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No remote/pull chains, how do I turn off fan without turning off the lights on combo unit Just moved to new house 2 months ago. Bedroom ceiling fan/light fixture doesn't have any chains and did not have a remote with it. I have 2 wall switches, one turns the entire unit on/off and the other does nothing that I can tell...	If the switch turns on an outlet - then at least you know the fan / light kit might be missing a pull switch. There's not a small chance this fan-light is a piece o'junk.
How to route wire around a box? I am remodeling my bathroom and am bringing in a new 20 amp circuit. I want the box on the bottom to contain the GFI outlet. The box on the top will house the connection for a hardwired lighted makeup mirror. My issue is that I want to bypass the top box and bring the wire into the bot...	if there is enough room to put the wire to the back of the box and still have 1-1/4" to the face of the stud this would be legal. I would pigtail at the first (top) box and continue to the second box. Run the cable through the top box down to the bottom box and back up.
20 amp breaker connected to 14 GA I have breaker that is 20 amps and is a 12 gauge copper wire that leads out of the box. Somewhere along the line in my upper crawl space it connects to a 14 gauge copper wire? What is the best way for me to find out where this connection has been made? Yes? I have checked my whole hou...	To find wiring when I don't have my scanner, a simple stud finder with a voltage alert. When I am doing telecom I use a less expensive toner/tracer again made by Greenlee If there is any 14 AWG wire in the circuit, the breaker must be 15 amps.
Converting to a 3-way switch with a 2 wire cable I've got a light downstairs with the switch upstairs. I want to add a switch downstairs. I have access to the light's wiring and can add the switch easily there. I don't want to rip up the drywall though to put a 3-wire cable in. Is there any way to use a single pole/2 ...	The switches would probably have to be momentary type, and the relay would toggle between on and off. However, if another person wants to use the stairs they will be in the dark.
Is it legal to add a jumper wire to a conductor that is too short in a junction box? I live in Sparks, Nevada, and the 2011 National Electrical Code applies to me. My work will be inspected when complete. I am replacing a switch and have found that someone before me (accidentally?) sliced open the insulation on the ho...	Some electrical tape around the slice insulation and a wire nut to extend it longer is all that is required. As a tip of advice a large crimp rated for at least 5 #12s with two pigtails extending out for the two devices would be fab. If you can't pull more cable into the box, you're going to have to replace it.
Can I use LVL 2x4 outdoors (pergola roof) A few days ago, I got a letter from the HOA telling me that I have to replace the warped, twisted, sagging 2x4s forming the roof of my pergola. I have absolutely zero confidence that any PT 2x4 I buy from Home Depot or Lowes won't warp/twist/sag the exact same way within a mat...	LVL lumber, like any laminated wood product, will eventually come apart if exposed to the cycles of weather.
Remove brown bicycle tire marks from vinyl floor I'm trying to remove these brown bicycle tire marks from my kitchen floor (see pictures). I've searched the internet and I have tried the following recommendations: White spirit Bike degreaser (Muc-off) WD-40 Soda crystals Scrubbed using abrasive scourer Flash ...	Then try to rub/scrub it off (non abrasive scrubber). Try making a baking soda paste and smothering it on a stain.
How to run chlorine feeder at the same time well pump is running I have a chlorine feeder (120v Stenner 45) that is supposed to run at the same time my well pump (240v) is running. Currently they are set up on separate pressure switches, with the chlorine feeder set to switch on (40.x psi) slightly before the well pum...	The well pump is running 220v already and the injector pump is 110v, simply run an additional line off of either of the pressure switch contacts.
What is the appropriate way to seal an opening in a pressurized tube around an inserted object? I have a loop consisting of approximately 6' of 3/8" ID tubing, pressurized with a pump running at approximately 1 GPM. I would like to add a few temperature sensors into the loop to read the water temperature at varying po...	Bushing (threads inside and outside)
Is it better to wire power to your switches or your fixtures first? Given the option, is it better to bring power to your switches first, then run wires to your lights? Or is it better to bring the power to your lights first, then run wires to your switches? Or does it matter? <Q> For new installations, the important t...	Since neutrals are now required at switch locations, it's theoretically " better " to bring the circuit to the switch first.
Difficult to start a four stroke mower when cold - how to diagnose the problem I have a mower with a Tecumseh LV148AE / LV195EA engine that will run pretty well once it warms-up, but getting it started when cold is quite a challenge. The way I have been able to get it started is to keep pulling on it about 20 times. ...	I suspect that cleaning the carburetor also would have worked. With a cold cylinder, the engine needs excess fuel to establish a flame front at all, and the choke enables that. Rather than try to figure out what seal was bad in the carburetor, I bought yet another carb and installed it.
Is this asbestos insulation? I was removing some panels in the garage of the house that I rent, and found one wall filled with insulation, at first I thought of mineral wool but as it all fell in crumbles I'm afraid it might be Asbestos insulation. Will take a sample to the lab but would like to know your opinion in th...	Even if it is fiberglass you should be wearing a filter mask as it is essentially spun silica (glass) and the particles can cause silicosis (and skin irritation).
