hardwood floor hole susceptible to wood filler?

It looks like a knothole that gave way.

Filling is complicated by the color difference between the body of the wood and the dark ring of the hole. You could put in a dark filler, as if it were the knot. Or you could scrape away the darker edges and put in a lighter filler similar to the color of the plank.

Either way, you would need enough filler to make sure the bottom of the plug is sitting on the subfloor. The adhesion of the filler to the sides of the hole would not be enough to keep the plug in place. Even with this, the plug may shift or break away.

An alternative is to cut out a slightly larger hole and insert a dutchman, a new piece of wood use to fill a broken or missing section. In fixes like this, the inserted piece would usually be a pointed oval (sometimes called a marquis shape). It also should have a slightly tapered edge with the top being wider than the bottom. The corresponding hole in the wood has a top surface wider than the deeper section. This gives more glue area and add structural support to prevent punch through. All of this assumes you have access to some of the original wood from the floor or a comparable piece.

Obviously the patch system is a bit more complex than the filler and requires a careful sanding and refinishing of the immediate area.


How tall can I go above ground with a concrete footing?

If properly reinforced and if the actual footing (which the 12" column isn't, unless you have no flare or flat pad on the bottom, which you should reconsider unless you have stunning bearing) is of adequate size to support both the imposed load and the weight of the longer column, it should not be a problem.

But it's difficult to accurately assess such things from afar, or to be certain that it will be safe in your particular soils and configuration. A few hours of a civil engineer's time to establish exactly what would be safe is probably money well spent on peace of mind.

This article might be inormative even if it's not all that DIY oriented. The sidebar suggests that the minimum cover (concrete between surface and steel) should be 3" on the bottom (earth) side of the footing, and 1-1/2 inches on the sides of the column, assuming you are using #4 bar which is pretty typical for small projects. So you might use 6 #4 bars in a 8-9" circle, bent outward on the bottom and tied together every 8-12" vertically. If you really want to be the oddball overkill homeowner you'll figure out a way to bend a bar into a spiral to tie the vertical bars together, just like the big boys do. The rest of us normally compromise with wire, other than the ones that hope fibered concrete is all the reinforcing they need.


Combination GFCI/AFCI Breaker not working when replacing regular breaker

Sounds like a ground fault or arc fault is being detected on the circuit, remove the load and see if it will turn on. If it turns on without the load connected you have a problem on that branch circuit. Make sure if you install 3 prong outlets to label them GFCI protected no equipment ground.


Is it safe to use a damaged heating element for my Kenmore dryer?

Ok, with the pictures its a little clearer.

I would replace that part.  There are plenty of appliance repair stores online with model lookups and diagrams to help you find the right one.

That twist tie is going to melt, eventually.  At least the plastic coating on it.  At best, it will smell terrible.  At worst it could start a small fire.

The more concerning part is what happens if your superglue fails (from the heat).  The heating coilay end up touching a moving part and get ripped up.  Or the 240V wires may touch something they shouldn't.  If your dryer plug is properly grounded, it should trip the breaker.  If not, it could shock someone.

The proper part probably only costs $5-15.  So might as well do it right.

If I couldn't obtain the part for some reason, I would remove the ceramic block, remove the superglue with nail polish remover, and glue it back together with something designed to work on ceramic in hot environments. Most adhesives will say on the bottle what temperatures they are ok for.


How to Open Housing to Replace Light Bulb?

I have a similar fixture, and it uses a spring loaded set of three clips.  Simply pull on the cover.  But for the ones I have the force is scary high for a thin diffuser.

I also have a similar fixture and the dome has three bayonet tabs which will disengage with about a 1/8 turn.  This one is a bit older, and the diffuser is heavier than the one mentioned above.

Those are common fastenings, but there is no assurance that they are what you have.  If you know your manufacturer/model, you might find info with a product search.


How to run romex around window with no studs?

The simplest would be to finish your garage and surface mount either raceway conduit or armored cable. Since this is a garage, the aesthetics shouldn't matter that much.


I am one of those yahoos who prefer the shoe to match the floor color, although IMHO it is a matter of personal opinion. In the high end homes I help oversee being built in the Washington DC area, the color was determined by the architect or interior designer, of which many of these guys were highly regarded in their field and there was choices made of both types of finish. Again personal opinion...

In the case for the question, I would stick with the painted option, even though I prefer the stain. The stain would look different than the original, unless the floors will be refinished, then the floor finishers stain it along with the floor. The painted version will be easier to match up, and it may not hurt to "face off" the base with another coat to help hide the joint where the shoe and base meet. That way if the shoe is caulked in place, it has been done before, the caulk will receive a coat of paint to protect it.


Is my plan for moving return duct a few inches ok?

Here is what I would do. First, move the condensate pump to the left side of the furnace to get it out of the way of the return duct. Make sure that you add enough pipe unions so the pipe could be removed for furnace service. You may even be able to use a flexible tubing instead of the rigid piping. I would then measure from the bottom of the return duct to the wall to see how far I could move the duct. I would draw a diagram of the duct I would need with an "S" offset to move the duct to the right as per the drawing. Disconnect the whole return drop from the horizontal piece to the furnace connection. Take the duct that you removed and your drawing to a sheet metal shop and have them fabricate the "S" offset or a completely new duct including a filter rack. Also have them add a canvas connector to the vertical run to make installation easier. You could then take the new duct to your home, install it, and you now have an easy filter change and a correct duct. If this out of your expertise, you could call an HVAC shop to do the work. Hope this helps


wall anchor didn't go all the way in - hit a white plastic?

Is your wall made of cake? That first picture looks like cake.

But seriously, look at the plastic anchor your tried to put in that hole and compare it to another one. I think you will find that the used one is broken. What happened is you screwed that anchor in to a stud, and it broke, leaving plastic behind.

Drywall anchors are used to hang things on drywall without studs behind them. If you need to hang something on a wall where there is a stud, just use a screw in to the stud. The screws that come with the anchors will probably work just fine. Or try installing another anchor an inch to the left or right, if the positioning is not that critical.

To prevent this in the future, you just need a little experience to feel the difference between hitting a stud and not hitting a stud with that type of anchor. Alternatively, use a stud finder to locate the studs first.

Or if you pre-drilled the hole, you just need a bit of experience to feel the difference between drilling in to a stud vs. just the drywall. Also, wood chips coming out of the hole while drilling is a clear sign that you hit a stud.

An appropriate screw for a light object such as your mirror would be a wood screw that penetrates the stud by at least 3/4 of an inch, plus 3/8 or 1/2 an inch for the drywall, plus whatever mounting length you need. 1 1/2 inch wood screws are probably suitable for your project. Depending on the size of the anchor you have, the screws that came with it are probably that length already.


Does Rosemary repel mosquitoes from home?

Here is a published source, USA Today, that has published an article discussing rosemary as well as other plants that repel mosquitoes.

USA Today Article

I'm not making any claims as to the effectiveness of any of these, so take this for what it's worth.  My guess is that these can't hurt and would make a nice garden.  To quote what they say about rosemary:

  Rosemary. Though you'll want to plant an herb garden for cooking, rosemary repels flies and mosquitoes.

  It also has a pungent scent that drives away other bugs, including
  cabbage moths. It does well in hot dry weather, and thrives in
  containers, so you can set it in various places around the garden.


Is a special outlet or wiring needed when replacing an electrical outlet under a gas fireplace.?

You can tell very quickly if the outlet is at all special by shutting off power to the outlet, removing it, and inspecting it.

It seems rather unlikely to me that the outlet would be special since it's not near water, and it's supplying power for a blower.  Other than making sure you've got proper amperage rating, I wouldn't think there would be any special concerns here.


Can I use a busbar as a ground in my travel trailer?

You can use a bus bar, yes.

But you should never assume that the entire trailer is bonded together in such a way that you can use any of it separately as a connection to the bus bar.

Think of how many pieces it takes to build the trailer.  Screws rust and aluminum reacts to the oxygen in the atmosphere to produce resistance.  That's the last thing you want in a ground system.

So if you use a bus bar, be sure that your "things" are grounded directly to it, and that you have a good thick copper wire connection between the bus bar and the service entrance.


Small masonry drill bit in an electric drill, slow speed:

small plastic or lead anchor:

small picture hook with hole for appropriate anchor screw:

or larger versions of all this for larger pieces


Possible options I see:

1 - Take the duct down temporarily or as needed.

2 - Build a flat wall in front of the duct, top plate to the left of the gas line & that wire, to then do closets under the duct.

3 - Do an open four or square four (not this pointy 4) without the top right back leg & of course a double long bottom leg.

I favor #3 & it should be plenty stable enough, good place for the TV or a bar. Use Fir studs instead of the cheap pine studs, much stiffer. You can also double the top plate for the left turn & double the front for the up-turn around the duct. I see the far wall that will also help. And, just insulate the face of the duct behind your wall.

If building-down the ceiling then I'd do that first, so you know if you're coming down enough & if anything has to be moved, but it doesn't really matter if you can measure.


Raised horizontal lines along walls throughout house

I'm afraid the age of the house can not be blamed for the drywall seams  being noticeable. Dry wall seams, when completed properly, should be invisible even under close scrutiny.
It sounds as if only 1 or 2 coats of joint compound was applied. The solution is to apply more compound in wider passes to ease the compound to the surrounding wall (Feathering). 1 or 2 more coats should blend it enough to be unnoticeable.


First of all, the "neutral" that you listed for the new fan/light is NOT a neutral, it is a ground. The standard colors are:

White = Neutral (you have one in the existing wiring, 2 in the new unit)
Green & bare = Ground (you have bare in the existing wiring, green in the new unit)
The other colors (black & red in the existing wiring, black & blue in the new unit) are all Hot.

1 - Wire nut all White neutrals together. Your existing wiring has one neutral because the fan & light are on the same circuit so they can share neutral.

2 - Wire nut Green & bare ground together.

3 - Wire nut Blacks together for fan switch.

4 - Wire nut Blue to Red for light switch.


