Electrical outlets show good but not working

You have a high resistance connection somewhere in the line.  I would bet that if you have the lamp plugged into one of the outlets and turned on, if you then check another outlet, it will show a low voltage. The reason the tester and meter alone don’t show a problem is that they draw very little current.

First thing to check, with the lamp on, is voltage between neutral and ground. If it’s high, the bad connection is the neutral. If hot-neutral and neutral-ground are both low voltage, the bad connection is in the hot line.

Since you say the breaker panel was recently changed out, I’d start there. If you’re comfortable working on the panel with the cover off, check for a loose wire to the breaker or neutral bus. Remove the wires, clean or cut and restrip the wires and retighten. If you’re not comfortable, call an electrician.

One more note: you didn’t give the age of the house but if it was built in the ‘60s or ‘70s, you may have aluminum wiring. If the wires look silver colored instead of copper, stop and call an electrician. Aluminum wiring needs proper treatment to avoid future overheating and house fires. Judging from your question, I doubt you’re qualified to handle aluminum.


Why are both exterior and interior walls constructed of concrete block in my home?

My house was also built around this time, and I have concrete walls under the tiny bed of sheetrock and paint. Back then materials as such were not as expensive and there was more of the material source, thus they used those source materials. As the country grew in numbers (people) certain materials became expensive and may have taken too long to set, so they went with the cheap route of using wood, thus making building a house much faster as well with putting little to no heart in the work. I'm proud to have a house built by a Masonry and for me I find it much safer, having a fireplace and all that could start a house fire if not properly cleaned/maintained. The above statements are merely more of an observation/my thoughts. Here is a link that might interest you. Why Concrete?


How to drill a hole in a space too small to fit a standard manual or electric drill?

They sell what is called an "Offset" drill.  Instead of the chuck being inline with the motor, it is turned 90°.

They also make drills where the chuck can be turned to get into tight spots.  They also make an offset attachment for most drills.


What are the plugged pipes on the outside of my roof staircase wall?

yes, that's odd.

However, while they are copper pipe usually used for water lines, their location (outside, 'roof' area, stairway on other side indicating no ability to place a water related item there) suggest to me that they have another purpose.

I believe that these were ad-hock brackets to provide attachment and support of some object. My first guess would be a satellite dish.

No matter the old purpose, they do need to be water tight. However, that is an issue for your landlord and I don't think that you have any worries.


Mounting 2'x3' Glass whiteboard, drywall over concrete

I'd drill into the concrete and use some sort of masonry anchors, wall plugs should be sufficient for the white board because it goes close to the wall.

For a bicycle something stronger is needed, because it's heavier and mounts further form the wall. I'd go with expanding bolts. 10mm seems a good size.

Or just drill into the wall an glue  steel bars in with a 2-part resin. (Chemset, builders filler etc), then put somethign over the bars to make them look nice.


240 volt house wiring, 130 volts on one leg and 112 volts on the other?

Sounds like you might have a bad neutral. Contact the utility, and have them check it.  This is a dangerous situation, that need immediate attention.

Voltage swings can wreak havoc on sensitive electronics, so you may want to use UPS to protect them.


I think there are two levels of Battery backup here, First you can do a full move into Solar. in which case you would need a LOT of changes to your current setup (energy efficient devices, LED Light Bulbs, Solar Geyser, LED PC Screens, LED TV, Alternatives to tumble-dryer, gas stove etc. )  I dont think its as easy as spending lots of money on a solar implementation.

In terms of your PC Issue, a nice, relatively cheap option would be to only backup your pc equipment. I am in the process of doing that with my Modem, Router, Switches (all 9v). Laptop and two Screens (LED 19v). I will use a simple DC Charge controller and Fail-over circuit (HERE) and then will have a LION batterypack made up specifically for the two 19v screens, The laptop will just get an extra-size battery

Otherwise the alternative is just to go the route of a large UPS, But I am trying to use source voltage current to avoid the need for a pure sine wave converter (since my pc and monitors are really sensitive to different wave patterns) - for that reason, I would like to get everything on DC...

This is not an implemented solution, but I am in the process of designing (also in RSA). so a good (cheap) solution would be great


This answer assumes the countertop doesn't have an integral (pre-formed) back splash.   In order to move the countertop back to have the entire edge touching the wall you will need to scribe a line.  To scribe a cut line you must first get a scribe. This is nothing more than a compass, but one leg has a holder for a pencil ( the other leg is pointed).  To use it first orient the countertop so it is square to the cabinet bottoms. Depending where the gap(s) are located you must now find the space furthest from the back edge. This is the distance to set the compass too (the space between the pencil and the pointed leg). Tighten the nut so it remains at this setting.   Be certain to secure the countertop so it doesn't move (clamps or screws). Next, with the pointed leg against the wall and the penciled leg on the countertop angle the compass slightly(so you are pulling it) and pull it from one side of the countertop to the other. Keep both legs against their respective surface.  If all has gone well you should see a pencil line that tapers when compared to the back edge of the countertop. This is your cut line. Removing it will allow the countertop to fully contact the wall.   Check This First If you have a countertop that has a lip or bull-nosed front edge be sure the amount that you need to remove isn't so much that the lip prevents it from touching the wall.


How do I replace a damaged valve on a water heater?

It should be a standard threaded valve (NPT, National Pipe Tread), most likely 1/2" in diameter. If you are not sure, you can do one of the following:

Lookup the valve in the manual, search the make and model on line if you don't have a hard copy of it.
Remove the valve and take it to the store with you.

Two would be the simplest.

When draining the tank, remember to open the hot side of a fixture or two as this is will allow air to enter the system and let the tank drain faster. You can keep these fixtures open until you refill the tank as they will allow the air to leave the system when filling the tank.


Some areas code do not allow data in the same conduit with power unless the data cable has the voltage rating of the power in that run.
 If you do run shielded,  ground on the supply end do not ground on both ends this is how industrial plants run comm wires when in close proximity to 480V lines.


What are the brown stains showing through my white paint?

It’s tannin oil bleeding out through the paint.

The first picture has a round (oval) shape that would normally indicate rust from a nail head. However, there is no blistering, so it can’t be rust. Tannin often will bleed out from knots.

The second picture shows the brown-ish stain in a long linear pattern. This is typical of tannin seeping out of siding (especially Cedar and Redwood siding).

All paint manufacturers recommend cedar and redwood should be primed prior to painting. Some paint types cover / block tannin better than others...oil based primers are best.


A 1 Hp on 115/120v line is rated at 16 amps putting a heavy load on the motor could draw 3x the amperage some GFCI's will trip for overload.  Shop vacuums rate horse power differently than true HP rated motors. A megger is needed to check for winding leakage. Most ohm meters are very low voltage where a megger is a high voltage ohm meter. With a megger you connect 1 lead to the case and 1 to the winding I usually use the 500v setting when checking 120v motors.


Can I add a 30 amp breaker to a sub panel being fed from a 50 amp breaker

Assuming you've got 6 gauge wire feeding the sub panel, you should be fine. As long as you aren't pulling more than 50 amps through that sub panel at once, you don't need to worry about over loading the panel. That's what the 50 amp breaker is there for.


That's not water hammer, or it's very little at best. That sounds more like the fact that your fill valve is getting a little old and is banging shut harder than it used to. I would just leave it, but if it bugs you, replace the fill valve. There are newer ones on the market now called "quiet" or even "silent" fill valves. They are a little more money, but you seem like the kind of person that would want that.

http://www.mechanicalcaveman.com/best-toilet-fill-valve-review-flush-system-kit-replacement/


Can I use the white from one switch, but the black from another?

You either have to replace the Vent wire with 14-3 AWG wire, or run a second 14-2 wire from the existing light to the vent. Assuming both switch circuits are from the same feed, you only need 3 wires to the vent. All the whites get tied to the white neutral of the feed. You could use the black (or Red) to go to the light - fan, and the Red (or black) to go to the night light.

This quick schem shows the connection with adding one 14-2 cable from the existing light to the Vent.

M-L-N can be switched around, depending on which functions go with the shared switch. I assumed the night light gets its own switch.


Existing power from light to other sources

As it was pointed out your question lacks a little detail, but I will tell you this. You need to think of running a lighting circuit from switch to switch not light to light.

First the new NEC requires you to have a neutral in every switch box.

Second if you start your circuit at the switch box you can now run it to either one light or multiple lights on one switch or even multiple switching points. If you are running directly to light without switching them then consider the fixture a switching point.

Third if you are extending from an existing light circuit, be sure and do a load calculation to make sure you don't overload a circuit.

Good Luck


Fixing a 1920 row house - hardfloor cupping/buckle/warpping

Moisture can often cause that, if a spill isn't cleaned up promptly or you mop with excessive water, for example.

Likewise, if this is over a wet basement this can happen, but I would bet the issue is from the top half of the floor (in the room).

Less likely is that there is not enough of an expansion gap between the sides of the floor and the wall, and temperature changes in the room are forcing the boards into each other (though the damage in this case is quite possibly more extensive).


I'm assuming that R, Y, and G come from the air handler. While Rh and W come from the boiler.

That would mean that you need to:

Remove the jumper between R and Rc
Connect Rh from boiler to R on the thermostat
W from boiler to W on thermostat
R from A/C to Rc on thermostat
Y from A/C to Y on thermostat
G from A/C to G on thermostat


Could be low on coolant (freon), or could be a thermo switch. If the thermostat for the coil is not functioning, then it will cause it to ice over and not defrost. This is an easy fix on most freezers. Just let the freezer thaw completely, don't chop or break ice off. It could also be the thermostat timer. If it is not advancing, then it is not sending a signal to the defrost heater to thaw the coil. Easy way to check this is to manually advance the timer and see if you hear anything happen. Wait about 30 minutes and see if something changes, like the fridge coming back on. This would indicate the timer is working or not.


How do I seal ventilation vents while sanding a hardwood floor?