Can a plug melt when unit is not turned on? My Skutt kiln was plugged into the socket (240 volts). When I came in to check the kiln, the plug was completely melted. I was told the unit had not been turned on. Is this possible? <Q> If there is current leakage between pins of the plug, almost a short circuit, then that...	But it could also be due to a loose connection in the plug itself.
Finding circuits on breakers I have 5 circuits that I cannot identify on my breaker box. I have included every known end-point including furnaces, outdoor outlets, garage, etc. I was wondering if there was any way to disconnect the breaker in question and use a signal source at that end and some type of signal sensor t...	A simple visual "make and break" of the black hot wire while the breaker is on to see any arcing will indicate a load.
How can I verify that my ceiling fan is properly grounded Up front, my question is...how do I most easily and safely check to see if my ceiling fan is grounded? Now for the explanation. I recently installed 2 identical ceiling fans about a day apart in my two spare bedrooms. Both had fans in them previously; I'm sur...	Really, you could just drop the shroud and have a peek.
Test outlets to see if knob and tube? (grounded?) Considering a rewire in the future and want to figure out which outlets (and ideally fixtures) are knob and tube. I know many are, some are not. Probably all 2 prong outlets are k&t, possible some 3 prongs are as well. Is this best done with a multimeter, an outlet tes...	Opening up the electrical device boxes (make sure you understand how to work safely on electrical equipment if you proceed with these steps) and inspecting the wire coming into the box will allow you to determine the type of wire feeding into the box.
How to cut off and insulate live 3-phase power? I need to disconnect my 3-phase cables from the power pole to my house. I'm building directly under it and though the contractors say they are okay with it, I would prefer to disconnect for a week or two to be 100% safe. There is at least one spot where the cable has per...	Before attempting anything like this you should call them and ask what the procedure is for a temporary disconnect.
Using receptacle mounting screws for ground connection I will soon be adding some outdoor wiring using weatherproof metal boxes and EMT conduit. I noticed when I was playing around with a multimeter that without a ground conductor between a receptacle and the box the receptacle ground terminal still read 0Ω to the box....	You can use a "self-grounding" receptacle which has spring clips on the yoke to make sure that contact is made between the yoke, the screws, and the box.
Can I remove ceiling joists without risking the integrity of my roof system? We have a 23x12ft room that we are looking at opening up the flat ceiling. The 2x6 rafters are parallel with the long side the the room and there is one beam (3 2x6s) that seems to be a rafter tie running this long length of the room. Looks to...	Yeah, I know, the roof ties (and strong-back) are installed to hold the roof rafters from pushing the top of the wall out of plumb. A licensed professional works with your states actual loading criteria, and designs to it.
Is denim insulation more inviting to packrats? I'm deciding what kind of insulation to use in a new detached home office. Packrats are a major problem in my area. It's a constant battle to keep them out of the floor insulation in my house. Is denim insulation more inviting than fiberglass to packrats and other pests...	Chipmunks and mice, the most common home invaders in my area, don't seem to be slowed down by fiberglass.
Nema 6-15 to nema 5-15 (hot hot ground) Let me preface this by saying i did my research, i got an electric car and the charger is limited to 12A draw internally, but it is designed to handle both nema 6-15 and nema 5-15 specs. If you run it at 110 12A it will charge in 9 hours, if you run it at 220 12a it will charge i...	The charger may need to be modified internally to adjust to the higher input voltage.
Shim Tub Surround for Cement Board This has probably been asked a million times. Had a new tub installed today. The tub straps will interfere with my Hardiebacker, which I had planned to run right down to the top of the tub flange. So I am wondering the best way to handle it. Should I: Hog-out the back of the Hardie...	Different sources including this Family Handyman article on Backerboard around tub indicate that you should stop the backerboard 1/4" from the top of the tub lip and the tile should canteliver over it to 1/4" above the tub.
How is it possible for pressure to build up in a water heater? Context is North America (Canada). Water heaters are always equipped with a pressure/temperature safety relief valve (no argument that safety precautions are a good thing). My question is: how is it possible for the water heater to build up pressure when an...	Either an actual check valve or something that acts like one (such as a Pressure Reducing Valve) are fairly common on cold water supplies.
Replaced Door Knobs, How to Fill Extra Space I replaced some old door knobs with new ones. The doors are perfectly fine. The new plates that went into the door frame are not a perfect fit. There's gap on one side of it that goes down into the old hole. I was thinking of filling the gap with wood fill or wood putty, alt...	The craftsman way to fix this is to cut out a section of the door frame where the old striker plate and its recess holes are located (plus some extra).
New replacement windows: what happens when I change thickness of exterior siding? Can I order/do they sell windows that can accommodate changing the wall thickness at a later date? I want to replace some windows in my house, but - at some later point - I also want to re-side the exterior. Right now, the house has v...	If you're replacing windows and siding at a different time, consider installing trim around each window.
Joining two 10mm twin and earth cables I've had an electrician install some new wiring for me for our new electric car charger. It is 10mm twin and earth. He's had to join two of these together, he hasn't fully finished yet, but I'm wondering if the join he has made is sufficient. I've attached a photo of his work. T...	In practice, I would bet that a sufficiently deep box would meet the requirements and would fit in the existing hole in your wall. The vehicle charger plugs into that receptacle. But don't be afraid to question what other options you have.
