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How can I make the underneath of an outdoor playset usable and not a mudpit? Based on this bulletpoint from the allowed topics: Which tools, materials, and best practices for home improvement task. I'm looking for advice on dealing with our playset. Specifically the area beneath it that they usually recommend bein...	You can also add a really good weed control fabric over the mud to stop weeds from coming through.
Wall between House and garage is hanging over the concrete slab. Is this a major issue? We bought our house about six months ago, and we are first time home buyers, so please forgive my ignorance. This weekend I noticed that the bottom of the wall in the garage was about 1-2 inches over the concrete slab underneath. Is...	Only if the actual wood framing of the wall itself is overhanging the slab might you possibly have a a problem, and even, then, it would most likely be a fireproofing and air sealing problem, not a structural problem. Anyway nothing to worry about.... From your pictures, it looks like it's just the baseboard
PVC lubricant for pipe and fittings What kind of lubricant can I use on PVC pipe and fittings so that I can assemble and disassemble easily. This is a stage made of PVC pipe that must be assembled and disassembled repeatedly. <Q> Plumber's silicone grease. <S> Silicone Faucet Grease helps reduce friction and provide...	: soapy water - will make it easier to assemble and remain hard to dis-assemble Silicone spray - is a good lubricant to use, since it is fairly non-reactive and effective Petroleum jelly - this is also good.. but will stick to everything and will get on your hands.
How to put up a very small barrier on concrete to stop water running past it I have a concrete driveway that leads to the garage, with a very slight slope towards the garage. When it really rains hard, the water comes down into the garage. I don't want a very high barrier, just about an inch I guess would do. What i...	I had a similar problem, I made a 1" high, 3" wide concrete bump using some angled wood strips to hold it until set.
Hot water pipe sticking up in back yard? Found that a copper pipe coming out of ground in back yard is the Hot Water pipe for the house. Turn on the Hot Water, the pipe gets hot. It is sticking up out of the ground and think this is NOT GOOD! Would this be normal for a house on a slab built around 1956 in Texas? ...	Assuming you have to work with where it comes out of the garage (Point G) and where it goes into the house(Point H), dig deeper and bury it deeper, reconfiguring the line to fit the deeper trench, and insulating it very well (buried hot water line sounds like cash leaving your wallet in a hurry.)
Why do my water pipes jump when running water? I turn the water on half to full volume and the pipes make a jumping noise about every 4 to 5 seconds. The do not make any noise when turning the faucet on or off. If I run the water slow, it doesn't do it, just when I try to get a full stream of water. What can I do to...	It's probably just vibration making the pipes wiggle at a certain flow rate where the vibration wavelength oscillates just right to be amplified into actual pipe movement.
Parents cable box caught fire, hour later half the house is out of power? So, My dad was working on a leaking sink in a bathroom and my mom yells there is a fire. Their cable box caught fire, they put the fire out without a problem and mom called the cable company. While mom was on the phone with cable people, the hous...	If you go to your circuit breaker box, you should be able to turn on the circuits that switched off due to the fire.
How to Get PEX to Seal I'm in the process of moving my laundry area. For the plumbing we decided to use PEX. Unfortunately I have been unable to properly seal the PEX tubing to the fittings on the final fixtures- they continue to leak with a slow drip. What do I need to do to get these to seal. We tried two different...	We always use pipe thread sealant instead of teflon.
What can I do about a Rough opening that is REALLY out of square? The house I am living in has a rather interesting problem. Due to what I suspect was Jack Daniels building inspections in this town in the 80's, the footing wall under the second floor dining room looses about an inch across 9 ft. The kitchen to the le...	Eventually, you may want to have the floor jacked and corrected, and doing so doesn't affect exterior walls. It might sound crazy, but you can order a window like you mentioned, although only about 1/2-1" smaller in height.
How to hide AC lines up against brick siding I had this AC system installed, and didn't realize when asked about what location i'd prefer the compressor that it would look so ugly having it off the corner of the building instead of in the middle (due to the AC lines). The return line and electrical conduit are rather l...	I think the downspout will look better versus the gutter because of it's uniform shape. You could always put some sort of planter box in front/over it, like an upside down window valance.
Get free-spinning bolt out of TV? I am trying to remove an HDTV wall mount from the TV, but: a handyman tightened one of the bolts overzealously, and now it's stuck. Specifically: The bolt turns freely, but does not reverse out of the TV. I assume the metal sleeve in the TV broke off, inside, and now my screwdriver i...	If you are lucky, maybe you can get some epoxy or glue around the bolt inside of the TV to freeze it and then use locking pliers to remove the rest of the screw or drill it out.
why does my ceiling fan change direction 2or3times before it finally stays in one direction? When I turn my ceiling fan on it will reverse direction several times until it settles into the correct direction. <Q> It's probably an optical illusion. <S> The "wagon wheel effect" You are probably viewing it in light produ...	Your forward, reverse switch may be defective causing it to go back and forth.
Should I build a deck over my existing concrete patio or other? I have a very challenging, small, north facing, graded back yard. The lowest portion of the yard is totally unusable. Attached to the house is a small concrete patio slab that at the highest point is around 3-4 feet, at the lowest is around 1 foot. Here ...	The main thing to consider is how you are going to support the deck.
