Updating baseboard radiator My house was built in the 50s and I believe the baseboard radiators are original. We just bought the house and I went to go clean them. I realized most of them are rusty and painted over making them really hard to open and clean. My intention was going to be to replace them with one of those modern covers however mine open up in a way that I can't seem to find any reference to on the internet. Has anyone ever seen a baseboard radiator like this. How that I'm cutting them all open are there other options I can consider for upgrading.

When I had it open the inside said Tuttle and Bailey.
As you can see when you open these up the whole thing comes off. There is a groove along the top that you slide it into and then it clamps into the clips screwed into the wall. The ones that I see can be modernized with a cover and usually still have the top attached near the slats while the front cover just comes off. Those also look a lot easier to clean.
Does anybody have any guidance on how I could replace these with more maintainable and aesthetically pleasing options.

Can't tell from looking at the picture you posted but it looks like a finned tube hot water baseboard unit. Do you heat your house with a hot water boiler and if not can you elaborate. If I am right and that is a hot water unit, the installer recessed the enclosure into the wall and mounted it directly onto the wall studs. I never liked that type of installation and would prefer the unit to be mounted on top of the finished wall.
Finned tube baseboard has aluminum fins, usually 4-5 per inch slid on a copper tube. Looking at the picture it looks like the fins could use a good cleaning with a shop vac and a very soft brush. The fins are very delicate and sharp so be careful. As far as the outer cover you could refinish as you wish. As far as replacing them, that would be a major project probably left to an HVAC company.

This almost looks like a cast iron louvered vent assembly covering a forced air duct.  You said "baseboard radiator" not "baseboard heater" which is it?  Your picture is pretty bad, you should consider taking a closer up one.
If it's an actual electric baseboard heater than replace the entire thing as was said.
But if it's a "water/oil/whatever" fed heater, or the heater isn't simply mounted on the wall but dug into the wall, or something else strange, then BEWARE!!!   There be dragons here!!!  You won't EVER get a replacement that fits in the hole and matches or links up properly.
Now if it's a forced air cover then back "in the olden days" there were a plethora of different openings for vent covers I have seen many different shapes and sizes of them in recycle/rebuilding supply houses that serve old homes.  I've seen vent covers that look like that.  They also used to LOVE using square pipe for the laterals and such that connects to NOTHING modern.  But you WON'T find a "modern/aesthetically pleasing" (whatever that means) replacement.  And if those are cast iron vent covers then you better treat them like glass because if you ever crack one by accident you will be really up the creek.  Those old 50's forced air vents often were wrapped with asbestos and attempting to jack around with them to force some modern 3x6 cover and ducting from the big box store on them can cause a whole lot of trouble.
Welcome to the joys of owning an old home.  One thing you better learn right now is NEVER to discard or attempt to replace any part of the house until you have secured a replacement.  You may also find yourself scanning Ebay for parts for the house.
Please elaborate on what you have in this house.  And also check for aluminum wiring it was used for a time in the 50's.


Drilling "misting" pin holes in PVC I built raised gardens this year and added cheap DIY PVC irrigation.  I used a 1/16" drill bit and drilled several holes in 1/2" PVC pipe.  The 1/16" drill bit was the smallest I had but the holes were still too big for the misting action I was going for; the water comes out in streams and pools in the low spots of the soil.

I am looking for ideas on how I can get more of a "misting" action.  My ideas:

drill smaller holes: problem with this is that 1/16" is my smallest bit, I would have to buy specialty "micro" drill bits plus a special chuck and/or Dremel to use them
drill more holes: I currently have pairs of holes every 9" or so; I could turn the PVC into swiss cheese and put holes every 1/2" or so; I can't really go back once I take the plunge, though
use duct tape: the answer for everything! I could tape over the existing holes with duct tape and use a needle to poke pinholes in the tape; this seems like it would work but might not hold up well

Any thoughts?

Your best bet would be to get some 1/2" PVC Couplings with threaded port

and some Misting Nozzles.

You should be able to find them both online, or at your local landscaping/gardening center. This setup would allow you to get the desired spray pattern, by selecting the appropriate nozzles.

Unaware of your idea I have been trying something similar myself.  Rather than use a small drill I have used a fine sowing needle.  I have only tried a piece of hose about 4 feet long so far but it seems to work well.  To hold the needle i use long nose pliers, not very long, about 1-1/2 inch.  I hold the needle length ways in the pliers with less than half an inch sticking out beyond the end of the pliers.  I was surprised how easily the needle went into the hose.  It is cheap hose bought from a bargain store.  I suspect it might be more difficult with good quality hose.


New Circuit for 1.5HP Pool Motor I'm having a new above ground pool installed, and the package I purchased comes with a 1.5 HP pump.  When I was originally talking to them, they said most people just run an extension cord from their garage or outdoor outlet.  Because I want this to look a little cleaner, I was going to trench this, and bring a new receptacle to the pump.  I have a 14/2 wire from my panel to my garage that I brought in when I did a reno long ago, but haven't hooked up yet.  My original plan was to hook up that wire, and extend it out to the pump, and use a GFI receptacle.

Here's my problem.  The pump instructions say it should be hooked up to a 20A breaker, which I obviously can't do with what I currently have.

If "everyone" is just using an extension cord off an existing receptacle, and I am really going to have an issue with my setup, where essentially that pump (and salt generator) are going to be on a dedicated 15A circuit?  It's only a 15 foot round pool, so I don't expect that the pump will be running for very long during the day.  Or if I use 12/2 from the 14/2 connection point, is there something I can do at that junction?

Thoughts?

Thank you for your help.

Edit - I've added a picture of the label off of the pump, as well as a picture of the wire

Edit #2 - In case anyone is wondering or curious, I've installed the pump, and the electrician measured the draw.  The 1.5HP pump is drawing 17 Amps on initial start up for about 2 seconds (literally), and then drops to 12 Amps and hums away.
Thank you to everyone for your help.

Right off the bat, finish with your original intent, and hook the cable up to a GFCI receptacle that is inside the garage.  Now come off the receptacle's LOAD terminals to your underground line to the pool area.

What you don't want to do is bring unprotected 120VAC out to a pool area and then fit a GFCI recep there. Because then, the wiring does not have GFCI protection, and the wiring can electrify the ground.  Especially if NM cable is used, which is not made for outdoor use.

Anyway, continue off the GFCI's load terminals via UF-B cable buried with 12" of cover because it's GFCI protected... or run a conduit type of your choice from that indoor recep outside, then switch to 1/2" Rigid conduit for the underground run to the pool, this can be buried at 6" of cover (but it's expensive).  Use THHN individual wires inside the Rigid conduit, do not put UF-B cable in conduit (won't fit anyway).

Use 12 AWG wire or cable.

As far as extending off the 15A circuit, yeah, you kind of painted yourself into a corner on that.  I'd go ahead and replace that #14 run with #12 (or just run it alongside) and call it a life-lesson learned.

Violating the installation instructions is a bad idea.  If anyone gets hurt at your pool (and electrical drownings are absolutely horrible, gut-wrenching, life-changing things), they will go over your setup with a fine-tooth comb.  Any violations, you'll have a problem.

1.5HP at 120V is going to be around 20A Full Load Current, you CANNOT run that on a typical "extension cord", nor can you run it on 14ga wire and a 15A circuit breaker. The Code requires that the conductors must be rated for 125% of the motor FLC (taken from a table in the NEC, which is where the 20A comes from), so that means 24A MINIMUM rating of the wire. 12ga is only rated for 20A, so a 1.5HP motor will require 10ga wire and that means a 30A circuit MINIMUM (might be higher depending on the distance and voltage drop issues). So no matter what you decide (conduit in the ground or a temporary cord), it will not be a standard circuit/receptacle.

If your pump motor is reconfigurable to run on 240V, that would make the motor FLC 11A, so it might work on 14ga wire (again, depending on distance and voltage drop), but it would be 2 hot conductors, coming from a 2 pole circuit breaker.

Salesmen don't like to tell you the truth on these sorts of things because it might make you reconsider doing it, so they just say "Most people..." Gets them off the hook for lying.


How to prevent odor in clay pots, resulting due to drinking water storage? We use clay pots to store drinking water in summers. Clay pots keep the water cool.

The water lasts for 2 days and then I wash the pot with soap and fill the water again. There is no tight lid for the pot, just a normal steel plate is used to cover its mouth.

Lately I have felt some kind of odor in the water there.

Any hints?

Your best bet is to use a solution to kill the bacteria that might be living in the pot. This happens with steel / aluminum water containers as well, in my experience, so never fear!

According to the official Clorox blog:

  It is good your daycare is using bleach for disinfecting, and now you can pass along some information to help them use it correctly!  The ¼ cup per gallon dilution they use is more standard as a bleach pre-soak for bleachable fabrics that are heavily soiled or for fabrics that need to be disinfected.  It is actually not strong enough to disinfect hard surfaces.  Instead, to disinfect furniture and hard, non-porous toys, the correct dilution is ¾ Clorox® Regular-Bleach per gallon of water.  You are also correct to note that they should be measuring a full gallon of water that the ¾ cup is then added to, a 1:21 dilution.  Items need to have contact with this disinfecting solution for 5 minutes, and then should be rinsed thoroughly and allowed to air dry.

However, the blog also indicates that porous surfaces (I assume your clay is porous) are NOT safe for bleach!

  For mopping floors (ceramic tile, vinyl, linoleum—not marble or other porous surfaces that aren’t safe for bleach), mix up a solution of ¾ cup bleach added to 1 gallon of water.  For disinfecting, wipe or wash the floor, then apply the bleach solution and let stand for 5 minutes.  Rinse well and air dry.  Also, be sure the area is well ventilated while you are working.

Instead, I would use hydrogen peroxide. It's inexpensive, readily available at drugstores, and it's a weak acid. The pharmacist should be able to help you dilute it properly, if necessary, though it likely won't be; drugstore hydrogen peroxide is a 3% dilution, and it breaks down in sunlight anyway. In addition, it is much stronger when mixed with vinegar, which most folks have in their homes anyway. Remember: ACID TO WATER!