How to drill plastic without the bit "grabbing" it? I am attempting to use a drill press to drill a 13mm hole in the ends of a small electronics enclosures (a Hammond case). The wall of the case is about 2mm thick and made of ABS plastic. Started off by drilling a 5mm pilot hole and followed it up carefully and slow...	Yet another plastic drilling question Use a drill bit made to drill plastic. If you have a bunch of in between size bits, you can simply start small and slowly work your way up to the final size. Adding support behind the piece is also a good idea. I was going to propose using an endmill .
How do I feed an ethernet cable through a doorway without damaging the door or wall? My wife and I recently moved into a new apartment. We've had it for just a few days. When our internet company came to hook up our landline, I had them hook it into one of our bedrooms and set up my home office. Now my wife wants...	If the floor in and between the two bedrooms is carpeted, you can probably push the ethernet cable into the "crack" between the carpet and wall. Just leave them when you move and it will look like any other jack in the wall. I would say yes and consider it normal wear and tear, unless the hole was like 1 inch in diamet...
Why did a bulge appear after I mounted a wine rack to my wall? I'm new to 'DIY-ing' and this evening I mounted a wooden wine rack to my wall. I used a stud finder, made my marks and when I drilled the hole on the left hand side it felt like.. nothing.. no stud. I shifted the drilled a little to the left and tried again...	If the whole area seems to yield magnetic areas then it's more than a nail pop and anything could be under there. You have a textbook screw pop there, where the drywall hanger didn't run the screw in snug, leaving a gap behind the drywall. The best and easiest fix is to skim around that bubble to feather it out or hide...
How should I connect my new motion-detecting light switch? I bought a Legrand RRW600U motion-detecting light switch and I could use some help wiring it to my bathroom light. It's a renovation so I have complete access to the ceiling, wall, and floor framing. The switch has three wires in the back (black, red, and y...	Connect the light cable's black wire to the red wire with a wirenut.
Sump pump size and reliabilty for crawlspace Still trying to sort out the different advice from crawlspace drainage vendors. The least expensive fellow insists a single 1/3 HP pump pumps out plenty of volume, and that only a single pump is needed (w/battery backup) because they're so reliable. He also said he stopped u...	If you are going to theoretically rely on your backup someday when the main pump fails, be sure to buy a backup that pumps a reasonable amount of water.
Sink P-Trap doesn't line up with Drain pipe How can I get my sink drain lined up properly. The drain coming out of the wall is welded together and it doesn't have the connector that catches the threaded side of the p-trap. It's' also about an inch short from the p-trap. Thanks for the help guys. <Q> OK as a temp fix yo...	You or a plumber will be unsoldering that mess (possibly one joint back, at the Tee) and replacing it with the right parts - which are a compression fitting similar to the one you have on the trap, allowing a proper slip-joint adjustable positioning of the replacement for the chromed pipe, with the correct nut to join ...
Is a home with concrete walls more likely to propagate noise between floors? I have a house and it has three floors. All of these floors and walls are made of concrete. So my question is, whenever the third floor makes noises, e.g. noises from music, carpentry tools like drills, or noises that are loud enough to hear, ...	Concrete is a rigid and dense material meaning it reflects sound well and does not transmit or absorb sound. There are other options that are proven, such as a double framed 2x4 walls with the studs offset and conventional fiberglass "weaved" between the studs.
Is this pipe in my basement floor intended for radon mitigation? This pipe emerges from the concrete slab floor in a corner of my house's full basement. I believe it's a 4" polyethylene sewer pipe (narrow walls, black interior, white exterior). I can't tell if it's perforated or not below the surface. As you can se...	When we install radon piping, we install a series of perforated pipes embedded into gravel in the crawl space or under a slab-on-grade floor. The reason the two pipes seem to be connected is that the two gravel systems are connected. When installed in mobile homes wood stoves must be fed by outside air because the mobi...
Where is the tandem breaker located? We added a sunroom back in the 2009 and the breaker panel was full so the electrician installed a tandem breaker.I am looking at the diagram for our breaker box, and wondering if he installed the breaker in the slot marked 3 in the diagram, or whether he installed it in the slot ma...	If I correctly understand the meaning of "tandem" breaker, the only one I see is in slot 3.
What does this lever do near my gas heater? I am not entirely sure what this big duct work is for.Its not the exhaust, because im sure the exhaust is the smaller duct on the gar left side (exiting form the enter image description heretop). The big duct as a lever, which i know is to open/close the valve inside the duct...	It is a damper to regulate how much air goes through the duct.
Patching a Small Hole in Drywall I have a small hole (2" x 1") in my drywall. The problem is that it is very close to a work box, so the smallest patch I can find it 4" x 4". What can I do to patch this hole? <Q> Using a level, and straight edge, draw a tight rectangle around the hole. <S> Using a razor blade, or dryw...	No need to cut out more drywall, tape will be needed to finish the patch to keep the joint from cracking.
How to properly double on ceiling joists I'd like to double my ceiling joists to make my attic space easier to work in (for electrical/plumbing) and for lightweight storage. Status Quo: 2x4's (actual size) spaced 16" on-center running the width of the building uninterrupted, with the ends resting on top of the wall t...	If you have no sag in the ceiling just screw 3/4 inch plywood on on top of the ceiling joist.