Extra unattached copper line under bathroom sink So the bathroom sink has three lines underneath, all with shutoffs. Hot, cold, and another cold line. The second cold line is unused and older (it's copper, appears to be 3/8). Edit for clarification: yes, all three lines have shutoff valves installed. If this was the...	If you're concerned the valve will leak, then shutoff the water to that line, remove the valve and cap the pipe there (or replace any T's with a straight fitting). If so, it’s more than likely just for MAU/Swamp coolers.
Should I be concerned that the sill plate is not lined up with the foundation? I am in the process of building a one level home in PA. After the formed concrete walls were poured and the framing began, I noticed that on one side of the house that the sill plate was flush with the edge of the foundation wall in the rear...	Have the general contractor figure out who is out of specification and have them fix it. I strongly suggest that you don't let the house be built out of square. Difficult to diagnose without seeing and of course bolting a steel might look a 'pigs ear' depending on where it is and what the options are to 'hide' the stee...
outdoor light post rusted out at the ground. How to I prevent it the next time? I have an outdoor free standing light in my subdivision yard. It is on a 5" diameter metal pole. This pole was driven into the ground and has rusted at the ground level and broken. I need to fix it and want to prevent this from happen...	The way to stop metal from rusting is to keep it dry. Stainless-steel pipe would be the simplest and most direct one, givenyour non-concrete desire. If the location was flat or at a low point I would then bury drainage pipe 20" deep connected to the hole and leading to the nearest drain.
How can I support an already installed shower valve? My shower valve was poorly installed. The pipes and valve were never secured or clamped to the surrounding framing. The valve rattles around in the wall and the cover plate has about a 1/2" gap between it and the wall. I have the handle and cover plate removed - t...	If it takes too much pressure to push the pipe back, the block may crack the wall, the tile or both, from the backside by the pipe pushing back. The foam should have enough flexibility to handle expansion, and the wide contact area should provide solid stability. The larger tile I referred to at the beginning will help...
What can I do about electric code violations in a rental unit? My fiance and I are currently renting an apartment in Baltimore, MD and recently we have become alarmed by much of the house's wiring. Things we have seen included: countless wires that are spliced together outside of electrical boxes wires spliced toget...	If the inspector condemns the place, and you are forced to move, then you can stop paying your rent. Just do some research and let the landlord know what their specific legal obligations are (i.e. maintaining a safe residence) and what your specific legal rights are (i.e. reporting to Baltimore's housing authority). So...
How do I cut lengths of wooden beading lengthwise? I wish to replace some missing beading in a stairwell. I've only a limited amount of equipment and experience, but I figured I could get a mitre saw and some matching wooden edging and the right stain, and it would be a simple job to match the existing beading. When I...	Another method that I've resorted to in a pinch, that DOES work, would be to use the existing piece as a guide and make a patient series of longways scores with a utility knife.
Cheap way to reinforce 1/2" Pipes I used some 1/2" pipe (I got it at Lowe's; I think it's typically used for gas?) to build a simple frame for a heavy bag, essentially an inverted U (about 6.5' high, 5' wide), attached to wooden feet, which are weighted by sand bags. It was fine for a day, but I have two problems; The ...	Assuming the pipes are threaded into fittings, to prevent the fittings from loosening, you can use red loctite on threads before assembly.
good practice for using a circular saw I am a novice DIYer and recently purchased a Makita circular saw (7 1/4"). The manual says that I should always put my two hands over the saw and that it is not safe to hold the saw with one hand while holding a lumber or plywood with the other. But, when I check most of tutorials...	Holding the saw with one hand is an advanced, and unsafe technique.
What flooring material to install in a sunroom with wide temperature and moisture variations? Late last fall, we had a sunroom built on our nhouse, and we're trying to determine what type of flooring should be installed. We live in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, so the climate will definitely be a factor. The flooring is...	Your best option is sheet vinyl. You'll be looking at a floating floor (i.e. not nailed or glued), which is typical for laminates.
Should roofing nails be visible in the attic? I have a colonial built in 1913 and I live in NYS. My roof was just completed today and I have exposed nails across the entire roof! It was not like this before. When I asked the contractor about it, he said this is normal, but I'm having a difficult time accepting this a...	Roofing nails actually should come through about a quarter inch - I'd be more concerned if they didn't.
Mark 2 points on parallel walls directly opposite each other I am about to mount some steel pipe which spans from one wall of a room to the opposite wall. (Here's why: Mount Pull-up bar from wall to wall ) How do I accurately mark two points on facing parallel walls so that the points are directly opposite each othe...	Just measure up, and measure over from the nearest wall on each side. We'd just shoot our laser on it with a horizontal self leveling plane. Get a tube file it with water, a water always finds its level. I guarantee the walls are not parallel but you may not notice it.
How to support the subfloor around a toilet between I joists I'm replacing some rotted subfloor around a toilet, and I want to add blocking around the flange for extra support, and to give me a place to support the new pieces of subfloor (I'm not planning on replacing the flange). What complicates things is a pipe run...	With NO FLANGE in place, build a frame first, not piece by piece in the floor. Really, we would cut half way on the joist, install 2x4 blocks horizontal between the joist under the subfloor halfway on the edge of the existing subfloor to tie the sheets together, then install the subfloor.
