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Remove ceiling fan/light combination replacing with a light and remove 1 of 2 switches that controlled the ceiling fan I am replacing a ceiling fan/light kit combination with a light fixture. The ceiling fan is controlled by 2 switches; one for light on/off and one for the fan on/off + 3 speed control. My desired end r...	In the ceiling box Cap the incoming black wire - this was for the fan and you won't be using it. Yes (except I also tape wire nuts)
Can this valve be used for water? A water valve cracked today at my house and had to call a plumber. He replaced it with a gas valve (yellow handle). He said he uses gas valves because they are better quality. What he installed looks like this: I did a search based on what's written on it and it's tested up to 30 bar...	In gas service, I care that it can handle gas, and is suitably rated for that service, and I don't care what the water ratings (if any) are.
Deck screws undetectable and boards are rotting I have a rotten deck, but the previous owners painted it in a Hardrock-type covering making the screws impossible to find. How should I remove the boards with this complication? Do I cut it off with a reciprocating saw or will the coating on the deck just destroy the blad...	I'd use rare earth magnets to locate the screws.
How do I make this wiring inside cabinet safer? tl;dr: How do I make this wiring meet code, or at least safer? The pic below is inside one of my kitchen cabinets. Once upon a time the stove was located below these cabinets, and that wire must have run to an exhaust fan (note the metal vent in the pic). The stove had b...	Disconnect the wire from wherever it goes (the breaker, an outlet, etc.) and pull it out (it may be stapled, preventing this). There is nothing you can do with old wiring that doesn't meet code that will make it meet code. You may want to find what the local code says about such and follow it. I think just putting it "...
How to clean cement smear from concrete? During a walkway pour some concrete residue smeared on the existing landing pad and entrance (both old concrete) causing a dirty appearance. Is there a way of cleaning a smear of concrete from old concrete slab underneath? <Q> It may act more readily on the newer concrete, but...	Muriatic acid is the usual way of cleaning up cement-based products.
Installing propane tank to gas range with strange copper pipe I am replacing a gas range and the gas line that was connected to the previous range doesn't fit into any of the fittings that came with the installation kit or directly into the range (which is how it was setup on the old range). Here are some images I too...	To complete the installation, you may need someone that can "flare" the copper tubing (that would be a propane dealer or an HVAC company).
Mounting TV on a weird wall that has some material between the drywall and stud So I have a strange wall construction in part of my house. I'm mounting an articulating mount, up to 55", in a stud. I took out a cable outlet and box to see the construction because I wasn't finding any studs. Starting from the room it...	Use multiple large screws to mount the plywood into place into each stud. You can sand and paint the plywood to match the wall color and it will hardly be noticable behind the TV. The hollow of the studs must be facing each other.
How to get a flat-head nail out of a piece of wood? I have a 1/4” (~6 mm) nail that someone put in a wooden bed frame that is 1/2” (12 mm) thick.The wood is hard (not soft) and the nail is flush with the wood in some parts, actually digging into the wood in other parts. How does one get this nail out without damaging ...	For a smaller screw, and not having a screw extractor, I'd try hammering the other end of the screw with a nail set to see if I could get the head far enough out to grab with Vise Grips.
A/C blower does not work after a power surge My outside unit works but my inside unit does nit turn on, its a bryant a/c system. On the unit it says the circuit board is built into the blower motor. The transformer buzzes. Can I replace the circuit board without replacing the blower motor? <Q> Which facts are known abo...	I Have not dealt with this exact problem,it could be the blower motor is faulty,a buzzing sound maybe locked bearings or winding fault,can not be more precise with inormation I have,Steve uk engineer best wishes.
Does "Suitable for use in open fixtures" mean not suitable for closed? Background : I need to replace a couple bulbs in my apartment which are controlled by an "old" dimmer switch, which predates the advent of LED bulbs. My understanding is that I cannot use a dimmable LED bulb here, so I'm going for incandescent. If...	Based on the info at Home Depot for this bulb , this appears to be designed for "table lamp, sconce, vanity, pendant" - all of them open. Incandescent and halogen bulbs are generally okay for enclosed fixtures because even though they get a lot hotter, they don't have anything that cares about heat.
Dimming multiple led light bulbs (parallel or in series) I'd like to install 5 dimmable led bulbs. I'm trying to find how to connect them. But I can't get a clear answer. I can get information of the benefits of wiring leds in series/parallel but none of them mention a dimmer. The question is if I should wire them i...	You must connect them in parallel just like you would connect other 240V light bulbs in parallel.
Lights are flickering on and off after accidentally bumping into light switch During the night, I accidentally bumped into my light switch, jamming it in towards itself. Now, the lights in my room will sometimes flicker on and off very quickly when after turning on the lights. My mother, who has no experience with elec...	Removing the cover to look at the switch is safe IF you first turn off power to the circuit at the breaker panel. Call an electrician, messing with old dried out wire is an art. Screw the wires onto the new switch. I tend to agree with Nate: switches are cheap so replacement is the best course of action. For simplicity...
Why is water being consumed when my shutoff valve is closed? I have a shutoff valve in the crawlspace that operates just the four outside hose faucets. Heard the water rushing last year and sure enough the water meter at the road was reflecting water usage when we weren't using anything in the house. I replaced the...	Many times under ground pipes have rusted, or corroded or cracked and the water is going into the earth. Toilets are the other usual one, but they tend to be more obvious as far as being seen/heard misbehaving.