Brown water briefly coming from hot water pipe in bathroom sink For a minute or two one afternoon, we had water with a brownish tint coming out of one of our bathroom sinks, and only when the hot water handle was on. The cold water was normal, and our other taps seemed to be fine. Is this a sign that some rust or sil...	Somewhere in your piping you have steel components where the galvanizing has corroded away ( or possibly was not galvanized originally).
How can I find a stud from the exterior to mount service mast? I'm changing the location of the electrical service mast on my house. Is there an easy way(s) or a trick of the trade to find a stud from the exterior of the house so my lag bolts that will hold the mast brackets will hit framing and not just rough siding?...	Using a studfinder, or by examining baseboard nails and outlet locations, find a stud from the interior. Gently release the bottom edge of one row of siding from its retention rib near the intended mount location.
Is wiring with melted insulation and exposed copper dangerous? A plumber has melted the grey sleeve on a two core electrical cable in our kitchen whilst soldering a joint on an adjacent copper pipe. I can see exposed copper through a small hole the cable sleeve. This hole is approx 1cm in length. The cable is at floor...	The main risk is that the plumber has gone bankrupt before you win your case. If you see more than one copper wire exposed there are two choices: separate the wires and wrap each one separately, or just cut the cord at that point and put a new plug on the end. You'll need to cut out the damaged part and splice them tog...
Disable the LG washer/dryer melody at end of the cycle? Title is the question, the loud melody is obnoxious. This is a last ditch effort, the manual doesn't provide any information, surprisingly this fairly comprehensive machine doesn't seem to be designed to disable a sound? Is there a cord to cut or sequence of s...	Sounds are also used by the repair technicians to diagnose problems.
Literature on effect of frequent switching on-off of air conditioner on compressor I tried searching for literature on this using various search terms on google scholar but couldn't get anything substantial. I'm particularly interested in how adversely the AC compressor is affected by frequent switching on-off and how ...	Compressors should be off for at least 5 minutes to allow the refrigerant to equalize before turning back on again or damage could occur.
O-Rings vs. Washers for Garden Hoses? Hose sealers seem to be typically sold in a combo pack with two types. When are garden-hose washers used and when are the O-rings appropriate? I've been kind of winging it with my own hoses, depending upon which seems to fit better. Is there more to the logic than that? Pict...	Always get the correct size rubber washer when it is available. No garden hose uses an O-ring for the junction between it and a threaded connection to something else. The combination of the two work together to prevent leaking.
Is 1/2 inch plywood over 3/4 inch subfloor adequate for 12x24 ceramic tile? We took up old ceramic tile and found no cement board or other underlayment material underneath. However, I did find that the previous installer had put another sheet of 1/2 plywood over the 3/4 inch plywood subfloor. No nails or screws in that...	I suppose if the floor won't get wet, it would be perfectly fine to just lay the porcelain tiles directly over the plywood with thinset. There's a ditra install manual on the web, just plug in your values and you're good to go. Therefore, I'd check the size, spacing and span of the floor joists before starting.
How can I find the centre of a round table? I was building a round table with a single pole in the middle. I have the round table top, a base, a pole and a mount to go under the table.The mount has a hole in the middle for the pole and then goes wider to spread out the load (it is around 25cm in diameter and has 8 scr...	Tape a piece of string to a spot on the edge of the table. Find the exact center of each line You could just lay a tape measure across and mark 1/2, then do that again at a different angle. I think this technique using chords with 90 degree lines is probably the easiest to do because it involves standard construction t...
How can I relocate hookups for washer and electric dryer? EDIT: added info and added alternate locations. Our washer and dryer hookups are located out of reach, 40" behind the appliances. They are mounted on what, in the 1940's, was the exterior side of an exterior wall of a one story house. What is now the den and l...	I would think, "Connections are always behind the washer and dryer; putting them on a side wall may have unforeseen complications." You can take this opportunity to get rid of the flex vent, too.
Can I pull a new single conductor alongside an existing 14/2 wire for a fan+light install? In my bathroom, I have a 2-gang switch box. One switch controls the light bar above the sink, and one controls the fan. I have a new fan, which includes a light. I want to wire the light on the fan to be on the same switch as the...	Single conductor wires are made to be installed in a raceway.(conduit) However, there may be "smart devices" to help you solve that problem, such as Infineon modules which which sit up in the fan/light and listen to electronic signals from a matching light/fan switch. ANY version of the NEC prohibits a single THHN cond...
How can I wire this bathroom fan into the middle of an existing circuit? I am upgrading a bathroom fan from below (no attic access) and replacing the single pole switch with a timer switch. I’ve wired switches and outlets before, but this one is throwing me for a loop. I don’t trust how it was wired before, and I’d lik...	If you are using a single pole switch instead of the timer -- connect one terminal to the black in the switch box, the other terminal to the white in the switch box, tag the white as a hot with a tape flag, and connect the green grounding screw to the ground wire in the switch box, assuming the box itself doesn't need ...