Compatibility of aluminum fittings with brass rough-in valve I am wanting to add a permanent electronic temperature sensor to a brass rough-in shower valve. For this particular rough-in valve, I can thread a thermowell into the outlet that is normally used for the tub spout, since no tub spout is used. I can easily...	Aluminum and brass with an electrolyte between them (water) can still result in galvanic corrosion.
How To Fix Severed Sprinkler Solenoid Wire? I re-opened my sprinkler system this season to discover that one of the zones would not go off on it's own. After visually inspecting the valves, I see that the issue is that one of the two wires that connects to the problem zone's solenoid has been severed. Not sure what h...	If you have a similar type spare valve unit you could also consider swapping the solenoid coil off of it to replace the one with the damaged wire.
What to use to seal grout in shower I have just re-newed grout (in my less than one year old shower installed by builders) that on close examination had slight cracks but never the less water got through and soaked my bedroom carpet behind my wardrobe over a 4 month period. I used Mapei grout which was recommended. How...	If possible wait 24 hours before allowing water to hit the grout.
Connecting multiple hubs to a single Z-Wave device First off, please forgive me if this is not the right Stack Exchange site for this. I figured this was the best option. Is it possible to hook up multiple hubs/controllers to a single Z-Wave device? For example, if I have a GE Simon XT alarm system control panel that ...	You can have either or all Zwave device connected to home assistant or some connected to wink hub. A Z-Wave node (device) can only be paired to one hub (the designated 'primary' controller). '
Covering hot outlet and waterline Can I cover up a wall outlet and water line to an old icemaker with a drawer base cabinet? Or do I need to cut out the back of the cabinet to allow access? <Q> <A> There is no safety reason to do so. <S> So, if you do not need the outlet feel free to block it. <S> Code typically req...	If you find it more convenient to have the cabinet there and do not care about the outlet, then there is no legal requirement that you leave it exposed. You should cut out the back of the cabinet. Its more to do with the fact that things go wrong with circuits randomly, or circuits get moved and changed and if an elect...
why did my mower suddenly start running slower? This mower has an odd history, but appeared to be in good shape. It was given to me by a friend, who picked it up from the curb in his neighborhood (it's a nice neighborhood). I don't know if he found out why it was being tossed out. He just picked it up as a repair proje...	In my experience, unless the engine is running roughly idle problems are usually related to the throttle and governor. I've had some strange-running issues that seemed to be related to the safety-brake mechanism dragging, and/or squirrel/mouse electricians partially-connecting the shutdown wire to ground with their nes...
What type of concrete foundation do you pour for sand? I have a piece of beach front land that is sand (sometimes wet), what kind of foundation do you pour for a home constructed on sand? What kind of considerations do you take in if its water front and could get wet? I cannot find any info on this at all, anywhere....	I remember when we were having our house built, like everyone else has alluded to, we had to have the foundation dug very deep to where the soil was actually compacted and poured the foundation from there. The best place to find out about the mixture for your area would be the local government department of housing dev...
Does a bad screw require changing the tap itself? The guardian doesn't quite show the internals of a traditional tap, and the plumber I usually call, couldn't come today. The new plumber says that since the drive of the screw on the tap is ruined, I'd require to buy a new tap (pic below). I didn't believe him, an...	If the internals of the valve are cleaned up, resurfaced and washers replaced, the valve should operate correctly.
What kind of chlorine solution do I use in water treatment system? We recently bought a house in which the previous owner had installed a Culligan softener system with not only brine and resin tanks but also a chlorine tank with a pump. There isn't a Culligan representative remaining within a 50 mile radius of the hous...	Sodium hypo - bleach - would be the cleanest option, but also will become ineffective the quickest.
Can I wire 2 ceiling fans, 5 ceiling spot lights, and 3 closet lights on a singe 15 amp circuit? Can I wire 2 ceiling fans and 5 ceiling spot lights and 3 closet ligthts on a singe circuit with 12 ga wire and a 15 amp breaker?Or should I wire the 2 ceiling fans on a separate circuit? <Q> There should be no problem putt...	It's fine on one circuit. Maximum number of devices on a breaker is 12.
How to fill / seal in-slab hvac ductwork? My house is built on a slab. Within the slab are "channels" which act as ducts for the HVAC system. I assume it is partially lined with metal but based on photos from an HVAC-cleaner, it's hard to tell how far that metal goes from the registers. Long term, I plan on re-routi...	I would remove the register and pour ready-mix concrete into the channel to seal the old "ducts" and fill up the hole in the floor. While it's been perfectly fine for this long, the heat removal could allow freezing now or later & invite cracking or collapse of that minimal section. Not sure why Community popped this u...
Can I pump down the refrigerant from an air conditioner myself? We are planning on having a new concrete patio poured in a couple of weeks and need to move our AC unit to make way for the slab. Is it possible for a layman to pump down the refrigerant and move the unit or do I need to pay someone to do this for me? <Q>...	You simply need a set of gauges and the know how to trap the refrigerant (pump down) within the AC unit by closing the low and high side at the right time and shutting of power to the unit.
Driveway crack repair work failed over the winter, how can I make it last? I live in the Northeast, and we have lots of hard winters. My driveway had many cracks with most under ¼ inch in width, but a few larger. So last summer, I cleaned those cracks with jets of water, let them dry and filled them in with patch fille...	Depending both on the existing grade and soil type, you might get some benefit from digging a French drain (drain pipe under rocks) down both sides of the driveway to help keep water from going under it sideways, and help remove any water that does get into it, at less cost than the full dig up and replace the whole su...
