Question 1

furnace pilot light keeps going out

Accepted Answer

1969 Lennox gas furnace The pilot light won't stay lit. I light it easily enough, and it makes a nice two-inch blue flame. Ten minutes later, with the thermostat still turned off, I hear a clunk,  and the pilot light goes out. It has happened about like that three times. Please advise.

Question 2

Washing machine - how to remove hardened soap powder?

Accepted Answer

We have a quantity of hardened soap powder (at least, I assume that's what it is) in the soap powder tray, and in the recess it fits into. This is an old Hotpoint.It's causing problems moving the tray; it's very hard to scrape off. Anyuseful tips on removing it?I'd rather avoid the thermic lance...

Question 3

Corrosion on hot water heater pipes

Accepted Answer

Is this hot water heater pipe corrosion normal? (1) Needs to be connected by a nipple, only brass available  (2) Will the new brass nipple corrode just like the old did?   (3) Hot water outlet nipple seems to be steel?    (4) New & old nipples are both brass so why corrode?    (5) Cold water inlet has less corrosion it seems but why?

Question 4

how do i get a shirt out of the bottom of my washing machine

Accepted Answer

I have a shirt in the bottom of my washing machine and it is clogging the pump and I have water in the bottom of my washing machine.

Question 5

Ice maker won't stop making ice

Accepted Answer

It is a Whirlpool Model # WSF26C3EXB01, I replaced the receiver sensor board # W10296530 because the red light was only on when I turn the power on then after about 30 sec it will go out and not come back on till I power it down again. After replacing the board same thing. It all started with the ice maker and auger not working at all. Found broken wires at the bottom of the door and repaired them. Everything works now except the ice maker won't stop making ice. Any ideas??

Question 6

Vinyl Plank Expansion Gap (Wood Also)

Accepted Answer

This question relates specifically to Luxury Vinyl Plank (since that is what I am installing) but I think that it applies to hardwood floors also.I'm installing LVP in my kitchen and office. It's essentially a "single floor" since the office is connected to the kitchen via a 48" wide opening.The standard practice for LVP is to leave a 1/4" expansion gap aroundthe perimeter. Fine. No problem. Kitchen's done and I'll start the officeas soon as I move everything back into the kitchen - and therein liesthe rub. I'm about to move the range, refrigerator, two 32" x 84" cabinet/bookcaseunits and a 40 gallon aquarium back into the kitchen. In the office, I have a large antique, hardwood desk and matching hutch. The recliner and loveseat are lightweights compared to those 2 pieces. All of these pieces,in both rooms, are up against different walls.I find it impossible that the floor is actually going to move those pieces and use the 1/4" expansion gaps. I think that the weight is going to...

Question 7

Floorboards sagging, suspended floor repair/insulation Qs

Accepted Answer

Hi All    I'm looking for information on suspended floor repair and insulation.We live in a (1950's)? short terraced house on the south coast.We have a long living room due to the house having been extended, a long timeago and before we were occupants.Recently, part of the flooring on the 'extended' part' has started to 'sag'.This has not been helped by young persons using their 'Hoverboards' indoors!Basically, it feels like some of the floorboards are starting to give waywhen weight is put on them.From a bit of reading, I guess that the construction is of floorboard ontopiers over a concrete 'slab'. I could be wrong, however.I am presuming that we will have to get the floors redone - at least theextension part, the floor under the original plan part still seems sound.Some questions whilst I continue to read and research...1) Any thoughts on whether this is likely to be just the floorboards,or something more serious? I am moderately concerned that most of the workthat has been done on...

Question 8

What is the cheapest or easiest way to fill up sodastream special ~1 pound & normal 5 pound carbon dioxide tanks?

Accepted Answer

I just recently bought a home water carbonation setup at a garage salewhich currently consists of a sodastream jet and a five pound CO2 tank.All three tanks are empty.If you happen to own both or either, what do you find is either the mostconvenient or the least expensive way to fill them up with carbon dioxide?

Question 9

Why do portble generators make such a big deal about starting watts?

Accepted Answer

Why do portble generators make such a big deal about starting watts?'m looking to buy a generator for general purpose use either during power outages (rare) or when I need electricity far from the house (especially 220VAC for things like my wheeled Wards Power Kraft 230 arc welder).My budget is $500 (wife imposed - and no - you can't overrule Her).All of the generators have about a thousand watts more for peak rating.Why do I care?What is the peak rating used for and for how long?

Question 10

What is the name of the valve on a 1 pound propane cylinder

Accepted Answer

What is the correct technical name for the valve that is on the refillable(DOT 4BA) or non-refillable (DOT 39) indoors one pound propane cylinders?I've been googling like crazy where I found the names of all the others.(1) POL (what they put on the old 100 gallon propane tanks)(2) ACME (what they put on the newer propane tanks)(3) OPD (overfill protection device, what's on most 20 pound tanks)(4) QCC Type 1 === Quick Closing Coupling (approved for use indoors)But what's the name for the valve on the one-pound cylinders? (5) Prima ? === needle control valve?The reason it matters is I'm researching adapters to use my 500 pound tankto refill all the rest of the tanks, which are legal to refill.

Question 11

If you kill the queen with boric acid - where do the forager ants go after that?

Accepted Answer

Given ants live almost as long as people used to live, you have to kill thequeen (otherwise she makes more forager ants if you kill them when you seethem) so you have to be sneaky by baiting the food with a slow-actingpoison (such as a sprinkling of boric acid on the chicken meat bait).The forager ants bring the boric acid back to the nest both on their bodiesand in the food they regurgitate back to feed the queen and her pupae.But if you kill the queen, then what do the rest of the ants do for theremaining 5 to 10 to 30 years (depending on the species) of their lives?Do the workers still infest your house & forage for food without the queen?

Question 12

Storing and using propane in a house

Accepted Answer

Having a LPG gas hob with a connection to cylinders outside is quite commonly done. Sometimes with a pair of cylinders and a changeover valve. (handy if that is your only power for cooking, so it is important that you don't run out).BS 5482 covers the specific rules for butane and propane burning appliances in domestic settings. Extract below [1]BS 5440-2 covers ventilation requirements for cooking appliances. If the room volume is < 5m^3 then you need 100 cm^2 of permanent venting, 50 for rooms between 5 and 10m^3 (none for larger rooms)[1] "11.3.1 Cylinder location11.3.1.1 GeneralThe cylinder position should afford ease of access to facilitate changing and quick removal in case ofnecessity. Cylinders should be installed in the upright position with valves uppermost so that only vapouris withdrawn in use.Cylinders should be located outside buildings in the open air and situated on firm, level ground in awell-ventilated location (see Figure 2).The minimum dimensions for the location of...

Frequently Asked Questions

Storing and using propane in a house

If you kill the queen with boric acid - where do the forager ants go after that?

What is the cheapest or easiest way to fill up sodastream special ~1 pound & normal 5 pound carbon dioxide tanks?

Why do portble generators make such a big deal about starting watts?

What is the name of the valve on a 1 pound propane cylinder

Understanding Hot Water Pipe Corrosion: Causes and Solutions for Homeowners

Troubleshooting Your Furnace: Why Your Pilot Light Keeps Going Out

Ice, Ice, Maybe? How to Stop an Ice Maker That Keeps Producing Ice

Washing machine - how to remove hardened soap powder? (2025 Update)

How do I get a shirt out of the bottom of my washing machine? It's clogging the machine?

Vinyl Plank Expansion Gap (Wood Also)

Floorboards sagging, suspended floor repair/insulation Qs