Installing P-trap on vanity going from 1 1/4 to 2 inch drain pipe

A 2" to 1-1/4" reducer like this should work. This was the first one I found but they are out there. Home stores should stock them also.


Do kitchen undermount sinks always attach to the granite / quartz or do I have to make a precise hole in the 5/8" plywood

I have installed sinks that are supported by the plywood sub base many times. Sometimes it was framing added strategically, since there was no room for a plywood base.

FWIW, countertop installers, all of them in my experience use bolts epoxied in slots under the stone top. This is for 3 cm stone, I would not want that in 2 cm stone, then I would only use plywood or framing for supports. That is my preference.

I have had some installers complain for my base material being in the way for their bolts, my miscommunication. Be certain how the sink is to be held in place so there are no problems during install.


Is there some kind of product that will protect curtains from the effects of prolonged sunlight?

You can simply hang sacrificial curtains (muslin, perhaps) behind the curtains you wish to preserve. There's also the distinct possibility that this is pure sales-hype, as I've seen many an old curtain that looked just fine.

In any case, even if you block ALL UV light, that will not prevent fading, according to this site: http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/consumer/buildings/basics/windows/fading.htm Most relevant paragraph quoted below.

  The most authoritative research on quantifying fading damage was done in the early 1950s by the United States National Bureau of Standards.  The U.S. Library of Congress undertook this research, in order to design a glass filter to protect the original copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.  Scientists found that blocking all of the ultraviolet radiation portion of the solar spectrum would not eliminate fade damage for most fabrics, but will slow down the rate of fading by a factor of about three.

I didn't see "fabric disintegrating" as a common complaint when looking into this.


Do the posts for a carport sun shade need to be embedded in the ground?

There are no reasonably-priced post bases that will support your structure in that way. The post bases you describe are not intended for that purpose. They merely maintain post location and keep them off the concrete.
You need to either set the posts in the ground (to a depth of about 1/3 the above ground post height) or build enough diagonal bracing into the structure to make it free-standing. In the latter case you'd still want to anchor it to the ground to prevent lifting and tipover due to wind.


can I splice underground 12-2 UF cable run to a water pump

You can splice the NM above ground in a box above ground then run the UF to your pump. The depth for UF cable to be buried as you exit the foundation is 24” per NEC table 300.5.


Any issues with insulating exterior 2x4 walls with rock wool, then cover with XPS and drywall?

I've seen that done plenty of times and I don't think you'll encounter any issues with that plan.  Be sure, however, to include a vapor barrier between the foam board and the drywall.


Can I run wiring into the right side of my panel, but wire to a breaker on the left side?

Yes, of course you can. The ample margins on all sides between the breaker area and the wall of the panel is considered a type of raceway, and is precisely for that purpose.

What you cannot do is route conductors across the area where breakers are supposed to go.

There are those who say you should nip the wires back smartly so the panel is very neat.  That is nonsense.  Leave yourself enough length that you can move breakers around if you need to.  While some consider the extra wire length to be ugly, what I consider ugly is yellow wire-nuts all over the place because someone cut wires too short.

Do not coil extra wire (you don't need that much extra) or you will accidentally create an electromagnet.


You would appear to have a high resistance section somewhere - when you say half a circuit, do you mean:

Part of a circuit on a  single pole circuit-breaker, other parts of
which work fine.
The more problematic "one side of a "multi-wire branch
circuit" run from a 2-pole breaker?

I'm assuming the former for this answer.

As to which side is high-resistance (hot or neutral) what voltage to you see when measuring from hot to ground and turning on a switch or plugging in an item? In the unswitched state it should be the same 118V (or so) as hot to neutral. If it remains at 118V (H-G) when you flip or plug and something goes dead, you have a high resistance on the neutral side. If it goes dead (H-G) the high resistance is on the hot side. In either case you don't have an open circuit, since you DO have voltage when nothing is on - you just have very little current available, because something is just barely connected, or a wire is mostly chewed through, or something like that.

To the extent that you can infer (or know) the layout of the circuit, the problem is between the last working item and the first non-working item. You can use various methods to track it down - turn off everything, turn off the breaker, use your multimeter to check resistance between hot and ground while running around with a low-resistance load like a heater or incandescent light and plugging it into various outlets (circuit breaker off, remember!) If the load reads as (say) 5 ohms (on its plug) you will see something very close to 5 ohms when plugged into outlets well-connected to the outlet you are reading at, and some much higher number when plugged into outlets across the problem area. Eventually you may be able to isolate to a particular cable, at which point you can pull the outlets, disconnect the cable, wire-nut black and white at one end and read resistance at the other end.

You may, ultimately, have to rip open some walls to follow the problem cable and find the problem. You should not have to "replace every wire in the circuit" or anything like that. If ripping the walls open is a big problem, you may be able to disconnect the bad cable section and run new wire up or down the wall without making new holes in the face of the wall to run a new cable in the basement or attic to bypass the bad cable.

But you may, by careful checking this way, find a bad connection you have somehow missed, rather than a bad cable. Be open to either possibility, and work to isolate where it must be, whichever one it is, from both the working and non-working parts of the circuit.

You may also want to try using your NOSE as much as you can - the flickering you report happening earlier was probably associated with some arcing - there is likely to be some burnt  material at the location of the problem. If you smell burnt insulation anywhere, you're close, probably. If anything was nailed or screwed into the walls about the time the problem started, look there. Otherwise you may be hunting rodent damage, and that probably will take opening up the walls to find.


Should I use oil or polyurethane to protect new cane chairs?

Interesting question...

I'd never think to use scotchgard. It might work, but if it doesnt, any finish you try to apply on top will not stick. Maybe try this in a hidden area to see if it provides protection.
Tung oil can be a mixed bag - there's a difference between the pure stuff, the tung oil + driers, and the tung oil "finishes." So if you buy the wrong thing you could get either a nice gummy mess that takes forever to harden, or plain up thinned polyurethane.
I would recommend using thinned polyurethane or a "wiping varnish" - this can be purchased diluted, or you can buy poly and dilute it yourself with mineral spirits/Floetrol depending on if it's oil or water based (respectively). The advantage of thinning it is that it allows you to get more working time to evenly coat all the nooks and crannies, and it builds thickness much slower, preventing the wicker from looking plasticy.

Both tung oil (any version of it) and oil-based poly will darken slightly with time, turning a light yellow. Water based poly will not darken as it ages, but is not quite as hard... probably a good thing for wicker.

Ultimately, I'll recommend the thinned, water based poly.


How can I build up the hardibacker if it doesn't come flush with the tub

If possible I would take down the hardibacker and furr out the studs the 1/4" or so. Even with tile over it the possibility of water getting behind the tub is high and it defeats the purpose of the flange.


How can I lift buckets of mortar to second floor?

If you have a pulley and no way to anchor it overhead, you could always lift from the top, with the pulley attached to the bucket. Of course, you'll need to have an anchor for the rope somewhere on the floor you're at, but it only has to be at the height you want to lift the bucket to.

The resulting load will be half of the bucket that you're lifting. If you REALLY don't have anywhere to tie off to, have a buddy hold the other end of the rope.

Obligatory MS Paint diagram:


Need to attach shelving unit to wall; what kind of wall structure is this?

Do you have an endoscope? If not it may be a cheap investment ($25 on Wish). You could run the scope into the wall cavity until you find a stud or other type of support member. I would not want to attach a shelf to anything without knowing what the material is so that I could use the correct anchor, and where the studs/support members are so that I could possibly attach one side of the shelf to it.


How do I turn off the power to my programable thermostat?

See if you can open the old unit and check for batteries.  Many of them have them in case of a power failure.  If you also have another air conditioning unit, you will want to throw the breaker or pull the fuse for it as well.  My system at my old house had two fuse boxes mounted outside the unit as well as another breaker in the box where the main power came in.  I definitely had a unique setup, but I'm sure there are others just as unique.

I hope that helps!


Wire a 30A/15A/30A fuse box to a 4 wire 120V/240V oven

Are the pictures ones for your oven? If so it's a bit confusing that the oven control panel wiring is shown intact and the fuse box picture doesn't show this wire coming in. I assume the fuse box was disconnected from the oven for some reason? The schematic of a similar oven looks appropriate with red/black/white/green coming into the fuse block box but this schematic uses a Yellow for control. The oven control panel pictured is taking off one leg of the 220V power for use as the 120V control power. I would ignore connecting the 15A fuse and connect the red and black to the 30A fuses. White power and white from oven control to the fuse box connection block center terminal and the red and black power to the connection block red and black going to the fuses.


Is it safe to leave exposed black wire from doorbell transformer?

No, it is not safe.

I would turn off power to that circuit at the distribution panel, test the wire with a suitable voltage detecter/meter and insulate the end of the wire until the whole repair can be completed.

If you can't do this and the house is occupied, I would treat it as a serious life-threatening hazard. I would prevent all access to that room, by fitting a lock if necessary.


How do I run a 3 Phase/1hp TEFC motor off of a regular household outlet?

I'm sorry, but from the tone of your question, and the fact that you even suggest plugging this motor into a regular 15A receptacle tells me you are so far over your head your only valid option is to hire a pro to wire this. This is NOT a simple DIY job and you cannot simply ask questions to get every little detail out of an internet message board to do this job properly and safely.

I'm sure I'll get negative marks for this answer but I stand by it firmly.

The other, and cheaper option is to unload this 3-phase motor and get a single-phase motor. I bet a 1hp single-phase motor is cheaper than the phase converter itself. 1HP is not that big and single-phase versions are readily available.
You'll still need a new dedicated circuit for it but it'll save you quite a bit in the long run.


14 Ga stranded wire bathroom fan/light on 20 Amp circuit?

That's perfectly fine. The device wiring is based on the device requirements and 14 (sometimes smaller!) is fine if designed tested and certified (UL) appropriately.

Code requirements are based on the total circuit load which may vary as attached devices change and therefore must be the right match of wire and breaker.


How can I tell if I have a carbide tipped blade?

