Plymouth County MA Home and Property Masters

Webinar: Learn to Design and Build a Pergola

Fine Homebuilding — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 10:43:42 -0400

Vented Roof vs. Spray Foam: Insulating a Shed Roof in Cold Climates

Fine Homebuilding — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 03:32:02 -0400

Learn How to Install a Flanged Window

Fine Homebuilding — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 14:03:06 -0400

Insulating a Shed Roof Without Spray Foam | FHB Podcast Ep 697

Fine Homebuilding — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 20:32:03 -0400

How to remove and replace aerator from Delta faucet

Hypersynapse — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 19:56:32 -0400

It is a Delta faucet that from another post I am guessing is "of a newer type where the water flows through the spout and out the aerator via a plastic tube that runs inside of the metal "spout" (this allows manufacturers to avoid metallurgical complications related to the amount of toxic lead in the brass used for the spout). The reason I think it's this kind of faucet is because I can push the current aerator up and down (in and out of) the faucet spout. I was able to seemingly unscrew the aerator somewhat (which is why it's scratched ip) but it was really difficult and only made it wobblier so I'm not sure if I'm actually unscrewing the aerator or just twisting up the inside tube. I want to put a new "Rotating Faucet Extender/Swivel Robotic Arm Sink Aerator" I got off Amazon but I'm only renting here and really don't want to break the faucet just trying to change the aerator. Any help would be appreciated.

[

2 [![aerator pushed up in ] 2 [2]

Finished basement ceiling insulation advice/questions

David Capretto — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 19:09:56 -0400

Location: Chicago-land area

Situation:

Finished basement about 1500 sq ft
Basement has a bathroom, washer/dryer, HVAC system, and water heater, and has heating registers down there to stabilize temp
Walls are insulated
Ceiling height is low, about 6.5 feet total, with steel support beams and a few heating ducts not recessed into the ceiling at places making the height only ~6 feet

Where I need help:

I want to insulate the basement ceiling to help keep the upper floor a bit warmer and provide some sound insulation - right now it's literally hardwood floor, then the subfloor, and then the basement. You can hear damn near everything that goes on down there
I'd like to do fiberglass batt insulation because to me it's the best bang for the buck and I figured additional insulation in our house will not hurt (especially with Chicago winters)

I need advice on how to do this the "right" way with the following wants in mind:

I don't want to put up drywall - it's expensive, would take forever, and the ceiling is already low enough (I could be convinced otherwise here at a future date, but lets assume no drywall for now)
I don't want exposed fiberglass insulation in a basement where there's carpet, a couch, I work out, my kid plays, and we have a guest room where people sleep (I know that backing should go towards the floor in a basement ceiling!)
I've seen 6mil sheeting as a suggestion stapled to the ceiling beams, but I also read the counter that if that catches fire it would rain hot molten plastic down on anyone down there (seems bad)
I've seen people say Tyvek house wrap, but as far as I can tell that's not for internal use (unless I'm looking at the wrong kind?)

Any advice/guidance would be appreciated here. I want to DIY this but I also want to do it the right way. I'd feel icky putting backed insulation on my ceiling the wrong way just because it would make things easier at the risk of mold under my floors.

How do I replace a broken bathtub drain?

luke — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 18:37:17 -0400

I am trying to replace my bathtub drain however the cross bars have broken off so I am unable to unscrew it from the tub.

How can I unscrew it?

EDIT:

This is approximately the product I am trying to install: drain

On the packaging it says to use pliers to grab the cross bars of the old train in order to unscrew it. The drain is supposed to look like this:

But the cross bars have broken off.

How should I wire a in the bathroom fan switch with humidity sensor to work in parallel with another existing fan switch out of the bathroom?

MiniMe — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 18:28:11 -0400

Here is the wiring diagram that I am considering wires A,B,C will be through the wall to the switch on the other side It would be impossible for me to run a new hot and neutral wire from the new switch inside the bathroom to the ceiling

As per @DIY75 the sensor would need to be powered up so the wiring could be like below. This works better and covers situations when the outside connector is broken from some reasons and it does not send the neutral link to the fun

Can I remove a disused furnace flue?

kristy — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 18:03:40 -0400

We got our 25-year-old furnace replaced about 2 years ago. It used a pipe running through a closet in what's now the nursery for our baby. Since upgrading, we no longer need the piping that goes out towards the roof. How can we remove it? Or is it necessary to keep it?

