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location Oakland, CA
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I am a builder currently living in Oakland, CA. I have 21 years of experience in the trades. Eager to learn more!


Jan
8
answered Can I install hardwood floors (not floating) on a concrete floor?
Jan
8
comment How can I measure the r-value of a wall?
While I like the answer above I have to say that insofar as determining actual R-values you may be barking up the wrong tree, science-wise. R-values are assigned to building systems, but every wall/subfloor/attic has its own peculiarities that makes determining an R-value at any specific point a thorough crapshoot. For more on this subject I recommend checking out greenbuildingadvisor.com.
Jan
8
comment How can I stop veggie garbage from coming out of my basement storm drain?
Agreed! Also have to say that I find storm drain and waste line to be totally incompatible. Why would you want rain water going into the sewer?
Jan
8
comment Can I install hardwood floors (not floating) on a concrete floor?
Before anyone can likely answer the question some terminology needs to be cleared up. What do you mean by "hard floor?" Concrete? If so then you can install new solid wood flooring over it but it would require some fairly thick underlayment or sleepers. As far as the "reclaimed" requirement I would say that's a nice idea but insofar as wood is a renewable resource you're probably better off both aesthetically and financially with new wood flooring. Alternately there are engineered wood products that can be glued directly to a (fully cured, aka not putting off moisture) concrete slab.
Jan
8
answered Should switches in a kitchen area have GFCI protection?
Jan
8
answered What is the purpose of a double pole breaker for separate 15A circuits?
Jan
7
awarded  Student
Jan
7
comment Is there a state mandated cap for electricity use in Spain?
What is the mechanism that trips when maximum usage is exceeded? Now I'm just curious. Is it like a circuit breaker at the mains?
Jan
7
revised Is there a state mandated cap for electricity use in Spain?
deleted 87 characters in body
Jan
7
accepted Is there a state mandated cap for electricity use in Spain?
Jan
7
asked Is there a state mandated cap for electricity use in Spain?
Dec
31
answered Is it safe to have a gas stove on the same circuit as a couple lights
Dec
30
answered How do I fix the cracks in my brick foundation?
Dec
26
comment Is there a name for a duplex outlet that takes eight wires, plus ground?
I like the idea of using a larger box so as to avoid cable-fill violations. So long as they're all the same circuit you can mechanically connect all hots to each other and all neutrals to each other with pigtails out to the new receptacles. One thing that's unclear to me based on the photo is if the original receptacle was split or not - is the connecting tab on the hot side intact or missing? If the latter you may be dealing with two distinct circuits.
Dec
25
comment How do I reduce the number of screw pops in my drywall?
Just read a heated forum conversation about this very issue: forums.finehomebuilding.com/breaktime/archives/…. My experience has never been with glued sheetrock applications, so my scheduling snarkiness may be just that.
Dec
25
comment How do I reduce the number of screw pops in my drywall?
There is a significant difference between wall scheduling and ceiling scheduling. On account of the nature of gravity I presume. I'm guessing you are referring to wall scheduling.
Dec
24
revised How do I reduce the number of screw pops in my drywall?
Additional references
Dec
24
answered How do I reduce the number of screw pops in my drywall?
Dec
23
comment What type of window is this and how can I remove it with minimal damage to the wall?
Almost certainly a nailing fin on these aluminum windows. One thing to look into is whether the stucco is laid over sheathing of if it has been applied simply over the studs. If the latter the stucco chipping and repair is going to be significantly more difficult - to the point where I personally wouldn't bother replacing the windows.
Dec
21
comment How can I stop interior doors from opening when exterior doors are opened?
It may be worth a call to your HVAC contractor to check the load balancing of your spaces. Since this is a church and the temperature and air pressure of the sanctuary are going to fluctuate greatly between the times when there are no people present and when there is a full house, it's possible that a good HVAC contractor would know what to do about load balancing. Wish I could be more helpful.