Best way to stop cold air coming in from fireplace My house was built in 1967 and has a real working fireplace. The problem is, it allows a ton of cold air into the house. There is a chimney cap (and I climbed up on the roof to verify it still works), as well as glass doors on the front of the fireplace which were clearly made for safety and not sealing the room from cold air. Since cold air was still pouring in I added a chimney balloon.

However on cold mornings I use an IR thermometer and I can see the difference in temperature around the fireplace - it's still letting tons of cold air in. At this point I no longer care if I can use the fireplace for fires (I got an outdoor firepit for when we want to have bonfires and/or make s'mores). What is the best way to stop cold air coming in? Do fireplace inserts effectively seal them off from the outside? I keep searching for info but everything I see assumes I'll be using the fireplace insert to generate heat by burning things (which I don't really plan on doing). I don't want to heat my home with the fireplace, I just want to stop cold air from pouring in.

You can build an inexpensive "plug" for the front of the fireplace.  Get some thick plywood cut just barely smaller than the opening of your fireplace.  On the back of the plywood attach thick styrofoam or the foam insulation panels cut slightly bigger than the plywood.  Attach a handle to the front of the plywood and paint any color you want.  Stuff this into the front of the fireplace to keep drafts out.

I would get some plastic sheeting and tape it up all around the front of the fireplace real good so no air comes through.  Use good quality duct tape.  You could use clear or black plastic.  You could also use color plastic for special holidays.  Red or Green for Christmas, Orange for the fall, pastel blue or yellow for Spring.


Water softener with a 2 inch main line I am looking to install a water softener for my home. The main line into the home is 2 inch which branches off to 1 inch eventually for hot and cold water and then to the fixtures. My question is, if I get a 1 inch water softener installed at the main line, how much pressure loss am i going to see? The softened water would now go  back into a 2 inch pipe which will again get distributed to 1 inch pipes.

2" inlet water softeners aren't commonly available, so they'll probably be expensive. Install a 1.25" or 1.5" inlet water softener and you'll be fine for a typical 3 story 6-8 person household.


what is the environmentally safe way to remove & prevent moss from growing on the roof? I live in the pacific northwest and all rain water goes directly to the lake near our house. So I don't want to use some harsh chemicals to remove moss from the roof. Are there any environmentally safe ways to remove moss and keep the roof dry and prevent moss from growing?

EDIT: The roofing material is asphalt shingles.

We use a bare galvanized wire fastened to the ridge of the roof.

If you’ve ever noticed a “clean” area under (downside of slope) chimney flashing or metal roof vents, you’ll understand the use of galvanized metal to keep the roof “clean”.  (I’m sure some chemist could explain why the galvanized coating keeps the asphalt shingles “moss-free”. )

I would recommend a pressure washer.  If the roof is steep use an articulated man lift.


Do I need to "fill in" concrete control joints before floating floor installation? I am preparing to install a laminate floating floor over a concrete slab in my basement.  The concrete slab is installed in what appear to be 18' x 18' squares, broken up across the dimensions of my basement.  The slabs are separated by 1/2" wide control joints.

Do I need to fill these joints in with a foam, concrete, or other kind of patch prior to installing a floating floor?  The flooring is the Home Depot Pergo flooring with built-in padding.  I am going to install a 6 mil vapor barrier on top of the slab prior to installing the flooring. The flooring will be installed perpendicular to the control joints.

As far as the joint is concerned, you could fill it with a self leveling sealant, as represton says.  I don't think it will affect the flooring either way, though, as your moisture barrier will keep the humidity away from the flooring (and the room).

And, a point of clarity...  This is not an expansion joint, this is a crack control joint.  It is intentionally weaker so that as the slabs settle, as they eventually will, the cracks will occur along the joint and be less obtrusive.

But more important for all of this, I feel, is whether or not the slab is flat enough for an unsecured laminate.  High spots will allow the flooring to move, resulting either in an uneven feel under foot or noise.  You might want to caulk in the joints to keep the leveling compound out, then apply a self leveling cement based product to the whole floor.  Have you run a straight edge around to see if that slab is nice and flat, and will the flooring package insert tell you what the tolerances are?

You can fill a control joint with a wide variety of products. A self leveling sealant would be your best bet. An example of this is at the link below.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Sikaflex-29-oz-Self-Leveling-Sealant-in-Gray-106711/202523824


How much does the quality of laminated flooring depend on its thickness? I'm shopping for laminate flooring and am looking at two different manufacturers, Pergo and Mowhawk.  The Pergo we're interested in has pre-attached underlayment and is 10 mm thick with a lifetime warranty, and the Mowhawk doesn't have the underlayment attached, is 8mm thick, and also comes with a lifetime warranty.

The price difference between the two is more than 3x the cost of appropriate underlayment.  Is the additional 2mm thickness worth that extra cost?

A lot has been written about this subject. I am of the camp, like Tester 101, that laminate flooring is a poor choice  for kitchens and bathrooms. Keep in mind that laminate flooring is a pressed paper/composite backing with a "picture" of the finish on top. Granted, laminate has come a long way and the surface durability of the better brands is quite good and guaranteed for life.  however, read the warranty carefully. the warranty may cover replacement costs of a damaged piece of flooring, but never the labor cost to replace. Trust me, replacing a few pieces in the middle of a field is no easy task and the results are never as good as the original install. Also check that water damage is covered by the warranty. Most manufacturers only cover surface damage by scratching, not water damage. When water gets between the slabs, it can quickly be absorbed and the flooring will swell and buckle. This kind of damage is not reversible.

If you are sure you want to have a wood type floor in this area, I would encourage you to look at some real wood engineered flooring before making a final selection. Engineered flooring comes in the easy to install click-lock designs, pre-finished,and some with foam underlayment preinstalled.  The key advantage to engineered flooring over laminate is that engineered flooring is all wood. The back is usually a plywood type base with 1/8 to 3/16 inch of real wood veneer on the top.  This makes it sandable and re-finishable should it be necessary. Although it is not perfect for a wet area, it will hold up to a soaking much better than laminate and usually will dry ok and not delaminate from spills that are cleaned up quickly.

Until a laminate  flooring is made to be 100% water proof, I will not use it in kitchens, baths or entryways. I have been burned, even with the more expensive brands. As a result, I will not offer laminates to my customers at all, especially since I can offer engineered products at the same cost with much better looks and results.

I should mention, there are now some fantastic floating vinyl flooring systems out there that look every bit as good as laminate, easy to install, very durable, and most of all, completely waterproof. They are also quite affordable, in the $2.50 to $4 per foot price range. In my opinion, a much better product than laminate for these applications.

Yes, Sound, impression and dentability.  The durability of everything under the surface will be better.


Is there a problem in putting an oven over the microwave oven? I have an electric oven and a microwave oven. I used to keep the microwave on top of the old refrigerator. Now I've got a taller new refrigerator, and I read it's not safe to keep the microwave oven over the refrigerator. Besides, I shouldn't keep warm stuff near the refrigerator.

Is it safe to keep the electric oven on top of the microwave oven? I'm not expecting to use them both at the same time. The electric oven has small legs that keep it about 3 cm away from the surface. Is this ventilation good enough? As I said, since I'm not going to use them at the same time, one of them will always be cold while the other one is working.

Do you still have the microwave manual? In there it should give the minimum clearances for the oven. These will be required to allow for sufficient airflow around the microwave so that it doesn't overheat.

If it's 3 cm or less (which is unlikely) then you'll be OK.

For the more likely case of it being more than 3 cm, why don't you build a shelf at the right height above the microwave and sit the oven on that?

My toaster oven broke after 3 months of having it atop of  my microwave oven, wouldn't recommend it


Is there a good way to hunt down AFCI receptacle nuisance tripping causes? So a few weeks after I installed a Leviton AFCI receptacle (NOT a breaker), per this question, I am finding that the receptacle constantly trips at random, usually once or twice a week.  Some characteristics of the branch circuit and receptacle:

Leviton model # is AFTR1-W.
It's the first receptacle downstream of the circuit breaker in the load center.
Load center is a Square-D QO.
The breaker protecting this branch circuit is a two-pole breaker.
NOT a shared neutral, I think.  Both branch circuits serviced by the breaker have two different 14/2 romex strands running out, and both neutrals are connected directly to the neutral busbar.

So far, I've pinned it down to tripping only when my living room/dining room ceiling fans are running (lights on or off), kitchen light on, and the outdoor light is on.  All four were replaced by me when I bought the house, and I've already re-wired the kitchen light, since several trips happened when it was on.  I'll add, the kitchen light is a traditional fluorescent, and uses two T32 4ft bulbs, consuming 64W of power.  The ceiling fans use two CFL bulbs, 13W each, and the outdoor light is also CFL.

I figure it's gotta be a shoddy wiring job I did on one of them, and my next target to re-wire is the outside light, since that and the living room ceiling fan were the first things I wired in (and my wiring skills have gotten better since then).

What I am curious about is if there are any better ways to troubleshoot nuisance tripping on AFCI breakers/receptacles.  I know the receptacle is a fairly new thing, so it might be quirky a bit, but I am not sure.  Or should I just re-wire one device at a time and continue to observe if the problems keeps occurring?

I have read that fluorescent lights (like my kitchen light) can sometimes trip an AFCI breaker.  Don't know how different or more/less sensitive a receptacle version might be.  Is there a way to guard against a fluoescent fixture tripping an AFCI?

Combination-type AFCI (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) receptacles (and breakers, too) are generally be designed to trip when any of the following conditions are met:

Series-arc (arcs between hot and neutral/ground)
Parallel arc (arcs where a single wire (hot or neutral) has a defect, or bad connection)
Ground Faults (generally > 40 mA of unbalanced current)

The techniques for diagnosing tripping of receptacles are the same as for diagnosing tripping of AFCI breakers. It is pretty much taking the circuit apart until you find the problem, though there are some special meters that can make the process faster.

