3 Way Switch Video

Posted on December 3, 2006 by Tim Carter

Safety tip:

Turn off the power or circuit breaker feeding the wiring you are working on. Avoid electrocution.

Three-way switches allow you to control a light or lights from two different locations. The 3-way switch has three screws plus the ground screw. That is one more than the standard light switch. The black screw is an important one. If the wired are connected to the wrong screw, the 3-way circuit will not work.

In this example, the power comes into the first 3-way switch through a yellow wire. From that switch, there is an older white wire that happens to be 12-gauge wire, that is a little thicker than the other wires, that goes to the other switch. From the second switch, there is a yellow wire that goes to the light fixture. That is the basic wiring for this circuit.

Modern codes now require the outer covering on cables to be different colors so inspectors can see quickly what gauge wire is being used on a job. I happened to have an older partial roll of 12/3 wg cable in my basement that was made before the outer covering was required to be yellow.

Normal electrical wiring consists on of three wires - black, white and bare (ground). Wire for a 3-way circuit requires four wires - black, white, ground and red. The incoming power wire (yellow in this example) has the three wires. Between the switches, there is a white cable with the four colored wires. The white from the yellow and white cables get connected to each other with a wire nut. The sends the neutral directly to the light bulb. The black wires and the red wire connect to the switches.

The two ground wires are connected together and then connected to the grounding screw on the first switch.

The black wire from the circuit breaker panel gets attached to the black screw on the 3-way switch. The black and red wires from the white cable running between the switches get connected to either of the two brass screws on the switch.

On the other end, the two white wires are wire nutted together. One of the black wires gets attached to the brass screw. The red wire, running between the switches, gets connected to the other brass screw. The black screw has the black (common) wire that runs up to the light through the yellow cable. The two grounds are connected together and then to the green ground screw on the switch.

To summarize, the black screw gets either the wire from the electrical panel or the wire going to the light. The brass screws get the travelers hooked to them. Those were the black and red in this example. Be safe.

Roof Flashing for Bathroom Fans Video

Posted on December 2, 2006 by Tim Carter

Roof Flashing for Bathroom Fans

First, if you are not comfortable working on the roof, do not attempt this project. Falls resulting in injuries or death are possible.

From inside the attic, locate the hole where the vent will go through the roof. It must be located between two roof joists. Once located, drive a large nail up through the roof from the attic.

Once back on the roof, you can locate the center of the hole from the nail. There should not be any chimneys, other vents or other objects within two feet of the center of the hole.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local companies that will come install the fan flashing for you in no time.

Mark the hole on the shingles with any marker you can see on the roof shingles. Make the hole slightly larger then the diameter of the vent tube.

Use a reciprocating saw to make the cut in the roof. You can cut right through the shingles at the same time you are cutting the roof sheathing.

Shingles are overlapped so the rain will run off the roof. The upper shingle is always on top of the lower one with part of the lower shingle underneath the one above it.

The flashing on the bathroom fan vent works like a shingle. If it just laid on the roof, the flashing with be above all the shingles and the roof will leak. The top edge of the flashing has to go under some shingles.

To do this, some nails have to be removed from the shingles. The nails should be located directly above the slit in the shingle. Lift the shingle and located the nail. Use the flashing to determine which shingles are affected.

Use a flat pry bar to remove the nail(s). If the part of the vent is not round, some of the shingles will have to be cut to match the vent. Put the flashing in the hole and outline the flashing edges.

Cut the shingles so they are about 1/2" inside the edge of the flashing markings. A razor knife can be used to cut the shingles.

Once cut, slide the upper part of the bathroom fan vent flashing under the shingles at the top. The vent flashing will sit on top of the shingles on the down roof side. Nail the roof flashing in position.

Apply caulk over any nail head that is not under a shingle. This will keep that nail hole from leaking.

Done properly, your roof vent will not leak.

Related Column: Ducted Bathroom Fan

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local companies that will come install the fan flashing for you in no time.