Debris from Roof causing Gutters to clog I just recently replaced the gutters on the entire property and also installed a mesh over them to keep debris out of the gutters. However, I noticed that it was still overflowing during a recent thunderstorm. Upon closer inspection, it appears that some tree debris from the roo...	You could have something custom built that directs / diverts debris off the downspout while allowing for the water to still flow in that pipe.
At what height should CO detectors be installed? I've got a Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector ( BRK CO250B , instruction sheet PDF ) that I am looking to install in our house. All of the bedrooms are on the top level of our quad-level house, and I'm planning on installing it in the hallway. The directions say that it ca...	Standalone carbon monoxide alarms are often placed low on the wall, but it’s not because they’re more effective at that height. The Code says, “Carbon monoxide alarms shall be installed in each bedroom or within 15 feet outside each bedroom door.
Deck posts - set in concrete or use anchors? I'm planning to build an elevated deck. I was going to dig the holes for the posts, put them in and set them in quikrete. I've done this for a fence and I'm comfortable with the process.A deck builder who gave me an estimate stated that's what he would do if he gets the job....	I really prefer post bases for decks over putting the posts in concrete; it's a much better way of going.
How can I prevent my refrigerator door from hitting the wall? I have a stainless steel counter-depth refrigerator door (LG LFXC24726S). The right wall sticks out a bit further than the frame, and if the right door swings too far, it hits the wall and will eventually chip itself, and/or scratch the door - two outcomes ...	Most refrigerators have options to swap the side that the refrigerator door is hinged from. The terms / phrase you want to use with your local home improvement store are "outside corner moulding". I've seen a very broad selection of this at Lowes and Home Depot in my area, so there's bound to be something there that yo...
Oven suddenly tripping circuit breaker...bad oven or bad breaker? We have a double Thermador oven in our house. We've owned the house for around two years, and the oven has worked fine up until the last few weeks. Now, using either of the ovens trips the circuit breaker after around 5 minutes. The circuit breaker is a...	To me it also sounds like loose wiring or a bad breaker. Debugging oven circuits is a job for an electrician.
3" conduit with many bends - is it worth to build it? I am working on sending some cables (RG6, Cat5 and speaker cables) from basement to the attic. This is a typical 2-story house. After reading some posts found over the Internet, I am now considering to build a conduit using PVC pipes. The conduit will be 3" in dia...	While you're building the run, you can put a chase string in place, and use it to pull cables. So as long as all your bends (90 degrees, plus 90 degrees, plus 90 degrees etc..) doesn't add up to more than 360, it should be good. Don't worry, you can do it. Use electrical conduit sweeps, not plumbing 90's or 45's. Do it...
Ordering new windows for old house... Wall thickness? I'm rehabbing a structure from the 1850's. As you can imagine, nothing is square, level or plumb. The walls were originally plaster on top of true 2x4's. I've brought the house down to the studs, and am going back with exterior sheathing (0.5") on top of true 2x4...	On the inside, you can cover up the lack of square-ness with new drywall or wood window boxes, shimmed to be square with the window, not the rough opening.
240v outlet not delivering 240 volts To spare you all the long version of my two week nightmare: bought a house built in 1976. Hooked up dryer, switched to 3 prong plug. Dryer ran fine, started to smell like burning plastic until it stopped running altogether. Dryer is fine, power cable apparently gave out. New power c...	I would treat the 277V reading as equivalent to 240V in your case, as your tester is likely just a bit out of calibration (single-family dwellings are served by 240/120 split phase or occasionally 208Y/120 three phase, not 480Y/277 three phase in any case!). The Non-contact voltage tester is great as you can stick it i...
Paint bubbling and peeling on a steel door I have a steel front door, behind a solid glass storm door. It gets so hot that paint bubbles and peels. Any suggestions? <Q> I'd bet on "poor preparation/paint job" (given that preparation is 90% of a good paint job.) <S> If you wanted to, you could use a high-temperature p...	Depending on the glass door, you can buy vent kits to install in your outer door. Maybe you could plant a tree that could provide some shade in front of it.
Do separate pieces of EMT conduit qualify as "pull points"? Question: Do two separate pieces of EMT conduit joined by a connector qualify as a "pull point"? Background: I need to make six 90 degree turns in 2" EMT conduit to route wire for a new sub-panel which means my run is subject to NEC 2011 clause 358.26: 358...	Pull points would mean a way to pull the with without separating the joints of the conduit themselves.
Can I build an electrical pole structure to hold a power wire into my property? The power pole to my house is at the back right corner of the property. However, it's a little outside my property line. I wanted to run a power line straight down along the pole and into the ground but then I would need an easement since...	Check with your utility to see if they have a program to bury your service line. The utility must already have easements to access the pole that would in all likelihood cover burial to your yard.
How to run Ethernet cable along a brick wall? I want to run an Ethernet wire from the living room where my TV and router are to the basement where my office is. The problem is that when I lifted the drop ceiling in the basement, I saw that the drywall is attached directly to the brick wall (actually looks like concrete...	You can the leave as is or be more professional and cut in a box and snake the cable back around to it.