By using clay pot to drink water you have taken excellent decision. Not only you are doing wonder to your health but also you are contributing to environment.

Also, I would like to add if you are using RO water filter they are harmful to health, so it is advisable to use candle based filter along with earthern pot for best result. (filter is nowadays required only for chemicals like chlorine and other which are now finding way into our food chain because of our reckless and unwanted usage)

Never use Soap or any kind of chemical (bleach, hydrogen peroxide, etc). Your best bet right now is buying a new  clay pot (because you used soap to clean it). You can use this pot for planting purpose.

OR maybe you can experiment with what Manu said, its possible it may work because rice water has cleansing property but still I would advise buying a new one even after experiment.

Finally, people are nowadays afraid of bacteria and then use more of chemicals to kill bacteria which is counter productive.

Please search for gut bacteria and their effect on your health (including mental health like depression).


What controls the min/max brightness of a dimmer switch light I have a room with the main light on a dimmer switch.

If I turn the switch all the way down, then the light doesn't go off. And indeed, it doesn't even go all that far down.

I'd like the minimum to be lower (ideally off). What controls that?

Is it solely a function of the bulb? solely the dimmer switch? A combination of the two?

If it's determined by the dimmer switch, then is that something I can modify on the switch? If not, then what property should I be looking at when I buy the replacement switch? What value determines the intensity of the light at the lowest bound?

I assume that for the maximum brightness, I don't care about anythign except the bulb ... I just need to get a higher Wattage bulb, just as I would do for a regular, non-Dimmable switch.

Is that right?

First check that your dimmer does not have a dimming range adjustment.  Several of the Lutron CFL/LED dimmers have this ability, check for an adjustment dial. LUTRON ADJUSTMENT

But lower dimmable levels depend on what type of bulb you have (CFL, LED, incandescent, halogen).
Lutron Dimmable Bulbs identifies the following

  What does “compatible” mean?
  Compatible means that the bulbs can be dimmed, although the bulb’s dimming performance may not
  match what you’re used to seeing when dimming an incandescent or halogen bulb. These bulbs have also
  been electrically tested to confirm that the control may be used up to its full rated CFL/LED load without
  affecting the life of the control.
  Products on this list are considered compatible with the respective Lutron C·L dimmers. Depending on the
  quality of the bulb you select, compatible bulbs may still:
  - have less dimming range than an incandescent or halogen bulb
  - dim less smoothly than an incandescent or halogen bulb
  - flicker or shimmer at certain light levels
  - buzz

As you notice LED and CFLs are not able to dim to the same levels that incandescents and halogens can achieve.  So if your using LEDs or CFLs and want to dim to a lower level you could switch to incandescent or halogen.  But if you must use LEDs or CFLs then the only way to have less "brightness" is to move to a lower lumen bulb or try changing color temperature.

You said the light does not turn off at the lowest setting. Is this dimmer just a round knob (rotary dimmer switch) you turn clockwise or counter-clockwise to brighten or dim? If so, press the knob in to click the light on or off.

Otherwise, see if there is another switch somewhere that turns it off and on. In dual-switch situations there is usually one dimmer switch and one regular switch, not always in the same location. In one of our rooms we have a rotary with push on/off by one door, and a regular switch by the other.


How do you refinish a Corian countertop? The title says it all.  We have a Corian countertop.  One of the selling points of this type of counter is that it is supposedly easy to fix minor flaws in it, but there seems to be little information on the net about how to go about it.

A few years back my wife put a hot pan on it and discolored the surface.  I have tried sanding the surface down with sandpaper (start rough and then moving on to finer grits), but it only slightly improves the look.  Are their any tricks that I am missing?

Some serious buffing is required.  Not just of the burn area.. but you'll need to buff the nearby surrounding areas as well.

Two options:

do it yourself cautious: experiment with automobile "rubbing compound" on it.. if it works on a small area, expand to the entire area.
do it yourself confident: sand with 800 to 1000 grit sand paper.. if it works on a small area, expand to the entire area.
hire someone: a corian professional

I do #3 in good times, #2 in bad.  Good luck.

I used pledge for the minor abrasions and it did help


Why is my house wired with two coax in every room and an RJ11 splitter? My house was built around 2005, though I've only owned it a year.  Setting aside from the insane cluster of coax wiring we found in the attic, I'm trying to understand why every room in the house has at least one, and usually two outlets that look like the attached pictures - two coax connectors, and two RJ11 cables connected to a single splitter.  As I'm trying to figure out how best to get wired ethernet to various parts of the house, can anyone help me understand the purpose of this setup?  Is it as simple as wanting the ability to put a TV and phone on every wall in the house?  It doesn't seem like a pro did the work, especially considering the rats nest of coax in the attic.

Most likely this was a satellite dish hookup.

Back in the 90s, when the technology was nascent, each box got its own LNB feed from the dish. You'd also need an antenna hookup to get local broadcasts (as in two separate cable feeds). The phone line was so the satellite box could phone the company and report whatever purchases were made via the remote (like pay per view)

  It doesn't seem like a pro did the work, especially considering the rats nest of coax in the attic.

In the earliest days you didn't have a whole cottage industry of professional installers like today. Instead, you had a lot of installers who doubled as local sales associates and it was merely a side business for them. My parents had one installed in their rural house in the mid 90s by a man from a nearby town who ran a hardware store. As such, you'd have some strange things done by installers (like using a phone duplexer to join lines).

Most modern installers don't even bother with your attic nowadays. They run it around the eaves of your house, then drop it down and straight through the outer and inner walls.

Cable TV was originally analog, often delivered over two co-ax cables because one cable didn't have the bandwidth for all the channels offered. Even today you'll often find dual co-ax still strung here and there where no one has bothered to remove it. Until two years ago the cable TV wire attached to my house was dual, with one half just sort of hanging down in the weather.

A house built in 2005 might have been wired up by someone used to putting in dual co-ax, and nobody had gotten around to telling him about the digital age.


What could have caused an electrical shock from a concrete patio? I didn't feel it myself, but my son-in-law and my own son said they were shocked when they touched the cemented ground in our backyard. We bought a new metal fire pit which we had set up and both men were picking up some wood off the cement when they were shocked. They said it felt like stinging and when they touched it repeatedly(don't ask me why)they could still feel it. It was just their hand and the cement. They were not touching water or anything else to create a flow.A few minutes later it was gone. It's been about a month and has not happened again.What could it have been? I'm a renter and I'm wondering if I should bother my landlord with this information when it's not happened again. This is a pretty old house.

Cement is not a good conductor so a live electrical charge from the cement is a near impossibility.  But that doesn't rule out a static charge.  If the humidity was right and enough friction from the wood to break some electrons free just might generate a static charge.  But I have never heard of cement getting a static charge before but then again, I'm not moving wood a lot on a cement pad.

Maybe if they had rubber shoes and were carrying a live wire in one hand and touched the cement with the other, they could get shocked.  If the cement is in the ground, it is pretty much grounded.  No potential is coming from the cement, especially if they are standing on the cement and not touching anything else.  Electricity does flow through cement though.  In some jurisdictions, it's even okay to ground your electrical panel to the rebar in a cement foundation.

My guess is that they got splinters in their fingers, and it caused a shocking sensation when they touched the concrete.


Are there any advantages to using higher priced sealers? I want to use a water based sealer on my pavers to bring out the color and also for some resistance against dirt and fading.  I went to the store and saw sealers varying in price from about $11 per gallon for Thompson's water seal to about $24 for a Behr brand low luster to sealer to over $30 for a natural stone and brick name-brand sealer.

Is there really much difference in quality and longevity to justify the higher prices of the mid and name-brand sealers?

Linseed Oil makes a great concrete sealer/sealant.
The only caution you should take is the applicator that you use. Make sure you submerse the applicator in water after completion. Linseed Oil is highly flammable.

https://www.doityourself.com/stry/using-boiled-linseed-oil-as-concrete-floor-sealant

Personally i would recommend using Waterglass. I'm not sure how long the shine would last of such a treatment, but it has proven effects on the durability in the realm of 20-30% longer life.

I suspect that most brand sealers are based on it but with a huge markup.


Electrical problem with GFCI I just bought this house, and the circuit in the garage was functioning fine.  I have a GFCI and one downstream receptacle on a certain branch.  There are other GFCIs on this circuit, but not in line with these two (as far as I can tell).

After coming back from a trip, I found that two GFCI branches would not hold load.  After replacing the GFCI on one branch, it is functioning well.

I replaced the other GFCI and the downstream still won't take load.  I removed the downstream outlet and replaced it.  In the process, I am finding that whenever I hook the ground up to the downstream receptacle, it will not take load.  If the ground is NOT connected, it will take load.

I can't figure out what changed, or why this is ocurring.

I don't want to just wire nut the ground wire off, but it is tempting.

Any help is appreciated.

I was thinking the same as user19141. You can have more than one GFCI on a single branch circuit. But only if they are wired correctly. If we pretend we are electrons traveling down your circuit, It would leave the panel and go to your first GFCI at some point. If than at that first GFCI you leave that box on the load screws on your GFCI and run to a couple more plugs, than another GFCI. It will not work properly. The point being that another GFCI can not be ran off the load side of another GFCI. Perhaps this is the case? And it just started acting up because thats the way it goes sometimes!

Okay, if what you described is correct, then the first problem is that you have too many of GFCIs on the same circuit. Now, that is only if they are wired to connect in series(line/load).

They can also be wired to only function only at the point where it is installed(line/line) and not impact any other subsequent device.

Check to insure that, if you do have more then one, they are definitely not wired in series or this can cause issues with tripping.

If this is not the case, then there definitely an issue that needs to be corrected and that will require a bit more work.


Wiring in switch which turns on half outlet with no neutral I have a weird situation with the wiring in a switch box. I am adding a ceiling fan to the room and would like to replace the existing switch which powers an outlet with a double switch. One that powers the half outlet and one that powers the ceiling fan.

