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Should Caulk be used around vinyl windows I purchased a new home last year and all the windows installed are vinyl. My previous home built in 1999 had wooden windows. My question is are all the exterior windows needing to be caulked? I know with wooden windows that's a given. I had a lot of trouble with water damage on...	You can use some painters caulk on the inside where the window meets the casing or the drywall. If you have a reasonable doubt that they might not be installed correctly and could lead to water problems, go ahead and do it. All gaps should be re-caulked.
Can I add more insulation to my attic? I currently have pink fiberglass bats in the attic. I wanted to add blown in insulation. My attic space is a bit unique. I'm used to a moderate sized attic that you can access. This attic has no access. There might be 1 - 2 feet of space between the ceiling and roof decking. ...	If you take this approach and build a fully-vented cathedral ceiling, you cannot fill up the extra space that you see with more insulation; the ventilation gap is critically important.
Duct sizing impact on flow We have a ranch with a wood fireplace in the living room. It's fantastic at heating the main living area, but the bedrooms down the hall get left in the cold. I'm going to install insulated flexible ductwork in the attic, with a blower near the inlet (red), with outlets in each room. The ini...	Expanding it downstream won't get you much in terms of flow. Your 10" is fine as long as it's capped a couple or few feet after the last branch at the end so it can be pressurized for even distribution. I'd take the 6" branches down to 4" with a very small blower or standard fan doing all of the work. Other than all th...
How do I divert rain water that collects between two shed structures? I have a pvc hoop shed that sits against the rear of my main resin storage shed. The rainwater flows down the taut tarp of the hoop shed & gets into the main shed floor. What's the best method to divert the water away? Resin storage shed Hoop Shed:...	Get or make a bigger shed.
Can I use extra wire from two separate cables to add a washing machine in a garage? I have two existing 12/3 NM-B cables that are used to connect two different circuits, which are distributed from a junction box close to the location I want to add a washing machine. The washing machine requires 12/2 wire, and a 20A fus...	The upstream side (the homerun, let's call it cable BB now) goes from the service panel to the washing machine site. Cable B is cut at a carefully chosen place that leaves enough wire to do this: The red black also need to be identified so the wiring doesn’t get separated at a later date as that would undersize your ne...
Drywall screws snap off when trying to fix squeaky subfloor I am using 1 1/2 drywall screws from the top of the floor, to stop the squeak. Using screw gun and collated screws. The gun is snapping the heads off the screws, is this OK? And will it stop the squeaking with the heads broken off? There is flooring going down...	It's unlikely that you'll snap the heads off, and while the broken drywall screws might stop the squeaking, at least for a while, I would think that a good solid screw head pinning the boards down would stand a better chance of solving the problem long-term. For that reason, they're not ideal for your current purposes....
Why does water in the toilet bowl empty? Water in the toilet bowl is emptying after a minute. I just changed to a higher toilet (16.75) for an elderly resident. I have three other toilets without this problem. I have tried adjusting water in tank and have checked for leaks. How can I fix this? <Q> The water in the toil...	Either your bowl refill hose is disconnected or the sewer vent is obstructed.
Wood flooring and Heavy Wheel Chair We are having a power chair friendly house built in the spring. Because carpet has to be glued to the sub-floor to prevent bumps and wrinkles, we would prefer wood floors. (We like them better anyway.) We've been thinking about bamboo flooring. How well does it hold up? Can it b...	Or, of course any Open Grid type of matting, but many of those are soft rubber & might be difficult to traverse. There is disagreement here,what you think is best for you.occupational therapist reccomends wood,laminate for easy clean,I Prefer carpet its softer and warmer.
How to determine the correct driver bit for screws? I am going to use this screw to join 2x4s together. How can I select the correct bit size for this screw? Product image from homedepot.com (linked above) <Q> That's basically a #2 PSD2-2 drive. <S> It's designed for relatively high torque driving that would make ...	I'd get a #2 PSD2-2 driver (also called Phillips-Square drive, etc.)
Should I insulate the garage in the home I'm having built? I am an amateur woodworker and am having a new home built. My part-time workshop will be in the garage. Where I live (central Maryland), the winters are often cold (below freezing) and occasionally much colder (+10F/-10C and below). My current home has no insul...	Also if you are going to be keeping cars in the garage as well, having an insulated garage will keep it warmer even if you don't heat it. I would insulate it unless the cost is exorbitant.
Allowing basement floor to breathe I'm working on remodeling a basement and the plan for now is to install a subfloor (XPS rigid insulation and plywood on top of that). For the actual floor, I was thinking of using vinyl planks that click together to form a floor. A contractor I hired to help me suggested that perhap...	However most of the time we carpet over this type of install. To note, a lot of commercial spaces have started to use loose lay vinyl flooring for the same reasons. Even in a basement with no "water" problems the humidity levels can reek havoc on wood and warp it.
How to make a toilet seat hinge more stiff? The upstairs toilet in our house has a gender-specific problem: the seat won't stay up without being held up. This is because the lid of the cistern sticks out a bit too much, so that the seat's centre of gravity is slightly on the wrong side of the hinge. I already replac...	An alternative to the Velcro would be to embed a magnet into the lid surface and make a steel clip that is inserted between cistern lid and the tank. Try taking the seat off and swapping the hinges over side to side.
