Recent content by SlappyWhite

I will throw out some guesses why the code does not allow it... lowest common denominator idiot proof type stuff. -It may become accidentally unplugged during regular operation causing a no heat situation. -Some numbskull may try to use a suicide cord/plug to swap between the feeds (have a...

I have used those drill bits. Eventually I end up breaking the bit at some point but they usually save me enough effort (I do get multiple uses) to make it worth while having one. The challenge is getting them to run in the middle of the stud/rafter/etc. as they will want to drift to the edges...

Here is Canada the smoke alarms have a dedicated circuit BUT it also needs to have one often used light on the same circuit. That way you know if the circuit is down. For me I used the centre hall light, on and off multiple times per day/night. The circuit (at least in older codes) was exempt...

@billconner for the wired smoke alarms... should be Black is hot, White is neutral and Red is signal but it is always good to double check... *** How are people doing for failures for different brands. I went with wired combo (fire and CO) First Alerts in 2021, so far five of the eight I...

The floor/ceiling joists may be the rafter ties inside the attic. The question is do these floor/ceiling joists connect the two sides of the roof together at the (or near) the base of the rafters, given the span they are likely two pieces, are they properly connect together in the middle. At...

Pics will help but until then: Are there rafter ties and collar ties on the roof. The roof sagging in many cases is due to them being "modified", not there or they have failed, specially the rafter ties for a sagging roof. The side walls bow out the the roof sags.

It depends on what breakers you have, some are rated for two wires others are not. If not: -You can do a pigtail in the panel. -You can use a half height/tandem breaker to get two circuits in the space of one. -If the microwave outlet and extractor fan are near each other you can also just feed...

It does not help the OP with his current boiler but if you have an old house the original hot water heat system may have been gravity fed. While the current system has a circulator pump, the system may run good enough with the pump powered down. Our old external to the boiler pump seized (motor)...

I have Velcro straps with a grommet hole in them. I wrap the cords with them and hang them on clothes hooks mounted to the wall.

You can always make up some low profile feet out of wood (2X laying flat) that attach exactly as the castors do but at a much lower height. Weight transfer will be to the same point on the box and it provides an air gap off the floor for moisture etc..... and a place for dropped tools or small...

It is GJ so of course we need to buy a special tool... But like others pointed out just use a loud radio and flip the breakers off and on. Option two, turn off one breaker at a time and go around the house plugging in a light. Both work well and a large house can be done in an hour or two, odds...

Some older cinder block is too soft for tapcons. Tapcons are 100% useless in my 1940s double brick home for any of the block (exterior brick is fine), basement and inner course of block are a no-go. I use good quality plastic anchors for smaller items and lags for larger. Do you think you will...

Remove the tools? Regardless of how one chooses to move a box that is what I would do. If the box lets you, pull the drawers with the tools in them, or just pull out all the tools alone. While it is an extra step it does generally lower risk and makes things WAY lighter!

Is it because of the distance between the range and the sink (not enough) or is it just a standard NEC requirement for stoves to be GFCI these days?

It is nothing new... in our 1940s solid brick home (not stick, multiple courses of brick). The house is a story and a half and is wide enough that the 1X8 rafters for the second floor do not run the entire width. They are also not nailed to each other where they overlap on the centre load...