Does running a dehumidifier with an AC unit save money? I've done as much research as i can an every site i hit seems to have a different story on my question: "Will a dehumidifier save energy while running your AC through the summer"? The ones that say "yes" pretty much reason that you usually can raise your thermost...	I would say a dehumidifier would not be a more efficient choice for summer comfort than turning down the thermostat on an A/C. Sure, the delta-T across exterior walls would drop, so somewhat less heat would seep in from outside, but as was already mentioned, the A/C then has to remove the dehumidifier's additional heat...
How to remove broken threaded water pipe The pipe connecting my shower head to the wall has broken off. I removed the head and tried to remove the theaded pipe but the potruding metal broke off completely. Is there anyway to remove the part that's still stuck without drilling the wall and replace the pipe? Landlord wou...	If it is actually the cheap plastic, we cut it very carefully with a hack saw blade taken out of the actual hacksaw.
How can I lift buckets of mortar to second floor? I need to lift around 100-120 buckets of mortar to level the surface of two slabs (around 20 square meters). Besides raising each bucket pulling a rope up, is there any other (EASY) way of doing that? I have a pulley but I have nowhere to anchor it. Here are some schem...	I ended up renting some scaffold bracket assemblies that came with a overhanging cross bar with a large pulley hanging on the end of it.
garage door button on the wall does not work but remote control does open and close garage door My remote control opens & closes the garage door but the button on the wall does not work. <Q> There are a few possibilities, you can eliminate them one by one: Take proper safety precautions to ensure that you are not inj...	If the door operates, the problem is in the wire or button.
Photovoltaic installation: does it make sense (or is possible at all) to get a bigger inverter than the power output of the installed panels? We are going to install a PV in our offices. Our actual needs would be satisfied by an installation of about 4kW, so that ~16 panels of 250W. It's going to be a central-inverter,...	My system was designed to have one inverter for each 2 panels, all synchronized to each other and to the power lines so I can do "net metering" rather than having to maintain any kind of local power storage.
What kind of blow torch to use for a stuck bolt I'm trying to remove a tire from a lawn tractor and the bolt is stuck. I've tried all kinds of penetrating oils and an impact driver with no luck. A lot of websites recommend heating the bolt. What kind of heat source should I use? Addition: Thanks for the tips. T...	A standard propane torch like you would use for soldering plumbing or even one of those torches you use for make creme brule will work. An old trick is to hit the bolt head with a hammer to try to dislodge it.
Grounding requirements for main panel and subpanel I recently had my main service professionally upgraded to 200A and had a 60A subpanel installed in my master suite to support future additions. All work passed city inspection, for whatever that's worth. I'm just now noticing some things about the work that I'm not so ...	If there is no second ground source available for the sub-panel, then a ground wire may be run from the Main Panel to the Sub Panel and used as a second source of grounding. Code can differ from place to place, if a licensed electrician did the install and it passed inspection, I wouldn’t sweat it.
Painting over bright color with Kilz and single-coat of one-coat paint: overkill? Underkill? We are expecting to close on a new house Friday, and my out-of-state father-in-law will be there for the weekend only to help us paint a couple of bedrooms. The rooms are bright colors now, and we want to replace the bright co...	You want the paint to be applied very thick but not running. If you're doing any patching, or have new drywall or joint compound to cover, you'll want to use a primer first.
how to carry 20ft lumbers to home I need to carry one 20 ft lumber from HomeDepot to my home. I don't have a truck but have a minivan (Odyssey). The minivan does not have a roof rack though. A friend of mine suggested that I could open the window of the front passenger seat and place the lumber diagonally, making it st...	The HD rental truck would be convenient, but if it has not got adequate racks (the ones I've seen don't), it will still be a job to get 20 foot lumber tied to it, and it's often no cheaper than the U-Haul. Do NOT stick a board out your window! Why not simply put it on your roof and tie it down to the front and back bum...
What size air conditioner for a ~230 square foot room with 10 foot ceilings? This will be my first time purchasing a window unit, and I'm a little confused. Most charts indicate that a 7,000 BTU unit is appropriate for a ~250 square foot room, however from what I can tell, these do not exist (only 6,000 and 8,000 BTUs...	Otherwise, since you're between sizes of available units, unless your climate is particularly mild, I'd go up a size to allow a bit extra cooling capacity for hot days.
G to C trick not working for cooling. Honeywell RTH9080WF My electric furnace has no c terminal. Furnace is heat & cool both. (Lennox Electric Fan coil Model CBS18-21-3P). I installed Honeywell RTH9080WF.I switched G to C on my thermostat and got the power. Furnace has no C Terminal. The connections on furnace is "...	To properly pull off the " G wire trick ", you have to locate the transformer in the furnace.
Turn Lights On/Off Without Having to Hit 3 Switches in One Room I just moved into a new place and I'm having an interesting lighting problem in one of my rooms. I've looked at a few things on the internet, but my lack of experience in this matter makes me feel intimidated by potential solutions. There are multiple cei...	Simple switches do have the advantage of not having any "minimum load" as the dimmers (and some electronic switches) often do.
What could cause my range burner to be bright red and really hot when the dial is set to low? On one front burner I have a big problem. I turn it on medium high until my water (or whatever) comes to a boil -- then, I turn it down to low heat (apx #2) -- and then many times, I look at it and the burner is bright red wi...	The burner temperature control knob on the stove is defective and needs to be replaced.
