bcworkz

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	5,065 reputation	bio	website		visits	member for	10 months
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May 3	answered	Will closing the ventilation windows in my garage cause problems for my water heater?
May 1	answered	How effective is a heat pump for AC and a heat pump/furnace for heating in New England?
May 1	comment	What type of rubber pipe is used for this particular installation of hydronic radiant in-floor heating, and is it reliable? Hi Paul - AFAIK the O2 barrier is for protection of other system components. I would not expect EPDM to be any less O2 permeable than any other flexible material. Otherwise, EPDM is good stuff, it's still widely used in a variety of applications. There are other factors though, such as consistency of manufacture, that can compromise an otherwise excellent material. Another concern is it appears this tubing is on the small side for heating use, there could be issues with it being choked with sediment. If the system has been operating properly for this long, it may be fine.
Apr 30	comment	What type of rubber pipe is used for this particular installation of hydronic radiant in-floor heating, and is it reliable? The fact it is stretchy likely means no O2 barrier. The lack of crimp rings or deformation from barbed fittings is disconcerting to me. I'd be leery of any hydronic system where the materials used and level of insulation was not documented anywhere.
Apr 30	comment	What is the purpose of a vapor barrier? Hi Luiz - No, you do not need vapor barriers on interior walls. Since there is little temperature difference between spaces, condensation risk is minimal. You do however, want to have means of removing excess moisture from the damp spaces, either by operable window or opening and/or exhaust fans. This is more for occupant comfort and reduced AC loads (thx Evan, good point) than for protecting building materials.
Apr 29	answered	What is the purpose of a vapor barrier?
Apr 29	comment	Why would my kitchen ceiling fixture not have any current? Awesome! I love it when logical deduction works. Without it, locating this sort of fault can involve a lot of testing, and usually a lot of confusion.
Apr 28	comment	Why would my kitchen ceiling fixture not have any current? Looks like we cross posted, your last question came up when I was typing the main answer. It's not the last in the series, but the last one that has power. There should be a connection there that leads to the kitchen wiring which is not working.
Apr 28	answered	Why would my kitchen ceiling fixture not have any current?
Apr 27	comment	Why would my kitchen ceiling fixture not have any current? Either the breaker has failed or there's a bad connection somewhere along the line. Check for voltage at the breaker and in each box along the line, the last box with voltage has a bad connection, probably one those push in connectors.
Apr 27	comment	How can I insulate my attic conversion, without pulling down the plasterboard? Should and 'is' are two different things. As a conversion, there's a fair chance a functional venting system is still in place. Any vents to rafter cavities should be closed off prior to insulation. If there are any remaining enclosed non-habitable attic spaces, proper ventilation must be maintained to such areas. The problem with retrofit blow-in projects is there is typically not any kind of viable vapor barrier. Not an issue with foam, but for cellulose.
Apr 27	comment	How do I get these toilet shut off valve out? Take it from an idiot, soldering valves to pipes is not idiot proof. There's a good chance you'll either have a cold soldered joint (leak) or ruin the valve seals, or both, unless you're experienced in this stuff. You're better off soldering a pipe thread adapter on and using a PTxComp ball valve. And remove as much water as you can from the pipe or it will never get hot enough.
Apr 26	comment	How do I know if my windows are energy efficient? +2. If they are dual glazed, they are adequate enough, money is better spent elsewhere. Unless dual glazed units are defective in some way, single glazed units are the only ones worth replacing.
Apr 26	comment	Why is the top step of a stair a different thickness than the other treads? A variance in riser height of 3/4" should not be an issue for able bodied people, but elderly and other people with ambulatory difficulties could have a problem. They are also the people that could be gravely injured in a minor stumble on a stairway. This is why building codes typically allow no more than 3/8" variance in riser heights.
Apr 26	comment	How do I calculate the takeoff for a 45 degree elbow joint? Such ratio calculations may give you an approximately useful value, but there are variations between manufacturers, and of course fittings. I wouldn't trust anything if real accuracy is needed except actually measuring or using the manufacturer's dimension tables.
Apr 24	comment	How can I mount a desk on a wall with L-brackets? Some good options presented here. The most critical aspect of a cantilevered installation, whether L brackets or triangle, is the horizontal member under the desktop is trying to tear its connections horizontally out of the wall with considerable force. Be absolutely certain this cannot happen.
Apr 23	comment	Is creating a concrete driveway a diy? Artisan schmartisan. There are very few DIY projects I would not undertake even though I am capable of performing the task. Concrete work involving finishing on any scale is one of them. Pour day is heavy, miserable work, and usually stressful with the mud threatening to quickly turn into a 15 ton useless blob. No thanks. But yeah, can be done.
Apr 23	comment	How to turn an outdoors tree stump into a table? I'm not very familiar with maples. I don't think it'll put out suckers, though there may be sap running for a while, but shouldn't be that messy. You should consider putting a top on it as suggested to make it more usable. If this is done, I think the stump will probably outlast your children before it becomes unusable. But as mentioned, there's a lot of variables involved. It's really anyone's guess.
Apr 23	comment	How to turn an outdoors tree stump into a table? Everyone says it will rot, which is true, all trees will succumb eventually, though it can take hundreds of years. Depending on the specie and why it was dangerous (dead?) and if it was treated in any way, it could very well send up sucker growths in an attempt to live on. Even if it does, you can prune them back and continue to use the stump as a table.
Apr 23	comment	Why is my lighting circuit tripping the breaker? Here's my guess. A short circuit condition developed for some reason. By repeatedly forcing the protective device to break the short circuit, it essentially got cooked to the point it no longer functions properly. Fortunately, it failed safe, not allowing any current no matter what. The short must be corrected, and the protective device probably needs to be replaced.