Generator.Not starting [closed]

James Waples — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 17:27:54 -0400

So I got a Briggs and Stratton motor on my Coleman.Power mate sixty two fifty and first when I got it, I cleaned the carburetor out immediately. Because the guy said it was running fine. It leaked oil, but it has the oil switch. Shut off for when it is low. So when it ran out, I just filled it now. I started it then it cut off and now it will not start back up again.It's getting spark.It's getting feel the only thing I could think of is that a jump a rod?or threwstrong text a rod

Best Blinds for Blocking Afternoon Sun? Affordable please [closed]

Lavigne — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 17:25:43 -0400

I’m looking to replace the blinds in my living room. The windows face west and get a lot of direct sun in the afternoon, which heats the room quickly. Has anyone found a type of blind—wood, faux wood, cellular, or something else that works well for heat control but still looks good? I’d love to hear what’s worked for you.

Installing Sump Basin in Empty Sump Pit?

user445982 — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 17:06:25 -0400

I have a home built in 1970 with a full block foundation basement. The home came with a pit sawed out in the corner of the basement (front of house) that is roughly 15x15. The pit appears to collect water from the footing drains on either side, and dump the water into the city stormwater system. (No sewer gas smell, and I can hear water flowing through the city stormwater system when up close to the pipe)

Images of pit: https://imgur.com/a/dDNulAf

We'd like to install a sump basin & sump pump for peace of mind. The pit is currently roughly 15x15 and would require expanding the concrete cut to fit the basin.

My initial plan:

Mark necessary area (as shown, poorly, in the photos with black marker)
Use a SDS to drill 3/8" pilot holes through the basement floor slab.
Use a chipping bit on the SDS to expand the hole
Install a 18x22 sump basin (perforated with 1/4" holes)
Cut holes in the sump basin to allow the footer drain pipes to still empty into the pit.
(Maybe?) Cut additional hole to still allow water to flow in the city storm water in the event of a pump failure.

Will I run into any issues with my plan? Would appreciate any professional advice on how to approach this project. I am an experienced DIYer and have tools necessary, willing to rent concrete saw from local hardware store.

Any help appreciated!!!

(EDIT: To clarify, my goal here is to pump the water outside the home, not into the city storm system which it is currently doing. But I am willing to leave the city stormwater pipe as is.)

What materials can I use for a kitchen backsplash near the stove?

Vilx- — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 16:46:18 -0400

Some years ago we renovated our kitchen. The worker dude we hired convinced us to install drywall (the original building walls underneath are very uneven) and we then covered it with paintable wallpaper, which we painted in a color of our choice.

The idea was to later cover in with some nice looking backsplash near the counter area, although somehow we never got around to it... well, better later then never, right? :)

Anyways, I've started looking into it, but I'm not sure what material to use. Tiles would probably be ideal, but it's a lot of work and I'm not even sure how well the tile glue would stick to the painted wall. Or if the wallpaper could handle their weight. I don't think we can remove the wallpaper without destroying the drywall either.

There are simple plastic panels that I could glue there (I think that should work), but I'm worried that it might be too close to the gas stove - check the photo, the dark gray countertop "gap" between the wall and the gas stove is just slightly larger than 4cm (1.5 inches). Obviously naked flames will never touch the wall, but hot pans might get arbitrarily close. Although we don't let them touch the wall when they're hot and as you can see the wallpaper has handled this just fine.

There's also a material I've seen in local shops called "Stone Polymer Composite" - for some reason also often called "Vinyl", although I'm not sure if that's not a mislabeling on the merchant's part. It also comes in fairly thin panels. In general, the informatioin I could find about the material has been very conflicting. Some sites say that it's OK near fire, other say that it will melt. The manufacturer data sheets only mention it's fire safety class (burns, but poorly and slowly), however I could not find any information about how well it tolerates heat.