How can I fill in the gap between my chain-link fence and its gate We have a couple of gates in our chain-link fence and bunnies and large rodents like to squeeze through them. I would like to fill the gap somehow so the gates are still usable and look halfway decent. Here are a couple of pics of the gate. The gaps ar...	Another alternative is to move the posts to reduce the gap on the existing gate but this requires installing posts and replacing the section of fence.
How do I extend a 2x4 by connecting another one end to end? My hardware store only sells 8' cuts of 2x4s. How do I extend length horizontally with another 2x4 and support the joining best? Is there a joint or strong tie for this? I have three support legs spaced every 66". Should I just ensure all extensions occur on a...	There are "glue joint" techniques for splicing boards end to end, but they're more complicated, waste some wood, and really require fancier equipment to do properly.
How could our sliding mirror doors have cracked so easily? I purchased and installed a set of sliding mirror doors 2 weeks ago. In the space of two weeks all four of the doors have developed cracks in them. A couple of them are at least a foot long. I have not been abusing them excessively. The one crack I was aware o...	If the doors are not installed in a plumb position, ie have a twist to them with one side plumb and the other side not plumb, this may cause a tension on the glass.
How should a switch loop be wired? I encountered this apparently simple situation recently. The issue is that it seems no matter how you wire it, you'll always end up with a black connected to white, which seems wrong. How should this simple light fixture controlled by a switch be properly wired? <Q> Why do you consi...	In the switch you cap off the white and connect black an red to be switched. The white from the panel goes to the white from the fixture. Use tape to mark wires to a different color.
Paint adherence on fiberglass door. Does it need time to 'cure'? Can I top-coat it? We bought this door: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Feather-River-Doors-6-Lite-Clear-Craftsman-Unfinished-Smooth-Fiberglass-Prehung-Front-Door-GK3191/204487447?N=5yc1vZas82Z7cm I've primed it using Zinsser and then gave it 2 coats of Behr...	Your paint may also have gone bad before you bought it, if it was not properly stored for instance, it may alternatively have been mixed with the wrong dyes (using an oil based dye on water based paints can do this), and various other reasons.
Can I temporarily remove the bottom stairs on a staircase to help move furniture? I just moved into a new place and really want to move my awesomely large (and somewhat expensive) sofa into the basement. The problem is that the stairs end in narrow hallway running perpendicular to the stairwell: There is not enough r...	Staircases like that one are built as a unit, then dropped into their place between floors, so breaking them up into pieces and reassembling in place would be a real pain. For what its worth, if there were no glue involved, the wedges could be removed, the nails pulled and the treads could be pulled out of the slots fr...
Concrete driveway in New England? I need a new driveway and I was wondering if my only option is asphalt?I'm in Connecticut - does anyone know if I can have concrete driveway? <Q> Sure you can have one, no one is going to arrest you for putting it in. <S> However, concrete has a few distinct disadvantages in the nort...	Concrete will provide a much better, long-lasting driveway, if it is properly built.
Can I plug a multi-outlet adapter into a GFCI outlet? I have a GFCI outlet in my kitchen where I would like to plug in more than two things. I was thinking I could just add a multi-outlet adapter to one of the outlets, or maybe a short 1->3 plug extension cord for my purposes. I'm assuming this is probably frowned up...	You can absolutely plug in an extension cord to the GFCI outlet, and as long as the GFCI outlet was wired correctly, the GFCI protection extends to all the devices plugged into it.
How to extend Sump Pump discharge pipe from house My house's sump pump discharge pipe exit's the house a couple of feet high from the ground and runs straight down. I don't want it dumping right next to the house (kid's sandbox is there now) so I was thinking of adding a 90 degree elbow and running it to a different s...	It isn't uncommon for folks to install permanent catch pipes for their rain gutters, to route them away from the house. I suppose one could bury piping, but then you'd have to worry about freezing.
Retrofitting a remote opener into a garage-gate motor Our garage door is already powered, but to initiate the opening (and closing) of the gate, one must get inside the garage and push one of the three buttons: Open Close Stop How hard would it be to retrofit a remote there -- to either replace the existing three...	If your existing hardwired button controller is low voltage, then open it, and wire the control terminals of each receiver in parallel with each push button. The issue is that it is fairly common that old door motors if closing unattended have the capability to cause injury or death to people or animals or cause proper...
How to choose the correct all purpose screw driver or drill I am a widow and starting out in the world of DIY. I tried replacing several broken trellis panel fencing last year. I bought a 7.2V Bosch drill and used 3in screws to hold the panels onto the wooden posts. The screws did not penetrate all the way and hav...	You could buy a tool with a higher torque rating.
How to override an attic thermostat with a wall switch? I want to install a fan in my attic. I want the fan to be controlled by a thermostat in the attic, but I want the ability to bypass or override the fan from within my house. Ideally I would like to have a two-state switch in the house: Fan is controlled by therm...	Make the other wire from your 12-2 run off your switch to your fan and splice it in with the wire going from the thermostat to the fan motor; in other words that switch will go straight to the fan motor. If either one is on, the fan runs.
