Electrical Fire Prevention in Your Home

Posted on by Tim Carter
infrared photo electric cables

Electrical Fire Prevention | This infrared photo clearly shows two electric cables that are much warmer than the others. Is this dangerous? Copyright 2021 Tim Carter

Electrical Wiring Question

A few days ago, Marcus asked me an electrical wiring question while I was doing one of my new live streaming video broadcasts. Live streaming video is so much fun because I get to interact with you in real-time just as if we were sitting at a table enjoying a lemonade or iced tea. Each of my live streams is recorded so if you can’t watch it live, you can replay it later.

Marcus’s situation is such that I can see it happening at your home. It’s an extremely important teaching moment in case you don’t know much about how the electricity in your home works and how dangerous it can be if not installed correctly. It’s important to realize that while electricity is a very nice thing to have in a home, it must be respected.

Why Did the National Fire Protection Agency Form?

I went to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) and discovered that hundreds of people die each year in the USA from electrical fires. Thousands are injured. Well over $1 billion in direct property damage is attributed to electrical fires in any given year. This should put your head on a swivel.

The NFPA has a rich history but when you boil it down, it was the insurance industry that created it. The insurance companies realized it was important to educate people like you and me as to how fires could be prevented. As electricity became available in homes, the insurance companies saw that they had to do their best to make sure the electric wires and cables in homes were safe and fires kept to a minimum.

Who Authors and Publishes the National Electrical Code?

The National Electrical Code (NEC) was born of this initiative. The NFPA publishes the NEC. It’s a time-tested document that outlines the minimum standards by which electricity should be installed in your home, businesses, and all buildings for that matter.

Are There Different Wire Sizes in My Home?

How does this relate to you and Marcus? Marcus wanted to know if he could mix and match different wire sizes on the same circuit. You need to know that the wires inside the cables in your home come in different sizes much like shoes or t-shirts. The size is referred to as the wire gauge. The most common wire gauges used in residential houses in the USA are 14, 12, and 10. It can be confusing because as the number gets smaller, the diameter of the wire gets bigger!

The wire size, as well as the insulation that covers the bare wire, has been tested and rated by the NFPA. For example, 14-gauge wire is rated for 15 amps or 1800 watts in the USA. The 12-gauge wire is rated for 20 amps or 2400 watts. The wire powering your electric clothes dryer is almost always a 10-gauge wire. What’s more, your electric dryer runs with 240 volts whereas most of all the other things in your home are running on 120 volts.

Main Circuit Breaker

These are circuit breakers. Look down at the #2 one any you'll see the number 20. This means it's a 20-amp breaker and a 12-gauge wire should be attached to it.

Hang in there with me. Here’s the payoff. If you go to your electric panel, you’ll probably see these funny levers that are circuit breakers. The breaker is really much like a wall switch you use to control a ceiling light. The breakers are rated by amps and you can see that number on the actual breaker. Look at yours. You’ll see lots of 15s and 20s.

What are the Different Circuit Breakers?

Most of the breakers in your panel will be single-pole breakers. A single wire is connected to the base of the breaker. In a normal circuit in your home, this wire leaves the panel and starts to daisy-chain to wall outlets and possibly a few lights. If the breaker is rated for 20 amps, then the wires on that circuit should be 12 gauge. You’d never ever want a piece of wire in that 20-amp circuit to be 14-gauge wire.

What Do Circuit Breakers Protect?

Here’s why. Normal circuit breakers are designed to protect the wires and cables in your house. There are special breakers like GFCIs that are made to prevent you from being electrocuted but let’s just concentrate on normal breakers.

Why will a Breaker Turn Off Automatically?

The breaker is designed to automatically shut off or trip if it senses too much electricity flowing through the breaker. The more electricity that flows, the greater the heat build-up along the wire. If you put too much electricity through a wire, it can get so hot that it will melt the plastic insulation covering the metal wire and actually ignite it!

I witnessed this at a friend’s house several years ago. They unknowingly plugged in a space heater that drew lots of electricity into a wall outlet that was controlled by a dimmer switch. The dimmer switch was only rated for 600 watts of electric flow. The heater drew 1500 watts. Luckily, my friend’s wife was in the room and saw smoke starting to come out of the wall switch. The dimmer switch was seconds away from starting on fire. They quickly went to the electric panel and switched off that breaker thus preventing a house fire. What would have happened had they turned on the heater and gone to a restaurant for breakfast or gone to sleep?