Is there any other option? I'd prefer something that comes in thin, relatively lightweight panels that I can cut and glue myself, and that does not fear heat or moisture.

P.S. I don't mean to ask for stylistic advice. We'll pick the colors and patterns ourselves, that's not the issue. I want to figure out the material itself that I should look for.

how to stop false alarms from smoke detectors

Chris94 — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 16:33:07 -0400

I have 11 smoke detectors across 2 floors, wired on one circuit. they would periodically have false alarms and I would replace individual units that seemed to cause the alarms. A month ago I replaced all 11 with new Kidde units. Last night I once again started getting false alarms, apparently from one particular unit. Does this indicate a bad new unit, a problem with the wiring, or something else?

Why is it less efficient to keep an electric water heater and install HPWH before it than replacing it with a HPWH?

JCott — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 16:11:57 -0400

The scenario I am talking about is where the two heaters (old 240v element water heater and new 120v HPWH) would be wired separately, but plumbed in series.

Heat pump takes water from the inlet, then heats water to whatever temperature you want with the heat pump, which moves to the second tank, while the heat pump heats the new cold water that moved to the second, existing electric heater.

First of all, I totally understand that increased tank surface area by having 2 tanks doubles the heat loss, definitely, got it. As a result, the second tank needs extra heating. And there is even the fact that the heat pump itself is reducing heat in the area that the tanks are stored, which could even further accelarate the heat loss for the water stored in the second element heater.

But what happens if the demand for hot water is already exceeding the capacity of the existing water heater and there is more frequent hot water draw from the tank (reducing the water cool down and extra-heating in the second tank), especially since you have an over-occupied house with more residents, new kids, sudden and over grown teens, etc.?

Assuming you had a 50 gallon tank, the suggestion is to buy a 65, or even an 80 gallon HPWH, and pass the 2K cost barrier.

But what if you over-insulate (!) both your tanks and get a cheaper 50, or even 40 gallon that you max out for heat, while you lower the heat setting on the second tank, wouldn't this question become a topic of differential equation calculations rather than a clear, "No, that is quite inefficient, you'll end up burning more electricity, and it will cost more!"?

I do feel like I'm missing something here, but what? Maybe the possibility of a lot of lukewarm water being wasted by kids in the second floor waiting for the running water to get scorching hot, increasing both water and electricity consumption?

But even then (which could btw be prevented by actually "preventing" irresponsible people from wasting water), the water pump would be working less than the scenario where it's alone, and the "top off" heating provided by the element heater would be negligible in the long run as a cost -- no?

Why do Husqvarna lawn mower blades have the holes beside the center star hole?

Matthias — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 15:11:07 -0400

This question is motivated by the fact that I ordered the wrong blade for my Husqvarna push mower. The mower spindle has a star center with two pins beside it that are supposed to go into two holes on the blade.

Here is an image of such blade:

I mistakenly bought a blade without those two holes. Which made me wonder: can I grind off the pins? Are they really needed?

First: why would the holes exist if it's not needed? Well, I can think of a few bad reasons, from general error to sinister possibilities like market manipulation and planned obsolescence. Who knows? I just want to know if there's a good reason to keep these holes. If not, I want to grind them off so I can use the new blade (and have a greater blade selection).

Here's what I know:

Certain lawn mowers have shear points so that when the blade hits an immovable object, it doesn't bend the spindle. The Husqvarna hole pins seem to be the opposite of that. Maybe that's the intent -- to allow the mower to chew through dense material without spinning the blade. But that's not how I use my lawn mower.

Other Husqvarna mowers have the same star center but no holes. So the hole pins aren't strictly necessary in all cases.

The hole pins only provide rotational force, not vertical force, so for example they don't dampen vibrations, if that's a thing.

The star center contributes some rotational torque, as well as blade alignment and centering. Even without the star pattern, I'm sure that proper bolt torque is all it really needs to stay attached.

I'm planning to grind off the two pins and attach the new blade. Is there any reason not to? Can anyone provide insight into the purpose of these holes?

