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What should one look for in fusible electrical protection hardware to avoid insurability issues? A common anecdote, and one that is not without substantiation , is that some home insurers refuse to insure houses with fuses in their electrical system. While this is substantiated in the typical case, where the pres...	If you can provide a written explanation for review by an underwriter, it's likely that they'll agree that this specific use of fuses does not violate the policy's rules prohibiting fuses and you'll get the coverage.
GFCI Protection for Garage Lights? I know all receptacles in a garage require GFCI protection. But what about garage lights? I plan to hard-wire some new wiring to new garage lights and I'm wondering if this circuit needs to be on a GFCI breaker. <Q> Exhibit 210.10 provides a illustration of this. <A> Find out if your ...	NEC 210.8.2 requires all outlets in a garage to be GFCI protected so if your lights are connected by an outlet they need GFCI protection if they are hard wired they do not require GFCI protection.
Large concrete patio poured against the foundation - should it be tied to the foundation or not? Over a year ago I had a large concrete patio (24' x 26') poured. This concrete patio butts up against the foundation of our home. I'm unsure if it was tied into the foundation of the house or not, but I strongly suspect...	It depends on soil conditions, height of wall, subterranean drainage, etc.
How to diagnose crack on ceiling Today I woke up to a nice surprise, a crack and stain on my first floor ceiling. The damage is below the shower wall of the upstairs bathroom, so I'm thinking this could be water related. I'm new at this and would love to hear some advice for how to start diagnosing this problem. <Q> I...	If the shower space had been extra cold and extra hot water was turned on the floor, it could crack the floor. For showers, I’d look closely at the joint between the wall and floor AND the joints between the walls. The crack is just where there is a joint in the gypsum board which allows the moisture to drip through. I...
What tool should I use for an octagonal nut on a plumbing trap? I have a PVC P-trap under a sink and the trap nut is a very low profile, flush plastic nut that appears to be octagonal. The nut is only about 1/8" thick or less and 1" across so there is very little area for a wrench to grip onto. To make it even worse, t...	A channel-lock plier is the best tool for about any PVC nut.
Not enough room for door trim Hi I'm redoing my bathtub surround (because I did it incorrectly the first time). Basically there is only 3" between the tub and the door frame. How much should I extend the tile past the tub? How thin should my door frame be? If I install the door frame this close to the tub should I use ...	The tile is really up to you and what looks best to you.
Can I add a second thermostat in my basement for more control? I would like to install a second thermostat on the lower floor of my home. My thinking is that when we have guest staying on the lower floor I could turn the upper floor thermostat off and the lower on and the heater would respond to the temperature on the ...	The other issue will be that if the temperature sensor is in the basement, the upper part of the house may get too warm by the time the furnace displaces all of the cold ait in the basement.
Old Work Box for Vanity Light? So I went to go change my bathroom vanity light today and discovered that it simply had the wiring coming through a hole in the wall and the previous vanity was literally just screwed into the wall with 2 screws. Went to the local home improvement store and the employees guided me to som...	Drywall anchors should be fine or find a stud to screw it too if its a long fixture. I've used lots of old-work boxes of various designs and love them. Make sure the box doesn't show around the fixture. You need to splice in an UL approved box.
What is this type of screw head? Head is similar to a round, slotted head, except where the arrows point is like it was cut out. It is on an old double cylinder deadbolt. Wondering if I’m going to have to drill it out. <Q> Hard to tell from the picture, but based on the description, that sounds like a one-way screw. <S...	To remove it, you may need to use a screw extractor - basically you drill a hole into the screw, grab it with an extractor, and then unscrew the combined extractor + screw.
very fine solenoid wires won't burn from AC source? I've seen tiny solenoid electromagnet (that is the solenoid used to open contacts inside a GFCI receptacle) with very fine wire used in the winding.. won't it burn if exposed directly to 120v ac power at each end? How is the winding computed? <Q> Wire thickness does...	Insulation thickness relates to voltage .
Do I need a mixing valve in my boiler/water heater system? My hot water seems to run out sooner in the winter than in the warmer months. This has been the case for the 5 years I’ve lived here. Last year seemed worse and this year though seems like even more so. We’ve had no changes to our living situation. I had a plum...	A mixing valve will allow you to run your water heater at a higher temperature and mix cold water in to get to the desired temperature at the tap.
How can I remove thick dust on the top of a wardrobe? I am talking about dust that have been accumulated for years. The options that I've considered are: a vacuum cleaner. However it's container is too small and it's very hard to use it on a ladder. Using wet towels. It looks like a lot of work that will release dus...	Gather edges in the middle of the wardrobe and take sheet (now bag) outside to shake dust out. Plastic used thoughtfully will not destroy a finished surface if you have one.
How can I square up slots cut with a circular saw? I used a drop-saw to create these slots: Due to the circular blade, it's obviously left a bit of the wood in place, more easily seen here: My question is how can I clean up these slots? I've considered filing, of course, and I'd be happy to buy a file that fits if ...	A handsaw or jigsaw does the job, but it usually results in visibly less sharp final cuts.