New Sponsor Data

Posted on December 2, 2006 by Tim Carter

Congratulations!

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Insert Data for MULTIPLE Ads for One Sponsor:
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Exterior Door Removal Video

Posted on November 28, 2006 by Tim Carter

Before installing a new exterior door, you have to remove the old door. The first step to remove an exterior door is removing the door trim from inside the house. This will allow you to see what is around the door. After the trim has been removed and before you take out the old door, stop and take some measurements of the door opening. Then, check to be sure the new door is the proper size. Image the nightmare if you have removed the old door to find the new exterior door is the wrong size! If the new door will fit the opening in the frame, take down the old door.

On the outside of the door, remove the two side trim pieces from around the door. Do not remove the top trim, as there is an integral flashing that goes up behind the siding. The new door can be installed under this flashing be tilting it backwards and bringing up toward that weather flashing.

Use a razor knife to cut any caulking around the door trim. This will prevent the siding from being ripped away when the trim is removed. If some siding tries to come with the trim, use a small 2x4 block and tap the siding to break the seal.

Make your job easier by removing the door itself from the frame. Put out the door hinges and remove the door. This makes the remaining frame and sidelights, if present, a whole lot lighter. With the door gone, it is time to remove the remaining door jamb.

A word if caution. Does you door have an alarm switch embedded in the door jamb? If so, you may have to remove some drywall on the inside to get to the alarm switch. You can cut the wires to the switch and rewire it after the door installation.

Use a sawzall to cut the nails that are holding up the door jamb. Be sure to get a saw blade that will cut both wood and metal. The door frame will be ready to be taken out. You might need a hammer to help it along.

This is the first of three videos relating to Exterior Door Removal, Installation and Insulation. Below are the links to the other videos in this series.

Click here to watch the Exterior Door Installation Video

Click here to watch the Exterior Door Insulation Video

Wood Conditioner Video

Posted on November 24, 2006 by Tim Carter

Wood Conditioner - Use One Before Staining Wood

Some woods, like oak, are easy to stain. The wood cells are very closed and the stain is not soaked into the wood. A soft wood, such as white pine is very porous and will soak up too much of the stain and the grain of the wood will not show through. You need to close up the wood pores in a soft wood which is what a wood conditioner does. The pre-stain conditioner will close the wood pores. These conditioners are similar to thinned down varnishes or urethanes. They have resins in them that partially fill some of the pores in the soft woods so only a small amount of stain is absorbed by the wood.

They go on clear and only takes 15 minutes to dry.

After the wood conditioner is dry, go ahead and stain the wood. The wood stain will not soak in too much in soft woods. The wood grain will show through the stain beautifully. If you did not use the conditioner, the wood stain would be very dark and there would be little or no wood grain showing. The pre-stain wood conditioners are a must on soft woods.

Do a Test First

It's BEST to do a test on some scraps of wood before you actually stain your wood. Do exactly what you see me do in the video so you get a feel of how the wood conditioner protects your wood from absorbing too much dark stain.

Marie from Oak Harbor, WA, emailed asking about mixing stains. Read her story in the March 23, 2011 Newsletter. This was the I didn't Know That!! article in the October 22, 2013 Newsletter.

Sink Installation

Posted on November 21, 2006 by Tim Carter

Click the image to watch the sink installation video.

A different window will open and the video will play immediately. If this does not happen, you are probably surfing with Internet Explorer as your browser and you have the Block Popups command activated in your preferences.

This is why I surf the Internet using Mozilla Firefox as my browser. It has built-in intelligence that allows popups to open that you activate with a click. There is a difference you know, as some websites throw popups in our faces without our wishes. In this case, I am forcing you to click to activate the popup.

If you want your web surfing to be enjoyable, consider using Firefox as your browser. The software is free and you can get it by clicking here .