I put 2-stroke fuel in my 4-stroke mower and now it won't start My first time doing the lawn. Trying to help. Now I can't get it to start. <Q> Remove the air filter and spray a small blast of starting fluid into the carburetor. <S> It should run for a second or two. <S> If it does then the problem is the gas is most li...	Two stroke mix carefully drained, new petrol put in, and if possible, drain not just the tank but the carb also.
How does a temperature regulator with a single wire work? In my office building we have a heating dial that has a single wire coming out of it. The wire is connected to some simple mechanical gadget that is in turn connected to the radiator. When the dial is turned, the gadget presses a knob on the radiator. The single...	Older HVAC systems often used a pneumatic control system, so that would be a small air tube that is transmitting a change in static air pressure based on the position of your knob to a controller somewhere that interprets that change and sends signals to valves that control the flow of hot water or steam to your radiat...
Need advice if this wiring is okay (adding outlet into a run) If I didn't live remotely and I could hire an electrician I would, but it's not an option where I live. So any help you can give, I really appreciate. Thank you. My existing wiring in my water closet has a light in the middle of a run, the wiring looks like ...	When you put the wires back in, you will find they are too short for all you need to do, so you will need to either replace parts of the wire runs, or have the existing wire-run run right through your new box without stopping , then add an additional set of wires to the next box up or down. However, since you are insta...
Should the magnesium rod be removed from a water heater if a softener is used? Our water heater is less than 3 years old and I am starting to hear small particles bouncing around inside what the thing is heating up. Our old water heater never did this and was 22 years old both were gas and we have a water softener. I t...	The "bouncing around" that sounds like particles inside your heater is the expansion or contraction of the copper piped inside your heater.
Repair Ceiling Hole for Round old work ceiling box I am replacing an old light that was above my sink and the box was so brittle it broke and I could not mount the new light. I removed the "new work" box and the drywall around it crumbled. Now the hole is too large for a new work box. Any ways to fix this? Really hopin...	Patch the old hole with a self-sticking drywall patch, then mount a new box to the joist about 8" further away from the wall. And honestly, your new light is likely to cover up the edges of that hole anyway It looks like there's a joist running alongside the hole, as I would expect.
Running romex in 20" attic space using pipe hangers My drywall ceiling is attached to 2x6 joists 16" OC. Then, a 10" air gap above these joists are the 2x6 rafters 32" OC, for my flat roof just above. Even though the home is 1955, I have knob & tube throughout this attic space which I'd like to replace. Also, I'd...	If you don't do conduit all the way from panel to destination , then you are simply using conduit as a cable protection method. (P.S. a short space under a flat roof, like yours, is called a cockloft much of the time)
Is it safe to clamp an angle grinder and bring the work to the tool? I’ve got a hand-held angle grinder (Makita LXT, 5”).I’m using a wire brush in it to finish a long thin bit of steel (rectangular profile, about 3ft long, 5x15mm tapering to 5x5mm - it’s a sword blade, but it’s not sharp, so that’s probably not relevan...	While clamping an angle grinder to a table could probably be done, the effort and skill required to make a clamping jig that reliably holds an angle grinder in place is high and the risks of doing it wrong are even higher. Yes, as a metal worker in the army.
Concrete or mud pad below two layers of tile in bathroom. Not sure what it is and whether to demo it? I recently started renovating one of our bathrooms. After removing a few tiles there was a second layer of tile beneath. Below the second set was a concrete/mortar base that is ~1.5 inches thick and has broken in a few...	Clean the hole, coat the bottom with thin-set, insert solid patch ( tile, cement board, etc.), Flash over with thinset, let dry before installing tile. if it is really Sandy and crumbling, I would recommend removing it.
Are These Ceiling Stains From Cigarette Smoke? We purchased a home recently and there is a lot of discoloration on the ceiling of the living room. Can someone tell me based on the photo below, if you can tell what would have caused these stains? The prior residents were chain smokers so I'm figuring that's in but I don...	If I saw new work on the roof/siding, I'd roll the dice and just go ahead and paint. Rugs and carpet pad takes on smoke.
Replace Circuit Breaker on Split Bus Panel I want to add a 50 amp 220V circuit breaker to my split bus panel to supply a welder. I have two options. One option is to use the empty slot (blue arrow) or replace the spare 220v breaker that is currently not doing anything (red arrow). If I understand correctly, both option...	You could check the breaker with a VOM before inserting it to insure that it is truly off. Have your utility cut power to your house for the duration of the work.
How to move building material, including large timbers, onto my property? I'm trying to build a small house on my rural property. I'm trying to use a building kit, which is delivered normally by a series of 18-wheelers. It includes large timbers, such as six 6x8 x 14ft treated posts (over 140 lb each) and dozens of 2x1...	If you can afford to float the money seriously consider buying some compact equipment such as a skid loader, a regular front-end loader, or a mini excavator.
How to size a whole house fan? I'm in the middle of a home addition and am thinking about adding a whole house fan. The finished size of the house will be about 2000 square feet - approx 1500 on the main level, and 500 on a lower level. I'm currently looking at the Quiet Cool Line of fans. My question: How do I si...	As others have suggested, if you're going for a high efficiency, airtight house an ERV/HRV would be better, but if your house is at least 10-15 years old it probably leaks enough that a house fan would be more cost effective. In my previous house which was about the same size as yours I installed a whole house fan that...