I cut a piece of cardboard press it in the hole and seal with duct tape approximately 1" down. When done I vacuum the dust and wipe with a wet rag. My customers like the few minutes I take to keep the dust out of their vents.


Only 64 volts across the bathroom heater? What gives?

I suspect that the hi-limit has been cycling because of insufficient air flow. (the blower fan is either plugged with dirt or the bearings in the motor are dry or both) The points on the hi-limit have arked to the point that they won't carry a load anymore.  You are just getting a carbon trail voltage reading.  Don't try to save this heat-fan-light. Replace it.  It is most likely a hazard.
If you purchase and install a new unit, make sure that it goes on a 20-Amp dedicated circuit complete with 12-gauge wire. P.


Air Conditioner woes: water pooling in basement, condensation on ducts, frost on outdoor copper pipe

You are correct that the refrigerant is not a consumable. If a system is low on refrigerant, then it has a leak. The technician should have a "sniffer" tool that can detect refrigerant leaks. If they didn't use it last time, then they were irresponsible. Also, refrigerant is expensive so that attitude of "if it gets low again then we know you have a leak" is wasteful of your time and money.

If the compressor in the condenser (the outside unit) is running and the air is not cool, then you are probably low on refrigerant. Frost on the refrigerant is also a pretty clear sign of low refrigerant.

I am additionally concerned about the condensation on your duct work. Is the air handler inside the conditioned envelope of the house? If so, that could explain the condensation you are seeing now but would not be seeing normally.


Can you use Commercial mounts for homes?

Yes, I know of no law that says a product made to withstand the rigors of commercial use can not be used in a house or apartment.
I think the Commercial classification on this is mostly because the market for video walls is mainly a commercial one. I.E. Not a lot of home owners are building video walls.


Is the insulation/jacket of UF cable rodent-resistant/rodent-unpalatable?

You may be able to find a UF cable that has a rodent repellent in it, but it's certainly not standard.  I have never seen it advertised on UF product packaging.  I have heard that some datacom / telecom cables that claim to have a rodent repellent jacket, and I have seen those same cables chewed to bits by some varmint that didn't mind the flavor.

If you are going to run power in conduit for rodent protection, you don't want to run UF, run single conductor wires rated for wet locations, such as THWN.  The only thing I can think of more troublesome than running NM in conduit would be UF.  Seal the conduit well at the ends to deter the little buggers from creeping down the pipe, they can infiltrate smaller conduit than you'd think.

I'd usually rather run conduit anyway with a buried cable.  If a rodent does eat your wire and it's in conduit, it's not too bad to pull a new wire.  If it eats direct buried UF, get your shovel.


How do I hang a pot rack in a plaster ceiling?

You're already putting lots of holes in your ceiling, which will have to be patched.  As long as you don't mind some holes, try this:

Use approximately a 1/4" drill bit to drill into a likely spot on your ceiling.  If it hits wood all the way through, you've just found a joist.  If it goes through the lath and hits a void, get a piece of wire or an old coat hanger.  Put two bends in it so it looks like three sides of a rectangle.  Make sure that the top and bottom sides are the same length.  Work the top side into the hole.  Make it "turn the corner" in the hole so that the top piece of the rectangle ends up parallel to your floor.  Now spin the wire until that top section of the rectangle hits something and stops.  If you made the bottom section the same length as the top, then the bottom section will be pointing right at the location of the joist.


What would a bracket for holding 1 5/8" square post be called?

Rather than use with brackets why don't you consider the use of some 3/8" x 2.5" lag bolts installed through 7/16" holes drilled through the post. If you do this remember that for best grip of the lag bolts into the surface behind will be to drill the proper sized pilot hole. In this case the pilot drill can be 1/4" size.


Can I safely create another 120V outlet using the fourth neutral wire from a 4 wire 240V line?

You didn't say what you're doing with the other side.  It depends an awful lot on that.

If the circuit breaker in the main panel is 20 amps or less, and the existing load is 120V (i.e. between hot and neutral), you can make it a multi-wire branch circuit which is basically what you're talking about.  (By "multi-wire" they mean multi-hot.)

Why 120V only?  You can't do an MWBC if there are any 240V loads on the circuit.

Why 20A or less?  Nothing about an MWBC requires that.  But a different rule requires outlets have the same rating as the breaker.  (Except 15A outlets are allowed on 20A circuits).  And disallows ordinary wired lighting on >20A breakers.  So if the breaker is 30A, you can't use common outlets or lighting.

If you do MWBC, it's best to feed it with a 2-pole breaker, which, by definition, takes 2 full spaces in the panel -- never, never, never a duplex/tandem breaker that crams 2 breakers into one space.

If the above rules don't allow you to do MWBC, then a sub-panel will handle it.


Voltage between Red and Copper; and Black an Copper, but not white

Sounds like white (neutral) isn't connected somewhere. Find it and fix it!


I have nearly the same situation, although we have 1" of rigid foam insulation over the T&G. We could have added insulated roof panels when the roofing was replaced, but it was very expensive. The materials aren't cheap, and further it requires replacing the fascia to accommodate the increased thickness.

It's not an easy project. Imagine replacing the roof. Now imagine something much harder. I wouldn't attempt it without help, and I'm a lot younger than 72.

It's possible you could sneak some rigid insulation and a layer of decking in when the roof is replaced, and cover it with extra wide drip edge to avoid replacing the fascia. It's not going to be great insulation, but compared to none at all it's a significant improvement. The seams between panels should be taped to provide a vapor barrier. If the warm, humid interior air can't leak through to the cold exterior and condense, you don't need ventilation.

https://buildingscience.com/documents/digests/bsd-149-unvented-roof-assemblies-for-all-climates

If you are looking to save some money on heating and cooling costs, I'm almost certain there are more cost effective things you could do. In my case, it was more cost effective to take the money that would have been spent to install insulation on the cathedral ceiling, and use it instead on a more efficient HVAC system.

Better still, a house built in the 70s is probably full of air leaks. This is something you can fix yourself, with very little money, without the hazard of climbing on a roof. It's also probably the only job where a can of Great Stuff is legitimately a good idea.


You're fine

A "damp location" in the NEC is a location that's subject to dampness on a regular basis, not any location that conceivably could be damp at some point in time.  For instance, a walk-in cooler is a damp location because of condensation forming on a regular basis, and the area beneath a fixed awning will often be subject to dew (and sometimes to horizontal rain), but the bathroom vanity cabinet is a dry location even though it will get wet if the sink leaks (because a sink leaking is hopefully not a regular or normal occurrence).

This is accounted for by the definition of "Location, Dry" in the NEC:

  Location, Dry. A location not normally subject to dampness or wetness. A location classified as dry may be temporarily subject to dampness or wetness, as in the case of a
  building under construction.


What window insulation can I use for thin gaps?

Air leakage is the primary reason folks apply window film in the winter. By sealing against airflow through the unit as a whole, the volume of air moving through those gaps is dramatically reduced. Obviously this isn't a great solution for the cooling season.

Otherwise, modern window sashes are sealed either with vinyl tubing or brush seals. You could saw slots into your sashes and install them that way.

That may not be a practical solution in a rental home. Various types of sash seals are available on the market. Most involve a flange and a vinyl tube that's installed against the sash. Because of your flush frame situation, this could be a bit challenging. Most are designed to fasten to the protruding jamb. I suggest a trip to your home improvement store for a selection.


How can I attach a ledger board to my house?

First off let me quote the American Wood Council PRESCRIPTIVE RESIDENTIAL WOOD DECK CONSTRUCTION GUIDE (which I recommend looking through).

  MANUFACTURED WOOD I-JOIST: Many new homes constructed with wood I-joists include 1" or thicker engineered wood products (EWP) – such
  as oriented strand board (OSB) or structural composite lumber (SCL)
  including laminated veneer lumber (LVL) – as band joists (or rim
  boards) that can support the attachment of a deck.
  However, some older homes might be constructed with band boards that
  are too thin (less than 1") to support a deck. In such cases, a
  free-standing deck or a full plan submission is required.

You asked:

  Question 1: I assume that if these clips are still being produced that it must be code assuming proper lag screws and spacing have secured the ledger board?

Yes.

It doesn't matter how the joists have bearing, whether it is a hanger, ledger, or beam. Just use the appropriate hardware/fasteners for the application.

  Question 2: If I were to cut away the masonry and lag into the 2x6
  studs for the ledger support, would this be a sturdy code compliant
  ledger board?

Back in the "good old days" when homes were balloon-framed they would use let-in ledgers or ribbon boards to support the floor framing (which was also nailed to the studs, though). So, it is doable, but you may need special permission or even engineer's drawings/specs for approval (might also include blocking and extra hardware). Either way, I would say it is not exactly ideal, but at least you could use structural screws like Ledgerloks or GRKs, since they are smaller diameter and self-drilling and not nearly as likely to split the studs.

(balloon-framed, ribbon-board (ledger) and fire-blocking)

  And finally, if applicable, if I were to cut away the masonry to mount
  a ledger board, I would be worried about water possibly penetrating
  and getting behind the decorative masonry.

You would have the same worries doing the same thing when cutting out siding for a ledger. Flashing to the rescue :)

  Question 3: What is the most appropriate way to prevent water from
  getting behind my ledger board or the masonry?

Again, flashing is the most important part (aside from proper fastening). You have to lap the flashing properly with the building paper. Just remember the direction water flows so the surfaces have to lap the same way a shingle would. See image below for a good illustration of proper flashing. You can also read this short article describing some of the flashing material choices.

After all that, I would say your best bet is to verify your rim board thickness and do a normal ledger. The second best option is a free-standing deck.

Just be careful there is a lot of bad advice and information on the internet!


Is a thick, unvented hot roof a good candidate for spray foam?

You need to make the foam your vapor barrier, which means using closed-cell foam. Secondly, you need sufficient foam in order to prevent condensation inside the wall. Thirdly, you do not need to fill in the space, but you need to provide enough insulation to bring the total to the required minimum for insulating ceilings. Lastly, foam is nasty when it burns, so you'll need to put an ignition barrier (such as cellulose, hardboard, or drywall) directly in contact with the foam.