Bathroom Cabinets

Posted on November 20, 2006 by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: The bathroom cabinets I saw at the home center are not going to work for me. I have dreamed up a clever L-shaped design for my new bathroom, and I need bathroom vanity cabinets that are crazy sizes. Is it possible to buy these as well as bathroom wall cabinets? What else can I do to make my bathroom appear as it is indeed one-of-a-kind? I want to splurge, so don't hold back on any of your ideas. Connie B., West Salem, WI

DEAR CONNIE: I get really frustrated when people ask for me to do a brain dump of all of my ideas, but am only given precious few words to do so. Books have been written about bathroom remodeling, cabinets and design possibilities, so I have my work cut out for me.

First, you absolutely can purchase any custom-sized cabinet you need. You can get special widths as well as depths. The depth of the cabinet is very important, especially in an L-shaped design. Smaller bathrooms don't always have the width to allow standard-sized cabinets to be used in this configuration. You will probably discover you need to use a cabinet or several cabinets that are only 15 inches deep.

These semi-custom bathroom cabinets were ordered to fit precisely into the tight space. The upper cubby shelves were made on-site from stained wood provided by the cabinet company. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

Be aware that bathroom cabinets are also available in kitchen-cabinet heights. A 34.5-inch-tall cabinet allows you to have a 36-inch-high finished counter height if you use granite or some other material that is 1.5 inches thick. Many people have come to appreciate higher bathroom cabinets and tops.

Several high-end cabinet manufacturers produce a wide variety of accent trim pieces that allow you to make the cabinets look like furniture. Imagine an accent piece of wood that resembles a twisted rope. You can have that trim piece applied to the cabinets to hide the seams between two separate cabinets. This look can be stunning.

Consider custom shelving that rests on the countertop on either side of the sink. This shelving can act as a giant frame around a tall mirror that makes the bathroom seem 30% larger than it actually is. Some bathroom cabinet manufacturers will make this shelving for you, while others will supply you with the needed material that has been stained and finished to match the cabinetry. A good finish carpenter should be able to assemble simple shelves in one day or less.

Consider natural stone for the countertop and the floor. You can buy granite tile squares that compliment the color and texture of the cabinets you select. Don't hesitate to look at painted cabinets as well as natural wood cabinets. Painted cabinets that have a slight accent glaze can really go a long way to help you achieve your ultra-custom look.

This deluxe faucet is from the ShowHouse series by Moen. Its polished-nickel finish is stunning. The faucet actually swivels to make cleaning the sink easy. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

Pay attention to detail when it comes to your bathroom plumbing fixtures. There are high-quality faucets available in traditional or sleek contemporary designs. I personally love the new polished nickel finishes. The color of the polished nickel finish is regal. I think you should also be aware that certain faucet manufactures offer a complete line of trim fixtures that match the faucets. You can get towel bars, toilet-paper holders, shelves, etc. all in the exact same design and finish.

Don't forget about your walls and ceiling. All too often people seem to overlook wallpaper. Wallpaper, in my opinion, can create a mood and feeling that adds to the elegance created with the cabinets, countertops and flooring. Be sure to use a new non-woven wallpaper. These wallpapers do not expand when the adhesive contacts the paper. This feature allows you to easily remove the wallpaper from the wall and reattach it if there is ever a need to do a plumbing or electrical repair behind the wall.

Consider a wallpaper mural for the ceiling, if it fits into your overall look. Modern adhesives will allow the mural to stay attached to the ceiling, especially if you use the proper-sized ventilation fan to remove moist air created during bathing or showering.

I love the bathroom exhaust fans that are located in the attic space away from the bathroom. They are extremely quiet and vacuum copious amounts of air from the bathroom through insulated flexible piping. This air must be piped through the roof or sidewall of your home. Do not allow it to escape into the attic space.

Create a unique design using different-colored granite or tile on the floor or even the shower wall. Use these wide-open spaces as a place to express the look and feel you want. Modern ceramic-tile wet saws allow a craftsman to easily cut pieces of tile or natural stone into any number of sizes and shapes. If you do not have a creative bent, think about hiring a designer to transform the floor or wall into a masterpiece. I guarantee you it will get compliments from anyone who sees it. But if no one does, you get to enjoy it all by yourself!