Fridge started intermittently tripping GFCI after fan motor replacement Our fridge showed symptoms of evaporator fan motor dying. The bottom of the fridge was cold but the air was not circulating in the freezer and fridge. Then the water dispenser stopped working. I was about to give up but after an overnight shutdown,...	If your circuit is wired with one GFCI device protecting a whole string of outlets, and the fridge is at the end of the string, it may be necessary to fit independent GFCI receptacles at each location (except the fridge), using LINE terminals only and leaving the warning tape on the LOAD terminals.
What Kind of Wooden Beam is this My wife and I recently purchased our first home. We'd like to make a flattened area in our backyard (which is somewhat sloped) for a firepit.My thinking was to dig out a shallow area and fill it with gravel, then place the firepit on top (similar to the picture above)What I'm unsure of ...	The timbers in your photo are Railroad Ties.
How to isolate heat from oven towards refrigerator? While trying to take minor steps towards reducing the electricity consumption at our home, on an online forum (sorry can't recall the original source) I read that if the oven and the fridge are close to each other, the heat from the oven will make the fridge work hard...	A metal sheet, suspended between the surface of the stove and the fridge, would be safest, simplest and cheapest.
Can I use a Sharkbite on a running pressurized pipe? My main water shutoff valve no longer turns, and getting the city to come and shut water off at the curb is a bureaucratic hassle. I'd therefore like to install a valve without being able to shut off the water to the house. My thought is to cut the pipe downstream fr...	I would first just try to shut the city valve yourself. I have done this many times and it works as long as no water is being used in the house until the line freezes.
While drilling into kitchen wall, hit a wire - any advice? While fixing the extractor hood yesterday, I accidently hit a wire when drilling and exposed the copper. The wires are too tight to get some kind of a box in there and putting an electrical tape may be too fiddley. Any advice will be greatly appreciated even if...	The easiest but most expensive (since you have conduit and assuming that it is continuous) is to pull the wire out, repair the conduit and pull new wire. Attach a 1-gang box to the wall in exactly the right place so you can cut the cable and bend the ends upwards into that box from below on opposite sides.
A surge protector for an AC split unit powered by a Siemens EQ Loadcenter Late last summer my 4 year old AC unit fried its mainboard and the company which installed it originally came to service it. They suggested that the reason could be a surge, as they had a rash of calls in my area. This season I wanted to install...	The reason I would not recommend a surge protector inside the load center because almost all of them are metal oxide varistors , These break down and dump over voltage spikes to ground.
How would you join two twin beds? I've got two twin beds "joined". There are basically four independent components: two mattresses and two bed bases. They are pretty uncomfortable to sleep on. They shift as I move at night. They aren't fixed in any way. I was thinking of connecting them by a strap. Something lik...	You can get that strap and cover, but the cover is a pain when you8 go to change the sheets (if you use the twin fitted sheets like I do). Wooden frames can be screwed or bolted if you don't mind putting some holes in them.
Dimmer switch not connected to ground I know just the basics of electricity and am trying to replace an older dimmer switch that broke with a new very similar switch. The old switch is not connected to ground. The new switch has the green ground wire. I also see a couple of additional connections inside the junction b...	The bare copper wires are the ground (grounds are either green or bare wires).
Making a ridge for a tile roof - Any cheap way? I'm making a shed, with a roof made of cement tiles. I'm trying to be as cheap as possible, but still making it as nice as I can. Most materials are salvaged from here or there, or bought second-hand. I managed to find exactly the tiles model I wanted, for cheap, but it ...	I think standard half-round tiles, if large enough, would be your best bet, other than "having saved all this money on the roof tiles, I can afford to put on the correct ridge tiles, even if it feels like a lot of money, comparatively."
Trying to wire a water heater to a breaker box I connected the black and red wires to a double 30 amp breaker . What do I do with the white and ground wires? <Q> Call an electrician, if you're asking these questions you don't have the basic knowledge required to complete this safely and properly. <S> Without additio...	If it is a main panel then ground and neutral bus will be bonded to each other and it is acceptable to put both on the same bus.
Range hood vents into attic space My house was built in 1976. I recently replaced the range hood and discovered that the piece of rectangular ducting that runs inside the cabinet is not connected to the outlet vent on the outside of the house. It effectively vents into the attic space under the roof. That attic space i...	Gross grease aside, the humidity from your cooking will migrate into your attic space and condense, potentially causing moisture damage or mould, especially if your attic isn't vented. Whatever you do, do not vent into an attic space under any circumstance.
How to raise an old footing? I have an old deck taken down and the old footing is 3" above the ground but the building code requires 6". Do you have any ideal to increase the height of the footing without replacing it? Thanks a million. <Q> I do not know how big they are but one idea is to use a hammer drill and a ma...	I’d check with your local building department.
Rough up moldings for repainting I need to rough up the paint on moldings, for example around a door, so they can be primed and repainted. The door molding has crevices and small curves, so it is not obvious how to roughen the surface without damaging it. I can potentially remove the old paint, but that would be a lot...	I will wipe down the surface with mineral spirits and then use a fine sanding sponge and give the molding a light sanding to knock down any irregularities.