How to prevent trash bins from falling by placing apart or side-by-side, on a windy day? How can you secure trash-bins at the end of a sloped driveway, on a windy day ? Is side-by-side placement recommended to stabilize bins or should they remain apart as generally advised by sanitation company? Thanks! <Q> In my ar...	The negative factor with placing bins directly together is that the trash company driver will often bypass pickup at your location if you do this.
How to treat the edge of OSB in a piece of furniture There are lots of nice pictures on the internet of untreated OSB CNC-cut into chairs/tables/benches. What can be done to the edge of the cut to have a clean surface with no strands and splinters? Other than gluing PVC edge banding (which ruins raw aesthetics and is ...	The other is to sand the edges (you want to seal first, then sand so that sanding doesn't turn into peeling off slivers) - and you may want to seal again after sanding.
Why do windows generally open to the outside in Ireland but not in the rest of continental Europe? See title. I see the reason for having it outside is being able to always have them open for ventilation. Since Ireland has a mild but humid climate. Opening to the inside inteferes with having plants on the window sill...	Anyway nowadays most have shutters on the outside and the glazing on the inside so window opens in both directions.
Installing Honeywell Wifi on Ruud Furnace with G wire replacement trying to install RTH9580. My thermostat has only 4 wires so I am trying to substitute the G wire instead of C wire. On the furnace I put a jumper between Y and G wires and moved G wire to C wire location. See pictures? I still get no power. Any ideas on...	Check your voltage from R to C terminals on the board to make sure you have 24 volts there. If you never tried it, it might be a good idea to change things back and do so to eliminate the chance that there's a break in the green wire.
Keeping washing machine lines warm in a cold garage A month or two ago I installed a washer in my uninsulated garage. Now that we're getting some very cold weather coming up I'm worried about the rubber water lines freezing. I did put some foam insulation on the lines but I don't think they'll be enough. I put a thermo...	I don't think anyone on here will tell you that running a portable space heater is wise, but if you must do it in the short term I would recommend an oil filled radiator style since the surface temperature doesn't get as high as some of the other electric radiator styles (lower fire risk). This will be a little trickie...
Tub only leaks when filled and plug removed my tenants called stating that water is pouring from their walls. They live on the second floor. A new tub was installed directly above on the third floor and has been used only for showering without any water dripping this past week. The tub was filled and when the drain w...	It might also just be due to the higher pressure of a tub full of water and the higher flow rates when draining.
Distributing load in electrical panel I am in the process of rewiring my house. The house was built in 1950 and even though the service panel was upgraded in the early 70's to a Square D 200 amp service, the system is ungrounded and will not handle today's electrical load requirements. So I am replacing all of the wire...	Apart from what code requires, there are various things that you might choose to do, depending on your mindset, that are not code required (nor do they conflict with code.)
How do I solve this mould problem? Before I get down to details I just wannna say that we are in UK and unable to go anywhere else as of financial issues. We've been living and renting a bottom floor flat for 4 years and it's been total nightmare. We been doing fine. Its just that the mould has gotten best of us. Befo...	Stop the water first, then remove all mould by replacing with new materials. By all rights the building should be condemned & someone should start reading their leases! A bad brick job is fixed in a weekend with just a painted-on sealer! Get a quote from a painter yourself & demand that the Landlord have it done in 20-...
What size beam do I need, and can I build one from lumber and steel? I want to support a 20 ft. span of my roof where two roofs come together. My house is was originally 46'by 20'. A 40'by 12' addition was added, making an L shape, and when they put the beam in they put 2 supports in middle of room that I want to elima...	It's common to build small brick piers out from existing walls, but for a wooden house you might need some more steel as vertical columns. The other thing is, there are different requirements depending on where you live and what, if any, the snow loading will be and the material of the roof.
What is the 2-inch layer of masonry under my bathroom tile? My house is 1 story, but I have a basement so all the floors on the main level are "upstairs" and have a wooden subfloor. I ripped out the vanity in a bathroom I'm working on and starting taking out the tile. I had a bit of trouble because the vanity had to be...	Once your tile is chipped up use a self leveling compound to prep for whatever type of flooring you want to use. If you do not want to mix your own, use pre-bagged mortar mix and "dry pack" the area.
Best lighting option for basement Bought my house back in August. Have finished everything upstairs, so it's time to finish the basement. It has a fixed ceiling already with 3 lights. Two lights have pull chains and one (which you can't see but is directly to the right of the picture) turns on with a switch at the...	If you also replace the switched fixture they'll connect to, you might consider dimmable LEDs (many are these days) and an LED dimmer. If you wanted to get complicated (a bit of drywall work) you could actually bump them up into the ceiling a bit.
How do I attach both my washer and dryer to the same NEMA 14-30 receptacle? Currently, I have a single NEMA 14-30 plug in the laundry room. I also have an ASKO W6022 dryer (manual available here: https://www.manualowl.com/p/Asko/W6022/Manual/161455 )and an LG DLEC855W dryer (manual available here: http://www.manualsl...	Obtain a dryer that is compatible with the Asko "plug washer into dryer" arrangement. You cannot do what you propose. Either way, it sounds like you have what will work, but there is a problem with something. And the machine that provides power to the other via plug would have its own internal breaker or fuse to protec...