Is there any way I can determine by looking at the blade itself if it is a carbide tipped blade

As keshlam pointed out

  If the blade is carbide-tipped, each tooth will have a piece of carbide brazed/welded to the point of the tooth. That should be distinguishable to the naked eye, or with a magnifying glass if you're one of us whose close focus is no longer very good.

At date of writing, I do not know of any other commonly-encountered type of blade that could be easily confused with this.

This answer Community Wiki as it is based on other people's comments


Expedient repair for water damaged drywall behind tile

Sorry, there is no shortcut here.  It's likely damaged well beyond what you can see and the only fix is to tear that all out, remove the drywall that is likely crumbling, replace/repair any studs, check the bottom plate and subfloor for damage, and then restore the entire thing.


Is there a through-the-wall A/C that works with external thermostats?

SOME models of the GE AJCMxx, AJCQxx, AJEMxx, or AJEQxx has the ability to wire in a standard 24 VAC "Class 2" thermostat.   It is explained in the manuals, which I believe you can download from GEAppliances.com.

I wish I'd thought of this myself when I bought my through-the-wall A/C - it's bound to be better than the internal gas-tube thermostat.


Well, the ones inside a bank's vault need Their key and Your Key to open Your safe deposit box. For instance.

Designed that way.

Requires two keys to operate. Normally applied where two separate people hold one key each and need to both be present when the lock is opened.

Depending on design, could also be used so that a primary key is used at the start of working hours and then a secondary key will operate the lock, but only during working hours (the primary key would be run around the building and used to lock the primary lock at closing time.)


I was in total agreement with Ecnerwal, that those bumps were to hold it in wall board. Finding this picture tells a different story: (notice the bumps and the threaded insert)

My best guess is that up in the ceiling somewhere, is the rest of the part; those bumps thread into it, or you can just push (see, 4.a). Be gentle with it, those are 50 bucks.

Again, I agree with E, don't touch it unless you own the building. Even then, you might want to call in whomever has the service contract for it.


Tripping of generator GFCI 30amps breaker

Absolutely not.  You are not allowed to do that.

Your proposal calls for backfeeding your main panel through an ordinary breaker (is it bolted down as required?). You do not have any interlock equipment (aka a sliding piece of stamped steel).  The setup relies on the "I promise, cross my fingers and hope a lineman doesn't die" method of interlocking.

That is not allowed, even for a minute.

Unhooking your neutral-ground bond isn't smart either

It's fine for testing purposes, but you were of a mind to simply leave your service panel's neutral-ground bond removed!   You can't do that.  That means that ground faults have no way back to source, which will electrify your entire grounding system.  The most sensitive points will be any NEMA 10 electric dryer and range connections, which do a sanctioned bootleg, connecting the chassis of their machines to the neutral wire. Congratulations, your washer (grounded) and your dryer (neutraled) now have 120V between them!

Put it back, and in the future don't even dream of energizing a panel that does not have its neutral-ground bond firmly established and checked out.

Seeing neutrals and grounds spammed onto the same bus is normal in a main panel.  It's not my preference but it's not wrong in any way.  The only thing it does is make it harder to convert it to a subpanel, which is effectively what you'll soon be doing, putting it downstream of an ATS.

Neutral-ground bonds vs. neutral-ground faults

I once had a panel that (unbeknownst to me) never had a neutral-ground bond, and there was a hot-ground fault on a branch circuit.  This biased the entire electrical system to have ground at the same potential as L1 (120V from neutral).  I found this out when I had shut off a circuit for maintenance and flashed hot to ground just to confirm.  I got a tiny blue spark and the circuit lit back up.  Then I realized any neutral-ground fault anywhere else would have started a fire, since neutrals don't have breakers.  After that I made sure my N-G bonds were shipshape.

Because N-G bonding problems + ground faults make a very hazardous situation.

As in my case, you have a ground fault.  You may notice that the mains breaker does not have a "test" button and is not a GFCI. (In Europe, main breakers are.)  Mains power does not care if your house has ground faults.  Your generator does.

It could be in any circuit, and may be a neutral-ground fault.  This is less dangerous because neutral is near ground, but more dangerous because neutrals don't have breakers, nor do grounds.  An unlimited amount of current could flow out the ground wire and back the neutral wire, setting both on fire. This risk goes up exponentially if somebody removes the neutral-ground bond, because this fault then becomes the system N-G bond.

Did I mention, neutrals and grounds don't have breakers.

(This also means you can't disconnect the faulty circuit by shutting off its breaker).

Subpanel

I recommend another, easier, safer way, especially in light of this un-chased ground fault somewhere in your house.   Get a sub-panel.  I would have recommended a Siemens panel with a $30 generator interlock for it, but you really need a transfer switch that throws all three conductors - both hots and neutral.  Otherwise the N-G fault off the main panel will continue to haunt you.  Do you separate ground and neutral in this panel? You bet - it's a subpanel.

Now you move one circuit at a time from the main panel to the sub.  Before the first move and after each, you spin up the generator and confirm no ground fault trips.  If you are moving over circuit #5 and it trips, gotcha.  With any luck, the naughty circuit is one that doesn't even need to be on generator, so the issue won't even come up.

When you get your ATS, you can simply connect its output to the main-lug input of this panel.  Rather than buy an interim 3-throw transfer switch, maybe you can accelerate the purchase of the ATS you really want.


Adding a two-way circuit to a three-way circuit

If both switches are of the type 2 configuration in your diagrams, then no. You need unswitched power from somewhere to either the new light or new switch. For example, if either of the switches in the 3 gang box were of the type 1 configuration, then you have unswitched power and can add another switch.

To do what you want you would need to run another conductor from where there is unswitched power available.


You would need an expert to examine and render an opinion.
Asbestos exposure over a short period is very unlikely to cause a health issue and if it does it would be 20+ years out. Problems arise when you breathe the fibers over a long period of months or years.
No. Asbestos is inhaled if it is friable (able to be airborne) so the unborn child is safe.
Yes, washing and cleaning is always a good idea. Old style tile is actually pretty safe unless you start grinding on it and make a lot of dust.

I would not be overly worried but you could consult with a doctor and have an exam every few years if you are concerned.

You can read more here.

Rest easy.


Unable to remove light fixture because of a wire entry holder

Looks like you just squeeze together the two yellow tabs with small pliers and the strain relief should pop out. Let me know if it works.


That white cotton stuff is high temperature insulation protecting the appliance skin from the high temperatures inside the oven.  Its surface will at times become colored from the heat from the oven.  This is normal.  Try to put it back in its original place when you finish the repair. P.


When re-filling the tank after a flush, some water is routed thru a small tube coming from the fill valve/float into the overflow tube that refills the bowl. Check to see that it's not broken or come loose from the over-flow tube.   If not broken or detached, with the lid off the tank, flush the toilet and see if you have any water coming out of that tube (it's a small tube, less than 1/4" ).  If no water is coming out during the re-fill of the tank, something is wrong with your fill valve/float.  But not to worry, for most toilets (unless you have a fancy one with a dual flush function), toilet tank guts are very inexpensive, about $20 or so and pretty easy to replace. One of my sons had a running toilet and needed to have the guts replaced.  He's not very "handy" at all, but I made him do it with my guidance just to give him confidence in home repair. He had no problems doing it all, piece of cake.
If you have a hard pipe from the valve on the wall, this would be a good time to replace it with a braided steel riser....much easier to deal with than hard pipe and compression fittings!


Cedar beveled siding does not seem to be overlapped and nailed properly

The short answer is that it just isn't that critical. There will still be enough unpierced lap to provide weather resistance, and the sliver that cracks off the top edge usually doesn't result in a problem. In a rare case the wood grain angles down far enough that the crack shows, but that's not likely.
Longer answers involve the need for wood siding to have a little room to move and flex with seasonal changes, but that describes an ideal that isn't at all critical. I've owned homes sided with cedar lap for decades (some of which I installed decades ago; I'm in one now) and it has been an issue that the top edge was nailed exactly zero times.


How can I change light bulbs in a fixture located 20ft above the ground?

I'm not sure how much room you have to work in, but an option would be to rent a 16 foot step ladder at your local tool rental center.

If the bulbs are pointed down, maybe some type of bulb grabber on an extension pole.

Got a pic of the fixture?


Is it okay to use an LFNC whip to connect air conditioner where subject to physical damage?

This would be a decision left up to the inspector, as only they can say what's "subject to physical damage". Though technically, you're correct. Liquid-tight non-flexible conduit should probably not be used in these situations.

It's possible that the units come with the whip factory installed, so the HVAC techs simply install it that way. In my experience, the HVAC community doesn't always follow NEC very closely.


First of all I assume that the radiator is functioning properly and gets nice and hot(215F for steam) If not than it is not a problem of sizing.

To figure out if this radiator is appropriate for the given room we need to calculate how much heat it emits. It is all based on its surface area. This radiator looks like it could be National Aero Four Tube radiator or American "Corto" Radiator. Those radiators with four sections and in 26 inch size both have 11 sq ft of radiation. 1 sq ft gives off 240 BTUs at 215F. So this radiator emits 2640 BTUs.

Now just calculate how much heat this room of your home looses and you can see whether this radiator is adequate. There are quite a few online tools available to calculate heat loss. None of them will be too precise without blower door test, but you can probably get a ballpark figure. I did a quick google search and this seems to give you necessary steps to do a basic heat loss calc:
http://www.pexuniverse.com/content/calculate-heat-loss

There's also software available to help you. For example HeatCAD http://www.avenir-online.com/avenirweb/HeatCAD/HeatCADHome.aspx has a 30 day trial.

It will probably make sense to compare heat loss numbers with other rooms in your house that are known to heat well.

Once you know for sure what is causing the room to be cold, you can remedy the problem. You could either increase the radiator size or spend some time insulating/tightening the room(this would be much cheaper and more efficient)


Can wires go under the supply wires in my panel?