The required minimum amount of foam for the various climate zones of the United States/Canada are:

Zones 1-3 — R-5
Zone 4C — R-10
Zones 4A, 4B — R-15
Zone 5 — R-20
Zone 6 — R-25
Zone 7 — R-30
Zone 8 — R-35

Since you are in zone 4 or 5, you'll need a minimum of R-20, which is about five inches of foam.

I would fill the ceiling to slightly more than this minimum with foam, install drywall, and then fill the gap with blown cellulose insulation. You would need to remove all of the drywall.

You could also add ventilation to this knee-wall/cathedral ceiling by using mid-roof vents such as The Edge Vent or The Smart Vent installing a baffle to prevent insulation from blocking the air flow, and filling the walls with blown insulation or faced batts (with the paper against the drywall). This would likely be much cheaper than foam insulation, but not insulate as wall.

Insects (such as ants and termites) can tunnel through foam insulation.


Wiring two lights and two switches using a single 14/3

Based on your description, this would be the wiring setup. The yellow 'smudges' are wire nuts and the black ones are re-identified wires, grounds are not shown. Power coming in with /2, feeding down to the switch box with /3, and then going over to the secondary light with /2. I'm only showing this based on perhaps if you're trying to reuse existing wiring with a new setup as this is a working solution.

However, code-wise [ 404.2(C) ] this is no longer allowed. You are required to have a neutral splice at your switch box unless this lighting circuit will be located in a location where the switch does not serve a habitable room or bathroom, such as in an attic. So, as long as your lights aren't in a "habitable room or bathroom", you are able to go with this wiring diagram. [ 404.2(C)(4) ]

The other exception would be as long as you are able to get back to the box later on to add a neutral without disturbing the finish of the wall. [ 404.2(C)(2) ]


Given that 20 feet is a common stock steel length, 6 feet sounds good - if embedding them at all. It nearly meets the 2/3-1/3 rule-of-thumb for post above ground and post below ground. On more solid soils some get away with 3/4-1/4.


Replacing 3/8 inch hardwood with 3/4 inch hardwood

You should buy the 3/4" - Low-cost hardwood flooring... what's the catch?.

All you will need is a jamb saw - the overkill and easy one.

The traditional jamb saw.

And I used to use the tradition saw but moved on to using a Dremel with a wood bit.

Now all that you have to do is uninstall old wood and then get a scrap of the new wood, lay saw on top of new wood on each jamb and cut.  I would plan on about 5 minutes per jamb - if you have experience maybe half the time.


If the joists are going the right way, yes get some poles. If they're not, you're cutting open the ceiling anyway.

I live where you have to use EMT conduit so I would ultimately get more use out of a flexible fish tape, and I could make it hop down a ceiling cavity well enough for this purpose, but if you live in plastic land you might get more use out of a set of poles and find them to be ideal.


HVAC Heat Supply - Register type (Square Register or Round Diffuser?)

I'm in Toronto, and I'm a HVAC tech. I do use round diffusers from time to time but I've never noticed them being the "go to" by any tradesmen. There must be an undisclosed reason for it. Possibly a local supplier has been pushing them out at a low price. They (round diffusers) work well enough in most cases. Basements should be supplied low wall anyway but that often results in boxes and nobody likes boxes.

Also rectangular registers have an effect called throw. Depending on the orientation of boot (A boot, end boot or universal boot) the outgoing air will have momentum and upon hitting the vaines of a rectangular register deflect but continue slightly in the starting direction.

rectangular register with an end boot

continental industries

Round diffusers have different effects illustrated by the two following images.
Round diffusers

researchgate.net

Slideshare

Honestly the dynamics involved are chaotic and almost impossible to predict accurately. I studied this topic deeply years ago. It's something I still consider when designing a system but ultimately customer want to eliminate boxes first. If given the choice, not so mechanically inclined customers will always go the "no box route" and customers who take great interest in the design of the system may be okay with a box.

Back to the OPs question round diffusers may or may not work as well as a rectangular register. For cooling they are definitely better, for heating, in my experience at least, they don't work as well. But in a basement where half of the exterior is underground heat loss is reduced compared to the floors above when it's exceptionally cold outside.

In short there is no clear answer but at least there're taking low wall returns.


Does washroom silicone caulk turn into goo after time?

Yes. Silicone caulk has a surprisingly short expiry date.  My nonprofit has loads of the stuff all over the shop; people love to donate it when it's expired. Into the trash it goes.

It is degraded and will not work. It won't take longer to cure; it won't work at all.

If the stuff is not behaving as you expect, don't chance it.  Bad caulk is like bad paint: It will ruin your project and make you spend hours cleaning it off for good product to stick.

The caulk tube certainly has an expiration date stated on it. If it's not obvious, try rotating the tube in the caulk gun.  This date is valid if it's stored at room temperature - if it's stored in a hot attic or cold garage, all bets are off.

If it's so old that no expiry date is stated, then it's way too old.


Your plan for using builder's string is good, but don't set the string tight. That opens you up to cumulative contact error. You'll end up with a soup bowl for a ceiling.
Instead, put a spacer of a convenient thickness under the string at the outside. I've often used a scrap of 1x or 2x lumber (3/4" and 1-1/2", respectively). Then you'd measure the gap at intervals, either by setting a series of lines across the room, or by swinging a single line from a corner across to various points along the opposing wall.
If you find high or low spots, here are a couple remedies...

For low spots, sister blocks or strips to the joist as needed, or use shims under your strapping. You can still screw your strapping to the joist, so these don't need to be thick enough for screws. They just act as a spacer.

For high spots, chalk a line from end to end on one side of the joist, anchoring at the bottom corner. Use a circular saw or power planer to remove the hump (sag).

Note that level isn't really what's important here. No one can see a mild slope in a ceiling. Flat is your priority.


Spray to keep blown-in cellulose insulation from drifting?

I tried the diluted white glue (Elmers) and it worked well. I diluted it about 1:5, glue to water, and put it in a spray bottle. I then stuck the spray head up into the slot and sprayed indiscriminately. It sprayed well, looking like skim milk. When it dried, the cellulose was indeed (at least loosely) bound in place.


If you replaced the cartridge a set it exactly the same way, you may have set it to the wrong "off" position by duplication of the "leaking" one. The temperature limiter also sets the stop point on many diverter.
See "stop tube kit"

soilco.co
Test
To test if this is the issue, remove the hardware and very slowly turn the cartridge and try to find off dead center.
If this fails
If this doesn't solve the problem then it's likely that the diverter body has worn or has developed sediment. It may need to be thoroughly cleaned or replaced.


What codes are invovled in running an overhead subpanel feeder to a detached garage?

You can do it if you want. But make sure the wires are wet rated and they are at least 12 feet above the ground according to the NEC Good Luck with your project.


The short answer is that the breaker protects the wire (otherwise, heat and fire can result). You can put a 20A breaker on a circuit if all the wire on the circuit is #12. If any of the wire is #14 you can put a 15A breaker on it. If any of the wire in the circuit is smaller than #14, then you cannot put a 15A breaker on it.


You have listed the process correctly, and if you're new at this, then yes use pre-mixed joint compound (mud). But hopefully you used the regular setting-type joint compound on the first coat with the tape because it has an adhesive quality to bond the tape. Lightweight compound or "easy sand" does not and that's why it's easier to sand between coats, as it has no adhesive in it.

First, with a new 3.5 gallon of mud you'll want to add about an inch of water (it will sit on top of the mud) to the bucket. Use the appropriate mixer and mix thoroughly until smooth with no lumps. Put mud on the joint (wide enough to cover the tape width), place your tape over the top and lightly press it in with your fingers flat.

Using your 6" taping knife (putty knife) start at the very top near ceiling and run over the top of the tape embedding it flush against the surface, you will have quite a bit of mud squeeze out of the sides from underneath, and you can use some of it to go back over the top if you like, but keep it VERY minimal.

You are going to put a total of 3 coats of mud on. Don't make the mistake of trying to cover it all in the first coat. Remember, the objective is to not see the joint at the end, so don't use too much mud on your coats or you can end up with a big mess and a very ugly wall. Each coat you put on should be wider than the previous; knife sizes for the novice might be a 6" first, 10" second and a 12" for the last coat.

Remember, it's easy to add more later than sanding off too much.


Baseboard heater and thermostat trouble!

I'd be rather surprised if your electric baseboard is actually 120V - that's fairly uncommon. 240V is much more common, without a neutral in normal use (ground, L1 (black) L2 (white, which  should be taped/re-colored red, but often isn't) and 240V between L1 and L2.

Whether the heater is actually 120V or 240V, the circuit is clearly in error if there is only 0.2V between white and black.


Is it OK that my AC is making squeaking and rattling noises?

All mechanical parts wear down in time.  The bearings on your fan might be going, or it could just need some lubrication.  Before you call the repair guy, try to remove the unit's outer housing and add some type of Teflon based lubricant to any friction areas of moving parts.


Japanese Appliance has a Green/Yellow Ground Wire coming out of it, What should I do?

What you need to do is replace the cord with a proper cord and install a US compatible plug of the proper voltage and amperage. Assuming this appliance is 120V, it should be plugged into a GFI protected receptacle.
DO NOT just cut off or ignore the ground wire.


How can I remove 1/2" PVC pipe that has broken off inside a 1/2" elbow?

You know what they say: nothing is forever -- except glued PVC parts. Well I don't know if they really say that but they should.

It's unclear exactly what situation you have, but if you have a glued part that is broken, the only option is to cut out the elbow and replace it with a new one. You might need to use a coupling to add on another 1" or so of pipe to get the elbow positioned correctly again.


Should I set fence posts in dirt, gravel, crushed rock, or concrete?