Ungrounded outlets, what are my options? I'm currently in a lease on an apartment as a tenant. I've done quite a lot of small-time electrical work on places I've lived in the past: changing out outlets, switches, two-way switches, etc. I'm not uncomfortable at all with opening up a wall outlet and changing it out. A...	Many surge protectors don't work at all if they aren't properly grounded, and those that do are much less effective. So a GFCI will provide human safety on an ungrounded outlet. I would open up the breaker panel and see if there is a ground running to it. This is a good question which can have a variety of answers depe...
Reverse polarity on outlets, any negative side-effects? I've lived in a variety of different places where polarities have been different on a per-outlet basis, ie the neutral is where the hot should be. I've never noticed any ill effects from this. Are there any side-effects of having the polarities reversed? My under...	In particular if a single pole switching or protection device ends up in the neutral due to reverse polarity it can leave the appliance in an "off but live" state which is undesirable.
What is the explicit difference between the ground and neutral wire in 110V systems? So, I've put in or replaced several outlets following wiring instructions online and in the box. Nothing big. I know that if I fail to turn off the breaker then I shouldn't directly touch the black wire, but touching the white wire or ...	The bare copper (grounding) conductor is a safety system that provides an effective ground-fault current path, and should only ever have current it in the event of a fault.
20 amp circuit breaker trips after a few minutes or sometimes hours later The 20 amp circuit breaker that controls my man cave, my rear patio lights including a lampost, and some outlets in my back yard started tripping about two weeks ago. Currently the lights and outlets in backyard are not in use and have not been ...	If you're getting a plain breaker trip, the usual reason is overcurrent. Due to the outdoors nature of that circuit its a bet that moisture has gotten into the circuit be it the fixtures or into the cabling. It is not earth leakage as only rcd/rcbos monitor earth leakage. By now you probably know which devices are on t...
Can I wire a dimmer in series with another dimmer? I recently installed eight recessed LED fixtures and one hanging fixture in my living room. The hanging fixture has three small LED flood/spot lights to illuminate built in shelving on the stone fireplace. All fixtures are currently controlled by a single dimmer. ...	Most dimmers use SCR (silicon controlled rectifiers) adding a second dimmer should work to reduce just the single lamp.
Home Repair of Refrigerator Waterline I have an 10 year old LG refrigerator ( model LRFD25850ST ). The white polyethylene waterline running from the refrigerator water pump up the back of the refrigerator is leaking about half-way up. It feeds both the ice maker and in-door water dispenser, but it runs through the fo...	What ever caused the section to fail be it age or vibration likely effected all the tubing so total replacement is what I would recommend.
How can I determine if a mirror is tempered glass or not? I have a full wall vanity mirror (70" x 42") in my bathroom wall. I need to drill some holes through it in order to install a vanity light. I realized that if the mirror is made from tempered glass it might shatter completely if I try to drill on it. The mirror ...	If there are chips it isn't tempered.
House wired with Cat5e, but no central access? In every room of my home, there is an outlet with three connections: coax, Cat5e RJ45, and an RJ11 for phones. I unscrewed the outlet and noticed that all of the wires seem to be heading up towards the attic. I did a very brief check of my attic (just took a peek from the...	You might try looking in your closets for a panel of some sort. If you find coiled lengths all piled-up in some location, the builder might have planed on dropping them down one of the walls, otherwise have fun making all the connections hunched over in your attic and dealing with having equipment up there. I agree it ...
Can I mix acrylic paint with latex paint? I have a gallon of interior latex paint (with primer mixed in) and a gallon of interior acrylic paint (with primer mixed in). The color I want is somewhere in between the two. Can I blend these two paints together? Will it affect how it dries or how long it will last? The int...	When I tried mixing artist grade acrylic with latex wall paint the results went on smoothly
Sealing gas duct vents with silicone Is it okay to use silicone to seal gas furnace heater supply ducts? If so, do you know how long the silicone will need to cure before the system is useable? Some background:I've been trawling around my basement recently and found that a lot of my duct connections have exceeded my w...	Duct mastic or metal tape is the recommended method for sealing forced air supply ducts.
PVC to metal joint leaking Some days ago I assembled the following joint using pipe dope (it is solvent based that semi hardens to a rubber like stuff). I waited 2 days to pressurise the system and after a few days it started leaking. How can I fix that? Edit : this is how it looks after disassembly: <Q> You should...	I would suggest cleaning away as much of that dope material as possible before re-assembling with the the TFE tape. Also it may be well to look at the possibility of using a new PVC part.
How to remove stains from tile? I have a very weird stain on the bathroom floor of an apartment I just moved into. Is there an easy way to remove this stain? Also, what is the material of this tile? Is it like a concrete tile? Or stone? <Q> I'd be inclined to try a thick paste of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and...	Sulfamic acid is available in the tile section of home improvement stores and is used for taking haze, effervescence, rust and other mineral staining from tile. If it is stone tile then it is porous and can be very hard to remove some kinds of stains. Presumably if it was easy it would have been removed in the normal p...