How can I flash concrete steps poured against wall sheathing?

Tyler — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 14:06:20 -0400

The wood toe kick under my back door fell off and after I looked behind it, I found fiberboard sheathing that is crumbling. My house was built in the 1950s. The sheathing is directly in contact with my concrete steps so I'm thinking water might have been getting behind the toe kick. I pulled out some of the sheathing, exposing what looks like the rim joist.

I pulled out some of the sheathing because I thought it was rotted but now I'm not so sure. Should I be concerned at the condition of this sheathing and the rim joist? If it's rotted, how should I go about replacing it?

I thought about chiseling away some of the concrete step to replace any rotted sheathing and to add a moisture barrier but looking for advice.

How to fix this self-levelling gone wrong

hazymat — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 13:03:55 -0400

Embarrassing, yes - but I have laid a self levelling compound and it has gone wrong. The pour went very well in terms of planning and timing, resulting in a very good looking result. I used a spiked roller, screeding spiders to gauge levels, and a wide trowel / float on a pole to push it around. But I was unable to get the compound to the correct places and was overly concerned about curing time, so I stopped working it too soon. Result is a floor that's out of whack (average 6mm but up to 10-12mm in very small areas).

I plan to fix it myself but have questions.

Preliminary - This was a fibre-reinforced self levelling compound over a plywood subfloor (on joists supported by steels), the subfloor was prepared carefully and screwed down adequately. There was not much movement in the subfloor. I used two layers of primer as a moisture barrier then gritted primer, according to advice from data sheet and manufacturer of SLC (self levelling compound). The compound was mixed in three very large (75L) buckets and poured without delay, but thoroughly.

Data sheet suggests it can be laid up to a maximum of 6mm over timber floor. Given the minimum thickness of the compound (3mm) I take this to mean that it can only actually level a subfloor by about 3mm. This was the product recommended by manufacturer when I spoke to them. My plywood subfloor was out of whack by average 6mm (some places more) but I decided this would be within tolerance and risk of delamination of plywood underneath was low, so I took the risk and indeed there's no evidence of de-lamination so that's good.

The problem: I had mis-measured the floor heights and mis-calculated the required amount of compound (used 13 bags in total for a 20 sq m floor that was average 4-6mm out). Turns on this compound was quite thick, despite using the correct amount of water in the mix it definitely did need assistance in levelling, more than I gave it.

Now the floor is out by approximately the same amount e.g. 4-6mm around most of the area, but also up to 10-14mm in smaller areas (in one corner for example).

Furthermore I made the following mistakes:

I was too concerned about working very quickly, so I didn't work the levels enough with trowel
I did not have spiked shoes, and I was concerned about walking in the compound as it would ruin the finish, which is why I didn't work it enough
I used the screed tripods incorrectly, setting them up so the TOP of each plate would be level with the compound instead of the bottom. In the end I removed them far sooner than I should have, again out of concern I needed to get out of the flooring area so it could set without interruption.
I should have mixed and poured each bucket one after the other, instead of mixing 3 very large buckets at the same time then pouring at the same time. Although this seems like a good idea, it does mean that you can't work the levels systematically. I had assumed that I just need to use spiked roller a bit and it would all self-level fine.

Options: I have grinded down the high spots now, so I could do one of two things:

As per data sheet do NOT pour more screed as 6mm is the maximum over plywood. The reason for this is to avoid delamination of the plywood caused by tensile strength of product. Instead use shims EVERYWHERE and bond them down, then overlay e.g. 12mm plywood. I previously had a sheet of 12mm ply hanging around and tested this with shims, it resulted in a very solid floor, however I subsequently purchased 8 sheets of "flooring grade plywood" in 12mm to get this job done, but the new plywood I have seems far less dense (my test plywood was actually quite heavy for a sheet of 12mm but this stuff is light) and it does flex between shims. I even tested adding some PU foam between shims in a small area, but I'm not happy with the amount of flex still.
Despite the risk of subfloor plywood de-laminating, most people I've spoken to suggest it will be fine and I should re-lay more compound on top. This goes against the data sheet and I would be concerned about this. One manufacturer suggested it will be fine as long as I use a compound with a LOWER compressive strength than the previous one. However I've checked and the data sheet of the compound I used (Wakol Z520) does not list the compressive strength. For reasons I won't cover here I'm unable to call their technical team to enquire about this.