The problem is I don't think there is a neutral in the box. There are two Romex 14/2 wires coming into the box. The 2 blacks are nutted together and pigtailed to one screw and the two white wires are joined together to the other screw. I know that this current setup switches on one of the outlets in the room and then electricity passes on to power the outlets in the next room.

I am not able to figure out the wiring that needs to be made to power the fan. Here are the pics of the switch I would like to use.

You evidently do not have a neutral in the switch box. The white wires attached to the switch are not neutrals but are either line hots or "switched hots" (the latter become hot when the switch is closed). The whites attached to the switch should have been marked with black tape to signify that they are repurposed hots. You can tell if the white are line hot or switched not by whether they are switched or not.

The neutrals for the existing circuit must be at the loads and were not carried into the switch box. (Neutrals are NEVER connected to one side of a switch with a line hot on the other side because when the switch would be closed this would be a dead short.)

In your top pic there is a white and a black going up. Is this new cable you brought in to go to the fan?

If you don't have a neutral in the switch box, then you cannot power a ceiling fan from wires in the box because you must have a neutral as well as a hot to power it. (And the neutral and the hot must be in the same cable.)

What you would have to do is bring in another cable with neutral and hot in the attic into the ceiling box for the fan. The neutral would be connected directly to the neutral lead of the fan. The hot would be connected to one of the wires in the cable you pulled to the switch box. This would give a hot in the box which would be properly paired with a neutral. The other wire in the cable in the switch box would be switched hot. In the ceiling box the switched hot would be connected to the hot fan lead.

EDIT The double switch you show could not be used to switch the fan by the method I describe because it has a common line hot connection. You would need a double switch that has two independent line hot connections.

You've got a couple of issues here.

First, who ever installed that neutral on the switch twisted the wire the wrong way.  The wire should always be looped clockwise, or in the same direction you'd turn to tighten the screw.  That way, when you go to tighten the screw, the wire is pulled closer, rather than pushed farther away. That is rookie electrical knowledge.  That tells me someone who didn't know what they were doing wired this up.

I'm not sure those white neutrals should even be on the outlet but I'm not an electrician so don't take my word for it. However, you also mentioned "continuous outlets in the next room over lose power as well" which you did not describe in your original question but I can only assume is an additional outlet branched off from the outlet in question that loses power whenever the outlet in question does. I'm not sure why that is an issue or what you want to change about that, if anything.

Sounds like you want to wire up the outlet in a split configuration.

If this were my house, I'd call an electrician, hear me out.

I know everyone online tells you to hire an electrician to change a light bulb or you'll burn your house down.  That is not what I am saying at all.  Normally this type of job is something home-gamers like us can tackle and save a ton of money.

The reason I'd call an electrician is back to my first point.  You had a home-gamer that didn't do his homework make changes to your electrical system.  Just because everything is fine now doesn't mean there aren't all kinds of abominations hidden in the wall that you cannot see.  I would hire the electrician to not only sort out the switch and fan issue, but to inspect the rest of my wiring and make sure who ever worked on that switch before you only made the simply fixable error we can see.  Otherwise you may be in for adventure time every time you open up a junction box.  Not to mention if you ever want to add home automation to your house a working neutral wire is pretty essential.

Good luck to you regardless. Stay safe and use a non-contact voltage tester.


How can I regulate pressure to a BAXI LUNA 240i boiler? I need to increase the pressure to the boiler, how should I proceed? I checked on YouTube and found a couple of systems but they do not apply to my model (at least not at first sight).
Some pics here (click for full size):

This boiler also feeds the floor heating system.

Here's the manual in Italian and Spanish1, if you can read it.
The part about pressuring is usually covered at the beginning in maintenance but more fully explained in the installation section.

1 Cheers for clarifying the language.

Turn the Blue lever clockwise to add water/pressure to your central heating system!


How do I stack a washer and dryer without a stacking kit? I have a Samsung front-load washer and dryer that I want to stack.  The original stacking kit (SK-2A) is no longer available, but looks like this:

The replacement stacking kit (SK-3A or SK-5A) is basically just a couple of "S" brackets that go in the back.  This places the dryer further back than the washer.  Not only does it look strange, it also wastes precious space.

I assume the only purpose of a stacking kit is to prevent the dryer from accidentally sliding off.  Is there a safe way to do this without a kit?  I was thinking something as simple as a rubber mat would work, but I no experience with stacked units.

personally i'd take the chance with a 20ft endless ratchet strap wrapped around both machines.  with maybe a slim rubber mat between to increase the friction.


How much space is needed in electrical box for new dimmer switch? Background

I am installing a dimmer switch in one of the rooms of my apartment (I live in a tri-plex in California).
The existing light switch works (I.E this is a upgrade not a repair).
This room has a metal box, single pole, single light control.
No green grounding screw or grounding copper wire (although there was a small piece of copper in the far back that may be connected to the box - which may be why the box is properly grounded).

Problem

The new dimmer switch is 1.5-2x fatter/wider than the old/traditional switch and thus both sides of the plastic casing on the switch body are touching the metal box. I have seen articles suggesting to calculate the box size needed based on number of wires but I was curios:

How much space is needed/required AROUND the switch to be safe and up to code?

NOTE: My setup is exactly as described here: http://www.familyhandyman.com/electrical/wiring-switches/how-to-install-a-dimmer-switch/view-all

The box fill calculation in NEC 314.16 is per device; there is no code difference in a single gang box for a switch or a duplex outlet or a dimmer. Code treats them all the same, using a 2x the wire size calculation for the largest wire connected to them.

Example: if the box has 2 cables 14 awg with ground there is a total of 6 wires but you only need to count 1 of the grounds. The metal box should have a clamp, so 1 clamp is counted at 1x and 1 device counted at 2x for a total of 8. Now we look up 14 gauge wire per table 314.16B. Number 14 wire is calculated at 2 cubic inches x 8 for a total of 16 cubic inches. The box would need to be 3x2x3.5 per table 314.16.A. I hope this helps your understanding of box fill. Note for 12 gauge wire use 2.25, otherwise the rules are the same.

Also note you need to use the listed size not a measurement of the box the above box is listed as 18 but calculates at 21.

Dimmer switches generate a bit of heat depending on the wattage they're used to control, hence the aluminum heat sink that doubles as a mounting plate. You'll notice that the Lutron switch has scored tabs on the sides that can be removed if you're controlling a significantly different amount of power through the switch. These switches are also pretty bulky on the back end as well, presumably to keep high temperatures from contacting other wires in the box.  You'll want to read the manual that came with the switch to see if you can trim off the tabs. The fact that the dimmer body is touching the box should not be a problem.

Newer LED dimmers, like those made by LeGrande, have fewer thermal issues and are consequently smaller.


Moulding descriptions have a 2-3 letter acronym in their description (eg. LWM, WM, WG) - what do they stand for? If you look at many varieties of moulding available at Home Depot, you get descriptions like:

WM 376 -11/16 in. x 2-1/4 in. Primed Finger-Jointed Door and Window Casing Moulding

Any idea what these WM letters mean (eg. LWM, WM, WG)? I have a few bad guesses:

I thought the WM might be "Window Moulding" - but WM can be used in crown moulding and other non window related uses.

I thought the WM stood for Woodgrain Millwork, but Alexandria moulding also has the WM.

I thought the M in LWM and WM was for the MDF, but sometimes the MDF pieces don't have either of the 3 common acronyms.

I thought the WG might stand for Wood Grain but many WG boards can be made from MDF.

Thanks for clarifying your motivation behind asking. If your goal was to learn a universal nomenclature of moldings, I was bringing bad news:

My 25 years of directly related experience has uncovered no such uniformity. The only way to clearly and universally designate moldings is by function.size, and description of profile. For less common items and large orders, a builder is wise to approve full scale rendering or physical sample.

Alpha designations for moldings [in my area] are unique to the mill that cut them. If commonality exists beyond that, it goes unnoticed, especially in the field. There are a few numbers that are widely repeated, though I haven't found anyone that knows their origin; even  at the big stores, you'll find "356" and "444" casing.

in a given locale, it's usually understood what is expected to be in a house, and it's reflected in the limited variety of locally available stock. A deviation would simply be specified by its difference, e.g., "flat" casing; "3 bead" screen. As is typical in trade terminology, there will also be some regional variations in common terms. Around here you'd hear "speed base" to refer to the contractor grade mdf ogee baseboard.

Overall sizes are pretty standard (though called on both nominally and diminsionally), as are some shapes (though sometimes described instead of named). Basic crown molding are 2⅝", 3⅝", 4⅝", etc." Colonial "(traditional) or *cove" . Typical baseboard is 3½", 4½", 5½", etc "Ogee". Perhaps it's "base with cap".Casings are 2¼", 3¼", 4¼,, and may be called by "flat", "2-step"/"3 step,." Shelf edge", or nosing, is screen mold, "flat", "2-bead", or "3-bead".

Of course, all of this is period relevant, both in terms of style and nomenclature. Not long ago, "base and case" was interchangeably used to trim "doors and floors".

Anyone in the business of dealing with these products should be able to communicate through description using basic profile features such as cove, bead, shoulder, flat, thumbnail, etc. Additionally, some shapes have several variations, like the Ogee. They're based on academically recognized architecture styles.

These are just some examples. Should be  at least as clear as mud! I know it doesn't answer your specific question (as I don't know that it has an answer), hopefully  it is  helpful in some capacity.

Im always interested to learn the experience of others. Perhaps we might find some evidence of a more universal rsal commonality!

I suspect it’s an inventory identification code used by Home Depot. The letters are not “common” letters used throughout the construction industry, such as: VG, PT, etc.


Found a Crack in Subfloor when Removing Old Tile I was removing old tile from my kitchen and found the crack seen in the pictures. I was wondering how big a deal the crack was and how to proceed with trying to lay new tile. I wanted to knock out more of the thinset mortar left around it, but I was afraid I might make the crack worse. Any advice on how to go forward?

You'll need to lay down an isolation pad over the crack before installing the new tile.
The pad will allow the crack to open (if it is active) and not break the tile like as if they were set directly to the concrete floor.