Arcs

The AFCI contains a microprocessor that uses proprietary heuristics to determine if an arc has occurred, for example, some number of short high current spikes within some amount of time. Unfortunately, this can also prevent the use of some "desired" loads (I'd posit that spark gap devices like Tesla coils would trip the AFCI, though I don't have any evidence of such). Older AFCIs are more sensitive to various "good" loads and may trip more easily, but the new models are reasonably resistant to false-tripping because of false-positive arcs. Certain motors and lighting (especially dimmers) can also cause tripping, though this often indicates a true problem with the motor/dimmer that should itself be corrected.

Loose connections is the circuit can cause arcs, and thus cause nuisance tripping, too.

Ground Faults

AFCIs are designed to detect ground faults, similar to GFCI receptacles. They trip when the current in the hot wire is not equal to that of the neutral.  While GFCIs are set to trip when the difference of these currents is around 4 mA, AFCIs are set to trip at around 40 mA. Ground faults occur when the neutral and ground wires are connected together downstream of the interrupter.

Troubleshooting

One way to detect ground faults is with an ohmmeter. If a ground fault is occurring, it often can be seen as a low-resistance path between neutral and ground (except for some special loads like motors). You can use an ohmmeter at the circuit breaker panel to measure the resistance between neutral and ground. Be careful about working around electricity, it is dangerous. First turn off the power to your circuit via the branch circuit breaker, or the main breaker. Verify that the power is off on that circuit, preferably by using a non-contact voltage detector on the "hot" and "neutral" wires for the circuit. Next, disconnect the neutral from the neutral terminal block. Measure the resistance between the neutral wire, and ground. It should be >10 Mohm, but if the two are shorted together in your circuit well enough to trip a ground fault device, it will be less than around 30 kohm (120 V/4mA).

After separating the circuit into parts, if the trip is gone, then you know that the parts of the circuit still receiving power are "good", and can be left connected. If the circuit still trips, then the disconnected part is likely "good", and you should leave it disconnected during further troubleshooting.

Another way to detect the ground faults is to put a large load on the circuit. I would use a space heater, but an 100W incandescent light bulb could work too. These are purely resistive loads that won't be detected as arcs. If it trip soon after turning it on, then you have a ground fault, or less likely, a bad connection causing an arc in your circuit. The ground faults could happen only when the circuit is loaded, for example when the wires heat up, and the thermal expansion causes the wires to contact each other. The fault is more likely to be detected by the AFCI when your load is closer to the actual location of the fault, so plugging your load into the AFCI receptacle itself may not cause it to trip, since the fault is too far away....

The ground fault current will be roughly proportional to the load of the circuit, so to cause the fault, you might have to have a large load on the circuit in order to cause the trip.

To correct this, you will need to go to each device (receptacle/lamp, etc), and disconnect the "upstream" from the "downstream" wiring until you find the problem. If the ground fault disappears, then you know that the fault happens in the part of the circuit that was disconnected. Divide an conquer until you have found the location of the ground fault, and fix it. Note that the problem could be inside the wall, perhaps where a nail was sunk through your electrical cable.

If the problem is an arc, the problem should be approached in the same way. Check all of your connections to make sure that they are tight, and divide the circuit until you locate the section of cable that is your problem.

I tend to think that your lights are not causing the issue because you have tried a number of different lights, and they are all causing tripping issues, but causing the tripping by using a 100W light bulb or space heater would confirm that it isn't a problem caused by fluorescent lighting. Normally the problem would be caused by a failing ballast in your fluorescent light, so that should be replaced.... The only way to further diagnose this is to see if the trip ever happens if the fluorescent are turned off. Worst case, your lights could have a little problem and your fan could have a little problem, each of which individually won't trip the breaker, but does when both are on together.

As for a "better way", Siemens has an "Intelli-arc" meter that will report the magnitude of arcing, total current, and unbalanced (ground fault) current. This tool could make your process go faster by helping you differentiate betweenn arcing and ground-fault conditions, and reporting conditions that are below the trip threshold of your receptacle. One option for beakers is to examine their indicators lights. They will report if the trip was caused by an arc, but these indicators are not on the receptacles.

Wire Staples that have been hammered to tight can cause AFCI breakers to trip.

Loose Wires especially neutrals will cause these to trip

cheep electronics or serge protectors can cause nuisance trips

Good luck


What do the buttons on a Comelit Okay Simplebus2 Intercom/door entry system do? I've got a Comelit Okay Simplebus2 door entry system which yesterday wasn't able to be used to let someone into the building, however I'm not sure if the buttons next to the phone were being used correctly.

The interface has 2 buttons, 1 with a key and 1 with a lightbulb symbol, and I'm wondering if anyone has seen this style before and knows how it should be used?

I've tried calling the manufacturer but like most places the phone line's closed at weekends

It can be configured to turn on an external light


What's the part of a lampshade that the finial screws into called? I inherited a floor lamp without a shade.  It has a harp, but there is nothing on the top of the harp to attach the shade.  If I have my terminology correct, I'm looking for the piece that that the finial will screw into.  It's circled in this photo.  What's this called, and can I buy one with a finial so I can buy a shade for the lamp?  Or should I just buy a new harp (that presumably will come with this piece)?

I just was looking for one a few weeks ago.  I saw them under a few names "harp fitter", "spider fitter", or "lamp adjuster".  I just got a new harp it was easier.

I think what both of you are talking about is simply called a finial. You thread it onto the screw at the top of the harp. You don't have to buy a whole new harp. Finials are sold in the lamp department everywhere. You can choose a plain one or a decorative one to "dress up" a lampshade.


Can I use the tabs to chain 15A outlets on a 20A circuit? When wiring 15A-rated outlet receptacles on a 20A circuit, is it acceptable to use the tabs & screws to chain the circuit from one outlet to the next?

My instinct to overengineer says to use pigtails to pass the power to the next outlet and wire the receptacle, but this takes up more space in the box. So is the tab on a 15A outlet sufficient for handling a 20A load though a series of outlets? if so, why?

Yes it is sufficient.
A 15A receptacle is designed such that an appliance with a 20A plug should not be able to plug into it.  This means that at most under normal operating conditions of a 15A appliance, that the receptacle itself will only draw 15A.  If the circuit shorts then the breaker will kick at 20A however.
The tab of a 15A receptacle is designed to handle a 20A load.
EDIT for clarification above: A duplex 15A receptacle contains a tab that connects the hot lead to the hot load.  This allows the receptacle to carry the load of another outlet by wiring the lead of Outlet(2) to the load of Receptacle(1).  When you break off this hot tab then you are specifically wiring for a switch to control only of the receptacles of the outlet, or you are specifically wiring for each receptacle to have its own circuit on a shared neutral.  For two circuits to be wired to a single receptacle on a shared neutral, then you need to ensure that the breakers are on different service legs or you risk overloading the neutral.  If you also break the neutral tab then you are wiring the receptacle to have two separate circuits each with its own dedicated neutral.  These should be considered fringe cases for residential so it is probably best not to break the tabs if not needed so as to avoid confusing future DIY'ers and licensed electricians.  Every time a DIY'er or electrician gets confused then they are potentially risking themselves.
The NEC states that this is acceptable as long as:

The wire is 12 AWG sized for a 20A circuit

There is more than one receptacle on the circuit.

It is important to note that under no circumstances should you install a single 15A receptacle onto a dedicated 20A circuit.  This is against code.

210.21(B) Receptacles (1) Single Receptacle on an Individual Branch Circuit. A single receptacle installed on an individual branch circuit shall have an ampere rating not less than that of the branch circuit.
(3) Receptacle Ratings. Where connected to a branch circuit supplying two or more receptacles or outlets, receptacle ratings shall conform to the values listed in Table 210.21(B)(3), or where larger than 50 amperes, the receptacle rating shall not be less than the branch-circuit rating.

Table:
Circuit Rating (Amperes)
Receptacle Rating
(Amperes)
15 Not over 15
20 15 or 20
30 30
40 40 or 50
50 50

In conclusion, a standard 15A receptacle that one would buy in your hardware store is quality tested and approved to comply with all NEC codes to be legally sold in the United States.  If the tab couldn't handle a 20A load without overheating then they would call this out specifically.

You shouldn't use 15A outlets on a 20A circuit.  The 15A outlets are only rated for 15A.  There is the risk for overheating and potential fire at the 15A circuit location before the 20A breaker would pop.

I always like to use pigtails and the inspector in my area agrees.  It's never happened to me, but if an outlet fails and you don't use pigtails, the rest of the outlets downstream could be affected.


Do I run screws through the "tops" or through the "bottoms" of the corrugated steel in roofing? Suppose I want to cover a roof with corrugated steel sheets. Imagine a sheet laying on the roof. It will have "tops" - zones that are further from the roof surface and "bottoms" - zones that are closer to the roof surface (the line is the sheet cross-section, the roof is below the line, the outdoors is above the line):

I need to decide where I run the screws that will hold the sheet.

In case it was roofing slate I'd definitely run them through the "tops" ("B" on the drawing) because when it rains water will run along the "bottom" and into any hole it finds there.

However seems like the typical approach with corrugated steel is to run the screws through the "bottom" ("A" on the drawing) which puzzles me a lot.

Which do I choose - A or B - in case of corrugated steel and why?

A

If you choose B you will dimple the steel, ruining the look while creating a penetration point for water because expansion and contraction of the metal due to heating and cooling will create an open access point for water to enter, and a big opening behind it to receive it.

A, however, will give you a tight seal against the wood, wood-steel-screw in a nice tight sandwich - resisting expansion/contraction gaps and thus protecting much more effectively against water penetration while preserving the look of the corrugated steel

This arguments about as good as Ford Chevy or republican Democrat the screw goes in the high rib. If you know what you're doing you're not going to distort the metal if so loosen the screw up a little bit bone head put it in the flat that's where the water goes the water doesn't set on the high rib but to each his own I've done it both ways and I've been doing this for over 15 years never had a leak yet so take it for what it's worth do it how you feel comfortable I guess


RV to House electrical hook up I'm in the process of setting a RV in my back yard.
The run is 150 ft long and will be buried.
The RV is a 30 Amp, 120 V System.
Will be running TV, PC, Refrigerator, Microwave, Toaster, Lights and Washing machine, of course not all at the same time!
Planning to use PVC Schedule 80.
Ground very soft
and sandy.
What size wire should I use?
All 3 of them?
PVC size?
How deep?