PLEASE look at the photos of the melted dimmer switch. They should put your head on a swivel.

If a circuit breaker in your home is constantly tripping, it’s SCREAMING to you that something is wrong. You could be drawing too much current. You need to call in an electrician and find out what is going on before you or your loved ones become a statistic.

Are Extension Cords Safe?

You need to use extreme care using extension cords. Visit the NFPA’s website and immerse yourself in any and all consumer educational materials they offer. Get up to speed on how the invisible electricity in your home works. It’s well worth the time.

How Do You Size Extension Cords?

Watch this video:

Column 1429

Wood Epoxy Works for Rot

Posted on by Tim Carter
Wood Rot on Roof Beam

Wood Epoxy Rot | This wood rot happened because there was no flashing on top of the beam. Wood epoxy and a new flashing will save it. The galvanized screws act as pins to ensure the epoxy filling never comes out. The epoxy is sticky and bonds to the wood, but why take a chance? I've always been a belt and suspenders type of guy. Copyright 2021 Tim Carter

Wood Epoxy Rot Works Great - Long Work Time

My guess is you’ve seen wood rot before. If not, I’d wonder if you lived in the Atacama Desert, possibly the driest place on Earth. Wood rot is fueled by water which is why it’s so important for you to keep all untreated wood in and around your home dry.

Keeping wood dry is easier said than done and all too often you may discover wood rot before it’s so bad that the wood must be replaced. If so, there are wonderful products available to you that allow you to replace the rotted wood with a filler that you can paint or stain.

Can You Use the Epoxy To Make Structural Repairs?

That said, keep in mind that repair products like this are not meant for structural repairs. This simply means if the wood rot is happening in a beam or a column that supports one end of a beam, you need to make the repair with a piece of wood that will have the strength to support the weight above it.

Four years ago, I traveled 3,000 miles to help a really good friend with quite a few items on his honey-do list. This friend invests his time every now to ensure my websites are running smoothly and it was time for me to reciprocate. Fortunately, he lives in southern California and the weather was perfect.

My friend lives in an association and the houses all have a distinct southwestern look with some fake beams that protrude out from under the roof overhangs. When installing the beams years ago, the original builder made a mistake. Even though southern California doesn’t get much rain, rain does fall on these beams. One of these faux beams was showing signs of significant rot.

The rot could have been prevented if the builder or carpenter had formed a simple cap on top of the beam using a piece of aluminum flashing. The aluminum would have acted as a roof on top of the decorative wood beam deflecting any rain to the ground instead of sitting on top of the flat beam. Done correctly, only a trained eye would have seen the edges of this flashing. Most people would think nothing of it.

What Products Did You Use in California?

Here are the two products I used at my friend's house:

pc petrifier wood hardener

This is PC Petrifier wood hardener. It comes in different sizes. This is the gallon jug. Get this size if you have to repair lots of wood rot. CLICK ON THE PHOTO to have this delivered to your home.

PC Woody two-part epoxy

This is PC Woody. It's a fantastic two-part epoxy that's very sticky. It's easy to sand once hard. CLICK ON THE PHOTO NOW to have it delivered to your door.

What Builder Mistakes Caused Your Rot?

I share this with you because I want you to think of what went wrong at your home. What mistake did the builder make that caused your wood rot? You need to be able to remedy this after you make the repair so your repair work is not done in vain.

Missing or Ill-Fitting Flashings Biggest Rot Cause

My friend’s faux beam had a large piece of wood missing from one side. There were also cracks and holes on top of the beam and on the end that had to be filled. I decided to use a waterproof epoxy product that can be sanded and painted once cured. This two-part epoxy is easy to work with and is affordable.

Are Exterior Spackling Compounds Good?

There are exterior spackling compounds that can be used that require no mixing. I’ve tried one of the newest ones at my own home in the past two years and it failed miserably.

I had some deep gouges in the handrail that is part of the steps leading down to my dock. I knew the spackling would fill the low spots, but I was concerned about the holding or adhesive quality of the spackling compound. Sure enough, after just 18 months, the spackling could be scraped off with your fingernail. This would have never happened had I used the epoxy I installed four years ago in California!