Yes you can route the wires under the feeders there is nothing wrong with this. As far as a code reference it’s tough to find something in this case that says it is not allowed or allowed. The wires in a enclosure can even be touching the 1 requirement the insulation is rated for the voltage.  both the main and your new wires are probably rated for 600v so you will be fine.


Fix lead joint between cast iron and galvanized steel plumbing pipes?

Re-leading the joint isn't too hard.  You will need a slug of lead, a ladle, yarning iron, packing iron, caulking irons, oakum, and torch.  The process goes like this:

Safety first!  Wear thick leather gloves and avoid eating lead particles.
Clean the old lead out
Using a yarning iron, pack the oakum around the pipe. Repeat this operation until the hub is packed to about 1” from its top. Pack the oakum with a hammer and packing iron to make a bed for the molten lead.
Using the plumber’s ladle, carefully pour the molten lead into the joint, as shown in Figure 30. Dip enough lead to fill the joint in one pouring. Allow a minute or two for the molten lead to harden and change incolor from royal blue to a dull grey. Usually, one pound of lead is melted for each inch of pipe size.
Caulk the joint first using the outside caulking iron and then the inside caulk ing iron. The first four blows should be struck 90 degrees apart around the joint to set the pipe. Drive the lead down on the oakum and into contact with the spigot surface on one edge and the inner surface of the hub on the other. Use firm but light hammer blows.

The process isn't really hard at all for vertical pipe, but does require some specialized tools.  If you have several of these joints in your house, it might be worth the investment!

Yarning irons:

Caulking Irons:

Inside/Outside Caulking Irons:

Ladle:

Horzontal Pour:


How to Remove Adhesive Residue from New Wooden Table?

Goo Gone. Used this many times, never had an issue.
WD-40 and elbow grease. Emphasis on elbow grease, works in a pinch though. Be cautious about using WD-40 on wood though.
Rubbing alcohol. Supposed to take care of most every type of adhesive, and in my opinion, it smells nice.
3M Adhesive Remover. Never used this stuff, but I hear it's amazing.
Baby Oil(Thanks to @CarlWitthoft). He says it works well.
A razor blade and a steady hand. I'd consider this a last resort.


Check the lever mechanism (mine looks like a flag) to make sure it moves properly.  That is the device that keeps the ice maker from constantly making more ice once the bin is filled.  There's a small spring on it that can become misaligned and keeps the ice maker from properly functioning.

Look at that "flag" lever closely.  The spring issue may not be immediately visible to you.  Move it back and forth.  If it's binding or does not return to it's static place when you move it, that's probably the case.


What should be on my pre-purchase house self-inspection checklist?

Congrats on your pending venture, a new home!
I am a certified Home Inspector and have a few ideas for you.

Actually, there are several items that a good home inspector is going to look at that are not on your list. Keep in mind that an inspector is going to be able to render an opinion on the condition of the systems and structure of the house.  Other items should include, chimneys, flashings, gutters, windows, screens, sills, exterior fixtures/lighting, attics, vent fans, proper wiring, GFIs, water heater/temp, heating systems, fireplace dampers, window operation, door operation and weather stripping, step and railing safety, and the list goes on. Extra inspections may include, radon, water, septic systems, wells,or pools.

If you want a good reference and sample checklists, I recommend the book The Complete Book of Home Inspection by Norman Becker, PE. There are several good books out there, but this one is simple and to the point.

When you do find a property that you want to make an offer on, be absolutely sure you include a contingency, or condition of sale, that calls for a professional home inspection, and that the inspection results meet with your approval. In other words, if any discrepancies or findings are in the report, you can get your deposit back and walk, or negotiate with the owner for a reduction in the amount of your offer to professionally repair the problems.

The average cost of an inspection in my area for a home under 4000Sq feet and less than 100 years old is about $350.00. Under no circumstances should you not have a professional inspection and the associated contingencies in your offer to purchase.  Once you make an offer, a DIY inspection is not legally enforceable, and you will have no recourse and unable to walk away with a refund of your earnest money deposit.


Adding an outlet to the dishwasher/disposer circuit

This should be fine*

There is not a restriction that a disposal must be on a dedicated circuit unless the manufacturer states that it must be.  Unless you have a high-end beast of a commercial unit, it probably doesn't.

There are rules in the NEC on circuit sharing, and a "fixed" device like a disposal or dishwasher can't use any more than 50% of the circuit capacity if that circuit is to be shared with general purpose lighting/outlets.

What that means in your case is that if the dishwasher shares the circuit, it probably uses more than 50% because of the heater used for drying and water heating.  I think that means you really shouldn't share it with the disposal either and it should be dedicated (so I normally see a dedicated circuit for them).

If the disposal is on it's own or already shared with other kitchen outlets, you are fine to add an outlet.

GFCI required

As you stated, a GFCI outlet is required, and that means you will need a two gang box.  There are switch/outlet combos you could stuff into a single box, but not with GFCI (Link in comments, single gang switch/GFCI does exit), but you probably want more than a singe receptacle.  Upgrade to a two gang (or three!) box and use a GFCI outlet.


A slide hammer would be the most likely to work in that case. Drill a hole in the broken part, screw in the tip of a slide hammer, hammer it up and out.

Using a penetrating lubricant and a screw extractor to get the broken threaded part (only) out would be an alternate approach.

Be sure to apply anti-seize to the threads of all the ones that still work, and the new one, to reduce your odds of having this type of problem in the future.


Why is one switch dependent on the other switch position in my double light switch?

I believe that you have mixed up the light-hot and the panel-hot wires. So when you flip the first switch it supplies power to the (whole) switch. You need to move the light wire (yellow in the picture below) and put it on the brass screw corresponding to the one you thought was the light wire. The wire that you thought went to the light is the power/panel hot.


Tips to Remove Kitchen Cabinets and Countertops without Damage for Donation?

First, take off all the doors, drawers and counter tops. Many times, counter tops are glued to your base cabinets, and are bolted together at the seams with pocket bolts. Try to take these off carefully if you plan on re-using them, or donating them too.

Then, look for a board near the top of the base cabinets, this is the board usually used to screw the cabinets to the wall. Take the screws out that are being used to secure them to the wall, and it's likely that they'll can just be pulled away from the wall. Be careful though, sometimes, the base cabinets are screwed to each other too, so look at the insides of the base cabinets to see.

The same basic process can be done for the upper cabinets as well, except that you should make sure that they are not screwed to each other before trying to take one down. This is almost always a two-man job.

As for donations, I suggest looking for a Re-Store in your area. They are operated by Habitat For Humanity, and I personally have purchased many things (including cabinets) from them. All the proceeds from the sales of donated items goes to help low-income families earn the pride of home ownership!


How can I make precise, repeatable cuts in ABS plastic sheet?

I think the best solution for this job would be to use a table saw. These are obviously not cheap, but you could probably find one that is not too expensive, especially if you have an 1/8" tolerance on your pieces. A used one can also be had reasonably, or you can rent or borrow one.


replacing flooring under walls (2nd story)

I think I would jack the wall up a tiny bit (1/16 inch), enough to slide out the particle board and slide in plywood.

Given the difficulties of jacks being in the way of the work, cut the plywood so it is only 12-16 inches wide (and 8 feet long or whatever) so the jacking support can be away from the wall.


Distance to leave between drilled holes in plaster

For posterity, I'm copying my comments into an answer... hopefully this can help someone in a similar spot in the future. (Though generally speaking, hitting a stud instead of using drywall/plaster anchors is infinitely preferable.)

I can imagine a few possibilities:

If you can flip the shelf standards, you might get a totally different spacing. (Granted, they might only work one way up.)

Next best would be to raise everything by 2 inches. (That's totally anecdotal, btw... I have no evidence that 2 inches is the right number, although @Jack seems to agree.)

If you can't change height, I'd opt for toggle bolts, with the toggle arms vertical.

If you were to do shelving like a hack, you'd just angle both of the standards the same way and it would probably work out.


Why does this fluorescent ceiling light go out after a few seconds (every time)?

As requested: modern electronic ballast have safety circuits that shut them down when the lamps are drawing two much current. Replacing weak lamps may solve the problem.


As for the paint compatibility, the standard advice is to either paint an innocuous area and try it, or do a crosshatch test.

The low sheen is caused by the paint being intentionally "bumpy". That tends to produce good binding to the next coat, so I would expect reasonable results.

The other reason we use primer is as a "barrier coat" to assure chemical compatibility (that the paints don't react to each other or fail to stick).  Again a paint or crosshatch test will reveal that.


Is it safer to buy a circular saw with the blade on the left or the right? I'm right-handed

A right-handed person will always, naturally have the right hand on the trigger thus making the right handed blade easier to see from the right side.

For maximum safety, the left hand should also be on the tool.  When it is, the left arm, riding high and forward, will partially obscure the blade and the cutting line from the left side view.

Also, when the right hand is on the trigger (and left forward of that) one might want the motor closer to one's body (than having the blade there).


As the other two posters have indicated, it depends.

For 20 AMP you have 20A*120V or 2400 watts and 15 AMP you have 15A*120V or 1800 watts.  Good Electricians will only use 80% of the circuit and leave a 20% safety margin so you have 1920 and 1440 watts respectively at your disposal per circuit.

Lets use 1440 as a conservative estimate.

Next, find out what's on the circuit.  To do this, leave the lights on that you want to connect to.  Open your electrical panel and flip off the breakers one by one until the lights turn off.  Now turn off all the breakers except for the one the light are on and see how many lights and outlets are powered by the circuit.  It's then just a matter of adding up what is on the circuit.  Let's say you have 8 50 watt lights on the circuit, that roughly 400 Watts of draw (roughly).  That gives you and extra 1000 watts, more than enough to add a few flourescents.  Adding up the lights are easy.  But the plugs will be a little more difficult, because there is a difference between having your entertainment center (TV, stereo, etc) on the circuit versus an alarm clock radio and just a lamp.  For the current ligths and appliances that are connected, you can plan whether adding another light is feasible.  Some circuits are lightly loaded, others not so much, so your mileage will vary.