Couple inches of gravel.
Place post.
Level, plumb.
Fill with concrete.

Make sure that the concrete is graded away from the post so water runs off, this is an important step that lots of people overlook.  Taking the time now to make sure water moves away from the post, will save time and money later when the posts don't have to be replaced.

*Also make sure the concrete is above the ground around it.


Why does one of my showers consume all the hot water?

There is a good chance that the lines are oversized for that bathroom.   I dealt with this in a shower in France that I needed to redo.   It was basically close to our equivalent of 3/4" for the cold/hot pipes and I reduced them to a little under 1/2" and it resolved the issue.
If someone turned on both sides high it was out of hot water in 12-15 minutes before we reduced the pipe size, hot water gone from a good size tank.   After it lasted about 35 minutes - which is good for 3 people to shower separately.
The other issue I have ran across is the rain shower heads.   These things seem like water is coming out normal but they are usually so big there is upwards of 3 times the amount of water used.   It boggles my mind how much these things use.
As for your issue, if you remove the shower head and take a picture of the insides it is highly likely you can block off a lot of the flow with a simple rubber gasket/ring.   Without getting into the wall this is your first and easiest option.   A valve from the 60s or even more than 20 years old... I honestly wouldn't touch it as my number 1 piece of advice with intricate hardware - especially old - if it works leave it alone.


Depending on how deeply you've set those posts, the braces you show may not be adding any significant amount of rigidity. Diagonal bracing would be better, but may be overkill.

My 5'-high  platform for two rain barrels (with posts sunk 3' deep) has no braces on the thin ends, and has diagonals only to provide more support to the middle of the longer sides. And frankly those might not be needed since the structural framing of the top is 2x6'es on edge, with the long sides half-lapped into the 4x4 uprights and everything tied together with serious hardware (which I admit is installed in triplets.) Starting its third year, rock-solid despite carrying up to 1400 pounds of static load at times. (Plus 200 of dynamic load when I climb up to adjust things.)

Wood's strong stuff. Amateurs (including myself) are as likely to overdesign as underdesign. I looked at a number of designs on the web, applied my own experience as a volunteer framer, and settled for what seemed not-unreasonable overdesign. ("Anyone can build a bridge. You need engineering to build one that's strong enough at minimum cost." I applied rule of thumb and then threw money at the problem.)


My Closet Smells Like Sewer - How To Fix?

It's normal to smell gas in the plumbing downstream of any water trap. The trap provides a plug to prevent the gas from entering living space, but it's free to roam elsewhere, including out the vents on your roof.

You may be able to simply tighten the cleanout plug enough to get it to self-seal. Use the back of a ChannelLock, adjustable wrench, or large open-end wrench inside the slot to get good torque.

Otherwise, use thread paste or PTFE tape (3-5 wraps in the correct direction) to provide a better seal. I wouldn't use caulk, as it makes a mess and isn't reusable.


How does one fire short staples into hard wood?


Is dirty batt insulation on attic floor a sign of air leakage?

A layer of dust or dirt on top of your insualtion would be quite normal in a vented attic. If the dirt was inpregnated in the actual insulation, so that it was acting like a filter, then that would indicated air movement from one side of the insulation to the other.  This would be seen most often around holes in the ceiling from light fixtures, plumbing/electrical or any areas open to air leakage from the interior to the attic. I think what you are seeing laying on top of your insulation is just plain old dust from outdoors entering through the venting. not a problem.


Trying to replace a toilet's water supply line

As was mentioned, the gray hose is connected with a compression fitting at the bottom, and maybe a pre-crimped fitting at the top. In any case, they thread right off.

I'd go buy a stainless mesh-wrapped hose in the next length up from what you need and with the correct end fittings (standard for a toilet). These will have integrated seals, so just snug them up slightly.

Put a slight corkscrew twist in it to take up the slack. It'll look great.

Optionally replace the valve with a nice clean new one and shorten the supply pipe to get it closer to the wall. This will require a compression fitting, but they're not difficult if you start with a clean pipe. Be sure to use two wrenches, one on the valve body and one on the connection nut, so as not to strain the pipe.


How do I identify the breaker a non-working outlet is on?

Short answer:  You don't really know why that receptacle doesn't work, and the simplest thing is to just shut off the main.
If it's a bad receptacle as you are assuming, you can't test it reliably outside the box.  That puts you in a bit of a catch 22;  you can't figure out which branch circuit breaker the receptacle is on, so you can't shut off the branch circuit breaker so it's safe to go inside the box.
If the problem is with the neutral connection, a non-contact voltage in the ungrounded slot in the receptacle will indicate voltage.  If that's the case, you could flip breakers until that goes out to determine which breaker that receptacle is on.  It's not wise to put too much confidence in a non-contact tester, so you'd want to proceed with great caution opening that box.
In fact it's probably better to just turn off the main.  And it is still wise to proceed with caution, checking and double checking to verify no presence of voltage as you go.


How to troubleshoot gas supply not making it to some appliances

It sounds like the gas system was never purged after a nitrogen test. The appliances in question are probably farther down the line and still have non-combustables in them. It will take a very long time to purge through a pilot tube. You need to close the gas line valve on one of the appliances, remove the drip leg, open the valve to vent non-combustables and close it when the sound changes or you smell gas. Replace the drip leg, open the valve and start the appliance.

Do not do this alone. Someone needs to be with you in case you pass out, have a stroke, faint etc. It's very unlikely but if you are rendered incapable of closing the valve a second person can. This is important. Explosions happen because of this.


Mounting Electric range when stud is on the center line?

You're in for some drywall work anyway (and it's going to be behind the range, so it does not have to look too good) so you might as well make a nice big hole and put a horizontal 2x4 between studs (think "firestop" per usual application) and mount your box where it's most convenient for the range install, get the cable into it, then fix the drywall.
You could also add one (or two) chunks of 2x4 to the stud as suggested by Platinum Goose, but it's unlikely to save much, if anything, on drywall repair and is potentially less stable in the face of force applied.


Garage door stops at a different place each time it closes

Many times the most cost effective and time effective (and "time is money" cost effective) solution to strange problems with an old opener is a new opener.

You can, of course, replace parts; but you can quickly exceed the cost of a new opener, and parts often come with no guarantee, while a new opener generally has one. Since you KNOW your opener has been abused, that's another tick in the "reasons to just replace it" column. Recall that it is a device that can kill people if it malfunctions in certain ways.

I will also suggest (from experience) that you provide a surge suppressor on the outlet serving the opener.


Can a drywall ceiling support hanging a 20kg chandelier

No, not with just the drywall.

Fasten a bracket to the ceiling joists with some good lag bolts for that much weight.

The problem isn't today but 5 or 10 years from now. Will the light eventually weaken the drywall enough to break it?

Why take that chance with you and your family?

Good luck!


How should I attach the cable of a cable-supported shelf?

Shelf construction

If the shelf has its front open edge positioned such that at each four feet the cable would go up to a separate roof truss than I think that you have a workable system. Make sure that your 2x3's under the outer shelf edges are placed to that the nominal "3" inch dimension is vertical.

Hardware

Note that the lowest cost eyebolts, known as the "bent type eye bolt" are generally not recommended for lift and continuous tension applications. For this application it may be suggested to search out the drop forged type eye bolts as shown on the right below. These will cost more but they are actually specified for "lift" type applications.

If you do use the bent type, orient them so that the split end of the eye is up, as show above. Definitely use through-bolts rather than any type of screw-in eye.

I would use 5/16" diameter eye bolts or larger.

Connection points

Put the upper end of the cable through a threaded eye bolt that goes all the way through the side of the rafter truss and is secured in the far side with a washer and nut. Avoid the use of a screw eye type fastener. The eye bolt should be attached to the upper rafter part of the truss instead of the lower cross tie. When drilling the hole for the eye bolt position it in the upper part of the rafter as opposed to the lower portion.

Put the bottom end of the cable through an eye bolt that is long enough to go through the shelf material and the 2x3 and secure on the bottom with a washer and a nut.

Note that the orientation of the cable clamps is important, and it is always advisable to use two cable clamps for securing the cable.

Cable sizing

The size of cable is really dependent on the amount of load that you expect for the shelf. I would think that 3/16" diameter cable would be adequate for this application. The chart below will help to explain why I recommended 3/16" (assuming you use the 1x19 type of "stainless steel aircraft cable").


Need help with broken plastic pipe in the yard, constant stream of water

I'm assuming this pipe connects your gutters to the cities storm drain system, depending on the type of pipe and the damage it's probably a simple fix.
If the pipe is PVC and the damaged area is not too large, you may be able to cut out the damaged section and reconnect it using a coupling.

If the damaged area is larger (and PVC) you could cut out the damaged area, then patch it in using another length of PVC and two couplings.
If the pipe is not PVC you could use a flexible rubber coupling as @AWMoore suggests, just make sure the one you use is rated to be buried (and is permitted to be buried by your local codes).

If this is a storm drain you may want to contact your local water municipality, as they may be responsible for the maintenance of the drain line (paid for by your taxes).


The 6-1/2" circular saw is great for working due to its smaller size and weight over the larger saw. But you are limited to depth of cut that can be achieved. For example some saws this size will not cut all the way through a 1.5" thick lumber with the blade angled at  45 degrees. The lighter saw can be a real benefit for jobs such as cutting sheet goods on a roof job.

The 7-1/4" saw will support a deeper cut which is particularly useful when making certain types of cuts. For example the Dewalt DW364 saw is capable of a cut depth of 2-7/16" when set with the blade in the normal 90 degree position. At a 45 degree angle this saw can cut 1-7/8" deep which is needed when cutting things like rafters that require cutting though conventional 1-1/2" thick framing lumber.


What wire should I use for a sauna 100' away from the panel?

Having run a few of these calculations, the break point is usually a little past 100' if you want to hold voltage drop below 3%.   However, for a resisitive heater, there is no reason to hold voltage drop below 3%. It is a waste of money.