Does using an existing attic exhaust pipe to also serve air flow from a range hood cause smells/micro particles of oil/soot/etc to get into attic? Our kitchen renovation contractor decided to change plans on us and vent the range hood out via the same pipe as was pre-existing to passively control the temperature in our...	If there isn’t a solid pipe (without openings) in your new exhaust pipe, it will partially vent kitchen air into your attic. Aside from a little lint fuzz, no harm done. If you are in a cold climate it needs to be insulated as well.
How do you keep bugs/dust out of electrical conduit which terminates in the open? Though it isn't specifically stated in the code, I try to protect cable that is installed less than 8 feet from the ground with conduit. This tends to be accepted by inspectors as "protection from physical damage." If I am going straight...	You could also run through a junction box and use a strain relief clamp to close things off where the cable exits.
Why would a light fixture be incompatible with dimmer switches? I'm considering buying the Aero Pure AP80-RVL, which is a recessed bathroom light/exhaust fan combo. It's important to me to be able to use a dimmer switch for the light, but the installation instructions for this unit specifically say not to use one. Us...	The best explanation I can think of is that many compact fluorescent(CFL) and LED bulbs are not compatible with dimmers. If trouble follows and a safety inspector connects it with the misapplication, homeowner/fire insurance may refuse coverage and leave you to finance the consequences yourself. Nobody knows what will ...
Paint color with same codes do not match I ran out of paint after the first coat. I had the paint custom made to match a specific color. I still had the numbers/code so I thought it would be easy to match. The sample the store put on top of the can sure looked like it would match, however after the paint dried it was...	Yes, you must buy all your paint and "average the error" by mixing all the cans together.
What is the safest and quietest practical lightweight electric saw to cut 2x4 to use inside an apartment? I have a miter saw but that thing is loud. Same with the circular saw. Moreover, while the miter saw can be used on the ground with not even a table, the circular saw is too dangerous without a full workbench. A t...	Depending on what works well for you, and what you need to do with the saw.
Can I combine 1/2" and 3/8" plywood for a total of 7/8" subfloor for laying a hardwood floor? We have some old flooring that comes to a total (flooring and planks) of 1 5/8" from the top of the joists. I want to add a new section of flooring ( this one ) beside it, and am trying to get them to be as close as possible i...	Just use lots of glue and lots of screws to hold them together so the glue can cure with good contact. Structurally, there is nothing wrong with your plan.
How can I extend an electric wire without a large cross-section connector? I want to extend a couple of electric wires coming out of a ceiling to get to a hole at the top of a lighting fixture. Let's assume for the sake of discussion the lighting fixture is fixed and will not be moved, rotated etc. I'm used to this ki...	Ideally you would use one sleeve over each individual crimp/conductor, then another larger diameter layer over the sheath of the whole cable (assuming you are joining sheathed cable). Insulate with heat shrink tubing .
What to do with baseboard for this basement with concrete box? This is in my basement and I plan to install wood flooring.But this is what in the bottom of the wall: It is like a box 2x2. Previously I had baseboard on top of the concrete box running along the wall. BUT it was ugly. Does anyone have a better idea wh...	Cut out joists that will sit snugly against the curbing and allow a small space between the bottom of the joist and the existing floor (in case of a basement leak). Once the tile dries you can grout it and then seal it.
What is this strange coiled wire and should everything be redone? Problem 1 So I'm going through my house, replacing the switches and came across this switch that controls a fan in my bathroom. It looks like this may have been something the previous owner did, and did incorrectly. If you notice, there is this stran...	Do not be surprised if you see more flagrant Code violations during further work. This should definitely be redone with a standard 14/3 NM-B cable Whoever installed this lightswitch used the first thing they could get their hands on, apparently SPT-2 parallel cordage of some sort, instead of NM cable.
What tool can I use to block light from a 50W bulb? I bought a lamp & the incandescent bulb is not fully covered by the shade. Since the shade is at eye level that hurts my eyes. What can I use safely to block the light? Any tape safe to use? Or does anything exist for such an issue? I'm using 2 50W olden type incand...	Don't fully cover/wrap the bulb/shade with foil.
What is the black stain on my exterior brick, and how can I remove it? The brick wall above my apartment is blackened, what is it and is it possible to clean it? <Q> The brick wall above my apartment is blackened, what is it? <S> It is caused by water leaking from that drainpipe. <S> It is some form of mould that t...	If the pipe is a drain line it could be leaking in the wall.
Can I use WD40 to remove rust from my electric hob plate? I used WD40 to remove some rust from my bicycle u-lock recently (locking mechanism). It worked very well (I put some bike lube on it afterwards). Now, I have plenty of rust on my electric hob plate. My hob looks similar to this: https://images-na.ssl-images-ama...	(You're going to wind up washing off whatever you use, and I doubt traces of WD40 would be dangerous at all, but why even take a chance.)
How to wire multiple 240V, 20A electrical baseboard heaters I have two baseboard heaters to install on a 240V, 20A circuit. One heater is 1500w and the other is 2000w. From my panel, I leave the 20A breaker with 12/2 wire to reach the first baseboard. Obviously I will be waiting for my electrician to come and do this ...	These red and black taps go on opposite poles of the heater. The wires are in parallel. You don't want thermostats at the heater, because you want the heat switched based on the room's temperature, not the heater's. The cure there is go with a 24V/relay/low voltage system, as a bonus that lets you use modern 'stats lik...