What header size for a 36" wide window? I want to replace a 20" W window ( 20 5/8" rough) with a 36" (rough) window. I want it to be as close to the ceiling as possible. It is a single story house with 2x4 studs on 16" centers. It has a double top wall plate. Full size image here. What is the smallest size header...	generally, you need a 2x6 double header minimum for just about any scenario, so if you are worried about it, go to a double 2x8. If this is holding up a floor and a roof those I would not go less than what is there now
What can I do "spread" load on breaker for single bedroom? Thanks for the help ahead of time. I'm not a certified electrician, but have VERY extensive experience working construction and repair. I do know quite a bit about electrical, but I'm not sure if I'm pushing my house breaker and fuses by doing what I'm going to...	Installing a larger breaker is likely not an option, unless the wiring, devices, and equipment are all rated for the higher current (not likely). Depending on the load requirements of the servers, it may be desirable to install an additional separate circuit to handle them. If there's room in the panel, you could run a...
Joists have different height I'm first time homeowner and bought a house (built in 1999) in fall of 2015 (Philadelphia suburb). During inspection of the house I noticed squeaky floors and inspector said its due to nails rubbing against the joist making the noise and its minor issue. The other day I was in the baseme...	It can also help to drive shims under the subfloor from below in cases where a particular joist is low. It's not a concern. It happens after construction as well.
How to insulate register boot? The county inspector dinged me on a couple of things for my bonus room renovation. One of these things is wrapping the register boots (endpoints) in insulation. I've seen registers with this insulation already installed, but he mentions that batted insulation is fine. The reason for th...	Simply get yourself some R-11 or R-13 fiberglass batts and pack the joist or ceiling space loosely around each vent component.
Self-leveling alternatives to gypsum concrete (Gyp-Crete, Pyrofill, Securock) over OSB? Replacement options for < 1.5 inch pour? Details: Bathroom remodel (new tub, tile wall/floor, toilet, vanity). Old tile floor came up with finger pressure, found that the gypsum concrete underneath was unstable, coming off in lar...	We generally don't recommend self leveling alternatives on a substrate other than concrete, vibrations over time can affect their stability. Your best bet would self leveling concrete, you'll need to pay attention to the substrate requirements, it says it accepts certain wood based substrates, however compare their req...
Is any of this plumbing work a code violation? I've repaired plenty of pre-existing plumbing, but don't know enough to put all new plumbing in a house, so I hired it out. Some of it it is fine, but I'm unhappy with the rest of it, and since I'm not a plumber, I don't know exactly what may be a code violation. 1) PEX ...	If the work was complete, the plumbing operates, and you did not negotiate beforehand any quality standards or material restrictions, then you have nothing to complain about. Get the Inspector out to review everything & to let you know definitely if they're Licensed & their work is "somehow" legal & proper.
Ethernet LAN disconnects after turning off kitchen tubelight or fan Whenever my kitchen tube light or fan is turned off or on my Ethernet LAN disconnects. How could they interfere with the the Ethernet? My Laptop is connected only to LAN Ethernet cable What could cause this to disconnect? <Q> Ethernet LAN wire comin...	My bet is that the Ethernet parallels either the light fixture or the electrical wiring in general (I could easily see the latter being done to save costs by cutting corners).
How many lights do I need for my basement? Basement is 550 sq ft. 11x50 with a 7 ft ceiling. Am planning on using recessed LEDs since the ceiling is already completed. <Q> 11' x 50' is a rather odd shape but lighting it is done like any other space, <S> Is it one big entertainment space? <S> Is it a combination med...	The fixtures used (look for their lumen outputs) will change just how many you would need to create a sweeping, uniform light level. first and foremost consider what you will be doing and where you will be doing it. 28 or 22-lights (for full light) may seem like a lot & it is
Basement insulation w/ existing tar paper and studs I recently pulled off old wood paneling in my basement, and would like to insulate it using rigid foam (silverboard or durofoam). Behind the panelling, there is tar paper, and 1x2" studs approximately every 1.5 feet. I see the tar paper as extra protection/moisture ba...	If building the stud walls in place you'd just temporarily tack the wall's top plate in to hold the foam boards for you while you tape &/or spray foam seams & gaps.
Rust on copper pipe at strap I have a few places on 1/2 copper water pipes in my basement that look rusted, right where a strap is. Should I be concerned enough about a leak to replace the line? <Q> I'd replace the strap with a copper strap placed adjacent and clean up the copper pipe before deciding. <A> I complete...	I expect it is superficial, copper tarnishes rather than rusting and pinhole leaks start from the inside.
Leakage in my pipes, how to densify/seal? I've never built with pipes before so maybe I'd need some general advice regarding leakage. On a specific note, I've built a system (see picture) where it leaks practically everywhere. I've sealed it with NASTRO P.T.F.E tape on some places where it seems to work. I've screwed...	PTFE tape is not specifically designed to seal threads, even though that's how it's commonly thought of. Crushing and/or deforming the washer/O-ring, can actually cause leaks.
What is the correct way to tile a wall when there are existing electrical sockets I will be tiling a backsplash in my kitchen. Currently there is none, and the new backsplash will cover areas that currently have electric sockets. So my question is this do you: Remove front cover of socket, tile slightly over the bac...	If you can get enough extra distance out of those, then you can tile right up to the edge of the electrical box. This way the receptacle can be accessed if needed. It's preferable to have a properly mounted box, but when that is not practical this gives you an easy alternative.