Column 648

Heating Installation

Posted on November 12, 2006 by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: Do you think I can do my own heating installation? The price of heating systems with installation takes my breath away. My central heating installation job doesn't appear to look that difficult. All I need to do is switch out the furnace and reconnect the black-iron gas line. What am I missing? Gordon N., Perry, IA

DEAR GORDON: I am at a significant disadvantage since I don't know you personally, but because you had to ask me about your skill level, I am 100 percent convinced you can't successfully complete the heating installation job. The task is so complex, especially if you purchase state-of-the-art high-efficiency equipment, that many high-quality furnace manufacturers will not sell you their products. They only want trained professionals to install these highly-complex machines.

This new high-efficiency gas furnace took several days to install. Each step took skill, an assortment of special tools and years of experience. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

The reason you are suffering from sticker shock on the installed price is simple. Heating installation is hard work, it is dirty, it requires a variety of great skills and a boatload of specialized tools. You couldn't have picked a more complicated task in your home, unless of course, there is a central air conditioner that is also part of the system. Heating and cooling systems are by far the most complex mechanical systems found in the average residential home. And much like automobiles, they are getting more complex each year as internal computers and circuit boards operate these machines.

This past summer, I witnessed this job on a very personal level. Both of my gas furnaces were replaced with super high-efficiency furnaces that have gas modulating valves. I knew I could not do this job myself, so I hired my heating and air conditioning installer to do it. This person happens to be my best friend, and he allowed me to assist him on several parts of the job.

The removal of the old furnaces was miserable, dirty work. Rust, dirt and grime were everywhere. Rather than lift the old, heavy furnaces up from the basement, we disassembled them in the furnace room. It took hours to get the mess cleaned up, and all of the parts out to the driveway.

My new furnaces are smaller than the 20-year-old ones we replaced. This may not seem like a big deal, but it makes a huge difference with respect to the extended plenum metal ductwork that sits on top of a standard updraft furnace. That ordinary-looking metal box is often anything but ordinary. They are almost always custom-made by a sheet-metal fabricator. You may have to have a new extended plenum made, and even then, you may have difficulty making the transition between it and the ductwork it connects to.

Sizing the new furnace might also be an issue. Keep in mind that furnaces come in different sizes, and you need to ensure the new furnace has a heat output that is slightly greater than the heat loss of your home. Professionals know how to do the necessary calculations to determine both heat loss and heat gain.

The exhaust and incoming combustion-air piping can also be very complicated. The length of the piping runs, the amount of turns and the slope are all very important. You must follow manufacturers' recommendations to the letter, or your furnace may not work correctly. What's more, if you install the exhaust piping incorrectly, you may create a life-safety hazard as exhaust gases can contain deadly carbon monoxide.

You may not think connecting a black-iron pipe gas line is hard, but if you do not have access to tools that allow you to thread pipe, you may be in for a surprise. If you have not been trained properly to thread pipe, you can ruin the threading dies quickly or thread the pipe incorrectly. I know it looks simple, but it is not.

Heating installation contractors are worth every penny, so long as you deal with a real professional. The heating and cooling system in a home creates an artificial environment, one that you want to be comfortable. The real pros will give you a dollar's worth of value for every dollar you spend.

There is a possibility your existing heating system has some flaws. Perhaps one room is hotter or colder than you desire. There may be defects in the original ductwork design that a professional can fix with some ease. Be sure to bring these defects to the attention of any professional that might be bidding your job.

Be aware that modern high-efficiency gas furnaces produce ample amounts of condensate water. This water needs to be directed to a floor drain or be pumped to a sink. The condensate water is a byproduct of the combustion of the natural gas or propane. The condensate is also acidic, so don't drink it, give it to pets or use it to water plants.