Why is part of my GFCI circuit dead after a short-circuit? I was charging my electric golf cart off the GFCI on the side of the house. It tripped and would not reset. I found out I had a bad cord that was shorting it self out. This is were the puzzle begins. I pulled the receptacle from the wall and this is how it was...	It sounds like the short caused the receptacle to melt and then tripped the breaker for the circuit. The matching black wire might be marked with a black marker too, but that wouldn't be so obvious :-) GFCI is a red herring here.
What can cause a never-frozen indoor copper drain pipe to crack? The 1-1/2" copper waste pipe than runs from our kitchen just up and cracked two days ago along its length, and for no apparent reason. The crack is in a section of pipe that runs vertically through the kitchen floor down into the basement, where it conn...	A corrosive environment and the residual forming stress propagated the crack along said stress concentration. I would inspect the entire property for more such pipe and replace any that was found.
Feasibility of using 18V batteries to power AC tools I have a few (working) 18V batteries (Makita, LXT) and I would like to be able to power some AC (220V) power tools with them. Many of the AC power tools have electronic control and simply applying DC to them would not achieve anything good, probably. Is it feasible ...	Virtually all inverters are set up for 12/24/48V input, none of which you are going to get from stacking 18V batteries.
How do I get 150F water to the dishwasher? I have read in a maintenance manual that the ideal temperature for incoming water to a dishwasher is 150F. In my house, the hot water heater is currently set to 135F and it cools on traveling around the house, so the typical faucet temperature is around 120F. I have conside...	Most dishwashers now automatically heat water as needed to the necessary temperature for optimum performance.
Can I cool my south facing wall by spraying it with water? I've been researching options for cooling a south facing exterior wall on my house. One thing I've been thinking about is what if I just spray the wall with water and let it evaporate? The wall is wood siding, 1.5 stories. I say 1.5 stories because the top st...	Evaporative cooling is less effective in places with high humidity. Painting the wall white, or a very light color. There are both insulated doors, as well as retrofit kits to assist with this.
Smooth a badly damaged wall My goal: Get a wall smooth enough for wallpaper without replacing the wall My situation I have a wall that's been patched about 100 times in the last 50 years or so. I can't say why (I live in NYC), there's zero record on what the wall has gone through, but given that it's a top floor ...	If the subsurface is not level enough, a few shims, also glued to the wall should let you get a fairly flat surface. Re-coating the wall might be the best idea but unless you are a pro
Plastic-on-plastic lubricant that wont leave a residue? I am working on an outdoor LED lighting project where I'm making my own rope lights to hold up to the elements. I am using waterproof LED strips which are surrounded in a plastic "jelly-like" material and I am enclosing them in clear, plastic tubing. This means th...	Or, since the lights are waterproof, use some distilled water - not the greatest lubricant, but no residue once you dry it out, and not incompatible with the materials. Cloth might be less prone to rip and leave a chunk inside the tube, but you have a fair amount of clearance so paper might work if you are careful and ...
Exposed wire in ceiling light Was changing the two dead light bulbs and a piece fell off than noticed the wire became exposed. Is this something I can fix as a diy and how dangerous to use the light. <Q> There's definitely a water-ingress problem here (or was). <S> That green corrosion on the copper wires is very sev...	Turn OFF the circuit-breaker that controls this light and take the fixture down for repair or replacement. When you buy a new fixture - we're not talking a lot of money here - either buy a pure-LED fixture that does not have replaceable bulbs (this will be more money), or buy one that is open on the sides and allows ai...
Can screwing too far (about 1.5 inches) into a stud can weaken it? I put up some IKEA cabinets (using their suspension rail ). I used a 5mm (#10) x 50mm (2 inch). Minus the drywall and rail it probably went in about 35-40mm (1.5 inch) into the stud. After all was said and done, I realized that the screws didn't need...	As far as structurally sound, your fine.
Should my sump pump be running when the water level is below the pump? i am a new home owner and i have concerns about my sump pump. it has been working properly until today. it was making strange sounds this morning so i took the cover off. the water level is below the sump pump, which i have never seen before but ...	To me it sounds like the float switch is stuck in the on position and the pump is overheating and shutting down.
Is it safe to use two single-pole breakers for a 240 V circuit? I recently had an electrician come out and replace my electric panel. He seemed very knowledgeable and overall appears to have done a good job, even went through and labelled most of the panel... Except for three breakers at the bottom of the panel. One ...	An adequate substitute for a handle-tie is a 2-pole breaker. If the circuit serves a device that uses only 240V and does not supply neutral, then common maintenance shutoff will suffice. If he didn't have a reason for leaving the separate single pole breakers, or if you disagree with his reason, ask him to come back an...
What kind of floor covering is this? I saw this on the inside of a classroom and I'm curious as to what kind of flooring this is: <Q> My guess (without being able to feel it) is vinyl sheet flooring, ugly pattern made to appear like crushed stone I guess... <A> It looks like Terrazzo flooring. <S> It is defined a...	A base layer (usually colored), chips of colored plastic scattered, a clear top coat over all. Terrazzo is one of the oldest and most versatile sustainable flooring options.
Kids locked the door Then tried to open it without the knob...any advice that won’t cost me a door? I really can’t afford another door right now and I need this bathroom... can ya help a fella out? <Q> Take a screwdriver and put in in the hole on the left. <S> That should give you enough leverage to retract the latch a...	The cost of a new door knob assembly can be quite low, especially if you are not needing the highest quality..