Is notching a flange on an I-Joist ever acceptable? My home builder said that the following notch in a flange on an I-Joist was acceptable, but I've read that you're never supposed to do so. Is that true? <Q> According to this document (PDF) , accidental notches in the top flange may not need to be repaired if they me...	Cuts, notches and holes bored in trusses, laminated veneer lumber, gluelaminated members or I-joists are not permitted unless the effects of such penetrations are specifically considered in the design of the member.
Rail bookshelves on a wall with steel studs I want to mount bookshelves on rails in my office. My office manager says that the walls are "drywall on steel studs" on one side; plaster and lathe over "thin steel studs" on the other. What are my options for mounting? I assume I want to screw directly into the studs - bu...	Steel studs are incredibly horrible & the only thing that gives a false sense of security is Coarse Threaded screws.
Will a high efficiency furnace vent etch the brick on my house? My neighbour just informed me that they had to change the vent on their high efficiency furnace. The furnace vents between our two houses and it used to have an elbow on it directing it along the walkway but she said the elbow was icing up and they had to ...	If those corrosive vapors condense on your brick wall, it will do damage. That is why high efficiency gas furnaces can not use unlined brick chimneys.
Dangers from intermittent phase issues while experiencing a electrical phase issue (loose/failing service connection causing brief outages on one phase), what dangers is there to things plugged in? Any actions to take to either eliminate or reduce them? I have already taken the time to unplug the major electronic ite...	As a rule of thumb, a loose connection where your lights are either completely on or completely off isn't a concern; it's the times when your lights are
Connecting the four terminals of a 14-50P to a homebrew 240v system with three wires I bought a new 240v homebrew system. The system requires a 30 amp circuit and comes with 10 gauge wires (black, white, green) but no plug (so you can connect the plug needed for your situation). I also recently bought an electric vehi...	You need a 30 amp fuse hooked up with 50 amp wiring between your brewer and the outlet. If you want 240V you need to connect to both hots (and not the neutral).
How to best fill in rat holes outside? We have a rental in a neighborhood with a serious rat problem. Per the county, we can only hope to battle and contain the issue. To that end, we've been paying for rat poison services for a while, but the county requires us to fill the holes, so that we can determine if the rats...	But, after reading additional comments a more direct answer to your question would be to pour as much pre-mixed DRY concrete into the opening until it fills to the top. Here, both the private exterminators and the city exterminators bait the holes in the ground (we're not talking about inside buildings here - but outsi...
Would it hurt my water pump if installed a second water pump on the output of the first? I have a well in my garden(17m deep, 1m diameter), in it there is a platform on which my water pump for my house sits. Before the water comes out my faucet or shower it travels across some 20 to 30 meters of small diameter pipe. So...	Placing a pump on the end of the small pipe will likely cause the second pump to cavitate, which generally damages the pump.
How to tie a rope to both sides without loosing its grip strength? I already tried other kinds of ties but nothing seems to accomplish what I want to do. I tried taut-line hitch, didn't work... the only way to tighten it is to pull the tied part and if apply force at the middle of the rope then It will just simply loo...	The Taut Line Hitch and the Trucker's Hitch are the most commonly used knot for this purpose.
rotten egg smell in cold water only bathroom sink of new home I live in a brand new home. Since we moved in (Nov 2015) there is a rotten egg smell in just one of the bathroom sinks and just from the cold water. It used to be now and then. Now it is 90% of the time I get that smell in the cold water. What can I do?The b...	If you are on a well and get the odor anytime the plumbing sits for a few days, you can have the well sterilized and flushed (usually by turning it off, adding several gallons of bleach to the well head and letting it sit for a few hours, then flushing ALL of the plumbing for several hours. If I was in a home less than...
Do I need to unplug my hot water recirculating pump when I turn off the water to the house? When I turn off the water to the house (for vacation) and open a faucet to relieve the pressure, I notice that the hot water recirculating pump makes a lot of noise that it doesn't when the water is on. Do I need to unplug the r...	Yes, unplug it or unless you actually need power for something (minimal heating, alarm system, phantom lighting, etc), turn off the whole place with the Main Circuit Breaker.
Is it crazy to put a hole on a fridge? I want to buy a mini fridge, not for food storage, but for storing stuff I don't want to evaporate (gets hot in my room during summers) or preserve. I'm thinking maybe once in a while I want to make it extensible by putting a hole through it and then attach an insulated PVC pipe ...	You're much better off getting an air-conditioner, and keeping the fridge outside of the room. Once you've got your fridge turned on for the first time, if the walls feel warm, don't drill into them!
Water gets cold after ten minutes of use! Water runs cold after about 10 minutes of showering! Also there was black stuff coming out of bath pipe before. Just got a new water heater and it didn't fix the hot water problem :(. What could it be? <Q> The black stuff should've been from the new Water Heater installation &...	I have seen similar behaviour in a system that had a "short circuit" in the plumbing where cold water was allowed to enter the hot water pipes.
UK Vented Heating Problem - F25 Error on Glow Worm Boiler We have had an intermittent problem over the last 4 months with our boiler cutting out with F22 and F25 errors (circulation fault/air in system etc...). Its a Glow worm Flexicom 18hx and has been installed for about 2 years. It would cut out every 10 minutes or ...	Flushing the circuit might be worth trying.