How does water flow through my water heater and up to the top floor without a pump? My house has a gas based water heater(geyser) on the outside. The plumber has connected it such that without the use of electric pump, just through pressure alone, hot water reaches the 1st and 2nd floor. How does this work? <Q> Typical...	The water coming to your home is under pressure.
Can I remove the sheathing from cable just where it passes through conduit? I am adding an outlet in my unfinished basement from a cable that will run from the ceiling down a corner of the room. I was going to just attach the cable to the studs but I would like to protect the wire due to the location. I've read that ...	No, you cannot remove the outer covering, the wires would not be properly protected inside the conduit. Yes you can strip the jacket after the cable goes into the raceway.
Likelihood of asbestos under newer ceiling texture? Edit: Adding some up-front clarification because people seem to be fixating on the "asbestos" part of this question. This is what I am asking for: help determining what prior work may have been done in my house based on the context I have and some visual clues. If...	The only way to tell if a ceiling contains asbestos is to take a sample and have it tested. In my experience it is very rare to overcoat popcorn ceiling texture. I am not saying an overcoat could not be done but think there would be much more of a mess than I see. Look closely at the texture it looks more like a sponge...
Is 3/4" OSB a better soundproofing material than 5/8" drywall? Assuming the construction was done properly, would 3/4" OSB (oriented strand board, it's like a particle board but better) a better soundproofing material than 5/8" drywall? This OSB has an R-factor of 0.90, which is really good. 1/2" drywall of course is ...	So, I would expect the thicker OSB to insulate sound better.
okay to use fatter/longer extension cord than spec'd for power tools? I want to buy an electric chainsaw, rated at 15A (125V). Manufacturer specifies max 50' extension cord (no gauge spec). There are 50' 14 gauge extension cords that are rated at 15A/125V. Could I use a 100' 10 or 12 gauge cord? Is the basic problem ju...	The issue here is voltage drop in the circuit supplying the saw.
Matching wood stain to paintable plastic I have stained cedar siding on house. Recently installed new HVAC system with paintable plastic covers on the exterior of house. How do I match the stain on wood to paint on covers? <Q> I/ <S> E: <S> A piece of window trim, a loose knot hole, or use a painters 5-way tool to ch...	The best way to match it is to remove a small piece of the siding and take it to any paint store that offers computerized color match.
Are standard UK wall sockets a 16A power supply Hi I have bought a IPL hair remover from a British company and in the manual that the unit is configured for a 16A power supply. So it should be plugged into a 16A wall socket or a 20A kitchen appliance socket. Are these the sockets that we use as standard in the uk.It’s ...	A 13 Ampere UK socket will deliver 13A*230V = 2990 Watt; if your device needs less than 2990 W it won't blow your fuse.
Joining two wires into a single breaker I need to combine two wires with very light room lighting loads into one breaker in the panel to free up one breaker for another use. How best to combine the two wires and insert only one into the breaker (since the two can't fit)? <Q> You can simply pigtail them in the panel - ...	Push in wire connectors are also commonly available, and are much easier to get right on your first attempt.
How can I allow guests to manually control lamps under wifi control? I have a few lamps in the house that are now wifi control enabled. I use google home to control them. So far, I have been using wifi plugs - but the issue is that some guests who are not comfortable with google home are unable to control the lamps. ...	As long as there is a light switch in the proper location, and it operates some light in the normal way, the Code requirement is satisfied.
How do I safely extend electrical wiring without replacing it entirely? I'm in the process of replacing a light fixture with a ceiling fan. I replaced the old mount with a pan ceiling support box. The wiring is old (1920s) and inside armored cable coming through the stud. I brought the cable into the box using a duplex...	I'd suggest buying a small junction box and installing it so the incoming cable has enough length, splice on new wire, then run the new wire the rest if the way to the current box.
Can I use hollow wall anchors in a lath and plaster wall? I have a stable enough lath and plaster wall, which I would like to put a box framed picture on. Usually with a box frame picture on to a plaster board or dry wall, or even a brick or stone wall, I'd drill two holes, put a baton in, and that would be the hangin...	The hollow wall anchors you are looking at tend to do bad things to plaster.
Mice entering condo through a large hole in drywall behind gas range I have an enormous hole in the drywall where the gas pipe comes in to my stove. Should I use steel wool sheets to cover the hole? <Q> I know this may sound silly <S> but it actually works. <S> I would follow that with some 45 minute dry time sheetrock...	Then do as you stated and stuff some steel wool into the hole. The sheetrock mud will be a (hopefully) final deterrant for any other rodents to enter at this location. Take some cotton balls and saturate them with peppermint oil and stuff them in that hole.
Replacing grounded outlets with grounded metal junction box Replacing several 3 prong outlets in my 1968 home. Tried searching to find an answer but most questions seem geared towards replacing 2 prong outlets with 3 prong and don't apply here. My wiring appears to be romex with a bare copper ground wire. After remo...	Yes if that hole indicated in your photo is threaded, that is for the ground screw, and the screw at the bottom of the receptacle is for the ground wire. The mounting screws, alone, are not an acceptable grounding path for receptacles .
Refrigerator intermittently making loud clicks with compressor banging and shaking Facts: 9 year old Whirlpool refrigerator has been operating quietly for 9 years. Refrigerator has two doors and is top-freezer/bottom-refrigerator configuration. About 3 months ago, it would intermittently - like a few times a day - s...	When compressor components start going bad it can cause all kinds of issues. I have been able to fix this problem for several units by replacing the starting cap and sometimes the relay if bad.