What to use to harden up a gravel driveway I have a gravel driveway uphill. I put new 1/2" rock gravel in last fall because of washout. I also spread concrete and sprayed it, but it didn't take. I have a 05 Harley Davidson Road King custom that I can't get up or down the driveway without almost dumping it. Can I put a...	You could use a plate compactor and attempt to compact the gravel into the soil to provide a firm base.
Can an inspector require a specific grounding technique? I had been taking classes to become an electrician at one of the bigger community colleges in my area (specifically LBCC) and my brother had been doing some renovation on his own home and asked me to help out so I wired up the boxes and switches and receptacles a...	Like the 'Retired Master Electrician' said, yes they can as per the NEC....
What is the ideal lumen output and temperature range for my computer room? I have replaced an older 100W incandescent light bulb with an led 3000K 1400 lumen light bulb but it seems very bright so I wonder if the lumen output is too high. How can I calculate the correct lumen output needed for my space? What is an i...	A real incandescent flame will emit 2700K Kelvins and has a nice CRI of 100%.Most lower end LEDs on the market are 3000K Kelvins and have a CRI of 80% -- This tends to be more white and less colorful ( especially when dimmed ). Also, the LED needs to be "dimmable." If you're just doing general office productivity work,...
Lawn tractor stalls after a few minutes I have a Craftsman lawn tractor with an 18.5 HP Intek Engine (97700 series). It starts fine; but, after a minute or so, it begins blowing white smoke, then stalls. The smoke is not real thick, but enough to make a haze around the mower. When the mower first begin stalling, gas...	Probably gummed the carburetor up. Well the one thing I look at is the Air filter , you might also want to check your A/F mixture level.
Can I use a 15 amp receptacle on a branch circuit fed by a 30 amp breaker? I will be using a high amp appliance at the end of a branch circuit, but in between them I have a room connected to it with a 15 amp receptacle. Am I allowed to do this? <Q> It's only a 20-amp branch circuit if all the wires are 12 AWG or la...	According to National Electrical Code 210.21(B)(3), you can install 15 ampere receptacles on a 20 ampere branch circuit, as long as the circuit supplies two or more receptacles or outlets.
Why does hot water only run for 30 seconds in bathtub? In the bathroom of this rental is a tub with a shower diverter. It's an older setup with a hot & cold faucet and a center valve (one direction diverts to shower, the other to the tub faucet). If I turn on only the hot water, I get hot water for 30-45 seconds, then...	The issue is probably a thermostatic valve on the 'showers' line that is set too low or simply is broken.
Hanging up large whiteboard in rental property So my roomates and I got a large whiteboard for studying, it measures 1800x900mm and has a stainless steel border and backing. At a guess it's easily 20kg, and we've currently got a rather ad-hoc and precarious set up, as you can see. We'd really appreciate any ideas on...	Hang the whiteboard like a standard picture Drill a screw into at least 3 studs (leaving the heads about 1/8" from the wall), and hang the whiteboard from those.
How can I lower my room temperature? My room has the following window: My room becomes extremely warm whenever the day is sunny (the window is facing the south) and the outside temperature is a bit warn (> 60F/15C). Yesterday for example, my room temperature was over 88F/31C most of the day, despite opening the windo...	From there, a bidirectional window fan can be installed to help circulate air.
How do you push a cable through a standard conduit inside the wall? I want to expand my network and transmit it wired through my home and office (in another floor). I know the IT part kind of well, but don't know how to push the network cable through a conduit (already know where's the entry and exit). Do you need a sp...	Rather than waste money on a fish-tape for a job with conduit in place, just connect a vacuum cleaner to one end and feed string from the other end. I have been known to pull and push the existing wires a couple inches, using the "push" motion to drag the new wires through inch by inch. The first and most obvious tool ...
How should I connect two beams to a post at a corner? I'm constructing a 15'x20' screened porch. I've completed work up to the footings, posts, ledger, and joists. I'm now ready to install 4x4 posts around the perimeter which will hold 2x4 bottom plate, two 2x8 to form the header beam, and a 2x4 top plate. My questio...	To support the beams at the corner post: Consider adding 2x4 (or 4x4) shoulders (jack studs) to the corner posts, to give the beam-ends a purchase.
How do you cut threads in plastic coated steel pipe? I'm doing a home improvement project, and I want to bury 10' of 1/2" pipe. I've been to the city and understand the codes to do this legal. In my area, buried pipe has to be either plastic coated or buried within a protective plastic pipe (typically PVC). I've go...	Get a die for coated pipes and also a jaw for coated pipes, otherwise you might butcher the coating and that's not what you want to do with a pipe going under ground.
How can I effectively replace sections of 7/8" plaster with drywall? We had to take down several large sections, about 6x4ft sections, in order to run updated electric. The problem is that the 3 layer plaster is 7/8in thick. What is my best solution to put up new even thickness drywall? Most of it will be hidden under ...	Rip the rest of the plaster and insulate, then drywall with no plaster to match. : After seeing your photo, I suggest re-cutting your edges with a circular saw and abrasive blade set to depth.
The ceiling I'm painting was never orinally undercoated and now my repaint is looking hideous. I'm doing a repaint on a ceiling ATM and found it looks hideous. Can see every roll line not because of built up paint on the roller edge. I think I'm laying it off properly. I have worked out after a bit of investigation th...	The amount of paint you load onto your roller, and the type of roller used, sheen level, and direction your applying the paint, really makes a difference on how well a finished ceiling looks. Thus the fix is three coats, shellac primer/blocker and two top coats of flat.