Regardless, 8000 watts happens at 33.33 amps on US 240V* voltage.  The UL-approved product instructions call for 8 AWG wire.  Southwire's voltage drop calculator tells me those conditions at 100' run yield 1.92% voltage drop on 8 AWG.

If the hot tub failed on 2% power drop, there is no way UL, CSA or TUV would list it.

You're all set.

* power was 110/220 when AC power was first mass marketed in 1915-ish, and the term stuck. Today,  US voltage is 120/240.  Except in Puerto Rico, where it's 0!


Ridge Vents vs Gable Vents Energy Savings as a Percentage or $ Figure

Neither is necessarily more or less efficient. Attic ventilation is a calculation of cubic inches of airflow, taking into consideration soffit venting and outflow.

There are lots of online calculators to determine this. Here's a link to the first one I found, from GAF:

https://www.gaf.com/Roofing/Residential/Products/Roof_Vents/Ventilation_Calculator

Depending on your area, ridgevents have just become a go-to for ease of figuring. That doesn't make it right, but it isn't necessarily wrong either. Down south where I live, you can't vent your roof too much. Up north, where heat retention may be an issue, proper venting may assist your attic insulation.


Is my homemade chandelier design safe and does it meet code?

Here are the pertinent National Code Articles:

  410.6 Listing Required.  All luminaires, lampholders, and retrofit kits shall be listed

And

  Article 100 Definitions. Listed.  Equipment, materials, or services included in a list published by an organization that is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction and concerned with evaluation of products or services, that maintains periodic inspection of production of listed equipment or materials or periodic evaluation of services, and whose listing states that either the equipment, material, or service meets appropriate designated standards or has been tested and found suitable for a specified purpose.

That being the case, I was at a commercial building in Austin, Texas that had almost the same design but with old time lamps and copper plumbing pipe. Definitely NOT a commercial fixture. However, the inspector approved it and that will override the listing requirement.

So, if your local Electrical Inspector says it's good then you are good.

Cool design. Good Luck!


The bottom line is that the framing in the corners of your house really isn't meant for a dynamic (e.g. bouncing and jerking) lateral load like what you're talking about. It isn't even meant for a static lateral load. It's meant to hold stuff up, vertically. Once it starts leaning, the game's up.

If you're really dedicated to doing this, I would look into sinking some kind of post in that corner and supporting it appropriately. To know what "appropriately" looks like, you really should talk to an engineer. I can think of a few crazy schemes, including guy lines (metal cable) running through the attic and secured at multiple points where there are headers,  with the addition of some kind of metal plate to distribute the load, then down to be staked into the ground. But the only way to know if the loads would be supported would be to do the math. The math is going to involve some trigonometry and maybe some calculus. That's what engineers are for. ;-)

You will not have anything like 4x4's at the corner of the house.

You'll have regular 2x4 studs (or 2x6's depending on what the exterior walls were framed with), with typically one extra stud positioned so that it gives you a lip to screw the drywall to on the inside. The corners typically aren't built up heavy. Keeping the wall from deforming into a rhombus is the job of the shear wall design.

The extra stud might provide a tiny bit of extra lateral stiffness in the corners, but not anything significant. Even if you have three or four king studs teamed up at the end of the wall, it isn't really going to create extra lateral stiffness. It's still the shear wall design that keeps the walls square when the wind blows. I've heard framers joke that it's the sheetrock that holds your house up. It's actually the plywood or oxboard on the outside that stiffens the wall, although the sheetrock actually does stiffen it up a bit, too.

Here are a couple of pictures of what your corners look like on the inside, and a picture of a shear wall undergoing load testing with a hydraulic ram simulating earthquake and/or wind loads.


How do I find what these breakers go to?

Short of buying and using a tracer, I'd check for:

appliances that were converted to another fuel source
appliances that you aren't using currently (e.g. AC or sprinkler system in the winter)
appliances that you may not notice aren't working, like sump pumps and radon fans
check outdoors, detached structures, in crawl spaces, and attics that you may have missed when labeling the circuits
check for outlets that may have been used to connect a generator

Lastly, if you turned off just these circuits to see what stopped working, do the reverse. Turn everything else off except the one circuit. It's entirely possible that someone bridged two circuits together somewhere.

The location in the panel may give you a clue. Similar appliances are often grouped near each other, and additions tend to be added to empty spaces at the bottom.


Looking for termites when thinking about buying a house

Other than learning how to look for exterior telltale signs of termite damage, such as spent casings and holes in the wood or in the ground, you need to write in a contingency on your offer to purchase for a complete home inspection and/or an additional pest inspection.

As mentioned above in the comments, hire your own home inspector and/or pest control specialist. DO NOT succumb to the pressure of Realtors to use their favorite inspectors. Find inspectors that truly work for the person that hires them, you! If you are not trained in building construction, inspection, or pest control, do not attempt to evaluate the condition of a home on your own.

Some Home Inspectors, such as myself, offer screening inspections. This is a simple walk through (apx 1 hour) and initial evaluation of a house before one even makes an offer. This type of inspection is not as comprehensive as a full inspection that can take 2 to 4 hours in home and documents all the aspects of the house, rather it is an hour spent looking for obvious major flaws or situations that will help you determine if you actually want to consider placing an offer. Once you have found a house you are serious about, this screening inspection is usually much cheaper than a full inspection, but since the inspector should be acting as your advocate, can advise you if there are any major issues that would influence your decision to make an offer or not.  For the hundred bucks or so, it can be a huge time saver, allow you to make a more realistic offer, and give you a better feeling of confidence about the home you are making an offer on.   Good Luck.


First, get your possible gas leak checked out right away. Call the gas utility company that services your house and ask them to come and check for a leak. Most gas companies will do this for free and quickly, because it is not good for business when their product kills people. If you suspect any gas leak at all, you should get it checked.

Second, whether your security bars are actually secure depends on how they are installed. Are they fastened securely? If you have a sash window like the one in the picture, usually both sashes can be moved up and down, but it's possible that in your installation the upper sash was not designed to move or has been fastened in place.

Regarding closing windows on upper floors for safety: usually only ground-floor windows need to be secured, as thieves tend to look for the easiest opportunity, and the challenge of climbing into an upper story window probably isn't worth it. Take a walk around your house, think about the top few ways you might get in if you lost your keys, and secure those things first. And let yourself enjoy a little fresh air at night. :)


Trying to find a way to shut the power off in the detached garage without having to go back to the house to turn off the breakers

This is probably a common issue. The intention is to prevent fire hazards, prevent electricity theft during absence, prevent thieves/burglars using power tools to dismount car parts or invading the main building etc.

An easy, inexpensive and comfortable way can be the installation of a wireless remote (lighting) switch that controls one or more contactors.

These contactors would feed all the electric circuits in the garage. Normally those sets come with 3 switches which can be mounted anywhere. F.e. 1 secret switch hidden in a trash box or under a table in the garage, 2 in the main building.

It might be a help to install an outdoor indicator LED lamp ( permanently on) fed by the garage circuit which is clearly visible from the main building in order to see the status at any time.

Even more comfort and safety can be achieved by installing an adjustable  timer (f.e those used for staircases) between the light switch and the contactor(s). No problem, if somebody with memory leakage starts his holiday trip in a hurry, since all electricity in the garage will automatically shut down after 10 min or 2 hours.


What is the best insulation keep a garage with a metal roof cool?

If it is a matter of keeping  cool and not heat in.  I  would suggest  ventilation in an area above a ceiling.  Install a ceiling that has a cavity  that you can blow air into and out of on each end.  This will circulate the hot air out and cooler air in being heat rising and cool air naturally sinks.


What hinges should I use for my overlay cabinet doors?

If you don't want to use european style hinges, you need to use an overlay hinge such as this type

These can be found ast sites such as Rockler, or in many DIY centers.


How to safely clean rust and prep on a section of HVAC ductwork before insulating

I have used naval jelly for many years and have had great results. It does, however, have that small California warning about being linked to cancer.

Vinegar also works just about as good as the naval jelly. Brush or pour it on and wait ten minutes and wipe off the area. Good luck.


I think you would want the shower ceiling to be the same height as the rest of the bathroom especially with 8 ft ceilings.  An average height man with raised arms would touch a 7 ft ceiling. Who wants that? Everybody wants higher ceilings  rather than lower.

The only possible benefits of a 7 ft ceiling might be to better confine water vapor and mist to the inside the shower enclosure during showering and to reduce the amount of tiling if the tiling goes to the ceiling, but I don't think this is enough benefit to balance the cramped feeling of a lowered ceiling in the shower.


Recommendations for portable/fold-up work surface?

There are a few variations of the Workmate, but mine is still useful at times when I need a bench away from the shop. The construction seems about the same as back when I got it. (Roughly 15 years now.)


I'm guessing that you are repairing or replacing the light fixtures plug? And if so you would like to know how the wires are connected? The lamp cord as you noticed, has a hot side (which is marked with 'ribs' on the plastic insulation. The other smooth side is the neutral. The repair plug you have is a 2 prong (male) type plug? Which means there is no ground for the fixture. The white wires at the fixture are twisted together and so are the 3 black wires. In order to connect the plug you must connect a white length of wire (and the same for the black) to the wires at the fixture. Twist them tight and secure with a wire nut. You should now have two wires connected to the fixture. ******Please read****:  This answer is assuming a lot from your question. If my second guessing is correct please say so in the comments section below and I will continue responding with an answer.*******


What could cause my water tank to leak only when I turn off the main water supply?

By shutting off the water main, there is no way for expanded hot water to be relieved by backing into the main.  This causes over-pressure and either the  pressure relief valve is letting some water out (hopefully into the pan) or the high pressure water is opening a flaw in the tank or a through-hole, such as a heating element, spigot, or water connection.