Premium for heatpump inverter technology My understanding is that a variable speed compressor permits greater efficiency and reduce wear & tear. Assume application is in Florida , not NYC. Is there a range for the cost premium for such systems? What is the typical efficiency saving associated with systems? Do v...	To recap, an inverter based heat pump will save $ to run and many are becoming much more efficient and some work into the low teens without auxlary or emergency heat strips.
The GFCI outlet in my bathroom pops when I turn off the bathroom fan I didn't do the wiring in this house, this has been happening since I moved in. Basically, about 50% of the time that I turn off the bathroom fan, the GFCI outlet pops and needs to be reset. Once that happens, the fan no longer turns on until I reset...	When you suddenly interrupt that power , the magnetic field collapses, and this has a small force behind it. It is a sinewave, and part of the time it is near zero volts. Do be sure to work safely and turn off breaker before changing out. It's not the outlet. This is called an "inductive kick" and everything in the cir...
Letting fresh air through a window without letting noise in I live in an apartment and it's pretty noisy outside, so I usually keep my windows closed. It does get pretty stuffy inside though, so I'm wondering if there's a way to get air through the window without letting a lot of noise in. I've seen some portable air ...	Now you have a little air pump which is pumping fresh air out into your room. Short of replacing your window with a duct with several turns, lined with sound baffles, you aren't going to get quiet. Your best bet is to get a portable air conditioner.
Name for tombstone-holder parts? What are the names of the metal photographed parts? The tombstones are inserted to clarify function. I would like to order more of these metal parts, however, I do not know the terminology to Google for them. There are two different though similar parts: <Q> In particular, those in th...	Your terminology is correct: they're called tombstone (or bi-pin) fluorescent lampholders.
Recommendation for cutting corner of tile? I need to take out about a half inch from the top right of the tile in the bottom left of the opening for this outlet. I’m upgrading it from an old outlet to a gfci outlet and it needs a bit more clearance. Would the dremel tile cutting attachment be the best bet or should...	Vibratory tile cutters are wonderful tools for just this sort of application. If no angle grinder you can use a sharp chisel and basically scratch through it with about the same method.
60C or 75C wiring for 60C/75C breaker & output heatsink If you have a THHN wire rated up to 90C. You can only use either 60C or 75C for a 60C/75C breaker. What are the conditions where you could use the 75C? I understand the temperature limit is because the internal parts circuit breaker can get this hot and it needs...	Larger than 100 amp circuits it is allowed to use the 75 or 90 degree collum if the breaker or termination is rated for those temps Adding a heat sink to a breaker would be a modification, and as such would not be permitted.
Alternative to Silicone Wood Filler for Door Frame We're very nearly at the end of a very tiresome refurb of our downstairs area. As you can see from the photos, our builder has used silicone wood filler where the floor meets the door-frame. His reasoning is that any hard (setting type) wood filler would crack as you g...	My best suggestion is a square edge plinth block to cover the mess.
I have a depression in my OSB floor caused by a layer of rot I am tiling over OSB board using hardiboard and thinset. I have some water damage from a leaking toilet. The rotted area is about 3 inches square. Once I scraped about a half inch of rot off the top, the floor is still very solid. I don't feel it is necessary...	If it is, you might find that the stress of the toilet on that spot results in too much flex. In that case, cut the area out and float some lumber under the patch edges and replace the piece.
Are pipe unions made to a standard size / threading? Are two different pipe unions in a given trade size (1/2, 3/4, etc.) generally compatible with each other? e.g. if you get a new 'half union' would its physical characteristics generally mate up with a pre-existing opposite-side half union from another manufacturer?...	If you have half a union from one manufacturer the threads may or may not match up and form a water tight seal with the other half of the union from another foundry. Unlike the pipe side, the mated side of a union is not standardized.
extend height of wooden railing My house has a loft with a wooden railing. The railing is only 30" high - apparently allowed because builder called it "unfinished storage space", or not "habitable" space, which means it could sidestep code. I would like to modify the rail to be 36" high, and wonder how best to do i...	Or just replace half the existing balusters with longer ones and add an upper rail in the same manner. My first thought was adding a layer to the top rail using pocket screws, but your text suggests a different approach to the final result.
Should my sump pail be perforated? I'm replacing the sump basin/liner in my home which is currently a perforated 5 gallon bucket surrounded by gravel. I have an interior drain system that has two pipes terminating into the gravel pit area (but not into the basin itself - the water dumps into the gravel and through the...	You don't need perforation unless you don't have drainage media under the slab, and if you don't, a perforated bucket only serves to allow drainage in the immediate vicinity of the bucket anyway.
Will my breaker accept #10 wire even though the chart lists #14? I am hooking up a disconnect for heating air unit. The instructions state use a 25 amp 2 pole breaker with 10-2 wire. The breaker says wire size 14-2. It is an Eaton BR225 beaker. Will it work with 10-2? <Q> The Eaton catalog clearly says that the break...	One thing people often get wrong about wire sizing for HVAC equipment is that the rules strictly adhere to the usual wire/breaker sizing rules for "normal" wiring. You should follow the instructions that tell you to use #10, as it will fit the breaker, and will be appropriate for the amps you are running.