For the full 30A load, the least expensive option that doesn't involve a direct bury cable would be to pull an aluminum 2/2/4 direct bury URD/USE triplex cable through 1" Schedule 80 PVC conduit, although it'll be a very tight fit (234mm^2 used out of 236mm^2 available).  If you wish to go with Ed's 24A number, I'd use a 6/2 W/G UF cable instead -- NM has no business being run in outdoor conduits!  While you could run individual 4 or 6AWG copper THHN/THWNs in the conduit, that'd be a bit costlier than the UF or URD cable, especially for 4AWG.

(If you use the URD/USE cable -- the 2 AWG wires are the hot and neutral, while the 4 AWG wire is the grounding conductor.)

I would use #8/2 (three wires: black-hot, white-neutral and bare-ground) gauge wire into your electrical box (connected to a 30A breaker) and out to a convenient exterior receptacle close to where you will be parking the RV (similar to what you might see in an RV park)

Here is an example of the wire (you will need to go to your local Home Depot/Lowes/etc. to get the custom length that you need to run all the way from your RV to the electrical box):

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Southwire-By-the-Foot-8-2-Black-Solid-CU-SIMpull-NM-B-W-G-Wire-28893699/204632778

I would surround this wire with 3/4" or 1" (I would go with 1" to make it easier to pull) PVC Schedule 80.

I would bury it below the frost line if at all possible. Here is a chart to give you an idea of your local frost line:

http://www.decks.com/images/Articles/US-frost-depth-map.jpg

You might want to rent a walk-behind trencher to make this burying process easier; something like this:

https://www.sunbeltrentals.com/equipment/detail/1438/0370010/24in-walk-behind-trencher/#

At the location where you will be bringing up the wire to an exterior receptacle (I would build a solid little post with some treated wood to protect and mount the exterior box):

http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-30-Amp-Temporary-RV-Power-Outlet-U013P/202307113?cm_mmc=Shopping%7cTHD%7cG%7c0%7cG-VF-PLA-D27E-Electrical%7c&gclid=CjwKEAiApLDBBRC8oICb9NvKsg0SJAD9yOHsHmeOi9qleCEiXa0Pz9kUCCNd9XyKdE7c6_3ZACSRARoC_xTw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Depending on the power connection that comes with your RV, you would then connect it to your exterior receptacle with a simple RV power cord, like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Power-TechON-RVC3003-Extension-Handles/dp/B01K355Z24/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1479306221&sr=8-2&keywords=30a+rv+power+cord

Here are some useful links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-p6P1vRslI
How should I wire RV hookups?

Depending on your area (the more rural your area and the friendlier your neighbors, the easier it should be to DIY), you might want to consult an electrician and your local inspector's office


Should rain gutters be installed behind metal drip edge? I am adding aluminum gutters to my new detached garage. I hadn't originally included them in the design, but want to add them to protect the doors and siding from splashing water, and to prevent soil runoff/erosion.
I've been observing gutters, watching YouTube, etc, but haven't found a satisfying answer to a few questions...

Should the gutter slide up under the drip edge?
If gutter is under drip edge, will it be low enough to prevent possible ice damage?
Should the gutter hangers penetrate the drip edge?
Do the penetrations for gutter hangers need to be sealed in any way?
If the gutter is not installed under the drip edge, do I need some other sort of flashing?
Should a spacer be installed behind the drip edge to allow air movement between gutter and fascia? (I know this is recommended for wood fascia, but is it necessary with aluminum?)

Here is the structure I have:

Roof pitch is 6/12
Aluminum drip edge overlaps fascia about 1.5"
Adhesive ice/water barrier installed over drip edge
Asphalt shingles overlap drip edge by 1/2", giving total of 1" overlap from fascia
2x6 subfascia board with aluminum fascia cover
Total gutter run will be 22'
Structure is in Wisconsin, USA (cold, snowy winters), and will be insulated and (moderately) heated.

If your drip edge (and the shingle protrusion) are working properly, water will fall from that outermost point. Obviously this means that the gutter shouldn't need to slip behind the drip edge flange. In fact, in cases where the run is long and the slope requires enough drop, this isn't possible anyway without additional flashing. That's not usually necessary, especially with newer construction and a 6:12 pitch.
Start at the high end of each run with the gutter just below the drip edge flange. Slope down from there. Nothing should penetrate or result in modification of the drip edge.

You should not install gutters at all unless you absolutely must.  The only place they are truly needed is over a doorway where the roof would sheet water onto people entering or leaving. The erosion from the drip edges should be dealt with by thick turfgrass or gravel.
The gutters going to downspouts concentrate the roof runoff water and cause erosion where they are ejected. Many people in my locale connect the downspouts into underground drains which go directly into the street, either from emitters near the street or alley in back or even by penetrating the curb. This runoff then goes rapidly into the storm sewers and so into creeks which rise astoundingly in heavy rain. The creek near us rises 6 ft but the current is 12 mph. It feeds a larger creek which rises 20 ft to 30 ft. This causes severe erosion in the alluvial banks of these creeks.
The city discourages curb penetrations but they are common.


How can I unjam a garbage disposal that the allen wrench doesn't fix? I have a jammed garbage disposal that makes the humming noise and trips the breaker if I leave it on too long.  However, the manual unsticking method doesn't seem to help.

I've done some research and haven't found much beyond "use the allen wrench and try to unstick whatever is jamming the disposal," however I have done so and it seems to turn somewhat freely.

Every so often I can get it to spin by itself for a second, but then it immediately resumes humming.  I can't see anything trapped, and as I mentioned it seems to turn fairly freely when I use the wrench.

What else can I try, short of replacing the unit?

Based on your description, I don't think the problem is a jam. More likely the windings in the motor are bad or there is a bad contact in the motor. Because of the design of most domestic garbage disposals, you can't open the motor housing to fix these problems. Therefore your only option is to replace it.

The humming indicates that the motor is still trying to turn, but the grinding mechanism is jammed. You should check if there is any object inside the grinding chamber that must be causing these disposal jam. If all these things are still not working then you should call a plumber. They will either unjam it or you will have to install a new one. My friend suggested plumbers in south jersey when I got this similar problem and they unjammed the disposal.


Can I use one 3-phase circuit to power 2 separate machines? NYC. We have 208V "Wye" 3-phase.

I have two devices - a dryer and a water heater.  Each takes 208V single-phase.  I am also considering an air conditioning unit that will also take 208V.  All are 23A draw for a 30A breaker.

But the conduit to their location already has 6 wires I cannot change, and only 3 wires remaining before we'd have to pull out all the wires and upsize for a 310.15(b)(3)(a) derate -- and the conduit won't physically fit that.

My question is: Can I run a single 3-phase circuit (3 wires, neutral not needed)... and wire the dryer from pole L1 to L2, and the water heater from L2 to L3?

I know how to do that with a subpanel... my question is how to do it without a subpanel.  Can I put those 2-3 loads on one circuit?  How would I size the breakers?

I can't comment on whether your code has anything specific to say about this but looking at this from a generic safety/functionality point of view.

The currents in each shared live conductor will partially but not completely cancel.

Assuming the loads are resistive, the currents to the loads are 60 degress out of phase, so assuming the loads are equal the total current in each shared live conductor is.

23A * 2 * cos(30°) = 39.8A

If the loads are non-resistive then the calculation gets more complex but 40A is probably still in the right ballpark. AIUI with the way American breakers are rated, if these loads count as "continuous" then that would require a 50A breaker.

The main question IMO is are the appliances suitable for connection to a 50A breaker? or do they require a 30A breaker to operate safely? In the latter case it would seem you need a subpanel.

The short answer is no, no, no. Pull it out and do it right.  This is wrong in too many ways to count.


What is the purpose of the valve between these two pipes? I saw an interesting arrangement of pipes and valves in a house I visited. These are hot water pipes, the two vertical pipes connect to a radiator. What is the purpose of the valve between the two vertical pipes? I don't see how this could do anything useful, given the horizontal pipe that directly connects everything.

It is a bypass valve meant to be opened when the other two valves are closed.

The horizontal pipe above is connected using two diverter tees:

In a one-pipe system, each diverter tee restricts flow to direct a portion of the hot water through the local radiator and then return that flow back to the main line.  If the radiator in this room were shut off using only the vertical ball valves without opening the horizontal bypass valve, then the water flow would be restricted for the entire system, hurting heat delivery to the rest of the house.

This is a hot water run.... the purpose of two pipes rather than one pipe for the run is to insure that when someone turns on the washing machine while you are in the shower you do not get a shock of hot or cold water...the value between them is to enable work on one while the other is open [ turn the shock proof on or off ]


How do I fix seams that open up at the corners of walls during the winter? Every winter, we get cracks like this where the walls meet the ceiling in certain rooms.  We just got our bathroom redone, so it's most bothersome here.  When springtime comes, they "seal" back up.  Why does this happen and what's the best way to fix this?  Or should I just hire someone?  How much would this run minus painting?

Update: thanks everyone for your answers! ultimately, I think the best answer is the "cover it up with crown moulding" since that will look prettiest, add some value, and fixes the issue for the long term.  But is that what I did?  Of course not!!  I went the "caulk it and hope no one notices" route, and, honestly, it looks pretty OK now.  I used Lowes White Lightning Latex Caulk and filled in the gaps, then painted.  I think there is still a question of how it will look in the spring when it closes up, and if it will "bead" when it compresses.  I guess we will see.  (FYI there's more info on why this happens in this article I found -- he also endorses the caulk solution:  http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/sns-201401131900--tms--askbildrctnab-a20140124-20140124-story.html)

The reason why this is happening is the structural members are expanding and contracting with the temperature/humidity changes.