What additions to an interior ceiling can reduce noises of creaking / pacing from apartment above?

Unfortunately, the best solution to this would be a proper underlayment between the flooring and sub-floor in the above apartment.

If the apartment is old, it may not have any substrate to speak of.  If it was flipped specifically to be used as a rental, the contractor probably went with the cheapest material available.

If you were redoing your apartment you could look into sound-reducing insulation for the ceiling.  However, much of what you are hearing would be transmitted through the joists anyway, so this would not completely solve the problem.

https://www.soundproofcow.com/product/quiet-batt-30-soundproofing-insulation/


subpanel wiring after upgrading feeder wire

In addition to separating and isolating the neutral from ground you also need to drive a ground rod(s) (some jurisdictions will require 2 even though it is an accessory ground) and bond any other metal piping system in the garage.


What is this type of pin and tumbler lock, and is it more difficult to pick than a Yale lock?

I believe this is called a dimple lock, and while no professional this lock wiki says

  A dimple lock is not more secure when compared to traditional pin tumbler locks, but the untraditional nature of the key makes many dimple locks appear sophisticated.


How to move building material, including large timbers, onto my property?

I would get a flatbed trailer. The rig from northern tool is great for logs but your metal roofing won't work with that and usually when I have roofing delivery it is 20' sheets so a pickup is not the best choice either because of the length, however a flatbed trailer can handle both lumber, and the metal roofing. I made side boards for my flatbed and have hauled loads of bark mulch saving delivery costs. As a possible future use for the trailer, or sell it once the house is finished.


With vinyl siding, you start at the bottom and work up, so when you get to the top, you're left with a piece that probably needs to be cut.  You try to measure before you start so you have close-to-a-full-piece at the top, which is what seems to be the case here.  I'm guessing you found a new piece in the garage that would need to be trimmed a little.

Look at how much the existing top piece seems to be cut, and how the top is fastened into place so you don't cut the new piece incorrectly.  You might be able to pull on the edge of the existing piece to get a better idea of how it's being held in place.


What is the best type of paint to paint a shipping container?

Nononono! Tell him to save his latex paint!

I sometimes paint things at industrial sites.  Latex works fine on the buildings, but when it is used on steelwork of any kind, it turns into an unmitigated disaster, that you pay for for decades.

This is a metal thing left outdoors.  It will have much higher extremes of temperature than a house's walls.  It will also have thermal expansion unlike a house.  There is also an adhesion issue with the { oil-base, possibly LPU } paint that was applied in the factory (in east Asia where nobody cares about enviro regs).

Latex has managed to win on architecture because it's been engineered for 50 years to be a good fit.  Other than that, the only reason anyone even has a conversation about waterborne paints is to "spare the air".  But it doesn't spare the air to paint a bodge job that fails, is reapplied shortcut style, fails again and ultimately must use harsh chemicals to totally remove for a proper coat. That's like those early "low flow" toilets you had to flush 5 times.

The greenest thing you can do is lay down paint that will last.   Here's how:

Given this thing's long saltwater career, I would hose it down good and plenty while giving it a good old "carwash" style wash.  Salt also contaminates paint.
Remove any identifiable rust either with a wire wheel or sandblast down to SSPC-SP10 near-white metal.  Get primer on it ASAP.  See below.
"Scuff sand" every surface you want the paint to not fail. (I.e. Every surface). Scuff sanding means knocking the gloss of the previous layer, to create microscopic "jagged mountains" for the new primer/paint to lock in to.   Anywhere you blow through to bare metal, prime soon.
wash off all contaminants, by optional carwash style washing, then solvent wipedown - the latter preferably the 2-cloth method.  Straight paint thinner is the classic, but they make low-VOC versions for Spare the Air territories that are terrible paint reducer but a fine wipedown solvent. You don't want soap residue or mineral residue from your city water (yes, it has minerals; if it didn't, it would leach them from pipes).
Prime anywhere bare metal is exposed, e.g. Where you removed rust or scuff-sand blew through on any corners etc.  Sandblast or blow-through is excellent "prep" and you can use all sorts of primers.  Wire-wheel is less effective prep, and there, use an excellent over-rust primer such as ordinary Rustoleum 7769.

Don't turn your back on bare metal.  It will rust in a couple of hours and compromise your primer's performance.

If your topcoat requires a compatible primer, or if you're worried about topcoat compatibility, then you prime the entire container.  For instance, I like LPU topcoats, but they require a barrier coat of epoxy primer underneath.
Finally, your topcoat:  Normally I roll-and-tip because I hate the PPE (masks, hoods) and extreme masking required for spray.  However containers are very irregular and don't need much masking, so it might be worth setting up for spray.

For me, if this were a quickie, I'd have a conversation with a Sherwin Williams Industrial dealer about their best 1-part alkyd (oil) urethane.  If I were serious, it'd be LPU all the way.  My question is, "Do I ever want to paint this thing again?"

I mention LPU, this is a 2-part (A and B part, like an epoxy) which combines a urethane A-part with an isocyanate B-part. (If this sounds scary: exactly.) The isocyanate and urethane splice to each other forming a poly-urethane molecule that is extremely long - far longer than can be obtained from a 1-part polyurethane paint, where the molecules are short.  This creates an extremely tough finish.  Any 2-part paint such as an automotive paint will be something like this, it's also used for aviation and marine.

LPU and other 2-parts are safe as houses once it cures, and the isocyanate (or BPA) in the B-part will stay in the resin and not evaporate by itself, so it's safe to brush (don't get it on your skin).  Spraying it is a whole 'nother kettle of fish.  You're turning it into a fine mist, and you must not breathe that! At all! The factory recommends an external air supply.  I prefer marine paint since it is less encumbered by environmental regs, cheaper and made to brush. It's perfectly appropriate; it's a marine container after all.

This safety issue is why 2-part paints aren't marketed to consumers, except for garage floor paint which is always rollered.


Understand the constraints of the existing framing. I'd have probably kept the new vertical 2x4 you added 3.5" shorter (along with the plywood spacer you added), and made the header stick out 3.5" on that side to rest on top of that new 2x4. You'd essentially be using the existing vertical 2x4 as the king stud and your new 2x4 as the jack stud, just oriented differently than normal. This would at least give the header a solid piece to rest on, rather than relying on the sheer strength of the nails/screws you used to remain in the proper position. This is referred to as a "lap" joint.


Is it permitted to run a gas pipe through the now unused chimney to get to the attic and from there to the other side of the house?

In your title, you say "unused"; then...

  My furnace and the gas pipe that feeds this is in the basement. I
  would like to rung the gas pipe through that furnace...

So which is it? The furnace chimney that you are using for the furnace now, or an old furnace chimney that is now unused? Because if it is an old unused chimney, that can now become a "chase" from the basement to the attic and is perfectly legit. But if it is the chimney FOR your existing furnace, then no, you cannot use that for anything else.


Often over doorways, we install a simple 90 degree folded 6 inch flashing. You can slide a piece of this under the shingle tabs, two or three courses above the drip edge, secure it with a few shingle nails. I like to install them in the shape of an inverted "V". You can also use a piece of gable end drip edge to do the same thing. look in the section of the store where the flashing and drip edges are displayed and you will see the pre-bent 90 degree stock.


I have a 70 amp breaker for a hot tub i'm getting rid of the new one is only 50amp can I use the same breaker?

If the manufacturer of the hot tub recommends a maximum circuit size of 50 amps then you should change the breaker to 50 amps. The conductors can stay the same.

If the 50 amps is a minimum rating for the hot tub then you can leave the 70 amp breaker and conductors.

You should always follow the manufacturer's instructions. The National Electrical Code requires it.

Good luck!


Are chainsaw helmets meant to protect you from the saw, or just falling debris?

The helmet is designed to protect you from falling objects. It is also the mounting point for the face shield and ear protection.  The helmet will also provide limited protection from the saw in the event the saw were to kick-back or the operator lost control and the chain were to impact the operators' head.  It will not provide protection from a running saw being held against the helmet. This differs from safety chaps which are designed to actually stop a saw in the event of contact with the chaps.


This is a very common problem in old steam heated buildings. They get too hot or too cold. Your only option as a renter is to open windows or use vent fans if you have them. I would contact your landlord or management company and see what they have to say. Perhaps they have a solution. You can also talk to your super and see if they have any tips or tricks. Otherwise you are stuck with your situation. A removable window fan with louvers and thermostat would be a simple automatic solution.

Second, when you say steam pipes in an old building I picture old asbestos covered pipes. Don't mess with those, EVER! Asbestos doesn't really degrade and neither does fiberglass provided there is no water damage. If I were you, I'd look for another apartment if you have asbestos. You could be living in a health hazard if the asbestos wasn't removed (and it rarely is as the cost is enormous).


Why does my corner bead flange still show after multiple coats of drywall mud?

You appear to be approaching this in a scattershot manner and expecting too much, too soon.
Odds are also great, given the foregoing, that you are overworking the mud trying to get it perfect (yes, I'm guessing.)
General mudding procedure anywhere: grab your narrowest knife, put on mud, stop.
Scrape off any high points, grab your next widest knife, put on the second coat, stop.
Repeat until you are at your widest knife and/or it looks good enough. If you have so many knives that this seems absurd, set some aside to make a reasonable progression (4, 8, 12, etc..)
Realities - mud shrinks as it dries. So, if you spend a lot of time and effort getting a perfectly level surface - it won't be when it dries, until you reach the point that you are only putting on a very little bit to fill the shrinkage from the previous coat, and it wasn't much shrinkage. "Hot mud" shrinks somewhat less, but requires mixing only what you are going to use each time, as it sets up rather than just drying out.
So if you are getting bent out of shape by the state of things on your second coat, you are approaching it with a very unrealistic attitude, and you'll be frustrated. Just accept that it takes multiple coats, and you'll waste a lot less time putting coats on "perfectly" if you realize that you're going to scrape or sand off any high imperfections, and fill any low imperfections on the next coat. Then the job becomes mostly waiting for it to dry so you can get to the next coat (and don't skimp on the dry time - if you are in a huge hurry, use hot mud.)