The water temperature is not held perfectly steady.  It varies up and down by perhaps 20 °F (10 °C) or more.  (Test this by turning the thermostat up and down and notice how far it goes past the current temperature before it clicks.)  If no hot water has been called for awhile, the temperature drifts down to the lower range and remains there most of the time.  Odds are that closing the main valve occurs at a lower water temperature.  The valve closure traps and holds municipal water pressure and then the water heater's next heating cycle builds pressure on top of that.


Short answer: It will have to air out for weeks to months.

It may be possible to heat the room up as hot as you can get it to speed the out-gassing process.

Moral of the story: NEVER paint with old sour paint.

Good luck!


Let me start by saying, I have refinished my share of furniture. What kind of top coat is that? To me it just looks stained and maybe shellac. How old is it may determine the top coat. Are the black rings on the top coat?
First, I would not use stripper. Makes more of a mess than worth it. I would just clean it with mineral spirits, let dry and sand. You can use a random orbital or sheet orbital is ok to use during resurfacing but ensure to progress threw the various grits. You can use pre-stain conditioner but that is usually for new wood, not refinishing, unless you have removed all of the stain (very hard to do) and you are doing a major color change. I.E. Dark to light or light to dark. Depending on what you use, you do not sand after each coat of finish only fine steel wool or very fine sand paper (hand sand only). Top coat finish is a personal preference. I use oil-based polyurethane for all of my projects because of the durability, takes a little longer but worth the effort.
I hope I helped and good luck!


I've been a victim of this before. This is bad news.

In my (rare) case, the roof of my apartment building drained to the middle of the building and down the sewer pipes. During phenomenal downpours (twice in five years), the flow of water coming down that pipe was faster than the flow of water leaving the building. The water backed up to the lowest point where it had an exit which was my primary bathroom. It did so with such intensity that water was violently sloshing out of the toilet bowl, the stopper on the sink was forcefully ejected, and the bathtub was backing up at the same time. The only good news in all this mess is that it was fresh water.

Clearly, this is not quite your case. However, it is an indication of the same similar fact: you have a flow going in the wrong direction in your sewer line. Before the astonishingly violent discharge and water flowing everywhere, the toilet would gurgle.

Since it's a septic tank for you, you need that serviced now.

The reason the flushed water level is lower is probably that the siphon link between the bowl and the sewer line isn't being broken.


Should I insulate my pizza oven between the firebrick base and concrete?

Fire brick and fire bed type refractory cement are different things both will get hot and disperse the heat. When I used to install a lot of wood stoves we poured the beds in every stove we installed, 30 years later the few stoves I have installed have used fire brick. I doubt that the oven will be hotter than coals from a wood stove and you have the additional layers below as a heat sink so for me based on what I have seen and the move to fire brick (easier install easy replace, partial replace when needed) I would go with the fire brick.
The last high efficiency stove I installed used 1” fire brick in the top to divert the air flow across pipes I did not think that would last but I did not replace them until they had been for 8-10 years so they held up with the coals and in the flame and heat of the exhaust. If really concerned create a small air gap under the brick to eliminate contact heat transfer, well significantly reduce it.


Are rainproof fittings to connect meter box and weather head to rigid steel conduit required?

Given that the overhead service drop is likely run outdoors, which'd put it in a wet location, 314.15 applies:

  314.15 Damp or Wet Locations. In damp or wet locations, boxes, conduit bodies, and fittings shall be placed or equipped so as to prevent moisture  from accumulating within the box, conduit body, or fitting. Boxes, conduit bodies, and fittings installed in wet locations shall be listed for use in wet locations. Approved drainage openings not larger than 6 mm (1/4 in.) shall be permitted to be installed in the field in boxes or conduit bodies listed for use in damp or wet locations. For installation of listed drain
  fittings, larger openings are permitted to be installed in the field in accordance with manufacturer's instructions.

In general, a fitting labeled "raintight" will be listed for wet location service.  Non-raintight, albeit acceptably corrosionproofed, fittings may or may not be -- check with the manufacturer for their suitability.


My experience with a few sheds and the additional research performed today indicate that the base plate in the example provided is the structure in the first picture.

Requiring or recommending that anchors be secured to opposite diagonal corners would lead me to believe that the forces of nature applied to the base plate would be transferred through the 2x lumber framing, then to the 4x members and then to the anchors.

This requires that the attachments between the 2x lumber and 4x lumber be secure enough to handle those natural forces.

Without access to the 4x locations, as noted in the post, one would use opposite diagonal corners or perhaps all four, but provide for as much distribution of force as possible from the 2x lumber to the anchors.

If the inner portions of the frame are accessible, doubling up by adding another set of 2x lumber to be anchored would improve/increase the distribution of natural forces applied to the shed. This same logic applies to the four-corner option, rather than limiting yourself to two.

If one is particularly concerned about the forces of nature being applied to the shed, there appears to be sufficient room to add one each additional anchor and doubler to the longer sides.

Our professionally installed sheds secure the ground anchors at each end and each corner, 48" deep at the exposed 6x lumber, but strangely enough, into end grain, which I would not consider to be particularly strong (but it meets engineering design and local code!)


Can I use 2 black THHN wires for a 240v line?

The answer is yes you can run your 2 hots the same color and they can be any color except white, gray, or green. If your circuit is only 220. (240 in modern terms) you will also need a ground, the ground can be metallic conduit or if using pvc conduit a green is normally used. If you want to run anything other than 240v you will also need a neutral to set up a breaker panel. If this is a detached shed a ground rod will also be needed. With more info we can help you size the wires & conduit based on the load and distance but more info will be needed to do that but Yes you can use 2 black insulated conductors.


I have a 3-ton heat pump and it keeps tripping the outside “disconnect” (that electrical connection outside near the unit) too.  It looks like it’s not tripped, but when I flip it off and then back on, the unit then comes on.

Some disconnects have a “breaker” that you remove from the base unit mounted on the wall. If yours is like that, just pull it out and then reinstall.


Clean (food) oil stain from wooden floor

Fisrt, DON'T REPLACE THE FLOOR, that would lead to a lot of headaches and is probably un-nessassary.  That floor shouldn't absorb oil that quickly if it had been sealed properly.  My guess is that the floor either wasn't sealed correctly or it's been so long since it has been that it's all been worn off.

Try getting a wood oil soap (like Murphy's or Old English) these soaps have oils in them that are meant to be absorbed into wood. This won't take out the oil, but it might help to make it blend in.  I don't think that stain is comming out, even if you sanded the floor, the stain would have absorbed into the wood too deeply.

It's important to remember that wood is pourous and the natural oils that are in it are evaporated over time and have to be replaced, or else the wood becomes discolored and brittle, which is probably the case here.  I wash all my wood floors twice a year with an oil soap to help keep them hydrated.


Yep, Dado Blade, Multiple passes with single blade, Router, Chisel, Specialty Plane to name most of them. Board spacing can be drilled/driven into the posts or boards screws, nails, staples, blocks or pegs. Or, end extensions but usually full height end slats are screwed to the boards & then the whole panel is slid in as 1-piece, a rotated stair balustrade. Or, the boards can just have the centers cut out to leave end legs.


Can I run a ground wire of a single circuit to the panel outside the house?

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 3 Wiring Methods
Article 300 Wiring Methods and Materials
I. General
300.3 Conductors
(B) Conductors of the Same Circuit. All conductors of the same circuit and, where used, the grounded
conductor and all equipment-grounding conductors and bonding
conductors shall be contained within the same raceway, auxiliary
gutter, cable tray, cablebus assembly, trench, cable, or cord, unless
otherwise permitted in accordance with 300.3(B)(1) through (B)(4).

The hot and neutral wires should be in the same raceway to reduce Inductive Coupling. You'll see using the Right-hand rule, that the magnetic fields created by the hot and neutral wires tend to cancel each other out. Thereby reducing the affects of inductive coupling.

I = current flow direction. B = direction of the magnetic field.

The ground wire was required to run in the same raceway, to provide a safe path for electricity to travel in the event of a short. If one of the wires sheathing becomes damaged, it's likely the exposed wire would have come in contact with the ground. The same way an equipment ground provides protection at a consumer, running the ground in the same raceway provides similar protection the entire length of the circuit.


Can I replace a 40A breaker with a 50A breaker?

REPLACE THIS PANEL NOW

Your panel almost certainly is suffering from breaker-to-busbar contact damage, rendering it a ticking incendiary device.

See this answer for the gory details on just what is wrong with FPE's "breakers".

If you post a picture of your panel (dead front off), I can determine if you can have your electrician install one of the Eaton retrofit kits (the kit itself is several hundred $, but it saves significantly on labor as the existing enclosure can stay in place) or if you need a total panel replacement (cheaper parts, but more labor).


Plastic electrical cut-in boxes with 3/8s tabs

It is certainly acceptable for the boxes to sit back a little;  NEC 314.20 allows a flush mount box to be up to 1/4" back in a non-combustible material like drywall.  (See below.)  But without a doubt it makes installing the devices (switches and receptacles) more of a pain.
There are plastic boxes that work fine with 5/8" drywall.  You can nail on a nail-on box where ever you want.  There are nail-on boxes that have alignment tabs for 1/2" and 5/8" drywall.  There are also adjustable depth plastic boxes such as the Carlon Adjust-A-Box.  These have a screw adjustment to get the box exactly where you want it.
With metal boxes, you mount the box flush with the face of the stud, and buy mud rings to match the depth of the finish.  There are 5/8" mud rings for 5/8" drywall, readily available any electrical supply.  This makes installing the drywall easier too.

314.20 In Wall or Ceiling. In walls or ceilings with a surface of concrete, tile, gypsum, plaster, or other noncombustible material, boxes employing a flush-type cover or faceplate shall be installed so that the front edge of the box, plaster ring, extension ring, or listed extender will not be set back of the finished surface more than 6 mm (1⁄4 in.).

In walls and ceilings constructed of wood or other combustible surface material, boxes, plaster rings, extension rings, or listed extenders shall be flush with the finished surface or project therefrom.


Where can I buy a concrete gate post in the style of this 1930’s gate post?