What structural elements need for gate in place of fence? I am going to build a gate in place of this fence panel approximately (5' x 5') in size. Currently, there is 2x4 bolted to the house of the left side. The right side is nailed to the perpendicular fence panel (not hanging off a post). It's hard to see but th...	There should be a post on BOTH sides of a gate. You need a 4X4 post to match the one on the right secured in concrete right next to the house. You NEVER want to connect anything to the house itself.
How should I handle areas of soft polyurethane left after sanding? Following 24 hour drying, sanding with 120 grit using handheld belt sander on very old pine floor, I vacuumed then damp mopped. Now I have spots of gummy poly throughout the floor. How do I proceed to fix this and move on to the second coat? <Q> Has the...	I had a similar issue when trying to take off a a layer myself, I did it with 180 grit, I'd recommend going over the floor again with a 220 grit again, once gritted, rather then mop straight away, use an industrial hover to get rid of any clumps, when you're happy mop down the floor. You shouldn't have to sand between ...
Attaching closet door divider to laminate Installers of our laminate floors (over concrete) told us the could not screw into the laminate to anchor the divider without splitting it. The glue they used has already come loose as well as the wood glue we tried. Any suggestions? <Q> Drill oversize holes (3/8" to 1/2" or s...	You may want to use nylon or metal bushings to hold the divider at the same level as the floor (to avoid pinching the flooring), and you may need to purchase longer screws.
Before replacing a thermostat, is it enough to unplug the furnace? We have a thermostat that we need to replace. Our system is I think pretty typical, the thermostat I think controls the furnace and fan, and I suppose the furnace relays controls for the air conditioner. The wiring of the thermostat just has one R wire ...	So long as whatever you do de-energizes the wiring you're working on, you should be okay.
European Light Fixture in the US - Does it require a ground connection to light up A bit of an oddball question. We bought, through a US distributor, a ceiling light fixture that was made in Europe (Netherlands). It is a metal fixture, connected to the ceiling via a metal chain, which connects to mounting bracket whi...	If a device needs a wire to function, that wire is a working conductor and can't be a ground.
Seeking clever ideas \ suggestions to pole mount water timer I would like to mount the timer to a pole, which would be staked into the ground. The timer would sit 10 inches above the ground. I do not have a clear idea what would be a simple effective means to mount the timer to the pole. If parts were available vi...	With respect to the mounting, if the back of the timer is flat, using a double sided foam tape would give you the ability to attach a plastic panel in which you can drill holes to bolt or screw the timer to the post.
Protect wall behind trash can What can I do to bare (painted) wall behind a trash can to protect it from, well, trash?! Would like it to be washable, obviously, and only semi-permanent as we will not live in this house forever and I don't want it to look too tacky. I considered tile, but that is too permanent. Also con...	Many paints are washable. For a similar purpose I used clear plastic carpet runner material which I stuck to the wall with carpet tape.
How to get a stuck Moen faucet cartridge out? I have a single-lever Moen kitchen faucet that's 12 yrs old and I'm trying to replace the original cartridge. Moen sent a replacement cartridge (1225 B), that includes a removal tool. I've removed everything that is supposed to come apart up to this point, including the r...	It appears that in general, removing these stubborn cartridges is a matter of applying brute force in a way that doesn't break anything.
Do I need to turn off my Water Heater when changing my hot and cold bathroom sink flexible water pipes? I need to change the hot and cold flexible water pipes feeding my bathroom sink as they are rusty and ready to burst. The problem is there are no shutoff valves under my sink so I'm wondering what the best course of ...	If your hot water heater has both the inlet and outlets on the top of it, you will not have to turn the power (gas/electric) off, but it will not hurt to turn it off.
Convert light fixture to receptacle Current situation On my garage ceiling there is a light fixture which has been converted via the adapters pictured. It is controlled by a switch which I don't like because I never want to turn off the garage door opener. A voltage tester shows the screws are hot when the switch is o...	In theory, you should be able to add the receptacle without issue and just use a standard outlet cover. Without knowing if the box is grounded, you might not be getting any ground at all if they just screwed it to a wood joist.
recessed light only works with halogen bulb? My husband and I just moved into a new home and have found that we have two different types of recessed light fixtures. One of types only works with a specific type of halogen flood light bulbs and multiple attempts to buy new bulbs have not resulted in finding a new bulb th...	I switched all of my light bulbs to CFL bulbs and they work fine.
Chirping from a hard-wired fire alarm I know that when you hear a periodic chirping noise from smoke detectors, it means the battery needs to be replaced. I had been hearing such a chirping noise in my apartment building for a few hours, and just realized that the sound is not coming from the smoke detector(s), but fro...	Additionally the system may have actually lost power and is currently running on battery and there is a tripped circuit breaker from the storm. Even the wired smoke alarms have a end of life date. Whoever's in charge needs to check the panel
How to secure opening to prevent access? We have a 14" space between our garage and our neighbor's block wall. It leads to an alley in the back of our house. It's just wide enough for someone to fit through if they want to enter from the alley. This little opening was, I believe, originally intended to allow water...	Place a gated fence door there, whether chain link or wood or otherwise. Another idea may be to plant cactuses there.