What precautions should I take before moving my family into a pre-1978 (lead-paint-era) house?

You have to actually eat, inhale, or otherwise take in lead paint for it to cause lead poisoning: it can't be absorbed through touch.  So, if you find paint flaking anywhere, you should keep your children out of the room, scrape the flaking area (while wearing a mask), and repaint.  Then clean the area thoroughly, especially if flecks fell on anything they are likely to stick in their mouths.

Be wary of lead paint on surfaces that may become scraped/worn easily, as that could lead to lead paint fleck/powder flying around.

If you still feel concerned, you can have the house tested.  Also, be aware that US public schools are required by law to offer free lead testing in kindergarten and first grade.

Thanks to Robert for suggesting this link from the EPA on lead hazards.


Can I hang a swing from 2 by 8 roof beams?

The problem with the pipe idea is that unless you're going to run it at an angle, you'd never be able to get a pipe through several consecutive rafters.

You may actually be OK with lag screws - a properly installed 3/8 lag screw  should provide an enormous amount of withdrawal resistance.  Here's a sample chart from Masco:1

I wouldn't be horribly concerned about the roof members, as long as you are attaching where they have full thickness and minimize the distance of the cantilever.

Your most likely points of failure are going to be the chains (see this answer), or the hardware on the swing itself. In general, working with rated fasteners installed they way they were intended to be used is a better idea than "winging it".

Note that I have no idea of the condition or construction quality of where you intend to hang your swing to, and I am not a structural engineer.

1 Not to be taken as a product endorsement or as representative of other similar products. You will always want to check the ratings of the hardware that you actually intend to install.


I have wood block of 50 * 50 * 50 mm. I want to make 1mm hole ( depth), having diameter of 40mm. Which power tool should I use?

The best bet for this is to use a drill press so that you can maintain positioning of the block and the drilling tool for an even and square operation. A drill press often also includes a depth stop to help with maintaining a repeatable drill depth if you are producing multiple parts.

The type of drilling bit you want to use for an operation like this would be a Forstner bit. For shallow depth drilling you will want to use the type of bit that looks as follows with the smooth sharp radial cutters.

Avoid the type of bit that has the multi toothed radial cutters as this will not give you as smooth of edge on your shallow depression.

For safety sake make sure to securely clamp the small block of wood to the table of the drill press. One recommendation to make things a lot safer is to drill your shallow depressions into the face of a longer piece of material and then cut it down to size. It is far easier to clamp a larger piece.


Is it acceptable to combine and then split two air ducts?

Combining 2, 3-1/4x12 ducts into one would require a  duct 8 x 8 or 9" round. If this isn't the answer you need let me know.


Staircase or two way switch wiring doubts

Your approach will work but is illegal in the Netherlands.

The reason is simple.

Normally your bulb (load) is on one side connected to neutral and the switches are handling the live line. In your approach one can no longer be sure that the bulb is not connected to a live wire when not burning. So forbidden.


Have a new Samsung dishwasher that emits a sewage smell while running

You need a loop (it should go above where the dishwasher enters the disposal) or an airgap to prevent the backflow of drainage water into the dishwasher. The smell could be coming from the inside of your garbage disposal.

The line should definitely be arranged like this photo, where a portion of the line curves above where it enters your disposal.


Why is non-metallic cable (NM) cheaper than THHN?

All of these other answers primarily address the complexity of creating the wire, but cost really is due to a host of market forces such as base manufacturing cost (influenced by complexity of design and local labor wages), supply chain cost/availabilty, distribution costs, and economies of scale (how much of each wire type people buy and from where).
Don’t believe me? I encountered a situation at a big box store where a bare copper wire was more expensive than same gauge THHN wire: Is there a reason to prefer bare wire for Grounding Electrode Conductor?
THHN obviously requires far more processing than a bare copper conductor, so explain that one to me as something other than market forces.


How do I ensure the bathroom door stays open unless someone is inside?

What about a magnetic door stop combined with a stay open spring hinge?


What hardware do I need to have a wireless light switch in UK/Ireland?

I found a couple with simple search for "3-way wireless switch",
Leviton 6696-W Wireless 3-Way Decora-Style Switch Kit

and BL-6133-WH Wireless Add-On Switch Set.

Unfortunately, both are listed for 120V. Though, I'm sure there is something similar available in your area (which I'm assuming is 220V).

For the two I found, installation is simple. Swap out the existing switch with the receiver switch, then install the transmitter switch wherever you need it.


Can I replace my range cord with one having larger conductors?

You can use a 50A rated cord for a 40A appliance with a 50A receptacle on a 40A circuit.

Pay special attention to NEC 210.50(C) Appliance Receptacle Outlets. Appliance Receptacle Outlets...shall be installed within 1.8m (6 ft) of the intended location of the appliance.

You will probably need to install a permanent breaker lock out device in your electrical panel to comply with NEC 422.30/422.33 that allows a receptacle accessible through the drawer to satisfy the required disconnecting means.

Also check with the Installation Instructions of the range to see if it specifies receptacle location or cord length. Lab Listing (UL,CSA) is only valid when installed or used as instructed in the Installation Instructions.

You may need to and it would be cleaner to change the existing receptacle to a junction box and extend the circuit to the oven location.


How can I fill this gap between the plasterboard and window architrave?

I am having a bit of a problem understanding why plaster board or sheetrock would be finished to door and window jams without a casing/molding frame. In the few instances I have seen flush fitting walls to doors/windows, the wall covering is a thin, finished edge panel of some type, not 1/2" rock. In your case, the pic looks like the edge of the was was simply finished with some type of caulk or sealant to the jam, and either the jams have cupped or the caulking has shrunk over time causing the gaps to appear.

My first option would be to case the doors and windows with a molding. This would cover the gaps and secure the "flapping" wall board.  The second option could be to use an elastomer paintable caulk/sealant to fill the gaps. I might use some finish nails to tighten the wall board and counter sink the nails slightly and fill and finish the holes. Hint: cover the jams and edge of the wall board with blue painter's tape before applying the caulk. Smooth the caulk into the gaps with a putty knife, then immediately remove the tape, leaving a nice crisp, straight line.


I called Kohler support.  They told me "it just pulls off".  I was disappointed with that--nothing after 5 years "just pulls off".

I ended up tapping the hole. It's just the right size for a 1/4-20 tap.  I then used a bolt to pull the inserts off--just screw the bolt in until it hits the valve stem and it pulls it off.  I'm enclosing a picture of the inside of that insert so others can see what this is.


Start by looking at your technique

What I see in the photo is a lot of wires in a slight spiral with the ends nibbled a bit from having been in a wire nut.  I also see all the screws snug, which tells me you are using the backstab holes. A few things about backstabs:

They are single-use, once you pull the wire out (even with the release) their spring strength is gone and they cannot be used again.  You can't ask more from four springs that are only a small part of a receptacle that costs 50 cents in total.
The wires being twisted and serrated (from prior use in wire-nuts) means they won't work with the backstab regardless, and they also look a bit short for typical backstab length, so these may be combining to make you think they're in, when they're not. Don't cut the wire ends off - read on.
Also, even if used perfectly (straight wire, virgin stab) backstabs are highly flaky and unreliable, and give most of us no end of grief.  (not least, side pressure on the wire can unwind the spring force or lift the wire off the contact blade, and that can happen when shoving wires back into a box).
The real purpose of backstabs is to allow high-production builders (who wire 10 houses a week) to work faster. That's not really applicable to the home DIYer.

The best play (generally) is Stop using backstabs altogether and doing so might solve the problem right there.  Switch to the screw terminals, form a J-hook on the wire and hook it over the screw terminal (clockwise so tightening the screw tightens the J-hook, that's not Code, just works better, you'll see).  The screw will flatten out prior bends and wire-nut serrations because it has a large area and a lot of clamping force.

I'd also undo the white wirenut and inspect the wires.  Make sure they have enough copper exposed for an effective wire-nut splice.  Ideally follow the instructions that come with the wire nut, but I aim for a strip length of about 75% of nut length.  It will "suck in" as you tighten the wire nut, and be firm with that.   Also inspect the white wires closely for any broken wires, as that would cause your symptom.

The symptoms say "lost neutral"

Lights not working and energizing either trailing hot lighting up both hots, that has "lost neutral" written all over it. Neutral current is unable to return to the panel, and that means the neutrals are also "going hot" (via the bulb filament). That's carrying hot over to the other lamp's neutral, through its bulb filament and back to the other hot.

It's also possible you are just seeing capacitive coupling from the cables running parallel for a stretch.  This capacitive connection isn't capable of providing any useful current, so it cannot light a neon-light tester or move the physical needle on a traditional analog voltmeter.  However DVMs and powered hot detectors will detect it, which can make you crazy.

If it remains a mystery, you might also try hooking only one lamp's hot and neutral direct to supply hot and neutral - when you turn the breaker back on, that lamp should light -  and then check other wires for signs of life.  If you are seeing capacitive coupling (or parallel induction), then the other lamp's hot and neutral will both show voltage, since both are disconnected, yet connected to each other via the lamp filament.


I believe it's easiest to say that you need to get an HVAC maintenance company to come check on it. The auxiliary heat is entirely separate from the heat pump, that is why it's also used as an emergency system.

However, how cold has it been recently? A heat pump will only work to around 34 degrees or so outside and then it should switch off and allow the auxiliary to heat the home alone. Without going into too many details about the various possibilities, it could be that it's too cold outside for the heat pump, but the auxiliary isn't taking over (an issue with the thermostat and it's wiring to the system.) In regular heating mode, your heat pumps runs until it's too cold outside, and then the auxiliary takes over. In emergency heating, the auxiliary runs only. However, if it's been below say 34 degrees for those last two days, then your auxiliary would have been running entirely anyway and you wouldn't be saving any.

Again though, it's an advanced system and this could be caused by multiple issues - have someone come look at it.