I don't know where you would buy it but it would be really easy to pour it.  Just build a box the size you want the post to be.  You could put any kind of medallion or symbol at the top of it.  Pour the appropriate amount of concrete in (probably 2 bags?) Then run a vibrating sander over the outside of the form or box in order to get any air bubbles out.  Let it dry and pull the form off.


What options are available for improving the appearance of a concrete porch?

Another option would be to apply stone veneer to the faces and top of the steps, making it look like stone steps. I've considered doing that with mine.


Why do you need to have gate valves fully open?

If a gate valve is partially open, the stem that holds and moves the gate will be in the water stream. If left in this condition for a long period of time, the water stream will wear away the stem, especially the end that attaches to the gate. The usual failure mode is that the valve is closed (stem pushes on the gate), but then as one tries to open it the stem pulls out of the gate and the valve will not reopen.


That is probably normal (with a small possibility of being a defect).  The hot indicator is precisely that, and is designed to turn off only after all spots have definitely cooled.

And it may not know when that is, because it may be a simple timer, rather than a temperature sensor.  And it may be designed for worst case, i.e. A pot left on the burner for quite some time after it's shut off, and thus retaining a lot of heat.

You might think the light would only come on when power is switched to the burner.  But the above feature is cheap to add, and provides a big safety improvement, so it wouldn't surprise me if a standards body like NFPA or UL made it a requirement.  Of course that feature is also more complex, so more likely to malfunction.


Two major retailers in the US are Home Depot and Lowe's, both of whom carry a wide selection of wallpapers.

Another good place to look would be amazon.com.


Housewrap isn't a moisture barrier. It's an air blocker and drain plane that allows vaporized moisture to escape. Use either faced insulation or bare insulation with poly sheeting on the inside. Modern homes are build with poly sheeting sealed at all edges with specially-designed caulk.

I'm not sure I understand your ceiling question, but typically it's done the same way unless it's blown insulation, in which case that's done after drywall.


Why do led/incandescent combo dimmers specify lower led wattage?

The main difference would be the harmonics and distortion that occur in the driver that powers the LED lights.


This more of a comment than an answer, but I can't post comments because I don't have enough brownie points yet!

Anyway, had an identical problem at a home I used to live at.  First symptom was the circuit supplying the freezer in the garage kept tripping, so I thought dang, bad freezer. But plugged into another circuit and it was fine, no tripping.  The circuit the freezer used to be plugged into kept tripping.   Then we lost some outlets and lights in the living room (shared wall with attached garage).

OK, now what!?  Crawled up in the attic and found the cabling where it went thru the top plate had been chewed thru my mice!  There was a dead one right there in the hole.  But it only explained part of the problem because the living room lights were on a separate circuit.  I pulled some outlets to do continuity checks and they failed.   So I pulled the sheetrock off the garage side of the shared wall and found more mice had chewed thru cables along with a large mouse nest.  The electrocuted bodies where still there.  I counted my lucky stars the breakers did their job and my house didn't burn down.  Had to do a reasonable amount of re-wiring,  but again, very glad I had a Square D QO panel and not Zinsco panel!

I share this story because it sounds similar to your problem. Shorts and tripped breakers without known reasons are scary and cause for concern.  Good Luck.


That is a new one to me. A picture of the crack would be good, but a crack that is only as long as the brick does seem to be a concern at all. If the crack was much longer, (4' and longer) with a bigger gap in the middle and tapers to nothing at the ends, that is room for concern there.

If there are only minor cracks here and there, the tuck-pointing may look worse than the cracks themselves.

If your picture tells a different story, I will update the answer, or somebody else may chime in....


How do I wire receptacles for a washer and dryer on a new circuit?

Wire from the panel to the closest outlet.  Use Ratchet Freak's recommendation of using a GFCI since this has a potential to become a wet location.  Put the GFCI at the first outlet location and wire the line/feed side of the outlet to the wire running from the panel.  Add a second wire that will chain the second outlet to this outlet.  On the GFCI, the second wire will attach to the load side of the outlet and the other end will wire to a normal outlet.

For a 20 amp circuit, you will be using at minimum 12 gauge wire.  Make sure the wires are anchored to the studs outside the box and they are running through the middle of the studs to protect from screws/nails.  If you have to notch a stud to run the wires, make sure you add a nail plate over the notch.


How do I run ethernet and speaker cabling in 2 story home?

Having done a LOT of this over the years, your options are basically - find something else to follow, go plenum-rated and use ductwork if you have it as @Comintern suggests in a comment, run wires on the surface or go though a lot of agony trying not to open up walls. In many cases, opening up walls would be a lot less agony. There are often inconvenient things like firestops in the middle of walls, and you can get into all sorts of excitement you'd just as soon not when trying to drill blind or around corners or any sort of fancy work like that. Yes, long flexible drills are made - without a long flexible camera to be sure what the heck one is drilling into, you can get into a world of misery trying to use one...

My prime suggestion - open the walls, run conduit, never have to do this again (if you run the conduit right so that you can pull these wires out when you need to install whatever everything is using in 10 years.) In large part you may be able to minimize opening first floor walls if you can distribute across the basement and have short runs up to the first floor. The run from basement to attic will probably require it - you can distribute much of the second floor through the attic to minimize opening walls up there.

If you can't use plenum rated cables in air ducts (and DON'T use non-plenum rated cables in air ducts, since you and your family are the ones that will be subject to smoke inhalation for the savings of a few pennies) look around the plumbing for possible routes you might get a network wire in. However, most non-owner-built homes have miserable access to the plumbing, so that may not save you much if any wall opening. Builders who are not going to live there seem to love just sealing it all up in drywall to make more work when service is required...

Look around for things like stacked closets to try and locate space where you can open the walls with minimum area to repair/repaint to run your conduit or wires.


When wiring a switch, should I break the neutral or power wire?

There was a time when switching the neutral was a common practice, but it was way more than 40 years ago.  It's no longer permitted:

  NEC 404.2(B) Grounded Conductors. Switches or circuit breakers
  shall not disconnect the grounded conductor of a circuit.

(In the case of your home, and in most cases, the neutral is grounded so the neutral wire is the grounded conductor.)

This way when receptacles, light switches, etc. are switched off, they do not carry any voltage to ground, making them safer for light bulb changing, etc.


How should I terminate this wiring and install a new outlet?

That feeder is HUGE and can support a heck of a lot more circuits than just 8.  Let's make the most of that. You're talking maybe $150 here to do this right, and you'll be so, so much happier with the situation when you are done.  Believe you me!

This panel already has a huge defect: neutrals and grounds are on the same bar - you can't do that!  The ground is in fact a separate supply wire, but they've just wasted it by attaching it to the neutral bar. But that's typical: this subpanel job was C H E A P, and the guy skipped the ground bar to buy another latté, I guess. The last guy really liked latté's, clearly.

In for a penny, in for a pound

One of the worst electrical problems you can have is too small of a panel in terms of the number of spaces.

Your main panel is full, that's why the last guy added the subpanel. The subpanel is full because the last guy really wanted to have a latté instead of a bigger panel.

**Since you've already busted out the drywall, and are already "in it" for a bunch of drywall repair, let's yank that subpanel and replace it with a much larger subpanel - something on the order of 24 or 30 space.

If space is a factor, consider Eaton CH.

This panel has issues anyway; it's got breakers from 2 different manufacturers in there. That's not allowed.  It's not a "brand loyalty" thing, it's a safety thing - breakers are not safe in competitor panels because the bus stabs are shaped differently, and they won't clamp on properly.

The "thru Romex" cables are interesting.  There's nothing wrong with that.  I bet they either terminate or splice in that switch junction box right below this panel.  So you can pull them out of there and do the exact same trick through the replacement subpanel.

Now that you have 24/30 spaces, just go ahead and put the circuits you are removing ... back in the panel.

There's nothing wrong with those circuits as-is.

Although you are onto something - 3-wire dryer outlets (called NEMA 10) are dangerous and bad and must go.  But these are not that.

The picture you showed is called NEMA 6 (specifically NEMA 6-50 for 50A) -- it is 240V with no neutral, but it does indeed have ground.  Great for welders but even better for electric vehicles.  Oh yes, I'd want to keep at least one of those in a garage!  Resale value if nothing else.  "Oh look, dear. They already have a socket for our charger! That's $1000 we don't have to spend. Let's make an offer."

You didn't picture the other ones, but if they are similar, that is fine.

The socket bolted to a 2x4, there is nothing wrong with that, that is called "surface mounting".  That is fine if a) the socket is mounted inside a junction box (I prefer metal for surface mounting; it takes damage better), and b) the cable is reasonably protected wherever it is exposed.

So rather than untangle the potential mess of "what are these outlets and where do the wires go?", I would just go ahead and put them back in the larger panel, and not worry about them.  Like I say, that NEMA 6-50 is legit and is pure resale value.  Can't speak to the others, haven't seen them, but they sound fine.


Gap between sleeve and chimney structure

I do not know if it is necessary to actually fill it, but as a minimum I would use metal to create a collar to keep it stationary and to keep the weather, bats and other critters from causing future headaches.


Most people in your situation trench the driveway, drain it off somewhere, and put a grate on it.

The speed bump could work if it was big enough, but chances are (1) some water would come over it, and (2) you'd probably hate it enough that you trench in the future.


How do I secure my house against intruders?

Some tips I remember from an interview with a burglar a few years ago (can't find a link now):

Make it difficult for someone to conceal themselves while breaking in.  If a burglar has to be in full view of the neighbors while he breaks in, it increases the risk of him getting caught.  Avoid tall/thick shrubs around your windows and doors.  Avoid privacy fences.
Having good exterior lighting on a timer helps, but the best thing is a motion sensor floodlight.  When a motion light kicks on, it says "hey, something's going on over here", which will draw attention to your house.
Those little solar walkway lamps aren't bright enough to matter.
Avoid having stuff in plain sight that says "we have lots of $$$".  If you have an expensive car, keep it in a garage.  If you have nice stuff in your house, keep your blinds closed.
Burglars case a neighborhood before they rob it.  They know when you leave for work.  They know when your neighbors leave for work.  If you have neighbors that are home during the day, it will make your house a riskier break-in.
If you have a security system, don't put one of those "Protected by ADT" stickers on your door.  Knowing which brand of security system can provide enough info on how to disable it.  Get a generic sticker.
Get a dog.  The bark is more important than the bite.  A little yappy dog can be more of a deterrent than a German Shepard.