How do you calculate the right size furnace to maximize efficiency? Given that sizing of the equipment is the most important issue to get right to maximize efficiency, what are the factors an installer should take into account to determine the correct size? Is it possible for me to calculate it?

For example, this homeguide describes two formula for sizing a furnace -- one based on square footage (understood to be too crude) and one based on heating degree-days:

50 x heating therms x furnace efficiency = load in BTUs/hour

Oddly, this formula suggests the required BTUs/hour increases as furnace
efficiency (AFUE) increases. Surely that can't be right, since the furnace size
should not need to increase as the furnace gets more efficient.

So if these formula are not correct, what is a good method of calculation?

Correction: In the formula, as furnace efficiency increases, actual heating
therms used would decrease. So I'm wrong; the formula does, at least, pass the
smell test.

With a Manual J heat loss calculation. The number depends on your house's size, insulation, and air sealing, among other things. So you (or the installer) need to know those things first. You can do a rough, ballpark calculation yourself at http://loadcalc.net/ (no affiliation). It won't be 100% accurate, but it's a heck of a lot better than using antiquated rules of thumb. Dismiss anyone who tries to use rules of thumb or blindly recommends replacing equipment with something of identical size. They don't know that they don't know what they're doing.

Commercially sizing is done on the basis of 'worst case scenario'.  Contractors hate to be called back or to deal with complaints, "The furnace you installed doesn't keep my house warm"
The problem:  To be efficient, the unit should run flat out most of the time.  There aren't many systems that work well at partial settings.
To have sufficient capacity for the worst case, it has to be drastically oversized most of the time.
OR
You have to run it infrequently, and store the output.
You don't have to take their advice.
Option 1.  Add buffering to the system.
An oversize unit wastes energy short cycling.  If you have some form of storage,  the unit can run for longer periods efficiently, and turn off for a longer period of time.
For hot water systems this is easy to do:  You put in a large insulated buffer tank, so when the boiler runs, it has to get several times its own volume hot.  If your system will work at the right temp, and you use the boiler to also heat your DHW, you can use your hot water tank as the buffer.
You are still buying a unit that is too big.
For forced air, it's much more difficult.  I can come up with schemes that involve running all the air through a room full of water filled pop bottles, but this is either a lot of aggravation or a lot of expense.
Option 2. Use multiple units in parallel.
These are turned on successively as the demand increases.
E.g. If you are using hydronic heating, buy a single high efficiency hot water heater about 1/4 the size that the contractor recommends but leave room to add a second one if one isn't enough.  I wish I had done that.  I have a 90,000 BTU unit that has never run for more than 3 minutes at a time.  I should have gotten a 20,000 BTU hot water heater instead. (My house is 2500 square feet.  I live in a 10,000 degree day (F) climate.  Worst temp to date is -47 F)
A school where I worked maintenance, replace a single 3 million BTU boiler (hot water and radiator) with 5 150,000 btu boilers.  Two were nominally for DHW, and 3 were nominally for radiators (they had different set points.)
So, for example, in the radiator setup one boiler would come on when circulating hot water dropped below 140, #2 would come on if it dropped below 135, and #3 would come on at 130.  This reduced on/off cycling by a bunch.
The units were interchangeable, and had quick disconnects on them, plugs fitted to the termostats.  The service guys could uncouple one, and take it back to the shop to fix in less time than it took to drive from the shop.
Option 3. Use a modulated fire unit.
This is a unit that doesn't have to be full on or full off.  Some have just high/low, some have continuous fire control.
Option 4 Accept being chilly at times.
The heating unit to first approximation will maintain a given temperature differential between inside and outside.  If your normal winter is -20 and you want your house at 70 then the unit is maintaining a 90 degree differential.
In addition a house built to current standards (R-2000) has enough thermal mass that it will take about 24 hours to respond to a change in temperature.  So an overnight excursion to -40 will likely produce a 10 degree drop in internal temperatures with a unit sized to -20.
Addition tricks you can use under these circumstances:  Partially block ducts in seldom used portions of the house.  Tune your house to be comfortable in the parts you live in, and occasionally chilly in the other parts.
With natural gas prices right now, the return on investment is lengthy.  I use about 70 GJ (~700 therms) a year, which costs me about $600/year.  Of that $400 is energy, and the rest fixed fees.  We pay 3-7 bucks a GJ.  (All currency is canadian)


Finding the other end of an ethernet cable that's punched into a 66 Block I have a Cat 5 ethernet cable that runs from a stereo cabinet to an equipment closet. A couple dozen other identical cables run from other parts of the house to the same hole in my drywall in this closet. They’re not all well labeled. Originally, the cable in the stereo cabinet served as a telephone connection, with a 4P4C jack in the cabinet and the other end punched down into a 66 Block in the closet (question edited to show 66 Block photo).

Now, I want to re-purpose that Cat 5 cable to serve as an Internet connection to the cabinet. I have already re-terminated the cabinet end with an 8P8C Ethernet jack, and I want to find the other end of this cable in the closet so I can connect it to our data network.

If the cable from the stereo cabinet weren’t punched into the 66 Block, I think it would be easy enough to find it, using an answer like “How can I find out which ethernet cable goes where?”. But if I were to use a Tone Generator and Probe, then I would expect for every cable in the house that serves our phone system (all of which are the same gray Cat 5, and all of which are tied together in that 66 Block) to probe positive exactly like the one cable I’m trying to find. Right?

Because of this, the only way I can think of to find this cable is to start pulling wire off my 66 Block. However, I don’t want to do this unless it really is necessary, because I’m fearful that I’ll mess up our home phone system in a way I won’t be able to repair. (One problem I foresee is that I don’t have a lot of extra cable length to work with for punching wires back down.)

How can I figure out which of the many Cat 5 cables that are punched down into the 66 Block in my closet is the one coming from my stereo cabinet?

Encouraged by the comments to my question, I bought a tone generator and probe (I bought a Fluke). Here are the steps I performed:

I plugged the toner into the jack in the stereo cabinet and set it to generate a tone for the probe.
I took the probe to the equipment closet and set it to the same icon as I had set the toner to.
In the equipment closet, I passed the tip over all the cables coming in from the wall.
The audible signal made it completely obvious which cable was the one I was looking for.
Once I found the cable, I pulled its blue/blue-white pair off the block.
I terminated the cable with an RJ45 keystone jack.
I tested the pins with my little Ideal VDV MultiMedia Tester.
I turned off my laptop Wi-Fi, cabled it into the equipment closet, and googled a word I knew wouldn't be cached. Called it a win when Google returned results.

I know this is an old question, but....

I found this very useful.

It includes a tone generator and a tracer, you can follow the cables.
It can show if all wires are connected properly.
It can show where a break is.
It can make the light blink on the port on a switch blink,
useful if you need to identify an outlet without unplugging everything.
It have 8 remote dongles, you can use to identify and test 8 cables without having to run between your outlets and junction cabinet.

Look for NF-388, around €50-€60 on eBay

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Why is the TPR valve dripping on my new water heater? I recently install a Kenmore #58240 40 gal. electric water heater. I had a 50 ga. approx. 12 yr. old Rheem which started to pop a little so I just decided to get a new one. After I installed it at factory set of 120° F, I noticed the TPR valve was cracking open and dripping as the water was being warmed up after usage.

I had the house pressure checked overnight using an outside faucet to record the house pressure for 24 hrs. and the meter showed that the 150 P.S.I. occurred thru out the night. My incoming water line meter was replaced around 6 yrs. ago and I was informed that the meter has a double check valve in it (closed system now).

My old water heater never had the TPR valve open even after they replaced the meter with the check valves in it. I do not have an expansion tank on the incoming line and am curious why I am seeing this pressure spike all of a sudden.

The service man came and replaced the TPR as a shot gun approach but I checked it immediately afterwards and the same dripping from the TPR valve occurred.

Sounds like you need to install an expansion tank, and possibly a pressure regulator (or pressure reducing valve).

When a check valve is installed, it becomes a closed plumbing system. Because it's closed the pressure in the system increases, as the heater heats the water. An expansion tank that is properly charged (charged to the "normal" water pressure) will "absorb" the pressure increase, keeping the system at a steady pressure.

Follow the installation instructions provided by the expansion tank manufacturer. Typically the tank has to be on the cold water supply of the heater, and within a specific distance to the heater. You'll have to measure the pressure at this point in the system, to determine what to charge the tank to.

Expansion tanks typically have a maximum charge value, which should not be surpassed. If you measure the normal incoming water pressure (without the water heater running), and the pressure is above this rating. You'll have to install a pressure reducing valve (PRV), to prevent the incoming pressure from being too high. Plumbing code calls for a PRV, whenever the incoming pressure is greater than 80 psi (See this question for more info).

found this online at structure tech

If a recently replaced T&P relief valve starts leaking again, it probably means that the relief valve is only doing it’s job; it relieving excess pressure in the water heater.  When this happens, the fix gets a little bit more involved.  I’ll explain.
When a water heater heats up the water in the tank, the water expands.  When this happens, the water typically ends up expanding back out the cold water inlet, all the way back to the water supply coming in to the house.  The municipal water supply for the house acts as a gigantic expansion tank… and nobody notices.
Natural expansion
What would happen if a one-way valve, or check valve, was installed on the water supply piping for the house?  The water wouldn’t have anywhere to go.  As the water heater heats the water, it expands, which builds up pressure in what is now essentially a closed system.  When the pressure builds up enough, the T&P relief valve on the water heater just does it’s job and relieves the excess pressure by leaking a little water.
The Fix  When a closed system exists on the water distribution piping in a home, an expansion tank needs to be installed somewhere on the plumbing system.  This is a fairly simple and straightforward fix; an expansion tank will give the water somewhere to go when it expands, and the T&P relief valve on the water heater will stop causing problems.


How do I determine if I need attic insulation to keep cool in summer? How can I determine if I need more attic insulation to keep cool in summer?