Is it a bad idea to temporarily caulk a toilet base leak?

It is a very bad idea to caulk around the base of a toilet.

It is an even worse idea to caulk around the base of a toilet with a known seal leak.

Do not wait, pull the toilet up and replace the seal and make whatever necessary repairs as soon as possible. You don't know where that nasty waste water will end up if you seal it in.


How do I turn off the power to my thermostat?

Simply turning off the breaker that feeds the furnace will turn off the thermostat power as well.


Is it wrong to connect the red ceiling wire to the blue wire on my receiver for the remote and the blue wire from the fan?

You should have capped it, or connected it to either the black or blue from the ceiling fan only.  The remote receiver takes power from the switch (black and white input leads), and outputs power to the light (blue output lead), the fan (black output lead), or both.

With the black wire from the ceiling connected to the receiver, one of the switches will supply power to the receiver. With the red from the ceiling connected to the receiver, the other switch would power the receiver.

If you connected the black wire from the ceiling to the receiver, and the red wire from the ceiling to the black wire from the ceiling fan. One switch would control the receiver,  and the other would control the fan. In this case the black (output) wire from the receiver should be capped off.

If you connected the black wire from the ceiling to the receiver, and the red wire from the ceiling to the blue wire from the ceiling fan.  One switch would Connell the receiver, and the other would control the lights.  In this case the blue (output) wire from the receiver should be capped off.


Generally the chime will have a solenoid that gets pulled or pushed when the circuit is completed. The solenoid bangs against the metal and you hear the nice chime. [I thought these were 24V circuits - so be sure you check your door bell system out and verify that first.

Check your voltage on the solenoid - you can check resistance with no power attached (should be some low ohms around 4 ohms probably.)
When your door bell button is pushed voltage will flow from the Transformer into your solenoid - so checking the voltage at the solenoid will provide an answer as to what is working and what is not working.

You should be able to measure your 'voltage drop' at the solenoid when the doorbell circuit is made. Use Ohms Law - the voltage you know is 16V, the ohms is the resistance of the solenoid. Your solenoid even though it is an inductor has resistance - so it is your equivalent to a resistor in the example link.

Here is a quick link:
http://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Voltage-Across-a-Resistor

Some things to keep in mind:
1: Solenoid sticking - clean it and use graphite lock type lubricant.
2: Solenoid open or shorted..
3: Transformer not working or "Overloaded" - too much current draw causes the voltage on the transformer to drop and it will not be able to pull in the solenoid. This indicates either something shorted - or a wrong doorbell chime, or a transformer that is simply worn out.
4: Doorbell switch bad .. or too much resistance - simply put one wire to the other and see if the thing works - if it does the switch is bad.


How should I install a door that is not pre-hung and has a custom jamb?

I like B, because the most critical jamb is the hinge side.  Once its plumb, with shims behind the hinges, I rout the hinges in place with templates.

The other 2 jambs are "loose" until the door is hung.  Then, with a helper, the gap around the latch side is dialed in, starting at the latch.

The top jamb is done last and isn't as critical, structurally, as the other 2.


Materials for building a sound proof home office in a 5 ft x 6 ft x 8 ft cube

How many dB of isolation are you looking for? The ideal would be to isolate the inside and outside from each other, which means offset studs and joists. The walls and floor could be filled with sand to achieve further isolation, if your building structure will handle the weight.... websearch home recording studios,  many if the solutions for those would apply here.

Remember to allow for ventilation; any lighting or PCs in that box will be significant heat sources, and your own body puts out on the order of 100W of heat. Getting airflow without losing sound isolation may be tricky.

Easier solution: a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones may be all you really need.


6-outlet wall mount with dual active plugs and widely spaced outlets

The reason for the one active plug is because the one you show is rated 15A which is what that configuration will carry so there is no reason to have two. On your other question you might look at the ones that have USB ports and outlets. The ports wouldn't require a transformer. last resort would be an old fashion ugly three way or cross adapter.

Good Luck


What's the best way of replacing a plug or switch in a house with aluminum wiring?

There are two ways to do it:

Use CO/ALR switches/receptacles: these are specifically designed for aluminum wire. They have "CO/ALR" stamped on them somewhere. When you connect the wire, use a paste like Noalox (box stores sell it).
Use a pigtail connection: Sometimes it is not possible to find CO/ALR switches with the function or style you need. You can use a copper wire to connect to the switch itself as usual, and then a #63 wire connector to connect the copper wire to the aluminum one. Here is a picture of a 3-way dimmer switch I installed using this method:

(apologies for fuzzy picture)

Note that you do the same thing with switches that have wires coming out of them already (like most dimmer switches do) or any other fixtures.

To quote from the ESA (Ontario Electrical Safety Authority)'s Notice on Aluminum wiring in residential installations:

  Even though not required by the Code, it is
  recommended that bare ends of solid aluminum conductors be coated with approved joint compound.

  ...

  The Ontario Electrical Safety Code permits the installation of aluminum wiring.
  Adequate precautions shall be given to the terminations and splicing of aluminum conductors;
  Aluminum wiring itself is safe if proper connections and terminations are made, without damaging
  the wire and devices approved for use with aluminum wire are employed.
  Aluminum wiring is widely used today for larger commercial and industrial feeders. Electrical distribution companies use it widely throughout their distribution systems including the supply service cable to most residences; in fact it may still be used today for interior wiring systems in
  residential homes as well as other structures.

  ...

  Aluminum wiring itself is safe and if proper connections and terminations are made without damaging the wire and using approved materials installed in accordance with the Ontario Electrical Safety Code and the manufacturer’s instructions, there should be no problems with the aluminum wiring installation.

In either case:

Connect with #63 wire connectors.
Use the anti-oxidant paste on the wire and any other connections involving aluminum (apply to the wires before you screw on the connector).
Use a wire brush to remove any oxidation before applying paste and making the connection


I would suggest that you fit a second regulator to the supply from the large tank. This may sensibly require a larger pipe or the use of a different "tap" on the tank if there is one.

You should fit isolation valves so that you have full control over what is supplied when.

The second regulator is to avoid any restriction of the supply to either house or generator. You may well have to have some spark arrest devices by code depending on area and common sense suggests you should have them anyway.


Prevent sun shade pole from rotating in base

It's going to take some caution and some experimentation to arrive at a solution you can live with.

For light wind Alaska Man's suggestion seems good - tighten the wing nut/loop bolt in the base.

If you have tightened the wing nut/loop bolt as much as is practical (too much tightening will break something) and you are still getting spinning it's time to get creative.

What you have is in effect a windmill. As large as the umbrella is very little wind could apply significant torque on the pole.

Try to find a way to reduce the wind effect:
- Angle the umbrella so that the windmill effect is reduced.
- Position the umbrella in your location so that it's protected from the wind
- Experiment with how open the umbrella is to reduce the windmill effect
- An umbrella ring can add friction and help keep the pole from spinning (link is an example not an endorsement)

If none of these things work you may have arrived at your best solution.


You would not need to have a jack to be able to lift something up. Through the use of some pieces of framing material (such as common 2x4's as they are called here in the USA) you can pry and lift things with relative ease by the mechanical advantage of a lever. Cut the vertical piece to just the right length for the application and then with the help of at least one of those four friends you may be able to get the upper window into place.

Some things to think about with this.

1) The window may actually be stuck in its frame and unable to move. The wood over the years could have swelled and locked the window in place.

2) Coats of paint applied to the window and the frame may have locked in the window as well and thus not be movable at all -- unless the paint was all removed first.

3) If you do try the lever bar approach shown in my picture make sure to apply the pressure to the window near the frame under the side rail of the window. To apply in the middle away from the rails will put undue pressure on the glass and could result in breakage and / or personal injury.

4) Applying excessive pressure in one spot, either on the window itself or on the sill area below can damage the wood. This would be especially true for windows that are made of softer type woods like pine.

5) When using a lever scheme take the time to plan out the activity and how it will be setup. Without careful setup and applying pressure to the lever in the correct direction you could cause the fulcrum board to kick out sideways and pose a danger to either yourself, the window glass, something outside or someone below the window area.


Best adhesive for reinstalling this wall tile

Get some of the Loctite Power Grab construction adhesive.

This stuff grabs pretty good but you'll need to clamp it, prop it up, or duct tape it in place until the adhesive hardens, Good luck


How to clean hard soap scum and lime from bathtub?

I live on well water and have hard water stains (pink), and sometimes green from my pipes.  We use a product called CLR.  It stands for Calcium, lime, rust.  It works great on hard water spots and other deposits left by water.  You can buy it at Wal-Mart, Home Depot and probably your local grocery store.

The good thing about it is that you can just pour it on and let it sit for a bit.(read the bottle).  Then take a scrub brush and finish off the deposits.


I say that the installation is well within the capabilities of shark-bite fittings.


Well, you've learned one lesson:  always make a drawing (or photo) before dismantling anything.    In any  case, one hopes that the bare copper is the ground connection.  It's pretty scary that there's not 110V from black to bare - this suggests someone ran 2-wire+ground cable and never connected the ground at the far end.   I would have a licenced electrician check this out.

responding to update

If this is the only switch, and there's truly 'hot' voltage coming from the light fixture, you have bigger problems.  The switch should always be on the hot feed side; as it stands now the switch appears to disconnect neutral but that leaves the fixture boxes with live voltage all the time, and that's a significant safety risk.

The white probably is the feed to the light fixture, since that presumably continues on to the neutral/return on the other side of the fixture.

Make sure this is the only light switch that controls this fixture, rather than being part of a pair of 3-way switches, in which case everything I suggested may not apply.


The back of plywood is damaged after cut or drill. How to prevent it?

put a piece of 2x4 under the board when you drill it.

the drill bit has to drill into the 2x4

clamp the board down against the 2x4 if you can

https://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-tips/techniques/sawing-solutions/pointers-for-perfect-plywood-cuts

use a fine toothed blade to cut the board

raise blade as high as possible

place board good-side-up

use masking tape ... cover cut line so that the blade cuts the tape in 1/2 lengthwise

________________________________________________
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  < cut along dotted line
________________________________________________


This is for future reference in case anyone is looking for similar information. The OP noted in a comment that

  the infinite switch on the 2 coil burner was faulty.