How can window condensation in a leased condo be dried, if I'll be away for 3 weeks, without towels? I will be leaving my leased condominium in Toronto, Canada for three weeks on 1 Feb. 2019. In cold weather, my window and balcony door sills have pools of water on the floor that sometimes pour into my hardwood floo...	Turn on a fan to circulate the air which will remove some of the excess moisture by evaporation. Get rid of the humans .
Adjacent doors hitting each other I have two doors at a 90-degree angle to one another and the doors hit each other when they are opened the full way. I guess I could mount a door stop on one of the doors, but it seems kind of weird to put a doorstop on a door. Another option might be to remount both the doors to eit...	I did indeed end up putting two stops on one of the doors at the top and bottom and it works ok.
If my heat pump does not have a neutral, do I still need a neutral wire? I had a friend wire 10-3 line for a new heat pump. He connected the red and black conductor wires in the house to the 2-pole 60 amp breaker and the neutral white to the neutral bus bar. The outdoor disconnect box (pictured) has terminals for 2 con...	Cap off the neutral with a wirenut, connect the ground to the "neutral" bar in your disconnect Since your heat pump does not need the neutral, you simply cap it off with an appropriately sized wirenut. The stud you have neutral on, is for ground.
How can I minimize or eliminate noise and vibration coming into my home? I live next to a sewer lift station. The lift station generates noise through out my home. It seems to be worse late night to early morning and when it's colder out. From time to time I also feel slight vibrations. I cannot take the noise. It can...	While the noise is occurring, check various walls and ceilings to look for any louder and quieter areas. There’s little you can do to your house to solve this type of problem, but the city can give the pump an overhaul or replace it and 90% of your problems will go away. Add some acoustic foam barriers to the corners o...
Is insulating basement ceiling or first-floor walls more effective? In an old house with plaster walls there is a large room on the first floor with wood floor. The walls are not insulated. The basement has no ceiling, so you just directly see the subfloor of the first floor. There is no insulation. What is more ef...	If your basement is not insulated, then you should have insulation with Kraft Faced paper installed with the paper side against the floor of the upstairs.
connecting three 8 gauge wires, wire nut or multi-port? I am connecting sets of three #8 wires for a 220 circuit, and have found large blue wire nuts from Ideal that are rated for this wire size. But they are very difficult to twist to the point that the wires themselves begin to twist together, and upon removal the n...	Twist the wires together with a pair of lineman's pliers before you put the wire nut over them. In my opinion you did something very important: if something doesn't seem to work right for you, find an alternative. Also, do not pre-twist Strip back enough of the insulation to allow for an easier twisting motion.
Using PEX Fittings with Nylon Tubing I'm planning on plumbing my shop for compressed air and I think I want to use nylon tubing, like what comes in the RapidAir kits. I don't want to use PVC for obvious reasons, and though I think PEX could technically work, its temeperature derating curve concerns me given the pressur...	NO Nylon doesn't compress the same way PEX does and thus needs to be compressed more so your go no-go tool won't be able to tell you if you have a good fit.
How important are stainless steel fasteners for redwood? I'm doing an earthquake retrofit on my house. I've read that you should use stainless steel instead of hot-dipped galvanized for any fasteners in redwood (and pressure treated lumber, too). How important is this? It's a pain to source the stainless steel fastener...	Primary reason for using stainless fasteners are: they are corrosion resistant
What tests can I perform to figure out if a wire is my Grounding Electrode Conductor? As part of some investigation into the systems of the house I live in, I was looking at the grounding and bonding wiring for the house, as most of it is accessible from the basement utility room. In particular, I found that there is ...	Abandoned or not the old well pipes are grounding electrodes and as such must be bonded to the GEC.
What's this plastic thing along my sidewalk pavers? I just moved into a new house and am unable to close my gate because there is something nailed to the ground at the threshold that is sticking up too high for the gate the close. Any idea what this thing is? I'm trying to decide if I just remove it to allow the gate t...	It is used to keep the pavers tight or to separate one section from the other. I would probably do as you suggested and bury the edging deeper. You could also take up those few bricks that are outside the gate, level that area a little better and place those bricks closer to the edging for a more uniform look and to st...
Need to add traction to existing polished concrete surface My front porch is polished concrete, and gets slippery in the rain. What is the best way to add grip/traction to an existing concrete walkway? More info: My front porch is part of the house slab, so it's the full width of the house, and extends about 4 feet ...	A less expensive finish than tile (after roughening the concrete) would be concrete stain.
Goodman Furnace short cycling because of high limit . Cant figure out why? So just had a Brand new Goodman furnace and a/c installed before winter hit. As soon as heating season started i noticed it was short cycling and had a flash code of 4. I contacted the installer and he did a few things. 1. increased blower speed...	If you installed a larger furnace you would have made ALL the ducts smaller relative to the original design not just the return. Duct size may be an issue, but it's more complicated Also if you have air conditioning make sure the evaporator is clean.