Outside electrical outlet doesn't work after pressure washing My outside outlet has a flap but son pressure washed house using it. Now will not work I think he had it gotten wet. If I replace outlet would that work? <Q> That may not be necessary. <S> You may have tripped a circuit breaker or a GFCI device. <S> Firs...	If it is dry you will need to replace the outlet as water is probably inside the outlet and may have damaged the electronics.
What is this bug and should I be concerned? I see these guys crawling around. What are they and are they here to destroy my house and cost me money and waste my time? <Q> It's a woodlouse . <S> Mostly an outdoor bug, generally beneficial, but may bother some plants. <S> They are generally not a big deal in houses...	They are not generally regarded as a serious household pest as they do not spread disease and do not damage sound wood or structures. That insect is a woodlouse also known as "boat builder", "cheesy bob", "pill bug" and many other local names.
When sanding spindles how far should I go? I have a number of spindles on my stairs which need to be repainted. The current paint is thick and badly done. How far should I be going when sanding? So far I have all the thick paint sanded off, but I'm not sure if I should be going down to wood. <Q> I would make sure...	Since you are repainting the spindles, you do not need to go completely down to bare wood.
How can I work on eaves of my house, 30-feet high? I have repair work and painting I want to do on the eaves and gutters of my house. In some places they are up to 30 feet off the ground and I would not feel safe being on ladder that high. One option may be to rent a scissors lift which might cost about $150 per day. ...	I'd rent a batch of scaffolding (or "staging"), including some extensions to accommodate the berm. If I needed more security I would probably buy ladder-stabilisers or lash a plank to the bottom (less likely for ladder to rotate) and maybe buy a harness to clip myself to the ladder.
Connecting 1/2 copper to 1/8 pex? Water line to fridge had a saddle valve, saddle valve started leaking so took it out and repaired pipe. Now trying to figure out how to reconnect fridge line. I have 1/2 inch copper under the sink and the pex line at the fridge says 1/8 on it. I can't find any adapters that go from 1/2...	If you want to tee off the 1/2" copper line, then you can start with something like this. Use 1/4 flexible copper with compression fittings or 1/4 flexible braided stainless steel supply line(like going to your faucet) Just take a trip your local hardware store and ask for help this is a very common issue.
How to make a 12" deep wall cabinet face be 15" from existing wall I'm remodeling my kitchen. First major remodel. I have purchased 12" deep unfinished stock cabinets. I would like to make the face of the 30x30x12 wall cabinet that will be above the stove/oven be 15" from the wall so I can add crown molding to all the ...	Yes, your plan is good.
How do I use a multimeter to check for power? I need to check that power going from my light switch, to a light fixture on the same wall, as well as a light fixture on the opposite wall. How do I use a multimeter to do that? <Q> WARNING <S> If you're not comfortable working on live wiring, please contact a local lic...	In all honesty, You really don't need a multi-meter, a non-contact voltage detector is easier to use, and hands down safer since you don't have to have exposed wiring. When using a meter on a live circuit you would use the volts AC and select a range that is higher than what you expect 120V standard outlet herein the U...
How can I install a Pull-Up Bar on a brick wall? I want to install a pull-up bar on a brick wall but I am not sure at all if it will hold or not. I will try to give you some specifications about the wall and the bar and hopefully you can help me. -The wall is 40cm (15.7 inches) thick, made by some kind of brick with h...	If you have concrete wall behind the brick you must anchor through the brick with wedge anchors or sleeve anchors into the concrete wall.
Does using central heating increase water usage? Its most likely a very trivial question but central heating systems aren't something i'm familiar with, I've had a good dig around on the internet and cannot find any reference that states that specifically using central heating consumes water, not considering any other ...	Central heating should not significantly increase your water usage.
How can I secure my spindles? My house has 3 stories, and from the first floor to the second it has spindles. My issue with them is that they seem very rickety, and don't support any weight what so ever. Is it possible to secure them? The top set seem to be much worse than the bottom. <Q> Stair hand rails are pri...	You'll probably have to get a Carpenter or even a Stair Builder to fix your problems once & permanently.
What should you do first paint ceiling and walls or strip and finish hardwood floors? I am remodeling my home and is putting on a fresh coat of paint and will be stripping and finishing the wood floors <Q> My general rule is that paint should generally be one of the last things that you do. <S> Refinishing a floor ca...	It's probably going to be easier to clean up from the floor job before prepping the walls and ceiling for painting than it would be to clean up freshly painted walls. I always paint first.
Garage door opener makes noise but doesn't move My Craftsman 139.53515SR - I/2HP garage door opener has worked fine for many years. For no reason that I can see, it stopped opening or closing the door yesterday. When I push the button to raise or lower it I hear some noise, like it's trying to work, then in a few secon...	You may notice physical damage to the capacitor (leaking, buldging, etc.).
Can I replace a recessed lighting track without replacing the fixture housing? I have 20 year old track lights that I would like to replace. They are Lightolier brand which is now owned by Philips. The track heads have transformers in them that buzz loudly. New track heads are hard to come by and are about $100 eac...	You can likely replace just the track with a lesser brand as long as the width is the same, which it probably is.