Should 24" deck joist spacing be reduced to 16"? I just tore off the old decking from my cabin's deck. The joists are set 24" on center as opposed to the 16" on center that were in the specs. Should I take all the joists out and replace all of them, or add a new joist between each existing joist? The deck is about 1...	So, depending on what type decking you use, you can the decide what size and spacing of joists to use.
Mystery Plastic cap/pipe in front yard Can someone please identify the purpose of this covered plastic pipe in my front yard. I can provide further details as necessary. I thought it was a drain clean-out, but the plumber disagreed. In the back yard, there is a clean-out for the combined sewer/storm line. Photos at...	Perhaps it's from a downspout or a sump pump. I would check with your neighbors and see if they may have the same things in their yards.
How to laser-level close to a surface Many self-leveling lasers, including my Bosch GCL 2-160, have a limitation when used to level a ceiling or a floor: the horizontal laser beam often cannot get within several inches of the ceiling or floor due to where the laser emerges from the device. This really slows things dow...	Just set your laser 1-1/2" above your slab height and kick the block around as you work. If you've got money to burn (or do like I did and pick one up at a flea market for a great price), Bosch makes the GSL 2 floor laser.
Is it possible for a sump pump pail to be too deep? I have my 2006 built home on the market. A prospective buyer is asking whether our sump hole is too deep? Is there such a thing as too deep and what are the ramifications? <Q> NOTE: <S> While I agree that NORMALLY the depth of the sump pit itself is not a factor <S> i...	The depth of the pump is what ever is needed.
Can 2 light bulbs of 120V in series be used on 230V AC? I'm considering to buy full spectrum incandescent bulbs in the US, to be used here in Europe. Here these types of bulbs are rare, since it's mostly LED these days. First I thought I needed to step down the voltage, for instance with a travel converter for the US ...	Yes, it's not Code legal (because the shell of the upper bulb socket will be hot), but it will work. In practise, yes, it will work and will do what you expect.
Cracks in new house slab foundation, how serious? I am in the process of building a new home in North Carolina. This is slab based foundation house. The slab was poured in mid March when the temperatures were around 40-50 F. Now during the pre-drywall inspection I found that there were a number of cracks in the slab al...	The slab is not independent, so any movement in the foundation will affect the slab.
Neutral and ground connected to one bus bar in subpanel; should I change? At my house, there is a subpanel that serves a pool area, served by one 30 amp 240v circuit. The panel, which I think was installed about 30 years ago, has just one bus bar that the neutrals and grounds are both connected to. The service neutral ...	You are correct in your assumption that your neutral and grounding conductor must be separated in subpanels per the NEC which only allows neutrals and grounds to be attached on the same bus in the Main Panel with a main circuit breaker. The correct grounding bar for your panel is a Square-D PK7GTA; this should be prett...
Requirement for splicing neutrals in a switch I am going to install 4 LED downlights on a 3-way switch. My plan is to do panel-switch-switch-lights... similar to this image I will be using THHN inside conduit from panel to first switch, and from first switch to second switch. My question is do I need to splice t...	For total future-proofing, run and loop an extra live wire as well . I'd leave loops of everything except the travelers in each box, especially if the incoming was at the light, where power would have to be brought through all of them anyway.
How should I repair the cracks in my ceiling before painting? I want to repaint my ceiling, but I can’t quite tell what’s going on. Is there a layer of drywall? Plaster? What should I do if I just want to repaint? <Q> You have two main issues: 1) crack length of room, and 2) top coat and brown coat separating from sc...	Filling cracks will give some time but it will crack again unless not reenforced with mesh paper tape won’t last as well in my experience.
How many wires should be in a new thermostat cable? When roughing in thermostat wire, how many pair wire would you use to cover most thermostats? I'm asking because keep seeing questions about C wire and wifi. <Q> If you're building a new building and having new HVAC installed, I would simply put 1/2" conduit i...	For traditional Heat + Fan + AC systems, you need 4 for the system to work at all , and 5 if you want to support the C wire for smart 'stats.
Why are 3-way center-off wall switched so rare / expensive? I'm looking for a switch to mount in an upstairs hallway that will control an attic/roof ventilation fan. The switch will select whether I want the attic thermostat to control the fan, vs manual-on, vs off (fan will not come on). The price for something like...	Of course, if your AHJ (local inspector) approves switching mains power with an electronics-tier switch which lacks a UL listing or has a ЯU electronic component listing, then you can use it. A normal switch + a 2-way (3-way for US) will do the trick: I would use a bat handle or a rocker that has 3 positions, these are...
Should I insulate metal duct work in basement? I have a balloon frame house with an unfinished basement. The air handler and furnace are in the basement too. Last fall, we had the duct work removed because it was wrapped in asbestos tape that was deteriorating. We DIYed the replacement just like the previous, except...	Yes code requires all devices " used in the conveyance of heat or cold air be properly sealed, insulated and protected. Add a outlet vent to area.
Where do I find 4-4-4-6 direct bury copper cable? Installing a 100 amp subpanel approximately 160 feet from my main panel to a new garage. 4-4-4-6 copper I understand will be more than sufficient for a 240v/60 amp load at the subpanel and have less than 3% voltage drop. The problem I am having is finding 4-4-4-6 copper...	Your best bet is to buy 4 gauge THHN and bury it in conduit (can't be direct buried).