So - what's my best course of action right now? I would like a floor within reasonable tolerance to be able to lay reclaimed parquet floor on top.

plywood subbase prior to priming / levelling:

photo of newly laid compound:

photo showing cured compound with grading numbers across the floor denoting how far below level each point is:

Exiwood Composite Glazing Beads - Weatherproof? [closed]

EB3112 — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 12:35:24 -0400

I am based in a part of the UK with predominantly damp/rainy conditions.

So, while I build some new sash windows, I wanted to to use some long-lasting glazing beads that aren't subject to cracking/flacking/etc.

Therefore, I recently purchased some Exiwood glazing beads (12mm x 15mm).

Local streets in proximity to me seem to have some on their windows unpainted. However, I wanted to ask if anyone has any experience with Exiwood beads, and if they're weather-resistant unpainted, or require painting?

I've heard mixed reviews/descriptions.

All help would be appreciated.

To install open valley flashing, can I use plastic cap nails or must I use a nail gun

drt33ts — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 12:07:15 -0400

I had thought I could nail the valley flashing down with plastic cap nails and rent a nailgun only for the shingles themselves. But I've seen people say they are only for the felt underlayment. I can't depend on being able to do the flashing and the shingles on the same day so would rather not rent a nailgun for the flashing. What do you say? Thanks.

Paint peeling and wood siding above windows/door

Anchovee — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 11:51:42 -0400

I've got some windows and a door that need finish maintenance. They're starting to peel, the wood is probably not liking water getting trapped there.

I think the home inspector mentioned we need a drip edge, but from what I can see that's designed for the edges of roofs into the gutters.

Can I just sand this down, paint it, then bend some drip edge into an L here, nail it, caulk it and be on my way?

Are the cables I found in my wall and an unused box for three way switch wiring?

Justin H — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 11:11:14 -0400

I was recently replacing my basement light switch. I thought it was just a single pole but in the box was a capped red wire. At the bottom of my basement stairs there was a capped junction box. I opened it up and saw this: two pigtailed black wires, two pigtailed white wires, a capped red wire and a black and white wire pigtailed. The black/white pair is hot and the other two pairs are not. I’m assuming the black/white pair and traveler were connected to a switch down there but not sure about the other two black wires and white wires? Is the black/white pair just looping the circuit?

Patriot Dublin Ceiling Fan & Light - Remote does not work

Angie — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 10:58:52 -0400

I just installed a Patriot Dublin 2733 Ceiling Fan / Light. Remote has battery & red light lights up when pressing buttons but nothing happens w fan/light. I turned off power - waited 20 seconds, turned back on and fan light started flashing & fan spins - I held fan power button 3 seconds as instructed in manual. Still nothing happens when I try using remote to turn light / fan off or on.

Remove subway tiles without damaging cement board

Blindspots — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 09:45:58 -0400

I am trying to replace a few cracked subway tiles in my shower.

When I removed the first tile it came away with a portion of the backer board.

My goal was then to remove some of the surrounding tiles and then cut out the damaged board and install a new section of cement board. Before replacing the tiles.

The problem is that I seem unable to remove tiles without damaging more of the board.

I've reviewed many shower tile removal videos and the techniques don't seem to work in this situation.

Would applying heat or some other technique release the thinset and better allow me to establish a perimeter of removed tiles with undamaged board?

Alternatively is there a way to build up the cement board without needing undamaged board around the perimeter in order to tape the seams? Like some kind of mud?

I reviewed this related question Damaged cement board while removing a chipped tile. Can I repair it? but I am working on an exterior wall (brick) and don't have access to perform the repair from the other side.

Image

Damaged cement board with just the backer paper remaining.
Exposed undamaged membrane
Undamaged cement board.