How to clean wood dust without permanently clogging a wet/dry vacuum's paper filter? Can you ever use a wet/dry vacuum cleaner (shop.vac, Kubota, Stanley, etc) to clean wood sanding dust? My one experiment so far resulted in complete clogging of the paper filter after cleaning the dust from hardwood floor sanding. Rep...	I use the "CleanStream" brand filters by Gore available for more popular shop vacs.
How to calculate the influence on load bearing on beams cut/notched for connections? I have trouble understanding what's the point in cutting beam endings in order to make wood construction connections. Assume a connection of a 50mm x 50 mm beam (green) to a 100mm x 100mm beam (pink) with a leaf connection (my transl...	If you notch the center of the beam, you’ll have no effect on the horizontal stress, but if you notch the ends you’ll greatly affect the horizontal shear.
gravel under concrete slab? is it absolutely required? so, I have a post-frame shed, 12x16. there are posts at 6' on the short sides and every 4' on the long side. posts are set ~18" below grade, on a 2" cap of cement over a few inches of well compacted gravel, holes were all about 27" or so, 2x6 girder runs level at t...	No, gravel is not mandatory in all cases; but it can be very important in others.
Is the wall between a home and an attached garage built as an "exterior wall"? I have an attached garage. There is an exterior-rated door between the garage and the living space. Should the entire wall be built as an exterior wall, as far as sheathing, width, etc? Is there a code standard that defines this? I'm in ...	The garage to residence wall is a separation wall and a part of the envelope of the conditioned space. However, you could in some cases have the envelope and the exterior wall as two different assemblies.
How do I bend EMT conduit to a broader radius? I work a lot in EMT conduit. I have a 1/2" conduit bender that bends to a 5" radius, and a 3/4" conduit bender that gives a 6" radius. I also find bent pieces of conduit around the lodge that have a somewhat larger radius than that. Suppose I want a larger radius, say...	Using the same hand-bending tools you already have, you can approximate a larger bend radius by leaving short sections of straight conduit in between multiple bends. just bend a little bit and work your way down bending a little bit just not all the way to the 90 degree stopping point on the Bender!
How do I repair a broken garage door opener arm bracket? The bracket that connects the push arm of our garage door opener is getting ripped off from the door (see picture below). All screws, except a bolt at the top of the bracket are detached. How can I fix this if I do it myself? <Q> You might be missing the point. ...	To fix that bracket, I used two pieces of perforated angle steel bolted through the original bracket and door panel.
Australia: Which wire is hot / active and which is neutral? Here's a photo of wires coming out of my ceiling (grey, yellow/green and black) and the wires going into a ceiling lamp (brown and blue). So in Australia the general colouring codes go like this: Brown: Active / hot Blue: Neutral Green/Yellow: Earth (ground)...	Which ever wire gives you voltage to ground is hot. The neutral wire (low potential) is coloured blue (used to be black).
If a light bulb is dead, does it still consume electricity if the switch is in ON? It's been a week since a light bulb in the bathroom died. I'm wondering if the bulb is dead, does it still consume electricity if the switch is in ON? The light is completely dead, no light whatsoever. <Q> It depends on the type of bul...	Since the lifetime of these tiny bulbs was unpredictable, and since if any bulb in a series goes out the entire string goes out, a technique was developed to tolerate a few dead bulbs in a string. Same as if a breaker were to open.
Lock can be opened with credit card even when deadlatch is fully depressed I just installed a standard deadlatch, very much like this: The problem is, it can be opened from the outside with a credit card. Of course, a properly installed deadlatch should make this impossible. When the deadlatch is depressed, the latc...	What you should be looking for is a "Dead Bolt" lock.
Can you tile on finished plaster wall in a shower? My house was built in 1925, it has plaster walls. The area around the bathtub/shower is only tiled halfway up the wall. We recently hired someone to finish the tiling up to the showerhead, and he placed the tiles directly on the wall. I'd assumed he would cut out the w...	It used to be very common to put tile up on whatever the wall was and seal the the tile.
Both prongs of an outlet carries live electricity of a switched plug I live in an old house which was build in 1920s. On the hallway, there is an outlet and a ceiling light which are both control by one switch. Recently I use contact pen style tester to check the outlet. I found out both prongs of the outlet carries...	The ground is normally wired back as well - however some people try to get around that by connecting the neutral to it In that era, it was not uncommon to switch the neutral instead of the modern, better and safer practice of switching the hot. Normally (when properly wired that is) the hot goes through the switch and ...
How do I remove this recessed light bulb? This is a small recessed light in my new house (still figuring out all the nuances of it). How do I get the bulb out of this recessed fixture in order to replace it? It looks like there is some holder around the outside, but not sure how it works. <Q> That conical thing in the...	However, just to replace the bulb you'd actually just pull out the little mr16 socket which snaps in and out.