Rebuilding an exterior deck is it better to use screws or nails? I have a deck that is old and falling apart so it is time to replace it. To replace the deck boards I plan to remove existing, measure boards, cut new board and put the same size and board back into place. The deck hasn't been replaced in twenty years a...	I was taught to use screws, preferably square drive, if not a star head is my next choice, theres also a special deck bar to help get those deck board where u want them. Screws provide absolutely no give; they will destroy the wood around before they back out. Galvanized parts are probably fine if you're using natural ...
Do I need 5V or 12V to power a LED light strip? What is difference between 5V and 12V power supply? I want to power my WS2812B LED light strip (5m at 60 LED/meter) and don't understand why I would want a 400W 5V 80A power supply vs a 400W 12V power supply? What is the impact of using 5V vs 12V? Each individually a...	You can use almost any voltage you want until you reach the sparky levels. You have to stick with what the product is designed to use. Common, whole-strip-the-same LED strips generally operate on 12V, with a few that operate on 24V.
Why doesn't my tester trip the GFCI? I have a GFCI that does not trip with the plug tester. I tried troubleshooting the issue. I looked in a junction box, and found all the neutral wires coming from the subpanel were all connected at the junction box. Should I disconnect that neutral from the rest, so that the outlet...	A GFI has line connections (for incoming power) and load connections (for using the GFI to protect other outlets). Creating a ground to neutral short won't cause a fault because these are tied together in your main panel and are at the same potential at that point.
What is this strange, linear light bulb? Thanks to previous occupants of my house, one of the bathrooms is lit with a pair of lights that are unlike anything I've seen. The bulb is a narrow cylinder, about 3 inches long and maybe 1/4 inch in diameter, with contacts on either end. The middle is filled with some dark mat...	That's a type of halogen lamp . The downside of them is that they get quite hot.
Stain a half stained deck I now own a deck where the previous owner (for some reason) stained half of it a year or two ago (they did mostly the inside). I'm lucky to have the same product that was previously used. If I stain the rest of the deck, will I end up with two very noticeable colors? If yes, is there something...	You could also try to darken or lighten the stain slightly.
Are power outlets in a home out of phase with each other? I'm working on a science project and there's one aspect of home wiring I need to find out (don't worry, I'm not messing with wiring - this is all on paper). Since 120V outlets in a home can be wired to either of the two 120V legs that come in from the power com...	If you're looking at the two separate circuits (e.g. the ungrounded (hot) and grounded (neutral) conductor from each receptacle), then you'll end up with two 120 volt circuits 180° phase shifted from each other. It depends on your frame of reference. Since it's a single circuit, it can't be out of phase with itself.
How to fix bar stools that are too short I bought bar stool chairs but they are too short for the bar area. Is there a way to make the chair stools longer in length? <Q> Um, not really. <S> Unless you got the stools from a mix & match furniture store like Ikea where you can buy the legs separately from the seat. <S> ...	The only solution I can think of would be to build a box or frame of some sort, braced for stability and with the chair then firmly attached to it.
motion sensor light with a three way switch I want to put a motion sensor light in my breezeway. Right now the light is controlled by a three way switch. Will I ab able to do this installation. <Q> Sure. <S> The three way just allows two switches to turn a light on and off. <S> The motion sensor limits the controlled...	If you can see both three way switches at the same time, a practical way to do this is to set up the switches so that they are on when both are up or down and off when they are not in the same position.
Concerns about hanging a hundred plus mugs on dry wall Newbie here! Among other things, I collect Starbucks mugs from my travels. I have over a hundred mugs and they have spent most of their life in boxes in the garage - until now! I was thinking of displaying them and was thinking of using several rows of BYGEL rails ...	Or alternatively, install a piece of plywood on top of the drywall, anchored to the studs, and then mount your bars to the plywood. If You will use correct screws (that means, not some ridiculously small or so), everything will be great, including 'the look'. Other 'pro' is that You don't need to uncover dry wall.
A/C not keeping up So, the first warm-ish day of summer finally showed up in the Black Hills yesterday and I noticed that our central air conditioning was not really keeping up... the thermostat was set at 72, but the interior temperature was 76 and didn't drop a degree after several hours of continuous operation of th...	Check for freeze-up: If the air filter was very dirty and vents were being blocked, you may have frozen your evaporator coils.
What sort of a drain pipe is this? I dont even know if drain pipe is the right word. We have this little pipe jutting out of the wall in our back yard. It keeps dripping water. Its a new unit/apartment in Australia and the builder is now no where - so we are on our own. First we thought it was the water heaters outl...	A pipe like this is often a safety overflow from a central heating boiler.
Smoke alarms go off in the middle of the night for no apparent reason and then is fine Tonight at about 2 AM my wife and I were awakened by our fire alarm system going off in full alarm mode. I quickly jumped up and pressed the button to reset the system and they all stopped. We checked the house and everything was fin...	Find the alarm that’s setting off the system (it usually is the 1st to go off, followed very shortly thereafter by others on the wired system), and replace the battery.
How to hook up a 240V 50Hz heat pump to 60Hz I am facing a challenge:Every EVI (-25C outside) air to water heat pump system seems to be 240V/1Ph/50Hz (and 1 exception I found so far: 240V/1Ph/60Hz, however with extremely limited information, and 1 option is not really an option). My electrical panel however can delive...	Some equipment will work just fine at either 50 or 60 hertz with no adjustment, some will need some minor changes (move jumper or such), some will need major change (replace motors, or add variable frequency drive), some will not work without a rotary phase converter.