How to get rid of smell from new plastic buckets [closed]

Jim — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 08:16:39 -0400

I bought 2 cheap buckets, one is a big one meant to be used to put in clothes after the washing machine cleaning.
I have washed them and I see they have some sort of smell which I didn't notice when I bought them (but I did notice when I got home and I thought that after washing them it might go away).
Is there anything I can do to remove this weird smell or should I just throw them away. My concern is that the smell might get transferred to the washed clothes too.

Loud buzzing noise from newly installed motor in swamp cooler

CrazyAdder — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 00:08:15 -0400

I just Installed a new swamp cooler motor, 2 spd, on previous owners 1 spd wiring.

When i flip the switch there is a loud buzzing noise and the shaft doesn't spin. I Adjusted belt and no change.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Safe way to connect stainless steel motorized ball valve to 3/4" copper main water line?

Dejan Zelic — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 22:00:21 -0400

I’m installing a motorized ball valve on my main water line for automatic shutoff in case of leaks. The valve will be outdoors right after the water meter. My main water line is 3/4" copper, which transitions to PEX shortly afterward.

Here’s the valve I’m looking at:

Model: USS-MSV00072 (U.S. Solid): https://ussolid.com/products/u-s-solid-motorized-ball-valve-3-4-stainless-steel-electrical-ball-valve-with-full-port-9-24-v-ac-dc-2-wire-auto-return-normally-open-html

Specs: 3/4" NPT threads, stainless steel (SS304), PTFE ball seal, 2-wire auto return, normally open, 9–24V AC/DC, IP65.

I'm not sure what the best way to connect this to the copper pipe is. I've read that connecting copper directly to stainless steel will cause galvanic corrosion.

I've read about using brass fitting between them, but I can't seem to find any MPT to 3/4" Sweat adapters. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/PROFLO-FEI75808-Brass-Female-Adapter/dp/B0DPJL9P6N?gQT=1&th=1 But I'm not finding many that specifically say lead-free. Is this a concern?

Should I use a stainless-steel-to-copper dielectric union instead? All of the ones I find are galvanized steel and I'm reading that stainless to galvanized contact can also have the same issues as copper to stainless. I’ve heard some people say dielectric unions can leak more than direct connections. Is that still true with modern unions?

Context:

This is a 1983 home, outdoor installation, before the line enters the house.
After the valve, the copper changes to PEX quickly.
I want the most reliable long-term solution with the least chance of contamination or leaks.

Foundation spalling repair

Tallmikekorean — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 21:04:20 -0400

I was hoping to get more opinions on the spalling on my post tension concrete foundation. I was wondering if I can just patch this up with some Quikrete myself or if I should have a professional clean out and reinforce this area. It’s a 2 story home in California.

Photos

Installing IKEA cabinets on double drywall backed with plywood

The Great Java — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 19:02:24 -0400

I am trying to install IKEA SEKTION base cabinets.

While looking for studs using magnetic stud finder, I found wildly uneven spacing. My electric stud finder couldn't find any studs reliably (different readings depending on height).

I removed an outlet box from that wall, to find I have two sheets of drywall backed by 1/2" ply.

How should I mount the suspension rail for the cabinet? Are GRK RSS 1/4" x 3.5" screws acceptable? Should I use #10 or #8 cabinet screws?

How can I figure out where the studs are behind the plywood? Does it even matter?

Adding outlet and changing wiring for bathroom

D V — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 18:26:58 -0400

My current bathroom has an old GFCI outlet that needs to be replaced and a lamp on a switch loop (assumed because i think there’s no neutral and all my other lamps/switches have been wired this way). I would like to install an outlet near the lamp to plug in my new medicine cabinet mirror (it’s got a light + another outlet inside) and replace 1) the current lamp and 2) the old outlet (upgrade to a GFCI/AFCI combo outlet). The new setup I’m considering would be “always hot” to the lamp and outlet for the mirror (they’re right next to each other). The lamp would have smart light bulbs controlled by a smart switch (yes, I know some people don’t like relying on smart devices but I don’t mind).

Right now, the light switch for the lamp and the old outlet are housed in a 2 gang box with 3 cables running to it. To be honest, I’m not sure where they all run to. In my “present setup” diagram, I assumed “C” runs to the lamp since that switch controls it.