I live in the desert of southern California so it can get pretty hot in the summer (110+ is not uncommon).  I would like to lower my electric bill but more to the point I would just like to ensure that our house is comfortable without the air conditioning going all the time.

I feel if I asks a company that does insulation I know they will say we need more but I don't know who else to ask or how to determine this.

The electrical company does not offer an energy usage assessment at this time (they used to).

What kind of insulation do you currently have in your attic? (Note: head on up there and check it out.) If it's batt insulation -- large units of fiberglass -- then that information will be printed on either the paper facing or the insulation itself. If it's loose fill insulation, which is far more common in attics, then you can usually figure out what the product is (pink, yellow, or white and very itchy = fiberglass, dirty grey = greenfiber, white and not very itchy = cellulose) and find it's value per inch on this handy table of R values.

For best performance, I'd go up to R-60. In a home built by your average builder in the past decade, R-30 meets code. Adding blown-in insulation, which you can do over fiberglass batts, is extremely cheap if you DIY ... although it's not a pleasant job to do. Rental of the machine from Home Depot or Lowe's is usually free with the purchase of a certain number of bales of insulation, and greenfiber especially is cheap. To bring my 1600 sq. ft. ranch up to R-60 would only cost me a couple hundred dollars in materials.

Do check at all ends of your attic. You might find that the areas close to the attic access are R-30 to meet code, but areas farther away might have less. I've known a few builders to be stingy with the insulation. One home I helped a friend with here in Houston had less than four inches of insulation in most of the attic.

One caution point is to make sure that in the process of adding insulation that any attic ventilation that you may have at the soffits is not blocked off. Soffit air is essential to the ventilation of your attic, if your home is designed that way. I would recommend installing Berger AccuVent baffles over every soffit vent before adding more insulation.

Last but not least, consider coating your roof with a reflective coating. You might need to get a contractor to do this, but it's simple and straightforward work. In the Inland Empire, nothing is more effective than keeping the solar rays from heating your house in the first place. Unfortunately, many find these roof coatings to be unsightly, so you might have to check with your HOA if you have one before applying anything.

I hired a Green Tech Insulation to re-insulate my attic, have about 10 inch of insulation, they will add R-50 blown fiberglass, up to 22 inch high, they promised me it will cool my home during hot summer days. They will also install baffle system, extend the wooden box ( door to come in attic), insulate hatch, and use weather stripping around door. They guarantee me, it will cool my home during summer. I am not doing this to get a rebate from our Ontario Government, I am doing this so I can stay inside my home, without turning on a/c and live well. Investing $ 1,000.00 will be worth it. I also hired another company to re-insulate  my exterior walls with 1 1/2 inch R-9 enerfoil insulation with new recap of all windows, caulking and install new siding. All this will keep my home comfortable, and will save me lots of $$$$, in heating costs, and will not need to turn on a/c.


Filling in gaps between pavers with a caulk-like material? I was walking home the other day and came across a group of workers installing pavers for a driveway.  The thing that caught my attention was one guy who was filling in the gaps (about 3/8 to 1/2 inch) between the pavers with a caulk gun loaded with a tube that contained some kind of tan material.

I've used sanded caulk before, but only indoors.  I'm assuming that this is something similar, but designed for a slightly harsher environment.

What was this material, and what are the advantages and disadvantages to using this to fill the gaps between pavers?

It could very well be an outdoor sanded caulk, meant to seal the gaps in the pavers to prevent weeds and water, which can disturb a nice level surface of pavers over time. I mean, if you'd trust a 1/2" bead of general-purpose silicone caulk to seal flashing on your roof, I would trust it to perform similarly in most any other application.

It could also be a grout-like substance, used in much the same way as for tile. This kind of material would be more rigid, and I wouldn't count on it lasting very long if you get cold winters; it'll crack, loosen and eventually crumble away as the pavers, and the ground itself, shrinks and expands.

Sikens self leveling caulk available in tan or gray is my guess


Why does one outlet trip the breaker, but not others? In my spare bedroom, there are four electrical outlets. If I use a vacuum cleaner in one of those outlets, the breaker trips. However, if I use any of the other outlets, it works fine. Is the outlet itself bad, or is there some other kind of wiring problem?
This breaker only powers the four outlets, a ceiling fan and light. I had the light (7W LED) on, and everything else off or unplugged.
All outlets show 120V Hot-Neutral, and 0 V Neutral-Ground.
The breaker is a 15A Combination Type AFCI Type BRAF.

On the contrary, that outlet is probably the one that has the most direct connection to the breaker. The additional wire between that outlet and the others is what reduces the current that the vacuum cleaner draws just enough to keep the breaker from tripping.

You sound you live in a house with an illegal safety code. One sure way to find out if the house wiring is breaking the safety electrical code,  test every AC receptacles with a $1 AC pen tester. if both a Neutral (White) or the Live (Black) wires lights the pen, then you need to call a "certified electrician" to pinpoint which non polarize receptacle is causing the problem which won't take 30 minutes to find and fix.


tripping circuit breaker My 15 amp circuit breaker for 2 bedrooms trips whenever either of the overhead lights are turned on but also if more than a couple of low amperage things are used in any of the receptacles (radio, low voltage light). I assumed the circuit breaker was the problem so I traded circuit breaker locations. The new circuit breaker had the same problem. The home is about 1 year old, it was professionally wired and it is not a GFI circuit.

The only real solution here is to actually measure the amount of current being drawn by the circuit.

This could be done by any number of jury-rigged methods using a multi-meter. But the safest, most effective would be to use a "clamp-amp" or "amprobe" style meter:

If the meter shows a load around the rating of the breaker (15 A), then you need to remove some of the loads on the circuit, and or have the rooms split into two circuits.

If the meter shows a load far below 15 A, then it's likely that the breaker is faulty and needs to be replaced.


Old home, is this asbestos in the attic? House was built in the 40s and moved in the 70s, no idea if it was reinsulated or not after being moved

I want to preface my answer with this, you cannot definitively say if there is or is not asbestos in a space through a picture, as it requires a microscope. My assumption is based on research and your initial statement about the age of your home as well as personal experience and research.

That said, chances are high that there would be asbestos in there. However, asbestos undisturbed, isn't dangerous on it's own. It becomes dangerous once you disturb it and it is now airborne. So depending on your plans - this may or may not be cause for worry.

At the end of the day - tests are cheap. I just had some testing done last month. In fact most places offer tests for samples you take yourself (they should provide suggestions for safe handling within the instructions). For my testing it was 50CAD for the first sample, and then an extra 25CAD for each additional sample. The turn around was less than 3 business days.

So if you are really concerned...just get it tested.

It is probably paper waste (or perhaps wool).  Fibrous asbestos like that was used for insulation, but usually for high temperature applications rather than domestic roofs.

A quick test is: does it burn when you hold a lighter to it?  If so, it's not asbestos.  If it doesn't burn, it might still be some sort of mineral wool; you will need to get a specialist firm in to test the material.

WARNING

There is a lot of hysteria about asbestos in domestic buildings, however if this  is asbestos, then lose fibres like this are extremely dangerous.  You will certainly need it removed as quickly as possible, and you may have quite an expensive process to go through before the house is habitable again.  Do not skimp on this; you may not be able to afford it, but you can't afford for you or one of your family to have mesothelioma either.


Gluing Post Base To Concrete I recently found out that one of the posts which support my roof is free to move around. The post bracket had rusted out and came out. Is there any way I can glue a post bracket to the concrete using concrete epoxy, then shim the post up back to the original height? The post is 5.5” x 5.5” x ~16’ tall.

I would do the following:

support the roof - and jack it up a 1/2” extra to enable the new one to slide in.

drill and cement or epoxy the post support ( stainless is good) into place, these are usually adjustable so getting the roof level is possible.

measure the required length of post - from the support to the roof and the 1/2” can be accounted for in the adjustment.

fit the post - the bottom support may be a “cup” which might need one side reducing or it may only be a U, which means the post end can slide in easily.

adjust the post height while removing the jacking supports.

May be worth treating the post ends and painting before fitting though.

You have 3 main issues: 1) Hold your post and roof up, 2) Hold your post and roof down, and 3) Maintain a minimum of 6” distance from the post to the ground.

You need a steel connector with a mechanical anchor (bolt, etc.) to support and hold the post in position. There are several types of connectors that are suitable for retrofit applications...see below.

Likewise, a steel connector with a mechanical anchor will “hold” the post and roof down (providing the top of the post is anchored to the roof properly.)

The bottom of the post needs to be cut off so it’s elevated a minimum of 6” above grade.

Because the post is about 16’ long, I’d suspect that the roof could be temporarily supported so the post could swing out of the way a few inches so the anchor could be installed. I’d use something like the Simpson ABU 66Z
https://www.strongtie.com/resources/product-installers-guide/abu-installation
Get the correct type of galvanizing for your area.


Are magnetic bit holders interchangable? Originally  I bought a Dewalt bit set and they have their own magnetic sleeve that goes over bits to magnetize them. It works well but because it's a sleeve if the bit is in an extension the sleeve cannot be used as there is not enough space to slide down.
Next I bought a makita holder which is like a little extension but claims to magnetize bits.
Finally I bought a new set of bits by Milwaukee on discount which includes a similar little extension that claims to magnetize bits.
Milwaukee extension + Milwaukee bits = pleasure to use works great.
Makita extension + Milwaukee or Dewalt bits = does literally NOTHING.
Milwaukee extension + Dewalt bits = works ok not great.
So what I don't get is are there different types of magnets and alloys that each company uses?
Is Makita intended to work with Makita bits?
Why does combining Milwaukee/Dewalt produces worse hold.

I have bits from Bosch, Makita and DeWalt but also many cheap ones.
They all fit into various holders from the above names as well as some no-name ones.
The magnetic hold is different on all holders - some are strong and will hold suitable screws while others “just” manage to hold the bit.