GFCI plug tripping from a refrigerator that is plugged in last on the line I finished my basement that was roughed in 10 years ago and found out that my refrigerator plug is on the end of the GFCi line of plugs. There is only one GFCi plug nearest to the box that feeds the line of plugs to the refrigerator. When I plug...	What you can do, on the GFCI, is disconnect the downstream wires from the “load” side and instead connect them, along with the power wires, to the “line” side. There's also the worse variant where the trip goes undetected for a couple days, someone resets it to use a power socket, never realizes the fridge was on it, a...
Does this truss have two or three bearing points? Part of my roof is made from studio trusses as shown in the picture. I'm trying to determine if any of the load from these trusses is borne by the highlighted wall. The wall is built with 2x6s, but this may be because it contains a plumbing vent. The architect has sai...	It is unlikely that a residential truss has a load bearing center point unless it was carrying another truss load and being used as a girder. If a wall is changed during construction, it’s usually for a reason.
Confusion while diagnosing an open ground I have an outlet tester and it says the outlet in my bathroom has an open ground and I'm trying to see if I can fix this by replacing the receptacle or if the problem is elsewhere. With a voltage meter I tested voltage between hot and neutral and got 120 (good), I tested betwe...	When you removed the socket, you no longer needed the 3-lamp tester so the voltmeter won the tug of war, pulling the floating ground to whatever voltage you were testing to. Since you have a ground wire, just one that doesn't work, the code doesn't allow this.
Redoing insulation in the basement of the home I recently purchased I recently purchased a home and have begun to do renovations on the basement. I am starting to look at insulation and so I have been researching what the best way would be to do that. The problem I am having is that the house was built in the 70s and h...	If you looking to add vapour barrier to improve your building envelope then spray foam is your best choice.
How to unclog cast iron T drain for three sinks I have a common drain for three sinks the clogs 1-2x per year. All three sinks back up at the same time and slowly drain. Total distance between sinks is about 25ft. I suspect that the sinks share a common lateral drain pipe and a T comes off that (hidden in walls) to a v...	If there's a way to securely plug two of the three sinks, then you might find a toilet plunger in the third sink would help clear the clog.
Transition from KERDI membrane backed, to not backed I intend to use KERDI membrane behind some new bathroom wall tiling backed by drywall. How feasible is it to transition from using the membrane to not using the membrane on a neighboring section of the same wall (i.e. only one section of the wall needs waterproofi...	You can compensate for the thickness difference w/ a bit more of thinset. You would remove the existing sheet rock where you are going to tile and replace it with the denshield.
Can I use 14 gauge wire on a 20 AMP electrical circuit? Running 12-2 Romex cable from the electrical panel to a J-box located in attic. J-box will connect two GFCI outlets and extend a 14-2 cable to the ceiling light fixture box, where other 14-2 cable will be used for a switch. Circuit breaker is 20A. Is that OK? I...	Keep in mind that if you use 14/2 and 12/2 in the same circuit with a 15A breaker then there is a risk of confusion in the future if someone looks at the 12/2 coming out of the breaker and thinks "its 12 AWG, I can upsize to 20A" and doesn't realize there is 14/2 elsewhere in the circuit. The wires built into the fixtu...
Intermittent low pressure natural gas to outside grill I have a Weber S-670 natural gas grill. For the last couple of months, the grill will not heat up after dark, when temperatures are lower. During daylight hours and higher temperatures, the grill works fine. I have contacted my gas supplier and they maintain I have...	Another possible issue is the feed pipe being too thin (or very long): long (thin) pipe brings high head, if head is too high gas flow is restricted (to fix you need to run a bigger gas pipe to your BBQ).
Gas fireplace turning itself off I turn the switch on the wall on to light my gas fireplace. It turns on for a short while then turns it self off. What is the problem? Thanks! <Q> For others that might be looking...not quite enough info in OP, but this might help. <S> A lot of gas FPs have 2 sensors; a thermocouple ...	Perhaps there is a thermocouple that needs a minute or so to get warm, and you're not holding the valve open long enough to heat it. According to the repairman, over time, a tiny amount of corrosion (or even just plain wear) will affect the connection inside the switch, creating increased resistance.
Outdoor extension cord that can be left unplugged? My wife needs to plug her truck in every night (she's a vet, and the drugs need to be refrigerated). Right now she just leaves the extension cord she uses on the ground during the day, which is obviously not waterproof. Is there a product to make this situation safer?...	When I was in a colder climate and needed to plug my car into a block heater at night, i installed an outside outlet with a water proof cover and put an external rated gfci outlet in it.
Can I support the front of a microwave with only one of three bolts? Got a Kenmore OTR microwave to replace a GE OTR microwave. Already removed the GE, but I just noticed that the Kenmore is quite a bit deeper. That's no big deal, but my trouble is that the top cabinet mount bolts for the Kenmore line up with cam nut...	While most appliance mounts are deliberately over-engineered, leaving out two out of three support bolts seems to be a bit risky.
Does dark exterior paint hold and transfer more heat to an uninsulated house? We are picking exterior paint colors for our stucco house. The interior walls are plaster and there isn’t insulation in the walls. I want to stay away from dark colors because I think it will make our house hotter(we live in Southern Califor...	If you insulate your walls, you will thus be warmer during the summer and winter, and a black exterior would absorb sunlight and warm your house lightly.