I want to make sure there aren’t issues with the wiring diagram I made. I included pictures of diagrams of my present setup and my planned future setup as well as a picture of the wiring inside the 2 gang box. Obviously, I’ll check for continuity between “C” (in my diagram) and the lamp wiring before installation, but would this setup work and does everything else look safe/correctly wired?

Adding a smart thermostat to boiler with odd transformer wiring

Brad — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 18:00:21 -0400

Scratching my head with this one. Trying to replace an old thermostat with a Nest E on my Weil-Mclain. I have a common wire connected to the "c" terminal but ~2volts between red and common while having 24V across red and white. Red is connected to the "y" terminal and white to the terminal in the center... maybe "G"... it'd difficult to see. Why not red to "R" and white to "W"?

Replacing multiple 6” flexible ducts with rigid

Ellis Valentiner — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 16:07:05 -0400

I’m cleaning up ductwork in my basement and want to replace the runs of flexible duct with rigid.

Current

There is a group of 3 duct runs (6” uninsulated flexible round) that all have very close takeoffs from the trunk and travel to the same sides of the house. The flex ducts aren't compressed but have a little sag and hang under joists in a couple spots -- so they hang a little lower than I'd like since we'd like to someday finish the basement.

Plan

I'd like to replace the round flex with a rigid rectangular branch that runs between two joists, then use 6" flex or rigid round for the takeoffs. According to this chart each 6" flex duct has a design airflow of 75 CFM – for a total of 225 CFM. If the builder had spent a little more and used 6" rigid the total would be 255 CFM. Looking at the same chart, a 10"x8" rectangular duct would have 310 CFM.

Questions

Does my plan make sense? Any issues with the larger CFM?

Any feedback or suggestions are greatly appreciated!

How do you remove the stick-on child safety locks from appliances?

spoulson — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 15:38:56 -0400

I have a few stick-on child safety locks, such as this one found on Amazon.

When it comes time to remove them, what should I do to avoid destroying the finish on the appliances? They are stuck on really well and won't budge by hand.

How to Install a Flanged Window

Fine Homebuilding — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 02:38:43 -0400

Can I install a new drain path below and parallel to the original?

isherwood — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 12:17:11 -0400

I have a series of sinks with three vents and a single shared drain on ground level. I want to temporarily replace two of the sinks with units having lower outlets than will work with the current drain pipe level (think pedestal sinks). The original traps would be detached and the drains capped.

Can I add a new drain run below the original, leaving the original intact? The original, higher drain will be unused, but should be retained for later use. A new vent path would be installed to keep trap arm lengths reasonable. Are there any functionality or common code concerns?

ELEVATION (FRONT) VIEW

 ___________________| |                              | |                     | |
|  _________________  | <-- proposed new vent path   | |                     | |
| |                 | | <-- existing vents --------> | | ------------------> | |   
| |      ___________| |______________   _____________| |_____________________| |___   _
| |    * ____________________________ * ___________________________   _____________ * _
| |                                                                 | |
| |____   ____________________________   ___________________________| |
|______ # ____________________________ # ___________________________  | <-- proposed new
                                                                    | |     drain
   
                                                                     ^-- shared drop 
                                                                         through floor

* existing sink & trap locations
# proposed sink & trap locations

DIY Bucket Strap Hack Using an Old Tie-Down

Fine Homebuilding — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 13:31:16 -0400

How to Keep Rain and Snow From Coming in Through Gable Vents | FHB Podcast Ep 696

Fine Homebuilding — Sun, 03 Aug 2025 06:59:47 -0400

Stop Water Damage on Decks: Ledger Flashing

Fine Homebuilding — Sat, 02 Aug 2025 01:59:10 -0400

Resilience in Buildings and Building Resilience

Fine Homebuilding — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 20:13:21 -0400

Are Smart Water Leak Detection Systems Worth the Investment?