How to clean a domestic air conditioner How do I clean the inside of a domestic air conditioner? Can I spray water to the coil (after the filters are off) or water will make coil to get rust? <Q> The coil gets water (condensate from the air) on it all the time in use, so putting water on it should not affect it. <S> Ho...	In addition to coils, I sprayed mine clean with water, take the cooling unit out of its housing so you can get at the area where water pools on the bottom of the unit. If you soak the push-button pad you may end up with an expensive and over-large paper weight on your hands.
How should I fasten window trim molding when I reinstall it? I posted previously in regards to an exterior window trim issue I discovered, where the previous home owner did not put any waterproofing around the window. I have since waterproofed around the windows using foam and silicone. However, the silicone is exp...	Apply a small bead of caulk before putting on mold ,this really helps called back caulking.
What is this part called and where can I buy it? So I replaced the weather stripping on all of my very old windows yesterday. The windows are sash windows. In the process I unfortunately broke two of the spring-loaded things that hold the top part of the window securely into the frame's guides. Here are some photos o...	It is a tilt window latch.
What are these (utility?) boxes at the side of the house? What are the four boxes in the picture below for? The fat pipe to the left goes up to the electricity meter. I've also included pictures of the two labels I could find. Also, why is there a green plastic rope coming out of the first box? I found the box slightl...	That is non metallic (PVC) electrical conduit. The rope is in there for future pulling. They may be able to sell you a cover, but which brands they carry will vary. The water is because all underground wiring is 100% under water 100% of the time
Mounting a pull up bar on hollow concrete block wall I’m trying to mount a Pull-up bar like this one on a hollow concrete block wall. I’m planning on using some concrete sleeve anchors, but I also have seen people anchor some wood planks into the wall and then the pull-up bar through the wood into the concrete wall...	Sleeve anchors may work OK for the lower set of the mounting holes where most of the force on the fastener is a sheer stress parallel with the wall surface.
Will running AC on low fan speed cool room faster? As I understand, the basic function of an indoor air conditioning system is to pass air through cooled surface (tubes) which makes air cooler and hence it reduces room temperature. So my question is, will running AC on low fan speed cool room faster? Since air is slow...	I will say it depends, I can agree with both ratchet freak an dotes in part but each system is set up differently, a central system that is not properly insulated a higher air speed may be better
How do I stop water from building up in toilets and bathtubs? Today, I awoke to water on my bathroom floor. What caused it? My house has a septic tank and two bathrooms, a master bedroom and guest bathroom. The guest bathroom had water on the floor, and the bathtub waspartially filled with water. The water seemed to...	Septic service companies can do that for you, but if you wait until it is already full, their charges to come out in the middle of the night on Sunday in the rain will be substantially higher than mid-week on a nice day with plenty of time to schedule it.
Tape vs corner bead order of installation Where a drywall sheet joint meets an outside corner, is it better to first install the tape over the joint or the metal corner bead? My old drywall finish guy did tape first, I think, but my new guy wants to do corners first. For me it makes sense to to tape first so that the...	"Tucking" the tape under the bead does nothing of value. It's a matter of efficiency.
Why don't I have ground wiring on any of my outlets? My house in California was built in 1989 (I believe) And in the last 5 years I've replaced at least 20 outlets myself (successfully), and noticed there were never any ground wires to connect to the new outlet (Decora style) . The old outlet are exactly the same as t...	If you have 3 prong outlets but the ground wire is not connected, you have no grounding so not only is it less safe, it is also likely unhealthy for some of your electronics. The conduit is also an NEC approved grounding path, so no separate grounding wire is required for the distribution. Your pictures appear to show ...
Is it possible to control my light and ceiling fan using both wall switches and a remote? I have two wall switches. One controls my ceiling fan and one controls my light. I would like to add a remote into the mix. Ultimately I would like to control my light and fan using both the wall switches and the remote. I want to...	The Hunter wireless fan control would work with simple on-off wall switches.
What happens to foam insulation board after you pour concrete slab? I plan on making a garage out of a large carport, and I've watched and I understood how to properly insulate a new concrete slab. 4 inches of gravel, vapor barrier, 2 inch foam board, 2 inches of sand and then 4-6 inches of poured concrete with mesh re...	Foam insulation is designed with a loading value per unit area and as long as that loading is not exceeded it will not deform.
Using new lumber in an old wall with larger lumber dimensions I am trying to widen the doorway to a room in a house that was build in 1905. the framing is 16 on center, however the lumber is wider than a standard 2x4. by about a 1/2 inch. (the actual dimensions of the wood are 2x4). I can position the jackstuds so tha...	You may have to rip a larger board, but you might be able to find "rough cut" lumber at some yards. You either rip a 2x6 or you stagger frame 2x4s by butting them to one side then the other. If the wall isn't load bearing it doesn't really matter. Rough lumber does not have the #2 rating for frame work.
Drainage issue, water causing foul odor in home I live in an apartment building where the building is built on a concrete slab. There is NO overhead drain pipes or gutters and the water pools up along the side of the building next to my living room and bedroom areas. Management does not seem interested in fixing the is...	I’d guess there is a sewage problem that occurs when it rains. If you have access to the ground / yard, you could dig a rock pit. Instead of you trying to fix the problem, I’d take a small glass jar, clean and sterilize it, take a sample, give it to a local lab (you can contact the DEQ or local sanitary department for ...