There is no good solution to fix the issues, but you can cover it up.

The quick and dirty solution would be to put up quarter round over the seams, and attach it to the studs only- That is not to the ceiling.  This would allow for the expansion/contraction to remain covered.

Other options would be to install Cove moulding.

or Crown Moulding

Note that the Crown shown here is clip on, and the clip attaches to the wall only.  Again, this allows for expansion.

These can all be DIY projects if you're comfortable with finicky work.  It's a bit tricky to get the corner mitres looking nice and tight, and you'll need a compound mitre saw.

Buy a bucket of sheet rock mud, a roll of tape, and a taping spatula.
Fill the cracks with mud after temperatures warm up a bit, and roll
the tape over the mud. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhMqYJNUgkU
Once it's really dry, like wait a week until it's chalky white, then
lightly sand with a taping sponge, then you'll have to repaint it.

If you don't have the money to repaint, but can match the paint that's
the wall now (e.g. have a half-full bucket with formula label on top)
then get a good 3" natural bristle brush and paint just the tape, as
you 'feather' the paint lightly onto the wall and ceiling. Most people
would not be able to detect the tape overpaint once you get good at it,
but with the gloss paint on your walls, you will always see the marks.

Then as others have pointed out, at some time in the future, hire a
subcontractor who specializes in trim work. It requires a $300 saw
and months of practice to get a double-mitered corner joint correctly.
Not worth the time and expense, unless you want to learn a new skill,
but you'll never be able to compete, so you'll never get the $s back.


What should I run from the main breaker box to the garage? So this is a question that's been asked a lot, but reading individualized responses is creating confusion for me, not answers.  I have a detached garage with existing power, and I have added a few items to the circuit.  Because I don't know what the original design of the circuit was, I'd like to remove the additions and add my own dedicated circuits to operate what I need.

I will leave the 1/2 hp garage door opener, the single bare bulb light fixture (although I could remove this with no stress on me) and the two duplex receptacles on their original circuit.

I have only three empty slots in my main breaker box and will run 12/3 wire about 200 feet to my garage (unless suggested to do otherwise.)

What I'd like to power is:

6 four foot florescent light fixtures, two T8 bulbs each will be switching to LEDs as budget allows, on a switch near the entry door.
8 LED recessed lighting fixtures in the eaves of the garage, with one motion detecting flood light out front, dusk to dawn switched in the house and the garage.
8 receptacles that will be responsible for powering:
3 to 4 power tool rechargeable battery chargers that may or may not be used at the same time.  a 7" power saw, a 12" miter saw, a 10" table saw and eventually a light to medium duty MIG welder (110 v) and a 2.5 hp air compressor with intermittent auto start, a bench grinder, a shop vac, and assorted hand tools, grinders/drills/soldering irons/routers etc.

The power tools (with the exception of the chargers) won't be used at the same time, I only have 2 hands.  But I can envision using the big saw and having the compressor kick on. I obviously don't want to suddenly be working in the dark, or to burn my garage down.

What should I run from the main breaker box to the garage?  Should I install a sub panel?  What size breakers for each circuit?  All three circuits now, or two with future expansion?  How would you design the circuits to accomplish what I want to do?

I understand, ahead of time, that the absolute best way to do this would be to hire a reputable electrician, but I am a big time DIYer, and would like to learn as I go.  I also understand that I am only asking for advice from experienced folks, and am still responsible for making my own decisions, and facing any potential consequences....

To be more specific, I have a GE 200 amp main box on the outside of my house, say street west side.  The detached garage (attached by a breezeway roof overhang) is in the back yard east side.  I stepped it off and being pretty liberal came up with a 167 foot run.  The plan is (until advised otherwise) to run a conduit from the main box up to the attic, through the attic and the breezeway connector to the garage.  My local code prohibits aluminum wire, so suddenly my small project just became a major expenditure and overhaul.  The three empty slots in the main are randomly placed, I would have to relocate one double pole one position upwards to gain two adjacent slots for an additional double pole.  I researched and simply muddied my own waters.  Went looking for answers, and came back with more questions.

As you can see from this very, very rough sketch, burying the feeder wire is not an option.  The solid black line between the two buildings represents the breezeway which connects the two, and through which the existing wire is run, down from the attic to the first story ceiling and through the connecting run.  I priced some 2/2/2/4 for the feeder and holy COW, I think I need a copper mine of my own.

Anyway, those are the distance specs, with the same power tool toys as described above.  Still--any suggestions?

As Isherwood and Ecnerwal advised, it would be in your best interest to set a sub-panel in the garage.

TL:DR Set a 60 amp sub-panel and feed it with #6 NM wire from the main panel. Separate all your neutrals and grounds at the sub-panel and buy the ground bar kit for the ground wires to attach to in the sub-panel. DO NOT install any bonding screws between the box and neutral bar. (If your welder draws more than 20 amps you should probably upsize this to 100 amp panel fed with #3 wire if you plan to have the compressor and welder on at the same time.)

Longer version:
The size of the panel depends on what you plan to run now and what you may plan to run in the future. The 2.5 hp compressor is the largest load you listed and will draw a little over 24 amps at according to Table 430.248 of the National Electrical Code. Let's say 28 amps at 120 volts. (Is there any way to re-wire the compressor for 240 volts? This would halve the current and reduce your voltage drop.)

The proper way to size this is 125% of the largest motor's listed current from the Table 248 in the NEC plus 100% of all the other motors table listed currents. Then, take all your other devices and add the current draw on each one at 100%. Take the total and divide it by 2 since you will be running a 240 volt circuit and all the loads are 120 volts and the current is split between the two legs. Now you have your current draw for all loads in the garage and this is the current draw for the feeder to the sub-panel.

For the sake of argument let's say you come up with 40 amps (this may be high or low for what you have listed but you didn't have a current draw for the wire welder so I will press on). You could then run a #8 circuit if the feed was shorter but to compensate for distance and voltage drop you upsize one wire size to #6 wire. Since you can only get sub-panels in certain sizes you will most likely have to buy a 60 amp sub panel without a main breaker in it. (Since the garage is attached through the breezeway you don't have to drive a separate ground rod. So don't worry about that.) If you go with a 100 amp sub because of the draw of the welder then You may end up with the #2 wire to compensate for voltage drop.

Now, unless your local building code requires it (and Chicago is the only place I know that requires Conduit in residential) you don't have to use conduit. You can use standard NM copper cable to make this run and it will be way more affordable than running conduit and pulling wire.

Power factor is not considered when sizing circuits in residential occupancies. End of story.

The number of circuits is a consideration for convenience but is not taken into account when calculating the size of the sub-panel and its corresponding feeders and breaker.

So, there you have it. Simple eh?

If I were you I'd run a conduit through your breezeway to a subpanel in any method that keeps the length to a minimum. Then run two #4 black and one white plus a bare ground. For your major toys that are all 110 volts, skip the 14/2 and use 12/2 wires to an outlet close to where you want each of your major toys and use a separate breaker for each. Try to find a subpanel that has at least 16 circuits. Now when wiring the two drawing the largest amps that chance starting at the same time, make sure you get each on a separate 120 volt line feeding the sub panel. So when you see the two black #4 cables entering the subpanel,one will feed off of each, ensuring if they start at the same time nether will be trying to rob amperage from the other when they start at the same time. The LRA is always,or lock rotor amperage, starting amps could be double the running amps. My heat pump draws 60 LRA with just under 20 amps after it starts

The floresants, three per circuit off one switch but try to use low energy draw balasts or not over 15 amps per 3. The other recepticles you can run 12/2 to feed 4 only recepticles of a long amp breakers and use a 60 amp breaker in your main panel. It's unlikely it will ever kick but the #4's will ensure there will be no voltage or amperage issues and I highly doubt you will need all the subpanel circuits. By using 12/2 wires to your circuits you can use 15 amp breakers for anything up to about 18 amps use 20 amp breakers but if your compressor draws more than 20 amps use a 10/2 with a 30 amp breaker  and match the plug from the compressor to the recepticle.


Tum toe tap drain removal I am trying to clear a clog in my bath drain with toe touch stop. I have removed the top portion by unscrewing it. I can’t turn the screw in the bottom portion at all. How can I get it out?  Thanks!

You’ll need a tub drain extractor. Menards, Lowe’s, Home Depot will have it.


What are some alternatives for a glass stove top replacement? As quite a few people are these days, my wife and I are in a difficult financial situation.  About 5 months ago we got a HUGE break and purchased a Stove, Fridge, LARGE microwave and Dishwasher for $250 (basically a gift as it was all worth well over $3,000).
Two days ago I tripped over my dog , dropped a full pot the stove and shattered the glass stovetop.  It doesn't look like anything but the glass is broken but the glass is definitely ruined.
I looked up the part from Whirlpool....it's over $360 just for that glass piece....and that doesn't include install.

So my question is this:  Are there any unconventional things I can do here to be able to use my stove again?  Could I just get a piece of tempered glass?  Remove all the glass and cook straight on the burners?  Or better yet...are there any places I could get a used stovetop that would fit?

Tempered glass is almost impossible to cut without shattering it after it's tempered, so you'd have to find a piece exactly the right size.  And even then I don't know if it would withstand high temperatures -- in fact it may get hot enough to un-temper it, in which case it would be a lot weaker and likely to break in normal use.

I have no idea if you can cook straight on the burners, but my guess is that since they're normally covered by ceramic glass, they're not constructed to support much weight.  Also I suspect they get a lot hotter than the glass surface does on a non-broken cooktop, so you'd be looking at an increased risk of fire if something spilled over.

I did a quick search and found a few online used appliance part suppliers, but I didn't check to see if any had that part available and at what price.  You might also call a few local appliance shops to see if they have any ideas on used parts.

A nationwide Craigslist search turns up many instances of that model stove for sale, all at prices lower than your price for a new part.  Sadly your most cost-effective option  may be to toss this one and buy a used one.