Yes all drivers for drills will fit into an extension as long as it is a 1/4 inch drive. Most commonly used drivers are 1/4 inch hex drive made to fit in a similarly sized socket or extension.
The magnet in the extension can have varying magnetic strengths depending on what the manufacturer feels is necessary and financially viable. So while Makita may be using a rare earth magnet that has superior holding power other brands may use one not so magnetically great.
If your bits lack magnetic reliability try chucking it in a drill and place a magnet against it will running the drill for a few seconds. This will result in a driver that can attract/pick up several 1 5/8 inch screws at once.


How can I add a fireplace to an existing non-fireplace chimney? Our 83 year old house has a brick chimney covered up with drywall. We have no idea where the original flue was, but it must have vented a wood stove because there is no structure for a fireplace.

We want to install a zero-clearance wood-burning fireplace. The best place (to our mind) would be in the living room, which means that it would squeeze into a corner of the living room, with a doorway on either side of the hearth. I know we will have to install an insulated chimney liner esp. since there is combustible material against the chimney. Our rough plan is to place a lightweight floor protector, rather than a stone hearth, so the floor can bear the weight. Because we cannot stick the stove "into" the wall because there is no fireplace opening, the new fireplace vent would have to bend into the chimney at some point, and we would have to cut a hole into the brick chimney for the flu. Also, the fireplace will "stick out" into the room, so we will have to make a mantel/hearth around it  that will basically eat up 1/6th of the living room.

I'm a novice at this, and am sure I've missed some details. Any advice or suggestions?

Is it possible to cut through the brick?

Is bending the vent pipe a good idea?

Will the chimney be a fire hazard even with insulated liner?

Our other option is to wait, and build a new chimney/fireplace into a one-room extension we plan to add to our two-story house. But everything I've read says never to do that... and that chimneys on exterior walls cause poor air flow.

I realize this post is "old" however I wanted to post the answers as the information is always relevant to future question askers! :)

I sold venting pipe professionally for 4 years, and have experience designing a variety of systems.

Just a few notes:
 1. Always check your clearances to combustible materials. Zero-clearance fireplaces are only zero clearance to certain materials, like masonry, etc. Make sure you take care when addressing this.

Different stoves have different pipe diameters. If you're still debating which model to get, you could save yourself some money by going with 6" diameter versus 8", as the larger it is the more expensive.
Old masonry chimneys are dangerous and should be inspected, even if using a liner.

Onto the parts! Since you are going to be dealing with a freestanding stove as well as a chimney liner, you're likely going to need an adapter as you enter the masonry.

When you come off of your stove with the flue pipe, you would want double-walled black stovepipe. This has a twist-lock connection that will go on your stoves outlet, either top or rear vented. It is more expensive than single-walled pipe, has less clearance requirement of 8 inches versus (18-inch clearance of single-wall) but has longer life, and isn't burning hot to the touch.

Your question about bending the pipe: Definitely do not ever physically bend a pipe to create a curve, etc. Rather, use an angled piece, then a straight, and then another angled piece to complete the connection. This stove-pipe comes with "elbows" at various angles. 45/90 degree are the most common, so you should have no issue angling the pipe to penetrate the masonry at 90 degrees.

The easiest way to complete your system would be to adapt the standard stove-pipe to a masonry liner.
For a normal chimney-pipe to masonry-liner system, you will need a few pieces that aren't "standard" on most installations.

Masonry Thimble: This item installs into the 6-8" diameter hole you drill in your masonry chimney. It allows a length of straight pipe to pass through your masonry wall, into the chimney, and connect to the flexible stainless chimney liner.
Stove-pipe to Liner Adapter: This piece physically adapts the rigid interior stove pipe to flexible liner.

You asked if the chimney can be a fire-hazard even with a liner;
The short answer is yes. The reason being that if there is not enough clearance from the edge of the chimney interior to the outside edge of the chimney liner pipe; heat can be transferred to the brick, which can then catch wood aflame. If you have proper clearance, no fires should occur from the liner/masonry portion.

The only other fire-hazard that should exist is the chimney-cap itself. Make sure that the termination (last pieces) are done correctly. Is there a masonry chimney penetrating above the roofline a good bit? If so, you have it easy and can purchase a Turbo cap with a "spark arrestor" screen.. The cap spins as the heat exhausts out, cooling it, and the screen catches any flaming embers or sparks that might still exist from the burning wood.

Regarding your "Chimneys on exterior cause poor air flow" Statement: From my experience that is mostly false. Only in situations where there are EXTREME weather conditions does this ever occur. The reason this is never a problem with correct installations is that the Class A pipe required for exterior installations is either double wall or triple wall insulated. There are numerous layers of insulation that keep the flue gasses piping hot (ha) until they exit the chimney cap. Please keep in mind when designing a chimney system you want to achieve this: Most air flow. Least bends. Shortest run.

Numerous elbows/Angles cause the exhaust to cool. A rule of thumb is no more than 3 90 degree turns total from stove to cap.

I hope this helps!

I have run into what might be the same situation. The chimney on our house looks to be about 30 years old. The previous owner had a wood stove sitting in front of the finished wall with the vent pipe running through the finished wall into the chimney. We did tear down the plaster in front of the chimney hoping there was a fireplace. What we found was only a chimney. The chimney was built right against the exterior tongue and groove wood sheathing boards. The boards were completely rotted to the point where they hardly existed anymore. The chimney looks like it has caused nothing but problems. I believe because the bricks collect moisture is the reason for the rotting wood. The joint where the roof shingles and chimney may not have been well kept either. The exterior siding was loose all the way up both sides of the chimney. From inside the house we could easily reach through the siding and stick our hands outside and touch the bricks of the chimney. It was letting squirrels, raccoons, bats, you name it into the house. A hole wasn't even noticeable from the outside. The siding acted as a door for the critters. Our solution is to tear the chimney down and get a ventless gas fireplace with mantle since we have natural gas. We like the idea of being able to run it for heat when the power is out and it will look better than a wood stove sticking into the living room 6 ft.   I think you should open up the wall to see what's behind it. Hopefully you won't be as shocked and disappointed as we were, but if there are any issues you'll be able to take care of them before they get as out of hand as ours. Hopefully you'll discover a fireplace :-)


How can I turn off the power to an outlet if a water alarm is triggered? I'm installing a dishwasher on a second floor, and after having 3x dishwashers leak during their run cycle during my life, I'm understandably hesitant.

I will definitely be installing a water alarm. However, what I'd really like to do is install a water alarm that can shut off power to the dishwasher in case of a leak.

Does such a device exists without me rigging up my own setup using a relay and water alarm combination?

I just recently paired a leak detector with a power relay for an upstairs laundry.

The leak detector has an output contact that is sensed by the power relay.

Floodstop detector, leak sensor and single valve for dishwasher

Furman power relay

I bought an extra sensor (they connect easily in parallel), so that I had one in the pan and one just outside at the base of the wall.

No extra wiring is necessary, except for converting your DW to a plug and outlet, all other wiring is supplied

You don't have to connect the valve if you don't want to, but its extra insurance if a hose leaks.

Try wet switch flood detector

http://www.amazon.com/DiversiTech-WS-1-Switch-Flood-Detector/dp/B004JPDO8W


How can I keep a bedroom warmer in summer? The master bedroom in my parent's house tends to be the coolest room in the house, and my father complains it's too cold.  The A/C register in the ceiling does have a flow adjustment lever, but it's difficult for my 80-year-old dad to reach and adjust.  I tried to attach a pull wire, but the lever is just a slightly bent strip of metal, and I can't manage to tie anything to it securely enough to be usable.

Does anybody make a register that's easier for the elderly to adjust?  Where can I find it?  A register with a built-in thermostat might work, too.  Is there such a thing?

Or does someone have another idea about keeping the room from getting too cold (without the rest of the house becoming too hot)?

They do make thermostat controlled vent covers, this particular one is ~$60.

I'm not sure how difficult it is to install one of these (as I've never done it myself), but it sounds like this is exactly the type of thing you are looking for.

This is not a recommendation for this product, simply an example to show that they do exist.

When my office gets hot from the computer, I have a fan nearby.  I don't point it at myself, but it still creates enough air movement to lower the temperature (or at least my perception of it) by 3-4 degrees.

It would be easy to drill a hole in the lever and attach something to it.  You'd also need a pulley, etc., but the levers are pretty hard to move, and I don't think such an apparatus would be very successful.

There are motorized vent registers, but you're talking about a pretty small market when it comes to residential.  I have no idea how easy/hard it is to get your hands on a quality product.


How do I take a live wire off of a two way switch? if I know how to take the live wire off then my job is easier.

Never, ever, work on live electrical wires.

Turn the power off at the breaker/fuse. You should have a voltage detector to verify the power really is off, like one of these:

Can you work with 'hot' wires? Yes, but you'd better know what you're doing before you start. Changing outlets & even service entrances can be done with the power on but why? Find & flip the breaker before starting. Do put a sign on the breaker box so someone won't turn it back on til you've finished to avoid unpleasant surprises. My coworker accidentally did this to me & if I hadn't been working with 1 hand tucked in my leather belt (a good safety practice) you wouldn't be reading this. I had forgotten to take off my wedding ring (which I never wore to work as a rule) and it took the current alone & melted into slab on my hand. I ended up with a 3rd°burn that took months to heal, all from a split second of current! If not for the ring I would have been fine.

I had no choice on working live in one case because the electric co. couldn't make it out for 3wks to turn off the main line. That was to change a service entrance from the first house coupling in. I took every precaution: no metal on me, wore rubber shoes, stood on a wood platform, all my tools were non-conductive & I worked one handed where possible. I didn't let anybody  nearby & worked fast. But I've done electrical for 40 yrs but that didn't mean I liked working hot or made a habit of doing this.

If you must do it yourself you'll need to find & shut off the breaker. Get a multimeter ($10) & test the outlet after flipping it off to make sure it's dead before starting. (the idiot who stuck his finger in the outlet to test for power has tried too many dumb shortcuts & fried his brain...or what's left of it)

You'll need a pair of insulated needle-nosed pliers (if the handle insulation is torn or worn don't use), a flat-head & Phillips-head screwdriver and some black electrical tape. A rubber mat to stand on is also recommended. Remove anything metal/conductive from you & the immediate surroundings.That includes liquids like pop or iced tea etc.