Header requirements for basement egress window I have poured concrete foundation walls and I am adding an egress to my basement wall. I'm cutting a hole 3' width by 4' in height, about 44 inches from the floor and about 12" from the top of the foundation wall. The wall is load bearing. It is a 2 story house. The roo...	If you ever put a pullout couch or bed in that basement, you’d better have a window that meets those requirements or a door that opens directly to the exterior. My structural engineer approved 2x6s for the header - I used (5)2x6s as the header for the window to maximize the vertical height available.
Is it possible to store air compressor filled without damage from water? I'd like to keep my air compressor filled for quick tire top-offs, like at gas stations. The manual says to empty the tank after 4 hours. How do gas stations avoid draining this often? Is it possible with a consumer compressor? <Q> Pressure tan...	In real world practice, compressors are not leakproof.
Use rainwater to partly supply a sprinkler irrigation system? I'd like to start capturing rainwater and using it to help supply the irrigation system I already have. It's a standard Rainbird sprinkler system that runs on full pressure water supplied by the city. From what I've read, I'd probably need a pump to get the ...	Simplest 100% legal way would be to make it use rain water directly from storage containers, and then a float valve that fills the rain barrel with city water if the water level gets below a certain level.
Connect two pipes that do not line up Not a plumbing whiz, so I thought I'd pose my issue here. I have a 12in Shark bite sillcock that runs through my brick foundation for an outdoor hose. Once inside, it connects to the existing copper line, which is immediately to the right. Problem is that the sillcock is a bit t...	Push the sillcock all the way into the wall and anchor it there. Seems like ball valve is wrong, you should be able to shut off water and open the little drain to let the water out off the sillcock for the winter. Simplest cheapest hacky thing I can think of: Disconnect copper pipe between the sillcock and the ball val...
Flooring durable for German shepherd I have a particle board subfloor with a crawlspace underneath, I need suggestions for any kind of flooring (except carpet) that will be durable for a 83 pound German shepherd. <Q> <A> While I've only had it for a few months, I haven't noticed any scratches from my 70lb dog. <S> ...	Full-strand bamboo flooring is far denser than traditional hardwood, and it can look just as natural and nice (in my opinion). For example, a living room AC3 - Residential use with heavy traffic or commercial settings with moderate traffic. Ceramic or porcelain tile is just about dog-proof. and it has held up just fine...
Method for setting 6' wood fence posts in clay soil Background Currently in the process if planning/designing a privacy fence after recently removing the old posts from the ground. I'm now at a point that you might call analysis paralysis involving determining the "best" method for setting my wood fence posts into the...	The best longest lasting method would be to treat the posts yourself by soaking in a wood preservative for a few days then let dry, after that embed in concrete, concrete will keep the air out and dirt and critters from getting to the wood but the preservative will retard rot.
Getting UPS Power from One Room to Another I’d like to run power from a Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) in ROOM A to where a work computer is used in ROOM B. I was thinking of installing an outlet box in ROOM A near where the UPS is plugged in, then run wire under the house to another outlet in the other room. That ...	You'll need an outlet box with an inlet in it in Room A so that you can plug the output of the UPS into it with a proper cord (read: if you have to do weird crap to your cord to plug the output of the UPS into the wall, stop , because that's a sign If for some reason you want to have 2 possible inlets, you still instal...
Extremely loud pop inside apartment building, half the outlets (on the same curcuit) wont work in my apartment There was an extremely loud pop somewhere above my apartment in my building. Over the next few minutes a strong smell started coming through the AC, random lights would flicker then cut out, and items would st...	If the appliance barely works or doesn't work, and turning on a large appliance makes your dead outlets come back to life, then you lost a "pole". The fact that you didn't get good answers from the housing authority supports this, but usually this is only possible in places where meters are located in-near the home and...
How can I remove material from this wood beam? I am trying to mount a roller shade in between two wood beams on my porch. The problem is that the beams are a hair too close together to accommodate mounting the shade. I am trying to remove a small amount of material (~1/4") from the side of each wood beam, about 3 inch...	See if you can pop off one of the ends, and then cut the rolled-up shade with a utility knife or something similar.
pigtailed aluminum replacing regular receptacle to GFI Need to replace a receptacle closest to panel that has a light and another receptacle inline. All are aluminum. They have alumiconns on them (purple) pigtailed. Need to replace sink receptacle with GFI receptacle. The non-gfi receptacle has a white wire connected t...	Now you have gfci that also gfcis other outlet and light. Given that pigtailing copper to aluminum in a listed manner may be expensive to have done, probably cheaper to leave as is and use an additional GFCI if needed, or use a GFCI breaker to protect the whole circuit at the panel. LINE has 2 terminals, brass and silv...
How can I protect this exterior outlet from water and prevent smoke leakage to the interior? I have an exterior outlet in a carport that I want to protect from water and smoke. Water: Rain cannot reach this outlet. I am only concerned about accidental water sprays from either the hose nozzle or from a bad tap/hose co...	Also to make sure to seal any other air infiltration points, such as what looks to be an opening where your water spigot comes out of the wall. Install in-use cover seal ,again.