Column 647

How to Make a Video

Posted on November 7, 2006 by Tim Carter

My How to Make a Video has a story behind it. Most videos are made for a reason, but this one was special. My video was produced the second week of October, 2006 as part of an hour-long presentation I had to give in front of an Internet mastermind group to which I belong. Many in this group are very dear friends, and I was trying to get them excited about the new world of Internet video. I decided to act a little silly at times to make them laugh, and laugh they did!

Many in my mastermind group have never been in front of a camera, and I wanted to share some tips that have worked for me over the years. But trying to squeeze years of my own experience into ten minutes does not do the topic justice. That makes sense when you consider that students go to school for four years to learn the basics of the videography business. I just barely scratched the surface of the topic in this short video.

Over the past ten years, I have taped hundreds of short videos for network television. One thing I learned during that time period is good equipment is absolutely a necessity. You and I can debate this till the cows come home, but talk to any professional and they will tell you a good video camera, a professional tripod and a light kit are the basics you need to produce semi-professional results. I also wanted to give my friends, and anyone else who watches the video, a simple primer of what to do and what not to do.

Watch any number of amateur videos on the Internet and you quickly see why a good camera and a tripod are necessary to make semi-professional videos. I know some people are attracted to home-grown videos that have little or no editing, but I think many will agree over time that viewers and businesses that want to market products will be attracted to videos that are more professional.

A tripod is very important. Without a tripod, the video camera can move and shake. Jiggling video is just like static on a radio. Viewers can find the movement bothersome, and this subtle movement can divert attention from the message in your video. If you can't afford a great tripod, set your video camera on a stick or some other device that allows you to hold it as still as possible.

As you watch my video, you might be tempted to think I was given the equipment or paid to say nice things. Not so. I paid for every piece of equipment you see in the video. I bought the equipment based upon recommendations for professionals who are in the video business. Years of working with tools in building and remodeling have taught me that it really pays to work with quality, so I bought good stuff. Here is a list of the equipment I used to film this video and all of the other ones I am doing.

After looking at many video cameras, I picked the Panasonic PV-GS500 because of the great reviews I read online. John Wall, a very good friend of mine who is a professional video producer, told me about this camera. He explained the importance of the good optics as well as the three separate color chips. I am shocked at how clear the images are when you zoom in on an object.

Another professional, Michael Keating, gave me the heads up on my tripod. It is a Bogen 755B video tripod with a Bogen 3130 QR Micro Fluid Head. When you buy a tripod like mine, you actually are buying two separate parts. The legs are one part, and the second part is the actual head which connects the video camera to the tripod legs. There are many different heads as well as types of tripod legs. You can spend four figures quickly if you want a super-professional tripod.

The camera needs to be level when you shoot, and these quick-adjust fluid heads allow you to do that quickly. If you try to use a simplistic still camera tripod, you will struggle to get the camera level.

You need to have exceptional audio. I experimented first with a lower quality wired microphone, but was disappointed in the results. There was lots of electronic hum. So I spent the money and went wireless. It is so nice to have a wireless microphone, and my Sennheiser EW112P-G2 Evolution System gives me near perfect professional audio. This wireless microphone has all sorts of settings that allow you to minimize background noise and produce crystal-clear audio.

The lighting kit with bounce umbrellas was purchased at a local camera shop. The high-intensity halogen bulbs get very hot and produce a brilliant white light. Lighting is everything in video production as well as still photography. You can spend all sorts of time trying to properly light a scene to get the right balance of lights, and minimize or eliminate shadows. Wait till you discover how much time you will spend adjusting and positioning lights!

I wish you the best, and hope you have some fun as you make your own videos. Remember, it is easy to take short cuts. Invest the time and money to make the best videos you can. You will never regret it.