How Did You Fix the California Rotted Beam?

Once I removed all the soft rotted wood from the sides and top of my friend’s beam, it was time to reinforce the wood. We had an assortment of galvanized coarse-threaded drywall screws at our disposal. I drove several long ones into the hole. These would act like steel rebar inside of concrete.

I then used some short screws in the large side hole. I drove these so the heads would be below the finished surface of the wood but well exposed within the hole. These would help hold the epoxy in place and act as anchors when completely surrounded by the epoxy. The bugle shape of the screw head would guarantee the epoxy would not fall from the hole.

If you don’t want to use screws as I did, then you need to excavate the wood so the bottom of the hole is larger than the top. Dentists employ this simple trick so fillings don’t pop out of your teeth. Road crews should do the same, but almost never do, to ensure asphalt doesn’t pop out of potholes.

The epoxy I used had plenty of work time. It was easy to force it into the holes and cracks. I used a variety of small and wide putty knives to get it as smooth as possible. The smoother you get it at the start, the less sanding you need to do to once it cures.

Column 1428

November 21, 2021 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

What are you doing hanging out with Carl, Jay, Brec, Lori, Estelle, and about 90 others over there in the corner? DUH! I should have noticed you subscribed in the past seven days. Welcome!

You, though, might be a crusty subscriber. I don't mean how old you are, that would be rather rude! Crusty to me means you've been here for over twenty years. I know you remember this pretty funny video I did back in the day. I think you'll chortle for sure. I'm positive Ron Fischer, the Channel 9 videographer, laughed while we taped it.
mix joint compound

STOP Basement and Crawlspace Water

Would you like to STOP water from entering your basement and crawlspace? Or, do you have a soggy yard that resembles the Okefenokee Swamp?

All you have to do is install a simple linear french drain and your water woes will vanish faster than warm and moist sweet potato and pumpkin muffins off the Thanksgiving dinner table at the Carter house.

Guess what? I CONVERTED my old Linear French Drain DVD into a streaming MP4 video! You can watch it countless times. No need for a clunky DVD player or futzing around with a plastic platter.

But wait, it gets better! I added all sorts of new cutaway video as well as never-before-seen video footage I shot months after creating the DVD. The new footage shows the linear french drain GUSHING water!

Living PROOF my system works!

Well, gosh I studied hydrogeology in college so I knew all along it would work, silly!

CLICK or TAP HERE if you want to transform your basement or crawlspace into the Atacama Desert. Satisfaction GUARANTEED!

Water Pressure Booster Pump

Do you have chronic low pressure in your home or light-commercial business? In an hour you can have 70 PSI, or more, of pressure!
water pressure booster pump
CLICK or TAP HERE to see how easy and affordable it is to have hot showers so satisfying you never want to step off the blue mat!

LIVE Streaming Videos Summary

You missed another great week of my LIVE streaming videos. There were so many great questions! And on Friday, everyone got to see my new LL Bean flannel shirt!

If you want to watch the replays, just click or tap the following links:

Secret to Fireproof Chimneys - Stay Safe!

Energy Improvement Savings Payback - Easy Math!

Attic Trusses - Get an Instant Room

Attic Insulation Myths DeBunked & Great Questions

Adhesive Chain - What is That, Tim?

Do You Have a 3/4-Ton Truck?

I've owned a Ford F-250 Super Duty 4x4 for thirteen years. I bought it with the snow-plow package which adds stiffer front axle springs.

99.99999% of the time the bed of my truck is empty. This means I used to get jiggled and jostled every time I go over the slightest bump.

Well, four days ago that misery ENDED FOREVER. It only cost $47 and took ten minutes.
F-250 logo
CLICK or TAP HERE to see how easy it is to make a 3/4-ton truck ride like it's got marshmallows for tires.

That's enough for a Sunday.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
GREAT Organic Cleaner - www.StainSolver.com
A WARM November Day - www.W3ATB.com

P.S. I took this photo two nights ago. The only thing better would have been sitting in front of the fire ring with several pieces of oak firewood crackling away and sharing a blanket. What say you?
moonrise lake winnisquam nh

Water Pressure Booster Pump for Home

Posted on by Tim Carter
water-pressure-booster-pump

Water pressure booster pump. This is my own pump. It sips energy and boost the 45 PSI well water up to 70 PSI. The pipe on the bottom is the incoming lower-pressure water line. The pipe to the left of the circular water-pressure gauge is the high-pressure line going to all the house fixtures and hose bibs.