How to flush all the water lines in your house I live in a small (1-traffic-light) town in upstate NY. Some local village water officials accidentally cracked a water main (feeding water to the entire area) and so the Department of Health had to step in and issue a "Boil Water Alert" because the water could be contamin...	You'd shut off the gas & power to the Water Heater, close the hot & cold water valves above the Water Heater & open the top side valve to then open the bottom hose bib with hose attached to drain the Water Heater.
How to improve this table stability? I built this tall wooden table for working while standing. The problem is that it's a little bit unstable(shaky) horizontally. What is the minimum work I can do to make it stable? Edit: Diagonal bracings on sides successfully worked. <Q> The minimum would be diagonal bracing on b...	#2 add X bracing to the back legs if it tends to wobble front to back adding X bracing to the back to front on each side should keep it from moving.
How can I protect ultra thin paint on new kitchen cabinets? I just got new kitchen cabinets, and the paint on the doors (which are hard wood) is ultra-ultra thin. It seems like it will scratch very easily. Is there a way to protect? They are being installed now. Is it reasonable for me to ask for something with a thi...	If your doors aren't solid hardwood and I am guessing since you are asking this question then the only thing you can do to protect them is to put layers of poly or clear coat on them.
Properly Venting a Dryer BACKGROUND INFO: We have an upstairs laundry room with the dryer vented directly into the attic space! House was built in '84, maybe had three previous owners before us. Not sure what the code was back then, but what you see in the picture was probably NEVER up to code to begin with! QUESTIO...	You might want to thick about insulating the duct. Much easier & safer to install with better waterproofing. You could throw some drywall or cement board scraps under it to abate any fire ideas. I also agree with running it along the joists.
Effect of changing the size of a pipe I've had a couple questions above the sizing of a pipe, but I'm still a little confused and can't find an easy answer. I'll use this image to get a representation of what I'm looking to have answered. Sizes shouldn't matter, but if they were; we'll assume the small pipes are bot...	There is actually an additional pressure loss introduced just by changing the pipe size (and will depend on what kind of fitting you use to do that), because the water has to change directions (flowing out or in rather than straight down the pipe), so that also has to be accounted for when you decide if it's worth it t...
Is this gravel stabilizing underlament an effective product? Does anyone have any experience with a gravel stabilizing product? I'll say, somehow I've never seen this before, but it looks genius; especially if you could create a reasonable driveway out of this stuff that wouldn't buckle under a car's load. What are you...	I have seen this stuff used to reinforce canal towpaths in the UK.
Hand tool for packing dirt What is a good simple hand tool for packing small surfaces of dirt to prepare it for laying concrete? I've seen big pneumatic hammers at large construction sites and was wondering if there is a good manual version of it. <Q> I use a plate tamper. <S> Most of the hardware stores, garden center...	Try just using the non-business end of a shovel. Search for a tool called a " dirt tamper "
Kohler Push Button Diverter Leaking from Shower My plumber just installed the fixtures in my shower/tub and the shower stays running when the tub spout is running. I can tell he didn't even test it because when I turned on the water, I could hear the air getting flushed out. Even with the tub spout running at a low flo...	Get on the horn with the manufacturer of the valve.
Is it safe to attach a bath screen to a steel stud behind tile? I'm putting a 13 kg screen up in my bathroom, which has tile and then plasterboard or drywall, not sure which. There is a metal girder, about 4 inches wide, that runs vertically up the wall, exactly where I need to attach the screen. Am I safe going throug...	However, if the wall material isn't actually fastened to the metal stud (there is a gap between the wall material and the stud), the stud could interfere with anchoring.
What is the best adhesive for making styrofoam sandwich panels? I wanted to make some panels in which styrofoam sheets are sandwiched in between 2 steel sheets. What kind of adhesives are best for this job. I also want the fastest curing time for adhesive because I want to make these panels using a fast technique. <Q> ...	My opinion is that silicone works well because it is soft and seeps into the crevices between the styrofoam pearls.
Remove hard amber glue from tile and bathtub? I'm not sure what kind of glue this is. It's an amber color and it's very rigid, like hard plastic. I've tried Goo Gone, which didn't do anything. I was able to chip away at it with a putty knife, but it's slow work and I'm afraid of damaging the tile/bathtub. Any sugges...	I ended up using a heat gun to soften the glue, and then I was able to easily scrape it away with a putty knife.
Brad or Finish Nail Gun I am replacing all the trim along the floor in the house, 3 bedrooms, office, living room, hallways, and media room. To save some effort I'll be getting a nail gun. For wall trim like this would a brad nail gun (18 gauge) be okay or do I need a finish nail gun (16 gauge)? Thanks <Q> for all you...	A brad nailer is for super delicate work; building furniture and such, like attaching the cardboard backing to ikean cabinets or tiny moldings that would shatter with a larger gauge.
Why can the connections of a recessed light be buried in drywall, but not junction boxes? I'm redoing lights in our kitchen and have to splice some lines. I have read numerous threads that all say you cannot bury the junction box in the drywall, it has to be accessible.The recessed lights I'm putting in all have a junc...	It's a real pain trying to find the things, safely getting to them without damaging the wires, and especially finding them if you don't even suspect there being one. You are correct with the fixture in the ceiling you know there is at least 1 junction in the box of the fixture.
Convert a ceiling fan controlled by two switches to a remote control I would like to convert a ceiling fan with light from 2 switches (one for the light and one for the fan) to a single remote control. Is there a best practice or do I just pick a line and cap off one at the ceiling fan box? Is there anyway to keep both...	Cap off the unused hot wire coming from the ceiling making one of the two switches on the wall inoperable.