A metal top would work but the entire top will act as a heat sink making the entire top get hot and because of that your cooking time is extended slightly longer.


Grounding requirements for main panel and subpanel I recently had my main service professionally upgraded to 200A and had a 60A subpanel installed in my master suite to support future additions. All work passed city inspection, for whatever that's worth. I'm just now noticing some things about the work that I'm not so sure about.

The main panel is in an separate-attached garage. The majority of circuits enter the house through a covered breezeway between the garage and house. The new 60A subpanel in the master suite is fed by wires in a buried conduit run through the backyard from the garage.

Questions:

Only one ground rod was driven for the 200A panel. Is this sufficient?

There are only 3 conductors between the main and sub. 2 hot and 1 neutral, no separate ground. There is a ground bar installed in the panel, but no wires connect to it. When I asked the electrician about this after the fact, he said that the neutral wire also serves as the ground, and that it is ok to do this in a subpanel. Is he correct? I've read that ground and neutral bars should not be bonded in a subpanel, but in this case there isn't even a ground wire - neutral and ground share the same wire.

The NEC only requires two ground rods if one doesn't suffice the 25ohms requirement.  If an additional ground is installed then a minium of 6' spacing is required between them.  The only time the neutrals and grounds are allowed to tie together are in the main disconnect.
To keep the neutrals and grounds separated, a 4 wire should have been used to feed your sub panel.

I am not convinced with all those above. here is the question to know, why you need one grounding or many and the size of the ECC, earth grid, size of the earthing cables based on fault current calculation  etc, and all this will be based on mathematical calculation and that should be let you know how you get the max. safety. there is another question which type of earthing is suitable for residential bldg. you know there are 4 types (TT, TNS, TN-C Etc) of earthing.

actually grounding needs less than 1 ohm and for lightning protection it should be less than 2 ohm,
one grounding may serve the purpose but it is recommend to use 2 (but should be 5m apart), because if 1 cut accidentally, another serves to safe you.


Will cutting section of 2x4 reduce strength I have a 2x4 nailed to two other 2x4’s protruding from ceiling. This is used to hold up garage door opener. There is a light socket behind it and I wanting to attaching motion sensor socket to it but I believe 2x4 cross piece will block line of sight of sensor. If I was to cut a section of 2x4 cross piece, would it reduce the strength of 2x4 cross piece as far as it being able to hold up garage door opener?
Any ideas on motion sensor light socket line of sight issue other than moving socket?

1: Yes it will reduce the strength and depending on how you cut it will determine how much and to what catastrophic point it will fail. A Drilled hole for line of sight is one thing a cut out is another.

The following two comments do not directly answer your question but need to be stated. I am not trying to hurt anyone's feelings by posting them just trying to provide some constructive feedback and I am saying ti because someone needs to say something to help you.

2: That protrusion of 2 x 4's from the ceiling down - that is a terrible (atrocious) mounting for a garage door opener installation! The 2 x 4 should be mounted between above the ceiling between the rafters then your metal mounting for the opener should be on the ceiling side mounted to that 2 x 4  - taking up minimal space and would not be such an eye sore. Of course if this part was done right you would not be asking your question here about your motion sensor.

3: I see that free romex wire running down and I am assuming it is rigged to an electrical outlet for the opener or maybe hooked to it directly - I will state this if you are in the USA ..it is a code violation. You should have that fixed and done right too - install an outlet box in the ceiling and plug your opener power cord into it.

I am not trying to be snobby or anything like that .. normally I don't answer this way but in this case I feel compelled to so that perhaps you will make it right and will not have any issues in the future, especially with your wiring .. like perhaps a fire!

EDIT 3-29-2018 Wiring fix:

Move the 2x4 to the other side of the protruding 2x4's.


Best way to stop boiler steam from entering attic I have a cape cod.  The boiler is in the basement and vents to the outside about a foot above ground level.  I get a considerable amount of snow melt and ice buildup in the attic section directly above the vent.  I have recently been remodeling and I cut a hole to get into this section of the attic (about a 6'x12' area between 2 alcoves).  My initial intent in here was to investigate and patch up cold spots on the wall as we had a breeze coming through a corner that borders this.

I found 3 things that could be causing my snow melt and ice buildup.

Spots that are not well insulated, particularly switches, outlets, and a corner section.
2 Copper radiant heat pipes that go from one end of the attic to the junction box at the other end that were just sitting under the insulation, fully exposed every 16" over the studs.
Steam...coming from the boiler, into the eave vents and into the attic.  This is condensing on the roofing nails, then dripping onto the insulation.

I can solve the first 2 with various types of insulation.  I could block the eave vents, which is a quick solution.  I could extend the pipe out and up past the roof, which with the current ice issue, could just get knocked down, plus I'm not sure how it would look aesthetically.  I could also move the pipe from one basement wall to another (likely best permanent solution).

My question is, is it safe or acceptable to block off that section of the eave vents?  Is there a solution that allows water to drip out, but not allow steam to come in?  If I covered the vents with blown insulation, it should block the steam and allow water to drip through it.

My old physics teacher would give you an 'A' for simply creating this question.

It is important to remember that whatever solution you choose must fix the problem, and not just move the problem to a different place - AKA: the Wack-A-Mole paradox.

I think the first step is to get an infrared thermometer,I chose this one,but pick your own vendor and price point

http://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Lasergrip-Digital-Infrared-Thermometer/dp/B00DMI632G/

This will allow you to identify the source of the heat leaks, and locate the problem areas.

After you know what problem you are trying to fix, we can move forward from there.

Can you explain how steam is getting into the attic, your item #3. You said that the boiler is in the basement and vents to the outside???  There should be no steam venting outside the home. My only thought is that there is a vent line coming out the top of the condensate tank (if you have a condensate tank). If this is the problem then you have other problems with the heating system that should be addressed. Can you investigate where the vent line comes from? As for item #2, do you know what the copper pipes are used for, and why are they in the attic? As for the attic problems I would consult insulation contractors and get their recommendations for insulation and attic venting. A wrong decision from you could add to the problem and become a costly mistake in later years.


How can I fill gaps in wall plates on an uneven backsplash? We're having a new house built, and the kitchen backsplash that was just installed is a tumbled stone, which looks great, but isn't a flat surface. As a result, the wall plates for electrical outlets, switches and phone jacks don't sit quite flush. Is there something that can be done about this, to fill the gaps with some sort of caulking or something, or is this just something I have to accept?

There are insulating gaskets for switches and outlets like these

They would help seal against air leaks, but they might not visually fill the gaps at the edge of a switch plate.

There are also deep beveled switch plates, such as those found here. You could custom grind these down with a dremel-type tool to fit the highs and lows of the surface, but that would be a pretty time consuming task.

While you probably could caulk the gaps, you should be careful to avoid getting any into the box and wiring itself. Also, caulking will make removal of the cover plate a bit more difficult.

Pull out the perimeter pieces around the plate and re-set all of them with the same thickness


Why do my led bulbs state: not for use in totally enclosed luminaires? I recently bought some nice inexepensive LED bulbs but I noticed the warning states: (see image below)

  not for use in totally enclosed luminaires

I am guessing that it gets too hot but I find it interesting that it doesn't add that part to the warning text.  I was wondering if it has something to do with it not performing well if it doesn't have air or something.

Also, I wonder if that means I can't use it in overhead lighting like the following: (Again I'm assuming you should not.  It's totally enclosed, but I wasn't sure if it just meant small enclosed luminaires).

Yes, it is because of the heat buildup in enclosed fixtures, and no you should not use the bulb in that ceiling fixture you listed unless you are willing to accept shortened bulb life.

Your options are:

Use the bulb in that fixture anyway and accept that they may burn out or dim prematurely
Get LED bulbs that are approved for enclosed fixtures, e.g. many of the newer Cree and Philips bulbs. They will say on the packaging.
Replace the fixture entirely with a LED fixture that doesn't have bulbs at all. E.g. this similar fixture from Home Depot.
Use a CFL or old-fashioned incandescent bulb in that location and put the LEDs elsewhere.

i have used them in enclosed fixtures with no problems. They do get warm/hot, and the reason for the warning is they want the bulb to get good air circulation. I've used similar bulbs for the last 2 years with no problems.


Raising and extending a concrete shed base, does the existing concrete need to be broken up? I have an existing concrete shed base which is a bit cracked (due to a nearby tree) but generally OK. I'm planning to replace my 10x6 shed with a 10x14 one which will mean extending the concrete base.

My plan was originally to dig the new area and fill with hardcore (up to the same level as the existing concrete) and then lay new cement (with a DPM) on top which would be 4" high from the existing base.

However, I've been told that laying cement on existing is a bad idea as moisture could get in and blow the new concrete, and that I should instead break up the existing concrete before laying the new cement on top.

Is that true? What are my options?

In your situation adding a new slab over the old has more chance for failure then success.

Overlay slab might help underlying nonmoving cracks, but will not prevent active cracks in the existing slab from reflecting through.

With a tree root causing the existing cracks the root growth will reflect into new slab if not fixed first.

Adding welded wire or rebar should be added to the overlay to help reduce cracks reflecting through.

Better slope drainage is needed to keep moisture flowing away.

One large issue is the expanded section of the new slab being partly on a different base material.  Compacted underlayment will hot have the same settling and expansion/contraction as the existing concrete slab.  This would become a prime area for breakage.

The better approach is to break up the existing slab.  This material can usually be taken to a local sand and gravel pit for crushing and reuse as base material.   Once it is removed treat the tree root issue.
Lay base material, compact and pour a new slab.

I would drill holes and epoxy rebar in to tie the new concrete to the old part of the foundation.


Exposed metal rod in the wall. What is it? What should I do? I tried removing some loose plaster and exposed a thin steel rod running up the wall. It seems to have had a coving which has rusted (maybe burnt?) off.

My guess is that it is the earth for the electrics but that is completely a guess. A friend suggested it could be the old wiring but doesn’t look like wire...

Any idea what it is and what I should do? Is it safe?