Fine Homebuilding — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 16:02:01 -0400

Approaches to Waterproofing Below-Grade Foundation Walls | FHB Podcast Ep 695

Fine Homebuilding — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 10:52:35 -0400

Rot Revealed: The Cost of Bad Deck Flashing

Fine Homebuilding — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 01:55:06 -0400

Building a Solid Foundation with Ground Screws

Fine Homebuilding — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 02:26:40 -0400

Can You Have Too Many Minisplits? | FHB Podcast Ep 694

Fine Homebuilding — Sun, 20 Jul 2025 00:08:20 -0400

Build Smarter, Design Better, Succeed in Business: The FHB Summit

Fine Homebuilding — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 23:26:27 -0400

Paver locking sand a good idea to fill gaps in concrete driveway?

/u/BIGREDDMACH1NE — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 23:16:04 -0400

Want to prevent weeds and ant hills between the stress gaps in the concrete. Is stuff like this the better way to go about it or is there a "best" way to do it time and cost wise?

Example product: https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/landscaping-materials/landscape-rock/northrock-reg-weed-blocker-polymeric-paver-locking-sand-50-lb/1891155/p-1444445320224-c-5784.htm?tid=64158e34-b3d2-44f2-b320-7129015df9f7&ipos=11&exp=false

submitted by /u/BIGREDDMACH1NE
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Window ac leaking through window frame?

/u/rianjames11 — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 23:13:19 -0400

https://imgur.com/a/IHfXZ7B

Backstory- I'm 99.9% sure this is from last summer, as I haven't run the ac much this year yet except a few hours here and there and a heat wave over Memorial Day weekend. There was also some there when i first moved in, and i pointed it out to my uncle and grandfather who were helping me paint, and they said it was probably the AC window, but not much else. This unit was also in another room while someone was temporarily staying with me, and that window has it as well. We put her larger unit in this window for that time, then put this one back once she moved out. Windows are vinyl, don't leak otherwise, and recaulking is on my project list for this summer once I get my hands on a tall enough ladder. My question is- how do I prevent this from continuing to happen? It is currently tipped back with a towel under (probably wrong but that was a quick install because I stupidly didn't check the weather and that's how I've always seen it done when I was young). Its a small unit, not sure how old since I got it secondhand.

submitted by /u/rianjames11
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Anyone know how to secure this vanity to the floor? Our drain and supply also go through the floor.

/u/rich22201 — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 22:59:17 -0400

https://jamesmartinfurniture.com/collections/quebec/products/quebec-17-5-solid-surface-pedestal-sink-bright-white-1

submitted by /u/rich22201
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First time drywall repair fail. What did I do wrong?

/u/patrone84 — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 22:49:13 -0400

First time using tape and mud. This was a significant project for me. 8’ vertical crack on a 30 year old home. These are cathedral ceilings so aprox 16’ at the top.

I removed all the old mud that I could and then filled the crack with mud. I let it dry. Next I put down adhesive mesh tape and mudded over it. Let it dry and then did several more coats over the next several days.

Once I was satisfied I’d fully covered the tape I sanded it smooth. Let it sit for a few days while I repaired a few other issues and to make sure there wern’t any issues with the repair.

Everything looked good this morning so I spent a few hours taping and painting the wall. Initially looked great. When it dried however I have this line that is forming from the top about half way down the repair. It has a little give to it…I can push it down but it comes right back up.

Where did I go wrong? Doubt this will be my last repair…I’d like to do it right. Is it fixable? Or do I just rip out the repair and start from scratch? Thanks!

https://imgur.com/gallery/vH3S3ot

submitted by /u/patrone84
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What to expect for repiping?

/u/CPT_Fucknuts — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 22:11:51 -0400

SFH 1300 sq ft. built in the 1940s with galvanized piping. There's at least one small section that was remodeled with copper without a dielectric coupling. The faucets regularly get clogged with what I believe is sediment from the pipe corroding with one bathtub essentially unusable.

My impression is the old galvanized pipe is the issue, could it be something else? If I repipe, is PEX or copper or something else better? What approximate costs am I looking at? Is there an alternative that can buy us time? Located in Los Angeles. Thank you.

submitted by /u/CPT_Fucknuts
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