Pros and cons of painting cinder block in basement? I have owned my house for 5 years. The outside wall of the laundry room in the basement is unfinished cinderblock. The cinderblock wall looks a bit unsightly, with dabs of paint, and the rough surface collects dust. The basement does not get water. In the summer, ...	It looks better and if you have any moisture and use a sealing paint, the room will be dryer. By painting the wall you will trap the moisture behind the wall which will eventually cause the paint to fail. An Exterior Masonry Sealer or Primer goes on first & then an Interior 100% Acrylic paint.
What are the pros and cons of cast iron vs. porcelain covered steel bathtubs? What are the pros and cons of cast iron vs. porcelain covered steel bathtubs? I'm wanting a free standing bathtub but do not want the fiberglass or acrylic type that are common now. <Q> Great call. <S> Cast Iron's bottom & sides are solid, n...	cast iron is readily available, but its a porous material that is intrinsically brittle.
Fluorescent fixture won't stay lit I have a two-bulb F28T5 light fixture that went out and replacing the bulbs with new ones did not fix it. So I replaced the ballast with a new one. The lights come on but go out within a second or so. I cleaned the prongs that hold the light with alcohol and a Q-Tip but that didn't h...	You need the lamps that match your ballast.
Can fill hoses be reused for a new washer? I'm finding that major appliance retailers and manufacturers insist that a new washer requires new fill hoses. Used fill hoses cannot be reused, it is claimed. Of course I have to wonder about this since (a) many (most?) units do not come with the required hoses and (b) the ...	Old hoses can of course provide the needed functionality.
Are wire splices actually fire hazards? I'm redoing wiring during a remodel and am reading about burying boxes behind drywall, and how it's a fire hazard and not up to code etc. My question -Are wire splices actually a fire hazard in and of themselves? A lot of responses regarding why to not bury a junction box includ...	It's a fire hazard because there are a lot of variables and the code (and remember that the code is the law) errs on the side of safety. I've had 3 places of 90-years old with Knob & Tube wiring & their bevy of low-temperature soldered concealed splices & split circuits & not a single scorch mark, overheating melt nor ...
How to get rid of these bugs? We have newly got these bugs at home and want to get rid of them. They are about 1 cm long. They live under a laminated "floating" floor and they are only active at night - they run around our washroom and one can easily step on them... Is there a way how to get rid of these without removi...	Boric acid powder puffed into the nooks and crannies of the area is a safe (if slightly slow) way to get rid of them. As with any pest if you search around on the internet you can find a zillion suggestions for getting rid of them, some more successful than others. That looks like a silverfish, one of the most ancient ...
Can a doorbell transformer sit loose inside main panel? Can a low voltage transformer for a doorbell sit loose (not screwed to anything) inside the main panel or does it have to be affixed somehow? It came with holes but I'd need to drill holes in the panel to attach it, unless I can just wire it and sit it on the bott...	For safety's sake you should mount the bell transformer in a manner that the low voltage wiring does not come into the same enclosure as the mains wiring. At least bolt it to the outside of the panel.
How do I use a multimeter to determine why one of my lights is not turning on? In my Bathroom, the light switch is located on the left hand wall. The duplex outlet is on the forward wall. On each side of The forward wall (left & right) are the fixtures, one each. When I flip the light switch to on, only the left hand s...	To test an incandescent bulb or the wiring to your light fixture, you would first disconnect power to your light & then use the Ohms mode of your multimeter. If it's the wiring then jiggle and tighten everything: Turn off the power at the circuit breaker. Unfortunately you have to simultaneously learn how the circuit i...
Can I skim coat a painted interior concrete block wall? If so, with what & how? Can I skim coat a painted interior concrete block wall? If so: What can I use to prepare the wall? What material should I use (joint compound, plaster, other)? All DIY so simpler the better. <Q> Is the wall dry? <S> is the paint in g...	The simplest solution to get a smooth wall is to attach furring strips to the concrete and then drywall to that.
Toilet valve flushing by itself Every so often, the valve lets the water run. To check the flapper, I shut the water off overnight. The water in the tank didn't go down so it may not be the flapper. What else could it be? <Q> Some can be fixed by turning the water off, then removing the top of the fill valve and slig...	Small rocks and scale can cause the fill valve to leak allowing more water in.
Can a drywall ceiling support hanging a 20kg chandelier I want to know if a drywall ceiling support hanging a 20kg chandelier <Q> No, not with just the drywall. <S> Fasten a bracket to the ceiling joists with some good lag bolts for that much weight. <S> The problem isn't today but 5 or 10 years from now. <S> Will ...	Ceiling mounted drywall alone cannot support any significant weight.
What affects air quality indoors after home improvement? We installed a new A/C in the corner room of our house a little while back, because we wanted to use it as a nursery. Installation went fine and the little one sleeps in there every night. A few months later we decided to get a baby cam, which happens to have an ...	A few things you can try with your monitor is to not run the AC, no fan Additionally, VOC's may only release at certain temperatures or as the room's air cools or heats, they would rise or fall toward or away from the monitor. If you are really concerned get a better piece of equipment to monitor your air quality that ...

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