How can I verify that the ground wires in my outlet boxes are grounded properly? I am a non-professional with limited electrical experience. I recently bought a house built in the mid-fifties that has some two-prong receptacles (i.e., no ground hole). I planned to replace the first outlet in the circuit with a gfci ou...	Connect the new receptacle with hot going to small slot, neutral to larger slot, "ground" wire to ground screw on receptacle.
Radon Manometer shows negative prey when off I had a Radon mitigation system installed last week. When I turned on the fan it was all working great. A few days later the pressure level started to drop a little each day, until day 4 it was even. Then when I turn off the fan circuit breaker the level goes negative. So th...	If there's no pressure difference, then the liquid will move until the weights are equal, which happens when the levels are the same (and, if you have the right amount of liquid, it will read "0" on the scale). To prevent a repeat, I mounted the tube assembly to a block of wood that was attached to the pipe.
Why won't my furnace complete the startup sequence when powered by a portable generator? We recently had a power outage that lasted several days and the house was down to 41 degrees and expected power restore was several days in the future. I purchased a 3500 watt (5250 starting watts) generator with the hopes to he...	It's possible that your furnace's control wiring in some place uses ground as a return path, and without the neutral to ground bond that path is not available.
Control individual bulbs in a 6-can dimmer series This is a complicated question, and maybe there is no way to do it, BUT...I currently have a 6-can series dimmer in my basement (home theater) aligned in 3 pairs. I would like to be able to control pairs of cans individually. For instance, when watching a movie, I wou...	Putting back a standard (on/off) switch should allow you to use your smart bulbs.
Can I use two 30amp breakers instead of one 60amp? I bought a heater (ecosmart11), it needs 60amp. In the building I live I can't change the wiring from 40 to 60 (I bought the place, tho). So my 60amp breaker is useless. But, I can put two 30amp breakers. If I "split" the cable and instead of black, red and green, I ha...	You can run heavier loads on a wire by increasing the voltage with transformers, but that is not likely practical in your situation.
Neutral wire going into panel has ~120 volts on it I know there are threads about open neutrals, but wasn't sure if this is a different case with it being in my panel rather than outlet or switch. Can I assume there is an open neutral somewhere or could it be something else? Where should I start looking? Would the b...	The disconnected neutral means that no return current is flowing in that circuit but with a connected load it is possible to see the 120VAC through the load when when measured. It could be a phantom voltage induced from running in close proximity to other live conductors but phantom voltages don't usually spark when gr...
Can I operate a well pump with no pressure tank by using the breaker as a switch? Working on my cabin. Have a drilled well about 100 feet away (maybe a bit more, uphill). 1 inch black PVC well pipe comes into dirt crawl space, pier construction, under cabin. I brought it upstairs so only 10 feet is exposed in crawl ...	You can do that if you only turn on the pump when you're consuming water.
electrical - Basement stairs 3 way switch with 2 lights Can anyone help with a solution? I have a 3 wire coming from a smoke detector in the basement into a switch at top of stairs (3wire providing the hot) and from that switch it feeds two light fixtures with 2 wire.How do I install another 3way switch at bottom of s...	In these pictures you can see the proper way to connect SDers and 3way switches That being said the, aside from the line and neutral wire you can largely ignore the smoke detectors.
Mounting Ethernet wall-plate in a solid wall I have an Ethernet cable running through a small hole in a solid concrete block wall. I want to cover the hole with a plate : Do I need a mount/bracket or can I just screw in the plate? A bracket will require a much large hole. <Q> Nothing easier. <S> Remove a knockout...	Install any sort of electrical 1-gang junction box on the surface of the wall. You may need to make the hole slightly larger so the plate will sit flush with the wall when you attach it
Switching wiring from one transformer to another I am considering getting a Nest Hello doorbell. The requirements state: Nest Hello needs to be powered by wires delivering 16 - 24 V AC, and at least 10 VA (in North America) I had a brief look at the electrical panel, and I see that there are two transformers The ...	The other transformer is for some other system - another doorbell, an alarm system or (small possibility) HVAC.
Can I use #8 copper to replace a #6 ground wire? I need to replace the ground wire that runs from the panel to the rod embedded in earth. it looks like the existing wire is 6 g. i'm having trouble finding that gauge and wonder if I can use 8 gauge instead. <Q> Depends on the local code. <S> Instead of dropping to 8 you...	As mentioned in another answer, you should be able to find 6AWG very easily. In general, you can't replace a wire with a smaller wire unless you're certain that the smaller wire satisfies the code requirements. So if your service conductors are #2 or smaller and the GEC is in conduit, you can use #8.
Exposing Beams in existing ceiling I am planning to remove drywall ceiling and expose the beams. The area is above kitchen and family room. There are quite a few recessed lights and fans. What considerations I have to bear in mind when I do this in terms of home value and sellability ? <Q> You say the room is above th...	If you remove the plasterboard, you will have to provide the fire-resistance some other way. Ceiling joists are much closer than beams and it may not give same appealing look as beams ( which are spaced 4-5 feet or even longer). It may not boost value but to some people it's all the rage. It's easy to re-sheet before a...
Stainless steel nails for roof? Stainless steel nails for roofing is ~$1K premium. Assume that the commercial roof (self-storage building, with sloping roof) is on a Florida island, but not on the beach. What questions do I need to ask to determine whether it is worth the premium? What can I expect as the increme...	Stainless steel nails are worth the extra cost.