So, it should indeed cycle

  to prevent overheating the ceran glass cover similar to what the other 4 burners on the cooktop do.

P.S. Marking this CW since it isn't really my answer.


You have a ground already.  It's called "conduit".

The locknut at the top of the box and the presence of the red and yellow wires with no black wire are dead giveaways that this installation uses metallic conduit, which is an able ground conductor all by its lonesome.

Normally, with a metal box, you'd simply make sure the switch yoke seats against the mounting ears on the box, grounding it as per 404.9(B)(1).  However, since some dimwit painted the mounting ears on the switch, you'll need to install a grounding jumper from the ground screw on the switch to a ground screw on the back of the box.

  (B) Grounding. Snap switches, including dimmer and similar control switches, shall be connected to an equipment
  grounding conductor and shall provide a means to connect
  metal faceplates to the equipment grounding conductor,
  whether or not a metal faceplate is installed. Snap switches
  shall be considered to be part of an effective ground-fault
  current path if either of the following conditions is met:

  (1) The switch is mounted with metal screws to a metal
  box or metal cover that is connected to an equipment
  grounding conductor or to a nonmetallic box with integral means for connecting to an equipment grounding
  conductor.

  2) An equipment grounding conductor or equipment
  bonding jumper is connected to an equipment grounding termination of the snap switch.


I Normally draw a rectangular box and provide the room dimensions. Show the location of the door and the light switch.
In the diagram show where the feed is to the existing light or the switch and the location of the existing fixture with wire running from the switch to the fixture.
At each location you draw the cables list the size  and /type and or conduit examples : 12-2WG or 14-2WG for Romex. If conduit 1/2” emt 3 ea #12 thhn or possibly MC 14-2 WG
(Emt electric metal tubing,  MC metal clad,)
I usually change colors and show the new fixtures fed from (the original light fixture box or switch). If any question of box fill I show the Fill calculation for the size and type and box size if only 1 in 1 out I don’t
switch loops fed from the fixture I do unless the box is separate.  the fixtures do not have to be exact locations the wire route is approximate.  I have turned the drawing in on the hamburger wrapper from my lunch in one case but they usually like it on an 8-1/2 x 11 paper your name and address the location of the room in the home with an explanation like “existing feeder 14-3 nmb (Romex) from main panel 15 amp breaker #6 . Addition of 3 ea ic can lights 60w max.
I have never had to  provide more than this and as I said I have laid out a quick job for a guy that caught me in town and I drew it up on a hamburger wrapper it might have been yellow and the inspector told me I better have a burger for him on the inspection.
But approved the drawing and gave me the permit on the spot after copying it.


Is it a good idea to lay a second course of shingles over an existing shingled roof?

It is common to lay up to three layers (at least in my area), but if the roof has lifting shingles laying another layer will just lift the new shingles.  If the roof is bad, it is better and probably cheaper in the long run to remove the old shingles and lay the new ones fresh.

If the roof is not that bad a second layer can definitely save money, just make sure you check your local codes before doing it.

Another concern can be weight. Shingles weigh a lot so the more layers you add the more weight your roof has to carry, if you live in an area with heavy show fall weight could become more of an issue.

Personaly I prefer to start fresh each time, but I save money by doing the demo myself.


Confused about two way wiring on stair case

That's a 4 way switch, not a 3 way switch (your replacement device is a 3 way). That switch is in the middle of the chain, and you need to replace it with another 4 way switch.

I found a tutorial on 4 way wiring here: http://www.wfu.edu/~matthews/courses/p230/switches/SwitchesTut.html


Do we need to replace wet insulation resulting from a a/c drain

You don't have to replace insulation unless you think that you can't dry it.  Normally we would set up halogen lamps and fans to dry attics out.  You can replace it too if that seems easier.  How do you tell?  Well after 1.5-2 days of lights and fans things should be bone dry.  If not you probably need to replace.  For instance in the winter we know we can't get enough heat and air going so we would just replace.

As for your ceiling, drywall can get wet and if it fully dries it retains 90%+ of its structural abilities.  There was actually a study done I read about wetting and drying ceiling drywall 50+ times and basically they found if it dried right after it got wet you could basically get the drywall wet an unlimited amount of times.  However if it is wet too long then the gypsum starts to break down.  How do you tell?  You will probably see all of you screws/nails popped out down.

If you just have a couple that popped out I would wait for it to dry then add screws back where needed.  You might have to do some very minor mudding/sanding.  If you don't want to do it pretty much any handyman/contractor/dry wall service can handle this - about the easiest job you can get.

If the drywall is just too wet to salvage, you simply need to remove all insulation on top of it, take it down and redrywall - and then put back insulation.  This isn't hard but is a mess.

To get rid of the stains you need an oil based stain cover like the original Killz.  If you try anything else you could end up putting 20 coats on.  Usually 2 coats of Killz and then two coats of ceiling paint takes care of it - you can double coat within an hour for each with correct air flow.

As for your light - I would assume it is fine if it is dry and still working.  I would not be concerned about that.


To mitigate radon, is a "positive" basement pressure possible during balancing?

Ventilation/ pressurization based solutions can be advised, and often are in commercial design. In residential a reduction of 50% average Radon readings is usually considered an upper limit with HRV/ERV mitigation. Modifications to the recommended HRV install with some exhaust drawn from near the basement or crawlspace floor can improve this. If you have measured your intake/exhaust volumes and adjusted for slightly more fresh air in , say 15%, than indoor air out (and you don't want to T into to your HRV pipes to modify) then you've done all you can with your HRV. Volume is not pressure. Measuring airflow alone gives you zero idea of across slab or exterior wall pressure differential. This is the force behind soil gas, Radon, entry. Maintaining a small level of vacuum, just a few Pascal usually, under the slab through your Radon pipe should not take more than the installation of a small quiet fan and should yield 75 - 95% Radon reduction.


How to wire switched light fixture in place of ceiling fan

Typically there are two hot wires coming into a fan box that has separate switches for the fan and light kit. Typically the black is used for the fan, and the red is for the light kit. That said, other color combinations are possible.

Typically, the blue wire from your fan/light combo supplies the light kit. Whichever of the two hot wires was connected to the blue fan/light wire is your huckleberry.

If you want more help, post more information.


How can I fix the sewer smell in my bathroom?

The two most common sources I've seen are dried out traps and a failing wax seal under the toilet.  A failing wax seal may also result in water damage appearing from beneath the toilet.  The dried out traps are simple to fix, just run a little water into each drain every few months.

For a, more rare, problem at a PVC joint, you'll need to find the offending joint first.  Look for signs of water damage, or you may get lucky putting some soapy water over each joint and flushing a toilet.

Edit: here's a good description of how to replace the wax seal under the toilet: How do I fix a leaky toilet that only leaks from underneath?


Sink tailpiece doesn't line up with trap

The photos posted above were really helpful, since many people may not know what connectors and adapters are available -- as I didn't before replacing two vanities. Therefore, I thought I'd post photos of what I did and the components I used.

The first thing to do is come out of the wall with a wall tube (otherwise known as a quarter-bend wall tube). Cut the long side if necessary, so it slides into the drain tube in the wall (make sure you have at least several inches in the wall drain).

The flange typically connects to the short leg of the J-trap.

There are two types of J-traps: one with a threaded slip-joint fitting on each end and a "repair" J-trap, with a slip-joint on the longer leg and a compression flange on the other. Use whichever one is suitable for your existing piping.

The connectors you use depend on two factors: how far is the tailpiece horizontally from the drain connection, and how far above or below it?

In the above situation, the drain connection is several inches to the side of the tailpiece and slightly below it. To close up horizontal distance, you can use another wall tube cut to the appropriate length, connected to the J-trap. The other end connects to a 90-degree elbow to make the turn and cover the vertical distance. Use a reducing washer to adapt a 1 1/4" tailpiece to 1 1/2" drain piping. (All the components pictured here are from Home Depot; other stores have similar items).

My other vanity has greater horizontal distance and less vertical. Therefore, I connected the longer leg of the J-trap to the wall tube, to get more displacement down, so the connectors would have room to cover the horizontal distance on the way back up. In this case, the 90-degree elbow didn't quite make it to the bottom of the tailpiece, so I had to add a coupling, attached to the elbow with a scrap piece of the wall tube I had cut off.

If, for some reason, you need even more vertical distance, you can use an extension tube, which has a threaded slip-joint fitting on one end, and connect it between the wall tube and the J-trap. (I tried this first, then realized I didn't need all that vertical distance and could eliminate the extension tube.)

If you find that it leaks after you tighten everything up, and you have water on top of the reducing washer on the tailpiece, it means your drain assembly isn't watertight against the sink. You may need to tighten it (carefully, so as not to crack the sink) or remove it and apply more silicone or plumber's putty, along with Teflon tape on the threads.


How can I remove a lockset latch assembly that's stuck latched?

Remove the pins from the hinges. You should then be able to pivot the door out of the opening. Once the door is removed you can remove the screws that hold in the strike bolt.


Jim Stewart's comment is pretty much right on.

That is not a nipple it is what is called a "hickey" by the National Electrical Code. It serves to attach the box to a hanger bar or other spanning device.

It looks like you may have a pretty stout box already and may not need the fan box.

I usually look for a ceiling hugger style fan and toggle bolt it directly to the drywall/plaster. This eliminates the need for fan box.

Good luck!


Mounting bracket best practice for cabinet against wall

On top of the cabinet wherever the closest stud is to the left is probably good and if you have wide stud spacing an anchor on the far left side of the top instead or in addition.  Note that drywall anchors will feel stiff and strong up to the point where they fail.


Can I use polyurethane sealant with Plexiglas?

Look into getting window well covers. They are purpose built for this type of situation.