Install a Water Pressure Booster Pump for Home Use

I installed a water pressure booster pump in my home years ago. I didn't build my house and my well pump only gets the inside pressure up to 45 pounds per square inch (PSI). I now have invigorating showers and plenty of water coming out of my garden hoses.

What is the Outgoing Pressure?

I have my outgoing water pressure set to 70 PSI. That's plenty of pressure. The incoming pressure was at 45 PSI before I began. That's just above the minimum pressure standard for city water mains.

Is it Hard to Install the Water Pressure Booster Pump?

No, it's not hard at all. It's far easier now as you can use press fittings instead of having to solder all your fittings and ball valves. If you have minimal plumbing skills you can have one installed in less than an hour. I've been a master plumber since 1981 and I'd rate this a 2 out of 10 on the difficulty scale. If you NEED HELP or want me to boost your confidence, I can call you on the phone or do a video call.

Does the Pump have a Check Valve?

Yes, there's a check valve on the incoming water line just before the electric booster pump. Without this check valve, you'd be sending high pressure back into the low pressure side of the system.

Do I Have to Install ByPass Piping?

Yes, you need to install simple by-pass piping. This three-valve setup allows you to take the pump out of the system and go back to the lower water pressure should the pump need to be serviced. Look at this photo of how it's accomplished:

water pressure booster bypass

The speech bubbles and colored arrows tell you all you need to know! If not, get me on the phone.

Where Did You Buy Your Water Pressure Booster Pump?

I got my pump from a fantastic New Hampshire company, Towle & Whitney. Call them and they'll help you decide on the perfect water pressure booster pump for your home.

November 19, 2021 Live Stream Alert

Posted on by Tim Carter

Live Stream Alert

Today on my LIVE video stream, I'm going to open with a short monologue about a unique chain. You may be thinking of a nice silver or gold one that holds a pendant prize around your neck.

Or, you might think of one that's got thick rusty links used by tow-truck operators to tug cars back to repair shops.

I'm not going to be talking about either of those. Here's a clue about the chain I'm talking about:

peeling paint on brick

After the short monologue, I'll then start to answer any and all questions you might have.

Yes, I will help you for FREE. But maybe money's not an issue for you. You've got plenty, right?

Yesterday's LIVE stream (scroll down and click the rainbow map of the USA) was FILLED with amazing questions and we even discussed one of the causes of the RAGING INFLATION that's eating away at your savings and paycheck.

I also shared a story about how years ago, you could slide $1,000 worth of dollar bills under the Federal Reserve Bank Cincinnati branch teller's portcullis and she/he would slide back to you 1,000 pieces of genuine real 99.9999% pure silver dollars. Do you know why that no longer happens?????

CLICK or TAP HERE at 3:59 PM Eastern Time today to tune in. You'll not be sorry.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

How to Make F250 Ride Smoother

Posted on by Tim Carter

It's Easy & Fast to make a F250 Ride Smoother - Patio Stones!

My Ford F-250 Super Duty 4x4 has a very stiff suspension. An F-250 is a 3/4-ton truck and everything about the chassis is bigger and tougher than its little brother the F-150. The robust front springs installed in 2009 as part of the snow-plow package add to the overall stiffness of the suspension.

Watch this short video above to see how EASY it is to make your F250 or any 3/4-ton pickup truck ride like it's got marshmallows for tires!

How Much Does Each Patio Stone Weigh?

Concrete weighs 150 pounds per cubic foot. Each stone weighs a little over 19.6 pounds.

What Was the Total Weight You Added?

I added, with the 2x10 custom-cut filler material just over 500 pounds. The patio stones alone weigh in at 471 pounds.

How Much Did it Cost to Get a Smoother Ride?

It cost me just a little over $47 in 2021 dollars. Each stone was $1.97 and there's no sales tax in New Hampshire. Why does your state have one? Think about that!!!

Are you Worried about the Stones Moving Around?