Cheers

Before electricity, gas lighting was common in homes and commercial buildings.  When electric lighting began replacing gas lighting, sometimes gas piping was disconnected from gas and used for electric lighting.  There are even some reports that for a time, gas piping was installed new for electric lighting - the idea was that just in case electricity turned out to be a novelty or fad, the piping would be in place for gas lights.

The picture is not very clear but it appears to be a very corroded pipe with a gray flat cable in it.

The bend in the pipe is sharp, unlike electrical conduit, which is usually bent with a gentle sweep.  Judging from the brickwork, the plaster, the stair stringer, and the advanced deterioration of the pipe, it could be 100+ years old.

I believe it is most likely old gas / plumbing pipe being used for electrical.  The gray flat cable in the pipe might be UF - nonmetallic cable rated for wet locations - that's typically the only flat gray cable you see in recent years.  However the current conventions for color coding the jackets of nonmetallic cables have not been around nearly as long as this structure, so it may be something else.

The exposed metal does not appear to be stranded cable, thus I doubt it is electrical. The compromise in the plaster appears to continue upward, as does the metal in question. I suggest it could be structural, with settling/aging affecting the structure, causing the plaster to break at the shear line (this metal). Additional clues and images of the surrounding wall /other side of the face would help...

Perhaps identifying the cause of the crumbling/damaged plaster would give additional clues as to the nature of this metal.


How can I repair this door and deadlock? Some time ago I closed my front door (rather forcefully) while the deadbolt was sticking out partially.

This loosened the deadbolt, and the top screw no longer held. In addition, it cracked the door on the interior side. I've attached a picture showing the damage.

The door works mainly, though it can be difficult to lock sometimes, especially when the weather gets colder.

I'm currently renting, and will soon be moving out of this house, once I buy a house. I would like to repair this door myself, and I'm hoping I don't have to replace the entire door.

Is this something that can be repaired? If so, how? I realize that a new deadbolt is probably needed, but how can I repair the wood damage around it?

Aside from replacing the door, you can purchase and install reinforcement kits for your door and jamb.

EDIT: These are also known as door wrap around plates.

As you can see, it contains a metal bracket that fits around the door. Some just protect the edge while other models extends a few more inches over the door and covers the holes for the dead bolt and handle.

Look around at your local home improvement store or call a local lock smith.

Get a new high security dead bolt while you are at it.

Measure the backset of the lock and the thickness of the door to get the right wrap around.
Remove the lock and install this wrap around. Then re-install the lock. The wrap around is constructed of 18 gauge stainless steel and is designed to repair doors compromised in this manner. They are available in 2 finishes 603(brass) and 325 (stainless).

Also simply gluing a broken door together will not return its strength


Washing machine cord- only green wire- other wires do not have colors? How can I identify which is black and which is white?

First, are you using a heavy enough line cord? Washing machines are fairly high draw appliances owing to the motor (and water heat if equipped) and should have at the very least a 14AWG if not 12AWG cord -- or whatever the previous cord was if you are positive it was the factory cord. In my experience, those cords come with 3-color wires, and usually light 16AWG cords don't color.  Just indulge me and check to be sure.

Granted, I have seen thick extension and appliance cords that are flat.  However I am used to the conductors having colored insulation .

If you have a flat cable such as that, with no markings, look for either ribs on the edge of one side, or the cable lettering  or a stripe on one side.   Follow it down to the plug (the tall pin is the neutral) but typically the neutral is the ribbed, striped or lettered side.   Ground is in the middle.

Looking at the plug blades the one that is wider should be your black one but your receptacle could be wired backward best to use a meter. Go to Youtube and resaerch it out


Should I use a 6 mil poly moisture barrier for engineered hardwood floor installed over concrete slab-on-grade? I am planning to install an engineered hardwood floor over a slab-on-grade subfloor. The slab is bone dry but I understand it's wise to install a moisture barrier anyway.

My plan right now is to cover the slab with 6 mil poly overlapped 12" and taped at the seams, then put some type of foam flooring underlayment over that, then install the boards as a floating floor.

Does this sound sane? Or is there a better/easier method?

If my approach is okay, does the 6 mil poly moisture barrier need to go a few inches up the wall, presumably hidden behind a baseboard? Or is it okay to have it end at the slab edge?

One thing I'm not clear about regarding the moisture barrier is how any moisture that finds its way under or over it is actually going to dissipate. Wouldn't it just stay there?

For what it's worth, what I wound up doing is using the Floor Muffler underlayment, which is its own moisture barrier. As per the directions, I applied it over the subfloor and about 2" up the walls.

It's hard to see, but I have indeed left an appropriate half inch expansion gap between the wood and the drywall. And this is engineered hardwood so I don't expect it to move all that much.

Taping down a piece of plastic does NOT work! The condensation you do or don't see comes from the ambient air temperature compared to the temperature of the concrete slab. It tells you nothing about the moisture content of the concrete. Why does a glass of ice water sweat when it's placed in a warm setting and a glass of room temperature water doesn't? The same glass of ice water will not sweat when placed in a cold environment "think refrigerator". This test only sets you up for failure.


How to remove or de-solder old flashing I'd like to remove some old copper flashing to repair the rotting wood beneath it.  My plan was to de-solder the old flashing joint (I'd like to reuse the flashing when done).  So I bought a used copper hand iron and heated it for half an hour with a propane torch.  Before hand I cleaned the joint with steel wood and ruby fluid. I also cleaned the iron and with ruby fluid before and after heating it and tinned the iron.  But the hot iron didn't make a mark on the old solder.

Does anyone know how long I need to heat it to get it hot enough and how to tell when it's hot enough (glowing red?). Or is there another way to remove the flashing without destroying it?  I'm concerned that using an angle grinder would be too delicate a job and there are some places it probably wouldn't fit.

Copper is good at taking heat away from the area you want to heat so I would heat the joint directly with the torch and as the solder melts separate the sheets.

Take care that you don't set the wood alight.

Perhaps consider just cutting the sheet off then looking at how you solder it back on after.


Is it within code to leave unused romex wire within a stud cavity for future use? I'm installing pendant lights, instead of wall sconces, for a bathroom vanity in a new construction home. However, I'd like to be able to have the option of adding the wall sconces and remove the pendant lights in the future.

Is it ok to leave unused romex wire in the stud cavity? This romex wire would be coiled up in the wall directly where the future wall sconces would be located. Doing this would make it easy to fish out the romex wire from behind the drywall. The romex wire would not be live until need be.

It is fine to do what you propose, as long as you are 100% certain that the cables/wires are not terminated at the feed/switch ends. This is very common. This is NOT burying a junction box or splice. There is no code prohibition to leaving a dead wire in the wall for future use.

I would however take photos of the area for your own records, and label the ends of the wires at the switch boxes just in case you don't follow through with this and the next owners find them. They may want to do the same and have a pleasant surprise.

I don't know the code, but when I had my house built in Texas two years ago they did that for pendant lights over the kitchen island.  The only difference is it was a working circuit with no load attached.  They had the boxes installed and covered with the cables inside and nutted over and the switch was hot.  There might be a problem with the cables terminating in the wall outside of a box though.


Will I get electrocuted when I am above the first floor of a building? If I touch a faulty knob of any electrical equipment when I am connected to electrical ground, I would get electrocuted.

But my question is will I get electrocuted when I am above the first floor of a building?

e.g.: When I am on the 3rd floor of a building.

You are not safe from electrocution just because you are on the 3rd floor.

Electrical ground can be anything conductive (like the chassis of another grounded appliance you are leaning on). So it doesn't matter where you are but what else you are touching.

To be safe you need to install a ground fault protection device that will shut off the power when it detects that some current doesn't go through the designated return path.

You might get SHOCKED, not ELECTROCUTED.

Most residential doesn't have the voltage to kill.


Why is my toilet constantly backing up? I've been in my new house for a few months now, and I end up plunging one of our two toilets about once a week - they tend to swap turns on which one gets to be finicky each week. Is there a more serious cause behind this, or do I just have 'crappy' (hehe) toilets? I don't know if it could be an issue with my septic system. The previous owners weren't too into home repair, so I have no idea if it's ever been pumped, but the house is only 7 years old.

While I have managed to refine my plunging technique to an art, I'd appreciate any advice that will let me take a break.

This sounds terribly obvious, but have you tried snaking it?

Depending how long the run is to your septic tank, you could have a blockage further from the toilets, at a point where the pipes join, and the plunger just gains you a little time by shoving crap into the other end of the "Y".

We had similar problems but solved them by rerouting "gray" water (i.e. dishwater, washing machine, etc.) and thus the only stuff in the septic tank was the yukky bathroom toilet treasures.


Do I need basement window wells? We live in a bi level house. The basement windows are about 2 inches above ground level, and plenty big enough to escape out of in an emergency. They let in plenty of light, and we have never had a problem with leaking. Why would I need a window well? My husband seems to think we need them.  ( Lived here for 8 years no problems). I've tried to add a pic. But it doesn't seem to work

If your windows have any amount of wood as part of their construction, the grade in my opinion should 8" or more below the sill, the lowest part of the window. If they are protected from the weather, all the better for where they are now, but the moisture that will always be present in the ground will eventually effect the window structure. A picture, if you can get a link posted can be added to the post by a member.

A window should last decades or longer with occasional proper maintenance. In your situation the maintenance may need to be more often. I would give the window a close look to see if there are any hairline cracks in the paint. They will appear only on close inspection.

If you do go with the window well, dig it in so the top is a few inches above grade, and place gravel inside to give any water a place to go. A 12" deep one should do what you need. Of course, you can go with an 18" too if you choose to get more clearance to the sill and more gravel in the bottom.


I left a pound of ice to melt in my shower. Two hours later my downstairs neighbor reported a leak from their shower light fixture Our 4-unit building has identically laid out apartments with a guest shower.  I was clearing some ice from a broken freezer, and left about a pound or less of ice near the drain of the shower to melt away.