Slightly extending an opening in plywood I'm trying to fit a slightly larger trash can into an opening in thick (about 1") plywood (see photo). Basically, I need to shave off some material in the corners to make the new can fit. Question is, what is the right way to do it and what tools should be used? So far, I'm thi...	This seems like an application where a saw like the one pictured below would be ideal.
Swapping High voltage breakers; change 50amp to 40amp I have 6AWG wiring with a 50amp breaker; no device is yet connected to the circuit. I need to swap the 50amp breaker for a 40amp breaker. I have popped the breaker loose from the bus bar in the panel. Are the red and black wires I need to transfer to the 40amp break...	While it's possible to not have a main breaker in that panel to cut off all power, there's normally a switch or a breaker in another box that will do it. There can be problems if the wire doesn't fit inside the wire hole of the device, but they will usually accommodate at least a single up-step.
Found metal while drilling into a stud I hired someone from Amazon Home Services to install a TV wall mount. As the person was drilling holes into studs, he found metal when drilling one of the holes. He wasn't really sure what he was drilling into. But, he drilled through it anyway, and was able to install the screw a...	If you are drilling into a stud, and you find metal, it could be a nail protector designed to cover pipes and wires that are run through studs. If there is a wire behind the plate, the damage might not be immediate or obvious but the damaged wire could cause issues later. There is some scarring on the pipe. I ended up ...
Critique my plan for circuits New addition to house is 576 square feet total - master bedroom, bathroom, walk in closet, house entry foyer, and porch. Here's my plan. 15amp dedicated circuit for fire alarm 20amp dedicated circuit for bathroom receptacles 20amp circuit for rest of outlets in addition 20amp circuit ...	That way if there is a problem with a light fixture tripping a breaker, or even just to be able to work on a fixture safely by turning off a breaker, you are not totally in the dark. I believe Ed Beal's comment about 760.41.b refers to dedicated fire alarm panels, and that residential detectors are considered receptacl...
Does a ground wire to a receptacle box improve safety if appliance only has 2 prongs? If an outlet will only ever have 2 prong devices plugged in is there any safety purpose to have a ground wire added. <Q> You certainly did have the option to fit a 2-prong outlet (NEMA 1-15), which are still sold by competent hardware...	Since the outlet has a ground pin, it must be protected If you have fit a 3-prong socket, you only have two options. Some people believe that to retrofit a ground wire, they must replace the entire Romex cable. Should you upgrade, yes.
Is it a problem to leave a sprinkler line through concrete shed footing? I'm in the process of getting an attached shed built in my house (due to HOA restrictions). They seem to be very competent. The contractor is subcontracting the concrete foundation pouring. They have just dug the footing, pre-pour. I have noticed...	Sprinkler piping is prone to leaking.
Are individual electric heaters more efficient to operate than an electric boiler? (Edited to provide additional info) My wife is looking to buy an old house (I'm guessing 19th century) that'll need a lot of renovating, including the heating system. Renovation works will include (some) insulation and modernisation of ...	If climate is mild air-air heat pump (split system) are the best (cool in summer heat in winter and only in desired rooms), if heating is more important than cooling, underfloor with air-water heat pump will be better (you could pass an icy day running on thermal inertia of the building) For water heating
Securing base of floor cabinets to concrete I need to install floor cabinets to concrete floor. I see that there is a suitable board on the top of the back of a cabinet to secure the top but was wondering about the base. Should I attach a pressure treated 2x4 to the cocnrete floor 3/4" (thickness of the cabinet) and in...	It's just not necessary, as the weight of the cabinets, the continuous counter top, and the support they lend each other when connected prevent unwanted movement.
Why are corded Drills so different from cordless drills? Typically the difference between the wired and wireless tool should be the wire or lack there off. However the the corded and cordless drills are both quite different from each other in typical design and extra features. Common traits Keyless chuck Clutch fo...	Corded drills normally run the power-train at mains voltage while cordless drills use much lower voltages, that makes implementing fancy controls or extra small electrical features like lights easier on a cordless drill. The trigger lock can be handy if you're using the drill as a grinder, buffer, whatever.
How to cool tank water in summer? My home is supplied water from a well, that gets stored in a roof-top tank. The problem is that during these summer days (45°C), the stored water heats up and gets scalding hot. Its impossible to shower or to even to wash my hands! I need a solution to this. Is there something like a ...	Burying a lot of pipe a few feet underground and running your water through it would remove the heat.
What do I make of this wiring? I am trying to replace a toilet pull cord switch. Wiring seems unusual in the sense that there are: 2x brown wires 1x brown wire that is live and by itself 1x yellow/green earth no blue wires Those are split over to separate cable sheathes. Connected to the old pull cord switch...	The switch goes between the two brown wires in the same cable. Failures inside a cable are unlikely... but if that happened, or if the last guy thought it'd happened, he may have run the individual wire thinking that is allowed. Safety considerations would mean that I isolate all the lighting circuits at the breaker an...
Can I install insulation behind a shower stall that is already in place? I am in the process of renovating my kitchen. I removed everything down to the studs. One of my bathrooms backs up to my kitchen. Once I opened up the wall behind my bathroom shower stall (a fiberglass one piece tub and surround), I see that there...	Given on an exterior wall the fact that you should have insulation for weather/wind the fiberglass also needs to be supported. With a vapor barrier, vapor will enter the wall but not be able to escape. The other big factor is sound. If this water is trapped in the wall, it could create dryrot or mold. Most people don’t...

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