No. They're very secure and the heavy rubber mat helps hold them down. In a rollover crash where they might fly out of the truck, one might crash through the rear windshield, but I'm pretty convinced the rubber mat will prevent that from happening. Random things flying through the rear windshield can happen with any heavy item such as a circular saw, a toolbox, or anything you have thrown in the back of your truck. Think about it. Do you throw a net or tie down EVERY loose item in the back of your pickup truck EVERY trip? Why of course you don't.

f250 nameplate

November 18, 2021 AsktheBuilder News Flash

Posted on by Tim Carter

Live on WLIP.com Streaming Radio
&
YouTube Live Stream

 

Today at 3:36 PM Eastern Time, I'll be live on WLIP.com.

WLIP radio logo
This is not my first WLIP rodeo. Frank and Kim Carmichael are the owners of the radio station. They also publish my Ask the Builder column in a weekly paper they own. They invite me on the show at least once a month. Reanna might be on the show too!

I love doing this live radio because you NEVER know what Frank's going to ask. On quite a few occasions we've never talked about home improvement. It's a HOOT!

CLICK or TAP HERE at 3:36 PM Eastern Time to catch me live on WLIP. Look at the UPPER RIGHT CORNER of your screen for the link to the LIVE STREAM. You might hear a commercial or WX forecast if you tune in a minute early.

Immediately after the WLIP appearance, I'll start streaming on my YouTube channel.

Ignacio provided the inspiration for today's LIVE video stream topic:

DeBunking Attic Insulation Myths

Wait until you hear his questions!

CLICK or TAP HERE at 3:59 PM Eastern Time today for my video live stream. I may be a few seconds late, so don't fret.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

November 17, 2021 Live Stream Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Below is the November 17th Live Stream Video.


I hate to tell you this, but you're missing out on valuable information by not tuning into my new LIVE video stream. First of all it's FREE!

For example, yesterday you missed out on saving maybe $10,000. Actually, it could have been $15,000, or more.

CLICK or TAP HERE and see for yourself.

You're also missing out on the banter between me and the other viewers! Here are just a few of the comments and questions from yesterday. Do you see that blue circle with the white arrow in it at the bottom of the list of comments/questions just below?

I could have taken at least four more screenshots there were so many questions! Yes, the comments went on for over an hour!
Live Stream Comments Screen shot
Just take a few minutes out of your busy day today and tune in. You need a break anyway, right?

CLICK or TAP HERE at 3:59 PM Eastern Time today and a minute later I'll be there with bells on. You can ask me ANYTHING you want today. Just stay away from discussing old girlfriends, please. Lots of nice-to-know information there to be sure!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

November 16, 2021 Live Video Stream

Posted on by Tim Carter

November 16, 2021 Live Video Stream

Today on my live stream, I'm going to devote the first 15 minutes to the TRUTH about how you're often bamboozled when you spend money on something like new windows, extra insulation, or any other improvement that claims to SAVE YOU SWEET MOOLA on your energy bills. Usually, the salesman only tells you HALF the truth.

You know that a half-truth is a WHOLE LIE, right?


I'll be LIVE at 4:00 PM Eastern time.

Once I finish up about the energy-savings revelation, we'll switch to OPEN MIC Ask-Anything mode.

You don't want to miss this LIVE stream! If you want to ask a question, you have to set up a simple YouTube channel of your own before the live stream. It takes just a few minutes to do this. You do NOT have to upload a video or a photo to have a YouTube channel.

Here's what you missed yesterday:

Keri asked me all about how to match mortar in her chimney tuck-pointing job.

Kam wanted to know how in the world the heat exchanger worked in his uncle's wood stove.

And you missed so much more!

CLICK or TAP HERE at 3:59 PM Eastern Time and get ready to discover how to save HUGE $$$$ and not get taken to the cleaners.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

November 15, 2021 Live Stream

Posted on by Tim Carter

Today on my LIVE Stream Video, I'm going to start out with a few life-saving tips about your masonry chimney. Yes, the one that services your wood-burning fireplace or woodstove.

Then we switch gears to Ask Anything - Open Mic. You can ASK ANYTHING you want and I'll do my best to answer it LIVE.

CLICK or TAP HERE at 3:59 PM Eastern Time and I'll start the stream at 4:00 PM on the dot.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. I've decided on some great LIVE stream software that will allow me to invite guests AND do active screen sharing where I can show pictures or drawings I've made to help illustrate a point. I'm downloading it today and will start to discover how to use it. I hope to have it in place and working by Wednesday.