Two hours or so later, our downstairs neighbor reported that there was a very small but 'steady stream' of water coming out of theirlight fixture, which looks exactly like this. Since the incident, their light fixture hasn't functioned.

Could the melting ice water have caused a permanent leak to have developed?  In the past, we have taken very very long showers in this shower with no hint of a leak, but hadn't used this bathroom in a week leading up to this incident.

could be the cold has shrunk something, maybe rubber isolation, and the water was able to go around it (something like that caused the challenger explosion)
could be the cold has cooled down the neighbours ceiling and the moisture in the room condensed there, like when you use air conditioning

the ice froze some water standing in the pipes and that created a clot, so when more water came through the pipes, it overflowed (overflew??)


Is it ok to fasten a shower surround to Schluter Kerdi curb? I am doing a master bath remodel and installing a Schluter system for my shower.  How do I install the glass surround on the Kerdi curb?  The curb is more or less Styrofoam and I don't see how it can hold a screw. I am also worried about penetrating the membrane, but I understand I can waterproof the intrusions with Kerdifix.
I imagine that this sort of thing is done all the time (I can't see spending the money for Schluter and then using a shower curtain).  It must be ok to screw into the Schluter curb, right?

The kerdi curb won't hold your screws.  You can try putting a screw on a piece of scrap and you should be able to pull the screw out by hand.
It is designed to be used at the bottom of the shower door just to hold the tiles and good enough for a person to step on it.  The side hinge of  the shower door must be mounted to a stud.
Kerdi curb and boards are not substitute for the framing.  They are like drywall+kerdi membrane all in one to reduce installation time.
To seal the screw holes, drive the screw in half way, then squeeze some kerdi fix in there, and drive it all the way.

Ok I just read their installation manual.  They mention that every penetration must be sealed and do not provide any advice on how to do deal with mounting screws. .  They do however come off as a company who would be happy to tell you why their product is best for everything and how to use it.
I've also read the installation manual for the shower wall and door.  The wall and base are intended to be installed with 5/16 inserts which are provided.  This type of fastener implies to me that even if the Kerdi stuff isn't as strong as lumber, once it has tile on it for the rigid wall of the shower you should be fine, just use silicone to seal when you put the clip down and possibly a touch under the screw head before you finish driving it.  The inserts work by expanding when the screw is driven through them, so to pull out, either they have to break or they have to pull out a section of drywall and tile significantly larger than the screw.  If the Kerdi wallboard is rigid like and as strong as drywall, the inserts should be fine, but from a video of the Kerdi curb, it appears to be foam, and if it's not adequately rigid, you'd be relying on the pullout strength of just the tile so you should add wood backing, forego the inserts, and use longer screws if necessary.  At the bottom you don't need much pullout strength, mostly shear strength, but if you can't trust the full strength of the insert, you need a better fastener, so you should inset wood into the KerdiKerb as suggested by Quoc Vu or build the curb the traditional way to make it more solid.  Also as suggested by Quoc Vu, you can test the pullout strength of one of the inserts with a cutoff piece of the curb.  Drill a 5/16 hole and pound in an insert, drive the screw in and pry it out with a prybar to see what breaks.  It should still be much harder to pull out the insert than to pull out just a screw.  If the insert and screw come out, it means the insert couldn't expand.  If it does damage and widens the hole, it expanded but the material isn't strong enough.  If it tears out a huge chunk it's probably adequate.  If it is hard to pull out it might be fine.  You can pull one out of ordinary drywall and out of wood to compare.  Wood doesn't allow the insert to properly expand.  If you are screwing into wood, don't use the provided inserts and if you use the Kerdi curb, get your own longer screws as the foam is quite thick.  If you don't mind installing wood backing, it is significantly stronger than using inserts, but the people who designed your shower door designed it for inserts, which shows a lower expectation.  They probably designed it to work with inserts because they wanted the option of installation in concrete.  The inserts provided in your product look like this:

They look something like this in real life:

This is a type best for thin or semisoft materials like drywall.  The split allows the sides to spread out and spread force well.  If you do a pull out test and you find that the material was hard enough to prevent the insert expanding, you can use an insert specifically for hard materials like this:

For the shower door it's a bit more complicated.  They specifically state twice in the manual that the shower door is heavy and must be screwed into stud or a 2x6" board mounted behind the wallboard for the purpose.  They then go on to describe drilling holes and mounting the same inserts used for the rigid wall and screwing in to them, completely disregarding the stud requirement.  Sounds like an extra requirement from a smart proactive person, and then a procedure slapped together by someone less diligent.  I would suggest you trust the guy who wrote the extra requirement and acquire screws with the same head that are long enough to drive into the stud.  There is a chance they actually decided the inserts would be OK and used them intentionally, and you could call them to find out, but it may be easier to just go with the stronger requirement.
Edit:  Made some edits after Quoc Vu caused me to reconsider and further investigate.  The advertising materials call the Kerdi curb load bearing, but it's foam so I'm concerned it could have too much give even with wood backing.  If the bottom mounting brackets concentrate enough force to bend or compress the Kerdi curb, the tile or grout will crack and you would have been better off with wood framing and only 1/2" of more vulnerable material in the form of drywall.


Is it possible to de-gloss paint? I have some satin black enamel paint, after applying it I found it to be too glossy. I know you can make paint more glossy, for example by adding varnish to it, but is there a way to make it less glossy?

You can coat it with a satin clear finish. or even a matte finish. Both are available at most paint stores and big box stores.

Just wipe it with vinegar. There will be no more gloss. Try in an inconspicuous spot first to see if you like the result before going any further.


Where in the breaker box should I terminate the neutral wire from my dryer circuit? I am looking for an answer to something I am lost about, hopefully I can fins some help. I recently moved into a new home. The previous owners had a gas dryer and no outlets for an electric dryer. I had the gas line removed as it was faulty, and am now trying to install an electrical line for my electric dryer. I purchased the correct 3 wire outlet, a new 220v breaker since there was not an extra one in the breaker box, and a 15ft indoor copper building wire (which is 4 wires). I wired the cable to the outlet using the 2 hot wires (red and black) and the white wire (neutral). I left the bare copper wire (ground) out as from my understanding the dryer is already grounded and this wire is not needed. then ew breaker is installed and now i need to wire the outlet to the breaker. Here is my issue. I can run the red and black wires to the breaker, no problem, but there does not appear to be an open spot on the neutral bar, where all the other white wires are running to. There is another bar directly below it, which i assume is the ground bar that has open slots. the top bar has a large black wire running from it to the outside along with the 2 main wires coming into the house. the bottom bar has a black wire that runs to a screw a few inches away on the breaker box itself. With there being no open slots for my neutral wire to go, where should i put it?

Can I put it on the bottom bar?

Can I tie it in with another neutral wire?

Perhaps one of the other neutral wires can be moved to the other bar?

Edit: I just noticed that behind the two bars at the bottom, there is a copper piece of metal right in the center that appears to connect the 2 bars, at least I assume so.

Edit 2: Just thought I would update everyone on the situation. I added a 220V 30Amp breaker to the breaker box. I ran the red and black wires to this breaker. i then moved the green wire running to the neutral bus down to the ground bus. This green wire was labeled as upstairs kitchen with its associated breaker. I checked the kitchen equipment, it is all running normally. I then hooked the white neutral wire coming from the dryer outlet into the now open spot on the neutral bar. i then turned on the breaker and my dryer appears to be working normally as well. Thank you all for the help. I will of course be updating my dryer hookups to the 4 wire standard as soon as possible, and i will probably be adding an additional neutral bar to my breaker box as well. I will update this post if i run into any problems.

Without being able to see the cables as they enter the cabinet; or the ability to touch or trace them, here is what I assume is going on.
Definitions:

Grounded (neutral) from the service
A typical single split phase service is made up of 3 wires. Two ungrounded (hot) conductors, and one grounded (neutral) conductor.  The ungrounded (hot) conductors will connect to the main service panel through a disconnect (usually a large breaker), while the grounded (neutral) connects to the neutral lug.  The neutral lug will be bonded (electrically connected) to the neutral bus bar, and all grounded (neutral) branch circuit conductors will terminate at the neutral bus.
Grounding Electrode Conductor
This conductor is used to connect the grounding electrode (ground rod, etc.), to the grounding bus in the panel. All equipment grounding conductors will be connected to this bus.
Bonding Jumper
The bonding jumper is used to bond (electrically connect), the un-energized metal parts of the panel to the grounding system.
Assumption:
Since it appears that (what I assume is) the grounding electrode conductor terminates at the neutral bus, I'm also assuming that this is the main service disconnect. This leads me to believe that the neutral and grounding buses are bonded (electrically connected). In which case, technically, grounded (neutral) branch circuit conductors can terminate at the grounding bus.
So you have two options:

Terminate the grounded (neutral) from the new circuit to the grounding bus.

Move the green wire that is terminated on the neutral bus, to the grounding bus. Then terminate the grounded (neutral) from the new circuit, to the freed up slot on the neutral bus.

Additional Information and Code Compliance:
Number of Conductors
Since this is a new circuit, it has to be installed to current code standards.

National Electrical Code 2011
ARTICLE 250 — GROUNDING AND BONDING
VI. Equipment Grounding and Equipment Grounding Conductors
250.140 Frames of Ranges and Clothes Dryers. Frames of electric ranges, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted cooking units, clothes dryers, and outlet or junction boxes that are part of the circuit for these appliances shall be connected to the equipment grounding conductor in the manner specified by 250.134 or 250.138.

Which in this case means installing a NEMA 14 receptacle for the dryer, and a proper grounding conductor.

You'll have to follow the dryer manufacturers installation instructions for upgrading to a 4 wire cord. For more information see this answer, and this answer.
Since you've said that you're already using 4 wire cable, you'll simply have to terminate the grounding conductor in the cable to the grounding bus in the service panel. Then connect the other end of the grounding conductor to the grounding terminal in the dryer receptacle.
Size of Conductors
You'll also want to be sure that you're using the proper size breaker and conductors.  In the case of a dryer, you'll typically use a 30 ampere breaker and 10 AWG conductors (depending on the length of the run). However, you'll want to check the dryer manufacturers installation instructions to verify this.

