the circuit and leave a 20% safety margin so you have 1920 and 1440 watts respectively at your disposal per circuit. <S> Lets use 1440 as a conservative estimate. <S> Next, find out what's on the circuit. <S> To do this, leave the lights on that you want to connect to. <S> Open your electrical panel and flip off the breakers one by one until the lights turn off. <S> Now turn off all the breakers except for the one the light are on and see how many lights and outlets are powered by the circuit. <S> It's then just a matter of adding up what is on the circuit. <S> Let's say you have 8 50 watt lights on the circuit, that roughly 400 Watts of draw (roughly). <S> That gives you and extra 1000 watts, more than enough to add a few flourescents. <S> Adding up the lights are easy. <S> But the plugs will be a little more difficult, because there is a difference between having your entertainment center (TV, stereo, etc) on the circuit versus an alarm clock radio and just a lamp. <S> For the current ligths and appliances that are connected, you can plan whether adding another light is feasible. <A> It's usually safe to add a few more lights to an existing circuit. <S> But that said, you should take a closer look at the circuit. <S> Is it only used for lighting? <S> If there are receptacles on the same circuit, it will be difficult determine if you will be always be fine: how can you guarantee that someone won't plug a high wattage space heater in to an outlet on the same circuit? <S> How many lights and what kind of wattage or current for each one? <S> You could approximate a 100 Watt 120 Volt incandescent light bulb as using about 1 Amp of power (it uses a bit less than 1 Amp after the initial surge of current when you just flip the switch and the bulb filament is cold and has less resistance temporarily allowing greater current to flow through) <S> A 10 Watt energy saver bulb could then be approximated as 0.1 Amp. <S> What is the capacity of the circuit? <S> 15 <S> Amps? <S> 20 <S> Amps? <S> If you get close to the limit or exceed it, then you could add another circuit to meet the possible load of having all of the lights on. <A> That depends on how many Volt <S> * Amperes <S> (VA) <S> the lights already on the circuit draw, and the VA of the additional light, and the size of the breaker. <S> There is no "one size fits all" answer, such as "7" <S> If the circuit is a 120V circuit, that's the Volts part of Volts * Amperes. <S> Likewise for 240 or 277 volt circuits. <S> The Amperes is found by looking at the information on the fixture or the ballast which will either list Amps or (possibly) VA or both. <S> Lighting loads are typically continuous (may be on for more then 3 hours, per electrical code that's considered a continuous load), so a 15 amp 120V breaker can have at most 12 amps, or 1440 <S> VA (VA might seem like it is the same as Watts, but it's not, except for incandescent bulbs.) <S> A 15 amp 240V circuit is the same 12 amps, but 2880 VA since the voltage is doubled. <A> The breaker size is determined by the wire size. <S> A 12 Gauge wire should have a 20 amp breaker and a 14 Gauge wire should have a 15 amp breaker. <S> If you know your total wattage of your circuit you can divide it by your circuit voltage which will give you the total amps of the circuit. <S> So if you have 120 volt circuit that uses 1500 watts your current load is 12.5 amps. <S> If you base your loading at 80% of max load a 15 amp circuit should be 12 amps. <S> So in this example you should use a 12 Gauge wire which means you can us a 20 amp circuit. <A> I think the basic has been said you just sum up the total watt of your lightings. <S> you will see this written on the bulb for instance you having say 50watt bulb each and you had 10 already maths gives 500watt. <S> to calculate safer breaker. <S> if u are in UK or country that uses 240v. <S> simply multiply 240v*20A*80% gives 3840VA all together. <S> this shows that you can still add as much as 3340watt additional bulbs <A> Non on the above is entirely true. <S> There is also Residual current leakage to consider. <S> LED fittings generate .5mA of residual current. <S> If you have an 30mA RDC (Residual current device) on that Circuit breaker then you should't really be exceeding more than 20 Ballasts / circuit. <S> Most fittings have their own ballast so 20 fittings +/- <S> a few is safest.
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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.