Remove the faceplate of the outlet & unscrew the existing outlet. ALWAYS assume the wire's 'hot' especially if there's a chance someone might reflip the breaker. Using the pliers swap each wire from the bad outlet to the new one, never touching either the outlets or the wires with bare fingers.  If you don't have enough play in the wire's to do this, then take the old wires off one at a time & cover the tips with electrical tape. Mark each with a label noting the color (a pro knows hot from ground but amateurs tend to confuse wires once disconnected.)

Use the needle-nose pliers to make a tight 'u' at the end of the wire you're connecting (one at a time) & slip each under the screw of the new outlet making sure you're putting gold to hot, white to silver & green to ground. Mix them up & the first thing plugged into the outlet will blow anything attached to the circuit.

Tighten each screw over the wire so there's no wiggle or loosening. You can tape over each screw until you've gotten the last one screwed on so you don't accidentally make contact with one. REMEMBER! ALWAYS ASSUME THE WIRES ARE HOT!!!

When all 3 wires have been moved to the new outlet remove any protective tape & toss the old outlet aside & slide the new outlet into its place. Make sure every wire is still tightly screwed down. Then screw the outlet in place & replace the cover. Then go flip the breaker back on & test the outlet with the multimeter to ensure it's putting out the correct voltage. Or plug in a small lamp or low amperage item.

If you're not comfortable working with wiring you're much better off hiring a pro. Second best is a handyman who's done this before.If you decide to do this yourself, be careful & good luck!


Can I convert a 240V dryer to 120V? I have a stackable washer dryer combo. The dryer works on 240V and the washer works 120V, but they have 1 control panel. I don't have 240V in my new apartment, and am hoping to have the power cord switched to a 120V.
I have read that this process involves:

getting a 3 wire 120 cord-set of at least 14 gauge and a 14 gauge jumper wire.
connect neutral to neutral terminal
black to black terminal
ground to ground terminal
and jumper wire from neutral to red

I have no experience with electronics and don`t plan on doing this myself, I had an electrician come look at it for me but he has never done it before, my question is:

Does this look correct, can he or (most likely another electrician) do this?
I know it won't be code, I just need to know if it's possible.

Switching out the cord is easy, but that does not make it a 110V dryer. It's probably not possible to convert to 110V, although you'd have to find a user manual or contact the manufacturer to confirm. And even if you could, it would probably draw more power than a standard residential 110V outlet could supply.

The only way to do this is to run a 220V outlet for the dryer. Do you rent or own this apartment? What country are you in? Most US service is 220V, even if all of the outlets are 110V.

You can buy a converter/ transformer online for under $100 can find for 5-10 $but I'd stick with good quality so don't blow up the house


Heater fan causes fluorescent light to dim/flicker While we were cleaning out a friend's garage I turned on a heater fan. I didn't take a good look at it but it has a digital display, thermostat, and I'm pretty sure it's a wire element type. It started getting dark while we were cleaning and my friend was moving something around and told me to turn off the heater so that the light would get brighter. I turned it off and the fluorescent light in the ceiling got way brighter and stopped flickering.

I haven't had a chance to look at the breaker box yet, but from what she describes to me, it sounds pretty bad. She says that if you turn too much stuff on in the house, the breaker trips. I'm assuming that the whole house is only on a few circuit breakers.

My question is, why would the heater fan cause the fluorescent light to flicker and dim, and can I expect this same behavior from incandescent or LED bulbs (non-dimmable)? Is this indicative of improper wiring in the house, or just too much going through a single breaker, or is it maybe something with the (probably) shaded-pole fan inside the heater causing noise in the grid?

This is indicative of overloaded circuits and/or improper wiring. Check the voltage at an outlet both with and without load. Recommended range for a nominal-120 VAC line is 110-124 VAC for Range A.

If the voltage drops below that, or if circuit breakers trip frequently, remove loads (especially a heater, which can draw 15 A) or rewire the house. Some older houses had aluminum wiring, which makes poor contact at connections with age.  Don't risk a fire caused by overheating circuits.

It is not possible that there is to much current used, then the circuit breaker would break the circuit. It's verry unlikely that there is too litle voltage, unless the circuit is connected in series and the switch changed that to parralel (verry unlikely though)

My gues would be that there is something wrong with the starter of the fluorescent light, it looks a bit like this:

You can try to replace it, it might solve some problems.

Also take a look at the breaker box, maybe they did something weird with the wiring.


How long should I recharge my drill's batteries? I have a Black & Decker EPC128 12V cordless drill. It has two batteries. Since the recharger has no light or indicator on it, I never surely understand whether the battery is partly/fully charged or overcharged. How long exactly should I recharge the batteries? The tool is something like this:

I have found the original instructions on this page.

  After approx. 3 hours of charging, the battery will be sufficiently
  charged for use in regular applications. After approx. 8-10 hours of
  charging, the battery will be fully charged.

After a few lines, it says:

  After normal use, a charging time of 3 hours will provide sufficient
  power for most applications. However, further charging for up to 6 hours
  could significantly increase the use time, depending on the
  battery and charging conditions.

If the battery is fully discharged, the formula is:
Time(t) = Battery Capacity(q) / Charging Current(i)
Units can be hours, amp hours and amps or seconds, coulumbs and amps

For Example, If The battery your charging is 1Ah and the charger output is 100mA(0.100 amps), charge for 10 hours.
If the same battery is charged with a supplied charger output of
250mA(0.250 amps), charge for 4 hours.

These equations assume a charger efficiency of 100% which is impossible in real life, charge times may be longer depending on charger efficiency...


Ceiling Fan Replacement - Wiring Issue I am replacing a ceiling fan in one room and when I took the old one down I found 2 black wires tied together(one of which is hot), one white ground wire, one hot white wire, and one red wire, and a copper ground coming from the ceiling. I only have one switch in the room to operate the light. The fan was wired hot and turned on and off by the pull chain.

I know the red switch wire attaches to the blue wire in the new fan.
I know the two white ground wires connect
I know the green wire in the fan connects to the ground.

I cannot figure out what to do with the remaining three wires. As a side note - disconnecting the fan in here has also caused power going to the other sections of the room on this breaker loose power.

Odd that you said you had a white wire that was hot. Both white wires should be neutral and have no voltage. Seems to me wires would go like this: connect all black wires together. That will run hot all the time to the fan as well as sending power downstream.   Next tie all white wires together. That will provide neutral to the fan as well as pass neutral downstream. Ideally there would be a bare copper wire coming from the hot side and another to continue downstream. The red to blue should switch the light, providing that blue is the correct one for the light.


Why is my 3-prong dryer outlet showing 240V between hot and neutral/ground 'L' prong? I'm trying to tell what might be wired wrong with our dryer outlet. Using a Fluke 75 set to AC, I read 238V between the hot leads, 118V from one lead to ground, and 238V between the other lead to ground. Is this a simple breaker box problem or might I have bigger issues? FYI, the house was built in 1977 but I've been told the wiring is copper not aluminum.

I am comfortable doing the fix if I have good debugging tips...

Corrections now that I'm home: It's 120v between h1-h2, 120v between h2-neutral, and 240 between h1-neutral. Major user error in data collection but I feel better knowing it's just wired wrong. Please delete or edit at your whim. Also please ding the upvotes because it's a flawed question with bad data.

This answer was based on a prior version of the question

The picture that Jeremy posted in his answer you is perfect. I do however disagree with the idea that there may be a short between ground and neutral. Ground and neutral should be at the same potential and intentionally connected/ bonded in the breaker box.

As far as the readings you are getting L1 to Ground/neutral = 120vac and L2 to ground/neutral = 240vac, this leads me to believe there may be an interconnection of the two power leads. It would seem to me however, if they were somehow interconnected, you would see 240vac on either leg to ground.

I would suggest taking the cover off the plug and testing the hot leads to the neural lug and case ground again. Obviously be careful and skilled with working with open wiring! The next step would be to take the same measurements at the breaker. It should be a double pole 30 amp breaker. Look for any double taps off one leg of the breaker. The readings should be 120 to ground/neutral from each side of the breaker and 240 across the hot lugs of the breakers.  If the same error exists, you may need to turn off the breaker, remove it and disconnect the wires and ohm out the individual paths looking for any shorts in the cable itself. This must be done with the wires disconnected from all power sources. Be sure to check for any voltage, even with wires off the breaker, before proceeding, just in case there is some other interconnection to a hot line.

This trouble shooting is dangerous and should only be attempted by someone qualified. If you are not sure of your abilities, call a pro.

I gotta think about this one a bit more. This situation and readings sound strange and improbable. Maybe one of my electrical guru buds on here can lend some better ideas.

There does not seem to be a problem in this case. your breaker box does not regulate any voltage supply, (only cuts the supply in the case of a short)

Your power grid is supplied at a higher voltage (around 3300v), to your home, at the end of the utilities power grid will be an LV transformer which will transform your supply to the desired voltage. Due to the distances between the transformer and your home, the supply is slightly higher than the norm to allow for some loss within the span of cable.

This supply voltage is near to the 120v range, and it is normal to get these voltage levels.
from Wikipedia:

  national standards specify that the nominal voltage at the source should be 120 V and allow a range of 114 to 126 V ( RMS) (−5% to +5%). Historically 110, 115 and 117 volts have been used at different times and places in North America. Main power is sometimes spoken of as 110; however, 120 is the nominal voltage.


Where is the blade/spindle lock on an old Skilsaw 5250 7 1/4" circular saw? I have a Skilsaw 5250 7 1/4" circular saw i picked up used 20 years ago. No idea how old it is, but still works.

I recently put a metal grinding blade on it to cut roofing tin. Worked great. But now I want to put the saw blade back on. Never saw a blade lock button, so always used a Phillips screwdriver through one of the holes in blade to "lock" it while tightening/un-tightening the blade nut.

The metal grinding blade has no such holes. I Can't find a way to secure the blade/spindle while trying to loosen the nut.