Remember, the goal isn't to make your house completely break-in proof.  It is simply to make your house a less attractive target than the other houses in your neighborhood.  Look at the surrounding houses and adjust accordingly.  You don't want to be the lowest-hanging fruit!


Risk of Using 3 amp fuse for 2.5 amp plug

Fuse selection at a local hardware store is often limited to the types that are likely to be used by customers in the area. You should instead consider looking at a distributor that you can access online to gain access to a much larger selection.

If I am not mistaken you are looking for a micro fuse that measures 3.6x10mm in size. You can find sets of fuses rated at 2.5A 125V or even 250V.

Picture Source


How to best clean unsealed kitchen grout so that it can be sealed and/or regrouting later

I have done this many times. Yes, I am an electrician, but I grew up in a family business doing everything and working for a electrical contractor that paid me more as an apprentice.

If the grout is solid (it looks good) I would use a very weak solution of muriatic acid and water, maybe a cup of MA to a gallon of water to clean it out. After that, triple rinse with with clear water, and after it has dried it can be sealed.

I do see a few minor voids but the weak acid solution will clean out the area. It may take a wet vac to pull the moisture between rinses but once done it will be clean and a fresh surface to seal. If it looks uneven a 2nd treatment with maybe a stronger muriatic acid/water may be needed.

I had to do this on my mom's new countertops a while after dad passed many years ago. I have resealed the counter tops several times over the years and they still look great after more than 35 years. Please remember always add acid to water (to prevent splashing of full-strength acid) and use gloves. Muriatic can be purchased at many big box stores and pool supply outlets.


A UPS would be the only way to totally fix the problem condoning and surge protection only filter very short time based spikes, but do not do much more than that. A UPS constantly supplies power to the device through a inverter. When there is a problem they use battery power to supply the inverter until the battery is depleted.


How can I protect my hardwood floors from water damage?

We also have a wood floor in our bathroom. I placed a plastic bathtub mat on the floor in front of the shower and then placed a bathmat over it. After 17 years, we have some damage to the floor, but mostly in the areas just outside of the mat area.


Adding couple outlets from portable generator wiring to house

You need a subpanel to do this correctly/safely.
You also need an L5-30P inlet to take an L5-30R cord. Plug goes to Receptacle, and the side that has power needs to be R, while the side that gets power needs to be P.
Since you are not proposing "dual-use" inside receptacles, a small sub-panel that takes your 30A input and has a couple of 20A breakers to feed your receptacles would be sufficient. GFCIs are not breakers (though some breakers are GFCIs) so using 20A GFCIs connected to a 30A input without a 20A breaker in between is not safe nor code-compliant.


Should I pre-built rafter units, or build them in-place?

Since you're putting a gable roof on it, I can only assume this is being built for storage purposes, not for aesthetics.

Building it with a glulam ridge beam would be more difficult, but it would be much stronger.  The main issue with a ridge beam design would be lifting the beam into position.  If you can manage that pretty easily, the rest would be a breeze.  I'd put some ceiling joists up at either end, lift one end of the beam over one of the joists, pushing it far enough to clear the ceiling joist on the other side, like so...

B
   B
      B
  JttJttJBttttttttttttttJttJttJ
  S         B                 S
  S            B              S
  S               B           S
  bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbBbbbbbbbbb

B = ridge beam
J = joists at the ends of the barn
S = studs at the ends of the barn
t & b = top and bottom plate

... and then lift the bottom end of the beam up with some ropes.  The joists will need some strength to support the ridge beam, and you'll need to be able to stand on them, so I'd use three 2x6's @ 9" OC on either end (where the outermost "2x6" is actually the top-plate of the walls on either end of the diagram) with some 5/8ths plywood on top of them.  I'd toss in some temporary studs at the center point to make sure the joists hold up to the weight of two people and the ridge beam.  Once the beam is in place, put in the ceiling joists and plywood on top of them to make walking around easier (and to create an attic for extra storage,) then put the rafters up.

Grab some metal brackets for the joists, rafter heels, and rafter/ridge connections (it'll cost you an extra $125, but it will make the structure a lot stronger) from a HI store and your little barn thing will be able to withstand some nasty winds.


Installing a mirror on wardrobe sliding door

I would suggest hollow wall anchors.  Four of them, two per side and six to eight inches from each end.  These anchors come in different grip ranges so you have to have one that is matched for the thickness of the door panel (likely 1/8") plus the wooden frame of the mirror.  They can hold a reasonably good load and they have amazing pullout when used on paneling and hollow doors.

An example of the anchors is here https://www.boltdepot.com/fastener-information/Anchoring-Products/Hollow-Wall-Anchor-Info.aspx

If you don't have enough wood frame around the mirror then you may have to use a mirror clip with the hollow wall anchors.

This suggestions though will put four holes  in the door skin about a 1/4" in diameter.


Refrigerator freezes contents, even when set to warmest setting

The freezer provides the cooling for the refrigerator. The refrigerator settings usually just adjust vent ports from the freezer. Some units use just vent ports, other units utilize ports along with a fan. Set the fridge at midpoint setting then adjust the freezer setting until your stuff in the fridge no longer ices up.


What are these brackets?

Those are galvanized steel brackets attached with timber screw fasteners.
As neither of these products were manufactured in 1902, it is safe to say that someone in the recent past added them to reinforce the structure.


Disconnecting and reconnecting those lines will stress the connections and cause them to fail.
It should be simple enough to tap into that 1/4" line using a tee connector as you suggest and then adding a 1/4 inch shutoff valve on the tapline. Following is a link to some inexpensive components but you can probably find them at your local hardware store as well.
https://www.amazon.com/PureSec-Connect-Fitting-Assortment-Package/dp/B07D629S7W/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAhbeCBhBcEiwAkv2cYxp0g2lpGx0N-YKN4TircqwGvjwjL7gY2ceOIzEXMkbJnn8we298EBoC6uAQAvD_BwE&hvadid=384443217506&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9028825&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=11177684254370804919&hvtargid=kwd-825352349189&hydadcr=8432_9886307&keywords=1%2F4+inch+t+valve&qid=1615744105&sr=8-1


what failure can cause a new fridge *fan* to run all the time?

what can cause this failure?

The unit has two fans, a "condenser fan" and an "evaporator fan"

The condenser fan should come on only when the temperature drops below the temperature set by the thermostat.

It looks like it is designed for an "evaporator fan" to be running continuously when the door is shut

Power goes to the lamp (presumably when the door is open) or to the evaporator fan (when the door is closed).

So the answer depends on whether what you are hearing is the evaporator fan or the condenser fan.

Either way, it is a new unit and either faulty or not suited for your intended purpose - so I'd take it back for a refund.


Can I put a right inswing front door with a left outswing screen

Yes you can as long as there is a floor or landing on either side. There cannot be any steps at either door, where the door can swing over them.


Split system system, power consumption, Australia

The maximum power that the unit uses is 1.20kW for cooling and 1.47kW for heating, although Assuming that your unit is a modern "inverter" style then the power consumption will be reduced if less cooling/heating is required.  Even if it isn't an inverter then the compressor still cycles on/off to maintain the set temperature.

For simplicity, let's say you set the thermostat as low as it can go and the unit runs non-stop for an hour; your unit will consume 1.20kWh of electricity (1.47kWh if it was heating) - The price of a kWh will be on your electricity bill; depending on your tariff, time of day may also affect the price.

The output of your solar system will depend on where in Australia you are located, its orientation, roof angle and any shading, but 3-4kWh per kW is a reasonable figure to achieve, so a 5kW system should output at least 15Kwh per day.  Over 7 hours this works out at a little more than 2kWh per hour, which would cover the operation of your AC.  You can get a better idea of your proposed system's output using an online calculator such as this one

The "capacity" figures refer to the heating and cooling capacity of the system.

Air conditioners are actually a "heat pump" they move heat from inside to outside (cooling) or outside to inside (heating).  Heat pumps can move more heat than the energy they consume.  The ratio of energy moved to energy consumed is the EER or coefficient of performance (COP) - You will see this value quoted on the spec sheet of any system.

From EnergyRating.gov.au

  How can the capacity output of an air conditioner be greater than the
  power input?

  For air conditioners, the measure of energy efficiency is
  the Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) for cooling and the Coefficient of
  Performance (COP) for heating. The EER and COP are defined as the
  capacity output divided by the power input. This is achieved by the
  use of a refrigeration heat pump which collects internal heat and
  moves it outside when in cooling mode, or collects ambient heat from
  outside and moves it inside when in heating mode. The apparent
  efficiency of heat pumps is high as they can move much more low grade
  energy in the form of heat than the electrical energy they require.

As a result, despite their reputation for being energy hogs, air conditioning units are much more efficient than other forms of electric heating.  A 1kW bar heater (or fan heater) will use 1kW of electricity to produce 1kW of heat while your AC unit gives you 3.74kW of heat for the same 1kW of electricity in.


T&P valve is really tight, not able to remove it

OK, that warning label is telling you that the valve is protecting the appliance from both over-heating and over-pressure (combination). The part about removal from point of installation is a warning that relocating it to another part of the system will not provide adequate protection (back in the day they sometimes located a pressure-relief valve on a pipe outside the home). You can remove and replace it. Pull off that plastic cover so you can see the threaded part. Get a bigger wrench, at the factory they use a pipe compound that sets hard. Your tank is iron and unlikely to be damaged