gregmac

14,466 reputation

3067

bio	website	gregmaclellan.com
	location	Canada
	age	32
visits	member for	2 years, 10 months
	seen	yesterday
stats	profile views	358

Professional software developer, with several years working on industrial control and monitoring systems. Slowly remodeling parts of my house.

	14,466 reputation	bio	website	gregmaclellan.com	visits	member for	2 years, 10 months
3067 badges		location	Canada		seen	yesterday

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Apr 22	comment	How can baseboards be attached to a plaster-on-masonry wall? It could be the hot glue interacts with the paint in a strange way. I do know I've used Liquid Nails on baseboard in a similar situation (drywall over one course concrete blocks - in case you're wondering why I didn't use strapping) and never had a problem for the 4+ years I lived in the house. I'd also suggest doing this with a proper construction adhesive, and if there's still a problem, come ask about that.
Apr 19	comment	How can I mount an 12V transformer for LED lighting inside a wall? Do you have any unfinished areas nearby, eg under the stairs? I'd mount the transformer there so it's accessible for servicing/replacement and has some cooling, and then just run the wires down there. May need a surface-mount junction box or receptacle to get 120V. It's quite common to remotely mount transformers -- eg, it's very common for low-voltage under-cabinet lighting in kitchens that the transformer is located in the basement near the electrical panel or other unfinished (serviceable) area.
Apr 17	comment	Will my wood platform support my generator? You could improve your answer by explaining why
Apr 16	comment	Is it a problem that my toilet flange is 3/8" below the surrounding tile? The standard trick to caulking toilets is to leave a gap at the back (facing the wall, where you can't see it anyway), so if there is ever a leak you can tell. You should never caulk all the way around.
Apr 16	comment	Is there a way to fix a leak in the pressurized side of a pool system without digging it up? You should also try making these new lines accessible as possible. Obviously avoid pouring cement over top. Above ground is easy, but maybe not that nice to look at. If you have to go underground, a trench filled with crushed stone or dirt at least would let you dig it up again and is not entirely unattractive. Mechanical protection (putting it inside another conduit) may also be helpful and reduce the chance of future problems.
Apr 16	comment	Is there a way to fix a leak in the pressurized side of a pool system without digging it up? How do you know there's a leak? Are there signs of water somewhere? Is it just reduced pressure? Is the pool level going down when you run the pump?
Apr 16	comment	Plastic or metal pipes? what do you recommend? Your answer would be better if you talked about different types of "plastic" and "metal" piping (eg, PEX, PVC, poly, copper, galvanized) and didn't just list off a bunch of brand names for push-fit connectors -- there is way more out there for "plastic" pipes than push-fit.
Apr 16	comment	Plastic or metal pipes? what do you recommend? Eg: What is it for - Domestic potable water or something else? Where is it being installed? Are the pipes exposed or in walls (as this can help make the choice of rigid vs flexible)? Are you looking for plumbing in residential fixtures in an entire house? Outside buried piping? There is really not one good answer to this, it largely depends on what the situation calls for. It also depends on your experience/skills and what tools you have (or are willing to learn/buy).
Apr 15	comment	How can I electrically test an RJ45 plug? I've dealt with a lot of phone and ethernet connections, including PoE, and I've never seen them spark. Sounds like there could be a dirty connection, and possibly faulty equipment (maybe your end). Does it spark when you plug a disconnected cable into it, or is it only with your equipment hooked up? Either way, if it's sparking, I wouldn't plug my stuff in until I knew for sure where it was coming from, but I wouldn't rule out equipment on your end.
Apr 14	comment	How do you disconnect a TV cable that runs all along the walls throughout the house? I'm pretty anal about using a non-contact voltage sensor whenever I work on mains wiring, but unless the house is full of questionable wiring (junctions not in boxes, extensions cords used as interconnects, missing grounds, etc) it's generally pretty safe to work with. Usual caveats apply: if you're concerned, check it with your sensor. Don't work with any wiring during a lightning storm. Use common sense.
Apr 11	comment	What is the best way to build a box to elevate my bathroom fan above joists? Yes- Regular duct tape is not for ducts!
Apr 2	comment	How can I get a straight line at the ceiling when painting a textured wall? To be fair, even when you look at most taped lines up close, they've got ragged appearance and bleeding and other imperfections.
Apr 1	comment	What type of lattice should I use for a privacy screen? Sounds like you're already quite far along, but to throw out an alternative: a friend of mine built a louvered top privacy screen on his deck, and I'm a huge fan. It's very functional since you can open/close it to control/block the breeze, sun and amount of privacy, and IMHO it looks much nicer than the typical diamond-pattern privacy lattice most people use.
Feb 19	comment	How can I tell if the sagging in my plaster ceiling is getting worse? Yes ok, don't use sharpies and pens and other permanent markers that require repainting the whole wall, unless you want to repaint the whole wall :) Actually I often use a piece of painter's tape and then put my marks on that to avoid having to erase as well, since eraser will sometimes scuff the paint (especially if it was painted in the last day or two -- speaking from experience). Electrical or other tape works too but it's easier to draw a precise mark than it is to place tape precisely.
Feb 19	comment	How can I tell if the sagging in my plaster ceiling is getting worse? To make this measurement as accurate as possible, you should measure not to the floor which would require curving the measuring tape and making it too hard to read accurately, but to some known point where the tape can go past it easily. Use a piece of furniture, or a piece of scrap wood and mark it off a few inches from the floor, so you can measure from the ceiling down to that mark very accurately. Use 1/16th inches or millimeters to be most precise. See wikihow.com/Make-Accurate-Inside-Measurements-Between-Walls for a similar example of what I'm talking about.
Feb 19	comment	What size rubber grommet will a 3/4" PVC pipe fit (water tight) through? Searching for "bulkhead PVC fitting" finds dozens of places to buy.
Feb 19	comment	How can I wire this three-way circuit between two buildings with only 3 conductors? Yeah, that's what I would do in this situation. ZWave, Insteon, or UPB and just link them together. With all of those automation/smart switches, it's possible to create N-way circuits without any extra wiring. With the right sensors you can go even further, for example I have my outside lights turn on to 50% at dusk, off at midnight, and if you open the garage door any time at night they go to 100%, and then a couple minutes after closing go back to their previous level. You can of course manually override using the wall switches as well, but generally we never need to touch it.
Feb 6	comment	How can I neatly install temperature probes in my ductwork? @Craig good point, I hadn't thought of that. If the thread pitch is right it may be possible to just screw it in, but I have doubts that work work really well with sheet metal. Perhaps it would work combined with some silicone to seal it (rather than a gasket). Ideally of course, you have access to the other side to put the nut on it.
Jan 24	comment	How to connect multiple light fixtures to one switch? Light fixtures don't plug in with power bars.
Jan 23	comment	How can I remove this toilet shutoff valve? When you replace the valve, I'd highly recommend replacing it with a quarter-turn ball valve. They're slightly more expensive, but much easier to shut-off (and when you need to shut off a toilet, you NEED to shut off a toilet) and way more reliable long-term.