Paint left on electrical wires in switches and outlets? I recently replaced all my outlets in my apartment. Several of them have what looks like splotches of spray paint on the wires. Is this hazardous? And if so, what can be done about it? <Q> This is a nuisance caused by sloppy drywalling and painting, and is utterly...	but after it is dry , generally it will not cause a problem - I will not say never because I am sure it depends on what kind of (special) paint is used.
Can I fill a drywall hole with something and reuse the hole? I made a mistake with drilling a hole in the drywall. It's off by about 1/4-1/2 inch. The new hole will be really close to the old hole, or knowing my poor drilling skills, it will overlap the old hole. Someone told me I can use joint compound or something...	It depends on what it's filled with, but regular drywall filler probably won't be as strong. If you press the compound in adequately and let it dry or cure fully, you'll be able to drill a new hole at the correct location. You'll want to start with a small, sharp bit to be sure that it doesn't "walk", or shift position...
Drywall hole slightly too large for mounting bracket to cover I'm trying to replace a ceiling mounted wireless access point and I've hit a snag. The old one was mounted inside the drywall, instead of over top of it. The new one comes with a mounting bracket, but the screw holes for the bracket don't quite clear the hol...	After messing with it more, I found that I could shift the new bracket a bit off of the hole and mount with drywall screws and the AP still covered most of the hole once it was mounted.
Can I run this pipe through joists? I have a bulkhead or soffit above our kitchen cabinets that is being removed to make way for taller ones that will go all the way to the ceiling. I encountered a vent pipe that will be in the way of the new cabinets: So here's roughly what it looks like now (this is on an external ...	Consider accepting the current location of the drain/vent and cutting the cabinets to fit around it. According to the above you could drill up to 3" diameter holes in the joists if you stay 2" away from the edges.
How to add a barrier with access to roll in and out trash bins in my 'public' driveway? I have a driveway that is in the back alley. All of our neighbors have access to the back alley. Also, all of my neighbors have basically built on their property so that they have used up their driveway. All of our trash cans are...	It may also be the case that a kindly neighbor is routinely doing the gracious act of positioning the cans for the garbage man so he can move through his day that much quicker. If you are Ok with a drastic solution, first be committed to keeping your own bins inside your garage until trash day.
Drill holes in very tight space I need to drill a couple of holes in a very tight space. Material is stainless steel and shape is "Π". I need to drill one hole on each inner wall to attach a springbar on it but it can't be done with a normal drill. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I am attaching a couple of pict...	it's well worth checking with local machine shops. You could also have it cast at a foundry, I've no idea where that would fall on the price spectrum.
Which is the hot wire, neutral wire and ground wire? I am trying to replace my ceiling lamp. I have wiring which looks like this: I am trying to figure which one is the hot, neutral and ground wire. The voltage detector beeps when brought close to the wires with red caps(one red cap has three wires going in and anoth...	The single black wire is a switched hot and is what the fixture black wires to. People often forget to tag the wires with tape, especially when the use is obvious . The yellow wire nut is your neutral. Not every installation has grounds. The problem with a voltage detector is that it's a proximity detector.
I tripped a 20amp breaker but didn't feel a shock - why? I was stripping a hot ungrounded conductor while a 20A breaker was on by accident. When my wire strippers pierced the sheathing, a large spark blew out and tripped a breaker, but yet I felt nothing. There's a possibility that somehow that the hot wire got strippe...	Assuming the stripper handles are insulated, no current should have gone through you.
How to Remove Stuck Exterior Faucets I have two outdoor faucets that I need to replace. These are attached to some gnarly old pipes (cast iron?) and I've not been able to remove the faucets with gentle pressure. Is grabbing a pipe wrench and hauling on these as bad idea as I think? I'd appreciate ideas on how to ...	To use a pipe wrench correctly takes a little practice and understanding if you have never used one before. In your particular application you can also try the "blue wrench.
Shed with gaps at the top, wasp nest come back every year I have a nice shed in the backyard but every year wasp nests reappear in there. the shed has these 2x4 sized gaps between the roof and the side walls on the sides of the shed. I saw a recommendation of using screen mesh, but what should I use to adhere the scr...	If you do decide to go the route of using the wire mesh then the best method of fastening cut and fitted pieces in place is to use staples.
GFCI won't reset, charges neutral when wired up I have a single GFCI outlet on it's own circuit in a bathroom. When the breaker is on and outlet isn't wired, the hot has current (using a probe tester) and neutral and ground do not. When I hook up the GFCI and turn the breaker on, the hot and neutral have current, groun...	In your case the neutral wire is broken.
Splitting one main low voltage power line into two I'm installing under cabinet lighting and haven't worked with low voltage wire before and trying to determine the best option. I'm using 18 gauge wire (stranded) to wire LED lights. In my particular situation, I have my wires coming from the power supply under one of t...	I wasn't worried about voltage drop - the runs in my circuit were very short and I split it in the middle to avoid any concern (and even if I had just done one string for the entire side, it would have still been fine). For 3#18 blue wire nuts are ideal. I am guessing that Power supply is Constant Current [for use with...
How can I order custom-tinted paint colors from a computer graphic? I'm trying to paint a mural on my child's nursery wall. I created exactly what I want in Photoshop and now want to get the right paint colors. I found paint colors that match close for some of the colors, but most of them don't have a color anywhere cl...	I'd print your image and take it to the store.

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