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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 watts; the bulb that you've selected is 11 watts. <S> You've exceeded the permitted wattage, even if it is by a very small margin. <S> Is it safe? <S> But why exceed a stated limit? <S> I would suggest considering a smaller wattage bulb for that fixture, or a fixture that supports the bulb wattage that you've selected. <A> Read the rating carefully. <S> If it says Max 40 w Incandescent, (CFL 9 W) <S> then you are ok with the 11 watt bulb. <S> This issue comes up from time to time, and it's due to a misguided belief that a 9W CFL is in all ways equivalent to a 40 incandescent. <S> This is not true. <S> Very simply, A 40 W element will consume and output 40 W of energy. <S> Incandescents are extremely inefficient in light output, and most of this energy comes out in the form of heat. <S> The fire hazard comes from this waste heat. <S> More explicitly, the danger is in setting the shade of fire. <S> A 40 W bulb emits about 2% of the energy as light, and 98% as heat. <S> This number is so small, we could easily say that the bulb emits it's entire output as heat. <S> So you lamp is built to be able to withstand 40 w of heat output. <S> Now, what happens if we stick in an 11 w CFL? <S> Well, The first law of Thermodynamics tells use that Energy in == <S> Energy out. <S> (Incorrectly) <S> Assuming that all of the energy in comes out in the form of heat, this CFL can output a MAXIMUM of 11w of heat. <S> This is well below the 40 w that the lamp was built to withstand. <S> So, all things being equal, you could put in a 40 watt CFL, which would be equivalent to 180w incandescent. <S> However, the size of the bulb might move it considerably closer to the shade, and introduce fire hazards due to proximity. <S> So Not Recommended <A> If the lamp is rated for a maximum CFL bulb of 9 watts, then you shouldn't put an 11 watt bulb in it. <S> If you do, you will be overloading the rating of the lamp by 22%.
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Most of the max wattage specifications by manufacturers are conservative, so you would probably be fine.
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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? Edit: So all fans AFAIK are bi-directional components. The issue is the controller and I don't care about controlling speed as much as the direction + on/off. One solution I have in mind is something like this: [through-wall fan/vent system] -> [some sort of inline polarity switcher] -> [wall plugin thermostat controlled relay] The issue is the polarity switcher. A manual polarity switch would be fine since I'd only maybe need to change it seasonally for the most part. What can I look for that does that? PS: I am not looking to cut anymore than a single whole in the wall (and no more than 4-9" diameter) and simple set up is a plus. Long term I may loop back and do a custom job with an arduino but for now I'm looking for cheap, easy & off-the-shelf. <Q> Here's a dead-simple idea: use a PTAC unit to air condition the room with excess heat, and dump it into the adjacent room. <S> That's the general idea behind how companies with huge server rooms recycle heat during wintertime. <S> Their systems are much more sophisticated, of course, inevitably involving heat exchangers, water cooling, thermostats, multiple zones for the heat <S> so conditioned areas don't get too hot, etc. <S> If you have ducted heat, you could rig up an air or water-based heat exchanger attached to a new coil in your HVAC air handler. <S> If you have hydronic heat, you could use a similar heat exchanger to put the heat into that system. <S> Etc. <S> It's probably beyond the scope of this website to design such a system for you, but hopefully I've given you some ideas. <S> There are many ways to move heat from one place to another. <S> Get creative! <A> <A> I would just cut two vents in the wall, one high and one low. <S> Natural airflow probably won't be enough to balance the temperature, so put a fan in one or both of the vents. <S> If you do both, point the fans in opposite directions. <S> Again, it doesn't really matter which way the air moves because it will mix.
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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 hook it up to a bi-directional fan and write some code to have it automatically start at a certain temperature difference.
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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 barrier. Will anchoring it in the studs and fire barrier at multiple points. Is this a good plan or should I be looking into other procedures? I'd rather not buy desk legs if I can mount it to the wall. <Q> I would just buy a 1x4 or similar material that would go with your butcher block and use them as a ledger board on the three sides. <S> Simply measure the height you want, attach ledger board to wall all the way around (3 easy cuts) and attach them to the studs. <S> Then just slide on your butcher block. <S> To attach to ledger you can use screws but a little silicone is probably more than enough for a tight space to keep it from moving. <A> As DMoore notes, a simple ledger would work well. <S> If you want something that isn't visible, buy yourself a Kreg pocket screw jig like this one . <S> Cut a few 2x4 to hold it up at the right spot, and then you can just screw it right in. <S> I would try to use 2 screws per 2x4 to increase the strength. <A> I'm not sure what the fire barrier is specifically but in general you should be able to mount a floating top in this situation without any problems. <S> You can do angle brackets, z clips, or ledgers(by far the easiest). <S> The hardest part is going to be scribe-ing in all three sides to your walls. <S> Cheers!
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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.
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