Found mismatched breaker and wiring while replacing kitchen outlet in older house I have a few experiences wiring outlets and lighting but still am a novice. We have a 1941 2BR house in the US. A duplex outlet had chipped plastic on one of the outlets where the ground prong inserts. I wanted to replace this outlet, b...	But as mentioned, 14ga wire cannot have a 20A breaker protecting it. Unless your dryer is very unusual, it should be a 30A breaker.
Can I extend #12 wire on a 15A circuit with #14 wire? Okay, so here is what I got. I have done a fair amount of replacing switches and outlets but this is my first time adding outlets. I have a 15 amp breaker in the box running a couple of lights and outlets in my basement. I want to move one outlet and add 3 more t...	So since you have a 15-amp breaker controlling this circuit, you should be safe to use 14-gauge wire. If it's all #12 wire, then I would stay with #12 wire, and then you would be able to upgrade the breaker to 20A. This can result in a fire especially with back stabs in use and the smaller wire size. Map the whole circ...
Is it safe to use this dimmer on LED bulbs? I have a question about dimmer switches for LED flood lights. My kitchen has six floodlights on a Lutron toggler dimmer switch, model AY-603P. http://www.lutron.com/en-US/pages/SupportCenter/support.aspx?modelNumber=AY-603P&&SECTION=Documents Up until now I have had fluore...	If the led lamps are dimmable and are working they will be fine. Further, The service manual you link states clear that CAUTION: Use “AY-” or “TG-” models only with permanently-installed 120 V incandescent or halogen fixtures.
Screw Sizes for Electrical Connection box lids Am having to install covers to several different types of electrical connections boxes in my house. Some are round, blue ones and some are a grayish tan with corners rounded. None of them have cover screws in them, so I am having to go buy screws to attach the covers. Wha...	Most hardware stores I have been to had a specific electrical screw section in their fastener area.
What to ask an Electrician when upgrading a service and adding circuits for a kitchen remodel I have a Federal Pacific Panel and I read that I need to replace ASAP. I’m getting some bids from several electricians. Can you please help me learn what I need to ask? In addition to replacing the panel I plan on remodeling ...	Most of the time, if you simply let an electrician have at a panel replacement/upgrade, they will use the smallest (aka cheapest) panel that will accommodate the number of circuits the house has, along with any circuits that are being installed at the same time.
Circuit Load - With addition of LED recessed and cabinet lighting I’m renovating my 1984 kitchen and I'm worried about exceeding the maximum load on the circuit. I'd like to add recessed lighting and above/below cabinet lighting as well. I know that 12 devices are permitted per 15A circuit (light outlets; plug outlets...	Another slick thing you can do with DC lighting is fit a deep cycle battery somewhere in the house.
Plug too hot to touch after using toaster I've used a toaster in the same outlet for a few years, today when unplugging it immediately after use I noticed the metal prongs on the plug were uncomfortably hot. The outlet was hot too, but quickly cooled down. I took the face plate off and couldn't see any damage to the ou...	So unless you have upgraded your breakers to include GFCI, replace the bad receptacle with one that includes GFCI protection. Note that there is one possible complication with installing a GFCI receptacle. While you could argue about an absolute requirement for a straight replacement, the kitchen is one of those places...
Soldering AC wires to this PCB I'm working on a DIY Mirror Touch frame and am on the final stages connecting everything. I have the issue where I was unable to find a deep enough aluminum frame and therefor have the issue where the power cable would protrude from the backside (see first image below and red line). I'v...	You only need to figure out how to convert mains to the correct low voltage safely (e.g. By simply using the power block that came with the machine), how to site the power supply (plugged into a nearby receptacle is pretty safe), and how to connect the wires. Mains power would never be on that because it wouldn't have ...
Using 14 ga on part of a 20A circuit? I'm building an outdoor bbq and have a 20A circuit with 2 runs - 1 for outlets and 1 for lights. The outlets are done with 20A receptacles and 12 ga wire inside 1/2" emc. The lights will be hanging pull lights (16 ga wire in the cord) and because it's a little cheaper and easier, ...	You could do it if you switched to 15A breakers, but you can't wire the 20A circuit with 14 gauge wire. If your concern is #12 won't fit in backstabs, that is correct, but backstabs are a reliability disaster and cause a tremendous number of arcing and unreliable connection complaints, so I would use the screws or scre...
Fencing backyard on the lower side of a retaining wall Trying to fence my backyard, so that the dog has some room to play and burn some energy, as well as joining us outside during gatherings. My backyard sits on the low side of a retaining wall, which slopes down from approximately 8 ft tall down to 4 ft tall. My or...	You could fence a little bit inside the retaining wall for the segment where the retaining wall is shorter.
15 Amp GFI breaker trips in main Breaker panel I have one 15 amp GFI breaker in my main panel. We have two patio outlets, the garbage disposal and one outlet in each of the two bathrooms all wired common. Whenever we have company and women are using hair dryers at the same in each bathroom the breaker trips. Would it b...	If you increase the breaker limit without changing the wiring, the fire may start before the breaker trips. They need to be 20A circuits. Two hair dryers are 3000W. Or one circuit can power receptacles and other things only in one bathroom. With clever wiring in the right place, you can split the circuits into 2 or eve...

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