Medicine Cabinets

Posted on November 4, 2006 by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I went to look at medicine cabinets this weekend. All of the bathroom medicine cabinets in my home are beat up and dated. Recessed medicine cabinets seem to be much nicer than surface-mounted ones. How hard is it to install a recessed medicine cabinet? If I purchase mirrored medicine cabinets, will all of the glass make them too heavy? Are there any unpleasant surprises that might spring up on a simple remodeling job like this? Diane H., Sacramento, CA

DEAR DIANE: If you want surprises when it comes to medicine cabinets, wait until you remove one from an old home and see all of the discarded double-edged razor blades that are waiting for you behind the plaster. Those of us who grew up in older homes can still remember the tiny slit in the back of medicine cabinets where razor blades were placed instead of garbage cans. Razor blades in garbage cans can be very dangerous, so medicine cabinet manufacturers of old thought it was a great idea to place the dull blades in a wall cavity where no hands could get cut.

Medicine cabinets still serve the same purpose and tease curious visitors. A recessed cabinet like this one offers a slimmer profile. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

I hope you didn't purchase your medicine cabinets yet. If you visited a home center, you only saw a very, very small percentage of the amazing selection of medicine cabinets that are available. As time goes on, I am constantly surprised at how the selection of products gets wider and wider. Years ago, you could maybe pick from 20 or 30 different styles of medicine cabinets. Now there are well over 100.

Who would think you could find a distinctive wood-framed medicine cabinet that would look perfect in a Victorian home? Not only are they available, the woodwork trim around the cabinet looks like it is 120 years old. Even the surface-mounted hardware door latch looks old!

I agree with you that recessed medicine cabinets look better than surface-mounted ones. The surface-mounted cabinets serve a market where cutting into a wall is too expensive or not possible. They also provide instant gratification. If you need a functional medicine cabinet in ten minutes or less, screw a surface-mounted medicine cabinet to the wall and be done with it.

Recessed medicine cabinets are very easy to install if you are building a new home or are involved in a major bathroom remodeling project where the walls will be stripped to the studs and plumbers and electricians are showing up to do other work. If you want to talk about other surprises that await you in bathroom walls, wait until you start to remove the drywall and/or plaster and discover a plumbing vent pipe and/or electric cables feeding bath light fixtures or other rooms right where the recessed opening for the cabinet needs to be.

This is why you never want to cut haphazardly into a bathroom wall thinking you are going to install a recessed medicine cabinet. Always proceed slowly by taking off the drywall and plaster to see what you are up against.

Let's assume there are no pipes, electrical cables or heating ducts in your way. Your challenge will be to create the rough-in opening, or cavity, that the medicine cabinet will nest into. This is very basic carpentry, but can be challenging if the wall happens to be a supporting wall. If you have any doubts whatsoever, contact a seasoned remodeling contractor for advice. Offer to pay this person for his/her time to consult with you for an hour.

You can purchase a mirrored medicine cabinet with no worries. The weight of the glass is only an issue for you as you carry the cabinet from the store to your car and from your car to the bathroom. The weight of the mirrors can easily be supported by the walls. Be sure to use the screws provided by the manufacturer. Just pay attention to the written installation instructions and you will do fine. You must be sure the screws bite into solid framing material so the heavy medicine cabinet does not tip out of the wall cavity.

Many medicine cabinets come equipped with lights. All electrical connections must be done according to the National Electric Code. It is vitally important that any metal parts of the medicine cabinet are grounded, because of the electrocution hazard that is enhanced by the presence of water in the vanity sink.

The installation height of the medicine cabinet is very important. If your family has a mixture of tall and short people, be sure to think about getting a tall mirrored medicine cabinet that all will be able to use without stooping or standing on tip toes as they primp in front of the mirror.

Medicine cabinets don't have to be relegated to bathrooms. There are lots of other places in a home where you might want recessed storage and a handy mirror. You can purchase very affordable medicine cabinets that work great in sewing rooms, hobby areas and even workshops. The smaller cabinets are great places to store small items for any number of projects.

Column 646

Safety tip:

Roof Flashing for Bathroom Fans

Wood Conditioner - Use One Before Staining Wood

Do a Test First

Expert Advice For Your Home