How can I remove Ink stains from my dryer? Long story short, I washed some clothes that had ink pens still inside. I throw them in the washer, and now that the clothes are dried, I see inks stains ALL over my dryer. It literally looks like skid marks on the street. What is the best way to remove these ink stains? I...	Depending on the ink, denatured alcohol may be able to remove the stains without causing further harm to your dryer. Then take another piece of rag and wrap it around the square and keep rubbing until all of the ink has been removed. Concentrate the hydrogen peroxide to 10% or 15% (instructions on YouTube) and apply it...
How do I protect and insulate a ceiling built against the roof? My upper floor used to be a large attic. Sometime in the past the entire space was converted to living space: 2 bedrooms, 2 finished closets, and two unfinished storage "closets". Much of the ceiling is built against the roof, and angles down towards the...	Since there isn't much space in between the roof and the ceiling, your best bet would probably be to have spray foam insulation installed. Depending on your climate, the spray foam may not provide enough of an R factor. You should be able to do it separate from the new roof but it may be a lot easier to just do it all ...
How do I unscrew a hex screw that doesn't have any grip anymore? I messed up the screw that fits this tip of this particular type of screwdriver bit (circled in red): That screw now has almost no edges and is basically oval. I tried lubricating the screw so that I can get it by the neck on the opposite side with a set...	If the head is readily accessible you can use a fine toothed metal saw to cut a groove with which you then can use a regular flat screwdriver to unscrew.
What's the right approach for insulating the slab & footings underneath a masonry fireplace/heater? The fireplace will be located in the middle of the concrete slab (away from the foundation stem walls) so it will have its own footing. My impression is that footings should rest on soil & gravel and the slab should "fl...	If this will be used as a serious heating appliance, (I'm inferring from "masonry heater") not merely decoration (as many fireplaces are), I'd go with uninsulated footing, especially if the stemwall is insulated - whatever thermal bridging takes place will be to the "bubble" of dirt inside the stemwall, which can play ...
How can I connect metal rods together crosswise? I have some stainless steel rods of diameters such a 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" or so, and I want to connect them together in some cases cross-wise to make a lattice. In some cases it might be convenient to connect them at an angle like 45-degrees. How can I do this? The rods will...	Put a couple wraps around the rods and twist the free ends up to tighten.
How do I make carbon dioxide for a mosquito trap? I have an insect/mosquito zapper. I want to attract the mosquitoes to this zapper to kill them. The best way to do this is by producing carbon dioxide next to it. I'm thinking that if I put a jar or bucket of some liquid (or other substance) that gives off a non-dangero...	Vinegar and baking soda will produce carbon dioxide very quickly; the reaction will be over in a matter of minutes.
Finding air leaks in ducts I've been sealing the ducts in our basement with mastic. I've done a decent job, but I'm trying to find every leak in the basement, where it's accessible. For instance, I stand on the ladder in one area and I feel cold air with the a/c running. But, I can't figure out where it's coming from,...	You can inspect using a toilet paper for wind blowing and sucking for return ducts.
2 breakers powering 1 set of outlets this is my first time posting a question to a forum like this. Electrician added a breaker and ran a line to an outlet that had power from a different circuit but had a short in it that could not be located. Is this safe? Here is the whole story... Plugged a vacuum in and it star...	But if the electrician installed a new breaker and ran new wire to the old outlet box like you seem to be saying (and capped off the old wires in that outlet box), that new breaker and new line are perfectly safe presuming the electrician is competent. Half of the original circuit is powered by one breaker and the othe...
How do I remove plastic bag print from outside surface of washing machine? I bought new sheets for my son, and I put the Target plastic bag, with heavy sheets in it, on top of the washer for the sheets to be washed. This morning I picked up the bag, and I've got red bullseyes on my white washing machine! How the print ...	I experienced a similar problem, nothing was taking the colour off - magic eraser, soft scrub, wd40.
Water coming in around foundation when it rains My home was built in the 1980s. I live in Oklahoma. Last month with all the rains I started getting water coming in and soaking carpets I have a slab foundation. I pulled the carpet up no cracks. I thought the water was coming in where the air conditioner lines and ho...	If so it may be because the sump pump is not functioning properly and not pumping the water from your foundation out, which leads to water seeping onto your floor. Further away, there should be drainage leading away from the yard so that the water can't accumulate and overrun the slope up to the house. For a more defin...
Pouring concrete, is it safe to add large rocks to increase volume? Backround I'm going to pour some concrete to anchor a swing set. The base of the swing set that is being anchored is two 4x4s with a 2x4 footer crossed perpendicularly to the 4x4s . I have a bunch of large softball-sized rocks in my yard. I was thin...	I don't think adding rock is a bad idea in principle The size of the large aggregate isn't particularly important, unless you are working in very tight spaces or around reinforcement, in which case you want suitably small aggregate. It is pier size that matters.
What finish should I use for concrete on stairs? I want to remove the carpets on the stairs in my duplex. it is a concrete staircase.I think I would need to repair it and then I want to coat it and leave it bare.what would be a good coat to use? Paint? epoxy? I do not want it to be slippery and if possible I want to al...	If you do want to finish, I'd suggest a concrete stain. There are special paints/coatings for outdoor/rugged floors which are usually epoxy based.

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