Thanks.

It likely does not have a spindle lock.  I have a similar saw and there isn't one.  I use a heavy rag or glove to block the blade while adjusting the bolt.

If you can't get enough holding power with the heavy rag / glove method, you can also use a scrap piece of wood (or metal) and wedge it between the blade and the shoe in order to hold the blade stationary.


Is it a problem to leave a sprinkler line through concrete shed footing? I'm in the process of getting an attached shed built in my house (due to HOA restrictions). They seem to be very competent. The contractor is subcontracting the concrete foundation pouring.

They have just dug the footing, pre-pour. I have noticed that a water line for the sprinkler system is going to go right through two sides of it and skim the front wall. I have asked about it and they said it should be fine running through the foundation.

I'm not terribly worried about the foundation itself from this. But it seems like it might be a concern from a servicing perspective, not moving the line. They will be redirecting the sump line though.

Does this sound right to you guys? Just want to double check.

Here is what it currently looks like:

People put flexible pipes inside concrete all the time (this is how heated floors are made)

you should space it away from the floor and trench mesh so that it does not become a conduit for moisture (from the soil) and oxygen to attack the reinforcing steel

If you have more of that line and some elbows now would be a good time to move it. But if you're feeling lazy it doesn't look particularly hard to replace the under-slab section with an external loop at a later date. if needed.

Is it the green pipe in that photo? If so, that pipe is not deep enough in my opinion anyway. I would have that entire sprinkler pipe re-done to a proper depth, so whether or not you leave it there to be encased in the concrete becomes irrelevant.


Removing a Schlage door knob with stripped screw heads I made the mistake of trying to remove a Schlage lockset with a regular screw driver too many times.  (The knob makes it impossible for an ordinary driver to seat properly on the Phillips screw head.  So every time I touch it, the screw heads get worse.)  Now I've stripped both screws.

I installed the door knob in the main entry two years ago, and it gets a lot of use.  I originally attached the screws with threadlock because I was so fed up with re-tightening them every few months.  I was expecting them to be a bit stiff.  But since I was the one who put the thing together, I thought I could just carefully back it out.  It got it off once, but not any more.

So I wised up (a bit) and bought a $3 offset screwdriver, but the screw heads are too worn.  The offset driver just slips out of the heads no matter how tight I grip it, and I've cut both hands trying to hold it steady.

I tried setting up a screw extractor, but the knob prevents me from drilling through the center of the screw.  I also tried tapping the handle-end of a flat head screwdriver, with the flat head tip placed on the axis, to try and get some counterclockwise rotation, but the threadlock seems to prevent any movement.

Unfortunately I may have to completely destroy the lockset to get the thing off, which seems like a complete waste, but I'm running out of ideas.  Is there anything else I can do that might remove it, without losing any more blood?

I'd drill the existing screw head off, use a bit slightly larger than the shaft of the screw but smaller than the hole in the knob. The stripped out screw should keep the bit fairly centered even when used at a slight angle. Once each head is removed you can pull the knob and try a screw extractor on what's left, but there's a good chance you'll need to replace the entire lockset at this point.

Use a reciprocating saw to remove the knob. Use it as a therapeutic session to vent your frustration.

If you spend 6 hours and a couple of band-aids to save yourself from buying a new $25 door knob, you're behind a lot more than $25. (Time is money). At some point you just have to bite the bullet and purchase new things and trash the old things. Not every situation is salvageable.


What do I need to provide the cable company with for grounding, when wiring my own house? I'm planing to do my own electrical wiring for a new house, and the cable company needs something to attach their ground wire to when they mount the demarcation box.

I'd like a clean looking install, so I was thinking that I would just have a piece of 1" RNC coming out of the bottom of the outside panel (the one with the meter) that protects the #4 copper wire on the way down to the ground rods. The conduit would end at the grade level and the #4 would come out of it there.

But this doesn't give the telco anything to bond to on the wall. Is there a nice looking way to get a code compliant ground hookup next to where the demarcation box goes for them? Some type of nice looking box conencted to the panel via conduit so there's not just a sloppy looking wire draped across the side of the house like I see on some houses?

Update:

I found this gadget from Arlington: http://www.aifittings.com/catalog/grounding/intersystem-grounding-bridges-with-pvc-adapter/GBB5P which might do the trick. It's meant for 1/2" RNC. I'm interested to know if the conduit that the ground wire is in can turn after it comes out of the electrical box, go horizontal across the wall a few feet to where the dmarc is, then have one of these gadgets installed on it's way down to the ground? Is there any code reason why that wouldn't be permitted?

I'm also interested to know if the code would allow the a ground wire from the panel to go through the wall and into the dmarc through the conduit that the coax enters the building through, as one answer suggested. This would be very clean, but I'm not sure if it meets the NEC requirements in 250.94.

Do a search for "Intersystem Bonding". You should be able to find quite a few devices on the market, hopefully one of them suits your fancy.

Basically, you'll install an intersystem bonding termination device (with at least 3 terminals) near the electrical service entrance. Then you'll bond the IBT back to the grounding electrode system, using a 6 AWG copper conductor. You should be able to find an IBT device that can mount directly to the meter base
 or service panel enclosure, if that's more convenient for you.

Here's an article from the International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI) magazine, that discusses the NEC 250.94 rules.

Route the ground wire for the demarc inside the wall cavity, not outside the structure. The ground wire can connect to the ground bus bar inside your breaker box or bonded to the #4 grounding wire inside your electrical service entrance.

It can come out out of the wall directly behind the demarc box and probably even use the same hole as the the communication cable.


How to keep my air conditioner from freezing when it is cool outside? My bedroom is the hottest room in the house, and even with all the windows open and fans in them doesn't cool off as much as I would like when it's an acceptable temperature outside.  And I prefer to sleep in a rather cool room since I find it easier to breath.

I have a window air conditioner that works perfectly in the summer, keeping the room nice and cool.  But in the spring and fall, when it's cool outside (but not cool enough for me to be comfortable!) the AC will freeze over quickly.

What can I do to prevent it from freezing?

Are some window air conditioners better at working with lower outside temperatures?  If so what would I be looking for?

A typical AC shouldn't freeze over in that temperature range unless it's running 24x7. Try turning it onto energy save mode and adjusting the thermostat so that it turns off for at least 10-15 minutes every 2 hours.

Turn it off, or set to fan/exhaust only and take advantage of that cool outside air.


What's the proper way to fill this hole? Recently a dip formed in our flooring inside our sports performance training facility.  We discovered that the concrete job there had a good number of stones in it, and I believe that it was that combined with poor adhesion and cavitation that led to what you see at the following links:

I cleaned out all the larger 'stones', and am wondering if I can fix this myself.  If I do, what will I need?  What do I need to do to ensure that this doesn't happen again?  We're a training facility, so the floor needs to be able to withstand some amount of impact.

More pictures

Acquire a rotatory impact hammer drill so that you can pocket rebar into the existing concrete. Buy 'high-strength' expensive concrete. If you called a truck for onsite mixing (an unnecessary expense), tell the driver, 7 bag mix.

An alternative to rebar, for such a small patch, is to use long masonry screws, left standing proud to provide an anchor. E.g., use 3" screws, embedded a mere inch, using at least two per side (quarter inch diameter fasteners, minimum).

Knock down any sharp edges or small 'lips' in the hole, as it will crack along them later if you don't. I'd square off that part where it slopes down into the hole; it's not going to be thick enough there if you don't. Remove all unsound or lose concrete.

Before you pour, settle the substrate by soaking it with a garden hose. While you spray it, hit the sides of the old concrete to clean them of dust and debris. I like to slightly undermine what's there, so that it all locks in like a tetris piece. Wait until all standing water has dispersed.

There's what looks like a drain inside.

Insure the drain is 'properly' capped (plug it with empty concrete bags, leaving a little room for concrete and encapsulate the whole thing with your pour), this could be the root of the problem, or it's at least the reason a patch was slapped at it, in the first place. Do a better job anchoring it this time and you should be fine, even if the drain still weeps a bit.

The big issue here is that it looks like you have about 3 inches of concrete sitting on sand. Sand is not a good foundation material. Don't you read the bible? Right in the bible it says:

  Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like
  a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the
  floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not
  fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears
  these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man
  who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods
  came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and
  great was the fall of it.

You can fill those holes with concrete, but your fundamental problem remains.


Type of hanger on hanging beam? I am putting in a hanging beam in my ranch style house. To replace a load bearing center wall. The only load on the wall is ceiling load. It is a hip roof. The lumber in all rough cut. They are 2x6 ceiling joist that are spliced on top of the wall. So I need a hanger 4"x at least 12" tall. I can't find any hangers like this. Or could I use long hurricane ties?

I’ve never seen a hanger with those design requirements. I like the idea of using a hanger that allows the joists to “sit” in a hanger’s pocket rather than using straps to tie the joists up to the beam. However.....
However, installing such a hanger under joists without damaging the drywall, would be difficult.
I’d try a strap such as Simpson’s HTSQ twist strap.
https://www.strongtie.com/twiststraps_specialtystraps/htsq_strap/p/htsq.
If the joists span half the width of the building (16’) and only supports a ceiling load, then the load on each joists is:
Joists = 2 psf (per square foot)
Plaster = 8-10 psf (depending on type)
Total load = 12 psf x 16’ x 1.33 (to get to 16” oc)
For a total load on each joist = 255 lbs. / 2 (to get load at each end = 128 lbs.
As you can see, these straps are rated up to 720 lbs. depending on the species and grade for uplift. (Your resistance is the reverse of uplift, but is the same principle, but  upside down. )
Now, the shortest strap is 16” long, which means 8” should be on each member. However, your joists are 6” tall so they won’t have the intended “cover”. But, your load is so much smaller than the maximum the straps could support, that I’m sure they’ll be fine.
You also have one more issue: If your new beam deflects (sags) at all, then the joists will sag and the ceiling will crack. Plaster is notorious for cracking with minimal deflection.
I have not allowed weight for anything in the attic, (like insulation, light fixtures, etc.)