It is hard for me to tell if the two bars are physically connected from this picture and I would be surprised if they were. They should not be. The ground and neutral are connected together at the service pole, not the main panel. Why? The high voltage main line on the pole is 17,000 VAC, the secondary of the transformer on the utility pole is, for residential, 240 VAC. These voltage "potentials" are not physically connect, but magnetically connected. IN fact, the secondary can be "any" voltage potential based on other aspects of the circuit. So....the electric utility connects a ground wire to one side of the transformer to "pull" the voltage of that wire to ground potential. We have all seen a ground rod below the main panel, this is the same concept as the ground wire on the "pole".

So now we have a wire that is at ground potential (voltage) which we call the neutral. We won't get shocked by touching this wire (if we ground it correctly, otherwise, ouch).

In your picture, I see a large stranded wire on the right connected to the top bus bar which also has multiple white wires (for other circuits) connected to this same bus. I believe this large stranded wire is the ground wire coming from the pole. Then I see a black wire, screwed to the metal panel casing coming from the left, wired to the bottom bar, or bus. This is confusing, the "ground" and "neutral" should be seperate (even though they are the same at the pole).

So the answer....put all the "ground" wires on the same bus. Put all the "neutral" wires on the same bus. Then it's easy, connect your 4-wire to the associated bus bars.

If your bus bars are full, you can gang the extra wires by using a single wire "from" the bus to multiple wires connected using a wire nut (this is the same concept as putting only 1 wire on a breaker that is rated for only a single wire). Or add another bus (either ground or neutral) to the panel as needed (i.e., screw another bus next to the one that's full).

And your done!


How to open NM box knockouts? I've found the knockouts in NM boxes hard to fully open. I've had trouble with both Carlon boxes and Madison Smart Boxes. The plastic molded to make the knockout is very resistant to actually being knocked out.

My current approach is to whack the knockout with a hammer's claw. This generally busts the knockout pieces apart, but it doesn't remove them. They often remain so tight together still that forcing the cable in is very difficult and I worry about damaging the cable sheathing. Grabbing the "arms" of the knockout with pliers and pulling and twisting generally just crushes off a little bit, rather than wrestling out the entire chunk that's in the way.

Sheathing damage was a major problem when trying to push old, brittle rag wiring through the knockout: it was stripping the brittle insulation off the wires rather than admitting them into the box. My solution there was to drill through the knockout arms to get them out of the way, but this was a major pain, and the burning plastic smell generated by the rotating drill bit was not encouraging.

What's the "right way" to fully open these molded knockouts?

The knockouts on plastic boxes are not designed to be removed completely. Rather, they are kinda like trap doors and some pressure against the NM cable helps keep it from slipping back out of the box. In your case, if you have old fabric covered cable, you really should be using boxes with a 1/2" screw type cable clamp. If you insist on using the plastic boxes, then you will have to use a screwdriver and hammer to knock the square door in first, then grab the flap with a pair of linesmen pliers and twist it until it separates from the box.  I guarantee that is going to leave a ragged edge that may still abrade your cable. These plastic boxes were never designed for old degrading cable.  BTW, I was the factory rep for Carlon Inc, manufactures of plastic boxes, many years ago, so I have a bit of background.

I successfully used a sharp, insulated, slotted screwdriver on a Carlon box. Clean separation.


Is there HVAC system to maintain air temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide level in the house? I'm looking for a HVAC system or device which can maintain predefined air temperature, humidity and CO2 level in the house. It would be nice if such a system can be upgraded to scale it for more rooms/zones with independent sensors in each zone. Both commercially available systems and custom projects are considered.

UPD: Some clarification is really needed:

I want such a system for a normal residental house.
Humidity control is important during winter, usually it is hard to get 20% in-door humidity without extra device.
High concentration of CO2 level is not really healthy for people, and I'd like to keep it lower than that. The idea is increase ventilation flowrate when CO2 level rises.

A humidifier is required to increase humidity. They come with a humidistat or you can use some smart thermostats to control them.

Running the fan/furnace will not clear any accumulated CO2 or other molecular indoor pollutants. You would need to exhaust air from your house and bring in fresh air.

Normally you don't need to concern yourself with CO2 unless your house is extremely tight(r2000) . Most houses built to that standard are already equipped with one of the following; an HRV (heat recovery ventilator) or for southern climates an ERV (energy recovery ventilator). There are options for control ranging from manual to timed or continuous with boost. I'm not familiar with CO2 monitoring to bring it on.

So basically for heat you need a furnace, (which you have)
For humidity you need to add a humidifier and to maintain safe air quality you need an HRV or ERV depending on your climate.

** Dedicate HRV**www.finehomebuilding.com

** Integrated HRV**www.skepticrant.com

The normal way carbon dioxide is regulated is to add a makeup air intake on the furnace. With todays homes being sealed I believe this should be a mandatory part of an HVAC system. An automated system could be added that would open a damper at a preset level but this would be expensive. I usually size the makeup air port based on the size of the home and how many people live there. Every time you exhale approximately 5% is Co2 so the number of people in the home makes a difference. I will usually double the size make up air damper and close it to 50% this way if the home owner wants more fresh air pumped in they can open the damper further. Remember that this will increase heating or cooling costs as conditioned air is being pushed out of the home, usually through the kitchen, bath and dryer vents. With older water heaters and gas furnaces make up air also helps them to vent better because of the positive pressure greatly reducing the chance of carbon monoxide leakage in the home.


How can I remove these screws from a brick wall? We replaced a fire escape ladder on our patio. The old ladder was fixed using screws which I don’t know how to remove. They are kind of loose, I can turn them left or right as much as I want but they don’t go in or out. There’s nothing on the other side of the brick wall either.
Any idea how to make them come out?

I believe that they are concrete sleeve anchors, something like these†. When you screw the nut on and tighten it down, it pulls the anchor in and tightens the expanding sleeve against the hole. With no nut, there's nothing threaded down in the hole so the threaded rod just spins.
I don't think you can pull those out, as the end in the wall is bigger than the sleeve that goes around the rest of the threaded rod - that's what causes the sleeve to expand.
To remove, I would think that you would have to pull it out as far as possible, cut it off, then push the remaining rod back into the wall and patch over it.
You might be able to put the washer and nut back on, tighten them down, cut off the exposed rod past the nut, then remove the nut and push the remaining rod back in. I'm not sure which method would enable you to cut the most rod off.

†Just a convenient link, no recommendation of the store or brand intended or implied.

Have you tried pulling the stud whilst unscrewing it? That should stop the threaded part of the shield anchor that’s inside the wall from rotating.


Identifying Wires behind Light Switch I am trying to upgrade my rocker switches to Smart Switches and ran into a problem identifying wires behind the old switches.

It seems that the old switch is connected with a ground and 2 white wires. There is a bundle of black wires capped and sitting inside the box. Everything I've read and have been told is that Neutrals are usually white and Blacks are hot.

What is going on with my wiring and are my hot and neutral colors just reversed? Or is the neutral connected to the switch and the hot capped? Or is there something else weird going on?

Thank you so much in advanced!

Here is a photo of another box. I checked a few of them and they all seem to have the whites running to the switch and the blacks capped and left alone. Still perplexed. I will trace back the wires but could it be that they reversed all of the wire colors in the home?

Your light switches are electrically upside down and backwards

Whoever wired your house clearly hadn't read, or decided to utterly ignore, NEC 404.2(B):

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

As a result, you (or a friendly electrician, if you don't feel comfortable taking on a job this repetitive/long-winded yourself) need to switch things around so that the switches in your house have one screw pigtailed to the incoming always-hot black wire and the other screw connected to an outgoing black wire, with the white neutral wires all nutted together in the box, and the grounds all nutted together and pigtailed to all the switches. (If you run into a switch with more than 2 non-bare wires hooked to it, or with a white and a non-white/non-bare wire connected to it, stop and either consult an electrician or post a further question here, as that's a sign you either have a multi-way switch or a switch loop in play, which complicates things.)

What are the consequences?

While switching the neutral seems to work, as you have noticed by the fact all your lights seem to work fine, it's prohibited by the NEC due to the hazard it poses to clumsy lightbulb changers.  You see, on an Edison (screw) base lamp socket, the "button" in the base is connected to the hot, and the screw-shell is connected to the neutral.  This way, you won't get "bit" if you are trying to unscrew a bulb and accidentally make contact with the threaded metal part as you are doing so.  However, it's possible for a bulb to bottom out in the socket with threads still exposed, so if you grab the bulb and get a finger on the threaded metal part, it's possible to get zapped through the bulb.  Normally, this is only a hazard if the switch is on, and changing lightbulbs with the light switch on is a problem for several reasons, so it's normal common sense that one turns the light off before changing the bulb, no?

Well....bzzt!  The wiring error in your house, with the neutrals to your lights switched, defeats that precaution, leaving the lightbulb and socket "live" and capable of shocking you, despite the switch being off!  This is why switching the neutral has been prohibited by NEC 404.2(A) and (B) since the 1920s(!): it poses a clear shock hazard to anyone trying to use the switch as a disconnecting means to safely service a light fixture, or worse yet, a wired-in switched appliance!

How to figure out which wire is hot (for future reference)

The way a box like the first one can be decoded is using a multimeter; find whichever cable feeds the most switches with one of its wires, then take voltage measurements across all the wires in the cable.  In a /2 cable like the OP's, one wire will measure ~120VAC to the other wires: this is the hot.  We can then presume that the bare/green wire is a ground, and assume the other insulated wire is the neutral; checking to see if a ground actually is grounded is harder to do, though.

Your switch wired in one supply from consumer unit.
You have 3 gang switch which supply with 4 individual wire with twin and earth cable. So the black wires that are
Connected together are neutral and the white wire that are connected/capped are your live wire and the wire connected singly connected to switch are your switch live which coming from the light.